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Hydroxy azo‐benzenes are very well known for their rapid trans⇆cis photoisomerization under polar solvents. In contrast, we synthesized two hydroxymethylated‐ hydroxyazobenzene derivatives and investigated their light‐triggered photoisomerization and stability under polar solvents. The result showed just opposite behavior and very slow trans⇆cis isomerization was observed (minutes‐days). Thus, the UV‐vis spectrum revealed a very low decrease in the absorbance of π–π* transition. Surprisingly, the isomerization process became faster with the addition of ionic species. Here, we attempted to understand the underlying cause of the unusual photo‐switching behavior. The presence of hydroxymethyl and fluorine substituents was found to have a significant effect on the stability of the trans and photo‐isomerized cis products. Here, it was confirmed with NMR and DLS studies that the unusual photostability of trans compounds was caused by polar solvent‐assisted aggregation (hydrodynamic radius, RH 5660–1720 nm) which underwent dispersion (RH, 220–68 nm) and formed a significant stable solvated photoproduct under photoirradiation. Furthermore, this aggregation‐dispersion was found to be very slowly reversible. Further, the fluorescence emission demonstrated a characteristic dispersion‐induced quenching. Regular photoswitching was observed under non‐polar conditions in benzene where an expected blue shift of π–π* transition and an increase in the intensity of n–π* transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proper Dirac-like cones are observed in dispersion portraits of guided waves propagating in isotropic three-layered traction-free plates. It is revealed that if both layers have equal Poisson's ratios and satisfy Wiechert condition, the Dirac-like cones appear regardless of the Poisson's ratio value. This phenomenon opens a new approach for the creation of the layered plates possessing Dirac-like cones. The analysis is based on the Cauchy sextic formalism combined with the exponential fundamental matrix method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The native savanna ecosystem of the Orinoquia region is the habitat of 50% of the wild ungulate species reported for Colombia. Over the last 20 years, this high species diversity has been strongly threatened by the human transformation of the natural land cover causing connectivity loss of the habitats. The Orinoquia region lacks a biological connectivity analysis with a multi-species approach involving species groups that are representative of the savanna ecosystem such as the ungulates. Understanding the spatial distributions of suitable areas and the main habitats that act as primary habitats for ungulate species in these landscapes is fundamental for the design of conservation strategies. We use an occurrence dataset for lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) in the development of species' potential distribution models, binarization process, and morphological spatial pattern analysis. This information was used for the modeling of dispersal corridors connecting the core habitats of the ungulate focal species using the randomized shortest path algorithm and quantifying the weighted global connectivity metrics. Our results suggest an integral corridor with potential least-cost dispersal routes between the native savanna landscape on the middle basins of the savanna rivers and the Meta River. These areas associated with the fluvial dendritic systems are connected, while the core habitats in the eastern part of the savanna landscape are disconnected. We discuss how the application of such knowledge on the spatial ecology of ungulate focal species might improve the management of the metapopulations in the Orinoquia region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urbanisation has led to a remarkable increase in travel demand as well as the number of vehicles globally. Inadequate road networks, especially in developing countries fail to serve this increasing vehicle population resulting in frequent traffic congestion. Proportional vehicular emissions are found to be responsible for serious consequences on human health and the environment. The nature and impact of these emissions depend on the traffic, environmental and meteorological factors. The present study focuses on vehicular emissions in a typical identified urban road stretch. The dispersion of vehicular pollutants in the selected urban stretch was studied using Fluidyn PANACHE version 5.2.6 software. The analysis of dispersion revealed that the highest concentration of pollutants is observed along the road sections, with a gradual decrease in concentration as you move away from the streets in both directions. From the vertical profile plotted, the maximum concentration is found to be on the ground and decreases as the height increases, which reveals the influence of meteorological parameters on urban air quality. These results indicate the significant influence of vehicular emissions and meteorological characteristics on ambient air quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frugivory and seed dispersal are fundamental processes for biodiversity, especially in forest environments, which are increasingly fragmented and scarce. Bats are crucial seed dispersers due to the large number of species that feed on fruits, coupled with their wide dispersal ability through flight. We evaluated the bat-plant interaction network structure in forest areas of the Amazon, Cerrado, and the ecotonal region between these biomes. Using ecological network theory, we examined the contribution of species in structuring these networks and the main predictors of the roles bat species play. We captured bats in the field and collected seeds from fecal samples to identify plant species consumed in three landscape-scale environments. We built interaction networks for each environment, and evaluated the number of links, specialization, and modularity of each network. We also calculated species-level metrics to assess the contribution of bat and plant species to structuring the interaction networks. Finally, we tested the influence of bat mass, degree of frugivory, and abundance on their role in the networks. We identified 348 interactions and 177 links in the three networks, recording 21 bat species and 77 plant species. We found a higher number of links in the ecotone network, which is also the most modular network. Carollia brevicauda and C. perspicillata had highest species strength and centrality values among bat species in the three interaction networks. Cecropia obstusa and Piper sp07 exhibited the highest species strength metric among plant species. Bat abundance was the best predictor of the role played by bats in the frugivory networks. The low specialization of the Amazon network may be due to the plant dominance of some species. However, the ecotone areas had the highest plant species richness, emphasizing the importance of this landscape in the context of environmental functionality and conservation in the ecotone. La frugivoría y la dispersión de semillas son procesos fundamentales para la biodiversidad, especialmente en ambientes forestales, cada vez más fragmentados y escasos. Los murciélagos son dispersores de semillas cruciales debido a la gran cantidad de especies que se alimentan de frutas, junto con su amplia capacidad de dispersión a través del vuelo. Evaluamos la estructura de la red de interacción murciélago-planta en áreas forestales del Amazonas, Cerrado y la región ecotonal entre estos biomas. Utilizando la teoría de redes ecológicas, examinamos la contribución de las especies en la estructuración de estas redes y los principales predictores del papel que desempeñan las especies de murciélagos. Capturamos murciélagos en el campo y recolectamos semillas de muestras fecales para identificar especies de plantas consumidas en tres ambientes a escala de paisaje. Construimos redes de interacción para cada entorno y evaluamos la cantidad de enlaces, especialización y modularidad de cada red. También calculamos métricas a nivel de especie para evaluar la contribución de las especies de murciélagos y plantas a la estructuración de las redes de interacción. Finalmente, probamos la influencia de la masa de los murciélagos, el grado de frugivoría y la abundancia en su papel en las redes. Identificamos 348 interacciones y 177 vínculos en las tres redes, registrando 21 especies de murciélagos y 77 especies de plantas. Encontramos un mayor número de enlaces en la red ecotone, que también es la red más modular. Carollia brevicauda y C. perspicillata tuvieron los valores más altos de fuerza y centralidad entre las especies de murciélagos en las tres redes de interacción. Cecropia obstusa y Piper sp07 exhibieron la métrica de fuerza de especie más alta entre las especies de plantas. La abundancia de murciélagos fue el mejor predictor del papel desempeñado por los murciélagos en las redes frugívoras. La baja especialización de la red amazónica puede deberse a la dominancia vegetal de algunas especies. Sin embargo, las áreas del ecotono tuvieron la mayor riqueza de especies vegetales, resaltando la importancia de este paisaje en el contexto de la funcionalidad y conservación ambiental en el ecotono. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to identify ascidians in the coastal area of Chabahar Bay and assess their biodiversity in three stations (University, Tiss, Lipar) and four seasons for the first time. Sampling was carried out in the intertidal zone from July 2019 to May 2020, and samples were counted using the quadrate method. After narcotizing (in menthol crystal solution) and fixing (in formaldehyde solution), ascidians were identified using identification keys. The assessment of ascidians in Chabahar Bay led to the identification of Phallusia nigra, Cnemidocarpa sp., and Styela plicata. Results showed that P. nigra had the highest density in Lipar station (6.01 ± 0.72 individuals m−2) and during winter (6.65 ± 0.87). On the other hand, Cnemidocarpa sp. had the highest density in the University station (6.93 ± 0.84) and during fall (6.03 ± 0.96). The dispersion index showed that all ascidians identified in Chabahar Bay had an aggregated dispersion pattern. Moreover, the sustainability index showed that P. nigra and Cnemidocarpa sp. are more sustainable than Styela plicata. Assessment of each species in various seasons and stations showed that their abundance fluctuates based on their biology and effective physical factors. On the other hand, the assessment of their biodiversity using usual biodiversity indices (Shannon-Weiner index, the Simpson index, and Margalef index) showed a significant effect (P < 0.05) of seasons and stations on these indices. The discernible impact of seasonal variations becomes more pronounced, underscoring the dynamic fluctuations in ascidian biodiversity within Chabahar Bay over the course of a year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliable reactive transport models require careful separation of mixing and dispersion processes. Here we treat displacing and displaced fluids as two separate fluid phases and invoke Whitman's classical two-film theory to model mass transfer between the two phases. We use experimental data from Gramling's bimolecular reaction experiment to assess model performance. Gramling's original model involved just three coupled PDEs. In this context, our new formulation leads to a set of seven coupled PDEs but only requires the specification of two extra parameters, associated with the mass transfer coefficient and its dependence on time. The two film mass transfer model provides a simple and theoretically based method for separating mixing from dispersion in Eulerian continuum-scale methods. The advantage of this approach over existing methods is that it enables the simulation of equilibrium chemical reactions without having to invoke unrealistically small reaction rate coefficients. The comparison with Gramling's experimental data confirms that our proposed method is suitable for simulating realistic and complicated bimolecular reaction behaviour. However, further work is needed to explore alternative methods for avoiding the need of a time-dependent mass transfer rate coefficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel type of polarization negative curvature terahertz fiber has been designed, which has a cladding region composed of two long semi-circular cladding tubes in the horizontal direction and four long semi-elliptical cladding tubes in the oblique direction. The optimal fiber dimensions are determined to investigate the internal relationship between polarization characteristics and fiber cladding structure. The transmission performances of the negative curvature fiber are investigated by varying the thickness of fiber cladding tubes and adjusting the structural characteristics of cladding tubes in different directions. Relatively good transmission performances can be obtained with a cladding tube thickness of 80 μ m. The birefringence can be stably maintained at the order of 10−4, and the confinement loss of the x -polarized mode at 2.55 THz is 0.036 dB cm−1. Moreover, the dispersion coefficient of the two polarized modes is stable between ±0.6 ps (THz·cm)−1 in the 2.3–2.6 THz band. The bent performance of the designed fiber at 2.52 THz is also discussed. The results show that the fiber has low bending sensitivity, and can still maintain excellent birefringence and low confinement loss in the bending state. For the y polarization, the birefringence can be basically stabilized at the order of 10−4 within a bending radius of 10–60 cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the high fluid content, most incompressible soft structures typically exhibit viscosity, which has a significant influence on wave characteristics, especially attenuation. Meanwhile, they are inevitably prestressed owing to the volume-preserving deformations. Therefore, it is essential to investigate acoustoelastic and viscoelastic effects to better understand guided wave characteristics in a pre-stressed soft plate. To this end, a hyperviscoelastic model concerning viscoelasticity, acoustoelasticity, and nonlinearity is established to deduce the governed equations. An analytical integration orthogonal polynomial method is employed to solve complex solutions of wave equations. The dispersion, attenuation, and wave shapes are illustrated. The acoustoelastic and viscoelastic effects are analyzed. Some new wave phenomena are revealed: The pre-stretching inhibits wave attenuation, and the pre-compression promotes attenuation; As the pre-stress increases, high-frequency phase velocity and incremental displacement amplitudes increase. The results lay a theoretical foundation for guided wave elastography, quantitative characterization, and disease diagnosis of biological soft tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One option for solving the scientific and applied problem of increasing the efficiency of finishing quartz crystal elements (QCEs) through controlling the structural, mechanical, and rheological characteristics of abrasive suspensions is presented. The finishing technology for manufacturing QCEs is flat finishing on machines using an abrasive suspension of fine Al2O3 particles. The dispersion medium in the abrasive suspension during finishing of QCEs ensures uniform distribution of abrasive grains over the lap, minimizes the sticking of separating quartz particles, and facilitates its dispersion. Control of the structural and mechanical characteristics of the abrasive suspension is achieved by introducing into the dispersion medium (water) stabilizers such as protective colloids, which prevent the approach of abrasive particles and the destruction of quartz. The problem of QCE finishing has been solved by the authors for the first time ever. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ordnance Industry Automation is the property of Editorial Board for Ordnance Industry Automation and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A mathematical model is developed to describe the conservative solute migration under sorption in a groundwater reservoir. For the complexity of the aquifer, it is assumed as heterogeneous and semi-infinite. Dispersion is considered as a varying power of seepage velocity. For the sake of real scenario of the aquifer, the seepage velocity, first-order decay (FOD), zero-order production (ZOP), and retardation factor are taken as spatio-temporal dependent parameters. Initially, the aquifer is assumed as polluted by a background source throughout the domain. Also, a temporally dependent pulse type sinusoidal input source is taken at origin of the aquifer. The other end of the aquifer is assumed as flux free. The retardation factor considered with a special form due to regional and complication of the porous medium. The transient velocity is considered as sinusoidal, exponential, algebraic sigmoid and asymptotic forms to study the solute transport behavior under different velocity patterns. The analytical solution of the proposed model is obtained by Laplace and inverse Laplace transform techniques. All the graphical plots are obtained by MATLAB software. The present study may be helpful for scientists, geologists to determine the time and position of harmless concentration level and can be treated as preliminary tool for solute migration for the future researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many foods are emulsions or dispersions containing lipids. The friction properties of foods are evaluated because they affect food texture and processability. Here, we evaluated the friction characteristics of 55 liquid or semisolid foods using a sinusoidal motion friction evaluation system to classify them based on friction dynamics. The contact surface was made to resemble a biological surface using agar gel, which exhibited a fractal structure, and the movement of the contact probe mimicked living movement by sinusoidal motion. The change in average friction coefficient (Δμ), static friction coefficient (Δμs) in a round trip, delay time (Δδ), and friction profile depended on the condition and rheological properties. Principal component analysis showed that all the friction parameters of Δμ, Δμs, Δδ, and the appearance ratio of the profile were involved in the principal components, Z1 and Z2 which are composite variables obtained by the contraction of many friction parameters in a principal component analysis. In addition, the foods were classified into three groups by cluster analysis using Z1 and Z2. The condition of the foods, rheological properties, and the presence or absence of lipids was the factors that defined each group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A functional hybrid nano-hydroxyapatite (carboxymethyl cellulose-phytic acid-n-HA, CMC-PA-n-HA) was prepared by adding CMC and PA. The results of Fourier transformation infrared spectra, X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis and dispersion experiments indicated that the addition of CMC and PA affected the morphology, crystallinity and crystal size of hybrid n-HA, and CMC endowed hybrid n-HA with excellent dispersion. Scanning electron microscope results showed that CMC-PA-n-HA nanoparticle could be uniformly dispersed in chitosan (CS) matrix to obtain composite membrane by casting technology, so that the highest tensile strength of CMC-PA-n-HA/CS composite membrane was 69.64% and 144.45% higher than that of CS membrane and n-HA/CS composite membrane, respectively. Contact angle test showed that CMC-PA-n-HA effectively improved hydrophilicity of the CS membrane. The simulated body fluid immersion results indicated that the CMC-PA-n-HA/CS composite membrane not only exhibited good degradability but also promoted bone-like apatite deposition. The cell proliferation experiments proved that the introduction of PA made the composite membrane have better cell adhesion and proliferation ability. Antibacterial tests demonstrated that PA could effectively improve the antibacterial properties of the composite membrane, which is expected to be applied as guide bone tissue regeneration membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Critical Hermeneutics: Biannual Journal of Philosophy is the property of Universita degli Studi di Cagliari and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We consider the process of convective dissolution in a homogeneous and isotropic porous medium. The flow is unstable due to the presence of a solute that induces a density difference responsible for driving the flow. The mixing dynamics is thus driven by a Rayleigh-Taylor instability at the pore scale. We investigate the flow at the scale of the pores using Hele-Shaw type experiment with bead packs, two-dimensional direct numerical simulations and physical models. Experiments and simulations have been specifically designed to mimic the same flow conditions, namely matching porosities, high Schmidt numbers and linear dependency of fluid density with solute concentration. In addition, the solid obstacles of the medium are impermeable to fluid and solute. We characterise the evolution of the flow via the mixing length, which quantifies the extension of the mixing region and grows linearly in time. The flow structure, analysed via the centreline mean wavelength, is observed to grow in agreement with theoretical predictions. Finally, we analyse the dissolution dynamics of the system, quantified through the mean scalar dissipation, and three mixing regimes are observed. Initially, the evolution is controlled by diffusion, which produces solute mixing across the initial horizontal interface. Then, when the interfacial diffusive layer is sufficiently thick, it becomes unstable, forming finger-like structures and driving the system into a convection-dominated phase. Finally, when the fingers have grown sufficiently to touch the horizontal boundaries of the domain, the mixing reduces dramatically due to the absence of fresh unmixed fluid. With the aid of simple physical models, we explain the physics of the results obtained numerically and experimentally. The solute evolution presents a self-similar behaviour, and it is controlled by different length scales in each stage of the mixing process, namely the length scale of diffusion, the pore size and the domain height. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The precipitation and deposition of asphaltenes are significant challenges in the petroleum industry resulting in substantial costs. A practical approach to addressing this issue is to use chemicals as inhabiting and dispersing agents. Zwitterionic surfactants are interesting materials in this field. In this study, three zwitterionic compounds including 2-(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium-3-yl)butane-1-sulfonate (MIBS), 4-(pyridin-1-ium-1-yl) butane-1-sulfonate (PBS), and 4-(tributylammonio)butane-1-sulfonate (TBBS) were synthesized and characterized by FT-IR, NMR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric, and differential thermal analysis. The ability of these zwitterions to prevent asphaltenes precipitation was investigated using interfacial measurements, ultraviolet spectroscopy, quartz microbalance analysis, particle size analysis, and optical microscopy. The results showed that the MIBS zwitterion, which contains an imidazole cation, was the most effective in dispersing asphaltene aggregates compared to the other two zwitterions. For instance, the UV spectroscopy results showed that the dispersion indexes for MIBS, PBS, and TBBS were 52.8%, 29.9%, and 16.3%, respectively. In addition, the size of asphaltene particles reached from 2179 nm to 622, 1489, and 2038 nm for MIBS, PBS, and TBBS, respectively. Finally, a comparison between the performance of these zwitterions with sodium dodecyl sulfonate (SDS) and tetrabutylammonium hydrogen sulfate (TBAHS) showed the following trend: MIBS (90.5%)> PBS (79.4%) > TBAHS (75%)> SDS (73.9%) >TBBS (46%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the flexible count data models for dealing with over and under-dispersion with extra zeroes is the zero-inflated Conway–Maxwell Poisson (ZICOMP). The ZICOMP regression coefficients are generally estimated using the maximum likelihood estimator (MLE). In the ZICOMP regression model, when the explanatory variables are correlated, the MLE does not give efficient results. To overcome the effect of multicollinearitymode in the ZICOPM regression, we proposed the ridge regression estimator. To evaluate the performance of the estimator, we use mean squared error (MSE) as the performance evaluation criteria. A theoretical comparison of the ridge estimator with MLE is made to show the superiority of the estimator. The proposed estimator is evaluated with the help of a simulation study and a real application. The results of the simulation study and real application show the superiority of the proposed estimator because it produces a smaller MSE as compared to the MLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the solid-state shear milling (S3M) strategy featuring a very strong three-dimensional shear stress field was adopted to prepare the high-performance polyoxymethylene (POM)/molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) functional nanocomposite. The transmission electron microscope and Raman measurement results confirmed that the bulk MoS2 particle was successfully exfoliated into few-layer MoS2 nanoplatelets by the above simple S3M physical method. The polarized optical microscope (PLM) observation indicated the pan-milled nanoscale MoS2 particles presented a better dispersion performance in the POM matrix. The results of the tribological test indicated that the incorporation of MoS2 could substantially improve the wear resistance performance of POM. Moreover, the pan-milled exfoliated MoS2 nanosheets could further substantially decrease the friction coefficient of POM. Scanning electron microscope observations on the worn scar revealed the tribological mechanism of the POM/MoS2 nanocomposite prepared by solid-state shear milling. The tensile test results showed that the pan-milled POM/MoS2 nanocomposite has much higher elongation at break than the conventionally melt-compounded material. The solid-state shear milling strategy shows a promising prospect in the preparation of functional nanocomposite with excellent comprehensive performance at a large scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effects of starting material dispersion on the formation of AlN powder synthesized by carbothermal reduction-nitridation (CRN) route. After preparing aqueous and non-aqueous slurries containing 6.5 vol % of Al 2 O 3 and carbon black powder with/without a dispersant, the particle dispersion was evaluated by sedimentation and viscosity measurements. The zeta potential was also measured to determine the optimal dispersion conditions for electrostatic repulsion because carbon black is challenging to disperse in water, owing to its low surface charge and poor wettability. The aqueous slurry prepared with 5 wt % Gen0451 dispersant at pH = 10 showed the highest degree of dispersion. Complete AlN conversion was achieved by nitridation at 1600 °C for 6 h under 10 L/min N 2 flow. This result clearly showed the importance of starting material dispersion on the synthesis of AlN by CRN, demonstrating the feasibility of aqueous processing instead of conventional solvent-based processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theoretical studies on the generation of nondiffracting and nondispersive light pulses and their experimental implementation are one of the renowned problems within electromagnetics. Current technologies enable the creation of short-duration pulses of a few cycles with high power and fluency. An application of these techniques to the field of nondiffracting and nondispersive pulses requires a proper mathematical description of highly focused vector pulses. In this work, we study vector optical bullets in a dielectric medium with different polarization structures: linear, azimuthal, and radial. We report the differences caused by the vector model compared to the scalar model. We analyze effects caused by superluminal, subluminal, or even negative group velocity on the properties of vector optical bullets inside a dielectric material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a measuring system was developed according to the scheme of an AC bridge, with the help of which a constant voltage was applied to polymer-dispersed liquid-crystal films doped with silicon dioxide nanoparticles. For these cells with different content of silicon dioxide nanoparticles, capacitance-voltage measurements were carried out at different frequencies of the alternating voltage generator. For these cells, a memory effect was found, which manifests itself in the hysteresis behavior of the capacitance of these cells. The largest hysteresis area and the largest shift of the cell capacitance in the absence of an external field are observed at 10 kHz. In the entire region under study, with a minimum at a frequency of 10 kHz, the perpendicular component of the permittivity has a pronounced dispersion. It has been established that the content of silicon dioxide nanoparticles affects the permittivity of a polymer-dispersed liquid-crystal cell. The data obtained can be used in the development of energy-independent nanostructured data storage systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hierarchical carbonaceous nanofillers viz. carboxylated multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT-COOH as 1D), hydroxylated few-layer graphene (FLG-OH as 2D), and hybrid 3D i.e., MWCNT-COOH immobilized into FLG-OH were dispersed into segmented thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) by twin-screw extrusion (TSE). The concentration of nanofillers was varied as 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 5 wt%. To increase the level of dispersion, hybrid 3D nanofillers were also incorporated into TPU by producing cellular structures through supramolecular self-assembly route (SSAR). The cellular structure in which the nanofillers were found to be uniformly dispersed was then compounded by TSE technique. The large-scale uniform dispersion was observed at higher loading (2 wt%) by SSAR followed by TSE when compared with direct TSE. Uniform dispersion was found at 1 wt% loading by direct TSE. PU nanocomposite film reinforced with 2 wt% hybrid 3D nanofillers showed good gas barrier property with ~63% reduction of helium gas permeability to 472 cm3/m2/day from 1287 cm3/m2/day of neat PU film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal birds that rely on sandy beaches for breeding are vulnerable to catastrophic flooding events resulting from tropical cyclones. The effects of storm surge on annual productivity depend on the propensity and success of renesting attempts post-storm. From 2017 to 2021, I investigated the effects of storm surge on Least Tern (Sternula antillarum) annual productivity, renesting probability, and nest and chick survival after storms on Mississippi's Gulf of Mexico Coast. Tropical cyclones made landfall during peak breeding period in 3 of these years, resulting in complete overwash of all colonies. Observers monitored daily nest survival, productivity (maximum fledge count per maximum nest count), and frequency of disturbance from avian predators at each colony. Total annual productivity (fledge count per nest count across the study area) summed across colonies ranged from 0.00 to 0.07 in storm years and from 0.29 to 0.66 in non-storm years. Probability of colony re-occupation declined as a function of storm date and increased with pre-storm nest success. Disturbance rate from avian predators did not increase post-storm compared to pre-storm periods. Nest survival increased with colony size and decreased in both late-season (non-storm) and post-storm time periods. Mean probability of chick survival was 0.20 ± 0.06 (mean ± SD) for peak nesting period in non-storm years, whereas mean predicted chick survival was 0.003–0.004 in storm years and in renesting periods in all years. Storm surge resulted in nearly complete loss of Least Tern breeding productivity despite renesting attempts and colony re-occupation after storms. I found no evidence that avian predation increased post-storm as a result of habitat changes; rather, similarly low productivity was observed for late-season breeding attempts in non-storm years. Repeated storm surge events could pose a serious threat to the viability of Mississippi's coastal-nesting Least Tern population, and protection of Least Terns during early and peak nesting seasons is critical for ensuring breeding success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycarboxylate (PCE) superplasticizers are the most important additive in concrete, which can effectively improve the workability of cement slurry. Different from the traditional regarding of PCEs as dispersants, here, we understand the PCEs as nano‐lubricants. By employing the molecular dynamics simulation, a sophisticated model was used to evaluate the interfacial friction between the C–S–H particles. The results reveal that the PCEs can reduce the interfacial friction between the C–S–H particles, and thus increase the fluidity of cement slurry. Further analyses infer the role of PCE segments in lubrication. The carboxylates on PCEs ensure the anchoring and hinder the separation of Ca ions. The side chains are used to lubricate the C–S–H surface, due to the weak adsorption between the side chains and the C–S–H surface. Predictably, this study not only provides a method to directly evaluate the performance of PCEs but also suggests new insights into the colloid dispersion of the low‐water content system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study validates the mechanism of ultrasonic dehydration without transition of water into vapor. The process can be realized by cavitation dispersion of liquid initiated by collapse of cavitation bubbles of cylindrical shape formed in capillaries. The developed mathematical model considers the complete life cycle of cavitation bubbles, encompassing three stages: slow growth, rapid expansion with deformation, and collapse. The optimum range of sound pressure level from 150 dB (critical level) to 170 (limit level) at which cavitation dispersion of liquid from capillaries takes place has been determined. The optimum sample size corresponding to the ultrasonic wavelength in gas, at which the dehydrated productivity is maximized, has been determined. The mechanism of ultrasonic dispersion of liquid during drying was confirmed by experiments. Practical implementation of ultrasonic drying of food products (carrots) confirmed effectiveness of implementation of dehydration mechanism and provided a reduction of drying time by 1.9 times with a reduction of power consumption by 1.7 times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The NO/NO2/O3 reaction mechanism of the standard VDI 3783 Part 19 was coupled to the Lagrangian particle model LASAT and quasi-stationary, individual plumes were calculated for a point source under various conditions. First-order conversion rates between NO and NO2 were derived by fitting to these plumes and further simplified to sets of categorized conversion rates which depend on background NO2 concentration, atmospheric stability and time of the day. The rates were applied in the standard airport dispersion model system LASPORT and compared to measured NO2 concentrations at Los Angeles International Airport. The agreement between modelled and measured NO2 concentrations (weekly averages) and ratios NO2 over NOx at monitor stations dominated by airport emissions was in most cases better than a factor of 2 with a Pearson correlation coefficient of about 0.9 or above. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The series representation of the reactant concentration in one-dimensional advection-dispersion-reaction problems within a container of finite length is derived in a compact and computationally less complex form than other representations found in the literature. The initial concentration of the reactant is assumed to be uniform (C0), while the boundary conditions are assumed to be a constant reactant flux ( U C e ) at the inlet and a zero concentration gradient at the outlet of the container, where U is the average fluid velocity. The concentration is expressed in terms of the introduced constants a and b for the steady-state part, and In, Jn and Kn for the transient part of the response. The derived solution to the advection-dispersion-reaction problem can be readily generalized to include a uniform source/sink term (zero-order production rate σ) by making the replacements of C0 and C e with C 0 − σ / k and C e − σ / k , where k is the reaction rate constant, and by adding the particular solution σ / k. A simple form of the solution to the advection-dispersion equation with a source term is also derived; its transient part is expressed in terms of the integrals In and Kn only. The formulation of the analysis is cast in such a way that the same eigenfunctions and the same eigenvalue condition apply to all three considered cases, advection-dispersion-reaction with and without a source-term, and advection-dispersion with a source term, independently of the values of k and σ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gene flow, the movement of genes between populations, profoundly influences genetic and phenotypic homogeneity among populations. This study investigates gene flow patterns in two migratory hummingbird species, Selasphorus platycercus and Calothorax lucifer, shedding light on the intricate interplay between migration, resource availability, and genetic diversity. Using previously published information on microsatellites, we examine the genetic makeup and the movement of genes within populations. Selasphorus platycercus displays distinct genetic groups which can be associated with its migratory behaviour. Gene flow analysis suggests a higher level of connectivity among populations sharing winter ranges. In contrast, Calothorax lucifer populations exhibit genetic divergence despite overlapping winter ranges, possibly due to environmental niche adaptation and limited reproductive opportunities for dispersing individuals. While geographical distance does not explain genetic differentiation in these species, environmental niche similarities appear to facilitate gene flow. This study underscores the significance of migratory routes, resource availability, and niche adaptation in shaping gene flow dynamics in hummingbirds. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for the conservation and management of these unique avian populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method for the preparation of hydrodesulfurization catalysts based on the mechanochemical treatment of molybdenum under cryogenic conditions was proposed. The results of direct one-stage mechanochemical grinding of molybdenum at 77 K in gaseous media of He and H2 and in liquid N2, as well as in the presence of solid Ar, are reported. The physicochemical properties of the cryopowders and their catalytic activity in the model hydrodesulfurization reactions of dibenzothiophene and diesel fraction were examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The methodological debates surrounding keyword analysis have given rise to a wide range of keyness metrics. The present paper delineates four dimensions of keyness, which distinguish between frequency- and dispersion-related perspectives. Existing measures are then organized according to these dimensions and evaluated with regard to their performance on a specific keyword analysis task: The identification of key verbs in academic writing. To this end, the rankings produced by 32 different metrics are evaluated against an established academic word list. Further, the reliability of measures is assessed, to determine whether they produce stable rankings across repeated studies on the same pair of text varieties. We observe notable differences among metrics with regard to these criteria. Our findings provide further support for the superiority of the Wilcoxon rank sum test and text-dispersion–based measures, and allow us to identify, within each dimension of keyness, metrics that may be given preference in applied work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer-based dry and flexible electrodes are becoming increasingly popular in wearable healthcare for long-term electrocardiography (ECG) monitoring due to their comfort, biocompatibility, and gel-free operation. In this study, electrodes are prepared for ECG measurement using a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and multi-walled conductive carbon nanotube (CNT)-based composite. The homogeneous dispersion of CNTs in PDMS is crucial for determining the electrical performance of the composite, and to accomplish this uniform dispersion, a combination of ultrasonication and a high-shear homogeneous dispersion technique is employed. This combination approach resulted in a rapid composite preparation method that took approximately 2–3 h to complete. The performance of the fabricated ECG electrodes was evaluated by measuring the ECG signal and compared to commercially available wet Ag/AgCl ECG electrodes. The ECG signal of the CNT/PDMS composite electrode with CNT content of 6 wt.% demonstrated optimal correlation of 0.9729 with the ECG signal measured from the Ag/AgCl electrode. The CNT/PDMS composite-based dry electrodes can be easily fabricated by manufacturing techniques, suggesting a possible benefit of cost and time reduction in mass production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Research in Agricultural Sciences is the property of Ataturk University Coordinatorship of Scientific Journals and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this study, two groups of functionalized aliphatic and aromatic ILs with the same anions were synthesized and used as asphaltene dispersants. The quartz crystal microbalance and ultraviolet spectroscopy were used in this study, and the results obtained from these two techniques were in relatively good agreement with each other. The results showed that aromatic ILs generally possess better inhibitory performance than aliphatic ones. The molecular structure of IL anions also greatly influenced the dispersion of asphaltenes in a toluene solution. It seems that π-π interactions between asphaltene molecules and aromatic cations represent the main cause of the better performance of aromatic ILs. This hypothesis was also confirmed by observing the high dispersion ability of a maleate anion, which has a carbon-carbon double bond, compared to other studied anions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Pulp & Paper is the property of China Pulp & Paper Magazines Publisher and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Although several laboratory studies on the propagation of bed load pulses were carried out in the last decades, most studies neglect grain‐size‐specific aspects or use invasive measurement techniques. To remedy the situation, we present a novel, time‐efficient and non‐destructive laboratory technique to investigate grain‐size‐specific transport characteristics of bed load pulses. The method consists of a through‐water, high‐resolution image acquisition followed by the application of a supervised color classification algorithm (Gaussian Maximum Likelihood Classification). The analyzed bed load pulse consisted of five different grain size classes of dyed quartz sand and gravel, each having a unique color. The initial experimental bed was uni‐colored and contained the same size fractions as the augmented pulse. Quality assessment based on a confusion matrix approach and basic random sampling showed a high classification performance. By statistically analyzing the temporal and spatial color distribution of the experimental reach, characteristic parameters to describe the propagation behavior were determined. The bed load pulse presented in the application example initially showed strong deviations in the grain‐size‐specific advection and dispersion, and advection proved to be predominant in the transport process. Plain Language Summary: In the present paper we introduce a novel laboratory method to investigate the grain‐size‐specific transport behavior of bed load pulses. A bedload pulse is a sudden increase in sand and gravel moving along the bottom of a river. We supplied a multi‐colored sediment input representing the downstream propagating pulse on a uni‐color experimental bed which contained the same size fractions than the pulse. Here, five different colors, each indicating a specific grain size fraction, were used as input. By automatically detecting the transported grains due to its color, we were able to analyze the grain‐size‐specific spreading and transport characteristics of the pulse. Therefore, we used high‐resolution photographs of our bed surface and applied a classification algorithm termed Gaussian Maximum Likelihood Classification. A quality assessment revealed a high classification accuracy of the used method. During the experiment, coarser fractions initially showed higher transport velocities. The transport process was dominated by a downstream shift (advection) of the plume rather than by the longitudinal spreading (dispersion). Key Points: A novel image‐based, non‐destructive laboratory method to investigate grain‐size‐specific transport of bed load pulses is presentedIn addition to bed load pulse studies, the proposed method has high potential for other applications in sediment researchThe pulse in the application example evolves by a combination of advection and dispersion with a predominant advective component [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bulletin of the Chinese Ceramic Society is the property of Bulletin of the Chinese Ceramic Society Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Characterizing the number of sheets in a stack of paper typically involves mechanical separation of the individual sheets. Here, we explore an nondestructive method that can be applied to the intact paper stack. Namely, terahertz time-of-flight tomography, together with post signal-processing technique sparse deconvolution based on a two-step iterative shrinkage-thresholding algorithm (SD/TWIST), is employed to reconstruct the stratigraphy of stacks of sheets of paper with multilayered structure in a nondestructive and noncontact manner. The double-Gaussian mixture model (DGMM) is also incorporated to suppress dispersion in the reflected THz echoes. The effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed adaptive sparse-deconvolution method are verified experimentally and numerically. Compared with the commonly used frequency wavelet-domain deconvolution (FWDD) method and previous implementations of sparse deconvolution based on an iterative-shrinkage and thresholding algorithm (SD/IST), the proposed sparse-deconvolution approach can provide a clearer and rapid stratigraphic reconstruction of the paper stacks studied, while ensuring accurate thickness information for each paper sheet in the presence of noise, revealing the potential usage of real-time THz tomographic-image processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shear-induced migration of elongated micro-swimmers exhibiting anisotropic Brownian diffusion at a population scale is investigated analytically in this work. We analyse the steady motion of confined ellipsoidal micro-swimmers subject to coupled diffusion in a general setting within a continuum homogenisation framework, as an extension of existing studies on macro-transport processes, by allowing for the direct coupling of convection and diffusion in local and global spaces. The analytical solutions are validated successfully by comparison with numerical results from Monte Carlo simulations. Subsequently, we demonstrate from the probability perspective that symmetric actuation does not yield net vertical polarisation in a horizontal flow, unless non-spherical shapes, external fields or direct coupling effects are harnessed to generate steady locomotion. Coupled diffusivities modify remarkably the drift velocity and vertical migration of motile micro-swimmers exposed to fluid shear. The interplay between stochastic swimming and preferential alignment could explain the diverse concentration and orientation distributions, including rheological formations of depletion layers, centreline focusing and surface accumulation. Results of the analytical study shed light on unravelling peculiar self-propulsion strategies and dispersion dynamics in active-matter systems, with implications for various transport problems arising from the fluctuating shape, size and other external or inter-particle interactions of swimmers in confined environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advective–diffusive transport in Poiseuille flow through a channel with partially absorbing walls is a classical problem with applications to a broad range of natural and engineered scenarios, ranging from solute and heat transport in porous and fractured media to absorption in biological systems and chromatography. We study this problem from the perspective of transverse distributions of surviving mass and velocity, which are a central ingredient of recent stochastic models of transport based on the sampling of local flow velocities along trajectories. We show that these distributions tend to asymptotic equilibria for large times and travel distances, and derive rigorous explicit expressions for arbitrary reaction rate. We find that the equality of flux-weighted and breakthrough distributions that holds for conservative transport breaks in the presence of reaction, and that the average velocity of the scalar plume is no longer fully characterized by the transverse distribution of flow velocities sampled at a given time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution is one of the most pressing environmental threats worldwide, resulting in several health issues such as cardiovascular and respiratory disorders, as well as premature mortality. The harmful effects of air pollution are particularly concerning in urban areas, where mismanaged anthropogenic activities, such as growth in the global population, increase in the number of vehicles, and industrial activities, have led to an increase in the concentration of pollutants in the ambient air. Among air pollutants, particulate matter is responsible for most adverse impacts. Several techniques have been implemented to reduce particulate matter concentrations in the ambient air. However, despite all the threats and awareness, efforts to improve air quality remain inadequate. In recent years, urban vegetation has emerged as an efficient Nature-based Solution for managing environmental air pollution due to its ability to filter air, thereby reducing the atmospheric concentrations of particulate matter. This review characterizes the various mitigation mechanisms for particulate matter by urban vegetation (deposition, dispersion, and modification) and identifies key areas for further improvements within each mechanism. Through a systematic assessment of existing literature, this review also highlights the existing gaps in the present literature that need to be addressed to maximize the utility of urban vegetation in reducing particulate matter levels. In conclusion, the review emphasizes the urgent need for proper air pollution management through urban vegetation by integrating different fields, multiple stakeholders, and policymakers to support better implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by buoyancy-driven flows within geological formations, we study the evolution of a (dense) gravity current in a porous medium bisected by a thin interbed layer. The gravity current experiences distributed drainage along this low-permeability boundary. Our theoretical description of this flow takes into account dispersive mass exchange with the surrounding ambient fluid by considering the evolution of the bulk and dispersed phases of the gravity current. In turn, we model basal draining by considering two bookend limits, i.e. no mixing versus perfect mixing in the lower layer. Our formulations are assessed by comparing model predictions against the output of complementary numerical simulations run using COMSOL. Numerical output is essential both for determining the value of the entrainment coefficient used within our theory and for assessing the reasonableness of key modelling assumptions. Our results suggest that the degree of dispersion depends on the dip angle and the depth and permeability of the interbed layer. We further find that the nose position predictions made by our theoretical models are reasonably accurate up to the point where the no mixing model predicts a retraction of the gravity current front. Thereafter, the no mixing model significantly under-predicts, and the perfect mixing model moderately over-predicts, numerical data. Reasons for the failure of the no mixing model are provided, highlighting the importance of convective instabilities in the lower layer. A regime diagram is presented that defines the parametric region where our theoretical models do versus do not yield predictions in good agreement with numerical simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractOver recent decades there has been a significant surge in research interest aimed at developing novel composite materials derived from cellulose, catering to the diverse needs of industries such as paper, pharmaceuticals, and medicine. Aligned with this trend, our research project described here focused on leveraging cellulose to produce high-value-added products, particularly nanocomposite materials for reinforcement purposes. Our aim was to develop nanocomposite materials utilizing hydrolyzed cotton cellulose. To begin with we employed a straightforward, cost-effective and readily applicable process to extract nanocellulose from cotton fibers. The structural integrity of the resulting cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) was validated through various analytical methods such as UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analyses (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Raman spectroscopy. We conducted a comprehensive examination of the physicochemical properties of the CNCs, particularly investigating their dispersion behavior and solubility in both aqueous and selected organic solvents. In the final phase of our study, we explored the chemical modification of CNCs using maleic anhydride to produce cellulose maleate. The structural transformation was confirmed through infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequency and temperature dependences of the tangent of dielectric loss angle as well as the real and imaginary part of the dielectric constant of MnGaInTe4 crystals are investigated in the frequency range of 10² to 106 Hz. The experimental values of the studied characteristics are determined. The real and imaginary parts of the permittivity are found to undergo significant dispersion, which has a relaxation nature. The main type of dielectric losses in MnGaInTe4 crystals in the frequency range of 10² to 106 Hz are the electrical conductivity losses. The conductivity is characterized by a zone-hopping mechanism. The activation energies of charge carriers are determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial and temporal patterns and dynamics of biological community structure can be better understood through the lens of metacommunity theory, in which the effect of local (deterministic processes, ecological niche theory) and regional (stochastic processes, neutral theory) processes are evaluated as the main predictors of phytoplankton. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the effect of local environmental characteristics, spatial, and landscape predictors on the phytoplankton community in lakes of the Araguaia River floodplain. We evaluated the following questions: (i) What is the specific importance of physical and chemical water characteristics (local environmental predictors), dispersive processes (spatial predictors), and land use and occupancy (landscape predictors) in the phytoplankton metacommunity structure, both for taxonomic and functional groups? (ii) Does the buffer size used in land use and land cover measurement around the sampling units show differences in phytoplankton community prediction? All the predictors could explain the phytoplankton structure but the spatial were the most important. The buffers showed different predictive abilities, with taxonomic classification being related to larger sizes of buffers and functional groups the opposite. The great influence of spatial predictors can be explained by source-sink dynamics, where dispersal is so strong that it can diminish the effects of local predictors and guarantee a large flux of organisms to sink communities. In conclusion, dispersive processes have been shown to strongly influence the spatial structuring of the phytoplankton metacommunity and we highlight the need to consider buffers' size when assessing the landscape's effect on phytoplankton communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A trigger system is typically employed in active seismic testing to trigger and synchronize multichannel surface wave data acquisition. The effect of the trigger system on the dispersion image of surface waves is empirically known to be negligible, however, theoretical explanation regarding the effect of the trigger system is insufficient. This study systematically examines the theory for surface wave dispersion analysis and proves that the effect of the trigger system on a dispersion image is negligible via a solid theoretical explanation. Subsequently, based on the new theoretical explanation, an alternative method that uses only the relative phase difference between sensors to extract dispersion characteristics with better conceptual clarity is proposed. Two active surface wave testing cases are considered to validate the theory and method. The results indicate that (1) an accurate trigger system is not necessary for surface wave data acquisition, and (2) it is unnecessary to assume that the impact point is the generation point of the surface waves for the experimental dispersion analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop the concept of covariance for waves and show that it plays a fundamental role in understanding the evolution of a propagating pulse. The concept clarifies several issues regarding the spread of a pulse and the motion of the mean. Exact results are obtained for the time dependence of the covariance between position and wavenumber and the covariance between position and group velocity. We also derive relevant uncertainty principles for waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manufacturing sector perpetually seeks high-quality materials capable of meeting the requirements for enhanced mechanical properties, thereby enabling their widespread application across various industries. Integrating Carbon Fibers (CFs) into metal matrices has demonstrated significant efficacy in augmenting the comprehensive attributes of the resultant composites. This comprehensive review focuses on the latest advancements and techniques involving the utilization of carbon fibers in conjunction with metal matrix material, aimed at augmenting a spectrum of mechanical attributes. Various methods used to synthesize carbon fiber reinforced metal composites have been discussed and summarized. Liquid metallurgy technique is playing important role in the fabrication of the carbon fiber reinforced metal composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn this study, we introduce a pliant stationary first-order integer-valued autoregressive (INAR) process with weighted negative binomial Lindley innovations. The main properties of the model are derived. The methods of conditional maximum likelihood, conditional least square and Yule-Walker are used for estimating the process parameters, while the efficiency of these three methods is evaluated through a simulation study. Finally, the practical aspect of the proposed INAR(1) process is discussed on two time series of the monthly number of criminal mischief reports in Pittsburgh and the daily COVID-19 death cases in Paraguay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dispersion of nanofiller in the polymer matrix is a vital factor that influences the properties of the fabricated nanocomposites at the laboratory level. Characterization techniques like TEM and FESEM, having a small sample size, tend to miss out on the big picture for the analysis of mixing on a larger scale. At the industrial level, conducting such testing with varying experimental conditions is not viable in terms of both cost and time. Through this study, we propose a simple method to examine the extent of dispersion using a simple camera and employing deep learning (DL) models. For this purpose, an analogous study has been performed to study the sensitivity of the processing techniques, to better understand the findings in our previous articles. A two component-colored solution (oil–water) was utilized as a proxy for the nanofiller-polymer matrix system. Different processing methods were employed namely ultrasonication, homogenization, sequential ultrasonication and homogenization and simultaneous ultrasonication and homogenization. The variation in processing technique significantly affects the dispersion which is attributed to the different mixing mechanisms (turbulent, diffusive, and convective) incurred in these processing techniques. Inferences are withdrawn by detecting patterns in a large sample size which highlights that DL models provide us with a holistic viewpoint of real-time observations. It also ameliorates human interpretation by unraveling obscure information which can go unnoticed by human eyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]