The use of small angle neutron scattering with contrast matching and variable adsorbate partial pressures in the study of porosity in activated carbons

The porosity of a typical activated carbon is investigated with small angle neutron scattering (SANS), using the contrast matching technique, by changing the hydrogen/deuterium content of the absorbed liquid (toluene) to extract the carbon density at different scattering vector (Q) values and by measuring the p/p0 dependence of the SANS, using fully deuterated toluene. The contrast matching data shows that the apparent density is Q-dependent, either because of pores opening near the carbon surface during the activation processor or changes in D-toluene density in nanoscale pores. For each p/p0 value, evaluation of the Porod Invariant yields the fraction of empty pores. Hence, comparison with the adsorption isotherm shows that the fully dry powder undergoes densification when liquid is added. An algebraic function is developed to fit the SANS signal at each p/p0 value hence yielding the effective Kelvin radii of the liquid surfaces as a function of p/p0. These values, when compared with the Kelvin Equation, show that the resultant surface tension value is accurate for the larger pores but tends to increase for small (nanoscale) pores. The resultant pore size distribution is less model-dependent than for the traditional methods of analyzing the adsorption isotherms

Effect of an interstitial fluid on the dynamics of three-dimensional granular media

The propagation of mechanical energy in granular materials has been intensively studied in recent years given the wide range of fields that have processes related to this phenomena, from geology to impact mitigation and protection of buildings and structures. In this paper, we experimentally explore the effect of an interstitial fluid on the dynamics of the propagation of a mechanical pulse in a granular packing under controlled confinement pressure. The experimental results reveal the occurrence of an elastohydrodynamic mechanism at the scale of the contacts between wet particles. We describe our results in terms of an effective medium theory, including the presence of the viscous fluid. Finally, we study the nonlinear weakening of the granular packing as a function of the amplitude of the pulses. Our observations demonstrate that the softening of the material can be impeded by adjusting the viscosity of the interstitial fluid above a threshold at which the elastohydrodynamic interaction overcomes the elastic repulsion due to the confinement.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figure

Ultra-trace Cu isotope ratio measurements via multi-collector ICP-mass spectrometry using Ga as internal standard : an approach applicable to micro-samples

The capabilities of Cu isotope ratio measurements are often restricted by the small volumes of sample available and/or their low Cu concentration. In this work, an analytical approach was developed for performing Cu isotopic analysis via multi-collector ICP-mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) at ultra-trace level using Ga as an internal standard for mass bias correction. The minimum concentration of Cu required for accurate and precise isotope ratio measurements was established to be 20 mu g L-1 with wet plasma conditions and 5 mu g L-1 with dry plasma conditions. The use of Ga as an internal standard for mass bias correction provided several advantages compared to Ni, i.e. improved internal precision on delta Cu-65 values and lower blank levels. Ga can also be used at a 4- fold lower concentration level than Ni. However, in wet plasma conditions, the signals of (ArO2H+)-Ar-36-O-16-H-1 and (ArNO+)-Ar-40-N-15-O-16 interfered with the signals of Ga-69(+) and Ga-71(+), respectively, while in dry plasma conditions, realized by the use of a desolvation unit, Ga-69(+) suffered from spectral interference from (ArN2H+)-Ar-40-N-14-H-1. These interferences were resolved by using medium mass resolution. For validation purposes, the approach was applied to commercially available blood and serum samples. The delta Cu-65 values for the samples measured at a concentration level of 5 mu g L-1 Cu and 5 mu g L-1 Ga using dry plasma conditions were in good agreement with those obtained for isotope ratio measurements at the "standard" concentration level of 200 mu g L-1 Cu and 200 mu g L-1 Ni using wet plasma conditions. In addition, the delta Cu-65 values obtained for micro-samples of serum/blood (volume of 100 mu L) were in good agreement with the corresponding ones obtained using the "standard" volume for isotopic analysis (500 mu L)

Physical Multi-Layer Phantoms for Intra-Body Communications

This paper presents approaches to creating tissue mimicking materials that can be used as phantoms for evaluating the performance of Body Area Networks (BAN). The main goal of the paper is to describe a methodology to create a repeatable experimental BAN platform that can be customized depending on the BAN scenario under test. Comparisons between different material compositions and percentages are shown, along with the resulting electrical properties of each mixture over the frequency range of interest for intra-body communications; 100 KHz to 100 MHz. Test results on a composite multi-layer sample are presented confirming the efficacy of the proposed methodology. To date, this is the first paper that provides guidance on how to decide on concentration levels of ingredients, depending on the exact frequency range of operation, and the desired matched electrical characteristics (conductivity vs. permittivity), to create multi-layer phantoms for intra-body communication applications

Development of a trash handling subsystem for a manned spacecraft

A prototype laboratory system to shred and transport trash material within a spacecraft was designed and demonstrated. In addition to handling the normal trash materials, the system demonstrated the ability to handle or reject (if it is too tough) glass, metal and ceramics without damaging the system. The system is not dependent on liquids for the shredding and transportation and can transport slurried, damp or dry material. The resulting system offers a greater system flexibility with operational reliability

Pembangunan dan penganalisisan aplikasi permohonan peruntukkan penyelenggaraan bangunan sekolah berasaskan proses pengurusan dalam kejuruteraan awam

Penyelenggaraan adalah aktiviti yang dilakukan secara berterusan bagi memastikan fungsi bangunan dapat dilaksanakan sebagaimana fungsinya secara normal. Penyelenggaraan bangunan sekolah adalah aktiviti rutin yang harus dijalankan memandangkan sekolah adalah lokasi pertama dalam pengembangan minda kanak�kanak. Namun begitu, kajian literatur menunjukkan terdapat beberapa masalah dalam pengurusan penyelenggaraan yang lazimnya diselia oleh ahli jawatankuasa penyelenggaraan sekolah. Antaranya ialah kegagalan mereka mematuhi Pekeliling Am Bil.2 Tahun 1995 dalam proses permohonan penyelenggaraan. Disebabkan permasalahan tersebut, tesis ini diwujudkan bagi membantu mereka dalam menyelesaikan sebahagian masalah yang dihadapi dengan cara membangunkan satu aplikasi permohonan penyelenggaraan sekolah berkomputer. Pembangunan aplikasi adalah menggunakan Microsoft Access. Aplikasi pertama yang dibangunkan adalah CoRTMaS di mana ia hanya tertumpu kepada penyelenggaraan bumbung dan tandas berdasarkan kepada kajian literatur yang mengatakan 2 komponen ini paling kerap mengalami kerosakan. Hasil soal selidik diuji menggunakan SPSS dan mendapati kadar ketepatan hasil kajian adalah α = 0.893. Walaupun hasil kajian CoRTMaS amat memuaskan, aplikasi SiPBaS dibangunkan bagi menambah baik fungsi aplikasi dalam CoRTMaS. Kesimpulannya, pembangunan aplikasi dapat menyumbang kepada kelancaran proses permohonan penyelenggaraan sekolah namun terdapat beberapa cadangan lanjutan yang dicadangkan bagi memantapkan aplikasi SiPBaS iaitu menjadikan aplikasi ini berfungsi secara atas talian, mewujudkan ruangan bagi memuat turun gambar kerosakan serta mewujudkan kod keselamatan untuk kontraktor terlibat

Wet Granular Materials

Most studies on granular physics have focused on dry granular media, with no liquids between the grains. However, in geology and many real world applications (e.g., food processing, pharmaceuticals, ceramics, civil engineering, constructions, and many industrial applications), liquid is present between the grains. This produces inter-grain cohesion and drastically modifies the mechanical properties of the granular media (e.g., the surface angle can be larger than 90 degrees). Here we present a review of the mechanical properties of wet granular media, with particular emphasis on the effect of cohesion. We also list several open problems that might motivate future studies in this exciting but mostly unexplored field.Comment: review article, accepted for publication in Advances in Physics; tex-style change

Hubungan di antara status Sosio Ekonomi (SSE) keluarga dengan pencapaian akademk : satu kajian ke at as pelajar aliran teknikal di Sekolah Menengah Teknik Negeri Sembilan

Kajian ini bertujuan untuk melihat hubungan di antara status sosio ekonomi (SSE) keluarga dengan pencapaian akademik di kalangan pelajar aliran teknikal. Kajian ini dijalankan ke atas pelajar tingkatan empat aliran teknikal di lima buah Sekolah Menengah Teknik di Negeri Sembilan iaitu Sekolah Menengah Teknik Tuanku Jaafar, Sekolah Menengah Teknik Juasseh, Sekolah Menengah Teknik Pertanian Rembau, Sekolah Menengah Teknik Ampangan dan Sekolah Menengah Teknik Port Dicksoa Seramai 350 orang pelajar terlibat dalam kajian ini dan dipilih secara rawak mudah. Analisis regresi mudah dan regresi berbilang digunakan untuk melihat hubungan di antara pembolehubah yang dikaji. Keseluruhan data kajian telah dianahsis menggunakan perisian Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences (SPSS) versi 11.5 dengan membuat pengiraan peratusan dan regresi. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan secara majoritinya, SSE mempunyai hubungan yang signifikan dengan tahap pencapaian akademik pelajar. Dengan itu dapat dirumuskan bahawa SSE mempengaruhi tahap pencapaian akademik pelajar aliran teknikal. Beberapa cadangan dikemukakan untuk panduan kajian selanjutnya