Identity in (not only) the cultural landscapes of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship

W artykule przedstawiono obszary wyróżniające się lokalną tradycją oraz kultywowaniem obrzędów i zwyczajów na terenie województwa mazowieckiego, jak również wskazano rolę społeczeństwa w kształtowaniu i zachowaniu niematerialnego dziedzictwa kulturowego. Ponadto wykonano ocenę stanu zachowania lub wykształcenia cech syntetycznych krajobrazu gmin, tj. tradycji, tożsamości i swojskości, zgodnie z metodyką rozporządzenia Rady Ministrów z dnia 11 stycznia 2019 roku w sprawie sporządzania audytów krajobrazowych. Analizy wykonano na podstawie wyników badania ankietowego, przeprowadzonego przez zespół badawczy Zakładu Gospodarki Przestrzennej i Nauk o Środowisku Przyrodniczym Wydziału Geodezji i Kartografii Politechniki Warszawskiej, na zlecenie Mazowieckiego Biura Planowania Regionalnego w Warszawie, na obszarze województwa mazowieckiego. Ankieta badawcza zawierała 9 pytań z zakresu dziedzictwa kulturowego, gdzie dla celów niniejszego artykułu przeanalizowano 4 dotyczące bezpośrednio dziedzictwa materialnego i niematerialnego wśród 6160 wykonanych ankiet. Zakres analiz dziedzictwa materialnego dotyczył występowania tradycyjnej architektury a niematerialnego: regionów etnograficznych, kultywowanych tradycji, obrzędów i zwyczajów, a także zaangażowania społeczeństwa w „życie kulturalne” swoich małych ojczyzn. Przeprowadzona analiza ankiet, pozwoliła na potwierdzenie występowania rozpoznanych już i wskazanych w dokumentach samorządu województwa, jak również wskazanie nowych obszarów materialnego i niematerialnego dziedzictwa kulturowego województwa mazowieckiego, które skonfrontowano zarówno z literaturą przedmiotu, jak i z zapisami w dokumentach samorządu województwa. Wyniki badania wskazały na ważną rolę jednostek samorządu terytorialnego, instytucji kultury oraz stowarzyszeń i organizacji zrzeszających lokalne społeczności w kształtowaniu i zachowaniu niematerialnego dziedzictwa kulturowego. Stopień zaangażowania respondentów w kultywowanie tradycji, obrzędów i zwyczajów, zgodnie z odpowiedziami ankietowanych okazał się niezależny od położenia w regionach etnograficznych. Odpowiedzi ankietowanych wskazały również na powrót do „korzeni”, wynikający ze wzrostu zainteresowania kulturą ludową, czemu sprzyjają podejmowane działania popularyzujące oraz promujące tradycje ludowe, natomiast w procesie międzypokoleniowego przekazu wartości bogactwa dziedzictwa kulturowego kluczową rolę odgrywa edukacja społeczeństwa, w szczególności młodego pokolenia.The article presents areas distinguished by local traditions and cultivation of rituals and customs in the Mazowieckie Voivodeship, as well as the role of society in the formation and preservation of the intangible cultural heritage. In addition, the state of preservation or development of the synthetic features of the municipal landscape, i.e. tradition, identity and familiarity, was assessed in accordance with the methodology of the Council of Ministers Ordinance of January 11, 2019, regarding preparation of landscape audits. The analysis were based on the results of a survey conducted by the research team of the Department of Spatial Planning and Environmental Sciences of the Faculty of Geodesy and Cartography of the Warsaw University of Technology on behalf of the Mazovian Office for Regional Planning in Warsaw, in the area of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship. The research questionnaire contained 9 questions in the field of cultural heritage, and for the purposes of this article 4 out of 6160 surveys directly related to tangible and intangible heritage were analysed. The scope of analyses of tangible heritage concerned the occurrence of traditional and intangible architecture: ethnographic regions, cultivated traditions, rituals and customs, as well as the involvement of society in the 'cultural life' of their small homelands. The analysis of the questionnaires made it possible to confirm the presence of the already identified and indicated in the documents of the voivodeship self-government, as well as to indicate new areas of tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship, which were confronted with both the source literature and the provisions in the voivodeship self-government documents. The results of the study indicated an important role of local government units, cultural institutions as well as associations and organizations of local communities in shaping and preserving intangible cultural heritage. The degree of the respondents' involvement in the cultivation of traditions, rituals and customs, according to the respondents' answers, turned out to be independent of the location in ethnographic regions. The responses of the respondents also indicated a return to the 'roots', resulting from the growing interest in folk culture, which is fostered by the activities undertaken to popularize and promote folk traditions, while in the process of intergenerational transfer of the values of the cultural heritage, the key role is played by the education of the society, especially the young generation

Comparative Analysis of Polyurethane Drive Belts with Different Cross-Section Using Thermomechanical Tests for Modeling the Hot Plate Welding Process

The paper presents a comparative analysis of the circular and flat cross-section belts using measurements of a set of thermomechanical parameters, contributing to research about hot plate welding of drive belts. On the basis of thermogravimetric and spectrophotometric tests, information about the same chemical composition of the two belts was obtained. Dynamic thermomechanical analysis and scanning differential calorimetry provided information about a small difference between belts, which disappeared when the material was placed in a state of increased temperature and mechanical stress. On the basis of the analysis of the specific heat, thermal diffusion, density, and hardness, the values of the selected thermal properties of the belt were obtained, and a large similarity between the belts was identified. On the basis of the novel performed test cycle, it has been hypothesized that circular and flat belts made from thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer could be used interchangeably for butt-welding testing. It has also been proven that cyclic thermomechanical loads unify the properties of both materials so that multiple mechanical and thermal loads do not result in any change in the material properties of the two belts. As a consequence, changes in the weld properties after welding, compared to a solid belt, are not expected

A New Method of Diatomaceous Earth Fractionation—A Bio-Raw Material Source for Epoxy-Based Composites

The authors of this paper use an original method of diatomaceous earth fractionation, which allows for obtaining a filler with a specific particle size distribution. The method makes it possible to separate small, disintegrated and broken diatom frustules from those which maintained their original form in diatomaceous earth. The study covers a range of tests conducted to prove that such a separated diatomic fraction (3–30 µm) shows features different from the base diatomite (from 1 to above 40 µm) used as an epoxy resin filler. We have examined the mechanical properties of a series of diatomite/resin composites, considering the weight fraction of diatoms and the parameters of the composite production process. The studied composites of Epidian 601 epoxy resin cross-linked with amine-based curing agent Z-1 contained 0 to 70% vol. of diatoms or diatomaceous earth. Samples were produced by being casted into silicone molds in vacuum degassing conditions and, alternatively, without degassing. The results have shown that the size and morphology of the filler based on diatomaceous earth affects mechanical and rheological properties of systems based on epoxy resin. Elongation at rupture and flexural stress at rupture were both raised by up to 35%, and impact strength by up to 25%

Biogenic Composite Filaments Based on Polylactide and Diatomaceous Earth for 3D Printing

New composites containing a natural filler made of diatom shells (frustules), permitting the modification of polylactide matrix, were produced by Fused Deposition Modelling (3D printing) and were thoroughly examined. Two mesh fractions of the filler were used, one of <40 µm and the other of 40−63 µm, in order to check the effect of the filler particle size on the composite properties. The composites obtained contained diatom shells in the concentrations from 0% to 5% wt. (0−27.5% vol.) and were subjected to rheological analysis. The composites obtained as filaments of 1.75 mm in diameter were used for 3D printing. The printed samples were characterized as to hydrophilic–hydrophobic, thermal and mechanical properties. The functional parameters of the printed objects, e.g., mechanical characteristics, stability on contact with water and water contact angle, were measured. The results revealed differences in the processing behavior of the samples as well as the effect of secondary granulation of the filler on the parameters of the printing and mechanical properties of the composites

Characterisation of carbonate lake sediments as a potential filler for polymer composites

The purpose of the study was to determine whether lake sediments could be a potential raw material for the plastics industry. The examined samples were obtained in a complex process of sediment collection from Lake Swarzędzkie located in the region of Wielkopolska, Poland, followed by granulometric analysis by sieving and quartz grain shape analysis, with preparation of geotechnical sheets. The works involved the examination of physico-chemical characteristics of carbonate lake sediments and the analysis of impact of the sediments’ depth extraction on their chemical composition and physico-chemical properties. The lake sediment consists mainly of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and can be a potential filler for plastics. Tests were carried out to determine chemical composition of the sediments and their thermal stability. The thermogravimetric analysis showed the three stages of the thermal decomposition. Sediments in deeper layers of the lake are characterised by the presence of not only CaCO3 and silica, but also other chemical compounds, including aluminosilicates. In addition, as the depth increases, the average size of sediment particles changes, with the main fraction particle size being the smallest for the material from the 6–12 m depth. Additionally, carbon content systematically decreases with increasing depth

Biocomposites Based on Polyamide 11/Diatoms with Different Sized Frustules

Amorphous diatomite was used as a filler for a thermoplastic polymer of polyamide 11 obtained from natural sources. The diatomite particles of different sizes were previously fractionated by sedimentation to obtain powders with varying particle size distribution, including powders with or without frustule particles, crushed, uncrushed or agglomerated. Biocomposites containing 2.5, 5, 10 and 20% filler were tested for their mechanical properties, including tensile strength, flexural strength and impact strength. In addition, a particle size analysis (by Dynamic Light Scattering, DLS) was performed and the dispersion of the filler in the polymer matrix (Scanning Electron Microscopy, SEM), thermal parameters (Differential Scanning Calorimetry, DSC, and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis, DMA) were determined. Testing showed that biocomposites modified with diatomaceous earth have a higher mechanical strength than the reference system, especially with larger amounts of the filler (10 and 20%), e.g., the tensile strength of pure PA11 is about 46 MPa, while 20OB and 20OF 47.5 and 47 MPa, respectively, while an increase in max. flexural strength and flexural modulus is also observed compared to pure PA11 by a maximum of 63 and 54%, respectively Diatomaceous earth can be obtained in various ways—it is commercially available or it is possible to breed diatoms in laboratory conditions, while the use of commercially available diatomite, which contains diatoms of different sizes, eliminates the possibility of controlling mechanical parameters by filling biocomposites with a filler with the desired particle size distribution, and diatom breeding is not possible on an industrial scale. Our proposed biocomposite based on fractionated diatomaceous earth using a sedimentation process addresses the current need to produce biocomposite materials from natural sources, and moreover, the nature of the process, due to its simplicity, can be successfully used on an industrial scale

Sol–Gel Approach for Design of Pt/Al2O3-TiO2 System—Synthesis and Catalytic Tests

Al2O3-TiO2 systems with Ti:Al 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 molar ratio obtained by the sol–gel method have been used as a platinum support. As a precursor of alumina gel, aluminum isopropoxide has been chosen. Titanium tert-butoxylate was applied to obtain titania gel and hexachloroplatinic acid was applied as a source of platinum. The systems have been characterized by the following methods: thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), low-temperature nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms (BET, BJH), temperature-programmed reduction with hydrogen (TPR-H2) and hydrogen chemisorption. Reactions of toluene to methylcyclohexane and selective o-chloronitrobenzene (o-CNB) to o-chloroaniline (o-CAN) hydrogenation were used as the tests of systems’ catalytic activity. The application of Al2O3-TiO2 as a support has enabled the obtaining of platinum catalysts showing high activities for hydrogenation of toluene and selective hydrogenation of o-chloronitrobenzene to o-chloroaniline in the liquid phase. The highest activity in both reactions has been found for Pt/Al2O3-0.5TiO2 catalyst and the highest selectivity for Pt/Al2O3-. The activity of Pt/Al2O3-TiO2 catalysts was higher than that of alumina-supported ones

Beeswax as a natural alternative to synthetic waxes for fabrication of PLA/diatomaceous earth composites

Abstract In this study, injection moulding was applied to produce biocomposites consisting of polylactide (PLA) and amorphous diatomaceous earth used as a filler at different concentrations. Natural wax and synthetic wax were added to improve processing properties, comparing the resulting biocomposites. The use of natural beeswax makes the composite environmentally friendly. The prepared composites contained 2.5, 5, 10 and 15% w/w filler. The test samples have been injection moulded. Rheological, mechanical, surface and other properties were assessed for the fabricated composites. The testing has shown that the use of wax additives has a significant influence on the mechanical properties (tensile strength, flexural strength, impact strength) and the hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of composite surfaces. The addition of natural wax, especially at lower concentration, has a positive effect on the rheological properties of composites (melt flow rate, MFR), flexural modulus and impact strength. Different composite parameters are modified by different wax types so both natural and synthetic waxes, can be used interchangeably, depending on the required final material characteristics

Influence of Diatomaceous Earth Particle Size on Mechanical Properties of PLA/Diatomaceous Earth Composites

The fractionation of diatomaceous earth (DE) using sedimentation made it possible to obtain separate unbroken diatom fractions from broken or agglomerated bodies with a range of particle sizes. The produced filler was used to prepare polylactide (PLA)/diatomaceous earth biocomposite samples containing different particle sizes, which were subjected to mechanical testing (tensile strength, flexural strength, impact strength), colloidal testing (contact angle, color change test, SEM/EDS), and thermal testing (TGA, DSC, DMA). Modification of the PLA containing the smallest particle size with diatomaceous earth (Fraction 5) resulted in a higher impact strength compared to both the pure PLA and the PLA/DE composite that contained base diatomaceous earth. Furthermore, the melt flow rate was improved by more than 80 and 60% for the composite modified with fractionated diatomaceous earth (Fraction 4) compared to pure PLA and base diatomaceous earth, respectively. The elasticity of the composite was also improved from 3.3 GPa for pure polylactide to 4.4 GPa for the system containing the smallest diatomaceous earth particles (Fraction 5)

Effect of Wax Additives and Silanization of Diatom Surfaces on Thermomechanical Properties of Polylactide Composites

In the present study, tests were conducted on high-filled composite samples on a polylactide matrix, modified with diatomaceous earth, three types of silanes, and natural and synthetic wax. The obtained samples were characterized in terms of the effect of modifications on mechanical properties (tensile strength, flexural strength, and impact resistance) or processing properties, e.g., melt flow rate (MFR). The study showed that the modification had a favorable effect on the processing properties of the composites, associated with up to an eight-fold increase in flow rate index compared with the reference sample, especially for samples treated with methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMOS), and up to a ten-fold increase under low shear-rate flow conditions. The effect of the addition of waxes of different origins (synthetic and natural) was also determined, and it was shown that beeswax tended to reduce the flow rate of the composites regardless of the silane used. The addition of synthetic wax to composites increased the tendency to agglomerate diatomaceous earth, while natural wax had a positive effect on filler dispersion