a nuclear magnetic resonance study of hydrous layer silicates

This is a study of five silicates, namely makatite, kanemite, octosilicate, magadiite and kenyaite. The silicates have been analysed using a range of techniques, principally solid-state NMR spectroscopy. High-quality (^29)Si NMR spectra have been obtained for samples of all five layered sodium polysilicate hydrates. Amongst other findings, these have revealed four crystallographically distinct sites in makatite and a Q(^4):Q(^4) site ratio in kenyaite of ca. 5. Proton MAS NMR studies can produce well-resolved spectra, particularly for carefully-dried samples. Distinct water and strongly hydrogen-bonded proton species have been detected. The latter are particularly noteworthy and they are present in kanemite, octosilicate, magadiite and kenyaite, but not in makatite or layered silicic acids. Interactions between the resolved proton species have been investigated with a series of 1- and 2-dimensional experiments resulting in the detection of mixing, via spin-diffusion or chemical exchange. Sodium-23 NMR studies were complicated by second-order effects from strong quadrupolar interactions and the presence of a significant signal from a sodium chloride contamination in many samples. The latter had fooled previous authors. Acidification products of kanemite, octosilicate and magadiite were characterised by (^29)Si CP NMR, thermogravimetric analysis, 1H MAS NMR and powder X-ray diffraction. A single H-kanemite sample proved to be H(_2)Si(_2)O(_5), but two types of H-octosilicate and H-magadiite sample were prepared. These differed in the presence of interlayer water. Several CP experiments were used to investigate the relationship between (^29)Si and (^23)Na nuclei and protons in the silicates. Cross-polarisation mechanisms tended to involve magnetisation transfer from the H-bonded protons only. Their determination was possible with a consideration of the extent of spin-diffusion or chemical exchange over the time-scale of the relevant experiments. Finally, new model structures for kanemite and the interlayer space in kanemite, octosilicate, magadiite and kenyaite have been suggested, while previously- proposed silicate layers have been reconsidered

The problem of political science and practical politics

Copyright @ 2006 The AuthorsWe reflect on the reasons why there is not a greater and more fruitful relationship between those who seek to understand policy and the political process from academia and those with a similar task in ‘practical politics’. We attribute this lack of engagement to three core factors: (1) from without, instrumental government visions of political science perpetuate the view that the discipline exists to serve those with power; (2) from within, scientism and abstraction diminish the discipline's stock of ‘usable’ product for ‘practical politics’; and (3) where relevant research exists, its uptake is hampered by limited communication between these spheres

Long pulse excitation thermographic non-destructive evaluation

A comprehensive analysis of the defect detection performance of long pulse excitation thermographic NDE is presented. An analytical procedure for predicting the thermal image contrasts of defects of specified size and depth is developed and validated by extensive experimental studies of test pieces having a wide range of thermal properties. Results obtained using long pulse (~5 s) excitation are compared with those obtained using traditional flash excitation. The conditions necessary for the success of the long pulse method are explained and illustrated by both modelling and experimental results. Practical advantages of long pulse excitation are discussed

Eight Years Later: the Political Economic Implications of the Arab Spring in the Middle East

Keywords: Arab Spring, International Affairs, Middle East North Africa, Political Science Abstract The Arab Spring, though a disbursement of revolutionary events, had economic implications on Middle East North African (MENA) countries. The following scholars, Richards and Waterbury (2015), Benmamoun and Lehnert (2016), and Malik and Awadallah (2013), defend that a political transition to a democratic system both encourages and is an essential precondition for liberation, economically. Throughout the semester, students and faculty gathered research pertaining to regions affected by Arab Spring protests. The economic data researched was between 2009-2017, relating to a common question: did the protests and political revolutions of the Arab Spring (2011-present) have a positive or negative impact on the economies? The students researched and analyzed countries that represented the political implications of the Arab Spring through government coups, authoritarian survival, and democratic systems. Through this, the students found a broad range of economic implications due to the Arab Spring, which did not have uniformity. Through the analysis of Middle East North Africa (MENA) countries, different factors led to the different outcomes of the Arab Spring, which the students used to analyze and explain patterns presented from the research

LITERATURE REVIEW: REDUCTION OF NP(V) TO NP (IV)-ALTERNATIVES TO FERROUS SULFAMATE

The baseline approach to control of Np oxidation in UREX and PUREX separation processes is the reduction of Np(V) and Np(VI) to Np(IV) using ferrous sulfamate. Use of this reagent results in increased sulfur and iron concentrations in the liquid waste streams from the process. Presence of these two elements, especially sulfur, increases the complexity of the development of wasteforms for immobilizing these effluents. Investigations are underway to identify reductants that eliminate sulfur and iron from the Np reduction process. While there are a variety of chemical reductants that will reduce Np to Np(IV) in nitric acid media, the reaction rates for most are so slow that the reductants are not be feasible for use in an operating plant process. In an attempt to identify additional alternatives to ferrous sulfamate, a literature search and review was performed. Based on the results of the literature review, it is concluded that photochemical and catalytic processes should also be investigated to test the utility of these two approaches. The catalytic process could be investigated for use in conjunction with chemical oxidants to speed the reaction rates for reductants that react slowly, but would otherwise be appropriate replacements for ferrous sulfamate. The photochemical approach, which has received little attention during the past few decades, also shows promise, especially the photocatalytic approach that includes a catalyst, such as Pt supported on SiC, which can be used in tandem with an oxidant, for Np reduction

The Origin of Power-Law Emergent Scaling in Large Binary Networks

In this paper we study the macroscopic conduction properties of large but finite binary networks with conducting bonds. By taking a combination of a spectral and an averaging based approach we derive asymptotic formulae for the conduction in terms of the component proportions p and the total number of components N. These formulae correctly identify both the percolation limits and also the emergent power law behaviour between the percolation limits and show the interplay between the size of the network and the deviation of the proportion from the critical value of p = 1/2. The results compare excellently with a large number of numerical simulations