Mass movement susceptibility mapping using satellite optical imagery compared with InSAR monitoring: Zigui County, Three Gorges region, China

Mass movements on steep slopes are a major hazard to communities and infrastructure in the Three Gorges region, China. Developing susceptibility maps of mass movements is therefore very important in both current and future land use planning. This study employed satellite optical imagery and an ASTER GDEM (15 m) to derive various parameters (namely geology; slope gradient; proximity to drainage networks and proximity to lineaments) in order to create a GIS-based map of mass movement susceptibility. This map was then evaluated using highly accurate deformation signals processed using the Persistent Scatterer (PS) InSAR technique. Areas of high susceptibility correspond well to points of high subsidence, which provides a strong support of our susceptibility map

Characterization of conductive polyprrole coated wool yarns

Wool yarns were coated with conducting polypyrrole by chemical synthesis methods. Polymerization of pyrrole was carried out in the presence of wool yarn at various concentrations of the monomer and dopant anion. The changes in tensile, moisture absorption, and electrical properties of the yarn upon coating with conductive polypyrrole are presented. Coating the wool yarns with conductive polypyrrole resulted in higher tenacity, higher breaking strain, and lower initial modulus. The changes in tensile properties are attributed to the changes in surface morphology due to the coating and reinforcing effect of conductive polypyrrole. The thickness of the coating increased with the concentration of p-toluene sulfonic acid, which in turn caused a reduction in the moisture regain of the wool yarn. Reducing the synthesis temperature and replacing p-toluenesulfonic acid by anthraquinone sulfonic acid resulted in a large reduction in the resistance of the yarn. <br /

Review: The increasing importance of carbon nanotubes and nanostructured conducting polymers in biosensors

The growing need for analytical devices requiring smaller sample volumes, decreased power consumption and improved performance have been driving forces behind the rapid growth in nanomaterials research. Due to their dimensions, nanostructured materials display unique properties not traditionally observed in bulk materials. Characteristics such as increased surface area along with enhanced electrical/optical properties make them suitable for numerous applications such as nanoelectronics, photovoltaics and chemical/biological sensing. In this review we examine the potential that exists to use nanostructured materials for biosensor devices. By incorporating nanomaterials, it is possible to achieve enhanced sensitivity, improved response time and smaller size. Here we report some of the success that has been achieved in this area. Many nanoparticle and nanofibre geometries are particularly relevant, but in this paper we specifically focus on organic nanostructures, reviewing conducting polymer nanostructures and carbon nanotubes

Treatment of waste pickling liquors: Process synthesis and economic analysis

An economic analysis was carried out for three different recycle/recovery options for waste pickling liquors from hydrochloric acid pickling baths in an existing small-mid scale plant presently neutralizing and discarding waste pickling liquors. The analysis was based on process synthesis and design, which were completed by using real plant data along with some experimental work. Three basic schemes were studied: the addition of metallic iron to convert unused hydrochloric acid to ferrous chloride recovery by evaporation and recycling of a large proportion of the unused acid, and removal of ferrous chloride by crystallization to enable the recycling of the unused acid. All three schemes were evaluated at the same concentration of ferrous chloride by-product, which can be directly sold or converted later to ferric chloride, which has a higher market value. Extrapolation of existing solubility data was verified experimentally, cost estimation was done for purchased equipment and utility requirement, and feasibility analyses of the process schemes were completed. Depending on the market demand for the by-product and the criteria chosen, metallic iron addition or evaporation found to be recommendable, while the relatively more expensive crystallization process was also found to bring improvement over the no-treatment alternative

AN INVESTIGATION OF SUBSIDENCE EFFECT ON WASTE DUMP STABILITY IN SOMA-EYNEZ COAL FIELD, TURKEY

This research paper deals with an area of subsidence monitored in association with sliding waste dump in Soma-Eynez colliery that is located in westen Turkey. Soma lignite basin is a predominant lignite source that accounts for one third of the total coal production of Turkey. In our case, the initial subsidence was observed after a heavy rain in December, 1992 and took the form of a collapse beneath a road surface on the west side of the permit area. Subsidences continued in the field until the underground coal mining acitivity was ceased in 1998. Besides, putting the situation in a more complicated nature, landslide occurred within the spoil tip which is located at the very cast of the subsidence field, and the spoil tip material moved to the west covering top of the northeastern boundary of subsidence areas. In this case, a complex geomorphological landform arose which is called the "subsidence + landslide influence zone". The accurate position of this boundary was crucial to find out the active influence angle. Pertaining to the determination of the subsidence boundary, three different methods were employed and the obtained results were correlated with each other

Finding the optimum between volatility and cycle temperatures in solar thermochemical hydrogen production: Pb/PbO pair

A pilot unit for a concentrated solar thermal reactor with solar tracking was constructed. A 70 cm diameter concentrator dish could provide temperatures around 800 degrees C at a fairly steady rate. In the search for a redox pair that can work at such temperatures, studies were conducted on the feasibility of the Pb/PbO cycle for the splitting of H2O for H-2 production. Thermodynamics accounting for the vapor pressures of Pb and PbO indicated favorable water splitting until approximately 900 degrees C, at atmospheric steam pressures. After 1000 degrees C, the vapor pressure of PbO becomes greater than that of Pb, as a result, thermodynamic favorability in the gas phase begins to be suppressed. The thermodynamic estimations were tested experimentally both in lab scale, and in bench scale molten bed reactors. The process went through similar maxima in the hydrogen production rates. The field tests in solar concentrator using a Pb coated mullite system did not reveal much due to evaporative loss of Pb and PbO under high solar flux. In this paper, it was demonstrated that the relatively high vapor pressure of Pb and PbO can be exploited for designing efficient water splitting cycles at temperatures <1000 degrees C using a PbO vapor recovery and circulation system. (C) 2018 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC

Anchor application in Karatepe andesite rock slope, Izmir-Türkiye

Atatürk's Monument is a steel-constructed building containing a space-truss system, and is the tenth highest monumental construction in the world. Atatürk's mask is installed on this construction. The monument was planned to be built on rocky ground in the old quarry site at Karatepe in i·zmir, which has an elevation of 40. m. The steel construction connected to Atatürk's mask was planned to be braced at the andesitic rock slope from three points with different heights. The goal of this study is to determine the most suitable anchor inclination angle. To achieve this goal, two different methods were utilized: (a) kinematic analyses using stereographic projection techniques and (b) numerical analyses considering the stress distribution and lateral and vertical displacements in the andesitic rock slope depending on the variation of the anchor inclination angle. The analyses were conducted in order to confirm the results of the kinematic analyses. The suitable anchor inclination angles obtained from the two different methods were compared, and the results were discussed. The optimum anchor inclination angle obtained from both methods was determined to be 25°. In this state, the anchors are not parallel to the strikes of the discontinuity sets, such as flow band structures, cooling joints and intersection-line formed by the cooling joint sets in andesites. Because the same result was obtained from both methods, it is clear that the stereographic projection methods can be used to determine the suitable anchor inclination angle in jointed rocks. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd

Steam methane reforming over structured reactors under concentrated solar irradiation

Intermittent nature of solar energy and solution strategies for steam methane reforming reaction powered by concentrated solar energy over Ni/mullite and Pd/CeO2/mullite catalysts were demonstrated. The solar concentration was achieved using a parabolic mirror with a 70 cm, delivering concentrated solar flux onto a focal area that is approximately 3 cm in diameter. The solar field tests conducted on monolithic catalyst support structures were compared with the laboratory scale measurements on powdered catalysts. Despite the fluctuations in solar irradiation, CH4 conversions higher than 90% could be obtained. Coke deposition was observed over the 15%Ni/Mullite monolith. On the 1%Pd/20%CeO2/Mullite monolith, the oxidative nature of the catalyst resulted in oxidation reactions with local temperatures exceeding 1700 degrees C, inferred through the melting point of mullite. Numerical simulations revealed temperature gradients as large as 500 degrees C, over the refractory monoliths. (C) 2019 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved