219,924 research outputs found
Life cycle assessment of nanocellulose-reinforced advanced fibre composites
The research and development of nanocellulose-reinforced polymer composites have dramatically increased in the recent years due to the possibility of exploiting the high tensile stiffness and strength of nanocellulose. In the work, the environmental impacts of bacterial cellulose (BC)- and nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC)-reinforced epoxy composites were evaluated using life cycle assessment (LCA). Neat polylactide (PLA) and 30% randomly oriented glass fibre-reinforced polypropylene (GF/PP) composites were used as benchmark materials for comparison. Our cradle-to-gate LCA showed that BC- and NFC-reinforced epoxy composites have higher global warming potential (GWP) and abiotic depletion potential of fossil fuels (ADf) compared to neat PLA and GF/PP even though the specific tensile moduli of the nanocellulose-reinforced epoxy composites were higher than neat PLA and GF/PP. However, when the use phase and the end-of-life of nanocellulose-reinforced epoxy composites were considered, the âgreen credentialsâ of nanocellulose-reinforced epoxy composites were comparable to that of neat PLA and GF/PP composites. Our life cycle scenario analysis showed that the cradle-to-grave GWP and ADf of BC- and NFC-reinforced epoxy composites could be lower than neat PLA when the composites contains more than 60 vol.-% nanocellulose. Our LCA model suggests that nanocellulose-reinforced epoxy composites with high nanocellulose loading is desired to produce materials with âgreener credentialsâ than the best performing commercially available bio-derived polymer
Sandpiles on multiplex networks
We introduce the sandpile model on multiplex networks with more than one type
of edge and investigate its scaling and dynamical behaviors. We find that the
introduction of multiplexity does not alter the scaling behavior of avalanche
dynamics; the system is critical with an asymptotic power-law avalanche size
distribution with an exponent on duplex random networks. The
detailed cascade dynamics, however, is affected by the multiplex coupling. For
example, higher-degree nodes such as hubs in scale-free networks fail more
often in the multiplex dynamics than in the simplex network counterpart in
which different types of edges are simply aggregated. Our results suggest that
multiplex modeling would be necessary in order to gain a better understanding
of cascading failure phenomena of real-world multiplex complex systems, such as
the global economic crisis.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figure
Cooperative Stimulation of Dendritic Cells by Cryptococcus neoformans Mannoproteins and CpG Oligodeoxynucleotides
While mannosylation targets antigens to mannose receptors on dendritic cells (DC), the resultant immune response is suboptimal. We hypothesized that the addition of toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands would enhance the DC response to mannosylated antigens. Cryptococcus neoformans mannoproteins (MP) synergized with CpG-containing oligodeoxynucleotides to stimulate enhanced production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines from murine conventional and plasmacytoid DC. Synergistic stimulation required the interaction of mannose residues on MP with the macrophage mannose receptor (MR), CD206. Moreover, synergy with MP was observed with other TLR ligands, including tripalmitoylated lipopeptide (Pam3CSK4), polyinosine-polycytidylic acid (pI:C), and imiquimod. Finally, CpG enhanced MP-specific MHC II-restricted CD4+ T-cell responses by a mechanism dependent upon DC expression of CD206 and TLR9. These data suggest a rationale for vaccination strategies that combine mannosylated antigens with TLR ligands and imply that immune responses to naturally mannosylated antigens on pathogens may be greatly augmented if TLR and MR are cooperatively stimulated.National Institutes of Health (RO1 AI25780, RO1 AI37532, K08 AI 53542
Evidence for an incommensurate magnetic resonance in La(2-x)Sr(x)CuO(4)
We study the effect of a magnetic field (applied along the c-axis) on the
low-energy, incommensurate magnetic fluctuations in superconducting
La(1.82)Sr(0.18)CuO(4). The incommensurate peaks at 9 meV, which in zero-field
were previously shown to sharpen in q on cooling below T_c [T. E. Mason et al.,
Phys. Rev. Lett. 77, 1604 (1996)], are found to broaden in q when a field of 10
T is applied. The applied field also causes scattered intensity to shift into
the spin gap. We point out that the response at 9 meV, though occurring at
incommensurate wave vectors, is comparable to the commensurate magnetic
resonance observed at higher energies in other cuprate superconductors.Comment: 8 pages, including 4 figure
Aging to Equilibrium Dynamics of SiO2
Molecular dynamics computer simulations are used to study the aging dynamics
of SiO2 (modeled by the BKS model). Starting from fully equilibrated
configurations at high temperatures T_i =5000K/3760K the system is quenched to
lower temperatures T_f=2500K, 2750K, 3000K, 3250K and observed after a waiting
time t_w. Since the simulation runs are long enough to reach equilibrium at
T_f, we are able to study the transition from out-of-equilibrium to equilibrium
dynamics. We present results for the partial structure factors, for the
generalized incoherent intermediate scattering function C_q(t_w, t_w+t), and
for the mean square displacement msd(t_w,t_w+t). We conclude that there are
three different t_w regions: (I) At very short waiting times, C_q(t_w, t_w+t)
decays very fast without forming a plateau. Similarly msd(t_w,t_w+t) increases
without forming a plateau. (II) With increasing t_w a plateau develops in
C_q(t_w, t_w+t) and msd(t_w,t_w+t). For intermediate waiting times the plateau
height is independent of t_w and T_i. Time superposition applies, i.e.
C_q=C_q(t/t_r) where t_r=t_r(t_w) is a waiting time dependent decay time.
Furthermore C_q=C(q,t_w,t_w+t) scales as C_q=C(q,z(t_w,t) where z is a function
of t_w and t only, i.e. independent of q. (III) At large t_w the system reaches
equilibrium, i.e. C_q(t_w,t_w+t) and msd(t_w,t_w+t) are independent of t_w and
T_i. For C_q(t_w,t_w+t) we find that the time superposition of intermediate
waiting times (II) includes the equilibrium curve (III).Comment: 9 pages, 11 figures, submission to PR
The A+B -> 0 annihilation reaction in a quenched random velocity field
Using field-theoretic renormalization group methods the long-time behaviour
of the A+B -> 0 annihilation reaction with equal initial densities n_A(0) =
n_B(0) = n_0 in a quenched random velocity field is studied. At every point (x,
y) of a d-dimensional system the velocity v is parallel or antiparallel to the
x-axis and depends on the coordinates perpendicular to the flow. Assuming that
v(y) have zero mean and short-range correlations in the y-direction we show
that the densities decay asymptotically as n(t) ~ A n_0^(1/2) t^(-(d+3)/8) for
d<3. The universal amplitude A is calculated at first order in \epsilon = 3-d.Comment: 19 pages, LaTeX using IOP-macros, 5 eps-figures. It is shown that the
amplitude of the density is universal, i.e. independent of the reaction rat
Semi-classical scattering in two dimensions
The semi-classical limit of quantum-mechanical scattering in two dimensions
(2D) is developed. We derive the Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin and Eikonal results
for 2D scattering. No backward or forward glory scattering is present in 2D.
Other phenomena, such as rainbow or orbiting do show up.Comment: 6 page
Origin of Superconductivity in Boron-doped Diamond
Superconductivity of boron-doped diamond, reported recently at T_c=4 K, is
investigated exploiting its electronic and vibrational analogies to MgB2. The
deformation potential of the hole states arising from the C-C bond stretch mode
is 60% larger than the corresponding quantity in MgB2 that drives its high Tc,
leading to very large electron-phonon matrix elements. The calculated coupling
strength \lambda ~ 0.5 leads to T_c in the 5-10 K range and makes phonon
coupling the likely mechanism. Higher doping should increase T_c somewhat, but
effects of three dimensionality primarily on the density of states keep doped
diamond from having a T_c closer to that of MgB2.Comment: Four pages with two embedded figures, corrected fig1. (To appear in
Physical Review Letters(2004)
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