On the use of electrochemical techniques to monitor free oxide content in molten fluoride media

The electrochemical behaviour of oxide ions has been studied in fluoride melts(LiF/NaF eutectic) by cyclic voltammetry, square wave voltammetry and chronopotentiometry. The purpose is to determine whether these techniques can be used for titration of free oxide ions (O2-) in molten fluorides released by lithium oxide additions. Cyclic voltammetry is shown to be unsuitable for this purpose due to oxygen bubbling disturbing the oxidation peak, while square wave voltammetry is far more appropriate because the observed signal is a well defined oxidation peak with a height proportional to the oxide content. Thus, the present work is focused on a strategy of oxide ions titration by square wave voltammetry. In addition, this work allows assessing that the electrochemical reduction of oxide ions proceeds by diffusion of these species, and the O2- diffusion coefficient is estimated by chronopotentiometry

Electrochemistry in Fused Salt Media

103 p.Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1954.Ope

Electrochemical studies in aluminum chloride melts Semiannual status report, 15 Aug. 1970 - 14 Feb. 1971

Experimental and computerized electrochemical measurements in fused sodium aluminum chloride

Electrochemical studies in aluminum chloride melts

A melt purification system was developed which produces a final melt far superior electrochemically than those previously reported. A residual current of less than 2 microamps/sq mn at a sweep rate of 0.5 V/sec was used as the criteria for a pure melt. The use of a second purified bulk melt and a heated pipette permitted the rapid exchange of working electrode compartments while retaining the same reference electrode system. The major portion of the work was carried out in the 1:1 AlCl3:NaCl melt at 175 and 200 C. Several measurements were made in the 2:1 melt and a few on the silver systems in intermediate compositions. Programs for PDP-8I and PDP-12 digital computers and the required electronic circuitry systems were developed to carry out various electrochemical measurements in the melt. A pair of 50 yard transmission lines were used to connect the computer to the experiment. Ensemble averaging and digital, least squares smoothing are used within the programs to improve the signal-to-noise ratio by at least an order of magnitude. Some of the computerized electrochemcial techniques used to examine the different systems were pulse polarography, double pulse polarography, staircase voltammetry, kinetic double potential step chronoamperometry and double potential step chronocoulometry

An Empirical Examination of SBA Guaranteed Loans: Rates, Collateral, Agency Costs, and the Time to Obtain the Loan

We empirically examine a sample of over 350 entrepreneurial firms that successfully receive an SBA guaranteed loan. The first portion of the paper contains descriptive statistics that lend anecdotal evidence concerning the organization type of borrowers, the incidence of collateral, the reasons for choosing the financial institution in which the SBA loan is secured, the main purpose for the SBA loan, and alternative actions that would have been undertaken had the SBA guaranteed loan not been obtained. The second portion of the paper poses theoretical predictions and tests them via multivariate models. Issues that are considered include the number of days required to obtain the SBA loan, management assistance services, agency theory, interest rate determinants, and collateral determinants

What Is a Small Business?

This paper argues that a definition of small business is important for both research and governmental policy. A chronological history of definitions is discussed along with their limitations. A new definition of small business is advocated when a business has personal guarantees and has no public stock. This definition is measurable, meaningful, and congruent with the perceptions of the market system

Start-Up Success Factors Perceived as Important by USA and Korean Consultants

This study evaluates the determinants for  the start-up process  of successful  businesses in the USA and Korea. In particular, this study focuses on  the personal background of the consultants for start-up businesses from the two countries. How consultants perceive the determinants for start-up and the different factors between the two countries are examined

Electrochemical Studies of Antimony(III) and Antimony(V) in Molten Mixtures of Aluminum Chloride and Butylpyridinium Chloride

Electrochemical studies of Sb, Sb(III), and Sb(V) have been camed out in molten mixtures of AlC13 and N-1-butylpyridinium chloride (BuPyCl) at 40 OC, as a function of melt composition. Analysis of measurements in the acidic melts indicates SbC12+ as the dominant species. The reduction of this species on glassy carbon exhibits irreversible behavior. In the basic melts, SbC14- and SbC1,- are believed to be the dominant species. The reduction of Sb(II1) to Sb on glassy carbon also showed irreversible behavior while its oxidation to Sb(W revealed a quasi-reversible behavior. No Sb(II1) oxidation was observed in the acidic melts

An Empirical Investigation into the Size of Small Businesses

A fundamental understanding of small businesses begins with an adequate definition of what constitutes a small business. Often the definition of a small business incorporates the definitions employed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) which, in part, uses the number of employees as the definitive measure. This paper examines the SBA’s definitions of a small business which use the number of employees as the standard. We find little evidence that supports the use of SBA definitions or any definition that relies on the number of employees

Revolving Asset-Based Lending Contracts and the Resolution of Debt-Related Agency Problems

Small firms that do not have access to organized financial markets must often rely on secured commercial loans for their debt financing. In large firms, debt-related agency problems are often resolved through the bond pricing process in the formal debt markets. When these same debt-related agency problems arise in small, private firms, the structure of the secured lending agreement must resolve these problems. This study identifies debt-related agency problems as they exist in private firms and examines howf the lending agreement resolves these problems