An innovative, fast and facile soft-template approach for the fabrication of porous PDMS for oil-water separation

Oil wastewater and spilled oil caused serious environmental pollution and damage to public health in the last years. Therefore, considerable efforts are made to develop sorbent materials able to separate oil from water with high selectivity and sorption capacity. However most of them are low reusable, with low volume absorption capacity and poor mechanical properties. Moreover, the synthesis is time-consuming, complex and expensive limiting its practical application in case of emergency. Here we propose an innovative approach for the fabrication of porous PDMS starting from an inverse water-in-silicone procedure able to selectively collect oil from water in few seconds. The synthesis is dramatically faster than previous approaches, permitting the fabrication of the material in few minutes independently from the dimension of the sponges. The porous material evidenced a higher volume sorption capacity with respect to other materials already proposed for oil sorption from water and excellent mechanical and reusability properties.This innovative fast and simple approach can be successful in case of emergency, as oil spill accidents, permitting in situ fabrication of porous absorbents

PARAMETRIC HERITAGE. THE DIGITAL RECONSTRUCTION OF P.L. NERVI'S PALAZZO DEL LAVORO IN THE 3DMODELLING AGE

Abstract. One of the main themes of this work is to incorporate the geometric aspects that characterize a certain type of architecture within a broader rule system, which, in the whole, generate the forms. Therefore, the solution would be to draw the reconstruction of a parametric model, through the application to a selected case study: Palazzo del Lavoro of Pier Luigi Nervi. The identification of some weaknesses of the project is important in order to digitally intervene on them, to prefigure a new life of the artifact in a virtual environment. By doing so, it will be possible to have truthful feedback in the real environment. The survey phase did not intend to reason on the architecture in its complexity, but rather on the observation of the matrices that regulate the similar geometries between them. The translation of these matrices into mathematical models, following the logic of HBIM and Algorithmic Design (AD), has allowed the creation of two different models. The first one, an informed model, characterized by a more traditional workflow, consists of building components based on design drawings of the time, aimed at graphically and quantitatively describe the entire artifact. The second one, a partial model of the only vertical component of the facade, is based on the canons of the element, and it is structured through algorithms that describe only a part of the architecture. The research wanted to deepen the interoperability of the information coming from the parametric models BIM with those generated by the algorithms.</p

An assessment of the effect of supersonic aircraft operations on the stratospheric ozone content

An assessment of the potential effect on stratospheric ozone of an advanced supersonic transport operations is presented. This assessment, which was undertaken because of NASA's desire for an up-to-date evaluation to guide programs for the development of supersonic technology and improved aircraft engine designs, uses the most recent chemical reaction rate data. From the results of the present assessment it would appear that realistic fleet sizes should not cause concern with regard to the depletion of the total ozone overburden. For example, the NOx emission of one type designed to cruise at 20 km altitude will cause the ozone overburden to increase by 0.03% to 0.12%, depending upon which vertical transport is used. These ozone changes can be compared with the predictions of a 1.74% ozone decrease (for 100 Large SST's flying at 20 km) made in 1974 by the FAA's Climatic Impact Assessment Program

Reconstructing blockages in a symmetric duct via quasi-isospectral horn operators

This paper proposes a new method for the reconstruction of the blockage area function in a symmetric duct by resonant frequencies under a given set of end conditions, i.e., open open or closed-closed ends. The analysis is based on the explicit determination of quasi-isospectral ducts, that is duct profiles which have the same spectrum as a given duct with the exception of a single eigenfrequency which is free to move in a prescribed interval. The analytical reconstruction was numerically implemented and tested for the detection of blockages. Numerical results show that the accuracy of identification increases with the number of eigenfrequencies used and that the reconstruction is rather stable with respect to the shape, the size and the position of the blockages

Self-writing as a tool for change: The effectiveness of a psychotherapy using diary

There is an abundance of literature investigating the relationship between self-writing and well-being in cases of trauma or life-changing events, but no such research has assessed the value of keeping a daily diary in promoting small changes, describing an individual's identity in its slow, but realistic evolution. This study examined how the use of diary as a narration tool contributed to improving a patient's awareness of his personal emotions and feelings during a course of psychotherapy. It investigated the changes occurring in the prevailing writing style of a 200-page diary written by a patient suffering from hypochondria over a period of two and a half years. Sentences relating to the need for change, to the self, to suffering and to the function attributed to the self-writing activity were analyzed on the basis of specific criteria deriving from dialogical self theory, which conceptualizes ways to adopt new identity positions during the course of change. Respondent validation identified a good correspondence between the findings of the textual analysis and the writer's own point of view. Results showed an improvement in awareness of moods and feelings. Identity positions became more integrated and writing more enjoyable. These findings demonstrate the potential of innovative use of diary writing as a longitudinal tool for consolidating strategies for change and as an additional means for assessing psychotherapy efficacy. Writing a diary proved effective both in supporting the patient's personal reflections and changes and in making it easier for him to share his thoughts with the therapist

Self-assembly in surfactant-based mixtures driven by acid–base reactions: bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid– n-octylamine systems

Structural and dynamic features of bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (HDEHP)–n-octylamine (NOA) mixtures as a function of the NOA mole fraction (XNOA) have been investigated by SAXS, WAXS, IR, dielectric spectroscopy and polarized optical microscopy. In the 0 ¡ XNOA , 0.5 range, mixtures are transparent liquids, while the abrupt formation of a waxy solid characterized by an hexagonal bidimensional structure occurs at XNOA = 0.5. Such a composition-induced phase transition results from the synergetic effect of the progressive increase in number density of ordered HDEHP–NOA nanodomains with XNOA. Mainly driven by an HDEHP to NOA proton transfer, the increase of structural order with XNOA arises from the progressive substitution of loosely hydrogen bonded HDEHP–HDEHP aggregates with strongly bonded NOA–HDEHP ones. Analysis of SAXS patterns at temperatures in the 10–70 uC range emphasized that these local structures are scarcely impacted by an increase of thermal fluctuations. Effects due to the steric compatibility between HDEHP and NOA apolar moieties have been highlighted. Overall, the results allow us to emphasize the role of specific polar and apolar interactions joined to steric effects in regulating the molecular organization in surfactant mixtures and can be used to design novel materials with planned physico-chemical properties

Environmental effects of SPS: The middle atmosphere

The heavy lift launch vehicle associated with the solar power satellite (SPS) would deposit in the upper atmosphere exhaust and reentry products which could modify the composition of the stratosphere, mesosphere, and lower ionosphere. In order to assess such effects, atmospheric model simulations were performed, especially considering a geographic zone centered at the launch and reentry latitudes