Lubrication of DLC Coatings with Two Tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate Anion-Based Ionic Liquids

The lubrication of a Cr-DLC coating with ethyl-dimethyl-2-methoxyethylammonium tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluoropho-sphate [(NEMM)MOE][FAP] and 1-butyl-1-methylpyrro-lidinium tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate [BMP] [FAP] ionic liquids (ILs) as 1 wt% additives to a polyalphaolefin (PAO 6) was studied. Zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) was also used as reference in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the ILs. Reciprocating ball-on-plate tribological tests at loads of 20 and 40 N were performed. The results showed that both ILs exhibited a friction reduction, especially at the lowest load tested. Antiwear properties were also improved; the PAO 6 + 1% [BMP][FAP] mixture was slightly better, close to the values for PAO 6 + 1% ZDDP. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis indicated that the additive–surface interaction was responsible for the tribological improvement

Three carbon-enhanced metal-poor dwarf stars from the SDSS - Chemical abundances from CO^5BOLD 3D hydrodynamical model atmospheres

The origin of carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars enriched with both s and r elements is highly debated. Detailed abundances of these types of stars are crucial to understand the nature of their progenitors. The aim of this investigation is to study in detail the abundances of SDSS J1349-0229, SDSS J0912+0216 and SDSS J1036+1212, three dwarf CEMP stars, selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Using high resolution VLT/UVES spectra (R ~ 30 000) we determine abundances for Li, C, N, O, Na, Mg, Al, Ca, Sc, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni and 21 neutron-capture elements. We made use of CO^5BOLD 3D hydrodynamical model atmospheres in the analysis of the carbon, nitrogen and oxygen abundances. NLTE corrections for C I and O I lines were computed using the Kiel code. We classify SDSS J1349-0229 and SDSS J0912+0216 as CEMP-r+s stars. SDSS J1036+1212 belongs to the class CEMP-no/s, with enhanced Ba, but deficient Sr, of which it is the third member discovered to date. Radial-velocity variations have been observed in SDSS J1349-0229, providing evidence that it is a member of a binary system. The chemical composition of the three stars is generally compatible with mass transfer from an AGB companion. However, many details remain difficult to explain. Most notably of those are the abundance of Li at the level of the Spite plateau in SDSS J1036+1212 and the large over-abundance of the pure r-process element Eu in all three stars.Comment: 12 pages, 15 figures. Accepted for publication in A&

Mechanical impact behavior of polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK)

This paper deals with the mechanical behavior of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) under impact loading. PEEK polymers are the great interested in the field of medical implants due to their biocompatibility, weight reduction, radiology advantage and 3D printing properties. Implant applications can involve impact loading during useful life and medical installation, such as hip systems, bone anchors and cranial prostheses. In this work, the mechanical impact behavior of PEEK is compared with Ti6AI4V titanium alloy commonly used for medical applications. In order to calculate the kinetic energy absorption in the impact process, perforation tests have been conducted on plates of both materials using steel spheres of 1.3 g mass as rigid penetrators. The perforation test covered impact kinetic energies from 21 J to 131 J, the equivalent range observed in a fall, an accidental impact or a bike accident. At all impact energies, the ductile process of PEEK plates was noted and no evidence of brittle failure was observed. Numerical modeling that includes rate dependent material is presented and validated with experimental data.The researchers of the University Carlos Ill of Madrid are indebted to Ministerio de Ciencia e lnnovación de España (Project DPl/2011 24068) for the financial support received which allowed conducting part of this work

Extremely metal-poor stars from the SDSS

We give a progress report about the activities within the CIFIST Team related to the search for extremely metal-poor stars in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey's spectroscopic catalog. So far the search has provided 25 candidates with metallicities around or smaller -3. For 15 candidates high resolution spectroscopy with UVES at the VLT has confirmed their extremely metal-poor status. Work is under way to extend the search to the SDSS's photometric catalog by augmenting the SDSS photometry, and by gauging the capabilities of X-shooter when going to significantly fainter targets.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, Proceedings paper of the conference "A stellar journey: A symposium in celebration of Bengt Gustafsson's 65th birthday

Uses of Native Plant Species of a Communal Rangeland within ‘Sierra de Huautla’ Protected Area, México

Sustainability of communal rangelands has become a major concern at national and international levels because land use conflicts and associated social conflicts allows for over-utilization of selected species making a high pressure on them and given away their places to species with no use at all becoming lands degraded and unproductive. The objective of the study was to determine floristic composition and native plant uses by local peasants. The range surface is of 4262 ha, belongs to the communal land ‘El Limon’, in Tepalcingo, Morelos, Mexico, and it is within the Natural Reserve Area “Sierra de Huautla”. Native vegetation is mainly of deciduous shrubs, high temperatures year round and a rainy season of 4 months. Local peasants were surveyed on uses of the collected and previously identified plants. Number of species was 456, distributed in 266 and 76 botanical genders and families, respectively. Of the species identified 66, 22 and 12% had one, two or more than two uses according to local peasants. Among uses: 59% of the species were used as forage, 8% eatable, 7% firewood or ornamental, 6% medical herb, lumber or other use 4 %, construction material 3 % and for resin or handcraft 1%. The range showed a very high plant biodiversity, this feature allows for a high resiliency toward human activities

Petrophysical characterization of the Dolomitic Member of the Boñar Formation (Upper Cretaceous; Duero Basin, Spain) as a potential CO2 reservoir

La Formación Boñar (Cretácico Superior) es una sucesión carbonática que aflora al Norte de la Cuenca del Duero (España). Según datos previos, el Miembro Dolomítico de esta formación es el que muestra características petrográficas más favorables para almacenamiento geológico de CO2. El principal objetivo de este trabajo es el aporte de elementos de juicio que apoyen, clarifiquen y concreten –a un nivel de estudio preliminar– la potencialidad del Miembro Dolomítico de la Formación Boñar como roca almacén. La Formación Boñar (Cretácico Superior) es una sucesión carbonática que aflora al Norte de la Cuenca del Duero (España). Según datos previos, el Miembro Dolomítico de esta formación es el que muestra características petrográficas más favorables para almacenamiento geológico de CO2. El principal objetivo de este trabajo es el aporte de elementos de juicio que apoyen, clarifiquen y concreten –a un nivel de estudio preliminar– la potencialidad del Miembro Dolomítico de la Formación Boñar como roca almacén.Boñar Formation (Upper Cretaceous) is a mainly carbonate succession, which outcrops in the North of Duero Basin (Spain). According to the existing data, the Dolomitic Member of this formation appears to be the most suitable for geological storage of CO2. The main objective of this study is to find evidence to support, clarify and specify –at an initial level– the potential of the Dolomitic Member of the Boñar Formation as a geological reservoir. The study covers density, porosity and permeability tests on samples obtained from the outcrop of the succession near the village of Boñar (León). According to the analysis and interpretation of the mentioned petrophysical properties, the porosity of the Dolomitic Member is within the acceptable range for CO2 geological storage, but the permeability values are far too low. This minimizes the possibilities of the Dolomitic Member –and probably of the whole Boñar Formation– to become an appropriate CO2 reservoir

T-Norm y desajuste léxico y acústico en reconocimiento de locutor dependiente de texto

Actas de las V Jornadas en Tecnología del Habla (JTH 2008)Este trabajo presenta un estudio extenso sobre T-norm aplicado a Reconocimiento de Locutor Dependiente de Texto, analizando también los problemas del desajuste léxico y acústico. Veremos cómo varían los resultados teniendo en cuenta la dependencia de género y realizando T-norm a nivel de frase, fonema y estado con cohortes de impostores de distintos tamaños. El estudio demuestra que implementar T-norm por fonema o estado puede llegar a conseguir mejoras relativas de hasta un 16% y que realizar una selección de cohorte basada en el género puede mejorar más aún los resultados con respecto al caso independiente de género

Co-evolutionnary network approach to cultural dynamics controlled by intolerance

Starting from Axelrod's model of cultural dissemination, we introduce a rewiring probability, enabling agents to cut the links with their unfriendly neighbors if their cultural similarity is below a tolerance parameter. For low values of tolerance, rewiring promotes the convergence to a frozen monocultural state. However, intermediate tolerance values prevent rewiring once the network is fragmented, resulting in a multicultural society even for values of initial cultural diversity in which the original Axelrod model reaches globalization

Hydrogen-free SiCN films obtained by electron cyclotron resonance plasma: a study of composition, optical and luminescent properties

The Electrochemical Society, Inc. 2007. All rights reserved. Except as provided under U.S. copyright law, this work may not be reproduced, resold, distributed, or modified without the express permission of The Electrochemical Society (ECS). The archival version of this work was published in Journal of the Electrochemical Society Vol. 154 Issue 4 (2007): H325-H33