Social Mobility Patterns in the World's Populated Cities Through COVID-19

Objective: identify social mobility patterns in the world's most populated cities from the ravaging pandemic of COVID-19 and the confinement and social distancing measures. Method: ternary diagrams to examine the simultaneous movement to different places (grocery, services, parks, workplaces, residence, and transit). Specifically, we use crosshair ternary plots and a Gaussian Kernel Density Estimator (KDE) for ternary density diagrams. Results: for the most part, the mobility reduction was between 40% and 60% in the selected cities. Nevertheless, there were more significant transit cases, but not workplaces or residences, suggesting that the informal market may absorb part of the labor work. Limitations and implications: the main limitation of this analysis is in scaling the data since the mobility statistics represent negative percentages. Main contribution: the work's principal contribution and originality lie in using ternary diagrams, allowing the identification of social mobility patterns in the largest cities and understanding how displacement of populations has changed since COVID-19.

Influence of the oleic phase and co-surfactant addition in non-ionic microemulsified systems

Microemulsion is a thermodynamically stable dispersion consisting of an aqueous and an organic phases, both stabilized by surfactant molecules and when in need, co-active surfactant. The nature and structure of these components are essential in the formulation of microemulsified systems. For this, the construction of phase diagrams can be a fundamental tool to characterize the ideal experimental conditions for the existence and operation of microemulsions. Thus, the present work had as objective to obtain a comparison between microemulsions with different compositions through the construction of ternary diagrams, aiming to achieve the most stable system. To produce microemulsified systems, a non-ionic surfactant (Ultranex NP 60), a co-surfactant (Isopropyl Alcohol), two organic phases (pine oil and castor oil) and an aqueous phase (glycerin solution) were used. Also complementing the study, rheological tests of the oleic phases were accomplished, as well as their thermogravimetric analysis. The focus of the reached ternary diagrams was to find the system with the largest Winsor type IV region (microemulsion). It was verified this region had a significant increase by the addition of the co-surfactant in the medium and using a vegetable oil, such as pine oil, since it promotes strong surfactant-oil interactions on the interface.

Properties and Classification of Diamond-Like Carbon Films

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films have been extensively applied in industries owing to their excellent characteristics such as high hardness. In particular, there is a growing demand for their use as protective films for mechanical parts owing to their excellent wear resistance and low friction coefficient. DLC films have been deposited by various methods and many deviate from the DLC regions present in the ternary diagrams proposed for sp3 covalent carbon, sp2 covalent carbon, and hydrogen. Consequently, redefining the DLC region on ternary diagrams using DLC coatings for mechanical and electrical components is urgently required. Therefore, we investigate the sp3 ratio, hydrogen content, and other properties of 74 types of amorphous carbon films and present the classification of amorphous carbon films, including DLC. We measured the sp3 ratios and hydrogen content using near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure and Rutherford backscattering-elastic recoil detection analysis under unified conditions. Amorphous carbon films were widely found with nonuniform distribution. The number of carbon atoms in the sp3 covalent carbon without bonding with hydrogen and the logarithm of the hydrogen content were inversely proportional. Further, we elucidated the DLC regions on the ternary diagram, classified the amorphous carbon films, and summarized the characteristics and applications of each type of DLC.

NIOBIUM REINFORCED BY α-Al2O3 FIBERS Part 1. Two-Component Compositions

The paper reviews the results of development of a new class of high-temperature composites based on niobium and various types of reinforcers continuous monocrystalline fibers (MCF) α-Al2O3, with TiN, Mo, W barrier coatings, and with controlled (Si, Ti) and uncontrolled (O, C) impurities. The analysis of Nb–Si, Nb–C, Nb–O binary diagrams and Nb–Si–Ti, Nb–Fe–Ti ternary diagrams was performed, on the basis of which the matrix compositions were selected. The basis for the preparation of composites was the powder method of mechanical alloying of the mixture preparing, followed by its pressing together with α-Al2O3 MCF by spark plasma sintering (SPS) and further preparation of experimental samples. An analysis of the interaction of fibers with a matrix was carried out, where the matrix was Nb or system on the basis of the above mentioned binary or ternary diagrams.

Emergy and Sustainability Ternary Diagrams of Energy Systems: Application to Solar Updraft Tower

To facilitate sustainable energy development, one has to understand the limited availability of nonrenewable energy resources, and the ability of the earth to renew or recover. Emergy is an instrument that measures environmental loading, ecological economics, and regional sustainable development. In this study, emergy indicators are calculated to investigate the sustainability of solar updraft tower (SUT). SUT produces energy from the hot air, utilizing a combination of a solar collector, central tower, and air turbines. The results demonstrate that the sustainability of SUT grew as the size of the plant increased. Further, emergetic ternary diagrams are drawn to facilitate the comparison between SUT and various technologies. The resources-use efficiency of wind energy and SUT, 200 MW is found to be the lowest among all energy technologies presented in this research. Scenario analysis is performed to explore the future optimization directions. The results demonstrate that the development direction of SUT systems should mainly focus on reducing the materials demanded by the manufacturing and construction of its solar collectors. This study aims to demonstrate the value of emergy as a powerful instrument for drawing long-term sustainable strategies in energy markets for a greener tomorrow.

Stirring effect on zeolites synthesis with different Si/Al molar ratios Using 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride as structure-direct agent

Different types of zeolites could be synthesized changing the variables in the synthesis process. This paper studies the stirring effect on zeolites synthesis at different Si/Al molar ratios (1, 8, 20, 50 and 120) using the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMI.Cl) as structure-direct agent. The results suggest that the ionic liquid BMI.Cl would be a highly effective directing agent for the crystallization of zeolites type A, ZSM-5, Beta and ZSM-35. The stirring effect on compositional and morphological parameters seems to be significant. Therefore, ternary composition diagrams were plotted for the static and stirring conditions, showing the influence of stirring on the composition and morphology of the generated materials. It was possible to verify, in the ternary diagrams, the conditions for obtaining the pure ZSM-5 and ZSM-35 zeolites, as well as the different morphologies found for the same regions, when the zeolites were synthesized under static and stirring conditions. It is also observed that the zeolites ZSM-35 and Beta show a greater amount of Al2O3 (4 mol% and 1.6 mol%) only when the reaction is carried out under stirring conditions.

Sandstone Composition and Provenance of the Nari Formation, Central Kirthar Fold belt, Pakistan

The Oligocene-Early Miocene Nari Formation is widely distributed in the Kirthar thrust-fold belt. The formation in the study area is mainly consist of sandstone and shale. Field observations and detailed petrographic study reveal that these sandstones are mostly fine to medium grained, subangular to subrounded and poorly to moderately sorted. Detrital grains are dominantly quartz ranging in proportion 36-76%, feldspar 7-17% and lithic grains 1-13%, reflecting that these sandstones are compositionally submature. Quartz is mostly monocrystalline with some polycrystalline grains. Feldspar is dominantly plagioclase (albite) with some alkali feldspar (orthoclase and microcline). Lithic fragments are siltstone, mudstone and chert. Biotite and muscovite are present as accessory minerals. Heavy minerals such as apatite, tourmaline, and zircon are present in trace amount. The QFL diagrams show that the sandstones of the Nari formation are subarkose and lithic subarkose. The QtFL, QmFLt ternary diagrams and paleocurrent direction suggest that the sediments were transported from the Indian shield exposed to the northeast of the Nari Basin.