Combustion behaviors of hydrogenated and unhydrogenated colophony esters/petroleum resins using TG-FTIR and DFT analysis

The combustion behavior of tackifying resins (such as glycerol ester of colophony/hydrogenated colophony and C9/hydrogenated C9 petroleum resin, namely GEC, GEHC, C9PR and HC9PR, respectively) were investigated using TG-FTIR and density functional theory (DFT) analyses. Results from combustion characteristics indicate tackifying resins and their wastes are a promising fuel for generating energy. The average activation energies obtained by Friedman method for GEC, GEHC, C9PR and HC9PR were 223.51, 162.16, 166.52 and 116.20 kJ/mol, respectively, revealing that (H)C9PR were more readily combustible than GE(H)C, and their hydrogenated products burned more easily than their unhydrogenated ones, which were strongly supported by the TG-FTIR results. DFT calculations also show that the bond dissociation energy of C-C bond of GEC is higher than those of C9PR and GEHC. The best appropriate reaction mechanism evaluated by integral master plots is f(α)=3(1-α)2/3. Volatiles are mainly composed of H2O, CH4, CO2, CO, alcohol, aromatic and carbonyl compounds.

ISOTHERMAL CURING KINETICS OF POLYMETHACRYLIMIDE/NANO-SiO2 COMPOSITES BASED ON A DYNAMIC THERMOMECHANICAL ANALYSIS

The isothermal curing kinetics of polymethacrylimide/nano-SiO2 composites were investigated using a dynamic thermomechanical analysis. The relative conversion was defined with the storage modulus. The Avrami model-fitting method, Friedman method and integral method were applied to analyze the curing kinetics. The storage modulus and loss modulus increased appreciably, spanning three orders of magnitude throughout the curing. The frequency correlation of the relative conversion was noticeable at 180 °C because the glass transition took place when the curing degree was not high enough. The Avrami model-fitting analysis gave good fits for the experimental data. The activation energy calculated with the Avrami equation changed from 65.46 kJ/mol to 25.28 kJ/mol at 180–190 °C, while at 190–200 °C, the activation energy changed from 107.14 kJ/mol to 63.82 kJ/mol. The model-free analysis revealed the dependence of the activation energy on the relative conversion. The activation energy increased from 104.3 kJ/mol to 130.6 kJ/mol with the use of the Friedman method when the relative conversion ranged between 0.4–0.8. Similarly, the activation energy calculated with the integral method increased from 71.5 kJ/mol to 103.4 kJ/mol. When the relative conversion exceeded 0.8, the activation energy decreased gradually. The mobility of the reactive groups was hindered and the crosslinking density of the composite was much higher. The curing kinetics became diffusion controlled. The activation energy of the PMI/SiO2 composite was greater than that of PMI, which could be attributed to the hindrance effect caused by nano-SiO2.

Isothermal Kinetics of Epoxyphosphazene Cure

The influence of epoxycyclophosphazene modifier on the process of epoxy-amine curing was studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The study revealed that the curing process of epoxyphosphazene binders with 4′4′diaminodiphenylsulfone (DDS) provides more complete curing of the formulations in comparison with ones applying low molecular-weight polyamide curing agent (L-20). The isothermal kinetics of curing was described by means of model fitting and the isoconversional approach (Friedman method). Accurate n-order approximation was obtained for all systems under study. In particular, the 2-order equation fits well with the main part of curing excluding high degrees of conversion. The process of curing could be distinguished into three zones. The transition from zone 2 to zone 3 correlates with gelation. According to the isoconversional analysis by Friedman method, the diffusion-controlled mechanism is found at final stage of curing.

Examining the Barriers and Problems of Employee Performance Appraisal Systems and Their Ranking in Qazvin University of Medical Sciences

Background: Measuring the employee's performance and examining their behaviors and capabilities are among the principal responsibilities in managing human factors in organizations. A performance appraisal system meets specific barriers. It is required to recognize these barriers to decrease their influences to a satisfactory level to take proper measures to decrease their influences in any organization. This research aims to examine the executive barriers of Article 81 of the Civil Service Act concerning the appraisal of personnel's performance in Qazvin University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This research is a kind of applied based on the used objective. Basically, 11 factors were recognized to analyze the barriers (strategic congruence, thoroughness, practicality, meaningfulness, specificity, recognizing efficient and inefficient performance, validity, acceptability and fairness, inclusiveness, openness and ethicality) utilizing literature review and expert's view and included in the questionnaire. This questionnaire was distributed among 350 university employees after discovering its validity and reliability. The data were analyzed using the Nonparametric Binomial Test and Friedman method after checking for being parametric (Kolmogorov–Smirnov test). Results: The results revealed that except for the three variables of being ethical ((mean 4.13), openness (mean 4.46) and acceptability and fairness (mean 4.46), other variables were not recognized as barriers; Consequently, Conclusion: It is required to take proper measures in the mentioned organization to decrease the influences of these barriers to enhance the productivity of the organization.

The Ellipse modification of the Friedman method for measuring glenoid version

Aims Accurate measurement of the glenoid version is important in performing total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA). Our aim was to evaluate the Ellipse method, which involves formally defining the vertical mid-point of the glenoid prior to measuring the glenoid version and comparing it with the ‘classic’ Friedman method. Methods This was a retrospective study which evaluated 100 CT scans for patients who underwent a primary TSA. The glenoid version was measured using the Friedman and Ellipse methods by two senior observers. Statistical analyses were performed using the paired t-test for significance and the Bland-Altman plot for agreement. Results The mean glenoid version was -3.11° (-23.8° to 17.9°) using the Friedman method and -1.95° (-29.8° to 24.6°) using the Ellipse method (p = 0.002). In 16 patients the difference between methods was greater than 5°, which we considered to be clinically significant. There was poor agreement between methods with relatively large 95% limits of agreement. There was excellent inter-rater agreement between the observers for the Ellipse method and similarly, the intrarater agreement was excellent with a repeatability coefficient of 0.94. Conclusion We recommend the use of the Ellipse modification to define the mid glenoid point prior to measuring the glenoid version in patients undergoing TSA. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(2):232–238.

Modifying playfair cipher algorithm using KAJ spiral method to fit any language regardless of the number of characters

In this paper we proposed KAJ Spiral method for supporting PlayFair cipher algorithm to use languages other than English and utilize block with more than two characters at once. Original method does not support block of characters and other languages. The method uses a spiral shape with two axes (X, Y) and the letters are spread on the axis within circles depending on the language. We use Friedman method analysis (index of coincidence) as a tool to test and prove the efficiency of KAJ Spiral method, and we found that it is at least equally secure to the original PlayFair cipher. The aims of this is making cryptography just like mathematics a universal language such that people with different languages can use this algorithm for secure communication, and at the same time make the algorithm stronger and easy to use, with the ability to fit any language.

Parametrization of a Modified Friedman Kinetic Method to Assess Vine Wood Pyrolysis Using Thermogravimetric Analysis

Common kinetic parameters were obtained for leached and non-leached samples of vine wood biomass. Both samples were considered to have different proportions of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin compositions as a result of the leaching process. The two samples were analyzed in terms of pyrolysis kinetic parameters using non-isothermal thermogravimetric analysis. Furthermore, the classic Friedman isoconversional method, a deconvolution procedure using the Fraser–Suzuki function, and a modified Friedman method from a previous study on the delay in conversion degree were satisfactorily applied. The observed difference when the deconvolution technique was applied suggests that the classic Friedman method is not adequate for studying the pyrolysis of individual vine wood biomass components. However, this issue was solved by studying the delay in conversion degree of both biomasses and calculating the kinetic parameters using the resulting information. This procedure was found to be useful for studying and comparing the kinetics of heterogeneous biomasses and has a sound scientific explanation, making this research a basis for future similar studies.

Nonisothermal Crystallization Kinetics of Acetylated Bamboo Fiber-Reinforced Polypropylene Composites

The crystallization behavior of bamboo fiber (BF) reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites (BPCs) was investigated using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The results showed that unmodified BF as a nucleation agent accelerated the crystallization rate of the PP matrix during cooling whereas there is no significant effect on the improved crystallization rate in BPCs with acetylated BFs. Based on the Avrami method, Avrami–Ozawa method, and Friedman method, the corresponding crystallization kinetics of PP reinforced with different acetylation levels of BFs were further analyzed. The results demonstrated that the crystal growth mechanism of the PP matrix for BPCs with unmodified and various acetylated BFs exhibited tabular crystal growth with heterogeneous nucleation. A higher cooling rate is required to achieve a certain relative crystallinity degree at the unit crystallization time for BPCs with a higher weight percent gain (WPG) of acetylated BFs (WPG >13%). Furthermore, based on the Friedman method, the lowest crystallization activation energy was observed for the BPCs with 19% WPG of acetylated BFs.