Use of glass waste in the production of metakaolin-based geopolymer submitted to room temperature and thermal curing

Metakaolinis the principal raw material utilized in the synthesis of geopolymers, although its ratio of silica and alumina contents is not ideal. Normally, the SiO2 content is adjusted with the use of silicates present in the activating solution. An eco-efficient alternative would be the use of glass waste as an additional source of silica.This work evaluates the efficiency of the alkaline activation of metakaolin, using potassium hydroxide and silicate, with and without the substitution of 12.5% of metakaolin by microparticles of glass. The efficiency of the alkaline activation was evaluated by X ray diffractometry, spectroscopy in the infrared region with the Fourier transform, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of 27Al and 29Si, specific mass and compressive strength. The results indicate the occurrence of geopolymerization with and without the use of glass waste. It was observed that the substitution of 12.5% favors the mechanical performance of the compounds at 28 days, with increases by 37% and 47% in the mechanical strength of the material with thermal curing and ambient temperature curing, respectively.

Regioselective Approach to Characterizing Increased Edge Availability in Layered Crystal Materials following Layer Expansion: Reaction of Kaolinite with Octadecyltrimethylammonium Salts

In this paper, the regioselective reactions of kaolinite and methoxy-modified kaolinite (MeO-Kaol), methanol-expanded kaolinite, with octadecyltrimethylammonium salts are compared. This study mainly concerns the reactions of kaolinite or MeO-Kaol with octadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (C18TAC) in methanol and the subsequent exhaustive washing of the resultant products with ethanol. X-ray diffraction patterns of the products reveal no intercalation of C18TAC between pristine kaolinite layers. Additionally, intercalation and subsequent deintercalation of C18TAC proceed in the product using MeO-Kaol. In the Fourier-transform infrared spectra, the intensities of CH2 stretching bands of the product prepared using MeO-Kaol drastically increase compared to those using kaolinite. In addition, CH2 stretching bands of the product using kaolinite are hardly observed without enlarging the spectrum. The product using MeO-Kaol also displays mass loss in the range of 200–300 °C in the thermogravimetric curve and a nitrogen content with 0.15 mass% estimated using the CHN analysis. These results therefore demonstrate an increase in the available reactive edges in the layered crystal material following an expansion of the stacked layers.

Characterization and Rate of Killing of Conjugated Silver Nanoparticles Against Selected Clinical Bacterial Isolates

The menace of drug resistance, bioavailability and drug delivery to the target sites has motivated researchers to search for new antimicrobial agents from medicinal plants and subsequently use them for the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles for effective killing of bacteria challenging to kill using crude extracts. The biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles was done using aqueous extract (AQE) of E<i>uphorbia heterophylla</i>, while characterization and the killing rate of conjugated silver nanoparticles (CA_gNP_s) were carried out using standard methods. The maximum wavelength obtained for CA_gNP_s was 410.33 nm, while the size distribution was 237.8 d.nm. The Fourier Transform Infra-Red result showed O-H (3308.94 cm^-1), which is responsible for stabilising and reducing silver ions, while the Transmission Electron Microscopy revealed the presence of monodispersed spherical shapes CA_gNP_s. The Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy confirmed the presence of silver. There were reductions in the clinical bacterial isolates exposed to CA_gNP_s as the exposure time increased. <i>Escherichia coli</i> was killed between 6-7 h while<i> Salmonella typhimurium</i> was killed at the seven has the value of 0.00 log₁₀ CFU/ml was recorded respectively. However, there were increments in the populations of clinical bacterial isolates in control as the time of exposure increased. Therefore, the study suggests that the CA_gNP_s exhibit intense antimicrobial activity and the potential to be developed as an alternative agent to treat bacterial infections, curb multidrug-resistant bacterial infection, and promote speedy drug delivery to the target sites.

Comparative analysis of air and water flows in simplified hydraulic turbine models

This article presents a comparative analysis of flow characteristics behind a hydraulic turbine runner in air and water. Swirling flow with a precessing vortex core (PVC) was investigated using a laser Doppler anemometer and pressure pulsation sensors. The experiments were conducted on aerodynamic and hydrodynamic test rigs over a wide range of hydraulic turbine operating conditions. Part-load modes of hydraulic turbine operation were investigated using the Fourier transform of pressure pulsations obtained from acoustic sensors. The features of the swirling flow were shown for the range of operating conditions from deep partl-load to overload.

Detection and localization of calcium oxalate in kidney using synchrotron deep ultraviolet fluorescence microscopy

Renal oxalosis is a rare cause of renal failure whose diagnosis can be challenging. Synchrotron deep ultraviolet (UV) fluorescence was assayed to improve oxalosis detection on kidney biopsies spatial resolution and sensitivity compared with the Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy gold standard. The fluorescence spectrum of synthetic mono-, di- and tri-hydrated calcium oxalate was investigated using a microspectrometer coupled to the synchrotron UV beamline DISCO, Synchrotron SOLEIL, France. The obtained spectra were used to detect oxalocalcic crystals in a case control study of 42 human kidney biopsies including 19 renal oxalosis due to primary (PHO, n = 11) and secondary hyperoxaluria (SHO, n = 8), seven samples from PHO patients who received combined kidney and liver transplants, and 16 controls. For all oxalocalcic hydrates samples, a fluorescence signal is detected at 420 nm. These spectra were used to identify standard oxalocalcic crystals in patients with PHO or SHO. They also revealed micrometric crystallites as well as non-aggregated oxalate accumulation in tubular cells. A nine-points histological score was established for the diagnosis of renal oxalosis with 100% specificity (76–100) and a 73% sensitivity (43–90). Oxalate tubular accumulation and higher histological score were correlated to lower estimated glomerular filtration rate and higher urinary oxalate over creatinine ratio.

Mg/Al-CH, Ni/Al-CH and Zn/Al-CH, as adsorbents for Congo Red removal in aqueous solution

In this study, chitosan was extracted from shrimp shells by demineralization and deproteination processes. The extracted chitosan was used to modify the layered double hydroxide and used as an adsorbent for the removal of congo red from aqueous solutions. Composites were successfully synthesized using M2+/Al (M2+ = Zn, Mg, Ni) and chitosan (CH) and the samples obtained were characterized using XRD and FTIR. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern appeared at the layered double hydroxide peak of 2? = 11.63°; 23.00°; 35.16°; and 61.59° and chitosan at 2? = 7.93° and 19.35. The composite appearing in the layered double hydroxide and chitosan indicated that the composite material has been successfully synthesized. The XRD diffraction patterns of Zn/Al-CH, Ni/Al-CH, and Mg/Al-CH showed low crystallinity. The Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectra verifying absorption spectrum showed the presence of two bands at 3448 cm-1, 1382cm-1 characteristic to both chitosan and LDH. Adsorption of Congo Red (CR) followed the pseudo-second-order and Langmuir isotherm models. The adsorption capacities of Zn/Al-CH, Ni/Al-CH, and Mg/Al-CH were 181.818 mg/g, 227.273 mg/g, and 344.828 mg/g, respectively. The layered double hydroxide-chitosan composite adsorption was endothermically characterized by positive enthalpy and entropy values. On the other hand, the adsorption spontaneously was characterized by a negative Gibbs free energy value. The composites in this study were formed from LDH modified from chitosan extracted from shrimp shells to form Zn/Al-CH, Ni/Al-CH, and Mg/Al-CH. The results of the characterization showed a number of characteristics that resembled the constituent materials in the form of LDH and chitosan. After being applied as an adsorbent to absorb Congo red dye, it then showed the most effective results using Mg/Al-CH adsorbent with an adsorption capacity of 344.828 mg/g.

Hilbert bundles with ends

Given a countable metric space, we can consider its end. Then a basis of a Hilbert space indexed by the metric space defines an end of the Hilbert space, which is a new notion and different from an end as a metric space. Such an indexed basis also defines unitary operators of finite propagation, and these operators preserve an end of a Hilbert space. Then, we can define a Hilbert bundle with end, which lightens up new structures of Hilbert bundles. In a special case, we can define characteristic classes of Hilbert bundles with ends, which are new invariants of Hilbert bundles. We show Hilbert bundles with ends appear in natural contexts. First, we generalize the pushforward of a vector bundle along a finite covering to an infinite covering, which is a Hilbert bundle with end under a mild condition. Then we compute characteristic classes of some pushforwards along infinite coverings. Next, we will show the spectral decompositions of nice differential operators give rise to Hilbert bundles with ends, which elucidate new features of spectral decompositions. The spectral decompositions we will consider are the Fourier transform and the harmonic oscillators.

Can Grassland Chemical Quality Be Quantified Using Transform Near-Infrared Spectroscopy?

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and closed spectroscopy methods have been applied to analyse the quality of forage and animal feed. However, grasslands are linked to variability factors (e.g., site, year, occurring species, etc.) which restrict the prediction capacity of the NIRS. The aim of this study is to test the Fourier transform NIRS application in order to determine the chemical characteristics of fresh, undried and unground samples of grassland located in north-central Apennine. The results indicated the success of FT-NIRS models for dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent lignin (ADL) on fresh grassland samples (R2 > 0.90, in validation). The model can be used to quantitatively determine CP and ADF (residual prediction deviation-RPD > 3 and range error ratio- RER > 10), followed by DM and NDF that maintain a RER > 10, and are sufficient for screening for the lignin fraction (RPD = 2.4 and RER = 8.8). On the contrary, models for both lipid and ash seem not to be usable at a practical level. The success of FT-NIRS quantification for the main chemical parameters is promising from the practical point of view considering both the absence of samples preparation and the importance of these parameters for diet formulation.

Features of the Resonance in a Rectangular Dielectric Surace-Relief Gratings Illuminated with a Limited Cross Section Gaussian Beam

In this work the features of the resonance in a rectangular dielectric surface-relief gratings, illuminated with a limited cross-section Gaussian beam, have been studied. The rigorous coupled wave method and beam decomposition into the plane waves by the Fourier transform have been used. It is shown that there is a resonant wavelength for each thickness of the dielectric grating. The value of resonant wavelength depends on the beam angle of incidence on the gratings. Moreover, the two types of resonances can occur in the grating at certain grating parameters. The power reflection coefficient is practically equal to unity for the first type of resonance and is much smaller than unity, for the second one. The obtained results extend the knowledge regarding the nature of the waveguide resonance in the dielectric grating, considering the limited cross section beam, and they can increase its use in many applications.

Chladni Figures Simulation on a Rectangular Plate

An analytical model for creating flat Chladni figures is presented. The equation of a standing wave in the simplest boundary conditions and the Fourier transform are used. Top view images are shown at different frequencies. The practical significance of the results obtained for the further development of the field of creating Chladni figures based on standing waves of different physical nature has been determined.