Increase In Rate Of Loss Research Articles

Thermal characteristics of ghosting flame in coal mine dead-end roadway pool fires affected by fire locations

As an important phenomenon in the evolution of fire, the ghosting flame exhibits dynamic and irregular behavior in environments with limited ventilation. By ghosting flame, we mean the phenomenon where the flame separates from the fuel surface under certain conditions. This study investigates the combustion characteristics of the ghosting flame in pool fires within a coal mine dead-end roadway by small-scale experiments. Results indicate that the ghosting flame appears more readily and earlier when the fire source is closer to the heading face or when the oil pan size is larger. Additionally, the fire source's location significantly influences the type of ghosting flame observed. When the fire source is near the heading face, the flame predominantly exhibits horizontal-type ghosting flame; however, when the fire source is at the entrance of the roadway, only the edge-type ghosting flame occurs. Furthermore, dead-end roadway fires easily transition to ventilation-controlled conditions, leading to a continuous increase in the mass loss rate. The occurrence of a ghosting flame does not result in a sudden change in the mass loss rate. Moreover, the transient oxygen volume fraction when the ghosting flame occurs is related to the ghosting flame type and is also affected by ventilation conditions, fuel types, roadway structure, and the location of measurement points. Importantly, the root cause for the occurrence of the ghosting flame lies in the pressure differential generated by the temperature disparity between the two sides of the fire source.

(Invited) Degradation Mechanisms, Diagnostics, and Mitigation in Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers

Hydrogen has unique advantages as an energy carrier, with a high energy density and abilities for long term storage and conversion between electricity and chemical bonds. Although hydrogen currently has a significant role in transportation and agriculture, its use in energy consumption overall has been limited. With decreasing electricity prices, electrolysis cost reductions can be achieved and allow for an opportunity for greater use. While load-following renewable power sources can reduce feedstock cost, further cost reductions can be achieved by decreasing stack and system cost.1 Proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolyzers rely on platinum group metal (PGM) catalysts due to the high anode potentials and low pH of proton conducting systems.2 While iridium (Ir) abundance is a potential concern for the ubiquitous deployment of PEM water electrolyzers,3,4 thrifting Ir while improving performance and durability is critical for reaching hydrogen cost targets.Efforts are needed and underway to understand electrolyzer degradation and develop accelerated stress tests when accounting for lower PGM loadings and hydrogen cost reduction targets.5 In this presentation, studies correlating operational and shutdown strategies to performance losses, identifying degradation mechanisms, and evaluating their impact on electrolyzer lifetime will be discussed. Depending on catalyst/interfacial properties and operational parameters, processes including catalyst/transport layer migration, and catalyst reordering, segregation, and oxidation have been observed and linked between ex situ characterization and in situ diagnostics. Through these studies, shutdown processes and catalyst redox transitions have generally been found to increase loss rates; varying catalyst types and morphologies, however, can also present significant integration challenges particularly when focusing on low PGM loading and durability testing.Mitigation options have further been explored that can address degradation processes, including catalyst development and electrode design strategies. Within catalysis, commercial screenings and development efforts have both modified materials properties and catalyst/ionomer/pore distribution throughout the catalyst layer. In some cases, electrode design efforts have also led to altered site utilization and changed the extent to which operational stressors utilize the entire catalyst layer, impacting performance losses over time. Catalysis of the oxygen evolution reaction by Ir will be discussed as it relates to current status in the tradeoff between electrolyzer cost, performance, and lifetime; particular challenges in PEM durability and accelerated stress test development will be also discussed as well as it relates to other low temperature electrolysis technologies.[1] B. Pivovar, N. Rustagi and S. Satyapal, The Electrochemical Society Interface, 27, 47 (2018).[2] K. Ayers, N. Danilovic, R. Ouimet, M. Carmo, B. Pivovar and M. Bornstein, Annual Review of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, 10, 219 (2019).[3] Cortney Mittelsteadt, Esben Sorensen, and Qingying Jia, Ir Strangelove, or How to Learn to Stop Worrying and Love the PEM Water Electrolysis Energy Fuels 37, 12558 (2023).[4] Mark Clapp, Christopher M. Zalitis, Margery Ryan, Perspectives on current and future iridium demand and iridium oxide catalysts for PEM water electrolysis, Catalysis Today 420, 114140 (2023).[5] Pivovar, B. S.; Boardman, R., H2NEW: Hydrogen (H2) from Next-generation Electrolyzers of Water, 2023.[6] Electron microscopy was performed at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, which is a DOE Office of Science User Facility.[7] X-ray spectroscopy and scattering performed at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory, a DOE Office of Science User Facility.

Multi-Temporal Assessment of Soil Erosion After a Wildfire in Tuscany (Central Italy) Using Google Earth Engine

The Massarosa wildfire, which occurred in July 2022 in Northwestern Tuscany (Italy), burned over 800 hectares, leading to significant environmental and geomorphological issues, including an increase in soil erosion rates. This study applied the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model to estimate soil erosion rates with a multi-temporal approach, investigating three main scenarios: before, immediately after, and one-year post-fire. All the analyses were carried out using the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform with free-access geospatial data and satellite images in order to exploit the cloud computing potentialities. The results indicate a differentiated impact of the fire across the study area, whereby the central parts suffered the highest damages, both in terms of fire-related RUSLE factors and soil loss rates. A sharp increase in erosion rates immediately after the fire was detected, with an increase in maximum soil loss rate from 0.11 ton × ha−1 × yr−1 to 1.29 ton × ha−1 × yr−1, exceeding the precautionary threshold for sustainable soil erosion. In contrast, in the mid-term analysis, the maximum soil loss rate decreased to 0.74 ton × ha−1 × yr−1, although the behavior of the fire-related factors caused an increase in soil erosion variability. The results suggest the need to plan mitigation strategies towards reducing soil erodibility, directly and indirectly, with a continuous monitoring of erosion rates and the application of machine learning algorithms to thoroughly understand the relationships between variables.

Experimental investigation at reduced scale of the effect of a ceiling on the burning rate of a pool fire

This study examines the influence of the proximity of a ceiling on the burning rate of a fire in enclosures. The parameters included the pool diameter, distance to the ceiling and fuel type. The analysis focused on the average mass loss rate. The results confirmed the increase in mass loss rate with the elevation for all fuel types. This increase in the mass loss rate appears from a distance to the ceiling that is correlated with the flame height. It is caused by an increase in the heat flux emitted by the flame, which changes shape, and the temperature of the ceiling, which increases with the fire elevation. A correlation is proposed to predict the increase in mass loss rate as a function of the enthalpy ratio Δ H/ Lv and flame height. A comparison of the results with previous experimental studies demonstrated consistency between the different tests.

Experimental analysis of mechanical properties of dredged sludge solidified by carbonized under the synergistic action of magnesium oxychloride cement and lime

The environmentally friendly magnesium oxychloride cement (denoted as MOC thereinafter) shows promising application prospects. Meanwhile, more emphasis is being paid to the environmental issues created by CO2 emissions. In this paper, carbonation-composite solidification technology is adopted to introduce MOC-lime cementitious material into sludge solidification. The effects of initial water content (H2O/MgCl2 molar ratio), lime content, MgO/MgCl2 molar ratio, and carbonation time on the mechanical properties and micro-mechanisms of sludge solidification were investigated using unconfined compressive strength (UCS), pH value, carbonation depth, mass loss rate, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) tests. The results show that the UCS of sludge solidification decreases with an increase in H2O/MgCl2 molar ratio, and increases first and then decreases with an increase in lime content, reaching a maximum value at H2O/MgCl2 molar ratio of 24.3 and lime content of 4 %. Notably, carbonation significantly improves the UCS of the samples, and with an increase in carbonation time, the mass loss rate and carbonation depth increase, while the pH value decreases. Additionally, uncarbonated samples show an increase in compressive strength with an increase in MgO/MgCl2 molar ratio, as the hydration products gradually transform from amorphous gel to crystalline phases 3, phases 5, and brucite (Mg(OH)2). Finally, XRD and SEM results indicate that the underlying mechanism for the significant improvement in strength and microstructure of the samples after carbonation is the formation of a block-like crystalline network with good binding ability, consisting of chlorartinite, nesquehonite, calcium carbonate, and C-S-H gel. This study promotes the use of MOC-based gel materials as a green stabilizer for sludge solidification, and the carbonation technique employed can improve the mechanical properties of solidified soil and significantly reduce the curing time.

Experimental Study of Recycled Concrete under Freeze-Thaw Conditions.

Recycled concrete is a new and environmentally friendly material for future construction. When applying recycled concrete to cold and severe regions, it is necessary to consider the freeze-thaw resistance of recycled concrete. Using an indoor freeze-thaw cycle test system, the rapid freezing method was used to conduct rapid freeze-thaw tests on recycled concrete specimens under set freeze-thaw cycle conditions. Relevant parameters (such as compressive strength, quality loss rate, rebound value) were tested on recycled concrete specimens that completed the set number of freeze-thaw cycles. The influence of various factors (freeze-thaw cycle number, replacement rate of recycled aggregates) on the compressive strength, quality loss rate, and rebound value of recycled concrete was analyzed. The results indicate that with the increase of freeze-thaw cycles and recycled aggregate content, the workability, rebound value, and compressive strength of the specimens decrease, and the quality loss rate increases. The changes in workability of concrete are sharp, with a slump difference of 21 mm between concrete with 100% recycled coarse aggregate and concrete using natural coarse aggregate. The rebound value of the specimen shows a decreasing trend overall, but the rebound value varies for different measuring points on the same specimen. The attenuation of compressive strength is significant. When fully using recycled aggregates to prepare concrete, the compressive strength after 30 freeze-thaw cycles decreases by 49.42% compared to the compressive strength after 0 freeze-thaw cycles. The overall quality loss rate shows a decreasing trend, but the quality loss is not severe.

MLAWSMOTE: Oversampling in Imbalanced Multi-label Classification with Missing Labels by Learning Label Correlation Matrix

Missing labels in multi-label datasets are a common problem, especially for minority classes, which are more likely to occur. This limitation hinders the performance of classifiers in identifying and extracting information from minority classes. Oversampling is an effective method for addressing imbalanced multi-label problems by generating synthetic instances to create a class-balanced dataset. However, the existing oversampling algorithms mainly focus on the location of the generated data, and there is a lack of design on how to complete the labels of the synthetic data. To address this issue, we propose MLAWSMOTE, a synthetic data generation algorithm based on matrix factorization weights. We introduce a weak supervised learning method in the oversampling method, optimize the weights of features and labels by using label correlation, and iteratively learn the ideal label weights. The mapping relationship between features and labels is learned from the dataset and the label correlation matrix. The oversampling ratio is defined based on the discrepancy between observed labels and the ideal label of synthetic instances. It mitigates the impact of missing minority labels on the model’s predictions. The labeling of synthetic instances is performed based on label prediction, and the potential labeling distribution is complemented. Experimental results on multiple multi-label datasets under different label missing ratios demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in terms of ACC, Hamming loss, MacroF1 and MicroF1. In the validation of the four classifiers, MacroF1 decreased by 24.78%, 17.81%, 3.8% and 19.56%, respectively, with the increase of label loss rate. After applying MLAWSMOTE only decreased by 15.79%, 13.63%, 3.78% and 15.21%.

Rheological properties and shrinkage crack resistance of welan gum-modified cementitious materials

Biological additives are considered environmentally sustainable and play a significant role in enhancing the performance of cementitious materials. This study focused on utilizing welan gum (WG) as a biological thickening agent to evaluate its impact on the rheological characteristics, resistance to shrinkage cracking, and mechanical properties of cementitious materials. The findings indicate that the incorporation of WG can improve the cohesion and stability of cementitious materials while reducing shear-thinning behavior. WG has less effect on cement hydration. However, WG may form agglomeration, leading to the increase in the water loss rate and dry shrinkage of cementitious materials. A high dosage of WG could decrease water loss rate due to film formation, but excessive WG might introduce pores and increase dry shrinkage. WG demonstrated the ability to delay cracking caused by dry shrinkage in cementitious materials. The crack resistance is enhanced by the elevation of the deformation capacity of cementitious materials. A comprehensive analysis revealed that a mass fraction of 0.10 % WG is the most effective in cement paste with a water-cement ratio of 0.4. The cohesion, water retention, and resistance to shrinkage cracking are improved, while mechanical properties are maintained in this situation.

Performance Analysis of Internet of Vehicles Mesh Networks Based on Actual Switch Models

The rapid growth of the automotive industry has exacerbated the conflict between the complex traffic environment, increasing communication demands, and limited resources. Given the imperative to mitigate traffic and network congestion, analyzing the performance of Internet of Vehicles (IoV) mesh networks is of great practical significance. Most studies focus solely on individual performance metrics and influencing factors, and the adopted simulation tools, such as OPNET, cannot achieve the dynamic link generation of IoV mesh networks. To address these problems, a network performance analysis model based on actual switches is proposed. First, a typical IoV mesh network architecture is constructed and abstracted into a mathematical model that describes how the link and topology changes over time. Then, the task generation model and the task forwarding model based on actual switches are proposed to obtain the real traffic distribution of the network. Finally, a scientific network performance indicator system is constructed. Simulation results demonstrate that, with rising task traffic and decreasing node caching capacity, the packet loss rate increases, and the task arrival rate decreases in the network. The proposed model can effectively evaluate the network performance across various traffic states and provide valuable insights for network construction and enhancement.

Value-added services and e-commerce platform competitiveness: a game theoretic approach

PurposeIn response to the intense competition in the platform economy, e-commerce platforms are actively introducing value-added services to maintain their competitiveness. However, how effective these value-added services are in fulfilling this purpose remains unclear. This paper explores how value-added services can enhance e-commerce platform competitiveness, measured by both user scale and reputation, considering the effect of network externalities.Design/methodology/approachA bilateral e-commerce platform with potential high-quality sellers and low-quality sellers on one side and potential buyers on the other side was chosen as research setting. Game theory models are constructed to simultaneously consider the behaviors of all actors (including sellers, buyers and the platform).FindingsOn the one hand, to increase the seller scale, basic services play a substituting role in determining the effect of value-added services. On the other hand, to increase the buyer scale and improve platform reputation, basic services play a fundamental role in determining the effect of value-added services. Furthermore, the higher the loss rate of the product value, the bigger the room for providing value-added services. With increasing loss rate of the product value, participating buyers who are attracted by value-added services are the fastest growing indicators; this indicates that the most significant effect of value-added services is its increase in the buyer scale.Practical implicationsBasic services determine the lower limit of platform competitiveness, while value-added services set the upper limit. The results of this paper can instruct different types of platforms to enhance their competitiveness in different ways.Originality/value(1) While previous studies on how to enhance platform competitiveness only considered scale or reputation separately, this paper applies a new perspective of platform competitiveness, namely the improvement of both the seller scale/buyer scale and platform reputation. (2) According to the characteristics of bilateral platforms, game theory models are constructed to explore how value-added services can enhance platform competitiveness considering both positive and negative network externalities. (3) The existing literature studies basic services and value-added services in a fragmented state; this paper contributes to research on value-added services by considering the mutual effect between basic and value-added services.

Engineering optics and thermodynamics design of parabolic trough solar collector

Abstract The development and design of parabolic trough solar thermal collectors (PTC) need to comprehensively consider the influence of optic, thermodynamic, layout, and other factors. The optics and thermodynamic analysis of PTC with different configurations was carried out, and the influence of layout on heat collection was studied. In the case of determined PTC aperture size, the distribution trend of solar irradiation flux density of different HCE diameters is the same, and the peak value of solar irradiation flux density is higher when the concentration ratio is larger. For the PTC with the same concentration ratio, with the incidence angle increase, the intercept rate and optical efficiency of the PTC decrease, the thermal energy loss rate increases, and the thermal efficiency decreases. Under the same incidence angle, with the increase of concentration ratio, the PTC’s intercept rate and optical efficiency decrease gradually, and the average efficiency of the PTC increases first and then decreases. In the process of PTC design and selection, considering the concentration ratio, latitude, and cost factors, the aperture size of 8.2 m and the HCE of the inner diameter of 90 mm can be used as the recommended configuration scheme for subsequent HCE development.

Effects of melatonin on inhibiting quality deterioration of postharvest water bamboo shoots

Water bamboo shoots (Zizania latifolia) is prone to quality deterioration during cold storage after harvest, which causes the decline of commodity value. Chlorophyll synthesis and lignin deposition are the major reasons for quality degradation. This paper studied the influence of exogenous melatonin (MT) on the cold storage quality of water bamboo shoots. MT treatment could delay the increase in skin browning, hardness and weight loss rate, inhibit chlorophyll synthesis and color change of water bamboo shoots, while maintain the content of total phenols and flavonoids, and inhibit lignin deposition by inhibiting the activity and gene expression of phenylpropanoid metabolism related enzymes as PAL, C4H, 4CL, CAD, and POD. The results indicate that exogenous MT treatment can effectively inhibit the quality degradation of cold stored water bamboo shoots.

Axial compressive behavior of corroded H-shaped steel columns

The unpredictability of corrosion in steel structures, especially in H-section columns, is a topic that has received limited research attention. Using Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) and finite element analysis (FEA), this study investigates the effect of random pitting corrosion on H-section steel columns' ultimate bearing capacity under axial compression. In this study, MCS was employed to address the random distribution of pitting corrosion. The reliability of MCS and FEA was validated through existing literature on compression tests of H-shaped steel columns. To comprehensively assess the detrimental effects of pitting corrosion, a total of 3650 models of H-shaped columns, each exhibiting different pitting corrosion characteristics, were subjected to analysis. These models incorporated three corrosion parameters (volume loss rate, size, and depth) and two geometric parameters (slenderness and section size). A nonlinear buckling analysis was carried out to investigate the ultimate bearing capacity of the columns. The findings indicate that a volume loss rate of 20% can cause a decrease in the column's ultimate bearing capacity by approximately 50%. Furthermore, the study reveals that at equal volume loss rates, corrosion depth and slenderness significantly influence the reduction factor, while corrosion size and section size exert a minimal impact. As a result, this paper introduces a probabilistic assessment method for estimating the reduction factor in ultimate bearing capacity for H-section steel columns. Notably, with every 10% increase in the volume loss rate, the mean reduction factor in the ultimate bearing capacity decreases by approximately 0.12.

Frame Loss Effects on Visual Fatigue in Super Multi-View 3D Display Technology

Super multi-view (SMV) display is a promising 3D display technology; however, potential frame loss due to bandwidth-limited video transmission could cause discomfort to viewers. Thus, an evaluation of the acceptable viewing experience will be valuable. This study investigates the effects of frame loss on visual fatigue in SMV display, focusing on quantified frame loss rates and varying frame loss modes. Experiments were conducted with 20 subjects, utilizing the Stroop test through an SMV display system to evaluate the visual fatigue under different frame loss conditions. The results show a rise in visual fatigue as the frame loss rate increases, with two critical thresholds identified. A 4% frame loss rate marks the threshold for significant loss-induced differences, beyond which visual fatigue begins to become significant in loss-induced modes compared to the normal loss-free mode. Subsequently, a 10% frame loss rate marks the threshold for significant mode-dependent differences, beyond which variations appear between different loss-induced modes, with monocular mode inducing more visual fatigue than binocular and dual-view more than single-view. Consequently, the findings advocate for refining the 3D video processing to maintain a frame loss rate below 4% for negligible effect and considering the interactions between different views for less visual fatigue. This research aims to provide insights and guidance for addressing potential challenges in developing and applying SMV display technology.

Different oxygen affinities of methanotrophs and Comammox Nitrospira inform an electrically induced symbiosis for nitrogen loss

Aerobic methanotrophs establish a symbiotic association with denitrifiers to facilitate the process of aerobic methane oxidation coupled with denitrification (AME-D). However, the symbiosis has been frequently observed in hypoxic conditions continuing to pose an enigma. The present study has firstly characterized an electrically induced symbiosis primarily governed by Methylosarcina and Hyphomicrobium for the AME-D process in a hypoxic niche caused by Comammox Nitrospira. The kinetic analysis revealed that Comammox Nitrospira exhibited a higher apparent oxygen affinity compared to Methylosarcina. While the coexistence of comammox and AME-D resulted in an increase in methane oxidation and nitrogen loss rates, from 0.82 ± 0.10 to 1.72 ± 0.09 mmol CH4 d−1 and from 0.59 ± 0.04 to 1.30 ± 0.15 mmol N2 d−1, respectively. Furthermore, the constructed microbial fuel cells demonstrated a pronounced dependence of the biocurrents on AME-D due to oxygen competition, suggesting the involvement of direct interspecies electron transfer in the AME-D process under hypoxic conditions. Metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analysis revealed that Methylosarcina efficiently oxidized methane to formaldehyde, subsequently generating abundant NAD(P)H for nitrate reduction by Hyphomicrobium through the dissimilatory RuMP pathway, leading to CO2 production. This study challenges the conventional understanding of survival mechanism employed by AME-D symbionts, thereby contributing to the characterization responsible for limiting methane emissions and promoting nitrogen removal in hypoxic regions.

Study on the influence of restricted distance on fixed-width discrete of discontinuous flame spread

This study investigates the impact of varying distances between vertical walls on the propagation of discrete flames in PMMA (Polymethyl Methacrylate) slabs. The primary objective is to analyze the dynamics of flame spread in confined spaces, with a particular focus on how the spacing between vertical walls and the number of PMMA slabs influence flame characteristics. Experimentally, flame spread rate, mass loss rate, heat release rate, and pyrolysis front dynamics are examined under different confined space distances ranging from 1 to 5 cm using thermally thick PMMA slabs. The findings reveal a significant influence of confined space distance on flame propagation. In narrower spaces (1 to 2 cm), a stack effect leads to a rapid increase in flame height and mass loss rate. As the confined distance increases, this effect gradually diminishes, resulting in a decrease in flame height and mass loss rate. Additionally, the flame spread rate initially rises with increasing confined distance, reaching a peak at 2 cm, before decreasing. Through the application of the law of conservation of energy, the dominant mechanisms of flame spread are deeply analyzed under various confined space conditions. These insights are crucial for understanding and predicting fire spread in confined spaces.

Mechanical performance of Q345 steel after corrosion: Experimental and theoretical investigation

Corrosion significantly influences the mechanical performance of steel, and the accurate prediction of stress-strain curves (S-SC) for steel after corrosion is crucial for the safety evaluation of in-service steel structures in engineering. This study focuses on assessing the degradation performance of Q345 steel following corrosion. Copper accelerated acetic acid salt spray testing (CASS) is employed to corrode Q345 specimens, and a power model is established to relate the mass loss rate to the corrosion time of Q345 steel. Uniaxial tension tests are then conducted to observe the mechanical behavior of corroded Q345 steel. Results indicate that the strength and ductility of Q345 steel decrease with an increase in the mass loss rate, and the yield plateau of the S-SC gradually shortens until it disappears. With the increase of corrosion time, the microstructure of the steel surface is transformed from spherical structure to needle-like structure. Two constitutive models are developed, incorporating the S-SC with and without the yield plateau, based on existing models. These models demonstrate good agreement with various test data, providing valuable insights into the mechanical behavior of corroded Q345 steel.

The Impact of Vegetable Fibres on the Shrinkage and Mechanical Properties of Cob Materials.

This study examined the shrinkage rate and mechanical properties of cob samples. Cob is a natural building material composed of clay, water, and varying amounts of plant fibres. The red and beige cob materials in this study containing 3% and 6% wheat fibres were manufactured by hand with clay, bulk fibres (short and long fibres), and a 25% water ratio (water/clay) in order to make their manufacture and use on construction sites feasible and simple. The reference samples were mixed with clay, 25% water, and 0% wheat fibre. The mechanical properties were assessed through compression and flexural tests after 28 and 120 days. The results showed that the fibre addition decreased the bulk density of the composites from 1902 kg/m3 to 1264 kg/m3. The compressive strength increased from 1.8 MPa to 4.57 MPa for the red clay samples and from 1.65 MPa to 4.61 MPa for the beige clay samples at 28 days. The compressive strength of each mixture decreased slightly with age for the red and beige clay samples, respectively. Conversely, the flexural strength increased with age for the samples reinforced with 3% and 6% fibres. The results also showed that the cob samples can deform without breaking. Increasing the fibre content in the mix resulted in a significant reduction in the shrinkage rate and an increase in the mass loss rate during thermogravimetric analysis. This analysis showed a total mass loss of approximately 5.64%, 6.12%, and 44.87% for the red clay, beige clay, and fibres, respectively. An average volume shrinkage of 1% was observed for the samples with 6% fibre content. The cob discussed in this article can be used as a filling material. In large quantities, it can be made by hand, with feet protected by boots, or with the use of a mixer. The environmental benefits are considerable, as the raw materials are renewable, and the manufacturing process is less energy-intensive.

Differences in the Residual Behavior of a Bumetrizole-Type Ultraviolet Light Absorber during the Degradation of Various Polymers.

The alteration of an ultraviolet light absorber (UVA: UV-326) in polymers (PP, HDPE, LDPE, PLA, and PS) over time during degradation was studied using an enhanced degradation method (EDM) involving sulfate ion radicals in seawater. The EDM was employed to homogeneously degrade the entire polymer samples containing the UVA. The PP and PS samples containing 5-phr (phr: per hundred resin) UVA films underwent rapid whitening, characterized by the formation of numerous grooves or crushed particles. Notably, the UVA loss rate in PS, with the higher glass transition temperature (Tg), was considerably slower. The behavior of crystalline polymers, with the exception of PS, was analogous in terms of the change in UVA loss rate over the course of degradation. The significant increase in the initial loss rate observed during EDM degradation was due to microplasticization. A similar increase in microplasticization rate occurred with PS; however, the intermolecular interaction between UVA and PS did not result in as pronounced an increase in loss rate as observed in other polymers. Importantly, the chemical structure of UVA remained unaltered during EDM degradation. These findings revealed that the primary cause of UVA loss was leaching from the polymer matrix.

Experimental study on the influence of restricted distance on the discrete flame spread of different widths

In this paper, the effects of varying material widths on the propagation of discrete fires within diverse confined space conditions are investigated experimentally. The width-induced mechanisms influencing the flame spread of discrete solid surfaces in distinct confined spaces are comprehensively discussed, encompassing flame characteristics, pyrolysis front dynamics, flame spread rate, and mass loss rate. The findings reveal that the dimensionless flame height and width conform to a negative power relationship at varying restricted distances. Furthermore, a positive correlation between the width of the PMMA in confined spaces and both the flame spread rate and the mass loss rate is established. Notably, when the width is fixed, the confined space plays a dominant role in the propagation of flames. As the restricted distance decreases, the flames become more slender. Additionally, flame height, flame spread rate, and mass loss rate increase with the widening of the material. However, as the restricted distance becomes smaller, the effect of width becomes less pronounced. Under conditions of same restricted distance, an increased width results in a higher radiation factor, thereby enhancing the thermal feedback of the wall to the material, which in turn accelerates the spread rate of discrete flames. Moreover, due to the dominant role of radiant heat feedback provided by the confined walls to the discrete PMMA panels, the proportion of heat transferred by convection in the flames is minimal. Consequently, the influence of the convective coefficient's width variation on flame spread is relatively minor within confined spaces. Ultimately, an energy conservation model under confined spaces was established, which facilitated the analysis of the comprehensive mechanism of flame spread influenced by varying confined spaces and material widths.