Pertinent Physical Properties Research Articles

Long-term stability and the physical and chemical factors predictive for antimicrobial activity in Australian honey.

The growing burden of expired medicines contributes to environmental contamination and landfill waste accumulation. Medicinal honey, with its non-toxic nature and potentially long shelf-life, represents a promising and underutilised therapeutic that avoids some of these issues. However, limited knowledge on how its antimicrobial properties change over time combined with a lack of reliable processes in the honey industry for measuring antimicrobial potential, hinder its clinical adoption. Using a diverse selection of 30 Australian honey samples collected between 2005 and 2007, we comprehensively evaluated their antibacterial and antifungal activity and pertinent physical and chemical properties with the aims of assessing the effect of long-term storage on activity, pinpointing factors associated with antimicrobial efficacy, and establishing robust assessment methods. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays proved superior to the standard phenol equivalence assay in capturing the full range of antimicrobial activity present in honey. Correlations between activity and a range of physical and chemical properties uncovered significant associations, with hydrogen peroxide, antioxidant content, and water activity emerging as key indicators in non-Leptospermum honey. However, the complex nature and the diverse composition of honey samples precludes the use of high-throughput chemical tests for accurately assessing this activity, and direct assessment using live microorganisms remains the most economical and reliable method. We provide recommendations for different methods of assaying various honey properties, taking into account their accuracy along with technical difficulty and safety considerations. All Leptospermum and fourteen of seventeen non-Leptospermum honey samples retained at least some antimicrobial properties after 15-17 years of storage, suggesting that honey can remain active for extended periods. Overall, the results of this study will help industry meet the growing demand for high-quality, medicinally active honey while ensuring accurate assessment of its antimicrobial potential.

Soils on Recent Tephra of the Somma–Vesuvius Volcanic Complex, Italy

The Somma–Vesuvius volcanic complex emitted huge quantities of volcanic materials over a period from before 18,300 years BP to 1944. The activity during the last period, from post-AD 1631 to 1944, primarily produced lava and pyroclastics via effusive and strombolian eruptions. We investigated the pedogenesis on rocks formed from post-AD 1631 to 1944, occurring on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius up to Gran Cono Vesuviano and in the northern valley separating Vesuvius from the older Mt. Somma edifice. Pertinent morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical (XRD and FT-IR) soil properties were studied. The results indicated the existence of thin and deep stratified soils on lava, as well as the presence of loose detritic covers formed via pyroclastic emplacement and redistribution. The soils showed minimal profile differentiation, frequently with layering recording the episodic addition of sediments. We found that the dominant coarse size of primary mineral particles was preserved, and there was a low level of clay production. The main mineralogical assemblage present in sands also persisted in clays, indicating the physical breaking of the parent material. Chemical weathering produced mineral modifications towards the active forms of Al and Fe and was also attested in selected soils by glass alteration, allophane production, and the presence of analcime in clay as a secondary product from leucite. The differences in glass alteration and analcime production found in the selected soils on lava were related to soil particle size and soil thickness. Concerning the youngest soil present on Gran Cono Vesuviano, other factors, such as the substratum’s age and site elevation, appeared to be implicated.

Experimental Study on the Effects of Heavy Metal Pollution on Soil Physical Properties and Microstructure Evolution

Soil heavy metal pollution poses a formidable challenge for environmental protection professionals. This study delves into the impact of zinc and lead pollution on the particle size distribution, liquid-plastic limit, permeability, shear strength, and other pertinent physical and engineering properties of clay. The alterations in the microstructure of soil contaminated by heavy metals were scrutinized using a scanning electron microscope. The findings reveal that as the concentration of heavy metals in contaminated soil rises, there is a concurrent decrease in the liquid limit, plasticity index, and silt content. This, in turn, leads to the deterioration of the original fluidity and plasticity of the soil, accompanied by a reduction in fine particles. Resistivity tests indicate that an escalation in water content results in a decrease in resistivity, an increase in porosity leads to an increase in resistivity, and an elevation in the concentration of heavy metals precipitates a sharp decline in resistivity due to the heightened conductivity of heavy metal ions. Heavy metal pollution induces structural changes in the soil, particularly in pore size, thereby influencing the permeability coefficient.

The Influence of Wettability Effect and Adsorption Thickness on Nanoconfined Methane Phase Behavior: Vapor-Liquid Co-Existence Curves and Phase Diagrams

Research interest in the behavior of methane inside nanopores has been growing, driven by the substantial geological reserves of shale gas and coalbed methane. The phase diagram of methane in nanopores differs significantly from its bulk state, influencing its existing form and pertinent physical properties—such as density and viscosity—at specific pressures and temperatures. Currently, there is a lack of effort to understand the nanoconfinement effect on the methane phase diagram; this is a crucial issue that needs urgent attention before delving into other aspects of nanoconfined methane behavior. In this study, we establish a fully coupled model to predict the methane phase diagram across various scales. The model is based on vapor-liquid fugacity equilibrium, considering the shift in critical pressure and temperature induced by pore size shrinkage and adsorption-phase thickness. Notably, our proposed model incorporates the often-overlooked factor of capillary pressure, which is greatly amplified by nanoscale pore size and the presence of the adsorption phase. Additionally, we investigated the impact of surface wettability, correlated to capillary pressure and the shift in critical properties, on the methane phase diagram. Our results indicate that (a) as pore size decreases, the methane phase diagram becomes more vertical, suggesting a transition from a gaseous to a liquid state for some methane molecules, which is contrary to the conventional phase diagram; (b) enhancing surface wettability results in a more vertical phase diagram, with the minimum temperature corresponding to 0 MPa pressure on the phase diagram, increasing by as much as 87.3%; (c) the influence of capillary pressure on the phase diagram is more pronounced under strong wettability conditions compared to weak wettability, and the impact from the shift in critical properties can be neglected when the pore size exceeds 50 nm.

Evaluation of Functional Properties of Five Finger Millet Varieties and Their Flour Grown in Mecha District, Ethiopia

In this study functional properties of five finger millet grains and their flour were evaluated. Finger millets are staple food grains originated from Ethiopia. It is a gluten-free grain with smallest glycemic index and maximum nutritional content. Although finger millets have high nutrient value, it is neglected and underutilized grain not only in Ethiopia but also in the world. The grain is also rich sources of minerals such as calcium which is vital for growth and development of human being. Finger millet is also rich sources of essential amino acids like methionine, tryptophan and lysine. So in this study imperative physicochemical property of five finger millet grains and their flours were investigated. Pertinent physical properties of the grain like aspect ratio, thousand grain weight, true density, bulk density, porosity, sample volume, surface area, sphericity, dimensional properties and moisture content of grain finger millet varieties were analyzed. Bulk density, dispersibility, water absorption capacity and viscosity of five finger millet flours were evaluated. Neche-deke finger millet variety grain was significantly higher at (p < 0.05) than other grains in terms of weight, bulk density, true density, aspect ratio and sphericity. The research output provides basic information for engineers and food processors for designing and manufacturing of processing equipment’s for finger millet and for new food product development from the grain.

The Common but Complicated Tool: Review of Embolic Materials for the Interventional Radiologist.

Embolization is an important and widely utilized technique in interventional radiology. There are a variety of different categories and individual products which can be utilized to perform embolization. Understanding the different classes of embolic agents, the important features of each of these classes including strengths and limitations, and the variation in individual products within the classes is critical for interventional radiologist to practice safely and effectively. This article reviews the different kinds of embolics and relays some of the pertinent physical and chemical properties of individual products which should be considered when determining which embolic to select for a given purpose.

The Use of Biochar and Pyrolysed Materials to Improve Water Quality through Microcystin Sorption Separation

Harmful algal blooms have increased globally with warming of aquatic environments and increased eutrophication. Proliferation of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) and the subsequent flux of toxic extracellular microcystins present threats to public and ecosystem health and challenges for remediation and management. Although methods exist, there is currently a need for more environmentally friendly and economically and technologically feasible sorbents. Biochar has been proposed in this regard because of its high porosity, chemical stability, and notable sorption efficiency for removing of cyanotoxins. In light of worsening cyanobacterial blooms and recent research advances, this review provides a timely assessment of microcystin removal strategies focusing on the most pertinent chemical and physical sorbent properties responsible for effective removal of various pollutants from wastewater, liquid wastes, and aqueous solutions. The pyrolysis process is then evaluated for the first time as a method for sorbent production for microcystin removal, considering the suitability and sorption efficiencies of pyrolysed materials and biochar. Inefficiencies and high costs of conventional methods can be avoided through the use of pyrolysis. The significant potential of biochar for microcystin removal is determined by feedstock type, pyrolysis conditions, and the physiochemical properties produced. This review informs future research and development of pyrolysed materials for the treatment of microcystin contaminated aquatic environments.

Measurement and modelling of gaseous elemental iodine (I2) dry deposition velocity on grass in the environment

Assessing the impact of radioactive iodine on humans subsequent to a nuclear accident requires a better understanding of its behaviour in the environment. An original approach aimed at developing a model constrained by data collected during experimental campaigns has been developed. These experimental campaigns, named MIOSEC 2 and MIOSEC 3 respectively, were conducted in the middle of grassland. They are based on emissions of gaseous elemental iodine (I2) into the atmosphere above the grassland to determine the dry deposition velocities of iodine on the grass and to model these velocities as a function of the environmental conditions, particularly wind friction velocity, sensible heat flux, and stomatal resistance. The measured dry deposition velocities were between 0.02 and 0.49 cm s−1 during MIOSEC 2, varying by more than one order of magnitude, and between 0.48 and 1.25 cm s−1 during MIOSEC 3. The dry deposition model for iodine developed as a result of these experiments relies on the micrometeorological characteristics of the atmospheric surface layer, the pertinent physical and chemical properties of the iodine and the surface properties of the grass; all these parameters were measured at the time of the experiments. Given the experimental conditions, the modelled dry deposition velocities varied between 0.11 and 0.51 cm s−1 during MIOSEC 2 and between 0.31 and 1.6 cm s−1 during MIOSEC 3. The dry deposition model for iodine indicates that the variations in deposition velocity are induced by the mechanical turbulence, since there is significant correlation between the dry deposition velocities of iodine and the wind friction velocities on grass. The model also shows that the higher deposition velocity values during MIOSEC 3 are due to the fact that the stomata were more open during the experiments. There is also significant correlation between the experimental results and modelled values both for MIOSEC 2 (R2 = 0.61) and for MIOSEC 3 (R2 = 0.71).

Some Advances in Supercritical Fluid Extraction for Fuels, Bio-Materials and Purification

Supercritical fluids are used for the extraction of desired ingredients from natural materials, but also for the removal of undesired and harmful ingredients. In this paper, the pertinent physical and chemical properties of supercritical water, methanol, ethanol, carbon dioxide, and their mixtures are provided. The methodologies used with supercritical fluid extraction are briefly dealt with. Advances in the application of supercritical extraction to fuels, the gaining of antioxidants and other useful items from biomass, the removal of undesired ingredients or contaminants, and the preparation of nanosized particles of drugs are described.

Pore structure and pertinent physical properties of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC)-based foam materials

Nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC)-based foam materials have broad prospects in replacing traditional foams, due to its facile natural biodegradation. This study addressed the relationship between the foam preparation process parameters and resulting pore structure. An aqueous NFC suspension was freeze-dried while adding an organic solvent, ethanol, to adjust the curing process. The effects of the solid content and freeze-drying temperature on the microstructure and mechanical stability as well as heat transfer performance of the produced NFC-based foam were investigated. The foam obtained at a 3%–5% solid content featured a well-defined lamellar and interlayer pillar support structure. With an increase in the solid content, the average wall thickness increased whereas the average pore area decreased. Yet the pore density increased with the pore distribution becoming non-uniform. With a decrease in freezing temperature, the wall thickness decreased (with no wall structure at −196 °C) but the pore density increased, with the pores being distributed more uniformly. The foam mechanical strength and thermal conductivity were found to be linked to porosity. The foam material had the most suitable mechanical and thermal insulation properties when prepared with a 5% solid content at a freeze-drying temperature of −55 °C.

Assessing the relationship between soil quality parameters of Nigerian alfisols and cocoa yield

Soil quality is widely regarded as an important factor in sustainable agriculture and is often assessed by evaluating the pertinent physical, chemical and biological properties of soils. The aims of this study were to (i) establish a minimum data set (MDS) of soil quality parameters capable of monitoring changes in soil condition and ecosystem functioning in smallholder cocoa production systems on tropical alfisols in southwest Nigeria; and (ii) examine the relationship between selected MDS of soil quality parameters and cocoa yield along a chronosequence of 3-, 7-, 15-, 22-, 30-, 40-, 60- and 80-year-old farm plots. To achieve these aims, five plots were identified for each plantation age group and bulk soil samples were collected at a depth of 0–20 cm. The samples were analysed for a total data set (TDS) of twenty-three separate soil quality parameters. Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to reduce the dimensionality of the TDS to five principal components. The PCA results showed that five principal components with eigenvalues > 1 explained more than 78% of the variability in the soil properties. Within PC1–PC5, eleven (11) soil quality parameters with high loadings were identified and selected as the MDS. A stepwise multiple regression analysis of cocoa yield and MDS revealed that soil organic matter and cation exchange capacity are the key parameters influencing cocoa yield. To maintain the yield as well as long-term sustainability of smallholder cocoa farming systems, inorganic fertilizer application is needed. Considering the poor transportation system in rural areas and prohibitive costs associated with inorganic fertilizer application in cocoa plantations, it is suggested that organic materials such as cocoa pod husk should be used to improve soil health. Another proposed approach for improving the N content of cocoa soils is to inter-crop nitrogen-fixing legumes.

Computational and Experimental Study of Solid-Phase Formation during the Decompression of High-Pressure CO2 Pipelines

Decompression of CO2 pipelines is studied both experimentally and numerically to provide a partially validated model as the basis for the prediction of the hazards associated with CO2 solid formation. The pipeline decompression experiments, performed using a fully instrumented 36.7 m long and 50 mm internal diameter test pipe up to a maximum pressure of 45 bar, incorporating discharge orifice diameters of 4 and 6 mm, reveal the stabilization of pressure and temperature near the CO2 triple point. In addition, video recordings of the decompression flow in the reinforced transparent section of the steel pipe show that initial stratification of the constituent liquid and vapor phases is followed by rapid CO2 solid formation and accumulation in the pipe. To aid the prediction of hazards associated with solids formation in pipelines, a homogeneous equilibrium pipeline decompression model is developed, accounting for the pertinent physical properties of CO2 in the liquid, vapor, and solid states. The model is va...

Crystal chemistry and selected physical properties of inorganic fluorides and oxide-fluorides.

importance in the development of many new technologies, and are impacting various key points of modern life, that is, energy production and storage, microelectronics and photonics, catalysis, automotive, building, etc. Many research fields and applications are indeed concerned by a better knowledge of the relationships occurring between the structure of such compounds and some pertinent physical properties. This Review deals with the structural chemistry of solid-state inorganic fluorides and oxide-fluorides, mostly transition metal-based, including rare-earth elements. Such a Review has not been published for a long time.1 Articles that recently appeared on inorganic fluorinated compounds were mostly focused on material science characteristics: morphology, surface functionalization, nanostructuration of the materials and applications, rather than on the description of characteristic structural features.2−5 Detailed reviews focused on rare earthbased inorganic fluorides have also appeared some years ago...

International Centre for Diffraction Data and American Society for Metals database survey of thermoelectric half-Heusler material systems

Phase diagrams and X-ray powder diffraction patterns provide critical information for thermoelectric (TE) research. We have conducted a survey of phase diagrams and powder diffraction patterns of TE systems in the ASM (American Society for Metals) Metal/Alloy database and ICDD (International Centre for Diffraction Data) PDF (Powder Diffraction File), respectively, for their availability and crystal systems. In this report, we focus on TE materials that have the half-HeuslerXYZstructure, and related compounds, based on a set of materials selection rules. We found that among 306 potentialXYZcompounds that we have surveyed, 234 have powder diffraction patterns in the PDF, but only 28 have phase diagram information, and 67 do not have any crystallographic information. Among the 234 phases with powder patterns, 84 were reported to have cubicF43mhalf-Heusler type structure, and the remainder have hexagonal, orthorhombic or other structure types. SomeXYZcompounds have both cubic and hexagonal phases. This information will provide the basis for future activities for the improvement of the databases. These activities include filling the missing gaps in both phase equilibria database and the PDF, as well as adding TE and pertinent physical properties to the PDF.

Limits on the spatial resolution of monolithic scintillators read out by APD arrays

Cramér–Rao theory can be used to derive the lower bound on the spatial resolution achievable with position-sensitive scintillation detectors as a function of the detector geometry and the pertinent physical properties of the scintillator, the photosensor and the readout electronics. Knowledge of the Cramér–Rao lower bound (CRLB) can for example be used to optimize the detector design and to test the performance of the method used to derive position information from the detector signals. Here, this approach is demonstrated for monolithic scintillator detectors for positron emission tomography. Two detector geometries are investigated: a 20 × 10 × 10 mm3 and a 20 × 10 × 20 mm3 monolithic LYSO:Ce3+ crystal read out by one or two Hamamatsu S8550SPL avalanche photodiode (APD) arrays, respectively. The results indicate that in these detectors the CRLB is primarily determined by the APD excess noise factor and the number of scintillation photons detected. Furthermore, it is shown that the use of a k-nearest neighbor (k-NN) algorithm for position estimation allows the experimentally obtained spatial resolution to closely approach the CRLB. The approach outlined in this work can in principle be applied to any scintillation detector in which position information is encoded in the distribution of the scintillation light over multiple photosensor elements.

Risk assessment strategies as nanomaterials transition into commercial applications

Commercial applications of nanomaterials are rapidly emerging in the marketplace. The environmental and human health risks of many nanomaterials remain unknown, and prioritizing how to efficiently assess their risks is essential. As nanomaterials are incorporated into a broader range of commercial products, their potential for environmental release and human exposure not only increases, but also becomes more difficult to model accurately. Emphasis may first be placed on estimating potential environmental exposure based on pertinent physical properties of the nanomaterials. Given that the greatest potential for global environmental impacts results from nanomaterials that are both persistent and toxic, this paper advocates screening first for persistence since it is easier to assess than toxicity. For materials that show potential for persistence, a higher burden of proof of their non-toxicity is suggested before they enter the commercial marketplace whereas a lower burden of proof may be acceptable for nanomaterials that are less persistent.

Solid–liquid mass transfer in a gas sparging contactor equipped with a tube of circular fins

The solid–liquid mass transfer rate at a stack of circular fin surfaces in a gas sparging contactor was investigated. A diffusion-controlled dissolution technique of copper in an acidified chromate solution was employed. Variables studied included the number of actively exposed fins ranging from 5 to 20, pertinent physical properties of the solution, and air superficial velocity. Experimental data showed that the rate of the diffusion-controlled mass transfer increases with increasing superficial air velocity and decreases with increasing chromate solution acid concentration. Moreover, at relatively low superficial air velocity, increasing the number of actively exposed fins results into a continuous increase in the mass transfer coefficient. At relatively higher superficial air velocity, however, the mass transfer coefficient decreases in the 5–10 range of actively exposed fins and then reverts to increase in the 15–20 range. An empirical correlation relating the mass transfer j factor to Reg, Fr, and a dimensionless height defined as the ratio of the height of actively exposed fins to the column equivalent diameter was developed based on the data generated in this study, with ±6.45% average deviation.

Characteristics of Liquid–Solid Mass Transfer in a Bubble Column Equipped with a Vertical Tube of Circular Fins

The solid-liquid mass transfer rate at a stack of circular fin surfaces in a bubble column was investigated. A diffusion-controlled dissolution technique of copper in an acidified chromate solution was employed. Variables studied included the number of actively exposed fins ranging from 5 to 20, pertinent physical properties of the solution, and air superficial velocity. Experimental data showed that the rate of the diffusion-controlled mass transfer increases with increasing superficial air velocity and decreases with increasing chromate solution acid concentration. Moreover, at relatively low superficial air velocity, increasing the number of actively exposed fins results into a continuous increase in the mass transfer coefficient. At relatively higher superficial air velocity, however, the mass transfer coefficient decreases in the 5 to 10 range of actively exposed fins and then reverts to increase in the 15 to 20 range.

Self-modeling curve resolution (SMCR) kernel analysis of time-dependent near-infrared (NIR) spectra of water and cellulose mixtures

The relationship between the crystalline structure of cellulose and its property to absorb water molecules were explored by self-modeling curve resolution (SMCR) kernel analysis. Sets of time-dependent near-infrared (NIR) transmittance spectra of water and cellulose mixtures were collected during the evaporation of water from ground cellulose. The dissimilarity in the volatility between free and bound water molecules were described in the matrix representation by SMCR kernel analysis. Asynchronous correlation between the water species, which essentially represents the difference in the rate for cellulose to release the absorbed water molecules, reflects the change in the crystallinity of cellulose samples induced by different degree of grinding. Thus, it was demonstrated that the amorphous component of cellulose can be a key factor to control physical properties, such as absorption and retention of water, of pharmaceutical tablets containing cellulose as an excipient. The result supports the fact that a certain level of control for pertinent physical properties of cellulose excipient becomes possible by the appropriate grinding process.

Transient numerical analysis of airflow and heat transfer in a vehicle cabin during heating period

This paper describes a three-dimensional transient numerical analysis to determine the airflow and heat transfer characteristics inside the vehicle cabin during a heating period. A three-dimensional vehicle cabin including glazed surfaces and pertinent physical and thermal properties of the enclosure was modelled by using the real dimensions of a car. A virtual manikin was added to the model of the vehicle cabin to determine the heat transfer between the human body and the vehicle cabin ambient. The analysis takes into account all the possible thermal load of the cabin. Governing equations were solved by an implicit, time marching finite volume numerical scheme under varying inlet boundary conditions of the vehicle air conditioning system. The results of numerical calculations were in good agreement with the available experimental and theoretical data in the literature.