Metal location and thickness in a multilayered sheet by measuring K alpha/K beta, L alpha/L beta and L alpha/L gamma X-ray ratios

When a multilayered material is analyzed by means of energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis, then the X-ray ratios of K alpha/K beta, or L alpha/L beta and L alpha/L gamma, for an element in the multilayered material, depend on the composition and thickness of the layer in which the element is situated, and on the composition and thickness of the superimposed layer (or layers). Multilayered samples are common in archaeometry, for example, in the case of pigment layers in paintings, or in the case of gilded or silvered alloys. The latter situation is examined in detail in the present paper, with a specific reference to pre-Columbian alloys from various museums in the north of Peru. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thickness and Annealing Temperature Effects on the Optical Properties and Surface Morphology of Layer-by-Layer Poly(p-phenyline vinylene) plus Dodecylbenzenesulfonate Films

The fabrication of controlled molecular architectures is essential for organic devices, as is the case of emission of polarized light for the information industry. In this study, we show that optimized conditions can be established to allow layer-by-layer (LbL) films of poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV)+dodecylbenzenesulfonate (DBS) to be obtained with anisotropic properties. Films with five layers and converted at 110 degrees C had a dichroic ratio delta = 2.3 and order parameter r = 34%, as indicated in optical spectroscopy and emission ellipsometry data. This anisotropy was decreased with the number of layers deposited, with delta = 1.0 for a 75-layer LbL PPV + DBS film. The analysis with atomic force microscopy showed the formation of polymer clusters in a random growth process with the normalized height distribution being represented by a Gaussian function. In spite of this randomness in film growth, the self-covariance function pointed to a correlation between clusters, especially for thick films. In summary, the LbL method may be exploited to obtain both anisotropic films with polarized emission and regular, nanostructured surfaces. (c) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 49: 206-213, 2011

Characteristics of thin cellulose ester films spin-coated from acetone and ethyl acetate solutions

Spin-coated films of cellulose acetate (CA), cellulose acetate propionate (CAP), cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) and carboxymethylcellulose acetate butyrate (CMCAB) have been characterized by ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and contact angle measurements. The films were spin-coated onto silicon wafers, a polar surface. Mean thickness values were determined by means of ellipsometry and AFM as a function of polymer concentration in solutions prepared either in acetone or in ethyl acetate (EA), both are good solvents for the cellulose esters. The results were discussed in the light of solvent evaporation rate and interaction energy between substrate and solvent. The effects of annealing and type of cellulose ester on film thickness, film morphology, surface roughness and surface wettability were also investigated.

Är variation i STFI-tjocklek ett bra mått på kartongs bulighet? : Are variation in STFI-thickness a good measure of uneven surface, bumpiness, on cardboard?

This degree project aim to evaluate if variations of the STFI thickness can be used to assess bumpiness on cardboard. During the project cardboard samples were measured using Bendtsen, PPS, a L&W formation tester, OptiTopo, Ambertec formation, the STFI thickness tester and a visual comparison. The different methods were then compared to see if there is any correlations between them. The results showed that the visual comparison and OptiTopo correlates. The STFI thickness tester shows however no correlation with the OptiTopo and visual comparison, thus aren't suitable measuring bumpiness.

Mitigating high ‘equity capital’ risk exposure to ‘small cap’ sector in India: analysing ‘key factors of success’ for ‘Institutional Investors’ whilst Investing in small cap sector in India

This paper deals with the subject of mitigating high ‘Equity Capital’ Risk Exposure to ‘Small Cap’ Sector in India. Institutional investors in India are prone to be risk averse when it comes to investing in the small cap sector in India as they find the companies risky and volatile. This paper will help analyse ‘Key Factors of success’ for ‘Institutional Investors’ whilst investing in Small Cap sector in India as some of these Indian small cap stocks offer handsome returns despite economic downturn. This paper has been harnessed carefully under the influence of expert investors, which includes Benjamin Graham (Security Analysis); Warren Buffet; Philip Fisher (Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits); and Aswath Damodaran.

Estilo de liderança e papel de coordenador do CAP na motivação da sua equipa

A presente investigação empírica pretendeu averiguar o estilo de liderança e o papel do Coordenador, do Centro de Apoio Psicopedagógico do Funchal – 2.º, 3.º Ciclos e Secundário, na motivação da sua equipa. Deste modo, as temáticas liderança e motivação constituíram o quadro teórico desta dissertação. Como estratégia metodológica optámos pelo estudo de caso, com recurso às técnicas de inquérito por questionário e entrevista. O questionário aplicado foi o Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ), da autoria de Bernard Bass e Bruce Avolio, para verificarmos o estilo de liderança do Coordenador, percepcionado pelos trinta e sete elementos da equipa. Por sua vez, a entrevista, do tipo semi-estruturada, foi efectuada ao Coordenador, com o intuito de investigarmos a percepção do cargo por si desempenhado, mais especificamente, o modo como influencia a motivação da equipa. Os resultados da investigação sugerem que o Coordenador exibe uma presença partilhada dos estilos de Liderança Transaccional e Transformacional. Quanto ao seu papel na motivação da equipa, os resultados apontam para a influência através da inspiração motivacional e do desenvolvimento de um sentido de missão colectivo para que a “filosofia da inclusão seja uma realidade”. Através do significado que atribuiu ao trabalho que realiza e à satisfação pela convergência entre os ideais pessoais e organizacionais, concluímos que o Coordenador se encontra motivado para o desempenho do cargo de coordenação. No entanto, no que diz respeito à sua equipa, considerou-a pouco motivada, devido a contingências situacionais. A falta de motivação impõe-se como uma dificuldade complexa, para a qual não existem estratégias motivacionais universais. Assim, é fundamental que o Coordenador, além de estar motivado, deve ser motivador, assumindo um papel de extrema importância e uma função estratégica, de modo que os objectivos organizacionais sejam atingidos.

Construção, caracterização e aplicação de eletrodos para descarga por arco de cátodo oco

The system built to characterize electrodes and, consequently, deposited fine films are constituted by a hollow cathode that works to discharges and low pressures (approximately 10-3 to 5 mbar), a source DC (0 to 1200 V), a cylindrical camera of closed borossilicato for flanges of stainless steel with an association of vacuum bombs mechanical and spread. In the upper flange it is connected the system of hollow cathode, which possesses an entrance of gas and two entrances for its refrigeration, the same is electrically isolated of the rest of the equipment and it is polarized negatively. In front of the system of hollow cathode there is a movable sample in stainless steel with possibility of moving in the horizontal and vertical. In the vertical, the sample can vary its distance between 0 and 70 mm and, in the horizontal, can leave completely from the front of the hollow cathode. The sample and also the cathode hollow are equipped with cromel-alumel termopares with simultaneous reading of the temperatures during the time of treatment. In this work copper electrodes, bronze, titanium, iron, stainless steel, powder of titanium, powder of titanium and silício, glass and ceramic were used. The electrodes were investigated relating their geometry change and behavior of the plasma of the cavity of hollow cathode and channel of the gas. As the cavity of hollow cathode, the analyzed aspects were the diameter and depth. With the channel of the gas, we verified the diameter. In the two situations, we investigated parameters as flow of the gas, pressure, current and applied tension in the electrode, temperature, loss of mass of the electrode with relationship at the time of use. The flow of gas investigated in the electrodes it was fastened in a work strip from 15 to 6 sccm, the constant pressure of work was among 2.7 to 8 x 10-2 mbar. The applied current was among a strip of work from 0,8 to 0,4 A, and their respective tensions were in a strip from 400 to 220 V. Fixing the value of the current, it was possible to lift the curve of the behavior of the tension with the time of use. That curves esteem in that time of use of the electrode to its efficiency is maximum. The temperatures of the electrodes were in the dependence of that curves showing a maximum temperature when the tension was maximum, yet the measured temperatures in the samples showed to be sensitive the variation of the temperature in the electrodes. An accompaniment of the loss of mass of the electrode relating to its time of use showed that the electrodes that appeared the spherical cavities lost more mass in comparison with the electrodes in that didn't appear. That phenomenon is only seen for pressures of 10-2 mbar, in these conditions a plasma column is formed inside of the channel of the gas and in certain points it is concentrated in form of spheres. Those spherical cavities develop inside of the channel of the gas spreading during the whole extension of the channel of the gas. The used electrodes were cut after they could not be more used, however among those electrodes, films that were deposited in alternate times and the electrodes that were used to deposit films in same times, those films were deposited in the glass substrata, alumina, stainless steel 420, stainless steel 316, silício and steel M2. As the eletros used to deposit films in alternate time as the ones that they were used to deposit in same times, the behavior of the thickness of the film obeyed the curve of the tension with relationship the time of use of the electrode, that is, when the tension was maximum, the thickness of the film was also maximum and when the tension was minimum, the thickness was minimum and in the case where the value of the tension was constant, the thickness of the film tends to be constant. The fine films that were produced they had applications with nano stick, bio-compatibility, cellular growth, inhibition of bacterias, cut tool, metallic leagues, brasagem, pineapple fiber and ornamental. In those films it was investigated the thickness, the adherence and the uniformity characterized by sweeping electronic microscopy. Another technique developed to assist the production and characterization of the films produced in that work was the caloteste. It uses a sphere and abrasive to mark the sample with a cap impression, with that cap form it is possible to calculate the thickness of the film. Through the time of life of the cathode, it was possible to evaluate the rate of waste of its material for the different work conditions. Values of waste rate up to 3,2 x 10-6 g/s were verified. For a distance of the substratum of 11 mm, the deposited film was limited to a circular area of 22 mm diameter mm for high pressures and a circular area of 75 mm for pressure strip. The obtained films presented thickness around 2,1 µm, showing that the discharge of arch of hollow cathode in argon obeys a curve characteristic of the tension with the time of life of the eletrodo. The deposition rate obtained in this system it is of approximately 0,18 µm/min

Estudo paramétrico da recuperação de petróleo pesado por aquecimento eletromagnético resistivo

Electrical resistive heating (ERH) is a thermal method used to improve oil recovery. It can increase oil rate and oil recovery due to temperature increase caused by electrical current passage through oil zone. ERH has some advantage compared with well-known thermal methods such as continuous steam flood, presenting low-water production. This method can be applied to reservoirs with different characteristics and initial reservoir conditions. Commercial software was used to test several cases using a semi-synthetic homogeneous reservoir with some characteristics as found in northeast Brazilian basins. It was realized a sensitivity analysis of some reservoir parameters, such as: oil zone, aquifer presence, gas cap presence and oil saturation on oil recovery and energy consumption. Then it was tested several cases studying the electrical variables considered more important in the process, such as: voltage, electrical configurations and electrodes positions. Energy optimization by electrodes voltage levels changes and electrical settings modify the intensity and the electrical current distribution in oil zone and, consequently, their influences in reservoir temperature reached at some regions. Results show which reservoir parameters were significant in order to improve oil recovery and energy requirement in for each reservoir. Most significant parameters on oil recovery and electrical energy delivered were oil thickness, presence of aquifer, presence of gas cap, voltage, electrical configuration and electrodes positions. Factors such as: connate water, water salinity and relative permeability to water at irreducible oil saturation had low influence on oil recovery but had some influence in energy requirements. It was possible to optimize energy consumption and oil recovery by electrical variables. Energy requirements can decrease by changing electrodes voltages during the process. This application can be extended to heavy oil reservoirs of high depth, such as offshore fields, where nowadays it is not applicable any conventional thermal process such as steam flooding

Whole-genome analysis for backfat thickness in a tropically adapted, composite cattle breed from Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Effect of breeder age on eggshell thickness, surface temperature, hatchability and chick weigh

Two experiments were carried out to study the effect of breeder age on incubation parameters (hatchability, eggshell thickness, egg surface temperature and chick weight). In Exp. 1, fertile eggs (30- and 60-wk-old breeders) were incubated at three different temperatures (36.8, 37.8 and 38.8 ºC). Eggshell surface temperature was measured by attaching a thermocouple to the shell and data were collected in a datalogger every ten minutes. This study was conducted according to a 3 x 2 factorial design (three temperatures and two breeder ages). Data revealed that eggshell surface temperature changed according to incubation temperature, with the main increase occurring between 10 and 13 days of incubation, and that the maximum increase in eggshell surface temperature was not higher than +0.6 ºC, irrespective of incubator temperature. The incubator temperature affected total incubation period and hatchability (%) at 38.8 ºC, independent of breeder age. Heavier eggs resulted in heavier chicks, irrespective of incubator temperature. In Exp 2, the eggs (30- and 60-wk-old breeders) were incubated at 37.8 ºC and eggs characteristics (weight, specific gravity, total hatchability and chicks weight) were evaluated according to a randomized experimental design. The data showed that breeder age affected eggshell thickness and chick weight (heavier eggs resulted in heavier chicks), but not specific gravity, eggshell surface temperature or hatchability. The findings of this study revealed that hatchability can be influenced by incubation temperature, but not by the breeder age. Breeder age can affect eggshell thickness, egg weight and eggshell surface temperature, but not specific gravity.

Phenotypic and genetic parameters compared during repeated measures of longissimus muscle area and subcutaneous fat thickness in Nelore cattle

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Genetic and environmental factors affecting ultrasound measures of longissimus muscle area and backfat thickness in Nelore cattle

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Selection for higher body weight in Nelore cattle is effective in achieving an increase of longissimus muscle area without reducing subcutaneous fat thickness

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Estudo da incorporação de resíduo industrial polimérico ao CAP

This work presents the incorporation of an industrial polymeric waste into a petroleum asphalt cement with penetration grade 50-60 (CAP 50-60). The main goal of this research is the development of a polymer-modified asphalt, with improvements in its physical properties, in order to obtain a more resistant material to the traffic loads. Furthermore, the use of this polymeric waste will result in economic and environmental benefits. The CAP 50-60 used in this research was kindly supplied by LUBNOR Lubrificantes e Derivados de Petróleo do Nordeste (produced in Fazenda Belém Aracati - Ceará) and the industrial polymeric waste was provided by a button manufacturer industry, located in Rio Grande do Norte state. This polymeric waste represents an environmental problem due to its difficulty in recycling and disposal, being necessary the payment by the industry to a landfill. The difficulty in its reuse is for being this material a termofixed polymer, as a result, the button chips resulting from the molding process cannot be employed for the same purpose. The first step in this research was the characterization of the polymeric waste, using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) Infrared spectroscopy (IR spectroscopy), and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Based on the results, the material was classified as unsaturated polyester. After, laboratory experiments were accomplished seeking to incorporate the polymeric waste into the asphalt binder according to a 23 experimental factorial design, using as main factors: the polymer content (2%, 7% and 14%), the temperature of the mixture (140 and 180 oC) and the reaction time (20 and 60 minutes). The characterization of the polymer-modified asphalt was accomplished by traditional tests, such as: penetration, ring and ball softening point, viscosity, ductility and flash point temperature. The obtained results demonstrated that the addition of the polymeric waste into the asphalt binder modified some of its physical properties. However, this addition can be considered as a feasible alternative for the use of the polymeric waste, which is a serious environmental and technological problem.

Structural and Electric-Optical Properties of Zinc Phthalocyanine Evaporated Thin Films: Temperature and Thickness Effects

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)