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Properties Shows (property + shows)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Polymers and Materials Science	33%
Earth and Environmental Science	33%

Selected Abstracts

Modelling land use changes and their impact on soil erosion and sediment supply to rivers

EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 5 2002
Anton J. J. Van Rompaey
Abstract The potential for surface runoff and soil erosion is strongly affected by land use and cultivation. Therefore the modelling of land use changes is important with respect to the prediction of soil degradation and its on-site and off-site consequences. Land use changes during the past 250 years in the Dijle catchment (central Belgium) were analysed by comparing four historical topographic maps (1774, 1840, 1930 and 1990). A combination of land use transformation maps and biophysical land properties shows that certain decision rules are used for the conversion of forest into arable land or vice versa. During periods of increasing pressure on the land, forests were cleared mainly on areas with low slope gradients and favourable soil conditions, while in times of decreasing pressure land units with steep and unfavourable soil conditions were taken out of production. Possible future land use patterns were generated using stochastic simulations based on land use transformation probabilities. The outcome of these simulations was used to assess the soil erosion risk under different scenarios. The results indicate that even a relatively limited land use change, from forest to arable land or vice versa, has a significant effect on regional soil erosion rates and sediment supply to rivers. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Numerical modelling of 3D fluid flow and oxygen isotope exchange in fractured media: spatial distribution of isotope patterns

GEOFLUIDS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 4 2007
C. SAVARD
Abstract An understanding of fluid flow, mass transport and isotopic exchange in fractured rock is required to understand the origin of several geological processes including hydrothermal mineral deposits. The numerical model HydroGeoSphere simulates 3D advection, molecular diffusion, mechanical dispersion and isotopic exchange in a discretely fractured porous media, and can be used to better understand the processes of mass transport and isotopic exchange in fractured rocks. Study of 18O isopleth patterns for different types of fractures and fracture networks with a range of structural complexity and hydraulic properties shows that fracture properties and geometry control mass transport and isotopic exchange. The hydraulic properties, as well as the density, spacing, and connectivity of fractures determine the isotopic patterns. Asymmetries in the geometry of oxygen isotope patterns could be used to determine the direction of hydrothermal fluid flow. [source]

Influences of Aquifer Properties on Flow Dimensions in Dolomites

GROUND WATER, Issue 5 2009
Timotej Verbov
The paper focuses on analyses and correlations of flow dimensions in different dolomite aquifers in Slovenia. Flow dimensions are obtained through the reinterpretation of 72 pumping tests with the generalized radial flow model, based on the fractional flow dimension. The average value of flow dimensions is 2.16 for all dolomites. A study of flow dimensions in individual aquifers categorized according to their lithological properties shows that higher dimensions occur in massive late-diagenetic Cordevolian and Anisian dolomites compared with bedded Main, Ba,a, and especially Lower Triassic dolomites, which contain a greater proportion of noncarbonate minerals. Partially penetrating wells have higher flow dimensions than fully penetrating wells. Flow dimensions are poorly correlated with hydraulic conductivities of fractures. When comparing the quantities of major dissolved minerals, obtained by hydrogeochemical inverse modeling, with the values of flow dimensions, the Cordevolian and Anisian dolomites are found to exhibit the highest values of both dissolved dolomite and flow dimensions, indicating that greater dissolution occurs at higher flow dimensions. For other aquifers, data points are more scattered and the correlation is mostly poor. When compared with three-dimensional fractal dimensions of fracture networks, there is no correlation with flow dimensions. However, almost all the values of flow dimensions are lower than the corresponding fractal dimensions in dolomites (average D= 2.77), possibly indicating the channeling of flow within the available space of the fracture networks, consequently reducing the flow dimensions. [source]

Compatibilization method applied to the chitosan-acid poly(L -lactide) solution

JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 5 2010
Nugraha Edhi Suyatma
Abstract We are testing the compatibilization of the chitosan/PLA blends by addition of diisocyanate and at studying the effect of several MDI concentrations (0.5 and 2.5% of the global blend mass, w/w). To evaluate the MDI efficiency as a compatibilizer of chitosan/PLA blends, we worked with the following methods: IRTF spectra with higher peak at 1558 cm,1 is due to the NH bonds that exist in urea and urethane, thermal properties shows that the temperature of the endothermic peaks of the chitosan/PLA blends with MDI is very close to the temperature of pure chitosane and SEM micrography shows that MDI addition decreases the PLA particles size in the chitosan mixture; they also comply with the compatibilization theory. After that the mechanical properties have been characterized: we can notice that the MDI compatibilized chitosan/PLA blends have a higher Young's modulus than the noncompatibilized blends. we are showed that the use of 0.5% MDI is not enough sufficient to obtain a compatibilization, because a part of the MDI can be consumed by water. The addition of MDI increases the performance of the mechanical properties of the blends. Therefore, with this compatibilization, we could obtain some chitosan/PLA blends that would be water-resistant and that would also keep their mechanical properties. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010 [source]

Reactive compatibilization of nylon copolymer/EPDM blends: experimental aspects and their comparison with theory

POLYMERS FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, Issue 5 2008
Cibi Komalan
Abstract In situ reactive compatibilization was first time applied to a low melting nylon (nylon 6 and 66 copolymer) and EPDM blend system. The effects of in situ compatibilization and concentration of compatibilizer on the morphology and mechanical properties of nylon/EPDM blends have been investigated. The influence of EPM-g-MA on the phase morphology was examined by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) after preferential extraction of the minor phase. The SEM micrographs were quantitatively analyzed for domain size measurements. The compatibilizer concentrations used were 0, 1, 2.5, 5, and 10,wt%. The graft copolymer (nylon-g-EPM) formed at the interface showed relatively high emulsifying activity. A maximum phase size reduction was observed when 2.5,wt% of compatibilizer was added to the blend system. This was followed by a leveling-off at higher loadings indicating interfacial saturation. The conformation of the compatibilizer at the interface was deduced based on the area occupied by the compatibilizer at the blend interface. The experimental compatibilization results were compared with theoretical predictions of Noolandi and Hong. It was concluded that the molecular state of compatibilizer at interface changes with concentration. The in situ compatibilized blends showed considerable improvement in mechanical properties. Measurement of tensile properties shows increased elongation as well as enhanced modulus and strength up on compatibilization. At higher concentrations of compatibilizer, a leveling-off of the tensile properties was observed. A good correlation has been observed between the mechanical properties and morphological parameters. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Mutagenic analysis of the nucleation propensity of oxidized Alzheimer's ,-amyloid peptide

PROTEIN SCIENCE, Issue 8 2005
Tony Christopeit
Abstract The formation of polypeptide aggregates represents a nucleated polymerization reaction in which an initial nucleation event (lag phase) is followed by the extension of newly formed nuclei into larger aggregates, including fibrils (growth phase). The efficiencies of these reactions relate to the lag time (lag phase) and to the rate of aggregation (growth phase), which can be determined from experimental aggregation curves. Here we present a mutagenic analysis in which we replace valine 18 of the Alzheimer's A, (1,40) peptide with 17 different amino acids and determine its effect on the lag time, and therefore, on the propensity of nucleation. Comparison with various physico-chemical properties shows that nucleation is affected in a predictable manner depending on the ,-sheet propensity and hydrophobicity of residue 18. In addition, we observe a direct proportionality between the lag time and the rate of aggregation. These data imply that the two reactions, nucleation and polymerization, are governed by very similar physicochemical principles and that they involve the formation of the same types of noncovalent interactions. [source]