A pioneering idea for increasing the thermal performance of heat transfer fluids was to use ultrafine solid particles suspended in the base fluid. Nanofluids, synthesized by mixing solid nanometer sized particles at low concentrations with the base fluid, were used as a new heat transfer fluid and developed a remarkable effect on the thermophysical properties and heat transfer coefficient. For any nanofluid to be usable in heat transfer applications, the main concern is its long-term stability. The aim of this research is to investigate the effect of using four different surfactants (sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and gum Arabic (GA)), each with three different concentrations, and five ultrasonication times (15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min) on the stability of water-based graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) nanofluids. In addition, the viscosity and thermal conductivity of the highest stability samples were measured at different temperatures. For this aim, nineteen different nanofluids with 0.1 wt% concentration of GNPs were prepared via the two-step method. An ultrasonication probe was utilized to disperse the GNPs in distilled water. UV–vis spectrometry, zeta potential, average particle size, and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) were helpful in evaluating the stability and characterizing the prepared nanofluids. TEM and zeta potential results were in agreement with the UV–vis measurements. The highest nanofluid stability was obtained at 60-min ultrasonication time. The prepared water-based pristine GNPs nanofluids were not stable, and the stability was improved with the addition of surfactants. The presence of SDBS, SDS, and CTAB surfactants in the nanofluids resulted in excessive foam. The best water-based GNPs nanofluid was selected in terms of better stability, higher thermal conductivity, and lower viscosity. From all the samples that were prepared in this research, the (1–1) SDBS–GNPs sample with 60-min ultrasonication showed the highest stability (82% relative concentration after 60 days), the second better enhancement in the thermal conductivity of the base fluid (8.36%), and nearly the lowest viscosity (7.4% higher than distilled water).
Rutting is mainly referring to pavement permanent deformation, it is a major problem for flexible pavement and it is a complicated process and highly observed along with many segments of asphalt pavement in Iraq. The occurrence of this defect is related to several variables such as elevated temperatures and high wheel loads. Studying effective methods to reduce rutting distress is of great significance for providing a safe and along-life road. The asphalt mixture used to be modified by adding different types of additives. The addition of additives typically excesses stiffness, improves temperature susceptibility, and reduces moisture sensitivity. For this work, steel fibres have been used for modifying asphalt mixture as they incorp
... Show MoreStrengthening of the existing structures is an important task that civil engineers continuously face. Compression members, especially columns, being the most important members of any structure, are the most important members to strengthen if the need ever arise. The method of strengthening compression members by direct wrapping by Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) was adopted in this research. Since the concrete material is a heterogeneous and complex in behavior, thus, the behavior of the confined compression members subjected to uniaxial stress is investigated by finite element (FE) models created using Abaqus CAE 2017 software. The aim of this research is to study experimentally and numerically, the beha
... Show MoreTotal Quality Assurance Concept have appeared in Higher Education Institutions as a result of the continuous criticism for the lower quality of the outputs of these institutions and their inappropriacy to the needs of the job market. The faculty, i.e. teaching staff member, is one of the most important output for his/her responsibility to achieve the stated goals in higher education. This represents a problem that may influence the construction of society which has to limit his tasks, responsibilities, and competencies that should be found in a faculty, and evaluating his teaching profession in light of the prerequisites of the century to become an input to achieve quality assurance in Higher Education. Therefore, the present study aims
... Show MoreThe aim of this research was to estimate the production function to measure returns to scale and distribution efficiency of resources used in the production of wheat. Cross sectional data used of a random sample of 130 farmers in Dhi Qar Province. The results of the quantitative analysis of estimating production function showed that the double logarithmic form was the best estimated model based on economic and statistical indicators. However, that form suffered from heteroscedasticity and autocorrelation, so the robust regression technique was chosen. Value of returns to scale was 0.89 and this indicates decreasing returns to scale. This means that production function is in the second stage of the function. The results of the dist
... Show MoreThe study hypothesize that the majority of Arab countries show a poor agricultural economic efficiency which resulted in a weak productive capacity of wheat in the face of the demand, which in turn led to the fluctuation of the rate of self-sufficiency and thus increase the size of the food gap. The study aims at estimating and analyzing the food security indicators for their importance in shaping the Arabic agricultural policy, which aims to achieve food security through domestic production and reduce the import of food to less possible extent. Some of the most important results reached by the study were that the increase in the amount of consumption of wheat in the countries of t
... Show MoreBackground: Knowing the indications for a cesarean section will help to have a better understanding of this common obstetrical procedure and prepare for the high level of care management that it entails. Aims of the study: The goal of this study was to determine the factors that influence caesarean section indications among women who visited AL-Dewaniya Maternity and Pediatric Hospital, as well as the relationship between caesarean section women's indications and socio-demographic data. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study design is conducted for the period of December 26th 2020 to June 1st 2021 at Al Dewaniya Maternity and Pediatric Hospital. The validity of the questionnaire is determined through a panel of experts and reliabi
... Show MoreIn the framework of this study, the phenomenon of transfer is probed pragma-linguistically and socio-linguistically concerning marriage situations among Iraqi EFL learners. The study also strives to look at the refusal strategies most commonly employed by Iraqi female English as a foreign Language (EFL) learners compared to their counterparts, American native speakers of English. The study involved 70 female participants who answered a Discourse Completion Task (DCT), which contained ten marriage proposals to be refused. Each situation entailed refusal of a person from a higher, an equal, and lower status. The researchers adapted Beebe, Takahashi, and Uliss Weltz’s (1990) taxonomy of refusal for analyzing the data comprehensively. The
... Show MoreIn the present time, radioactive contamination is considered one of the most dangerous types of environmental pollution. It usually takes place because of a leakage of radioactive materials to one of the environment natural components, such as, water, air, and soil. Iraq is considered one of the most contaminated environments in the world; this is closely associated with the wars Iraq had suffered from; especially, in 1991 and 2003. Considering the importance of the radioactive contamination and its different health impacts on the population, the current paper is interested in studying this type of environmental contamination and its impact on the birth defects depending on the data available in the annual reports issued by the Iraqi min
... Show MoreBackground: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Clopidogrel, antiplatelet drug, has been widely used for management of CAD. Arylesterase, the activity of Paraoxonase-1 (PON-1), is mainly contributed in the biotransformation of clopidogrel to its active thiol form. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of receiving clopidogrel drug on the arylesterase activities in CAD patients. The effect of receiving clopidogrel drug on the antioxidant activity of arylesterase was also monitored by determination of malondialdehyde (MDA) level. Methods: One hundred CAD patients, who were followed-up for 5 days after reciving clopidogrel, and 50 healthy volunteers were included in our study
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