To enhance interfacial bonding between carbon fibers and epoxy matrix, the carbon fibers have been modified with multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) using the dip- coating technique. FT-IR spectrum of the MWCNTs shows a peak at 1640 cm−1 corresponding to the stretching mode of the C=C double bond which forms the framework of the carbon nanotube sidewall. The broad peak at 3430 cm−1 is due to O–H stretching vibration of hydroxyl groups and the peak at 1712 cm−1 corresponds to the carboxylic (C=O) group attached to the carbon fiber. The peaks at 2927 cm−1 and 2862 cm−1 are assigned to C–H stretching vibration of epoxy produced at the defect sites of acid-oxidized carbon fiber surface. SEM image shows a better interface bonding between the fiber and the matrix of modified composites (MWCNTs-CF/Ep) than those of unmodified composite. The loss factor curve of CF-MWCNTs/Ep composites is the narrowest compared with neat epoxy and CF/Ep composites which evinces that the length distribution range of molecular chain segments in the matrix is the narrowest. From the dependence of the AC conductivity on temperature, we can see that σAC increases when temperature increases. The increase in electrical conductivity of the composites may be a result of the increased chain ordering due to annealing effect. The use of MWCNTs to modify the surface of carbon fiber resulted in a large amount of junctions among MWCNT causing an increase in the electrical and thermal conductivity by forming conducting paths in the matrix. The MWCNTs-CF/Ep composite shows better thermal stability than unmodified composites. The strong interaction between CF and MWCNTs can retard diffusion of small molecules from the resin matrix at high temperature and hence, result in the improved thermal stability of the modified CF/Ep composite.
A new modified differential evolution algorithm DE-BEA, is proposed to improve the reliability of the standard DE/current-to-rand/1/bin by implementing a new mutation scheme inspired by the bacterial evolutionary algorithm (BEA). The crossover and the selection schemes of the DE method are also modified to fit the new DE-BEA mechanism. The new scheme diversifies the population by applying to all the individuals a segment based scheme that generates multiple copies (clones) from each individual one-by-one and applies the BEA segment-wise mechanism. These new steps are embedded in the DE/current-to-rand/bin scheme. The performance of the new algorithm has been compared with several DE variants over eighteen benchmark functions including sever
... Show MoreThis study concerns the removal of a trihydrate antibiotic (Amoxicillin) from synthetically contaminated water by adsorption on modified bentonite. The bentonite was modified using hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (HTAB), which turned it from a hydrophilic to a hydrophobic material. The effects of different parameters were studied in batch experiments. These parameters were contact time, solution pH, agitation speed, initial concentration (C0) of the contaminant, and adsorbent dosage. Maximum removal of amoxicillin (93 %) was achieved at contact time = 240 min, pH = 10, agitation speed = 200 rpm, initial concentration = 30 ppm, and adsorbent dosage = 3 g bentonite per 1L of pollutant solution. The characterization of the adsorbent, modi
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For criminal investigations, fingerprints remain the most reliable form of personal identification despite developments in other fields like DNA profiling. The objective of this work is to compare the performance of both commercial charcoal and activated carbon powder derived from the Alhagi plant to reveal latent fingerprints from different non-porous surfaces (cardboard, plain glass, aluminum foil sheet, China Dish, Plastic, and Switch). The effect of three variables on activated carbon production was investigated. These variables were the impregnation ratio (the weight ratio of KOH: dried raw material), the activation temperature, and the activation time. The effect factors were investigated using Central Composite Design
... Show MoreFor criminal investigations, fingerprints remain the most reliable form of personal identification despite developments in other fields like DNA profiling. The objective of this work is to compare the performance of both commercial charcoal and activated carbon powder derived from the Alhagi plant to reveal latent fingerprints from different non-porous surfaces (cardboard, plain glass, aluminum foil sheet, China Dish, Plastic, and Switch). The effect of three variables on activated carbon production was investigated. These variables were the impregnation ratio (the weight ratio of KOH: dried raw material), the activation temperature, and the activation time. The effect factors were investigated using Central Composite Design (CCD) softwa
... Show MoreThin films whose compositions can be expressed by (GeS2)100-xGax (x=0, 6,12,18) formula were obtained by thermal evaporation technique of bulk material at a base pressure of ~10-5 torr. Optical transmission spectra of the films were taken in the range of 300-1100 nm then the optical band gap, tail width of localized states, refractive index, extinction coefficient were calculated. The optical constants were found to increase at low concentration of Ga (0 to12%) while they decreases with further addition of Ga. The optical band gap was found to change in opposite manner to that of optical constants. The variation in the optical parameters are explained in terms of average bond energy
... Show MoreThe photoconductivity and its dependence on light intensity have been investigated in a-Ge20Se80 thin films as a function of temperature between (293–323)K. The result showed that the photoconductivity and photosensitivity increase with increase of annealing temperature. This behavior is interpreted in terms of the dispersive diffusion –controlled recombination of localized electrons and holes.
The deposition process and investigation of the physical properties of tungsten trioxide (WO3) thin films before and after gamma irradiation are presented in this paper. The WO3 thin films were deposited, using the pulse laser deposition technique, on glass substrates at laser energies of 600mJ and 800mJ. After deposition, the samples were gamma irradiated with Co60. The structural and optical properties of polycrystalline WO3 thin films are presented and discussed before and after 5kGy gamma irradiation at the two laser energies. X-ray diffraction spectra revealed that all the films consisted of WO3 crystallized in the triclinic form; the dislocation density and lattice strain increased with the absorbed dosage of gamma
... Show MoreCopper selenide (Cu2Se) thin films were prepared by thermal evaporation at RT with thickness 500 nm. The heat-treating for (400 &500) K for the absorber layer has been investigated. This research includes, studying the structural properties of X-ray diffraction (XRD) that show the Cu2Se thin film (Cubic) and has a polycrystalline orientation prevalent (220). Moreover, studying the effect of annealing on their surface morphology properties by using Atomic Force Microscopy AFM. Optical properties were considered using the transmittance and absorbance spectra had been recorded when wavelength range (400 - 1000) nm in order to study the absorption coefficient and energy gap. It was found that these films had allowed direct transitio
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