Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA)/poly(caprolactone) (PCL) and two types of organoclay (OMMT) including a fatty amide and ocatdecylamine montmorillonite (FA-MMT and ODA-MMT) were employed to produce polymer nanocomposites by melt blending. Materials were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Mechanical properties were also investigated for these nanocomposites. The nanocomposites showed increasing mechanical properties and thermal stability. XRD results indicated that the materials formed nanocomposites. SEM morphology showed that increasing content of OMMT reduc

Nanofluids, liquid suspensions of nanoparticles (Np), are an effective agent to alter the wettability of oil-wet reservoirs to water-wet thus promoting hydrocarbon recovery. It can also have an application to more efficient carbon storage. We present a series of contact angle (θ) investigations on initially oil-wet calcite surfaces to quantify the performance of hydrophilic silica nanoparticles for wettability alteration. These tests are conducted at typical in-situ high pressure (CO2), temperature and salinity conditions. A high pressure–temperature (P/T) optical cell with a regulated tilted surface was used to measure the advancing and receding contact angles at the desired conditions. The results showed that silica nanofluids can alte

The construction industry in Iraq suffers from many problems, perhaps the most important of which is the delay in time and the increase in costs. Therefore, it was necessary to try to adopt a new methodology that would help in overcoming these problems. It was suggested to combine building information modeling with the agile management approach because this technique and methodology is modern and helps in reducing time and cost and improving quality. This paper aims to know the status of using Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Agile Project management (APM) in Iraq and to shed light on the merging of this integration, explaining the benefits, difficulties, and workflow practices, finding the most influencing factors on the tim

Understanding the effects of fear, quadratic fixed effort harvesting, and predator-dependent refuge are essential topics in ecology. Accordingly, a modified Leslie–Gower prey–predator model incorporating these biological factors is mathematically modeled using the Beddington–DeAngelis type of functional response to describe the predation processes. The model’s qualitative features are investigated, including local equilibria stability, permanence, and global stability. Bifurcation analysis is carried out on the temporal model to identify local bifurcations such as transcritical, saddle-node, and Hopf bifurcation. A comprehensive numerical inquiry is carried out using MATLAB to verify the obtained theoretical findings and und

Many pharmaceutical molecules have solubility problems that until yet consist a hurdle that restricts their use in the pharmaceutical preparations. Lacidipine (LCDP) is a calcium-channel blocker with low aqueous solubility and bioavailability.

        Lipid dosage forms are attractive delivery systems for such hydrophobic drug molecules. Nanoemulsion (NE)  is one of the popular methods that has been used to solve the solubility problems of many drugs. LCDP was formulated as a NE utilizing triacetin as an oil phase, tween 80 and tween 60 as a surfactant and ethanol as a co-surfactant. Nine formulas were prepared, and different tests performed to ensure the stability of the NEs, such as thermodyna

In this study, the performance of the adaptive optics (AO) system was analyzed through a numerical computer simulation implemented in MATLAB. Making a phase screen involved turning computer-generated random numbers into two-dimensional arrays of phase values on a sample point grid with matching statistics. Von Karman turbulence was created depending on the power spectral density. Several simulated point spread functions (PSFs) and modulation transfer functions (MTFs) for different values of the Fried coherent diameter (r_o) were used to show how rough the atmosphere was. To evaluate the effectiveness of the optical system (telescope), the Strehl ratio (S) was computed. The compensation procedure for an AO syst

The nanocrystalline porous silicon (PS) films are prepared by electrochemical etching ECE of p -type silicon wafer with current density (10mA/cm ) and etching times on the formation nano -sized pore array with a dimension of around different etching time (10 and 20) min. The films were characterized by the measurement of XRD, atomic force microscopy properties (AFM). We have estimated crystallites size from X -Ray diffraction about nanoscale for PS and AFM confirms the nanometric size Chemical fictionalization during the electrochemical etching show on the surface chemical composition of PS. The atomic force microscopy investigation shows the rough silicon surface, with increasing etching process (current density and etching time) porous st

In this work, porous Silicon structures are formed with photochemical etching process of n-type Silicon(111) wafers of resistivity (0.02.cm) in hydrofluoric acid (HF) of concentration (39%wt) under light source of tungeston halogen lamp of (100 Watt) power. Samples were anodized in a solution of 39%HF and ethanol at 1:1 for 15 minutes. The samples were realized on n-type Si substrates Porous Silicon layers of 100m thickness and 30% of porousity. Frequency dependence of conductivity for Al/PSi/Si/Al sandwich form was studied. A frequency range of 102-106Hz was used allowing an accurate determination of the impedance components. Their electronic transport parameters were determined using complex impedance measurements. These measu