Effects of activated ceria and zirconia nanoparticles on the protective behaviour of silane coatings in chloride solutions

This work investigates the effect of CeO2 and ZrO2 nanoparticles on the corrosion protection performance of non-inhibited and cerium inhibited silane coatings in 3.5% and 5% NaCl solutions on electro-galvanized steel substrates. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) results show relatively uniform coating thickness and varying nanoparticle distribution depending on coating composition. The corrosion behaviour of the sol–gel coatings revealed that CeO2-ZrO2 nanoparticles reinforce the barrier properties of the silane films and seem to act as nano-reservoirs providing a prolonged release of cerium ions. This prolonged release of inhibitor from oxide nanoreservoirs confers longer protection to the metallic substrate

Faulting patterns in the Lower Yarmouk Gorge potentially influence groundwater flow paths

Recent studies investigating groundwater parameters, e.g., heads, chemical composition, and heat transfer, argued that groundwater flow paths in the Lower Yarmouk Gorge (LYG) area are controlled by geological features such as faults or dikes. However, the nature of such features, as well as their exact locations, were so far unknown. In the present paper, we propose a new fault pattern in the LYG area by compiling and revising geological and geophysical data from the study area, including borehole information, geological map cross sections, and seismic data from the southern Golan Heights and northern Ajloun mountains. The presented pattern is composed of strike–slip and thrust faults, which are associated with the Dead Sea transform system and with the Kinnarot pull-apart basin. Compressional and tensional structures developed in different places, forming a series of fault blocks probably causing a non-uniform spatial hydraulic connection between them. This study provides a coarse fault-block model and improved structural constraints that serve as fundamental input for future hydrogeological modeling which is a suggested solution for an enigmatic hydrological situation concerning three riparian states (Syria, Jordan, and Israel) in a water-scarce region. In areas of water scarcity and transboundary water resources, transient 3-D flow simulations of the resource are the most appropriate solution to understand reservoir behavior. This is an important tool for the development of management strategies. However, those models must be based on realistic geometry, including structural features. The study at the LYG is intended to show the importance of such kinds of structural investigations for providing the necessary database in geologically stressed areas without sufficient data. Furthermore, during the hydrogeological investigation, a mismatch with results of pull-apart basin rim fault evolution studies was discovered. We argue that this mismatch may result from the settings at the eastern rim of the basin as the en-echelon changes from pull-apart basins (Dead Sea, Kinnarot, Hula) to a push-up ridge (Hermon)

A novel three-dimensional macrocellular carbonaceous biofuel cell

Here we report the first membrane-free biofuel cell obtained using three-dimensional carbonaceous foam electrodes. We first developed a new synthetic pathway to produce a new carbonaceous foam electrode material bearing porosity both on the meso and macroporous scales. We proved that by increasing the porosity of our three-dimensional foams we could increase the current density of our modified electrodes. Then, by choosing the right combination of enzyme and mediator, and the right loading of active components, we achieved high current densities for an anodic system. Finally, we combined the improved cathode and anode to build a new membrane-free hybrid enzymatic biofuel cell consisting of a mediated anode and a mediator-free cathode

José María Rico García (1978-2014): "in memoriam"

Tabla de contenido: Introducción por José A. Gómez Pedrero...3 Ciencia y Deporte por Luis M. Sánchez Brea ....6 El lugar de Chema por Javier Alda ....8 Memories of José María in Bordeaux (Recuerdos de José María en Burdeos) por Ashod Aradian ....11 Discussion avec José (Hablar con José) por Stephanie Delair ...6 Palabras para José por Victoria Flexer ....18 Homenaje a José María por Alessandro Veltri ....20 Publicaciones de José María Rico García ....2

Multidimensional Data Visual Exploration by Interactive Information Segments

Visualization techniques provide an outstanding role in KDD process for data analysis and mining. However, one image does not always convey successfully the inherent information from high dimensionality, very large databases. In this paper we introduce VSIS (Visual Set of Information Segments), an interactive tool to visually explore multidimensional, very large, numerical data. Within the supervised learning, our proposal approaches the problem of classification by searching of meaningful intervals belonging to the most relevant attributes. These intervals are displayed as multi–colored bars in which the degree of impurity with respect to the class membership can be easily perceived. Such bars can be re–explored interactively with new values of user–defined parameters. A case study of applying VSIS to some UCI repository data sets shows the usefulness of our tool in supporting the exploration of multidimensional and very large data

Coupling of radiation and magnetospheric accretion flow in ULX pulsars: radiation pressure and photon escape time

The accretion flow within the magnetospheric radius of bright X-ray pulsars can form an optically thick envelope, concealing the central neutron star from the distant observer. Most photons are emitted at the surface of a neutron star and leave the system after multiple reflections by the accretion material covering the magnetosphere. Reflections cause momentum to be transferred between photons and the accretion flow, which contributes to the radiative force and should thus influence the dynamics of accretion. We employ Monte Carlo simulations and estimate the acceleration along magnetic field lines due to the radiative force as well as the radiation pressure across magnetic field lines. We demonstrate that the radiative acceleration can exceed gravitational acceleration along the field lines, and similarly, radiation pressure can exceed magnetic field pressure. Multiple reflections of X-ray photons back into the envelope tend to amplify both radiative force along the field lines and radiative pressure. We analyze the average photon escape time from the magnetosphere of a star and show that its absolute value is weakly dependent on the magnetic field strength of a star and roughly linearly dependent on the mass accretion rate being $\sim 0.1\,{\rm s}$ at $\dot{M}\sim 10^{20}\,{\rm g\,s^{-1}}$. At high mass accretion rates, the escape time can be longer than free-fall time from the inner disc radius.Comment: accepted for publication MNRAS, 9 pages, 6 figure