Design, synthesis and characterization of polymeric films and membranes

Solid polymer electrolyte membranes play a vital role in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. Although these membranes have been used successfully, there is still a need to improve their proton conductivity, lower their cost and increase their operation temperature. Polybenzimidazole, a high temperature resistant polymer, was synthesized and polymer electrolyte membrane was fabricated with a novel method including ultrasonic generator and ultrasonic nozzle. A computer model was developed by using COMSOL Multiphysics program. Polypropylene (PP) films were fabricated by using single screw extruder in order to find out how the machine parameters affect the mechanical properties of the product. Nanoclay reinforced PP films were produced by using single screw extruder after compatibilizer, nanoclay and PP were mixed in a twin screw extruder. Tensile, tear and burst strength tests were performed on these films. With the increasing temperature and winding speed, the thickness of the films decreases; however, with the increasing screw motor speed film thickness increases. With the increasing temperature tear strength becomes higher in machine direction (MD); however tear strength decreases in cross direction (CD). With the increasing screw motor speed tear strength of the films did not show any specific trend in MD; however, tear strength of the films in CD increases. With the increasing winding speed the tear strength of the films decreases in MD; however, the data did not show any specific trend in CD. When the molecular orientation increases because of lower temperatures, tensile strength should increase according to the literature. However in this iii work, as the temperature increased, tensile strength increased in MD. With increasing screw motor speed tensile strength of the films increases in MD; however, tensile strength of the films decreases in CD. With increasing winding speed the tensile strength of the films increases in MD; however, tensile strength of the films decreases in CD. Nanoclay reinforced films having only 1% nanoclay content have more homogeneous nanoclay dispersion than the films having 3% nanoclay content. The films having 5% nanoclay content have better nanoclay dispersion compared to the other films. Screw speed was increased for the films having 5% nanoclay content. Since the screw speed was increased, shear stress increased. This caused the polymer and the nanoclay mix more homogeneously. According to the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results the melting points of the nanoclay reinforced films slightly increase as their nanoclay contents increase from 1% to 5%. Tensile tests showed that as the nanoclay contents increase, the extension of the films decreases. Nanoclay reinforced films having only 1% nanoclay content have higher tensile strength than the films having 3% nanoclay content. No specific result could be obtained about the effect of the compatibilizer content on tensile strength of the nanoclay reinforced films. Nanoclay reinforced films having only 1% nanoclay content have higher tear strength than the films having 3% nanoclay content. Since the screw speed was increased for the films having 5% nanoclay content in order to obtain a film structure, the films, having 5% nanoclay content, gained higher tear strength. Burst strength results show that as the nanoclay content of the nanoclay reinforced films increases from 1% to 5%, the extension of the films decreases. Nanoclay reinforced films having only 1% nanoclay content have higher burst strength than the films having 3% nanoclay content

'Whither Historical Sociology?': A Review Essay on the Current Scholarship

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/51287/1/523.pd

From Gender to the Third-World: Extending Standpoint Theory to the Experience of the Oppressed

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/51285/1/521.pd

The lawyers' war: states and human rights in a transnational field

While torture and assassination have not infrequently been used by states, the post 9/11 "war on terror" waged by the U.S. has been distinguished by the open acknowledgement of, and political and legal justifications put forward in support of, these practices. This is surprising insofar as the primary theories that have been mobilized by sociologists and political scientists to understand the relation between the spread of human rights norms and state action presume that states will increasingly adhere to such norms in their rhetoric, if not always in practice. Thus, while it is not inconceivable that the U.S. would engage in torture and assassination, we would expect these acts would be conducted under a cloak of deniability. Yet rather than pure hypocrisy, the U.S. war on terror has been characterized by the development of a legal infrastructure to support the use of "forbidden" practices such as torture and assassination, along with varying degrees of open defense of such tactics. Drawing on first-order accounts presented in published memoirs, this paper argues that the Bush administration developed such openness as a purposeful strategy, in response to the rise of a legal, technological, and institutional transnational human rights infrastructure which had turned deniability into a less sustainable option. It concludes by suggesting that a more robust theory of state action, drawing on sociological field theory, can help better explain the ways that transnational norms and institutions affect states

Determination of a Model Regarding Customer Satisfaction Perception for Textile Consumers

Abstract Since customer satisfaction (CS) is crucial for the textile industry, the purpose of this research is determination of the factors influencing CS in the textile industry, creation of a CS model and offering solution suggestions for improving CS. CS is a comprehensive and detailed subject influenced by various factors however; in this study perceived service quality, perceived product quality, brand image and perceived value are considered as the factors that influence CS. After the consumer survey was applied on survey respondents and the data gained from the questionnaires was inserted in SPSS program, the data was analyzed statistically to determine the factors influencing CS. In the light of the information gained after the analysis process, solution suggestions to the problems that the textile industry faces were expressed and the effects of this research to the textile industry and literature were described

Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Group Therapy in Infertility: A Systematic Review

The aim of this study is to make a systematic review the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral group therapy which is designed to decrease psychological distress of individuals with infertility problem. The articles published between 2000 and 2015 (February) were screened in the certain national and international scientific databases. Eleven studies that met the research criteria of inclusion and exclusion were evaluated in terms of the method, psychotherapeutic techniques and results. The findings of the current studies revealed that the cognitive behavioral group therapy designed for psychological distress in individuals with infertility is effective to reduce stress, anxiety, depression and relevant psychological problems. Moreover, this approach seems to be lead an increase in use of more adaptive ways of coping, optimism and resilience. In sum, it can be concluded that cognitive behavioral group therapy for infertile individuals has a positive impact on psychological well-being of those people. [Psikiyatride Guncel Yaklasimlar - Current Approaches in Psychiatry 2016; 8(Supplement 1): 144-156

The tales of two sacred buildings in urban pattern of a transportation hub : the case of Üsküdar, İstanbul

Üsküdar is one of the oldest settlements in Istanbul dating back to the early Ottoman period and the primary transportation hub of the modern city. The area is at the intersection point of bulk sea transport and underground system besides heavy motor traffic and pedestrian movement. Being by-the-sea has supported the district's function in terms of transportation and recreation facilities. There is a great square, which is defined by significant historical monuments and underground stop entrances, allows considerable pedestrian flow through the area. The aim of this study is revealing the changes in the urban form of Üsküdar throughout time and the effects of two constant sacred buildings as a significant role on users' daily lives today. For this purpose, firstly the morphological changes in the urban pattern of Üsküdar are demonstrated on the building and plot differences in the urban tissue and space syntax as a quantitative method is used to define the configuration of the urban structure in relation with the two monumental historical mosques. Secondly, the architectural structures of the two mosques examined as different systems from courtyard and surrounding of the buildings. According to this perspective, visibility graph analysis and related data sets on user behaviour are used. Moreover, the pedestrian movement pattern data in the area is collected in three different time periods during the weekday, weekend and also pray time on Friday. To conclude, this study combines different data sets, observations and analytical methods to explain the morphological character of the historic area and the influence of the Friday mosques on users' everyday life independent from their functional usage

IMPROVING METROLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF ELECTRIC TRACTION ENERGY METERS USING FUZZY CONTROLLERS

This paper presents the possibility of using a fuzzy controller to correct metrological properties of an electric traction energy meter. So far, no algorithms based on fuzzy logic to determine the desired conversion value of the current channel of the electricity meter have been applied. Currently, for the mentioned channel, conventional methods of gain determination are used, based on a sequential algorithm that controls operation of the programmable gain amplifier. The proposed corrector is designed for smart and continuous modification of the conversion factor of the low-voltage input part of the current channel in the electric energy meter. The authors have performed an accurate analysis of the current function in the main circuit of an electric locomotive by creating a model of a traction inverter subject to asynchronous motor load. An essential concept is this paper is to present the possibility of having a multi-input fuzzy controller split into two-input controllers connected in parallel and cascade. By performing a computer simulation of systems used for correcting metrological properties of electric traction energy meters, it has been proven that the applied fuzzy systems, based on an expert’s knowledge of digitally controlled PGA (Programmable Gain Amplifier) type operational amplifiers, are advantageous