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Zinc stannate interactions with flame retardants in polyamides; Part 2: Potential synergies with non-halogen-containing flame retardants in polyamide 6 (PA6)
No full textZinc stannate is a well known synergist and smoke suppressant with brominated flame retardants in a number of polymers but its possible synergistic function with phosphorus-containing species is less well documented. This paper reports the effect of adding zinc stannate together with aluminium diethyl phosphinate, an aryl phosphate (resorcinol bis (diphenyl phosphate)), a cyclic organophosphonate, melamine polyphosphate and melamine cyanurate singly or in combinations in polyamide 6 (PA6).Compounded formulations restricted by the need to maintain a maximum level of 20 wt% or less and an assumed constant molar ratio, Sn/P = 2/3, were characterized by DTA/DTG, limiting oxygen index, UL94, cone calorimetry and tensile testing procedures.Of the formulations studied, that comprising 10 wt% melamine polyphosphate, 5 wt% aryl phosphate and 7.5 wt% zinc stannate produced one of the highest LOI values of 26.5 vol% and a UL94 V2 rating. Clear evidence is provided that zinc stannate functions as a synergist only when these two phosphorus-containing species are present and not when individually present. The addition of zinc stannate to all formulations improved tensile property retention.The further addition of either zinc borate or a nanoclay appeared to negate any previously observed zinc stannate-phosphorus synergy in PA6
What is wrong with disability imagery? : Towards a new praxis of social documentary photography
No full textThis critical appraisal presents the processes and outcomes of a coherent research programme carried out between June 2008 and June 2011 that interrogates the representation of disabled people through in-depth, practice-led case study and analysis, leading to the formulation of a praxis framework for presenting collaborative social documentary photography practices associated with disability. Through the systematic production of bodies of commissioned and personal projects, both successful and unsuccessful, an epistemology of practice is presented that constitutes an independent and original contribution to knowledge.This practice-led research investigates claims that photographic images of disabled people often fail to represent individuals as empowered members of society because of societal references to stereotyped constructions of 'otherness' defined by negative signs of their disability. In order to question this, polemics from disability rights commentators who have referred to, but failed to engage fully with discourses surrounding photographic ontologies and professional practices, thereby constructing a binary line between disabled subjects and their image-makers, are challenged. The implication in their arguments is that photographers have been participating, knowingly or unknowingly, in disablist practices, contributing to the 'othering' of disabled people.By taking an interdisciplinary approach, co-locating photography and disability studies' theoretical frames within the trope of collaborative social documentary practice, orthodoxies surrounding representational outcomes are challenged by investing disabled people with the responsibility for the construction of their own images. Therefore, it contributes to the body of photographic theory concerning representations of the 'other' demonstrating that collaboration is a complex landscape of asymmetrical power structures on many levels -client, photographer, subject, audience - that are difficult to stabilise.By demonstrating synergy between academic theory and professional practice through publication, exhibition and critical discourse, this investigation informs and gives voice to disabled people themselves. Moreover, it adds to, and stimulates scholarly debate on a high-profile public matter by informing policy-makers, health professionals, commissioners and photographers on a controversial area of representation
Empathy levels in 1st and 3rd year students in health and non-health disciplines
No full textObjective. To compare empathy scores between health professions students (pharmacy and nursing) and non-health professions (law) students and between first- and third-year students.Methods. The Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy-Student Version was completed by 282 students.Results. Nursing and pharmacy students had significantly more empathy than did law students. Third-year pharmacy students scored higher on empathy than did first-year pharmacy students, whereas the converse was true for nurses. There was no significant difference in empathy between first- and third-year law students. Across the study years, empathy increased among pharmacy students, decreased among nurses, and remained the same among law students. Women scored higher on empathy than did males.Conclusions. Empathy scores among university students vary depending on discipline and year of study
A comparative study on the efficacy of varied surface coatings in fireproofing glass/epoxy composites
No full textThis paper investigates the efficacy of varied (non-intumescent and intumescent) polymer-based surface coatings in providing fire protection to glass fibre-reinforced (GFR) epoxy composites exposed to one-sided radiant heating. In addition to an intumescent surface coating, two other non-intumescent surface coatings are considered - one that is active in the condensed phase and promotes surface char formation and another that is active in the gaseous phase and inhibits flaming combustion. The fire resistance of surface-coated GFR epoxy composite laminates is evaluated using the cone calorimeter at incident heat fluxes of 25, 50 and 65 kW/m(2). For all tests conditions considered, there is a significant improvement in the fire performance of surface-protected GFR epoxy laminates relative to their unprotected counterparts. The intumescent surface-coated laminate showed the most significant variations in fire reaction properties with changes in irradiance. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
Glass Is Elastic
No full textFeaturing a fascination with the fragility of the body, this compilation is a philosophical and scientific exploration of "ways of seeing." Examining a variety of lenses, including that of the eye, the microscope, and the camera, the poet's accomplished lyricism weaves together themes of war, medicine, and vision
Numerical investigation into the collapse behaviour of an aluminium egg-box under quasi-static loading
No full textA wide range of energy absorbing structures and geometries have been researched upon and proposed for safety applications, particularly for automotive safety. Aluminium pressload panels are being researched to explore the energy absorption capabilities of the unique geometry so as to utilise them for automotive vehicle structures as energy absorbers. Preliminary research outputs describing the deformation of the egg-box under quasi-static loads were presented and the structure was proposed for a commercial vehicle front by the authors. Also the underlying reasons for the specific mode of deformation of the geometry were experimentally explored and research results were published. The current work serves as an extension to the recently published work as a numerical study using HYPERMESH and LS-DYNA software packages and validation against the experiments was carried out. The panel was experimentally tested to further explore the deformation pattern of the egg-box geometry. The effect of natural restraint that occurs due to the existence of the surrounding finite number of peaks/frusta and the flanges surrounding each frustum that comprises the panel's geometry was investigated as three separate cases: (1) single peak with free-free edges, (2) single peak with constrained edges and (3) single-peak in-situ, all tested quasi-statically. The egg-box geometry was modelled numerically and the simulated results were in good agreement with those from the experiment. The specific energy absorption of the single peak cut from the panel and edges left unconstrained was 300 J/kg and that with constrained four corner edges was 700 J/kg. The single peak in-situ absorbed as high as 775 J/kg of specific energy, which is nearly 2.6 times greater than that of for a single peak with free-free edges. This indicates the positive influence of the natural occurring restraint within the egg-box panel geometry to its energy absorption capability
PR and building brand name in Vietnam's FMCG industry: Case study: comparing PR campaign between Vinamilk and Nestle
No full textThis research is conducted in the light of high fluctuation in Vietnam dairy market. With focusing on two big FMCG companies, Vinamilk and Nestle, this report will give the overview about the PR practices in building brands in the market.In this report, the author has applied the research method of survey by questionnaire; semi-structured interview and some market report to analyze the PR activities of two companies under meeting three research objectives. The survey is conducted among the consumers at 2 supermarkets. The target interviewees are the PR agency staff and internal marketing team of Vinamilk and Nestle. Moreover, this research also uses primary date from Vinamilk Annual PR Report and Nestle Annual Promotion Report to collect the information about PR activities of two these companies.The findings of research have pointed out the strength as well as weakness in PR strategy of Vinamilk and Nestle in improving their position in the milk market. Both of companies are lack of concentration on crisis management which is very important in the light of many fluctuations in price and concerns about quality of products from consumers. Moreover, both of them should focus on the online PR channel, which is very effective to promote brand with advance technique and tools
On Developing Interoperable B2B e-Commerce Models for SMEs
No full textBusiness-to-business (B2B) electronic marketplaces (e-Marketplaces) have been in the limelight since 1999 with the commercialisation of the Internet and subsequent "dot.com" boom Ill. Literature is indicative of the growth of the B2B sectors in all industries, and B2B e-Marketplace is one of the sectors that have witnessed a rapid increase. Consequence, the importance of developing the B2B e-Commerce Model for improved value chain in B2B exchanges is extremely important for SMEs to expose to the world marketplace. There are three research objectives (ROs) in this study; first (RO1) to critical review the concepts of the B2B e-Marketplace including their technologies, operations, business relationships and functionalities; second (RO2) to design an automated mechanism of B2B e-Marketplace for SMEs; and third (RO3) to propose a conceptual B2B e-Commerce model for SMEs. The proposed model is constructed by the analytical findings obtained from the contemporary B2B e-Marketplace literature