Lignin has emerged as a promising asphalt binder modifier due to its sustainable and renewable nature, with the potential to improve flexible pavement performance. This study investigates the use of Soda Lignin Powder (SLP), derived from Pinus wood sawdust via alkaline treatment, as an asphalt modifier to enhance mixture durability. SLP was characterized using Fourier Transformation Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (SEM/EDX), revealing significant changes in its chemical structure post-extraction. These analyses showed the presence of phenolic units, including hydroxyphenyl propane, syringyl, and guaiacyl units. The morphology of SLP was identified as irregular and spherical particles consisting of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur. Experimental evaluations involved three SLP dosages (2%, 4%, and 6% by weight of asphalt binder), with tests for penetration, softening point, ductility and rotational viscosity. Additionally, the asphalt mixtures were tested for their performance in terms of moisture susceptibility, resilient modulus, permanent deformation, and fatigue resistance. Results indicated that SLP effectively reduces the temperature susceptibility of asphalt by increasing its stiffness and rotational viscosity. Furthermore, mixtures with 6% SLP showed enhanced moisture resistance, with a Tensile Strength Ratio (TSR) of 86.98%, a 74.1% reduction in accumulated permanent deformation at 10,000 cycles, and a 38.1% increase in the Cracking Tolerance Index (CT index) compared to the control mix (0% SLP content). These findings confirm that SLP has the potential to be an effective additive in the design of asphalt mixture. Moreover, it allows producing endurable mixtures with higher resistance to distress.
In this investigation, metal matrix composites (MMCs) were manufactured by using powder technology. Aluminum 6061 is reinforced with two different ceramics particles (SiC and B4C) with different volume fractions as (3, 6, 9 and 12 wt. %). The most important applications of particulate reinforcement of aluminum matrix are: Pistons, Connecting rods etc. The specimens were prepared by using aluminum powder with 150 µm in particle size and SiC, B4C powder with 200 µm in particle size. The chosen powders were mixed by using planetary mixing setup at 250 rpm for 4hr.with zinc stearate as an activator material in steel ball milling. After mixing process the powders were compacted by hydraulic
... Show MoreThis systematic review aimed to analyse available evidence to answer two focused questions about the efficacy of erythritol powder air‐polishing (EPAP) (i) as an adjunctive during active periodontal therapy (APT) and (ii) as an alternative to hand/ultrasonic instrumentation during supportive periodontal therapy (SPT). Additionally, microbiological outcomes and patient's comfort/perceptions were assessed as secondary outcomes.
PubMed, Cochrane and Medline were searched for relevant articles published before February 2021 following PRISMA guidelines. The search was conducted by three indep
The paper discusses the structural and optical properties of In2O3 and In2O3-SnO2 gas sensor thin films were deposited on glass and silicon substrates and grown by irradiation of assistant microwave on seeded layer nucleated using spin coating technique. The X-ray diffraction revealed a polycrystalline nature of the cubic structure. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) used for morphology analysis that shown the grain size of the prepared thin film is less than 100 nm, surface roughness and root mean square for In2O3 where increased after loading SnO2, this addition is a challenge in gas sensing application. Sensitivity of In2O3 thin film against NO2 toxic gas is 35% at 300oC. Sensing properties were improved after adding Tin Oxide (SnO2) to be mo
... Show MoreImage compression is a suitable technique to reduce the storage space of an image, increase the area of storage in the device, and speed up the transmission process. In this paper, a new idea for image compression is proposed to improve the performance of the Absolute Moment Block Truncation Coding (AMBTC) method depending on Weber's law condition to distinguish uniform blocks (i.e., low and constant details blocks) from non-uniform blocks in original images. Then, all elements in the bitmap of each uniform block are represented by zero. After that, the lossless method, which is Run Length method, is used for compressing the bits more, which represent the bitmap of these uniform blocks. Via this simple idea, the result is improving
... Show MoreThe current research aims to analyze the role of participatory budgeting in improving performance, especially during crises such as the Covid-19 crisis. The research used the descriptive analytical method to reach the results by distributing 100 questionnaires to a number of employees in Iraqi joint stock companies and at multiple administrative levels. The research came to several important conclusions, the most important of which is that the bottom-up approach to budgeting produces more achievable budgets than the top-down approach, which is imposed on the company by senior management with much less employee participation. Additionally, there is a better information flow from the lower levels of the organization to the upper management
... Show MoreThe introduction to the research included a presentation of some physical characteristics and their importance in sports, including the speed of kinesthetic response response and the extent of its usefulness and importance, especially for soccer goalkeepers, as it is the most important element that goalkeepers must have, and it is also the main key to the excellence and development of all physical and kinesthetic response qualities and skills of a goalkeeper. Football. The speed of kinesthetic response response and reaction is one of the requirements of the game of football, as well as all other sports and even in general professional life. Its importance is highlighted for the football goalkeeper, so he must master it perfectly to perform
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