Simulation of water molecules inside gold nanotubes of various sizes and temperatures.

This study investigates the behavior of water molecules inside Au nanotubes by molecular dynamics. Different sizes of Au nanotubes under three temperatures for three levels of density of Au nanotube have been studied. The structure of each thermodynamic state is analyzed through the characterization of the hydrogen-bond network. An observation of the water molecule distribution reveals that the adsorption of water molecules creates shell-like formation of water near the Au nanotube wall, and such formations are found to be more pronounced within an Au nanotube. Au atoms of different sizes have an affinity for water molecules at different temperatures.

Hydrodynamic drag force exerted on activated sludge floc at intermediate Reynolds number.

We hung the activated sludge flocs on an elastic nylon stick and then subjected it to a uniform water flow and measured its displacement. The hydrodynamic drag force exerted on the floc was subsequently estimated, both for cationic flocculated flocs and for flocculated and then frozen/thawed flocs. A confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) was employed to probe the interior structure of flocs. Polyelectrolyte flocculation leads to a compact global structure, and hence high drag force exerted on the floc by water. The corresponding C(D)Omega value at Re=12-27 for flocs ranges from 1.58 to 3.61. Fast freezing would little affect the hydrodynamic drag force. Slow freezing, in contrast, considerably consolidated the floc structure and hence presented impermeable sphere-like behavior of the slowly frozen/thawed flocs.

Batch gravitational sedimentation of slurries.

We investigated the batch settling behavior of the kaolin slurry and the UK ball clay slurry at various initial solids fractions (phi(0)s) using a computerized axial tomography scanner (CATSCAN). The spatio-temporal evolutions of solids fractions in the consolidating sediments were continuously monitored. Since the interface between the sediment and the supernatant of the investigated slurries was blurred, an averaging procedure was employed to estimate their null-stress solids fractions (phi(g)s). Besides the rather slow settling for the high-phi(0) slurries, the basic settling characteristics resemble each other regardless of whether phi(0)>phi(g) or vice versa. The above-mentioned experimental data reveal that the investigated slurries are neither purely elastic nor purely plastic in rheological behavior. On contrary to most model works a blurred supernatant-sediment interface makes difficulty in the gel point determination. During initial settling the high-phi(0) slurries clearly exhibit a finite yield stress to resist deformation. That is, the slurries are plastic fluids. However, the network structure in the slurries deteriorates gradually in the subsequent settling stage while the final, equilibrated sediment reveals a continuous distribution in solids fraction. Restated, the final sediment possesses as a purely elastic characteristic. The model parameters of theory by Buscall and White were regressed by the dynamic consolidating sediment data, while those by Tiller and Leu were obtained using the final equilibrated sediment data. Calculations from both models reveal that ball clay slurry is more compressible than is the kaolin slurry. The high-phi(S0) slurry would yield the less compressible sediment.