title: Rheology and processing of bloodmeal-based thermoplastics

authors: Mohan, Velram Balaji

subjects: bioplastic

abstract: The objective of this research was to determine the rheological properties and processing behaviour of NTP using capillary rheometry and batch mixing. These were evaluated at constant plasticiser content, but using three different ratios of water to plasticiser (triethylene glycol, TEG). Each of these was evaluated at 115, 120 and 125 ℃. It was shown that NTP is a non-Newtonian, shear thinning fluid. It was found that viscosity is highly dependent on water content; decreasing with increasing water content. At a shear rate of 15 s-1, the apparent viscosity for the reference formulation (60 parts water per hundred parts bloodmeal) was 2000 Pa.s compared to 7000 Pa.s for the formulation containing 30 parts water and 30 parts TEG (at 115 ℃). Viscosity decreased slightly with increasing temperature and the degree of non-Newtonian behaviour was mostly unaffected by temperature. The flow behaviour index, n, was found to be in the range 0.11 to 0.17, with no discernable temperature dependence. In the reference formulation, the total amount of plasticiser and ratio water to TEG was higher, which resulted in slightly different flow behaviour with respect to temperature. Batch mixing revealed that NTP crosslinks rapidly after about three minutes and was strongly dependent on temperature and mixing speed.

text: Rheology and processing of bloodmeal-based thermoplastics The objective of this research was to determine the rheological properties and processing behaviour of NTP using capillary rheometry and batch mixing. These were evaluated at constant plasticiser content, but using three different ratios of water to plasticiser (triethylene glycol, TEG). Each of these was evaluated at 115, 120 and 125 ℃. It was shown that NTP is a non-Newtonian, shear thinning fluid. It was found that viscosity is highly dependent on water content; decreasing with increasing water content. At a shear rate of 15 s-1, the apparent viscosity for the reference formulation (60 parts water per hundred parts bloodmeal) was 2000 Pa.s compared to 7000 Pa.s for the formulation containing 30 parts water and 30 parts TEG (at 115 ℃). Viscosity decreased slightly with increasing temperature and the degree of non-Newtonian behaviour was mostly unaffected by temperature. The flow behaviour index, n, was found to be in the range 0.11 to 0.17, with no discernable temperature dependence. In the reference formulation, the total amount of plasticiser and ratio water to TEG was higher, which resulted in slightly different flow behaviour with respect to temperature. Batch mixing revealed that NTP crosslinks rapidly after about three minutes and was strongly dependent on temperature and mixing speed.

year: 2015

title: Towards large scale continuous EDA: a random matrix theory perspective

authors: Kabán, Ata

subjects: estimation of distribution algorithms

abstract: Estimation of distribution algorithms (EDA) are a major branch of evolutionary algorithms (EA) with some unique advantages in principle. They are able to take advantage of correlation structure to drive the search more efficiently, and they are able to provide insights about the structure of the search space. However, model building in high dimensions is extremely challenging and as a result existing EDAs lose their strengths in large scale problems.

Large scale continuous global optimisation is key to many real world problems of modern days. Scaling up EAs to large scale problems has become one of the biggest challenges of the field.

This paper pins down some fundamental roots of the problem and makes a start at developing a new and generic framework to yield effective EDA-type algorithms for large scale continuous global optimisation problems. Our concept is to introduce an ensemble of random projections of the set of fittest search points to low dimensions as a basis for developing a new and generic divide-and-conquer methodology. This is rooted in the theory of random projections developed in theoretical computer science, and will exploit recent advances of non-asymptotic random matrix theory.

text: Towards large scale continuous EDA: a random matrix theory perspective Estimation of distribution algorithms (EDA) are a major branch of evolutionary algorithms (EA) with some unique advantages in principle. They are able to take advantage of correlation structure to drive the search more efficiently, and they are able to provide insights about the structure of the search space. However, model building in high dimensions is extremely challenging and as a result existing EDAs lose their strengths in large scale problems.

Large scale continuous global optimisation is key to many real world problems of modern days. Scaling up EAs to large scale problems has become one of the biggest challenges of the field.

This paper pins down some fundamental roots of the problem and makes a start at developing a new and generic framework to yield effective EDA-type algorithms for large scale continuous global optimisation problems. Our concept is to introduce an ensemble of random projections of the set of fittest search points to low dimensions as a basis for developing a new and generic divide-and-conquer methodology. This is rooted in the theory of random projections developed in theoretical computer science, and will exploit recent advances of non-asymptotic random matrix theory.

year: 2013

title: Book Review: The Treaty of Waitangi in New Zealand’s law and constitution

authors: Olivier, Morne

subjects: The Treaty of Waitangi

abstract: The Treaty of Waitangi occupies an unsettled place in New Zealand’s constitution, law and life. Although there is almost universal agreement that it is a foundation document, this is not reflected in the legal status of the Treaty, or necessarily in its treatment by government. The Treaty engenders strong emotions on both sides of the political divide. Many New Zealanders are ambivalent about it. For some, it is a private issue; for others, it is very public, and very political. Both the legal and constitutional status of the Treaty is uncertain and unsettled, and so is the question of who exercises public power in relation to it. Harris has described the Treaty as one ingredient of a ‘cauldron of quietly simmering constitutional issues’. In this well-researched book, Matthew Palmer confronts these issues head on, and argues his vision for settling the legal and constitutional position of the Treaty.

text: Book Review: The Treaty of Waitangi in New Zealand’s law and constitution The Treaty of Waitangi occupies an unsettled place in New Zealand’s constitution, law and life. Although there is almost universal agreement that it is a foundation document, this is not reflected in the legal status of the Treaty, or necessarily in its treatment by government. The Treaty engenders strong emotions on both sides of the political divide. Many New Zealanders are ambivalent about it. For some, it is a private issue; for others, it is very public, and very political. Both the legal and constitutional status of the Treaty is uncertain and unsettled, and so is the question of who exercises public power in relation to it. Harris has described the Treaty as one ingredient of a ‘cauldron of quietly simmering constitutional issues’. In this well-researched book, Matthew Palmer confronts these issues head on, and argues his vision for settling the legal and constitutional position of the Treaty.

year: 2006