title: Effect of fibre treatments on interfacial shear strength of hemp fibre reinforced polylactide and unsaturated polyester composites

authors: Sawpan, Moyeenuddin Ahmad

subjects: fibres

abstract: Surface treatment of hemp fibres was investigated as a means of improving interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of hemp fibre reinforced polylactide (PLA) and unsaturated polyester (UPE) composites. Fibres were treated with sodium hydroxide, acetic anhydride, maleic anhydride and silane. A combined treatment using sodium hydroxide and silane was also carried out. IFSS of PLA/hemp fibre samples increased after treatment, except in the case of maleic anhydride treatment. Increased IFSS could be explained by better bonding of PLA with treated fibres and increased PLA transcrystallinity. The highest IFSS was 11.4 MPa which was obtained for the PLA/alkali treated fibre samples. IFSS of UPE/hemp fibre samples increased for all treated fibres. This is believed to be due to the improvement of chemical bonding between the treated fibres and the UPE as supported by FT-IR results. The highest IFSS (20.3 MPa) was found for the combined sodium hydroxide and silane treatment fibre/UPE samples.

text: Effect of fibre treatments on interfacial shear strength of hemp fibre reinforced polylactide and unsaturated polyester composites Surface treatment of hemp fibres was investigated as a means of improving interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of hemp fibre reinforced polylactide (PLA) and unsaturated polyester (UPE) composites. Fibres were treated with sodium hydroxide, acetic anhydride, maleic anhydride and silane. A combined treatment using sodium hydroxide and silane was also carried out. IFSS of PLA/hemp fibre samples increased after treatment, except in the case of maleic anhydride treatment. Increased IFSS could be explained by better bonding of PLA with treated fibres and increased PLA transcrystallinity. The highest IFSS was 11.4 MPa which was obtained for the PLA/alkali treated fibre samples. IFSS of UPE/hemp fibre samples increased for all treated fibres. This is believed to be due to the improvement of chemical bonding between the treated fibres and the UPE as supported by FT-IR results. The highest IFSS (20.3 MPa) was found for the combined sodium hydroxide and silane treatment fibre/UPE samples.

year: 2011

title: Inequality within and between New Zealand urban areas

authors: Alimi, Omoniyi Babatunde

subjects: Income Inequality

abstract: A better understanding of the drivers of changes in the distribution of personal income continues to be of interest to academics, policy makers and the general public. While the focus has often been on the role of economic factors, socio-demographic factors play an important role as well. 

This thesis examines the socio-demographic determinants of changes in the distribution of income in New Zealand urban areas from 1986 to 2013, using data from the Censuses of Population and Dwellings. The thesis examines the role of changes in the age structure, immigration and patterns of educational assortative matching on the changes in the distribution of income over time and across areas. 

Multiple decomposition analyses are used to examine the composition and within-group distribution effects of ageing and immigration, while a counterfactual randomisation methodology is used to examine the effect of educational assortative matching. 

The results show that inequality has increased in New Zealand urban areas but there is spatial disparity in this trend and in its drivers.  Across areas, most of the rise in inequality was driven by increases in the metropolitan areas. Ageing of the population had a downward effect on inequality but widening of the age group-specific distributions has led to overall inequality growth. For immigration, increases in immigrant share have an inequality-increasing effect, but changes in the immigrant group-specific distribution of income are inequality-reducing in non-metropolitan areas and inequality-increasing in metropolitan areas.  With respect to the effect of patterns of partnering among male-female couples on inequality, it is shown that educational assortative matching has an inequality-increasing effect on the distribution of total income of couples. Moreover, spatial sorting on observable characteristics such as age, education and location has an inequality-increasing effect as well.

text: Inequality within and between New Zealand urban areas A better understanding of the drivers of changes in the distribution of personal income continues to be of interest to academics, policy makers and the general public. While the focus has often been on the role of economic factors, socio-demographic factors play an important role as well. 

This thesis examines the socio-demographic determinants of changes in the distribution of income in New Zealand urban areas from 1986 to 2013, using data from the Censuses of Population and Dwellings. The thesis examines the role of changes in the age structure, immigration and patterns of educational assortative matching on the changes in the distribution of income over time and across areas. 

Multiple decomposition analyses are used to examine the composition and within-group distribution effects of ageing and immigration, while a counterfactual randomisation methodology is used to examine the effect of educational assortative matching. 

The results show that inequality has increased in New Zealand urban areas but there is spatial disparity in this trend and in its drivers.  Across areas, most of the rise in inequality was driven by increases in the metropolitan areas. Ageing of the population had a downward effect on inequality but widening of the age group-specific distributions has led to overall inequality growth. For immigration, increases in immigrant share have an inequality-increasing effect, but changes in the immigrant group-specific distribution of income are inequality-reducing in non-metropolitan areas and inequality-increasing in metropolitan areas.  With respect to the effect of patterns of partnering among male-female couples on inequality, it is shown that educational assortative matching has an inequality-increasing effect on the distribution of total income of couples. Moreover, spatial sorting on observable characteristics such as age, education and location has an inequality-increasing effect as well.

year: 2019

title: “Papatuanuku/papa:” Some thoughts on the oppositional grounds of the doctoral experience

authors: Mika, Carl Te Hira

subjects: Kaupapa

abstract: There are significant challenges that face Māori students and supervisors as a “doctoral team.” Perhaps the most fundamental of these is that there is a metaphysics at work in writing and talking that Māori are encouraged to speculate on and reclaim. One term for this metaphysics, “Papatūānuku” (often abbreviated to “Papa”), signifies an active entity that rejects strict definition but influences both doctoral text and team. This article proposes that student and supervisor must simultaneously glance towards the conventions of academic writing and recollect Papatūānuku as potential being in the doctoral process.

text: “Papatuanuku/papa:” Some thoughts on the oppositional grounds of the doctoral experience There are significant challenges that face Māori students and supervisors as a “doctoral team.” Perhaps the most fundamental of these is that there is a metaphysics at work in writing and talking that Māori are encouraged to speculate on and reclaim. One term for this metaphysics, “Papatūānuku” (often abbreviated to “Papa”), signifies an active entity that rejects strict definition but influences both doctoral text and team. This article proposes that student and supervisor must simultaneously glance towards the conventions of academic writing and recollect Papatūānuku as potential being in the doctoral process.

year: 2016