Repozytorium publikacji - Politechnika Gdańska

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Repozytorium publikacji
Politechniki Gdańskiej

Publikacje z roku 2021

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  • The Green Approach to the Synthesis of Bio-Based Thermoplastic Polyurethane Elastomers with Partially Bio-Based Hard Blocks
    • Ewa Głowińska
    • Paulina Kasprzyk
    • Janusz Datta
    2021 Pełny tekst Materials

    Bio-based polymeric materials and green routes for their preparation are current issues of many research works. In this work, we used the diisocyanate mixture based on partially bio-based diisocyanate origin and typical petrochemical diisocyanate for the preparation of novel bio-based thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers (bio-TPUs). We studied the influence of the diisocyanate mixture composition on the chemical structure, thermal, thermomechanical, and mechanical properties of obtained bio-TPUs. Diisocyanate mixture and bio-based 1,4-butanediol (as a low molecular chain extender) created bio-based hard blocks (HS). The diisocyanate mixture contained up to 75 wt % of partially bio-based diisocyanate. It is worth mentioning that the structure and amount of HS impact the phase separation, processing, thermal or mechanical properties of polyurethanes. The soft blocks (SS) in the bio-TPU’s materials were built from α,ω-oligo(ethylene-butylene adipate) diol. Hereby, bio-TPUs differed in hard segments content (c.a. 30; 34; 40, and 53%). We found that already increase of bio-based diisocyanate content of the bio-TPU impact the changes in their thermal stability which was measured by TGA. Based on DMTA results we observed changes in the viscoelastic behavior of bio-TPUs. The DSC analysis revealed decreasing in glass transition temperature and melting temperature of hard segments. In general, obtained materials were characterized by good mechanical properties. The results confirmed the validity of undertaken research problem related to obtaining bio-TPUs consist of bio-based hard building blocks. The application of partially bio-based diisocyanate mixtures and bio-based chain extender for bio-TPU synthesis leads to sustainable chemistry. Therefore the total level of “green carbons” increases with the increase of bio-based diisocyanate content in the bio-TPU structure. Obtained results constitute promising data for further works related to the preparation of fully bio-based thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers and development in the field of bio-based polymeric materials


  • The image of the City on social media: A comparative study using “Big Data” and “Small Data” methods in the Tri-City Region in Poland
    • Jianxiang Huang
    • Hanna Obracht-Prondzyńska
    • Dorota Kamrowska-Załuska
    • Yiming Sun
    • Lishuai Li
    2021 Pełny tekst LANDSCAPE AND URBAN PLANNING

    “The Image of the City” by Kevin Lynch is a landmark planning theory of lasting influence; its scientific rigor and relevance in the digital age were in dispute. The rise of social media and other digital technologies offers new opportunities to study the perception of urban environments. Questions remain as to whether social media analytics can provide a reliable measure of perceived city images? If yes, what implication does it hold for urban planners? This paper describes a study on the perception of city images using a combination of “big data” and “small data” methods in the Tri-City Region in Poland. The aims were to 1) test the hypothesis whether social media analytics can elicit Lynchian elements of city image in consistency with conventional methods, and 2) develop and evaluate social media-based indicators of Imageability for planning practice. Geo-tagged images and texts were collected from Instagram and Twitter, two popular social media platforms in Poland. Text-Mining, Image Processing, Clustering Analysis, Kernel Density Estimation, and Sentiment Analysis were used. Results were compared with benchmarks constructed from official GIS database, questionnaire responses and sketch maps. “District”, “landmark”, and “path” identified on social media were in good agreements with benchmarks, less so for “edge” and “node”. Two social media-based indicators have influenced the perception of a place: Instagramability, the frequency of a place captured on Instagram, was linked to its perception as an architectural landmark and tourist attraction, while Twitterability, the frequency of a place mentioned on Twitter by name, was linked to its perceived niceness and relevance to everyday life of communities. Methods developed in this study have theoretical and practical implications for urban planners.


  • The Impact of Covid-19 on the Performance of Exchange Traded Funds on Developed and Emerging Markets
    • Krystian Zawadzki
    2021 Pełny tekst

    In this paper an endeavour was made to evaluate the impact of Covid-19 on the achievement of the investment objectives by selected ETFs in developed and emerging markets. For this purpose, the tracking errors calculated for 18 different ETFs operating on the basis of American, Asian and European stock indexes were analyzed. The time range of the research was selected in such a way as to compare the period before the pandemic(pre-Covid) and the period after the pandemic (post-Covid). The research results show that the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has not had a negative impact on the degree of implementation of the investment objective, regardless of the degree of market development. For each of the analyzed markets, the calculated tracking errors were not higher in the post-Covid period as compared to the pre-Covid period. In the vast majority of cases, they were even lower. This means that the management of the ETF has run smoothly in the most turbulent period of the 21st century.


  • The Impact of Decommissioning Cemeteries on the Urban Ecosystem
    • Anna Myślińska
    • Jakub Szczepański
    • Witold Dłubakowski
    2021 Pełny tekst Sustainability

    The decommissioning of cemeteries noticeably transforms the urban fabric. The purpose of this article was to determine what impact the decommissioning of cemeteries has on the urban ecosystem. For this purpose, it was necessary to assess the value of cemeteries within the urban ecosystem. Cemeteries are classified as urban green spaces, and their value as preservers of flora and fauna in local ecosystems has been proven. However, numerous decaying bodies in one place could have adverse effects on the environment. In order to assess the impact of transforming cemetery areas for other uses in the context of sustainable city development, it is necessary to define what these other functions might be. This article presents the main reasons for decommissioning cemeteries and links them with subsequent land use. The history of cemetery locations in five major Polish cities was analyzed to determine the extent to which cemeteries were decommissioned. In the two cities with the highest number of decommissioned cemeteries, further research was carried out in order to establish the typical land use of these former cemeteries, whether this usage is related to the size or type of the former cemetery, and whether change in land use is an advantage or a disadvantage for the urban ecosystem.


  • The impact of freeze-thaw processes on a cliff recession rate in the face of temperate zone climate change
    • Halina Kaczmarek
    • Arkadiusz Bartczak
    • Sebastian Tyszkowski
    • Michał Badocha
    • Michał Krzemiński
    2021 CATENA

    Freeze-thaw action is a common type of geomorphological processes eroding cliff faces in the temperate climate zone. In our previous study, we assessed the geomorphological effects of freeze-thaw fluctuations occurring within the cliff of Jeziorsko Reservoir (central Poland). Based on those findings, we have now determined the number of freeze-thaw cycles to assess their historical impact on the studied cliff. We have also traced the directions and the pace of changes in freeze-thaw processes in Poland. The results reveal a gradually decreasing role of freeze-thaw action in the process of the recession of the cliff of Jeziorsko Reservoir throughout its existence. The same is true nearly across Poland, although with some regional variation. Within 1951–2018, the impact of freeze-thaw action declined most significantly in north-western and central Poland, i.e. the area with the smallest annual number of freeze-thaw cycles. Consequently, this is also where the impact of geomorphological results of freeze-thaw cycles will be the least pronounced. It was only in the north-eastern edges of the country, which are under the dominant influence of continental air masses, where no significant changes in the impact of freeze-thaw processes were identified. The obtained results strongly legitimise the conclusion that global warming in the mid-latitude zone of the temperate climate has reduced the role of freeze-thaw processes in the geomorphological transformation of cliffs developed within river banks and lake or water reservoir shores.


  • The Impact of Ground Tire Rubber Oxidation with H2O2 and KMnO4 on the Structure and Performance of Flexible Polyurethane/Ground Tire Rubber Composite Foams
    • Aleksander Hejna
    • Adam Olszewski
    • Łukasz Zedler
    • Paulina Kosmela
    • Krzysztof Formela
    2021 Pełny tekst Materials

    The use of waste tires is a very critical issue, considering their environmental and economic implications. One of the simplest and the least harmful methods is conversion of tires into ground tire rubber (GTR), which can be introduced into different polymer matrices as a filler. However, these applications often require proper modifications to provide compatibility with the polymer matrix. In this study, we examined the impact of GTR oxidation with hydrogen peroxide and potassium permanganate on the processing and properties of flexible polyurethane/GTR composite foams. Applied treatments caused oxidation and introduction of hydroxyl groups onto the surface of rubber particles, expressed by the broad range of their hydroxyl numbers. It resulted in noticeable differences in the processing of the polyurethane system and affected the structure of flexible composite foams. Treatment with H2O2 resulted in a 31% rise of apparent density, while the catalytic activity of potassium ions enhanced foaming of system decreased density by 25% and increased the open cell content. Better mechanical performance was noted for H2O2 modifications (even by 100% higher normalized compressive strength), because of the voids in cell walls and incompletely developed structure during polymerization, accelerated by KMnO4 treatment. This paper shows that modification of ground tire rubber is a very promising approach, and when properly performed may be applied to engineer the structure and performance of polyurethane composite foams.


  • The Impact of Thermal Stresses on Volume Resistivity: Performance Comparison between TR-XLPE and XLPE Cables
    • Jasem Mohammed
    • Shady S. Refaat
    • Haitham Abu-Rub
    • Marek Olesz
    • Jarosław Guziński
    2021

    Most failures in electric power cables are attributed to the development of water trees inside the insulating materials. Thus, the development and utilization of Tree Retardant Cross-Linked Polyethylene (TR-XLPE) based cables have recently been given great attention to overcome the treeing issues. TR-XLPE cables use low-density polyethylene compounds suppressing the formation of water trees while retaining excellent electrical, physical, and processing attributes. This paper investigates and analyzes the impact of thermal stress on a 33kV three-core power cable with TR-XLPE and XLPE insulations in the presence of different types, shapes and sizes of voids. The results have been obtained after 500 hours of the accelerated aging test. The obtained results confirm the superiority of TR-XLPE over XLPE cables in terms of retaining higher volume resistivity. Results obtained from simulations conclude that TR-XLPE insulated cable retains 6% more dielectric strength when compared to XLPE insulated cable.


  • The Influence of a Photovoltaic Micro-Installation on the Low-Frequency Parameters of Electricity at PCC and Its Impact on the Thermal Characteristics of Selected Devices
    • Stanisław Galla
    • Mirosław Włas
    2021 Pełny tekst ENERGIES

    This manuscript illustrates the measurement results of parameters describing the quality of energy at the PCC (point of common coupling) of a photovoltaic micro-installation that can significantly affect devices in the same power grid. The analyses reflecting heating of selected devices used in domestic installations, which were performed in an isolated laboratory environment, are also indicated. The conducted study aimed at checking the thermal characteristics of the chosen equipment, i.e., AC/DC power supply, LED and fluorescent light sources, a step-down transformer at synergistically higher voltage harmonics and constant component in the network voltage. The tests were carried out at the disturbance levels recorded at the site of the photovoltaic micro-installation. The conducted tests aimed at indicating the presence of an increased level of synergetic disturbances in the vicinity of micro-photovoltaic installations. Based on the research, recommendations were made for photovoltaic micro-installations.


  • The Influence of Antitumor Unsymmetrical Bisacridines on 3D Cancer Spheroids Growth and Viability
    • Jolanta Kulesza
    • Monika Pawłowska
    • Ewa Augustin
    2021 Pełny tekst MOLECULES

    The culture of 3D spheroids is a promising tool in drug development and testing. Recently, we synthesized a new group of compounds, unsymmetrical bisacridines (UAs), which exhibit high cytotoxicity against various human cell lines and antitumor potency against several xenografts. Here, we describe the ability of four UAs—C-2028, C-2041, C-2045, and C-2053—to influence the growth of HCT116 and H460 spheres and the viability of HCT116 cells in 3D culture compared with that in 2D standard monolayer culture. Spheroids were generated using ultra-low-attachment plates. The morphology and diameters of the obtained spheroids and those treated with UAs were observed and measured under the microscope. The viability of cells exposed to UAs at different concentrations and for different incubation times in 2D and 3D cultures was assessed using 7-AAD staining. All UAs managed to significantly inhibit the growth of HCT116 and H460 spheroids. C-2045 and C-2053 caused the death of the largest population of HCT116 spheroid cells. Although C-2041 seemed to be the most effective in the 2D monolayer experiments, in 3D conditions, it turned out to be the weakest compound. The 3D spheroid culture seems to be a suitable method to examine the efficiency of new antitumor compounds, such as unsymmetrical bisacridines.


  • The influence of atmospheric circulation on the occurrence of dry and wet periods in Central Poland in 1954–2018
    • Andrzej Araźny
    • Arkadiusz Bartczak
    • Rafał Maszewski
    • Michał Krzemiński
    2021 Pełny tekst THEORETICAL AND APPLIED CLIMATOLOGY

    This work presents the influence of atmospheric circulation on the occurrence of dry and wet periods in the central Polish region of Kujawy. The material on which the authors relied encompassed monthly totals of precipitation obtained from 10 weather stations in the period 1954–2018. Both dry and wet periods have been identified on the basis of monthly values of the Standardised Precipitation Index (SPI). Additionally, the calendar of circulation types over Central Poland was used to determine the atmospheric circulation indices: western (W), southern (S) and cyclonicity (C). The analyses have indicated that the region concerned experiences low precipitation totals in comparison with the rest of Poland. According to the circulation indices W, S and C, for Central Poland, the air mass advection from the West prevails over that from the East. Moreover, a slightly more frequent inflow of air from the South than from the North has been observed. The frequency of anticyclonic situations is higher than that of the cyclonic types in this part of Europe. Drought spells occurred in the study area at a clear dominance of anticyclonic circulation, with the inflow of air mostly from the North and with increased westerly circulation. On the other hand, the occurrence of wet periods was mainly influenced by cyclonic circulation during the advection of the masses from the South and West. Dry and wet periods accounted for 28% and 27% of the study period, respectively.


  • The Influence of Cement Type on Early Properties of Cold In-Place Recycled Mixtures
    • Bohdan Dołżycki
    • Mariusz Jaczewski
    • Cezary Szydłowski
    2021 Pełny tekst

    Cold in-place recycling is a commonly used maintenance treatment in rehabilitation of low and medium volume roads in Poland. Typically, two types of binding agents are used—cement and bituminous emulsion (or foamed bitumen).Due to the harsh Polish climate with many freeze/thaw cycles and frequent occurrence of saturated conditions, the used amounts of cement are higher than those commonly used in warmer parts of Europe. While there is usually only one type of bituminous emulsion dedicated for cold recycling on the market, there are numerous types of cements, which differ in chemical composition and properties. The conducted research presents possible development of cold recycled mixture properties over curing time, taking into account the type of cement used. Two types of cement were tested in laboratory investigation—common Portland CEM I 32.5 R cement and Portland-fly ash CEM II 32.5 B-V cement with longer setting time. Cold recycled mixtures were designed with the same composition and amount of binding agents, but differed in the type of cement used. For both mixtures, indirect tensile strength and modulus were tested after 7, 28 and 90 days of curing in laboratory conditions. The laboratory tests confirmed lower values of strength and modulus for the fly ash cement after 7 and 28 days in comparison to the typical cement, but after 90 days the properties of both tested mixtures presented similar values. If the overall predicted fatigue life and long-term mechanical properties are the same, the use of slow-setting cementsmay result in reduction of reflective cracking on the surface of the pavement. In the case of low and medium volume roads, where there is no need for fast paving of the asphalt layers and more time may be allowed for the cold-recycled mixture to achieve the required initial strength, slow-setting cements should be considered as a viable treatment for reduction of the risk of reflective cracking.


  • The influence of climate change on the life insurance in the EU: A panel data approach
    • Oleksandr Melnychenko
    • Tetyana Kalna-Dubinyuk
    • Olha Vovchak
    • Tetiana Girchenko
    2021 Pełny tekst E3S Web of Conferences

    The financial sector, as one of the most sensitive economic sectors, is alert to all trends and changes in the environment. The aim of the article is to study the impact of climate change on the life insurance market using panel data from 28 countries of the European Union (EU) for the last 9 years. This study is based on a panel model, where the amount of premiums under life insurance contracts is defined as a function of the fundamental factor of climate change - greenhouse gas emissions. According to empirical findings, an increase in greenhouse gas emissions per thousand tons leads to an increase in the amount of life insurance premiums by 0.1786 million euros. It has also been found that an increase in greenhouse gas emissions per thousand tons leads to an increase in deaths in the European Union by 1.0442 people, and these consequences are statistically significant. In general, our results suggest that the life insurance market as well as the nonlife insurance market is dependent on climate change. The empirical results of this study provide valuable insight into how greenhouse gas emissions affect mortality in the European Union.


  • The Influence of Co-Fermentation of Agri-Food Waste with Primary Sludge on Biogas Production and Composition of the Liquid Fraction of Digestate
    • Anna Wilińska-Lisowska
    • Monika Ossowska
    • Krzysztof Czerwionka
    2021 Pełny tekst ENERGIES

    Energy self-sufficiency is a current trend in wastewater treatment plants. This effect can be achieved by increasing the production of electricity from biogas and by reducing energy consumption for technological processes. One idea, in line with the circular economy concept, is the use of waste rich in organic matter as co-substrates for the fermentation process. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of waste co-fermentation on biogas production and nitrogen concentration in the reject water. A co-fermentation process with flotate or flotate and vegetables increased biogas production compared to primary sludge by 162 and 180%, respectively. During the tests, there was no inhibition of the fermentation process. Hydrolysis of organic compounds contained in flotate and vegetables resulted in a significant increase in ammonium nitrogen (by 80–100%) and dissolved organic nitrogen concentration (by 170–180%). The biogas and methane production rate as well as the ammonium and total nitrogen release rate were calculated. An energy balance was made, which took into account the variable amount of electric energy production depending on the efficiency of the cogeneration systems and energy consumption for supplying oxygen necessary to remove nitrogen contained in the reject water. A positive energy balance was obtained for all analyses.


  • The Influence of Drying Temperature on Color Change of Hornbeam and Maple Wood Used as Surface and Inner Layers of Wood Composites
    • Ivan Klement
    • Peter Vilkovský
    • Tatiana Vilkovská
    • Kazimierz Orłowski
    • Jacek Barański
    • Daniel Chuchała
    • Aleksandra Suchta
    2021 Pełny tekst Applied Sciences-Basel

    The thermal treatment of wood changes its structure due to the degradation of wood polymers (cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin), so the physical properties of wood are either improved or degraded. Color changes apply not only to natural wood, but also to such wood composites for which some amount of glue is used in their construction (e.g., plywood, blockboard or laminboard). This article is focused on the analysis of hornbeam and field maple wood color changes influenced by drying temperature. Two types of drying modes were used: hot-air mode where the temperature of the drying environment was 60 C, and high-temperature mode with a drying temperature of 120 C. The drying mode was divided into two phases depending on the moisture content of the wood. The compared woods had similar values of color coordinates at the beginning of drying. During hot-air drying, the largest changes in color coordinates occurred during the first 24 h. The total color difference between the color at the end and the beginning of drying was 7.3 for hornbeam and 11.1 for maple. The overall color difference between the compared woods was minimal. During high-temperature drying (120 C), the color changes of the dried woods were more pronounced. In the case of maple wood, there was a very significant change in color and the value of DE* was twice as high as for hornbeam. The total color difference between the color at the end and at the beginning of drying was 8.7 for hornbeam and 18.9 for maple.


  • The Influence of External Additional Loading on the Muscle Activity and Ground Reaction Forces during Gait
    • Bartłomiej Zagrodny
    • Michał Ludwicki
    • Wiktoria Wojnicz
    2021 Pełny tekst Applied Bionics and Biomechanics

    Asymmetrical external loading acting on the usculoskeletal system is generally considered unhealthy. Despite this knowledge, carrying loads in an asymmetrical manner like carrying on one shoulder, with one hand, or on the strap across the torso is a common practice. This study is aimed at presenting the effects of the mentioned load carrying methods on muscle activity assessed by using thermal field and ground reaction forces. Infrared thermography and pedobarographic force platform (ground reaction force/pressure measurement) were used in this study. Experimental results point out an increased load-dependent asymmetry of temperature distribution on the chosen areas of torso and the influence of external loading on ground reaction forces. Results point out that wearing an asymmetrical load should be avoided and are showing which type of carrying the external load is potentially less and the most harmful.


  • The Influence of External Load on the Performance of Microbial Fuel Cells
    • Szymon Potrykus
    • León-Fernández Fernando Luis
    • Janusz Nieznański
    • Dariusz Karkosiński
    • Francisco-Jesus Fernandez-Morales
    2021 Pełny tekst ENERGIES

    In this work, the effect of the external load on the current and power generation, as well as on the pollutant removal by microbial fuel cells (MFCs), has been studied by step-wise modifying the external load. The load changes included a direct scan, in which the external resistance was increased from 120 Ω to 3300 Ω, and a subsequent reverse scan, in which the external resistance was decreased back to 120 Ω. The reduction in the current, experienced when increasing the external resistance, was maintained even in the reverse scan when the external resistance was step-wise decreased. Regarding the power exerted, when the external resistance was increased below the value of the internal resistance, an enhancement in the power exerted was observed. However, when operating near the value of the internal resistance, a stable power exerted of about 1.6 µW was reached. These current and power responses can be explained by the change in population distribution, which shifts to a more fermentative than electrogenic culture, as was confirmed by the population analyses. Regarding the pollutant removal, the effluent chemical oxygen demand (COD) decreased when the external resistance increased up to the internal resistance value. However, the effluent COD increased when the external resistance was higher than the internal resistance. This behavior was maintained in the reverse scan, which confirmed the modification in the microbial population of the MFC.


  • The influence of intermolecular correlations on the infrared spectrum of liquid dimethyl sulfoxide
    • Maciej Śmiechowski
    2021 Pełny tekst SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA PART A-MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY

    Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is routinely applied as an excellent, water-miscible solvent and chemical reagent. Some of the most important data concerning its liquid structure were obtained using infrared (IR) spectroscopy. However, the actual extent of intermolecular correlations that connect the isolated monomer spectrum to the IR response of the bulk liquid is poorly studied thus far. Using ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations, IR spectra of liquid DMSO are obtained here from first principles and further analyzed using an array of sophisticated spectral decomposition techniques. The calculated spectra when unfolded in space reveal non-trivial spatial correlations underlying the IR response of liquid DMSO. It is unequivocally demonstrated that some of the fundamental vibrations visible in the intramolecular limit are effectively suppressed by the solvation environment due to symmetry reasons and thus disappear in the bulk limit, escaping experimental detection. Overall, DMSO as an aprotic solvent with dominant dipole–dipole interactions displays strong intermolecular correlations that contribute significantly to the IR spectra, on par with the situation observed in strongly associated liquids, such as water.


  • The Influence of Loop Heat Pipe Evaporator Porous Structure Parameters and Charge on Its Effectiveness for Ethanol and Water as Working Fluids
    • Krzysztof Błauciak
    • Paweł Szymański
    • Dariusz Mikielewicz
    2021 Pełny tekst Materials

    Abstract: This paper presents the results of experiments carried out on a specially designed experimental rig designed for the study of capillary pressure generated in the Loop Heat Pipe (LHP) evaporator. The commercially available porous structure made of sintered stainless steel constitutes the wick. Three different geometries of the porous wicks were tested, featuring the pore radius of 1, 3 and 7 um. Ethanol and water as two different working fluids were tested at three different evaporator temperatures and three different installation charges. The paper firstly presents distributions of generated pressure in the LHP, indicating that the capillary pressure difference is generated in the porous structure. When installing with a wick that has a pore size of 1 um and water as a working fluid, the pressure difference can reach up to 2.5 kPa at the installation charge of 65 mL. When installing with a wick that has a pore size of 1 um and ethanol as a working fluid, the pressure difference can reach up to 2.1 kPa at the installation charge of 65 mL. The integral characteristics of the LHP were developed, namely, the mass flow rate vs. applied heat flux for both fluids. The results show that water offers larger pressure differences for developing the capillary pressure effect in the installation in comparison to ethanol. Additionally, this research presents the feasibility of manufacturing inexpensive LHPs with filter medium as a wick material and its influence on the LHP’s thermal performance.


  • The Influence of Nanometals, Dispersed in the Electrophoretic Nanohydroxyapatite Coatings on the Ti13Zr13Nb Alloy, on Their Morphology and Mechanical Properties
    • Michał Bartmański
    • Łukasz Pawłowski
    • Aleksandra Mielewczyk-Gryń
    • Gabriel Strugała
    • Krzysztof Rokosz
    • Sofia Gaiaschi
    • Patrick Chapon
    • Steinar Raaen
    • Andrzej Zieliński
    2021 Pełny tekst Materials

    In this work, nanohydroxyapatite coatings with nanosilver and nanocopper have been fabricated and studied. The presented results concern coatings with a chemical composition that has never been proposed before. The present research aims to characterize the effects of nanosilver and nanocopper, dispersed in nanohydroxyapatite coatings and deposited on a new, non-toxic Ti13Zr13Nb alloy, on the physical and mechanical properties of coatings. The coatings were obtained by a one-stage electrophoretic process. The surface topography, and the chemical and phase compositions of coatings were examined with scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The mechanical properties of coatings were determined by nanoindentation tests, while coatings adhesion was determined by nanoscratch tests. The results demonstrate that copper addition increases the hardness and adhesion. The presence of nanosilver has no significant influence on the adhesion of coatings.


  • The influence of selected strain-based failure criteria on ship structure damage resulting from a collision with an offshore wind turbine monopile
    • Karol Niklas
    • Alicja Bera
    2021 Pełny tekst Polish Maritime Research

    Offshore wind farms are developing well all over the world, providing green energy from renewable sources. The evaluation of possible consequences of a collision involves Finite Element computer simulations. The goal of this paper was to analyse the influence of selected strain-based failure criteria on ship damage resulting from a collision with an offshore wind turbine monopile. The case of a collision between an offshore supply vessel and a monopile-type support structure was examined. The results imply that simulation assumptions, especially the failure criteria, are very important. It was found that, using the strain failure criteria according to the minimum values required by the design rules, can lead to an underestimation of the ship damage by as much as 6 times, for the length of the hull plate, and 9 times, for the area of the ship hull opening. Instead, the adjusted formula should be used, taking into account both the FE element size and the shell thickness. The influence of the non-linear representation of the stress-strain curve was also pointed out. Moreover, a significant influence of the selected steel grade on collision damages was found.