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Stopping hydrogen embrittlement and preventing disaster
Sasha Viasasha ManufacturingWater vapor makes up between 1-5 percent of air on average, delivering a one-two-three punch of oxidation, hydrogen blistering and embrittlement. Hydrogen embrittlement has proven itself particularly dangerous. Catastrophic structural failures that result from it have been at the root of the majority of the nautical and aerospace disasters over the past few decades.
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Which reference electrode for which environment?
Sasha Viasasha ManufacturingUnderstanding the role of various reference electrodes is fundamental to performing electrochemical testing for corrosion. The reference electrode carries a fixed potential against which the working electrode in the surface being tested is measured. There are many choices in reference electrodes, though, and the environmental stressors are key in deciding which one to use.
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Practical applications for 3-D printing
Nick Merrill ManufacturingRecently, NASA announced a plan to install a 3-D printer on the International Space Station. This will be a huge boon for astronauts, who would no longer have to wait for a resupply shuttle to bring critical replacement parts. While this is certainly a high-profile use for 3-D printing in remote areas, there are many remote locations on Earth where having an on-site printer could prove invaluable.
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The View from Europe: Taxing question
Andrew Gaved Construction & Building MaterialsAs the precise details of the forthcoming EU F-gas regulations are currently being hammered out in Brussels, many in the European refrigeration and air conditioning industry are bracing themselves for significant new cost to be added to the supply chain. The European Parliament has made plain its desire to effectively "penalize" those who use HFCs, by charging an allocation fee for production of the refrigerants.
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Common mistakes that lead to adhesion failure
Chris Lord ManufacturingOne of the most critical aspects of an effective coating application is achieving proper coating adhesion to either the substrate or between coats. While there are many variables that can lead to substrate or intercoat adhesion failure, there are several common mistakes that are the culprits.
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Fabricated green building products rapidly advancing
Don Rosato EngineeringGreen building technology redefines how we make and live in buildings. From a plastics processing standpoint, we can both reduce a building's energy consumption and simultaneously provide for a building's energy production.
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Afghanistan at a crossroads for future oil and gas extraction
Stefanie Heerwig Natural ResourcesAt the beginning of October, Afghanistan's Ministry of Mines and Petroleum released a new tender for a block in the prospective Amu-Darya basin at the northern tip of the country. China's giant state-owned oil and gas company, CNPC, already holds two blocks in that basin and started extracting oil at the end of last year. Twelve years after the invasion into Afghanistan, the country finds itself at the crossroads to a promising future thanks to its riches in oil, gas and other natural resources.
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Is Mars rusted?
Sasha ViasashaThe simple answer is likely “yes,” but the most accurate answer is “no one knows.” The red hue of Mars comes from a fine layer of iron oxide that has gone through a transformation similar to rust, but in the absence of oxygen and water. What exactly that means is a matter of heated debate. We need to find the answer quickly, however, because there are at least 14 independent missions to Mars in development right now, and the closest repair shop will be 34 million miles away.
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Emerging green building material technologies to watch
Don Rosato"Green building" is being transformed from a buzzword to a sophisticated approach using technology that redefines how we make and live in buildings that both reduce building energy consumption and provide for building energy production.
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At the cutting edge of environmentally advanced cooling
Andrew GavedOur recent Cooling Industry Awards once again provided refrigeration and air conditioning suppliers the opportunity to demonstrate their environmentally advanced innovations.
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