Thought that chemical engineers dealt only with oil refineries and fluidized beds?

Dr. Savvas Hatzikiriakos has published a number of articles looking at the rheology of mozzarella cheese.

Rolling of mozzarella cheese: Experiments and simulations Journal of Food Engineering, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 12 September 2008. Evan Mitsoulis, Savvas G. Hatzikiriakos

Rheology of mozzarella cheese: Extrusion and rolling International Dairy Journal, Volume 18, Issue 6, June 2008, Pages 615-623. Edward B. Muliawan, Savvas G. Hatzikiriakos

Rheology of mozzarella cheese International Dairy Journal, Volume 17, Issue 9, September 2007, Pages 1063-1072. Edward B. Muliawan, Savvas G. Hatzikiriakos

Rheology is the science of the deformation and flow of matter. It is concerned with the response of materials to applied stress. That response may be irreversible viscous flow, reversible elastic deformation, or a combination of the two. Control of rheology is essential for the manufacture and handling of numerous materials and products, eg, foods, cosmetics, rubber, plastics, paints, inks, and drilling muds. Before control can be achieved, there must be an understanding of rheology and an ability to measure rheological properties. (Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology).

Dr. Savvas Hatzikiriakos’ other research involves the study of the rheological behavior of polymers.

Thermorheological properties of LLDPE/LDPE blends: Effects of production technology of LLDPE Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics. volume 46 issue 16 pages 1669-1683 2008. Delgadillo-Velázquez, O.; Hatzikiriakos, S.G.; Sentmanat, M.

Submitted by Kevin Lindstrom Liaison Librarian for Chemical and Biological Engineering and Materials Engineering

We’ve got ebooks on almost any topic under the sun and pdf’s are a lot lighter to carry than paper.

You want books on how to write code in Python or how to fix your new laptop running Microsoft Vista? Have a look at the Books 24X7 IT Collection.

Trying find some good stuff on biodiesel? Heres’ a hot title
Biodiesel – A Realistic Fuel Alternative for Diesel Engines

Need some physical property data like the viscosity of Cl2 gas? A search of Knovel.com will link you to the Chemical Properties Handbook and Yaws’ Handbook of Thermodynamic and Physical Properties of Chemical Compounds

Need some good information on climate change? Here’s a good starting point Assessing Climate Change.

Circuit diagrams for operational amplifiers? Check out the Electrical Engineering Handbook.

All in all, you have access to more than five thousand science and engineering ebooks.

For a complete list (not including Books24X7 titles) go to the Science & Engineering Ebook site. There you can find A-Z titles lists of ebooks as well as the search interfaces for the ebook collections you have access to. Make sure you look at the Springer Ebooks as well. Springer is a major science and engineering publisher.

Remember that these resources are not freely available on internet, so if you are connecting from off campus, go to UBC’s VPN site for instructions.

Posted by Kevin Lindstrom Liaison Librarian for Earth and Ocean Sciences, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Materials Engineering, and Physics.

Nothing like a juicy headline to catch your attention! From this week’s edition of Science

“The doom mongers do have one thing right: The LHC just might create black holes. According to Einstein’s theory of general relativity, energy warps space and time. So by smashing protons together with unprecedented vigor, the LHC might cram enough energy into a small enough volume to create pinholes in the universe–miniature black holes. If space has three dimensions, even the energies reached by the LHC will be about a million billion times too low. However, string theory–which assumes that every fundamental particle is in fact an infinitesimal vibrating string–predicts that space has more dimensions curled into tiny loops. If some of them are curled loosely enough, then the energy threshold may tumble to within the LHC’s reach, some theorists have argued.”

Also have a look at

LARGE HADRON COLLIDER: The Overture Begins
Science 321 (5894), 1287. [DOI: 10.1126/science.321.5894.1287]

LARGE HADRON COLLIDER: Researchers, Place Your Bets!
Science 321 (5894), 1288. [DOI: 10.1126/science.321.5894.1288]

LARGE HADRON COLLIDER: Bracing for a Maelstrom of Data, CERN Puts Its Faith in the Grid
Science 321 (5894), 1289. [DOI: 10.1126/science.321.5894.1289]

Submitted by Kevin Lindstrom@ubc.ca Physics Liaison Librarian

PRO/UAW, the union that tried and failed in 2006 to organize the postdocs on the 10 University of California (UC) campuses, has received official notification that it succeeded on its second try. On 19 August, the California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) faxed a letter to the organizers stating that the union, known formally as Postdoctoral Researchers Organize/International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, had submitted valid signatures from a majority of the approximately 5000 UC postdocs eligible to petition for union representation. Under state law, unionization is therefore automatic. The move brings an estimated 10% of U.S. postdocs into UAW, an AFL-CIO-affiliated national union that represents more than a million other members, including UC academic employees, such as graders, teaching assistants, and lecturers.

Read the full article at here

Submitted by kevin lindstrom Science and Engineering Liaison Librarian

Carbon nanotube research is going on at a number of UBC departments including Electrical and Computer Engineering, Chemistry, and Physics and Astronomy.

Electrical and Computer Engineering
Mirfakhrai, Tissaphern; Kozlov, Mikhail; Fang, Shaoli; Zhang, Mei; Baughman, Ray H.; Madden, John D. Carbon nanotube yarns: sensors, actuators, and current carriers. Proceedings of SPIE (2008), 6927.
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted extensive attention in the past few years because of their appealing mechanical and electronic properties. Yarns made through spinning multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) have been reported. Here we report the application of these yarns as electrochemical actuators, force sensors and microwires. When extra charge is stored in the yarns, change in length. This actuation is thought to be because of electrostatic as well as quantum chemical effects in the nanotube backbones. We report strains up to 0.7 %. At the same time, the charged yarns can respond to a change in the applied tension by generating a current or a potential difference that is related to the applied tension force. As current carriers, the yarns offer a conductivity of [similar to] 300 S/cm, which increases linearly with temperature. We report a current capacity of more than 108 A/m2, which is comparable to those of macroscopic metal wires. However, these nanotube yarns have a density (0.8 g/cm3) that is an order of magnitude lower than metallic wires. The MWNT yarns are mechanically strong with tensile strengths reaching 700 MPa. These properties together make them a candidate material for use in many applications including sensors, actuators and light-weight current carriers.

Chemistry
Adsorption of small gas molecules onto Pt-doped single-walled carbon nanotubes
Author(s): Yeung CS (Yeung, Charles See), Liu LV (Liu, Lei Vincent), Wang YA (Wang, Yan Alexander)
Source: JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C Volume: 112 Issue: 19 Pages: 7401-7411 Published: MAY 15 2008
Abstract: The adsorption of small gaseous molecules to the metal center in Pt-doped (5,5) single-walled carbon nanotubes has been explored within density functional theory. A model system consisting of a single Pt atom residing in the middle of a carbon nanotube with capping H atoms is used for our investigation. For all gases studied, the overall process of adsorption was found to be exothermic, where the affinity strongly depended on the orientation of the molecule. By examining the density of states and molecular orbitals of these nanotube-adsorbate complexes in comparison to the bare Pt-doped nanotube, we show that the electronic structure of these materials is strongly influenced by the presence of gases. Hence, we propose an application of Pt-doped single-walled carbon nanotubes as gas sensors and hope to motivate experimental work in this field.

Physics
Pereira RG , Laflorencie N, Affleck I, Halperin BI. PHYSICAL REVIEW B 77 12 125327 2008
Abstract: We propose that the finite size of the Kondo screening cloud, xi(K), can be probed by measuring the charge quantization in a one-dimensional system coupled to a small quantum dot. When the chemical potential mu in the system is varied at zero temperature, one should observe charge steps whose locations are at values of mu that are controlled by the Kondo effect when the system size L is comparable to xi(K). We show that, if the standard Kondo model is used, the ratio between the widths of the Coulomb blockade valleys with odd or even number of electrons is a universal scaling function of xi(K)/L. If we take into account electron-electron interactions in a single-channel wire, this ratio also depends on the parameters of the effective Luttinger model; in addition, the scaling is weakly violated by a marginal bulk interaction. For the geometry of a quantum dot embedded in a ring, we show that the dependence of the charge steps on a magnetic flux through the ring is controlled by the size of the Kondo screening cloud.

Submitted by kevin.lindstrom Liaison Librarian for the Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Chemistry, and Physics.

New CMA Report Warns Poor Air Quality Killing Canadians

OTTAWA, August 13, 2008 – The Canadian Medical Association released staggering new data today showing that this year alone as many as 21,000 Canadians will die prematurely from the effects of air pollution. While most of those deaths will be due to chronic exposure over a number of years, almost 3,000 will be the result of acute, short-term exposure.

The CMA’s report entitled No Breathing Room: National Illness Costs of Air Pollution, shows the effects of poor air quality based on the concentrations of two highly predictive pollutants – ozone and particulate matter – on four distinct age groups of Canadians.

“With the start of the Olympics in Beijing, much has been made about the poor air quality in China and the effect it is having on our athletes,” said CMA President Dr. Brian Day. “But we have a serious home-grown pollution problem right here and Canadians, ranging from the very young to the very old, are paying the price.”

Specific findings of the No Breathing Room: National Illness Costs of Air Pollution report include:

* By 2031, almost 90,000 Canadians will have died from the acute short-term effects of air pollution. The number of deaths, due to long-term exposure, will be over 700,000 – the population of Quebec City.
* In 2008, 80% of those who die due to air pollution will be over age 65.
* In 2008, 25 Canadians under age 19 will die of the effects of short-term exposure to air pollution.
* Ontario and Quebec residents are the worst hit Canadians, with 70% of the premature deaths occurring in Central Canada, even though these two provinces comprise only 62% of Canada’s population.
* In 2008 there will be over 9,000 hospital visits, 30,000 emergency department visits and 620,000 doctor’s office visits due to air pollution.
* The economic costs of air pollution in 2008 will top $8 billion. By 2031, they will have accumulated to over $250 billion.

“This report shows for the first time the tragic effects of the toxic air that we breathe, whether it is in my hometown of Vancouver, or across the country in St. John’s,” added Dr. Day.

No Breathing Room: National Illness Costs of Air Pollution used a software model first developed by the Ontario Medical Association and provides detailed health and economic data relating to changes in air quality. The study uses the best available knowledge and data on air quality, human health and economics to produce accurate forecasts of health impacts and expected costs related to changes in air quality. The tool has also been validated by a panel of international experts on health and the environment.

The full report, including provincial data and tables, is available at www.cma.ca

Posted by Kevin Lindstrom Liaison Librarian for Earth and Ocean Sciences

In addition to the pure and applied research published in scientific journals and conferences, UBC researchers also produce a large number of patents.

Dr. Tom Troczynski’s Biomaterials Group is involved with calcium phosphate / hydroxyapatite coatings, composites and cements.

This research is of major importance for bone implants and hip replacement surgery.

Two recent patents from the Espacenet database:

Bioceramic composite coatings and process

Calcium phosphate coated implantable medical devices

Posted by kevin.lindstrom@ubc.ca Liaison Librarian for Materials Engineering

With the recent rock slide on the Sea to Sky Highway, I thought this would be a good opportunity to highlight the research profiles of Dr. Oldrich Hungr and Dr. Erik Eberhardt who are both from the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences.

Dr. Hungr’s research deals with issues related slope stability analysis and risk assessment.

Geertsemaa, Marten; Hungr, Oldrich; Schwab, James W.; Evans, Stephen G. A large rockslide–debris avalanche in cohesive soil at Pink Mountain, northeastern British Columbia, Canada. Engineering Geology 83(1-3): 64-75

Dr. Eberhardt’s research deals with rock engineering as it pertains to rock slope failure and the prediction of rock mass behaviour.

Eberhardt, Erik. The role of advanced numerical methods and geotechnical field measurements in understanding complex deep-seated rock slope failure mechanisms. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 45(4): 484-510.

Posted by kevin.lindstrom@ubc.ca Earth and Ocean Sciences liaison librarian.

As part of the UBC Library’s mandate to archive undergraduate research, three EOSC honors theses have just been added to the Earth and Ocean Sciences Community in cIRcle – UBC’s Information Repository.

Bayliss, Sandra M. 2008. Uranium-Lead, Argon-Argon, and Lead Isotopic Constraints of Magmatism and Associated Mineralization within the Stikine Terrane, on the Williams Gold Property, North Central British Columbia. Undergraduate Honours Thesis. Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences. University of British Columbia.

Kushnir, Alexandra R.L. 2008. Understanding Multi-Peak Anomalies for Unexploded Ordnance Discrimination. Undergraduate Honours Thesis. Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences. University of British Columbia.

Cleven, Nathan R. 2008. Role of Dolomite Content on the Mechanical Strength and Failure Mechanisms in Dolomite-Limestone Composites. Undergraduate Honours Thesis. Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences. University of British Columbia.

If you are interested in contributing your undergraduate thesis to cIRcle, please contact me directly kevin.lindstrom@ubc.ca

The 6th International Conference on Gas Hydrates (ICGH) is an international conference that takes place every three years. This year’s conference took place in Vancouver from July 6-20.

Select conference papers presented at ICGH 2008 are now available online at cIRcle, the UBC Library’s Information Repository. This collection continues to grow as authors contact me about adding their papers to the ICGH 2008 archive.

Dr. Peter Englezos from the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering is a member of the International Scientific Committee for the 6th International Conference on Gas Hydrates.

Participating organizations includes

China University of Geosciences
Chinese Academy of Sciences
Colorado School of Mines
Geological Survey of Canada
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology of Japan
National Research Council of Canada
Technical University Berlin
United States Department of Energy
United States Geological Survey
University of British Columbia
University of Toronto

as well as a host of other universities, institutes, organizations, and companies.

If you have presented a conference paper at the ICGH 2008 conference and would like it uploaded to cIRcle, please contact kevin.lindstrom@ubc.ca directly.