The problem of of the use of fly ash still constitutes a research and exploration area for scientists. This is due to the fact that, 6,000,000 Mg of coal combustion by-products (CCB) are storage on landfills yearly in Poland alone. One of the potential directions of using fly ash is to use it as a substrate in hydrothermal syntheses of mesoporous materials (synthetic zeolites). Zeolites are aluminosilicates with a spatial structure. Due to their specific structure they are characterized by a number of specific properties among others molecular-sieve, ion-exchange and catalytic that can be used in engineering and environmental protection. So far, the synthesis has been carried out using coal combustion by-products such as fly ash or microsphere. The article analyzes whether separation from the fly ash of the appropriate fraction (below 63 μm) will affect the formation of zeolite grains. The syntheses were carried out using class F fly ash and the fraction separated from it, which was obtained by sieving the ash through a 63 μm sieve. Chemical (XRF) and mineralogical (XRD, SEM-EDS) analyzes were carried out for substrates as well as the obtained reaction products. In the case of substrates, the analysis did not show any significant differences between the ash and the separated fraction. However, in products after synthesis (Na-X zeolite with a small amount of Na-P1 zeolite, and small amounts of quartz and unreacted aluminosilicate glass - mullite) higher aluminum and sodium contents were observed from the separated fraction, with a lower calcium and potassium content. A small proportion of illite was observed on the diffraction curve of the zeolite from the fraction. Observations of grain morphology showed no differences in formation. Based on the conducted analyzes, it can be stated that, considering the economics of the synthesis process, the separation of fine fractions from the fly ash does not affect the quality of the synthesis process.

Directionally solidified sample of Fe-Fe3C eutectic alloy were produced under an argon atmosphere in a vacuum Bridgman-type furnace to

study the eutectic growth with v = 167 μm/s pulling rate and constant temperature gradient G = 33.5 K/mm. Since how the growth texture

of eutectic cementite is related to its growth morphology remains unclear, the current study aims to examine this relationship. The technique

such as X-ray diffraction, have been used for the crystallographic analysis of carbide particles in white cast irons.

Although self-modifying code has been shyed away from due to its complexity and discouragement due to safety issues, it nevertheless provides for a very unique obfuscation method and a different perspective on the relationship between data and code. The generality of the von Neumann architecture is hardly realized by today’s processor models. A code-only model is shown where every instruction merely modifies other instructions yet achieves the ability to compute and Turing machine operation is easily possible.

The paper describes the research on soft X-ray lasers with an active medium created using a gas puff target irradiated

with high-intensity laser pulses. The gas puff target in a form of an elongated gas sheet is produced by pulsed injection of

gas through a slit nozzle using a high-pressure electromagnetic valve. The method of generation of soft X-ray lasers using a

laser-irradiated gas puff target has been developed at the Institute of Optoelectronics. The collaborative experiments were

performed at various laser laboratories using high-intensity laser systems to irradiate the gas puff target and pump the X-ray

laser active medium. Results of these experiments are presented and discussed. Works aimed at increasing the efficiency of

X-ray lasers using a longitudinally irradiated gas puff target are also reviewed.

The discovery of (BaxCa1-x)(ZryTi1-x)O3 lead-free ceramics drawn a lot of attention to those novel materials because of their excellent piezoelectric properties. However, quite a little attention has been paid to other features of the material. This article reports a wide range of research, including composition, structure and microstructure, dielectric response and impedance spectroscopy in order to systematize and expand knowledge about this peculiar ceramics and strontium doping effect on its properties. In order to test that influence a series of samples with various strontium concentration, precisely the admixtures of 0.02, 0.04 and 0.06 mol% were prepared, as well as basic ceramics to compare obtained results.

Despite great technological progress scientists still are not capable of ascertaining how many species are there on Earth. Systematic studies are not only time-consuming, but sometimes also significantly impeded by constraints of available equipment. One of the methods for morphology evaluation, which is gradually more often used for taxonomical research is microcomputed tomography. It’s great spatial resolution and ability to gather volumetric data during single acquisition without sectioning specimen are properties especially useful in evaluation of small invertebrates. Nondestructive nature of micro-CT gives possibility to combine it with other imaging techniques even for single specimen. Moreover, in case of rare organisms studies it allows to collect full structural data without fracturing their bodies. Application of proper staining, exposure parameters or specific sample preparation significantly improves quality of performed studies. The following article presents summary of current trends and possibilities of microtomography in morphology studies of small invertebrates.

The paper presents the results of real time measurements of test geodetic control network points using the RTK GPS and RTX Extended technologies. The Trimble RTX technology uses the xFill function, which enables real measurements without the need for constant connection with the ASG EUPOS system reference stations network. Comparative analyses of the results of measurements using the methods were performed and they were compared with the test control network data assumed to be error-free. Although the Trimble RTX technology is an innovative measurement method which is rarely used now, the possibilities it provides in surveying works, including building geodetic control networks, are satisfactory and it will certainly contribute to improving the organisation of surveying works.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a compound responsible for the greenhouse effect. One of the methods of CO2 capture from the gas stream is adsorption process. In this paper, the adsorption equilibrium isotherms of CO2 on zeolite 13X were measured at different temperatures (293.15 K, 303.15 K, 313.15 K, 323.15 K, 333.15 K, 348.15 K, 373.15 K, 393.15 K) and under pressures up to 2 MPa. These data were obtained using an Intelligent Gravimetric Analyzer (IGA-002, Hiden Isochema, UK). Selected multitemperature adsorption isotherm equations, namely Toth, Langmuir–Freundlich, and, Langmuir were correlated with experimental data.

In a vacuum Bridgman-type furnace, under an argon atmosphere, directionally solidified sample of Fe - C alloy was produced. The pulling

rate was v = 83 μm/s (300 mm/h) and constant temperature gradient G = 33,5 K/mm. The microstructure of the sample was examined on

the longitudinal section using an Optical Microscope and Scanning Electron Microscope. The X-ray diffraction and electron backscatter

diffraction technique (EBSD) have been used for the crystallographic analysis of carbide particles in carbide eutectic. The

X-ray diffraction was made parallel and perpendicular to the axis of the goniometer. The EBSD shows the existence of iron carbide Fe3C

with orthorhombic and hexagonal structure. Rapid solidification may cause a deformation of the lattice plane which is indicated by

different values of the lattice parameters. Such deformation could also be the result of directional solidification. Not all of the peaks in

X–ray diffractograms were identified. They may come from other iron carbides. These unrecognized peaks may also be a result of the

residual impurity of alloy.

The study of liquid crystalline assemblies, with an emphasis on biological phenomena, is now accessible using newly developed microdevices integrated with X-ray analysis capability. Many biological systems can be described in terms of gradients, mixing, and confinement, all of which can be mimicked with the use of appropriate microfluidic designs. The use of hydrodynamic focusing creates well-defined mixing conditions that vary depending on parameters such as device geometry, and can be quantified with finite element modelling.We describe experiments in which geometry and strain rate induce finite changes in liquid crystalline orientation. We also demonstrate the online supramolecular assembly of lipoplexes. The measurement of lipoplex orientation as a function of flow velocity allows us to record a relaxation process of the lipoplexes, as evidenced by a remarkable 4-fold azimuthal symmetry. All of these processes are accessible due to the intentional integration of design elements in the microdevices.

The technique of electrospinning was employed to fabricate uniform one-dimensional inorganic-organic composite nanofibers at room temperature from a solution containing equal volumes of aluminum 2, 4-pentanedionate in acetone and polyvinylpyrrolidone in ethanol. Upon firing and sintering under carefully pre-selected time-temperature profiles (heating rate, temperature and soak time), high-purity and crystalline alumina nanofibers retaining the original morphological features present in the as-spun composite (cermer) fibers were obtained. Tools such as laser Raman spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy together with energy dispersive spectroscopy and selected area electron diffraction were employed to follow

the systematic evolution of the ceramic phase and its morphological features in the as-spun and the fired fibers. X-ray diffraction was used to identify the crystalline fate of the final product.

The article presents an analysis of the change in air voids in asphalt mixtures subjected to fatigue tests at three temperatures of 0°C, 10°C and 25°C. The X-ray computerized tomography imaging method, XCT, was used to identify the air voids in the samples. The research allowed to determine changes in the content of air voids in subsequent fatigue cycles in the sample area. The relationship between air voids volume and the stiffness modulus value was also determined during fatigue for three temperatures. The largest changes were found in samples with notches at 0°C. The analysis of the change in the content of air voids showed that the micro-cracking nucleation processes develop with the number of fatigue cycles. Using the numerical model finite element method we determined the distribution and change in fatigue damage in the extreme areas of the sample during various stages of fatigue. We found clear relationship between the damage and the increased content of air voids.

Megasporogenesis and female gametophyte development were investigated in ovules of the everbearing strawberry Fragaria x ananassa Duch. cv. Selva. Observations of thin sections revealed that ovule development starts from the formation of a nucellus and coincides in time with the beginning of receptacle overgrowth. The most characteristic feature during nucellus differentiation is the formation of a multicellular archesporium, beginning from at least two cells. Analysis of female gametophyte development indicated that in addition to the meiotic mode, female gametophytes develop by an apomeiotic mode of Antennaria type. Asynchronous development of female gametophytes of different origin occurs. The mature, eight-nucleate, seven-celled female gametophyte of meiotic origin is cylindrical and slightly curved. It occupies the central part of the nucellus. The egg apparatus, consisting of an egg cell and two synergids, is formed in the micropylar part of the female gametophyte; the opposite chalazal pole is occupied by antipodal cells. Besides the ovule in which only one seven-celled female gametophyte finally develops, ovules with a different number of cells were observed to initiate female gametophyte development. Some ovules contain a nucellus with a tetrad of linearly arranged megaspores surrounded by enlarged cells, each of which has the potential to develop into an apomictic female gametophyte. After degeneration of some post-meiotic cells or developmentally advanced female gametophytes, some of the chalazal cells initiated female gametophyte development.

Casting porosity is the main factor influencing the fatigue properties of Al-Si alloys. Due to the increasing use of aluminum castings, porosity characterization is useful for estimating their fatigue strength. In principle, a combination of metallographic techniques and statistical pore analysis is a suitable approach for predicting the largest defect size that is critical for the casting. Here, the influence of modifiers and casting technology on the largest pore size population in AlSi7Mg alloy specimens is obtained and discussed adopting the Murakami's approach. However, porosity evaluation is a challenge in the case of microshrinkage pores, which are frequently found in industrial castings. Their complicated morphology prevents a reliable definition of an equivalent defect size based on metallographic techniques. This contribution reports the application of X-ray tomography to the 3D reconstruction of real pores in cast Al-Si alloys and provides insight into the complication of microshrinkage pore sizing by metallography.

The article deals with the adaptation of Belorussian and Russian affixes in Polish dialects of Braslaw region. The author singles out certain models of af fixal adaptation on the basis of phonetic, morphological and semantic or phonomorphological equivalence. Collected vocabulary provides many examples where we can observe the assimilation of foreign elements into the native system of the multilingual population. Modifications of borrowings in this way indicate the vitality of the systemic word-formative rules of the Polish language in the speakers’ consciousness.

Observations on the development of the horse chestnut leafminer on red horse chestnut (Aesculus x carnea H.) were carried out in Wrocław, Lower Silesia, Poland, in 2001–2003. Three generations of the pest were recorded to lay eggs on the red horse chestnut leaves. Although females of each generation deposited eggs abundantly, the hatching larvae died after a short period of feeding in the plant’s leaves and the species did not complete its development on this tree. Mostly L₁ and L₂ larvae were found inside the leaf mines. The observed leaf damage was, therefore, negligible.

Product quality tests require accurate and precise analytical techniques. Fertilizers belong to a group

of products whose chemical composition is of great importance due to health, environmental and economic

reasons. The following paper presents the results of the research into the content of selected substances in several mineral fertilizers manufactured in Poland. Ion chromatography (IC) was employed to determine selected

inorganic anions and cations, whereas energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF) was used

to determine the content of selected elements.

A compact planar multiband antenna operating at 3.1 (S-band) /4.7/6.4/7.6 (C-band) /8.9/10.4/11.8 GHz (X-band) is presented. The proposed Microstrip Patch Antenna (MSPA) consists of a rectangular radiator in which an E-shaped slot is etched out and a microstrip feed line. The E-shaped slot modifies the total current path thereby making the antenna to operate at seven useful bands. No external impedance matching circuit is used and the impedance matching at these bands are solely achieved by using a rectangular microstrip feed line of length 10mm (L6) and width 2mm (W10). The antenna has a compact dimension of ���� × ���� × ��. �� ������ and exhibits S11<-10dB bandwidth of about 6.45% (3.2-3.0GHz), 8.5% (4.9-4.5GHz), 7.6% (6.7-6.2GHz), 3.9% (7.8-7.5GHz), 5.7% (9.1-8.6GHz), 1.2% (10.44-10.35GHz) and 2.2% (11.87-11.62GHz). The simulation analysis of the antenna is carried out by using HFSS v.13.0.

Investment casting technology that utilizes lost-wax casting is one of the most-important achievements of ancient society. In Lower Silesia, Poland (Grzybiany, Legnica county), a 7-6 BC casting workshop was discovered with numerous artifacts, confirming the existence of the manufacturing process of metal ornaments using ceramic molds. The paper presents the research of molds and casts from the Bronze and Early Iron Ages. Microscopic analyses of the casting molds were performed, along with radiographic and chemical composition tests of the artifacts (the latter employing the use of the X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy method). The clustering method was used for alloy classification. The microstructure was analyzed by means of Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy. Conclusions from the research were utilized in further experiments

According to Nicolai Hartmann, the correlativistic prejudice is the claim that a being must be a correlate of a subject, and this, he argues, is the main prejudice of Husserl’s phenomenology taken as an eidetic science of transcendental consciousness with its correlates. In contrast to Hartmann, the author of this article claims that Husserl’s conception of the noetic-noematic correlation does not lead to the correlativistic prejudice. Husserl distinguishes between two concepts of object: the noematic ‛object simpliciter’ (the pure X) and the ‛object in the How of its determinations’ (a noematic sense), and he demonstrates that the noematic ‛object simpliciter’ transcends the limit of actual noetic-noematic correlation, it is a correlate of the Idea in the Kantian sense of the term and this idea cannot be intrinsically given in its content. In the article the author shows that Husserl’s concept of the noematic ‘object simpliciter’ as a pure X is similar to Kant’s concept of transcendental object as ‛something in general = X’. In analogy to a transcendental object, noematic ‛object simpliciter’ is partially knowable and it appears to be an irrational fact in its unknowable rest. As a consequence, the ‛object simpliciter’ is something more than a correlate of consciousness and retains always its extra-noematic content. Therefore, the world is only partially correlative to the possibility of experience.

This study characterizes the bronze jewellery recovered from the Lusatian culture urn-field in Mała Kępa (Chełmno land, Poland). Among

many common ornaments (e.g. necklaces, rings, pins) the ones giving evidence of a steppe-styled inspiration (nail earrings) were also

identified. With the dendritic microstructures revealed, the nail earrings prove the implementing of a lost-wax casting method, whereas

some of the castings were further subjected to metalworking. The elemental composition indicates the application of two main types of

bronze alloys: Cu-Sn and Cu-Sn-Pb. It has been established that the Lusatian metalworkers were familiar with re-melting the scrap bronze

and made themselves capable of roasting the sulphide-rich ores.

The collection from Mała Kępa has been described in terms of its structure and composition. The investigations were made by means of

the energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (ED-XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with an energy dispersive

X - ray analysis system (EDS) and optical microscopy (OM). In order to fingerprint an alloy profile of the castings with a special emphasis

on the nail earrings, the data-set (ED-XRF, EDS) was statistically evaluated using multidimensional analyses (FA, DA).

Cast axes are one of the most numerous categories of bronze products from earlier phases of the Bronze Age found in Poland. They had multiple applications since they were not only used objects such as tools or weapons but also played the prestigious and cult roles.

Investigations of the selected axes from the bronze products treasure of the Bronze Age, found in the territory of Poland, are presented

in the hereby paper. The holder of these findings is the State Archaeological Museum in Warsaw. Metallurgical investigations of axes with bushing were performed in respect of the casting technology and quality of obtained castings. Macroscopic observations allowed to document the remains of the gating system and to assess the range and kind of casting defects. Light microscopy revealed the microstructure character of these relicts. The chemical composition was determined by means of the X-ray fluorescence method with energy dispersion (ED-XRF) and by the scanning electron microscopy with X-ray energy dispersion analysis in micro-areas (SEM-EDS). The shape and dimensions of cores, reproducing inner parts of axes were identified on the basis of the X-ray tomography images. Studies reconstructed production technology of the mould with gating system, determined chemical composition of the applied alloys and casting structures as well as revealed the casting defects being the result of construction and usage of moulds and cores.

Iron is the most common and detrimental impurity in casting alloys and has been associated with many defects. The main consequence of

the presence or adding of iron to AlSi alloys is the formation Fe-rich intermetallics with especially deleterious β-Al5FeSi. β-Al5FeSi phases

are most often called needles on 2D micro sections, whilst platelets in 3D geometry. The x-ray tomography results have demonstrated Ferich

phases with shapes different from simple forms such as needles or platelets and presented bent and branched phases. β grown as

complicated structure of bent and branched intermetallics can decrease feeding ability, strengthen pores nucleation and eutectic colonies

nucleation leading to lower permeability of mushy zone and porosity in the castings.

Image analysis allows to acquire a number of valuable quantitative informations on the observed structure and make appropriate conclusions. So far, a large part of analyzed images came only from light microscopes, where it was a possibility of accurately distinguish the different phases on the plane. However, the problem happened in the case of the observation of images obtained by scanning electron microscopy. In this case, the presence of various shades of gray, and the spaciousness of the image attained. To perform the analysis the matrix images of the ausferritic ductile iron were used. Full analysis was carried out using the computer program MicroMeter 1.03. Results obtained in the analysis were related directly to the results from X-ray diffraction. Obtained as a result of the analysis were related directly to the results from X-ray diffractometer. The following technique has weaknesses, including the misinterpretation by the operator microscope or program. After all, it was possible to obtain similar results to the result that has been obtained from X-ray diffractometer.