A batch of coal fly-ash, soda and lime was melted, quenched to a glass and then devitrified, by one-step heating cycles, forming coarse fibrous microstructures with pores and cracks, resulting in low strength materials. The crystallization behaviour of the based glass was further studied by adding a nucleating agent, TiC2. The resulting structural and microstrutural changes were investigated by differential thermal analysis, scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, dilatometry and density measurements. The results indicated that the addition of TiO2 could provide a finer grained microstructure, suitable for the production of structural materials.

The donor strengths of the following triarylphosphine ligands P(Ar)(2)(Ar') (Ar = Ar' = 4-Me3SiC6H4, 1b; 4-Me3CC6H4, 1d; 4-F3CC6H4, 1e; Ar = C6H5, Ar' = 4-Me3SiC6H4, 1c) have been evaluated experimentally and theoretically. The measurements of the J(P-Se) coupling constants of the corresponding synthesised selenides Se=P(Ar)(2)(Ar'), 2b, c and the DFT calculation of the energies of the phosphine lone-pair ( HOMO) reveal insignificant influence on the electronic properties of the substituted phosphines when the trimethylsilyl group is attached to the aryl ring, in marked contrast to the strong electronic effect of the trifluoromethyl group. These triarylphosphine ligands P(Ar)(2)(Ar') reacted with (eta(5)-C5H5)Co(CO)(2), (eta(5)-C5H5)Co(CO)I-2 or PdCl2 to yield the new compounds (eta(5)-C5H5)Co(CO)[P(Ar)(2)(Ar')], 3b, d; (eta(5)-C5H5)COI[P(Ar)(2)(Ar')], 4b-e; and PdCl2[P(Ar)(2)(Ar')](2), 5b, c, respectively. These complexes have been characterized and their spectroscopic properties compared with those reported for the known triphenylphosphine complexes. Again, the contrast of the P-31 NMR and C-13 NMR chemical shifts or C-O or M-Cl stretching frequencies, when applied, does not show an important electronic effect on the metal complex of the trimethylsilyl substituted phosphines with respect to P(C6H5)(3) derivatives. Solubility measurements of complexes 3a and 3b in scCO(2) were performed. We conclude that Me3Si groups on the triarylphosphine improve the solubility of the corresponding metal complex in scCO(2).

The interest to study this factory of GM group in Portugal is due to the facto of being one of the oldest assembly lines of the automotive sector still operating in Portugal (it was founded in 1963). Besides that, it went recently across a very intensive technological change, and then would be interesting to know the organisation of work model chose. The Opel factory occupies at the moment the former one that belonged to Ford Lusitana. There it has being under production some modules that feed the assembly line on JIT and in sequence. Although there were severe difficulties to implement the case study at Opel, this report could be done using secondary information and several interviews at the factory and initial visits. This Opel factory was recently closed down in the frame of a GM European strategy for re-structuring.

The implementation of flue gas recirculation strategies for the reduction of NOx emissions in practical liquid fuelled burners is investigated. A laboratory furnace is used and the analysis is based on detailed spatial-resolved measurements of temperature and gaseous species concentrations. It is observed that, while air staging provides major reductions in NOx emissions, with reductions up to about 30%, the effect of adding hot combustion products to the air flow is mainly due to the increase in temperature which facilitates fuel vaporization, rather than to the expected effect of oxygen dilution. However, the aerodynamics of the near burner, which is determined by the operating conditions of the burner, has a greater effect on the NO x emissions than the vitiation of the combustion air.