Search

The binary phase metal oxide of ZnO and CuO (BPMO-ZC) nanopowders were synthesized by the chemical bath deposition. The BPMO-ZC nanopowders were distributed through the poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) matrix by solution casting. The effect of the BPMO-ZC on the structure, thermal and reflectance properties of PCL was investigated. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the combined hexagonal wurtzite and cubic forms of the respective ZnO and CuO nanomaterials as well as an orthorhombic form of the semi-crystalline PCL nanocomposite films. Morphology included aggregated particles with heterogeneous distribution. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed that the degree of crystallinity of nanocomposites films increased in the presence of the nanopowders. Nanocomposites displayed poor thermal stability compared to PCL, but improved residue. Reflectance measurement revealed that the absorption edges of PCL shifted to higher wavelength with the addition of ZnO–CuO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The color assessment ability of a multispectral vision system is investigated by a comparison study with color measurements from a traditional colorimeter. The experiment involves fresh and processed meat samples. Meat is a complex material; heterogeneous with varying scattering and reflectance properties, so several factors can influence the instrumental assessment of meat color. In order to assess whether two methods are equivalent, the variation due to these factors must be taken into account. A statistical analysis was conducted and showed that on a calibration sheet the two instruments are equally capable of measuring color. Moreover the vision system provides a more color rich assessment of fresh meat samples with a glossier surface, than the colorimeter. Careful studies of the different sources of variation enable an assessment of the order of magnitude of the variability between methods accounting for other sources of variation leading to the conclusion that color assessment using a multispectral vision system is superior to traditional colorimeter assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]