Nanocomposites are high performance materials which reveal rare properties. Nanocomposites have an estimated annual growth rate of 25% and fastest demand to be in engineering plastics and elastomers. Their prospective is so prominent that they are valuable in numerous areas ranging from packaging to biomedical applications. In this review, the various types of matrix nanocomposites are discussed highlighting the need for these materials, their processing approaches and some recent results on structure, properties and potential applications. Perspectives include need for such future materials and other interesting applications. Being environmentally friendly, applications of nanocomposites propose new technology and business opportunities for several sectors of the aerospace, automotive, electronics and biotechnology industries.
Purpose: The aim of the study is to apply policy analysis matrix (PAM) to identify international competitiveness of marketing channels and policy impacts of government on each marketing channels. Methodology: Policy analysis matrix is employed to evaluate influences of macroeconomic policy on the Tuong-mango value chain. The study investigated 213 sampling observation of eight main actors in chain. Findings: The findings indicate that although domestic channel 4 exhibits competitiveness (Private cost ratio (PRC) < 1), channels 1, 2, and 3 possess both comparative and competitive advantages (PRC < 1, Domestic Resource Cost (DRC) < 1, and social benefit-cost (SBC) > 1). The government’s strategy on production protection, referred to as Nominal protection coefficient on tradable output (NPCO) 0.16, together with the plan for enhancing added value, denoted as Effective protection coefficient (EPC) 0.14 and Subsidy ratio to producers (SRP) −0.18, place a significant emphasis on the first export channel. The government’s subsidy plan grants preferential treatment to Channel 4 in terms of the pricing of commercially available products, with a Nominal protection coefficient on tradable input (NPCI) value of 0.75. A value-added strategy is implemented for export channels 2 and 3, which have EPCs of 0.76 and 0.85, respectively. Policy implications: If the tradable cost is modified by 20%, there will be a change in the ratio of DRC, SBC, EPC, and SRP. While the EPC does not see a 20% reduction in domestic prices, the DRC and SBC do benefit from this cost reduction. A reduction of 20% in the local cost, coupled with a corresponding rise of 20% in the Free on Board (FOB) price, would result in a significant elevation of the SRP for export channels 1, 2, and 3. Conclusion: This is as evidence for the combination of quantitative is a dynamic tool in the policymaking process to ensure targets, constrictions, and consistent policies for agricultural fields. This permits policies to be changed in steps with an alteration in the economy and priorities set up for the tropical fruits and vegetables field.
Graphene oxide can be referred to as oxidized graphene. Similar to graphene, oxidized graphene possesses remarkable structural features, advantageous properties, and technical applications. Among polymeric matrices, conducting polymers have been categorized for p conjugated backbone and semiconducting features. In this context, doping, or nano-additive inclusion, has been found to enhance the electrical conduction features of conjugated polymers. Like other carbon nanostructures (fullerene, carbon nanotube, etc.), graphene has been used to reinforce the conjugated matrices. Graphene can be further modified into several derived forms, including graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, and functionalized graphene. Among these, graphene oxide has been identified as an important graphene derivative and nanofiller for conducting matrices. This overview covers essential aspects and progressions in the sector of conjugated polymers and graphene oxide derived nanomaterials. Since the importance of graphene oxide derived nanocomposites, this overview has been developed aiming at conductive polymer/graphene oxide nanocomposites. The novelty of this article relies on the originality and design of the outline, the review framework, and recent literature gathering compared with previous literature reviews. To the best of our knowledge, such an all-inclusive overview of conducting polymer/graphene oxide focusing on fundamentals and essential technical developments has not been seen in the literature before. Due to advantageous structural, morphological, conducting, and other specific properties, conductive polymer/graphene oxide nanomaterials have been applied for a range of technical applications such as supercapacitors, photovoltaics, corrosion resistance, etc. Future research on these high-performance nanocomposites may overcome the design and performance-related challenges facing industrial utilization.
This study explores the primary drivers influencing sustainable project management (SPM) practices in the construction industry. This research study seeks to determine whether firms are primarily motivated by external pressures or internal values when embracing SPM practices. In doing so, this study contributes to the ongoing discourse on SPM drivers by considering coercive pressures (CP), ethical responsibility (ER), and green transformational leadership (GTL) as critical enablers facilitating a firm’s adoption of SPM practices. Based on data from 196 project management practitioners in Pakistan, structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to test the hypothesized relationships. Results highlight that CP influences the management of sustainability practices in construction projects, signifying firms’ concern for securing legitimacy from various institutional actors. As an ‘intrinsic value’, ER emerges as a significant motivator for ecological stewardship, driven by a genuine commitment to promoting sustainable development. This study also unveils the significant moderating effect of GTL on the association among CP, ER, and SPM. Lastly, the results of IMPA reveal that ER slightly performs better than CP as it helps firms internalize the essence of sustainability. This research study expands our understanding of SPM drivers in construction projects by exploring the differential impact of external pressures and the firm’s intrinsic values. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners, aiding them in promoting SPM to attain sustainable development goals.
This financial modelling case study describes the development of the 3-statement financial model for a large-scale transportation infrastructure business dealing with truck (and some rail) modalities. The financial modelling challenges in this area, especially for large-scale transport infrastructure operators, lie in automatically linking the operating activity volumes with the investment volumes. The aim of the paper is to address these challenges: The proposed model has an innovative retirement/reinvestment schedule that automates the estimation of the investment needs for the Business based on the designated age-cohort matrix analysis and controlling for the maximum service ceiling for trucks as well as the possibility of truck retirements due to the reduced scope of tracking operations in the future. The investment schedule thus automated has a few calibrating parameters that help match it to the current stock of trucks/rolling stock in the fleet, making it to be a flexible tool in financial modelling for diverse transport infrastructure enterprises employing truck, bus and/or rail fleets for the carriage of bulk cargo quantifiable by weight (or fare-paying passengers) on a network of set, but modifiable, routes.
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