Chao Ye, Xiufang Wen, Jia-ling Lan, Zhi-qi Cai, Pi-hui Pi, Shou-ping Xu and Yu Qian
The purpose of this paper is to modify light hollow polymer microsphere (LHPM) with titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nano-TiO2) to improve its compatibility with latex and apply…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to modify light hollow polymer microsphere (LHPM) with titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nano-TiO2) to improve its compatibility with latex and apply the obtained nano-TiO2/LHPM composite particles in external wall thermal insulation coatings.
Design/methodology/approach
The nano-TiO2/LHPM composite particles were prepared via vigorous stirring. The morphology and chemical composition of the produced nano-TiO2/LHPM composite particles were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersion spectrum, thermo-gravimetric analyzer and Fourier transform infrared. The performance of this new composite coating was evaluated by checking its stability, density, radiation reflectivity, thermal conductivity and the resulting insulation temperature difference when forming coating film.
Findings
It was found that a 9:1 mass ratio of nano-TiO2/LHPM with total 10 weight per cent composite particles in the thermal insulation paint showed low density, good stability, low thermal conductivity (0.1687 W/m·K) and high insulation temperature difference (5.8°C).
Research limitations/implications
The LHPM can be modified by other nanoparticles to improve its insulation performance in thermal insulation coatings.
Practical implications
This work provides a simple, robust, but effective approach to produce new thermal insulation coatings with nano-TiO2/LHPM composite particles.
Originality/value
This method for surface modification of LHPMs is novel and the modified hollow polymer microspheres could be applied to external wall insulation coatings.
Details
Keywords
Chih-Hung Hsieh, Chien-Huei Lin and Jia-Ling Huang
This study aims to analyse the impact of e-paper on many existing industries including paper, publishing, book distribution, display, handheld device manufacturers and content…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to analyse the impact of e-paper on many existing industries including paper, publishing, book distribution, display, handheld device manufacturers and content service providers. Flexible display has been studied by many institutes, firms and market research companies. Some believe that e-paper is an exceptional application for flexible display, and the need for flexible display development for handheld devices and cloud-based e-book content is indisputable.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses the Delphi technique and STEEP (Sociological, Technological, Economic, Environmental and Political aspects) with a panel to analyse a business model and the opportunity for the development of e-paper in Taiwan up to the year 2020.
Findings
The study concludes that e-paper content and customised digital services are an essential part of e-paper development, while hardware and cloud data are no more than a mechanism to show, compute and store data. Thus, whether the screen of a handheld device is flexible may not be of importance. Although e-paper will affect the display industry, it will not substitute for handheld devices and traditional bookstores.
Originality/value
This research can be used as a reference for government, academics, industry and international investors.
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Sara Willott, Wendy Badger and Vicky Evans
People with an intellectual disability are much more likely to be sexually violated and the violation is less likely to be reported. Despite this being high-lighted at least 3…
Abstract
Purpose
People with an intellectual disability are much more likely to be sexually violated and the violation is less likely to be reported. Despite this being high-lighted at least 3 decades ago and improvements in both safeguarding and national reporting processes, under-reporting remains a problem. This paper explored under-reporting alongside prevention possibilities using safeguarding alerts raised in a Community Learning Disability Team within a UK NHS trust.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a combination of authentic but anonymised case vignettes and descriptive data drawn from the safeguarding team, under-reporting was examined through the lens of an ecological model. Safeguarding alerts raised in a particular year were compared with the number expected if all (estimated) cases of abuse were disclosed and reported.
Findings
Only 4.4 per cent of expected abuse cases were reported to the team, which is lower than the reporting level the authors had expected from the literature. There is evidence in the literature of the under-reporting of sexual assault for all kinds of people. Arguably, the implications of under-reporting for PwID are even more traumatic.
Research limitations/implications
Constraints included the lack of standardisation in data collection within the statutory services that report to the Birmingham Safeguarding Adults Board. One key recommendation is that the national provider of data for the NHS in the UK requires more complex and standardised audit information that would allow each local authority to benchmark their practice against a higher protection standard. Another recommendation is that compliance to quality standards sits within a comprehensive strategy.
Originality/value
This paper explored the extent to which the previously documented under-reporting concern remains an issue. Certainly eye-balling safeguarding compliance data in the NHS organisation we worked in led us to a concern that reporting might be even lower than implied in the literature. This together with a renewed spot-light on sexual violence (e.g, NHS England, 2018) led us to decide that it was timely to re-examine the problem.