This study assesses the effect of the enrichment medium used on the isolation of Salmonella from the duodenal content of naturally infected slaughter pigs. At six slaughterhouses, the duodenum was collected from 458 randomly chosen pigs and examined in the laboratory. Three semi-solid enrichment media (modified semi-solid Rappaport-Vassiliadis medium [MSRV], diagnostic semi-solid Salmonella med...

The methodology of direct finite element (FE) simulation was used to predict the semi-solid constitutive behavior of an industrially important aluminummagnesium alloy, AA5182. Model microstructures were generated that detail key features of the as-cast semi-solid: equiaxed-globular grains of random size and shape, interconnected liquid films, and pores at the triple-junctions. Based on the resu...

Grain refinement via semi-solid deformation is desired to obtain superior mechanical properties of cast components. Using quantitative in situ synchrotron X-ray tomographic microscopy, we show an additional mechanism for the reduction of grain size, via liquation assisted transgranular cracking of semi-solid globular microstructures. Here we perform localized indentation of Al-15wt.%Cu globular...

We describe an enzymatic fluorometric method for determining glucose concentrations in blood samples by analysis on a semi-solid surface (silicone-rubber pads). The method is an adaptation of existing spectrophotometric procedures based on the sequential coupling reactions with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and NADP+. The rate of appearance of NADPH fluorescence at 460 nm (excitation wavele...

A method of joining metals with semi-solid slurries is presented. Experiments have been carried out using a model alloy of Sn-Pb to demonstrate the concept. The advantages of this process are a controlled microstructure of the weld, lower post-welding stresses and a small heat affected zone. Tensile tests have been performed, showing a weld strength comparable to bulk material strength. Key fac...

Semi-solid processing (SSP) of alloys has been used commercially since the early eighties for the manufacture of components in the automobile and aerospace industries. The thrust of the early development has been in aluminium and copper alloys. The nature of the process makes it an ideal candidate for the manufacture of components in alloys which are either difficult or virtually impossible to ...

Thixoforging, one variant of semi-solid metal processing in which the metallic alloys are processed at low liquid fraction (0.1< Fl < 0.3), is used to produce complex parts with high mechanical properties. Steel thixoforging faces more challenges as compared to that of low melting point materials due to high processing temperature and lack of understanding of the thermomechanical behavior of ma...