Abstract. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from industrial activities remain one of the greatest contributors to global climate change. Hollow fiber membranes (HFMs) have emerged as a promising technology for post-combustion CO2 separation owing to their high surface-area-to-volume ratio and scalability. This work focuses on the fabrication of HFMs with an emphasis on gas separation, particularly CO2, using the non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) spinning process for HFMs fabrication. The process allows specific control over dope and bore fluid selection, and flowrates, enabling the formation of asymmetric structures with desirable porosity, mechanical strength and suitable morphology for gas separation. The fabrication of polyethersulfone (PES)-based HFMs via NIPS, with 3 wt% polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a pore-forming additive, served as a foundational and basic study framework to provide an overview of the general hollow fibre membrane fabrication process. Preliminary assessments demonstrated the suitability of the fabricated membranes for gas separation applications as per requirements of membrane-based carbon capture technologies. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), gas permeability tests, and tensile testing all revealed improvements in morphology, porosity, and mechanical strength, implying that this method for fabricating hollow fibre membranes has significant potential for tuning hollow fibre membranes for gas separation applications. Finally, the potential of HFM-based systems for energy-efficient CO2 capture is highlighted to be explored further.
Agile - denoting "the quality of being agile, readiness for motion, nimbleness, activity, dexterity in motion" - software development methods are attempting to offer an answer to the eager business community asking for lighter weight along with faster and nimbler software development processes. This is especially the case with the rapidly growing and volatile Internet software industry as well as for the emerging mobile application environment. The new agile methods have evoked substantial amount of literature and debates. However, academic research on the subject is still scarce, as most of existing publications are written by practitioners or consultants. The aim of this publication is to begin filling this gap by systematically reviewing the existing literature on agile software development methodologies. This publication has three purposes. First, it proposes a definition and a classification of agile software development approaches. Second, it analyses ten software development methods that can be characterized as being "agile" against the defined criterion. Third, it compares these methods and highlights their similarities and differences. Based on this analysis, future research needs are identified and discussed.
P. Abrahamsson, O. Salo, Jussi Ronkainen et al.· arXiv.org· 728 citations· ⚡54
Context: Software startups are newly created companies with no operating history and fast in producing cutting-edge technologies. These companies develop software under highly uncertain conditions, tackling fast-growing markets under severe lack of resources. Therefore, software startups present a unique combination of characteristics which pose several challenges to software development activities. Objective: This study aims to structure and analyze the literature on software development in startup companies, determining thereby the potential for technology transfer and identifying software development work practices reported by practitioners and researchers. Method: We conducted a systematic mapping study, developing a classification schema, ranking the selected primary studies according their rigor and relevance, and analyzing reported software development work practices in startups. Results: A total of 43 primary studies were identified and mapped, synthesizing the available evidence on software development in startups. Only 16 studies are entirely dedicated to software development in startups, of which 10 result in a weak contribution (advice and implications (6); lesson learned (3); tool (1)). Nineteen studies focus on managerial and organizational factors. Moreover, only 9 studies exhibit high scientific rigor and relevance. From the reviewed primary studies, 213 software engineering work practices were extracted, categorized and analyzed. Conclusion: This mapping study provides the first systematic exploration of the state-of-art on software startup research. The existing body of knowledge is limited to a few high quality studies. Furthermore, the results indicate that software engineering work practices are chosen opportunistically, adapted and configured to provide value under the constrains imposed by the startup context.
Nicolò Paternoster, Carmine Giardino, M. Unterkalmsteiner et al.· Information and Software Tec...· 394 citations· ⚡54
