Natural convection of nanoencapsulated phase change suspensions inside a local thermal non-equilibrium porous annulus

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - In this study, the heat transfer, fluid flow and heat capacity ratio are analyzed in an annulus enclosure filled with porous and saturated by a...     

Modelling the volumetric properties of ionic liquids using a modified perturbed hard-sphere-chain equation of state

In this paper, a modified perturbed hard-sphere-chain equation of state (EOS) by Eslami [H. Eslami, Fluid Phase Equilib. 216 (2004) 21–26], is applied for modelling the thermodynamic properties of some ionic liquids (ILs). Two reliable scaling constants are used to determine two temperature-dependent parameters in the proposed EOS. The unique adjustable parameter that is reflecting the number of segments per molecule, r, compensates the uncertainties in the calculated temperature-dependent parameters. The reliability of the proposed EOS has been checked by comparing the results with 1561 experimental data points for 18 ILs over a broad range of pressures and temperatures. The overall average absolute deviation is 0.35%. A comparison of the predicted results, using the present EOS with the results of some previous models, indicates that the determined results of this EOS are in more accordance with experimental data than those.     

Impedimetric sensing of uranyl ion based on phosphate functionalized cysteamine self-assembled monolayers

A phosphate functionalized cysteamine self-assembled monolayer based on gold electrode is designed for uranyl ion (UO₂²⁺) detection. The response of the modified electrode is studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry. The EIS data are approximated using constant phase element (CPE) model from which kinetic and analytical parameters are evaluated. Uranyl ion is recognized based on blocking effect against charge transfer between p-benzoquinone as a probe and the modified electrode. This effect is detected from linear variation of charge transfer resistance (R_ct) as a function of UO₂²⁺ concentration. From the analysis of the EIS data and approximated parameters, a method is developed for UO₂²⁺ determination based on impedimetric measurements.     

The use of Cr (CO)6 as an alternative CO source in Pd‐catalyzed C‐N bond formation: Synthesis of benzamides

An efficient strategy for the synthesis of benzamides from acetamides and aryl iodides using 1 mol% Pd (OAc)₂ as catalyst and Cr (CO)₆ as CO‐precursor is described. This new synthetic methodology displays high functional group tolerance on both substrates and avoids the need for ligands, reducing agents, or other additives. The corresponding products were obtained in good to excellent yields at atmospheric pressure under mild reaction conditions.     

Increase lattice Boltzmann method ability to simulate slip flow regimes with dispersed CNTs nanoadditives inside

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - In this study, the mixed convection of flow in a microchannel containing nanofluid is simulated by the Lattice Boltzmann Method. The...     

Effects of NiTiO3 nanoparticles supported by mesoporous MCM-41 on photoreduction of methylene blue under UV and visible light irradiation

In this work, we report the synthesis of nickel titanate nanoparticles loaded on nanomesoporous MCM-41 nanoparticles to determine the effect of MCM-41 nanoparticles on the photocatalytic activities of nickel titanate (NiTiO₃) nanoparticles by using simple solid-state dispersion (SSD) method. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) analysis were used to characterize the size and morphology of the obtained nanocomposite. The photocatalytic activity (PA) of the as-prepared NiTiO₃ loaded on MCM-41 was evaluated by degradation of the methylene blue under irradiation of UV and visible light. The results showed that NiTiO₃ loaded on nanosize MCM-41 has higher photocatalytic activity than that of NiTiO₃ nanoparticles.     

PVC-based bis(2-nitrophenyl)disulfide sensor for zinc ions

A PVC membrane electrode based on bis(2-nitrophenyl)disulfide carrier exhibits a very good response for Zn²⁺ in a wide concentration range (from 2.9×10⁻⁷ to 3.2×10⁻² mol l⁻¹) with a slope of 29.9±0.4 mV per decade of Zn²⁺ concentration. The response time of the sensor is about 10 s and the membrane can be used for more than 3 months without any observed divergence in potentials. The proposed sensor exhibits very good selectivity for Zn²⁺ over many cations and can be used in a wide pH range (2-9). This assembly served also as an indicator electrode in potentiometric titrations involving zinc ions and direct potentiometric determination of zinc ions in real and synthetic samples.     

Preferred design of recurrent neural network architecture using a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm with un-supervised information recruitment: a paradigm for modeling shape memory alloy actuators

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are able to compensate any undergoing plastic deformations and return to their memorized shape. Such a behavior persuades industrialists to use them for different engineering applications, as smart actuators and sensors. Because of their vast applications, it is crucial to engineers to develop effective identification tools capable of simulating the behavior of SMAs. However, SMA actuators have complex and hysteric behavior that in turn obstructs the modeling process. The motivation behind the current study emanates in the pursuit of developing efficient prediction tools for effective modeling of SMA actuators. Actually, after several experiments and software simulations, the authors develop a hybrid intelligent tool which takes advantage of the self-organizing Pareto based evolutionary algorithm (SOPEA) and simultaneous recurrent neural network (SRNN), as a black-box model, to automatically identify the behavior of SMA. SOPEA is a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm which is based on the concepts of survival of the fittest, non-dominated sorting and information recruitment. The information recruitment is guaranteed by applying an un-supervised neuro computing technique, i.e. adaptive self organizing map (ASOM) with conscience mechanism. ASOM is an un-supervised network that assists SOPEA to recognize the non-dominated patterns and produce further non-dominated solutions. Together with the structure of SOPEA, the authors follow a comprehensive preference-based strategy to exploit the desired regions in the Pareto front. This occurs through introducing deliberate reference points. The outcome method is applied to the design of SRNN for modeling the SMA actuator. It is demonstrated that the designed optimization tool can show acceptable performance for the present case study within the imposed computational budget. Besides, through a rigorous experimental procedure, it is indicated that by applying an efficient artificial system, the behavior of SMA can be identified without any specific knowledge of the physical conditions and governing equations.     

Application and developing of iron‐doped multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (Fe/MWCNTs) as an efficient and reusable heterogeneous nanocatalyst in the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds

Iron‐doped multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (Fe/MWCNTs) is an efficient, ecofriendly and reusable heterogeneous nanocatalyst for the one‐pot synthesis of heterocyclic compounds including bis‐spiro piperidines, piperidines, dihydro‐2‐oxopyrroles, pyrazoles and diazepines at room temperature with good to excellent yields. The heterogeneous nanocatalyst was fully characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and FT‐IR analysis. Also, the structures of all prepared compounds were characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, FT‐IR, mass spectrometry (MS) and elemental analysis. The major advantages of these protocols are mild and green reaction conditions, short reaction times, clean reaction, operational simplicity, easy purification and good to excellent yields with the reusable heterogeneous nanocatalyst. The catalyst was ten recycled without significant loss of activity.