Application of artificial neural networks for formulation and modeling of dye adsorption onto multiwalled carbon nanotubes

In this study, an artificial neural network (ANN) has been developed to predict the adsorption amount of dye (methylene blue) onto multiwalled carbon nanotubes. Batch experiments have been carried out to obtain experimental data. Important parameters in the adsorption system such as initial dye concentration, adsorbent dosage, temperature, pH and contact time have been used as the inputs of the network, while the output is the final concentration of dye in aqueous solution after adsorption. The neural network structure has been optimized by testing various training algorithms and different number of neurons in a hidden layer. An empirical equation for determination of final dye concentration in aqueous solutions after adsorption has been developed by using the weights of the optimized network. The results of the optimized ANN have been compared with conventional models in equilibrium and kinetic fields. According to error analysis and determination coefficient, the ANN was found to be the most appropriate model to describe this adsorption process. Sensitivity analysis showed that initial dye concentration, pH and contact time are the most effective parameters in this process. The influence percentages of these parameters on the output were 28, 24 and 24 %, respectively.     

Field-temperature phase diagrams in chiral tilted smectics,evidencing ferroelectric and ferrielectric phases

Usual ferroelectric compounds undergo a paraelectric-to-ferroelectric phase transition when the susceptibility of the electric polarization density changes its sign. The temperature is the only thermodynamic field that governs the phase transition. Chiral tilted smectics may also present an improper ferroelectricity when there is a tilt angle between the average long axis direction and the layer normal. The tilt angle is the order parameter of the phase transition which is governed by the temperature. Although the electric susceptibility remains positive, a polarization proportional to the tilt appears due to their linear coupling allowed by the chiral symmetry. Further complications come in when the chirality increases, as new phases are encountered with the same tilt inside the layers but a distribution of the azimuthal direction which is periodic with a unit cell of two (SmC(A)*, three (SmC(Fi1)*, four (SmC(Fi2)* or more (SmC(alpha)* layers. In most of these phases, the layer normal is a symmetry axis so there is no macroscopic polarization except for the SmC(Fi1)* in which the average long axis is tilted so the phase is ferrielectric. By studying a particular compound with only a SmC(Fi2)* and a SmC(alpha)* phase, we show that we recover the uniformly tilted ferroelectric SmC* when applying an electric field. We are thus led to build field-temperature phase diagrams for this class of compounds by combining different experimental techniques described here.     

Keplerate巨型纳米多孔聚氧钼酸盐作为可重复使用催化剂用于合成1,2,4,5-四取代咪唑(英文)

The Keplerate‐type giant nanoporous isopolyoxomolybdate (NH4)42[MoVI72MoV60O372‐(CH3COO)30(H2O)72], denoted {Mo132}, has been used as a catalyst for the synthesis of1,2,4,5‐tetrasubstituted imidazoles by the one‐pot, four‐component thermal reaction of benzil with aromatic aldehydes, primary amines, and ammonium acetate under solvent‐free conditions. The catalyst was prepared according to a previously published literature procedure using inexpensive and readily available starting materials, and subsequently characterized by FT‐IR, UV and X‐ray diffraction spectroscopy, as well as microanalysis. The results showed that {Mo132} exhibited high catalytic activity towards the synthesis of 1,2,4,5‐tetrasubstituted imidazoles, with the desired products being formed in good to high yields. Furthermore, the catalyst was recyclable and could be reused at least three times without any discernible loss in its catalytic activity. Overall, this new catalytic method for the synthesis of 1,2,4,5‐tetrasubstituted imidazoles provides rapid access to the desired compounds following a simple work‐up procedure, and avoids the use of harmful organic solvents. This method therefore represents a significant improvement over the methods currently available for the synthesis of tetrasubstituted imidazoles.     

Determination of phenytoin in exhaled breath condensate using electromembrane extraction followed by capillary electrophoresis

Application of hollow fiber-based electromembrane extraction was studied for extraction and quantification of phenytoin from exhaled breath condensate (EBC). Phenytoin is extracted from EBC through a supported liquid membrane consisting of 1-octanol impregnated in the walls of a hollow fiber, and into an alkaline aqueous acceptor solution inside the lumen of the fiber. Under the obtained conditions of electromembrane extraction, that is, the extraction time of 15 min, stirring speed of 750 rpm, donor phase pH at 11.0, acceptor pH at 13.0, and an applied voltage of 15 V across the supported liquid membrane, an enrichment factor of 102-fold correspond to extraction percent of 25.5% was achieved. Good linearity was obtained over the concentration range of 0.001–0.10 µg/mL (r² = 0.9992). Limits of detection and quantitation were 0.001 and 0.003 µg/mL, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied to determine phenytoin from EBC samples of patients receiving the drug. No interfering peaks were detected that indicating excellent selectivity of the method. The intra- and interday precisions (RSDs) were less than 14%.     

Integrated photonic crystal spectrometers for sensing applications

A combination of negative refraction and diffraction compensation in a superprism-based photonic crystal structure is used to demonstrate a compact on-chip photonic crystal spectrometer. This structure provides strong dispersion and signal isolation, which are essential for forming an efficient and compact spectrometer. Performance of these spectrometers as spectral pattern detectors is discussed. The experimental results show that a PC structure with 80 μm × 220 μm dimension can locate a single spectral feature with better than 10 pm accuracy over a bandwidth of 50 nm around 1550 nm center wavelength at an output signal-to-noise ratio of 13 dB.     

Systematic design of single-mode coupled-resonator optical waveguides in photonic crystals

By establishing a direct relation between the dispersion and the field profile of a coupled-resonator optical waveguide (CROW) and those of its constituent cavities, we present a systematic method for the design of a single-mode CROW and for control of its dispersion. The procedure includes the design of a single-mode cavity and control of its frequency by engineering its structure. Then, by chaining these cavities in the proper direction and at an appropriate distance, we achieve the desired dispersion for the CROW.     

KF‐Melamine Formaldehyde Resin (KF‐MFR) as a Versatile and Efficient Heterogeneous Reagent for Aldol Condensation of Aldehydes and Ketones under Microwave Irradiation

KF‐Melamine formaldehyde resin (KF‐MFR) was demonstrated to be a highly efficient heterogenious catalyst for cross‐aldol condensation under microwave irradiation. In this synthesis, various aldehydes and ketones were condensed together in the presence of supported KF on melamine‐formaldehyde resin to afford different chalcone derivatives in good to excellent yields. KF‐MFR proved to have unique termal and chemical resistance and can be reused for many consecutive runs without remarkable loss in catalytic activity.