Solar Light Active Graphitic Carbon Nitride/Biochar Nanocomposite for RhB Dye Degradation

In this work, nanocomposite graphitic carbon nitride/biochar is successfully prepared by physical mixing method to achieve efficient charge separation and photodegradation of RhB dye under sunlight. The biochar is synthesized by heating biomass in muffle furnace in an inert atmosphere. The graphitic carbon nitride is prepared using melamine as a precursor and heating it in a muffle furnace in air atmosphere. The structural characterizations FTIR and X-ray diffraction are done to confirm the functional groups and crystallography of prepared samples. The photodegradation of RhB dye by nanocomposite is analyzed using a UV–visible spectrophotometer under solar irradiation. It is found that the RhB dye is completely reduced by the nanocomposite in less than 6 min in the presence of sunlight. The kinetic study confirms the photodegradation of RhB dye is first order reaction and rate constant is found to be 0.31 min⁻¹.     

Recent Advances on Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbons Towards Electrochemical Supercapacitor Applications

Due to ever-increasing global energy demands and dwindling resources, there is a growing need to develop materials that can fulfil the World's pressing energy requirements. Electrochemical energy storage devices have gained significant interest due to their exceptional storage properties, where the electrode material is a crucial determinant of device performance. Hence, it is essential to develop 3-D hierarchical materials at low cost with precisely controlled porosity and composition to achieve high energy storage capabilities. After presenting the brief updates on porous carbons (PCs), then this review will focus on the nitrogen (N) doped porous carbon materials (NPC) for electrochemical supercapacitors as the NPCs play a vital role in supercapacitor applications in the field of energy storage. Therefore, this review highlights recent advances in NPCs, including developments in the synthesis of NPCs that have created new methods for controlling their morphology, composition, and pore structure, which can significantly enhance their electrochemical performance. The investigated N-doped materials a wide range of specific surface areas, ranging from 181.5 to 3709 m² g⁻¹, signifies a substantial increase in the available electrochemically active surface area, which is crucial for efficient energy storage. Moreover, these materials display notable specific capacitance values, ranging from 58.7 to 754.4 F g⁻¹, highlighting their remarkable capability to effectively store electrical energy. The outstanding electrochemical performance of these materials is attributed to the synergy between heteroatoms, particularly N, and the carbon framework in N-doped porous carbons. This synergy brings about several beneficial effects including, enhanced pseudo-capacitance, improved electrical conductivity, and increased electrochemically active surface area. As a result, these materials emerge as promising candidates for high-performance supercapacitor electrodes. The challenges and outlook in NPCs for supercapacitor applications are also presented. Overall, this review will provide valuable insights for researchers in electrochemical energy storage and offers a basis for fabricating highly effective and feasible supercapacitor electrodes.     

Vanadium-Based Cathodic Materials of Aqueous Zn-Ion Battery for Superior-Performance with Prolonged-Life Cycle

Aqueous Zn-ion battery systems (AZIBs) have emerged as the most dependable solution, as demonstrated by successful systematic growth over the past few years. Cost effectivity, high performance and power density with prolonged life cycle are some major reason of the recent progress in AZIBs. Development of vanadium-based cathodic materials for AZIBs has appeared widely. This review contains a brief display of the basic facts and history of AZIBs. An insight section on zinc storage mechanism ramifications is given. A detailed discussion is conducted on features of high-performance and long life-time cathodes. Such features include design, modifications, electrochemical and cyclic performance, along with stability and zinc storage pathway of vanadium based cathodes from 2018 to 2022. Finally, this review outlines obstacles and opportunities with encouragement for gathering a strong conviction for future advancement in vanadium-based cathodes for AZIBs.     

Stepwise fatigue crack propagation in polyethylene resins of different molecular structure

Stepwise fatigue crack propagation in a range of polyethylene resins, some of which are candidates for use in pipes for natural gas distribution, was studied. Examination of the effect of molding conditions on fatigue crack propagation in a pipe resin indicated that fast cooling under pressure produced specimens with the same crack resistance as specimens taken from a pipe extruded from this resin. The mechanism of stepwise crack propagation in fatigue was the same as reported previously for creep loading. Observations of the region ahead of the arrested crack revealed a complex damage zone that consisted of a thick membrane at the crack tip followed by a main craze with subsidiary shear crazes that emerged from the crack tip at an angle to the main craze. The effects of molecular parameters, such as molecular weight, comonomer content, and branch distribution, on the kinetics of fatigue crack propagation were examined. Correlation of creep and fatigue crack resistance made it possible to relate fatigue fracture toughness to molecular parameters by invoking concepts of craze fibril stability developed for creep. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 2355–2369, 1998     

Nanostructure Engineering of Metal–Organic Derived Frameworks: Cobalt Phosphide Embedded in Carbon Nanotubes as an Efficient ORR Catalyst

Heteroatom doping is considered an efficient strategy when tuning the electronic and structural modulation of catalysts to achieve improved performance towards renewable energy applications. Herein, we synthesized a series of carbon-based hierarchical nanostructures through the controlled pyrolysis of Co-MOF (metal organic framework) precursors followed by in situ phosphidation. Two kinds of catalysts were prepared: metal nanoparticles embedded in carbon nanotubes, and metal nanoparticles dispersed on the carbon surface. The results proved that the metal nanoparticles embedded in carbon nanotubes exhibit enhanced ORR electrocatalytic performance, owed to the enriched catalytic sites and the mass transfer facilitating channels provided by the hierarchical porous structure of the carbon nanotubes. Furthermore, the phosphidation of the metal nanoparticles embedded in carbon nanotubes (P-Co-CNTs) increases the surface area and porosity, resulting in faster electron transfer, greater conductivity, and lower charge transfer resistance towards ORR pathways. The P-Co-CNT catalyst shows a half-wave potential of 0.887 V, a Tafel slope of 67 mV dec⁻¹, and robust stability, which are comparatively better than the precious metal catalyst (Pt/C). Conclusively, this study delivers a novel path for designing multiple crystal phases with improved catalytic performance for energy devices.     

Synthesis,Characterization and Structural Conformation Studies of 2-Amino-3-ethoxycarbonyl-4-(4′-methoxy Phenyl)-4H-pyrano-[3,2-c]-chromene-6-methyl-5-one

2-amino-3-ethoxycarbonyl-4-(4′-methoxy Phenyl)-4H-pyrano-[3,2-c]-chromene-6-methyl-5-one was synthesized by the two-component reaction of 6-methyl-4-hydroxy coumarin with 4′-methoxy-2-cyano cinnamate, which was synthesized by Knoevenagel reaction with 88% yield. The compound obtained was characterized by spectroscopic techniques and confirmed by X-ray crystallographic studies. The crystallographic data analysis reveals that the title compound crystallizes in the triclinic space group \(P\overline{1}\) with cell parameters a = 7.7750(8) Å, b = 9.0310(6) Å, c = 15.6120(17) Å, α = 77.249(7)°, β = 115.860(3)°, γ = 70.139(7)°, V = 1,003.0(16) Å³ for Z = 4. The structure has been solved by direct methods and refined to R1 = 0.0552 for 3,164 observed reflections with I > 2 σ(I). The pyran ring is in a flattened boat conformation. The carbonyl group is oriented in a -synperiplanar(cis) conformation.

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Preparation and dielectric study of high-quality PLZT x/65/35 (x = 6,7,8) ferroelectric ceramics

Ferroelectric ceramics are an important class of solid-state materials as they exhibit a wide range of applications. Various compositions of the ferroelectric ceramic (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O₃ (known as PLZT) were prepared and their dielectric properties were studied. It is difficult to prepare phase-pure PLZT compounds by the direct solid-state reaction method. Its preparation required the use of a special 'covering method' adopted to facilitate phase formation using the solid-state reaction method. High-quality PLZT samples of different compositions (x/65/35, x=6,7,8) prepared using the 'covering method' without adding any excess PbO (to avoid PbO loss) resulted in single-phase formation. The 8/65/35 composition has yielded a dielectric constant of 11273 at T_C, which is in good agreement with the literature value [1, 2]. Also, as the lanthanum content x was varied from 6 to 8 mole %, T_C decreased and the low-frequency (1 kHz) room-temperature dielectric constant value increased. The present publication gives a detailed account of the evolution of the phase-pure PLZT compositions and their physical properties.     

Solubilization of Cationic Hemicyanine Dyesin Anionic Surfactant Micelles: A Partitioning Study

Summary.  Cationic hemicyanine dyes of the 1-methyl-4-(4-(di-n-alkylamino)-styryl) pyridinium betain type (alkyl group=methyl to butyl) have been investigated by differential spectroscopy in order to ascertain their solubilization in aqueous micellar solution of sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS). The differential absorption spectra were recorded as a function of surfactant concentration at 25.0°C. Thermodynamic parameters were calculated from partition coefficient data. The results show that cationic hemicyanine dyes are solubilized at the micellar surface, indicating an electrostatic interaction between dyes and surfactant micelles. Received October 15, 1999. Accepted February 14, 2000     

Synthesis and structural conformation of N‐substituted 1,4‐dihyropyridine derivatives

N‐(Phenyl)‐3,5‐dicarbethoxy‐2,6‐dimethyl‐4‐(phenyl)‐1,4‐dihydropyridine (A) and N‐(4‐methoxy phenyl)‐‐3,5 dicarbethoxy‐2,6 dimethyl‐4‐(3‐nitro phenyl)‐1,4‐dihydropyridine (B) has been synthesized as per scheme and characterized by the X‐ray diffraction method. The compound A crystallizes in monoclinic space group P21/c with cell parameters a = 9.2770(11)Å, b = 8.6410(5)Å, c = 27.601(3)Å, β = 97.724(3)°, Z = 4. The compound B crystallizes in monoclinic space group P21/c with cell parameters a = 11.229(6), b = 12.746(7)Å, c =17.606(6)Å, β = 104.531(3)°, Z = 4. The structures exhibit both intra and intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Dihydropyridine ring of both the compounds adopt a flat boat conformation. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Vocal Fold Impact Stress Analysis

Vocal fold impact stress (force/area) has been implicated as a factor possibly contributing to the formation of nodules and polyps. The force of impact of a moving body is related to its acceleration. Since the mass of the folds is relatively constant, one expects impact force to be directly proportional to acceleration. A measure that reflects the relative displacement of the vocal folds is photoglottography (PGG). The velocity and acceleration of the folds are easily obtained by calculating the first and second derivatives of the PGG displacement waveform. This study, therefore, compared the second derivative of the PGG signal with simultaneously measured impact stress in an excised canine larynx model. Glottal transillumination (PGG) was measured with a subglottic transducer. A miniature force transducer placed in the midline between the vocal folds measured impact stress at the midglottal position. For nine different larynges, there was a positive and linear relationship between the second derivative of PGG and impact stress. The statistically significant results support the hypothesis that the second derivative of PGG m ay provide a use fulnoninvasive way to estimate relative vocal fold impact stress.