Novel modified carbon nanotubes as a selective sorbent for preconcentration and determination of trace copper ions in fruit samples

In this work, multiwalled carbon nanotubes were reacted with N‐[3‐(triet‐hoxysilyl)propyl]isonicotinamide to prepare pyridine‐functionalized carbon nanotubes. This novel sorbent was characterized by infrared spectroscopy, thermal and elemental analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. Functionalized carbon nanotubes were applied for the preconcentration and determination of copper ions using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Various parameters such as sample pH, flow rate, eluent type and concentration, and its volume were optimized. Under optimal experimental conditions, the limit of detection, the relative standard deviation, and the recovery of the method were 0.65 ng/mL, 3.2% and 99.4%, respectively. After validating the method using standard reference materials, the new sorbent was applied for the extraction and determination of trace copper(II) ions in fruit samples.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Polyesters Based on Diethylketone Moiety

A new class of unsaturated polyesters based on diethylketone have been prepared by interfacial polymerization of 2,4-bis（4-hydroxybenzylidene）-3-pentanone（I） and 2,4-bis（4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene）-3-pentanone（II） with 4,4’-azodibenzoyl chloride and 3,3’-azodibenzoyl chloride at ambient temperature. The model compounds were synthesized by reaction of（I） and（II） with benzoyl chloride. The new monomers, model compounds and polyesters have been characterized by different spectral analyses. The polyesters have inherent viscosity of 0.55-0.80 d L/g and moderate number average molecular weight（Mn） in the range of 6150-7400 g/mol. Most of the compounds exhibited their solubility in aprotic solvents while partial solubility in various halogenated organic solvents was observed. The temperatures of 10% weight loss were high（225-330 °C） in nitrogen, indicating that these polyesters have excellent thermal stability. Doping with iodine dramatically raised the conductivity and produced brown colored semiconductive polymers with a maximum conductivity of 2.7 × 10-6 --1cm-1. Moreover, the morphological properties of selected example of polyesters were detected by SEM.     

A note on warped product submanifolds of Kenmotsu manifolds

Warped product manifolds are known to have applications in Physics. For instance, they provide an excellent setting to model space-time near a black hole or a massive star (cf. [HONG, S. T.: Warped products and black holes, Nuovo Cimento Soc. Ital. Fis. B 120 (2005), 1227–1234]). The studies on warped product manifolds with extrinsic geometric point of view are intensified after B. Y. Chen’s work on CR-warped product submanifolds of Kaehler manifolds. Later on, similar studies are carried out in the setting of Sasakian manifolds by Hasegawa and Mihai. As Kenmotsu manifolds are themselves warped product spaces, it is interesting to investigate warped product submanifolds of Kenmotsu manifolds. In the present note a larger class of warped product submanifolds than the class of contact CR-warped product submanifolds is considered. More precisely the existence of warped product submanifolds of a Kenmotsu manifold with one of the factors an invariant submanifold is ensured, an example of such submanifolds is provided and a characterization for a contact CR-submanifold to be a contact CR-warped product submanifold is established.     

Mathematical modeling and numerical simulation of CO2 transport through hollow-fiber membranes

Chemical absorption of carbon dioxide was studied theoretically using hollow-fiber membrane contactors in this work. A 2D mathematical model was developed to study CO₂ transport through hollow-fiber membrane contactors. The model considers axial and radial diffusion in the membrane contactor. It also considers convection in the tube and shell side with chemical reaction. The finite element method (FEM) was used to solve the model equations. Modeling predictions were validated with the experimental data obtained from literature for CO₂ absorption in amine aqueous solutions as solvent. The modeling predictions were in good agreement with the experimental data for different values of gas and liquid velocities. The liquid solvents considered for this study include aqueous solutions of monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA), N-methyldiethanolamine (MDEA), 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP) and potassium carbonate (K₂CO₃). The simulation results indicated that amine aqueous solutions were better than K₂CO₃ aqueous solution for CO₂ absorption. Also simulation results revealed that the removal of CO₂ with aqueous solution of MEA was the highest among the amines solvents. The hollow-fiber membrane contactors showed a great potential in the area of CO₂ absorption.     

Improving Vesicular Integrity and Antioxidant Activity of Novel Mixed Soy Lecithin-Based Liposomes Containing Squalene and Their Stability against UV Light

In order to improve the membrane lipophilicity and the affinity towards the environment of lipid bilayers, squalene (SQ) could be conjugated to phospholipids in the formation of liposomes. The effect of membrane composition and concentrations on the degradation of liposomes prepared via the extrusion method was investigated. Liposomes were prepared using a mixture of SQ, cholesterol (CH) and Tween80 (TW80). Based on the optimal conditions, liposome batches were prepared in the absence and presence of SQ. Their physicochemical and stability behavior were evaluated as a function of liposome constituent. From the optimization study, the liposomal formulation containing 5% (w/w) mixed soy lecithin (ML), 0.5% (w/w) SQ, 0.3% (w/w) CH and 0.75% (w/w) TW80 had optimal physicochemical properties and displayed a unilamellar structure. Liposome prepared using the optimal formulation had a low particle size (158.31 ± 2.96 nm) and acceptable %increase in the particle size (15.09% ± 3.76%) and %trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (%TEAC) loss (35.69% ± 0.72%) against UV light treatment (280–320 nm) for 6 h. The interesting outcome of this research was the association of naturally occurring substance SQ for size reduction without the extra input of energy or mechanical procedures, and improvement of vesicle stability and antioxidant activity of ML-based liposome. This study also demonstrated that the presence of SQ in the membrane might increase the acyl chain dynamics and decrease the viscosity of the dispersion, thereby limiting long-term stability of the liposome.     

Improved electrical parameters of vacuum annealed Ni/4H-SiC (0 0 0 1) Schottky barrier diode

The reported work has been focused on the improvement of electrical parameters of Schottky diode using vacuum annealing at mild temperature in Ar gas ambient. Nickel Schottky barrier diodes were fabricated on 50 μm epitaxial layer of n-type 4H-SiC (0 0 0 1) substrate. The values of leakage current, Schottky barrier height (?_B), ideality factor (η) and density of interface states (N_SS) were obtained from experimentally measured current–voltage (I–V) and capacitance–voltage (C–V) characteristics before and after vacuum annealing treatment. The data revealed that ?_B, η and reverse leakage current for the as-processed diodes are 1.25 eV, 1.6 and 1.2 nA (at ?100 V), respectively, while for vacuum annealed diodes these parameters are 1.36 eV, 1.3 and 900 pA (at same reverse voltage). Improved characteristics have been resulted under the influence of vacuum annealing because of lesser number of minority carrier generation due to incessant reduction of number of available discrete energy levels in the bandgap of 4H-SiC substrate and lesser number of interface states density at Ni/4H-SiC (0 0 0 1) interface.     

Preparation of PbO nanocrystals via decomposition of lead oxalate

The present study reports the preparation and characterization of PbO nanocrystals obtained via a thermal decomposition route. The PbO nanocrystals were synthesized using lead oxalate powder as a precursor. Nanostructured products were investigated by means of XRD, TEM, FT-IR and XPS. The XRD results indicate that tetragonal phase β-PbO with a particle size of about 30–45 nm was obtained when the intermediate precipitate was calcined at 500 °C.