Highly efficient,economic, and recyclable glutathione decorated magnetically separable nanocomposite for uranium(VI) adsorption from aqueous solution

A green and environment-friendly magnetically separable nanocomposite, glutathione@magnetite was fabricated sonochemically through the functionalization of Fe₃O₄ by glutathione which was well characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, ultravoilet-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, vibrating sample magnetometer, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller, and high-resolution transmission electron microscope. The parameters affecting adsorption including pH, temperature, contact time, initial adsorbate concentration, and adsorbent amount were optimized by batch experiments. The magnetic glutathione@magnetite was applied for the removal of uranium(VI) in water with maximum adsorption capacity found to be 333.33 mg/g in 120 min at a neutral pH at 25 °C showing high efficiency for U(VI) ions. Furthermore, adsorption results obtained from UV-vis spectroscopy were validated by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. The thermodynamic parameters, viz Gibbs free energy (ΔGº), standard enthalpy change (ΔHº), and standard entropy change (ΔSº) of the process were calculated using the Langmuir constants. The pseudo-second-order kinetics model is seen to be applicable for describing the uptake process using a kinetics test. Moreover, desorption studies reveals that glutathione@magnetite can be used repeatedly, and removal efficiency shows only a small decrease after six cycles. Thus, glutathione@magnetite acts as a potential adsorbent for the removal of U(VI) from the water with great adsorption performance.     

Smarandache函数在两数列上的下界估计

设S(n)是Smarandache函数,其中n是一正整数.讨论Smarandache函数S(n)在数列F((2k),1)=F(n,1)=n2n+1(n=2k)与数列G(2n,1)=(2n)2n+1上的下界估计.基于初等方法证明了:当偶数n≥6时,有S(F((2k),1))=S(F(n,1))≥6×2n+1;当n≥4时,有S(G(2n,1))≥6×2n+1.     

Study of nucleon-nucleon and alphanucleon elastic scattering by the Manning-Rosen potential

Although often used in molecular dynamics, in this work the Manning–Rosen potential is parameterized to compute the scattering phase shifts for the nucleon–nucleon and the alpha-nucleon systems by exploiting the standard phase function method. We obtain excellent agreement in phase shifts with the more sophisticated calculations up to partial waves ${\ell }=2.$     

White and some colored marbles as alternative radiation shielding materials for applications

ABSTRACT

In this paper, the radiation shielding parameters such as linear attenuation coefficients (LAC, µ), mass attenuation coefficients (MAC, µ/ρ), effective atomic numbers (Z_eff), effective electron densities (N_eff), half value of layers (HVL), mean free paths (MFP) and buildup factors (exposure (EBF) and energy absorption (EABF)) were investigated for cream (M1), pink (M2), white (M3), maroon (M4) and green (M5) marbles. Attenuation coefficients were measured in the energy region 31.18–661.66 keV photon energies. The values of Z_eff and N_eff were then calculated using these coefficients with logarithmic interpolation method, and HVLs and MFPs were calculated using the values of LAC of marble samples at the same photon energies. The experimental results were compared with the theoretical values obtained from WinXCom program, and good agreements were observed between the experimental and theoretical results. HVLs and MFPs of all marble samples were compared with those of some concretes, glasses and commercial radiation shielding glasses (SCHOTT Co.). The studied marbles were better radiation shielding materials than standard shielding concretes due to lower HVL and MFP values lower than the ordinary concrete. Finally, EBFs and EABFs of the marbles were calculated in the energy region 0.015–1?MeV up to penetration depths of 40 mfps by Geometric Progression method (G-P), and the results were discussed in terms of photon energies and chemical compositions of the marbles.     

Engineering nanostructures of CuO-based photocatalysts for water treatment: Current progress and future challenges

Nowadays, increasing extortions regarding environmental problems and energy scarcity have stuck the development and endurance of human society. The issue of inorganic and organic pollutants that exist in water from agricultural, domestic, and industrial activities has directed the development of advanced technologies to address the challenges of water scarcity efficiently. To solve this major issue, various scientists and researchers are looking for novel and effective technologies that can efficiently remove pollutants from wastewater. Nanoscale metal oxide materials have been proposed due to their distinctive size, physical and chemical properties along with promising applications. Cupric Oxide (CuO) is one of the most commonly used benchmark photocatalysts in photodegradation owing to the fact that they are cost-effective, non-toxic, and more efficient in absorption across a significant fraction of solar spectrum. In this review, we have summarized synthetic strategies of CuO fabrication, modification methods with applications for water treatment purposes. Moreover, an elaborative discussion on feasible strategies includes; binary and ternary heterojunction formation, Z-scheme based photocatalytic system, incorporation of rare earth/transition metal ions as dopants, and carbonaceous materials serving as a support system. The mechanistic insight inferring photo-induced charge separation and transfer, the functional reactive radical species involved in a photocatalytic reaction, have been successfully featured and examined. Finally, a conclusive remark regarding current studies and unresolved challenges related to CuO are put forth for future perspectives.     

Numerical approach for the evolution of spin-boson systems and its application to the Buck–Sukumar model

We study the evolution properties of spin-boson systems by a systematic numerical iteration approach, which performs well in the whole coupling regime. This approach evaluates a set of coefficients in the formal expression of the time-dependent Schr?dinger equation by expanding the initial state in Fock space. This set of coefficients is unique for the spin-boson Hamiltonian studied, allowing one to calculate the time evolution from different initial states. To complement our numerical calculations, we apply the method to the Buck–Sukumar model. We find that when the ground-state energy of the model is unbounded and no ground state exists in a certain parameter space, the time evolution of the physical quantities is naturally unstable.     

Single top partner production in the tZ channel at eγ collision in the littlest Higgs model with T-parity

Introducing the top partner is a common way to cancel the largest quadratically divergent contribution to the Higgs mass induced by the top quark. In this work, we study single top partner production in the tZ channel at eγ collision in the littlest Higgs model with T-parity(LHT). Since it is well known that polarized beams can enhance the cross section, we analyze the signal via polarized electron beams,and photon beams. we have selected two decay modes for comparison, based on the leptonic or the hadronic decays of the W and Z from the top partner. We then construct a detailed detector simulation, and choose a set of cuts to enhance signal significance. For mode A(B), the capacity for exclusion in this process at s~(1/2)=3TeV is comparable to the current experimental limits with L=1000(500) fb~(-1). If the integrated luminosity can be increased to 3000 fb~(-1), the top partner mass+mTcan be excluded up to 1350(1440) GeV at 2σ level. We also considered the initial state radiation effect, and find that this effect reduces the excluding ability of the eγ collision on the the top partner mass by approximately 10 GeV. Moreover, the ability to exclude the LHT parameter space at eγ collision complements the existing research.     

Computational study of the formation of aluminum-graphene nanocrystallites

The molecular dynamics method is used to study the formation of the Al/graphene nanocomposite in the structural grains of different size under the action of internal stresses. The behavior of graphene sheets inside an individual structural grain as well as in the process of two Al grains containing graphene are joined is investigated. The motion of graphene films, starting from the middle of the aluminum matrix, ends with their location at the crystallite boundaries. Graphene moves in the Al matrix along closely packed planes. In this case, graphene sheets acquire curvature. An intergrowth of graphene sheets is also observed. A contact between two Al-C nanocrystallites through a graphene interlayer is created. The self-diffusion coefficients of atoms and the partial potential energies increased with decreasing nanocrystallite size. The angular distribution of the nearest geometric neighbors and the distribution of distances to the nearest neighbors are determined using the construction of Voronoi polyhedra.     

Theory of particle transport phenomena during fatigue and time-dependent fracture of materials based on mesoscale dynamics and their practical applications

In this work, the mesoscale mechanics of metals, which links their microscopic physics and macroscopic mechanics, was established. For practical applications, the laws for quantitatively predicting life of cycle and time-dependent fracture behavior such as fatigue, hydrogen embrittlement, and high-temperature creep were derived using particle transport phenomena theories such as dislocation group dynamics, hydrogen diffusion, and vacancy diffusion. Furthermore, these concepts were also applied for estimating the degree of viscoelastic deterioration of blood vessel walls, which is dominated by a time-dependent mechanism, and for the diagnosis of aneurysm accompanied by the viscoelastic deterioration of the blood vessel wall. In these theories, new mechanical indexes were derived as dominant factors for predicting the life of fatigue crack growth and the time-dependent fracture of notched specimens of materials such as hydrogen embrittlement and high-temperature creep. Furthermore, as an example of a practical application, these theories were applied to estimate the degree of viscoelastic deterioration and chaotic motions of blood vessel walls, which are closely related to blood vessel diseases such as atherosclerosis and aneurysm. Moreover, new indexes to diagnose them were also proposed for clinical applications.