Multivariate optimization and comparison between conventional extraction (CE) and ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) of carotenoid extraction from cashew apple

Carotenoids are an essential component of cashew and can be used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, natural pigment, food additives, among other applications. The present work focuses on optimizing and comparing conventional and ultrasound-assisted extraction methods. Every optimization step took place with a 1:1 (w:w) mixture of yellow and red cashew apples lyophilized and ground in a cryogenic mill. A Simplex-centroid design was applied for both methods, and the solvents acetone, methanol, ethanol, and petroleum ether were evaluated. After choosing the extractor solvent, a central composite design was applied to optimize the sample mass (59–201 mg) and extraction time (6–34 min). The optimum conditions for the extractor solvent were 38% acetone, 30% ethanol, and 32% petroleum ether for CE and a mixture of 44% acetone and 56% methanol for UAE. The best experimental conditions for UAE were a sonication time of 19 min and a sample mass of 153 mg, while the CE was 23 min and 136 mg. Comparing red and yellow cashews, red cashews showed a higher carotenoid content in both methodologies. The UAE methodology was ca. 21% faster, presented a more straightforward composition of extracting solution, showed an average yield of superior carotenoid content in all samples compared to CE. Therefore, UAE has demonstrated a simple, efficient, fast, low-cost adjustment methodology and a reliable alternative for other applications involving these bioactive compounds in the studied or similar matrix.     

一种通过梯形PPMgLN波导倍频实现带宽可调谐光源的理论研究

本文设计了一种梯形的周期极化掺镁铌酸锂(PPMgLN)波导,并通过在传播方向上引入温度梯度来拓宽其倍频(SHG)过程的泵浦光源可接收带宽。通过有限差分的光束传输法,计算波导的有效折射率,并进行波导尺寸的设计。结果表明,通过改变梯形波导不同位置的温度,使其形成一个温度梯度,可拓宽泵浦光源的波长可接收带宽。本文所设计的PPMgLN波导最大泵浦光源可接收带宽为C波段,即1 530~1 565 nm,该波导可倍频C波段,得到输出波段带宽为765~782.5 nm,温度调谐范围为30~150 ℃。     

以磷化铁为添加剂沿(111)面生长磷掺杂金刚石大单晶

掺杂是调控金刚石性能的一种重要手段。本文采用温度梯度法,在5.6 GPa、1 312 ℃的条件下,选用Fe₃P作为磷源进行磷掺杂金刚石大单晶的合成。金刚石样品的显微光学照片表明,随着Fe₃P添加比例的增加,金刚石晶体的颜色逐渐变深,包裹体数量逐渐增加,晶形由板状转变为塔状直至骸晶。金刚石晶形的变化表明Fe₃P的添加使生长金刚石的V形区向右偏移,这是Fe₃P改变触媒特性的缘故。红外光谱分析表明,Fe₃P的添加使金刚石晶体中氮含量上升,这说明磷的进入诱使氮原子更容易进入金刚石晶格中。激光拉曼光谱测试表明,随着Fe₃P添加比例的增加,所合成的掺磷金刚石的拉曼峰位变化不大,其半峰全宽(FWHM)值变大,这说明磷的进入使得金刚石晶格畸变增加。XPS测试结果显示,随着Fe₃P添加比例的增加,金刚石晶体中磷相对碳的原子百分含量也会增加,这意味着添加Fe₃P所合成的金刚石晶体中有磷存在。     

雾化辅助化学气相沉积法氧化镓薄膜生长研究

采用自主设计搭建的雾化辅助化学气相沉积系统设备,开展了Ga₂O₃薄膜制备及其特性研究工作。通过X射线衍射研究了沉积温度、系统沉积压差对Ga₂O₃薄膜结晶质量的影响。结果表明,Ga₂O₃在425~650 ℃温度区间存在物相转换关系。随着沉积温度从425 ℃升高至650 ℃,薄膜结晶分别由非晶态、纯α-Ga₂O₃结晶状态向α-Ga₂O₃、β-Ga₂O₃两相混合结晶状态改变。通过原子力显微镜表征探究了生长温度对Ga₂O₃薄膜表面形貌的影响,从475 ℃升高至650 ℃时,薄膜表面粗糙度由26.8 nm下降至24.8 nm。同时,高分辨X射线衍射仪测试表明475 ℃、5 Pa压差条件下的α-Ga₂O₃薄膜样品半峰全宽仅为190.8″,为高度结晶态的单晶α-Ga₂O₃薄膜材料。     

Analysis on First-stage Ignition of n-Heptane at Low Temperatures with a Lumped Skeletal Mechanism

Two-stage ignition exists in the low-temperature combustion process of n-heptane and the first-stage ignition also shows a negative temperature coefficient(NTC) phenomenon. To study key reactions and understand chemical principles affecting the first-stage ignition of n-heptane, a lumped skeletal mechanism with 62 species is obtained based on the detailed NUIGMech1.0 mechanism using the directed relation graph method assisted by sensitivity analysis and isomer lumping. The lumped mechanism shows good performance on ignition delay time under wide conditions. The study revealed that the temperature after the first-stage ignition is higher and a larger amount of fuel is consumed at lower initial temperatures. The temperature at the first-stage ignition is relatively insensitive to the initial temperature. Further sensitivity analysis and reaction path analysis carried out based on the lumped mechanism show that the decomposition of RO₂ to produce alkene and HO₂is the most important reaction to inhibit the first-stage ignitions. The chain branching explosion closely related to the first-stage ignition will be terminated when the rate constant for the RO₂ decomposition is larger than that of the isomerization of RO₂ to produce QOOH. The NTC behavior as well as other characteristics of the first-stage ignition can be rationalized from the competition between these two reactions.     

金刚石衬底上GaN HEMT沟道温度建模:各向异性且非均匀热导率的影响

为了改善GaN HEMT的自热效应,集成高热导率的金刚石衬底有助于增强器件有源区的热量耗散。然而,化学气相淀积(CVD)生长的多晶金刚石(PCD)具有柱状晶粒结构,导致了各向异性的材料热导率,且其热导率值与生长厚度有关。为此,通过建模金刚石生长过程中晶粒尺寸的演变过程,计算了金刚石沿面内和截面方向的热导率。基于该PCD热导率模型,利用计入材料非线性热导率的GaN器件热阻解析模型,计算得到了GaN HEMT沟道温度的波动范围,并分析了其与器件结构(栅长、栅宽、栅间距、衬底厚度)和功耗的依赖关系。最后,通过与有限元(FEM)仿真结果对比,分区域提取了GaN HEMT器件中PCD衬底的有效热导率,分别为260~310 W/(m·K)和1 250~1 450 W/(m·K)。本文的计算为预测金刚石衬底上GaN HEMT器件的沟道温度提供了快速、有效的方法。     

Simulating the dynamic behavior of planetary gearbox based on improved Hanning function

Planetary gearboxes are widely used in industrial machines. They usually work in harsh environments giving rise to damages and high maintenance costs. Condition monitoring is a key action allowing one to detect the presence of such damage ensuring healthy running conditions. The knowledge of the dynamic behavior of such a gearbox can be achieved using modeling tools as a primary step before conditioning the monitoring subject. In addition, modeling a gear set can help in the stage of design in order to optimize physical and geometric parameters of the system. Therefore, in this work, a two-dimensional lumped parameter model is adopted to build all vibration sources. The time-varying mesh stiffness is approximated as a square wave form. A novel mathematical formulation is proposed to model the amplitude modulation phenomenon due to the rotational motion of the planets around the center of the gearbox. Finally, the overall vibration signal is concluded as a summation of all vibration components influenced by the modulation function.     

Kinetics Study of the Thermal Decomposition of Post-consumer Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) in an Argon Atmosphere

The thermal decomposition of post-consumer samples of a carbonated water bottle made of poly(ethylene terephthalate), PC-PET, was examined by linear temperature programing under an argon atmosphere to determine its mass loss kinetics. A simple kinetic model, called the first order pseudo single-component model, was used. The total weight-loss of each sample assumed to be in two periods, with each period corresponding to a one step decomposition of the PC-PET to volatiles. Three methods for determining the kinetic parameters by thermal gravimetric analysis were examined: differential analysis at a constant heating rate (differential), temperatures of a given conversion at a number of heating rates (isoconversional), and the maximum rate at multiple heating rates (peak temperature). The latter two multiple heating rates methods results were comparable to each other but they were not in agreement with the results from the differential method. The results of the differential method were insensitive to the heating rate and consistent with kinetics data reported in the literature for PET.     

Insight into room-temperature catalytic oxidation of NO by CrO2(110): A DFT study

The first-principles DFT calculations together with microkinetic analysis reveal the complex catalytic mechanism of low-content NO oxidation on CrO₂(110) at room temperature. It quantitatively makes clear that CrO₂(110) can exhibit considerable activity with the Mars-van-Krevelen mechanism preferred, and the nitrate species serves as the key poisoning species.     

Optimization of cadmium adsorption from aqueous solutions by functionalized graphene and the reversible magnetic recovery of the adsorbent using response surface methodology

Novel functionalized graphene adsorbent was prepared and characterized using different techniques. The prepared adsorbent was applied for the removal of cadmium ions from aqueous solution. A response surface methodology was used to evaluate the simple and combined effects of the various parameters, including adsorbent dosage, pH, and initial concentration. Under the optimal conditions, the cadmium removal performance of 70% was achieved. A good agreement between experimental and predicted data in this study was observed. The experimental results revealed of cadmium adsorption with high linearity follow Langmuir isotherm model with maximum adsorption capacity of 502 mg g^?1, and the adsorption data fitted well into pseudo‐second order model. Thermodynamic studies showed that adsorption process has exothermic and spontaneous nature. The recommended optimum conditions are: cadmium concentration of 970 mg L^?1, adsorbent dosage of 1 g L^?1, pH of 6.18, and T = 25 °C. The magnetic recovery of the adsorbent was performed using a magnetic surfactant to form a noncovalent magnetic functionalized graphene. After magnetic recovery of the adsorbent both components (adsorbent and magnetic surfactant) were recycled by tuning the surface charges through changing the pH of the solution. Desorption behavior studied using HNO₃ solution indicated that the adsorbent had the potential for reusability.