Weak dissipation of electrostatic solitary structures in warm collisional pair-ion plasmas with non-Maxwellian electron population

The localized electrostatic structures with dissipation due to ion-neutral collisions in a symmetric warm pair-ion plasma in the presence of non-Maxwellian population of electrons are studied. The analytical model for ion dynamics is based on fluid equations and the evolution equation is derived by using the reductive perturbation scheme in the form of a damped Korteweg-de Vries equation. The parameter regime relevant to space-based observations and laboratory plasmas is considered and time evolution of the propagating ion-acoustic soliton is discussed. The energetic-particles-driven properties of soliton for various spectral indices, dissipation, ion temperature, and density are illustrated with comparison to the thermal mode for Boltzmann distribution of electrons.     

“Quad-band flexible magnesium zinc ferrite (MgZnFe2O4)-based double negative metamaterial for microwave applications”

This article presents vertically coupled, rectangular complementary split-ring resonator-shaped quad-band double-negative (DNG) metamaterial unit cells, that is, having both negative permittivity and permeability, which redirect negative refractive and also are not found in nature. The metamaterial is fabricated on magnesium zinc ferrite-based flexible microwave substrates, and the flexible substrates are chosen with two different concentrations of magnesium (Mg) denoted by Mg₃₀ and Mg₅₀ for 30% and 50% of Mg, which possess dielectric constants of 4.32 and 3.15 and loss tangents of 0.003 and 0.005, respectively. The proposed metamaterials are demonstrated by utilizing the CST microwave simulator, and their effective parameters are extracted according to the Nicolson-Ross-Wire method. With Mg_30, the prepared, flexible metamaterial shows measured resonances at 3.70 GHz, 7 GHz, 8.60 GHz, and 9.78 GHz, whereas with Mg₅₀ it shows the measured resonances at 4.10 GHz, 7.70 GHz, 9.33 GHz, and 10.62 GHz. Very good effective medium ratios (EMR) along with DNG properties are obtained, namely 6.5 and 5.85 for Mg₃₀ and Mg_50, respectively, with a physical dimension of 12.5 × 9.5 mm² for both of the unit cells_. Also, the electric field, magnetic field, and surface current distribution at different resonances and the polarization insensitivity at different polarization angles were observed. Thus, the designed new flexible substrate microwave materials based on DNG metamaterials are potential candidates for S-, C- and X-band applications, as well as for flexible microwave technologies.     

Nanoporous NiO@SiO2 photo-catalyst prepared by ion-exchange method for fast elimination of reactive dyes from wastewater

Photo-catalytic elimination of organic contaminants plays a significant role in wastewater treatment. Developing a highly efficient photo-catalyst is one of the leading research topic. Herein, we reported the fabrication of a novel nanoporous NiO@SiO₂ photo-catalyst by a simple ion-exchange method to eliminate the reactive dyes. The synthesized NiO@SiO₂ catalyst exhibited fast photo-degradation and excellent adsorption capability and could efficiently remove Red FN-3GL dye from wastewater, due to a high loading of NiO and a large specific surface area, abundant electron-withdrawing groups, as well as narrow bandgap energy. In addition, the NiO@SiO₂ photo-catalyst also displayed a high capability to remove reactive dyes over a wide range of pH values (pH 3–9). The prominent adsorption and photo-degradation of dyes were strongly dependent on the surface charge of the catalyst and the generation of hydroxyl radicals (OH^?) by the catalyst, respectively. Furthermore, the NiO@SiO₂ photo-catalyst also exhibited excellent recyclability, thus demonstrating the feasibility of practical applications in industries. The strategy of covering the metal oxide to nanoporous silica is a promising method for developing active photo-catalysts and applying them in the wastewater treatments.     

The noncommutative values of quantum observables

We discuss the notion of representing the values of physical quantities by the real numbers, and its limits to describe the nature to be understood in the relation to our appreciation that the quantum theory is a better theory of natural phenomena than its classical analog. Getting from the algebra of physical observables to their values for a fixed state is, at least for classical physics, really a homomorphic map from the algebra into the real number algebra. The limitation of the latter to represent the values of quantum observables with noncommutative algebraic relation is obvious. We introduce and discuss the idea of the noncommutative values of quantum observables and its feasibility, arguing that at least in terms of the representation of such a value as an infinite set of complex numbers, the idea makes reasonable sense theoretically as well as practically.     

Impact of anisotropic slip on the stagnation-point flow past a stretching/shrinking surface of the Al_2O_3-Cu/H_2O hybrid nanofluid

The characteristics of heat transfer in the three-dimensional stagnationpoint flow past a stretching/shrinking surface of the Al_2O_3-Cu/H_2O hybrid nanofluid with anisotropic slip are investigated. The partial differential equations are converted into a system of ordinary differential equations by valid similarity transformations. The simplified mathematical model is solved computationally by the bvp4c approach in the MATLAB operating system. This solving method is capable of generating more than one solutions when suitable initial guesses are proposed. The results are proven to have dual solutions, which consequently lead to the application of a stability analysis that verifies the achievability of the first solution. The findings reveal infinite values of the dual solutions at several measured parameters causing the non-appearance of the turning points and the critical values. The skin friction increases with the addition of nanoparticles, while the escalation of the anisotropic slip effect causes a reduction in the heat transfer rate.     

Hybrid nanofluid flow induced by an exponentially shrinking sheet

The flow and heat transfer induced by an exponentially shrinking sheet with hybrid nanoparticles is investigated in this paper. The alumina (Al₂O₃) and copper (Cu) nanoparticles are suspended in water to form Al₂O₃–Cu/water hybrid nanofluid. In addition, the effects of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) and radiation are also taken into account. The similarity equations are gained from the governing equations using similarity transformation, and their solutions are obtained by the aid of the bvp4c solver available in Matlab software. Results elucidate that dual solutions exist for suction strength S > S_c and shrinking strength λ > λ_c. The critical values S_c and λ_c for the existence of the dual solutions decrease with the rising of the solid volume fractions of Cu, φ₂ and the magnetic parameter, M. Besides, the skin friction and the heat transfer rate increase with the increasing of φ₂ and M for the upper branch solutions. The increasing of radiation, R leads to reduce the surface temperature gradient which implies to the reduction of the heat transfer rate for both branches when λ < 0 (shrinking sheet). The stability of the dual solutions is determined by the temporal stability analysis, and it is discovered that only one of them is stable and physically applicable.     

Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) axisymmetric flow and heat transfer of a hybrid nanofluid past a radially permeable stretching/shrinking sheet with Joule heating

The main interest of the present work is to fundamentally investigate the flow characteristics and heat transfer of a hybrid Cu-Al₂O₃/water nanofluid due to a radially stretching/shrinking surface with the mutual effects of MHD, suction and Joule heating. The surface is permeable to physically allow the wall mass fluid suction. Tiwari and Das model of nanofluid is used with the new thermophysical properties of hybrid nanofluid to represent the problem. A similarity transformation is adopted to convert the governing model (PDEs) into a nonlinear set of ordinary differential equations (ODEs). A bvp4c solver in MATLAB software is employed to numerically compute the transformed system. The numerical results are discussed and graphically manifested in velocity and temperature profiles, as well as the skin friction coefficient and heat transfer rate with the pertinent values of the dimensionless parameters namely magnetic, Cu volume fraction, suction and Eckert number. The Eckert number has no impact on the boundary layer separation while the higher value of the suction parameter may affect the heat transfer performance. The presence of dual solutions (first and second) is seen on all the profiles within a limited range of the physical parameters. The stability analysis is executed, and it is validated that the first solution is the real solution.     

Nickel sulphide-reduced graphene oxide composites as counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells: Influence of nickel chloride concentration

Nickel sulphide-reduced graphene oxide (NiS-rGO) composite films have been prepared via modified Hummers’s method assisted with spin coating technique. The NiS-rGO samples were then employed as counter electrode in a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The main aim of this work is to investigate the relationship between the concentrations of NiCl₂ with the properties of NiS-rGO and performance parameters of the device. The dominant rGO and minor NiS phase exist in the composite. The morphology of the composite is white strips rGO and NiS agglomerate particle. The element of C, O, Ni and S present in the composite. The highest η of 1.04% and J_sc of 7.39 mA cm⁻² were obtained from the device with 0.06 M NiCl₂ resulted from the longest carrier lifetime. The photovoltaic parameters results reveal that NiS-rGO composite has potential to become as a free platinum counter electrode of DSSC.