Sol-gel ZrO2 coatings for chemical protection of stainless steel

ZrO₂ coatings deposited on 316 L stainless steel sheets were synthesized by sol-gel method using Zr(OC₃H₇)₄ as precursor and isopropanol, glacial acetic acid, and water as solvents for application with ultrasounds. Different solutions for dip-coating were prepared with compositions varying between 0.025 and 0.9 mol/dm³ of ZrO₂. X-ray diffraction shows that the films densified at 800°C are crystalline with a tetragonal structure. The thickness of the coatings varied from 0.35–0.75 m. The influence of the ZrO₂ coatings on the corrosion behavior of stainless steel substrates in aqueous NaCl was studied through potentiodynamic polarization curves at 1 mV/s. The values of the electrochemical parameters allow for an explanation of the role of the films in the increased resistance of steel against corrosion in moderately aggressive environments.     

Densities and Excess Molar Volumes of Binary and Ternary Mixtures of Aqueous Solutions of 2,2,2-Trifluoroethanol with Acetone and Alcohols at the Temperature of 298.15 K and Pressure of 101 kPa

Excess molar volumes V_m^E of the binary mixtures of (trifluoroethanol + 1-propanol), (trifluoroethanol + 2-propanol), (acetone + water), (methanol + water), (ethanol + water), (1-propanol + water), (2-propanol + water), and the ternary mixtures of (trifluoroethanol + methanol + water), (trifluoroethanol + ethanol + water), (trifluoroethanol~+ 1-propanol + water), (trifluoroethanol + 2-propanol + water) and (trifluoroethanol + acetone + water) were measured with a vibrating tube densimeter at the temperature of 298.15 K and the pressure 101 kPa. The extrema in V_m^E of trifluoroethanol mixtures occur at –0.690 cm³-mol^–1 for (trifluoroethanol + 1-propanol), at –0.990~cm³-mol^–1 for (trifluoroethanol + 2-propanol); at 0.562 and –0.973 cm³-mol^–1 for (trifluoroethanol + methanol + water), at 0.629 and –0.973 cm³-mol^–1 for (trifluoroethanol + ethanol + water), at 1.082 and –0.659 cm³-mol^–1 for (trifluoroethanol~+ 1-propanol + water), at 0.998 and –0.991 cm³-mol^–1 for (trifluoroethanol~+ 2-propanol + water), and at 0.515 and –1.472 cm³-mol^–1 for (trifluoroethanol + acetone + water). The experimental ternary V_m^E values were predicted by empirical expressions using binary solution data.     

Protonated Dipeptide Losses from b 5 and b 4 Ions of Side Chain Hydroxyl Group Containing Pentapeptides

In this study, C-terminal protonated dipeptide eliminations were reported for both b ₅ and b ₄ ions of side chain hydroxyl group (–OH) containing pentapeptides. The study utilized the model C-terminal amidated pentapeptides having sequences of XGGFL and AXVYI, where X represents serine (S), threonine (T), glutamic acid (E), aspartic acid (D), or tyrosine (Y) residue. Upon low-energy collision-induced dissociation (CID) of XGGFL (where X?=?S, T, E, D, and Y) model peptide series, the ions at m/z 279 and 223 were observed as common fragments in all b ₅ and b ₄ ion (except b ₄ ion of YGGFL) mass spectra, respectively. By contrast, peptides, namely S_MeGGFL-NH₂ and E_OMeGGFL-NH₂, did not show either the ion at m/z 279 or the ion at m/z 223. It is shown that the side chain hydroxyl group is required for the possible mechanism to take place that furnishes the protonated dipeptide loss from b ₅ and b ₄ ions. In addition, the ions at m/z 295 and 281 were detected as common fragments in all b ₅ and b ₄ ion (except b ₄ ion of AYVYI) mass spectra, respectively, for AXVYI model peptide series. The MS⁴ experiments exhibited that the fragment ions at m/z 279, 223, 295, and 281 entirely reflect the same fragmentation behavior of [M?+?H]⁺ ion generated from commercial dipeptides FL-OH, GF-OH, YI-OH, and VY-OH. These novel eliminations reported here for b ₅ and b ₄ ions can be useful in assigning the correct and reliable peptide sequences for high-throughput proteomic studies.

A thermodynamic study on solubility and liquid−liquid phase behaviour for 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol + cyclohexane + 1-butanol at three temperatures and pressure 101.3 kPa

This study demonstrates the course of solubility and (liquid + liquid) equilibrium (LLE) for the system (cyclohexane + 1-butanol + 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol) at temperatures of (288.15, 298.15, and 308.15) K and pressure 101.3 kPa. The titration method was used to assess solubility (binodal) curves, while a direct analytical method to acquire tie lines.The consistency of the binodal curves and phase diagrams data were well calculated by Hand and Othmer–Tobias empirical equations. The NRTL and UNIQUAC thermodynamic models gave accurate tie-line values for the systems. Plait-point, distribution coefficient, solvent selectivity, and NRTL and UNIQUAC binary interaction parameters were obtained.The immiscibility region of the system decreases significantly with increasing temperature. The results present an overview of the high efficiency of liquid extraction using 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol as solvent to yield pure cyclohexane from its 1-butanol azeotrope mixture at ambient temperatures.     

Densities and mixing volumes of mixtures of fluorobenzene, α,α,α-trifluorotoluene, tert-butylmethyl ether, and ethanol at temperature 298.15 K and pressure 0.1 MPa

The volumetric properties were evaluated from density data for the binary mixtures of (fluorobenzene + tert-butylmethyl ether), (α,α,α-trifluorotoluene + tert-butylmethyl ether), (tert-butylmethyl ether + ethanol), and the ternary mixtures of (fluorobenzene + tert-butylmethyl ether + ethanol) and (α,α,α-trifluorotoluene + tert-butylmethyl ether + ethanol). The observed densities were obtained by means of a vibrating-tube densimeter at the temperature 298.15 K and the pressure 101 kPa.The excess molar volumes of the ternary mixtures were estimated from binary solution data using several empirical equations with mean standard deviation less than 0.03 cm³·mol^-1. Stable chemical cross-associations among the molecules forming the mixtures were revealed.     

Phase diagrams of (hexane + methanol + 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol) at three temperatures: Measurement and correlation

Results from gas–liquid chromatography are presented for (liquid + liquid) equilibrium of the system of mixed solvents of (hexane + methanol + 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol) at the temperatures T = (288.15, 298.15, 303.15) K, and under atmospheric pressure. The system presents type (II) liquid–liquid phase diagram. The NRTL and UNIQUAC equations reliably represent the measured data with an average root-mean-square deviation in phase-compositions equal to 1.2%. The binary interaction parameters for the associated (nonpolar + polar) system are estimated by means of the same equations. The temperature effect on the system miscibility is reasonably important.     

Fabrication and Mechanical Performance of Non-Crimp Unidirectional Jute-Yarn Preform-Based Composites

This work developed novel jute-yarn, non-crimp, unidirectional (UD) preforms and their composites, with three different types of warp jute yarns of varying linear densities and twists in the dry UD preforms, in order to present a possible solution to the detrimental effects of higher yarn twists and crimp at the warp–weft yarn interlacements of traditional, woven, preform-based composites on their mechanical properties. In the developed UD preforms, warp jute yarns were placed in parallel by using a wooden picture-frame pin board, with the minimal number of glass weft yarns to avoid crimp at the warp–weft yarns interlacements, which can significantly enhance the load-bearing ability of UD composites compared to traditional, woven, preform composites. It was found that an optimal combination of jute warp yarn linear densities and twists in the UD preforms is important to achieve the best possible mechanical properties of newly developed UD composites, because it encourages a proper polymer-matrix impregnation on jute fibres, leading to excellent fibre–matrix interface bonding. Composites made from the 25 lb/spindle jute warp yarn linear density (UD25) exhibited higher tensile and flexural properties than other UD composites (UD20, UD30). All the UD composites showed a much better performance compared to the traditional woven preform composites (W20), which were obviously related to the higher crimp and yarn interlacements, less load-carrying capacity, and poor fiber–matrix interfaces of W20 composites. UD25 composites exhibited a significant enhancement in tensile modulus by ~232% and strength by ~146%; flexural modulus by 138.5% and strength by 145% compared to W20 composites. This reveals that newly developed, non-crimp, UD preform composites can effectively replace the traditional woven composites in lightweight, load-bearing, complex-shaped composite applications, and hence, this warrants further investigations of the developed composites, especially on long-term and dynamic-loading mechanical characterizations.     

Investigation of New Ion-Conducting ORMOLYTES: Structure and Properties

Two families of hybrid organic-inorganic composites exhibiting Li⁺ ionic conduction (ORMOLYTES) have been prepared by the sol-gel process. The first family, prepared from a mixture of 3-isocyanatopropyltriethoxysilane, O,O Bis (2-aminopropyl)-polyethyleneglycol (or O,O Bis (2-aminopropyl)-polypropyleneglycol) and lithium salt, presents chemical bonds between the organic and the inorganic phase and an ionic conductivity higher than 10^-4 S m^-1 at room temperature. Their properties have been related to their structure using liquid state NMR measurements of ⁷Li between -100°C and +100°C and the DMTA technique. In the second family, prepared by ultrasonic method from a mixture of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), polyethyleneglycol (PEG) and lithium salt, the organic and inorganic phases are not chemically bonded. Ionic conductivity has been studied as a function of the polymer chain length and concentration. Values of up to 10^-2 S m^-1 at room temperature have been obtained (with a silica-PEG₃₀₀ system, PEG/TEOS = 40% in weight). Again, structure was investigated by liquid state ⁷Li NMR measurements.     

Spectral radius of power graphs on certain finite groups

The power graph of a group $G$ is a graph with vertex set $G$ and two distinct vertices are adjacent if and only if one is an integral power of the other. In this paper we find both upper and lower bounds for the spectral radius of power graph of cyclic group $C_n$ and characterize the graphs for which these bounds are extremal. Further we compute spectra of power graphs of dihedral group $D_{2n}$ and dicyclic group $Q_{4n}$ partially and give bounds for the spectral radii of these graphs.