Tunnelling current in Schottky diodes containing InAs quantum dots

Current transport mechanism in Schottky diode containing InAs quantum dots (QDs) is investigated using temperature-varying current-voltage characteristics. We found that the tunnelling emission has obvious effects on the I-V characteristics. The I-V-T measurements revealed clear effects of QDs on the overall current flow. Field emission (FE, pure tunnelling effect) was observed at low temperature and low voltages bias region. The zero-bias barrier height decreases and the ideality factor increases with decreasing temperature, and the ideality factor was found to follow the T₀-effect. When the reverse bias is varied, the ideality factors of Schottky barriers exhibit oscillations due to the tunnelling of electrons through discrete levels in quantum dots. The traps distributed within InAlAs layer can also act as a transition step for reverse bias defect-assisted tunnelling current which can phenomenologically explain the decrease of the effective barrier height with measurement temperature.     

Multi-scale Modeling of Vision-Guided Remodeling and Age-Dependent Growth of the Tree Shrew Sclera During Eye Development and Lens-Induced Myopia

The sclera uses unknown mechanisms to match the eye’s axial length to its optics during development, producing eyes with good focus (emmetropia). A myopic eye is too long for its own optics. We propose a multi-scale computational model to simulate eye development based on the assumption that scleral growth is controlled by genetic factors while scleral remodeling is driven by genetic factors and the eye’s refractive error. We define growth as a mechanism that changes the tissue volume and mass while remodeling involves internal micro-deformations that are volume-preserving at the macro-scale. The model was fitted against longitudinal refractive measurements in tree shrews of different ages and exposed to three different visual conditions: (i) normal development; (ii) negative lens wear to induce myopia; and (iii) recovery from myopia by removing the negative lens. The model was able to replicate the age- and vision-dependent response of the tree shrew experiments. Scleral growth ceased at younger age than scleral remodeling. The remodeling rate decreased as the eye emmetropized but increased at any age when a negative lens was put on. The predictive power of the model was investigated by calculating the susceptibility to scleral remodeling and the response to form deprivation myopia in tree shrews. Both predictions were in good agreement with experimental data that were not used to fit the model. We propose the first model that distinguishes scleral growth from remodeling. The good agreement of our results with experimental data supports the notion that scleral growth and scleral remodeling are two independently controlled mechanisms during eye development.     

Adsorption kinetics of 4-chlorophenol onto granular activated carbon in the presence of high frequency ultrasound

This work describes the results of investigations carried out to examine the adsorption kinetics of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) from aqueous solution containing tert-butyl alcohol (10%, v/v) onto granular activated carbon (GAC) in the presence of ultrasound of different high frequencies (516, 800 and 1660 kHz) and acoustic powers (15.2, 21.5, 31.1 and 38.3 W). The main objective of this study is to describe the mechanism of ultrasound-assisted adsorption rather than the enhancement of adsorption capacity. Sonochemical degradation of 4-CP was studied in the absence and presence of tert-butyl alcohol. The sonolysis of 4-CP is effectively inhibited by the addition of tert-butyl alcohol (10%, v/v) and very little 4-CP degradation occurs, indicating that little or no pyrolysis of the compound occurs. Without addition of tert-butyl alcohol, after 300 min and at 1660 kHz, the removal of 4-CP in the presence of ultrasound for an acoustic power of 38.3 W was nearly total (99%), but in the conventional method only 60% was eliminated. In this case, the removal of 4-CP by GAC in the ultrasound-assisted technique is due to both adsorption and ultrasonic degradation, but the removal by simple stirring is only due to adsorption, which makes a direct comparison unacceptable. In order to distinguish sonochemical degradation and adsorption of 4-CP onto GAC and to make an exact and practical comparison of the adsorption in the absence and presence of ultrasound, kinetic adsorption experiments were conducted using aqueous solution containing 10% (v/v) tert-butyl alcohol. The obtained results show that both adsorption rate and adsorbed amount were significantly enhanced and improved in the presence of ultrasound for all the studied frequencies and powers. The enhancement of adsorption is favored by increasing ultrasonic power. Adsorption kinetic data were modeled using the liquid-film mass transfer equation and intraparticle diffusion model. The values of the intraparticle diffusion coefficient obtained in the presence of ultrasound are greater than that obtained in the absence of ultrasound. In the initial period of adsorption, where external mass transfer is assumed to predominate, liquid-film mass transfer coefficients significantly increased by the assistance of ultrasound. These results indicate that ultrasound enhances the mass transport in the pores as well as across the boundary layer. This effect increased with increasing ultrasonic power for the three studied frequencies. The average order for the studied ultrasonic waves according to the initial adsorption rate, the intraparticle diffusion coefficient and the liquid-film mass transfer coefficient is 516 kHz>800 kHz>1660 kHz.     

Intensification of sonochemical decolorization of anthraquinonic dye Acid Blue 25 using carbon tetrachloride

In this work, the influence of CCl₄ on the sonochemical decolorization of anthraquinonic dye Acid Blue 25 (AB25) in aqueous medium was investigated using high frequency ultrasound (1700 kHz). This frequency, reputed ineffective, was tested in order to introduce the ultrasound waves with high frequency in the field of degradation or removal of dyes from wastewater, due to its limited use in this field, and to increase the application of high frequency ultrasound wave in the field of environmental protection. The effects of various parameters such as the concentration of CCl₄, frequency (22.5 and 1700 kHz), solution pH, temperature and tert-butyl alcohol adding on the decolorization rate of AB25 was studied. The obtained results clearly demonstrated the significant intensification of AB25 decolorization in the presence of CCl₄. The enhancement effect of CCl₄ increased by decreasing temperature and by increasing the CCl₄ concentration. The pH has a significant influence on the bleaching of dye both in the absence and presence of CCl₄. The three investigated dosimeter methods (KI oxidation, Fricke reaction and H₂O₂ production) well corroborate the improvement of the sonochemical effects in the presence of CCl₄. The best sonochemical decolorization rate of AB25 in aqueous solution both in the absence and presence of CCl₄ is observed to occur at 1700 kHz compared to 22.5 kHz. The sonochemical oxidation of CCl₄ generates oxidizing species in the liquid phase that are highly beneficial for oxidation of hydrophilic and non-volatile pollutant, such as dyes, because they are less susceptible to free radical attack due to lower stability of the generated free radicals.     

Finite elastic deformations of transversely isotropic circular cylindrical tubes

We consider the finite radially symmetric deformation of a circular cylindrical tube of a homogeneous transversely isotropic elastic material subject to axial stretch, radial deformation and torsion, supported by axial load, internal pressure and end moment. Two different directions of transverse isotropy are considered: the radial direction and an arbitrary direction in planes normal locally to the radial direction, the only directions for which the considered deformation is admissible in general. In the absence of body forces, formulas are obtained for the internal pressure, and the resultant axial load and torsional moment on the ends of the tube in respect of a general strain-energy function. For a specific material model of transversely isotropic elasticity, and material and geometrical parameters, numerical results are used to illustrate the dependence of the pressure, (reduced) axial load and moment on the radial stretch and a measure of the torsional deformation for a fixed value of the axial stretch.     

Kinetics of alkaline hydrolysis of p‐substituted benzylidenemalononitriles in 50% aqueous acetonitrile: substituent effects and quantification of the electrophilic reactivity

The rate constants of the reaction of p‐X‐substituted benzylidenemalononitriles 1a , 1b , 1c , 1d , 1e , 1f , 1g , 1h with hydroxide ion were measured in 50% water–50% acetonitrile at 20 °C. The experimental kinetic data reveal that the points pertaining to electron donating substituted compounds (X = Me, OMe and NMe₂) exhibit negative deviations from the Hammett plot. However, the Yukawa–Tsuno plot for the same rate constants resulted in a good straight line with an excellent correlation coefficient (r² = 0.9916) and an r value of 1.15. Possible ground‐state stabilization through resonance interactions has been suggested to explain the origin of the nonlinear Hammett plot. On the basis of the relationship between E and σ_p⁺, the electrophilicity parameter E of some benzylidenemalononitriles 1c and 1e , 1f , 1g , 1h has been evaluated. More importantly, the three compounds 1f (E = ?7.90), 1g (E = ?7.80) and 1h (E = ?7.55) exhibit high electrophilicities that compare well with that of 4,6‐dinitrobenzoselenadiazole (E = ?7.40), a compound which has a general behaviour representative for the superelectrophilic dimension. We have shown that the second‐order rate constants calculated from Mayr's approach for the reaction of 1a , 1b , 1c , 1d , 1e , 1f , 1g , 1h with hydroxide ion do not agree with the available experimental data. On the other hand, a good linear correlation between log k_exp and log k_calc has been observed and discussed. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ultrasonication-assisted sorption of cadmium from aqueous phase by wheat bran

In the present study, the sorption of cadmium from aqueous phase by wheat bran was investigated with and without the assistance of ultrasound. Kinetic data and sorption equilibrium isotherms were carried out in batch conditions. The influence of different operating parameters such as ultrasonic power, cadmium initial concentration, sorbent mass, temperature, and the combination of ultrasound and mechanical stirring on the kinetics of cadmium removal was studied. The obtained results show that the ultrasonic irradiation significantly enhances and improves the efficiency of the removal of cadmium, especially in the combined method. The sorption kinetic data were found to be well-represented by the pseudo-second-order rate equation, both in the absence and presence of ultrasound as well as in the combined process (stirring and ultrasonication). Ultrasonic power played a key role in the removal of cadmium. Equilibrium isotherm results could be well described by the Langmuir model both with and without the assistance of ultrasound. The effect of temperature on the sorption isotherms of cadmium in the absence and presence of ultrasound has been also studied and the thermodynamic parameters DeltaG degrees, DeltaH degrees, and DeltaS degrees were determined. The monolayer sorption capacities were 51.81, 35.09, and 22.78 mg g(-1) for experiments conducted by the combined process, in the presence of ultrasound, and in passive conditions, respectively. The combination ultrasound-stirring for the sorption process was shown to be of interest for the treatment of wastewaters contaminated with cadmium.     

Effect of iron doping at Mn-site on complex impedance spectroscopy properties of Nd0.67Ba0.33MnO3 perovskite

The effect of Fe-doping at Mn-site on the structural and electrical properties of Nd_0.67Ba_0.33Mn_1?xFe_xO₃ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.05) perovskites has been investigated. X-ray diffraction patterns show that the structural parameters change slightly due to the fact that the Fe³⁺ ions replacing the Mn³⁺ have similar ionic radius. The electrical properties of these samples have been investigated using complex impedance spectroscopy technique. a function of the frequency at different temperatures. When increasing the Fe-content, a decrease of dc conductivity was observed throughout the whole explored temperature range and the deduced activation energy values are found to increase from 128 meV for x = 0 to 166 meV for x = 0.05. The curves of the imaginary part of impedance (Z″) show the presence of relaxation phenomenon in our samples. The complex impedance spectra show semicircle arcs at different temperatures and an equivalent circuit of the type of R_g + (R_gb//C_gb) has been proposed to explain the impedance results.     

Ultrasound-assisted removal of malachite green from aqueous solution by dead pine needles

The dead needles of Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) were tested as a possible sorbent for the removal of malachite green from aqueous solutions in the absence and presence of ultrasound. Batch process was employed for sorption kinetic and equilibrium studies. Sorption experiments indicated that the sorption capacity was dependent of operating variables. Both the rate and the amount of malachite green sorption are markedly increased in the presence of the ultrasonic field. The dye removal with the assistance of ultrasound was enhanced with the increase of sorbate initial concentration and temperature, and with the decrease of sorbent dosage and ionic strength. The combination of stirring and ultrasound leads to an improvement of the removal of dye. The sorption kinetics was controlled by the intraparticle diffusion. The intraparticle diffusion coefficient increased 1.7 times in the presence of ultrasound and up to 3.6 times in the combined process. The sorption capacity, estimated according to the Freundlich model, indicates that ultrasound enhanced the sorption properties of the sorbent. The effect of ultrasound on the improvement of dye sorption is due to a variety of physical and mechanical effects as well as to thermal properties. The combination of ultrasound and stirring for the sorption process was shown to be of interest for the treatment of wastewaters contaminated with malachite green.