Optimization of Electrical Conductivity of SA-graphene Nanocomposites Using Response Surface Methodology

Synthesis and characterization of 4-{(E)-[(5-bromo-2-hydroxyphenyl)methylidene]amino}-N-carbamimidoylbenzene-1-sulfonamide(SA) and its composites with graphene(SA-GF) were performed. Compound SA and SA-GF were characterized by FTIR and ¹H NMR. The GF dispersion in the composites was analyzed by means of scanning electron microscopy(SEM) for morphology. Thermal properties of SA and nanocomposites were investigated using differential thermal analysis(DTA) and thermogravimetric analysis(TGA). The optimum electrical conductivity of the new sulfonamide-based Schiff base was determined to be 1.78×10^–5 S/cm at a frequency of 9923 Hz, an applied voltage of –19 V, a mass fraction of 9.38% for graphene loading using a central composite design in the response surface methodology. The significance of the selected parameters(frequency, voltage and GF amount) in the model was determined by the analysis of variance(ANOVA). The results showed that frequency and graphene loading represent important model terms and have considerable effects on the conductivity of SA.     

Minimizing weighted mean absolute deviation of job completion times from their weighted mean

We address a single-machine scheduling problem where the objective is to minimize the weighted mean absolute deviation of job completion times from their weighted mean. This problem and its precursors aim to achieve the maximum admissible level of service equity. It has been shown earlier that the unweighted version of this problem is NP-hard in the ordinary sense. For that version, a pseudo-polynomial time dynamic program and a 2-approximate algorithm are available. However, not much (except for an important solution property) exists for the weighted version. In this paper, we establish the relationship between the optimal solution to the weighted problem and a related one in which the deviations are measured from the weighted median (rather than the mean) of the job completion times; this generalizes the 2-approximation result mentioned above. We proceed to give a pseudo-polynomial time dynamic program, establishing the ordinary NP-hardness of the problem in general. We then present a fully-polynomial time approximation scheme as well. Finally, we report the findings from a limited computational study on the heuristic solution of the general problem. Our results specialize easily to the unweighted case; they also lead to an approximation of the set of schedules that are efficient with respect to both the weighted mean absolute deviation and the weighted mean completion time.     

Synthesis and Properties of Thiophene and Dithiin Functionalized Tetrathiafulvalenes

Abstract

Syntheses of two analogues of tetrathiafulvalene (TTF), fused to 1,4-dithiin and thiophene rings, substituted with thiophene moieties, have been illustrated. The syntheses were accomplished through the reaction of a 1,8-diketone with phosphorus pentasulfide or Lawesson's reagent in boiling dry toluene. Conversion of the thioketones to their the oxo forms with mercury (II) acetate, was followed by self-coupling in freshly distilled boiling triethyl phosphite. Attempts for their electro-polymerizations through the thiophene groups at the peripherals were unsuccessful. Computational chemistry studies revealed that the thiophene groups did not exhibit enough spin densities to perform polymerization.

Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Silicon and the Related Elements to view the free supplemental file.     

Preconcentration of cobalt using Amberlyst 36 as a solid-phase extractor and its determination in various environmental samples by flame atomic absorption spectrometry

A new and simple column-solid-phase extraction method has been developed to separate and preconcentrate trace cobalt in water and soil prior to its determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). Different factors such as pH of sample solution, sample volume, amount of resin, flow rate of aqueous solution, volume and concentration of eluent, and matrix effects for preconcentration were optimized. Under optimized experimentally established conditions, an analytical detection limit of 0.44?µg?L^?1, precision (RSD) of 1.9%, enrichment factor of 200, and capacity of resin of 82?mg?g^?1 were obtained. The method was applied for cobalt determination by FAAS in tap water, natural drinking water, soil, and roadside dust samples. The accuracy of the method is confirmed by analysing standard reference material (Montana Soil, SRM 2711).     

Synthesis and Metal Ion Recognition Properties of a Novel Chiral Calix[4](azoxa)crown-7

A novel chiral calix[4](azoxa)crown-7 (9) has been synthesized and its metal ion recognition properties investigated. The starting reagents, chiral diamine 5 and calix[4]arene diacid chloride derivative 8, were prepared according to literature methods. ¹H and ¹³C NMR data show that 9 exists in a cone conformation. In liquid–liquid extraction experiments, 9 exhibits selectivity for Li⁺ among the other alkali metals and a good extraction ability for transition metal cations, suggesting its potential use in different fields, such as a sensor for ions as well as for chiral molecules.     

Generalized hyperconnectedness

The main purpose of this paper is to introduce and study generalized hyperconnected spaces. Various characterizations of generalized hyperconnected spaces and preservation theorems are discussed.     

5,6‐Di­phenyl­thieno­[2,3‐d][1,3]dithiole‐2‐thione

The title compound, C₁₇H₁₀S₄, has two independent mol­ecules in the asymmetric unit. In both mol­ecules, the fused heterocycle is almost planar and the phenyl groups make dihedral angles of 42.88 (9) and 52.79 (8)° with the fused heterocycle in one mol­ecule, and angles of 40.62 (9) and 52.28 (8)° in the other. The crystal packing is governed by short intermolecular S?S interactions, the shortest contact being 3.333 (1) Å.     

Ion‐exchanger synthesis using reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer polymerization

An ion‐exchanger with polyanionic molecular brushes was synthesized by a “grafting from” route based on “surface‐controlled reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer polymerization” (RAFT). The RAFT agent, PhC(S)SMgBr was covalently attached to monodisperse‐porous poly(dihydroxypropyl methacrylate‐co‐ethylene dimethacrylate), poly(DHPM‐co‐EDM) particles 5.8 μm in size. The monomer, 3‐sulfopropyl methacrylate (SPM), was grafted from the surface of poly(DHPM‐co‐EDM) particles with an immobilized chain transfer agent by the proposed RAFT protocol. The degree of polymerization of SPM (i. e. the molecular length of the polyanionic ligand) on the particles was controlled by varying the molar ratio of monomer/RAFT agent. The particles carrying polyanionic molecular brushes with different lengths were tested as packing material in the separation of proteins by ion exchange chromatography. The columns packed with the particles carrying relatively longer polyanionic ligands exhibited higher separation efficiency in the separation of four proteins. Plate heights between 130–200 μm were obtained. The ion‐exchanger having poly‐(SPM) ligand with lower degree of polymerization provided better peak‐resolutions on applying a salt gradient with higher slope. The molecular length and the ion‐exchanger group content of polyionic ligand were adjusted by controlling the degree of polymerization and the grafting density, respectively. This property allowed control of the separation performance of the ion‐exchanger packing.     

Effect of 0h11/2 Level on Shell Model Calculations of ^105Sb and ^107Sb

The full and reduced shell model calculations have been carried out for the light odd-even ^105Sb and ^107Sb isotopes. The model space has been chosen as 1d5/2, 0g7/2, 1d3/2, 2s1/2, and 0h11/2 for the full calculations and excluded 0h11/2 for the reduced calculations. The reduced shell model calculations of ^105Sb and ^107Sb isotopes are presented for the first time. We obtain the energy spectra for the ^105Sb and ^107Sb isotopes in the full and reduced model space by using CD-Bonn two-body effective nucleon-nucleon interaction. The resulting energy spectra are compared to the experimental results to understand the effect of the 0h11/2 level on the shell model calculations. We draw conclusions about the right model space in the shell model calculations for the isotopes around the N =Z= 50 region of the periodic table.     

Backtracking and exchange of information: Methods to enhance a beam search algorithm for assembly line scheduling

Beam search (BS) is used as a heuristic to solve various combinatorial optimization problems, ranging from scheduling to assembly line balancing. In this paper, we develop a backtracking and an exchange-of-information (EOI) procedure to enhance the traditional beam search method. The backtracking enables us to return to previous solution states in the search process with the expectation of obtaining better solutions. The EOI is used to transfer information accumulated in a beam to other beams to yield improved solutions.