Copper-based metal–organic framework decorated by CuO hair-like nanostructures: Electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction

We report a Cu-based metal–organic framework (MOF) decorated by CuO nanostructures as an efficient catalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). MIL-53(Cu) was synthesized by a hydrothermal approach using 1,4-bezenedicarboxylic acid as organic precursor and further annealed at 300°C to form CuO nanostructures on its surface. The produced electrocatalyst, CuO@MIL-53(Cu), was characterized using various techniques. Under alkaline conditions, the developed electrocatalyst exhibited an overpotential of 801 and 336 mV versus RHE at 10 and 1 mA cm⁻², respectively. The reproducibility of the catalytic performance was validated using several electrodes. It was confirmed that the CuO hair-like nanostructures grown on MIL-53(Cu) using thermal treatment exhibit high OER activity, good kinetics and durability. CuO@MIL-53(Cu) is an economic noble-metal-free OER electrocatalyst. It has potential for application as anode material for sustainable energy technologies like batteries, fuel cells and water electrolysis.     

Unique determination of convex polytopes by non-central sections

A question of Barker and Larman asks whether convex bodies that contain a sphere of radius t in their interiors are uniquely determined by the volumes of sections by hyperplanes tangent to the sphere. We affirmatively solve this problem for convex polytopes.     

Formation of Pyrogenic Silica: Spectroscopic and Quantum Chemical Insight

This article describes the genesis of amorphous silica under high-heat conditions from SiO₂ molecules through protoparticles, primary particles, and aggregates to agglomerates using vibrational spectra and quantum chemical simulations data. The impact of small molecules (water, HCl, CO₂) is also discussed. The article also explains the nature of the pyrogenic silica amorphism.     

Synthesis,Anticancer, and QSAR Studies of 2‐Alkyl(aryl,hetaryl)quinazolin‐4(3H)‐thione's and [1,2,4]Triazolo[1,5‐c]quinazoline‐2‐thione's Thioderivatives

Considering the frightening high level of mortality from cancer, studies of anticancer agents are vital nowadays. The 24 thioderivatives of 2‐alkyl(aryl)‐quinazolin‐4(3H)‐thiones and 20 thioderivatives of [1,2,4]triazolo[1,5‐c]quinazoline‐2‐thiones were synthesized and evaluated for preliminary in vitro anticancer activity with subsequent in silico QSAR analysis. The substance 18 had the best results inhibiting growth of eight cancer cell lines: CCRF‐CEM of leukemia; SF‐539, SNB‐75, and U251 of CNS cancer; 786, RXF393, and UO‐31 of renal cancer; and MDA‐MB‐231/ATCC of breast cancer (?31.50 – 47.41% of cell growth) with low procancer effect. Calculated QSAR‐models for CCRF‐CEM of leukemia, T‐47D and HS 578T of breast cancer, and mean cell growth demonstrated good rate of anticancer activity prediction (r² = 0.7 – 0.8,  = 0.5 – 0.7).     

Quasifractional Approximants in the Theory of Composite Materials

We study the effective heat conductivity of regular arrays of perfectly conducting spheres embedded in a matrix with unit conductivity. Quasifractional approximants allow us to derive an approximate analytical solution, valid for all values of the spheres volume fraction [0, _max] (_max is the maximum volume fraction of a spheres). As a starting point we use a perturbation approach for 0 and an asymptotic solution for _max. Three different spatial arrangements of the spheres, simple cubic, body centred and face centred cubic arrays, are considered. Results obtained give a good agreement with numerical data.     

Cauchy problem for a class of parabolic systems of Shilov type with variable coefficients

In the case of initial data belonging to a wide class of functions including distributions of Gelfand-Shilov type we establish the correct solvability of the Cauchy problem for a new class of Shilov parabolic systems of equations with partial derivatives with bounded smooth variable lower coefficients and nonnegative genus. We also investigate the conditions of local improvement of the convergence of a solution of this problem to its limiting value when the time variable tends to zero.     

The bilinear assignment problem: complexity and polynomially solvable special cases

Mathematical Programming - In this paper we study the bilinear assignment problem (BAP) with size parameters m and n, $$m\le n$$ . BAP is a generalization of the well known quadratic assignment...     

Barothermal Diels-Alder functionalization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have an ordered geometric structure, large specific surface area, prominent electrical conductivity, and unique mechanical properties. They are nontoxic and can be used in biomedicine. Physical and surface chemical characteristics of MWCNTs should be tuned to that required to improve certain properties and obtain a variety of functional materials. We modified the MWNTs by using the barothermal Diels-Alder reaction with dienophiles, p-benzoquinone, fumaronitrile, and maleimide, to address this issue. The prepared MWCNTs were studied by SEM-EDX, nitrogen adsorption porometry, ATR FTIR, and thermal analysis. Results showed that both separate and conjugated C?=?C bonds at the edge and outer/inner surface of walls could react with dienophiles. The grafted groups are separated by the temperature on weak (low-temperature) and strong (high-temperature) chemisorbed forms; they are detached at temperatures below and above 350?°C, correspondingly. Thermal analysis shows that up to 5% of the carbon atoms are involved in the [4?+?2] cycloaddition. The high-temperature forms of the grafted groups under extreme heating can be involved in the retro-Diels-Alder reaction that breaks six-membered rings, producing a dienophile.