An approximate analytic solution of the Blasius problem

The [4/3] Pade approximant for the derivative is modified so that the resulting expression has the required asymptotic behavior. This gives an analytical result which represents the solution of the classical Blasius problem on the whole domain.     

Real-time quantification of viable bacteria in liquid medium using infrared thermography

Quantifying viable bacteria in liquids is important in environmental, food processing, manufacturing, and medical applications. Since vegetative bacteria generate heat as a result of biochemical reactions associated with cellular functions, thermal sensing techniques, including infrared thermography (IRT), have been used to detect viable cells in biologic samples. We developed a novel method that extends the dynamic range and improves the sensitivity of bacterial quantification by IRT. The approach uses IRT video, thermodynamics laws, and heat transfer mechanisms to directly measure, in real-time, the amount of energy lost as heat from the surface of a liquid sample containing bacteria when the specimen cools to a lower temperature over 2 min. We show that the Energy Content (EC) of liquid media containing as few as 120 colony-forming units (CFU) of Escherichia coli per ml was significantly higher than that of sterile media (P < 0.0001), and that EC and viable counts were strongly positively correlated (r = 0.986) over a range of 120 to approximately 5 × 10⁸ CFU/ml. Our IRT approach is a unique non-contact method that provides real-time bacterial enumeration over a wide dynamic range without the need for sample concentration, modification, or destruction. The approach could be adapted to quantify other living cells in a liquid milieu and has the potential for automation and high throughput.     

Effect of styrene–acrylonitrile content on 0.5?M NaI/0.05?M I2 liquid electrolyte encapsulation for dye-sensitized solar cells

The effect of a gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) as the redox electrolyte used in dye-sensitized solar cells was studied. A GPE solution consisting of 0.5?M sodium iodide, 0.05?M iodine, and ethylene carbonate/propylene carbonate (1:1 w/w) binary solvents was mixed with increasing amounts of styrene–acrylonitrile (SAN). Bulk conductivity measurements show a decreasing trend from 4.54 to 0.83×10^?3?S?cm^?1 with increasing SAN content. The GPE exhibits Newtonian-like behavior and its viscosity increases from 0.041 to 1.093?Pa?s with increasing SAN content. A balance between conductivity (1.3?×?10^?3?S?cm^?1) and viscosity (1.4?Pa?s) is observed at 19?wt.% SAN. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy detects elevated ring torsion at 706?cm^?1 upon the addition of SAN into the liquid electrolyte. This indicates that SAN does not bond with the liquid electrolyte. Finally, the potential stability window of 19?wt.% SAN, which ranges from ?1.68 to 1.38?V, proves its applicability in solar cells.     

Synthesis,spectral characterization and crystal structure of a novel trinuclear di-n-butyltin(IV) complex with pyruvic acid-N(4)-cyclohexylthiosemicarbazone (H2PACT)

A new trinuclear di-n-butyltin(IV) complex with pyruvic acid-N(4)-cyclohexylthiosemicarbazone (H₂PACT) ligand was synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, molar conductivity, UV–Vis, FT-IR, ¹H, ¹¹⁹Sn NMR spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray study. Single crystal X-ray diffraction data revealed that this complex was trinuclear cyclic fashion with the pyruvic acid-N(4)-cyclohexylthiosemicarbazone ligand. In the trinuclear di-n-butyltin(IV) complex, the ligand (H₂PACT) is coordinated to the central tin(IV) atoms via the carboxylato-O, the azomethine-N and the thiolato-S atoms. The trinuclear tin system is formed by the bridges through the carbonyl oxygen atom of the carboxylate moieties and making the tin atom of seven coordinated in distorted pentagonal bipyramidal geometry. Single crystal X-ray data indicates that the complex (1) crystallized in cubic system with space group I-4₃d, a = b = c = 30.3273(17) Å, α = β = γ = 90°, Z = 16, μ(MoKα) = 1.209 mm^?1, F(000) = 12,144, and final R₁ = 0.0390, wR₂ = 0.0843 for observed reflections 4582(I > 2σ(I)).     

A weakly compressible MPS method for modeling of open‐boundary free‐surface flow

A mesh‐free particle method, based on the moving particle semi‐implicit (MPS) interaction model, has been developed for the simulation of two‐dimensional open‐boundary free‐surface flows. The incompressibility model in the original MPS has been replaced with a weakly incompressible model. The effect of this replacement on the efficiency and accuracy of the model has been investigated. The new inflow–outflow boundary conditions along with the particle recycling strategy proposed in this study extend the application of the model to open‐boundary problems. The final model is able to simulate open‐boundary free surface flow in cases of large deformation and fragmentation of free surface. The models and proposed algorithms have been validated and applied to sample problems. The results confirm the model's efficiency and accuracy. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Low operating temperature of oxygen gas sensor based on undoped and Cr-doped ZnO films

Undoped and doped ZnO with 1 at.% (atomic percentage) chromium (Cr) was synthesized by RF reactive co-sputtering for oxygen gas sensing applications. The prepared films showed a highly c-oriented phase with a dominant (0 0 2) peak at a Bragg angle of around 34.2°. The operating temperature of the prepared ZnO sensor was around 350 °C and shifted to around 250 °C for the doped ZnO sensor which is lower than that of previously reported work. The sensitivity of the sensor toward oxygen gas was enhanced by doping ZnO with 1 at.% Cr. Good stability and repeatability of the sensor were demonstrated when tested under different concentration of oxygen atmosphere.