Experimental and kinetic study of catalytic cracking of heavy fuel oil over E-CAT/MCM-41 catalyst

The catalytic cracking of heavy fuel oil was investigated over the equilibrium fluid catalytic cracking catalyst (E-Cat) as a base component with the mesoporous MCM-41 as an additive. The catalytic performance of the E-Cat/MCM-41 system was assessed in a fixed-bed MAT unit. The reaction was performed at temperatures of 500, 530, 550 and 600°C and the product distributions in both gaseous and liquid phases were studied. The yields of products including light olefins, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), gasoline, dry gas, coke and also the conversions obtained over different temperatures were reported and some generalities discussed. The maximum yield of propylene (17.5%) was obtained at 550°C whereas the highest conversion and gasoline yield was gained at 530°C. An eight-lump kinetic model containing 11 kinetic parameters was considered. Those parameters were estimated based on experimental data at specific temperatures by fourth order Runge–Kutta algorithm and the least square method. In addition, Arrhenius equation was used to calculate apparent activation energies. The calculated data of the product yields were in a close agreement with the experimental data.     

Thermal and morphological investigation of the effect of POSS-(PEG2000)8 addition to UV curable PEGMEA/PEGDA formulation and simultaneously in situ formed silver nanoparticles

In this study, hybrid nanocomposites were synthesized by photo-crosslinking of poly (ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate/poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate monomer system using 2- (carboxymethoxy) thioxanthone and POSS-(PEG₂₀₀₀)₈. Additionally, AgNO₃ was added to this formulation and in situ formation of silver nanoparticles onto hybrid nanocomposites were achieved in one-step. UV–Vis spectroscopy technique was used as a very useful tool for surface plasmon resonance band detection of silver nanoparticles. In addition to thermogravimetric analyses which were performed in nitrogen atmosphere to determine the thermal stability of the nanocomposites, dynamic light scattering, and scanning electron microscopy techniques were also used for size and morphology of silver nanoparticles in a hybrid network. TGA analyses proved that even the addition of a very low amount of POSS-(PEG₂₀₀₀)₈ made noteworthy contribution to thermal stability especially in the presence of silver nanoparticles in the hybrid network. The swelling capacities of the prepared films were examined at 1, 3 and 24 h in phosphate buffer solution (pH = 7.4). It was found that film containing only POSS-(PEG₂₀₀₀)₈ had the highest swelling ratio in the shortest time.     

Synthesis and microbiological evaluation of several benzocaine derivatives

Starting from benzocaine, a well-known anaesthetic, ten derivatives were synthesized and characterized by UV–vis, IR, NMR, and elemental analysis. Most of the compounds contain residues with recognized biological activity, like nicotinic acid (vitamin B3 or PP), biotin (vitamin B7 or H), lipoic acid (thioctic acid), adamantine, as well as other residues of crown-ether type, benzofurazane, naphtylurea, di- and tri-nitrobenzene, and a nitroxide radical. The biological evaluation of the obtained compounds included hydrophobicity (lipophobicity) assay, total antioxidant and microbiological activity tests.     

4-Chloro-3-(trifluoroacetyl)- and 4-chloro-3-(methoxalyl)coumarins as novel and efficient building blocks for the regioselective synthesis of 3,4-fused coumarins

4-Chloro-3-(trifluoroacetyl)- and 4-chloro-3-(methoxalyl)coumarins react with electron-rich aminoheterocycles, dimethyl 1,3-acetonedicarboxylate, hydrazines, alkyl thioglycolates, and methyl sarcosinate to give a variety of 3,4-heteroannulated coumarins. The starting materials were prepared by the reaction of 4-hydroxycoumarin with trifluoroacetic anhydride and methyl 2-chloro-2-oxoacetate in the presence of trimethylsilylchloride. An NMR study and X-ray crystallographic analysis are reported.     

Investigation of low-temperature electrical conduction mechanisms in highly resistive GaN bulk layers extracted with Simple Parallel Conduction Extraction Method

The electrical conduction mechanisms in various highly resistive GaN layers of Al _x Ga_1−x N/AlN/GaN/AlN heterostructures are investigated in a temperature range between T=40 K and 185 K. Temperature-dependent conductivities of the bulk GaN layers are extracted from Hall measurements with implementing simple parallel conduction extraction method (SPCEM). It is observed that the resistivity (ρ) increases with decreasing carrier density in the insulating side of the metal–insulator transition for highly resistive GaN layers. Then the conduction mechanism of highly resistive GaN layers changes from an activated conduction to variable range hopping conduction (VRH). In the studied temperature range, ln (ρ) is proportional to T ^−1/4 for the insulating sample and proportional to T ^−1/2 for the more highly insulating sample, indicating that the transport mechanism is due to VRH.     

Synthesis and spectral investigations of vanadium(IV/V) complexes derived from an ONS donor thiosemicarbazone ligand

Four oxovanadium and one dioxovanadium complex with 2-hydroxyacetophenone N(4)-phenylthiosemicarbazone (H₂L) which are represented as [VOLphen]·2H₂O (1), [VOLbipy] (2), [VOLdmbipy] (3), [VOL]₂ (4) and [VO₂HL]·CH₃OH (5) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, electronic, infrared and EPR spectral techniques. In all the complexes 1–4 the ligand coordinates through phenolic oxygen, azomethine nitrogen and thiolate sulfur. But in complex [VO₂HL]·CH₃OH, coordination takes place in thione form instead of thiolate sulfur. All the complexes except [VO₂HL]·CH₃OH are EPR active due to the presence of an unpaired electron. In frozen DMF at 77 K, all the oxovanadium(IV) complexes show axial anisotropy with two sets of eight line patterns.     

Design and characterization of Cu(II) complexes from 2-benzoylpyridine benzhydrazone: Crystallographic evidence for coordination versatility

The syntheses and characterization of six copper(II) complexes of 2-benzoylpyridine benzhydrazone in the form of [Cu(BPB)₂], [Cu(BPB)Cl]·H₂O, [Cu(BPB)Br], [Cu₂(BPB)₂](ClO₄)₂·4H₂O, [Cu(BPB)N₃]·H₂O, and [Cu(BPB)NCS]·H₂O·CH₃OH are reported. The analytical methods used for the characterization of complexes include partial elemental analyses, IR, electronic and EPR spectra, conductivity measurements, magnetic susceptibility measurements and single crystal X-ray diffraction. From the crystal structure, it is clear that the hydrazone adopts the E conformation about the azo bond to attach to the metal through the N_py–N_azo–O chelating system. In the EPR spectra of complexes in DMF at 77 K four hyperfine quartets in the parallel region could be resolved and a half field signal is observed at 1500 G for complex [Cu₂(BPB)₂](ClO₄)₂·4H₂O in polycrystalline state at 298 K which gives evidence for its binuclear nature indicating a weak interaction between the two Cu(II) ions.     

Effect of vibrational excitation on the collisional removal of free radicals by atoms: OH(upsilon=1) + N

The collisional removal of vibrationally excited OH(upsilon=1) by N(4S) atoms is investigated. The OH radical was prepared by 193 nm photolysis of H2O2, and N(4S) atoms were generated by a microwave discharge in N2 diluted in argon. The concentrations of OH(upsilon=0 and 1) were monitored by laser-induced fluorescence as a function of the time after the photolysis laser pulse. The N(4S) concentration was determined from the OH(upsilon=0) decay rate, using the known rate constant for the OH(upsilon=0) + N(4S) --> H + NO reaction. From comparison of the OH(upsilon=0 and 1) decay rates, the ratio of the rate constant k(upsilon=1)(OH-N) for removal of OH(upsilon=1) in collisions with N(4S) and the corresponding OH(upsilon=0) rate constant, k(upsilon=0)(OH-N) was determined to be 1.61 +/- 0.42, yielding k(upsilon=1)(OH-N) = (7.6 +/- 2.1) x 10(-11) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1), where the quoted uncertainty (95% confidence limits) includes the uncertainty in k(upsilon=0)(OH-N). Thus, the collisional removal of OH(upsilon=1) by N(4S) atoms is found to be faster than for OH(upsilon=0).