Pure green chemical approach for synthesis of Ag2O nanoparticles

In this study, a green chemistry method is reported for the synthesis of Ag₂O nanoparticles with the utilization of starch molecules as a stabilizing agent. In particular, by simply adjusting the concentration of starch in the reaction media, the structure of A₂O nanoparticles can be engineered in disc and faceted shapes, which has been analyzed by transmission electron microscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction technique. In addition, antibacterial activity of the prepared Ag₂O nanoparticles had been evaluated against food poisoning and pathogenic bacteria.     

Compositional dependence of structural parameters,polyhedral distortion and magnetic properties of gallium ferrite

We show the effect of composition on the structure, polyhedral distortion and magnetic characteristics of pure phase polycrystalline Ga_2?xFe_xO₃ (GFO) for compositions between 0.8≤x≤1.3. X-ray analysis reveals that lattice parameters of GFO exhibit a linear dependence on Fe content in single phase region indicating manifestation of Vegard's law. Upon changing the composition, a rather small change in the overall unit cell volume (～1%) appears to be an outcome of a competition between changing trends of various polyhedra. Increasing Fe content of the samples also leads to stretching of the bonds as indicated by the Raman peak shifts. Further, low temperature magnetic measurements show that the coercivity of the samples is maximum for Ga:Fe ratio of 1:1 driven by a competition between decreasing crystallite size and increasing magnetic anisotropy.     

Parameter adaptation technique for rapid synchronization and secure communication

An effort is made here to show how parameter adaptation can be used for achieving rapid synchronization between two chaotic systems in a time much smaller than the time scale of chaotic oscillations. This rapid synchronization can be used for faster and more secure communication of digital messages. Different symbols of the message are coded by assigning different values to a parameter set. At the receiving end the parameter values quickly adapt to the changing transmitter parameters, thereby permitting the messages to be decoded. The technique presented here is significantly more secure compared to other similar schemes because in our scheme the transmitting parameters change so rapidly that an intruder cannot infer any information about the attractors corresponding to the different parameter values. Another feature, which enhances security, is that a subsystem of the transmitter can be changed, without having to convey this information to the bona fide recipient. Thus for the same plaintext and the same key, several different cipher-texts can be generated. Further, the variables, whose evolution equations contain the coding parameters, are not transmitted.     

Analysing factors affecting the choice of emergent human resource capital

Ever since the announcement that UK higher education (HE) fees were to increase up to £9000, many universities have expressed concern about how to attract the best students while offering choice and promoting student mobility through broader access. This in turn has led to questioning how such complexity might be modelled using sophisticated operational research (OR) techniques. Because higher education institutions (HEIs) are now beginning to compete ‘against’ rather than ‘with’ each other, potential students are paying increased attention to where and what they will study, as well as graduate opportunities after their degree. Hence, the quality of education services becomes increasingly vital for HEIs in order to attract potential students. This study seeks to develop a framework of those factors affecting international (non-EU) students’ choice of institution. A number of factors were identified and collated from the existing literature providing a solid foundation on which to base this research. A survey approach was utilised to determine the importance of identified factors based on data collected from students of two different types of institutions (a university and a feeder institution). Through a better understanding of factors such as social influence, financial and career opportunities, universities should be well placed to construct models underpinned by OR principles that will promote scenario modelling and planning within HE.     

Improved and Scalable Synthetic Route to the Synthon 17-β-(2-Carboxyethyl)-1,3,5(10)-estratriene: An Important Intermediate in the Synthesis of Bone-Targeting Estrogens

An improved, highly scalable methodology for the multigram-scale preparation of an important synthon, 17-β-(2-carboxyethyl)-1,3,5(10)-estratriene, is described. Previous approaches have failed to provide useful quantities of the analytically pure product because of facile retro-Michael breakdown of the β-alkoxy carbonyl precursors during workup and isolation operations. The synthetic approach described herein has been designed specifically to sidestep this problematic breakdown process. This new scalable method of preparation overcomes a major hurdle in the exploration of structure–activity relationships centered around novel estradiol derivatives with bone-targeting properties and also provides a scalable process for subsequent developmental work.     

Adsorptive removal of thorium from aqueous solution using diglycolamide functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were functionalized with diglycolamide (DGA) through chemical covalent route. The adsorption behavior of the DGA-functionalized-MWCNTs (DGA-MWCNTs) towards thorium from aqueous solution was studied under varying operating conditions of pH, concentration of thorium, DGA-MWCNTs dosages, contact time, and temperature. The effective range of pH for the removal of Th(IV) is 3.0–4.0. Kinetic data followed a pseudo-second-order model. The equilibrium data were correlated with the Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin-Radushkevich and Temkin models. The equilibrium data are best fitted with Langmuir model. The equilibrium Th(IV) sorption capacity was estimated to be 10.58 mg g^?1 at 298 K. The standard enthalpy, entropy, and free energy of adsorption of the thorium with DGA-MWCNTs were calculated to be 8.952 kJ mol^?1, 0.093 kJ mol^?1 K^?1 and -18.521 kJ mol^?1 respectively at 298 K. The determined value of sticking probability (0.072) and observed kinetic and isotherm models reveal the chemical adsorption of thorium on DGA-MWCNTs.     

Design and development of a neutron/X-ray combined computed tomography system at Missouri S&T

A new method for non-destructive analysis has been developed using a combined neutron/X-ray imaging system at the Missouri Science & Technology Reactor (MSTR). The interactions of neutrons and X-ray photons with matter produce differing characteristic information, resulting in distinctly different visual images. In order to obtain a more comprehensive picture of the structural and compositional data for a desired object, a prototype imaging system has been designed which utilizes neutron and X-ray imaging simultaneously without obstructing the beam geometry for each imaging mechanism. The current system is optimized for the imaging of small to medium sized objects of 0.5–50 mm. This new imaging capability in place at the MSTR promises great advances in the field of non-destructive testing, especially for nuclear engineering, nuclear medical science, and material science research. In an imaging object, a range of atomic number values and thermal cross-sections may be present. Where multiple materials having similar atomic number and differing thermal cross-section or vice versa may be present, exclusive neutron or X-ray analysis may exhibit shortcomings in distinguishing interfaces. However, fusing the neutron image and X-ray image into a combined image offers the strengths of both and may provide a superior method of analysis. In this paper, a novel combined X-ray and neutron imaging system will be introduced for superior analysis of certain imaging objects. Design details of experimental set-up and examples of preliminary imaging tests from individual modality will be detailed.     

Thermodynamic studies on Pr2TeO6

The standard Gibbs energy of formation of Pr₂TeO₆ $ (\Updelta_{\text{f}} G^{^\circ } \left( {{ \Pr }_{ 2} {\text{TeO}}_{ 6} ,\;{\text{s}}} \right)) $ was derived from its vapour pressure in the temperature range of 1,400–1,480 K. The vapour pressure of TeO₂ (g) was measured by employing a thermogravimetry-based transpiration method. The temperature dependence of the vapour pressure of TeO₂ over the mixture Pr₂TeO₆ (s) + Pr₂O₃ (s) generated by the incongruent vapourization reaction, Pr₂TeO₆ (s) = Pr₂O₃ (s) + TeO₂ (g) + ½ O₂ (g) could be represented as: $ { \log }\left\{ {{{p\left( {{\text{TeO}}_{ 2} ,\;{\text{g}}} \right)} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{p\left( {{\text{TeO}}_{ 2} ,\;{\text{g}}} \right)} {{\text{Pa}} \pm 0.0 4}}} \right. \kern-0em} {{\text{Pa}} \pm 0.0 4}}} \right\} = 19. 12- 27132\; \left({\rm{{{\text{K}}}}/T} \right) $ . The $ \Updelta_{\text{f}} G^{^\circ } \;\left( {{ \Pr }_{ 2} {\text{TeO}}_{ 6} } \right) $ could be represented by the relation $ \left\{ {{{\Updelta_{\text{f}} G^{^\circ } \left( {{ \Pr }_{ 2} {\text{TeO}}_{ 6} ,\;{\text{s}}} \right)} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{\Updelta_{\text{f}} G^{^\circ } \left( {{ \Pr }_{ 2} {\text{TeO}}_{ 6} ,\;{\text{s}}} \right)} {\left( {{\text{kJ}}\,{\text{mol}}^{ - 1} } \right)}}} \right. \kern-0em} {\left( {{\text{kJ}}\,{\text{mol}}^{ - 1} } \right)}} \pm 5.0} \right\} = - 2 4 1 5. 1+ 0. 5 7 9 3\;\left(T/{\text{K}}\right) .$ Enthalpy increments of Pr₂TeO₆ were measured by drop calorimetry in the temperature range of 573–1,273 K and heat capacity, entropy and Gibbs energy functions were derived. The $ \Updelta_{\text{f}} H_{{298\;{\text{K}}}}^{^\circ } \;\left( {{ \Pr }_{ 2} {\text{TeO}}_{ 6} } \right) $ was found to be $ {{ - 2, 40 7. 8 \pm 2.0} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{ - 2, 40 7. 8 \pm 2.0} {\left( {{\text{kJ}}\,{\text{mol}}^{ - 1} } \right)}}} \right. \kern-0em} {\left( {{\text{kJ}}\,{\text{mol}}^{ - 1} } \right)}} $ .     

Efficacy of Organophosphorus Derivatives Containing Substituted Chalcone Thiosemicarbazones and Dithiocarbazates Against Fungal Pathogens of Sugarcane

Ten novel organophosphorus derivatives have been prepared by the reactions of O,O-diethylchlorophosphate with two important series of substituted chalcones viz., substituted chalcone thiosemicarbazones and substituted chalcone dithiocarbazates. The derivatives have been characterized on the basis of analysis and spectral (IR, 1 H NMR) data. Fungicidal activity of these derivatives against Colletotrichum falcatum , Fusarium oxysporum , and Curvularia pallescens have been evaluated. The screening results have been correlated with the structural features of the tested compounds. Organophosphorus derivatives containing 2,2'-dihydroxybenzalacetophenone thiosemicarbazone, 2-chlorobenzal-2'-hydroxyacetophenone thiosemicarbazone, 2-chlorobenzal-2'-hydroxy acetophenone-S-benzyldithiocarbazate proved more active than some prevalent commercial synthetic fungicides.     

Thermodynamic studies on Sn–Te–O system

The standard Gibbs energy of formation of tin tellurate, SnTe₃O₈(s) was determined from its vapour pressure measurements over the temperature range 973–1,158 K by employing thermogravimetry-based transpiration method. The temperature dependence of vapour pressure of TeO₂ over the mixture SnTe₃O₈(s) + SnO₂(s) generated by the incongruent vapourisation reaction, SnTe₃O₈(s) → SnO₂(s) + 3 TeO₂(g) could be represented as: log (p (TeO₂, g)/Pa ± 0.03) = 13.943–14,181 (K/T) (973–1,158 K). The standard Gibbs energy of formation of SnTe₃O₈(s) was also determined by measuring the oxygen potential of SnO₂(s)–Te(s)–SnTe₃O₈(s) phase mixture by the electromotive force method. Enthalpy increments of SnTe₃O₈(s) were determined by inverse drop calorimetric method in the temperature range 523–973 K. The thermodynamic functions, viz., heat capacity, entropy and free energy functions were derived from the measured values of enthalpy increments. A mean value of ?1,642 ± 2.0 kJ mol^?1 was obtained for $ \Updelta_{\text{f}} H_{298}^{\circ } $ (SnTe₃O₈, s) by combining the value of Δ_f $ G^{\circ } $ (SnTe₃O₈, s) derived from vapour pressure data and the free energy functions derived from the drop calorimetric data.