Biosorption of Cr(VI) ions from aqueous solutions: kinetics, equilibrium, thermodynamics and desorption studies

Cr(VI) is a major water pollutant from industrial effluent whose concentration is to be reduced within the permissible limit. Present study reports a systematic evaluation of six different natural adsorbents for the removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions in batch process. The adsorption kinetic data were best described by pseudo-second order model. The values of mass transfer coefficient for Cr(VI) adsorption indicated that the velocity of the adsorbate transport from the bulk to the solid phase was quite fast. The effective diffusivity of Cr(VI) removal for all the adsorbents were of the order of 10(-10) m(2)/s which suggested chemisorption of the process. The adsorption process was jointly controlled by film diffusion and intraparticle diffusion. Maximum monolayer adsorption capacities onto the natural adsorbents used were comparable to the other natural adsorbents used by other researchers. The thermodynamic studies and sorption energy calculation using Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm model indicated that the adsorption processes were endothermic and chemical in nature. FT-IR studies were carried out to understand the type of functional groups responsible for Cr(VI) binding process. Desorption study was carried out with different concentration of NaOH solutions. Application study was carried out using electroplating industrial wastewater.     

Degradation process in organic thin film devices fabricated using P3HT

The stability of regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene 2,5-diyl) (P3HT) thin films sandwiched between indium tin oxide (ITO) and aluminium (Al) electrodes have been investigated under normal environmental conditions (25°C and RH∼45–50%). Electrical and optical properties of ITO/P3HT/Al devices have been studied over a period of 30 days. Mobility μ of the order of 10⁻⁴ cm²/V-s has been obtained from the V ² law in the as-deposited P3HT films. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigations show blistering of Al contacts in devices with a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) interlayer on application of voltage whereas no blistering is seen in devices without PEDOT. The results have been explained in terms of trap generation and propagation and the moisture-absorbing nature of PEDOT.      

Synthesis of crescent shaped heterocycle-fused aromatics via Garratt-Braverman cyclization and their DNA-binding studies

Three crescent shaped heterocycle-fused phenanthrene based systems 1–3 have been synthesized starting from benzene (or substituted benzene) 1,2-bis-propargyl alcohols. Bis-alkylation with propargylic bromides provided the key intermediate, the bis-propargyl bis-ethers. In spite of the possibility of many competing reactions, the latter underwent facile double Garratt-Braverman cyclization to provide compounds 1–3 in near quantitative yield, in a striking reaction involving the formation of four C–C bonds in a single step. Compounds 1–3 showed binding interaction with DNA, predominantly, via groove binding along with partial intercalation (combilexins). Molecular docking study supported the proposed binding modes.     

A solid-supported acidic oxazolium perchlorate as an easy-handling catalyst for the synthesis of modified pyrimidine nucleosides via Vorbrüggen-type N-glycosylation

A solid-supported acidic oxazolium perchlorate was investigated as a heterogeneous catalyst in N-glycosylation reactions using silylated modified pyrimidines and an acylated ribose or glucose to afford the corresponding pyrimidine nucleosides. This salt is a nonhygroscopic and stable powder whose activity is comparable to that of 2-methyl-5-phenylbenzoxazolium perchlorate. A reaction with this polymer catalyst can be conducted on a gram scale. Reusability of the solid-supported catalyst was also investigated.     

Performance of different normal dispersion fibers to generate triangular optical pulses

Optical and Quantum Electronics - The nonlinear scattering of two non-collinear Gaussian pulses with different central frequencies and lengths, incident on the periodic stacks of semiconductor...     

Stereoselective synthesis of beta-substituted phenylalanine-beta-phenylisoserine-derived tripeptides using N-cinnamoyl-L-proline as template: synthesis of structural analogues of HIV protease inhibitors

N-Cinnamoyl-L-proline can be used as a template on which beta-substituted phenylalanine and beta-phenylisoserine residues can be synthesized leading to tripeptide derivatives as structural analogues of HIV protease inhibitors.     

Kinetics of oxidation of hypophosphite ion by Au(III) in hydrochloric acid medium

Hypophosphite ion is oxidised by Au(III) in aqueous hydrochloric acid to give phosphorus acid and Au(I). The kinetics of the reaction has been studied spectrophotometrically in the UV region at different temperatures. The oxidation of hypophosphorous acid is first order with respect to both Au(III) and substrate. Hydrogen ion has no effect on the rate in acid media (0.15–1.0)M. The energy and entropy of activations are 128 ± 3.0kJ mol^?1 and 135.8 ± 6.5 JK^?1 mol^?1 respectively. The results are interpreted in terms of the probable formation of intermediate Au(lI).     

Electron capture processes in ion-atom collisions

The development of the theory of electron capture processes in ion-atom collisions is reviewed in the present work. The formal theory of scattering is used to obtain the Born and the distorted wave Born series for the rearrangement scattering matrix. On the basis of these series, the applications of the first and second Born approximation, the OBK approximation, the DWBA and the Padé approximants to electron capture processes are discussed. The impulse approximation, the Faddeev method and the second order potential method are also explained. The results of the investigations of the high energy behaviour of the charge transfer cross section based on the Faddeev-Watson multiple scattering expansion are analysed.The methods of molecular and atomic eigenfunction expansions are presented and their relative merits discussed. The semi-classical treatment for determining the differential electron capture probability is reviewed. Results obtained in works utilising expansions in Sturmian, Gaussian and pseudo-state wave functions are also presented. An integral equation approach to the close coupling approximation is described. The field theoretic approach to investigate the electron capture process is discussed in the last section.The results obtained by different theoretical methods are compared with available experimental results.     

Amperometric determination of 2-benzothiazole sulphenamide accelerators

A simple method for the amperometric estimation of N-cyclohexyl-2-benzothiazole sulphenamide, N-dicyclohexyl-2-benzothiazole sulphenamide, 2-(morpholinothio)benzothiazole and N-tert.-butyl-2-benzothiazole sulphenamide is reported. The results are obtained within 5 min and are correct within +/- 2.0%.