Strengthened invex and perturbations

If the strengthened invex property holds for a constrained minimization problem, then a Karush-Kuhn-Tucker point is a strict minimum. The strict minimum property is preserved under small perturbations of the problem. This allows sufficient conditions to be given for a minimax, starting from Karush-Kuhn-Tucker conditions. They extend to vector-valued minimax and to nonsmooth (Lipschitz) problems. An example is provided to illustrate the strengthened invex property, also a discussion of quadratic-linear (nonconvex) programming implications.     

Fluorescence Properties and Electrochemical Behavior of Some Schiff Bases Derived from N-Aminopyrimidine

A series of Schiff bases (L ₁ , L ₂ and L ₃ ) were prepared by refluxing aromatic aldehydes with N-Aminopyrimidine derivatives in methanol and ethanol. The structures of synthesized compounds were characterized by FTIR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and microanalysis. The electrochemical behaviors of the Schiff base ligands were also discussed. Moreover, the evaluation of absorption and emission properties of the structures were carried out in five different solvents. The products show visible absorption maxima in the range of 304–576 nm, and emission maxima from 636 to 736 nm in all solvents tested.     

Nanoscale tubular vessels for storage of methane at ambient temperatures

Novel carbon nanostructures can serve as effective storage media for methane, a source of "clean energy" for the future. We have used Grand Canonical Monte Carlo Simulation for the modeling of methane storage at 293 K and pressures up to 80 MPa in idealized bundles of (10,10) armchair-type single-walled carbon nanotubes and wormlike carbon pores. We have found that these carbon nanomaterials can be treated as the world's smallest high-capacity methane storage vessels. Our simulation results indicate that such novel carbon nanostructures can reach a high volumetric energy storage, exceeding the US FreedomCAR Partnership target of 2010 (5.4 MJ dm(-3)), at low to moderate pressures ranging from 1 to 7 MPa at 293 K. On the contrary, in the absence of these nanomaterials, methane needs to be compressed to approximately 13 MPa at 293 K to achieve the same target. The light carbon membranes composed of bundles of single-walled carbon nanotubes or wormlike pores efficiently physisorb methane at low to moderate pressures at 293 K, which we believe should be particularly important for automobiles and stationary devices. However, above 15-20 MPa at 293 K, all investigated samples of novel carbon nanomaterials are not as effective when compared with compression alone since the stored volumetric energy and power saturate at values below those of the bulk, compressed fluid.     

On the Henry constant and isosteric heat at zero loading in gas phase adsorption

The Henry constant and the isosteric heat of adsorption at zero loading are commonly used as indicators of the strength of the affinity of an adsorbate for a solid adsorbent. It is assumed that (i) they are observable in practice, (ii) the Van Hoff's plot of the logarithm of the Henry constant versus the inverse of temperature is always linear and the slope is equal to the heat of adsorption, and (iii) the isosteric heat of adsorption at zero loading is either constant or weakly dependent on temperature. We show in this paper that none of these three points is necessarily correct, first because these variables might not be observable since they are outside the range of measurability; second that the linearity of the Van Hoff plot breaks down at very high temperature, and third that the isosteric heat versus loading is a strong function of temperature. We demonstrate these points using Monte Carlo integration and Monte Carlo simulation of adsorption of various gases on a graphite surface. Another issue concerning the Henry constant is related to the way the adsorption excess is defined. The most commonly used equation is the one that assumes that the void volume is the volume extended all the way to a boundary passing through the centres of the outermost solid atoms. With this definition the Henry constant can become negative at high temperatures. Although adsorption at these temperatures may not be practical because of the very low value of the Henry constant, it is more useful to define the Henry constant in such a way that it is always positive at all temperatures. Here we propose the use of the accessible volume; the volume probed by the adsorbate when it is in nonpositive regions of the potential, to calculate the Henry constant.     

Catalytic Conversion of Macroalgae-derived Alginate to Useful Chemicals

Alginate, a main carbohydrate compound of macroalgae, can be hydrothermally converted to valuable organic products, such as furfural and organic acids, over various types of catalysts. In this review, alginate is evaluated as a renewable biomass feedstock for the production of the useful chemicals, based on the structural differences between alginate and conventional lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks. The influence of different catalysts and reaction conditions on the alginate depolymerization and the product distribution is discussed. Finally, future research direction for the catalytic conversion of alginate is suggested.     

Separation of phospholipids using a diethylaminoethyl-silica gel column and thin-layer chromatography

Phospholipids derived from egg yolk are readily separated by DEAE-silica gel column chromatography using stepwise gradient elution. The overall recovery of phospholipids from the column is 85-95% at a loading capacity of 120 mg of lipids per 10 g of DEAE-silica gel. The complete separation of eight phospholipids (phosphatidylcholine, sphingomyelin, lysophosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylserine and lysophosphatidylserine; 5 micrograms each) is also achieved by one-dimensional DEAE-silica gel thin-layer chromatography with the solvent system chloroform-methanol-water-pyridine-58% ammonia solution (130:55:8:4:4, v/v).     

An empirical formula for (n, 2n) reaction cross sections in the neutron energy range of about 14.5 MeV

The (n,2n) threshold reaction cross-sections, available in the literature are analysed for nuclei with 20≤Z≤92 in the neutron energy range of about 14.5 MeV. An empirical formula based on multiple regression technique is proposed for quick estimation of the (n,2n) reaction cross sections. The results obtained are compared with experimental data and those from other empirical formulae as long as byN-Z systematic. The validity of this formula is discussed.     

Adsorption of C7 hydrocarbons on biporous SBA-15 mesoporous silica

In our recent studies (Vinh-Thang, H.; Huang, Q.; Eic, M.; Trong-On, D.; Kaliaguine, S. Langmuir 2005, 21, 2051-2057; Vinh-Thang, H.; Huang, Q.; Eic, M.; Trong-On, D.; Kaliaguine, S. Stud. Surf. Sci. Catal. 2005, in press), a series of synthesized SBA-15 materials were characterized using nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms at 77 K and SEM images. In the present paper, four of them (MMS-1-RT, MMS-1-60, MMS-1-80, and MMS-5-80) were further investigated with regard to their equilibrium characteristics using n-heptane and toluene as sorbates by the standard gravimetric technique. SBA-15 materials proved to have a broad pore size distribution within the micropore/small-mesopore range in the walls of their main mesoporous channels. The adsorption capacities for toluene were found to be higher than for n-heptane. The isosteric heats of adsorption, estimated by the Clausius-Clapeyron equation, are also higher for toluene compared to n-heptane. They were found to depend on framework microporosity of the relevant SBA-15 samples. The isosteric heats of adsorption for all sorbates decrease with increased loading and approach the heats of evaporation of the respective sorbate. The adsorption capacities of SBA-15 samples are significantly higher than those of silicalite, i.e., the MFI zeolite silica analogue. In contrast to that, the isosteric heats of adsorption in the mesopore channels of SBA-15 were found to be much smaller. This result also suggests that SBA-15 can potentially be a good candidate for separation of C(7) hydrocarbons.