A new element for analyzing large deformation of thin Naghdi shell model. Part 1: Elastic

One of the best approaches for modeling large deformation of shells is the Cosserat surface. However, the finite-element implementation of this model suffers from membrane and shear locking, especially for very thin shells. The basic assumption of this theory is that the mid-surface of the shell is regarded as a Cosserat surface with one inextensible director. In this paper, it is shown that by constraining the director vector normal to the mid-surface, besides very good and accurate results, shear locking is also eliminated. This constraint is in fact a limiting analysis of the Cosserat theory in which Kirichhoff’s hypothesis is enforced. Numerical solution is performed using nine-node isoparametric element. The principal of virtual work is used to obtain the weak form of the governing differential equations and the material and geometric stiffness matrices are derived through a linearization process. The validity and the accuracy of the method are illustrated by numerical examples.     

Twin-core fiber optical tweezers: an optimum designation

Optical and Quantum Electronics - Twin-core fiber optical tweezers (TCFOT) can be simulated using finite difference beam propagation method. We chose a tapered TCFOT and calculated its far-field...     

Synthesis of ZnO photocatalyst modified with activated carbon for a perfect degradation of ciprofloxacin and its secondary pollutants

The proposed research, presents the synthesis, characterization, and photocatalytic accomplishment of ZnO nanoplate (ZnOs) modified with activated carbon derived from Konar bark. The obtained nanocomposite (photocatalyst) was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET). First, the ZnO photocatalyst and activated carbon (AC) were prepared separately; then, the ZnO photocatalyst was modified with activated carbon. Various parameters namely pH, degradation time, and photocatalyst dose were optimized and studied in multivariate method by design expert7 software. The synergic efficiency of ZnO‐AC (adsorbent/photocatalyst) exhibited a good rate of ciprofloxacin (CIP) removal under visible irradiation. In addition, first pseudo order kinetic and isotherms equations were calculated. Moreover, the identification of degradation products was performed by ultra performance liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometer (UPLC‐MS/MS). It is for the first time that a ZnO photocatalyst modified with activated carbon (ZnO‐AC) applied for CIP degradation.     

Confinement effects on the thermal stability of poly(ethylene oxide)/graphene nanocomposites: A reactive molecular dynamics simulation study

Nonisothermal and isothermal decomposition of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) loaded with different concentrations of pristine graphene (PG) and graphene oxide (GO) nanoplatelets were investigated using reactive molecular dynamics simulation. The onset of nonisothermal decomposition of the PG‐loaded PEO system was the highest among all systems, suggesting that introducing PG to the polymer improves its thermal stability (an effect that increases with an increase in the PG concentration). At low concentration, introducing GO to the polymer brings about a deterioration of the thermal stability of the polymer consistent with experimental findings. On average, the activation energy for the isothermal decomposition of PG‐loaded PEO system increases by 60% over that of the neat PEO system, while it decreases by 40% for the GO‐loaded PEO system. A time‐dependent analysis of the through‐thickness decomposition profile of the above systems reveals that the polymer confined between the PG sheets exhibit a higher thermal stability compared to the bulk polymer. However, an opposite effect is observed with the polymer confined between the GO sheets. The latter observation is attributed to accelerated polymer chain scission in confined regions due to the ejection of reactive hydroxyl radicals from the GO surface during the early stages of thermal decomposition. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2017 , 55, 1026–1035     

Synthesis of Cyano‐pyrrolo[1,2‐a][1,10]phenanthroline Derivatives Using a Multicomponent Condensation

1,10‐Phenanthroline reacts with malonitrile and aldehydes in the presence of isocyanides as domino‐Knoevenagel‐nucleophilic cycloaddition for generation of a new class of 10‐(aryl)‐11‐(alkyl‐ or arylamino‐)pyrrolo[1,2‐a][1,10]phenanthroline‐9‐carbonitrile compounds in excellent yield. All compounds are fully characterized with one structurally authenticated by a single X‐ray diffraction study.     

Development of organic solvents‐free mode of solidification of floating organic droplet–based dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction for the extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from honey samples before their determination by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

In this study, a green mode of solidification of floating organic droplet – based dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction has been developed for the extraction of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from honey samples before their determination by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. In this method, an appropriate volume of menthol:decanoic acid deep eutectic solvent (as an extraction solvent) is added on a sugar cube (as a disperser agent). In the following, the cube is released into the diluted honey sample placed in a tube. After manual shaking a cloudy state is obtained as a result of dispersing the extraction solvent droplets throughout the sample solution and the analytes are extracted into them. After placing the tube in an ice bath, the droplet of the extractant is solidified on the top of the solution. This drop is taken and after dissolving in acetonitrile, an aliquot of the solution is injected into the separation system. Under optimum conditions, the suggested approach had high extraction recoveries (76–93%) and enrichment factors (380–465), low limits of detection (14–52 ng/kg) and quantification (47–173 ng/kg), and satisfactory repeatability (relative standard deviation ≤ 9%).     

Electrochemical Modification of Gold Electrodes with Azobenzene Derivatives by Diazonium Reduction

An electrochemical study of Au electrodes electrografted with azobenzene (AB), Fast Garnet GBC (GBC) and Fast Black K (FBK) diazonium compounds is presented. Electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance, ellipsometry and atomic force microscopy investigations reveal the formation of multilayer films. The elemental composition of the aryl layers is examined by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The electrochemical measurements reveal a quasi‐reversible voltammogram of the Fe(CN)₆^3?/4? redox couple on bare Au and a sigmoidal shape for the GBC‐ and FBK‐modified Au electrodes, thus demonstrating that electron transfer is blocked due to the surface modification. The electrografted AB layer results in strongest inhibition of the Fe(CN)₆^3?/4? response compared with other aryl layers. The same tendencies are observed for oxygen reduction; however, the blocking effect is not as strong as in the Fe(CN)₆^3?/4? redox system. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements allowed the calculation of low charge‐transfer rates to the Fe(CN)₆^3? probe for the GBC‐ and FBK‐modified Au electrodes in relation to bare Au. From these measurements it can be concluded that the FBK film is less compact or presents more pinholes than the electrografted GBC layer.     

Spectroscopic,Thermal and Structural Studies of Aza‐aromatic Base Adducts of Cadmium Furoyltrifluoroacetonate

Three aza‐aromatic base adducts of cadmium(II) furoyltrifluoroacetonate, [Cd(4,4′‐bpy)(ftfa)₂]_n ( 1 ), [Cd(2,2′‐bpy)(ftfa)₂] ( 2 ) and [Cd(dmp)(ftfa)₂] ( 3 ) (“4,4′‐bpy”, “2,2′‐bpy”, “dmp” and “ftfa” are the abbreviations of 4,4′‐bipyridine, 2,2′‐bipyridine, 2,9‐dimethyl‐1,10‐phenanthroline and furoyltrifluoroacetonate, respectively) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis and IR, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and studied by thermal as well as X‐ray crystallography. The single‐crystal structure of these complexes shows that the coordination number of the Cd^II ions are six with two N‐donor atoms from aza‐aromatic base ligands and four O‐donors from two the furoyltrifluoroacetonates. The supramolecular features in these complexes are guided/controlled by weak directional intermolecular interactions.