Comparative Evaluation of Six Electrolyte Local Composition Activity Coefficient Models Applied to Binary Aqueous Solutions of Ionic Liquids

The capability of six popular local composition models including electrolyte NRTL, modified electrolyte NRTL, electrolyte NRTL–NRF, electrolyte Wilson, modified electrolyte Wilson, and electrolyte NRF–Wilson models to predict the activity coefficients of ionic liquids in aqueous solutions was examined by correlating the experimental data of 16 ionic liquids available in the literature. The adjustable parameters and standard deviations of the fit were estimated for all of these models. Results indicate that the modified electrolyte Wilson model represents the activity coefficients with higher precision.     

Iron,copper and zinc ammonium-1-hydroxyalkylidene-diphosphonates with zero-, one- and two-dimensional covalent metal–ligand structures extended into three-dimensional supramolecular networks by charge-assisted hydrogen-bonding

Hydrothermal synthesis with MCl₂ (M = Fe, Cu, and Zn) and disodium 5-ammonium-1-hydroxypentylidene-1,1-bisphosphonate, (Na⁺)₂[⁺H₃N(CH₂)₄C(OH)(PO₃²⁻)(PO₃H⁻)] (Na₂HAC₅OHP₂) or sodium 3-ammonium-1-hydroxypropylidene-1,1-bisphosphonate hydrate, Na⁺[⁺H₃N(CH₂)₂C(OH)(PO₃H^–)(PO₃H^–)]·H₂O (NaH₂PAM·H₂O) the sodium salt of pamidronic acid, H₃PAM) yielded the one-dimensional (1D) iron, molecular copper and two-dimensional (2D) zinc compounds 1D-{[Fe(μ₃-η⁵-HAC₅OHP₂)]·H₂O}, 1, [Cu(η²-H₂AC₅OHP₂)₂], 2, 2D-{[Zn₂(μ₅-η⁷-AC₅OHP₂)Cl], 3, and 2D-{[Zn(μ₂-η³-H₂PAM)₂], 4, respectively. The bisphosphonate ligand bridges (μ_n) between 2–5 metal atoms and uses 2–7 oxygen donor atoms towards metal coordination (ηⁿ). The zwitterionic nature of the now bis- or tetrakis-deprotonated ammonium–bisphosphonate is retained in the metal complexes. From the reaction of NiCl₂ and Na₂HAC₅OHP₂ the zwitterionic 5-ammonium-1-hydroxypentylidene-1-phosphonic acid, ⁺H₃N(CH₂)₄CH(OH)PO₃H⁻, 5 was obtained as a product of the ligand P–C bond hydrolysis. Adjacent strands, molecules or layers in 1–4, respectively are organized through the Coulomb attraction between the positive ammonium group and the negative phosphonate groups, supported by hydrogen-bonding. Each protic H atom on the C–OH, NH₃⁺ and –PO₃H⁻ group is involved in charge-assisted hydrogen-bonding. The ammonium-pentylidene groups act as hydrophobic separators between the hydrophilic units with the polar M{C(OH)(PO₃)₂} and {NH₃} units. Bond valence sum calculations support the Fe(II) oxidation state in 1, which was experimentally determined from a quantitative polarographic Fe(II)/Fe(III) speciation analysis as well as a temperature variable magnetic study.     

New concept of failure of thin organic films

A critical (steady state) value of the thermal expansion coefficients of different coatings was determined by a nondestructive technique (NDT) known as laser shearography. The behavior of organic coatings, i.e., ACE premium-grey enamel, a yellow acrylic lacquer, and a gold nail polish on a metallic alloy, i.e., a carbon steel, was investigated over a temperature range of 20–60 °C. The value of the thermal expansion coefficients of coatings was derived from the slope of the plot of the thermal deformation (strain) versus the applied temperature. The integrity of the coatings with respect to time was assessed by comparison the measured coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) to the critical (steady state) or asymptotic value of CTE. By shearography, measurement of coating properties could be performed independent of parameters such as UV exposure, humidity, presence of chemical species, and other parameters which may normally interfere with conventional methods of the assessing of the integrity of coatings. Therefore, one may measure CTE of coatings, regardless of the history of the coating, in order to assess the integrity of coatings. Also, the obtained shearography data were found to be in a reasonable trend with the data of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in 3%NaCl solution.     

A nonlocal Levinson beam model for free vibration analysis of zigzag single-walled carbon nanotubes including thermal effects

A nonlocal Levinson beam model is developed to study the free vibrations of a zigzag single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) in thermal environments. The equivalent Young’s modulus and shear modulus for a zigzag SWCNT are derived using an energy-equivalent model. The present study illustrates that the vibration characteristics of an SWCNT are strongly dependent on the temperature change and on the chirality of a zigzag carbon nanotube. The investigation of the chirality and temperature effects on free vibration of carbon nanotubes may be used as a useful reference for the application and the design of nanoelectronic and nanodrive devices, nano-oscillators, and nanosensors, in which carbon nanotubes act as basic elements.     

A 3D numerical simulation of mixed convection of a magnetic nanofluid in the presence of non-uniform magnetic field in a vertical tube using two phase mixture model

In this paper, results of applying a non-uniform magnetic field on a ferrofluid (kerosene and 4 vol% Fe₃O₄ ) flow in a vertical tube have been reported. The hydrodynamics and thermal behavior of the flow are investigated numerically using the two phase mixture model and the control volume technique. Two positive and negative magnetic field gradients have been examined. Based on the obtained results the Nusselt number can be controlled externally using the magnetic field with different intensity and gradients. It is concluded that the magnetic field with negative gradient acts similar to Buoyancy force and augments the Nusselt number, while the magnetic field with positive gradient decreases it. Also with the negative gradient of the magnetic field, pumping power increases and vice versa for the positive gradient case.     

Regular Electric Field in Electromagnetic Coupled to a Scalar Field

In the framework of an electromagnetic field coupled nonminimally with a scalar field in flat spacetime, the existence of a non-singular electric field is proved for a point electric charge or electric monopole. In analogy with the Maxwell-dilaton system introduced by Gibbons and Wells, first, a Maxwell-anti-dilaton system is constructed where the radial electric field of a static electric monopole is coupled to an anti-dilaton. The field equations are solved analytically for the electric and dilaton fields and observe the nonsingular electric field. Also, the self-energy of the electric monopole is found to be finite. Furthermore, the formalism to a Maxwell-scalar field is generalized where a mechanism is introduced upon which the coupled regular-electric field and scalar field is obtained. The formalism shows that for a given regular electric field there are two supersymmetric coupling functions corresponding to a scalar and a phantom field.     

Plasma Photocathodes

Plasma wakefield accelerators offer accelerating and focusing electric fields three to four orders of magnitude larger than state-of-the-art radiofrequency cavity-based accelerators. Plasma photocathodes can release ultracold electron populations within such plasma waves and thus open a path toward tunable production of well-defined, compact electron beams with normalized emittance and brightness many orders of magnitude better than state-of-the-art. Such beams will have far-reaching impact for applications such as light sources, but also open up new vistas on high energy and high field physics. This paper reviews the innovation of plasma photocathodes, and reports on the experimental progress, challenges, and future prospects of the approach. Details of the proof-of-concept demonstration of a plasma photocathode in 90° geometry at SLAC FACET within the E-210: Trojan Horse program are described. Using this experience, alongside theoretical and simulation-supported advances, an outlook is given on future realizations of plasma photocathodes such as the upcoming E-310: Trojan Horse-II program at FACET-II with prospects toward excellent witness beam parameter quality, tunability, and stability. Future installations of plasma photocathodes also at compact, hybrid plasma wakefield accelerators, will then boost capacities and open up novel capabilities for experiments at the forefront of interaction of high brightness electron and photon beams.     

Flow field and thermal characteristics in a model of a tangentially fired furnace under different conditions of burner tripping

Tangentially fired furnaces are vortex-combustion units and are widely used in steam generators of industrial plants. The present study provides a numerical investigation of the problem of turbulent reacting flows in a model furnace of a tangentially fired boiler. The importance of this problem is mainly due to its relation to large boiler furnaces used in thermal power plants. In the present work, calculation of the flow field, temperature and species concentration-contour maps in a tangentially-fired model furnace are provided. The safety of these furnaces requires that the burner be tripped (its fuel is cut off) if the flame is extinguished. Therefore, the present work provides an investigation of the influence of number of tripped burners on the characteristics of the flow and thermal fields. The details of the flow, thermal and combustion fields are obtained from the solution of the conservation equations of mass, momentum and energy and transport equations for scalar variables in addition to the equations of the turbulence model. Available experimental measurements were used for validating the calculation procedure. The results show that the vortex created due to pressure gradient at the furnace center only influenced by tripping at least two burners. However, the temperature distributions are significantly distorted by tripping any of the burners. Regions of very high temperature close to the furnace walls appear as a result of tripping the fuel in one or two of the burners. Calculated heat flux along the furnace walls are presented.