Reliability of ak-out-of-n system with repair and retrial of failed units

We consider ak-out-of-n system with repair. Life times of components are independent exponentially distributed random variables with parameter λ _i when the number of working units isi. Failed units are taken for repair to a station, manned by a single server, having no waiting room. The failed units are brought to an orbit, if the server is found to be busy, for retrial. Reliability of the system is computed in the following three situations: (i) Cold system (ii) Warm system and (iii) Hot system. Several other system characteristics are derived.     

Next-generation aqueous flow battery chemistries

The battery industry is seeking solutions for large-scale energy storage that are affordable, durable, and safe. Aqueous redox flow batteries (RFBs) have the inherent properties to meet these requirements. While much has been learned over the past decade on the properties of redox materials, the focus of next-generation systems must be primarily on lowering redox material cost and increasing durability. In this context, in addition to inexpensive materials such as iron salts, redox couples based on small organic molecules have shown significant promise. A considerable level of understanding has been gained on the factors affecting the durability of aqueous RFB systems, specifically relating to molecular stability and crossover. New molecular classes, substituent strategies, and cell configurations have been identified to enhance the durability of systems in the future. Next-generation systems will also need to focus on designing molecules for achieving high energy efficiency and power density as well. Furthermore, the application of computational methods for screening of chemical stability could accelerate discovery of new molecular architectures.     

5 MeV Proton irradiation effects on 200 GHz silicon–germanium heterojunction bipolar transistors

The total dose effects of 5?MeV proton and Co-60 gamma irradiation in the dose range from 1 to 100?Mrad on advanced 200?GHz Silicon–Germanium heterojunction bipolar transistors (SiGe HBTs) are investigated. The SRIM simulation study was conducted to understand the energy loss of 5?MeV proton ions in SiGe HBT structure. Pre- and post-radiation DC figure of merits such as forward- and inverse-mode Gummel characteristics, excess base current, DC current gain and output characteristics were used to quantify the radiation tolerance of the devices. The results show that the proton creates a significant amount of damages in the surface and bulk of the transistor when compared with gamma irradiation. The SiGe HBTs shows robust ionizing radiation tolerance even up to a total dose of 100?Mrad for both radiations.     

Oxidative degradation and deamination of atenolol by diperiodatocuprate(III) in aqueous alkaline medium: A mechanistic study

The kinetics of oxidation of atenolol (ATN) by diperiodatocuprate(III) (DPC) in aqueous alkaline medium at a constant ionic strength of 0.10 mol dm⁻³ was studied spectrophotometrically. The reaction between DPC and ATN in alkaline medium exhibits 1:2 stoichiometry (ATN:DPC). The reaction is of first order in [DPC] and has less than unit order in both [ATN] and [alkali]. However, the order in [ATN] and [alkali] changes from first order to zero order as their concentration increase. Intervention of free radicals was observed in the reaction. Increase in periodate concentration decreases the rate. The oxidation reaction in alkaline medium has been shown to proceed via a monoperiodatocuprate(III)–ATN complex, which decomposes slowly in a rate-determining step followed by other fast steps to give the products. The main oxidative products were identified by spot test, IR, NMR and LC–ESI-MS studies. The reaction constants involved in the different steps of the mechanism are calculated. The activation parameters with respect to slow step of the mechanism are computed and discussed, and thermodynamic quantities are also determined.     

Voltammetric oxidation and determination of cinnarizine at glassy carbon electrode modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes

We discovered a novel method to prepare a protein-based hydrogel, that is, a “Three-Dimensional Nanostructured Protein Hydrogel (3D NPH)”, which is composed of protein–polymer hybrid nanoparticles. In this study, we propose a novel protein microarray whose 3D NPH spots were prepared by dispensing a small volume of the solution of protein–polymer mixture on a substrate. The dispensed solution had a short time for cross-linking before its drying-up and the resulting 3D NPH had loosely cross-linked, thin spongy structure. Therefore, the reaction ratio between ligands and analytes was drastically improved in this system compared with the large volume system for Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) protein microarray.     

Design and synthesis of new donor-acceptor type conjugated copolymers derived from thiophenes

A new series of donor-acceptor type poly(thiophene) derivatives (P1-P3) were synthesized starting from thiodiglycolic acid and diethyl oxalate through multistep reactions. In the final step, the polymerization was carried out using Wittig reaction. This is a good synthetic route for the preparation of any desired p- and n-type copolymers. The optical and potential charge-transporting properties of the copolymers were investigated by UV-vis, fluorescence emission spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The copolymers exhibited bluish-green/green fluorescence in their thin film forms. Cyclic voltammetry experiments showed that these copolymers have low-lying LUMO energy levels ranging from −2.98 to −3.11 eV and high lying HOMO energy levels ranging from −5.45 to −5.65 eV. The optical and electrochemical studies reveal that new copolymers are new promising materials for the development of efficient polymer light emitting diodes.     

Boiling induced nanoparticle coating and its effect on pool boiling heat transfer on a vertical cylindrical surface using CuO nanofluids

Experiments were performed to study boiling induced nanoparticle coating and its influence on pool boiling heat transfer using low concentrations of CuO- nanofluid in distilled water at atmospheric pressure. To investigate the effect of the nanoparticle coated surface on pool boiling performance, two different concentrations of CuO nanofluids (0.1 and 0.5?g/l) were chosen and tests were conducted on a clean heater surface in nanofluid and nanoparticle coated surface in pure water. For the bare heater tested in CuO nanofluid, CHF was enhanced by 35.83 and 41.68?% respectively at 0.1 and 0.5?g/l concentration of nanofluid. For the nanoparticle coated heater surface obtained by boiling induced coating using 0.1 and 0.5?g/l concentration of nanofluid and tested in pure water, CHF was enhanced by 29.38 and 37.53?% respectively. Based on the experimental investigations it can be concluded that nanoparticle coating can also be a potential substitute for enhancing the heat transfer in pure water. Transient behaviour of nanofluid was studied by keeping heat flux constant at 1,000 and 1,500?kW/m² for 90?min in 0.5?g/l concentration. The boiling curve shifted to the right indicating degradation in boiling heat transfer due to prolonged exposure of heater surface to nanofluid. Experimental outcome indicated that pool boiling performance of nanofluid could be a strong function of time and applied heat flux. The longer the duration of exposure of the heater surface, the higher will be the degradation in heat transfer.     

A study of host-guest complexation between amodiaquine and native cyclodextrin. Characterization in solid state and its in-vitro anticancer activity

Amodiaquine (AQ) has been used widely as an antimalarial drug. Amodiaquine is a mannich base 4-amino quinolone with a mode of action similar to that of chloroquine. The inclusion complex of AQ with β-Cyclodextrin (β-CD) in solution phase is studied from the ground and excited state with UV-Visible and fluorescence spectroscopy, respectively. A binding constant and stoichiometric ratio between AQ and β-CD are calculated by BH equation. The solid complexes are prepared by physical method (PM), kneading method (KM) and co-precipitation method (CP). The solid complex is characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction. The CP method gives the solid product with a better yield than that of physical mixture and KM products. The orientation and structure of the complex are proposed based on the analysis of Patch-Dock server. The anticancer activity also performed for pure AQ and their complex with β-CD. It is clearly shown that an improvement of anticancer activity of AQ while forming complex with β-CD. The solid inclusion complex behaves as the better anticancer ability than AQ alone.     

Vanadium(V) catalysis of perborate oxidation of substituted 5-oxo acids: a kinetic and mechanistic study

Vanadium (V) catalyzes perborate oxidation of substituted 5-oxo acid in acidic solution, being 1.6 order with respect to the oxidant, first order in the catalyst, inhibited by H⁺ and displays Michaelis–Menten kinetics on the reductant. In aqueous acetic acid solution, perborate generates hydrogen peroxide and the kinetic results reveal formation of oxodiperoxovanadium(V)-oxo acid complex. At high acidity, the ionic strength of the medium has little influence on the oxidation rates. But at low acidity, the rate increases with increasing ionic strength. The rate of oxidation increases with decreasing dielectric constant of the medium. Electron-releasing substituents in the aromatic ring accelerate the reaction rate and electron-withdrawing substituents retard the reaction. The order of reactivity among the studied 5-oxo acid is p-methoxy >> p-methyl > p-phenyl > -H > p-chloro > p-bromo > m-nitro. Activation parameters have been evaluated using Arrhenius and Eyring’s plots. A mechanism consistent with the observed kinetic data has been proposed and discussed. A suitable rate law has been derived based on the mechanism.     

Electrofabrication of multilayer Fe–Ni alloy coatings for better corrosion protection

Electrofabrication of multilayer Fe–Ni alloy coatings were accomplished successfully on mild steel and their corrosion behaviors were studied. Multilayer comprised of alternatively formed ‘nano-size’ layers of Fe–Ni alloy of different composition have been produced from a single bath having Fe²⁺and Ni²⁺ ions using modulated (i.e. periodic pulse control) current density (cd). The deposition conditions were optimized for both composition and thickness of individual layers for best performance of the coatings against corrosion. The deposits were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Hardness Tester, electrochemical AC and DC methods respectively. The multi layered deposits showed better corrosion resistances compared to the monolayer Fe–Ni (CR = 3.77 mm year^?1) coating deposited using DC from the same bath; the maximum corrosion resistance being shown by the coating having 300 layers, deposited at cyclic cathodic current densities of 2.0 and 4.0 A dm^?2 (CR = 0.03 mm year^?1). Drastic improvement in the corrosion performance of multilayer coatings were explained in the light of changed kinetics of mass transfer at cathode and increased surface area due to modulation and layering.