Effect of Experimental Variables on the Combustion Characteristics of Water-in-Diesel Emulsion Fuels

Water-in-diesel (W/D) emulsion fuels were prepared through an ultrasonic processor by using high energy emulsification method. Accordingly, the physical and chemical properties were analyzed. A decrease in viscosity was found in the emulsion fuel in contrast to the neat diesel which signifies the enhanced fluidity of the fuel. The emulsion fuel was then used to carry combustion tests in an internal combustion engine. A decrease in exhaust temperature was observed when a high surfactant to water ratio was used, which lead to minimal heat loss. As water is emulsified with diesel, effectiveness of combustion is improved rather than neat diesel fuel. It was also explored that the addition of water-in-diesel is influential in terms of reduction in exhaust gas emission such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ammonia from the internal combustion engine. Therefore, this type of emulsion fuel would be a useful contribution in the fuel economy, but also in making it environmentally friendly since diesel fuel is now considered one of the leading fuels causing ecological contamination.     

Synthesis and design of polyurethane and its nanocomposites derived from canola-castor oil: Mechanical,thermal and shape memory properties

The recent global pandemic and its tremendous effect on the price fluctuations of crude oil illustrates the side effects of petroleum dependency more evident than ever. Over the past decades, both academic and industrial communities spared endless efforts in order to replace petroleum-based materials with bio-derived resources. In the current study, a series of shape memory polymer composites (SMPC's) was synthesized from epoxidized vegetable oils, namely canola oil and castor oil fatty acids (COFA's) as a 100% bio-based polyol and isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) as an isocyanate using a solvent/catalyst-free method in order to eventuate polyurethanes (PU's). Thereafter, graphene oxide (GO) nanoplatelets were synthesized and embedded in the neat PU in order to overcome the thermomechanical drawbacks of the neat matrix. The chemical structure of the synthesized components, as well as the dispersion and distribution levels of the nanoparticles, was characterized. In the following, thermal and mechanical properties as well as shape memory behavior of the specimens were comprehensively investigated. Likewise, the thermal conductivity was determined. This study proves that synthesized PU's based on vegetable oil polyols, including graphene nanoparticles, exhibit proper thermal and mechanical properties, which make them stand as a potential candidate to compete with traditional petroleum-based SMPC's.     

Lignocellulosic biomass for bioethanol: Recent advances,technology trends,and barriers to industrial development

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Effect of organic dye on the performance of dye-sensitized solar cell utilizing TiO2 nanostructure films synthesized via CTAB-assisted liquid phase deposition technique

This work is concerned with the growth of TiO₂ nanostructures as photovoltaic materials of dyesensitized solar cell (DSSC) via phase liquid deposition technique treated with CTAB surfactant. This work investigates the influence of organic dyes, N719, N3 and Z907 as photosensitizer on the photovoltaic parameters of TiO₂ nanostructures dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). It also highlights the effect of the concentration of the best dye, N719 on the performance of the cell. The platinum films as counter electrode of the DSSC were prepared by sputtering platinum pellet on ITO substrate. The redox couple of the electrolyte utilized in the DSSC was iodide/triiodide. The cell sensitized with N719 dye demonstrated the best performance compared with the cell sensitized with another two dyes, N3 and Z907. This is due to N719 dye possess the highest optical absorption in visible region. The cell sensitized with 0.8 mM N719 dye performs the highest short-circuit current density, J _sc and power conversion efficiency, η since it posses the highest absorption in visible region. The DSSC utilizing 0.8 mM N719 dye demonstrated the highest J _sc and η of 6.48 mA cm^?2 and 1.69%, respectively.     

Capillary liquid chromatographic fingerprint used for discrimination of Zingiber montanum from related species

Fingerprint analysis using capillary liquid chromatography (CLC) has been developed for discrimination of Zingiber montanum (ZM) from related species, for example Z. americans (ZA) and Z. zerumbet (ZZ). By comparing the fingerprint chromatograms of ZM, ZA, and ZZ we could identify ZM samples and discriminate them from ZA and ZZ by using their marker peaks. We also combined CLC fingerprint with multivariate analysis, including principal-component analysis (PCA) and canonical variate analysis (CVA); all three species were discriminated successfully. This result indicates that CLC fingerprint analysis in combination with PCA and CVA can be used for discrimination of ZM samples from samples of related species.

Application of Liquid-Liquid Microextraction-High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography for Preconcentration and Determination of Phenolic Compounds in Aqueous Samples

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - A novel liquid-phase microextraction method coupled with high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) for preconcentration,...     

The use of umbelliferone in the synthesis of new heterocyclic compounds

New coumarin derivatives, namely 7-[(5-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)methoxy]-2H-chromen-2-one, 5-[(2-oxo-2H-chromen-7-yloxy)methyl]-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2(3H)-one, 2-[2-(2-oxo-2H-chromen-7-yloxy)acetyl]-N-phenylhydrazinecarbothioamide, 7-[(5-(phenylamino)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)methoxy]-2H-chromen-2-one and 7-[(5-mercapto-4-phenyl-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)methoxy]-2H-chromen-2-one were prepared starting from the natural compound umbelliferone. The newly synthesized compounds were characterized by elemental analysis and spectral studies (IR, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR).