An efficient transient Navier–Stokes solver on compact nonuniform space grids

In this paper, we propose an implicit higher-order compact (HOC) finite difference scheme for solving the two-dimensional (2D) unsteady Navier–Stokes (N–S) equations on nonuniform space grids. This temporally second-order accurate scheme which requires no transformation from the physical to the computational plane is at least third-order accurate in space, which has been demonstrated with numerical experiments. It efficiently captures both transient and steady-state solutions of the N–S equations with Dirichlet as well as Neumann boundary conditions. The proposed scheme is likely to be very useful for the computation of transient viscous flows involving free and wall bounded shear layers which invariably contain spatial scale variation. Numerical results are presented and compared with analytical as well as established numerical data. Excellent comparison is obtained in all the cases.     

Mixing characterization of mechanically milled Fe75Si15M10 powders using Mössbauer spectroscopy

Iron nitrides are attractive as they show excellent magnetic properties which can be utilized as recording and permanent magnetic materials for potential applications. Due to the high saturation magnetization and chemical stability, γ ^′-Fe₄N compound is widely investigated as a promising high density magnetic recording material. γ ^′-Fe₄N particles were synthesized by conventional gaseous nitriding in a heated atmosphere containing ammonia as a source of nitrogen. X-ray diffraction, ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy are used for the characterization of the as prepared sample.     

Synthesis of novel pyrano[2,3-b]quinolines from simple acetanilides via intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition

Some novel isoxazole and pyrazole fused pyrano[2,3-b]quinolines were synthesized from simple acetanilides via intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions involving nitrones, nitrile oxides and nitrile imines as 1,3-dipoles, in a regioselective manner.     

Mesoporous silica supported ytterbium as catalyst for synthesis of 1,2‐disubstituted benzimidazoles and 2‐substituted benzimidazoles

The benzimidazole ring is an important pharmacophore in contemporary drug discovery. Thus, effort to identifying new compounds containing benzimidazole scaffolds have gained much attention in recent years. In the present study, MCM‐41 type mesoporous silica with large pore (l‐MSN) supported ytterbium was successfully prepared by wet impregnation method. Among rare earth metal salts, ytterbium triflate has already been widely investigated as a catalyst in organic synthesis but less toxic ytterbium oxide has yet to be explored. Relatively high abundance and low cost of ytterbium with respect to many catalytically active metals (e.g. Pd, Au, Ru, Ir, Pt) offer an opportunity to develop sustainable catalysts for organic conversions. The catalyst has been characterized by various techniques including nitrogen adsorption, FT‐IR, TEM, SEM, EDX technique and elemental mapping. The obtained materials exhibit high surface area and a narrow distribution of mesoporosity. The catalytic performance of the Yb@l–MSNs was tested by synthesis of 1,2‐disubstituted benzimidazoles and 2‐substituted benzimidazoles through the coupling of aldehydes with o‐phenylenediamine. The catalyst resulted in excellent yields in short reaction times and the reaction showed tolerance toward both electron‐donating and electron‐withdrawing functional groups at room temperature. A particularly interesting finding was the solvent selectivity of this reaction; namely, 1,2‐disubstituted benzimidazoles generated as major product in water‐ethanol, while the 2‐substituted benzimidazoles was generated exclusively in non‐polar solvents like toluene.     

Structural,spectroscopic and redox properties of transition metal complexes of dipyrido[3,2-f:2′,3′-h]-quinoxaline (dpq)

The chemistry of first row transition metal complexes obtained from the ligand dipyrido[3,2-f:2′,3′-h]-quinoxaline (dpq) have been reported. The reaction between Cu(ClO₄)₂ · 6H₂O with dpq under different reaction conditions led to the isolation of three polymorphic copper(II) complexes [Cu(dpq)₂(H₂O)](ClO₄)₂ · H₂O (2), [Cu(dpq)₂(ClO₄)](ClO₄) (3) and [{Cu(dpq)₂(H₂O)}{Cu(dpq)₂(ClO₄)}](ClO₄)₃ (4). The bluish-green compound 2, obtained by reacting Cu(ClO₄)₂ · 6H₂O with dpq in methanol, has a distorted trigonal bipyramidal structure with τ = 0.55. The reaction between Cu(ClO₄)₂ · 6H₂O and dpq in dry acetonitrile produced the blue compound 3 in which the copper(II) centre has a distorted square planar geometry. When the condensation reaction between 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione and 1,2-diaminoethane was carried out in the presence of Cu(ClO₄)₂ · 6H₂O in methanol, the green copper(II) complex 4 was isolated along with 1. The structure determination of 4 has established the presence of two different complex cations in the asymmetric unit and they are considered as co-crystals. In the zinc(II) compound [Zn(dpq)₂(ClO₄)₂] (5), the two perchlorates are unidentately coordinated to the metal centre, providing a distorted octahedral geometry. The quinoxaline ring in 5 is involved in intermolecular π–π interactions, leading to the generation of a sinusoidal chain. The proton NMR spectra, especially those of the paramagnetic complexes [Ni(dpq)₃](ClO₄)₂ (6) and [Co(dpq)₃](ClO₄)₂ (7), have been studied in detail. The electronic absorption spectra and the redox behaviour of the copper(I), copper(II), cobalt(II) and cobalt(III) complexes have been studied. The three copper(II) compounds 2–4 show identical absorption spectra and redox properties when measured in acetonitrile, although in nitromethane they show small but definite differences in their spectral and redox features.     

Radiation‐Grafted Polymerization from a Gas Phase to Form Polymeric Layers on Metal Surfaces

Summary: Experimentally it is shown that, under irradiation in an atmosphere of non‐saturated vinylidene chloride vapors, a polymeric layer is formed on the surface of oxidized titanium samples. The thickness of this layer increases with the increase of thickness of the oxide film. Such a dependence corresponds to the current understanding of the mechanism of formation and migration of the active excited centers that initiate grafted polymerization.

Wide range XPS spectra of oxidized titanium samples after PVDC grafting from a gas phase.     

Synthesis of Vegetable Oil‐Based Polyurethane: A Study on Curing Kinetics Behavior

In the present study, biobased polyurethane (BPU) samples were synthesized from three different polyols along with polymeric hexamethylene diisocyanate. The three different polyols were synthesized by reacting castor oil with ethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, and triethanolamine. The synthesized polyols were confirmed using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) spectra analysis. BPU samples were confirmed by the disappearance of isocyanate peak in the FTIR spectra. The cross‐linking densities of all BPU samples were determined using swelling studies. Curing kinetics behavior of all BPU samples were analyzed using differential scanning calorimetry at three different heating rates (5, 7.5, and 10°C/min). The curing kinetic parameters were studied using three nonisothermal methods such as Kissinger, Flynn–Wall–Ozawa, and Ozawa, respectively. The activation energies were found to increase with increasing degree of cure (α). Surface properties of all the synthesized BPU samples were evaluated by dynamic mechanical analysis and scanning electron microscopy.     

Solvatochromicity of 3-hydroxy-4-(1-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-hydroxy-2,2-diphenylethylidene)cyclohexa-2,5-dienone for screening of solvents

The quinonic compound 3-hydroxy-4-(1-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-hydroxy-2,2-diphenylethylidene)cyclohexa-2,5-dienone (I) is synthesised by the reaction of benzil with 1,3-dihydroxybenzene in basic medium. Solution of this compound shows visibly distinct colour differences in different solvents. From the different absorption maxima of the compound in visible spectra it can be used as an excellent analytical reagent to screen different solvents.