Preparation of a solid-state ion-selective electrode based on polypyrrole conducting polymer for magnesium ion

In this study, a potentiometric sensor based on a pencil graphite electrode (PGE) coated with polypyrrole doped with Titan yellow dye (PPy/TY) was prepared for potentiometric determination of magnesium ion in aqueous solutions. The structural characteristics of magnesium sensor electrode (PGE/PPy/TYMg) were studied using scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared along with energy-dispersive spectroscopy. Under the optimal conditions, the electrode reveals a good Nernstian behavior with slope of 28.27 ± 0.40 mV per decade over the concentration range of 1.0 × 10^?5–5.0 × 10^?2 M and a detection limit of 6.28 × 10^?6 M. The potentiometric response of fabricated electrode toward magnesium ion was found to be independent of the pH of the test solution in the pH range of 4.5–8.0. The electrode showed fast response time (<10 s) and good shelf lifetime (>2 months). The prepared magnesium sensor electrode can also be used as an indicator electrode in potentiometric titration of Mg²⁺ with EDTA with distinguished end point. The electrode revealed good selectivity with respect to many cations including alkali, alkaline earth, transition and heavy metal ions. The introduced magnesium electrode was used for measurement of Mg²⁺ ion in real samples without any serious interferences from other ions.     

Systems of quasi-variational relations with applications

In this paper, we introduce a system of quasi-variational relations (in short, SQVR) and present several examples which show that it is a very general and unified model of several problems. We establish the existence of solutions of SQVP, in general, and several other problems, in particular. As an application of our results, we derive maximal element theorems and a collectively fixed point theorem for a family of multivalued maps. As further applications, we study Ky Fan type inequality / inclusion problem for vector valued bifunctions which includes constrained Nash equilibrium problem as a special case. We also present a common fixed point theorem for a family of multivalued maps. The results of this paper improve and generalize several known results on (system of) quasi-equilibrium problems, (system of) quasi-variational inclusions, constrained Nash equilibrium problem, collectively fixed point theorem and KKM type theorems for a family of multivalued maps. Our results also contain several results which appeared in recent literature.     

Dielectric data of binary mixtures of 1,2-butanediol with 2-ethyl-1-hexanol and 1,4-dioxane at T = (298.2, 308.2, and 318.2) K

Relative permittivity measurements were made on binary mixtures of (1,2-butanediol + 2-ethyl-1-hexanol) and (1,2-butanediol + 1,4-dioxane) for various concentrations at T = (298.2, 308.2, and 318.2) K. The molecular dipole moments were determined using Guggenheim–Debye method in the temperature range of (298.2 to 318.2) K. The variations of effective dipole moment and correlation factor, g, with the mole fraction in these materials were investigated using Kirkwood–Frohlich equation. The pure compounds showed a negative and small temperature coefficient of effective dipole moment. In order to obtain valuable information about heterogeneous interaction (interactions between the unlike molecules), the Kirkwood correlation factor, the Bruggeman dielectric factor and the excess permittivity were calculated. In addition, in order to predict the permittivity data of polar-apolar binary mixtures, five mixing rules were applied.     

Generalized vector variational-like inequalities and vector optimization in Asplund spaces

Some properties of pseudoinvex functions, defined by means of limiting subdifferential, are obtained. Furthermore, the equivalence between vector variational-like inequalities involving limiting subdifferential and vector optimization problems are studied under pseudoinvexity condition.     

An angular momentum expansion of energy and structure of high spin states

A new angular momentum expansion of level energies of ground-state band of even-even nuclei has been obtained which is found to converge rapidly even for the most back-bending nuclei. Attempts have been made to interpret the parameters and calculate them microscopically. It is found that nuclear structure in the forward bending region is quite different compared to that in the back-bending region.     

A generalization of Lomonosov's inequality and its applications to invariant subspaces

In this article we generalize Victor Lomonosov's famous inequality so as to be applicable to a wider class of functions. Then using it we prove that the adjoint of an algebra with a compactness property which is weaker than the PS property, employed by Victor Lomonosov, has nontrivial invariant subspaces.

     

Glabridin,a Stable Flavonoid of Glycyrrhiza glabra: HPTLC Analysis of the Traditional Formulation

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - A novel HPTLC method has been developed for the estimation of glabridin in Licorice rhizome and its Unani polyherbal formulation...     

Synthesis of N,N′-dimethyl-N,N′-dibutyl malonamide functionalized polymer and its sorption affinities towards U(VI) and Th(IV) ions

A novel chelating polymeric material was synthesized by chemical anchoring of N,N′-dimethyl-N,N′-dibutyl malonamide (DMDBMA) with chloromethylated polystyrene-divinyl benzene polymer. The polymeric material thus prepared was characterized by ¹³C NMR, FT-IR spectroscopy and CHN elemental analysis. The fabricated polymeric material exhibited superior binding for hexa-valent and tetra-valent metal ions such as U(VI) and Th(IV). Various physico-chemical properties of the functionalized polymer like phase adsorption kinetics, metal sorption mechanism and metal sorption capacity was studied in the static method. Adsorption kinetics studies show that <20 min was sufficient for >99.99% adsorption of Th(IV) and U(VI). The kinetics for adsorption of U(VI) and Th(IV) was found to follow the first order Lagergren rate kinetics. Adsorption of U(VI) on the malonamide functionalized polymer followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The Langmuir monolayer adsorption phenomenon was also confirmed by the theoretical approach calculated based on the adsorption kinetics. The metal sorption capacities for uranium and thorium were found to be 18.78 ± 1.53 mg and 15.74 ± 1.59 mg/g of the chelating polymer at 3 M HNO₃, respectively.     

Bending of Euler–Bernoulli nanobeams based on the strain-driven and stress-driven nonlocal integral models: a numerical approach

Eringen’s nonlocal elasticity theory is extensively employed for the analysis of nanostructures because it is able to capture nanoscale effects. Previous studies have revealed that using the differential form of the strain-driven version of this theory leads to paradoxical results in some cases, such as bending analysis of cantilevers, and recourse must be made to the integral version. In this article, a novel numerical approach is developed for the bending analysis of Euler–Bernoulli nanobeams in the context of strain- and stress-driven integral nonlocal models. This numerical approach is proposed for the direct solution to bypass the difficulties related to converting the integral governing equation into a differential equation. First, the governing equation is derived based on both strain-driven and stress-driven nonlocal models by means of the minimum total potential energy. Also, in each case, the governing equation is obtained in both strong and weak forms. To solve numerically the derived equations, matrix differential and integral operators are constructed based upon the finite difference technique and trapezoidal integration rule. It is shown that the proposed numerical approach can be efficiently applied to the strain-driven nonlocal model with the aim of resolving the mentioned paradoxes. Also, it is able to solve the problem based on the strain-driven model without inconsistencies of the application of this model that are reported in the literature.