Modification of surface properties of a poly(dimethylsiloxane)-based elastomer, RTV11, upon exposure to seawater

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was combined with surface analytical techniques to investigate the rarely addressed issue of the effect of seawater on the surface properties of a selected fouling-release coating, silicon elastomer RTV11 (trademark of General Electric). The exposure of the RTV11 surface to seawater resulted in a modification of its morphology and mechanical properties, as confirmed by AFM and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Surface modification was dependent on sample preparation and curing process, namely, curing agent concentration and relative humidity during curing. The RTV11 surface remained largely unaltered for samples cured under 100% relative humidity. SEM and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies confirmed that the modified surface of RTV11 had the same elemental composition as the unexposed surface of the elastomer and showed excess Ca. However, the modified surface deformed plastically under load and was stiffer than the original surface. No major change was found on surfaces exposed to nanopure water during similar times of exposure as in seawater, regardless of curing conditions. The rate of increase in the aggregate formation in seawater can be described by an exponential function, with a decay constant of approximately 4.99 x 10(-)(3) min(-)(1) and a pre-exponential factor of approximately 1.77 x 10(-)(2) microm/min.     

Synthesis and spectral characterization of macrocyclic Schiff base by reaction of 2,6-diaminopyridine and 1,4- bis (2-carboxyaldehydephenoxy)butane and its CuII, NiII, PbII, CoIII and LaIII complexes

A new macrocyclic ligand, 1,3,5-triaza-2,4:7,8:15,16-tribenzo-9,15-dioxacycloheptadeca-1,5-diene (L) was synthesized by reaction of 2,6-diaminopyridine with 1,4-bis(2-carboxyaldehydephenoxy)butane. Then, its Cu^II, Ni^II, Pb^II, Co^III and La^III complexes were synthesized by the template effect by reaction of 2,6-diaminopyridine and 1,4-bis (2-carboxyaldehydephenoxy)butane and Cu(NO₃)₂ · 3H₂O, Ni(NO₃)₂ · 6H₂O, Pb(NO₃)₂, Co(NO₃)₂ · 6H₂O, La (NO₃)₃ · 6H₂O, respectively. The ligand and its metal complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, ¹H- and ¹³C-n.m.r., UV-vis spectra, magnetic susceptibility, thermal gravimetric analysis, conductivity measurements and mass spectra. All complexes are diamagnetic and the Cu^II complex is binuclear. The Co^II complex was oxidised to Co^III.     

Thermal expansion and ultrasonic attenuation anomalies in antiferromagnetic dysprosium and terbium-50% holmium

Anomalies in the c-axis thermal expansion of single crystal Dy and Tb-50% Ho have been observed at 113.0 ±1.0 K and 121.5 ±1.0 K respectively. In dysprosium this is accompanied by an anomalous increase in the attenuation coefficient, α₄₄, of 15 MHz ultrasonic shear waves propagated along the c-axis. In both materials the anomaly occurs when the helical turn angle, as measured by neutron diffraction, assumes a values of 30°. The observations are compared with a similar effect in holmium and discussed in terms of a model involving helical spin domains which may be commensurate, or otherwise, with the crystal lattice.     

The effect of nitrogen atom on double bond pyramidalization

The title compound 6-phenyl-4,6,8-triazatetracyclo[9.2.1.0^2,10.0^4,8]tetradec-2(10)-ene-5,7-dione (6) has been synthesized by the addition of 4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazole-3,5-dione (PTAD) to 2,3-dimethylenebicyclo[2.2.1]heptane. The cell parameters are a = 9.991(5), b = 11.754(9), c = 6.549(5) Å, = 101.08(7)°, = 103.31(5)°, = 98.24(5)°. The crystal structure of 6 was determined. The obtained geometrical parameters were highly correlated with the DFT calculations. The experimentally determined folding angle of the double bond was found to be 8.44°. The effect of the electron-withdrawing ability of nitrogen atom on the degree of pyramidalization is discussed.     

Performance Evaluation of Nickel Separation and Extraction Process from Simulated Spent Cr/Ni Electroplating Bath Solutions by ELM Process Using LIX63 and PC88A

The study was conducted to investigate synergistic extraction of nickel from simulated spent Cr–Ni electroplating bath solutions by emulsion liquid membrane (ELM) process using 5,8-diethyl-7-hydroxydodecan-6-one oxime (LIX 63) and 2-ethylhexylphosphonic acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester (PC88A) as carriers. The importance of ELM composition and the properties of simulated spent electroplating bath solution have been optimized to synergistically extract nickel. The important parameters affecting the nickel extraction efficiency and ELM stability, such as acid concentration, stripping solution type and concentration, extractant concentration, surfactant concentration, and phase ratio, were experimentally studied. Along with obtained results, higher than 99% of nickel was selectively extracted within 30 minutes from simulated electroplating bath solutions that their metal concentrations was in the range of 100–500 mg/L. in the optimum conditions. The higher separation factor value of nickel over chromium (β_Ni/Cr) was obtained as 898. As a result, the nickel extraction kinetic was found to depend on PC88A, since extraction mechanism of PC88A is slower than that of LIX63. So, the combined use of LIX63 and PC88A improved the selective extraction of nickel in that process.     

Energy absorption behavior of stiffness optimized graded lattice structures fabricated by material extrusion

The objective of this study is to investigate the energy absorption performance of the graded lattice energy absorbers designed by a stiffness-based size optimization process under static loadings applied during the in-service conditions. The energy absorber geometry is modeled using three different lattice types, namely complex cubic, octet cubic, face- and body-centered cubic. The stiffness-based size optimization subjected to a static bending load is conducted to determine the optimal strut diameters which produced graded lattice structure designs. To investigate the energy absorption behavior of these graded lattice designs, the nonlinear dynamic explicit finite element analysis (FEA) is conducted under quasi-static compression for each design. The lattice designs are fabricated by a material extrusion technique using the polylactic acid material and the quasi-static uniaxial compression tests are conducted on the fabricated designs. The FEA results are found to be in good agreement with the experimental results. When compared with uniform counterparts, the presented graded lattices exhibit the improved energy absorption in response to uniaxial compression although their designs were derived from a stiffness-based size optimization with bending load.

     

Aqueous Ammonia Soaking of Switchgrass Followed by Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation

Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of switchgrass was performed following aqueous ammonia pretreatment. Switchgrass was soaked in aqueous ammonium hydroxide (30%) with different liquid–solid ratios (5 and 10 ml/g) for either 5 or 10 days. The pretreatment was carried out at atmospheric conditions without agitation. A 40–50% delignification (Klason lignin basis) was achieved, whereas cellulose content remained unchanged and hemicellulose content decreased by approximately 50%. The Sacccharomyces cerevisiae (D₅A)-mediated SSF of ammonia-treated switchgrass was investigated at two glucan loadings (3 and 6%) and three enzyme loadings (26, 38.5, and 77 FPU/g cellulose), using Spezyme CP. The percentage of maximum theoretical ethanol yield achieved was 72. Liquid–solid ratio and steeping time affected lignin removal slightly, but did not cause a significant change in overall ethanol conversion yields at sufficiently high enzyme loadings. These results suggest that ammonia steeping may be an effective method of pretreatment for lignocellulosic feedstocks.     

Studies on extraction of chromium (VI) from acidic solutions containing various metal ions by emulsion liquid membrane using Alamine 336 as extractant

The extraction of chromium (VI) ions from acidic solutions containing various metal ions by emulsion liquid membrane (ELM) was studied. Liquid membrane consists of a diluent, a surfactant, and an extractant. 0.5 M ammonium carbonate solution was used as stripping solution. Effects of acid concentration in feed solution, type and concentration of stripping solution, mixing speed, surfactant concentration, phase ratio and the influence of membrane characteristics were studied and optimum conditions were determined. Under the optimum conditions, extraction of chromium (VI) was tested and it was possible to selectively extract 99% of chromium from the acidic feed solution. This study also examined the effect of extractant concentration and acid type in the feed solution on the extraction of Cr (VI) ions and almost all of Cr (VI) from the acidic feed solution containing 500 mg/L from each of Co (II), Ni (II), Cd (II), Zn (II), and Cu (II) ions, and 100–500 mg/L Cr (VI) was extracted within 5–10 min.     

Chemoenzymatic polymerization of hydrazone functionalized phenol

Hydrazone substituted oligophenol was synthesized via enzymatic oxidative polymerization of (E)-2-((2-phenylhydrazono)methyl)phenol. Enzymatic polymerization catalyzed by Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) enzyme and H₂O₂ oxidizer yielded oligophenol with hydrazone functionality on the side-chain. Effects of various factors including solvent system, reaction pH and temperature on the polymerization were studied. Optimum polymerization conditions with the highest yield (84%) and molecular weight (M_n = 8 × 10³, DP ≈ 37, PDI = 1.11) was achieved using MeOH/pH 6.0 buffer (1: 1 vol %) at 25°C in 24 h under air. Synthesized oligomer was characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR, FTIR, UV–Vis spectroscopy, GPC, cyclic voltammetry and thermogravimetric analyses. The polymerization involved hydrogen elimination from the monomer, and terminal units of the oligomer structure consisted of phenolic hydroxyl (–OH) end groups. The oligomer backbone possessed phenylene and oxyphenylene repeat units. The resulting oligomer was completely soluble in common organic solvents. The oligomer was thermally robust and exhibited 5% mass loss at 375°C and 50% mass loss at 440°C.     

The normal subgroup structure of the extended Hecke groups

We consider the extended Hecke groups generated by T(z) = −1/z, S(z) = −1/(z + λ) and R(z) = 1/z with λ ≥ 2. In this paper, firstly, we study the fundamental region of the extended Hecke groups . Then, we determine the abstract group structure of the commutator subgroups , the even subgroup , and the power subgroups of the extended Hecke groups . Also, finally, we give some relations between them.