Gold nanowire networks: synthesis, characterization, and catalytic activity

Gold nanowire networks (AuNWNs) with average widths of 17.74 nm (AuNWN(1)) or 23.54 nm (AuNWN(2)) were synthesized by direct reduction of HAuCl(4) with sodium borohydride powder in deep eutectic solvents, such as ethaline or reline, at 40 °C. Their width and length were dependent on the type of solvent and the NaBH(4)/HAuCl(4) molar ratio (32 in ethaline and 5.2 in reline). High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) analysis of the gold nanowire networks showed clear lattice fringes of polycrystalline nanopowder of d = 2.36, 2.04, 1.44, and 1.23 ? corresponding to the (111), (200), (220), or (311) crystallographic planes of face centered cubic gold. The purified AuNWNs were used as catalysts for the chemical reduction of p-nitroaniline to diaminophenylene with sodium borohydride in aqueous solution. The reaction was monitored in real time by UV-vis spectroscopy. The results show that the reduction process is six times faster in the presence of gold nanowire networks stabilized by urea from the reline (AuNWN(2)) than in the presence of gold nanowire networks stabilized by ethylene glycol from ethaline (AuNWN(1)). This is due to a higher number of corners and edges on the gold nanowires synthesized in reline than on those synthesized in ethaline as proven by X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns recorded for both types of gold nanowire networks. Nevertheless, both types of nanomaterials determined short times of reaction and high conversion of p-nitroaniline to diaminophenylene. These gold nanomaterials represent a new addition to a new generation of catalysts: gold based catalysts.     

Tripled fixed point theorems for contractive type mappings in partially ordered metric spaces

In this paper, we introduce the concept of tripled fixed point for nonlinear mappings in partially ordered complete metric spaces and obtain existence, and existence and uniqueness theorems for contractive type mappings. Our results generalize and extend recent coupled fixed point theorems established by Gnana Bhaskar and Lakshmikantham [T. Gnana Bhaskar, V. Lakshmikantham, Fixed point theorems in partially ordered metric spaces and applications, Nonlinear Anal. 65 (7) (2006) 1379-1393]. Examples to support our new results are given.     

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering and DFT investigation of Eriochrome Black T metal chelating compound

The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of Eriochrome Black T (EBT) and its Cu(II), Fe(III), Mn(II) and Pb(II) complexes were recorded using a hydroxylamine reduced silver colloid. Molecular geometry optimization, molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) distribution and vibrational frequencies calculation were performed at B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory for the EBT molecule and its Cu(EBT), Fe(EBT) and Mn(EBT) metal complexes. Differentiation between EBT complexes of Cu(II), Fe(III), Mn(II) and Pb(II) is shown by the SERS spectral features of each complex.     

Optimality and duality in fractional multiple objective programming involving semilocally preinvex and related functions

Necessary and sufficient optimality conditions are obtained for a nonlinear fractional multiple objective programming problem involving η-semidifferentiable functions. Also, a general dual is formulated and duality results are proved using concepts of generalized semilocally preinvex functions.     

Accelerated simulation of heat transfer in magnetic fluid hyperthermia

We have created a fast algorithm for calculating the temperature profile in a living tissue treated by magnetic fluid hyperthermia. Our algorithm solves an equation by the finite difference method. This equation includes the “heat sink” and “K-effective” effects. The algorithm need not an initial solution and it has the peculiarity that it makes a recursive division of the network, reducing thus the calculation period 5–9 times.     

Neron-Severi group for nonalgebraic elliptic surfaces I Elliptic bundle case

Research supported by Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung     

Infinite horizon disturbance attenuation for discrete-time systems. A Popov-Yakubovich approach

It is proved that for the discrete-time linear systems with time-varying coefficients the existence of a controller which simultaneously stabilizes and provides prescribed disturbance attenuation for the resultant closed-loop system, implies the existence of global solutions to several Kalman-Szegö-Popov-Yakubovich systems. It is also proved that this fact is equivalent to the existence of the positive semidefinite stabilizing solutions to corresponding game-theoretic Riccati equations. The family of all controllers with the above mentioned properties is constructed in terms of the solutions to the cited Kalman-Szegö-Popov-Yakubovich systems. The main tool is the generalized Popov-Yakubovich theory which is essentially developed in an operator-theoretic framework.     

Full Nuclear Cones and a Relation Between Strong Optimization and Pareto Efficiency

In this paper we present some new and pertinent connections between the Strong Optimization and the Approximate Pareto type Efficiency, in particular, with the usual Vector Optimization, at first in the Ordered Vector Spaces by the natural Convex Cones and, afterwards, in the Ordered Hausdorff Locally Convex Spaces. The main result is obtained considering the notion of full nuclear cone. Our results, is related to an appropriate scalarization method Mathematics Subject Classification (2000). 90C29