Removal and preconcentration of lead(II), cadmium(II) and chromium(III) ions from wastewater samples using surface functionalized magnetite nanoparticles

The potential removal and preconcentration of lead(II), cadmium(II), and chromium(III) ions from wastewaters were investigated and explored. Magnetite nanoparticles were chemically modified with p-nitro aniline. The aniline-coated magnetite nanoparticles (ANMNPs) were fully characterized by FT-IR, XRD, SEM, and TEM measurements. Batch studies were performed to address various experimental parameters for the removal and determination of these ions. ANMNPs showed high tendency to investigated metal ions, in this order: Cr(III) > Cd(II) > Pb(II), owing to the strong contribution of surface loaded aniline. The potential applications of ANMNPs adsorbent for removal and preconcentration of Pb(II), Cr(III), and Cd(II) from wastewaters as well as drinking tap water samples were successfully accomplished giving recovery values of (98–101 %), without any noticeable interference of the wastewater or drinking tap water matrices.     

Theoretical investigation of functionalized fullerene nano carrier drug delivery of fluoxetine

In recent years, fullerene nanoparticles have received extensive attention due to their unique physical and chemical properties. Properly modified fullerene nanoparticles have excellent biocompatibility and significant anti-tumor activity and anti-depression, which makes them have broad application prospects in the field of cancer anti-depression. The present study used the density functional theory (DFT) calculations to perform a theoretical examination of the interaction of fluoxetine (F) as medicine with the functionalized fullerene O and NO (F–O and F–NO surface in gas phase physiological media. According to DFT calculations, adsorption energies were ?3396.6350645, ?3540.2952907, ?6778.526894, and ?6952.251487 kJ for F/P complexes (fullerene O and NO (F–O and F–NO surface) respectively, proposing the possibility of the adsorption process of F molecule onto the fullerene surface concerning the energetic perspective. Calculations of electronic parameters aimed at determining the molecule's reactivity. Bandgap of F–O and F–NO were 0.03715, 0.04328 respectively, by this value we can recognize the reactivity of complexes.     

Developing Eco-Friendly and Cost-Effective Porous Adsorbent for Carbon Dioxide Capture

To address the issue of global warming and climate change issues, recent research efforts have highlighted opportunities for capturing and electrochemically converting carbon dioxide (CO₂). Despite metal doped polymers receiving widespread attention in this respect, the structures hitherto reported lack in ease of synthesis with scale up feasibility. In this study, a series of mesoporous metal-doped polymers (MRFs) with tunable metal functionality and hierarchical porosity were successfully synthesized using a one-step copolymerization of resorcinol and formaldehyde with Polyethyleneimine (PEI) under solvothermal conditions. The effect of PEI and metal doping concentrations were observed on physical properties and adsorption results. The results confirmed the role of PEI on the mesoporosity of the polymer networks and high surface area in addition to enhanced CO₂ capture capacity. The resulting Cobalt doped material shows excellent thermal stability and promising CO₂ capture performance, with equilibrium adsorption of 2.3 mmol CO₂/g at 0 °C and 1 bar for at a surface area 675.62 m²/g. This mesoporous polymer, with its ease of synthesis is a promising candidate for promising for CO₂ capture and possible subsequent electrochemical conversion.     

The economic viability of a thermal power plant: a case study

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - The present paper deals with the economic viability of a coal-fired power plant (CFPP) situated in the northern part of India. The plant with a...     

Cu-based atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate using a novel tridentate ligand with mixed donor atoms

This study is aimed at atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of methyl methacrylate (MMA) using a novel catalyst. The bis-(2-dodecylsulfanyl-ethyl)-amine (SNS) tridentate ligand with mixed donor atoms was synthesized in high purity using inexpensive reagents and was reacted with copper(I) bromide to produce the CuBr/SNS catalyst. The catalyst mediated living polymerization of MMA yielding polymers with controlled molecular masses and narrow molecular mass distributions (PDI < 1.25). Also, the kinetic plot exhibited a linear increase of ln([M]₀/[M]) versus time, indicating constant concentration of propagating radicals during the polymerization. The products were characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, FT-IR, UV-VIS, GC and elemental analyses (CHNS) and by GPC.     

Carnosine to Combat Novel Coronavirus (nCoV): Molecular Docking and Modeling to Cocrystallized Host Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) and Viral Spike Protein

Aims: Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) plays an important role in the entry of coronaviruses into host cells. The current paper described how carnosine, a naturally occurring supplement, can be an effective drug candidate for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the basis of molecular docking and modeling to host ACE2 cocrystallized with nCoV spike protein. Methods: First, the starting point was ACE2 inhibitors and their structure–activity relationship (SAR). Next, chemical similarity (or diversity) and PubMed searches made it possible to repurpose and assess approved or experimental drugs for COVID-19. Parallel, at all stages, the authors performed bioactivity scoring to assess potential repurposed inhibitors at ACE2. Finally, investigators performed molecular docking and modeling of the identified drug candidate to host ACE2 with nCoV spike protein. Results: Carnosine emerged as the best-known drug candidate to match ACE2 inhibitor structure. Preliminary docking was more optimal to ACE2 than the known typical angiotensin-converting enzyme 1 (ACE1) inhibitor (enalapril) and quite comparable to known or presumed ACE2 inhibitors. Viral spike protein elements binding to ACE2 were retained in the best carnosine pose in SwissDock at 1.75 Angstroms. Out of the three main areas of attachment expected to the protein–protein structure, carnosine bound with higher affinity to two compared to the known ACE2 active site. LibDock score was 92.40 for site 3, 90.88 for site 1, and inside the active site 85.49. Conclusion: Carnosine has promising inhibitory interactions with host ACE2 and nCoV spike protein and hence could offer a potential mitigating effect against the current COVID-19 pandemic.     

The effect of 3D printing on the morphological and mechanical properties of polycaprolactone filament and scaffold

Three‐dimensional (3D) printing becomes an attractive technique to fabricate tissue engineering scaffolds through its high control on fabrication and repeatability using the printing parameters. This technique can be combined by the finite element method (FEM), and tissue‐specific scaffolds with desirable morphological and mechanical properties can be designed and manufactured. In this study, the influential 3D printing parameters on the morphological and mechanical properties of polycaprolactone (PCL) filament and scaffold were studied experimentally and numerically. First, the effects of printing parameters and process on the properties of extruded PCL filament were investigated. Then, using FEM, the effects of filament specifications on the overall characteristics of the scaffold were evaluated. Results showed that both the printing process in terms of resting time and remaining time and the printing parameters like pressure, printing speed, and printing path length have influenced the filament properties. In addition, both the filament diameter and elastic modulus had significant effects on the properties of scaffold especially, a 20% increase in the filament diameter caused the scaffold compressive elastic modulus to rise by around 72%. It is concluded that the printing parameters and process must be tuned very well in fabricating scaffolds with the desired morphology and mechanical property.     

Two new zinc(II) and mercury(II) complexes based on N,N′‐(cyclohexane‐1,2‐diylidene)bis(4‐fluorobenzohydrazide): synthesis,crystal structures and antibacterial activities

Reaction of N,N′‐(cyclohexane‐1,2‐diylidene)bis(4‐fluorobenzohydrazide), C₂₀H₁₈F₂N₄O₂, ( L^F ), with zinc chloride and mercury(II) chloride produced different types and shapes of neutral coordination complexes, namely, dichlorido[N,N′‐(cyclohexane‐1,2‐diylidene)bis(4‐fluorobenzohydrazide)‐κ²N,O]zinc(II), [ZnCl₂(C₂₀H₁₈F₂N₄O₂)], ( 1 ), and dichlorido[N,N′‐(cyclohexane‐1,2‐diylidene)bis(4‐fluorobenzohydrazide)‐κ⁴O,N,N′,O′]mercury(II), [HgCl₂(C₂₀H₁₈F₂N₄O₂)], ( 2 ). The organic ligand and its metal complexes are characterized using various techniques: IR, UV–Vis and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies, in addition to powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD), single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography and microelemental analysis. Depending upon the data from these analyses and measurements, a typical tetrahedral geometry was confirmed for zinc complex ( 1 ), in which the Zn^II atom is located outside the bis(benzhydrazone) core. The Hg^II atom in ( 2 ) is found within the core and has a common octahedral structure. The in vitro antibacterial activities of the prepared compounds were evaluated against two different bacterial strains, i.e. gram positive Bacillus subtilis and gram negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria. The prepared compounds exhibited differentiated growth‐inhibitory activities against these two bacterial strains based on the difference in their lipophilic nature and structural features.     

Schemes for Single Electron Transistor Based on Double Quantum Dot Islands Utilizing a Graphene Nanoscroll,Carbon Nanotube and Fullerene

The single electron transistor (SET) is a nanoscale switching device with a simple equivalent circuit. It can work very fast as it is based on the tunneling of single electrons. Its nanostructure contains a quantum dot island whose material impacts on the device operation. Carbon allotropes such as fullerene (C₆₀), carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene nanoscrolls (GNSs) can be utilized as the quantum dot island in SETs. In this study, multiple quantum dot islands such as GNS-CNT and GNS-C₆₀ are utilized in SET devices. The currents of two counterpart devices are modeled and analyzed. The impacts of important parameters such as temperature and applied gate voltage on the current of two SETs are investigated using proposed mathematical models. Moreover, the impacts of CNT length, fullerene diameter, GNS length, and GNS spiral length and number of turns on the SET’s current are explored. Additionally, the Coulomb blockade ranges (CB) of the two SETs are compared. The results reveal that the GNS-CNT SET has a lower Coulomb blockade range and a higher current than the GNS-C₆₀ SET. Their charge stability diagrams indicate that the GNS-CNT SET has smaller Coulomb diamond areas, zero-current regions, and zero-conductance regions than the GNS-C₆₀ SET.     

A new formulation for fictitious mass of viscous dynamic relaxation method

Abstract

In this article, a new relationship is proposed for the fictitious mass of viscous dynamic relaxation (DR) method. First, incremental equations are derived for DR steps. Using transformed Gershgörin theory, a new relationship is achieved for fictitious mass of viscous DR by formulating modified time step ratio. This procedure presents a new algorithm for the viscous DR method. To evaluate the numerical efficiency of the proposed method, some 2D and 3D truss and frame structures are analyzed with elastic linear and geometrically nonlinear behaviors. Results show that by using the proposed algorithm for fictitious mass, the convergence rate of the viscous DR method is improved so that the proposed algorithm presents the structural response with lower iterations in comparison with other common DR techniques.

Communicated by Joerg Fehr.