A spectroelectrochemical study of conducting pyrrole-N-methylpyrrole copolymers in nonaqueous solution

Conducting poly(pyrrole-N-methylpyrrole) (P(Py-NMPy)) was electrochemically synthesized on a gold electrode in a lithium perchlorate-containing acetonitrile electrolyte solution and compared with polypyrrole (PPy) and poly(N-methylpyrrole) (PNMPy) prepared under the same conditions. The obtained polymers were characterized with cyclic voltammetry, in situ resistance measurements, in situ UV–vis spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The onset potentials for pyrrole and N-methylpyrrole monomer oxidation differ by about 0.1 V. Nucleation processes initiated by the radical cations are followed by growth of nuclei into continuous films. The oxidation and reduction peaks for the P(Py-NMPy) copolymer synthesized at 1:1 M concentration ratio of the comonomers are between those of PPy and PNMPy. A decreased [Py]/[NMPy] comonomer concentration ratio yields in the copolymers shifts of peak potentials to more positive values. The in situ resistance of copolymers measured from ?0.20 to 0.90 V vs. Ag/AgCl decreased with increasing [Py]/[NMPy] concentration ratio. In situ UV–vis and ex situ FTIR spectra of copolymers show spectroscopic behavior intermediate between those of the homopolymers. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs of the samples show fundamental differences between the morphology of the homo- and copolymers.     

Aluminum nitride nanotubes

An AlN nanotube (AlNNT) was theoretically predicted in 2003. In comparison with the carbon nanotubes, the AlNNTs are wide-band-gap nanostructures with high reactivity, high thermal stability and sharp electronic sensitivity toward some chemicals. The B3LYP predicts an HOMO–LUMO gap of 3.74–4.27 eV for zigzag AlNNTs, while the experimental bad gap of bulk AlN is about 6.28 eV. The lowest strain energy of AlNNTs relative to its AlN nanosheet compared to the nanosheets of carbon and BN nanotubes with an equivalent diameter suggests the feasibility of AlNNT synthesis from its nanosheet. Theoretical methods predict a Young’s Modulus of about 453 GPa for AlNNTs that is smaller than that of carbon (1 TPa), BN (870 GPa) and GaN (796 GPa) nanotubes. In 2003, the faceted single-crystalline hexagonal AlNNTs were synthesized and extensively explored by means of density functional theory calculations. Several works have suggested different potential applications for AlNNTs including chemical sensors, hydrogen storage, gas adsorbent, and electron field emitter. This review is a comprehensive study on the latest achievements in the structural analyses, synthesis, and property evaluations based on the computational methods on the AlNNTs in the light of the development of nanotubes.     

Investigation of flow and heat transfer of nanofluid in microchannel with variable property approach

Laminar flow and heat transfer of water-Al₂O₃ nanofluid under constant heat flux have been investigated numerically. Single-phase with temperature dependant effective properties has been assumed for fluid. Enhancement in heat transfer and increase in friction factor have been obtained by the use of nanofluid. Heat transfer enhancement is more obvious by the use of variable properties. Also, effects of temperature variation on nanofluid heat transfer are greater than the pure water.