Basicity of some organic superbases in acetonitrile

[structure: see text] It is shown that the pK(a) values of strong neutral organic (super)bases in acetonitrile are well described by the density functional theory (DFT) employing the isodensity polarization continuum model (IPCM) for treating solvent-solute interactions. High pK(a) values are predicted for two model compounds, and their synthesis is strongly recommended.     

Thermal conductivity of lightweight aggregate based on coal fly ash

The article presents the results of physical and chemical properties of lightweight aggregates (LWA) obtained by the thermal treatments of raw composition based on fly ash, supplied by electric plants from Serbia. The production process of LWA consists of raw material preparation, plastic shaping?Cextrusion, granulation, and thermal treatment at three temperatures: 1100, 1150, and 1200?°C. The final firing temperature (T?=?1150?°C) is chosen based on the mechanical and physical properties of the designed aggregates. The particle-size distribution of the LWAs is unimodal (d????16?mm) while the density value varies from 0.98 to 1.99?g/cm³. The water absorption values are determined by use of two methods: 24?h of soaking in cold water and 5?h of boiling. The thermal conductivity of unbound, fired LWA particles is determined by measuring the amount of axially transferred heat in the stationary state. The obtained value of the LWA thermal conductivity (???=?0.0872?W/mK, T?=?1150?°C) is suitable for the production of structural concrete blocks with improved thermal insulating properties. Because of their high-porosity and -compressive strength values, the designed LWA could be used instead of the conventional aggregates in the production of concrete blocks. Consequently, a real valorization of the waste material such as fly ash in Serbia was established.     

Precursor memory effect determining structural properties of sulfated zirconia

Properties of two catalysts tailored in the laboratory conditions by sulfation of commercial Zr-hydroxide and Zr-hydroxide of nitrate origin were compared with those of commercial SO₄-Zr-hydroxide. Equally thermally treated samples in the temperature interval 500–700°C, and having the same amount of sulfur, show different properties indicating memory effect of their solid parent materials. The catalyst obtained by sulfation of commercial Zr-hydroxide differs in amount of residual sulfates upon calcination from other two catalysts. The instability of sulfates in the previous case might be connected to the lowest surface area values of catalyst and the highest fraction of monoclinic phase observed at all applied calcination temperatures.     

Animal bone meal as an efficient catalyst for crossed-aldol condensation

α,α′-Bis(substituted benzylidene)cycloalkanones were efficiently prepared from cycloalkanones and benzaldehydes in water by using animal bone meal (ABM) or ABM modified as a catalyst. It is shown that ABM modified can be quantitatively recovered and be reused effectively for many times. A comparison of catalytic activity of these catalysts is discussed.     

Coarsening in one dimension: invariant and asymptotic states

We study a coarsening process of one-dimensional cell complexes. We show that if cell boundaries move with velocities proportional to the difference in size of neighboring cells, then the average cell size grows at a prescribed exponential rate and the Poisson distribution is precisely invariant for the distribution of the whole process, rescaled in space by its average growth rate. We present numerical evidence toward the following universality conjecture: starting from any finite mean stationary renewal process, the system when rescaled by e ^?2t converges to a Poisson point process. For a limited case, this makes precise what has been observed previously in experiments and simulations, and lays the foundation for a theory of universal asymptotic states of dynamical cell complexes.     

A note on line forces in gradient elasticity

The theory of gradient elasticity is applied to line forces. Line forces acting on a point within the body and a concentrated normal force (Flamant problem) which acts on a half plane are studied. Closed analytical solutions which have a simple form are obtained for displacement fields of these forces. The gradient elasticity solutions are free from undesirable displacement singularities predicted by classical elasticity.