The SmCPA phase in five‐ring bent‐core compounds derived from 5‐methoxyisophthalic acid

The synthesis and mesophase characterization of a homologous series of five‐ring bent‐core compounds derived from 5‐methoxyisophthalic acid are described. Most of the compounds exhibit a polar antiferroelectric smectic C phase. Replacement of the terminal n‐alkoxy chains by n‐alkyl carboxylate groups, not only destabilizes the formation of mesophases but induces a calamitic mesophase. However, extension of the arms of the bent‐core molecule by a phenyl moiety stabilizes the switchable phase. The mesophases were investigated using a combination of polarizing optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X‐ray diffraction and electro‐optical methods.     

The SmCPA phase in five-ring bent-core compounds derived from 5-methoxyisophthalic acid

The synthesis and mesophase characterization of a homologous series of five-ring bent-core compounds derived from 5-methoxyisophthalic acid are described. Most of the compounds exhibit a polar antiferroelectric smectic C phase. Replacement of the terminal n-alkoxy chains by n-alkyl carboxylate groups, not only destabilizes the formation of mesophases but induces a calamitic mesophase. However, extension of the arms of the bent-core molecule by a phenyl moiety stabilizes the switchable phase. The mesophases were investigated using a combination of polarizing optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and electro-optical methods.     

Prediction of inception of thermal oscillations and their waveforms in flow of heated subcritical liquids

A theoretical model is formulated to determine the instability of flow of subcritical liquids supplied from a reservoir to warm pipelines. The model predicts the waveform of the oscillations to get clipped for certain lengths of pipeline and a range of forced convective heating. Clipped oscillations are obtained when the ratio of residence time of flow to the characteristic thermal time varies between about 1 and 10. The role of residence time in the inception of oscillations and in modifying the waveform is ascertained. The ability of the model to predict the boundaries for onset of oscillations and the region of the clipped and full waveforms is discussed.     

Growth and characterization of thiosemicarbazide hydrochloride: a semiorganic NLO material

Thiosemicarbazide hydrochloride (TSCHCL) was synthesized by mixing thiosemicarbazide and hydrochloride in 1:1 molar ratio in double distilled water. Single crystals of TSCHCL were grown by slow evaporation at room temperature and were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction study to determine the molecular structure and by FT-IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectral analyses to confirm the synthesized compound. Thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses reveal the thermal stability of the crystal. The transmission spectrum of TSCHCL showed that the crystal is transparent in the wavelength range 380–1100 nm. High resolution X-ray diffractometry (HRXRD) was employed to evaluate the perfection of the grown crystal. Mechanical properties of the grown crystal were studied using Vickers microhardness test. Second harmonic generation efficiency of the powdered TSCHCL was tested using Nd:YAG laser and is ∼1.5 times that of potassium dihydrogen orthophosphate.     

Oxidative decolorization of indigo caramine dye with chloramine-T catalyzed by cobalt(II)

Decolorization of indigo caramine dye by oxidation process using chloramine-T as oxidant and Co(II) as catalyst in acidic buffer media, pH 5.8 has been kinetically studied at 300 K. Decolorization of indigo caramine dye was followed spectrophotometrically. Decolorization and oxidation led to a decrease in Chemical Oxygen Demand of the dye. The Co(II)-catalyzed reaction shows first-order dependence of the rate on chloramine-T and indigo caramine concentrations. It also shows fractional order dependence on [Co(II)] and [H⁺]. Addition of halide ions or reduction product of chloramine-T toluenesulfonamide, and variation of ionic strength and dielectric constant of the medium do not have any significant effect on the reaction rate. Activation parameters are evaluated from the Arrhenius plot, and a mechanism is proposed for the reaction.     

Influence of shear layers on the structure of shocks formed by rectangular and parabolic blockages placed in a subsonic flow-field

Flow blockages are used to promote the transition of a flame to a detonation. The structure of shock waves formed with different configurations of blockages was experimentally determined for subsonic incoming flow. High speed subsonic flows could develop ahead of a turbulent flame and the interaction of such flows with blockages could lead to the formation of interacting shock waves, slipstreams, and expansion waves. A blow-down test setup was designed to study the interacting shock pattern formed with different configurations of blockages. The flow was found to accelerate to low supersonic velocities during its passage over the blockages. The shock structure downstream of the blockages was found to depend on the shape, size, and number of blockages as well as the spacing between them. While a parabolic-shaped blockage provided shocks of maximum strength, large blockage ratio values did not permit the formation of shocks. The shear layer, formed in the flow downstream of the blockages, reflected the expansion fan as shock waves and was found to be a major feature influencing the formation of the interacting structure of oblique shocks. The structure and strength of the shock waves are analyzed using hodograms. The formation of the interacting family of shock waves using different configurations of blockages and the spacings between them are discussed.     

Book reviews

PHYSICS, WITH ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES FROM MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY. VOLUME 1: MECHANICS, by George [euro]3. Benedek and Felix M. H. Villars, Addison Wesley, Reading, Massachusetts 1974. ($7.95)

NOMOGRAPHS FOR ELECTRONICS. INSTANT CALCULATIONS FOR DESIGNERS, by Robert L. Peters. Cahners Books, 89 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02 1 10. ISBN: 0-8436-0204-X. Catalog Code: NEPE. (21 1.25)     

Design of sampled data state estimator for Markovian jumping neural networks with leakage time-varying delays and discontinuous Lyapunov functional approach

This paper is concerned with the sampled-data state estimation problem for neural networks with both Markovian jumping parameters and leakage time-varying delays. Instead of the continuous measurement, the sampled measurement is used to estimate the neuron states, and a sampled-data estimator is constructed. In order to make full use of the sawtooth structure characteristic of the sampling input delay, a discontinuous Lyapunov functional is proposed based on the extended Wirtinger inequality. A less conservative delay dependent stability criterion is derived via constructing a new triple-integral Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional and the famous Jenson integral inequality. Based on the Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional approach, a state estimator of the considered neural networks has been achieved by solving some linear matrix inequalities, which can be easily facilitated by using the standard numerical software. Finally, two numerical examples are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed methods.