Solvent and thiourea adsorption/intercalation effects on the solid-state electrochemistry of α-phase nickel hydroxide nanoparticles

Nanoparticles of α-phase nickel hydroxide were synthesized by a single-step hydrothermal method using urea as the hydrolytic agent. Precipitated powders were of pure turbostratic α-phase as confirmed by x-ray diffraction profile. The ageing of α-Ni(OH)₂ in 1.0 M alkali solutions is investigated for pure non-intercalated α-Ni(OH)₂ and thiourea intercalated/absorbed α-phase nanomaterials. The α-Ni(OH)₂ powder immobilized on the surface of graphite electrodes shows a gradual α→β phase transformation with continuous voltammetric cycling, and the concentration gradient of water that exists in the layered-double-hydroxide-like interlayers of α-phase and the solution was shown to play a crucial role on the high electrochemical activity of this phase nickel hydroxide. To understand the role of water in the ageing process, concomitant entries of non-aqueous solvents like ethanol and acetonitrile along with thiourea were effected. Cyclic voltammetric measurements of thiourea-treated α-Ni(OH)₂ samples revealed that hydroxyl ion influx during the anodic oxidation depends on the counter flux of solvent molecules, and if the intercalated the solvent is acetonitrile, then the electrochemical activity of α-Ni(OH)₂ reduced drastically; Q _a/Q _c>1 for water as solvent in the interlayers α-Ni(OH)₂ and Q _a/Q _c<1 for ethanol and acetonitrile as solvents. The α-phase gets stabilized in the presence of thiourea with water and ethanol as co-intercalates. Transmission electron microscope images of α-Ni(OH)₂ and thiourea-treated samples show a change in particle size and morphology. Elemental CHNS analysis confirms the presence of sulphur in the thiourea intercalated samples.     

Synthesis,characterization and third-order nonlinear optical properties of ruthenium(II) complexes containing 2-(4-nitrophenyl)imidazo[4,5-f] [1,10]phenanthroline

Two novel Ru^II complexes [Ru(phen)₂(PNOPH)]²⁺ and [Ru(dmp)₂ (PNOPH)]²⁺ (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, dmp = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline, PNOPH = 2-(4-nitrophenyl)imidazo-[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline) and their deprotoned complexes were synthesized and characterized by ES–MS, ¹H - n.m.r, u.v.–vis. and electrochemistry. The crystal structure of the deprotonated complex [Ru(dmp)₂ (PNOP)][ClO₄] · CH₃CN was determined by means of X-ray single crystal diffraction. Nonlinear optical properties of the Ru^II complexes were investigated by Z-scan techniques in DMF solution, and all of them exhibited both NLO absorption and self-defocusing effect. The corresponding effective NLO susceptibilities |³ | of the complexes are 2.39 × 10^-12–5.80 × 10^-12 esu.     

Parametric Integer Programming Analysis: A Contraction Approach

An algorithm is presented for solving families of integer linear programming problems in which the problems are "related" by having identical objective coefficients and constraint matrix coefficients. The righthand-side constants have the form b + θd where b and d are conformable vectors and θ varies from zero to one.The approach consists primarily of solving the most relaxed problem (θ = 1) using cutting planes and then contracting the region of feasible integer solutions in such a manner that the current optimal integer solution is eliminated.The algorithm was applied to 1800 integer linear programming problems with reasonable success. Integer programming problems which have proved to be unsolvable using cutting planes have been solved by expanding the region of feasible integer solutions (θ = 1) and then contracting to the original region.     

The Use of Versatile Distribution Families in Some Stochastic Inventory Calculations

Previous works on stochastic inventory problems have often assumed that an item's lead time demand follows a "convenient" distribution such as the normal, the γ or the Weibull. First, this paper argues that these convenient distributions may be overly restrictive and unrealistic, and points out the versatility and realism of using four-parameter distributions of the Pearson's and the Schmeiser-Deutsch's systems. Second, using these four-parameter distributions, this paper presents practical `manual" methods for computing the stock-out probability, reorder level and expected lost sales of an inventory item and for solving the lot-size reorder-point model. Some of these methods are actually simpler than the ones developed previously for the more restrictive distributions.     

Doing Something about the Future

This paper is concerned with the need for more interdisciplinary, systems oriented, research directed towards major problems encountered by decision makers in industry and government; a need which is more difficult to meet in the face of traditional methods of organising knowledge and research. It emphasises the need to acknowledge the true complexity of the problems and the interactive nature of any effective research procedure. As an illustration, both of the need and the problems involved in meeting it, the development of a new program of research into problems of Management and Technology at the International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis, which is supported by seventeen nations of all political complexions, is analysed. The implication is that we can do something about the future, but we must be prepared to do.     

A Cutting Planes Algorithm for the <Emphasis Type="Italic">m</Emphasis>-Salesmen Problem

The existence of reliable and flexible FORTRAN programs for integer linear programming has recently enabled the development of very efficient algorithms for the travelling salesman problem. The main characteristic of these algorithms is the relaxation of most of the constraints of the problem during its solution. The same approach can be used for the solution of the m-salesmen problem in which m salesmen starting from the same city must visit only once n cities at minimum cost. The number of salesmen can be fixed in advance or allowed to vary, upper and lower bounds set on the number of salesmen and even fixed costs associated with the salesmen. The results obtained so far are very encouraging. Problems of up to 100 cities have been solved optimally for the m-travelling salesmen case and other more complex problems are currently under study.     

Analysis of R. P. Smith's and D. C. Parris-R. B. Mclellan's carbon diffusivity data

A phenomenological model is proposed to account for the variation of carbon diffusivityD(N₁) with composition in austenite. This model is based on Parris-McLellan's statement that the increase ofD(N₁) with carbon concentrationN ₁ is due to the increase in chemical driving force. The gradient of the carbon activity in Wagner's and in Zupp-Stevenson's interpretation is presumed to be the intrinsic driving force. The predictions of the model are compared with carbonD(N₁) values both with [1] and without [5] a chemical concentration gradient. TheD(0) values and the carbon-carbon interaction coefficients ₁ are calculated by the use of the least squares method from the experimental data. The application of Zupp-Stevenson's definition of the activity coefficient ₁ results in a better fit of the theory to the experimental data.     

Magnon spectrum and curie temperature of doped ferromagnetic semiconductors

The influence of a partially filled conduction band on the magnetic properties of ferromagnetic semiconductors is studied within the framework of thes-f model. Allowing for magnon scattering to arbitrary order in the form of virtual electron- holecreation the magnon spectral density is derived, from which one gets magnon energies which are substantially renormalized by the presence of conduction electrons. In particular it is shown how the quasiparticle structure of the electronic excitation energies [4, 5] leads to scattering corrections in the magnon spectrum. These corrections are always negative and reduce the positive mean field part, which is proportional to the electron densityn. The calculated magnon spectrum is then used to determine the strikingn-dependence of the Curie-temperatureT _c of Gd-doped EuO and EuS.     

Teaching Operational Research Technique

Good technique, i.e. competence in carrying out operational research, is as vital for the practitioner to acquire as competence in the traditional ‘techniques’. It is suggested that universities should teach students how to conduct simple projects prior to alerting them to more sophisticated methodological issues.As an aid to this task, the traditional five or six parts of an operational research project are broken down and extended into 39 steps, and regrouped into three phases. Also, five skills are identified as being conceptually essential to "good" operational research, which students can develop through tackling suitable case studies.     

Interdiffusion in the Co-Ni system-I concentration penetration curves and interdiffusion coefficients

The interdiffusion in the Co-Ni system has been investigated in the temperature range of 950 to 1150 °C, by means of diffusion specimens of pure Co and Ni. The concentration curvesN(x, t) obtained with the aid of an JXA-3 A JEOL electron microprobe were evaluated using the smoothing cubic spline method by means of the Boltzmann-Matano equation. The obtained interdififusion coefficient values ¯D increase with the increasing Ni concentration and satisfy the Arrhenius equation at temperaturesH 990 °C. At lower temperatures the influence of high diffusivity paths may be effective, resulting in higher ¯D values. No expressive influence of atomic (Ni₃Co) or magnetic order on the interdiffusion has been detected. The activation enthalpyH values were found almost concentration independent. A Kirkendall effect study has been carried out with positive results which are presented in Part II of this paper. A new method for the determination of diffusants concentration in the Kirkendall plane was proposed. With the use of this method and of Darken equations the intrinsic diffusion coefficients were calculated. These results are given in Part III.