Synthesis of new functionalized reduced graphene oxide quantum dot composite for high-performance NO2 gas sensor

Research on Chemical Intermediates - In this research, synthesis of a novel magnetic 2-naphthalenesulfonic acid-grafted reduced graphene oxide quantum dot (Fe3O4-rGOQD-naphthalene-2-SO3H) via a...     

Removal of an organic pollutant from waste water by photocatalytic behavior of AgX/TiO2 loaded on mordenite nanocrystals

Mordenite (MOR) nanocrystals were synthesized using the hydrothermal method. Sol–gel and deposition methods were utilized to modify the zeolite surface with TiO₂ and then AgBr or AgCl particles. Photocatalysts were characterized by using X-ray diffraction, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), and scanning electron microscopy techniques. Activity was evaluated by photodegradation of Acid Blue 92 as an azo dye. The effect of silver halide deposition on the photocatalytic behavior of the prepared nanocomposites was studied under both ultraviolet (UV) and visible light, and the results were compared. The results showed that AgCl/TiO₂/MOR was more active under UV, while with visible source, AgBr/TiO₂/MOR exhibited better photocatalytic performance. A mechanism for the reaction is also proposed.     

Prediction of compressive post-buckling behavior of single-walled carbon nanotubes in thermal environments

In the present investigation, the axial buckling and post-buckling configurations of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are studied including the thermal environment effect. For this purpose, Eringen’s nonlocal elasticity continuum theory is implemented into the classical Euler–Bernoulli beam theory to represent the SWCNTs as a nonlocal elastic beam model. A closed-form analytical solution is carried out to analyze the static response of SWCNTs in their post-buckling state in which the axial buckling load is assumed to be beyond the critical axial buckling load. Common sets of boundary conditions, named simply supported–simply supported (SS–SS), clamped–clamped (C–C), and clamped–simply supported (C–SS), are considered in the investigation. Selected numerical results are given to represent the variation of the carbon nanotube’s mid-span deflection with the applied axial load corresponding to various nonlocal parameters, length-to-diameter aspect ratios, temperature changes, and end supports. Moreover, a comparison between the post-buckling behaviors of SWCNTs at low- and high-temperature environments is presented. It is found that the size effect leads to a decrease of the axial buckling load especially for SWCNTs with C–C boundary conditions. Also, it is revealed that the value of the temperature change plays different roles in the post-buckling response of SWCNTs at low- and high-temperature environments.     

Solvatochromic Probes Absorbance Behavior in Mixtures of 2-Hydroxy Ethylammonium Formate with Methanol,Ethylene Glycol and Glycerol

Solute-solvent and solvent-solvent interactions were investigated for binary mixtures of an ionic liquid (IL) 2-hydroxy ethylammonium formate as with methanol, ethylene glycol and glycerol. The physicochemical properties of the solvent mixtures at 25 °C, over the whole range of mole fractions, were determined using solvatochromic probes. High normal polarity (E_T^NE_{T}^{N}) in the alcohol-rich region confirms solute-solvent interactions in this medium. Dipolarity/polarizability (π ^∗) show a different trend to E_T^NE_{T}^{N} with a positive deviation from ideal behavior in IL-glycerol mixtures. However, these deviations for other solvent mixtures are insignificant. Contrary to what is observed for E_T^NE_{T}^{N} and π ^∗, hydrogen-bond donor (HBD) acidity and hydrogen-bond acceptor (HBA) basicity demonstrate similar trends. The applicability of the combined nearly-ideal binary solvent/Redlich-Kister (CNIBS/R-K) equation for the correlation of various parameters provides a simple computational model to correlate and/or predict various solvatochromic parameters for many binary solvent systems.     

Pentafluorophenylammonium triflate as a suitable and effective metal-free catalyst for the synthesis of quinazoline derivatives via one-pot multicomponent method

Research on Chemical Intermediates - A simple and facile synthesis of highly functionalized quinazoline derivatives has been successfully developed by treatment of aldehydes, ammonium acetate, and...     

Reaction kinetics investigation of 1‐fluoro‐2,4‐dinitrobenzene with substituted anilines in ethyl acetate–methanol mixtures using linear and nonlinear free energy relationships

Aromatic nucleophilic substitution reaction of 1‐fluoro‐2,4‐dinitrobenzene with para‐substituted and meta‐substituted anilines was kinetically investigated in the mixtures of ethyl acetate and methanol at room temperature. The correlation of second‐order rate coefficients with Hammett's substituent constants yields a fairly linear straight line with negative slope in different mole fractions of ethyl acetate–methanol mixtures. The measured rate coefficients of the reaction demonstrated a dramatic variation in ethyl acetate–methanol mixtures with the increasing mole fraction of ethyl acetate. Linear free energy relationship (LFER) investigations confirm that polarity has a major effect on the reaction rate whereas the hydrogen‐bonding ability of the media has a slight effect on it. Nonlinear free energy relationship based on preferential solvation hypothesis showed differences between the microsphere solvation of the solute and the bulk composition of the solvents, and non‐ideal behavior is observed in the trend of the rate coefficients, which cover the LFER results. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A polynomial method for the pos/neg weighted 3-median problem on a tree

Let a connected undirected graph G  =  (V, E) be given. In the classical p-median problem we want to find a set X containing p points in G such that the sum of weighted distances from X to all vertices in V is minimized. We consider the semi-obnoxious case where every vertex has either a positive or negative weight. In this case we have two different objective functions: the sum of the minimum weighted distances from X to all vertices and the sum of the weighted minimum distances. In this paper we show that for the case p = 3 an optimal solution for the second model in a tree can be found in O(n ⁵) time. If the 3-median is restricted to vertices or if the tree is a path then the complexity can be reduced to O(n ³). This research has partially been supported by the Spezialforschungsbereich F 003 “Optimierung und Kontrolle”, Projektbereich Diskrete Optimierung.     

Analysis of trans-Resveratrol in Iranian Grape Cultivars by LC

In this study, trans-resveratrol levels were determined in 147 Iranian grape cultivars using a modified extraction and gradient HPLC procedure with photodiode array detection. It was found that 41 out of 147 cultivars contained significant levels of trans-resveratrol. The detected amounts ranged from 0.98 to 6.25 mg kg⁻¹ fresh weight with a mean value of 3.59 (white grapes) and 3.08 mg kg⁻¹ (red grapes), respectively.

     

Preparation of a miniaturised iodide ion selective sensor using polypyrrole and pencil lead: effect of double-coating, electropolymerisation time, and current density

Polypyrrole (PPy) is a conducting polymer which can be used for producing different ion-selective electrodes. An iodide-doped (PPy-iodide) was prepared electrochemically by anodic polymerisation of pyrrole in the presence of an iodide ion in an aqueous solution on the surface of a pencil lead. Polymerisation was investigated under galvanostatic conditions. The effects of electropolymerisation conditions on the characteristics of the potential response of the sensor were examined. Concentrations of pyrrole, iodide ions, and conditioning solution plus current density and the time of electropolymerisation were optimised in relation to the slope and linearity of calibration graphs. This electrode showed a Nernstian behaviour of 61.1 mV per decade for I^? ion over a wide concentration range from 1.0 × 10^?5 M to 1.0 × 10^?1 M, with the limit of detection of 9.3 × 10^?6 M. The response time of the electrode was from 3–5 s. The selectivity coefficients of the prepared sensors over a wide spectrum of interference anions were also evaluated, revealing that selectivity improves as a result of double-coating with PPy. A similar improvement was observed under lower current density and longer electropolymerisation time. This sensor was applied in the determination of iodide ions using titration potentiometry. This electrode can be used for the determination of iodide in drug preparations.