Micro/macro-slip damping in beams with frictional contact interface

Friction in contact interfaces of assembled structures is the prime source of nonlinearity and energy dissipation. Determination of the dissipated energy in an assembled structure requires accurate modeling of joint interfaces in stick, micro-slip and macro-slip states. The present paper proposes an analytical model to evaluate frictional energy loss in surface-to-surface contacts. The goal is to develop a continuous contact model capable of predicting the dynamics of friction interface and dissipation energy due to partial slips. To achieve this goal, the governing equations of a frictional contact interface are derived for two distinct contact states of stick and partial slip. A solution procedure to determine stick–slip transition under single-harmonic excitations is derived. The analytical model is verified using experimental vibration test responses performed on a free-frictionally supported beam under lateral loading. The theoretical and experimental responses are compared and the results show good agreements between the two sets of responses.     

Highly selective aerobic oxidation of alkylarenes catalyzed by cobalt‐based nanocatalyst in aqueous solution

The catalytic aerobic oxidation of alkylarenes catalyzed by cobalt supported on a highly crystalline γ‐Al₂O₃ support (Co/Al₂O₃ nanocatalyst) is reported. The catalyst was prepared by a co‐precipitation method and characterized using scanning and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopies, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction and surface area measurements. A wide range of alkylarenes were converted to corresponding ketones. The catalyst can be recovered by simple filtration is recyclable for up to six consecutive runs.     

Synthesis and characterization of SnO2/(NH4)2‐SnCl6 nanocomposites loaded on activated carbon and its application for adsorption of methylene Blue and Orange G

The present study deals with the synthesis and characterization (FE‐SEM, particle size distribution, XRD and point of zero charge) SnO₂/(NH₄)₂‐SnCl₆ nanocomposites loaded on activated carbon (SnO₂/(NH₄)₂‐SnCl₆‐NCs‐AC) and its subsequent application for the simultaneous removal of Methylene Blue (MB) and Orange G (OG) from aqueous solution. Response surface methodology (RSM) based on central composite design (CCD) give trend of influencing responses with respect to five parameters such as contact time (X₁), OG concentration (X₂), MB concentration (X₃), adsorbent mass (X₄) and pH (X₅). In later stage following recognition of significant variables and interaction, quadratic model generated which are able to predict the dyes removal in different conditions. Justification and selection of significant terms was conducted based on analysis of variance and Fisher's F‐test Optimal value of contact time, OG concentration, MB concentration, adsorbent mass and pH were set at 4.0 min, 10 mg l^?1, 20 mg L^?1, 0.015 g and 6.0, respectively, which lead to achievement of best experiment removal percentage of 97.0 and 99.5% OG and MB respectively, from their binary solutions. The whole experimental data follow pseudo‐first‐order and pseudo‐second‐order rate equations. The fitting experimental data to more available conventional model like Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin‐Radushkevich isotherm models revel more ability of Langmuir model (with R² > 0.997) for explanation of system in equilibrium. The adsorption efficiency remained high even after the five cycle of reuse (99.76% and 95.56% for MB and OG, respectively).     

Vesicle deformations by clusters of transmembrane proteins

We carry out a coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation of phospholipid vesicles with transmembrane proteins. We measure the mean and Gaussian curvatures of our protein-embedded vesicles and quantitatively show how protein clusters change the shapes of their host vesicles. The effects of depletion force and vesiculation on protein clustering are also investigated. By increasing the protein concentration, clusters are fragmented to smaller bundles, which are then redistributed to form more symmetric structures corresponding to lower bending energies. Big clusters and highly aspherical vesicles cannot be formed when the fraction of protein to lipid molecules is large.     

Determination of free formaldehyde in vaccines and biological samples using solid‐phase microextraction coupled to GC–MS

A headspace solid‐phase microextraction method coupled to GC–MS was successfully developed for the trace determination of formaldehyde in veterinary bacterial and human vaccines, and diphtheria–tetanus antigen. The formaldehyde was derivatized by means of the Hantzsch reaction prior to extraction and subsequent determination. Three different types of solid‐phase microextraction fibers, polar, and nonpolar poly(dimethylsiloxane) and polyethylene glycol were prepared by using a sol–gel technique. The effects of different parameters such as type of fiber coating, extraction time and temperature, desorption conditions, agitation rate, and salt effect were investigated. Under the optimized conditions, the detection limit of the method was 979 ng/L using the selected ion‐monitoring mode. The interday and intraday precisions of the developed method under the optimized conditions were below 13%, and the method shows linearity in the range of 1.75–800 μg/L with a correlation coefficient of 0.9963. The optimized method was applied to the determination of formaldehyde from some biological products. The results were satisfactory compared to the standard method.     

Stereoselective aziridination of imines via ammonium ylides: A molecular electron density theory study

The highly trans-stereoselective reaction of ammonium salt ( AS 2 ) toward (E)-N-benzylidene-4-methylbenzenesulfonamide ( IM 4 ) in the presence of Na₂CO₃ leading to an aziridine derivative, trans -Az 6 , was theoretically studied using Molecular Electron Density Theory (MEDT) at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) computational level to probe energy transformation, selectivities, and molecular mechanism. The reaction starts by a nucleophilic substitution reaction between 1,4-diazabicyclo [2.2.2]octane ( DABCO ) and phenacyl bromide ( PB ) to form AS 2 which undergoes a proton abstraction by Na₂CO₃ to produce Ammonium Ylide ( AY 3) . Subsequently, nucleophilic addition of AY 3 to the double bond in IM 4 leads to form a betaine-like intermediate, namely, IN-Ta which named IN-Ta . Finally, trans -Az 6 is produced as a result of the nucleophilic attack of the negatively charged nitrogen atom on the carbon atom bearing DABCO in IN-Ta . Analysis of the relative Gibbs free energies shows that the ring closure step is the rate-determining step (RDS). By an investigation of the conceptual density functional theory, CDFT reactivity indices AY 3 and IM 4 are classified as a strong nucleophilic molecular system and as a strong electrophilic molecular system, respectively, which implies that the addition step of AY 3 to IM 4 has a high polar character. An analysis of the calculated electrophilic and nucleophilic Parr functions at the reactive sites of reagents clarifies the regioselectivity observed experimentally within the C₁–C₂ bond creation process.     

Identification of nonlinear bolted lap-joint parameters by force-state mapping

Joints and fasteners often have a significant effect on the dynamical behaviour of assembled mechanical structures and the analytical prediction of structural responses therefore depends upon the accuracy of joint modelling. Detailed constitutive models that fully describe the behaviour of frictional interfaces are often unduly complicated; in which case simpler phenomenological models having parameters identified from vibration tests may be preferable. Unfortunately the direct measurement of forces transmitted between two contacting surfaces and their relative displacements are not possible in practice and it is therefore necessary to rely on measurements remote from joints. In this paper, the parameters of an assumed nonlinear joint model are identified by force-state mapping from time-domain acceleration records in response to single-frequency excitation close to the first natural frequency. The problem of lack of accessibility for measurement at the joint is overcome by casting the governing equation of the system in modal coordinates so that modal parameters are identified to represent the nonlinear behaviour of the joint. A particular result from the experimental programme is the identification of viscous damping coefficients dependent upon displacement amplitude. The significance of this result is that the complex phenomenon of energy dissipation in lap joints can be represented by a simple analytical model capable of producing accurate results.     

The use of pseudo-dynamic method in the evaluation of damping characteristics in reinforced concrete beams having variable bending stiffness

The objective of this work is to determine experimentally the damping properties of concrete reinforced beams under mechanical vibrations. This is a very important property in earthquake engineering once damping provides structure energy dissipation during moderate or strong earthquake motions. The experimental campaign used the pseudo-dynamic (PsD) method to analyse the beam dynamic behaviour. Essentially the PsD test method is a hybrid computer-driven testing procedure where a numerical algorithm and experimental step are used and combined on-line in order to solve a dynamic problem. The implementation of the method is not expensive and has the leading advantage of offering the operator a total control of any intermediate structure state during the test still keeping the realism of a real dynamic testing. In this analysis the dynamic model was assumed as single degree-of-freedom system (SDOF). For the calculation of the structural damping factor, the structure stiffness was determined prior the set-up of the time integration algorithm; thereafter a pseudo-dynamic process dealing with a free and a forced vibration scheme, where this last was achieved with an external harmonic load, led to the definition of the structure response where the dissipative effect of the damping properties of reinforced concrete beams was evidenced.     

Facile Synthesis of Pyrano[2,3‐c]pyrazol‐6‐one Derivatives Under Microwave Irradiation in Solvent‐Free Conditions

A series of substituted 1H,6H‐pyrano[2,3‐c]pyrazol‐6‐one derivatives were synthesized from one‐pot cyclocondensation of hydrazine derivatives or 1H‐pyrazol‐5‐one derivatives with various β‐keto esters under solvent‐free conditions using microwave irradiation in short time with good to excellent yields.