Electrospinning preparation of NiO/ZnO composite nanofibers for photodegradation of binary mixture of rhodamine B and methylene blue in aqueous solution: Central composite optimization

One‐dimensional nanofiber of p‐type NiO/n‐type ZnO heterojunctions with various molar ratios of Ni to Zn at different calcination temperatures were successfully synthesized using the electrospinning method, and they were fully characterized. The photocatalysts thus obtained were applied in aqueous solutions for rhodamine B (RDB) and methylene blue (MB) degradation. The p–n heterojunctions built among the cubic structure NiO and hexagonal structure ZnO in the composite nanofiber are responsible for generation of electrons and holes and subsequently superoxide and hydroxyl radical production by carriers which lead to degradation of the dyes in solution. The composite nanofibers (ZnNi1) calcined at 550 °C for 3 h showed the highest photocatalytic activity for degradation of the dyes in aqueous solution. The optimum values were found to be 180 min, 7.0, 1 g l^?1 and 3.0 and 3.0 mg l^?1 for irradiation time, pH, photocatalyst dosage and initial concentration of RDB and MB, respectively. For these optimum conditions, the photocatalytic degradation of RDB and MB was found to be 99.37 and 98.44%, respectively. The maximum photodegradation of RDB and MB using ZnNi1 was 59.41 and 65.43%, respectively. First‐order kinetics based on the Langmuir–Hinshelwood model successfully fitted the experimental data.     

Synthesis of gold nanoparticles decorated on sulfonated three‐dimensional graphene nanocomposite and application as a highly efficient and recyclable heterogeneous catalyst for Ullmann homocoupling of aryl iodides and reduction of p‐nitrophenol

Gold nanoparticles were decorated onto sulfonated three‐dimensional graphene (3DG‐SO₃H) through spontaneous chemical reduction of HAuCl₄ by 3DG‐SO₃H. This nanocomposite exhibited excellent catalytic activity for the synthesis of symmetric biaryls via the Ullmann homocoupling of aryl iodides in an aqueous medium. Additionally, this nanocomposite was used as a catalyst for the reduction of p‐nitrophenol to p‐aminophenol. The catalyst could be used more than six times successively without significant deactivation.     

Suzuki–Miyaura coupling catalyzed by palladium nanoparticles biosynthesized using Glycyrrhiza glabra as reducing and stabilyzing agent

An unprecedented environmentally friendly method has been developed for the synthesis of palladium nanoparticles supported on Glycyrrhiza glabra. The synthesized nanoparticles were utilized in Suzuki–Miyaura reaction between different aryl halides and aryl bronic acid in aqueous media. This heterogeneous catalyst can be reused and recycled repeatedly more than five times with only slight loss of its initial catalytic efficiency. This reaction carrid out under atmospheric pressure with high efficiency, unique and simple work‐up procedure and excellent yields.     

Catalytic application of sulfonic acid‐functionalized titana‐coated magnetic nanoparticles for the preparation of 1,8‐dioxodecahydroacridines and 2,4,6‐triarylpyridines via anomeric‐based oxidation

We have developed green, efficient and powerful protocols for the preparation of 2,4,6‐triarylpyridines and 1,8‐dioxodecahydroacridines in the presence of Fe₃O₄@TiO₂@O₂PO₂(CH₂)₂NHSO₃H as a sulfonic acid‐functionalized titana‐coated magnetic nanoparticle catalyst under mild and solvent‐free reaction conditions. These protocols furnished the desired products in short reaction times with good to high yields (20–40 min and 80–86% in the case of 2,4,6‐triarylpyridines; 15–90 min and 80–93% in the case of 1,8‐dioxodecahydroacridines). The final step of the mechanistic route in the synthesis of 2,4,6‐triarylpyridines proceeds via an anomeric‐based oxidation. Also, the nanomagnetic core–shell catalyst can be recycled and reused in both cases of the scrutinized one‐pot multicomponent reactions with high turnover number and turnover frequency.     

Logarithmic correction to BMSFT entanglement entropy

Using Rindler method we derive the logarithmic correction to the entanglement entropy of a two dimensional BMS-invariant field theory (BMSFT). In particular, we present a general formula for extraction of the logarithmic corrections to both the thermal and the entanglement entropies. We also present a CFT formula related to the logarithmic correction of the BTZ inner horizon entropy which results in our formula after taking appropriate limit.     

Oxidative amidation of benzyl alcohol,benzaldhyde, benzoic acid styrene and phenyl acetylene catalyzed by ordered mesoporous HKUST‐1‐Cu: Effect of surface area on oxidative amidation reaction

HKUST‐1‐Cu synthesized in the presence and absence of P‐123 trough solvotermal method. After characterization using some different microscopic and spectroscopic techniques such as XRD, FT‐IR, SEM, ICP, BET and TEM its catalytic activity was investigated in the oxidative coupling of benzyl alcohol, benzaldhyde, benzoic acid, styrene and phenyl acetylene with N,N‐dialkylformamides for the preparation of N,N‐dimethylformamides. Different derivatives of tertiary amides were synthesized in moderate to good yields in the presence of just ~0.28 mol% of this catalytic system. Reusability of the synthesized catalysts was examined and catalysts were reusable for 8 times without significant decrease in optimized conditions.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(Biphenyl‐2‐yl p‐Styrenesulphonate) as Profungicide in Controlled Release Technique

A new fungicide controlled release formulation was prepared by the reaction of p‐styrenesulphonyl chloride with biphenyl‐2‐ol (Dowicide A) as fungicide. The resulting monomer containing the fungicide was polymerized with benzoyl peroxide as initiator. The monomer and the polymer were identified by spectroscopic methods, and molecular weight of the polymer was determined by GPC. Also mp, Tg and Td of the polymer were identified by DSC. The release characteristic of the polymer was studied in neutral, alkaline, and acidic media. Also, the effect of the temperature on the release of bioactive agent (Dowicide A) was investigated. The hydrolysis data showed that the release rates are strongly dependent upon the pH of the medium and the temperature.     

Numerical prediction of turbulent boundary layer noise from a sharp-edged flat plate

An efficient hybrid uncorrelated wall plane waves–boundary element method (UWPW-BEM) technique is proposed to predict the flow-induced noise from a structure in low Mach number turbulent flow. Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations are used to estimate the turbulent boundary layer parameters such as convective velocity, boundary layer thickness, and wall shear stress over the surface of the structure. The spectrum of the wall pressure fluctuations is evaluated from the turbulent boundary layer parameters and by using semi-empirical models from literature. The wall pressure field underneath the turbulent boundary layer is synthesized by realizations of uncorrelated wall plane waves (UWPW). An acoustic BEM solver is then employed to compute the acoustic pressure scattered by the structure from the synthesized wall pressure field. Finally, the acoustic response of the structure in turbulent flow is obtained as an ensemble average of the acoustic pressures due to all realizations of uncorrelated plane waves. To demonstrate the hybrid UWPW-BEM approach, the self-noise generated by a flat plate in turbulent flow with Reynolds number based on chord Re_c = 4.9 × 10⁵ is predicted. The results are compared with those obtained from a large eddy simulation (LES)-BEM technique as well as with experimental data from literature.     

Acetylation of alcohols and phenols under solvent-free conditions using iron zirconium phosphate

Iron zirconium phosphate (ZPFe) nanoparticles were found to function as an efficient catalyst for the acetylation of a wide range of alcohols and phenols using acetic anhydride, generating good to excellent yields under solvent‐free conditions. The steric and electronic properties of various sub‐strates had a significant influence on the reaction conditions required to achieve the acetylation. The catalyst used in the current study was characterized by inductively coupled plasma‐optical emission spectrometry, X‐ray diffraction, N2 adsorption‐desorption, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. These analyses revealed that the interlayer distance in the catalyst increased from 7.5 to 9.3 ? when Fe3+was intercalated between the layers, whereas the crystallinity of the material was reduced. This nanocatalyst could also be recovered and reused at least six times without any discernible decrease in its catalytic activity. This new method for the acetylation of alcohols and phenols has several important advantages, including mild and environ‐mentally friendly reaction conditions, as well as good to excellent yields and a facile work‐up.     

Extraction of gold,palladium and silver ions using organically modified silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles and silica gel as a sorbent

Microchimica Acta - Two new adsorbents were synthesized by covalently grafting 2,3-Bis(2-formylphenoxy)-propan-1-ol (BH) onto the surface of silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles and silica gel by a...