Dual and triple equations and q-orthogonal polynomials

In this paper, we solve dual and triple sequences involving q-orthogonal polynomials. We also introduce and solve a system of dual series equations when the kernel is the q-Laguerre polynomials. Examples are included.     

Ternary fission of No in collinear configuration

We investigate the collinear ternary fission of the ²⁶⁰No isotope. The calculations are performed in the framework of the three cluster model for all possible accompanied light particles of even mass numbers A=4−52$\text{A}=4-52$. The folding nuclear and Coulomb interaction potentials are used, based on the M3Y-Reid nucleon–nucleon force for the nuclear part. The deformation of the involved fragments and their relative orientations with respect to each other inside the fissioning nuclei are considered. Among all possible fragmentation channels, the suggested most probable channels are indicated as the ones showing a peak in the Q-value and a local minimum in the fragmentation potential, with respect to the mass and charge asymmetries. The indicated favored fragmentation channels from the approximate spherical calculations and those obtained after considering the deformations of the produced fragments are discussed in detail. In addition to the preferred heavy fragments of closed shells, favored prolate ones of high deformations appear when the nuclear deformations are taken into account. Among indicated fifty six favored channels, a collinear ternary fission of the ²⁶⁰No isotope is indicated to be most favored through the fragmentation channels of ¹⁵⁰₅₈Ce+₄¹⁰Be+₄₀¹⁰⁰Zr,₆₀¹⁵²Nd+₄¹²Be+₃₈⁹⁶Sr,₅₈¹⁵⁰Ce+₆¹⁴C+₃₈⁹⁶Sr,₅₈¹⁴⁸Ce+₆¹⁶C+₃₈⁹⁶Sr,₅₄¹⁴⁰Xe+₈²²O+₄₀⁹⁸Zr,₄₂¹⁰⁶Mo+₁₈⁴⁸Ar+₄₂¹⁰⁶Mo and ₄₁¹⁰⁴Nb+₂₀⁵²Ca+₄₁¹⁰⁴Nb.     

Application of multivariate methods to the simultaneous Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectrometric determination of stereo-isomers; quinine and quinidine

The two stereo-isomers; quinine and quinidine have been determined in their mixtures in the IR region using chemometric multivariate methods, principal component regression (PCR) and partial least squares (PLS). A training set of thirty synthetic binary mixture solutions in the possible combinations containing 0.0 - 4.0 and 4.0 - 0.0% w/v quinine and quinidine, respectively in chloroform was used to develop the multivariate calibrations. A validation set containing thirty synthetic binary mixtures of variable ratios in the range of 0.2 - 4.0 and 4.0 - 0.2% w/v for quinine and quinidine, respectively in chloroform was used to validate the developed calibrations. The results of analysis of the validation synthetic mixtures were found to be 100.5+/-0.44% (R.S.D.%=0.44) and 100.5+/-0.38% (R.S.D.%=0.38) for quinine and 100.1+/-0.67% (R.S.D.%=0.67) and 100.1+/-0.68% (R.S.D.%=0.68) for quinidine using PCR and PLS models, respectively.     

Polyaniline decorated graphene oxide on sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) membrane for direct methanol fuel cells application

In direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC), methanol crossover is a major issue which has reduced the performance of polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) for energy generation. In this study, graphene oxide (GO) and conductive polyaniline decorated GO (PANI-GO) were used as additives in fabrication of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) nanocomposite PEM membrane to reduce methanol crossover. PANI-GO was synthesized by in situ polymerization method and the formation of PANI coated GO nanostructures was confirmed by surface morphology and crystallinity analysis. The membrane morphology and topography analysis confirmed that GO and PANI-GO were well dispersed on the surface of SPEEK membrane. 0.1 wt% PANI-GO modified SPEEK nanocomposite membrane exhibited the highest water uptake and ion exchange capacity of 40% and 1.74 meq g^?1, respectively. The oxidative stability of the nanocomposite membranes also improved. Lower methanol permeability of 4.33 × 10^?7 cm^?2S^?1 was noticed for 0.1 wt% PANI-GO modified SPEEK membrane. PANI-GO modified SPEEK membrane enhanced the proton conductivity, which was due to the existence of acidic and hydrophilic group present in PANI and GO. PANI-GO modified SPEEK membrane held higher selectivity of 1.94 × 10⁴ S cm^?3 s^?1. Overall, these studies revealed that PANI-GO modified SPEEK membrane is a potential material for DMFC applications.     

XPS and material properties of raw and oxidized carbide-derived carbon and their application in antifreeze thermal fluids/nanofluids

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - In this study, the stability, thermal conductivity and viscosity of carbide-derived carbon antifreeze thermal fluids were explored. The study also...     

Identification of Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 and α-Amylase Inhibitors from Melicope glabra (Blume) T. G. Hartley (Rutaceae) Using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry,In Vitro and In Silico Methods

The present study investigated the antidiabetic properties of the extracts and fractions from leaves and stem bark of M. glabra based on dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) and α-Amylase inhibitory activity assays. The chloroform extract of the leaves was found to be most active towards inhibition of DPP-4 and α-Amylase with IC₅₀ of 169.40 μg/mL and 303.64 μg/mL, respectively. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the leaves’ chloroform extract revealed fraction 4 (CF4) as the most active fraction (DPP-4 IC₅₀: 128.35 μg/mL; α-Amylase IC₅₀: 170.19 μg/mL). LC-MS/MS investigation of CF4 led to the identification of trans-decursidinol (1), swermirin (2), methyl 3,4,5-trimethoxycinnamate (3), renifolin (4), 4′,5,6,7-tetramethoxy-flavone (5), isorhamnetin (6), quercetagetin-3,4′-dimethyl ether (7), 5,3′,4′-trihydroxy-6,7-dimethoxy-flavone (8), and 2-methoxy-5-acetoxy-fruranogermacr-1(10)-en-6-one (9) as the major components. The computational study suggested that (8) and (7) were the most potent DPP-4 and α-Amylase inhibitors based on their lower binding affinities and extensive interactions with critical amino acid residues of the respective enzymes. The binding affinity of (8) with DPP-4 (−8.1 kcal/mol) was comparable to that of sitagliptin (−8.6 kcal/mol) while the binding affinity of (7) with α-Amylase (−8.6 kcal/mol) was better than acarbose (−6.9 kcal/mol). These findings highlight the phytochemical profile and potential antidiabetic compounds from M. glabra that may work as an alternative treatment for diabetes.     

Characterization and performance of proton exchange membranes for direct methanol fuel cell: Blending of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) with charged surface modifying macromolecule

Modification of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) membrane was attempted by blending charged surface modifying macromolecule (cSMM). The modified membrane was tested for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) application; i.e. a SPEEK/cSMM blend membrane was compared to a SPEEK membrane and a Nafion 112 membrane for the thermal and mechanical stability, methanol permeability, and proton conductivity. Thermal and mechanical stability of the blended membrane were slightly reduced from the SPEEK membrane but still higher than the Nafion 112 membrane. The blend membrane was found to be promising for DMFC applications because of its lower methanol diffusivity (2.75 × 10⁻⁷ cm² s⁻¹) and higher proton conductivity (6.4 × 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹), than the SPEEK membrane. A plausible explanation was given for the favorable effect of cSMM blending.     

Effect of carbon molecular sieve sizing with poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) K-15 on carbon molecular sieve–polysulfone mixed matrix membrane

Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) comprising polysulfone (PSF) Udel^® P-1700 and 30 wt% carbon molecular sieve (CMS) particles (<25 μm) have been fabricated and characterized. CMS particles were treated in poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) kollidone 15 (PVP K-15) sizing bath solution (1–10 wt% in isopropanol) prior to embedment into the matrix solution to improve matrix–sieve interfacial adhesion. This study investigated the effects of CMS sizing with PVP K-15 on the morphology and the gas separation performance of PSF–CMS MMMs. The fabricated MMMs were characterized using TGA, DSC, FESEM, ATR-FTIR and single gas permeation test using high purity O₂ and N₂. A dramatic improvement in CMS–PSF adhesion was observed using FESEM micrographs upon incorporation of PVP K-15-sized CMS particles. ATR-FTIR results suggest the occurrence of intermolecular interaction between PVP K-15 sizing layer on the outer surface of CMS particles and PSF matrix. A substantial recovery of separation performance was achieved whereby the PSF–PVP-sized CMS MMM exhibited 1.7 times higher O₂/N₂ selectivity compared to that of unmodified MMM.     

The sterically hindered salicylaldimine ligands with their copper(II) metal complexes: Synthesis,spectroscopy, electrochemical and thin-layer spectroelectrochemical features

The synthesis, structure, spectroscopic and electro-spectrochemical properties of sterically constrained Schiff-base ligands (L_nH) (n = 1, 2, and 3) (L = N-[m-(methylmercapto)aniline]-3,5-di-t-butylsalicylaldimine, m = 4, 3, and 2 positions, respectively) and their copper(II) complexes [Cu(L_n)₂] are described. Three new dissymmetric bidentate salicylaldimine ligands containing a donor set of ONNO were prepared by reaction of different primary amine with 3,5-di-t-butyl-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde (3,5-DTB). The copper(II) metal complexes of these ligands were synthesized by treating an methanolic solution of the appropriate ligand with an equimolar amount of Cu(Ac)₂ · H₂O. The ligands and their copper complexes were characterized by FT-IR, UV–Vis, ¹H and ¹³C NMR and elemental analysis methods in addition to magnetic susceptibility, molar conductivity, and spectroelectrochemical techniques. Analytical data reveal that copper(II) metal complexes possess 1:2 metal–ligand ratios. On the basis of molar conductance, the copper(II) metal complexes could be formulated as [Cu(L_n)₂] due to their non-electrolytic nature in dimethylforamide (DMF). The room temperature magnetic moments of [Cu(L_n)₂] complexes are in the range of 1.82–1.90 B.M which are typical for mononuclear of Cu(II) compounds with a S = 1/2 spin state. The complexes did not indicate antiferromagnetic coupling of spin at this temperature. Electrochemical and thin-layer spectroelectrochemical studies of the ligands and complexes were comparatively studied in the same experimental conditions. The results revealed that all ligands displayed irreversible reduction processes and the cathodic peak potential values of (L₃H) are shifted towards negative potential values compared to those of (L₁H) and (L₂H). It is attributed to the weak-electron-donating methyl sulfanyl group substituted on the ortho (m = 2) position of benzene ring. Additionally, all copper complexes showed one quasi-reversible one-electron reduction process in the scan rates of 0.025–0.50 V s⁻¹, which are assigned to simple metal-based one-electron processes; [Cu(2+)(L_n)₂] + e⁻ → [Cu(1+)(L_n)₂]⁻. The spectral changes corresponding to the ligands and complexes during the applied potential in a thin-layer cell confirmed the ligand and metal-based reduction processes, respectively.     

Synthesis, electrochemistry, thin-layer UV-vis and fluorescence spectroelectrochemistry of a new salicylaldimine ligand and its copper complex

The new asymmetric, fluorescent Schiff-base ligand, N-(pyrene)-salicylaldimine (L), and its copper complex having an ONNO donor set, [Cu(L) ₂ ], were synthesized and characterized using elemental analysis, IR, UV-vis, ¹H and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopies. Their electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical behaviors were investigated in a detail by using cyclic voltammetry (CV), square wave voltammetry (SWV), in-situ UV-vis, and fluorescence spectroelectrochemistry. The formation of the complex was monitored by the in-situ fluorescence technique based on the quenching of the fluorescence-probe ligand. Electrochemical studies showed that L exhibits a single irreversible reduction process. However, the SWV indicated that this process was not totally irreversible in the time scale of the measurement. The cathodic peak potential of the reduction process occurred at E _pc = −1.35 V vs Ag/AgCl (scan rate: 0.025 Vs⁻¹). On the other hand, [Cu(L) ₂ ] showed one quasi-reversible one-electron reduction process in the scan rates of 0.025–0.50 Vs⁻¹, which was assigned to metal-based one-electron process; [Cu(2+)(L)₂] + e⁻ → [Cu(+)(L)₂]⁻. The value of half-wave potential (E _1/2) of the reduction process was −0.54 V vs Ag/AgCl (scan rate: 0.025 Vs⁻¹). The time-resolved spectra showed, when the potential (E _app = −1.60 V) was applied in a thin-layer cell, that the main and shoulder bands of (L) at 385, 336, and 407 nm almost disappeared and a new band at 443 nm with a shoulder formed during the reduction process. No change was observed on the final spectrum of the totally reduced ligand for long period under nitrogen atmosphere, which indicated that the singly reduced species remained stable and was not accompanied by a chemical reaction in the time scale of the spectroelectrochemical measurement. The spectral changes during the reduction process of [Cu(L) ₂ ] confirmed the metal-centered reduction process. The fluorescence intensity of L decreased during the reduction process in the thin-layer cell, as result of the perturbation of the conjugated system of the reduced species.