Poly(aminohippuric acid)–sodium dodecyl sulfate/functionalized graphene oxide nanocomposite for amplified electrochemical sensing of gallic acid

Gallic acid (GA), as a main phenolic acid, has been considered the main player on the human health, including the effects of reduction of cholesterol, depression of hypertension, anti-oxidation, anti-microbial, protection against cardiovascular disease and cancer. This study describes the development, electrochemical characterization and utilization of a novel functionalized graphene oxide/poly(p-aminohippuric acid)–sodium dodecyl sulfate nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrode (APTS@GO/PPAH-SDS/GCE) for the electrocatalytic determination of GA. The synthesized nanocomposite was characterized by different techniques such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, thermo-gravimetric analysis and transmission electron microscopy. The electrochemical oxidation of GA was investigated by cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry and amperometry. The modified electrode showed a potent and persistent electron mediating behavior followed by well-defined oxidation peak of GA and the linear range of 0.006–2000 µmol L^?1 with a detection limit of 1.7 nmol L^?1 for GA (S/N?=?3) using amperometric method. Also, it was successfully used for the GA determination in the black tea and tab water as real samples. Additionally, this electrode exhibited good stability and reproducibility. The results imply that the APTS@GO/PPAH-SDS nanocomposite might be a promising candidate for practical applications in GA electrochemical detection.     

Interaction of a plane progressive sound wave with a functionally graded spherical shell

An exact analysis is carried out to study interaction of a time-harmonic plane progressive sound field with a radially inhomogeneous thick-walled elastic isotropic spherical shell suspended in and filled with compressible ideal fluid mediums. Using the laminated approximation method, a modal state equation with variable coefficients is set up in terms of appropriate displacement and stress functions and their spherical harmonics. Taylor’s expansion theorem is then employed to obtain the solution to the modal state equation ultimately leading to calculation of a global transfer matrix. Numerical example is given for a water-submerged/air-filled Aluminum/Zirconia elastic spherical sandwich shell containing a functionally graded interlayer and subjected to an incident progressive plane sound wave. The mechanical properties of the interlayer are assumed to vary smoothly and continuously across the thickness with the change of volume concentration of its constituents. The effect of incident wave frequency, thickness and compositional gradient of the interlayer on the form function amplitude and the average radiation force acting on the composite shell are examined. Limiting cases are considered and fair agreements with well-known solutions are established.     

Vibration analysis of piezoelectric nanowires with surface and small scale effects

An analytical model for predicting surface effects on the free transverse vibrations of piezoelectric nanowires (NWs) is developed based on the non-local Euler-Bernoulli beam theory. The governing equation of motion for the piezoelectric NW with consideration of both surface and non-local effects is initially obtained, and the exact expressions for the natural frequencies and the fundamental buckling voltage are derived for simple support conditions. In addition, an explicit relationship between the residual surface tension and the small scale parameter of the piezoelectric NW, in terms of the critical electric potential at which the axial buckling occurs, is offered. Accordingly, a design chart is presented which may assist in experimental characterization of the mechanical properties of piezoelectric NW-based devices.     

Effect of imperfect bonding on axisymmetric elastodynamic response of a lined circular tunnel in poroelastic soil due to a moving ring load

A two-dimensional elasticity analysis for steady-state axisymmetric dynamic response of an arbitrarily thick elastic homogeneous hollow cylinder of infinite length, which is imperfectly bonded to the surrounding fluid-saturated permeable formation, subject to an axially moving ring load, is presented. The problem solution is derived by using Biot’s dynamic theory of poroelasticity in conjunction with double Fourier transformation with respect to time (frequency) and axial coordinate (axial wave number). The analytical results are illustrated with numerical examples in which a concrete tunnel lining of uniform wall thickness is imperfectly bonded to a surrounding water-saturated poroelastic formation of soft/stiff frame characteristic. Numerical solutions for the radial shell mid-plane and formation displacements are calculated by analytical (numerical) inversion of the Fourier transformation with respect to the frequency (axial wave number). Primary attention is focused on the influence of bonding condition at the liner/soil interface, formation material type, and load velocity on the system’s dynamic response. Limiting cases are considered and good agreements with the solutions available in the literature are obtained.     

Dynamic interaction of a spherical radiator in a fluid-filled cylindrical borehole within a poroelastic formation

Harmonic acoustic radiation from a modally oscillating spherical source positioned at the center of a fluid-filled cylindrical cavity embedded within a fluid-saturated porous elastic formation is studied in an exact manner. The formulation utilizes the Biot theory of dynamic poroelasticity along with the cylindrical to spherical wave-field transformations, and the pertinent boundary conditions to obtain a closed-form series solution. The analytical results are illustrated with a numerical example in which the spherical source, with its polar axis oriented along the main axis of a water-filled borehole and embedded within a water-saturated Ridgefield sandstone formation, is excited in vibrational modes of various orders. The magnitude of the reflected component of acoustic pressure along the axis of the borehole for a pulsating (n = 0), an oscillating (n = 1), and also a multipole (n = 0–3) spherical source as a function of the excitation frequency is calculated and discussed for representative values of the parameters characterizing the system. Special attention is paid to the effects of source excitation frequency, size, surface velocity profile, and internal impedance as well as borehole interface permeability condition on the reflected pressure magnitudes. Limiting cases are considered and fair agreements with well-known solutions are obtained.     

Radiation impedance loading of a spherical source in a two-dimensional perfect acoustic waveguide

We employ the classical method of separation of variables in combination with the method of images and the translational addition theorems for spherical wave functions to investigate the acoustic radiation load on a finite-sized spherical source which is submerged at an arbitrary point within a plane-parallel sound channel with absolutely reflecting boundaries. To simulate an idealized situation, it is supposed that the fluid layer is homogeneous and is bounded below by an acoustically hard surface and above by a rigid/compliant boundary. Subsequently, the resistive and the reactive components of the modal acoustic radiation impedance load as a function of source position for a pulsating (n = 0) and an oscillating (n = 1) sphere at selected nondimensional frequencies are calculated and discussed. The presented benchmark solution can lead to a better understanding of the acoustics of waveguide sources (transducers) that are of practical interest in underwater acoustics and ocean engineering. It could eventually be used to validate those found by numerical approximation techniques. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Transform-Limited Pulses Are Not Optimal for Resonant Multiphoton Transitions

Maximizing nonlinear light-matter interactions is a primary motive for compressing laser pulses to achieve ultrashort transform limited pulses. Here we show how, by appropriately shaping the pulses, resonant multiphoton transitions can be enhanced significantly beyond the level achieved by maximizing the pulse's peak intensity. We demonstrate the counterintuitive nature of this effect with an experiment in a resonant two-photon absorption, in which, by selectively removing certain spectral bands, the peak intensity of the pulse is reduced by a factor of 40, yet the absorption rate is doubled. Furthermore, by suitably designing the spectral phase of the pulse, we increase the absorption rate by a factor of 7.     

Scattering and active acoustic control from a submerged piezoelectric-coupled orthotropic hollow cylinder

A general exact analysis for three-dimensional scattering of a time-harmonic plane-progressive sound wave obliquely incident upon an arbitrarily thick bilaminated circular hollow cylinder of infinite extent, which is composed of a cylindrically orthotropic axially polarized piezoelectric inner layer perfectly bonded to an orthotropic outer layer, is presented. An approximate laminate model in the context of the so-called state space formulation along with the classical T-matrix solution technique involving a system global transfer matrix is employed to solve for the unknown modal scattering and transmission coefficients. Numerical example is given for an air-filled and water-submerged two-layered elasto-piezoelectric hybrid (steel/PZT4) hollow cylinder insonified by an obliquely incident unit-amplitude plane sound wave. Following the acoustic resonance scattering theory (RST), the total form function amplitude together with the associated global scattering, the far-field inherent background, and the resonance scattering coefficients of the nth normal mode are computed as a function of dimensionless frequency for selected angles of incidence, piezoelectric layer thickness parameters, and electrical boundary conditions (i.e., open/closed circuit or active). Also, the electrical voltage coefficients required for partial or complete cancellation of the reflected sound field are calculated. Limiting cases are considered and good agreements with the solutions available in the literature are obtained.