Experiments on New Arrangements of Convex and Concave Corrugated Tubes through a Double-pipe Heat Exchanger

The main scope of this article paper is to experimentally clarify the effects of outer-tube and inner-tube corrugations on thermal and frictional characteristics in a horizontal double-pipe heat exchanger. Nusselt number, friction factor, and thermal performance factor are evaluated for new various arrangements of convex and concave corrugated tubes. Smooth tubes were corrugated by means of a special machine. Findings indicate that the arrangement type of corrugated tubes has a significant effect on the mentioned parameters. The best performance was obtained for a heat exchanger made of a concave corrugated outer tube and a convex corrugated inner tube.     

Multi-objective optimization of a dimpled channel for heat transfer augmentation

Staggered arrays of dimples printed on opposite surfaces of a cooling channel is formulated numerically and optimized with hybrid multi-objective evolutionary algorithm and Pareto optimal front. As Pareto optimal front produces a set of optimal solutions, the trends of objective functions with design variables are predicted by hybrid multi-objective evolutionary algorithm. The problem is defined by three non-dimensional geometric design variables composed of dimpled channel height, dimple print diameter, dimple spacing, and dimple depth, to maximize heat transfer rate compromising with pressure drop. Twenty designs generated by Latin hypercube sampling were evaluated by Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes solver and the evaluated objectives were used to construct Pareto optimal front through hybrid multi-objective evolutionary algorithm. The optimum designs were grouped by k-means clustering technique and some of the clustered points were evaluated by flow analysis. With increase in dimple depth, heat transfer rate increases and at the same time pressure drop also increases, while opposite behavior is obtained for the dimple spacing. The heat transfer performance is related to the vertical motion of the flow and the reattachment length in the dimple.     

A novel electrochemical biosensor based on the electrospun nanofibrous nanocomposites of PCL-PPy-MWCNT towards determination of TNF-α biomarker

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - For TNF detection, a novel electrochemical biosensor based on the PCL-PPY-MWCNT electrospun nanofiber was developed in this study. TNF is a potent...     

An inimitable and ecological pleasant technique for the assessment of trace amount of copper (II) in tangible samples with new complexing reagent

A simple and rapid spectrophotometric technique has been designed for the trace copper analysis employing 1-(2-Thiazolylazo)-2-naphthol (TAN) reagent in aqueous micellar solution of cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a surfactant. Copper complexed with 1-(2-Thiazolylazo)-2-naphthol to form bis[1-(2-Thiazolylazo)-2-naphthol]copper. The present spectrophotometric technique was very important since the micellar system was used in place of the toxic, high cost and time-consuming solvent extraction steps. The technique showed an enhanced detection efficiency, specificity, and molar absorptivity. It was found that the molar absorption coefficient and sensitivity of Sandel were ε 2.45 × 10⁴ L mol^?1cm^?1 and 2.6 ngcm^?2 at λ_max 578.4 nm. A linear calibration plot in the range 0.12–5.0 μg mL^?1 was obtained; a stoichiometric metal ligand ratio [M:L] of 1:2 was found for the formation of Cu-[TAN]₂. The complex was formed at pH 9.5 and was stable up to 24 h. The proposed technique has been employed to study copper from different alloys, biological, environmental and pharmaceutical samples.     

Fabrication of graphene-based porous materials: traditional and emerging approaches

The anisotropic nature of ‘graphenic’ nanosheets enables them to form stable three-dimensional porous materials. The use of these porous structures has been explored in several applications including electronics and batteries, environmental remediation, energy storage, sensors, catalysis, tissue engineering, and many more. As method of fabrication greatly influences the final pore architecture, and chemical and mechanical characteristics and performance of these porous materials, it is essential to identify and address the correlation between property and function. In this review, we report detailed analyses of the different methods of fabricating porous graphene-based structures – with a focus on graphene oxide as the base material – and relate these with the resultant morphologies, mechanical responses, and common applications of use. We discuss the feasibility of the synthesis approaches and relate the GO concentrations used in each methodology against their corresponding pore sizes to identify the areas not explored to date.

Due to their anisotropic nature, graphene nanosheets can be used to form 3-dimensional porous materials using template-free and template-directed methodologies. These fabrication strategies are found to influence the properties of the final structure.     

Glycerol‐lactic acid star‐shaped oligomers as efficient biobased surface modifiers for improving superabsorbent polymer hydrogels

The glycerol‐lactic acid‐based star‐shaped modifier (SM) were synthesized and employed for surface modification of hygienic superabsorbent polymer (SAP) hydrogels for the first time. Surface crosslinking was carried out to increase the saline‐absorbency under load (AUL) and the swollen gel strength. The surface treatment process was analyzed employing free absorbency and AUL tests, salt sensitivity, attenuated total reflectance‐Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR‐FTIR), oscillatory rheometry, as well as scanning electron microscopy analysis. The effect of the branched architecture and the contents of SM on the properties of the modified SAPs were studied. The implementation of surface treatment leads to increase up to a 28% in the AUL of the modified SAP. Moreover, the loss modulus was surprisingly increased, while the storage modulus was enhanced (possibly due to the star architecture of oligomers). M_c and crosslink density values have been estimated based on modified rubber elasticity theory. Salt sensitivity factor (f) was calculated; the modified samples showed lower salt sensitivity in NaCl (f = 0.7) and CaCl₂ (f = 0.93–0.95) compared with the intact SAP (f = 0.84 for NaCl, and f = 0.95–0.97 for CaCl₂).     

Cinnamoylphenethyl amides from Polygonum hyrcanicum possess anti-trypanosomal activity

A methanolic extract from aerial parts of Polygonum hyrcanicum (Polygonaceae) showed high activity against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense (IC50 = 3.7 microg/mL). Bioassay-guided fractionation of the extract resulted in isolation of cinnamoylphenethyl amides, including N-trans-caffeoyltyramine (1), N-trans-p-coumaroyltyramine (7), and N-trans-feruloyltyramine (8) as the main active constituents (IC50s ranging from 2.2 to 13.3 microM). Some structurally related, but less active compounds, such as cannabisin B (2), tyrosol (3), p-coumaric acid (4), ferulic acid (5), and N-cis-feruloyltyramine (6) were also identified, along with N-trans-3,4-dimethoxycinnamoyldopamine (9). Cytotoxicity of the active compounds in L6 cells was determined, and selectivity indices (SI) of 7.9 to 33.4 were calculated.     

Screening of allelopathic trees for their antifungal potential against Alternaria alternata strains isolated from dying-back Eucalyptus spp

Antifungal activity of methanolic extracts of leaves of three tree species, namely Azadirachta indica L., Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels. and Melia azedarach L. was evaluated against two strains of Alternaria alternata, isolated from dying-back trees of two Eucalyptus spp., namely Eucalyptus citriodora and Eucalyptus globulus. All the concentrations (1,?2,?…?,?5% w/v) of the methanolic extracts of the three tree species significantly reduced the fungal biomass. There were reductions in the ranges 82-88%, 88-96% and 83-96% in the biomass of A. alternata strains due to different concentrations of the leaf extracts of S. cumini, A. indica and M. azedarach, respectively. Methanolic extract of M. azedarach was subjected to further fractionation using n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol successively in the order of increasing polarity. Aqueous and n-butanol fractions gave promising results in the significant decrease in fungal biomass. This study concludes that aqueous and n-butanol fractions of methanolic leaf extract of M. azedarach can be used as biofungicides for the management of A. alternata.     

Application of desymmetrization protocol for the formal total synthesis of emericellamide B

A highly convergent formal total synthesis of emericellamide B, a 19-membered antibacterial depsipeptide is described. The key feature of the strategy is the generation of four stereogenic centers from a bicyclic precursor via desymmetrization technique and utilization for emericellamide B and related natural product synthesis.     

Asymmetric deformation density analysis in carbon nanotubes

Electrons and holes as charge carriers appear when a molecular system is exposed to external electric field. For nonsymmetric molecules, the distribution of charge carriers is also nonsymmetric. Although symmetric distribution of charge carriers is expected when the molecular system is symmetric, as the present work shows, they are not symmetric unexpectedly; that is, electrons and holes are not each other's mirror images. In this respect, asymmetric deformation density analysis is introduced to measure the extent of asymmetric distribution of electrons and holes as charge carriers when the symmetric system is exposed to symmetric external potential. Segments of (5,0) carbon nanotubes with different lengths are selected as symmetric systems, and a linear electric field is applied along the principal axis as symmetric potential. Results show that, at high electric fields, electrons tend to localize at the ends, while holes tend to occupy the middle area of carbon nanotube segments. While charge carriers play a vital role in molecular conductivity, asymmetric distribution of electrons and holes in symmetric systems has not yet been reported.