Deposition of ZnS thin film by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis: effect of thickness on the crystallographic and electrical properties

Zinc sulfide (ZnS) thin films have been deposited on Si (1 0 0) substrate using ultrasonic spray pyrolysis. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that the films are (0 0 2) preferentially oriented with c-axis-oriented wurtzite structure. The crystallinity has been found to improve with film thickness in the 180–6000 nm range. Film structure has been analyzed by XRD, scanning electron microscope, FTIR, and Raman spectroscopies, while the stoichiometry has been verified by energy-dispersive spectroscopy and particle-induced X-ray emission techniques. Electrical properties of the grown films were characterized by current–voltage and capacitance–voltage measurements where, the films show better conducting behavior at higher thickness.     

Thermodynamic analysis of MHD Couette–Poiseuille flow of water-based nanofluids in a rotating channel with radiation and Hall effects

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - This study will focus on the first- and second-law analyses of MHD Couette–Poiseuille flow of water-based nanofluids in a rotating permeable...     

Robust improvement schemes for road networks under demand uncertainty

This paper is concerned with development of improvement schemes for road networks under future travel demand uncertainty. Three optimization models, sensitivity-based, scenario-based and min–max, are proposed for determining robust optimal improvement schemes that make system performance insensitive to realizations of uncertain demands or allow the system to perform better against the worst-case demand scenario. Numerical examples and simulation tests are presented to demonstrate and validate the proposed models.     

New many fold 1,2,3‐selenadiazole aromatic derivatives

The many fold aromatic ketones 2a‐d are versatile compounds for the synthesis of the many fold 1,2,3‐selenadiazole aromatic derivatives 5a‐d . The preparation starts with the reaction between the many fold bromomethylene benzene derivatives 1a‐d and 4‐hydroxyacetophenone, which are transformed through the reaction with semicarbazide hydrochloride or ethylhydrazine carboxylate into the corresponding semicarbazones derivatives 3a‐d or hydrazones 4a‐d . The reaction with selenium dioxide leads to regiospecific ring closure of semicarbazones or hydrazones to give the many fold 1,2,3‐selenadiazole aromatic derivatives in high yield.     

Seasonal variations of the composition,structural features,and antitumor properties of polysaccharides from <Emphasis Type=Italic>Padina pavonica</Emphasis> (Lebanon) as a function of composition

The variation of the polysaccharide composition of the brown alga Padina pavonica from the Mediterranean Sea was studied as a function of the collection season (April–July). It was shown that the principal polysaccharide (8.0-13.3% of dry alga weight) was alginic acid. Its content did not undergo significant changes from April to July. The content of water-soluble polysaccharides (laminarans and fucoidans) was low (<0.3% of dry alga weight). Water-soluble polysaccharides of the studied alga were practically pure fucoidan. The amount of laminarans was insignificant (<0.01% of dry alga weight). The content of fucoidans increased in alga samples from May through July. It was shown that P. pavonica is a promising source of alginic acids, which have a high capacity for gelation, and fucoidans, which exhibit antitumor action against RPMI-7951 human melanoma cells.     

Uncommon perspectives in palladium- and copper-catalysed arylation and heteroarylation of terminal alkynes following Heck or Sonogashira protocols: Interactions copper/ligand,formation of diynes,reaction and processes in ionic liquids

Conjugated alkynes are recurring building blocks in natural products and in a wide range of important compounds, such as pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, or molecular materials. The palladium-catalysed cross-coupling reaction between the sp²-hybridized carbon atoms of aryl, heteroaryl, and vinyl halides with the sp-hybridized carbon atoms of terminal alkynes is one of the most important developments in the field of alkyne chemistry over the past 50 years. Room for improvement still exists in these important reactions of direct arylation of terminal alkynes. In this prospect, the present authors have developed several strategies aiming at improving the reactivity, the selectivity, and several aspects of processes involving the palladium-catalysed alkyne arylation and heteroarylation reactions, in relation with sustainable chemistry. Various original approaches have thus been adopted: (i) the development of catalytic systems efficient at low metal loading below 1 mol% of palladium and copper (to reduce metal contamination) from polydentate ligands chemistry, (ii) the limitation of diyne formation by undesired side-reaction, this from a better mechanistic understanding and the innovating use of copper adducts, (iii) and the development of cost-efficient catalytic reactions in ionic liquid solvents. These topics have been developed with the general outlook of a large scope in organic synthesis. In addition, the investigation of recycling opportunities and the unprecedented production of extendedly conjugated bis(aryl)diynes has been also achieved. The present account reviews all this work, as it has been presented by the corresponding author at GECOM–CONCOORD 2012 as recipient of the 2012 European journal of Inorganic Chemistry Young Investigator Award.     

Complex aggregation patterns in drying nanocolloidal suspensions: size matters when it comes to the thermomechanical stability of nanoparticle-based structures

We report the results of a model study on the interrelation among the occurrence of complex aggregation patterns in drying nanofluids, the size of the constitutive nanoparticles (NPs), and the drying temperature, which is a critical issue in the genesis of complex drying patterns that was never systematically reported before. We show that one can achieve fine control over the occurrence and topological features of these drying-mediated complex structures through the combination of the particle size, the drying temperature, and the substrate surface energy. Most importantly, we show that a transition in the occurrence of the patterns appears with the temperature and the particle size, which accounts for the size dependence of the thermomechanical stability of the aggregates in the nanoscale range. Using simple phenomenological and scaling considerations, we showed that the thermomechanical stability of the aggregates was underpinned by physical quantities that scale with the size of the NPs (R) either as R(-2) or R(-3). These insights into the size-dependent dissipation mechanisms in nanoclusters should help in designing NPs-based structures with tailored thermomechanical and environmental stability and hence with an optimized morphological stability that guarantees their long-term functional properties.     

Spectroscopic characterization of alkaline earth uranyl carbonates

A series of alkaline uranyl carbonates, M[UO₂(CO₃)₃]·nH₂O (M=Mg₂, Ca₂, Sr₂, Ba₂, Na₂Ca, and CaMg) was synthesized and characterized by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) after nitric acid digestion, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and thermal analysis (TGA/DTA). The molecular structure of these compounds was characterized by extended X-ray absorption fine-structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Crystalline Ba₂[UO₂(CO₃)₃]·6H₂O was obtained for the first time. The EXAFS analysis showed that this compound consists of (UO₂)(CO₃)₃ clusters similar to the other alkaline earth uranyl carbonates. The average U-Ba distance is 3.90±0.02 Å.Fluorescence wavelengths and life times were measured using time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS). The U-O bond distances determined by EXAFS, TRLFS, XPS, and Raman spectroscopy agree within the experimental uncertainties. The spectroscopic signatures observed could be useful for identifying uranyl carbonate species adsorbed on mineral surfaces.     

NiO@CuO@Cu bilayered electrode: two-step electrochemical synthesis supercapacitor properties

Present work deals with a two-step synthesis and electrochemical properties of nickel oxide @copper oxide@copper (NiO@CuO@Cu) bilayered electrode. In the first step, anodization (40 V for 25 min) of Cu foil has been carried out for forming Cu-hydroxide@Cu which when annealed at 300 °C for 1 h produces CuO@Cu. In the second step, Ni-hydroxide is deposited onto CuO@Cu by applying current density of 0.03 A/cm² for 3 min which when re-annealed at 300 °C for 1 h gives out NiO@CuO@Cu bilayered electrode. Obtained NiO@CuO@Cu bilayered electrode demonstrates separate CuO and NiO phases. The electrochemical properties have obtained using cyclic voltammetry, galvonostatic charge-discharge, and Nyquist plot measurements that reveal an importance of NiO@CuO@Cu as a potential electrode material in the electrochemical supercapacitor application with 58.14, 51.25, and 4.73 F g^?1 values in 0.5 M, NaOH, KOH, and Na₂SO₄ electrolytes, respectively, measured at 2 mVs^?1 scan rate.     

Students’ conceptual understanding of a function and its derivative in an experimental calculus course

Calculus has been witnessing fundamental changes in its curriculum, with an increased emphasis on visualization. This mode for representing mathematical concepts is gaining more strength due to the advances in computer technology and the development of dynamical mathematical software. This paper focuses on the understanding of the function and its derivative as viewed by students of a reformed Calculus 1 course offered in two experimental sections at the Lebanese American University in Beirut, Lebanon. Results have shown that the general approach adopted in the course proved to be unpopular for a great majority of the students, but rewarding for others. Interviews conducted with some students and a study of their performance on very specific exam questions reveal that for most students, the algebraic representation of a function still dominated their thinking; however, these students showed an almost complete understanding of the derivative, particularly the idea of the instantaneous rate of change and/or the slope of a curve at a given point. Furthermore, very few of these students referred to the mechanical methods for finding derivatives.