Adsorption of acridine yellow G from aqueous solutions using functionalized graphene nanoplatelets/modified polybutadiene hybrid composite

This paper presents an analysis of adsorption of acridine yellow G (AYG) from aqueous solutions through the use of functionalized grapheme nanoplatelets/modified polybutadiene hybrid composite (FGNPs/MPB). The adsorption of AYG onto FGNPs/MPB was investigated based on the AYG concentration, pH, contact time, temperature, and adsorbent dose. A maximum adsorption capacity was obtained at a pH of 7 (23.7 mg/g), an adsorbent dose of 1.0 g/L (20.8 mg/g), and an initial AYG concentration of 28.5 mg/L (16.9 mg/g). The value of q_e of FGNPs/MPB increases with an increase in temperature from 293 to 323 K. Equilibrium isotherm data were analyzed using the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The Langmuir model best describes the adsorption processes of AYG, which showed that the monolayer adsorption capacity of FGNPs/MBP is 22.9 mg/g. The pseudofirst-order, pseudosecond-order, and intraparticle diffusion models were used to study the kinetics of the AYG adsorption onto FGNPs/MPB. The pseudosecond-order model better described kinetic data for the adsorption of AYG onto FGNPs/MPB. Thermodynamic parameters, such as the Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, and entropy, indicated that the AYG adsorption onto FGNPs/MPB was spontaneous feasible, and endothermic.     

A semi-empirical method for calculation of true coincidence corrections for the case of a close-in detection in γ-ray spectrometry

In this paper, a semi-empirical method is proposed to determine true coincidence-summing (TCS) correction factors for high resolution γ-ray spectrometry. It needs the knowledge of both full energy peak (FEP) efficiency and total-to-peak (TTP) efficiency curves. The TTP efficiency curve is established from the measurements with a set of coincidence-free point sources. Whereas for a volume source, the coincidence-free FEP efficiency curve is obtained iteratively by using the peaks from almost the coincidence-free nuclides and those from the coincident nuclides in the mixed standard sources. Then the fitting parameters obtained for both TTP and FEP efficiency curves are combined in a freely-available TCS calculation program called TrueCoinc, which yields the TCS correction factors required for any nuclide. As an application, the TCS correction factors were determined for the particular peaks of ²³⁸U, ²²⁶Ra and ²³²Th in the reference materials, measured in the case of a close-in detection geometry using a well-type Ge detector. The present TCS correction method can be applied without difficulty to all Ge detectors for any coincident nuclide.     

Molecularly imprinted polymer based potentiometric sensor for the determination of hydroxyzine in tablets and biological fluids

Molecular imprinting is a useful technique for the preparation of functional materials with molecular recognition properties. In this work, a biomimetic potentiometric sensor, based on a non-covalent imprinted polymer, was fabricated for the recognition and determination of hydroxyzine in tablets and biological fluids. The molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was synthesized by precipitation polymerization, using hydroxyzine dihydrochloride as a template molecule, methacrylic acid (MAA) as a functional monomer and ethylene glycol dimethacrylat (EGDMA) as a cross-linking agent. The sensor showed a high selectivity and a sensitive response to the template in aqueous system. The MIP-modified electrode exhibited a Nernstian response (29.4 ± 1.0 mV decade⁻¹) in a wide concentration range of 1.0 × 10⁻⁶ to 1.0 × 10⁻¹ M with a lower detection limit of 7.0 × 10⁻⁷ M. The electrode demonstrated a response time of ∼15 s, a high performance and a satisfactory long-term stability (more than 5 months). The method has the requisite accuracy, sensitivity and precision to assay hydroxyzine in tablets and biological fluids.     

Analytical and numerical solutions of a generalized hyperbolic non-Newtonian fluid flow

Generalized hyperbolic non-Newtonian fluid model first proposed by Al-Zahrani [1] is considered. The model was successfully applied to some drilling fluids with better performance in relating shear stress and velocity gradient compared to power-law and Hershel-Bulkley model. Special flow geometries namely pipe flow, parallel plate flow and flow between two rotating cylinders are treated. For the first two cases, analytical solutions of velocity profiles in the form of integrals are presented. For the flow between two rotating cylinders, the differential equation is solved by Runge-Kutta method combined with shooting. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Copolymers of 7-Methoxy-2-Acetyl Benzofuryl Methylmethacrylate With Styrene: Synthesis,Characterization, Reactivity Ratios and Determination of Kinetic Parameters With Thermogravimetric Analysis

The 7-methoxy-2-acetyl benzofuryl methylmethacrylate (MABMM) monomer was synthesized by reacting 7-methoxy-2-bromo acetyl benzofurane with sodium methacrylate in acetonitrile solvent at 70°C in the presence of triethylbenzylammoniumchloride (TEBAC). The monomer was characterized by FTIR, ¹H-and ¹³C-NMR spectral studies. Reactivity ratios for the copolymers 7-methoxy-2-acetyl benzofuryl methylmethacrylate (MABMM)-co- styrene (ST) are reported. Copolymers were prepared by free radical polymerization using 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiator at 70°C in 1,4-dioxane solution. FTIR, ¹H-and ¹³C-NMR spectral studies and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) were used the copolymer characterization. The monomer compositions in the copolymer were determined by elementel analyses and the reactivity ratios (ri) were calculated applying diverse linear methods, namely Finemann-Ross (FR) and Kelen-Tüdös (KT) and the nonlinear error invariable model method of a computer program RREVM. By using the latter pr°Cedure, the values of the reactivity ratios were estimated as 2.74 and 0.69 for the system MABMM (1) and ST (2), respectively. These values suggest the formation of nearly-alternating copolymers in the systems. Molecular weights were determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The polydispersity indices of the polymers determined using suggest a strong tendency for chain termination by disproportionation. The glass transition temperature of the polymers were investigated by Shimadzu DSC-60 and the apparent thermal decomposition activation energies (E_d) were calculated by the Ozawa method using the Perkin-Elmer TGA thermobalance, respectively. Tg increases when the concentration of polar monomer (MABMM) in the copolymer increases. It was observed that thermal stabilities of copolymers increased with increasing of MABMM content in copolymers.     

Sol–gel-based silver nanoparticles-doped silica – Polydiphenylamine nanocomposite for micro-solid-phase extraction

A nanocomposite of silica-polydiphenylamine doped with silver nanoparticles (Ag–SiO₂-PDPA) was successfully synthesized by the sol–gel process. For its preparation, PDPA was mixed with butanethiol capped Ag nanoparticles (NPs) and added to the silica sol solution. The Ag NPs were stabilized as a result of their adsorption on the SiO₂ spheres. The surface characteristic of nanocomposite was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In this work the Ag–SiO₂-PDPA nanocomposite was employed as an efficient sorbent for micro-solid-phase extraction (μ-SPE) of some selected pesticides. An amount of 15 mg of the prepared sorbent was used to extract and determine the representatives from organophosphorous, organochlorine and aryloxyphenoxy propionic acids from aqueous samples. After the implementation of extraction process, the analytes were desorbed by methanol and determined using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Important parameters influencing the extraction and desorption processes such as pH of sample solution, salting out effect, type and volume of the desorption solvent, the sample loading and eluting flow rates along with the sample volume were experimentally optimized. Limits of detection (LODs) and the limits of quantification (LOQs) were in the range of 0.02–0.05 μg L⁻¹ and 0.1–0.2 μg L⁻¹, respectively, using time scheduled selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. The relative standard deviation percent (RSD %) with four replicates was in the range of 6–10%. The applicability of the developed method was examined by analyzing different environmental water samples and the relative recovery (RR %) values for the spiked water samples were found to be in the range of 86–103%.     

Higgs boson searches via dileptonic bottomonium decays

We explore the pseudoscalar ηb${\eta }_b$ and the scalar χ_b0${\chi }_{b0}$ decays into ?⁺?⁻${?}^{+}{?}^{-}$ to probe whether it is possible to probe the Higgs sectors beyond that of the Standard Model. We, in particular, focus on the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model, and determine the effects of its Higgs bosons on the aforementioned bottomonium decays into lepton pairs. We find that the dileptonic branchings of the bottomonia can be sizeable for a relatively light Higgs sector.     

Design and physicochemical characterization of magnetic nano-dendritic catalysts: a novel approach for vitamin K3 selective production

High pollution, low-productivity, formation of by-products, and costly recovery of the vitamin are the challenges in common vitamin K₃ synthesis methods on the industrial scale. These have encouraged us to design and characterize novel magnetic dendrimer nanoparticles based on silica-coated iron oxide (SCIO-(l5/l8)-G_2.0) for nano-encapsulation of Pd, Mn, and Co to highly efficiently selectively synthesize vitamin K₃. The CHN, BET, ICP, AAS, TEM, FESEM, TGA, DLS, EDS and XPS techniques were employed to intensively identify the obtained dendritic catalysts. Furthermore, the chemical stability of dendritic catalysts and influence of four various experimental factors were assessed by long-term study and response surface methodology analysis, respectively. The characterization results confirmed that all dendritic catalysts have a quasi-spherical morphology with mean size 20–30 nm, which could provide abundant active sites, high specific surface area and also increase the contact efficiency between the active sites and reactants. These results illustrated that the catalytic efficiency (TOF) depend strongly on the chemical structures as well as Lewis sites and natures (SCIO-l8-G_2.0-Pd(II)?>?SCIO-l8-G_2.0-Co(II)?>?SCIO-l8-G_2.0-Mn(II)?>?SCIO-l5-G_2.0-Pd(II)).

Graphical abstract

     

An expeditious synthesis of cyanohydrin trimethylsilyl ethers using tetraethylammonium 2-(carbamoyl)benzoate as a bifunctional organocatalyst

Phthalimide and tetraethylammonium hydroxide react via an unusual pathway to afford tetraethylammonium 2-(carbamoyl)benzoate (TEACB) which is of interest as a bifunctional organocatalyst. TEACB (0.5 mol %) was found to catalyze the addition of trimethylsilyl cyanide (TMSCN) to carbonyl compounds under solvent-free conditions at room temperature with very short reaction times. A wide variety of aldehydes and ketones were transformed into the corresponding cyanohydrin trimethylsilyl ethers in high to quantitative yields.