Thermal comfort during heating and cooling periods in an automobile

Most vehicles have a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) device to control the thermal environments of interior of the vehicle. But, under hot summer season or cold winter conditions, it is difficult to achieve and maintain thermal comfort in an automobile from the start up to the steady-state conditions. During these transition periods, an understanding of human thermoregulatory processes facilitates the design and development of improved heating and cooling systems. This study presents a model of thermal interactions between a human body and the interior environment of an automobile. The model is based on the heat balance equation for human body, combined with empirical equations defining the sweat rate and mean skin temperature. Simulation has been performed by the use of transient conditions. The effects of both heating and cooling processes on the thermal comfort inside the automobile are investigated. Results are compared with the present measurements and available experimental data in the literature. It is shown that the agreement between the experimental data and the model is very good.     

Synthesis, spectroscopic and structural studies of new Schiff bases prepared from 3,5-Bu2t-salicylaldehyde and heterocyclic amines: X-ray structure of N-(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylidene)-1-ethylcarboxylato-4-aminopiperidine

Two new sterically hindered salicylaldimines, N-(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidine-4)-3,5-Bu2t-salicylaldimine (I) and N-(1-carboxyethyl piperidine-4)-3,5-Bu2t-salicylaldimine (II), have been prepared and characterized by IR, UV-vis, 1H NMR, 13C NMR techniques and the structure of II has been examined by X-ray crystallography. No intermolecular H-bonding, pi-pi stacking or C--H...pi interactions are observed in the structure. The crystal structure the was mainly governed by intermolecular steric repulsions, due to bulky tert-butyl groups and the tendency of salicylaldimine rings to pack in parallel mode forms one-dimensional columns.     

Improving electret properties of PP filaments with barium titanate

Barium titanate (BaTiO₃) containing polypropylene (PP) composite filaments were melt spun to modify polymer electrostatic charging characteristics. Sample filaments were charged with a corona instrument and their surface potentials were measured. Initial surface potential as well as potential stability was monitored through an accelerated decay procedure. It was found that both BaTiO₃ concentration and charging temperature influence the charging characteristics of the fibers. When BaTiO₃/PP composite filaments were charged at 130 °C, significant enhancements were observed when compared to samples charged at room temperature. The distribution of BaTiO₃ particles within the filaments and changes in the crystal structure were also examined.     

Fatty acid composition and chemotaxonomic evaluation of species of Stachys

The fatty acid composition of the seed oil of 23 Stachys taxa was analysed by GC/MS. The main compounds were found to be linoleic (27.1-64.3%), oleic (20.25-48.1%), palmitic (4.3-9.1%), stearic (trace to 5.2%) and 6-octadecynoic (2.2-34.1%) acids. The latter compound could be used as a chemotaxonomic marker of the genus Stachys. A cluster analysis was performed for comparison and characterisation of the seed oil from Stachys species.     

Cu(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Mn(II), and Fe(II) metal complexes containing N,N′-(3,4-diaminobenzophenon)-3,5-But2-salicylaldimine ligand: Synthesis,structural characterization,thermal properties,electrochemistry, and spectroelectrochemistry

The synthesis, structure, spectroscopic and electro-spectrochemical properties of steric hindered Schiff-base ligand [N,N′-(3,4-benzophenon)-3,5-Bu^t₂-salicylaldimine (LH₂)] and its mononuclear Cu(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Mn(II) and Fe(II) complexes are described in this work. The new dissymmetric steric hindered Schiff-base ligand containing a donor set of NONO was prepared through reaction of 3,4-diaminobenzophenon with 3,5-Bu^t₂-salicylaldehyde. Certain metal complexes of this ligand were synthesized by treating an ethanolic solution of the ligand with an equimolar amount of metal salts. The ligand and its complexes were characterized by FT-IR, UV–vis, ¹H NMR, elemental analysis, molar conductivity and thermal analysis methods in addition to magnetic susceptibility, electrochemistry and spectroelectrochemistry techniques. The tetradentate and mononuclear metal complexes were obtained by reacting N,N′-(3,4-benzophenon)-3,5-Bu^t₂-salicylaldimine (LH₂) with some metal acetate in a 1:1 mole ratio. The molar conductance data suggest metal complexes to be non-electrolytes.     

Three-dimensional study of planar optical antennas made of split-ring architecture outperforming dipole antennas for increased field localization

Optical antennas are of fundamental importance for the strongly localizing field beyond the diffraction limit. We report that planar optical antennas made of split-ring architecture are numerically found in three-dimensional simulations to outperform dipole antennas for the enhancement of localized field intensity inside their gap regions. The computational results (finite-difference time-domain) indicate that the resulting field localization, which is of the order of many thousandfold, in the case of the split-ring resonators is at least 2 times stronger than the one in the dipole antennas resonant at the same operating wavelength, while the two antenna types feature the same gap size and tip sharpness.     

A nitrate-selective electrode based on tris(2,2',2"-salicylideneimino)triethylamine.

A new nitrate-selective liquid-membrane electrode based on the tris(2,2',2"-salicylideneimino)triethylamine-iron(III) complex has been developed. This electrode exhibits a linear Nernstian response over the range 10(-1)-10(-4) M of nitrate, with a slope of 54.3 +/- 0.9 mV per p[NO3]. The effects of the pH and the liquid-membrane composition were also investigated. The lifetime of the electrode is at least one month. The selectivity coefficients for ten monovalent ions were calculated. The preparation procedure of the electrode is very easy and inexpensive. Moreover, the proposed electrode was applied for the determination of nitrate in fertilizers.