Preparation and characterization of the polymer electrolyte system ENR50/PVC/EC/PC/LiN(CF<Subscript>3</Subscript>SO<Subscript>2</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript> for electrochemical device applications

Polymer electrolytes containing epoxidised natural rubber (ENR50)/poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) blend as a polymer host, a solvent mixture of ethylene carbonate (EC) and propylene carbonate (PC) as a plasticizer, and lithium imide, LiN (CF₃SO₂)₂, as a salt were studied. Polymer electrolytes that were obtained by solvent cast yielded solid dry rubbery films with a thickness range of 110–125 μm. Impedance spectroscopy, Fourier transform infra red (FTIR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were performed on these samples. The prepared solid polymer electrolytes exhibit ionic conductivities in the order 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹ at room temperature as expected. However, the physical properties of the electrolytes have improved significantly when optimal composition has been selected. Paper presented at the International Conference on Solid State Science and Technology 2006, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia, Sept. 4–6, 2006.     

Photovoltaic properties of ZnO photoanode incorporating with CNTs for dye-sensitized solar cell application

Zinc oxide carbon nanotube (ZnO-CNTs) thin films were prepared by a chemical bath deposition (CBD) method and immersed in N719 dye for 24 h. The structure and surface morphology of the samples was captured by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field effect scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) unit, respectively. The photovoltaic properties of ZnO- and ZnO-CNT-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were measured by considering the power conversion efficiency (η), photocurrent density (J _sc), open-circuit voltage (V _oc), and fill factor (FF). The cell's efficiency doped with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) reached 0.65 and 0.28 %, respectively. ZnO-based DSSC generated only η?=?0.003 %. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) unit was employed to investigate the electron transport properties such as effective electron lifetime (τ _eff), effective electron chemical diffusion coefficient (D _eff), and effective electron diffusion length (L _n ). The addition of CNTs has enhanced the photovoltaic properties of the DSSCs and reduced the recombination effect inside the solar cell.     

Catalytic Properties of Caseinolytic Protease Subunit of Plasmodium knowlesi and Its Inhibition by a Member of δ-Lactone,Hyptolide

The caseinolytic protease (Clp) system plays an essential role in the protein homeostasis of the malaria parasite, particularly at the stage of apicoplast development. The inhibition of this protein is known to have a lethal effect on the parasite and is therefore considered an interesting avenue for antimalaria drugs discovery. The catalytic activity of the Clp system is modulated by its proteolytic subunit (ClpP), which belongs to the serine protease family member and is therefore extensively studied for further inhibitors development. Among many inhibitors, the group of β-lactone is known to be a specific inhibitor for ClpP. Nevertheless, other groups of lactones have never been studied. This study aims to characterize the catalytic properties of ClpP of Plasmodium knowlesi (Pk-ClpP) and the inhibition properties of a δ-lactone hyptolide against this protein. Accordingly, a codon-optimized synthetic gene encoding Pk-ClpP was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) and purified under a single step of Ni²⁺-affinity chromatography, yielding a 2.20 mg from 1 L culture. Meanwhile, size-exclusion chromatography indicated that Pk-ClpP migrated primarily as homoheptameric with a size of 205 kDa. The specific activity of pure Pk-ClpP was 0.73 U µg⁻¹, with a catalytic efficiency k_cat/K_M of 0.05 µM⁻¹ s⁻¹, with optimum temperature and pH of 50 °C and 7.0–7.5, respectively. Interestingly, hyptolide, a member of δ-lactone, was shown to inhibit Pk-ClpP with an IC₅₀ value of 17.36 ± 1.44 nM. Structural homology modelling, secondary structure prediction, and far-UV CD spectra revealed that helical structures dominate this protein. In addition, the structural homology modeling showed that this protein forms a barrel-shaped homoheptamer. Docking simulation revealed that the inhibition was found to be a competitive inhibition in which hyptolide was able to dock into the catalytic site and block the substrate. The competitiveness of hyptolide is due to the higher binding affinity of this molecule than the substrate.     

A Domain Integral Equation for the Bergman Kernel

Certain integral operators involving the Szegö, the Bergman and the Cauchy kernels are known to have the reproducing property. Both the Szegö and the Bergman kernels have series representations in terms of an orthonormal basis. In this paper we derive the Cauchy kernel by means of biorthogonality. The ideas involved are then applied to construct a non-Hermitian kernel admitting a reproducing property for a space associated with the Bergman kernel. The construction leads to a domain integral equation for the Bergman kernel.^{1 2}     

High-Surface-Area-Activated Carbon Derived from Mango Peels and Seeds Wastes via Microwave-Induced ZnCl2 Activation for Adsorption of Methylene Blue Dye Molecules: Statistical Optimization and Mechanism

In this study, Mango (Mangifera indica) seeds (MS) and peels (MP) seeds mixed fruit wastes were employed as a renewable precursor to synthesize high-surface-area-activated carbon (MSMPAC) by using microwave-induced ZnCl₂ activation. Thus, the applicability of MSMPAC was evaluated towards the removal of cationic dye (methylene blue, MB) from an aqueous environment. The key adsorption factors, namely A: MSMPAC dose (0.02–0.1 g), B: pH (4–10), and C: time (5–15 min), were inspected using the desirability function of the Box-Behnken design (BBD). Thus, the adsorption isotherm data were found to correspond well with the Langmuir model with a maximum adsorption capacity of (232.8 mg/g). Moreover, the adsorption kinetics were consistent with both pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models. The spontaneous and endothermic nature of MB adsorption on the MSMPAC surface could be inferred from the negative ∆G° values and positive value of ∆H°, respectively. Various mechanisms namely electrostatic forces, pore filling, π-π stacking, and H-bonding govern MB adsorption by the MSMPAC. This study demonstrates the utility of MS and MP as renewable precursors to produce high-surface area MSMPAC with a potential application towards the removal of cationic organic dyes such as MB.     

Nitrile functionalized silver(I) <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-heterocyclic carbene complexes: DFT calculations and antitumor studies

A series of aliphatic nitrile functionalized benzimidazolium salts and their respective mononuclear N-heterocyclic carbene Ag(I)-NHC complexes are reported. The benzimidazolium salts were synthesized by N-alkylation of 1H-benzimidazole with an appropriate alkyl bromide, followed by reaction with either 5-bromovaleronitrile or 6-bromohexanenitrile. The respective mononuclear Ag(I)-NHC complexes were prepared by the reaction of the benzimidazolium salts with Ag₂O. All the synthesized compounds were characterized by physico-chemical and spectroscopic techniques. The molecular structures of the two complexes were elucidated through single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. Density functional theory was used to model the structures of the other complexes. The benzimidazolium salts and their complexes were screened for cytotoxicity against a breast cancer cell line (MCF-7), using the MTT assay. All the Ag(I)-NHC complexes gave IC₅₀ values ranging from 7.0 ± 1.06 to 12.9 ± 1.55 µM which are comparable to the standard drug, tamoxifen (IC₅₀ = 11.2 ± 1.84 µM), while all of the benzimidazolium salts proved to be inactive.     

Dependence of the wake on inclination of a stationary cylinder

Three-dimensional vorticity in the wake of an inclined stationary circular cylinder was measured simultaneously using a multi-hot wire vorticity probe over a streamwise range of x/d = 10–40. The study aimed to examine the dependence of the wake characteristics on cylinder inclination angle α (=0°–45°). The validity of the independence principle (IP) for vortex shedding was also examined. It was found that the spanwise mean velocity which represents the three-dimensionality of the wake flow, increases monotonically with α. The root-mean-square (rms) values of the streamwise (u) and spanwise (w) velocities and the three vorticity components decrease significantly with the increase of α, whereas the transverse velocity (v) does not follow the same trend. The vortex shedding frequency decreases with the increase of α. The Strouhal number (St _N), obtained by using the velocity component normal to the cylinder axis, remains approximately a constant within the experimental uncertainty (±8%) when α is smaller than about 40°. The autocorrelation coefficients ρ _u and ρ _v of the u and v velocity signals show apparent periodicity for all inclination angles. With increasing α, ρ _u and ρ _v decrease and approach zero quickly. In contrast, the autocorrelation coefficient ρ _w of w increases with α in the near wake, implying an enhanced three-dimensionality of the wake.     

Analysis of Co-Tunneling Current in Fullerene Single-Electron Transistor

Single-electron transistors (SETs) are nano devices which can be used in low-power electronic systems. They operate based on coulomb blockade effect. This phenomenon controls single-electron tunneling and it switches the current in SET. On the other hand, co-tunneling process increases leakage current, so it reduces main current and reliability of SET. Due to co-tunneling phenomenon, main characteristics of fullerene SET with multiple islands are modelled in this research. Its performance is compared with silicon SET and consequently, research result reports that fullerene SET has lower leakage current and higher reliability than silicon counterpart. Based on the presented model, lower co-tunneling current is achieved by selection of fullerene as SET island material which leads to smaller value of the leakage current. Moreover, island length and the number of islands can affect on co-tunneling and then they tune the current flow in SET.     

Effects of thermal treatment and sonication on quality attributes of Chokanan mango (Mangifera indica L.) juice

Ultrasonic treatment is an emerging food processing technology that has growing interest among health-conscious consumers. Freshly squeezed Chokanan mango juice was thermally treated (at 90 °C for 30 and 60 s) and sonicated (for 15, 30 and 60 min at 25 °C, 40 kHz frequency, 130 W) to compare the effect on microbial inactivation, physicochemical properties, antioxidant activities and other quality parameters. After sonication and thermal treatment, no significant changes occurred in pH, total soluble solids and titratable acidity. Sonication for 15 and 30 min showed significant improvement in selected quality parameters except color and ascorbic acid content, when compared to freshly squeezed juice (control). A significant increase in extractability of carotenoids (4–9%) and polyphenols (30–35%) was observed for juice subjected to ultrasonic treatment for 15 and 30 min, when compared to the control. In addition, enhancement of radical scavenging activity and reducing power was observed in all sonicated juice samples regardless of treatment time. Thermal and ultrasonic treatment exhibited significant reduction in microbial count of the juice. The results obtained support the use of sonication to improve the quality of Chokanan mango juice along with safety standard as an alternative to thermal treatment.