Elaboration and characterisation of a plasticized cellulose triacetate membrane containing trioctylphosphine oxyde (TOPO): Application to the transport of uranium and molybdenum ions

A cellulose triacetate (CTA) membrane containing trioctylphosphine oxyde (TOPO) as carrier and 2-nitrophenyloctyl ether (NPOE) as a plasticizer was prepared. The membrane CTA + NPOE + TOPO was characterised using chemical techniques as well as Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The CTA membrane is characterised by well-defined pores; these pores are completely filled with the NPOE and carrier. Surfaces of membranes with TOPO are smooth. The systems constituted by the mixture of CTA + NPOE, CTA + NPOE + TOPO do not give any diffraction. This can be due to the absence of crystallization within the membrane. On the other hand, this result should be attributable to the amorphous state of the structure, which permits us to eliminate the mechanism of transfer of the ions by electron jump. A comparative study of transport across a polymer inclusion membrane (PIM) and a supported liquid membrane (SLM) containing the same carrier in chloroform has shown that uranium or molybdenum transport efficiency was increased using PIM instead of SLM. PIM showed higher stability than SLM, the flux of transport remain constant in the former case after 2 weeks.     

The effect of gamma irradiation on glass transition temperature and thermal stability of Se96Sn4 chalcogenide glass

Se₉₆Sn₄ chalcogenide glass was prepared by melt quenching technique and exposed, at room temperature, to different doses of 4, 8, 12, 24 and 33 kGy of high-energy ⁶⁰Co gamma irradiation. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) was used under non-isothermal condition to determine the glass transition temperature T_g, onset T_c and peak T_p temperatures of crystallization, of un-irradiated and γ-irradiated samples, at four different heating rates. The variation of T_g with heating rates was utilized to calculate the glass transition activation energy E_t for un-irradiated and γ-irradiated glass, using the methods suggested by Kissinger and Moynihan. Based on the obtained values of the characteristic temperatures T_g, T_c and T_p, thermal stability was monitored through the calculation of the S parameter and the crystallization rate factor 〈K_p〉 for irradiated and un-irradiated glass. Results reveal that, as γ-dose increases T_g increases up to 12 kGy then decreases at higher doses but remains more than that of un-irradiated glass. Meanwhile, both E_t and 〈K_p〉 attain their minimum values at the same dose of 12 kGy and the glass is thermally stable at this particular dose.     

Thermal Aging Effects on Cu Ball Shear Strength and Cu/Al Intermetallic Growth

Intermetallic growth and ball shear behavior of annealed Cu wire bonds on Al have been studied. The shear strength of Cu ball bonds decreased with time, and ductile fracture was the dominant failure mode from 125°C to 150°C. Al pad peel-off occurred as the aging temperature was increased above 150°C. The overall Cu/Al intermetallic thickness exhibited parabolic behavior as a function of time. A linear correlation was established between ball shear strength, metal peel-off occurrence, and intermetallic growth. The Cu/Al intermetallic growth activation energy was 0.23 eV, and the intermetallics identified in the experiment were CuAl₂ and CuAl.     

Cross-gain modulation in closely spaced energy states quantum dash semiconductor optical amplifiers

A detailed small-signal analysis of cross-gain modulation is performed for closely spaced energy state quantum dash (QDsh) semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA). The analysis takes into account the carrier transition in all electron and hole states, the gain dispersion of the active layer, the effect of the energy detuning between the probe and pump signals and the effect of doping on the characteristics of cross-gain wavelength conversion. Our analysis reveals that broadband conversion efficiency can be obtained in QDsh SOA when the energy of the pump signal is at − 20 meV below the ground state. Also we find that large 3 dB bandwidth can be achieved when the energy of the pump and the probe signals is at + 30 meV. Our analysis shows that doping the dashes with P-type concentration can enhance the efficiency and the intrinsic 3 dB bandwidth of cross-gain wavelength conversion.     

The effect of anti-reflection coating of porous silicon on solar cells efficiency

Anti-reflection coatings of solar cells have been fabricated using different techniques. The techniques used include SiO₂ thermal oxidation, ZnO/TiO₂ sputtering deposition and porous silicon prepared by electrochemical etching. Surface morphology and structural properties of solar cells were investigated by using scanning electron microscopy and atomic forces microscopy. Optical reflectance was obtained by using optical reflectometer. I-V characterizations were studied under 80 mW/cm² illumination conditions. Porous silicon was found to be an excellent anti-reflection coating against incident light when it is compared with another anti-reflection coating and exhibited good light-trapping of a wide wavelength spectrum which produced high efficiency solar cells.     

The Clifford-Fourier Transform {\mathcal {F}_o} and Monogenic Extensions

In the last decade several versions of the Fourier transform have been formulated in the framework of Clifford algebra. We present a (Clifford-Fourier) transform, constructed using the geometric properties of Clifford algebra. We show the corresponding results of operational calculus, and a connection between the Fourier transform and this new transform. We obtain a technique to construct monogenic extensions of a certain type of continuous functions, and versions of the Paley-Wiener theorems are formulated.     

Use of ionic liquid for the enzyme‐catalyzed polymerization of phenols

Ionic liquid and buffer mixture media are first reported in the peroxidase‐catalyzed polymerization of phenol. Yield of 100% with molecular weights of 7000 KDa, as assessed by size‐exclusion chromatography (SEC), were attained using 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate–buffer mixtures with added hydrogen peroxide. The simplicity of the process and the low vapor pressure of the solvent media allow an eco‐friendly alternative to the general synthesis of polyphenolic‐type biopolymers. Evidence for the consequent polyphenol (PPO) was obtained from solid‐state ¹³C cross‐polarization magic angle spinning (CP‐MAS) NMR spectroscopy and FT‐IR. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An Interpenetrated Framework Material with Hysteretic CO2 Uptake

A new, twofold interpenetrated metal–organic framework (MOF) material has been synthesized that demonstrates dramatic steps in the adsorption and hysteresis in the desorption of CO₂. Measurement of the structure by powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD) and pair distribution function (PDF) analysis indicates that structural changes upon CO₂ sorption most likely involve the interpenetrated frameworks moving with respect to each other.     

Products of compact spaces and the axiom of choice II

This is a continuation of [2]. We study the Tychonoff Compactness Theorem for various definitions of compactness and for various types of spaces (first and second countable spaces, Hausdorff spaces, and subspaces of ?^K). We also study well ordered Tychonoff products and the effect that the multiple choice axiom has on such products.     

Construction of a real-world bilevel linear programming model of the highway network design problem

The formulation of the highway network design problem (NDP) as a bilevel linear program (BLP) allows more realistic solutions taking into account the reaction of users to improvements made by the system. In this paper, a conceptual framework for the optimization of investments in inter-regional highway networks in developing countries is proposed. The model is applied to the Tunisian network using actual data. Considerable effort was expended to make the implementation as realistic as possible, taking into consideration travel times, operating costs, accident costs, improvement costs, conservation laws, and effects of intra-regional flows. A new formulation allowing the incorporation of any improvement cost functions, including non-convex and non-concave functions, is introduced.