Synthesis of 4,4′-(arylmethylene)bis(3-methyl-1H-pyrazol-5-ol) derivatives in water

An environmentally friendly and simple method for the synthesis of some 4,4′-(arylmethylene)bis(3-methyl-1H-pyrazol-5-ol) derivatives via a one-pot pseudo five-component reaction of hydrazine hydrate, ethyl acetoacetate and aldehydes in water using pyridine trifluoroacetate or acetic acid at 70 °C is reported.     

Real options analysis of investment in carbon capture and sequestration technology

Among a comprehensive scope of mitigation measures for climate change, CO₂ capture and sequestration (CCS) plays a potentially significant role in industrialised countries. In this paper, we develop an analytical real options model that values the choice between two emissions-reduction technologies available to a coal-fired power plant. Specifically, the plant owner may decide to invest in either full CCS (FCCS) or partial CCS (PCCS) retrofits given uncertain electricity, CO₂, and coal prices. We first assess the opportunity to upgrade to each technology independently by determining the option value of installing a CCS unit as a function of CO₂ and fuel prices. Next, we value the option of investing in either FCCS or PCCS technology. If the volatilities of the prices are low enough, then the investment region is dichotomous, which implies that for a given fuel price, retrofitting to the FCCS (PCCS) technology is optimal if the CO₂ price increases (decreases) sufficiently. The numerical examples provided in this paper using current market data suggest that neither retrofit is optimal immediately. Finally, we observe that the optimal stopping boundaries are highly sensitive to CO₂ price volatility.     

Condensation of an ideal gas with intermediate statistics on the horizon

We consider a boson gas on the stretched horizon of the Schwartzschild and Kerr black holes. It is shown that the gas is in a Bose?CEinstein condensed state with the Hawking temperature T _c =T _H if the particle number of the system be equal to the number of quantum bits of space-time $N \simeq{A}/{l_{p}^{2}}$ . Entropy of the gas is proportional to the area of the horizon (A) by construction. For a more realistic model of quantum degrees of freedom on the horizon, we should presumably consider interacting bosons (gravitons). An ideal gas with intermediate statistics could be considered as an effective theory for interacting bosons. This analysis shows that we may obtain a correct entropy just by a suitable choice of parameter in the intermediate statistics.     

Experimental Investigation of Heat Transfer Coefficient from the Impingement of a Slot Jet Using Conjugate Gradient Method with Adjoint Equation

The convective heat transfer coefficients resulting from a slot jet on a plane surface have been estimated by using the real measured temperatures in the plate and inverse method. In this study, the inverse method used the conjugate gradient method with an adjoint equation. Distributions of the local heat transfer coefficient on the impingement surface were determined for various Re and H/Dh. It was found the heat transfer coefficients generally tended to decrease with increasing separation distance and to increase with an increase in Reynolds number. This presented method is able to estimate the variation of the local Nusselt number with time.     

Ultrasound-assisted coating of silk yarn with sphere-like Mn3O4 nanoparticles

The growth of sphere-like trimanganese tetraoxide (Mn₃O₄) nanoparticles on silk fiber was achieved by sequential dipping in an alternating bath of potassium hydroxide and manganese(II) nitrate under ultrasound irradiation. Some parameters such as the effect of pH, numerous sequential dipping and ultrasonic irradiation on growth of the nanoparticles have been studied. The samples were characterized with powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and wavelength dispersive X-ray (WDX).     

Preparation and Rheological Properties of Functionalized Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube/Waterborne Polyurethane Nanocomposites

Waterborne polyurethane (WBPU) was synthesized by a polyaddition reaction with toluene diisocyanate (TDI), polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMEG), dimethylol propionic acid (DMPA), and triethylamine (TEA). Aqueous polyurethane dispersions with three different weight fractions, 30, 40, and 50 wt%, were prepared. All the dispersions made with these concentrations showed Newtonian viscosity behavior. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were functionalized using a mixture of sulfuric and nitric acid at a ratio of 3:1 and added to these dispersions in two different loads of 0.1 and 0.5 wt%. Ultraviolet visible spectrometry (UV/Vis) spectroscopy proved the formation of stable suspensions following ultrasonic agitation. The rheology of these suspensions was characterized using dynamic and steady-state measurements. The higher amount of CNT in the suspension imparted non-Newtonian and complex viscoelastic behavior. This was attributed to a physical network formed due to the presence of the functionalized CNTs. The Cox-Merz rule was not observed for these suspensions.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">E. coli</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">P. aeruginosa</Emphasis>, and <Emphasis Type="Italic">B. cereus</Emphasis> Bacteria Sterilization Using Afterglow of Non-Thermal Plasma at Atmospheric Pressure

We developed and employed a new geometrical structure of dielectric barrier discharge in atmospheric pressure for bacterial broad spectrum sterilization. We utilized a plasma source having an AC power supply at 50 HZ and 5,400 V (rms value). We prepared suspensions of the Gram-negative bacteria species (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and a Gram-positive of Bacillus cereus with Luria–Bertani broth media up to OD_600 nm = 0.25 of McFarland standard. Afterglow of non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma treated these suspensions. The influence of the atmospheric plasma afterglow on the species was assayed in different time durations 5, 10, and 15 min. The spectroscopic results of this investigation indicated that the survival reduction of the species can reach to 100% for P. aeruginosa in an exposure time of 10 min, E. coli and B. cereus in an exposure time of 15 min.     

Efficient computational algorithms for solving one class of fractional boundary value problems

In this paper, we introduce a modification of He’s variational iteration, homotopy analysis and optimal homotopy analysis methods for solving fractional boundary value problems. It is illustrated that the proposed methods are powerful fast numerical tools to find accurate solutions. It is illustrated that efficiency of these methods is based on proper choosing of initial guess.     

An Improvement of Ostrowski’s and King’s Techniques with Optimal Convergence Order Eight

In this paper, we first establish a new class of three-point methods based on the two-point optimal method of Ostrowski. Analysis of convergence shows that any method of our class arrives at eighth order of convergence by using three evaluations of the function and one evaluation of the first derivative per iteration. Thus, this order agrees with the conjecture of Kung and Traub (J. ACM 643–651, 1974) for constructing multipoint optimal iterations without memory. We second present another optimal eighth-order class based on the King’s fourth-order family and the first attained class. To support the underlying theory developed in this work, we examine some methods of the proposed classes by comparison with some of the existing optimal eighth-order methods in literature. Numerical experience suggests that the new classes would be valuable alternatives for solving nonlinear equations.