Continuous segregation of binary heterogeneous solids in a fast-fluidized bed

Continuous segregation of binary heterogeneous solids (different density mixtures) is carried out in a gas–solid fluidized bed to study the effects of gas velocity, solids feed rate, feed composition and density difference of solids on the separation factor (recovery of flotsam at top outlet) and the quality of the product (purity of flotsam at top outlet) in a continuous fast-fluidized bed. The holdup of the bed material is obtained in each experimental run. It is observed that the separation factor decreases with increase in solids feed rate or density difference of solids, and increases with gas velocity or proportion of flotsam in the feed. The quality of the product decreases with increase in gas velocity or solids flow rate, and increases with feed composition or density difference of solids. The experimental results show that the separation factor and the quality of the product are more sensitive to gas velocity than to other operating parameters. Empirical correlations for predicting the separation factor and quality of the product are proposed based on the Richards model for individual flotsam mass fraction in the feed, and the predictions agree satisfactorily with the present experimental data.     

Determination of prostaglandin profiles in lipopolysaccharide‐challenged guinea pig spleen

We previously reported that splenic extract from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐challenged guinea pigs inhibits the exaggerated febrile response of splenectomized guinea pigs, suggesting that the spleen generates an inhibitory factor. Earlier results indicate that the factor is a lipid. In an effort to identify this factor, lipid fractions, isolated from splenic extracts of control and LPS‐challenged guinea pigs, were analyzed with emphasis on identifying and quantifying prostanoids, which according to current knowledge are the likely bioactive factors. Prostaglandins have been extensively implicated in central and peripheral thermoregulation, and thus these lipids were targeted for characterization in the spleen. Analysis was done on the splenic extracts using solid‐phase extraction, analytical and preparative thin‐layer chromatography (TLC) and high‐performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (HPLC‐MS/MS). Four prostaglandins (PGs, 6‐keto‐PGF_1α, PGF_2α, PGE₂ and PGD₂) were identified and quantified. Our data shows that these PG levels are doubled in LPS‐treated guinea pig spleen compared with the control group. The methods used in this investigation to characterize PG in the spleen offer significant advantages over immunoassays previously used to identify and quantify PG in the spleen and other biological tissues. These methods will be utilized in further research needed to definitively characterize the role of splenic‐derived PG in modulation of the febrile response induced by LPS. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermal studies of metalloporphyrins with metals in different oxidation states

A precursor of non-aqueous porphyrins such as tetraphenyl porphyrin was synthesized and metallated with Ag, Mn and Sn to get respective metalloporphyrins. Further, they were characterized by UV–Vis spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy and proton NMR. Thermal studies of the above compounds were carried out using thermal analyser in synthetic air from room temperature to 800 °C. This analysis revealed that these compounds have thermal stabilities up to 400 °C and therefore can be successfully employed as heterogeneous catalysts as well as in semiconductor devices. In tin metalloporphyrin two Cl ligands, one above and other below the porphinato plane is comparatively stabilizing the structure to more symmetrical one which is responsible for more thermal stability. Further, residues of these compounds obtained after heating up to 800 °C, showed the presence of metal oxides and coal, respectively.     

Synthesis and characterization of CdS nanocrystals in Maleic anhydride–Octene-1–Vinylbutyl Ether terpolymer matrix

A Maleic anhydride–Octene-1–Vinylbutyl Ether terpolymer was synthesized via the radical terpolymerization method in order to prepare a new matrix for CdS nanocrystal synthesis. CdS nanocrystals were synthesized through the reaction of thiourea with cadmium chloride. The synthesized terpolymer/CdS nanocrystal composites were characterized by several methods. Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis, Raman spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction methods. The room temperature UV–visible absorption spectra show a shift of the absorption edge towards higher energies. The band gap of the CdS nanocomposite is bigger than that of bulk CdS. Raman spectrum exhibits characteristic peaks of CdS. Images of the nanocomposite obtained with Atomic Force Microscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy are the evidences of CdS nanocrystal formation in the terpolymer. Thermal investigation shows that the nanocomposite is more thermostable than the terpolymer which could be useful for application in thermo aggressive medium.     

Optical rectification coefficient in an oxide quantum dot with different confinement potentials

Exciton binding energies, oscillator strength, optical rectification coefficients and second harmonic generation are investigated using three different confinement potentials in a CdO/ZnO core/shell quantum dot. The bare potential, Smorodinsky–Winternitz potential and Woods–Saxon potential are employed in the Hamiltonian. The position dependent dielectric function is used. The electronic properties are found using variational formulism within a single band effective mass approximation whereas the optic properties are investigated using compact density matrix approach. The results show that different confinement potentials lead to significant changes in the coefficients of optical rectification and the second harmonic generations and the effects of confined potentials are more pronounced in the strong confinement region. The resonant peaks in the nonlinear optical rectification coefficients and second harmonic generation are blue shifted to larger photon energies with the various confined potentials and the results are enhanced using Smorodinsky–Winternitz potential. The obtained results can be applied for the potential applications for fabricating opto-electronic devices.     

Cantor-type cylindrical-coordinate method for differential equations with local fractional derivatives

In this Letter, we propose to use the Cantor-type cylindrical-coordinate method in order to investigate a family of local fractional differential operators on Cantor sets. Some testing examples are given to illustrate the capability of the proposed method for the heat-conduction equation on a Cantor set and the damped wave equation in fractal strings. It is seen to be a powerful tool to convert differential equations on Cantor sets from Cantorian-coordinate systems to Cantor-type cylindrical-coordinate systems.     

Equilibrium analysis for a mass-conserving model in presence of cavitation

We study the existence of equilibrium positions for the load problem in Lubrication Theory. The problem consists of two surfaces in relative motion separated by a small distance filled by a lubricant. The system is described by the modified Reynolds equation (Elrod–Adams model) which describes the behavior of the lubricant and an extra integral equation given the balance of forces. The balance of forces allows to obtain the unknown position of the surfaces, defined with one degree of freedom.     

Origin of dc and ac electric transport phenomena in carbon/manganese oxide nanocomposite

Hybrid organic/inorganic nanocomposites based on manganese oxide nanoparticles enriched pyrogallol-formaldehyde matrix (PF/MnO) were synthesized by sol-gel technique. After a drying step, the samples were heated during 2 h at different pyrolysis temperatures between 600 and 1000 °C in tubular furnace under open nitrogen atmosphere. The obtained nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electrical technics in the measurement temperature range between 80 and 300 K. The XRD spectra show that PF/MnO nanocomposites are crystallized with the appearance of different phases: the graphite (C), the manganese oxide (MnO), the metallic manganese (Mn) and the manganese dioxide (MnO₂) with proportions depending on pyrolysis temperature. The measurement temperature dependence conductivity can be explained by Godet-Variable Range Hopping (3D-GVRH) conduction model in all samples with the presence of an exponential distribution of localized states. The voltage-current V(I) characteristics show the presence of negative differential resistance (NDR) in some samples. The ac conductance exhibits the dominance of hopping conduction mechanism and the Small Polaron Hopping (SPH) model. The Nyquist plots for the PF/MnO-650 °C nanocomposite obey at Cole-Cole model. The impedance spectra were fitted by an equivalent circuit involving two contributions attributed to grains and grain boundaries.