Sonochemical synthesis of graphitic carbon nitrides‐wrapped bimetal oxide nanoparticles hybrid materials and their electrocatalytic activity for xanthine electro-oxidation

A novel network-like magnetic nanoparticle was fabricated on a graphitic carbon nitride through a facile sonochemical route at frequency 20 kHz and power 70 W. To enhance the electrocatalytic activity of the modified materials, the graphitic carbon nitrides (g-C₃N₄) was prepared from melamine. Monitoring of xanthine concentration level in biological fluids is more important for clinical diagnosis and medical applications. As modified CuFe₂O₄/g-C₃N₄ nanocomposite exhibits better electrochemical activity towards the oxidation of xanthine with higher anodic current compared to other modified and unmodified electrode for the detection of xanthine with larger linear range (0.03–695 µM) and lower limit of detection (13.2 nM). To compare with these methods, the electrochemical techniques may be an alternative high sensitive method due to their simplicity and rapid detection time. In addition, the practical feasibility of the sensor was inspected with biological samples, reveals the acceptable recovery of the sensor in real samples.     

PLANAR LIQUID SHEETS AT LOW REYNOLDS NUMBERS

Asymptotic methods are employed to derive the leading-order equations which govern the fluid dynamics of time-dependent, incompressible, planar liquid sheets at low Reynolds numbers using as small parameter the slenderness ratio. Analytical and numerical solutions of relevance to both steady film casting processes and plane stagnation flows are obtained with the leading-order equations. It is shown that for steady film casting processes the model which accounts for both gravity and low-Reynolds-number effects predicts thicker and slower planar liquid sheets than those which neglect a surface curvature term or assume that Reynolds number is zero, because the neglect of the curvature term and the assumption of zero Reynolds number are not justified at high take-up velocities owing to the large velocity gradients that occur at the take-up point. It is also shown that for Reynolds number/Froude number ratios larger than one, models which neglect the surface curvature or assume a zero Reynolds number predict velocity profiles which are either concave or exhibit an inflection point, whereas the model which accounts for both curvature and low-Reynolds-number effects predicts convex velocity profiles. For plane stagnation flows it is shown that models which account for both low-Reynolds-number and curvature effects predict nearly identical results to those of models which assume zero Reynolds number. These two models also predict a faster thickening of the planar liquid sheet than models which account for low- Reynolds-number effects but neglect the surface curvature. This curvature term is very large near the stagnation point and cannot be neglected there. It is also shown that the thickening of the sheet occurs closer to the stagnation point as the Reynolds number/Froude number ratio is increased, i.e. as the magnitude of the gravitational acceleration is increased. In addition it is shown that large surface tension introduces a third-order spatial derivative in the axial momentum equation at leading order.     

Detection of gas atoms via vibration of graphenes

The application of single-layered graphene sheets as mass sensors in detection of noble gases via a vibration analysis of graphenes is investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. An index based on frequency shifts of the graphenes attached by the distinct noble gas atoms is defined and examined to measure the sensitivity of the sensors. The dependence of number and location of gas atoms, size of graphene sheets, and type of restrained boundary of the sheets on the sensitivity is particularly studied. The simulation results indicate the resolution of a mass sensor made of a square graphene sheet with a size of 10 nm can achieve an order of ¹⁰−6 femtograms and the mass sensitivity can be enhanced with a decrease in sizes of graphenes.     

Specific features of laser cutting of steel sheets and monitoring of sample quality after laser influence

An automated laser system with an 8-kW quantum generator with the beam quality not worse than that of a single-mode laser is described. The possibility of using such a system in procurement production for cutting carbon and stainless steel sheets is demonstrated. The quality control of the blank material shows that the properties of the latter satisfy appropriate standards. __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 47, No. 4, pp. 176–184, July–August, 2006.     

Vortex sheets with reflection symmetry in exterior domains

In this paper we prove the existence of a weak solution of the incompressible 2D Euler equations in the exterior of a reflection symmetric smooth bluff body with symmetric initial flow corresponding to vortex sheet type data whose vorticity is of distinguished sign on each side of the symmetry axis. This work extends the results proved for full plane flow by the authors in [M.C. Lopes Filho, H.J. Nussenzveig Lopes, Z. Xin, Existence of vortex sheets with reflection symmetry in two space dimensions, Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 158 (3) (2001) 235-257].     

Stability of incompressible current-vortex sheets

We revisit the study in [Y. Trakhinin, On the existence of incompressible current-vortex sheets: study of a linearized free boundary value problem, Math. Methods Appl. Sci. 28 (2005) 917–945] where an energy a priori estimate for the linearized free boundary value problem for planar current-vortex sheets in ideal incompressible magnetohydrodynamics was proved for a part of the whole stability domain found a long time ago in [S.I. Syrovatskij, The stability of tangential discontinuities in a magnetohydrodynamic medium, Zh. Eksper. Teor. Fiz. 24 (1953) 622–629 (in Russian); W.I. Axford, Note on a problem of magnetohydrodynamic stability, Canad. J. Phys. 40 (1962) 654–655]. In this paper we derive an a priori estimate in the whole stability domain. The crucial point in deriving this estimate is the construction of a symbolic symmetrizer for a nonstandard elliptic problem for the small perturbation of total pressure. This symmetrizer is an analogue of Kreiss' type symmetrizers. As in hyperbolic theory, the failure of the uniform Lopatinski condition, i.e., the fact that current-vortex sheets are only weakly (neutrally) stable yields loss of derivatives in the energy estimate. The result of this paper is a necessary step to prove the local-in-time existence of stable nonplanar incompressible current-vortex sheets by a suitable Nash–Moser type iteration scheme.     

Confinement effects on chemical reactions—Toward an integrated rational catalyst design

Most chemical reactions of practical interest are carried out in nano-structured materials, which can enhance reactions due to their large specific surface area, their interactions with the reacting mixture and confinement effects. An experimental investigation of the role of each possible catalytic effect is challenging, since experimental measurements reflect an integration over multiple effects. In this work, we present a review of our most recent research on some of the factors that can influence a chemical reaction in confinement through the study of several model systems. We first consider the influence of steric hindrance on the equilibrium and kinetics for the rotational isomerizations of several small hydrocarbons [E.E. Santiso, M. Buongiorno Nardelli, K.E. Gubbins, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., (2007), in press]. These examples illustrate how reaction rates can vary doubly exponentially with the dimensions of the confining material (the ‘shape-catalytic’ effect). As a second example, we consider the unimolecular decomposition of formaldehyde on graphitic carbon pores of various sizes [E.E. Santiso, A.M. George, K.E. Gubbins, M. Buongiorno Nardelli, J. Chem. Phys. 125 (2006) 084711]. These results illustrate the influence of electrostatic interactions with the supporting material on the reaction mechanism and equilibrium yield for reactions involving a charge transfer. As a final example, we consider the interaction of a water molecule with a defective carbon substrate as an example of a chemical interaction that can be enhanced through a shape-catalytic effect. We first show using ab initio calculations how a vacancy site on a graphene surface can induce the thermal splitting of water at relatively low temperatures [M.K. Kostov, E.E. Santiso, A.M. George, K.E. Gubbins, M. Buongiorno Nardelli, Phys. Rev. Lett. 95 (2005) 136105]. We then examine the dissociation on a vacancy site on a nanotube surface, which shows the shape-catalytic effect of the surface curvature. These results are a first step toward the design of catalytic materials that take advantage of different enhancing effects simultaneously.     

Template-directed synthesis of highly ordered nanoporous graphitic carbon nitride through polymerization of cyanamide

The fabrication of well-ordered nanoporous graphitic carbon nitride by condensation of cyanamide (CN-NH₂) as a molecular precursor using a colloidal silica crystalline array as a template is described. The resulting sample exhibited a three-dimensionally extended highly ordered pore array as shown by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and nitrogen isotherms. The carbon nitride structure revealed high graphitic nature with C₃N₄ stoichiometry. In particular, the C₃N₄ network structure consists of tri-s-triazine rings (C₆N₇) cross-linked by trigonal N atoms.     

Organic nanoparticles suspensions preparation by underwater excimer laser ablation of polycarbonate

Ablation with excimer laser pulses on polycarbonate (PC) film has been performed in ultrapure water. It is demonstrated that it is a new efficient method for organic nanoparticles (ONP) suspensions synthesis. Proof of the formation of ONP is given by analysis of the water phase with AFM and UV-vis spectroscopy. The obtained transmission measurements are approached with the aid of Mie theory to estimate composition of suspensions. Results indicate that the polycarbonate film is partly ablated into nanometric particles with size ranging from 8 up to 180 nm. This is also supported by force atomic microscopy. Confocal Raman microspectroscopy was done directly on water suspensions. Thanks to the optical trapping phenomenon of the nanoparticles, their vibrational Raman spectrum was more easily obtained. Original polycarbonate is lost although some polymeric structures are detected along with graphitic carbon.     

Anisotropic behaviour law for sheets used in stamping:: A comparative study of steel and aluminium

For a car manufacturer, reducing the weight of vehicles is an obvious aim. Replacing steel by aluminium moves towards that goal. Unfortunately, aluminium's stamping numerical simulation results are not yet as reliable as those of steel. Punch-strength and spring-back phenomena are not correctly described. This study on aluminium validates the behaviour law Hill 48 quadratic yield criterion with both isotropic and kinematic hardening. It is based on the yield surface and on associated experimental tests (uniaxial test, plane tensile test, plane compression and tensile shearing). To cite this article: J.-J. Sinou, B. Macquaire, C. R. Mecanique 331 (2003).