Homogeneous isotopic exchange between nickel(II) and bis(diethyldithiocarbamato)nickel(II) complex

Isotopic exchange behaviour of bis(diethyldithio carbamate) nickel(II) complex with nickel(II) in chloroform and methanol medium was studied. The studies were carried out at different temperatures varying the concentration of both metal ion and the complex. The results show that the complex is labile in the kinetic sense. Increase in temperature increases the isotopic exchange rate. The increase in concentration also results in enhancement of the rate of reaction.     

Recovery of americium from nitric acid solutions containing calcium by different co-precipitation methods

Recovery of americium from nitric acid solutions was studied by co-precipitation as hydroxide with various ions like calcium, ferric, nickel using sodium hydroxide and ammonium hydroxide. Studies were also carried out to recover americium using lanthanum fluoride and bismuth phosphate co-precipitation. All the methods are able to co-precipitate Am quantitatively. However, co-precipitation of Am with optimum concentration iron using ammonia is found to be better from nitric acid solutions containing large concentrations of calcium ions. Approximately 2 g of Am was recovered from 150 litres of solution batch wise using iron.     

Extraction and coordination studies of carbamoyl methyl sulfoxide (CMSO) with uranyl bis(β-diketonates). Synthesis and molecular structure of [{UO2(DBM)2}2C6H5CH2SOCH2CONHC6H5]

The carbamoyl methyl sulfoxide compounds of uranyl bis(β-diketonate) of the types [UO₂(DBM)₂CMSO] and [{UO₂(DBM)₂}₂CMSO] (where HDBM = C₆H₅COCH₂COC₆H₅; CMSO = C₆H₅CH₂SOCH₂CONHC₆H₅ or C₆H₅SOCH₂CONⁱPr₂) have been synthesized and characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopic techniques and elemental analysis. Spectral studies show that CMSO acts as a monodentate ligand in [UO₂(DBM)₂CMSO] compounds and bonds through the sulfoxo oxygen atom to the uranyl group. It acts as a bridging bidentate ligand in [{UO₂(DBM)₂}₂CMSO] compounds and bonds through both the sulfoxo and carbamoyl oxygen atoms to two different uranyl groups. The structure of the compound [{UO₂(DBM)₂}₂C₆H₅CH₂SOCH₂CONHC₆H₅] confirms the bridging bidentate mode of coordination for the CMSO ligand. Extraction studies show an enhancement in solvent extraction for the uranyl ion from nitric acid medium when a mixture of thenoyl trifluoroacetone (HTTA) and CMSO was employed.     

Isotope exchange between bis/diethyl dithiocarbamate/ copper/II/ complex and Cu2+ ion

Isotope exchange behaviour of bis/diethyl dithiocarbamate/ copper/II/ complex has been studied at 30 °C and 40 °C varying the concentration of the complex and metal ion. Results indicate that the complex is labile in chloroform dimethyl sulphoxide medium. Increase in concentration has significant effect on the rate of the reaction. Similarly the increase in temperature increased the rate of the reaction.     

Specific surface area of mercuric sulphide

The specific surface area of mercuric sulphide (a) has been determined by three methods: (a) gas adsorption method (N₂ adsorption), (b) air permeability method and (c) microscopic method. The area values are compared. In the gas adsorption method, the effect of degassing temperature on the surface area of solid was studied. In the permeability method the porosity range over which the specific surface area remains constant was also determined.     

Three new stochastic local search algorithms for continuous optimization problems

This paper introduces three new stochastic local search metaheuristics algorithms namely, the Best Performance Algorithm (BPA), the Iterative Best Performance Algorithm (IBPA) and the Largest Absolute Difference Algorithm (LADA). BPA and IBPA are based on the competitive nature of professional athletes, in them desiring to improve on their best recorded performances. LADA is modeled on calculating the absolute difference between two numbers. The performances of the algorithms have been tested on a large collection of benchmark unconstrained continuous optimization functions. They were benchmarked against two well-known local-search metaheuristics namely, Tabu Search (TS) and Simulated Annealing (SA). Results obtained show that each of the new algorithms delivers higher percentages of the best and mean function values found, compared to both TS and SA. The execution times of these new algorithms are also comparable. LADA gives the best performance in terms of execution time.     

Bandwidth packing problem with queueing delays: modelling and exact solution approach

In this paper we develop a general but smooth global optimization strategy for nonlinear multilevel programming problems with polyhedral constraints. At each decision level successive convex relaxations are applied over the non-convex terms in combination with a multi-parametric programming approach. The proposed algorithm reaches the approximate global optimum in a finite number of steps through the successive subdivision of the optimization variables that contribute to the non-convexity of the problem and partitioning of the parameter space. The method is implemented and tested for a variety of bilevel, trilevel and fifth level problems which have non-convexity formulation at their inner levels.     

Coordination and extraction studies of an unexplored bi-functional ligand,carbamoyl methyl pyrazole (CMPz) with uranium(VI), lanthanum(III) and cerium(III) nitrates

The bi-functional carbamoyl methyl pyrazole ligands, C₅H₇N₂CH₂CONBu₂ (L₁), C₅H₇N₂CH₂CONⁱBu₂ (L₂), C₃H₃N₂CH₂CONBu₂ (L₃), C₃H₃N₂CH₂CONⁱBu₂ (L₄) and C₅H₇N₂CH₂CON(C₈H₁₇)₂ (L₅) were synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic and elemental analysis methods. The selected coordination chemistry of L₁ to L₄ with [UO₂(NO₃)₂ · 6H₂O], [La(NO₃)₃ · 6H₂O] and [Ce(NO₃)₃ · 6H₂O] has been evaluated. Structures for the compounds [UO₂(NO₃)₂ C₅H₇N₂CH₂CONBu₂] (6) [UO₂(NO₃)₂ C₅H₇N₂CH₂CONⁱBu₂] (7) and [Ce(NO₃)₃{C₃H₃N₂CH₂CONⁱBu₂}₂] (11) have been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction methods. Preliminary extraction studies of the ligand L₅ with U(VI) and Pu(IV) in tracer level showed an appreciable extraction for U(VI) and Pu(IV) up to 10 M HNO₃ but not for Am(III). Thermal studies of the compounds 6 and 7 in air revealed that the ligands can be destroyed completely on incineration.