Electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol on a glassy carbon modified electrode by bis(1,2-phenylenediamine) nickel(II) complex

Electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol on a glassy carbon electrode coated with Ni(II)-(1,2-phenylendiamine)₂ (GC/NiOPD), conditioned by the potential recycling in a potential range of 100–650 mV (vs. SCE) is studied by cyclic voltammetry in an alkaline medium (0.10 M NaOH). The results show that the NiOPD layer formed at the surface of the electrode behaves as an efficient electrocatalyst for the oxidation of methanol in the alkaline medium via the Ni(III) species with a cross exchange reaction occurring throughout the layer at a low concentration of methanol. The effects of various parameters such as potential scan rates, methanol concentration and NiOPD surface concentration on the electro-oxidation of methanol are also investigated.     

Electrocatalytic oxidation of hydrazine at cobalt hexacyanoferrate- modified glassy carbon, Pt and Au electrodes

The electrocatalytic oxidation of hydrazine has been studied on glassy carbon, Pt and Au electrodes modified by cobalt hexacyanoferrate (CoHCF) using cyclic voltammetry and rotating disc techniques. It has been shown that the oxidation of hydrazine to nitrogen occurs at the potential coinciding with that of Co(II) to Co(III) transformation in a CoHCF film, where no oxidation signal is observed at a bare glassy carbon electrode. A Tafel plot, derived from RDE voltammograms, exhibits a slope of 150 mV, indicating a one-electron charge transfer process to be the rate-limiting step. The electrocatalytic efficiency of the modified electrode towards hydrazine oxidation depends on solution pH, and the optimum range was found to be located between pH 5 and pH 7. The kinetic behaviour and location of the electrocatalytic process were examined using the W.J. Albery diagnosis table, and it was concluded that the reaction has either a “surface” or a “layer” reaction mechanism. Pt- and Au-CoHCF-modified electrodes show no significant electrocatalytic activity towards hydrazine oxidation. Received: 25 April 1997 / Accepted: 12 August 1997     

Considerations for building knowledge-based expert systems in highway maintenance planning

Genuine, nontrivial planning problems in pavement and bridge maintenance are generally beyond the capabilities of expert systems. However, the diagnostic, interpretive and predictive features of such systems can be combined with algorithmic planning tools to produce comprehensive maintenance planning and management systems.After a discussion of the relevant issues, this paper addresses the potential application areas for knowledgebased expert systems in highway maintenance planning. The foxus is on how and where expert systems can interface with optimization models to yield meaningful results.     

In Process Citation

The behaviour of two organic compounds, 1,5-di[2-furyl]-1,4-pentadien-3-one (DFPO) and 1,5-di[2-thienyl]-1,4-pentadien-3-one (DTPO), as acid-base indicators has been studied by plotting the curves A = f(lambda) in the presence of various concentrations of perchloric acid, in anhydrous acetic acid medium. The values of pK(i)(HClO(4))) have been determined by spectrophotometry. The efficiency of these indicators in visual and colorimetric detection of the end-points of acid-base titrations has been examined.     

Simple Zeros of the Riemann Zeta-Function

Assuming the Riemann Hypothesis, Montgomery showed by meansof his pair correlation method that at least two-thirds of thezeros of Riemann's zeta-function are simple. Later he and Taylorimproved this to 67.25 percent and, more recently, Cheer andGoldston increased the percentage to 67.2753. Here we proveby a new method that if the Riemann and Generalized LindelöofHypotheses hold, then at least 70.3704 percent of the zerosare simple and at least 84.5679 percent are distinct. Our methoduses mean value estimates for various functions defined by Dirichletseries sampled at the zeros of the Riemann zeta-function. 1991Mathematics Subject Classification: 11M26.     

Wire-coated silver(I) ion-selective electrode based on 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) ionophore: application to the determination of silver in real samples.

A new wire-coated silver ion-selective electrode with a wider concentration range (10(-7) M - 10(-1) M) was developed using 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) as a neutral ionophore. An optimum mixture of PVC, ionophore, dioctylphtalate (DOP) as a plasticizer and sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB) as an ion-pairing agent was used in preparing the coatings. The effect of various parameters, such as the electrode bed nature, coating composition and solution pH, on the efficiency of the electrode is described. It has been shown that platinum acts as a more suitable bed for electrode preparation, and exhibits a slope of 59.5 +/- 1 mV over the whole range of studied concentrations. The selectivity coefficient of the electrode towards various interfering cations as well as its reproducibility, response time and lifetime of the electrode were estimated. The developed electrode was successfully used for the determination of trace amounts of silver in human hair and photographic waste as real samples and in the potentiometric titration of halides as an indicator electrode.     

Quantum Zeno and anti-Zeno paradoxes

Continuous observation of a time independent projection operator is known to prevent change of state (the quantum Zeno paradox). We discuss the recent result that generic continuous measurement of time dependent projection operators will in fact ensure change of state: an anti-Zeno paradox.