Structural Patterns and Dimensionality in Magnesium Borophosphates: The Crystal Structures of Mg2(H2O)[BP3O9(OH)4] and Mg(H2O)2[B2P2O8(OH)2]·H2O

Hydrothermal investigations in the system MgO/B₂O₃/P₂O₅(/H₂O) yielded two new magnesium borophosphates, Mg₂(H₂O)[BP₃O₉(OH)₄] and Mg(H₂O)₂[B₂P₂O₈(OH)₂]·H₂O. The crystal structures were solved by means of single crystal X‐ray diffraction. While the acentric crystal structure of Mg₂(H₂O)[BP₃O₉(OH)₄] (orthorhombic, P2₁2₁2₁ (No. 19), a = 709.44(5) pm, b = 859.70(4) pm, c = 1635.1(1) pm, V = 997.3(3) × 10⁶ pm³, Z = 4) contains 1D infinite chains of magnesium coordination octahedra interconnected by a borophosphate tetramer, Mg(H₂O)₂[B₂P₂O₈(OH)₂]·H₂O (monoclinic, P2₁/c (No. 14), a = 776.04(5) pm, b = 1464.26(9) pm, c = 824.10(4) pm, β = 90.25(1)°, V = 936.44(9) × 10⁶ pm³,Z = 4) represents the first layered borophosphate with 6³ net topology. The structures are discussed and classified in terms of structural systematics.     

Co3O4−CeO2 Nanocomposites for Low-Temperature CO Oxidation

In an effort to combine the favorable catalytic properties of Co₃O₄ and CeO₂, nanocomposites with different phase distribution and Co₃O₄ loading were prepared and employed for CO oxidation. Synthesizing Co₃O₄-modified CeO₂ via three different sol-gel based routes, each with 10.4 wt % Co₃O₄ loading, yielded three different nanocomposite morphologies: CeO₂-supported Co₃O₄ layers, intermixed oxides, and homogeneously dispersed Co. The reactivity of the resulting surface oxygen species towards CO were examined by temperature programmed reduction (CO-TPR) and flow reactor kinetic tests. The first morphology exhibited the best performance due to its active Co₃O₄ surface layer, reducing the light-off temperature of CeO₂ by about 200 °C. In contrast, intermixed oxides and Co-doped CeO₂ suffered from lower dispersion and organic residues, respectively. The performance of Co₃O₄-CeO₂ nanocomposites was optimized by varying the Co₃O₄ loading, characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and N₂ sorption (BET). The 16–65 wt % Co₃O₄−CeO₂ catalysts approached the conversion of 1 wt % Pt/CeO₂, rendering them interesting candidates for low-temperature CO oxidation.     

Acoustic radiation from a fluid-filled, subsurface vascular tube with internal turbulent flow due to a constriction

The vibration of a thin-walled cylindrical, compliant viscoelastic tube with internal turbulent flow due to an axisymmetric constriction is studied theoretically and experimentally. Vibration of the tube is considered with internal fluid coupling only, and with coupling to internal-flowing fluid and external stagnant fluid or external tissue-like viscoelastic material. The theoretical analysis includes the adaptation of a model for turbulence in the internal fluid and its vibratory excitation of and interaction with the tube wall and surrounding viscoelastic medium. Analytical predictions are compared with experimental measurements conducted on a flow model system using laser Doppler vibrometry to measure tube vibration and the vibration of the surrounding viscoelastic medium. Fluid pressure within the tube was measured with miniature hydrophones. Discrepancies between theory and experiment, as well as the coupled nature of the fluid-structure interaction, are described. This study is relevant to and may lead to further insight into the patency and mechanisms of vascular failure, as well as diagnostic techniques utilizing noninvasive acoustic measurements.     

A nonlinear visco-elastoplastic impact model and the coefficient of restitution

A visco-elastoplastic model for the impact between a compact body and a composite target is presented. The model is a combination of a nonlinear contact law that includes energy loss due to plastic deformation and a viscous element that accounts for energy losses due to wave propagation and/or damping. The governing nonlinear equations are solved numerically to obtain the response. A piecewise linear version of the model is also presented, which facilitates analytical solution. The model predictions are compared to those of the well-known and commonly used Hunt–Crossley model. The effects of the various impact parameters, such as impactor mass, velocity, plasticity, and damping, on the impact response and coefficient of restitution are investigated. The model appears to be suitable for a wide range of impact situations, with parameters that are well defined and easily calculated or measured. Furthermore, the resulting coefficient of restitution is shown to be a function of impact velocity and damping, as confirmed by published experimental data.     

Determination of Bismuth in Bottled and Mineral Water Samples at Trace Levels by T-Shaped Slotted Quartz tube-Atom Trap-Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

An accurate and reliable analytical method for the determination of bismuth at trace levels in bottled and mineral water samples has been developed based on hydrogen assisted T-shape slotted quartz tube-atom trap-flame atomic absorption spectrometry (T-SQT-AT-FAAS). Conventional FAAS is not sufficiently sensitive to measure trace and ultra-trace levels of metals due to the low nebulization efficiency and short residence time of atoms in the light path. To overcome this problem, atom trapping with a T-shaped slotted quartz tube was coupled to the FAAS system. Bismuth atoms were trapped on the surface of T-SQT and released by hydrogen gas, which provided a reducing environment. All of the system parameters such as flame type, hydrogen flow rate, the height of T-SQT from the burner head, and trapping period were optimized to enhance the analytical signal to attain low detection limits. After obtaining the optimum conditions, the limit of detection and limit of quantitation of the developed method were found to be 0.95 and 3.2?µg L^?1, respectively. Recovery values were obtained between 90% and 104% that showed good accuracy and applicability of the proposed method to the analysis of bottled and mineral water samples.     

Effects of several different flux enhancing chemicals on filterability and fouling reduction of membrane bioreactor (MBR) mixed liquors

The main objective of this work was to determine the effectiveness of various chemicals on filterability and fouling reduction in MBR mixed liquors. Different lab-scale experiments were conducted with a total of 7 different additives (3 cationic polymers (MPL30, MPE50, KD452), a biopolymer (Chit), a starch (Sta), and 2 metal salts (FeCl₃, PACl)). Initially, batch shaker tests were performed for each additive to determine the optimum dosages in terms of soluble microbial products (SMP) removal. Then, short-term filtration trials and critical flux tests were performed. All tested additives were able to remove SMP, but at different extent; 33, 45, 51, 36, 38, 54, and 56% for MPL30, MPE50, KD452, FeCl₃, PACl, Chit, and Sta, respectively. The cationic polymer KD452 exhibited the best performance in terms of the extent of SMP removal and the required dosage. All tested cationic polymers, starch and chitosan significantly reduced fouling rates and increased permeability values. At their optimum dosages, the cationic polymers MPE50, MPL30 and KD452 provided 96, 80 and 74% reductions in fouling rates, respectively. The enhancements in critical flux achieved by MPL30, MPE50, KD452, FeCl₃, PACl, Chit, and Sta were 38, 46, 38, 14, 14, 0, and 22% in comparison with raw mixed liquor. Cationic polymers increased critical flux values to levels above 50 L m⁻² h⁻¹. SMP removal from MBR mixed liquors and further improvement in filtration performance and fouling control did not always correlate. Overall, based on the lab-scale tests conducted, cationic polymeric additives were found to be favorable over the other additives due to their steady and successful performance in fouling control. The performance of cationic polymers was independent of small variations in dosing, while for other additives over- or under-dosing showed detrimental effects on filterability.     

Performance evaluation of IDW,Kriging and multiquadric interpolation methods in producing noise mapping: A case study at the city of Isparta,Turkey

In order to produce an accurate noise map of a city or a region, it is necessary to make noise measurements at certain locations and these measurements must be modeled with the most suitable mathematical algorithm. A homogeneous and representative distribution of the noise measurement points is the first key factor in the production of sound noise maps. The second key element is the calculation of the noise values of gridding points based on noise measurement points according to the selected mathematical calculation method and the generation of maps according to these gridding points. In this study, a noise map of the Isparta city center and its periphery was produced using inverse distance weighted (IDW), Kriging and multiquadric interpolation methods with different parameters and four grid resolution. Then, the influence of parameter selection for each method was investigated in themself by taking into account grid resolution, namely 10 ∗ 10 m, 50 ∗ 50 m, 100 ∗ 100 m and 200 ∗ 200 m, and the performance of three method with 50 ∗ 50 m grid resolution were compared with each other. In addition, the noise mapping of the city of Isparta were produced by Kriging method with respect to maximum, average and minimum noise data and they were evaluated by considering the national environmental noise thresholds.     

Critical properties of mixed spin-1 and spin-5/2 with equal and unequal crystal fields

The effects of assuming equal or unequal crystal fields (CF) on the phase diagrams of a mixed spin-1 and spin-5/2 system are investigated in terms of the recursion relations on the Bethe lattice (BL). The equal CF case was considered for the coordination numbers q=3, 4, and 6, while for q=3 the unequal CF case was also studied. It was found that for the equal CF case, the model exhibits second-order phase transitions and two compensation temperatures for all q, the reentrant behavior for q=4 and first-order phase transitions and tricritical point (TCP) for q=6. In the unequal CF case for q=3, the system yields first- and second-order phase transitions, TCP's, and three compensation temperatures. In addition, the TCP's in a very short range are classified as the stable and unstable ones depending on their free energies.     

Design of optimum response surface experiments for the adsorption of acetic,butyric, and oxalic acids on Amberlyst A21

In this study the adsorption equilibria of acetic, butyric, and oxalic acids onto Amberlyst A21 were investigated experimentally at 25°C. The process was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). The time to reach the equilibrium state, effects of adsorbent amount, and initial acid concentrations on adsorption efficiency were investigated. Freundlich, Langmuir, and Temkin isotherms were applied to experimental data. The Freundlich isotherm revealed better results than the others. In addition to the main aim of this research, a statistical/mathematical approach – RSM – was utilized to simulate and determine the optimum conditions of acetic, butyric, and oxalic acids removal by Amberlyst A21 using three selected parameters (adsorbent dose, initial dye concentration, and type of acids). The significance of independent variables and their interactions were tested by the analysis of variance (ANOVA). The optimum acid concentration, amount of adsorbent, type of acid, and removal of acid (%) were found by desirability function to be 0.199?mol/L, 1.999?g, butyric acid, and 84.537%, respectively.