CFD evaluation of drop retraction methods for the measurement of interfacial tension of surfactant-laden drops

Drop retraction methods are popular means of measuring the interfacial tension between immiscible polymers. Experiments show that two different drop retraction methods, imbedded fiber retraction (IFR) and deformed drop retraction (DDR), give inconsistent results when a surfactant is present on the surface of the drop. These inconsistencies are deemed to be due to dilution of the surfactant and due to gradients in interfacial concentration of surfactant along the drop surface. This physical picture is quantified for the simple case of a Newtonian drop in a Newtonian matrix, with an insoluble, nondiffusive surfactant at the interface. The drop is deformed in computational fluid dynamics simulations by shearing the matrix, and then allowed to retract. Dilution and interfacial tension gradients effects are found to be especially large at the early stages of retraction, making IFR unsuitable for measuring the interfacial tension of surfactant-laden interfaces. The effects of surfactant dilution and gradients are found to persist even at late stages of retraction, causing the DDR method to underestimate the equilibrium interfacial tension significantly. The largest underestimates occur when the drop viscosity is lower than the matrix viscosity.     

Solution-processed electrochemical synthesis of ZnFe2O4 photoanode for photoelectrochemical water splitting

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - Herein, we report the synthesis of ZnO nanorod films onto FTO (fluorine-doped tin oxide) substrates using the solution-processed electrodeposition method....     

Quantification of Flavonoids,Phenols and Antioxidant Potential from Dropped Citrus reticulata Blanco Fruits Influenced by Drying Techniques

Physiologically dropped immature Citrus reticulata Blanco fruits are regarded as waste and discarded in the citrus orchard but are a good source of bioactive compounds including flavonoids, antioxidants and total phenols. A study was undertaken to identify and quantify these bioactive compounds and to investigate the influence of different drying techniques, namely freeze drying and hot air oven drying, on flavonoids namely flavanone glycosides, antioxidant potential and total phenol content in immature dropped fruits of Citrus reticulata Blanco. Flavonoids were quantified in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The antioxidant activity were investigated with three assays azino-bis [3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid]) (ABTS), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH), Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma (FRAP) and total phenol content was determined. Freeze dried samples of 12 and 14 mm size retained maximum hesperidin flavonoid content (27.03% and 27.20%) as compared to the hot air dried samples (17.99%) and retained higher phenolic content ranged from 50.54–54.19 mg GAEL⁻¹. The antioxidant activity in freeze dried fruits was from 12.21–13.55 mM L⁻¹ Trolox and 15.27–16.72 mM L⁻¹ Trolox with ABTS, DPPH assay and FRAP values ranging from 7.31–9.07 mM L⁻¹ Trolox. Significant positive correlation was found between the flavonoid hesperidin with antioxidant assays and total phenolic content (TPC). The results showed that waste citrus fruits can act as potential source of bioflavonoids, especially hesperidin, and antioxidants for pharmaceutical as well as nutraceutical industry.     

Fly ash supported NiO as an efficient catalyst for the synthesis of xanthene and its molecular docking study against plasmodium glutathione reductase

A novel fly ash supported NiO (FA–NiO) nanocomposite solid heterogeneous catalyst has been prepared by impregnation of Ni(NO₃)₂ · 6H₂O on thermally activated fly ash (FA) support. FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, TEM and BET techniques were employed to characterize the catalyst. The catalytic adeptness of FA–NiO was tested and optimized in xanthene formation. Catalyst gave very high yield and good purity. Stability of the catalyst could be promising as it easily recovered and reused giving a similar yield up to four cycles. FA–NiO is an efficient catalyst providing an environmentally clean process for xanthene formation and for developing a revolutionary way to use the majority of waste fly ash. Further, we have also performed docking simulation between 1ONF and a xanthene molecule to evaluate binding orientation and affinity of the ligand.     

Surface‐State‐Mediated Charge‐Transfer Dynamics in CdTe/CdSe Core–Shell Quantum Dots

Herein, we report the synthesis of aqueous CdTe/CdSe type‐II core–shell quantum dots (QDs) in which 3‐mercaptopropionic acid is used as the capping agent. The CdTe QDs and CdTe/CdSe core–shell QDs are characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR‐TEM), steady‐state absorption, and emission spectroscopy. A red shift in the steady‐state absorption and emission bands is observed with increasing CdSe shell thickness over CdTe QDs. The XRD pattern indicates that the peaks are shifted to higher angles after growth of the CdSe shell on the CdTe QDs. HR‐TEM images of both CdTe and CdTe/CdSe QDs indicate that the particles are spherical, with a good shape homogeneity, and that the particle size increases by about 2 nm after shell formation. In the time‐resolved emission studies, we observe that the average emission lifetime (τ_av) increases to 23.5 ns for CdTe/CdSe (for the thickest shell) as compared to CdTe QDs (τ_av=12 ns). The twofold increment in the average emission lifetime indicates an efficient charge separation in type‐II CdTe/CdSe core–shell QDs. Transient absorption studies suggest that both the carrier cooling and the charge‐transfer dynamics are affected by the presence of traps in the CdTe QDs and CdTe/CdSe core–shell QDs. Carrier quenching experiments indicate that hole traps strongly affect the carrier cooling dynamics in CdTe/CdSe core–shell QDs.     

Asymmetric Gold‐Catalyzed Lactonizations in Water at Room Temperature

Asymmetric gold‐catalyzed hydrocarboxylations are reported that show broad substrate scope. The hydrophobic effect associated with in situ‐formed aqueous nanomicelles gives good to excellent ee’s of product lactones. In‐flask product isolation, along with the recycling of the catalyst and the reaction medium, are combined to arrive at an especially environmentally friendly process.     

Syntheses of New Unsymmetrical 2,5‐Disubstituted‐1,3,4‐oxadiazoles and 1,2,4‐Triazolo[3,4‐b]‐1,3,4‐thiadiazoles Bearing Thieno[2,3‐c]pyrazolo Moiety

New series of (thieno[2,3‐c]pyrazolo‐5‐yl)‐[1,2,4]triazolo[3,4‐b][1,3,4]thiadiazoles 10a , 10b , 10c and (thieno[2,3‐c]pyrazol‐5‐yl)‐1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐3(2H)‐yl)ethanones 6a , 6b , 6c has been synthesized from thieno[2,3‐c]pyrazole‐5‐carbohydrazide 3 by multistep reaction sequence. (5‐Aryl‐1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐2‐yl)‐1H‐thieno[2,3‐c]pyrazoles 4a , 4b , 4c were also synthesized from thieno[2,3‐c]pyrazole‐5‐carbohydrazide 3 by cyclization with various aromatic carboxylic acids. The hydrazide 3 was obtained by reaction of thieno[2,3‐c]pyrazole‐5‐carboxylate 2 with hydrazine hydrate in good yield, and compound 2 was obtained by the reaction of 5‐chloro‐3‐methyl‐1‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazole‐4‐carbaldehyde 1 and 2‐ethyl thioglycolate in presence of sodium alcoholate in good yield.     

New Synthesis and Reactions of Ethyl 5‐amino‐4‐cyano‐1‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazole‐3‐carboxylate

Synthesis of ethyl 5‐amino‐4‐cyano‐1‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazole‐3‐carboxylate 5 has been achieved via abnormal Beckmann rearrangement of o‐chloroaldehyde 1 . Reaction of o‐aminocarbonitrile 5 with concentrated H₂SO₄ furnished expected o‐aminocarboxamide pyrazole 6 . Key intermediates o‐aminocarbonitrile 5 and o‐aminocarboxamide 6 were successfully utilized for the synthesis of pyrazolopyrimidine derivatives. The replacement of Cl in o‐chlorocarbonitrile 3 with secondary amine furnished new synthon 13 , which was further used for the synthesis of polysubstituted heterocycles. The obtained new products were well characterized by IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR, and mass spectra.     

Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activities of Novel Series of 3‐(4‐(2‐substituted thiazol‐4‐yl)phenyl)‐2‐(4‐methyl‐2‐substituted thiazol‐5‐yl)thiazolidin‐4‐one Derivatives

In the present investigation, a novel series of 3‐(4‐(2‐substituted thiazol‐4‐yl)phenyl)‐2‐(4‐methyl‐2‐substituted thiazol‐5‐yl)thiazolidin‐4‐one derivatives were synthesized by condensation of 2‐substituted‐4‐methylthiazole‐5‐carbaldehyde with 4‐(2‐substituted thiazol‐4‐yl)benzenamine followed by cyclo‐condensation with thioglycolic acid in toluene. All the newly synthesized compounds were characterized by spectral (IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and Mass) methods. The title compounds were screened for quantitative antibacterial activity (minimal inhibitory concentration). All compounds 7a , 7b , 7c , 7d , 7e , 7f , 7g , 7h and 8a , 8b , 8c , 8d , 8e , 8f , 8g , 8h show moderate to good antimicrobial activity, whereas compounds ( 7a , 7b , 7c , 7d , 7e , 7f , 7g , 7h ) also show moderate antifungal activity.