Parallel discrete event simulation algorithm for manufacturing supply chains

Parallel discrete event simulation (PDES) is concerned with the distributed execution of large-scale system models on multiple processors. It is an enabler in the implementation of the virtual enterprise concept, integrating semi-autonomous models of production cells, factories, or units of a supply chain. The key issue in PDES is to maintain causality relationships between system events, while maximizing parallelism in their execution. Events can be executed conservatively only when it is safe to do so, sacrificing the extent to which potential parallelism of the system can be exploited. Alternatively, they can be processed optimistically without guarantee of correctness, but incurring the overhead of a rollback to an earlier saved state when causality error is detected. The paper proposes a modified optimistic scheme for distributed simulation of constituent models of a supply chain in manufacturing, which exploits the inherent operating characteristics of its domain.     

Multielemental characterisation of cobalt by glow discharge quadrupole mass spectrometry

Multielemental determination and the assessment of purity of cobalt metal used in the preparation of Ni-based super-alloys have been carried out by glow discharge quadrupole mass spectrometry (GD-QMS). Relative sensitivity factors (RSF) generated from certified iron matrix reference samples (NIST 663 and 664 low alloy steel pin standards) could be used for the determination of different trace element constituents of the sample. Different wet chemical procedures were also carried out for the determination of the trace constituents in the sample. The GD-QMS results are in reasonably good agreement with those obtained from wet chemical procedures, validating the use of the RSF values generated on low alloy steel standards for the computation of trace element concentrations in cobalt metal. A variety of molecular ions formed through the reaction of cobalt (matrix) with the discharge gas (argon) were also detected.     

Spectrophotometric determination of molybdenum(VI)

Molybdenum(IV) gives a red colour with ammonium thiocyanate in 5-8M hydrochloric acid medium, the Sandell sensitivity index being 0.018 ppm Mo(VI)/cm(2). Molybdenum(VI) in 4-7M hydrochloric acid medium forms a red complex with ethyl xanthate and ammonium thiocyanate and this can be extracted into acetophenone. Beer's law is obeyed over the range of 1.2-13.8 ppm, and the Sandell indices at 370 and 470 nm are 0.0016 and 0.0068 ppm/cm(2) respectively. The colour is stable for 40 hr. Most cations do not interfere.     

Determination of trace metallic impurities in high-purity quartz by ion chromatography

A method has been developed for the determination of relevant trace impurities (alkali, alkaline and transition metals) in high purity quartz by ion-chromatography. In situ reagent (HF) purification and simultaneous sample dissolution was achieved in a multichannel vapour phase digestion assembly. Twenty-one samples can be digested at a time in this vapour phase system. Significant decrease in the process blank levels for all the analytes was observed. Drastic reduction (250 times) of NH4+ blank was achieved in the described vapour phase digestion, which enables the determination of trace concentration of sodium in high purity quartz. After volatilisation of the matrix and unreacted HF, the clear water leached solutions were injected into an ion-chromatograph equipped with conductivity detector for the determination of alkali and alkaline earth metals. In the case of transition metals, the trace residues were leached with 10 mM HCl and after separation on a mixed bed analytical column (IonPac CS5) were detected by spectrophotometry after post column derivatisation using 4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol (PAR). The accuracy of the result was checked by their comparison with those obtained by independent methods like inductively coupled plasma (ICP) MS and ICP atomic emission spectrometry. The achievable detection limits are between 0.4 ng/g (Li) and 22 ng/g (Mn). The application of the method to the determination of the above trace metals in two high-purity-grade quartz samples is demonstrated.     

Ce(IV) ion initiated graft polymerization of glycidylmethacrylate onto a demineralized bone matrix: effect of reaction parameters

Studies on chemical modification of demineralized bone matrix (DBM) have opened new arenas in the field of clinical orthopedics owing to its potential osteoinductivity with desired chemical functionality. To widen its usage to biomolecular delivery, graft polymerization of glycidylmethacrylate onto DBM was carried out by a free-radical initiating process using ceric ammonium nitrate as an initiator. The evidence of the grafting reaction was examined by chemical analysis using Fourier transform IR spectroscopy. The grafting condition was standardized by regulating the reaction parameters such as the concentrations of the backbone, the monomer and the initiator, the polymerization temperature and time. The optimum polymerization temperature and time to have the maximum grafting yield were 40 °C and 3 h, respectively. The percentage of grafting and the percentage of grafting efficiency were determined as a function of the reaction parameters, and both were found to increasing initially and thereafter decrease in most of the cases. The grafting results are discussed in a detailed fashion and a reaction mechanism is proposed.     

Effect of pressure on pedal motion in stilbene molecular crystals and its dependence on the crystallographic site

We report computer simulation of a stilbene molecular crystal as a function of pressure up to 4 GPa. Molecular structure and the crystal structure of stilbene have been characterized by calculating the radial distribution function and dihedral angle distribution, features associated with pedal motion and cell parameters. Results suggest that the population of minor conformer at site 2 disappears altogether above 1.25 GPa. In contrast, the population of minor conformer at site 1 remains at around 12%. Pedal motion is not observed beyond a pressure of 0.8 and 1.4 GPa at site 1 and site 2, respectively. Specific heat and compressibility exhibit an anomaly around 1.25 GPa. The anomaly seems to be associated with the disappearance of pedal motion at site 2. Initially, increase in pressure leads to an increase in the magnitude of lattice energy, but beyond 0.5 GPa it decreases.     

A mild and efficient method for the oxidation of benzylic alcohols by two-phase electrolysis

Electrochemical oxidation of benzylic and substituted benzylic alcohols by two-phase electrolysis yields the corresponding aldehydes as products. The reaction was carried out in a single compartment cell with platinum electrodes at room temperature in chloroform using an aqueous sodium bromide solution (25%) containing a catalytic amount of HBr. The two-phase electrolysis resulted in high yields (74-96%) of benzaldehyde from primary alcohols and secondary alcohols were oxidized to the corresponding ketone but only in low yields under these conditions.     

Orientational melting and reorientational motion in a cubane molecular crystal: a molecular simulation study

Detailed molecular simulations are carried out to investigate the effect of temperature on orientational order in cubane molecular crystal. We report a transition from an orientationally ordered to an orientationally disordered plastic crystalline phase in the temperature range 425-450 K. This is similar to the experimentally reported transition at 395 K. The nature of this transition is first order and is associated with a 4.8% increase in unit cell volume that is comparable to the experimentally reported unit cell volume change of 5.4% (Phys. Rev. Lett. 1997, 78, 4938). An orientational order parameter, eta(T), has been defined in terms of average angle of libration of a molecular 3-fold axis and the orientational melting has been characterized by using eta(T). The orientational melting is associated with an anomaly in specific heat at constant pressure (C(P)) and compressibility (kappa). The enthalpy of transition and entropy of transition associated with this orientational melting are 20.8 J mol(-1) and 0.046 J mol(-1) K(-1), respectively. The structure of crystalline as well as plastic crystalline phases is characterized by using various radial distribution functions and orientational distribution functions. The coefficient of thermal expansion of the plastic crystalline phase is more than twice that of the crystalline phase.     

The `cyclophene' [2.2.2](1,2,4)cyclophan‐9‐ene

In the title compound, C₁₈H₁₆, the [2.2]paracyclophane geometry is restrained to a considerable extent despite the introduction of the extra C=C bridge; typical paracyclophane features, such as the elongated C—C bridges, are still observed. However, the bridgehead atoms of the C=C bridge are forced into unusually close proximity [2.657 (3) Å], which in turn causes the rings to be rotated to an interplanar angle of 13.7 (2)°. The packing involves hexagonally close‐packed layers of molecules parallel to the xy plane, corresponding to the known `7,11' pattern of paracyclophanes, but without significant short intermolecular contacts.     

Spectrophotometric determination of molybdenum(VI) with 2-mercaptobenzo-γ-thiopyrone and ammonium thiocyanate

Molybdenum(VI) in 1.4–3.6 M hydrochloric acid medium forms an acetophenone-extractable orange-red complex with the potassium salt of 2-mercapto-benzo-γ-thiopyrone and ammonium thiocyanate in the presence of tin(II) chloride. The limit of identification of the spot test based on this reaction is 0.1 μg of molybdenum (dilution limit, 1:1·10⁶). The spectrophotometric method is fairly selective, the sensitivity being 0.005μg Mo cm^-2 at 470 nm. The colour system obeys Beer's law; the optimal concentration range is 0.75–8.5 μg Mo ml^-1, the relative photometric error being 1.675%. The complex is stable for over 24 h. Common ions can be tolerated in amounts greater than 1000-fold. Interferences of Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺ and Ag⁺ are avoided by complexing these ions with 2-mercaptobenzo-γ-thiopyrone at pH 6–10 and extracting with ethyl acetate or chloroform. The proposed method is applied to the determination of molybdenum in steel and in artificial mixtures.