Mathematical model for prediction of oil recovery of core-flood tests in process of viscoelastic polymer flooding

In this study a new mathematical model was developed that considers thermal effects, dispersion, effective concentration, elastic behavior of viscoelastic polymers, polymer retention, permeability reduction of aqueous phase, salt effects, inaccessible pore volume, and equivalent shear rate in porous media to predict oil recovery of core-flood experiments in process of viscoelastic polymer flooding as a tertiary stage of enhanced oil recovery. The model was found highly reliable when compared to material balance and experimental data. Displacement performance of core-flood tests could be predicted by presented model, therefore, experimental costs will be decreased significantly.     

PHENOLIC WASTEWATER TREATMENT BY SUPPORTED LIQUID MEMBRANE USING DIFFERENT COOKING OILS AS LIQUID MEMBRANE

Transport of phenol through a flat sheet supported liquid membrane (SLM) containing cooking oil as liquid membrane (LM) was investigated. Factors affecting permeation of phenol such as membrane phase, support material, feed phase pH, stripping phase concentration, stirring speed, and initial concentration of phenol were studied. It was found that these parameters strongly influence phenol removal efficiency; PTFE membrane as support material, grape seed oil as liquid membrane, feed pH of 2.0, initial phenol concentration of 100 mg/L, stirring speed of 350 rpm, and 0.2 M sodium hydroxide as effective stripping agent were found as the best conditions for greater phenol transport. Under these conditions, permeability was found to be 7.46 × 10^?6 m/s. After 10.5 h, phenol was completely removed from the feed phase to strip phase. According to stability experiments, it was observed that the SLM is stable after 22 h. Thus, the use of cheap, nontoxic, and naturally oil as a novel and green membrane for recovery of phenol from wastewater was demonstrated.     

Optimal architecture of heat generating pieces in a fin

This paper documents the optimal architecture of heat generating pieces connected to and cooled in a circular-shaped fin. Relying on the constructal theory, the optimal distribution of multiple heat sources is obtained by minimizing the thermal resistance of the fin. Since the heat sources are contemplated as electronic devices with uniform heat generation, the minimization of the thermal resistance is indicated by minimization of the hot spot (peak) temperature. Temperature fields in the fin and in the heat sources are calculated using a finite elements approach of MATLAB PDE toolbox. Comparison among the considered configurations reveals that the regular configurations of the heat sources commonly used in cooling industry are not optimal and must be avoided. Optimal configurations such as triangular arrangement of heat sources are proposed to replace the unfavorable configurations.     

Magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles coupled with high performance liquid chromatography for solid‐phase extraction of carvedilol in serum samples

Herein, we report a magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (m‐MIPs) using Fe₃O₄ as a magnetic component, carvedilol as a template molecule for the solid‐phase extraction (MISPE) as the sample clean‐up technique combined with high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and for the controlled release of carvedilol at different pH values of 1.0 (simulated gastric fluid), 6.8 (simulated intestinal fluid), and 7.4 (simulated biological fluid). The adsorption kinetics was modeled with the pseudo‐first‐order and pseudo‐second‐order kinetics, and the adsorption isotherms were fitted with Langmuir and Freundlich models. The performance of the m‐MIPs for the controlled release of carvedilol was assessed and results indicated that the magnetic MIPs also have potential applications in controlled drug release. Furthermore, the m‐MIPs were applied to the extraction of carvedilol from human blood plasma samples. Carvedilol can be quantified by this method in the 2–350 μg L^?1 concentration range. The limit of detection and limit of quantification in plasma samples are 0.13 and 0.45 μg L^?1. The results from HPLC showed good precision (3.5% for 50.0 μg L^?1) and recoveries (between 85 and 93) using m‐MIP from human plasma samples. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 41209.     

Voltammetric determination of norepinephrine in the presence of acetaminophen using a novel ionic liquid/multiwall carbon nanotubes paste electrode

A novel multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) modified carbon ionic liquid electrode (CILE) was fabricated and used to investigate the electrochemical behavior of norepinephrine (NP). MWCNTs/CILE was prepared by mixing hydrophilic ionic liquid, 1-methyl-3-butylimidazolium bromide (MBIDZBr), with graphite powder, MWCNTs, and liquid paraffin. The fabricated MWCNTs/CILE showed great electrocatalytic ability to the oxidation of NE. The electron transfer coefficient, diffusion coefficient, and charge transfer resistant (R_ct) of NE at the modified electrode were calculated. Differential pulse voltammetry of NE at the modified electrode exhibited two linear dynamic ranges with slopes of 0.0841 and 0.0231 μA/μM in the concentration ranges of 0.3 to 30.0 μM and 30.0 to 450.0 μM, respectively. The detection limit (3σ) of 0.09 μM NP was achieved. This modified electrode exhibited a good ability for well separated oxidation peaks of NE and acetaminophen (AC) in a buffer solution, pH 7.0. The proposed sensor was successfully applied for the determination of NE in human urine, pharmaceutical, and serum samples.     

Causes of variability in concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in indoor air

Airborne concentrations of PCBs and PBDEs were measured in offices, homes, public environments, and cars. Variations in concentrations between different rooms in the same domestic and office buildings, showed some intra-building variability for both compound groups. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis revealed no clear and consistent relationships between log-normalized concentrations of PCBs and PBDEs in homes and offices and factors such as the number of personal computers. This is considered to reflect the complexity of relationships between indoor air contamination and microenvironment characteristics. The influence of personal computers was demonstrated when PBDE concentrations in one office fell appreciably following the exchange of a computer constructed in 1998 for one dating from 2003. Concentrations of PCBs in buildings constructed between 1950 and 1979 were significantly higher (p < 0.001) than in those constructed since. When two of the most contaminated cars were omitted as outliers, a significant (p < 0.01) positive linear relationship was detected between PBDE concentrations and vehicle age. Concentrations of PCBs and PBDEs were monitored throughout a calendar year in four homes and four offices. Although concentrations in warmer months usually exceeded those in colder months, seasonal variability in indoor contamination appears less significant than observed previously for outdoor air.     

Synthesis,Characterization and Properties of Novel Poly(urethane‐imide) Networks as Electrical Insulators with Improved Thermal Stability

Summary: A new series of thermoplastic poly(urethane‐imide)s (TPUI1‐4) containing hydroxyl groups in the backbone was synthesized from the reaction of epoxy‐terminated polyurethane prepolymers (EPU1‐4) and an imide containing diacid (DIDA) chain extender under optimized reaction conditions. EPU1‐4 was prepared through end‐functionalization of NCO‐terminated polyurethanes based on polyester polyol (CAPA) and hexamethylene diisocyanate with glycidol. A blocked isocyanate (BIC) was made from the reaction of trimethylol propane (TMP), toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and N‐methylaniline (NMA). Polymer networks were prepared from the reaction of librated isocyanate groups of BIC with hydroxyl groups of TPUIs. The starting materials and polymers were characterized by conventional spectroscopic methods and the physical, thermal and electrical properties of crosslinked networks were studied. Investigation of the recorded properties for these samples showed considerable improvement in thermal and electrical properties in comparison to common polyurethanes.

Synthetic route for preparation of TPUIs.     

Minimal realization of nonlinear systems described by input-outputdifference equations

We consider a general class of nonlinear discrete-time systems described by their input-output (I/O) relationship. We first present the necessary and sufficient conditions for existence of a local observable state-space realization of the system and an explicit algorithm for computing it. In cases where the I/O map and its resulting realization are nonminimal, we formulate an algorithm for extracting its minimal realization whenever possible. The developed theory and algorithms are illustrated by means of several examples     

Role of Ribes khorassanicum in the biosynthesis of AgNPs and their antibacterial properties

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been biosynthesised through the extracts of Ribes khorassanicum fruits, which served as the reducing agents and capping agents. Biosynthesised AgNPs have been found to be ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) absorption spectra since they have displayed one surface plasmon resonance peak at 438 nm, attesting the formation of spherical NPs. These particles have been characterised by UV–vis, field‐emission scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy analysis. The formation of AgNPs at 1.0 mM concentration of AgNO₃ has resulted in NPs that contained mean diameters in a range of 20–40 nm. The green‐synthesised AgNPs have demonstrated high antibacterial effect against pathogenic bacteria (i.e. Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Biosynthesising metal NPs through plant extracts can serve as the facile and eco‐friendly alternative for chemical and/or physical methods that are utilised for large‐scale nanometal fabrication in various medical and industrial applications.Inspec keywords: X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray chemical analysis, nanofabrication, surface plasmon resonance, nanoparticles, antibacterial activity, microorganisms, scanning electron microscopy, silver, nanomedicine, visible spectra, ultraviolet spectra, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectra, field emission scanning electron microscopy, biomedical materialsOther keywords: antibacterial properties, silver nanoparticles, reducing agents, capping agents, surface plasmon resonance peak, spherical NPs, field‐emission scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy analysis, plant extracts, ultraviolet‐visible absorption spectra, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, antibacterial effect, Ribes khorassanicum fruits, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, surface plasmon resonance, AgNO₃ , Ag