A new controller for boost dc–dc converters based on a novel sliding surface

ABSTRACT

In this paper, two control schemes for boost converters affected by uncertainties in input voltage and load are proposed. The boost converter dynamics is redefined in terms of new state variables to facilitate the use of a disturbance observer that can estimate matched and unmatched disturbances. A sliding surface, which is new in the context of boost converters, is proposed to enable tracking and regulation of output voltage without requiring measurement of input voltage and load current. The stability of the overall system including the disturbance observer, the sliding variable and the output is proved. The performance of the schemes is assessed for regulation of output voltage and tracking of reference voltage by simulation as well as experimentation in which various types of uncertainties and various types of reference voltages are considered.     

Conductivity and atmospheric aging studies of polypyrrole-coated cotton fabrics

Polypyrrole (PPy) is one of the preferred alternatives among the intrinsically conductive polymers (ICPs). In this study, PPy-coated cotton (PPy-CT) fabrics were synthesized by two step in situ chemical polymerization. The reaction parameters, such as monomer concentration and temperature, were studied in detail. The surface resistivity of PPy-CT fabrics ranged ∼ 15–5000 Ω⁻². To assess long-term usage potential, the atmospheric aging of conductivity characteristics of treated fabrics was monitored over a period of 6 months. It was found that the synthesis temperature had a significant impact on conductivity and atmospheric aging of PPy-CT fabrics. Furthermore, various sulfonic acid sodium salts added as external doping agents during polymerization also had a positive effect. The scanning electron microscopy revealed smoother morphology of sulfonic acid salt doped PPy coatings. The overall study addresses the durability aspect of PPy-CT fabrics in potential applications areas. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Elucidation of chemical structures of pink-red pigments responsible for ‘pinking’ in macerated onion (Allium cepa L.) using HPLC-DAD and tandem mass spectrometry

The chemical structures of pink-red pigments responsible for ‘pinking’ in macerated onion were tentatively elucidated using HPLC with a diode array detector and tandem mass spectrometry. All pigments were produced in conditions that approximated the natural process as closely as possible, using mixtures of onion thiosulphinates, the enzyme alliinase, and free amino acids. The isotopic distribution of protonated molecules of pink-red pigments produced from individual amino acids indicated the absence of sulphur, with the exception of pigment produced from cystine. The pigments had a basic polymethine framework containing two pyrrole rings (3,4-dimethyl-1H-pyrrole and 3,4-dimethyl-2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrole) bridged by methines. The side chains attached to the nitrogen of the pyrrole rings were derived from the reacting amino acid. The simplest pink-red pigment, produced from glycine, was identified as 2-(2-(3-(1-(carboxymethyl)-3,4-dimethyl-1H-pyrrol-2(5H)-ylidene)prop-1-en-1-yl)-3,4-dimethyl-1H-pyrrol-1-yl)acetic acid. The pigment from alanine was identified as 2-(2-(3-(1-(carboxymethyl)-3,4-dimethyl-1H-pyrrol-2-yl)allylidene)-3,4-dimethyl-2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrol-1-yl)propanoic acid. The chemical structures of pink-red pigments from leucine, asparagine, glutamine, tyrosine, and cystine also were determined.     

Acetamide‐modified hyper‐cross‐linked resin: Synthesis,characterization, and adsorption performance to phenol from aqueous solution

Acetamide‐modified hyper‐cross‐linked resin, HCP‐HMTA‐AA, was prepared and its adsorption performance was evaluated using phenol as the adsorbate. The prepared HCP–HMTA–AA owned predominant micro/mesopores and medium polarity, making it possess a superior adsorption to phenol as compared with polystyrene (PS), chloromethylated polystyrene (CMPS), hyper‐cross‐linked polymer (HCP) and amino‐modified hyper‐cross‐linked resin (HCP–HMTA). The adsorption enthalpy was ?99.56 kJ/mol at zero fractional loading, multiple hydrogen bonding contributed to such a great adsorption enthalpy and an approximately planar hexahydric ring was formed between acetamide of HCP–HMTA–AA and phenol. The dynamic capacity of phenol on HCP–HMTA–AA was 291.3 mg/g at a feed concentration of 946.2 mg/L and a flow rate of 48 mL/h and the resin column was almost regenerated by a mixed solvent including 50% of ethanol (v/v) and 0.01 mol/L of sodium hydroxide (w/v). HCP–HMTA–AA was repeatedly used for five times and the equilibrium adsorption capacity for the five time reached 94.2% of the equilibrium adsorption capacity for the first time. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41597.     

Recent Progress of Innovative Perovskite Hybrid Solar Cells

Recently, innovative perovskite hybrid solar cells have attracted great interest in solar cell research fields, such as dye-sensitized solar cells, organic photovoltaics, thin-film solar cells, and silicon solar cells, because their device efficiencies are gradually approaching those of crystalline Si solar cells, and they can be fabricated by cheap low-temperature solution processes. Here, we review the recent progress of innovative perovskite hybrid solar cells. The introduction includes the general concerns about solar cells and why we need innovative solar cells. The second part explains the structure and the material properties of hybrid perovskite materials. We focus on why the hybrid perovskite materials can exhibit excellent solar cell properties, such as high open-circuit voltage. The third part introduces recent progress in innovative perovskite hybrid solar cells, in terms of device architecture and deposition methods for dense perovskite thin films with full surface coverage. The device architecture is important in attaining high power conversion efficiency; the device operating mechanism is dependent on the device structure; and the pinhole-free dense perovskite thin films with full surface coverage are crucial for achieving high efficiency. Finally, we summarize the recent progress in perovskite hybrid solar cells, and the issues to be solved, in the summary and outlook section.     

Extraction of iridium(III) by ion-pair formation with 2-octylaminopyridine in weak organic acid media

To extract iridium(III), various physicochemical parameters were studied. 2-Octylaminopyridine was used for the extraction of iridium(III) from acetate medium at 8.5 pH. Quantitative extraction of iridium(III) was achieved via ion-pair formation of cation [2-OAPH⁺] and anion [Ir(CH₃COO)₄]^?. The stripping of iridium(III)-laden organic phase was carried out 2 M HCl (3 × 10 mL) . The stoichiometry of the extracted ion–pair complex was found to be 1:4:1 (metal: acetate: extractant). The extracted species [2-OAPH⁺. Ir(CH₃COO)₄^?] is assumed to be an ion association product of [Ir(CH₃COO)₄] ^? and [2-OAPH]⁺. The proposed method was successfully used in the separation of iridium(III) from binary and ternary mixtures. Analysis of various alloy samples was also carried out.