Electrochemical behaviour of Mn3+/Mn2+, Co3+/Co2+ and Ce4+/Ce4+ redox mediators in methanesulfonic acid

The redox behaviour of Mn³⁺/Mn²⁺, Co³⁺/Co²⁺ and Ce⁴⁺/Ce³⁺ mediators commonly used in indirect oxidation of organic compounds were evaluated in methane sulfonic acid on a glassy carbon working electrode employing cyclic voltammetry. Manganic methanesulfonate exhibits higher instability in dilute methanesulfonic acid. The solid MnO₂ formed during disproportionation on the glassy carbon electrode further affects the reproducibility. Cobaltic methanesulfonate formation occurs only at oxygen evolution region rendering the overall oxidation process less efficient. Ceric methane sulfonate formation is highly efficient over a wide acid concentration range. Ceric methanesulfonate can also be employed over a wide temperature range to oxidize different aromatic compounds.     

A review of the effects of catalyst and additive on biodiesel production, performance, combustion and emission characteristics

This article is a literature review of the effect of different catalysts and additives on biodiesel production, performance, combustion and emission characteristics. This study is based on the reports of about 60 scientists who published their findings between 1998 and 2010. It was reported that base catalyst produced more biodiesel compared to acid type catalysts. There was not much variation in engine performance with the use of catalyst. Combustion characteristics were improved with the use of additives. It was found that ignition delay was reduced and premixed combustion duration was increased with the addition of catalyst. HC emission and PM emission were reduced with the use of catalysts.     

Hyperbranched poly(cyanurateamine): A new corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in hydrochloric acid medium

Hyperbranched poly(cyanurateamine) (POCYAM) was tested as a novel corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in 0.5–3 M HCl using chemical and electrochemical techniques at 25–70 °C. The results show that this compound has good corrosion inhibiting properties for mild steel in HCl at very low concentrations. Corrosion inhibition efficiency rises with POCYAM concentration. The adsorption of the POCYAM onto the mild steel surface obeys Langmuir adsorption isotherm model. The inhibition mechanism was further corroborated by the values of thermodynamic parameters obtained from the experimental data.     

Entropy generation in a channel resembling gas turbine cooling passage: Effect of rotation number and density ratio on entropy generation

Flow into a passage resembling a gas turbine blade cooling passage is considered and entropy generation rate in the passage is examined for unique rotation number and density ratios. In the simulations, leading and trailing walls of the passage are assumed to be at constant temperature. A control volume approach is introduced to discretize the governing equations of flow, heat transfer, and entropy generation. Reynolds stress turbulence model is accommodated in the simulation to account for the turbulence. The study is extended to include two rotational speeds and three density ratios. The passage aspect ratio is kept 10:1. It is found that volumetric entropy generation rate attains high values at passage inlet due to attainment of high temperature gradient in this region. Increasing rotation number and density ratio enhances volumetric entropy generation rate in the passage.     

Optimal time-varying potential profile for electro-hydro-dimerization reactions

Optimal time-varying potential profile for batch electrochemical reactor is evaluated for a major industrial electro-organic synthesis, the electro-hydro-dimerization of acrylonitrile to adiponitrile. The control vector iteration technique is used for computing the optimal profiles. As the technique is continuous on both state and adjoint variables, it can give more accurate profile with no need for any polynomial approximation. A heterogeneous model of the reactor is uniquely used for the formulation of dynamic optimization problem statements by expressing the differential constraints in terms of concentration variations in bulk as well as at the electrode surface. In addition to taking an account of surface concentration variations, the separation of total current as faradic and non-faradic currents is also considered as an additional equality constraint. A path constraint on the electrode potential is imposed for safe reactor function and economical operation. The results of optimum time-varying potential profile are compared with those of applying a steady potential.     

Thermal analysis of buoyancy-motivated Casson fluid flow with time-independent chemical reaction under Lorentz forces

The present research study examines the magneto-hydrodynamic natural convection visco-elastic boundary layer of Casson fluid past a nonlinear stretching sheet with Joule and viscous dissipation effects under the influence of chemical reaction. To differentiate the visco-elastic nature of Casson fluid with Newtonian fluids, an established Casson model is considered. The present physical problem is modeled by utilizing the considered geometry. The resulting system of coupled nonlinear partial differential equations is reduced to a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations by applying suitable similarity transformations. Numerical solutions of these reduced nondimensional governing flow field equations are obtained by applying the Runge-Kutta integration scheme with the shooting method (RK-4). The physical behavior of different control parameters is described through graphs and tables. The present study describes that the velocity and temperature profiles decreased for increasing values of Casson fluid parameter. Velocity field diminished for the increasing nonlinear parameter whereas velocity profile magnified for increasing free convection parameter. Thermal field enhanced with increasing magnetic parameter in the flow regime. The concentration profile decreased for the rising values of the chemical reaction parameter. The magnitude of the skin-friction coefficient enhanced with increasing magnetic parameter. Increasing Eckert number increases the heat transfer rate and increasing chemical reaction parameter magnifies the mass transfer rate. Finally, the similarity results presented in this article are excellently matched with previously available solutions in the literature.     

A novel approach for computing tertiary current distributions based on simplifying assumptions

A novel yet efficient method for the computation of simplified tertiary current density and surface concentration distributions in electrochemical processes is presented. The method is rooted in the important physiochemical property that the activation potential is constant and uniform for given electrode material during the electrolysis. The technique is attractive because it involves a single iterative procedure against the conventional doubly iterative procedure. The initial assumption of current distribution along the electrode is also not necessary, as it involves only an assumption of a suitable power series to solve steady state laminar convective diffusion. Accordingly the method is relevant only for electrodes of constant activation polarization, but this holds good for situations where the electrode configurations are such that the primary current density distribution is almost uniform and for situations where the Wagner number is high. To illustrate the utility of the technique the procedure is applied to some realistic problems encountered in electrochemical engineering such as the current distribution either in plane-parallel plate electrode with electrolyte flowing between them or a moving electrode with the electrolyte stationary.     

Functional expression of three isoforms of human nitric oxide synthase in baculovirus-infected insect cells

Complementary DNAs encoding three human isoforms (neuronal, inducible, and endothelial) of nitric oxide synthase were cloned into the baculovirus expression vector pVL1392/1393. Transfection of Sf-9 insect cells with the recombinant baculovirus resulted in the expression of high levels of nitric oxide synthases. The expressed proteins of neuronal and inducible nitric oxide synthase were predominantly soluble, whereas the endothelial enzyme was for the most part, particulate. Recombinant enzymes were purified with 2',5'-ADP Sepharose affinity chromatography. The effects of reference enzymatic inhibitors (NG-methyl-L-arginine, NG-nitro-L-arginine and N-iminoethyl-L-ornithine) on recombinant expressed proteins were not significantly different from native nitric oxide synthase enzyme preparations. L-aminoguanidine was found to be much less potent in inhibiting recombinant or native human inducible nitric oxide synthase compared to the murine isoform. These findings indicate previously unappreciated interspecies differences in the action of nitric oxide synthase enzymatic inhibitors. The functional expression of human nitric oxide synthase isoforms in a heterologous expression system allowed screening of novel inhibitors. Studies indicated that S-ethylisothiourea and 2-amino-5,6-dihydro-6-methyl-4H-1,3-thiazine were potent novel inhibitors of human nitric oxide synthases.     

Tamarind Fruit Fiber and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polyester Composites

Polyester-based hybrid composites were developed by combining the tamarind fruit (Tf) and glass fibers into a polyester matrix. Hardness, impact strength, frictional coefficient, and chemical resistance of hybrid composites with and without alkali treatments were studied. Variation of the aforementioned mechanical properties and chemical resistance was studied with different fiber lengths, such as 1, 2, and 3 cm. A 9 vol% of the tamarind and glass fibers was reinforced into the polyester matrix. The aforementioned mechanical properties were optimally improved at 2-cm fiber length when compared with 1- and 3-cm fiber lengths. Chemical resistance was also significantly improved for all chemicals except toluene. A 3°C rise in decomposition temperature while a 2°C rise in glass transition temperature was observed from TGA and DSC micrograms, respectively.