Protonic polymer gel electrolytes based on carboxylic acids: ortho and inductive effects

The conductivity of polymer gel electrolytes containing three aromatic and three aliphatic carboxylic acids has been studied, viz. (i) ortho-, meta- and para-hydroxybenzoic acids and (ii) oxalic, malonic and succinic acids. Polymeric gels were prepared by adding different wt% of polymer poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) in solutions of respective acids in high dielectric constant organic solvent mixtures of propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate and dimethylformamide. The highest conductivity in the first of the above group of acids is for o-hydroxy benzoic acid and oxalic acid in the second group of acids. Results have been explained on the basis of ortho and/or inductive effects which depend upon the relative positions of the substituted hydroxyl (–OH) and carboxyl (–COOH) group or that of the two carboxylic groups.     

Modeling the anomalous threshold voltage behavior of submicrometerMOSFET's

A simple yet accurate semi-empirical analytical model for simulating the anomalous threshold voltage behavior in submicrometer MOSFETs is reported. The increase in the threshold voltage with decreasing channel length has been modeled by assuming a bias-independent, but channel-length-dependent, fixed charge at the source and drain ends. The new model requires two extra parameters in addition to the usual short-channel threshold voltage model parameters. These two parameters represent the magnitude of the fixed charge and the length over which the charge is spread at the source and drain ends. The model shows excellent agreement with the experimental threshold voltage data (within 2%) for submicrometer devices with varying oxide thickness, junction depth, and channel doping concentration     

HYDROZEN TRANSFER HYDROCRAKING OF C.PROCERA UNDER AMBIENT PRESSURE CONDITIONS TO GET VALUE ADDED CHEMICALS AND FUELS

Biomass is renewable source of energy while the reserves of petroleum arc being depleted. The latex of a potential petrocrop, Colotropis procera, a lalicifcr, arid-plant which is rich in hydrocarbon type triterpene compounds etc. was found lo be a better feed slock for thermal hydrocracking as compared to whole plant biomass inlcrms of liquid product yield. Studies of chemical reaction dynamics of the thermal cracking of latex at 200-400°C showed that the process should be termed as hydrogen-tranfer (H-T) hydrocracking of latex under ambient pressure conditions. The hydrogen rich cracked trilcrpenoids act as the H-donors in this process, where nascent hydrogen atoms and free radicals chemically plug the cracked moities to stabilise these. Latex was also coagulated and the H-T hydrocracking of the feedstock coagulum gave a higher yield of cracked oil in comparision lo that from the dried latex. A model triterpene compound, ursolic acid has been subjected to H-T hydrocracking to understand the process of hydrocracking of latex under similar conditions and it was found that triterpencs on H-T hydrocracking produced only liquid and gaseous products and no solid char. The temperature for hydrocracking of latex has been optimized to 350°C and molecular sieve was round to catalyse the H-T Hytrocraking process to yield more liquid product The distillation range of cracked latex on(CLO)Obtained from H.T Hytrocracking of C procera Latex indicated that it can be used as fuel. Moreover CLO resembled diesel fuels and was predominantly paraffinic in nature as characterised by NMR and FTIR spectral analysis. A process has been recommended for gelling value added fuels and chemicals from C. procera latex.     

Characterization of information improvement due to N revisions and its generalization by a functional equation

The idea of information improvement was introduced by Thiel [3]. This idea was further extended by the first author to information improvement due to 2 and N revisions and specifically states that different experimenters (a finite number) are required to proceed with given distributions P and U and are permitted to choose a suitable revision. We attempted to provide a measure of information corresponding to Theil's measure which reflected the effect of all revisions. In this paper, the authors have studied a joint characterization of information improvement of N revisions and its generalization by considering a suitable functional equation.     

Phase transformations at −175 °C in polytypic crystals of cadmium iodide

Solid-state phase transformations have been observed to occur in polytypic crystals of cadmium iodide, grown from solution, upon cooling them down to — 175 °C. In addition, structural changes with respect to streaking, arcing, and diffuseness of diffraction spots and the background intensity on the x-ray photographs have been observed. The results have been interpreted on the basis of movement of unit and partial edge dislocations generated during crystal growth. The movement of dislocations is possibly caused by internal strains produced upon cooling.     

Specialized supply firms, property rights and firm boundaries

The proper specification of intellectual property rights (IPRs)is a delicate and controversial matter. In this paper, we considerone specialized context in which IPRs can add to efficiency.We build on contributions of both ‘firm capabilities’scholars (e.g. Teece, Pisano et al.) and ‘property rights’economists (e.g. Hart) to show that IPRs can affect efficiencyby influencing the location of technological innovation. Usinga simple set up, where the key choice is whether a technology-intensiveinput will be supplied by an independent firm or produced in-house,we analyze how the choice is affected by the strength of IPRsand by the existence (and nature) of information spillovers.Specifically, we show that when the supply relationship is likelyto produce new information of value to the supplier, strongerproperty rights favor independent suppliers over vertical integration.An important implication of our model (backed by empirical casestudies) is that strong IPRs therefore encourage investmentsin specialized firms with strong ‘firm capabilities’in the area of innovative input supply. IPRs therefore may playa role—along with multiple other factors—in thelocation of firm boundaries in some cases. This contributionto the viability of small, specialized firms, with their superiorability to innovate in some cases, must be taken into accountin evaluating recent criticisms of over-fragmented IPR ownership(i.e. the ‘anticommons’ problem). It also contributesto an understanding of IPRs in the ‘post-Chandlerian’economy, where smaller, specialized firms play a prominent role.     

Ascorbic acid-mediated synthesis and characterisation of iron oxide/gold core–shell nanoparticles.

The current article reports on providing surface modification of magnetic nanoparticles with gold to provide stability against aggregation. Gold-coated magnetite nanoparticles were synthesised to combine both magnetic as well as surface plasma resonance (SPR) properties in a single moiety. The nanocomposites were produced by reduction (using ascorbic acid) of gold chloride on to the surface of iron oxide nanoparticles. Ascorbic acid not only acts as a reducing agent, but also the oxidised form of ascorbic acid i.e. Dehydro-ascorbic acid acts as a capping agent to impart stability to as synthesised gold-coated iron oxide nanocomposites. The synthesised nanocomposite was monodispersed with a mean particle size of around 16 nm and polydispersity index of 0.190. X-ray diffraction analysis confirms presence of gold on the surface of magnetite nanoparticles. The synthesised nanocomposites had a total organic content of around 3.2% w/w and also showed a shifted SPR peak at 546 nm as compared to gold nanoparticles (528 nm). Both uncoated and gold-coated magnetite exhibited superparamagnetic behaviour at room temperature. Upon coating with gold shell, saturation magnetisation of iron oxide nanoparticles decreases from 42.806 to 3.54 emu/gram.     

Numerical investigation of diluent influence on flame extinction limits and emission characteristic of lean-premixed H2-CO (syngas) flames

In recent years, research efforts have been channeled to explore the use of environmentally-friendly clean fuel in lean-premixed combustion so that it is vital to understand fundamental knowledge of combustion and emissions characteristics for an advanced gas turbine combustor design. The current study investigates the extinction limits and emission formations of dry syngas (50% H₂-50% CO), moist syngas (40% H₂-40% CO-20% H₂O), and impure syngas containing 5% CH₄. A counterflow flame configuration was numerically investigated to understand extinction and emission characteristics at the lean-premixed combustion condition by varying dilution levels (N₂, CO₂ and H₂O) at different pressures and syngas compositions. By increasing dilution and varying syngas composition and maintaining a constant strain rate in the flame, numerical simulation showed among diluents considered: CO₂ diluted flame has the same extinction limit in moist syngas as in dry syngas but a higher extinction temperature; H₂O presence in the fuel mixture decreases the extinction limit of N₂ diluted flame but still increases the flame extinction temperature; impure syngas with CH₄ extends the flame extinction limit but has no effect on flame temperature in CO₂ diluted flame; for diluted moist syngas, extinction limit is increased at higher pressure with the larger extinction temperature; for different compositions of syngas, higher CO concentration leads to higher NO emission. This study enables to provide insight into reaction mechanisms involved in flame extinction and emission through the addition of diluents at ambient and high pressure.     

Availability analysis of steam and power generation systems in the thermal power plant

The paper discusses the availability analysis of a steam generation system consisting of three subsystems A, B and D and a power generation system consisting of four subsystems E, F, G and H arranged in series, with three states viz., good, reduced and failed. Taking constant failure and repair rates for each working unit, the mathematical formulation is done using the Birth-Death process. Expressions for steady state availability and the MTBF (mean time between failure) are derived. The graphs are given, depicting the effect of failure and repair rates on the system availability. The results are supplied to the plant personnel, to plan the policies for failure free running of the systems for a long duration.