Simulation of core annular in return bends—A comprehensive CFD study

The present work reports a computational fluid dynamic analysis of core annular flow through return bends. Core annular flow of lubricating oil and water has been simulated using FLUENT 6.3.26. A satisfactory trend matching is observed between numerically obtained phase distribution and experiments. A comprehensive study has been made to generate the profiles of velocity, pressure, and volume fraction over a wide range of oil and water velocities. It has been observed that the oil core may foul the bend wall under certain operating conditions. Through computational simulations the operating zone safe from the risk of fouling has also been identified.     

Influence of grain boundary sliding on diffusion in yttria doped zirconia

Grain boundary sliding during high temperature deformation can lead to stress concentrations and an enhancement of diffusion in mobile boundaries. Experiments were conducted on a fine grained 3 mol% yttria stabilized tetragonal zirconia, under conditions associated with superplastic flow involving grain boundary sliding. Tracer diffusion studies under creep conditions and without load indicate that there is no enhancement in either the lattice or grain boundary diffusivities. The experimental creep data are consistent with an interface controlled diffusion creep mechanism.     

Enhanced near band edge luminescence of Ti/ZnO nanorod heterostructures due to the surface diffusion of Ti

Information on the mechanistic differences in the luminescence properties of Ti/ZnO nanorods (NRs) has been obtained through the preparation of heterostructures by (a) varying the thickness of Ti from 1 nm to 20 nm keeping the substrate temperature at 400 °C, (b) varying the substrate temperature from room temperature (RT) to 500 °C while keeping the metal thickness constant at 10 nm and (c) annealing the RT Ti sputtered NRs at temperatures of 400 °C and 500 °C. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra show that the near band edge luminescence of ZnO in the ultraviolet (UV) region is enhanced as the thickness of Ti increases up to 5 nm and, thereafter, it falls. Sputtering of Ti on ZnO NRs at RT does not cause any UV enhancement but when sputtered at and above 400 °C, the UV intensity is enhanced. Annealing of RT Ti sputtered NRs at and above 400 °C also results in the enhancement of the UV peak, although with a lesser magnitude. Analysis of the PL results, supported by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, elemental mapping, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and electrical I-V measurement results, show a clear indication that the surface diffusion of Ti causes a reduction in the surface defects.     

Coalescence of bubbles and stability of foams in aqueous solutions of Tween surfactants

Coalescence of air bubbles and stability of foams in aqueous solutions of Tween 20, 40, 60 and 80 are reported in this work. Adsorption of the surfactants at air–water interface was studied by measuring the surface tension of the surfactant solutions. The surface tension profiles were fitted using a surface equation of state derived from the Gibbs and Langmuir adsorption equations. The critical micelle concentration and surface tension at this concentration were determined. The effect of surfactant concentration on coalescence of air bubbles at flat air–water interface was studied. The role of steric force on coalescence time was investigated. The coalescence time distributions were fitted by the stochastic model. The mean values of the distributions were compared with the predictions of seven film-drainage models. Stability of foams was analyzed by the Ross–Miles test. The initial and residual foam heights were measured at different surfactant concentrations. The stability of foams was compared with the coalescence time of the bubbles.     

Unveiling the self-assembly behavior of copolymers of AAc and DMAPMA in situ to form smart hydrogels displaying nanogels-within-macrogel hierarchical morphology

Stimulus responsive hydrogels are being considered as one of the most crucial biomaterials of current generation. A new technique has been established for developing hydrogels based on Acrylic acid (AAc) and N-[3-(Dimethylamino)propyl]-methacrylamide (DMAPMA), and relevant mechanism has been delineated. Aqueous redox copolymerization of different molar ratios of AAc and DMAPMA at 41 ± 1 °C, leading to the formation of interlocked nanogels of ∼300 nm diameter, which acted as the building blocks of a series of superabsorbent hydrogels having robust, honey-comb type three-dimensional architecture. Monomer composition, monomer feed ratio and water content in feed has been found to be important factors in the development of the stable poly(AAc-co-DMAPMA) hydrogel membranes (PADMAs) without any active crosslinking agent. At the cues of pH change from 7.0 to 3.5, pulsatile swelling-deswelling behavior varied, ranging from ∼5900% to ∼60% (mass) respectively, underlining smart hydrogel characteristics needed for specific biomedical applications. Elastic modulus of the gels, equilibrated at pH 7.0, is recorded to be >15 kPa under uniaxial compression. Underlying mechanism of the formation of such robust three-dimensional structures in poly(AAc-co-DMAPMA) hydrogel membranes, and the origin of hierarchical ‘nano-to-macro’ scale morphological features has been proposed.     

Micellar and Surface Properties of Some Monomeric Surfactants and a Gemini Cationic Surfactant

The physicochemical and interfacial properties of the monomeric surfactants cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), cetyltriphenyl phosphonium bromide (CTPB), tetradecyl triphenyl phosphonium bromide (TTPB), cetyldiethylethanol ammonium bromide (CDEEAB), cetyltrimethyl ammonium chloride (CTACl), tetradecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (TTAB), and a gemini surfactant (C₁₆-3-C_16, 2Br⁻) at different pH (3.1, 7.0, and 7.75) have been investigated by conductivity and surface tension measurements at 300 K. The critical micellar concentration (CMC), degree of micellar ionization (α), surface excess concentration (Г_max), minimum surface area per molecule of surfactant (A _min), Gibbs free energy of micellization (∆G _m⁰), surface pressure at the CMC (π _CMC), and the Gibbs energy of adsorption (∆G _ads⁰) of the monomeric surfactants have also been determined. The CMC, α and Г_max, increase with increasing pH whereas A _min decreases.     

Anodic dissolution of U, Zr and U–Zr alloy and convolution voltammetry of Zr|Zr couple in molten LiCl–KCl eutectic

The anodic dissolution of U and Zr metal was studied in LiCl–KCl–UCl₃ and LiCl–KCl–ZrCl₄, respectively, at 773 K by cyclic voltammetry and compared with their respective dissolution behaviour in blank LiCl–KCl eutectic. The anodic dissolution of U–Zr alloy in LiCl–KCl–UCl₃ was also studied at 773 K to compare with the dissolution of U and Zr. The transfer coefficients evaluated by Tafel analysis and the method of Allen–Hickling for U and Zr dissolution were found to be in fair agreement with each other. U dissolution in LiCl–KCl–UCl₃ and Zr dissolution LiCl–KCl–ZrCl₄ were also studied by chronoamperometry and the diffusion coefficient value of U³⁺ was calculated to be in the range of 2.9 × 10⁻⁵ to 3.3 × 10⁻⁵ cm² s⁻¹ which is in agreement with those reported in literature. Convolution voltammetric analysis of Zr⁴⁺/Zr²⁺ redox couple in LiCl–KCl–ZrCl₄ was carried out for the first time to have a comprehensive understanding of the electrode kinetics.     

The kinetics of enzyme catalyzed synthesis of sterol ester

The production of sterol ester by transesterification of β‐sitosterol with fish oil (TAG) catalyzed by Thermomyces lanuginosus immobilized lipase enzyme with varied reaction parameters such as temperature, substrate molar ratio, concentration of enzyme to deduce the enzyme kinetics for the reaction was investigated. For this transesterification reaction, the kinetic model was derived by using Ping Pong Bi Bi Mechanism. The K_m value from the first plot containing fish oil as substrate was 1.31 ± 0.05, while K_m from the second plot containing β‐sitosterol as substrate was 1.01 ± 0.04; identical V_max (0.213 ± 0.06) values were obtained by keeping one of the substrate concentration constant and varying the other. Practical applications : Deduction of reaction kinetics is an important criterion to ascertain the viability of any chemical process. Enzymatic processes need special attention to set model reaction parameters which could help in optimization or design of the actual process. In the present study we have derived the enzyme kinetics for the production sterol ester, an important nutraceutical, and calculated its K_m and V_max values along with the Arhenius activation energy to establish the viability of the reaction.     

Numerical calculation of effective permittivity of losslessdielectric mixtures using boundary integral method

The electrostatic environment in a lossless composite structure made of three dielectrics and two dividing closed and disjoined surfaces has been determined, using appropriate surface integrals on these interfaces. These integral equations are transformed to approximate matrix equations and then are solved numerically. The electrostatic potential distribution, dipole moment and the effective permittivity of different composite structures are calculated