Hydrogen adsorption properties of carbide-derived carbons at ambient temperature and high pressure

Properties of the adsorbed hydrogen phase have been studied for hydrogen adsorption in three carbide derived carbons: SiC-CDC, steam/CO₂ activated SiC-CDC and TiC-CDC. Using the excess hydrogen uptake isotherm at hydrogen pressures above 120 MPa where adsorption has finished, the adsorbate volume has been determined and the adsorbate density has been calculated at ambient temperatures. Absolute adsorption isotherms have been constructed by assuming the adsorbate volume is equivalent to the pore volume and is therefore constant. This study indicates that all three CDCs had the same maximum adsorbate density, with the adsorption proportional to the total pore volume.     

A novel CMOS charge-pump circuit with current mode control 110 mA at 2.7 V for telecommunication systems

This paper presents a novel organization of switch capacitor charge pump circuits based on voltage doubler structures. Each voltage doubler takes a DC input and outputs a doubled DC voltage. By cascading voltage doublers the output voltage increases up to 2 times. A two-phase voltage doubler and a multiphase voltage doubler structures are discussed and design considerations are presented. A simulator working in the Q-V realm was used for simplified circuit level simulation. In order to evaluate the power delivered by a charge pump, a resistive load is attached to the output of the charge pump and an equivalent capacitance is evaluated. To avoid the short circuit during switching, a clock pair generator is used to achieve multi-phase non-overlapping clock pairs. This paper also identifies optimum loading conditions for different configurations of the charge pumps. The proposed charge-pump circuit is designed and simulated by SPICE with TSMC 0.35-μm CMOS technology and operates with a 2.7 to 3.6 V supply voltage. It has an area of 0.4 mm2; it was designed with a frequency regulation of 1 MHz and internal current mode to reduce power consumption.     

Adomian decomposition solution for propulsion of dissipative magnetic Jeffrey biofluid in a ciliated channel containing a porous medium with forced convection heat transfer

Physiological transport phenomena often feature ciliated internal walls. Heat, momentum, and multispecies mass transfer may arise and additionally non‐Newtonian biofluid characteristics are common in smaller vessels. Blood (containing hemoglobin) or other physiological fluids containing ionic constituents in the human body respond to magnetic body forces when subjected to external (extracorporeal) magnetic fields. Inspired by such applications, in the present work we have considered the forced convective flow of an electrically conducting viscoelastic physiological fluid through a ciliated channel under the action of a transverse magnetic field. The presence of deposits (fats, cholesterol, etc.) in the channel is mimicked with a Darcy porous medium drag force model. The effect of energy loss is simulated via the inclusion of viscous dissipation in the energy conservation (heat) equation. The velocity, temperature, and pressure distribution are computed in the form of infinite series constructed by Adomian decomposition method and numerically evaluated in a symbolic software (Mathematica). The influence of Hartmann number (magnetic parameter), Jeffrey first and second viscoelastic parameters, permeability parameter (modified Darcy number), and Brinkman number (viscous heating parameter) on velocity, temperature, pressure gradient, and bolus dynamics is visualized graphically.     

Influence of the electrochemical conditions on the properties of polymerized carbazole

Polycarbazole (PCZ) was obtained by electrochemical oxidation of carbazole monomers. Two potentials were used: the oxidation potential of the monomer 1700 mV and an over oxidation potential 2500 mV. The carbazole monomers were supplied either in solution in the electrolyte or in the form of pre-deposited thin film evaporated on a working electrode. It is shown that if PCZ is systematically obtained its electrical and morphological properties are strongly dependent on the experimental conditions. The stability of over-oxidized PCZ films corresponds to chain reticulation beyond the first oxidation potential value, with the loss of flexibility of the chains and steric hindrance, which decreases the carrier mobility and, therefore, its conductivity. The polymers obtained at the oxidation of carbazole have conductivity corresponding to higher carrier mobility. These polymers are conjugated. Moreover, in the case of preevaporated carbazole thin film the coverage of the SnO₂ is very high and the films are homogenous.     

Evaluation of paediatric X-ray doses in Moroccan university hospitals

This work evaluates the entrance skin dose (ESD), the body organ dose (BOD) and the effective dose (E) for chest X-ray exposures of paediatric patients. Two Moroccan university hospitals in Rabat, composed of two departments, and one in Casablanca with one paediatric compartment has been considered. For reasons of confidentiality, the departments are named A, B and C. Patients were divided into four age groups: 0-1, 1-5, 5-10 and 10-15 y, so that the results could be compared with previous published data found in the literature. The results have been calculated with the use of the Dose Cal software. Results of mean ESD for the age interval 1-5 y and antero-posterior (AP) projection are: 162 μGy for hospital A, 91 μGy for hospital B and 105 μGy for hospital C. The diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) of 100 μGy for this age range is exceeded in hospital A, while in the other two hospitals results were within the DRL and comparable with the results found in Brazil, Soudan, Nigeria and other radiological centres inpean Countries. The results of BOD and E showed that for the three departments, the BOD varies in the same proportion as the ESD. The highest values are those of hospital A. For the PA examination, the dose is reduced compared with the AP projection, especially for sensitive organs.     

Pathogen identification with laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy: the effect of bacterial and biofluid specimen contamination

In this paper, the potential use of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for the rapid discrimination and identification of bacterial pathogens in realistic clinical specimens is investigated. Specifically, the common problem of sample contamination was studied by creating mixed samples to investigate the effect that the presence of a second contaminant bacterium in the specimen had on the LIBS-based identification of the primary pathogen. Two closely related bacterial specimens, Escherichia coli strain ATCC 25922 and Enterobacter cloacae strain ATCC 13047, were mixed together in mixing fractions of 10:1, 100:1, and 1000:1. LIBS spectra from the three mixtures were reliably classified as the correct E. coli strain with 98.5% accuracy when all the mixtures were withheld from the training model and classified against spectra from pure specimens. To simulate a rapid test for the presence of urinary tract infection pathogens, LIBS spectra were obtained from specimens of Staphylococcus epidermidis obtained from distilled water and sterile urine. LIBS spectra from the urine-harvested bacteria were classified as S. epidermidis with 100% accuracy when classified using a model containing only spectra from other Staphylococci species and with 88.5% accuracy when a model containing five genera of bacteria was utilized. Bacterial specimens comprising five different genera and 13 classifiable taxonomic groups of species and strains were compiled in a library that was tested using external validation techniques. The importance of utilizing external validation techniques where the library is tested with data withheld from all previous testing and training of the model was revealed by comparing the results against "leave-one-out" cross-validation results. Last, the effect of using sequential models for the classification of a single unknown spectrum was investigated by comparing the misclassification of two closely related bacteria, E. coli and E. cloacae, when the classification was first performed using the five-genus bacterial library and then with a smaller model consisting only of E. coli and E. cloacae specimens. This result shows the utility of using successively more targeted analyses and models that use preliminary classifications from more general models as input.     

Thermal performance analysis of hollow bricks integrated phase change materials for various climate zones

This comprehensive research addresses the significant challenge of building-related energy consumption in Morocco. Our innovative approach involves integrating phase change materials (PCMs) into hollow bricks, strategically addressing the diverse climate zones prevalent in the country. The primary focus is on enhancing energy efficiency within structures. Leveraging detailed simulations and employing the enthalpy-porosity approach, our study models the impact of PCMs on internal temperatures. Optimal outcomes are achieved by partially filling brick holes with PCMs in specific configurations, demonstrating the materials' ability to adapt to varying conditions. A noteworthy finding is the 2–3-h phase shift observed in cold zones, indicating the potential for PCMs to effectively regulate temperatures. Equally significant is their capability to maintain a constant internal temperature of 26°C in hot zones, even amidst extreme external conditions reaching up to 47°C. This resilience underscores the novel and tailored thermal regulation potential of PCMs. Beyond the technical insights, our research highlights the paramount importance of considering regional climates in PCM applications' implementation. This awareness is crucial for optimizing energy performance in buildings and ensuring sustainability. In essence, this study contributes valuable knowledge and practical implications for the strategic deployment of PCMs to enhance building energy efficiency, emphasizing the need for context-specific solutions in diverse environmental conditions.