Acoustic damping flexible polyurethane foams: Effect of isocyanate index and water content on the soundproofing

High-efficiency sound absorbing flexible polyurethane foams (FPUFs) are manufactured using nonpolar polyester resin, methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, and other reagents by one-shot bulk polymerization. In this study, the impact of the isocyanate index (90, 100, and 110) and water content (2.5 and 5%) on the microphase separation and soundproofing behavior of FPUFs are examined using atomic force microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, optical microscope, and an impedance tube device. The results reveal that the increase of the isocyanate index and water content leads to the increase of the cell size, cell size distribution, open-cell content, cell wall roughness, and microphase separation. Also, maximum sound absorption coefficient (α) reaches to 0.98 and the average of α in the frequency range of 1500–4000 Hz increases from 0.7 to 0.87 by increasing the water content from 2.5 to 5% and isocyanate index from 90 to 110; therefore, acoustic damping performance enhances up to 26.24% due to the synergic effects of microphase separation on the viscose media formation, open-cell content, cell wall roughness, cell size, and cell size distribution. In conclusion, FPUFs with an optimal amount of microphase separation and drainage flow can be a promising candidate for sound insulating materials. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47363.     

Palladium nanoparticles as reusable catalyst for the synthesis of N-aryl sulfonamides under mild reaction conditions

An efficient palladium nanoparticles-catalyzed N-arylation of sulfonamides and sulfonyl azides is described. This procedure serves as an active protocol for intermolecular C–N bond formation using Pd(OAc)₂ in PEG-400 under air. Aryl bromides and triflates react at 35°C, while aryl chlorides require heating to 50°C and give the desired products only in low yields. This reaction proceeds smoothly in acceptable yields using low catalyst loading.     

Synthesis of Vanadium Pentoxide Nanoparticles as Catalysts for the Ozonation of Palm Oil

Vanadium pentoxide nanoparticles were synthesized using a solvo-thermal method and were characterized via X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The ozonation of palm oil was performed by using vanadium pentoxide nanoparticles as catalysts to synthesize ethyl malonate. This procedure presented several advantages, such as simple operation for a precise ozonation, excellent yield, short reaction times and reusability because of the recyclability of palm oil. Ethyl malonate was synthesized via the one-step ozonolysis of palm oil and was spectroscopically characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS).     

An investigation on the role of ytterbium in ytterbium promoted γ-alumina-supported nickel catalysts for dry reforming of methane

Addition of low quantities of ytterbium to sol–gel prepared Ni/γ-Al₂O₃ catalysts has been shown to lead to significant increases in catalytic activity and long term stability in the catalytic conversion of CO₂ and CH₄ into syngas (H₂ and CO). The role of ytterbium in these catalysts was investigated in this study through detailed investigations on the structure and composition of ytterbium promoted Ni/γ-Al₂O₃ catalysts using the following techniques: synchrotron X-ray diffraction, X-ray Photoemission Spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis, Temperature Programmed Reduction techniques and N₂ adsorption–desorption isotherms. The results obtained indicated that ytterbium, at small quantities (up to 2 wt%), interacted strongly with the support which in turn altered the interaction between nickel and the support (most notably it was found to completely inhibit the formation of NiAl₂O₄). This decreased interaction between Ni and the support also led to a higher quantity of Ni being present in the catalyst in the form of Ni.     

Influence of nitrogen doping on carbon nanotubes towards the structure,composition and oxygen reduction reaction

Nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNTs) as noble-metal free catalysts were synthesised via chemical vapour deposition using iron (II) phthalocyanine as a metal catalyst for growth of the nanotubes. The synthesis process was performed in one step in a tube furnace using different chemical precursors (aniline, diethylamine and ethylenediamine) as nitrogen sources. The NCNT samples were physically characterised using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electronic microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Cyclic voltammetry measurements were conducted to investigate the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and they showed that the electrocatalytic activities depend on the structural and morphological changes in the NCNTs. The results showed that NCNTs synthesised from ethylenediamine precursors exhibit an ORR scheme proceed via indirect four electron transfer process in acidic media, which implies that these NCNTs are a candidate for serving as the cathodic catalyst in PEMFCs. The highly active NCNTs possess unique characteristics, including a high concentration of surface defects with high pyridinic-N and pyridinic-N-oxides configurations that serve as active sites for ORR activity in acidic media.     

Reduction of patulin in aqueous solution by lactic acid bacteria

This study aims to investigate the ability of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to remove patulin (PAT) from aqueous solution with respect to the bacterial viability, initial PAT concentration, incubation time, temperature, and pH. The removal of PAT determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with UV detector. The maximum PAT uptake was achieved by Bifidobacterium bifidum 6071 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus 6149 strains (52.9% and 51.1%) for viable and (54.1% and 52.0%) for nonviable cells after 24 h incubation. The highest removal of PAT was at pH 4.0 and 37 °C and increased with decreasing of toxin levels. The removal ability of selected strains could represent new strategies for a possible application in contaminated food products and animal feed.     

A novel packaging approach for RF MEMS switching functions on alumina substrate

This paper reports the design of a hermetic-compatible wafer-scale package for RF MEMS based components. The presented packaging concept consists in encapsulating the whole RF device or subsystem instead of encapsulating each MEMS component separately, which will reduce the device size and cost. This approach is based on the MEMS fabrication technology on ceramic substrate and the use of laser drilled vias hole techniques to realize full metallized vias in alumina substrates. These vias holes will allow a low loss RF signal transmission inside the package without breaking its hermeticity. Hence, several packaged switching networks prototypes, based on ohmic contact MEMS switches, have been designed following this approach and the packaging electromagnetic impact on these components has been especially studied to result on good performance devices.     

Investigation of chitosan‐g‐PEG grafted nanoparticles as a half‐life enhancer carrier for tissue plasminogen activator delivery

Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) a thrombolytic agent is commonly used for digesting the blood clot. tPA half‐life is low (4–6 min) and its administration needs a prolonged continuous infusion. Improving tPA half‐life could reduce enzyme dosage and enhance patient compliance. Nano‐carries could be used as delivery systems for the protection of enzymes physically, enhancing half‐life and increasing the stability of them. In this study, chitosan (CS) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) were used for the preparation of CS‐g‐PEG/tPA nanoparticles (NPs) via the ion gelation method. Particles’ size and loading capacity were optimised by central composite design. Then, NPs cytotoxicity, release profile, enzyme activity and in vivo half‐life and coagulation time were investigated. The results showed that NPs does not have significant cytotoxicity. Release study revealed that a burst effect happened in the first 5 min and resulted in releasing 30% of tPA. Loading tPA in NPs could decrease 25% of its activity but the half‐life of it increases in comparison to free tPA in vivo. Also, blood coagulation time has significantly affected (p ‐value = 0.041) by encapsulated tPA in comparison to free tPA. So, CS‐g‐PEG/tPA could increase enzyme half‐life during the time and could be used as a non‐toxic candidate delivery system for tPA.Inspec keywords: drug delivery systems, nanofabrication, drugs, nanomedicine, coagulation, biomedical materials, cellular biophysics, enzymes, biochemistry, toxicology, molecular biophysics, biological tissues, blood, nanoparticles, polymersOther keywords: chitosan‐g‐PEG grafted nanoparticles, half‐life enhancer carrier, tissue plasminogen activator delivery, tPA half‐life, prolonged continuous infusion, enzyme dosage, polyethylene glycol, cytotoxicity, enzyme activity, encapsulated tPA, enzyme half‐life, blood coagulation, time 5.0 min     

Proposed Relationship for Proper Shear Strength of Elliptical Damper Based on Its Geometrical Parameters

Vertical link beam as a practical yielding damper is a kind of passive control device which dissipates seismic energy and thus reduces the rate of damage to structures through in-plane shear deformations. Proper stiffness, ductility and significant energy dissipation of these dampers together with their practical advantages justify their widespread experimental and numerical research. In this paper, a total of 42 elliptical dampers (vertical link beams with elliptical cross sections) in various lengths and thicknesses are modeled using the ABAQUS finite element software and finally a design relationship for this damper is presented based on the above mentioned geometrical parameters using pushover analysis. The accuracy of the proposed relationship is studied by applying various layouts of designed dampers on two types of chevron bracings to improve their performance and obtain proper energy dissipation without brace buckling. The equivalent viscous damping ratios of 32–33% obtained for elliptical dampers indicate high increase in energy dissipation capability.