Gas hold-up in highly viscous pseudoplastic non-newtonian solutions in three phase sparged reactors

Gas hold-up structure was studied in a three phase sparged reactor of 200 mm diameter. Air and aqueous solutions of carboxymethyl cellulose were used as gas and liquid phases. Spherical glass beads formed the solid phase. The superficial gas velocity, rheological properties, particle size and solid loading were varied over a wide range and their effects on gas hold-up structure were studied. A correlation for the estimation of the gas hold-up as a function of superficial gas velocity, apparent liquid viscosity, particle settling velocity and solid loading was established.     

Modelling Gas Holdup in Flotation Column Froths

A one‐dimensional steady‐state model is developed for the prediction of axial variation of the gas holdup in flotation column froths. Froth is considered as an inverse fluidized bed of bubbles and hence the frictional pressure gradient is obtained based on the energy balance. Pressure gradient can also be obtained from the Ergun equation with adjustable constants. The model correctly captures the effect of superficial gas velocity, superficial liquid velocity and bubble diameter on the variation of the gas holdup along the froth height. The predictions of the model are in agreement with the experimental data from the literature.     

白炭黑胎面胶的新一代硅烷偶联剂

填充白炭黑的低滚动阻力轮胎的开发不断获得新进展。与填充普通炭黑的轮胎相比，白炭黑轮胎不仅降低了油耗，而且具有优异的牵引性能和与后者相当的磨耗寿命。高分散性白炭黑和多硫化双-烷氧基硅烷的发展使高填充白炭黑轮胎商品化获得重大突破。炭黑胶料和白炭黑-硅烷胶料的能耗散机理差异很大，     

Cellulose triacetate membranes for seawater desalination

Experimental data on reverse osmosis using a sodium chloride solution by cellulose triacetate membranes are presented. The investigation involved studies on the composition of membrane casting solutions and their effects on the performance. A higher polymer concentration (11–13%) is found suitable for production of a uniform and highly salt rejecting membrane. Salt rejection of 99.0% and 4–5 GFD product water flux were obtained at 1000 psi operating pressure using 30,000 ppm TDS seawater in the initial experiments.     

Selected physical characteristics of polystyrene/high density polyethylene composites prepared from virgin and recycled materials

Mixtures of polystyrene and high density polyethylene were injection molded from recycled and virgin polymers to generate cocontinuous structures. The mechanical properties of these blends were evaluated to assess their conformance to rule of mixtures behavior in general and to identify areas of synergy or incompatibility in specific. Flexural and tensile data for recycled blends showed that generally the properties are not additive, except in a cocontinuous region of composition near 35/65 PS/HDPE that has been identified previously for recycled materials. Analysis of crystallinity in the HDPE phase of these blends by differential scanning calorimetry indicates a marked reduction in the level of HDPE crystallinity at the 35/65 PS/HDPE composition. Similar blends of virgin PS/HDPE polymer do not show the differing regions of incompatibility and synergy illustrated by the recycled materials, but rather show approximate conformance to the rule of mixtures. Furthermore, the virgin blends show virtually no crystallinity suppression and a more pronounced T_g shift in the polystyrene compared to recycled materials. Detailed characterization of the recycled materials in terms of polymer and particulate impurities should improve understanding of these differences and perhaps provide direction for obtaining enhanced synergistic behavior in virgin polymer blends. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2006     

Antiandrogen and Antimicrobial Aspects of Coordination Compounds of Palladium(II), Platinum(II) and Lead(II)

Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial activities of an interesting class of biologically potent macrocyclic complexes have been carried out. All the complexes have been evaluated for their antimicrobial effects on different species of pathogenic fungi and bacteria. The testicular sperm density, testicular sperm morphology, sperm motility, density of cauda epididymal spermatozoa and fertility in mating trails and biochemical parameters of reproductive organs have been examined and discussed. The resulting biologically active [M(MaL(n))(R(2))]Cl(2) and [Pb(MaL(n))(R(2))X(2)] (where, M = Pd(II) or Pt(II) and X = Cl or NO(3)) type of complexes have been synthesized by the reactions of macrocyclic ligands (MaL(n)) with metal salts and different diamines in 1:1:1 molar ratio in methanol. Initially the complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, molecular weight determinations and conductivity measurements. The mode of bonding was established on the basis of IR, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, (195)Pt NMR, (207)Pb NMR, XRD and electronic spectral studies. The macrocyclic ligand coordinates through the four azomethine nitrogen atoms which are bridged by benzil moieties. IR spectra suggest that the pyridine nitrogen is not coordinating. The palladium and platinum complexes exhibit tetracoordinated square-planar geometry, whereas a hexacoordinated octahedral geometry is suggested for lead complexes.     

Fertility Inhibitor Heterobimetallic Complexes of Platinum(II) and Palladium(II): Synthetic, Spectroscopic and Antimicrobial Aspects

Synthetic, spectroscopic and antimicrobial aspects of some fertility inhibitor heterobimetallic complexes have been carried out. These heterobimetallic chelates [M(C(5)H(5)N(3))(2)M(2)'(R)(4)]Cl(2) (M = Pd or Pt and M' = Si, Sn, Ti and Zr) have been successfully synthesinzed via the reaction of M(C(5)H(7)N(3))(2)Cl(2) with group four or fourteen dichlorides in 1:2 stoichiometric proportions. The products were characterized by elemental analyses, molecular weight determinations, magnetic susceptibility measurements, conductance, and IR multinuclear NMR and electronic spectral studies. A square planar geometry has been suggested for all the complexes with the help of spectral data. Conductivity data strongly suggest that chlorine atoms are ionic in nature due to which complexes behave as electrolytes. All the complexes have been evaluated for their antmicrobial effects on different species of pathogenic fungi and bacteria. The testicular sperm density, testicular sperm morphology, sperm motility, density of cauda epididymal spermatozoa and fertility in mating trails and biochemical parameters of reproductive organs have been examined and discussed.     

Effect of Additives on the Electromechanical Properties of Pb(Zr,Ti)O3–Pb(Y2/3W1/3)O3 Ceramics

Dielectric and piezoelectric properties of 0.02Pb(Y_2/3W_1/3)O₃ 0.98Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 ceramics doped with additives (Nb₂O₅, La₂O₃, MnO₂, and Fe₂O₃) were investigated. The grain sizes of these ceramics decreased with increasing amounts of additives. For additions of MnO₂ and Fe₂O₃, dielectric losses decreased, while for Nb₂O₅ and La₂O₃, these values increased. The maximum values of the mechanical quality factor Q_m were found to be 956 and 975 for additions of 0.9 wt% Fe₂O₃ and 0.7 wt% MnO₂, respectively, but donor dopants (Nb₂O₅ and La₂O₃) did not change the values of Q_m . On the other hand, the piezoelectric constant d₃₃ and the electromechanical coupling factor k_p decreased with additions of MnO₂ and Fe₂O₃, but improved with additions of Nb₂O₅ and La₂O₃.     

A role for isothiocyanates in plant resistance against the specialist herbivore Pieris rapae

We experimentally reanalyzed the classic interaction between Pieris rapae, a specialist lepidopteran herbivore, and isothiocyanates (mustard oils) that are characteristic phytochemicals of the Brassicaceae. Previous investigations have suggested that P. rapae is unaffected by isothiocyanates. Using whole plants, root extracts, and a microencapsulated formulation of allyl isothiocyanate, we now show that isothiocyanates reduce herbivore survival and growth, and increase development time, each in a dose-dependent manner. Neither the substrate allyl glucosinolate, nor myrosinase, the enzyme that results in the breakdown of glucosinolates, negatively affected P. rapae. Thus, we present strong evidence for a role for isothiocyanates in plant resistance against the specialist herbivore P. rapae.     

Synthesis and characterization of photopolymerizable hydrogels based on poly (ethylene glycol) for biomedical applications

Hydrogels are polymeric materials widely used in medicine due to their similarity with the biological components of the body. Hydrogels are biocompatible materials that have the potential to promote cell proliferation and tissue support because of their hydrophilic nature, porous structure, and elastic mechanical properties. In this work, we demonstrate the microwave-assisted synthesis of three molecular weight varieties of poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (PEGDMA) with different mechanical and thermal properties and the rapid photo of them using 1-hydroxy-cyclohexyl-phenyl-ketone (Irgacure 184) as UV photoinitiator. The effects of the poly(ethylene glycol) molecular weight and degree of acrylation on swelling, mechanical, and rheological properties of hydrogels were investigated. The biodegradability of the PEGDMA hydrogels, as well as the ability to grow and proliferate cells, was examined for its viability as a scaffold in tissue engineering. Altogether, the biomaterial hydrogel properties open the way for applications in the field of regenerative medicine for functional scaffolds and tissues.