Silicon Seed Priming Combined with Foliar Spray of Sulfur Regulates Photosynthetic and Antioxidant Systems to Confer Drought Tolerance in Maize (Zea mays L.)

Silicon - The present study evaluated the effect of silicon (Si) seed priming and sulfur (S) foliar spray on drought tolerance of two contrasting maize hybrids viz. drought tolerant Hi-Corn 11 and...     

平纹机织玄武岩纤维/环氧树脂复合材料冲击拉伸行为

以常规机织工艺生产织物增强体,以真空辅助树脂转移模塑法(VARTM)制备成型复合材料,研究单层平纹玄武岩长丝增强环氧树脂复合材料在准静态和高应变率加载下的拉伸性能。准静态和高应变率拉伸试验分别在MTS-810.23试验仪和分离式霍普金森拉杆(SHTB)测试系统上完成。试验结果表明该材料的力学性能具有应变率依赖性:随着应变速率的增加,拉伸模量和拉伸强度单调增加,失效应变单调减小,弹性能先增加后减小。材料的失效破坏特征也呈现明显的应变率效应:准静态拉伸时,材料断口整齐,树脂的破碎少,几乎没有纤维的抽拔和经纬向纤维束间的滑移;高应变率拉伸时,材料断口参差错乱,树脂完全破碎,纤维束抽拔严重、相互崩裂和滑移,织物增强体结构的整体性破坏严重。     

A Novel Sprague-Dawley Rat Model Presents Improved NASH/NAFLD Symptoms with PEG Coated Vitexin Liposomes

Chronic liver disease (CLD) is a global threat to the human population, with manifestations resulting from alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) and non-alcohol fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD, if not treated, may progress to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Furthermore, inflammation leads to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Vitexin, a natural flavonoid, has been recently reported for inhibiting NAFLD. It is a lipogenesis inhibitor and activates lipolysis and fatty acid oxidation. In addition, owing to its antioxidant properties, it appeared as a hepatoprotective candidate. However, it exhibits low bioavailability and low efficacy due to its hydrophobic nature. A novel rat model for liver cirrhosis was developed by CCL4/Urethane co-administration. Vitexin encapsulated liposomes were synthesized by the ‘thin-film hydration’ method. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) was coated on liposomes to enhance stability and stealth effect. The diseased rats were then treated with vitexin and PEGylated vitexin liposomes, administered intravenously and orally. Results ascertained the liposomal encapsulation of vitexin and subsequent PEG coating to be a substantial strategy for treating liver cirrhosis through oral drug delivery.     

Influence of Chemical Reaction on Mass Transport in Yield Stress Exhibiting Flow Regime

Theoretical Foundations of Chemical Engineering - In this study, the simulations for first-order chemical reactions (constructive and destructive) in the flow of the Casson fluid with...     

Effect of Fe/Zn ratio in composite catalyst for synthesizing polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers

Polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers (PODE_n) are extremely effective diesel additives to reduce soot formation during combustion. We introduce a series of Fe-Zn composite solid acid catalysts (SO₄²⁻/xFe₂O₃-yZnO), for the condensation reaction of methanol and paraformaldehyde (PF) with a cheap and feasible route to efficiently synthesize PODE_n. These catalysts were characterized by different characterization techniques, namely BET, XRD, SEM, EDS, FTIR, and NH₃-TPD and the results showed that Fe/Zn molar ratios strongly influenced the physicochemical characteristics of catalysts, thus affecting the methanol conversion and PODE_1-6 and PODE_3-6 selectivity. Accordingly, the methanol conversion was decreased and the selectivity of PODE_3-6 was increased after increasing the Zn molar content. Comparatively, SO₄²⁻/Fe₂O₃-2ZnO exhibited superior catalytic activity among the various investigated catalysts due to the high acid density of strong acid sites. The optimal reaction conditions were observed to be at a 3.0 wt% catalyst loading (catalyst/reactant mass ratio), 2.5 hours ours of reaction time, a reaction temperature of 403 K, and a molar ratio of 3:1 of CH₂O to methanol, achieving a high selectivity of 99.09% PODE_1-6 and 28.23% PODE_3-6 with 55.16% methanol conversion during the reaction.     

Assessment on the mechanical,structural, and thermal attributes of green graphene-based water soluble polymer electrolyte composites

In the current study, graphene oxide (GO) was prepared using green chemistry with modified Hummer's method without incorporating sodium nitrate (NaNO₃). Solvent casting was employed to fabricate GO-doped poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), that is, PEO/GO composites with various proportion of Na₂SO₄ and were then subjected to characterization via advanced spectroscopic techniques for different physicochemical aspects to estimate their potential applications as marketable products. XRD analysis explored that fabricated composites are more crystalline than neat PEO. PEO/GO/Na₂SO₄ composite films offered maximum crystallinity. SEM displayed the same trend. TG/DTA thermogram exposed better thermal stability than pristine polymer. FTIR studies confirmed complexation among hybrid's components. Elongation-at-break and Young's modulus displayed an enhancing behavior with an incremental loading of salt and filler. In terms of mechanical performance, composite of PEO with 0.37 wt % GO and 0.08 g salt was found to be an ideal composition during the course of study. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48376.     

Al-Ti-B-RE细化剂对Al-7．0Si-0．55Mg合金显微组织和力学性能的影响

研究添加Al-5Ti-lB-RE细化剂对Al-7．0Si-0．55Mg（A357）合金的显微组织和力学性能的影响。先利用真空熔炼技术制各Al-7．0Si-0．55Mg合金,然后在Al-7．0Si-0．55Mg合金中加入不同成分的Al-5Ti-1B-RE中间合金。通过X射线衍射仪（XRD）、金相显微镜（OM）和扫描电子显微镜（SEM）对显微组织和拉伸试样的断口形貌进行观察。在室温下对合金的力学性能进行测试。观察Al-5Ti-1B-RE细化剂的形态以及内部结构,可以发现以TiB,为异质形核核心的TiAl3／Ti2Al20RE的壳层结构相。在Al-7．0Si-0．55Mg合金中加入Al-5Ti-1B-3．0RE细化剂后,抗拉强度会有明显提升,直到0．2％添加量时,抗拉强度会达到峰值。     

EFFECT OF REDUCTION CONDITIONS ON THE ACTIVITY OF Ni/γAl2O3 CATALYST FOR METHANATION REACTION

The effect of reduction conditions, mainly reduction temperature and duration time on the activity of Ni/γAl₂O₃ catalyst were studied for a methanation reaction in a gradientless Berty reactor. The methanation reaction was investigated using a feed containing CO (6.7 mole%), H₂ (26 mole%) and the balance being nitrogen at a pressure of 30 psig and a fixed temperature of 350°C. The reduction temperature was varying from 250 to 500°C, in order to investigate its effect on the methanation reaction. The methanation activity of the catalyst increased to a maximum by increasing the reduction temperature up to a maximum at 300-350°C and showed a slight negative decline afterward. The second parameter investigated was reduction duration time which was varied from 2 to 16 hours. It was observed that the methanation reaction activity increased by increasing the reduction duration time up to 6 hours. After six hours, there was no increase in activity. Based on the finding of this investigation, a recommended set of reduction conditions is given: reduction temperature of 300°C and a duration time of six hours.     

Attrition behavior of fine particles in a fluidized bed with bimodal particles: Influence of particle density and size ratio

To process the solid particulates in fluidized bed and slurry phase reactors, attrition is an inevitable consequence and is therefore one of the preliminary parameters for the catalyst design. In this paper, the mechanical degradation propensity of the zeolite catalysts (particles) was investigated in a bimodal distribution environment using a Gas Jet Attrition — ASTM standard fluidized bed test (D-5757). The experimentation was conducted in order to explore parameters affecting attrition phenomena in a bimodal fluidization. In a bimodal fluidization system, two different types of particles are co-fluidized isothermally. The air jet attrition index (AJI) showed distinct increases in the attrition rate of small particles in a bimodal fluidization environment under standard operating conditions, in comparison with single particle. A series of experiments were conducted using particles of various sizes, with large particles of different densities and sizes. Experimental results suggest that the relative density and particle size ratio have a significant influence on attrition behavior during co-fluidization. Therefore a generalized relationship has been drawn using Gwyn constants; those defined material properties of small particles. Moreover, distinct attrition incremental phenomenon was observed during co-fluidization owing to the change in collision pattern and impact, which was associated with relative particle density and size ratios.