New exact traveling wave solutions of the Tzitzéica-type evolution equations arising in non-linear optics

The properties of Tzitzéica equations in non-linear optics have been the subject of many recent studies. In this article, a new and effective modification of Kudryashov method is adopted to study this class of non-linear evolution equations. As an achievement, new exact traveling wave solutions of Tzitzéica, Dodd–Bullough–Mikhailov (DBM) and Tzitzéica–Dodd–Bullough (TDB) equations are formally extracted. It is believed that the modified Kudryashov method along with the symbolic computation package suggests a promising technique to handle non-linear evolution equations in non-linear optics.     

Two-phase multi-expert knowledge approach by using fuzzy clustering and rule-based system for technology evaluation of unmanned aerial vehicles

Neural Computing and Applications - Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are utilized in many different areas for different aims such as the benefit of humanity, safety control, traffic control, crop...     

Ecofriendly Autoxidation of Castor Oil/Ricinoleic Acid. Multifunctional Macroperoxide Initiators for Multi Block/Graft Copolymers

Ecofriendly autoxidation is a reaction of air oxygen with unsaturated organic molecules at room temperature. Castor oil and ricinoleic acid were ecofriendly autoxidized for 5 months to obtain castor oil macroperoxide with a Mn of 1935 g mol⁻¹ (Pcast5m) and the ricinoleic acid macroperoxide initiator (Prici5m) with a Mn of 1169 g mol⁻¹. Peroxide groups thermally initiated the free radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA), n-butyl methacrylate (nBMA), and styrene (S). Peroxide formation in the oxidized castor oil and ricinoleic acid was confirmed using iodometric analysis, elemental analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry technique. Peroxide decomposition in both macroperoxide initiators was observed at 166 °C for Prici5m and 170 °C for Pcast5m. Hydroxyl groups of Pcast5m were reacted with methacryloyl chloride to obtain methacrylated castor oil macroperoxide (PcastMA). The polymerization rates of the obtained macroinitiators were compared. The polymerization rate order is Pcast5m > Prici5m > PcastMA. Polymerization of styrene by PcastMA resulted in an increase in molar masses and an increase in the polymerization time while those of the styrene polymerization by Pcast5m and Prici5m remained constant. Carboxylic acid groups were reacted with amine-terminated polyethylene glycol (PEG), polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS), and polytetrahydrofuran (PTHF) while the hydroxyl functionality initiated the ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone (CL). Prici-PEG-PMMA, Prici-PS-PDMS, Prici-PS-PTHF, Pcast-PS-PCL, Pcast-PCL-PMMA, and Pcast-PS-PnBMA multiblock copolymers were prepared and characterized using spectrometric, thermal, and stress–strain measurement techniques.     

Aerosol filtration performance of nanofibrous mats produced via electrically assisted industrial-scale solution blowing

Highly efficient polyamide 6 (PA6)-based nanofibrous air filter media was developed for particulate matter (PM) removal in the ambient atmosphere. The PA6 nanofibrous mats exhibited 85% PM0.3 capture performance at a cost of 164 Pa pressure drop when the multiple-nozzle solution blowing system was set to 8 m/h fabric winding speed. However, an increase in the winding speed at a constant feeding rate lowered the filtration efficiency to 62% due to the less amount of nanofibrous mats collected on the substrate. The application of electrical field at the same parameters allowed us to produce a filter media having FFP3-level filtration performance, which means 99% PM0.3 capture performance. This was attributed to a fine fiber diameter (116 nm), higher solidity value (0.149), and lower average pore size (2.28 μm). These results show that the electrically assisted solution blowing provides a feasible route for the production of high-quality nanofibrous filter media.     

Nanocomposite hollow fiber nanofiltration membranes: Fabrication,characterization, and pilot-scale evaluation for surface water treatment

Thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes were fabricated by interfacial polymerization of a polyamide (PA) layer on the shell side of hollow fiber membrane supports. TiO₂ nanoparticle loadings in the thin-film layer were 0.01, 0.05, and 0.20 wt %. Nanoparticle-free PA thin-film composite (TFC) membranes served as the comparative basis. The TFN membranes were characterized in terms of the chemical composition, structure, and surface properties of the separation layer. Incorporating nanoTiO₂ improved membrane permeability up to 12.6-fold. During preliminary laboratory-scale evaluation, TFN membranes showed lower salt rejection but higher TOC rejection in comparisons with the corresponding values for TFC controls. Based on the performance in lab-scale tests, TFN membranes with 0.01 wt % nanoTiO₂ loading were selected for an evaluation at the pilot scale with synthetic surface water as the feed. While the permeate flux during long-term pilot-scale operation gradually decreased for TFC membranes, TFN membranes had a higher initial permeate flux that gradually increased with time. The TOC rejection by TFN and TFC membranes was comparable. We conclude that TFN membranes show promise for full-scale surface water treatment applications. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 48205.     

Effects of Temperature and Surfactants on the Equilibrium Swelling Behavior of Poly[acrylamide‐co‐(itaconic acid)] Hydrogels

Summary: The swelling equilibrium of poly(acrylamide) [PAAm] and poly[acrylamide‐co‐(itaconic acid)] [P(AAm/IA)] hydrogels was studied as a function of temperature and IA content in aqueous solutions of surfactants: sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS, anionic) and hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HTAB, cationic). P(AAm/IA) hydrogels in water exhibited reentrant conformational transitions depending on temperature, whereas PAAm hydrogels were not affected with the change of temperature. The equilibrium‐volume‐swelling ratio of P(AAm/IA) hydrogels increased sharply in SDS solutions, with an increase of the mole percent of IA. However, in HTAB solution, the equilibrium‐volume‐swelling ratio of these hydrogels decreased with an increase of IA content.

The equilibrium volume‐swelling ratios of the hydrogels in water shown as a function of temperature.     

Moisture Sorption Isotherms and Storage Stability of Spray-Dried Yogurt Powder

Moisture adsorption isotherms of spray-dried yogurt powder were determined at 10, 25, and 40°C using the standard, static-gravimetric method. Experimental data were fitted to five mathematical models (Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer [GAB], Brunauer-Emmett-Teller [BET], Halsey, modified Oswin, and modified Henderson). A nonlinear regression analysis method was used to evaluate the constants of the sorption equations. The shelf-life of yogurt powder was predicted based on the relationship between permeability coefficient of the packaging material and moisture adsorbed by the powder determined by the GAB equation. Furthermore, the storage stability of spray-dried yogurt powder in terms of quality parameters including moisture content, water activity, color change, and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) value was studied in aluminum laminated polyethylene (ALPE) pouches under storage conditions of 25°C and 50% relative humidity (RH).