Decay Rate Kinetics of Ozone Gas in Rice Grains

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effects of ozone on rice grains for the following three conditions: saturation time, decay rate, and half-life of ozone. Experiments were performed in different bed thicknesses (5 and 10 cm) and moisture content (11.4 and 14.2% wb) at atmospheric conditions. The lowest saturation time of ozone was 119 min, with the concentration of 516 ppm for rice grains ozonated at 5-cm bed thickness with 11.4% (wb) moisture content. The decay rate kinetics of ozone obtained were consistent with a first-order model. Regarding the half-life of ozone, the lowest value obtained was 6.78 min for rice grains ozonated at 10-cm bed thickness with 14.2% (wb) moisture content.     

Reaction Kinetics of Ozone Gas in Green Gram (Vigna radiate)

This study was carried out to evaluate the reaction kinetics of ozone gas in different height (5 and 10 cm), moisture content (10.6 and 13.4% (d.b.)) and gas flow rate (2 and 4 L/min). The decomposition kinetics obtained was first-order model. As far as the half-life of ozone is considered, the highest value obtained was equivalent to 8.72 min for grains ozonated at 5 cm height, 10.6% (d.b.) moisture content and 2 L/min gas flow rate. In the process of ozone reaction rate in green gram grains, height (p < 0.01) and moisture content (p < 0.01) were found to be the key factor for the effectiveness of ozone fumigation.     

Technical note: Rotational transformation of remotely sensed data for land use classification

In this paper, the rotational transformation process is explained as a problem of rotation of remotely sensed data in the variance-covariance space. In particular, the rotation which maximizes the covariance-variance ratio is examined in detail for various land use and land cover classes in the Bombay suburban and Thana district area in India. A statistical approach to determine transformed components and other statistical variables on different band combinations is discussed. The results are analysed, and the best possible combinations selected for accurate classification are presented.     

Studies on the chlorination of zircon: Part I. Static bed investigations

Carbochlorination is an important unit operation in the processing of zirconium resources. In the article, the use of different reducing agents in zircon chlorination, to produce zirconium tetrachloride, has been examined on thermodynamic and other considerations. While numerous workers have investigated zircon chlorination, a literature survey shows that there is a wide variation in the reported effect of various process parameters on the chlorination rate and a wide scatter in the values for kinetic parameters such as order of reaction, activation energy, rate constant as also the rate law expression. This work is an extensive study on zircon chlorination and the article discusses the effect of process parameters such as charge particle size, gas and solid composition, gas flow rate, temperature, reaction duration, etc. on the chlorination rate, over a much wider range of the parameter values. During investigations in the static bed chlorinator, it was noticed that the initial rate and the total extent of chlorination are proportional to the exposed surface of the solid zircon-coke charge but independent of the depth or amount of the charge. Further, the stalled chlorination could be reactivated by remixing the solid charge. Also, while the reaction rate in general increased as the charge became finer, the effect of zircon particle size was much more predominant. The activation energy value for the chlorination showed a wide variation with other operating conditions. Likewise, the order of reaction with respect to chlorine decreased from two to zero as the chlorine concentration in the gaseous atmosphere increased. Interestingly, the chlorination rate initially increased with gas flow rate, then decreased, before finally becoming independent of the gas flow rate. Results also indicated that there is an optimum charge composition that yields the maximum chlorination rate and the article discusses the effect of the zircon to coke particle number ratio in the initial charge on the chlorination kinetics. With the help of these observations, it is possible to explain the wide variation in the reported effect of the various process parameters on zircon chlorination.     

Solvothermal‐assisted green synthesis of hybrid Chi‐Fe3 O4 nanocomposites: a potential antibacterial and antibiofilm material

In this present study, a hybrid Chi‐Fe₃ O₄ was prepared, characterised and evaluated for its antibacterial and antibiofilm potential against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus marcescens bacterial pathogens. Intense peak around 260 nm in the ultraviolet–visible spectrum specify the formation of magnetite nanoparticles. Spherical‐shaped particles with less agglomeration and particle size distribution of 3.78–46.40 nm were observed using transmission electron microscopy analysis and strong interaction of chitosan with the surface of magnetite nanoparticles was studied using field emission scanning microscopy (FESEM). X‐ray diffraction analysis exhibited the polycrystalline and spinel structure configuration of the nanocomposite. Presence of Fe and O, C and Cl elements were confirmed using energy dispersive X‐ray microanalysis. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis showed the reduction and formation of Chi‐Fe₃ O₄ nanocomposite. The antibacterial activity by deformation of the bacterial cell walls on treatment with Chi‐Fe₃ O₄ nanocomposite and its interaction was visualised using FESEM and the antibiofilm activity was determined using antibiofilm assay. In conclusion, this present study shows the green synthesis of Chi‐Fe₃ O₄ nanocomposite and evaluation of its antibacterial and antibiofilm potential, proving its significance in medical and biological applicationsInspec keywords: visible spectra, particle size, magnetic particles, nanocomposites, nanoparticles, X‐ray diffraction, nanofabrication, transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray chemical analysis, nanomagnetics, microorganisms, antibacterial activity, iron compounds, ultraviolet spectra, biomedical materials, field emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectra, filled polymers, crystal growth from solution, polymer structureOther keywords: potential antibacterial material, antibiofilm potential, magnetite nanoparticles, solvothermal‐assisted green synthesis, hybrid Chi‐Fe₃ O₄ nanocomposites, staphylococcus aureus, staphylococcus marcescens, bacterial pathogens, ultraviolet–visible spectrum, spherical‐shaped particles, particle size, transmission electron microscopy, FESEM, field emission scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, spinel structure, polycrystalline structure, energy dispersive X‐ray microanalysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis, deformation, bacterial cell walls, Fe₃ O₄      

Texture evolution in an Al–Cu alloy during equal channel angular pressing: the effect of starting microstructure

In this article, the effect of initial microstructure on the texture evolution in 2014 Al alloy during equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) through route A has been reported. Three heat treatment conditions were chosen to generate the initial microstructures, namely (i) the recrystallization anneal (as-received), (ii) solution treatment at 768 K for 1 h, and (iii) solution treatment (768 K for 1 h) plus aging at 468 K for 5 h. Texture analyses were performed using orientation distribution function (ODF) method. The texture strength after ECAP processing was different for the three samples in the order, solutionised > solutionised plus aged condition > as-received. The prominent texture components were A _E /[`(A)]<sub>E</sub> \bar{A}_{E} and B <sub>E</sub> /[`(B)]_E \bar{B}_{E} in addition to several weaker components for the three materials. The strong texture evolution in solutionised condition has been attributed to higher strain hardening of the matrix due to higher amount of solute. In case of the as-received as well as solutionised plus aged alloy, the weaker texture could be due to the strain scattering from extensive precipitate fragmentation and dissolution during ECAP.     

Comparison of inter- and intra-chromosomal aberrations in blood samples exposed to different dose rates of gamma radiation

Peripheral blood samples obtained from a normal healthy volunteer were exposed in vitro to gamma radiation with various doses at different dose rates of 1.0, 0.1 and 0.0014 Gy min(-1). The exposed samples were analysed for different chromosomal aberrations such as dicentrics (DC), centric rings (CR) and double-minutes (DM). The ratio of DC chromosomes (inter) to the total number of centric rings (CR) and double-minutes (DM) (CR + DM = intra) were analysed for all the three dose rates. The study showed that the frequency of inter-arm chromosomal aberrations was more then three times higher than that observed with intra-arm chromosomal aberrations in samples exposed at a dose rate of 1.0 and 0.1 Gy min (-1). However, the frequency of inter- and intra-arm chromosomal aberrations were almost same (ratio 1:1) in samples exposed at a dose rate of 0.0014 Gy min(-1). This paper discusses the usefulness of the ratio of inter- and intra-arm chromosome aberration in finding out whether the sample was exposed to high or low dose rate radiation.     

A simple envelope detector

The use of integration and differentiation as Hilbert transformers for envelope detection is considered. The resulting detectors are causal and do not require exact knowledge of carrier phase or frequency. The method requires square and square root operations, but no multiplication. An upper bound is established for magnitude error     

A parabolic reflector with asymmetric low sidelobes

A technique for generating low sidelobes on one side of the main lobe for a parabolic reflector antenna is presented. The reflector system that generates such an asymmetric sidelobe pattern consists of a central parabola with two sections of offset parabolas situated at the top and bottom of the central parabola. By adjusting the positions and dimensions of the side reflectors, considerable suppression of the first few sidelobes can be obtained. Further, by similar adjustments it is possible to achieve suppression of sidelobes on both sides of the main beam, though this suppression is relatively less. The technique, though explained in detail with reference to a cylindrical geometry, is extended for a paraboloid of revolution. The analysis program utilized for the optimization of the side reflectors is based on physical optics current integration.