Low temperature preparation and characterization of nanospherical anatase TiO2 and its photocatalytic activity on Congo red degradation under sunlight

Nanospherical titanium oxide with anatase structure was obtained at low temperature and normal pressure using a simple method of preparation. The dilute titanium (III) chloride solution was stirred at room temperature for several hours, and then ammonium hydroxide with hydrogen peroxide was added. A yellow gel TiO₂·xH₂O was obtained with nanodot shape and amorphous structure. Heated at 300 °C, it crystallized to pure anatase structure with nanospherical shape. The anatase particles prepared show good adsorption and photodegradation of Congo red solution under the sunlight. Materials were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, transmission electron microscope and UV spectroscopy.     

Soft chemistry preparation of layered Al0.3V2O5·5H2O

A novel layered compound Al_0.3V₂O₅·5H₂O was successfully prepared and characterized using powder X-ray diffraction, Thermal analysis, scanning and transmission electron microscopes. The new layered Al_0.3V₂O₅·5H₂O has like-nanowires shape and the layered structure was stable until 400 °C. At higher temperature (500 °C), it decomposes to orthorhombic Al_xV₂O₅ and triclinic AlVO₄.     

Ytterbium (III) oxide reinforced novel TeO2–B2O3–V2O5 glass system: Synthesis and optical,structural, physical and thermal properties

Different samples of xTeO₂.(25-y)B₂O₃.zV₂O₅.yYb₂O₃ (or TBVY) new glass material were synthesized by the classical melt-quenching method. Structural, optical, physical, and thermal analyses of the synthesized glasses were performed in addition to Monte Carlo simulation to test radiation shielding properties. The results showed that increasing ratios of Yb₂O₃ (y = 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mol%) produced monotonic density values of the synthesized glasses ranging from 4.70058 g cm^?3 to 5.01038 g cm^?3. XRD and FTIR analyses were used to confirm the glass structure of all samples. Optical transmittance and absorption parameters varied almost monotonically with increasing ratios of Yb₂O₃ indicating the ability to predict and control these properties using Yb₂O₃ additive. Furthermore, simulated radiation interaction parameters, such as attenuation coefficients and half-value layer, exhibited well-behaved dependence on the concentration ratio of the Yb₂O₃ additive. This approach to glass material synthesis demonstrate the useful synergetic effect of combining structural, optical, and radiation characteristics.     

The Impact of PbF2-Based Glasses on Radiation Shielding and Mechanical Concepts: An Extensive Theoretical and Monte Carlo Simulation Study

Journal of Inorganic and Organometallic Polymers and Materials - This work aimed to investigate the impact of Lead-fluoride based glasses via theoretical and simulation techniques on mechanical and...     

Illumination of light vectors modulated in 3-D photoelastic media

Summary The dependency of the illumination of a light vector that is subjected to modulation along its path in a three-dimensional photoelastic medium, on the rotation of the principal directions (RPD) of stresses is investigated. The consistency and characteristics of the interaction of the light intensity and the RPD for three different photoelastic materials are explored. The deviation of the rotation of the optical axes from those of the principal ones, in 3-D birefringent material, is illustrated. Furthermore, the interrelation of this deviation and the magnitude of the RPD is studied. The experimentally obtained results are shown in four diagrams.With 7 Figures     

High numerical aperture in multimode microstructured optical fibers

Microstructured or "air-clad" fibers, with air holes surrounding a large core, have recently demonstrated much wider light-acceptance angles than conventional fibers. An original and accurate method is presented for determining the numerical aperture of such fibers using leaky modes. The dependence on length, wavelength, and various microstructure dimensions are evaluated for the first time for a class of fibers that exhibit exceptionally high numerical apertures. These results show excellent agreement with published measurements on similar fibers and verify that bridge thicknesses much smaller than the wavelength are required for high numerical apertures.     

Strict feedforward control systems,linearisability, and convergent normal forms

This article discusses the feedback equivalence of multi-inputs feedforward control systems via smooth (resp. analytic) feedback transformations. We first address the state (resp. feedback) linearisation problem, and provide easily computable algorithms that yield explicit state (resp. feedback) linearising coordinates for systems in strict feedforward form. The application of the algorithms does not require checking the commutativity (resp. involutivity) of the distributions associated with the system, and the algorithms fail after few steps if the system is not linearisable. In the latter case, the algorithms are extended to provide coordinate systems bringing the system into a normal form which is a smooth (resp. analytic) counterpart of Kang's formal normal form. Illustrative examples for both the linearisation and convergent normal form include the vertical take off and landing aircraft, the multi-vehicle wireless testbed among others.     

Polymer cosolvent system

Summary Both preferential adsorption coefficient λ and intrinsic viscosity [η] for poly (di-o-alkylphenyl methacrylates) /Tetrahydrofuran (THF)/water have been determined. The results are discussed in relation to the steric effect of the ortho-substituent groups on the aromatic ring.     

Meat as a functional food with special reference to probiotic sausages

Consumers believe that foods are associated directly to their health. Today foods are not only used to satisfy our hunger but also to provide indispensible nutrients for humans and these nutrients having the health benefits regarding in controlling the diseases. The market for functional foods has seen a sharp rise in demand in the recent years. This has driven researchers to multiply their efforts in producing functional meat products also. Feed manipulation and post-mortem modification of meat coupled with enrichment of bioactive compounds are gaining importance. This review discusses the candidate ingredients and strategies, utilized in crafting such functional meat products, and the notable developments and commercial successes in functional meat industry. Dry fermented sausages meet the conditions required to carry viable probiotic microbes. This article enlists various microorganisms that are being commercially used in functional food products and potential bacteria for probiotic sausage production.