Epoxy—Polyester IPNs modified with aromatic amines

Semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (Semi-IPNs) based on epoxy and unsaturated polyester resin (UPR; added in 5.9 and 11.1 wt %) have been prepared by chemical route. Room temperature curing was attempted using triethylene tetramine as a hardener. Blend with 11.1% UPR is found to exhibit best mechanical properties. Further, blends were also prepared by adding aromatic amines such as diphenylamine (DPA, secondary amine) and benzidine (Bz, primary amine). Structural elucidation of the samples through identification of functional groups was carried out with the help of Fourier transform infra red spectroscopy. Absence of peak at 915 cm⁻¹ (characteristic of epoxy ring) confirmed complete curing in all the blends. The mechanical properties such as hardness, izod impact and tensile strength of blends were compared. The co-cured blends show decrease in shore hardness (≈ 1–6%), while, the izod impact exhibits an opposite trend. Blends with 10% DPA and Bz show an increase in izod impact by 268.6% and 38.8% respectively. Further, the tensile strength is observed to be enhanced by 45% in case of DPA while addition of Bz reduces it by 32.8%. Thermal properties were studied by thermogravimetric (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) analysis. TGA shows no significant change in onset and decomposition temperature but temperature at which it melts is lowered almost by 100–150°C together with the onset temperature (by ≈ 200°C) observed in DSC. Scanning electron micrographs reveal granular nature of the samples. The homogeneity of blends appears to be good. The blends co-cured with DPA are relatively crystalline compared with others. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Stepwise-Graded Si3N4–SiC Ceramics with Improved Wear Properties

The processing of stepwise graded Si₃N₄/SiC ceramics by pressureless co-sintering is described. Here, SiC (high elastic modulus, high thermal expansion coefficient) forms the substrate and Si₃N₄ (low elastic modulus, low thermal expansion coefficient) forms the top contact surface, with a stepwise gradient in composition existing between the two over a depth of ∼1.7 mm. The resulting Si₃N₄ contact surface is fine-grained and dense, and it contains only 2 vol% yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) additive. This graded ceramic shows resistance to cone-crack formation under Hertzian indentation, which is attributed to a combined effect of the elastic-modulus gradient and the compressive thermal-expansion-mismatch residual stress present at the contact surface. The presence of the residual stress is corroborated and quantified using Vickers indentation tests. The graded ceramic also possesses wear properties that are significantly improved compared with dense, monolithic Si₃N₄ containing 2 vol% YAG additive. The improved wear resistance is attributed solely to the large compressive stress present at the contact surface. A modification of the simple wear model by Lawn and co-workers is used to rationalize the wear results. Results from this work clearly show that the introduction of surface compressive residual stresses can significantly improve the wear resistance of polycrystalline ceramics, which may have important implications for the design of contact-damage-resistant ceramics.     

Proteomics analysis of carbon-starved Mycobacterium smegmatis: induction of Dps-like protein

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a globally successful pathogen,infecting more than one third of total world's population. Thesebacteria have the remarkable ability to persist in the hostfor long periods of time unrecognized by the immune system andthen to re-emerge later in life causing the disease. The physiologyof such persistent or dormant bacilli is not very well characterized.Some evidence suggests that the dormant bacilli survive in anutrient-deprived state that is similar to the stationary phaseof the bacteria with respect to gene expression and physiology.Under this assumption we have studied the survival of Mycobacteriumsmegmatis in carbon starvation conditions as a model for mycobacterialpersistence. M.smegmatis, being a fast-growing strain, servesas a good model to study starvation responses. Using the two-dimensionalelectrophoresis-based proteomics approach, we identified a proteinwhich was found to be expressed preferentially under starvationconditions. This protein is homologous to a family of proteinscalled Dps (DNA binding Protein from Starved cells) that areknown to protect DNA under various kinds of environmental stressesand its existence has, so far, not been reported in mycobacteria.Upon expression and purification of this protein, we observedthat it has non-specific DNA-binding ability. Formation of acage-like dodecamer structure is a characteristic feature ofDps. Using comparative modelling we were able to show that Dpsfrom M.smegmatis could form a dodecamer structure similar tothe crystal structure of Dps from Escherichia coli.     

Effect of iron oxide (Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>) on the structural,optical, electrical,and dielectric properties of SrO–V<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>5</Subscript> glasses

The oxide glass system of the composition (10 – x)SrO–xFe₂O₃–90V₂O₅, (x = 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 mol %) were prepared by a standard melt quenching technique. The amorphous nature of the prepared glass was confirmed using X-ray diffraction technique. The infrared spectra of these glasses were recorded over a continuous spectral range (850–1500 cm^–1). The density of prepared sample was obtained by the Archimedes principle. The physical parameters of the glasses were also determined with respect to the composition. Density increases from 3.10 to 3.20 g/cm³, whereas the molar volume decreases with the increase in Fe₂O₃ concentration. In order to study optical properties, absorption spectra were measured at room temperature. Indirect optical energy band gap, optical dielectric constant, refractive index were calculated from optical energy band gap. The refractive index decreases gradually with the increase in Fe₂O₃ content due to increase of bridging oxygen’s. For temperatures from 300 to 500 K, the dc conductivity increased with the increasing Fe₂O₃ content. The dielectric properties like dielectric constant, dielectric loss factor and dielectric loss tangent investigated at the room temperature in the frequency range of 10 kHz to 1 MHz decreases with frequency. The dielectric behavior shows strong frequency as well as composition dependence.     

Influence of precursors of Li2O and MgO on surface and catalytic properties of Li‐promoted MgO in oxidative coupling of methane

The influence of the catalyst precursors (for Li₂O and MgO) used in the preparation of Li‐doped MgO (Li/Mg = 0.1) on its surface properties (viz basicity, CO₂ content and surface area) and activity/selectivity in the oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) process at 650–750 °C (CH₄/O₂ feed ratio = 3.0–8.0 and space velocity = 5140–20550 cm³ g⁻¹ h⁻¹) has been investigated. The surface and catalytic properties are found to be strongly affected by the precursor for Li₂O (viz lithium nitrate, lithium ethanoate and lithium carbonate) and MgO (viz magnesium nitrate, magnesium hydroxide prepared by different methods, magnesium carbonate, magnesium oxide and magnesium ethanoate). Among the Li–MgO (Li/MgO = 0.1) catalysts, the Li–MgO catalyst prepared using lithium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide (prepared by the precipitation from magnesium sulfate by ammonia solution) and lithium ethanoate and magnesium acetate shows high surface area and basicity, respectively. The catalysts prepared using lithium ethanoate and magnesium ethanoate, and lithium nitrate and magnesium nitrate have very high and almost no CO₂ contents, respectively. The catalysts prepared using lithium ethanoate or carbonate as precursor for Li₂O, and magnesium carbonate or ethanoate, as precursor for MgO, showed a good and comparable performance in the OCM process. The performance of the other catalysts was inferior. No direct relationship between the basicity of Li‐doped MgO or surface area and its catalytic activity/selectivity in the OCM process was, however, observed. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry     

An automated high-level topology generation procedure for continuous-time ΣΔ modulator

This paper presents an automated procedure for generation of high-level topologies for continuous-time ΣΔ modulator system. A functional topology of the system is generated from the given transfer function model of the modulator. Mathematical transformation technique is applied iteratively over the initial topology to generate a functional topology which is optimized for modulator sensitivity, hardware complexity and relative power consumption. This is then implemented using behavioral models of operational transconductance amplifiers and capacitors. The generated high-level topology is ensured to work with reasonable accuracy under non-ideal conditions. The entire procedure has been implemented in Matlab/Simulink environment. Numerical results have been provided to demonstrate the procedure.     

Changes in volatile composition during fruit development and ripening of ‘Alphonso’ mango

BACKGROUND: Volatile blends of five developing and five ripening stages of mango (Mangifera indica L. cv. Alphonso) were investigated along with those of flowers and leaves. Raw and ripe fruits of cv. Sabja were also used for comparison. RESULTS: A total of 55 volatiles belonging to various chemical classes such as aldehydes, alcohols, mono‐ and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, lactones and furanones were identified. In all Alphonso tissues monoterpenes quantitatively dominated, with 57–99% contribution; in particular, (Z)‐ocimene was found in the highest amount. Ripeness was characterized by the de novo appearance of lactones and furanones in the blend of monoterpenes. Sabja was distinguished by the abundance of monoterpene hydrocarbons in the raw fruit, and that of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons and their derivatives in the ripe stage. CONCLUSION: Various stages of the Alphonso fruit during transition from flower to ripe fruit are characterized by unique volatile signatures that are distinguished from each other by the qualitative and quantitative appearance of different volatile compounds. Thus volatiles can be highly informative markers while studying the development and ripening of mango. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Environmental over enthusiasm

India needs large dams for water storage, hydropower and flood control. It also needs long-distance inter-basin water transfers. However, India has a complex and strict environmental regulatory system which ignores a developing economy's needs and peoples' aspirations and is often impractical. This is used by activists to thwart infrastructure building, and, when faced with development slowdown, the government tries to thwart the laws they themselves have made. India's food, water and energy security, economic, and poverty-alleviation plans are in jeopardy unless environmental regulators realize that the regulations are being misused and that environmental over-enthusiasm is benefiting neither development nor the environment.     

An iterative learning controller with reduced sampling rate for plants with variations of initial states

In this paper a discrete-time iterative learning controller for single input single output systems is presented. The iterative learning controller works with a reduced sampling rate that ensures the reduction of an appropriate norm of the error trajectory from cycle to cycle and can cope with initial state error. Initial state error occurs when the initial state of the system is different from the initial state that is implicitly given by the reference trajectory. If the initial state changes for every learning iteration, then the controller cannot achieve ideal tracking but the error trajectory is bounded. Using two different sample times together with a potentially time variant learning gain improves the controller performance for dealing with initial state error. Simulation examples are presented to show the results of the proposed iterative learning controller with reduced sampling rate.