High degree of N-functionalization in macroscopically assembled carbon nanotubes

Journal of Materials Science - Nitrogen doping of carbon nanomaterials has emerged as a method to develop novel material properties, though limitations in the form of extended treatment times,...     

Copper@ZIF-8 Core-Shell Nanowires for Reusable Antimicrobial Face Masks

SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses spread via aerosols generated by infected people. Face masks can limit transmission. However, widespread use of disposable masks consumes tremendous resources and generates waste. Here, a novel material for treating blown polypropylene filtration media used in medical-grade masks to impart antimicrobial activity is reported. To produce thin copper@ZIF-8 core-shell nanowires (Cu@ZIF-8 NWs), Cu NWs are stabilized using a pluronic F-127 block copolymer, followed by growth of ZIF-8 to obtain uniform core-shell structures. The Cu@ZIF-8 NWs are applied to filtration media by dip coating. Aerosol filtration efficiency decreases upon exposure to ethanol (solvent for dip-coating), but increases with addition of Cu@ZIF-8 NWs. Cu@ZIF-8 NWs shows enhanced antibacterial activity, compared to Cu NWs or ZIF-8 alone, against Streptococcus mutans and Escherichia coli. Antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 is assayed using virus-infected Vero E6 cells, demonstrating 55% inhibition of virus replication after 48 h by 1 µg of Cu@ZIF-8 NWs per well. Cu@ZIF-8 NWs’ cytotoxicity is tested against four cell lines, and their effect on inflammatory response in A549 cells is examined, demonstrating good biocompatibility. This low-cost, scalable synthesis and straightforward deposition of Cu@ZIF-8 NWs onto filter media has great potential to reduce disease transmission, resource consumption, and environmental impact of waste.     

Synthesis and characterization of Ni-Mo catalyst using Jatropha curcas leaves as carbon support and its catalytic activity for hydrotreating of gas oil,Jatropha oil,and their blends

A novel carbon-based Ni-Mo catalyst has been synthesized successfully from Jatropha curcas leaves using boric acid as a surface modifying agent. The Ni-Mo catalyst prepared on Jatropha curcas leaves had shown BET surface area of 316 m²/g whereas the Ni-Mo catalyst prepared without boric acid activation had shown BET surface area of only 14 m²/g. XRD and SEM data have shown that the active catalyst particles such as Ni and Mo have been found to be uniformly distributed. The inventive catalyst was studied for hydrotreating of gas oil, Jatropha curcas oil and 20% Jatropha oil in gas oil at 370°C, 90 bar H₂ pressure, liquid hour space velocity of 1 h^?1, and gas-to-oil ratio of 500 Nm³/m³ and the results obtained were found to be comparable with that of the commercial Ni-Mo catalyst supported on alumina.     

Electrical and mechanical properties of conducting carbon black filled composites based on rubber and rubber blends

The electrical and mechanical properties of new conductive rubber composites based on ethylene–propylene–diene rubber, acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), and their 50/50 (weight ratio) blend filled with conductive black were investigated. The threshold concentrations for achieving high conductivity are explained on the basis of the viscosity of the rubber. The electrical conductivity increases with the increase in temperature whereas the activation energy of conduction decreases with an increase in filler loading and NBR concentration in the composites. The electrical hysteresis and electrical set are observed during the heating–cooling cycle, which is mainly due to some kind of irreversible change occurring in the conductive networks during heating. The mechanisms of conduction in these systems are discussed in the light of different theories. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 71: 887–895, 1999     

Organocatalytic Asymmetric Aldol Reaction of Ketones with β,γ‐Unsaturated α‐Keto Esters: An Efficient Access to Chiral Tertiary Alcohol Skeletons

This update describes a highly efficient organocatalytic aldol reaction of ketones and β,γ‐unsaturated α‐keto esters for constructing the chiral tertiary alcohol motif. With the application of 9‐amino(9‐deoxy)epi‐Cinchona alkaloid and an acidic additive as catalysts, both acyclic and cyclic ketones react with β,γ‐unsaturated α‐keto esters smoothly to afford aldol adducts in good to excellent yields and asymmetric induction. This protocol offers a new pathway for the construction of adjacent chiral carbon centers and the synthesis of chiral β‐hydroxy carbonyl compounds.     

An experimental investigation on the application potential of heterogeneous catalyzed Nahar biodiesel and its diesel blends as diesel engine fuels

From the inception of commercialization of biodiesel, feedstock scarcity is a major issue to be pondered upon in developing countries. In this study, an attempt has been made to use an abundantly available underutilized high oil content (67% of Nahar seed kernel) feedstock derived biodiesel in a compression ignition engine. The experimental investigation on diesel engine reveals slightly reduced brake thermal efficiency and excellent exhaust emissions up to 40% blending of Nahar biodiesel with conventional diesel fuel. At full load, compared to diesel fuel, the BTE dropped by 1.64% and 1.83%, whereas the BSFC increased by 5.07% and 6.76% for B30 and B40 blends, respectively. The tested emission parameters such as CO, HC, NOx, and smoke were decreased by 12.66%, 17.99%, 8.31%, and 10.61% for B30 and 4.87%, 12.76%, 7.98%, and 11.78% for B40, respectively, compared to diesel fuel.

Abbreviation: BD: Biodiesel; DF: Diesel fuel     

Microstructural modification and ageing behaviour of the Al–17Si–5Cu alloy using a novel approach

A novel short duration heat treatment schedule is proposed in the present investigation for the Al-17?wt-% Si-5?wt-% Cu alloy (AR alloy). The existing heat treatment uses long duration (4–24?h) holding at solutionising temperature prior to ageing treatment. In the present investigation, the AR alloy is subjected to isothermal holding at 590°C for 15?min followed by warm water quenching prior to the normal ageing schedule. Detailed microstructural investigations involving size and shape of primary as well as eutectic Si particles, porosity measurements along with hardness and tensile property characterisation are carried out to find the effect of isothermal heat treatment. The study reveals considerable improvement in microstructure and mechanical properties after this isothermal heat treatment.     

Critical fluidization velocities and maximum bed pressure drops of homogeneous binary mixture of irregular particles in gas-solid tapered fluidized beds

Recently, tapered fluidized bed has become more attractive because of the problems associated with conventional (cylindrical) beds like fluidization of widely distributed particles, entrainment of particles and limitation of fluidization velocity. There have been some investigations on hydrodynamics of uniform single size particles but there have been no detailed studies of homogeneous binary mixture of particles of different sizes and different particles in tapered beds. In the present work, an attempt has been made to study the hydrodynamic characteristics of homogeneous binary mixture of irregular particles in tapered beds having different tapered angles. Correlations have been developed for important characteristics, especially critical fluidization velocities and maximum bed pressure drops of homogeneous binary mixture of irregular particles in gas-solid tapered fluidized beds. Experimental values of critical fluidization velocities and maximum bed pressure drops have been compared with the developed correlations.     

Combined heat and mass transfer in natural convection on horizontal and inclined plates with variable surface temperature/concentration or heat/mass flux

Summary An analysis is presented to study the heat and mass transfer characteristics of natural convection flow along horizontal and inclined plates with variable surface temperature/concentration or heat/mass flux under the combined buoyancy effects of thermal and mass diffusion. Numerical results are obtained for two values of Schmidt number covering the range of diffusion species of common interest like water vapour, carbon dioxide and naphthalene in air.