Fabrication by Electrophoretic Deposition of Nano-Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> and Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>@SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> 3D Structure on Carbon Fibers as Supercapacitor Materials

Core–shell nanostructured magnetic Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ with particle size ranging from 3 nm to 40 nm has been synthesized via a facile precipitation method. Tetraethyl orthosilicate was employed as surfactant to prepare core–shell structures from Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles synthesized from pomegranate peel extract using a green method. X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier-transform infrared and ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopies, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy were employed to characterize the samples. The prepared Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were approximately 12 nm in size, and the thickness of the SiO₂ shell was?~?4 nm. Evaluation of the magnetic properties indicated lower saturation magnetization for Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ powder (~?11.26 emu/g) compared with Fe₃O₄ powder (~?13.30 emu/g), supporting successful wrapping of the Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles by SiO₂. As-prepared powders were deposited on carbon fibers (CFs) using electrophoretic deposition and their electrochemical behavior investigated. The rectangular-shaped cyclic voltagrams of Fe₃O₄@CF and Fe₃O₄@C@CF samples indicated electrochemical double-layer capacitor (EDLC) behavior. The higher specific capacitance of 477 F/g for Fe₃O₄@C@CF (at scan rate of 0.05 V/s in the potential range of ??1.13 to 0.45 V) compared with 205 F/g for Fe₃O₄@CF (at the same scan rate in the potential range of?~???1.04 to 0.24 V) makes the former a superior candidate for use in energy storage applications.     

Explicit formulation for natural frequencies of double-beam system with arbitrary boundary conditions

In this paper, free transverse vibration of two parallel beams connected through Winkler type elastic layer is investigated. Euler-Bernoulli beam hypothesis has been applied and it is assumed that boundary conditions of upper and lower beams are similar while arbitrary without any limitation even for non-ideal boundary conditions. Material properties and cross-section geometry of beams could be different from each other. The motion of the system is described by a homogeneous set of two partial differential equations, which is solved by using the classical Bernoulli-Fourier method. Explicit expressions are derived for the natural frequencies. In order to verify accuracy of results, the problem once again solved using modified Adomian decomposition method. Comparison between results indicates excellent accuracy of proposed formulation for any arbitrary boundary conditions. Derived explicit formulation is simplest method to determine natural frequencies of double-beam systems with high level of accuracy in comparison with other methods in literature.     

Extension of the ELECTRE method for decision-making problems with interval weights and data

Recent research is recognizing that multicriteria decision making should take into account the concepts of uncertainty, risk, and confidence. In some cases, precise determination of the exact value of the attributes is difficult. Consequently, to surmount this potential problem, their values are considered as fuzzy and intervals. The elimination and choice translating reality (ELECTRE) is one of the most widely used methods to rank a set of alternatives versus a set of criteria to reflect the decision maker’s preference. What is customary in almost all recent papers regarding ELECTRE is the utilization of fuzzy concepts in decision-making process. In this paper, we propose a novel algorithmic ELECTRE method which assimilates the concepts of interval weights and data for the facilitation of evaluation of a set of alternatives against a set of criteria in this situation. Finally, the executive procedure of our proposed ELECTRE method is illustrated by applying it to the problem of supplier selection.     

An investigation on effect of geometrical parameters on spray cone angle and droplet size distribution of a two-fluid atomizer

A visual study is conducted to determine the effect of geometrical parameters of a two-fluid atomizer on its spray cone angle. The liquid (water) jets exit from six peripheral inclined orifices and are introduced to a high speed gas (air) stream in the gravitational direction. Using a high speed imaging system, the spray cone angle has been determined in constant operational conditions, i.e., Reynolds and Weber numbers for different nozzle geometries. Also, the droplet sizes (Sauter mean diameter) and their distributions have been determined using Malvern Master Sizer x. The investigated geometrical parameters are the liquid jet diameter, liquid port angle and the length of the gas-liquid mixing chamber. The results show that among these parameters, the liquid jet diameter has a significant effect on spray cone angle. In addition, an empirical correlation has been obtained to predict the spray cone angle of the present two-fluid atomizer in terms of nozzle geometries.     

Assessment of offshore platforms under extreme waves by probabilistic incremental wave analysis

In this study, a novel probabilistic framework named Probabilistic Incremental Wave Analysis (PIWA) is established in order to assess the performance of jacket offshore platforms under extreme waves. The PIWA can take into account the uncertainties in three main elements consisting of sea state parameters, structural response and collapse capacity. The main advantage of the PIWA approach is reflected in decoupling of the wave hazard and structural analyses via an intermediate variable known as the wave height intensity measure. Despite the fact that most of the uncertainties associated with structural response are concentrated in wave hazard, this will enable the PIWA to estimate the probability of failure accurately. Moreover, both static and dynamic wave analyses can be utilized in the PIWA procedure. In this approach, multiple incremental wave analyses are employed to estimate the distribution of structural demand for a wide range of wave height intensities. Subsequently, the mean annual frequency of exceeding a structural limit state is calculated for which this research addresses two different methodologies including demand-based and wave height-based approaches. Furthermore, a new probabilistic-based Reserve Strength Ratio (RSR) is proposed and the probability of exceeding various levels of RSR is provided. To reduce the large number of simulations and hence improving the computational effort in the PIWA procedure, a combination of Latin Hypercube Sampling and Simulated Annealing optimization technique is utilized as an efficient sampling scheme. The PIWA procedure is employed in probabilistic assessment of an existing jacket offshore platform located in the Persian Gulf as well.