Frequency dependent electrical transport properties of 4,4′,4″-tris(N-3-methylphenyl-N-phenylamine)triphenylamine by impedance spectroscopy

The frequency dependent ac conduction mechanism in 4,4′,4″-tris(N-3-methylphenyl-N-phenylamine)triphenylamine (m-MTDATA) has been studied as a function of applied bias and temperature. The Cole–Cole plot shows a slightly depressed semicircle indicating Debye type relaxation. This result has been explained by an equivalent circuit of the device designed as a two parallel resistor and capacitance network in series with contact resistance. The ac conduction studies under dc bias for hole only devices shows an increase in device conductivity with the increase in bias. The variation of bulk resistance with applied bias indicates Space Charge Limited Conduction (SCLC) mechanism for hole conduction. The hole mobility of the material has also been evaluated from SCLC as 8.859 × 10^?6 cm²/V s. The temperature dependent impedance studies show two activation energies indicating two different phase of the material with a phase transition at 235 K.     

Ionic liquid-induced synthesis of selenium nanoparticles

A simple wet chemical method has been used to synthesize selenium nanoparticles by the reaction of ionic liquid with sodium selenosulphate, a selenium precursor, in the presence of polyvinyl alcohol stabilizer, in aqueous medium. The method is capable of producing spherical selenium nanoparticles in the size range of 76-150 nm under ambient conditions. This is a first report on the production of nano-selenium assisted by an ionic liquid. The synthesized nanoparticles can be separated easily from the aqueous sol by a high-speed centrifuge machine, and can be re-dispersed in an aqueous medium. The synthesized selenium nanoparticles have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and transmission electron microscopy techniques.     

Stenotrophomonas,Mycobacterium, and Streptomyces in home dust and air: associations with moldiness and other home/family characteristics

Respiratory illnesses have been linked to children's exposures to water‐damaged homes. Therefore, understanding the microbiome in water‐damaged homes is critical to preventing these illnesses. Few studies have quantified bacterial contamination, especially specific species, in water‐damaged homes. We collected air and dust samples in twenty‐one low‐mold homes and twenty‐one high‐mold homes. The concentrations of three bacteria/genera, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Streptomyces sp., and Mycobacterium sp., were measured in air and dust samples using quantitative PCR (QPCR). The concentrations of the bacteria measured in the air samples were not associated with any specific home characteristic based on multiple regression models. However, higher concentrations of S. maltophilia in the dust samples were associated with water damage, that is, with higher floor surface moisture and higher concentrations of moisture‐related mold species. The concentrations of Streptomyces and Mycobacterium sp. had similar patterns and may be partially determined by human and animal occupants and outdoor sources of these bacteria.     

Using local stone for roofing

In certain parts of India roofs built with locally quarried stone slabs have been found to be 20 per cent cheaper than ordinary reinforced concrete. The author, who is a Chief Engineer at the Public Works Department, Rajasthan, describes test work which has shown how to make such roofs more stable and weathertight.     

Loading Rate Effect on Nanohardness of Soda-Lime-Silica Glass

To understand how hardness, the key design parameter for applications of brittle solids such as glass concerning contact deformation, is affected by loading rate variation, nanoindentation with a Berkovich tip was used to measure the nanohardness of a 330-μm-thick soda-lime-silica glass as a function of loading rate (1 to 1000 mN·s⁻¹). The results showed for the very first time that, with variations in the loading rate, there was a 6 to 9 pct increase in the nanohardness of glass up to a threshold loading rate (TLR), whereafter it did not appreciably increase with further increase in loading rate. Further, the nanohardness data showed an indentation size effect (ISE) that obeyed the Meyer’s law. These observations were explained in terms of a strong shear stress component developed just beneath the nanoindenter and the related shear-induced deformation processes at local microstructural scale weak links. The significant or insignificant presence of shear-induced serrations in load depth plots and corresponding scanning electron microscopic evidence of a strong or mild presence of shear deformation bands in and around the nanoindentation cavity supported such a rationalization. Finally, a qualitative picture was developed for different deformation processes induced at various loading rates in glass.     

Growth studies of Azolla pinnata RBr. in a permanent pond

The growth pattern of Azolla pinnata in association with Spirodela polyrhiza was studied in a permanent pond. These two plants would provide a regular source of biomass. The suitability of integration of Azolla pinnata into other aquatic plants ‐ based wastewater treatment systems has been proposed. The favourable qualities offered by Azolla pinnata as a component in wastewater treatment systems has been emphasized.     

Modeling without categorical variables: a mixed-integer nonlinear program for the optimization of thermal insulation systems

Optimal design applications are often modeled by using categorical variables to express discrete design decisions, such as material types. A disadvantage of using categorical variables is the lack of continuous relaxations, which precludes the use of modern integer programming techniques. We show how to express categorical variables with standard integer modeling techniques, and we illustrate this approach on a load-bearing thermal insulation system. The system consists of a number of insulators of different materials and intercepts that minimize the heat flow from a hot surface to a cold surface. Our new model allows us to employ black-box modeling languages and solvers and illustrates the interplay between integer and nonlinear modeling techniques. We present numerical experience that illustrates the advantage of the standard integer model.     

Experimental and FE analysis of submerged arc weld induced residual stress and angular deformation of single and double sided fillet welded joint

Submerged arc welding is well-known for its very high deposition rate and thus the capability to join very high thickness metal pieces in large structural applications. Fillet joints are mostly used in structural applications which can be extensively seen in shipbuilding, bridge construction, house buildings, automobile or any other large structures. Thermal stresses generates in a fusion welded joint due to high temperature gradient, which is the cause of the residual stresses upon cooling followed by the angular deformation and failure of the welded structure. As an effect of the thermal gradient, the induced longitudinal, transverse residual stress & angular distortion can vary in single sided and double sided submerged arc welded fillet joints, during designing & manufacturing welded structures which should be taken into account. The main objective of this paper is to quantify the amount of residual stresses and angular deformation in a fillet welding joint. An elasto-plastic thermomechanical model has been developed for predicting residual stresses. A comparison of the residual stress and angular deformation between single and double sided fillet weld joint has been made. The simulation results reveal that the amount of residual stress present in the single sided fillet weld is more and unbalanced in both side of the center of weld line compared to the double sided fillet weld and the predicted results have been matched with the experiments as well as published literatures.     

New exact solutions of the coupled sine-Gordon equations in nonlinear optics using the modified Kudryashov method

The main aim of this article is studying the coupled sine-Gordon equations in nonlinear optics, which describe the propagation of an optical pulse in fibre waveguide. New exact solutions of the coupled sine-Gordon equations have been derived through the use of the well-organized modified Kudryashov method.     

Iron-Doped,Mullite-Impregnated PVDF Composite: An Alternative Separator for a High Charge Storage Ceramic Capacitor

In this communication, the formation mechanism of the electroactive β phase, morphology and the dielectric activities of increasing doping concentration (0–1.2 M.W % of mullite) of Fe²⁺ ion-doped, mullite-impregnated polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanocomposite have been investigated. Differential thermal analysis (DTA) confirms the formation of an electroactive β phase, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed that the β phase increases simultaneously and attains the maximum increment of 2.6 times compared to pristine PVDF. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra also agreed well with the β-phase increment behaviour and also confirmed the presence of required mullite phases. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images indicate the strong interaction between the polymer matrix and different concentrations of Fe²⁺ ion-doped mullite particles, resulting in enhanced electroactive β phase formation and large dielectric constant of the nanocomposite films followed by significant low dielectric loss with high ac conductivity compared to pristine PVDF films at room temperature. This doped polymer composite can be used as a high dielectric separator and, using this separator, we have successfully fabricated a high-charge-storage device. This paper also demonstrates that the loading of conductive Fe²⁺ ions within the highly insulating mullite matrix has a critical concentration for the enhancement and nucleation of the electroactive β phase of the PVDF polymer. In this critical concentration, the highest formation of a β network and maximum numbers of homogeneously distributed iron-doped mullite (FeM) particles in PVDF matrix improves the effective interfacial polarization by Maxwell–Wagner–Sillar (MWS) polarization effect which is responsible for the enhancement of dielectric constant and ac conductivity followed by significant tangent loss. So, it can be concluded that the incorporation of Fe²⁺-doped mullite into PVDF matrix is an effective way to fabricate a high dielectric separator of high-charge-storage electronic devices.