Oxidation of alkanes with hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by Schiff base complexes covalently anchored to polyoxometalate

The catalytic activity of a hybrid compound [Fe(salen)-POM] (1) consisting of metallosalen moiety, [Fe^III(salen)Cl], covalently linked to a Keggin type polyoxometalate, K₈SiW₁₁O₃₉ (POM), in the oxidation of hydrocarbons with hydrogen peroxide was investigated. Reaction products were identified by gas chromatography and satisfactory yields were obtained. While, the Fe(salen)-POM catalyst showed high catalytic activity and product selectivity in the oxidation reactions, the metallosalen alone, [Fe^III(salen)Cl], showed very poor catalytic activity in these reactions. The ability of various transition metal ions in this oxidation system was also investigated. Among a series of hybrid compounds, Fe(salen)-POM showed the highest activity.     

Investigation of the fracture mechanism and mechanical properties of polystyrene/silica nanocomposite in various silica contents

There is limited research on the effect of silica on the mechanical properties of polystyrene. For this lack of information, this study has focused on the fracture mechanism and mechanical properties of Polystyrene/silica nanocomposite. Transmission electron microscopy showed proper dispersion of nanoparticles in PS matrix in both low and high filler loadings. Scanning electron microscopy, TOM micrography, and non-contact surface profiler were used to study the fracture surface and fracture mechanism characteristics of the nanocomposite. It seems that the debonding mechanism is an important mechanism in toughening of Polystyrene/silica nanocomposites. In addition, mechanical behavior of the samples was investigated. Tensile, flexural, and compressive strength and also impact and plain-strain fracture toughness of nanocomposite samples showed different behaviors in low and high nanoparticle loadings and interestingly, we found an optimum value less than 2% for nanoparticle loading in which we observed the highest improvement in mechanical properties of the nanocomposite.     

Three-dimensional numerical analysis of proton exchange membrane fuel cell

A full three-dimensional, non-isothermal computational fluid dynamics model of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) with both the gas distribution flow channels and the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) has been developed. A single set of conservation equations which are valid for the flow channels, gas-diffusion electrodes, catalyst layers, and the membrane region are developed and numerically solved using a finite volume based computational fluid dynamics technique. In this research some parameters such as Oxygen consumption and fuel cell performance according to the variation of porosity, thickness of gas diffusion layer, and the effect of the boundary conditions were investigated in more details. Numerical results shown that the higher values of gas diffusion layer porosity improve the mass transport within the cell, and this leads to reduce the mass transport loss. The gas diffusion layer thickness affects the fuel cell mass transport. A thinner gas diffusion layer increases the mass transport, and consequently the performance of the fuel cell. Furthermore, the study of boundary conditions effects showed that by insulating the bipolar surfaces, hydrogen and oxygen consumption at the anode and cathode sides increase; so that the fuel cell performance would be optimized. Finally the numerical results of proposed CFD model are compared with the available experimental data that represent good agreement.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Nano Silica Supported Tungstophosphoric Acid: An Efficient, Reusable Heterogeneous Catalyst for the Synthesis of Azlactones

A rapid and scale up protocol for the synthesis of azlactones by the Erlenmeyer method under solvent-free conditions was developed. Tungstophosphoric acid supported on nano-silica, TPA@nano-SiO₂ was used as a heterogeneous catalyst for the synthesis of a wide range of azlactone derivatives. The catalyst was characterized by physicochemical measurements. The procedure was simple and permitted the quantitative isolation of products and catalyst under thermal conditions. The recycled catalyst was reused more than 5-times without loss of catalytic activity.     

A genetic algorithm for solving a multi-floor layout design model of a cellular manufacturing system with alternative process routings and flexible configuration

This paper presents a novel integer linear programming model for designing multi-floor layout of cellular manufacturing systems (CMS). Three major and interrelated decisions are involved in the design of a CMS; namely cell formation (CF), group layout (GL), and group scheduling (GS). A novel aspect of this model is concurrently making the CF and GL decisions to achieve an optimal design solution in a multi-floor factory. Other compromising aspects are: multi-floor layout to form cells in different floors is considered, multi-rows layout of equal area facilities in each cell is allowed, cells in flexible shapes are configured, and material handling cost based on the distance between the locations assigned to machines are calculated. Such an integrated CMS model with an extensive coverage of important manufacturing features has not been proposed before and this model incorporates several design features including alternative process routings, operation sequence, processing time, production volume of parts, duplicate machines, machine capacity, new machine purchasing, lot splitting, material flow between machines, intra-cell layout, inter-cell layout, multi-floor layout and flexible configuration. The objective is to minimize the total costs of intra-cell, inter-cell, and inter-floor material handling, new machines purchasing and machine processing. Two numerical examples are solved by the Lingo software to verify the performance of the proposed model and illustrate the model features. Sensitive analysis is also implemented on some model parameters. An improved genetic algorithm (GA) is proposed to derive near-optimal solutions for the integrated model because of its NP hardness. It is then tested using several problems with different sizes and settings to verify the computational efficiency of the developed algorithm in comparison to a classic simulated annealing algorithm and the Lingo software. The obtained results show the efficiency of proposed GA in terms of objective function value and computational time.     

Modelling and shape optimization of an actuator

The aim of this work is to optimize an actuator design so that the flow profile at its exit section is as close as possible to a target profile. The method is founded on the penalization and level-set methods to solve direct and inverse problems on Cartesian meshes The optimization process is written and applied both for Stokes and Navier-Stokes flows. The results show that the method can be successfully applied to the non linear problem to improve the flow profile of an actuator even if the target cannot be totally reached.     

Notes for Contributors /

Abstract

The aim of this study was to depict a framework for development of integrated intelligent human engineering environment in complex critical systems. Conventional health, safety and environment (HSE) are a widely used approach to enhance reliability and safety of complex systems. The integrated health, safety, environment and ergonomics management system (HSEE‐MS) is defined however as integration of conventional HSE with ergonomics.

To show the need for and superiority of HSEE over conventional HSE, a gas treatment company in Iran was studied. Evaluation of ergonomics was carried out by 195 male employees responding to questionnaires.

The integrated HSEE system introduces a unique, effective and systemic mechanism, which integrates the structure of the human and organizational systems with a conventional HSE system. It is utilized to enhance reliability, availability, maintainability and safety through the proposed integrated framework of this study.     

In vitro and in vivo evaluations of phenytoin sodium-loaded electrospun PVA, PCL, and their hybrid nanofibrous mats for use as active wound dressings

In this work, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), and their electrospun PVA/PCL (80/20) hybrid nanofibrous mats were used for the development of active wound dressings. The biocompatibility and therapeutic effects of the developed products were studied by in vitro cell culture and in vivo experimental rat wound model. The release rate measurements by HPLC showed that the PVA nanofibrous sample containing phenytoin sodium (PHT-Na) has a higher level of the drug release compared to the hybrid PVA/PCL (80/20) and PCL nanofibrous mats. A mesenchymal stem cell was seeded on neat as well as drug-loaded PVA nanofibrous mats. The results represented that the mats provide a suitable environment for cell growth and viability. PVA nanofibers containing PHT-Na have a unique performance for fibroblasts and myofibroblasts cells formation and consequently reaching to the remodeling phase and faster healing of the wounds. Also, PHT-Na-loaded electrospun PVA nanofibrous mats showed a remarkable efficiency in wound closure compared with the treatments results from gauze, commercial wound dressing Comfeel^®Plus, and 2 % PHT-Na ointment. Histology analysis showed the formation of epidermis, the lack of necrosis, and accumulation of collagen fibers in dermis for PVA nanofibrous mats containing PHT-Na.     

Characteristics of X-ray Hot Spots in a 3.5 kJ Plasma Focus Device at Different Pressures of Argon and Air

The present study examined the formation of hot spots in the plasma column of a 3.5 kJ Mather-type plasma focus device. Experiments were performed with air and argon as operating gases at 0.2–1.5 mbar of pressures. X-ray source images were obtained using a pinhole camera with dental X-ray film as X-ray detector. The objective was to investigate the effect of the operating conditions and gas type on formation and characteristics of the hot spots. Results showed that when using air in comparison to argon, the total X-ray emission is increased and therefore, the hot spots are covered by this high intensity emission and would be observed less frequently in the image. Using metal filters to attenuate the low-energy X-rays revealed that the most energetic or the most intense radiation was emitted from the hot spots region. The images of the X-ray source obtained using argon at the middle pressures (0.4–0.6 mbar) showed both the plasma column and the photons emitted from the anode surface. A pressure of 0.8–1.5 mbar using argon was most likely to observe the hot spots. For argon gas, the 0.9 mbar was the pressure in which the hot spots were more frequently observed with high reproducibility of location and number. Measurements revealed that the typical size of a hot spot was 10–300 µm and the distance from the anode surface was 0.5–20 mm.     

Containerised transport and housing systems

The high costs of transport limit the feasibility of most industrialised building systems to markets within fairly close reach of the producing factory. Much of the greatest need for simple, low cost housing is in areas which cannot sustain a sufficiently large market for a locally based production unit. In this article Professor Majzub discusses two new concepts in packaged housing which considerably reduce transport costs and extend the range at which it is still economical to deliver to site from a central factory. Whilst influenced by North American concepts of housing, the suggestions may have wider relevance.