ANT-colony based disjoint set assortment in wireless sensor networks

Wireless Networks - Wireless sensor network (WSN) consists of small sized devices containing different sensors to monitor physical, environmental and medical conditions during surveillance of...     

Synthesis of amino-cosubstituted polyorganophosphazenes and fabrication of their nanoparticles for anticancer drug delivery

The development of safe drug carriers is cardinal in cancer therapy, which can target the cancer cells and release the loaded drug on-demand without damaging the healthy cells of the body. In our work, we synthesized three different biodegradable polymers, poly[(ethyl aminobezoate) (ethyl glycinato) phosphazenes] (PABGPs), in different mole ratio of side groups. The successful synthesis of these PABGPs was confirmed by ¹H NMR, ³¹P NMR, FT-IR, and gel permeation chromatography. These PABGPs were fabricated into drug (camptothecin, CPT, a hydrophobic anticancer drug) loaded nanoparticles. These drug-loaded nanoparticles showed good drug release behaviors under normal physiological conditions (pH 7.4 and temperature 37°C). These PABGPs-based nanoparticles may find their application as effective drug carriers for cancer therapy.     

Thermodynamic and kinetic consideration on the corrosion of Fe, Ni and Cr beneath a molten KCl-ZnCl2 mixture

Thermogravimetric (TG) experiments have been carried out to study the kinetics of hot corrosion of Fe, Cr and Ni, covered by a molten KCl-ZnCl₂ mixture of a composition close to the eutectic (50 mol% KCl-50 mol% ZnCl₂). Furthermore binary and ternary phase diagrams were calculated in order to describe the corrosion process. The tests were conducted at a temperature of 320 °C in an atmosphere consisting of argon and oxygen. For iron different stages are observed in a TG curve. They can be attributed to the different reaction steps of iron chloride formation (incubation phase), oxide precipitation (linear stage) and scale formation (parabolic or logarithmic stage). Based on these observations a model, described by Spiegel [A. Spiegel, Molten Salt Forum 7 (2003) 253], is confirmed. For Cr and Ni these stages are not observed. At 8 vol% O₂ only slight oxidation of Cr and Ni was observed accompanied by evaporation of the salt deposit. At 16 vol% O₂ the rate of oxidation increases and the experiments yield a curve that is either parabolic or logarithmic for both Ni and Cr. As a result it is shown that the solubility of iron chloride in the KCl-ZnCl₂ melt is higher than the solubility of nickel chloride and chromium (III) chloride in the KCl-ZnCl₂ melt. This enables a higher diffusibility of iron chloride to the upper region of the melt where a higher oxygen partial pressure (p(O₂)) is present leading to a higher oxidation rate of iron.     

Thermal Diffusivity/Conductivity and Specific Heat of Mullite-Zirconia-Silicon Carbide Whisker Composites

The thermal diffusivity of mullite-ZrO₂-SiC_w materials was determined from 25° to 1000°C for composites in which the ZrO₂ had different amounts of monoclinic and tetragonal phase, and varying SiC _w content. At 25°C the thermal diffusivity of the matrix materials increased with increasing amounts of monoclinic phase, and little or no anisotropy was seen. Composites with SiC _w additions showed significant increases in thermal diffusivity and anisotropy as compared with the matrix materials. With increasing temperature, thermal diffusivities of the matrices and their respective composites decreased, and at 1000°C differences were small. Specific heat was determined from 25° to 700°C and thermal conductivity values calculated. Specific heat increased with temperature and was not composition dependent, except for one sample. Thermal conductivity values as a function of temperature followed the same trends as the thermal diffusivity values.     

Superfluid-insulator transition in disordered boson systems

We review the localization problem in two dimensions for interacting bosons in a random potential. This problem is intimately related to the study of ⁴ He adsorbed in porous media, Josephson junction arrays, disordered superconducting films and vortex glasses. Using path integral Monte Carlo techniques, we find a superfluid, a localized or Bose glass insulator with gapless excitations, and (at commensurate densities) a Mott insulator with a finite gap to excitations.     

Effects of Silicon on Growth,Yield and Fruit Quality of Cantaloupe under Drought Stress

Silicon - Silicon (Si) plays an important role in mitigating adverse effects of various biotic and abiotic stresses including drought. Polyhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of...     

Correction to: Bismuth Yttrium Oxide (Bi3YO6), A New Electrode Material For Asymmetric Aqueous Supercapacitors

Journal of Inorganic and Organometallic Polymers and Materials - The original version of this article unfortunately contained mistakes. In line 9 of the abstract, 5% should read as 2%. The...     

Formation of β-SiAION as an Intermediate Oxidation Product of SiC–AIN Ceramics

The oxidation mechanisms in SiC-AlN solid solutions, exposed at 1370°C for 200 h in air, have been investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), analytical and high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM), and X-ray diffraction techniques. Five hot-pressed compositions, including pure SiC and pure AIN, were examined. Assuming parabolic rate behavior, the values of the parabolic rate constants based on oxide layer thickness increased by over 2 orders of magnitude by increasing AIN contents from 0% to 62%. A continuous amorphous phase containing cristobalite and mullite crystallites was present at the oxide layer in 13% AIN and 27% AIN samples. Two reaction layers were found in the oxidized SiC–62% AIN solid solution. The inner layer consisted of a mixture of β-SiAION and graphite phases, while the outer layer consisted of mullite as a major phase and cristobalite as a minor phase. The oxidation proceeded in two stages: a partial oxidation of SiC–AIN to β-SiAION and carbon (graphite), and a final oxidation of β-SiAION to mullite + SiO₂.     

Thermal Conductivity/Diffusivity of Silicon Carbide Whisker Reinforced Mullite

The thermal conductivity and diffusivity of silicon carbide whisker reinforced mullite was shown to increase with whisker content. This effect was much greater for vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) whiskers than for rice-hull (RH) whiskers. This suggests that the thermal conductivity for the VLS whiskers was significantly higher than for the RH whiskers. Due to preferred orientation of the whiskers, thermal conductivity and diffusivity of the composite samples exhibited significant anisotropy.     

Eco-friendly electronics,based on nanocomposites of biopolyester reinforced with carbon nanotubes: a review

ABSTRACT

Fabrication of electronic materials from nanocomposite of biopolyesters reinforced with carbon nanotubes can be regarded as the effective alternative for conventional nanocomposites consisting of non-biodegradable polymers. Commercial availability of biopolyester-based nanocomposites is limited because of their high cost compared to other polymers, but the factor of their compostable nature is worthless for environmental protection. Such nanocomposites have potential applications in biodegradable sensors, EMI materials, etc. In this review, the current progress of biopolyester/CNTs nanocomposites in the field of biodegradable electronics is reviewed and also the impact of CNTs dispersion on electrical, thermal and mechanical properties of eco composites is stipulated.