Hall current effects on MHD flow of chemically reacting fluid through a porous medium with heat source

We considered the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) free convective flow of an incompressible electrically conducting viscous fluid past an infinite vertical permeable porous plate with a uniform transverse magnetic field, heat source and chemical reaction in a rotating frame taking Hall current effects into account. The momentum equations for the fluid flow during absorbent medium are controlled by the Brinkman model. Through the undisturbed state, both the plate and fluid are in a rigid body rotation by the uniform angular velocity perpendicular to an infinite vertical plate. The perpendicular surface is subject to the homogeneous invariable suction at a right angle to it and the heat on the surface varies about a non-zero unvarying average whereas the warmth of complimentary flow is invariable. The systematic solutions of the velocity, temperature, and concentration distributions are acquired systematically by utilizing the perturbation method. The velocity expressions consist of steady-state and fluctuating situations. It is revealed that the steady part of the velocity field has a three-layer characteristic while the oscillatory part of the fluid field exhibits a multi-layer characteristic. The influence of various governing flow parameters on the velocity, temperature, and concentration are analyzed graphically. We also discuss computational results for the skin friction, Nusselt number, and Sherwood number in the tabular forms.     

Radiation-absorption,chemical reaction,Hall and ion slip impacts on magnetohydrodynamic free convective flow over semi-infinite moving absorbent surface

The investigation of radiation-absorption,chemical reaction,Hall and ion-slip impacts on unsteady MHD free convective laminar flow of an incompressible viscous,electrically conducting and heat generation/absorbing fluid enclosed with a semi-infinite porous plate within a rotating frame has been premeditated.The plate is assumed to be moving with a constant velocity in the direction of fluid movement.A uniform transverse magnetic field is applied at right angles to the porous surface,which is absorbing the fluid with a suction velocity changing with time.The non-dimensional governing equations for present inves-tigation are solved analytically making use of two term harmonic and non-harmonic functions.The graphical results of velocity,temperature and concentration distributions on the analytical solutions are displayed and discussed with reference to pertinent parameters.It is found that the velocity profiles decreased with an increasing in Hartmann number,rotation parameter,the Schmidt number,heat source parameter,while it increased due to an increase in permeability parameter,radiation-absorption param-eter,Hall and ion slip parameters.However,the temperature profile is an increasing function of radiation-absorption parameter,whereas an increase in chemical reaction parameter,the Schmidt num-ber Sc or frequency of oscillations decrease the temperature profile on cooling.Also,it is found that the concentration profile is decreased with an escalating in the Schmidt number or the chemical reaction parameter.     

Issues in FMS installation: a field study and analysis

This report is based on plant visits and extensive interviews conducted as part of the authors' field study of five distinct flexible manufacturing system (FMS) installations. The FMS and the settings they are housed in are described. The findings are integrated with the existing published literature on automation in manufacturing. The literature is confirmed in some respects and is augmented in many instances. A critical analysis of these installations is presented, indicating the problems associated with them and identifying probable causes. Based on their visits and the analysis, the authors developed an implementation plan for proactive management of automation project. It is hoped that it will help to avoid the pitfalls identified and to regain and retain competitive advantage     

The incorporation of mono- and bi-functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes in organic photovoltaic cells

We have successfully prepared mono- and bi-functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) with thiophene, amine and thiophene-amine groups. The dispersion of nanotubes has been enhanced and stable optimized dispersions in organic solvents were obtained. These functionalized nanotubes have been successfully incorporated into bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells with a poly (3-hexyl thiophene) (P3HT) and [6, 6]-phenyl-C(61)-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) photoactive blended layer. The incorporation of MWCNT with different functional groups, in the active layer, results in different cell performance with respect to a reference cell. A maximum power conversion efficiency of 2.5% is achieved with the inclusion of thiophene functionalized nanotubes. This improvement in the device performance is attributed to an extension of the exciton dissociation volume and charge transport properties through the nanotube percolation network in P3HT/CNT, PCBM/CNT or both phases. This is believed to be due to more efficient dispersion of the functionalized nanotubes within the photoactive composite layer.     

Preparation of sorbitol-based polyurethanes and their semiinterpenetrating polymer networks

Sorbitol is a useful agro-based substance that is inexpensive and commercially available. In the interest of adding value to bio-based raw materials, we have synthesized polyurethanes from sorbitol and toluene-2,4-diisocyanate (TDI) through both conventional heat and microwave processes. Relative to conventional heat, the microwave process achieved the same reaction at a faster rate, thereby saving time and energy. The nature of the resulting polyurethane products depended on the stoichiometry of the reaction. At increasing TDI levels, a viscous liquid, a soft gel, or a hard thermoset could be obtained. The polymers were fully characterized with ¹³C-NMR, Fourier transform infrared, size exclusion chromatography, and thermogravimetric analysis. The polyurethanes obtained near the gel point could be used to make semiinterpenetrating polymer networks (semi-IPNs) with a second polymer, thereby imparting some of the properties of the second polymer onto the sorbitol-based polyurethane. For illustration, the sorbitol-based polyurethane semi-IPNs were made in combination with poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) and poly(lactic acid). © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47602.     

Rheum rhaponticum Root Extract Improves Vasomotor Menopausal Symptoms and Estrogen-Regulated Targets in Ovariectomized Rat Model

Ovarian insufficiency and ovariectomy are characterized by deregulated heat loss mechanisms. Unlike hormone therapy, ERr 731 (a standardized botanical extract of Siberian rhubarb Rheum rhaponticum L. high in rhaponticin) acts like a selective estrogen receptor modulator for ERβ receptors and may offer a higher degree of safety while maintaining the desired efficacy profile. In this study, we examined the relationship between oral administration of ERr 731 and the underlying components of skin vasomotion responses in an ovariectomized (OVX) rat model. ERr 731 dose-dependently reduced tail skin temperature (T_skin) values by an average of 1 °C. The rapid onset of this effect was observed in 1 and 3 mg/kg/day ERr 731 groups as early as day 2 of administration, and remained in place for the duration of the treatment (2 weeks). Substituting ERr 731 after E₂ withdrawal helped maintain body temperature similarly to E₂ alone, suggesting the usefulness of ERr 731 for replacing existing hormonal therapy in humans. ERr 731 also acted as a highly selective agonist for ERβ in the hypothalamus of OVX rats, as well as in ERα/β cell-based reporter assays. These data validate the OVX/T_skin rat model as a suitable screening platform to evaluate botanical and pharmaceutical treatments of menopause, while providing further evidence for the efficacy of ERr 731 towards alleviating vasomotor menopausal symptoms and improving wellbeing during the menopausal transition.     

Dispersion of chitosan on perlite for enhancement of copper(II) adsorption capacity

Chitosan coated perlite beads were prepared by drop-wise addition of slurry, made of chitosan dissolved in oxalic acid and perlite, to an alkaline bath (0.7 M NaOH). The beads that contained 32% chitosan enhanced the accessibility of OH and amine groups present in chitosan for adsorption of copper ions. The experiments using Cu(II) ions were carried out in the concentration range of 50-4100 mg/L (0.78-64.1 mmol/L). Adsorption capacity for Cu(II) was pH dependent and a maximum uptake of 104 mg/g of beads (325 mg/g of chitosan) was obtained at pH 4.5 when its equilibrium concentration in the solution was 812.5 mg/L at 298 K. The XPS and TEM data suggested that copper was mainly adsorbed as Cu(II) and was attached to amine groups. The adsorption data could be fitted to one-site Langmuir adsorption model. Anions in the solution had minimal effect on Cu(II) adsorption by chitosan coated perlite beads. EDTA was used effectively for the regeneration of the bed. The diffusion coefficient of Cu(II) onto chitosan coated beads was calculated from the breakthrough curve and was found to be 2.02 x 10(-8) cm(2)/s.     

Biosorption mechanism of nine different heavy metals onto biomatrix from rice husk

A biomatrix was prepared from rice husk, a lignocellulosic waste from agro-industry, for the removal of several heavy metals as a function of pH and metal concentrations in single and mixed solutions. The biomatrix was characterized using scanning electron microscope and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, which indicated the presence of several functional groups for binding metal ions. Different experimental approaches were applied to show mechanistic aspects, especially the role of calcium and magnesium present in the biomatrix in ion exchange mechanism. The ultimate maximum adsorption capacity obtained from the Langmuir isotherm increases in the order (mmol/g): Ni (0.094), Zn (0.124), Cd (0.149), Mn (0.151), Co (0.162), Cu (0.172), Hg (0.18) and Pb (0.28). The sorption of Cr(III) onto biomatrix at pH 2 was 1.0 mmol/g. Speciation of chromium, cadmium and mercury loaded on the biomatrix was determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The biomatrix has adsorption capacity comparable or greater to other reported sorbents.     

A probabilistic crystal plasticity model for modeling grain shape effects based on slip geometry

A new statistical theory is introduced that takes into account the coupling between grain size, shape and crystallographic texture during deformation of polycrystalline microstructures. A “grain size orientation distribution function” (GSODF) is used to encode the probability density of finding a grain size D along a direction (given by unit vector n) in grains with orientation g. The GSODF is sampled from the input microstructure and is represented in a finite element mesh. During elastoplastic deformation, the evolution of grain size D (in direction θ) and the orientation g is tracked by directly updating the GSODF probabilities using a Lagrangian probability update scheme. The effect of grain shape (e.g. in high aspect ratio grains) is modeled by including the apparent grain size as seen by various different active slip systems in the grain within the constitutive law for the slip system resistance. The prediction of texture and strains achieved by the statistical approach is compared to Taylor aggregate and finite element deformation analysis of a planar polycrystalline microstructure. The role of grain shape and size in determining plastic response is investigated and a new adaptive GSODF model for modeling microstructures with multimodal grain shapes is proposed.     

Compton scattering studies and electronic properties of cerium

Experimental electron momentum density of γ-Ce was measured at an intermediate resolution (0.38 a.u.) using 20 Ci 137Cs Compton spectrometer. The experiment was compared with the first ever theoretical Compton profiles computed using spin polarized relativistic Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker (SPR-KKR) method within atomic sphere approximation; and linear combination of atomic orbitals (LCAO) within generalised gradient approximation (GGA) and recently developed second order generalised gradient approximation (SOGGA). It was seen that the Compton profile derived from LCAO with GGA and SOGGA schemes gave a reasonable agreement with the experimental Compton line shape. Theoretical anisotropies in Compton profiles derived along [100], [110] and [111] directions were explained in terms of degenerate states in the energy bands.