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.     

Adhesive wear behaviour of cast aluminium–silicon alloys: Overview

This paper describes the various technological aspects related to adhesive wear of cast aluminium–silicon (Al–Si) alloys. Number of hypothesis and theories proposed in the last two decades in order to explain the different phenomenon related with wear and friction, and influence of test parameters (such as load, sliding speed, counter-surface) and work material properties (like mechanical and metallurgical) on tribological behaviour of aluminium–silicon alloys have been presented and discussed.     

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.     

NAFLA – Ein Simulationswerkzeug zur analytischen Abschätzung von Schadstofffahnenlängen

Groundwater pollution with organic contaminants remains a world-wide problem. Before selection of any remediation technique, it is important to pre-assess contaminated sites with respect to their hazard. For this, several analytical and numerical approaches have been used and an initial assessment of contaminated sites the MS-Excel^© tool “NAFLA” was developed. “NAFLA” allows a quick and straightforward calculation and comparison of some analytical approaches for the estimation of maximum plume length under steady-state conditions. These approaches differ from each other in source geometry, model domain orientation, and in the consideration of (bio)chemical reaction within the domain. In this communication, we provide details about the development of “NAFLA”, its possible usage and information for users. The tool is especially designed for application in student education, by authorities and consultants.     

Fault-Tolerant Bit-Parallel Multiplier for Polynomial Basis of GF（2^m）

Novel fault-tolerant architectures for bit-parallel polynomial basis multiplier over GF（2^m）, which can correct the erroneous outputs using linear code, are presented. A parity prediction circuit based on the code generator polynomial that leads lower space overhead has been designed. For bit-parallel architectures, the Moreover, there is incorporation of space overhead only marginal time error-correction is about 11%. overhead due to capability that amounts to 3.5% in case of the bit-parallel multiplier. Unlike the existing concurrent error correction （CEC） multipliers or triple modular redundancy （TMR） techniques for single error correction, the proposed architectures have multiple error-correcting capabilities.