Search results for: supercritical thermodynamic cycles
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On the hat problem on a graph
PublicationThe topic of this paper is the hat problem in which each of n players is uniformly and independently fitted with a blue or red hat. Then everybody can try to guess simultaneously his own hat color by looking at the hat colors of the other players. The team wins if at least one player guesses his hat color correctly, and no one guesses his hat color wrong; otherwise the team loses. The aim is to maximize the probability of winning....
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Optimization of carbamazepine photodegradation on defective TiO2-based magnetic photocatalyst
PublicationIn this work, carbamazepine (CBZ) degradation over defective Fe3O4@SiO2/d-TiO2/Pt photocatalyst was studied. Within the titania structure, Ti vacancies and Pt nanoparticles were introduced to enhance the photocatalyst’s light absorption and influence charge carriers’ mobility. For the carbamazepine degradation, process parameters, e.g., temperature, flux intensity, photocatalyst loading, aeration, pH, and addition of H2O2, were optimized...
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Pilot-Scale Studies of WO3/S-Doped g-C3N4 Heterojunction toward Photocatalytic NOx Removal
PublicationDue to the rising concentration of toxic nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the air, effective methods of NOx removal have been extensively studied recently. In the present study, the first developed WO3/S-doped g-C3N4 nanocomposite was synthesized using a facile method to remove NOx in air efficiently. The photocatalytic tests performed in a newly designed continuous-flow photoreactor with an LED array and online monitored NO2 and NO system...
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A hierarchical porous composite magnetic sorbent of reduced graphene oxide embedded in polyvinyl alcohol cryogel for solvent‐assisted‐solid phase extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
PublicationA hierarchical porouscomposite magnetic sorbent was fabricated and applied tothe dispersive solvent-assisted solid-phase extraction of five polycyclic aromatichydrocarbons. A sorbent was first prepared by incorporating graphene oxide,calcium carbonate, and magnetite nanoparticles into a polyvinyl alcohol cryo-gel. The graphene oxide was converted to reduced graphene oxide using ascorbicacid and a hierarchical porous structure was...
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Tuning the Laser-Induced Processing of 3D Porous Graphenic Nanostructures by Boron-Doped Diamond Particles for Flexible Microsupercapacitors
PublicationCarbon (sp3)-on-carbon (sp2) materials have the potential to revolutionize fields such as energy storage and microelectronics. However, the rational engineering and printing of carbon-on-carbon materials on flexible substrates remains a challenge in wearable electronics technology. This study demon-strates the scalable fabrication of flexible laser-induced graphene (LIG)-boron doped diamond nanowall (BDNW) hybrid nanostructures...
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Combined effect of nitrogen-doped functional groups and porosity of porous carbons on electrochemical performance of supercapacitors
PublicationIn this work, nitrogen-doped porous carbons obtained from chitosan, gelatine, and green algae were investigated in their role as supercapacitor electrodes. The effects of three factors on electrochemical performance have been studied— of the specific surface area, functional groups, and a porous structure. Varying nitrogen contents (from 5.46 to 10.08 wt.%) and specific surface areas (from 532 to 1095 m2g−1) were obtained by modifying...
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Physicochemical properties of Mn1.45Co1.45Cu0.1O4 spinel coating deposited on the Crofer 22 H ferritic steel and exposed to high-temperature oxidation under thermal cycling conditions
PublicationThe Crofer 22 H ferritic steel substrate was coated with an Mn1.45Co1.45Cu0.1O4 spinel by means of electrophoresis. After high-temperature oxidation under thermal cycling conditions, the physicochemical properties of the obtained system were evaluated. During 48-h cycles that involved heating the samples up to temperatures of either 750 or 800 °C, the oxidation kinetics of both coated and unmodified steel approximately obeyed...
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The potential interaction of environmental pollutants and circadian rhythm regulations that may cause leukemia
PublicationTumor suppressor genes are highly affected during the development of leukemia, including circadian clock genes. Circadian rhythms constitute an evolutionary molecular machinery involving many genes, such as BMAL1, CLOCK, CRY1, CRY2, PER1, PER2, REV-ERBa, and RORA, for tracking time and optimizing daily life during day-night cycles and seasonal changes. For circulating blood cells many of these genes coordinate their proliferation,...
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Cellulose and its derivatives, coffee grounds, and cross-linked, β-cyclodextrin in the race for the highest sorption capacity of cationic dyes in accordance with the principles of sustainable development
PublicationIn this study, seven different materials were analyzed and includes coffee grounds (CG), two types of cellulose (CGC and CC), two types of modified cellulose (CT and CTCD), and cross-linked β-cyclodextrin (CD-1 and CD-2) were tested as adsorbents for the removal of dyes from the wastewater. The composition, morphology, and presence of functional groups in the obtained sorption materials were characterized by elemental analysis,...
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Simple synthesis route for fabrication of protective photo‐crosslinked poly(zwitterionic) membranes for application in non‐enzymatic glucose sensing
PublicationThis work focuses on the fabrication of non-enzymatic glucose sensing materials based on laser-formed Au nanoparticles embedded in Ti-textured substrates. Those materials possess good catalytic activity toward glucose oxidation in 0.1 × phosphate buffered saline as well as resistance to some interferants, such as ascorbic acid, urea, and glycine. The electrodes are further coated with three different polymers, that is, Nafion,...
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Effect of synthesis method parameters on properties and photoelectrocatalytic activity under solar irradiation of TiO2 nanotubes decorated with CdS quantum dots
PublicationThe growing research interest on photoelectrocatalysis has encouraged the search for new materials with high activity and the development of methods for their synthesis. The successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method is an effective way to synthesize materials with photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) properties that are active under visible radiation. Therefore, studies on the impact of the parameters of the SILAR method...
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Implementation of Addition and Subtraction Operations in Multiple Precision Arithmetic
PublicationIn this paper, we present a digital circuit of arithmetic unit implementing addition and subtraction operations in multiple-precision arithmetic (MPA). This adder-subtractor unit is a part of MPA coprocessor supporting and offloading the central processing unit (CPU) in computations requiring precision higher than 32/64 bits. Although addition and subtraction operations of two n-digit numbers require O(n) operations, the efficient...
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Cross-talk Between the Heart and Arteries in Older 65+ Adults
PublicationRegulatory synchronization between the heart and the arterial walls is essential for optimal blood delivery to tissues. We investigated functional coherence between heart rhythm and aortic wall compliance in 30 volunteers aged 65 – 74. ECG and carotid and iliac pulse-wave were recorded and digitized at 2 kHz. Carotid-femoral pulse-wave transit time (cfTT) which reflex aortic compliance was assessed using the intersecting tangent...
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Structure and the space vector modulation for a medium-voltage power-electronic-transformer based on two seven-level cascade H-bridge inverters
PublicationThis study presents the structure and the space vector pulse-width modulation (SVPWM) for power electronic transformer (PET) based on two seven-level cascade H-bridge (CHB) inverters. The DC links of CHB inverters are coupled with nine dual-active bridge (DAB) converters with medium-frequency transformers. The DC-link voltages are equalised with two methods – through the control of DAB voltages...
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Composite Materials Based on Polymer-Derived SiCN Ceramic and Disordered Hard Carbons as Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries
PublicationNew composite materials based on polymer-derived SiCN ceramics and hard carbons were studied in view of its application as anodes for lithium-ion batteries. Two kinds of composites were prepared by pyrolysis of the preceramic polysilazane (HTT1800, Clariant) at 1000 °C in Ar atmosphere mixed with hard carbons derived from potato starch (HC_PS) or with a hard carbon precursor, namely potato starch (PS), denoted as HTT/HC_PS and...
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SEI Growth and Depth Profiling on ZFO Electrodes by Soft X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy
PublicationZnFe2O4 (ZFO) Li-ion batteries (LIBs) represent a reliable, affordable, and safe energy storage technology for use in portable application. However, current LIB active materials (graphite, lithium/transition metal spinel or layered oxides, olivine structures) can store only limited energy since they rely on insertion storage based on solid-state host-guest interactions. Moreover, performances and durability of the cells are strongly...
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Proteases immobilized on nanomaterials for biocatalytic, environmental and biomedical applications: Advantages and drawbacks
PublicationProteases have gained significant scientific and industrial interest due to their unique biocatalytic characteristics and broad-spectrum applications in different industries. The development of robust nanobiocatalytic systems by attaching proteases onto various nanostructured materials as fascinating and novel nanocarriers has demonstrated exceptional biocatalytic performance, substantial stability, and ease of recyclability over...
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Theoretical modelling of efficient fire safety water networks by certified domination
PublicationThis paper explores a new way of designing water supply networks for fire safety using ideas from graph theory, focusing on a method called certified domination. Ensuring a good water supply is crucial for fire safety in communities, this study looks at the rules and problems in Poland for how much water is needed to fight fires in different areas and how this can be achieved at a lowest possible cost. We present a way to plan...
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Nitrogen-incorporated boron-doped diamond films for enhanced electrochemical supercapacitor performance
PublicationThe electrochemical (EC) supercapacitor, known for its rapid charging, reliability, and versatile applications, demands optimized electrode characteristics and an understanding of their electrochemical behaviour. Although boron-doped diamond (BDD) holds promise as a supercapacitor electrode, a crucial gap exists in comprehending its material behaviour under specific growth conditions. Here, nitrogen-incorporated BDD (N-BDD) films...
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Strategic balance in graphs
PublicationFor a given graph G, a nonempty subset S contained in V ( G ) is an alliance iff for each vertex v ∈ S there are at least as many vertices from the closed neighbourhood of v in S as in V ( G ) − S. An alliance is global if it is also a dominating set of G. The alliance partition number of G was defined in Hedetniemi et al. (2004) to be the maximum number of sets in a partition of V ( G ) such that each set is an alliance. Similarly,...
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Effect of irradiation intensity and initial pollutant concentration on gas phase photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanotube arrays
PublicationWell-organized TiO2 nanotube arrays were fabricated via one-step anodization process. The as-prepared TiO2 nanotubes were characterized by X-ray powder diffractometry (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Photocatalytic activity of obtained photocatalyst was studied in reaction of toluene degradation in the gas phase using low powered and low...
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Artificial neural network prophecy of ion exchange process for Cu (II) eradication from acid mine drainage
PublicationThe removal of heavy metal ions from wastewater was found to be significant when the cation exchange procedure was used effectively. The model of the cation exchange process was built using an artificial neural network (ANN). The acid mine drainage waste’s Cu(II) ion was removed using Indion 730 cation exchange resin. Experimental data from 252 cycles were recorded. In a column study, 252 experimental observations validated the...
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Innovative Implantable Left Ventricular Assist Device—Performance under Various Resistances and Operating Frequency Conditions
PublicationThis paper presents the operation of an innovative left ventricular assist device under various resistances and operating frequencies. The operating principle of the device is based on pulsatile blood flow, which is forced by a suction–discharge device pumping helium into a set of intra-cardiac balloons. In this way, the ejection fraction of the left ventricle is increased, and the mitral valve is additionally occluded. What is...
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The influence of magnetic particle incorporation on bisphenol A removal by β-cyclodextrin-derived sorbent
PublicationA novel, biomass-derived hybrid sorbent Ban-CD-EPI-Fe was successfully synthesized in a coprecipitation method, in which β-cyclodextrin copolymerized with banana peel extract and epichlorohydrin was grafted onto an iron oxide surface. The composition, presence of functional groups, morphology, thermal stability, and magnetic properties of the obtained material were characterized by Powder X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), X-Ray Photoelectron...
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Diurnal variability of atmospheric water vapour, precipitation and cloud top temperature across the global tropics derived from satellite observations and GNSS technique
PublicationThe diurnal cycle of convection plays an important role in clouds and water vapour distribution across the global tropics. In this study, we utilize integrated moisture derived from the global navigation satellite system (GNSS), satellite precipitation estimates from TRMM and merged infrared dataset to investigate links between variability in tropospheric moisture, clouds development and precipitation at a diurnal time scale. Over...
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Molecular level interpretation of excess infrared spectroscopy
PublicationInfrared (IR) spectroscopy is an invaluable tool in studying intermolecular interactions in solvent mixtures. The deviation of the IR spectrum of a mixture from the spectra of its pure components is a sensitive measure of the non-ideality of solutions and the modulation of intermolecular interactions introduced by mutual influence of the components. Excess IR spectroscopy, based on the established notion of excess thermodynamic...
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Experimental and theoretical studies on the Sulfamethazine-Urea and Sulfamethizole-Urea solid-liquid equilibria
PublicationThe miscibility of active pharmaceutical ingredients with excipients is an important aspect in pharmaceutical technology protocols. In this study, the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used for Sulfamethazine-Urea (SI–U) and Sulfamethizole-Urea (SO–U) solid-liquid phase diagrams determination. Both sulfonamides form simple binary eutectics with Urea. The lack of new co-crystal phase formation was confirmed by inspection...
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The use of lightweight aggregate saturated with PCM as a temperature stabilizing material for road surfaces.
PublicationThis paper presents the possibility of adding lightweight building aggregates to increase the stability – mechanical as well as thermal - of constructions and road objects. This stability can be achieved through saturating the porous granules of aggregate with a phase-change material (PCM) that allows the accumulation of solar heat. Intense solar radiation, especially during the summer, can cause the asphalt on road surfaces, bridges...
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5-Selenocyanato and 5-trifluoromethanesulfonyl derivatives of 2′-deoxyuridine: synthesis, radiation and computational chemistry as well as cytotoxicity
Publication5-Selenocyanato-2′-deoxyuridine (SeCNdU) and 5-trifluoromethanesulfonyl-2′-deoxyuridine (OTfdU) have been synthesized and their structures have been confirmed with NMR and MS methods. Both compounds undergo dissociative electron attachment (DEA) when irradiated with X-rays in an aqueous solution containing a hydroxyl radical scavenger. The DEA yield of SeCNdU significantly exceeds that of 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU), remaining...
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Generation and Characterization of a DNA-GCN4 Oligonucleotide-Peptide Conjugate: The Impact DNA/Protein Interactions on the Sensitization of DNA
PublicationRadiotherapy, the most common therapy for the treatment of solid tumors, exerts its effects by inducing DNA damage. To fully understand the extent and nature of this damage, DNA models that mimic the in vivo situation should be utilized. In a cellular context, genomic DNA constantly interacts with proteins and these interactions could influence both the primary radical processes (triggered by ionizing radiation) and secondary reactions,...
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Microstructure and mechanical properties of a dissimilar metal welded joint of Inconel 617 and P92 steel with Inconel 82 buttering layer for AUSC boiler application
PublicationThe application of the novel dissimilar metal welded (DMW) joint, utilizing Inconel 617 and P92 steel, was showcased in the advanced ultra-supercritical (AUSC) boiler. The work has been performed to investigate the effect of Inconel 82 (ERNiCr-3) buttering layer on microstructure and mechanical properties (high-temperature tensile strength, impact strength and microhardness) of gas tungsten arc welded (GTAW) dissimilar joint between...
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Bortezomib induces methylation changes in neuroblastoma cells that appear to play a significant role in resistance development to this compound
PublicationThe anticancer activity of bortezomib (BTZ) has been increasingly studied in a number of indications and promising results for the use of this treatment have been shown in neuroblastoma. As BTZ treatment is usually administered in cycles, the development of resistance and side effects in patients undergoing therapy with BTZ remains a major challenge for the clinical usage of this compound. Common resistance development also means...
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Thermal dewetting as a method of surface modification of the gold thin films for surface plasmon resonance based sensor applications
PublicationHere, we report a quick and simple approach with low, optimized production costs to obtain surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based sensors fabricated through a time- and resource-effective method based on thermal dewetting of thin Au films. From the applicative point of view, the method of detection presented here should be easier to implement, since light transmission measurements seem to be much less challenging than light refractive...
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Enhanced Charge Storage Mechanism And Long-Term Cycling Stability In Diamondized Titania Nanocomposite Supercapacitors Operating In Aqueous Electrolytes
PublicationThe long cycle life stability jointly with high energy density are limiting broader feasible applications of supercapacitors. The novel diamondized titania nanocomposite supercapacitors deliver high power and energy densities along with high capacitance retention rates. Supercapacitor electrodes were fabricated utilizing a combination of Ti anodization followed by chemical vapor deposition resulting in simultaneous growth of complex...
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Novel composite of Zn/Ti-layered double hydroxide coupled with MXene for the efficient photocatalytic degradation of pharmaceuticals
PublicationIn the present study, a hybrid photocatalyst of Zn/Ti layered double hydroxide (LDH) coupled with MXene – Ti3C2 was synthesized for the first time and applied in photocatalytic degradation of acetaminophen and ibuprofen, two commonly present in the natural environment and prone to accumulate in the aquatic ecosystem pharmaceuticals. The effect of MXene content (0.5 wt%, 2.5 wt%, and 5 wt%) on the photocatalytic activity of LDH/MXene...
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Synthesis of bimetallic Co–Pt/cellulose nanocomposites for catalytic reduction of p-nitrophenol
PublicationIn this study, bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) of Co–Pt anchored on cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) for catalytic applications were synthesized via a sonochemical approach. The electro-spinning technique was employed for the synthesis of CNFs from cellulose acetate. The thorough characterization of synthesised Co–Pt/CNF nanocomposites was performed with the help of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR)...
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CaO-based high temperature CO2 sorbents – Literature review
PublicationThe use of CaO-based adsorbents has a high potential to capture CO2 from various systems due to its high reactivity with CO2, high capacity, and low cost of naturally derived CaO. The application of CaO-based sorbents to remove carbon dioxide is based on a reversible reaction between CaO and CO2. However, multiple carbonation/calcination cycles lead to a rapid reduction in the sorption capacity of natural CaO, and therefore efforts...
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Visible light photocatalysis employing TiO2/SrTiO3-BiOI composites: Surface properties and photoexcitation mechanism
PublicationA series of binary TiO2/SrTiO3 and ternary TiO2/SrTiO3_BiOI composites have been synthesized using multistep preparation method. Characterization of the obtained photocatalysts covered complex analysis including morphology + y (SEM), BET specific surface area, porosity, optical properties (DRS), chemical composition of surface (XPS), crystal structure and crystal size (XRD). UV–vis and Vis ligh induced photocatalytic activity was...
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Green capsule phase microextraction employing hydrophobic monolithic sol-gel octadecyl siloxane platforms for the monitoring of organophosphorus pesticides in environmental water samples
PublicationIn this study, a novel, facile and green capsule phase microextraction (CPME) method is presented for the extraction and preconcentration of organophosphorus pesticides (i.e., chlorpyrifos, disulfoton, ethoprophos, fenchlorphos, prothiofos, and parathion-methyl) from environmental water samples. Monolithic sol-gel octadecyl siloxane (sol-gel C18) sorbent encapsulated within porous polypropylene capsules was synthesized, characterized,...
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Using Decisional DNA to Enhance Industrial and Manufacturing Design: Conceptual Approach
PublicationDuring recent years, manufacturing organizations are facing market changes such as the need for short product life cycles, technological advancement, intense pressure from competitors and the continuous customers’ expectation for high quality products at lower costs. In this scenario, knowledge and its associated engineering/management of every stage involved in the industrial design has become increasingly important for manufacturing...
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Support Materials of Organic and Inorganic Origin as Platforms for Horseradish Peroxidase Immobilization: Comparison Study for High Stability and Activity Recovery
PublicationIn the presented study, a variety of hybrid and single nanomaterials of various origins were tested as novel platforms for horseradish peroxidase immobilization. A thorough characterization was performed to establish the suitability of the support materials for immobilization, as well as the activity and stability retention of the biocatalysts, which were analyzed and discussed. The physicochemical characterization of the obtained...
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Interfacial behaviour of human bile and its substitution for in vitro lipolysis studies
PublicationThis study examined the interfacial evolution of individual bile salts (BSs) and their blends with phosphatidylcholine (BS/PC) to simulate the complex behaviour of human bile (HB) during lipolysis at the triglyceride/water interface. Using adsorption and desorption cycles, mimicking exposure to small intestinal fluids, we demonstrate that the interfacial behaviour of real HB can be replicated using simple mixtures of BSs and PC....
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Removal of phenolic inhibitor compounds from hydrolysates and post-fermentation broths by using a Hydrophobic Magnetic Deep Eutectic Solvent
PublicationHydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), furfural (FF), hydroquinone (HQ), and vanillin (VAN) are among the main inhibitors generated during most of biomass pre-treatments prior to fermentation processes. They are recognized as toxic to several fermentative microorganisms and therefore cause a decrease in biohydrogen or biofuel production (after hydrolysis). Moreover, if they are released into aqueous solutions (after fermentation), they can...
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Modelling and optimisation of MXene-derived TiO2/Ti3C2 synthesis parameters using Response Surface Methodology based on the Box–Behnken factorial design. Enhanced carbamazepine degradation by the Cu-modified TiO2/Ti3C2 photocatalyst
PublicationIn the present study, a hydrothermal method in a water/ethanol environment was used for the first time to obtain novel Cu/TiO2/Ti3C2 composites with high photocatalytic activity for the degradation of carbamazepine (CBZ) under simulated solar light. The Box–Behnken factorial design was coupled with Response Surface Methodology (RSM) for synthesis parameter optimisation. The effect of different synthesis parameters, including temperature, time...
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N-doped graphene quantum dot-decorated MOF-derived yolk-shell ZnO/NiO hybrids to boost lithium and sodium ion battery performance
PublicationSurface engineering at the nanoscale to obtain robust interface between metal oxides and quantum dots is essential for improving the performance and stability of battery materials. Herein, we designed and prepared novel N-doped graphene quantum dot-modified ZnO/NiO anode materials with a well-defined yolk-shell structure for lithium and sodium-ion batteries. NG QDs were assembled on the ZnO/NiO microspheres using three different...
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Linear game non-contextuality and Bell inequalities—a graph-theoretic approach
PublicationWe study the classical and quantum values of a class of one-and two-party unique games, that generalizes the well-known XOR games to the case of non-binary outcomes. In the bipartite case the generalized XOR(XOR-d) games we study are a subclass of the well-known linear games. We introduce a 'constraint graph' associated to such a game, with the constraints defining the game represented by an edge-coloring of the graph. We use the...
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Photocatalytically Active TiO2/Ag2O Nanotube Arrays Interlaced with Silver Nanoparticles Obtained from the One-Step Anodic Oxidation of Ti–Ag Alloys
PublicationThe development of a photocatalyst with remarkable activity to degrade pollutants in aqueous and gas phase requires visible lightresponsive stable materials, easily organized in the form of a thin layer (to exclude the highly expensive separation step). In this work, we present a one-step strategy for synthesizing material in the form of a self-organized TiO2/Ag2O nanotube (NT) array interlaced with silver nanoparticles (as in a...
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Refinement of the Hardening Soil model within the small strain range
PublicationThe popularity of the elasto-plastic Hardening Soil (HS) model is based on simple parameter identification from standard testing and empirical formulas. The HS model is implemented in many commercial FE codes designed to analyse geotechnical problems. In its basic version, the stress–strain behaviour within the elastic range is subject to the hypoelastic power law, which assures the barotropy of the elastic stiffness. However,...
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Shape-controllable synthesis of GdVO4 photocatalysts and their tunable properties in photocatalytic hydrogen generation
PublicationNovel visible light responsive materials for water splitting are essential for the efficient conversion of solar energy into hydrogen bond energy. Among other semiconductors, gadolinium orthovanadate has appropriate conduction and valence band edges positioned to split water molecules and a narrow band gap that allows the use of visible light for hydrogen generation. Thus, we present here that hydrogen evolution under visible light...
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Effect of Arc Strikes on High Strength Low Alloy Steels Welded by SMAW
PublicationWet welding with covered electrodes (Shielded Metal Arc Welding – SMAW) is the most commonly used method of carrying out welding repair works in a water environment. Limited visibility and the inability to move freely under water result in an increased risk of formation of welding imperfections such as lack of fusion, lack of penetration and arc strikes. The work focused on changes in the properties and structure of steel subjected...