Inert Medium Research Articles

Application of an 800 Gold Microelectrode Array for Rapid Voltammetric Detection of Nitrite Pollution in Environmental Waters

Abstract A simple voltammetric procedure for direct determination of nitrites in natural water samples is described. Measurements are carried out in an inert medium of 0.1 M KCl. The procedure is based on the oxidation of N(III) to N(V) as a result of a change in electrode potential from +0.40 V to +0.96 V. The use of a combined electrode consisting of approximately 800 gold microelectrodes enables undisturbed determinations to be performed in the presence of high concentrations of organic compounds at a level of 20 mg L−1. The calibration plot for NO2− was linear in the range from 2 × 10−6 to 8 × 10−4 M with a detection limit of 6 × 10−7 M. The proposed procedure was successfully applied to nitrate determination in three natural water samples with passable results.

Elaboration and Characterization of Electrodes from Robinia pseudoacacia and Azadirachta indica Charcoal Powder with Coconut Bio-Pitch as a Binder.

Carbon-based electrodes have recently been most widely used in P-MFC due to their desirable properties such as biocompatibility, chemical stability, affordable price, corrosion resistance, and ease of regeneration. In general, carbon-based electrodes, particularly graphite, are produced using a complex process based on petroleum derivatives at very high temperatures. This study aims to produce electrodes from bio-pitch and charcoal powder as an alternative to graphite electrodes. The carbons used to manufacture the electrodes were obtained by the carbonisation of Robinia pseudoacacia and Azadirachta indica wood. These carbons were pulverised, sieved to 50 µm, and used as the raw materials for electrode manufacturing. The binder used was bio-pitch derived from coconut shells as the raw materials. The density and coking value of the bio-pitch revealed its potential as a good alternative to coal-tar pitch for electrode manufacturing. The electrodes were made by mixing 66.50% of each carbon powder and 33.50% of bio-pitch. The resulting mixture was moulded into a cylindrical tube 8 mm in diameter and 80 mm in length. The raw electrodes obtained were subjected to heat treatment at 800 °C or 1000 °C in an inert medium. The electrical resistivity obtained by the four-point method showed that N1000 has an electrical resistivity at least five times lower than all the electrodes developed and two times higher than that of G. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to determine the compositional features of the samples and their surface roughness was characterised by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Charge transfer was determined by electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The FTIR of the electrodes showed that N1000 has a spectrum that is more similar to that of G compared to the others. The EIS showed the high ionic mobility of the ions and therefore that N1000 has a higher charge transfer compared to G and the others. AFM analysis revealed that N1000 had the highest surface roughness in this study.

Synergistic Effects of Unconventional Hydrogen Bonds and π-Stacking Interaction and Their Excited-State Dependence: The Origin of Unusual Photophysical Properties of Aromatic Thioketones in Acetonitrile and Hydrocarbons.

It has been established experimentally that aromatic thioketones possess several inherently unique photophysical properties, some of which are highly sensitive even to common hydrocarbon solvents. However, the deeper reasons and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear up to date. In this study, the multistate complete active space second-order perturbation theory (MS-CASPT2) has been utilized to investigate the five lowest-lying electronic states (S0, T1, S1, T2, and S2) of 4H-1-benzopyran-4-thione (BPT) in acetonitrile and hydrocarbons. The results show that the S1, T1, and T2 states of BPT are close in energy so that the T2-state-mediated S1 → T2 → T1 and T1 → T2 → S1 transitions could occur in tens of picoseconds, which exhibits little dependence on the formation of the BPT-solvent complexes and on the bulk-solvent effect. This explains why thermally activated delayed fluorescence from the S1 state has been observed for many aromatic thioketones in both inert media and hydrocarbons. Meanwhile, our calculations show that the intracomplex noncovalent interactions could be automatically adjusted by the redistribution of π-electrons in the flexible aromatic rings. This allows the S2 → S1 internal conversion to occur efficiently in the vicinity of the two-state conical intersection, which results in the remarkable changes in the S2-state lifetimes and fluorescence quantum yields of many aromatic thioketones from inert media to hydrocarbon solvents. The aforementioned inherent photophysical properties could be qualitatively understood by a simple model of frontier molecular orbitals. This model could be used to understand photophysical properties of other aromatic compounds (such as aldehydes, ketones, amines, and carboxylic acids) in different solvents.

Experimental and numerical study of lean combustion of propane in divergent porous media burners

Porous inert media burners for industrial applications demand the utilization of flame front stabilization methods, among which the convective or cross-section variation technique stands out. In this work, combustion of lean premixed propane-air mixtures in cylindrical and divergent alumina packed-bed porous inert media burners was numerically and experimentally conducted. Three burners of 0°, 15° and 30° of divergence were used to study the variation of equivalence ratio and inlet velocity. A bidimensional transient mathematical model was developed and solved numerically, whose results show good agreement with experimental measurements. The maximum temperature along the central axis is location dependent, with upstream augmentation of up to 86 %, meaning an increase of ∼ 815 K in the case of the 30° burner. Combustion front propagation velocity of upstream regime flames show acceleration in both divergent burners due to heat transfer and increment of thermal power in relation to cross-sectional areas when reaching the inlet. In comparison to cylindrical burner, a concave shape of the combustion front and a stretch of the maximum temperature zone was obtained, due to the diffusive nature of the velocity field. Stabilized flames on both divergent burners were achieved in the equivalence ratio range from 0.4 to 0.6. Residence time of product gases is greatly prolonged with burner wall angle and the decrease in overall temperature towards the outlet.

Quantifying oxygen diffusion during thermal degradation of combustible porous media

Oxygen diffusion controlled combustion occurs when local oxygen transport is slower than the chemistry, commonly found in porous combustible material or combustible material embedded within an inert porous medium. This mode of combustion, such as smouldering, can pose dangerous fire risks and also be harnessed in environmentally beneficial applications. However, the oxygen diffusion limitation is poorly understood in all contexts and persists as a key knowledge gap. Quantitative analysis of oxygen diffusion effects is therefore crucial for understanding the combustion behavior of combustible porous media and developing precise smouldering simulation models. In this paper, a reactive transport model incorporating both oxygen diffusion and chemical consumption was developed. Using coal as the model fuel, the impacts of key parameters on global mass loss during the one-dimensional diffusion combustion of coal samples were simulated and compared with TGA experiments conducted within a range of oxygen concentrations between 3–21%. Using this method, key kinetic and oxygen diffusion parameters were obtained within reasonable ranges by using a genetic algorithm optimization method. With these optimized parameters, the local oxygen distribution profiles in the samples at different inlet oxygen concentrations were simulated. The results indicate that oxygen diffusion can lead to large oxygen concentration differences within the coal samples, exceeding 63% of the inlet oxygen concentration. These oxygen differences can impact the local chemistry throughout the sample, and lead to fundamental errors in analyzing global kinetic analyses, if the transport effects are not considered. Altogether, this study delivers new insights into a potentially rate-limiting phenomenon that is relevant in progressing knowledge on many fire problems and engineering applications.

Исследование инициирования волны фильтрационного горения газа открытым пламенем

One of the processes of filtration combustion, namely the process of filtration combustion of gas, is considered. Its importance and practical significance are emphasized. The current state of research is shown and the need to study the non-stationary processes of filtration combustion of gas is revealed. The article examines one of the non-stationary processes of filtration combustion of gas, which is of great importance: the process of formation of a wave of filtration combustion of gas, which occurs when a burning gas mixture moves through an inert porous medium towards the flow of a combustible mixture. This process occurs when devices using filtration combustion of gas are operating: devices for afterburning poor gas mixtures, radiation burners, etc. A comprehensive study of this process has been carried out, including mathematical modeling and experimental research. The necessity of using a comprehensive study is shown. A method for processing experimental data is proposed. The factors influencing the process of formation of the filtration combustion wave of gas when it is initiated by an open flame are established. The influence of the gas mixture feed rate, heat loss from the porous medium to the external environment, and the grain size of the porous medium on the ignition process and the movement of the filtration combustion wave of gas was revealed.

Enhancing Biohydrogen Production: The Role of Iron-Based Nanoparticles in Continuous Lactate-Driven Dark Fermentation of Powdered Cheese Whey

Here, a comprehensive investigation was conducted under various operational strategies aimed at enhancing biohydrogen production via dark fermentation, with a specific focus on the lactate metabolic pathway, using powdered cheese whey as a substrate. Initially, a batch configuration was tested to determine both the maximum hydrogen yield (100.2 ± 4.2 NmL H2/g CODfed) and the substrate (total carbohydrates) consumption efficiency (94.4 ± 0.8%). Subsequently, a transition to continuous operation was made by testing five different operational phases: control (I), incorporation of an inert support medium for biomass fixation (II), addition of carbon-coated, zero-valent iron nanoparticles (CC-nZVI NPs) at 100 mg/L (III), and supplementation of Fe2O3 nanoparticles at concentrations of 100 mg/L (IV) and 300 mg/L (V). The results emphasized the critical role of the support medium in stabilizing the continuous system. On the other hand, a remarkable increase of 10% in hydrogen productivity was observed with the addition of Fe2O3 NPs (300 mg/L). The analysis of the organic acids’ composition unveiled a positive correlation between high butyrate concentrations and improved volumetric hydrogen production rates (25 L H2/L-d). Moreover, the presence of iron-based NPs effectively regulated the lactate concentration, maintaining it at low levels. Further exploration of the bacterial community dynamics revealed a mutually beneficial interaction between lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and hydrogen-producing bacteria (HPB) throughout the experimental process, with Prevotella, Clostridium, and Lactobacillus emerging as the predominant genera. In conclusion, this study highlighted the promising potential of nanoparticle addition as a tool for boosting biohydrogen productivity via lactate-driven dark fermentation.

ТЕРМОСТОЙКОСТЬ ЗАЛИВОЧНЫХ ПЕНОПОЛИИЗОЦИАНУРАТОВ

In the modern construction industry for increasing the thermal resistance of structures and reducing heat losses, casting foams based on reactive oligomers with high performance characteristics are widely used. At the same time, special attention is paid to the use of polyisocyanurate foams (PIR). However, in the scientific and technical literature there are practically no data on the influence of the composition of polyisocyanurate foams on their thermal properties. The purpose of this work is to determine the influence of isocyanate/polyol ratio, modifier content (trichloropropyl phosphate) and apparent density of foams on thermal properties of casting PIRs. The thermal properties of PIRs, when heated in the temperature range of 30-800 ⁰C in nitrogen atmosphere and in air, were investigated using a multimodal thermal analytical complex DuPont-9900 (heating rate 20°C/min). It is revealed that thermo-oxidative decomposition of polyisocyanurate foams is a pronounced, two-stage process, and the destruction of PIR in inert medium (nitrogen) is a one-stage process, which indicates different mechanisms of decomposition of foams in air and nitrogen. As a result of experimental studies, it was revealed that the investigated PIRs are more resistant to thermo-oxidative degradation than to thermal degradation. The thermal properties of the above foams depend on the isocyanate/polyol ratio and TCPP content. The density of polyisocyanurate foams insignificantly affects their thermal stability. At the optimal content of initial components PIRs have higher thermal resistance compared to rigid polyurethane foams (FPU).

Oxy-hydrogen, solar and wind assisted hydrogen ([formula omitted]) recovery from municipal plastic waste (MPW) and saltwater electrolysis for better environmental systems and ocean cleanup

The pyrolysis of plastic waste and the electrolysis of saltwater is a promising route to carbon neutrality in ocean cleanup and plastic waste management. Therefore, a solar and wind assisted H2-fuelled fast pyrolysis of MPW (municipal plastic waste) and electrolysis of desalinated saline were developed. The combined system uses an oxy-hydrogen furnace for thermal decomposition of MPW feed, CO2 as an inert reaction medium and both solar and wind energy systems to operate the electrical units. The deionised H2O feed to the electrolyser cell was produced from saltwater using the recovered heat from the fast pyrolyser unit. The process CO2 was captured and reused for soil improvement as current waste-to-energy routes of MPW recycling emit 695,850 tonnes of CO2. 2.65 kg/hrH2 fuel in an O2 environment was utilised to meet the decomposer operating temperature and heat duty which is approximately 29 % of the produced H2. Instability associated with bio-oil was prevented by using fast pyrolysis which release more volatiles. Compared to the related studies, this investigated work achieved the highest gas and carbon yields. Thermal NO < 0.1 ppm was recorded. The developed system is expected to reach ≥70 % energy efficiency and a sales price of < $3.89/kgH2.

QUANTITATIVE DETERMINATION OF ALUNITE IN ORE AND PRODUCTS OF ITS PROCESSING BY THE DIFFERENTIAL-THERMAL METHOD

The possibility of determining alunite by the derivatographic method according to the area of desulphurization endoeffect on the DTA curve and corresponding to this effect the weight loss on the TG curve has been investigated. It has been proposed to carry out the determination by the calibration curve constructed for standard samples and their area of endoeffect and by the weight loss depending on the content of alunite in the samples, since the dissociation of sulfur bound from 4500C accompanies the whole process. The analysis of samples should be carried out at an intensity of temperature increase of 100C/min, since at an intensity of 300C/min. the peak area increases significantly, and the indicators are not stable. It has been shown that the analyses in an inert medium lead to a twofold loss of sulphur bound, in contrast to the air medium, before desulphurization till the formation of the endoeffect

FORMULAS FOR CALCULATING THE STATIONARY WAVE VELOCITY AND IGNITION TEMPERATURE IN FILTRATION COMBUSTION OF HYDROGEN-AIR MIXTURE

We present formulas for calculating the steady-state wave velocity and ignition temperature during filtration combustion of a hydrogen-air mixture in an inert porous medium. According to the obtained formula, the ignition temperature rises smoothly with the increase of the mixture blowing velocity, and decreases with the increase of the porous medium particle diameter. The calculated wave velocities increase with the increase of the mixture inlet velocity and pass into other velocity regimes.

Investigation on a mobile fire extinguishing approach using liquid carbon dioxide as inert medium for underground mine.

Injecting carbon dioxide is the most effective means of preventing and extinguishing fires in sealing hazardous areas, but the traditional method slowly and remotely injects carbon dioxide gas into the well after gasification on the ground, which is dependent on the complete mine pipe network without cooling effect. To inject liquid directly from the tank with vacuum interlayer and heat insulating powder for rapid inerting and cooling, a new approach using track mobile platform to go deep into the underground mine disaster area is proposed, so the liquid can be delivered to the nozzle at the end of DN40 large diameter pipe, and the continuous gasification jet can be realized. The experimental results show that: (1) The liquid volume in a tank of vacuum degree within 2.0 Pa and 200 mm interlayer reduced no more than 15.5% after 48 days; (2) Taking the pressure in the tank as the power source, because of environmental differences inside and outside the pipe after 100 m pressure holding delivery, the physical form of liquid and gas could be converted instantly; (3) The continuous discharge time without ice blocking for a tank full of 2 m3 liquid was about 10.5 min under 25 L dual mode nitrogen pressurization, which is 1/12 of injection time after ground gasification; (4) Based on the temperature decrease trend measured at different positions, the cooling characteristics on liquid gasification jet path are quantified, and the calculation formula of temperature changing with time on the center line of liquid gasification jet is obtained. Through this new approach, the integration of vacuum insulated storage, safe mobile transportation, and continuous and rapid release with large flow can be achieved for the liquid carbon dioxide.

Dehydration and reduction reactions favored under medium pressure and temperature assisted by photocatalysis

The impact of UV irradiation on the catalytic transformation of dihydroxyacetone molecule (DHA) has been investigated under inert atmosphere, medium pressure (5 Bars) and temperature (<=120°C) in presence of commercial anatase TiO2 samples (UV100 and A100), rutile TiO2 (R100) and mixture of anatase and rutile phase (P90). In absence of light, the main products formed are pyruvaldehyde and lactic acid whatever the temperature playing only a role on kinetic. Under UV irradiation, we highlighted their decomposition and the formation of new compounds, hydroxyacetone (HydA) in high concentration and acrylic acid (AcrAc) together with H2, CO2 and acetaldehyde in gas phase and new condensation products. The higher the number of photons emitted, the greater the HydA and AcrAc formation highlighting the importance of light and especially of the (e-, h+) pairs generated by photocatalysis. Actually, whereas the formation of HydA and AcrAc is similar in presence of all TiO2 samples containing anatase phase, these compounds are formed in low concentration in presence of TiO2 rutile. Mechanisms of the formation of hydA and AcrAc under photocatalysis assisted by pressure and temperature were discussed considering the formation of H+ and reducing agent made possible thanks to simultaneous oxidation reaction occurring via h+ and or OH°

Biotic Ligand Modeling for the Effect of Major Cations on the Uptake of Cadmium in Folsomia candida Exposed in a Sand-Solution Medium.

Biotic ligand modeling (BLM) approaches are already applied to predict the bioavailability and possible risk of metals in surface water, but need further development for soils. The present study investigated the effect of major cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, and H+) on cadmium bioaccumulation in the springtail Folsomia candida. To avoid the complexity of real soils and enable control of elemental speciation in the exposure medium, the animals were exposed to different cadmium concentrations in an inert quartz sand-solution medium. Accumulation of cadmium in the animals was measured after 7 days exposure at different cation concentrations. Among the cations, only Ca2+ significantly affected the uptake of cadmium in the springtails. Mg2+ also had higher effects compared with other selected cations. Using a BLM approach, the uptake of cadmium in the animals predicted by taking into account both Ca2+ and Mg2+ activities correlated well with the measured values (R2 = 0.68). The final estimated conditional binding constants for cadmium (log KCd-BL), Ca (log KCa-BL), and Mg (log KMg-BL) of 1.06, 2.14, and 1.23 L/mol, respectively, were in agreement with previously reported values. The match between predicted and measured uptake data confirms the applicability and usefulness of the BLM for predicting the bioavailability of cadmium to springtails and opens the way for its application in soil. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:1090-1096. © 2024 SETAC.

Effect of Vanadium Nano-fibrous Flowers as being decorated on Carbon Nano Materials for Enhancing its Hydrogen Storage Capacity

Abstract: To enhance hydrogen storage capacity of Carbon Nano Materials (CNMs), Transition metal Vanadium in its Nano form at different concentrations on CNMs were synthesized from natural waste, Sugar-Cane Bagasse (SCB). Raw Carbon obtained by pyrolyzing SCB at high temperature in an inert medium and activated by alkali were decorated with Vanadium Nano-fibrous Flowers (V-NFs) (The authors named this as ‘Vanadium Nano-fibrous Flowers’) by annealing at different temperatures in CO2 atmosphere. XRD and Raman spectroscopic analysis were carried out for its structural elucidation. EDAX and ICP-AES gave the amount of Vanadium being deposited. Nano-fibrous Flowers of Vanadium on porous morphology of CNMs was depicted by SEM analysis. Comparative studies of Hydrogen adsorption of CNMs were concluded by Sievert’s apparatus for various concentration of vanadium on CNMs.

Role of Annealing Temperature on Improving the Hydrogen Storage Capacity of Copper Nano-Particles Decorated Carbon Nano Materials Synthesized from Sugarcane Bagasse

Abstract: This study focuses on improving hydrogen storage capacity of Carbon Nano Materials (CNMs) by investigating the role of annealing temperature for the synthesis of Copper Nano-Particles (CuNPs) decorated CNMs synthesized from sugarcane bagasse (SCB). SCB was pyrolyzed at around 750°C in an inert medium. Pyrolyzed carbon thus obtained was activated by alkali. These activated carbons were then decorated with CuNPs by annealing at different temperatures in CO2 atmosphere. The CNMs thus synthesized were characterized using XRD and Raman spectroscopic analysis to elucidate the structural intervention with particle size and defects respectively, while EDAX and ICP-AES were utilized to quantify the amount of copper deposited. SEM analysis depicts the porous morphology being decorated with spherical copper nanoparticles. Hydrogen Storage capacity was explored using Sievert’s apparatus. Pore volumes of CNMs synthesized at different annealing temperature were determined from adsorption isotherm co-relating it with hydrogen adsorption observation from Sievert’s apparatus for evaluating better hydrogen storage

Evidence from the Use of Solvatochromic Dyes Indicates that Bulk Pure Water does not Potentise.

Whilst it is assumed that water plays a crucial role in homeopathy, it is unclear what specific functions water has in the generation, propagation and maintenance of homeopathic potencies. Solvatochromic dyes have demonstrated themselves to be reliable indicators of the presence of potencies and so are well placed to begin to address these questions. The aim of the current study was to ascertain whether pure water could be potentised. If pure water can be potentised, this would indicate that water plays a crucial role in the generation of homeopathic potencies. If it cannot be potentised, then this result points to water being an inert carrier and medium for the potentisation of substances placed in it. A specially designed potentiser capable of consistently and reliably producing homeopathic potencies to rigorous standards (Pinkus Potentiser) was used to run up potencies of "Water 10M" and Arsenicum 10M in two interchangeable stainless-steel vials. "Water 10M" and Arsenicum 10M, along with unsuccussed control water, were then tested against solutions of the solvatochromic dye phenol blue by following the absorbance of the dye at 658 nm. RESULTS ": Water 10M" gave results no different statistically from unsuccussed water (p > 0.05) with no change over the time course of the experiments, whereas Arsenicum 10M gave statistically different results (p < 0.001) with increasing divergence from both "Water 10M" and unsuccussed water over time. Similar results were obtained when the vials in which Arsenicum 10M and "Water 10M" were produced were exchanged, so that the vial in which Arsenicum 10M had been produced was then used to produce "Water 10M" and vice versa, indicating the results could not be explained by any anomalies in the production vials themselves. Results using the solvatochromic dye phenol blue to detect and measure homeopathic potencies indicate that bulk water itself does not potentise and that unsuccussed water and water that has been succussed are no different. This indicates that what is potentised during cycles of dilution and succussion are the substances placed in water and not the water itself. In turn, this indicates that water is simply a carrier for the homeopathic signal. Evidence from the practice of homeopathy supports this conclusion.

Neither lysigenous nor just oil: Demystifying myrtaceous secretory cavities.

Leaf subepidermal secretory cavities are a notable trait in Myrtaceae, but their formation is still controversial because of the lack of consensus on their ontogeny among authors. Knowledge about the compounds present in these cavities has grown over the last few years, demonstrating that terpenoid-rich oils are not their unique content. These two points are the focus of this study on the ontogeny, structure, and contents of secretory cavities in neotropical Myrtaceae. We used histochemical tests and Raman analysis to verify the basic chemical composition of the cavity contents of nine species. We studied the ontogeny of glands in one species, comparing aldehyde-fixed tissues and fresh sections mounted in an inert medium. We observed schizogenous development and appearance of the secretory cavities and found that sample processing may induce cell breakdown, which can be misinterpreted as lysigeny. The content of these cavities contains putative terpenes, resins, carbonyl groups, and flavonoids. Our findings support the hypothesis that the lysigenous appearance of the oil glands is a technical artifact. These tissue distortions must be considered when interpreting the development of this type of secretory structure. Moreover, the basic analyses of chemical constituents show for the first time that the glands of neotropical Myrtaceae are potential reservoirs of some compounds such as flavonoids previously reported as novelties for a few other myrtaceous species. Because some of them are non-lipid compounds, the idea that the glands are just oil repositories is no longer applicable.

CuInS2/Poly(triarylamine) (PTAA) binary composite as an efficient hole transporter for carbon electrode-based perovskite solar cells

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with doped 2,2′,7,7′-Tetrakis[N,N-di(4- methoxyphenyl)amino]-9,9′-spirobifluorene (Spiro-OMeTAD) hole transport layer HTL suffers from instability due to dopants' hygroscopic nature. To ensure stability, inorganic materials are used as replacements, but still suffer from several drawbacks that can compromise their HTL role. Herein, we introduce organic Poly(triarylamine) (PTAA) into CuInS2 inorganic HTL to form a binary composite that suppresses these drawbacks. Results show a better hole extraction and favorable energy level alignment in binary-based devices concerning CuInS2-only devices, resulting in improved power conversion efficiency (PCE) from 14.68 to 16% after aging. Stability tests indicate binary HTL-based devices' superior stability retaining their complete initial PCE after 1720 h in a dark inert medium (∼15% humidity), and 70% after 408 h in a thermally stressed ambient medium (60 °C-40% humidity). Experimentally, the results indicate superior performance of binary HTL-based devices due to better film morphology, passivated defects and trap, and superior charge extraction.

Effect of cold rolling and annealing on the microstructure evolution of titanium alloy grade 2

In the present work, we studied the influence of cold rolling and annealing on the microstructure evolution and hardness of Titanium alloy grade 2. Three different samples were prepared for cold rolling at 10%, 20% and 40% reduction. After cold rolling, heat treatment was carried out in a tube furnace at 575°C (below β transus temperature) for 20 min in an inert argon gas medium. Cold rolled samples were compared with the as-received samples. Microstructural observations show that in addition to elongation of grains along the rolling direction, cold rolling refined the grain size. Elongation in grains increased with increase in degree of cold rolling. Subsequent heat treatment led to the formation of new equiaxed grains in the deformed structure. The number and area fraction of the new grains increased with increasing degree of deformation for the given heat treatment condition. Hardness increased with increasing degree of cold rolling and decreased after the heat treatment. Inter-grain distance was calculated to estimate the spatial distribution of recrystallized grains after heat treatment with varying degree of deformation.