Opposite Behavior Research Articles

Coating of oxidized banana starch and olive oil for the preservation of cherry tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Cerasiforme)

Postharvest conservation of fresh fruits and vegetables is a constant challenge in the food industry. Biodegradable coatings represent an innovative and sustainable solution to extend their shelf life. In this context, this research evaluated the influence of a coating based on oxidized banana starch (Musa paradisiaca L. group AAA, cv. Cavendish) and olive oil on the conservation of cherry tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Cerasiforme) during their storage at ambient conditions. Coating-forming emulsions were prepared using starch (4% m v-1) with a high degree of oxidation, glycerol, Tween 80, and olive oil. The products were dip coated. The starch extraction yield was 27.26% by the wet milling method. The contents of lipids, crude fiber, proteins, carbohydrates, and ashes tended to decrease in oxidized starches with increasing reaction time, the opposite behavior for humidity (P≤0.05). Solubility and oil absorption capacity increased in oxidized starches, while water absorption and swelling power decreased (P≤0.05). The best combination for the formulation of oxidized starch coatings was 3% (m v-1) of glycerol and 0.3% (m v-1) of oil. This coating reduced weight losses and delayed the ripening process. The results suggested that the use of coatings based on oxidized banana starch and olive oil is an effective strategy for maintaining the quality and freshness of the fruits during a longer storage period.

IR-transparent Y2O3 ceramics: Effect of zirconia concentration on optical and mechanical properties

Y2O3 transparent ceramics with different amounts of ZrO2 were obtained by reactive vacuum sintering at a relatively low temperature of 1735 °C for 22 h. The influence of ZrO2 concentration within the 0–15 mol.% range on the microstructure, phase composition, microhardness, and optical properties of ceramics in the visible and IR ranges was investigated. SEM and XRD results indicate the absence of secondary phases in the studied concentration range, indicating the formation of single-phase solid solutions. It was shown that doping by ZrO2 considerably decreases the average grain size of ceramics, while microhardness has the opposite behaviour. 15 mol.% ZrO2-doped Y2O3 ceramics demonstrated the highest transmittance in the visible wavelength range. On the other hand, 5 and 7 mol.% ZrO2-doped Y2O3 could be considered promising materials for the first atmospheric window (3–5 μm).

Shannon entropy of a particle on a conical surface

In this work we solve the time-independent Schrödinger equation of a particle restricted to move on the surface of a circular cone of finite height. The energy eigenvalues, as well as the corresponding wave functions, are obtained analytically as a function of, r and ϕ, the radial distance to the apex, 0≤r≤r0, and the angular variable around the axis of the cone. We compute the Shannon entropy of this system in both configuration and momentum space as a function of r0 and θ0, the angular semi-aperture of the cone. In configuration space, the Shannon entropy decreases, signalling a more pronounced localization, as either r0 or θ0 diminish; in momentum space, an opposite behaviour happens, i.e., the Shannon entropy increases when either, r0 or θ0, decrease. We also compute the radial standard deviation; we find that the Shannon entropy better describes the localization-delocalization phenomena. The present results agree with those previously published for a particle confined to a circle of radius r0, which corresponds to θ0=π/2 in the present case.

Strain-tunable electronic and optical absorption in the MXenes nanolayers: A DFT approach

Computational simulations using density functional theory (DFT) were performed to show that biaxial strain engineering within the range of −8% to +8% is an effective method for modifying the fundamental properties of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides (MXenes). In this work, we computationally explored the effect of both compressive (0 to −8%) and tensile (0 to +8%) strain on the structural, electronic, and optical properties of M2CO2 MXenes (M = Ti, Zr, Sc and Hf) nanolayers. When compressive strains are applied, the charge transfer between layers increases because of decreased interlayer coupling. Conversely, tensile strains result in the opposite behavior. The strain-tunable band gap effect in Mo2CO2 nanolayers is revealed by investigating the valence band maximum (VBM) and conduction band minimum (CBM) in the band structure under biaxial strain. It is observed that the indirect-to-direct band gap transition occurs when the tensile strain is applied to Sc2CO2 and Ti2CO2 nanolayers. In most samples, the energy gap increases with an increase in tensile strain and decreases with an increase in compressive strain. The optical absorption coefficient indicates considerable absorption in the visible to ultraviolet (UV) region. Additionally, the absorption can be influenced by biaxial strains. In particular, under compressive strains (−8%) and Z-polarized light, the UV absorption peak in Hf2CO2, Ti2CO2, and Zr2CO2 reaches 68 %, 78 %, and 113 % respectively. The results indicate that these M2CO2 MXenes nanolayers will have significant potential for applications in tunable optoelectronic devices.

Characterisation of Aqueous Ultra-high Homeopathic Potencies: Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis.

Over the past decade, research using various methods has claimed the material nature, including nanoparticles (NPs), of high homeopathic potencies. The current study aims to verify these findings using NP tracking analysis (NTA). Six independent serial dilutions of commonly used homeopathic medicines-either soluble (Gelsemium, Pyrogenium, Kalium mur) or insoluble (Cuprum, Argentum, Silicea)-were prepared according to European Pharmacopoeia standards. We compared the homeopathic dynamisations (DYNs) in pure water with their potentised controls and with simple dilutions (DIL) up to 30cH/10-60. We also tested the influence of the container (glass or PET) on the solvent controls. We observed the presence of particles from 20 to 300-400 nm in all DYNs, DILs and controls, except in pure unstirred water. The sizes and size distributions of NPs in high homeopathic potencies were smaller than those in controls for soluble sources and larger for insoluble sources, even above 11cH. The opposite behaviour was observed in the number of NPs. When comparing DYN and DIL, the number, size, presence of aggregates or chains and brightness of NPs increased with DYNs, which was also observed above 11cH. Many NPs scattered light of low intensity, indicating the presence of material particles. The container had a significant effect on the number and size of NPs, indicating the involvement of the atmosphere and leaching processes. Homeopathic medicines contain NPs with specific properties, even when diluted beyond Avogadro's number. Homeopathic potentisation is not a simple dilution. The starting material, the solvent used, the type of container and the manufacturing method influence the characteristics of these NPs. The nature of these NPs is not known, but most likely they are a mixture of nanobubbles and elements from the atmosphere and container, including insoluble ones.

Wireless sensor network coverage of improved sea lion algorithm

SummaryThe base station receives the environmental data from a predetermined field that is collected and transferred by the sensors for processing and analysis. However, coverage maximization is the major issue that requires the deployment of varied sensor nodes (SNs), in such a way that optimizes network coverage while enduring practical limitations. This is pointed out to be a significant challenge in constructing WSNs. Since this is considered to be a well‐known NP‐hard issue, metaheuristic methods must be used for solving the realistic problem sizes. Hence, our work considers the problem of finding the best placement to ensure good network coverage in WSN. Accordingly, the solution to the above‐mentioned problem is modeled by covering a new 2‐D distance evaluation based on weighted Minkowski. Further, we deploy the Self Improved Sealion with Opposition Behavior (SI‐SLOB) algorithm for determining the optimal placement of given sensor nodes. In the end, we perform varied evaluations on distance and coverage area to ensure the enhancement of the SI‐SLOB scheme over the other state‐of‐the‐art algorithms. The proposed method achieves minimum distance mean value in target node 25, which is 4.1%, 4.0%, 2.3%, 5.1%, 3.5%, 3.0%, and 4.1% better than the other methods such as SLO, GWO, PSO, BMO, BOA, RHSO, and WOA, respectively. Thus the proposed WSN node coverage models have diverse applications across various domains, contributing to improved efficiency, safety, and resource management.

Chemically reactive flow beyond constant thermophysical characteristics

Hydromagnetic chemically reactive flow over stretching wall is discussed. Formulation is based upon consideration of Reiner-Rivlin constitutive relation. Variable thermophysical characteristics are under consideration. Radiation, heat generation and dissipation impacts exist in thermal relation. Concentration expression subject to reaction with first order is considered. Modeling with entropy optimization is made. Appropriate transformations lead to relevant differential systems. Numerical study by ND-solve is carried out. Quantities under interest are graphically analyzed. An opposite behavior detected for magnetic parameter on entropy rate and velocity. Velocity field versus magnetic field parameter decreases whereas reverse impact witnessed for variable viscosity parameter. An enhancement in thermal distribution and entropy detected for radiation. Thermal distribution enhancement is observed for generation of heat and thermal conductivity variables. Chemical reaction for concentration has decaying impact. Results of Schmidt number for concentration are similar to that of chemical reaction. Brinkman number leads to entropy rate improvement. Entropy rate upsurges against variable viscosity and mass diffusivity parameters.

Morphological Influence on a Nonionic Bilayer Bending Rigidity and Compression Modulus.

The mechanical properties of multilamellar vesicles and their relevance to soft matter physics and material science are of significant interest. The bending rigidity, κ, and compression modulus, B, of three-dimensional (3D) finite nonspontaneous multilamellar vesicles, formed by a nonionic surfactant, are linked to nanoscale bilayer thickness, δ, estimated via small-angle X-ray scattering, and macroscopic elastic modulus measured through small-amplitude oscillatory shear experiments. κ and B significantly differ from the same system in the two-dimensional (2D) infinite nanostructured planar lamellar phase. Particularly, κ3D was found to be much smaller than κ2D, while an opposite behavior was seen for B. The 2D-to-3D morphology transition occurs under a transient mechanical field, resulting in rheopectic behavior. κ scales quadratically with δ, consistent with bilayer membrane theories, and linearly with vesicle radius in the densely packed state. These findings have implications for understanding and designing soft interfaces due to the influence of bending rigidity on transport properties.

Crystal layer growth with embedded carbon-based particles from effervescent tablet-based nanofluids

Crystallization occurs as dissolved substances gradually solidify into crystal layers within a liquid, which can increase the capability of fluids to transfer heat. In this study, the growth of crystal layer in nanofluids produced from carbon-based effervescent tablets was examined. The tablets were fabricated by combining multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), sodium phosphate monobasic (NaH2PO4), and sodium carbonate (Na2CO3). The effervescent tablets were formulated with MWCNTs, NaH2PO4, and Na2CO3 at a weight ratio of 1:5.1:2.26, respectively. These tablets were then immersed in distilled water (DW) and seawater (SW) to produce 0.05 vol.% to 0.15 vol.% MWCNT suspensions. Then, the dispersion stability, thermal conductivity, and crystal layer growth of the nanofluids were characterized. The results showed that the DW-based nanofluids were more stable than their SW-based counterparts. Additionally, the 0.05 vol.% DW-based suspension exhibited greater long-term stability than those of the 0.15 vol.% suspensions, whereas the SW-based nanofluid exhibited the opposite behaviour. The greatest increases in thermal conductivity were 3.29% and 3.13% for 0.15 vol.% MWCNTs in DW and SW, respectively. The crystallization process occurred in nanofluids that contained more than 0.05 vol.% MWCNTs and exhibited a greater growth rate in SW-based suspensions with high effervescent agent concentrations.

Bound-state evolution of Dirichlet waveguide with Neumann window(s) in transverse electric fields

The influence of electric field E on a straight Dirichlet waveguide with Neumann window(s) of arbitrary length L is studied theoretically for 2D and 3D geometries. The energy spectrum for the corresponding bound states was obtained and their dependence on E was analysed. At low E , the boundary of the window(s) influenced the properties of the particle contrary to the high E case, where the energies and localization of particle were seen similar in all the geometries. The critical lengths L cr , at which higher excited state emerges into the continuum, at different E were found and their behavior was explained qualitatively. It was found that at high E , the critical lengths of Dirichlet-Neumann boundary window approach the Neumann-Neumann boundary window. This is due to the increase in the fundamental propagation threshold of transverse modes in the wall and window region. On the other hand, the Neumann-Dirichlet boundary window showed an opposite behavior. Furthermore, the polarization of ground state was obtained for different geometries. It was proved that at small L, the polarization reduces to its 1D case. A mathematical treatment and semi classical explanation was provided. Comparative analysis of the 2D and 3D geometries reveals their qualitative similarity and quantitative differences.

3D-MHD mixed convection in a darcy-forchheimer maxwell fluid: Thermo diffusion, diffusion-thermo effects, and activation energy influence

In this article, the three-dimensional upper-convected Darcy-Forchheimer Maxwell (UCM) nanofluid flow over a stretching surface is analyzed to investigate the effects of activation energy, thermodiffusion, diffusion thermo, and magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) on heat and mass transfer. The energy equation incorporates a nonlinear radiative heat flux. Using similarity transformation, the nonlinear partial differential equations are reduced to ordinary differential equations, which are then solved using the well-known shooting technique via the fourth-order Runge-Kutta integration method. To validate our results, we also employ MATLAB's built-in function bvp4c. The impact of various parameters, such as activation energy, diffusion thermo, thermodiffusion, Brownian motion parameter, Prandtl number, thermophoresis parameter, and magnetic parameter, on velocity, temperature, and concentration is discussed both graphically and numerically. It is observed that the flow velocity decreases with an increasing magnetic field parameter. Additionally, higher values of the activation energy parameter reduce the nanoparticle concentration profile. The temperature and concentration exhibit opposite behaviors when thermodiffusion and diffusion thermo effects are enhanced.

Fluorine Domains Induced Ultrahigh Nitrogen Solubility in Ionic Liquids.

Fluorinated ionic liquids (ILs) are well-known as electrolytes in the nitrogen (N2) electroreduction reaction due to their exceptional gas solubility. However, the influence of fluorinated functional group on N2 solvation and solubility enhancement remains unclear. Massive molecular dynamics simulations and free energy perturbation methods are conducted to investigate the N2 solubility in 11 traditional and 9 fluorinated ILs. It shows that the fluorinated IL of 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tris(pentafluoroethyl) trifluorophosphate ([Emim]FAP) exhibits ultrahigh solubility, 4.844 × 10-3, approximately 118 times higher than that of traditional IL 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium nitrate ([Emim]NO3). Moreover, fluorinated ILs with more than 10 C-F bonds possess higher N2 solubility than others and show an exothermic nature during solvation. As the C-F bonds number in ILs decreases, the N2 solubility decreases significantly and displays the opposite endothermic behavior. To understand the ultrahigh N2 solubility in fluorinated ILs, we propose a concept of fluorine densification energy (FDE), referring to the average strength of interaction between atoms per unit volume in ILs with fluorine domains, demonstrating a linear relationship with C-F bonds. Physically, lower FDE results in lower N2-anion pair dissociation energy and higher free volume, finally enhancing the N2 solubility. Consequently, medium to long alkyl fluorine tails within a polar environment defines a distinct fluorine domain, emphasizing FDE's role in enhancing N2 solubility. Overall, these quantitative results will not only deepen the understanding of N2 solvation in ILs but may also shed light on the rational design of IL-based high-performance N2 capture and conversion technologies.

Role of Martian Crustal Fields in Ionospheric Electron Density Distribution and Subsequent South‐North Asymmetry: Insights From Multi‐Year MAVEN Observations During (MYs 33–36)

AbstractThis study uses Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN observations of electron density and magnetic field for a period of four Martian years (MYs 33–36) (∼8 Earth years) to investigate the effects of Martian crustal magnetic fields on the distribution and variability of Mars' ionosphere. The results show a clear enhancement in electron density in the southern hemisphere in the region where the strong crustal magnetic fields are present with the longitudes between 120° and 240° (i.e., the central longitude), which is in agreement with previous studies. On the contrary, the corresponding northern hemisphere region in the central longitudes shows an exactly opposite behavior that the electron density is lower compared to the surrounding longitude regions. These effects are found to be primarily dayside phenomena. As opposed to dayside, the nightside electron density in the central longitudes are slightly reduced at altitudes below 200 km, compared to longitudes on its western and eastern sides. Above 200 km, the nightside effects are not very clear. Significant hemispheric asymmetry is observed in the longitude regions of enhanced crustal magnetic fields compared to other longitude regions during the daytime. This dayside south‐north asymmetry in the central longitude region is observed to be a constant feature across all seasons. However, on the nightside, the south‐north asymmetry remains more or less similar across all longitude regions, during all seasons implying a weakened control of the crustal fields over the nightside ionosphere. Even then, the northern hemisphere retains a stronger nightside ionosphere during all seasons except summer.

Revealing the mechanism of the electron-transfer induced and enhanced intrinsic auxeticity in 2D penta-materials

The intrinsic auxeticity of materials has long been attributed to their unique geometric configurations. Triggering and enhancing auxeticity presents significant challenges, as many nanomaterials display subtle auxetic effects with a negative Poisson's ratio (NPR) typically above -0.4. This paper introduces three materials with identical symmetry—two-dimensional pentagonal structures Penta-B2×2Y2 (i.e., Penta-B2C4, Penta-B2N4, and JP-B2C2N2)—to investigate a novel mechanism influencing material auxeticity: electron transfer. Specifically, variations in electron transfer cause Penta-B2N4 and JP-B2C2N2 to show axial auxetic effects, whereas Penta-B2C4 demonstrates opposite behavior. The axial NPR of Penta-B2N4 is ∼ -0.05, while for JP-B2C2N2, it reaches ∼-0.46, significantly surpassing that of typical intrinsic auxetic materials. This represents an increase of approximately 920 % compared to Penta-B2N4. Additionally, JP-B2C2N2 features semi-metallic properties, where the conduction band minimum (CBM) and the valence band maximum (VBM) are tangent to the Fermi level. Consequently, minor alterations in external conditions can induce a transition between semiconductor and metallic states in JP-B2C2N2. Thus, the 2D material JP-B2C2N2 emerges as a promising candidate for nanoelectronic and electromechanical applications. Furthermore, this study also enhances the academic understanding of auxetic properties in nanomaterials by linking their mechanical and electronic characteristics and laying a theoretical foundation for further experimental exploration of auxeticity.

Substantial breakdown of the hydrogen-bonding network, local density inhomogeneities and fluid-liquid structural transitions in supercritical octanol-1: A molecular dynamics investigation.

Molecular dynamics simulations have been employed to explore the hydrogen-bonding structure and dynamics in supercritical octanol-1 at a near-critical temperature and up to high densities and pressures. A substantial breakdown of the hydrogen-bonding network when going from ambient-liquid to supercritical conditions is revealed. The fraction of the non-hydrogen bonded molecules significantly increases in supercritical octanol-1, and a substantial decrease in the intermittent hydrogen-bond lifetime is observed. This behavior is also reflected on the maximum local density augmentation, which is comparable to the values obtained for non-polar and non-hydrogen bonded fluids. The existence of a structural transition from an inhomogeneous fluid phase to a soft-liquid one at densities higher than 2.0 ρc is also revealed. At higher densities, a significant change in the reorientational relaxation process is observed, reflected on the significant increase in the ratio of the Legendre reorientational times τ1R/τ2R. The latter becomes much higher than the value predicted by the Debye model of diffusive reorientation and the corresponding ratio for ambient liquid octanol-1. The non-polar tail of octanol-1 under supercritical conditions reorients more slowly in comparison with the polar tail. Interestingly, the opposite behavior is observed for the ambient liquid, further verifying the strong effect of the breakdown of the hydrogen bonding network on the properties of supercritical octanol-1. In accordance with the above-mentioned findings, the static dielectric constant of supercritical octanol-1 is very low even at high densities and pressures, comparable to the values obtained for non-polar and non-hydrogen bonded fluids.

Starvation Process Would Induce Different Bacterial Mobilities and Attachment Performances in Porous Media without and with Nutrients on Surfaces.

The influence and mechanisms of starvation on the bacterial mobile performance in porous media with different nutrition conditions are not well understood. The present study systematically investigated the impacts of starvation on the mobility and attachment of both Gram-negative and Gram-positive strains in porous media without and with nutrients on surfaces in both simulated and real water samples. We found that regardless of strain types and water chemistries, starvation would greatly inhibit bacterial attachment onto bare porous media without nutrients yet could significantly enhance cell attachment onto porous media with nutrients on their surfaces. The mechanisms driving the opposite transport behaviors induced by starvation in porous media without and with nutrients were totally different. We found that the starvation process decreased cell motility and increased repulsive force between bacteria and porous media via decreasing cell sizes and zeta potentials, reducing EPS secretion and cell hydrophobicity, thus increasing transport/inhibiting attachment of bacteria in porous media without nutrients on sand surfaces. In contrast, through strengthening the positive chemotactic response of bacteria to nutrients, the starvation process greatly enhanced bacterial attachment onto porous media with nutrients on sand surfaces. Clearly, via modification of the nutrient conditions in porous media, the mobility/attachment performance of bacteria could be regulated.

A novel design of recurrent neural network to investigate the heat transmission of radiative Casson nanofluid flow consisting of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) across a curved stretchable surface

AbstractThis study aims to develop a supervised learning artificial recurrent neural network algorithm supported by Bayesian regularization called (ARNN‐BR) to analyze the impact of physical parameters, including radius of curvature (), Casson parameter (), heat generation parameter () and radiation parameter () on velocity fʹ(η), and temperature profiles θ(η) in Casson nanofluid consisting of carbon nanotubes (CNTs‐CNF) model for single and multiwalled CNTs across a curved stretched surface. The numerical dataset of the proposed model has been constructed by varying various parameters for five scenarios that are used in a Bayesian regularization‐based intelligent computing method to build networks for approximating the numerical solutions of CNTs‐CNF model. It is observed that increment in the dimensionless radius of curvature () causes to rise an increase in the velocity profile fʹ(η) for both SWCNTs and MWCNTs. However, a contrasting trend is observed when the Casson parameter () is increased to higher values. The temperature θ(η) of fluid increases as the heat generation parameter () and radiation parameter () increase. However, an opposite behavior is noticed when the dimensionless radius of curvature () varies. The effectiveness and significance of designed Bayesian regularization based artificial recurrent neural networks (ARNN‐BR) is demonstrated through regression index measurements, error histogram studies, auto‐correlation analysis and convergence curves showing a minimal level of mean square error (E‐11 to E‐04) for the comprehensive simulations of CNTs‐CNF model. The designed ARNN‐BR algorithm is employed in many domains such as voice recognition, machine translation, identification of neurological brain illnesses as well as for automated translation of texts across different languages.

Soil carbon storage under different types of arid land use in Algeria

This study aims to assess the amount of organic carbon stored in soils, as it is an intention of knowing the sustainable soil management, by using two common methods for determining soil organic matter (SOM), namely oxidation with acidified wet dichromate (Walkley–Black method-WB) and loss on ignition (LOI). The study was carried with soil samples collected from a depth of 0 to 30 cm in the Saharan arid region of Ghardaïa (Algeria), with different land uses: agricultural, forest and pastoral. The results obtained from the LOI and WB methods were subjected to statistical analysis, and the relations between both methods were tested to investigate their relationship. The mean percentage of SOM values were 1.86, 2.42, 1.54 by using LOI, but, lower values of 0.34, 0.33, 0.36 were determined by using WB method, for agricultural, forest and pastoral soils respectively. A weak linear relationship between the two analytical procedures was obtained (R2 of 0.19 and 0.13 for agricultural and forest soils), while a medium relationship (R2 = 0.65) was found for pastoral soils when using linear adjustment. However, the opposite behaviour was found when we use the logarithmic adjustment. The study outcomes indicated discrepancies in the measurements of SOM values between the two methods, been higher those estimated with LOI. Finally, in order to identify the best methodology to measure soil organic matter in arid soils, more research is required in these extreme arid regions as they are a gap in world soil organic matter maps.

Melting heat transfer and entropy analysis of MHD Casson nanofluid flow through a stretchy surface with Joule heating and complete slip

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the melting heat transfer of magnetohydrodynamics Casson nanofluid flow with viscous dissipation, radiation, and complete slip effects on a porous stretching sheet. Since, the study of melting heat transfer has mesmerized the attention of scientists and engineers in the sense of its enormous uses in industrial processes, solidification, casting, and technology. Design/methodology/approach Bejan number and entropy are analyzed. Exploration of irreversibility is modeled using the thermodynamics second law. There is a discussion on thermophoresis and Brownian diffusion along with first-order chemical reactions. Adequate transformations are introduced to convert the controlling partial differential equations to ordinary differential equations. The three-phase Lobatto solvers (bvp5c) are used to obtain numerical solutions of the transmitted equations. Findings The effects of various factors on temperature, velocity, concentration, Bejan number and entropy rate are shown graphically. The velocity field is enhanced by increasing the melting heat parameter, and it declines for growing magnetic parameters. Temperature is decreased for increasing parametric values of melting heat, porous and Casson parameters. A 7% decrease in the Sherwood distribution is seen when we increase the Brownian motion parameter from 0.1 to 0.2. Similarly, an 11% decrement is found in the Nusselt distribution for increasing the Brinkman number from 0.5 to 1. Originality/value Entropy and Bejan number experience dual tendencies whenever the melting heat parameter increases. Nusselt number and skin friction experience the opposite behavior for the increasing values of melting parameter. Sherwood number decreases for the increasing values of melting parameter. The velocity profile is directly related to the melting parameter and inversely related to porous and magnetic parameters. Thermophoresis and Brinkman parameters boost the temperature profile and it is controlled by melting and porous parameters. Some notable fields where the present study is used inevitably are silicon wafering, geothermal energy recovery and semiconductor manufacturing.

The role of chelating agent in the self-assembly of amphoteric surfactants

Hypothesis: Limited research has been conducted on the influence of chelating agents on the self-assembly process in surfactant solutions. The traditional approach assumes the chelating agent only interferes as a salting-out ion, therefore promoting surfactant separation. However, the opposite behavior has been observed for iminodipropionate based surfactants, in which the presence of chelating agents of the aminopolycarboxylate type increases solubility of nonionic ethoxylated surfactants in mixed micellar systems. Specific interaction between chelating agents-surfactants can be an important parameter in the self-assembly processes.Experiments: Physicochemical properties of solutions containing amphoteric surfactant and tetrasodium glutamatediacetate have been investigated. Macroscopic properties, such as viscosity and cloud point, were evaluated in the presence of a non-water-soluble alkyl ethoxylated surfactant. Interactions between amphoteric surfactant and chelating agent were monitored by NMR spectroscopy, including 13C chemical shift and lineshape analysis as well as 1H diffusometry.Findings: The study reveals that there is an interaction between the head group of the surfactant and the chelating agent forming oligomeric surfactant analogues with larger hydrophilic moieties, which results in smaller, more spherical micelles. The combined interactions provide possibilities for tuning the aggregation behavior of systems containing surfactants and chelating agents, and with that, the macroscopic properties of the system.