Sonication Period Research Articles

Process optimization of victoria blue dye removal using polypyrrole-encapsulated zirconium oxide: Mechanistic pathway and economic assessment

In this study, an organometallic composite, namely a polypyrrole-encapsulated zirconium oxide (ZrO2/PPy) nanocomposite, was developed and used to eliminate Victoria blue dye (VB) from water system. Specific surface area of the ZrO2/PPy obtained from BET study was observed to be 61.822 m2/g. Solution pH of 7.0, ZrO2/PPy nanocomposite dose of 0.8 g/L, sonication period of 40 min and initial VB dye concentration of 50 mg/L were chosen as optimal test parameters, at which 86.23 (±1.15) % of VB dye elimination was observed. The VB dye uptake process follows pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model, with the later providing the maximum VB dye adsorption capacity of ZrO2/PPy nanocomposite as 238.09 mg/g. Thermodynamics study suggests the spontaneous (ΔGo< 0) and endothermic (ΔHo> 0) nature of the adsorption study. Food processing wastewater causes maximum hindrance (∼20 (±0.90) % −25 (±1.03) %) in the VB dye uptake process while the presence of phosphate (PO43−) ions can create highest interference (∼17 (±0.93) % −19 (±1.08) %) in the VB dye uptake process. At the optimum test parameter values (adsorbent dose: 1.3 g/L, initial VB dye concentration: 20 mg/L, sonication period: 70 min) as suggested by response surface methodology (RSM), maximum VB dye elimination of ∼96 % was observed. Electrostatic attraction, π–π interaction and hydrogen bond formation are amongst the major uptake mechanisms. Regeneration study indicates ∼19 (±1.36) % of decrease in VB dye elimination (%) after fifth cycle of reuse. The lab scale and industrial scale fabrication expense of 1.0 kg of ZrO2/PPy nanocomposite were obtained as 75.74 and 22.20 USD, respectively. The findings of this study suggest the potential of ZrO2/PPy nanocomposite as an effective and economically viable adsorbent to eliminate VB dye from wastewater.

Model based deep learning method for focused ultrasound pathway scanning

The primary purpose of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), a non-invasive medical therapy, is to precisely target and ablate tumors by focusing high-frequency ultrasound from an external power source. A series of ablations must be performed in order to treat a big volume of tumors, as a single ablation can only remove a small amount of tissue. To maximize therapeutic efficacy while minimizing adverse side effects such as skin burns, preoperative treatment planning is essential in determining the focal site and sonication duration for each ablation. Here, we introduce a machine learning-based approach for designing HIFU treatment plans, which makes use of a map of the material characteristics unique to a patient alongside an accurate thermal simulation. A numerical model was employed to solve the governing equations of HIFU process and to simulate the HIFU absorption mechanism, including ensuing heat transfer process and the temperature rise during the sonication period. To validate the accuracy of this numerical model, a series of tests was conducted using ex vivo bovine liver. The findings indicate that the developed models properly represent the considerable variances observed in tumor geometrical shapes and proficiently generate well-defined closed treated regions based on imaging data. The proposed strategy facilitated the formulation of high-quality treatment plans, with an average tissue over- or under-treatment rate of less than 0.06%. The efficacy of the numerical model in accurately predicting the heating process of HIFU, when combined with machine learning techniques, was validated through quantitative comparison with experimental data. The proposed approach in cooperation with HIFU simulation holds the potential to enhance presurgical HIFU plan.

A self-excitation point process model for quantifying nanoparticle agglomeration

ABSTRACT Nanoparticle agglomeration refers to the spontaneous clustering of nanoparticles caused by the attractive forces. Agglomeration impacts the physical and mechanical properties of nanoparticles and their composites. Understanding and controlling nanoparticle agglomeration is crucial for optimizing various applications, from nanomedicine to nanoelectronics. In this work, we formulated a self-exciting point process model to analyse nanoparticle agglomeration based on microstructural input. The model is utilised to categorise a specific set of points within the microstructure as either independent (dispersed) or dependent (agglomerated), along with their respective probabilities. We employed this approach to study two distinct scenarios: (a) Agglomeration in experimentally generated microstructures of titanium nanoparticles, and (b) Analysing agglomeration patterns in simulated microstructures of carbon nanotube networks, generated using a stochastic microstructure model. We obtain a quantitative understanding of the connection between the sonication duration and the level of agglomeration in titanium nanoparticles. As the sonication period increases, both the agglomeration percentage and the size of the agglomerates decrease. Furthermore, our analysis of simulated carbon nanotube microstructures, including equiaxed and rope-like agglomeration, shows a close alignment between results obtained from the point process model and those generated by the stochastic microstructure model.

Simple dispersion of carbon nanofibers in a naturally occurring polyphenol in water and their electrochemical characteristics

Carbon nanofibers are hydrophobic with poor dispersion in water. They are normally functionalised using highly acidic solutions and elevated temperatures. In this communication, we show that tannic acid can be employed at room temperature using a simple sonication method to give very good dispersions of the CNFs in distilled water. Using a factorial design, the three components, the sonication period, the concentration of tannic acid and the concentration of CNFs were found to be significant, while the concentration of the tannic acid as a single component had an equally significant effect. The optimum conditions were 1.0–1.25 mg mL−1 of CNFs, and 0.85 – 1.0 mM of tannic acid with a sonication period between 50 and 60 min. The well-dispersed CNFs exhibited very good electrochemical characteristics, with efficient electron transfer in the oxidation of acetaminophen, which was used as a model analyte.

Optimizing the use of low-frequency ultrasound for bacterial detachment of in vivo biofilms in dental research—a methodological study

ObjectivesLow-frequency, low-intensity ultrasound is commonly utilized in various dental research fields to remove biofilms from surfaces, but no clear recommendation exists in dental studies so far. Therefore, this study aims to optimize the sonication procedure for the dental field to efficiently detach bacteria while preserving viability.Materials and methodsInitial biofilm was formed in vivo on bovine enamel slabs (n = 6) which were worn by four healthy participants for 4 h and 24 h. The enamel slabs covered with biofilm were then ultrasonicated ex vivo for various time periods (0, 1, 2, 4, 6 min). Colony-forming units were determined for quantification, and bacteria were identified using MALDI-TOF. Scanning electron microscopic images were taken to also examine the efficiency of ultrasonications for different time periods.ResultsUltrasonication for 1 min resulted in the highest bacterial counts, with at least 4.5-fold number compared to the non-sonicated control (p < 0.05). Most bacteria were detached within the first 2 min of sonication, but there were still bacteria detached afterwards, although significantly fewer (p < 0.0001). The highest bacterial diversity was observed after 1 and 2 min of sonication (p < 0.03). Longer sonication periods negatively affected bacterial counts of anaerobes, Gram-negative bacteria, and bacilli. Scanning electron microscopic images demonstrated the ability of ultrasound to desorb microorganisms, as well as revealing cell damage and remaining bacteria.ConclusionsWith the use of low-frequency, low-intensity ultrasound, significantly higher bacterial counts and diversity can be reached. A shorter sonication time of 1 min shows the best results overall.Clinical relevanceThis standardization is recommended to study initial oral biofilms aged up to 24 h to maximize the outcome of experiments and lead to better comparability of studies.

Ultrasound-assisted oxalate reduction vs. conventional methods: A comparative study in Elephant foot yam (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius) and process optimization using response surface methodology

Elephant foot yams are high in protein, carbohydrates, sugars, fiber, and glucose, all of which are good sources of nutrients. Despite numerous investigations on yam phytochemical concentrations employing different treatments, the quality and amount of phytochemical loss from Elephant foot yam is a major barrier to the traditional extraction procedure. The oxalate content of elephant foot yam has led to severe underutilization. Several techniques, including boiling, ultrasonication, and NaCl treatment, have been devised to reduce calcium oxalate. To achieve the greatest possible reduction of oxalate content in the yam, the three-element Box-Behnken design was utilized in this study to optimize the ultrasound-aided reduction of oxalate from elephant foot yam. To increase the reduction of antinutritional factors such as oxalate from Elephant Foot Yam, an ultrasound-assisted technique was utilized to optimize the sonication period (10, 15 or 20 min), solid-liquid ratio (1: 10, 1:20, and 1:30 g/ml), and ultrasound power (20, 30, 40 Watt). The best values obtained for the reduction of oxalate were 43.2%, where the solid-liquid ratio was 29.08 g/ml, the sonication power was 39.93 Watt, and the sonication period was 20 min. The outcomes demonstrated that UAE reduces oxalate more than the traditional approach and that UAE was a useful and effective way for lowering oxalate in elephant foot yam.

Evaluating the efficacy of recyclable nanostructured adsorbents for rapid removal of methylparaben from aqueous solutions

In this study, we evaluate the efficiency of two novel nanostructured adsorbents – chitosan-graphitic carbon nitride@magnetite (CS-g-CN@Fe3O4) and graphitic carbon nitride@copper/zinc nanocomposite (g-CN@Cu/Zn NC) – for the rapid removal of methylparaben (MPB) from water. Our characterization methods, aimed at understanding the adsorbents’ structures and surface areas, informed our systematic examination of influential parameters including sonication time, adsorbent dosage, initial MPB concentration, and temperature.We applied advanced modeling techniques, such as response surface methodology (RSM), generalized regression neural network (GRNN), and radial basis function neural network (RBFNN), to evaluate the adsorption process. The adsorbents proved highly effective, achieving maximum adsorption capacities of 255 mg g−1 for CS-g-CN@Fe3O4 and 218 mg g−1 for g-CN@Cu/Zn NC. Through genetic algorithm (GA) optimization, we identified the optimal conditions for the highest MPB removal efficiency: a sonication period of 12.00 min and an adsorbent dose of 0.010 g for CS-g-CN@Fe3O4 NC, with an MPB concentration of 17.20 mg L−1 at 42.85 °C; and a sonication time of 10.25 min and a 0.011 g dose for g-CN@Cu/Zn NC, with an MPB concentration of 13.45 mg L−1 at 36.50 °C.The predictive accuracy of the RBFNN and GRNN models was confirmed to be satisfactory. Our findings demonstrate the significant capabilities of these synthesized adsorbents in effectively removing MPB from water, paving the way for optimized applications in water purification.

Solusomes (novel soluplus® enriched nano-vesicular carriers) for improving the oral bioavailability of Candesartan cilexetil

Candesartan cilexetil (CAN) is administered for treating hypertension and heart failure. CAN suffers poor oral bioavailability, owing to limited aqueous solubility, and first-pass metabolism. Solusomes (novel Soluplus® enriched nano-vesicular carriers) combine the merits of Soluplus®, and the traditional liposomes. They were explored to increase CAN solubility, allow a high drug release rate, and improve the oral drug bioavailability. Solusomes were developed via thin film hydration technique utilizing lipid (phosphatidylcholine; PC) and polymeric solubilizer (Soluplus®; Solu). S6 system comprising PC (0.1% w/v), CAN and Soluplus® (at 1:5 ratio; w/w), following a 5 min sonication period, was the optimum one with respect to drug entrapment efficiency (83.5 ± 2.6%), drug loading (11.9 ± 0.3%), particle size and shape (377.2 ± 12.1 nm, spherical), zeta-potential (−19.6 ± 2.1 mV), saturated drug solubility (32.09 ± 0.71 µg/mL), drug released % after 1 h (68 ± 0.9%), and stability. Significantly higher Cmax (969.12 ± 46.3 ng/mL), shorter median Tmax (1h), and improved relative bioavailability (≈ 6.8 folds) in rabbits could evidence the potential of S6 system in enhancing oral CAN bioavailability. S6 solusomes act as dual platform to improve the oral drug bioavailability and maintain effective drug concentration for a prolonged period.

Synthesis of Ca-Mg-Al layered double hydroxide from dolomite with ultrasound-assisted method. Application in phosphate removal

The aim of this work was to obtain a Layered Double Hydroxide (LDH) from natural dolomite and to apply the synthetized solid (CaMgAl-LDH) for phosphate removal by adsorption. Both the conventional coprecipitation method and ultrasound-assisted method were used to obtain CaMgAl-LDH. The obtained solids were characterized by N2 adsorption/desorption, size of pores, X-ray diffraction, and FTIR. Batch scale experiments were carried out to evaluate the phosphate adsorption capacity on CaMgAl-LDH using design of experiments (DOE). The studied parameters were pH, solid dosage, contact time and phosphate removal percentage, which was selected as the response function. Experimental data were fitted to kinetics and isotherms mathematical models. The process thermodynamics was also studied. Results showed that the ultrasound-assisted method was more efficient to obtain LDH even in a short period of sonication. The solids presented good crystallization, structure between layers, and high purity. Besides, LDH obtained by ultrasound exhibited a surface area of ​​about 40% greater than the LDH obtained by the conventional method. The results of LDH application for phosphate removal showed high adsorption capacity (>94%) in several conditions of contact time and pH, even in low solid dosage. The kinetics of the process followed the pseudo-second-order model and Redlich-Peterson was the isotherm model that presented the best adjust. The thermodynamic parameters suggested a spontaneous, endothermic, and randomness process at the solid/solution interface, confirming an adsorption system favorable. The results exhibited that the ultrasound-assisted method is promissory to obtain LDH from mineral sources such as dolomite due to decrease energy expenditure and short synthesis time. It was found the ultrasound-assisted method also improve the solid physicochemical characteristics for its use in the adsorption process, enhancing the phosphate removal.

Improved heterocyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compound adsorption using functionalised rice husk biochar

Carbazole (CBZ) is a hazardous heterocyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (HAH) that pollutes water bodies, and the treatment remains a challenge due to its high persistence in the environment. This study chemically modified rice husk biochar (RHB) with starch derivative (DS) to develop an effective adsorbent. Thus, functionalised RHB with starch derivative (RHBDS) was synthesised to remove CBZ from synthetic wastewater. Based on a Box-Behnken design, the DS functionalisation optimisation was successfully performed. The parameters, including RHB mass of (5–10) g, DS concentration of (1–5)% w/v, and sonication period of (1–5) min, were analysed using Design Expert. These parameters were then utilised to investigate the optimal conditions (removal rate response and adsorption capacity) for the adsorbent. The removal rate and the adsorption capacity ranged from 83.85 to 98.94 % and 335.41 to 395.76 mg/g, respectively. Consequently, the RHB mass of 6.50 g, DS concentration of 1 % w/v, and sonication period of 5 min within the experimental domain exhibited the best conditions with desirability of 1.0. The 92.67 % removal rate and adsorption capacity of 370.59 mg/g were also obtained under optimal conditions. Compared to RHB, RHBDS demonstrated four times the adsorption capacity for the CBZ removal from synthetic water, which were 23.03 mg/g and 98.01 mg/g, respectively. Therefore, the RHBDS compound could be a promising adsorbent in removing CBZ from wastewater.

Ultrasound-assisted encapsulation of ginger (Zingiber officinale) oil in gum arabic and its controlled release study

Encapsulation is an intriguing method for preserving the biological activity of food or nutritional components. The current study looks into the controlled release of ginger oil by ultrasound-assisted encapsulation with gum arabic (GA) shell. The Taguchi technique was used in conjunction with a typical L27 orthogonal array to investigate the impact of various process variables such as ginger oil (wt%) and GA (wt%), sonication duration (min), and drying variables such as temperature and flow rate on the encapsulation process. The outcomes suggest that the best environments for the encapsulation process are 7% ginger oil, 20 % GA, a sonication period of 20 min, a temperature of 140°C, and a flow rate of 1mL/min to achieve superior encapsulation efficiency, product yield, and particle size of 74.07 %, 53.7 %, and 221 nm, respectively. Furthermore, we investigated ginger release from encapsulation under different pH conditions at process parameters and discovered that at acidic conditions, more than 80 % release occurs compared to basic pH (30–40 %), whereas lower GA concentration and longer sonication time observed to more ginger release (80 %).

UV–Vis Spectroscopic Trends of Liquid-exfoliated Graphite/ Graphene Nanoplatelets/Bioactive Glass Mixtures

Liquid-phase exfoliation of graphene using a suitable solvent is safe, although the sonication period needs further exploration, which may affect the exfoliation process. This study investigated graphene exfoliation in chloroform through UV–Vis spectroscopy. Graphite powder at different ratios was soaked in chloroform and sonicated at different sonication times from 30 min to 180 min and then subjected to centrifugation at 4,000 rpm for 30 min. The supernatant was collected and analysed using UV–Vis spectroscopy at wavelengths between 220 nm and 800 nm. The UV absorbance intensity showed that the presence of exfoliated graphene peaks is free of interference at 120 min. A comparative study was conducted by using graphene in chloroform as controls and adding bioactive glass (BG) within graphite powder-chloroform emulsions in different concentrations at 120 min. Graphene appearance at the anticipated absorption peak at ~270 nm was observed, and BG addition led to agglomeration, which could provide an idea for a better material formulation strategy in developing films that combined graphene/ BG because of their exceptional properties suitable for diverse potential biomedical application.

Optimizing MWCNT-Based Nanofluids for Photovoltaic/Thermal Cooling through Preparation Parameters.

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were employed as added particles for nanofluids in this practical investigation. To identify the most appropriate nanofluid for cooling PVT systems that are functional in the extreme summer environment of Baghdad, the parameters of base fluid, surfactant, and sonication time used for mixing were examined. Water was chosen as the base fluid instead of other potential candidates such as ethylene glycol (EG), propylene glycol (PG), and heat transfer oil (HTO). Thermal conductivity and stability were important thermophysical qualities that were impacted by the chosen parameters. The nanofluid tested in Baghdad city (consisting of 0.5% MWCNTs, water, and CTAB with a sonication period of three and a quarter hours) resulted in a 119.5, 308, and 210% enhancement of thermal conductivity (TC) for water compared with EG, PG, and oil, respectively. In addition, the nanofluid-cooled PVT system had an electrical efficiency that was 88.85% higher than standalone PV technology and 44% higher than water-cooled PVT systems. Moreover, the thermal efficiency of the nanofluid-cooled PVT system was 20% higher than the water-cooled PVT system. Finally, the nanofluid-cooled PVT system displayed the least decrease in electrical efficiency and a greater thermal efficiency even when the PV panel was at its hottest at noon.

Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound Neuromodulation of a Rodent's Spinal Cord Suppresses Motor Evoked Potentials.

Here we investigate the ability of low-intensity ultrasound (LIUS) applied to the spinal cord to modulate the transmission of motor signals. Male adult Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 10, 250-300 g, 15 weeks old) were used in this study. Anesthesia was initially induced with 2% isoflurane carried by oxygen at 4 L/min via a nose cone. Cranial, upper extremity, and lower extremity electrodes were placed. A thoracic laminectomy was performed to expose the spinal cord at the T11 and T12 vertebral levels. A LIUS transducer was coupled to the exposed spinal cord, and motor evoked potentials (MEPs) were acquired each minute for either 5- or 10-minutes of sonication. Following the sonication period, the ultrasound was turned off and post-sonication MEPs were acquired for an additional 5 minutes. Hindlimb MEP amplitude significantly decreased during sonication in both the 5- (p < 0.001) and 10-min (p = 0.004) cohorts with a corresponding gradual recovery to baseline. Forelimb MEP amplitude did not demonstrate any statistically significant changes during sonication in either the 5- (p = 0.46) or 10-min (p = 0.80) trials. LIUS applied to the spinal cord suppresses MEP signals caudal to the site of sonication, with recovery of MEPs to baseline after sonication. LIUS can suppress motor signals in the spinal cord and may be useful in treating movement disorders driven by excessive excitation of spinal neurons.

Sonication impact on thermal conductivity of f-MWCNT nanofluids using XGBoost and Gaussian process regression

BackgroundPrevious research has revealed that nanofluids are capable of improving the heat transfer performance of energy systems. Researchers devote a considerable deal of attention to multi-walled carbon nanotubes owing to their exceptional features, like superior thermal conductivity. By adding COOH functional groups to multi wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), the carbon nanotubes become hydrophilic, hence enhancing the stability of nanofluids. MethodsIn this investigation, nanoparticles were characterized using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET). The durational effects of sonication on three distinct nanofluid concentrations (0.3, 0.1, and 0.05 vol.%) generated with functionalized-multi walled carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNTs/water) on thermal conductivity were also examined. After 80 minutes of sonication, a volume concentration of 0.10 vol% exhibits the best stable long-term value (39.84 mV) based on the findings of studies. As sonication duration increases, particle size decreases, and the 0.30 vol% concentration changes significantly. At a temperature of 50 °C and a sonication period of 20 minutes, the largest increase in thermal conductivity was 5.90% at a concentration of 0.10 vol %. The experimental data acquired through extensive lab-based testing was employed for the development of the meta-model. A modern machine learning technique i.e., extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) has been employed to model-predict the effects of sonication on thermal conductivity. A contemporary machine learning method Gaussian process regression (GPR) was employed for comparative analysis. Significant findingsThe optimal sonication time and long-term stability were determined to be 0.10 vol.% concentration and 80 minutes. All samples remained stable for up to two months during the examination. With proper sonication time and at 0.10 vol.%, improved dispersions and characteristics were obtained. The XGBoost-based model outperformed the GPR-based framework in terms of both reduced errors and greater correlation values. The coefficient of determination (R2) of the XGBoost-based model was observed to be 5.45% higher than that of the GPR-based model.

Epoxy Primer Coating Filled Microcrystalline Cellulose Treated with Silane Coupling Agent on Metal Substrate

Epoxy resin was incorporated with microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) for the production of the primer coating. Various sonication times were applied for the purpose of determining the ideal sonication period that provides the best barrier performance. The coatings were also added with various 3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) loadings in order to improve the mechanical and corrosion resistance properties. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy analysis was carried out to examine the chemical interactions and diffusion between MCC, APTES, and epoxy resin. After nine days of immersion in a 5% sodium chloride (NaCl) solution, the ideal sonication period was found to be 30 minutes, with no corrosion occurring aggressively and no flaking or blistering appears on the coating. The anti-corrosive qualities of the primer coating were eventually enhanced by the addition of MCC modified with APTES. The addition of APTES had improved the interaction between MCC and epoxy, hence achieving better compatibility and promoting a uniformly dispersed MCC throughout the epoxy resin matrix. The Tafel polarization results found that the addition of APTES up to 9% gave the lowest corrosion rate at 0.004 mm/year and the highest polarization resistances at 198.69 kꭥ. This is explained by the fact that enough MCC-APTES can serve as a physical barrier and obstruct the paths used by corrosive agent to diffuse. Therefore, the MCC-Epoxy treated APTES coupling agent for metal corrosion protection has thus been successfully created.

Microcracking monitoring and damage detection of graphene nanoplatelets-cement composites based on acoustic emission technology

This study aims to identify the micro-cracking pattern and structural applications of cement composites replaced with 0 wt%, 0.04 wt%, and 0.08 wt% contents of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) over cement weight through acoustic emission (AE) monitoring under mechanical degradation. The ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV–vis) results showed that at 60 min sonication period, GNP-4 showed maximum absorbance rate of 16.15% compared to the GNP-8. The microstructural characteristics revealed that during hydration of cement there was no apparent cracks appeared in GNPs-cement composites compared to the reference specimen (GNP-0) which was 1.44 mm. The cracking mode and damaged detection of the tested specimens resulted in three distinct stages i.e., (I) pre-peak, (II) peak, and (III) post-peak under mechanical degradation. GNP-4 achieved 780 N flexural capacity which was increased by 30% and 21.87% compared to the GNP-0 and GNP-8. Similarly, a compressive strength of 63.12 MPa, 57.5 MPa, and 56 MPa at 28 days was obtained by GNP-4, GNP-8, and GNP-0, respectively. Based on AE hits and amplitude analysis, the resistance to fracture, damping capacity, and ductility of GNP-4 was improved by 25.30%, 25.1%, and 22.47% respectively, to that of GNP-0. Shear failure (>35 kHz) was observed in GNP-0, while GNPs cement composites recorded tensile failure (<35 kHz) through RA-AF parameters. The cracking pattern through Ib value with a warning sign of 1.5 between micro and macro-cracks and severity of damages through historical index (HI) and severity index (Sr) of GNPs cement composites was determined. Lastly, it was concluded that GNPs contents can significantly improve bending strength and delay the cracks initiation in cement composites.

Super plasticizer assisted bath ultra sonication for dispersion of multi walled carbon nanotubes in cement composites

This paper presents the observations and findings from an experimental study for dispersion of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) by bath ultra-sonication in the presence of polycarboxylate ether (PCE) based superplasticizer. Commercial brand of superplasticizer (SP) compatible with cement was adopted for exploring its usage as surfactant during aqueous dispersion of MWCNTs. Cement composite pastes were evaluated for variation in compressive strength and fresh property for a fixed addition percentage of MWCNT. Aqueous dispersion of MWCNTs for incorporation to cement pastes was prepared considering three different sonication process variables; time period of sonication, SP to MWCNT dosage during sonication and temperature of sonication medium. A total of 168 experimental variations were evaluated for compressive strength of resulting cement–carbon nanotubes composite pastes at 7 days age to arrive at an optimal process of bath ultra-sonication with governing variables. Results showed that a sonication time period in the range of 4–5 hours with an SP to MWCNT ratio of 2.5–3 was necessary for satisfactory dispersion of MWCNTs over different temperature ranges of sonication bath medium. Further, the temperature of sonication medium in the range of 35–40°C during aqueous dispersion of MWCNTs was observed to induce noticeable enhancement in strength of composite system indicating improvement in dispersion within an optimal range of sonication medium temperature. Microscopic observations for optimal process variables of dispersion during bath ultra sonication showed evidence of physical changes in MWCNTs from an agglomerated state of particles to separated state.

Extraction of phycobiliprotein pigments from Oscillatoria princeps by using different methods

In the current study, one isolation was obtained from the Cyanophyta Oscillatoria princeps which was collected from pond water located in Khor Al-Zubair/Basrah during August 2018. The current study aims at extracting and purifying of some effective pigments from the above isolate, test them chemically. Allophycocyanin (APC) pigments were highest among other pigments in sample removal-oil compared to the quantities of concentrations of phycoerythrin (PE) and phycocyanin (PC) pigments. The stationary phase in the industrial media have produced the largest amount of pigments. Phycobiliproteins were observed through the UV-Visible peaks. Freeze-dried samples or removal-oil showed that phycobiliproteins aren't affected by increasing or decreasing the sonication period. The study showed that it’s possible to use different media for pigments extraction as buffers and acetate buffer has been mastered. The freezing-thawing method is the best compared with other methods, the concentration of phycoerythrin (PE) pigments began to increase gradually from 6-12 days at PC and PE pigments extract, respectively. According to the statistical analysis, there are significance differences in Phycoerythrin. pigments concentration from 9th day to the 12th day.

The effects of duration of ultrasonication on the morphology and structural properties of Ni-doped hydroxyapatite structure

This work aims to explain the effects of sonication periods, ranging from 0 to 4 h with a step of 1 h, on the morphology and structural properties of Ni-doped hydroxyapatites at a constant amount of 0.4 at.%. The lattice parameters, crystallinity, and crystallite size were affected by the sonication time. Among the sonicated samples, it was observed that the increasing sonication period reduced the c/a ratio. It was also found that the morphology was affected by the ultrasonication duration.