Impact of the chemical insertion of the dimethylamino group on the electronic and optical properties of the 4-(methoxyphenyl acetonitrile) monomer (MPA): a DFT theoretical investigation.

Context: Density functional theory (DFT) calculations on the ground and the first excited state are performed on the modified and unmodified 4-(methoxyphenyl acetonitrile) monomer (referred to as MPA). The modified monomer named MFA is obtained by Knoevenagel condensation of MPA with dimethylformamide dimethyl acetal (DMF-DMA). DFT computations show that the chemical grafting of the dimethylamino group onto the MPA unit induces a great change in the geometric, electronic, and optical properties.

Novel and Extremely Sensitive NiAlO-NiO Nanostructures on an ITO Sensing Electrode for Enhanced Detection of Ascorbic Acid.

The current study focused on the design of an extremely sensitive electrochemical sensor of ascorbic acid based on a mixture of NiAlO-NiO nanoparticles that, produced in a single step using the sol-gel method, on an ITO electrode. This new sensing platform is useful for the detection of ascorbic acid with a wide range of concentrations extending from the attomolar to the molar. SEM micrographs show the porous structure of the NiAlO-NiO sample, with a high specific surface area, which is beneficial for the catalytic performance of the nanocomposite.

Exploring strain OM81 for the production of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) bioplastic using olive mill wastewater.

Unlabelled: In this study, bacterial strains isolated from olive oil mill wastewater assigned to ( = 4) and ( = 1) genera, were evaluated for their ability to accumulate intracellular PHA granules using Sudan Black staining. A maximum PHA production of 0.14 g/L (i.

Laser-induced porous graphene electrodes from polyketimine membranes for paracetamol sensing.

The development of cost-effective materials for fabricating electrodes is crucial for drug, pharmaceutical and environmental applications. This paper presents the synthesis and characterization of a novel polyketimine (PKI) membrane obtained by condensing partially of different weight percentages of oxidized polyvinyl alcohol and aminated polyether sulfone. Using the PKI membrane as a scaffold, we introduced laser-induced graphene electrodes (LIGEs) for the efficient electrochemical sensing of paracetamol (PCM), which serves as a model drug.

Highly C-oriented (002) plane ZnO nanowires synthesis.

Nanowires are widely used for energy harvesting, sensors, and solar cells. We report a study on the role of buffer layer in the growth of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires (NWs) synthesised by a chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. To control the thickness of the buffer layer, multilayer coatings corresponding to one layer (100 nm thick), three layers (300 nm thick), and six layers (600 nm thick) of ZnO sol-gel thin-films were used.

Impact of zinc structural on the photovoltaic Properties of iron Pyrite.

pyrite is one of the most interesting photovoltaic materials with low-cost and natural abundance but with small band gap of 0.95 eV. In the present work, we show the feasibility of increases band gap was determined by Zinc alloying of Iron pyrite.

Pyrolysis of tea and coffee wastes: effect of physicochemical properties on kinetic and thermodynamic characteristics.

Unlabelled: Physicochemical properties, kinetic pyrolysis and thermodynamic study of spent green tea, pure spent coffee grounds, spent coffee grounds blended with 50% torrefied barley and coffee husk were experimentally investigated using thermogravimetric analysis under an inert atmosphere to evaluate their thermochemical application. Five isoconversional methods were applied to determine effective activation energy ( ) of the pyrolysis processes. All methods showed good agreement by determining fluctuating values (150-500 kJ mol).

Efficient Diode Performance with Improved Effective Carrier Lifetime and Absorption Using Bismuth Nanoparticles Passivated Silicon Nanowires.

In this paper, we report a novel design of bismuth nanoparticle-passivated silicon nanowire (Bi@SiNW) heterojunction composites for high diode performances and improved effective carrier lifetime and absorption properties. High-density vertically aligned SiNWs were fabricated using a simple and cost-effective silver-assisted chemical etching method. Bi nanoparticles (BiNPs) were then anchored in these nanowires by a straightforward thermal evaporation technique.

Fenton oxidation catalysed by heterogeneous iron-perlite for 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid (8-HQS) degradation: efficiency comparison using raw and calcined perlite as precursors for iron fixation.

Herein, the catalytic activity of two types of iron-loaded perlite catalysts prepared by impregnation of raw and calcined perlite in terms of 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid (8-HQS) degradation was investigated by the Fenton reaction. Different iron contents were used to optimize the Fenton catalytic reaction. The as-prepared catalysts were characterized using different spectrophotometry techniques.

Hydrothermal synthesis of Ag-doped ZnO/sepiolite nanostructured material for enhanced photocatalytic activity.

This work is devoted to the development of Ag-ZnO/sepiolite photocatalysts as novel nanostructured materials by the immobilization of Ag-doped ZnO on the surface of fibrous clay. Herein, innovative Ag-ZnO/sepiolite photocatalysts were successfully prepared through a simple hydrothermal route using diverse Ag dopant concentrations (2 and 5%). Structural, morphological, and optical properties of the obtained photocatalysts were characterized by XRD, TEM, MEB, and DRS-UV-Vis spectroscopy.

Study of the structural, electronic, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of LaCaMnVO sample: first-principles calculation (DFT-MFT).

This paper presents a correlation between experimental and theoretical approaches to study the structural, electronic, magnetic, and magnetocaloric properties of LaCaMnVO. The studied compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group. The calculated DOS using the DFT + U method proves that LaCaMnVO sample exhibits semi-metallic behavior, which is preferred in spintronic applications.

Evaluation of the microstructure, optical properties and hopping conduction mechanism of rare earth doped BaCaRETiZrNbO ceramics (RE = Ce and Pr).

The current research work examines the impact of Rare Earth (RE) ion substitution on the structural, optical and conduction properties of a BaCaRETiZrNbO (BCRETZN) (RE = Ce, Pr) ceramic compound produced a solid-state route. The Rietveld method of the X-ray data revealed a tetragonal (4) structure at room temperature for our ceramic compound. The morphology of the compound was explored using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) as well as optical response and conduction behavior.

Heat and ZnCl chemical carbonization of date stone as an adsorbent: optimization of material fabrication parameters and adsorption studies.

In the present study, the optimization of factors for the fabrication of highly adsorptive activated carbon from agricultural waste (date stone) was investigated by using ZnCl as a chemical agent during the heat treatment. ZnCl acts as a dehydration agent during the heat treatment, allowing a better porosity. In addition, it boosts the fragmentation of the lignocellulosic structure and the condensation of carbon rings.

A facile approach for the synthesis of porous hematite and magnetite nanoparticles through sol-gel self-combustion.

Porous magnetite (FeO) and hematite (α-FeO) nanoparticles were prepared via the sol-gel auto-combustion method. The gels were prepared by reacting ferric nitrates (as oxidants) with starch (as fuel) at an elevated temperature of 200 °C. Different ratios (Φ) of ferric nitrates to starch were used for the synthesis (Φ = fuel/oxidant).

The assessment of buildings and constructions sector of economy proposal: an environmental perspective.

Environmental impact assessment methods suffer from an applicability issue which could impede their use and development. The main subject of this article is to present a method to evaluate the applicability of building environmental assessment method in a given country. Here, when we say that a method is applicable in a given country, it means that it could be widely used and that it could produce the expected effects in terms of energy savings, environmental impact minimization, economic gain, etc.

Municipal sewage sludge energetic conversion as a tool for environmental sustainability: production of innovative biofuels and biochar.

In this study, municipal sewage sludge (MSS) is converted simultaneously into renewable biofuels (bio-oil, syngas) and high value-added products (biochar) using a fixed bed pyrolyzer. This work examines the combined effect of two factors: final pyrolysis temperature (°C) and MSS moisture content (%) on pyrogenic product yields and characteristics. A centered composite experimental design (CCD) is established for pyrolysis process optimization by adopting the response surface methodology (RSM).

Instant and quantitative epoxidation of styrene under ambient conditions over a nickel(ii)dibenzotetramethyltetraaza[14]annulene complex immobilized on amino-functionalized SBA-15.

Nickel(ii)dibenzotetramethyltetraaza[14]annulene complex (Nitmtaa) was synthetized and immobilized on post amino-functionalized SBA-15 (N-SBA-15) to obtain a stable and reusable nanocatalyst named as Nitmtaa@N-SBA-15. Here (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) was first grafted on the surface SBA-15, then Nitmtaa was added and coordinated on the silica surface APTES amine groups. The structure and morphology, and thermal stability of the prepared nanocatalyst was investigated using SEM, HR-TEM, BET, FT-IR, powder XRD, and TGA.

Analysis of Minerals and Heavy Metals Using ICP-OES and FTIR Techniques in Two Red Seaweeds (Gymnogongrus griffithsiae and Asparagopsis taxiformis) from Tunisia.

In this study, the mineral and heavy metals (arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), mercury (Hg), potassium (K), manganese (Mn), sodium (Na), phosphorus (P), and lead (Pb)) in two red Tunisian seaweeds Gymnogongrus griffithsiae (G. griffithsiae) and Asparagopsis taxiformis (A. taxiformis), were evaluated.

Highly Efficient Silicon Nanowire Surface Passivation by Bismuth Nano-Coating for Multifunctional Bi@SiNWs Heterostructures.

A key requirement for the development of highly efficient silicon nanowires (SiNWs) for use in various kinds of cutting-edge applications is the outstanding passivation of their surfaces. In this vein, we report on a superior passivation of a SiNWs surface by bismuth nano-coating (BiNC) for the first time. A metal-assisted chemical etching technique was used to produce the SiNW arrays, while the BiNCs were anchored on the NWs through thermal evaporation.

Elucidating the Effect of Etching Time Key-Parameter toward Optically and Electrically-Active Silicon Nanowires.

In this work, vertically aligned silicon nanowires (SiNWs) with relatively high crystallinity have been fabricated through a facile, reliable, and cost-effective metal assisted chemical etching method. After introducing an itemized elucidation of the fabrication process, the effect of varying etching time on morphological, structural, optical, and electrical properties of SiNWs was analysed. The NWs length increased with increasing etching time, whereas the wires filling ratio decreased.

Reliability Study of c-Si PV Module Mounted on a Concrete Slab by Thermal Cycling Using Electroluminescence Scanning: Application in Future Solar Roadways.

Several tests were conducted to ratify the reliability and durability of the solar photovoltaic (PV) devices before deployment in the real field (non-ideal conditions). In the real field, the temperature of the PV modules was varied during the day and night. Nowadays, people have been bearing in mind the deployment of PV modules on concrete roads to make use of the space accessible on roads.

Photoactive nanoarchitectures based on clays incorporating TiO and ZnO nanoparticles.

Thought as raw materials clay minerals are often disregarded in the development of advanced materials. However, clays of natural and synthetic origin constitute excellent platforms for developing nanostructured functional materials for numerous applications. They can be easily assembled to diverse types of nanoparticles provided with magnetic, electronic, photoactive or bioactive properties, allowing to overcome drawbacks of other types of substrates in the design of functional nanoarchitectures.

Modeling kinetics and transport phenomena during multi-stage tire wastes pyrolysis using Comsol®.

This paper is devoted to the modeling of the pyrolysis process in order to predict mass and heat loss profiles of a used tire sample and ultimately prevent eventual difficulties in pyrolysis reactors. Once assumptions are made, the thermal balances and kinetics of each reaction were written. The resolution of the differential equations allowed us to present the profile of heat variation within the sample as a function of temperature in a fixed bed reactor.

Insights on the thermal impacts of wing colorization of migrating birds on their skin friction drag and the choice of their flight route.

The thermal effects of wing color in flight is investigated in four species of birds with respect to their flight routes, migration time, and geometric and behavioral characteristics. Considering the marine and atmospheric characteristics of these flight routes, a thermal analysis of the birds' wings is performed during their migration. The surrounding fluxes including the ocean flux and the solar irradiance are considered in an energy balance in order to determine the skin temperature of both sides of the wing.

Role of wing color and seasonal changes in ambient temperature and solar irradiation on predicted flight efficiency of the Albatross.

Drag reduction of the wings of migrating birds is crucial to their flight efficiency. Wing color impacts absorption of solar irradiation which may affect drag but there is little known in this area. To this end, the drag reduction induced by the thermal effect of the wing color of migrating birds with unpowered flight modes is presented in this study.