Sharif Digital Repository

Removal of aromatic compounds from fuel is an essential requirement in new environmental policies. In the present study, poly(vinyl alcohol)/graphene oxide (GO) mixed matrix membranes were prepared and applied to the separation of toluene from iso-octane by pervaporation, considering the similarity and interaction between graphene and aromatics. The effects of crosslinking and GO content on separation efficiency have been investigated in detail. Owing to the high affinity of GO with toluene through s and π bonds, the selectivity of the membranes was increased by incorporating a low amount of GO. The results also indicated that noncrosslinked membranes have higher selectivity and permeation... 

An easy and ecofriendly method for designing double-network (DN) hydrogels based on chitosan and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with high mechanical performance is described. When covalent bonds in the networks are used as crosslinking agents in the achievement of a higher mechanical strength, the irreversible deformation of these hydrogels after a large force is applied is still one of the most important obstacles. To overcome this problem, we used physical crosslinking for both networks. The mechanical strength, surface morphology, and cytotoxicity of the films were studied by tensile testing, scanning electron microscopy analysis, and an MTT assay. The synthesized chitosan–PVA DN hydrogels... 

According to the latest report from the World Health Organization, an estimated 265,000 deaths still occur every year as a direct result of burn injuries. A widespread range of these deaths induced by burn wound happens in low- and middle-income countries, where survivors face a lifetime of morbidity. Most of the deaths occur due to infections when a high percentage of the external regions of the body area is affected. Microbial nutrient availability, skin barrier disruption, and vascular supply destruction in burn injuries as well as systemic immunosuppression are important parameters that cause burns to be susceptible to infections. Topical antimicrobials and dressings are generally... 

Hydrogen bonds are the dominant motif for organizing the three-dimensional structures of biomolecules such as carbohydrates, nucleic acids, and proteins, and serve as templates for proton transfer reactions. Computations, gas-phase acidity measurements, and pKa determinations in dimethyl sulfoxide on a series of polyols indicate that multiple hydrogen bonds to a single charged center lead to greatly enhanced acidities. A new class of Brønsted acids, consequently, is proposed. © 2009 American Chemical Society  

This study investigated the behavior of ferrofluids containing superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) of various compositions for potential applications in drug delivery and imaging. To ensure biocompatibility, the interaction of these SPION with two cell lines (adhesive and suspended) was also investigated using an MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. The cell lines studied were primary mouse connective tissue cells (adhesive) and human leukemia cells (suspended). SPION were synthesized with a co-precipitation method under different stirring rates and NaOH molarities. The SPION demonstrated a range of magnetic saturations due to their... 

The synthesis of a novel superabsorbent hydrogel with natural hybrid backbone via graft copolymerization of acrylamide (AAm) onto kappa-carrageenan (kC, as a polysaccharide) and gelatin (as a protein) under classic thermal conditions is described. The Taguchi method as a strong experimental design tool was used for synthesis optimization. A series of hydrogels were synthesized by proposed conditions of Qualitek-4 Software. Considering the results of 9 trials according to analysis of variance (ANOVA), optimum conditions were proposed. The swelling behavior of optimum hydrogel was measured in various solutions with pH values ranging from 1 to 13. In addition, swelling kinetics, swelling in... 

In this report, the synthesis of a novel superabsorbent hydrogel via γ-irradiation graft copolymerization of acrylamide onto sodium alginate and kappa-carrageenan hybrid backbones in a homogeneous solution is described. The Taguchi method was used as a powerful experimental design tool for synthesis optimization. A series of superabsorbent hydrogels was synthesized by proposed conditions of Qualitek-4 software. Considering the results of nine trials according to analysis of variance, optimum conditions were proposed. The swelling behavior of optimum superabsorbent hydrogels was studied in various solutions, with pH values ranging from 1 to 13. In addition, swelling kinetics, swelling in... 

The inhibition of mild steel corrosion in 0.5 M sulphuric acid by the symmetrical acetylenic alcohol 2- butyne-1,4-diol is investigated. Weight loss and electrochemical impedance data consistently indicate inhibition efficiencies up to 98%. Short-term impedance measurements reveal that the interfacial inhibition is a function of the exposure time, and that full performance is achieved faster as inhibitor concentration and temperature are higher. An infrared study of the surface film provides evidence that the film does not achieve its final state but after several hours. Atomic force Microscopy has been used for investigation the surface topography of metallic electrode. © 2009 by ESG  

The performance of nanoparticles for biomedical applications is often assessed by their narrow size distribution, suitable magnetic saturation and low toxicity effects. In this work, superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) with different size, shape and saturation magnetization levels were synthesized via a co-precipitation technique using ferrous salts with a Fe3+/Fe2+ mole ratio equal to 2. A parametric study is conducted, based on a uniform design-of-experiments methodology and a critical polymer/iron mass ratio (r-ratio) for obtaining SPION with narrow size distribution, suitable magnetic saturation, and optimum biocompatibility is identified. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) has been... 

The catalytic activity of a mixture of ZnCl2: AlCl3 supported on silica gel was evaluated for the alkylation of phenols with benzyl alcohol, tret-butyl alcohol and styrene under microwave irradiation and solvent-free conditions. The catalyst preparation method, its characterization and reusability, were reported. The effect of the phenol to benzyl alcohol ratio and the time of reaction on the phenol conversion and distribution of products was investigated. A conversion percentage up to 97% was achieved when hydroquinone was used. A selective ortho- directed alkylation for phenol, α-naphthol and β-naphthol was observed. © Sharif University of Technology, December 2009  

A simple process for the chemical vapor deposition of ultra SD single-wall carbon nanotubes has been developed. In this process, an iron nitrate nonahydrate solution in isopropyl alcohol with a concentration of (400 μgr/milt) was used to catalyst nanoparticle formation on an oxidized silicon wafer. The oxide on the substrate was made of a thick layer of wet oxide sandwiched between two thin layers of dry oxide. The process results in semiconducting Single-Walled carbon Nano Tubes (SWNTs) with diameters of less than 0.7 nm and more than a 1 ev band gap energy, which are amongst the smallest diameters of SWNTs ever reported. © Sharif University of Technology, June 2009  

Background: Data about the global, regional, and country-specific variations in the levels and trends of colorectal cancer are required to understand the impact of this disease and the trends in its burden to help policy makers allocate resources. Here we provide a status report on the incidence, mortality, and disability caused by colorectal cancer in 195 countries and territories between 1990 and 2017. Methods: Vital registration, sample vital registration, verbal autopsy, and cancer registry data were used to generate incidence, death, and disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) estimates of colorectal cancer at the global, regional, and national levels. We also determined the association... 

In this work, we present the design and fabrication of a novel nanocomposite based on noble metal and metal oxide nanoparticles dispersed on highly porous carbon obtained via the pyrolysis of an inorganic complex and metal-organic frameworks. This nanocomposite is prepared by a two-step procedure: first, the composite support of nanoporous carbon (NPC) is obtained by the direct carbonization of the Cr-benzene dicarboxylic ligand (BDC) MOF in an Argon atmosphere at 500 °C (Cr2O3-NPC). A mixture containing Cr2O3-NPC and [PtCl(SnCl3)(SMe2)2] is then prepared, and underflow of Argon is heated to 380 °C. Finally, Pt-SnO2 nanoparticles are loaded on the Cr2O3-NPC support, and the obtained... 

The presence of impurities in the copper electrolyte increases the energy consumption of an electrorefining process and contaminates the deposited copper on cathode. The concentration of impurities increases over time making it necessary to remove them from the solution. This research introduces a fast, effective, and simple method to refine the industrial electrolyte from arsenic, iron and antimony by solvent displacement crystallisation technique. In this method, when alcohol is added to the electrolyte, the impurities precipitate from the solution as amorphous arsenato antimonite phase. Results show that Fe, Sb, and As are removed from the copper electrolyte by 75.2, 96.9 and 99.8%,... 

Cubic plus association (CPA) equations of state (EoSs) have found great interest in describing thermodynamic properties of associating fluids. In CPA EoSs, the association contribution proposed by Wertheim is added to cubic EoSs such as Soave–Redlich–Kwong (SRK) and Peng–Robinson (PR). In different developments of CPA EoSs, adjusting the pure component properties such as critical temperature and critical pressure in addition to the association parameters is proposed in some works in the literature. In this work, the PR EoS has been extended to water, phenol, and a number of alcohols (methanol up to dodecanol) by addition of the Wertheim association contribution. In contrast to other CPA... 

In the present study, the tri-layer nanofibers were synthesized via triaxial electrospinning process to control the sustained delivery of Doxorubicin (DOX), Paclitaxel (PTX) and 5- fluorouracil (5-FU) anticancer drugs from nanofibers. The 5-FU molecules were incorporated into the core solution (chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol (CS/PVA)) to fabricate the CS/PVA/5-FU inner layer of nanofibers. The intermediate layer was prepared from poly(lactic acid)/chitosan (PLA/CS) nanofibers. The DOX and PTX molecules were initially loaded into the g-C3N4 nanosheets and following were incorporated into the PLA/CS solution to fabricate the outer layer of nanofibers. The synthesized nanosheets and nanofibers were... 

In the current study, two series of antimicrobial dressings conjugated with silver sulfadiazine (SSD) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were developed and evaluated for chronic wound healing. Highly porous polycaprolactone (PCL)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibers were loaded with different concentrations of SSD or AgNPs and compared comprehensively in vitro and in vivo. SSD and AgNPs indicated a strong and equal antimicrobial activity against S. aureus. However, SSD had more toxicity against fibroblast cells over one week in vitro culture. An in vivo model of wound healing on male Wistar rats was developed with a full thickness wound. All the wound dressings indicated enough flexibility and... 

Barrier properties of the biaxial oriented polypropylene (BOPP) films are the most important properties in food packaging industry. In this study different compatibilizers and materials were examined in order to find an appropriate blend composition to minimize the oxygen permeability of the films. It was observed that using organoclay and nanocomposits have positive effect on the oxygen permeability although the kind of compatibilizer is important. Through all evaluated materials the PVA (Poly(vinyl alcohol)) and MA (Maleic Anhydride) were the most successful selection for this goal. The BOPP film blended by PVA achieved the lowest oxygen transfer rate (300 cc 20 μm/m2 24 h atm) in compared... 

The chitosan/poly vinyl alcohol membrane was modified by addition of some amine group to the membrane structure utilizing polyethyleneimine (PEI) in order to increase ionic metals adsorbent properties of the membrane. The removal percentage of the modified membranes was compared with the pristine membrane and activated carbon as common adsorbents. The membranes were characterized by FTIR, SEM, swelling degree and porosity measurement. The removal percentage of the membrane containing 0.5 wt.% PEI was more than 60% higher than the activated carbon and more than 40% higher than the pristine membrane. The modified membrane showed excellent adsorption capacity of 112.13, 86.08, and 75.5 mg/g for... 

In this study, a new inorganic-organic nano fibrous membrane (PTSNFM) has been fabricated via immobilization of carbazol-based Schiff base (S) into a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) - tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) polymeric support using the electrospinning method. PTSNFM has been used as an optode to detect and remove of mercury (II) ions. The characterization of PTSNFM has been fully carried out using different methods including FE-SEM, TEM, AFM, viscosity, surface tension and conductivity. FE-SEM and FT-IR analysis demonstrated the binding of Hg (II) to the PTSNFM via chelating of Hg (II) to the Schiff base ligand. PTSNFM can detect Hg (II) in the dynamic range of 0.020–0.50 ng/mL, with the LOD...