Sharif Digital Repository

Nanostructured graphene based membranes demonstrated excellent capabilities in various applications in nanofiltration and energy conversion due to unique atomically smooth surfaces and adjustable pore size or interlayers spacing at Angstrom scales. There are some reports on the osmotic power generation using physical confinements and electrostatic interactions between ions and GO membranes. However, the results indicated insufficient power densities (˂1 W/m2) can be achieved because of swelling of interlayer spacing of the GO membranes upon exposure to aqueous solutions which results in reducing the influence of confinement on ionic motilities. Here, the GO fibers is presented as one... 

The interaction of [60]fullerene with a series of 15-19-membered macrocycles containing an O 2N 2-donor set has been investigated by UV-visible spectroscopy. The formation constants arising from the complexation of [60]fullerene with these azacrown macrocycles, having various ring size, were determined in CHCl 3 media applying Benesi-Hildebrand equation. The stoichiometry has been found by the Job method in each case. The thermodynamic parameters, for example, formation enthalpies (δH o) and entropies (δS o), for these complexation were also determined. Experimentally, it was found that macroring size of the azacrown has a prominent effect on azacrown complexation with [60]fullerene in terms... 

Two-dimensional boron nitride quantum dots (2D BNQDs) with excellent chemical stability, high photoluminescence efficiency, and low toxicity are a new class of advanced materials for biosensing and bioimaging applications. To overcome the current challenge about the lack of facile, scalable, and reproducible synthesis approach of BNQDs, we introduce a green and facile approach based on mechanochemical exfoliation of bulk h-BN particles in ethanol. Few-layered hydroxylated-functionalized QDs with a thickness of 1-2 nm and a lateral dimension of 2-6 nm have been prepared. The synthesized nanocrystals exhibit a strong fluorescence emission at 407 and 425 nm with a quantum efficiency of ∼6.2%.... 

Success in forecasting and analyzing sales for given goods or services can mean the difference between profit and loss for an accounting period and, ultimately, the success or failure of the business itself. Therefore, reliable prediction of sales becomes a very important task. This article presents a novel sales forecasting approach by the integration of genetic fuzzy systems (GFS) and data clustering to construct a sales forecasting expert system. At first, all records of data are categorized into k clusters by using the K-means model. Then, all clusters will be fed into independent GFS models with the ability of rule base extraction and data base tuning. In order to evaluate our K-means... 

Stock market prediction is regarded as a challenging task in financial time-series forecasting. The central idea to successful stock market prediction is achieving best results using minimum required input data and the least complex stock market model. To achieve these purposes this article presents an integrated approach based on genetic fuzzy systems (GFS) and artificial neural networks (ANN) for constructing a stock price forecasting expert system. At first, we use stepwise regression analysis (SRA) to determine factors which have most influence on stock prices. At the next stage we divide our raw data into k clusters by means of self-organizing map (SOM) neural networks. Finally, all... 

Forecasting stock price time series is very important and challenging in the real world because they are affected by many highly interrelated economic, social, political and even psychological factors, and these factors interact with each other in a very complicated manner. This article presents an approach based on Genetic Fuzzy Systems (GFS) for constructing a stock price forecasting expert system. We use a GFS model with the ability of rule base extraction and data base tuning for next day stock price prediction to extract useful patterns of information with a descriptive rule induction approach. We evaluate capability of the proposed approach by applying it on stock price forecasting... 

Intelligent solutions, based on artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, to solve complicated practical problems in various sectors are becoming more and more widespread nowadays, because of their flexibility, symbolic reasoning, and explanation capabilities. Meanwhile, accurate forecasts on tourism demand and study on the pattern of the tourism demand from various origins is essential for the tourism-related industries to formulate efficient and effective strategies on maintaining and boosting tourism industry in a country. In this paper we develop a hybrid AI model to deal with tourist arrival forecasting problems. The hybrid model adopts Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) and... 

In this study, graphene oxide fibers are introduced as new graphene oxide (GO) membranes with the capability of ion selectivity. Graphene oxide fibers, like other macro structured membranes, are always associated with cavities and defects. To solve this problem, a 50% combination of graphene oxide suspension including small sheets with an average size of ~ 0.5 µm2 and large sheets with an area of more than 10 µm2 was used. According to the morphological results of scanning electron microscopy, as well as the amount of ionic transport through the fiber, reduction of cavities and its defects were confirmed. Moreover, it was found that ionic current through fibers consist of large and small GO... 

In the present work, nano-composites of Ni-P-SiO2-Al2O3 were coated on a 6061 aluminum substrate. The surface morphology of the nano-composite coating was studied by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The amount of SiO2 in the coating was determined by Energy Dispersive Analysis of X-Ray (EDX) and the crystalline structure of the coating was examined by X-ray diffractometer (XRD). All the experiments concerning the corrosion behavior of the coating carried out in 3.5%wt NaCl solution and evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and polarization technique. The results showed that an incorporation of SiO2 and Al2O3 in Ni-P coating at the SiO2 concentration of... 

The fabrication of strong photocatalysts applied to the degradation of organic pollutants is necessary in environmental applications. In a single-stage method, acetate precursor and poly vinyl pyrolydine are used to produce ZnO nanostructures with various morphologies in annealing temperatures ranging from 300 to 900 °C. The physical properties of the prepared nanostructures were characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, BET, DRS, CHN analysis and PL spectroscopy. The SEM images exhibit a variety of the as-prepared hexagonal zinc oxides including wires, rods, particles and porous network of welded particles of ZnO nanoparticles. The results of the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue as an... 

A family of dibenzodiaza-crown ether macrocyclic host molecules with naphthalene arms (Ln=L1-L4) were synthesized and characterized using IR, fluorescence (FL),1H, 13C NMR spectroscopy, elemental microanalysis, and mass spectrometry. The FL binding constant (KBH) measurements represented prominent selective supramolecular interactions for Ln (host) towards C60 (guest). The comparison of KBH values for (Ln=L1-L4) with C60 was executed, employing DFT calculations using the B97-D3 functional and 6-31G* basis set. These calculations unveiled excellent compatibility between the theoretical and experimental results of the binding constants, wherein the highest supramolecular interaction of L3 with... 

Here, we report the synthesis and characterization of a binuclear Co(ii) complex (Co2(2py)2Cl4) with two dinaphtho-diazacrown ether macrocyclic ligands, bearing two pyridine arms as a colourimetric and fluorescent sensor for detecting different xylene isomers as well as acting as a catalyst for the oxidation of o- and m-xylene under vacuum at room temperature. Chromogenic detection occurred when Co2(2py)2Cl4 was exposed to the xylene isomers, wherein the original blue colour of the complex changed to green and green-blue in the presence of o- and m-xylene, respectively. Meanwhile, no colour change was observed in the presence of the p-xylene isomer. Fluorescence spectroscopy revealed that... 

A new strategy for enhancing the efficiency of TiO2 dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) by design of a new double-layer film doped with Zn ions, with various morphologies and phase compositions, is reported. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed that Zn2+ (in the range 0.25-0.1 at.%) was successfully incorporated into the TiO2 lattice without forming secondary phases. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) analyses showed that the synthesized nanoparticles had nanometer grains with different phase compositions and average crystallite sizes in the range of 8-48 nm, depending upon Zn atomic percentage. UV-vis absorption verified that Zn... 

For the rapid detection of hyperglycemia in human blood, we adopted a facile and two-step electrochemical procedure to prepare nickel/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) hybrid electrodes in the framework of a three-dimensional (3D) nanostructure. High-density and vertically-aligned nickel submicrorods with an average diameter of 155 ± 15 nm and a length of 7 ± 1 μm (an aspect ratio of about 40-50) were prepared by template-mediated electrochemical deposition techniques. Networks of rGO nanosheets between the rod-shaped arrays were formed by the cathodic electrophoretic deposition method. The synergistic effect of nickel morphology (planar and high-density rod-shaped arrays) and graphene oxide... 

The fabrication of strong photocatalysts applied to the degradation of organic pollutants is necessary in environmental applications. In a single-stage method, acetate precursor and poly vinyl pyrolydine are used to produce ZnO nanostructures with various morphologies in annealing temperatures ranging from 300 °C to 900 oC. The physical properties of the prepared nanostructures were characterized by SEM, XRD and PL spectroscopy. The SEM images exhibit a variety of the as-prepared hexagonal zinc oxides including wires, rods, particles and porous network of welded particles of ZnO nanoparticles. The results of the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue as an organic dye in aqueous... 

A proper vertex k-coloring of a graph G is called dynamic, if there is no vertex v∈V(G) with d(v)<2 and all of its neighbors have the same color. The smallest integer k such that G has a k-dynamic coloring is called the dynamic chromatic number of G and denoted by χ2(G). We say that v∈V(G) in a proper vertex coloring of G is a bad vertex if d(v)<2 and only one color appears in the neighbors of v. In this paper, we show that if G is a graph with the chromatic number at least 6, then there exists a proper vertex χ(G)-coloring of G such that the set of bad vertices of G is an independent set. Also, we provide some upper bounds for χ2(G)- χ(G) in terms of some parameters of the graph G  

Numerous studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of reflective journal writing in (second language) teacher education. However, only a few studies have explored pre-service and in-service teachers' own perceptions in this regard, especially in the context of ELT (English Language Teaching). To address this gap, a focus group discussion was conducted among six in-service teachers on the advantages and challenges of the journal writing task in a BA Second Language Teaching Methodology course they had attended. Thematic analysis of the discussion showed that the participants believed writing journals had contributed to their self-awareness, understanding of issues related to ELT,... 

In the present communication, three bimacrocyclic tweezers linked through azobenzene moiety, Ln (n = 1–3) were synthesized in a multistep route and characterized by x-ray crystallography, IR, 1H and 13C NMR, UV–vis spectroscopy as well as CHN microanalysis. UV–visible spectroscopy established that the irradiation of L1 and L3 with UV light promoted the trans to cis isomerization. Irradiating the reaction mixtures with Hg lamp, significant supramolecular interactions between L1 and L3 with C60 were also found in terms of the association constants calculated by UV–visible spectroscopy, denoting on more pronounced interaction with C60 that in the absence of UV light. The molecular structures of... 

The in vitro endothelial response of human umbilical vein endothelial cells was investigated on a poly (caprolactone)-based polyurethane surface vs an in situ TiO2-polyurethane nanocomposite surface, which has been produced as scaffolds for artificial vascular graft. The in situ synthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles in polyurethane provided surface properties that facilitated cellular adhesion, cell sensing, cell probing and especially cell migration. Cells on the nanocomposite surface have elongated morphology and were able to produce more extracellular matrix. All of these advantages led to an increase in the rate of endothelialization of the nanocomposite scaffold surface vs pure polyurethane.... 

A family of Zn(II) complexes with naphthadiaza-crown macrocyclic host molecules (Ln = L1-L4) were prepared and characterized employing mass spectrometry, elemental microanalysis, 1H, 13C NMR, IR, UV–vis, fluorescence spectroscopy. The fluorescence study on [M(II)Ln]2+(M = Zn with n = 1–4, Hg with n = 5) complexes denoted on the presence of a notable selective supramolecular interaction with C60 in two different solvents, namely N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and chloroform for both [Zn(II)L4]2+ and [Hg(II)L5]2+. Employing both UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, 1:1 mol ratio were determined for [M(II)Ln]2+/C60 by applying the Job's plots. Comparing with their free ligands Ln interactions,...