Sharif Digital Repository

A recently developed two-level undercut-profile substrate (2LUPS), containing two levels of plateaus connected by a curved wall with an undercut profile, enables self-forming filaments in a coated conductor during physical line-of-sight deposition of buffer and superconducting layers. In the present study, the 2LUPS concept is applied to a commercial cube-textured Ni-5at.%W tape, and the surface of the 2LUPS coated with two Gd2Zr2O7 buffer layers using chemical solution deposition is examined. Except for narrow regions near the edge of upper plateaus, the plateaus are found to be covered by strongly textured Gd2Zr2O7 buffer layers after dip coating and sintering  

This study describes the synthesis of TiO2/WO3 composite systems with a varying concentration of WO3 by a glucose-template assisted method and demonstrates their round-the-clock photoactivity performance towards the degradation of methanol (MeOH) under illumination and dark conditions. XRD results indicated a biphasic anatase-rutile nature of TiO2, with tunable concentrations with respect to the WO3 loading. WO3 incorporation extended the light absorption of the system towards visible light, increasing the observed photoactivity. The obtained results were further validated using photo-electrochemical investigations such as photocurrent measurements and the impedance response of the systems.... 

This study demonstrates the glucose-template assisted synthesis of hydrogen-treated Pt: TiO2/WO3 composites, and their round-the-clock photoactivity towards methanol (MeOH) degradation under light illumination and in dark. XRD indicated increasing rutile fraction in TiO2 as a function of template removal, WO3 crystallinity and H2 treatment process. The presence of oxygen vacancies in WO3 was confirmed by XPS. Lower recombination rate and higher surface area were observed in the optimized H2-Pt-G:TiO2/WO3 catalyst. The presence of oxygen vacancies and optical enhancements due to the synergistic interactions of the multi-system (TiO2, WO3 and Pt) extended the visible light absorption of the... 

In the present work we obtained a series of NIR luminescent platinum(II) complexes with a pincer N^N^C ligand based on the conjugated {benzoimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine} system with the [Pt(N^N^C)L]n+ structural motif (L = phosphine, alkynyl or pyridine-type ligands). We have also synthesized two complexes with bidentate phosphines that demonstrate different types of coordination: 1) as chelating ligand (in case of 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)benzene), that led to de-coordination of pyridine ring of N^N^C ligand and formation of a [Pt(N^C)dppb]+ complex; 2) as a bridging ligand (in case of bis(diphenylphosphino)methane) between two {Pt(N^N^C)} fragments in a dimeric complex of type... 

An efficient one-pot, three-component synthesis of novel dispiro[oxindole-3,3′-pyrrolidines] by 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides, in situ generated by reaction of 1,2-diones with sarcosine and subsequent decarboxylation, with a series of (E)-3-benzylidene-2,3-dihydro- 1H-indol-2-ones is reported. Molecular complexity is generated in only one synthetic step. All reactions proceed with excellent regioselectivity and in good-to-excellent yields. The workup is easy, the reaction times are short, and no catalyst is required. © 2013 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich  

A Deza graph with parameters (n, k, b, a) is a k-regular graph with n vertices such that any two of its vertices have b or a common neighbours, where b ≥ a. In this paper we investigate spectra of Deza graphs. In particular, using the eigenvalues of a Deza graph we determine the eigenvalues of its children. Divisible design graphs are significant cases of Deza graphs. Sufficient conditions for Deza graphs to be divisible design graphs are given, a few families of divisible design graphs are presented and their properties are studied. Our special attention goes to the invertibility of the adjacency matrices of Deza graphs. © 2020, © 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group  

A Deza graph with parameters (Formula presented.) is a k-regular graph with n vertices such that any two of its vertices have b or a common neighbours, where (Formula presented.). In this paper we investigate spectra of Deza graphs. In particular, using the eigenvalues of a Deza graph we determine the eigenvalues of its children. Divisible design graphs are significant cases of Deza graphs. Sufficient conditions for Deza graphs to be divisible design graphs are given, a few families of divisible design graphs are presented and their properties are studied. Our special attention goes to the invertibility of the adjacency matrices of Deza graphs. © 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor &... 

For the first time this work reports a new idea to develop a round-the-clock self-cleaning coating which was successfully applied to preserve cultural heritage and modern artifacts under sunlight illumination and at night. To fabricate this structure, namely, H2:TiO2/WO3@Pt, soft templating and hydrogen treatment approaches were selected to enhance the performance of TiO2/WO3 photocatalyst, together with the addition of Pt plasmonic nanoparticles. The coating can be photochemically charged in the presence of sacrificial electron donors and keep its stability, benefiting from the remained electrons stock for over 10 h to clean the surface from aggressive pollution also at night, in absence of... 

Vertically aligned ZnO@CdS nanorod heterostructure films with various loadings of CdS nanoparticle shell were synthesized and applied in photoinactivation of Escherichia coli bacteria under visible light irradiation. While neither the bare ZnO nanorods (with band-gap energy (Eg) of ∼3.28 eV) under visible light irradiation nor the nanorod heterostructures in dark exhibited any significant antibacterial activity, the ZnO@CdS nanorod heterostructures (with Eg ∼2.5-2.6 eV) could successfully inactivate the bacteria under visible light irradiation. Furthermore, it was found that an optimum loading of the CdS shell (corresponding to the effective thickness less than ∼15 nm) is required to achieve... 

Travel speeds between 25–300 mm/min and tool rotational speeds of 800 and 1250 rpm were employed for this study. The microstructure, mechanical properties and fracture surfaces of the joints were studied. Underwater environment and an increase in travel speed significantly increase the precipitates’ volume fraction, reduce the average grain and precipitate sizes of the weld nugget zones. A critical travel speed of 150 mm/min is attained in underwater welds beyond which the average grain sizes remain relatively the same. Average grain and precipitate sizes have linear relationships with the tool rotational and travel speed ratio. Optimum weld strengths of 396 and 360 MPa were obtained in the... 

This paper examines the use of pre-fabricated interlocking arms/threading in enhancing the strength of friction stir spot welded hybrid joints of AA2219/PP-C30S polypropylene polymer by varying parameter combination. The process involves the fabrication of a pre-threaded hole on the Al alloy prior to the joining process, and the threading/crest-pitch profile aids mechanical interlocking. The peak temperature, crest-pitch interlocked profiles, microstructural and mechanical properties of the joints were examined. The results show that an increase in the tool rotational speed increases the thickness of the reaction layer (between the Al and the polymer substrates), the shear-tensile load... 

The influence of the addition of the nonionic surfactants C12DMPO, C14DMPO, C10OH, and C10EO5 at concentrations between 10-5 and 10-1 mmol/L to solutions of β-casein (BCS) and β-lactoglobulin (BLG) at a fixed concentration of 10-5 mmol/L on the dilational surface rheology is studied. A maximum in the viscoelasticity modulus |E| occurs at very low surfactant concentrations (10-4 to 10-3 mmol/L) for mixtures of BCS with C12DMPO and C14DMPO and for mixtures of BLG with C10EO5, while for mixture of BCS with C10EO5 the value of |E| only slightly increased. The |E| values... 

A new polymer with C 4H stoichiometry based on graphene is synthesized in situ using template-induced polymerization of self-organizing hydrogen adsorbates on graphene. The polymerization is observed "live" on the surface of graphene by photoemission spectroscopy. Photoemission spectroscopy allows for an accurate determination of the carbon/hydrogen stoichiometry, an aspect that is extremely important for understanding functionalized graphene  

The aim of this work was to study the treatment of strong beet sugar wastewater by an upflow anaerobic fixed bed (UAFB) at pilot plant scale. Three fixed bed bioreactors (each 60 L) were filled with standard industrial packing, inoculated with anaerobic culture (chicken manure, cow manure, anaerobic sludge digested from domestic wastewater) and operated at 32-34 °C with 20 h hydraulic retention time (HRT) and influent COD ranging between 2000-8000 mg/L. Under these conditions the maximum efficiency of organic content reduction in the reactor ranged from 75% to 93%. The reactor filled with standard pall rings made of polypropylene with an effective surface area of 206 m2/m3 performed best in... 

Graphene oxide (GO)–chitosan composite layers with stacked layer structures were synthesized using chemically exfoliated GO sheets (with lateral dimensions of ∼1 μm and thickness of ∼1 nm), and applied as antibacterial and flexible nanostructured templates for stem cell proliferation. By increasing the GO content from zero to 6 wt%, the strength and elastic modulus of the layers increased ∼80% and 45%, respectively. Similar to the chitosan layer, the GO–chitosan composite layers showed significant antibacterial activity (>77% inactivation after only 3 h) against Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. Surface density of the actin cytoskeleton fibers of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) cultured... 

Superparamagnetic ZnFe2O4/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composites containing ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles (with ∼5-20 nm sizes) attached onto rGO sheets (with ∼1 μm lateral dimensions) were synthesized by hydrothermal reaction method. By increasing the graphene content of the composite from 0 to 40 wt%, the size as well as the number of the ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles decreased and the saturated magnetization of the composites reduced from 10.2 to 1.8 emu/g, resulting in lower responses to external magnetic fields. Concerning this, the time needed for 90% separation of ZnFe2O4/rGO (40 wt%) composite from its solution (2 mg/mL in ethanol) was found 60 min in the presence of an external magnetic field (∼1... 

Tungsten oxide thin films (deposited by thermal evaporation or sol gel method) were used for photocatalytic reduction of graphene oxide (GO) platelets (synthesized through a chemical exfoliation method) on surface of the films under UV or visible light of the environment, in the absence of any aqueous ambient at room temperature. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) technique was employed to characterize surface morphology of the GO sheets and the tungsten oxide films. Moreover, using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), chemical state of the tungsten oxide films and the photocatalytic reduction of the GO platelets were quantitatively investigated. The better performance of the sol-gel tungsten... 

Dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene (EB) to produce styrene (ST) monomer is commercially performed over potassium-promoted iron oxide catalysts. Catalyst deactivation due to coke deposition and loss of potassium is a major operation and economic drawback in this process. To better evaluate the performance change of these catalysts over their life-cycle, dehydrogenation of EB to ST over the fresh and used commercial catalysts was experimentally investigated at temperatures from 590 to 639°C under atmospheric pressure. The fresh and the used catalysts were obtained from a styrene plant. The used catalyst had been continuously operated for two years under severe plant conditions. The catalyst... 

Graphene oxide (GO) sheets with a low concentration (∼1 wt%) were deposited on surface of hydrothermally synthesized ZnO nanorod films. The deposited films were heat treated at 450 °C in order to achieve suitable GO/ZnO hybrid thin films for photocatalytic purposes. The photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposite films was investigated based on degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye which is a typical pollutant model. The GO/ZnO hybrid thin films could degrade higher MB (∼90%) than the bare ZnO nanorods (which showed only ∼75% degradation) after 450 min UV irradiation. A further significant improvement (resulting in a nearly complete degradation of MB) was achieved by exposing the GO/ZnO... 

Surface coverage as one of the most effective parameters of shot peening process has substantial influence on the functionality of the peened component. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of surface coverage increase on the properties of treated specimens experimentally before and after re-shot peening. Different shot peening treatments from conventional to severe; were performed on the AISI 1045 steel. Microstructural observations and XRD measurements were applied to characterize the circumstance of microstructure changes. In order to investigate the mechanical properties, microhardness profiles were achieved, surface roughness was evaluated and the residual stresses...