Applied Chemistry

The photocatalytic activity was studied under UV light using AC-Cd/TiO2 prepared via precipitation method and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) , high resolution scanning electron micrographs (HR-SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), photoluminescence (PL) and Fourier transform Raman analysis (FT-RAMAN). The enhanced photo catalytic activity of the AC-Cd/TiO2 is demonstrated through photodegradation of methylene blue under UV light radiation at 365 nm. The mechanism of photocatalytic effect of AC-Cd/TiO2 Nano composite material has been discussed Further its antibacterial activity against two gram positive and two gram negative bacterial strain is studied.

The main objective of the research presented herein was to developed poly(dodecyl phenol formaldehyde)-b-poly(oxypropylene) block copolymer for asphaltene precipitation problem and performance of some asphaltene inhibitors\dispersant for a heavy crude oil provided by the Hossia crude oil (Ras Gharib – Egyptian Eastern desert). The dispersants/inhibitors was synthesized in tow steps; 1) synthesis of poly(dodecyl phenol formaldehyde) resin (PDPF) at three different molecular weights (1936, 4047 and 8092) namely PDPF1, PDPF2 and PDPF3 respectively; 2) propoxylation of the prepared compounds to produce PDPF1-b-POP, PDPF2-b-POP and PDPF3-b-POP has molecular weight (3096, 5179 and 9202) respectively. All of the synthesized compounds were evaluated as asphaltene inhibitors/dispersants at 100, 500 and 1000 ppm using UV spectrophotometer. The molecular weights were determined by GPC. The chemical structure of the prepared compounds was confirmed by IR and H1NMR. The crude oil was analyzed by GC. The results also revealed distinct inhibition of asphaltene precipitation in crude oils.

The temperature dependent study was investigated by using a UV-Visible spectrophotometer. Activation parameters such as energy of activation Ea, free energy of activation , entropy of activation and enthalpy of activation were obtained from Eryring’s equation. The effect of substrates on the activation energy were in the order: benzoate ion > H+ > urea > OH- for Tris-(3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline)Iron(II) Sulphate, Fe(Me4phen)32+ and benzoate ion > H+ > OH- > urea for Tris-(4,7-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline)Iron(II) Perchlorate, Fe(Me2phen)32+. Higher values of was observed in Fe(Me4phen)32+ in all substrates. The rate constants of dissociation were obtained from earlier published results of rate constants of binding and binding constants. Dissociation constants generally decreased with increase in the concentration of the surfactant, SDS. Higher rate constant of dissociation was observed in SDS- Fe(Me4phen)32+ than SDS- Fe(Me2phen)32+ in all the substrates.

The comparative nutritional values of bambara nut obtained from major market in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria were determined using standard analytical methods. The parameters investigated in proximate composition include protein, fat, fibre, moisture, carbohydrate and ash contents, The moisture content values ranged from 2.86±0.22 – 3.43±0.31%; crude protein 29.83±0.11 – 31.20±0.52%; crude fat 7.21±0.03 - 8.09±0.34% and ash content 3.20±0.17 - 5.98±0.40%; crude fibre 3.76±0.03 – 4.70±0.09 and total carbohydrate 48.82±0.16 – 51.56±0.21 % for bambara nut from the three markets respectively. The three samples contain reasonable amount of essential minerals such as Potassium, Sodium, Phosphorus, Calcium, Copper, Manganese, Iron and Zinc while Lead content was below the detection limits. Base on the mineral contents obtained from this work, it shows that, these samples can be use to meet the daily recommended intake value for man and his animal. This study therefore suggested that bambara nut can serve as a reliable foodstuff which can provide the basic nutrient we need in our body.

This physico-chemical study of soil is based on various parameters like pH, conductivity, Total Organic Carbon, Available Nitrogen (N), Available Phosphorus (P2O5) and Available Potassium (K2O). This study lead us to the conclusion of the nutrient’s quantity of soil of Kalol and Godhra Taluka, District- Panchmahal, Gujarat. Results show that average all the villages of both these taluka have medium and high potassium content. The fertility index for available potassium for both this taluka is 2.18. This information will help farmers to decide the problems related to soil nutrients amount of fertilizers to be added to soil to make the production economic.

Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT) / Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) nanotube composite blend was fabricated using melt blending technique in a twin extruder. The blend composition was optimized at PBT-PET weight ratio of 80-20. The effect of incorporation of MWCNT on the mechanical, electrical, thermal and morphological properties of the nanotube composites blend has been investigated. Mechanical properties show marginal improvement in impact strength, but considerable improvement in tensile strength and flexural strength. Changes in electrical properties observed. Increase in crystallisation temperature noted from DSC thermograms. DMA add the evidence for DSC and mechanical results. PBT - PET blend with CNT exhibited featureless XRD indicative of exfoliated structure. TEM micrographs also confirmed the same that the CNT has exfoliated into individual tubes.

Nanotechnology deals with various structures of matter having dimensions of the order of a billionth (1x10^-9) of a meter. In recent years nanotechnology has become one of the most important and exciting forefront fields in physics, chemistry, engineering and biology. Particles which are smaller than the characteristic lengths associated with particular phenomena often display new chemistry and physics, leading to new behavior which depends on the size. So, for example, the electronic structure, conductivity, reactivity, melting temperature and mechanical properties have all been observed to change when particles become smaller than a critical size. Nanotechnology is expected to enable environmentally friendly mass production at low cost. It is also expected that nanotechnology will prove to be useful in the development of light and strong materials, biomedical materials pharmaceutical materials and multifunctional intelligent materials. Many important nanostructures are composed of the group IV elements Si or Ge, type III-V semiconducting compounds such as Ga As, or type II-VI semiconducting materials such as CdS, CdSe, so these semiconductors materials will be used to illustrate some of the bulk properties that become modified with incorporation into nano-structures.

A rapid, simple, sensitive and selective spectrophotometric method has been developed for the determination of Molybdenum (VI) using Cinnamaldehyde thosemicabazone (CMTSC). Molybdenum (VI) forms a green coluored water-soluble complex with CMTSC in presence of Triton-X (100) (5%) (micellar medium) and the complex shows maximum absorbance while the reagent blank shows negligible absorbance at lmax 400 nm and at pH 4.0. Beer's law was obeyed in the range 0.095-0.959 mg/mL and the optimum concentration range from ringbom plot was 0.191-0.863 mg/mL of Molybdenum (VI). The molar absorptivity and Sandell's sensitivity for the coloured solution are found to be 5.05x104 L mol-1cm-1 and 0.0018-µg.cm-2 respectively. The interference effect of various diverse ions has been studied. The complex shows 1:1 [Mo (VI): CMTSC] stoichiometry with stability constant 3.5x105. The standard deviation of the method in the determination of 0.383-µg ml-1 of Molybdenum (VI) was 0.001. First and second order derivative spectrophotometric methods are developed at lmax 420 nm and 440 nm respectively for the determination of Molybdenum (VI) which was more sensitive than the zero order method. The developed method has been used for the determination of Molybdenum (VI) in foodstuffs, pharmaceutical samples and in alloys. The results are in good agreement with the certified values.

A selective and simple method has been developed for preconcentration of Ni on C18 disks nano graphene with aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES). Simple chemical bonding method to synthesize nano graphene with aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) was reported. The adsorption behaviors of Ni (II) in aqueous solution on APTES were systematically investigated. The procedure is based on the selective formation of Ni (II) at optimum pH by elution with organic eluents and determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The method is based on complex formation on the surface of the ENVI-18 DISKTM disks nano graphene with amino propyltriethoxysilane (APTES) followed by stripping of the retained species by minimum amounts of appropriate organic solvents. The elution is efficient and quantitative. The effect of potential interfering ions, pH, APTES amount, stripping solvent, and sample flow rate were also investigated. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the break-through volume was found to about 1000mL providing a preconcentration factor of 600. The maximum capacity of the disk nano graphene with aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) was found to be 398± 3 µg for Ni 2+.The limit of detection of the proposed method is 5ng per 1000mL.The method was applied to the extraction and recovery of Ni in different water samples.

Polystyrene-anchored Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), Ni(II), Mn(II), MoO₂(II), UO₂(II), Fe(III) and Zr(IV), complexes of unsymmetrical dibasic tetradentate ONNO donor Schiff base derived from the condensation of chloromethylated polystyrene, 3-formylsalicylic acid, ethylenediamine and 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde (PS–LH₂) have been synthesized. The polystyrene anchored complexes have the formulae: PS–LM (where M = Cu, Zn, Cd, Ni, MoO₂, UO₂), PS–LFeCl×DMF, PS–LMn×2DMF and PS–LZr(OH)₂×DMF. The polystyrene-anchored coordination compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR, reflectance, ESR and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The per cent reaction conversion of polystyrene anchored Schiff base to polystyrene supported coordination compounds lies between 24.0–77.9. The coordinated dimethylformamide is completely lost on heating the complexes. The shifts of the n(C=N)(azomethine) and n(C–O)(phenolic) stretches have been monitored in order to find out the donor sites of the ligands. The Cu(II) complex is paramagnetic with square planar structure; the Ni(II) complex is diamagnetic with square planar structure; the Zn(II) and Cd(II) complexes are diamagnetic and have tetrahedral structure; the Mn(II) and Fe(III) complexes are paramagnetic and have octahedral structure; the MoO₂(II) and UO₂(II) complexes are diamagnetic and have octahedral structure and the Zr(IV) complex is diamagnetic and has pentagonal bipyramidal structure.