Publications

Abstract Herein, we have investigated the interaction between a phenothiazine drug promethazine hydrochloride (PMT) and nonionic surfactant t -octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol (TX-100) in aqueous solutions using a conductometric technique at different temperatures and compositions. The evaluated critical micelle concentration ( cmc ) values are lower than cmc id values suggesting attractive interactions of mixed micelles components. It is observed that with the increase in temperature, the cmc value increases first and after the value decreases at higher temperature. At 298.15 K, the maximum cmc values were attained in presence or absence of TX-100. The bulk properties of solution were studied by means of different theoretical models reported in the literature such as Clint, Rubingh, Motomura, and Rodenas for explanation and comparison of results of different binary mixtures of the drug and TX-100. The negative values of interaction parameter (β) obtained from the regular solution theory (RST) recommend synergistic interactions. Activity coefficients ( f 1 and f 2 ) calculated by all theoretical models used herein were obtained to be always below unity indicating nonideality in all binary mixtures. Thermodynamic parameters (like standard Gibbs energy (Δ G ° m ), enthalpy (Δ H ° m ), and entropy (Δ S ° m )) are also evaluated which propose dehydration of hydrophobic portion of the drug at higher temperatures. The above results obtained may be helpful in model drug delivery systems.

Electrocatalytic eight-electron nitrate (NO₃^-) reduction is a sustainable strategy to degrade NO₃^- and convert it into high value-added ammonia (NH₃) but needs efficient catalysts with high activity and selectivity. Our study shows the use of Ti plate supported cobalt-phosphorus alloy film (Co-P/TP) as a highly active and selective electrocatalyst for ambient NO₃^--to-NH₃ conversion. In 0.2 M Na₂SO₄ with 200 ppm NO₃^-, Co-P/TP offers an NH₃ yield rate of 416.0 ± 7.2 μg h^-1 cm^-2 and a high faradaic efficiency of 93.6 ± 3.3% at -0.6 V and -0.3 V <i>vs.</i> reversible hydrogen electrode, respectively, with good durability. Noticeably, a conversion rate of 86.9% is achieved after 10 h bulk electrolysis.

A series of scarce tetrahydropyridinofullerenes were synthesized by the metal-free-mediated reaction of [60]fullerene with cheap and easily available α-methyl-substituted arylmethanamines and aldehydes in the presence of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO) and 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) in moderate to good yields comparable to the previously reported data for most monoadducts. The in situ generation of azadienes played a crucial role in the successful synthesis of tetrahydropyridinofullerenes. A plausible reaction mechanism was proposed to elucidate the reaction process.

Abstract This paper presents an experimental study to investigate the sustainable alternativeceiling boards using Palm Kernel Shell (PKS) and Balanite Shell (BS). The ceiling boards were prepared by mixing (BS/binder, PKS/binder and PKS/BS/binder) at different ratios of (20/80, 40/60, 60/40 and 80/20) and represented as samples (A 1 , A 2 , A 3 and A 4 ), (B 1 , B 2 , B 3 and B 4 ) and (C 1 , C 2 , C 3 and C 4 ) respectively. The samples werecast by flat press process in rectangular sheet shape mould of 187mm x 125 mm x 3mm. The samples were cut into specimen sizes of 30 mm x 40 mm and tested for dry shrinkage, water absorption, apparent porosity, bulk density,flaking, and hardness properties. Morphology of the samples were examined using SEM. Results of the analysis show that irrespective of the filler loadings the properties of PKS / binder particularly at 20/80 ratio (B 1 ) displayed better dry shrinkage of 3.7 %; water absorption of 12.4 %; apparent porosity of 15 %; bulk density of 2.3 g/cm 3 ; flaking of 0.05g and hardness of 57.6 Hv which approximates those of the conventional specimen (Control) with a more better physical properties compared to BS / binder at 20/80 ratio (A 1 ) with dry shrinkage of 6.1 %; water absorption of 33 %; apparent porosity of 35 %; bulk density 1.2 g/cm 3 ; flaking of 0.36g; hardness of 26.2 Hv and PKS / BS / binder at 20/80 ratio (C 1 )with dry shrinkage of 9.8 %; water absorption of 30 %; apparent porosity of 32 %; bulk density 1.4 g/cm 3 ; flaking of 0.1g; hardness of 36.7 Hv. These results therefore suggest that PKS could be used as a sustainable alternative in the production of ceiling boards.

Four hole transport materials (HTMs) based on a benzothiadiazole (BT) central core have been synthesized and successfully employed in triple-cation mixed-halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs), reaching 18.05% solar to energy conversion efficiency. The synthesis of these HTMs follows the push-and-pull approach to modulate the HOMO energy level by combining the BT group as an electron acceptor and diphenyl- and triphenyl-amines as electron donors. Here we show that despite adjusting the HOMO energy level to that of the perovskite is a believed requisite to achieve efficient interfacial hole transfer, additional factors must be taken into account to design novel and efficient HTMs, such as a high hole mobility, solubility in organic solvents, and thermal stability.

Three benzodipyrrole (BDP)‐based organic small molecules with substituted 4‐methoxyphenyl (CB‐1), 3‐fluorophenyl (CB‐2), and 3‐trifluoromethylphenyl (CB‐3) are designed, synthesized, and used as a hole‐transporting material (HTM) for perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The electrochemical, optical, thermal, electronic, and optoelectronic properties of the HTMs are characterized to verify their suitability for PSCs. The terminal functional groups of the HTMs having different heteroatoms mainly target effective defect passivation of perovskites. Photoluminescence studies and molecular dynamic simulations reveal that fluorine atoms within CB‐2 and CB‐3 can contribute to the defect passivation via interaction with Pb of the perovskite. In particular, a highly planar conformation of CB‐2 on the perovskite surface can facilitate more efficient hole transfer at the interface. Thus, the PSCs employing CB‐2 achieve the highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 18.23% while the devices using CB‐1 and CB‐3 exhibit a lower PCE of 16.78% and 16.74%, respectively. PSCs with the BDP‐based HTMs demonstrate excellent long‐term storage stability without degradation in their PCEs over 6 months. The highly planar geometry, defect passivation effect, and hydrophobicity of CB‐2 show its great potential as an HTM for efficient and stable PSCs.

The present communication reports the topotactic conversion of NiCo2O4 nanowires array on carbon cloth (NiCo2O4 NA/CC) into NiCo2S4 NA/CC, which is used as an efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for water splitting with good durability and superior activity in 1.0 M KOH. This NiCo2S4 NA/CC electrode produces 100 mA cm(-2) at an overpotential of 305 mV for hydrogen evolution and 100 mA cm(-2) at an overpotential of 340 mV for oxygen evolution. To afford a 10 mA cm(-2) water-splitting current, the alkaline water electrolyzer made from NiCo2S4 NA/CC needs a cell voltage of 1.68 V, which is 300 mV less than that for NiCo2O4 NA/CC, and has good stability.