BIOMASS CONVERSION AND ITS APPLICATIONS

High worldwide demand for energy, souring prices of petroleum, and concern over global climate change has led to resurgence in the development of alternative energy that can displace fossil transportation fuel. Biomass is one of the important renewable sources for securing future energy supply, production of fine chemicals and high value biodegradable polymers, and sustainable development. Recently, efforts have been devoted to the conversion of lignocellulosic materials into fine chemicals, biopolymers, and biofuels. Attempts to transfer biomass to produce industrially useful polymers and fine-chemicals by traditional biotechnological approaches have obtained only very limited success. An effective biomass conversion requires the interdisciplinary research field which is a unique combination of biotechnology, chemistry, materials science and engineering, and may ultimately lead to cheap and effective processes for conversion of biomass into useful products such as fine chemicals, biopolymers, and biofuels

CONVERSION OF SUGARS INTO 5-HMF

At present, fossil fuels are playing the major role to meet the energy requirements of the world. The large consumption of fossil fuels creates so many environmental problems, such as green-house gases have motivated the search for alternative, renewable fuel options. Biomass is one of the few resources that have the potential to meet the challenges of sustainable and green energy systems. Current biomass resources comprise primarily industrial waste materials such as sawdust or pulp process wastes, hog fuel, forest residues, clean wood waste from landfills, and agricultural prunings and residues from plants such as lignocellulosic materials. There are already a considerable range of chemical building blocks derived from renewable resources. Among them, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is a versatile platform chemical for the synthesis of a wide range of industrially important materials, including biofuels

Thermodynamic Stability of Oxide Phases of Fe-Cr Based ODS Steels via Quantum Mechanical Calculations

AbstractUsing density functional theory-based calculated formation and reaction enthalpies, we have examined the relative stability of a large number of likely oxide phases of typical oxide dispersion strengthened steels based on the Fe-Cr-Al-Ti-Y-O system. Calculated formation and reaction enthalpies are in good agreement with available measured values. The relatively more negative formation enthalpies of Y2O3, Y2TiO5, Y4Al2O9, Y2Ti2O7 and YAlO3 oxides show them to be more stable corroborating with their observation in the microstructure of ODS steels. Analysis of reaction enthalpies, guided by convex-hull consideration, gives a mechanism by which reactions of Y2O3 with Al2O3 for the formation of YAlO3, Y4Al2O9, and Y3Al5O12, and reactions of Y2O3 with TiO2 for the formation of Y2TiO5 and Y2Ti2O7, are favored over other likely reactions, such as, those based on Y-Fe-O, Y-Cr-O and Fe-Cr-O systems

Design And Fabrication Of Nanodevice For Cell Interfacing

The goal of this thesis is to (a) design and fabricate a nanodevice that interface with cells and (b) optimize neuronal cell culturing protocol. The long term objective of this thesis is to perform intracellular electrical signal recording and stimulation of neuronal cells. To achieve this objective, a nanodevice with “Fin†shaped electrodes was designed that increases the electrode area and conductance so that it reduces the signal loss as shown in the case of traditional circular Nanopillar design. The overarching goal of neuroscience is to target and discover the relationships between the functional connectivity-map of neuronal circuits and their physiological or pathological functions

Educational Thoughts of Perarignar C.N. Annadurai: A Content Analysis

The objective of this paper is to describe the educational thoughts and activities of Perarignar C.N. Annadurai which are present in his writings and speeches. This article uses the descriptive method and content analysis approach to do the study. His progressive thinking on objective of education, plan of education, methods of learning and teaching, instructional language, secular education, and need of educational institutions. The primary source of this article are, books authored by Perarignar C.N. Annadurai and the books written by others on C.N. Annadurai's thoughts on education and associated activities. The betterment of an individual and the social economical cultural and political progress of a nation are constructed based on the education they possess

Design And Fabrication Of Nanodevice For Cell Interfacing

The goal of this thesis is to (a) design and fabricate a nanodevice that interface with cells and (b) optimize neuronal cell culturing protocol. The long term objective of this thesis is to perform intracellular electrical signal recording and stimulation of neuronal cells. To achieve this objective, a nanodevice with “Fin†shaped electrodes was designed that increases the electrode area and conductance so that it reduces the signal loss as shown in the case of traditional circular Nanopillar design. The overarching goal of neuroscience is to target and discover the relationships between the functional connectivity-map of neuronal circuits and their physiological or pathological functions

Efficacy of transverse cerebellar diameter/abdominal circumference ratio: a gestational age independent parameter in assessing fetal growth restriction

Background: It is important to identify fetal growth restriction (FGR) antenatally because it is associated with increased perinatal morbidity and mortality. There is difficulty in diagnosis of fetal growth restriction using standard ultrasonographic parameters as they are gestational age related and are not reliable in cases of symmetrical growth restriction. Therefore, there is a need for gestational age independent biometric parameter, which can diagnose fetal growth restriction in unknown gestational age and can diagnose both symmetric and asymmetric fetal growth restriction. In this study transverse cerebellar diameter (TCD)/abdominal circumference (AC) ratio used to diagnose fetal growth restriction. Objectives of the study were to evaluate the validity of TCD/AC ratio in diagnosing fetal growth restriction and to find out the cut-off value of TCD/AC ratio for diagnosis of fetal growth restriction.Methods: This study was carried out for 12 months and sample size was 100. Transverse cerebellar diameter, abdominal circumference measured between 20-22wks and 32-34weeks of gestation and transverse cerebellar diameter and abdominal circumference ratio calculated.Results: TCD/AC ratio was fairly constant throughout the pregnancy. Fetuses with TCD/AC ratio more than 2SD of the mean were found growth restricted on examination. The TCD/AC ratio more accurate in diagnosing fetal growth restriction (FGR).Conclusions: As the TCD/AC ratio is constant, it is a gestational age - independent parameter, can diagnose FGR in antenatal women with unknown gestational age. Hence, TCD/AC ratio can be a screening test to diagnose FGR in the antenatal period