3 research outputs found
Temperature-induced phase separation in pseudoternary mixtures of Triton X-100–butanol–kerosene–water
<p>The transparent Winsor IV domain in the phase diagram of the mixtures of emulsifier (Triton X-100 and butanol), oil (kerosene), and water is found to be 34% of the total phase diagram in presence of emulsifier with surfactant:cosurfactant::1:1, and is water dominant. Increase in cosurfactant/surfactant ratio inverts the Winsor IV domain to become oil rich. The plot of conductance of the microemulsions prepared by substituting water by brine against water content depicts the existence of three distinct phases like oil-in-water, bicontinuous, and water-in-oil microemulsion in the phase diagram. The phase contrast micrographs of the mixtures of different compositions in these three different phases reveal the existence of microdroplets of oil dispersed in water and water dispersed in oil. Further, the dynamic light scattering studies of these solutions reveal an inhomogeneity in the size distribution of the droplets. A temperature-induced clouding in the microemulsion domain leading to phase separation has been observed. Additives like glucose, sucrose, and sodium chloride decrease the cloud point (CP), while addition of ammonium thiocyanate increases it. A quantitative relationship of the clouding temperature with the composition of the microemulsion has been established. With increase in oil and emulsifier, the cloud point of the microemulsion increases. The separated phases after the clouding have been used for preconcentration of water-soluble metal ions as well as oil-soluble dyes. The turbid systems on heating led to separation into three isotropic phases which are found to be stable at ambient temperature. The stability of these phases is ascribed to the formation of stable microemulsions by mass transfer from one phase to other.</p
Hierarchical Structured Cu/Ni/TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanocomposites as Electrodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries
The electrochemical
performance of anodes made of transition metal oxides (TMOs) in lithium-ion
batteries (LIBs) often suffers from their chemical and mechanical
instability. In this research, a novel electrode with a hierarchical
current collector for TMO active materials is successfully fabricated.
It consists of porous nickel as current collector on a copper substrate.
The copper has vertically aligned microchannels. Anatase titanium
dioxide (TiO<sub>2</sub>) nanoparticles of ∼100 nm are directly
synthesized and cast on the porous Ni using a one-step process. Characterization
indicates that this electrode exhibits excellent performance in terms
of capacity, reliable rate, and long cyclic stability. The maximum
insertion coefficient for the reaction product of Li<sub><i>x</i></sub>TiO<sub>2</sub> is ∼0.85, a desirable value as an anode
of LIBs. Cross-sectional SEM and EDS analysis confirmed the uniform
and stable distribution of nanosized TiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles
inside the Ni microchannels during cycling. This is due to the synergistic
effect of nano-TiO<sub>2</sub> and the hierarchical Cu/Ni current
collector. The advantages of the Cu/Ni/TiO<sub>2</sub> anode include
enhanced activity of electrochemical reactions, shortened lithium
ion diffusion pathways, ultrahigh specific surface area, effective
accommodation of volume changes of TiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles,
and optimized routes for electrons transport
(–) Typical skin symptom on palms (upper row) and soles (lower row) of a victim before (left) and 2 months (right) after administration of Arsenicum Album-30
<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Can Homeopathic Arsenic Remedy Combat Arsenic Poisoning in Humans Exposed to Groundwater Arsenic Contamination?: A Preliminary Report on First Human Trial"</p><p>Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2005;2(4):537-548.</p><p>Published online 19 Oct 2005</p><p>PMCID:PMC1297497.</p><p>© The Author (2005). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.</p