Decorative Articles Based On Polymeric Materials

The aim of the research is to create decorative articles based on polymeric materials, study the effects of fillers and the type of moulds that it can cope with the exothermic reaction nature of resin to create a scientific background on the usage of the resins in daily life products. The polymeric materials that will be concentrated on are the unsaturated polyester resins and epoxy resins. The unsaturated polyester is of many types and chemical constituents, the used experimentally is a general-purpose type and the epoxy also have different types and the used is a commercially 3D floor coating type. The resulted articles that were achieved in the research from unsaturated polyester resins are two tables with different dimensions, vase, candle, decorative articles and bricks. As for Epoxy, two different dimensions 3D tiles with artificial flower immersed within it

Facile Synthesis of a Tailored-Designed Au/Pt Nanoanode for Enhanced Formic Acid, Methanol, and Ethylene Glycol Electrooxidation

The recent revolution in nanoscience and global energy demand have motivated research in liquid fuel cells (LFCs) due to their enhanced efficiency, moving flexibility, and reduced contamination. In line with this advancement, a glassy carbon (GC) electrode was modified with platinum (PtNPs) and gold (AuNPs) nanoparticles to fabricate a nanosized anode for formic acid, methanol, and ethylene glycol electrooxidation (abbreviated, respectively, to FAO, MO, and EGO), of the key anodic reactions of LFCs. The deposition sequence of the catalyst’s layers was important where the Au/Pt/GC electrode (in which PtNPs were directly deposited onto the GC surface followed by AuNPs—surface coverage ≈ 32%) exhibited the best catalytic performance. The catalytic performance of the Au/Pt/GC anode excelled (at least threefold) its value obtained at the Pt/GC anode with regard to FAO and EGO, if the oxidation peak currents were compared. This enhancement got reduced to 1.4 times in the case of MO, but the large decrease (− 220 mV) in the onset potential of MO provided compensation. The role of AuNPs in the Au/Pt/GC catalyst was principal in boosting its catalytic performance as it immunized the underlying PtNPs against CO poisoning which is associated with the release of CO as an intermediate during the oxidation. Interestingly, AuNPs succeeded in interrupting the contiguity of the Pt surface sites required for CO adsorption during FAO, MO, and EGO and, thus, presage preventing the deterioration of the catalytic performance of their corresponding LFCs

Transesterification of Castrol Oil for Biodiesel Production and Glycerol Electro-oxidation

In this study, transesterification of castor oil with methanol using KOH as catalyst was carried out aiming to produce biodiesel and glycerol. Different factors (oil: alcohol ratio, mixing time, and temperature) affecting the products’ yield were optimized and best sets were obtained. The best condition (90% biodiesel yield) required 5:1 oil: alcohol ratio, 2 h mixing, and 60oC. The physical proper-ties (density, viscosity, pour point, cloud point, water content, total sulphur, gross heating value, and total acid number) of the obtained biodiesel was measured and the Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy confirmed again the production of both biodiesel and glycerol. Furthermore, the obtained glycerol was further purified, characterized, and its further electro-oxidation was carried out as a fuel cell application