Volume 236, Issue 2

In this research work nanoparticles of Mg (0, 1, 2 and 3%) doped MoS 2 are prepared by Hydrothermal method at 200 °C for 9 h. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) for surface morphology, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) for structural and chemical bonding and UV-visible spectroscopy for optical properties are used. SEM showed that sheet-like structure has changed into stone-like shaped when Mg has doped into MoS 2 . From FTIR, Mo–O, Mo=S, and H–O bond peaks are becoming dim and new chemical bonds S=O, Mo=O, Mg–O, CH and OH are forming with the increase of Mg doping. UV-visible spectroscopy showed that MoS 2 has an indirect bandgap 2.21 eV. Band gap decreased from 1.84 to 1.82 eV when the Mg doping was increased from 1 to 2%, respectively. As Mg concentration was increased i.e. 3% then band gap increased to 1.88 eV. Photocatalytic activity (PCA) of undoped and Mg doped MoS 2 is appraised by degrading rhodamine blue (RhB) and methylene blue (MB) dyes. The results showed that PCA (in presence of visible light) Mg doped MoS 2 is greater than pure MoS 2 which significantly increased the photocatalytic properties.

The current research work is to investigate the photocatalytic efficiency and degradation of ciprofloxacin using WO 3 /TiO 2 nanoparticles under visible light irradiation. The nanoparticles of tungsten trioxide (WO 3 ) and its composite with titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) i.e. WO 3 /TiO 2 was prepared by hydrothermal method. Four basic characterizations were performed to study the prepared sample materials. To study the morphology of the prepared samples, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used. The results of SEM clearly showed that tungsten trioxide (WO 3 ) has Rectangular shaped structure. The average size of the pure Tungsten trioxide nanoparticles was about 40–540 nm. The composite of WO 3 /TiO 2 has spherical structure. The reason behind that was the addition of TiO 2 in WO 3 changes the morphology of pure WO 3 , and transformed the rectangular structure to a spherical structure. The presence of TiO 2 changes the position and orientation of the nanorods in all possible directions. For the detailed analysis of the functional groups present in these samples, band gap, and optical properties of these samples, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet visible (UV–VIS) spectroscopy and Photoluminescence (PL) emission spectroscopy was used. UV–Vis spectroscopy results showed that the bandgaps of prepared catalysts vary within the range of 2.76 – 2.5 eV. This decrease in bandgap is directly related with the concentration ratio of TiO 2 in WO 3 . The maximum excitation wavelength observed at 440 nm. The maximum degradation efficiency was at 2% of WO 3 /TiO 2 composite catalyst due to unique morphological structure and increase rate of photo absorption.

In the present investigation, photosensitized nanofibers (NFs) based on guar gum (GG)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/Mg 4 Si 6 O 15 (OH) 2 ·6H 2 O (SP) (modified by 1, 4-diamminobutane [DAB]) was fabricated by electrospinning approach and same was used for the degradation of dye under solar light irradiation. For electrospinning of NFs, the acceleration voltage, nozzle flow rate and collector distance levels of 19,000 KV, 0.5 mL/h and 3 cm were optimum conditions along with 7% (w/v) blend of GG/PVA (1.4:5.6 wt/wt) and 0.01 g modified Mg 4 Si 6 O 15 (OH) 2 ·6H 2 O. The exfoliation, intercalation and clay organophilization in GG/PVA/Mg 4 Si 6 O 15 (OH) 2 ·6H 2 O (GG/PVA/SP) NFs were examined by FTIR analysis. The photocatalytic activity (PCA) of NF was studied under the solar light irradiation for methylene blue (MB) dye degradation. The photosensitized GG/PVA/SP2 (G3) showed promising PCA under visible light and G3 furnished higher degradation of MB dye (99.1%) within 10 min of irradiation. Results revealed that GG/PVA/SP based NFs are highly active under solar light, which can be applied for the treatment of wastewater.

Removal of noxious dyes from waste water is highly desirable for the safety of humans, aquatic life and natural environment. The issue was addressed in the present work by one pot fabrication of polyacrylamide/Gum Arabic (pAAm/GA) composite hydrogel which was applied as sorbent for basic blue-3 (BB3) eradication. The synthesis of the material was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). Besides, the same techniques also evidenced BB3 uptake by the hydrogel. In distilled water, the swelling capacities of the hydrogel was investigated at pH 7 and the nature of water diffusion into the hydrogel was probed from the resultant data. The composite hydrogel reached equilibrium point in 24 h after which no appreciable water absorption occurred. The adsorption of BB3 by the hybrid material was comprehensively investigated which involved the effect of contact time, temperature and pH on the sorption capacity of the hybrid sorbent. The obtained data fitted well into pseudo second order kinetic model and the adsorption took place in three consecutive kinetic phases. Moreover, sorption thermodynamics revealed non spontaneous and endothermic nature of BB3 sorption accompanied with increase in degree of order.

The purpose of this study was to see if Cymbopogon schoenanthus aerial extract (CSA extract) could reduce the corrosion of aluminum brass in acid cleaning solutions in the distillation plant. For this assessment, measurements of weight loss and polarization technique have all been used. We discovered that at 250 ppm, the efficiency of CSA extract was excellent (97%). Polarization assessments confirmed that the organic compounds in CSA extract were effective mixed-type corrosion inhibitors. HPLC and FTIR analysis were used to explore the key chemical components of CSA extract. CSA extract caused the corrosion process to have a higher energy barrier. Observations of SEM and FT-IR spectra confirmed that CSA extract prevents corrosion attacks at the aluminum brass’s surface.

The chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol/halloysite nanoclay (CS/PVA/HNC) loaded with cephradine drug electrospun nanofibers (NFs) were fabricated and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) techniques. FTIR analysis confirmed the hydrogen bonding between the polymer chain and the developed siloxane linkages. SEM analysis revealed the formation of uniform NFs having beads free and smooth surface with an average diameter in 50–200 nm range. The thermal stability of the NFs was increased by increasing the HNC concentration. The antimicrobial activity was examined against Escherichia  coli and staphylococcus strains and the NFs revealed auspicious antimicrobial potential. The drug release was studied at pH 7.4 (in PBS) at 37 °C. The drug release analysis showed that 90% of the drug was released from NFs in 2 h and 40 min. Hence, the prepared NFs could be used as a potential drug carrier and release in a control manner for biomedical application.

Azole derived products acquired significant consideration in everyday life based on their improved biological potential to the semiconducting substances. The research focused in-depth within pyrazol, and oxazole compounds 1–4 concerning charge transport, structural, optical as well as electronic properties. The density functional theory (DFT) along with time-dependent DFT were used for the optimization of their ground state geometries and excitation energies. We also investigated the molecule’s electron coupling constants (| V RP |) as well as electron injection (Δ G inject ) values. For better understanding, charge transport and electronic characteristics were performed through quantum chemical computations. The | V RP | and Δ G inject values of pyrazole, as well as oxazole molecules, exhibited that these compounds could be competent for dye-sensitized solar cell applications. The pyrazole higher diagonal band gap enlightening these might have enhanced fill factor (FF) along with short-circuit current density ( J sc ). We have also explored the electron injection, energy level offset, dissociation of excitons, and band alignment of studied compounds to shed light on the functionality of these compounds for photovoltaic and semiconductor device applications.

Vitamin D, like other functional lipid bioactive compounds, t suffers from less structural stability, poor water solubility and consequently less bioavailability and cellular uptake. Preparation of vitamin D microemulsions is one of the solutions for the above problems. Thus, in the present study, vitamin D microemulsions were prepared using various one/two-component stabilizer systems, namely, Tween 20 and sodium caseinate in various proportions. The effects of stabilizer components proportions on characteristics of gained vitamin D microemulsions were evaluated using a two-component mixture design of experiment. Therefore, various polynomial models were proposed in order to predict the characteristics of produced microemulsions. According to the optimization analysis, the vitamin D microemulsions stabilized by a stabilizer system composed of 70% Tween 20 and 30% sodium caseinate could produce the most desirable microemulsions with minimum mean particle size, polydispersity, and maximum zeta potential, transparency and vitamin D content. The produced vitamin D microemulsions showed acceptable chemical and good physical stabilities, which can be incorporated easily in water-based food and pharmaceutical formulations.

Vildagliptin (VID) is a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor used in controlling blood glucose level in type 2 diabetes. Vildagliptin improves beta cells function and is also suggested to effectively control the inflammation. The possible ocular anti-inflammatory property of vildagliptin has been explored using topically applied plasticized ocular film formulation. Film formulation was prepared by solvent cast and evaporation method using triethanolamine (TEA), dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), and polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG 400) as the plasticizer in HPMC hydrogel matrix base. Anti-inflammatory study was carried out in the carrageenan induced ocular rabbit model. Analytical methods confirmed that the drug was present almost in completely amorphized form in the film formulation. Level of hydration, swelling and erosion rate of the film played the controlling factor in the process of drug release, ocular residence and permeation. Maximum swelling rate of 363 h −1 has been shown by VHT compared to other formulation of VHD and VHP (174 and 242 h −1 respectively). Film containing DMSO exhibited highest in vitro release as well as ex vivo ocular permeation. Film formulation has shown a fast recovery of ocular inflammation in contrast to the untreated eye after inducing inflammation. Plasticized vildagliptin hydrogel film formulation could be utilized in the management and control of ocular inflammation particularly with diabetic retinopathy after proper clinical studies in higher animal and human individuals.