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1.
Environ Res ; 242: 117741, 2024 Feb 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38007075

ABSTRACT

Several energy-related strategies and scenarios have been suggested to address concerns about rising global temperatures. In addition to using renewable energy, the improvement in energy efficiency of conventional systems is also in focus. Policies are already in place in many countries, including India, to address the energy needs of rural and small-scale enterprises by gasifying locally available, diverse agricultural leftovers. Although rice husk and groundnut shell are two commonly used agricultural leftovers in the southern part of India, their appropriate blending must be studied to improve their conversion efficiency in co-gasification. Therefore, the primary objective of this research is to construct a statistical model utilizing response surface methodology (RSM) to analyze the thermochemical co-gasification of the aforementioned biomass materials. Since RSM can predict optimum performance with limited experimental data, this could contribute to the identification of the performance and operating parameters of an open-core gasifier. The model predicts that the mixture containing 20% rice husk and working at an ER of 0.25 and a reduction zone inlet temperature of 879.9 °C will be CO-23.53%, H2-13.97%, and CH4-3.56%. In addition, the lower heating value and gas yield can be as high as 6.17 MJ/Nm3 and 2.369 m3/kg, respectively. This outcome can contribute to the effective utilization of biomass for energy supply in rural areas. However, the economic parameters must be analyzed to implement the same in any region.


Subject(s)
Oryza , Gases , Temperature , Biomass , India
2.
Orthod Craniofac Res ; 27 Suppl 1: 109-114, 2024 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38265116

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Anxiety and nosocomial infection are the most common reported problems in children undergoing cleft surgeries. Research shows that there is an enigma in the use of antihistamine therapy in children for the management of upper respiratory tract infection. 'Promethazine' is a first-generation H1 receptor antagonist, and antihistamine also has strong sedative effects. Our study aims at evaluating the Effectiveness of Promethazine (Phenergan) in preoperative and intra operative sequelae in cleft surgeries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a single-centre, parallel, randomized, double-blinded randomized control clinical trial, which was conducted among 128 children between 2 and 4 years of age undergoing cleft palate surgery under general anaesthesia. After randomization, the case group was subjected to promethazine syrup 1 mg/kg body weight twice a day, orally for 3 days. The primary outcomes were preoperative anxiety levels which were recorded by children fear scale. The secondary outcomes include preoperative sleep quality and cough rate of children which are recorded by using sleep and cough objective scale respectively. The intraoperative heart rate is monitored with an ECG connected to a monitor. RESULTS: Promethazine causes a reduction in the anxiety level by 70%, 64% reduction in cold and cough, improvement in sleep score by 70% and the heart rate was found to be stable throughout the surgery when compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: As the benefits of promethazine in cleft palate surgery rule over its adverse effects, promethazine is considered safe to be used as premedication for children undergoing cleft palate surgeries.


Subject(s)
Cleft Palate , Promethazine , Humans , Promethazine/therapeutic use , Cleft Palate/surgery , Child, Preschool , Male , Female , Double-Blind Method , Histamine H1 Antagonists/therapeutic use , Anxiety , Preoperative Care , Treatment Outcome , Heart Rate/drug effects , Preoperative Period
3.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 24(7): 4262-4269, 2022 Feb 16.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35107106

ABSTRACT

Recently, there has been a growing interest in exploring new 2D nanostructures, due to their unique electronic and optical properties. An atomically thin SiC sheet, which has a honeycomb structure similar to BN, as well as being a direct band gap semiconductor, is one such candidate. Despite several theoretical reports predicting the structural and dynamical stability of 2D SiC nanostructures, few experimental reports have been reported so far. In the present work, we demonstrated by employing first principles density functional theory calculations that the role of self defects on the exfoliation of SiC layers can be understood by studying monolayer, bilayer and trilayer 2D SiC systems. From our work, it can be seen that the dangled C atom on the removal of a Si atom in the SiC layer prefers to interact with an adjacent layer, owing to the compensation of the charges, whereas, a dangled Si atom (in the carbon vacancy case) in the SiC layer compensates its additional charge within the layer by forming a Si-Si bond. We concluded that the exfoliation process of SiC is significantly affected by Si vacancies, rather than the presence of carbon vacancies. This work also provides an intuitive idea to synthesise 2D SiC nanostructures as it has interesting structural and electronic properties.

4.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 24(39): 24296-24305, 2022 Oct 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36173011

ABSTRACT

By employing first principles density functional theory calculations on thickness dependent structural and electronic properties of (0001) surface slabs of wurtzite MX compounds, our study demonstrated the possibility of the existence of 2D layered materials from II-VI group traditional semiconducting compounds that are widely used in various fields. Our calculations revealed that (0001) surface slabs of wurtzite ZnO and CdO compounds prefer to stabilize as sp2 hybridized - atomically thin graphitic layers as observed in earlier work, which are separated by van der Waals distances, when compared to the respective wurtzite slabs. On the other hand, for surface slabs of other ZnX and CdX (X = S, Se, Te) compounds, sp3 hybridized bilayers, which comprise an X-Zn(Cd)-Zn(Cd)-X structural arrangement, are energetically stable until certain thicknesses of the slabs. Both 2D layered MO and MX systems are electronically insulating in nature. When increasing the number of layers in these systems, the band gap decreases due to the widening of the energy bands. Our calculations further confirmed that all of these 2D systems possess structural, elastic, and lattice dynamical stabilities, depicting their compatibility in optoelectronics and photovoltaic applications, as confirmed by their effective mass and mobility.

5.
Water Sci Technol ; 83(8): 1863-1877, 2021 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33905358

ABSTRACT

In the present study, the extraction of divalent heavy metals like copper [Cu (II)] and cadmium [Cd (II)] using a Pickering Emulsion Liquid Membrane (PELM) has been investigated by using three different surfactants such as Amphiphilic silica nanowires (ASNWs), Aluminum oxide nanoparticles (Alumina) and Sorbitan monooleate (SPAN 80). The influence of the process parameters such as pH, the stripping phase concentration, the agitation speed, and the carrier concentration on the extraction efficiency have been examined to find the optimum conditions at which the maximum recovery of Cu (II) and Cd (II) could take place. At optimum conditions, the extraction efficiency of 89.77% and 91.19% for Cu (II) and Cd (II) ions were achieved. Non-edible oils were used as diluent in this present study to reduce the need for toxic organic solvents in preparing PELM. The impact of each process factor on the extraction efficiency of Cu (II) and Cd (II) ions has been verified using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The higher values of F and lower values of P (less than 0.05) indicate pH is the most significant parameter on the percentage extraction of Cu (II) and Cd (II) using the Taguchi design approach.


Subject(s)
Cadmium , Metals, Heavy , Copper , Emulsions , Surface-Active Agents
6.
Inorg Chem ; 59(7): 4816-4824, 2020 Apr 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32186865

ABSTRACT

The production of hydrogen from ecofriendly renewable technologies like water electrolysis and fuel cells involves oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which plays a major role, but the slow kinetics of OER is a bottleneck of commercialization of such technologies. Herein, we have reported the formation of an efficient OER catalyst from SnCo(OH)6 (SCH) by leaching of Sn atoms during electrochemical OER studies. According to density functional theory calculations, adsorption of OH* species on Sn atoms is energetically more favorable than that of Co atoms, and as a result, highly active CoOOH is generated by leaching of Sn atoms from surface layers. We observed enhanced OER performance with superior mass activity by blending SCH with activated charcoal, which displays a low overpotential of 293 mV and higher mass activity than that of pristine SCH. More importantly, it outperforms Co(OH)2 and RuO2 having the same carbon composition because of the formation of thermodynamically stable and amorphous CoOOH on the surface of single-crystalline SCH and strong tethering ability of activated charcoal.

7.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 21(7): 4032-4045, 2019 Feb 13.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30720029

ABSTRACT

The enriched ferromagnetism and two-photon absorption (TPA) cross-section of perovskite BaTiO3 nanoparticles are indispensable for magnetic and optical data storage applications. In this work, hydrothermally synthesized Ce-doped BaTiO3 nanoparticles exhibited the maximum room temperature ferromagnetism (4.26 × 10-3 emu g-1) at 4 mol% due to the increase in oxygen vacancies, as evidenced by X-ray photoelectron and electron spin resonance spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Hence, the oxygen vacancy-constituted bound magnetic polaron (BMP) model was invoked to explain the enhancement in ferromagnetism. The BMP theoretical model indicated an increase in BMP magnetization (M0, 3.0 to 4.8 × 10-3 emu g-1) and true spontaneous moment per BMP (meff, 4 to 9.88 × 10-4 emu) upon Ce doping. DFT calculations showed that BMPs mediate via the Ti dz2 orbitals, leading to ferromagnetism. Besides, it is known that the magnetic moment induced by Ce at the Ba site is higher than Ce at the Ti site in the presence of oxygen vacancies. The open aperture Z-scan technique displayed the highest TPA coefficient, ß (7.08 × 10-10 m W-1), and TPA cross-section, σTPA (455 × 104 GM), at 4 mol% of Ce as a result of the robust TPA-induced excited state absorption. The large σTPA is attributed to the longer excited state lifetime, τ (7.63 ns), of the charge carriers created by oxygen vacancies and Ce ions, which encounter several electronic transitions in the excited sub-states.

8.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 20(15): 10060-10068, 2018 Apr 18.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29505625

ABSTRACT

We study the structural stability and electronic properties of new classes of DNA-like inorganic double helices of the type A2B2XY (A = Si-Pb, B = Cl-I, and XY = PN and SiS) by employing first principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations including van der Waals interactions. In these quaternary double helices PN or SiS forms the inner helix while the AB helix wraps around the inner helix and the two are interconnected. We find that the bromides and iodides of Ge, Sn, and Pb as well as Pb2Cl2PN form structurally stable double helices while Ge2I2SiS as well as bromides and iodides of Sn and Pb have stable double helices. The atomic structures of different double helices have been analyzed in detail to understand the stability of these systems as there is up to about 80% difference in the interatomic distances in the two helices which is remarkable. Also in these new classes of double helices there is polar covalent bonding in the inner helix due to heteroatoms. We have calculated the DDEC6 partial atomic charges and bond orders which suggest strong covalent bonding in the inner helix. The electronic structure reveals that these double helices are semiconducting and in many cases the band gap is direct. Furthermore, we have studied the effects of doping and found that hole doping is the most appropriate way to tuning their electronic properties.

9.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 20(28): 19087-19097, 2018 Jul 18.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29974082

ABSTRACT

Capping ligands are vital in stabilizing various nanostructures and semiconductor quantum dots in which unusual optical properties, especially white light emission, have been realized. Oleic acid (OA) is a widely used capping ligand. Here, we report blue emission from OA in its free molecular form and further demonstrate this by anchoring OA over the surfaces of Al2O3, ZnAl2O4(ZA), ZnAl2O4:Eu3+ (ZA:Eu3+), and Y2O3:Eu3+. White light emission was observed from OA-modified ZA:Eu3+ nanophosphor due to mixing of broad blue emission of OA and red emission of Eu3+ through energy transfer from OA to Eu3+. A detailed study revealed the characteristic binding modes of OA and their dependence on Eu3+ concentration, structural inversion in ZA, and the optical properties and surface states in the pristine and OA-modified ZA:Eu3+. First principles density functional theory calculations were employed to provide an insight into the HOMO-LUMO levels of OA molecule and, electronic structure of pristine and OA-modified ZA surface. The binding of OA with the ZA:xEu3+ surface changes from bridging bidentate to chelating bidentate with increasing Eu3+ concentration in the lattice. The surface binding nature of the carboxylate group with the optimized surface of ZA and the creation of mid-gap states were deduced theoretically by using butanoic acid instead of OA. The blue emission from OA and its mixing with Eu3+ emission was further confirmed experimentally by anchoring it over Y2O3:Eu3+ red phosphor. These results show the multifunctional roles of OA as capping ligand, blue emitter and sensitizer in tuning the emission colour of red phosphors into white.

10.
Langmuir ; 33(1): 19-33, 2017 01 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28001078

ABSTRACT

Molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) is a well-known electrochromic material. In the present work, n-type α-MoO3 thin films with both direct and indirect band gaps were fabricated by varying the laser repetition (ablation) rate in a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) system at a constant reactive O2 pressure. The electrochromic properties of the films are compared and correlated to the microstructure and molecular-level coordination. Mixed amorphous and textured crystallites evolve at the microstructural level. At the molecular level, using NMR and EPR, we show that the change in the repetition rate results in a variation of the molybdenum coordination with oxygen: at low repetition rates (2 Hz), the larger the octahedral coordination, and greater the texture, whereas at 10 Hz, tetrahedral coordination is significant. The anion vacancies also introduce a large density of defect states into the band gap, as evidenced by XPS studies of the valence band and supported by DFT calculations. The electrochromic contrast improved remarkably by almost 100% at higher repetition rates whereas the switching speed decreased by almost 6-fold. Although the electrochromic contrast and coloration efficiency were better at higher repetition rates, the switching speed, reversibility, and stability were better at low repetition rates. This difference in the electrochromic properties of the two MoO3 films is attributed to the variation in the defect and molecular coordination states of the Mo cation.

11.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 19(5): 3770-3776, 2017 Feb 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28098277

ABSTRACT

By employing first principles density functional calculations, we investigated an α-MnO2 compound with a tunnel framework, which provides an eminent platform to alter the intrinsic antiferromagnetic (AFM) to ferromagnetic (FM) ordering, through the introduction of chemical or mechanical tensile strain. Our calculations further showed that the strength of FM ordering increases until 10% triaxial tensile strain. Since long range FM ordering is induced, it is realized to be superior as compared to the experimentally observed short-range FM ordering in oxygen-deficient compound. The driving force behind this superior effect is understood from the unusual electron occupancy in Mn atoms as a result of tetrahedral distortion in the MnO6 octahedra and an increase in the sp3 character of the oxygen atoms. Thus, the α-MnO2 compound belongs to a class of materials that exhibit good potential for piezomagnetic applications.

12.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 19(26): 17383-17395, 2017 Jul 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28650047

ABSTRACT

Eu3+ activated phosphors are widely used as red emitters in various display devices and light emitting diodes (LEDs). The emission characteristics of Eu3+ depend on the local site symmetry. The present study demonstrates the role of excitation-dependent local symmetry changes due to the structural reorganization on the emission colour tuning of Eu3+ from orange-red to orange in single host lattices, Ba2Mg(BO3)2 and Ba2Ca(BO3)2. The choice of these lattices was based on the difference in the extent of strain experienced by the oxygen atoms. The samples with Eu3+ at Ba or Mg (Ca) sites were synthesized using the conventional high-temperature solid-state reaction method. The samples were characterized using powder XRD, 11B MAS-NMR, FT-IR, and diffuse reflectance UV-Vis spectroscopic techniques. The room temperature photoluminescence (PL) recorded using different excitation wavelengths revealed a clear difference in the PL emission features due to symmetry reversal from non-inversion to inversion symmetry around Eu3+. The reorganization of highly strained oxygen atoms leads to such symmetry reversal. First-principles calculations were used to deduce the optimized structures of the two borate host lattices, and local geometries and their distortions upon Eu3+ substitution. The outcomes of these calculations support the experimental findings.

13.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 18(32): 22196-202, 2016 Aug 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27447447

ABSTRACT

Understanding the mechanism behind water oxidation is the prime requirement for designing better catalysts for electrochemical energy devices. In this work, we demonstrate by employing first principles calculations that an initial step of water oxidation is observed to be associated with the dissociation of water dimers into hydronium and hydroxide ions, in the tunnel of a hydrated α-MnO2 compound with an oxygen vacancy. The former ion is intercalated within the network, while the latter ion occupies the oxygen vacant site and interacts strongly with the Mn atoms. Based on our calculations, the factor responsible for this dissociation of water molecules is observed to be the presence of mixed charge states of Mn atoms in the triangular lattice. Further, the coulombic attraction of a hydronium ion with a water molecule leads to the formation of a Zundel cation in the tunnel, while by dehydrogenating the adsorbed hydroxide ion, the self-healing property of the compound is achieved along with another hydronium ion as a reaction product. These cations can be exchanged with Li(+) ions. Thus, the protonic moieties formed in the tunnel of α-MnO2 leads to niche applications in the field of fuel cells and lithium ion batteries.

14.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 18(7): 5471-6, 2016 Feb 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26863389

ABSTRACT

By employing first principles DFT calculations, we propose a new stable model for Mo6S9 nanowires (NWs) obtained by condensing tetrahedral Mo4S6 clusters rather than octahedral Mo6S8 clusters, which are known as magic clusters in the Mo-S polyhedral cluster family. The pristine NW is found to be metallic and its local structure and physical properties can be tuned by doping of iodine atoms. This doping increases the number of Mo-Mo bonds in the NW, thus, Mo4 tetrahedra are initially fused to the Mo6 octahedron, and then, to the Mo8 dodecahedron. Further, a close correlation among the Mo-Mo bonding in the local structure, mechanical and electronic properties, is observed from our study. Finally, the stability of the pristine and iodine doped Mo8S12-xIx NW structures obtained from condensation of Mo4 tetrahedra are found to be quite comparable with that of already reported Mo6S9-xIx NWs with Mo6 octahedra as building blocks.

15.
Chem Soc Rev ; 44(10): 3212-43, 2015 May 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25839067

ABSTRACT

Polymer functionalized surfaces are important components of various sensors, solar cells and molecular electronic devices. In this context, the use of self-assembled monolayer (SAM) formation and subsequent reactions on the surface have attracted a lot of interest due to its stability, reliability and excellent control over orientation of functional groups. The chemical reactions to be employed on a SAM must ensure an effective functional group conversion while the reaction conditions must be mild enough to retain the structural integrity. This synthetic constraint has no universal solution; specific strategies such as "graft from", "graft to", "graft through" or "direct" immobilization approaches are employed depending on the nature of the substrate, polymer and its area of applications. We have reviewed current developments in the methodology of immobilization of a polymer in the first part of the article. Special emphasis has been given to the merits and demerits of certain methods. Another issue concerns the utility - demonstrated or perceived - of conjugated or non-conjugated macromolecules anchored on a functionally decorated SAM in the areas of material science and biotechnology. In the last part of the review article, we looked at the collective research efforts towards SAM-based polymer devices and identified major pointers of progress (236 references).


Subject(s)
Biotechnology/methods , Macromolecular Substances , Polymerization , Surface Properties
16.
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces ; 16(39): 52515-52528, 2024 Oct 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39292823

ABSTRACT

As COVID-19 profoundly affected nations worldwide, there was a significant reduction in gas and electricity consumption, contrasting with the surplus production of oil and gas by companies. This situation has ignited a growing interest in researching alternative green fuels. Electrochemical water-splitting has emerged as a promising avenue for advancing the green hydrogen economy. However, the high costs associated with traditional catalysts have hindered the feasibility of this remarkable method on an industrial scale. Here, this study mainly objects to fabricating an efficient, low cost and stable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalyst and our focus has been on refining the morphology to enhance activity levels. The optimized one-pot synthesized 15% Al-doped Fe2O3/ZnFe LDH electrode exhibited a mere 230 mV overpotential to achieve a current density of 10 mA/cm2 with the appreciable Tafel slope of 77 mV/dec, Rct and Cdl values. Theoretical investigations were undertaken to elucidate why the 15% doping concentration serves as a critical threshold limit. Both experimental and theoretical investigations delve into qualitatively accessing activity and durability along with the examination of the electronic, morphological, and magnetic properties of the material.

17.
Cureus ; 16(5): e60957, 2024 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38916005

ABSTRACT

Background and aim The majority of acne has the potential to transform into facial scars, which have a physical and psychological effect on the individual. There are plenty of treatment options to manage such scars. The aim of this study is to assess the comparative effect of the injection of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) alone, with that of the injection of PRP with microneedling, in the reduction of atrophic facial acne scars.  Methods A total of 30 participants were included in this study, divided into two groups (n = 15). Patients in Group I received intradermal injection of PRP only, and Group II included patients receiving intradermal injection of PRP with microneedling. The scar appearance was evaluated at baseline, after one, two, and three months using Goodman Baron's scar scale. The statistics were analysed using the Chi-square and Student's t-tests.  Results Patients in the PRP with microneedling group had lower acne scar scores on the Goodman Baron scale compared to those who received only PRP. The acne scores were statistically significant (p-value < 0.05) in the second and third months of treatment in Group II.  Conclusion The addition of microneedling to PRP has proven to be effective in the reduction of facial acne scars. However, different types of scars require different modalities of treatment, and the final decision lies in the hands of the operator and the requirements of the patients.

18.
J Orthop Case Rep ; 14(10): 219-224, 2024 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39381321

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Unstable intertrochanteric fracture poses challenges in terms of obtaining stable fixation and good post-operative outcomes. There is a paucity of clinical data comparing the commonly used proximal femoral nail (PFN) and PFN anti-rotation (PFNA) implants, especially in relation to osteoporosis. The purpose of this study is to assess the comparative performance of PFN and PFNA fixation in the treatment of unstable femur intertrochanteric fractures. Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted to understand and analyze the advantages of PFNA over PFN in the management of unstable intertrochanteric fractures from May 2021 to October 2023 at the Department of Orthopaedics, Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute, Kelambakkam. Patients presenting with an unstable intertrochanteric fracture with Singh's Index grades 1, 2, and 3 were included. Boyd and Griffin classification types 2, 3, and 4 were included in the study. The patients were randomized into two types of implant groups. All patients were operated with a standard protocol. Patients were followed up for a minimum of 6 months and any complications were noted. A comparison of functional outcomes was done using the Modified Harris Hip Score. Statistical analysis was done using the unpaired t-test/Mann-Whitney U test and Chi-square test/Fisher's exact test. A P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Every follow-up period included a Harris Hip Score assessment. At 3 months, the average score of PFN was 71.9 (range 66-81) and at 6 months it was 77.86 (range 72-90). For PFNA, at 3 months, the average score was 74.87 (range 66-81), and at 6 months, it was 89.3 (range 76-94). The improvement was seen well in the PFNA group which is statistically significant (P = 0.023). The most prevalent fracture was a type 2 fracture. Conclusion: The results showed PFNA has better rotation stability with single screws and better functional outcomes in treating unstable intertrochanteric fractures when compared to PFN.

19.
Cureus ; 16(8): e68172, 2024 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39347278

ABSTRACT

Fibrous dysplasia is a benign bone disease in children and young adults. This is characterized by the replacement of normal bone with fibrous tissue along with immature woven bone. Fibrous dysplasia is a rare disorder and has variable presentations that pose challenges in diagnosis and treatment. Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, depending on the symptoms, location, or possible complications. Symptomatic lesions are treated with surgical resection. cosmetic concerns of the patients are taken care of by surgical contouring. For any unresectable or recurrent lesion, bisphosphonate therapy can be used as a form of medical management.

20.
Heliyon ; 10(1): e23988, 2024 Jan 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38230248

ABSTRACT

Alternative fuel opportunities can satisfy energy security and reduce carbon emissions. In this regard, the hydrogen fuel is derived from the source of environmental pollutants like sewage and algae wastewater through hydrothermal gasification technique using a KOH catalyst with varied gasification process parameters of duration and temperature of 6-30 min and 500-800 °C. The novelty of the work is to identify the optimum gasification process parameter for obtaining the maximum hydrogen yield using a KOH catalyst as an alternative fuel for agricultural engine applications. Influences of gasification processing time and temperature on H2 selectivity, Carbon gasification efficiency (CE), Lower heating value (LHV), Hydrogen yield potential (HYP), and gasification efficiency (GE) were studied. Its results showed that the gasifier operated at 800 °C for 30 min, offering maximum hydrogen yield (26 mol/kg) and gasification efficiency (58 %). The synthesized H2 was an alternative fuel blended with diesel fuel/TiO2 nanoparticles. It was experimentally studied using an internal combustion engine. Influences of H2 on engine performance, like brake-specific fuel consumption, brake thermal efficiency and emission performances, were measured and compared with diesel fuel. The results showed that DH20T has the least (420g/kWh) brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) and superior brake thermal efficiency of about 25.2 %. The emission results revealed that the DH20T blend showed the NOX value increased by almost 10.97 % compared to diesel fuel, whereas the CO, UHC, and smoke values reduced by roughly 31.25, 28.34, and 42.35 %. The optimum fuel blend (DH20T) result is recommended for agricultural engine applications.

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