http://localhost:80/xmlui/handle/123456789/1057 PUB Sun, 05 Apr 2026 14:28:19 GMT 2026-04-05T14:28:19Z http://localhost:80/xmlui/handle/123456789/10795 Title: Study on synthesis and characterization of pyrolytic char doped ceramic membrane and its application on chromium removal from wastewater Authors: Ray Sarkar, Aparna; Sen, Dwaipayan Abstract: Ceramic membranes have become increasingly popular in wastewater treatment (WWT) due to their cost-effectiveness and high productivity. Despite numerous studies on membrane applications in WWT, there remains a lack of comprehensive analysis regarding their performance, efficiency, and critical factors. This investigation seeks to assess the efficacy of a pyrolytic char-doped ceramic membrane in chromium remediation. Modifying the surface charge and enhancing hydrophilicity in ceramic membranes may play a crucial role in achieving effective separation at a lower cost. Kaolin, renowned for its cost-effectiveness and effectiveness, stands out as a prominent raw material for ceramic membrane fabrication. In this study, char derived from the pyrolysis of waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles was introduced into the kaolin matrix to examine its impact on surface charge and hydrophilicity. The concept behind this reutilization of the pyrolytic char in ceramic membrane modification attributes to the waste recycle toward regeneration of value-added product. In this study the percentage doping of the char with ceramic membrane was enumerated with the separation of chromium from wastewater as alternative to complex micellar enhanced ultrafiltration (MEUF). The membrane was fabricated using the dry-press method. The investigation aimed to analyze the effect of doping on three key membrane properties: average pore size, hydraulic flux, and surface charge. Permeate collection, streaming potential measurement, and contact angle analysis were conducted to gain a comprehensive understanding of the separation efficacy, surface charge, and hydrophilicity of the prepared membrane. Char doped membrane showed better hydrophilicity with a chromate rejection of around 60% from solution. Description: https://doi.org/10.1080/00986445.2025.2466178 Sat, 01 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://localhost:80/xmlui/handle/123456789/10795 2025-02-01T00:00:00Z http://localhost:80/xmlui/handle/123456789/10794 Title: Fabrication of porous polydimethylsiloxane using camphor substitutes Authors: Chatterjee, Sulagna; Chatterjee, Liana Abstract: Porous polydimethylsiloxane is an essential component in portable microfluidic devices. Unlike its solid counterparts, these polymeric membranes are preferred for their low cost and superior mechanical strength. The most common method of preparation studied so far is soft lithography using emulsion templating. In this paper, we employed emulsion templating to fabricate porous polydimethylsiloxane using various substitutes of camphor such as camphor oil and camphor powder. Camphor, a sublimatory material that sublimes on heating, has been exploited to prepare the sacrificial template for the porous structure. We reported and compared different preparation techniques based on their physical properties which resulted in membranes with a hierarchical pore structure within a composite polymeric matrix. Description: https://doi.org/10.1080/00194506.2024.2394495 Thu, 01 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT http://localhost:80/xmlui/handle/123456789/10794 2024-02-01T00:00:00Z http://localhost:80/xmlui/handle/123456789/10793 Title: Evolution of B13n (n = + 3 to − 3) wheel with electron injection/abstraction: an insight from electronic structure analysis Authors: Ghosh, Sourav Ranjan; Halder, Sasthi Charan; Jana, Atish Dipankar Abstract: The planar B13+1 cluster, a prototypical molecular ‘Wankel motor’, has captivated the scientific community with its exceptional stability as well as rotor action. The present study is an exploration of how incremental electron injection/abstraction influences the electronic structure of B13 clusters with B13+1 as a reference one. It has been found that seven different charge states (from + 3 to − 3) of B13 cluster are possible, among which B13−1 triplet is the lowest energy cluster. For B13n clusters, n =  + 3 to − 2, the clusters are planar and possess C2v symmetry and their relative atomic arrangement is similar to B13+1 ground state (GS) structure in which a triangular boron core is encircled by ten peripheral boron atoms. B13−3 cluster has a different geometric arrangement of atoms like that of the B13+1 transition state (TS) structure; remains planar, possesses C2v symmetry. The different atomic arrangement of B13−3 can be assigned to the electronic structural relaxation to reduce the electronic stress arising from high negative charge. B13+1 cluster is characterized by a unique electron density distribution in the cluster plane which is analogous to a ‘tri-spoke wheel’ configuration. In it, three spokes of electron dense lines connect the triangular core to the nearly circular periphery. The present study unveils how the injection or abstraction of electrons modifies the electronic topology in the cluster plane and how the spoke-wheel geometry evolves. It has been found that, in the + 3 and + 2 charge states, the wheel consists of four and five spokes respectively. On the other hand, for all other clusters, the overall electronic topology resembles that of the tri-spoke wheel-like B13+1 cluster. AIM analysis helped to trace out and characterize the evolution of the spoke-wheel topology with electron density at ring critical points and the bond paths. Tue, 01 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://localhost:80/xmlui/handle/123456789/10793 2025-04-01T00:00:00Z http://localhost:80/xmlui/handle/123456789/10792 Title: Bi-orthogonal quantum mechanics related to T -pseudo- Hermitian Rashba Hamiltonian. Authors: Chakraborty, A. Abstract: A non-Hermitian version of Rashba Hamiltonian has been introduced. The said Hamiltonian is found to be pseudo-Hermitian under fermionic time-reversal and its eigen-states show a kind of two-parameter-bi-orthogonality. The possibility of an equivalent version of Kramers’ degeneracy theorem has been explored and the supersymmetric and pseudo-supersymmetric structures relating to the present system are also discussed. Description: 10.1088/1402-4896/add391 Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://localhost:80/xmlui/handle/123456789/10792 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z