Purpose: To synthesize and characterize novel Schiff base-chitosan composites and determine their antimicrobial activity. Methods: Novel Schiff-base chitosan composites were synthesized by grafting polyvinylpyrrolidone and then replacing it with different aldehydes. The resulting composites were characterized using advanced analytical techniques, including thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), x-ray diffraction (XRD) studies and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Results: The FT-IR results revealed that the Schiff-base chitosan was successfully produced during mixing and the crystallinity change of the samples was explained by the XRD patterns. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of compounds A1, A3 and A4 showed weight loss

The performance of composite prestressed concrete beam topped with reinforced concrete flange structures in fire depends upon several factors, including the change in properties of the two different materials due to fire exposure and temperature distribution within the composition of the composite members of the structure. The present experimental work included casting of 12 identical simply supported prestressed concrete beams grouped into 3 categories, depending on the strength of the top reinforced concrete deck slab (20, 30, and 40 MPa). They were connected together by using shear connector reinforcements. To simulate the real practical fire disasters, 3 composite prestressed concrete beams from each group were exposed to high t

In this research, the effect of reinforcing epoxy resin composites with a filler derived from chopped agriculture waste from oil palm (OP). Epoxy/OP composites were formed by dispersing (1, 3, 5, and 10 wt%) OP filler using a high-speed mechanical stirrer utilizing a hand lay-up method. The effect of adding zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles, with an average size of 10-30 nm, with different wt% (1,2,3, and 5wt%) to the epoxy/oil palm composite,  on the behavior of an epoxy/oil palm composite was studied with different ratios (1,2,3, and 5wt%) and an average size of  10-30 nm.  Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometry and mechanical properties (tensile, impact, hardness, and wear rate) were used to examine the composites. The FTIR

To accommodate utilities in buildings, different sizes of openings are provided in the web of reinforced concrete deep beams, which cause reductions in the beam strength and stiffness. This paper aims to investigate experimentally and numerically the effectiveness of using carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) strips, as a strengthening technique, to externally strengthen reinforced concrete continuous deep beams (RCCDBs) with large openings. The experimental work included testing three RCCDBs under five-point bending. A reference specimen was prepared without openings to explore the reductions in strength and stiffness after providing large openings. Openings were created symmetrically at the center of spans of the other specimens

An effort is made to study the effect of composite nanocoating using aluminum-9%wt silicon alloys reinforced with different percentage (0.5,1,2,4)wt.% of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using  plasma spraying. The effect of this composite on corrosion behavior for AA6061-T6 by extrapolation Tafel test in sea water 3.5wt% NaCl was invested. Many specimens where prepared from AA6061-T6 by the dimension (15x15x3)mm as this first set up and other steps include coating process, X-ray diffraction and SEM examination .The results show the CNTs increase the corrosion rate of the nanocomposite coatings with increasing the weight percentage of CNTs within the Al-Si matrix. Al-9wt%Si coating layer itself has less corrosion rate if compared with both n

Non-prismatic reinforced concrete (RC) beams are widely used for various practical purposes, including enhancing architectural aesthetics and increasing the overall thickness in the support area above the column, which gives high assurance to services that this will not result in the distortion of construction features and can reduce heights. The hollow sections (recess) can also be used for the maintenance of large structural sections and the safe passage of utility lines of water, gas, telecommunications, electricity, etc. They are generally used in large and complex civil engineering works like bridges. This study conducted a numerical study using the commercial finite element software ANSYS version 15 for analysing RC beams, hol

In this research, the effect of reinforcing epoxy resin composites with a filler derived from chopped agriculture waste from oil palm (OP). Epoxy/OP composites were formed by dispersing (1, 3, 5, and 10 wt%) OP filler using a high-speed mechanical stirrer utilizing a hand lay-up method. The effect of adding zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles, with an average size of 10-30 nm, with different wt% (1,2,3, and 5wt%) to the epoxy/oil palm composite,  on the behavior of an epoxy/oil palm composite was studied with different ratios (1,2,3, and 5wt%) and an average size of  10-30 nm.  Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometry and mechanical properties (tensile, impact, hardness, and wear rate) were used to examine the composites. The

The effect of short range correlations on the inelastic longitudinal Coulomb form
factors for the lowest four excited 2+ states in 18O is analyzed. This effect (which
depends on the correlation parameter β) is inserted into the ground state charge
density distribution through the Jastrow type correlation function. The single particle
harmonic oscillator wave function is used with an oscillator size parameter b. The
parameters β and b are, considered as free parameters, adjusted for each excited state
separately so as to reproduce the experimental root mean square charge radius of
18O. The model space of 18O does not contribute to the transition charge density. As
a result, the inelastic Coulomb form factor of 18

Future wireless systems aim to provide higher transmission data rates, improved spectral efficiency and greater capacity. In this paper a spectral efficient two dimensional (2-D) parallel code division multiple access (CDMA) system is proposed for generating and transmitting (2-D CDMA) symbols through 2-D Inter-Symbol Interference (ISI) channel to increase the transmission speed. The 3D-Hadamard matrix is used to generate the 2-D spreading codes required to spread the two-dimensional data for each user row wise and column wise. The quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) is used as a data mapping technique due to the increased spectral efficiency offered. The new structure simulated using MATLAB and a comparison of performance for ser