Muhammad Umar Farooq

Enhanced Thermoelectricity in High-Temperature β-Phase Copper(I) Selenides Embedded with Cu2Te Nanoclusters

We report remarkably enhanced thermoelectric performance of Te doped Cu2Se in midtemperature range. Through ball-milling process followed by spark plasma sintering (SPS), nanoscale Cu2Te clusters were embeded in the matrix of Cu2Se, inducing a drastic enhancement of thermoelectric performance by reducing the thermal conductivity without degrading the power factor. A large ZT value of 1.9 was achieved at 873 K for Cu2Se1.9Te0.1, which is about 2 times larger than that of the pure Cu2Se. The nanoscale heat management by Cu2Te nanoclusters in superionic conductors opens up an avenue for thermoelectric materials research.

Microwave-Assisted Preparation of a β-Cyclodextrin-Based Stationary Phase for Open Tubular Capillary Electrochromatography

Fluorescein isothiocyanate was used as a label to show that a 3-aminopropylmethyldimethoxysilane (KH 550)-modified capillary column was prepared by microwave irradiation. A bromoacetate-substituted β-cyclodextrin (Br-β-CD) was successfully bound to the KH 550-modified column as a chiral stationary phase for open tubular capillary electrochromatography. Compared with conventional synthesis, the microwave-assisted process significantly decreased the preparation time of the stationary phase from 16 h to 40 min. Baseline chiral separation of 1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol was achieved using the Br-β-CD modified column.

Spatially confined lignin nanospheres for biocatalytic ester synthesis in aqueous media

Dehydration reactions proceed readily in water-filled biological cells. Development of biocatalysts that mimic such compartmentalized reactions has been cumbersome due to the lack of low-cost nanomaterials and associated technologies. Here we show that cationic lignin nanospheres function as activating anchors for hydrolases, and enable aqueous ester synthesis by forming spatially confined biocatalysts upon self-assembly and drying-driven aggregation in calcium alginate hydrogel. Spatially confined microbial cutinase and lipase retain 97% and 70% of their respective synthetic activities when the volume ratio of water to hexane increases from 1:1 to 9:1 in the reaction medium. The activity retention of industrially most frequently used acrylic resin-immobilized Candida antarctica lipase B is only 51% under similar test conditions. Overall, our findings enable fabrication of robust renewable biocatalysts for aqueous ester synthesis, and provide insight into the compartmentalization of diverse heterogeneous catalysts.Development of biocatalysts that mimic compartmentalized reactions in cells has been cumbersome due to the lack of low-cost materials and associated technologies. Here the authors show that cationic lignin nanospheres function as activating anchors for hydrolases, and enable aqueous ester synthesis by forming spatially confined biocatalysts.

An Efficient Dynamic Round Robin algorithm for CPU scheduling

The efficiency of embedded systems mainly depends on the process scheduling policy of operating systems running on them. Better scheduling algorithms make a system fast using less resources for small time. Out of some important scheduling algorithms, Round Robin algorithm is much efficient. But its efficiency fairly depends on choosen time quantum. In this paper, we have developed an efficient Round Robin algorithm using Dynamic Time Quantum. Some such systems have already been developed but they take advantage of other algorithms and their running time is much higher due to sorting of processes which is practically impossible. So, our goal is to reduce running time of an algorithm along with efficiency constraints such as context switches, average waiting and turnaround times. Lower the context switches, average waiting and turnaround times; higher the efficiency of an operating system and thus better embedded system. In the last section of this paper, we will present a comparison of our system with previously developed algorithms.

Stereoselectively water resistant hybrid nanopapers prepared by cellulose nanofibers and water-based polyurethane

Cellulose nanopapers, known for excellent mechanical properties, loses 90% of their stiffness in the wet conditions. In this study, we attempt to improve the wet mechanical properties of cellulose nanopaper by incorporating polyurethane by a novel and ecofriendly method. Water based PU was dispersed along with CNFs in water and hybrid nanopapers were prepared by draining water under vacuum followed by forced drying. These hybrid nanopapers have a gradient interpenetrating structure with PU concentrated towards one side and CNFs towards the other, which was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and contact angle measurements. Because of this, the nanopapers are water resistant on one surface (PU rich side) and hydrophilic on the other (cellulose rich side), making them stereoselectively water resistant. When wetted with water on the PU side, the hybrid nanopaper with 10% PU is able to retain 65% modulus; on the other hand, the reference retains only 10% of the modulus. Similar results are seen in the tensile and the yield strength. Additionally, the hybrid nanopapers have higher elongation and improved thermal stability. The reported material is relevant to the applications such as flexible electronics and transparent displays.

Strong, ductile and waterproof cellulose nanofibril composite films with colloidal lignin particles

Brittleness has hindered commercialization of cellulose nanofibril (CNF) films. The use of synthetic polymers and plasticizers is a known detour that impairs biodegradability and carbon footprint of the product. Herein, we utilize a variety of softwood Kraft lignin morphologies to obtain strong and ductile CNF nanocomposite films. An optimum 10 wt % content of colloidal lignin particles (CLPs) produced films with nearly double the toughness compared to a CNF film without lignin. CLPs rendered the films waterproof, provided antioxidant activity and UV-shielding with better visible light transmittance than obtained with irregular lignin aggregates. We conclude based on electron microscopy, dynamic water sorption analysis, and tp-DSC that homogeneously distributed CLPs act as ball bearing lubricating and stress transferring agents in the CNF matrix. Overall, our results open new avenues for the utilization of lignin nanoparticles in biopolymer composites equipped with versatile functionalities for applications in food packaging, water purification, and biomedicine.

Eco-friendly flame retardant cellulose nanofibril aerogels by incorporating sodium bicarbonate

Cellulose nanofiber (CNF) aerogels offer excellent thermal insulation properties, but high flammability restricts their application. In this study, CNF aerogels were prepared by incorporating sodium bicarbonate (SBC), which effectively improved the fire retardancy without compromising the thermal conductivity of the aerogels, which was only 28 mW m–1 K–1. The minimum burning velocity of flame-retardant aerogels was 0.20 cm s–1 at 40 wt % of SBC, which is significantly lower compared to 5.84 cm s–1 of pure CNF aerogels. At the threshold concentration of 20 wt % SBC, the flame-retardant aerogel demonstrated flameless pyrolysis along with enhanced char formation. SBC additionally provides control over the microporosity and morphology, due to the concentration-dependent formation of lamellar layers during the preparation of aerogels. Overall, this work describes an efficient method for preparing flame-retardant CNF aerogels that could lay the foundation for next-generation bio-based insulation materials.

Smartphone based interface for epidemic surveillance system

Accurate and timely patients data collection has been a challenge for developing countries. Traditional methods used for patients data collection in epidemic outbreaks has proven to be insufficient. Emerging technology calls for faster, reliable and easy data collection tools. This paper presents the design and implementation of mobile based patients data collection system for epidemic surveillance especially in remote areas. It shows how the emerging technology of smart phones can revolutionize the traditional data collection methods. An easy and user friendly interface is developed for medical staff to provide them with much easier system than inept existing systems. The system provides solid basis for government organizations in order to take on-time precautionary steps. The proposed system can be used at health departments as part of electronic health record systems for timely, accurate and easy collection of data from disease struck regions in the developing countries that lack basic infrastructure for the surveillance of disease.

To Study the Rise in Satisfaction Level of People Due to E-Governance Initiative by Government of Punjab - A Case Study of Excise and Taxation Department

Purpose –The main objective of doing this research is to study the rise in satisfaction level of people of Punjab due to E-governance initiatives of the government of Punjab.Design/methodology/approach – E-governance was introduced in the province with the help of various Information Systems. We identified various aspects of these e-systems affecting customer satisfaction like ease of use and efficiency. We made questionnaire to find out these factors and got information from customers via interviews and finally analyzed outcome to get results from the statistics analysis.Findings – Results indicated a strong relationship of customer satisfaction with the e-governance initiatives and this relationship indicated that by enhancement in ease of use and efficiency of these e-systems customer satisfaction will certainly rise.Research limitations – Only one department was selected as a case study in this research, however the results will be easy to encompass the provincial level initiatives, since all of the departments are getting same level of automation and information policy.Practical implications – Our research has exposed that effective deployment of information technology can improve customer satisfaction of people of Punjab. The strong positive relationship between various factors of customer satisfaction indicates that there is a possibility of rise in customer satisfaction with concentrated efforts.Originality/value – There has been no native research ever done on these e-systems to indicate their effectiveness, hence now it was time that decisions are made on basis of informed and organized research based statistics.

Genetic Resources for Some Wheat Abiotic Stress Tolerances

Breeding for abiotic stress tolerances has a similar input necessity given to the incorporation of genetic diversity that combats biotic stress constraints. The major difference is that abiotic stress tolerance genetic transfers are expected to be more durable since in the absence of pathogenic infl uences the traits are considered static entities. Wheat production scenarios have generated the need to breed cultivars with tolerance to drought, salinity, heat, waterlogging, plus cold, aluminum, some micronutrients, boron and copper efficiency to a lesser degree. Sources of allelic diversity exploited exist in the conventional wheat germplasm, landrace cultivars or in its relative species distributed across the Triticeae gene pools. Harnessing the above diversity has protocol specifi city that opens doors for wheat improvement programs across various phases as infl uenced by genetic introgression simplicity or complexity mediated by novel breeding techniques, achievement of homozygosity and use of molecular tools.