National Institute of Technology, Karnataka

About: National Institute of Technology, Karnataka is a education organization based out in Mangalore, Karnataka, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Corrosion & Cloud computing. The organization has 5017 authors who have published 7057 publications receiving 70367 citations.

Graphene-mediated band gap engineering of WO 3 nanoparticle and a relook at Tauc equation for band gap evaluation

Abstract: Engineering the band gap of semiconductors is often crucial in the quest for developing new and advanced technologies In this report, the implication of graphene on the band gap optimization of tungsten trioxide (WO3) is discussed Simple one-step sol–gel process was followed to anchor WO3 nanoparticles in graphene Graphene induces a redshift in the band gap of WO3 Band gap narrowing of 660% is observed for 7 wt% graphene-tethered WO3 Interestingly, a profound difference is observed in estimating the band gap energy values following the usual Tauc equation Our observation suggests that the differential form of Tauc equation is better suited to determine the band gap energy of inorganic semiconductors than the typical extrapolation method

Exploring the effectiveness of social capabilities and goal alignment in computer supported collaborative learning

Abstract: In this study, we describe a conversational agent designed to support collaborative learning interactions between pairs of students We describe a study in which we independently manipulate the social capability and goal alignment of the agent in order to investigate the impact on student learning outcomes and student perceptions Our results show a significant interaction effect between the two independent variables on student learning outcomes While there are only a few perceived differences related to student satisfaction and tutor performance as evidenced in the questionnaire data, we observe significant differences in student conversational behavior, which offer tentative explanations for the learning outcomes we will investigate in subsequent work.

Probing the morphology and anti-organic fouling behaviour of a polyetherimide membrane modified with hydrophilic organic acids as additives

Abstract: A facile approach for the preparation of an organic antifouling polymer membrane has been developed using low molecular weight organic acids as additives. The presence of these additives in the membrane was analysed by FTIR spectroscopy. The properties of the modified membranes were investigated in terms of contact angle, water uptake capacity, SEM and AFM analysis. These additives exerted a strong impact on the rheological properties of the casting solution, thereby altering the membrane morphology, surface roughness, water flux and the hydrophilicity of the membranes, as compared to those of the pristine polyetherimide (PEI) membrane. The organic antifouling properties of the modified membrane were analysed by filtering both bovine serum albumin (BSA) and humic acid solutions. The results showed that the additives exhibited a remarkable improvement in the antifouling properties (FRR of 72%) and a humic acid rejection of up to 86%. These outcomes offer new insights into the use of cheaper and readily available organic acids as additives, compared to the traditional, synthetic polymer materials as additives in membrane preparation.