BiVO₄ was hydrothermally synthesized under different preparing conditions and characterized by XRD, SEM, Raman spectrum and BET specific surface area. The influence of different pH value and annealing temperature and hydrothermal time on the morphologies and structures of the BiVO₄ samples was investigated systematically. It can be found that annealing would eliminate the effects caused by the pH of precursor, heating temperature and heating time, but preparing conditions still influenced the size and specific surface area of samples. Furthermore, the photocatalytic activities of the fabricated BiVO₄ were also evaluated by the degradation of methyl blue in aqueous solution under UV and visible light irradiation.

The cross wire projection welding of wires (Al 5182, = 4 mm) performed using the conventional (i.e. pneumatic) electrode force system was subjected to thorough numerical analysis. Calculations were performed until one of adopted boundary conditions, i.e., maximum welding time, maximum penetration of wires, the occurrence of expulsion or the exceeding of the temperature limit in the contact between the electrode and the welded material was obtained. It was observed that the ring weld was formed within the entire range of welding parameters. The process of welding was subjected to optimisation through the application of a new electromechanical electrode force system and the use of a special hybrid algorithm of electrode force and/or displacement control. Comparative numerical calculations were performed (using SORPAS software) for both electrode force systems. Technological welding tests were performed using inverter welding machines (1 kHz) provided with various electrode force systems. The research also involved the performance of metallographic and strength (peeling) tests as well as measurements of welding process characteristic parameters (welding current and voltage).
The welding process optimisation involving the use of the electromechanical force system and the application of the hybrid algorithm of force control resulted in i) more favourable space distribution of welding power, ii) energy concentration in the central zone of the weld, iii) favourable (desired) melting of the material within the entire weld transcrystallisation zone and iv) obtainment of a full weld nugget.

Six Sigma is an organized and systematic method for strategic process improvement that relies on statistical and scientific methods to reduce the defect rates and achieve significant quality up-gradation. Six Sigma is also a business philosophy to improve customer satisfaction, a tool for eliminating process variation and errors and a metric of world class companies allowing for process comparisons. Six Sigma is one of the most effective advanced improvement strategies which has direct impact on operational excellence of an organization. Six Sigma may also be defined as the powerful business strategies, which have helped to improve quality initiatives in many industries around the world. With the use of Six Sigma in casting industries, rejection rate is reduced, customer satisfaction is improved and financial benefits also increased. Six Sigma management uses statistical process control to relentlessly and rigorously pursue the reduction of variation in all critical processes to achieve continuous and breakthrough improvements that impact the bottom-line and/or top-line of the organization and increase customer satisfaction. In this paper author reviewed some of the significant previous published papers and focused on the general overview of publication in casting industries.

Attempts were made in the present study to design and develop skeletally modified ether linked tetraglycidyl epoxy resin (TGBAPSB), which is subsequently reinforced with different weight percentages of amine functionalized mullite fiber (F-MF). The F-MF was synthesized by reacting mullite fiber with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) as coupling agent and the F-MF structure was confirmed by FT-IR. TGBAPSB reinforced with F-MF formulation was cured with 4,4’-diamino diphenyl methane (DDM) to obtain nanocomposite. The surface morphology of TGBAPSB-F-MF epoxy nanocomposites was investigated by XRD, SEM and AFM studies. From the study, it follows that these nanocomposite materials offer enhancement in mechanical, thermal, thermo-mechanical, dielectric properties compared to neat (TGBAPSB) epoxy matrix. Hence we recommend these nanocomposites for a possible use in advanced engineering applications that require both toughness and stiffness.

A large number of people of the fringe areas of Sundarban enter into the forests every year and encounter with the tigers simply for their livelihood. This study attempts to examine the extent and impact of human-animal conflicts in the Sundarban Reserve Forest (SRF) area in West Bengal, India. An intensive study of the data of the victims (both death and injury) between 1999 and 2014 reveals that, fishermen crab collector, honey collectors and woodcutters are generally victimized by the tiger attack. Pre monsoon period (April to June) and early winter period (Jan to March) are noted for the two-peak periods for casualties. Maximum casualty occurs between 8-10 am, and 2-4 pm. Jhilla (21.1%), Pirkhali (19.72 %), Chandkhali (11.72%), and Arbesi (9.35%) are the four most vulnerable forest blocks accounting more than 60 per cent occurrence of incidences. 67.24 per cent of the tiger attack victims were residents of Gosaba followed by Hingalganja (15%) and Basanti, (9.76%). The vulnerability rating puts the risk of tiger attack to 0.88 for every 10,000 residents of Gosaba block followed by 0.33 at Hingalganj Block and 0.11 at Bansanti Block. The majority of the victims (68%) were found to be males, aged between 30 and 50 years.

Electricity generation around the world is mainly produced by using non-renewable energy sources especially in the commercial buildings. However, Rooftop solar Photovoltaic (PV) system produced a significant impact on environmental and economical benefits in comparison to the conventional energy sources, thus contributing to sustainable development. Such PV’s system encourages the production of electricity without greenhouse gas emissions that leads to a clean alternative to fossil fuels and economic prosperity even in less developed areas. However, efficiency of rooftop solar PV systems depends on many factors, the dominant being geographical (latitude, longitude, and solar intensity), environmental (temperature, wind, humidity, pollution, dust, rain, etc.) and the type of PV (from raw material extraction and procurement, to manufacturing, disposal, and/or recycling) used. During the feasibility analysis of the environment, geographical conditions are keep in well consideration, but the pollution level of the city is always overlooked, which significantly influences the performance of the PV installations.     

Therefore, this research work focused on the performance of rooftop solar PV installed in one of the most polluted city in India. Here, the loss in power generation of rooftop solar PV has been studied for the effect of deposited dust particles, wind velocity before and after the cleaning of the panels. The actual data has been utilized for the calculation of the energy efficiency and power output of the PV systems. According to the results, it has been concluded that dust deposition, wind speed and pollution level in city significantly reduces the efficiency of solar photovoltaic panel. Hence, an overview of social and environmental impacts of PV technologies is presented in this paper along with potential benefits and pitfalls.