Coupled tapered/uptapered optical beams

For the first time we propose the phenomenon of coupled tapering and uptapering in two mutually incoherent beams coaxially co-propagating in a nonlinear medium with small gain or loss. During tapering or uptapering, the widths and powers of the beams evolve in such a manner that they always satisfy the condition of soliton pairing. It is shown that under certain condition one beam can taper/uptaper, while, other uptaper/taper during coupled tapering/uptapering which is quite counterintuitive.     

Surface modification of argon/oxygen plasma treated vulcanized ethylene propylene diene polymethylene surfaces for improved adhesion with natural rubber

Vulcanized ethylene propylene diene polymethylene (EPDM) rubber surface was treated in a radio frequency capacitatively coupled low pressure argon/oxygen plasma to improve adhesion with compounded natural rubber (NR) during co-vulcanization. The plasma modified surfaces were analyzed by means of contact angle measurement, surface energy, attenuated total reflection-infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray sulfur mapping and atomic force microscopy. Several experimental variables such as plasma power, length of exposure time and composition of the argon-oxygen gas mixture were considered. It was delineated that plasma treatment changed both surface composition and roughness, and consequently increased peel strength. The change in surface composition was mainly ascribed to the formation of C-O and -CO functional groups on the vulcanized surfaces. A maximum of 98% improvement in peel strength was observed after plasma treatment.     

Synthesis, characterization and catecholase-like activity of [Mn2L2(μ1,5-dca)2(dca)2]·H2O [L?=?N,N′-ethylenebis(2-benzoylpyridineimine), dca?=?dicyanamide]

A dinuclear Mn^II complex, namely [Mn₂L₂(μ_1,5-dca)₂(dca)₂]·H₂O [L = N,N′-ethylenebis(2-benzoylpyridineimine), dca = dicyanamide], has been synthesized and structurally characterized in order to study its catecholase-like activity. Single-crystal X-ray analysis revealed that the molecule possesses a center of inversion at the midpoint of the line bisecting the adjacent metal centers of the dimers. The coordination number of each Mn^II center is seven, and the coordination geometry is approximately distorted pentagonal bipyramid. The complex is an efficient catalyst for the oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol to 3,5-di-tert-butylbenzoquinone under air in methanol solution but is inactive in acetonitrile solution. A kinetic study of the catalysis was treated on the basis of the Michaelis–Menten model and reveals high turnover numbers (k _cat = 4.5 × 10² h⁻¹) in methanol.     

Designing of peptide aptamer targeting the receptor-binding domain of spike protein of SARS-CoV-2: an in silico study

Molecular Diversity - Short synthetic peptide molecules which bind to a specific target protein with a high affinity to exert its function are known as peptide aptamers. The high specificity of...     

On generalized cluster sets of functions and multifunctions

This paper introduces and studies generalized cluster sets (g-cluster sets) of functions and multifunctions on GTS, which unifies the existing notions of cluster sets, θ-cluster sets, δ-cluster sets, S-cluster sets, s-cluster sets, p-cluster sets and many more. Several properties of the functions and multifunctions as well as their range and domain spaces are observed via degeneracies of their g-cluster sets. Characterizations of g-cluster sets through filterbases and grills on a typical class of GTS’s are also obtained. Moreover, μ-compactness of a GTS is characterized through g-cluster sets of multifunctions.     

Spin-Crossover Assisted Spin-Switching and Rectification Action in Half-Metallic Graphitic Carbon Nitride(g-C4N3)

Herein, we report on the potential multifunctional spintronic action of half-metallic graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₄N₃). We observed electrostatic spin-crossover action at an applied electric field of −0.77 V nm⁻¹, which eventually leads to spin-switching action and change in sign of bias dependent spin injection coefficient. The system also acts as a spin polarized charge current rectifier with rectification ratio of 65.41 in spin-up channel only. This electric field-controlled spin switching action and simultaneous existence of rectification action makes graphitic carbon nitride a perfect multifunctional spintronic system-an ideal material for quantum logic gate design. Results obtained have been substantiated through transmission spectra and transmission pathways analyses. An analysis of projected device density of states of the system and molecular projected self consistent Hamiltonian states analysis reveals that the electron flow of the system is mainly facilitated by 2p orbitals of C and N atoms.     

Sustainable self‐healing elastomers with thermoreversible network derived from biomass via emulsion polymerization

Motivated by the growing demand for greener and sustainable polymer systems, self‐healing elastomers were prepared by emulsion polymerization of terpene and furfural‐based monomers. Both the method and the monomers were green and sustainable. The synthesized copolymers showed molecular weights between 59,080 and 84,210 Da and glass‐transition temperature (T_g) between ?25 and ?40 °C, implying rubbery properties. A set of one‐dimensional (1D) and two‐dimensional (2D) NMR spectroscopy supported the formation of the copolymer and nuclear spin–spin coupling in the copolymer. Reactivity ratios were determined by conventional linear method. A thermoreversible network was achieved for the first time by reacting the furan‐based polymer with bismaleimide (BM) as a crosslinker, via a Diels?Alder (DA) coupling reaction. The reversible nature of the polymer network was evidenced from infrared and NMR spectroscopy. The thermoreversible character of the DA crosslinked adduct was confirmed by applying retro‐DA reaction (observed in differential scanning calorimeter [DSC] analysis) and mechanical recovery was verified by repeated heating and cooling cycles. The network polymers displayed excellent self‐healing ability, triggered by heating at 130 °C for 4–12 h, when their scratched surface was screened by microscopic visualization. The healing efficiency of the crosslinked DA‐adduct was calculated as 78%, using atomic force microscopy. This work provides a green and efficient approach to prepare new green and functional materials. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019 , 57, 738–751     

Optimisation of laboratory arsenic analysis for groundwaters of West Bengal,India and possible water testing strategy

Regular monitoring of arsenic (As) in groundwater is crucial from public health perspectives as millions of people are suffering due to use of contaminated aquifer water for drinking purposes. The routine analyses, especially in developing nations, are mostly done in localised government/non-government laboratories with limited resources, having the target of analysing large number of samples in each run. Thus apart from analytical sensitivity, cost-effectiveness of the method and eco-friendliness of the experimental operation are key surreptitious factors. This demands optimisation of total As measurement methods and finding a method that gives ‘optimum benefit’ considering all these factors together. The present study therefore evaluates four common As (total) measurement methods [iodometric-colorimetric method, silver diethyl dithiocarbamate method, molybdenum blue method and hydride generation atomic absorption spectrophotometric (HG-AAS) method] practised in the Bengal Delta Plain, in view of their analytical sensitivity, related environmental hazard and experimental costs. It was found that the HG-AAS method is analytically more sensitive, whereas the iodometric-colorimetric method and the molybdenum blue method are better choices in terms of eco-friendliness and cost-effectiveness, respectively. However, when all three factors (analytical reliability, environmental hazard and cost) are considered simultaneously, the molybdenum blue method was found to be placed first in the ‘optimum performance rank’ list. It was also found that both environmental hazard and cost play a more crucial role than analytical reliability, although this is case specific and would differ from place to place around the globe. Finally based on the results, we have hypothesised a water testing strategy for developing countries such as India where the molybdenum blue method can be adapted as a screening method and later the HG-AAS method can be used to precisely identify the groundwater samples with As concentration below the WHO drinking water guideline value of 10 μg/L.     

A generalized central sets theorem in partial semigroups

Semigroup Forum - The most powerful formulation of the Central Sets Theorem in an arbitrary semigroup was proved in the work of De, Hindman, and Strauss. The sets which satisfy the conclusion of...