Improvement in nanoscale contact resistance of alumina

In all contact-related applications such as the wear-resistant inserts, biomedical implants, high strain rate impact-resistant plates, etc., nanohardness, i.e. the intrinsic contact resistance at the nano scale, plays a major role. In spite of the wealth of literature, the studies on nanohardness of dense, coarse-grain alumina ceramics which represent many commercial varieties; have reasonably good hardness at the macro scale and characteristically exhibit R-curve behaviour, are far from significant. Here, to the best of our knowledge, we report for the first time the experimental observations of the increase in intrinsic contact resistance at the nano scale with the loading rate applied to a high-density (～95?% of theoretical) coarse-grain (～20?μm) alumina ceramics. These observations were explained in terms of the initiation of nanoscale plasticity and maximum shear stress generated just underneath the nanoindenter.     

Laser-induced thermal lens study of the role of morphology and hydroxyl group in the evolution of thermal diffusivity of copper oxide

The paper explores the evolution of thermal behavior of the material by studying the variations in thermal diffusivity using the single beam thermal lens (TL) technique. For this purpose, the decomposition of Cu(OH)₂ into CuO is studied in a time range up to 120 h, by subjecting the sample to morphological, structural, and spectroscopic characterizations. The time evolution of thermal diffusivity can be divided into three regions for demonstrating the dynamics of the reaction. When the reaction is complete, the thermal diffusivity is also found to be saturated. In addition to the morphological modifications, from rods to flakes, the variations in the amount of hydroxyl group are attributed to be responsible for the enhancement of base fluid's thermal diffusivity by 165%. Thus the study unveils the role of hydroxyl groups in the thermal behavior of CuO.     

Spectrofluorimetric study on in vitro interaction between calcium phosphate nanoparticle and salmon testis DNA

Cocrystalline TiO₂ nanoblossoms having enhanced photocatalytic activities have been facilely grown via a one-step solvothermal process on titanium foil in mixed solvents of water and ethylene glycol. By varying the volume ratio of two solvents, we have controlled the morphological, the structural, and the optical properties of TiO₂ nanoblossoms. Our prepared TiO₂ nanoblossoms have been found to have both the anatase and the rutile crystal structures acting as nanoscale p–n junctions, which help to enhance catalytic performances via forming inner electric fields. In particular, TiO₂ nanoblossoms grown in the 1:1 volume mixture of water and ethylene glycol have been found to have the best-defined nanoscale p–n junctions, showing the best photocatalytic activity consequentially.     

Phase Covariant Channel: Quantum Speed Limit of Evolution

The quantum speed of evolution for the phase covariant map is investigated. This involves absorption, emission, and dephasing processes. The maps under various combinations of the above processes are considered to investigate the effect of phase covariant maps on quantum speed limit time. For absorption-free phase covariant maps, combinations of dissipative and CP-(in)divisible (non)-Markovian dephasing noises are considered. The role of coherence-mixedness balance on the speed limit time is checked in the presence of both vacuum and finite temperature effects. The rate at which Holevo's information changes and the action quantum speed of evolution for specific cases of the phase covariant map are also investigated.     

Mechanistic studies on the reaction between cob(II)alamin and peroxynitrite: evidence for a dual role for cob(II)alamin as a scavenger of peroxynitrous acid and nitrogen dioxide

Peroxynitrite/peroxynitrous acid (ONOO(-)/ONOOH; pK(a(ONOOH)) =6.8) is implicated in multiple chronic inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. Both mammalian B(12)-dependent enzymes are inactivated under oxidative stress conditions. We report studies on the kinetics of the reaction between peroxynitrite/peroxynitrous acid and a major intracellular vitamin B(12) form, cob(II)alamin (Cbl(II)), using stopped-flow spectroscopy. The pH dependence of the reaction is consistent with peroxynitrous acid reacting directly with Cbl(II) to give cob(III)alamin (Cbl(III)) and (.)NO(2) , followed by a subsequent rapid reaction between (.)NO(2) and a second molecule of Cbl(II) to primarily form nitrocobalamin. In support of this mechanism, a Cbl(II)/ONOO(H) stoichiometry of 2:1 is observed at pH 7.35 and 12.0. The final major Cbl(III) product observed (nitrocobalamin or hydroxycobalamin) depends on the solution pH. Analysis of the reaction products in the presence of tyrosine-a well-established (.)NO(2) scavenger-reveals that Cbl(II) reacts with (.)NO(2) at least an order of magnitude faster than tyrosine itself. Given that protein-bound Cbl is accessible to small molecules, it is likely that enzyme-bound and free intracellular Cbl(II) molecules are rapidly oxidized to inactive Cbl(III) upon exposure to peroxynitrite or (.)NO(2).     

A validated high‑performance thin-layer chromatography method for the simultaneous determination of quercetin and gallic acid in Annona reticulata L.

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - A sensitive and reliable high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) method has been developed to simultaneously estimate...     

Kinetics and mechanism of oxidation of l-ascorbic acid by peroxomonosulphate in acid perchlorate medium. Role of copper (II) as a trace metal-ion catalyst

The kinetics of oxidation of l-ascorbic acid by peroxomonosulphate (PMS) in presence and absence of Cu(II) catalyst has been studied. The stoichiometry of the reaction is represented by the following:

H₂A + HSO₅⁻ → A + HSO₄⁻ + H₂O     

Structural and spectroscopic evidence for the formation of trinuclear and tetranuclear vanadium(III)/carboxylate complexes of acetate and related derivatives in aqueous solution

The formation of vanadium(III) complexes with nuclearity greater than two is believed to occur in aqueous solution on the basis of potentiometric, electrochemical, and/or UV-vis spectroscopy titration measurements, although structural evidence for this is limited. Upon the addition of 1-2 equiv of acetate, propionate, chloroacetate, trifluoroacetate, or bromoacetate to an aqueous, acidic solution of vanadium(III), trinuclear and tetranuclear complexes are formed. The structures of [V4(mu-OH)4(mu-OOCCF3)4(OH2)8]Cl4.7.5H2O (1), [V4(mu-OH)4(mu-OOCCH3)4(OH2)8]Cl4.CH3COOH.12H2O (2), [V4(mu-OH)4(mu-OOCCH3)4(OH2)8]Cl4.3H2O (3), [V3(mu3-O)(mu-OOCCH2Br)6(OH2)3]CF3SO3.H2O (4), [V3(mu3-O)(mu-OOCCH2CH3)6(OH2)3]Cl.2H2O (5), [V3(mu3-O)(mu-OOCCH3)6(OH2)3]Cl.3.5H2O (6), and [V3(mu3-O)(mu-OOCCH2Cl)6(OH2)3]CF3SO3.H2O (7) have been determined by X-ray diffraction. Importantly, electrospray mass spectrometry and 1H NMR measurements suggest that these complexes are not purely solid-state phenomena but are also present in solution. For the vanadium(III)/acetate and vanadium(III)/propionate systems, two paramagnetic 1H NMR signals corresponding to two distinct complexes (species A and B) are observed in the 40-55 ppm region for 0.20 mol equiv of acetate or propionate, at pD 3.44. No corresponding signals are observed for the vanadium(III)/bromoacetate and vanadium(III)/chloroacetate systems under the same conditions or for the vanadium(III)/ trifluoroacetate system using 19F NMR spectroscopy. UV-vis spectra suggest that species B are structurally analogous for the vanadium(III)/acetate and vanadium(III)/propionate systems, whereas structurally different complexes are the major species for the other systems. Diffusion coefficients of species B for the vanadium(III)/acetate and vanadium(III)/propionate systems determined by pulsed-field-gradient spin-echo NMR spectroscopy measurements are (3.0 +/- 0.1) x 10-6 and (3.23 +/- 0.01) x 10-6 cm2 s-1, respectively, and are most consistent with species B being trimeric, rather than tetranuclear, complexes.     

Dynein-Inspired Multilane Exclusion Process with Open Boundary Conditions

Motivated by the sidewise motions of dynein motors shown in experiments, we use a variant of the exclusion process to model the multistep dynamics of dyneins on a cylinder with open ends. Due to the varied step sizes of the particles in a quasi-two-dimensional topology, we observe the emergence of a novel phase diagram depending on the various load conditions. Under high-load conditions, our numerical findings yield results similar to the TASEP model with the presence of all three standard TASEP phases, namely the low-density (LD), high-density (HD), and maximal-current (MC) phases. However, for medium- to low-load conditions, for all chosen influx and outflux rates, we only observe the LD and HD phases, and the maximal-current phase disappears. Further, we also measure the dynamics for a single dynein particle which is logarithmically slower than a TASEP particle with a shorter waiting time. Our results also confirm experimental observations of the dwell time distribution: The dwell time distribution for dyneins is exponential in less crowded conditions, whereas a double exponential emerges under overcrowded conditions.