Application of advanced nuclear analytical techniques for the electrocatalyst's characterization: Paving the path for mechanistic investigations

As the application of electrocatalyst continues to expand, envisaging the hidden mechanisms occurring at various length scale affecting the catalytic efficiency became important. To enhance the stability of electrocatalyst and reduce the cost, it is of paramount importance to reveal the active site's dynamics (using in situ techniques for getting the real-time information) which directly affect the reactions such as oxygen evolution reaction, hydrogen evolution reaction, and so on. Since such reactions are crucial for many engineering and scientific applications, in situ characterization techniques are required, which could capture such reactions happening at a different length and time scale. This article analyzes the recent progress made in the field of electrocatalyst's characterization using in situ neutron techniques. The article also paves the future path and has delineated the future challenges involved in multiscale correlative techniques (e.g., neutron techniques in the combination of synchrotron or microscopic techniques) used for getting the multiscale (atomic to micrometer range) mechanistic information about the electrocatalyst's working and degradation.     

Effect of two-step electrodeposited Cu–TiO2 nanocomposite coating on pool boiling heat transfer performance

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - In order to decrease the energy consumptions in energy conversion devices, boiling heat transfer augmentation is one of the important research...     

Semi-wet growth and characterization of multi-functional nano-engineered mixed metal oxides for industrial application

This review paper covers the low temperature wet growth of nano-engineered particles of ZnO-based mixed metal oxides, their growth mechanism, and characterization using X-ray diffraction, SEM, TEM and IR, UV–visible, and XPS spectral techniques. Main focus of this article is centered on low temperature semi-wet methods of synthesis that are suitable for large scale production of zinc oxide-based systems mixed with iron oxide, copper oxide, nickel oxide and cobalt oxide. These mixed metal oxides have broad industrial applications as catalyst, semiconductors, adsorbents, superconductors, electro-ceramics, and antifungal agents in addition to extensive applications in medicines. This paper discusses the low-cost and environment friendly synthesis of these mixed metal oxides, measurement of properties and applicability of these materials systems.     

An experimental investigation on pool boiling heat transfer enhancement using Cu-Al2O3 nano-composite coating

Pool boiling heat transfer performances of Cu-Al₂O₃-coated copper surfaces have been studied experimentally for its potential use in heat transfer applications. In the present study, a two-step electrochemical deposition method is examined. This method provides an easy control on surface properties such as porosity and coating thickness. The deposition method is studied carefully and responsible surface morphology parameters are reported. After performing the pool boiling experiments on coated surfaces with DI water, the maximum critical heat flux of 1800 kW/m² and heat transfer coefficient of 193 kW/m² K, which are 68% and 260% higher than that of bare surface, respectively.     

Analysis of current voltage characteristics of MWIR homojunction photodiodes for uncooled operation

Dark currents n⁺/ν/p⁺ Hg_0.69Cd_0.31Te mid wave infrared photodiodes were measured at room temperature. The diodes exhibited negative differential resistance at room-temperature, but with increasing leakage currents as a function of reverse bias. The current–voltage characteristics were simulated and fitted by incorporating trap assisted tunneling via traps and Shockley–Read–Hall generation recombination process due to dislocations in the carrier transport equations. The thermal suppression of carriers was simulated by taking energy level of trap (E_t), trap density (N_t) and the doping concentrations of n⁺ and ν regions as fitting parameters. Values of E_t and N_t were 0.78E_g and ～6–9 × 10¹⁴ cm^?3 respectively for most of the diodes. Variable temperature current voltage measurements on variable area diode array (VADA) structures confirmed the fact that variation in zero bias resistance area product (R₀A) is related to g–r processes originating from variation in concentration and kind of defects that intersect a junction area.     

Synthesis of 5‐aryl and 5‐amidocamptothecins

A variety of 5‐aryl‐(20S)‐camptothecin derivatives were synthesized by the reaction of 5‐hydroxy‐(20S)‐camptothecin with aromatic hydrocarbons under Friedel‐Craft reaction conditions in moderate to good yield as diastereomeric pairs. The methodology was then extended for the synthesis of 5‐amido‐(20S)‐camptothecin derivatives by reacting 5‐hydroxy‐(20S)‐camptothecin with alkyl and aryl nitriles under Ritter type reaction conditions. The reaction is presumed to proceed through an iminium ion intermediate under Friedel Craft and Ritter type reaction condition, which is further trapped by nucleophile present in the reaction medium. J. Heterocyclic Chem., 00 , 00 (2011).     

X-ray standing waves in a multi-trilayer system with linearly varying period

Generation of X-ray standing waves in a multi-trilayer system with a varying periodicity along its depth is described. Microstructures of a synthetic 15-period Pt/Ni/C multilayer, which has such a varying periodicity, are investigated using X-ray reflectivity (XRR) and X-ray standing wave (XSW) analysis. Microstructural parameters, e.g., thicknesses and electron densities of individual layers, interface roughnesses, varying periodicity along the depth, etc. are precisely determined by the XRR technique. The variation of period is essentially introduced in multilayer fabrication by varying the thickness of the C-layer as a function of depth. The linear increase in C-layer thickness from the bottom of the multilayer towards the surface of the multilayer structure is found by simulating the XRR data with a depth-graded multilayer model. Intensity of the XSW field is computed as a function of depth over the first order Bragg peak. Integrated intensities over the Pt- and the Ni-layers are computed and compared with the measured fluorescence yield from Pt and Ni. Sensitivity for the detection of inter-atomic diffusion across the interfaces in comparison to multi-bilayer systems, such as Pt/C multilayer, is discussed.