Characterization of the 46.9-nm soft X-ray laser beam from a capillary discharge

Intense lasing had been obtained from argon plasma in the soft X-ray region from a capillary discharge plasma system. Different diagnostics have been used to characterize the lasing properties by recording the temporal, spatial, and spectral profiles of the emission. The divergence measurement indicates that the soft X-ray laser beam has good directionality with a divergence of 3.5 mrad. The spectrum of the laser beam measured using a transmission grating showed intense lasing line at 46.9 nm. Diffraction orders as high as 10th orders were observed. The temporal profile recorded with a vacuum diode showed a distinct laser peak with a pulse width ~1.2 ns (FWHM). In addition, the coherence of the X-ray laser beam was also confirmed from the high-contrast interference fringes (visibility ~85 %) recorded using double slits.     

Colossal Stability of SiB11(BO)12−: An Implication as Potential Electrolyte in High-Voltage Alkali-ion Battery

High-voltage alkali metal-ion batteries (AMIBs) require a non-hazardous, low-cost, and highly stable electrolyte with a large operating potential and rapid ion conductivity. Here, we have reported a halogen-free high-voltage electrolyte based on SiB₁₁(BO)₁₂⁻. Because of the weak π-orbital interaction of −BO as well as the mixed covalent and ionic interaction between SiB₁₁-cage and −BO ligand, SiB₁₁(BO)₁₂⁻ has colossal stability. SiB₁₁(BO)₁₂⁻ possesses extremely high vertical detachment energy (9.95 eV), anodic voltage limit (∼10.05 V), and electrochemical stability window (∼9.95 V). Furthermore, SiB₁₁(BO)₁₂⁻ is thermodynamically stable at high temperatures, and its large size allows for faster cation movement. The alkali salts MSiB₁₁(BO)₁₂ (M=Li, Na, and K) are easily dissociated into ionic components. Electrolytes based on SiB₁₁(BO)₁₂⁻ greatly outperform commercial electrolytes. In short, SiB₁₁(BO)₁₂⁻-based compound is demonstrated to be a high-voltage electrolyte for AMIBs.     

Pharmacokinetic studies of a novel trioxane antimalarial (99/411) in rats and monkeys using LC–MS/MS

The pharmacokinetic profile of 99/411, a novel anti‐malarial drug, was established in rats (12 mg/kg of body weight) and monkeys (20 mg/kg of body weight). Following oral administration, the presence of 99/411 was rapidly determined in rat plasma, tissues, urine, feces and monkey plasma using a validated LC–MS/MS method. The tissue distribution studies in rats indicated that the drug was partially distributed in all major tissues and plasma, and peak concentration levels were achieved within 0.5–4 h. Area under the curve in different rat tissues and plasma was found in order of blood > lung > intestine > heart > muscle > brain > kidney > spleen > liver. The total recoveries (within 86 h) of 99/411 were <0.0017% and <0.08% in urine and feces, respectively. The peak plasma concentration was 3499 ng/mL in rats after ~2 h of oral administration and 697–767 ng/mL in monkeys after ~6 h of oral administration. No plasma accumulation was observed in both male and female monkeys, even after multiple dosing. The preclinical pharmacokinetic profile and tissue distribution data are expected to assist in future clinical explorations of 99/411 as a promising anti‐malarial agent.     

Electrochemical supercapacitive performance of potentiostatically cathodic electrodeposited nanostructured MnO2 films

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - Nanostructured MnO2 films were prepared via cathodic electrodeposition under potentiostatic condition. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses reveal that the...     

Estimation of distribution coefficient of polonium in geological matrices around uranium mining site

In case of ground (groundwater) contamination or contaminants release from the disposal modules (facilities) to the geo-environment, the fate of contaminant transport is mainly governed by the parameter called distribution (partition) coefficient, K _d. It is a measure of sorption of contaminants to soils. For that the sorption of polonium in soil were carried out using laboratory batch method in different soil samples collected from different places around Turamdih uranium mining site. The kinetics of polonium sorption were also carried out at different time intervals which clearly indicates that sorption equilibrium for polonium achieved at around 72 h. The K _d for polonium varies from 1,443 to 7,501.3 L/kg in soil samples. Chemical characterization of soil and ground water samples were carried out to know the effect of various chemical parameters with distribution coefficient of polonium.     

Passively Q-switched diode-pumped Raman laser with third-order Stokes eye-safe oscillation

We demonstrate a passively Q-switched all-solid-state laser system with intracavity Raman frequency conversion to the eye-safe spectral region. Laser oscillation at the 1.064 μm wavelength with a pulse repetition rate of several kilohertz was provided by a Nd:YAG crystal and a Cr:YAG passive absorber. Third Stokes oscillations at the 1.599 and 1.494 μm wavelengths were obtained in Ba(NO₃)₂ and PbWO₄ crystals with output pulse energies of 5 μJ and 6 μJ, respectively. The results of the numerical simulation of the pulse dynamics are in good agreement with the experimental data.     

First-order antiferro-ferromagnetic transition in Fe(49)(Rh(0.93)Pd(0.07))(51) under simultaneous application of magnetic field and external pressure

A magnetic field-pressure-temperature (H-P-T) phase diagram for first-order antiferromagnetic (AFM) to ferromagnetic (FM) transitions in Fe(49)(Rh(0.93)Pd(0.07))(51) has been constructed using resistivity measurements under simultaneous application of magnetic field (up to 8 T) and pressure (up to 20 kbar). The temperature dependence of resistivity (ρ-T) shows that the width of the transition and the extent of hysteresis decreases with pressure and increases with magnetic field. By exploiting opposing trends of dT(N)/dP and dT(N)/dH (where T(N) is the first-order transition temperature), the relative effects of temperature, magnetic field and pressure on disorder-broadened first-order transitions has been studied. For this, a set of H and P values are chosen for which T(N)(H(1),P(1)) = T(N)(H(2),P(2)). Measurements for such combinations of H and P show that the temperature dependence of resistivity is similar, i.e. the broadening (in temperature) of transition as well as the extent of hysteresis remains independent of H and P. Isothermal magnetoresistance measurements under various constant pressures show that even though the critical field required for AFM-FM transition depends on applied pressure, the extent of hysteresis as well as transition width (in magnetic field) remains constant with varying pressure.     

Lattice Dynamics at Zone-Center of Sulphide and Selenide Spinels

A rigid-ion model is used to calculate the force constants and effective dynamical charges of sulphide and selenide spinels. The Raman and infrared phonon modes of normal cubic sulphide spinels MCr2S4 （M = Mn, Co, Fe, Hg, Zn, and Cd） and selenide spinels MCr2Se4 （M = Hg, Zn, and Cd） are calculated at the first Brillouin zone-centre using above model, The significant outcome of the present work is （i） the interatomic interaction between Cr-S （Se） dominates over the Cr-S（Se） and S-S（Se-Se） type of interatomic interactions, （ii） the effective dynamical charges of the bivalent metal ions are nearly zero, and （iii） the selenide spinels are less ionic than the sulphide spinels and the ionicity decreases as MnCr2S4 〉 FeCr2S4 〉 CoCr2S4 〉 and CdOr2C4 〉 ZnCr2C4 〉 HgCr2C4 （C = S and Se）. The zone-center phonon frequencies, calculated using these parameters, are found to be in very good agreement with the observed results.