Rate constants of the reactions of O(3P) atoms with Br2 and NO2 over the temperature range 220-950 K

The kinetics of the reactions of Br₂ and NO₂ with ground state oxygen atoms have been studied over a wide temperature range, T = 220-950 K, using a low-pressure flow tube reactor coupled with a quadrupole mass spectrometer: O + NO₂ → NO + O₂ (1) and O + Br₂ → Br + BrO (2). The rate constant of reaction (1) was determined under pseudo–first-order conditions, either monitoring the kinetics of O-atom or NO₂ consumption in excess of NO₂ or of the oxygen atoms, respectively: k₁ = (6.1 ± 0.4) × 10⁻¹² exp((155 ± 18)/T) cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹ (where the uncertainties represent precision at the 2σ level, the estimated total uncertainty on k₁ being 15% at all temperatures). The temperature dependence of k₁, found to be in excellent agreement with multiple previous low-temperature data, was extended to 950 K. The rate constant of reaction (2) determined under pseudo–first-order conditions, monitoring the kinetics of Br₂ consumption in excess of O-atoms, showed upward curvature at low and high temperatures of the study and was fitted with the following three-parameter expression: k₂ = 9.85 × 10⁻¹⁶ T^1.41 exp(543/T) cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹ at T = (220-950) K, which is recommended from the present study with an independent of temperature conservative uncertainty of 15% on k₂.     

Mitigation of microbially influenced corrosion of Cu–Ni (90/10) alloy in a seawater environment

Research on Chemical Intermediates - In industries where a heat exchanger is made up of Cu–Ni (90/10) alloy and seawater is used as a coolant, microbially influenced corrosion (MIC) is a...     

Tunable Surface Wrinkling by a Bio-Inspired Polyamine Anion Coacervation Process that Mediates the Assembly of Polyoxometalate Nanoclusters

A bio-inspired method is used to render controlled wrinkling surface patterns on supramolecular architectures assembled from polyoxometalate (POM) clusters. It involves a polyamine-multivalent anion interaction generating positively charged coacervates, which while dictating the assembly of POM into spherical structures further facilitate an interesting surface morphogenesis with wrinkling patterns. This spontaneous surface wrinkling depends on the type of multivalent anion and the pH. As the polyamine-anion interaction becomes stronger, the wrinkles turn denser with lesser depth, which eventually undergoes post-buckling to engender a complex surface pattern. Interestingly, the order of influence exerted by different anions on the morphology follows the Hofmeister series. Moreover, the mild synthesis conditions keep the functional POM units dispersed in the sphere with a structural transformability to their lacunary form.     

Fluorogenic ratiometric dipodal optode containing imine-amide linkages: Exploiting subtle thorium (IV) ion sensing

The (13E,19E)-N1′,N3′-bis[4-(diethylamino)-2-hydroxybenzylidene]malonohydrazide (L) has been developed for the detection of Th⁴⁺ ions using dual channel signalling system. The UV–vis absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopic data revealed the formation of L–Th⁴⁺ complex in 1:1 equilibrium. The density functional theory (DFT) also confirms the optimum binding cavity for the recognition of metal ion. The binding constant computed from different mathematical models for an assembly of L–Th⁴⁺. The detection limit of L for Th⁴⁺ recognition is to a concentration down to 0.1 μM (0.023 μg g⁻¹). The present sensing system is also successfully applied for the detection of Th⁴⁺ ion present in soil near nuclear atomic plants.     

Fiber-laser-based green-pumped continuous-wave singly-resonant optical parametric oscillator

Stable, high-power, second-harmonic-generation (SHG) of a compact CW Ytterbium (Yb) fiber laser at 1064 nm into the green and its use as a pump source for CW singly-resonant optical parametric oscillator (SRO) is demonstrated. Using a simple single-pass SHG configuration in MgO:sPPLT, as much as 9.6 W of single-frequency green radiation at 532 nm is generated from 30 W of fundamental power at a conversion efficiency of 32.7% in a Gaussian spatial profile with a beam quality factor of M ² < 1.3. Thermal effects have been investigated at different fundamental power levels and various thermal management schemes are employed to maximize the second-harmonic power. The green source is successfully deployed to pump a CW SRO tunable over 855–1408 nm, generating up to 2.1 W of idler at 1168 nm. The peak-to-peak idler power stability is better than 10.7% over 40 min, with beam quality factor M ² < 1.26 for the idler and M ² < 1.52 for the signal.     

High-power, continuous-wave Ti:sapphire laser pumped by fiber-laser green source at 532 nm

We report the first experimental demonstration of efficient and high-power operation of a Ti:sapphire laser pumped by a simple, compact, continuous-wave (cw) fiber-laser-based green source. The pump radiation is obtained by direct single-pass second-harmonic-generation (SHG) of a 33 W, cw Yb-fiber laser in a 30-mm-long MgO:sPPLT crystal, providing 11 W of single-frequency green power at 532 nm in TEM₀₀ spatial profile with power and frequency stability better than 3.3% and 32 MHz, respectively, over 1 h. The Ti:sapphire laser is continuously tunable across 743-970 nm and can deliver an output power up to 2.7 W with a slope efficiency as high as 32.8% under optimum output coupling of 20%. The laser output has a TEM₀₀ spatial profile with M²<1.44 across the tuning range and exhibits a peak-to-peak power fluctuation below 5.1% over 1 h.     

Pyridopyrimidines. X. Synthesis of 3‐Substituted 2‐Thioxo‐5,7‐dimethylpyrido[2,3‐d] pyrimidin‐4(3H)‐ones and their S‐Alkylation Under Phase Transfer Conditions

2‐Thioxo‐5,7‐dimethylpyrido[2,3‐d]pyrimidin‐4(3H)‐ones 3 were synthesized by the cyclocondensation of 2‐amino‐3‐carbethoxy‐4,6‐dimethylpyridine 1 with methyl‐N‐aryldithiocarbamates 2 and compared with the condensation between 1 and aryl isothiocyanates 4. When a comparative study of N vs S alkylation of ambident 2‐thioxo‐5,7‐dimethylpyrido[2,3‐d]pyrimidin‐4(3H)‐ones 3 was carried out under liquid‐liquid and solid‐liquid phase transfer conditions using various alkylating agents 5 , the S‐alkylated products 6 were obtained exclusively and selectively.     

Synthesis of isomeric triazolopyrrolopyrimidines

4‐Hydrazino‐7H‐pyrrolo[2,3‐d]pyrimidines ( 4 ) were cyclocondensed with formic acid or triethyl orthoformate to give 7H‐1,2,4‐triazolo[1,5‐c]pyrrolo[3,2‐e]pyrimidines ( 5 ) and 7H‐1,2,4‐triazolo[4,3‐c]pyrrolo‐[3,2‐e]pyrimidines ( 6 ) respectively. The [4,3‐c]‐isomers ( 6 ) were rearranged into thermodynamically more stable [1,5‐c]‐isomers ( 5 ). The identical compounds ( 5 ) were prepared using another route by reacting 3‐amino‐4‐imino‐7H‐pyrrolo[2,3‐d]pyrimidines ( 3 ) with formic acid or triethylorthoformate. Reaction of 2‐amino‐3‐cyanopyrroles ( 1 ) with triethyl orthoformate followed by hydrazinolysis afforded ( 3 ) via the formation of N‐ethoxymethylene‐2‐amino‐3‐cyanopyrroles ( 2 ).     

The suppression of structural phase transformation in LaVO3 and La1−xSrxVO3 thin films fabricated by pulsed laser deposition

Highly oriented (100) thin films of LaVO₃ and La_1−xSr_xVO₃ have been fabricated by pulsed laser deposition in a reducing atmosphere. The films show a transition from insulating to metallic behaviour in the composition region of x, 0.175<x<0.200. In the single crystals of the antiferromagnetic insulating phase, a first-order structural phase transition is observed few degrees below the magnetic transition, which manifests itself as a kink in the temperature dependence of resistivity. In the highly oriented thin films of LaVO₃ and La_1−xSr_xVO₃ fabricated on lattice matched substrates in this study, the structural phase transformation in the insulating phase has been suppressed. The electrical conduction is found to take place via hopping through localized states at low temperatures. The metallic compositions show a non-linear (T^1.5) behaviour in the temperature dependence of resistivity. V (2p) core level spectra of these films show a gradual change in the relative intensities of V³⁺ and V⁴⁺ ions as the value of x increases.     

Digital signal display board design: A knowledge based study

The digital signal display board is assumed to be composed of picture tubes for the purpose of displaying characters. The signal board with the picture tubes constitutes an Information System. A methodology for obtaining the discrimable matrix or table (more decisive attributes) and knowledge reduction for the above information system is proposed.