Effect of different catalysts and growth temperature on the photoluminescence properties of zinc silicate nanostructures grown via vapor-liquid-solid method

We explore the photoluminescence properties of zinc silicate (Zn₂SiO₄) nanostructures synthesized by vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) mode of growth using three different catalysts (Sn, Ag, and Mn). Different catalysts significantly influence the growth rate which in turn has an impact on the structure and hence the photoluminescence of the prepared zinc silicate nanostructures. Zn₂SiO₄ has a wide bandgap of about 5.5 eV and in its pure form, it does not emit in visible region due to its inner shell electronic transitions between the 3d⁵ energy levels. However, the incorporation of different catalysts (Sn, Ag and Mn) at different growth temperatures into the Zn₂SiO₄ crystal growth kinetics provides wide visible spectral range of photoluminescence (PL) emissions. PL analysis shows broad multi-band spectrum in the visible region and distinct colors (red, yellow, green, blue, cyan and violet) are obtained depending on the crystalline structure of the prepared nanostructures. The allowed transitions due to the effect of different catalysts on zinc silicate lattice offer a huge cross-section of absorption that generates strong photoluminescence. The correlation between the structural and optical properties of the synthesized nanostructures is discussed in detail. The synthesized photoluminescent nanostructures have potential applications in solid-state lighting and display devices.     

Hölder Regularity of μ-Similar Functions

Given a positive measure μ, d contractions on [0,1] and a function g on ℝ, we are interested in function series F that we call “μ-similar functions” associated with μ, g and the contractions. These series F are defined as infinite sums of rescaled and translated copies of the function g, the dilation and translations depending on the choice of the contractions. The class of μ-similar functions F intersects the classes of self-similar and quasi-self-similar functions, but the heterogeneity we introduce in the location of the copies of g make the class much larger. We study the convergence and the global and local regularity properties of the μ-similar functions. We also try to relate the multifractal properties of μ to those of F and to develop a multifractal formalism (based on oscillation methods) associated with F.     

A macroscopic traffic model based on weather conditions

A traffic model based on the road surface conditions during adverse weather is presented. The surface of a road is affected by snow, compacted snow, and ice, which affects the traffic behavior. In this paper, a new macroscopic traffic flow model based on the transition velocity distribution is proposed which characterizes traffic alignment under adverse weather conditions. Two examples are considered to illustrate the effect of the transition velocity behavior on traffic velocity and density. Simulation results are presented which show that this model provides a more accurate characterization of traffic flow behavior than the well known Payne–Whitham model. The proposed model can be used to reduce accidents and improve road safety during adverse weather conditions.     

Mixed convection flow in a horizontal rectangular channel subjected to a horizontal thermal gradient

This paper deals with a mixed convection water flow in a horizontal rectangular duct, uniformly heated from one lateral vertical wall and thermally insulated elsewhere. The supplied heat flux induces a secondary flow, which structure is constituted of one longitudinal roll in the considered aspect ratio (Γ = 1.9), embedded into a return flow of possibly large stream wise extension (up to twenty channel heights). Such situation induces helicoidal trajectories for the fluid flow particles, which contributes to a heat transfer enhancement compared to purely forced convection flow.     

Stainless steel supported NiS/CeS nanocomposite for significantly enhanced oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline media

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - The discovery of highly active and cost-effective materials capable of catalyzing the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is essential for water splitting. In...     

Characterization of CdTe thin films fabricated by close spaced sublimation technique and a study of Cu doping by ion exchange process

CdTe thin films were prepared onto water-white glass substrates by the close spaced sublimation technique. The films annealed right after the deposition were then immersed in copper nitrate solution for different periods of time. These films were again annealed at 500 ^oC for 1 h to ensure the diffusion of copper in the films. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The electron microprobe analyzer showed an increase of copper-content in composition. The dc electrical conductivity showed a credible increase with increasing copper-content in the films. With the increase of copper-content, the hole mobility increased systematically. The optical parameters were deduced by fitting the optical transmittance in the wavelength range 300–2500 nm.     

Use of local soil for the decontamination of liquid radioactive wastes at PINSTECH

The use of locally available mineral clay for the removal of radionuclides from the low and intermediate level liquid waste has been studied. Adsorption behavior of this naturally available inorganic adsorbent is reported. The factors such as contact time, nature of the waste, pH and adsorption capacity have been considered. These optional physico-chemical conditions suggest an effective use of this locally available adsorbent for the decontamination of the liquid radioactive waste at Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (PINSTECH), Islamabad.     

Development of bis-thiobarbiturates as successful urease inhibitors and their molecular modeling studies

Bis-thiobarbiturate derivatives 1–15 have been synthesized, characterized by1 HNMR and EI-MS and screened for urease inhibition. All compounds showed various degree of urease inhibitory activity with IC_(50) values ranging 7.45 0.12 74.24 0.81 mmol/L while the standard thiourea behaved normally(IC_(50) = 21.10 0.12). Compounds 1(IC_(50) = 7.45 0.12 μmol/L), 9(IC_(50) = 18.17 1.03 μmol/L) and 13(IC_(50) = 8.61 0.45 μmol/L) showed excellent urease inhibitory activity in the series. Molecular modeling studies were performed to understand the binding site with the bimetallic nickel center of the enzyme.Structure-activity relationship has also been established for these compounds. This study identified bisthiobarbiturate as a novel class of urease inhibitors.