Effect of citric acid and starch as emulsifier on phase formation and crystallite size of lanthanum oxide nanoparticles

Lanthanum oxide nanoparticles were synthesized via thermal decomposition method of the lanthanum nitrate in the presence of citric acid or starch as emulsifier. The effects of emulsifier and calcination temperature were investigated on the phase transformation and particle size distribution of the products. La₂O₃ nanoparticles were synthesized by drying lanthanum precursor and emulsifier solution, followed by calcination process at 600 and 900°C, respectively. Products were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), thermal analysis (TG/DTA) and nitrogen adsorption method (porous characteristics). The morphology of the samples analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Average crystallite size of the products was calculated by XRD data and average particle size was measured from the TEM micrographs. Lanthanum dioxycarbonate in different forms of the tetragonal and monoclinic is crystallized in the presence of citric acid and starch during the calcination at 600°C, respectively. The hexagonal structure, however, is detected as the only crystalline phase formed by calcination at 900°C.     

Effects of silicon negative ion implantation in semi-insulating gallium arsenide

ABSTRACT

In the present work, effects of silicon negative ion implantation into semi-insulating gallium arsenide (GaAs) samples with fluences varying between 1?×?10¹⁵ and 4?×?10¹⁷?ions?cm^?2 at 100?keV have been described. Atomic force microscopic images obtained from samples implanted with fluence up to 1?×?10¹⁷?ion?cm^?2 showed the formation of GaAs clusters on the surface of the sample. The shape, size and density of these clusters were found to depend on ion fluence. Whereas sample implanted at higher fluence of 4?×?10¹⁷?ions?cm^?2 showed bump of arbitrary shapes due to cumulative effect of multiple silicon ion impact with GaAs on the same place. GXRD study revealed formation of silicon crystallites in the gallium arsenide sample after implantation. The silicon crystallite size estimated from the full width at half maxima of silicon (111) XRD peak using Debye-Scherrer formula was found to vary between 1.72 and 1.87?nm with respect to ion fluence. Hall measurement revealed the formation of n-type layer in gallium arsenide samples. The current–voltage measurement of the sample implanted with different fluences exhibited the diode like behavior.     

Manipulating sensitivities of planar oxadiazole-based high performing energetic materials

Nitrogen-rich energetic materials based on five-membered azoles, such as tetrazoles, triazoles, oxadiazoles, pyrazoles, and imidazoles, have garnered significant attention in recent years due to their environmental compatibility while maintaining high performance. These materials, including explosives, propellants, and pyrotechnics, are designed to release energy rapidly and efficiently while minimizing the release of toxic or hazardous byproducts and have attracted potential applications in the defense and space industries. The presence of extensive N C, N N, and NN high energy bonds in azoles provides high enthalpies of formation and facilitates intermolecular interactions through π-stacking which may help with reducing sensitivity to external stimuli. Now, we report on the synthesis and energetic properties of N-(5-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)nitramide ( 5 ) and its energetic salts. These new high nitrogen–oxygen-containing materials have attractive feature applications of insensitivity and increased performance.     

Comparative study of p‐amino benzhydrazide and m‐amino benzhydrazide by free radicals and free electron transfer

The bimolecular electron transfer from p‐amino benzhydrazide (PABH) and its meta‐derivative (m‐amino benzhydrazide (MABH)) to specific one‐electron oxidant results in the formation of anilino radical. In case of PABH, reaction with ^?OH radicals results in the synchronous formation of adduct as well as anilino radical. The interesting observation is that the yield of the anilino radical increases with increase in pH. The effect of substitution also has a significant effect on the formation of adduct. In case of MABH, significant yield of anilino radical gets form on reaction with ^?OH radical. The free radical electron transfer from PABH and MABH to parent radical cation of non‐polar solvent also results in the formation of anilino radical only suggesting that the radical cation of PABH and MABH has short life time. The above results were supported by quantum chemical calculations. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Improved analysis of dispersion compensation using differential time delay for high-speed long-span optical link

Abstract

A dispersion-compensation technique using differential time delay has been analyzed for a high bit rate dispersive limited system using higher order dispersion terms. The technique is based on splitting the power spectrum into upper and lower parts, corresponding to the two modulation sidebands, and delaying one of these with respect to the other. RMS, phase deviation, dimension free chirp parameter, and figure of merit have been evaluated due to higher order dispersion terms for ideal and realistic optical communication systems. It has been shown that the transmission distance could be enhanced to fourfold, sixfold, and eightfold when the compensation has been performed using second-, third-, and fourth-order dispersion (20D, 30D, and 40D) terms.     

Sequential Monte Carlo Methods for Option Pricing

In this article, we provide a review and development of sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) methods for option pricing. SMC are a class of Monte Carlo-based algorithms, that are designed to approximate expectations w.r.t a sequence of related probability measures. These approaches have been used successfully for a wide class of applications in engineering, statistics, physics, and operations research. SMC methods are highly suited to many option pricing problems and sensitivity/Greek calculations due to the nature of the sequential simulation. However, it is seldom the case that such ideas are explicitly used in the option pricing literature. This article provides an up-to-date review of SMC methods, which are appropriate for option pricing. In addition, it is illustrated how a number of existing approaches for option pricing can be enhanced via SMC. Specifically, when pricing the arithmetic Asian option w.r.t a complex stochastic volatility model, it is shown that SMC methods provide additional strategies to improve estimation.     

Interface study of Ag/57Fe/Ag trilayer using Mössbauer and X-ray standing wave analysis

Interface of Ag/⁵⁷Fe/Ag trilayer has been studied with a depth resolution of a fraction of a nanometer using x-ray standing waves generated by a W/Si multilayer mirror used as a substrate. Two interfaces of 38 Å thick Fe layer in Ag/⁵⁷Fe/Ag trilayer are clearly resolved. It is found that the rms roughness of the two interfaces Fe-on-Ag and Ag-on-Fe are 10 ± 1.0 and 6 ± 1.0 Å, respectively. Conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopy (CEMS) has been used to get information about the volume fraction of the intermixed region and the estimated roughness from the relative area of the two sextets of CEMS spectra is found to be 7.0 Å which is consistent with the average roughness obtained by X-ray fluorescence measurements. However, the asymmetry of the interfaces can not be inferred from CEMS measurements.     

Simple and efficient one‐pot synthesis of 3,4‐dihydro‐2‐pyridones via solid‐supported Bi(III)nitrate catalyzed double michael addition‐azaannulation

4‐Aryl‐5‐carboethoxy‐6‐methyl‐2,3‐dihydro‐2‐pyridones were obtained, in high yield, by heating ternary mixtures of appropriate aldehydes, ethylacetoacetate and compounds possessing NH₂‐C=X functionality, in presence of immobilized Bi(III)nitrate and co‐catalyst Zn(II)chloride, under solventless conditions. The reaction proceeds smoothly at 140±5°C and seems to involve double Michael addition‐azaannulation.     

High-affinity small molecule-phospholipid complex formation: binding of siramesine to phosphatidic acid

Siramesine (SRM) is a sigma-2 receptor agonist which has been recently shown to inhibit growth of cancer cells. Fluorescence spectroscopy experiments revealed two distinct binding sites for this drug in phospholipid membranes. More specifically, acidic phospholipids retain siramesine on the bilayer surface due to a high-affinity interaction, reaching saturation at an apparent 1:1 drug-acidic phospholipid stoichiometry, where after the drug penetrates into the hydrocarbon core of the membrane. This behavior was confirmed using Langmuir films. Of the anionic phospholipids, the highest affinity, comparable to the affinities for the binding of small molecule ligands to proteins, was measured for phosphatidic acid (PA, mole fraction of X(PA) = 0.2 in phosphatidylcholine vesicles), yielding a molecular partition coefficient of 240 +/- 80 x 10(6). An MD simulation on the siramesine:PA interaction was in agreement with the above data. Taking into account the key role of PA as a signaling molecule promoting cell growth our results suggest a new paradigm for the development of anticancer drugs, viz. design of small molecules specifically scavenging phospholipids involved in the signaling cascades controlling cell behavior.     

Comparison of radiometric and non-radiometric methods for uranium determination in groundwater of Punjab,India

Uranium in groundwater samples collected from Punjab state, India was determined using radiometric methods (extractive liquid scintillation and Cerenkov counting). Experimental conditions were optimized by studying the effect of sample pH, quenching and amount of extracting agent added to the scintillation cocktail on recovery of uranium. To ensure the accuracy of results, both radiometric methods were compared with non radiometric method such as adsorptive stripping voltammetry and found to be very good agreement. The distinct advantage of proposed radiometric methods is almost 100 % effective especially extractive liquid scintillation for simultaneous measurement of alpha and beta emitting radionuclides with fast and simple sample preparation.