Temperature dependent structural and optical properties of tin oxide nanoparticles

Nanocrystalline tin oxide (SnO₂) powders were synthesized through wet chemical route using tin metal as precursor. The morphology and optical properties, as well as the effect of sintering on the structural attributes of SnO₂ particles were analyzed using Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV–visible spectrophotometry (UV–vis) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The data revealed that the lattice strain plays a significant role in determining the structural properties of sintered nanoparticles. The particle size was found to be 5.8 nm, 19.1 nm and 21.7 nm for samples sintered at 300 °C, 500 °C, and 700 °C, respectively. Also, the band gaps were substantially reduced from 4.1 eV to 3.8 eV with increasing sintering temperatures. The results elucidated that the structural and optical properties of the SnO₂ nanoparticles can be easily modulated by altering sintering temperature during de novo synthesis.     

Simple sonochemical synthesis and characterization of HgSe nanoparticles

Mercury selenide (HgSe) nanostructures were synthesized via a sonochemical method based on the reaction between HgCl(2), SeCl(4) and hydrazine hydrate (N(2)H(4)·H(2)O) in water, in presence of various capping agents. The effects of preparation parameters such as: the kind of capping agent and its amount, ultrasonic power, reaction time and temperature were investigated. It was found that morphology, particle size and phase of the products could be greatly affected by these parameters. HgSe nanostructures were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS).     

Rapid and efficient synthesis of colloidal gold nanoparticles by?arc discharge method

The microstructural (XRD and SEM) and dielectric behavior of Pb(Zr_0.54Ti_0.46)O₃ (PZT 54/46) ceramic system with donor (La, Nb and La+Nb) doping was studied. For all Nb-doped PZT samples, only one (tetragonal) phase was found, which confirms the compositional shifts near the morphotropic phase boundary. For La- and La+Nb-doped samples, there are two (rhombohedral and tetragonal) phases. Dielectric characteristic behavior (1/ε) for La- and La+Nb-doped PZT was associated with two-phase transitions: Ferro–Ferro at low temperature and Ferro–Para at Curie temperature. For Nb-doped samples, only one phase transition is observed, which indicates the presence of a single ferroelectric phase.     

New classes of anisotropic models with generalized polytropic equation of state

In this paper, we investigate the gravitational behavior of compact objects with the help of generalized polytropic equation of state in isotropic coordinates. We found three exact solutions of Einstein field equations by taking into account the different values of polytropic index with spherically symmetric anisotropic inner fluid distribution. We have regained the masses of PSR \(\hbox {J}1614-2230\), Vela X-1, Vela 4U, PSR J1903+327 and 4U 1820-30. Speed of sound has been used to analyze the stability of models. The comprehensive analysis indicates that all the models are physically viable and well behaved.     

Modeling of a bimetallic eccentric cylindrical plasma waveguide based on a transmission line for TEM-mode

In this paper, a plasma waveguide made of two eccentric cylindrical metallic walls have been studied according to the theory of transmission lines. The inductance per unit length L, the capacitance per unit length C, the resistance per unit length R and the shunt conductance per unit length G are obtained. The graphs of variations of the mentioned parameters vs. geometrical dimensions of waveguide are investigated. This investigations have been done for two different types of plasma waveguide. At first stage, plasma region will be considered in cold and collisional approximation and in second stage, a drift plasma in cold collisionless approximation will be considered. Also, graphs of phase velocity variation vs. the main parameters of the waveguide are presented.     

Stability of Quark Star Models

In this paper,we investigate the stability of quark stars with four different types of inner matter configurations;isotropic,charged isotropic,anisotropic and charged anisotropic by using the concept of cracking.For this purpose,we have applied local density perturbations technique to the hydrostatic equilibrium equation as well as on physical parameters involved in the model.We conclude that quark stars become potentially unstable when inner matter configuration is changed and electromagnetic field is applied.     

Real-time measurement of oxidation dynamics of sub-stoichiometric tungsten oxide films by pulsed laser deposition

In this study WO _x films were deposited by laser ablation of ultra-pure (5N) tungsten trioxide targets onto SiO₂ or silicon substrates at 250°C temperature, 100 mTorr oxygen partial pressure and 1×10⁻⁵ Torr vacuum. Surface chemical states and compositions of the deposits were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results showed that deposits in oxygen partial pressure contain W⁶⁺ with x∼3.1, while vacuum-deposited films have different W states with various percentage distributions as W⁴⁺>W⁵⁺>W⁶⁺>W⁰, and x∼1. We used fast electrical resistance measurement as a probe to study the deposition process. Film resistance as a function of deposition time in vacuum revealed some microsecond fluctuations modulated on the time variation curve of electrical resistance. We attribute these data to surface absorption and desorption of oxygen during layer deposition. Finally, the effect of the laser beam on the target’s structure, surface morphology and chemical state was studied. Our results revealed that in spite of structural variation by laser irradiation, the O/W ratio remained about 3.     

Efficient Catalytic Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol Using Copper(II) Complexes with N,O-Chelating Schiff Base Ligands

The reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol by sodium borohydride was used as a model to test the catalytic activity of copper(II) complexes containing N,O-chelating Schiff base ligands. In this study, a series of copper(II) complexes containing respective Schiff base ligands, N′-salicylidene-2-aminophenol (1), N′-salicylidene-2-aminothiazole (2), and N,N′-bis(salicylidene)-o-phenylenediamine (3), were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), UV-Visible (UV-Vis) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopies. The results from the 4-nitrophenol reduction showed that 3 has the highest catalytic activities with 97.5% conversion, followed by 2 and 1 with 95.2% and 90.8% conversions, respectively. The optimization of the catalyst amount revealed that 1.0 mol% of the catalyst was the most optimized amount with the highest conversion compared to the other doses, 0.5 mol% and 1.5 mol%. Recyclability and reproducibility tests confirmed that all three complexes were active, efficient, and possess excellent reproducibility with consistent catalytic performances and could be used again without a major decrease in the catalytic activity.     

Lipid-Based Nanoparticle Formulation of Diallyl Trisulfide Chemosensitizes the Growth Inhibitory Activity of Doxorubicin in Colorectal Cancer Model: A Novel In Vitro,In Vivo and In Silico Analysis

Garlic’s main bioactive organosulfur component, diallyl trisulfide (DATS), has been widely investigated in cancer models. However, DATS is not suitable for clinical use due to its low solubility. The current study seeks to improve DATS bioavailability and assess its chemopreventive and chemosensitizing properties in an AOM-induced colorectal cancer model. The polyethylene glycol coated Distearoylphosphatidylcholine/Cholesterol (DSPC/Chol) comprising DATS-loaded DATSL and doxorubicin (DOXO)-encapsulated DOXL liposomes was prepared and characterized. The changes in the sensitivity of DATS and DOXO by DATSL and DOXL were evaluated in RKO and HT-29 colon cancer cells. The synergistic effect of DATSL and DOXL was studied by cell proliferation assay in the combinations of IC₁₀, IC₂₅, and IC₃₅ of DATSL with the IC₁₀ of DOXL. AOM, DATSL, and DOXL were administered to different groups of mice for a period of 21 weeks. The data exhibited ~93% and ~46% entrapment efficiency of DATSL and DOXL, respectively. The size of sham liposomes was 110.5 nm, whereas DATSL and DOXL were 135.5 nm and 169 nm, respectively. DATSL and DOXL exhibited significant sensitivity in the cell proliferation experiment, lowering their IC₅₀ doses by more than 8- and 14-fold, respectively. However, the DATSL IC₁₀, IC₂₅, and IC₃₅ showed escalating chemosensitivity, and treated the cells in combination with DOXL IC₁₀. Analysis of histopathological, cancer marker enzymes, and antioxidant enzymes revealed that the high dose of DATSL pretreatment and DOXL chemotherapy is highly effective in inhibiting AOM-induced colon cancer promotion. The combination of DATSL and DOXL indicated promise as a colorectal cancer treatment in this study. Intermolecular interactions of DATS and DOXO against numerous cancer targets by molecular docking indicated MMP-9 as the most favourable target for DATS exhibiting binding energy of −4.6 kcal/mol. So far, this is the first research to demonstrate the chemopreventive as well as chemosensitizing potential of DATSL in an animal model of colorectal cancer.     

Amine‐Assisted Syntheses of Carbonate‐Free and Highly Crystalline Nitrate‐Containing Zn‐Al Layered Double Hydroxides

Zn‐Al layered double hydroxides (LDHs), with nitrate as the charge balancing anion in the interlayer space, were synthesized by precipitation from homogeneous solution containing different amines [e.g., hexamethylenetetraamine (HMTA), diethylenediamine (DEDA), trimethylamine (TMA) and dimethylamine (DMA)]. The applied method does not require nitrogen atmosphere. The solution pH and concentration of different amines were varied in order to identify the controlling parameters and whether nitrate or carbonate are the interlayer anion. Particularly, the addition of amines turns out to be an effective tool for the synthesis of nitrate containing Zn‐Al LDHs independent from the nitrogen atmosphere. The structure, textural, composition, and morphological properties were investigated using the powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), FT‐IR spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The analyses showed that the samples had high crystallinity and purity. The NO₃‐ZnAl LDHs samples show that LDH sheets are predominantly smooth textured and the thickness of LDH sheets are found to be around 23 nm. The results also indicate that this method successfully produces a NO₃^– form Zn‐Al LDH that is almost identical to the one synthesized by conventional methods.