An investigation on visible luminescence of Ho activated LBTAF glasses

Different concentrations of Ho³⁺-doped lead borate titanate aluminum fluoride (LBTAFHo) glasses with chemical composition of PbO-H₃BO₃-TiO₂-AlF₃-Ho₂O₃ were prepared by the melt quenching method. The spectral properties were investigated using the absorption, emission and decay measurements. The experimental oscillator strengths were calculated from the area under the absorption bands. Applying Judd-Ofelt theory, the intensity parameters (Ω_{λ=2, 4, 6}) were calculated, by the least square fit approach from which the radiative transition rates, luminescence branching ratios and radiative decay times were determined. The photoluminescence spectra revealed the quenching of luminescence intensity beyond 1.0 mol% of Ho³⁺ ion concentration. To investigate the luminescence potentiality of ⁵F₄→⁵I₈ emission level, the effective bandwidth and the stimulated emission cross-section were determined. The quenching in experimental decay time is attributed to the resonance energy transfer among the excited Ho³⁺ ions.     

A finite volume cell‐centered Lagrangian hydrodynamics approach for solids in general unstructured grids

A finite volume cell‐centered Lagrangian hydrodynamics approach, formulated in Cartesian frame, is presented for solving elasto‐plastic response of solids in general unstructured grids. Because solid materials can sustain significant shear deformation, evolution equations for stress and strain fields are solved in addition to mass, momentum, and energy conservation laws. The total stress is split into deviatoric shear stress and dilatational components. The dilatational response of the material is modeled using the Mie‐Grüneisen equation of state. A predicted trial elastic deviatoric stress state is evolved assuming a pure elastic deformation in accordance with the hypo‐elastic stress‐strain relation. The evolution equations are advanced in time by constructing vertex velocity and corner traction force vectors using multi‐dimensional Riemann solutions erected at mesh vertices. Conservation of momentum and total energy along with the increase in entropy principle are invoked for computing these quantities at the vertices. Final state of deviatoric stress is effected via radial return algorithm based on the J‐2 von Mises yield condition. The scheme presented in this work is second‐order accurate both in space and time. The suitability of the scheme is evinced by solving one‐ and two‐dimensional benchmark problems both in structured grids and in unstructured grids with polygonal cells. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Corrosion inhibition of mild steel in hydrochloric acid using extract of glycine max leaves

Research on Chemical Intermediates - The activity of glycine max leaves extract against corrosion of mild steel in 0.5 M HCl solution has been investigated at different temperatures...     

New Experimental Insight into the Nature of Metal−Metal Bonds in Digallium Compounds: J Coupling between Quadrupolar Nuclei

Multiple bonding between atoms is of ongoing fundamental and applied interest. Here, we report a multinuclear (¹H, ¹³C, and ⁷¹Ga) solid‐state magnetic resonance spectroscopic study of digallium compounds which have been proposed, albeit somewhat controversially, to contain single, double, and triple Ga?Ga bonds. Of particular relevance to the nature of these bonds, we have carried out two‐dimensional ⁷¹Ga J/D‐resolved NMR experiments which provide a direct measurement of J(⁷¹Ga,⁷¹Ga) spin–spin coupling constants across the gallium?gallium bonds. When placed in the context of clear‐cut experimental data for analogous singly, doubly, and triply bonded carbon spin pairs or boron spin pairs, the ⁷¹Ga NMR data clearly support the notion of a different bonding paradigm in the gallium systems. Our findings are consistent with an increasing role across the purported gallane–gallene–gallyne series for classical and/or slipped π‐type bonding orbitals.     

Site-selective C–H nitration of N-aryl-7-azaindoles under palladium(II) catalysis

The site-selective C–H nitration reaction of 7-azaindoles with t-butyl nitrite under palladium catalysis is described. This protocol provides an efficient method for the construction of ortho-nitrated N-aryl-7-azaindoles with excellent site-selectivity and functional group compatibility. The formed 7-azaindole derivatives can be readily transformed into 7-azaindoles containing an aniline functional group under palladium-catalyzed hydrogenation conditions.     

Effect of an electric field on defects in a nematic liquid crystal with variable surface anchoring

We report experimental studies on defects in a nematic liquid crystal with negative dielectric anisotropy mounted in a cell with perfluoropolymer-coated surfaces. The sample exhibits a discontinuous anchoring transition from planar to homeotropic on cooling at zero or a small electric field, and above a cross-over voltage a continuous ‘inverse Freedericksz transition’, at which the director starts tilting in opposite directions at the two surfaces. Defects of strength ±1/2 are either annihilated or expelled when the director tilts. On the other hand, disclination lines of ±1 which end in partial point defects (boojums) at the surfaces in the planar alignment regime acquire point defects of strength ±1 at the midplane of the cell when the director tilts. At a low enough temperature, the homeotropic anchoring becomes strong, and an electric field above the Freedericksz threshold generates the usual umbilic defects, which follow the dynamic scaling laws found in earlier studies.     

Facile Synthesis of Pyrazolo[3,4‐d]pyrimidines and Pyrimido[4,5‐d]pyrimidin‐4‐one Derivatives

Pyrazolopyrimidine and pyrimidopyrimidine derivatives have shown a wide range of biological activities such as acting as A₁ adenosine receptors, kinase insert domain receptor (KDR), Rous sarcoma oncogene (Src), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), antiproliferative, dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), antimicrobial, antifungal, and lipid peroxidation. Because of this wide range of activities, we have synthesized pyrazolo[3,4‐d]pyrimidines and pyrimido[4,5‐d]pyrimidin‐4‐one derivatives.     

Effect of bovine serum albumin on the surface properties of ionic liquid-type Gemini surfactant

The effect of bovine serum albumin on the surface properties of IL-type gemini surfactant ([C₁₀-4-C₁₀im]Br₂), have been investigated by surface tension method. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) as a function of BSA concentrations at various temperatures was investigated. The CMC of [C₁₀-4-C₁₀im]Br₂ increases with increasing the concentration of BSA as well as the temperature of the system. The interfacial parameters viz; maximum surface excess concentration (Γ_max), the minimum area per molecule (A_min), and surface pressure at CMC (Π_cmc) were calculated. In addition, thermodynamic parameters of adsorption and micellization were evaluated by using surface tension data. The results indicated that the binding of [C₁₀-4-C₁₀im]Br₂ to BSA is spontaneous and exothermic in nature. The process is entropy driven and hydrophobic interactions are the major driving forces.     

Asymmetric conjugate addition of thioglycolate to a range of chalcones using tetrahydroisoquinoline (TIQ) N,N′-dioxide ligands

A series of novel TIQ based N,N′-oxide ligands were synthesised and screened for their catalytic activity in the enantioselective conjugate addition of thioglycolate to chalcones. Bulky groups on the side chain of the TIQ backbone provided the highest enantioselectivity of up to 88% with 10 mol % catalyst loading. It was also observed that these reactions proceeded optimally in the presence of dichloromethane as a solvent. Screening of various metals emphasized La(OTf)₃ as the ideal pre-catalyst for this particular reaction.