Understanding the role of surfactants on the preparation of ZnS nanocrystals

We have synthesized surface modified ZnS nanoparticles of size 2-3 nm using non-ionic surfactant-stabilized reverse emulsions. The non-ionic surfactants in the Span series, i.e. sorbitan monolaurate (Span 20) and sorbitan monooleate (Span 80) of hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) values of 8.6 and 4.3, respectively, have been used for the stabilization of emulsions. The role of these surfactants in controlling the size and properties of the ZnS nanoparticles has been discussed. The triethylamine (TEA) has been proved to be the effective surface modifying (capping) agent for the preparation of free-standing ZnS nanoparticles. The Span 20 with the higher HLB value of 8.6 has been found to be highly suitable in synthesizing TEA-capped ZnS nanoparticles of smaller size and higher photophysical characteristics compared to that of the Span 80 of lower HLB value of 4.3. A mechanism for the formation of TEA-capped ZnS nanoparticles from the surfactant-stabilized reverse emulsions has been proposed.     

Size tunable synthesis of cysteine-capped CdS nanoparticles by gamma-irradiation

Highly water soluble and biocompatible L-cysteine-capped CdS nanoparticles having narrow size distribution were synthesized for the first time by gamma-irradiation technique without using any additional stabilizer. FTIR study shows that CdS nanoparticles are capped through mercapto-group of cysteine amino acid while its free amino and carboxylate groups make it amenable to bio-conjugation. Size and luminescence of the nanoparticles can be well controlled by varying the parameters like radiation dose, pH and concentration of cysteine. The observed results suggest that pH 7 can be optimum for the synthesis of L-cysteine-capped CdS nanoparticles. CdS nanoparticles synthesized with molar ratio of Cd(2+):cysteine, 1:60 at pH 7 were found to be most luminescent. All nanoparticles formed lie in the size quantization regime and exhibit good crystallinity. Remarkable improvement in stability and luminescence was achieved on changing pH of as-prepared nanoparticles from 7 to 11.     

Stereoselective synthesis of chiral oxepanes and pyrans through intramolecular nitrone cycloaddition in organized aqueous media

[reaction: see text] A highly stereoselective surfactant-catalyzed intramolecular nitrone (formed by dehydration in water) cycloaddition in aqueous media leading to exclusive formation of a single isomer is reported. Either oxepane or pyran is formed from 3-O-allyl furanoside derivatives, which constitute the framework of a large number of biologically active compounds. Therefore, the environmentally friendly, efficient, and highly stereoselective syntheses of these chiral intermediates are still a meaningful pursuit.     

Longitudinal and Bending Stresses in a Beam with Saw Cut Edge Cracks∗

Abstract

The Griffith-Irwin theory of brittle fracture of elastic solids predicts the propagation of cracks on the basis of the energy release rate. This depends upon the stress intensity factors for a given crack configuration. The present paper provides these informations for the problem of an infinite number of periodic, non-coplanar, parallel edge cracks in a strip. Two types of crack configurations, namely, periodic cracks of equal length starting from one edge and a set of two coplanar symmetrical edge cracks of equal length are solved for constant and linearly varying pressure distributions. These problems arise naturally in structural mechanics while investigating stresses in extension and bending of cracked strips. Final results are obtained from the numerical solution of certain Fredholm integral equations of the second kind derived from a dual series of Papkovich-Fadle eigenfunctions     

Forced convection heat transfer from an equilateral triangular cylinder at low Reynolds numbers

An unsteady two-dimensional numerical simulation is performed to investigate the forced convection heat transfer for flow past a long heated equilateral triangular cylinder in an unconfined medium for the low Reynolds number laminar regime. The Reynolds number considered in this study ranges from 50 to 250 with three different values of Prandtl number (Pr?=?0.71, 7 and 100). Fictitious confining boundaries are chosen on the lateral sides of the computational domain that makes the blockage ratio β?=?5?% in order to make the problem computationally feasible. An unstructured triangular mesh is used for the computational domain discretization and the simulation is carried out with the commercial CFD solver Fluent. The flow and heat transfer characteristics are analyzed with the streamline and isotherm patterns at various Reynolds numbers. The dimensionless frequency of vortex shedding (Strouhal number), drag coefficient and Nusselt numbers are presented and discussed. The results obtained are in good agreement with the available results in the literature.     

Entanglement Potential Versus Negativity of Wigner Function for SUP-Operated Quantum States

We construct a distinct category of nonclassical quantum states by applying a superposition of products (SUP) of field annihilation (\(\hat {a}\)) and creation (\(\hat {a}^{\dagger }\)) operators of the type (\(s\hat {a}\hat {a}^{\dagger }+t\hat {a}^{\dagger }\hat {a}\)), with \(s^{2}+t^{2}=1\), upon thermal and even coherent states. We allow these SUP operated states to undergo a decoherence process and then describe the nonclassical features of the resulted field by using the entanglement potential (EP) and the negativity of the Wigner distribution function. Our analysis reveals that both the measures are reduced in the linear loss process. The partial negativity of the Wigner function disappears when losses exceed 50% but EP exists always.     

A real space description of magnetic field induced melting in the charge ordered manganites: I. The clean limit

We study the melting of charge order in the half doped manganites using a model thatincorporates double exchange, antiferromagnetic superexchange, and Jahn-Teller couplingbetween electrons and phonons. We primarily use a real space Monte Carlo technique tostudy the phase diagram in terms of applied field (h) and temperature(T),exploring the melting of charge order with increasing h and its recovery ondecreasing h.We observe hysteresis in this response, and discover that the “field melted” highconductance state can be spatially inhomogeneous even without extrinsic disorder. Thehysteretic response plays out in the background of field driven equilibrium phaseseparation. Our results, exploring h, T, and the electronic parameter space, are backedup by analysis of simpler limiting cases and a Landau framework for the field response.This paper focuses on our results in the “clean” systems, a companion paper studies theeffect of cation disorder on the melting phenomena.     

Influence of steric factors on exciplex energy and magnetic field effect

With the advent of spin chemistry, magnetic field effect (MFE) on exciplex luminescence has emerged as an important domain of research. MFE is a diffusion controlled phenomenon and hence is solvent dielectric (epsilon) dependent. It maximizes at a particular epsilon (epsilon(max)) for a specific exciplex system. Various attempts have been made to explain the variation of this epsilon(max) from one exciplex to another. In our present work we have succeeded for the first time to enmark the energy of exciplex (E(ex)) as the prime factor in determining the epsilon(max). We have indicated a definite inverse correlation (1:1) between epsilon(max) and E(ex). We have also tried to correlate some parameters that are important in exciplex formation, e.g. Charton's steric constant (nu(c)), repulsive energy (R(e)) and E(ex).     

Steric-controlled excimer formation in naphthalene analogues of chalcone

Naphthalene analogues of chalcone (typical vinylarenes) are well known for their intramolecular charge transfer (CT) process. The all four possible isomers NC1, NC2, NC3 and NC4 were observed to give structure-less broad CT bands, whereas, excimer formation at higher concentration was reported only for NC4 [Res. Chem. Intermed. 25 (1999) 903]. However, conventional GMMX calculation data reveals that the naphthalene portion of all the isomers are planar, hence, excimer emission is expected from all of them, i.e., if NC4 can form an excimer, then the rests are also capable of doing it. In this paper we have actually succeeded in resolving the excimer peaks for all these four isomers by optimization of concentration, though the extent of excimer formation was observed to be the maximum for NC4. These differential tendencies of excimer formation can be explained by the change in extent of intermolecular stacking interaction of the naphthalene moieties. Variation occurs here due to steric perturbation arising from the specific orientation of the near resident non-planar aroyl component with respect to the naphthalene moiety.     

Experimental investigation on circumferential and axial temperature gradient over fuel channel under LOCA

In a nuclear reactor temperature rises drastically in fuel channels under loss of coolant accident due to failure of primary heat transportation system. Present investigation has been carried out to capture circumferential and axial temperature gradients during fully and partially voiding conditions in a fuel channel using 19 pin fuel element simulator. A series of experiments were carried out by supplying power to outer, middle and center rods of 19 pin fuel simulator in ratio of 1.4:1.1:1. The temperature at upper periphery of pressure tube (PT) was slightly higher than at bottom due to increase in local equivalent thermal conductivity from top to bottom of PT. To simulate fully voided conditions PT was pressurized at 2.0 MPa pressure with 17.5 kW power injection. Ballooning initiated from center and then propagates towards the ends and hence axial temperature difference has been observed along the length of PT. For asymmetric heating, upper eight rods of fuel simulator were activated and temperature difference up-to 250 °C has been observed from top to bottom periphery of PT. Such situation creates steep circumferential temperature gradient over PT and could lead to breaching of PT under high pressure.