Electron-beam irradiation effects on poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) polymer

Poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA) films were irradiated with a 1.2 MeV electron beam at varied doses over the range 0–270 kGy in order to investigate the modifications induced in its optical, electrical and thermal properties. It was observed that optical band gap and activation energy of EVA films decreased upon electron irradiation, whereas the transition dipole moment, oscillator strength and number of carbon atoms per cluster were found to increase upon irradiation. Further, the dielectric constant, the dielectric loss, and the ac conductivity of EVA films were found to increase with an increase in the dose of electron radiation. The result further showed that the thermal stability of EVA film samples increased upon electron irradiation.     

High energy electron irradiation effects on polystyrene films

The effect of an 8 MeV electron-beam on the structural, optical and dielectric properties of polystyrene films has been investigated respectively by means of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible (UV–VIS) spectroscopy and electrical impedance (LCR) analysis over a radiation dose in the range of 50–250 kGy using a Microtron accelerator. The FTIR spectral analysis shows no change in the overall structure of the irradiated polystyrene films, except a minor change in the intensity of a few peaks in the FTIR spectrum, indicating that polystyrene is resistant to electron-beam irradiation over the range of radiation doses investigated. The optical band gap analysis using the UV–VIS absorption spectra of the polystyrene shows a small decrease in the optical band gap (E _g) and the activation energy with an increase in electron doses. Further, the dielectric measurements over a frequency range of 100 Hz to 1 MHz for the electron-beam-irradiated polystyrene films show that both the dielectric constant and the dielectric loss increase with an increase in electron radiation dose, which may be ascribed to the formation of defect sites in the band gap of polystyrene as a consequence of molecular chain scission in the polymer films upon irradiation.     

Investigation on mechanical properties of some thiourea complex crystals: Important nonlinear optical materials

In this work the authors have grown good quality single crystals of zinc thiourea sulphate, bis thiourea cadmium acetate, bis zinc thiourea acetate and bis thiourea zinc chloride were grown from slow evaporation solution growth method at ambient temperature and studied their mechanical properties. The crystal system and lattice parameters were confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction analysis. Vickers microhardness of the grown crystals was investigated by using Leitz-Wetzlar (Miniload 2) hardness tester up to an applied load of 120 g. It was observed that, upto 40 g applied load the hardness of the grown crystals increases with increasing the load and thereafter it is practically independent of the indentation load. Meyer's law and Hays–Kendall's law fail to explain the observed load variations. But the variation could be satisfactorily explained by PSR model proposed by Li and Bradt. Classification of cracks and their transition from Palmqvist to median types is explained. The average value of fracture toughness, brittleness index, Young's modulus and yield strength were calculated using expressions for Palmqvist and median types of cracks. Anisotropic nature of the grown crystals was studied using Knoop indentation technique.     

Fine grain growth of nickel electrodeposit: effect of applied magnetic field during deposition

The electrodeposition of nickel from a nickel sulphamate bath in the presence of a magnetic field applied at an angle of 45° to the cathode surface produces a nickel deposit with a fine grain structure. The sizes of grains vary from 17 to 25 nm. We have used scanning electron microscopy (SEM), scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to characterize the surface morphology of the deposit. The SEM pictures show the formation of domain growth of nickel in which the nickel nanoparticles are mostly concentrated at domain boundaries while STM and XRD analysis show the existence of individual nanoparticles. From the chronopotentiometry studies during magnetoelectrolysis of nickel, we find a significant lowering of overpotential with time and large negative shift in electrode potential in the presence of a magnetic field. We believe from these results that magnetic field induced convection increases the mass transfer rate, reduces the concentration polarisation and leads to the growth of fine grain deposit. The large shift in electrode potential on the application of magnetic field is attributed to the field-induced shift in chemical potential of the ferromagnetic nickel electrode. We have used cyclic voltammetry (CV) to determine the roughness factor and steady state current-potential plots to study the hydrogen evolution reaction on the nickel-electrodeposited surface.     

Evaluating the Free Energies of Solvation and Electronic Structures of Lithium‐Ion Battery Electrolytes

Adaptive biasing force molecular dynamics simulations and density functional theory calculations were performed to understand the interaction of Li⁺ with pure carbonates and ethylene carbonate (EC)‐based binary mixtures. The most favorable Li carbonate cluster configurations obtained from molecular dynamics simulations were subjected to detailed structural and thermochemistry calculations on the basis of the M06‐2X/6‐311++G(d,p) level of theory. We report the ranking of these electrolytes on the basis of the free energies of Li‐ion solvation in carbonates and EC‐based mixtures. A strong local tetrahedral order involving four carbonates around the Li⁺ was seen in the first solvation shell. Thermochemistry calculations revealed that the enthalpy of solvation and the Gibbs free energy of solvation of the Li⁺ ion with carbonates are negative and suggested the ion–carbonate complexation process to be exothermic and spontaneous. Natural bond orbital analysis indicated that Li⁺ interacts with the lone pairs of electrons on the carbonyl oxygen atom in the primary solvation sphere. These interactions lead to an increase in the carbonyl (C=O) bond lengths, as evidenced by a redshift in the vibrational frequencies [ν(C=O)] and a decrease in the electron density values at the C=O bond critical points in the primary solvation sphere. Quantum theory of atoms in molecules, localized molecular orbital energy decomposition analysis (LMO‐EDA), and noncovalent interaction plots revealed the electrostatic nature of the Li⁺ ion interactions with the carbonyl oxygen atoms in these complexes. On the basis of LMO‐EDA, the strongest attractive interaction in these complexes was found to be the electrostatic interaction followed by polarization, dispersion, and exchange interactions. Overall, our calculations predicted EC and a binary mixture of EC/dimethyl carbonate to be appropriate electrolytes for Li‐ion batteries, which complies with experiments and other theoretical results.     

Role of Intramolecular Aromatic π–π Interactions in the Self‐Assembly of Di‐l‐Phenylalanine Dipeptide Driven by Intermolecular Interactions: Effect of Alanine Substitution

Although the role of intermolecular aromatic π–π interactions in the self‐assembly of di‐l ‐phenylalanine (l ‐Phe‐l ‐Phe, FF), a peptide that is known for hierarchical structure, is well established, the influence of intramolecular π–π interactions on the morphology of the self‐assembled structure of FF has not been studied. Herein, the role of intramolecular aromatic π–π interactions is investigated for FF and analogous alanine (Ala)‐containing dipeptides, namely, l ‐Phe‐l ‐Ala (FA) and l ‐Ala‐l ‐Phe (AF). The results reveal that these dipeptides not only form self‐assemblies, but also exhibit remarkable differences in structural morphology. The morphological differences between FF and the analogues indicate the importance of intramolecular π–π interactions, and the structural difference between FA and AF demonstrates the crucial role of the nature of intramolecular side‐chain interactions (aromatic–aliphatic or aliphatic–aromatic), in addition to intermolecular interactions, in deciding the final morphology of the self‐assembled structure. The current results emphasise that intramolecular aromatic π–π interaction may not be essential to induce self‐assembly in smaller peptides, and π (aromatic)–alkyl or alkyl–π (aromatic) interactions may be sufficient. This work also illustrates the versatility of aromatic and a combination of aromatic and aliphatic residues in dipeptides in the formation of structurally diverse self‐assembled structures.     

Surface Charge‐Transfer Doping of Graphene Nanoflakes Containing Double‐Vacancy (5‐8‐5) and Stone–Wales (55‐77) Defects through Molecular Adsorption

The adsorption of six electron donor–acceptor (D/A) organic molecules on various sizes of graphene nanoflakes (GNFs) containing two common defects, double‐vacancy (5‐8‐5) and Stone–Wales (55‐77), are investigated by means of ab initio DFT [M06‐2X(‐D3)/cc‐pVDZ]. Different D/A molecules adsorb on a defect graphene (DG) surface with binding energies (ΔE_b) of about ?12 to ?28 kcal mol^?1. The ΔE_b values for adsorption of molecules on the Stone–Wales GNF surface are higher than those on the double vacancy GNF surface. Moreover, binding energies increase by about 10 % with an increase in surface size. The nature of cooperative weak interactions is analyzed based on quantum theory of atoms in molecules, noncovalent interactions plot, and natural bond order analyses, and the dominant interaction is compared for different molecules. Electron density population analysis is used to explain the n‐ and p‐type character of defect graphene nanoflakes (DGNFs) and also the change in electronic properties and reactivity parameters of DGNFs upon adsorption of different molecules and with increasing DGNF size. Results indicate that the HOMO–LUMO energy gap (E_g) of DGNFs decreases upon adsorption of molecules. However, by increasing the size of DGNFs, the E_g and chemical hardness of all complexes decrease and the electrophilicity index increases. Furthermore, the values of the chemical potential of acceptor–DGNF complexes decrease with increasing size, whereas those of donor–DGNF complexes increase.     

Aza‐Quaternary Scaffolds from Selective Bond Cleavage of Bridgehead‐Substituted 7‐Azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane: Total Synthesis of (+)‐Cylindricines C–E and (−)‐Lepadiformine A

A novel bridgehead‐substituted aza‐bicyclic framework has been designed and developed in both enantiomeric forms through an asymmetric desymmetrization reaction. Strategic exploitation of the ring strain in the aza‐bicyclic framework has been utilized for the construction of the chiral aza‐quaterenary scaffolds by selective bond fragmentation processes. Furthermore, a strategically designed precursor is employed for selective bond cleavage to initiate a cascade rearrangement for the total synthesis of the 1‐azaspirotricyclic marine alkaloids (+)‐cylindricines C, D, and E, as well as (?)‐lepadiformine A. An oxidation/retro‐aldol/aza‐Michael sequence generated three new chiral centers with the required configuration in one pot.     

An efficient Cu-catalyzed microwave-assisted synthesis of diaryl sulfones

An efficient and microwave-assisted simple protocol for the synthesis of symmetrical/asymmetrical diaryl sulfones through the Cu(II)-catalyzed reaction of sodium salt of sulfinic acid with aryl boronic acid has been described. Various diaryl sulfones have been synthesized in very short reaction times with moderate to very good yields. Additionally, the method is also useful for the synthesis of aryl vinyl sulfones.