Semiconductor to metal transition in strictly two dimension–a comparative study on GaAs and carbon nanotube

Choosing GaAs, donor binding energies in two dimension are obtained using Thomas–Fermi and Hartree screening functions within the effective mass approximation. Binding energies are computed both in the hydrogen atom model and D ^? ion model. The results show the non-feasibility of semiconductor-to-metal transition (SMT) in two-dimensional system of GaAs. For curiosity we have obtained the donor binding energies in carbon nanotube (CNT), a highly correlated system by considering it as two-dimensional structure. We could observe the feasibility of SMT in CNT. This indicates the strong confinement in nanostructures and the results will be useful for nanodevice fabrication.     

Methods development for Analysis of Partially Deglycosylated Proteins and Application to an HIV Envelope Protein Vaccine Candidate

The work presented herein describes the first comprehensive analysis of a partially deglycosylated HIV vaccine candidate envelope protein (Env). The Env, JRFL gp140 ΔCF, with 27 potential glycosylation sites, was partially deglycosylated with PNGase F as part of a strategy to generate a more immunogenic HIV vaccine, and the resulting protein's glycosylation was characterized in a unique workflow using two different glycosidases, Endo H and Endo F3. This unique analysis protocol provided for coverage on 26 of the 27 glycosylation sites, and the data showed that the biochemical treatment with PNGase F resulted in a highly heterogeneous glycoprotein product that had been partially deglycosylated at most of the glycosylation sites. The protocols described in this work could be useful for characterizing the glycosylation site occupancy of other native or biochemically deglycosylated proteins.     

A rapid synthesis of quinoxalines starting from ketones

A fast and general synthesis of quinoxalines, performed in two stages or as a one-pot reaction, starting from ketones via their α-hydroxylimino ketone derivatives, and condensation of the latter with 1,2-diaminobenzene under microwave irradiation, is described.     

Decoration of Few-Layer Graphene-Like MoS2 and MoSe2 by Noble Metal Nanoparticles

Graphene has been decorated by nanoparticles of noble metals and other inorganic materials. In the present study, we have decorated graphene-like MoS₂ and MoSe₂, containing 3–5 layers, with Au, Ag and Pt nanoparticles. We have characterized these nanocomposites using X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy and absorption spectroscopy. The studies reveal that the surfaces of the layered inorganic materials get uniformly coated with the noble metal nanoparticles. There are indications that the interaction of the metal particles with these layered materials is rather weak.     

Chaos, bifurcation and intermittent phenomena in DC-DC converters under resonant parametric perturbation

DC-DC converters act as a black box to study various bifurcations. In the present study, the influence of external periodic interference signal in the input of DC-DC voltage-mode controlled buck converter has been considered. It is found that the presence of sinusoidal or saw-tooth interference signal whose frequency is comparable with the switching frequency of the converter or its rational multiples manifests as remerging chaotic band attractors (or Feigenbaum trees) and intermittent chaos. However, the presence of sinusoidal interference signal having irrational frequency ratios with the switching frequency of the converter leads to quasi-periodic route to chaos. The study was carried out both theoretically and experimentally.     

The pressure induced insulator to metal transition in FeSb2

The evolution of the ground state properties of FeSb(2) has been investigated via temperature (4.2-300 K), magnetic field (0-12 T) and pressure (0-8.8 GPa) dependent electrical resistivity studies. The temperature dependence of the resistivity follows activated behavior in the high temperature (HT) regime (T > 60 K), while variable range hopping (VRH) dictates the transport in the intermediate temperature (IT) regime (10 K > T > 45 K) and power law behavior is observed in the low temperature (LT) regime (T < 10 K). The pressure profoundly affects the resistivity in all the temperature regimes. The energy gap (Δ) extracted in the HT regime initially increases with pressure and then decreases, while the VRH parameter T(0) deduced in the IT regime is seen to decrease monotonically and vanish beyond 5 GPa leading to an insulator to metal transition (MIT) on account of delocalization of the electronic states in the gap. The analysis of the logarithmic derivative of the conductivity indicates the MIT to occur at ~6 GPa. The magnetoresistivity is found to be positive. The analysis of the resistivity behavior under pressure and magnetic field indicates that the former induces delocalization, while the latter tends to assist localization of the defect states inside the gap of FeSb(2).     

Synthesis and Comparative Study of Nano-TiO2 Over Degussa P-25 in Disinfection of Water

Nanostructured TiO₂ crystals were synthesized by gel to crystalline conversion. The crystals obtained were anatase form of titania averaging in 30 nm particles with an intrinsic band gap of 3.1 eV. The photocatalytic behavior was evaluated for the bactericidal effect in water, contaminated with the indicator organism Escherichia coli. The 100% photoinactivation of E. coli was achieved within 60 min with suspended nano-TiO₂. The catalytic activity of synthesized nanosample was observed to be 2.6 times more than that of commercial TiO₂ sample referred to as Degussa P-25. The photoinactivation of E. coli was tested with irradiation source of different wavelengths to substantiate the influence of particle size and nano crystallinity on electronic band structure. The photoactivity of nano titania enhanced to 1.625 times when the source of irradiation shifted from 360 to 400 nm while Degussa P-25 showed no change.     

Structure and photocatalytic activity of Ti1?X MX O2 (M = Zr, Co and Mo) synthesized by pulverized solid state technique

A set of transition metal doped nanosized TiO₂ particles with anatase structure were synthesized by the pulverization method and their ability to photocatalytically degrade the dye Alizarin Red S was investigated. Characterization of the Zr-, Co- and Mo-doped photocatalysts was conducted with the aid of XRD, SEM, EDX, TEM, BET and spectral analysis. X-ray diffraction patterns did not reflect the appearance of any peaks due to dopants, however dopants were observed in SEM-EDX analysis. Particle sizes were in the range of 25 nm as per TEM and XRD analysis. Upon doping, a prominent decrease in surface area was observed. The percentage composition of each of the dopants was confirmed by EDX analysis. Doped samples depicted many mid-bands in the Kubelka Munk plots due to d-d transition of dopants. Experiments were conducted to compare the photocatalytic activity under identical UV and solar light exposure. Zr-doped TiO₂ at the molecular scale exhibited better photocatalytic activity in degradation of Alizarin, with a lower band-gap energy that can respond to visible light. However, Co- and Mo-doped TiO₂ appeared to suppress the photoactivity. A rise in the number of mid-bands causing effective separation or recombination of charge carriers strongly influences the rate of the degradation process.      

Unusual line shape of B 1s core level spectra in rare earth hexaborides

We investigate the B 1s core level spectra of hexaborides, (, Ce, Pr, Nd), using high resolution X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. While all the B sites are identical, the experimental spectra exhibit a signature of multiple features manifested as an unusual asymmetry in the lower binding energy side. The analysis of the spectra reveals that the surface and bulk photoemission signals are different. In addition, the peak position shifts towards lower binding energies with the increase in 4f binding energy of the rare earth elements that can be attributed to the chemical potential shift due to lower degree of 4f-conduction electron hybridization. Decrease in temperature leads to a narrowing of the linewidth in every case. The Kondo systems exhibit more prominent narrowing of the B 1s linewidth.