Tunable high power fiber laser using an AWG as the tuning element

In this paper, a design of a High Power Tunable Fiber Laser (HP-TFL) in C-band region from 1536.7 to 1548.6 nm is set forth with Erbium Doped Fibers (EDFs) being used as a seeding signal and a booster amplifier. With a 1 × 16 channels Arrayed Waveguide Grating (AWG), this setup is capable of generating 16 different wavelengths with an average output power of 20.7 dBm.     

Quasi Monte Carlo-based isotropic distribution of gradient directions for improved reconstruction quality of 3D EPR imaging

In continuous wave (CW) electron paramagnetic resonance imaging (EPRI), high quality of reconstructed image along with fast and reliable data acquisition is highly desirable for many biological applications. An accurate representation of uniform distribution of projection data is necessary to ensure high reconstruction quality. The current techniques for data acquisition suffer from nonuniformities or local anisotropies in the distribution of projection data and present a poor approximation of a true uniform and isotropic distribution. In this work, we have implemented a technique based on Quasi-Monte Carlo method to acquire projections with more uniform and isotropic distribution of data over a 3D acquisition space. The proposed technique exhibits improvements in the reconstruction quality in terms of both mean-square-error and visual judgment. The effectiveness of the suggested technique is demonstrated using computer simulations and 3D EPRI experiments. The technique is robust and exhibits consistent performance for different object configurations and orientations.     

Preparation of highly efficient Al-doped ZnO photocatalyst by combustion synthesis

Novel Al-doped ZnO (AZO) photocatalysts with different Al concentrations (0.5–6.0 mol%) were prepared through a facile combustion method and followed by calcination at 500 °C for 3 h. The obtained nanopowders were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) combined with EDX, transmission electron microscope (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV–vis spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The XRD patterns of AZO nanopowders were assigned to wurtzite structure of ZnO with the smallest crystallite size about 11 nm consistent with the results from TEM. The doping of Al in ZnO crystal structure successfully suppressed the growth of ZnO nanoparticles confirmed by XRD patterns. The absorption spectra analysis showed that the optical band gap energy (E_g) for the AZO nanopowders were in the range of 3.12–3.21 eV and decreased with increasing of Al dopant. The photocatalytic activities of the samples were evaluated by photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange under visible light (λ ≥ 420 nm) and sunlight irradiation. The results showed that the AZO photocatalyst doped with 4.0 mol% Al exhibited five times enhanced photocatalytic activity compared to pure ZnO. The enhanced photocatalytic activity could be attributed to extended visible light absorption, inhibition of the electron–hole pair's recombination and enhanced adsorptivity of MO dye molecule on the surface of AZO nanopowders.     

Multifunctional carbon-coated magnetic sensing graphene oxide-cyclodextrin nanohybrid for potential cancer theranosis

Journal of Nanoparticle Research - Over the last years, an environmentally friendly and economically efficient way of nanoparticle production has been found in the biosynthesis of metal...     

On Distance Laplacian Spectra of Certain Finite Groups

Acta Mathematica Sinica, English Series - For a finite group G, the power graph $$\cal{P}(G)$$ is a simple connected graph whose vertex set is the set of elements of G and two distinct vertices x...     

A simple humidity sensor utilizing air-gap as sensing part of the Mach–Zehnder interferometer

A simple high-resolution refractive index (RI) and phase sensor has been demonstrated and the results numerically verified. A free space gap is employed in one arm of a Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) to serve as the sensing mechanism with a physical spacing of 1.4 mm. The propagation constant of transmitted light in the MZI’s gap changes due to the small variation in the ambient RI that will further shift the optical phase of the signal. A free space optical delay line is embedded within the MZI’s other arm to set the phase reference point and compensate for variations in the optical phase difference. The ambient RI is computed by measuring the phase shift in the transmission spectrum A high-resolution sensing of 0.8 pm/%RH corresponds to phase change of 0.012°/%RH has been achieved in 1520 nm.     

Plasma Photocathodes

Plasma wakefield accelerators offer accelerating and focusing electric fields three to four orders of magnitude larger than state-of-the-art radiofrequency cavity-based accelerators. Plasma photocathodes can release ultracold electron populations within such plasma waves and thus open a path toward tunable production of well-defined, compact electron beams with normalized emittance and brightness many orders of magnitude better than state-of-the-art. Such beams will have far-reaching impact for applications such as light sources, but also open up new vistas on high energy and high field physics. This paper reviews the innovation of plasma photocathodes, and reports on the experimental progress, challenges, and future prospects of the approach. Details of the proof-of-concept demonstration of a plasma photocathode in 90° geometry at SLAC FACET within the E-210: Trojan Horse program are described. Using this experience, alongside theoretical and simulation-supported advances, an outlook is given on future realizations of plasma photocathodes such as the upcoming E-310: Trojan Horse-II program at FACET-II with prospects toward excellent witness beam parameter quality, tunability, and stability. Future installations of plasma photocathodes also at compact, hybrid plasma wakefield accelerators, will then boost capacities and open up novel capabilities for experiments at the forefront of interaction of high brightness electron and photon beams.     

P-Al/NaX结构和酸碱性位调控对甲苯甲醇侧链烷基化性能影响

采用水热法原位合成了P-Al/NaX催化剂,然后通过浸渍NaOH对其进行酸碱性调控,并探究了它在甲苯甲醇侧链烷基化反应中的催化性能。结合X射线衍射（XRD）、X射线光电子能谱（XPS）、N₂吸附-脱附等表征及催化活性数据发现,原位负载P、Al后,合成的磷铝硅酸盐（Na₁₃Al₂₄Si₁₃P₁₁O₉₆·H₂O）结构展现出较好的甲苯甲醇侧链烷基催化活性;随着NaOH负载量的增加,乙苯和苯乙烯的选择性呈先上升后下降的趋势,当负载质量分数为9%的NaOH时,苯乙烯选择性为45.84%,乙苯和苯乙烯的收率之和达到63.08%。这可能是由于NaOH的负载有利于催化剂表面碱性的提高和酸性的降低,而高的强碱性位和弱酸性位数量有利于甲苯甲醇侧链烷基化反应的进行。     

Co-solubilization of the Hydrophobic Drugs Carbamazepine and Nifedipine in Aqueous Nonionic Surfactant Media

Co-solubilization of the hydrophobic drugs Carbamezipine (CBZ) and Nifedipine (NFD) by micellar solutions at 25 °C, using two series of polyoxyethylene based nonionic surfactants, was measured and compared. The first series is composed of surfactants with a 12 carbon (C₁₂) hydrophobic chain while the second series had 16 carbon (C₁₆) hydrophobic chains. Experimental results were obtained for solubilization and co-solubilization of CBZ and NFD within the micelles at saturation and quantification was done in terms of the molar solubilization ratio and the micelle–water partition coefficient employing spectrophotometric and tensiometric techniques. The extent of micellar solubilization of CBZ is much greater than NFD. The C₁₂ series of surfactants exhibit higher solubilization capacities for CBZ than the C₁₆ series while the reverse is the case for NFD. Co-solubilization results showed competitive solubilization of the drugs. A synergistic effect on the solubilization of NFD was observed in the presence of CBZ in Brij30 and Brij56 surfactant systems while, in the remaining surfactants, the solubility of NFD was slightly reduced. Since the surfactants used in the present study are either nontoxic or have minimal toxicity, it is expected that they can be employed as drug delivery vehicles for co-administration of the two drugs in vivo. Both from industrial and research points of view, this paper reports a comprehensive study for co-solubilization of differently structured drugs in micellar media.     

Synthesis,characterisation and ion exchange properties of hybrid organic–inorganic composite material: polyacrylamide zirconium (IV) iodosulphosalicylate

ABSTRACT

Contamination of groundwater by heavy metal is one of the most emerging and serious environmental problems. There are so many methods which are available to overcome these problems. Among various available methods, hybrid organic–inorganic ion exchange resin has become more popular due to certain advantages over other available conventional methods; hence, in the present proposed work, we synthesised a hybrid organic–inorganic composite material polyacrylamide zirconium (IV) iodosulphosalicylate by using the sol-gel technique. Synthesised resin was characterised by various methods like Infrared spectroscopy and Thermogravimetric analysis-Differential thermal analysis. Various samples of this ion exchange resin are prepared by changing the condition of synthesis, i.e. concentration of acrylamide to rationalise the ion exchange capacity of the synthesise hybrid organic–inorganic ion exchange resins. A mixture of 0.1 M potassium iodate, 0.1 M sulphosalicylic acid and 0.1 M acrylamide was added dropwise to 0.4 M zirconium oxychloride accompanied by constant stirring for 8 h using magnetic stirrer at 70°C to yield polyacrylamide zirconium (IV) iodosulphosalicylate with maximum ion exchange capacity. Ion exchange capacity of synthesised resin was determined by column method and the maximum ion exchange capacity was found for Pb(II). Determination of k_d values shows that the resin was highly selective for Pb (II).The selectivity for Pb was also evaluated by using certain binary mixture separation such as Ni (II)-Pb(II), Cu(II)-Pb(II), Cd(II)-Pb(II), Sr(II)-Pb(II), Ba(II)-Pb(II),Zn(II)-Pb(II) and Mg(II)-Pb(II).