On the incorporation of fluorine into the manganese spinel cathode lattice

A series of spinel oxy-fluorides with the formula LiMn_1.8Li_0.1Ni_0.1O_4 ? ηF_η have been synthesized by both the conventional high-temperature (800 °C) firing method with LiF and a low temperature (450 °C) firing process with NH₄HF₂. Interestingly, the samples obtained by the high temperature (800 °C) procedure show no fluorine in the sample as revealed by the chemical analysis data, but an increase in lattice parameter and capacity values was observed due to a decrease in lithium content caused by the volatilization of LiF during the high temperature (800 °C) firing process. In contrast, the low-temperature fluorine doping approach was successful in incorporating fluorine into the spinel lattice, and the sample LiMn_1.8Li_0.1Ni_0.1O_3.85F_0.15 exhibits a significant increase in discharge capacity compared to the oxide analog.     

Synthesis of heterocyclic monoazo dyes derived from 1H-benzo[g]pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoline-3-ylamine: their antimicrobial activity and their dyeing performance on various fibers

Heterocyclic monoazobenzoquinoline-based azo dyes have been derived by diazotization of 1H-benzo[g]pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoline-3-ylamine with a variety of phenylpyrazolone-based coupling compounds. The synthesized dyes were characterized by determination of their percentage yield, by elemental analysis, and by UV?Cvisible, IR, and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. Dyeing performance on silk, wool, nylon, and polyester fibers was assessed. The fastness properties of the dyes on each fiber were moderate to excellent. The antimicrobial activity of the dyes at different concentrations were also examined, by use of the Kirby?CBauer disk diffusion method.     

Tunable localized surface plasmon resonances in tungsten oxide nanocrystals

Transition-metal oxide nanocrystals are interesting candidates for localized surface plasmon resonance hosts because they exhibit fascinating properties arising from the unique character of their outer-d valence electrons. WO(3-δ) nanoparticles are known to have intense visible and near-IR absorption, but the origin of the optical absorption has remained unclear. Here we demonstrate that metallic phases of WO(3-δ) nanoparticles exhibit a strong and tunable localized surface plasmon resonance, which opens up the possibility of rationally designing plasmonic tungsten oxide nanoparticles for light harvesting, bioimaging, and sensing.     

Peptide mass mapping of acetylated isoforms of histone H4 from mouse lymphosarcoma cells treated with histone deacetylase (HDACs) inhibitors

The acetylated isoforms of histone H4 from mouse lymphosarcoma cells treated with HDAC inhibitors trichostatin A (TSA) and depsipeptide (DDP) were separated by acetic acid urea-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (AU-PAGE), in-gel digested, and analyzed by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The acetylation pattern of histone H4 in mouse lymphosarcoma cells induced by TSA was established in which acetylation initially occurred at K16 followed by K12 and then K8 and/or K5. An identical order of acetylation was found for cells treated with DDP.     

Investigation of the effect of finite-sized ions on the nanowire field-effect transistor in electrolyte concentration using a modified Poisson–Boltzmann model

One-dimensional (1D) nanowire field-effect transistors (FETs) have recently played a major role in sensing applications. Due to charging of the surface functional chemical groups with protonation and deprotonation, the transport properties of these nanowire transistors affect the aqueous environment, altering the electrical double layer (EDL) potential drops and charge distributions in the electrolyte concentration. In this work, we have implemented the simple modified Poisson–Boltzmann (MPB) theory in a 1D silicon nanowire FET, and the effect of the various finite sizes of ions in z:z symmetric electrolyte concentration was investigated. For a given ionic concentration and surface charge, the EDL potential drop, accumulation of charges and the charge distributions of NaCl and CsCl ions were studied. From the MPB model results with the nanowire FET, it was observed that the potential drop of the EDL depends on the size of the ions in the electrolyte. The study of various electrostatic investigations of finite-sized ions was successfully done by implementing the MPB model on a silicon nanowire FET. It can be used in both chemical and biological sensors.     

Critical covalence and superconductivity in Ln2−xCexCuO4

The variations of superconductive properties with x of the n-type Ln_2−xCe_xCuO₄ (Ln = La_0.5Nd_0.5, Nd, or Gd) systems have been investigated. As the size of Ln³⁺ decreases, (i) the solubility limit x of Ce decreases, (ii) the value of x at which a transition from antiferromagnetic semiconductor to superconductor occurs increases, and (iii) the width Δx of the superconductive region decreases. The decreasing solubility of Ce with decreasing size of Ln³⁺ is due to decreasing tensile strain in the CuO₂ sheets. The progressive shift of the semiconductor to superconductor transition to higher x values with decreasing size of Ln³⁺ is explained on the basis of increasing electrostatic Madelung energy E_M caused by decreasing Cu---O bond length. A larger E_M means a larger charge transfer gap Δ and a smaller covalent-mixing parameter λ and bandwidth W; so a decreasing size of Ln³⁺ necessitates a higher level of Ce-doping in order to achieve a critical covalence essential for superconductivity to occur.     

Investigation of hydrogen content in chemically delithiated lithium-ion battery cathodes using prompt gamma activation analysis

Summary Lithium-ion batteries are widely used as a power source for portable electronic devices. Currently, only 50-70% of the theoretical capacity of the layered oxide cathode (positive electrode) materials could be reversibly used. The reason for this limitation is not fully understood in the literature. Recent structural and chemical characterizations of chemically delithiated (charged) cathodes suggest that loss of oxygen from the lattice may play a role in this regard. However, during the chemical delithiation process any proton inserted from the solvent could adversely affect the oxygen content analysis data. The challenge in addressing this issue is to detect and determine precisely the proton content in the chemically delithiated samples. The prompt gamma-ray activation analysis (PGAA) facility at the Nuclear Engineering Teaching Laboratory (NETL) is used to determine the proton content in the layered oxide cathode LiNi_0.5Mn_0.5O₂ before and after chemical delithiation. The data are compared with those obtained with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, which can provide mainly qualitative analysis. The technique has proved to be promising for these compounds and will be applied to characterize several other chemically delithiated Li_1-xCo_1-yM_yO₂ (M = Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Mg, and Al) cathodes.     

Combining Nitrogen‐Doped Graphene Sheets and MoS2: A Unique Film–Foam–Film Structure for Enhanced Lithium Storage

With a notable advantage in terms of capacity, molybdenum disulfide has been considered a promising anode material for building high‐energy‐density lithium‐ion batteries. However, its intrinsically low electronic conductivity and unstable electrochemistry lead to poor cycling stability and inferior rate performance. We herein describe the scalable assembly of free‐standing MoS₂–graphene composite films consisting of nitrogen‐doped graphene and ultrathin honeycomb‐like MoS₂ nanosheets. The composite has a unique film–foam–film hierarchical top‐down architecture from the macroscopic to the microscopic and the nanoscopic scale, which helps rendering the composite material highly compact and leads to rapid ionic/electronic access to the active material, while also accommodating the volume variation of the sulfide upon intercalation/deintercalation of Li. The unique structural merits of the composite lead to enhanced lithium storage.     

Development and Validation of Highly Sensitive LC–ESI-MS/MS Method for Bortezomib and Its Applications for Plasma Levels and Drug Content of Branded and Generic Formulations in India

In the present study, a highly sensitive and reproducible bio-analytical method was developed using LC–ESI-MS/MS to assess the lower plasma levels of bortezomib in multiple myeloma patients. The gradient elution was optimized using reverse-phase C18 column with mobile phases consisting of water and acetonitrile in 0.1% formic acid. Multiple reaction monitoring mode was used for quantification using precursor-to-product ion transition for bortezomib and sulfadiamethoxine was used as internal standard. This method was validated with a linearity range of 0.195–25 ng mL^?1. Intra-day and inter-day accuracy was 99.17–101.89% and 95.01–102.92% with precision of?<?9.87% and?<?8.77%, respectively. Bortezomib was stable in plasma samples stored at ? 80 °C for up to 10 months. The lower limit of quantification was found to be 0.195 ng mL^?1. This method was also found to be capable of quantifying bortezomib trough levels (ranging 0.19–0.7 ng mL^?1) in plasma of multiple myeloma patients post-cycle 1–6. Bortezomib content in the commonly prescribed generic formulations was also studied. The concentration in all formulations was within the 90–110% of the innovator, as prescribed by the USFDA, ruling out their role blood level variation. The study supports the use of this method for trough level estimation and therapeutic drug monitoring of bortezomib in multiple myeloma patients.