Gallium and indium under high pressure

Ga and In crystallize in unusual open ground-state crystal structures. Recent experiments have discovered that Ga under high pressure transforms into a close-packed structure, while this has so far not been observed for In. Results from first principles calculations explain in a simple way this difference in behavior. We predict a so far undiscovered transition of In to a close-packed structure at extreme pressures and show that the structure determining mechanism originates from the degree of s-p mixing of the valence orbitals. Group-III elements are shown to strongly disobey the standard corresponding-state rule.     

Generation of desired signals from acoustic drivers

A general but systematic procedure has been developed to control transient signal generation for the study of internal noise propagation from aircraft engines. Transform techniques are used in a simple algorithm to produce signals—pulses in this study—of any desired waveform from acoustic drivers. By a judicious input, the accurate driver response function is calculated. From the driver response function the limiting frequency characteristics are determined. The undesirable frequencies where the driver response is poor are eliminated from the analysis. The inverse of the response function is then convolved with the desired signal to produce a synthesized signal. The shape of the synthesized signal is in general quite awkward, in both the time and the frequency domain. Nevertheless, when the distorted signal is fed into the driver, the driver generates the desired signal. The driver is operated in two environments—in a free field and in a duct—and results are presented to show the impedance matching effect of the driver. A set of results with a high frequency cut-off value as a parameter is given to demonstrate the extent of the applicability of the synthesis procedure. The error in the numerical inversion is highlighted. The results show that, within the imposed guidelines, it is possible to generate desired signals through the signal synthesis procedure.     

Complexes of some bivalent metal salts with benzo(f)quinoline

Summary Coordination compounds have been prepared from benzo(f)quinoline (BNQ) and some bivalent metal salts,viz., Cu(BNQ)Cl₂, Cu(BNQ)₂Br₂, Cu(BNQ)SO₄ · H₂O, Co(BNQ)₂(NCS)₂, Ni(BNQ)₂(SCN)₂, Cu(BNQ)(SCN)₂, Zn(BNQ)₂(NCS)₂, Cd(BNQ)₂(SCN)₂ and Hg(BNQ)(SCN)₂. The products have been characterized by magnetic susceptibility, electronic and i.r. spectral measurements down to 200 cm^–1. Tentative stereochemistries for the complexes isolated in the solid state are discussed.     

Complexes of copper(II) with nicotinic acid and some related ligands

Summary Coordination compounds of copper(II) chloride, bromide, thiocyanate and sulphate with nicotinic acid, nicotinamide and isonicotinamide have been prepared and characterized by molecular conductance, magnetic susceptibility, electronic and i.r. spectral measurements down to 200 cm^–1 in the solid state. Possible stereochemistries for these complexes in the solid state are discussed.     

Rheology of cyclopentane hydrate slurry in a model oil-continuous emulsion

Liquid cyclopentane (CP)-based hydrate slurry is prepared at atmospheric pressure from a density-matched water-in-oil emulsion by quenching it to a lower temperature at a fixed shear rate. Viscosity increases by several orders of magnitude and is indicative of hydrate formation on the dispersed water droplets and subsequent agglomeration. A mechanism in which the hairy and porous hydrate growth combined with enhanced agglomeration due to liquid bridges formed by wetted water films leads to the development of a porosity, resulting in greater effective dispersed phase fraction, is proposed. This is supported by experiments performed for water volume fractions ranging from 10 to 45 % at variable shear rates, temperatures, and surfactant (Span 80) concentrations. The observed dependence on the degree of sub-cooling, with lower slurry viscosity obtained at higher sub-cooling, and the possible anti-agglomerant like effect of high Span 80 concentrations, support our proposed mechanism. The hydrate slurries are found to exhibit shear-thinning and a small degree of thixotropy.     

Interplay between lattice dynamics and the low-pressure phase of simple cubic polonium

Low-pressure structural properties of simple cubic polonium are explored through first-principles density-functional theory based relativistic total energy calculations using pseudopotentials and plane-wave basis set, as well as linear-response theory. We have found that Po undergoes structural phase transition at low pressure near 2 GPa, where the element transforms from simple cubic to a mixture of two trigonal phases namely, hR1 (α=86°) and hR2 (α=97.9°) structures. The lattice dynamics calculations provide strong support for the observed phase transition, and show the dynamical stability (instability) of the hR2 (hR1) phase.     

Dynamic melt viscoelastic behavior of random copolymers

Summary The viscoelastic properties of 65/35 styrenen-butyl methacrylate random copolymers were determined using the Eccentric Rotating Disks device of the Rheometrics Mechanical Spectrometer. Similar to the behavior observed in homopolymers, an increase in the molecular weight of the copolymer resulted in extension of the rubbery plateau and in a reduction in the terminal region. The dynamic complex viscosity showed onset of non-Newtonian flow at higher frequencies, with the non-Newtonian region increasing with increasing molecular weight.The elastic modulus,G, was dependent upon the frequency,, asG ^1.5 in the terminal region, rather than asG ² observed for polystyrene. The viscous modulus,G, was proportional to the frequency,, asG , similar to what is observed for polystyrene. The dynamic viscosity | ^*| at high frequencies showed a region independent of molecular weight where a power law of | ^*| ^0.9 is applicable, consistent with entanglement models. Thy dynamic viscosity at low frequencies in the Newtonian region is related to molecular weight as |^*| . Using WLF equations, the coefficient of expansion, _f , was obtained that, together with glass transition, showed a negative deviation from the Fox-Flory relationship.

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Zusammenfassung Die viskoelastischen Eigenschaften von statistischen 65/35-Styrol/n-Butyl-Methacrylat-Kopolymeren wurden mit Hilfe einer Maxwell-Rheometer-Anordnung in Verbindung mit dem Mechanischen Spektrometer der Fa. Rheometrics bestimmt. Ähnlich dem bei Homopolymeren beobachteten Verhalten ergab sich auch hier mit wachsendem Molekulargewicht eine Verbreiterung des Kautschuk-Plateaus und eine Verkleinerung des Endbereichs. Die komplexe Viskosität zeigte erst bei höheren Frequenzen das Einsetzen nicht-newtonschen Fließens an, wobei der nichtnewtonsche Bereich mit steigendem Molekulargewicht größer wurde.Der SpeichermodulG ergab sich im Endbereich als proportional zu ^1,5, im Unterschied zu der bei Polystyrol beobachteten Proportionalität mit ². Dagegen war der VerlustmodulG der Frequenz direkt proportional, ähnlich wie es auch bei Polystyrol beobachtet worden war. Die dynamische Viskosität | ^*| zeigte unabhängig vom Molekulargewicht bei hohen Frequenzen einen Bereich, in dem eine Potenz-Beziehung | ^*| ~ ^0,9 herrschte, was auf die Wirkung von Verzweigungen hindeutet. Dagegen galt bei den niedrigen Frequenzen des newtonschen Bereichs|^*| ~ . Mit Hilfe der WLF-Gleichung wurde der Ausdehnungskoeffizient _f bestimmt, der ebenso wie der Glasübergang eine negative Abweichung von der Fox-Flory-Beziehung zeigte.

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With 10 figures and 1 table     

Effect of gamma radiation on wheat plant growth due to impact on gas exchange characteristics and mineral nutrient uptake and utilization

The experiment was conducted to determine the effect of gamma radiation on plant growth and development, flag leaf gas exchange characteristics such as net photosynthetic rate (P _N), stomatal conductance (g _s), and transpiration rate (E) and activity of key carbon and nitrogen assimilating enzymes like Rubisco, starch synthase (SS) and nitrate reductase (NR) in field grown wheat. Grains of cultivar PBW-343 were exposed to a ⁶⁰Co (Cobalt-60) gamma source at a dose range from 0 to 500 Gy (Gray). Gas exchange characteristics of flag leaf were measured using Infrared Gas Analyzer (IRGA), while mineral nutrients were analyzed spectrophotometrically. Our results show that an irradiation treatment, in general, caused an improvement in plant growth and yield characteristics such as shoot and root mass, root length and surface area, leaf area and chlorophyll SPAD index, tiller number and grain yield. However, irradiation exceeding 5 Gy reduced the magnitude of radiation advantage for most of the investigated physiological and biochemical traits. No germination was recorded at 500 Gy irradiation dose. A dose-dependant increase in shoot Fe in radiated plants up to 25 Gy reflected its higher plant root to shoot translocation which may yield micronutrient rich grains. At higher dose of 100 Gy, there was a drastic reduction in flag leaf membrane stability index (MSI), photosynthesis, Rubisco, NR, and nutrients like K, P, Mg, Fe, and Zn. Starch synthase enzyme activity was unaffected by gamma irradiation indicating that the negative effect of high dose (100 Gy) on the grain yield were caused by the adverse effect of radiation on the gas exchange attributes particularly photosynthesis, carbon, and nitrogen assimilation efficiency and the plant uptake of mineral nutrients. The study concludes that gamma radiation at a low dose (25 Gy or lower) stimulates, while a high dose (100 Gy and above) inhibits plant growth and development of wheat. The adverse effect at 100 Gy and beyond could be attributed to the poor carbon and nitrogen assimilation efficiency and the plant uptake of mineral nutrients, all of which are the ultimate determinant of plant health.     

On-Demand Release of Urea From a Cellulosic Hydrogel Using a Sprinkler Based Irrigation (SBI) Model

In this work, epichlorohydrin (Ech) crosslinked cellulose hydrogels have been prepared and loaded with urea (Ur) for controlled release as a fertilizer. A detailed study of swelling behavior of these hydrogels and their urea releasing capacity has been carried out under various experimental conditions. The dynamic swelling and release data has been applied on various kinetic models. Finally, using a novel Sprinkler Based Irrigation (SBI) model, a model plant has been irrigated with water in the presence of urea-loaded hydrogel. It was found that plants, irrigated in the presence of urea-loaded hydrogel exhibited a better growth as compared to the control plant sample.