Metal‐nanoparticle‐coating‐induced enhancement and weakening of resonant Raman scattering in ZnO: effect of surface electric field

Effects of Ag and Ti nanoparticle coatings on resonant Raman scattering in various ZnO thin films are presented. The longitudinal optical (LO) phonons, irrespective of the ZnO quality, exhibit an enhancement and a weakening by the Ag and Ti nanoparticle coatings, respectively. The enhancement (weakening) is always accompanied by a reduced (an increased) intensity ratio of the second to first‐order LO phonons, which can be associated with changes in the electron‐phonon coupling strength in the probed area of ZnO. Angle‐resolved X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy provides evidence for the bending of the surface energy bands and their changes induced by the metal coatings. The effect of metal nanoparticle coatings on the Raman scattering of ZnO is thus attributed to the changes in the surface electric field. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Superconvergence of H 1-Galerkin mixed finite element methods for parabolic problems

In this article, we study the semidiscrete H ¹-Galerkin mixed finite element method for parabolic problems over rectangular partitions. The well-known optimal order error estimate in the L ²-norm for the flux is of order 𝒪(h ^k+1) (SIAM J. Numer. Anal. 35 (2), (1998), pp. 712–727), where k ≥ 1 is the order of the approximating polynomials employed in the Raviart–Thomas element. We derive a superconvergence estimate of order 𝒪(h ^k+3) between the H ¹-Galerkin mixed finite element approximation and an appropriately defined local projection of the flux variable when k ≥ 1. A the new approximate solution for the flux with superconvergence of order 𝒪(h ^k+3) is realized via a postprocessing technique using local projection methods.     

An alternate mode of binding of the polyphenol quercetin with serum albumins when complexed with Cu(II)

Polyphenols find wide use as antioxidants, cancer chemopreventive agents and metal chelators. The latter activity has proved interesting in many aspects. We have probed the binding characteristics of the polyphenol quercetin–Cu(II) complex with human serum albumin (HSA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA). Fluorescence studies reveal that the quercetin–Cu(II) complex can quench the fluorescence of the serum albumins. The binding constant (K_b) values are of the order of 10⁵ M^?1 which increased with rise in temperature in case of HSA and BSA interacting with the quercetin–Cu(II) complex. Displacement studies reveal that both the ligands bind to site 1 (subdomain IIA) of the serum albumins. However, thermodynamic parameters calculated from temperature dependent studies indicated that the mode of interaction of the complexes with the proteins differs. Both ΔH° and ΔS° were positive for the interaction of the quercetin–Cu(II) complex with both proteins but the value of ΔH° was negative in case of the interaction of quercetin with the proteins. This implies that after chelation with metal ions, the polyphenol alters its mode of interaction which could have varying implications on its other physicochemical activities.     

Analysis of diffraction efficiency of a holographic coupler with respect to angular divergence

We present a method to optimize the Coupling efficiency between two fibers using a Holographic Coupler taking diffraction effect into account. For this we obtain expressions for field distributions at the end facet of a fiber. The results obtained by using the expression is found to be in good agreement with the finite element method in literature, the small deviation is attributed to the negligence of field in the cladding. We then use the Kogelnik theory to obtain useful formulae suitable for diffracted optical elements. The diffraction efficiency expressions are then used to predict the different parameters of Holograting so as to get maximum diffraction efficiency in a direction where the field distribution from the end facet is minimum thereby increasing the coupling efficiency.      

Integration of GaN thin films to SiO2–Si(100) substrates by laser lift-off and wafer fusion method

A process methodology has been adopted to bond GaN thin films to Si(100) substrates using the combination of laser lift-off and direct wafer fusion. Using optimum excimer laser conditions, 2–10 μm of GaN is lifted-off from sapphire. The lifted-off thin film is cleared from gallium residual and then suitably treated in a hydrofluoric, nitric and acetic acid mixture to render the surface hydrophilic. This treatment provides van der Waals bonds to immediately contact bond with SiO₂–Si(100) substrate at room temperature. The bonds are further strengthened by a high temperature annealing at 650 C for 2 h. The structural and mechanical characteristics of the bonded structure reveal uniform and high quality bonding. The optical characteristics of the transferred bonded film on SiO₂–Si(100) substrate exhibit similar properties to that of GaN on sapphire. In a similar manner, high-brightness blue LEDs were transferred from sapphire to SiO₂–Si(100) substrate with no deterioration in the electrical and optical performance of the device.     

Facile synthesis,characterization and application of magnetic Fe3O4-coir pith composites for the removal of methyl violet from aqueous solution: Kinetics,isotherm, thermodynamics and parametric optimization

Dyes are commonly used in coloring clothes; in fertilizers, as anti-freezers, as detergents and so on. The use of such dyes has carcinogenic and genotoxic effects. These dyes require proper removal from the environment. Subsequently, a green and low-cost approach promises to adhere to sustainability of the environment while maximum removal of these toxic dyes. The present study describes removal of methyl violet (MV) dye by adsorption process magnetically separable Fe₃O₄-coir pith composites. The study was evaluated in batch system taking the optimum conditions as: pH: 7, contact time: 12 h, stirring speed: 200 rpm, concentration of dye: 100 mg/L, adsorbent weight: 3 g/L, temp.: 308 K. The central composite design approach of response surface methodology in design-expert software showed maximum removal efficiency (>98%) for optimal parameters. The experimental equilibrium data fitted reasonably well to Langmuir isotherm model. ANOVA analysis along with Fisher's statistical test was also performed to validate the model. The predicted model was at par with the experimental values with adjusted R² of 0.9914. A thorough investigation of kinetic ($R_{\text{Pseudo second order}}^2$ = 0.99; $R_{\text{Pseudo second order}}^2=0.97;R_{\text{intra}?\text{particle diffusion}}^2=0.98)$, thermodynamic, adsorption isotherm $(R_{\text{Langmuir isotherm}}^2=0.997$ $R_{\text{Freundlich isotherm}}^2=0.99$ and eco-toxicological characteristics were performed for proper evaluations of the properties as well as sustainability of the adsorbent material. The whole research indicated encouraging potential of the developed material for adsorption, reusability and sustainability in applications for industrial scale wastewater treatment.     

Adsorption of Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+ onto amorphous hydrous manganese dioxide from simple (1-1) electrolyte solutions

The adsorption of Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+ onto amorphous hydrous manganese dioxide (delta-MnO2) has been studied using two methods, viz., isotherms at constant pH in the presence of buffer solution and pH variation in the absence of buffer solution from a fixed metal ion concentration. While the adsorption isotherm experiments were carried out in 0.5 M NaCl only, pH variation or batch titration experiments were carried out in 0.5 M NaCl, 0.01 M NaCl, and 0.01 M KNO3 solutions. The complex nature of adsorption isotherms at constant pH values indicates that adsorption of all the cations is non-Langmuirian (Freundlich) and takes place on the highly heterogeneous oxide surface with different binding energies. The proton stoichiometry derived from isotherms at two close pH values varies between 0.3 and 0.8. The variation of fractional adsorption with pH indicates that the background electrolyte solution influences the adsorption of cations through either metal-like or ligand-like complexes with Cl-, the former showing a low adsorption tendency. The proton stoichiometry values derived from the Kurbatov-type plot varies not only with the electrolyte solution but also with the adsorbate/adsorbent ratio. The variation of fractional adsorption with pH can be modeled either with the formation of the SOM+ type or with a combination of SOM+ and SOMOH type complexes, depending upon the cation and electrolyte medium. The equilibrium constants obtained from Kurbatov-type plots are found to be most suitable in these model calculations. Adsorption calculated on the basis of ternary surface metal-chlorocomplex formation exhibits very low values.     

Dynamic mechanical and dielectric relaxation characteristics of microcellular rubber composites

An in‐depth study of the surface characteristics of novel conductive carbon black Ensaco 350G has been carried out using XPS and high‐resolution vacuum FTIR. Both methods showed the existence of oxygen containing surface groups like carboxyls, carbonyls, etc. Dynamic mechanical analysis and dielectric relaxation spectra of conductive carbon black (Ensaco 350G) reinforced microcellular EPDM composites were used to study the relaxation behavior as a function of temperature (?90 to +100°C) and frequency (100–10⁶ Hz). The effect of filler and blowing agent loadings on dynamic mechanical and dielectric relaxation characteristics has been investigated. The effect of filler and blowing agent loadings on glass transition temperature was marginal for all the composites (T_g value was in the range of ?37 to ?32°C), which has been explained on the basis of relaxation dynamics of polymer chains in the vicinity of fillers. The variation in the real and imaginary parts of the complex impedance with frequency has been studied as a function of filler and blowing agent loading. Additionally, an in‐depth study of the surface characteristics of the filler using XPS, high‐resolution vacuum FTIR and Raman spectra is also reported. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.