A twice liquid arc discharge approach for synthesis of visible-light-active nanocrystalline Ag:ZnO photocatalyst

Ag:ZnO hybrid nanostructures were successfully prepared by a twice arc discharge method in liquid. The visible light photocatalytic activities were successfully demonstrated for the degradation of Rhodamine B (Rh. B), Methyl orange (MO), and Methylene blue (MB) as standard organic compounds under the irradiation of 90 W halogen light for 2 h. The Ag:ZnO nanostructures were characterized by X-Ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy (UV-Vis). The results revealed that the Ag:ZnO nanostructures extended the light absorption spectrum toward the visible region and significantly enhanced the Rh. B photodegradation under visible light irradiation. 3 mM Ag:ZnO nanostructures exhibited highest photocatalytic efficiency. It has been confirmed that the Ag:ZnO nanostructures could be excited by visible light (E<3.3 eV). The significant enhancement in the Ag:ZnO nanostructures photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation can be ascribed to the effect of physisorbed noble metal Ag by acting as electron traps in ZnO band gap. A mechanism for photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutant over Ag:ZnO photocatalyst was proposed based on our observations.     

Temperature tunable random laser using superconducting materials

We propose that spectral intensity of superconductor based random lasers can be made tunable by changing temperature. The two fluid model and wavelength dependent dispersion formula have been employed to describe the optical response of the superconducting materials. Random laser characteristics have been calculated using the one dimensional FDTD method. Our simulation results reveal that the emission spectrum can be manipulated through the ambient temperature of the system. It is observed that transition from metal phase to pure superconducting phase leads to the enhancement of the laser emission. Furthermore, spatial distribution of the fields in one dimensional disordered media is very sensitive to the system temperature.     

Realization of 2-D OCDMA network using EDW code

The attraction towards two-dimensional optical code division multiple access (2D-OCDMA) systems has increased due to its potential in enhancing the performance of optical access networks and producing optical code-based signals. 2D-OCDMA network systems enable better bit-error-ratio (BER) performance as well as increase the number of supportable users in the optical network. Time-spreading wavelength-hopping is one of the many techniques that has been proposed for 2D-OCDMA. In this paper, we present the simulative study of a 2D-OCDMA system. The developed time-spreading, wavelength-hopping network utilizes enhanced double weight (EDW) code which has enhanced properties such as a cross-correlation value of 1 and has a simple encoder/decoder design. The output BER was satisfactory at above 10^?9 at data rate of 1.25 Gbps for 20 km distance with the ITU-T G.652 standard single mode optical fiber for 3 users.     

Characterization of AZ91D Granules Covered with a Flux during In‐Situ Melting

Oxidation and melting behaviors of AZ91D granules throughout the in‐situ melting process using flux were investigated. The granules were heated under unprotected environment at four different temperatures between 650 and 800 °C, for the durations of 30 and 60 min. The products of heating process were characterized macroscopically and the oxides formed on the granules were examined using field emission scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction analysis. Thermal analysis was used to reveal the response of the granules to heating during the in‐situ melting. The results showed that the granules experienced severe oxidation even in the presence of the flux, and significant amount of them changed to a powdered state due to oxidation and combustion, especially at 800 °C. It was discovered that the granules melted during heating; however, oxides formed on their surface encapsulated the molten metal and prevented the liquids from merging. The results also revealed that increasing heating temperature and time enhanced mold‐magnesium reaction resulted in the entrance of mold materials into the oxidation residues.     

AC conductivity and dielectric behavior of bulk Furfurylidenemalononitrile

AC conductivity and dielectric behavior for bulk Furfurylidenemalononitrile have been studied over a temperature range (293–333 K) and frequency range (50–5×10⁶ Hz). The frequency dependence of ac conductivity, σ_ac, has been investigated by the universal power law, σ_ac(ω)=Aω^s. The variation of the frequency exponent (s) with temperature was analyzed in terms of different conduction mechanisms, and it was found that the correlated barrier hopping (CBH) model is the predominant conduction mechanism. The temperature dependence of σ_ac(ω) showed a linear increase with the increase in temperature at different frequencies. The ac activation energy was determined at different frequencies. Dielectric data were analyzed using complex permittivity and complex electric modulus for bulk Furfurylidenemalononitrile at various temperatures.     

Tri-polarized spectrum sensing based on an experimental outdoor-to-indoor cognitive-radio scenario

Compared to classical spatially separated multiple antenna system, cross-polarized co-located antenna systems are an interesting way to reduce equipment size while reducing the inter-antenna correlation. In this paper the spectrum sensing of a Cognitive Radio (CR) system taking advantage of polarization diversity under Rayleigh fading is investigated and compared to an equivalent system using spatial diversity. This analysis is based on a theoretical formulation applied to a real-world scenario. For this purpose, an outdoor-to-indoor measurement campaign at a frequency of 3.5 GHz is realized, where an indoor secondary user senses the signals received from an outdoor primary base station. The signals received at each antenna are first combined and then applied to an energy detector. The theoretical expressions are simulated in the measurement context. The detection probability behavior as a function of distance between the Primary Transmitter (PTx) and the Secondary Terminal (STE) and the inter-antenna correlation effect on the sensing performance are studied.     

Prospects of inflation with perturbed throat geometry

We study brane inflation in a warped deformed conifold background that includes general possible corrections to the throat geometry sourced by coupling to the bulk of a compact Calabi–Yau space. We focus specifically, on the perturbation by chiral operator of dimension 3/2 in the CFT. We find that the effective potential in this case can give rise to required number of e-foldings and the spectral index nS$n_S$ consistent with observation. The tensor to scalar ratio of perturbations is generally very low in this scenario. The COBE normalization, however, poses certain difficulties which can be circumvented provided model parameters are properly fine tuned. We find the numerical values of parameters which can give rise to enough inflation, observationally consistent values of density perturbations, scalar to tensor ratio of perturbations and the spectral index nS$n_S$.     

Thermodynamic description of the viscosity of liquid solder alloys with minor Co impurities

Because of the increasing complexity and cost of experiments carried out, the data for the multi-component alloy systems have frequently been obtained by numerical modelling. It is clear that the related calculations require reliable data dealing with the pure components and binary alloy systems. Selecting the reliable data concerning the pure components from the literature, the viscosities for the SAC and (SAC)_1?x Co_x solder alloys have been calculated using different viscosity models (geometric and physical). The viscosity decreases as the amount of tin content increases in the SAC387 alloy while the addition of the cobalt to SAC387 solder results in the increasing of the viscosity. Moreover, by computing the root mean square values between theoretical and experimental viscosities, it can be concluded that the lowest value among all models is that of obtained by Kaptay equation.     

Sulphur and oxygen isotopic characters of dissolved sulphate in groundwater from the Pleistocene aquifer in the southern Jordan Valley (Jericho area,Palestine)

Sulphate and chloride concentrations in the shallow Pleistocene aquifer systems in the lower Jordan valley area indicate a general trend of increasing salinity eastward and southward. This study was conducted in one of the important sub-basins feeding the Pleo–Pleistocene aquifer in the Jericho area in the southern part of the valley using S and O isotopes of dissolved sulphate. The results show that sulphate has mainly two contributions to the groundwater. One is the surface seepage, which is present as a salty leachate form with the positive δ³⁴S_sulphate values of primary gypsum in Lisan and Samara formations, and the second is the upwelling saline water which was in contact with a deep secondary gypsum, aragonites and salty rocks and rose up under heavy abstraction with depleted ³⁴S in sulphate and relatively high sulphate and chloride content. The latest was clearly shown in the Arab Project wells to the east that is undergoing a continuous heavy abstraction. The isotopic signatures of S and O in these wells to the east show that this depleted ³⁴S and highly concentrated sulphate might also indicate a dissolved sulphate originating from pyrite oxidation that results from the interaction with a pyrite-rich aquifer, which can well up with salty water under heavy abstraction and is oxidised in the upper aerobic shallow aquifer.