Double focus systems for holography

Some very simple, compact optical systems for holography of diffusely reflecting objects, using off-axis, double-focus elements as beam splitters, are described. These are free from disadvantages inherent in earlier systems of this type.     

Cellulose acetate and polyetherimide blend ultrafiltration membranes: II. Effect of additive

Ultrafiltration membranes are largely applied in the separation of heavy metal ion and macromolecular solutes from aqueous streams. Studies are presented on ultrafiltration blend membranes, based on cellulose acetate (CA) and polyetherimide (PEI) in various blend compositions. Polyethylene glycol (PEG 600) was employed as a non‐solvent additive in various concentrations to the casting solution to improve the ultrafiltration performance of the resulting membranes. The blend membranes prepared were characterized in terms of compaction time, pure water flux (PWF), water content, membrane resistance, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The molecular weight cut‐off (MWCO) obtained from the protein separation studies is also reported. Applications of these membranes for separating toxic metal ions from aqueous streams are discussed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

DFT Study of Polymorphism in Al(OH)3: A Structural Synthon Approach

All the known polymorphs of Al(OH)₃ comprise a stacking of charge neutral layers having the composition [Al_2/3□_1/3(OH)₂] (□: cation vacancy) and designated by the symbol P. Employing a single Al(OH)₃ layer (layer group p12₁/a1) as a structural synthon, the energy profile computed for the translations of P and $\bar{P}$ ($\bar{P}$ : mirror image of P) layers relative to each other within a bilayer model, not only show minima corresponding to the four known polymorphs of Al(OH)₃ but also predict three new polymorphs with energy minima at the stacking vectors (7/10, 5/18, 1) (polymorph B1), (1/2, 0, 1) (polymorph B2) and (2/5, 1/9, 1) (polymorph B4). Of these B1 and B2 are 0.30 eV and 0.23 eV below the energy of bayerite (B3), but 0.30 eV and 0.37 eV above the global minimum which corresponds to gibbsite. B4 is only 0.08 eV above the energy of bayerite. This quantitative structural synthon approach offers B1, B2, and B4 as legitimate targets for future synthetic efforts.     

Aminotroponiminatogermaacid halides with a ge(e)x moiety (e = s, se; x = f, cl)

Fluorination of aminotroponiminate (ATI) ligand-stabilized germylene monochloride [(t-Bu)(2)ATI]GeCl (1) with CsF gave the aminotroponiminatogermylene monofluoride [(t-Bu)(2)ATI]GeF (2). Oxidative addition reaction of compound 2 with elemental sulfur and selenium led to isolation of the corresponding germathioacid fluoride [(t-Bu)(2)ATI]Ge(S)F (3) and germaselenoacid fluoride [(t-Bu)(2)ATI]Ge(Se)F (4), respectively. Similarly, reaction of aminotroponiminatogermylene monochloride [(i-Bu)(2)ATI]GeCl (9) with elemental sulfur and selenium gave the aminotroponiminatogermathioacid chloride [(i-Bu)(2)ATI]Ge(S)Cl (11) and aminotroponiminatogermaselenoacid chloride [(i-Bu)(2)ATI]Ge(Se)Cl (12), respectively. Compound 9 has been prepared through a multistep synthetic route starting from 2-(tosyloxy)tropone 5. All compounds (2-4 and 6-12) were characterized through the multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies were performed on compounds 2, 4, and 8-12. The germaselenoacid halide complexes 4 and 12 showed doublet (-142.37 ppm) and singlet (-213.13 ppm) resonances in their (77)Se NMR spectra, respectively. Germylene monohalide complexes 2 and 9 have a germanium center in distorted trigonal pyramidal geometry, whereas a distorted tetrahedral geometry is seen around the germanium center in germaacid halide complexes 4, 11, and 12. The length of the Ge═E bond in germathioacid chloride (11) and germaselenoacid halide (4 and 12) complexes is 2.065(1) and 2.194(av) ?, respectively. Theoretical studies (based on the DFT methods) on complexes 4, 11, and 12 reveal the nature of the Ge═E multiple bond in these germaacid halide complexes with computed Wiberg bond indices (WBI) being 1.480, 1.508, and 1.541, respectively.     

Growth and characterization of pure and potassium iodide-doped zinc tris-thiourea sulphate (ZTS) single crystals

Single crystals of pure and potassium iodide (KI)-doped zinc tris-thiourea sulphate (ZTS) were grown from aqueous solutions by the slow evaporation method. The grown crystals were transparent. The lattice parameters of the grown crystals were determined by the single-crystal X-ray diffraction technique. The grown crystals were also characterized by recording the powder X-ray diffraction pattern and by identifying the diffracting planes. The FT-IR spectrum was recorded in the range 400-4500 cm⁻¹. Second harmonic generation (SHG) was confirmed by the Kurtz powder method. The thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) studies reveal that the materials have good thermal stability. Atomic absorption studies confirm the presence of dopant in ZTS crystals. The electrical measurements were made in the frequency range 10²-10⁶ Hz and in the temperature range 40-130 °C along a-, b- and c-directions of the grown crystals. The present study shows that the electrical parameters viz. dc conductivity, dielectric constant, dielectric loss factor and ac conductivity increase with increase in temperature. Activation energy values were also determined for the ac conduction process in grown crystals. The dc conductivity, dielectric constant, dielectric loss factor and ac conductivity of KI-doped ZTS crystal were found to be more than those of pure ZTS crystals.     

Cellulose acetate nanocomposite ultrafiltration membranes tailored with hydrous manganese dioxide nanoparticles for water treatment applications

Hydrous manganese dioxide (HMO) nanoparticles incorporated cellulose acetate (CA) composite ultrafiltration (UF) membranes are prepared with the aim of improving the water permeation and BSA contaminant removal. The HMO nanoparticles are synthesized from manganese ion and characterized by FT‐IR, XRD, and FESEM. The effect of variation of HMO on CA membranes is probed using FT‐IR, EDAX, contact angle, SEM, and AFM analysis to demonstrate their chemical functionality, hydrophilicity, and morphology. CA/HMO membranes are showing the enhancement in pure water flux (PWF), water uptake, porosity, hydrophilicity, fouling resistance, BSA rejection, and flux recovery ratio (FRR). CA‐1 membrane displayed higher PWF (143.6 Lm²h^?1), BSA rejection (95.9%), irreversible fouling (93.3%), and FRR (93.3%). Overall results confirmed that the CA/HMO nanocomposite UF membranes overcome the bottlenecks and shows potential for water treatment applications.     

Numerical studies on velocity, temperature history and heat transfer to the particles injected into the argon plasma

A new approach to study the particle velocity in a thermal plasma in relation to input parameters (power, gas flow rate, injection velocity of the particle and particle size) and nozzle dimensions (nozzle length and diameter) has been made. Injected particle's temperature and thermal history were calculated for particles of three different materials (alumina, tungsten and graphite) in argon plasma. Allowable powder feed rate was calculated for the particles. Heat transfer per particle injected in to the plasma is reported. Liquid fraction of the particle after it reached the melting point is also reported. Particle velocity is found to increase with increase in power, gas flow rate and injection velocity and decrease with increase in particle size, nozzle length and nozzle diameter. Thermal histories of the particles in relation to the plasma temperature and particle diameter are presented. Particle's residence time is found to increase with increase in diameter of the particle. Allowable powder feed rate for complete melting of the particle is higher at higher percentage utilisation of the plasma power. Powder feed rate is seen to decrease with increase in particle size and it is higher for tungsten and lower for graphite particle. Heat transfer rate from plasma to particle is seen to decrease with increase in time and the same is higher for plasmas of higher temperature and smaller sized particle. Received 4 May 2000 and Received in final form 15 March 2001     

Germylene Cyanide Complex: A Reagent for the Activation of Aldehydes with Catalytic Significance

The first example of a germanium(II) cyanide complex [GeCN(L)] ( 2 ) (L=aminotroponiminate (ATI)) has been synthesized through a novel and relatively benign route that involves the reaction of a digermylene oxide [(L)Ge?O?Ge(L)] ( 1 ) with trimethylsilylcyanide (TMSCN). Interestingly, compound 2 activates several aldehydes (RCHO) at room temperature and results in the corresponding cyanogermylated products [RC{OGe(L)}(CN)H] (R=H 3 , iPr 4 , tBu 5 , CH(Ph)Me 6 ). Reaction of one of the cyanogermylated products ( 4 ) with TMSCN affords the cyanosilylated product [(iPr)C(OSiMe₃)(CN)H] ( 7 ) along with [GeCN(L)] quantitatively, and insinuates the possible utility of [GeCN(L)] as a catalyst for the cyanosilylation reactions of aldehydes with TMSCN. Accordingly, the quantitative formation of several cyanosilylated products [RC(OSiMe₃)(CN)H] ( 7 – 9 ) in the reaction between RCHO and TMSCN by using 1 mol % of [GeCN(L)] as a catalyst is also reported for the first time.     

Surface acoustic wave distribution and acousto-optic interaction in proton exchanged LiNbO3 waveguides

The efficiency of acoustooptic (AO) interaction in YZ-cut proton exchanged (PE) LiNbO₃ waveguides is theoretically analysed by determining the overlap between the optical and acoustic field distributions. The present analysis takes into account the perturbed SAW field distribution due to the presence of the PE layer on the LiNbO₃ substrate determined by the rigorous layered medium approach. The overlap is found to be significant upto very high acoustic frequencies of the order of 5 GHz, whereas in the earlier analysis by vonHelmolt and Schaffer [6] for diffused waveguides, it was shown that the overlap integral rolls down to nearly zero at this high frequency range.     

SQUID-based measuring systems

A program has been developed and initiated at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) for the utilization of SQUID sensors in various application areas. DC SQUID sensors based on Nb-AlO _x -Nb Josephson junctions have been designed and developed inhouse along with associated flux-locked loop (FLL) electronics. A compact low field SQUID magnetometer insertible in a liquid helium storage dewar has also been developed inhouse and is in use. Efforts to build a high field SQUID magnetometer, SQUID-DAC system, are in progress. A planar gradiometric DC SQUID sensor for non-destructive evaluation (NDE) application to be used in relatively unshielded environment has been designed and developed. An easily portable NDE cryostat with a small lift-off distance, to be used in external locations has been designed and tested. The magnetic field produced by a given two-dimensional current density distribution is inverted using the Fourier transform technique.