Chlorate ion mediated rutile to anatase reverse phase transformation in the TiO2 nanosystem

Rutile TiO(2) nanoneedles (8 nm × 100 nm) synthesized at room temperature by anodization in perchloric acid (pH < 1) are shown to undergo an interesting reverse phase transformation to anatase nanoparticles (8 nm) at 300 °C only if the chlorate ions are maintained in the ambient medium. When chlorate ions are removed by multiple washing, the rutile phase and the needle morphology are maintained. The mechanism of formation of the ion-stabilized solid and its thermal evolution is discussed.     

Rheostructural studies of a discotic mesophase pitch at processing flow conditions

The flow-induced microstructure of a mesophase pitch was studied within custom-made dies for changing wall shear rates from 20 to 1,100 s^− 1, a flow scenario that is typically encountered during fiber spinning. The apparent viscosity values, measured at the nominal wall shear rates ranging from 500 to 2,500 s^− 1 using these dies, remain fairly constant. The microstructure was studied in two orthogonal sections: r–θ (cross section) and r–z (longitudinal mid plane). In these dies, the size of the microstructure gradually decreases toward the wall (to as low as a few micrometers), where shear rate is highest. Furthermore, as observed in the r–θ plane of the capillary, for a significant fraction of the cross section, discotic mesophase has a radial orientation. Thus, the directors of disc-like molecules were aligned in the vorticity (θ) direction. As confirmed from the microstructure in the r–z plane, most of the discotic molecules remain nominally in the flow plane. Orientation of the pitch molecules in the shear flow conditions is consistent with that observed in controlled low-shear rheometric experiments reported earlier. Microstructral investigation suggests that the radial orientation of carbon fibers obtained from a mesophase pitch originates during flow of pitch through the die.     

Surface modifications of ferrocene using argon ion implantation and γ-irradiation

The effect of Ar⁺-ion implantation (energy 100 keV) has been studied on ferrocene pellets at 1×10¹⁴ and 5×10¹⁴ ions/cm² doses. The characterization techniques used were infrared spectroscopy, small-angle X-ray diffraction and bulk X-ray diffraction. At the lower dose, formation of a metastable alkene occurred; at the higher dose a metastable alkane was formed. The X-ray data showed that metastable phases like Fe–C, (Fe–C)H and carbon phases were produced at the surface. Not being observable on the surface, the organic counterparts are expected to be volatile in nature. When treated with varying energy doses, ferrocene showed bulk damage; the IR spectra showed the loss of fine structure and only a single peak persisted, which was due to metal-ring vibration.     

Pulsed Laser‐Driven Molecular Self‐assembly of Cephalexin: Aggregation‐Induced Fluorescence and Its Utility as a Mercury Ion Sensor

A fluorescent self‐assembly of cephalexin is obtained by pulsed laser irradiation process. An intense fluorescence emission is found in the self‐assembled form due to occurrence of a typical aggregation‐induced emission in cephalexin molecules. It is observed that fluorescence quenching of the self‐assembled fluorescent nanostructures occurs in the presence of extremely low Hg⁺⁺ ions concentrations (10^?7 m ) as compared to other heavy metal ions e.g. Ferrous (Fe⁺⁺), Manganese (Mn⁺⁺), Magnesium (Mg⁺⁺), Cobalt (Co⁺⁺), Nickel (Ni⁺⁺) and Zinc (Zn⁺⁺) at the same concentrations.     

Parametric dependence studies on cracking of clay

We have studied the shrinkage-crack patterns formed in the process of drying of clay/water slurries employing simple laboratory experiments. Both isotropic and directional drying was studied. The objective has been to examine the correlation between the solvent, materials parameters and the crack patterns. Attempt is made to fit the observations to specific models. The dynamics of the pattern formation process and the geometric properties of the crack patterns are found to be in conformity with the hydrodynamic model by Lee and Routh [W.P. Lee, A.F. Routh, Langmuir 20 (2004) 9887].     

Ripples on the surface of a two-component fluid

The dispersion relation of ripplons on the surface of a two-component liquid has been derived using the hydrodynamic mean-field model, in terms of the interaction pair potentials of the constituent particles. The modes for planar and spherical geometries have been derived explicitly. The formalism is applied to ripples on the surfaces of liquids in which the interparticle interaction is not Coulombic, as also on the surfaces of jellium and on electron-hole droplets.     

Differentiation of neurons from neural precursors generated in floating spheres from embryonic stem cells

Background  

Neural differentiation of embryonic stem (ES) cells is usually achieved by induction of ectoderm in embryoid bodies followed by the enrichment of neuronal progenitors using a variety of factors. Obtaining reproducible percentages of neural cells is difficult and the methods are time consuming.     

Surface plasmon dispersion relation for spherical metal particles

Using the hydrodynamical model, we have obtained the surface plasmon dispersion relation for spherical metallic particles in the following two cases: (1) a sharp surface cut off in electron density and (2) a diffused electron density at the surface. The diffused density is modelled with a step function. The diffuse nature of the electron density at surface of the metal particle is necessary to understand the experimental result for particles with small radii. Shift in the absorption frequency is estimated and found to be small.     

Thermally stimulated current spectra in nitrogen implanted fluorinated ethylene propylene

Thermally stimulated current spectra of nitrogen implanted fluorinated ethylene propylene polymer foils have been studied. Two characteristic peaks have been obtained for samples implanted with nitrogen ions with energies ranging from 20 to 60 keV. The variations in the activation energies and relaxation times of charge carriers, as a function of implantation energy, have been attributed to the corresponding changes in the carrier distribution in the polymer. The carrier mobilities and mobility life-time products have also been estimated for the two characteristic peaks.     

High temperature ferromagnetism with a giant magnetic moment in transparent co-doped SnO(2-delta)

The occurrence of room temperature ferromagnetism is demonstrated in pulsed laser deposited thin films of Sn(1-x)Co(x)O(2-delta) (x<0.3). Interestingly, films of Sn(0.95)Co(0.05)O(2-delta) grown on R-plane sapphire not only exhibit ferromagnetism with a Curie temperature close to 650 K, but also a giant magnetic moment of 7.5+/-0.5 micro(B)/Co, not yet reported in any diluted magnetic semiconductor system. The films are semiconducting and optically highly transparent.