Chelate formation of ammonium aurintricarboxy-late with bivalent copper : Physico-chemical investigation of the composition,structure and stability

The formation of a coloured chelate, having λmax at 540 mμ, between cupric ions and ammonium aurintricarboxylate has been reported. It has been concluded that only one complex having metal : reagent ratio of 1:2 is formed in solution. The method adopted for investigation has been the continuous variation method, using spectrophotometric and electrical conductance measurements. It has been observed that there is an increase in acidity on mixing the reactants, which shows that hydrogen ions are liberated as a result of chelation It has been suggested that chelation occurs between the phenolic oxygen and the adjacent carboxylic oxygen.A method has been presented for the calculation of formation constant from spectrophotometric data and the value of K in the case of the chelate investigated has been calculated to be 6.45.10⁸. The free energy of formation works out to be —14.6 kcal at 25°C.     

Three-body interactions,rotational invariance and the elastic consistency of lattice dynamical models for face-centred tetragonal indium

The origin of the elastic inconsistency ofdaf, mas andgtf models for non-cubic solids and the failure of their force constants to comply with all the rotational invariance conditions are analysed by resolving the atomic displacements of face-centred tetragonal indium along three mutually perpendicular directions. It is shown that a lattice dynamical model suffers from these deficiencies as a consequence of its neglect of three-body interactions as well as the mixed neighbour interactions associated with the angular forces, while thecgw model which incorporates both these interactions is elastically consistent and its potential energy rotationally invariant. The degree of equivalence that exists among the force constants ofdaf, mas, gtf andcgw models, the distortions introduced by the elastic inconsistency into the phonon dispersion curves of fct indium as well as the consequences of imposing the rotational invariance conditions on the force constants of a lattice dynamical model are discussed.     

A preliminary assessment of microstructural and compositional characteristics of two variants of precarbonated and postcarbonated concrete mixes

The hydration, precarbonation, and postcarbonation microstructural and compositional attributes of 2 variants of concrete were studied using scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and X‐ray diffraction techniques. Results obtained showed presence of large number of diffraction peaks indicative of SiO₂ as major phase. Higher pH, alkalinity, and absence of effects of carbonation were suggested from the presence of portlandite peaks. Evidence of effect of carbonation was studied through the analysis of the experimental diffraction peaks obtained postexposure to accelerated carbonation in a controlled environment. Presence of all the 3 polymorphs of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) such as aragonite, vaterite, and calcite depending upon the moisture content and the material constituting the concrete sample were envisaged signifying carbonation. Precipitation of these CaCO₃ crystals was responsible for depletion of CH as well as calcium–silicate–hydrate, ettringite with the progress of carbonation as suggested by their absence in the X‐ray diffraction diffractograms of the carbonated samples. The crystal structure of the newly formed minerals in both the variants of concrete sample was highly controlled by the stages of carbonation, with development of amorphous CaCO₃ (amalgamated with that of calcium hydrates) in early stages of carbonation as well as fully developed rhombohedral CaCO₃ crystals in later stages.     

Performing chemical reactions in virtual capillary of surface tension-confined microfluidic devices

In this paper we report a new method of fabrication of surface tensionconfined microfluidic devices on glass. We have also successfully carried out some well-known chemical reactions in these fluidic channels to demonstrate the usefulness of these wall-less microchannels. The confined flow path of liquid was achieved on the basis of extreme differences in hydrophobic and hydrophilic characters of the surface. The flow paths were fabricated by making parallel lines using permanent marker pen ink or other polymer on glass surfaces. Two mirror image patterned glass plates were then sandwiched one on top of the other, separated by a thin gap-created using a spacer. The aqueous liquid moves between the surfaces by capillary forces, confined to the hydrophilic areas without wetting the hydrophobic lines, achieving liquid confinement without physical side-walls. We have shown that the microfluidic devices designed in such a way can be very useful due to their simplicity and low fabrication cost. More importantly, we have also demonstrated that the minimum requirement of such a working device is a hydrophilic line surrounded by hydrophobic environment, two walls of which are constituted of air and the rest is made of a hydrophobic surface.     

Quantum information cannot be completely hidden in correlations: implications for the black-hole information paradox

Can quantum-information theory shed light on black-hole evaporation? By entangling the in-fallen matter with an external system we show that the black-hole information paradox becomes more severe, even for cosmologically sized black holes. We rule out the possibility that the information about the in-fallen matter might hide in correlations between the Hawking radiation and the internal states of the black hole. As a consequence, either unitarity or Hawking's semiclassical predictions must break down. Any resolution of the black-hole information crisis must elucidate one of these possibilities.     

Experimental study of transient heat transfer characteristics of single-phase natural convection in multidimensional porous bed with volumetric heat generation

Natural convection in an internally heated porous bed of height and diameter of 450 mm and 500 mm, respectively, and superposed with the fluid layer has been experimentally investigated. The onset of natural convection in the bed is indicated by change in the rate of temperature rise within the bed. An empirical model based on local Nusselt number and local Rayleigh number has been developed. A comparison of the present model with the models in literature is made to draw out the differences between the local heat transfer of large multidimensional beds and the average heat transfer of small beds.     

Observation of direct photons in central 158A GeV (208)P(208)b+Pb collisions

A measurement of direct photon production in 208Pb+208Pb collisions at 158A GeV has been carried out in the CERN WA98 experiment. The invariant yield of direct photons in central collisions is extracted as a function of transverse momentum in the interval 0.51.5 GeV/c. The result constitutes the first observation of direct photons in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions. It could be significant for diagnosis of quark-gluon-plasma formation.     

Synthesis and characterization of K2NiF4-type phases Ln0.5Sr1.5Mn0.5Fe0.5O4 (Ln = La, Nd, Gd, and Dy)

A systematic investigation of layered perovskite oxides with general formula Ln_0.5Sr_1.5Mn_0.5Fe_0.5O₄ (Ln?=?La, Nd, Gd, and Dy) has been undertaken mainly to understand their structural, magnetic, as well as electrical behavior. The materials were prepared by the ceramic method. X-ray data have been analyzed by using program Checkcell and the variations of various parameters are explained. It has been concluded that not only A-site cation radius, <r _A>, but also the size variance factor (σ ²) influence electrical and magnetic properties. A systematic study of electrical resistivity of all the four materials was undertaken as a function of temperature to understand the conduction mechanism. On analyzing the electrical resistivity data, it has been concluded that variable range hopping model is found to fit well. The magnetic studies suggest that the phases are antiferromagnetic and this behavior could arise from Mn⁴⁺–O–Mn⁴⁺, and Fe³⁺–O–Fe³⁺ superexchange interaction.