Filamentation “remote” sensing of chemical and biological agents/pollutants using only one femtosecond laser source

All matters in the path of filaments induced by an intense femtosecond laser pulse propagating in air could be fragmented and result in the emission of characteristic fluorescence spectra from the excited fragments. The fluorescence spectra exhibit specific signatures (fingerprints) that can be used for the identification of various substances including chemical and biological species. In this paper, we present an overview of the recent progress in our laboratory concerning the “remote” sensing of chemical and biological agents/pollutants in air using filamentation-induced nonlinear fluorescence techniques.     

A comparative study on the morphology of P3HT:PCBM solar cells with the addition of Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> nanoparticles by spin and rod coating methods

Our previous study presented up to 20% power conversion efficiency (PCE) enhancement of poly(3-hexylthiophene):phenyl-C₆₁-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM) solar cells under the Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (NPs) self-assembly (SA) effect by spin coating. Fe₃O₄ NPs (about 11 nm hydrodynamic diameter) form a thin layer at the top interface of the light absorbing active layer, which results in the generation of PCBM rich region improving the charge transport (Zhang et al. Sol Energ Mat Sol C 160:126–133, 2017). In order to investigate the feasibility of this Fe₃O₄ NPs SA effect under large-scale production condition, a smooth rod was implemented to mimic roll-to-roll coating technique and yield active layers having about the same thickness as the spin-coated ones. Small angle neutron scattering and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction were employed finding out similar morphologies of the active layers by these two coating techniques. However, rod-coated solar cell’s PCE decreases with the addition of Fe₃O₄ NPs compared with the one without them. This is because PCBM rich region is not created at the top interface of the active layer due to the absence of Fe₃O₄ NPs, which is attributed to the weak convective flow and low diffusion rate. Moreover, in the rod-coated solar cells, the presence of Fe₃O₄ NPs causes decrease in P3HT crystallinity, thus the charge transport and the device performance. Our study confirms the role of spin coating in the Fe₃O₄ NPs SA effect and enables researchers to explore this finding in other polymer nanocomposite systems.     

An improved water-filled impedance tube

A water-filled impedance tube capable of improved measurement accuracy and precision is reported. The measurement instrument employs a variation of the standardized two-sensor transfer function technique. Performance improvements were achieved through minimization of elastic waveguide effects and through the use of sound-hard wall-mounted acoustic pressure sensors. Acoustic propagation inside the water-filled impedance tube was found to be well described by a plane wave model, which is a necessary condition for the technique. Measurements of the impedance of a pressure-release terminated transmission line, and the reflection coefficient from a water/air interface, were used to verify the system.     

Sub- and above-barrier fusion of loosely bound 6Li with 28Si

Fusion excitation functions are measured for the system ⁶Li + ²⁸Si using the characteristic $ \gamma$ -ray method, encompassing both the sub-barrier and above-barrier regions, viz, E _lab = 7-24 MeV. Two separate experiments were performed, one for the above-barrier region ( E _lab = 11-24 MeV) and another for the below-barrier region ( E _lab = 7-10 MeV). The results were compared with our previously measured fusion cross-section for the ⁷Li + ²⁸Si system. We observed the enhancement of the fusion cross-section at sub-barrier regions for both ⁶Li and ⁷Li , but the yield was substantially larger for ⁶Li . However, for well-above-barrier regions, a similar type of suppression was identified for both the systems.     

Digital computation of transient characteristics of an induction motor on switched supply

A novel method of computing the nonlinear differential equations relating to the transient behaviour of an induction motor using a polynomial series, is presented. The stator and rotor currents and the angle of rotation are expressed as polynomial series dependent on time. These are then substituted into the differential equations of the induction motor to compute the polynomial coefficients and, consequently, the transient quantities. Since the equations are nonlinear, the computations are carried out using the step-by-step method. The stator and rotor currents, speed and torque are calculated for acceleration and braking conditions. The results are compared both analytically and experimentally.     

Thermodynamic analysis of solute-solvent interactions in the solubility-temperature relations of alkaline-earth metal tungstates and sodium tungstate

This paper presents a study of thermodynamic analysis of the solubility-temperature phase diagrams for solutions of calcium, strontium and barium tungstate in sodium tungstate melts in the temperature range 660 to 1200 °C. At temperatures 1000 °C and above, the solutions were ideal but below 1000 °C the solutions became non-ideal and the non-ideality increased with decreasing temperature. At any mole fraction concentration of the solute the excess free energies of mixing and the activity coefficients increased in the order CaWO₄ > SrWO₄ > BaWO₄, whereas the excess chemical potentials decreased in the order CaWO₄ < SrWO₄ < BaWO₄.     

Study on crystallization kinetics of Al65Cu20Ti15 amorphous alloy

The crystallization behavior and thermal stability of amorphous phases of Al₆₅Cu₂₀Ti₁₅ alloy obtained by mechanical alloying were investigated by using in-situ X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) under non isothermal and isothermal conditions. The result of a Kissinger analysis shows that the activation energy for crystallization is 1131 kJ/mol. The higher stability against crystallization of Al₆₅Cu₂₀Ti₁₅ amorphous alloy is attributed to the stronger interaction of atoms in the Al-Cu-Ti system and formed of complicated compound like Al₅CuTi₂ and Al₄Cu₉ as primary phases. The isothermal crystallization was modeled by using the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami (JMA) equation. The Avarami exponents suggest that the isothermal crystallization is governed by a three-dimensional diffusion-controlled growth.     

Biocidal Organotin Compounds. Part 2. Synthesis,Characterization and Biocidal Properties of Triorganotin(IV) Hydantoic Acid Derivatives and the Crystal Structures of Triphenyltin and Tricyclohexyltin Hydantoates

The preparation and spectroscopic (¹H NMR, UV and IR) characterization of three R₃Sn(O₂CCH₂N(H)C(O)NH₂) [R=Ph, c-Hex (cyclohexyl) or n-Bu] compounds are reported. A different mode of coordination is indicated for the hydantoate ligand in the R=Ph compound compared with the R=c-Hex and R=n-Bu compounds, as confirmed by a crystallographic analysis. The structure of [Ph₃Sn(O₂CCH₂N(H)C(O)NH₂)] is polymeric owing to the presence of bridging hydantoate ligands such that each ligand coordinates one tin atom, via one of the carboxylate oxygen atoms, and a symmetry-related tin atom via the carbonyl group at the other end of the molecule. The structure features distorted trigonal-bipyramidal tin atom geometries with a trans -R₃SnO₂ motif. The structure of [c-Hex₃Sn(O₂CCH₂N(H)- C(O)NH₂)], by contrast, is monomeric, distorted tetrahedral, as the carboxylate group is monodentate and there are no additional tin–ligand interactions. The structures are each stabilized by a number of intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Fungitoxicity and phytotoxicity studies indicate that the R=n-Bu derivative is the more active compound.