Green and Cost Effective Synthesis of Fluorescent Carbon Quantum Dots for Dopamine Detection

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) due to its high fluorescent output is evolving as novel sensing material and is considered as future building blocks for nano sensing devices. Hence, in this investigation we report microwave assisted preparation and multi sensing application of CQDs. The microwave derived CQDs are characterized by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) experiment and Fourier Infrared spectra (FTIR) to investigate the size distribution and chemical purity respectively. Fluorescent emission spectra recorded at varying pH shows varying fluorescence emission intensities. Further, emission spectra recorded at different temperatures shows that fluorescence emission of CQDs greatly depends on temperature. Therefore, we demonstrate the pH and temperature sensing characteristics of CQDs by fluorescence quenching behaviour. In addition, the interaction and sensing behaviour of CQDs for dopamine is also presented in this work with a detection limit of 0.2 mM. The steady state and time-resolved methods have been employed in fluorescence quenching methods for sensing dopamine through CQDs at room temperature. The bimolecular quenching rate constants for different concentration have been measured. The interaction between CQDs and dopamine indicates fluorescence quenching method is an elegant process for detecting dopamine through CQDs.     

Electromagnetically-induced transparency in Doppler-broadened five-level systems

We study electromagnetically-induced transparency (EIT) of a probe field in a Doppler- broadened five-level K-type atomic system driven by three strong laser (coupling) fields. Effect of wave-vector mismatch occurring when the coupling field frequency is higher than that of the probe field frequency (λ _c < λ _p) are considered. Under the influence of the coherent coupling fields, the steady-state linear susceptibility of the probe laser shows that the system can have single or double or triple EIT windows depending on the amplitude and detuning of the coupling fields.     

Neutron star in the presence of strong magnetic field

Compact stars such as neutron stars (NS) can have either hadronic or exotic states like strange quark or colour superconducting matter. Stars can also have a quark core surrounded by hadronic matter, known as hybrid stars (HS). The HS is likely to have a mixed phase in between the hadron and the quark phases. Observational results suggest huge surface magnetic field in certain NS. Therefore, we study here the effect of strong magnetic field on the respective equation of states (EOS) of matter under extreme conditions. We further study the hadron–quark phase transition in the interiors of NS giving rise to HS in the presence of strong magnetic field. The hadronic matter EOS is described based on RMF theory and we include the effects of strong magnetic fields leading to Landau quantization of the charged particles. For quark phase, we use the simple Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) bag model, assuming density-dependent bag pressure and magnetic field. The magnetic field strength increases from the surface to the centre of the star. We construct the intermediate mixed phase using Glendenning conjecture. The magnetic field softens the EOS of both the matter phases. We finally study, the mass–radius relationship for such types of mixed HS, calculating their maximum mass, and compare them with the recent observations of pulsar PSR J1614-2230, which is about 2 solarmass.     

Neutron detector array at IUAC: Design features and instrumentation developments

The characteristics and performance of the newly commissioned neutron detector array at IUAC are described. The array consists of 100 BC501 liquid scintillators mounted in a semi-spherical geometry and are kept at a distance of 175 cm from the reaction point. Each detector is a 5^″ × 5^″ cylindrical cell coupled to 5^″ diameter photomultiplier tube (PMT). Signal processing is realized using custom-designed home-made integrated electronic modules which perform neutron – gamma discrimination using zero cross timing and time-of-flight (TOF) technique. Compact custom built high voltage power supply developed using DC–DC converters are used to bias the detector. The neutrons are recorded in coincidence with fission fragments which are detected using multi-wire proportional counters mounted inside a 1 m diameter SS target chamber. The detectors and electronics have been tested off-line using radioactive sources and the results are presented.     

The effect of nonlinearity in relativistic nucleon–nucleon potential

A simple form for nucleon–nucleon (NN) potential is introduced as an alternative to the popular M3Y form using the relativistic mean field theory (RMFT) with the non-linear terms in σ-meson for the first time. In contrast to the M3Y form, the new interaction becomes exactly zero at a finite distance and the expressions are analogous with the M3Y terms. Further, its applicability is examined by the study of proton and cluster radioactivity by folding it with the RMFT-densities of the cluster and daughter nuclei to obtain the optical potential in the region of proton-rich nuclides just above the double magic core¹⁰⁰Sn. The results obtained were found comparable with the widely used M3Y NN interactions.     

The effect of laser beam size in a zig-zag collimator on transverse cooling of a krypton atomic beam

The effect of size of a cooling laser beam in a zig-zag atomic beam collimator on transverse cooling of a krypton atomic beam is investigated. The simulation results show that discreteness in the interaction between the cooling laser beam and atomic beam, arising due to finite size and incidence angle of the cooling laser beam, significantly reduces the value of transverse velocity capture range of the collimator. The experimental observations show the trend similar to that obtained from simulations. Our study can be particularly useful where a small zig-zag collimator is required.     

Progress in sub-femtosecond control of electron localization in molecules

Recent advances in controlled generation of intense, ultrashort laser pulses in the femtosecond and attosecond time-scales have pushed new avenues of research in the coherent control of ultrafast electron dynamics in atoms and molecules. We present a topical review on the phenomenon of control of electron localization in small dissociating molecules. By creating and controlling coherent superposition of the symmetric and antisymmetric electronic states, it becomes possible to confine the evolving electron cloud onto a preferred nucleus, thereby steering the molecule towards a desired dissociation route. We discuss the origin of the idea and various mechanisms to achieve electron localization in small molecules. To highlight recent experimental progress, we explain how one can employ few-cycle IR pulses and different attosecond extreme ultraviolet (EUV) pulses in various ways to successfully demonstrate the control of electronic dynamics. Future research opportunities and challenges on this topic are envisioned.     

Dyotropic Rearrangements of Fused Tricyclic β-Lactones: Application to the Synthesis of (-)-Curcumanolide A and (-)-Curcumalactone

Dyotropic rearrangements of fused, tricyclic β-lactones are described that proceed via unprecedented stereospecific, 1,2-acyl migrations delivering bridged, spiro-γ-butyrolactones. A unique example of this dyotropic process involves a fused bis-lactone possessing both β- and δ-lactone moieties which enabled rapid access to the core structures of curcumanolide A and curcumalactone. Our current mechanistic understanding of the latter dyotropic process, based on computational studies, is also described. Other key transformations in the described divergent syntheses of (-)-curcumanolide A and (-)-curcumalactone from a common intermediate (11 and 12 steps from 2-methyl-1,3-cyclopentanedione, respectively), include a catalytic, asymmetric nucleophile (Lewis base)-catalyzed aldol-lactonization (NCAL) leading to a tricyclic β-lactone, a Baeyer-Villiger oxidation in the presence of a β-lactone, and highly facial-selective and stereocomplementary reductions of an intermediate spirocyclic enoate. The described dyotropic rearrangements significantly alter the topology of the starting tricyclic β-lactone, providing access to complex spirocyclic cyclopentyl-γ-lactones and bis-γ-lactones in a single synthetic operation.     

"Turn on" electron-transfer-based selective detection of ascorbic acid via copper complexes immobilized on glass

"Turn-on" optical detection of parts-per-million (ppm) levels of ascorbic acid (AA) in water has been determined using a redox-active monolayer on glass.     

C–H bond addition and copolymerization reactions of N-arylmaleimides: Fundamentals of coagent-assisted polymer cross-linking

Solid-state rheometry and model compound reactions are used to investigate free radical reactions of N-arylmaleimide coagents with saturated and unsaturated polymers. N,N′-m-phenylene dimaleimide (BMI) is shown to provide superior cross-link densities over diacrylate and diallyl coagents for all of the polymers studied, including linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), cis-poly(butadiene) (PBD) and cis-poly(isoprene) (PIP). Studies of the N-phenylmaleimide (NPM) + cis-cyclooctane system show that C–H bond addition to yield N-aryl-2-alkylsuccimide grafts is the predominant reaction pathway, as opposed to maleimide homopolymerization. In contrast, peroxide-initiated reactions of cis-cyclooctene with small NPM concentrations generate highly alternating poly(cycloctene-alt-N-phenylmaleimide) in high yield, indicating that unsaturated mers in materials such as PBD engage maleimides in an efficient alternating copolymerization between electron-rich and electron-deficient monomer pairs. Factors that affect the reactivity of different polymers in these C–H bond additions and alternating copolymerizations are discussed.