Shape-controlled Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles from Gold(III)-chelates of β-diketones

Chelating ligands with β-diketone skeleton have been employed for the first time as reductant to produce ligand stabilized gold nanoparticles of different shapes out of aqueous HAuCl₄ solutions. Evolution of stable gold nanoparticles happens to be first order with respect to gold particles having rate constants ∼ ∼10⁻² min⁻¹ and subsequent chlorine insertion in the β-diketone skeleton is reported as a general feature. Spherical or triangular or hexagonal particle evolution goes selectively under the influence of different β-diketones in terms of capping and reducing capabilities of the reductants.     

Signature dependence of 1/2+ bands in rare-earth nuclei: Rotation-alignment of g7/2 protons

The origin of the signature splitting of theK=1/2⁺ bands in odd Z rare-earth nuclei Ho, Tm and Lu, unexplained in previous models, is studied by angular momentum projection from deformed Hartree-Fock configurations. Energy spectra,E2 matrix elements and the rotation-aligned angular momenta of nucleons in i_{1 3/2}, h_{1 1/2} and g_7/2 orbits are calculated. Staggering in the rotation-alignment of protons in the g_7/2 orbit causes signature dependent effects in the 1/2⁺ bands.     

Oscillation of nonlinear second order matrix differential equations

In this paper, sufficient conditions are obtained for oscillation of all nontrivial, prepared, symmetric solutions of a class of nonlinear second order matrix differential equations of the form

Deformed relativistic mean field study of binding energy anomaly in neutron-rich Ne,Na, Mg nuclei

Relativistic mean field model of interacting nucleons and mesons is used to study the structure of neutron-rich Ne, Na, Mg nuclei using a deformed basis. Results for binding energies are remarkably close to experimental values, thus addressing the problem of “island of inversion” anomaly. The spins of^29,31Na are correctly predicted as 3/2⁺.     

Hartree-Fock theory of nuclear deformations and high spin states

A brief review of the Hartree-Fock approximation to nuclear shapes and nuclear spectra is presented. Various aspects of rotation-alignment effect and high spin states are illustrated in the Hartree-Fock model.     

Self-assembly of silver nanoparticles: synthesis, stabilization, optical properties, and application in surface-enhanced Raman scattering

Silver nanoparticle aggregates were synthesized in large scale using resorcinol under alkaline condition to obtain an assembly of silver clusters. Stable dispersion of the cluster in aqueous medium has been examined out of resorcinol-capped silver nanoparticle assemblies. The UV-vis spectroscopy during the particle evolution has been studied in detail. From the high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) image and XRD pattern it was confirmed that the particles are made of pure silver only. The capping action of resorcinol has been authenticated from the FTIR spectra. UV-vis spectroscopy and TEM images reveal that the temperature, effect of vibrational energy, heat shock, and time-dependent particle evolution have unique bearing on the stability and surface properties of the clusters. The concentrations of silver nitrate, resorcinol, and NaOH have important influence on the particle evolution and its size. TEM images incite us to examine the aggregates to capitulate surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) to the single molecular level using crystal violet (CV) and cresyl fast violet (CFV) as molecular probes. The SERS intensity of CV increases with increasing the size of the silver aggregate.     

Reduction of methylene blue by thiocyanate: kinetic and thermodynamic aspects

This article reports the reduction of methylene blue (MB) by thiocyanate ions (SCN(-)) in aqueous and micellar solutions. Thiocyanate ions are found to be an effective reducing agent for the decolorization of methylene blue under ambient condition. Effects of salting-in and salting-out agents have been investigated for real-time application in the reduction process. The salting-in agent urea has been found to uniquely enhance the rate of the reduction of MB by thiocyanate ion in the presence of micelles. Again, the catalytic activity of nanoparticles in the reduction of MB has also been studied. Detailed kinetic and thermodynamic aspects have been considered to realize the interaction between methylene blue and thiocyanate. Kinetic studies revealed that the reaction is reversible and follows first-order reaction kinetics.     

Rotational structures in 123Cs

High-spin states in ¹²³Cs, populated via the ¹⁰⁰Mo ( ²⁸Si, p4n) fusion-evaporation reaction at E _lab = 130 MeV, have been investigated employing in-beam γ-ray spectroscopic techniques. Rotational bands, built on πg _7/2, πg _9/2 and the unique-parity πh _11/2 orbitals, have been extended and evolve into bands involving rotationally aligned ν(h _11/2)² and π(h _11/2)² quasiparticles. A three-quasiparticle band based on the high-K πh _11/2 ⊗ νg _7/2 ⊗ νh _11/2 configuration has also been observed. Total Routhian Surface (TRS) calculations have been used to predict the nuclear shape parameters ( β₂, β₄, γ) for the various assigned configurations. The assigned configurations have been discussed in the framework of a microscopic theory based on the deformed Hartree-Fock (HF) and angular-momentum projection techniques.     

Is Gold Really Softer than Silver? HSAB Principle Revisited

A detailed comparison of the softness of gold and silver has been reported in the light of hard soft acid base (HSAB) principle. Gold and silver nanoparticles in organic media (i.e., organosol) have been exploited individually to establish the principle. Sulfur and nitrogen were employed as soft and borderline donating atoms to examine the metal-ligand interactions. In this regard, thiols and amines have been considered as interacting ligands with sulfur and nitrogen donor atoms respectively. The stronger affinity of gold towards softer sulfur donor as compared to nitrogen and conversely a reasonable interaction of silver nanoparticles with both the atoms authenticate the softer nature of gold nanoparticle as compared to silver one.