Photonic Thermal Rectification with Composite Metamaterials

We demonstrate strong photonic thermal rectification effect between polar dielectrics plate and the composite metamaterials containing nonspherical polar dielectric nanoparticles with small volume fractions.Thermal rectification efficiency is found to be adjusted by the volume fractions and the nanoparticles’shape,and it can be as large as 80%when the polar dielectric nanoparticles are spherical in shape and are in the dilute limit with the volume fraction f=0.01.Physically,there exists strong electromagnetic coupling between the surface phonon polariton mode of polar dielectrics plate and the localized surface phonon polariton mode around polar dielectric nanoparticles.The results provide alternative new freedom for regulating energy flow and heat rectification efficiency in the near field,and may be helpful for design of multiparameter adjustable thermal diodes.     

Morphological,cytological and phytochemical studies in naturally occurring diploid and tetraploid populations of Physochlaina praealta from high altitudes of Trans-Himalaya

Physochlaina praealta samples were studied macromorphologically and cytomorphologically along with their detailed phytochemical investigation. The concentration of phytoconstituents showed a strong positive correlation with the ploidy level and altitudinal gradients. The total phenol content was detected maximum in the methanolic extract of leaves and stem of higher altitudinal plants in both cytotypes (2x, 4x). The maximum content of flavonoids was detected in the methanolic extract of root and leaves. Root organ from higher elevation possessed the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity, with the maximum percentage of inhibition being obtained in methanolic extracts. The plants of both cytotypes from higher elevations accumulate an abundant quantity of secondary metabolites. The two cytotypes differ from each other with respect to various morphometric characters thereby depicting the drastic affect of polyploidy.

     

Concise and Efficient Synthesis of Highly Potent and Selective Dipeptidyl Peptidase II Inhibitors

Highly potent and selective DPP II inhibitors N′‐(4‐Chlorobenzyl)‐N′‐methyl‐4‐oxo‐4‐(1‐piperidinyl)‐1,3‐(S)‐butane‐diamine dihydrochloride 1 and N′‐(4‐chlorobenzyl)‐4‐oxo‐4‐(1‐piperidinyl)‐1,3‐(S)‐butanediamine dihydrochloride 2 have been efficiently synthesized starting from L‐glutamine. A short and high yielding route with simple isolation techniques has been disclosed.     

Practical synthesis of 5-amino-6-chlorochroman-8-carboxylic acid – a key intermediate for several potent 5-HT4 receptor agonists

Synthetic routes for 5-amino-6-chlorochroman-8-carboxylic acid 1 a key intermediate for several potent 5-HT₄ agonists have been explored. An efficient, high yielding, and a concise synthetic route has been established with significant modifications to the earlier reported synthetic protocols, where we have avoided the use of toxic and corrosive reagents and reduced the reaction temperature from reflux to room temperature wherever is possible. We have also reduced the number of steps to reach the target compound and avoided the use of silica gel column purifications.     

Cosmology with rolling tachyon

We examine the possibility of rolling tachyon to play the dual role of inflaton at early epochs and dark matter at late times. We argue that enough inflation can be generated with the rolling tachyon either by invoking the large number of branes or brane world assisted inflation. However, reheating is problematic in this model. On leave from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi 110 025, India     

Incorporation of NH<Subscript>4</Subscript>NO<Subscript>3</Subscript> into MC-PVA blend-based polymer to prepare proton-conducting polymer electrolyte films

Proton-conducting solid polymer blend electrolytes based on methylcellulose-polyvinyl alcohol:ammonium nitrate (MC-PVA:NH₄NO₃) were prepared by the solution cast technique. The structural and electrical properties of the samples were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and electrical impedance (EI) spectroscopy. The shifting and change in the intensity of FTIR bands of the electrolyte samples confirm the complex formation between the MC-PVA polymer blend and the NH₄NO₃ added salt. The observed broadening in the XRD pattern of the doped samples reveals the increase of the amorphous fraction of polymer electrolyte samples. The increase in electrical conductivity of polymer electrolyte samples with increasing salt concentration attributed to the formation of charge-transfer complexes, and to increase in the amorphous domains. A maximum ionic conductivity of about 7.39 × 10^?5 S cm^?1 was achieved at room temperature for the sample incorporating 20 wt% of NH₄NO₃. The DC conductivity of the present polymer system exhibits Arrhenius-type dependence with temperature. The decrease in the values of activation energies with increasing salt concentration indicates the ease mobility of ions. The decrease in dielectric constant with increasing frequency was observed at all temperatures. Optical properties such as absorption edge, optical band gap, and tail of localized state were estimated for polymer blend and their electrolyte films. It was found that the optical band gap values shifted towards lower photon energy from 6.06 to 4.75 eV by altering the NH₄NO₃ salt content.     

Deep eutectic solvents formed between choline chloride and carboxylic acids: versatile alternatives to ionic liquids

Deep Eutectic Solvents (DES) can be formed between a variety of quaternary ammonium salts and carboxylic acids. The physical properties are significantly affected by the structure of the carboxylic acid but the phase behavior of the mixtures can be simply modeled by taking account of the mole fraction of carboxylic acid in the mixture. The physical properties such as viscosity, conductivity, and surface tension of these DES are similar to ambient temperature ionic liquids and insight into the cause of these properties is gained using hole-theory. It is shown that the conductivity and viscosity of these liquids is controlled by ion mobility and the availability of voids of suitable dimensions, and this is consistent with the fluidity of other ionic liquids and molten salts. The DES are also shown to be good solvents for metal oxides, which could have potential application for metal extraction.