Enhanced dielectric and electro-optical properties of a newly synthesised ferroelectric liquid crystal material by doping gold nanoparticle-decorated multiwalled carbon nanotubes

In this article, a newly synthesised ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) material, namely LAHS 22, has been characterised. The characterisation of the FLC material has been performed using dielectric relaxation spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and polarisation optical microscopy. We observed an enhancement in the dielectric and electro-optical properties of the FLC material by incorporating gold nanoparticles (GNPs)-decorated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The GNPs-decorated MWCNTs cause an increment in dielectric dispersion (up to kHz), absorption, spontaneous polarisation and rotational viscosity of the FLC material. The pure and GNPs-decorated MWCNTs doped FLC cells were analysed by means of various dielectric spectroscopic and optical measurements. The observed enhancement in the dielectric and electro-optical properties of the FLC material has also been studied with concentration of GNPs-decorated MWCNTs in FLC material. The GNPs-decorated MWCNTs/FLC composites are not only of fundamental importance, but also useful materials for device applications such as liquid crystal displays and memory devices.     

Synthesis,characterization, molecular docking and biological activity of 5,6-bis-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-3,4,7,8-tetraaza-bicyclo[8.3.1]tetradeca-1(13),4,6,10(14),11-pentaene-2,9-dione and its transition metal complexes

Macrocyclic Schiff base ligand through the condensation of 1,3-dicarbonyl-phenyl-dihydrazide with 4,4′-difluorobenzil and its Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) metal complexes have been synthesized. The ligand and metal complexes were characterized by analytical and physicochemical methods. An octahedral geometry arising from coordination of N2O2 donor atoms from the macrocyclic framework has been proposed for all metal complexes. Synthesized ligand and metal complexes were investigated for in vitro antibacterial and antioxidant activity. Complex [Ni(C₂₂H₁₄N₄F₂O₂)(OCOCH₃)₂] has shown remarkable antibacterial activity (Minimum inhibitory concentration 8–16?μg/ml) comparable to commercial antibiotic Ciprofloxacin. Anticancer activity of synthesized compounds against Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC4), head and neck cancer cell line has also been studied at different concentrations and at different time points. Complexes [Co(C₂₂H₁₄N₄F₂O₂)(NO₃)₂] and [Cu(C₂₂H₁₄N₄F₂O₂)(OCOCH₃)₂] have shown remarkable anticancer results (IC₅₀ 31.1 and 43.1?μM) against the tested cell line in concentration dependent manner. Molecular docking studies were carried out to find the binding mode of the synthesized macrocyclic Schiff base ligand to Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) Kinase (PDB ID: 1M17).     

Observation of double radiative capture on pionic hydrogen

We report the first observation of double radiative capture on pionic hydrogen. The experiment was conducted at the TRIUMF cyclotron using the RMC spectrometer and detected gamma-ray coincidences following pi(-) stops in liquid hydrogen. We found the branching ratio for double radiative capture to be [3.05+/-0.27(stat)+/-0.31(syst)]x10(-5). The measured branching ratio and angle-energy distributions support the theoretical prediction of a dominant contribution from the pipi-->gammagamma annihilation mechanism.     

Angular momentum and cross sections for fusion with weakly bound nuclei: breakup,a coherent effect

Results for the cross section and average angular momentum for complete fusion at energies around the Coulomb barrier are presented for 7Li with 165Ho. Comparison of the cross sections with a one-dimensional barrier penetration model, using a potential consistent with the measured elastic scattering, showed a reduction above the barrier and an enhancement below it. An increase in the measured average angular momentum, , above the barrier and its consistency with that obtained from the fusion excitation function for weakly bound nuclei, is reported. These results together with a reanalysis of existing data conclusively demonstrate that the effect of breakup on fusion is coherent, like coupling to any nonelastic channel.     

On non-static axially symmetric space-time

In this paper the general non-static axially symmetric line element has been considered in the context of Petrov Classification. The space-time is found to be of various Petrov Types under different circumstances. The necessary algebraic conditions for such a space-time to be of class one have also been derived. It is found that there exists only one solution representing a plane symmetric class-one null-electromagnetic field.     

Diffusion-limited energy transfer from Tb3+ → Nd3+ and Tb3+ → Ho3+ in DMSO

The energy transfer phenomenon has been studied from Tb³⁺ → Nd³⁺ and Tb³⁺ → Ho³⁺ in DMSO. A diffusion limited dipole-dipole mechanism of energy transfer is suggested for both systems. At high acceptor concentrations, P_da depends linearly on C² consistent with the Fong and Diestler theory of energy transfer. However, at low acceptor concentrations the observations of time evolutions of Tb³⁺ luminescence decay following flash excitation has enabled us to examine diffusion limited energy transfer from Tb³⁺ to Nd³⁺ and Tb³⁺ to Ho³⁺ in DMSO.     

p-sd Shell gap reduction in neutron-rich systems and cross-shell excitations in 20 O

Excited states in 20O were populated in the reaction 10Be(14C,alpha) at Florida State University (FSU). Charged particles were detected with a particle telescope consisting of 4 annularly segmented Si surface barrier detectors and gamma radiation was detected with the FSU gamma detector array. Five new states were observed below 6 MeV from the alpha-gamma and alpha-gamma-gamma coincidence data. Shell model calculations suggest that most of the newly observed states are core-excited 1p-1h excitations across the N=Z=8 shell gap. Comparisons between experimental data and calculations for the neutron-rich O and F isotopes imply a steady reduction of the p-sd shell gap as neutrons are added.     

Demonstration of a simple technique for determining the M/# of a holographic substrate by use of a single exposure

We propose and demonstrate a simple technique for determining the M/# parameter of a holographic recording material. In this method, divergent object and reference beams are used to produce a spatially varying index modulation. One can analyze the resultant diffraction pattern to find M/# by using only a single grating; existing techniques require many gratings.