Electrochemical studies of novel olivine-layered (LiFePO4-Li2MnO3) dual composite as an alternative cathode material for lithium-ion batteries

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - In the present work, olivine-layered composites, i.e., LiFePO4-Li2MnO3, are successfully synthesized in the form of a single monolithic electrode and layer...     

Clouding and Hydrodynamic Behavior of Pluronic-Surfactant Interaction in Aqueous Salt Solutions

Clouding behavior of PEO-PPO-PEO and PPO-PEO-PPO block copolymers were studied in presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and NaCl. Extensive study of Pluronic P84 (EO₁₉PO₄₃EO₁₉) with different salts and ionic surfactants, were carried out using cloud point, viscosity and dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements. The change in cloud point, as well as the size of P84 micelles in aqueous salt solution obeys the Hofmeister lyotropic series. Results on P84-ionic surfactant mixture indicate stronger interaction in case of SDS compared to those in presence of dodecyl trimethylammonium chloride (DTAC); here interaction seems to diminish in the presence of salts.     

Structure and dynamics of biological liquid crystals

A review of thermodynamic and flow liquid crystal models is presented and applied to a wide range of biological liquid crystals (BLCs), including helicoidal plywoods, biopolymer solutions and in vivo liquid crystals. The key characteristics of liquid crystals (self-assembly, packing, defects, functionalities, processability) are discussed in relation to biological materials and the strong correspondence between different synthetic and biological materials is discussed. Viscoelastic models for nematic and chiral nematics are reviewed and discussed in terms of key parameters that facilitate understanding and quantitative information from experimental measurements. The range and consistency of the predictions demonstrates that the use of mesoscopic liquid crystal models is an efficient tool to develop the science and biomimetic applications of mesogenic biological materials.     

Novel betaines/mesoionic compounds via a simple and convenient MCR in aqueous micellar system: synthesis of thiazolo[2,3-a]isoquinolin-4-ium derivatives

An inexpensive one-pot green methodology has been developed for the synthesis of thiazolo[2,3-a]isoquinolin-4-ium derivatives by the reaction of different derivatives of isoquinoline and 2-bromoacetophenone/bromoacetonitrile with benzoyl isothiocyanate in aqueous micellar medium.     

Organotin (IV) complexes derived from tridentate Schiff base ligands: Synthesis,spectroscopic analysis,antimicrobial and antioxidant activity

Organotin complexes of Schiff bases (derived from the condensation of hydrazides with salicylaldehyde derivatives) were prepared and their characterization was done using several spectroscopic techniques like FTIR, NMR (¹H, ¹³C, and ¹¹⁹Sn) and mass spectrometry. The spectroscopic data of the ligands and their corresponding complexes revealed that the Schiff bases chelated to the tin metal in a tridentate manner through –ONO atoms (oxygen atom of the hydroxyl group of the salicylaldehydic derivatives, the nitrogen atom of azomethine group, and the oxygen atom of enolic group present in the carboxylic acid hydrazides). Around tin atom pentacoordinated geometry was exhibited. The synthesized ligands and their complexes have been assessed for their biological potency (antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant using Ciprofloxacin, Fluconazole and Ascorbic acid as reference compounds) and few of the compounds showed optimistic activity. The ligands having electron withdrawing group attached showed greater antimicrobial activity as compared to the other ligands. The complexes showed the better activity than the ligands. The general trend followed by the complexes was diphenyl ?> ?dibutyl ?> ?dimethyl substituted complexes. Compound 11 was the most active against microbes. The antioxidant activity increased with electron donating group. The phenyl substituted complexes showed better activity as compared to the dibutyl and dimethyl substituted complexes. Compound 20 was the best antioxidant.     

Indium-doped ZnOas efficient photosensitive material for sunlight driven hydrogen generation and DSSC applications: integrated experimental and computational approach

Electricity generation using simple and cheap dye-sensitized solar cells and photocatalytic water splitting to produce future fuel, hydrogen, directly under natural sunlight fascinated the researchers worldwide. Herein, synthesis of indium-doped wurtzite ZnO nanostructures with varying molar percentage of indium from 0.25 to 3.0% with concomitant characterization indicating wurtzite structure is reported. The shift of (002) reflection plane to higher 2θ degree with increase in indium-doping thus is a clear evidence of doping of indium in zinc oxide nanoparticles. Surface morphological as well as microstructural studies of In@ZnO exhibited generation of ZnO nanoparticles and nanoplates of diameter 10–30 nm. The structures have been correlated well using computational density functional (DFT) studies. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy depicted the extended absorbance of these materials in the visible region. Hence, the photocatalytic activity towards hydrogen generation from water under natural sunlight as well as efficient DSSC fabrication of these newly synthesized materials has been demonstrated. In-doped ZnO exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity towards hydrogen evolution (2465 μmol/h/g) via water splitting under natural sunlight. DSSC fabricated using 2% In-doped ZnO exhibited an efficiency of 3.46% which is higher than other reported In-doped ZnO based DSSCs.

     

High pressure studies using two-stage diamond micro-anvils grown by chemical vapor deposition

Ultra-high static pressures have been achieved in the laboratory using a two-stage micro-ball nanodiamond anvils as well as a two-stage micro-paired diamond anvils machined using a focused ion-beam system. The two-stage diamond anvils’ designs implemented thus far suffer from a limitation of one diamond anvil sliding past another anvil at extreme conditions. We describe a new method of fabricating two-stage diamond micro-anvils using a tungsten mask on a standard diamond anvil followed by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) homoepitaxial diamond growth. A prototype two-stage diamond anvil with 300?µm culet and with a CVD diamond second stage of 50?µm in diameter was fabricated. We have carried out preliminary high pressure X-ray diffraction studies on a sample of rare-earth metal lutetium sample with a copper pressure standard to 86?GPa. The micro-anvil grown by CVD remained intact during indentation of gasket as well as on decompression from the highest pressure of 86?GPa.     

Phosphonated Near‐Infrared Fluorophores for Biomedical Imaging of Bone

The conventional method for creating targeted contrast agents is to conjugate separate targeting and fluorophore domains. A new strategy is based on the incorporation of targeting moieties into the non‐delocalized structure of pentamethine and heptamethine indocyanines. Using the known affinity of phosphonates for bone minerals in a model system, two families of bifunctional molecules that target bone without requiring a traditional bisphosphonate are synthesized. With peak fluorescence emissions at approximately 700 or 800 nm, these molecules can be used for fluorescence‐assisted resection and exploration (FLARE) dual‐channel imaging. Longitudinal FLARE studies in mice demonstrate that phosphonated near‐infrared fluorophores remain stable in bone for over five weeks, and histological analysis confirms their incorporation into the bone matrix. Taken together, a new strategy for creating ultra‐compact, targeted near‐infrared fluorophores for various bioimaging applications is described.     

Mechanical model for fiber-laden membranes

An integrated mechanical model for fiber-laden membranes is presented and representative predictions of relevance to cellulose ordering and orientation in the plant cell wall are presented. The model describes nematic liquid crystalline self-assembly of rigid fibers on an arbitrarily curved fluid membrane. The mechanics of the fluid membrane is described by the Helfrich bending-torsion model, the fiber self-assembly is described by the 2D Landau-de Gennes quadrupolar Q-tensor order parameter model, and the fiber-membrane interactions (inspired by an extension of the 2D Maier-Saupe model to curved surfaces) include competing curvo-philic (curvature-seeking) and curvo-phobic (curvature-avoiding) effects. Analysis of the free energy reveals three fiber orientation regimes: (a) along the major curvature, (b) along the minor curvature, (c) away from the principal curvatures, according to the competing curvo-philic and curvo-phobic interactions. The derived shape equation (normal stress balance) now includes curvature-nematic ordering contributions, with both bending and torsion renormalizations. Integration of the shape and nematic order equations gives a complete model whose solution describes the coupled membrane shape/fiber order state. Applications to cylindrical membranes, relevant to the plant cell wall, shows how growth decreases the fiber order parameter and moves the fibers’ director from the axial direction towards the azimuthal orientation, eventually leading to a state of stress predicted by pure membranes. The ubiquitous 54.7° cellulose fibril orientation with respect to the long axis in a cylindrical plant cell wall is shown to be predicted by the preset model when the ratio of curvo-phobic and curvo-philic interactions is in the range of the cylinder radius.