Effects of plasticiser on the lithium ionic conductivity of polymer electrolyte PVC-LiCF3SO3

Solid polymer electrolyte films based on poly(vinyl chloride)-lithium triflate (PVC-LiCF₃SO₃) have been prepared by the solution-cast technique in various concentrations. The film with the highest conductivity was used to prepare plasticised polymer electrolyte films by using poly(ethlene glycol) (PEG) of different molecular weights, i.e., 200, 400 and 600 gmol⁻¹. These films were prepared to study the effects of addition of low molecular weights PEG on the lithium ionic conduction of the PVC based polymer electrolyte. The films were characterised by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Fourier transform infrared-spectroscopy (FTIR). Results indicate that the molecular weight has an inverse effect on the conductivity and this has been accounted for by FTIR. Paper presented at the International Conference on Functional Materials and Devices 2005, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, June 6 – 8, 2005.     

Interacting generalized ghost dark energy in a non-flat universe

We investigate the generalized Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) ghost model of dark energy in the framework of Einstein gravity. First, we study the non-interacting generalized ghost dark energy in a flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) background. We obtain the equation of state parameter, w _D = p/ρ, the deceleration parameter, and the evolution equation of the generalized ghost dark energy. We find that, in this case, w _D cannot cross the phantom line (w _D > ?1) and eventually the universe approaches a de-Sitter phase of expansion (w _D → ?1). Then, we extend the study to the interacting ghost dark energy in both a flat and non-flat FRW universe. We find that the equation of state parameter of the interacting generalized ghost dark energy can cross the phantom line (w _D < ?1) provided the parameters of the model are chosen suitably. Finally, we constrain the model parameters by using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method and a combined dataset of SNIa, CMB, BAO and X-ray gas mass fraction.     

Current-driven electron drift solitons

The soliton formation by the current-driven drift-like wave is investigated for heavier ion (such as barium) plasma experiments planned to be performed in future. It is pointed out that the sheared flow of electrons can give rise to short scale solitary structures in the presence of stationary heavier ions. The nonlinearity appears due to convective term in the parallel equation of motion and not because of temperature gradient unlike the case of low frequency usual drift wave soliton. This higher frequency drift-like wave requires sheared flow of electrons and not the density gradient to exist.     

Switchable Q-switched and laser operating mode-locked erbium-doped fiber in the L-band region

We demonstrate a switchable Q-switched and mode-locked erbium-doped fiber laser （EDFL） operating in the L-band region using the nonlinear polarization rotation effect. The switching operation is achieved by controlling intensity-dependent loss using a polarization controller. In Q-switching mode, the EDFL produces a pulse train with a repetition rate of 21.1 kHz, pulse width of 7.7 #s, and pulse energy of 13.6 nJ. The EDFL also generates a multi-wavelength comb with a very narrow and constant wavelength spacing of 0.045 nm and optical signal-to-noise ratio of at least l0 dB. During mode locking, the EDFL produces stretched pulses with 3-dB bandwidth of 26.2 nm, pulse width of 350 fs, repetition rate of 2.38 MHz, and pulse energy of 48.56 pJ.     

Application of an electrostatically actuated cantilevered carbon nanotube with an attached mass as a bio-mass sensor

In the present paper, another latent capability of SWCNT as a mass sensor is investigated. The relationship between the resonant frequency, dynamic pull-in voltage at the resonance frequency shift, and the attached mass is established by using the nonlocal Euler–Bernoulli beam theory. Using this relationship, a general closed-form nonlinear sensor-equation has been derived for the detection of the mass attached to the SWCNT. The aim of this study and present model is to show the sensitivity of the Cantilevered SWCNT to the values and positions of attached mass. Moreover, the results indicate that by increasing the value of attached mass and considering a single non-local scaling parameter (e₀), the values of dynamic pull-in voltage at the resonance frequency shift are decreased. Because of the small scaling parameter (e₀), the mass sensitivity of carbon nanotube increases, when the position of the attached mass is in the tip of a Cantilevered SWCNT length. The authority and the accuracy of these formulas are examined with other pull-in sensor equations in literatures. The results demonstrate that the new sensor equation can be applied for CNT-based mass sensors with rational accuracy.     

Emodin,A Naturally Occuring Anthraquinone: Its Isolation and Spectrophotometric Determination in Rumex Cyprius Plant

A new method for isolation and specrophotometric determination of emodin is presented. Emodin was isolated by thin layer chromatography (tlc) and column chromatography (cc) techniques, as an orange long crystalline substance. Emodin exhibits two absorption maxima, at 420 and 520 nm. Stability of the color and the effect of pH were studied. Beer's law is obeyed in the range 2–30 ppm.

The method is applied to the determination of emodin in roots, stems, and leaves of Rumex cyprius plant.     

Dynamic characteristics of nanoindentation in Ni:A molecular dynamics simulation study

In this work,three-dimensional molecular dynamics simulation is carried out to elucidate the nanoindentation behaviour of single crystal Ni.The substrate indenter system is modelled using hybrid interatomic potentials including the manybody potential(embedded atom method) and two-body Morse potential.The spherical indenter is chosen,and the simulation is performed for different loading rates from 10 m/s to 200 m/s.Results show that the maximum indentation load and hardness of the system increase with the increase of velocity.The effect of indenter size on the nanoindentation response is also analysed.It is found that the maximum indentation load is higher for the large indenter whereas the hardness is higher for the smaller indenter.Dynamic nanoindentation is carried out to investigate the behaviour of Ni substrate to multiple loading-unloading cycles.It is observed from the results that the increase in the number of loading unloading cycles reduces the maximum load and hardness of the Ni substrate.This is attributed to the decrease in recovery force due to defects and dislocations produced after each indentation cycle.     

Self-mode-locking in a Q-switched Nd: doped silica fibre laser

Operating characteristics of a Q-switched Nd³⁺: doped single-mode silica fibre with a mechanical chopper as a Q-switching device are presented. Peak powers as high as 16 W with pulse duration of 146 ns are demonstrated. Self-mode-locking in Nd³⁺:doped fibre is also reported. An output power of 312 W with a centre pulse duration of 4 ns is observed.