Kinetics of Pu(IV) sorption by smectite-rich natural clay

Kinetics of sorption of Pu(IV) by smectite-rich clay has been studied at varying metal ion concentrations. Different concentrations were achieved using different isotopes of Pu, namely, ²³⁹Pu, ²³⁸Pu and ²³⁷Pu. ²³⁷Pu was produced by alpha induced reaction on ²³⁵U, followed by radiochemical separation of Pu from irradiated U₃O₈ target. The concentrations used are above and below the solubility of Pu(IV) under neutral pH conditions, thereby, indicating the mechanism of sorption reactions of Pu(IV) in typical laboratory experiments and field level observations. Kinetics of Pu(IV) at 10^?13 M concentration was found to be fast whereas at higher metal concentration the rate is governed by a slow step, indicating the role of formation of Pu(IV) polymeric species at the sorbent surface.     

Extension of Lagrangian–Hamiltonian mechanics for continuous systems—investigation of dynamics of a one-dimensional internally damped rotor driven through a dissipative coupling

In this paper, the extended Lagrangian formulation for a one-dimensional continuous system with gyroscopic coupling and non-conservative fields has been developed. Using this formulation, the dynamics of an internally and externally damped rotor driven through a dissipative coupling has been studied. The invariance of the extended or so-called umbra-Lagrangian density is obtained through an extension of Noether’s theorem. The rotor shaft is modeled as a Rayleigh beam. The dynamic behavior of the rotor shaft is obtained and validated through simulation studies. Results show an interesting phenomenon of limiting behavior of the rotor shaft with internal damping beyond certain threshold speeds which are obtained theoretically and affirmed by simulations. It is further observed that there is entrainment of whirling speeds at natural frequencies of the rotor shaft primarily depending on the damping ratio.     

New accurate design data for a suspended microstrip line

New design data for an open suspended microstripline is reported. Two most commonly used substrate materials, namely RT-Duroid (_r=2.22) and fused quartz (_r=3.78) are considered. Effects of dispersion and strip thickness are included in the results which are based on a fullwave spectral-domain analysis. The data, which is computed over the complete practical ranges of frequency and parameter values, is much more reliable than the currently available quasistatic results.     

Jet produced by collapse of conical free surface of a metal by plane shock wave

Theoretical and experimental investigations of metal-jets, produced by interaction of a plane shock wave with a conical cavity at free surface of metals like aluminium, copper and mild steel, have been carried out and an attempt has been made to correlate the jet velocity with shock parameters. The velocity of the jet, obtained from the cavity of different half angles have been mostly measured with oscillographic technique. The experimental results agree with theory within experimental variations. The velocity of the jet increases monotonically with the particle velocity but decreases with increase in the angle of the cavity.     

Volume Bragg grating stabilized spectrally narrow Tm fiber laser

A Tm-doped large mode area (LMA) silica fiber laser has been locked to a stable wavelength of 2,053.9 nm using a volume Bragg grating (VBG). The measured spectral width of the laser output was <300 pm, limited by the spectrometer resolution. Although this laser had modest output (approximately 5W) and slope efficiency (41%), this new approach to spectrally limiting the output of LMA fiber lasers is inherently extendable to kilowatt powers, opening up several applications including high-power pulsed fiber lasers and spectral beam combining. Performance characteristics of the laser compared to one using a dielectric mirror as a high reflector are described, and the results imply low VBG losses.     

Fragment angular momenta in low and medium energy fission of242Pu

Independent isomeric yield ratios of¹²⁸Sb were determined radiochemically in the thermal neutron induced fission of²⁴¹Pu and 34 MeV alpha particle induced fission of²³⁸U, both involving the same compound nucleus (²⁴²Pu). Fragment angular momenta estimated from the measured isomer ratios using the statistical model analysis showed significantly larger fragment angular momenta in the medium energy fissioning system compared to the low energy fissioning system. This has been attributed to the effect of higher excitation energy and angular momentum in the entrance channel leading to increased fragment temperature, moments of inertia and angular velocity. An attempt was made to calculate the fragment angular momentum in the medium energy fission using the Fermi gas model for the fissioning nucleus, taking into account the multichance fission, saddle shapes of the fissioning nuclei and the angular velocity components of the fissioning nuclei both along and orthogonal to the fission axis. The calculated angular momenta agree well with the experimental results.     

Observation of inter-grain Josephson effects in Y-Ba-Cu-O samples

Josephson effects have been observed in bulk samples of Y-Ba-Cu-O. The magnitude of the zero-voltage current is found to change systematically with externally applied small magnetic fields of a few mG. It is also found to vary when samples are irradiated with microwaves. These observations suggest the presence of inter-grain Josephson junctions.     

Anti-inflammatory chromone alkaloids and glycoside from Dysoxylum binectariferum

Herein we report isolation of a new chromone alkaloid chrotacumine K (12) from fruits and a chromone glycoside schumaniofioside A (13) from leaves of Dysoxylum binectariferum Hook f. Schumaniofioside A is reported for the first time from Meliaceae family. Other known alkaloids isolated include rohitukine (1) and chrotacumine E (6). The structure of new alkaloid 12 was elucidated on the basis of extensive 1D and 2D NMR analysis, synthesis and chemical hydrolysis. Chemically, chrotacumine K (12) is a 3′-O-acetyl rohitukine which on chemical or enzymatic hydrolysis produces rohitukine. The new alkaloid 12 is also present in seeds and stem-barks of this plant. The glycoside schumaniofioside A (13) is present only in leaves, and in abundance (～1% w/w of dried leaves). The isolated compounds and extracts were evaluated for in vitro effect on the proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) in human monocytic THP-1 cells. The alkaloid 12 displayed potent inhibition (57%) of TNF-α at 0.3 µM, and was non-toxic to THP-1 cells up to 40 µM, indicating its excellent therapeutic window. Furthermore, a nitrobenzoyl ester analog 15e showed better inhibition of IL-6 than parent natural product chrotacumine K.     

Thermoluminescence studies of UV-irradiated Y2O3:Eu3+ doped phosphor

The present paper reports thermoluminescence (TL) glow curves of Eu³⁺-doped Y₂O₃ phosphor with different ultraviolet (UV) exposure times. The glow peak shows second-order kinetics of Eu³⁺-doped Y₂O₃, and corresponding kinetic parameters were evaluated using the peak shape method. Calculations of trap depth were carried out using different methods. The kinetics order, activation energy, and frequency factor were calculated. The recorded glow curve shifts towards higher intensity with longer UV exposure. The heating rate used for recording TL was 3.0 °C s^?1. Particle size and structure were verified by X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern and morphology by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging.