Enhanced conductivity and electrical relaxation studies of carbon-coated LiMnPO4 nanorods

Lithium manganese phosphate (LiMnPO₄) nanorods were synthesized using the modified polyol method. Polyvinylpyrrolidone was used as a stabilizer to control the shape and size of LiMnPO₄ nanorods. Resin coating process was used to coat the carbon over the LiMnPO₄ nanorods. X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results showed the formation of LiMnPO₄ crystalline phase. The TEM image shows a uniform coating of the nano size (2.3 nm) carbon over the surface of LiMnPO₄ nanorods and the EDS spectrum of the carbon-coated LiMnPO₄ nanorods confirming the presence of carbon element along with the other Mn, P, and O elements. Impedance measurements were made on pure and carbon-coated LiMnPO₄ nanorods, and their conductivities were evaluated by analyzing the measured impedance data using the WinFIT software. More than two orders of magnitude of conductivity enhancement was observed in the carbon-coated LiMnPO₄ nanorods compared to pure ones, and the conductivity enhancement may be attributed to the presence of carbon over LiMnPO₄ nanorods. Temperature dependence of conductivity and ac conductivity were calculated using impedance data of pure and carbon-coated LiMnPO₄ nanorods. CR2032 type lithium ion coin cells were fabricated using pure and carbon-coated LiMnPO₄ nanorods and characterized by measuring charge–discharge cycles between 2.9 and 4.5 V at room temperature. More than 25 % of improved capacity was achieved in the carbon-coated LiMnPO₄ nanorods when compared to pure ones synthesized using modified polyol and resin coating processes.     

Solid phase separation and ICP-OES/ICP-MS determination of rare earth impurities in nuclear grade uranium oxide

A simple, effective and low cost solid phase extraction procedure was standardized for the trace and ultra-trace level determination of rare earth impurities, such as, Ce, Dy, Sm, Gd, Eu, Er etc. which act as neutron poisons, in nuclear grade uranium oxide (U₃O₈?>?99.9% by weight). The method involves selective separation of these elements as their fluorides with the help of activated charcoal from major uranium matrix followed by determination by ICP-MS and high resolution ICP-OES. The residual uranium content of the solution was <10???g/mL. The recovery of REEs ranges from 85 to 105%. The method was validated with nuclear grade uranium oxide standards CRM-I to CRM-V (BARC, Mumbai, India) in addition to some synthetic standards. The RSD of the method was ±12% (n?=?3).     

Tuning the Efficiency of Dendritic Nanocarriers using Conformational Constraints

A series of deoxycholic and cholic acid‐derived oligomers were synthesized and their ability to extract hydrophilic dye molecules of different structure, size, and functional groups into nonpolar media was studied. The structure of the dye and “dendritic effect” in the extraction process was examined using absorption spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The efficiency of structurally preorganized oligomers in the aggregation process was evaluated by 1‐anilinonaphthalene‐8‐sulfonic acid (ANS) fluorescence studies. The possible formation of globular structures for higher‐generation molecules was investigated by molecular modeling studies and the results were correlated with the anomaly observed in the extraction process with this molecule. The ability of these molecules for selective extraction of specific dyes from blended colors is also reported.     

Kaluza-Klein Cosmological Model in f(R,T) Gravity

A five dimensional Kaluza-Klein space-time is considered in the presence of perfect fluid source in f(R,T) gravity proposed by Harko et al. ( [gr-qc], 2011). A cosmological model with a negative constant deceleration parameter with an appropriate choice of a function f(T) is presented. To find a determinate solution of the field equations it is assumed that scalar of expansion is proportional to the shear scalar of the space time. The physical behavior of the model is also studied.     

A Biophysical Study of Ru(II) Polypyridyl Complex,Properties and its Interaction with DNA

Mononuclear Ru(II)Polypyridyl complexes of type [Ru(A)₂BPIIP] (ClO₄)₂.2H₂O, where BPIIP?=?2-(3-(4-bromophenyl)isoxazole-5-yl)-1 H-imidazo [4,5-f] [1, 10] phenanthroline and A?=?bpy?=?bipyridyl (1), phen?=?1,10 Phenanthroline (2), dmb?=?4, 4' -dimethyl 2, 2'- bipyridine (3) & dmp?=?4,4'-dimethyl-1,10 –Ortho Phenanthroline (4), were synthesized and their antibacterial activity were examined. The synthesized complexes were characterized and their interaction with DNA was studied using Computational and Biophysical methods (Absorption, emission methods, and viscosity). Molecular modelling studies were carried out for molecular geometry and electronic properties (Frontier molecular orbital HOMO—LUMO). The electrostatic potential surface contours for the complexes were analysed to give their nucleophilic level of sensitivity. The study reveals that the Ru(II) Polypyridyl complexes bind to DNA preponderantly by intercalation. The results recommend that the phen and dmp complex have more effective binding ability than the bpy and dmb, indicating the role of the ancillary ligand in determining their specificity for DNA binding. Further molecular docking studies suggested an octahedral geometry and bind to DNA by preferential binding to Guanine. The docking study additionally sustains the binding constant data acquired with the absorption and emission techniques.The results reveal that the nature of the ancillary Ligand plays a considerable role for the intercalation of the Ru(II) polypyridyl complex to DNA, which subsequently influences the antibacterial activity. Biological studies conducted on Gram‐Negative (E.coli and K.pneumonia) and Gram-Positive (S. aureus and E. faecalis) bacteria establish that complex 1 and 2 were considerably active against S. aureus and E. coli.

     

Electrical and dielectric properties of rare earth oxides coated LiCoO2 particles

Pure and rare earth oxides (Sm₂O₃, La₂O₃) coated LiCoO₂ nanoparticles were prepared by acrylamide-assisted polymeric citrate and resin-coating processes, respectively. The prepared powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy, and impedance spectroscopy. Powder X-ray diffraction patterns confirmed the formation of phase pure LiCoO₂ with nanocrystallite size. X-ray fluorescence spectra confirm the presence of Sm₂O₃ and La₂O₃ in coated samples. The conductivity, dielectric and electric modulus studies of the samples were carried out at room temperature. Dielectric spectra of the samples show the decrease in dielectric constant with an increase in frequency of the applied field. The modulus studies indicate the non-Debye behavior of the samples, which is due to long-time slow polarization and relaxation of hopping charges.     

Synthesis,Characterization, DNA Binding,Light Switch “On and Off”, Docking Studies and Cytotoxicity,of Ruthenium(II) and Cobalt(III) Polypyridyl Complexes

The novel ligand (dmbip) 2-(4-N, N-dimethylbenzenamine)1H-imidazo[4, 5-f][1, 10]phenanthroline and its complexes [Ru(phen)₂dmbip]²⁺ (1), [Ru(bpy)₂dmbip]²⁺ (2), [Co(phen)₂dmbip]³⁺ (3) and [Co(bpy)₂dmbip]³⁺ (4) [where phen?=?1, 10-phenanthroline, bpy?=?2, 2^′-bipyridine], have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV-Vis, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and Mass spectra. The DNA binding properties of the complexes were investigated by absorption, emission, quenching studies, light switch “on and off”, salt dependent, sensor (cation and anion) studies, viscosity measurements, cyclic voltammetry, molecular modeling and docking studies. The four complexes were screened for Photo cleavage of pBR322 DNA, antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity. The experimental results indicate that the four complexes can intercalate into DNA base pairs. The DNA-binding affinities of these complexes follow the order [Ru(phen)₂dmbip]²⁺ > [Co(phen)₂dmbip]³⁺ > [Ru(bpy)₂dmbip]²⁺ > [Co(bpy)₂dmbip]³⁺.     

Generation of 10-Diazolongibornane from Longifolene and Synthesis of Neolongifolene-the Elusive Progenitor of Isolongifolene

Neolongifolene 2, the elusive progenitor of isolongifolene 3, has been synthesised from longifolene in five steps. The strategy consists in generating the crucial longibornyl-10-cation 11 under basic conditions (via 10-diazolongibornane 9 in a protic Bamford-Stevens reaction), which then expels a proton after prior rearrangement, thus affording the target olefin 2; on exposure to any acid, 2 readily collapses into isolongifolene 3.     

Facile Synthesis of 9-Acetyl/Formyl/Cyano-Substituted Pyrano[2,3-f]flavones and Chromones Using the Baylis–Hillman Reaction

Condensation of 8-formyl-7-hydroxyflavones (2a–f) and 8-formyl-7-hydroxy-2-(2′-furyl)-3-methylchromone (2g) with methyl vinyl ketone (3), acrolein (4), and acrylonitrile (5) in the presence of diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) under an N₂ atmosphere at room temperature using Baylis–Hillman reaction conditions afforded 9-acetyl/formyl/cyano-substituted pyrano2,3-f]flavones (6a–f, 7a–f, 8a–f) and chromones (6g, 7g, 8g).     

Catalytic effect of CTAB reverse micelles on the kinetics of dissociation of bis(2,4,6–tripyridyl-s-triazine) iron(II)

The kinetics of dissociation of bis(2,4,6–tripyridyl-s-triazine) iron(II), ([Fe(TPTZ)₂]²⁺) has been studied in CTAB/chloroform/hexane reverse micellar medium. In the absence of acid, the reaction is immeasurably slow and does not go to completion in conventional aqueous medium but is markedly accelerated and takes place with a rate constant equal to 55.3 × 10^?3 s^?1 and goes to completion in reverse micelles. The significant increase in rate is attributed to the special properties of the water pool in the reverse micelles like low dielectric constant, nucleophilic effect of Br^- ion, and favorable partitioning of TPTZ in the organic phase. The rate of the reaction decreases with increase in W (=[H₂O]/[CTAB]) at constant CTAB concentration and remains constant with increase in CTAB at fixed W. The results are compared with other closely related systems.