Influence of temperature and composition on cohesive and thermal properties of mixed crystal manganites

We have investigated the influence of temperature and composition on cohesive and thermal properties of the doped manganites: Eu_1−xY_xMnO₃ (0.0≤x≤1.0) by using a modified rigid ion model (MRIM). Theoretically, MRIM provides arguably the most realistic interaction potential to treat these properties. We have also computed the specific heat variations with temperatures for these manganites. The computed results obtained from MRIM have presented proper interpretation of the experimental data on Eu_1−xY_xMnO₃.     

A low-temperature, soft chemistry method for the synthesis of zirconia nanoparticles in thermally evaporated fatty amine thin films

We demonstrate the synthesis of zirconia nanoparticles in a lipid matrix by a simple, low temperature beaker-based process. This is accomplished by electrostatic entrapment of ZrF6(2-) ions within thermally evaporated octadecylamine (ODA) thin films followed by the low-temperature in situ hydrolysis of the entrapped metal ion complexes. The zirconia particles thus formed were of the monoclinic phase and were fairly monodisperse with particles of average size 40 nm. The zirconia crystallites appeared to exhibit preferred orientation indicating epitaxial growth of the crystals within the lipid matrix. The formation of zirconia nanoparticles in the lipid matrix was investigated using quartz crystal microgravimetry (QCM), optical absorption spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques.     

Hydrophobic, organically dispersible gold nanoparticles of variable shape produced by the spontaneous reduction of aqueous chloroaurate ions by hexadecylaniline molecules

In addition to control over the size and monodispersity of nanoparticle, nanomaterial synthesis procedures are increasingly required to control their shape and assembly as well. We demonstrate in this paper synthesis of organically dispersible, hydrophobic gold nanoparticles of spherical shape and encased in triangular thin polyaniline shells by doing reaction under static conditions and assembly of these particles onto polymer nanorod/nanowire-like templates by varying the molar ratio of chloroaurate ions to hexadecylaniline and varying the solvent by the spontaneous reduction of aqueous chloroaurate ions by hexadecylaniline molecules in a biphasic reaction setup. Under stationary conditions (no stirring), a biphasic mixture of hexadecylaniline in toluene and chloroaurate ions in water leads to the electrostatic complexation of chloroaurate ions with hexadecylaniline at the liquid-liquid interface and their phase transfer into the organic phase, followed by their reduction by the hexadecylaniline molecules. By varying the conditions, the templating action of gold nanoparticles or the polyaniline nanodispersions can be tuned in the organic medium and resulting assembly.     

On domination and independent domination numbers of a graph

For a graph G, the definitions of domination number, denoted γ(G), and independent domination number, denoted i(G), are given, and the following results are obtained:Theorem.If G does not have an induced subgraph isomorphic to K_1,3, thenγ(G) = i(G).Corollary 1.For any graph G, γ(L(G))=i(L(G)), where L(G) is the line graph of G. (This extends the result γ(L(T))=i(L(T)), where T is a tree. Hedetniemi and Mitchell, S. E. Conf. Baton Rouge, 1977.)Corollary 2.For any Graph G, γ(M(G))=i(M(G)), where M is the middle graph of G.     

Role of phonons in superconductivity

Though the phonon mediated electron-electron interaction has been widely accepted as the cause of superconductivity, yet some doubts have been raised on the basis of the fact that many properties of superconductors are explained by employing a single Einstein frequency without taking a proper account of phonons in the superconductor. In order to check the role of phonons in superconductivity, we involve the whole of the phonon spectra for obtaining superconducting state parameters of seven superconductors, namely Mg, Zn, Be, Cd, A1, T1 and Pb in anisotropic as well as in isotropic phonon models. It has been observed that the electronphonon coupling strength and the transition temperatureT _c exhibit strong directional dependence and are sensitive to the phonons, reaffirming that the phonon mechanism is responsible for superconductivity. The computed values of isotope effect exponent and the interaction strengthN ₀ V also show similar trend, supporting the phonon mechanism.The authors express their sincere gratitude to Prof. C.M. Kachhava for many useful suggestions. They are also highly thankful to Dr. S. C. Jain for his kind cooperation. K. S. S. and R.S. are also thankful to the Principal of the M. S. J. College, Bharatpur for providing the necessary departmental facilities and to the U.G.C., New Delhi, for providing them with the financial assistance for this work.     

Estimation of Cr(VI) in water,tannery and plating wastes

Summary Estimation of Cr(VI) in Water, Tannery and Plating Wastes A zirconium tellurite membrane exhibits good selectivity for CrO₄ ^2– or CrO₇ ^2– ions at pH 3–6 and 8–11. Membrane electrode can be used to determine the activity of Cr(VI) ions in the concentration range 10^–1 to 7×10^–5 M at specified pH. The response time is 30 s and a large number of anions and cations do not interfere with the functioning of this assembly. It has been tried for the estimation of Cr(VI) in plating and tannery waste.     

Synthesis and characterization of heterobimetallic mixed-ligand complexes containing Zr(μ-OPri)2Al bridging units

Interesting varieties of heterobimetallic mixed-ligand complexes [Zr{M(OPrⁱ) _n }₂ (L)] (where M = Al, n = 4, L = OC₆H₄CH = NCH₂CH₂O (1); M = Nb, n = 6, L = OC₆H₄CH = NCH₂CH₂O (2); M = Al, n = 4, L = OC₁₀H₆CH = NCH₂CH₂O (3); M = Nb, n = 6, L = OC₁₀H₆CH = NCH₂CH₂O (4)), [Zr{Al(OPrⁱ)₄}₂Cl(OAr)] (where Ar = C₆H₃Me₂-2,5 (5); Ar = C₆H₂Me-4-Bu₂-2,6 (6), [Zr{Al(OPrⁱ)₄}₂(OAr)₂] (where Ar = C₆H₃Me₂-2,5 (7); Ar = C₆H₂Me-4-Bu₂-2,6 (8), [Zr{Al(OPrⁱ)₄}₃(OAr)] (where Ar = C₆H₃Me₂-2,5 (9); Ar = C₆H₃Me₂-2,6 (10), [ZrAl(OPrⁱ)_7-n (ON=CMe₂) _n ] (where n = 4 (11); n = 7 (12), [ZrAl₂(OPrⁱ)_10-n (ON=CMe₂) _n ] (where n = 4 (13); n = 6 (14); n = 10 (15) and [Zr{Al(OPrⁱ)₄}₂{ON=CMe(R)} _n Cl_2–n] [where n = 1, R = Me (16); n = 2, R = Me (17); n = 1, R = Et (18); n = 2, R = Et (19)] have been prepared either by the salt elimination method or by alkoxide-ligand exchange. All of these heterobimetallic complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses, molecular weight measurements, and spectroscopic (I.r., ¹H-, and ²⁷Al- n.m.r.) studies.     

Water-dispersible tryptophan-protected gold nanoparticles prepared by the spontaneous reduction of aqueous chloroaurate ions by the amino acid

The synthesis of water-dispersible amino-acid-protected gold nanoparticles by the spontaneous reduction of aqueous chloroaurate ions by tryptophan is described. Water-dispersible gold nanoparticles may also be obtained by the sequential synthesis of the gold nanoparticles by borohydride reduction of chloroauric acid followed by capping with tryptophan. Comparison of the proton NMR spectroscopic signatures from the tryptophan-protected gold nanoparticles obtained by the two processes indicated that the indole group in tryptophan is responsible for reduction of the aqueous chloroaurate ions. The reduction of the metal ions is accompanied by oxidative polymerization of the indole group of the tryptophan molecules and, consequently, some degree of cross-linking of the gold nanoparticles.     

Langmuir-Blodgett-Kuhn and self-assembled films of asymmetrically substituted poly(paraphenylene)

Asymmetrically substituted poly(paraphenylene) (PhPPP) with hydrophilic and hydrophobic side chains was investigated. The polymer behavior at the air-water interface was studied on the basis of surface pressure-area (pi-A) isotherms and compression/expansion hysteresis measurements. PhPPP can form stable monolayers with an area per repeat unit of A=0.20+/-0.02 nm2 and a collapse pressure in the range of pi=25 mN/m. Then, Langmuir-Blodgett-Kuhn (LBK) films of PhPPP were prepared by horizontally and vertically transferring the Langmuir monolayers onto hydrophilic solid substrates at pi=12 mN/m. Cross-section analysis of the AFM tapping-mode topography images of a single transferred monolayer reveals a thickness of d0=0.9+/-0.1 nm. Taking into account the obtained monolayer thickness, curve-fitting calculations of angular scan data of LB monolayers measured using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy lead to a value for the refractive index of n=1.78+/-0.02 at lambda=632.8 nm. Next, the spontaneous formation of a PhPPP monolayer by adsorption from solution was studied ex situ by atomic force microscopy and UV-vis spectroscopy and in situ by using SPR spectroscopy. Stable self-assembled monolayers of PhPPP can be formed on hydrophilic surfaces with a thickness similar to that of the monolayer obtained using the LB method. The characterization results confirmed the amphiphilic character and the self-assembly properties of PhPPP, as well as the possibility of preparing homogeneous monolayer and multilayer films.