A comparative study of structural, thermal and electrical properties of undoped and doped with dodecylbenzenesulphonic acid polypyrrole

Polypyrrole was synthesized and doped with dodecylbenzenesulphonic acid; the latter was confirmed by means of FTIR spectroscopy. The percentage of crystallinity of synthesized polymers was estimated from X-rays diffraction studies. The formation of flaky structure in doped polypyrrole was observed by means of SEM. DC conductivity was found to be influenced by dopant dodecylbenzenesulphonic acid. Temperature dependant DC shows three dimensional variable ranges hopping (3D VRH). Activation energy, density of states and hopping length were calculated and found to be influenced by adding dopant to polypyrrole. The doped polypyrrole was found to be more thermally stable as compared to that of pristine polypyrrole.     

Diagnostic Application of Fluorescence Spectroscopy in Oncology Field: Hopes and Challenges

Abstract

Cancer is one of the big killers of world population. The majority of cancers are diagnosed at a late stage, making a cure almost impossible. Fluorescence spectroscopy is an emerging diagnostic tool for various medical diseases including premalignant and malignant lesions. Fluorescence spectroscopy is a noninvasive technique and has been applied successfully for the diagnosis of multisystem cancers with high sensitivity and specificity. Fluorescence spectroscopy minimizes the need for repetitive biopsy, which is routine practice for cancer patient follow-up. But there are many aspects of this new diagnostic technique that should be discussed in future research to overcome limitations and challenges faced by this technique for diagnosis of cancers.     

Analysis of alumina-based titanium carbide composites by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

In this work, alumina (Al₂O₃) containing different volume % of titanium carbide (TiC) ranging from 0 to 30 were consolidated by the novel spark plasma sintering. The spectroscopic analysis of the plasma generated by irradiation of laser Nd:YAG (λ = 1,064 nm) on different concentrations of the composites in air atmospheric pressure was performed. The qualitative examination of the composites confirms the presence of aluminum, titanium, and carbon as major elements, while magnesium and sodium have been found as minor trace elements. Plasma parameters were estimated by assuming the LTE conditions for optically thin plasma. The electron density and temperature were evaluated by using the Stark broadening and intensity of selected aluminum emission lines, respectively. The addition of TiC to Al₂O₃ shows a linear behavior with plasma temperature corroborated by the calibration curve of Ti in the composites. The results suggest that calibration curve between plasma temperature and the composites can be used to estimate different concentrations of TiC in Al₂O₃ without analyzing the whole elements in the composites and thus opens up new applications of LIBS in ceramic industry.     

Effects of 1064 nm laser on the structural and optical properties of nanostructured TiO2 thin film

TiO₂ thin film has been widely used as photoelectrode in dye-sensitized solar cells. It can also be used in quantum dot synthesized solar cells. Study of its effects in different spectrum of light is important for its use in solar cells. We have reported effects of 1064 nm laser on the surface morphology, structural and optical properties of nanostructured TiO₂ thin film deposited on glass substrates using sol-gel spin coating technique. Q-Switched Nd:YAG pulsed laser at various power densities is used in this study. Surface morphology of the film is investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy technique. The XRD pattern of as deposited TiO₂ thin film is amorphous and after laser exposure it became TiO₂ anatase structure. Atomic force microscopy of the crystalline TiO₂ thin film shows that the grain size increases by increasing laser power density. The calculations of the band gap are carried out from UV/Visible spectroscopy measurements with JASCO spectrometer. For laser power density of 25 MW/cm² there is an increase in the transmission and it decreases at the value of 38 MW/cm² and band gap decreases with increasing laser power density. Photoluminescence spectra of the crystalline TiO₂ thin film indicate two broad peaks in the range of 415 and 463 nm, one for band gap peak (415 nm) and other for oxygen defect during film deposition process.     

Structural changes in tin oxide thin film with laser exposure

The effects of laser irradiation on the surface, structure and optical properties of SnO thin films deposited on glass substrates using electron beam evaporation, are investigated. The thin film samples are irradiated using fundamental beam at 1064 nm from Q-switched Nd:YAG pulsed laser with different power densities. Structural morphology of the film is investigated using XRD patterns and AFM image. Both XRD pattern and AFM image show increase in grain size of the film with increasing laser power density. Other optical phenomena, photoluminescence emission, transmission, refractive index determination and optical band gaps calculations are also carried out at various laser power densities. Results from all these investigations reveal expansion in grain size of the crystalline SnO thin film with increasing laser power density.     

Existence of a Hartmann layer in the peristalsis of Sisko fluid

Analytical solutions for the peristaltic flow of a magneto hydrodynamic(MHD) Sisko fluid in a channel, under the effects of strong and weak magnetic fields, are presented. The governing nonlinear problem, for the strong magnetic field,is solved using the matched asymptotic expansion. The solution for the weak magnetic field is obtained using a regular perturbation method. The main observation is the existence of a Hartman boundary layer for the strong magnetic field at the location of the two plates of the channel. The thickness of the Hartmann boundary layer is determined analytically. The effects of a strong magnetic field and the shear thinning parameter of the Sisko fluid on the velocity profile are presented graphically.     

Desorption of Asphaltenes from Silica-Coated Quartz Crystal Surfaces in Low Saline Aqueous Solutions

The quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) was used to study desorption of asphaltenes from silica-coated quartz crystals upon exposure to various aqueous low saline solutions of different salt concentrations and cationic valency. Ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy measurements confirmed desorption in selected experiments. The amount of desorption was related to the type and concentration of electrolyte and the sequence of injecting the electrolyte solutions. Initial desorption upon exposure to solutions with high ionic strength was likely due to repulsion between negatively charged sites acquired at the silica and the asphaltenes. During the injection of low saline aqueous solutions, a critical expansion of the diffuse double layer was required for desorption to occur. Comparatively lower desorption of asphaltenes was observed in the CaCl₂ solutions than in NaCl and seawater solutions.