Wrapping the walls of n-TiO2 nanotubes with p-CuInS2 nanoparticles using pulsed-electrodeposition for improved heterojunction photoelectrodes

The CuInS(2) (CIS) nanoparticles were wrapped uniformly throughout the inner and outer walls of TNTs (TNT) by using square wave pulsed-electrodeposition. This structure enables the CuInS(2)-TiO(2) (CIS-TNT) to exhibit p-n junction diode behavior and enhanced photoelectrochemical properties.     

Kaempferol and kaempferol rhamnosides with depigmenting and anti-inflammatory properties

The objective of this study was to examine the biological activity of kaempferol and its rhamnosides. We isolated kaempferol (1), a-rhamnoisorobin (2), afzelin (3), and kaempferitrin (4) as pure compounds by far-infrared (FIR) irradiation of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) leaves. The depigmenting and anti-inflammatory activity of the compounds was evaluated by analyzing their structure-activity relationships. The order of the inhibitory activity with regard to depigmentation and nitric oxide (NO) production was kaempferol (1) > a-rhamnoisorobin (2) > afzelin (3) > kaempferitrin (4). However, a-rhamnoisorobin (2) was more potent than kaempferol (1) in NF-kB-mediated luciferase assays. From these results, we conclude that the 3-hydroxyl group of kaempferol is an important pharmacophore and that additional rhamnose moieties affect the biological activity negatively.     

Visible light-induced charge storage, on-demand release and self-photorechargeability of WO3 film

Tungsten oxide (WO(3)) electrodes subjected to a positive bias are self-photorecharged with alkali cations in the electrolyte during visible light illumination. Upon photoexcitation, part of the photogenerated charges generated by WO(3) is stabilized by the cations and stored in situ within the WO(3) framework. This light-induced storage of charges is subsequently utilized in dark conditions in an on-demand manner and is able to be recharged in the successive illumination cycles. The amount of charges stored is shown to be dependent on the cation ionic radii and the presence of these intercalated cations is verified by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). This self-photorecharge and on-demand charge-release phenomena demonstrate the ability of WO(3) to supply photoexcited charges under dark condition in a photoelectrochemical reaction with greater flexibility.     

X-ray topography, photopyroelectric and two-photon absorption studies on solution grown benzimidazole single crystal

Benzimidazole (BMZ) is an organic nonlinear optical material, and it is possible to grow it in the laboratory by a slow evaporation solution growth technique using methanol as the solvent. Its nonlinear optical harmonic generation efficiency is 4.5 times higher than that of standard potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) single crystal. It crystallizes with orthorhombic structure, which is noncentrosymmetric in nature, with lattice parameters a=13.58 Å, b=6.85 Å, c=6.97 Å. The functional groups of the grown specimen are confirmed by heteronuclear chemical shift correlation (HETCOR) analysis and it is found that other elements are not incorporated in the compound. The crystalline perfection is examined by high resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD), and its topographic image was recorded for the as-grown single crystal indicates the presence of some grain boundaries in the grown specimen. Thermal parameters such as thermal diffusivity (α), thermal conductivity (k), thermal effusivity (e), and heat capacity (c _p ) have been determined by a photopyroelectric thermal wave method. In addition, piezoelectricity, birefringence, and third-order nonlinear optical properties have been examined. The two-photon absorption coefficient of the title compound is determined by the open-aperture Z-scan technique.     

Cessation of Aggregate Growth

Various methods are available for reducing or ceasing growth of aggregating suspensions including the addition of highly charged adsorbents (such as gelatin), reduction of ionic strength by dilution, increase in surface charge by alteration in pH and reduction in suspension temperature. The effectiveness of each of these methods in stopping the aggregation of colloidalhematite without altering the aggregate size distribution is examined in this study. Reduction in aggregate temperature is found to be a particularly effective way of stopping the aggregation of hematite while preserving size distribution information.     

Fabrication and electrical characterisation of Zr-substituted BaTiO3 thin films

Thin films of zirconium-substituted barium titanate were deposited by chemical solution deposition on platinum-coated silicon substrates at a temperature of 700 °C. The films showed a polycrystalline perovskite structure. The grain size was found to decrease with increase of Zr substitution. The effect of Zr substitution on the dielectric constant and the leakage was studied. It was found that with increasing Zr content the phase transition becomes diffuse and relaxor-like. The dielectric constant was also found to decrease with increasing amounts of Zr after an initial increase. The hysteresis loops became thinner and the remanent polarisation was found to decrease. The leakage behaviour was explained by Schottky theory. The barrier heights of the different films were calculated and found to vary between 1.12 eV and 1.19 eV. PACS 68.55.-a; 81.20.Fw; 77.84.Dy     

A Parallel Interior Point Method and Its Application to Facility Location Problems

We present a parallel interior point algorithm to solve block structured linear programs. This algorithm can solve block diagonal linear programs with both side constraints (common rows) and side variables (common columns). The performance of the algorithm is investigated on uncapacitated, capacitated and stochastic facility location problems. The facility location problems are formulated as mixed integer linear programs. Each subproblem of the branch and bound phase of the MIP is solved using the parallel interior point method. We compare the total time taken by the parallel interior point method with the simplex method to solve the complete problems, as well as the various costs of reoptimisation of the non-root nodes of the branch and bound. Computational results on two parallel computers (Fujitsu AP1000 and IBM SP2) are also presented in this paper.     

On fuzzy semi δ-<Emphasis Type="Italic">V</Emphasis> continuity in fuzzy δ-<Emphasis Type="Italic">V</Emphasis> topological space

New concepts of fuzzy semi δ-V and fuzzy semi δ-Λ sets were introduced in our work “On fuzzy semi δ-Λ sets and fuzzy semi δ-V sets V-6,” J. Trip. Math. Soc., 6, 81–88 (2004). It was shown that the family of all fuzzy semi δ-V sets forms a fuzzy supra topological space on X denoted by (X, FS ^δV ). The aim of this paper is to introduce the concept of fuzzy semi δ-V continuity in a fuzzy δ-V topological space. Finally, some properties, preservation theorems, etc., are studied. Published in Ukrains’kyi Matematychnyi Zhurnal, Vol. 60, No. 5, pp. 712–717, May, 2008.