Surface‐enhanced Raman spectra of melamine and other chemicals using a 1550 nm (retina‐safe) laser

Many trace chemical analyses are being transitioned from the lab to the field, among which is surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Although initial portable Raman analyzers primarily employ 785 nm laser excitation, recent studies suggest longer wavelengths, with an appropriate surface‐enhanced Raman‐active substrate, may provide equal sensitivity. Furthermore, 1550 nm excitation may provide added safety for the user, in that permanent retina damage does not occur. Here, we show that a reasonable enhancement factor can be obtained for melamine using 1550 nm laser excitation that is nearly equivalent to those obtained using 785 and 1064 nm laser excitation. We also demonstrate that a number of other chemicals of interest can be measured by 1550 nm surface‐enhanced Raman scattering, albeit only modest sensitivity is achieved because of instrument limitations, not enhancement factors. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Expeditious and efficient synthesis of Strecker’s α-aminonitriles catalyzed by sulfated polyborate

A straightforward, mild, efficient, and environmentally benign protocol for a three-component Strecker reaction of aldehydes or ketones, amines, and trimethylsilyl cyanide catalyzed by sulfated polyborate has been described to afford α-aminonitriles under solvent-free reaction conditions. The major advantages of the present method are excellent yields, shorter reaction time, simple experimental procedure, easy workup procedure, recyclability of the catalyst, solvent-free reaction conditions and ability to tolerate a variety of functional groups which gives economical as well as ecological rewards.     

Non-Abelian anyon superconductivity

Non-Abelian anyons exist in certain spin models and may exist in quantum Hall systems at certain filling fractions. In this work, we studied the ground state of dynamical SU(2) level-kappa Chern-Simons non-Abelian anyons at finite density and no external magnetic field. We find that, in the large-kappa limit, the topological interaction induces a pairing instability and the ground state is a superconductor with d+id gap symmetry. We also develop a picture of pairing for the special value kappa=2 and argue that the ground state is a superfluid of pairs for all values of kappa.     

Electron-impact total cross sections for inelastic processes for furan,tetrahydrofuran and 2,5-dimethylfuran

We report total inelastic, total ionisation and summed total excitation cross sections for electron scattering on furan, tetrahydrofuran (THF) and 2,5-dimethylfuran at energies between the ionisation threshold and 5 keV. We have employed the spherical complex optical potential formalism (SCOP) to calculate the total inelastic cross sections (Q_inel) and have used complex scattering potential-ionisation contribution (CSP-ic) method to derive total ionisation cross sections (Q_ion) and summed total excitation cross sections (∑Q_exc) from the calculated Q_inel. We have also computed Q_ion for these molecules using binary-encounter-Bethe (BEB) approach. We have compared our total cross sections (TCS) with available experimental as well as previous theoretical results and have found good agreement. The results are presented graphically as well as numerically.     

Fabrication and photoresponse of n-$$\hbox {WS}_{2}/$$p-V$$_{0.25}$$0.25W$$_{0.75}$$0.75Se$$_{2}$$2 van der Waals heterojunction

Excitation functions for \(\alpha \)-induced reactions on natural vanadium were measured in the energy range up to 20 MeV. The stacked-foil activation technique was used. The experimental results were compared with the theoretical calculations using EMPIRE-3.1, EMPIRE-3.2.2 and TENDL 2015, and with earlier experimental results. Thick target yields were calculated for the production of \(^{54}\hbox {Mn}\) and for the associated impurity \(^{52}\hbox {Mn}\).     

Projected Shell Model Description of Positive Parity Band of <Superscript>130</Superscript>Pr Nucleus

Theoretical investigation of positive parity yrast band of odd-odd ¹³⁰Pr nucleus is performed by applying the projected shell model. The present study is undertaken to investigate and verify the very recently observed side band in ¹³⁰Pr theoretically in terms of quasi-particle (qp) configuration. From the analysis of band diagram, the yrast as well as side band are found to arise from two-qp configuration πh _11/2???νh _11/2. The present calculations are viewed to have qualitatively reproduced the known experimental data for yrast states, transition energies, and B(M1) / B(E2) ratios of this nucleus. The recently observed positive parity side band is also reproduced by the present calculations. The energy states of the side band are predicted up to spin 25⁺, which is far above the known experimental spin of 18⁺ and this could serve as a motivational factor for future experiments. In addition, the reduced transition probability B(E2) for interband transitions has also been calculated for the first time in projected shell model, which would serve as an encouragement for other research groups in the future.