Elasticity and inelasticity of ceramic samples of graphitelike boron nitride

This paper reports a study of the effect of temperature and strain amplitude on Young’s modulus and ultrasonic damping in ceramic samples of graphitelike boron nitride prepared in the RF and USA by different technologies and using various additions to improve the mechanical properties of the ceramic. It is shown that, in addition to the influence on the effective elasticity modulus, additions improve the sample microplasticity, which apparently increases the strength of the material.     

Elastic constants of mixed ammonium halides

In the present communication a method based on the three body forces for the evaluation of second and third order elastic constants of mixed ammonium halides has been described. The Lundqvist three body potential is used along with long range Coulombian and short-range overlap repulsive potentials. The latter is taken of the Born-Mayer type and effective up to first neighbours only. It has been assumed that the charge transfer and short-range parameters depend linearly on the composition of solid solutions. Theoretical results obtained, for the entire range of compositions of mixed NH₄Cl and NH₄Br, have been compared with the recently measured experimental values and the theoretical results of other workers, whenever these are available.The authors are thankful to Dr. J. Shanker, Department of Physics, Agra University, Agra, for helpful discussions.     

Quark model analysis of hyperon semileptonic decays

A study of hyperon semileptonic decays has been made in various quark models and compared with the standard Cabibbo analysis which is found to be in good agreement with experiments. Results obtained in a quasirelativistic constituent quark model are in reasonable agreement with the standard Cabibbo analysis and show no sizeableSU(3) symmetry breaking effects. Results in other quark models which take into account theSU(3) symmetry breaking effects in the dominant form factors are similar to the quasirelativistic constituent quark model.     

α-Particle induced reactions on rhodium

Excitation functions for¹⁰³Rh (α,xn);x = 1–4 and¹⁰³Rh (α,αxn);x = 1–3 reactions were measured up to 50 MeV bombarding energy using stacked foil activation technique and high purity germanium (HPGe) γ-ray spectroscopy method. The experimental results were compared with calculations considering equilibrium as well as pre-equilibrium hybrid model of Blann (ALICE/90). It is found that the initial exciton configurationn ₀ = 4(4p0h) gives fairly good agreements for (α,xn) reactions. There seems to be indication of direct inelastic scattering effects in (α,αxn)-type of reactions.     

Optical emission from laser-produced chromium and magnesium plasma under the effect of two sequential laser pulses

Parametric study of optical emission from two successive laser pulses produced chromium and magnesium plasma is presented. The line emission from chromium and magnesium plasma showed an increase by more than six times for double laser pulse excitation than for single-pulse excitation. An optimum increase in emission intensity was noted for inter-pulse delay of ∼2–3 μs for all the elements. The experimental observations were qualitatively explained on the basis of absorption of second laser pulse in the pre-formed (by first laser) coronal plasma by inverse Bremsstrahlung process, which were found responsible for the excitation of more ions and atoms in the plasma. This process starts as the plasma scale length becomes greater than the laser wavelength. This study further indicated the suitability of this technique in the field of elemental analysis     

Static and dynamic properties of KCN<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Cl<Subscript>1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>

An extended three-body force shell model (ETSM) has been applied to investigate the static and dynamic properties of KCN _x Cl_1−x for the compositionx = 0.56 and 1.0 at 300 K. The phonon dispersion curves computed by us are compared with the single crystal neutron diffraction data. The unusual features of these curves are the upward curvature seen in some of the acoustic branches. This is a result ofK-dependent softening of the phonon due to translation-rotation coupling. The transverse acoustic branch is more soft near the zone centre.     

Stark splitting and energy transfer between Dy3+-Ho3+ and between Tb3+-Er3+ in calcium-lithium borate glass

Fluorescence spectrum of Dy³⁺, Dy³⁺-Ho³⁺, Tb³⁺ and Tb³⁺-Er³⁺ doped in calibo glass have been studied using Ar⁺ and excimer lasers. Non-radiative energy transfer from trivalent dysprosium and terbium (donors) to holmium and erbium (acceptors) respectively has been observed on the basis of decrease in the life time of the levels and reduction in fluorescence intensity of Dy³⁺ and Tb³⁺ on increasing Ho and Er concentrations. The interaction mechanism of donor and acceptor ions is found to be dipole-dipole in both cases. Various parameters such as donor-acceptor distances, non-radiative energy transfer efficiency (η) and energy transfer probability (P _da) have been computed. Stark splitting have also been marked in several intense transition of the two.     

Letter: Behavior of Magnetic Tubes in Neutron Star's Interior

It is found from Maxwell's equations that the magnetic field lines are good analogues of relativistic strings. It is shown that the superconducting current in the neutron star's interior causes local rotation of magnetic flux tubes carrying quantized flux.     

Measurement of the wave function (of all elements of the density matrix) of a muonium-like system by the μSR method

A system consisting of two interacting particles, one of which has the angular momentum 1/2 and the other of which has an arbitrary angular momentum (a muonium-like system) is considered. The possibility of reconstruction of all the elements of the spin density matrix with the help of the μSR method is shown. For entangled states (Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen and Schrödinger cat states), the time dependence of components of the polarization vector (μSR photographs) is demonstrated. It is shown that, to identify these states, two μSR photographs suffice.     

Microwave‐assisted synthesis,characterization, biotoxicity and antispermatogenic activity of some antimony(III) complexes with N∩O and N∩S donor ligands

New series of phenylantimony chloride and antimony chloride with Schiff base ligands, L¹H and L²H having N^∩S and N^∩O donor systems were synthesized under microwave irradiation using a domestic microwave oven. The reaction time was brought down from hours to a few seconds with improved yield as compared with conventional heating. All the ligands and their antimony(III) derivatives were characterized on the basis of microanalysis, elemental analyses, molecular weight determinations and spectral studies including IR, NMR (¹H and ¹³C) and electronic spectral studies. A distorted trigonal bipyramidal and pseudo‐octahedral geometry around the antimony atom was tentatively proposed for these derivatives. The compounds were screened in vitro against bacteria and fungi to test their antimicrobial property and in vivo in male albino rats to test their antifertility properties. The treatment with the ligands and their phenylantimony derivatives at dose levels of 20 mg per rat per day did not cause any significant change in body weight, but a significant reduction in the weights of reproductive organs was observed. Arrest of spermatogenesis was noted at various stages with production of primary spermatocytes (preleptotene and pachytene), secondary spermatocytes and step‐19 spermatids found to be decreased. Biochemical parameters of tissues, i.e. protein, sialic acid, cholesterol content of testes and seminal vesicular fructose also showed significant reduction. Further, the serum testosterone concentrations were also decreased after treatment with ligands and their antimony(III) derivatives. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.