Task-specific ionic liquid tetraalkylammonium hydrogen phthalate as an extractant for U(VI) extraction from aqueous media

In this paper a quaternary ammonium based room temperature ionic liquid (IL) trioctylmethylammonium hydrogen phthalate has been reported as promising extractant for separation of U(VI) from other metal ions from aqueous media. The IL was synthesized via metathesis route and characterized using various techniques such as hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance, electron spray ionization mass spectrometry and infra red etc. The newly synthesized IL was evaluated for extraction of U(VI), Th(IV), La(III), Y(III), Nd(III) and Fe(III) from aqueous solutions and follow the order: U(VI) > Th(IV) > Fe(III) > Y(III) >> Nd(III) ~ La(III).     

Exact Solution of a(2+1)-Dimensional Anisotropic Star in Finch and Skea Spacetime

We provide a new class of interior solution of a(2+1)-dimensional anisotropic star in Finch and Skea spacetime corresponding to the BTZ black hole. We develop the model by considering the MIT bag model EOS and a particular ansatz for the metric function grrproposed by Finch and Skea [M.R. Finch and J.E.F. Skea, Class. Quantum.Grav. 6(1989) 467]. Our model is free from central singularity and satisfies all the physical requirements for the acceptability of the model.     

Rapid Suzuki‐Miyaura cross‐coupling reaction catalyzed by zirconium carboxyphosphonate supported mixed valent Pd(0)/Pd(II) catalyst

Mixed valent Pd(0)/Pd(II) nano‐sized aggregates supported onto a chemically robust layered zirconium carboxyphosphonate framework is prepared and its catalytic activity in Suzuki‐Miyaura cross coupling reaction is explored. The exceptionally high catalytic efficacy of the heterogeneous catalyst in Suzuki‐Miyaura cross coupling reaction is signified by remarkably short reaction time 2 minutes and high turnover frequency of 1.3 x 10⁴ hr^?1. The catalyst can be recycled several times without significant loss of catalytic efficacy, while spectroscopic, structural and microscopic investigations suggest the integrity of the catalyst even after fifth catalytic cycle. The unique ability of the zirconium carboxyphosphonate framework to interact strongly with palladium in dual Pd(0)/Pd(II) oxidation states has been attributed to this remarkable augmentation of catalytic efficacy.     

Observation of Slow Relaxation and Single‐Molecule Toroidal Behavior in a Family of Butterfly‐Shaped Ln4 Complexes

A family of five isostructural butterfly complexes with a tetranuclear [Ln₄] core of the general formula [Ln₄(LH)₂(μ₂‐η¹η¹Piv)(η²‐Piv)(μ₃‐OH)₂]?x H₂O?y MeOH?z CHCl₃ ( 1 : Ln=Dy^III, x=2, y=2, z=0; 2 : Ln=Tb^III, x=0, y=0, z=6; 3 : Ln=Er^III, x=2, y=2, z=0; 4 : Ln=Ho^III, x=2, y=2, z=0; 5 : Ln=Yb^III, x=2, y=2, z=0; LH₄=6‐{[bis(2‐hydroxyethyl)amino]methyl}‐N′‐(2‐hydroxy‐3‐methoxybenzylidene)picolinohydrazide; PivH=pivalic acid) was isolated and characterized both structurally and magnetically. Complexes 1 – 5 were probed by direct and alternating current (dc and ac) magnetic susceptibility measurements and, except for 1 , they did not display single‐molecule magnetism (SMM) behavior. The ac magnetic susceptibility measurements show frequency‐dependent out‐of‐phase signals with one relaxation process for complex 1 and the estimated effective energy barrier for the relaxation process was found to be 49 K. We have carried out extensive ab initio (CASSCF+RASSI‐SO+SINGLE_ANISO+POLY_ANISO) calculations on all the five complexes to gain deeper insights into the nature of magnetic anisotropy and the presence and absence of slow relaxation in these complexes. Our calculations yield three different exchange coupling for these Ln₄ complexes and all the extracted J values are found to be weakly ferro/antiferromagentic in nature (J₁=+2.35, J₂=?0.58, and J₃=?0.29 cm^?1 for 1 ; J₁=+0.45, J₂=?0.68, and J₃=?0.29 cm^?1 for 2 ; J₁=+0.03, J₂=?0.98, and J₃=?0.19 cm^?1 for 3 ; J₁=+4.15, J₂=?0.23, and J₃=?0.54 cm^?1 for 4 and J₁=+0.15, J₂=?0.28, and J₃=?1.18 cm^?1 for 5 ). Our calculations reveal the presence of very large mixed toroidal moment in complex 1 and this is essentially due to the specific exchange topology present in this cluster. Our calculations also suggest presence of single‐molecule toroics (SMTs) in complex 2 . For complexes 3 – 5 on the other hand, the transverse anisotropy was computed to be large, leading to the absence of slow relaxation of magnetization. As the magnetic field produced by SMTs decays faster than the normal spin moments, the concept of SMTs can be exploited to build qubits in which less interference and dense packing are possible. Our systematic study on these series of Ln₄ complexes suggest how the ligand design can help to bring forth such SMT characteristics in lanthanide complexes.     

Fate of an accretion disc around a black hole when both the viscosity and dark energy is in effect

This paper deals with the viscous accretion flow of a modified Chaplygin gas towards a black hole as the central gravitating object. A modified Chaplygin gas is a particular type of dark energy model which mimics of radiation era to phantom era depending on the different values of its parameters. We compare the dark energy accretion with the flow of adiabatic gas. An accretion disc flowing around a black hole is an example of a transonic flow. To construct the model, we consider three components of the Navier–Stokes equation, the equation of continuity and the modified Chaplygin gas equation of state. As a transonic flow passes through the sonic point, the velocity gradient being apparently singular there, it gives rise to two flow branches: one in-falling, the accretion and the other outgoing, the wind. We show that the wind curve is stronger and the wind speed reaches that of light at a finite distance from the black hole when dark energy is considered. Besides, if we increase the viscosity, the accretion disc is shortened in radius. These two processes acting together make the system deviate much from the adiabatic accretion case. It shows a weakening process for the accretion procedure by the work of the viscous system influencing both the angular momentum transport and the repulsive force of the modified Chaplygin gas.     

An Anthracene-Based Metal-Organic Framework for Selective Photo-Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Formic Acid Coupled with Water Oxidation

A Zr-based metal-organic framework has been synthesized and employed as a catalyst for photochemical carbon dioxide reduction coupled with water oxidation. The catalyst shows significant carbon dioxide reduction property with concomitant water oxidation. The catalyst has broad visible light as well as UV light absorption property, which is further confirmed from electronic absorption spectroscopy. Formic acid was the only reduced product from carbon dioxide with a turn-over frequency (TOF) of 0.69 h⁻¹ in addition to oxygen, which was produced with a TOF of 0.54 h⁻¹. No external photosensitizer is used and the ligand itself acts as the light harvester. The efficient and selective photochemical carbon dioxide reduction to formic acid with concomitant water oxidation using Zr-based MOF as catalyst is thus demonstrated here.     

Efficient synthesis of branched poly(acrylic acid) derivatives via postpolymerization modification

The utility of pentafluorophenyl esters for the selective introduction of functional units and branch points in well-defined poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) derivatives is demonstrated using a combination of controlled radical polymerization and postpolymerization modification. Reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer enables the synthesis of well-defined copolymers—poly(pentafluorophenyl acrylate-co-tert-butyl acrylate)—with the active ester repeat units serving as attachment points for reaction with primary amines, specifically tris(2-(t-butoxycarbonyl)ethyl)methyl amine (Behera's amine). Deprotection using trifluoroacetic acid removes both the backbone and side chain t-butyl esters to give a series of branched PAA derivatives containing novel tricarboxylic acid side chains that are well suited to complexation and multidentate interactions. Surprisingly, the active ester homopolymer is shown to have the highest reactivity with Behera's amine when compared to copolymers with lower incorporation of pentafluorophenyl esters, suggesting an intriguing interplay of neighboring group effects and steric interactions. The ability to tune the efficiency of postpolymerization modification gives a library of PAA derivatives.     

Enhanced output voltage of nano energy harvester with diverse textiles

Abstract

We demonstrate the electrical properties of nano energy harvesters (NEHs) with various textiles for smart textiles that can be applied to the next generation wearable electronics. Output voltages and currents of NEHs with various fabrics, such as a cotton, rayon and wool that have different triboelectricity were measured. Cotton, rayon and wool shows the maximum output voltages of 1.250, 3.313 and 4.063 V, respectively. In addition, output currents of those textiles were 0.75, 4.4, 1.063 μA, respectively. Wool, in particular, which has the highest triboelectricity of 350 V exhibits the highest output voltage.     

All- optical phase encoded 4-to-1 phase multiplexer using four wave mixing in semiconductor optical amplifier

Optics has already showed its potency over its electronic complements in case of superfast computing and communication systems. Semiconductor optical amplifier, (SOA) with its several nonlinear properties, plays a very crucial role in the development of high-speed all-optical processor. Multiplexer and demultiplexer are the extremely important element of the processor which takes part in utilizing different actions like encoding, decoding, routing, and the different process of data conversion and generation, etc. In this paper, the authors have proposed a scheme of phase encoded all-optical phase multiplexer using four wave mixing (FWM) property of semiconductor optical amplifier. Thus, the improved tolerance against fiber-nonlinearity and higher receiver sensitivity of phase encoding method with the fast occurring processes like FWM in SOA offers higher speed in this proposed scheme of multiplexing.