Oscillatory Thermopower Waves Based on Bi2Te3 Films

Exothermic chemical reactions that are coupled to Bi₂Te₃ porous layers, which are deposited onto terracotta or alumina (Al₂O₃) substrates, are used to produce self‐propagating thermal waves that are guided along the surface. Nitrocellulose is used as the highly reactive chemical. Bi₂Te₃ is employed because of its large Seebeck coefficient and high electrical conductivity. For the Al₂O₃ based structures, the thermal conduction of the substrate results in strong oscillations of the output signals. Such thermopower waves produce a power as large as 10 mW and voltages as high as 150 mV. The power per mass ratio of the developed system is quite remarkable, namely, on the order of 1 kW kg^?1. Depending on the thermal conductivity of the substrate used, the wave front average propagation velocity is either slow (ca. 0.009 m s^?1 for terracotta) or much faster (on the order of 0.4 m s^?1 for Al₂O₃). We have used a mathematical model based on two coupled heat transport equations, in conjunction with the chemical reaction equation, to predict the behavior of the system, which describes the average propagation velocity and the time between oscillation peaks.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Surfactant Molecules Based on Amphiphilic Polymers

Twelve amphiphilic polymers were synthesized using poly(ethylene glycols) (PEGs) of different molecular weights, viz. 300, 600 and1000 as hydrophilic block and aliphatic diacids namely glutaric acid, adipic acid, pimelic acid and suberic acid as hydrophobic block in presence of catalyst Conc. H₂SO₄. Synthesized polyesters were characterized by using ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR and IR spectroscopy. Micellar sizes of the polymers were determined using Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) which ranged from 127.5–354 nm. Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) results confirm the findings of DLS. Critical Micelle Concentrations (CMC) of the synthesized polymers were determined using electrical conductivity meter which ranged from 112 to 155 mg L^?1.     

Effect of mobile phase on resolution of the isomers and homologues of tocopherols on a triacontyl stationary phase

Reversed-phase liquid chromatographic (RPLC) separation of isomers and homologues of similar polarity is challenging. Tocopherol isomers and homologues are one such example. α, β, γ, and δ-tocopherols have been successfully separated by RPLC on triacontyl (C₃₀) stationary phase. System suitability was tested by using four mobile phases, and observed chromatographic separations of β and γ-tocopherols were compared. Comparison indicated that methanol–tert-butyl methyl ether (TBME) 95:5 (v/v) at a flow rate of 0.75 mL min^?1 was the best mobile phase. Detection systems were also evaluated on the basis of limit of quantification; it was concluded that fluorescence detection was best. The method was validated by analysis of two homologues and two isomers of tocopherol in sesame, maize, and soybean samples. MS coupled with an ESI interface in negative-ion mode [M ? H]^? was used for identification of individual components. It was concluded that addition of TBME to methanol was required to enhance the separation of β and γ-tocopherols, although methanol alone provided similar results. The applicability of the method to cereal, pulse, and oilseed samples was confirmed. The reproducibility of the procedure was good, with relative standard deviations in the range 1.7–3.9 %. Recovery of tocopherols added to sesame samples ranged from 91 to 99 %.

Phase dependent superconductivity in the Y-Ba-Cu-O system

Studies of stable phases containing copper have been made when mixtures of Y₂O₃, BaCO₃ and CuO are reacted. It is found that out of four phases there is only one phase which is superconducting and the volume ratio of superconducting to non-superconducting phase decreases rapidly as we move away from the stoichiometry of the superconducting phase having composition YBa₂Cu₃O_8−y.     

Uranium content measurement in drinking water samples using track etch technique

The concentration of uranium has been assessed in drinking water samples collected from different locations in Bathinda district, Punjab, India. The water samples are taken from hand pumps and tube wells. Uranium is determined using fission track technique. Uranium concentration in the water samples varies from 1.65±0.06 to 74.98±0.38 μg/l. These values are compared with safe limit values recommended for drinking water. Most of the water samples are found to have uranium concentration above the safe limit. Analysis of some heavy metals (Zn, Cd, Pb and Cu) in water is also done in order to see if some correlation exists between the concentration of uranium and these heavy metals. A weak positive correlation has been observed between the concentration of uranium and heavy metals of Pb, Cd and Cu.     

Quantum interference effect in laser patterned BSCCO thick film

DC SQUID structure consisting of two microbridges and a circular hole was patterned on BSCCO thick film using laser ablation technique. Quantum interference effects on these patterned films were studied at fixed biasing current by applying changing magnetic field. The SQUID with 100 μm × 70 μm microbridges showed noisy and irregular V-B behaviour whereas the SQUID containing smaller microbridges showed better V-B characteristic. Temperature dependence of the I-V and V-B characteristics of the SQUID is also reported.     

Citric acid-coated gold nanoparticles for visual colorimetric recognition of pesticide dimethoate

Journal of Nanoparticle Research - Highly fluorescent nanoparticles, or quantum dots, have multiple applications in biology and biomedicine; however, in most cases, it is necessary to functionalize...     

Synthesis,Spectroscopy, and Structures of Mono‐ and Dinuclear Copper(I) Halide Complexes with 1,3‐Imidazolidine‐2‐thiones

Copper(I) halides with triphenyl phosphine and imidaozlidine‐2‐thiones (L ‐NMe, L ‐NEt, and L ‐NPh) in acetonitrile/methanol (or dichloromethane) yielded copper(I) mixed‐ligand complexes: mononuclear, namely, [CuCl(κ¹‐S‐L ‐NMe)(PPh₃)₂] ( 1 ), [CuBr(κ¹‐S‐L ‐NMe)(PPh₃)₂] ( 2 ), [CuBr(κ¹‐S‐L ‐NEt)(PPh₃)₂] ( 5 ), [CuI(κ¹‐S‐L ‐NEt)(PPh₃)₂] ( 6 ), [CuCl(κ¹‐S‐L ‐NPh)(PPh₃)₂] ( 7 ), and [CuBr(κ¹‐S‐L ‐NPh)(PPh₃)₂] ( 8 ), and dinuclear, [Cu₂(κ¹‐I)₂(μ‐S‐L ‐NMe)₂(PPh₃)₂] ( 3 ) and [Cu₂(μ‐Cl)₂(κ¹‐S‐L ‐NEt)₂(PPh₃)₂] ( 4 ). All complexes were characterized with analytical data, IR and NMR spectroscopy, and X‐ray crystallography. Complexes 2 – 4 , 7 , and 8 each formed crystals in the triclinic system with P$\bar{1}$ space group, whereas complexes 1 , 5 , and 6 crystallized in the monoclinic crystal system with space groups P2₁/c, C2/c, and P2₁/n, respectively. Complex 2 has shown two independent molecules, [(CuBr(κ¹‐S‐L ‐NMe)(PPh₃)₂] and [CuBr(PPh₃)₂] in the unit cell. For X = Cl, the thio‐ligand bonded to metal as terminal in complex 4 , whereas for X = I it is sulfur‐bridged in complex 3 .     

Enhanced Raman Scattering of Elliptical Laser beam in a Collisional Plasma

This paper presents the Enhanced Raman scattering of a elliptical laser beam in a collisional plasma. We have considered the mechanism of non‐uniform heating of carriers along the wave‐front, which is important in collisional plasma. The nonlinearity arising through non‐uniform heating leads to redistribution of carriers, which modifies the background plasma density profile in a direction transverse to pump beam axis. This modification in density effects the incident laser beam, plasma wave and back‐scattered beam. Non‐linear differential equations for the beam width parameters of pump laser beam, plasma wave and back‐scattered beam are set up and solved numerically. Numerical results predict the effect of self‐focusing of waves on the back‐scattered beam (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)