Modification of magnetic anisotropy in metallic glasses using high-energy ion beam irradiation

Heavy ion irradiation in the electronic stopping power region induces macroscopic dimensional change in metallic glasses and introduces magnetic anisotropy in some magnetic materials. The present work is on the irradiation study of ferromagnetic metallic glasses, where both dimensional change and modification of magnetic anisotropy are expected. Magnetic anisotropy was measured using Mössbauer spectroscopy of virgin and irradiated Fe₄₀Ni₄₀B₂₀ and Fe₄₀Ni₃₈Mo₄B₁₈ metallic glass ribbons. 90 MeV ¹²⁷I beam was used for the irradiations. Irradiation doses were 5×10¹³ and 7.5×10¹³ ions/cm². The relative intensity ratios D ₂₃ of the second and third lines of the Mössbauer spectra were measured to determine the magnetic anisotropy. The virgin samples of both the materials display in-plane magnetic anisotropy, i.e., the spins are oriented parallel to the ribbon plane. Irradiation is found to cause reduction in magnetic anisotropy. Near-complete randomization of magnetic moments is observed at high irradiation doses. Correlation is found between the residual stresses introduced by ion irradiation and the change in magnetic anisotropy.     

Subtilisin catalysis of substrate anchored in cyclodextrin

The N-benzoyl-l-tyrosine ethyl ester (BTEE) anchored in cyclodextrin (β and β-methyl CD) serves as an excellent substrate for subtilisin Carlsberg catalysis. The rate of hydrolysis was found to be approximately twofold higher than that of the methanolic substrate. The K_mapp and V_max values for the CD anchored substrates were significantly higher than the methanol-solubilized BTEE.     

Di(2-ethyl hexyl) butyramide and di(2-ethyl hexyl)isobutyramide as extractants for uranium(VI) and plutonium(IV)

The extraction of uranium(VI) and plutonium(IV) from nitric acid into n-dodecane was studied using two isomeric branched alkyl amides, di(2-ethyl hexyl) butyramide (DEHBA) and di(2-ethyl hexyl) isobutyramide (DEHIBA). The extraction ratios of Pu(IV) at relatively high acidities were higher than the corresponding values for U(VI) in the case of DEHBA. However, with DEHIBA the values for Pu(IV) were negligibly small. Pu(IV) was found to be extracted as trisolvate by DEHBA and as disolvate by DEHIBA. U(VI) was extracted by both the amides. From the study of the extraction reactions at different temperatures, it was shown that all the reactions in the present investigation were enthalpy favoured and entropy disfavoured. Separation of Pu(IV) from bulk of U(VI) was feasible. However, the purity of the separated plutonium was not satisfactory in batch extraction studies.     

In-situ green synthesis of highly active GSH-capped Pt–Au–Ag-hybrid nanoclusters

Recently much attention has been paid to the application of metal hybrid nanoparticles in industrial catalytic fields because of their super-efficient catalytic activity and attractive properties. We explored a novel strategy to prepare GSH-capped Pt–Au–Ag-hybrid nanoclusters through the synergistic effect between ascorbic acid(VC) and glutathione(GSH) with chloroplatinic acid, chloroauric acid, and silver nitrate as precursors. The potential utilization of as-prepared GSH-capped Pt–Au–Aghybrid nanoclusters for catalytic applications has been evaluated through the reduction of 4-nitrophenol(4-NP) with NaBH4; we obtained the kinetic data by monitoring with UV-Vis spectroscopy. Our results illustrate that GSH-capped Pt–Au– Ag-hybrid nanoclusters could facilitate the process of reduction of 4-NP in a way that is unprecedented. This approach may offer a novel, non-cytotoxicity, efficient catalyst for industry.     

Biphasic kinetic investigations on the evaluation of non-salt forming reductants for Pu(IV) stripping from tributyl phosphate and N,N-dihexyl octanamide solutions in n-dodecane

The relative stability of different oxidation states of actinide elements is influenced by the nature of complexes formed and redox equilibria in aqueous/non-aqueous solutions. The reduction/stripping studies on Pu(IV) ions from loaded organic phases of 1.1 M tributyl phosphate and of 1.1 M N,N-dihexyl octanamide in n-dodecane were studied using organic soluble tert-butyl hydroquinone (TBH) and aqueous soluble reductants like acetaldoxime (AX) and hydroxyurea (HU). These studies were carried out as a function of reductant and nitric acid concentration (0.5–4 M HNO₃) and of time. The changes in Pu oxidation states were followed by spectrophotometry for TBH and by distribution ratio values for AX and HU as reductants. Spectrophotometric investigations using TBH as reductant showed that it was desirable to strip Pu(III) formed after reduction of Pu(IV) in the organic phase, which may otherwise be reconverted to extractable Pu(IV) by in situ generated HNO₂ from oxidative degradation of TBH to tert-butyl quinone. Similarly, the biphasic reduction/stripping of Pu(IV) using AX and HU as reductant rate was affected adversely with increased aqueous phase acidity. This data will help in the accurate simulation of Pu separation processes using these reductants in mixer-settlers/pulsed columns or centrifugal contactors.     

The effect of incorporation of ferrous titanate nanoparticles in sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone)/poly (amide imide) acid-base polymer for cations exchange membrane fuel cells

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - The sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) is one of the most promising aromatic proton exchange polymer membranes concerning fluorinated aliphatic...     

A Factorial Design Approach for Hydrothermal Synthesis of Phase‐Pure AgInO2: A Parametric Optimization Study

Owing to a wide range of industrial applications and fundamental importance, delafossite compounds have gathered tremendous interest in research community. In this study, the formation of hexagonal nanoplates of AgInO₂ mainly dominated by (00l) facets with no metallic Ag impurity, reported using a facile hydrothermal route at 180 °C using KOH as mineralizer by adopting a factorial design approach. Rietveld analysis of the powder XRD pattern and SAED confirms the rhombohedral system of AgInO₂. FE‐SEM image shows a uniform hexagonal plate‐like morphology with an average width of about 300 nm and thickness of 70 nm. XPS and EDX analysis confirm potassium ion free AgInO₂. A specific surface area of about 48.5 m² g^?1 is arrived from N₂ adsorption studies. Temperature‐dependent AC impedance measurements revealed an activation energy of 0.24 eV/f.u. Further, TG‐DTA studies found that the compound is stable in air up to 595 °C.