Effect of absorbed pump power on the quality of output beam from monolithic microchip lasers

The dependence of the beam propagation factor (M ² parameter) with the absorbed pump power in the case of monolithic microchip laser under face-cooled configuration is extensively studied. Our investigations show that the M ₂ parameter is related to the absorbed pump power through two parameters (α and β) whose values depend on the laser material properties and laser configuration. We have shown that one parameter arises due to the oscillation of higher order modes in the microchip cavity and the other parameter accounts for the spherical aberration associated with the thermal lens induced by the pump beam. Such dependency of M ² parameter with the absorbed pump power is experimentally verified for a face-cooled monolithic microchip laser based on Nd³⁺ -doped GdVO₄ crystal and the values of α and β parameters were estimated from the experimentally measured data points.     

Electrohydrodynamic instability in some nematic cyanobiphenyls in an a.c. electric field

Electrohydrodynamic instability in homeotropically oriented nematic samples of 4'-n-octyl-4-cyano-biphenyl and 4'n-alkyloxy-4-cyanobiphenyl, (n = 8.9) have been studied in an a.c. electric field. The domain patterns during the instability in these compounds in a very low frequency a.c. field are very similar to those in a d.c. field. The domain patterns observed at higher frequencies have been identified as 'maltese crosses' or 'crossed isogyres'. The electro-convective 'isotropic' flows near the electrode play an important role in the observed instability.     

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.     

Vinyl polymerization: Kinetics of Ce(IV)–acetophenone-initiated polymerization of acrylonitrile in acetic–sulfuric acid mixtures

The polymerization of acrylonitrile (M) initiated by the Ce(IV)–acetophenone (AP) redox pair has been studied in acetic–sulfuric acid mixtures in a nitrogen atmosphere. The rate of polymerization is proportional to [M]^3/2, [AP]^1/2 and [Ce(IV)]^1/2. The rate of disappearance of ceric ion,–R_Ce, is proportional to [AP], [M], and [Ce(IV)]. The effect of certain salts, solvent, acid and temperature on both the rates have been investigated. A suitable kinetic scheme has been proposed, and the composite rate constants k_p ²(k/k/_t) and k₀/k_i are reported.     

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.     

Two-Dimensional Layered Metallic VSe2/SWCNTs/rGO Based Ternary Hybrid Materials for High Performance Energy Storage Applications

In this work, the ternary hybrid structure VSe₂/SWCNTs/rGO is reported for supercapacitor applications. The ternary composite exhibits a high specific capacitance of 450 F g⁻¹ in a symmetric cell configuration, with maximum energy density of 131.4 Wh kg⁻¹ and power density of 27.49 kW kg⁻¹. The ternary hybrid also shows a cyclic stability of 91 % after 5000 cycles. Extensive density functional theory (DFT) simulations on the structure as well as on the electronic properties of the binary hybrid structure VSe₂/SWCNTs and the ternary hybrid structure VSe₂/SWCNTs/rGO have been carried out. Due to a synergic effect, there are enhanced density of states near the Fermi level and higher quantum capacitance for the hybrid ternary structure compared to VSe₂/SWCNTs, leading to higher energy and power density for VSe₂/SWCNTs/rGO, supporting our experimental observation. Computed diffusion energy barrier of electrolyte ions (K⁺) predicts that ions move faster in the ternary structure, providing higher charge storage performance.     

Quantification of β-Sitosterol in Hairy Root Cultures and Natural Plant Parts of Butterfly Pea (Clitoria ternatea L.)

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - A simple normal-phase high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) method has been developed for the quantification of...     

Kinetics of Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate initiated by AIBN in the Presence of Acetophenone

The present investigation aims at estimating the retarding effect of acetophenone in the polymerization of methyl methacrylate initiated by α,α' -azobisisobutyronitrile in the temperature range of 50 to 80°C. The results are interpreted in terms of Tüdös kinetic parameter (β). The effects of varying concentrations of substrate, monomer, initiator, and salts have been investigated. A suitable reaction scheme and rate expression have been suggested on the basis of the experimental findings, and another kinetic parameter (K) to represent the reactivity of acetophenones toward the polymer radical has been obtained graphically.     

A ligand free copper(II) catalyst is as effective as a ligand assisted Pd(II) catalyst towards intramolecular C–S bond formation via C–H functionalization

Copper(I) catalysts are usually ineffective on the other hand Pd(II) catalysts are quite effective in promoting intramolecular sp² C–H functionalization (C–S bond formation). Herein, we have developed a ligand assisted Pd(II) catalyzed C–S bond formation via C–H activation from arylthioureas leading to the formation of 2-aminobenzothiazoles for substrates bearing electron donating (EDG) groups in the aryl ring. However without the assistance of ligand this Pd(II) catalyzed reaction is quite unproductive particularly for thioureas possessing strongly electron donating groups in the aryl rings. Interestingly, the ligand free Cu(II) catalyzed oxidative cyclization of arylthioureas are equally effective both for arylthioureas possessing electron donating as well as electron withdrawing groups in the aryl rings.