Tunable graphene-based mid-infrared band-pass planar filter and its application

We have designed and proposed the edge modes supported by graphene ribbons and the planar band-pass filter consisting of graphene ribbons coupled to a graphene ring resonator by using the finite-difference time-domain numerical method.Simulation results show that the edge modes improve the electromagnetic coupling between devices. This structure works as a novel, tunable mid-infrared band-pass filter. Our studies will benefit the fabrication of planar, ultra-compact nano-scale devices in the mid-infrared region. A power splitter consisting of two output ribbons that is useful in photonic integrated devices and circuits is also designed and simulated. These devices are useful for designing ultra-compact planar devices in photonic integrated circuits.     

Optimization of synthesis procedure and structure characterization of manganese tungstate nanoplates

A simple and fast chemical method was used for synthesis of manganese tungstate nanoplates in flower-like clusters; while Taguchi robust design was employed as statistical method for optimization of the experimental parameters for the procedure. Ultrafine manganese tungstate plates in flower-like clusters were synthesized via a direct precipitation method involving addition of manganese ion solution to the aqueous tungstate reagent. Effects of various reaction conditions such as manganese and tungstate concentrations, flow rate of reagent addition and reactor temperature on the thickness of the synthesized manganese tungstate plates were investigated experimentally. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that manganese tungstate nanoplates could be effectively synthesized by tuning significant parameters of precipitation procedure. Meanwhile, optimum conditions for synthesis of MnWO4 nanoplates via this simple, fast, and cost effective method were proposed. The structure and composition of the prepared nanoplates under optimum conditions were characterized by EDX, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), FT-IR spectroscopy, and photoluminescence techniques.      

A comparison study between sodium dodecyl sulfate and sodium dodecyl sulfonate with respect to the thermodynamic properties,micellization, and interaction with poly(ethylene glycol) in aqueous solutions

The density, sound velocity, and conductivity measurements were performed on aqueous solutions of sodium dodecyl sulfate (C₁₂H₂₅SO₄Na) or sodium dodecyl sulfonate (C₁₂H₂₅SO₃Na) in the absence and presence of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) at different temperatures. Changes in the apparent molar volumes and isentropic compressibilities upon micellization were derived using a pseudophase-transition approach and the infinite dilution apparent molar properties of the monomer and micellar form of C₁₂H₂₅SO₄Na and C₁₂H₂₅SO₃Na were determined. Variations of the critical micelle concentrations (CMCs) of both surfactants in the solutions investigated with temperature were obtained from which thermodynamic parameters of micellization were estimated. It was found that at low temperature the micelle formation process is endothermic and therefore, this process must be entropically driven. However, upon increasing the temperature, the enthalpic factor becomes more significant and, at temperatures higher than 303.15 K the micellization is enthalpy driven. The interactions between C₁₂H₂₅SO₄Na/C₁₂H₂₅SO₃Na and PEG were studied and it was found that sodium alkyl sulfonates were seen to interact more weakly than their sulfate analogues.     

Some definable properties of sets in non-valuational weakly o-minimal structures

Let \({\mathcal {M}}=(M,<,+,\cdot ,\ldots )\) be a non-valuational weakly o-minimal expansion of a real closed field \((M,<,+,\cdot )\). In this paper, we prove that \({\mathcal {M}}\) has a \(C^r\)-strong cell decomposition property, for each positive integer r, a best analogous result from Tanaka and Kawakami (Far East J Math Sci (FJMS) 25(3):417–431, 2007). We also show that curve selection property holds in non-valuational weakly o-minimal expansions of ordered groups. Finally, we extend the notion of definable compactness suitable for weakly o-minimal structures which was examined for definable sets (Peterzil and Steinhorn in J Lond Math Soc 295:769–786, 1999), and prove that a definable set is definably compact if and only if it is closed and bounded.     

Fabrication of a highly sensitive electrochemiluminescence lactate biosensor using ZnO nanoparticles decorated multiwalled carbon nanotubes

ZnO nanoparticles (nanoZnO) were decorated on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and then the prepared nano-hybrids, nanoZnO-MWCNTs, were immobilized on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) to fabricate nanoZnO-MWCNTs modified GCE. The prepared electrode, GCE/nanoZnO-MWCNTs, showed excellent electrocatalytic activity towards luminol electrochemiluminescence (ECL) reaction. The electrode was then further modified with lactate oxidase and Nafion to fabricate a highly sensitive ECL lactate biosensor. Two linear dynamic ranges of 0.01-10 μmol L⁻¹ and 10-200 μmol L⁻¹ were obtained for lactate with the correlation coefficient better than 0.9996. The detection limit (S/N = 3) was 4 nmol L⁻¹ lactate. The relative standard deviation for repetitive measurements (n = 6) of 10 μmol L⁻¹ lactate was 1.5%. The fabrication reproducibility for five biosensors prepared and used in different days was 7.4%. The proposed ECL lactate biosensor was used for determination of lactate in human blood plasma samples with satisfactory results.     

Enhanced electrochemiluminescence from luminol at multi-walled carbon nanotubes decorated with palladium nanoparticles: a novel route for the fabrication of an oxygen sensor and a glucose biosensor

Incorporation of palladium nanoparticles on the surface of multi-walled carbon nanotubes and modification of glassy carbon electrode with the prepared nano-hybrid material led to the fabrication of a novel electrode. The modified electrode showed attractive electrocatalytic activity and sensitizing effect on luminol-O(2) and luminol-H(2)O(2) electrochemiluminescence (ECL) reactions at neutral media. The sensitized luminol-O(2) and luminol-H(2)O(2) reactions were successfully applied for the ECL determination of dissolved O(2) and glucose, respectively. Under the optimal conditions for luminol-O(2) system, the ECL signal intensity of luminol was linear with the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the range between 0.08 and 0.94 mM (r=0.9996) and for luminol-H(2)O(2) system, the ECL signal intensity of luminol was linear with the concentration of glucose in the range between 0.1 and 1000 μM (r=0.9998). The limits of detection (S/N=3) for dissolved oxygen and glucose were 0.02 mM and 54 nM, respectively. The relative standard deviations (RSD) for repetitive measurements of 0.50 mM oxygen (n=10) and 10 μM glucose (n=30) were 3.5% and 0.3%, respectively. Also, under the optimal conditions for luminol-H(2)O(2) system, the ECL signal intensity of luminol was linear with the concentration of H(2)O(2) in the range between 1 nM and 0.45 mM (r=0.9997). The limit of detection (S/N=3) for H(2)O(2) detection was 0.5 nM and the relative standard deviation for repetitive measurements of 10 μM H(2)O(2) (n=10) was 0.8%.     

Hyperconjugative interactions are the main responsible for the anomeric effect: a direct relationship between the hyperconjugative anomeric effect,global hardness and zero-point energy

The correlations between the global hardness (η), hyperconjugative anomeric effect, Pauli exchange-type repulsions, electrostatic model associated with dipole–dipole interaction and structural parameters in 2-fluorotetrahydropyran, -thiopyran, -selenopyran (1–3) and their chloro- (4–6) and bromo-analogs (7–9) were investigated by means of the conventional and range-corrected functionals and natural bond orbital (NBO) interpretation. By deletion of the HC-exo-AE and HC-endo-AE, the equatorial conformations of compounds 1–9 become more stable than their corresponding axial forms, revealing that anomeric relationships in compounds 1–9 have the hyperconjugative anomeric effect origins while the electrostatic model associated with dipole–dipole interaction does not play a determining role on the variations of the anomeric relationships in these compounds. The anomeric relationships in compounds 1–3 have no Pauli exchange-type repulsions origin, but it has a significant impact on the conformational preferences in compounds 4–6 and 7–9. A canonical molecular orbital interpretation was conducted to investigate the correlations between the linear combinations of natural bond orbitals in the HOMOs, LUMOs and the global hardness (η) values. There is a direct relationship between the hyperconjugative anomeric effect, global hardness (η) and zero-point energies in compounds 1–3, 4–6 and 7–9. The harder axial conformations with the greater hyperconjugative anomeric effect and zero-point energy values are more stable than their corresponding equatorial forms.