N-Bromoamides as versatile catalysts for aziridination of olefins using chloramine-T

N-Bromoamides catalyze effectively the aziridination of electron-deficient as well as electron-rich olefins using chloramine-T (N-chloro-N-sodio-p-toluenesulfonamide) as a nitrogen source under ambient conditions to afford the corresponding aziridines in good to excellent yields.     

Superior refractive index tailoring properties in composite ZrO2/SiO2 thin film systems achieved through reactive electron beam codeposition process

Composite optical thin-film materials have received a significant amount of interest in order to relieve the material constraints on refractive indices as well as reducing the number of layers required in optical coating design. Amongst others binary zirconia-silica composite thin films have attracted considerable attentions due to their several favorable opto-mechanical properties. In the present studies such a composite system under certain compositional mixings displayed both refractive index and band gap supremacy over pure zirconia films violating the most popular Moss rule. This unexpected evolution has several practical applications one of which can be directly employed in extending the range of tunability of the refractive index. Besides, the probing of such a novel evolution through the analysis of ellipsometric refractive index modeling and morphological correlation functions has revealed several novel as well as superior microstructural properties in the composite thin film systems. All these characterization and analysis techniques distinctly indicate a strong interrelation between the microstructural ordering and superior optical properties of the present zirconia-silica codeposited composites.     

A proof of Howard’s conjecture in homogeneous parallel shear flows

A rigorous mathematical proof of Howard's conjecture which states that the growth rate of an arbitrary unstable wave must approach zero, as the wave length decreases to zero, in the linear instability of nonviscous homogeneous parallel shear flows, is presented here for the first time under the restriction of the boundedness of the second derivative of the basic velocity field with respect to the vertical coordinate in the concerned flow domain.     

Critical points in the Bragg glass phase of a weakly pinned crystal of Ca3Rh4Sn13

New experimental data are presented on the scan rate dependence of the magnetization hysteresis width ΔM(H) (∞ critical current densityJ _c(H)) in isothermalMH scans in a weakly pinned single crystal of Ca₃Rh₄Sn₁₃, which displays second magnetization peak (SMP) anomaly as distinct from the peak effect (PE). We observe an interesting modulation in the field dependence of a parameter which purports to measure the dynamical annealing of the disordered bundles of vortices injected through the sample edges towards the destined equilibrium vortex state at a givenH. These data, in conjunction with the earlier observations made while studying the thermomagnetic history dependence inJ _c(H) in the tracing of the minor hysteresis loops, imply that the partially disordered state heals towards the more ordered state between the peak field of the SMP anomaly and the onset field of the PE. The vortex phase diagram in the given crystal of Ca₃Rh₄Sn₁₃ has been updated in the context of the notion of the phase coexistence of the ordered and disordered regions between the onset field of the SMP anomaly and the spinodal line located just prior to the irreversibility line. A multi-critical point and a critical point in the (H,T) region of the Bragg glass phase have been marked in this phase diagram and the observed behavior is discussed in the light of recent data on multi-critical point in the vortex phase diagram in a single crystal of Nb.     

Baseline studies of radon/thoron concentration levels in and around the Lambapur and Peddagattu areas in Nalgonda district, Andhra Pradesh, India

Studies conducted by Atomic Minerals Directorate of Exploration and Research (AMD) of Hyderabad, India had established the presence of higher concentrations of uranium in Lambapur and Peddagattu areas of Nalgonda district, AP, India and it was estimated that it could be a viable source for commercial extraction. The envisaged extraction process involves dispersion of radioactive particulate matter into atmosphere. Environmental radioactive studies in and around proposed mining areas at this point of time will be extremely useful for establishing base line data before a large scale uranium extraction process comes into existence. To this end, Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors were installed to evaluate indoor radon and thoron concentration levels in the dwellings of the area. The geometric means of radon and thoron concentration levels were found to be (7.1±0.2)×10¹ and (6.7±0.3)×10¹ Bq/m³, respectively. Simultaneously, natural background radiation measurements were also made and these levels are found to vary from 770 to 3995 μGy/y in the spatial distribution.     

A simple and sensitive analytical method for the determination of antimony in environmental and biological samples.

The results of a study and application of leucocrystal violet for the determination of antimony in parts per million levels is described here. The proposed method is based on the reaction of antimony(III) with acidified potassium iodate to liberate iodine. The liberated iodine selectively oxidizes leucocrystal violet to crystal violet dye. The formed dye shows maximum absorbance at 590 nm. The color system obeys Beer's law in the concentration range from 0.4 - 3.6 microg antimony per 25 ml of final solution. The molar absorptivity and Sandell's sensitivity were found to be 7.32 x 10(5) l mol(-1) cm(-1) and 0.0016 microg cm(-2), respectively. All variables were studied in order to optimize the reaction. The proposed method is satisfactorily applicable for the analysis of antimony in various environmental and biological samples. The method is simple, highly sensitive, accurate and reliable.     

Formulation–composition map of a lecithin-based emulsion

Formulation–composition map is an interesting tool to predict the nature of an emulsion, stability, viscosity and nevertheless to decide the mixing protocol of its ingredients. Information based on optimum formulation (environmental conditions at which the affinity of an emulsifier for oil and for aqueous phase is same), which is depicted through hydrophilic–lipophilic deviation (HLD) concept, is necessary to make a formulation–composition map of an emulsion. In order to apply this concept in food emulsions, it is necessary to determine characteristic constants of each component of the system, i.e. the aqueous phase, the oil phase and the emulsifier at equilibrium. In this work formulation–composition map of a sunflower oil–water–lecithin system, based on the knowledge of phase behavior of lecithin at equilibrium and emulsification, was made. The shape of inversion line on formulation–composition map was not the classical stair type rather an almost vertical inversion line at water-fraction (f_w) near 0.20 was observed. It was supposed to be linked to the viscosity of oil phase which was 50 times the viscosity of aqueous phase. Additionally, emulsions were of oil-in-water (O/W) type for f_w higher than 0.20, but their viscosity and the drop size behavior with respect to salt concentration as formulation variable did not show the existence of transitional inversion line on formulation–composition map. Such map in advance can certainly facilitate the guidelines for dynamic emulsification.     

Analysis of gamma-ray continuum spectra to determine the chemical composition

Neutron induced -ray spectra from various geological samples were analyzed to evaluate the usefulness of continuum spectra in deriving the chemical composition information. A fast Fourier transform technique has been used to estimate the signal content of selected energy bands of the continuum spectra. Monte Carlo calculations have been performed using the major -ray energy sources (due to Fe, Ca, Si and Al) to generate the corresponding detected -ray spectra. The experimental spectra are compared to the simulated spectra to check the consistency of the signal distribution between the peak and the continuum. The continuum above and below a chosen -ray line is calculated to find what fraction of the lower energy continuum is due to that line. The accuracy of the relative elemental concentrations determined by this method is confirmed through comparison with laboratory elemental analysis of the samples. It is found that using the continuum could greatly increase the sensitivity and precision of the measurement of elemental concentrations determined from -ray spectra of thick target sources, for spectra having peaks of poor statistical significance. However, for thin target sources or spectra with very good statistics in their peaks, this method may not be very advantageous.     

Extraction of ternary complexes of thorium(IV) with 3-phenyl-4-benzoyl-5-isoxazolone and neutral donors from nitric acid medium

The extraction behaviour of thorium(IV) from aqueous nitric acid employing 3-phenyl-4-benzoyl-5-isoxazolone (HPBI) in the presence of tri-n-octyl phosphine oxide (TOPO) as well as tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) in xylene medium was investigated. The extraction constant (log k(ex)) for the binary organic phase species Th(PBI)(4) was determined to be 8.26 which is by far the largest amongst the corresponding values known for other beta-diketones. The overall extraction constant (log K) for the ternary species Th(PBI)(4) TBP and Th(PBI)(4).2TOPO were estimated to be 14.96 and 20.96 respectively. An inverse correlation of the adduct formation constant (log K(s)) with the pK(a) of the beta-diketones, 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone, 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-benzoyl-5-pyrazolone and HPBI, was observed. The steric as well as the electronic effects of adduct formation have been discussed. Analytical application of HPBI for the separation of (234)Th radiotracer from natural uranium (99.3% (238)U) has been suggested.