De Sitter universes and the emerging landscape in string theory

We discuss a recent proposal to construct de Sitter vacua in string theory. It is based on flux compactifications in string theory where all the moduli are stabilised and supersymmetry is broken with control. The resulting picture is that of a complicated landscape with many vacua of widely varying values for the cosmological constant.     

Treatment of zinc-contaminated water using a multistage ferrihydrite sorption system

Previous studies demonstrated the environmental and economic benefits of treating lead(II)-contaminated water streams with ferrihydrite in multiple equilibrium sorption stages. In this work, multistage ferrihydrite sorption systems were evaluated for their effectiveness in reducing single-solute zinc(II) (Zn(II)) concentrations in contaminated water streams to very low levels. As for lead(II) (Pb(II)), experimental data and modeling results indicate that a multistage sorption system can significantly reduce Zn(II) effluent concentrations for the same total amount of sorbent or, alternatively, dramatically lower total sorbent consumption for the same effluent Zn(II) concentration. Compared to Pb(II), however, Zn(II) removal requires on the order of 10 times more sorbent to achieve the same target effluent concentration for the same pH and number of stages. Model predictions were made using a steady-state, multistage, equilibrium adsorber model that was previously developed for and integrated into OLI Systems' Environmental Simulation Program (ESP). The modified triple-layer model was used to simulate Zn(II) surface-liquid equilibria within the adsorber model. Engineering screening evaluations again indicate that a 2- to 3-stage sorption process can provide significant economic savings when compared to a 1-stage process operating with the same target effluent Zn(II) concentration. Additional equilibrium stages beyond 2 or 3 provide diminishing economic returns. The major economic driver for multiple contacting stages is reduced capital investment and operating costs for sludge handling, dewatering, and disposal.     

Antistatic applications of conducting polyaniline

A method is described to impart flexibility and mechanical strength to conducting polyaniline by polymerizing aniline on fabrics and on cellulose papers. The study indicates that these conducting fabrics offer 16–18 dB of shielding effectiveness for the control of electromagnetic interference (EMI) up to a frequency of 10³ MHz.     

Perturbed sites and host—guest—host exciton cascade in the biphenyl isotopic mixed crystal phosphorescence

An interesting energy cascade is observed in the phosphorescence spectra of 1% biphenyl-h₁₀ in biphenyl-d₁₀ (2–15 K); strongly perturbed host sites, with energy levels below that of the protonated guest, quench the guest sites at higher temperatures (11–15 K). The identification of the perturbed sites is based on vibrational characteristics (both intensity and frequency), obtained with the help of phosphorescence spectra of biphenyl-h₁₀ and biphenyl-d₁₀ in an argon matrix, indicating an isotope dependent vibronic structure. A partial vibrational analysis is presented, resulting in confirmation of the first triplet state of biphenyl as orbitally ungerade. The dynamics of the triplet excitation are discussed, including several possible mechanisms explaining the non-Boltzmann nature of the low-temperature steady state.     

Triplet excition emissions of octafluoronaphthalene crystalline complexes with naphthalene and durene

The phosphorescence spectra of naphthalene-octafluoronaphthalene and durene-octafluoronaphthalene at 4.2 K reveal a localized exciton emission from octafluoronaphthalene, a weak intercomponent triplet-states quasi-resonance and a weak exciton-phonon coupling.     

Phonon spectroscopy of photochemical reactions in organic solids: Photodimerization of 2,6-dimethyl-p-benzoquinone

The Raman phonon spectroscopic study shows that the photodimerization of 2,6-dimethyl-p-benzoquinone. In the solid state is initially a homogeneous reaction but later becomes heterogeneous as the product accumulates. The Ion-temperature electronic absorption spectrum reveals that the reaction is phonon assisted by a polaron formed due to a strong electron- phonon coupling in the cxcited ¹nπ^* state.     

A low-cost lead-acid battery with high specific-energy

Lightweight grids for lead-acid battery grids have been prepared from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) copolymer followed by coating with lead. Subsequently, the grids have been electrochemically coated with a conductive and corrosion-resistant layer of polyaniline. These grids are about 75% lighter than those employed in conventional lead-acid batteries. Commercial-grade 6V/3.5Ah (C₂₀-rate) lead-acid batteries have been assembled and characterized employing positive and negative plates constituting these grids. The specific energy of such a lead-acid battery is about 50 Wh/kg. The batteries can withstand fast charge-discharge duty cycles. Dedicated to Prof J Gopalakrishnan on his 62nd birthday.     

Synthesis of C60-diphenylaminofluorene dyad with large 2PA cross-sections and efficient intramolecular two-photon energy transfer

The first, highly two-photon active C60 derivative comprised of a A-sp3-D conjugate structure was synthesized showing effective two-photon absorption cross-sections (sigma 2' = 196 x 10(-48) cm4 sec-1 molecule-1) in the nanosecond regime among the best values for diphenylaminofluorene-based AFX chromophores.