Origin of room-temperature ferromagnetism in cobalt-doped ZnO

Thin films of ZnO doped with cobalt have been grown by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique in different temperatures ranging from 500°C to 650°C. The films grown on sapphire c-plane single crystal were found to be highly epitaxial. Magnetic properties of these films were studied, and the films exhibited ferromagnetic characteristics at room temperature. Detailed structural and microstructural characterization was performed to correlate the fate of the magnetic impurities, i.e., cobalt, and the cause of magnetic properties. It is established from this work that the magnetic properties of these films are inherent to the system, and any presence of second phase/nanoclusters/precipitates are ruled out as the cause of magnetic properties. The techniques used to establish these were conventional and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) along with electron-energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and scanning transmission electron microscopy-atomic number (STEM-Z) contrast studies.     

A media access and feedback protocol for reliable multicast over wireless channel

A link level reliable multicast requires a channel access protocol to resolve the collision of feedback messages sent by multicast data receivers. Several deterministic media access control protocols have been proposed to attain high reliability, but with large delay. Besides, there are also protocols which can only give probabilistic guarantee about reliability, but have the least delay. In this paper, we propose a virtual token-based channel access and feedback protocol (VTCAF) for link level reliable multicasting. The VTCAF protocol introduces a virtual (implicit) token passing mechanism based on carrier sensing to avoid the collision between feedback messages. The delay performance is improved in VTCAF protocol by reducing the number of feedback messages. Besides, the VTCAF protocol is parametric in nature and can easily trade off reliability with the delay as per the requirement of the underlying application. Such a cross layer design approach would be useful for a variety of multicast applications which require reliable communication with different levels of reliability and delay performance. We have analyzed our protocol to evaluate various performance parameters at different packet loss rate and compared its performance with those of others. Our protocol has also been simulated using Castalia network simulator to evaluate the same performance parameters. Simulation and analytical results together show that the VTCAF protocol is able to considerably reduce average access delay while ensuring very high reliability at the same time.     

Adhesion and Debonding of Soft Elastic Films on Rough and Patterned Surfaces

With the help of simulations based on energy minimization, we have studied the effect of roughness of a rigid contactor with sinusoidal and step patterns on the adhesion-debonding cycle of a soft thin elastic film. The surface instability engendered by attractive forces between the contactor and the film produces a regularly spaced array of columns in the bonding phase. The inter-column spacing is governed largely by periodicity of the contactor pattern. Decreased periodicity of the pattern favors intermittent collapse of columns rather than a continuous peeling of contact zones. An increase in the amplitude of roughness decreases the maximum force required for debonding and increases the snap-off distance. The net effect results in a reduced work for debonding. Introduction of noise and increased step-size in simulations decreases the pull-off force and the snap-off distance, as in the case of a smooth contactor. Finally the study reveals that a patterned contactor can be used as a potential template in the patterning of soft interfaces.     

Design and implementation of a secure multi-agent marketplace

A multi-agent marketplace, MAGNET (Multi-AGent Negotiation Testbed), is a promising solution for conducting online combinatorial auctions. The trust model of MAGNET is somewhat different from other on-line auction systems since the marketplace, which mediates all communications between agents, acts as a partially trusted third party. We identify the security vulnerabilities of MAGNET and present a solution that overcomes these weaknesses. Our solution makes use of three different existing technologies with standard cryptographic techniques: a publish/subscribe system to provide simple and general messaging, time-release cryptography to provide guaranteed non-disclosure of the bids, and anonymous communication to hide the identity of the bidders until the end of the auction. Using these technologies, we successfully minimize the trust on the market as well as increase the security of the whole system. The protocol that we have developed can be adapted for use by other agent-based auction systems, that use a third party to mediate transactions.     

Synthesis and characterization of pH switching electrical conducting biopolymer hybrids for sensor applications

A novel electrically active, water soluble gum acacia-polyaniline (GA–PANI) hybrid was synthesized using ceric ammonium nitrate as initiator in acidic medium. The representative hybrid material was characterized using UV-visible, FTIR and SEM taking polyaniline as reference. The composition of aniline to gum acacia was tailored to optimize possible cross-linking in side the hybrid. The hybrid material exhibited pH switching electrical conductivity, which was decreased with increasing pH of the material. I-V characteristics and acid–base sensitivity of the hybrid material were extensively investigated in order to find out its electronic behavior during current flow.     

Study of the adsorption of phenol by two soils based on kinetic and isotherm modeling analyses

Various natural adsorbents, which have been in used for removal of pollutants, in general, and phenol, in particular, are mostly directed towards improving the adsorption capacity of the adsorbents by various pretreatments (chemical, thermal or biological), which necessarily lead to increase in the cost as well as in the level of difficulties in regeneration/disposal of the adsorbent. The present studies, on the other hand, are aimed towards evaluating the feasibility of using two common soils as potential low-cost adsorbents for the removal of phenol from its aqueous solution, in their natural forms (i.e., without any pretreatment). Accordingly, experiments were carried out (in batch mode) for optimization of the adsorption parameters (such as pH, contact time, equilibrium time and adsorbent dosage), for varying initial phenol concentrations. The results showed that the maximum phenol adsorption capacity was found at pH ~6, under a constant temperature of 30 ± 2 °C (at 6-hour equilibrium period). Several kinetic models (viz. Lagergren first-order, pseudo-second-order, Elovich and intra-particle diffusion) as well as isotherm models (Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich and Peterson and Sip) were applied to the experimental data. The pseudo-second-order model was found to be the most suitable model describing the adsorption of phenol by two soils (which indicated this adsorption as a chemisorption process). On analysis of equilibrium isotherms for the adsorption of phenol by two soils, Redlich-Peterson and Sip isotherms were found to be the best representative for phenol-sorption on two selected, soil adsorbents.     

Crystallization behavior of iron- and boron-containing nepheline (Na2O·Al2O3·2SiO2) based model high-level nuclear waste glasses

This study focuses on understanding the relationship between iron redox, composition, and heat-treatment atmosphere in nepheline-based model high-level nuclear waste glasses. Glasses in the Na₂O–Al₂O₃–B₂O₃–Fe₂O₃–SiO₂ system with varying Al₂O₃/Fe₂O₃ and Na₂O/Fe₂O₃ ratios have been synthesized by melt-quench technique and studied for their crystallization behavior in different heating atmospheres—air, inert (N₂), and reducing (96%N₂–4%H₂). The compositional dependence of iron redox chemistry in glasses and the impact of heating environment and crystallization on iron coordination in glass-ceramics have been investigated by Mössbauer spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometry. While iron coordination in glasses and glass-ceramics changed as a function of glass chemistry, the heating atmosphere during crystallization exhibited minimal effect on iron redox. The change in heating atmosphere did not affect the phase assemblage but did affect the microstructural evolution. While glass-ceramics produced as a result of heat treatment in air and N₂ atmospheres developed a golden/brown colored iron-rich layer on their surface, those produced in a reducing atmosphere did not exhibit any such phenomenon. Furthermore, while this iron-rich layer was observed in glass-ceramics with varying Al₂O₃/Fe₂O₃ ratio, it was absent from glass-ceramics with varying Na₂O/Fe₂O₃ ratio. An explanation of these results has been provided on the basis of kinetics of diffusion of oxygen and network modifiers in the glasses under different thermodynamic conditions. The plausible implications of the formation of iron-rich layer on the surface of glass-ceramics on the chemical durability of high-level nuclear waste glasses have been discussed.     

Assessment of interatomic parameters for the reproduction of borosilicate glass structures via DFT-GIPAW calculations

Borates and borosilicates are potential candidates for the design and development of glass formulations with important industrial and technological applications. A major challenge that retards the pace of development of borate/borosilicate based glasses using predictive modeling is the lack of reliable computational models to predict the structure-property relationships in these glasses over a wide compositional space. A major hindrance in this pursuit has been the complexity of boron-oxygen bonding due to which it has been difficult to develop adequate B–O interatomic potentials. In this article, we have evaluated the performance of three B–O interatomic potential models recently developed by Bauchy et al [J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 2018, 498, 294–304], Du et al [J. Am. Ceram. Soc. https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.16082 ] and Edèn et al [Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2018, 20, 8192–8209] aiming to reproduce the short-to-medium range structures of sodium borosilicate glasses in the system 25 Na₂O x B₂O₃ (75 − x) SiO₂ (x = 0-75 mol%). To evaluate the different force fields, we have computed at the density functional theory level the NMR parameters of ¹¹B, ²³Na, and ²⁹Si of the models generated with the three potentials and the simulated MAS NMR spectra compared with the experimental counterparts. It was observed that the rigid ionic models proposed by Bauchy and Du can both reliably reproduce the partitioning between BO₃ and BO₄ species of the investigated glasses, along with the local environment around sodium in the glass structure. However, they do not accurately reproduce the second coordination sphere of silicon ions and the Si–O–T (T = Si, B) and B-O-T distribution angles in the investigated compositional space which strongly affect the NMR parameters and final spectral shape. On the other hand, the core-shell parameterization model proposed by Edén underestimates the fraction of BO₄ species of the glass with composition 25Na₂O 18.4B₂O₃ 56.6SiO₂ but can accurately reproduce the shape of the ¹¹B and ²⁹Si MAS-NMR spectra of the glasses investigations due to the narrower B–O–T and Si-O-T bond angle distributions. Finally, the effect of the number of boron atoms (also distinguishing the BO₃ and BO₄ units) in the second coordination sphere of the network former cations on the NMR parameters have been evaluated.     

Nature inspired supply chain solutions: definitions,analogies, and future research directions

ABSTRACT

Supply chains are becoming increasingly complex, and many companies and researchers are looking to nature for finding solutions. In this paper, we provide a narrative synthesis and systematic review to explore state-of-the-art, and identify key areas for exploration of nature inspired solutions in the supply chain area. We consider strategic, tactical, and operational decisions within supply chains and identify analogies between biological systems and supply chains to create a new research agenda. Our findings show that the majority of the research in nature inspired supply chains from the systemic perspective focuses on closed loop supply chains. In contrast, similar systemic solutions such as industrial symbiosis, circular economy, and industrial ecology have not been explored as frequently. Reducing production waste (industrial symbiosis) in addition to end-of-life product waste (closed loop supply chains), optimising raw material use and extending the life of used resources (circular economy), investigating the interactions between biosphere and technosphere (industrial ecology), and seeking solutions to industrial problems from nature (biomimicry) are all possible paths for reaching a zero-waste economy. These systemic solutions have a considerable impact on the supply chains at the strategic, tactical, and operational levels, which need to be explored to identify efficient and effective solutions.