Fast Ion Transport in Li-Rich Alloy Anode for High-Energy-Density All Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries

All-solid-state Li batteries (ASSLBs) with solid-polymer electrolytes are considered promising battery systems to achieve improved safety and high energy density. However, Li dendrite formation at the Li anode under high charging current density/capacity has limited their development. To tackle the issue, Li-metal alloying has been proposed as an alternative strategy to suppress Li dendrite growth in ASSLBs. One drawback of alloying is the relatively lower operating cell voltages, which will inevitably lower energy density compared to cells with pure Li anode. Herein, a Li-rich Li₁₃In₃ alloy electrode (LiRLIA) is proposed, where the Li₁₃In₃ alloy scaffold guides Li nucleation and hinders Li dendrite formation. Meanwhile, the free Li can recover Li's potential and facilitate fast charge transfer kinetics to realize high-energy-density ASSLBs. Benefitting from the stronger adsorption energy and lower diffusion energy barrier of Li on a Li₁₃In₃ substrate, Li prefers to deposit in the 3D Li₁₃In₃ scaffold selectively. Therefore, the Li–Li symmetric cell constructed with LiRLIA can operate at a high current density/capacity of 5 mA cm⁻²/5 mAh cm⁻² for almost 1000 h.     

Half tunnels along hill roads of Himalaya—an innovative approach

‘Half tunnels,’ which are excavated as overhangs within steep slopes of hard rocks, have an advantage over conventional full tunnels or open excavations in that they involve less cost and time. However, due to a lack of interest and their uncommon occurrence, the design and analysis of half tunnels have remained by and large unexplored. In the present paper, an effort has been made to study some of the half tunnels in the Middle and the Higher Himalaya in India. In addition to studying the geology of half tunnels, rock mass properties pertaining to Q and RMR for the rocks exposed around the half tunnel have been evaluated. The Markland test has been carried out to assess the probability of plane or wedge failures along the slopes in the half tunnel area. The results obtained have been again confirmed by analyzing the data with the help of a computer program . Both analyses suggest that the wedges are stable and that all the half tunnels analyzed are safe. Finite element analyses for different slopes and spans of half tunnels have been carried out to study the distribution of stresses around half tunnels. The range of maximum tensile stress concentration in the roof of half tunnels for different slopes is suggested.     

Synthesis of ethyl propionate catalyzed by poly(N‐AEAAm‐co‐AAc)‐cl‐MBAm hydrogel‐immobilized lipase of Bacillus coagulans MTCC‐6375

A purified alkaline thermotolerant bacterial lipase of Bacillus coagulans MTCC‐6375 was efficiently immobilized onto poly(N‐AEAAm‐co‐AAc‐cl‐MBAm)‐hydrogel at pH 8.5 and at temperature 55°C in 16 h. The hydrogel‐bound matrix possessed 1.04 U/g (matrix) lipase activity with a specific activity of 1.8 U/mg of protein. The immobilized lipase resulted in formation of 52.5 mM of ethyl propionate (52% conversion) at 55°C in 9 h in n‐nonane. Ethanol and propionic acid when used in a ratio of 300 : 100 mM, respectively, in n‐nonane along with 10 mg of hydrogel‐bound lipase resulted in optimal synthesis of ethyl propionate (82.5 mM). Addition of molecular sieves (3 Å, 0.7 g/reaction volume) further enhanced the conversion rate to 82.4% resulting in 83.5 mM of ethyl propionate. Incubation temperature below or above 55°C had a marked effect on the synthesis of ethyl propionate. However, esterification performed in n‐heptane at 65°C resulted in 87.5 mM of ethyl propionate with a conversation rate of 89.3%. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007     

A multicenter community study on the efficacy of double-fortified salt

BACKGROUND: Iron and iodine deficiencies affect more than 30% of the world's population. Typical Indian diets contain adequate amounts of iron, but the bioavailability is poor. This serious limiting factor is caused by low intake of meat products rich in heme iron and intake of phytates in staple foods in the Indian diet, which inhibits iron absorption. OBJECTIVE: To test the stability of double-fortified salt (DFS) during storage and to assess its efficacy in improving the iron and iodine status of the communities. METHODS: The stability of both iodized salt and DFS during storage for a 2-year period was determined. The bioefficacy of DFS was assessed in communities covering three states of the country for a period of 1 year. This was a multicenter, single-blind trial covering seven clusters. The experimental group used DFS and the control group used iodized salt. The salts were used in all meals prepared for family members, but determination of hemoglobin by the cyanmethemoglobin method was performed in only two or three members per family, and not in children under 10 years of age (n = 393 and 436 in the experimental and control groups, respectively). The family size was usually four or five, with a male: female ratio of 1:1, consisting of two parents with two or three children. Hemoglobin was measured at baseline, 6 months (midpoint), and 12 months (endpoint). Urinary iodine was measured in only one cluster at baseline and endpoint. All the participants were dewormed at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. RESULTS: The iron and iodine in the DFS were stable during storage for 2 years. Over a period of 1 year, there was an increase of 1.98 g/dL of hemoglobin in the experimental group and 0.77 g/dL of hemoglobin in the control group; the latter increase may have been due to deworming. The median urinary iodine changed from 200 microg/dL at baseline to 205 microg/dL at the end of the study in the experimental group and from 225 microg/dL to 220 microg/dL in the control group. There was a statistically significant (p < .05) improvement in the median urinary iodine status of subjects who were iodine deficient (urinary iodine < 100 microg/L) in both the experimental and the control groups, a result showing that DFS was as efficient as iodized salt in increasing urinary iodine from a deficient to sufficient status. There was a statistically significant increase (p < .05) in hemoglobin in all seven clusters in the experimental group compared with the control. CONCLUSIONS: The iron and iodine in the DFS are stable in storage for 2 years. The DFS has proved beneficial in the delivery of bioavailable iron and iodine.     

Synthesis and optical characterization of novel Sr3Ga2O6:Eu phosphor

Alkaline earth metal gallets have been identified as an important ceramic material. The crystal chemistry of many of these gallets is well explored; however, very rare studies regarding optical properties of rare earth (RE) ions doped in such gallets, particularly in Sr₃Ga₂O₆ host, have been carried out. The present study reports on synthesis and characterization of novel Sr₃Ga₂O₆:Eu³⁺ phosphors. The phosphors have been synthesized using a conventional solid state reaction method. Crystal structure, morphology and luminescence properties (excitation, emission and CIE coordinate) of these phosphors have been studied as a function of sintering temperature and Eu³⁺ concentration. X-ray diffraction study reveals that the phosphor sintered at low temperature (900 °C) contains an impurity phase which is removed at higher sintering temperatures and results into cubic crystalline phase of Sr₃Ga₂O₆. Particle size of the phosphor increases with an increase in sintering temperature which results to a red shift in the peak position of excitation band lying in a broad range from 250 to 370 nm. Optimum emission intensity is attained for 0.12 mol% concentration of Eu³⁺ ions; above this concentration, a quenching in emission intensity is observed.     

Photoinitiated oxidation of heterophasic ethylene–propylene copolymers. I. Comparison of oxidation products

Detailed photoproducts from photoirradiation of heterophasic ethylene-propylene copolymers and their fractions have been compared by infrared spectroscopy combined with chemical derivatization. The oxidized films were treated with gaseous NH₃, SF₄, and NO for the rapid identification and resolution of the various carbonyl species, alcohols, and hydroperoxides. The photoproduct formation depends upon the composition of the sample. The heterogeneities in thin films were also determined by micro FTIR spectroscopy. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Numerical simulation of viscous fingering of shear‐thinning fluids

The viscous fingering instability of miscible shear‐thinning fluids has been examined using a pseudo‐spectral numerical technique based on the Hartley transform. The instability was studied for a flow in a rectilinear Hele‐Shaw cell, and the shear‐thinning character of the fluids has been modelied using the Carreau equation. New mechanisms of viscous fingering not previously observed in the case of similar Newtonian flow displacements have been identified. These mechanisms, which are reminiscent of the fractal patterns observed in experimental studies, were interpreted in terms of the velocity‐dependent mobility of the flow.     

Characterization of SiO2–Na2O–Fe2O 3–CaO–P2O 5–B 2O 3 glass ceramics

Bioactivity and magnetic properties were investigated in glass and glass ceramics based on the SiO₂–Na₂O–Fe₂O₃–CaO–P₂O₅–B₂O₃ system to find their suitability as thermoseed for hyperthermia treatment of cancer. The effect of change in compositions on bioactivity was examined in simulated body fluids. The glass ceramic samples exhibit Na₃CaSi₃O₈ and Na_3-XFe_XPO₄ phases. After dipping the glass ceramic samples in simulated body fluids silica hydrogel first forms, followed by an amorphous calcium phosphate layer. Magnetic and microwave resonance experiments further demonstrate the potential of these glass ceramics for possible use in hyperthermia.     

Spectrochemical studies on charge transfer bands due to d0, d5 and d10 ions in a sodium silicate glass

Titanium, vanadium and copper are normally present in glasses in their variable valency states but only Ti⁴⁺ (3d⁰), V⁵⁺ (3d⁰) and Cu⁺ (3d¹⁰) ions were found to exhibit charge transfer bands in glasses in the ultra-violet region of light. The molar extinction coefficients of these ions were calculated at their wavelength maxima in a 30Na₂O·70SiO₂ glass using Beer's-Bouger's equation and the intensities of their bands were found to lie of the order of around 10³ gm mol lit^–1cm^–1. The values of the molar extinction coefficients for these ions were compared with those of Ce⁴⁺ (5d⁰), Cr⁶⁺ (3d⁰) and Fe³⁺ (3d⁵) ions calculated earlier in 30Na₂O·70SiO₂ glass at their wavelength maxima in UV-region. The mechanism of electronic transition was suggested as L M, M L and M L M charge transfer available till date as a result of absorption of high energy UV-radiation extensively for d⁰, d⁵ and d¹⁰ ions respectively in glass depending upon the glass melting conditions. The low energy tail, of the UV-bands due to all these ions were found to obey Urbach's Rule in the present sodium silicate glass. The intensities of the charge transfer bands due to these ions are expected to depend upon their nature and symmetries, electronic configurations and wavelength of maximum absorption in the glass.     

Conformation Analysis of GalNAc‐Appended Sugar Amino Acid Foldamers as Glycopeptide Mimics

Sugar amino acid (SAA)‐based foldamers with well‐defined secondary structures were appended with N‐acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) sugars to access sequence‐defined, multidentate glycoconjugates with full control over number, spacing and position. Conformation analysis of these glycopeptides by extensive NMR spectroscopic studies revealed that the appended GalNAc units had a profound influence on the native conformational behaviour of the SAA foldamers. Whereas the 2,5‐cis glycoconjugate showed a helical structure in water, comprising of two consecutive 16‐membered hydrogen bonds, its 2,5‐trans congener displayed an unprecedented 16/10‐mixed turn structure not seen before in any glycopeptide foldamer.