Nanosize stabilization of cubic and tetragonal phases in reactive plasma synthesized zirconia powders

Pure zirconium oxide powders with particle size 2–33 nm are synthesized by reactive plasma processing. Transmission electron microscopy investigation of these particles revealed size dependent behavior for their phase stabilization. The monoclinic phase is found to be stable when particle size is ≥20 nm; Tetragonal is found to be stabilized in the range of 7–20 nm and as the particle size decreases to 6 nm and less, the cubic phase is stabilized.     

Hierarchical Metal/Semiconductor Nanostructure for Efficient Water Splitting

A hierarchically patterned metal/semiconductor (gold nanoparticles/ZnO nanowires) nanostructure with maximized photon trapping effects is fabricated via interference lithography (IL) for plasmon enhanced photo‐electrochemical water splitting in the visible region of light. Compared with unpatterned (plain) gold nanoparticles‐coated ZnO NWs (Au NPs/ZnO NWs), the hierarchically patterned Au NPs/ZnO NWs hybrid structures demonstrate higher and wider absorption bands of light leading to increased surface enhanced Raman scattering due to the light trapping effects achieved by the combination of two different nanostructure dimensions; furthermore, pronounced plasmonic enhancement of water splitting is verified in the hierarchically patterned Au NPs/ZnO NWs structures in the visible region. The excellent performance of the hierarchically patterned Au NPs/ZnO NWs indicates that the combination of pre‐determined two different dimensions has great potential for application in solar energy conversion, light emitting diodes, as well as SERS substrates and photoelectrodes for water splitting.     

Small‐Angle Neutron Scattering Study of Plutonium Third Phase Formation in 30% TBP/HNO3/Alkane Diluent Systems

Abstract

Third phase formation in the extraction of Pu(IV) nitrate by 30% tri‐n‐butyl phosphate (TBP) dissolved in n‐dodecane or in the highly branched diluent hydrogenated polypropylene tetramer (HPT), which may also be known as 4,4 dipropyl heptane or tétrapropylène hydrogéné, was investigated through small‐angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements. The SANS data were interpreted using the Baxter model for hard‐spheres with surface adhesion. According to this model, the increase in scattering intensity observed when increasing amounts of Pu(NO₃)₄ are extracted into the organic phase, is due to interactions between small reverse micelles containing three to five TBP molecules. In n‐dodecane, the micelles interact through attractive forces between their polar cores with a potential energy of up to ?2.6 k_BT. This strong intermicellar attraction leads to organic phase splitting with the separation of most of the solutes of the original organic phase into a distinct phase containing interspersed layers of n‐dodecane. When HPT is the diluent, the intermicellar attraction energy calculated from the SANS data is much lower, and no third phase formation is observed under comparable chemical conditions. However, when a significant amount of the initial aqueous plutonium is in the form of plutonyl ions, PuO₂ ²⁺, the critical energy potential is reached even in HPT. A potential explanation of the effect of Pu(VI) involves the formation of a plutonyl trinitrato complex.     

AGGREGATION OF P,P' -DI( 2-ETHYLHEXYL) METHANEDIPHOSPHONIC ACID AND ITS Fe(III) COMPLEXES ∗

ABSTRACT

The aggregation of P,P' -di( 2-ethylhexyl) methanediphosphonic acid, H2DEH[ MDP] dissolved in deuterated toluene has been investigated by small angle neutron scattering ( SANS) The title compound was shown to exist in solution as a dimer under all conditions. Dimer formation is independent of the acidity of the aqueous solution with which the organic solution is pre-equilibrated. Solutions of H₂ DEH[ MDP] containing increasing amounts of Fe( lll) extracted from aqueous solutions in the acidity range from 0.1 to 5 M were also investigated. The SANS results confirm the tendency of H2DEH[ MDP] -Fe( III) species in aromatic diluents to form rod-like aggregates characteristic by a constant cross section and a length which increases with increasing amounts of metal in the organic phase. Particle growth is independent of the acidity of the aqueous solutions from which the metal is extracted. These results are important for understanding the chemistry underlying the solvent extraction behavior H₂DEH[ MDP] and its practical application in separation procedures.     

Effect of particle size on the mechanical properties of reaction bonded boron carbide ceramics

In the present communication, effect of boron carbide particle size on the mechanical properties such as hardness, fracture toughness and flexural strength of reaction bonded boron carbide (RBBC) ceramics were investigated. RBBC composites were produced by the reactive infiltration of molten silicon into porous preform containing boron carbide and free carbon. Boron carbide powders with mean particle size of 18.65 μm, 33.70 μm and 63.35 μm were chosen for the RBBC composites. The experimental results show that hardness increases from 1261.70±64.74 kg/mm² to 1674.90±100.00 kg/mm² and fracture toughness drops from 5.76±0.26 MPa m^1/2 to 3.4±0.37 MPa m^1/2. However, flexural strength decreases from 403.41±5.70 MPa to 256.15±25.05 MPa with the increase in particle size. Indentation induced cracks in RBBC are mainly median type and number of cracks increase with the increase of starting particle size.     

A Systematic Review on Techniques Adapted for Segmentation and Classification of Ischemic Stroke Lesions from Brain MR Images

A life threatening medical condition occurs when arteries that supplies blood to the brain gets blocked resulting in Ischemic Stroke. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays major role in diagnosis of brain stroke at early stages. Manual detection of stroke lesions by medical experts is time-consuming, expensive, and susceptible to intra- and inter-observer variability. Accurate detection of stroke lesions from brain MRI, the challenging task requires development of automated computer aided diagnostic techniques. This paper aims at reviewing the state of art techniques currently available fulfilling the above objectives, their merits and limitation. Through this review we figure out the modifications that need to be carried out in future to develop best automated diagnostic tool which performs better and mitigates all the pitfalls in current literatures.

     

Nano-crystalline titanium dioxide formed by reactive plasma synthesis

Nano-crystalline titanium dioxide finds extensive applications in photocatalytic degradation of harmful organic compounds pollutants in air and water. Synthesis and characterization of nano-crystalline TiO₂ powder by reactive thermal plasma synthesis is presented here. Processing was carried out in a plasma reactor designed and developed in our laboratory. TiH₂ powder was used as the precursor, which was injected into the thermal plasma jet along with air as the reactive gas. TiH₂ particles, as they traverse the plasma jet, react with oxygen to form nano-sized TiO₂ powder. Nano-sized TiO₂ was also synthesized using Ti powder as the precursor. X-ray diffraction results showed complete conversion of the precursor into oxide. More than 75% of TiO₂ formed was present as anatase. TEM showed well-resolved nano-sized particles with more than 70% lying in the range of a few nanometer to 20 nm. The powder has been used to study photocatalytic degradation of dye.