Freestanding chemiresistive polymer composite ribbons as high-flux sensors

Chemiresistive polymer composite ribbons that function as chemical detectors were produced from solution-cast films of polymers and carbon composites. An array with multiple polymer sensor threads was exposed to dimethyl methyl phosphonate, a nerve agent simulant, and different interferents in the vapor phase. Principal component analysis was used to differentiate between the analytes. The response of the ribbon sensors as a function of the carbon composite and the host polymer source was investigated. The freestanding threads/sensors were mounted into a cell perpendicular to the gas flow to provide little pressure drop and were imbedded into fabrics to provide an example of a small, low-cost, wearable chemical sensor. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Catalytic effect of bis (cyclopentadienyl) nickel II on the improvement of the hydrogenation-dehydrogenation of Mg-MgH2 system

Bis(cyclopentadienyl) nickel II is one of the best precursors of nickel catalyst which remarkably improved the hydrogen absorption-desorption of Mg–MgH₂ system. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Furrier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses revealed that bis (cyclopentadienyl) nickel II decomposed into metallic nickel during ball milling with MgH₂. The nickel thus formed has homogeneously doped over the Mg - MgH₂ surface. The Ni-doped Mg-MgH₂ have shown the excellent catalytic effect on hydrogen absorption-desorption. The catalyzed MgH₂ could desorb hydrogen below 225 °C (T_onset) under Ar flow, and absorb hydrogen at 50 °C under 1.5 MPa H₂ pressure. The hydrogen absorption-desorption temperatures are remarkably decreased as compared to the uncatalyzed Mg-MgH₂ system under the identical experimental conditions.     

Capturing new developments in an emerging technology: an updated search strategy for identifying nanotechnology research outputs

Bibliometric analysis of publication metadata is an important tool for investigating emerging fields of technology. However, the application of field definitions to define an emerging technology is complicated by ongoing and at times rapid change in the underlying technology itself. There is limited prior work on adapting the bibliometric definitions of emerging technologies as these technologies change over time. The paper addresses this gap. We draw on the example of the modular keyword nanotechnology search strategy developed at Georgia Institute of Technology in 2006. This search approach has seen extensive use in analyzing emerging trends in nanotechnology research and innovation. Yet with the growth of the nanotechnology field, novel materials, particles, technologies, and tools have appeared. We report on the process and results of reviewing and updating this nanotechnology search strategy. By employing structured text-mining software to profile keyword terms, and by soliciting input from domain experts, we identify new nanotechnology-related keywords. We retroactively apply the revised evolutionary lexical query to 20 years of publication data and analyze the results. Our findings indicate that the updated search approach offers an incremental improvement over the original strategy in terms of recall and precision. Additionally, the updated strategy reveals the importance for nanotechnology of several emerging cited-subject categories, particularly in the biomedical sciences, suggesting a further extension of the nanotechnology knowledge domain. The implications of the work for applying bibliometric definitions to emerging technologies are discussed.     

First-principles studies of the superconductivity and vibrational properties of transition-metal nitrides TMN (TM = Ti,V, and Cr)

The present paper reports the structural, electronic, phonon and thermodynamical properties of some transition-metal nitrides (TMN: TiN, VN and CrN) by means of first-principles calculations. The computed equilibrium lattice constant and bulk modulus agree well with the available experimental and theoretical data. The electronic band structure and density of states calculations show metallic nature. The phonon frequencies are positive throughout the Brillouin zone for these compounds in rocksalt structure indicating dynamical stability. The calculated electron–phonon coupling constant λ and superconducting transition temperature agree reasonably well with the available experimental data. These compounds behave as a conventional phonon-mediated superconductor. Within the GGA and quasi-harmonic approximation, thermodynamical properties are also investigated.     

Home Security System Using Wireless Sensors Network

Wireless Personal Communications - In this paper, we propose a smart and robust home security system. This is for intrusion detection along with a proprietary Android application. Intruder-Spi...     

Redefined SI Units and Their Implications

Metrology plays the key role as the engine of industrial revolution and growth of any country. It promotes global competence and confidence. With the advent of better quality products through metrological advancement, our industries can compete internationally and to overcome trade barriers/constraints and finally to achieve exports targets. This translates into growth of industries through rapid industrialization, economic growth and societal upliftment. The metrology requires continued and sustained efforts to cater the stakeholders’ demands for advancements in measurement technologies, standards and measurement techniques for more and more precise, reliable, reproducible and accurate measurements with improved measurement uncertainties. In this context, the recent revolutionary changes in redefinition of SI units based on fundamental constants were unanimously voted for adoption by world community during November 16, 2018, at Versailles, France, and implemented world over from May 20, 2019—the World Metrology Day. Therefore, it was considered appropriate to compile a brief status report and apprise the readers about these historical events. The present paper touches glimpse of some of these activities and describes the implications of these changes in our daily life.