An evaluation of fuelwood properties of some Aravally mountain tree and shrub species of Western India

The study analyses the fuelwood characteristics of 26 trees including shrub species from the dry deciduous forest in Aravally region, Rajasthan, Western India was carried out to explore trees with potential for fuelwood production. Fuelwood value index (FVI) based on the properties of calorific value, wood density and ash. Calorific value was ranged between 18.54 ± 0.04 and 27.44 ± 0.09 KJ g⁻¹ in Jatropha curcus and Wrightia tinctoria respectively. Wood density varied from 0.538 ± 0.01 to 0.966 ± 0.07 g/cm³ in J. curcus and Acacia nilotica. Same way ash and moisture content was highest in J. curcus (3.38 ± 0.19%) and Sterculia urens (70.28 ± 7.52%) and lowest in Miliusa tomentosa (0.85 ± 0.06%) and Azadirachta indica (30.7 ± 10.02%) respectively. On the basis, of the 26 species analyzed, M. tomentosa has the highest FVI, followed by Lannea coromandelica, Acacia leucophloea, Madhuca indica, A. nilotica, W. tinctoria, Butea monosperma, Zizyphus nummularia, S. urens, Boswellia serrata, A. indica, Grewia tenax, Syzygium cuminii, Tectona grandis and Dalbergia sissoo were shown to have promising fuelwood production.     

Theoretical and Experimental Insight into the Mechanism for Spontaneous Vertical Growth of ReS2 Nanosheets

Rhenium disulfide (ReS₂) differs fundamentally from other group‐VI transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) due to its low structural symmetry, which results in its optical and electrical anisotropy. Although vertical growth is observed in some TMDs under special growth conditions, vertical growth in ReS₂ is very different in that it is highly spontaneous and substrate‐independent. In this study, the mechanism that underpins the thermodynamically favorable vertical growth mode of ReS₂ is uncovered. It is found that the governing mechanism for ReS₂ growth involves two distinct stages. In the first stage, ReS₂ grows parallel to the growth substrate, consistent with conventional TMD growth. However, subsequent vertical growth is nucleated at points on the lattice where Re atoms are “pinched” together. At such sites, an additional Re atom binds with the cluster of pinched Re atoms, leaving an under‐coordinated S atom protruding out of the ReS₂ plane. This under‐coordinated S is “reactive” and binds to free Re and S atoms, initiating growth in a direction perpendicular to the ReS₂ surface. The utility of such vertical ReS₂ arrays in applications where high surface‐to‐volume ratio and electric‐field enhancement are essential, such as surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy, field emission, and solar‐based disinfection of bacteria, is demonstrated.     

Study of pyro-carbon coated alumina kernel using mixed contrast transfer based X-ray phase retrieval technique

We have used the contrast transfer function based X-ray phase retrieval technique for phase retrieval studies on a two-component system. Pyro-carbon coated alumina matrix was chosen as a two-component system for these studies. Simulations as well as experimental results are presented. This paper shows that X-ray phase contrast along with phase retrieval can become an alternative tool for non-destructive characterization of these materials. We have also attempted to retrieve the spatial distribution of the projected thickness map of the two different elements.     

Laser-Deposited In Situ TiC-Reinforced Nickel Matrix Composites: 3D Microstructure and Tribological Properties

A new class of Ni-Ti-C-based metal-matrix composites has been developed using the laser-engineered net shaping? process. These composites consist of an in situ formed and homogeneously distributed titanium carbide (TiC) phase reinforcing the nickel matrix. Additionally, by tailoring the Ti/C ratio in these composites, an additional graphitic phase can also be engineered into the microstructure. Serial-sectioning, followed by three-dimensional reconstruction of the microstructure in these composites, reveals homogeneously distributed primary and eutectic titanium carbide precipitates as well as a graphitic phase encompassing the primary carbides within the nickel matrix. The morphology and spatial distribution of these phases in three dimensions reveals that the eutectic carbides form a network linked by primary carbides or graphitic nodules at the nodes, which suggests interesting insights into the sequence of phase evolution. These three-phase Ni-TiC-C composites exhibit excellent tribological properties, in terms of an extremely low coefficient of friction while maintaining a relatively high hardness.     

Simplified Impedance Model for Adhesively Bonded Piezo-Impedance Transducers

The electromechanical impedance technique employs surface-bonded lead zirconate titanate piezoelectric ceramic patches as impedance transducers for structural health monitoring and nondestructive evaluation. The patches are bonded to the monitored structures using finitely thick adhesive bond layer, which introduces shear lag effect, thus invariably influencing the electromechanical admittance signatures. This paper presents a new simplified impedance model to incorporate shear lag effect into electromechanical admittance formulations, both one-dimensional and two-dimensional. This provides a closed-form analytical solution of the inverse problem, i.e. to derive the true structural impedance from the measured conductance and susceptance signatures, thus an improvement over the existing models. The influence of various parameters (associated with the bond layer) on admittance signatures is investigated using the proposed model and the results compared with existing models. The results show that the new model, which is far simpler than the existing models, models the shear lag phenomenon reasonably well besides providing direct solution of a complex inverse problem.     

A relativistic two-parameter core-envelope model of compact stars

A core-envelope model for a spherical superdense distribution of matter is reported, with a core consisting of anisotropic fluid engulfed by an envelope containing fluid with isotropic pressure is reported. The background space-time of the whole configuration is characterized by a two-parameter parabolic geometry. The physical plausibility of the model is examined both analytically and numerically, and suitability of the model for describing space-times of superdense stars containing strange matter, such as Her-X1 and SAX, is also discussed.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Some Triphenyltin(IV) Complexes from Sterically Crowded [((E)-1-{2-Hydroxy-5-[(E)-2-(aryl)-1-diazenyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]acetate Ligands and Crystal Structure Analysis of a Tetrameric Triphenyltin(IV) Compound

Four new triphenyltin(IV) complexes containing [((E)-1-{2-hydroxy-5-[(E)-2-(aryl)-1-diazenyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]acetate ligands (L) have been synthesized with formulations of Ph₃SnLH. They have been studied by multinuclear (¹H, ¹³C, ¹¹⁹Sn) NMR, ¹¹⁹Sn M?ssbauer and IR spectroscopy. A full characterization of one complex, Ph₃SnL¹H (1), was accomplished by single crystal X-ray crystallography, which revealed the compound to be a macrocyclic tetramer. In the tetramer, the five coordinate tin atoms have distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometries with the three phenyl groups occupying equatorial positions, while an oxygen atom of the carboxylate group of one L ligand and the oxide O-atom (formerly the hydroxy group) of a second L ligand in an apical positions. The carboxylate ligands bridge adjacent tin atoms and coordinate in the zwitterionic form with the phenolic proton moved to the nearby nitrogen atom. ¹¹⁹Sn NMR results indicate that the tetrameric structures of the complexes in the solid state, in which the tin atoms are five-coordinated, dissociate in solution to yield four coordinate monomeric species.