Role of spacer chain length in dimeric micellar organization. Small angle neutron scattering and fluorescence studies

Micelles of different dimeric amphiphiles Br-, n-C(16)H(33)NMe(2)(+) -(CH)(m)-N(+)Me(2)-n-C16H33, Br- (where m = 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, and 12) adapt different morphologies and internal packing arrangements in aqueous media depending on their spacer chain length (m). Detailed measurements of small angle neutron scattering (SANS) cross sections from different bis-cationic, dimeric surfactant micelles in aqueous media (D2O) are reported. The data have been analyzed using the Hayter and Penfold model for macro ion solution to compute the interparticle structure factor S(Q) taking into account the screened Coulomb interactions between the dimeric micelles. The SANS analysis clearly indicated that the extent of aggregate growth and the variations of shapes of the dimeric micelles depend primarily on the spacer chain length. With spacer chain length, m less than or equal to 4, the propensity of micellar growth was particularly pronounced. The effects of the variation of the concentration of dimeric surfactants with m = 5 and 10 on the SANS spectra and the effects of the temperature variation for the micellar system with m = 10 were also examined. The critical micelle concentrations (cmc) and their microenvironmental feature, namely, the microviscosities that the dimeric micellar aggregates offer to a solubilized, extrinsic fluorescence probe, 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene, were also determined. The changes of cmcs and microviscosities as a function of spacer chain length have been explained in terms of conformational variations and progressive looping of the spacer in micellar core upon increasing m values.

Transport properties, structure, and radiation induced defect studies in amorphous carbon films

Amorphous conducting carbon films are prepared by plasma assisted chemical vapour deposition and their d.c. conductivity (similar to 100 Scm(-1)) is studied from 300K down to 4.2K. The films were irradiated by high energy ion beam(I+13, 170 MeV) with a dose of 10(13) ions/cm(2). As a result a marked decrease in conductivity by two to three orders in magnitude was observed. The structural changes and the defects in the films caused by ion irradiation are studied using photoluminescence, persistent photoconductivity, and ESR spectroscopy.

Effect of wall emissivities on radiation heat transfer in glass tank forehearths

In an earlier work, we had proposed a two-band, non-grey radiative transfer model for heat transfer in forehearths with simultaneous optically thick and thin approximations for molten glass interiors and at boundaries. Here using the same model, the radiative interaction of the top-crown and bottom-refractory walls with interior layers of shallow molten glass is studied by varying the wall emissivities. The forehearth exit temperature profiles for higher wall emissivities (0.9) show better conditioning of the glass for white flint glasses (optically thin).

Small-angle neutron scattering studies of different mixed micelles composed of dimeric and monomeric cationic surfactants

Measurements of small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) cross sections from different mixed micelles composed of CTAB and Br-, n-C16H33N+Me2-(CH2)(m)N+Me2-n-C16H33, Br- (16-m-16, 2Br(-), where m = 3, 5, and 10), in aqueous media (D2O) are reported. The data have been analyzed using the Hayter and Penfold model for macroion solution to compute the interparticle structure factor S(Q) taking into account the screened Coulomb interactions between the micelles. The aggregate composition matches with that predicted from an ideal mixing model. The SANS analysis further indicates that the extent of aggregate growth and the Variations of shapes of the mixed micelles could be modulated by the amount of dimeric surfactant present in these mixtures. With the spacer chain length m less than or equal to 4 in the dimeric surfactant, the propensity of micellar growth is particularly pronounced. The effect of the variation of the temperature for the mixed micellar system (23.1 mol % of 16-3-16, 2Br(-)) was also examined. The systemic microviscosities that the mixed micellar aggregates offer to a solubilized, extrinsic fluorescence probe, 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene, were determined. The variation of the microviscosities of the mixed micelles as a function of percentages of the dimeric surfactants could be explained in terms of conformational variations and progressive looping of the spacer chain of dimeric surfactants in mixed micellar aggregates with increasing m values.

Local environmental structures of Mo in the superionic conducting glass (AgI)(0.6)(Ag2MoO4)(0.4) by anomalous X-ray scattering

The anomalous X-ray scattering (AXS) method using Mo K absorption edges has been employed for obtaining the local structural information of superionic conducting glass having the composition (AgI)(0.6)(Ag2MoO4)(0.4). The possible atomic arrangements in the near-neighbor region of this glass were estimated by coupling the results with the least-squares variational analysis so as to reproduce the differential intensity profile for Mo as well as the ordinary scattering profile. The coordination number of oxygen around Mo is found to be about 4 at the distance of 0.180 mn. This implies that the most probable structural entity in the glass is the MoO4 tetrahedral unit which has been proposed based on infrared spectroscopy. The value of the coordination number of I- around Ag+ is estimated as 4.4 at 0.287 nm, suggesting an arrangement similar to that of crystalline or molten AgI.

Micellar structures of dimeric surfactants with phosphate head groups and wettable spacers: A small-angle neutron scattering study

Dimeric or gemini surfactants consist of two hydrophobic chains and two hydrophilic head groups covalently connected by a hydrophobic or hydrophilic spacer. This paper reports the small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements from aqueous micellar solutions of two different recently developed types of dimeric surfactants: (i) bis-anionic C16H33PO4--(CH2)(m)-PO4-C16H33,2Na(+) dimeric surfactants composed of phosphate head groups and a hydrophobic polymethylene spacer, referred to as 16-m-16,2Na(+), for spacer lengths m = 2, 4, 6, and 10, (ii) bis-cationic C16H33N+(CH3)(2)-CH2-(CH2-O-CH2)(p)-CH2-N+ (CH3)(2)C16H33,2Br(-) dimeric surfactants composed of dimethylammonium head groups and a wettable polyethylene oxide spacer, referred to as 16-CH2-p-CH2-16,2Br(-), for spacer lengths p = 1 - 3. The micellar structures of these surfactants are compared with the earlier studied bis-cationic C16H33N+ (CH3)(2)-(CH2)(m)-N+ (CH3)(2)C16H33,2Br(-) dimeric surfactants composed of dimethylammonium head groups and a hydrophobic polymethylene spacer, referred to as 16-m-16,2Br(-). It is found that 16-m-16,2Na(+), similar to 16-m-16,2Br(-), form various micellar structures depending on the spacer length. Micelles an disklike for rn = 2, rodlike for m = 4, and prolate ellipsoidal fur m = 6 and 10. The micelles of 16-CH2-p-CH2-16,2Br(-) are prolate ellipsoidal for all the values of p = 1 - 3. It is also found that micelles of 16-m-16,2Na(+) and 16-CH2-p-CH2-16,2Br(-) are large in comparison to those of 16-in-16,2Br(-) for similar spacer lengths. This is connected with the fact that both in 16-m-16,2Na(+) and 16-CH2-p-CH2-16,2Br(-), the head group or the spacer is more hydrated as compared to that in the 16-m-16,2Br(-). An increase in the hydration of the spacer or the head group increases the screening of the Coulomb repulsion between the charged head groups. This effect has been found to be more pronounced in the dimeric surfactants having wettable spacers. [S1063-651X(99)00303-7].

Radiation induced modifications on microstructure and related properties of high temperature superconductor YBCO

Role of swift heavy ion irradiation on the modification of transport and structural properties of high temperature superconductors is studied. Good quality YBCO thin films prepared by high pressure oxygen sputtering and laser ablation were used in this investigation. Resistivity and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were mainly used to probe superconducting and microstructural modifications resulted from the irradiation of high energy and heavy ions like 100 MeV oxygen and 200 MeV silver. Radiation induced sputtering or erosion is likely to be a major disastrous component of such high energy irradiation that could be powerful in masking phase coherence effects, atleast in grain boundaries. The extent of damage/nature of defects other than columnar defects produced by swift heavy ions is discussed in the light of AFM measurements. The effect of high energy oxygen ion irradiation is anomalous. A clear annealing effect at higher doses is seen. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Synergistic effect of UVB radiation and age on HMPS enzymes in rat lens homogenate

The behaviour of rat lenticular enzymes, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogena.se (G6PD, EC: 1.1.1.49) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD, EC: 1.1.1.44) as a function of age and UVB irradiation (in vitro) was investigated by irradiating the lens homogenate from 3-and 12-month-old rats at 300 nm (100 μW cm 2). In the 3-month-old group the specific activities of G6PD and 6PGD were reduced by 26% and 42%, respectively, after 24 h of irradiation, whereas in the 12-month-old group the decrease was 38% and 49% respectively, which suggests that the susceptibility of HMPS enzymes to UVB damage is higher in older lenses. The decrease in specitic activity was associated with a change in apparent Km and Vmax (marginal in 3 months and significant in 12 months) of these enzymes due to UVB irradiation. UVB irradiation also decreased the levels of NADPH and NADPH/NADP ratio. These changes, altered activities of G6PD and 6PGD and altered levels of NADPH. may in turn have a bearing on lens transparency.

Photoelectron spectroscopy beamline on Indus-1 synchrotron radiation source

We describe here a photoelectron spectroscopy beamline installed on Indus-1 storage ring. Initially we give a brief description of optical and mechanical layout of beam-line. The beamline optics was designed to cover energy range from 10 eV to 200 eV and it consists of a pre-focusing mirror, a toroidal grating monochromator and a post-focusing mirror. We then discuss indigenously developed ultra high vacuum compatible work station to carry out angle integrated photoemission experiments. The beamline has been successfully commissioned and photoemission measurements on a variety of standard samples are presented.

Solution combustion synthesis of gamma(L)-Bi(2)MoO(6) and photocatalytic activity under solar radiation

The facile method of solution combustion was used to synthesize gamma(L)-Bi(2)MoO(6). The material was crystallized in a purely crystalline orthorhombic phase with sizes varying from 300 to 500 nm. Because the band gap was 2.51 eV, the degradation of wide variety of cationic and anionic dyes was investigated under solar radiation. Despite the low surface area (< 1 m(2)/g) of the synthesized material, gamma(L)-Bi(2)MoO(6) showed high photocatalytic activity under solar radiation due to its electronic and morphological properties. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Roy equation analysis of ππ scattering

We analyse the Roy equations for the lowest partial waves of elastic ππ scattering. In the first part of the paper, we review the mathematical properties of these equations as well as their phenomenological applications. In particular, the experimental situation concerning the contributions from intermediate energies and the evaluation of the driving terms are discussed in detail. We then demonstrate that the two S-wave scattering lengths a00 and a02 are the essential parameters in the low energy region: Once these are known, the available experimental information determines the behaviour near threshold to within remarkably small uncertainties. An explicit numerical representation for the energy dependence of the S- and P-waves is given and it is shown that the threshold parameters of the D- and F-waves are also fixed very sharply in terms of a00 and a20. In agreement with earlier work, which is reviewed in some detail, we find that the Roy equations admit physically acceptable solutions only within a band of the (a00,a02) plane. We show that the data on the reactions e+e−→ππ and τ→ππν reduce the width of this band quite significantly. Furthermore, we discuss the relevance of the decay K→ππeν in restricting the allowed range of a00, preparing the grounds for an analysis of the forthcoming precision data on this decay and on pionic atoms. We expect these to reduce the uncertainties in the two basic low energy parameters very substantially, so that a meaningful test of the chiral perturbation theory predictions will become possible.

Characterization of vesicles from ion-paired gemini surfactants by small angle neutron scattering

Detailed small angle neutron scattering ( SANS) studies were carried out with the aqueous vesicular (unilamellar) suspension of dimeric ion-paired lipids (2a-2c) for spacer lengths corresponding to n-values of 2, 6 and 10 and monomeric ion-paired lipid (3) below and above the phase transition temperature of each amphiphile. The vesicular structure strongly depends on the spacer chain length. The mean vesicle size is smallest for the lipid with a short spacer, n = 3 and it increases with the increase in the spacer chain length. The bilayer thickness also decreases with the increase in the spacer chain length. The size polydispersity increases with the increase in the spacer chain length (n-value).

Determination of critical micelle concentration by hyper-Rayleigh scattering

The critical micelle concentration (CMC) of several surfactants that contain an NLO chromophore, either at the hydrocarbon tail, or at the hydrophilic headgroup, or even as a counterion, was determined by hyper-Rayleigh scattering (HRS). In all cases, the HRS signal exhibited a similar variation with surfactant concentration, wherein the CMC is inferred from a rather unprecedented drop in the signal intensity. This drop is attributed to the formation of small pre-micellar aggregates, whose concentrations become negligible above CMC. In addition, a probe molecule, which upon protonation yielded a species with significantly enhanced HRS intensity, was developed and its utility for the determination of the CIVIC of simple fatty acids was demonstrated.

On the solution of the problem of scattering of surface water waves by a sharp discontinuity in the surface boundary conditions

Closed-form analytical expressions are derived for the reflection and transmission coefficients for the problem of scattering of surface water waves by a sharp discontinuity in the surface-boundary-conditions, for the case of deep water. The method involves the use of the Havelock-type expansion of the velocity potential along with an analysis to solve a Carleman-type singular integral equation over a semi-infinite range. This method of solution is an alternative to the Wiener-Hopf technique used previously.

Radiation resistance of PFN and PNM-PT relaxor ferroelectrics

The relaxor ferroelectric compositions Pb(Fe1/2Nb1/2)O-3 (PEN) and [Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3](0.8)-[PbTiO3](0.2) (PMN-PT) are studied for their radiation response to the high energy heavy ions (50 MeV Li3+, fluence 1 X 10(13)-1 X 10(14) ions/cm(2)) in terms of their structural, dielectric and piezoelectric properties. There was no change in the crystallinity of both the compositions after irradiation as seen from the XRD. The PEN composition did not show much change in the dielectric constant but the value of T-m decreased by 8degreesC. The PMN-PT composition showed an increase in the dielectric constant with increase in the irradiation fluence from 1 x 10(13) to 1 X 10(14) ions/cm(2) with no change in the value of T-m. The piezoelectric coefficient decreased in both the samples after irradiation. Among the compositions studied, PEN is observed to be more radiation resistant to changes in structural and dielectric properties than PM-PT. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.