Low-temperature green synthesis of boron carbide using aloe vera

The unique structural and physical properties of boron carbide, which make it suitable for a wide range of applications,demands the development of low-cost and green synthesis method. In the present work, the commonly available leaves of aloe vera are hydrothermally treated to form the carbon precursor for the synthesis of boron carbide. The morphological characterization reveals the porous nature of the precursor turning into a tubular structure upon boron carbide formation.The structural characterization by x-ray diffraction and other spectroscopic techniques such as Fourier transform infrared,Raman, photoluminescence and uv-visible near-infrared spectroscopy confirm the formation of boron carbide. The thermogravimetric analysis of the sample is found to exhibit good thermal stability above 500 °C. When the sample is annealed to 600 °C, boron carbide with phase purity is obtained, which is confirmed through XRD and FTIR analyses. The optical emission properties of the sample are studied through CIE plot and power spectrum. Compared with other natural precursors for boron carbide, the aloe vera is found to give a good yield above 50%.

Laser-induced thermal lens study of the role of morphology and hydroxyl group in the evolution of thermal diffusivity of copper oxide

The paper explores the evolution of thermal behavior of the material by studying the variations in thermal diffusivity using the single beam thermal lens(TL) technique. For this purpose, the decomposition of Cu(OH)_(2) into CuO is studied in a time range up to 120 h, by subjecting the sample to morphological, structural, and spectroscopic characterizations. The time evolution of thermal diffusivity can be divided into three regions for demonstrating the dynamics of the reaction. When the reaction is complete, the thermal diffusivity is also found to be saturated. In addition to the morphological modifications,from rods to flakes, the variations in the amount of hydroxyl group are attributed to be responsible for the enhancement of base fluid's thermal diffusivity by 165%. Thus the study unveils the role of hydroxyl groups in the thermal behavior of CuO.

How graph features decipher the soot assisted pigmental energy transport in leaves?A laser-assisted thermal lens study in nanobiophotonics

The paper employs the principles of graph theory in nanobiophotonics, where the soot-assisted intra-pigmental energy transport in leaves is unveiled through the laser-induced thermal lens(TL) technique. Nanofluids with different soot concentrations are sprayed over Lablab purpureus(L) sweet leaves, and the extracted pigments are analyzed. The graph features of the constructed complex network from the TL signal of the samples are analyzed to understand their variations with optical absorbance. Besides revealing the presence of optimum soot concentration that can enhance photosynthesis,the study brings out the potential application of graph features in nanobiophotonics.

Hidden periodicity in Stripe 82 with Saraswati supercluster—a fractal analysis

The manuscript attempts to explore the periodicity in the distribution of galaxies in the recently reported Saraswati supercluster and the Stripe 82 region containing it as an example.The report of 120 Mpc periodicity in the Abell galaxy clusters by power spectrum analysis is the motivation behind the study.The power spectral analysis across the central part of the Stripe 82 region shows a periodic variation of 3.09°or 71 Mpc in fractal dimension whereas an average angular periodicity of 3.45°or 94 Mpc is observed across the Stripe 82 region.This refers to the periodicity of complexity or cluster density of galaxy distribution.The texture of the distribution pattern understood through lacunarity analysis indicates a near symmetric distribution.Fractal dimensions like box-counting dimension,information dimension and correlation dimension are also found through multifractal analysis.While the information dimension tells about the distribution density of galactic points,the correlation dimension details the distribution of galaxies in the neighbourhood.