Structural,morphological, and optical properties of tin(Ⅳ) oxide nanoparticles synthesized using Camellia sinensis extract: a green approach

Tin oxide (SnO2) nanoparticles were cost-effectively synthesized using nontoxic chemicals and green tea (Camellia sinensis) extract via a green synthesis method.The structural properties of the obtained nanoparticles were studied using X-ray diffraction,which indicated that the crystallite size was less than 20 nm.The particle size and morphology of the nanoparticles were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.The morphological analysis revealed agglomerated spherical nanoparticles with sizes varying from 5 to 30 nm.The optical properties of the nanoparticles' band gap were characterized using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy.The band gap was found to decrease with increasing annealing temperature.The O vacancy defects were analyzed using photoluminescence spectroscopy.The increase in the crystallite size,decreasing band gap,and the increasing intensities of the UV and visible emission peaks indicated that the green-synthesized SnO2 may play future important roles in catalysis and optoelectronic devices.     

Structural,compositional and mineralogical characterization of carbonatitic copper sulfide: Run of mine,concentrate and tailings

The aim of this study was to determine the structural, compositional, and mineralogical composition of carbonatitic copper sulfide concentrator plant streams. Three samples, each from a different stream(run of mine(ROM), concentrate, and tailings) of a copper concentrator were characterized using various techniques, including stereomicroscopy, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared(FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy(SEM) in conjunction with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS), and optical microscopy. The results reveal that each stream possesses its own unique compositional features. Carbonate minerals associated with calcite and dolomite, followed by quartz, remain the major minerals in both the ROM and tails streams. In the ROM stream, chalcopyrite appears to occur as veins within the carbonatite-hosting ore body. Mineral phase mutation was discovered in the tails stream because magnetite formerly identified in the ROM as the primary iron oxide had evolved into hematite. This metamorphosis was likely promoted by the concentration process. The concentration process was effective, upgrading the chalcopyrite content from 2 wt% in the ROM stream to 58 wt% in the concentrate stream; it was accompanied by bornite(4 wt%), anilite(3 wt%), and digenite(2.5 wt%). In addition, the concentrate stream exhibited properties distinctive from those of the other streams. The FTIR analysis showed the existence of a sulfide group related to the chalcopyrite mineral. Free chalcopyrite grains were observed in the concentrate by SEM analysis, and their mineral presence was supported by the EDS analysis results. All characterization techniques corresponded well with each other regarding the structure, chemistry, and composition of the samples.     

Wolves in sheep’s clothing: three new cases of aggressive mimicry in Red Sea coral reef fishes

ABSTRACT

Here we document three cases of mimicry in coral reef fishes not previously reported in the literature involving two groupers (Epinephelus leucogrammicus and Plectropomus marisrubri) and a soapfish (Diploprion drachi) as mimics, and two wrasses (Larabicus quadrilineatus and Cheilinus quinquecinctus) and a blenny (Meiacanthus nigrolineatus) as models. All three cases are of aggressive mimicry, with a predatory species mimicking a harmless one, and in one of the cases, the mimicry is also Müllerian, where both the predator and harmless species are unpalatable.     

Liquid marbles.

The transport of a small amount of liquid on a solid is not a simple process, owing to the nature of the contact between the two phases. Setting a liquid droplet in motion requires non-negligible forces (because the contact-angle hysteresis generates a force opposing the motion), and often results in the deposition of liquid behind the drop. Different methods of levitation-electrostatic, electromagnetic, acoustic, or even simpler aerodynamic techniques-have been proposed to avoid this wetting problem, but all have proved to be rather cumbersome. Here we propose a simple alternative, which consists of encapsulating an aqueous liquid droplet with a hydrophobic powder. The resulting 'liquid marbles' are found to behave like a soft solid, and show dramatically reduced adhesion to a solid surface. As a result, motion can be generated using gravitational, electrical and magnetic fields. Moreover, because the viscous friction associated with motion is very small, we can achieve quick displacements of the droplets without any leaks. All of these features are of potential benefit in microfluidic applications, and also permit the study of a drop in a non-wetting situation-an issue of renewed interest following the recent achievement of super-hydrophobic substrates.     

On-chip natural assembly of silicon photonic bandgap crystals.

Photonic bandgap crystals can reflect light for any direction of propagation in specific wavelength ranges. This property, which can be used to confine, manipulate and guide photons, should allow the creation of all-optical integrated circuits. To achieve this goal, conventional semiconductor nanofabrication techniques have been adapted to make photonic crystals. A potentially simpler and cheaper approach for creating three-dimensional periodic structures is the natural assembly of colloidal microspheres. However, this approach yields irregular, polycrystalline photonic crystals that are difficult to incorporate into a device. More importantly, it leads to many structural defects that can destroy the photonic bandgap. Here we show that by assembling a thin layer of colloidal spheres on a silicon substrate, we can obtain planar, single-crystalline silicon photonic crystals that have defect densities sufficiently low that the bandgap survives. As expected from theory, we observe unity reflectance in two crystalline directions of our photonic crystals around a wavelength of 1.3 micrometres. We also show that additional fabrication steps, intentional doping and patterning, can be performed, so demonstrating the potential for specific device applications.     

Immune recognition. A new receptor for beta-glucans.

The carbohydrate polymers known as beta-1,3-d-glucans exert potent effects on the immune system - stimulating antitumour and antimicrobial activity, for example - by binding to receptors on macrophages and other white blood cells and activating them. Although beta-glucans are known to bind to receptors, such as complement receptor 3 (ref. 1), there is evidence that another beta-glucan receptor is present on macrophages. Here we identify this unknown receptor as dectin-1 (ref. 2), a finding that provides new insights into the innate immune recognition of beta-glucans.     

Discovery of 40Mg and 42Al suggests neutron drip-line slant towards heavier isotopes

A fundamental question in nuclear physics is what combinations of neutrons and protons can make up a nucleus. Many hundreds of exotic neutron-rich isotopes have never been observed; the limit of how many neutrons a given number of protons can bind is unknown for all but the lightest elements, owing to the delicate interplay between single particle and collective quantum effects in the nucleus. This limit, known as the neutron drip line, provides a benchmark for models of the atomic nucleus. Here we report a significant advance in the determination of this limit: the discovery of two new neutron-rich isotopes--40Mg and 42Al--that are predicted to be drip-line nuclei. In the past, several attempts to observe 40Mg were unsuccessful; moreover, the observation of 42Al provides an experimental indication that the neutron drip line may be located further towards heavier isotopes in this mass region than is currently believed. In stable nuclei, attractive pairing forces enhance the stability of isotopes with even numbers of protons and neutrons. In contrast, the present work shows that nuclei at the drip line gain stability from an unpaired proton, which narrows the shell gaps and provides the opportunity to bind many more neutrons.