Nonlocal elasticity based magnetic field affected vibration response of double single-walled carbon nanotube systems

peer-reviewedThe behaviour of carbon nanotubes in a magnetic field has attracted considerable attention in the scientific community. This paper reports the effects of a longitudinal magnetic field on the vibration of a magnetically sensitive double single-walled carbon nanotube system (DSWNTS). The two nanotubes of the DSWNTS are coupled by an elastic medium. The dynamical equations of the DSWNTS are derived using nonlocal elasticity theory. The two nanotubes are defined as an equivalent nonlocal double-Euler-Bernoulli beam system. Governing equations for nonlocal bending-vibration of the DSWNTS under a longitudinal magnetic field are derived considering the Lorentz magnetic force obtained from Maxwell's relation. An analytical method is proposed to obtain nonlocal natural frequencies of the DSWNTS. The influence of (i) nanoscale effects and (ii) strength of longitudinal magnetic field on the synchronous and asynchronous vibration phase of the DSWNTS is examined. Nonlocal effects with and without the effect of magnetic field are illustrated. Results reveal the difference (quantitatively) by which the longitudinal magnetic field affects the nonlocal frequency in the synchronous and asynchronous vibration modes of a DSWNTS. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4720084]PUBLISHEDpeer-reviewe

Intense violet–blue emission and paramagnetism of nanocrystalline Gd3+ doped ZnO ceramics

Nanocrystalline Zn1-xGdxO (x = 0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, and 0.08) ceramics were synthesized by ball milling and subsequent solid-state reaction. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) micrograph of as synthesized samples revealed the formation of crystallites with an average diameter of 60 nm, and the selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern confirmed the formation of wurtzite structure. A red shift in the band gap was observed with increasing Gd3+ concentration. The photoluminescence of nanocrystalline Gd3+ doped ZnO exhibited a strong violet–blue emission. Concentration dependence of the emission intensity of Gd3+ in ZnO was studied, and the critical concentration was found to be 4 mol% of Gd3+. The Gd3+ doped ZnO exhibited paramagnetic behavior at room temperature, and the magnetic moment increased with Gd3+ concentration

Dynamic stability of a nonlinear multiple-nanobeam system

We use the incremental harmonic balance (IHB) method to analyse the dynamic stability problem of a nonlinear multiple-nanobeam system (MNBS) within the framework of Eringen’s nonlocal elasticity theory. The nonlinear dynamic system under consideration includes MNBS embedded in a viscoelastic medium as clamped chain system, where every nanobeam in the system is subjected to time-dependent axial loads. By assuming the von Karman type of geometric nonlinearity, a system of m nonlinear partial differential equations of motion is derived based on the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory and D’ Alembert’s principle. All nanobeams in MNBS are considered with simply supported boundary conditions. Semi-analytical solutions for time response functions of the nonlinear MNBS are obtained by using the single-mode Galerkin discretization and IHB method, which are then validated by using the numerical integration method. Moreover, Floquet theory is employed to determine the stability of obtained periodic solutions for different configurations of the nonlinear MNBS. Using the IHB method, we obtain an incremental relationship with the frequency and amplitude of time-varying axial load, which defines stability boundaries. Numerical examples show the effects of different physical and material parameters such as the nonlocal parameter, stiffness of viscoelastic medium and number of nanobeams on Floquet multipliers, instability regions and nonlinear amplitude–frequency response curves of MNBS. The presented results can be useful as a first step in the study and design of complex micro/nanoelectromechanical systems

Prenatal Excess Glucocorticoid Exposure and Adult Affective Disorders:A Role for Serotonergic and Catecholamine Pathways

Fetal glucocorticoid exposure is a key mechanism proposed to underlie prenatal ‘programming’ of adult affective behaviours such as depression and anxiety. Indeed, the glucocorticoid metabolising enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11β-HSD2), which is highly expressed in the placenta and the developing fetus, acts as a protective barrier from the high maternal glucocorticoids which may alter developmental trajectories. The programmed changes resulting from maternal stress or bypass or from the inhibition of 11β-HSD2 are frequently associated with alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Hence, circulating glucocorticoid levels are increased either basally or in response to stress accompanied by CNS region-specific modulations in the expression of both corticosteroid receptors (mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptors). Furthermore, early-life glucocorticoid exposure also affects serotonergic and catecholamine pathways within the brain, with changes in both associated neurotransmitters and receptors. Indeed, global removal of 11β-HSD2, an enzyme that inactivates glucocorticoids, increases anxiety‐ and depressive-like behaviour in mice; however, in this case the phenotype is not accompanied by overt perturbation in the HPA axis but, intriguingly, alterations in serotonergic and catecholamine pathways are maintained in this programming model. This review addresses one of the potential adverse effects of glucocorticoid overexposure in utero, i.e. increased incidence of affective behaviours, and the mechanisms underlying these behaviours including alteration of the HPA axis and serotonergic and catecholamine pathways