Quality and high yield synthesis of Ag nanowires by microwave-assisted hydrothermal method

Silver nanowires (Ag-NWs) were obtained using microwave-assisted hydrothermal method (MAH). The main advantage of the method is its high NWs production which is greater than 90%. It is also easy, fast, and highly reproducible process. One of the drawbacks presented so far in the synthesis of nanostructures by polyol path is the high temperature used in the process, which is superior than the boiling point of solvent (ethylene glycol), and also its excessive reaction time. Here, Ag-NWs with diameters of 70 to 110 nm were synthesized in 5 min in large quantities. Results showed that dimensions and shape of nanowires were very susceptible to changes with reaction parameters. The reactor power and reactor fill capacity were important for the synthesis. It was found that the reaction time needs to be decreased because of the NWs which start to deform and break up due to significant increase in the pressure's system. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and electron diffraction analysis (SAED) did not show corresponding phases of AgO. Some aspects about synthesis parameters which are related to the percent yield and size of nanowires are also discussed

Superconductivity at 31 K in 111 type iron arsenide superconductor NaxFeAs induced by pressure

The effect of pressure on superconductivity of 111 type NaxFeAs is investigated through temperature dependent electrical resistance measurement in a diamond anvil cell. The superconducting transition temperature (Tc) increases from 26 K to a maximum 31 K as the pressure increases from ambient to 3 GPa. Further increasing pressure suppresses Tc drastically. The behavior of pressure tuned Tc in NaxFeAs is much different from that in LixFeAs, although they have the same Cu2Sb type structur

Hydrothermal liquefaction of lignocellulosic biomass for production of biooil and by-products

In this chapter, the current state of the art for hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of lignocellulosic biomass is discussed in detail. Lignocellulosic biomass is a promising alternative to fossil fuels for the production of energy and chemicals due to its sustainability and abundance. In recent decades, extensive research has been applied to various thermochemical technologies to convert lignocellulosic biomass into value-added products. Among different technologies, HTL is considered to be one of the most effective methods for producing biofuels and bio-based chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass. The primary by-products of the HTL process include (1) biooil, (2) biochar, (3) gas, and (4) aqueous crude. Currently, only a few HTL processes have been expanded from laboratory to industrial scale. The status of the studies on the HTL of lignocellulosic biomass is critically reviewed in this chapter. In particular, the effect of HTL on the biooil production from biomass has been discussed briefly. © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Pressure-induced superconductivity in BaFe

The evolution of pressure-induced superconductivity in single crystal as well as polycrystalline samples of BaFe2As2 have been investigated through temperature-dependent electrical resistivity studies in the 0–7 GPa pressure range. While the superconducting transition remains incomplete in the polycrystalline sample, a clear pressure-induced superconductivity with zero resistivity at the expense of magnetic transition, associated with spin density wave (SDW), is observed in the single-crystal sample. The superconducting transition temperature $(T_{{\rm C}})$ is seen to increase upto a moderate pressure of about ~ 1.5 GPa and decreases monotonically beyond this pressure. The SDW transition temperature $T_{{\rm SDW}}$ decreases rapidly with increasing pressure and vanishes above ~ 1.5 GPa

Spectroscopic (FT-IR, FT-Raman, NMR and UV–visible), ADMET and molecular docking investigation of aztreonam as anti-tuberculosis agent

The FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra was recorded within the range of 4000 -500 cm−1 and compared with the theoretically obtained spectra. The 13C and 1H NMR chemical shifts have been calculated using the GIAO technique, and the output has been compared with experimental data. The optimized molecular structure and stability analysis of the aztreonam compound have been calculated by the DFT/B3LYP/6–311++G(d,p) level of theory. The molecular electrostatic potential, chemical descriptors, and HOMO-LUMO energies were also calculated. The in silico pharmacological evaluation shows that the title molecule exhibit drug-likeness, and ADMET properties. The ADMET results also indicate that the molecule can be employed in anti-tuberculosis treatments to discover new drugs. Furthermore, molecular docking analyses have been performed to understand the most active binding sites of the compound with the target protein. The molecules are docked with the PknB protein, with free binding energy values of Aztreonam is -7.25 and Mitoxantrone is -6.79 kcal/mol