We report on the full control of phononic band diagrams for periodic stacks of alternating layers of poly(methyl methacrylate) and porous silica combining Brillouin light scattering spectroscopy and theoretical calculations. These structures exhibit large and robust on-axis band gaps determined by the longitudinal sound velocities, densities, and spacing ratio. A facile tuning of the gap width is realized at oblique incidence utilizing the vector nature of the elastic wave propagation. Off-axis propagation involves sagittal waves in the individual layers, allowing access to shear moduli at nanoscale. The full theoretical description discerns the most important features of the hypersonic one-dimensional crystals forward to a detailed understanding, a precondition to engineer dispersion relations in such structures.

We employ spontaneous Brillouin light scattering spectroscopy and detailed theoretical calculations to reveal and identify elastic excitations inside the band gap of hypersonic hybrid superlattices. Surface and cavity modes, their strength and anticrossing are unambiguously documented and fully controlled by layer thickness, elasticity, and sequence design. This new soft matter based superlattice platform allows facile engineering of the density of states and opens new pathways to tunable phoxonic crystals.

The anticorrosion activity of biferrocenyl Schiff bases on AA2219-T6 in acidic medium were studied using Tafel polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, weight loss analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopic technique.

Many natural materials are complex composites whose mechanical properties are often outstanding considering the weak constituents from which they are assembled. Nacre, made of inorganic (CaCO3 ) and organic constituents, is a textbook example because of its strength and toughness, which are related to its hierarchical structure and its well-defined organic-inorganic interface. Emulating the construction principles of nacre using simple inorganic materials and polymers is essential for understanding how chemical composition and structure determine biomaterial functions. A hard multilayered nanocomposite is assembled based on alternating layers of TiO2 nanoparticles and a 3-hydroxy-tyramine (DOPA) substituted polymer (DOPA-polymer), strongly cemented together by chelation through infiltration of the polymer into the TiO2 mesocrystal. With a Young's modulus of 17.5 ± 2.5 GPa and a hardness of 1.1 ± 0.3 GPa the resulting material exhibits high resistance against elastic as well as plastic deformation. A key feature leading to the high strength is the strong adhesion of the DOPA-polymer to the TiO2 nanoparticles.

This research endeavor aimed to develop thin film blends of polypyrrole (PPy) and poly (styrene-isoprene-styrene) (SIS) with MoO3 as a nanofiller for improved mechanical and electrical properties to widen its scope in the field of mechatronics. This study reports blends of polypyrrole (PPy) and poly (styrene-isoprene-styrene) (SIS) tri-block copolymer showing improved mechanical and electrical attributes while employing MoO3 nanobelts as nanofillers that additionally improves the abovementioned properties in the ensuing nanocomposites. The synthesis of PPy/SIS blends and MoO3/PPy/SIS nanocomposites was well corroborated with XRD, SEM, FTIR, and EDS analysis. Successful blending of PPy was yielded up to 15 w/w% PPy in SIS, as beyond this self-agglomeration of PPy was observed. The results showed a remarkable increase in the conductivity of insulating SIS copolymer from 1.5 × 10−6.1 to 0.343 Scm−1 and tensile strength up to 8.5 MPa with the 15 w/w% PPy/SIS blend. A further enhancement of the properties was recorded by embedding MoO3 nanobelts with varying concentrations of the nanofillers into 15 w/w% PPy/SIS blends. The mechanical strength of the polymeric nanocomposites was enhanced up to 11.4 MPa with an increase in conductivity up to 1.51 Scm−1 for 3 w/w% MoO3/PPy-SIS blends. The resultant product exhibited good potential for electro-mechanical dual applications.

Nanometer‐sized crystallites of Y‐type strontium hexaferrite, Sr2Ni2Fe12O22 and its Mn‐ and Cr‐doped derivatives have been synthesized by the sol–gel method. Y‐type phase formation was achieved at a considerably lower temperature of 950°C than is required in the traditional solid‐state method (1200°C). The effect of doping of manganese at the tetrahedral site, Sr2Ni2−xMnx Fe12O22 (x=0.0–2.0), and chromium at octahedral site, Sr2Ni2 Fe12−yCryO22 (y=0.0–1.5), has been studied. The crystal structure remains unaffected by the substitutions. The crystallite size in the range of 13–45 nm is calculated from the X‐ray diffraction data. The energy‐dispersive X‐ray fluorescence analysis shows that Y‐type hexaferrites can be prepared with a base of strontium. The extent of doped Cr+3 ions at the octahedral site has been increased from the reported maximum value of y=1.5. Scanning electron micrographs of the samples showed a homogenous microstructure. The dc electrical resistivity studies show that these hexaferrites exhibit high resistivity at room temperature. Cr‐doped samples have comparatively higher resistivity than Mn‐doped samples. The doubly doped (Cr+Mn) samples possess high resistivity (7.37 × 109Ω‐cm), a low dielectric constant (33.88 at 3000 Hz), and a high Curie temperature (>698 K). The dielectric energy losses are minimized by increasing the Mn and Cr contents of the synthesized samples.

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The present research work describes the synthesis of five new ligands containing pyridinium amine, [H 2 L 1 ] [OTf] 2 -[H 2 L 5 ][I] 2 from two new precursors, [P 3 Et ][I] and [P 2 Me ][CF 3 SO 3 ]. The structure elucidations of the compounds were confirmed by multinuclear NMR ( 1 H, 13 C), FT-IR and by single crystal XRD techniques. Theoretical DFT studies were carried out to get better insight into the electronic levels and structural features of all the molecules. These synthesized new Pro-PYE ligands [H 2 L 1 ][OTf] 2 -[H 2 L 5 ][I] 2 were found to be significantly active as co-catalysts for Pd(CH 3 CO 2 ) 2 toward Heck-Mizoroki coupling reactions with wide substrate scope in the order