Polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene (PE) samples were treated with argon and oxygen plasmas. Microwave Electron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR) was used to generate the argon and oxygen plasmas and these plasmas were used to modify the surface of the polymers. The samples were processed at different microwave powers and treatment time and the surface modification of the polymer was evaluated by measuring the water contact angle of the samples before and after the modification. Decrease in the contact angle was observed with the increase in the microwave power for both polystyrene and polyethylene. Plasma parameters were assessed using Langmuir probe measurements.Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed the evidence for the induction of oxygen based functional groups in both polyethylene and polystyrene when treated with the oxygen plasma. Argon treatment of the polymers showed improvement in the wettability which is attributed to the process called as CASING, on the other hand the oxygen plasma treatment of the polymers showed surface functionalization. Correlation between the plasma parameters and the surface modification of the polymer is also discussed * Corresponding author: gmrao@isu.iisc.ernet.in

This paper deals with the reactive sputtering of titanium in an argon and oxygen mixture. The variation in cathode potential as a function of oxygen partial pressure has been explained in terms of cathode poisoning effects. The titania films deposited during this process have been studied for their structural and optical characteristics. The effect of substrate temperature (from 25 to 400 °C) and annealing (from 250 to 700 °C) on the packing density, refractive index, extinction coefficient, and crystallinity has been investigated. The refractive index varied from 2.24 to 2.46 and extinction coefficient from 2.6 × 10−3 to 10.4× 10−3 at 500 nm as the substrate temperature increased from 25 to 400 °C. The refractive index increased from 2.19 to 2.35 and extinction coefficient changed from 3.2× 10−3 to 11.6 × 10−3 at 500 nm as the annealing temperature was increased from 250 to 700 °C. Anatase and rutile phases have been observed in the films deposited at 400 °C substrate temperature and annealed at 300 °C. The changes in the optical constants at higher substrate temperature have been attributed to an increase in packing density, oxygen content, and crystallinity of the films.

No abstract

No abstract

In the present study synthesis of BaTi1-xCrxO3 nanocatalysts (x = 0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.05) by conventional oxalate and microwave assisted hydrothermal synthesis methods was carried out to investigate the effect of synthesis methods on the physicochemical and catalytic properties of nanocatalysts. These catalysts were thoroughly characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), N2 physisortion, and total acidity by pyridine adsorption method. Their catalytic performance was evaluated for the reduction of nitrobenzene using hydrazine hydrate as the hydrogen source. Structural parameters refined by Rietveld analysis using XRD powder data indicate that BaTi1-xCrxO3 conventional catalysts were crystallized in the tetragonal BaTiO3 structure with space group P4mm, and microwave catalysts crystallized in pure cubic BaTiO3 structure with space group Pm3̅m. TEM analysis of the catalysts reveal spherical morphology of the particles, and these are uniformly dispersed in microwave catalysts whereas agglomeration of the particles was observed in conventional catalysts. Particle size of the microwave catalysts is found to be 20-35 nm compared to conventional catalysts (30-48 nm). XPS studies reveal that Cr is present in the 3+ and 6+ mixed valence state in all the catalysts. Microwave synthesized catalysts showed a 4-10-fold increase in surface area and pore volume compared to conventional catalysts. Acidity of the BaTiO3 catalysts improved with Cr dopant in the catalysts, and this could be due to an increase in the number of Lewis acid sites with an increase in Cr content of all the catalysts. Catalytic reduction of nitrobenzene to aniline studies reveals that BaTiO3 synthesized by microwave is very active and showed 99.3% nitrobenzene conversion with 98.2% aniline yield. The presence of Cr in the catalysts facilitates a faster reduction reaction in all the catalysts, and its effect is particularly notable in conventional synthesized catalysts.