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In this work, the gas sensing properties of ZnS/Porous silicon heterostructures have been investigated. . Zinc sulfide(ZnS) with high gas sensing performance is successfully synthesized over the Porous silicon substrate by the spray pyrolysis method. The properties of the as-prepared samples were characterized X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform spectrum (FTIR) and optical properties. The results reveal that the properties of the ZnS/Porous silicon heterostructures enhanced when the when the ZnS concentration is increased. The performance ZnS/Porous silicon as a gas-sensing show that the maximum sensitivity is found to be 5.11 at ZnS concentration of 0.5 M and etching time of 15 min compared to the other sensitivities. The ZnS-PSi heterojunction based gas sensor may be used for UV-light photo-detectors due to a valuable properties such as high sensitivity and fast response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Researchers, prompted by the toxicity and side effects associated with cisplatin, are exploring alternative approaches for developing transition metal-based anticancer agents. Employing a green biochemical approach, we transformed Nickel pyridine dicarboxylic acid compounds into the nanoscale using the aqueous extract of Macrotyloma uniflorum (horse gram). Results: Characterization of the biosynthesized nanoparticles involved electronic and IR spectroscopy. A scanning electron microscope revealed a predominant spherical shape for most Nickel nanoparticles (Ni-NPs), with XRD patterns indicating particle sizes ranging from approximately 30–150 nm. The nanoparticles were evaluated for their free radical scavenging efficiency and in vitro anti-malignant properties against HeLa and A549 cancer cell lines. Numerical optimization of the DPPH and MTT assays was conducted using response surface methodology (RSM), focusing on the effects of 3,4-pyridine dicarboxylic acid (ML1), 2,4-pyridine dicarboxylic acid (ML2), nickel nanoparticles concentration, and temperature. In this investigation, the incorporation of Horse Gram seed extract (Macrotyloma uniflorum) has unveiled its abundance in phenolic and flavonoid compounds, widely acknowledged for their robust antioxidant activity in the existing literature. Conclusion: The present study highlights the potential for refining the bio-toxicity and biochemical attributes of Ni-NPs to pave the way for a new generation of versatile anticancer agents with clinically established efficacy. Notably, the anticipated data closely corresponds with experimental outcomes, reinforcing the trustworthiness and validity of the RSM model for examining anticancer and antioxidant properties in this context. ML2 exhibited heightened antioxidant and anticancer activities in comparison to ML1 nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The economic spray pyrolysis process were used to prepare Zinc oxide thin films. Ahigh - quality thin film is obtained by optimizing factors that include concentration, flow rate, nozzle to substrate distance. The temperature is differed between 350°C to 450°C. The structural and optical qualities were studied through physical investigation. According to XRD, the films have a hexagonal crystal structure. A scanning electron microscope reveals the material's uniform deposition &adhesion across a glass substrate. A direct band gap of about 2.4 to 2.6 eV was obtained for different temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural fibers derived from cellulose and ligno-celluloses materials have many advantages, such as being renewable, low density, inexhaustible, and cheap rather than synthetic fibers. Researchers and scientists are searching for a new fiber source that can be processed environmentally sustainable. The aim is to produce an organic and Eco-friendly product. The present investigation aims to extract and characterize ligno-cellulosic fiber from the seedpod of Wrightia tinctoria (WT) and Cebia pentandra (CP) plants. The extraction of WT fibers (WTFs) and CP fibers (CPFs) was carried out using the hand-stripping method. The structural and functional Characterization of WTFs and CPFs were determined using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction studies (XRD), and the thermal behavior of fibers determined by using Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA). The results indicated that WTFs composed of 75% cellulose, 14% lignin, and 0.55% wax content were, as the CPFs were composed of 38% cellulose, 15% lignin, and wax content of 2.34%. The SEM micrograph confirms that both fibers were hollow structures with thin cell walls and luminous because of the wax content presence on the surface of the fiber. The crystallinity percentage of WTFs and CPFs was calculated from XRD studies and is valued at 62% and 52%. Thermo gravimetric analysis revealed that WTFs and CPFs were thermally stable up to 460°C and 350°C. The above characterization results confirm that WTFs and CPFs have a wide scope in textile and polymer composite applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chloride ions play an important role in the corrosion of bronze through their active reactivity to copper alloys. The corrosion behavior of bronze alloys in NaCl solution was investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and electrochemical tests, with a special emphasis on the corrosion resistance of the α and δ phases in Cu-20 wt%Sn bronze alloys. The experimental results show that the corrosion current density of Cu-20 wt%Sn bronze alloys increases from 1.1 × 10−7 A/cm2 to 2.7 × 10−6 A/cm2 with the increase in the chloride ion concentration from 10−3 mol/L to 1 mol/L. After a soaking duration of 30 days, the matrix corrosion depth reaches 50 μm. The α phase of the alloys is easily corroded in NaCl solution, while the δ phase with high Sn content has strong corrosion resistance. This study provides relevant data for the analysis and protection of ancient bronze alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contact surface corrosion of friction high-strength bolt (FHSB) joints was analyzed to examine the characteristics of corrosion products and influence factors in steel bridges. Samples were selected from the Dongying Shengli Yellow River Bridge, which has been in service for 33 years. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were utilized to analyze the microscopic morphology and chemical composition of the corroded surface of the samples. The study identifies that construction quality issues accelerate corrosion of the contact surface and that the contact surface of the aluminum spraying layer transforms from rugged and dense to smooth and porous as corrosion increases. The findings also suggest that the friction coefficient of the FHSB connection node initially decreases and then increases as the corroded surface changes. Corrosion products contained S, Cl, Mn, Si, FeS, and their oxides, indicating that atmospheric, industrial, and Yellow River soil environments contribute to joint corrosion. The study proposes sandblasting and coating the corroded contact surface and deck steel plate with inorganic zinc-rich paint to prevent media penetration and delay substrate corrosion. Adopting ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) as the deck structure is also recommended to reduce top plate tensile stress, deck cracking, and media invasion. This study provides insights into the characteristics and mechanisms of FHSB joint corrosion to aid the maintenance, repair, and protection of steel bridges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In construction Industries, superior fresh and hardened concrete qualities play a significant role in which self-compacting concrete (SCC) is widely introduced. On the other hand, considering the depletion of river sand, manufactured sand (M-sand), created by crushing rock deposits, has been recognized as viable. However, still, there is a lack of understanding of the strength aspect of SCC with M-sand replacement along with admixtures such as Alccofine and silica fume. Therefore, experimental investigations are conducted in SCC by partially and completely replacing river sand with M-sand. Furthermore, to reduce the negative impacts of cement, such as energy consumption and environmental pollution, 10% and 12% pozzolanic materials were added, such as silica fumes and alccofine. Moreover, to examine the impacts on rheological and mechanical properties, EFNARC guidelines were used and measured the compressive strength, impact resistance, bond strength, and flexural and splitting tensile strengths. The test results indicate that incorporating the M-sand as a full replacement in the mix increased the compressive strength by 6.82% for M50 grades of concrete compared to reference SCC after a 28-day curing period. Microstructural analyses such as SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope), EDS (Energy-Dispersive Spectroscopy), XRD (X-ray diffraction), and FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) techniques were also used to study the hydration phase of the M-sand SCC mix when compared to the conventional SCC mix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To obtain ZrO2 and ZrO2+N2 thin films was used magnetron sputtering in radio frequency mode in a 10-6 mbar high vacuum deposition chamber. Silicon and carbon substrates measuring 12x15mm were used for deposition. The used magnetron system was composed of a single water-cooled cathode, provided with one circular targets of ZrO2 (2 mm thick and 50 mm in diameter) of high purity (99.95%). TDS Analysis of the films was performed. The desorbed species were observed with a QMG 220 Mass spectrometer provided with a W filament. It can be observed that in the case of the ZnO2 film, nitrogen desorption registers two maxima with signal intensity of 9.7x10-12 and 9.0x10-12, reached after 2000s and 4900s respectively. In the case of ZrO2+N2 film, nitrogen desorption shows a pronounced maximum with a signal intensity of 2.4x10-11 reached after 6000s. The topology the ZrO2 and ZrO2+N2 samples deposited on Si substrates have been investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) using a FEI Inspect S scanning electron microscope (Hillsboro, Oregon, OR, USA) in high-vacuum modes. For the ZrO2 deposition, the surface appears to have grain-like topology, with a mean dimension of around 150 nm. These structures do not appear for the ZrO2+N2 deposition. Instead, for the ZrO2+N2 sample, small blisters (between 300 nm and 1.000nm) have formed on the surface, as a consequence of injecting N2 during the deposition. Cross-section measurements were also performed to establish the layer thickness. The ZrO2 sample has a measured thickness of 1950nm, while the introduction of N2 gas for the ZrO2+N2 sample had a poisoning effect on the magnetron target that led to a decrease (5 times) in deposition rate, giving this sample a final thickness of 365nm (compared to 1950nm) for the same deposition The crystalline structure was investigated using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) method. The experimental set-up was composed of a diffractometer equipped with a Cu-Kα X-ray sourse, with a specific wavelength of 0.154nm, in a Bragg-Bretano type geometry. In this way, a crystalline phase corresponding to ZrO2 with a group symmetry Fm-3m (225)-face centered cubic was identified. At the same time, it is observed that the films deposited in the reactive atmosphere show a pronounced amorphization, this most likely being due to the retention of nitrogen which leads to the modification of the network parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, hydrothermal synthesis of NiO nanoparticles in aqueous solutions at higher temperatures was used. An investigation of its optical and electrical capabilities might be done in many ways. As a result, the size and structure of NiO nanoparticles were characterised using a scanning electron microscope. A powder X-ray diffractometer was used to measure experimentally the crystallite grain size and dislocation density, which were computed using the Scherer formula. The functional groups of the title nanoparticles were easily distinguishable in the FTIR spectrum. After optical absorption analyses, NiO nanoparticles were shown to have optimised UV-Visible transmittance. The density functional theory (B3LYP) was used to compute the bonding of molecular properties of NiO in the ground state using the basis sets 6-311+G (d, p) and 6-311++G (d, p). There is evidence of charge transfer in molecules based on the computed molecular electrostatic potential (MESP), Thermodynamic properties, HOMO and LUMO energies determined. The scientific applications of this NiO nanomaterial would be well served by this material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The production of a large volume of agricultural residue during the processing of fruits has resulted in environmental problems. Therefore, the production of bioactive compounds from agricultural residue will provide a direction to overcome these issues. These residues are a potential source of many bioactive compounds, such as pectin. The present study deals with the extraction and characterization of pectin from the Bael pulp residue produced during the processing of Bael fruit. Pectin was extracted by using hot acid extraction methods and evaluated for its physicochemical properties by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), and the values of moisture content, ash content, equivalent weight, methoxyl content, total anhydrouronic acid content, and degree of esterification. The results were compared with those of commercial pectin. Bael pulp residue yielded 24.02 ± 0.63% of pectin by using HCl and 22.1 ± 0.7% by using H2SO4. The physicochemical characterization of extracted pectin, such as equivalent weight (852.32 ± 8.43), methoxyl content (8.28 ± 0.35%), total anhydrouronic acid (67.69 ± 0.35%), and degree of esterification (69.39 ± 0.57%), was within the acceptable range and comparable with the commercial pectin. The values of moisture content (4.62 ± 1.14%) and ash content (5.22 ± 0.66%) indicated that the extracted pectin was in pure form. SEM and XRD patterns observed the rough and amorphous nature of extracted pectin. The antioxidant activity of pectin and total phenolic content were also observed. The IC50 value was found to be 15.74 µg/mL, showing an adequate amount of antioxidant activity in isolated pectin with a total phenolic content of 58.5 mg Gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g. Additionally, the prebiotic potential of extracted pectin was confirmed by the viability assay of two probiotics (Bacillus clausii and Saccharomyces boulardii). Based on these results, Bael pulp residue could be a good alternative source of high-value pectin that could be used to make health products and other biological applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) ferritic steels are one of the most important in fuel cladding materials for 4th Generation nuclear reactors because of their excellent mechanical properties such as irradiation resistance, swelling resistance, and elevated temperature tensile/compressive strength. Mechanical alloying (MA) is one of the most promising routes for developing nanocrystalline ferritic ODS steel materials. For the production of nanocrystalline ferritic ODS steel powders, the most influencing factor is the milling speed and milling time during the mechanical alloying process. With the improper selection of milling time and speed, the final milled powders become an amorphous structure consisting of high impurity inclusions in the microstructure, and strength was also affected. In order to overcome these drawbacks, the present investigation was taken into account for the selection of appropriate mechanical milling speed and time, which was optimized through Taguchi analysis followed by the MA process. The optimized mechanical milling speed and time of milled powders were characterized through X-Ray Diffraction Analysis (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

M-type Hexa-ferrites powders of chemical composition Ba 0.5 Sr 0.1 Zn 0.4 Fe 12 O 19 was prepared by the use of the co-precipitation technique. The heat treatment of this ferrite composition was done at various temperatures (700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100, and 1200 °C) for 6 h. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of all the prepared powder samples confirmed the emergence of a hexagonal structure. The high-intensity peaks of the samples were indexed and showed a single phase. The size of crystallite was obtained within the range of 21–42 nm. The surface morphology was carried out with a Scanning electron microscope (SEM). The grain size showed the hexagonal shape, and average grain sizes were in the range of ~ 211 nm. Spectral information was found using the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to confirm the phase of M-type hexaferrite. The dielectric parameters were measured within the high-frequency range of 5 MHz - 3 GHz. The dielectric constant was increased with an increase in temperature. The dielectric studies were found by the establishment of space charge polarization as per the two-layer model provided by Maxwell-Wagner and the study of phenomena of Koop's theory. The magnetic characteristics including coercivity (HcB) and retentivity (Br) were measured from BH/JH hysteresis loops. The enhancement of coercivity was observed from 1.23 × 10+3 Oe to 1.50 × 10+3 Oe, while the retentivity increased from 1.334 × 10+3 G to 1.598 × 10+3 G with an increase in temperature. Outstanding properties of synthesized materials suggested their use in large-frequency applications, including recording media and permanent magnets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co-Fe-W electrodeposited magnetic thin film properties were studied to identify the possible applications in different area. The film was prepared using the electrodeposition method with different current densities, in order to get the uniform deposition with different thickness. A vibrating sample magnetometer studies provide the value of magnetic saturation (Ms=0.112emu), retentivity (Mr=0.020emu) and coercivity (Hc=88.95Oe). The prepared film is (45min, thickness is 3.10µm) more suitable to develop tiny integrated memory devices. X-ray diffraction studies (XRD) confirm the cubic crystalline nature of the prepared thin films. Surface morphology analysis clearly shows the uniform thickness (0.2 µm) of the thin film [scanning electron microscope (SEM)]. The highest percentage of Co, Fe and W composition in the thin films were obtained by using energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The maximum hardness value is 212/7.5 mAcm-2 for 45min and best adhesion with desirable magnetic properties have been reported in the present communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: The geopolymer concrete comprising fly ash and fluid catalytic cracking residue could be applied for producing eco-friendly precast concrete products in Vietnam, which are precast wall, panel, or brick. The use of fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) by-products as aluminosilicate precursors in geopolymer binders has attracted significant interest from researchers in recent years owing to their high alumina and silica contents. Introduced in this study is the use of geopolymer concrete comprising FCC residue combined with fly ash as the requisite source of aluminosilicate. Fly ash was replaced with various FCC residue contents ranging from 0–100% by mass of binder. Results from standard testing methods showed that geopolymer concrete rheological properties such as yield stress and plastic viscosity as well as mechanical properties including compressive strength, flexural strength, and elastic modulus were affected significantly by the FCC residue content. With alkali liquid to geopolymer solid ratios (AL:GS) of 0.4 and 0.5, a reduction in compressive and flexural strength was observed in the case of geopolymer concrete with increasing FCC residue content. On the contrary, geopolymer concrete with increasing FCC residue content exhibited improved strength with an AL:GS ratio of 0.65. Relationships enabling estimation of geopolymer elastic modulus based on compressive strength were investigated. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images and X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns revealed that the final product from the geopolymerization process consisting of FCC residue was similar to fly ash-based geopolymer concrete. These observations highlight the potential of FCC residue as an aluminosilicate source for geopolymer products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the long-term working performance of recycled concrete (RC) members, there is a need to compensate for the performance deficiencies of RC. In this study, the mechanical properties of RC were improved by two different modification methods, and the reinforcement effects of RC modified by Silane Coupling Agent (KH560)/Ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) and RC modified by EVA alone were compared and analyzed. The effects of separate modification and co-modification on RC were analyzed through multi-scale methods in terms of macro-mechanical properties, microstructure, chemical composition and molecular mechanism, respectively. The results of macroscopic mechanical experiments showed that the compressive and shear strength of EVA/KH560 synergistic modification is higher than that of EVA alone. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) data showed that the surface density of the old and new concrete interfaces was higher under EVA/KH560 co-modification. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) data showed that more cement gel will be produced under EVA/KH560 synergistic modification. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations show that EVA single modification can produce hydrogen and ionic bonds at the interface of old and new concrete, while EVA/KH560 synergistic modification not only produces them, but also forms a stable Si-O-Si chemical bond. [Display omitted] • Compared with EVA modification, EVA/KH560 synergistic modification has better effect. • EVA/KH560 produces a large number of reticulated cement gel at the weak interface. • The stable Si KH560 -O KH560 -Si CSH is formed between KH560 and cement. • EVA/KH560 enhance the interfacial adhesion by the stable hydrogen and chemical bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research work, a simple spray pyrolysis method was employed to synthesized gadolinium (Gd) doped titanium oxide (TiO2) thin film. The crystal structure and morphology of the sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). According to XRD measurements, no apparent crystal peak was observed. The thickness of the prepared film was found to be 228 nm from SEM observation. The optical transmittance and bandgap energy of the synthesized thin film was investigated by using UV-Vis spectroscopy. The high transmission of the thin film was found in the visible region. The optical bandgap energy of the prepared film was found to be 2.85 eV. The photocatalytic degradation of malachite green solution was studied. As a result of the photocatalytic experiment, the thin film could be used as an effective photocatalyst for malachite green dye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fe doped Mn2O3 nanoparticles were synthesized by the microwave-assisted method and synthesized samples were further annealed at 5000C and the samples were subjected to analyze structural, optical and magnetic properties. The structural properties of the nanoparticles were characterized by using X-ray diffractometry. XRD pattern revealed that the existence of Mn2O3 with cubic structure and Mn-doped Fe isa rhombohedral lattice structure. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the formation of Fe-O stretching vibrations. The observed band positioned at 570cm-1 could be due to the stretching vibration of Fe-O bonds. Energy dispersive analysis (EDAX) spectroscopy confirmed the purity, chemical composition of the FeMn2O3 nanoparticles. The structural properties were analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glass samples with the compositions xFe2O3-35SiO2-35B2O3-10Al2O3-(20 − x) Na2O (0 ≤ x ≤ 1 mol.%) were designed and assembled by melting quenching technique. These samples were investigated by XRD, optical, mechanical, thermal, and FT-IR spectroscopy studies. FT-IR spectra reveal that these glasses are built up of BO3, BO4, and octahedral [FeO6]. The present glasses exhibited the increase in density, thermal parameter values, ultrasonic velocities, elastic moduli, optical band gap (Eopt), and refractive index of the prepared glasses. The corresponding glass-ceramic of these glasses was prepared by controlling heat treatment and investigated with XRD, mechanical, SEM, and TEM. The present glass-ceramics exhibited the increase in density, ultrasonic velocities, and elastic moduli; these values are larger than those of the parent glasses. XRD exhibited the crystalline phases of selected glass-ceramics samples. The transmission electron microscope (TEM) exhibited the grain size of glass-ceramics in nano-size and range between 63.9 and 165 nm. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) exhibited backscattered electron images of the produced glass-ceramics. It is observed that crystalline texture contains relatively large interstitial pores, demonstrating the residual glassy matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, Titanium carbon nitride (TiCN) thin films have been synthesized over Si (100) substrate using chemical vapour deposition (CVD) process under N 2 gas flow rate to study the suitability of CVD for the growth of TiCN coating over machine tools. The morphological, structural, corrosion behavior and mechanical properties of the coatings have been characterized using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), corrosion test and Nano-indentation. SEM images revealed a smoother morphology of the TiCN coating surface without any pores. The AFM results revealed an increase in surface roughness from 40.88 nm to 48.25 nm. The particle size of TiCN thin film also found to be increasing with a higher N 2 flow rate. The XRD peaks of TiCN were observed in the range of 37°-38°. 44°-44.5° and 61°- 62° attributed to (111), (200) and (220) crystal plane. The XRD results also confirmed the presence of stress in the coatings. The polarization test indicates a reduction of corrosion resistance with a higher N 2 gas flow rate. The mechanical properties investigated by the nano-indentation method indicated an increase in Hardness (H) and Young's modulus (E) of the coating with a higher N 2 flow rate. The maximum H and E of the coatings were observed as 27.85 GPa and 486.22 GPa respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The LiAlSiO 4 :Ce3+ (0–11 mol%) nanocomposites are synthesized by low temperature solution combustion method using aloe vera gel as a fuel. The prepared samples are characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) to know the crystallite size, optical energy band gap by Kubelka-Munk (K-M) plot and surface morphology by scanning electron microscope (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis for elemental confirmation. The stretching frequency of all nanocomposites is confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra. The Raman spectroscopy provides a structural fingerprint by which molecules can be identified. The current-voltage (I–V) characteristics showed that the prepared samples obey Ohm's law. DC conductivity is studied for temperature ranging from 30 - 450 οC and activation energy is calculated by Arrhenius plot. Further, the present method was reliable, environmental friendly and alternative to economical routes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, doped ceria solid electrolyte materials Ce0.8M0.2O2-δ (M = Gd, Sm, and Nd) for intermediate temperature-solid oxide fuel cells were synthesized through citrate-nitrate auto combustion method. They were then characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) techniques. XRD results show that all the synthesized powders indicate a single-phase with cubic fluorite structure. Electrolytes with high density were obtained by sintering the samples at 1400 °C for 6 h. The mean crystallite sizes were calculated using the Scherrer formula. Surface morphologies of all the sintered electrolytes were obtained by using SEM. The total ionic conductivity of all electrolytes was measured from the impedance analysis in 300-700 °C temperature range. The ionic conductivities at 700 °C are in the order of Ce0.8Sm0.2O2-δ >Ce0.8Gd0.2O2-δ >Ce0.8Nd0.2O2-δ, and their corresponding activation energies are found to be 0.61, 0.62, and 0.67 eV, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this report, a study of the wear mechanisms involved in the spinning ring and the traveler of textile industry are presented. These components, after surface processing with various coatings techniques, were analyzed on the test rig so as to analyze the wear mechanism. The objective was accomplished by comparing various plasma sprayed coatings on E52100 steel pins using a pin-on-disc machine. The surface morphology as well as mechanical properties of the deposited coatings, namely WC-Co- Cr, Al2O3+TiO2 (Alumina-Titania) and Cr3C2NiCr, as well as uncoated E52100, were comparatively studied. This study elucidates towards improving the working life of the ring in a textile mill in the spinning operation. An x-ray diffractometer (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were employed to characterize the unworn and worn surfaces of the specimens. The study revealed that the wear rate of plasma sprayed thermal coatings enhanced with augmenting load. The plasma sprayed WC-Co-Cr, Cr3C2NiCr, Al2O3+13TiO2 coatings developed on workpiece pins exhibited a notable decrease in volume loss of the material as compared to uncoated E52100 substrate. WCCo- Cr coating turned out to be the best performer in terms of the lowest cumulative volume loss among all the variants of coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we have modulated the structural, morphological, optical and thermoelectric properties of CZTS thin films (TFs) by controlling the concentration of tin atoms. The CZTS TFs were grown by simple chemical solution method by changing tin mole concentration from 0.5 mM to 2.0 mM (labeled as T1, T2, T3 and T4). XRD data have revealed the formation of best crystalline CZTS TF at 1.5 mM tin concentration because tin (Sn+4) atoms are placed its own lattice sites therefore achieved the best crystal quality of CZTS. Furthermore, the phase purity of CZTS TF was confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. The lattice vibration of CZTS TF were observed at 329 and 334 cm−1 with A 1g mode and 367 cm−1 with B(TO) mode. The strongest Raman CZTS vibrational mode was observed for sample T3 which supported our XRD data. SEM images demonstrated that the surface of grown CZTS thin films became smoother with increasing the mole concentration of tin atoms up to 1.5 mM because the density of CuS grains has minimum value for this sample. The optimum band gap of T1, T2, T3 and T4 samples was estimated to 2.23, 2.15, 1.91 and 1.82 eV respectively which also confirmed that sample T3 has band gap value very close to reported value. The Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity and power factor values were enhanced from (243–762 μV/°C), (21–152 S/cm) and (1.24 × 10−4- 8.82 × 10−2Wm−1K−2) with increasing the mole concentration of tin (0.5–1.5 mM) at measurement temperature 100 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work encloses the deposition of three zinc selenide (ZnSe) thin films of thickness 175 nm, 243 nm, and 286 nm using thermal evaporation technique under a vacuum of 5 × 10−5 mbar. The deposited ZnSe thin films are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), surface profilometer, ultraviolet (UV)-visible (Vis)-near-infrared (NIR) spectrophotometer and Raman spectroscopic measurements. The structure and morphology measurements reveal that the deposited ZnSe material is nanocrystalline having a cubic structure whose crystallinity increases with an increase in film thickness/evaporation rate. The optical band gap estimated from the optical transmission spectra of the films is found to be 2.62 eV, 2.60 eV, and 2.57 eV, respectively, which decreases with an increase in film thickness. The estimation and polynomial curve fit analysis of refractive index, extinction coefficient, and dielectric constant indicates that these physical quantities are fifth-order polynomial function of wavelength. The obtained results are compared and analysed for justification and application of ZnSe thin films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, study the preparation of Y-Fe alloy by reduction-diffusion process, which is novel technique for producing an alloy from its ores directly at different temperatures. From this work, investigates the particles size and morphology structure of alloy by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Energy dispersive-X-ray analyzer (EDAX) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) respectively. Here study the thermodynamics of property of system such as Gibbs free energy and reaction kinetics of system respectively. The Vibrating Sample magnetometer (VSM) is used to study the magnetic properties of alloy such as cocerviety, saturation magnetization and retentivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrospinning derived nanostructured CeO 2 and ZnO CeO 2 composite fibers have been successfully fabricated, followed by a subsequent heat-treatment. X-ray line profile analysis is applied to the X-ray diffraction data collection for determination of microstructure parameters both area -and volume-averaged apparent crystallites size based on spherical crystallites with lognormal size distribution. The surface morphologies of the prepared samples were examined with scanning electron microscope (SEM). To gain insight into the optical properties of the fabricated nanofibers, the UV–vis diffuse reflectance absorption spectrums were measured. The correlation between the structural and optical properties is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Undoped and Erbium (Er) doped zinc oxide (ZnO) films were prepared on p-Si substrates by sol gel method using spin coating technique. The effect of Er dopant on the structural, morphological and optical properties of ZnO film was investigated by X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and UV-vis spectrophotometer, respectively. From X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra, the films were crystallized in hexagonal wurtzite structure in zincite phase. The structural parameters such as grain size, dislocation density, lattice parameters, strain and stress were calculated. From the SEM images, it is seen that the film surfaces are well-coated, uniform, without cracks and pores. ImageJ program was used to investigate the average particle size, grain boundaries and the surface of the films. The optical properties were studied by diffuse reflectance spectra measured by UV-vis spectrophotometer and the optical band gap values were determined by differential reflectance and Kubelka-Munk theory. In both methods, it was determined the optical band gap value of ZnO film increases or decreases irregularly with the Er content. It was observed that the optical band gap of the 0.4% Er doped ZnO film was larger than the other films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have described the use of HAp layers on titanium alloys in the recent years. Among the methods of strengthening the adherence of such layers, which call the researchers' attention, there is the development of coating by sol-gel type techniques. Coatings of HAp on the alloy of Ti6Al4V allow the formation of uniform layers, with controlled porosity and better adhesion and with properties required for its use as orthopaedic implants. In this paper, samples of Ti6Al4V alloy were used as substrates with different surface roughness, coated with HAp layers that were deposited by a spin-coating technique, using a solution obtained by the sol-gel method. The layers have good homogeneity and good adhesion to the substrate, where stability and uniformity observes for Hap_250 and Hap_110 compared with Hap_29 and Hap_45, that indicate to the importance of surface roughness. Therefore, the biological characterization was investigated, including the film stability in the Simulated Body Fluid (SBF) and the antimicrobial activity of Ti6Al4V alloys coated with hydroxyapatite. Also, the biofilm formation by P. aeruginosa species was evaluated. The morphology and structure of the films were performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports production of nanofibers with voltage value of 20 kV, different fluid velocities (0.1 ml/h, 0.5 ml/h), different durations (2 min, 5 min), and distance of 7 cm in the electrospin assembly. The morphology of the produced nanofibers was observed before and after heat treatment by scanning electron microscope. The crystal structure of the nanofibers was examined by X-ray diffraction. In addition, thermal analysis/thermal gravimetric analysis of nanofibers was performed. X-ray diffraction measurements showed that the samples were crystalline in barium titanate. It was observed that the diameters of the nanofibers increased when the flow rate and time increased, while the diameters of the nanofibers decreased when the flow rate and time decreased. Scanning electron microscope images showed how the morphology of the samples changed by heat treatment. As a result, characterization results were found to be consistent with the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum-based nanocomposites reinforced with carbon nanotubes have increased scientific attention in today's life. The dispersion quality was the critical aspect, which decides the homogeneous distribution of CNTs within the Al matrix as starting precursors. In this study, a new attempt has been made to obtain a uniformly dispersed Al-0.75% CNT precursor via combining ultra-sonication, cubic tumbler rod milling, and spray drying. This process was integrated with organic deflocculant (formulator) in specific proportion to transform as a semi-wet-based route. The effect of milling media on the morphology and interface structure of the as-produced composite precursor after all the processing steps was investigated through scanning electron microscope (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results reveal that the approach is effective in CNT dispersion in Al precursor, which shields the nanotube structure from damage for longer periods of milling time due to the organic formulator mixture, and also, the CNT retention in the Al precursor with minimum clustering is identified compared to the ball milling process. Carbon traces were confirmed in the as-produced composite precursor by this approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium silicon nitride (TiSiN) thin films were deposited on p-type c-Si (100) with different N 2 flow rate by using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique. The microstructure, phonon modes, mechanical properties and compositional study of TiSiN thin films were characterised by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, nanoindentation and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS),respectively. The SEM images show increases in surface roughness with increasing of N 2 flow rate, however, improves the hardness and Young's modulus of TiSiN thin film. The XRD analysis reveals the presence of strain in TiSiN films. The estimated crystallites of TiSiN thin films was 7.51 and 7.39 nm for 40 and 100 sccm N 2 flow rate. The XPS reveals the presence of 20 at. % Si content at 40 sccm N 2 flow rate in the TiSiN film. To analyse the broad Raman spectra of TiSiN thin films, the peaks were convoluted into six individual Gaussian peaks. The quantitative and qualitative analysis XPS and Raman spectra of TiSiN thin films were carried out by using Origin 9.0 software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is a detailed failure analysis of galvanized high carbon steel wires, which developed coating cracks during the torsion test performed as a quality control at the end of the manufacturing process. Careful visual inspections showed that the cracks are already present in the coating before the torsion test. In order to explain the origin of these cracks, systematic metallographic investigations were performed by means of optical and scanning electron microscope on both the wires and the rods that have been cold drawn to produce the wire. The chemical composition of the galvanized coatings was evaluated by means of energy dispersive spectroscopy. Micro bidimensional X-ray diffraction experiments were also performed to measure the residual stresses in the galvanized coating. The results showed that the failure is related to two main factors: the relatively high content of silicon in the steel and the unsuitable cooling rate of the rods at the exit from the galvanizing bath. The mechanism proposed to explain the origin of the defects was supported by Finite Elements Methods simulations and verified with in-plant tests. The proper countermeasures were then applied and the problem successfully solved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to examine and analyze a wooden face that was covered with a transparent layer of wax after finishing the mask. The use of wax and encaustic painting was used in Ancient Egypt during the Greco - Roman period, but it was an extremely rare technique in the Egyptian dynasties. The wooden face that was chosen for this study was carefully examined using light microscopy to identify the wood, which proved to be native sycomore fig (Ficus sycomorus). Digital microscope and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) were used to assess decay of the outer exposed surface that had been covered in the past with a preparation layer composed of calcium carbonate. SEM micrographs showed clear decay of the cell walls due to the penetration of both the preparation layer and fungal hyphae. Microbiological investigation indicated the presence a bacterial and fungal infestation. The wood was infected infected by Aspergillus niger and Ulocladium sp fungi and Pediococcus dextrinicus bacteria. Further assessment was done by X- Ray Diffraction (XRD) to calculate the decrease of cellulose crystallinity according to Segal and Fourier Transform spectroscopy (FTIR) to detect the changes of the main wood components (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical aspects of tobacco samples, used in some commonly available Indian brands of cigarettes, with emphasis on their magnetic characterization before and after they get burnt into ashes, are described. The present work highlights the ultrafine nature of the cigarette ashes and provides a compositional insight of their constituent particulate matters as revealed by the XRD and SEM studies. Based on the EDX spectra, elemental distributions of different tobacco samples, before and after they get burnt, are presented. In this work, magnetic measurements of the un-burnt tobacco samples are reported. An attempt is made to shed light on the origin of magnetism observed in these samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Preparation of nanosized Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 system by simple method. [•] Characterization of Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 system by different techniques to confirm the formation of single phase. [•] Determination of the magnetic properties of the as prepared Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 system. [•] Using the SEM and EDX to determine the element gradient and the homogeneity of particles. [•] The possibility of the control in the magnetic properties. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Preparation of nanosized CoFe2O4 system by simple method. On other hand, preparation of magnetic CoFe2O4/PEVA composites. [•] Characterization of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles and CoFe2O4/PEVA composites by different techniques to confirm the formation of single CoFe2O4 phase and CoFe2O4/PEVA composites. [•] Determination of the magnetic properties of the as prepared systems. [•] Using the SEM and EDX to determine the morphology and chemical composition of the as prepared systems. [•] The possibility of the control in the magnetic properties of CoFe2O4/PEVA composites. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The purpose of this study is to understand the effect of ground conditions on microbial cementation in cohesionless soils. Since the method of microbial cementation is still at the experimental stage, for its practical use in the field, a number of laboratory experiments are required for the quantification of microbial cementation under various ground conditions, such as relative densities, relative compactions and particle size distributions. In this study, in order to evaluate the effectiveness of microbial cementation in treated sands and silts, an experiment was performed for different relative densities of silica sands, for different relative compactions of silts and for different particle size distributions of weathered soils sampled from the field. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy and mapping analyses were implemented for the quantification of the levels of microbial cementations for sand, silt and weathered soil specimens. Based on the test results, a considerable microbial cementation was estimated depending on the soil conditions; therefore, an implementation of this new type of bio-grouting on a weak foundation may be possible to increase the strength and stiffness of weak ground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The properties of hard magnetic Ferrous Tungsten Phosphorous (Fe-W-P) films electrodeposited in the presence of urea as additive and phosphorous as precursor with varying concentrations were studied for different current densities in order to get different thickness and uniform deposits. The magnetic saturation (Ms), retentivity (Mr) and coercivity (Hc) of the films were studied using vibrating sample magnetometer. Magnetic properties of the deposited films were increased with the increase of organic additive and phosphorous. The crystallite size and stress of the deposited thin films were calculated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. Percentages of elemental analysis of Fe-W-P films were obtained using energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX). Surface morphology analysis was carried using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The magnetic properties and structural characteristics of the thin films deposited under various experimental conditions are discussed. Hardness and adhesion of the deposited thin films were also studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cytisus multiflorus flowers extract as an anti-corrosion additive to inhibit the corrosion of XC48 carbon steel in H 2 SO 4. • Extract can prevent the cathodic and anodic reaction of XC48 carbon steel. • The extract provides 95.91% anticorrosion efficiency at 500 ppm. • Quantum chemical calculations confirmed the inhibitor potential efficacy. The use of Cytisus Multiflorus Flowers Extract (CMFE) as a carbon steel corrosion inhibitor in 1 M H 2 SO 4 solution was investigated by potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) methods. Potentiodynamic polarization curves indicated that CMFE behaves as a mixed-type inhibitor. Quantum chemical parameters were also calculated, which provided a reasonable theoretical explanation for the adsorption and inhibition behavior of CMFE on the carbon steel. The presence of CMFE leads to the formation of a protective film revealed by the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR). The process of corrosion inhibition of carbon steel by CMFE in a 1 M H 2 SO 4 was studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The Density Functional Theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) studies are conducted to explore the connection between quantum calculations and experimental findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Nano-magnetic magnesium ferrite particles were synthesized by a simple and cost-effective method using different ratios between Mg/Fe precursors and fuel. Significant effects of these ratios on the crystalline phases, crystallite size, particle size, lattice constant, morphological and magnetic properties of the as-synthesized nano-particles have been investigated. Phase evolution, morphological and magnetic characteristics were determined by XRD, SEM, EDX and VSM techniques. The results obtained revealed that the as-prepared Mg ferrite nano-particles have the nanometer size and partially inverse spinel structure. Nano-structured magnesium ferrite spinel has been synthesized with various cyrystallite sizes ranging from 8 to 66nm. Room temperature magnetization results showed that the magnetic properties of Mg ferrite nano-particles depend upon their size and crystallinity. The saturation magnetization for the sample having the highest crystallite size was 32.85emu/g. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Deformation induced martensite properties were examined according to existing martensite morphology, crystallography and formation temperatures for different prior austenite homogenization conditions in Fe-30%Ni-5%Cu alloy. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were employed to investigation. Scanning electron microscope observations showed elongated deformation induced martensite morphology in the austenite phase of alloy. As well, after deformation martensite start temperatures (Ms) were determined as -101°C and -105°C from DSC measurements for different homogenization conditions. In addition, X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the face centred cubic (fcc) of austenite phases and body centred cubic (bcc) deformation induced martensite phases for all studied samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocrystalline particles of lead sulphide and cobalt doped lead sulphide were prepared by a hydrothermal method. The crystalline nature and particle size of the samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). The thermal stability of nanocrystals was studied by thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). The morphology of prepared nanocrystals was studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the presence of Co2+ in the sample was confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). The formation of the lead sulphide and cobalt doped lead sulphide nanoparticles was analyzed using FTIR analysis. The optical absorption of the synthesized samples was studied using UV absorption spectral analysis. The photoluminescence properties were studied using PL spectral analysis. The degradation of methyl blue (MB) in aqueous medium was studied by using lead sulphide nanoparticles. The cobalt doped lead sulphide works as an efficient photocatalyst for degradation of methyl blue dye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A hydrothermal process was developed using alternative cheaper rutile mineral as precursor for the synthesis of nanotitania powder. The dissolution stage is an important part of the process as this will lead to the nucleation of the titanium ions and hence to the properties of the nanotitania powder. The study looks into the effect on different HCl molarities (0.5 – 4M HCl) on the characteristic properties of rutile titanium dioxide produced by the hydrothermal method. At lower HCl molarities (0.5 and 1.0M), the Titania consist of both anatase and rutile phases, while at higher molarities (2.0 – 4.0M), only a single rutile phase is present. It was discovered that the there is an inverse relationship between HCl''s molarity and titania''s crystallite size, where the most dilute acid at 0.5M HCl produces the largest crystallite size of 11.95nm, while diluting with 3M HCl produces a crystallite size of 6.7nm. The surface morphology observed by SEM of the rutile products produced at different acid molarities seems to be of similar highly disarrayed and nonuniform structures. From the results it can be concluded that dissolution using 2M HCl produced the best nanotitania properties. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper reports the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sensing of titanium dioxide (Qualigens, India). Scanning electron micrographs and X-ray diffraction studies of samples were done. SEM shows that the material is porous and has grapes-like morphology before exposure to the LPG. XRD patterns reveal the crystalline nature of the material. The crystallites sizes of the TiO were found in the range of 30-75 nm. Variations in resistance with exposure of LPG to the sensing element were observed. The average sensitivity for different volume percentages of gas was estimated. The maximum value of average sensitivity was 1·7 for higher vol.% of LPG. Percentage sensor response (%SR) as a function of time was calculated and its maximum value was 45%. Response time of the sensor was 70 s. The sensor was quite sensitive to LPG and results were found reproducible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, conventional chemical co-precipitation method was employed for the prepation of Nickel (2,4,6,8&10 at % of Ni) doped CdS nanoparticles. The particle size and lattice parameters for each sample are determined from X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. From XRD patterns the broadening of the diffraction peaks indicates the nanostructure nature of the samples. Surface morphology of the samples was studied by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Compositional Elemental analysis of data is obtained from Energy Dispersive Analysis of X-ray (EDAX) plots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher productivity is registered with Flux cored arc welding (FCAW) process in many applications. Further, it combines the characteristics of shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW), and submerged arc welding (SAW) processes. This article describes the experimental work carried out to evaluate and compare corrosion and its inhibition in SA 387 Gr.22 (2.25Cr-1Mo) steel weldments prepared by FCAW process with four different heat inputs exposed to hydrochloric acid medium at 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 M concentrations. The parent metal, weld metal, and heat-affected zone are chosen as regions of exposure for the study carried out at 100 °C. Electrochemical polarization techniques such as Tafel line extrapolation (Tafel) and linear polarization resistance (LPR) have been used to measure the corrosion current. The role of hexamine and mixed inhibitor (thiourea + hexamine in 0.5 M HCl), each at 100 ppm concentration is studied in these experiments. Microstructural observation, hardness survey, surface characterization, and morphology using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) have been made on samples to highlight the nature and extent of film formation. The film is found to contain Fe2Si, FeSi2, FeMn3, Fe7Mo3, Fe3O4, FeO, FeCr, AlO7Fe3SiO3, and KFe4Mn77Si19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semiconductor ZnS nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized from solutions containing a nonionic surfactant, Triton X-100 (t-octyl-(OCH2CH2)x OH, x = 9,10). The particle size was estimated as 7.7 nm. The optical spectra enabled to conclude that these nanoparticles exhibit quantum size effects. The prepared nanoparticles have been characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) and the results are discussed in this paper in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mn2+ - doped ZnS nanoparticles were synthesized by a chemical precipitation method at air atmosphere. The synthesis of water-soluble Mn2+- doped ZnS nanocrystals with EDTA as a stabilizer was described. From the peak broadening of the X-ray diffraction, the particle size is found to be 4.5 nm when EDTA was not used as a stabilizer and size is reduced to 3.6 nm with EDTA. The particle size and properties are studied using SEM and photoluminescence. The emission peak of the sample corresponding to photoluminescence is observed at 591 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocrystalline Se0.8Te0.2 films were grown on quartz substrates by using thermal evaporation technique. Structural and optical properties of as-grown and annealed samples were investigated with XRD, SEM and UV-visible spectroscopy. The x-ray diffraction pattern at room temperature shows that the sample are formed in single phase with monoclinic crystal symmetry having space group Cm. Surface morphology of the glass as-grown film was investigated via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The typical diameter of as-grown nanocrystalline sample is found to be 50 nm, which is consistent with crystallite size calculated by XRD data using Scherrer equation. The UV-visible absorption spectra of the nanocrystals show that the optical band gap of as-grown and annealed samples are situated systematically in the range of 2.10 - 1.95 eV, which is quite larger than the bulk phase of the materials. The results have been explained on the basis of the close interplay between the structural and optical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]