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We have developed state-of-the-art nanomaterials such as nanofibers, nanotubes, nanoparticles, nanocatalysts and nanostructures for clean energy, environmental and biomedical research. Energy can neither be created nor be destroyed, but it can be converted from one form to another. Based on this principle, chemical energy such as hydrogen has been produced from water electrolysis at a much lower voltage using RuO2 nanoparticles on the Si wafer substrate. Once the hydrogen is produced from the clean sources such as solar energy and water, it has to be stored by physisorption or chemisorption processes on to the solid state systems. For the successful physical adsorption of hydrogen molecule, we have developed novel polyaniline nanostructures via chemical templating and electrospinning routes. Chemical or complex hydrides involving nano MgH2 and transition metal nanocatalysts have been synthesized to tailor both the thermodynamics and kinetics of hydrogen (chemi) sorption respectively. Utilization of solar energy (UVVis) and a coupling of novel semiconductor oxide nanoparticles have been recently demonstrated with enhancement in photo-oxidation and/or photo-reduction processes for the water/air detoxification and sustainable liquid fuel production respectively. Magnetic nanoparticles such as ZnFe2O4 have been synthesized and optimized for biomedical applications such as targeted drug delivery and tumor diagnostic sensing (MRI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need for reduction of weight is an important issue in sheet metal forming industry. The hydroforming process has become an effective manufacturing process, as it can be adapted for the manufacturing of complex structural components with high structural stiffness. The process parameters and material properties are important factors that influence the quality of final product. In this paper, an optimized window of process parameters is obtained for successful sheet hydroforming of Oil tank. The simulation of hydroforming process is performed by using a Finite Element Method based Commercial code. © 2005 American Institute of Physics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protection against environmental and bacterial contamination, lack of cost effective and energy efficient drying techniques, need for greater moisture removal, shorter drying times and better dried quality product have necessitated the use of solar greenhouse drying for many applications. The present paper analyses the dryer performance in open sun dried (OSD) conditions and in solar greenhouse drying unit. Fig and bitter gourd were dried and their quality monitored for dryer performance. Results indicate quicker drying and better quality of figs in solar greenhouse drying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machining is the process of removal of material from workpiece. Machining can be done by physical, chemical or biological methods. Though physical and chemical methods have been widely used in machining process, they have their own disadvantages such as development of heat affected zone and usage of hazardous chemicals. Biomachining is the machining process in which bacteria is used to remove material from the metal parts. Chemolithotrophic bacteria such as Acidothiobacillus ferroxidans has been used in biomachining of metals like copper, iron etc. These bacteria are used because of their property of catalyzing the oxidation of inorganic substances. Biomachining is a suitable process for micromachining of metals. This paper reviews the biomachining process and various mechanisms involved in biomachining. This paper also briefs about various parameters/factors to be considered in biomachining and also the effect of those parameters on metal removal rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barium titanate (BaTiO3/BT) ferroelectric system was synthesized in single perovskite phase by modified solid state reaction (MSSR) and solid state reaction (SSR) routes. With the modification of SSR route, calcination temperature lowered down by 200 °C. Dense packing of grains with average grain size ∼12μm was observed in BT samples synthesized by MSSR route. Room temperature (RT) dielectric constant ([variant_greek_epsilon]r) and dielectric loss (tanδ) at 1 kHz frequency of BT samples synthesized by MSSR route were found to be ∼1630 and 0.008. Transition temperature (Tc) is lowered and remnant polarization is increased of BT samples synthesized by MSSR route. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robotic arms are commonplace in automation factories and are being used for variety of applications such as painting, welding, pick and place etc. The use of such robotic arms for manipulating objects has become easier with the help of forward and inverse kinematic equations. When coupled with modern tools such as image processing and sensors, robots help in improving the capacity and efficiency of a production line. In this paper, we aim to explore the integration of image processing and robotic arms to simultaneously detect colours of objects and sort them accordingly. RGB colour detection algorithm is one such technique that helps in improving efficiency through color detection of the object at a very fast rate. We have employed this image processing technique as it is very useful in an industrial environment where the object location is fixed and a quick means of sorting is necessary. The pick and place robot setup consists of a pick and place robot, control unit and a camera. The object is placed at a predetermined point with the reach of the robot, where the camera is used to determine its color. Based on its color the the object is placed in its corresponding drop point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-Phase BaTiO3 (BTO) and Cr3+ ions doped BTO i.e. BaTi0.8Cr0.2O3 (BTCO) were prepared by solid state reaction of ceramics. The value of dielectric permittivity at room temperature (ε'RT ~1200 at 100 Hz) of BTO was found to be higher than BTCO (ε'RT ~1000), this type of behavior may be ascribed due to distortion in lattice parameters (c/a). Substitution of Cr3+ ions at the site of Ti4+ ions (d0) will create oxygen vacancies and induce O2-(p)-Cr3+(d) hybridization. Magnetic moment of BTCO was found to be ~ 0.02 emu/g at an applied magnetic field of 4 kOe. The value of the magnetocapacitance was observed ~3.3%, which may be a sign of magnetoelectric coupling in the Cr3+ ions doped BTO multiferroic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]