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Microstructural design is a widespread approach to tailor the properties of functional materials with the size effect being an effective constraint that modifies physical phenomena. In this work, we investigate the grain size effect on the properties and the electric field induced phase transformation behavior in barium titanate. A broad range of unimodal average grain size distribution between 0.4 and 15 μm was successfully sintered avoiding abnormal grain growth. Samples with a grain size close to the range of 1–2 μm, balancing microstructural strain, presence, and mobility of domain walls to allow the field induced crystal phase transformation, showed optimal electromechanical and dielectric properties. By means of in situ high energy x-ray diffraction and a high-resolution multianalyzer detector, we distinguish and quantify a tetragonal–orthorhombic phase transformation induced by an electric field, providing unambiguous proof of this induced phase transformation. These results contribute to the understanding of fundamental questions about the piezoelectric effect in barium titanate and consequently other similar systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BiFeO3–BaTiO3 (BF–BT) solid solutions exhibit great promise as the basis for high temperature piezoelectric transducers and energy storage dielectrics, but the fundamental mechanisms governing their functional properties require further clarification. In the present study, both pure and niobium-doped 0.7BF–0.3BT ceramics are synthesized by solid state reaction and their structure–property relationships are systematically investigated. It is shown that substituting a low concentration of Ti with Nb at a level of 0.5 at% increases the resistivity of BF–BT ceramics and facilitates ferroelectric switching at high electric field levels. Stable planar piezoelectric coupling factor values are achieved with a variation from 0.35 to 0.45 over the temperature range from 100 to 430 °C. In addition to the ferroelectric-paraelectric phase transformation at the Curie point (∼430 °C), a frequency-dependent relaxation of the dielectric permittivity and associated loss peak are observed over the temperature range from −50 to +150 °C. These effects are correlated with anomalous enhancement of the remanent polarization and structural (rhombohedral) distortion with increasing temperature, indicating the occurrence of a re-entrant relaxor ferroelectric transformation on cooling. The results of the study provide new insight into the thermal evolution of structure and the corresponding functional properties in BF–BT and related solid solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) compositions of (1–x)Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3‐xBaTiO3 (x = 0.05, 0.055, 0.06, 0.065, 0.07), with and without 0.5 mol% Zn‐doping was synthesized using the solid‐state route. The samples were characterized using X‐ray diffraction, dielectric analysis, and electromechanical measurements (piezoelectric d33 coefficient, coupling factor kp, mechanical quality factor Qm, and internal bias field Ebias). The increase in the ferroelectric‐relaxor transition temperature upon Zn‐doping was accompanied by a shift of the MPB toward the Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3‐rich side of the phase diagram. Higher tetragonal phase fraction and increased tetragonal distortion were noted for Zn‐doped (1 – x)Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3‐xBaTiO3. In addition, ferroelectric hardening and the presence of an internal bias field (Ebias) were observed for all doped compositions. The piezoelectric constant d33 and the coupling coefficient kp decreased by up to ∼30%, while a 4‐ to 6‐fold increase in Qm was observed for the doped compositions. Apart from establishing a structure–property correlation, these results highlight the chemically induced shift of the phase diagram upon doping, which is a crucial factor in material selection for optimal performance and commercialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) compositions of (1–x)Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3‐xBaTiO3 (x = 0.05, 0.055, 0.06, 0.065, 0.07), with and without 0.5 mol% Zn‐doping was synthesized using the solid‐state route. The samples were characterized using X‐ray diffraction, dielectric analysis, and electromechanical measurements (piezoelectric d33 coefficient, coupling factor kp, mechanical quality factor Qm, and internal bias field Ebias). The increase in the ferroelectric‐relaxor transition temperature upon Zn‐doping was accompanied by a shift of the MPB toward the Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3‐rich side of the phase diagram. Higher tetragonal phase fraction and increased tetragonal distortion were noted for Zn‐doped (1 – x)Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3‐xBaTiO3. In addition, ferroelectric hardening and the presence of an internal bias field (Ebias) were observed for all doped compositions. The piezoelectric constant d33 and the coupling coefficient kp decreased by up to ∼30%, while a 4‐ to 6‐fold increase in Qm was observed for the doped compositions. Apart from establishing a structure–property correlation, these results highlight the chemically induced shift of the phase diagram upon doping, which is a crucial factor in material selection for optimal performance and commercialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quenching from sintering temperature enhances the depolarization temperature (Td) in Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3-based ceramics without significant deterioration of piezoelectric properties (d33). In this work, quenching effects in an ergodic relaxor 0.97(0.94Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3–0.06BaTiO3)–0.03AgNbO3 (NBT–6BT–3AN) were investigated based on structure, ferroelectric, and dielectric properties. The ergodicity to nonergodicity transition was obtained by quenching NBT–6BT–3AN above 1000 °C. The temperature stability of the quenching-induced nonergodicity was examined by annealing the quenched sample at 300 °C and 600 °C. The effect of oxygen vacancy on ergodicity to nonergodicity transition was investigated by comparing ferroelectric and electrostrain responses of the quenched and nitrogen-atmosphere-annealed samples. The influence of quenching on the structure including the average crystal structure, phase fraction and lattice distortion and the local structure including bond lengths and ordering of ions was analyzed. The ergodicity to nonergodicity transition upon quenching is ascribed to the contribution of the off-centered Bi3+ ions and ordered local structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piezoelectric applications such as ultrasonic motors, transformers and therapeutic ultrasonics demand high power generation with low losses, which is facilitated by "hard" ferroelectrics. Hardening of piezoelectric properties, characterized by high mechanical quality factor (Qm), is usually achieved by doping with lower valence elements, thereby tailoring the domain wall dynamics. In the present study, we demonstrate a hardening mechanism by developing composites of 0.94(Na1/2Bi1/2)TiO3-0.06BaTiO3 (NBT-6BT) with ZnO inclusions, as an alternative to chemical modifications. A decrease in the saturation polarization and total strain, higher internal bias fields, lower hysteretic losses and a two-fold increase in Qm are observed in comparison to NBT-6BT. The composite with 0.1 mole ratio of ZnO exhibits the highest Qm of 320 with d33=125 pC/N and Kp=0.29. A one-to-one correspondence between the increase in Qm and the decrease in the domain wall mobility is established from the ac field dependence of permittivity, in the framework of the Rayleigh law. A further increase in ZnO content beyond a mole ratio of 0.1 reduces Qm, but retains it at a higher level, as compared to NBT-6BT. The results are explained based on the poling-induced strain incompatibility between the matrix and the hard ZnO phase. This composite approach is therefore considered a generic hardening concept and can be extended to other ferroelectric systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been a global health concern since the 1960s, and isolation of this pathogen from food-producing animals has been increasing. However, little information is available on the prevalence of MRSA and its clonal characteristics in seafood and the aquatic environment. In this study, 267 seafood and aquatic environment samples were collected from three districts of Kerala, India. Staphylococcal protein A (spa) typing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was performed for 65 MRSA strains isolated from 20 seafood and aquatic environment samples. The MRSA clonal profiles were t657-ST772, t002-ST5, t334-ST5, t311-ST5, t121-ST8, t186-ST88, t127-ST1, and two non-spa assignable strains. Whole spa gene sequence analysis along with MLST confirmed one strain as t711-ST6 and another as a novel MRSA clone identified for the first time in seafood and the aquatic environment with a t15669 spa type and a new MLST profile of ST420-256-236-66-82-411-477. The MRSA strains were clustered into five clonal complexes based on the goeBURST algorithm, indicating high diversity among MRSA strains in seafood and the aquatic environment. The novel clone formed a separate clonal complex with matches to three loci. This study recommends large-scale spa typing and MLST of MRSA isolates from seafood and the aquatic environment to determine the prevalence of new MRSA clones. This monitoring process can be useful for tracing local spread of MRSA isolates into the seafood production chain in a defined geographical area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lattice strain and domain switching behavior of xBiScO3-(1-x)PbTiO3 (x=0.40) was investigated as a function of cyclic field and grain orientation by in situ X-ray diffraction during application of electric fields. The electric field induced 200 lattice strain was measured to be five times larger than the 111 lattice strain in pseudorhombohedral xBiScO3-(1-x)PbTiO3 (x=0.40). It is shown that the anomalous 200 lattice strain is not an intrinsic phenomenon, but arises primarily due to stress associated with the reorientation of the 111 domains in dense polycrystalline ceramic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this stability-indicating, reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromato-graphic method for flupiritine maleate, forced degradation has been employed and the formed degradants were separated on a C18 column with a 80:20% v/v mixture of methanol-water containing 0.2% (v/v) triethylamine; the pH was adjusted to 3.1. The flow rate was 1 mLmin-1 and the photodiode array detection wavelength was 254 nm. Forced degradation of the drug was carried out under acidic, basic, thermal, photolytic, peroxide, and neutral conditions. Chromatographic peak purity data indicated no co-eluting peaks with the main peaks. This method resulted in the detection of seven degradation products (D1-D7). Among these, three major degradation products from acidic and basic hydrolysis were identified and characterized by 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and mass spectral data. The method was validated as per International Conference on Harmonization guidelines (Q2). The linearity of the method was in the concentration range of 20-120 μgmL-1. The relative standard deviations for intra- and interday precision were below 1.5%. The specificity of the method is suitable for the stability-indicating assay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piezoelectric and ex situ electric-field induced structural studies were carried out on closely spaced compositions in the morphotropic phase boundary region of (1--x) PbTiO3-(x)BiScO3. While the common approach of zero field structural analysis failed to provide a unique relationship between the anomalous piezoresponse of x = 0.3725 and structural factor(s), ex situ study of electric-field induced structural changes revealed that the composition exhibiting the highest piezoelectric response is the one which also exhibits significantly enhanced polarizability of the lattices of both coexisting (monoclinic and tetragonal) phases. The enhanced lattice polarizability manifests as a significant fraction of the monoclinic phase transforming irreversibly to the tetragonal phase after electric poling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature dependent X-ray powder diffraction and dielectric studies have been carried out on tetragonal compositions of (1− x) PbTiO3-( x) BiMeO3; Me = Sc and Zn1/2 Ti1/2. The cubic and the tetragonal phases coexist over more than 100°C for 0.70 PbTiO3-0.3 Bi( Zn1/2 Ti1/2) O3 and 0.66 PbTiO3-0.34 BiScO3. The wide temperature range of phase coexistence is shown to be an intrinsic feature of the system, and is attributed to the increase in the degree of the covalent character of the ( Pb + Bi)- O bond with increasing concentration of Bi at the Pb-site. The d-values of the {111} planes of the coexisting phases are nearly identical, suggesting this plane to be the invariant plane for the martensitic type cubic-tetragonal transformation occurring in these systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature dependent X-ray powder diffraction and dielectric studies have been carried out on tetragonal compositions of (1− x) PbTiO3-( x) BiMeO3; Me = Sc and Zn1/2 Ti1/2. The cubic and the tetragonal phases coexist over more than 100°C for 0.70 PbTiO3-0.3 Bi( Zn1/2 Ti1/2) O3 and 0.66 PbTiO3-0.34 BiScO3. The wide temperature range of phase coexistence is shown to be an intrinsic feature of the system, and is attributed to the increase in the degree of the covalent character of the ( Pb + Bi)- O bond with increasing concentration of Bi at the Pb-site. The d-values of the {111} planes of the coexisting phases are nearly identical, suggesting this plane to be the invariant plane for the martensitic type cubic-tetragonal transformation occurring in these systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study to evaluate the influence of potassium sorbate combined with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) at 2C on the shelf-life extension of seer fish (Scomberomorus commerson ) steaks was made. The shelf life of 12 days in air pack was extended by 10 and 18 days in MAP and modified-atmosphere-packed seer fish pretreated with potassium sorbate, respectively. K value was not a suitable predictor of shelf life for seer fish. Potassium sorbate treatment showed further inhibition of total aerobic mesophilic count while sulfite reducing clostridial counts were 1 log cfu/g in all the packs after day 12 of storage. Potassium sorbate treated MAP samples showed higher sensory score on day 25 than those observed for MAP (P < 0.05) and CMAP steaks. Significant extension (P < 0.05) in shelf life was noticed due to MAP and treating samples with potassium sorbate. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The present study suggests that modified atmosphere 70% CO2 : 30% O2 extended shelf life of seer fish by 10 days. By using 70% CO2 : 30% O2 with 2% potassium sorbate, the shelf life of seer fish was further extended by 18 days compared to air pack which served as control and this particular combination could be commercially exploited. As the optimal gas composition varies depending on the fish, this paper adds new research information on preservation of seer fish. Moreover, as seer fish has high export demand, proper preservation technique suggested in this paper is highly relevant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of sodium chloride concentration (3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 and 12%) and storage temperatures (4°C, 10°C, 15°C and 30°C) on toxin production by Clostridium, botulinum isolated from tropical fish was studied in anaerobic cooked meat medium. The combined effect of sodium chloride (3, 5%), low pH (5.5) and low temperature (15°C) on toxin production by C. botulinum was also examined. The toxicity was tested by mouse bioassay. An increase in lag phase was noticed by increasing the salt concentration. At 30°C, spores of C. botulinum type E were able to grow and produce toxin up to 3% salt (aw = 0.976), whereas for types C and D the limiting salt concentration was 4-5% (aw = 0.97-0.974) and for types A and B it was 8% (aw = 0.952). By lowering the storage temperature, an increase in lag phase and time to toxicity was noticed for type Eat 3% salt and for types A, C and D at 5% salt level. The probability of growth and toxin production at 5% salt decreased as the pH and storage temperature (combined stress) was decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to determine the microbiological quality of farmed giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) collected from four freshwater farms located in Kerala (India). Microbiological counts on whole, deheaded, and deheaded and deveined prawn as well as on head and intestine were determined. Average counts (log10 cfu g-¹) on whole prawn were 6.9 (total mesophilic counts (TPC) at 37°C) and 4.1 (psychrotrophic count at 7°C). The results indicated that the aerobic counts were within the acceptable limit. The levels of enterococci and faecal coliforms in farmed M. rosenbergii were high. There was an increase in the numbers of enterococci and Staphylo- coccus aureus after deheading. The major groups of bacteria comprising the flora of M. rosenbergii were Aeromonadaceae, Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudo,nonas. Farmed M. rosenbergii carried pathogenic bacteria such as Enterococcus spp., S. aureus, Aeromonas hydrophila, A. veronii biovar sobria and Clostridium perfringens. The results of the study sug- gest adoption of good farming and post harvest practices to improve the microbiological quality of farmed freshwater prawn. [Article copies available [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was undertaken to determine the influence of temperature and pH on growth and time to toxicity of spores of Clostridium botulinum types isolated from tropical fish. Anaerobic meat medium with varying temperatures (4-30°C) and pH values (4.5 to 7.0) were used and toxicity was tested by mouse bioassay. An increase in lag phase was noticed by lowering the growth temperature from 30°C to 4°C and the pH from 7.0 to 4.6. The probability of toxin production increased with storage time, but decreased as either the pH or storage temperature and pH (combined stress) was decreased. The results indicated the effect of pH in controlling toxin production by C. botulinum spores in refrigerated foods with pH 5.0 or < 5.0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sensitivity of Oreochromis mossambicus to Clostridium botulinum toxin types A–E was investigated. All five toxin types were toxic to O. mossambicus. In the case of toxin types A–D, O. mossambicus was considerably more resistant than mice and, in the case of type E toxin, fish were more sensitive. The minimum intraperitoneal (i.p.) dose of type E toxin for fish was half the minimum lethal dose for mice. The results of the study suggest that good hygiene should be maintained in fish/shrimp farms to keep contamination at a low level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]