Cochin University of Science and Technology

About: Cochin University of Science and Technology is a education organization based out in Kochi, Kerala, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Thin film & Natural rubber. The organization has 5382 authors who have published 7690 publications receiving 103827 citations. The organization is also known as: CUSAT & Cochin University.

Analysis of the pour point of coconut oil as a lubricant base stock using differential scanning calorimetry

Abstract: One of the major disadvantages of vegetable oils as base stock for lubricants is their high pour points. In this paper the crystallisation behaviour of coconut oil and the effect of additive addition and the chemical modification on its pour point were analysed using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Coconut oil showed the highest pour point among the vegetable oils considered in the study. This can be attributed to the predominantly saturated nature of its fatty acid constituents. Addition of additives did not show any significant improvement in the pour point of coconut oil. The chemical modification procedures described in this work have been effective in improving the pour point of coconut oil to some extent. The DSC method used in the present work has been found to be helpful in understanding the crystallisation behaviour of vegetable oils with different fatty acid compositions, the effect of additive addition and the chemical modification on pour point of coconut oil. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Structure and thermo-mechanical properties of CTBN-grafted-GO modified epoxy/DDS composites

Abstract: Carboxyl terminated poly(acrylonitrile-co-butadiene) (CTBN) is grafted on to graphite oxide (GO) to prepare GCTBN in order to improve the dispersion and interfacial bonding between GO and epoxy resin in an epoxy/DDS system. GCTBN was characterized by FTIR, XPS, Raman spectroscopy, XRD, TEM, TOM (morphology) and TGA. All these studies reveal the grafting of CTBN with GO. The thermal stability of GCTBN was found to improve considerably. The TEM micrograph of epoxy/GCTBN reveals an excellent dispersion of GCTBN in the epoxy matrix. Tensile strength (ca. 25%), tensile modulus (ca. 34%), tensile elongation (ca. 10%), and fracture toughness (ca. 128%) improved remarkably for GCTBN modified epoxy matrix. SEM micrographs reveal no sheet pull out for GCTBN modified epoxy, due to the complete wetting of GCTBN by the epoxy matrix. This confirms effective sheet/matrix interfacial bonding for the GCTBN modified epoxy matrix. Moreover, the viscoelastic properties reveal a very high modulus and improved Tg for the epoxy/GCTBN when compared with the neat crosslinked epoxy.

Quantitative Mueller matrix fluorescence spectroscopy for precancer detection

Abstract: Quantitative fluorescence spectroscopic Mueller matrix measurements from the connective tissue regions of human cervical tissue reveal intriguing fluorescence diattenuation and polarizance effects. Interestingly, the estimated fluorescence linear diattenuation and polarizance parameters were considerably reduced in the precancerous tissues as compared to the normal ones. These polarimetry effects of the autofluorescence were found to originate from anisotropically organized collagen molecular structures present in the connective tissues. Consequently, the reduction of the magnitude of these polarimetric parameters at higher grades of precancer was attributed to the loss of anisotropic organization of collagen, which was also confirmed by control experiments. These results indicate that fluorescence spectral diattenuation and polarizance parameters may serve as potentially useful diagnostic metrics.

Hybrid Multiferroic Nanostructure with Magnetic−Dielectric Coupling

Abstract: The development of methods to economically synthesize single wire structured multiferroic systems with room temperature spin–charge coupling is expected to be important for building next-generation multifunctional devices with ultralow power consumption. We demonstrate the fabrication of a single nanowire multiferroic system, a new geometry, exhibiting room temperature magnetodielectric coupling. A coaxial nanotube/nanowire heterostructure of barium titanate (BaTiO3, BTO) and cobalt (Co) has been synthesized using a template-assisted method. Room temperature ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity were exhibited by this coaxial system, indicating the coexistence of more than one ferroic interaction in this composite system.