A general approach involving a solvothermal method was developed to synthesize a series of silicate nanoshells (<100 nm) where both Gd silicate and Gd silicate:Eu nanoshells were further demonstrated to exhibit dual-modality MRI and optical imaging functions.

An ideal endodontic sealer should have many properties such as excellent seal after setting, dimensional stability, slow setting time to ensure sufficient working time, insolubility to tissue fluids, adequate adhesion with canal walls and biocompatibility. Genotoxicity is one of the important factors that influence biocompatibility of an endodontic sealer. This literature review was conducted t...

The title compound, tricalcium oxynitride silicate, with composition Ca(3-x)Si(2)N(2-2x)O(4+2x) (x ≃ 0.12), is a perovskite-related calcium oxynitrido silicate containing isolated oxynitrido silicate 12-rings. The N atoms are statistically disordered with O atoms (occupancy ratio N:O = 0.88:0.12) and occupy the bridging positions in the 12 ring oxynitrido silicate anion, while the remaining O a...

The paper presents the effect of different synthesis parameters, such as (a) fly ash to alkaline solution ratio, (b) concentration of NaOH solution, (c) concentration of sodium silicate solution, (d) geopolymer solids to water ratio and (e) sodium silicate to sodium hydroxide solution ratio, on the compressive strength of geopolymer concrete synthesized from fly ash of Indian origin. It is obse...

This paper demonstrates the application of a broadband luminescent downshifting (LDS) layer with multiple species of europium (Eu)-doped silicate phosphors using spin-on film technique to enhance the photovoltaic efficiency of crystalline silicon solar cells. The surface morphology of the deposited layer was examined using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The chemical composition of the Eu...

This paper examines the compressive strength of sodium silicate bonded cores for aluminum casting with different additives. Various materials are used as additives among which it is found that 5% sand size bauxite has the best effect on both gas strength and de-coring 98.5% silica content sand with 70-90 AFS No. with 4% sodium silicate is used. The results indicate that although very good colla...

We study nanoclusters of Mg-rich olivine and pyroxene (having (MgO)6(SiO2)3 and (MgO)4(SiO2)4 compositions) with respect to their reactivity towards hydrogen atoms, using density functional calculations. Ultrasmall silicate particles are fundamental intermediates in cosmic dust grain formation and processing, and are thought to make up a significant mass fraction of the grain population. Due to...

Glasses and glass-ceramics (GCs) used for sealing, coating and high voltage applications belong to a special class of materials in which among other requirements, matching of thermal expansion coefficient with that of metal as closely as possible up to set temperature is an important consideration. In this paper I shall concentrate on some indigenous efforts carried out in my laboratory on the ...

Rice is a typical silicon-accumulating plant. Silicon (Si), deposited as phytoliths during plant growth, has been shown to occlude organic carbon, which may prove to have significant effects on the biogeochemical sequestration of atmospheric CO2. This study evaluated the effects of silicate fertilization on plant Si uptake and carbon bio-sequestration in field trials on China's paddy soils. The...

The recent Spitzer detections of the 9.7μm Si–O silicate emission in type 1 active galactic nuclei (AGN) provide support for the AGN unification scheme. The properties of the silicate dust are of key importance to understand the physical, chemical and evolutionary properties of the obscuring dusty torus around the AGN. Compared to that of the Galactic interstellar medium (ISM), the 10μm silicat...