A total of 260 male subjects between 1 and 80 years of age of north-west region of India were studied with regard to morphometry of the ear lobule. The purpose of the present study was to obtain average values and range of measurements of several parameters of the ear lobule and the differences between right and left lobules. Female subjects were excluded from the study due to piercing. Various measurements of lobule were taken with the help of Vernier and Lange's calipers. The results of the aforementioned measurements were analyzed statistically using Student's t-test. The maximum length of the lobule increased appreciably between 6-15 years and 41-80 years. The breadth of the ear lobule increased up to the age of 15 years and was almost static between the ages of 16 and 40 years and increased again from 41 years onwards. Length of the lobule showed significant growth from the age group of 6-10 to 11-15, 21-40 to 41-60 and 41-60 to 61-80 years on the right side and 6-10 to 11-15 and 21-40 to 41-60 years on the left side. Breadth and thickness of ear lobule also showed statistically significant growth pattern in some age groups. On comparing the ear lobe dimensions with the studies available in other populations of the world, it was observed that north-west Indians have smaller ear lobules as compared to Caucasian and Japanese populations. In the present study, the frequency of attached (square) type of lobules was the maximum, followed by free (pendulous) type and tapering lobules. These findings were similar to those found among the Onge tribe of Andhra (India) and Newars of Nepal.

Nanocomposite electrodes having three-dimensional (3-D) nanoscale architecture comprising of vertically aligned ZnO nanorod array core-polypyrrole (PPy) conducting polymer sheath and the vertical PPy nanotube arrays have been investigated for supercapacitor energy storage. The electrodes in the ZnO nanorod core-PPy sheath structure are formed by preferential nucleation and deposition of PPy layer over hydrothermally synthesized vertical ZnO nanorod array by controlled pulsed current electropolymerization of pyrrole monomer under surfactant action. The vertical PPy nanotube arrays of different tube diameter are created by selective etching of the ZnO nanorod core in ammonia solution for different periods. Cyclic voltammetry studies show high areal-specific capacitance approximately 240 mF.cm-2 for open pore and approximately 180 mF.cm-2 for narrow 30-to-36-nm diameter PPy nanotube arrays attributed to intensive faradic processes arising from enhanced access of electrolyte ions through nanotube interior and exterior. Impedance spectroscopy studies show that capacitive response extends over larger frequency domain in electrodes with PPy nanotube structure. Simulation of Nyquist plots by electrical equivalent circuit modeling establishes that 3-D nanostructure is better represented by constant phase element which accounts for the inhomogeneous electrochemical redox processes. Charge-discharge studies at different current densities establish that kinetics of the redox process in PPy nanotube electrode is due to the limitation on electron transport rather than the diffusive process of electrolyte ions. The PPy nanotube electrodes show deep discharge capability with high coulomb efficiency and long-term charge-discharge cyclic studies show nondegrading performance of the specific areal capacitance tested for 5,000 cycles.

Polypyrrole (pPy) conducting polymer films embedded with MnO2 nanoparticles have been synthesized by electrochemical polymerization and anodic oxidation processes. MnO2 nanoparticles coexist in the hydrated Mn(II) and Mn(IV) states and undergo valence state change along side pPy anion doping-dedoping contributing to the system pseudocapacitance. Increased density of sequestered MnO2 nanoparticles in pPy significantly improves charge storage properties as shown by increased electrodic specific capacitance from 200 to 620 Fg-1 based on cyclic voltammetry studies. MnO2 nanoparticle dispersion in open porous pPy microstructure is affected by current density in excess of 4 mA.cm-2 used in synthesis and results in MnO2 particle agglomeration that excludes open surface access reducing specific capacitance. Charge-discharge studies show stable capacitance retention for ∼1000 cycles. The redox performance of MnO2-pPy composite electrodes is suitable for application in the high energy density supercapacitors.

A B S T R A C TElectrical energy storage properties of supercapacitors based on carbon nanofoam-fibrous PEDOT composite and microporous PEDOT film/graphite electrodes formed by the pulsed current electropolymerization technique are investigated. The 3-dimensional nano-architecture of the composite carbon nanofoam -fibrous PEDOT electrode exhibits high pore connectivity and electrolyte ion diffusivity. By utilizing its bifacial ion transportation ability and reduced ion diffusion impedance, a supercapacitor device in the 3-electrode configuration has been tested which shows high specific capacitance of 210.8 F g À1 as compared to 142.5 F g À1 observed for the supercapacitor in the conventional 2-electrode design. The voltage scan rate dependence shows high efficacy of the bifacial carbon nanofoam electrode in faster ion transport in the 3-electrode supercapacitor configuration. The 3-electrode supercapacitor cell shows energy density of 8.53 Wh kg À1 which is nearly 1.7 times higher than the energy density of the 2-electrode supercapacitor cell. The power density of $19.7 kW kg À1 for the 3-electrode supercapacitor cell is also superior as the 2-electrode supercapacitor exhibit a typical value of 11.8 kW kg À1 .Published by Elsevier B.V.

Electrochemical performance of supercapacitors configured using carbon nanofoam enfolded by conformal thin poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) film in nanofibrous structure and electrodeposited microporous PEDOT film/graphite as two asymmetric electrodes is described. Cyclic voltammetry data at 20 mVs-1 scan rate show specific capacitance of carbon nanofoam-PEDOT composite electrode operating in the-0.8 to +0.2 V, and microporous PEDOT in the 0 to +0.8 V voltage range are 72 and 159 Fg-1 , respectively. Paired in an asymmetric supercapacitor, in the balanced charge state, highly symmetrical cyclic voltammetry plots at high scan rates of 100 mVs-1 in-0.8 to +1.2 V voltage range testify highly capacitive behavior with high degree of charge reversibility attributed to unimpeded pore-filling and alignment of ionic charges over vast interiors of carbon nanofoam and a highly pervasive access to electrolyte ions within interconnected void network of microporous PEDOT. Linear charge-discharge characteristic of the supercapacitor at 1.0 to 3.5 Ag-1 current density show high rate capability and yield energy density of 13.6 Wh.kg-1 at the power density of 19.0 kW kg-1. The long term charge-discharge tests at 1 Ag-1 show minimal ~14 % loss of specific capacitance of asymmetric supercapacitor for 10,000 cycles.