Thermal stability of surface freezing films in Ga-based alloys: an x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy study

We have investigated the thickness and surface structure of surface freezing films in Ga-Bi and Ga-Pb alloys over a wide temperature range between room temperature and the respective surface freezing transitions by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM). For the example of a Ga-Bi alloy dilute in Bi, XPS measurements show that the surface freezing film has a nearly constant value of approximately 25 A between the surface freezing temperature of 130 degrees C and room temperature if the sample is cooled slowly (5 Kh). On heating to 130 degrees C the film thickness exhibits a clear hysteresis on melting. On quenching the alloy sample (>100 Kh) the film thickness increases by almost a factor of 10. These observations indicate that the surface freezing films are metastable. The surface structure of the surface freezing films of various Ga-rich Ga-Bi and Ga-Pb alloys has been probed for the first time by STM at different temperatures below and above the bulk eutectic point. Atomically resolved STM images show the surface structures of pure Bi (0001) and Pb (111), respectively, at room temperature. On heating above the eutectic temperature the surface structure of the films does not change significantly as judged from the size and thickness of Pb or Bi terraces. These observations together with the film thickness variation with temperature indicate that the surface freezing films behave like a metastable independent surface phase. These results together with the wetting characteristics of these alloys suggest that surface freezing in these systems is a first order surface phase transition between wetting and metastable surface freezing films. The energy barrier for nucleation is strongly reduced due to a lowering of the interfacial energy if the nucleus is completely immersed in the respective wetting layer.     

Surface crystallization and phase transitions of the adsorbed film of F(CF<Subscript>2</Subscript>)<Subscript>12</Subscript>(CH<Subscript>2</Subscript>)<Subscript>16</Subscript>H at the surface of liquid tetradecane

The interaction between a long chain alkane, tetradecane (abbreviated H₁₄), molecule and a semi-fluorinated alkane, 1-perfluorododecyl-hexadecane F(CF₂)₁₂(CH₂)₁₆H (abbreviated F₁₂H₁₆), molecule at the air/ H₁₄ solution interface was studied by measuring the surface tension of the H₁₄ solutions of F₁₂H₁₆ as a function of temperature and bulk concentration under atmospheric pressure. Pure liquid H₁₄ freezes without forming a condensed film at its surface. Nevertheless, a very small amount of F₁₂H₁₆ initiates the surface freezing of H₁₄. In contrast to the F₁₂H₁₆-hexadecane (abbreviated H₁₆) system, the condensed monolayer of H₁₄ has a finite solubility of F₁₂H₁₆ in the F₁₂H₁₆-H₁₄ system. By further increasing the bulk concentration of F₁₂H_16, the F₁₂ chains of the F₁₂H₁₆ molecules form the other closely packed condensed state. Hence, as in the case of the H₁₆ system, the H₁₄ system also exhibits a surface hetero-azeotrope behavior in the lower temperature region. Below the surface hetero-azeotropic point, the condensed H₁₄ monolayer containing a small amount of F₁₂H₁₆ is completely replaced by the condensed monolayer of F₁₂H₁₆. At 2 °C, for example, a surface of H₁₄ solution of F₁₂H₁₆ covered with a gaseous film of F₁₂H₁₆ is replaced by a condensed H₁₄ monolayer containing an almost gaseous state of F₁₂H₁₆, and is then completely replaced by the condensed monolayer of F₁₂H₁₆ with increasing bulk concentration. Above the temperature of the triple point for the F₁₂H₁₆ monolayer, the F₁₂H₁₆-H₁₄ system exhibits a gaseous, expanded, and condensed state.     

Understanding of surface tension?

The importance of the molar dimensions for surface properties of not too large molecules is stressed. The understanding of surface properties of pure liquids is described in molar units with a simple model of normal liquids. The increasing knowledge makes it necessary to use idealized models. A hypothesis is given for the temperature constancy of the surface energy of small molecules without H-bonds, and a model is developed for the free energy σ_m and its temperature dependency. This seldom example of the direct measurement of the isothermic work or the free energy could help to illustrate the difference between energy and free energy. Received: 24 July 2000 Accepted: 26 October 2000     

Electron spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy study of quasi-two-dimensional freezing at the liquid/vapor interface of Ga-Bi alloys

We have studied the interfacial characteristics of Ga-rich liquid Ga-Bi alloys at various compositions and temperatures up to 300 degrees C by different electron spectroscopies under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. In particular, the thickness and thickness profiles of Bi-rich wetting and surface freezing films have been measured. It is found that at the surface freezing transition the Bi film thickness jumps from approximately 5 A to macroscopic values of over 100 A. This distinct behavior is discussed in comparison with the results in Ga-Pb. In addition, we report first scanning tunneling microscopy observations of the surface structure of a solidified Ga(0.989)Bi(0.011) alloy after passing a surface freezing transition. The topology at room temperature is characterized by extended, atomically flat Bi terraces covered by nanosized triangular two-dimensional Bi islands.     

Supercooled micro flows and application for asymmetric synthesis

Supercooled micro flow in microchannels was demonstrated. In order to clarify fundamental properties of the supercooling state in microchannels, freezing temperature was measured in the microchannels having widths ranging from 70 microm to 300 microm. The freezing temperature decreased with decreasing width of the microchannel when the microchannel wall was chemically modified with octadecylsilane group. The lowest freezing temperature was observed as -28 degrees C for water in the 70 microm wide microchannel. By contrast, the freezing temperature was -15 degrees C and did not depend on width when a microchannel with a bare glass surface was used. Next, the freezing point was measured with flow rates ranging from 0.1 to 2.0 microl min(-1) and no dependence on flow rate was observed. Then, the supercooled micro flow was applied to an asymmetric reaction in micro two-phase flow of aqueous and CH2Cl2 phases. As expected from thermodynamic prediction, enantiomeric selectivity increased in the supercooled state of water.     

Effect of black carbon particles on the efficiency of water droplet freezing

Black carbon particles emitted by natural and anthropogenic sources of combustion are potential nuclei of ice formation of cirri in troposphere. The freezing of the ensembles of water microdroplets containing black carbon particles of different origins, including those modified with organic substances, is studied. Ice-forming ability is shown to be predetermined by the density and sizes of black carbon agglomerates, as well as the chemistry and wettability of their surface. Ice formation is most efficient in dispersions of black carbon particles that are stable with respect to sedimentation and have a uniform distribution of particles over the droplet volume. In the presence of oxygen-containing groups on the particle surface, freezing temperature increases. The efficiency of the ice formation decreases in the presence of noticeable amounts of water-soluble substances on the particle surface. The maximum freezing ability is inherent in ensembles of water droplets containing hydrophilic particles. Characteristics ensuring a high ice forming ability of nuclei are determined.     

Application of the ISM EoS for polymer melts

A method for predicting an analytical equation of state for polymer melts from surface tension and liquid state density at the freezing temperature (γ_f,ρ_f), as scaling constants, is presented. B₂(T) follows a promising corresponding-states principle. Calculation of α(T) and b(T), the two other temperature-dependent constants of the equation of state, are made possible by scaling. As a result, γ_f and ρ_f are sufficient for the calculation of thermophysical properties of polymer melts. We applied the procedure to predict specific volumes of polyethylene glycol (PEG), polypropylene glycol (PPG), polypropylene (PP) and polyvinylchloride (PVC) at compressed state with temperature range from 298.15 to 423.15 K and pressures up to 200 MPa. The experimental specific volumes were correlated satisfactorily with our procedure and the results are within 3%.     

Freezing transition of wetting film of tetradecane on tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide solutions

We have performed ellipsometry and surface tensiometry at tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide (TTAB) aqueous solution surface coexisting with tetradecane lens as a function of the molality of TTAB and the temperature under atmospheric pressure. From the theoretical analysis of the coefficient of ellipticity, it was clarified that the liquid monolayer comprising the surfactant and alkane is formed at higher surfactant concentrations by the wetting transition of tetradecane lens on the aqueous solution, and the solid monolayer is formed by lowering temperature (freezing transition). The results of the surface tension measurement support the occurrence of wetting transition and the freezing transition. A phase diagram of the wetting film was constructed by ellipsometry and surface tensiometry, of which the mixed solid monolayer had never been reported before. From the thermodynamic analysis of the phase diagram, it is also demonstrated that the TTAB surface density decreases accompanied with the freezing transition, which agrees with surface densities of TTAB calculated from surface tension vs. concentration curves.     

Surface thermodynamics of binary mixtures of ethylene glycol + cyclohexanol or cyclopentanol

Surface tension data of binary mixtures of ethylene glycol + cyclohexanol and ethylene glycol + cyclopentanol was measured over the entire concentration range at various temperatures. The experimental values were correlated with temperature and with mole fraction. The values of the surface entropy, surface enthalpy and excess surface tension for these mixtures were also calculated.     

Line tension of alkane lenses on aqueous surfactant solutions at phase transitions of coexisting interfaces

Alkane droplets on aqueous solutions of surfactants exhibit a first-order wetting transition as the concentration of surfactant is increased. The low-concentration or “partial wetting” state corresponds to an oil lens in equilibrium with a two-dimensional dilute gas of oil and surfactant molecules. The high-concentration or “pseudo-partial wetting” state consists of an oil lens in equilibrium with a mixed monolayer of surfactant and oil. Depending on the combination of surfactant and oil, these mixed monolayers undergo a thermal phase transition upon cooling, either to a frozen mixed monolayer or to an unusual bilayer structure in which the upper leaflet is a solid layer of pure alkane with hexagonal packing and upright chains while the lower leaflet remains a disordered liquid-like mixed monolayer. Additionally, certain long-chain alkanes exhibit a surface freezing transition at the air–oil interface where the top monolayer of oil freezes above its melting point. In this review, we summarize our previous studies and discuss how these wetting and surface freezing transitions influence the line tension of oil lenses from both an experimental and theoretical perspective.     

Evolution of Porosity by Freeze Casting and Sintering of Sol-Gel Derived Ceramics

Freeze cast of aqueous ceramic powder slurries is described as a versatile process to fabricate complex-shaped ceramic parts. Since freezing of aqueous sols or powder suspensions include the nucleation and growth of ice crystals the evolving microstructure in particular the pore characteristics which are left behind after elimination of the solvent can be controlled by the freezing process. The freezing kinetics have then to be used to manifest the conditions for the formation of the intended porosity. The temperature profile in the freezing slurry was measured and calculated, in particular the movement of the freezing front through the slurry was determined. The results show that a homogeneous microstructure is reached in the surface region of the consolidated part. Individual ice crystals are detected within a distance of some hundred micrometers from the surface. The final pores are dendritic in shape with an elliptical cross section. The pores can grow up to several millimeters in length under the process conditions used in this study. The limits of freeze-sensitive slurry compositions should be investigated in further studies and the approach should be followed to increase the porosity by additional foaming steps.     

The temperature dependence of the surface tension of monatomic liquids and the boiling transition

We have reviewed recent model theories of the surface tension and examined the data on the temperature dependence of the surface tension of elemental liquids. From this, we have been able to show that the surface tension of these liquids vary linearly with temperature with the linear coefficient being related to both the transition temperatures at melting and at boiling. We use this to show that the boiling transition temperature may be expressed in a form which was previously proposed by us in a general phenomenological theory of phase transitions involving quasi-particles.     

基于表面金属有机化学方法的硅胶表面氧化钛的制备及表征

以普通硅胶为载体, 采用表面金属有机化学合成技术, 通过“一锅”反应制备了硅胶表面金属有机钛化合物, 然后经高温煅烧获得了硅胶表面氧化钛. 采用傅里叶变换红外光谱(FTIR)、 X射线光电子能谱(XPS)、 热重分析(TG-DTA)及原子力显微镜(AFM)对硅胶表面金属有机钛化合物和表面氧化钛进行了结构表征. 结果表明, 高温煅烧过程中, 硅胶表面金属有机钛化合物不仅脱除了有机配体, 并且通氧使其表面“再生”羟基, 确保了钛的四配位形式不变; 氧化钛通过Si—O—Ti键锚定在硅胶表面, 呈分散、 孤立状态分布. 高温煅烧后, 硅胶的骨架结构保持完好.     

POLYMER CHAIN DIFFUSION AT A TEMPERATURE BELOW ITS BULK GLASS TRANSITION TEMPERATURE

In this study, it was examined whether the dynamics of polymer chains at a surface is different from that in thebulk, and if so, to what extent they differ in terms of surface glass transition temperature and diffusion coefficient. Obtainedresults clearly indicate that surface chains can travel for a relatively large distance in comparison with the characteristiclength scale of usual segmental motion even at a temperature below its bulk glass transition temperature, T_g~b. This isconsistent with our previous results that the surface glass transition temperature is much lower than the corresponding T_g~b.Also, it was experimentally revealed that there was a gradient of molecular motion in the surface region.     

聚丙烯表面接枝PNIPAAm膜Ⅰ.光接枝反应和表面形态结构研究

以氧杂蒽酮或二苯甲酮为引发剂 ,通过紫外光引发表面接枝聚合的方法在聚丙烯薄膜表面引入了具有温度敏感特性的聚异丙基丙烯酰胺 (PNIPAAm)接枝聚合物层 .提高紫外光强度和接枝反应温度均有利于接枝率增大 ,而单体浓度对接枝率的影响存在最佳值 ,为 0 1 8mol L .在引发剂预浸渍引发接枝和休眠基引发接枝这两种方式中 ,后者能够实现更高的接枝率 .红外光谱 (FTIR)、X射线光电子能谱化学分析 (ESCA)和扫描电子显微镜 (SEM)等对接枝层组成的表征结果证实了接枝层的存在 .在不同温度下 ,接枝膜的FTIR谱图中酰胺I带和酰胺II带特征吸收峰发生位移 ,表明它具有温度敏感特性 .同时 ,SEM研究发现由于接枝膜的温度敏感特性而导致的球状表面形态结构     

Weight loss and isotopic shifts for water drops frozen on a liquid nitrogen surface

A liquid nitrogen freezing method was used to collect raindrops for the determination of isotope-size distribution. Water drops that fall onto a surface of liquid nitrogen stay suspended for 10 to 20 s, until their temperature reaches the Leidenfrost point (126 K). As their temperature falls to the freezing point, they release their heat by thermal conduction. At the freezing point, latent heat of fusion is released, along with a significant loss of water. After freezing completely, the ice droplets stay suspended, cooling by thermal conduction until they reach the Leidenfrost point. They then lose buoyancy and start sinking. Consistent isotopic changes of 1.5 +/- 0.4 and 0.33 +/- 0.05 per thousand for hydrogen and oxygen, respectively, were found for droplets with radii between 1.0 and 1.5 mm. Isotope fractionation appeared to occur at the same time as water loss, as the droplets were freezing, in what was probably a kinetic effect.     

Surface phase transitions in foams and emulsions

Surface phase transitions in surfactant adsorption layers are known to affect the dynamic properties of foams and to induce surface nucleation in freezing emulsion drops. Recently, these transitions were found to play a role in several other phenomena, opening new opportunities for controlling foam and emulsion properties. This review presents a brief outlook of the emerging opportunities in this area. Three topics are emphasized: (1) the use of surfactant mixtures for inducing phase transitions on bubble surfaces in foams; (2) the peculiar properties of natural surfactants saponins, which form extremely viscoelastic surface layers; and (3) the main phenomena in emulsions, for which the surface phase transitions are important. The overall conclusion from the reviewed literature is that surface phase transitions could be used as a powerful tool to control many foam and emulsion properties, but we need deeper understanding of the underlying phenomena to fully explore these opportunities.     

Studies of the surface wettability and hydrothermal stability of methyl-modified silica films by FT-IR and Raman spectra

Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and Raman spectroscopy were employed to study the hydrothermal stability and the influence of surface functional groups on the surface wettability of methyl-modified silica films. The surface free energy parameters of the silica films were determined using the Lifshitz-van der Waals/acid–base approach. The thermal decomposition mechanisms of the CH₃ groups in the methyl-modified silica material are proposed. The results show that with the increase of methyltriethoxysilane (MTES)/tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) ratio, the surface free energy and surface wettability of the silica films decrease greatly. This is mainly because of the contribution of the acid–base term; the intensity of Si–CH₃ groups increases at the expense of the intensity of O–H groups in the samples. The surfaces of the methyl-modified silica films exhibited predominantly monopolar electron-donicity. The contact angle on the silica film surface reaches its maximum value when calcination is performed at 350 °C. Thermogravimetric analysis implies that some low molecular weight species, such as H₂, CH₄, and C, are eliminated upon thermal decomposition of the –CH₃ groups. The Si–CH₃ and –CH₃ vibrational bands diminish in intensity as the calcination temperature is increased, disappearing completely when the calcination temperature is increased to 600 °C. When the calcination temperature is increased to 750 °C, the free carbon and CSi₄ species will be formed.     

Atomistic modeling of surface and bulk properties of Cu, Pd and the Cu–Pd system

The BFS method for alloys is applied to the study of the Cu–Pd system. A variety of issues are analyzed and discussed, including the properties of pure Cu or Pd crystals (surface energies, surface relaxations), Pd/Cu and Cu/Pd surface alloys, segregation of Pd (or Cu) in Cu (or Pd), concentration dependence of the lattice parameter of the high temperature fcc CuPd solid solution, the formation and properties of low temperature ordered phases, and order–disorder transition temperatures. Emphasis is made on the ability of the method to describe these properties on the basis of a minimum set of BFS universal parameters that uniquely characterize the Cu–Pd system.     

聚甲醛电纺纤维表面孔结构的控制

研究了环境相对湿度、 温度、 溶液浓度、 纺丝电压和接收距离对聚甲醛(POM)电纺纤维表面孔形貌的影响. 结果表明, 空气中一定含量的水对孔的形成至关重要; 纺丝液浓度对孔的大小有影响. 并对POM 纤维表面成孔的可能机理进行了分析.