A Sensitive Isotope Selective Nondispersive Infrared Spectrometer for 13CO2 and 12CO2 Concentration Measurements in Breath Samples

We present a nondispersive infrared spectrometer (NDIRS) for the measurement of the ¹³CO₂/¹²CO₂-ratio in breath samples. A commercial NDIR spectrometer for CO₂ concentration measurements in industrial process control was modified using two separate optical channels for the ¹³CO₂ and ¹²CO₂ detection. Cross interference due to overlapping absorption lines of both isotopic gases was successfully eliminated. The sensitivity of this device is ± 0.4‰ of the ¹³CO₂/¹²CO₂-ratio in a range of 2.5 to 5% of total CO₂. This is sufficient for biomedical applications. Our spectrometer is small in size, cheap and simple to operate and thus a true alternative to isotope ratio mass spectrometers (IRMS). Several biomedical applications with breath samples were demonstrated and were compared in very good agreement with IRMS.     

Combustion synthesis and luminescence properties of NaY1−xEux(WO4)2 phosphors

The red phosphors NaY_1−xEu_x(WO₄)₂ with different concentrations of Eu³⁺ were synthesized via the combustion synthesis method. As a comparison, NaEu(WO₄)₂ was prepared by the solid-state reaction method. The phase composition and optical properties of as-synthesized samples were studied by X-ray powder diffraction and photoluminescence spectra. The results show that the red light emission intensity of the combustion synthesized samples under 394 nm excitation increases with increase in Eu³⁺ concentrations and calcination temperatures. Without Y ions doping, the emission spectra intensity of the NaEu(WO₄)₂ phosphor prepared by the combustion method fired at 900 °C is higher than that prepared by the solid-state reaction at 1100 °C. NaEu(WO₄)₂ phosphor synthesized by the combustion method at 1100 °C exhibits the strongest red emission under 394 nm excitation and appropriate CIE chromaticity coordinates (x=0.64, y=0.33) close to the NTSC standard value. Thus, its excellent luminescence properties make it a promising phosphor for near UV InGaN chip-based red-emitting LED application.     

Luminescence of Ce and Pr doped Sr2Mg(BO3)2 under VUV-UV and X-ray excitation

This report presents the luminescence properties of Ce³⁺ and Pr³⁺ activated Sr₂Mg(BO₃)₂ under VUV-UV and X-ray excitation. The five excitation bands of crystal field split 5d states are observed at about 46 729, 44 643, 41 667, 38 314 and 29 762 cm⁻¹ (i.e. 214, 224, 240, 261 and 336 nm) for Ce³⁺ in the host lattice. The doublet Ce³⁺ 5d→4f emission bands were found at about 25 840 and 24 096 cm⁻¹ (387 and 415 nm). The influence of doping concentration and temperature on the emission characteristics and the decay time of Ce³⁺ in Sr₂Mg(BO₃)₂ were investigated. For Pr³⁺ doped samples, the lowest 5d excitation band was observed at about 42017 cm⁻¹ (238 nm), a dominant band at around 35714 cm⁻¹ (280 nm) and two shoulder bands were seen in the emission spectra. The excitation and emission spectra of Ce³⁺ and Pr³⁺ were compared and discussed. The X-ray excited luminescence studies show that the light yields are ∼3200±230 and ∼1400±100 photons/MeV of absorbed X-ray energy for the samples Sr_1.86Ce_0.07Na_0.07Mg(BO₃)₂ and Sr_1.82Pr_0.09Na_0.09Mg(BO₃)₂ at RT, respectively.     

DC discharge experiment in an Ar/N2/CO2 ternary mixture: A laboratory simulation of the Martian ionosphere's plasma environment

A low-pressure DC plasma discharge sustained in a 1.6%Ar–2.7%N₂–95.3%CO₂ ternary mixture is studied. This plasma was generated in a total pressure range from 1.0 to 4.0 Torr, a power of 6.3 W and a 12 l/min flow rate of gases. The electron temperature was found to be 8.41 eV and the ion density, in the order of 10⁹ cm⁻³. The species observed in the plasma mixture were CO₂, CO₂⁺, CN, CO, CO⁺, O₂, O₂⁺, N₂, N₂⁺, NO, C⁺, Ar and Ar⁺. At the pressure range in the present study, the species observed do not change their intensity due to an increase in the pressure and they separate in two groups according to their emission intensity: the band of the first group (CO₂, CO₂⁺ and CN) is approximately a factor of 3 more intense than that of the second group (CO, CO⁺, O₂, O₂⁺, N₂, N₂⁺, NO, C⁺, Ar and Ar⁺). The behavior of the emission intensities may be correlated to the constant ion density and electron temperature measured. Also, we observed the same constant behavior in the ratios of the neutral and positive species intensities to that of the N₂ intensity, as a function of pressure. This may suggest that the different rate coefficients and cross sections of elastic collision, excitation and de-excitation of electronic or vibrational levels, inelastic and superelastic collisions of electrons with the gas phase and products, neutral–neutral interactions, resonant charged transfer processes, recombination, to mention some, to produce these species change in the same proportion, as a function of the pressure to keep the relative ratios of the species almost constant.     

The high resolution FTIR spectrum of the ν2 band of formaldehyde isotopomer H2CO

The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) absorption spectrum of the ν₂ fundamental band of the formaldehyde isotopomer H₂¹³CO was recorded at an unapodized resolution of 0.0063 cm⁻¹ in the 1630–1780 cm⁻¹ region. Upper state (ν₂ = 1) rovibrational constants inclusive of three rotational, five quartic, and six sextic centrifugal distortion constants were accurately determined by assigning and fitting 447 unperturbed infrared transitions with a rms deviation of 0.00056 cm⁻¹ using Watson’s A-reduced Hamiltonian in the I^r representation. Analysis of new transitions measured in this work yielded more higher-order upper state constants with greater accuracy than previously reported. The band center of the A-type ν₂ band was found to be 1707.980943 ± 0.000058 cm⁻¹ while the calculated inertial defect Δ₂ of the H₂¹³CO molecule was 0.09581 ± 0.00004 μŲ.     

High sensitivity cw-cavity ringdown and Fourier transform absorption spectroscopies of CO2

The absorption spectrum of ¹³CO₂ has been recorded by cw-cavity ringdown spectroscopy with a new set up based on fibered DFB lasers. By using a series of 31 DFB lasers, the spectrum of carbon dioxide could be recorded in the 6130-6750 cm⁻¹ region with a typical sensitivity of 5 × 10⁻¹⁰ cm⁻¹. The spectrum has also been recorded between 4400 and 8500 cm⁻¹ with a Fourier transform spectrometer associated with a multi-pass cell (maximum path length of 105 m). The new observations obtained both by FTS and CRDS represent a significant extension of the available data. For instance, more than 4000 line positions were measured and assigned in the CRDS spectrum while only 232 line positions are listed in the HITRAN database. Altogether, the band by band analysis has led to the determination of the rovibrational parameters of 65, 7, and 24 bands for the ¹³C¹⁶O₂, ¹⁶O¹³C¹⁷O, and ¹⁶O¹³C¹⁸O isotopomers, respectively. As some observed line positions show significant deviations from the predictions of the effective Hamiltonian model, the new observed line positions were gathered with the data available in the literature to refine the set of effective Hamiltonian parameters of the ¹³C¹⁶O₂ isotopic species. The refined set of 96 effective Hamiltonian parameters reproduces more than 14 650 line positions of ¹³C¹⁶O₂ with an RMS=0.002 cm⁻¹. A detailed comparison with the line positions retrieved from Venus spectra and the line list provided by HITRAN is also presented and discussed.     

Biomedical Application of an Isotope Selective Nondispersive Infrared Spectrometer for 13CO2 and 12CO2 Concentration Measurements in Breath Samples

A newly developed isotope selective nondispersive infrared (NDIR) spectrometer for the measurement of ¹³CO₂ and ¹²CO₂ concentrations in breath samples was applied as a low cost and very simple to operate alternative to isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). We used this device for several biomedical applications ([¹³C]urea breath test, [¹³C]leucine metabolism, [¹³C]methacetin catabolism of rats) and found that the results agree very well with IRMS.     

Particle imaging of ignition and devolatilization of pulverized coal during oxy-fuel combustion

Oxy-fuel combustion of coal is a promising technology for cost-effective power production with carbon capture and sequestration that has ancillary benefits of emission reductions and lower flue gas cleanup costs. To fully understand the results of pilot-scale tests of oxy-fuel combustion and to accurately predict scale-up performance through CFD modeling, fundamental data are needed concerning coal and coal char combustion properties under these unconventional conditions. In the work reported here, the ignition and devolatilization characteristics of both a high-volatile bituminous coal and a Powder River Basin subbituminous coal were analyzed in detail through single-particle imaging at a gas temperature of 1700 K over a range of 12–36 vol % O₂ in both N₂ and CO₂ diluent gases. The bituminous coal images show large, hot soot cloud radiation whose size and shape vary with oxygen concentration and, to a lesser extent, with the use of N₂ versus CO₂ diluent gas. Subbituminous coal images show cooler, smaller emission signals during devolatilization that have the same characteristic size as the coal particles introduced into the flow (nominally 100 μm). The measurements also demonstrate that the use of CO₂ diluent retards the onset of ignition and increases the duration of devolatilization, once initiated. For a given diluent gas, a higher oxygen concentration yields shorter ignition delay and devolatilization times. The effect of CO₂ on coal particle ignition is explained by its higher molar specific heat and its tendency to reduce the local radical pool. The effect of O₂ on coal particle ignition results from its effect on the local mixture reactivity. CO₂ decreases the rate of devolatilization because of the lower mass diffusivity of volatiles in CO₂ mixtures, whereas higher O₂ concentrations increase the mass flux of oxygen to the volatiles flame and thereby increase the rate of devolatilization.     

Enhanced luminescence of Ca3B2O6:Dy phosphors by Na-codoping for LED applications

The Ca_2.95−yDy_0.05B₂O₆:yNa⁺ (0≤y≤0.20) phosphors were synthesized at 1100 °C in air by the solid-state reaction route. The as-synthesized phosphors were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), photoluminescence excitation (PLE), photoluminescence (PL) spectra and thermoluminescence (TL) spectra. The PLE spectra show the excitation peaks from 300 to 400 nm due to the 4f-4f transitions of Dy³⁺. This mercury-free excitation is useful for solid-state lighting and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The emission of Dy³⁺ ions on 350 nm excitation was observed at 480 nm (blue) due to the ⁴F_9/2→⁶H_15/2 transitions, 575 nm (yellow) due to ⁴F_9/2→⁶H_13/2 transitions and 660 nm (red) due to weak ⁴F_9/2→⁶H_11/2 emissions. The PL results from the investigated Ca_2.95−yDy_0.05B₂O₆:yNa⁺ phosphors show that Dy³⁺ emissions increase with the increase of the Na⁺ codoping ions. The integral intensity of yellow to blue (Y/B) can be tuned by controlling Na⁺ content. By the simulation of white light, the optimal CIE value (0.328, 0.334) can be achieved when the content of Na⁺-codoping ions is y=0.2. The results imply that the Ca_2.95−yDy_0.05B₂O₆:yNa⁺ phosphors could be potentially used as white LEDs.     

Influence of carbon templates and Yb concentration on red and green luminescence of uniform Y2O3:Yb/Er hollow microspheres

Uniform Yb³⁺ and Er³⁺-codoped Y₂O₃ hollow microspheres were synthesized via urea co-precipitation using carbon spheres as templates. Intense red emission (⁴F_9/2→⁴I_15/2) and weak green emission (²H_11/2, ⁴S_3/2→⁴I_15/2) of Er³⁺ were observed for the Yb³⁺ and Er³⁺-codoped Y₂O₃ hollow microspheres under 980 nm infrared excitation. The integrated intensity of visible emission and the ratio of red to green were found to be strongly dependent on the amount of carbon sphere templates and the concentration of Yb³⁺ ions. The amount of carbon sphere templates also plays an important role in adjusting the size of crystallite. Multi-phonon relaxation resulted from the absorbents (OH⁻ and CO₃²⁻) on the surface of the crystallite, and efficient occur of energy transfer processes and cross-relaxation between Er³⁺ and Yb³⁺ are responsible for the enhancement of intensity ratio of red to green emission. Interestingly, for higher concentration of Yb³⁺ ions, the green emission is assigned to a three-phonon process in Y₂O₃:Yb/Er hollow microspheres, which also could result in the increase of the red to green emission ratio. An explanation to account for these behaviors was presented.     

Flame structure studies of rich ethylene-oxygen-argon mixtures doped with CO2, or with NH3, or with H2O

Structures of several premixed ethylene-oxygen-argon rich flat flames burning at 50 mbar have been established by using molecular beam mass spectrometry in order to investigate the effect of CO₂, or NH₃, or H₂O addition on species concentration profiles. The aim of this study is to examine the eventual changes of profiles of detected hydrocarbon intermediates which could be considered as soot precursors (C₂H₂, C₄H₂, C₅H₄, C₅H₆, C₆H₂, C₆H₄, C₆H₆, C₇H₈, C₆H₆O, C₈H₆, C₈H₈, C₉H₈ and C₁₀H₈). The comparative study has been achieved on four flames with an equivalence ratio (f) of 2.50: one without any additive (F2.50), one with 15% of CO₂ replacing the same quantity of argon (F2.50C), one with 3.3% of NH₃ in partial replacement of argon (F2.50N) and one with 13% of H₂O in replacement of the same quantity of argon (F2.50H). The four flat flames have similar final flame temperatures (1800 K).CO₂, or NH₃, or H₂O addition to the fresh gas inlet causes a shift downstream of the flame front and thus flame inhibition. Endothermic processes CO₂ + H = CO + OH and H₂O + H = H₂ + OH are responsible of the reduction of the hydrocarbon intermediates in the CO₂ and H₂O added flames through the supplementary formation of hydroxyl radicals. It has been demonstrated that such processes begin to play at the end of the flame front and becomes more efficient in the burnt gases region.The replacement of some Ar by NH₃ is responsible only for a slight decrease of the maximum mole fraction of C₂H₂, but NH₃ becomes much more efficient for C₄H₂ and C₅ to C₁₀ species. Moreover, the efficiency of NH₃ as a reducing agent of C₅ to C₁₀ intermediates is larger than that of CO₂ and H₂O for equal quantities added.     

Near-infrared luminescence of OH and Cl doped Bi4Ge3O12 crystals

OH⁻ and Cl⁻ doped Bi₄Ge₃O₁₂ (BGO) single crystals had been grown by Vertical Bridgman (VB) method. The structure of these crystals was determined by XRD, the transmittance and emission spectra in near infrared region (NIR) were measured at room temperature. 5% OH⁻ doped BGO shows a significant emission band peaking around 1181 nm under 808 nm laser diodes (LDs) excitation, and the 5% Cl⁻ doped BGO exhibits a relatively weak emission band as well. 100% and 5% OH⁻ doped BGO show noticeable emission band centered at about 1346 nm under 980 nm LDs excitation.     

The structure and luminescence properties of a novel orange emitting phosphor Y3MnxAl5−2xSixO12

A series of phosphors with the composition Y₃Mn_xAl_5−2xSi_xO₁₂ (x=0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6) was prepared through solid state reactions. X-ray powder diffraction analysis of samples shows that when co-doping content does not exceed 16% of Al³⁺, equimolar co-doping of Mn²⁺ and Si⁴⁺ does not change the garnet structure of phosphors, but makes the interplanar distance to decrease a certain extent. However, if the co-doping content exceeds 16%, new phases will form in the samples. The excitation and emission spectra of samples show that Mn²⁺ in Y₃Mn_xAl_5−2xSi_xO₁₂ emits broadband orange light (peak wavelength varies from 586 to 593 nm). With an increment in co-doping content, the emission intensity of the phosphors increases when the value of x is lower than 0.1 while it decreases when it is higher than 0.1 and the emission peak moves to a longer wavelength.     

Optoacoustic gas analyzer based on a13C16O2 laser for multicomponent pollution of air

A computer-aided optoacoustic gas analyzer based on a continuous¹³C¹⁶C₂ laser for multicomponent pollution of atmospheric air is described. The analyzer has the ability to detect absorption of radiation by detected substances at the level of ∼1·10⁻⁹ cm⁻¹ at a time resolution of 30 sec. Results of an experiment on simultaneous detection of H₂O, CO₂, NO₂, NH₃, HNO₃, OCS, and C₂H₄ in the atmospheric air using 40 laser lines are presented. B. I. Stepanov Institute of Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 68, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 66, No. 3, pp. 345–350, May–June, 1999.     

Effect of alcohol consumption on the liver detoxication capacity as measured by [13C]methacetin- and [methyl-13C]methionine-breath tests

The aim of this study was to investigate the hepatic microsomal and mitochondrial functions by using the ¹³CO₂-breath test in healthy subjects either before or after the consumption of red wine. Fourteen adults received [¹³C]methacetin and [methyl-¹³C]methionine together with a standardised dinner. Expired air samples were taken over 6 h. After a wash-out period, the subjects consumed 0.4 ml ethanol/kg/day together with dinner over a 10-day period. Thereafter, ¹³C-tracer administration was repeated under identical conditions. The ¹³CO₂-enrichments were measured by isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The mean cumulative percentage ¹³C-dose recovery (CPDR) after administration of [¹³C]methacetin and [methyl-¹³C]methionine either without or with red wine consumption amounted to 38.2±6.3 vs. 36.3±6.7% (p=0.363) and 9.5±3.3 vs. 8.8±2.5% (p=0.47), respectively. Moderate alcohol consumption does not induce significant short-term changes of the microsomal and the mitochondrial functions of the human liver in healthy subjects.     

Synthesis and luminescence properties of nanocrystalline Gd2O3:Eu by combustion process

The nanocrystalline Gd₂O₃:Eu³⁺ powders with cubic phase were prepared by a combustion method in the presence of urea and glycol. The effects of the annealing temperature on the crystallization and luminescence properties were studied. The results of XRD show pure phase can be obtained, the average crystallite size could be calculated as 7, 8, 15, and 23 nm for the precursor and samples annealed at 600, 700 and 800 °C, respectively, which coincided with the results from TEM images. The emission intensity, host absorption and charge transfer band intensity increased with increasing the temperature. The slightly broad emission peak at 610 nm for smaller particles can be observed. The ratio of host absorption to O²⁻-Eu³⁺ charge transfer band of smaller nanoparticles is much stronger compared with that for larger nanoparticles, furthermore, the luminescence lifetimes of nanoparticles increased with increasing particles size. The effects of doping concentration of Eu³⁺ on luminescence lifetimes and intensities were also discussed. The samples exhibited a higher quenching concentration of Eu³⁺, and luminescence lifetimes of nanoparticles are related to annealing temperature of samples and the doping concentration of Eu³⁺ ions.     

The ν12 band of ethylene-1-C (CCH4) by high-resolution FTIR spectroscopy

The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum of the ν₁₂ fundamental band of ethylene-1-¹³C (or ¹³C¹²CH₄) was recorded with an unapodized resolution of 0.0063 cm⁻¹ in the wavenumber region of 1360-1520 cm⁻¹. Rovibrational constants for the upper state (ν₁₂ = 1) up to five quartic and two sextic centrifugal distortion terms were derived for the first time by assigning and fitting a total of 879 infrared transitions using a Watson’s A-reduced Hamiltonian in the I^r representation. The root-mean-square deviation of the fit was 0.00066 cm⁻¹. The ground state rovibrational constants were also determined by a fit of 523 combination-differences from the present infrared measurements, with a rms deviation of 0.00090 cm⁻¹. The A-type ν₁₂ band which is centred at 1439.34607 ± 0.00004 cm⁻¹ was found to be relatively free from local frequency perturbations. From the ν₁₂ = 1 rovibrational constants obtained, the inertial defect Δ₁₂ was found to be 0.242826 ± 0.000002 μŲ.     

The structure and luminescence properties of long afterglow phosphor Y3−xMnxAl5−xSixO12

A series of phosphors with the composition Y_3−xMn_xAl_5−xSi_xO₁₂ (x=0, 0.025, 0.050, 0.075, 0.150, 0.225, 0.300) were prepared with solid state reactions. The X-ray powder diffraction analysis of samples shows that the substitution of Mn²⁺ and Si⁴⁺ does not change the garnet structure of phosphors, but makes the interplanar distance decrease to a certain extent. The emission spectra show that Mn²⁺ in Y₃Al₅O₁₂ emits yellow-orange light in a broad band. With the increment of substitution content, the emission intensity of the phosphors increases firstly then decreases subsequently, and the emission peak moves to longer wavelength. Afterglow spectra and decay curves show that all the Mn²⁺ and Si⁴⁺ co-doped samples emit yellow-orange light with long afterglow after the irradiation of ultraviolet light. The longest afterglow time is 18 min. Thermoluminescence measurement shows that there exist two kinds of traps with different depth of energy level and their depth decreases with the increment of substitution content.     

Absolute frequency measurement of CO2 laser lines with a femtosecond laser comb and new determination of the CO2 molecular constants and frequency grid

Absolute frequency measurements of a CO₂ laser stabilized on saturated absorption resonances of CO₂ laser lines are reported. They were performed using a femtosecond-laser frequency comb generator and two laser diodes at 852 and 782 nm as intermediate oscillators, with their frequency difference phase-locked to the CO₂ laser. Twenty ¹²C¹⁶O₂ laser lines in the P and R bands at 9 μm were measured with a relative uncertainty of a few 10⁻¹² limited by the CO₂ frequency reproducibility. A new determination of the CO₂ molecular constants was obtained from these data and previous measurements in the 10 μm band. The CO₂ frequency grid was also calculated, with an improvement of two orders of magnitude compared to the previous grid of Maki et al. [J. Mol. Spectrosc. 167 (1994) 211].     

Luminescent properties of green- or red-emitting Eu-doped Sr3Al2O6 for LED

Eu²⁺-doped Sr₃Al₂O₆ (Sr_3−xEu_xAl₂O₆) was synthesized by a solid-state reaction under either H₂ and N₂ atmosphere or CO atmosphere. When H₂ was used as the reducing agent, the phosphor exhibited green emission under near UV excitation, while CO was used as the reducing agent, the phosphor mainly showed red emission under blue light excitation. Both emissions belong to the d-f transition of Eu²⁺ ion. The relationship between the emission wavelengths and the occupation of Eu²⁺ at different crystallographic sites was studied. The preferential substitution of Eu²⁺ into different Sr²⁺ cites at different reaction periods and the substitution rates under different atmospheres were discussed. Finally, green-emitting and red-emitting LEDs were fabricated by coating the phosphor onto near UV- or blue-emitting InGaN chips.