On the inhomogeneity of the transition surface layer of the solid core of the earth

Different geophysical data and conclusions of theoretical models, which can give information about the behavior of the solid and liquid cores of the Earth as well as about the existence of a transition layer as a temperature-hysteresis region at a relatively weak first-order phase transition, are compared. It is concluded that liquid inclusions inevitably exist in this region; these inclusions are involved (due to the complex convective processes occurring in the liquid core) in the transport of light materials from some areas of the solid-core surface. The porosity and permeability of the transition layer determine the seismic acoustic inhomogeneities in these areas, which contact the convective flows in the liquid core. In particular, this explains the well-known ??east-west?? effect. Obviously, the model of the crystalline core is not the only possible alternative for a model of a core with a metallic glasslike structure.     

On the role of the porous shell of the solid core of the earth in the anomalous heat and mass flow to the mantle

The model of the pressure-induced first-order phase transition of a metal melt to the metallicglass state considers a thermodynamically nonequilibrium porous near-surface shell of the solid core of the Earth, which contacts cyclonic vortices in the liquid core. Anomalous flows of heat and light-material mass to the mantle from the solid core at these contact points are calculated. These anomalous flows are shown to be comparable with the observed ones under the assumption of a rapid increase in the melt viscosity at pressures of 1–10 Mbar, which is characteristic of a solid core. In this case, the porous layer permeability may be very low.     

Influence of the Crystal Structure of the Nucleus on the Morphology of t-ZnO Tetrapods

Crystallography Reports - A new approach to simulating the morphology of hierarchical nanocrystals has been proposed on the example of ZnO nanotetrapods. Within this approach, twinning is...     

Ordering of cations in the voids of the anionic framework of the crystal structure of catapleiite

The pseudohexagonal crystal structure of the mineral catapleiite Na_1.5Ca_0.2[ZrSi₃(O,OH)₉] · 2(H₂O,F) from the Zhil’naya Valley in the central part of the Khibiny alkaline massif (Kola Peninsula, Russia) is studied by X-ray diffraction (XCalibur-S diffractometer, R = 0.0346): a = 20.100(4), b = 25.673(5), and c = 14.822(3) Å; space group Fdd2, Z = 32, and ρ_calcd = 2.76 g/cm³. Fluorine atoms substituting part of H₂O molecules in open channels of the crystal structure have been found for the first time in the catapleiite composition by microprobe analysis. The pattern of distribution of Na and Ca atoms over the voids of the mixed anionic framework consisting of Zr-octahedra and three-membered rings of Si-tetrahedra accounts for the pronounced pseudoperiodicity along the a and c axes of the pseudohexagonal unit cell and for the lowering of crystal symmetry to the orthorhombic one. It is shown that part of the hydrogen atoms of water molecules is statistically disordered; their distribution correlates with the pattern of the population of large eight-vertex polyhedra by Na and Ca atoms.     

Effect of the temperature on the TMOS sono-hydrolysis and a study of the structure of the resulting aged sonogels

The effect of temperature on the oxalic acid catalyzed sono-hydrolysis of tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) was studied by means of a heat flux calorimetric method. The activation energy of the process was measured as (24.5 ± 0.8) kJ/mol in the temperature range between 10 and 50 °C. The structural characteristics of the resulting sonogels, after long period of aging in saturated conditions, were studied by means of small angle X-ray scattering. The structure can be described as formed by ∼2.7 nm mean size mass fractal-like aggregates (clusters) of primary silica particles of ∼0.3 nm mean size, all imbibed in a liquid phase. The average mass fractal dimension of the clusters was found to be 2.58. The primary particle density was estimated as 2.23 g/cm³, in good agreement with the value frequently quoted for fused silica. The volume fraction of the clusters in the saturated sonogels was estimated as about 28%. The moment in which the meniscus of the liquid phase penetrates into the clusters under rapid evaporation process has been detected by an inflection in the first derivative of the curve of weight loss in a simple thermogravimetric test.     

Investigations of the Chemical Composition of the Metal Finds from the Levadki Necropolis

Crystallography Reports - Copper-based alloy items of the III century A.D., found in Burial no. 182 of the Late-Scythian Levadki necropolis in the submountain Crimea, have been investigated. The...     

Computer Modelling of the Light Propagation through the Complex Anisotropy Systems - the way of a Determination of the Optical Parameters of the Liquid Crystal Displays

A mathematical and numerical method for an analysis of a liquid crystal displays (LCD) has been presented. The assumptions of the calculations of a light propagation through the display are shown. The real conditions of a work of these displays have been taken into account. Basing of this mathematical model a computer program for a numerical modelling of the optical parameters of LC displays working in real conditions has been worked out. This program makes possible to obtain the most important parameters of a display such as: contrast ratio, luminance in on- and off-state, spectral characteristics of light and its colour coordinates in these both states. The results obtained from this program have been verified experimentally. Very high conformity of these results has been obtained.     

The library as an element of the information infrastructure of crystallography (On the 75th anniversary of the library of the Institute of Crystallography of the Russian Academy of Sciences)

The role of a scientific library and, in particular, the library of the Institute of Crystallography of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in the development of crystallography has been considered as well as the place of the library of the Institute of Crystallography in the information flows based on the achievements in modern crystallographic research.     

On the 70th anniversary of the Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography of the Russian Academy of Sciences

We are celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography. The institute has gone from being a small laboratory of piezoelectric crystals to a large internationally known scientific center. The 1990s was a decade of ruin, both literally and figuratively, for our institute; however, it is hard to believe that was the case when walking through the corridors of the institute today.     

沉淀法制备纳米ZrO2粉末过程中团聚体形成与控制的研究

依据沉淀过程的动力学分析,研究了沉淀法制备纳米ZrO2粉末团聚体的形成机理及控制技术.实验结果表明:在沉淀反映过程中,当晶粒聚集形成胶粒的初始聚集过程成为控制过程时,粉末的团聚体形成于沉淀反映过程;当胶粒聚集形成三维网络状更大聚集体的二次聚集过程成为控制过程时,团聚体形成于干燥煅烧过程.沉淀过程中,同时引入合适的胶体保护剂和络合剂可以控制初始和二次聚集过程,从根本上控制了胶粒的聚集特征,因而控制了粉末的团聚状态.     

Preparation of CdS nanowires by the decomposition of the complex in the presence of microwave irradiation

A novel synthetic route for the preparation of CdS nanowires has been developed. CdS nanowires with a diameter of ca. 4 nm have been successfully prepared by the microwave irradiation of a complex of cadmium-1-pyrrlidine dithio carboxylic acid ammonium (C₅H₁₂N₂S₂, APDTC) [Cd(APDTC)₂]₂ in an ethylenediamine solution. The CdS nanowires were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction pattern, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-Vis spectroscopy, diffuse reflection spectroscopy and PL spectroscopy.     

On the Method of Constructing the Radial Distribution Function in the Structure of Amorphous Materials on the Basis of Diffraction Data

Crystallography Reports - The method of constructing the radial distribution function, proposed by the authors previously, has been developed. The method includes calculation of the normalization...     

Effect of the counter-ion of the basification agent on the pore texture of organic and carbon xerogels

Organic and carbon xerogels were prepared by polycondensation of resorcinol with formaldehyde in water, followed by evaporative drying and, eventually, pyrolysis. The pH of the precursor’s solution was fixed at 6.0 in all cases by adding various hydroxides as basification agent. Three alkali metal hydroxides (LiOH, NaOH and KOH) and three alkaline earth metals hydroxides (Ca(OH)₂, Ba(OH)₂, Sr(OH)₂) were used. It was found that the pore texture of the organic and carbon xerogels is totally independent on the cation size, but depends on the charge and concentration of the counter-cation. Indeed, the pore size of the alkaline earth metal loaded samples is larger than that of the alkali metal-doped xerogels. As a matter of fact, to reach the same initial pH, the concentration in alkali metal hydroxide must be twice that of the alkaline earth metal base. The effect of ions on the pore texture was thus attributed to electrostatic effects on the microphase separation process that occurs prior to gelation.     

Features of the magnetic state of the layered Fe-V nanostructure of the superconductor-ferromagnet type

The magnetic state of the V(39 nm)/20 [V(3 nm)/Fe(3 nm)] nanostructure has been investigated by polarized neutron reflectometry in the temperature range from 1.6 to 30 K in magnetic fields from 0.2 to 15 kOe. The data obtained indicate that the superconductivity of vanadium layers may affect magnetic ordering both over the depth of the structure and in its plane.     

Study of the influence of the rare-earth elements on the properties of lead iodide

Lead iodide (PbI₂) shows excellent electronic properties for detection of ionizing radiation. We report the introduction of rare-earth elements and other elements as admixtures during synthesis to study their influence on the quality of single crystals. Synthesized material as well as single crystals have been characterized by measurements of electrical resistivity and low-temperature photo luminescence and index of refraction. The structural quality with respect to polytypes was analysed by electron back scatter diffraction. Makyoh topography was applied for surface studies.     

Study of the metastable region in the growth of GaN using the Na flux method

It was revealed that the metastable region, in which liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) of GaN single crystals proceeds without the generation of polycrystals, expands with growth temperature in the Na flux method. The metastable region appears when LPE growth proceeds at temperatures above 1073 K, although generation of polycrystals inevitably occurs on a crucible at temperatures less than 1073 K. The highest growth rate of 14 μm/h in a small experimental setup was achieved at a temperature of 1163 K with a nitrogen pressure of 5.5 MPa due to complete suppression of the growth of polycrystals on a crucible, even though the supersaturation at this condition reached a fairly high level.Also, an LPE crystal with a flat surface could easily be obtained under high-temperature conditions.     

Investigation of the conductivity of the lithium borosilicate glass system

The lithium borosilicate system (Li₂O)_0.4(B₂O)_(0.6x)(Si₂O₄)_0.6(1−x) with x = 0, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 was investigated using impedance spectroscopy. Impedance spectra were taken in the frequency range from 50 Hz to 1 MHz and in the temperature range from 100 to 280 °C. The ac- and dc-conductivity, relaxation frequency and activation energy of the dc-conductivity were extracted from the impedance spectra. The dc-conductivity of the investigated glass samples increases almost linearly from silica rich (x = 0) to the boron rich (x = 0.8) samples. Activation energy (E_a) was found to be 0.65 eV for high conducting sample and 0.8 eV for low conducting sample, respectively. The mixed glass-former effect was not observed on the samples studied. The effect of temperature scaling of ac-conductivity was observed, which indicates, that ionic conductivity relaxation mechanism is temperature independent for samples with x = 0, 0.2, 0.3. However, some deviations from scaling were found for the samples with higher x (x = 0.4, 0.6, 0.8).     

Use of the photoacoustic spectroscopy in the investigation of the dilution process in surface-coated nanoparticles

In this study photoacoustic spectroscopy was used to investigate the effect of water dilution of a biocompatible magnetic fluid sample upon the nanoparticle surface-coating. The observed spectral features, in the 300–1000 nm wavelength region, are analyzed in terms of three distinct bands (L, S, and C). Band-L, in the spectral range of 650–900 nm, is related to the characteristic coating layer of the magnetic nanoparticle. Band-S, occurring around 470 nm, is related to the metal–polyoxy-hydroxy surface layer built up at the surface during the nanoparticle synthesis. Changes of band-L and band-S features upon water dilution of the stock magnetic fluid sample are discussed in terms of surface reorganization of the DMSA (dimercaptosuccinic acid) surface-coating agent with simultaneous surface release of hydroxyl-groups. The model picture of the surface reorganization is consistent with the picture of disruption of longer chain-like structures into shorter ones as a result of the sample dilution.     

Raman spectroscopic investigations of the effect of the doping metal on the structure of binary tellurium-oxide glasses

Raman studies over the range 10 to 1000 cm⁻¹ have been performed on binary tellurium-oxide glasses (1-x)TeO₂-xMO (M = Pb,Zn or Mg) prepared using a conventional melt technique. The intensities and positions of Raman bands observed in the range above 250 cm⁻¹ were found to depend both on the compound oxide and on the amount of doping. Indeed, the ratio of the intensity of the band around 680 cm⁻¹ (assigned to vibrations of TeO₄ trigonal bipyramids) with respect to that of the component around 750 cm⁻¹ (related to stretching-vibrations in TeO₃₊₁, TeO₃ and MO groups) are affected in different ways for the glass-modifier MgO and for the intermediate glass-formers PbO and ZnO. Concurrently, an explicit dependence on the compound oxide and amount of doping was also observed on the maximum of the boson peak (BP) in the low-frequency region around 40 cm⁻¹. The structural correlation lengths in the glasses, calculated using the model described by Shuker and Gammon, were found to be about 0.50 nm (1-x)TeO₂-xMgO glasses and around 0.65 nm for (1-x)TeO₂-xMO (M = Pb or Zn) glasses. All these results are interpreted in terms of the effect of the metal oxide on the changes induced in the structural arrangements of ¹_χ[TeO₄-TeO₃] chains.