Microstructure evolution and dielectric properties of Ba<Subscript>5-x</Subscript>Na<Subscript>2x</Subscript>Nb<Subscript>10</Subscript>O<Subscript>30</Subscript> ceramics with different Ba–Na Ratios

The tetragonal tungsten bronzes of Ba5−xNa_2x Nb₁₀O₃₀ (BNN, 0.5≤ x≤1.3) ceramics were synthesized using the solid state reaction method. The sintering behavior and dielectric characteristics of the BNN ceramics, as a function of the Ba-Na ratio, were examined. Densification of the samples with excess compositions of Ba and Na was higher than that of the stoichiometric BNN sample. The maximum dielectric constant and the Curie temperature showed highest values at the stoichiometric composition and decreased as the composition shifted away from the stoichiometry. in order to obtain a quantitative evaluation of the diffuse phase transition (DPT) behavior of the BNN ceramics, γ and C/κ_max were calculated. The weakest DPT behavior was observed in the stoichiometric composition. An increase in the DPT is in correlation with the increase in the number of ways of cation distribution by the disordered occupation of Ba and Na and the vacancies in the A1 and A2 sites of the tungsten bronze structure.     

Macroporous Oxide Platforms Templated by Non‐Close‐Packed Spherical Copolymer Aggregates

Exclusive organic templating of macroporous oxide films is reported by using non‐close and lose packing of spherical copolymer aggregates, in combination with facile control of condensation degree/density of inorganic oxide frameworks. Unique macroporous oxide films, mainly titania showing highly porous, crystalline, and versatile properties, can be fabricated with continuous design from unusual 3‐D net‐shape to tunable spherical macrostructures, which expands the preparation of other inorganic oxide films (silica, alumina, and zirconia) and possibly adapts the use of other assembled organic polymers. The macroporous structures are helpful for effective accommodation of bulky biomoleculeshigh and diffusivity of organic molecules (useful for photocatalysts). Unusual structural variation, expansion of spherical voids, is also observed, being useful for fine tuning of optical property.     

The influence of incidence angle on disorder production in Cl and Ar ion implanted Si

Abstract

Cl and Ar ions have been implanted, at 30 keV and at various incidence angles, into Si substrates maintained at room temperature during implantation. Implantation induced Si disorder was measured using RBS channelling. The effects upon disorder of various incidence angles were studied over a fluence range of 10¹²-6·10¹⁵ ions·cm^?2

The results show that, at low fluences Cl and Ar ion implantations generate a bimodal disorder-depth profile, whilst at higher fluences measurements of amorphised layer thickness as a function of ion incidence angle allow values of the standard deviation of the disorder profile parallel and transverse to the ion beam direction for each ion to be obtained with good agreement to theoretical predictions. The disorder-fluence behaviour under these conditions is ion species independent.     

Stabilization of LiBH4 superionic phase by halide doping and H disordering

We performed first-principles density-functional theory calculations to investigate the structural properties and the effect of halide ion doping to the superionic-conducting, high-temperature phase and the effect of halide doping on the phase of LiBH₄. It is computationally demonstrated that the superionic phase is stabilized owing to the halide doping with the large ions which fill the interlayer space of the superionic phase. The H-disordered phase is observed in the structure and is found to contribute to the stabilization of the superionic phase.     

Disorder and decoherence in coined quantum walks

This article aims to provide a review on quantum walks. Starting form a basic idea of discrete-time quantum walks, we will review the impact of disorder and decoherence on the properties of quantum walks. The evolution of the standard quantum walks is deterministic and disorder introduces randomness to the whole system and change interference pattern leading to the localization effect. Whereas, decoherence plays the role of transmitting quantum walks to classical random walks.     

Complete synchronization induced by disorder in coupled chaotic lattices

The effect of phase disorder in external forces introduced into two-dimensional lattices of coupled chaotic pendulums is investigated. As the increase of the disorder, we find complete synchronization between the pendulums in each chain and different periodic synchronized patterns, while the chain remains asynchronous if all driving forces have the same phase. Applying the master stability function method, an analytic solution is given to support the numerical results. All these findings may provide further insight into chaos control and synchronization in nonlinear systems.     

Unified description of nonclassical uniaxial ferroelectric materials in order–disorder phase transitions

An equation of state accounting for coupling of the primary order parameter (here the polarization) with a secondary order parameter (here a strain ?) is used to describe the temperature dependences of the spontaneous polarization and of the electric susceptibility on external biasing field. A new scaling invariant and its explicit expression are given. The theory is exemplified by the effective critical behavior of the molecular ferroelectric crystals (CH₃NH₃)₅Bi₂Cl₁₁ (MAPCB) and (CH₃NH₃)₅Bi₂Br₁₁ (MAPBB).     

Observation of persistent α‐helical content and discrete types of backbone disorder during a molten globule to ordered peptide transition via deep‐UV resonance Raman spectroscopy

The molten globule (MG) state can aid in the folding of a protein to a functional structure and is loosely defined as an increase in structural disorder with conservation of the ensemble secondary structure content. Simultaneous observation of persistent secondary structure content with increased disorder has remained experimentally problematic. As a consequence, modeling how the MG state remains stable and how it facilitates proper folding remains difficult due to a lack of amenable spectroscopic techniques to characterize this class of partially unfolded proteins. Previously, deep‐UV resonance Raman (dUVRR) spectroscopy has proven useful in the resolution of global and local structural fluctuations in the secondary structure of proteins. In this work, dUVRR was employed to study the MG to ordered transition of a model four‐helix bundle protein, HP7. Both the average ensemble secondary structure and types of local disorder were monitored, without perturbation of the solvent, pH, or temperature. The MG to ordered transition is induced by stepwise coordination of two heme molecules. Persistent dUVRR spectral features in the amide III region at 1295–1301 and 1335–1338 cm⁻¹ confirm previous observations that HP7 remains predominantly helical in the MG versus the fully ordered state. Additionally, these spectra represent the first demonstration of conserved helical content in a MG protein. With successive heme binding, significant losses are observed in the spectral intensity of the amide III₃ and S regions (1230–1260 and 1390 cm⁻¹, respectively), which are known to be sensitive to local disorder. These observations indicate that there is a decrease in the structural populations able to explore various extended conformations with successive heme binding events. DUVRR spectra indicate that the first heme coordination between two helical segments diminishes exploration of more elongated backbone structural conformations in the inter‐helical regions. A second heme coordination by the remaining two helices further restricts protein motion. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Diffuse scattering from fullerenes

Fullerene solids exhibit textbook examples of orientational freezing transitions, i.e. structural transitions from a high temperature phase, where the molecules undergo rapid reorientation, to a low temperature phase where the molecules are locked-in into discrete orientations. In general, even low temperature phases are not completely ordered because of frozen-in orientational disorder, partly also because of a high density of stacking faults. Diffuse scattering has been used extensively to characterize both dynamic and static disorder in fullerene solids. A review is given on the experimental results as well as on the various techniques employed to analyze the data.     

A high temperature diffraction study of synthetic titanite catiosio4

The results of a high temperature single crystal X-ray diffraction study of synthetic titanite within the stability field of the A2/a (C2/c) paraphase (T > 500 K) are reported. The structure has been refined using a conventional model and one in which the Ca atom is disordered over two positions. A break in thermal expansion near T _c = 825 K correlates with an effective volume contraction of the Ti octahedron. When refined with split Ca position a reorientation of the Ca displacement vector at T _c is found, resulting in a more symmetrical structural arrangement of the disordered Ca cations with respect to the surrounding Ti cations. In the conventional model this reorientation is seen as a break in the thermal elongation of the shortest Ti-Ca distance. The observed temperature of the isosymmetrical structural instability is in agreement with previous observations based on Hard Mode IR and Raman spectroscopic measurements. A possible mechanism causing the observed structural changes and similarities to the thermal behaviour of the iso-structural malayaite, CaSnSiO₅, are discussed.