Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy in water: Improvement of the detection threshold by signal processing

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been performed on immersed solid samples with different grades of surface roughness and material homogeneity and on bulk water solutions. The underwater plasma was produced by applying double-pulse excitation at 1064 nm, with different sets of laser pulse energies. LIBS spectra were recorded separately for each couple of laser pulses in order to monitor shot-to-shot plasma behavior and to apply signal post processing. The latter was aimed at improving the detection limits for elemental analyses. Except in the case of flat homogeneous solid samples at high laser pulse energies, the measurements were affected by strong shot-to-shot signal oscillations. Automatic elimination of low intensity spectra reduced the detection limit up to a factor of seven. The optimum level for spectral filtering depends strongly on sample properties. For bulk water, a poor correlation was observed between the peak line intensities and the plasma continuum emission, making the peak-to-background ratio unsuitable for internal standardization purposes. The analytical performance of LIBS for bulk liquid was also affected by the spatial fluctuations of the breakdown location, a phenomenon known as “moving breakdown” in the literature, which was responsible for the signal depletion in the detection region. In preliminary measurements on water solutions, the detection limit of 0.2 mg/l for magnesium has been obtained after applying data post processing.     

Total reflection X-ray fluorescence trace mercury determination by trapping complexation: Application in advanced oxidation technologies

It is well known that Hg species cause high noxious effects on the health of living organisms even at very low levels (5 μg/L). Quantification of this element is an analytical challenge due to the peculiar physicochemical properties of all Hg species. The regulation of the maximal allowable Hg concentration led to search for sensitive methods for its determination. Total reflection X-ray fluorescence is a proved instrumental analytical tool for the determination of trace elements. In this work, the use of total reflection X-ray fluorescence for Hg quantification is investigated. However, experimental determination by total reflection X-ray fluorescence requires depositing a small volume of sample on the reflector and evaporation of the solvent until dryness to form a thin film. Because of volatilization of several Hg forms, a procedure to capture these volatile species in liquid samples by using complexing agents is proposed. Acetate, oxalic acid, ethylenediaminetetracetic acid and ammonium pyrrolidine–dithiocarbamate were assayed for trapping the analytes into the solution during the preparation of the sample and onto the reflector during total reflection X-ray fluorescence measurements. The proposed method was applied to evaluate Hg concentration during TiO₂-heterogeneous photocatalysis, one of the most known advanced oxidation technologies. Advanced oxidation technologies are processes for the treatment of effluents in waters and air that involve the generation of very active oxidative and reductive species. In heterogeneous photocatalysis, Hg is transformed to several species under ultraviolet illumination in the presence of titanium dioxide. Total reflection X-ray fluorescence was demonstrated to be applicable in following the extent of the heterogeneous photocatalysis reaction by determining non-transformed Hg in the remaining solution.     

含铈不锈钢的抗菌性能

以00Cr18Ni9不锈钢成分为基础,添加0～5%的稀土元素铈（Ce）.利用电子探针分析了加铈（Ce）不锈钢中Ce的分布;用化学分析法测定了含铈不锈钢中铈（Ce）和碳（C）的含量;用X射线衍射方法测试了含铈（Ce）不锈钢中铈（Ce）的析出相成分;采用贴膜法测试了含Ce不锈钢对大肠杆菌ATCC 8099、金黄色葡萄球菌ATCC 6538的抗菌性能.结果表明： 含Ce不锈钢具有优异的抗菌性能,与含Cu抗菌不锈钢相比,含Ce不锈钢无需时效热处理就具有优异的抗菌性能.并讨论了含Ce不锈钢的抗菌机制.     

Catalytic Activity of Complex-Oxide Perovskite-containing Compositions in Reactions of Oxidation of CO and Organic Compounds

The catalytic activity of composites constituted by a porous metallic or ceramic support, intermediate layers of oxide nature, and perovskite coatings, including those doped with silver, was studied in reactions of deep oxidation of CO and organic compounds of various classes. The relationship between the catalytic activity of a composite and its composition and nature of substances being oxidized was analyzed.     

用CR传输线模型研究涂层/金属体系阻抗谱

根据CR传输线模型和QR电路之间的关系,建立了拟合其初值的计算方法,借助Z-View软件,可求得各元件精确值.根据电容（Ci）和电阻（Ri）随特征频率（f*）的分布,推导了元件相对增量与恒相位角元件（Q）指数参数n的关系. 结果表明, 当n小于0.5时,Ci比Ri增加得更快,从新的角度说明了n的物理意义及其和界面脱层之间的关系.作为应用实例,拟合了不同特征的电化学阻抗谱,分析了有机涂层/金属腐蚀体系阻抗变化的具体过程,区分了点蚀和脱层因素对阻抗谱的影响,从高阻抗体系同时得到了与不同空隙率有关的涂层电容和电阻值,并根据涂层体系的不均匀特征探讨了模型结构的物理意义.     

PbO2阳极在硫酸溶液中的析氧失活行为

采用热分解鄄电镀法制备了以Sb 掺杂SnO₂(Sb-SnO₂)为底层的Ti 基PbO₂阳极(Ti/PbO₂). 采用加速电解寿命测试、电化学阻抗谱、XRD、SEM-EDX 等技术, 研究了Ti/PbO₂阳极在硫酸溶液中的电解失效行为和机制.结果表明,在新制备的PbO₂镀层中, 由于氧空位的存在, PbO₂镀层的内应力表现为拉应力, 随着电解的进行, 阳极表面生成的活性氧原子在向基底扩散的过程中, 将Pb³⁺态氧化为Pb⁴⁺态, 逐渐占据镀层内作为自由电子施主的氧空位, 这不仅导致镀层的导电性能下降, 同时使镀层的应力逐渐由拉应力转变为压应力, 镀层性质逐渐劣化. 这一过程基本结束时,活性氧原子才大量扩散至Ti基底导致基底的钝化, 在Ti 基底和镀层界面出现显著的界面应力, 在界面应力和镀层内压应力的共同作用下, 阳极出现鼓泡、脱落, 迅速进入失活阶段.     

高频燃烧红外吸收光谱法测定钨钛合金中碳含量

建立高频燃烧红外吸收光谱法测定钨钛合金中碳含量的分析方法。在1980 W分析功率下,称取0.3 g样品,以2.0 g钨锡及0.5 g纯铁混合助熔,用高频红外分析仪测定碳。碳的含量在0.013%~0.050%范围内与红外吸收峰面积线性相关,相关系数为0.9993。碳的测定下限为3.6μg/g,方法检出限为1.08μg/g。该法测定结果的相对标准偏差为2.97%~4.11%(n=8),碳的加标回收率为96.2%~103.1%。该方法能够满足合金中碳含量的分析要求。     

Pt immobilized spontaneously on porous MXene/MAX hybrid monolith for hydrogen evolution reaction

Designing efficient electrocatalysts with low Pt loadings for hydrogen evolution reaction(HER) is urgently required for renewable and sustainable energy conversion.Here,we report a strategy that Pt nanoparticulates are spontaneously immobilized on porous MXene/MAX monolith as HER catalysts by utilizing the redox reaction between Ti_3C_2T_x MXene and [PtCl_4]~2 in H_2 PtCl_6 aqueous solution.By taking advantage of homogeneously distributed Pt nanoparticulates on highly electrically conductive porous Ti_3C_2T_x/Ti_3AlC_2 monolith,the as-prepared electrocatalysts show high catalytic performance for hydrogen evolution.Specifically,the binder-free electrocatalysts have Pt loadings as low as 8.9 μg/cm~2,with low overpotential of 43 mV at a curre nt density of 10 mA/cm~2 and low Tafel slope that three times lower than porous Ti_3C_2T_x/Ti_3AlC_2 without Pt loading.This strategy offers a new approach to constructing ultra-low Pt-loading HER catalysts on the basis of in situ redox reaction between noble metal ions and MXenes.     

X-ray emission spectroscopy with EPMA applied to high Tc Superconductors using new spectrometer crystals

The High Temperature Superconductors are characterized by a very anisotropical structure and by typical arrangements of Cu- and O-atoms within CuO₂-planes. In studying the electronic structure of these compounds there is a strong demand for high resolution valence band spectroscopy. Using an electron probe microanalyzer we study the X-ray emission of O-K_ga and Cu-L emerging from polycrystalline YBa₂Cu₃O₇ and Tl₂Ba₂Ca₂Cu₃O₁₀. The O-K emission band is analyzed using a chlinochlore crystal in (001) orientation (2d = 28.4 Å). For the Cu-L emission band we use a beryl crystal in (10¯10) orientation (2d = 15.9 Å). Furthermore, orientation dependent X-ray emission spectroscopy of single-crystalline YBa₂Cu₃O₇ and Tl₂Ba₂Ca₁Cu₂O₈ specimens was performed. We present the partial O-K spectra which represent the O-2p ( = x, y, z) electronic densities of states of the valence band and compare them with calculated data.     

Global energy spectra of bands and density of states in a class of two-tile systems

Electronic properties of a general class of one-dimensional two-tile systems are calculated exactly. The systems containing periodic crystals, generalized Fibonacci quasicrystals, generalized Thue-Morse aperiodic lattices and even other two-tile aperiodic lattices, can be divided into two different families which are constructed by the inflation rules: {A, B}{A ^m11 B ^m12,A ^m21 B ^m22} and {A, B}{A ⁿ¹¹ B ⁿ¹²,B ⁿ²¹ A ⁿ²²}, respectively. As typical examples, global spectra of bands and density of states in some two-tile aperiodic systems are numerically calculated. Some interesting properties are obtained.