Preferential etching of ion-bombarded GaAs

Ion bombardment of GaAs above fluences of the order of 2 × 10¹³ 400-keV Xe-ions/cm² produces a highly strained surface which is elevated several hundred Angstroms above the adjacent masked surface. The irradiated area etches rapidly to yield circular etch pits ～ 0.3 μ in depth and 0.2 μ in diameter. At lower fluences, observations show much less expansion, slower crystalline etching, and some evidence of triangular etch pits and slip planes. These results are attributed to expansion in the implanted layer which results in high surface strain and the generation of dislocations to accommodate the mismatch of lattice parameters.     

A metal–organic gel‐based fluorescent chemosensor for selective Al3+ detection

As an important metal element, aluminium has a significant impact on the environment and human health, and thus the detection of Al³⁺ has become the subject of much research. We synthesized a Ni(II)‐based metal–organic gel (Ni‐MOG), which can serve as an Al³⁺ fluorescence sensor with high selectivity and sensitivity, the limit of detection being calculated to be 0.5 μM. In addition, a composite film was further fabricated by hybridization of this Ni‐MOG with poly(vinyl alcohol). The composite film produced a rapid fluorescence response to Al³⁺ solutions at concentrations above 5 × 10^?5 M in 5 min. The Ni‐MOG composite film can also be successfully applied for the sensitive detection of Al³⁺ in real samples of tap water and seawater. The effective detection of Al³⁺ described in this contribution provides a new insight into water quality monitoring and has promising application value.     

Theoretical studies of the g factors and local structures of the Ni3+ centers in Na2Zn(SO4)2·4H2O and K2Zn(SO4)2·6H2O crystals

The local structures and the g factors g_i (i = x, y, z) for Ni³⁺ centers in Na₂Zn(SO₄)₂·4H₂O (DPPH) and K₂Zn(SO₄)₂·6H₂O (PHZS) crystals are theoretically studied by using the perturbation formulas of the g factors for a 3d⁷ ion with low spin (S = 1/2) in orthorhombically compressed octahedra. In these formulas, the contributions to g factors from both the spin-orbit coupling interactions of the central ion and ligands are taken into account, and the required crystal-field parameters are estimated from the superposition model and the local geometry of the systems. Based on the calculations, the Ni-O bonds are found to suffer the axial compression δz (or Δz) of about 0.111 Å (or 0.036 Å) along the z-axis for Ni³⁺ centers in DPPH (or PHZS) crystals. Meanwhile, the Ni-O bonds may experience additional planar bond length variation δx (≈0.015 Å) along x- and y-axes for the orthorhombic Ni³⁺ center in DPPH. The theoretical g factors agree well with the experimental data. The obtained local structural parameters for both Ni³⁺ centers are discussed.     

Ni,Ti, and NiTi laser ablation in vacuum and in water to deposit thin films or to generate nanoparticles in solution

An ns Nd:YAG pulsed laser was used to deposit thin films in a vacuum and to generate nanoparticles in the water of Ni, Ti, and NiTi alloys. Laser ablation was measured in terms of removing mass per laser pulse. The laser-generated plasma in vacuum was characterized in terms of temperature and energy of emitted particles. The ablation in water produces nanoparticles with dimensions of the order of 25 nm and solutions with concentrations of the order of some mg/ml. The NiTi alloy stoichiometry is well reported in the deposited thin film and in the composition of the produced nanoparticles.     

Synthesis of new TCH/Ni‐based nanocomposite supported on SBA‐15 and its catalytic application for preparation of benzimidazole and perimidine derivatives

A stable nickel‐decorated SBA‐15 nanocomposite (Ni/TCH@SBA‐15) was synthesized through surface modification of silica nanoparticles with 3‐chloropropyltriethoxysilane (CPTES) and thiocarbohydrazide (TCH) followed by metal–ligand coordination with Ni (II). The structure of this organometallic nanocomposite was characterized by Fourier transform‐infrared, field emission‐scanning electron microscopy, EDAX, transmission electron microscopy, atomic absorption spectroscopy and N₂ adsorption–desorption (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller) techniques. The catalytic performance of Ni/TCH@SBA‐15 (NNTS‐15) was determined for the synthesis of 2‐aryl‐substituted benzimidazoles and 2,3‐dihydroperimidines. The excellent yields within shorter reaction times, simplicity of catalytic methods, non‐toxicity and clean reactions, mild reaction conditions and easy work‐up procedure are the important merits of these synthetic protocols. Moreover, the Ni (II) bonded to the SBA‐15 surface was stable under the catalytic reaction conditions resulting in its efficient recycling and reuse.     

Ni supported on activated carbon as catalyst for flue gas desulfurization

A series of Ni supported on activated carbon are prepared by excessive impregnation and the desulfurization activity is investigated. It has been shown that the activated carbon-supported Ni is an efficient solid catalyst for flue gas desulfurization. The activated carbon treated by HNO3 exhibits high desulfurization activity, and different amounts of loaded-Ni on activated carbon significantly influence the desulfurization activity. The catalysts are studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectr...     

Electrocarboxylation of Carbon Dioxide with Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Using Ni as the Cathode

Using Ni cathode and Al sacrificial anode, the electrocarboxylation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (naphthalene, 5‐methylnaphthalene, anthracene, phenanthrene and 1H‐indene) with carbon dioxide (4 MPa) could be successfully performed in an undivided cell containing n‐Bu₄NBr‐DMF supporting electrolyte with a constant current at room temperature, affording the corresponding trans‐dicarboxylic acids in good to excellent yields (62% –90%). Among the examined cathode materials (Ni, Pt, Ag, Cu and Zn), Ni and Pt cathodes exhibited a good catalytic activity for the electrocarboxylations. In addition, the experimental results indicated that electrolytic conditions (conducting salts, electricity, CO₂ pressure and temperature) could also affect the result of the electrocarboxylation. According to the results of the electrocarboxylations and CV (cyclic voltammetry), a possible electrochemical reaction mechanism was also proposed.     

Theoretical studies of spin-Hamiltonian parameters for Ni ions in CsMgX3 (X=Cl, Br, I) crystals from the two-mechanism model

In this paper, the high-order perturbation formulas of spin-Hamiltonian (SH) parameters (g factors g, g and zero-field splitting D), including both the crystal-field (CF) and for the first time charge-transfer (CT) mechanisms, are established for 3d⁸ ions in trigonal octahedral clusters. By using these formulas, the SH parameters of Ni²⁺ ions in CsMgX₃ (X=Cl, Br, I) crystals are calculated. The results are consistent with the experimental values. The calculations suggest that the sign of Q^CT (Q=Δg, Δg or D, where the g-shift Δg_i=g_i−g_e, g_e≈2.0023 is the value of free-electron) due to CT mechanism is the same as that of the corresponding Q^CF due to CF mechanism, and the relative importance of CT mechanism (characterized by Q^CT/Q^CF) increases with the increasing atomic number of ligand X. So, for the 3dⁿ ML_m clusters with ligand having large atomic number, the reasonable theoretical explanations of all SH parameters should take both CF and CT mechanisms into account. The defect structure of (NiX₆)⁴⁻ impurity centers in CsMgX₃:Ni²⁺ crystals is also considered in our model.     

Synthesis and structural characterization of a nickel(II) precatalyst bearing a β‐triketimine ligand and study of its ethylene polymerization performance using response surface methods

The reaction of N‐(4‐(mesitylamino)pent‐3‐en‐2‐ylidene)‐2,4,6‐trimethylbenzenamine ( 1 ) with n‐butyl lithium and then with N‐(2,4,6‐trimethyl‐phenyl)‐acetimidoyl chloride yields a new β‐triketimine ligand, N‐(4‐(mesitylamino)‐3‐(1‐(mesitylimino)ethyl)pent‐3‐en‐2‐ylidene)‐2,4,6‐trimethylbenzenamine, 2 . The addition of 2 to nickel (II) dibromide 1,2‐dimethoxyethane (NiBr₂(DME)) in the presence of [Na]⁺[3,5‐(CF₃)₄C₆H₃]₄B]^? (NaBAr'₄) gives a five‐coordinate dimeric complex [( 2 .NiBr)₂].2 [(BAr'₄)], 3 . The structure of 3 has been determined by single crystal X‐ray diffraction. This complex generates catalytically active species for the homopolymerization of ethylene in combination with methylaluminoxane to produce elastomeric, branched polyethylene. The effect of factors (temperature, pressure, and cocatalyst to catalyst molar ratio (CC)) on the polymerization process has been investigated using regression models of responses (catalyst activity, crystallinity, and weight‐average molecular weight of polymer (M_w)) and visualized via the response surface method (RSM). Activity and M_w responses show a second‐order variation with temperature and vary linearly with pressure. Conversely, crystallinity follows a second‐order model while varying temperature, pressure, and CC. Furthermore, a set of polymerization conditions for reaching desirable responses was predicted and then experimentally verified. The activities achieved challenge the best reported activities for Ni(II) catalysts with β‐connected imine ligand supports, but fall short of those for α‐diimines. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

ChemInform Abstract: Complex Intermetallic Compounds: CaNi5Ge3, Ca15Ni68Ge37, and Ca7Ni49Ge22. Three Multifaceted Ni—Ge Framework Structures Combining the Structural Motifs of Ni3Ge and CaNi2Ge2.

The title compounds are prepared by arc‐melting of the elements followed by heating in Ta ampules (950—1150 °C, 1—12 h).