Compositionally modulated Fermi surfaces, structured diffuse scattering and ternary derivatives of 1T-TaS2

Ternary derivatives of 1T-TaS₂ have been synthesized and the variation in the highly structured diffuse intensity distributions characteristic of such materials carefully monitored to investigate the effect that such substitution has upon the band structures and Fermi surfaces (FSs) of the materials. Removal of d electrons via the replacement of Ta ions with lower valent transition metal ions leads to a systematic increase in the radii of the characteristic structured diffuse intensity distribution. Extended Hückel tight binding calculations of the FSs of the doped samples are carried out and used to predict possible nesting wave-vectors. The results are in reasonably good agreement with the radii of the experimentally observed diffuse intensity distributions.     

THE ENERGY ASPECT OF THE RECIPROCAL INTERACTIONS OF PAIRS OF TWO DIFFERENT VIBRATION MODES OF A CLAMPED ANNULAR PLATE

The standardized mutual active and reactive sound power of a clamped plate, representing the energy aspect of the reciprocal interactions of two different in vacuo modes, has been computed. It was assumed that the vibrations are axisymmetric, elastic and time harmonic, the plate's transverse deflection is small as compared with the plate's size, and that the vibration velocity is small as compared with the acoustic wavenumber generated. The Kirchhoff-Love theory of a perfectly elastic plate was used. The integral formulae for the mutual sound power were transformed into their Hankel representations which made possible their subsequent computation. A closed path integral was used to express the integral in its Hankel representation to compute the mutual active sound power. The asymptotic stationary phase method was used to compute the two magnitudes, i.e., the mutual active and reactive sound power. The results obtained are the asymptotic formulae valid for the acoustically fast waves. The oscillating as well as the non-oscillating terms have been identified in the formulae to make possible their further separate analysis. The availability of the asymptotic formulae makes possible some fast numerical computations of the mutual sound power. Moreover, the formulae presented herein, together with those for the individual modes known from the literature, make a complete basis for further computations of the total sound power of the plate's damped and forced vibrations in fluid.     

Atomic ordering in the doped rare earth cobaltates Ln0.33Sr0.67CoO3−δ (Ln=Y, Ho and Dy)

The perovskite-based rare earth cobaltates (Ln_0.33Sr_0.67CoO_3−δ) (Ln=Y³⁺, Ho³⁺ and Dy³⁺) have been synthesized at 1100°C under 1 atm oxygen. A thermogravimetric study has determined the overall oxygen content in each case while a combined electron diffraction (ED) and synchrotron X-ray diffraction study has revealed the presence of a complex, previously unreported, perovskite-related superstructure phase. ED gave a resultant C1c1 but most probably Cmcm (, , ) perovskite-related superstructure, describable as a modulated I4/mmm intermediate parent structure. Synchrotron X-ray data has been used to refine the intermediate parent structures of all three compounds. Coupled Ln/Sr and O/vacancy ordering and associated structural relaxation is shown to be responsible for the observed superstructure.     

Structure and Phase Transitions of SnP2O7

SnP₂O₇ is a member of the ZrP₂O₇ family of materials, several of which show unusual thermal expansion behavior over certain temperature ranges and which show a number of displacive phase transitions on cooling from high temperature. Here we describe the structural properties of SnP₂O₇ from 100 to 1243 K as determined by X-ray and neutron powder diffraction. These studies reveal that SnP₂O₇ shows two phase transitions in this temperature range. At room temperature the material has a pseudo-cubic 3×3×3× superstructure. Electron diffraction studies show that the symmetry of this structure is P2₁3 or lower. On warming to ∼560 K it undergoes a phase transition to a structure in which the subcell reflections show a triclinic distortion; above 830 K the subcell reflections show a rhombohedral distortion. Significant hysteresis in cell parameters is observed between heating and cooling. The structure of SnP₂O₇ is discussed with references to other members of the AM₂O₇ family of materials.     

Direct observation of the protonation state of an imino sugar glycosidase inhibitor upon binding

Glycosidases are some of the most ubiquitous enzyme in nature. Their biological significance, coupled to their enormous catalytic prowess derived from tight binding of the transition state, is reflected in their importance as therapeutic targets. Many glycosidase inhibitors are known. Imino sugars are often potent inhibitors, yet many facets of their mode of action, such as their degree, if any, of transition-state "mimicry" and their protonation state when bound to the target glycosidase remain unclear. Atomic resolution analysis of the endoglucanase, Cel5A, in complex with a cellobio-derived isofagomine in conjunction with the pH dependence of Ki and kcat/KM reveals that this compound binds as a protonated sugar. Surprisingly, both the enzymatic nucleophile and the acid/base are unprotonated in the complex.