Accurate heat capacity measurements on powdered samples using a Quantum Design physical property measurement system

We have evaluated the accuracy of the heat capacity option of a Quantum Design physical property measurement system (PPMS) by measuring the heat capacity of various types of conducting and insulating samples over the temperature range from (2 to 300) K. In particular, the accuracy of measurements on a copper pellet was determined to be ±2% for 2 K < T < 20 K and ±0.6% for 20 K < T < 300 K, however similar measurements on a powdered sample of benzoic acid had errors as high as 20%. A new method for heat capacity measurements of powdered samples using a PPMS system has been developed that allows us to obtain heat capacity measurements for both insulating and conducting powdered samples with an accuracy of ±1% from (20 to 300) K and ±2% to ±5% for T < 20 K. Since the heat capacity of substances (and corresponding entropy contribution) is small at low temperatures for lattice-only contributions, the accuracy of ±2% to ±5% below 20 K is considered acceptable. As a test of the new method, the heat capacity of powdered bulk hematite has been measured in the temperature range from (2 to 300) K with the PPMS, and its standard entropy at T = 298.15 K was calculated to be (87.33 and 87.27) J · K^?1 · mol^?1, which deviates ?0.08% and ?0.15% from the accepted reference value, respectively. We recommend that this new method become the standard for accurate heat capacity measurements on insulating powdered samples using a PPMS system and the corresponding thermodynamic calculations.     

Heat capacity calorimetry

Experimental heat capacity measurements of α-ZrW₂O₈, and zeolitic polymorphs of SiO₂, BEA and MFI, have been made from 0.6 to 400 K. Measurements on β-ZrMo₂O₈ have been made from 8 to 400 K. Analysis of the results yields evidence for very low frequency modes in all four materials. These modes are responsible for negative thermal expansion behavior in α-ZrW₂O₈ and β-ZrMo₂O₈. Negative thermal expansion has been observed in some pure SiO₂ zeolites, but no studies have been made to look for it in BEA and MFI. The appearance of low frequency modes in these two zeolites suggests that temperature dependent structural investigations would be worthwhile. These modes are lower in energy than the Boson peak in vitreous silica. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Pinning frequencies of the collective modes in alpha-uranium

Uranium is the only known element that features a charge-density wave (CDW) and superconductivity. We report a comparison of the specific heat of single-crystal and polycrystalline alpha-uranium. In the single crystal we find excess contributions to the heat capacity at 41 K, 38 K, and 23 K, with a Debye temperature ThetaD = 265 K. In the polycrystalline sample the heat capacity curve is thermally broadened (ThetaD = 184 K), but no excess heat capacity was observed. The excess heat capacity Cphi (taken as the difference between the single-crystal and polycrystal heat capacities) is well described in terms of collective-mode excitations above their respective pinning frequencies. This attribution is represented by a modified Debye spectrum with two cutoff frequencies, a pinning frequency V0 for the pinned CDW (due to grain boundaries in the polycrystal), and a normal Debye acoustic frequency occurring in the single crystal.     

Simple,inexpensive mass spectrometric analyzer for thermogravimetry

A low‐cost mass spectrometer attachment for thermogravimetric analysis has been constructed from readily available commercial instruments and components. The benefits of this set‐up include excellent mass‐flow repeatability, simple design, and significantly lower adoption cost as opposed to ready‐built commercial solutions. The inclusion of an open source software package allows semi‐automated, highly simplified data analysis. The results from the instrument show excellent sensitivity for small volumes of evolved gas, as well as highly reproducible signal strengths. The GUI‐based software package provides data analysis in a way that is very intuitive and that can be easily modified to work with a broad range of TG instruments. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Heat capacity,third-law entropy,and low-temperature physical behavior of bulk hematite (α-Fe2O3)

The constant pressure heat capacity of a bulk hematite powder was measured using a Quantum Design physical properties measurement system (PPMS). The results of two series showed good precision and agreed well with measurements reported by Westrum and Grønvold. The standard molar entropy at T = 298.15 K was calculated to be (87.32 ± 2) J · mol^?1 · K^?1 for Series 1 and (87.27 ± 2) J · mol^?1 · K^?1 for Series 2, which are in good agreement with the value of (87.40 ± 0.2) J · mol^?1 · K^?1 (originally 20.889 cal · deg^?1 · mole^?1) calculated by Westrum and Grønvold. No anomaly was observed for the Morin transition, and theoretical fits below T = 15 K required a ferromagnetic T^3/2 term.     

High purity anatase TiO(2) nanocrystals: near room-temperature synthesis, grain growth kinetics, and surface hydration chemistry

High purity, spherical anatase nanocrystals were prepared by a modified sol-gel method. Mixing of anhydrous TiCl(4) with ethanol at about 0 degrees C yielded a yellowish sol that was transformed into phase-pure anatase of 7.7 nm in size after baking at 87 degrees C for 3 days. This synthesis route eliminates the presence of fine seeds of the nanoscale brookite phase that frequently occurs in low-temperature formation reactions and also significantly retards the phase transformation to rutile at high temperatures. Heating the as-is 7.7 nm anatase for 2 h at temperatures up to 600 degrees C leads to an increase in grain size of the anatase nanoparticles to 32 nm. By varying the calcination time from 2 to 48 h at 300 degrees C, the particle size could be controlled between 12 and 15.3 nm. The grain growth kinetics of anatase nanoparticles was found to follow the equation, D(2) - D(0)(2) = k(0)t(m)e((-)(E)(a)/(RT)) with a time exponent m = 0.286(+/-9) and an activation energy of E(a) = 32 +/- 2 kJ x mol(-)(1). Thermogravimetric analysis in combination with infrared and X-ray photoemission spectroscopies has shown the anatase nanocrystals at different sizes to be composed of an interior anatase lattice with surfaces that are hydrogen-bonded to a wide set of energetically nonequivalent groups. With a decrease in particle size, the anatase lattice volume contracts, while the surface hydration increases. The removal of the surface hydration layers causes coarsening of the nanoparticles.     

Heat capacity of hafnia at low temperature

The low temperature (2 to 300) K heat capacity of monoclinic hafnia (HfO₂) was measured using the heat capacity option of a Quantum Design Physical Property Measurement System (PPMS). The thermodynamic functions in this temperature range were derived by curve fitting. The standard entropy and enthalpy of hafnia at T = 298.15 K was calculated to be 56.15 ± 0.57 J · mol^?1 · K^?1 and 9.34 ± 0.09 kJ · mol^?1, respectively. The results are in fairly good agreement with old data, which only covered temperatures from (50 to 298) K. Hafnia has a higher heat capacity than zirconia at all temperatures from (2 to 300) K.     

Heat capacity studies of the iron oxyhydroxides akaganéite (β-FeOOH) and lepidocrocite (γ-FeOOH)

The iron oxides and iron oxyhydroxides exist as several different polymorphs, and a thermodynamic understanding of these polymorphs can provide us with an understanding of their relative stability and chemical reactivity. This study provides heat capacity measurements for lepidocrocite (γ-FeOOH) over the temperature range (0.8 to 38) K and akaganéite (β-FeOOH) over the range (0.7 to 302) K. Fits of the heat capacity of the two samples below T = 15 K showed similar behavior to previously published fits of goethite (α-FeOOH), which required a linear term and an anisotropic gap parameter to model accurately the antiferromagnetic spin–wave contributions. The akaganéite measurements were compared to previously reported measurements all of which showed significant disagreement. It is believed that the measurements reported here are the most reliable. Also, the presence of adsorbed water contributes significantly to the heat capacity of akaganéite, and the standard molar entropy at T = 298.15 K of the hydrated form was calculated to be (81.8 ± 2) J · mol^?1 · K^?1.