A self-assembling protein template for constrained synthesis and patterning of nanoparticle arrays

Self-assembling biomolecules that form highly ordered structures have attracted interest as potential alternatives to conventional lithographic processes for patterning materials. Here, we introduce a general technique for patterning nanoparticle arrays using two-dimensional crystals of genetically modified hollow protein structures called chaperonins. Constrained chemical synthesis of transition metal nanoparticles is initiated using templates functionalized with polyhistidine sequences. These nanoparticles are ordered into arrays because the template-driven synthesis is constrained by the nanoscale structure of the crystallized protein. We anticipate that this system may be used to pattern different classes of nanoparticles based on the growing library of sequences shown to specifically bind or direct the growth of materials.     

Scale size of magnetic turbulence in tokamaks probed with 30-MeV electrons

Measurements of synchrotron radiation emitted by 30-MeV runaway electrons in the TEXTOR-94 tokamak show that the runaway population decays after switching on neutral beam injection (NBI). The decay starts only with a significant delay, which decreases with increasing NBI heating power. This delay provides direct evidence of the energy dependence of runaway confinement, which is expected if magnetic modes govern the loss of runaways. Application of the theory by Mynick and Strachan [Phys. Fluids 24, 695 (1981)] yields estimates for the "mode width" (delta) of magnetic perturbations: delta<0.5 cm in Ohmic discharges, increasing to delta = 4.4 cm for 0. 6 MW NBI.     

Ion-beam irradiation of lanthanum compounds in the systems La2O3-Al2O3 and La2O3-TiO2

Thin crystals of La₂O₃, LaAlO₃, La_2/3TiO₃, La₂TiO₅, and La₂Ti₂O₇ have been irradiated in situ using 1 MeV Kr²⁺ ions at the Intermediate Voltage Electron Microscope-Tandem User Facility (IVEM-Tandem), Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). We observed that La₂O₃ remained crystalline to a fluence greater than 3.1×10¹⁶ ions cm⁻² at a temperature of 50 K. The four binary oxide compounds in the two systems were observed through the crystalline-amorphous transition as a function of ion fluence and temperature. Results from the ion irradiations give critical temperatures for amorphisation (T_c) of 647 K for LaAlO₃, 840 K for La₂Ti₂O₇, 865 K for La_2/3TiO₃, and 1027 K for La₂TiO₅. The T_c values observed in this study, together with previous data for Al₂O₃ and TiO₂, are discussed with reference to the melting points for the La₂O₃-Al₂O₃ and La₂O₃-TiO₂ systems and the different local environments within the four crystal structures. Results suggest that there is an observable inverse correlation between T_c and melting temperature (T_m) in the two systems. More complex relationships exist between T_c and crystal structure, with the stoichiometric perovskite LaAlO₃ being the most resistant to amorphisation.     

Nature of the chemical bond and prediction of radiation tolerance in pyrochlore and defect fluorite compounds

The radiation tolerance of synthetic pyrochlore and defect fluorite compounds has been studied using ion irradiation. We show that the results can be quantified in terms of the critical temperature for amorphization, structural parameters, classical Pauling electronegativity difference, and disorder energies. Our results demonstrate that radiation tolerance is correlated with a change in the structure from pyrochlore to defect fluorite, a smaller unit cell dimension, and lower cation-anion disorder energy. Radiation tolerance is promoted by an increase in the Pauling cation-anion electronegativity difference or, in other words, an increase in the ionicity of the chemical bonds. A further analysis of the data indicates that, of the two possible cation sites in ideal pyrochlore, the smaller B-site cation appears to play the major role in bonding. This result is supported by ab initio calculations of the structure and bonding, showing a correlation between the Mulliken overlap populations of the B-site cation and the critical temperature.     

The structure and ordering of zirconium and hafnium containing garnets studied by electron channelling, neutron diffraction and Mössbauer spectroscopy

Garnets, A₃B₂C₃O₁₂, are an important group of minerals and have potential uses in the safe immobilisation of high-level nuclear waste. They have been found naturally to incorporate Zr, Ti and Fe, three elements of interest in the safe storage of nuclear waste. Kimzeyite, Ca₃(Zr,Ti)₂(Si,Al,Fe)₃O₁₂, is a naturally occurring garnet that contains Zr in a high percentage∼30 wt%. For such a material to be of potential immobilisation for nuclear waste the structure needs to be completely understood. Electron channelling studies have shown that the Zr/Ti cations are located on the Y-site, with the Al/Fe cations located on the Z-site. This work has investigated synthetic analogues of kimzeyite, Ca₃(Zr,Hf)₂(Al,Fe,Si)₃O₁₂, by neutron powder diffraction, using the C2 spectrometer at the Chalk River nuclear facility, coupled with ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. Such work has allowed the structure of the synthetic material to be determined along with the distribution of cations across the X (CN=8), Y (CN=6), and Z (CN=4) sites. Results have shown that it is possible to synthesise Ca₃(Zr,Hf)₂(Al,Fe,Si)₃O₁₂ with a range of Al/Fe ratios containing Zr and Hf. The Mössbauer data has indicated the Fe is located on the Z site. The structural analyses show that the unit cell changes linearly as a function of composition, and analysis of the disorder indicates that the Zr, Hf reside on the Y site and the Al, Fe, and Si reside on the Z site.