Sol-gel processing of inorganic membranes

Basic principles involved in sol-gel processing of ceramic membranes are described. This process has been applied to ceramic ultrafiltration membranes and is now investigated to prepare ceramic nanofilters. In this paper special emphasis is put on new developments concerning microporous zirconia membranes obtained by the polymeric route. A zirconium alkoxide precursor modified with an acetylacetone ligand has been used in order to control particle growth in the sols and pore size distribution in the membranes. N₂ adsorption and X-ray diffraction analysis have been performed on membrane materials showing the influence of process parameters (molar ratio r = acacH/Zr and sintering temperature T) on membrane structural evolution.     

PbO~2纳米粉体的固相合成及其对MnO~2电极材料的改性作用

利用固相氧化反应制备了PbO~2纳米粉体样品，借助XRD，TEM以及循环伏安测试对其性质进行了表征。同时，对反应条件的选择进行了讨论。将所得样品用于改性MnO~2电极，恒流放电测试结果表明，样品掺杂量在1.25%～5.00%间对MnO~2有良好的改性效果，可使改性MnO~2的放电容量得到极大提高。循环伏安测试结果表明，铅的掺入改变了MnO~2的放电机理。在循环扫描过程中，掺杂物与MnO~2均不再以单纯氧化物的形式存在，而是形成了一系列Pb(X)(X=0,Ⅱ)Mn(Y)(Y=Ⅳ，Ⅲ，Ⅱ)复合物的共氧化与共还原，抑制了电化学惰性物质Mn~3O~4的生成和积累，从而有望改善MnO~2的可充性能。纳米PbO~2与常粒径PbO~2与常粒径PbO~2(标记为S)对MnO~2的改性机理类似。但前者对MnO~2的改性效果明显优于后者，当恒流放电至-1.0V时，其放电容量较S样改性MnO~2的放电容量平均高出约30%。     

CoTiO3纳米粉体的合成及其对MnO2电极材料的改性作用

采用溶胶-凝胶法制得钙钛矿型CoTiO₃纳米粉体，借助XRD、TEM以及循环伏安测试对其性质进行了表征。不同量的所制样品用于MnO₂电极的物理掺杂，进行了深度恒流放电、循环伏安和充放电测试。结果表明在40%KOH电解质溶液中，样品掺杂量为5%时改性效果较好。纳米CoTiO₃参与了电极反应，抑制了电化学惰性物质Mn₃O₄的生成，从而有效地改善MnO₂的放电性能，放电容量较I.C     

Charge correlations in cobaltates La2–xSrx CoO4

We report on an elastic neutron scattering study of the charge correlations in La_2–xSr_x CoO₄ with x = 1/3, 0.4 and 0.5. We found that the checkerboard charge ordering correlations present in the x = 0.5 sample persist in the x = 0.4 and 1/3 materials. These checkerboard charge ordering correlations are robust and explain the occurrence of nano‐phase separation in layered cobaltates for Sr‐concentrations away from half‐doping. The half‐integer reflections then arise from the nanometer‐sized hole‐rich regions (blue areas in title figure) instead of the undoped ones (red areas in title figure). The appearance of nano‐phase separation is an important ingredient for understanding the formation of hour‐glass shaped magnetic excitation spectra in La_2–xSr_x CoO₄.

Nano‐phase separation in La_2–xSr_x CoO₄ (schematically). Red areas: undoped La₂CoO₄ islands, blue areas: checkerboard charge ordered regions; black, green and blue balls represent nonmagnetic Co³⁺ ions, magnetic Co²⁺ ions and oxygen ions, respectively; green arrows indicate Co²⁺ spins [1, 2].     

Ultraviolet and visible upconversion luminescence of Tm(0.1)Yb(5):FOV oxyfluoride nanophase vitroceramics

The ultraviolet upconversion luminescence of Tm³⁺ ions sensitized by Yb³⁺ ions in oxyfluoride nanophase vitroceramics when excited by a 975 nm diode laser was studied. An ultraviolet upconversion luminescence line positioned at 363.6 nm was found. It was attributed to the fluorescence transition of ¹D₂→³H₆ of Tm³⁺ ion. Several visible upconversion luminescence lines at 450.7 nm, (477.0 nm, 462.5 nm), 648.5 nm, (680.5 nm, 699.5 nm) and (777.2 nm, 800.7 nm) were also found, which result respectively from the fluorescence transitions of ¹D₂→³F₄, ¹G₄→³H₆, ¹G₄→³F₄, ³F₃→³H₆ and ³H₄→³H₆ of Tm³⁺ ion. The careful measurement and analysis of the variation of upconversion luminescence intensity F as a function of the 975 nm pumping laser power P prove that the upconversion luminescence of ¹D₂ state is partly a five-photon upconversion luminescence, and the upconversion luminescence of ¹G₄ state and ³H₄ state are respectively the three-photon and two-photon upconversion luminescence. The theoretical analysis suggested that the upconversion mechanism of the 363.6 nm ¹D₂→³H₆ upconversion luminescence is partly the cross energy transfer of {³H₄(Tm³⁺), ³F₄(Tm³⁺), ¹G₄(Tm³⁺)→¹D₂(Tm³⁺)} and {¹G₄(Tm³⁺)→³F₄(Tm³⁺), ³H₄(Tm³⁺)→¹D₂(Tm³⁺)} between Tm³⁺ ions. In addition, the upconversion luminescence of ¹G₄ and ³H₄ state results respectively from the sequential energy transfer {²F_5/2(Yb³⁺)→²F_7/2(Yb³⁺), ³H₄(Tm³⁺)→¹G₄(Tm³⁺)} and {²F_5/2(Yb³⁺) →²F_7/2(Yb³⁺), ³F₄(Tm³⁺)→³F₂(Tm³⁺)} from Yb³⁺ ions to Tm³⁺ ions. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 10674019)     

Biocompatibility of poly(carbonate urethane)s with various degrees of nanophase separation

Nanophase separation has been suggested to influence the biological performance of polyurethane. In a previous work, six different 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI)-based poly(carbonate urethane)s (PCUs) that exhibited various degrees of nanophase separation were synthesized and characterized. In the present work, these PCUs were used as a model system to study the effect of nanometric structures on the biocompatibility of polyurethane. Human blood platelet activation, monocyte activation, protein adsorption, and bacterial adhesion on PCU were investigated in vitro. It was found that human blood platelets as well as monocytes were less activated on the PCU surfaces with a greater degree of nanophase separation in general. This phenomenon was closely associated with the lower ratio of human fibrinogen/albumin competitively adsorbed on these surfaces. Bacterial adhesion was also inhibited in some nanophase-separated PCUs. [diagram in text].     

分子印迹材料研究进展

本文简要综述了分子印迹的原理、制备技术,着重介绍了与膜材料、磁性材料、纳米材料和复合材料相结合的分子印迹技术的应用与发展。     

KTB iron mineralogy at iridium deficient layers revealed by Mössbauer spectroscopy

Mössbauer spectroscopic studies of two sedimentary layers from Petriccio section in Gubbio formation are presented. It is found that these layers have almost the same iron phases nanophase hematite and phyllosilicate and with the same compositions as those in the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary (KTB) in Petriccio. The two layers also show enhancement in the siderophile elements such as Cr, Ni, Fe, Ca etc. to that found in the KTB layer. The two layers are well separated from the KTB layer, 128 and 149 cm below this layer, and show no enhancement of iridium. From the data it is suggested that the two layers also represent some kind of impact by extraterrestrial (ET) bolides.