Complete dispersion analysis of single crystal neodymium gallate

A single crystal of neodymium gallate was investigated by FTIR-spectroscopy in the reststrahlen region between 100–1000 cm⁻¹. The three spectra of the crystal in principal orientations were analyzed by dispersion analysis and the dispersion parameters and the dielectric tensor function were obtained. This allows to properly characterize and quantitatively analyze films of this important substrate material by IR-optical methods.     

Development of an Electrochemical Sensor to Detect Dopamine and Ascorbic Acid Based on Neodymium (III) Oxide and Chitosan

Neodymium (III) oxide (Nd_Ox) was dispersed in chitosan dissolution and deposited on a glassy carbon electrode (chitosan‐Nd_Ox/GCE). The surface properties of the chitosan‐Nd_Ox/GCE were evaluated with FeCN₆⁻³ solution using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The modified electrode was used in the determination of individual dopamine (DP) and ascorbic acid (AA) with square wave adsorptive voltammetry. Under optimal parameters (pH 4.0; accumulation time; t_ACC 60s and accumulation potential; E_ACC 0.10 V) for DP and (pH 3,0; t_ACC 60s and; E_ACC −0.20 V) for AA, anodic peak currents were proportional to the concentration of DP and AA between 0.90 and 17.0 μmolL⁻¹, with detection limit of 0.079 μmolL⁻¹ for DP and 0.12 μmolL⁻¹ for AA. The sensor was used in the determination of DP and AA in human urine samples and vitamin C tablets with consistent results. The new sensor is easy to develop. In addition, the sensitivity in particular for AA was improved compared with previous work.     

Investigation of Nd2CuO4 crystal structure at high pressure by neutron diffraction

Abstract

The crystal structure of Nd₂CuO₄ has been studied by neutron diffraction at pressure up to 5 Gpa. The volume compressibility value was determined as 5·6·10^?3/Gpa. The decrease of positional parameter of neodymium at high pressure has been observed. This structural change is explained by pressure induced neodymium ions charge increase.     

Measurement of small ion beams by thermal ionisation mass spectrometry using new 10 Ohm resistors

We tested 5 newly manufactured – prototype – 10¹³ Ohm resistors in the feedback loop of Faraday cup amplifiers to measure small ion beams by Thermal Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (TIMS). The high Ohmic resistors installed in the TRITON Plus at the VU University Amsterdam theoretically have 10 times lower noise levels relative to the default 10¹¹ Ohm resistors. To investigate the precision and accuracy of analyses using these new amplifiers we measured Sr and Nd isotopes of reference standards at a range of ion currents (3.2 × 10⁻¹⁶ to 1 × 10⁻¹² A, corresponding to intensities of 32 μV to 100 mV on a default 10¹¹ Ohm amplifier) and on small amounts of material (100 and 10 pg). Internal precision and external reproducibility for Sr and Nd isotope ratios are both better when collected on 10¹³ compared 10¹² Ohm resistors and to the default 10¹¹ Ohm resistors. At an ⁸⁷Sr ion current of 3 × 10⁻¹⁴ A (3 mV on a 10¹¹ Ohm amplifier) the internal precision (2 SE) of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr is 5 times better for 10¹³ Ohm resistors compared to 10¹¹ Ohm resistors. The external reproducibility (2 SD) at this beam intensity is 9 times better.     

Three New Coordination Compounds with Neodymium Based on Tetrazole Containing Carboxylic Acid Ligands

Reactions of three tetrazole containing carboxylic acid ligands, namely, Hpztza, Htzpya, and Hpytza [Hpztza = 5‐(2‐pyrazinyl)tetrazole‐2‐acetic acid, Htzpya = 3‐(5‐tetrazolyl)pyridine‐1‐acetic acid, Hpytza = 5‐(3‐pyridyl)tetrazole‐2‐acetic acid] with NdCl₃ · 6H₂O under hydrothermal conditions, afforded the complexes [Nd(pztza)₂(H₂O)₆] · pztza · 3H₂O ( 1 ), [Nd₂(tzpya)₂(H₂O)₁₂]Cl₄ · 2H₂O ( 2 ), and [Nd(pytza)₂Cl(H₂O)₂] ( 3 ). The compounds were structurally characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. X‐ray diffraction analyses revealed that compound 1 displays a mononuclear structure, 2 shows a dinuclear structure, and 3 features a 1D polymeric chain structure via pytza as linker. Furthermore, the luminescent properties investigated at room temperature in the solid state show that compound 2 has an obvious decrease in its luminescence, when compared to the ligand.     

Biolabeling with nanoparticles based on Y2O3: Nd and luminescence detection in the near-infrared

Neodymium based fluorescence presents several advantages in comparison to conventional rare earth or enzyme-substrate based fluorescence emitting sources (e.g.Tb, HRP) . Based on this fact we have herein explored a Nd-based fluoroimmunoassay. We efficiently detected the presence of an oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) in human plasma a well-known marker for cardiovascular diseases, which causes around 30% of deaths worldwide. Conventional fluoroimmunoassay uses time-resolved luminescence techniques, with detection in the visible range, to eliminate the fluorescence background from the biological specimens. By using an immunoassay based on functionalized Y₂O₃:Nd³⁺ nanoparticles, where the excitation and emission processes in the Nd³⁺ ion occur in the near-infrared (NIR) region, we have succeeded in eliminating the interferences from the biological fluorescence background, avoiding the use of time-resolved techniques. This yields higher emission intensity from the Nd³⁺-nanolabels and efficient detection of anti-oxidized low-density lipoproteins (anti-oxLDL) by Y₂O₃:Nd³⁺-antibody-antigen conjugation, leading to a novel biolabeling method.     

H2O‐Catalyzed Route to Early Lanthanide Tribromide THF and DME Solvates from Oxides

A convenient one‐pot synthetic protocol towards THF and DME solvates of lanthanum and other early lanthanide tribromides was developed using the water‐catalyzed reaction of lanthanide(III) oxides with highly reactive Me₃SiBr in situ formed from commercially available disilane Si₂Me₆ and Br₂. This practical route allows to obtain the target lanthanum tribromide solvates [LaBr₃(thf)₄] ( 1a ) and [LaBr₃(dme)₂]₂ ( 1b ) as well as analogous early lanthanide molecular tribromide solvates [NdBr₃(thf)₄] ( 2a ), [NdBr₃(dme)₂] ( 2b ), [SmBr₃(thf)₂] ( 3a ), and [SmBr₃(dme)₂] ( 3b ) difficult to prepare by other solution‐based procedures. The molecular structure of 1b· 2CH₂Cl₂ was determined by an XRD study.     

Nd(OTf)3-catalyzed intramolecular-intermolecular cascade cyclization reaction: An access to phenanthro[9,10-b]furan derivatives

An intramolecular-intermolecular cascade cyclization reaction via multi metal-carbene intermediates has been developed. This reaction uses catalytic amount of Nd(OTf)₃, which actives both alkyne and aldehyde moieties. This protocol provides a novel strategy for the synthesis of phenanthro[9,10-b]furans.     

Plasma electrolytic oxidation coating on AZ91 magnesium alloy modified by neodymium and its corrosion resistance

Ceramic coatings on the surfaces of Mg-9Al-1Zn (AZ91) magnesium alloy and Mg-9Al-1Zn-1Nd magnesium alloy (AZ91 magnesium alloy modified by neodymium, named as AZ91Nd in this paper) are synthesized in aluminate electrolyte by plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) process, respectively. X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses show the PEO coating on the Mg-9Al-1Zn-1Nd alloy comprises not only MgO and Al₂O₃, which are found in the coating on the AZ91 alloy, but also a trace amount of Nd₂O₃. Microstructure observations indicate the addition of Nd can decrease the sizes of β phases and form Al₂Nd intermetallics in the AZ91 alloy. The fine β phases can effectively restrain the formation of unclosed-holes and greatly decrease the sizes of pores in the coating during the PEO process. In addition, the Al₂Nd intermetallics can be completely covered due to the lateral growth of the PEO coatings formed on the α and β phases. As a result, the coating on the AZ91Nd alloy possesses a dense microstructure compared with that on the AZ91 alloy. The following corrosion tests indicate the corrosion resistance of the PEO coating on the AZ91Nd alloy is evidently higher than that of the PEO coating on the AZ91 alloy.     

The spectrum of Nd in rare earth orthoaluminates. The trigonal to orthorhombic transition study of the level

Some structural and spectroscopic features of rare earth orthoaluminates are examined.The trigonal→ orthorhombic transition is studied in a series of Nd_xSm_1−xAlO₃ compounds. The evolution of the crystal structure is followed by X-ray analysis and optical absorption. The free ion and crystal field parameters of Nd³⁺ (4f³ configuration) are determined in LuAlO₃:Nd³⁺.The anomaly of the calculated splitting of the levels is slight, but well characterized in NdAlO₃. The spin correlated crystal field and orbitally correlated crystal field models are tested as well as an empirical correction which was proposed earlier.