The Effect of Solid Sheet Fillers on Poly-p-Oxybenzoate Polymerization,Crystallization and Structure

The effect of added mineral sheet fillers (mica, montmorillonite, talc, graphite and kaolin) on the polymerization of acetoxybenzoic acid was investigated. The fillers exert a weak catalytic effect without affecting the structure and orientation of the polymer, the only exception being mica which can result in an epitaxial orientation.     

The mica slit-pore as a tool to control the orientation and distortion of simple liquid monolayers

Grand canonical ensemble Monte Carlo computer simulations have been used to study mono-layer octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (OMCTS) and cyclohexane films confined between mica-like surfaces to determine the effect of the mica surfaces on the orientation and distortion of the films at different surface alignments. The film molecules are packed as a highly ordered lattice. The orientation of the lattice is fixed relative to the mica surfaces and depends on the size of the film molecule. Registry shifts distort the film lattice by effectively stretching it along a particular direction that depends on the size of the film molecule. For a particular registry, OMCTS and cyclohexane monolayers are stretched in perpendicular directions. Coupling between the monolayers and the mica surfaces generates a nonzero shear stress when the surfaces are out of alignment, but the film does not become disordered or melt. It is possible that precisely controlled solid surfaces could be used to create packed arrays of film molecules with desired orientation and degree of distortion that may be useful in nanotechnological applications.     

四层对称结构随角异色颜料制备与光谱特性研究

采用经过酸碱预处理的具有干涉色的云母钛作为基质材料,分别包覆氧化铁、氧化铬、氧化钴制得三层结构随角异色颜料。通过改变包覆层数和各层间的排列顺序,增加基质材料与外层包覆材料的反射率差值,获得变色效果更加明显的四层结构随角异色功能颜料。用X-Rite MA86Ⅱ5角度分光光度计对颜料的反射率光谱和CIE色度值进行测试分析,研究了四层结构对颜料随角异色效果的影响,分析比较不同的包覆物与颜料随角变色效果的关系。结果表明,采用多层膜包覆,能够增加基底材料与外层包覆层的反射率,增强颜料的颜色,颜料的颜色在不同的角度会有更明显的变化,随角异色效果更加显著。     

Calculating Shape Factors from Particle Sizing Data

It is well established that particle size and shape substantially influence the bulk properties of powdered materials. Although these characteristics are closely interrelated, the tendency has been to analyse the particle size independently from particle shape. The aim of this work was the assessment of particle shape through particle sizing data. For this purpose, three different particle shape materials – glass beads (spherical), crushed glass (moderately irregular) and mica (lamellar) – were tested, employing four particle sizers. The shape factor selected was the Wadell's sphericity, which was evaluated utilizing distinct equations. The comparison of the results reveals problems arising from the use of approximations rather than more fundamental equations.     

Thermal annealing of heavy ion tracks in muscovite mica

Abstract

Thermal annealing of latent tracks caused by the passage of heavy ions, viz. Pb²⁰⁸ (13.8 MeV/n) and Ni⁵⁸ (15.37 MeV/n), in muscovite mica is investigated. The activation energy for track annealing, determined using different annealing models, is compared. The effect of thermal annealing on size and energy resolution of heavy ions in mica, based on the track etch rate and track length reduction, is discussed.     

Synthesis of ZnS nanoparticles on a solid surface: Atomic force microscopy study

In this work, zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanoparticles had been synthesized on DNA network/mica and mica surface, respectively. The synthesis was carried out by first dropping a mixture of zinc acetate and DNA on a mica surface for the formation of the DNA networks or zinc acetate solution on a mica surface, and subsequently transferring the sample into a heated thiourea solution. The Zn²⁺ adsorbed on DNA network/mica or mica surface would react with S²⁻ produced from thiourea and form ZnS nanoparticles on these surfaces. X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to characterize the ZnS nanoparticles in detail. AFM results showed that ZnS nanoparticles distributed uniformly on the mica surface and deposited preferentially on DNA networks. It was also found that the size and density of ZnS nanoparticles could be effectively controlled by adjusting reaction temperature and the concentration of Zn²⁺ or DNA. The possible growth mechanisms have been discussed in detail.     

Fabrication of grating-like polystyrene latex monolayer structure as three-dimensional calibration standards for scanning probe microscope

This paper illuminates the preparation of grating-like polystyrene latex monolayer structure, which can minimize the effects of the size deviation of spheres and the defect transfer on the accuracy as calibration samples for microscopes. The latex films are grown on freshly cleaved mica substrates by vertical deposition method. The concentration dependence of the structure and the topography of latex films is characterized by optical microscope, ultraviolet--visible transmission spectrum and scanning probe microscope. The origination of such a grating-like structure is also discussed.     

Atomic force microscopy study of self-organization of chiral azobenzene derived from amino acid

A kind of chiral azobenzene amphiphile, N-[4-(4-dodecyloxyphenylazo)benzoyl]- -glutamic acid (C₁₂-Azo- -Glu; as shown in Fig. 1), was synthesized and the self-organization properties on solid substrates were investigated. C₁₂-Azo- -Glu underwent a reversible trans–cis photoisomerization in dilute solution. While the photoisomerization was suppressed on solid substrate because of the H-aggregation, indicating the formation of compact film. When C₁₂-Azo- -Glu was cast from ethanol solution onto the hydrophilic surface of mica, a stable flat-layered structure formed spontaneously in large scale. High-resolution images allowed the identification of the relative orientation of molecular rows in the ordered thin film and the crystal lattice of mica. A molecular packing model of the layered structure was proposed. There was a template effect of mica to the self-organization process. Hydrogen bonding, π–π interaction and the chiral center in the molecule played the important roles in the self-organization process. The cooperative competitive effect between them led to the highly ordered structure.     

DNA adsorption and desorption on mica surface studied by atomic force microscopy

The adsorption of DNA molecules on mica surface and the following desorption of DNA molecules at ethanol-mica interface were studied using atomic force microscopy. By changing DNA concentration, different morphologies on mica surface have been observed. A very uniform and orderly monolayer of DNA molecules was constructed on the mica surface with a DNA concentration of 30 ng/μL. When the samples were immersed into ethanol for about 15 min, various desorption degree of DNA from mica (0-99%) was achieved. It was found that with the increase of DNA concentration, the desorption degree of DNA from the mica at ethanol-mica interface decreased. And when the uniform and orderly DNA monolayers were formed on the mica surface, almost no DNA molecule desorbed from the mica surface in this process. The results indicated that the uniform and orderly DNA monolayer is one of the most stable DNA structures formed on the mica surface. In addition, we have studied the structure change of DNA molecules after desorbed from the mica surface with atomic force microscopy, and found that the desorption might be ascribed to the ethanol-induced DNA condensation.     

Influence of substrate temperature,deposition rate and surface conditions on the epitaxial growth of copper on mica

In this experimental investigation copper was deposited on mica substrates under UHV conditions. Both air-cleaved and vacuum-cleaved mica substrates were used. Evaporation rate and substrate temperature have been varied systematically over a wide range. The structure of the films was studied with X-ray methods (Laue-transmission photographs and rocking curves). It was observed that the polar orientation of the crystallites depends mainly on evaporation rate and substrate temperature. The azimuthal orientation, however, is strongly dependent upon the surface conditions of the substrate, i.e. a surface gas layer improves the azimuthal orientation significantly. On vacuum-cleaved substrates an improvement of the azimuthal orientation can only be achieved by high evaporation rates (> 2500 Å/s). These effects are explained by the dependence of the rotation jump frequency on the size of nuclei and clusters.     

A Rapid Method for Determination of Changes in Shape of Comminuted Particles Using a Laser Diffractometer

The size distributions of carefully screened √2 size fractions of ground materials were determined using a Microtrac laser diffractometer. The size distributions were fitted to the empirical function P(x) = 1/[1 + (x₅₀/x)^λ] where P(x) is cumulative mass fraction less than Microtrac size, x. The standard deviation of λ for a 50 second test time was approximately 0.5, so that seventeen test times give a mean with an estimated error within ± 0.25 (95% confidence level). Values of λ were 5.44, 4.82, 4.40 for a coal ground under different conditions, indicating statistically different shape distributions; the average value for mica was 2.91 owing to the high aspect ratio of the particles. The ratio of x₅₀ to the geometric mean sieve size was 1.2 for the coal and 0.70 for mica.     

AFM Observation of a Mica Surface Treated with Silane Coupling Agent Having a Mercapto Group

The topography of mica surface after treatment with silane coupling agent having a mercapto group was studied using an atomic force microscope. The cleaved mica plate was used as a model inorganic surface. The effect of treatment condition on the topography of the mica surface was investigated. Agglomerates consisting of self-condensed silane molecules were observed on the surface. However, their amount and size were smaller than those for silanes having other organo-functional groups such as amino, methacryloxy and vinyl groups. Aqueous and water/2-propanol mixture solutions gave a smoother surface as compared with a 2-propanol solution. There was no significant influence discernable from di- and trialkoxy structures. The aqueous solution of silane coupling agent having a mercapto group showed an acidic pH. This was the reason why the smoother silane-treated layer was formed by the silane with the mercapto group than by those with other organic functional groups, because the silanol group generated by hydrolysis is stable in an acidic pH.     

Optimization of the conditions for vacuum thermal deposition of bismuth films with control of their imperfection by atomic force microscopy

The structure and defects of bismuth films prepared through vacuum thermal deposition on mica substrates under different conditions (deposition rates, substrate temperatures, temperatures and times of annealing) have been investigated using atomic force microscopy. The conditions are determined under which recrystallization occurs with increasing crystallite size during annealing, which provides a decrease in the degree of imperfection of the films and an increase in the mobility of charge carriers.     

非层状二维CdSe的制备及厚度对带隙的影响

二维半导体材料的天然带隙有望弥补石墨烯的零带隙缺陷,打破后者在场效应晶体管、开关器件、逻辑电路等领域的应用瓶颈.相较于层状半导体材料,非层状半导体材料多以较强的离子键/共价键结合,且各向同性,因此要获取其二维结构存在一定挑战.本论文通过化学气相沉积法实现了非层状Cd Se在云母衬底上的二维各向异性生长.详细表征了二维Cd Se的微观形貌、晶体结构和光学特性等.结果表明,样品具有显著的光致发光(PL)效应,说明厚度减薄至纳米级时不会破坏Cd Se的直接带隙属性.此外,随着厚度减小,样品的PL峰逐渐蓝移.为了进一步解释该现象,采用基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理计算方法,研究了不同厚度的Cd Se的能带结构,结果显示均为直接带隙,且随厚度减小,带隙值增大,与实验现象吻合.由此可知,通过生长参数调控二维Cd Se的厚度,即可实现对其带隙的有效调控,这对相关光电器件的性能提升具有指导意义.     

Molecular-scale density oscillations in water adjacent to a mica surface

High-resolution specular x-ray reflectivity of the mica(001)-water interface under ambient conditions reveals oscillations in water oxygen density in the surface-normal direction, giving evidence of interfacial water ordering. The spacings between neighboring water layers in the near-surface, strongly oscillatory region are 2.5(2)-2.7(2) A, approximately the size of the water molecule. The density oscillations extend to about 10 A above the surface and do not strictly maintain a solvent-size periodicity as that in interfacial liquid metal and hard-sphere molecular liquids. We interpret this oscillatory density profile of the interfacial water as due to the "hard-wall" effect of the molecularly smooth mica surface.     

The effect of space charge and crystallite size on the formation of properties of ferropiezoceramic materials

The effect is treated of the space charge field and of the crystallite size on the properties of ferroceramics of different compositions. The established qualitative correlation between the structure and electrophysical parameters, the crystallite size, and the space charge field may be useful in designing ferropiezoceramic materials for different applications and devices involving such materials.     

Composite of synthetic mica with polymers: grafting of polymers with controlled molecular weight onto synthetic mica by use of living polymer cation

The grafting of polymers onto synthetic mica surface and formation of an interlayer by the termination of living polymer cation with amino groups introduced onto the synthetic mica was investigated. The introduction of amino groups onto the synthetic mica was achieved by the reaction of silanol groups with γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane. It was found that living poly(isobutyl vinyl ether) (polyIBVE) and living poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) (polyMeOZO) cations with controlled molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution were successfully terminated by amino groups of synthetic mica, and the corresponding polymers were grafted onto the surface and interlayer of the mica. The grafting of polyIBVE and polyMeOZO on the synthetic mica decreased with increasing molecular weight of the living polymer cations. The effect of reaction temperature on the grafting of polyMeOZO onto the synthetic mica was examined. The X-ray diffraction curves of polyMeOZO-grafted synthetic mica have a peak at 2 = 4.5° assigned 001 lattice spacing: the lattice spacing was expanded by the grafting of polyMeOZO in the interlayer of the synthetic mica.     

X-ray K-absorption edge of niobium in some of its niobates

The position and extended fine structure of X-ray K-absorption edge of niobium in its various niobates has been investigated using 400-mm bent crystal (mica, 100 planes) spectrograph. The shift of the K-absorption edge of niobium in its various niobates is related to the size of the next nearest cation; large the size, smaller the shift of the absorption edge towards higher energy side.     

含偶氮两亲分子自组装单层膜的扫描力显微镜和共聚焦拉曼光谱研究

两亲性分子在液 /固界面组装成二维有序的结构是目前超分子科学研究的热点。含有偶氮苯单链季铵盐化合物 4-[(4’ -十二烷氧基 )偶氮苯氧基 ]己基三乙基溴化铵 (简写为C12 AzoC6 N+)在水溶液中能聚集成胶束 ,当它自组织到新鲜的云母片上时 ,则形成二维有序的纳米尺寸的树枝状条带结构。为了进一步系统的研究该自组织树枝状条带结构单层膜的性质 ,本文利用扫描力显微镜 (SFM)研究了该化合物在大于其临界胶束浓度时在新鲜的云母片上自组织成树枝状条带结构的行为 ,并通过共聚焦拉曼光谱对该自组织树枝状条带结构单层膜进行了测试 ,指认了固体和自组织单层膜的拉曼位移。通过比较 ,我们进一步确认了在云母片上的自组织的二维有序的纳米尺寸树枝状条带单层膜的结构。这将为这种二维有序的纳米尺寸树枝状条带结构将来的应用奠定基础。     

Generation of mixed metallic nanoparticles from immiscible metals by spark discharge

Using a spark discharge system, we synthesized Ag-Cu, Pt–Au and Cu-W mixed particles a few nanometers in size. These combinations have miscibility gaps in the bulk form. The microsecond sparks between electrodes consisting of the respective materials, form a vapour cloud. Very fast quenching of the mixed vapour results in the formation of nanoparticles. To investigate the morphology, size, composition and structure of the particles, TEM, XRD analyses and EDS elemental mapping were performed on the samples. The average compositions were measured by ICP and the specific surface areas were determined by the BET. Our method produces Ag-Cu and Au–Pt mixed crystalline phases that do not exist in macroscopic samples. For Cu-W, alloying is not observed, and the metals are mixed on a scale of about 1 nm.