Thermoluminescent dosimetric characteristics of annealed quartz

In the given present study, the effect of pre-irradiation heat treatment at 500 and 600 ^°C on the glow peaks of synthetic quartz was examined as a function of annealing time to obtain an optimum annealing procedure. It was observed that the annealing time is not a strongly sensitive parameter to change the intensities of glow peaks. On the other hand, the intensities of glow peaks between room temperature (RT) and 200 ^°C were continuously increased during successive readings after heat treatments. Moreover, the intensities of glow peaks above 250 ^°C have good stabilities. The obtained repeatability of a glow peak at ～320 ^°C over 10 cycles is within 5% after the application of annealing at 600 ^°C for 1 h. The general thermoluminescent dosimetric characteristics of synthetic quartz, such as the dose–response, signal fading as a function of storage time, and reusability were also tested using the annealing condition at 600 ^°C for 1 h. It was observed that dose-response behaviours of all glow peaks are similar to each other. They first follow linear part and then saturated at different dose levels. Peak 1 completely disappeared after 1 month storage in the dark room at RT. On the other hand, the intensity of peaks 2+3 was approximately reduced to 15% of its original value whereas the other peaks (P4–P5) were not sufficiently affected during this period.     

Production and characterization of spodumene dosimetric pellets by prepared by pechini and proteic sol–gel route

Spodumene is an aluminosilicate that has proven suitable for high-dose TL dosimetry of beta or gamma rays. Due to the presence of lithium in its chemical composition (LiAlSi₂O₆ – β-LAS), it has potential as neutron dosimeter as well. This silicate may be obtained naturally or synthetically. The synthetic LAS has been produced by solid state reaction and conventional sol–gel, whose difficulty arises from the need to employ high temperatures and high cost reagents, respectively. Alternative routes like Pechini and proteic sol–gel methods are promising, because they can reduce production costs and the possibility of environmental pollution. This work aimed at producing spodumene with the proteic sol–gel method using edible unflavored gelatin as a precursor and also with the Pechini method. The products were characterized physically and morphologically, and their applicability as TL dosimeter was investigated, comparing the sensitivity of samples produced by different methods. Two sets of samples were produced using different sources of silicon, tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS, Si(C₂H₅O)₄) and silica (SiO₂). The materials produced were characterized by X-ray diffraction and by thermal analysis in order to evaluate their structural properties, as well as possible temperature-dependent changes in physical or chemical properties. The syntherized pellets produced with these crystals were irradiated with a ⁹⁰Sr–⁹⁰Y source and their TL glow curves were evaluated. The production of β-LAS was successful by both methods, either using silica or TEOS as a silicon source. The crystals were obtained using much lower temperatures than by methods described in literature. We observed that the method of powder production was critical to develop a radiation detector: the best TL material was the powder produced using silica and the Pechini Method.     

Adsorption of methanol,formaldehyde and formic acid on Pd(100) surfaces modified by a sodium and sodium oxide overlayer

The effect of a sodium and sodium oxide overlayer on a Pd(100) surface has been investigated by AES, LEED, XPS, UPS and TPRS methods. Ordered surface structures of (4 × 4), (2 × 2) and c(2 × 2) were observed for a sodium overlayer, which was contracted by the adsorption of oxygen. The increase of bonding energy of CO, H₂ as well as CO₂ was confirmed on both sodium and sodium oxide covered surfaces, and three adsorption states were distinguished for CO₂ on these surfaces. For the adsorption of methanol, formaldehyde and formic acid, the interaction was also strengthened on the sodium covered surface. As a result, the concentration as well as the stability of surface methoxide and formate was significantly increased and the strong interaction between formaldehyde and surface oxygen was confirmed.     

Sensitization of glycine (spectrophotometric read-out) dosimetric system using sorbitol

Glycine spectrophotometric read-out systems have a useful dose range of 15–4000 Gy. An attempt was made to sensitize it using sorbitol as a sensitizer. Optimum compositions of aqueous acidic solutions of ferrous ammonium sulphate–xylenol orange (XO), i.e. FX and sorbitol–ferrous ammonium sulphate–xylenol orange, i.e. SFX, for 400 mg of glycine, which gives maximum dosimetric response for any given dose, were established. Molar absorption coefficient values of ferric–XO–glycine complex, i.e. -values, were determined for glycine system in FX and SFX. These values were found to be 8410 and 15,000 m² mol⁻¹ respectively, indicating that an enhancement or sensitivity factor of about 1.78 can be achieved by sorbitol for glycine in SFX. This factor was further confirmed by measuring the gamma dose response of glycine in FX and in SFX for four different doses, viz. 37.8, 75.5, 151 and 302 Gy. It was observed that dose response of glycine in SFX is about 77% more than that of glycine in FX. The maximum variation observed in response of glycine in FX or SFX was found to be within ±1.5%.     

多特征波长窗法检测痕量甲醛气体的研究

为了克服化学检测痕量甲醛气体速度慢、有耗材、采样区域局限等缺点,实现快速准确地检测甲醛气体的浓度,设计了一种多特征波长窗的方法。根据甲醛及主要干扰气体的特征光谱选择相干度最小的多组特征波长,特征波长个数分别选用3,4和5个,同时配合相应的多组窄带滤光片。当光源依次通过这些窗口及气室后,由PCI-2TE-13型红外探测器采集,并经相关算法反演样气中的甲醛浓度。实验针对新装修的房屋、建材商场、超市及公园四种环境下采集的样气中的甲醛进行定量分析。实验结果与ARCSpectro-A-MIR型红外光谱仪的检测结果相比较,结果表明,采用多特征波长窗法在10μg.m-3以上的检测结果均与标准值相近,其平均误差均小于5%,满足实际应用的要求,并且具有实时检测、不中毒等优点。     

MRI image plane nonuniformity in evaluation of ferrous sulphate dosimeter gel (FeGel) by means of T1-relaxation time

MR image nonuniformity can vary significantly with the spin-echo pulse sequence repetition time. When MR images with different nonuniformity shapes are used in a T1-calculation the resulting T1-image becomes nonuniform. As shown in this work the uniformity TR-dependence of the spin-echo pulse sequence is a critical property for T1 measurements in general and for ferrous sulfate dosimeter gel (FeGel) applications in particular. The purpose was to study the characteristics of the MR image plane nonuniformity in FeGel evaluation. This included studies of the possibility of decreasing nonuniformities by selecting uniformity optimized repetition times, studies of the transmitted and received RF-fields and studies of the effectiveness of the correction methods background subtraction and quotient correction. A pronounced MR image nonuniformity variation with repetition and T1 relaxation time was observed, and was found to originate from nonuniform RF-transmission in combination with the inherent differences in T1 relaxation for different repetition times. The T1 calculation itself, the uniformity optimized repetition times, nor none of the correction methods studied could sufficiently correct the nonuniformities observed in the T1 images. The nonuniformities were found to vary considerably less with inversion time for the inversion-recovery pulse sequence, than with repetition time for the spin-echo pulse sequence, resulting in considerably lower T1 image nonuniformity levels.     

Preparation of porous (Ba,Sr)TiO3 by adding corn-starch

A new method of preparing porous (Ba,Sr)TiO₃ ceramics has been introduced, using an ordinary ceramics processing technique. The effect of corn-starch on the positive temperature coefficient of resistivity characteristics and microstructure of the porous (Ba,Sr)TiO₃ ceramics has been investigated. When the corn-starch addition was 1-20 wt%, the PTCR jump was over 10⁶ and 1-2 orders higher than that of samples without corn-starch. Also, it was found that the (Ba,Sr)TiO₃ ceramics had porous microstructure by the addition of corn-starch. The porosity of the ceramics with 20 wt% corn-starch was 44%. The electrical properties of the (Ba,Sr)TiO₃ ceramics have been discussed, based on the microstructure, resistivity of grain boundaries, donor concentration of grains and the electrical potential barrier of grain boundaries.     

Stark-enhanced diode-laser spectroscopy of formaldehyde using a modified Herriott-type multipass cell

The combined use of a novel multipass cell and a sample modulation scheme based on the Stark effect in molecular spectra is used to suppress time dependent background signals, which in general limit spectrometer performance during measurements. A rapid background subtraction scheme, in which the external electric field was turned off on alternate scans, as well as a double modulation experiment show drift free, white noise limited characteristics up to integration times of more than 1000 s. This exceeds the generally obtained spectrometer stability by about one order of magnitude. PACS 82.80.Gk; 42.62.Fi; 07.88.+y; 33.55.Be     

An XPS study of formaldehyde and related molecules adsorbed on the surface of a tungsten (100) single crystal

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy has been used to study the adsorption and catalytic decomposition of formaldehyde on a W(100) single crystal. Comparison with the O(1s) spectra of CO(ads), CO₂(ads) and O(ads) has been carried out in an attempt to understand the surface complexes formed from H₂CO. It has been shown that H₂CO dissociates at 100 K upon adsorption up to ca. 1/2 monolayer. Above this coverage, condensation of undissociated H₂CO occurs. A surface complex leading to the liberation of CO₂ from the formaldehyde layer has been detected by XPS. However, no complex uniquely related to an intermediate which yields a small quantity of CH₄ has been detected by XPS.     

Performance evaluation of PVdF gel polymer electrolytes

A series of gel polymer electrolytes containing PVdF as homo polymer, a mixture of 1:1 Ethylene Carbonate (EC) : Propylene Carbonate (PC) as plasticizer and lithium-bistrifluoromethane sulphone imide [imide — LiN (CF₃SO₂)₂] has been developed. Amounts of polymer (PVdF), plasticizer and the imide lithium salt have been varied as a function of their weight ratio composition in this regard. Dimensionally stable films possessing appreciable room temperature conductivity values have been obtained with respect to certain weight ratio compositions. However, conductivity data have been recorded at different possible temperatures, i.e., from 20 °C to 65 °C. XRD and DSC studies were carried out to characterize the polymer films for better amorphicity and reduced glass transition temperature, respectively. The electrochemical interface stability of the PVdF based gel polymer electrolytes over a range of storage period (24 h – 10 days) have been investigated using A.C. impedance studies. Test cells containing Li/gel polymer electrolyte (GPE)/Li have been subjected to undergo 50 charge-discharge cycles in order to understand the electrochemical performance behaviour of the dimensionally stable films of superior conductivity. The observed capacity fade of less than 20% even after 50 cycles is in favour of the electrochemical stability of the gel polymer electrolyte containing 27.5% PVdF −67.5 % EC+PC −5% imide salt. Cyclic voltammetry studies establish the possibility of a reversible intercalation — deintercalation process involving Li⁺ ions through the gel polymer electrolyte.     

Improving the color purity and efficiency of blue organic light-emitting diodes (BOLED) by adding hole-blocking layer

This work demonstrates the fabrication of a bright blue organic light-emitting diode (BOLED) with good color purity using 4,4′-bis(2,2-diphenylvinyl)-1,1′-biphenyl (DPVBi) and bathocuproine (BCP) as the emitting layer (EML) and the hole-blocking layer (HBL), respectively. Devices were prepared by vacuum deposition on indium tin oxide (ITO)-glass substrates. The thickness of DPVBi used in the OLED has an important effect on color and efficiency. The blue luminescence is maximal at 7670 cd/m² when 13 V is applied and the BCP thickness is 2 nm. The CIE coordinate at a luminance of 7670 cd/m² is (0.165, 0.173). Furthermore, the current efficiency is maximum at 4.25 cd/A when 9 V is applied.     

Improved thermoelectric performance in p-type Bi_(0.48)Sb_(1.52)Te_3 bulk material by adding MnSb_2Se_4

Bismuth telluride(Bi_2Te_3) based alloys, such as p-type Bi_(0.5)Sb_(1.5)Te_3, have been leading candidates for near room temperature thermoelectric applications. In this study, Bi_(0.48)Sb_(1.52)Te_3 bulk materials with MnSb_2Se_4 were prepared using high-energy ball milling and spark plasma sintering(SPS) process. The addition of MnSb_2Se_4 to Bi_(0.48)Sb_(1.52)Te_3 increased the hole concentration while slightly decreasing the Seebeck coefficient, thus optimising the electrical transport properties of the bulk material. In addition, the second phases of MnSb_2Se_4 and Bi_(0.48)Sb_(1.52)Te_3 were observed in the Bi_(0.48)Sb_(1.52)Te_3 matrix. The nanoparticles in the semi-coherent second phase of MnSb_2Se_4 behaved as scattering centres for phonons,yielding a reduction in the lattice thermal conductivity. Substantial enhancement of the figure of merit, ZT, has been achieved for Bi_(0.48)Sb_(1.52)Te_3 by adding an Mn_(0.8)Cu_(0.2)Sb_2Se_4(2mol%) sample, for a wide range of temperatures, with a peak value of 1.43 at 375 K, corresponding to ~40% improvement over its Bi_(0.48)Sb_(1.52)Te_3 counterpart. Such enhancement of the thermoelectric(TE) performance of p-type Bi_2Te_3 based materials is believed to be advantageous for practical applications.     

Photoacoustic characteristics of lipid-rich plaques under ultra-low temperature and formaldehyde treatment

Photoacoustic imaging(PAI) has been used to characterize the spatial and quantitative features of lipid-rich atherosclerotic plaques with high sensitivity and specificity. In this Letter, we first validate that the ultra-low temperature and formaldehyde treatment have no effect on photoacoustic characteristics of the artery samples.Comparative experiments between the PAI and histological results demonstrate that the ultra-low temperature or formaldehyde treatment has few effects on the PAI of the lipid-rich atherosclerotic plaques; the lipid relative concentration and the lipid percentage by PAI hold high correlation with histology.     

Operational and dosimetric characteristics of etched-track neutron detectors in routine neutron radiation protection dosimetry

There are a number of etched-track neutron dosimetry systems in routine use for personal monitoring. In this paper, the operational and dosimetric characteristics of these systems are summarized. Brief details are given of the dosemeter design, the material used, its quality control procedures, background, processing and read methods, neutron energy range, energy and angle dependence of response, decision threshold, linearity, signal storage stability, calibration methods including normalization, effect of influence quantities, and the advantages and disadvantages of the systems in routine application.     

An ion-imprinted amino-functionalized silica gel sorbent prepared by hydrothermal assisted surface imprinting technique for selective removal of cadmium (II) from aqueous solution

A new ion-imprinted amino-functionalized silica gel sorbent was synthesized by the hydrothermal-assisted surface imprinting technique using Cd²⁺ as the template, 3-[2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethylamino]propyl-trimethoxysilane (AAAPTS) as the functional monomer, and epichlorohydrin as the cross-linking agent (IIP-AAAPTS/SiO₂) for the selective removal of Cd²⁺ from aqueous solution, and was characterized by FTIR, SEM, nitrogen adsorption and the static adsorption-desorption experiment method. The specific surface area of the IIP-AAAPTS/SiO₂ sorbents was found to be 149 m² g⁻¹. The results showed that the maximum static adsorption capacities of IIP-AAAPTS/SiO₂ sorbents by hydrothermal heating method and by the conventional heating method were 57.4 and 31.6 mg g⁻¹, respectively. The IIP-AAAPTS/SiO₂ sorbents offered a fast kinetics for the adsorption and desorption of Cd(II). The relative selectivity coefficients of IIP-AAAPTS/SiO₂ sorbents for Cd²⁺/Co²⁺, Cd²⁺/Ni²⁺, Cd²⁺/Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺/Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺/Cu²⁺ were 30.68, 14.02, 3.00, 3.12 and 6.17, respectively. IIP-AAAPTS/SiO₂ sorbents had a substantial binding capacity in the range of pH 4-8 and could be used repeatedly. Equilibrium data fitted perfectly with Langmuir isotherm model compared to Freundlich isotherm model. Kinetic studies indicated that adsorption followed a pseudo-second-order model. Negative values of ΔG° indicated spontaneous adsorption and the degree of spontaneity of the reaction increased with increasing temperature. ΔH° of 26.13 kJ mol⁻¹ due to the adsorption of Cd²⁺ on the IIP-AAAPTS/SiO₂ sorbents indicated that the adsorption was endothermic in the experimental temperature range.     

Characterization and field emission characteristics of carbon nanotubes modified by titanium carbide

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were modified by depositing a thin layer of titanium film on the surface using magnetron sputtering method, followed by vacuum annealing at 900 °C for 2 h. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed that the as-deposited thin titanium film reacted with carbon atoms to form titanium carbide after annealing. The experiment results show that the thickness of sputter-deposited titanium film has significant effect on the field emission J-E characteristic of modified CNTs film. The titanium carbide-modified CNTs film obtained by controlling the titanium sputtering time to 2 min showed an improved field emission characteristics with a significant reduction in the turn-on electric field and an obvious increase in the emission current density as well as an improvement in emission stability. The improvement of field emission characteristics achieved is attributed to the low work function and good resistance to ion bombardment of titanium carbide.     

Genetically modified organism (GMO) detection by biosensor based on SWCNT material

This paper reports single-walled carbon nanotube-based biosensors for genetically modified organism (GMO) detection. Electrochemical electrode and single-walled carbon nanotube field effect transistor (SWCNT-FET)-based biosensors are used to determine the CaMV 35S promoter of Roundup Ready soybean. Given optimal conditions, both biosensors can effectively detect full complementarity with concentration as low as 1 nM. The sensitivity of the electrode-based biosensor is approximately 0.6 kΩ/nM while that of the SWCNT-FET-based biosensor is 0.32 nA/nM. Both biosensors were also used to determine a polymerase chain reaction-amplified sample. The obtained results showed that both sensors determined transgenic organisms well, thereby providing a useful tool for screening analysis of food samples.