Surface’s weights of electrodeposited thorium samples determined by alpha spectrometry

The aim of this work was the preparation of samples with thorium on the steel discs by electrodeposition for determination of natural thorium by alpha spectrometry and for following analysis by secondary ion mass spectrometry. The samples with ²³²Th isotope were prepared by electrodeposition from solution Th(NO₃)₄·12H₂O on steel discs in electrodeposition cell with use of solutions of Na₂SO₄, NaHSO₄, KOH and ammonia oxalate by electric current of 0.75 A. Weights of electrodeposited thorium samples were calculated on the basis of intensities of peak of ²³²Th isotope in the alpha spectra. The layer thickness was calculated for following analysis of surface layers of thorium using secondary ion mass spectrometry.     

Alpha spectrometry and secondary ion mass spectrometry of electrodeposited uranium films

Electrodeposited natural uranium films prepared by electrodeposition from solution of uranyl nitrate UO₂(NO₃)₂·6H₂O on stainless steel discs in electrodeposition cell. Solutions of NaHSO₄, and Na₂SO₄ and electric current from 0.50 up to 0.75 A were used in this study. Recalculated weights and surface’s weights of ²³⁸U from the alpha activities and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) intensities resulted in a linear regression. A dependency between of ²³⁸U surface’s weights recalculated from alpha activities and signal intensity of ²³⁸U in SIMS was investigated in order to determine a potential of SIMS in quantitative analysis of surface samples containing uranium. In the SIMS spectra of electrodeposited uranium films we found that upper layer consist not only from isotopes of uranium (ions ²³⁴U⁺, ²³⁵U⁺, and ²³⁸U⁺). In the positive polarity SIMS spectra, various molecules ions of uranium were suggested as UH⁺, UH₂ ⁺, UO⁺, UOH⁺, UO₂ ⁺, UO₂H⁺, UO₂H₂ ⁺, as well as possibly ions UNO⁺ and UNOH⁺.     

Study of surface structure of catalytic carbon filaments by secondary ion mass-spectroscopy

The SIMS method has been used for studying the time dependent intensities of the secondary ions H₂O⁺, O⁺, CH ₃ ⁺ and C⁺ under Ar⁺ bombardment of two CCF samples with different packing of filaments. The thickness of defect layers is estimated from the median of secondary ions distribution.     

Are cluster ion analysis beams good choices for hydrogen depth profiling using time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry?

For more than three decades, time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS) has been used for elemental depth profiling. In recent years, cluster primary ion sources (principally, C₆₀⁺, Bi_n⁺, and Au_n⁺) have become widely available, and they can greatly enhance the signal intensity of molecular ions (10–1000 times). Understanding the performance of cluster ion analysis beams used in elemental depth profiling can greatly assist normal ToF‐SIMS users in choosing the optimal analysis beam for depth profiling work. Presently, however, the experimental data are lacking, and such choices are difficult to make. In this paper, hydrogen and deuterium depth profiling were studied using six different analysis beams—25 keV Bi⁺, Bi₃⁺, Bi₅⁺, 50 keV Bi₃²⁺, 10 keV C₆₀⁺, and 20 keV C₆₀²⁺. The effort shows that cluster primary ions do enhance H^? and D^? yields, but the enhancement is only about 1.5–4.0 times when compared to atomic Bi⁺ ions. Because the currents of atomic ion analysis beams are much stronger than the currents of cluster ion analysis beams for most commercial ToF‐SIMS instruments, the atomic ion analysis beams can provide the strongest H^? and D^? signal intensities, and may be the best choices for hydrogen and deuterium depth profiling. In addition, two representative nuclides, ³⁰Si and ¹⁸O, were also studied and yielded results similar to those of H^? and D^?. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

AIB induced chemical reactions at surfaces detected by SIMS

Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) has been used to detect the reactions induced by active ion bombardment (AIB) of N⁺₂ on surfaces of pyrolytic graphite and a (100) Si crystal. The SIMS spectra exhibit ions of CN^?, HCN^?, H_nC₂N^?(n = 2, 3, 4), HN^?, and SiN^?, indicating that reactions take place with the graphite and silicon as well as adsorbed hydrogen on the surfaces.     

Study of the end‐group contribution to ToF‐SIMS and G‐SIMS spectra of poly (lactic acid) using deuterium labelling

In this study, polymeric (MW 50 000) and oligomeric (MW 2000) poly (lactic acid) (PLA), both with and without end‐group deuterium exchange, were analysed using static secondary ion mass spectrometry (SSIMS) to investigate the contribution of end‐group‐derived secondary ions to the SSIMS spectra. By monitoring the SSIMS intensities between the non‐deuterated and deuterated PLA, it is evident that the only significant end‐group‐derived secondary ions are [nM + H]⁺ (n > 1) and C₄H₉O₂⁺. The gentle‐SIMS (G‐SIMS) methodology was employed to establish that deuterated fragments were produced through low energy processes and were not the result of substantial rearrangements. It was noted that end‐group‐derived secondary ions had higher G‐SIMS intensities for oligomeric PLA than polymeric PLA, showing that these secondary ions are simple fragment products that are not the result of rearrangement or degraded product ions. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ultrashallow depth profiling using SIMS and ion scattering spectroscopy

The accuracy of ultrashallow depth profiling was studied by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and high‐resolution Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (HRBS) to obtain reliable depth profiles of ultrathin gate dielectrics and ultrashallow dopant profiles, and to provide important information for the modeling and process control of advanced complimentary metal‐oxide semiconductor (CMOS) design. An ultrathin Si₃N₄/SiO₂ stacked layer (2.5 nm) and ultrashallow arsenic implantation distributions (3 keV, 1 × 10¹⁵ cm^?2) were used to explore the accuracy of near‐surface depth profiles measured by low‐energy O₂⁺ and Cs⁺ bombardment (0.25 and 0.5 keV) at oblique incidence. The SIMS depth profiles were compared with those by HRBS. Comparison between HRBS and SIMS nitrogen profiles in the stacked layer suggested that SIMS depth profiling with O₂⁺ at low energy (0.25 keV) and an impact angle of 78° provides accurate profiles. For the As⁺‐implanted Si, the HRBS depth profiles clearly showed redistribution in the near‐surface region. In contrast, those by the conventional SIMS measurement using Cs⁺ primary ions at oblique incidence were distorted at depths less than 5 nm. The distortion resulted from a long transient caused by the native oxide. To reduce the transient behavior and to obtain more accurate depth profiles in the near‐surface region, the use of O₂⁺ primary ions was found to be effective, and 0.25 keV O₂⁺ at normal incidence provided a more reliable result than Cs⁺ in the near‐surface region. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermal behaviour of cobalt oxides doped with ZrO2 and ThO2 and the possible cubic phase stabilization of zirconia

The effects of doping cobalt oxides with different amounts of ZrO₂ and ThO₂ (1.5–9 mol%) on the thermal stability of Co₃O₄ and the re-oxidation of CoO by O₂ to Co₃O₄ were investigated. The techniques employed were DTA, with a controlled rate of heating and cooling, X-ray diffraction, and IR spectrometry.The results obtained by DTA revealed that the addition of both Th⁴⁺ and Zr⁴⁺ (up to 6 mol%) exerted no appreciable effect on the thermal stability of Co₃O₄. Increasing the amount of the dopant ions to 9% resulted in no further change in the thermal stability of Co₃O₄ in the case of Th⁴⁺, and an increase of 16% in case of Zr⁴⁺-doping. However, ThO₂-doping of cobalt oxide was accompanied by an enhancement in the reactivity of CoO towards re-oxidation by O₂ to Co₃O₄ to an extent proportional to the amount of dopant oxide.The X-ray investigation of ZrO₂-doped cobalt oxides calcined in air at 1000°C revealed the presence of highly crystalline and stable zirconia in the cubic form. Such a stable phase could not be obtained at temperatures below 2370°C in the absence of stabilizing agents.X-ray and IR investigations of different solids showed the presence of free thoria and zirconia together with new thorium—cobalt and zirconium—cobalt compounds. However, the slow cooling of Zr-treated cobalt oxides from 1000°C to room temperature led to the decomposition of the newly formed compound. The d-spacings and absorption bands of the newly formed compounds were determined.     

Synthetic mixtures of thorium isotopes

A series of synthetic mixtures of thorium isotopes was prepared on a gravimetrical basis. The starting compounds consisted of natural thorium ²³²Th (99.99%) and highly enriched ²³⁰Th (99.8%). These materials were chemically purified and characterized for isotopic composition and chemical purity. Thorium dioxide (ThO₂) was demonstrated to be a suitable compound for gravimetrical blending. The isotope amount ratios in the mixtures ranged from 10⁻² to 3 × 10⁻⁶. These synthetic isotope mixtures are to our knowledge, the first ever prepared for thorium and may serve for calibration purposes.     

XAS study of murataite-based ceramics and crystalline film of ThO2

The local environment of thorium in murataite ceramics (Al,Ca,Ti,Mn,Fe,Zr,Th)O_x and ThO₂(001) crystalline film on Si(100) substrate as a reference was explored by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) for the first time. It was found that Th⁴⁺ is located in the center of a cube formed by 8 oxygen atoms [r(Th–O) = 2.37 ± 0.03 Å] in murataite ceramics and ThO₂ film. The Th⁴⁺ second coordination sphere [r(Th–M) ≈ 3.5 Å] in murataite is represented by 3d metals: titanium, iron or manganese     

Characterization of a distributed plasma ionization source (DPIS) for ion mobility spectrometry and mass spectrometry

A recently developed atmospheric pressure ionization source, a distributed plasma ionization source (DPIS), was characterized and compared to commonly used atmospheric pressure ionization sources with both mass spectrometry (MS) and ion mobility spectrometry (IMS). The source consisted of two electrodes of different sizes separated by a thin dielectric. Application of a high RF voltage across the electrodes generated plasma in air yielding both positive and negative ions. These reactant ions subsequently ionized the analyte vapors. The reactant ions generated were similar to those created in a conventional point-to-plane corona discharge ion source. The positive reactant ions generated by the source were mass identified as being solvated protons of general formula (H₂O)_nH⁺ with (H₂O)₂H⁺ as the most abundant reactant ion. The negative reactant ions produced were mass identified primarily as CO₃⁻, NO₃⁻, NO₂⁻, O₃⁻ and O₂⁻ of various relative intensities. The predominant ion and relative ion ratios varied depending upon source construction and supporting gas flow rates. A few compounds including drugs, explosives and amines were selected to evaluate the new ionization source. The source was operated continuously for 3 months and although surface deterioration was observed visually, the source continued to produce ions at a rate similar that of the initial conditions.     

Synthesis of Quinoline/Phenanthroline Impregnated Sugarcane Bagasse for Recovering Uranium(VI) and Thorium(IV) from their Solutions

This present research aims to synthesize and investigate the adsorption potential of sugarcane bagasse (SCB) impregnated with 8 hydroxy quinolone 8-(HQ) and 1,10 phenethroline (phen) to prepare impregnated sugarcane bagasse (ISCB) for removal U^VI and Th^IV. The effects of the operating parameters, including pH of the solution, contact time, initial concentration, temperature, dose and interfering ions on the adsorption efficiency were investigated to identify an optimal condition. The characterization of SEM-EDX and FTIR analyses shows that ISCB has a porous structure and carbon-containing functional groups. The adsorption result revealed that ISCB removed 98 % for both U^VI and Th^IV. The result obtained fitted well for Langmuir isotherms model with 185.19 mg · g^–1 and 250 mg · g^–1 as theoretical capacity for U^VI and Th^IV respectively. The adsorption process followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. In conclusion, this study proved that ISCB has the potential to be used as an effective and low-cost adsorbent to remove U^VI and Th^IV. Finally we obtain products from thorium as ThO₂ and uranium as Na₂U₂O₇ from Abu Rushied leach liquor.     

Zur Kristallchemie der Oxometallate des Thoriums

The crystal chemistry of the valence stable Thorium (Th⁴⁺) shows in oxovanadates, ‐niobates, ‐molybdates, ‐tantalates etc. typical cationic property. It depends on the big size of the Th⁴⁺ ion in the order of r(Th⁴⁺) = 0.92 Å (C.N. = 6) up to r(Th⁴⁺) = 1.34 Å (C.N. = 12), comparable with the radii of alkaline and alkaline earth metals: r(Na⁺) = 1.02 Å (C.N. = 6) or r(K⁺) = 1.5 Å (C.N. = 8); r(Ca²⁺/Sr²⁺) = 1.1 Å/1.26 Å (C.N. = 8). There exists only one typical compound that may be of the oxothorate type with the composition NaK₃Th₂O₆. Na⁺ and K⁺ can be declared to be components of the cationic part of the crystal structure. In contrary, thorium and oxygen are common components of the anionic part of the crystal structure. From the point of view of the shared polyhedra (exclusively octahedra), NaK₃Th₂O₆ belongs to the thorium‐oxometallates too. The report on oxometallates of thorium shows compounds with one, two, four and five Th⁴⁺ atoms in combination with V⁵⁺, Nb⁵⁺, Ta⁵⁺ and Mo⁶⁺. W⁶⁺ is completely missing. Some of the Tantalates belong to the Jahnberg compounds, showing planar nets of corner shared pentagonal bipyramids. ThMO₄ and cationic mixed compounds, Th_1–xA_xMO₄, crystallize with the Scheelite (respectively Huttonite) structure and at least Th⁴⁺ is part of ordered and disordered perowskites showing more or less deviations from the cubic symmetry.     

Time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometric determination of molecular weight distributions of low polydispersity poly(dimethyl siloxane) with polyatomic primary ions

This work reports a comparison of oligomer and fragment ion intensities resulting from primary ion bombardment with several primary ion sources (Bi_n⁺, C₆₀⁺, and Cs⁺) at various energies in secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Although the use of polyatomic primary ions are of great interest due to increased secondary ion efficiency and yield, we demonstrate that monatomic primary ions result in increased oligomer ion yield for polymers prepared as submonolayer films on silver substrates. The enhancement of oligomer secondary ion yield with monatomic ions is evidence that monatomic primary ions have a shallower sampling depth than polyatomic ions, resulting from a collision cascade that is less energetic at the sample surface. The results are also consistent with a lower degree of fragmentation of the resultant secondary ions, which is observed when evaluating the fragmentation data and the spectral data.     

Proton transfer reactions from H3+ ions to N2, O2, and CO molecules

The rate constants for proton transfer from H₃⁺ ions to N₂, O₂, and CO have been measured as function of hydrogen buffer gas partial pressure. The rate constant for proton transfer from H₃⁺ to N₂ shows a very large pressure dependence, increasing from 1.0 × 10^?9 cm³/s at low H₂ partial pressures to 1.7 × 10^?9 cm³/s at high H₂ partial pressures. The rate constants for proton transfer from H₃⁺ to O₂ and CO are constant with partial pressure of H₂; giving values of 6.4 × 10^?10 cm³/s and 1.7 × 10^?9 cm³/s, respectively. The roles of excess vibrational energy in H₃⁺ ions and of equilibrium between forward and back reaction are discussed. Back reaction is observed only for the reaction of H₃⁺ ions with O₂, and an equilibrium constant of K = 2.0 ± 0.4 at 298 K has been determined. From these data the proton affinity of O₂ is deduced to be 0.47 ± 0.11 kcal/mole higher than that of H₂.     

A flowing afterglow study of uranium tetraborohydride

Ionization-fragmentation of uranium(IV) tetraborohydride, U(BH₄)₄, by He⁺ and by N⁺/N₂⁺ yields, predominantly, U(BH₅)⁺ and U(B₂H₈)⁺, respectively. Attachment of thermal electrons yields U(BH₄)₄^? and ions of 1, 2, and 3 mass units less. Fluoride transfer with SF₆^?, BF₄^?, and UF_n^? (n = 5–7) and reactions with other small ions (O^?, O₂^?, NO₂^?, F^?, Cl^?, O₂⁺) are described.     

Influence of weakly bound adduct ions on breath trace gas analysis by selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS)

This paper describes how weakly bound adduct ions form when the precursor ions used in selected ion flow mass spectrometry, SIFT-MS, analyses, viz. H₃O⁺, NO⁺ and O₂⁺, associate with the major components of air and exhaled breath, N₂, O₂ and CO₂. These adduct ions, which include H₃O⁺N₂, H₃O⁺CO₂, NO⁺CO₂, O₂⁺O₂ and O₂⁺CO₂, are clearly seen when dry air containing 5% CO₂ (typical of that in exhaled breath) is analysed using SIFT-MS. These adduct ions must not be misinterpreted as characteristic product ions of trace gases; if so, serious analytical errors can result. However, when exhaled breath is analysed these adduct ions are partly removed by ligand switching reactions with the abundant water molecules and the problems they represent are alleviated. But the small fractions of the adduct ions that remain in the SIFT-MS spectra, and especially when they are isobaric with genuine characteristic product ion of breath trace gases, can result in erroneous quantifications; such is the case for H₃O⁺N₂ interfering with breath ethanol analysis and H₃O⁺CO₂ with breath acetaldehyde analysis. However, these difficulties can be overcome when the isobaric adduct ions are properly recognised and excluded from the analyses; then these two important compounds can be properly quantified in breath. The presence of O₂⁺CO₂ in the product ion spectra interferes with the analysis of CS₂ present at low levels in exhaled breath. It is likely that similar problems will occur as other trace compounds are detected in exhaled breath when consideration will have to be given to the possibility of overlapping between their characteristic product ions and ions produced by hitherto unknown reactions. Similar problems are evident in other systems; for example, H₃O⁺CH₄ adduct ions are observed in both SIFT-MS analyses of methane rich mixtures like biologically generated waste gases and in model planetary atmospheres.     

catena‐Poly[thorium(IV)‐tetrakis(μ2‐3‐carboxyadamantane‐1‐carboxylato)]: a quadruple helical strand driven by a synergy of coordination and hydrogen bonding

The title compound, [Th(C₁₂H₁₅O₄)₄]_n, is the first homoleptic thorium–carboxylate coordination polymer. It has a one‐dimensional structure supported by the bidentate bridging coordination of the singly charged 3‐carboxyadamantane‐1‐carboxylate (HADC⁻) anions. The metal ion is situated on a fourfold axis (site symmetry 4) and possesses a square‐antiprismatic ThO₈ coordination, including four bonds to anionic carboxylate groups [Th—O = 2.359 (2) Å] and four to neutral carboxyl groups [Th—O = 2.426 (2) Å], while a strong hydrogen bond between these two kinds of O‐atom donor [O...O = 2.494 (3) Å] affords planar pseudo‐chelated Th{CO₂...HO₂C} cycles. This combination of coordination and hydrogen bonding is responsible for the generation of quadruple helical strands of HADC⁻ ligands, which are wrapped around a linear chain of Th^IV ions [Th...Th = 7.5240 (4) Å] defining the helical axis.     

Atom probe mass spectrometry

Round-robin characterization is reported on the sputter depth profiling of CrN/AlN multilayer thin-film coatings on nickel alloy by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and glow-discharge optical emission spectrometry (GD-OES). It is demonstrated that a CAMECA SIMS 4550 Depth Profiler operated with 3 keV O₂⁺ primary ions provides the best depth resolution and sensitivity. The key factor is sample rotation, which suppresses the negative influence of the surface topography (initial and ion-induced) on the depth profile characteristics.