FTIR and Raman spectroscopic study of Fenugreek (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Trigonella foenum graecum L.</Emphasis>) seeds

The composition of Fenugreek seeds in the form of powder, ash, and oil is investigated through FTIR and FT Raman spectra measurements. The results indicate that Fenugreek seeds (powder) are rich in proteins. Fats (lipids) and starch are present in small amounts in the seeds. The FTIR absorption bands of seed powder appeared at: 3365 cm^–1 assigned as N-H stretching vibrations (amide A of protein), 1657 cm^–1 (C=O, amide I), 1540 cm^–1 (N-H bending vibration, amide II), and 1240 cm^–1 (N-H bending, amide III). In the FT Raman spectra the band at 1661 cm^–1 is ascribed to amide I (C=O) of proteins while the band at 1080 cm^–1 indicates the starch. The fenugreek oil Fourier transform infrared absorbance ratios A(3009 cm^–1)/A(2924 cm^–1), A(3009 cm^–1)/A(2854 cm^–1), and A(3009 cm^–1)/A(1740 cm^–1) were considered for measuring the iodine values. These ratios (0.3609, 0.4916, and 0.4129) revealed that the iodine value of fenugreek oil is higher than that of other oils. On the other hand, the ash of fenugreek is very rich in phosphate compounds. The spectra showed absorption bands at frequencies 1082, 1000, 618, and 566 cm^–1, and the FT Raman spectrum showed a strong absorbance band at 793 cm^–1, which is due to phosphate compounds. It could be concluded that the inorganic part of fenugreek consists mainly of phosphate compounds. The Fenugreek seed contains proteins, fat, fiber, and ash, which is in complete harmony with AACC, 1980.__________Published in Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 72, No. 1, pp. 106–110, January–February, 2005.     

Fourier transform emission spectroscopy of the TiF radical in the 407 nm region

Ultraviolet emission spectra of the TiF radical in the 407 nm region have been observed at a resolution of 0.04 cm⁻¹ using a Fourier transform spectrometer. A new electronic assignment of ⁴Γ–X⁴Φ has been proposed. Rotational analysis has been obtained for the 0–0 and 1–1 vibrational bands of the ⁴Γ_5/2–X⁴Φ_3/2, ⁴Γ_9/2–X⁴Φ_7/2, and ⁴Γ_11/2–X⁴Φ_9/2 subbands and the 0–0 band of ⁴Γ_7/2–X⁴Φ_5/2. The lower state rotational and centrifugal distortion constants are consistent with the previous results [J. Mol. Spectrosc. 184 (1997) 186; J. Chem. Phys. 119 (2003) 9496], to the conformation that the lower state of the 407 nm band is the ⁴Φ ground electronic state. Rough estimates of the vibrational interval ΔG(1/2) and the spin–orbit coupling constant A in the ⁴Γ state were also obtained.     

High resolution molecular spectroscopy in the submillimeter region

Fourier Transform laboratory measurements have been carried out, for the first time in the 8–85 cm^–1 spectral region, with an unapodized resolution of 3.3. 10^–3 cm^–1 and a frequency accuracy of 2. 10^–4 cm^–1. Samples from spectra of several molecules namely: CO, O₃, H₂O₂, NO, NO₂, HNO₃, SO₂, H₂S, HOCL, NOCL, HNCO, ND₃ and AsH₃ are presented to show both the quality of the measurements and the type of information supplied by high resolution spectroscopy in the submillimeter region.     

Visible laser spectroscopy of cobalt monofluoride

The laser-induced fluorescence excitation spectrum of jet-cooled CoF molecules has been studied in the range of 18 800–22 000 cm⁻¹. Ten observed vibronic bands have been classified into three transitions with the 0–0 band at 18 909, 19 236, and 20 654 cm⁻¹, assigned as the [18.8]³Φ₄–X³Φ₄, [19.2]³Φ₄–X³Φ₄, and [20.6]³Γ₅–X³Φ₄ transition, respectively, the two ³Φ states, [18.8]³Φ and [19.2]³Φ, are consistent with Adam’s results (10). The previously unanalyzed [20.6] state is identified in the current work. A rotational analysis of [20.6]³Γ₅–X³Φ₄ transition has been performed and effective equilibrium molecular constants have been determined for the first time. In addition, lifetime measurements of the three electronic transitions were carried out under the collision-free condition. From the lifetime analysis, we consider that the V=1, 2, and 3 vibrational levels of [18.8]³Φ state are perturbed by another state.     

Infrared absorption of silane,ammonia, acetylene and diborane in the range of the CO2 laser emission lines: Measurements and modelling

Absorption spectra of the gases SiH₄, NH₃, C₂H₂ and of SiH₄/Ar and SiH₄/B₂H₆ mixtures have been measured in the spectral range of the CO₂ laser from 9.2 to 10.8 µm. In agreement with literature, silane shows the highest absorption (absorption coefficient = 3.3 × 10^–2 Pa^–1 m^–1). The deviation of the measured absorption behaviour of silane from literature, as far as the pressure dependence is concerned, can be explained by the enhanced spectral energy density in our experiment. This is confirmed by a rate-equation model involving the basic mechanisms of V-V and V-T energy transfer between vibrationally excited silane molecules. In contrast to silane, the absorption coefficient of NH₃ at the 10P(20) laser line is 4.5 × 10^–4 Pa^–1 m^–1 atp = 20 kPa and has its maximum of 4.5 × 10^–3 Pa^–1 m^–1 at the 10R(6) laser line. For C₂H₂ and B₂H₆, is even less ( 2.1 Ò 10^–5 Pa^–1 m^–1 for C₂H₂).     

Conductance studies of NaCl, KCl, NaBr, NaI, NaBPh4, Bu4NI and NaClO4 in water + 2-methoxyethanol mixtures at 298.15 K

The electrical conductances of the solutions of sodium chloride (NaCl), potassium chloride (KCl), sodium bromide (NaBr), sodium iodide (NaI), sodium tetraphenylborate (NaBPh₄), tetrabutylammonium iodide (Bu₄NI) and sodium perchlorate (NaClO₄) in water (1) + 2-methoxyethanol (2) mixtures containing 0.01, 0.025, 0.05, 0.075, 0.10, 0.15 and 0.20 mol fractions of 2-methoxyethanol have been reported at 298.15 K. The conductance data have been analyzed by the Fuoss–Justice equation. The individual limiting ionic conductivities of Na⁺, K⁺, Bu₄N⁺, BPh₄⁻, I⁻, Cl⁻, and Br⁻ ions have been determined using the Fuoss–Hirsch assumption. The dependencies of the limiting molar conductances, Λ_o, and Walden products, Λ_oη, versus mixed solvent composition have been discussed.     

Ion–ion interactions of LiPF6 and LiBF4 in propylene carbonate solutions

Self-diffusion coefficients of Li⁺ D_Li⁺, PF₆⁻ D_PF6⁻ and solvent propylene carbonate (PC) D_PC in LiPF₆−PC solutions were determined at 298 K by the pulse gradient spin echo (PGSE) NMR technique over the salt concentration range of 0.1–3.0 M (M = mol dm^– 3). The order of the diffusion coefficients was found to be D_Li⁺ < D_PF6⁻ < D_PC over the concentration range examined, and they were monotonically decreased with increasing the salt concentration. Haven ratio Λ/Λ_NMR, where Λ and Λ_NMR represent the ionic conductivity measured electrochemically and that estimated via the Nernst-Einstein equation using the diffusion coefficient, respectively, was evaluated as the measure of the ion–ion interaction in the LiPF₆–PC solutions. Though Λ/Λ_NMR values for LiPF₆-solutions decrease with increasing the salt concentration, they were greater than those for LiBF₄–PC solutions over the whole concentration range examined, which indicates that the ion pair formation ability of PF₆^– ion is weaker than that of the BF₄^– ion. The smaller value of the ionic conductivity for the highly concentrated LiPF₆–PC solution (above 2.0 M) than that of the LiBF₄-solutions can be attributed to the more rapidly increased viscosity relative to the LiBF₄-solution. Classic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for the respective LiPF₆ and LiBF₄-solution of 0.5 and 1.0 M were also carried out based on the effective pair potentials. Diffusion coefficients, ionic conductivity and Haven ratio for these solutions were calculated from MD trajectories, and they qualitatively agree with those evaluated by experiments. Pair correlation functions g_LiO(r) (for Li⁺–O (PC) pair) and g_LiPF6(r) (for Li⁺–PF₆^– pair) or g_LiBF4(r) (for Li⁺–BF₄^– pair) revealed that the lithium ion weakly forms the contact ion pairs with PF₆^–, whilst strongly with BF₄^–, which supports the present experimental results. Moreover, the simulation results show that both anions in the contact ion pairs predominantly take the monodentate form, which is in contrast to the multidentate coordination predicted by ab initio calculation in gas phase.     

Oxygen nonstoichiometry of Sr(Co,Fe)O3−δ-based perovskites: I. Coulometric titration of SrCo0.85Fe0.10Cr0.05O3−δ by the two-electrode technique

The p(O₂)–T–δ diagram of perovskite-type SrCo_0.85Fe_0.10Cr_0.05O_3−δ was determined by the coulometric titration technique in the temperature range 770–1250 K at oxygen partial pressures from 8 10⁻¹⁰ to 0.5 atm. Stability of the cubic perovskite phase of SrCo_0.85Fe_0.10Cr_0.05O_3−δ, existing down to the oxygen pressures of 10⁻³–10⁻⁵ atm, was found to be slightly higher than that of SrCo_0.80Fe_0.20O_3−δ, probably due to stabilization of oxygen octahedra neighboring Cr⁴⁺ cations. When the oxygen nonstoichiometry of the Cr-containing perovskite decreases from 0.47 to 0.38, the partial molar enthalpy and entropy for overall oxygen incorporation reaction vary in the ranges −165 to −60 kJ mol⁻¹ and 90 to 150 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹, respectively. Within the stability limits of the single perovskite phase, the p(O₂)–T–δ diagram can be adequately described by equilibrium processes of oxygen incorporation, cobalt disproportionation and interaction of cobalt and iron cations, with the thermodynamic functions independent of defect concentrations. Increasing grain size in SrCo_0.85Fe_0.10Cr_0.05O_3−δ ceramics from submicron size to 100–200 μm has no effect on the oxygen thermodynamics. The two-electrode coulometric titration technique, based on the alternate use of electrodes for oxygen pumping and e.m.f. measurements, is described and verified by studying oxygen nonstoichiometry of La_0.3Sr_0.7CoO_3−δ and PrO_x.     

Reaction of the muonium substituted cyclohexadienyl radical with 2,3-dimethyl-1,3,-butadiene

The rate constant for the title reaction is represented by log (k _M/M^–1s^–1)=6.9(4)–700(350)K/T between 279 and 343K, whereas the H analogous radical, C₆H₇, reacts at room temperature withk _H 12 M^–1s^–1 with dimethylbutadiene. The title reaction is proposed to be transfer of the light hydrogen isotope, Mu, and the large kinetic isotope effect is discussed.Support by the Swiss National Foundation for Scientific Research and by the Swiss Institute for Nuclear Research (SIN) are gratefully acknowledged.     

The Hot Bands of Methane between 5 and 10 μm

Experimental line intensities of 1727 transitions arising from nine hot bands in the pentad–dyad system of methane are fitted to first and second order using the effective dipole moment expansion in the polyad scheme. The observed bands are ν₃− ν₂, ν₃− ν₄, ν₁− ν₂, ν₁− ν₄, 2ν₄− ν₄, ν₂+ ν₄− ν₂, ν₂+ ν₄− ν₄, 2ν₂− ν₂, and 2ν₂− ν₄, and the intensities are obtained from long-path spectra recorded with the Fourier transform spectrometer located at Kitt Peak National Observatory. For the second order model, some of the 27 intensity parameters are not linearly independent, and so two methods (extrapolation and effective parameters) are proposed to model the intensities of the hot bands. In order to obtain stable values for three of these parameters, 1206 dyad (ν₄, ν₂) intensities are refitted simultaneously with the hot band lines. The simultaneous fits to first and second order lead to rms values respectively of 21.5% and 5.0% for the 1727 hot band lines and 6.5% and 3.0% for the 1206 dyad lines. The band intensities of all 10 pentad–dyad hot bands are predicted in units of cm⁻²atm⁻¹at 296 K to range from 0.931 (for 2ν₄− ν₄) to 7.67 × 10⁻⁵(for 2ν₄− ν₂). The total intensities are also estimated to first order for two other hot band systems (octad–pentad and tetradecad–octad) that give rise to weak transitions between 5 and 10 μm.     

Magnetic and magnetotransport properties of Co-doped manganites with perovskite structure

A systematic study of the doping of the Mn-sites by cobalt in three series of manganites — La_0.76Ba_0.24(Mn_1−xCo_x)O₃ single crystals, La_2/3Ba_1/3(Mn_1−xCo_x)O₃ and La(Mn_1−xCo_x)O₃ ceramics has been performed. It was found that La(Mn_1−xCo_x)O₃ annealed at 800°C in the range 0.4x0.9 is a mixture of ferromagnetic domains with ordered Mn and Co ions and ionically disordered spin-glass domains. In the quenched samples the fraction of spin-glass-type component increases strongly. The La_2/3Ba_1/3(Mn_1−xCo_x)O₃ solid solutions exhibit also an evidence for phase separation in the range 0.5x0.8. All the La(Mn_1−xCo_x)O₃ samples show an insulating behavior, however, magnetoresistance reduces strongly when the cobalt content rises to x=0.5. The La_0.76Ba_0.24(Mn_1−xCo_x)O₃ single crystals show first-order phase transition below their Curie points associated with a change of ground state of the Co²⁺ ions. The magnetic phase diagrams are depicted. The results are discussed in terms of positive Mn³⁺–O–Mn⁴⁺, Mn³⁺–O–Mn³⁺, Mn⁴⁺–O–Co²⁺ and negative Mn⁴⁺–O–Mn⁴⁺, Co²⁺–O–Co²⁺, Co²⁺–O–Mn³⁺ superexchange interactions as well as Co²⁺ and Mn⁴⁺ ionic ordering.     

Practical separation of silicon isotopes by IRMPD of Si2F6

Large-scale silicon isotope separation based on the IRMPD of natural Si₂F₆ has been carried out using a commercially available high power CO₂ TEA laser and a flow reaction system. The decomposition product SiF₄ containing 19–33% of ³⁰Si was obtained at a production rate of 1.5×10^–2–2.6×10^–2 mol·h^–1, depending on experimental parameters such as laser wavelength, laser fluence, pressure, and flow rate. SiF₄ containing 12% of ²⁹Si was obtained under slightly different conditions, i.e., at a shorter wavelength than that for ³⁰Si. When 39% of Si₂F₆ was decomposed at a slow flow rate, residual Si₂F₆ was found to have 99.7% of ²⁸Si. The production rate was 4.2×10^–2 mol·h^–1.     

Conductometric and thermodynamic studies on the ionic association of HCOONH4, phCOONH4, HCOONa and phCOONa in aqueous–organic solvents

The specific conductance of ammonium formate, ammonium benzoate, sodium formate and sodium benzoate in (10%, 20% and 30% (W/W)) methanol–water, ethanol–water and glycerol–water mixtures at different temperatures (293, 298, 303 and 308 K) was measured.The molar conductance (Λ), limiting molar conductance (Λ₀), limiting ionic conductance (λ₀), association constants (K_A), the activation energy of the transport process (E_a), Walden product (Λ₀η₀), hydrodynamic radii (1/r_s⁺ + 1/r_s⁻)^− 1, transfer numbers of the studied ions (t), standard thermodynamic parameters of association (ΔG_A, ΔH_A and ΔS_A) were calculated and discussed.The results show that, the molar conductance and the limiting molar conductance values were decreased as the relative permittivity of the solvent decreased while, the association constant increased. Also the results show that the molar conductance, the limiting molar conductance and the association constant values were increased as the temperature increased indicating that the association process is an endothermic one.     

Overlap contribution to57Fe3+ isomer shifts in fluorides and oxides

We have calculated the overlap contribution to the contact charge density at the⁵⁷Fe³⁺ site in fluoride and oxide lattices, FeF₃, CaFe₂O₄, CaBaFe₄O₈ and KFeO₂. The trend in isomer shifts in going from one lattice to another is explained in terms of the overlap effects. The experimental values of the change in isomer shift from lattice to lattice is used to obtain the change in nuclear size. The values of r/r _N are found to lie between –0.81×10^–4 and –1.56×10^–4.     

Two-photon time-resolved optogalvanic signals of neon

In this work, temporal evolution of two-photon laser optogalvanic signals of neon has been studied. Optogalvanic signals for four transitions from the metastable 2p⁵3s[3/2]₂ state to 2p⁵4d′[3/2]₁, 2p⁵4d′[3/2]₂, 2p⁵4d′[5/2]₃ and 2p⁵4d′[5/2]₂ states were recorded over a range of discharge currents (3.4–9 mA). It was found that the shape of the optogalvanic signal was strongly dependent on the discharge current so that its peak shifted to shorter times and its amplitude increased with the discharge current. The decay rates of the 4d states, calculated from the optogalvanic signals, were found to increase linearly with the discharge current in the range of 6.2–9 mA. However, for the range of 3.4–5.4 mA, the decay rates were observed to slightly decrease with the discharge current.     

Study of processes of translational,rotational, and vibrational relaxation based on CARS spectra line shapes

This paper reviews the various physico-chemical processes responsible for actual linewidths encountered in high-resolution coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS). Most of the experimental data are based on linewidth measurements using a pulseamplified CARS spectrometer with an emission bandwidth (FWHM) of 2×10^–3 cm^–1. Detailed rotational and vibrational relaxation constants have been obtained from the analysis of theQ-branch profiles of C₂H₂, N₂, CH₄, and SiH₄.     

Enhancement of upconversion luminescence in Tm/Er/Yb-codoped glass ceramic containing LiYF4 nanocrystals

A transparent Er³⁺–Tm³⁺–Yb³⁺ tri-doped oxyfluoride glass ceramics containing LiYF₄ nanocrystals were prepared. Under 980 nm laser diode (LD) pumping, intensive red, green and blue upconversion (UC) was obtained. The blue, green, and red UC radiations correspond to the transitions ¹G₄→³H₆ of Tm³⁺, ²H_11/2/⁴S_3/2→⁴I_15/2, and ⁴F_9/2→⁴I_15/2 of Er³⁺ ions, respectively. This is similar to that in Tm³⁺–Yb³⁺ and/or Er³⁺–Yb³⁺ co-doped glass ceramics. However, the blue UC radiations of the Er³⁺–Yb³⁺ co-doped glass ceramics is two-photon process due to cooperative energy transfer. The UC mechanisms were proposed based on spectral, kinetic, and pump power dependence analyses.     

Matrix reactions of alkaline earth metal atoms with ozone : Infrared spectra of the metal ozonide and metal oxide molecules

The 15°K deposition of alkaline earth metal atoms and ozone molecules at high dilution in argon yielded intense bands near 800 cm⁻¹ and in the region, 450–650 cm⁻¹. The bands near 800 cm⁻¹ showed the appropriate oxygen isotopic shifts for assignment to ν₃ of the ozonide ion; the use of scrambled isotopic ozones indicated that the metal cation is symmetrically bound to the ozonide anion which contains three oxygen atoms with two equivalent oxygens. For the case of Ca and Ba atoms and ozone, infrared absorptions appeared between 450–650 cm⁻¹ which showed appropriate oxygen isotopic shifts for vibrational assignment to several metal oxide species. In the calcium experiments, bands at 635.7 and 575.5 cm⁻¹ which showed diatomic oxygen-18 isotopic shifts were tentatively identified as (CaO)₂ species; a pair of bands at 593.0 and 592.2 cm⁻¹ were tentatively assigned to CaO₂. For the barium reactions, bands at 634.7, 571.3, and 460.0 showed appropriate oxygen-18 frequency shifts for assignment to BaO, BaO₂, and (BaO)₂, respectively. The BaO assignment was confirmed by the N₂O-nitrogen matrix reaction which yielded a nitrogen matrix counterpart for BaO at 612.4 cm⁻¹.     

Magnetostriction characteristics of the iron rich Fe-B-Si metallic glasses

Linear longitudinal and transverse magnetostriction and forced volume magnetostriction curves versus magnetic field for some as-quenched iron-rich amorphous alloys are presented. For the Fe₇₈Si₈B₁₄, Fe₇₈Si₉B₁₃ and Fe₇₉Si₁₂B₉ alloys the linear saturation magnetostriction was equal to 37·6×10^–6, 28·9×10^–8 and 34×10^–6, respectively.This work was in part financially supported by the Warsaw Technical University Institute of Material Science and Technology within the framework of the Project CPBR 2·4.     

Tritium isotope separation by CO2-laser irradiation at low temperatures

Tritium isotope separation by CO₂-laser induced multiphoton dissociation of CTF₃ is investigated. For the optimization of the performance of this working substance, trifluoromethane, the conditions to yield high-selectivity at high-operating pressure and low-critical fluence for complete dissociation are studied using our deconvolution procedure. The irradiation conditions are varied over the following ranges; wavenumber: 1052–1087 cm^–1, gas temperature: 25°C to –78°C, CHF₃ pressure: 5–205 Torr. The selectivities exceeding 10⁴ are observed for 85–205 Torr CHF₃ at –78°C by the irradiation at 1057 cm^–1.