First-principles study of structural and electronic properties of gallium based nanowires

Structural stability and electronic properties of GaX (X = N, P, As and Sb) nanowires have been investigated using first-principles based density function theory approach. Out of linear, zigzag, square and hexagon shaped configuration, the square shaped geometry is energetically most stable. The computation of lattice parameters, bulk modulus and pressure derivatives for these Ga based nanowires observes the highest bulk modulus for hexagonal shaped GaN nanowire amongst all, suggest the mechanical strength of this geometry. Electronic band structures analysis shows the semiconducting as well as metallic behavior of these nanowires.     

Vibrational relaxation of liquid dichloromethane at high pressure

The Raman spectra of two symmetric bands ν₁ and ν₃ of CH₂Cl₂ have been measured as a function of pressure to 300 MPa (3 kbar) and over the temperature range 303–363 K. For all bands the isotropic width increases with inreasing pressure and temperature. The experimental vibrational relaxation times are compared with the predictions of different combination of mass factors using the Fischer—Laubereau vibrational dephasing model.     

Raman scattering spectroscopic study of n-tetradecane under high pressure and ambient temperature

The Raman spectroscopy of n-tetradecane was investigated in a Moissanite anvil cell at pressure from 0.1 MPa to 1.4 GPa and ambient temperature. The result shows that the liquid-solid phase transition of n-tetradecane takes place at around 302.8 MPa and the corresponding DeltaV(m) obtained is about -9.6 cm(-3)/mol. Above 302.8 MPa, the frequencies of CH(2) and CH(3) symmetric stretching and asymmetric stretching vibration shift to higher wave numbers in a linear manner with increasing pressure, which can be expressed as: nu(s)(CH(3))=0.013P+2882.0; nu(as)(CH(3))=0.014P+2961.6; nu(s)(CH(2))=0.013P+2850.8; nu(as)(CH(2))=0.009P+2923.2. This relationship indicates that n-tetradecane can be a reliable pressure gauge for the experimental study within the pressure range of 0.3-1.4 GPa.     

First-principles study of structural and vibrational properties of crystalline silver azide under high pressure

A detailed first-principles study of the structural and vibrational properties of crystalline silver azide under hydrostatic pressure of 0–500 GPa has been performed with density functional theory in the generalized gradient approximation. The crystal structure is relaxed to allow ionic configurations, cell shape, and volume to change without any symmetry constraints. It is found that the silver azide crystal remains orthorhombic structure with Ibam space group for pressures up to 7 GPa, where there is a transition to an I4/mcm tetragonal symmetry. The lattice parameter and electronic structure are investigated as functions of pressure. The calculated vibrational frequencies at ambient pressure are in agreement with available experimental data. We also discuss the pressure-induced frequency shifts for the internal and lattice modes of silver azide crystal upon compression.     

Densification of silica glass at ambient pressure

We show that densification of silica glass at ambient pressure as observed in irradiation experiments can be attributed to defect generation and subsequent structure relaxation. In our molecular dynamics simulations, defects are created by randomly removing atoms, by displacing atoms from their nominal positions in an otherwise intact glass, and by assigning certain atom excess kinetic energy (simulated ion implantation). The former forms vacancies; displacing atoms and ion implantation produce both vacancies and "interstitials." Appreciable densification is induced by these defects after equilibration of the defective glasses. The structural and vibrational properties of the densified glasses are characterized, displaying resembling features regardless of the means of densification. These results indicate that relaxation of high free-energy defects into metastable amorphous structures enriched in atomic coordination serves as a common mechanism for densification of silica glass at ambient pressure.     

The preparation and characterization of CdVO3 prepared at ambient and high pressure

The solid state reaction of VO₂ and CdO yielded a phase of unknown structure, which transforms to CdVO₃(I) after treatment under 60–65 kbar pressure at 1200°C. The high-pressure product was characterized by crystallographic, electrical and magnetic properties. CdVO₃(I) is an orthorhombic perovskite-type compound and a metallic conductor, exhibiting Pauli paramagnetic behavior. In contrast, the ambient pressure phase displays Curie-Weiss magnetic behavior above 77°K.     

High throughput liquid chromatography with sub-2 microm particles at high pressure and high temperature

In this study, ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) using pressures up to 1,000 bar and columns packed with sub-2 microm particles has been combined with high temperature mobile phase conditions (up to 90 degrees C). By using high temperature ultra performance liquid chromatography (HT-UPLC), it is possible to drastically decrease the analysis time without loss in efficiency. The stability and chromatographic behavior of sub-2 microm particles were evaluated at high temperature and high pressure. The chromatographic support remained stable after 500 injections (equivalent to 7,500 column volumes) and plate height curves demonstrated the capability of HT-UPLC to obtain fast separations. For example, a separation of nine doping agents was performed in less than 1 min with sub-2 microm particles at 90 degrees C. Furthermore, a shorter column (30 mm length) was used and allowed a separation of eight pharmaceutical compounds in only 40s.     

X-ray Raman spectroscopic study of benzene at high pressure

We have used X-ray Raman spectroscopy (XRS) to study benzene up to approximately 20 GPa in a diamond anvil cell at ambient temperature. The experiments were performed at the High-Pressure Collaborative Access Team's 16 ID-D undulator beamline at the Advanced Photon Source. Scanned monochromatic X-rays near 10 keV were used to probe the carbon X-ray edge near 284 eV via inelastic scattering. The diamond cell axis was oriented perpendicular to the X-ray beam axis to prevent carbon signal contamination from the diamonds. Beryllium gaskets confined the sample because of their high transmission throughput in this geometry. Spectral alterations with pressure indicate bonding changes that occur with pressure because of phase changes (liquid: phase I, II, III, and III') and possibly due to changes in the hybridization of the bonds. Changes in the XRS spectra were especially evident in the data taken when the sample was in phase III', which may be related to a rate process observed in earlier shock wave studies.     

First-principles study of the structure,mechanical properties,and phase stability of crystalline zirconia under high pressure

We presented a detailed study on the structure, mechanical properties, and phase stability for three zirconia crystals under hydrostatic pressure of 0–100 GPa by using density functional theory within the generalized gradient approximation. It is found that m-ZrO₂ presents three phase transitions with increasing pressure, while t-ZrO₂ and c-ZrO₂ do not. As the pressure increases, the band gap of m-ZrO₂ presents three abrupt changes. The band gap of t-ZrO₂ firstly decreases and then increases slowly. The band gap of c-ZrO₂ increases monotonically. An analysis of elastic constants shows that the three oxides are anisotropic under compression with increasing pressure. As the pressure increases, their fracture strength and plastic strength are improved and they are all ductile. The calculated formation enthalpies suggest that the elements (Zr + O₂) are able to form m-ZrO₂, t-ZrO₂, or c-ZrO₂ in the whole pressure range, indicating that zirconium and its alloys are easy to be oxidized.     

ESR study of free radicals chemically generated at high pressure

Free radicals generated by the thermal decomposition of benzoyl peroxide in polyacrylnitrile were studied by the ESR method at 700 MPa between 100 and 130°C. The formation and decay of macroradicals were investigated and the mechanism of macroradical generation is discussed.

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700 MPa 100 130°C. .

     

Effects of high pressure in liquid chromatography

All the experimental parameters that the chromatographers are used to consider as constant (the column length and its diameter, the particle size, the column porosities, the phase ratio, the column hold-up volume, the pressure gradient along the column, the mobile phase density and its viscosity, the diffusion coefficients, the equilibrium constants, the retention factors, the efficiency parameters) depend on pressure to some extent. While this dependence is negligible as long as experiments, measurements, and separations are carried out under conventional pressures not exceeding a few tens of megapascal, it is no longer so when the inlet pressure becomes much larger and exceeds 100 MPa. Equations are developed to determine the extent of the influence of pressure on all these parameters and to account for it. The results obtained are illustrated with graphics. The essential results are that (1) many parameters depend on the inlet pressure, hence on the flow rate; (2) the apparent reproducibility of parameters as simple as the retention factor will be poor if measurements are carried out at different flow rates, unless due corrections are applied to the results; (3) the influence of the temperature on the equilibrium constants should be studied under constant inlet pressure rather than at a constant flow rate, to minimize the coupling effect of pressure and temperature through the temperature dependence of the viscosity; and (4) while reproducibility of results obtained at constant pressure and flow rate will not be affected, method development becomes far more complex because of the pressure dependence of everything.     

First-principles investigations on structural,electronic and elastic properties of BeSe under high pressure

The structural, electronic and elastic properties of BeSe in both B3 and B8 structures have been studied by first-principles calculations within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). The calculated lattice parameters and bulk modulus of BeSe are in reasonable agreement with previous results. The predicted value of phase transition pressure from B3 to B8 is 50.24 GPa, which is well in line with the experimental data (56 ± 5 GPa). The calculation of the electronic band structure shows that the energy gap is indirect for B3 and B8 phases. Especially, the elastic constants of B8 BeSe under high pressure were studied for the first time. The bulk modulus, shear modulus, compressional and shear wave velocities of B8 BeSe evaluated from elastic constants as a function of pressure were investigated. In addition, Poisson's radio, elastic anisotropy and Debye temperature were analyzed successfully.     

Continuous conversion of methanol to higher hydrocarbons at ambient pressure

An iodozincate ionic liquid solvent and catalyst is used to convert methanol continuously to a wide variety of hydrocarbons at atmospheric pressure.