Quantitative Analysis of Ti-Si-Ge/Si-Ge/Si Structures by EDS and AES

 A method for quantitative analysis of Ti-Si-Ge/Si-Ge/Si structures with submicron thick layers by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) was developed. Quantitation of the results of both AES and EDS techniques was performed on the basis of a single reference specimen for the Ti-Si-Ge system comprising a uniform layer of the Ti(Si_0.85Ge_0.15)₂ phase on a silicon substrate. The reference sample was prepared by the same procedure as the samples used in the study, and was thoroughly characterized by X-ray diffractometry, transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy in scanning electron microscopy. Using this reference sample the elemental sensitivity factors relative to Si were found for both techniques, which enable us to obtain the elemental depth distributions for the studied samples. Good agreement between the results obtained by EDS/TEM, AES and supplementary techniques was found.     

Determination of Nitrite by a Modified Electrode of Poly(1-Naphthylamine) Film Doped with Dawson-Type Heteropolyanions

 The voltammetric behavior of the electrode modified with poly(1-naphthylamine) film doped with α-P₂W₁₈ heteropolyanions was investigated. The concentration of the modifier, the acidity of the medium and the scan range of potential had obvious effects on the electrochemical characteristics of the electrode. The electrocatalytical characteristics of the film electrode were studied by cyclic voltammetry and other methods. It is suggested that the electrocatalytic reaction of nitrite is controlled by its diffusion. The applicability of the electrode was assessed by the determination of nitrite in waste-water. Determination limit for nitrite was 5 × 10⁻⁷ mol.L⁻¹. Received August 23, 1999. Revision January 2, 2001     

Infrared Spectroscopic Analysis of Plasma-Treated Si(100)-Surfaces

 Infrared reflection spectroscopy (specular reflection, attenuated total reflection) has been applied in combination with spectroscopic ellipsometry and electron microscopy to analyze the surface structure of plasma-treated Si(100) surfaces. It is shown that plasma treatments in oxygen and fluorine or chlorine-containing gases cause the formation of a thin surface layer having thicknesses of a few nanometers. The layer was identified to consist of SiO₂ for treatments in an oxygen plasma. Analyses of layers formed by treatments in a fluorine-containing plasma do not confirm the generally assumed model. Different Si-F vibration modes were identified in the surface layer caused by a SF₆ plasma. They correlate, however, with SiF and SiF₂ molecules. There are no indications of the existence of the generally assumed SiF₄. Neither has SiOF₂ been proven in layers produced by etching in a SF₆/O₂ plasma.     

Extraction of Unprotected Amino Acids by Mixed-Ligand Nickel(II) and Copper(II) Chelates

Summary.  Six mixed-ligand Nickel(II) and Copper(II) chelates with square-planar geometry of the formula [Ni/Cu(O-O)(S-tmpn)]B(C₆H₅)₄ were prepared, where O-O represents acetylacetonate, tropolonate, or hinokitiolate and S-tmpn is (S)-tetramethyl-1,2-propanediamine. The compounds were investigated with respect to their function as receptor for unprotected amino acids, taking advantage of their high solubilities in non-polar organic solvents. In liquid-liquid extraction experiments between a 1,2-dichloroethane phase containing the metal chelates and an aqueous phase containing amino acids (rac-phenylglycine, rac-phenylalanine, or rac-tryptophan), the nickel(II) chelates effectively extracted amino acids from the aqueous phases under neutral conditions, forming octahedral ternary chelates. Received February 19, 2001. Accepted April 2, 2001     

Determination of Thiosemicarbazones by Means of the Induced Iodine-Azide Reaction

 The iodine-azide reaction induced by eight thiosemicarbazones was investigated. Inducing properties of thiosemicarbazones are different and depend on the parent carbonyl compound used for synthesis. The inductor coefficients of the examined thiosemicarbazones vary from 61 to 176. Optimum conditions for the determination of microamounts of thiosemicarbazones are given. The detection limit for the determination by the back-titration method depends on the inducing activity and is 0.9 μg for phenyl-thiosemicarbazones and 2 μg for diethyl-thiosemicarbazone in a 5-mL sample, and this corresponds to a concentration of 0.9 × 10⁻⁶ mol/L and , respectively. The automatic titration with the diluted iodine solution decreases the detection limit to about 50 ng in a 10-mL sample. Received October 28, 1998. Revision April 9, 1999.     

Preparation, Characterization and Crystal Structure of [Be(NCSe)2(HCON(CH3)2)2]

 Di-N-selenocyanato-bis(N,N′-dimethylfor- mamide)beryllium (1) was prepared and characterized by chemical analyses, and single crystal X-ray structure analysis. Crystals of 1 are monoclinic with a = 1837.2 (8) pm, b = 547.1 (2) pm, c = 1435.6 (6) pm, β = 93.27 (4)°, space group C2/c, Z = 4. Beryllium is tetrahedrally coordinated by two N-bonded selenocyanate and two O-bonded N,N′-dimethylformamide ligands and intermolecular Se ⋯ Se as well as Se ⋯ H interactions are observed.     

Study on the Catalytic Determination of Vanadium (V) Using the Rhodamine 6G-Periodate Redox Reaction and its Analytical Application

 A fluorescence quenching method for the determination of vanadium (V) based on the vanadium- catalyzed oxidation of rhodamine 6G (R6G) with periodate in the presence of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt (EDTA) in sulfuric acid medium is described. The fluorescence was measured with excitation and emission wavelengths of 525 and 555 nm, respectively. The calibration graph for vanadium (V) had linear ranges of 3.0 × 10⁻⁹–1.5 × 10⁻⁸ mol/l and 1.5 × 10⁻⁸–4.0 × 10⁻⁸ mol/l, respectively. The detection limit was 1.7 × 10⁻⁹ mol/l. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of vanadium (V) in river water, rain water and cast iron samples. Received June 29, 2001 Revision October 9, 2001     

Determination of Periodate by Fluorescence Quenching of Tetraiodofluorescein

 The fluorometric determination of periodate with tetraiodofluorescein has been developed. Under the optimum conditions responses were linear between 4.0×10⁻⁷ ∼ 1.0 × 10⁻⁵ mol/L of periodate. The detection limit was 1.0 × 10⁻⁷ mol/L corresponding to a signal to noise ratio of 2. The proposed method was applied to the determination of periodate in artificial fresh water and kelp sample with good results. Received March 20, 2001 Revision December 19, 2001     

Oxidation, Diffusion and Segregation in CuNi(Mn) Films Studied by AES

 The surface and in-depth compositions of sputter-deposited Cu_0.57Ni_0.42Mn_0.01 thin films were studied by Auger electron depth profiling after thermal treatment. The samples were thermally cycled to maximum temperatures of 300 °C to 550 °C in air, argon and forming gas (N₂, 5 vol. % H₂). Linear least-squares fit to standard spectra and factor analysis were applied to separate the overlapping Auger transitions of Cu and Ni. Under bombardment by 4 keV argon ions, CuNi(Mn) layers display bombardment-induced surface enrichment of Ni in the same extent as binary CuNi alloys. At sufficiently high oxygen partial pressures, a duplex oxide layer is formed and a thick surface copper oxide overgrows the initial nickel oxide. In reducing atmosphere selective oxidation of manganese takes place. A capping NiCr layer prevents CuNi(Mn) from being oxidized, but the film configuration is degraded with increasing annealing temperature due to formation of a surface chromium oxide and diffusion of Ni from the CuNi(Mn) layer into the NiCr/CuNi(Mn) interface.     

Copper(II)-Catalyzed Decomposition of Hydrogen Peroxide: Catalyst Activation by Halide Ions

Summary.  The catalytic action of Cu(II) on the decomposition of H₂O₂ in near-neutrality aqueous solutions is activated by halide ions. The activation energies amount to 113±7 (parent reaction) and 69.9±1.4 (chloride-activated reaction) kJ · mol⁻¹. Free-radical chain mechanisms are proposed for both the parent reaction and the halide-activated reaction. The catalyst activation caused by halide ions is explained in terms of coordination of halide ligands by both Cu(II) and Cu(I), the coordination causing a higher stabilization of Cu(I) than of Cu(II). At low concentrations, Br⁻ causes an inhibition of the Cu(II)/H₂O₂ reaction. This is explained in terms of an increase of the rate of termination of the chain reaction due to the scavenging effect of OH radicals caused by Br⁻. Received March 27, 2001. Accepted (revised) May 25, 2001.     

Determination of Amoxycillin and Clavulanic Acid in Some Pharmaceutical Preparations by Derivative Spectrophotometry

 Derivative spectrophotometry was applied for the simultaneous determination of amoxycillin and clavulanic acid in pharmaceutical preparations: “Augmentin” inj. and tablets and “Amoksiklav” drops and tablets, in solutions after hydrolysis with sodium hydroxide. As the absorption spectra overlap strongly (amoxycillin λ_max = 247 nm and 290 nm, clavulanic acid λ_max = 258 nm) the first and the second derivative spectrophotometric procedure was elaborated for their determination. Amoxycillin was determined at λ = 257.9 nm (1-st derivative spectra) or λ = 273 nm (2-nd derivative) while clavulanic acid at λ = 280.3 nm (1-st derivative) or λ = 285 nm (2-nd derivative spectra). The Beer’s law is obeyed in the range of 0.004–0.04 mg/ml for amoxycillin and 0.002–0.02 mg/ml for clavulanic acid. Received December 6, 1999. Revision August 1, 2000.     

Determination of Trace Elements in Super Alloy by ICP-MS

 A method is described for determination of 14 trace elements in super alloy certified reference material. Inconel 718 by ICP-MS. The interferences were investigated in detail. By using appropriate settings of the operational parameters and correcting interferences the elements without interference free isotopes were also analyzed. Non-spectral interference to the analytes was studied. No matrix separation or any other sample pretreatment but acid dissolution was made. 14 trace elements (B, Sc, Ga, Ge, In, Sn, Sb, Te, Hf, Ag, Ce, Tl, Pb and Bi) were analyzed by matrix matched standard solution calibration and using Rh as internal standard. Good agreement was achieved between the found levels and the certified values for most of the elements. The RSD (n = 4) of the determination values of Ce was lower than 20%, and RSD of the other 13 elements was lower than 10%. Received July 21, 2000. Revision May 29, 2001.     

Quantification of H, B and F in Kornerupine: Accuracy of SIMS and SREF (X-Ray Single-Crystal Structure-Refinement) Data

 We use a multiple-analytical approach based on secondary-ion mass-spectrometry (SIMS), X-ray single-crystal structure refinement (SREF) and electron-probe micro-analysis (EPMA) to derive the complete crystal-chemical formula of a B-rich kornerupine-group mineral, prismatine, from Hrarigahy, Madagascar: (Ca_0.01Li_0.02Mg_0.20Fe²⁺ _0.10) (Mg_3.57Fe²⁺ _0.06 Al_5.37) (Si_3.84B_0.91Al_0.26)O₂₁ (OH_1.08F_0.07). SIMS matrix effects related to crystal structure were investigated by analyzing two grains with a known crystallographic orientation relative to the ion beam. Boron orders at the T3 site. The refined site-scattering for T3, 6.33 eps (electrons per site) agrees well with the mean bond-length for this site (1.512 ?), which indicates nearly complete occupancy by B (85% rel.). B₂O₃ (∼ 4 wt%), derived by SREF, agrees with the SIMS data within analytical uncertainty using Si as the inner reference for the matrix. The occupancy of the X site obtained by combining the SIMS and EPMA data (5.30 eps; electrons per site) agrees with the refined site-scattering value (5.75 eps). Trace quantities of Li and Ca are ordered at this site. SIMS data for H₂O is in accord with the stoichiometric value, indicating complete occupancy at O10 by OH. Fluorine (∼ 0.17 wt%) orders at O10: it corresponds to ∼ 0.07 atoms per formula unit (apfu) vs. 0.15 apfu (atoms per formula unit) by SREF, indicating a slight overestimation of F with SREF, as previously observed in fluoborite. Our data show that SIMS chemical matrix effects are well-calibrated, and emphasize the usefulness of independent micro-analytical techniques in testing the mutual accuracy and consistency of experimental data.     

Carbon Species and Precise Elemental Analysis of Precursors for Superconducting (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox Tapes

 The chemical composition of BiPbSrCaCuO precursors prepared by different syntheses has to be checked analytically before further application to production of superconducting (Bi,Pb)₂Sr₂Ca₂Cu₃O_x tapes. Carbon species in concentrations below 0,1%(w/w) were observed to be possibly a source of gas evolving reactions during the heat treatment procedures for the superconducting phase formation. A method that allows the temperature controlled detection of CO₂ resulting from reactions of various carbon species was developed based on an commercial C/H₂O-analyser with IR gas detectors. By means of this method it is possible to relate the carbon content to the conditions of synthesis and technological steps of the tape production. The phase formation mechanism of the superconducting (Bi,Pb)2223 phase from a multiphase precursor strongly depends on its elemental composition. Titrimetric and ICP spectrometric methods that allow the determination of the content of the main components Bi, Pb, Ca, Sr, and Cu with high precision and accuracy were developed and their results were compared. The best results were obtained with a combined chemical-spectrometric procedure. The relative standard deviations (RSD) for all metallic elements do not exceed 1%. The analytical results of the main components and specific trace determinations are essential for the functioning of superconducting tapes.     

Understanding the History of Rocks by the Use of Microbeam Analysis Techniques

 In order to understand the physical and chemical processes that occur in complex systems such as geological materials, one needs to look at the minerals involved on as fine a scale as possible; studying the mutual relationships among the different phases in terms of texture, chemical composition, zonation, etc., in the original petrographic context. This paper reports how the study of a rock through microanalysis can be done. The potentialities of the various microanalytical techniques such as electron microprobe analysis (EMPA), cathodoluminescence (CL), particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and accelerator mass spectrometry (ASM) are presented. Each of them has its own characteristics and limits. And only through a multiple-technique approach it is possible to investigate the various components of the rock system and from this, unravel its history.     

Characterization of Two-Component Metal Coatings (Al/Sn) with SIMS

 Vacuum deposited films of immiscible metal–metal systems can be applied as tribological coatings for plain bearings in high performance diesel engines. These industrially manufactured coatings show higher lifetimes than conventional electroplated coatings. For our investigations we used aluminum-tin coatings of 1 μm thickness on a glass substrate produced by sequential deposition from two separate targets under working gas pressure of 0.4 Pa. The tough Al matrix takes high mechanical loads and the soft inclusions of Sn act as solid lubricant. While Sn is deposited it migrates on the Al surface and grows as islands. We characterized the conformation and the distribution of the Sn islands on the surface and to the interstitial area between the islands with 3-D secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS). The existence of a Sn layer between the islands (“wetting layer”) has been detected by SIMS and verified by measurements with Auger electron spectroscopy (AES).     

Quantitative Trace Analysis by Wavelength-Dispersive EPMA

 “Trace” elements may be defined as elements whose concentrations are of a similar order to the detection limit. In WD analysis the detection limit is a function of the ‘figure of merit’ P²/B, where P is the pure-element peak intensity and B the background intensity. With normal analysis conditions detection limits of ∼100 ppm are typical, but substantial improvements can be achieved by using higher values of accelerating voltage and beam current. Long counting times are also advantageous, but should preferably be divided into relatively short alternating peak and background measurements to minimise the effect of instrumental drift. Using separate routines for trace and major element analysis is desirable owing to their different requirements. As the statistically defined detection limit is reduced, errors due to background nonlinearity and interferences (overlaps) from other elemental peaks become more probable. Spectrum simulation is useful for optimising background offsets and choice of crystal to minimise interferences, and estimating interference corrections when these are necessary. ‘Blank’ standards containing none of the trace elements of interest are also useful for quantifying background nonlinearity.     

Corrected Structure of Aglalactone Isolated from Aglaia elaeagnoidea (Meliaceae)

Summary.  The structure of aglalactone, a dihydrobenzofuranone from Aglaia elaeagnoidea, was revised on the basis of 2D NMR data and lanthanide induced shifts (LIS). Received June 29, 2000. Accepted July 11, 2000     

Flavonol Derivatives for Determination of Cr(III) and W(VI)

 Simple, rapid, sensitive and selective methods for the determination of Cr(III) and W(VI) with flavonol derivatives in the presence of surface-active agents are proposed. In the pH ranges 3.4–4.2 and 1.9–2.5, the molar absorptivities of Cr(III)-morin-emulsifier S (EFA) and W(VI)-morin-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) systems are 1.13×10⁵ and 2.13×10⁴ L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹ at 435 and 415 nm, respectively. The Cr(III)-quercetin-PVP and W(VI)-quercetin-cetylpyridinium bromide (CPB) systems are formed in the pH ranges 4–4.6 and 2.2–2.8 with molar absorptivities 1.02×10⁵ and 9.02×10⁴ L. mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹ at 441 and 419 nm, respectively. The linear dynamic ranges for the determination of Cr(III) and W(VI) with morin in the presence of EFA and PVP are 0.03–0.46 and 0.71–8.1 μg mL⁻¹, respectively. The corresponding ranges with quercetin are 0.04–0.54 and 0.14–2.1 μg mL⁻¹ of Cr(III) and W(VI), respectively. The r.s.d (n = 10) for the determination of 0.25 and 3.7 μg mL⁻¹ of Cr(III) and W(VI) with morin and their detection limits are 0.88 and 0.99% and 0.016 and 0.63 μg mL⁻¹, respectively. Using quercetin, the r.s.d (n = 10) for 0.22 and 1.2 μg mL⁻¹ of Cr(III) and W(VI) and their detection limits are 0.92 and 0.91% and 0.015 and 0.08 μg mL⁻¹, respectively. The critical evaluation of the proposed methods is performed by statistical analysis of the experimental data. The proposed methods are applied to determine Cr in steel, non-ferrous alloys, wastewater and mud filtrate and to the determination of W in steel. Received March 8, 1999. Revision January 21, 2000.