A.C. electrical conductivity of pure and doped potassium perchlorate

A.C. electrical conductivity of potassium perchlorate (KP) has been measured in the temperature range 25–325°C at frequencies ranging from 50–500 Hz using an automated technique. The results are interpreted in terms of a novel mechanism involving Schottky defects in the anion sublattice and Frenkel defects in the cation sublattice. The conductivity behavior of KP is compared with literature data on similar low-symmetry systems containing polyatomic ions.     

NMR Study of proton transport in crystalline antimonic acid

Pulsed ¹H NMR measurements are reported for polycrystalline antimonic acid (Sb₂O₅·nH₂O) in the temperature range 145 K<T<330 K at 60 MHz. Motional narrowing occurs at T>220 K and the relaxation behaviour is compatible with fast proton transport with a distribution of activation energies.     

Spectral investigations and wettability of nanostructured potassium bromide,sodium chloride,and magnesium fluoride single crystals

The influence of the surface structuring of some IR optical materials (potassium bromide, sodium chloride, and magnesium fluoride) with carbon nanotubes on the spectral characteristics and hydrophobic properties is considered.     

The repulsive energy in sodium chloride and potassium chloride crystals

The repulsive energy in sodium chloride and potassium chloride crystals has been evaluated and related to the lattice constant. The accuracy aimed at was ±0·2 kcal mole^-1 but owing to some unidentified experimental error the accuracy claimed is only ±0·6 kcal mole^-1 as compared with previous analyses in which the uncertainty is about ±2 kcal mole^-1. The improvement has been achieved by critical evaluation of the experimental data, by the elimination of inaccuracies from the thermodynamic formulae and by carrying out the analysis at several specified temperatures.     

Argon matrix absorption spectra of ClO, BrO, and IO and emission spectra of IO

Absorption spectra of ClO, BrO, and IO and the emission spectrum of IO have been observed from argon matrix samples prepared by microwave discharging the reagent mixture before condensation. Vibronic progressions were observed for each system. The spectroscopic scopic constants T_e, ω′_e, ω_ex′_e, ω″_e, and ω_ex″_e were evaluated from the absorption and emission data for comparison with gas-phase constants. Very good agreement is found for ClO. The argon matrix observations dictate a revision of the gas-phase vibronic assignments for BrO. The ground-state vibrational fundamental and T_e for argon matrix isolated IO are similar to the gas-phase values, but a lower excited-state spacing is found in the matrix.     

Isentropic compressibility, effective pressure, classical sound absorption and shear relaxation time of aqueous lithium bromide, sodium bromide and potassium bromide solutions

Densities, speeds of sound and viscosities of aqueous lithium bromide, sodium bromide and potassium bromide solutions were measured as functions of concentration (0.0085≤m (mol kg⁻¹)≤14.06) and temperature (273.15≤T(K)≤323.15). Allied properties like isentropic compressibilities, effective pressure, classical sound absorption and shear relaxation time were calculated by using the measured data. The interaction in these three bromide solutions vary in the order of NaBr>KBr>LiBr. The primary hydration shells are saturated at 10.8, 5.1 and 5.8 mol kg⁻¹ with 5.1, 10.9 and 9.6 number of water molecules in the primary hydration shell of lithium bromide, sodium bromide and potassium bromide solutions respectively. The cationic environment is found to influence the hydration phenomena of the anion.

The non-Arrhenius temperature dependence of shear relaxation time were analysed by using the Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher (VTF) equation. The concentration dependence of shear relaxation time is different in these three bromide solutions. Such an effect is attributed to the competitive effects of hydrogen bonding, structure forming/breaking effect of ions and the formation of ion pairs.     

Raman scattering from mobile cations in sodium,potassium and silver beta”-aluminas

Raman scattering from vibrations of mobile cations in single crystal Na, K, and Agβ”-aluminas has been measured. The frequency of a band near 33 cm^-1 is believed to correspond to the attempt frequency for sodium conduction. The frequencies calculated from a defect model are in good agreement with the observed spectra.     

Melting, freezing and nucleation in nanoclusters of potassium chloride

Molecular dynamics simulations of the melting, freezing and nucleation are presented for unconstrained nanoclusters of KCl with a number of ions between 512 and 10648. The maximum extent of the probed liquid supercooling is analysed to the light of theoretical predictions and compared with experimental data. The fraction of the solid-like ions in the supercooled liquid is used as an indicator of heterogeneities within the liquid. Induced nucleation by seeding the supercooled liquid indicates that solid-liquid coexistence is stable, and sustained during the lifetime of the clusters, relatively to the supercooled liquid. A phenomenological analysis on the relaxation times of the crystal growth process is made. Critical nuclei sizes computed from the effectiveness of the seeds in the heterogeneous nucleation of the supercooled liquid, and from the residual crystallites in clusters not totally melted, are presented as a function of the temperature. The behavior of the systems is followed through various properties such as liquid and solid molar fractions, enthalpies of melting, heat capacities, self-diffusion coefficients and relaxation times related to the freezing process. The consistency of the simulation results for the heterogeneous nucleation is assessed by means of a classical nucleation model, from which an estimate of the interfacial surface tension is also worked out and compared with experimental data.     

Investigation of the motion kinetics of screw dislocations in sodium chloride and potassium chloride crystals

The kinetics of the motion and the surmounting of detents by dislocations in sodium chloride and potassium chloride crystals is investigated herein. Special attention is paid to a comparative study of the mean free paths of the screw and edge dislocations. It is established that the mean free paths of the screw dislocations is somewhat less than for edge dislocations under identical test conditions. The kinetic curves obtained were processed within the frame-work of theoretical representations about the motion of dislocations in crystals containing detents of two kinds.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, Vol. 16, No. 9, pp. 17–21, September, 1973.     

A first-principles study of half-metallic ferromagnetism in binary alkaline-earth nitrides with rock-salt structure

In this Letter, using the first-principles full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave (FP-LAPW) method, we extend the electronic structure and magnetism studies on zinc-blende structure of II-V compounds MX (M=Ca,Sr,Ba; X=N,P,As) [M. Sieberer, J. Redinger, S. Khmelevskyi, P. Mohn, Phys. Rev. B 73 (2006) 024404] to the rock-salt structure. It is found that, in the nine rock-salt compounds, only alkaline-earth nitrides CaN, SrN and BaN exhibit ferromagnetic half-metallic character with a magnetic moment of per formula unit. Furthermore, compared with the zinc-blende structure of CaN, SrN and BaN, the rock-salt structure has lower energy, which makes them more promising candidates of possible growth of half-metallic films on suitable substrates.     

Study of the phase transitions in ammonium bromide by Raman spectroscopy

A complete Raman scattering study of an oriented NH₄Br single crystal has been carried out and new results are reported for temperature between 45 to 410°K. The study includes measurements and interpretations of the Raman spectral bandwidths, intensities and frequencies of the lattice and internal modes as a function of temperature. Because of the ability of generating a single domain crystal, unambiguous assignments of the Raman active modes are made. From the present data together with those presented previously significant information on the behavior of the ordering and crystal structure associated with the phase transitions in NH₄Br is obtained.     

The effect of potassium bromide and sodium carbonate on coal char combustion reactivity

The addition of halogens, particularly iodine, to the gas during coal char oxidation has been used in previous studies to quench gas-phase chemistry, thereby allowing one to separate the effects of homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions. Halogen addition suppresses the gas-phase radicals to near-equilibrium levels. A similar effect can be expected from other compounds with high efficiency as fire suppressants, such as alkali metals. The effectiveness of the use of additives in distinguishing homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions during char oxidation relies on the assumption that radicals are suppressed while heterogeneous reactions occurring on the char surface are not affected. The present work tests this assumption for potassium bromide (KBr) and sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃) reacting with a pulverized eastern bituminous coal char during oxidation. An increase in CO and a slight reduction in particle temperature were observed with the addition of KBr, consistent with known effects of halogens on gas-phase chemistry. An increase in particle size was also observed with the KBr addition. This observation and the results of model calculations suggest that there is significant incorporation of liquid KBr on the char surface under the conditions examined. With Na₂CO₃ addition, the particle temperature did not change, the particle size showed a slight decrease, and CO production increased. Although the mechanisms for Na interaction with radicals at combustion conditions are not well established, char oxidation modeling suggests that a decrease in OH concentration in the particle boundary layer is the cause for the observed increase in CO production. It is concluded that Na₂CO₃ has clear advantages over KBr for inhibiting gas-phase chemistry without affecting char oxidation for the conditions investigated here.     

Generation of paramagnetic centres in crystalline quartz by ultraviolet irradiation

Irradiation of α-quartz crystals with ultraviolet light (4.0–5.0 eV) results in ionization of alkali-compensated aluminum tetroxide impurity centres, as observed by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of the hole centres created or of the germanium tetroxide electron centres formed when Ge is present.     

Infrared studies of matrix isolated sodium and potassium chloride and cyanide dimers

The infrared spectra of matrix isolated sodium and potassium chlorides and cyanides in different inert gas matrices were examined over the range 4000 cm^?1 to 33 cm^?1. A study of the effect of superheating the vapor species on the spectra has been carried out. Temperature cycling experiments have been pursued in an attempt to differentiate between bands due to monomers, dimers, and higher polymers. Isotopic frequency shifts were measured for a carbon-13 enriched sample of sodium cyanide and carbon-13 and nitrogen-15 enriched samples of potassium cyanide in the CN region. Symmetry force constants were calculated assuming a cyclic rhombic structure for the dimers. In the case of the cyanide dimer, the CN group of the molecule was considered as a halide atom. Finally a comparison is given between the symmetry force constants of the dimers of the alkali metal fluorides, cyanides and chlorides.     

A theoretical study of structural, elastic and thermal properties of heavy lanthanide monoantimonides

The structural, elastic and thermal properties of three heavy monoantimonides of holmium, erbium and thulium (LnSb, Ln=Ho, Er and Tm) have been investigated theoretically by using an interionic potential theory consisting of long-range Coulomb, short-range repulsive and van der Waal’s (vdW) interactions. These compounds exhibit first-order crystallographic phase transition from their initial NaCl-type structure to CsCl-type structure at pressures 27, 33.2 and 29.8 GPa for HoSb, ErSb and TmSb, respectively. The values of elastic constants and Debye temperatures as a function of pressure are also reported. The elastic properties such as Young modulus (E), Shear modulus (G), Poisson ratio (υ) and anisotropic ratio (A) in an NaCl-type structure are also predicted.     

On the colloidal absorption bands in rubidium chloride and rubidium bromide crystals coloured with sodium

Colloidal absorption bands in rubidium chloride and rubidium bromide crystals coloured with sodium have been investigated. After a certain heat treatment of the RbCl and RbBr crystals containing F-centers, colloidal bands were observed at 585 mμ for RbCl and at 600 mμ for RbBr. The measured positions of these bands were compared with those calculated by means of the theory ofDoyle. Measurements of the areas of the absorption curves were also carried out at different temperatures.     

Photoluminescence of crystalline and disordered BTO:Mn powder: Experimental and theoretical modeling

Disordered and crystalline Mn-doped BaTiO₃ (BTO:Mn) powders were synthesized by the polymeric precursor method. After heat treatment, the nature of visible photoluminescence (PL) at room temperature in amorphous BTO:Mn was discussed, considering results of experimental and theoretical studies. X-ray diffraction (XRD), PL, and UV-vis were used to characterize this material. Rietveld refinement of the BTO:Mn from XRD data was used to built two models, which represent the crystalline BTO:Mn (BTO:Mn_c) and disordered BTO:Mn (BTO:Mn_d) structures. Theses models were analyzed by the periodic ab initio quantum mechanical calculations using the CRYSTAL98 package within the framework of density functional theory at the B3LYP level. The experimental and theoretical results indicated that PL is related with the degree of disorder in the BTO:Mn powders and also suggests the presence of localized states in the disordered structure.