Synthesis of hollow silver spheres using poly-(styrene-methyl acrylic acid) as templates in the presence of sodium polyacrylate

Hollow silver spheres were successfully prepared by reducing AgNO₃ with ascorbic acid and using negatively charged poly-(styrene-methyl acrylic acid) (PSA) spheres as templates in the presence of sodium polyacrylate as a stabilizer. Firstly, silver cations adsorbed on the surface of PSA spheres via electrostatic attraction between the carboxyl groups and silver cations were reduced in situ by ascorbic acid. The silver nanoparticles deposited on the surface of PSA spheres served as seeds for the further growth of silver shells. After that, extra amount of AgNO₃ and ascorbic acid solutions were added to form PSA/Ag composites with thick silver shells. In order to obtain compact silver shells, the as-prepared PSA/Ag composites were heated at 150 °C for 3 h. Then hollow silver spheres were prepared by dissolving PSA templates with tetrahydrofuran.     

Influence of poly acrylic acid on the dispersion of calcite nano-particles

Dispersive calcite (CaCO₃) nano-particles with a primary particle size of about 100 nm and an average agglomerate size of about 2.8 μm were synthesized via carbonation in the presence of poly acrylic acid (PAA). The experimental results showed that PAA was liable to be adsorbed on the calcite surface, leading to the decrease of the agglomeration size from 8.7 μm to 2.8 μm and the zeta potential from −8.5 mV to −28.6 mV. The deformation and adsorption behaviors of PAA on the typical planes of calcite were studied by the molecular simulation method, using DISCOVER model and the COMPASS force field. The simulation results indicated that PAA was easy to be deformed and adsorbed on the calcite planes owing to mainly the coulomb interaction as well as the possible formation of CaO and hydrogen bonds between PAA and calcite. The adsorption tendency of PAA on the CaCO₃ planes was as follows based on the values of the corresponding interaction energies: (2 0 2) > (1 1 6) > (1 1 3) > (0 1 8) > (1 1 0) > (1 0 4).     

The influence of a cross-linking agent and C60 fullerene on the properties of a solid lubricant

The influence of a cross-linking agent, diamine, and C₆₀ fullerene on the antifriction and wear properties of a solid lubricant made of trifluorochloroethylene-vinylidene fluoride copolymer was studied for steel-to-steel sliding friction. The wear characteristics are improved in the whole range of loads investigated, while the antifriction properties, only at small loads. A qualitative wear test method is proposed in which the test-period-averaged friction coefficient of a hybrid specimen (coating plus metal substrate) is measured with a standard friction machine. A model that considers the combined interaction of the substrate and the coating with the roller was used to calculate the linear wear rate of steel and the probabilistic parameter of wear.     

Compositional effects on the optical and thermal properties of sodium borophosphate glasses

A series of sodium borophosphate glasses of the composition (1−x)NaPO₃−xB₂O₃ have been synthesised from Na₂CO₃, B₂O₃ and P₂O₅ and their optical and thermal properties investigated. The results show that refractive index (n) and glass transition temperature (T_g) show a maximum at about B/(B+P)=0.6 while thermal expansion coefficient (α) and thermo-optic coefficient (dn/dT) change monotonically with the B/(B+P) ratio. These observations can be interpreted based on the incorporation of BO₃ and BO₄ units into the glass structural network.     

Anomalous optical and electronic properties of dense sodium

Based on the density functional theory, we systematically study the optical and electronic properties of the insulating dense sodium phase (Na-hp4) reported recently (Ma et al., 2009). The structure is found optically anisotropic. Through Bader analysis, we conclude that ionicity exists in the structure and becomes stronger with increasing pressure.     

Influence of temperature on the optical and structural properties along the diameter of optical fibres

Multiple-beam Fizeau fringes technique with an opto-thermal device is used to study the effect of temperature on the optical properties of Philips graded-index optical fibres. The refractive index profile of the optical fibre is measured at different temperatures. From these profiles the opto-thermal coefficient, the profile shape parameter α, the cladding/core maximum refractive index difference Δn and some guidance parameters of the optical fibre that play an important role in communication are determined. The variation of oscillation and dispersion energies along the diameter of the optical fibre (energy profile) are calculated at different temperatures. An empirical formula of the energy profile is obtained. Microinterferograms are given for illustrations.     

Influence of different stabilizers on the optical and nonlinear optical properties of CdTe nanoparticles

CdTe semiconductor nanocrystals were synthesized with three different stabilizers: Mercaptoacetic Acid (MAA), Mercaptopropionic Acid (MPA) and 2-Mercaptoethanol (ME) at pH ≈ 11.2 by wet chemical route using potassium tellurite and cadmium chloride as starting materials. The effect of capping agent on the preparation of these samples was evaluated using UV-Visible absorption and photoluminescence analysis. With the same reaction time but with different stabilizers, nanocrystals of different diameters were obtained. The average full width at half maximum of the photoluminescence spectra was about 69 nm which indicates that the monodispersity was quite good. The particle size was calculated by Debye-Scherrer equation from XRD data. Further characterization studies such as FT-IR and optical nonlinearity studies on the samples were carried out and the results are discussed.     

Shape dependence of optical properties of sodium clusters

We develop an analytical approach to calculate the aspect ratios of free alkali metal clusters using measured surface plasmon frequencies. The method is based on the concept of small deviations from a spherical shape and can be applied to clusters with spheroidal, icosahedral and other shapes. Results of experimental data as well as of numerical calculations for the surface plasmon resonance frequencies in small spheroidal sodium clusters containing less than 50 atoms are reproduced accurately through a quite simple formula which links the aspect ratio of the cluster to the observable surface plasmon frequencies. The developed approach allows also to reveal the dependence of the dielectric function of alkali metal on the number of atoms in the cluster.     

Influence of structure on the optical limiting properties of nanotubes

We investigate the role of carbon nanotubes structure on their optical limiting properties. Samples of different and well-characterized structural features are studied by optical limiting and pump-probe experiments. The influence of the diameter's size on the nano-object is demonstrated. Indeed, both nucleation and growth of gas bubbles are expected to be sensitive to diameter.     

Composition dependent structural and optical properties of Sm-doped sodium borate and sodium fluoroborate glasses

Sodium borate and fluoroborate glasses doped with trivalent samarium (Sm³⁺) were prepared and their detailed spectroscopic analysis was carried out. The FTIR spectra reveal that, the glasses contain BO₃, BO₄, non-bridging oxygen and strong OH⁻ bonds. From the optical absorption spectra, Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters (Ω_λ, λ=2, 4 and 6) have been evaluated and are in turn used to predict radiative properties such as radiative transition probability (A), stimulated emission cross section () and branching ratios (β_R) for the excited levels of Sm³⁺ ions in sodium borate and sodium fluoroborate glasses. The dependence of the spectral characteristics of Sm³⁺ ions due to compositional changes have been examined and reported. The value is found to decrease with the decrease in the sodium content in the glass. The decay from the ⁴G_5/2 level is found to be non-exponential indicating a cross-relaxation among the Sm³⁺ ions.     

Intercalation of acrylic acid and sodium acrylate into kaolinite and their in situ polymerization

Novel nano-composites of poly (acrylic acid)-kaolinite were prepared, and intercalation and in situ polymerization were used in this process. The nano-composites were obtained by in situ polymerization of acrylic acid (AA) and sodium acrylate (AA_Na) intercalated into organo-kaolinite, which was obtained by refining and chemically modifying with solution intercalation step in order to increase the basal plane distance of the original clay. The modification was completed by using dimethyl-sulfoxide (DMSO)/methanol and potassium acetate (KAc)/water systems step by step. The materials were characterized with the help of XRD, FT-IR and TEM; the results confirmed that poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and poly(sodium acrylate) (PAA_Na) were intercalated into the interlamellar spaces of kaolinite, the resulting copolymer composites (CC₀ : copolymer-crude kaolinite composite, CC₁ : copolymer-DMSO kaolinite composite, CC₂ : copolymer-KAc kaolinite composite) of CC₂ exhibited a lamellar nano-composite with a mixed nano-morphology, and partial exfoliation of the intercalating clay platelets should be the main morphology. Finally, the effect of neutralization degree on the intercalation behavior was also investigated.     

Influence of Al-doping on the structure and optical properties of ZnO films

Al-doped ZnO (ZnO:Al) thin films with c-axis preferred orientation were deposited on glass substrates using the radio frequency reactive magnetron sputtering technique. The effect of Al concentrations on the microstructure and the luminescence properties of the ZnO:Al thin films were studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and fluorescence spectrophotometer. The results showed that the crystallization of the films was promoted by appropriate Al concentrations; the photoluminescence spectra (PL) of the samples were measured at room temperature. Strong blue peak located at 437 nm (2.84 eV) and two weak green peaks located at about 492 nm (2.53 eV) and 524 nm (2.37 eV) were observed from the PL spectra of the four samples. The origin of these emissions was discussed. In addition, absorption and transmittance properties of the samples were researched by UV spectrophotometer; the UV absorption edge shifted to a shorter wavelength first as Al was incorporated, and then to a longer wavelength with the increasing Al concentrations. The optical band gaps calculated based on the quantum confinement model are in good agreement with the experimental values.     

Influence of the dark exciton state on the optical and quantum optical properties of single quantum dots

The dark exciton state strongly affects the optical and quantum optical properties of flat InP/GaInP quantum dots. The exciton intensity drops sharply compared to the biexciton with rising pulsed laser excitation power while the opposite is true with temperature. Also, the decay rate is faster for the exciton than the biexciton and the dark-to-bright state spin flip is enhanced with temperature. Furthermore, long-lived dark state related memory effects are observed in second-order cross-correlation measurements between the exciton and biexciton and have been simulated using a rate-equation model.     

Influence of curvature on the transmission properties of plastic optical fibres

The effect of fibre bending on the passage of a laser beam through a cladded plastic optical fibre has been investigated. Results indicate that the additional loss is determined by the bending radius, the locus of a bend, and the aperture angle of the applied launching system.     

Influence of gamma-radiation on the optical properties of modified polyvinyle chloride

Abstract

The optical absorption spectra of polyvinyle chloride, PVC, doped with Cd and Pb is presented. The effect of γ radiation doses in range of 2–200 Mrad on the fundamental absorption edge Λ_g was determined. On the basis of quantitative analysis of obtained data, the calculated absorption coefficient, α, the absorption index, K, and the optical energy gap E_opt, were found to be radiation and dopant dependent. The results are discussed on the basis of the radiation induced degradiation of PVC.     

Influence of electronic and geometric properties on melting of sodium clusters

Systematics of the melting transition for sodium clusters with 40-355 atoms has been studied with both ab initio and semiclassical molecular dynamics simulations. The melting temperatures obtained with an ab initio method for Na₅₅ ⁺ and Na₉₃ ⁺ correlate well with the experimental results. The semiclassically determined melting temperatures show similarities with the experimentally determined ones in the size region from 55 to 93 and near size 142, and the latent heat in the size region from 55 to 139, but not elsewhere in the size region studied. This indicates that the nonmonotonical melting behavior observed experimentally cannot be fully explained by geometrical effects. The semiclassically determined melting temperature and the latent heat correlate quite well, indicating that they respond similarly to changes in cluster geometry and size. Similarly, the binding energy per atom seems to correlate with the melting temperature and the latent heat of fusion.Received: 30 October 2003, Published online: 20 January 2004PACS: 36.40.Ei Phase transitions in clusters     

Effect of CuO addition on the optical and electrical properties of sodium zinc borophosphate glasses

Sodium borophosphate glasses doped with copper ions having general composition 20Na₂O-20ZnO-25B₂O₃-(35-x) P₂O₅-x CuO (x=1-8 mol %) were prepared using conventional melt-quench method and characterized by density, UV-visible optical absorption, photoluminescence and conductivity measurements. E_optical values for different glass samples are found to decrease systematically from 3.5 to 2.5 eV with increase in CuO content in the glass. Network modifying action of CuO with the glass network has been confirmed from the UV-visible optical absorption studies. Presence of Copper in the form of Cu⁺ species has been confirmed from photoluminescence measurements. The electrical conductivity (σ) increases with increase in copper oxide content in the glass and temperature dependence of electrical conductivity confirmed the semiconducting nature of the samples.     

Influence of thickness on optical properties of titanium layers

Titanium layers with different thicknesses of 21, 83.7, and 133 nm and same other deposition conditions were deposited on glass substrates at 300 K, by physical vapor deposition method under high vacuum conditions. The optical reflectance of the layers was measured in the wave length range of 400–800 nm. The optical properties were calculated by using Kramers-Kronig relations. Relation between the optical properties and nanostructure of the layers was investigated. By using Generalized Gradient Approximations in context of plane wave pseudopotentials (norm conserving and ultrasoft) method, band structure calculated and compared with experimental results.