High-pressure x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy of ice VIII

In situ high-pressure/low-temperature synchrotron x-ray diffraction and optical Raman spectroscopy were used to examine the structural properties, equation of state, and vibrational dynamics of ice VIII. The x-ray measurements show that the pressure-volume relations remain smooth up to 23 GPa at 80 K. Although there is no evidence for structural changes to at least 14 GPa, the unit-cell axial ratio ca undergoes changes at 10-14 GPa. Raman measurements carried out at 80 K show that the nu(Tz)A(1g)+nuT(x,y)E(g) lattice modes for the Raman spectra of ice VIII in the lower-frequency regions (50-800 cm(-1)) disappear at around 10 GPa, and then a new peak of approximately 150 cm(-1) appears at 14 GPa. The combined data provide evidence for a transition beginning near 10 GPa. The results are consistent with recent synchrotron far-IR measurements and theoretical calculations. The decompressed phase recovered at ambient pressure transforms to low-density amorphous ice when heated to approximately 125 K.     

X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy with composite secondary target excitation

The use of X-ray tube fluorescence spectrometer with composite secondary target radiator is explained. Experimentally measured efficiencies and detection limits for coal samples are presented and discussed.     

Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction analysis of surface modified SiC layers

Thin films of silicon carbide with codeposited elemental silicon were prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). In a second CVD-process a thin titanium layer was deposited on the SiC(Si) basic layer. The solid state reaction between titanium and the codeposited silicon can be observed by X-ray diffractometry. A helpful analytical method for the observation of the growth of the reaction products is grazing incidence X-ray diffractometry. Various diffraction patterns of titanium silicides can be obtained by decreasing incidence angles. Received: 24 June 1996 / Accepted: 5 December 1996     

Alternative oxidation by isopenicillin N synthase observed by X-ray diffraction

Background: Isopenicillin N synthase (IPNS) catalyses formation of bicyclic isopenicillin N, precursor to all penicillin and cephalosporin antibiotics, from the linear tripeptide δ-( -α-aminoadipoyl)- -cysteinyl- -valine. IPNS is a non-haem iron(II)-dependent enzyme which utilises the full oxidising potential of molecular oxygen in catalysing the bicyclisation reaction. The reaction mechanism is believed to involve initial formation of the β-lactam ring (via a thioaldehyde intermediate) to give an iron(IV)-oxo species, which then mediates closure of the 5-membered thiazolidine ring.Results: Here we report experiments employing time-resolved crystallography to observe turnover of an isosteric substrate analogue designed to intercept the catalytic pathway at an early stage. Reaction in the crystalline enzyme–substrate complex was initiated by the application of high-pressure oxygen, and subsequent flash freezing allowed an oxygenated product to be trapped, bound at the iron centre. A mechanism for formation of the observed thiocarboxylate product is proposed.Conclusions: In the absence of its natural reaction partner (the N–H proton of the -cysteinyl- -valine amide bond), the proposed hydroperoxide intermediate appears to attack the putative thioaldehyde species directly. These results shed light on the events preceding β-lactam closure in the IPNS reaction cycle, and enhance our understanding of the mechanism for reaction of the enzyme with its natural substrate.     

Photoluminescence and Raman spectroscopy studies on polyaniline/PbI2 composite

Functionalization of PbI₂ with conjugated polymers (polyaniline-emeraldine base (PANI-EB) or polyaniline-emeraldine salt (PANI-ES)) is demonstrated by Raman and luminescence studies. PbI₂/PANI hybrid material was prepared by electrochemical polymerization of aniline onto the PbI₂ modified Pt electrode and mechanico-chemical reaction between the two constituents. PANI interacting with the PbI₂ gives rise to new Raman bands at 80, 144 and 170 cm⁻¹. First line reveals the formation of “stacking faults” that disrupt the I-Pb-I layers stacking along the c axis by the insertion of polymer molecules. The bands at 144 and 170 cm⁻¹ are attributed to the vibrational mode associated with Pb-NHR″₂ (R″=C₆H₄) bond. The functionalization of PbI₂ with PANI-EB brings forth the PANI-ES form. Depending on the semiconducting (PANI-EB) or conducting (PANI-ES) properties of the polymer in the PbI₂/PANI intercalated material, a partial or total collection of the charges generated under band to band irradiation is revealed by photoluminescence studies.     

ARXPS-analysis and morphology of sputtered nanocrystalline TiC/SiC coatings

ARXPS (angle resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) measurements are used to obtain informations about surfaces and grain boundaries. Data acquired from nanocrystalline carbidic hard coatings have been employed to establish structural models. Magnetron-sputtered coatings of TiC, SiC and TiC/SiC were examined. In such coatings, partly defective TiC nanocrystallites are surrounded by interfacial carbide. This excess carbon shows a binding state similar to that of doped graphite or fullerenes. X-ray amorphous SiC is found in the residue. On top of sputtered SiC coatings, less oxide and graphite is found as compared to TiC/SiC or TiC coatings.     

High pressure study of Ru3(CO)12 by X-ray diffraction, Raman, and infrared spectroscopy

The single-crystal X-ray structure of Ru(3)(CO)(12) is reported at 8 pressures ranging from 1 atm (0.0 GPa) to 8.14(5) GPa. Although intramolecular bonding parameters remain relatively constant, intramolecular and intermolecular nonbonding contact distances decrease by an average of 4% and 15%, respectively. At 8.14 GPa, O...O, C...O, and C...C intermolecular distances as short as 2.54(4), 2.64(6), and 3.07(4) A, respectively, are observed, and the unit cell compresses to 75% of the ambient pressure volume. Raman and infrared spectroscopic measurements show that carbonyl stretching frequencies shift to higher wavenumber values by as much as 80 cm(-)(1), even though Ru-C and C-O distances stay roughly constant throughout the entire pressure range studied. Compression of the sample to above 18 GPa with laser radiation results in an irreversible transformation due to either decomposition or a total collapse of D(3)(h) molecular geometry accompanied by color darkening.     

X-ray diffraction and positron annihilation life-time spectroscopy studies of polymetalloorganosiloxanes

X-ray diffractometry and positron annihilation life-time spectroscopy are applied to study the structural features of polymetallophenylsiloxane (PMOS) samples with the Si/M ratio corresponding to the metal valence state, namely, interplanar spacings (d₀₀₁), coherentscattering region (CSR) sizes, cross-section areas of polymer chains (s) calculated by the Miller-Boyer method, and the degree of amorphousness (β). It is demonstrated that the direct proportional dependence between the logarithm of the interplanar spacing d₀₀₁ and the logarithm of the cross-section area s is observed for PMOSs. This is an inverse dependence relative to changes in the crystal chemical ion radius. The extraction of the iron ion from polyferrophenylsiloxane leads to a sharp decrease in the interplanar spacing, which turns out to be less than d₀₀₁ in polyphenylsiloxanes, and also CSR increases due to a decrease in the diameter of the polymer chain. The positron annihilation life-time spectroscopy data show the observed direct dependence of the annihilation intensity (I₃), the annihilation rate (K₃), the degree of amorphousness on the PMOS cross-section area.     

In situ X-ray Raman spectroscopy of LiBH4

X-Ray Raman Spectroscopy (XRS) is used to study the electronic properties of bulk lithium borohydride (LiBH(4)) and LiBH(4) in porous carbon nano-composites (LiBH(4)/C) during dehydrogenation. The lithium (Li), boron (B) and carbon (C) K-edges are studied and compared with calculations of the starting material and intermediate compounds. Comparison of the B and C K-edge XRS spectra of the as-prepared samples with rehydrogenated samples shows that the B and C electronic structure is largely regained after rehydrogenation. Both Li and C K-edge spectra show that during dehydrogenation, part of the Li intercalates into the porous carbon. This study shows that XRS in combination with calculations is a promising tool to study the electronic properties of nano-crystalline light-weight materials for energy storage.     

FTIR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction characterization of Nb doped sol-gel silica

Nb doped silica was prepared by the sol-gel method. The experimental variables were the pH (acidic and basic) and the Nb concentration (1.0–10.0 wt.%). The samples were calcined at 300°C and 600°C and analyzed by XRD, and FTIR. The TGA and DTA of the gels were also performed. From the XRD results the radial distribution function allowed us to establish the existence of the Si–O–Nb bond in the powders.     

Monitoring selected hydrogen bonds in crystal hydrates of amino acid salts: combining variable-temperature single-crystal X-ray diffraction and polarized Raman spectroscopy

Predicting behaviour of hydrogen bonds with varying temperature, in particular-correlating donor-acceptor distances in the O-H···O hydrogen bonds with the frequencies of O-H stretching vibrations is important for understanding dynamics of biomolecules and phase transitions in crystals. A commonly used correlation suggested earlier in the literature is based on statistical analysis of different compounds [A. Novak, Structure and Bonding, 1974, 18, 177; K. Nakamoto, M. Margoshes, R. E. Rundle, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1955, 77, 6480]. The present study is a rare example when correlations between geometry and energy parameters have been found for selected individual hydrogen bonds in the same crystalline compound at multiple temperatures. The properties of several types of O-H···O hydrogen bonds in bis(DL-serinium) oxalate dihydrate and DL-alaninium semi-oxalate monohydrate have been studied by a combination of variable-temperature single-crystal X-ray diffraction and polarized Raman spectroscopy. The changes in the hydrogen bonds geometry could be compared with the changes of the corresponding spectral modes. The correlation suggested by Novak is roughly followed, better for medium and weak, than for short hydrogen bonds. Fine details of spectral changes differ for individual bonds. The way how H-bonds are affected by cooling depends on their environment in the crystal structure. Short O-H···O hydrogen bonds in bis(DL-serinium) oxalate dihydrate expand or remain almost unchanged on cooling, whereas in DL-alaninium semi-oxalate monohydrate all strong H-bonds are compressed under these conditions. The distortion of individual hydrogen bonds on temperature variations is correlated with the anisotropy of lattice strain.     

Identification of pharmaceutical tablets by Raman spectroscopy and chemometrics

Raman spectroscopy has become an attractive tool for the analysis of pharmaceutical solid dosage forms. In the present study it is used to ensure the identity of tablets. The two main applications of this method are release of final products in quality control and detection of counterfeits. Twenty-five product families of tablets have been included in the spectral library and a non-linear classification method, the Support Vector Machines (SVMs), has been employed. Two calibrations have been developed in cascade: the first one identifies the product family while the second one specifies the formulation. A product family comprises different formulations that have the same active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) but in a different amount. Once the tablets have been classified by the SVM model, API peaks detection and correlation are applied in order to have a specific method for the identification and allow in the future to discriminate counterfeits from genuine products. This calibration strategy enables the identification of 25 product families without error and in the absence of prior information about the sample. Raman spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics is therefore a fast and accurate tool for the identification of pharmaceutical tablets.     

A study of the reactivity of elemental Cr/Se/Te thin multilayers using X-ray reflectometry, in situ X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy

The reactivity of [Cr/Se/Te] multilayers under annealing was investigated using X-ray reflectometry, in situ X-ray diffraction, X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) measurements and transmission electron microscopy. For all samples, interdiffusion was complete at temperatures between 100 and 300 °C, depending on the repeating tri-layer thickness. A crystalline phase nucleated approximately 20 °C above the temperature where interdiffusion was finished. The first crystalline phase in a binary Cr/Te sample was layered CrTe₃ nucleating at 230 °C. In ternary samples (Se:Te=0.6-1.2), the low-temperature nucleation of such a layered CrQ₃ (Q=Se, Te) phase is suppressed and instead the phase Cr₂Q₃ nucleates first. Interestingly, this phase decomposes around 500 °C into layered CrQ₃. In contrast, binary Cr/Se samples form stable amorphous alloys after interdiffusion and Cr₃Se₄ nucleates around 500 °C as the only crystalline phase. Evaluation of the XAFS data of annealed samples yield Se-Cr distances of 2.568(1) and 2.552(1) Å for Cr₂Q₃ and CrQ₃, respectively. In the latter sample, higher coordination shells around Se are seen accounting for the Se-Te contacts in the structure.     

Identification of ultra-thin layers by cross-sectional Raman spectroscopy

 Micro-Raman spectroscopy measurements in a cross-sectional sample geometry were performed for three heterosystems (3C-SiC/Si(100), diamond/Si(100), and ZnS_xSe_1-x/GaAs(100)). Using an automated xy-stage with a minimum step width of 100 nm one-dimensional scans across the interface were taken. It is demonstrated that sufficient sensitivity for the detection of ultra-thin layers with thicknesses in the nanometer range can be achieved. Thus surface and interface layers not accessible in a plane-view geometry can be identified. In addition, the depth-resolved variation of sample properties like interfacial reactions, stress, and stoichiometry will be discussed. Received: 24 June 1996/Revised: 9 December 1996/Accepted: 13 December 1996     

Raman and surface Raman spectroscopy with ultraviolet excitation

We record the accurate and reliable Raman spectra of benzoic acid (BA), p-nitrobenzoic acid (PNBA) and o-nitrobenzoic (ONBA) in aqueous solution with ultraviolet excitation. And we find that the ultraviolet (UV) Raman spectrum of aqueous BA solution has one-to-one correspondence to that of BA solid whereas the others are less resemble to the solid counterparts. We also report surface Raman spectroscopy of them in silver colloid without any enhancement in UV region and call it surface-unenhanced Raman spectroscopy (SUERS) while the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effects are perfect in near infrared or visible regions. It demonstrates the SERS effects are strongly dependent on the excitation wavelength. On the basis of the experiments, we discuss the mechanism of SERS excited in different regions.     

Asbestos mineral analysis by UV Raman and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.

The applicability of a UV micro-Raman setup was assessed for the rapid identification of fibrous asbestos minerals using 257 and 244 nm laser light for excitation. Raman spectra were obtained from six asbestos reference standards belonging to two basic structural groups: the serpentines (chrysotile) and the amphiboles (crocidolite, tremolite, amosite, anthophyllite, and actinolite). The UV Raman spectra reported here for the first time are free from fluorescence, which is especially helpful in assessing the hydroxyl-stretching vibrations. The spectra exhibit sharp bands characteristic of each asbestos species, which can be used for the unambiguous identification of known and unknown asbestos fibres. Evident changes of the relative band intensities sensitively reflect the chemical substitutions that typically occur in asbestos minerals. The elemental composition of the asbestos reference samples was analysed by using a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrometer. The discussion of the experimental results in terms of EDX analysis sheds new light on the structural and vibrational consequences of cation distribution in asbestos minerals.     

Synchrotron diffraction studies of TiC/FeTi cermets obtained by SHS

TiC/FeTi composites have been obtained in situ by Self-propagating High-temperature Synthesis (SHS) of an intimate mixture of compacted powders of elemental carbon, titanium and iron. The reaction has been followed in real time by X-ray diffraction at the ESRF. The mechanism of the reaction is discussed in terms of the formation of a liquid phase corresponding to the eutectic of the Fe/Ti system prior to the TiC synthesis. Temperatures of reaction have been estimated by correlating thermal expansion coefficients with diffraction peaks shifts. The microstructures obtained by this method, suitable for cutting tools and wear resistant applications, are presented.     

Structural study of tungstate fluorophosphate glasses by Raman and X-ray absorption spectroscopy

Transparent glasses were synthesized in the NaPO₃-BaF₂-WO₃ ternary system and several structural characterizations were performed by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XANES) at the tungsten L_I and L_III absorption edges and by Raman spectroscopy. Special attention was paid to the coordination state of tungsten atoms in the vitreous network.XANES investigations showed that tungsten atoms are only six-fold coordinated (octahedra WO₆) and that these glasses are free of tungstate tetrahedra (WO₄).In addition, Raman spectroscopy allowed to identify a break in the linear phosphate chains as the amount of WO₃ increases and the formation of P-O-W bonds in the vitreous network indicating the modifier behavior of WO₆ octahedra in the glass network. Based on XANES data, we suggested a new attribution of several Raman absorption bands which allowed to identify the presence of W-O⁻ and WO terminal bonds and a progressive apparition of W-O-W bridging bonds for the most WO₃ concentrated samples (?30% molar) due to the formation of WO₆ clusters.     

Characterization of iron-silicon thin films by means of electron diffraction and X-ray spectroscopy

Iron-silicon thin films have been characterized by means of analytical transmission electron microscopic methods. Under certain conditions — composition and annealing temperature — these films exhibit thermoelectric behavior. In particular, the morphology and phase formation which results from annealing of these films, and doping with oxygen and nitrogen, are of interest. The thermoelectric phase -FeSi₂ is formed at temperatures above 500°C. This phase is transformed into electrically conducting phases at about 1000°C. A small oxygen content does not influence this crystallization process. If the oxygen content is higher than 15 atom-% the electrically conducting phases exist even at 500°C. The presence of a small nitrogen content inhibits the formation of the -FeSi₂ phase. The development of silicon and iron nitrides is possible.     

Study of lithium complexes with benzo-15-crown-5 ether by X-ray diffraction and IR spectroscopy

The complex formation of lithium with benzo-15-crown-5 (B15C5) was investigated. The complexes LiB15C5H₂OX, where X = Cl^? (1), I^? (2), (3), (5), and LiBF₄B15C5 (4) were synthesized and studied by IR spectroscopy. Complexes 1–4 were examined by X-ray diffraction. According to IR spectroscopy data, the crown ether conformation changes upon dissolution. The interaction of the extracted complex with the solvent was identified.