Localization of a vertex reinforced random walk on \mathbb{Z } with sub-linear weight

We consider a vertex reinforced random walk on the integer lattice with sub-linear reinforcement. Under some assumptions on the regular variation of the weight function, we characterize whether the walk gets stuck on a finite interval. When this happens, we estimate the size of the localization set. In particular, we show that, for any odd number $N$ larger than or equal to $5$ , there exists a vertex reinforced random walk which localizes with positive probability on exactly $N$ consecutive sites.     

Structure and bonding of the vanadium(III) hexa-aqua cation. 1. Experimental characterization and ligand-field analysis

Spectroscopic and crystallographic data are presented for salts containing the [V(OH(2))(6)](3+) cation, providing a rigorous test of the ability of the angular overlap model (AOM) to inter-relate the electronic and molecular structure of integer-spin complexes. High-field multifrequency EPR provides a very precise definition of the ground-state spin-Hamiltonian parameters, while single-crystal absorption measurements enable the energies of excited ligand-field states to be identified. The EPR study of vanadium(III) as an impurity in guanidinium gallium sulfate is particularly instructive, with fine-structure observed attributable to crystallographically distinct [V(OH(2))(6)](3+) cations, hyperfine coupling, and ferroelectric domains. The electronic structure of the complex depends strongly on the mode of coordination of the water molecules to the vanadium(III) cation, as revealed by single-crystal neutron and X-ray diffraction measurements, and is also sensitive to the isotopic abundance. It is shown that the AOM gives a very good account of the change in the electronic structure, as a function of geometric coordinates of the [V(OH(2))(6)](3+) cation. However, the ligand-field analysis is inconsistent with the profiles of electronic transitions between ligand-field terms.     

Multifrequency EPR study and density functional g-tensor calculations of persistent organorhenium radical complexes

The dinuclear radical anion complexes [(mu-L)[Re(CO)(3)Cl](2)](*)(-), L = 2,2'-azobispyridine (abpy) and 2,2'-azobis(5-chloropyrimidine) (abcp), were investigated by EPR at 9.5, 94, 230, and 285 GHz (abpy complex) and at 9.5 and 285 GHz (abcp complex). Whereas the X-band measurements yielded only the isotropic metal hyperfine coupling of the (185,187)Re isotopes, the high-frequency EPR experiments in glassy frozen CH(2)Cl(2)/toluene solution revealed the g components. Both the a((185,187)Re) value and the g anisotropy, g(1) - g(3), are larger for the abcp complex, which contains the better pi-accepting bridging ligand. Confirmation for this comes also from IR and UV/vis spectroscopy of the new [(mu-abcp)[Re(CO)(3)Cl](2)](o/)(*)(-)(/2)(-) redox system. The g values are reproduced reasonably well by density functional calculations which confirm higher metal participation at the singly occupied MO and therefore larger contributions from the metal atoms to the g anisotropy in abcp systems compared to abpy complexes. Additional calculations for a series of systems [(mu-abcp)[M(CO)(3)X](2)](*)(-) (M = Tc or Re and X = Cl, and X = F, Cl, or Br with M = Re) provided further insight into the relationship between spin density distribution and g anisotropy.     

Capillary electrophoresis immunoassay using magnetic beads

Protein A-coated magnetic beads (0.3 mum) have been trapped in a small portion of a neutrally coated capillary (50 mum id). Anti-beta-lactoglobulin (beta-LG) antibodies have then been immobilized on the beads through strong affinity with protein A to subsequently capture beta-LG from model or real samples. Once the immunocomplexes formed at physiological pH, a discontinuous buffer system has been used to release the partners and preconcentrate them by transient ITP. The antigens and antibodies have finally been separated by CZE and detected by UV absorbance. An LOQ of 55 nM has been achieved. This methodology has been applied to quantify native beta-LG in pasteurized and ultra-high-temperature-treated bovine milk. All the described procedures, including immunosorbent preparation, sample extraction, cleanup, preconcentration, and separation are completely automated on a commercial CE instrument. As this CE immunoassay method is simple, rapid, selective, and sensitive, it should be a practical and attractive technology for the analysis of complicated biological samples.     

Condensation of a nickel tetranuclear cubane into a heptanuclear single-molecule magnet

A tetranuclear complex, [Ni(4)], with a cubane-like structure synthesized from hexafluoroacetylacetone gives, after drying at high temperature and treatment with pyridine, a heptanuclear nickel(II) complex, [Ni(7)]. The crystal structures of both compounds have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Their magnetic properties have been studied by SQUID and μ-SQUID magnetometry as well as by high-frequency EPR spectroscopy (HF-EPR). For [Ni(4)], the temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility can be fitted by taking into account strong Ni···Ni ferromagnetic interactions which lead to an S = 4 ground-state spin, in good agreement with the HF-EPR study. For [Ni(7)], the temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility shows that the Ni···Ni ferromagnetic interactions are kept within the metal core. However, it was not possible to fit this with a clear set of parameters, and the ground-state spin was undetermined. The field dependence of the magnetization indicates an S = 7 ground-state spin at high field. In contrast, the temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility indicates a ground-state spin of S = 6 or even S = 5. These results agree with complicated high-frequency EPR spectra which have been ascribed to the superposition of signals from the ground spin multiplet and from an excited spin multiplet very close in energy, with the excited state having a larger S value than the ground state. Very low temperature studies show that only the heptanuclear complex behaves as a single-molecule magnet.     

High temperature NMR study of the local structure of molten LaF3-AF (A = Li, Na, K and Rb) mixtures

The local structures of molten lanthanum alkali fluoride binaries have been studied using HT NMR technique. The chemical shifts of (19)F, (23)Na and (139)La in solid and in liquid have been compared for AF (A = alkali) and LaF(3). In pure molten alkali fluorides, the polarisability of anion-cation pairs appears to be a key parameter to depict the observed evolution of (19)F chemical shifts. The influence of the composition has also been studied by measuring the chemical shifts in molten LaF(3)-AF as a function of LaF(3) concentration. A strong influence of the alkali influence is observed. The coordination number of lanthanum is decreased versus AF amount all the more since the alkali atomic number is high. Moreover, the more polarisable the alkali, the less bridging fluorines between the LaF(x) units.     

Large magnetic anisotropy in pentacoordinate Ni(II) complexes

Pentacoordinate complexes in which Ni(II) is chelated by the tridentate macrocyclic ligand 1,4,7-triisopropyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane (iPrtacn) of formula [Ni(iPrtacn)X(2)] (X=Cl, Br, NCS) have relatively large magnetic anisotropies, revealed by the large zero-field splitting (zfs) axial parameters |D| of around 15 cm(-1) measured by frequency-domain magnetic resonance spectroscopy (FDMRS) and high-field high-frequency electron paramagnetic resonance (HF-HFEPR). The spin Hamiltonian parameters for the three complexes were determined by analyzing the FDMRS spectra at different temperatures in zero applied magnetic field in an energy window between 0 and 40 cm(-1). The same parameters were determined from analysis of HF-HFEPR data measured at different frequencies (285, 380, and 475 GHz) and at 7 and 17 K. The spin Hamiltonian parameters D (axial) and E (rhombic) were calculated for the three complexes in the framework of the angular overlap model (AOM). The nature and magnitude of the magnetic anisotropy of the three complexes and the origin of the influence of the X atoms were analyzed by performing systematic calculations on model complexes.     

An investigation of the stored energy and thermal stability in a Cu–Ni–Si alloy processed by high-pressure torsion

ABSTRACT

The stored energy and activation energy for recrystallization were investigated for a Cu-Ni-Si alloy after high-pressure torsion processing for N?=?½, 1, 5 and 10 turns at room temperature. The contributions of geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs), statistically stored dislocations (SSDs) and vacancies to the stored energy were calculated through the Vickers microhardness measurements, kernel average misorientation (KAM) measurements and an analysis by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results show that the total stored energy decreases rapidly after equivalent strain of ε_eq?～?9 and then saturates through ε_eq?～?86 at ～70 J/mol. Concurrently, the local stored energy in GNDs and SSDs was found to depend strongly on the radial distance from the centre of the disc and increase with increasing equivalent strain at ε_eq?～?16 and saturate with further straining. Accordingly, the results indicate that the GNDs and vacancies are responsible for the high stored energy in the initial stage of deformation at equivalent strain range of ε_eq?=?8.6–16 and thereafter their contribution decreases slightly due to the occurrence of dynamic recrystallization and the formation of fine grains. At the same time, the contribution of the SSDs is similar to that of the GNDs only in high strain deformation as at ε_eq?=?49.3 to accommodate the deformation process. An activation energy for recrystallization was estimated in the range of ～?89.7–98.7 kJ/mol, thereby suggesting poor thermal stability.     

Magnetic bistability of isolated giant-spin centers in a diamagnetic crystalline matrix

Polynuclear single-molecule magnets (SMMs) were diluted in a diamagnetic crystal lattice to afford arrays of independent and iso-oriented magnetic units. Crystalline solid solutions of an Fe(4) SMM and its Ga(4) analogue were prepared with no metal scrambling for Fe(4) molar fractions x down to 0.01. According to high-frequency EPR and magnetic measurements, the guest SMM species have the same total spin (S=5), anisotropy, and high-temperature spin dynamics found in the pure Fe(4) phase. However, suppression of intermolecular magnetic interactions affects magnetic relaxation at low temperature (40 mK), where quantum tunneling (QT) of the magnetization dominates. When a magnetic field is applied along the easy magnetic axis, both pure and diluted (x=0.01) phases display pronounced steps at evenly spaced field values in their hysteresis loops due to resonant QT. The pure Fe(4) phase exhibits additional steps which are firmly ascribed to two-molecule QT transitions. Studies on the field-dependent relaxation rate showed that the zero-field resonance sharpens by a factor of five and shifts from about 8 mT to exactly zero field on dilution, in agreement with the calculated variation of dipolar interactions. The tunneling efficiency also changes significantly as a function of Fe(4) concentration: the zero-field resonance is significantly enhanced on dilution, while tunneling at ±0.45 T becomes less efficient. These changes were rationalized on the basis of a dipolar shuffling mechanism and transverse dipolar fields, whose effect was analyzed by using a multispin model. Our findings directly prove the impact of intermolecular magnetic couplings on SMM behavior and disclose the magnetic response of truly isolated giant spins in a diamagnetic crystalline environment.