Dilatometric study of CaFeO2.5 single crystal

CaFeO_2.5±δ single crystal was obtained after different steps of mechanical and thermal treatment and finally a crystallization in an image furnace. We performed dilatometric tests of this material according to the three crystallographic directions of the network, from ambient to 1,473 K, accompanied by DSC and TG tests. The tests performed on a single crystal CaFeO_2.5 confirmed the transitions already observed by other authors. For the first time, a dilatometric anomaly has been observed at 1,308 K. It has the highest intensity of all the anomalies observed and appears only along the b crystallographic direction reflecting a change of state of CaFeO_2.5 at high temperature. This anomaly was confirmed using DSC and TG analysis. Moreover, this study confirmed the important dilatometric anisotropy of the material.     

Neutron activation analysis of Th via233Pa

A method is described for the analysis of thorium by neutron activation. The sample is brought into solution and quantitative extraction of²³³Pa is carried out in 1M HNO₃ using 0.5M HTTA in benzene. Extraction mechanisms are discussed. The use of a low-power reactor (100 kW_th) enables determination of thorium at a lower concentration limit of 50 ng for periods of irradiation, cooling and measurement of 3 hours, 24 hours and 300 seconds, respectively.     

Adsorption of multivalent alkylthiols on Au(111) surface: Insights from DFT

The adsorption of multivalent thiols on gold (111) surface was investigated using density functional theory applying the Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof functional. Through the comparison of differences in energetics, structure and charge density distribution of a set of monodentate and polydentate thiols, we have described in detail the factors affecting the adsorption energy and the role played by the multivalence, which causes a decreasing of adsorption energy because of both electronic and steric hindrance effects. Finally, the comparison between the adsorption of 1,2‐ and 1,3‐disulfides revealed how the chain length may affect the cleavage of the S? S bond when they adsorb on Au(111) surface. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.