New layered germanide halides RE2GeX2 (RE = Y, Gd; X = Br, I)

The title compounds were synthesized from RE, REX3, and Ge under an Ar atmosphere at 1200-1370 K. Y2GeI2 and Gd2GeI2 crystallize in space group Rm with lattice constants a = 4.2135(3) and 4.2527(1) A and c = 31.480(2) and 31.657(1) A, respectively. Gd2GeBr2 crystallizes in two modifications, the 1T-type (space group Pm1; a = 4.1668(2) A, c = 9.8173(6) A) and the 3R-type (space group Rm; a = 4.1442(9) A, c = 29.487(7) A). The structural motifs of RE2GeX2 compounds are Ge-centered slightly distorted RE6 octahedra connected via their common edges and extending in the a and b directions. The resulting close-packed double layers are separated by halogen atoms. The electrical resistivity measurements revealed semiconductor behavior for Y2GeI2 and Gd2GeI2 and a metal-semiconductor transition for 1T-Gd2GeBr2. Magnetic susceptibility and heat capacity measurements show long-range magnetic ordering for Gd2GeI2 and 1T-Gd2GeBr2 at approximately 15 and approximately 13 K, respectively.     

Chain dynamics in microgels: poly(N-vinylcaprolactam-co-N-vinylpyrrolidone) microgels as examples

Microgels are highly swollen colloids built up of flexible cross-linked chains. We studied the static and dynamic light scattering (LS) behavior of thermosensitive microgels based on N-vinylcaprolactam and N-vinylpyrrolidone prepared by precipitation copolymerization in H2O (CP-1) and D2O (CP-2). Striking differences in behavior were observed in the two solvents. In both cases the angular dependence of static LS could reasonably well be described by a soft sphere model (J. Polym. Sci., Polym. Phys. Ed. 1982, 20, 157) with small deviations at large qRg. At temperatures larger than the collapse temperatures, the CP-1 sample in water started to aggregate whereas the CP-2 sample in D2O showed no association and developed the expected change toward hard sphere behavior. Dynamic LS permitted the determination of internal or segmental mobility. A remarkable shift toward large qRg was found for CP-1 compared to the behavior of linear chains. The dynamic behavior is clearly displayed in a plot of Gamma*(q) = (Gamma1(q)/q3)(eta0/kT), with Gamma1(q) the first cumulant of the field time correlation function and the common meaning of the other parameters. A long range of hard sphere behavior indicated the suppression of internal modes, but at large qRg the swollen microgel CP-1 in water displayed internal motions with a spectrum similar to that of Zimm relaxations. No internal mobility could be detected with the CP-2 sample in D2O. The behavior is in agreement with observations in the literature. The differences in the two similar solvents were attributed to the poorer solvent quality of D2O.     

Effect of Blending of Cholesteric Cellulose Esters on the Pitch Height

Butyric esters (BuPC) of hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC) with different degrees of substitution (DS) were obtained by the reaction of (2‐hydroxypropyl)cellulose with butyryl chloride. Blends of these BuPCs were obtained from ternary solutions by removal of the common solvent. The blends displayed thermotropic cholesteric mesophases and showed iridescent colors at ambient temperatures depending on the blend composition. The spectroscopic analysis of the blends showed systematic variations of the reflection colors with variations of the ratio of the blend components between the reflection colors of the pure blend components covering the range from 453–938 nm corresponding to pitch heights from 308–640 nm.     

Struktur,Verzwillingung und Eigenschaften von Ce4Br3C4

Structure, Twinning, and Properties of Ce₄Br₃C₄ The new compound Ce₄Br₃C₄ can be prepared from Ce metal, CeBr₃ and C (3 : 3 : 2) at 1020 °C. It crystallizes in P 1 with a = 422.7(1) pm, b = 1103.4(3) pm, c = 1126.8(2) pm, α = 77.15(3)°, β = 90.13(2)° and γ = 84.42(3)°. The crystals are characteristically twinned, the twin law being (1 0 0, ¹/₂ –1 0, 0 0 –1). The crystal structure contains puckered layers of edge sharing Ce₆C₂ octahedra. The mean C–C distance in the C₂ units is 133(5) pm. Ce₄Br₃C₄ has at room temperature a specific resistivity of 100 mΩ cm and an effective magnetic moment of 2.55(3) μ_B (Ce³⁺).     

Metal—-Metal “Communication” of Rh or Pd with Nd in Novel Heterobinuclear Complexes

The reaction of a neodymium “ate” complex and an electron-rich transition metal chloride by salt elimination is an efficient method for synthesizing heterobinuclear compounds which contain a lanthanide and a Group 9 or 10 metal [Eq. (1), H₂Ap=2-amino-4-methylpyridine]. The use of bisaminopyridinato ligands allows extremely short distances between Rh or Pd and Nd.     

Metal Substitution in Layered Superconducting La2C2Br2

The effect of metal substitution in La₂C₂Br₂ by Lu (non-magnetic) and Ce (magnetic), respectively, on T_c was studied. The Lu substitution affects T_c, which decreases moderately with increasing amount of Lu. However Ce substitution affects T_c drastically, such that only 10% Ce substitution makes superconductivity disappear.     

Y16I19C8B4 – ein Yttriumboridcarbidhalogenid mit B2C4-Einheiten

Y₁₆I₁₉C₈B₄ – a Yttrium Boride Carbide Halide Containing B₂C₄ Units The new compound Y₁₆I₁₉C₈B₄ was prepared from Y, YI₃, C and B at 1050–1150 °C. The structure of a twinned crystal was determined by means of X-ray diffraction (space group P 1¯, a = 12.311(2) Å, b = 13.996(3) Å, c = 19.695(3) Å, α = 74.96(2)°, β = 89.51(2)°, γ = 67.03(2)°, Z = 2). Y₁₆I₁₉C₈B₄ is a semiconductor and contains nearly planar B₂C₄ units which are located in cages built up by 12 yttrium atoms. Assuming (B₂C₄)^12–, these units can be regarded as isoelectronic with B₂F₄. The yttrium cages are connected via faces to form rods, which are surrounded by iodine atoms. Bridging iodine atoms connect the rods so that layers are formed. The characteristic twinning observed can be understood from the geometry of the crystal structure.     

On Finite Dimension Exchange Algorithms

Load balancing on parallel computers aims at equilibrating some initial load which is different from one processor to another. We consider only nearest neighbour algorithms: in each step a processor communicates only with its direct neighbours. Load balancing algorithms can be divided into two classes: diffusion and dimension exchange. Whereas the first is appropriate for the so‐called all‐port‐model where a processor can send tokens to all its neighbours at a time, the latter is useful for the one‐port‐model. Both kinds of algorithms can be viewed as methods for solving certain singular linear systems. Since a few years there exist finite diffusion algorithms which have the property that they compute l₂‐minimal flows. In this paper a new finite dimension exchange method will be presented that is based on edge‐colourings of the underlying graph. It is usually faster and more stable than its diffusion counterpart. The flows computed by the new method are not minimal but it can be shown that they are bounded. Our analysis is based on techniques from numerical linear algebra.