Simulation of pulsed electropositive and electronegative plasmas

A particle-in-cell (PIC) code with nonperiodic boundary conditions, including ionization and ion motion, is used to simulate the approach to equilibrium and the decay in the postdischarge of model electropositive and electronegative plasmas in a symmetric RF diode. In the electropositive plasma the density decreases to 1/e in ~10 μs. The electronegative ion plasma density is about four times higher and decreases to 1/e in ~50 μs, with the electron temperature and density decreasing to zero in a few microseconds. During this latter time scale, a weak field is set up to drive the negative ions to the boundaries at the same rate as the ion diffusion velocity. In the postdischarge this is close to thermal, hence some hundreds of microseconds are required to remove most of the negative ions from the system. As negative ions are thought to be the precursors for particulate formation, plasmas pulsed at around 1 kHz will severely decrease the lifetime of the negative ions and thereby reduce the possibility of particulate growth     

CONTROLLING THE 3D NANOSCALE ORGANIZATION OF BULK HETEROJUNCTION POLYMER SOLAR CELLS

In this study,the three dimensional nanoscale organization in the photoactive layers of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and a methanofullerene derivative (PCBM) is revealed by transmission electron tomography.After annealing treatment,either at elevated temperature or during slow solvent evaporation,nanoscale interpenetrating networks are formed with high crystalline order and favorable concentration gradients of both components through the thickness of the photoactive layer.Such a tailored morphology acco...     

Multiple additions of phenylgermanium ligands to tetraruthenium and tetraosmium carbonyl cluster complexes

Three new compounds, Ru4(mu4-GePh)2(mu-GePh2)2(mu-CO)2(CO)8 (11), Ru4(mu4-GePh)2(mu-GePh2)3(mu-CO)(CO)8 (12), and Ru4(mu4-GePh)2(mu-GePh2)4(CO)8 (13), were obtained from the reaction of H(4)Ru(4)(CO)12 with excess Ph(3)GeH in octane (11 and 12) or decane (13) reflux. Compound 11 was converted to compound 13 by reaction with Ph(3)GeH by heating solutions in nonane solvent to reflux. Compounds 11-13 each contain a square-type arrangement of four Ru atoms capped on each side by a quadruply bridging GePh ligand to form an octahedral geometry for the Ru(4)Ge(2) group. Compound 11 also contains two edge-bridging GePh(2) groups on opposite sides of the cluster and two bridging carbonyl ligands. Compound 12 contains three edge-bridging GePh(2) groups and one bridging carbonyl ligand. Compound 13 contains four bridging GePh(2) groups, one on each edge of the Ru4 square. The reaction of H(4)Os(4)(CO)12 with excess Ph(3)GeH in decane at reflux yielded two new tetraosmium cluster complexes, Os4(mu4-GePh)2(mu-GePh2)3(mu-CO)(CO)8 (14) and Os4(mu4-GePh)2(mu-GePh(2))4(CO)8 (15). These compounds are structurally similar to compounds 12 and 13, respectively.     

Instructions to authors

In a cylindrical-beam plasma system with ω_pe < ω_ce, large-amplitude (W/nT ～ 1) bursts of spatially localized (length ～λ/2) electron plasma waves are observed to be correlated with accelerated background electrons and an increase in the luminosity of the plasma.     

Preparation of a Highly Fluorophilic Phosphonium Salt and its Use in a Fluorous Anion-Exchanger Membrane with High Selectivity for Perfluorinated Acids

Fluorous solvents are the most nonpolar, nonpolarizable phases known, whereas ions are inherently polar. This makes it difficult to create salts that are soluble in a fluorous solvent. Here we present the synthesis and characterization of a new fluorophilic phosphonium salt, tris{3,5-bis[(perfluorooctyl)propyl]phenyl}methylphosphonium methyl sulfate. The salt has a solubility of at least 14 mM in perfluoro(perhydrophenanthrene), perfluoro(methylcyclohexane), and perfluorohexanes. It also shows immediate potential for use as a phase-transfer catalyst in fluorous biphasic catalysis, but in this work it is used as an anion-exchanger site in the first potentiometric fluorous-membrane anion-selective electrode. The membrane sensor exhibited the exceptional selectivity of 3.9 × 10¹⁰ to 1 for perfluorooctanesulfonate over chloride, and of 2.5 × 10⁷ to 1 for perfluorooctanoate over chloride. With improvements to the sensor's detection limit and lifetime, it has the potential to be an attractive alternative to the expensive, time-consuming methods currently employed for measurement of perfluorinated acids.     

Platinum–Ruthenium Cluster Complexes from the Reaction of Ru<Subscript>3</Subscript>(CO)<Subscript>12</Subscript> with Pt(PBu<Superscript>t</Superscript><Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>

Three new platinum–ruthenium complexes: Pt₃Ru₃(PBu^t ₃)₃(CO)₁₂, 8, Pt₅Ru₃(PBu^t ₃)₃(CO)₁₂, 9 and PtRu₃(PBu^t ₃)₂(CO)₈(μ₃-PBu^t)(μ-H)₂, 10 were obtained from the reaction of Ru₃(CO)₁₂ with Pt(PBu^t ₃)₂. Compound 8 was obtained from this reaction when conducted at 25 °C. Compounds 9 and 10 were obtained when the reaction was conducted at 68 °C. The structure of 8 consists of a central triangular cluster of three ruthenium atoms with one Pt(PBu^t ₃) group bridging each of the three Ru–Ru bonds. The structure of 9 consists of a capped pentagonal bipyramidal cluster of eight metal atoms that is formed formally by the addition of two platinum atoms to 8. The structure of 10 contains a triangular cluster of three ruthenium atoms with a Pt(PBu^t ₃) group bridging one of the Ru–Ru bonds. A t-butyl phosphido ligand formed by degradation of a molecule of PBu^t ₃ bridges the three ruthenium atoms. This report is dedicated to the memory of Professor F. A. Cotton for his many pioneering contributions to inorganic and metal cluster chemistry.     

A Short Review of Experimental and Computational Diagnostics for Radiofrequency Plasma Micro-thrusters

Experimental and computational diagnostics for radiofrequency plasma micro-thrusters are presented, based on the low power (10–100 W) electrothermal thruster prototype, Mini Pocket Rocket, developed for use on the Cubesat nanosatellite platform. Computer simulations include computer fluid dynamics simulations and particle in cell simulations while experimental results are obtained using a variety of electrostatic, optical and momentum probes. The output and limitations of each diagnostic are discussed within the context of device development for space use.