Extrinsic Heavy Metal Atom Effect on the Solid‐State Room Temperature Phosphorescence of Cyclic Triimidazole

Four coordination compounds [Zn₃(CH₃COO)₆(H₂O)₂](TT)₂ [Cd(H₂O)₆](ClO₄)₂(TT)₂, [Cd(H₂O)₆](BF₄)₂(TT)₂, [Zn(H₂O)₆](BF₄)₂(TT)₂ ( 1 – 4 ) accommodating the crystallization induced emissive triimidazo[1,2‐a:1′,2′‐c:1′′,2′′‐e][1,3,5]triazine ( TT ) as a guest in their crystal lattice are isolated and fully photophysically and structurally characterized. Their emission properties are compared with those of afterglow TT and interpreted taking into account the heavy atom effect and crystal packing similarities and differences. In the case of 1 , due to the closeness of the TT H‐aggregates arrangement with that of the phosphor's pure phase, the observed intensification of the phosphorescent emission at the expense of the prompt one is attributed to the extrinsic heavy atom effect of Zn. In 2 and 3 , the heavier Cd atom is responsible for a decrease in the lifetimes of the afterglow emission, despite the presence of tightly overlapped H‐dimers in the crystal structure. Finally, for 4 , isostructural with 3 , the Zn atom reveals in RTUP lifetime comparable with that of 1 .     

Search of the neutrino-less double beta decay of $$^{}$$Se into the excited states of $$^{}$$Kr with CUPID-0

The CUPID-0 experiment searches for double beta decay using cryogenic calorimeters with double (heat and light) read-out. The detector, consisting of 24 ZnSe crystals 95\(\%\) enriched in \(^{82}\)Se and two natural ZnSe crystals, started data-taking in 2017 at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso. We present the search for the neutrino-less double beta decay of \(^{82}\)Se into the 0\(_1^+\), 2\(_1^+\) and 2\(_2^+\) excited states of \(^{82}\)Kr with an exposure of 5.74 kg\(\cdot \)yr (2.24\(\times \)10\(^{25}\) emitters\(\cdot \)yr). We found no evidence of the decays and set the most stringent limits on the widths of these processes: \(\varGamma \)(\(^{82}\)Se \(\rightarrow ^{82}\)Kr\(_{0_1^+}\))8.55\(\times \)10\(^{-24}\) yr\(^{-1}\), \(\varGamma \) (\(^{82}\) Se \(\rightarrow ^{82}\) Kr \(_{2_1^+}\))\(\,{<}\,6.25 \,{\times }\,10^{-24}\) yr\(^{-1}\), \(\varGamma \)(\(^{82}\)Se \(\rightarrow ^{82}\)Kr\(_{2_2^+}\))8.25\(\times \)10\(^{-24}\) yr\(^{-1}\) (90\(\%\) credible interval).     

Quantitative studies on free radical reactions with the scavenger 1,1,3,3-tetramethylisoindolinyl-2-oxy

Previously unobserved reaction pathways for the attack of $\text{tert}$-butoxy radicals on vinyl monomers have been found by a technique which employs the title nitroxide as radical scavenging agent.     

Bolometric bounds on the antineutrino mass

High statistics calorimetric measurements of the beta spectrum of 187Re are being performed with arrays of silver perrhenate crystals operated at low temperature. After a substantial modification of the experimental setup, a new measurement with ten silver perrhenate microbolometers has been running since July 2002. The crystals have masses around 300 microg and their average FWHM energy resolution is of 28.3 eV at the beta end point. The Kurie plot collected during 4485 h x mg effective running time has an end-point energy of 2466.1+/-0.8(stat)+/-1.5(syst) eV, while the half lifetime of the decay is found to be 43.2+/-0.2(stat)+/-0.1(syst) Gy. These values are the most precise obtained so far for 187Re. The best fit value for m(2)(nu(e)) is 147+/-237(stat)+/-90(syst) eV(2), which corresponds to an upper limit for the electron antineutrino mass m(nu(e))< or =21.7 eV at 90% C.L.     

Bromination of single crystals of trans-1,4-polybutadiene. Thermal behavior

It is demonstrated by several methods (DSC, infrared spectroscopy, and small-angle and wideangle x-ray diffraction) that bromination of suspensions of single crystals of trans-1,4-polybutadiene is selective at the fold surface. As the thickness of the single crystals is increased, a larger number of double bonds per fold are brominated, i.e. a larger number of repeat units become accessible to bromine. This is consistent with an increase in the thickness of disordered surface layers with the crystallization temperature. A reduction of 40–60% in overall apparent enthalpies of transition and of melting and reduced ability of brominated single crystals to refold following annealing are also observed. Crystallization from the melt of trans-1,4-PBD with [ CH₂? CHB_r? CHB_r? CH₂ ] units along the chain is interpreted by assuming that some of these units are incorporated in the crystal lattice as defects.     

The CUORICINO 130Te ββ-decay experiment and a new limit on T_{{1 \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {1 2}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} 2}}^{0\nu } (\beta \beta )

The CUORICINO ββ-decay detector is an array of 62 TeO2 bolometers; 44 are 5×5×5-cm crystals made with natural tellurium (33.8% ¹³⁰Te). There are 18, 3×3×6-cm crystals, 14 of which are made of natural tellurium, 2 are isotopically enriched to 75% in ¹³⁰Te, and 2 are enriched to 82.3% in ¹²⁸Te. The total mass of ¹³⁰Te is ～ 11 kg. The background rate is 0.23 ± 0.04 counts/keV/kg/yr in the energy interval 2480 to 2600 keV. During the cooling process, some of the wires became disconnected and only 32 of the large and 16 of the smaller crystals could be read out. The data presented here come from 29 of the 5×5×5-cm crystals containing 6.2 kg of ¹³⁰Te. The new limit on the half-life is $T_{{1 \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {1 2}} \right. \kern-0em} 2}}^{0\nu } \geqslant 5 \times 10^{23} yr$ , corresponding to an effective Majorana mass of the electron neutrino 〈m _ν〉 between 0.42 and 2.05 eV, depending on the nuclear model used to analyze the data.     

Reduction of mercury(II) by tropical river humic substances (Rio Negro)-Part II. Influence of structural features (molecular size, aromaticity, phenolic groups, organically bound sulfur)

The influence of structural features of tropical river humic substances (HS) on their capability to reduce mercury(II) in aqueous solutions was studied. The HS investigated were conventionally isolated from Rio Negro water-Amazonas State/Brazil by means of the collector XAD 8. In addition, the isolated HS were on-line fractionated by tangential-flow multistage ultrafiltration (nominal molecular-weight cut-offs: 100, 50, 30, 10, 5 kDa) and characterized by potentiometry and UV/VIS spectroscopy. The reduction of Hg(II) ions to elemental Hg by size-fractions of Rio Negro HS was assessed by cold-vapor AAS (CVAAS). UV/VIS spectrometry revealed that the fractions of high molecular-size (F₁>100 kDa and F₂: 50-100 kDa) have a higher aromaticity compared to the fractions of small molecular-size (F₅: 5-10 kDa, F₆: <5 kDa). In contrast, the potentiometric study showed different concentration of functional groups in the studied HS fractions. The reduction of Hg(II) by aquatic HS fractions at pH 5 proceeded in two steps (I, II) of slow first order kinetics (t_1/2 of I: 160 min, t_1/2 of II: 300 min) weakly influenced by the molecular-size, in contrast to the differing degree of Hg(II) reduction (F₅>F₂>>F₁>F₃>F₄>>F₆). Accordingly, Hg(II) ions were preferably reduced by HS molecules having a relatively high ratio of phenolic/carboxylic groups and a small concentration of sulfur. From these results a complex ‘competition’ between reduction and complexation of mercury(II) by aquatic HS occurring in tropical rivers such as the Rio Negro can be suggested.     

Effects of awareness program for controlling mosaic disease in Jatropha curcas plantations

The shrinkage of fossil fuel resources motivates many countries to search alternative energy sources. Jatropha curcas is a small drought‐resistant shrub from whose seeds a high grade fuel biodiesel can be produced. It is cultivated in many tropical countries including India. However, the plant is affected by the mosaic virus (Begomovirus) through infected white‐flies (Bemisia tabaci) which causes mosaic disease. Disease control is an important factor to obtain healthy crop but in agricultural practice, farming awareness is equally important. Here, we propose a mathematical model for media campaigns for raising awareness among people to protect this plant in small plots and control disease. In order to archive high crop yield, we consider the awareness campaign to be arranged in impulsive way to make people aware from infected white‐flies to protect Jatropha plants from mosaic virus. The study reveals that the spread of mosaic disease can be contained or even eradicated by the awareness campaigns. To attain an effective eradication, awareness campaign should be implemented at sufficiently short time intervals. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A model to predict the steady-state concentration of hydroxyl radicals in the surface layer of natural waters

A model was developed to predict the steady-state [*OH] in the surface layer of natural waters as a function of nitrate, inorganic carbon (IC) and dissolved organic matter (DOM). The parameter values were studied in the range detected in shallow high-mountain lakes, to which the model results are most relevant. Calculations indicate that [*OH] increases with increasing nitrate and decreasing IC, and conditions are also identified where [*OH] is directly proportional, inversely proportional or independent of DOM. Based on the model results it is possible to predict the half-life time, due to reaction with *OH, of given dissolved compounds, including organic pollutants, from the water composition data.