Study of the first nucleation steps of thin films by XPS inelastic peak shape analysis

The initial steps in the formation of thin films have been investigated by analysis of the peak shape (both inelastic background and elastic contributions) of X‐ray photoelectron spectra. Surface coverage and averaged height of the deposited particles have been estimated for several overlayers (nanometre range) after successive deposition cycles. This study has permitted the assessment of the type of nucleation and growth mechanisms of the films. The experiments have been carried out in situ in the preparation chamber of an XPS spectrometer. To check the performance of the method, several materials (i.e. cerium oxide, vanadium oxide and cadmium sulfide) have been deposited on different substrates using a variety of preparation procedures (i.e. thermal evaporation, ion beam assisted deposition and plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition). It is shown that the first deposited nuclei of the films are usually formed by three‐dimensional particles whose heights and degree of surface coverage depend on the chemical characteristics of the growing thin film and substrate materials, as well as the deposition procedure. It is concluded that XPS peak shape analysis can be satisfactorily used as a general method to characterize morphologically the first nanometric moieties that nucleate a thin film. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Simultaneous Kinetic‐Spectrophotometric Determination of Hydrazine and its Derivatives by Partial Least Squares and Principle Component Regression Methods

Simultaneous kinetic‐spectrophotometric determination of a ternary mixture of hydrazine (HZ) and its derivatives by principal component regression (PCR) and partial least squares (PLS) calibration is described. The methods were based on the difference observed in the reduction rate of iron(III) with HZ, thiosemicarbazide (TSCZ) and phenylhydrazine (PHZ) in the presence of 2,2′‐bipyridine (Bpy). The colored complex of [Fe(Bpy)₃]²⁺ was formed in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as micellar media, and then monitored at 520 nm. The results showed that simultaneous determination of HZ, TSCZ and PHZ could be performed in their concentration ranges of 1.0–70.0, 0.2–6.0 and 0.1–10.0 μg mL^?1, respectively. The root mean squares errors of prediction (RMSEP) of HZ, TSCZ and PHZ were 0.719, 0.164 and 0.105 (for PLS) 0.788, 0.166 and 0.993 (for PCR), respectively. Both methods (PCR and PLS) were validated using a set of synthetic sample mixtures and then applied for simultaneous determination of HZ, TSCZ and PHZ in water samples.     

An unusual chain cadmium(II) coordination polymer: catena‐poly[[(2,2′‐bipyridyl‐κ2N,N′)cadmium(II)]‐di‐μ‐chlorido‐[(2,2′‐bipyridyl‐κ2N,N′)cadmium(II)]‐di‐μ‐thiocyanato‐κ2N:S;κ2S:N]

The title complex, [CdCl(NCS)(C₁₀H₈N₂)]_n, represents an unusual Cd^II coordination polymer constructed by two types of anionic bridges and 2,2′‐bipyridyl (bipy) terminal ligands. These two types of bridges are arranged around inversion centers. The distorted octahedral coordination of the Cd^II center is provided by two chloride ions, one N‐ and one S‐donor atom from two thiocyanate ions, and a pair of N atoms from the chelating bipy ligand. Interestingly, adjacent Cd^II ions are interconnected alternately by paired chloride [Cd...Cd = 3.916 (1) Å] and thiocyanate bridges [Cd...Cd = 5.936 (1) Å] to generate an infinite one‐dimensional coordination chain. Furthermore, weak interchain C—H...S interactions between the bipy components and thiocyanate ions lead to the formation of a layered supramolecular structure.     

Effect of boron non-stoichiometry on B-site in perovskite type structure ScBxRh3 and CeBxRh3 on charges of atoms on A-site: study by X-ray photoelectron and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies

The solid solutions of ScBRh₃-ScRh₃ and CeBRh₃-CeRh₃ are synthesized by the arc melting method, where RBRh₃ and RRh₃ (R=rare earth element) have perovskite and AuCu₃ type structures, respectively. The binding energy of Sc 2p_3/2 for ScB_xRh₃ increases with the boron concentration. The Knight shift of ⁴⁵Sc observed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy decreases with increase of boron concentration. The decrement of the Knight shift corresponds the Sc 4s electron density at the Fermi level. The intensity ratio of f²: f¹: f⁰ of Ce 3d XPS spectrum changes with boron concentration of CeB_xRh₃. It is concluded that in both cases of ScB_xRh₃ and CeB_xRh₃ the charge on the atoms on A-site changes with the concentration of the atoms on B-site, where the atoms are not directly bound.     

Supramolecular isomerism in the hydrogen-bonded network of (5<Emphasis Type="Italic">R</Emphasis>,10<Emphasis Type="Italic">R</Emphasis>)-3,8-dihydroxy-5,10-diethoxy-5,10-dihydrochromeno[5,4,3-<Emphasis Type="Italic">cde</Emphasis>]chromene monohydrate

A new compound (5R, 10R)-3,8-dihydroxy-5,10-diethoxy-5,10-dihydrochromeno[5,4,3-cde]chromene monohydrate was obtained from 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde in aerobic basic aqueous ethanol solution in the presence of manganese chloride and triethylamine and crystallized in orthorhombic P2₁2₁2₁ space group (denoted as 1). When 1 was recrystallized from aqueous methanol, it was transformed to another crystal (2) with the same composition but in P2₁/n space group. The drastic difference in the extensive hydrogen bond network makes 1 a 3D and 2 a 2D infinite supramolecular structure, respectively.     

Alternating copolymer of thiophene andN‐(phenylethynyl)pyrrole. New π‐conjugated alternating five‐membered ring copolymer and its packing structure

An alternating copolymer, Copoly‐1 , of thiophene and N‐(phenylethynyl)pyrrole was prepared by palladium‐catalyzed polycondensation. Powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated that Copoly‐1 formed a stacked packing structure with doubly‐running polymer main chains. Optical data support the molecular and packing structures of Copoly‐1 . © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 2219–2224, 2005     

Lysine peroxycarbamates: free radical-promoted peptide cleavage

Strategies are reported that combine in one step a predictable chemical-based protein digestion with mass spectrometry. Lysine residue amino groups in peptides and proteins are modified by reaction with a peroxycarbonate derived from p-nitrophenol, and tert-butyl hydroperoxide. The peroxycarbonate reacts with lysine residues in peptides and proteins, and the resulting lysine peroxycarbamates undergo homolytic fragmentation under conditions of low-energy collision-induced dissociation (CID). Observed fragmentation of the peptides involves apparent free radical processes including Hofmann-L?ffler-type rearrangements that lead to peptide chain fragmentation. Strategies for directed cleavage of peptides by free radical promoted processes are feasible, and such strategies may well simplify schemes for protein analysis.     

Itosides A – I,New Phenolic Glycosides from Itoa orientalis

Eight new benzoylated gentisyl alcohol (=2‐(hydroxymethyl)benzene‐1,4‐diol) glucosides, itosides A–H ( 1 – 8 ), together with the new pyrocatechol (=benzene‐1,2‐diol) glycoside itoside I ( 9 ) were isolated from the bark and twigs of Itoa orientalis (Flacourtiaceae). In itosides B–D ( 2 – 4 ), the gentisyl alcohol moiety was esterified by 1‐hydroxy‐6‐oxocyclohex‐2‐ene‐1‐carboxylic acid, while itosides E–H ( 5 – 8 ) contained instead an additional 2‐hydroxybenzoic acid moiety. The compounds were accompanied by the known derivatives 4‐hydroxytremulacin ( 10 ), poliothyrsoside ( 11 ), poliothyrsin ( 12 ), homaloside D ( 13 ), tremulacin, and pyrocatechol β‐D ‐glucopyranoside. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by spectral and chemical methods.     

微波等离子体炬发射光谱法去溶系统性能的研究

用微波等离子体矩（MPT）作激发光源，等离子体的工作气体为氩气，研究了气动雾化进样去溶系统的工作参数对分析性能的影响，探讨了水冷凝与浓硫酸吸收二者协同去溶的相关性，结果表明，OH （Q1带，带头谱线为308.520nm）的发射强度即可判别样品去溶效果。     

Electrochemical Characteristics of Mg0.9Ti0.1-xZrxNi （x=0.02, 0.04, 0.06） Alloys

Mg-based hydrogen storage alloys Mg0.9Ti0.1-xZrxNi (x=0.02, 0.04, 0.06) were successfully prepared by means of mechanical alloying (MA). The effects of Zr addition on the discharge capacity and the cycle performance of the Mg-based electrodes were also studied. It was found that the discharge capacities were improved with addition of a small amount of Zr and the cycle performances of the alloy were stabilized with the addition of Ti. The effects of surface modification or coating on the properties of Mg0.9Ti0.06Zr0.04Ni were also studied. The results indicated that coating with graphite improved both the discharge capacity and cycle life of the amorphous Mg0.9Ti0.06Zr0.04Ni electrode.