Direct coating of quantum dots with silica shell

This paper describes a method for direct coating of fluorescent semiconductor nanoparticles with silica shell. The fluorescent semiconductor nanoparticles used were CdSe _x Te_1–x nanoparticles coated with ZnS and succeedingly surface-modified with carboxyl groups, or quantum dots (Q-dots). The Q-dots were silica-coated by performing sol–gel reaction of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) using NaOH as a catalyst in the presence of the Q-dots. Quasi-perfect Q-dots/silica core-shell particles were formed at 5.0 M H₂O and 4.0 × 10⁻⁴ M NaOH. Under these concentrations of H₂O and NaOH, the particle size of Q-dots/silica particles could be varied from 20.1 to 38.1 nm as the TEOS concentration increased from 2.5 × 10⁻⁴ to 50 × 10⁻⁴ M. The Q-dots/silica particles showed fluorescence as well as the uncoated Q-dots.     

Reversible reaction via a carbanion intermediate in the elimination of ammonia from L-histidine catalysed by histidine ammonia-lyase

L-[5'-2H2]Histidine was used as a substrate to investigate the enzymatic reaction mechanism with histidine ammonia-lyase from Pseudomonas fluorescens. The study was performed to determine the exchange rate of deuterium at C-5' of the imidazole ring with solvent hydrogen relative to the net urocanic acid production. The extent of hydrogen exchange at C-5' of histidine or urocanic acid was measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-selected ion monitoring, monitoring the molecular ion intensities of the respective gas chromatographic derivatives, at m/z 380 and 379 for histidine and at m/z 267 and 266 for urocanic acid. The observed hydrogen exchange at C-5' suggested a reversible mechanism via a carbanion intermediate in the reaction with histidine ammonia-lyase.     

HREELS, STM, and STS study of CH(3)-terminated Si(111)-(1x1) surface

An ideally (1x1)-CH(3)(methyl)-terminated Si(111) surface was composed by Grignard reaction of photochlorinated Si(111) and the surface structure was for the first time confirmed by Auger electron spectroscopy, low energy electron diffraction, high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS), scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS). HREELS revealed the vibration modes associated to the CH(3)-group as well as the C-Si bond. STM discerned an adlattice with (1x1) periodicity on Si(111) composed of protrusions with internal features, covering all surface terraces. The surface structure was confirmed to be stable at temperatures below 600 K. STS showed that an occupied-state band exists at gap voltage of -1.57 eV, generated by the surface CH(3) adlattice. This CH(3):Si(111)-(1x1) adlayer with high stability and unique electronic property is prospective for applications such as nanoscale lithography and advanced electrochemistry.     

Thermodynamics of surfactant-dye complex formation in aqueous solutions. Sodium alkyl sulfates and azo oil dye systems

Thermodynamics of surfactant-dye complex formation have been studied, in terms of equilibrium coefficient, using a spectrophotometer. The systems are 6 sodium alkyl sulfates, which have different alkyl chain lengths, and 4-phenylazo-1-naphthylamine. A pronounced spectral change in the dye solution occurs on addition of the surfactant; the change has a definite isosbestic point and a new absorption band at 535 nm because of surfactant-dye complex formation, which is caused by hydrophilic-hydrophilic interaction. As the alkyl chain length in the surfactant increases, the values of free energy change (negative) increase, while the value of enthalpy change (negative) increases and the value of entropy change (positive) decreases. The longer the alkyl chain length in surfactant increase, the more stable the surfactant-dye complex becomes.Surfactant-dye complex will form due to hydrophilic-hydrophilic interaction and will become more stable due to hydrophobic-hydrophobic interaction.     

Effects of band structure and matrix element on RKKY interaction

The effects of band structure and matrix elements on the RKKY interaction J(R) are separately investigated. When the Fermi surface has planes perpendicular to R, effects appear on the period of oscillation, the phase shift and the amplitude of J(R). The applicable region of the asymptotic form for large R and the validity of the free electron approximation are also examined. If there are no tangential planes perpendicular to R, it is found that: 1) when two interacting localized spins are on lattice points in the crystal, exponential damping appears even for the constant matrix element model and the matrix element effects introduce competing terms causing a sign change; 2) when one of the spins is at an interstitial position, the constant matrix model gives a weaker J(R) ∝ R^-2 damping, but the character of this term changes into the exponential damping by taking into account matrix elements.     

Vacuum ion source diagnostics at the Tokyo Institute of Technology

After a brief review of various diagnostics for vacuum ion sources measured data are presented for the particle distributions within the anode/cathode gap regions using passive spectroscopy, active laser interferometry, and resonant laser-induced fluorescence, while the extracted ion beams were observed by particle track detectors of both time-integrated and time-resolved types. Also measured were the prompt gamma-rays and the D-D neutrons when the beams hit the targets. The experimental arrangements of these diagnostics, together with some examples of the typical results obtained, are shown. It is discussed how various kinds of particles were distributed within the ion diodes, and how they were extracted from the source regions     

Micrometer-sized graphitic balls produced together with single-wall carbon nanohorns

We present in this report a new type of particles with micrometer-order sizes, which we called giant graphitic balls (GG balls). The GG balls are produced by CO2 laser ablation of graphite together with single-wall carbon nanohorns. They have graphitic structures whose layers tend to align parallel with the GG-ball surfaces, resulting in polygonal-like arrangements. Comparing the GG-ball structure with that of the previously reported polygonal graphite-particles, the growth mechanism of the GG ball is discussed briefly.