Synthesis of Honeycomb-Structured Beryllium Oxide via Graphene Liquid Cells

Using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy, we show that beryllium oxide crystallizes in the planar hexagonal structure in a graphene liquid cell by a wet-chemistry approach. These liquid cells can feature van-der-Waals pressures up to 1 GPa, producing a miniaturized high-pressure container for the crystallization in solution. The thickness of as-received crystals is beyond the thermodynamic ultra-thin limit above which the wurtzite phase is energetically more favorable according to the theoretical prediction. The crystallization of the planar phase is ascribed to the near-free-standing condition afforded by the graphene surface. Our calculations show that the energy barrier of the phase transition is responsible for the observed thickness beyond the previously predicted limit. These findings open a new door for exploring aqueous-solution approaches of more metal-oxide semiconductors with exotic phase structures and properties in graphene-encapsulated confined cells.     

Positive Operator Majorization and <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-hyponormality

In this note we examine the relationships between p-hyponormal operators and the operator inequality . This leads to a method for generating examples of p-hyponormal operators which are not q-hyponormal for any . Our methods are also shown to have implications for the class of Furuta type inequalities.     

Novel fabrication route for carbon-free and dense CuInSe2 (CIS) thin films via a non-vacuum process for solar cell application

Carbon-free CuInSe₂ (CIS) thin film with a dense microstructure has been prepared using a novel non-vacuum based fabrication route. Cu_xS_y and In₂Se₃ binary nanoparticles, approximately 10 nm in size, were synthesized by a low temperature colloidal process. The precursor film was deposited using the coating ink formulated with the binary nanoparticles and pyridine, and then annealed in the rapid thermal annealing (RTA) chamber at 540 °C for 15 min under selenium (Se) atmosphere. Scanning electron micrographs, X-ray diffraction patterns and Raman spectra showed a phase pure carbon-free and dense CIS thin film was prepared in this method. A solar cell device fabricated using this CIS thin film showed the following photovoltaic characteristics: V_OC = 350 mV, J_SC = 24.72 mA cm⁻², FF = 38.73% and η = 3.36% under standard AM 1.5 condition.     

Generalized uncertainty principle and Hořava–Lifshitz gravity

We explore a connection between generalized uncertainty principle (GUP) and modified Ho?ava–Lifshitz (HL) gravity. The GUP density function may be replaced by the cutoff function for the renormalization group of modified Ho?ava–Lifshitz gravity. We find the GUP-corrected graviton propagators and compare these with tensor propagators in the HL gravity. Two are qualitatively similar, but the p⁵$p^5$-term arisen from Cotton tensor is missed in the GUP-corrected graviton propagator.     

Preparation and characterization of carbamoylphosphonate(CMPO) silane grafted on various mesoporous silicas

The carbamoylphosphosphonate silane (CMPO analogue; 2-(diphenylphosphoryl)-N-(3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl) acetamide) modified mesoporous silica was prepared via a post-synthesis grafting method for the effective purification of rare earth elements. The guest CMPO analogue was synthesized by direct coupling reaction of 2-(diphenylphosphoryl) acetic acid and 3-(triethoxysilyl)propan-1-amine. Various mesoporous silicates such as MCM-41, SBA-15, or amorphous silica nanoparticles were adopted as host materials. The resulting surface-modified mesoporous materials were characterized with respect to their structural integrity, surface area, and pore size and the concentration of the CMPO silane species. These CMPO functionalized periodic mesostructured silicates offer the potential of applications as catalysts, sensors, or environmental sorbents.     

Experimental evidence of structural transition from fcc to bulk bcc in nanophase metal clusters of (Fe)n, (Cr)n, (Mo)n and (W)n produced by CO2 laser multiphoton decomposition of metal carbonyls

We have produced nanophase metal clusters, (Fe)_n, (Cr)_n, (Mo)_n and (W)_n, by multiphoton decomposition of the corresponding metal carbonyls with a 10.6 μm CO₂ laser in the presence of Ar and SF₆. The size distribution was narrow and the average diameter was 6, 3.5, 2 and 1 nm for Fe, Cr, Mo and W clusters, respectively. The structure was found to be bcc for both Fe and Cr clusters, fcc for Mo clusters, and amorphous for W clusters (note that all the bulk metals have bcc structure). Considering the cluster sizes (9630, 1870, 230 and 30 for Fe, Cr, Mo and W clusters, respectively) estimated from their average diameters, it is likely that there exists a structural transition from fcc to bulk bcc with increasing cluster size in these metal clusters.     

Structure–property relationship in PCL/starch blend compatibilized with starch‐g‐PCL copolymer

The polycaprolactone (PCL)/starch blends were prepared by using the starch‐g‐PCL (SGCL) graft copolymers as compatibilizers, and their mechanical properties were correlated with the compatibilizing effect of the SGCL copolymers having various molecular structures. The modulus and strength of the PCL/starch blend were decreased, whereas the percent elongation and the toughness were increased remarkably with the addition of SGCL having appropriate graft structure. These property changes were analyzed in terms of the PCL crystallinity and the interfacial adhesion between the PCL matrix and starch dispersion phases, which were dominated by the compatibilizing effects of the SGCL copolymers. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 2430–2438, 1999     

Enhancement of the stability and reaction rate by thenoyl and CF3 groups in the formation of gold nanocrystals using β-diketones

We describe a synthetic route for the high yield production of Au nanomaterials via a simple one step reduction process. Thenoyltrifluoroacetone was used as a reducing and stabilizing agent as well for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles. The reaction rate for the formation of Au nanoparticles using thenoyltrifluoroacetone was much faster than that of any other β-diketones such as acetylacetone. By simply varying the reaction temperature and the concentration, the shape and size of the resulting Au nanocrystals were easily controlled. The colloidal state of the Au nanocrystals in water lasts several weeks without any spectral changes.     

Co-localization and interaction of human organic anion transporter 4 with caveolin-1 in primary cultured human placental trophoblasts

The human organic anion transporter 4 (hOAT4) has been identified as the fourth isoform of OAT family. hOAT4 contributes to move several negatively charged organic compounds between cells and their extracellular milieu. The functional characteristics and regulatory mechanisms of hOAT4 remain to be elucidated. It is well known that caveolin plays a role in modulating proteins having some biological functions. To address this issue, we investigated the co-localization and interaction between hOAT4 and caveolin-1. hOAT4 and caveolin-1 (mRNA and protein expression) were observed in cultured human placental trophoblasts isolated from placenta. The confocal microscopy of immuno-cytochemistry using primary cultured human trophoblasts showed hOAT4 and caveolin-1 were co-localized at the plasma membrane of the cell. This finding was confirmed by Western blot analysis using isolated caveolae-enriched membrane fractions and immune-precipitates from the trophoblasts. When synthesized cRNA of hOAT4 along with scrambled- or antisense-oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) of Xenopus caveolin-1 were co-injected to Xenopus oocytes, the [3H]estrone sulfate uptake was significantly decreased by the co-injection of antisense ODN but not by scrambled ODN. These findings suggest that hOAT4 and caveolin-1 share a cellular expression in the plasma membrane and caveolin-1 up-regulates the organic anionic compound uptake by hOAT4 under the normal physiological condition.