Structure of Glancing Incidence Deposited TiO2 Thin Films as Revealed by Grazing Incidence Small‐Angle X‐ray Scattering

For the first time, grazing incidence small‐angle X‐ray scattering (GISAXS) analysis is used to characterize the morphology of TiO₂ thin films grown by glancing angle physical vapor deposition (GLAD). According to cross‐section scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, the films consist of near isotilted TiO₂ columns of different length and width depending on film thickness. The obtained GISAXS patterns show a characteristic asymmetry with respect to the incidence plane, which is associated with the tilted geometry of the TiO₂ columns. The patterns also show the existence of two populations of columns in these GLAD‐TiO₂ films. The population of the thinnest columns appears related to the first grown layer and is common for all the films investigated, while the second population of columns grows with the thickness of the films and has been related to wider columns formed by shadowing at the expense of the initially formed columns.     

Optimum calibration points estimating distribution functions

The calibration method has been widely discussed in the recent literature on survey sampling, and calibration estimators are routinely computed by many survey organizations. The calibration technique was introduced in [12] to estimate linear parameters as mean or total. Recently, some authors have applied the calibration technique to estimate the finite distribution function and the quantiles. The computationally simpler method in [14] is built by means of constraints that require the use of a fixed value t₀. The precision of the resulting calibration estimator changes with the selected point t₀. In the present paper, we study the problem of determining the optimal value t₀ that gives the best estimation under simple random sampling without replacement. A limited simulation study shows that the improvement of this optimal calibrated estimator over possible alternatives can be substantial.     

The effects of 1-hydroxyethane-(1,1-diphosphonic acid) on the adsorptive partitioning of metal ions onto gamma-AlOOH

1-Hydroxyethane-(1,1-diphosphonic acid) (HEDP) is extensively used in many technical applications. This work, as a first stage, examines the adsorption of aqueous HEDP, Cu(II), and Zn(II) onto boehmite (gamma-AlOOH) as single solutes. These processes can be described by the formation of inner-sphere complexes by the surface complexation model with constant capacitance. Uncomplexed HEDP is adsorbed as a mononuclear complex over the entre pH range. Four mononuclear surface complexes with different protonation levels are required to obtain a good fit of the experimental data for the pH range studied. Cu(II)- and Zn(II)-HEDP complexes at equimolar concentrations are studied at high and low surface density. The results indicate that the presence of HEDP significantly promotes metal adsorption at low pH in defects of surface sites. However, metal adsorption exhibits the same trend in the absence and presence of HEDP when the surface sites are in excess. The constant capacitance model successfully describes the experimental data through a ligand-like adsorption complex at low pH. At high pH, the model predicts separate adsorption of divalent metal and HEDP onto different surface sites as the preferred adsorption form.     

Adsorption of cinnamaldehyde at the mercury-water interface

The adsorption of cinnamaldehyde from aqueous 1 M KCl has been determined by means of differential capacity, zero charge potential and maximum surface tension measurements. A Frumkin isotherm is obeyed with α = 2.4, corresponding to repulsive interaction, and Γ_s= 3.5 × 10^?10 mol cm^?2, which is independent of potential in the range ?350/?750 mV. The standard free energy of adsorption is a quadratic function of potential with maximum adsorption occurring at the potential of zero charge. The interaction of the molecular dipole with the electric field and the partial charge transfer between the electrode and the adsorbate are considered.     

Analysis of iron state in some Argentinian soils by dissolution methods and Mössbauer spectroscopy

Bahia Blanca (Argentina) soils, in particular entisols, are studied by Mössbauer spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy are used to characterize the samples. Samples were treated with different chemical iron extraction methods, in order to determine relative Fe_o and Fe_d fractions. The Fe_o/Fe_d ratios are obtained and the relative effect of iron extraction treatment on spectra components are determined. In addition, the effect of extraction procedures, dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate and oxalate, in the residual soil fraction are analyzed.     

Molecular and lamellar orientation in polyethylene thin films

Summary A combined wide (WA) and small angle X-ray diffraction (SAXS) study of melt compressed low density PE samples into the form of very thin films is reported. The WAXD patterns show an uniaxialb axis orientation normal to the film surface which can be interpreted in terms of a row structure in the plane of the film. The analysis of SAXS data indicates, in addition, a preferential orientation of bundles of stacked lamellae parallel to the film surface separated by longitudinal microvoids.With 3 figures     

The self-consistent general relativistic solution for a system of degenerate neutrons, protons and electrons in β-equilibrium

We present the self-consistent treatment of the simplest, nontrivial, self-gravitating system of degenerate neutrons, protons and electrons in β-equilibrium within relativistic quantum statistics and the Einstein-Maxwell equations. The impossibility of imposing the condition of local charge neutrality on such systems is proved, consequently overcoming the traditional Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff treatment. We emphasize the crucial role of imposing the constancy of the generalized Fermi energies. A new approach based on the coupled system of the general relativistic Thomas-Fermi-Einstein-Maxwell equations is presented and solved. We obtain an explicit solution fulfilling global and not local charge neutrality by solving a sophisticated eigenvalue problem of the general relativistic Thomas-Fermi equation. The value of the Coulomb potential at the center of the configuration is eV(0)?mπc² and the system is intrinsically stable against Coulomb repulsion in the proton component. This approach is necessary, but not sufficient, when strong interactions are introduced.     

Octahedral norms and convex combination of slices in Banach spaces

We study the relation between octahedral norms, Daugavet property and the size of convex combinations of slices in Banach spaces. We prove that the norm of an arbitrary Banach space is octahedral if, and only if, every convex combination of w^?$w^{?}$-slices in the dual unit ball has diameter 2, which answers an open question. As a consequence we get that the Banach spaces with the Daugavet property and its dual spaces have octahedral norms. Also, we show that for every separable Banach space containing _?1${?}_1$ and for every ε>0$\epsilon >0$ there is an equivalent norm so that every convex combination of w^?$w^{?}$-slices in the dual unit ball has diameter at least 2−ε$2-\epsilon$.