Zn1−xMgxO/ZnO heterostructures studied by Kelvin probe force microscopy conjunction with probe characterizer

The surface potential of Zn_1−xMg_xO/ZnO heterostructure grown by radical source molecular beam epitaxy was measured by Kelvin force microscopy (KFM). A clear correlation was observed between the topographic image and the surface potential of Zn_0.56Mg_0.44O/ZnO heterostructure. The potential area around the surface pits was about 60 mV lower than that of the surrounding region, which suggests the effects of the pits on the electrical properties of the potential layer. In order to guarantee the accuracy of measurement, the probe shape was analyzed by probe characterizer and using Au thin films as a potential standard.     

An FTIR study of the Cl atom-initiated oxidation of CH2Cl2 and CH3Cl

The Cl atom-initiated oxidation of CH₂Cl₂ and CH₃Cl was studied using the FTIR method in the photolysis of mixtures typically containing Cl₂ and the chlorinated methanes at 1 torr each in 700 torr air. The results obtained from product analysis were in general agreement with those reported by Sanhueza and Heicklen. The relative rate constant for the Cl atom reactions of CH₂Cl₂ and CH₃Cl was determined to be k(Cl +CH₃Cl)/k(Cl + CH₂Cl₂) = 1.31 ± 0.14 (2σ) at 298 ± 2 K.     

An FTIR study of the mechanism for the reaction HO + CH3SCH3

Product studies were made using the Fourier transform infrared method in the uv (300–400-nm) photolysis of mixtures containing CH₃SCH₃, C₂H₅ONO, and NO in ppm concentrations in 700 torr of O₂–N₂ diluent. Methyl thionitrite, CH₃SNO, arising from the reaction CH₃S + NO, was detected as an intermediate product. In addition, the yields of the major sulfur-containing products SO₂ and CH₃SO₃H coincided with those of the oxidation of the CH₃S radicals generated directly by the photodissociation of CH₃SNO. The formation of CH₃S in the HO-initiated oxidation of CH₃SCH₃ in the presence of NO suggests a reaction scheme involving the H-abstraction reaction HO + CH₃SCH₃ → CH₃SCH₂ + H₂O as the primary step.     

On the spectral radius of the Jacobi iteration matrix for a rectangular region with two different media

The spectral radius of the Jacobi iteration matrix plays an important role to estimate the optimum relaxation factor, when the successive overrelaxation (SOR) method is used for solving a linear system. The specific systems are finite difference forms of the Laplace equation satisfied on a rectanglar region with two different media. Though the potential function for the inhomogeneous closed region is continuous, the first order derivative is not continuous. So this requires internal boundary conditions or interface conditions. In this paper, the spectral radius of the Jacobi iteration matrix for the inhomogeneous rectangular region is formulated and the approximation for the explicit formula, suitable for the computation of the spectral radius, is deduced. It is also found by the proposed formula that the spectral radius and the optimum relaxation factor rigorously depend on the inhomogeneity or the internal boundary conditions in the closed region, and especially vary with the position of the internal boundary. These findings are also confirmed by the numerical results of the power method.The stationary iterative method using the proposed formula for calculating estimates of the spectral radius of the Jacobi iteration matrix is compared with Carré's method, Kulstrud's method and the stationary iterative method using Frankel's theoretical formula, all for the case of some numerical models with two different media. According to the results our stationary iterative method gives the best results ffor the estimate of the spectral radius of the Jacobi iteration matrix, for the required number of iterations to calculate solutions, and for the accuracy of the solutions.As a numerical example the microstrip transmission line is taken, the propating mode of which can be approximated by a TEM mode. The cross section includes inhomogeneous media and a strip conductor. Upper and lower bounds of the spectral radius of the Jacobi iteration matrix are estimated. Our method using these estimates is also compared with the other methods. The upper bound of the spectral radius of the Jacobi iteration matrix for more general closed regions with two different media might be given by the proposed formula.     

Tokai Radioactive Ion Accelerator Complex (TRIAC)

An ISOL-based radioactive nuclear beam (RNB) facility, Tokai Radioactive Ion Accelerator Complex (TRIAC), has been jointly developed by High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK) and Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). The facility started to supply RNBs for experiments in 2005 and RNBs including fission fragments with energies up to 1.1MeV/A are available in the present. Several experimental studies were performed successfully using ⁸Li beams with various energies.     

Br NQR relaxation of the mixed-valence compound (NH4)4SbIIISbVBr12

⁸¹Br NQR measurements of the mixed-valence compound (NH₄)₄Sb^III Sb^VBr₁₂, which has Sb^VBr₆ ^? and Sb^IIIBr₆ ^3? octahedra in different oxidation states in the tetragonal pseudo-K₂PtCl₆ structure, were carried out by pulse method in the temperature range between 80 and 300 K. The phase transition temperature of T _c = 212 K was redetermined. The T ₁ values are quite different between Sb^VBr₆ ^? and Sb^IIIBr₆ ^3? octahedra. For all resonance lines T ₁ minima were observed at T _c. The T ₁ behavior at T _c was explained by a softening of the rotary lattice mode around a principal axis of each octahedron along the c axis of the crystal. The distinctive feature in the temperature dependence of both ⁸¹Br NQR frequencies and T ₁ values for each anion indicates that the static rotation may occur for Sb^VBr₆ ^? but not for Sb^IIIBr₆ ^3? at T _c in the low temperature phase.     

Targeted Multiresidue Method for the Analysis of Different Classes of Pesticides in Agro-Food Industrial Sludge by Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Sludge generated after washing of fruits and vegetables during agro-food processes is a complex matrix and selective methods for the identification and quantification of pesticides’ residues are necessary in order to achieve a sustainable and effective management of the total sewage. The present work describes the development and validation of a reliable, simple and fast analytical method based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for the determination of 47 pesticides of different chemical classes, including organosphosphates, pyrethroids, neonicotinoids, triazoles and others, in sludge samples after QuEChERS sample preparation. The necessity of the individual steps of QuEChERS was investigated and the LC-ESI-MS/MS conditions were optimized to achieve maximum sensitivity of the target analytes. The method limits of detection (LODs) ranged between 0.0005 mg/kg (imidacloprid) and 0.05 mg/kg (beta cyfluthrin). The recoveries ranged between 71–120% and the repeatability of the method was ≤25% expressed as relative standard deviation. The method was applied to sludge samples generated after washing of fruits in an agro-fruit-packaging unit in Greece. The results showed the presence of 37 pesticides’ active substances with concentrations ranging from low ppbs, such as fludioxinil (5 μg/kg) up to low ppms such as beta cyfluthrin (3.5 mg/kg) and with their sum concentration reaching up to 19 mg/kg.     

Direct analysis of powder samples using transversely excited atmospheric CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> laser-induced gas plasma at 1 atm

A novel method for the direct and sensitive analysis of powder samples has been developed by utilizing the characteristics of a transversely excited atmospheric (TEA) CO₂ laser. In this study, a powder sample was placed in a container and covered by a metal mesh; the metal mesh functions to control the blowing-off of the powder. The container was then perpendicularly attached on a metal surface. When a TEA CO₂ laser (1.5 J, 200 ns) was focused on the metal surface, a large hemispherical gas plasma (radius of around 8 mm) with long emission lifetime (several tens of microseconds) was produced without ablating the metal surface. The high-speed expansion force of the gas plasma samples the powder covered by the metal mesh and fine powder particles are sent into the gas plasma region to be dissociated and excited. Sensitive semi-quantitative analysis was made on organic powder samples such as powdered rice, starch, seaweed (agar), and supplements. The detection limit of heavy metals of Cr in powdered mineral supplement was approximately 0.55 mg/kg.     

Effect of external fields applied during hot-water treatment on the aspect ratio of nanocrystallites formed on SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>·TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> coatings derived from sol–gel techniques

SiO₂·TiO₂ coatings were prepared by a sol–gel route. The effect of the external fields including mechanical vibration and electric charge applied during hot-water treatment on titania precipitation at the surface of the coatings was investigated. The shape of the resulting precipitates tended to elongate by applying vibration in a parallel or perpendicular direction, or by applying an electric charge. The organization of titania nanocrystallites possibly occurs because of the concentration gradient of dissolved titania species generated by the external fields during the hot-water treatment. A maximum aspect ratio of 38.1 was achieved for the precipitate prepared by hot-water treatment performed under parallel vibration for 5 h. The shape of the resulting precipitates was also influenced by the content of TiO₂ in the SiO₂·TiO₂ coating, with a smaller proportion of TiO₂ increasing the aspect ratio of the resulting precipitate.