Phase transitions in small particles formed at the initial stages of electrocrystallization of metals

The diagram of possible phase transitions occurring in small particles with variations in the electrodeposition parameters is constructed and justified using the data obtained from experimental investigations into the formation and evolution of pentagonal crystals on an indifferent substrate during electrocrystallization of copper.     

Mössbauer study of layered iron hydroxysulfides: Tochilinite and valleriite

Natural and synthetic layered iron hydroxysulfides: tochilinite and valleriite, have been investigated by Mössbauer spectroscopy. Tochilinite, magnetite, troilite, and pyrite phases were found in the products of tochilinite synthesis under different conditions. The relative contents of the phases found are determined as functions of the relative magnesium content in the initial mixture. Crystallochemical identification of the ⁵⁷Fe subspectra of valleriite has been performed.     

A comparative study on the interaction between tin(II) porphyrin and selected group 8B metals for potential application as reduction catalysts

We study the interaction between tin(II) porphyrin (SnPor) with platinum and non-precious Group 8B metals (iron, cobalt and nickel) by density functional theory and discuss the electronic properties of the resulting products. We also model the interaction of the resulting compounds with water where applicable. Our studies indicate that, SnPor-Ni possesses electronic properties similar to SnPor-Pt, suggesting that it may possess similar photocatalytic properties for reduction reactions, such as converting water to hydrogen gas.     

Effect of optical blooming of a nanocrystal monolayer and the interface between two media

It is shown that several parameters of the near-field interaction of particles effectively control the reflectance of the interface between vacuum and a semi-infinite medium in a structured monolayer of nanoparticles, changing it from 0 to 1. The formulas derived for the electric field amplitudes inside and outside the nanostructural layer take into account the periodic arrangement of nanoparticles. The ideal blooming condition of the boundary of the underlying medium is derived, under which the reflectance of the interface tends to zero in a wide range of wavelengths in the visible optical range.     

Behavior of the intensity of galactic and anomalous cosmic rays in the outer heliosphere and large-scale electric fields

The behavior of the intensity of anomalous and galactic cosmic rays in the outer heliosphere is compared. The previous hypothesis, according to which the lowest energy galactic cosmic rays affected by large-scale electric fields far beyond the termination shock wave of the solar wind may contribute to the behavior of the anomalous component intensity, is analyzed.     

An interrogator for a fiber Bragg sensor array based on a tunable erbium fiber laser

An interrogator of Bragg sensors based on a narrow-band tunable erbium laser is developed. The laser characteristics enable one to interrogate up to 45 temperature sensors in a range of 100°C with an error of no greater than 1°C.     

Possibility of observing chiral-symmetry effects in ferromagnetic nanoparticles

The statistics of left-and right-handed vortical magnetization states in a system of submicron-sized ferromagnetic disks is studied experimentally. Lattices of elliptic cobalt particles with a planar size of 750 × 450 nm and a thickness of 25 nm were formed using high-resolution electronic lithography. To visualize the magnetization distributions in the disks, magnetic force microscopy was used. The experimental results indicate the conservation of magnetic chiral symmetry in cobalt ferromagnetic particles of the above size and shape.     

Nanoparticle composites: FePt with wide-band-gap semiconductor

We present a simple way to synthesize FePt and ZnO (wide-band-gap semiconductor) nanoparticle composites. The FePt nanoparticles were fabricated using the method reported by Sun et al. By controlling the heating rate, 3 nm FePt nanoparticles were synthesized. Well-dispersed FePt and ZnO nanoparticle composites were prepared by further adding zinc acetate and oleyl amine into the 3 nm FePt nanoparticle dispersion. By controlling the molar ratio of the FePt and zinc acetate, FePt and ZnO nanoparticle composites with different FePt particle fractions were obtained. The intensity of photo luminescence spectra of the nanoparticle composites increases very much with decreasing FePt particle fraction, whereas the peak position shifts a little. After annealing at 550 °C for half an hour, the nanoparticle composites become magnetically hard or semi-hard with coercivity much dependent on the FePt particle volume fraction. The coercivity of the composites increases with annealing temperature. The composites hold the promise of applications in new generation recording and/or optical devices.