Bis(4,4′‐bipyridinium) hexa­cyano­platinate(IV) bis­(4,4′‐bipyridine)

In the title compound, (C₁₀H₉N₂)₂[Pt(CN)₆]·2C₁₀H₈N₂ or [(Hbpy)⁺]₂[Pt(CN)₆]²⁻·2bpy, where bpy is 4,4′‐bipyridine, the Hbpy⁺ cations and bpy mol­ecules form a hydrogen‐bonded two‐dimensional cationic approximately square grid parallel to the (110) plane. The [Pt(CN)₆]²⁻ dianions reside in the cavities within this grid, with the nitrile N atoms forming weak hydrogen bonds with the CH groups in the cationic lattice.     

Silicon heterojunction solar cell with amorphous silicon oxide buffer and microcrystalline silicon oxide contact layers

This Letter reports on the fabrication and characterization of silicon heterojunction solar cells with silicon oxide based buffer (intrinsic amorphous silicon oxide) and contact layers (doped microcrystalline silicon oxide) on flat p‐type wafers. The critical dependency of the cell performance on the front and rear buffer layer thickness reveals a trade‐off between the open circuit voltage V_oc and the fill factor FF. At the optimum, the highest efficiency of 18.5% (active area = 0.67 cm²) was achieved with V_oc = 664 mV, short circuit current J_sc = 35.7 mA/cm² and FF = 78.0%. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A low‐cost X‐ray‐transparent experimental cell for synchrotron‐based X‐ray microtomography studies under geological reservoir conditions

A new modular X‐ray‐transparent experimental cell enables tomographic investigations of fluid rock interaction under natural reservoir conditions (confining pressure up to 20 MPa, pore fluid pressure up to 15 MPa, temperature ranging from 296 to 473 K). The portable cell can be used at synchrotron radiation sources that deliver a minimum X‐ray flux density of 10⁹ photons mm^?2 s^?1 in the energy range 30–100 keV to acquire tomographic datasets in less than 60 s. It has been successfully used in three experiments at the bending‐magnet beamline 2BM at the Advanced Photon Source. The cell can be easily machined and assembled from off‐the‐shelf components at relatively low costs, and its modular design allows it to be adapted to a wide range of experiments and lower‐energy X‐ray sources.     

A Monte Carlo model for ‘jet quenching’

We have developed the Monte Carlo simulation program Jewel 1.0 (Jet Evolution With Energy Loss), which interfaces a perturbative final-state parton shower with medium effects occurring in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions. This is done by comparing for each jet fragment the probability of further perturbative splitting with the density-dependent probability of scattering with the medium. A simple hadronisation mechanism is included. In the absence of medium effects, we validate Jewel against a set of benchmark jet measurements. For elastic interactions with the medium, we characterise not only the medium-induced modification of the jet, but also the jet-induced modification of the medium. Our main physical result is the observation that collisional and radiative medium modifications lead to characteristic differences in the jet fragmentation pattern, which persist above a soft background cut. We argue that this should allow one to disentangle collisional and radiative parton energy loss mechanisms by measuring the n-jet fraction or a class of jet shape observables.     

Formation of microcapsules from polyelectrolyte and covalent interactions

A new approach combining electrostatic and covalent bonds was established for the formation of resistant capsules with long-term stability under physiological conditions. Three kinds of interactions were generated in the same membrane: (1) electrostatic bonds between alginate and poly-L-lysine (PLL), (2) covalent bonds (amides) between propylene-glycol-alginate (PGA) and PLL, and (3) covalent bonds (amides) between BSA and PGA. Down-scaling of the capsules size (< or =1 mm diameter) with a jet break-up technology was achieved by modifying the rheological properties of the polymer solution. Viscosity of the PGA solution was reduced by 95% with four successive pH stabilizations (pH 7), while filtration (0.2 microm) and sterilization was possible. Covalent bond formation was initiated by addition of NaOH (pH 11) using a transacylation reaction. Kinetics of the chemical reaction (pH 11) were simulated by two mathematical models and adapted in order to preserve immobilization of animal cells. It was demonstrated that diffusion of NaOH in the absence of BSA resulted in gelation of 94% of the bead and death of 94% of the cells after 10 s reaction. By addition of BSA only 46% of the cells were killed within the same reaction time (10 s). Mechanical resistance of this new type of capsule could be increased 5-fold over the standard polyelectrolytic system (PLL-alginate). Encapsulated CHO cells were successfully cultivated for 1 month in a repetitive batch mode, with the mechanical resistance of the capsules decreasing by only 10% during this period. The combination of a synthetic and natural protein resulted in enhanced stability toward culture medium and proteolytic enzymes (250%).     

Interpolating between Ising, XY-, and non-linear σ-models

The β-functions of O(N)-symmetric non-linear σ-models on the lattice were recently discovered to be non-monotonic for N 3. We explain the non-monotonic behaviour as a non-perturbative lattice effect by relating it to the Kosterlitz-Thouless transition of the XY-model. We also relate the latter transition to the phase transition of the Ising model. These relationships are established by interpolating between the O(N)- and the O(N − 1)-symmetric non-linear σ-models by suppression of the Nth component of the N-vector field with a mass term. A critical line in the coupling-mass plane connects the critical point of the Ising model (N = 1) with the critical point of the XY-model (N = 2). This line extends towards the region of non-monotonic behaviour of the β-function of the O(3)-symmetric model. The nature of the transition lines is also investigated.     

7Li(p,n)7Be reaction with polarized protons from the threshold to 3.0 MeV

A polarized beam was used to measure angular distributions of the proton analyzing power of the ⁷Li(p,n)⁷Be reaction at 11 energies from 2.05 to 3.00 MeV. The analyzing power is generally large and positive. The analyzing power can be fitted with associated Legendre polynomials. The coefficient of P₁¹ rises rapidly from threshold to a maximum near the 3⁺ state at 2.25 MeV from which it drops to a minimum at 2.42 MeV, whence it gently rises to 3.00 MeV; the coefficient of P₂¹ has small values that increase with energy. The data were measured typically to an accuracy of 0.02 with a target 20 keV thick at 2 MeV bombarding energy. Polarization contour maps are given. Comparison of these analyzing power measurements with previous data for the neutron polarization induced with unpolarized protons shows equality at some energies and slightly higher values at others.