Raman scattering from antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations

A microscopic theory for the scattering of light from spin fluctuation pair modes in the two-dimensional Hubbard model is presented. Two-spin fluctuation processes with opposite momenta near the antiferromagnetic wave vectorQ=(, ) are shown to contribute in particular to the low energy part of the Raman cross section. We explicitly investigate the influence of the Raman vertex function that describes the coupling of the Raman vertex function that describes the coupling of the light to the electrons and distinguishes between the different scattering geometries. In addition we explore the dependence on the correlation strength and on the temperature.     

Structural analysis of a melaminium polyphosphate from X-ray powder diffraction and solid-state NMR data

The crystal structure of the environmentally friendly flame retardant melaminium polyphosphate (MPoly) (2,4,6-triamino-1,3,5-triazinium x PO(3))(n)was determined by a direct-space global optimization technique from X-ray powder diffraction data. Solid-state NMR was used to corroborate the proposed hydrogen-bonding model and to determine the average degree of polymerization (n > 100). An analysis of the crystal structure of MPoly reveals aspects of molecular geometry and packing that are characteristic for melamine-containing compounds and polyphosphate salts. A comparison of MPoly with the crystal structures of its precursors melaminium orthophosphate (MP) and melaminium dihydrogenpyrophosphate (MPy) provides insight in the mechanism of the endothermic dehydration processes that takes place in the reaction path MP --> MPy --> MPoly. Solid-state NMR characterization of various samples of the same batch showed inhomogeneities in the MPoly composition. Various quantities of orthophosphates were found, which cannot be assigned to be MP.     

Surface-induced hydrogelation

The first azo dye that gels from its aqueous solution was synthesized and its moist hydrogel was investigated with electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy; the anionic azo dye in aqueous solution forms a hydrogel on cationic surfaces even at concentrations 50 times below the minimal gelation concentration.