In situ characterization of aluminum-containing mineral-microorganism aqueous suspensions using scanning transmission X-ray microscopy

In situ characterization of colloidal particles under hydrous conditions is one of the key requirements for understanding their state of aggregation and impact on the transport of pollutants in aqueous environments. Scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) is one of the few techniques that can satisfy this need by providing element- and chemical-state-specific 2-D maps at a spatial resolution better than 50 nm using soft X-rays from synchrotron radiation wiggler or undulator sources tuned to the absorption edges of different elements. X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectra can also be collected simultaneously at a similar spatial resolution and can provide phase identification in many cases. In this study, we report STXM images and XANES spectroscopy measurements at or above the Al K-edge (E = 1559.6 eV) of various Al-containing minerals and synthetic oxides [alpha-Al2O3 (corundum), gamma-Al2O3, gamma-AlOOH (boehmite), alpha-Al(OH)3 (bayerite), KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 (muscovite), (Al,Mg)8(Si4O10)4(OH)8.nH2O (montmorillonite), and Mg6Al2(OH)16CO3.4H2O (hydrotalcite)] and demonstrate the capability of this spectromicroscopic tool to identify different Al-containing mineral colloids in multiphase mixtures in aqueous solution. We also demonstrate that STXM imaging at or above the C K-edge (E = 284.2 eV) and Al K-edge can provide unique information on the interactions between bacteria and Al-containing nanoparticles in aqueous suspensions. STXM images of a mixture of Caulobacter crescentus and montmorillonite and corundum particles just above the C and Al K-edges show that the mineral particles and bacteria are closely associated in aggregates, which is likely due to the binding of bacteria to clay and corundum particles by extracellular polysaccharides.     

The effect of dopants on the microstructure of polycrystalline silicon thin film grown by MILC method

The effect of dopants on the crystal growth and the microstructure of poly-crystalline silicon (poly-Si) thin film grown by metal induced lateral crystallization (MILC) method was intensively investigated. PH₃ and B₂H₆ were used as source gases in ion mass doping (IMD) process to make n-type and p-type semiconductor respectively. It was revealed that the microstructure of MILC region varies significantly as the doping type of the samples varied from intrinsic to n-type and p-type, which was investigated by field emission (FE)-SEM. The microstructure of MILC region of the intrinsic was bi-directional needle network structure whose crystal structure has a (1 1 0) preferred orientation. For p-type doped sample, the microstructure of MILC region was revealed to become unidirectional parallel growth structure more and more as MILC growth proceed, which was led by unidirectional division of needlelike grain at the front of MILC region. And for n-type doped sample, the microstructure was random-directional needlelike growth structure. These phenomena can be explained by an original model of Ni ion and Ni vacancy hopping in the NiSi₂ phase and its interface at the front of MILC region.     

One-dimensional end-to-end azide-bridged Mn(III) complexes incorporating alkali metal ions: slow magnetic relaxations and metamagnetism

Three azide‐bridged Mn^III chains [Mn(3‐MeOsalpn)(N₃)] ? 0.5 AClO₄ (A=Na ( 1 ), K ( 2 ), Rb ( 3 ); 3‐MeOsalpn=N,N′‐propylenebis(3‐methoxysalicylideneiminato) dianion) incorporating alkali metal ions and perchlorate anions were systematically synthesized. The overall structure can be described as a one‐dimensional chain bridged by end‐to‐end azide ligands, although spatial arrangements of Jahn–Teller axes of Mn in 1 and 2 are different from that in 3 . Relying on the alkali metal ions, magnetic properties are varied from a two‐step phase transition ( 1 ) to metamagnetic transitions ( 2 and 3 ). In this system, spin canting definitely plays a central role in giving rise to the apparent slow magnetic relaxations in 1 and 2 because application of a high external magnetic field tends to destroy single‐chain magnet (SCM) properties. Despite the existence of a long‐range antiferromagnetic order at T_N, slow magnetic relaxation is notably observed in 2 , which likely emanates from the operative spin canting below T_N.     

Robust Multiscale Iterative Solvers for Nonlinear Flows in Highly Heterogeneous Media

In this paper, we study robust iterative solvers for finite element systems resulting in approximation of steady-state Richards' equation in porous media with highly heterogeneous conductivity fields. It is known that in such cases the contrast, ratio between the highest and lowest values of the conductivity, can adversely affect the performance of the preconditioners and, consequently, a design of robust preconditioners is important for many practical applications. The proposed iterative solvers consist of two kinds of iterations, outer and inner iterations. Outer iterations are designed to handle nonlinearities by linearizing the equation around the previous solution state. As a result of the linearization, a large-scale linear system needs to be solved. This linear system is solved iteratively (called inner iterations), and since it can have large variations in the coefficients, a robust preconditioner is needed. First, we show that under some assumptions the number of outer iterations is independent of the contrast. Second, based on the recently developed iterative methods, we construct a class of preconditioners that yields convergence rate that is independent of the contrast. Thus, the proposed iterative solvers are optimal with respect to the large variation in the physical parameters. Since the same preconditioner can be reused in every outer iteration, this provides an additional computational savings in the overall solution process. Numerical tests are presented to confirm the theoretical results.     

Mononuclear transition metal complexes with sterically hindered carboxylate ligands: Synthesis, structural and spectral properties

The metal coordination geometry in the active site of metalloproteins are very different from the one of small inorganic complexes, due to the inflexibility of the ligand set from amino acid side chains different from freely moving ligand set in synthesis. Using the sterically hindered 2,6-di-(p-fluorophenyl)benzoate(L) ligand, a series of mononuclear Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes of general formula [M(L)₂(Hdmpz)₂] (where, Hdmpz = 3,5-dimethyl pyrazole) have been synthesized and characterized by the variety of spectroscopic methods. A distorted octahedral geometry in case of nickel, tetrahedral geometry for cobalt and square pyramidal in copper was observed in the X-ray studies, which also revealed that the uncoordinated oxygen atom of the carboxylate group forms intramolecular hydrogen bonding with the N-H group of the coordinated 3,5-dimethylpyrazole in case of cobalt and copper.     

Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of cellulosic biomass to acetic acid

Astrain of Clostridium thermoaceticum (ATCC 49707) was evaluated for its homoacetate potential. This thermophilic anaerobe best produces acetate from glucose at pH 6.0 and 59°C with a yield of 83% of theoretical. Enzyme hydrolysis of two substrates, a-cellulose and a pulp mill sludge, yielded 68% and 70% digestion, respectively. The optimum conditions for the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) were substrate dependent: 55°C, pH 6.0 for α-cellulose, and 55°C, pH 5.5 for the pulp mill sludge. In the SSF with α-cellulose, the overall yield of acetate was strongly influenced by the enzyme loading. In a fed-batch operation of SSF with α-cellulose, an overall acetic acid yield of 60 wt% was obtained. Among the factors limiting the yields were incomplete digestion by the enzyme and the end-product inhibition. In the SSF of pulp mill sludge, inhibitors present in the sludge severely limited bacterial action. A large accumulation of glucose developed over the entire process, changing the intended SSF operation into a separate hydrolysis and fermentation operation. Despite a long lag phase of microbial growth, a terminal yield of 85% was obtained with this substrate.     

Catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation in a room temperature ionic liquid using chiral Rh-complex of ionic liquid grafted 1,4-bisphosphine ligand

Introduction of imidazolium ionic liquid pattern to the catalyst not only avoided catalyst leaching but also increased the stability of catalyst in ionic liquid, and thus, the Rh-complex of 1,4-bisphosphine bearing two imidazolium salt moieties was successfully immobilized in an ionic liquid and reused several times for the hydrogenation of an enamide without significant loss of catalytic efficiency.     

Multiscale analysis of a perpetual American option with the stochastic elasticity of variance

A perpetual American option is considered under a generalized model of the constant elasticity of variance model where the constant elasticity is perturbed by a small fast mean-reverting Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process. By using a multiscale asymptotic analysis, we find the impact of the stochastic elasticity of variance on option prices as well as optimal exercise prices. Our results improve the existing option price structure in view of flexibility and applicability through the market price of risk. The revealed results may provide useful information on real option problems.