Room-temperature decay and light reactivation of high-Tc ferromagnetism in an oxide-diluted magnetic semiconductor

We present a novel route for manipulation of the ferromagnetic order in Co-doped TiO2 using UV laser irradiation. The ferromagnetic order of the nanocrystal films decays with aging in air at room temperature, which can be reactivated and enhanced by UV irradiation, whereas the coercive force reduces with irradiation time. Photoinduced trapped electrons were suggested to induce the ferromagnetic order. We believe that light manipulation is a general method for tuning the magnetic properties of oxide-based diluted magnetic semiconductors, which can find practical applications in future integrated magneto-optical nanoelectronics.     

Preliminary study of selenium and mercury distribution in some porcine tissues and their subcellular fractions by NAA and HG-AFS

Selenium and mercury distribution in porcine tissues and their subcellular fractions from a mercury-polluted area of Guizhou Province and from a not mercury-exposed area of Beijing in China have been studied with neutron activation analysis and hydride generation-atomic fluorescence spectrometry. Both the selenium and mercury levels are higher in Guizhou porcine tissues and their subcellular fractions than those in Beijing. These two elements are highly enriched in kidney and liver of Guizhou pig, while selenium is only enriched in the kidney of Beijing pig. Exposure of mercury may result in redistribution of Se and Hg in vivo. The Hg/Se molar ratio of the subcellular fractions is very low in the case of relatively low mercury level and gradually reaches to a high constant value with increasing level of mercury, which implies that selenium and mercury may form some special complexes in the organisms. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Silver nanoparticles as matrix for laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry of peptides

Silver nanoparticle synthesized from chemical reduction has been successfully utilized as a matrix in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) of peptides. Acting as a substrate to adsorb analytes, as well as a transmission medium for UV laser, silver nanoparticle was found to assist in the desorption/ionization of peptides with little or no induced fragmentation. The size of the nanoparticle was typically in the range of 160 ± 20 nm. One of the key advantages of silver nanoparticle for peptides analysis is its simple step for on-probe sample preparation. In addition, it also minimizes the interferences of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactant background signal, resulting in cleaner mass spectra and more sensitive signal, when compared to α–cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CCA) matrix.     

Influence of oxygen, hydrogen, helium, argon and vacuum on the surface behavior of molten InSb, other semiconductors, and metals on silica

Sessile drop experiments were performed on molten indium antimonide on clean quartz (fused silica) surfaces. A cell was constructed through which argon, helium, oxygen, hydrogen or a mixture of these was flowed at 600 °C. Some of the InSb was doped with 0.1% Ga. The surface tension σ of oxide-free molten InSb was smaller in Ar than in He, may have increased with increasing O₂ in the gas, and was not influenced by Ga or H₂. The contact angle θ on silica was higher in the presence of Ar, was lowered by O₂, and was not influenced by H₂ or Ga. The work of adhesion W and the surface energy σ_sv of the silica were higher in He than in Ar. The surface remained free of solid oxide only in flowing gas containing 0.8 ppm O₂. This behavior is attributed to reaction of O₂ at the surface of the melt to form In₂O gas. When solid oxide formed on Ga-doped material, it was strongly enriched in Ga, with the Ga/In ratio increasing with the concentration of O₂ in the gas.

Examination of published sessile-drop results for liquid metals and semiconductors on silica revealed that W and σ_sv were highest for reactive melts, in which SiO₂ dissolves. For non-reactive melts, W and σ_sv were lower and θ higher in a gas than in a vacuum, regardless of whether the experiments had been carried out in sealed ampoules, a flowing gas, or dynamic vacuum. The implication is that the surface of silica was different in a vacuum than in a gas at 1 bar.     

Synthesis,characterization and magnetic properties of cobalt(II) and manganese(II) metal–organic frameworks assembled from 4,6-bis(imidazol-1-yl)isophthalic acid ligands

Two metal–organic frameworks of 4,6-bis(imidazol-1-yl)isophthalic acid (H₂biip), of general formula, {[M₂(biip)₂(H₂O)]·EtOH₂}_n (M?=?Co (1), Mn (2)), have been synthesized under solvothermal conditions. Complexes 1 and 2 are isomorphic and exhibit three-dimensional metal–organic frameworks with a 2-nodal (4,8)-connected topological network, Point Symbol {4¹⁶.6¹²}{4⁴.6²}₂. The magnetic properties of the complexes were examined, indicating antiferromagnetic interactions between the metal centers in the temperature range from 2 to 300 K.     

One-step synthesis of cyclohexylamine from benzene,hydroxylamine and hydrogen over vanadium and ruthenium catalysts

Research on Chemical Intermediates - In this study,we investigated a one-step process for synthesis of cyclohexylamine from benzene, hydroxylamine and hydrogen under mild conditions. A...     

Synthesis of CdSe quantum dots using selenium dioxide as selenium source and its interaction with pepsin

A novel method has been developed for the synthesis of thioglycolic acid (TGA)-capped CdSe quantum dots (QDs) in an aqueous medium when selenium dioxide worked as a selenium source and sodium borohydride acted as a reductant. The interaction between CdSe QDs and pepsin was investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy. It was proved that the fluorescence quenching of pepsin by CdSe QDs was mainly a result of the formation of CdSe-pepsin complex. Based on the fluorescence quenching results, the Stern-Volmer quenching constant (Ksv), binding constant (KA) and binding sites (n) were calculated. According to the Foster's non-radiative energy transfer theory, the binding distance (r) between pepsin and CdSe QDs was obtained. The influence of CdSe QDs on the conformation of pepsin has been analyzed by synchronous fluorescence spectra, which provided that the secondary structure of pepsin has been changed by the interaction of CdSe QDs with pepsin.     

非离子型水溶性卟啉功能化单壁碳纳米管的研究

合成了两种非离子型水溶性卟啉分子,并利用它们对单壁碳纳米管(SWNTs)进行了非共价表面修饰。功能化后SWNTs能够在水中均匀分散。紫外-可见光谱、荧光光谱、透射电镜的测试结果均证明非离子型水溶性卟啉分子与SWNTs之间存在强烈的相互作用。其中,含有柔性烷基取代链的卟啉分子因与SWNTs之间存在π-π和疏水双重相互作用,所形成的复合物在水中表现出更好的分散稳定性。这种既具有水溶性又具有生物相容性和良好稳定性的功能化SWNTs,在生物医药领域具有潜在的应用前景。     

Synthesis and luminescence properties of the red phosphor CaZrO<Subscript>3</Subscript>:Eu<Superscript>3+</Superscript> for white light-emitting diode application

Eu³⁺-doped CaZrO₃ phosphor with perovskite-type structure was synthesized by the high temperature solid-state method. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, fluorescence spectrophotometer and UV-vis spectrophotometer, respectively. XRD analysis showed that the formation of CaZrO₃ was at the calcinations temperature of 1400°C. The average diameter of CaZrO₃ with 4 mol% doped-Eu³⁺ was 2μm. The PL spectra demonstrated that CaZrO₃:Eu³⁺ phosphor could be excited effectively in the near ultraviolet light region (397 nm) and emitted strong red-emission lines at 616 nm corresponding to the forced electric dipole ⁵ D ₀ → ⁷ F ₂ transitions of Eu³⁺. Meanwhile, the light-emitting diode was fabricated with the Ca_0.96ZrO³:Eu_0.04³⁺ phosphor, which can efficiently absorb ∼ 400 nm irradiation and emit red light. Therefore Ca_0.96ZrO₃:Eu_0.04³⁺ may have applications for a near ultraviolet InGaN chip-based white light-emitting diode.     

NaEu0.96Sm0.04(MoO4)2 as a promising red-emitting phosphor for LED solid-state lighting prepared by the Pechini process

NaEu_0.96Sm_0.04(MoO₄)₂ was prepared by the Pechini method (P phosphor) and as a comparison, also by solid-state reaction technique (S phosphor). The photo-luminescent properties, the morphology and the grain size were investigated. The phosphors show broadened excitation band around 400 nm, high intensity of Eu³⁺⁵D₀→⁷F₂ emission upon excitation around 400 nm, and appropriate CIE chromaticity coordinates. Intensive red light-emitting diodes (LEDs) were fabricated by combining the phosphor and a 400 nm InGaN chip for the first time, which confirm that the phosphor is a good candidate for near UV LED. The luminescent intensity of P phosphor prepared at 700 °C is near that of S phosphor prepared at 800 °C. In addition, P phosphor shows advantages of lower calcining temperature, shorter heating time, and smaller grain size. Considering all these factors, the suitable method for preparing the promising near UV LED phosphor NaEu_0.96Sm_0.04(MoO₄)₂ is recommended to be the Pechini process at 700 °C.