Correlation between the piezoelectric properties and the structure of lead‐free KNN‐modified ceramics,studied by Raman Spectroscopy

The structure of (Li,Na,K)(Nb,Ta,Sb)O₃ piezoelectric ceramics was thoroughly studied by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy for samples with different compositions and sintered for different times. A linear relationship is evidenced between the tetragonality ratio derived from XRD and the Raman shift. The Raman stretching modes are used to demonstrate the correlation of the structure and the piezoelectric properties of the materials, and to calculate the effective ionic displacement causing the piezoelectric polarization. The methodology proposed here offers invaluable insight into the nondestructive Raman analysis of perovskite structures based on the potassium sodium niobate systems, which are not amenable by studies of diffraction or other spectroscopic techniques. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characterization of a sealed Americium–Beryllium (AmBe) source by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Two Americium–Beryllium neutron sources were dismantled, sampled (sub-sampled) and analyzed via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Characteristics such as “age” since purification, actinide content, trace metal content and inter and intra source composition were determined. The “age” since purification of the two sources was determined to be 25.0 and 25.4 years, respectively. The systematic uncertainties in the “age” determination were ±4% 2σ. The amount and isotopic composition of U and Pu varied substantially between the sub-samples of Source 2 (n = 8). This may be due to the physical means of sub-sampling or the way the source was manufactured. Source 1 was much more consistent in terms of content and isotopic composition (n = 3 sub-samples). The Be–Am ratio varied greatly between the two sources. Source 1 had an Am–Be ratio of 6.3 ± 52% (1σ). Source 2 had an Am–Be ratio of 9.81 ± 3.5% (1σ). In addition, the trace element content between the samples varied greatly. Significant differences were determined between Sources 1 and 2 for Sc, Sr, Y, Zr, Mo, Ba and W.     

The Role of the Support in the Performance of Grafted Metallocene Catalysts

A series of supports – differing in their textural properties, the nature of their surface sites, and in their crystallinities – were investigated in the sequential grafting reaction of Cp₂ZrCl₂ and (nBuCp)₂ZrCl₂ mixtures. The catalyst systems were analyzed by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, AFM, EXAFS, and nitrogen adsorption. All systems were shown to be active in ethylene polymerization reactions when methylaluminoxane was used as the cocatalyst. Experimental results are discussed in terms of the relationships between the grafted metal content, the catalyst activity, the surface roughness and polarity, the interatomic Zr–C and Zr–O distances of the grafted species and the molecular weights of the resulting polyethylenes.

     

Development of an electrochemical sensor for potassium ions based on KSr2Nb5O15 modified electrode

In the work described by this paper, we studied the development of a selective potassium ion sensor constituted of a carbon paste electrode modified (CPEM) with a novel KSr₂Nb₂O₁₅. The material KSr₂Nb₂O₁₅ is an oxide with the tetragonal tungsten bronze structure (TTB) type are in forefront both in the area of research as well as in industrial applications. The sensor response to potassium ions was linear in the concentration range 1.26 x 10^-5 at 1.62 x 10^-3 mol L^-1 (E (mV) = 32.7 + 51.1 log [K⁺]). The sensor based KSr₂Nb₂O₁₅, of the TTB-type presented very good potentiometric response, with a slope of 51.1 mV/dec (at 25 °C) and detection limit for the potassium ions of 7.27 x 10^-5 mol.L^-1.     

Dimerization of ionized 4‐(methyl mercapto)‐phenol during ESI,APCI and APPI mass spectrometry

A novel ion/molecule reaction was observed to occur under electrospray ionization (ESI), atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI), and atmospheric pressure photo ionization (APPI) conditions, leading to dimerization of ionized 4‐(methyl mercapto)‐phenol followed by fast H^· loss. The reaction is particularly favored during ESI, which suggests that this ion/molecule reaction can occur both in the solution inside the ESI‐charged droplets and in the gas‐phase environment of most other atmospheric pressure ionization techniques. The dimerization reaction is inherent to the electrolytic process during ESI, whereas it is more by ion/molecule chemistry in nature during APCI and APPI. From the tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) data, accurate mass measurements, hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, two methyl sulfonium ions appear to be the most likely products of this electrophilic aromatic substitution reaction. The possible occurrence of this unexpected reaction complicates mass spectral data interpretation and can be misleading in terms of structural assignment as reported herein for 4‐(methyl mercapto)‐phenol. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Convergent procedure for the synthesis of trifluoromethyl-containing N-(pyridinyl-triazolyl)pyrimidin-2-amines

This study describes a simple and efficient procedure to synthesize a novel series of fourteen 4-substituted N-(5-pyridinyl-1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)-6-(trifluoromethyl)pyrimidin-2-amines, where the 4-substituents are H, CH₃, C₆H₅, 4-FC₆H₄, 4-CH₃C₆H₄, 4-CH₃OC₆H₄ and 2-Furyl; from the cyclocondensation reaction of N-[5-(pyridinyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl]guanidines with 4-alkoxy-4-alkyl(aryl/heteroaryl)-1,1,1-trifluoroalk-3-en-2-ones. The reactions were carried out in ethanol under reflux for 18 h and led to 40-68% yields. N-(Pyridyl-triazolyl)guanidine precursors were further obtained from reactions of cyanoguanidine with nicotinic or isonicotinic acid hydrazides and the halogenated enones from trifluoroacetylation of enolethers or acetals.     

Palladium-catalyzed tandem Heck-lactonization from o-iodophenols and enoates: synthesis of coumarins and the study of the mechanism by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

The tandem Heck-lactonization reaction between enoates Z-1a,b, E-1a, E-2a-d, Z-2e, 2f, and o-iodophenols (4a-f) was studied in the presence of substoichiometric amounts of Pd(OAc)(2) or PdCl(2), under experimental conditions favoring the cationic mechanism (conditions A, B, and C), leading to coumarins 5a-f and 6a-e. Moderate to excellent yields were obtained under aqueous conditions (conditions A and B). Using electrospray ionization for transferring ions directly from solution to the gas phase, and mass spectrometry for structural assignments, key cationic palladium intermediates have been successfully intercepted and structurally characterized for the first time for this type of reaction.     

Torus Knots and Mirror Symmetry

We propose a spectral curve describing torus knots and links in the B-model. In particular, the application of the topological recursion to this curve generates all their colored HOMFLY invariants. The curve is obtained by exploiting the full ${{\rm Sl}(2, \mathbb {Z})}$ symmetry of the spectral curve of the resolved conifold, and should be regarded as the mirror of the topological D-brane associated with torus knots in the large N Gopakumar–Vafa duality. Moreover, we derive the curve as the large N limit of the matrix model computing torus knot invariants.