Synthesis and Raman spectroscopic characterisation of hydrotalcite with CO32− and (MoO4)2− anions in the interlayer

Raman spectroscopy has been used to characterise synthetic mixed carbonate and molybdate hydrotalcites of formula Mg₆Al₂(OH)₁₆((CO₃)²⁻,(MoO₄)²⁻)·4H₂O. The spectra have been used to assess the molecular assembly of the cations and anions in the hydrotalcite structure. The spectra may be conveniently subdivided into spectral features on the basis of the carbonate anion, the molybdate anion, the hydroxyl units and water units. Bands are assigned to the hydroxyl stretching vibrations of water. Three types of carbonate anions are identified: (1) carbonate hydrogen‐bonded to water in the interlayer, (2) carbonate hydrogen‐bonded to the hydrotalcite hydroxyl surface, (3) free carbonate anions. It is proposed that the water is highly structured in the hydrotalcite, as it is hydrogen bonded to both the carbonate and the hydroxyl surface. The spectra have been used to assess the contamination of carbonate in an open reaction vessel in the synthesis of a molybdate hydrotalcite of formula Mg₆Al₂(OH)₁₆((CO₃)²⁻, (MoO₄)²⁻)·4H₂O. Bands are assigned to carbonate and molybdate anions in the Raman spectra. Importantly, the synthesis of hydrotalcites from solutions containing molybdate provides a mechanism for the removal of this oxy‐anion. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Natural radioactivity in groundwater--a review

The issue of natural radioactivity in groundwater is reviewed, with emphasis on those radioisotopes which contribute in a significant way to the overall effective dose received by members of the public due to the intake of drinking water originating from groundwater systems. The term 'natural radioactivity' is used in this context to cover all radioactivity present in the environment, including man-made (anthropogenic) radioactivity. Comprehensive discussion of radiological aspects of the presence of natural radionuclides in groundwater, including an overview of current regulations dealing with radioactivity in drinking water, is provided. The presented data indicate that thorough assessments of the committed doses resulting from the presence of natural radioactivity in groundwater are needed, particularly when such water is envisaged for regular intake by infants. They should be based on a precise determination of radioactivity concentration levels of the whole suite of radionuclides, including characterisation of their temporal variability. Equally important is a realistic assessment of water intake values for specific age groups. Only such an evaluation may provide the basis for possible remedial actions.     

Spontaneous decay of an excited atom placed near a rectangular plate

Using the Born expansion of the Green tensor, we consider the spontaneous decay rate of an excited atom placed in the vicinity of a rectangular plate. We discuss the limitations of the commonly used simplifying assumption that the plate extends to infinity in the lateral directions and examine the effects of the atomic dipole moment orientation, atomic position, and plate boundary and thickness on the atomic decay rate. In particular, it is shown that due to the plate finite size, the spontaneous decay may be inhibited even when the atom is situated very close to the surface, and that in the boundary region, the spontaneous decay rate can be strongly modified.     

越南火龙果冷藏现状分析

随着全球化经济的快速发展,食品冷藏技术日益重要.文中综述了越南火龙果的现有冷藏技术及其存在的问题,并提出解决方案.     

Joint remote preparation of an arbitrary three-qubit state via EPR-type pairs

In this work, we propose a scheme to realize a joint remote preparation of an arbitrary three-qubit state using six EPR-type pairs as the shared quantum resource. By determining the right measurement bases for the preparers and right ancilla-assisted unitary transformation/recovery operations for the receiver, our scheme applies to the most general case when all the coefficients of the state to be prepared and the EPR-type pairs are complex. The total success probability is found to be dependent only on the “smaller” coefficients of the EPR-type pairs shared between the receiver and one of the preparers.     

Spin gapless semiconductor like Ti2MnAl film as a new candidate for spintronics application

A novel Heusler ferrimagnet Ti₂MnAl film has been grown on Si(001) substrate using magnetron sputtering. Characteristics of its magnetic and transport properties reveal the spin‐gapless‐semiconductor (SGS) nature of the stoichiometric Ti₂MnAl, in agreement with theoretical prediction. The as‐grown SGS‐like Ti₂MnAl film demonstrated high Curie temperature, nearly compensated ferrimagnetic properties with small coercivity and low magnetization. It also showed semiconductor‐like behavior at room temperature allowing good compatibility with commercial Si‐based semiconductor. In this regards, Ti₂MnAl film is a potential candidate material for spintronics application, especially for the minimization of energy consumption of device. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Drop deposition of thin nanostructured coatings of lead telluride

The current-voltage relationships of deposited structures are measured for cluster structures consisting of nanoparticles of lead telluride. Variation in the value of the tunnel current is shown. Optimum conditions for the possible emergence of quantum-hopping conductivity due to carrier tunneling (the characteristic sizes of the nanoclusters and the distances between them) are determined.     

Inducing anisotropy in bulk Nd-Fe-Co-Al-B nanocrystalline alloys by quenching in magnetic field

We have observed magnetic anisotropy in bulk Nd_55−xCo_xFe₃₀Al₁₀B₅ (x=10, 15 and 20) alloys prepared by copper mold suction casting method with a presence of external magnetic field (quenching field) μ₀H=0.25 T. By changing direction of the measuring field from perpendicular to parallel one in comparison with that of the quenching field, coercive force of the alloys slightly decreases while remanent magnetization and squareness of hysteresis loop increase more clearly. It is also found that the higher Co-concentration in the alloys the larger magnetic anisotropy is induced. The structure analyses manifest nanocrystalline particles embedded in residual amorphous matrix of the alloys. The size of the particles is in range of 10-30 nm and their crystalline phases consist of Nd₂(Fe,Co)₁₄B, Nd₃Co, Nd₃Al, NdAl₂ and Nd.     

Optically gated resonant emission of single quantum dots

We report on the resonant emission in coherently driven single semiconductor quantum dots. We demonstrate that an ultraweak nonresonant laser acts as an optical gate for the quantum dot resonant response. We show that the gate laser suppresses Coulomb blockade at the origin of a resonant emission quenching, and that the optically gated quantum dots systematically behave as ideal two-level systems in both regimes of coherent and incoherent resonant emission.     

Adsorption of surface functionalized silica nanoparticles onto mineral surfaces and decane/water interface

The adsorption of silica nanoparticles onto representative mineral surfaces and at the decane/water interface was studied. The effects of particle size (the mean diameters from 5 to 75?nm), concentration and surface type on the adsorption were studied in detail. Silica nanoparticles with four different surfaces [unmodified, surface modified with anionic (sulfonate), cationic (quaternary ammonium (quat)) or nonionic (polyethylene glycol (PEG)) surfactant] were used. The zeta potential of these silica nanoparticles ranges from ?79.8 to 15.3?mV. The shape of silica particles examined by a Hitachi-S5500 scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) is quite spherical. The adsorption of all the nanoparticles (unmodified or surface modified) on quartz and calcite surfaces was found to be insignificant. We used interfacial tension (IFT) measurements to investigate the adsorption of silica nanoparticles at the decane/water interface. Unmodified nanoparticles or surface modified ones with sulfonate or quat do not significantly affect the IFT of the decane/water interface. It also does not appear that the particle size or concentration influences the IFT. However, the presence of PEG as a surface modifying material significantly reduces the IFT. The PEG surface modifier alone in an aqueous solution, without the nanoparticles, yields the same IFT reduction for an equivalent PEG concentration as that used for modifying the surface of nanoparticles. Contact angle measurements of a decane droplet on quartz or calcite plate immersed in water (or aqueous nanoparticle dispersion) showed a slight change in the contact angle in the presence of the studied nanoparticles. The results of contact angle measurements are in good agreement with experiments of adsorption of nanoparticles on mineral surfaces or decane/water interface. This study brings new insights into the understanding and modeling of the adsorption of surface-modified silica nanoparticles onto mineral surfaces and water/decane interface.