Layered hydride CaNiGeH with a ZrCuSiAs-type structure: crystal structure, chemical bonding, and magnetism induced by Mn doping

Stimulated by the discovery of the iron oxypnictide superconductor with ZrCuSiAs-type structure in 2008, extensive exploration of its isostructural and isoelectronic compounds has started. These compounds, including oxides, fluorides, and hydrides, can all be simply recognized as valence compounds for which the octet rule is valid. We report herein the first example of a ZrCuSiAs-type hydride, CaNiGeH, which violates the octet rule. This hydride was synthesized by hydrogenation of the CeFeSi-type compound CaNiGe under pressurized hydrogen. Powder diffraction and theoretical simulation confirm that H enters into the interstitial position of the Ca(4) tetrahedron, leading to notable anisotropic expansion of the unit cell along the c axis. Density functional theory calculations indicate the modification of the chemical bonding and formation of ionic Ca-H bond as a result of hydrogen insertion. Furthermore, CaNiGeH shows Pauli paramagnetism and metallic conduction similar to that of CaNiGe, but its carrier type changes to hole and the carrier density is drastically reduced as compared to CaNiGe. Mn-doping at the Ni site introduces magnetism to both the parent compound and the hydride. The measurement demonstrates that hydrogenation of CaNi(1-x)Mn(x)Ge reduces ferromagnetic ordering of Mn ions and induces huge magnetic hysteresis, whereas the spin glass state observed for the parent compound is preserved in the hydride. The hydrogenation-induced changes in the electric and magnetic properties are interpreted in terms of development of two-dimensionality in crystal structure as well as electronic state.     

Measurements of analyzing powers Ay, Axx, Ayy and Axz in dp elastic scattering at Ed = 56 MeV

The differential cross section and all components of the analyzing powers A_y, A_xx, A_yy and A_xz have been measured in dp elastic scattering at 56 MeV. This is the first measurement of A_xz in the cyclotron energy region. A_xz has been measured with the beam polarized in the horizontal plane using the polarization tagging method. Faddeev calculations have been performed for four cases of the NN interaction. The Coulomb correction gave smaller effects at the present energy than at lower energies. Three of them reproduce the experimental data well. The agreement between the calculations and data for A_xz was better than that reported at lower energy. The deuteron asymptotic D- to S-state ratio has been obtained and is consistent within the limits of uncertainty with previously obtained values.     

Hydrothermal routes to prepare nanocrystalline mesoporous SnO2 having high thermal stability

We report simple hydrothermal routes to prepare thermally stable SnO2 particles having high specific surface areas and mesoporosity. The preparation method includes a new combination of synthetic processes: hydrolysis of tin(IV) chloride at 95 degrees C in the absence of alkaline solutions (aqueous NH3 or NaOH), formation of nanocrystalline SnO2, and subsequent hydrothermal treatments at temperatures between 100 and 200 degrees C. After annealing treatments of the hydrothermally treated SnO2 particles at 400 or 500 degrees C, their crystallite sizes remained smaller than 7.7 nm and their specific surface areas were still higher than 110 m2/g, indicative of the high thermal stability against particle growth and sintering. Furthermore, mesoporosity evolved with a relatively narrow pore size distribution typically in the range of 3.0-4.3 nm. The effects of the hydrothermal treatment were explained by uniformization of the particle size that was beneficial to the suppression of particle growth.     

Development of Calcium Phosphate Glass-Ceramics for Surgical and Dental Use

Abstract

Two types of glass-ceramics have been developed in the system of calcium phosphate without silica. The preparation conditions, crystallization processes, and some of physical properties are briefly reported. These glass-ceramics have high potential use for bone substitutes and dental materials such as dental crown, root and tooth.     

Electrical Properties of Silver Photodoped Amorphous Red Phosphorus

Abstract

Effects of photodoping and thermal doping of silver into sputtered amorphous red phosphorus films (a-P_red) on the electrical properties are studied. The d. c. efectrical conductivity of the photodoped a-p_red at room temperature is about 1×10^?5 Scm^?1 which is a very high value comparing with that of the undoped a-p_red (1×10^?14 Scm^?1). The activation energy for the conduction of the photodoped a-P_red is lower than that of the a-p^red. In contrast, the activation energy of the thermally doped a-p_red is essentially the same as that of the undoped a-p_red. SEM-EDX analyses show that colloidal silver was deposited in the thermally doped a-p_red but not in the photodoped a-p_red. It seems that the photo-doping involves the ionization process of silver by illumination, i.e., Ag^o → Ag⁺ + e^?.     

Epitaxial film growth and superconducting behavior of sodium-cobalt oxyhydrate, NaxCoO2.yH2O (x approximately 0.3, y approximately 1.3)

We have developed a unique multistep film growth technique, combining reactive solid-phase epitaxy (R-SPE) with an intercalation process, to fabricate epitaxial films of superconducting sodium-cobalt oxyhydrate, Na(0.3)CoO2.1.3H2O. An epitaxial film of Na(0.8)CoO2 grown on an alpha-Al2O3(0001) substrate by R-SPE was subjected to oxidation and hydration treatment, leading to the formation of a Na(0.3)CoO2.1.3H2O epitaxial film. The film exhibited metallic electrical resistivity with a superconducting transition at 4 K, similar to that of bulk single crystals. The present technique is suitable and probably the only method for the epitaxial growth of superconducting Na(0.3)CoO2.1.3H2O.