A thermal and thermochemical study of natural hemimorphite

A thermal and thermochemical study of natural aqueous hydroxyl-containing diorthosilicate, hemimorphite Zn₄[Si₂O₇](OH)₂ · H₂O, was performed. The step character of its thermal decomposition was studied using FTIR spectroscopy. Melt solution calorimetry was used to determine the enthalpies of formation from oxides Δ_f H _O^OX (298.15 K) = −69.3 ± 9.9 kJ/mol and elements {ie1481-2} (298.15 K) = −3864.3 ± 10.2 kJ/mol.     

Determination of rhenium in gold-containing ores by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

A procedure is developed for determining rhenium in gold-containing ores by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. The adsorption preconcentration of perrhenate ions on activated charcoal is studied. It is found that the pH of the solution, the time of exposing the adsorbent to the solution, UV irradiation, and the presence of associate elements (tungsten, gold, silver, and copper) affect the adsorption. The procedure is applied to the X-ray fluorescence determination of rhenium in gold-containing ores from different deposits.     

Research technique of metamaterials with the controlled effective negative refractive index and their characteristics

A design of the two-beam hybrid microwave interferometer for measuring refractive indices of metamaterials is described. It is based on the branching of radiation using a waveguide directional coupler. Radiations of the interferometer waveguide arms are summed and the phase disbalance of the interferometer arms is counted on the waveguide measuring line. The frequency dispersion of the negative refractive indices of the metamaterial samples with a variable distance between its constituent plates is experimentally investigated. A possibility of controlling the refractive index of a metamaterial is demonstrated.