High pressure μSR studies

The high pressureSR spectrometer [1] formerly located at CERN has been transferred to theE1-beamline at PSI and put back into operation with only minor modifications. The essential features of the high pressure apparatus are described below. The instrument covers a pressure range up to 0.7 GPa which can be extended to 1.4 GPa depending on the design of the high pressure cell. First measurements at PSI were successfully carried out with a single crystalline sample of Gd metal. New developments in high pressure cell design are presented. They are expected to further improve the signal/background ratio and to extend the pressure range to 1 GPa. One type of cell will allow temperatures above 380 K.This work was supported by the German Federal Minister for Research and Technology (Bundesminister für Forschung und Technologie [BMFT]) under Contract Nr. 03KA2-TUM-4 and 03SE3STU.     

Products obtained by microbially-induced corrosion of steel in a marine environment: Role of green rust two

An unusual low-water corrosion of steel sheet piles has been systematically investigated in a channel harbour (Boulogne sur Mer, France). An analysis of the environment reveals that all sampling of dark rust taken at different heights above marine sediments and kept in anaerobic conditions present unusual concentrations of sulfate-reducing bacteria. The rust products have been characterized by Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, comprising the ferrous—ferric sulfated compounds of formula 4Fe(OH)₂ · 2FeOOH · FeSO₄ ·nH₂O, called green rust 2, mixed sometimes with magnetite and a small amount of ferrous sulfide.     

Mössbauer investigation of non-aggregated γ-Fe2O3 particles

Investigation by Mössbauer spectroscopy of non-aggregated nanometric -Fe₂O₃ particles dispersed in polymer is reported. Magnetic interactions between the particles were controlled by varying the particle concentration in the polymer. The results show that over the investigated range, the interactions make the relaxation time shorter. Infield experiments show spin canting which increases with decreasing particle size.