Bulk GaN crystals grown by HVPE

We succeeded in preparing very thick c-plane bulk gallium nitride (GaN) crystals grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy. Growth of the bulk GaN crystals was performed on templates with 3 μm GaN layer grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition on (0 0 0 1) sapphire substrates. Colorless freestanding bulk GaN crystals were obtained through self-separation processes. The crystal's diameter and thickness were about 52 and 5.8 mm, respectively. No surface pits were observed within an area of 46 mm diameter of the bulk GaN crystal. The dislocation density decreased with growth direction (from N-face side to Ga-face side) and ranged from 5.1×10⁶ cm⁻² near the N-face surface to 1.2×10⁶ cm⁻² near the Ga-face. A major impurity was Si, and other impurities (O, C, Cl, H, Fe, Ni and Cr) were near or below the detection limits by SIMS measurements.     

TWENTY-TWO CARBON HOMOLOGUE OF 11-CIS RETINAL. PHOTOPHYSICAL AND PHOTOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES

Abstract— Results concerning absorption-emission spectra and fluorescence quantum yields at 77 and 298K. triplet absorption spectra, and quantum yields of intersystem crossing and photoisomerization at 298 K, are presented for 11- cis β-apo-14'-carotenal (C₂₂-Ald), the immediate higher homologue of 11- cis retinal. The absorption spectra are characterized by two band-systems with maxima at 390–400 and 270–280 nm, respectively. Upon cooling from 298 to 77 K, the intensities of these two band-systems undergo changes in opposite directions indicating 12-s- cis: 12- s-trans conformational changes. No intermediate band-system analogous to the one located at 270–310 nm in cis retinals is observed for 11- cis C₂₂-Ald. In nonpolar hydrocarbon solvents (e. g. cyclohexane) at room temperature, quantum yields of fluorescence (0.01), intersystem crossing (0.6) and photoisomerization (0.4) are all quite pronounced. The photophysical and photochemical properties of 11- cis C₂₂-Ald are discussed in the light of similarities and dissimilarities with those of all- trans C₂₂-Ald and 11- cis retinal under comparable conditions.     

Complexation of hydrophobically modified polyelectrolytes with surfactants: anionic poly(maleic acid/octyl vinyl ether)/anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate

Interactions of surfactants with hydrophobically modified polyelectrolytes in aqueous solutions are important in several applications such as detergents, cosmetics, foods, and paints. Fundamental questions arise on the mechanisms of complexation of the polyelectrolyte and surfactant that control their behavior. In this work, the complexation was studied by examining interactions in aqueous solutions of a hydrophobically modified polymer, poly(maleic acid/octyl vinyl ether) (PMAOVE), with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) by monitoring viscosity, pyrene solubility, light scattering, and analytical ultracentrifugation. When the anionic surfactant SDS was added to aqueous solutions of the similarly charged polymer PMAOVE, the surfactant was incorporated into the hydrophobic nanodomains of PMAOVE even far below the cmc of the surfactant. On the basis of viscosity, pyrene solubility, and analytical ultracentrifugation data, it is proposed that PMAOVE undergoes structural unfolding and at higher SDS concentrations mixed micelles are formed.     

CHLOROPHYLL a AND CAROTENOID AGGREGATES AND ENERGY MIGRATION IN MONOLAYERS AND THIN FILMS

Abstract— The spectra of absorption, fluorescence and excitation of monolayers and thin films containing chlorophyll a together with a carotenoid (cis-β-carotene, trans-β-carotene, fucoxanthin, or zeaxanthin), were measured at — 196°C. The concentration ratios used, (Chl)/(Car), were 6:1, 4:1, 3:1, 2:1, 1:1 and 1:3, and the area densities, 3·70, 2·55, 1·76, 0·71, 0·37 and 0·17 nm²/pigment molecule. In dilute monolayers, (3·70 nm²/molecule), with a constant concentration ratio (Chl)/(Car) = 3:1, evidence of three β-carotene forms, with absorption bands at 460, 500 and 520 nm (C₄₆₀, C₅₀₀ and C₅₂₀), and of a chlorophyll a form with an absorption band at 669–672 (Chl_669–672) was found. On increasing the density to 0·2–0·3 nm²/molecule, a conversion of C₄₆₀ and C₅₂₀ into C₅₀₀, was observed, and several more additional (probably more strongly aggregated) chlorophyll a forms appeared, with absorption bands at 672–733 nm. With excess carotene [(Chi)/(Car) = 1:3] the forms C₄₆₀, C₅₀₀, C₅₂₀ and Chl_669–672 were present even in the most dense films (0·2–0·3 nm²/molecule). The same was found with other carotenoids: if one of the pigments was in excess, aggregated forms of the other tended to disappear. In the transfer of energy from carotenoids to chlorophyll a, C₅₀₀ was found to be the main donor. In layers with a concentration ratio (Chl)/(Car) = 3:1, the efficiency of transfer was less than 10 per cent at the lowest density used (3·70 nm²/molecule); it increased to 50 per cent, as the density was increased to 0·20 nm²/molecule. When the relative concentration of the carotenoid was increased to (Chl)/(Car) = 1:1, the efficiency of energy transfer dropped to 25 per cent even at 0·20 nm²/molecule. It seems that the efficiency of energy transfer between carotene molecules (prior to its transfer to chlorophyll a) is low, and effective transfer occurs only between β-carotene and immediately adjacent chlorophyll a molecules.     

Synthesis,characterization and soft transformation of some bis(cyclopentadienyl) Ti(IV) and Zr(IV) complexes of Schiff's base ligands to nano‐sized titania or zirconia materials

Some bis(cyclopentadienyl) complexes of Ti(IV)and Zr(IV) have been synthesized by the metathetical reactions of Cp₂MCl₂ with the sodium salt of monofunctional bidentate Schiff's base ligands in 1:1 and 1:2 stoichiometry in anhydrous THF. All the derivatives of the types Cp₂MCl_2?n{O(C₆H₄)CH₆H₅}_n and Cp₂MCl_2?n{OC(CH₃)(R)₆H₅}_n (where R = CH₃ or C₆H₅ and n = 1 or 2) have been characterized by elemental analyses, molecular weight measurements, FT‐IR and ‐NMR [¹H and ¹³C{¹H}] studies. The FAB mass spectra of a few representative complexes and the molecular weight measurements in freezing benzene indicate their monomeric nature in solution. Spectral studies appear to indicate mono‐ and bi‐dentate mode of attachment of the ligand in solution and in the solid state, respectively. Thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) of Cp₂TiCl{O(C₆H₄)CH} ( 1 ) and Cp₂ZrCl{O(C₆H₄)CH} ( 7 ) indicate their low thermal stability. Transformations of some of these complexes to pure titania (TiO₂)/zirconia (ZrO₂) have been observed at relatively low sintering temperatures. Powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron micrograph (SEM) studies suggest the nanocrystalline nature of these materials. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Palladium‐catalyzed phosphonation of SEBS block copolymer

Phosphonic acid‐bearing styrene–ethylene/butylene–styrene (SEBS) block copolymer was synthesized by bromination and subsequent palladium‐catalyzed phosphonation of SEBS. The phosphonated block copolymer was characterized by spectroscopic, thermal, and conductivity measurements. The new polymer shows good ion‐exchange capacity of ～0.7 meq/g and proton conductivity of around 2–4 mS/cm (at room temperature and 100% relative humidity) which is in good agreement with literature value of other phosphonated materials. This value was obtained despite a relatively low degree of phosphonation, demonstrating the ability of the phase separated nature of block copolymers to promote proton conductivity. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 5431–5441, 2008     

The Kernel of a Hankel Operator on the Bergman Space

In this paper we characterise the kernel of a little Hankeloperator on the Bergman space in terms of the inner divisors, and obtain a characterisationfor finite rank little Hankel operators using the invariantsubspace theory technique. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification47B35.     

Trace determination of uranium in fertilizer samples by total reflection X-ray fluorescence

Uranium is reported to be present in phosphate fertilizers. The recovery of uranium from the fertilizers is important because it can be used as fuel in nuclear reactors and also because of environmental concerns. For both these activities suitable method of uranium determinations at trace levels in these fertilizers are required. Studies have been initiated for such TXRF determination of uranium and the results are reported in the present paper. For TXRF determinations the fertilizer samples were processed with nitric acid and the uranium present in it was removed by solvent extraction using tri-n-butyl phosphate as the extractant. The organic phase containing uranium was equilibrated with 1.5% suprapure nitric acid to bring out uranium in aqueous phase. This aqueous phase was mixed with internal standard Y and the TXRF spectra were measured by depositing samples on float glass supports. The amounts of uranium in four fertilizer samples of Hungarian origin were determined by processing these TXRF spectra. Uranium concentrations in two fertilizer samples were found to be in the range of 4–6 μg/g, whereas two fertilizer samples did not show the presence of uranium. The precision of the TXRF determination of uranium was found to be better than 8% (1σ).