On the history of photoemission

Historical aspects of science are usually confined to special conferences, and receive only a brief mention in the introduction to talks at meetings addressing current topics. However, at the previous Seminar, several theoretical and experimental contributions were made, which discussed the historical development of surface science. Because of the considerable interest aroused by these presentations, we decided to keep the historical spirit alive, by telling the story of photoemission.

While field emission is the oldest area of surface science, photoemission is certainly one of the most important branches. Here, emphasis is placed on the early investigations, which are often scarcely mentioned, and on more recent work that has had significant impact on the progress of surface science.     

Transformations of conjugated enamines of the imidazolidine 1-oxide series in the Vilsmeier-Haack reaction

In some cases, the reactions of enaminones of the imidazolidine 1-oxide series with the Vilsmeier reagent afford electrophilic substitution products containing the dimethyl-aminomethylene group. In an acidic medium, these products undergo either hydrolytic elimination of the dimethylaminomethylene moiety or hydrolysis of the latter to form the aldehyde group. The reaction of nitroenamine, which is a derivative of imidazolidine 1-oxide, with the Vilsmeier reagent produces furoxane, viz., the nitroxyl biradical. Reduction of the latter affords the dioxime biradical. Dedicated to the memory of Academician N. N. Vorozhtsov on the 100th anniversary of his birth. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 6, pp. 1165–1170, June, 2007.     

Non-destructive multi-element photon activation analysis of river sediments

A large number of toxic elements, including Th and U, in Scheldt and NBS river sediments, have been determined non-destructively by high energy photon activation. The length of irradiation varies between 1.5 hours for short lived-nuclides and 7–18 hours for long lived-nuclides. The induced activities are measured using a single open-ended coaxial Ge(Li) detector and the photopeak integrations are calculated using the total peak area method and the Cutipie computer program after substraction of the intrinsic background of the detector from each spectrum (Angela program). The photonuclear reactions and the best detection limits for 36 elements are indicated.     

Standard enthalpy of formation of lanthanum oxybritholites

Lanthanum-bearing silicate-oxyapatites or britholites, Ca_10–xLax(PO₄)_6–x(SiO₄)_xO with 1≤x≤6, have been synthesized by solid state reaction at high temperature. They were characterized by X-ray diffraction and IR spectroscopy. Using two microcalorimeters, the heat of solution of these compounds have been measured at 298 K in a solution of nitric and hydrofluoric acid. A strained least squares method was applied to the experimental results to obtain the solution enthalpies at infinite dilution, and the mixing enthalpy in two steps. In the first step the mixing enthalpy obtained is referenced to the britholite monosubstituted and to the oxysilicate. The mixing enthalpy referenced to the oxyapatite and to the oxysilicate is then extrapolated. In order to determine the enthalpies of formation of all the terms of the solution, thermochemical cycles were proposed and complementary experiments were performed. The results obtained show a decrease of the enthalpy of formation with the amount of Si and La introduced in the lattice. This was explained by the difference in the bond energies of (Ca–O, P–O) and (La–O, Si–O).     

The influence of phonon admixture and non-adiabatic effects in the even-even core on the coriolis mixing of odd nuclei states

Some generalizations of the model for odd nuclei suggested by Kerman are considered. The effects of phonon admixtures on matrix elements of Coriolis interaction are studied. Several schemes are considered for studying the role of non-adiabatic effects in the even-even core.One of the authors B. Ch. thanks L. A.Malov and V. O.Nesterenko for many discussions of some questions connected with the determination of the phonon-quasiparticle admixtures.     

Free‐volume variation in polyethylenes of different crystallinities: Positron lifetime,density, and X‐ray studies

High‐quality positron lifetime measurements (70 million total counts) are reported for polyethylenes (PEs) of different crystallinities (X_c = 3–82%). The specific volumes of the crystalline and amorphous phases (V_c and V_a, respectively) were estimated from density and wide‐angle X‐ray scattering (WAXS) experiments. Some samples (those with low values of X_c) were branched PEs, and those with high values of X_c were linear PEs for which X_c was varied with changes in the crystallization temperature. Both V_c and V_a increase with decreasing X_c in the range 0% ≤ X_c ≤ 56% (the branched PEs) but are constant for X_c ≥ 56% (the linear PEs). The lifetime spectra were analyzed with the MELT and LIFSPECFIT routines. Artifacts that can appear in the spectrum analysis were checked via an analysis of computer‐generated spectra. Four lifetime components appeared in all of the PEs; the two long‐lived ones are attributed to pick‐off annihilation of ortho‐positronium (o‐Ps) in crystalline regions (τ₃) and in holes of the amorphous phase (τ₄). With increasing X_c, τ₃ decreases from about 1.2 to 1 ns, τ₄ decreases from 3.0 to 2.5 ns, and the intensity I₄ decreases from 29 to 0%. An increase in I₃ from 6 to 12% was observed. A comparison with simulations shows that the true I₃ value approaches 0 for X_c → 0%. The decrease in I₄ is weaker than the increase in X_c; this leads to the conclusion that the apparent specific o‐Ps yield in the amorphous phase I₄^Xc increases with X_c. Possible reasons for this surprising results are discussed. The fractional free hole volume [h = (V_a ? V_occ)/V_a, where V_occ is the crystalline occupied volume] was estimated from density and WAXS results. Between X_c = 0 and 56%, h decreases from 0.151 to 0.090, but it does not change further above X_c = 56%. The mean size (v) of the local free volumes (holes) estimated from τ₄ decreases from 200 to 150 ų. The number density of holes (N_h) calculated from these values (N_h = h/v) also decreases from 0.8 to 0.6 nm^?3 in the range 0% ≤ X_c ≤ 56%. The values of V_a, V_c, h, and N_h increase with an increasing degree of branching but do not vary for linear PEs. The possible influence of a crystalline–amorphous interfacial phase (three‐phase model) on the observed lifetime parameters is also discussed. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 65–81, 2002     

Retention,enantioselectivity and enantiomeric elution order of propranolol and its ester derivatives on an alpha1-acid glycoprotein-bonded column

Summary The retention, enantionselectivity and enantiomeric elution order of racemic propranolol (PP) and its ester derivatives (O-acetyl,-propionyl,-butyrul and-valeryl PP) on an ₁-acid glycoprotein (AGP)-bonded column have been investigated by changing eluent composition (eluent pH, buffer concentration, type and content of organic modifier). The retention of these cationic solutes, PP and its ester derivatives, was influenced by eluent pH, ionic strength and organic modifier content. The enantioselectivity was dependent on eluent pH and type of organic modifier. Reversal of the enantiomeric elution order of ester derivatives of PP (O-propionyl-butyryl) and-valeryl PP) occurred around eluent pH 6–7. These results suggst that chiral recognition or binding properties may be altered by the change in eluent composition, espeically eluent pH and type of organic modifier.     

Determination of total heterogeneity and fractal dimensions of high-temperature superconductors

Using thermo-analytical and sorptometric methods physicochemical properties and especially surface heterogeneity of HgBa₂Ca₂Cu₃O₈₊, (Hg-1223) was investigated. The desorption energy distribution was derived from mass loss Q-TG and differential mass loss Q-DTG curves of thermodesorption in quasi-isothermal conditions of pre-adsorbed n-octane and water vapour. It is shown that the superconducting Hg-1223 phase is highly sensitive to water vapours. The mechanism of water adsorption depends largely on the activation time. By water vapour saturation in a period of 90 min, physisorption takes place. Prolonged periods result in a chemical decomposition. From nitrogen ad- and desorption isotherms the fractal dimension of superconductors were calculated. A new approach is proposed to calculate fractal dimension from Q-TG curves.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Zur photometrischen Aktivit?tsbestimmung von Actinomycin C

Zusammenfassung Es wurde festgestellt, daß die Farbe einer Actinomycin C-Lösung in sehr engem Zusammenhang mit der Konzentration dieser Substanz in der Lösung steht. Die photometrisch ermittelte Farbabnahme geht mit dem durch mikrobiologischen Test bestimmten Aktivitätsverlust in vieler Hinsicht parallel. Bei der Aktivitätsabnahme spielt die Art des Lösungsmittels eine wichtige Rolle. Die stärkste Aktivitätsminderung nach dem Erhitzen wurde in bidest. Wasser, die geringste Aktivitätsabnahme in Glykokollpuffer beobachtet.

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Summary The concentration of active actinomycin C in a solution can be determined quite simply by a photometric method. Comparison of results showed good agreement between the microbiological tests and the photometric method. Actinomycin C suffers most loss of activity by heating when dissolved in distilled water and least when dissolved in glycine buffer.

     

About a minimax theorem of Matthies,Strang and Christiansen

We give a new minisup theorem for noncompact strategy sets. Our result is of the type of the Matthies-Strang-Christiansen minimax theorem where the hyperplane should be replaced by any closed convex set. As an application, we derive a slight generalization of the Matthies-Strang-Christiansen minimax theorem.