Hydrogenation of fullerites in the presence of intermetallic compounds or metals

Fullerene hydrides containing 24–26 H atoms per fullerene molecule were obtained by hydrogenation of solid-phase mixtures of fullerenes with either intermetallic compounds LaNi₅, LaNi_4.65Mn_0.35, CeCo₃ or V and Pd metals with gaseous hydrogen at 1.0–2.5 MPa and 573–673 K. These fullerene hydrides decompose at 800 K with evolution of H₂. Upon subsequent heating to 1000 K, vanadium reacts with fullerene to yield a cubic phase of vanadium carbide. The intermetallic compounds react with fullerene with the formation of a metallic phase of the 3d-metal and destruction of fullerene. Palladium does not react with fullerene. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 4, pp. 679–683, April, 1997.     

Terahertz spectroscopy with a Josephson oscillator and a SINIS bolometer

The voltage response of a thin-film normal-metal hot-electron bolometer based on a SINIS (superconductor-insulator-normal metal-insulator-superconductor) structure to the radiation of a high-temperature Josephson junction in the terahertz frequency region was measured. Bolometers were integrated with planar log-periodic and double-dipole antennas, and Josephson junctions were integrated with log-periodic antennas. Measurements showed that the Josephson junction at a temperature of 260 mK was overheated by the transport current, so that its electron temperature exceeded 3 K at a bias voltage of 1 mV. The maximum response of a bolometer with a double-dipole antenna was observed at a frequency of 300 GHz, which agreed well with the calculated value. The Josephson radiation was observed at frequencies up to 1.7 THz. The voltage response of a bolometer reached 4×10⁸ V/W, and the total noise-equivalent power reached 1.5×10^?17 W/Hz^1/2.     

Anomalous increase of the thermopower and thermoelectric figure of merit in Ga-doped <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-(Bi<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>Sb<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>Te<Subscript>3</Subscript> single crystals

The effect of Ga doping on the temperature dependences (5 K ≤ T ≤ 300 K) of the Seebeck coefficient α, electrical conductivity σ, thermal conductivity coefficient κ, and thermoelectric figure of merit Z of p-(Bi_0.5Sb_0.5)₂Te₃ single crystals has been investigated. It has been shown that, upon Ga doping, the hole concentration decreases, the Seebeck coefficient increases, the electrical conductivity decreases, and the thermoelectric figure of merit increases. The observed variations in the Seebeck coefficient cannot be completely explained by the decrease in the hole concentration and indicate a noticeable variation in the density of states due to the Ga doping.     

The isospin-symmetry-breaking effects in <Emphasis Type="Italic">K</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">e</Emphasis>4</Subscript> decays

The final-state interaction of pions in K _e4 decay allows to obtain the value of the isospin and angular-momentum-zero ππ scattering length a ₀⁰.We take into account the electromagnetic interaction of pions and isospin-symmetry-breaking effects caused by different masses of neutral and charged pions and estimate the impact of these effects on the procedure of scattering-length extraction from K _e4 decays.     

Quantum-chemical study of the structure of copper(I) acetate and trifluoroacetate oligomers

The results of B3LYP quantum-chemical calculations of the equilibrium structures of [(CX₃COOCu)₂]₃, [(CX₃COOCu)₂]₂, and (CX₃COOCu)₂ oligomers (X = H, F) using the cc-pVTZ correlation-consistent basis for C, O, and F atoms and the Stuttgart 1997 RSC basis and relativistic effective core potential for Cu(I) atoms are presented. The differences in the structures of the free dimer and dimer units in oligomers were studied. The hexamer structure was chosen as the model of a fragment of the crystalline phase. Good agreement was obtained between the experimental and calculated differences between the geometrical parameters of the structures in the “gas phase-crystal” and “acetate-trifluoroacetate” series. Based on the calculated data, the increase in the Cu(I)-Cu(I) bond length in the silver acetate crystal compared with the gas phase can be explained by the effect of the neighboring dimer units of the polymer ribbon, while the increase in the Cu(I)-Cu(I) bond length in gaseous trifluoroacetate compared with acetate, by the acceptor effect of fluorine atoms.     

New Colloid Silicate Solutions for Restoration and Conservation of Stone Facades

The kinetics of water absorption by samples taken from facades of buildings (marbled footinglimestone, bricks, plaster), both in initial state, those treated with solutions of classical water repellentsand new hydrophilic and hydrophobic colloid silicates, was studied, and the state of the initial materialwas assessed. Recommendations on how to stabilize stone and protect it from the destructive influence of the humid atmosphere are given.     

Cold-electron bolometer arrays

To improve electron cooling, expand the dynamic range, and match the input and output impedances, series/parallel arrays of cold-electron bolometers have been developed, manufactured, and measured at temperatures from 50 to 350 mK. The bolometers are integrated into cross-slot antennas to analyze the polarization of cosmic microwave background radiation at a frequency of 345 GHz. The maximum temperature response is 6.5 μV/mK. The noise-equivalent electric power at a temperature of 300 mK is 1.2 × 10^?17 W/Hz^1/2.     

Submillimeter-wave Josephson spectroscopy

A Josephson high-temperature superconducting (HTSC) submillimeter-wave spectrometer is designed, built, and experimentally investigated. The integrated detection structure of the spectrometer includes a YBCO Josephson junction on a bicrystalline boundary, a double-slot or log-periodic antenna, and a low-inductance resistive shunt. The selective detector response and the response at an intermediate frequency of 1.4 GHz are measured under the action of a signal in the frequency range 350–1250 GHz. Three methods of spectroscopy are investigated using this setup: 1) a method of Hilbert spectroscopy with processing of the detector response is implemented; 2) it is found that for a wide Josephson line at intermediate frequency (IF) the response has the same form as the detector response, making it possible to obtain a spectrum and the width of the generation line from IF response measurements; 3) for a narrow Josephson line the IF response corresponds to the regime of conversion with self-pumping. A new method is proposed for calculating the emission spectrum. The method consists of simple shift, summation, and subtraction operations. The advantages of the method are simplicity, high sensitivity, and high resolution. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 70, No. 5, 338–343 (10 September 1999)     

Platinum nanoparticles on fullerene black as effective catalysts of hydrogenation

Fixation of platinum from H₂PtC_l6 on fullerene black through non-conjugate double bonds or hydroxyl groups created on their base in the presence of an organic base with postreduction by formate ions allows platinum particles of size 3–4 nm to be obtained. These compositions catalyze 1-decene and nitrobenzene hydrogenation and exceed in activity the traditional catalyst Pt/C with platinum particle size of 70–80 nm. The average size of the fixed platinum particles affects the catalytic activity stronger than the specific surface area and the electron conduction of the carrying agent.