Selective volatilisation of trace metals from refractory solids into an inductively coupled plasma

Feasibility studies have been carried out on the use of a graphite electrode assembly for the introduction of U₃O₈ solid samples into a continuously running low-powered argon inductively coupled plasma for the assay of trace metallic elements in uranium. The d.c. arc carrier distillation procedure has been adopted here for the selective volatilisation of analyte elements from the refractory matrix by injecting analyte vapours into the central zone of the plasma using Scribner-Mullin electrodes covered with a graphite lid having a central opening. The experimental parameters have been optimised for the direct determination of B, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mn, Na, Ni and Pb in U₃O₈ powders. The analytical performance of the method has been checked by analysing spiked U₃O₈ samples and is seen to be comparable to or better than d.c. arc methods for these analytes. These results indicate that the carrier-distillation-ICP combination shows promise as a sensitive and precise method for analysis of trace metallic elements in a refractory matrix with a complex spectrum.     

Absorption spectra and magneto-optic figures of merit in the Bi x Sm3-x Fe5-y Ga y O12 system

The absorption (α) and Faraday rotation (θ) spectra of 14 garnets belonging to the series Bi _x Sm_3-x Fe_5-y Ga _y O₁₂ (0<x<1.05, 0.8<y<1.15) have been measured between 15 000 cm⁻¹ and 19 000 cm⁻¹. The figure of merit (θ/α) at 17 850 cm⁻¹ (560 nm) increases linearly with increasing bismuth concentration up tox∼0.6 where it begins to increase less rapidly. For operation of magneto-optic display devices at 17 850 cm⁻¹ there is no advantage in using garnets in this series withx>0.8. The Faraday rotation at 17 850 cm⁻¹ increases linearly with bismuth concentration whereas the absorption coefficient increases more rapidly. The presence of Bi³⁺ increases the intensity of all Fe³⁺ pair transitions in the garnet system as a result of the increased superexchange induced by Bi³⁺. This is in keeping with the observation that the intensity of the⁶A_1g (S)→⁴T_1g (G) transition in (RE)₃Fe₅O₁₂ (RE=Er, Y, Dy, Gd, Eu) increases on traversing the above RE series as do the Curie temperatures of these iron garnets.     

Green's functions for gravitational multi-instantons

The Green's functions for scalar fields propagating on the self-dual gravitational multi-instantons and multi-Taub-NUT metrics are given explicitly in closed form. The special cases for flat space, Taub-NUT and the Eguchi-Hanson instanton are listed. A construction is described for obtaining the Green's functions for fields of arbitrary spin.     

Band absorption in nonhomogeneous,isotropically-scattering planetary atmospheres: theory and experiment

A computer program is developed which predicts the vertical distribution of an absorbing species in an isotropically-scattering, finite planetary atmosphere from measurements of the upwelling band radiance determined by a vertically traversing 2-channel radiometer. Comparison is made with experiment.     

Parameter variation in low-quartz between 94 and 298K

The structure of low quartz has been refined at 94, 115, 150, 190, 240 and 298K using Mo Kα intensities up to 2θ = 90° with residuals around 1.25%. The major structural change from 94 to 298K is an increase of the SiOSi angle from 142.69(4) to 143.65(5) corresponding to a rotation by ～0.8° of a rigid SiO₄ tetrahedron around the crystallographic 2-axis through its central Si. The orientations of the principal axes of vibration of Si and O do not change significantly with temperature. The temperature dependence of the mean-square displacement of O along its principal axes follows the Debye formula of thermal motion quite well, while for Si the experimental slopes are significantly less than their calculated values.     

Fibrillar crystals of isotactic polystyrene. II. Aggregation in stirred suspensions

Macroscopic particles of various morphological forms are created by the crystallization of isotactic polystyrene from rapidly stirred solutions. Crystallization from trimethylbenzene over a 150° C temperature range produced spherical particles, globules, fibers, and rings depending upon the growth temperature. Crystallization from cyclohexanol (θ = 83.5°C) produced fibers in the temperature range of 85° to 140° C. Globular structures, similar to those formed by stirrer crystallization in trimethylbenzene developed during the Ziegler-Natta polymerization of styrene in trimethylbenzene between 25° and 75°C. Highly birefringent conical appendages appeared on many of the globules and fibers. The fibers often exhibited a skin-core effect with an average longitudinal and transverse orientation of the chain molecules in the skin and core, respectively. The skin frequently displayed periodic banded extinctions. All of these macrostructures consisted of a highly porous assembly of constituent microfibrillar units. It is believed that the morphogenesis of these structures involves the gradual aggregation of microfibrils under the influence of the flow patterns of the system.     

MC model of Auger spectra from highly charged ion beam surface interaction

Abstract

A Monte Carlo code is described which simulates angle resolved Auger electron energy spectra from highly charged ion surface interaction. The combined effect of the Doppler spread of laboratory emission energy and electron scattering by the solid, together with the broad inherent line width, is found to have considerable influence on the spectral lines. As a new feature, low or high energy shoulders can appear. By comparison between simulated and measured spectra information on the kinematic and electronic state of the projectile ions in the moment of electron emission can be extracted. The standard method of spectrum analysis, which is based on the assumption of direct escape of the electrons, is evaluated with respect to the simulated spectra.