Mössbauer electric-field gradient study in FeS2 (marcasite)

Ratios of coincidence counting rates of annihilation gammas at 0 and 10m rad were measured for 16 atomic percentages of indium in liquid mercury. Theory of trapping of positrons at solute atoms and solute-vacancy complexes is applied. Complete angular correlation measurements for 14.3, 25, 35, and 50 atomic percentages of indium were also made and showed possible effects of solute-vacancy complexes on the smearing of the angular correlation distributions.     

Atomic Structure and Properties of the (310) Symmetrical Tilt Grain Boundary (STGB) in SrTiO3 Part II: Comparison with Experimental Studies

The atomistic simulation results presented in Part I for SrTiO₃ (310) symmetrical tilt grain boundary (STGB, the so-called = 5 GB with 36.8° symmetrical misorientation about [001]) are analyzed in the context of available experimental studies. In particular, atomic imaging studies of SrTiO₃ GBs via high resolution TEM and incoherent Z-contrast STEM imaging; and determination of oxygen positions by combining electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and bond-valence-sum rules, are compared with simulation results. The atomistic simulation data on the GB energies are compared with relative experimental estimates obtained via a novel approach of faceting of focused ion beam (FIB) induced microvoids.While there are considerable differences in details of simulation and experimental results, some basic trends seem to emerge about the core structural framework of GBs in SrTiO₃. The paper highlights the limitations of both, experimental and simulation techniques, and argues in favor of synergistic use of diverse experimental and simulation approach to determine the atomic structure and properties of GBs.     

Domain pattern in ferroelectric triglycine sulphate using pyroelectric effect

A method to study domain structure in ferroelectrics, using pyroelectric effect is described. Variation of pyroelectric signal from the surface of a triglycine sulphate crystal plate has been studied by scanning the surface of the crystal with a low wattage He-Ne laser beam. The integrated pyroelectric signal is due to two components, namely, (1) the primary component arising out of the change in spontaneous polarization with temperature and (2) the delayed component arising out of the possible polarization reversal. The component of an electric field along the ferroelectric axis due to thermal hemisphere within the crystal plate formed by the laser beam has been calculated and shown to exceed coercive field, making polarization reversal possible. The delayed pyroelectric signal is a measure of polarization reversal within the patch illuminated and its observed variation over the surface yields information of the domain structure.     

Synthesis and spectroscopic studies of complexes of zinc(II) with N2O2 donor groups

Complexes of zinc(II) with N,N'-disalicylidene-1,2-phenylenediamine (H2dsp), N,N'-disalicylidene-3,4-diaminotoluene (H2dst), 4-nitro-N,N'-disalicylidene-1,2-phenylenediamine (H2ndsp) and N,N'-disalicylidene ethylenediamine (H2salen) have been prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, electronic, IR, 1H NMR and thermal studies. TG studies show that all complexes decomposed in one step. Kinetic and thermodynamic parameters were computed from the thermal decomposition data. The activation energy of complexes lies 60-87 kJ mol(-1) range.     

Effect of oxide additives on radiolytic decomposition of potassium nitrate

Gamma-ray induced decomposition of binary mixtures of potassium nitrate with 90, 70, 50, 30 and 10 mol% SiO₂, Al₂O₃, MnO₂, V₂O₅, La₂O₃, CeO₂, Sm₂O₃, Eu₂O₃, Gd₂O₃ and Dy₂O₃ has been studied at different doses up to 500 kGy. Radiolytic decomposition of the nitrate is affected by the concentration of the oxide in the binary mixture as well as by the absorbed dose. The enhancement is up to 10³ times at 90 mol% of the additive.G(NO₂ ⁻) values calculated on the basis of electron fraction of the nitrate decrease with the increasing concentration of the nitrate. A comparison ofG(NO₂ ⁻) for 90 mol% oxides shows decreasing trend as Gd₂O₃>Sm₂O₃≈Dy₂O₃> Eu₂O₃>CeO₂>Al₂O₃>V₂O₅>SiO₂>MnO₂. ESR and TL measurements suggest the formation of radical species which interact with the radical species of nitrate causing enhanced decomposition by energy transfer mechanism.     

Locally enhanced relative humidity for scanning probe nanolithography

The formation of a water meniscus between a sharp tip and a solid surface is one of the prevailing requirements for scanning probe microscope (SPM)-based lithographies, such as dip-pen nanolithography (DPN) and conductive tip induced oxidation. The water meniscus functions as a medium for the oxidation of or mass transfer to the solid surface. Here we report a simple, efficient, and effective approach to enhance the local relative humidity and thus increase the size of the water meniscus by bringing a water-containing capillary tube to the proximity of the tip-surface contact area. The enhancement in local relative humidity is confirmed via an increase in the measured tip-surface adhesion forces and the widths of DPN generated parallel lines. Compared to the global control of relative humidity for the whole lithography system, the short distance between the "water reservoir" and the tip-surface contact area enables rapid increase in the local vapor pressure of water, less perturbation, and minimal erosion to the state-of-the-art electronics. As a result, most scanning probe lithography experiments at high relative humidity can now be performed in a reasonable time frame.     

Total synthesis of oxidized welwitindolinones and (-)-N-methylwelwitindolinone C isonitrile

We report the total synthesis of (-)-N-methylwelwitindolinone C isonitrile, in addition to the total syntheses of the 3-hydroxylated welwitindolinones. Our routes to these elusive natural products feature the strategic use of a deuterium kinetic isotope effect to improve the efficiency of a late-stage nitrene insertion reaction. We also provide a computational prediction for the stereochemical configuration at C3 of the hydroxylated welwitindolinones, which was confirmed by experimental studies.