Depth-profiling the composition of bimetallic nanoparticles using medium energy ion scattering

The near monolayer depth resolution of medium energy ion scattering is utilized to develop a probe of the depth dependent composition of bimetallic nanoparticles supported on planar oxide supports. The approach fits spectra of scattered ion intensity versus ion energy at well-defined scattering angles taking into account the asymmetric line shape in such spectra and also the depth dependent loss processes encountered by incident ions as they pass through the bimetallic particles.     

Gas-phase oxidation of Cm+ and Cm2+ --thermodynamics of neutral and ionized CmO

Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry was employed to study the products and kinetics of gas-phase reactions of Cm (+) and Cm (2+); parallel studies were carried out with La (+/2+), Gd (+/2+) and Lu (+/2+). Reactions with oxygen-donor molecules provided estimates for the bond dissociation energies, D[M (+)-O] (M = Cm, Gd, Lu). The first ionization energy, IE[CmO], was obtained from the reactivity of CmO (+) with dienes, and the second ionization energies, IE[MO (+)] (M = Cm, La, Gd, Lu), from the rates of electron-transfer reactions from neutrals to the MO (2+) ions. The following thermodynamic quantities for curium oxide molecules were obtained: IE[CmO] = 6.4 +/- 0.2 eV; IE[CmO (+)] = 15.8 +/- 0.4 eV; D[Cm-O] = 710 +/- 45 kJ mol (-1); D[Cm (+)-O] = 670 +/- 40 kJ mol (-1); and D[Cm (2+)-O] = 342 +/- 55 kJ mol (-1). Estimates for the M (2+)-O bond energies for M = Cm, La, Gd, and Lu are all intermediate between D[N 2-O] and D[OC-O] - that is, 167 kJ mol (-1) < D[M (2+)-O] < 532 kJ mol (-1) - such that the four MO (2+) ions fulfill the thermodynamic requirement for catalytic oxygen-atom transport from N2O to CO. It was demonstrated that the kinetics are also favorable and that the CmO (2+), LaO (2+), GdO (2+), and LuO (2+) dipositive ions each catalyze the gas-phase oxidation of CO to CO2 by N2O. The CmO 2 (+) ion appeared during the reaction of Cm (+) with O 2 when the intermediate, CmO (+), was not collisionally cooled - although its formation is kinetically and/or thermodynamically unfavorable, CmO 2 (+) is a stable species.     

Magnetism and Raman spectroscopy of the dimeric lanthanide iodates Ln(IO3)3 (Ln=Gd, Er) and magnetism of Yb(IO3)3

Colorless single crystals of Gd(IO₃)₃ or pale pink single crystals of Er(IO₃)₃ have been formed from the reaction of Gd metal with H₅IO₆ or Er metal with H₅IO₆ under hydrothermal reaction conditions at 180 °C. The structures of both materials adopt the Bi(IO₃)₃ structure type. Crystallographic data are (MoKα, λ=0.71073 Å): Gd(IO₃)₃, monoclinic, space group P2₁/n, a=8.7615(3) Å, b=5.9081(2) Å, c=15.1232(6) Å, β=96.980(1)°, V=777.03(5) Z=4, R(F)=1.68% for 119 parameters with 1930 reflections with I>2σ(I); Er(IO₃)₃, monoclinic, space group P2₁/n, a=8.6885(7) Å, b=5.9538(5) Å, c=14.9664(12) Å, β=97.054(1)°, V=768.4(1) Z=4, R(F)=2.26% for 119 parameters with 1894 reflections with I>2σ(I). In addition to structural studies, Gd(IO₃)₃, Er(IO₃)₃, and the isostructural Yb(IO₃)₃ were also characterized by Raman spectroscopy and magnetic property measurements. The results of the Raman studies indicated that the vibrational profiles are adequately sensitive to distinguish between the structures of the iodates reported here and other lanthanide iodate systems. The magnetic measurements indicate that only in Gd(IO₃)₃ did the 3+ lanthanide ion exhibit its full 7.9 μ_B Hund's rule moment; Er³⁺ and Yb³⁺ exhibited ground state moments and gap energy scales of 8.3 μ_B/70 K and 3.8 μ_B/160 K, respectively. Er(IO₃)₃ exhibited extremely weak ferromagnetic correlations (+0.4 K), while the magnetic ions in Gd(IO₃)₃ and Yb(IO₃)₃ were fully non-interacting within the resolution of our measurements (∼0.2 K).     

Haemagglutinin mutations responsible for the binding of H5N1 influenza A viruses to human-type receptors

H5N1 influenza A viruses have spread to numerous countries in Asia, Europe and Africa, infecting not only large numbers of poultry, but also an increasing number of humans, often with lethal effects. Human and avian influenza A viruses differ in their recognition of host cell receptors: the former preferentially recognize receptors with saccharides terminating in sialic acid-alpha2,6-galactose (SAalpha2,6Gal), whereas the latter prefer those ending in SAalpha2,3Gal (refs 3-6). A conversion from SAalpha2,3Gal to SAalpha2,6Gal recognition is thought to be one of the changes that must occur before avian influenza viruses can replicate efficiently in humans and acquire the potential to cause a pandemic. By identifying mutations in the receptor-binding haemagglutinin (HA) molecule that would enable avian H5N1 viruses to recognize human-type host cell receptors, it may be possible to predict (and thus to increase preparedness for) the emergence of pandemic viruses. Here we show that some H5N1 viruses isolated from humans can bind to both human and avian receptors, in contrast to those isolated from chickens and ducks, which recognize the avian receptors exclusively. Mutations at positions 182 and 192 independently convert the HAs of H5N1 viruses known to recognize the avian receptor to ones that recognize the human receptor. Analysis of the crystal structure of the HA from an H5N1 virus used in our genetic experiments shows that the locations of these amino acids in the HA molecule are compatible with an effect on receptor binding. The amino acid changes that we identify might serve as molecular markers for assessing the pandemic potential of H5N1 field isolates.     

The Effect of Temperature and Excitation on the Single- and Two-Photon Excited Emission Spectrum of Curium in a Glass Matrix

Single and two-photon excited emission has been observed from a curiumdoped borosilicate glass matrix at both room and liquid nitrogen temperatures. The emission spectrum was measured using several different excitation energies and intensities. In addition to the expected line narrowing, variations in the ratios of emission intensities between states, and between crystal field levels within the each state were observed with cooling. Slight variations in the emission spectrum also arose as a function of the excitation intensity. These variations in the Cm ion's emission spectrum as a function of experimental parameters are presented and discussed.     

Higher order speciation effects on plutonium L(3) X-ray absorption near edge spectra

Pu L(3) X-ray near edge absorption spectra for Pu(0-VII) are reported for more than 60 chalcogenides, chlorides, hydrates, hydroxides, nitrates, carbonates, oxy-hydroxides, and other compounds both as solids and in solution, and substituted in zirconolite, perovskite, and borosilicate glass. This large database extends the known correlations between the energy and shape of these spectra from the usual association of the XANES with valence and site symmetry to higher order chemical effects. Because of the large number of compounds of these different types, a number of novel and unexpected behaviors are observed, such as effects resulting from the medium and disorder that can be as large as those from valence.