Influence of the laser parameters on the space and time characteristics of an aluminum laser-induced plasma

In this work, an aluminum laser plasma produced in ambient air at atmospheric pressure by laser pulses at a fluence of 10 J/cm² is characterized by time- and space-resolved measurements of electron density and temperature. Varying the laser pulse duration from 6 ns to 80 fs and the laser wavelength from ultraviolet to infrared only slightly influences the plasma properties. The temperature exhibits a slight decrease both at the plasma edge and close to the target surface. The electron density is found to be spatially homogeneous in the ablation plume during the first microsecond. Finally, the plasma expansion is in good agreement with the Sedov's model during the first 500 ns and it becomes subsonic, with respect to the velocity of sound in air, typically 1 μs after the plasma creation. The physical interpretation of the experimental results is also discussed to the light of a one-dimensional fluid model which provides a good qualitative agreement with measurements.     

Chemistry and physics with many positrons

The first study of a high-density collection of positronium (Cassidy et al., 2005) revealed Ps–Ps spin exchange interactions in a porous silica sample. The prospects for further work in this field include forming di-positronium molecules and the Ps Bose–Einstein condensate, and constructing an annihilation gamma ray laser.     

Growth control of homogeneous pulsed electrodeposited Co thin films on n-doped Si(1 1 1) substrates

Cobalt thin films were deposited by pulsed electrodeposition on n-doped silicon substrates. We show that the morphology and the magnetic properties of the samples can be controlled by a careful choice of the deposition conditions. Atomic force microscopy measurements reveal a granular growth with grain size and homogeneity strongly dependent on the total deposition time and pulse frequency of the applied signal. Magnetic force microscopy and magnetization measurements indicate the formation of magnetically correlated grain systems with a maximum magnetic correlation and homogeneity for samples with grain diameters of about 40 nm.     

Sorption of 241Am by Aspergillus nigerspore and hyphae

Biosorption of ²⁴¹Am by a fungus A. niger, including the spore and hyphae, was investigated. The preliminary results showed that the adsorption of ²⁴¹Am by the microorganism was efficient. More than 96% of the total ²⁴¹Am could be removed from ²⁴¹Am solutions of 5.6-111 MBq/l (C _o) by spore and hyphaeof A. niger, with adsorbed ²⁴¹Am metal (Q) of 7.2-142.4 MBq/g biomass, and 5.2-106.5 MBq/g, respectively. The biosorption equilibrium was achieved within 1 hour and the optimum pH range was pH 1-3. No obvious effects on ²⁴¹Am adsorption by the fungus were observed at 10-45 °C, or in solutions containing Au³⁺ or Ag⁺, even 2000 times above the ²⁴¹Am concentration. The ²⁴¹Am biosorption by the fungus obeys the Freundlich adsorption equation. There was no significant difference between the adsorption behavior of A. nigerspore and hyphae. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Subsolidus phase relations and crystal structure of compounds in the PrOx-CaO-CuO system

The subsolidus phase relations of the PrO_x-CaO-CuO pseudo-ternary system sintered at 950-1000°C have been investigated by X-ray powder diffraction. In this system, there exist one compound Ca₁₀Pr₄Cu₂₄O₄₁, one Ca₂Pr₂Cu₅O₁₀-based solid solution, seven three-phase regions and two two-phase regions. The crystal structures of Ca₁₀Pr₄Cu₂₄O₄₁ and Ca₂Pr₂Cu₅O₁₀-based solid solution have been determined. Compound Ca₁₀Pr₄Cu₂₄O₄₁ crystallizes in an orthorhombic cell with space group D_2h²⁰−Cccm, Z=4. Its lattice parameters are a=11.278(2) Å, b=12.448(3) Å and c=27.486(8) Å. The crystal structure of Ca₂Pr₂Cu₅O₁₀-based solid solution is an incommensurate phase based on the orthorhombic NaCuO₂ type subcell. The lattice parameters of the subcell of the Ca_2.4Pr_1.6Cu₅O₁₀ are a₀=2.8246(7) Å, b₀=6.3693(5) Å, c₀=10.679(1) Å, and those of the orthorhombic superstructure are with a=5a₀, b=b₀, c=5c₀. The Ca_2.4Pr_1.6Cu₅O₁₀ structure can also be determined by using a monoclinic supercell with space group C_2h⁵−P2₁/c, Z=4, a=5a₀, b=b₀, and β=104.79(1)° or 136.60(1)°, V=5a₀b₀c₀.     

The first asymmetric addition of organogallium to aldehydes catalyzed by chiral titanium catalysts

The addition of organogallium to aldehydes was realized with titanium tetrachloride as a Lewis acid catalyst. For the first time, the catalytic asymmetric addition of organogallium to aldehydes was investigated with chiral titanium complexes, which were formed from titanium tetrachloride and salan ligands, with mediocre to good chemical yields and enantioselectivities.     

The effect of pre-evaporation on ion distributions in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

The connecting tube (2 or 5-mm i. d., 11-cm long) between the spray chamber and the torch was heated (to 400 °C) to investigate the effect of pre-evaporation on the distribution of ions in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Axial and radial profiles of analyte ions (Al⁺, V⁺, Cr⁺, Ni⁺, Zn⁺, Mn⁺, Zn⁺, As⁺, Se⁺, Mo⁺, Cd⁺, Sb⁺, La⁺, Pb⁺) in 1% HNO₃ as well as some polyatomic ions (LaO⁺, ArO⁺, ArN⁺, CO₂⁺) were simultaneously obtained on a time-of-flight ICP-MS instrument. Upon heating the connecting tube, the optimal axial position of all elements shifted closer to the load coil. Without the heated tube, 3.5 mm was the compromise axial position for multielemental analysis, which was optimal for 6 analytes. With the heated tube, this position became 1.5 mm, which was then optimal for 9 of the 14 analytes. Furthermore, the radial profiles, which were wide with a plateau in their middle without heating, became significantly narrower and Gaussian-like with a heated tube. This narrowing, which was most important for the 5-mm tube, slightly (by a factor of two at the most) yet significantly (at the 95% confidence level) improved the sensitivity of all elements but Mn upon optimisation of the axial position for compromise multi-element analysis. Furthermore, a concurrent decrease in the standard deviation of the blank was significant at the 95% confidence level for 9 of the 14 analytes. For most of the analytes, this translated into a two-fold to up to an order of magnitude improvement in detection limit, which is commensurate with a reduction of noise resulting from the smaller droplets entering the plasma after traversing the pre-evaporation tube.     

l-Proline amide-catalyzed direct asymmetric aldol reaction of aldehydes with chloroacetone

l-Proline amides were evaluated for catalyzing the direct aldol reaction of 4-nitrobenzaldehyde with chloroacetone. The presence of 30 mol% (S)-pyrrolidine-2-carboxylic acid (2,4,6-trimethyl-phenyl)-amide catalyzed the direct aldol reactions of a range of aldehydes with chloroacetone to give anti-α-chloro-β-hydroxyketones with high regio-, diastereo- and enantioselectivity.     

Direct reaction of meta powders with several sodium dithiocarbamates

Copper and nickel powders react directly with sodium dithiocarbamates in organic solvents and produce the corresponding metal complexes. The rate constants have been estimated spectrohotometrically. The effects of organic solvents and substituents of the carbamates on the relative reactivity were studied. The results show that copper powder reacts in chloroform more readily than any other system examined. This reaction has been successfully applied to the determination of copper contents in brass and bronze powders.     

Hydrogenation of imines by rhodium-phosphine complexes

The hydrogenation of imines using RhCl(PPh₃)₃ and [Rh(PPh₃)₂(diene)]PF₆ as catalyst precursors is effective at room temperature under 1 atm of hydrogen, using alcohols as solvents. A water-diethylether phase-transfer system has been used for a solid imine. A catalytic cycle featuring hydrogen bonding between a coordinated alcohol and an imine, and involving a dialkylamido intermediate, is proposed.