Scanning probe microscopy studies of PbS surfaces oxidized in air and etched in aqueous acid solutions

Natural n-type PbS single crystals have been studied using AFM, STM and STS after long-term oxidation in air at ambient temperatures and extensive etching in aqueous acid solutions, in contrast to previous work devoted to initial corrosion of fresh surfaces. The exposure of PbS to atmosphere at high relative humidity for several days yields widespread loose oxidation products; the process is much slower at low humidity. Surface morphologies diverge after the treatment in 1 M perchloric and hydrochloric acid solutions at room temperature and become widely different at elevated temperatures, displaying commonly etch pits up to several micrometers in size and depth along with rather uniformly distributed 20-100 nm protrusions of PbS phase. The changes both in topography and semiconducting properties of PbS found by tunneling spectroscopy have been explained in terms of the non-uniform distribution of donor- and acceptor-type defects D⁺/D⁻ in the metal depleted surface layer, which are generated by chemical reactions and, in turn, determine the rates of the PbS corrosion. In particular, the D⁻ centers exhibit a self-catalyzing effect on the non-oxidative local dissolution of PbS in HCl media, resulting in the deep etch pits.     

A supramolecular hydrogen‐bonded complex between 1,3,5‐tris(diisobutylhydroxysilyl)benzene and trans‐bis(4‐pyridyl)ethylene

The trisilanol 1,3,5‐(HOi‐Bu₂Si)₃C₆H₃ ( 7 ), prepared in three steps from 1,3,5‐tribromobenzene via the intermediates 1,3,5‐(Hi‐Bu₂Si)₃C₆H₃ ( 8 ) and 1,3,5‐(Cli‐Bu₂Si)₃C₆H₃ ( 9 ) forms an equimolar complex with trans‐bis(4‐pyridyl)ethylene (bpe), 7 ·bpe, whose structure was investigated by X‐ray crystallography. The hydrogen‐bonded network features a number of SiO? H(H)Si and SiO? H hydrogen bridges. Evidence was found for cooperative strengthening within the sequential hydrogen bonds. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Catalysis by Ir(III), Rh(III) and Pd(II) metal ions in the oxidation of organic compounds with H2O2

Catalytic activities of three transition metals, as iridium (III) chloride, rhodium (III) chloride and palladium (II) chloride, were compared in the oxidation of six aromatic aldehydes (benzaldehyde, p‐chloro benzaldehyde, p‐nitro benzaldehyde, m‐nitro benzaldehyde, p‐methoxy benzaldehyde and cinnamaldehyde), two hydrocarbons (viz. (anthracene and phenanthrene)) and one aromatic and one cyclic alcohol (cyclohexanol and benzyl alcohol) by 50% H₂O₂. The presence of traces (substrate: catalyst ratio equal to 1:62500 to 1:1961) of the chlorides of iridium(III), rhodium(III) and palladium(II) catalyze these oxidations, resulting in good to excellent yields. It was observed that in most of the cases palladium(II) chloride is the most efficient catalyst. Conditions for the highest and most economical yields were obtained. Deviation from the optimum conditions decreases the yields. Oxidation in aromatic aldehydes is selective at the aldehydeic group only and other groups remain unaffected. This new, simple and economical method, which is environmentally safe, also requires less time. Reactive species of catalysts, existing in the reaction mixture are also discussed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical study of charge ordering in NaxCoO2

A simple microscopic model of charge ordering in the Na_xCoO₂ system is presented. The model takes into account the interplane interactions between the ordered Na ions and d electrons from the CoO₂ layers as well as the nearest-neighbor intraplane Coulomb interactions between d electrons. It is shown that a driving force of charge ordering in the CoO₂ layers is the interplane interaction that alone is able to describe various types of inhomogeneous charge ordering (e.g., the striped phases) as well as to predict correctly the conducting properties of the system.     

An expansion in the exponent for compound binomial approximations

The purpose of this paper is two-fold. First, we introduce a new asymptotic expansion in the exponent for the compound binomial approximation of the generalized Poisson binomial distribution. The dependence of its accuracy on the symmetry and shifting of distributions is investigated. Second, for compound binomial and compound Poisson distributions, we present new smoothness estimates, some of which contain explicit constants. Finally, the ideas used in this paper enable us to prove new precise bounds in the compound Poisson approximation. Published in Lietuvos Matematikos Rinkinys, Vol. 46, No. 1, pp. 67–110, January–March, 2006.     

混杂配体金属簇合物的分子振动光谱与结构

由于原子簇化合物在催化，生物活性，功能材料等方面所呈现的重要性，使其成为无机和物理化学最重要的研究领域之一。文章中和谱学方法对一些具有混配体的过渡金属簇合物的结构及其两者之间的关系进行.     

Effect of hydrogen on interatomic bonds in austenitic steels

Mössbauer spectroscopy was used to investigate the influence of dissolved hydrogen on the interatomic bonds in austenitic steels. It was carried out to prove the decohesion mechanism of hydrogen embrittlement (HE). It is shown that hydrogen increases Debye temperature, i.e., the interatomic bonds in hydrogenated austenitic steel becomes stronger.     

Features of the Motion of a Gas-Liquid Medium in a Compound Shell (Sphere and Truncated Cone) Subject to Vibration

The results from an experimental study into the dynamic behavior of a gas-liquid medium and solid particles in a compound shell (sphere-truncated cone) are reported on. The following processes are studied: formation of gas bubbles and their clusters, strong macroflows, and intensive chaotic motion of the medium in the truncated cone as a nonlinear vibrating liquid-gas system__________Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika, Vol. 41, No. 1, pp. 112–118, January 2005.     

Influence of intrachain hydrogen bonding on the cyclization of a polystyrene chain

Cyclization of a polystyrene chain (M_n = 10,600; M_w/M_n = 1.09) both ends labeled with 4-(1-pyrenyl)butanoamide groups was studied in cyclohexane between 25 and 95°C. The amide groups (peptide bonds) at both ends can form an intrachain hydrogen bond between the amide hydrogen at one chain end and the carbonyl oxygen at the other. The presence of two sets of conformers, random coils, and chains cyclized through hydrogen bonding, complicates the data analysis. The pyrene excimer kinetics of this polymer is well described by a model composed of two monomers (hydrogen bonded and nonbonded chains) and one excimer, in equilibrium. The cyclization rate constant for hydrogen-bonded chains is larger than the one for nonhydrogen-bonded chains. The pyrene excimer binding energy (ca. 1.6 kcal/mol) is lower than the published value for nonhydrogen-bonded chains (～ 9 kcal/mol), suggesting that intrachain hydrogen bonding hinders the stabilization of the excimer. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.