Green synthesis and characterization of Au@Pt core–shell bimetallic nanoparticles using gallic acid

In this study, we developed a facile and benign green synthesis approach for the successful fabrication of well-dispersed urchin-like Au@Pt core–shell nanoparticles (NPs) using gallic acid (GA) as both a reducing and protecting agent. The proposed one-step synthesis exploits the differences in the reduction potentials of AuCl₄⁻ and PtCl₆²⁻, where the AuCl₄⁻ ions are preferentially reduced to Au cores and the PtCl₆²⁻ ions are then deposited continuously onto the Au core surface as a Pt shell. The as-prepared Au@Pt NPs were characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM); high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM); scanning electron microscope (SEM); UV-vis absorption spectra (UV-vis); X-ray diffraction (XRD); Fourier transmission infrared spectra (FT-IR). We systematically investigated the effects of some experimental parameters on the formation of the Au@Pt NPs, i.e., the reaction temperature, the molar ratios of HAuCl₄/H₂PtCl₆, and the amount of GA. When polyvinylpyrrolidone K-30 (PVP) was used as a protecting agent, the Au@Pt core–shell NPs obtained using this green synthesis method were better dispersed and smaller in size. The as-prepared Au@Pt NPs exhibited better catalytic activity in the reaction where NaBH₄ reduced p-nitrophenol to p-aminophenol. However, the results showed that the Au@Pt bimetallic NPs had a lower catalytic activity than the pure Au NPs obtained by the same method, which confirmed the formation of Au@Pt core–shell nanostructures because the active sites on the surfaces of the Au NPs were covered with a Pt shell.     

A novel ammonia-assisted method for the direct synthesis of Mn3O4 nanoparticles at room temperature and their catalytic activity during the rapid degradation of azo dyes

In this study, we prepared trimanganese tetroxide nanoparticles from MnCl₂ solution in an ammonia atmosphere using a new surfactant-free method at room temperature. We analyzed and characterized the effects of different processing conditions, such as the concentrations of manganese and the ammonia source, as well as the reaction time, on the structure, purity, and morphology of the products using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques. The XRD and FTIR analyses confirmed that the prepared products comprised single phase Mn₃O₄. At room temperature, the paramagnetic characteristics were also verified by vibrating sample magnetometry. Furthermore, we tested the catalytic activity of the nanoparticles during the degradation of methyl orange and Congo red, which are organic pollutants. Our experiments demonstrated the rapid color removal and reduction in the chemical oxygen demand (>70% and >50% within 10 min, respectively) using aqueous solutions of azo dyes.     

Magnetic properties of iron nitride films prepared by oblique sputtering under different nitrogen gas flow ratios (N2/N2+Ar)

Iron nitride thin films were prepared on Si (100) substrates by oblique radio-frequency reactive magnetron oblique sputtering. Structures, phases and magnetic properties were investigated as a function of nitrogen gas flow ratio F_N(F_N=F_N2/(F_N2+F_Ar)×100%). When F_N is in the range of 2–7%, the iron nitride films show amorphous or nano-crystalline structures, which exhibit good soft magnetic properties. With 3%≤F_N≤6%, films show in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy. Both intrinsic damping factor α_in and extrinsic damping factor α_ex of the iron nitride films increase with increasing F_N. The film deposited under F_N=6% with the resonance frequency f_r=3.3 GHz and full width at half-maximum Δf=3.6 GHz has great potential for high-frequency electromagnetic shielding applications.     

High pressure studies using two-stage diamond micro-anvils grown by chemical vapor deposition

Ultra-high static pressures have been achieved in the laboratory using a two-stage micro-ball nanodiamond anvils as well as a two-stage micro-paired diamond anvils machined using a focused ion-beam system. The two-stage diamond anvils’ designs implemented thus far suffer from a limitation of one diamond anvil sliding past another anvil at extreme conditions. We describe a new method of fabricating two-stage diamond micro-anvils using a tungsten mask on a standard diamond anvil followed by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) homoepitaxial diamond growth. A prototype two-stage diamond anvil with 300?µm culet and with a CVD diamond second stage of 50?µm in diameter was fabricated. We have carried out preliminary high pressure X-ray diffraction studies on a sample of rare-earth metal lutetium sample with a copper pressure standard to 86?GPa. The micro-anvil grown by CVD remained intact during indentation of gasket as well as on decompression from the highest pressure of 86?GPa.     

铜铟铝硒硫薄膜的低成本非真空混合法制备

采用溶剂热法制备出铜铟铝硒Cu(In,Al)Se₂ (CIASe)粉末,然后滴涂铜铟铝硒CIASe浆料获得前驱体薄膜,最后通过硒化/硫化过程制备出铜铟铝硒CIASe和铜铟铝硒硫CIASeS薄膜．通过XRD、SEM、XRF及光吸收等表征,发现所制备的薄膜为单相的黄铜矿结构,具有(112)择优取向．同时,在使用硫元素替代硒之后,薄膜的XRD主峰向高的2θ角度漂移,多孔薄膜也变得更加致密．薄膜带隙值也增加到更为合适的范围,从1.21 eV增加到1.33 eV,这也说明了硫化过程有利于提高CIASeS薄膜的质量．     

Decoupled two‐grid finite element method for the time‐dependent natural convection problem I: Spatial discretization

In this article, a decoupled two grid finite element method (FEM) is proposed and analyzed for the nonsteady natural convection problem using the coarse grid numerical solutions to decouple the nonlinear coupled terms, and the corresponding optimal error estimates are derived. Compared with the standard Galerkin FEM and the usual two‐grid FEM, our algorithm not only keeps good accuracy but also saves a lot of computational cost. Some numerical examples are provided to verify the performances of the decoupled two‐grid FEM. Both theoretical analysis and numerical experiments show the efficiency and effectiveness of the decoupled two‐grid FEM for the nonsteady natural convection problem. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 31: 2135–2168, 2015     

Numerical analysis for the mixed Navier–Stokes and Darcy Problem with the Beavers–Joseph interface condition

In this article, we consider the coupled Navier–Stokes and Darcy problem with the Beavers–Joseph interface condition. With suitable restrictions of physical parameters α and ν, we prove the existence and local uniqueness of a weak solution. Then we propose a coupled finite element scheme and a decoupled and linearized scheme based on two‐grid finite element. Under suitable further restrictions, their optimal error estimates are obtained. Finally numerical experiments indicate the validity of the theoretical results as well as the efficiency and effectiveness of the decoupled and linearized two‐grid algorithm. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 31: 1009–1030, 2015     

Optical,electrical and magnetic properties of nanostructured Mn3O4 synthesized through a facile chemical route

Nanostructured Mn₃O₄ sample with an average crystallite size of ∼15 nm is synthesized via the reduction of potassium permanganate using hydrazine. The average particle size obtained from the Transmission Electron Microscopy analysis is in good agreement with the average crystallite size estimated from X-ray diffraction analysis. The presence of Mn⁴⁺ ions at the octahedral sites is inferred from the results of Raman, UV–visible absorption and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyzes. DC electrical conductivity of the sample in the temperature range 313–423 K, is about five orders of magnitude larger than that reported for single crystalline Mn₃O₄ sample. The dominant conduction mechanism is identified to be of the polaronic hopping of holes between cations in the octahedral sites. The zero field cooled and field cooled magnetization of the sample is studied in the range 20–300 K. The Curie temperature for the sample is about 45 K, below which the sample is ferrimagnetic. A blocking temperature of 35 K is observed in the field cooled curve. It is observed that the sample shows hysteresis at temperatures below the Curie temperature with no saturation, even at an applied field (20 kOe). The presence of an ordered core and disordered surface of spin arrangements is observed from the magnetization studies. Above the Curie temperature, the sample shows linear dependence of magnetization on applied field with no hysteresis characteristic of paramagnetic phase.     

使用曲面微通道板和感应电荷位置灵敏阳极的软X射线-极紫外光子计数成像探测器研究

本项目对我国空间探测的极紫外(EUV)波段大视场相机所需求的球面光子计数成像探测器的关键技术进行了研究。首先,建立了光阴极材料次级电子产出模型,利用该模型计算了软X射线-EUV波段常用的光电阴极材料—碱卤化物的次级电子产出,分析了微通道板(MCP)的次级电子产出。建立了测量MCP量子探测效率的装置,并推导出MCP量子探测效率的计算公式,测量了MCP在软X射线-EUV波段的量子效率以及MCP量子效率随掠入射角的变化。其次,建立了球面实芯微通道板的制备装置,利用高温热成型方法制备出曲率半径为150 mm球面MCP,利用光刻技术制备出有效直径为48 mm的楔条形感应电荷位置灵敏阳极,在此基础上集成了一套使用球面MCP和感应电荷位置灵敏阳极的两维光子计数成像探测器。再次,研制出包括快速前端模拟电路与后续数字电路的成像读出电路,编制了能矫正图像畸变的图像实时采集和处理软件。最后,建立了MCP探测器空间分辨率、图像线性的检测装置,对研制出的探测器性能进行了检测,检测结果表明:探测器的各项技术指标完全满足要求。