Are measured values of the Auger parameter always independent of charging effects?

In x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) the Auger parameter is often used to study the electronic properties of elements, particularly in insulator materials, because this parameter is assumed to be independent of charging effects. In this paper we report on subtle differences in sample structure and experimental conditions for which the sample potential may not remain constant during the measurements for some spectrometers or experimental arrangements; for such conditions the Auger parameter is not independent of charging. We compare a series of measurements with insulating plate substrates of Al₂O₃ on which different amounts of SnO₂ and Au were deposited. X‐ray photoelectron spectra were collected for different conditions of the sample that was placed either grounded or left floating on a metallic sample holder during measurement. It is found that the Auger parameter is independent of the experimental conditions for Au but substantial differences were found for deposited SnO₂. Surprisingly, measurement artifacts due to charging appeared in the Auger parameter for Sn when the sample holder was grounded but not when it was left floating. In the grounded samples differences up to 0.6 eV in the Auger parameter for Sn were found with respect to the actual value of this parameter measured with substrates where charging effects were not significant. Because no differences in peak broadening have been observed under different measurement conditions, it has been assumed that the shift was not caused by a conventional differential charging phenomenon. Considering the different response of the substrate and the deposited layer on stabilizing the charge when the sample is grounded, we have worked out a possible explanation to account for the observed artifacts. Instrumental specifications should be optimized very carefully, especially if (as here) relatively high charging shifts point to a non‐optimum self‐biasing of the surface potential at the insulating samples. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ni-B和Ni-Ce-B超细非晶态合金的退火晶化及其催化性能

 采用XAFS,XRD和DTA方法研究了Ni－B和Ni－Ce－B超细非晶态合金在退火过程中的结构变化及其结构与催化性能的关系．活性结果表明,在退火温度为623K时,Ni－B和Ni－Ce－B样品的苯加氢催化反应转化率最高,分别为63％和81％,0．3％Ce的掺入提高了Ni－Ce－B的催化活性．DTA结果表明,Ni－B超细非晶态合金在598和653K有两个晶化峰,而Ni－Ce－B样品有548,603,696和801K四个晶化峰．XAFS和XRD结果进一步说明,在573K退火时,Ni－B样品晶化生成晶态Ni3B和纳米晶Ni,此时Ni－Ce－B仅有少量晶态Ni3B生成．在673K退火时,Ni－B样品中的Ni3B开始分解生成晶态Ni,同时纳米晶Ni聚集并形成大颗粒晶态Ni,而Ni－Ce－B样品晶化生成晶态Ni3B和纳米晶Ni．在773K和更高的温度退火处理后,Ni－B样品中Ni的局域环境结构与金属Ni箔基本一致,但Ni－Ce－B样品晶化生成的Ni晶格有较大畸变,同时Ni3B并未分解．说明0．3％的Ce对提高Ni－Ce－B样品的稳定性有显著作用．本文首次报道了Ni－B和Ni－Ce－B超细非晶态合金中苯加氢催化活性中心为纳米晶Ni和类似于金属Ni的Ni－B非晶态合金．     

Performance of SuSi: a method for generating atomistic models of amorphous polymers based on a random search of energy minima

The performance of a recently developed method to generate representative atomistic models of amorphous polymers has been investigated. This method, which is denoted SuSi, can be defined as a random generator of energy minima. The effects produced by different parameters used to define the size of the system and the characteristics of the generation algorithm have been examined. Calculations have been performed on poly(L,D-lactic) acid (rho = 1.25 g/cm3) and nylon 6 (rho = 1.084 g/cm(3)), which are important commercial polymers.     

Monolayer films of PS-b-PEO diblock copolymers at the air/water- and an oil/water-interface

 Amphiphilic diblock copolymers consisting of a hydrophobic polystyrene block (PS) and a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) block (PEO) with block sizes of 1000 or 3000 g/mol for both blocks were studied at the air/water and toluene/water interface. Measurements of the film pressure π of spread monolayers at the water surface reveal two limiting regimes of the π−a _m isotherms, in which the mean molecular area a _m is determined either by the size of the hydrophilic or the hydrophobic blocks of the PS-PEO molecules. The interfacial activity of the block copolymers at the toluene/water interface was studied by measuring the interfacial tension σ over a wide range of concentrations. Pronounced differences in the temperature dependence of the interfacial tension were observed, depending mostly on the block length of the hydrophilic PEO block. From the temperature dependence of σ it is inferred that for the block copolymers with the PEO block size of 3000 g/mol the phase inversion temperature (PIT) is well above 60 °C while for those with a PEO block size of 1000 g/mol the PIT is below or near 25 °C in the toluene/water system. Received: 5 February 1998 Accepted: 16 February 1998     

钇对Nd-Fe-Al-Ni非晶合金热稳定性与晶化行为的影响

采用差示扫描量热法（DSC）、X射线衍射（XRD）和透射电镜（TEM）研究了Y对Nd-Fe-Al-Ni非晶合金热稳定性和晶化行为的影响。结果表明,淬火态的Nd60Fe20Al10Ni10-xYx（x=0,2）合金基本为非晶组织同时还含有少量的淬态相,Y的加入抑制了淬态相的析出。加入Y后,非晶合金的晶化开始温度和晶化峰值温度都向高温方向移动,证明其热稳定性提高。Y的加入改变了合金的晶化方式和最终晶化产物,使非晶基体中析出的晶化相更加弥散圆整细小。并且Y具有在化学上钝化氧杂质的作用,从而抑制了氧的有害作用。利用Kissinger方程获得了Nd60Fe20Al10Ni8Y2非晶合金的晶化开始和晶化峰值激活能分别为1.21和1.16 eV。     

Probing in vitro digestion at oil–water interfaces

Interfacial layers have been widely applied to study the formation and stability of emulsion-based systems. However, the application of isolated interfaces to address digestibility of emulsions is often limited because of the complexity of experimental methods and results. This review summarizes the latest developments in analytical methods and literature data on effects of digestion on interfacial layers. Particular emphasis is given to understand the changes on interfacial magnitudes during oral, gastric, and duodenal digestion, either applied separately or sequentially. Limitations of interfacial aspects and key factors that influence emulsion microstructure in bulk and lipid digestion are identified. Understanding the behavior of interfacial layers upon gastrointestinal digestion promotes an accurate tracking of the physiological fate of emulsions.     

New perylene polyimides containing p‐n diblocks for sensitization in TiO2 solar cells

Three novel perylene polyimides (PPIs) containing p‐n diblock units were designed and synthesized for use in dye‐sensitized mesoporous TiO₂ solar cells. They all dissolve in m‐cresol and N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP). Their visible light absorption, electrochemical and photoelectrochemical properties were systematically studied. The polyimides have band gap energies of 2.16, 2.19 and 2.25 eV deduced from ultraviolet–visible absorption spectra, and electron affinity (E_a) and ionization potential (IP) of ?3.93 and 6.10 eV for PPI1, ?3.94 and 6.13 eV for PPI2, ?3.93 and 6.59 eV for PPI3, respectively, deduced from cyclic voltammogram. Experimental data show that introduction of 4,4′‐bisaminetriphenylamine cannot only greatly enhance optic‐electro conversion efficiency, but also enhance the dissolubility which in favorable for making the devices. The relationship of structure and properties of PPI is discussed and the mechanism of photocurrent generation is explained. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

自加热非晶锗热电阻MEMS流速传感器的制造与测试

为扩大流速传感器的测量范围并降低功耗,制造并测试了一种基于自加热非晶锗薄膜热电阻的MEMS流速传感器,它是由嵌入氮化硅薄膜的四个非晶锗热敏电阻和一对环境测温补偿电阻组成。四个非晶锗热电阻同时作为自加热热源和测温元件,相互连接以形成惠斯通电桥。给出了MEMS工艺流程,微加工制造了尺寸为8.9 mm×5.6 mm×0.4 mm的流速传感器芯片。搭建了低流速和高流速气流通道实验装置,对传感器的惠斯通电桥施加50μA的恒定电流(CCA),实现了0～50 m/s范围内的流速测量。结果表明,传感器在低流速(0～2 m/s)时的灵敏度约为81.6 mV/(m/s),在高流速(2～50 m/s)时的灵敏度约为51.9 mV/(m/s),最大功耗仅约为1.03 mW。     

Evidence for Glass–glass Interfaces in a Columnar Cu–Zr Nanoglass

Comprehensive analyses of the atomic structure using advanced analytical transmission electron microscopy-based methods combined with atom probe tomography confirm the presence of distinct glass–glass interfaces in a columnar Cu-Zr nanoglass synthesized by magnetron sputtering. These analyses provide first-time in-depth characterization of sputtered film nanoglasses and indicate that glass–glass interfaces indeed present an amorphous phase with reduced mass density as compared to the neighboring amorphous regions. Moreover, dedicated analyses of the diffusion kinetics by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (ToF SIMS) prove significantly enhanced diffusivity, suggesting fast transport along the low density glass–glass interfaces. The present results further indicate that sputter deposition is a feasible technique for reliable production of nanoglasses and that some of the concepts proposed for this new class of glassy materials are applicable.     

Polyether-b-Amide Based Solid Electrolytes with Well-Adhered Interface and Fast Kinetics for Ultralow Temperature Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries

Solid-state lithium metal batteries (SSLMBs) are highly desirable for energy storage because of the urgent need for higher energy density and safer batteries. However, it remains a critical challenge for stable cycling of SSLMBs at low temperature. Here, a highly viscoelastic polyether-b-amide (PEO-b-PA) based composite solid-state electrolyte is proposed through a one-pot melt processing without solvent to address this key process. By adjusting the molar ratio of PEO-b-PA to lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulphonyl)imide (ethylene oxide:Li = 6:1) and adding 20 wt.% succinonitrile, fast Li⁺ transport channel is conducted within the homogeneous polymer electrolyte, which enables its application at ultra-low temperature (−20 to 25 °C). The composite solid-state electrolyte utilizes dynamic hydrogen-bonding domains and ion-conducting domains to achieve a low interfacial charge transfer resistance (<600 Ω) at −20 °C and high ionic conductivity (25 °C, 3.7 × 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹). As a result, the LiFePO₄|Li battery based on composite electrolyte exhibits outstanding electrochemical performance with 81.5% capacity retention after 1200 cycles at −20 °C and high discharge specific capacities of 141.1 mAh g⁻¹ with high loading (16.1 mg cm⁻²) at 25 °C. Moreover, the solid-state SNCM811|Li cell achieves excellent safety performance under nail penetration test, showing great promise for practical application.