Synthesis of nano-polycrystalline diamond from glassy carbon at pressures up to 25 GPa

ABSTRACT

Nano-polycrystalline diamond (NPD) with various grain sizes has been synthesized from glassy carbon at pressures 15–25?GPa and temperatures 1700–2300°C using multianvil apparatus. The minimum temperature for the synthesis of pure NPD, below which a small amount of compressed graphite was formed, significantly increased with pressure from ～1700°C at 15?GPa to ～1900°C at 25?GPa. The NPD having grain sizes less than ～50?nm was synthesized at temperatures below ～2000°C at 15?GPa and ～2300°C at 25?GPa, above which significant grain growth was observed. The grain size of NPD decreases with increasing pressure and decreasing temperature, and the pure NPD with grain sizes less than 10?nm is obtained in a limited temperature range around 1800–2000°C, depending on pressure. The pure NPD from glassy carbon is highly transparent and exhibits a granular nano-texture, whose grain size is tunable by selecting adequate pressure and temperature conditions.     

Characterization and determination of linear alkylbenzenesulfonates in environmental water samples by high-performance liquid chromatography with a hydrophilic polymer column and electrospray ionization mass spectrometric detection.

A liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS) method was developed for the separation and determination of linear alkylbenzenesulfonates (C10-C14 LAS) in environmental water samples using a hydrophilic polymer column (Shodex Mspak GF-310 4D). This method involves a solid-phase extraction of the LAS samples with a Sep-Pak PS-2 cartridge. The LAS components were separated on the column with a mobile phase of 29% (w/v) acetonitrile-water containing 0.8 mM di-n-butylammonium acetate and 0.2 M acetic acid, and were detected by mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization. Detection limits of the developed method based on selected ion monitoring (SIM) technique for the C10-C14 LAS standards were 13-47 ng L(-1). The concentrations of the C10-C14 LAS in the environmental water samples ranged between 5-317 microg L(-1) for a river water sample and 0.4-6.4 microg L(-1) for a seawater sample. Linear relationships between the logarithms of retention factors and the alkyl chain lengths for each phenyl positional isomer of LAS could successfully be used for the identification of the isomer peaks.     

Influence of Zn Diffusion on Bandwidth and Extinction in MQW Electroabsorption Modulators Buried with Semi-Insulating InP

A comprehensive analysis of multi-quantum-well electroabsorption modulators buried with semi-insulating (SI)-InP is presented. We quantitatively demonstrate that suppression of Zn diffusion into the burying and optical core layers plays a key role in high-speed and high-extinction operation.     

Mass spectrometric studies of alkyl-, phenyl- and chloropyrimidines

The mass spectra of alkyl- and chloropyrimidines are recorded. A generalised fragmentation mechanism for the derivatives of pyrimidine is proposed. The principle of α-cleavage for heterocyclic compounds as proposed in the previous paper is shown to be valid for pyrimidine derivatives. Electronic structures of some molecular and intermediate ions are calculated by the openshell CNDO/2 and INDO methods.     

Pressure response of Raman spectra of water and its implication to the change in hydrogen bond interaction

In situ Raman spectroscopic measurements of water in the region of OH vibration were conducted up to 0.4 GPa at 23 and 52 degrees C. The frequencies of the decomposed OH stretching bands initially decreased with increasing pressure, reached a minimum at 0.15 GPa and increased up to 0.3 GPa and then decreased, which corresponds to the variations of the strength of hydrogen bonding. This variation was observed at 23 degrees C, but not at 52 degrees C, which suggests a change in pressure dependence on the hydrogen bond interaction between these two temperatures. Based on the equilibration model between hydrogen-bonded and nonhydrogen-bonded molecules, the present experimental results indicate that the pressure variation of the viscosity depends on the ratio of hydrogen-bonded molecules, rather than the strength of hydrogen bonding between molecules.     

Characteristics of hyaluronate-hydroxyethyl acrylate blend gel and release of cationic amphiphilic solutes

Hyaluronate-hydroxyethyl acrylate blend gel (HA-PHEA) were prepared to modify the brittleness of hyaluronate gel (HA) and the characteristics of HA-PHEA gel were compared with those of HA and polyhydroxyethyl acrylate (PHEA) gels. These gels were high in water content and transparent. HA-PHEA gel was improved in viscoelastic properties due to the elasticity and the high affinity with water of PHEA, and the drying-swelling cycles became reversible. The effective charge densities theta of the gels estimated from membrane potentials were -0.002, -0.008 and 0 mol dm(-3) for HA-PHEA, HA and PHEA gels. Effects of electro- static and nonelectrostatic interactions on absorptions and releases were studied using sodium benzoate (NaBA) as an anionic solute, and methylene blue (MB), chlorpromazine (CPHCl) and benzethonium chloride (BZTCl) as cationic solutes, in which CPHCl and BZTCl are cationic amphiphilic solutes. The releases of MB, CPHCl and BZTCl from HA-PHEA and HA gels were suppressed comparing with those of NaBA. By adding salts, the releases of MB and CPHCl were enhanced but those of BZTCl were suppressed due to enhancement of the intra- and intermicelle formation. In the releases of the cationic solutes from HA-PHEA gel, electrostatic and nonelectrostatic interactions with HA were found to play important roles. Behaviors of the releases from HA-PHEA gel were found to possess the features of HA gel.