Sensing the physicochemical nature of he and ne in micropores by adsorption measurements

He and Ne in contact with molecular sieves in the form of crystalline A zeolites and amorphous carbon molecular sieves fibers (CMSF) were studied by adsorption measurements. Classification of the effective enclosure of zeolitic apertures and of graphitic constrictions, as determined by recent temperature-programmed desorption mass spectrometry (TPD-MS) studies of adsorption of He and Ne onto these materials, was utilized in making a prudent choice of samples and experimental conditions. In view of the former TPD information, the behaviors of adsorption and volumetric measurements reported herein are straightforwardly interpreted. The combined TPD, adsorption isotherms, and dead volume data deepen the understanding of the physicochemical nature of adsorbed gas, where gas adsorption in the vicinity of pore constrictions and/or apertures as well as on the inner surface areas of pores and/or cages could be resolved. Previous conclusions that the huge activation energies measured for Ne/CMSF at high temperatures are unlikely to characterize chemical desorption but reflect those required for overcoming the barrier of effectively constricted apertures were confirmed by the volumetric data presented here. At 77 K, considerable He adsorption was observed in the porous solids and found to be responsible for abnormal deduced values of dead volumes. The occurrence of significant adsorption of He onto A zeolites and CMSF at 77 K warrants the realization that in cases concerning porous materials, volumetrically deduced quantities should not be taken for granted, but should be carefully considered and uniquely interpreted in relation to the specific experimental conditions under which they are taken.     

Mössbauer investigation on the crystal field splitting of Fe ion in zinc fluosilicate

The Mössbauer quadrupole interaction ΔE_Q of the Fe²⁺ ion has been measured with 2% at. ⁵⁷Fe in ZnSiF₆·6H₂O, between 1.3 and 20°K. The sign of ΔE_Q (< 0) has been determined by using a single crystal absorber. These results are interpreted in terms of a trigonal crystal field potential that splits the Fe²⁺ orbitals into a ground state singlet and a first excited doublet whose distance is much smaller than that reported for FeSiF₆·6H₂O, in reasonable agreement with previous EPR measurements.     

Laser excited fluorescence of CH in a low pressure flame

Production of CH(X²Π) in a low pressure H/O/C₂H₂ flame has been observed by laser excited fluorescence in the 0, 0 band of the A² Δ ← X²Π system at 431 nm. Laser excitation spectra have been recorded of the P, Q, and R branches with a bandwidth of 0.03 nm and of the head of the Q branch with a bandwidth of 0.0009 nm. Values of the spin—orbit and spin—rotation coupling constants in the A²Δ state have been obtained.     

A new route of oxygen isotope exchange in the solid phase: demonstration in CuSO4.5H2O

Temperature-programmed desorption mass spectrometry (TPD-MS) measurements on [(18)O]water-enriched copper sulfate pentahydrate (CuSO(4).5H(2)(18)O) reveal an unambiguous occurrence of efficient oxygen isotope exchange between the water of crystallization and the sulfate in its CuSO(4) solid phase. To the best of our knowledge, the occurrence of such an exchange was never observed in a solid phase. The exchange process was observed during the stepwise dehydration (50-300 degrees C) of the compound. Specifically, the exchange promptly occurs somewhere between 160 and 250 degrees C; however, the exact temperature could not be resolved conclusively. It is shown that only the fifth, sulfate-associated, anionic H(2)O molecule participates in the exchange process and that the exchange seems to occur in a preferable fashion with, at the most, one oxygen atom in SO(4). Such an exchange, occurring below 250 degrees C, questions the common conviction of unfeasible oxygen exchange under geothermic conditions. This new oxygen exchange phenomenon is not exclusive to copper sulfate but is unambiguously observed also in other sulfate- and nitrate-containing minerals.     

STUDIES OF ADHESION OF METAL PARTICLES TO SILICA PARTICLES BASED ON ZETA POTENTIAL MEASUREMENTS

The zeta-potentials of silica, copper, platinum and gold particles have been measured as a function of pH. The isoelectric points were found to be at pH 3.0, 5.8, 3.0 and 3.5, respectively. In the pH range 3.0 to 5.8 copper and silica particles are oppositely charged and accordingly the coating of silica with copper particles could be demonstrated. In the case of gold and platinum the sign of the charge is such that direct adhesion to silica particles cannot be expected and this was also demonstrated in the case of platinum.     

Search for anomalous scattering of keV neutrons from H2O-D2O mixtures

We measured the neutron scattering intensities from pure liquid H2O relative to that of pure D2O and also relative to H2O-D2O mixtures, at room temperature. This study is relevant to the problem of quantum entanglement. The neutrons were generated from an electron Linac and the final energy of the scattered neutrons was fixed at 24.3 keV using a 20 cm thick pure iron filter. The scattering intensity ratios were found to agree with expected values deduced from the tabulated total cross sections within an accuracy of 3%. Thus no anomaly was observed.     

Cation distribution in natural ferrites

Mössbauer spectra of jacobsite have been recorded at temperatures of 4.2, 125, 180, 240 and 300 K and with an external magnetic field of 60 kOe applied parallel to the incident radiation at 4.2 K. The results show the presence of two different magnetic hyperfine interactions associated with the iron nuclei. Spectra of samples in external magnetic fields indicate the same sign for the magnetic hyperfine interactions, implying that both iron ions occupy only the octahedral sublattice. These results are compared with data from synthetic stoichiometry manganese ferrite, and a model of cation distribution, assuming the existence of vacancies, is proposed. According to this model, the mineral jacobsite is rich in manganese compared with stoichiometric MnFe₂O₄ ferrite.