Identification and spectra–structure determination of soil minerals: Raman study supported by IR spectroscopy and X‐ray powder diffraction

Raman and IR spectroscopy were used for the characterization of several minerals in morphologically similar vertisol sequences from Kiževak (Serbia). It helped us to establish the surface layer transition going from calcic vertisols (containing gypsum and calcite) to calcimagnesic vertisols (containing aragonite, magnesium‐calcite and dolomite) derived from peridotite and serpentinite. The observed band positions are found to be solely characteristic for each carbonate mineral and are used to discuss the main structural features of carbonates and sulfates present in the studied soil. It was found that the dolomite, calcite and aragonite concretions are present in the deepest layer of the soil, whereas the gypsum is found in the topsoil. The identification was confirmed of the carbonates having calcite and aragonite structure, and the representative from the sulfate group (gypsum) was confirmed by X‐ray powder diffraction. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Determination of major and trace elements in iron reference materials using k0-NAA

Major and trace element contents in iron ore reference materials were investigated using k ₀-instrumental neutron activation analysis (k ₀-INAA). To avoid iron interferences, radiochemical separation was developed (k ₀-RNAA). The determination of the investigated elements in the inorganic phase from hydrochloric acid solution was performed after radiochemical separation of iron by diisopropyl ether. It was found that after the Fe elimination, the limit of detection for some elements was much lower that enables their direct determination. The distribution of 39 elements (with intermediate/medium and long half-life radionuclides) after Fe removal was investigated.     

Depicting the dehydration and dehydroxylation processes in very rare hydrogen arsenate minerals

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - The work represents a pioneering attempt to couple TG analysis and hot-stage t-ATR-FTIR spectroscopy to describe the dehydration and dehydroxylation...     

Vibrational spectroscopy as a tool for examination to the secondary structure of metal-labeled trastuzumab immunoconjugates

Infrared and Raman spectroscopy are effective techniques that allow collecting information about secondary structure of proteins, including antibodies. Trastuzumab, antibody used in our study was in a freeze-dried form, conjugated with different bifunctional chelators and linked with the stable isotopes of lutetium and yttrium. The characterization of the final immunoconjugates showed no significant changes in the structure demonstrated by the presence of the amide bands characteristic for a α-helices and β-sheets structures. These methods could be applied during the production of the antibody freeze-dried kit formulations for the labeling with the radioactive isotopes.

     

Minerals from Macedonia. XXVI. Characterization and spectra–structure correlations for grossular and uvarovite. Raman study supported by IR spectroscopy

The characterization and spectra–structure correlations of grossular and uvarovite garnets by Raman and infrared (IR) spectroscopy were carried out. Attention was focused on the explanation of the spectral differences between both minerals from structural and compositional points of view because they are isomorphous and share the general chemical formula [Ca₃Y₂(SiO₄)₃; Y = Al (grossular) and Cr (uvarovite)]. It was established that the prominent spectral differences are mainly due to the presence of various Y³⁺ cations and the possibility for their interchange. It was found that the substitution of Al³⁺ with Cr³⁺ promotes blue shifting of the high‐energy Raman bands (SiO₄ stretchings) and red shifting of the corresponding IR bands. This peculiar observation is explained by the introduction of two different effects that promote band shifting in opposite directions—the effect of different cation crystal field stabilization energies versus the effect of different cation masses and radii. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Minerals from Macedonia XXIII. Spectroscopic and structural characterization of schorl and beryl cyclosilicates

IR and Raman spectroscopy study on two collected cyclosilicate species: schorl (from tourmaline group), Na(Fe,Mg)(3)Al(6)(BO(3))(3)Si(6)O(18)(OH,F)(4) and beryl (Be,Mg,Fe)(3)Al(2)Si(6)O(18) were carried out. Although beryl is nominally anhydrous mineral, vibrational results strongly indicate that H(2)O molecules exist in the structural channels. The number of vibrational bands and their frequencies revealed the presence of H(2)O type II, in which C(2) symmetry axis of the water molecule is parallel to the structural channel (and to the c-axis of beryl). On the other hand, it was found that observed bands in the IR and Raman OH stretching region of the other tourmaline varieties appear as a result of the cation combinations involving dominant presence of Mg and Fe cations in the Y structural sites. The strong indication derived from the vibrational spectroscopic results that the studied mineral represents a schorl variety, coincide very well with the results obtained by powder X-ray diffraction and X-ray microprobe analysis. Both minerals show IR spectral similarities in the region below 1500 cm(-1), whereas the resemblance between the Raman spectra (1500-100 cm(-1)) is less expressed confirming that these spectra are more sensitive to compositional changes and to structural disorder. The identification of both minerals was additionally supported by studying the powder X-ray diffraction diagrams.     

Piezoelectric PVDF-TrFE nanocomposite mats filled with BaTiO3 nanofibers: The effect of poling conditions

BaTiO₃ nanofibers (BT NFs), prepared by electrospinning, were used as a filler for electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) (PVDF-TrFE) nanocomposite mats. The phase structure and the effect of poling conditions on the piezoelectric properties of PVDF-TrFE/BT nanocomposites were investigated. The results showed an improved degree of crystallinity (78.6%) and a high β-crystal phase (up to 98.3%) in all electrospun samples, independent of the nanofiber content. The two-step poling method, applying electric fields of opposite polarity, led to significantly improved piezoelectric constants d₃₃ (−31.7 pC N⁻¹), strongly dependent on the added BaTiO₃ nanofibers. The inclusion of piezoelectric ceramic nanofibers into a polymer matrix, easily carried out by means of electrospinning, followed by an ad hoc optimized poling treatment, allowed to develop flexible materials with enhanced piezoelectric properties, potentially exploitable in innovative conversion systems used in wearable and sensing devices.     

The Crystal Structure of Symplesite

Since the discovery of symplesite mineral in the late 19th century, a number of structural studies were performed. The crystal symmetry of this mineral was debated to be either monoclinic or triclinic. Even though this debate has ended, agreeing on the triclinic symmetry, no detailed crystal structure was reported so far. In the present contribution, we report on the crystal structure of symplesite. The crystal structure was solved and refined from high‐resolution laboratory X‐ray powder diffraction data, collected on a natural sample. Symplesite is shown to be isostructural to metavivianite (and possibly to ferrostrunzite).