Sample records for cu fe ga

  1. Coercivity enhancement of Nd-Fe-B hot-deformed magnets by the eutectic grain boundary diffusion process using Nd-Ga-Cu and Nd-Fe-Ga-Cu alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Lihua; Sepehri-Amin, H.; Sasaki, T. T.; Ohkubo, T.; Yano, M.; Sakuma, N.; Kato, A.; Shoji, T.; Hono, K.

    2018-05-01

    Nd80Ga15Cu5 and Nd62Fe14Ga20Cu4 alloys were used as diffusion sources for the eutectic grain boundary diffusion process, applying to 4 mm-thick Nd-Fe-B hot-deformed magnets. Both samples showed nearly same coercivity of 2.2 T, while the sample processed with Nd62Fe14Ga20Cu4 showed smaller remanence deterioration from 1.50 T to 1.30 T, in contrast to that of the sample processed with Nd80Ga15Cu5 to 1.08 T. Mr/Ms of the initial sample and the samples processed with Nd62Fe14Ga20Cu4 and Nd80Ga15Cu5 were 0.946, 0.934 and 0.917, respectively, suggesting that the sample processed with Nd62Fe14Ga20Cu4 retains stronger c-axis texture after the diffusion process. Nd-rich phases with Ia3 ¯ and fcc structures were observed in the sample processed with Nd80Ga15Cu5, while the Nd-rich phases with the Ia3 ¯ and hcp structures were found in the sample processed with Nd62Fe14Ga20Cu4, all of which are the phases commonly observed in Nd-Fe-B sintered magnets.

  2. Spinel, YbFe2O4, and Yb2Fe3O7 types of structure for compounds in the In2O3 and Sc2O3-A2O3-BO systems (A: Fe, Ga, or Al; B: Mg, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, or Zn) at temperatures over 1000C

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kimizuka, N.; Mohri, T.

    In the Sc2O3-Ga2O3-CuO, Sc2O3-Ga2O3-ZnO, and Sc2O3-Al2O3-CuO systems, ScGaCuO4, ScGaZnO4, and ScAlCuO4 with the YbFe2O4-type structure and Sc2Ga2CuO7 with the Yb2Fe3O7-type structure were obtained. In the In2O3-A2O3-BO systems (A: Fe, Ga, or Al; B: Mg, Mn, Fe, Ni, or Zn), InGaFeO4, InGaNiO4, and InFeT MgO4 with the spinel structure, InGaZnO4, InGaMgO4, and InAl-CuO4 with the YbFe2O4-type structure, and In2Ga2MnO7 and In2Ga2ZnO7 with the Yb2Fe3O7-type structure were obtained. InGaMnO4 and InFe2O4 had both the YbFe2O4-type and spinel-type structures. The revised classification for the crystal structures of AB2O4 compounds is presented, based upon the coordination numbers of constituent A and B cations. 5more » references, 2 tables.« less

  3. Optical absorption and disorder in delafossites

    DOE PAGES

    Senty, Tess R.; Haycock, Barry; Lekse, Jonathan; ...

    2017-07-06

    Here, we present compelling experimental results of the optical characteristics of transparent oxide CuGaO 2 and related CuGa 1-xFe xO 2 (with 0.00 ≤ x ≤ 0.05) alloys, whereby the forbidden electronic transitions for CuGaO 2 become permissible in the presence of B-site (Ga sites) alloying with Fe. Our computational structural results imply a correlation between the global strain on the system and a decreased optical absorption edge. However, herein, we show that the relatively ordered CuGa 1-xFe xO 2 (for 0.00 ≤ x ≤ 0.04) structures exhibit much weaker vis-absorption compared to the relatively disordered CuGa 0.95Fe 0.05O 2.

  4. Magneto-transport and microstructure of Co{sub 2}Fe(Ga{sub 0.5}Ge{sub 0.5})/Cu lateral spin valves prepared by top-down microfabrication process

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ikhtiar,; Mitani, S.; Hono, K., E-mail: kazuhiro.hono@nims.go.jp

    Heusler alloy-based lateral spin valves with ohmic contacts are prepared for the Co{sub 2}Fe(Ga{sub 0.5}Ge{sub 0.5})/Cu system by means of the top-down microfabrication process. The magneto-transport and microstructure are characterized to investigate the influence of the microfabrication route on the spin dependent transport of lateral spin valves systematically. A large non-local spin signal (△R{sub S}) of 17.3 mΩ is observed at room temperature, which is attributed to the highly spin-polarized Co{sub 2}Fe(Ga{sub 0.5}Ge{sub 0.5}) ferromagnet and the clean Co{sub 2}Fe(Ga{sub 0.5}Ge{sub 0.5})/Cu interfaces confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. Based on the general expression of one-dimensional spin diffusion model, we discuss themore » importance of interfacial spin polarization in Heusler alloy-based lateral spin valves.« less

  5. Variation of crystal structure and optical properties of wurtzite-type oxide semiconductor alloys of β-Cu(Ga,Al)O2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nagatani, Hiraku; Mizuno, Yuki; Suzuki, Issei; Kita, Masao; Ohashi, Naoki; Omata, Takahisa

    2017-06-01

    Band-gap engineering of β-CuGaO2 was demonstrated by the alloying of gallium with aluminum, that is, Cu(Ga1-xAlx)O2. The ternary wurtzite β-NaFeO2-type alloys were obtained in the range 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.7, and γ-LiAlO2-type phase appeared in the range 0.7 ≤ x ≤ 1. The energy band gap of wurtzite β-CuGaO2 was controlled in the range between 1.47 and 2.09 eV. A direct band gap for x < 0.6 and indirect band gap for x ≥ 0.6 were proposed based on the structural distortion in the β-NaFeO2-type phase and density functional theory (DFT) calculation of β-CuAlO2. The DFT calculation also indicated that the γ-LiAlO2-type phases appeared in 0.7 ≤ x ≤ 1 are also indirect-gap semiconductors.

  6. Spin-lattice-coupling-mediated magnetoferroelectric phase transition induced by uniaxial pressure in multiferroic CuFe1 -xMxO2 (M =Ga , Al)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tamatsukuri, Hiromu; Mitsuda, Setsuo; Nakamura, Tenfu; Takata, Kouhei; Nakajima, Taro; Prokes, Karel; Yokaichiya, Fabiano; Kiefer, Klaus

    2017-05-01

    We have investigated magnetic and ferroelectric (dielectric) properties of multiferroic CuFe0.982Ga0.018O2 , CuFe0.965Ga0.035O2 , and CuFe0.95Al0.05O2 under applied uniaxial pressure p up to 600 MPa. Unlike the results of the almost same experiments on CuFeO2 [Tamatsukuri et al., Phys. Rev. B 94, 174402 (2016), 10.1103/PhysRevB.94.174402], we have found that the application of p induces a new ferroelectric phase, which is different from the well-studied spin-driven ferroelectric phase with helical magnetic ordering, in all the doped samples investigated here. We have also constructed the temperature versus p magnetoelectric phase diagrams of the three samples. The ferroelectric polarization in the p -induced ferroelectric phase lies along the [110] direction as in the helical magnetoferroelectric phase, and its value is comparable with or larger than that in the helical magnetoferroelectric phase. The magnetic structure in the p -induced ferroelectric phase seems to be of a collinear sinusoidal type. Although this magnetic structure itself does not break the inversion symmetry, it is considered to play an important role in the origin of ferroelectricity in the p -induced ferroelectric phase through the spin-lattice coupling in this system.

  7. Ultra-small iron-gallic acid coordination polymer nanoparticles for chelator-free labeling of 64Cu and multimodal imaging-guided photothermal therapy.

    PubMed

    Jin, Qiutong; Zhu, Wenjun; Jiang, Dawei; Zhang, Rui; Kutyreff, Christopher J; Engle, Jonathan W; Huang, Peng; Cai, Weibo; Liu, Zhuang; Cheng, Liang

    2017-08-31

    Cancer nanotechnology has become the hot topic nowadays. While various kinds of nanomaterials have been widely explored for innovative cancer imaging and therapy applications, safe multifunctional nano-agents without long-term retention and toxicity are still demanded. Herein, iron-gallic acid coordination nanoparticles (Fe-GA CPNs) with ultra-small sizes are successfully synthesized by a simple method for multimodal imaging-guided cancer therapy. After surface modification with polyethylene glycol (PEG), the synthesized Fe-GA-PEG CPNs show high stability in various physiological solutions. Taking advantage of high near-infrared (NIR) absorbance as well as the T 1 -MR contrasting ability of Fe-GA-PEG CPNs, in vivo photoacoustic tomography (PAT) and magnetic resonance (MR) bimodal imaging are carried out, revealing the efficient passive tumor targeting of these ultra-small CPNs after intravenous (i.v.) injection. Interestingly, such Fe-GA-PEG CPNs could be labeled with the 64 Cu isotope via a chelator-free method for in vivo PET imaging, which also illustrates the high tumor uptake of Fe-GA CPNs. We further utilize Fe-GA-PEG CPNs for in vivo photothermal therapy and achieve highly effective tumor destruction after i.v. injection of Fe-GA-PEG CPNs and the following NIR laser irradiation of the tumors, without observing any apparent toxicity of such CPNs to the treated animals. Our work highlights the promise of ultra-small iron coordination nanoparticles for imaging-guided cancer therapy.

  8. Catalytic performance of Metal-Organic-Frameworks vs. extra-large pore zeolite UTL in condensation reactions

    PubMed Central

    Shamzhy, Mariya; Opanasenko, Maksym; Shvets, Oleksiy; Čejka, Jiří

    2013-01-01

    Catalytic behavior of isomorphously substituted B-, Al-, Ga-, and Fe-containing extra-large pore UTL zeolites was investigated in Knoevenagel condensation involving aldehydes, Pechmann condensation of 1-naphthol with ethylacetoacetate, and Prins reaction of β-pinene with formaldehyde and compared with large-pore aluminosilicate zeolite beta and representative Metal-Organic-Frameworks Cu3(BTC)2 and Fe(BTC). The yield of the target product over the investigated catalysts in Knoevenagel condensation increases in the following sequence: (Al)beta < (Al)UTL < (Ga)UTL < (Fe)UTL < Fe(BTC) < (B)UTL < Cu3(BTC)2 being mainly related to the improving selectivity with decreasing strength of active sites of the individual catalysts. The catalytic performance of Fe(BTC), containing the highest concentration of Lewis acid sites of the appropriate strength is superior over large-pore zeolite (Al)beta and B-, Al-, Ga-, Fe-substituted extra-large pore zeolites UTL in Prins reaction of β-pinene with formaldehyde and Pechmann condensation of 1-naphthol with ethylacetoacetate. PMID:24790940

  9. Unusual doping effect of non-magnetic ion on magnetic properties of CuFe1-xGaxO2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shi, Liran; Jin, Zhao; Chen, Borong; Xia, Nianming; Zuo, Huakun; Wang, Yeshuai; Ouyang, Zhongwen; Xia, Zhengcai

    2014-12-01

    The structural and magnetic properties of nonmagnetic Ga3+ ion doped CuFe1-xGaxO2 (x=0, 0.02, 0.03, and 0.05) single crystal samples have been investigated. In pulsed high magnetic fields, the field-induced multi-step transitions were observed in all the samples. Compared with pure CuFeO2, the transition temperatures, critical magnetic fields decrease and the magnetic hysteresis of the doped samples become small, which may result from the partial release of the spin frustration and the changes of the magnetic coupling both inter- and intra-planes due to the Ga3+ dopant. The magnetization measurements show an abnormal dilution behavior, especially in a lower temperature region, the magnetic moment was enhanced due to the nonmagnetic Ga3+ ion doping, the enhancement becomes more obviously in the sample with the Ga3+ doping level of x=0.03. These results may connected with the substitution of nonmagnetic Ga3+ ions destroying the stability of ground state and affecting the stability of the ferroelectricity incommensurate phase. Based on the experimental results, a super-cell model and their magnetic diagram were assumed.

  10. Temperature dependence of magneto-transport properties in Co{sub 2}Fe(Ga{sub 0.5}Ge{sub 0.5})/Cu lateral spin valves

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ikhtiar,; Mitani, S.; Hono, K.

    2016-02-08

    The non-local spin signals of Co{sub 2}Fe(Ga{sub 0.5}Ge{sub 0.5})/Cu lateral spin valves with sub-micron size dimensions were measured with varying temperatures. The non-local spin signal reaches 54 mΩ at 4 K, while it degrades down to 13 mΩ at room temperature. Analysis based on the one-dimensional spin diffusion model clarifies the dominant source for degrading of the spin signal is suppression of the spin diffusion length in Cu, not the spin polarization, indicating Co{sub 2}Fe(Ga{sub 0.5}Ge{sub 0.5}) keeps half-metallic nature even at room temperature. The temperature dependence of non-local spin signal was found to exhibit a downturn at 36 K. The presence of magneticmore » impurities, detrimental effect of which becomes more pronounced for diffusive transport in long Cu wires, is suggested to cause the observed downturn in non-local spin signals.« less

  11. ONR Tokyo Scientific Bulletin. Volume 5, Number 1, January-March 1980,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1980-03-01

    alloys studied are in die AI-Zn, Al -Mg, Al -Si. Al - Cu . Cu - Al . and Cu -Fe... alloys Digital processing Measuring N 20. Abstract (cont.) with certain reports also being contributed by visiting stateside scientist. Occasionally a...atomic absorption spectrophotometer with tubes for the determination of Zn, Cu , Pb, Cr, Fe, Mg, Mn, Al , Co, Cd, Si, Ti, Zr, Ga, Au, Ag, Ni, Na, and

  12. Insights into semiconductor nanowire conductivity using electrodeposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, C.; Salehzadeh, O.; Poole, P. J.; Watkins, S. P.; Kavanagh, K. L.

    2012-10-01

    Copper (Cu) and iron (Fe) electrical contacts to gallium arsenide (GaAs) and indium arsenide (InAs) nanowires (NWs) have been fabricated via electrodeposition. For undoped or low carbon-doped (1017/cm-3), p-type GaAs NWs, Cu or Fe nucleate and grow only on the gold catalyst at the NW tip, avoiding the sidewalls. Metal growth is limited by the Au contact resistance due to thick sidewall depletion layers. For InAs NWs and heavier-doped, core-shell (undoped core-C-doped shell) GaAs NWs, metal nucleation and growth occurs on the sidewalls as well as on the gold catalyst limited now by the ion electrolyte diffusivity.

  13. Optoelectronic properties of Fe impurities in delafossite oxide materials. A high-throughput investigation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Haycock, Barry; Lewis, James P.

    2014-03-01

    A group of materials that shows promise in optoelectronic applications is the family of oxide materials (delafossites), of the form ABO2, where the A site is a monovalent cation (e . g . , Cu, Ag, or Au) and the B site is a trivalent cation (e . g ., Ga, Y, Al, or In). The bandgap of some delafossites can be tailored for specific purposes, such as in photocatalysis applications, with B-site doping. We report on our recent investigations of the properties of CuGaO2, CuInO2, CuAlO2 and NaInO2 and predict the relative disorder of Fe impurities by comparing crystallographic metrics resulting from Fe doping. We performed approximately 10K calculations, in parallel on the Titan platform (Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility), of possible Fe-impurity permutations to determine the most-likely configurations of Fe impurities relative to each another. Our computational approach allows us to study large supercells, consisting of 432 atoms, which enable us to examine the properties of these materials in increments of 1% for the B-site doping of Fe. We will present results from our energetically-preferred supercells and discuss further applications of our techniques applied for characterization of new reconstructions via derived metrics.

  14. Alpha particle induced reactions on natCr up to 39 MeV: Experimental cross-sections, comparison with theoretical calculations and thick target yields for medically relevant 52gFe production

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hermanne, A.; Adam Rebeles, R.; Tárkányi, F.; Takács, S.

    2015-08-01

    Thin natCr targets were obtained by electroplating, using 23.75 μm Cu foils as backings. In five stacked foil irradiations, followed by high resolution gamma spectroscopy, the cross sections for production of 52gFe, 49,51cumCr, 52cum,54,56cumMn and 48cumV in Cr and 61Cu,68Ga in Cu were measured up to 39 MeV incident α-particle energy. Reduced uncertainty is obtained by simultaneous remeasurement of the natCu(α,x)67,66Ga monitor reactions over the whole energy range. Comparisons with the scarce literature values and results from the TENDL-2013 on-line library, based on the theoretical code family TALYS-1.6, were made. A discussion of the production routes for 52gFe with achievable yields and contamination rates was made.

  15. Change In The Electronic Structure And Optical Absorption Of Cuprate Delafossites Via B-site Alloying

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Beesley, Ramon; Panapitiya, Gihan; Lewis, James; Lewis Group Team

    Delafossite oxides are a family of materials with the form ABO2 , where the A-site is a monovalent cation (Cu , Ag , Au) and the B-site is a trivalent cation (Ga , Al , In). Delafossites typically have a wide optical band gap, this band gap may be tuned by adding a second B-site element forming an AB(1- x) 1B(x)2O2 alloy. We investigate changes in the electronic structure of CuAlO2 , CuGaO2 , and CuInO2 when alloyed with CuFeO2 . Using the FIREBALL program to optimize the atomic structure, calculate the total and partial density of states, calculate the valence band edge for each alloy level, and investigate the clustering factor of the second B-site atom, it is found that alloying with Fe creates midgap states caused by Fe - O interactions. From the partial density of state, each type of atoms contribution to the change in the valence band edge can be seen. Observed changes to the materials include increased optical absorption in the visible range, and symmetry breaking because of the deformation in the crystal structure. The CuFeO2 alloying percentages range from 0-5%. We are synthesizing these alloys to experimentally verify the changes in the optical absorption spectra.

  16. Electrodeposition of Metal on GaAs Nanowires

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Chao; Einabad, Omid; Watkins, Simon; Kavanagh, Karen

    2010-10-01

    Copper (Cu) electrical contacts to freestanding gallium arsenide (GaAs) nanowires have been fabricated via electrodeposition. The nanowires are zincblende (111) oriented grown epitaxially on n-type Si-doped GaAs (111)B substrates by gold-catalyzed Vapor Liquid Solid (VLS) growth in a metal organic vapour phase epitaxy (MOVPE) reactor. The epitaxial electrodeposition process, based on previous work with bulk GaAs substrates, consists of a substrate oxide pre-etch in dilute ammonium-hydroxide carried out prior to galvanostatic electrodeposition in a pure Cu sulphate aqueous electrolyte at 20-60^oC. For GaAs nanowires, we find that Cu or Fe has a preference for growth on the gold catalyst avoiding the sidewalls. After removing gold, both metals still prefer to grow only on top of the nanowire, which has the largest potential field.

  17. Pulsed Laser Deposition Growth of Delafossite (CuFeO2) thin films and multilayers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Joshi, Toyanath; Ferrari, Piero; Borisov, Pavel; Cabrera, Alejandro; Lederman, David

    2014-03-01

    Owing to its narrow band gap (<2 eV) and p-type conductivity delafossite CuFeO2 is attractive for applications in the field of solar energy conversion. Obtaining pure phase CuFeO2 thin films, however, is relatively difficult. It is necessary to maintain the lowest possible Cu valency (+1) in order to avoid forming the comparably stable spinel compound CuFe2O4. We present a systematic study of the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) growth conditions for epitaxial (00.1) oriented CuFeO2 thin films on Al2O3 (00.1) substrates. The secondary impurity phase, CuFe2O4, was removed completely by optimizing the growth conditions. RHEED, XRD and TEM showed that the pure phase delafossite films are highly epitaxial to the substrate. The chemical purity was verified by Raman and XPS. The indirect bandgap of 1.15 eV was measured using infrared reflectivity, and is in agreement with the CuFeO2 bulk value. Finally, we discuss the growth and structural characterization of delafossite multilayers, CuFeO2/CuGaO2. This work was supported by a Research Challenge Grant from the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC.dsr.12.29) and the Microelectronics Advanced Research Corporation (Contract # 2013-MA-2382) at WVU.

  18. High speed chalcogenide glass electrochemical metallization cells with various active metals.

    PubMed

    Hughes, Mark A; Burgess, Alexander; Hinder, Steven; Gholizadeh, A Baset; Craig, Christopher; Hewak, Daniel W

    2018-08-03

    We fabricated electrochemical metallization cells using a GaLaSO solid electrolyte, an InSnO inactive electrode and active electrodes consisting of various metals (Cu, Ag, Fe, Cu, Mo, Al). Devices with Ag and Cu active metals showed consistent and repeatable resistive switching behaviour, and had a retention of 3 and >43 days, respectively; both had switching speeds of <5 ns. Devices with Cr and Fe active metals displayed incomplete or intermittent resistive switching, and devices with Mo and Al active electrodes displayed no resistive switching ability. Deeper penetration of the active metal into the GaLaSO layer resulted in greater resistive switching ability of the cell. The off-state resistivity was greater for more reactive active metals which may be due to a thicker intermediate layer.

  19. Evidence of cross-cutting and redox reaction in Khatyrka meteorite reveals metallic-Al minerals formed in outer space.

    PubMed

    Lin, Chaney; Hollister, Lincoln S; MacPherson, Glenn J; Bindi, Luca; Ma, Chi; Andronicos, Christopher L; Steinhardt, Paul J

    2017-05-09

    We report on a fragment of the quasicrystal-bearing CV3 carbonaceous chondrite Khatyrka recovered from fine-grained, clay-rich sediments in the Koryak Mountains, Chukotka (Russia). We show higher melting-point silicate glass cross-cutting lower melting-point Al-Cu-Fe alloys, as well as unambiguous evidence of a reduction-oxidation reaction history between Al-Cu-Fe alloys and silicate melt. The redox reactions involve reduction of FeO and SiO 2 to Fe and Fe-Si metal, and oxidation of metallic Al to Al 2 O 3 , occurring where silicate melt was in contact with Al-Cu-Fe alloys. In the reaction zone, there are metallic Fe and Fe-Si beads, aluminous spinel rinds on the Al-Cu-Fe alloys, and Al 2 O 3 enrichment in the silicate melt surrounding the alloys. From this and other evidence, we demonstrate that Khatyrka must have experienced at least two distinct events: first, an event as early as 4.564 Ga in which the first Al-Cu-Fe alloys formed; and, second, a more recent impact-induced shock in space that led to transformations of and reactions between the alloys and the meteorite matrix. The new evidence firmly establishes that the Al-Cu-Fe alloys (including quasicrystals) formed in outer space in a complex, multi-stage process.

  20. AFLOWLIB.ORG: a Distributed Materials Properties Repository from High-throughput Ab initio Calculations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-11-15

    uncle) fcc (uncle) hcp (uncle) phase-diagram Ag Al Al Au Au Bi Bi Ca Ca Cd Cd Ce Ce Co Co Cr Cr Cu Cu Fe Fe Ga Ga Gd Gd Ge Ge Hf...Hf Hg Hg In In Ir Ir La La Li Li Mg Mg Mn Mn Mo Mo Na Na Nb Nb Ni Ni Os Os Pb Pb Pd Pd Pt Pt Rb Rb Re Re Rh Rh Ru Ru Sb Sb Sc...2 S. Curtarolo, A. N. Kolmogorov, and F. H. Cocks, High-throughput ab initio analysis of the Bi-In, Bi- Mg , Bi-Sb, In- Mg , In-Sb, and Mg -Sb systems

  1. Enhancement of current-perpendicular-to-plane giant magnetoresistance in Heusler-alloy based pseudo spin valves by using a CuZn spacer layer

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Furubayashi, T., E-mail: furubayashi.takao@nims.go.jp; Takahashi, Y. K.; Sasaki, T. T.

    2015-10-28

    Enhancement of magnetoresistance output was attained in current-perpendicular-to-plane giant magnetoresistance (CPP-GMR) devices by using a bcc CuZn alloy for the spacer. Pseudo spin valves that consisted of the Co{sub 2}Fe(Ga{sub 0.5}Ge{sub 0.5}) Heusler alloy for ferromagnetic layers and CuZn alloy with the composition of Cu{sub 52.4}Zn{sub 47.6} for a spacer showed the large change of the resistance-area products, ΔRA, up to 8 mΩ·μm{sup 2} for a low annealing temperature of 350 °C. The ΔRA value is one of the highest reported so far for the CPP-GMR devices for the low annealing temperature, which is essential for processing read heads for hardmore » disk drives. We consider that the enhancement of ΔRA is produced from the spin-dependent resistance at the Co{sub 2}Fe(Ga{sub 0.5}Ge{sub 0.5})/CuZn interfaces.« less

  2. Structural, magnetic and transport properties of 2D structured perovskite oxychalcogenides

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berthebaud, David; Lebedev, Oleg I.; Pelloquin, Denis; Maignan, Antoine

    2014-10-01

    We have been looking for new potential thermoelectric materials in the family of 2D structured perovskite oxychalcogenides containing [Cu2Ch2]2- blocks (Ch = S or Se). Using high temperature syntheses, a new oxyselenide Sr2CuFeO3Se has been isolated and its structure has been compared to the isotypes sulfides, Ca2CuFeO3S and Sr2CuFeO3S, prepared by the same technique. By combining powder XRD and TEM analyses their composition and structure were analyzed. They all three crystallize in the Sr2CuGaO3S-type structure, with only the oxyselenide showing a Fe deficiency which is related to the stacking faults evidenced by high resolution TEM. Transport and magnetic properties of the samples have been studied; especially their electrical resistivity is characterized by high values in the range from 1 to 10 kΩ cm at 300 K. Thermoelectric potential of these materials is also discussed.

  3. Search for New Superconductors for Energy and Power Applications

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-10-21

    superconductors, borides , carbides, silicides, and chalcogenides. In addition, a number of thin film systems have been explored: A15s, superlattices, arrays of...YBa2Cu3O7 Bi2Se3 Eu-Si-C ErRh4B4 Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 (UD, OD) Sb2Se3 V-Si-C (Ga,Mn)As CuO ZrSe2 Sm-Si-C Hf(FeCo)P Y1-xCaxCrO3 Fe-Te-Se BORIDES Hf-Fe-C-P...Physics, Warsaw, Poland Table III New superconductors, discovered by UCSD MURI team. BORIDES Tc (K) Nb0.9Zr0.1B 11.2 ZrNbxB 9.0 ZrVxB 9.0

  4. Evidence for reentrant spin glass behavior in transition metal substituted Co-Ga alloys near critical concentration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yasin, Sk. Mohammad; Srinivas, V.; Kasiviswanathan, S.; Vagadia, Megha; Nigam, A. K.

    2018-04-01

    In the present study magnetic and electrical transport properties of transition metal substituted Co-Ga alloys (near critical cobalt concentration) have been investigated. Analysis of temperature and field dependence of dc magnetization and ac susceptibility (ACS) data suggests an evidence of reentrant spin glass (RSG) phase in Co55.5TM3Ga41.5 (TM = Co, Cr, Fe, Cu). The magnetic transition temperatures (TC and Tf) are found to depend on the nature of TM element substitution with the exchange coupling strength Co-Fe > Co-Co > Co-Cu > Co-Cr. From magnetization dynamics precise transition temperatures for the glassy phases are estimated. It is found that characteristic relaxation times are higher than that of spin glasses with minimal spin-cluster formation. The RSG behavior has been further supported by the temperature dependence of magnetotransport studies. From the magnetic field and substitution effects it has been established that the magnetic and electrical transport properties are correlated in this system.

  5. Assembly of [Cu2(COO)4] and [M3(μ3-O)(COO)6] (M = Sc, Fe, Ga, and In) building blocks into porous frameworks towards ultra-high C2H2/CO2 and C2H2/CH4 separation performance.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jian-Wei; Hu, Man-Cheng; Li, Shu-Ni; Jiang, Yu-Cheng; Qu, Peng; Zhai, Quan-Guo

    2018-02-20

    A porous MOF platform (SNNU-65s) formed by creatively combining paddle-wheel-like [Cu 2 (COO) 4 ] and trigonal prismatic [M 3 (μ 3 -O)(COO) 6 ] building blocks was designed herein. The mixed and high-density open metal sites and the OH-functionalized pore surface promote SNNU-65s to exhibit ultra-high C 2 H 2 uptake and separation performance. Impressively, SNNU-65-Cu-Ga stands out for the highest C 2 H 2 /CO 2 (18.7) and C 2 H 2 /CH 4 (120.6) selectivity among all the reported MOFs at room temperature.

  6. The structural and magnetic properties of Fe2-xNiGa1+x Heusler alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang (张玉洁), Y. J.; Xi (郗学奎), X. K.; Meng (孟凡斌), F. B.; Wang (王文洪), W. H.; Liu (刘恩克), E. K.; Chen (陈京兰), J. L.; Wu (吴光恒), G. H.

    2015-04-01

    The structural and magnetic properties of Fe2-xNiGa1+x (x=0~1) Heusler alloys have been investigated by experimental observation and calculation. In this system, a structural transition is found as a function of composition. A higher Ga content leads to an atomic-order transformation from Hg2CuTi to B2. The magnetization decreases due to the dilution effect and the competition between the magnetic interactions and enhanced covalent bonding. The calculation of electronic structure indicates that adding Ga enhances the p-d orbital hybridization between the transition-metal and main-group-element atoms at nearest-neighbor distance. A magnetic and a structural phase diagram have been obtained in which the composition dependences of the lattice constant, the ordering temperature and the Curie temperature show cusps at a critical composition of x=0.32.

  7. Cu isotopes in marine black shales record the Great Oxidation Event

    PubMed Central

    Rodríguez, Nathalie P.; Partin, Camille A.; Andersson, Per; Weiss, Dominik J.; El Albani, Abderrazak; Rodushkin, Ilia; Konhauser, Kurt O.

    2016-01-01

    The oxygenation of the atmosphere ∼2.45–2.32 billion years ago (Ga) is one of the most significant geological events to have affected Earth’s redox history. Our understanding of the timing and processes surrounding this key transition is largely dependent on the development of redox-sensitive proxies, many of which remain unexplored. Here we report a shift from negative to positive copper isotopic compositions (δ65CuERM-AE633) in organic carbon-rich shales spanning the period 2.66–2.08 Ga. We suggest that, before 2.3 Ga, a muted oxidative supply of weathering-derived copper enriched in 65Cu, along with the preferential removal of 65Cu by iron oxides, left seawater and marine biomass depleted in 65Cu but enriched in 63Cu. As banded iron formation deposition waned and continentally sourced Cu became more important, biomass sampled a dissolved Cu reservoir that was progressively less fractionated relative to the continental pool. This evolution toward heavy δ65Cu values coincides with a shift to negative sedimentary δ56Fe values and increased marine sulfate after the Great Oxidation Event (GOE), and is traceable through Phanerozoic shales to modern marine settings, where marine dissolved and sedimentary δ65Cu values are universally positive. Our finding of an important shift in sedimentary Cu isotope compositions across the GOE provides new insights into the Precambrian marine cycling of this critical micronutrient, and demonstrates the proxy potential for sedimentary Cu isotope compositions in the study of biogeochemical cycles and oceanic redox balance in the past. PMID:27091980

  8. La0.8Sr0.2Fe0.8Cu0.2O3-δ as “cobalt-free” cathode for La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.8Mg0.2O3-δ electrolyte

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zurlo, Francesca; Di Bartolomeo, Elisabetta; D'Epifanio, Alessandra; Felice, Valeria; Natali Sora, Isabella; Tortora, Luca; Licoccia, Silvia

    2014-12-01

    A "cobalt-free" cathode material with stoichiometric composition La0.8Sr0.2Fe0.8Cu0.2O3-δ (LSFCu) was specifically developed for use with La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.8Mg0.2O3-δ (LSGM) electrolyte in intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell (IT-SOFC) systems. The chemical stability of LSFCu in contact with LSGM electrolyte was investigated by structural and morphological analysis. The electrochemical properties of LSFCu dense pellets were investigated in the temperature range 600-750 °C by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). LSFCu|LSGM|LSFCu symmetrical cells were prepared and area specific resistance (ASR) values, directly depending on the rate limiting step of the oxygen reduction reaction, were evaluated. Fuel cells were prepared using LSFCu as cathode material on a LSGM pellet and electrochemical tests were performed in the 700-800 °C temperature range and compared to similar fuel cells prepared by using commercial La0.6Sr0.4Fe0.8Co0.2O3-δ (LSFCo) as a cathode. The maximum current density and power density recorded for LSFCu and LSFCo were similar. This fact demonstrates that Cu can be used as Co substitute in perovskite cathode materials.

  9. Large magnetoresistance in Heusler-alloy-based epitaxial magnetic junctions with semiconducting Cu(In{sub 0.8}Ga{sub 0.2})Se{sub 2} spacer

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kasai, S.; Center for Emergent Matter Science, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako 351-0198; Takahashi, Y. K.

    2016-07-18

    We investigated the structure and magneto-transport properties of magnetic junctions using a Co{sub 2}Fe(Ga{sub 0.5}Ge{sub 0.5}) Heusler alloy as ferromagnetic electrodes and a Cu(In{sub 0.8}Ga{sub 0.2})Se{sub 2} (CIGS) semiconductor as spacers. Owing to the semiconducting nature of the CIGS spacer, large magnetoresistance (MR) ratios of 40% at room temperature and 100% at 8 K were obtained for low resistance-area product (RA) values between 0.3 and 3 Ω μm{sup 2}. Transmission electron microscopy observations confirmed the fully epitaxial growth of the chalcopyrite CIGS layer, and the temperature dependence of RA indicated that the large MR was due to spin dependent tunneling.

  10. Spectroscopic characterization of the coordination chemistry and hydrolysis of gallium(III) in the presence of aquatic organic matter

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hagvall, Kristoffer; Persson, Per; Karlsson, Torbjörn

    2014-12-01

    Interactions between metals and natural organic matter (NOM) are of great environmental importance and one of the key factors influencing hydrolysis, solubility, and speciation of the metals. However, studying geochemically relevant metals like Al, Fe, and Cu is sometimes associated with analytical problems; for example Fe and Cu are both redox active. Gallium (Ga) is a non-redox active metal that usually occurs at very low concentrations in environmental samples and therefore a wide concentration range of metal(III)-NOM species can be explored by adding Ga(III) to such samples. This makes Ga(III) a good probe and analogue for other metal ions, in particular Al. In addition, due to the increased usage of Ga in society, a better understanding of how Ga interacts with NOM is of importance but such studies are scarce. In this work, Ga(III) interactions with two different organic materials (Suwannee River natural organic matter and Suwannee River fulvic acid) were studied using infrared (IR) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy in a large experimental range (101-84,076 μg Ga g-1 dry weight; pH 3-8). Our IR spectroscopic results showed that Ga(III) is bonded mainly to carboxylic functional groups and suggested that only a fraction of the total number of carboxylic sites in the samples was actively involved in the bonding. Modeling of the EXAFS data revealed that Ga(III) formed mononuclear chelate complexes with NOM that strongly suppressed the hydrolysis and polymerization of Ga(III). At low Ga(III) concentrations (1675-16,649 μg g-1) organic complexes, consisting of 1-3 chelate ring structures, were the dominating species in the entire pH range while at higher concentrations (67,673-84,076 μg g-1, pH 3.0-7.0) we detected mixtures of mononuclear organic Ga(III) complexes, Ga(III) (hydr)oxide, and free Ga(III) (here defined as the hydrated Ga(III) ion and its soluble hydrolysis products). Moreover, the EXAFS results showed significantly higher contribution from second-shell C atoms (9-11) for the Ga(III)-organic complexes at the lowest concentration (101-125 μg g-1, pH 4.9-5.1), indicating formation of cage-like structures similar to Ga(III)-EDTA. Our combined results showed that Ga(III)-NOM interactions can be of importance for the solubility and speciation of Ga in environmental systems. Furthermore, the similarities between Ga(III) and previous Fe(III) results demonstrate that Ga(III) can be utilized as a probe for metal(III)-NOM interactions over an extended experimental range (e.g., pH and metal concentration) and thereby improve our knowledge about these interactions in general.

  11. Characteristics of trace metals in traffic-derived particles in Hsuehshan Tunnel, Taiwan: size distribution, potential source, and fingerprinting metal ratio

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Y.-C.; Tsai, C.-J.; Wu, Y.-C.; Zhang, R.; Chi, K.-H.; Huang, Y.-T.; Lin, S.-H.; Hsu, S.-C.

    2015-04-01

    Traffic emissions are a significant source of airborne particulate matter (PM) in ambient environments. These emissions contain an abundance of toxic metals and thus pose adverse effects on human health. Size-fractionated aerosol samples were collected from May to September 2013 by using micro-orifice uniform deposited impactors (MOUDIs). Sample collection was conducted simultaneously at the inlet and outlet sites of Hsuehshan Tunnel in northern Taiwan, which is the second-longest freeway tunnel (12.9 km) in Asia. This endeavor aims to characterize the chemical constituents and size distributions, as well as fingerprinting ratios of particulate metals emitted by vehicle fleets. A total of 36 metals in size-resolved aerosols were determined through inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Three major groups - namely, tailpipe emissions (Zn, Pb, and V in fine mode), wear debris (Cu, Cd, Fe, Ga, Mn, Mo, Sb, and Sn), and resuspended dust (Ca, Mg, K, and Rb) - of airborne PM metals were categorized on the basis of the results of enrichment factor, correlation matrix, and principal component analysis. Size distributions of wear-originated metals resembled the pattern of crustal elements, which were predominated by super-micron particulates (PM1-10). By contrast, tailpipe exhaust elements such as Zn, Pb, and V were distributed mainly in submicron particles. By employing Cu as a tracer of wear abrasion, several inter-metal ratios - including Fe / Cu (14), Ba / Cu (1.05), Sb / Cu (0.16), Sn / Cu (0.10), and Ga / Cu (0.03) - served as fingerprints for wear debris. However, the data set collected in this work is useful for further studies on traffic emission inventory and human health effects of traffic-related PM.

  12. Characteristics of trace metals in traffic-derived particles in Hsuehshan Tunnel, Taiwan: size distribution, fingerprinting metal ratio, and emission factor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Y.-C.; Tsai, C.-J.; Wu, Y.-C.; Zhang, R.; Chi, K.-H.; Huang, Y.-T.; Lin, S.-H.; Hsu, S.-C.

    2014-05-01

    Traffic emissions are a significant source of airborne particulate matter (PM) in ambient environments. These emissions contain high abundance of toxic metals and thus pose adverse effects on human health. Size-fractionated aerosol samples were collected from May to September 2013 by using micro-orifice uniform deposited impactor (MOUDI). Sample collection was conducted simultaneously at the inlet and outlet sites of Hsuehshan Tunnel in northern Taiwan, which is the second longest freeway tunnel (12.9 km) in Asia. Such endeavor aims to characterize the chemical constituents, size distributions, and fingerprinting ratios, as well as the emission factors of particulate metals emitted by vehicle fleets. A total of 36 metals in size-resolved aerosols were determined through inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Three major groups, namely, tailpipe emissions (Zn, Pb, and V), wear debris (Cu, Cd, Fe, Ga, Mn, Mo, Sb, and Sn), and resuspended dust (Ca, Mg, K, and Rb), of airborne PM metals were categorized on the basis of the results of enrichment factor, correlation matrix, and principal component analysis. Size distributions of wear-originated metals resembled the pattern of crustal elements, which were predominated by super-micron particulates (PM1-10). By contrast, tailpipe exhaust elements such as Zn, Pb, and V were distributed mainly in submicron particles. By employing Cu as a tracer of wear abrasion, several inter-metal ratios, including Fe/Cu (14), Ba/Cu (1.05), Sb/Cu (0.16), Sn/Cu (0.10), and Ga/Cu (0.03), served as fingerprints for wear debris. Emission factor of PM10 mass was estimated to be 7.7 mg vkm-1. The metal emissions were mostly predominated in super-micron particles (PM1-10). Finally, factors that possibly affect particulate metal emissions inside Hsuehshan Tunnel are discussed.

  13. Native hole trap in bulk GaAs and its association with the double-charge state of the arsenic antisite defect

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lagowski, J.; Lin, D. G.; Chen, T.-P.; Skowronski, M.; Gatos, H. C.

    1985-01-01

    A dominant hole trap has been identified in p-type bulk GaAs employing deep level transient and photocapacitance spectroscopies. The trap is present at a concentration up to about 4 x 10 to the 16th per cu cm, and it has two charge states with energies 0.54 + or - 0.02 and 0.77 + or - 0.02 eV above the top of the valence band (at 77 K). From the upper level the trap can be photoexcited to a persistent metastable state just as the dominant midgap level, EL2. Impurity analysis and the photoionization characteristics rule out association of the trap with impurities Fe, Cu, or Mn. Taking into consideration theoretical results, it appears most likely that the two charge states of the trap are the single and double donor levels of the arsenic antisite As(Ga) defect.

  14. Acute and subacute response of iron, zinc, copper and selenium in pigs experimentally infected with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae.

    PubMed

    Humann-Ziehank, Esther; Menzel, Anne; Roehrig, Petra; Schwert, Barbara; Ganter, Martin; Hennig-Pauka, Isabel

    2014-10-01

    This study was performed to characterise the response of iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and selenium (Se) in bacterial-induced porcine acute phase reaction (APR). Twenty piglets were challenged by aerosolic infection with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (A.pp.) serotype 2, ten piglets serving as controls. Blood sampling was done initially and at day 4 and 21 after infection, collection of liver tissue was done at day 21 (autopsy). A.pp.-infection caused fever and respiratory symptoms. APR at day 4 after infection was marked by an increase in total white blood cells, granulocytes and monocytes in whole blood samples and an increase in globulin/albumin ratio (G/A), α2-globulins, C-reactive protein, haptoglobin, ceruloplasmin (Cp), Cu and Se in serum. Concurrently, there was a decrease in haemoglobin (Hb) and packed cell volume (PCV) in whole blood as well as a decrease in albumin, transferrin, total iron binding capacity and Fe in serum and Zn in plasma. The subacute stage at day 21 was characterised by progressively increased concentrations of G/A, β-globulins and γ-globulins reflecting the specific immune reaction. Hb and PCV showed further decreases, all other parameters returned to the initial concentrations. Glutathione peroxidase activity in plasma and liver tissue remained unaffected by A.pp.-infection. The liver concentration (day 21) of Zn was found to be higher, that of Se was lower in the A.pp.-group, whereas hepatic concentrations of Cu and Fe were not affected by A.pp.-infection. In summary, the acute and subacute stages of A.pp.-infection were accurately characterised by the APR-related parameters. Se was only marginally affected by the A.pp.-infection. The elevated plasma Cu concentration may be a side effect of the transient hepatic induction of Cp synthesis. Zn responded, being distinctly reduced in plasma and probably having been sequestered in the liver tissue. Reduction in serum Fe can be regarded as an unspecific defence mechanism in A.pp.-infection to withdraw Fe from bacterial acquisition systems.

  15. In Situ TEM Nanoindentation Studies on Stress-Induced Phase Transformations in Metallic Materials

    DOE PAGES

    Liu, Y.; Wang, H.; Zhang, X.

    2015-11-30

    Though abundant phase transformations are in general thermally driven processes, there are many examples wherein stresses can induce phase transformations. We applied numerous in situ techniques, such as in situ x-ray diffraction and neutron diffraction in order to reveal phase transformations. Recently, an in situ nanoindentation technique coupled with transmission electron microscopy demonstrated the capability to directly correlating stresses with phase transformations and microstructural evolutions at a submicron length scale. We briefly review in situ studies on stress-induced diffusional and diffusionless phase transformations in amorphous CuZrAl alloy and NiFeGa shape memory alloy. Moreover, in the amorphous CuZrAl, in situ nanoindentationmore » studies show that the nucleation of nanocrystals (a diffusional process) occurs at ultra-low stresses manifested by a prominent stress drop. In the NiFeGa shape memory alloy, two distinctive types of martensitic (diffusionless) phase transformations accompanied by stress plateaus are observed, including a reversible gradual phase transformation at low stress levels, and an irreversible abrupt phase transition at higher stress levels.« less

  16. Anode materials for lithium ion batteries

    DOEpatents

    Abouimrane, Ali; Amine, Khalil

    2017-04-11

    An electrochemical device includes a composite material of general Formula (1-x)J-(x)Q wherein: J is a metal carbon alloy of formula Sn.sub.zSi.sub.z'Met.sub.wMet'.sub.w'C.sub.t; Q is a metal oxide of formula A.sub..gamma.M.sub..alpha.M'.sub..alpha.'O.sub..beta.; and wherein: A is Li, Na, or K; M and M' are individually Ge, Mo, Al, Ga, As, Sb, Te, Ti, Ta, Zr, Ca, Mg, Sr, Ba, Li, Na, K, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Nb, Rt, Ru or Cd; Met and Met' are individually Ge, Mo, Al, Ga, As, Sb, Te, Ti, Ta, Zr, Ca, Mg, Sr, Ba, Li, Na, K, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Nb, Rt, Ru or Cd; 0

  17. Tetragonal-antiprismatic coordination of transition metals in intermetallic compounds: ω1-Mn6Ga29 and its structuralrelationships

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Antonyshyn, Iryna; Prots, Yurii; Margiolaki, Irene; Schmidt, Marcus Peter; Zhak, Olga; Oryshchyn, Stepan; Grin, Yuri

    2013-03-01

    The new phase ω1-Mn6Ga29 was synthesised in single-crystal form from the elements applying the high-temperature centrifugation-aided filtration technique. The crystal structure was determined using diffraction data collected from a twinned specimen: a new prototype, space group P1¯; a=6.3114(2) Å, b=9.9557(3) Å, c=18.920(1) Å, α=90.473(1)°, β=90.847(1)°, γ=90.396(1)°; R1=0.047, wR2=0.117 for 317 variable parameters and 7346 observed reflections; twinning matrix 0 0 -1/3, 0 -1 0, -3 0 0; twin domains ratio 0.830(3):0.170. All manganese atoms in the crystal structure of ω1-Mn6Ga29 are coordinated exclusively by Ga forming distorted tetragonal antiprisms. The monocapped [MnGa8+1] antiprisms condense into pairs by sharing their pseudo-quadratic faces and are interconnected via common apexes and edges to form a 3D framework. The relationship between the crystal structures of ω1-Mn6Ga29 and CuAl2, α-, β-CoSn3, PtSn4, Ti4MnBi2, PdGa5, Rh3Ga16, Rh4Ga21, Al7FeCu2, Co2Al9, and RhBi4 is discussed.

  18. Crystallographic and optical properties and band diagrams of CuGaS2 and CuGa5S8 phases in Cu-poor Cu2S-Ga2S3 pseudo-binary system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maeda, Tsuyoshi; Yu, Ying; Chen, Qing; Ueda, Kenta; Wada, Takahiro

    2017-04-01

    We synthesized Cu-poor Cu-Ga-S samples such, as CuGaS2 and CuGa5S8 with the composition of (1 - x)Cu2S-(x)Ga2S3 with 0.5 ≤ x ≤ 1.0, by a mechanochemical process and sequential heating. The crystal structure changes from tetragonal chalcopyrite-type CuGaS2 (0.5 ≤ x ≤ 0.55) to tetragonal stannite-type CuGa5S8 (x = 0.8). For samples with 0.60 ≤ x ≤ 0.75, the diffraction peaks were identified to be those of a mixed phase of the chalcopyrite- and stannite-type structures. The band-gap energies of Cu-poor Cu-Ga-S samples increase in a stepwise manner with increasing x. The band-gap energy of CuGa5S8 (x = 0.8) with the tetragonal stannite-type structure is approximately 2.66 eV, which is wider than that of chalcopyrite-type CuGaS2 (2.45 eV). The energy levels of valence band maxima (VBMs) were estimated from the ionization energies measured by photoemission yield spectroscopy (PYS). The energy levels of the VBM and conduction band minimum (CBM) of the Cu-poor Cu-Ga-S samples decrease significantly with increasing x (decreasing Cu/Ga ratio). The energy level of the VBM of CuGaS2 (-5.8 eV) is considerably deeper than those of CuInSe2 (-5.2 eV) and CuInS2 (-5.5 eV). The VBM of stannite-type CuGa5S8 with x = 0.8 (-6.4 eV) is much deeper than that of chalcopyrite-type CuGaS2 (-5.8 eV) and stannite-type CuIn3Se5 (-5.6 eV). In order to understand the band structures of chalcopyrite-type CuGaS2 and stannite-type CuGa5S8, we performed first-principles calculations using the Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzerhof (HSE06), nonlocal screened hybrid density functional method. The theoretical band-gap energy of stannite-type CuGa5S8 (2.2 eV) is wider than that of chalcopyrite-type CuGaS2 (2.0 eV). Both the theoretical and experimental band gaps of stannite-type CuGa5S8 are about 0.2 eV wider than those of chalcopyrite-type CuGaS2.

  19. Nuclear Data Sheets for A = 61

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zuber, Kazimierz; Singh, Balraj

    2015-03-15

    The evaluated spectroscopic data are presented for known nuclides of mass 61 (Sc,Ti,V,Cr,Mn,Fe,Co,Ni, Cu,Zn,Ga,Ge). Excited-state data are nonexistent for {sup 61}Sc, {sup 61}Ti, {sup 61}V, and {sup 61}Ge. Significant amounts of new data have been added since the previous NDS evaluation of A=61 nuclides (1999Bh04). {sup 61}Sc nuclide is now experimentally known, but without any knowledge of its half-life. The ground state half-lives of {sup 61}Ti and {sup 61}V are now determined. Excited-state data have become available for {sup 61}Cr, {sup 61}Mn and {sup 61}Ga, while for {sup 61}Ge, five excited states were erroneously assigned in the previous evaluation, thesemore » have been omitted here. Improved and extensive high-spin excitations are available for {sup 61}Fe, {sup 61}Cu and {sup 61}Zn, including several new superdeformed structures in {sup 61}Cu and {sup 61}Zn. Thermal neutron capture γ-ray data are available in detail from 2004Ra23. The radioactive decay schemes of {sup 61}Sc and {sup 61}Ti are not known, while those for {sup 61}V, {sup 61}Fe and {sup 61}Ge are poorly known. This work benefited from the earlier full evaluations of A=61 published by 1999Bh04, 1983Ek01 and 1975Au05 and the one published in an ‘update’ mode by 1992Zh31. The data and conclusions presented in the current work supersede those in all the previous evaluations.« less

  20. Thermodynamic stability of copper gallates determined from the E.M.F. method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jendrzejczyk-Handzlik, Dominika; Fitzner, Krzysztof

    2015-12-01

    Employing following electrochemical cells with the solid YSZ electrolyte: CuO, Cu2O /O2-/ air (pO2 = 0.21​ atm) CuGa2O4, CuGaO2, Ga2O3 /O2-/ air (pO2 = 0.21⁣ a t m) CuGa2O4, CuGaO2, Cu2O /O2-/ air (pO2 = 0.21​ atm) Ni, NiO /O2-/ Ga2O3, CuGaO2, Cu The Gibbs free energy of formation of solid CuGa2O4 and CuGaO2 phases was determined in the temperature range from 1048 to 1223 K. Obtained results were used to derive Gibbs free energy change of the reaction of formation of solid phases from respective oxides: CuO+Ga2O3=CuGa2O4 ∆ GCuGa2O4 0(J/mol) = 21642 - 26.01 × T(± 630) ½Cu2O +½Ga2O3=CuGaO2 ∆ G CuGa O2 0 (J / mol) = - 12879 + 6.29 × T (± 640) Finally, present results were applied to the calculation of oxygen potential diagrams at different temperatures, and consequently, to the prediction of the stability ranges of these both solid phases.

  1. First principles calculations of the electronic structure and magnetic properties of Y(Fe,M)9.2 and Y(Fe,M)9.2C (M= Si, Ga, Zr)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tian, Guang; Zha, Liang; Yang, Wenyun; Qiao, Guanyi; Wang, Changsheng; Yang, Yingchang; Yang, Jinbo

    2018-06-01

    The preferential site substitution of the Fe by Si, Ga and Zr in the Y(Fe,M)9.2 and Y(Fe,M)9.2C compounds, and the doping effects on the magnetic properties have been studied by the first-principles calculations. It is found that the doping of the Si or Zr can improve the thermodynamic stability of the 1:9 phase, while the substitution of the Fe by Ga makes it unstable. Si atom tends to enter the 3g crystal site and Zr prefers to occupy the 2e site when Y(Fe,M)9.2 and their carbides are synthesized. Although the substitution of the Fe by Si and Zr will reduce the total magnetic moments of the YFe9.2 and their carbides, the volumetric and the d-band narrowing effects caused by the doping can still modify the electron density distributions of the Fe near the Fermi level, improving the magnetic ordering temperature of the non-carbonated compound YFe9.2. The calculated magnetic ordering temperatures of Y(Fe,M)9.2C decrease with the increasing content of the doping elements M due to the stronger hybridization of the d bands in the carbides. For the rare-earth(RE) iron based intermetallics REFe9.2 with the TbCu7-type structure, it is suggested that Zr is able to stabilize the phase and enhance the magnetic ordering temperature, indicating the possible further application in the field of permanent magnets, which has not been reported before.

  2. Variation in trace element content of magnetite crystallized from a fractionating sulfide liquid, Sudbury, Canada: Implications for provenance discrimination

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dare, Sarah A. S.; Barnes, Sarah-Jane; Beaudoin, Georges

    2012-07-01

    Laser ablation ICP-MS analysis has been applied to many accessory minerals in order to understand better the process by which the rock formed and for provenance discrimination. We have determined trace element concentrations of Fe-oxides in massive sulfides that form Ni-Cu-PGE deposits at the base of the Sudbury Igneous Complex in Canada. The samples represent the crystallization products of fractionating sulfide liquids and consist of early-forming Fe-rich monosulfide solution (MSS) cumulates and residual Cu-rich intermediate solid solution (ISS). This study shows that Fe-oxide geochemistry is a sensitive petrogenetic indicator for the degree of fractionation of the sulfide liquid and provides an insight into the partitioning of elements between sulfide and Fe-oxide phases. In addition, it is useful in determining the provenance of detrital Fe-oxide. In a sulfide melt, all lithophile elements (Cr, Ti, V, Al, Mn, Sc, Nb, Ga, Ge, Ta, Hf, W and Zr) are compatible into Fe-oxide. The concentrations of these elements are highest in the early-forming Fe-oxide (titanomagnetite) which crystallized with Fe-rich MSS. Upon the continual crystallization of Fe-oxide from the sulfide liquid, the lithophile elements gradually decrease so that late-forming Fe-oxide (magnetite), which crystallized from the residual Cu-rich liquid, is depleted in these elements. This behavior is in contrast with Fe-oxides that crystallized from a fractionating silicate melt, whereby the concentration of incompatible elements, such as Ti, increases rather than decreases. The behavior of the chalcophile elements in magnetite is largely controlled by the crystallization of the sulfide minerals with only Ni, Co, Zn, Mo, Sn and Pb present above detection limit in magnetite. Nickel, Mo and Co are compatible in Fe-rich MSS and thus the co-crystallizing Fe-oxide is depleted in these elements. In contrast, magnetite that crystallized later from the fractionated liquid with Cu-rich ISS is enriched in Ni, Mo and Co because Fe-rich MSS is absent. The concentrations of Sn and Pb, which are incompatible with Fe-rich MSS, are highest in magnetite that formed from the fractionated Cu-rich liquid. At subsolidus temperatures, ilmenite exsolved from titanomagnetite whereas Al-spinel exsolved from the cores of some magnetite, locally redistributing the trace elements. However, during laser ablation ICP-MS analysis of these Fe-oxides both the magnetite and its exsolution products are ablated so that the analysis represents the original magmatic composition of the Fe-oxide that crystallized from the sulfide melt.

  3. Nuclear Data Sheets for A=62

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Nichols A. L.; Tuli J.; Nichols,A.L.

    Experimental nuclear spectroscopic data for known nuclides of mass number 62 (Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge) have been evaluated and presented together with adopted properties of levels and {gamma} rays. New high-spin data are available for {sup 62}Ga, and {sup 62}Zn. Results of in-beam {gamma}-ray studies for {sup 62}Cu producing high-spin states are in conflict in terms of gamma-ray placements and branching ratios. In the opinion of the evaluators, a detailed study of high-spin structures in {sup 62}Cu is needed to obtain a consistent and confident level scheme. Precise studies of superallowed {beta} decaymore » of {sup 62}Ga to {sup 62}Zn by several groups have extended the decay scheme. No significant new data, since the 2000 NDS for A = 62 (2000Hu18), have been reported for {sup 62}Co, {sup 62}Ni and {sup 62}Cu. No data are yet available for excited states in {sup 62}Ti and {sup 62}V, and those for {sup 62}Cr and {sup 62}Ge are scarce. The level lifetime data are available in very few cases. The radioactive decay schemes of {sup 62}Ti and {sup 62}Ge are unknown, and those for {sup 62}V, {sup 62}Cr and 92-ms {sup 62}Mn are scantily known. The data presented here supersede those in the earlier NDS publications.« less

  4. Geology, geochronology, and geochemistry of the Yinachang Fe-Cu-Au-REE deposit of the Kangdian region of SW China: Evidence for a Paleo-Mesoproterozoic tectono-magmatic event and associated IOCG systems in the western Yangtze Block

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hou, Lin; Ding, Jun; Deng, Jun; Peng, Hui-juan

    2015-05-01

    Numerous Fe-Cu-Au-rare earth element (REE) deposits have been identified within the Paleoproterozoic Dongchuan Group of the Kangdian region of SW China. This region hosts the Yinachang deposit, which contains more than 16.8 Mt Fe, 682.6 kt Cu, and significant amounts of Au and the REEs. Both the Haizi dolerite and a magmatic breccia in the central part of the Kangdian region are thought to be related to the Dongchuan dolerite in the northern part of this region; all three of these units provide evidence of the tectono-magmatic history of the Kunyang Rift and are closely spatially and temporally related to Fe-Cu-Au-REE mineralization in this region. Here, we present a new zircon U-Pb age for the Haizi dolerite (1764.7 ± 5.7 Ma), which is consistent with the known age of the Dongchuan dolerite (1765 ± 57 Ma), allowing the determination of the precise timing of Paleo-Mesoproterozoic intraplate mafic magmatism in this region (1.72-1.77 Ga). The breccia in this region formed during magmatism at around 1.73-1.74 Ga, as documented by zircon U-Pb dating of matrix material within the Yinachang magmatic breccia (1739 ± 13 Ma). The geochemistry of Haizi and Dongchuan dolerite samples provides evidence of intraplate extension in the Kangdian region, the majority of which was concentrated along the Kunyang Rift. The Kangdian region underwent variable degrees of extension, as evidenced by the fact that break-up in the central part of this region occurred earlier than in the north. This also led to the emplacement of deeper-sourced alkaline magmas (usually OIB-type magmas) in the central part of this region. The iron-oxide copper gold (IOCG) mineralization in the Kangdian region is associated with the upwelling of mantle material. A chalcopyrite Re-Os age of 1648 ± 14 Ma from the Yinachang Fe-Cu-Au-REE deposit obtained during this study is some 50-100 Myr younger than the timing of emplacement of the deeply sourced Haizi and Dongchuan dolerites. The Yinachang deposit is a typical IOCG-type deposit, and the presence of this and other deposits in the Kangdian region indicates that this region hosts an intraplate extension-related IOCG system within the western edge of the Yangtze Block, China.

  5. Electronic and magnetic properties of transition metal decorated monolayer GaS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Heng-Fu; Liu, Li-Min; Zhao, Jijun

    2018-07-01

    Inducing controllable magnetism in two dimensional non-magnetic materials is very important for realizing dilute magnetic semiconductor. Using density functional theory, we have systematically investigated the effect of surface adsorption of various 3d transition metal (TM) atoms (Sc-Cu) on the electronic and magnetic properties of the monolayer GaS as representative of group-IIIA metal-monochalcogenide. We find that all adatoms favor the top site on the Ga atom. All the TM atoms, except for the Cr and Mn, can bond strongly to the GaS monolayer with sizable binding energies. Moreover, the TM decorated GaS monolayers exhibit interesting magnetic properties, which arise from the strong spin-dependent hybridization of the TM 3d orbitals with S 3p and Ga 4s orbitals. After examining the magnetic interaction between two same types of TM atoms, we find that most of them exhibit antiferromagnetic coupling, while Fe and Co atoms can form long-range ferromagnetism. Furthermore, we find that the electronic properties of metal decorated systems strongly rely on the type of TM adatom and the adsorption concentration. In particular, the spin-polarized semiconducting state can be realized in Fe doped system for a large range of doping concentrations. These findings indicate that the TM decorated GaS monolayers have potential device applications in next-generation electronics and spintronics.

  6. Effect of silicon on activity coefficients of siderophile elements (Au, Pd, Pt, P, Ga, Cu, Zn, and Pb) in liquid Fe: Roles of core formation, late sulfide matte, and late veneer in shaping terrestrial mantle geochemistry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Righter, K.; Pando, K.; Humayun, M.; Waeselmann, N.; Yang, S.; Boujibar, A.; Danielson, L. R.

    2018-07-01

    Earth's core contains ∼10% of a light element that may be a combination of Si, S, C, O or H, with Si potentially being the major light element. Metal-silicate partitioning of siderophile elements can place important constraints on the P-T-fO2 and composition of the early Earth, but the effect of Si alloyed in Fe liquids is unknown for many of these elements. In particular, the effect of Si on the partitioning of highly siderophile elements (Au, Re and PGE) is virtually unknown. To address this gap in understanding, we have undertaken a systematic study of the highly siderophile elements Au, Pd, and Pt, and the volatile siderophile elements P, Ga, Cu, Zn, and Pb at variable Si content of metal, and 1600 °C and 1 GPa. From our experiments we derive epsilon interaction parameters between these elements and Si in Fe metallic liquids. The new parameters are used to update an activity model for trace siderophile elements in Fe alloys; Si causes large variation in the magnitude of activity coefficients of these elements in FeSi liquids. Because the interaction parameters are all positive, Si causes a decrease in their metal/silicate partition coefficients. We combine these new activity results with experimental studies of Au, Pd, Pt, P, Ga, Cu, Zn and Pb, to derive predictive expressions for metal/silicate partition coefficients which can then be applied to Earth. The expressions are applied to two scenarios for continuous accretion of Earth; specifically for constant and increasing fO2 during accretion. The results indicate that mantle concentrations of P, Ga, Cu, Zn, and Pb can be explained by metal-silicate equilibrium during accretion of the Earth where Earth's early magma ocean deepens to pressures of 40-60 GPa. Au, Pd, and Pt, on the other hand become too high in the mantle in such a scenario, and require a later removal mechanism, rather than an addition as traditionally argued. A late reduction event that removes 0.5% metal from a shallow magma ocean can lower the Au, Pd, and Pt contents to values near the current day BSE. On the other hand, removal of 0.2-1.0% of a late sulfide-rich matte to the core would lower the Au, Pd, and Pt concentrations in the mantle, but not to chondritic relative concentrations observed in the BSE. If sulfide matte is called upon to remove HSEs, they must be later added via a late veneer to re-establish the high and chondritic relative PUM concentrations. These results suggest that although accretion and core formation (involving a Si, S, and C-bearing metallic liquid) were the primary processes establishing many of Earth's mantle volatile elements and HSE, a secondary removal process is required to establish HSEs at their current and near-chondritic relative BSE levels. Mn and P - two siderophile elements that are central to biochemical processes (photosynthesis and triphosphates, respectively) - have significant and opposite interactions with FeSi liquids, and their mantle concentrations would be notably different if Earth had a Si-free core.

  7. Recrystallization method to selenization of thin-film Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 for semiconductor device applications

    DOEpatents

    Albin, David S.; Carapella, Jeffrey J.; Tuttle, John R.; Contreras, Miguel A.; Gabor, Andrew M.; Noufi, Rommel; Tennant, Andrew L.

    1995-07-25

    A process for fabricating slightly Cu-poor thin-films of Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 on a substrate for semiconductor device applications includes the steps of forming initially a slightly Cu-rich, phase separated, mixture of Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 :Cu.sub.x Se on the substrate in solid form followed by exposure of the Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 :Cu.sub.x Se solid mixture to an overpressure of Se vapor and (In,Ga) vapor for deposition on the Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 :Cu.sub.x Se solid mixture while simultaneously increasing the temperature of the solid mixture toward a recrystallization temperature (about 550.degree. C.) at which Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 is solid and Cu.sub.x Se is liquid. The (In,Ga) flux is terminated while the Se overpressure flux and the recrystallization temperature are maintained to recrystallize the Cu.sub.x Se with the (In, Ga) that was deposited during the temperature transition and with the Se vapor to form the thin-film of slightly Cu-poor Cu.sub.x (In,Ga).sub.y Se.sub.z. The initial Cu-rich, phase separated large grain mixture of Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 :Cu.sub.x Se can be made by sequentially depositing or co-depositing the metal precursors, Cu and (In, Ga), on the substrate at room temperature, ramping up the thin-film temperature in the presence of Se overpressure to a moderate anneal temperature (about 450.degree. C.) and holding that temperature and the Se overpressure for an annealing period. A nonselenizing, low temperature anneal at about 100.degree. C. can also be used to homogenize the precursors on the substrates before the selenizing, moderate temperature anneal.

  8. Enhanced quality thin film Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 for semiconductor device applications by vapor-phase recrystallization

    DOEpatents

    Tuttle, John R.; Contreras, Miguel A.; Noufi, Rommel; Albin, David S.

    1994-01-01

    Enhanced quality thin films of Cu.sub.w (In,Ga.sub.y)Se.sub.z for semiconductor device applications are fabricated by initially forming a Cu-rich, phase-separated compound mixture comprising Cu(In,Ga):Cu.sub.x Se on a substrate to form a large-grain precursor and then converting the excess Cu.sub.x Se to Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 by exposing it to an activity of In and/or Ga, either in vapor In and/or Ga form or in solid (In,Ga).sub.y Se.sub.z. Alternatively, the conversion can be made by sequential deposition of In and/or Ga and Se onto the phase-separated precursor. The conversion process is preferably performed in the temperature range of about 300.degree.-600.degree. C., where the Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 remains solid, while the excess Cu.sub.x Se is in a liquid flux. The characteristic of the resulting Cu.sub.w (In,Ga).sub.y Se.sub.z can be controlled by the temperature. Higher temperatures, such as 500.degree.-600.degree. C., result in a nearly stoichiometric Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2, whereas lower temperatures, such as 300.degree.-400.degree. C., result in a more Cu-poor compound, such as the Cu.sub.z (In,Ga).sub.4 Se.sub.7 phase.

  9. Enhanced quality thin film Cu(In,Ga)Se[sub 2] for semiconductor device applications by vapor-phase recrystallization

    DOEpatents

    Tuttle, J.R.; Contreras, M.A.; Noufi, R.; Albin, D.S.

    1994-10-18

    Enhanced quality thin films of Cu[sub w](In,Ga[sub y])Se[sub z] for semiconductor device applications are fabricated by initially forming a Cu-rich, phase-separated compound mixture comprising Cu(In,Ga):Cu[sub x]Se on a substrate to form a large-grain precursor and then converting the excess Cu[sub x]Se to Cu(In,Ga)Se[sub 2] by exposing it to an activity of In and/or Ga, either in vapor In and/or Ga form or in solid (In,Ga)[sub y]Se[sub z]. Alternatively, the conversion can be made by sequential deposition of In and/or Ga and Se onto the phase-separated precursor. The conversion process is preferably performed in the temperature range of about 300--600 C, where the Cu(In,Ga)Se[sub 2] remains solid, while the excess Cu[sub x]Se is in a liquid flux. The characteristic of the resulting Cu[sub w](In,Ga)[sub y]Se[sub z] can be controlled by the temperature. Higher temperatures, such as 500--600 C, result in a nearly stoichiometric Cu(In,Ga)Se[sub 2], whereas lower temperatures, such as 300--400 C, result in a more Cu-poor compound, such as the Cu[sub z](In,Ga)[sub 4]Se[sub 7] phase. 7 figs.

  10. Nonergodicity of microfine binary systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Son, L. D.; Sidorov, V. E.; Popel', P. S.; Shul'gin, D. B.

    2016-02-01

    The correction to the equation of state that is related to the nonergodicity of diffusion dynamics is discussed for a binary solid solution with a limited solubility. It is asserted that, apart from standard thermodynamic variables (temperature, volume, concentration), this correction should be taken into account in the form of the average local chemical potential fluctuations associated with microheterogeneity in order to plot a phase diagram. It is shown that a low value of this correction lowers the miscibility gap and that this gap splits when this correction increases. This situation is discussed for eutectic systems and Ga-Pb, Fe-Cu, and Cu-Zr alloys.

  11. Volatility in the lunar crust: Trace element analyses of lunar minerals by PIXE proton microprobe

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Norman, M. D.; Griffin, W. L.; Ryan, C. G.

    1993-01-01

    In situ determination of mineral compositions using microbeam techniques can characterize magma compositions through mineral-melt partitioning, and be used to investigate fine-grained or rare phases which cannot be extracted for analysis. Abundances of Fe, Mn, Sr, Ga, Zr, Y, Nb, Zn, Cu, Ni, Se, and Sb were determined for various mineral phases in a small number of lunar highlands rocks using the PIXE proton microprobe. Sr/Ga ratios of plagioclase and Mn/Zn ratios of mafic silicates show that the ferroan anorthosites and Mg-suite cumulates are depleted in volatile lithophile elements to about the same degree compared with chondrites and the Earth. This links the entire lunar crust to common processes or source compositions. In contrast, secondary sulfides in Descartes breccia clasts are enriched in chalcophile elements such as Cu, Zn, Ni, Se, and Sb, and represent a potential resource in the lunar highlands.

  12. Characterization and device performance of (AgCu)(InGa)Se2 absorber layers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hanket, Gregory; Boyle, Jonathan H.; Shafarman, William N.

    The study of (AgCu)(InGa)Se2 absorber layers is of interest in that Ag-chalcopyrites exhibit both wider bandgaps and lower melting points than their Cu counterparts. (AgCu)(InGa)Se2 absorber layers were deposited over the composition range 0 < Ag/(Ag+Cu) < 1 and 0.3 < Ga/(In+Ga) < 1.0 using a variety of elemental co-evaporation processes. Films were found to be singlephase over the entire composition range, in contrast to prior studies. Devices with Ga content 0.3 < Ga/(In+Ga) <0.5 tolerated Ag incorporation up to Ag/(Ag+Cu) = 0.5 without appreciable performance loss. Ag-containing films with Ga/(In+Ga) = 0.8 showed improved device characteristics over Cu-only controlmore » samples, in particular a 30-40% increase in short-circuit current. An absorber layer with composition Ag/(Ag+Cu) = 0.75 and Ga/(In+Ga) = 0.8 yielded a device with VOC = 890 mV, JSC = 20.5mA/cm2, fill factor = 71.3%, and η = 13.0%.« less

  13. New Gallium End-Member in Epidote Group

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Soboleva, A. A.; Varlamov, D.; Mayorova, T.

    2011-12-01

    Unique ultrahigh-Ga (Ga up to 14.5 wt. %) mineral of epidote group is discovered in Tykatlova gold-sulfure ore occurrence in the eastern slope of the Subpolar Urals, Russia. It is the first find of the Ga silicate mineral in the world. Only five Ga minerals are presented in the IMA official list. Generally, two unique deposites in Africa contain Ga minerals - Tsumeb in Namibia and Kipushi in DR Congo. Tykatlova occurrence is situated in early Ordovician rhyolites and rhyodacites metamorphosed in greenschist facies, sulfide mineralization is located in fault zones. Ga-phases were found out in sphalerite-pyrite-galena assemblage with chalcopyrite and minor Ag-bearing bornite, tetrahedrite-tennantite, various Ag and Cu sulfides and sulfosalts. Secondary ore minerals are anglesite, cerussite, lead and zinc hydroxides. Vein minerals are quartz, calcite, Zn-Mn carbonates, anhydrite (or gypsum). Ga-minerals are usually inclusions (common in sphalerite, sometimes in pyrite and galena), they are rarely located between grains of sulfides or quartz. Ga-phases are assigned to epidote group due to morphology of grains, their chemical composition (EPMA using EDS and WDS), stoichiometry and Raman data. Their grains are elongated, roundish or well-shaped, they are 30-60 up to 100 μm in length, with complex zonality. The general sequence of zones from the core to rims: a) "epidote-(Ga)" with 6-20 wt.% Ga2O3, REE are almost absent; b) high Ga allanite-(Ce) with 3-11 wt.% Ga2O3, 3-20 wt.% REE (calculated as oxide); c) allanite-(Ce) with 0.0-2.0 wt.% Ga2O3, 4-19 wt.% REE; d) epidote-allanite rims without Ga, 0-6 wt.% REE. Empirical formula of phases mostly enriched in Ga: (Ca1.88Mg0.15Mn0.03)2.06(Al1.77Ga0.97Fe3+0.26)3.00(Si2.91Al0.09)3O12(OH) (Ca1.85Mg0.11Mn0.02)1.98(Al1.89Ga1.03Fe3+0.19)3.11(Si2.93Al0.07)3O12(OH). Crystal chemistry of Ga-epidote isn't clear yet, but we assume that Ga substitutes Fe3+ rather than Al. Correlation factor in Fe3+-Ga pair (core zones of grains) reaches -0.92. Decrease of Ga toward to grain rims "allows" occurrence of REE in the epidote structure, as Ga ceases to occupy a large octahedron where bivalent ions (Fe2+, Mg, Mn2+) can enter for compensation of trivalent REE cations. Raman spectra of the Ga-phases shows a high convergence with epidote spectra. Detectable Ga concentrations (0.048-0.058 wt.%, WDS) have been established only in sphalerite that includes grains of epidote-allanite enriched in Ga. So, the most probable source of Ga is Ga-enriched sphalerite. Growth of Ga phases might take place during greenschist facies metamorphism. However, we can't exclude vice versa variant - increase of Ga concentration in sphalerite in result of decomposition of primary high-Ga silicates. Conclusions: (1) A unique high-Ga mineral of the epidote group was discovered in the Subpolar Urals. (2) It is the first find of high-Ga silicate mineral in the world. Presumably it is new member of epidote group that could be named "epidote-(Ga)" (as it is recommended by the IMA Commission). Financial support by RFBR, grant 11-05-01087-a.

  14. Controlled electrodeposition of Cu-Ga from a deep eutectic solvent for low cost fabrication of CuGaSe2 thin film solar cells.

    PubMed

    Steichen, Marc; Thomassey, Matthieu; Siebentritt, Susanne; Dale, Phillip J

    2011-03-14

    The electrochemical deposition of Ga and Cu-Ga alloys from the deep eutectic solvent choline chloride/urea (Reline) is investigated to prepare CuGaSe(2) (CGS) semiconductors for their use in thin film solar cells. Ga electrodeposition is difficult from aqueous solution due to its low standard potential and the interfering hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Ionic liquid electrolytes offer a better thermal stability and larger potential window and thus eliminate the interference of solvent breakdown reactions during Ga deposition. We demonstrate that metallic Ga can be electrodeposited from Reline without HER interference with high plating efficiency on Mo and Cu electrodes. A new low cost synthetic route for the preparation of CuGaSe(2) absorber thin films is presented and involves the one-step electrodeposition of Cu-Ga precursors from Reline followed by thermal annealing. Rotating disk electrode (RDE) cyclic voltammetry (CV) is used in combination with viscosity measurements to determine the diffusion coefficients of gallium and copper ions in Reline. The composition of the codeposited Cu-Ga precursor layers can be controlled to form Cu/Ga thin films with precise stoichiometry, which is important for achieving good optoelectronic properties of the final CuGaSe(2) absorbers. The morphology, the chemical composition and the crystal structure of the deposited thin films are analysed by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Annealing of the Cu-Ga films in a selenium atmosphere allowed the formation of high quality CuGaSe(2) absorber layers. Completed CGS solar cells achieved a 4.1% total area power conversion efficiency.

  15. Geochemistry and petrology of the indium-bearing polymetallic skarn ores at Pitkäranta, Ladoga Karelia, Russia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Valkama, M.; Sundblad, K.; Cook, N. J.; Ivashchenko, V. I.

    2016-08-01

    The historic mining district of Pitkäranta in the Ladoga region, Fennoscandian Shield, was exploited for Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb, Sn and Ag in the nineteenth to twentieth centuries. The Pitkäranta region is dominated by Palaeoproterozoic supracrustal rocks, which, together with gneissic Archaean dome structures, constitute an allochthonous terrane complex that amalgamated to the Archaean continent during the Svecokarelian orogeny at 1.9-1.8 Ga. This crustal complex was intruded by 1.8 Ga Late orogenic granites, 1.54 Ga anorogenic rapakivi granites and 1.45 Ga dolerites. The polymetallic skarn ores of Pitkäranta extend over a 25-km-long zone in Palaeoproterozoic supracrustal rocks and formed from hydrothermal solutions, which emanated from the anorogenic rapakivi granites and reacted with marble layers. Four major ore types are recognised after the dominating metal: Fe, Cu, Sn and Zn, respectively. These types are not restricted to individual mines or mine fields but represent end members in zonation patterns within each ore body. Pitkäranta was the second discovery site in the world for indium but has been without modern documentation for more than 75 years. The indium contents in the ores are up to 600 ppm, in most cases sphalerite-hosted. The only roquesite-bearing sample in this study had an indium grade of 291 ppm and an In/Zn ratio of 51 (close to the criteria for the limiting conditions for creating an In-rich mineral). The Pitkäranta ores have a potential for future small-scale exploitation, but all such plans are hampered by high contents if Bi, Cd and As.

  16. Method of fabricating high-efficiency Cu(In,Ga)(SeS).sub.2 thin films for solar cells

    DOEpatents

    Noufi, Rommel; Gabor, Andrew M.; Tuttle, John R.; Tennant, Andrew L.; Contreras, Miguel A.; Albin, David S.; Carapella, Jeffrey J.

    1995-01-01

    A process for producing a slightly Cu-poor thin film of Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S).sub.2 comprises depositing a first layer of (In,Ga).sub.x (Se,S).sub.y followed by depositing just enough Cu+(Se,S) or Cu.sub.x (Se,S) to produce the desired slightly Cu-poor material. In a variation, most, but not all, (about 90 to 99%) of the (In,Ga).sub.x (Se,S).sub.y is deposited first, followed by deposition of all the Cu+(Se,S) or Cu.sub.x (Se,S) to go near stoichiometric, possibly or even preferably slightly Cu-rich, and then in turn followed by deposition of the remainder (about 1 to 10%) of the (In,Ga).sub.x (Se,S).sub.y to end with a slightly Cu-poor composition. In yet another variation, a small portion (about 1 to 10%) of the (In,Ga).sub.x (Se,S).sub.y is first deposited as a seed layer, followed by deposition of all of the Cu+(Se,S) or Cu.sub.x (Se,S) to make a very Cu-rich mixture, and then followed deposition of the remainder of the (In,Ga).sub.x (Se,S).sub.y to go slightly Cu-poor in the final Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S).sub.2 thin film.

  17. Method of fabricating high-efficiency Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S){sub 2} thin films for solar cells

    DOEpatents

    Noufi, R.; Gabor, A.M.; Tuttle, J.R.; Tennant, A.L.; Contreras, M.A.; Albin, D.S.; Carapella, J.J.

    1995-08-15

    A process for producing a slightly Cu-poor thin film of Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S){sub 2} comprises depositing a first layer of (In,Ga){sub x} (Se,S){sub y} followed by depositing just enough Cu+(Se,S) or Cu{sub x} (Se,S) to produce the desired slightly Cu-poor material. In a variation, most, but not all, (about 90 to 99%) of the (In,Ga){sub x} (Se,S){sub y} is deposited first, followed by deposition of all the Cu+(Se,S) or Cu{sub x} (Se,S) to go near stoichiometric, possibly or even preferably slightly Cu-rich, and then in turn followed by deposition of the remainder (about 1 to 10%) of the (In,Ga){sub x} (Se,S){sub y} to end with a slightly Cu-poor composition. In yet another variation, a small portion (about 1 to 10%) of the (In,Ga){sub x} (Se,S){sub y} is first deposited as a seed layer, followed by deposition of all of the Cu+(Se,S) or Cu{sub x} (Se,S) to make a very Cu-rich mixture, and then followed deposition of the remainder of the (In,Ga){sub x} (Se,S){sub y} to go slightly Cu-poor in the final Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S){sub 2} thin film. 5 figs.

  18. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mancini, Alessandro; Felice, Valeria; Natali Sora, Isabella

    Chemical reactivity between cathodes and electrolytes is a crucial issue for long term SOFCs stability and performances. In this study, chemical reactivity between selected cathodic materials and the ionic conducting melilite La{sub 1.50}Sr{sub 0.50}Ga{sub 3}O{sub 7.25} has been extensively investigated by X-ray powder diffraction in a wide temperature range (up to 1573 K). Perovskite-type La{sub 0.8}Sr{sub 0.2}MnO{sub 3−d} and La{sub 0.8}Sr{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 0.8}Cu{sub 0.2}O{sub 3−d} and K{sub 2}NiF{sub 4}-type La{sub 2}NiO{sub 4+d} were selected as cathode materials. The results of this study allow identifying the most suitable electrode material to be used in combination with the melilite-type gallate electrolyte andmore » set the basis for future work on this novel system. - Graphical abstract: Chemical reactivity between cathodes and electrolytes is a crucial issue for long term SOFCs stability and performances. In this study, chemical reactivity between selected cathodic materials and the ionic conducting melilite La{sub 1.50}Sr{sub 0.50}Ga{sub 3}O{sub 7.25} has been extensively investigated by means of X-ray powder diffraction. - Highlights: • Chemical compatibility between melilite-type gallate and cathodes for SOFCs up to 1573 K. • No reactivity observed between La{sub 0.8}Sr{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 0.8}Cu{sub 0.2}O{sub 3−d} and La{sub 1.50}Sr{sub 0.50}Ga{sub 3}O{sub 7.25}. • Reactivity observed between La{sub 0.80}Sr{sub 0.20}MnO{sub 3−d} and La{sub 1.50}Sr{sub 0.50}Ga{sub 3}O{sub 7.25}. • Significant reactivity observed between La{sub 2}NiO{sub 4+d} and La{sub 1.50}Sr{sub 0.50}Ga{sub 3}O{sub 7.25}.« less

  19. Surface and bulk effects of K in Cu 1-xK xIn 1-yGa ySe 2 solar cells

    DOE PAGES

    Muzzillo, Christopher P.; Anderson, Timothy J.

    2017-12-29

    Two strategies for enhancing photovoltaic (PV) performance in chalcopyrite solar cells were investigated: Cu 1-xK xIn 1-yGa ySe 2 absorbers with low K content (K/(K+Cu), or x ~ 0.07) distributed throughout the bulk, and CuIn 1-yGa ySe 2 absorbers with KIn 1-yGa ySe 2 grown on their surfaces. Distributing K throughout the bulk absorbers improved power conversion efficiency, open-circuit voltage (VOC) and fill factor (FF) for Ga/(Ga+In) of 0, 0.3 and 0.5. Surface KIn 1-yGa ySe 2 and bulk x ~ 0.07 Cu 1-xK xIn 1-yGa ySe 2 films with Ga/(Ga+In), or y of 0.3 and 0.5 also had improvedmore » efficiency, VOC, and FF, relative to CuIn 1-yGa ySe 2 baselines. On the other hand, y ~ 1 absorbers did not benefit from K introduction. Similar to Cu 1-xK xInSe 2, the formation of Cu 1-xK xGaSe 2 alloys was favored at low temperatures and high Na supply by the substrate, relative to the formation of mixed-phase CuGaSe 2 + KGaSe 2. KIn 1-yGa ySe 2 alloys were grown for the first time, as evidenced by X-ray diffraction and ultraviolet/visible spectroscopy. For all Ga/(Ga+In) compositions, the surface KIn 1-yGa ySe 2 absorbers had superior PV performance in buffered and buffer-free devices. However, the bulk x ~ 0.07 absorbers only outperformed the baselines in buffered devices. The data demonstrate that KIn 1-yGa ySe 2 passivates the surface of CuIn 1-yGa ySe 2 to increase efficiency, VOC, and FF, while bulk Cu 1-xK xIn 1-yGa ySe 2 absorbers with x ~ 0.07 enhance efficiency, VOC, and FF by some other mechanism.« less

  20. Surface and bulk effects of K in Cu 1-xK xIn 1-yGa ySe 2 solar cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Muzzillo, Christopher P.; Anderson, Timothy J.

    Two strategies for enhancing photovoltaic (PV) performance in chalcopyrite solar cells were investigated: Cu 1-xK xIn 1-yGa ySe 2 absorbers with low K content (K/(K+Cu), or x ~ 0.07) distributed throughout the bulk, and CuIn 1-yGa ySe 2 absorbers with KIn 1-yGa ySe 2 grown on their surfaces. Distributing K throughout the bulk absorbers improved power conversion efficiency, open-circuit voltage (VOC) and fill factor (FF) for Ga/(Ga+In) of 0, 0.3 and 0.5. Surface KIn 1-yGa ySe 2 and bulk x ~ 0.07 Cu 1-xK xIn 1-yGa ySe 2 films with Ga/(Ga+In), or y of 0.3 and 0.5 also had improvedmore » efficiency, VOC, and FF, relative to CuIn 1-yGa ySe 2 baselines. On the other hand, y ~ 1 absorbers did not benefit from K introduction. Similar to Cu 1-xK xInSe 2, the formation of Cu 1-xK xGaSe 2 alloys was favored at low temperatures and high Na supply by the substrate, relative to the formation of mixed-phase CuGaSe 2 + KGaSe 2. KIn 1-yGa ySe 2 alloys were grown for the first time, as evidenced by X-ray diffraction and ultraviolet/visible spectroscopy. For all Ga/(Ga+In) compositions, the surface KIn 1-yGa ySe 2 absorbers had superior PV performance in buffered and buffer-free devices. However, the bulk x ~ 0.07 absorbers only outperformed the baselines in buffered devices. The data demonstrate that KIn 1-yGa ySe 2 passivates the surface of CuIn 1-yGa ySe 2 to increase efficiency, VOC, and FF, while bulk Cu 1-xK xIn 1-yGa ySe 2 absorbers with x ~ 0.07 enhance efficiency, VOC, and FF by some other mechanism.« less

  1. Understanding the crystallization mechanism of delafossite CuGaO2 for controlled hydrothermal synthesis of nanoparticles and nanoplates.

    PubMed

    Yu, Mingzhe; Draskovic, Thomas I; Wu, Yiying

    2014-06-02

    The delafossite CuGaO2 is an important p-type transparent conducting oxide for both fundamental science and industrial applications. An emerging application is for p-type dye-sensitized solar cells. Obtaining delafossite CuGaO2 nanoparticles is challenging but desirable for efficient dye loading. In this work, the phase formation and crystal growth mechanism of delafossite CuGaO2 under low-temperature (<250 °C) hydrothermal conditions are systematically studied. The stabilization of Cu(I) cations in aqueous solution and the controlling of the hydrolysis of Ga(III) species are two crucial factors that determine the phase formation. The oriented attachment (OA) growth is proposed as the crystal growth mechanism to explain the formation of large CuGaO2 nanoplates. Importantly, by suppressing this OA process, delafossite CuGaO2 nanoparticles that are 20 nm in size were successfully synthesized for the first time. Moreover, considering the structural and chemical similarities between the Cu-based delafossite series compounds, the understanding of the hydrothermal chemistry and crystallization mechanism of CuGaO2 should also benefit syntheses of other similar delafossites such as CuAlO2 and CuScO2.

  2. Growth and characterization of sol-gel derived CuGaO2 semiconductor thin films for UV photodetector application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tsay, Chien-Yie; Chen, Ching-Lien

    2017-06-01

    In this study, a p-type wide-bandgap oxide semiconductor CuGaO2 thin film was grown on quartz substrate by sol-gel method. The authors report the influence of annealing temperature on the phase transformation, structural features, and electrical properties of sol-gel derived Cu-Ga-O thin films. At relatively low annealing temperatures (≤900 °C), the films are a mixture of CuGa2O4, CuGaO2, and CuO phases. At relatively high annealing temperatures (≥925 °C), the majority phase in the films is delafossite CuGaO2. All as-prepared Cu-Ga-O thin films exhibited p-type conductivity, as confirmed by Hall measurements. The mean electrical resistivity of the Cu-Ga-O films decreased from 3.54×104 Ω-cm to 1.35×102 Ω-cm and then increased slightly to 3.51×102 Ω-cm when the annealing temperature was increased from 850 °C to 950 °C. We found that annealing the Cu-based oxide thin films at 925 °C produced nearly phase-pure CuGaO2 thin films with good densification. Such thin films exhibited the best electrical properties: a mean electrical resistivity of 1.35×102 Ω-cm, and a mean hole concentration of 1.60×1016 cm-3. In addition, we also fabricated and characterized MSM-type CuGaO2 UV photodetectors on quartz substrates.

  3. Volatile Element Behavior During Melting and Vaporisation on Earth and Protoplanets.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wood, B. J.; Norris, C. A.

    2017-12-01

    During accretion the Earth and many of the smaller bodies which were added to it, underwent periods of partial melting, vaporisation and re-condensation. This resulted in patterns of volatile element depletion relative to CI chondrite which are difficult to interpret. The behavior of moderately volatile elements (Pb, Cd, Zn,Cu, In,Tl etc) during these melting, vaporisation and condensation processes is usually approximated by the temperature of condensation from a gas of solar composition. Thus, Tl and In have low condensation temperatures and are regarded as the most volatile of this group. In order to test this volatility approximation we have studied the vaporisation behavior of 13 elements (Ag,Bi,Cd,Cr,Cu,Ga,Ge,In,Pb,Sb,Sn,Tl,Zn) from molten basalt at 1 atm pressure and oxygen fugacities between Ni-NiO and 2 log units below Fe-FeO. The relative volatilities of the elements turn out to be only weakly correlated with condensation temperature, indicating that the latter is a poor proxy for volatility on molten bodies. Cu, Zn and In for example all have similar volatility in the oxygen fugacity range of concern, despite the condensation temperature of Cu (1037K at 10-4bar) being 500K greater than that of In. The oxygen fugacity dependence of volatility indicates that the volatile species are, for all elements more reduced than the melt species. We addressed the differences between condensation temperature and relative volatility in 2 steps. Firstly we used metal-silicate partitioning experiments to estimate the activity coefficients of the trace element oxides in silicate melts. We then used available thermodynamic data to compute the vapor pressures of the stable species of these 13 elements over the silicate melt at oxygen fugacities ranging from Ni-NiO to about 6 log units below Fe-FeO, which approximates the solar gas. Thus we find that presence of Cl and S in the solar gas and the stable Cl and S species of In,Tl Ga Ge Cd and Sn are important contributing factors to volatility in the solar nebula. Our measured volatilities from silicate melt under reducing (S and Cl-absent) conditions are consistent with abundances in the silicate Earth, indicating that these moderately volatile elements were added to Earth in bodies which had undergone episodes of melting and vaporisation.

  4. Volatilization, transport and sublimation of metallic and non-metallic elements in high temperature gases at Merapi Volcano, Indonesia

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Symonds, R.B.; Rose, William I.; Reed, M.H.; Lichte, F.E.; Finnegan, David L.

    1987-01-01

    Condensates, silica tube sublimates and incrustations were sampled from 500-800??C fumaroles and lava samples were collected at Merapi Volcano, Indonesia in Jan.-Feb., 1984. With respect to the magma, Merapi gases are enriched by factors greater than 105 in Se, Re, Bi and Cd; 104-105 in Au, Br, In, Pb and W; 103-104 in Mo, Cl, Cs, S, Sn and Ag; 102-103 in As, Zn, F and Rb; and 1-102 in Cu, K, Na, Sb, Ni, Ga, V, Fe, Mn and Li. The fumaroles are transporting more than 106 grams/day ( g d) of S, Cl and F; 104-106 g/d of Al, Br, Zn, Fe, K and Mg; 103-104 g d of Pb, As, Mo, Mn, V, W and Sr; and less than 103 g d of Ni, Cu, Cr, Ga, Sb, Bi, Cd, Li, Co and U. With decreasing temperature (800-500??C) there were five sublimate zones found in silica tubes: 1) cristobalite and magnetite (first deposition of Si, Fe and Al); 2) K-Ca sulfate, acmite, halite, sylvite and pyrite (maximum deposition of Cl, Na, K, Si, S, Fe, Mo, Br, Al, Rb, Cs, Mn, W, P, Ca, Re, Ag, Au and Co); 3) aphthitalite (K-Na sulfate), sphalerite, galena and Cs-K. sulfate (maximum deposition of Zn, Bi, Cd, Se and In; higher deposition of Pb and Sn); 4) Pb-K chloride and Na-K-Fe sulfate (maximum deposition of Pb, Sn and Cu); and 5) Zn, Cu and K-Pb sulfates (maximum deposition of Pb, Sn, Ti, As and Sb). The incrustations surrounding the fumaroles are also chemically zoned. Bi, Cd, Pb, W, Mo, Zn, Cu, K, Na, V, Fe and Mn are concentrated most in or very close to the vent as expected with cooling, atmospheric contamination and dispersion. The highly volatile elements Br, Cl, As and Sb are transported primarily away from high temperature vents. Ba, Si, P, Al, Ca and Cr are derived from wall rock reactions. Incomplete degassing of shallow magma at 915??C is the origin of most of the elements in the Merapi volcanic gas, although it is partly contaminated by particles or wall rock reactions. The metals are transported predominantly as chloride species. As the gas cools in the fumarolic environment, it becomes saturated with sublimate phases that fractionate from the gas in the order of their equilibrium saturation temperatures. Devolatilization of a cooling batholith could transport enough acids and metals to a hydrothermal system to play a significant role in forming an ore deposit. However, sublimation from a high temperature, high velocity carrier gas is not efficient enough to form a large ore deposit. Re, Se, Cd and Bi could be used as supporting evidence for magmatic fluid transport in an ore deposit. ?? 1987.

  5. Transcriptomic and physiological characterization of the fefe mutant of melon (Cucumis melo) reveals new aspects of iron–copper crosstalk

    PubMed Central

    Waters, Brian M.; McInturf, Samuel A.; Amundsen, Keenan

    2014-01-01

    Summary Iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) homeostasis are tightly linked across biology. In previous work, Fe deficiency interacted with Cu regulated genes and stimulated Cu accumulation. The C940-fe (fefe) Fe uptake mutant of melon (Cucumis melo) was characterized, and the fefe mutant was used to test whether Cu deficiency could stimulate Fe uptake. Wild type and fefe mutant transcriptomes were determined by RNA-seq under Fe and Cu deficiency. FeFe regulated genes included core Fe uptake, metal homeostasis, and transcription factor genes. Numerous genes were regulated by both Fe and Cu. The fefe mutant was rescued by high Fe or by Cu deficiency, which stimulated ferric-chelate reductase activity, FRO2 expression, and Fe accumulation. Accumulation of Fe in Cu deficient plants was independent of the normal Fe uptake system. One of the four FRO genes in the melon and cucumber (Cucumis sativus) genomes was Fe regulated, and one was Cu regulated. Simultaneous Fe and Cu deficiency synergistically upregulated Fe uptake gene expression. Overlap in Fe and Cu deficiency transcriptomes highlights the importance of Fe– Cu crosstalk in metal homeostasis. The fefe gene is not orthologous to FIT, thus identification of this gene will provide clues to help understand regulation of Fe uptake in plants. PMID:24975482

  6. In vitro corrosion properties and cytocompatibility of Fe-Ga alloys as potential biodegradable metallic materials.

    PubMed

    Wang, Henan; Zheng, Yang; Liu, Jinghua; Jiang, Chengbao; Li, Yan

    2017-02-01

    The in vitro biodegradable properties and cytocompatibility of Fe-Ga alloys including Fe 81 Ga 19 , (Fe 81 Ga 19 ) 98 B 2 and (Fe 81 Ga 19 ) 99.5 (TaC) 0.5 , and pure Fe were investigated for biomedical applications. The microstructure of the alloys was characterized using X-ray diffraction spectroscopy and optical microscopy. The results showed that A2 and D0 3 phases were detected for the three types of Fe-Ga alloys, and additional Fe 2 B and TaC phases were found in the (Fe 81 Ga 19 ) 98 B 2 and (Fe 81 Ga 19 ) 99.5 (TaC) 0.5 alloys, respectively. The corrosion rates of the Fe-Ga alloys were higher than that of pure Fe, as demonstrated by both potentiodynamic polarization measurements and immersion tests in simulated body fluid. The alloying element Ga lowered the corrosion potential of the Fe matrix and made it more susceptible to corrosion. Severe pitting corrosion developed on the surface of the Fe 81 Ga 19 alloy after the addition of ternary B or TaC due to the multi-phase microstructures. The MC3T3-E1 cells exhibited good adhesion and proliferation behavior on the surfaces of the Fe-Ga alloys after culture for 4h and 24h. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Treatment of reverse osmosis (RO) concentrate by the combined Fe/Cu/air and Fenton process (1stFe/Cu/air-Fenton-2ndFe/Cu/air).

    PubMed

    Ren, Yi; Yuan, Yue; Lai, Bo; Zhou, Yuexi; Wang, Juling

    2016-01-25

    To decompose or transform the toxic and refractory reverse osmosis (RO) concentrate and improve the biodegradability, 1stFe/Cu/air-Fenton-2ndFe/Cu/air were developed to treat RO concentrate obtained from an amino acid production plant in northern China. First, their operating conditions were optimized thoroughly. Furthermore, 5 control experiments were setup to confirm the superiority of 1stFe/Cu/air-Fenton-2ndFe/Cu/air and synergistic reaction between Fe/Cu/air and Fenton. The results suggest that the developed method could obtain high COD removal (65.1%) and BOD5/COD ratio (0.26) due to the synergistic reaction between Fe/Cu/air and Fenton. Under the optimal conditions, the influent and effluent of 1stFe/Cu/air-Fenton-2ndFe/Cu/air and 5 control experiments were analyzed by using UV, FTIR, EEM and LC, which confirm the superiority of 1stFe/Cu/air-Fenton-2ndFe/Cu/air. Therefore, the developed method in this study is a promising process for treatment of RO concentrate. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Modeling and Characterization of the Magnetocaloric Effect in Ni2MnGa Materials

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Nicholson, Don M; Odbadrakh, Khorgolkhuu; Rios, Orlando

    2012-01-01

    Magnetic shape memory alloys have great promise as magneto-caloric effect refrigerant materials due to their combined magnetic and structural transitions. Computational and experimental research is reported on the Ni2MnGa material system. The magnetic states of this system have been explored using the Wang-Landau statistical approach in conjunction with the Locally Self-consistent Multiple-Scattering (LSMS) method to explore the magnetic states responsible for the magnet-caloric effect in this material. The effects of alloying agents on the transition temperatures of the Ni2MnGa alloy were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). Neutron scattering experiments were performed to observemore » the structural and magnetic phase transformations at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) on alloys of Ni-Mn-Ga and Ni-Mn-Ga-Cu-Fe. Data from the observations are discussed in comparison with the computational studies.« less

  9. Optimal copper supply is required for normal plant iron deficiency responses

    PubMed Central

    Waters, Brian M; Armbrust, Laura C

    2013-01-01

    Iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) homeostasis are tightly linked across biology. Understanding crosstalk between Fe and Cu nutrition could lead to strategies for improved growth on soils with low or excess metals, with implications for agriculture and phytoremediation. Here, we show that Cu and Fe nutrition interact to increase or decrease Fe and/or Cu accumulation in leaves and Fe uptake processes. Leaf Cu concentration increased under low Fe supply, while high Cu lowered leaf Fe concentration. Ferric reductase activity, an indicator of Fe demand, was inhibited at insufficient or high Cu supply. Surprisingly, plants grown without Fe were more susceptible to Cu toxicity. PMID:24084753

  10. Optimal copper supply is required for normal plant iron deficiency responses.

    PubMed

    Waters, Brian M; Armbrust, Laura C

    2013-01-01

    Iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) homeostasis are tightly linked across biology. Understanding crosstalk between Fe and Cu nutrition could lead to strategies for improved growth on soils with low or excess metals, with implications for agriculture and phytoremediation. Here, we show that Cu and Fe nutrition interact to increase or decrease Fe and/or Cu accumulation in leaves and Fe uptake processes. Leaf Cu concentration increased under low Fe supply, while high Cu lowered leaf Fe concentration. Ferric reductase activity, an indicator of Fe demand, was inhibited at insufficient or high Cu supply. Surprisingly, plants grown without Fe were more susceptible to Cu toxicity.

  11. Preparation and Optoelectronic Characteristics of ZnO/CuO-Cu2O Complex Inverse Heterostructure with GaP Buffer for Solar Cell Applications

    PubMed Central

    Hsu, Chih-Hung; Chen, Lung-Chien; Lin, Yi-Feng

    2013-01-01

    This study reports the optoelectronic characteristics of ZnO/GaP buffer/CuO-Cu2O complex (COC) inverse heterostructure for solar cell applications. The GaP and COC layers were used as buffer and absorber in the cell structure, respectively. An energy gap widening effect and CuO whiskers were observed as the copper (Cu) layer was exerted under heat treatment for oxidation at 500 °C for 10 min, and arose from the center of the Cu2O rods. For preparation of the 30 nm-thick GaP buffer by sputtering from GaP target, as the nitrogen gas flow rate increased from 0 to 2 sccm, the transmittance edge of the spectra demonstrated a blueshift form 2.24 to 3.25 eV. Therefore, the layer can be either GaP, GaNP, or GaN by changing the flow rate of nitrogen gas. PMID:28788341

  12. Electronic structure, defect formation energy, and photovoltaic properties of wurtzite-derived CuGaO2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Okumura, H.; Sato, K.; Kakeshita, T.

    2018-04-01

    Wurtzite-derived CuGaO2 (β-CuGaO2) is a recently synthesized oxide and expected as a candidate material for photovoltaic solar cells. In this paper, we propose computational material design concerning β-CuGaO2 based on the first-principles calculations. We perform hybrid calculations by using the VASP code. It is predicted that β-CuGaO2 has a direct bandgap (Eg = 1.56 eV), which is nearly optimal for high efficiency solar cells. The calculated formation energy of Cu vacancy (VCu) is very small and can be negative depending on the Fermi level. This result reasonably explains the observed p-type conduction in this material. As for the n-type doping, Cd doping could be suitable; however, VCu formation needs to be repressed in order to realize n-type β-CuGaO2. It is also shown that halogen impurities are not suitable for n-type β-CuGaO2 because of their large formation energy. Band alignment between β-CuGaO2 and ZnO is predicted to be type-II, leading to a suggestion of photovoltaic device based on the heterojunction.

  13. Generalized stacking fault energies, cleavage energies, ionicity and brittleness of Cu(Al/Ga/In)Se2 and CuGa(S/Se/Te)2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xue, H. T.; Tang, F. L.; Gruhn, T.; Lu, W. J.; Wan, F. C.; Rui, Z. Y.; Feng, Y. D.

    2014-04-01

    We calculate the generalized stacking fault (GSF) energies and cleavage energies γcl of the chalcopyrite compounds CuAlSe2, CuGaSe2, CuInSe2, CuGaS2 and CuGaTe2 using first principles. From the GSF energies, we obtain the unstable stacking fault energies γus and intrinsic stacking fault energies γisf. By analyzing γus and γisf, we find that the \\langle \\bar{{1}}\\,1\\,0\\rangle (1 1 2) direction is the easiest slip direction for these five compounds. Also, for CuInSe2, it is most possible to undergo a dislocation-nucleation-induced plastic deformation along the \\langle \\bar{{1}}\\,1\\,0\\rangle (1 1 2) slip direction. We show that the (1 1 2) plane is the preferable plane for fracture in the five compounds by comparing γcl of the (0 0 1) and (1 1 2) planes. It is also found that both γus and γcl decrease as the cationic or anionic radius increases in these chalcopyrites, i.e. along the sequences CuAlSe2 → CuGaSe2 → CuInSe2 and CuGaS2 → CuGaSe2 → CuGaTe2. Based on the values of the ratio γcl/γus, we discuss the brittle-ductile properties of these compounds. All of the compounds can be considered as brittle materials. In addition, a strong relationship between γcl/γus and the total proportion of ionic bonding in these compounds is found.

  14. High-Temperature Formation Phases and Crystal Structure of Hot-Pressed Thermoelectric CuGaTe2 with Chalcopyrite-Type Structure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fujii, Yosuke; Kosuga, Atsuko

    2017-11-01

    Polycrystalline CuGaTe2 with a chalcopyrite-type structure consolidated by hot-pressing is a potential candidate as a medium-temperature thermoelectric (TE) material. However, its high-temperature formation phases have rarely been reported to date. Here, we investigated the temperature-dependent formation phases and crystal structure at 300-800 K of hot-pressed CuGaTe2. From synchrotron x-ray diffraction data and crystal structure analysis of the heating and cooling processes, it was clarified that a certain amount of impurity phases, such as Te and CuTe, precipitated from the CuGaTe2 matrix when the temperature was increased (to 500-650 K). This is the temperature range where CuGaTe2 has been reported to show high TE performance. After CuGaTe2 was heated to 800 K, such impurity phases remained, even when cooled to room temperature. They also affected the tetragonal distortion and the x-coordinate of Te in the CuGaTe2 matrix, probably due to deficiencies of Cu and Te in the matrix. Our results reveal detailed information on the formation phases of CuGaTe2 at high temperature and thus provide insight for evaluation of its high-temperature stability and transport properties.

  15. High-Temperature Formation Phases and Crystal Structure of Hot-Pressed Thermoelectric CuGaTe2 with Chalcopyrite-Type Structure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fujii, Yosuke; Kosuga, Atsuko

    2018-06-01

    Polycrystalline CuGaTe2 with a chalcopyrite-type structure consolidated by hot-pressing is a potential candidate as a medium-temperature thermoelectric (TE) material. However, its high-temperature formation phases have rarely been reported to date. Here, we investigated the temperature-dependent formation phases and crystal structure at 300-800 K of hot-pressed CuGaTe2. From synchrotron x-ray diffraction data and crystal structure analysis of the heating and cooling processes, it was clarified that a certain amount of impurity phases, such as Te and CuTe, precipitated from the CuGaTe2 matrix when the temperature was increased (to 500-650 K). This is the temperature range where CuGaTe2 has been reported to show high TE performance. After CuGaTe2 was heated to 800 K, such impurity phases remained, even when cooled to room temperature. They also affected the tetragonal distortion and the x-coordinate of Te in the CuGaTe2 matrix, probably due to deficiencies of Cu and Te in the matrix. Our results reveal detailed information on the formation phases of CuGaTe2 at high temperature and thus provide insight for evaluation of its high-temperature stability and transport properties.

  16. Gibberellins regulate iron deficiency-response by influencing iron transport and translocation in rice seedlings (Oryza sativa)

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Baolan; Wei, Haifang; Xue, Zhen

    2017-01-01

    Background and aims Gibberellins (GAs) are a class of plant hormones with diverse functions. However, there has been little information on the role of GAs in response to plant nutrient deficiency. Methods To evaluate the roles of GAs in regulation of Fe homeostasis, the effects of GA on Fe accumulation and Fe translocation in rice seedlings were investigated using wild-type, a rice mutant (eui1) displaying enhnaced endogenous GA concentrations due to a defect in GA deactivation, and transgenic rice plants overexpressing OsEUI. Key Results Exposure to Fe-deficient medium significantly reduced biomass of rice plants. Both exogenous application of GA and an endogenous increase of bioactive GA enhanced Fe-deficiency response by exaggerating foliar chlorosis and reducing growth. Iron deficiency significantly suppressed production of GA1 and GA4, the biologically active GAs in rice. Exogenous application of GA significantly decreased leaf Fe concentration regardless of Fe supply. Iron concentration in shoot of eui1 mutants was lower than that of WT plants under both Fe-sufficient and Fe-deficient conditions. Paclobutrazol, an inhibitor of GA biosynthesis, alleviated Fe-deficiency responses, and overexpression of EUI significantly increased Fe concentration in shoots and roots. Furthermore, both exogenous application of GA and endogenous increase in GA resulting from EUI mutation inhibited Fe translocation within shoots by suppressing OsYSL2 expression, which is involved in Fe transport and translocation. Conclusions The novel findings provide compelling evidence to support the involvement of GA in mediation of Fe homeostasis in strategy II rice plants by negatively regulating Fe transport and translocation. PMID:28065924

  17. Regulation of brain copper homeostasis by the brain barrier systems: Effects of Fe-overload and Fe-deficiency

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Monnot, Andrew D.; Behl, Mamta; Ho, Sanna

    2011-11-15

    Maintaining brain Cu homeostasis is vital for normal brain function. The role of systemic Fe deficiency (FeD) or overload (FeO) due to metabolic diseases or environmental insults in Cu homeostasis in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and brain tissues remains unknown. This study was designed to investigate how blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood-SCF barrier (BCB) regulated Cu transport and how FeO or FeD altered brain Cu homeostasis. Rats received an Fe-enriched or Fe-depleted diet for 4 weeks. FeD and FeO treatment resulted in a significant increase (+ 55%) and decrease (- 56%) in CSF Cu levels (p < 0.05), respectively; however,more » neither treatment had any effect on CSF Fe levels. The FeD, but not FeO, led to significant increases in Cu levels in brain parenchyma and the choroid plexus. In situ brain perfusion studies demonstrated that the rate of Cu transport into the brain parenchyma was significantly faster in FeD rats (+ 92%) and significantly slower (- 53%) in FeO rats than in controls. In vitro two chamber Transwell transepithelial transport studies using primary choroidal epithelial cells revealed a predominant efflux of Cu from the CSF to blood compartment by the BCB. Further ventriculo-cisternal perfusion studies showed that Cu clearance by the choroid plexus in FeD animals was significantly greater than control (p < 0.05). Taken together, our results demonstrate that both the BBB and BCB contribute to maintain a stable Cu homeostasis in the brain and CSF. Cu appears to enter the brain primarily via the BBB and is subsequently removed from the CSF by the BCB. FeD has a more profound effect on brain Cu levels than FeO. FeD increases Cu transport at the brain barriers and prompts Cu overload in the CNS. The BCB plays a key role in removing the excess Cu from the CSF.« less

  18. Enhanced reactivity of microscale Fe/Cu bimetallic particles (mFe/Cu) with persulfate (PS) for p-nitrophenol (PNP) removal in aqueous solution.

    PubMed

    Ji, Qingqing; Li, Jun; Xiong, Zhaokun; Lai, Bo

    2017-04-01

    In this study, batch experiments were conducted to examine the enhanced reactivity of microscale Fe/Cu bimetallic particles (mFe/Cu) with persulfate (PS) for p-nitrophenol (PNP) removal in aqueous solution. The key operating parameters (i.e., theoretical Cu mass loadings (TML Cu ), mFe/Cu dosage, PS dose, initial pH and temperature) were optimized by the batch experiments, respectively. The experimental data were followed well the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. Result reveals that refractory PNP (500 mg L -1 ) was effectively degraded by mFe/Cu-PS system with removal of 98.4% and k obs of 1.91 min -1 after only 3 min treatment under the optimal operating conditions. Moreover, compared with control experiments (i.e., mFe/Cu, microscale Fe 0 with PS (mFe 0 -PS), and PS alone), mFe/Cu-PS system exerted better performance for PNP removal due to the strong synergistic effect between PS and mFe/Cu. According to the analysis results of degradation kinetics of PNP, COD (chemical oxygen demand) removal, UV-vis absorption spectra and the intermediates formed, the results reveal that the PNP removal by mFe/Cu-PS system was mainly attributed to reduction accompanied slight oxidation. And based on the analysis of surface characteristics of mFe/Cu particles, it is further demonstrated that PS could enhance the reactivity of mFe/Cu through rapid corrosion of iron surface and decrease of surface passivation of mFe/Cu surface when the low molar ratio of PS to mFe/Cu (i.e., 1:43) was used in this study. These results also illustrates mFe/Cu-PS can be as a high efficient pretreatment technology for the removal of toxic refractory PNP from wastewater. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Facile preparation of magnetic mesoporous Fe3O4/C/Cu composites as high performance Fenton-like catalysts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Keyan; Zhao, Yongqin; Janik, Michael J.; Song, Chunshan; Guo, Xinwen

    2017-02-01

    Fe-Cu composites with different compositions and morphologies were synthesized by a hydrothermal method combined with precursor thermal transformation. γ-Fe2O3/CuO and α-Fe2O3/CuO were obtained by calcining the Fe and Cu tartrates under air atmosphere at 350 °C and 500 °C, respectively, while Fe3O4/C/Cu was obtained by calcining the tartrate precursor under N2 atmosphere at 500 °C. The Fe3O4/C/Cu composite possessed mesoporous structure and large surface area up to 133 m2 g-1. The Fenton catalytic performance of Fe3O4/C/Cu composite was closely related to the Fe/Cu molar ratio, and only proper amounts of Fe and Cu exhibited a synergistic enhancement in Fenton catalytic activity. Cu inclusion reduced Fe3+ to Fe2+, which accelerated the Fe3+/Fe2+ cycles and favored H2O2 decomposition to produce more hydroxyl radicals for methylene blue (MB) oxidation. Due to the photo-reduction of Fe3+ and Cu2+, the Fenton catalytic performance was greatly improved when amending with visible light irradiation in the Fe3O4/C/Cu-H2O2 system, and MB (100 mg L-1) was nearly removed within 60 min. The Fe3O4/C/Cu composite showed good recyclability and could be conveniently separated by an applied magnetic field. Compared with conventional methods for mesoporous composite construction, the thermolysis method using mixed metal tartrates as precursors has the advantages of easy preparation and low cost. This strategy provides a facile, cheap and green method for the synthesis of mesoporous composites as excellent Fenton-like catalysts, without any additional reductants or organic surfactants.

  20. Mineralogical and geochemical characterization of weathering profiles developed on mylonites in the Fodjomekwet-Fotouni section of the Cameroon Shear Zone (CSZ), West Cameroon

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tematio, P.; Tchaptchet, W. T.; Nguetnkam, J. P.; Mbog, M. B.; Yongue Fouateu, R.

    2017-07-01

    The mineralogical and geochemical investigation of mylonitic weathering profiles in Fodjomekwet-Fotouni was done to better trace the occurrence of minerals and chemical elements in this area. Four representative soil profiles were identified in two geomorphological units (upland and lowland) differentiating three weathering products (organo-mineral, mineral and weathered materials). Weathering of these mylonites led to some minerals association such as vermiculite, kaolinite, goethite, smectite, halloysite, phlogopite and gibbsite. The minerals in a decreasing order of abundance are: quartz (24.2%-54.8%); kaolinite (8.4%-36.0%); phlogopite (5.5%-21.9%); goethite (7.8%-16.1%); vermiculite (6.7%-15.7%); smectite (10.2%-11.9%); gibbsite (9.0%-11.8%) and halloysite (5.6%-11.5%) respectively. Patterns of chemical elements allow highlighting three behaviors (enriched elements, depleted elements and elements with complex behavior), depending on the landscape position of the profiles. In the upland weathering products, K, Cr and REEs are enriched; Ca, Mg, Na, Mn, Rb, S and Sr are depleted while Si, Al, Fe, Ti, Ba, Co, Cu, Ga, Mo, Nb, Ni, Pb, Sc, V, Y, Zn and Zr portray a complex behavior. Contrarily, the lowland weathering profiles enriched elements are Fe, Ti, Co, Cr, Cu, V, Zr, Pr, Sm, Tb, Dy, Er and Yb; while depleted elements are Ca, Mg, K, Na, Mn, Ba, Ga, S, Sr, Y, Zn, La, Ce and Nd; and Si, Al, Mo, Nb, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sc evidenced complex behaviors. In all the studied weathering products, the REEs fractionation was also noticeable with a landscape-position dependency, showing light REEs (LREEs) enrichment in the upland areas and heavy REEs (HREEs) in lowland areas. SiO2, Al2O3 and Fe2O3 are positively correlated with most of the traces and REEs (Co, Cu, Nb, Ni, Mo, Pb, Sc, V, Zn, Zr, La, Ce, Sm, Tb, Dy, Er, Yb), pointing to the fact that they may be incorporated into newly formed clay minerals and oxides. Ba, Cr, Ga, Rb, S, Sr, Y, Pr and Nd behave like alkalis and alkaline earths, and are thus highly mobile during weathering.

  1. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Iyer, Abishek K.; Rudyk, Brent W.; Lin, Xinsong

    The quaternary rare-earth chalcogenides RE{sub 3}CuGaS{sub 7} and RE{sub 3}CuGaSe{sub 7} (RE=La–Nd) have been prepared by reactions of the elements at 1050 °C and 900 °C, respectively. They crystallize in the noncentrosymmetric La{sub 3}CuSiS{sub 7}-type structure (hexagonal, space group P6{sub 3}, Z=2) in which the a-parameter is largely controlled by the RE component (a=10.0–10.3 Å for the sulfides and 10.3–10.6 Å for the selenides) whereas the c-parameter is essentially fixed by the choice of Ga and chalcogen atoms within tetrahedral units (c=6.1 Å for the sulfides and 6.4 Å for the selenides). They extend the series RE{sub 3}MGaCh{sub 7}, previouslymore » known for divalent metal atoms (M=Mn–Ni), differing in that the Cu atoms in RE{sub 3}CuGaCh{sub 7} occupy trigonal planar sites instead of octahedral sites. Among quaternary chalcogenides RE{sub 3}MM′Ch{sub 7}, the combination of monovalent (M=Cu) and trivalent (M′=Ga) metals is unusual because it appears to violate the condition of charge balance satisfied by most La{sub 3}CuSiS{sub 7}-type compounds. The possibility of divalent Cu atoms was ruled out by bond valence sum analysis, magnetic measurements, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The electron deficiency in RE{sub 3}CuGaCh{sub 7} is accommodated through S-based holes at the top of the valence band, as shown by band structure calculations on La{sub 3}CuGaS{sub 7}. An optical band gap of about 2.0 eV was found for La{sub 3}CuGaSe{sub 7}. - Graphical abstract: The chalcogenides RE{sub 3}CuGaCh{sub 7} contain monovalent Cu in trigonal planes and trivalent Ga in tetrahedra; they are electron-deficient representatives of La{sub 3}CuSiS{sub 7}-type compounds, which normally satisfy charge balance. - Highlights: • Quaternary chalcogenides RE{sub 3}CuGaCh{sub 7} (RE=La–Nd; Ch=S, Se) were prepared. • Bond valence sums, magnetism, and XPS data give evidence for monovalent Cu. • Crystal structures reveal high anisotropy of Cu displacement. • Electron deficiency is accommodated by S-based holes in valence band.« less

  2. Refractive indices of layers and optical simulations of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells

    PubMed Central

    Avancini, Enrico; Losio, Paolo A.; Figi, Renato; Schreiner, Claudia; Bürki, Melanie; Bourgeois, Emilie; Remes, Zdenek; Nesladek, Milos; Tiwari, Ayodhya N.

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Cu(In,Ga)Se2 based solar cells have reached efficiencies close to 23%. Further knowledge-driven improvements require accurate determination of the material properties. Here, we present refractive indices for all layers in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells with high efficiency. The optical bandgap of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 does not depend on the Cu content in the explored composition range, while the absorption coefficient value is primarily determined by the Cu content. An expression for the absorption spectrum is proposed, with Ga and Cu compositions as parameters. This set of parameters allows accurate device simulations to understand remaining absorption and carrier collection losses and develop strategies to improve performances. PMID:29785230

  3. Study of Cu-Al-Ni-Ga as high-temperature shape memory alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Xin; Wang, Qian; Zhao, Xu; Wang, Fang; Liu, Qingsuo

    2018-03-01

    The effect of Ga element on the microstructure, mechanical properties and shape memory effect of Cu-13.0Al-4.0Ni- xGa (wt%) high-temperature shape memory alloy was investigated by optical microscopy, SEM, XRD and compression test. The microstructure observation results showed that the Cu-13.0Al-4.0Ni- xGa ( x = 0.5 and 1.0) alloys displayed dual-phase morphology which consisted of 18R martensite and (Al, Ga)Cu phase, and their grain size was about several hundred microns, smaller than that of Cu-13.0Al-4.0Ni alloy. The compression test results proved that the mechanical properties of Cu-13.0Al-4.0Ni- xGa alloys were improved by addition of Ga element owing to the grain refinement and solid solution strengthening, and the compressive fracture strains were 11.5% for x = 0.5 and 14.9% for x = 1.0, respectively. When the pre-strain was 8%, the shape memory effect of 4.2 and 4.6% were obtained for Cu-13.0Al-4.0Ni-0.5 Ga and Cu-13.0Al-4.0Ni-1.0 Ga alloys after being heated to 400 °C for 1 min.

  4. Superconducting transition temperature in the Y(1-x)M(x)Ba2Cu3O(y) system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suzuki, Takeyuki; Yamazaki, Tsutomu; Sekine, Ryuuta; Koukitsu, Akinori; Seki, Hisashi

    1989-04-01

    Experimental results are presented for the inclusion of compositional additives, M, to the sintered high-temperature superconductor Y(1-x)M(x)Ba2Cu3O(y); M can be the oxides of Mg, Ce, Gd, Yb, Ti, Zr, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn, B, Al, Ga, In, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, Sb, Bi, and Te, as well as Li, Na, K, Ca, Sr, and La carbonates. Temperature dependence of the electrical resistance was measured down to about 80 K. Attention is given to the influence of ionic radius and the valence of the M species.

  5. Nonergodicity in binary alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Son, Leonid; Sidorov, Valery; Popel, Pjotr; Shulgin, Dmitry

    2015-09-01

    For binary liquids with limited miscibility of the components, we provide the corrections to the equation of state which arise from the nonergogic diffusivity. It is shown that these corrections result in lowering of critical miscibility point. In some cases, it may result in a bifurcation of miscibility curve: the mixtures near 50% concentration which are homogeneous at the microscopic level, occur to be too stable to provide a quasi - eutectic triple point. These features provide a new look on the phase diagrams of some binary systems. In present work, we discuss Ga-Pb, Fe-Cu, and Cu-Zr alloys. Our investigation corresponds their complex behavior in liquid state to the shapes of their phase diagrams.

  6. Gibberellins regulate iron deficiency-response by influencing iron transport and translocation in rice seedlings (Oryza sativa).

    PubMed

    Wang, Baolan; Wei, Haifang; Xue, Zhen; Zhang, Wen-Hao

    2017-04-01

    Gibberellins (GAs) are a class of plant hormones with diverse functions. However, there has been little information on the role of GAs in response to plant nutrient deficiency. To evaluate the roles of GAs in regulation of Fe homeostasis, the effects of GA on Fe accumulation and Fe translocation in rice seedlings were investigated using wild-type, a rice mutant ( eui1 ) displaying enhnaced endogenous GA concentrations due to a defect in GA deactivation, and transgenic rice plants overexpressing OsEUI . Exposure to Fe-deficient medium significantly reduced biomass of rice plants. Both exogenous application of GA and an endogenous increase of bioactive GA enhanced Fe-deficiency response by exaggerating foliar chlorosis and reducing growth. Iron deficiency significantly suppressed production of GA 1 and GA 4 , the biologically active GAs in rice. Exogenous application of GA significantly decreased leaf Fe concentration regardless of Fe supply. Iron concentration in shoot of eui1 mutants was lower than that of WT plants under both Fe-sufficient and Fe-deficient conditions. Paclobutrazol, an inhibitor of GA biosynthesis, alleviated Fe-deficiency responses, and overexpression of EUI significantly increased Fe concentration in shoots and roots. Furthermore, both exogenous application of GA and endogenous increase in GA resulting from EUI mutation inhibited Fe translocation within shoots by suppressing OsYSL2 expression, which is involved in Fe transport and translocation. The novel findings provide compelling evidence to support the involvement of GA in mediation of Fe homeostasis in strategy II rice plants by negatively regulating Fe transport and translocation. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

  7. ZnO/Cu(InGa)Se.sub.2 solar cells prepared by vapor phase Zn doping

    DOEpatents

    Ramanathan, Kannan; Hasoon, Falah S.; Asher, Sarah E.; Dolan, James; Keane, James C.

    2007-02-20

    A process for making a thin film ZnO/Cu(InGa)Se.sub.2 solar cell without depositing a buffer layer and by Zn doping from a vapor phase, comprising: depositing Cu(InGa)Se.sub.2 layer on a metal back contact deposited on a glass substrate; heating the Cu(InGa)Se.sub.2 layer on the metal back contact on the glass substrate to a temperature range between about 100.degree. C. to about 250.degree. C.; subjecting the heated layer of Cu(InGa)Se.sub.2 to an evaporant species from a Zn compound; and sputter depositing ZnO on the Zn compound evaporant species treated layer of Cu(InGa)Se.sub.2.

  8. Noncentrosymmetric rare-earth copper gallium chalcogenides RE3CuGaCh7 (RE=La-Nd; Ch=S, Se): An unexpected combination

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Iyer, Abishek K.; Rudyk, Brent W.; Lin, Xinsong; Singh, Harpreet; Sharma, Arzoo Z.; Wiebe, Christopher R.; Mar, Arthur

    2015-09-01

    The quaternary rare-earth chalcogenides RE3CuGaS7 and RE3CuGaSe7 (RE=La-Nd) have been prepared by reactions of the elements at 1050 °C and 900 °C, respectively. They crystallize in the noncentrosymmetric La3CuSiS7-type structure (hexagonal, space group P63, Z=2) in which the a-parameter is largely controlled by the RE component (a=10.0-10.3 Å for the sulfides and 10.3-10.6 Å for the selenides) whereas the c-parameter is essentially fixed by the choice of Ga and chalcogen atoms within tetrahedral units (c=6.1 Å for the sulfides and 6.4 Å for the selenides). They extend the series RE3MGaCh7, previously known for divalent metal atoms (M=Mn-Ni), differing in that the Cu atoms in RE3CuGaCh7 occupy trigonal planar sites instead of octahedral sites. Among quaternary chalcogenides RE3MM‧Ch7, the combination of monovalent (M=Cu) and trivalent (M‧=Ga) metals is unusual because it appears to violate the condition of charge balance satisfied by most La3CuSiS7-type compounds. The possibility of divalent Cu atoms was ruled out by bond valence sum analysis, magnetic measurements, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The electron deficiency in RE3CuGaCh7 is accommodated through S-based holes at the top of the valence band, as shown by band structure calculations on La3CuGaS7. An optical band gap of about 2.0 eV was found for La3CuGaSe7.

  9. Exploitation of Smart Materials and Sensors as Disruptive Technologies

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-03-01

    commercially available SMA, with current work aimed at new NiTi–X (X = Fe, Nb, Cu) alloys to further extend their range of properties and potential...ultra-light and micro-air vehicles. However, in common with alloy systems challenges exist regarding the long-term properties of polymeric-based SM... properties of single crystals of Ni-Mn-Ga magnetic shape memory alloys ", in Proc. SPIE, 186–197 (2004). 41 Gharghouri, M. A., Elsawy, A., & Hyatt

  10. Facile synthesis of CuFe2O4-Fe2O3 composite for high-performance supercapacitor electrode applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khan, Rashid; Habib, Muhammad; Gondal, Mohammed A.; Khalil, Adnan; Rehman, Zia Ur; Muhammad, Zahir; Haleem, Yasir A.; Wang, Changda; Wu, Chuan Qiang; Song, Li

    2017-10-01

    We report the synthesis of CuFe2O4-Fe2O3 composite material for efficient and highly stable supercapacitor electrode by using eco-friendly low-temperature co-precipitation method. The CuFe2O4-Fe2O3 composite demonstrated the highest specific capacitance of 638.24 F g-1 and excellent stability up to 2000 charge/discharge cycles. The achieved capacitance value is 16 times higher than that of pure CuFe2O4. The results revealed the extraordinary performance of CuFe2O4-Fe2O3 composite as supercapacitor electrode with excellent retention in comparison to CuFe2O4. The enhanced electrochemical activity of CuFe2O4-Fe2O3 composite is attributed to the synergistic effect which is responsible for redox coupling between Cu2+ and Fe3+ that has never been achieved by single component before.

  11. Neoarchean paleoweathering of tonalite and metabasalt: Implications for reconstructions of 2.69Ga early terrestrial ecosystems and paleoatmospheric chemistry

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Driese, S.G.; Jirsa, M.A.; Ren, M.; Brantley, S.L.; Sheldon, N.D.; Parker, Dana C.; Schmitz, M.

    2011-01-01

    Field and laboratory investigations of a 2690.83Ma (207Pb/206Pb age of Saganaga Tonalite) unconformity exposed in outcrop in northeastern Minnesota, USA, reveal evidence for development of a deep paleoweathering profile with geochemical biosignatures consistent with the presence of microbial communities and weakly oxygenated conditions. Weathering profiles are characterized by a 5-50m thick regolith that consists of saprolitized Saganaga Tonalite and Paulson Lake succession basaltic metavolcanic rocks retaining rock structure, which is cross-cut by a major unconformity surface marking development of a successor basin infilled with alluvial deposits. The regolith and unconformity are overlain by thick conglomerate deposits that contain both intrabasinal (saprock) as well as extrabasinal detritus. Thin-section microscopy and electron microprobe analyses reveal extensive hydrolysis and sericitization of feldspars, exfoliation and chloritization of biotite, and weathering of Fe-Mg silicates and Cu-Fe sulfides; weathering of Fe-Ti oxides was relatively less intense than for other minerals and evidence was found for precipitation of Fe oxides. Geochemical analyses of the tonalite, assuming immobile TiO2 during weathering (??Ti,j), show depletion of SiO2, Al2O3, Na2O, CaO, MgO, and MnO, and to a lesser degree of K2O, relative to least-weathered parent materials. Significant Fe was lost from the tonalite. A paleoatmospheric pCO2 of 10-50 times PAL is estimated based on geochemical mass-balance of the tonalite profile and assuming a formation time of 50-500Kyr. Interpretations of metabasalt paleoweathering are complicated by additions of sediment to the profile and extensive diagenetic carbonate (dolomite) overprinting. Patterns of release of P and Fe and retention of Y and Cu in tonalite are consistent with recent laboratory experiments of granite weathering, and with the presence of acidic conditions in the presence of organic ligands (produced, for example, by a primitive microbial community) during weathering. Cu metal in the profile may document lower pO2 than present day at the surface. Comparison with previous studies of weathered tonalite and basalt (Denison, 2.45-2.22Ga) in Ontario, Canada, reveal general similarities in paleoweathering with our study, as well as important differences related to lower paleoatmospheric pO2 and terrestrial biosignature for the older Minnesota profile. A falling water table in the Alpine Lake locality is presumed to have promoted formation of this gossan-like deep-weathering system that extends to 50-m depth. ?? 2011 Elsevier B.V.

  12. The important role of polyvinylpyrrolidone and Cu on enhancing dechlorination of 2,4-dichlorophenol by Cu/Fe nanoparticles: Performance and mechanism study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fang, Liping; Xu, Cuihong; Zhang, Wenbin; Huang, Li-Zhi

    2018-03-01

    The important role of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and Cu on the reductive dechlorination of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) by Cu/Fe bimetal nanoparticles has been investigated. The synthesized PVP coated Cu/Fe bimetal nanoparticles with different Cu/Fe ratios were systematically characterized by FTIR, XRD, TEM and magnetic hysteresis loops. The Cu/Fe ratio and the PVP loading were optimized for dechlorination performance, and the optimum ratio of PVP to Cu/Fe was found to be 0.35 and the content of Cu in Cu/Fe nanoparticles was 41%. The presence of PVP as a dispersant/stabilizer results in a highly-dispersed Cu/Fe NPs and increase the reactivity of Cu/Fe NPs for 2,4-DCP removal. The dechlorination rate was enhanced at lower pH and higher temperature conditions. The presence of humic acid, PO43-, NO3-, SO42- leads to a slightly decreased removal efficiency of 2,4-DCP. The magnetic property of PVP-Cu/Fe nanoparticles allows rapid magnetic separation of the catalysts after reaction. A galvanic corrosion model was proposed where iron corrodes and transfers electrons to Cu-rich catalytic regions of the nanoparticles, and finally accelerating the reduction efficiency of 2,4-DCP.

  13. Fine structure of Fe-Co-Ga and Fe-Cr-Ga alloys with low Ga content

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kleinerman, Nadezhda M., E-mail: kleinerman@imp.uran.ru; Serikov, Vadim V., E-mail: kleinerman@imp.uran.ru; Vershinin, Aleksandr V., E-mail: kleinerman@imp.uran.ru

    2014-10-27

    Investigation of Ga influence on the structure of Fe-Cr and Fe-Co alloys was performed with the use of {sup 57}Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction methods. In the alloys of the Fe-Cr system, doping with Ga handicaps the decomposition of solid solutions, observed in the binary alloys, and increases its stability. In the alloys with Co, Ga also favors the uniformity of solid solutions. The analysis of Mössbauer experiments gives some grounds to conclude that if, owing to liquation, clusterization, or initial stages of phase separation, there exist regions enriched in iron, some amount of Ga atoms prefer to entermore » the nearest surroundings of iron atoms, thus forming binary Fe-Ga regions (or phases)« less

  14. Comparative study on the reactivity of Fe/Cu bimetallic particles and zero valent iron (ZVI) under different conditions of N2, air or without aeration.

    PubMed

    Xiong, Zhaokun; Lai, Bo; Yang, Ping; Zhou, Yuexi; Wang, Juling; Fang, Shuping

    2015-10-30

    In order to further compare the degradation capacity of Fe(0) and Fe/Cu bimetallic system under different aeration conditions, the mineralization of PNP under different aeration conditions has been investigated thoroughly. The results show that the removal of PNP by Fe(0) or Fe/Cu system followed the pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics. Under the optimal conditions, the COD removal efficiencies obtained through Fe(0) or Fe/Cu system under different aeration conditions followed the trend that Fe/Cu (air)>Fe/Cu (N2: 0-30 min, air: 30-120 min)>control-Fe (air)>Fe/Cu (without aeration)>Fe/Cu (N2)>control-Fe (N2). It revealed that dissolved oxygen (DO) could improve the mineralization of PNP, and Cu could enhance the reactivity of Fe(0). In addition, the degradation of PNP was further analyzed by using UV-vis, FTIR and GC/MS, and the results suggest that Fe/Cu bimetallic system with air aeration could completely break the benzene ring and NO2 structure of PNP and could generate the nontoxic and biodegradable intermediate products. Meanwhile, most of these intermediate products were further mineralized into CO2 and H2O, which brought about a high COD removal efficiency (83.8%). Therefore, Fe/Cu bimetallic system with air aeration would be a promising process for toxic refractory industry wastewater. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Magnetostrictive GMR spin valves with composite FeGa/FeCo free layers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Liu, Luping; Institute of Materials Science, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200072; Zhan, Qingfeng, E-mail: zhanqf@nimte.ac.cn, E-mail: runweili@nimte.ac.cn

    2016-03-15

    We have fabricated strain-sensitive spin valves on flexible substrates by utilizing the large magnetostrictive FeGa alloy to promote the strain sensitivity and the composite free layer of FeGa/FeCo to avoid the drastic reduction of giant magnetoresistance (GMR) ratio. This kind of spin valve (SV-FeGa/FeCo) displays a MR ratio about 5.9%, which is comparable to that of the conventional spin valve (SV-FeCo) with a single FeCo free layer. Different from the previously reported works on magnetostrictive spin valves, the SV-FeGa/FeCo displays an asymmetric strain dependent GMR behavior. Upon increasing the lateral strain, the MR ratio for the ascending branch decreases moremore » quickly than that for the descending branch, which is ascribed to the formation of a spiraling spin structure around the FeGa/FeCo interface under the combined influences of both magnetic field and mechanical strain. A strain sensitivity of GF = 7.2 was achieved at a magnetic bias field of -30 Oe in flexible SV-FeGa/FeCo, which is significantly larger than that of SV-FeCo.« less

  16. Synthesis of p-type GaN nanowires.

    PubMed

    Kim, Sung Wook; Park, Youn Ho; Kim, Ilsoo; Park, Tae-Eon; Kwon, Byoung Wook; Choi, Won Kook; Choi, Heon-Jin

    2013-09-21

    GaN has been utilized in optoelectronics for two decades. However, p-type doping still remains crucial for realization of high performance GaN optoelectronics. Though Mg has been used as a p-dopant, its efficiency is low due to the formation of Mg-H complexes and/or structural defects in the course of doping. As a potential alternative p-type dopant, Cu has been recognized as an acceptor impurity for GaN. Herein, we report the fabrication of Cu-doped GaN nanowires (Cu:GaN NWs) and their p-type characteristics. The NWs were grown vertically via a vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism using a Au/Ni catalyst. Electrical characterization using a nanowire-field effect transistor (NW-FET) showed that the NWs exhibited n-type characteristics. However, with further annealing, the NWs showed p-type characteristics. A homo-junction structure (consisting of annealed Cu:GaN NW/n-type GaN thin film) exhibited p-n junction characteristics. A hybrid organic light emitting diode (OLED) employing the annealed Cu:GaN NWs as a hole injection layer (HIL) also demonstrated current injected luminescence. These results suggest that Cu can be used as a p-type dopant for GaN NWs.

  17. Copper(II) sorption onto goethite, hematite and lepidocrocite: a surface complexation model based on ab initio molecular geometries and EXAFS spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peacock, Caroline L.; Sherman, David M.

    2004-06-01

    We measured the adsorption of Cu(II) onto goethite (α-FeOOH), hematite (α-Fe 2O 3) and lepidocrocite (γ-FeOOH) from pH 2-7. EXAFS spectra show that Cu(II) adsorbs as (CuO 4H n) n-6 and binuclear (Cu 2O 6H n) n-8 complexes. These form inner-sphere complexes with the iron (hydr)oxide surfaces by corner-sharing with two or three edge-sharing Fe(O,OH) 6 polyhedra. Our interpretation of the EXAFS data is supported by ab initio (density functional theory) geometries of analogue Fe 2(OH) 2(H 2O) 8Cu(OH) 4and Fe 3(OH) 4(H 2O) 10Cu 2(OH) 6 clusters. We find no evidence for surface complexes resulting from either monodentate corner-sharing or bidentate edge-sharing between (CuO 4H n) n-6 and Fe(O,OH) 6 polyhedra. Sorption isotherms and EXAFS spectra show that surface precipitates have not formed even though we are supersaturated with respect to CuO and Cu(OH) 2. Having identified the bidentate (FeOH) 2Cu(OH) 20 and tridentate (Fe 3O(OH) 2)Cu 2(OH) 30 surface complexes, we are able to fit the experimental copper(II) adsorption data to the reactions 3( FeOH)+2 Cu2++3 H2O=( Fe3O( OH) 2) Cu2( OH) 30+4 H+ and 2( FeOH)+ Cu2++2 H2O=( FeOH) 2Cu( OH) 20+2 H+. The two stability constants are similar for the three iron (hydr)oxide phases investigated.

  18. Concretionary manganese-iron oxides in streams and their usefulness as a sample medium for geochemical prospecting

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Nowlan, G.A.

    1976-01-01

    Correlation studies of 400 samples of sieved stream sediments and 325 samples of fluvial, concretionary Mn-Fe oxides from Maine resulted in the separation of elements into the following categories: (1) elements not scavenged by Mn-Fe oxides - B, Cr, K, Mg, Rb, Sc, Ti, V, and Zr; (2) elements probably not scavenged by Mn-Fe oxides - Ag, Be, Ca, Ga, La, Sb, and Y; (3) elements scavenged weakly by Mn-Fe oxides - Cu, Mo, Pb, and Sr; (4) elements scavenged strongly by Mn oxides - Ba, Cd, Co, Ni, Tl, and Zn; and (5) elements scavenged strongly by Fe oxides - As and In. Studies of the scavenged elements showed that the deviation from the mean is characteristically greater in oxide samples as compared to sieved sediments from the same locality. However, a significant increase in contrast between anomalous and background localities, when oxides are the sample medium, more than offsets the disadvantage of data scatter. The use of oxides as a sampling medium clearly and significantly accentuates anomalous localities. In general, non-ratioed data on oxides give very nearly the same results as data consisting of scavenged elements ratioed to Mn and Fe. However, ratioed data expand the geographic area of specific anomalies. Cd and Zn consistently show strong correlations with concretionary Mn-Fe oxides, but their concentrations in the oxides do not generally show as much contrast between anomalous and background localities as do Cu, Mo, and Pb. These latter elements are strongly scavenged where rocks are mineralized. ?? 1976.

  19. The interaction between dietary Fe, Cu and stress in Cu-67 retention and serum ceruloplasmin (Cp) activity in rats

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pellett, L.; Kattelmann, K.; Zinn, K.

    1991-03-15

    The objectives of the study were to determine the effects of dietary Fe and stress on Cu-67 retention and serum Cp activity in the rat. A 2 {times} 2 {times} 2 factorial arrangement of treatments was utilized. Male Sprague Dawley weanling rats were fed AIN-76 diets ad lib containing 0.8 ppm Cu (CuD) or 5.7 ppm Cu (CuA) with 22.5 ppm Fe (FeA) or 280 ppm Fe (FeE). After 19 days, one-half of the animals of each treatment were stressed by an intramuscular injection of 0.1 ml turpentine/100 gm body weight. Forty-eight hours later, animals were gavaged with Cu-67 andmore » counted over a 7 day period in a whole body high resolution gamma counter. Cu-67 retention was 20% higher in CuD rats compared to CuA rats. There were no significant effects caused by Fe or stress or the interaction between these variables on Cu-67 retention. In rats fed FeE-CuA diets, serum Cp activity was significantly depressed compared to rats fed FeA-CuA diets. These reductions in the acute phase protein Cp, were 85% and 70% in nonstressed and stressed rats, respectively. The results of this study suggest that the negative interaction effects of excess Fe on Cu utilization does not occur at the site of Cu absorption, but within the body and specifically in the liver.« less

  20. Detailed Visualization of Phase Evolution during Rapid Formation of Cu(InGa)Se2 Photovoltaic Absorber from Mo/CuGa/In/Se Precursors.

    PubMed

    Koo, Jaseok; Kim, Sammi; Cheon, Taehoon; Kim, Soo-Hyun; Kim, Woo Kyoung

    2018-03-02

    Amongst several processes which have been developed for the production of reliable chalcopyrite Cu(InGa)Se 2 photovoltaic absorbers, the 2-step metallization-selenization process is widely accepted as being suitable for industrial-scale application. Here we visualize the detailed thermal behavior and reaction pathways of constituent elements during commercially attractive rapid thermal processing of glass/Mo/CuGa/In/Se precursors on the basis of the results of systematic characterization of samples obtained from a series of quenching experiments with set-temperatures between 25 and 550 °C. It was confirmed that the Se layer crystallized and then melted between 250 and 350 °C, completely disappearing at 500 °C. The formation of CuInSe 2 and Cu(InGa)Se 2 was initiated at around 450 °C and 550 °C, respectively. It is suggested that pre-heat treatment to control crystallization of Se layer should be designed at 250-350 °C and Cu(InGa)Se 2 formation from CuGa/In/Se precursors can be completed within a timeframe of 6 min.

  1. Photoluminescence and photocatalytic properties of rhombohedral CuGaO2 nanoplates

    PubMed Central

    Shi, Linlin; Wang, Fei; Wang, Yunpeng; Wang, Dengkui; Zhao, Bin; Zhang, Ligong; Zhao, Dongxu; Shen, Dezhen

    2016-01-01

    Rhombohedral phase CuGaO2 nanoplates with a diameter of about 10 μm were synthesized via low temperature hydrothermal method. Room temperature and low temperature photoluminescence of the obtained CuGaO2 nanoplates were characterized. CuGaO2 nanoplates exhibited blue emission at room temperature and free exciton emission were appeared at low temperature. The blue emission is originated from defects such as Cu vacancies, which is the possible origin of p-type conductivity. The appearance of free exciton emission can demonstrate the direct bandgap transition behavior of CuGaO2 nanoplates. The as-prepared p-type CuGaO2 nanoplates were further decorated by n-type ZnO nanoparticles via calcination method to fabricate p-n junction nanocomposites. The nanocomposites exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity which can be ascribed to the effective separation of photogenerated carriers by the internal electrostatic field in the p-n junction region, and the enhanced light absorption properties resulted from sub-bandgap absorption effect of p-n junction. This work has offered a new insight into the design of p-n junction devices using p-type CuGaO2 nanoplates. PMID:26887923

  2. Delayed Triplet-State Formation through Hybrid Charge Transfer Exciton at Copper Phthalocyanine/GaAs Heterojunction.

    PubMed

    Lim, Heeseon; Kwon, Hyuksang; Kim, Sang Kyu; Kim, Jeong Won

    2017-10-05

    Light absorption in organic molecules on an inorganic substrate and subsequent electron transfer to the substrate create so-called hybrid charge transfer exciton (HCTE). The relaxation process of the HCTE states largely determines charge separation efficiency or optoelectronic device performance. Here, the study on energy and time-dispersive behavior of photoelectrons at the hybrid interface of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc)/p-GaAs(001) upon light excitation of GaAs reveals a clear pathway for HCTE relaxation and delayed triplet-state formation. According to the ground-state energy level alignment at the interface, CuPc/p-GaAs(001) shows initially fast hole injection from GaAs to CuPc. Thus, the electrons in GaAs and holes in CuPc form an unusual HCTE state manifold. Subsequent electron transfer from GaAs to CuPc generates the formation of the triplet state in CuPc with a few picoseconds delay. Such two-step charge transfer causes delayed triplet-state formation without singlet excitation and subsequent intersystem crossing within the CuPc molecules.

  3. Fe and Cu isotope mass balances in the human body

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Balter, V.; Albarede, F.; Jaouen, K.

    2011-12-01

    The ranges of the Fe and Cu isotope compositions in the human body are large, i.e. ~3% and ~2%, respectively. Both isotopic fractionations appear to be mainly controlled by redox conditions. The Fe and Cu isotope compositions of the tissues analyzed so far plot on a mixing hyperbolae between a reduced and an oxidized metals pools. The reduced metals pool is composed by erythrocytes, where Fe is bounded to hemoglobin as Fe(II) and Cu to superoxide-dismutase as Cu(I). The oxidized metals pool is composed by hepatocytes, where Fe and Cu are stored as Fe(III) ferritin and as Cu(II) ceruloplasmine, respectively. The position of each biological component in the δ56Fe-δ65Cu diagram therefore reflects the oxidation state of Fe and Cu of the predominant metal carrier protein and allows to quantify Fe and Cu fluxes between organs using mass balance calculations. For instance, serum and clot Fe and Cu isotope compositions show that current biological models of erythropoiesis violates mass conservation requirements, and suggest hidden Fe and Cu pathways during red blood cells synthesis. The results also show that a coupled Fe-Cu strong gender isotopic effect is observed in various organs. The isotopic difference between men and women is unlikely to be due to differential dietary uptake or endometrium loss, but rather reflects the effect of menstrual losses and a correlative solicitation of hepatic stores. We speculate that thorough studies of the metabolism of stable isotopes in normal conditions is a prerequisite for the understanding of the pathological dysregulations.

  4. Effects of Pd substitution on the thermoelectric and electronic properties of delafossite Cu{sub 1−x}Pd{sub x}FeO{sub 2} (x=0.01, 0.03 and 0.05)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ruttanapun, Chesta, E-mail: chesta.ruttanapun@gmail.com

    Cu{sub (1−x)}Pd{sub (x)}FeO{sub 2} (x=0.01, 0.03 and 005) delafossite was prepared by solid state reactions and was calcined/sintered at 1050 °C. The effect of Pd{sup 2+} substitution for the Cu{sup 1+} sites on the thermoelectric and electronic properties of Cu{sub (1−x)}Pd{sub (x)}FeO{sub 2} were investigated. The crystal structure, oxygen decomposition, thermoelectric and electronic properties were characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity measurements. The characterization showed that Cu{sub (1−x)}Pd{sub (x)}FeO{sub 2} formed a hexagonal delafossite structure with R3−m symmetry. The existence of Pd{sup 2+}, Cu{sup 1+}, Cu{sup 2+}, Fe{sup 3+},more » Fe{sup 4+} and O was revealed from the XPS results. Confirmation of Pd{sup 2+} substitution for the Cu{sup 1+} sites occurred by increasing the c-axis in the lattice parameter with a Pd content. The O content intercalated at the center of the triangular Cu acted as a support to produce Cu{sup 2+} ions and was reduced with an increasing Pd content. The mixed valencies of Cu{sup 1+}/Cu{sup 2+} and Cu{sup 1+}/Pd{sup 2+} in the Cu layer changed the electrical conductivity and the Fe{sup 3+}/Fe{sup 4+} mixed valencies in the FeO{sub 6} layer caused the Seebeck coefficient to increase. Both the electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient for Pd contents of x=0.01 and 0.03 were higher than that of non-doped CuFeO{sub 2}. The low thermal conductivity of Cu{sub (1−x)}Pd{sub (x)}FeO{sub 2} resulted from the substitution of Pd, which has a large atomic mass, into structure. The Jonker plot indicated that the electronic properties displayed a degenerate density of states and that Cu{sub (1−x)}Pd{sub (x)}FeO{sub 2} was a semiconductor. A high ZT value of 0.055 was obtained for a Pd content of 0.03 at 950 K. The Pd{sup 2+} substitution for the Cu{sup 1+} sites influenced the thermoelectric and electronic properties of the delafossite Cu{sub (1−x)}Pd{sub (x)}FeO{sub 2} samples. - Graphical abstract: Cu{sub (1−x)}Pd{sub (x)}FeO{sub 2} (x=0.01, 0.03 and 005) delafossite was prepared by solid state reactions. The characterization showed that Cu{sub (1−x)}Pd{sub (x)}FeO{sub 2} formed a hexagonal delafossite structure with R3−m symmetry. The existence of Pd{sup 2+}, Cu{sup 1+}, Cu{sup 2+}, Fe{sup 3+}, Fe{sup 4+} and O was revealed from the XPS results. The O content intercalated at the center of the triangular Cu acted as a support to produce Cu{sup 2+} ions and was reduced with an increasing Pd content. The mixed valencies of Cu{sup 1+}/Cu{sup 2+} and Cu{sup 1+}/Pd{sup 2+} in the Cu layer changed the electrical conductivity and the Fe{sup 3+}/Fe{sup 4+} mixed valencies in the FeO{sub 6} layer caused the Seebeck coefficient to increase. Both the electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient for Pd contents of x=0.01 and 0.03 were higher than that of non-doped CuFeO{sub 2}. The low thermal conductivity of Cu{sub (1−x)}Pd{sub (x)}FeO{sub 2} resulted from the substitution of Pd, which has a large atomic mass, into structure. A high ZT value of 0.055 was obtained for a Pd content of 0.03 at 950 K. The Pd{sup 2+} substitution for the Cu{sup 1+} sites influenced the thermoelectric and electronic properties of the delafossite Cu{sub (1−x)}Pd{sub (x)}FeO{sub 2} samples. - Highlights: • New compound of Cu{sub 1−x}Pd{sub x}FeO{sub 2} (x=0.01, 0.03 and 0.05) forms phase of delafossite. • The compound displays p-type thermoelectric materials. • The Pd-substituted for Cu{sup 1+} sites forms Pd{sup 2+}. • Mixed valencies of Cu{sup +}/Cu{sup 2+}, Cu{sup +}/Pd{sup 2+} and Fe{sup 3+}/Fe{sup 4+} appear in the compound. • Large atomic mass of Pd-substituted causes low thermal conductivity.« less

  5. A one-dimensional Fickian model to predict the Ga depth profiles in three-stage Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2}

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rodriguez-Alvarez, H., E-mail: humberto.rodriguez@helmholtz-berlin.de; Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, Hahn-Meitner Platz 1, 14109 Berlin; Mainz, R.

    2014-05-28

    We present a one-dimensional Fickian model that predicts the formation of a double Ga gradient during the fabrication of Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} thin films by three-stage thermal co-evaporation. The model is based on chemical reaction equations, structural data, and effective Ga diffusivities. In the model, the Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} surface is depleted from Ga during the deposition of Cu-Se in the second deposition stage, leading to an accumulation of Ga near the back contact. During the third deposition stage, where In-Ga-Se is deposited at the surface, the atomic fluxes within the growing layer are inverted. This results in the formation of amore » double Ga gradient within the Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} layer and reproduces experimentally observed Ga distributions. The final shape of the Ga depth profile strongly depends on the temperatures, times and deposition rates used. The model is used to evaluate possible paths to flatten the marked Ga depth profile that is obtained when depositing at low substrate temperatures. We conclude that inserting Ga during the second deposition stage is an effective way to achieve this.« less

  6. The effect of Se/Te ratio on transient absorption behavior and nonlinear absorption properties of CuIn0.7Ga0.3(Se1-xTex)2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) amorphous semiconductor thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karatay, Ahmet; Küçüköz, Betül; Çankaya, Güven; Ates, Aytunc; Elmali, Ayhan

    2017-11-01

    The characterization of the CuInSe2 (CIS), CuInGaSe (CIGS) and CuGaSe2 (CGS) based semiconductor thin films are very important role for solar cell and various nonlinear optical applications. In this paper, the amorphous CuIn0.7Ga0.3(Se1-xTex)2 semiconductor thin films (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) were prepared with 60 nm thicknesses by using vacuum evaporation technique. The nonlinear absorption properties and ultrafast transient characteristics were investigated by using open aperture Z-scan and ultrafast pump-probe techniques. The energy bandgap values were calculated by using linear absorption spectra. The bandgap values are found to be varying from 0.67 eV to 1.25 eV for CuIn0.7Ga0.3Te2, CuIn0.7Ga0.3Se1.6Te0.4, CuIn0.7Ga0.3Se0.4Te1.6 and CuIn0.7Ga0.3Se2 thin films. The energy bandgap values decrease with increasing telluride (Te) doping ratio in mixed CuIn0.7Ga0.3(Se1-xTex)2 films. This affects nonlinear characteristics and ultrafast dynamics of amorphous thin films. Ultrafast pump-probe experiments indicated that decreasing of bandgap values with increasing the Te amount switches from the excited state absorption signals to ultrafast bleaching signals. Open aperture Z-scan experiments show that nonlinear absorption properties enhance with decreasing bandgaps values for 65 ps pulse duration at 1064 nm. Highest nonlinear absorption coefficient was found for CuIn0.7Ga0.3Te2 thin film due to having the smallest energy bandgap.

  7. Evolution of magnetism in LnCuGa3 (Ln = La-Nd, Sm-Gd) studied via μSR and specific heat

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Graf, M. J.; Hettinger, J. D.; Nemeth, K.; Dally, R.; Baines, C.; Subbarao, U.; Peter, S. C.

    2017-12-01

    Muon spin rotation/relaxation (μSR) and specific heat measurements are presented for polycrystalline LnCuGa3, with Ln = La-Nd, and Sm-Gd. All materials undergo magnetic ordering transitions, apart from non-magnetic LaCuGa3, and PrCuGa3, which shows the onset of short range correlations below 3 K but no long-range magnetic order down to T = 25 mK. While magnetic order in the Ce and Nd compounds is incommensurate with the lattice, the order is commensurate for the Sm and Eu compounds. The strong damping in GdCuGa3 prevents us from determining the nature of magnetism in that system. SmCuGa3 exhibits two precessional frequencies, which appear at different temperatures, suggesting inhomogeneous magnetic ordering or a second magnetic/structural phase transition.

  8. Research progress in photolectric materials of CuFeS2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jing, Mingxing; Li, Jing; Liu, Kegao

    2018-03-01

    CuFeS2 as a photoelectric material, there are many advantages, such as high optical absorption coefficient, direct gap semiconductor, thermal stability, no photo-recession effect and so on. Because of its low price, abundant reserves and non-toxic, CuFeS2 has attracted extensive attention of scientists.Preparation method of thin film solar cells are included that Electrodeposition, sputtering, thermal evaporation, thermal spraying method, co-reduction method.In this paper, the development of CuFeS2 thin films prepared by co-reduction method and co-reduction method is introduced.In this paper, the structure and development of solar cells, advantages of CuFeS2 as solar cell material, the structure and photoelectric properties and magnetic properties of CuFeS2, preparation process analysis of CuFeS2 thin film, research and development of CuFeS2 in solar cells is included herein. Finally, the development trend of CuFeS2 optoelectronic materials is analyzed and further research directions are proposed.

  9. Tunable photoluminescent metal-organic-frameworks and method of making the same

    DOEpatents

    Nenoff, Tina M.; Sava Gallis, Dorina Florentina; Rohwer, Lauren E.S.

    2017-08-22

    The present disclosure is directed to new photoluminescent metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The newly developed MOFs include either non rare earth element (REE) transition metal atoms or limited concentrations of REE atoms, including: Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, Y, Ru, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, Ir, Pb, Bi, that are located in the MOF framework in site isolated locations, and have emission colors ranging from white to red, depending on the metal concentration levels and/or choice of ligand.

  10. Micro-PIXE analysis of silicate reference standards

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Czamanske, G.K.; Sisson, T.W.; Campbell, J.L.; Teesdale, W.J.

    1993-01-01

    The accuracy and precision of the University of Guelph proton microprobe have been evaluated through trace-element analysis of well-characterized silicate glasses and minerals, including BHVO-1 glass, Kakanui augite and hornblende, and ten other natural samples of volcanic glass, amphibole, pyroxene, and garnet. Using the 2.39 wt% Mo in a NIST steel as the standard, excellent precision and agreement between reported and analyzed abundances were obtained for Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, and Nb. -from Authors

  11. Photovoltaic Properties of Selenized CuGa/In Films with Varied Compositions

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Muzzillo, Christopher P.; Mansfield, Lorelle M.; Ramanathan, Kannan

    2016-11-21

    Thin CuGa/In films with varied compositions were deposited by co-evaporation and then selenized in situ with evaporated selenium. The selenized Cu(In, Ga)Se2 absorbers were used to fabricate 390 solar cells. Cu/(Ga+In) and Ga/(Ga+In) (Cu/III and Ga/III) were independently varied, and photovoltaic performance was optimal at Cu/III of 77-92% for all Ga/III compositions studied (Ga/III ~ 30, 50, and 70%). The best absorbers at each Ga/III composition were characterized with time-resolved photoluminescence, scanning electron microscopy, and secondary ion mass spectrometry, and devices were studied with temperature-dependent current density-voltage, light and electrical biased quantum efficiency, and capacitance-voltage. The best cells with Ga/IIImore » ~ 30, 50, and 70% had efficiencies of 14.5, 14.4, and 12.2% and maximum power temperature coefficients of -0.496, -0.452, and -0.413%/degrees C, respectively. This resulted in the Ga/III ~ 50% champion having the highest efficiency at temperatures greater than 40 degrees C, making it the optimal composition for practical purposes. This optimum is understood as a result of the absorber's band gap grading- where minimum band gap dominates short-circuit current density, maximum space charge region band gap dominates open-circuit voltage, and average absorber band gap dominates maximum power temperature coefficient.« less

  12. Synthesis and characterization of flower-like CuIn{sub 1-x}Ga{sub x}S{sub 2} (x = 0.3) microspheres

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zhong, Jiasong; Xiang, Weidong, E-mail: xiangweidong001@126.com; College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035

    Graphical abstract: In this paper, flower-like CuIn{sub 1-x}Ga{sub x}S{sub 2} (x = 0.3) microspheres were prepared via biomolecule-assisted solvothermal rate with CuCl{sub 2}{center_dot}2H{sub 2}O, GaCl{sub 3}, InCl{sub 3} and L-cystine as raw materials. UV-vis absorption spectrum showed that the band gap of CuIn{sub 0.7}Ga{sub 0.3}S{sub 2} microspheres was about 2.427 eV. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We reported a small biomolecule-assisted route to synthesis CuIn{sub 0.3}Ga{sub 0.7}S{sub 2}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The possible mechanisms of flower-like CuIn{sub 0.3}Ga{sub 0.7}S{sub 2} microspheres were proposed. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The as-prepared CuIn{sub 0.3}Ga{sub 0.7}S{sub 2} products were investigated by XRD, XPS, FESEM and TEM. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The optical properties were investigatedmore » by UV-vis spectroscopy and Raman spectrum. -- Abstract: We report the formation and characterization of the flower-like CuIn{sub 1-x}Ga{sub x}S{sub 2} (x = 0.3) microspheres using CuCl{sub 2}{center_dot}2H{sub 2}O, GaCl{sub 3}, InCl{sub 3} and L-cystine in the mixed solvent of ethylene glycol and distilled water (1:2, v/v) at 200 Degree-Sign C for 24 h. XRD results indicated that the CuIn{sub 0.7}Ga{sub 0.3}S{sub 2} nanostructures have a (1 1 2) preferred orientation. The EDS and XPS analyses of the sample revealed that Cu, In, Ga and S were present in an atomic ratio of approximately 1:0.7:0.3:2. FESEM and TEM images showed that the product was microspheres, consisting of nanoplates with the thickness of about 20 nm. The optical properties were investigated by ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. UV-vis absorption spectrum indicated that the band gap of as-synthesized flower-like CuIn{sub 0.7}Ga{sub 0.3}S{sub 2} microspheres was about 2.427 eV. Raman spectrum of the obtained CuIn{sub 0.7}Ga{sub 0.3}S{sub 2} exhibited a high-intensity peak at 302 cm{sup -1} could be assigned as A1-mode.« less

  13. Enhancement of CO2 Adsorption and Catalytic Properties by Fe-Doping of [Ga2(OH)2(L)] (H4L = Biphenyl-3,3',5,5'-tetracarboxylic Acid), MFM-300(Ga2).

    PubMed

    Krap, Cristina P; Newby, Ruth; Dhakshinamoorthy, Amarajothi; García, Hermenegildo; Cebula, Izabela; Easun, Timothy L; Savage, Mathew; Eyley, Jennifer E; Gao, Shan; Blake, Alexander J; Lewis, William; Beton, Peter H; Warren, Mark R; Allan, David R; Frogley, Mark D; Tang, Chiu C; Cinque, Gianfelice; Yang, Sihai; Schröder, Martin

    2016-02-01

    Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are usually synthesized using a single type of metal ion, and MOFs containing mixtures of different metal ions are of great interest and represent a methodology to enhance and tune materials properties. We report the synthesis of [Ga2(OH)2(L)] (H4L = biphenyl-3,3',5,5'-tetracarboxylic acid), designated as MFM-300(Ga2), (MFM = Manchester Framework Material replacing NOTT designation), by solvothermal reaction of Ga(NO3)3 and H4L in a mixture of DMF, THF, and water containing HCl for 3 days. MFM-300(Ga2) crystallizes in the tetragonal space group I4122, a = b = 15.0174(7) Å and c = 11.9111(11) Å and is isostructural with the Al(III) analogue MFM-300(Al2) with pores decorated with -OH groups bridging Ga(III) centers. The isostructural Fe-doped material [Ga(1.87)Fe(0.13)(OH)2(L)], MFM-300(Ga(1.87)Fe(0.13)), can be prepared under similar conditions to MFM-300(Ga2) via reaction of a homogeneous mixture of Fe(NO3)3 and Ga(NO3)3 with biphenyl-3,3',5,5'-tetracarboxylic acid. An Fe(III)-based material [Fe3O(1.5)(OH)(HL)(L)(0.5)(H2O)(3.5)], MFM-310(Fe), was synthesized with Fe(NO3)3 and the same ligand via hydrothermal methods. [MFM-310(Fe)] crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pmn21 with a = 10.560(4) Å, b = 19.451(8) Å, and c = 11.773(5) Å and incorporates μ3-oxo-centered trinuclear iron cluster nodes connected by ligands to give a 3D nonporous framework that has a different structure to the MFM-300 series. Thus, Fe-doping can be used to monitor the effects of the heteroatom center within a parent Ga(III) framework without the requirement of synthesizing the isostructural Fe(III) analogue [Fe2(OH)2(L)], MFM-300(Fe2), which we have thus far been unable to prepare. Fe-doping of MFM-300(Ga2) affords positive effects on gas adsorption capacities, particularly for CO2 adsorption, whereby MFM-300(Ga(1.87)Fe(0.13)) shows a 49% enhancement of CO2 adsorption capacity in comparison to the homometallic parent material. We thus report herein the highest CO2 uptake (2.86 mmol g(-1) at 273 K at 1 bar) for a Ga-based MOF. The single-crystal X-ray structures of MFM-300(Ga2)-solv, MFM-300(Ga2), MFM-300(Ga2)·2.35CO2, MFM-300(Ga(1.87)Fe(0.13))-solv, MFM-300(Ga(1.87)Fe(0.13)), and MFM-300(Ga(1.87)Fe(0.13))·2.0CO2 have been determined. Most notably, in situ single-crystal diffraction studies of gas-loaded materials have revealed that Fe-doping has a significant impact on the molecular details for CO2 binding in the pore, with the bridging M-OH hydroxyl groups being preferred binding sites for CO2 within these framework materials. In situ synchrotron IR spectroscopic measurements on CO2 binding with respect to the -OH groups in the pore are consistent with the above structural analyses. In addition, we found that, compared to MFM-300(Ga2), Fe-doped MFM-300(Ga(1.87)Fe(0.13)) shows improved catalytic properties for the ring-opening reaction of styrene oxide, but similar activity for the room-temperature acetylation of benzaldehyde by methanol. The role of Fe-doping in these systems is discussed as a mechanism for enhancing porosity and the structural integrity of the parent material.

  14. Enhancement of CO2 Adsorption and Catalytic Properties by Fe-Doping of [Ga2(OH)2(L)] (H4L = Biphenyl-3,3′,5,5′-tetracarboxylic Acid), MFM-300(Ga2)

    PubMed Central

    2016-01-01

    Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are usually synthesized using a single type of metal ion, and MOFs containing mixtures of different metal ions are of great interest and represent a methodology to enhance and tune materials properties. We report the synthesis of [Ga2(OH)2(L)] (H4L = biphenyl-3,3′,5,5′-tetracarboxylic acid), designated as MFM-300(Ga2), (MFM = Manchester Framework Material replacing NOTT designation), by solvothermal reaction of Ga(NO3)3 and H4L in a mixture of DMF, THF, and water containing HCl for 3 days. MFM-300(Ga2) crystallizes in the tetragonal space group I4122, a = b = 15.0174(7) Å and c = 11.9111(11) Å and is isostructural with the Al(III) analogue MFM-300(Al2) with pores decorated with −OH groups bridging Ga(III) centers. The isostructural Fe-doped material [Ga1.87Fe0.13(OH)2(L)], MFM-300(Ga1.87Fe0.13), can be prepared under similar conditions to MFM-300(Ga2) via reaction of a homogeneous mixture of Fe(NO3)3 and Ga(NO3)3 with biphenyl-3,3′,5,5′-tetracarboxylic acid. An Fe(III)-based material [Fe3O1.5(OH)(HL)(L)0.5(H2O)3.5], MFM-310(Fe), was synthesized with Fe(NO3)3 and the same ligand via hydrothermal methods. [MFM-310(Fe)] crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pmn21 with a = 10.560(4) Å, b = 19.451(8) Å, and c = 11.773(5) Å and incorporates μ3-oxo-centered trinuclear iron cluster nodes connected by ligands to give a 3D nonporous framework that has a different structure to the MFM-300 series. Thus, Fe-doping can be used to monitor the effects of the heteroatom center within a parent Ga(III) framework without the requirement of synthesizing the isostructural Fe(III) analogue [Fe2(OH)2(L)], MFM-300(Fe2), which we have thus far been unable to prepare. Fe-doping of MFM-300(Ga2) affords positive effects on gas adsorption capacities, particularly for CO2 adsorption, whereby MFM-300(Ga1.87Fe0.13) shows a 49% enhancement of CO2 adsorption capacity in comparison to the homometallic parent material. We thus report herein the highest CO2 uptake (2.86 mmol g–1 at 273 K at 1 bar) for a Ga-based MOF. The single-crystal X-ray structures of MFM-300(Ga2)-solv, MFM-300(Ga2), MFM-300(Ga2)·2.35CO2, MFM-300(Ga1.87Fe0.13)-solv, MFM-300(Ga1.87Fe0.13), and MFM-300(Ga1.87Fe0.13)·2.0CO2 have been determined. Most notably, in situ single-crystal diffraction studies of gas-loaded materials have revealed that Fe-doping has a significant impact on the molecular details for CO2 binding in the pore, with the bridging M–OH hydroxyl groups being preferred binding sites for CO2 within these framework materials. In situ synchrotron IR spectroscopic measurements on CO2 binding with respect to the −OH groups in the pore are consistent with the above structural analyses. In addition, we found that, compared to MFM-300(Ga2), Fe-doped MFM-300(Ga1.87Fe0.13) shows improved catalytic properties for the ring-opening reaction of styrene oxide, but similar activity for the room-temperature acetylation of benzaldehyde by methanol. The role of Fe-doping in these systems is discussed as a mechanism for enhancing porosity and the structural integrity of the parent material. PMID:26757137

  15. Multi-phase back contacts for CIS solar cells

    DOEpatents

    Rockett, A.A.; Yang, L.C.

    1995-12-19

    Multi-phase, single layer, non-interdiffusing M-Mo back contact metallized films, where M is selected from Cu, Ga, or mixtures thereof, for CIS cells are deposited by a sputtering process on suitable substrates, preferably glass or alumina, to prevent delamination of the CIS from the back contact layer. Typical CIS compositions include CuXSe{sub 2} where X is In or/and Ga. The multi-phase mixture is deposited on the substrate in a manner to provide a columnar microstructure, with micro-vein Cu or/and Ga regions which partially or fully vertically penetrate the entire back contact layer. The CIS semiconductor layer is then deposited by hybrid sputtering and evaporation process. The Cu/Ga-Mo deposition is controlled to produce the single layer two-phase columnar morphology with controllable Cu or Ga vein size less than about 0.01 microns in width. During the subsequent deposition of the CIS layer, the columnar Cu/Ga regions within the molybdenum of the Cu/Ga-Mo back layer tend to partially leach out, and are replaced by columns of CIS. Narrower Cu and/or Ga regions, and those with fewer inner connections between regions, leach out more slowly during the subsequent CIS deposition. This gives a good mechanical and electrical interlock of the CIS layer into the Cu/Ga-Mo back layer. Solar cells employing In-rich CIS semiconductors bonded to the multi-phase columnar microstructure back layer of this invention exhibit vastly improved photo-electrical conversion on the order of 17% greater than Mo alone, improved uniformity of output across the face of the cell, and greater Fill Factor. 15 figs.

  16. Multi-phase back contacts for CIS solar cells

    DOEpatents

    Rockett, Angus A.; Yang, Li-Chung

    1995-01-01

    Multi-phase, single layer, non-interdiffusing M-Mo back contact metallized films, where M is selected from Cu, Ga, or mixtures thereof, for CIS cells are deposited by a sputtering process on suitable substrates, preferably glass or alumina, to prevent delamination of the CIS from the back contact layer. Typical CIS compositions include CuXSe.sub.2 where X is In or/and Ga. The multi-phase mixture is deposited on the substrate in a manner to provide a columnar microstructure, with micro-vein Cu or/and Ga regions which partially or fully vertically penetrate the entire back contact layer. The CIS semiconductor layer is then deposited by hybrid sputtering and evaporation process. The Cu/Ga-Mo deposition is controlled to produce the single layer two-phase columnar morphology with controllable Cu or Ga vein size less than about 0.01 microns in width. During the subsequent deposition of the CIS layer, the columnar Cu/Ga regions within the molybdenum of the Cu/Ga-Mo back layer tend to partially leach out, and are replaced by columns of CIS. Narrower Cu and/or Ga regions, and those with fewer inner connections between regions, leach out more slowly during the subsequent CIS deposition. This gives a good mechanical and electrical interlock of the CIS layer into the Cu/Ga-Mo back layer. Solar cells employing In-rich CIS semiconductors bonded to the multi-phase columnar microstructure back layer of this invention exhibit vastly improved photo-electrical conversion on the order of 17% greater than Mo alone, improved uniformity of output across the face of the cell, and greater Fill Factor.

  17. Head-to-Head Comparison of 64Cu-DOTATATE and 68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT: A Prospective Study of 59 Patients with Neuroendocrine Tumors.

    PubMed

    Johnbeck, Camilla B; Knigge, Ulrich; Loft, Annika; Berthelsen, Anne K; Mortensen, Jann; Oturai, Peter; Langer, Seppo W; Elema, Dennis R; Kjaer, Andreas

    2017-03-01

    Somatostatin receptor imaging is a valuable tool in the diagnosis, follow-up, and treatment planning of neuroendocrine tumor (NET). PET-based tracers using 68 Ga as the radioisotope have in most centers replaced SPECT-based tracers as the gold standard. 64 Cu-DOTATATE is a new PET tracer that has been shown to be far superior to the SPECT tracer 111 In-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid-octreotide. Because of the advantages of 64 Cu over 68 Ga, we hypothesized that the tracer has a higher sensitivity than 68 Ga-based tracers. To test this hypothesis, we compared on a head-to-head basis the diagnostic performance of 64 Cu-DOTATATE with that of 68 Ga-DOTATOC in NET patients. Methods: Fifty-nine NET patients were scanned with both 64 Cu-DOTATATE and 68 Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT and compared on a head-to-head basis. Discordant lesions were verified during at least 30 mo of follow-up. Results: A total of 701 lesions were concordantly detected on both 64 Cu-DOTATATE and 68 Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT scans, whereas an additional 68 lesions were found by only one of the scans. 64 Cu-DOTATATE showed 42 lesions not found on 68 Ga-DOTATOC, of which 33 were found to be true-positive on follow-up. 68 Ga-DOTATOC showed 26 lesions not found on 64 Cu-DOTATATE, of which 7 were found to be true-positive on follow-up. False-positives were mainly lymph node lesions. Accordingly, 83% of the additional true lesions found on only one of the scans were found by 64 Cu-DOTATATE. On a patient-basis, additional true lesions were found by 64 Cu-DOTATATE and 68 Ga-DOTATOC in 13 and 3 patients, respectively. All patients with additional lesions also had concordant lesions found by both scans. Conclusion: 64 Cu-DOTATATE has advantages over 68 Ga-DOTATOC in the detection of lesions in NET patients. Although patient-based sensitivity was the same for 64 Cu-DOTATATE and 68 Ga-DOTATOC in this cohort, significantly more lesions were detected by 64 Cu-DOTATATE. Furthermore, the shelf life of more than 24 h and the scanning window of at least 3 h make 64 Cu-DOTATATE favorable and easy to use in the clinical setting. © 2017 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

  18. Gallium Disrupts Iron Metabolism of Mycobacteria Residing within Human Macrophages

    PubMed Central

    Olakanmi, Oyebode; Britigan, Bradley E.; Schlesinger, Larry S.

    2000-01-01

    Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. avium complex (MAC) enter and multiply within monocytes and macrophages in phagosomes. In vitro growth studies using standard culture media indicate that siderophore-mediated iron (Fe) acquisition plays a critical role in the growth and metabolism of both M. tuberculosis and MAC. However, the applicability of such studies to conditions within the macrophage phagosome is unclear, due in part to the absence of experimental means to inhibit such a process. Based on the ability of gallium (Ga3+) to concentrate within mononuclear phagocytes and on evidence that Ga disrupts cellular Fe-dependent metabolic pathways by substituting for Fe3+ and failing to undergo redox cycling, we hypothesized that Ga could disrupt Fe acquisition and Fe-dependent metabolic pathways of mycobacteria. We find that Ga(NO3)3 and Ga-transferrin produce an Fe-reversible concentration-dependent growth inhibition of M. tuberculosis strains and MAC grown extracellularly and within human macrophages. Ga is bactericidal for M. tuberculosis growing extracellularly and within macrophages. Finally, we provide evidence that exogenously added Fe is acquired by intraphagosomal M. tuberculosis and that Ga inhibits this Fe acquisition. Thus, Ga(NO3)3 disruption of mycobacterial Fe metabolism may serve as an experimental means to study the mechanism of Fe acquisition by intracellular mycobacteria and the role of Fe in intracellular survival. Furthermore, given the inability of biological systems to discriminate between Ga and Fe, this approach could have broad applicability to the study of Fe metabolism of other intracellular pathogens. PMID:10992462

  19. Geochemical features of sulfides from the Deyin-1 hydrothermal field at the southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge near 15°S

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Shujie; Li, Huaiming; Zhai, Shikui; Yu, Zenghui; Cai, Zongwei

    2017-12-01

    In this study, geochemical compositions of elements in sulfide samples collected from the Deyin-1 hydrothermal field near the 15°S southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge (SMAR) were analyzed by the X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to examine the enrichment regulations of ore-forming elements and hydrothermal mineralization. These sulfide precipitates can be classified macroscopically into three types: Fe-rich sulfide, Fe-Cu-rich sulfide and Fe-Zn-rich sulfide, and are characterized by the enrichment of base metal elements along with a sequence of Fe>Zn>Cu. Compared with sulfides from other hydrothermal fields on MAR, Zn concentrations of sulfides in the research area are significantly high, while Cu concentrations are relatively low. For all major, trace or rare-earth elements (REE), their concentrations and related characteristic parameters exhibit significant variations (up to one or two orders of magnitude), which indicates the sulfides from different hydrothermal vents or even a same station were formed at different stages of hydrothermal mineralization, and suggests the variations of chemical compositions of the hydrothermal fluid with respect to time. The hydrothermal temperatures of sulfides precipitation decreased gradually from station TVG10 (st.TVG10) to st.TVG12, and to st.TVG11, indicating that the precipitation of hydrothermal sulfides is subjected to conditions changed from high temperature to low temperature, and that the hydrothermal activity of study area was at the late stage of a general trend of evolution from strong to weak. The abnormally low concentrations of REE in sulfides and their similar chondrite-normalized REE patterns show that REEs in all sulfides were derived from a same source, but underwent different processes of migration or enrichment, or sulfides were formed at different stages of hydrothermal mineralization. The sulfides collected from the active hydrothermal vent were mainly attributed to precipitating directly from the hydrothermal fluid, while those collected from the extinct hydrothermal chimney might have already been altered by the seawater. Generally, ore-forming elements in the sulfides can be divided into three groups: Fe-based element group, Cu-based element group and Zn-based element group. The first group includes Fe, Mn, Cr, Mo, Sn, Rb and bio-enriching elements, such as P and Si, reflecting the similar characteristics to Fe in the study area. And the second group contains Cu, W, Co, Se, Te and Bi, suggesting the similar behavior with Cu. Moreover, the third group includes Zn, Hf, Hg, Cd, Ta, Ga, Pb, As, Ag, Ni and Sb, which indicates the geochemical characteristics of most dispersed trace elements controlled by Zn-bearing minerals to some extent.

  20. Far-infrared study of the mechanochemically synthesized Cu2FeSnS4 (stannite) nanocrystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Trajic, J.; Romcevic, M.; Paunovic, N.; Curcic, M.; Balaz, P.; Romcevic, N.

    2018-05-01

    The analysis of the optical properties of mechanochemically synthesized stannite Cu2FeSnS4 nanocrystals has been performed using far-infrared spectroscopy. The Cu2FeSnS4 stannite nanocrystals were synthesized mechanochemically from elemental precursors Cu, Fe, Sn, and S. Milling time was 45, 60, 90 and 120 min. Reflectivity spectra were analyzed using the classical form of the dielectric function, which includes the phonon and the free carrier contribution. The influence of milling time on synthesis of stannite Cu2FeSnS4 is observed. Among the modes that are characteristic for the stannite Cu2FeSnS4, we registered the modes of binary phases of FeS and SnS. The total disappearance of the binary phases of FeS and SnS and forming pure Cu2FeSnS4 is observed when the milling time is 120 min. Effective permittivity of Cu2FeSnS4 and binary phases of FeS and SnS were modeled by Maxwell - Garnet approximation.

  1. Plankton copper requirements and uptake in the subarctic Northeast Pacific Ocean

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Semeniuk, David M.; Cullen, Jay T.; Johnson, W. Keith; Gagnon, Katie; Ruth, Thomas J.; Maldonado, Maria T.

    2009-07-01

    We undertook the first measurements of metabolic Cu requirements (net Cu:C assimilation ratios) and steady-state Cu uptake rates (ρCu ss) of natural plankton assemblages in the northeast subarctic Pacific using the short-lived radioisotope 67Cu. Size-fractionated net Cu:C assimilation ratios varied ˜3 fold (1.35-4.21 μmol Cu mol C -1) among the stations along Line P, from high Fe coastal waters to the Fe-limited open ocean. The variability in Cu:C was comparable to biogenic Fe:C ratios in this region. As previously observed for Fe uptake, the bacterial size class accounted for half of the total particulate ρCu ss. Interestingly, carbon biomass-normalized rates of Fe uptake from the siderophore desferrioxamine B (DFB) (ρFe DFB; a physiological proxy for Fe-limitation) by the >20 μm size class were positively correlated with the intracellular net Cu:C assimilation ratios in this size class, suggesting that intracellular Cu requirements for large phytoplankton respond to increased Fe-limitation. At Fe-limited Ocean Station Papa (OSP), we performed short-term Cu uptake (ρCu L) assays to determine the relative bioavailability of Cu bound to natural and synthetic ligands. Like the volumetric ρCu ss measured along Line P, the bacterial size class was responsible for at least 50% of the total ρCu L. Uptake rates of Cu from the various organic complexes suggest that Cu uptake was controlled by the oxidation state of the metal and by the metal:ligand concentration ratio, rather than the concentration of inorganic species of Cu in solution. Collectively, these data suggest that Cu likely plays an important role in the physiology of natural plankton communities beyond the toxicological effects studied previously.

  2. Oxygen trapped by rare earth tetrahedral clusters in Nd4FeOS6: Crystal structure, electronic structure, and magnetic properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Qisheng; Taufour, Valentin; Zhang, Yuemei; Wood, Max; Drtina, Thomas; Bud'ko, Sergey L.; Canfield, Paul C.; Miller, Gordon J.

    2015-09-01

    Single crystals of Nd4FeOS6 were grown from an Fe-S eutectic solution. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed a Nd4MnOSe6-type structure (P63mc, a=9.2693(1) Å, c=6.6650(1)Å, V=495.94(1) Å3, Z=2), featuring parallel chains of face-sharing [FeS6×1/2]4- trigonal antiprisms and interlinked [Nd4OS3]4+ cubane-like clusters. Oxygen atoms were found to be trapped by Nd4 clusters in the [Nd4OS3]4+ chains. Structural differences among Nd4MnOSe6-type Nd4FeOS6 and the related La3CuSiS7- and Pr8CoGa3-type structures have been described. Magnetic susceptibility measurements on Nd4FeOS6 suggested the dominance of antiferromagnetic interactions at low temperature, but no magnetic ordering down to 2 K was observed. Spin-polarized electronic structure calculations revealed magnetic frustration with dominant antiferromagnetic interactions.

  3. Bandgap Engineering of Cu(In 1-xGax)Se 2 Absorber Layers Fabricated using CuInSe 2 and CuGaSe 2 Targets for One-Step Sputtering Process

    DOE PAGES

    Park, Jae -Cheol; Lee, Jeon -Ryang; Al-Jassim, Mowafak; ...

    2016-10-17

    Here we have demonstrated that the bandgap of Cu(In 1-xGa x)Se 2(CIGS) absorber layers was readily controlled by using a one-step sputtering process. CIGS thin-film sample libraries with different Ga/(In + Ga) ratios were synthesized on soda-lime glass at 550 °C using a combinatorial magnetron sputtering system employing CuInSe 2(CIS) and CuGaSe 2(CGS) targets. Energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDS-XRF) confirmed that the CIGS films had different Ga/(In + Ga) ratios, which were varied by the sample configuration on the substrate and ranged from 0.2 to 0.9. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy revealed that the CIGS films had a pure chalcopyritemore » phase without any secondary phase such as Cu-Se or ordered vacancy compound (OVC), respectively. Furthermore, we found that the optical bandgap energies of the CIGS films determined by transmittance measurements ranged from 1.07 eV to 1.53 eV as the Ga/(In + Ga) ratio increased from 0.2 to 0.9, demonstrating that the one-step sputtering process using CIS and CGS targets is another simple route to control the bandgap energy of the CIGS absorber layer.« less

  4. Improved ohmic contact of Ga-Doped ZnO to p-GaN by using copper sulfide intermediate layers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gu, Wen; Xu, Tao; Zhang, Jianhua

    2013-11-01

    Copper sulfide (CuS) was used as the intermediate layer to build ohmic contact of Ga-Doped ZnO (GZO) transparent conduction layer (TCL) to p-GaN. The CuS and GZO layers were prepared by thermal evaporation and RF magnetron sputtering, respectively. Although the GZO-only contacts to p-GaN exhibit nonlinear behavior, ohmic contact with a specific contact resistance of 1.6 × 10-2 Ω cm2 has been realized by inserting 3 nm CuS layer between GZO and p-GaN. The optical transmittance of CuS/GZO film was measured to be higher than 80% in the range of 450-600 nm wavelength. The possible mechanism for the ohmic contact behavior can be attributed to the increased hole concentration of p-GaN surface induced by CuS films after annealing. The forward voltage of LEDs with CuS/GZO TCL has been reduced by 1.7 V at 20 mA and the output power has been increased by 29.6% at 100 mA compared with LEDs without CuS interlayer. These results indicated that using CuS intermediate layer could be a potential ohmic contact method to realize high-efficiency LEDs.

  5. 10.3%-efficient submicron-thick Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells with absorber fabricated by sputtering In2Se3, CuGaSe2 and Cu2Se targets

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peng, Xiao; Zhao, Ming; Zhuang, Daming; Sun, Rujun; Zhang, Leng; Wei, Yaowei; Lv, Xunyan; Wu, Yixuan; Ren, Guoan

    2018-06-01

    We reported a new method to fabricate submicron-thick CIGS with smooth surface by sputtering In2Se3, CuGaSe2 and Cu2Se targets with post-selenization. The influence of gallium content on the properties of CIGS thin film was evaluated by the crystallinity and the cells performance. The most suitable value of Ga content in our submicron-thick CIGS is 0.32 and cells based on it demonstrated the highest efficiency of 10.3%.

  6. Effects of dietary zinc, iron, and copper in layer feed on distribution of these elements in eggs, liver, excreta, soil, and herbage.

    PubMed

    Skrivan, M; Skrivanová, V; Marounek, M

    2005-10-01

    An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary content and combinations of Zn, Fe, and Cu on deposition of these elements in egg components, liver, and excreta. Excreta were applied as a manure to a lawn, and 3 mo later soil and herbage samples were taken and analyzed. The experiment comprised 144 hens in 8 groups. The basal diet contained Zn, Fe, and Cu at 63.4, 92.8, and 9.0 mg/kg, respectively. It was supplemented with 1, 2, or 3 trace elements (inorganic forms) at 80 mg of Zn/kg, 120 mg of Fe/kg, and 25 mg of Cu/kg. Recovery of Zn, Fe, and Cu in eggs of hens fed the basal diet was 10.7, 9.8, and 4.4% of the alimentary intake, respectively. A Zn-Cu antagonism was observed; deposition of Zn in the yolk was significantly decreased by Cu addition and vice versa (P < 0.01). Supplementation of the basal diet with Fe increased Fe concentration in egg yolk and white by 6.3 and 2.2%, respectively. The combination of Fe with Zn and Cu, however, increased Fe concentration in the yolk and white by 36.7 and 34.9%, respectively (P < 0.01). The enrichment of eggs with the other elements was marginal (Cu) or absent (Zn). Effects of Zn, Fe, and Cu of the basal diet on liver concentrations of these elements were relatively small, and no antagonism between Zn and Cu was apparent. Supplementation of the basal diet with the combination of Zn and Fe, however, significantly decreased hepatic concentration of Cu. On the other hand, Cu supplementation significantly increased Fe concentration in livers of hens fed the Fe-supplemented diet (P < 0.01). Concentrations of Zn, Fe, and Cu in excreta were related to their dietary content. High concentrations of Zn, Fe, and Cu in excreta corresponded with limited deposition of the 3 elements in eggs and liver. Concentrations of Zn, Fe, and Cu in herbage correlated significantly with the supply of these elements by hen excreta into soil. The Zn supplied by hen excreta was more stable than Fe and Cu; thus Zn could accumulate in the soil.

  7. Evidence for Cu2-xSe platelets at grain boundaries and within grains in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Simsek Sanli, E.; Ramasse, Q. M.; Mainz, R.; Weber, A.; Abou-Ras, D.; Sigle, W.; van Aken, P. A.

    2017-07-01

    Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS)-based solar cells reach high power-conversion efficiencies of above 22%. In this work, a three-stage co-evaporation method was used for their fabrication. During the growth stages, the stoichiometry of the absorbers changes from Cu-poor ([Cu]/([In] + [Ga]) < 1) to Cu-rich ([Cu]/([In] + [Ga]) > 1) and finally becomes Cu-poor again when the growth process is completed. It is known that, according to the Cu-In-Ga-Se phase diagram, a Cu-rich growth leads to the presence of Cu2-xSe (x = 0-0.25), which is assumed to assist in recrystallization, grain growth, and defect annihilation in the CIGS layer. So far, Cu2-xSe precipitates with spatial extensions on the order of 10-100 nm have been detected only in Cu-rich CIGS layers. In the present work, we report Cu2-xSe platelets with widths of only a few atomic planes at grain boundaries and as inclusions within grains in a polycrystalline, Cu-poor CIGS layer, as evidenced by high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The chemistry of the Cu-Se secondary phase was analyzed by electron energy-loss spectroscopy, and STEM image simulation confirmed the identification of the detected phase. These results represent additional experimental evidence for the proposed topotactical growth model for Cu-Se-assisted CIGS thin-film formation under Cu-rich conditions.

  8. Investigation of magnetic properties on spin-ordering effects of FeGa2S4 and FeIn2S4

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Myoung, Bo Ra; Lim, Jung Tae; Kim, Chul Sung

    2017-09-01

    We have studied crystal and magnetic properties of chalcogenides FeGa2S4 and FeIn2S4 with X-ray diffractometer (XRD), magnetic property measurement system (MPMS), magnetometer, physical property measurement system (PPMS), and Mössbauer spectrometer. The crystal structure has 2-dimension triangular lattice structure with P-3m1 of FeGa2S4, while FeIn2S4 has inverse spinel with space group Fd3m. The AC magnetic susceptibility measurements show that FeGa2S4 is an insulating spin glass material, exhibiting geometrical frustration, unlike in the antiferromagnetic [AFM] metallic spin glass FeIn2S4. From hysteresis (M-H) curves at 4.2 K, FeGa2S4 has spin-flop behavior with an angle of 120° of triangle, as against linear slope of FeIn2S4 due to anti-parallel spin. The gap energy by splitting of 5T2g, Δ1 and electric quadrupole splitting ΔEQ of FeIn2S4 are much higher than that of FeGa2S4 at 4.2 K because FeGa2S4 is geometrically frustrated magnet having degenerate ground state at low temperature.

  9. Meta-omic signatures of microbial metal and nitrogen cycling in marine oxygen minimum zones

    PubMed Central

    Glass, Jennifer B.; Kretz, Cecilia B.; Ganesh, Sangita; Ranjan, Piyush; Seston, Sherry L.; Buck, Kristen N.; Landing, William M.; Morton, Peter L.; Moffett, James W.; Giovannoni, Stephen J.; Vergin, Kevin L.; Stewart, Frank J.

    2015-01-01

    Iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) are essential cofactors for microbial metalloenzymes, but little is known about the metalloenyzme inventory of anaerobic marine microbial communities despite their importance to the nitrogen cycle. We compared dissolved O2, NO3−, NO2−, Fe and Cu concentrations with nucleic acid sequences encoding Fe and Cu-binding proteins in 21 metagenomes and 9 metatranscriptomes from Eastern Tropical North and South Pacific oxygen minimum zones and 7 metagenomes from the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Station. Dissolved Fe concentrations increased sharply at upper oxic-anoxic transition zones, with the highest Fe:Cu molar ratio (1.8) occurring at the anoxic core of the Eastern Tropical North Pacific oxygen minimum zone and matching the predicted maximum ratio based on data from diverse ocean sites. The relative abundance of genes encoding Fe-binding proteins was negatively correlated with O2, driven by significant increases in genes encoding Fe-proteins involved in dissimilatory nitrogen metabolisms under anoxia. Transcripts encoding cytochrome c oxidase, the Fe- and Cu-containing terminal reductase in aerobic respiration, were positively correlated with O2 content. A comparison of the taxonomy of genes encoding Fe- and Cu-binding vs. bulk proteins in OMZs revealed that Planctomycetes represented a higher percentage of Fe genes while Thaumarchaeota represented a higher percentage of Cu genes, particularly at oxyclines. These results are broadly consistent with higher relative abundance of genes encoding Fe-proteins in the genome of a marine planctomycete vs. higher relative abundance of genes encoding Cu-proteins in the genome of a marine thaumarchaeote. These findings highlight the importance of metalloenzymes for microbial processes in oxygen minimum zones and suggest preferential Cu use in oxic habitats with Cu > Fe vs. preferential Fe use in anoxic niches with Fe > Cu. PMID:26441925

  10. Meta-omic signatures of microbial metal and nitrogen cycling in marine oxygen minimum zones.

    PubMed

    Glass, Jennifer B; Kretz, Cecilia B; Ganesh, Sangita; Ranjan, Piyush; Seston, Sherry L; Buck, Kristen N; Landing, William M; Morton, Peter L; Moffett, James W; Giovannoni, Stephen J; Vergin, Kevin L; Stewart, Frank J

    2015-01-01

    Iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) are essential cofactors for microbial metalloenzymes, but little is known about the metalloenyzme inventory of anaerobic marine microbial communities despite their importance to the nitrogen cycle. We compared dissolved O2, NO[Formula: see text], NO[Formula: see text], Fe and Cu concentrations with nucleic acid sequences encoding Fe and Cu-binding proteins in 21 metagenomes and 9 metatranscriptomes from Eastern Tropical North and South Pacific oxygen minimum zones and 7 metagenomes from the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Station. Dissolved Fe concentrations increased sharply at upper oxic-anoxic transition zones, with the highest Fe:Cu molar ratio (1.8) occurring at the anoxic core of the Eastern Tropical North Pacific oxygen minimum zone and matching the predicted maximum ratio based on data from diverse ocean sites. The relative abundance of genes encoding Fe-binding proteins was negatively correlated with O2, driven by significant increases in genes encoding Fe-proteins involved in dissimilatory nitrogen metabolisms under anoxia. Transcripts encoding cytochrome c oxidase, the Fe- and Cu-containing terminal reductase in aerobic respiration, were positively correlated with O2 content. A comparison of the taxonomy of genes encoding Fe- and Cu-binding vs. bulk proteins in OMZs revealed that Planctomycetes represented a higher percentage of Fe genes while Thaumarchaeota represented a higher percentage of Cu genes, particularly at oxyclines. These results are broadly consistent with higher relative abundance of genes encoding Fe-proteins in the genome of a marine planctomycete vs. higher relative abundance of genes encoding Cu-proteins in the genome of a marine thaumarchaeote. These findings highlight the importance of metalloenzymes for microbial processes in oxygen minimum zones and suggest preferential Cu use in oxic habitats with Cu > Fe vs. preferential Fe use in anoxic niches with Fe > Cu.

  11. Investigation on the formation process of single-crystalline GaO x barrier in Fe/GaO x /MgO/Fe magnetic tunnel junctions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krishna, N. S.; Doko, N.; Matsuo, N.; Saito, H.; Yuasa, S.

    2017-11-01

    We have grown Fe(0 0 1)/GaO x (0 0 1)/MgO(0 0 1)/Fe(0 0 1) magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with or without in situ annealing after the deposition of GaO x layer and performed structural characterizations by focusing on the formation process of the single-crystalline GaO x . It was found that, even without the in situ annealing, the as-grown GaO x grown on the MgO was mostly single-crystalline except near the surface region (amorphous). The crystallization temperature of the amorphous region was reduced from 500 °C down to 250 °C by depositing the Fe upper electrode (poly-crystalline). It was clarified that the crystallization of the amorphous region near the Fe/GaO x interface caused the realignments of the crystal grains in the poly-crystalline Fe upper electrode, and, as a result, the fully epitaxial Fe/GaO x /MgO/Fe structure is eventually formed. All the MTJs showed high tunneling magnetoresistance ratios (about 100%) at room temperature, which was almost independent of the formation temperature of the single-crystalline GaO x .

  12. Effect of selenization time on the structural and morphological properties of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin films absorber layers using two step growth process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Korir, Peter C.; Dejene, Francis B.

    2018-04-01

    In this work two step growth process was used to prepare Cu(In, Ga)Se2 thin film for solar cell applications. The first step involves deposition of Cu-In-Ga precursor films followed by the selenization process under vacuum using elemental selenium vapor to form Cu(In,Ga)Se2 film. The growth process was done at a fixed temperature of 515 °C for 45, 60 and 90 min to control film thickness and gallium incorporation into the absorber layer film. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern confirms single-phase Cu(In,Ga)Se2 film for all the three samples and no secondary phases were observed. A shift in the diffraction peaks to higher 2θ (2 theta) values is observed for the thin films compared to that of pure CuInSe2. The surface morphology of the resulting film grown for 60 min was characterized by the presence of uniform large grain size particles, which are typical for device quality material. Photoluminescence spectra show the shifting of emission peaks to higher energies for longer duration of selenization attributed to the incorporation of more gallium into the CuInSe2 crystal structure. Electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) revealed a uniform distribution of the elements through the surface of the film. The elemental ratio of Cu/(In + Ga) and Se/Cu + In + Ga strongly depends on the selenization time. The Cu/In + Ga ratio for the 60 min film is 0.88 which is in the range of the values (0.75-0.98) for best solar cell device performances.

  13. Divacancy complexes induced by Cu diffusion in Zn-doped GaAs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Elsayed, M.; Krause-Rehberg, R.; Korff, B.; Ratschinski, I.; Leipner, H. S.

    2013-08-01

    Positron annihilation spectroscopy was applied to investigate the nature and thermal behavior of defects induced by Cu diffusion in Zn-doped p-type GaAs crystals. Cu atoms were intentionally introduced in the GaAs lattice through thermally activated diffusion from a thin Cu capping layer at 1100 °C under defined arsenic vapor pressure. During isochronal annealing of the obtained Cu-diffused GaAs in the temperature range of 450-850 K, vacancy clusters were found to form, grow and finally disappear. We found that annealing at 650 K triggers the formation of divacancies, whereas further increasing in the annealing temperature up to 750 K leads to the formation of divacancy-copper complexes. The observations suggest that the formation of these vacancy-like defects in GaAs is related to the out-diffusion of Cu. Two kinds of acceptors are detected with a concentration of about 1016 - 1017 cm-3, negative ions and arsenic vacancy copper complexes. Transmission electron microscopy showed the presence of voids and Cu precipitates which are not observed by positron measurements. The positron binding energy to shallow traps is estimated using the positron trapping model. Coincidence Doppler broadening spectroscopy showed the presence of Cu in the immediate vicinity of the detected vacancies. Theoretical calculations suggested that the detected defect is VGaVAs-2CuGa.

  14. Chemically stable ceramic-metal composite membrane for hydrogen separation

    DOEpatents

    Chen, Fanglin; Fang, Shumin; Brinkman, Kyle S.

    2017-06-27

    A hydrogen permeation membrane is provided that can include a metal and a ceramic material mixed together. The metal can be Ni, Zr, Nb, Ta, Y, Pd, Fe, Cr, Co, V, or combinations thereof, and the ceramic material can have the formula: BaZr.sub.1-x-yY.sub.xT.sub.yO.sub.3-.delta. where 0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.5, 0.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.0.5, (x+y)>0; 0.ltoreq..delta..ltoreq.0.5, and T is Sc, Ti, Nb, Ta, Mo, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, In, Sn, or combinations thereof. A method of forming such a membrane is also provided. A method is also provided for extracting hydrogen from a feed stream.

  15. Oxidative degradation of the antibiotic oxytetracycline by Cu@Fe3O4 core-shell nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Pham, Van Luan; Kim, Do-Gun; Ko, Seok-Oh

    2018-08-01

    A core-shell nanostructure composed of zero-valent Cu (core) and Fe 3 O 4 (shell) (Cu@Fe 3 O 4 ) was prepared by a simple reduction method and was evaluated for the degradation of oxytetracycline (OTC), an antibiotic. The Cu core and the Fe 3 O 4 shell were verified by X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy. The optimal molar ratio of [Cu]/[Fe] (1/1) in Cu@Fe 3 O 4 created an outstanding synergic effect, leading to >99% OTC degradation as well as H 2 O 2 decomposition within 10min at the reaction conditions of 1g/L Cu@Fe 3 O 4 , 20mg/L OTC, 20mM H 2 O 2 , and pH3.0 (and even at pH9.0). The OTC degradation rate by Cu@Fe 3 O 4 was higher than obtained using single nanoparticle of Cu or Fe 3 O 4 . The results of the study using radical scavengers showed that OH is the major reactive oxygen species contributing to the OTC degradation. Finally, good stability, reusability, and magnetic separation were obtained with approximately 97% OTC degradation and no notable change in XRD patterns after the Cu@Fe 3 O 4 catalyst was reused five times. These results demonstrate that Cu@Fe 3 O 4 is a novel prospective candidate for the pharmaceutical and personal care products degradation in the aqueous phase. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Effects of phase transformation on the microstructures and magnetostriction of Fe-Ga and Fe-Ga-Zn ferromagnetic shape memory alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Yin-Chih; Lin, Chien-Feng

    2015-05-01

    The phase transformation and magnetostriction of bulk Fe73Ga27 and Fe73Ga18Zn9 (at. %) ferromagnetic shape memory alloys (FSMs) were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and a magnetostrictive-meter setup. For the Fe73Ga27 FSM alloy solution treated at 1100 °C for 4 h and quenched in ice brine, the antiphase boundary segments of the D03 domain were observed in the A2 (disordered) matrix, and the Fe73Ga27 FSM alloy had an optimal magnetostriction (λ‖s = 71 × 10-6 and λ⊥s = -31 × 10-6). In Fe73Ga27 FSM alloy as-quenched, aged at 700 °C for 24 h, and furnace cooled, D03 nanoclusters underwent phase transformation to an intermediate tetragonal phase (i.e., L10-like martensite) via Bain distortion, and finally L12 (Fe3Ga) structures precipitated, as observed by TEM and XRD. The L10-like martensite and L12 phases in the aged Fe73Ga27 FSM alloy drastically decreased the magnetostriction from positive to negative (λ‖s = -20 × 10-6 and λ⊥s = -8 × 10-6). However, in Fe73Ga18Zn9 FSM alloy as-quenched and aged, the phase transformation of D03 to an intermediate tetragonal martensite phase and precipitation of L12 structures were not found. The results indicate that the aged Fe73Ga18Zn9 FSM alloy maintained stable magnetostriction (λ‖s = 36 × 10-6 and λ⊥s = -31 × 10-6). Adding Zn can improve the ferromagnetic shape memory effect of aged Fe73Ga18Zn9 alloy, which may be useful in application of the alloy in high temperature environments.

  17. Gallium Disrupts Iron Uptake by Intracellular and Extracellular Francisella Strains and Exhibits Therapeutic Efficacy in a Murine Pulmonary Infection Model ▿

    PubMed Central

    Olakanmi, Oyebode; Gunn, John S.; Su, Shengchang; Soni, Shilpa; Hassett, Daniel J.; Britigan, Bradley E.

    2010-01-01

    Francisella tularensis requires iron (Fe) for growth, but the biologic sources of Fe for this organism are largely unknown. We found that Francisella sp. growing in broth culture or within human macrophages can acquire Fe from the two major host Fe-binding proteins, lactoferrin (Lf) and transferrin (Tf). Fe acquisition is a potential target for novel therapies. Gallium (Ga) is a transition metal that interferes with cellular Fe metabolism by competing with Fe for uptake/utilization. Growth of either F. tularensis live vaccine strain (LVS) or Francisella novicida was inhibited by ≥2 μM Ga chelated to Tf or Lf, with GaLf being somewhat more potent. Francisella spp. express two Fe-containing antioxidant enzymes, catalase (KatG) and Fe cofactored superoxide dismutase (FeSOD). Growth of LVS with 10 μM GaTf or GaLf led to a dramatic decrease in bacterial catalase activity and in FeSOD activity that was associated with an increased susceptibility to H2O2. Ga also protected mice from intranasal challenge with F. novicida. Whereas 100% of the F. novicida-infected mice died by day 9, 75% of the mice receiving Ga continued to survive to at least day 15. Thus, a single intranasal dose of Ga followed by daily intraperitoneal Ga at a dose tolerated by the animals resulted in prolonged survival. These data support the potential utility of Ga as a therapy for F. tularensis infection of the lung. PMID:19917753

  18. High spin polarization and the origin of unique ferromagnetic ground state in CuFeSb

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sirohi, Anshu; Saha, Preetha; Gayen, Sirshendu

    CuFeSb is isostructural to the ferro-pnictide and chalcogenide superconductors and it is one of the few materials in the family that are known to stabilize in a ferromagnetic ground state. Majority of the members of this family are either superconductors or antiferromagnets. Therefore, CuFeSb may be used as an ideal source of spin polarized current in spin-transport devices involving pnictide and the chalcogenide superconductors. However, for that the Fermi surface of CuFeSb needs to be sufficiently spin polarized. In this paper we report direct measurement of transport spin polarization in CuFeSb by spin-resolved Andreev reflection spectroscopy. From a number ofmore » measurements using multiple superconducting tips we found that the intrinsic transport spin polarization in CuFeSb is high (∼47%). In order to understand the unique ground state of CuFeSb and the origin of large spin polarization at the Fermi level, we have evaluated the spin-polarized band structure of CuFeSb through first principles calculations. Apart from supporting the observed 47% transport spin polarization, such calculations also indicate that the Sb-Fe-Sb angles and the height of Sb from the Fe plane are strikingly different for CuFeSb than the equivalent parameters in other members of the same family thereby explaining the origin of the unique ground state of CuFeSb.« less

  19. Facile one-pot synthesis of cellulose nanocrystal-supported hollow CuFe2O4 nanoparticles as efficient catalyst for 4-nitrophenol reduction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Sufeng; Zhao, Dongyan; Hou, Chen; Liang, Chen; Li, Hao

    2018-06-01

    A facile and efficient one-pot method for the synthesis of well-dispersed hollow CuFe2O4 nanoparticles (H-CuFe2O4 NPs) in the presence of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) as the support was described. Based on the one-pot solvothermal condition control, magnetic H-CuFe2O4 NPs were in-situ grown on the CNC surface uniformly. TEM images indicated good dispersity of H-CuFe2O4 NPs with uniform size of 300 nm. The catalytic activity of H-CuFe2O4/CNC was tested in the catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) in aqueous solution. Compared with most CNC-based ferrite catalysts, H-CuFe2O4/CNC catalyst exhibited an excellent catalytic activity toward the reduction of 4-NP. The catalytic performance of H-CuFe2O4/CNC catalyst was remarkably enhanced with the rate constant of 3.24 s-1 g-1, which was higher than H-CuFe2O4 NPs (0.50 s-1 g-1). The high catalytic activity was attributed to the introduction of CNC and the special hollow mesostructure of H-CuFe2O4 NPs. In addition, the H-CuFe2O4/CNC catalyst promised good conversion efficiency without significant decrease even after 10 cycles, confirming relatively high stability. Because of its environmental sustainability and magnetic separability, H-CuFe2O4/CNC catalyst was shown to indicate that the ferrite nanoparticles supported on CNC were acted as a promising catalyst and exhibited potential applications in numerous ferrite based catalytic reactions.

  20. Sorption Mechanisms of Cesium on Cu II2Fe II(CN) 6and Cu II3[Fe III(CN) 6] 2Hexacyanoferrates and Their Relation to the Crystalline Structure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ayrault, S.; Jimenez, B.; Garnier, E.; Fedoroff, M.; Jones, D. J.; Loos-Neskovic, C.

    1998-12-01

    CuII2FeII(CN)6·xH2O and CuII3[FeIII(CN)6]2·xH2O can be prepared with reproducible chemical compositions and structures after careful washing. They have cubicFmoverline3mstructures with iron vacancies. In CuII2FeII(CN)6, copper occupies two different sites: Cu1 in position 4blinked to Fe through the CN groups, and Cu2 not linked to the CN groups and partially occupying the interstitial 24epositions. The second type of site is not present in CuII3[FeIII(CN)6]2. Sorption kinetics and isotherms were determined for cesium on both hexacyanoferrates by batch experiments. On CuII3[FeIII(CN)6]2, the maximum uptake is only 0.073 Cs/Fe (at./at.). On CuII2FeII(CN)6, the uptake reaches 1.5 Cs/Fe. The sorption kinetics include at least two steps: at1/2variation until approximately 72 h and then a slow evolution studied up to 6 months. The sorption mechanism is complex. The main process seems to be diffusion of ion pairs, followed by a reorganization of the solid, resulting in one or more new solid phases. The presence of the Cu2 site seems to play a favorable role in the sorption. Owing to its good midterm stability and the first rapid step of exchange, CuII2FeII(CN)6·xH2O seems to be one of the most promising compounds for the recovery of cesium from nuclear liquid wastes.

  1. Structural, magnetic and Mossbauer studies of TI doped Gd2Fe17-xTix and Gd2Fe16Ga1-xTix (0≤x≤1)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pokharel, G.; Syed Ali, K. S.; Mishra, S. R.

    2015-05-01

    Magnetic compounds of the type Gd2Fe17-xTix and Gd2Fe16Ga1-xTix (x=0.0-1.0) were prepared by arc melting and their structural and magnetic properties were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), magnetometery and Mossbauer spectroscopy. The Rietveld analysis of X-ray data shows that these α-Fe free solid-solutions crystallize with Th2Ni17-type structure as main phase along with GdFe2 and TiFe2 as additional phases at higher, x≥0.5 contents. The unit cell volume expands with Ga and Ti content. The Rietveld analysis indicate that both Ti and Ga atoms prefer 12j and 12k sites in both compounds. The effect of Ti and co-substituted Ga-Ti on the bond length are quite different. The saturation magnetization Ms, at 300 K for Gd2Fe17-xTix and Gd2Fe16Ga1-xTix was found to decrease linearly with increasing Ti content. The Ms in both compounds at x=1 reduced by 9% as compared to their parent compounds at x=0. The Curie temperature, Tc, for Gd2Fe17-xTix increased from 513 K (x=0) to 544 K (x=1) while Tc for Gd2Fe16Ga1-xTix reduced from 560 (x=0) to 544 K (x=1) with increase in Ti content. Thus the observed variation in Tc follows Gd2Fe17

  2. High strength-high conductivity Cu--Fe composites produced by powder compaction/mechanical reduction

    DOEpatents

    Verhoeven, John D.; Spitzig, William A.; Gibson, Edwin D.; Anderson, Iver E.

    1991-08-27

    A particulate mixture of Cu and Fe is compacted and mechanically reduced to form an "in-situ" Cu-Fe composite having high strength and high conductivity. Compaction and mechanical reduction of the particulate mixture are carried out at a temperature and time at temperature selected to avoid dissolution of Fe into the Cu matrix particulates to a harmful extent that substantially degrades the conductivity of the Cu-Fe composite.

  3. Experimental investigation of inhomogeneities, nanoscopic phase separation, and magnetism in arc melted Fe-Cu metals with equal atomic ratio of the constituents

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hassnain Jaffari, G.; Aftab, M.; Anjum, D. H.; Cha, Dongkyu; Poirier, Gerald; Ismat Shah, S.

    2015-12-01

    Composition gradient and phase separation at the nanoscale have been investigated for arc-melted and solidified with equiatomic Fe-Cu. Diffraction studies revealed that Fe and Cu exhibited phase separation with no trace of any mixing. Microscopy studies revealed that immiscible Fe-Cu form dense bulk nanocomposite. The spatial distribution of Fe and Cu showed existence of two distinct regions, i.e., Fe-rich and Cu-rich regions. Fe-rich regions have Cu precipitates of various sizes and different shapes, with Fe forming meshes or channels greater than 100 nm in size. On the other hand, the matrix of Cu-rich regions formed strips with fine strands of nanosized Fe. Macromagnetic response of the system showed ferromagnetic behavior with a magnetic moment being equal to about 2.13 μB/ Fe atom and a bulk like negligible value of coercivity over the temperature range of 5-300 K. Anisotropy constant has been calculated from various laws of approach to saturation, and its value is extracted to be equal to 1350 J/m3. Inhomogeneous strain within the Cu and Fe crystallites has been calculated for the (unannealed) sample solidified after arc-melting. Annealed sample also exhibited local inhomogeneity with removal of inhomogeneous strain and no appreciable change in magnetic character. However, for the annealed sample phase separated Fe exhibited homogenous strain.

  4. Coercivity Recovery Effect of Sm-Fe-Cu-Al Alloy on Sm2Fe17N3 Magnet

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Otogawa, Kohei; Asahi, Toru; Jinno, Miho; Yamaguchi, Wataru; Takagi, Kenta; Kwon, Hansang

    2018-03-01

    The potential of a Sm-Fe-Cu-Al binder for improvement of the magnetic properties of Sm2Fe17N3 was examined. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation of a Sm-Fe-Cu-Al alloy-bonded Sm2Fe17N3 magnet which showed high coercivity revealed that the Sm-Fe-Cu-Al alloy had an effect of removing the surface oxide layer of the Sm2 Fe17N3 grains. However, the Sm-Fe-Cu-Al binder was contaminated by carbon and nitrogen, which originated from the organic solvent used as the milling medium during pulverization. To prevent carbon and nitrogen contamination, the Sm-Fe- Cu-Al alloy was added directly on the surface of the Sm2Fe17N3 grains by sputtering. Comparing the recovered coercivity per unit amount of the added binder the uncontaminated binder-coated sample had a higher coercivity recovery effect than the milled binder-added sample. These results suggested that sufficient addition of the contamination-free Sm-Fe-Cu-Al binder has the possibility to reduce the amount of binder necessary to produce a high coercive Sm2Fe17N3 magnet.

  5. Aluminum alloy anode materials for Li-ion batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, Z. H.; Chen, Z. F.; Fu, Q. W.; Jiang, X. Y.

    2017-03-01

    Aluminum has larger theoretical capacity of 2235 mAh/g than that of graphite (372 mAh/g), but it has big disadvantages including shorter cycle life and higher irreversible capacity loss. Improving cycle performance can be obtained via alloying of aluminum. In this paper, two ternary aluminum alloy, Al7Cu2Fe and Al73Cu5Fe22 were prepared. The main phase of Al7Cu2Fe alloy was Al7Cu2Fe. The heat treatment increased the proportion of Al7Cu2Fe. The main phase of Al73Cu5Fe22 alloy was Al60Cu30Fe10. The heat treatment reduced the proportion of Al60Cu30Fe10. For two alloys, the heat treatment could increase discharge capacity compared with cast alloy. The discharge capacity was improved by 50%. The content of aluminum in alloys has little effect on improving cycle performance, and it has obvious influence on the phase structure of alloy with heat treatment.

  6. Thin-target excitation functions and optimisation of NCA 64Cu and 66,67Ga production by deuteron induced nuclear reactions on natural zinc target, for radiometabolic therapy and for PET

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Groppi, F.; Bonardi, M. L.; Birattari, C.; Gini, L.; Mainardi, C.; Menapace, E.; Abbas, K.; Holzwarth, U.; Stroosnijder, R. M. F.

    2004-01-01

    A novel method for production of No-Carrier-Added 64Cu and 66,67Ga has been developed, based on reactions induced by deuterons up to 19 MeV on Zn target. HPGe and beta (by LSC) spectrometries proved very effective to determine radionuclidic purity of 64Cu and 66,67Ga fractions. Experimental specific activity for 64Cu was measured by ET-AAS and was of the order of 700 MBq · μg -1. Radiochemical yields for 64Cu and 66,67Ga were >80% and >99%.

  7. Rapid removal of ultra-high-concentration p-nitrophenol in aqueous solution by microwave-enhanced Fe/Cu bimetallic particle (MW-Fe/Cu) system.

    PubMed

    Ren, Yi; Zhou, Jinfan; Pan, Zhicheng; Lai, Bo; Yuan, Donghai

    2017-10-10

    Ultra-high-concentration PNP-contained wastewaters are produced sometimes due to the wide application of this nitrophenolic compound in the chemical industry. However, there is a lack of appropriate technologies to rapidly pretreat the ultra-high-concentration wastewater. Therefore, a new microwave-enhanced Fe/Cu bimetallic particles (MW-Fe/Cu) system was developed to rapidly remove ultra-high-concentration PNP. First, the priority of the determinative parameters was obtained by orthogonal experiment. Based on this result, the effects of initial pH, microwave power, Fe/Cu dosage and initial PNP concentration on PNP removal were optimized thoroughly. Under the optimal conditions (i.e. initial pH = 1.0, MW power = 385 W, Fe/Cu dosage = 30 g/L and initial PNP concentration = 4000 mg/L), four control treatment systems (i.e. MW-Fe 0 , heating-Fe/Cu, MW alone and Fe/Cu alone system) were set up to compare with the MW-Fe/Cu system. The results suggest that high PNP removal (more than 99% with 2.5 min, k 1 /k 2  = 1.18/6.91 min -1 ) and COD removal (26.6% with 5 min treatment) could be obtained by the MW-Fe/Cu system, which were much superior to those obtained using the MW-Fe 0 (k 1 /k 2  = 0.62/2.21 min -1 ) and the heating-Fe/Cu system (k 1 /k 2  = 0.53/1.52 min -1 ). Finally, the determination of the intermediates of PNP degradation by HPLC indicated that the MW assistance process did not change the degradation pathway of PNP. This concludes that the new MW-Fe/Cu system was the promising technology for pretreatment of wastewater containing ultra-high-concentration toxic and refractory pollutants at a fairly short treatment time.

  8. Stable isotopic constraints on fluid-rock interaction and Cu-PGE-S redistribution in the Sonju Lake intrusion, Minnesota

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Park, Y.-R.; Ripley, E.M.; Miller, J.D.; Li, C.; Mariga, J.; Shafer, P.

    2004-01-01

    The Sonju Lake intrusion, part of the 1.1 Ga Midcontinent rift-related Beaver Bay Complex, is a 1,200-m-thick, strongly differentiated, layered sequence of mafic cumulates located in northeastern Minnesota. Basal melatroctolite and dunite layers are overlain by troctolite, gabbro, Fe-Ti oxide-rich gabbro, apatite diorite, and monzodiorite. Stratigraphic intervals rich in Pt + Pd, Cu, and S occur over ???500 m in the Fe-Ti oxide-rich gabbro and apatite diorite units. Peak concentrations show offsets that are similar to those found in other tholeiitic layered intrusions. Concentrations of Pd in excess of 100 ppb are confined to the lowermost 25 m of the interval. Copper shows a sharp increase to 630 ppm above the Pd-rich interval. Sulfur contents are low (<375 ppm) in the Cu-rich interval, but they increase to values as high as 3,150 ppm above in the apatite diorite. Disseminated sulfides in the intrusion have ??34S values that range from -2.2 to 3 per mil Vienna-Canyon Diablo Troilite (V-CDT) and suggest that contamination by country rock sulfur was not an important process in the formation of the metal-rich interval. ??18O values of plagioclase from the intrusion range from 5.6 to 12.0 per mil (V-SMOW) and indicate that a relatively low-18O fluid (??18O ???3-5 ???) interacted with the rocks of the intrusion at temperatures less than ???275??C. Clinopyroxene and Fe-Ti oxides (ilmenite with minor amounts of titanomagnetite) show much more restricted ranges in ??18O values (4.6-5.7 and 5.5-6.7 per mil, respectively) and attest to the kinetic control of the oxygen isotope exchange process. The externally derived fluid that interacted with rocks now enriched in platinum group elements (PGE) + Cu- and Fe-sulfide minerals locally liberated sulfur and replaced chalcopyrite and pyrite with goethite. In the Cu-rich zone, goethite that replaces chalcopyrite may contain up to 8.5 weight percent Cu. It is evident that hydrothermal alteration resulted in a decoupling of copper and sulfur, with sulfur being transferred out of the Cu-rich interval. Interaction between rocks in the PGE-Cu-S interval of the Sonju Lake intrusion and an externally derived fluid at low temperatures modified what appears to have been a primary stratigraphic metal-sulfur zonation. The effects of hydrothermal alteration on PGE and base-metal sulfide mobility and redistribution must be understood before models of primary zonation processes can be meaningfully applied. ?? 2004 by Economic Geology.

  9. Ligand-hole localization in oxides with unusual valence Fe

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Wei-Tin; Saito, Takashi; Hayashi, Naoaki; Takano, Mikio; Shimakawa, Yuichi

    2012-01-01

    Unusual high-valence states of iron are stabilized in a few oxides. A-site-ordered perovskite-structure oxides contain such iron cations and exhibit distinct electronic behaviors at low temperatures, e.g. charge disproportionation (4Fe4+ → 2Fe3+ + 2Fe5+) in CaCu3Fe4O12 and intersite charge transfer (3Cu2+ + 4Fe3.75+ → 3Cu3+ + 4Fe3+) in LaCu3Fe4O12. Here we report the synthesis of solid solutions of CaCu3Fe4O12 and LaCu3Fe4O12 and explain how the instabilities of their unusual valence states of iron are relieved. Although these behaviors look completely different from each other in simple ionic models, they can both be explained by the localization of ligand holes, which are produced by the strong hybridization of iron d and oxygen p orbitals in oxides. The localization behavior in the charge disproportionation of CaCu3Fe4O12 is regarded as charge ordering of the ligand holes, and that in the intersite charge transfer of LaCu3Fe4O12 is regarded as a Mott transition of the ligand holes. PMID:22690318

  10. Cu(In,Ga)S2, Thin-Film Solar Cells Prepared by H2S Sulfurization of CuGa-In Precursor

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dhere, Neelkanth G.; Kulkarni, Shashank R.; Chavan, Sanjay S.; Ghongadi, Shantinath R.

    2005-01-01

    Thin-film CuInS2 solar cell is the leading candidate for space power because of bandgap near the optimum value for AM0 solar radiation outside the earth's atmosphere, excellent radiation hardness, and freedom from intrinsic degradation mechanisms unlike a-Si:H cells. Ultra-lightweight thin-film solar cells deposited on flexible polyimide plastic substrates such as Kapton(trademark), Upilex(trademark), and Apical(trademark) have a potential for achieving specific power of 1000 W/kg, while the state-of-art specific power of the present day solar cells is 66 W/kg. This paper describes the preparation of Cu-rich CuIn(sub 1-x)Ga(sub x)S(sub 2) (CIGS2) thin films and solar cells by a process of sulfurization of CuGa-In precursor similar to that being used for preparation of large-compact-grain CuIn(sub 1-x)Ga(sub x)Se2 thin films and efficient solar cells at FSEC PV Materials Lab.

  11. Optimization of Post-selenization Process of Co-sputtered CuIn and CuGa Precursor for 11.19% Efficiency Cu(In, Ga)Se2 Solar Cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheng, Ke; Han, Kaikai; Kuang, Zhongcheng; Jin, Ranran; Hu, Junxia; Guo, Longfei; Liu, Ya; Lu, Zhangbo; Du, Zuliang

    2017-04-01

    In this work, CuInGa alloy precursor films are fabricated by co-sputtering of CuIn and CuGa targets simultaneously. After selenization in a tube-type rapid thermal annealing system under a Se atmosphere, the Cu(In, Ga)Se2 (CIGS) absorber layers are obtained. Standard soda lime glass (SLG)/Mo/CIGS/CdS/i-ZnO/ITO/Ag grid structural solar cells are fabricated based on the selenized CIGS absorbers. The influences of selenization temperatures on the composition, crystallinity, and device performances are systematically investigated by x-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and the current density-voltage ( J- V) measurement. It is found that the elemental ratio of Cu/(In + Ga) strongly depends on the selenization temperatures. Because of the appropriate elemental ratio, a 9.92% conversion efficiency is reached for the CIGS absorber selenized at 560°C. After the additional optimization by pre-annealing treatment at 280°C before the selenization, a highest conversion efficiency of 11.19% with a open-circuit ( V oc) of 456 mV, a short-circuit ( J sc) of 40.357 mA/cm2 and a fill factor of 60.82% without antireflection coating has been achieved. Above 13% efficiency improvement was achievable. Our experimental findings presented in this work demonstrate that the post-selenization of co-sputtered CuIn and CuGa precursor is a promising way to fabricate high quality CIGS absorbers.

  12. Iron Sulfide Attenuates the Methanogenic Toxicity of Elemental Copper and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles and their Soluble Metal Ion Analogs

    PubMed Central

    Gonzalez-Estrella, Jorge; Gallagher, Sara; Sierra-Alvarez, Reyes; Field, Jim A.

    2016-01-01

    Elemental copper (Cu0) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticle (NP) toxicity to methanogens has been attributed to the release of soluble metal ions. Iron sulfide (FeS) partially controls the soluble concentration of heavy metals and their toxicity in aquatic environments. Heavy metals displace the Fe from FeS forming poorly soluble metal sulfides in the FeS matrix. Therefore, FeS may be expected to attenuate the NP toxicity. This work assessed FeS as an attenuator of the methanogenic toxicity of Cu0 and ZnO NPs and their soluble salt analogs. The toxicity attenuation capacity of fine (25–75 µm) and coarse (500 to 1200 µm) preparations of FeS (FeS-f and FeS-c respectively) was tested in the presence of highly inhibitory concentrations of CuCl2, ZnCl2 Cu0 and ZnO NPs. FeS-f attenuated methanogenic toxicity better than FeS-c. The results revealed that 2.5× less FeS-f than FeS-c was required to recover the methanogenic activity to 50% (activity normalized to uninhibited controls). The results also indicated that a molar FeS-f/Cu0 NP, FeS-f/ZnO NP, FeS-f/ZnCl2, and FeS-f/CuCl2 ratio of 2.14, 2.14, 4.28, and 8.56 respectively, was necessary to recover the methanogenic activity to >75%. Displacement experiments demonstrated that CuCl2 and ZnCl2 partially displaced Fe from FeS. As a whole, the results indicate that not all the sulfide in FeS was readily available to react with the soluble Cu and Zn ions which may explain the need for a large stoichiometric excesses of FeS to highly attenuate Cu and Zn toxicity. Overall, this study provides evidence that FeS attenuates the toxicity caused by Cu0 and ZnO NPs and their soluble ion analogs to methanogens. PMID:26803736

  13. Local ordering and magnetism in Ga{sub 0.9}Fe{sub 3.1}N

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Burghaus, Jens; Sougrati, Moulay T., E-mail: moulay-tahar.sougrati@univ-montp2.fr; Moechel, Anne

    Prior investigations of the ternary nitride series Ga{sub 1-x}Fe{sub 3+x}N (0{<=}x{<=}1) have indicated a transition from ferromagnetic {gamma}'-Fe{sub 4}N to antiferromagnetic 'GaFe{sub 3}N'. The ternary nitride 'GaFe{sub 3}N' has been magnetically and spectroscopically reinvestigated in order to explore the weakening of the ferromagnetic interactions through the gradual incorporation of gallium into {gamma}'-Fe{sub 4}N. A hysteretic loop at RT reveals the presence of a minority phase of only 0.1-0.2 at%, in accord with the sound two-step synthesis. The composition of the gallium-richest phase 'GaFe{sub 3}N' was clarified by Prompt Gamma-ray Activation Analysis and leads to the berthollide formula Ga{sub 0.91(1)}Fe{sub 3.09(10)}N{submore » 1.05(7)}. Magnetic measurements indicate a transition around 8 K, further supported by Moessbauer spectral data. The weakening of the ferromagnetic coupling through an increasing gallium concentration is explained by a simple Stoner argument. In Ga{sub 0.9}Fe{sub 3.1}N, the presence of iron on the gallium site affects the magnetism by the formation of 13-atom iron clusters. - Graphical Abstract: The crystal structure of GaFe{sub 3}N with green nitrogen atoms in the very center, red iron atoms at the face centers, and gray gallium atoms at the corner positions. Highlights: > Almost phase-pure synthesis of Ga{sub 0.9}Fe{sub 3.1}N. > Prompt gamma-ray activation analysis yields precise composition. > Magnetic ordering of the facial Fe atoms at the lowest temperatures. > Moessbauer spectroscopy suggests percolation or RKKY-type interaction. > Fe{sub 13} clusters due to berthollide character.« less

  14. High strength-high conductivity Cu-Fe composites produced by powder compaction/mechanical reduction

    DOEpatents

    Verhoeven, J.D.; Spitzig, W.A.; Gibson, E.D.; Anderson, I.E.

    1991-08-27

    A particulate mixture of Cu and Fe is compacted and mechanically reduced to form an ''in-situ'' Cu-Fe composite having high strength and high conductivity. Compaction and mechanical reduction of the particulate mixture are carried out at a temperature and time at temperature selected to avoid dissolution of Fe into the Cu matrix particulates to a harmful extent that substantially degrades the conductivity of the Cu-Fe composite. 5 figures.

  15. Nitrate removal by Fe0/Pd/Cu nano-composite in groundwater.

    PubMed

    Liu, Hongyuan; Guo, Min; Zhang, Yan

    2014-01-01

    Nitrate pollution in groundwater shows a great threat to the safety of drinking water. Chemical reduction by zero-valent iron is being considered as a promising technique for nitrate removal from contaminated groundwater. In this paper, Fe0/Pd/Cu nano-composites were prepared by the liquid-phase reduction method, and batch experiments of nitrate reduction by the prepared Fe0/Pd/Cu nano-composites under various operating conditions were carried out. It has been found that nano-Fe0/Pd/Cu composites processed dual functions: catalytic reduction and chemical reduction. The introduction of Pd and Cu not only improved nitrate removal rate, but also reduced the generation of ammonia. Nitrate removal rate was affected by the amount of Fe0/Pd/Cu, initial nitrate concentration, solution pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), reaction temperature, the presence of anions, and organic pollutant. Moreover, nitrate reduction by Fe0/Pd/Cu composites followed the pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics. The removal rate of nitrate and total nitrogen were about 85% and 40.8%, respectively, under the reaction condition of Fe-6.0%Pd-3.0%Cu amount of 0.25 g/L, pH value of 7.1, DO of 0.42 mg/L, and initial nitrate concentration of 100 mg/L. Compared with the previous studies with Fe0 alone or Fe-Cu, nano-Fe-6%Pd-3%Cu composites showed a better selectivity to N2.

  16. Influence of Na and Ga on the electrical properties of perfect 60° dislocations in Cu(In, Ga)Se2 thin-film photovoltaic absorbers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barragan-Yani, D.; Albe, K.

    2018-04-01

    The segregation of GaIn and NaCu to perfect 60° dislocations in CuIn1-xGaxSe2 is investigated by means of density functional theory calculations. We find that the segregation process is mainly driven by the elastic interaction of both defect types with the strain field of the dislocation. GaIn moves into the negatively strained region, while NaCu is found in the positively strained region. We show that both defects affect the electronic defect levels induced by the dislocation core and GaIn is able to passivate the β-core in CuInSe2. This result indicates that β-cores are inactive in CuIn1-xGaxSe2. NaCu; however, they do not have a significant effect on the electrical properties of the studied dislocation cores. Therefore, the experimentally observed sodium segregation to dislocation cores in CuIn1-xGaxSe2 cannot be considered as the passivation mechanism of the electrically active cores in that material.

  17. Seebeck Coefficient of Cation-Substituted Disulfides CuCr1-x Fe x S2 and Cu1-x Fe x CrS2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Korotaev, Evgeniy V.; Syrokvashin, Mikhail M.; Filatova, Irina Yu.; Pelmenev, Konstantin G.; Zvereva, Valentina V.; Peregudova, Natalya N.

    2018-03-01

    The effect of cation substitution on the Seebeck coefficient of CuCr1-x Fe x S2 (x = 0 to 0.30) and Cu1-x Fe x CrS2 (x = 0 to 0.03) in the temperature range of 100 K to 450 K has been investigated. Increasing iron concentration led to a metal-insulator transition which suppressed the thermoelectric power. However, for low iron concentration (x < 0.03), the Seebeck coefficient of CuCr1-x Fe x S2 and Cu1-x Fe x CrS2 exceeded the values for the undoped copper-chromium disulfide matrix CuCrS2 at temperature below 300 K.

  18. Equilibrium Thermodynamics, Formation, and Dissociation Kinetics of Trivalent Iron and Gallium Complexes of Triazacyclononane-Triphosphinate (TRAP) Chelators: Unraveling the Foundations of Highly Selective Ga-68 Labeling.

    PubMed

    Vágner, Adrienn; Forgács, Attila; Brücher, Ernő; Tóth, Imre; Maiocchi, Alessandro; Wurzer, Alexander; Wester, Hans-Jürgen; Notni, Johannes; Baranyai, Zsolt

    2018-01-01

    In order to rationalize the influence of Fe III contamination on labeling with the 68 Ga eluted from 68 Ge/ 68 Ga- g enerator, a detailed investigation was carried out on the equilibrium properties, formation and dissociation kinetics of Ga III - and Fe III -complexes of 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-tris(methylene[2-carboxyethylphosphinic acid]) (H 6 TRAP). The stability and protonation constants of the [Fe(TRAP)] 3- complex were determined by pH-potentiometry and spectrophotometry by following the competition reaction between the TRAP ligand and benzhydroxamic acid (0.15 M NaNO 3 , 25°C). The formation rates of [Fe(TRAP)] and [Ga(TRAP)] complexes were determined by spectrophotometry and 31 P-NMR spectroscopy in the pH range 4.5-6.5 in the presence of 5-40 fold H x TRAP (x-6) excess (x = 1 and 2, 0.15 M NaNO 3 , 25°C). The kinetic inertness of [Fe(TRAP)] 3- and [Ga(TRAP)] 3- was examined by the trans-chelation reactions with 10 to 20-fold excess of H x HBED (x-4) ligand by spectrophotometry at 25°C in 0.15 M NaCl (x = 0,1 and 2). The stability constant of [Fe(TRAP)] 3- (log K FeL = 26.7) is very similar to that of [Ga(TRAP)] 3- (log K GaL = 26.2). The rates of ligand exchange reaction of [Fe(TRAP)] 3- and [Ga(TRAP)] 3- with H x HBED (x-4) are similar. The reactions take place quite slowly via spontaneous dissociation of [M(TRAP)] 3- , [M(TRAP)OH] 4- and [M(TRAP)(OH) 2 ] 5- species. Dissociation half-lives ( t 1/2 ) of [Fe(TRAP)] 3- and [Ga(TRAP)] 3- complexes are 1.1 × 10 5 and 1.4 × 10 5 h at pH = 7.4 and 25°C. The formation reactions of [Fe(TRAP)] 3- and [Ga(TRAP)] 3- are also slow due to the formation of the unusually stable monoprotonated [ * M(HTRAP)] 2- intermediates [ * log K Ga(HL) = 10.4 and * log K Fe(HL) = 9.9], which are much more stable than the [ * Ga(HNOTA)] + intermediate [ * log K Ga(HL) = 4.2]. Deprotonation and transformation of the monoprotonated [ * M(HTRAP)] 2- intermediates into the final complex occur via OH - -assisted reactions. Rate constants ( k OH ) characterizing the OH - -driven deprotonation and transformation of [ * Ga(HTRAP)] 2- and [ * Fe(HTRAP)] 2- intermediates are 1.4 × 10 5 M -1 s -1 and 3.4 × 10 4 M -1 s -1 , respectively. In conclusion, the equilibrium and kinetic properties of [Fe(TRAP)] and [Ga(TRAP)] complexes are remarkably similar due to the close physico-chemical properties of Fe III and Ga III -ions. However, a slightly faster formation of [Ga(TRAP)] over [Fe(TRAP)] provides a rationale for a previously observed, selective complexation of 68 Ga III in presence of excess Fe III .

  19. Gallium Nitrate Is Efficacious in Murine Models of Tuberculosis and Inhibits Key Bacterial Fe-Dependent Enzymes

    PubMed Central

    Olakanmi, Oyebode; Kesavalu, Banurekha; Pasula, Rajamouli; Abdalla, Maher Y.; Schlesinger, Larry S.

    2013-01-01

    Acquiring iron (Fe) is critical to the metabolism and growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Disruption of Fe metabolism is a potential approach for novel antituberculous therapy. Gallium (Ga) has many similarities to Fe. Biological systems are often unable to distinguish Ga3+ from Fe3+. Unlike Fe3+, Ga3+ cannot be physiologically reduced to Ga2+. Thus, substituting Ga for Fe in the active site of enzymes may render them nonfunctional. We previously showed that Ga inhibits growth of M. tuberculosis in broth and within cultured human macrophages. We now report that Ga(NO3)3 shows efficacy in murine tuberculosis models. BALB/c SCID mice were infected intratracheally with M. tuberculosis, following which they received daily intraperitoneal saline, Ga(NO3)3, or NaNO3. All mice receiving saline or NaNO3 died. All Ga(NO3)3-treated mice survived. M. tuberculosis CFU in the lungs, liver, and spleen of the NaNO3-treated or saline-treated mice were significantly higher than those in Ga-treated mice. When BALB/c mice were substituted for BALB/c SCID mice as a chronic (nonlethal) infection model, Ga(NO3)3 treatment significantly decreased lung CFU. To assess the mechanism(s) whereby Ga inhibits bacterial growth, the effect of Ga on M. tuberculosis ribonucleotide reductase (RR) (a key enzyme in DNA replication) and aconitase activities was assessed. Ga decreased M. tuberculosis RR activity by 50 to 60%, but no additional decrease in RR activity was seen at Ga concentrations that completely inhibited mycobacterial growth. Ga decreased aconitase activity by 90%. Ga(NO3)3 shows efficacy in murine M. tuberculosis infection and leads to a decrease in activity of Fe-dependent enzymes. Additional work is warranted to further define Ga's mechanism of action and to optimize delivery forms for possible therapeutic uses in humans. PMID:24060870

  20. Mechanism insight of pollutant degradation and bromate inhibition by Fe-Cu-MCM-41 catalyzed ozonation.

    PubMed

    Chen, Weirui; Li, Xukai; Tang, Yiming; Zhou, Jialu; Wu, Dan; Wu, Yin; Li, Laisheng

    2018-03-15

    A flexible catalyst, Fe-Cu-MCM-41, was employed to enhance diclofenac (DCF) mineralization and inhibit bromate formation in catalytic ozonation process. Greater TOC removal was achieved in Fe-Cu-MCM-41/O 3 process (78%) than those in Fe-MCM-41/O 3 (65%), Cu-MCM-41/O 3 (73%) and sole ozonation (42%). But it was interesting that both Cu-MCM-41/O 3 and Fe-MCM-41/O 3 achieved 93% bromate inhibition efficiency, only 71% inhibition efficiency was observed in Fe-Cu-MCM-41/O 3 . Influence of pH, TBA/NaHSO 3 and detection of by-products were conducted to explore the mechanism. By Pyridine adsorption-IR and XPS, a relationship was found among activity of catalysts, Lewis acid sites and electron transfer effect between Fe (II/III) and Cu (I/II). Fe-Cu-MCM-41 promoted ozone decomposition to generate OH, which accounted for enhanced DCF mineralization. The consumption of aqueous O 3 also suppressed the oxidative of Br - and HBrO/Br - . More HBrO/BrO - accumulated in catalytic ozonation process and less bromate generated. Bromate formation in Fe-Cu-MCM-41/O 3 process was sensitive with pH value, the acidic condition was not favor for bromate formation. Both DCF mineralization and bromate inhibition were influenced by surface reaction. Moreover, Fe-Cu-MCM-41 showed excellent catalytic performance in suppressing the accumulation of carboxylic acid, especially for oxalic acid. Nearly no oxalic acid was detected during Fe-Cu-MCM-41/O 3 process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Exploring the mechanism and kinetics of Fe-Cu-Ag trimetallic particles for p-nitrophenol reduction.

    PubMed

    Yuan, Yue; Yuan, Donghai; Zhang, Yunhong; Lai, Bo

    2017-11-01

    Preparation conditions of Fe-Cu-Ag trimetallic particles were optimized by single-factor and response surface methodology (RSM) batch experiments to obtain high-reactive Fe 0 -based materials for p-nitrophenol (PNP) removal. Under the optimal conditions (i.e., Fe 0 dosage of 34.86 g L -1 , theoretical Cu mass loading of 81.87 mg Cu/g Fe, theoretical Ag mass loading of 1.15 mg Ag/g Fe, and preparation temperature of 52.1 °C), the actual rate constant (k obs ) of PNP reduction in 5 min was 1.64 min -1 , which shows a good agreement between the model prediction (1.85 min -1 ) of RSM and the experimental data. Furthermore, the high reactivity of Fe 0 -based trimetals was mainly attributed to the plating order of transition metals (i.e., Ag and Cu). Furthermore, we propose a new theory that the pyramid trimetallic structure of Fe-Cu-Ag could improve the electron transport and create active sites with high electron density at the surface (Ag layer) that could enhance the generation of surface-bonded atomic hydrogen ([H] abs ) or the direct reduction of pollutant. Moreover, Fe-Cu-Ag trimetallic particles were characterized by SEM, EDS, and XPS, which also could confirm the proposed theory. In addition, the leached Cu 2+ (<10 μg L -1 ) and Ag + (below detection limits) in Fe-Cu-Ag system could be neglected completely, which suggests that Fe-Cu-Ag is reliable, safe, and environment friendly. Therefore, Fe-Cu-Ag trimetallic system would be promising for the removal of pollutants from industrial wastewater. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Effects of Exogenous Gibberellic Acid3 on Iron and Manganese Plaque Amounts and Iron and Manganese Uptake in Rice

    PubMed Central

    Guo, Yue; Zhu, Changhua; Gan, Lijun; Ng, Denny; Xia, Kai

    2015-01-01

    Gibberellins (GA) regulate various components of plant development. Iron and Mn plaque result from oxiding and hydroxiding Fe and Mn, respectively, on the roots of aquatic plant species such as rice (Oryza sativa L.). In this study, we found that exogenous gibberellic acid3 (GA3) spray decreased Fe plaque, but increased Mn plaque, with applications of Kimura B nutrient solution. Similar effects from GA3, leading to reduced Fe plaque and increased Mn plaque, were also found by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometric microanalysis. Reduced Fe plaque was observed after applying GA3 to the groups containing added Fe2+ (17 and 42 mg•L-1) and an increasing trend was detected in Mn plaques of the Mn2+ (34 and 84 mg•L-1) added treatments. In contrast, an inhibitor of GA3, uniconazole, reversed the effects of GA3. The uptake of Fe or Mn in rice plants was enhanced after GA3 application and Fe or Mn plaque production. Strong synergetic effects of GA3 application on Fe plaque production were detected. However, no synergetic effects on Mn plaque production were detected. PMID:25710173

  3. Cyclic catalytic upgrading of chemical species using metal oxide materials

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    White, James H. (Inventor); Schutte, Erick J. (Inventor); Rolfe, Sara L. (Inventor)

    2010-01-01

    Processes are disclosure which comprise alternately contacting an oxygen-carrying catalyst with a reducing substance, or a lower partial pressure of an oxidizing gas, and then with the oxidizing gas or a higher partial pressure of the oxidizing gas, whereby the catalyst is alternately reduced and then regenerated to an oxygenated state. In certain embodiments, the oxygen-carrying catalyst comprises at least one metal oxide-containing material containing a composition having one of the following formulas: (a) Ce.sub.xB.sub.yB'.sub.zB''O.sub..delta., wherein B=Ba, Sr, Ca, or Zr; B'=Mn, Co, or Fe; B''=Cu; 0.01

  4. Cyclic catalytic upgrading of chemical species using metal oxide materials

    DOEpatents

    White, James H.; Schutte, Erick J.; Rolfe, Sara L.

    2010-11-02

    Processes are disclosure which comprise alternately contacting an oxygen-carrying catalyst with a reducing substance, or a lower partial pressure of an oxidizing gas, and then with the oxidizing gas or a higher partial pressure of the oxidizing gas, whereby the catalyst is alternately reduced and then regenerated to an oxygenated state. In certain embodiments, the oxygen-carrying catalyst comprises at least one metal oxide-containing material containing a composition having one of the following formulas: (a) Ce.sub.xB.sub.yB'.sub.zB''O.sub..delta., wherein B=Ba, Sr, Ca, or Zr; B'=Mn, Co, or Fe; B''=Cu; 0.01

  5. The Effects of the Addition of Dy, Nb, and Ga on Microstructure and Magnetic Properties of Nd2Fe14B/α-Fe Nanocomposite Permanent Magnetic Alloys.

    PubMed

    Ren, Kezhi; Tan, Xiaohua; Li, Heyun; Xu, Hui; Han, Ke

    2017-04-01

    We study the effects of Dy, Nb, and Ga additions on the microstructure and magnetic properties of Nd2Fe14B/α-Fe nanocomposites. Dy, Nb, and Ga additions inhibit the growth of the soft magnetic α-Fe phase. Dy and Nb additions are able to refine the microstructure, whereas Ga addition plays only a minor role in prohibiting crystal growth. The magnetic properties are sensitive to Dy, Nb, and Ga additions. The Dy-containing alloy enhances the intrinsic coercivity of 872 kA/m because Dy partially replaces Nd, forming (Nd, Dy)2Fe14B. Nb addition refines the microstructure, and consequently increases the exchange coupling between magnetic grains. The Nd9.5Fe75.4Co5Zr3B6.5Ga0.6 alloy exhibits the highest remanence (0.92 T) due to Ga addition.

  6. ``Loose spins'' in Fe/Cu/Fe(001) structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heinrich, B.; Celinski, Z.; Liao, L. X.; From, M.; Cochran, J. F.

    1994-05-01

    Slonczewski recently proposed a model for the exchange coupling between ferromagnetic layers separated by a nonferromagnetic spacer based on the concept of ``loose spins.'' ``Loose spins'' contribute to the total exchange energy. We have studied the role of ``loose spins'' in bcc Fe/Cu/Fe(001) structures. bcc Fe/Cu/Fe(001) trilayers deposited at room temperature were investigated extensively in our previous studies. In our ``loose spin'' studies, the Fe was added inside the Cu interlayer. Several structures were atomically engineered in order to test the behavior of ``loose spins:'' One additional atomic layer of an (Fe+Cu) alloy were located in appropriate positions in a Cu spacer. The bilinear and biquadratic exchange coupling in the above structures was quantitatively studied with FMR in the temperature range 77-370 K and with MOKE at RT.

  7. Chemical compositional study of 35 iron meteorites and its application in taxonomy

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wang, D.; Malvin, D. J.; Wasson, J. T.

    1985-01-01

    Structural and compositional data are reported as a guide to the classification of 35 iron meteorites. The Xinjiang iron meteorite, previously classified as III AB, is reclassified as III E on the basis of its lower Ga/Ni and Ge/Ni ratios, its wider, swollen kamacite bands, and the ubiquitous presence of haxonite, (Fe,Ni)22C. The Dongling (III CD) appears not to be a new meteorite, but to be paired with the Nantan. Four Antarctic iron meteorites, IAB Allan Hills A77250, A77263, A77289, and A77290, are classified as a paired meteorite because of their similarities in structure and in concentrations of various elements. It is shown that Cu shares certain properties with Ga and Ge, which makes them excellent taxonomic parameters.

  8. Rapid synthesis of Fe-doped CuO-Ce0.8Zr0.2O2 catalysts for CO preferential oxidation in H2-rich streams: Effect of iron source and the ratio of Fe/Cu

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Jing; Han, Caiyun; Gao, Xiaoya; Lu, Jichang; Wan, Gengpin; He, Dedong; Chen, Ran; Chen, Kezhen; He, Sufang; Luo, Yongming

    2017-03-01

    A facile route (urea grind combustion method) is described for the rapid synthesis of Fe-doped Cu-Ce-Zr catalysts within 30 min through simple grinding and combustion. The effects of iron source and Fe/Cu mass ratio on the performances of the catalysts for CO preferential oxidation (CO-PROX) are evaluated. The influences of H2O, CO2, and their mixture on the activity as well as stability of the catalysts are also investigated. The samples are characterized by XRD, N2 adsorption-desorption, H2-TPR, TEM, Raman and XPS. Fe(NO3)3 is found to be superior to FeCl3 and Fe2(SO4)3 as the iron source for Fe-CuCZ catalyst. Among the different synthesized catalysts, 1/10Fe(N)-CuCZ is found to be the most active catalyst, indicating that the optimal Fe/Cu mass ratio is 1/10. The influences of H2O, CO2, and H2O + CO2 on the catalytic performance of 1/10Fe(N)-CuCZ are in the order of CO2 < CO2 + H2O < H2O. 1/10Fe(N)-CuCZ exhibits excellent stability during a 228 h time-on-stream test. 1/10Fe(N)-CuCZ shows the highest catalytic activity and excellent stability even in the presence of H2O and CO2. The excellent catalytic performance can be attributed to the synergy between the highly dispersed copper species and ceria, as well as the formation of more oxygen vacancies and reduced copper species.

  9. Low-Cost, Efficient, and Durable H2 Production by Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting with CuGa3Se5 Photocathodes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Muzzillo, Christopher; Klein, Walter E; Li, Zhen

    Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is an elegant method of converting sunlight and water into H2 fuel. To be commercially advantageous, PEC devices must become cheaper, more efficient, and much more durable. This work examines low-cost polycrystalline chalcopyrite films, which are successful as photovoltaic absorbers, for application as PEC absorbers. In particular, Cu-Ga-Se films with wide band gaps can be employed as top cell photocathodes in tandem devices as a realistic route to high efficiencies. In this report, we demonstrate that decreasing Cu/Ga composition from 0.66 to 0.31 in Cu-Ga-Se films increased the band gap from 1.67 to 1.86 eV andmore » decreased saturated photocurrent density from 18 to 8 mA/cm2 as measured by chopped-light current-voltage (CLIV) measurements in a 0.5 M sulfuric acid electrolyte. Buffer and catalyst surface treatments were not applied to the Cu-Ga-Se films, and they exhibited promising stability, evidenced by unchanged CLIV after 9 months of storage in air. Finally, films with Cu/Ga = 0.36 (approximately stoichiometric CuGa3Se5) and 1.86 eV band gaps had exceptional durability and continuously split water for 17 days (~12 mA/cm2 at -1 V vs RHE). This is equivalent to ~17 200 C/cm2, which is a world record for any polycrystalline PEC absorber. These results indicate that CuGa3Se5 films are prime candidates for cheaply achieving efficient and durable PEC water splitting.« less

  10. Low-Cost, Efficient, and Durable H2 Production by Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting with CuGa3Se5 Photocathodes.

    PubMed

    Muzzillo, Christopher P; Klein, W Ellis; Li, Zhen; DeAngelis, Alexander Daniel; Horsley, Kimberly; Zhu, Kai; Gaillard, Nicolas

    2018-06-13

    Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is an elegant method of converting sunlight and water into H 2 fuel. To be commercially advantageous, PEC devices must become cheaper, more efficient, and much more durable. This work examines low-cost polycrystalline chalcopyrite films, which are successful as photovoltaic absorbers, for application as PEC absorbers. In particular, Cu-Ga-Se films with wide band gaps can be employed as top cell photocathodes in tandem devices as a realistic route to high efficiencies. In this report, we demonstrate that decreasing Cu/Ga composition from 0.66 to 0.31 in Cu-Ga-Se films increased the band gap from 1.67 to 1.86 eV and decreased saturated photocurrent density from 18 to 8 mA/cm 2 as measured by chopped-light current-voltage (CLIV) measurements in a 0.5 M sulfuric acid electrolyte. Buffer and catalyst surface treatments were not applied to the Cu-Ga-Se films, and they exhibited promising stability, evidenced by unchanged CLIV after 9 months of storage in air. Finally, films with Cu/Ga = 0.36 (approximately stoichiometric CuGa 3 Se 5 ) and 1.86 eV band gaps had exceptional durability and continuously split water for 17 days (∼12 mA/cm 2 at -1 V vs RHE). This is equivalent to ∼17 200 C/cm 2 , which is a world record for any polycrystalline PEC absorber. These results indicate that CuGa 3 Se 5 films are prime candidates for cheaply achieving efficient and durable PEC water splitting.

  11. Depth Profile of Impurity Phase in Wide-Bandgap Cu(In1-x ,Ga x )Se2 Film Fabricated by Three-Stage Process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Shenghao; Nazuka, Takehiro; Hagiya, Hideki; Takabayashi, Yutaro; Ishizuka, Shogo; Shibata, Hajime; Niki, Shigeru; Islam, Muhammad M.; Akimoto, Katsuhiro; Sakurai, Takeaki

    2018-02-01

    For copper indium gallium selenide [Cu(In1-x ,Ga x )Se2, CIGS]-based solar cells, defect states or impurity phase always form due to both the multinary compositions of CIGS film and the difficulty of controlling the growth process, especially for high Ga concentration. To further improve device performance, it is important to understand such formation of impurity phase or defect states during fabrication. In the work presented herein, the formation mechanism of impurity phase Cu2-δ Se and its depth profile in CIGS film with high Ga content, in particular CuGaSe2 (i.e., CGS), were investigated by applying different growth conditions (i.e., normal three-stage process and two-cycle three-stage process). The results suggest that impurity phase Cu2-δ Se is distributed nonuniformly in the film because of lack of Ga diffusion. The formed Cu2-δ Se can be removed by etching the as-deposited CGS film with bromine-methanol solution, resulting in improved device performance.

  12. Magnetostriction and corrosion studies in single crystals of iron-gallium alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jayaraman, Tanjore V.

    Iron-gallium alloys have an excellent combination of large low-field magnetostriction, good mechanical properties, low hysteresis, and relatively low cost. This dissertation focuses on the magneto striction and corrosion behaviors of single crystals of Fe-Ga alloys. In the first part, the variation of magnetostrictive coefficient: (3/2) lambda100, with composition and heat treatment conditions of Fe-Ga alloys, is examined. Single crystals with compositions Fe-15 at.% Ga, Fe-20 at.% Ga, and Fe-27.5 at.% Ga were obtained by (a) vertical Bridgman technique (DG) and (b) vertical Bridgman technique followed by long-term annealing (LTA) and quenching. Rapid quenching from a phase region improves the (3/2) lambda 100 value in these alloys. X-ray diffraction characterization showed for the first time the direct evidence of short-range ordering in these alloys. The second part reports the first study of alpha" ordering heat treatment on the elastic properties and magnetostriction of Fe-27.5 at.% Ga alloy single crystals. The elastic constants were measured using resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (RUS), and the elastic properties and magneto-elastic coupling constant were calculated. The (3/2) lambda100 and B1 values obtained for a phase were higher than alpha" phase. The third part examines the first study of corrosion behavior of as-cast FeGa and Fe-Ga-Al alloys in acidic, basic, and simulated seawater environments. Corrosion measurements were performed by Tafel scan and polarization resistance method and in general exhibited good corrosion resistance. The fourth part examines the first study of corrosion behavior of Fe-15 at.% Ga, Fe-20 at.% Ga, and Fe-27.5 at.% Ga DG and LTA alloy single crystals and the dependence of corrosion rates on the crystal orientations. The corrosion resistance was better in basic environments followed by simulated seawater and acidic environments. The fifth part examines the effect of magnetostriction on the corrosion behavior of [100]-oriented single crystal of Fe-20 at.% Ga alloy in acidic and simulated seawater solution, first study ever of this kind. Magnetostrictive strain introduced on the application of saturation magnetic field increased the corrosion rate of [100]-oriented Fe-20 at.% Ga alloy single crystal by 40% in 0.1M HCl and decreased the corrosion rate by 15% in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution.

  13. Note: Resonance magnetoelectric interactions in laminate of FeCuNbSiB and multilayer piezoelectric stack for magnetic sensor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Jianqiang; Lu, Caijiang; Xu, Changbao; Zhong, Ming

    2015-09-01

    This paper develops a simple miniature magnetoelectric (ME) laminate FeCuNbSiB/PZT-stack made up of magnetostrictive Fe73.5Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9 (FeCuNbSiB) foils and piezoelectric Pb(Zr, Ti)O3 (PZT) multilayer stack vibrator. Resonant ME interactions of FeCuNbSiB/PZT-stack with different layers of FeCuNbSiB foil (L) are investigated in detail. The experimental results show that the ME voltage coefficient reaches maximum value of 141.5 (V/cm Oe) for FeCuNbSiB/PZT-stack with L = 6. The AC-magnetic sensitivities can reach 524.29 mV/Oe and 1.8 mV/Oe under resonance 91.6 kHz and off-resonance 1 kHz, respectively. The FeCuNbSiB/PZT-stack can distinguish small dc-magnetic field of ˜9 nT. The results indicate that the proposed ME composites are very promising for the cheap room-temperature magnetic field sensing technology.

  14. Epitaxial growth and magnetic properties of ultraviolet transparent Ga2O3/(Ga1-xFex)2O3 multilayer thin films.

    PubMed

    Guo, Daoyou; An, Yuehua; Cui, Wei; Zhi, Yusong; Zhao, Xiaolong; Lei, Ming; Li, Linghong; Li, Peigang; Wu, Zhenping; Tang, Weihua

    2016-04-28

    Multilayer thin films based on the ferromagnetic and ultraviolet transparent semiconductors may be interesting because their magnetic/electronic/photonic properties can be manipulated by the high energy photons. Herein, the Ga2O3/(Ga1-xFex)2O3 multilayer epitaxial thin films were obtained by alternating depositing of wide band gap Ga2O3 layer and Fe ultrathin layer due to inter diffusion between two layers at high temperature using the laser molecular beam epitaxy technique. The multilayer films exhibits a preferred growth orientation of crystal plane, and the crystal lattice expands as Fe replaces Ga site. Fe ions with a mixed valence of Fe(2+) and Fe(3+) are stratified distributed in the film and exhibit obvious agglomerated areas. The multilayer films only show a sharp absorption edge at about 250 nm, indicating a high transparency for ultraviolet light. What's more, the Ga2O3/(Ga1-xFex)2O3 multilayer epitaxial thin films also exhibits room temperature ferromagnetism deriving from the Fe doping Ga2O3.

  15. New production cross sections for the theranostic radionuclide 67Cu

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pupillo, Gaia; Sounalet, Thomas; Michel, Nathalie; Mou, Liliana; Esposito, Juan; Haddad, Férid

    2018-01-01

    The cross sections of the 68Zn(p,2p)67Cu, 68Zn(p,2n)67Ga and 68Zn(p,3n)66Ga reactions were measured at the ARRONAX facility by using the 70 MeV cyclotron, with particular attention to the production of the theranostic radionuclide 67Cu. Enriched 68Zn material was electroplated on silver backing and exposed to a low-intensity proton beam by using the stacked-foils target method. Since 67Cu and 67Ga radionuclides have similar half-lives and same γ-lines (they both decay to 67Zn), a radiochemical process aimed at Cu/Ga separation was mandatory to avoid interferences in γ-spectrometry measurements. A simple chemical procedure having a high separation efficiency (>99%) was developed and monitored during each foil processing, thanks to the tracer isotopes 61Cu and 66Ga. Nuclear cross sections were measured in the energy range 35-70 MeV by using reference reactions recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to monitor beam flux. In comparison with literature data a general good agreement on the trend of the nuclear reactions was noted, especially with latest measurements, but slightly lower values were obtained in case of 67Cu. Experimental results of the 68Zn(p,2p)67Cu, 68Zn(p,2n)67Ga and 68Zn(p,3n)66Ga reactions were also compared with the theoretical values estimated by using the software TALYS. The production yield of the theranostic radionuclide 67Cu was estimated considering the results obtained in this work.

  16. Enhancement of spin-Seebeck effect by inserting ultra-thin Fe{sub 70}Cu{sub 30} interlayer

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kikuchi, D., E-mail: d.kikuchi@imr.tohoku.ac.jp; WPI Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577; Spin Quantum Rectification Project, ERATO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Sendai 980-8577

    2015-02-23

    We report the longitudinal spin-Seebeck effects (LSSEs) for Pt/Fe{sub 70}Cu{sub 30}/BiY{sub 2}Fe{sub 5}O{sub 12} (BiYIG) and Pt/BiYIG devices. The LSSE voltage was found to be enhanced by inserting an ultra-thin Fe{sub 70}Cu{sub 30} interlayer. This enhancement decays sharply with increasing the Fe{sub 70}Cu{sub 30} thickness, suggesting that it is not due to bulk phenomena, such as a superposition of conventional thermoelectric effects, but due to interface effects related to the Fe{sub 70}Cu{sub 30} interlayer. Combined with control experiments using Pt/Fe{sub 70}Cu{sub 30} devices, we conclude that the enhancement of the LSSE voltage in the Pt/Fe{sub 70}Cu{sub 30}/BiYIG devices is attributedmore » to the improvement of the spin-mixing conductance at the Pt/BiYIG interfaces.« less

  17. Tuning static and dynamic properties of FeGa/NiFe heterostructures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rementer, Colin R.; Fitzell, Kevin; Xu, Qiang; Nordeen, Paul; Carman, Gregory P.; Wang, Yuanxun E.; Chang, Jane P.

    2017-06-01

    In this work, the frequency-dependent magnetic properties of sputtered Galfenol/Permalloy (Fe85Ga15/Ni81Fe19 or FeGa/NiFe) magnetic multilayers were examined to tailor their magnetic softness, loss at microwave frequencies, permeability, and magnetoelasticity, leveraging the magnetic softness and low loss of NiFe and the high saturation magnetostriction (λs) and magnetization (MS) of FeGa. The total volume of each material and their ratio were kept constant, and the number of alternating layers was increased (with decreasing individual layer thickness) to assess the role of increasing interfaces in these magnetic heterostructures. A systematic change was observed as the number of bilayers or interfaces increases: a seven-bilayer structure results in an 88% reduction in coercivity and a 55% reduction in ferromagnetic resonance linewidth at the X-band compared to a single phase FeGa film, while maintaining a high relative permeability of 700. The magnetostriction was slightly reduced by the addition of NiFe but was still maintained at up to 67% that of single phase FeGa. The tunability of these magnetic heterostructures makes them excellent candidates for RF magnetic applications requiring strong magnetoelastic coupling and low loss.

  18. Characterization of iron, manganese, and copper synthetic hydroxyapatites by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sutter, B.; Wasowicz, T.; Howard, T.; Hossner, L. R.; Ming, D. W.

    2002-01-01

    The incorporation of micronutrients (e.g., Fe, Mn, Cu) into synthetic hydroxyapatite (SHA) is proposed for slow release of these nutrients to crops in NASA's Advanced Life Support (ALS) program for long-duration space missions. Separate Fe3+ (Fe-SHA), Mn2+ (Mn-SHA), and Cu2+ (Cu-SHA) containing SHA materials were synthesized by a precipitation method. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy was used to determine the location of Fe3+, Mn2+, and Cu2+ ions in the SHA structure and to identify other Fe(3+)-, Mn(2+)-, and Cu(2+)-containing phases that formed during precipitation. The EPR parameters for Fe3+ (g=4.20 and 8.93) and for Mn2+ (g=2.01, A=9.4 mT, D=39.0 mT and E=10.5 mT) indicated that Fe3+ and Mn2+ possessed rhombic ion crystal fields within the SHA structure. The Cu2+ EPR parameters (g(z)=2.488, A(z)=5.2 mT) indicated that Cu2+ was coordinated to more than six oxygens. The rhombic environments of Fe3+ and Mn2+ along with the unique Cu2+ environment suggested that these metals substituted for the 7 or 9 coordinate Ca2+ in SHA. The EPR analyses also detected poorly crystalline metal oxyhydroxides or metal-phosphates associated with SHA. The Fe-, Mn-, and Cu-SHA materials are potential slow release sources of Fe, Mn, and Cu for ALS and terrestrial cropping systems.

  19. Coagulation-flocculation as pre-treatment for micro-scale Fe/Cu/O3 process (CF-mFe/Cu/O3) treatment of the coating wastewater from automobile manufacturing.

    PubMed

    Xiong, Zhaokun; Cao, Jinyan; Yang, Dan; Lai, Bo; Yang, Ping

    2017-01-01

    A coagulation-flocculation as pre-treatment combined with mFe/Cu/O 3 (CF-mFe/Cu/O 3 ) process was developed to degrade the pollutants in automobile coating wastewater (ACW). In coagulation-flocculation (CF) process, high turbidity removal efficiency (97.1%) and low COD removal efficiency (10.5%) were obtained under the optimal conditions using Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 ·18H 2 O and CaO. The effluent of CF process (ECF) was further disposed by mFe/Cu/O 3 process, and its key operating parameters were optimized by batch experiments. Optimally, COD removal efficiency of ECF obtained by the mFe/Cu/O 3 process (i.e., 87.6% after 30 min treatment) was much higher than those of mFe/Cu alone (8.3%), ozone alone (46.6%), and mFe/Cu/air (6.1%), which confirms the superiority of the mFe/Cu/O 3 process. In addition, the analysis results of UV-vis, excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectra and GC/MS further confirm that the phenol pollutants of ECF had been effectively decomposed or transformed after CF-mFe/Cu/O 3 process treatment. Meanwhile, B/C ratio of ACW increased from 0.19 to 0.56, which suggests the biodegradability was improved significantly. Finally, the operating cost of CF-mFe/Cu/O 3 process was about 1.83 USD t -1 for ACW treatment. Therefore, the combined process is a promising treatment technology for the coating wastewater from automobile manufacturing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Synthesis of mesoporous triple-metal nanosorbent from layered double hydroxide as an efficient new sorbent for removal of dye from water and wastewater.

    PubMed

    Kostić, Miloš; Radović, Miljana; Velinov, Nena; Najdanović, Slobodan; Bojić, Danijela; Hurt, Andrew; Bojić, Aleksandar

    2018-09-15

    In this study, co-precipitation synthesis of the mesoporous triple-metal nanosorbent from Fe, Cu, Ni layered double hydroxide (FeCuNi-LDH), on the basis of the data obtained from the TG analysis was carried out. The FTIR spectroscopy and XRD results confirm the formation of CuO, NiO and Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles, while the EDX analysis does not show significant variations on the surface in elemental composition. BET analysis shows that FeCuNi-280 (FeCuNi-LDH calcinated at 280 °C) with mesoporous structure, has larger surface area compared to FeCuNi-LDH and FeCuNi-550 (FeCuNi-LDH calcinated at 550 °C). The value of pH PZC of FeCuNi-280 is found to be 8.66. Obtained FeCuNi-280 material showed the ability for efficient removal of dye Reactive Blue 19 (RB19) from water, with a very high sorption capacity of 480.79 mg/g at optimal conditions: the sorbent dose of 0.6 g/dm 3 , stirring speed of 280 rpm and pH 2. The kinetics results of the sorption process were well fitted by pseudo-second order and Chrastil model, and the sorption isotherm was well described by Sips, Langmuir and Brouers-Sotolongo model. FeCuNi-280 was easily regenerated with aqueous solution of NaOH, and reutilization was successfully done in five sorption cycles. The present study show that easy-to-prepare, relatively inexpensive nanosorbent FeCuNi-280 is among the best sorbents for the removal of RB19 dye from water solution and wastewater from textile industry in wide range of pH. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. The role of copper and oxalate in the redox cycling of iron in atmospheric waters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sedlak, David L.; Hoigné, Jürg

    During daytime, the redox cycling of dissolved iron compounds in atmospheric waters, and the related in-cloud transformations of photooxidants, are affected by reactions of Fe and Cu with hydroperoxy (HO 2) and superoxide (O 2-) radicals and the photoreduction of Fe(III)-oxalato complexes. We have investigated several of the important chemical reactions in this redox cycle, through laboratory simulation of the system, using γ-radiation to produce HO 2/O 2-. At concentrations comparable to those measured in atmospheric waters, the redox cycling of Fe was dramatically affected by the presence of oxalate and trace concentrations of Cu. At concentrations more than a hundred times lower than Fe, Cu consumed most of the HO 2/O 2-, and cycled between the Cu(II) and Cu(I) forms. Cu + reacted with FeOH 2+ to produce Fe(II) and Cu(II), with a second order rate constant of approximately 3 × 10 7 M -1s -1. The presence of oxalate resulted in the formation of Fe(III)-oxalato complexes that were essentially unreactive with HO 2/O 2-. Only at high oxalate concentrations was the Fe(II)C 2O 4 complex also formed, and it reacted relatively rapidly with hydrogen peroxide ( k = (3.1 ± 0.6) × 10 4 M -1s -1). Simulations incorporating measurements for other redox mechanisms, including oxidation by ozone, indicate that, during daytime, Fe should be found mostly in the ferrous oxidation state, and that reactions of FeOH 2+ with Cu(I) and HO 2/O 2-, and to a lesser degree, the photolysis of Fe(III)-oxalato complexes, are important mechanisms of Fe reduction in atmospheric waters. The catalytic effect of Cu(II)/Cu(I) and Fe(III)/Fe(II) should also significantly increase the sink function of the atmospheric liquid phase for HO 2 present in a cloud. A simple kinetic model for the reactions of Fe, Cu and HO 2/O 2-, accurately predicted the changes in Fe oxidation states that occurred when authentic fogwater samples were exposed to HO 2/O 2-.

  2. Characterisation of a natural quartz crystal as a reference material for microanalytical determination of Ti, Al, Li, Fe, Mn, Ga and Ge

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Audetat, Andreas; Garbe-Schonberg, Dieter; Kronz, Andreas; Pettke, Thomas; Rusk, Brian G.; Donovan, John J.; Lowers, Heather

    2015-01-01

    A natural smoky quartz crystal from Shandong province, China, was characterised by laser ablation ICP-MS, electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) and solution ICP-MS to determine the concentration of twenty-four trace and ultra trace elements. Our main focus was on Ti quantification because of the increased use of this element for titanium-in-quartz (TitaniQ) thermobarometry. Pieces of a uniform growth zone of 9 mm thickness within the quartz crystal were analysed in four different LA-ICP-MS laboratories, three EPMA laboratories and one solution-ICP-MS laboratory. The results reveal reproducible concentrations of Ti (57 ± 4 μg g-1), Al (154 ± 15 μg g-1), Li (30 ± 2 μg g-1), Fe (2.2 ± 0.3 μg g-1), Mn (0.34 ± 0.04 μg g-1), Ge (1.7 ± 0.2 μg g-1) and Ga (0.020 ± 0.002 μg g-1) and detectable, but less reproducible, concentrations of Be, B, Na, Cu, Zr, Sn and Pb. Concentrations of K, Ca, Sr, Mo, Ag, Sb, Ba and Au were below the limits of detection of all three techniques. The uncertainties on the average concentration determinations by multiple techniques and laboratories for Ti, Al, Li, Fe, Mn, Ga and Ge are low; hence, this quartz can serve as a reference material or a secondary reference material for microanalytical applications involving the quantification of trace elements in quartz.

  3. Isotopic Evidence of Unaccounted for Fe and Cu Erythropoietic Pathways

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Albarede, F.; Telouk, P.; Lamboux, A.; Jaouen, K.; Balter, V.

    2011-12-01

    Despite its potential importance for understanding perturbations in the Fe-Cu homeostatic pathways, the natural isotopic variability of these metals in the human body remains unexplored. We measured the Fe, Cu, and Zn isotope compositions of total blood, serum, and red blood cells of ~50 young blood donors by multiple-collector ICP-MS after separation and purification by anion exchange chromatography. Zn is on average 0.2 permil heavier in erythrocytes (δ 66Zn=0.44±0.33 permil) with respect to serum but shows much less overall isotopic variability than Fe and Cu, which indicates that isotope fractionation depends more on redox conditions than on ligand coordination. On average, Fe in erythrocytes (δ 56Fe=-2.59±0.47 permil) is isotopically light by 1-2 permil with respect to serum, whereas Cu in erythrocytes (δ 65Cu=0.56±0.50 permil) is 0.8 percent heavier. Fe and Cu isotope compositions clearly separate erythrocytes of men and women. Fe and Cu from B-type men erythrocytes are visibly more fractionated than all the other blood types. Isotope compositions provide an original method for evaluating metal mass balance and homeostasis. Natural isotope variability shows that the current models of Fe and Cu erythropoiesis, which assume that erythropoiesis is restricted to bone marrow, violate mass balance requirements. It unveils unsuspected major pathways for Fe, with erythropoietic production of isotopically heavy ferritin and hemosiderin, and for Cu, with isotopically light Cu being largely channeled into blood and lymphatic circulation rather than into superoxide dismutase-laden erythrocytes. Iron isotopes provide an intrinsic measuring rod of the erythropoietic yield, while Cu isotopes seem to gauge the relative activity of erythropoiesis and lymphatics.

  4. Fabrication of mesoporous iron (Fe) doped copper sulfide (CuS) nanocomposite in the presence of a cationic surfactant via mild hydrothermal method for supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brown, J. William; Ramesh, P. S.; Geetha, D.

    2018-02-01

    We report fabrication of mesoporous Fe doped CuS nanocomposites with uniform mesoporous spherical structures via a mild hydrothermal method employing copper nitrate trihydrate (Cu (NO3).3H2O), Thiourea (Tu,Sc(NH2)2 and Iron tri nitrate (Fe(No3)3) as initial materials with cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylamoniame bromide (CTAB) as stabilizer/size controller and Ethylene glycol as solvent at 130 °C temperature. The products were characterized by XRD, SEM/EDX, TEM, FTIR and UV analysis. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra confirmed the Fe doped CuS nanocomposites which are crystalline in nature. EDX and XRD pattern confirmed that the product is hexagonal CuS phase. Fe doped spherical structure of CuS with grain size of 21 nm was confirmed by XRD pattern. Fe doping was identified by energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). The Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy results revealed the occurrence of active functional groups required for the reduction of copper ions. Studies showed that after a definite time relining on the chosen copper source, the obtained Fe-CuS nanocomposite shows a tendency towards self-assembly and creating mesoporous like nano and submicro structures by TEM/SAED. The achievable mechanism of producing this nanocomposite was primarily discussed. The electrochemical study confirms the pseudocapacitive nature of the CuS and Fe-CuS electrodes. The CuS and Fe-CuS electrode shows a specific capacitance of about 328.26 and 516.39 Fg-1 at a scan rate of 5 mVs-1. As the electrode in a supercapacitor, the mesoporous nanostructured Fe-CuS shows excellent capacitance characteristics.

  5. Doping effect on the thermoelectric properties of chalcopyrite CuGaTe2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharma, Sonu; Singh, Birender; Kumar, Pradeep

    2018-05-01

    In the present work, we have investigated the thermoelectric properties of CuGaTe2 by combining the first principle calculations with Boltzmann transport theory. CuGaTe2 is found to be a potential thermoelectric material with Seebeck coefficient 275µVK-1 at 200K. The thermoelectric properties of the compound can be further improved by doping it with p as well as n-type charge carriers. The heavily p-doped and lightly n-doped, CuGaTe2 provides power factor comparable to that of state-of-art Bi2Te3.

  6. Local structure study of (In{sub 0.95−x}Fe{sub x}Cu{sub 0.05}){sub 2}O{sub 3} thin films using x-ray absorption spectroscopy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ren, Yuan; Xing, Yaya; Ma, Guanxiong

    2015-07-15

    The (In{sub 0.95−x}Fe{sub x}Cu{sub 0.05}){sub 2}O{sub 3} (x = 0.06, 0.08, 0.15, and 0.20) films prepared by RF-magnetron sputtering were investigated by the combination of x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at Fe, Cu, and O K-edge. Although the Fe and O K-edge XAS spectra show that the Fe atoms substitute for the In sites of In{sub 2}O{sub 3} lattice for all the films, the Cu K-edge XAS spectra reveal that the codoped Cu atoms are separated to form the Cu metal clusters. After being annealed in air, the Fe atoms are still substitutionally incorporated into the In{sub 2}O{sub 3} lattice, while the Cumore » atoms form the CuO secondary phases. With the increase of Fe concentration, the bond length R{sub Fe-O} shortens and the Debye–Waller factor σ{sup 2}{sub Fe-O} increases in the first coordination shell of Fe, which are attributed to the relaxation of oxygen environment around the substitutional Fe ions. The forming of Cu relating secondary phases in the films is due to high ionization energy of Cu atoms, leading that the Cu atoms are energetically much harder to be oxidized to substitute for the In sites of In{sub 2}O{sub 3} lattice than Fe atoms. These results provide new experimental guidance in the preparation of the codoped In{sub 2}O{sub 3} based dilute magnetic oxides.« less

  7. Conditions and mechanisms for the formation of nano-sized Delafossite (CuFeO{sub 2}) at temperatures ≤90 °C in aqueous solution

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    John, Melanie, E-mail: melanie.john@min.uni-muenchen.de; Heuss-Aßbichler, Soraya; Ullrich, Aladin

    In this study, we present the mechanism of CuFeO{sub 2} formation in aqueous solution at low temperatures ≤90 °C, using sulfate salts as reactants. Furthermore, we demonstrate the influence of experimental conditions (alkalization, reaction and ageing temperature and time) on the synthesized nanoparticles. In all cases, GR–SO{sub 4}, a Fe(II–III) layered double hydroxysulphate (Fe{sup 2+}{sub 4}Fe{sup 3+}{sub 2}(OH){sub 12}·SO{sub 4}) and Cu{sub 2}O precipitate first. During further OH{sup −} supply GR–SO{sub 4} oxidizes and forms Fe{sub 10}O{sub 14}(OH){sub 2}, Cu{sub 2}O and CuFeO{sub 2} crystals. Due to the high pH further CuFeO{sub 2} crystals grow at the cost of themore » unstable intermediate products. The reaction rate increases with increasing ageing temperature, reaction pH and, in particular, NaOH concentrations in the solution. As a result, highly crystalline CuFeO{sub 2} (3R and 2H polytypes) nanoparticles showing hexagonal morphology can be synthesized at 70 °C within 10 h or at 50 °C within 1 week. The formation of 2H polytype is favored by additional OH{sup −} supply during the pH-stat time and rather low temperatures. - Highlights: • We solve the formation mechanism of pure CuFeO{sub 2} using sulfates as reactants. • CuFeO{sub 2} nanoparticles crystallize on cost of green rust, Fe{sub 10}O{sub 14}(OH){sub 2} and Cu{sub 2}O. • The reaction rate increases with increasing temperature and OH- concentration. • CuFeO{sub 2} nanoparticles form at 50 °C within one week and at 70 °C within 10 h. • 2H-polytype of CuFeO{sub 2} is favored by additional NaOH supply during pH-stat-time.« less

  8. Chalcogenide thin films deposited by rfMS technique using a single quaternary target

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prepelita, P.; Stavarache, I.; Negrila, C.; Garoi, F.; Craciun, V.

    2017-12-01

    Thin films of chalcogenide, Cu(In,Ga)Se2 have been obtained using a single quaternary target by radio frequency magnetron sputtering method, with thickness in the range 750 nm to 1200 nm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy investigations showed, that the composition of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin films was very similar to that of the used target CuIn0.75Ga0.25Se2. Identification of the chemical composition of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin films by XPS performed in high vacuum, emphasized that the samples exhibit surface features suitable to be integrated into the structure of solar cells. Atomic Force Microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy investigations showed that surface morphology was influenced by the increase in thickness of the Cu(In,Ga)Se2 layer. From X-Ray Diffraction investigations it was found that all films were polycrystalline, having a tetragonal lattice with a preferential orientation along the (112) direction. The optical reflectance as a function of wavelength was measured for the studied samples. The increase in thickness of the Cu(In,Ga)Se2 absorber determined a decrease of its optical bandgap value from 1.53 eV to 1.44 eV. The results presented in this paper showed an excellent alternative of obtaining Cu(In,Ga)Se2 compound thin films from a single target.

  9. Heterojunction solar cell with 6% efficiency based on an n-type aluminum-gallium-oxide thin film and p-type sodium-doped Cu2O sheet

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Minami, Tadatsugu; Nishi, Yuki; Miyata, Toshihiro

    2015-02-01

    In this paper, we describe efforts to enhance the efficiency of Cu2O-based heterojunction solar cells fabricated with an aluminum-gallium-oxide (Al-Ga-O) thin film as the n-type layer and a p-type sodium (Na)-doped Cu2O (Cu2O:Na) sheet prepared by thermally oxidizing copper sheets. The optimal Al content [X; Al/(Ga + Al) atomic ratio] of an AlX-Ga1-X-O thin-film n-type layer was found to be approximately 2.5 at. %. The optimized resistivity was approximately 15 Ω cm for n-type AlX-Ga1-X-O/p-type Cu2O:Na heterojunction solar cells. A MgF2/AZO/Al0.025-Ga0.975-O/Cu2O:Na heterojunction solar cell with 6.1% efficiency was fabricated using a 60-nm-thick n-type oxide thin-film layer and a 0.2-mm-thick Cu2O:Na sheet with the optimized resistivity.

  10. Epitaxial growth and characterization of CuGa2O4 films by laser molecular beam epitaxy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wei, Hongling; Chen, Zhengwei; Wu, Zhenping; Cui, Wei; Huang, Yuanqi; Tang, Weihua

    2017-11-01

    Ga2O3 with a wide bandgap of ˜ 4.9 eV can crystalize in five crystalline phases. Among those phases, the most stable monoclinic β-Ga2O3 has been studied most, however, it is hard to find materials lattice matching with β-Ga2O3 to grown epitaxial thin films for optoelectronic applications. In this work, CuGa2O4 bulk were prepared by solid state reaction as target, and the films were deposited on sapphire substrates by laser molecular beam epitaxy (L-MBE) at different substrate temperatures. The influences of substrate temperature on structural and optical properties have been systematically investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, Transmission electron microscope and UV-vis absorption spectra. High quality cubic structure and [111] oriented CuGa2O4 film can be obtained at substrate temperature of 750 °C. It's also demonstrated that the CuGa2O4 film has a bandgap of ˜ 4.4 eV and a best crystal quality at 750 °C, suggesting that CuGa2O4 film is a promising candidate for applications in ultraviolet optoelectronic devices.

  11. A Hybrid Mineral Battery: Energy Storage and Dissolution Behavior of CuFeS2 in a Fixed Bed Flow Cell.

    PubMed

    Deen, Kashif Mairaj; Asselin, Edouard

    2018-05-09

    The development of a hybrid system capable of storing energy and the additional benefit of Cu extraction is discussed in this work. A fixed bed flow cell (FBFC) was used in which a composite negative electrode containing CuFeS 2 (80 wt %) and carbon black (20 wt %) in graphite felt was separated from a positive (graphite felt) electrode by a proton-exchange membrane. The anolyte (0.2 m H 2 SO 4 ) and catholyte (0.5 m Fe 2+ in 0.2 m H 2 SO 4 with or without 0.1 m Cu 2+ ) were circulated in the cell. The electrochemical activity of the Fe 2+ /Fe 3+ redox couple over graphite felt significantly improved after the addition of Cu 2+ in the catholyte. Ultimately, in the CuFeS 2 ∥Fe 2+ /Cu 2+ (CFeCu) FBFC system, the specific capacity increased continuously to 26.4 mAh g -1 in 500 galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) cycles, compared to the CuFeS 2 ∥Fe 2+ (CFe) system (13.9 mAh g -1 ). Interestingly, the specific discharge energy gradually increased to 3.6 Wh kg -1 in 500 GCD cycles for the CFeCu system compared to 3.29 Wh kg -1 for the CFe system in 150 cycles. In addition to energy storage, 10.75 % Cu was also extracted from the mineral, which is an important feature of the CFeCu system as it would allow Cu extraction and recovery through hydrometallurgical methods. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Effects of spin entropy and lattice strain from mixed-trivalent Fe3+/Cr3+ on the electronic, thermoelectric and optical properties of delafossite CuFe1-x Cr x O2 (x  =  0.25, 0.5, 0.75)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ruttanapun, Chesta; Maensiri, Santi

    2015-12-01

    Mixed-trivalent Fe3+/Cr3+ content CuFe1-x Cr x O2 (x  =  0.25, 0.5, and 0.75) compounds were synthesized to investigate the effects of spin entropy, and lattice strain on their electronic, thermoelectric and optical properties. The XPS results showed the existence of mixed Cu1+/Cu2+, Fe3+/Fe4+ and Cr2+/Cr3+ ion states in the structures. The mixed Fe3+/Cr3+ions caused a strong correlation to occur between the spin and the orbitals of the carriers in the octahedral layer of the sample, affecting the carrier degeneracy Seebeck coefficient behaviour, and the Cu2+ and Fe4+ ions caused an effect of enhancing the electric conductivity. These effects meant that CuFe0.75Cr0.25O2 had the highest electrical conductivity, an enhanced Seebeck coefficient compared to that of CuFeO2-based compounds, and the highest thermopower value. The lowest thermal conductivity was that of CuFe0.5Cr0.5O2, which was a result of the mismatched atomic radii of the mixed trivalent Fe3+(0.645 Å)/Cr3+(0.615 Å), which caused the lattice strain to occur in the structure and thus affected the point defect scattering of the phonon thermal conductivity. The lowest total thermal conductivity was that of CuFe0.5Cr0.5O2, because it had the maximum lattice strain. Overall, the effect of the mixed trivalent elements caused CuFe0.75Cr0.25O2 to have the highest value of the dimensionless figure of merit ZT, with a value that was four times that of CuFeO2-based compounds and six times that of CuCrO2-based compounds. With regard to optical properties, the lattice strain causes the indirect optical gap to increase with increasing x content, but has no effect on the direct optical gap. These results verified that the mixed-trivalent Fe3+/Cr3+ content of CuFe1-x Cr x O2 (x  =  0.25, 0.5, and 0.75) affected the electronic, thermoelectric and optical properties of the structure by causing spin entropy and lattice strain to occur.

  13. Sulfide enrichment at an oceanic crust-mantle transition zone: Kane Megamullion (23°N, MAR)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ciazela, Jakub; Koepke, Juergen; Dick, Henry J. B.; Botcharnikov, Roman; Muszynski, Andrzej; Lazarov, Marina; Schuth, Stephan; Pieterek, Bartosz; Kuhn, Thomas

    2018-06-01

    The Kane Megamullion oceanic core complex located along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (23°30‧N, 45°20‧W) exposes lower crust and upper mantle directly on the ocean floor. We studied chalcophile elements and sulfides in the ultramafic and mafic rocks of the crust-mantle transition and the mantle underneath. We determined mineralogical and elemental composition and the Cu isotope composition of the respective sulfides along with the mineralogical and elemental composition of the respective serpentines. The rocks of the crust-mantle transition zone (i.e., plagioclase harzburgite, peridotite-gabbro contacts, and dunite) overlaid by troctolites are by one order of magnitude enriched in several chalcophile elements with respect to the spinel harzburgites of the mantle beneath. Whereas the range of Cu concentrations in spinel harzburgites is 7-69 ppm, the Cu concentrations are highly elevated in plagioclase harzburgites with a range of 90-209 ppm. The zones of the peridotite-gabbro contacts are even more enriched, exhibiting up to 305 ppm Cu and highly elevated concentrations of As, Zn, Ga, Sb and Tl. High Cu concentrations show pronounced correlation with bulk S concentrations at the crust-mantle transition zone implying an enrichment process in this horizon of the oceanic lithosphere. We interpret this enrichment as related to melt-mantle reaction, which is extensive in crust-mantle transition zones. In spite of the ubiquitous serpentinization of primary rocks, we found magmatic chalcopyrites [CuFeS2] as inclusions in plagioclase as well as associated with pentlandite [(Fe,Ni)9S8] and pyrrhotite [Fe1-xS] in polysulfide grains. These chalcopyrites show a primary magmatic δ65Cu signature ranging from -0.04 to +0.29 ‰. Other chalcopyrites have been dissolved during serpentinization. Due to the low temperature (<300 °C) of circulating fluids chalcophile metals from primary sulfides have not been mobilized and transported away but have been trapped in smaller secondary sulfides and hydroxides. Combined with the Cu deposits documented in the crust-mantle transition zones of various ophiolite complexes, our results indicate that the metal enrichment, increased sulfide modes, and potentially formation of small sulfide deposits could be expected globally along the petrological Moho.

  14. Beneficial Role of Copper in the Enhancement of Durability of Ordered Intermetallic PtFeCu Catalyst for Electrocatalytic Oxygen Reduction.

    PubMed

    Arumugam, Balamurugan; Tamaki, Takanori; Yamaguchi, Takeo

    2015-08-05

    Design of Pt alloy catalysts with enhanced activity and durability is a key challenge for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. In the present work, we compare the durability of the ordered intermetallic face-centered tetragonal (fct) PtFeCu catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) relative to its counterpart bimetallic catalysts, i.e., the ordered intermetallic fct-PtFe catalyst and the commercial catalyst from Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo, TKK-PtC. Although both fct catalysts initially exhibited an ordered structure and mass activity approximately 2.5 times higher than that of TKK-Pt/C, the presence of Cu at the ordered intermetallic fct-PtFeCu catalyst led to a significant enhancement in durability compared to that of the ordered intermetallic fct-PtFe catalyst. The ordered intermetallic fct-PtFeCu catalyst retained more than 70% of its mass activity and electrochemically active surface area (ECSA) over 10 000 durability cycles carried out at 60 °C. In contrast, the ordered intermetallic fct-PtFe catalyst maintained only about 40% of its activity. The temperature of the durability experiment is also shown to be important: the catalyst was more severely degraded at 60 °C than at room temperature. To obtain insight into the observed enhancement in durability of fct-PtFeCu catalyst, a postmortem analysis of the ordered intermetallic fct-PtFeCu catalyst was carried out using scanning transmission electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (STEM-EDX) line scan. The STEM-EDX line scans of the ordered intermetallic fct-PtFeCu catalyst over 10 000 durability cycles showed a smaller degree of Fe and Cu dissolution from the catalyst. Conversely, large dissolution of Fe was identified in the ordered intermetallic fct-PtFe catalyst, indicating a lesser retention of Fe that causes the destruction of ordered structure and gives rise to poor durability. The enhancement in the durability of the ordered intermetallic fct-PtFeCu catalyst is ascribed to the synergistic effects of Cu presence and the ordered structure of catalyst.

  15. Electrochemical fabrication and optoelectronic properties of hybrid heterostructure of CuPc/porous GaN

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peng, Fei; Qin, Shuang-Jiao; Hu, Li-Feng; Wang, Juan-Ye; Yang, Jia-Mei; Chen, Xue-Qing; Pan, Ge-Bo

    2016-05-01

    A new hybrid heterostructure of p-type copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) and n-type porous GaN (PGaN) has been fabricated by electrophoretic deposition. The influence of CuPc concentration, electric field intensity, and deposition time on the growth of CuPc film has been explored. The as-prepared CuPc films are made of numerous nanorods. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra revealed that the CuPc films are the β phase and amorphous type on pristine and porous GaN, respectively. Moreover, the prototype devices were fabricated on the basis of the CuPc/PGaN heterostructures. The devices exhibited excellent photodetector performance under ultraviolet (UV) light illumination.

  16. Influences on Distribution of Solute Atoms in Cu-8Fe Alloy Solidification Process Under Rotating Magnetic Field

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zou, Jin; Zhai, Qi-Jie; Liu, Fang-Yu; Liu, Ke-Ming; Lu, De-Ping

    2018-05-01

    A rotating magnetic field (RMF) was applied in the solidification process of Cu-8Fe alloy. Focus on the mechanism of RMF on the solid solution Fe(Cu) atoms in Cu-8Fe alloy, the influences of RMF on solidification structure, solute distribution, and material properties were discussed. Results show that the solidification behavior of Cu-Fe alloy have influenced through the change of temperature and solute fields in the presence of an applied RMF. The Fe dendrites were refined and transformed to rosettes or spherical grains under forced convection. The solute distribution in Cu-rich phase and Fe-rich phase were changed because of the variation of the supercooling degree and the solidification rate. Further, the variation in solute distribution was impacted the strengthening mechanism and conductive mechanism of the material.

  17. A strong protective action of guttiferone-A, a naturally occurring prenylated benzophenone, against iron-induced neuronal cell damage.

    PubMed

    Figueredo, Yanier Núñez; García-Pupo, Laura; Cuesta Rubio, Osmany; Delgado Hernández, René; Naal, Zeki; Curti, Carlos; Pardo Andreu, Gilberto L

    2011-01-01

    Guttiferone-A (GA) is a natural occurring polyisoprenylated benzophenone with several reported pharmacological actions. We have assessed the protective action of GA on iron-induced neuronal cell damage by employing the PC12 cell line and primary culture of rat cortical neurons (PCRCN). A strong protection by GA, assessed by the 2,3-bis(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carbox-anilide (XTT) assay, was revealed, with IC(50) values <1 µM. GA also inhibited Fe(3+)-ascorbate reduction, iron-induced oxidative degradation of 2-deoxiribose, and iron-induced lipid peroxidation in rat brain homogenate, as well as stimulated oxygen consumption by Fe(2+) autoxidation. Absorption spectra and cyclic voltammograms of GA-Fe(2+)/Fe(3+) complexes suggest the formation of a transient charge transfer complex between Fe(2+) and GA, accelerating Fe(2+) oxidation. The more stable Fe(3+) complex with GA would be unable to participate in Fenton-Haber Weiss-type reactions and the propagation phase of lipid peroxidation. The results show a potential of GA against neuronal diseases associated with iron-induced oxidative stress.

  18. Electromigration Related Effects At Metal-Metal Interfaces: Application To Railguns

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-03-01

    found at the armature-rail contact due to local melting, to determine the kinetics of liquid flow Ga under electric current conditions. For this, a...model system comprising a bead of Ga on a Cu thin film track was devised in order to enable liquefaction and current induced movement of Ga to occur...along the Cu track. Upon application of current, Ga underwent liquefaction due to Joule heating and once liquid, it rapidly migrated along the Cu

  19. Interfacial reactions of nano-structured Cu-doped indium oxide/indium tin oxide ohmic contacts to p-GaN.

    PubMed

    Yoon, Young Joon; Chae, S W; Kim, B K; Park, Min Joo; Kwak, Joon Seop

    2010-05-01

    Interfacial microstructure and elemental diffusion of Cu-doped indium oxide (CIO)/indium tin oxide (ITO) ohmic contacts to p-type GaN for light-emitting diodes (LEDs) were investigated using cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray diffraction. The CIO/ITO contacts gave specific contact resistances of approximately 10(-4) omegacm2 and transmittance greater than 95% at a wavelength of 405 nm when annealed at 630 degrees C for 1 min in air. After annealing at 630 degrees C, multi-component oxides composed of Ga2O3-In2O3, Ga2O3-CuO, and In2O3-CuO formed at the interface between p-GaN and ITO. Formation of multi-component oxides reduced the barrier height between p-GaN and ITO due to their higher work functions than that of ITO, and caused Ga in the GaN to diffuse into the CIO/ITO layer, followed by generation of acceptor-like Ga vacancies near the GaN surface, which lowered contact resistivity of the CIO/ITO contacts to p-GaN after the annealing.

  20. Studies of Positrons Trapped at Quantum-Dot Like Particles Embedded in Metal Surfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fazleev, N. G.; Nadesalingam, M. P.; Weiss, A. H.

    2009-03-01

    Experimental studies of the positron annihilation induced Auger electron (PAES) spectra from the Fe-Cu alloy surfaces with quantum-dot like Cu nanoparticles embedded in Fe show that the PAES signal from Cu increase rapidly as the concentration of Cu is enhanced by vacuum annealing. These measurements indicate that almost 75% of positrons that annihilate with core electrons due so with Cu even though the surface concentration of Cu as measured by EAES is only 6%. This result suggests that positrons become localized at sites at the surface containing high concentration of Cu atoms before annihilation. These experimental results are investigated theoretically by performing calculations of the "image-potential" positron surface states and annihilation characteristics of the surface trapped positrons with relevant Fe and Cu core-level electrons for the clean Fe(100) and Cu(100) surfaces and for the Fe(100) surface with quantum-dot like Cu nanoparticles embedded in the top atomic layers of the host substrate. Estimates of the positron binding energy and positron annihilation characteristics reveal their strong sensitivity to the nanoparticle coverage. Computed core annihilation probabilities are compared with experimental ones estimated from the measured Auger peak intensities. The observed behavior of the Fe and Cu PAES signal intensities is explained by theoretical calculations as being due to trapping of positrons in the regions of Cu nanoparticles embedded in the top atomic layers of Fe.

  1. Ga3+ as a mechanistic probe in Fe3+ transport: characterization of Ga3+ interaction with FbpA.

    PubMed

    Weaver, Katherine D; Heymann, Jared J; Mehta, Arnav; Roulhac, Petra L; Anderson, Damon S; Nowalk, Andrew J; Adhikari, Pratima; Mietzner, Timothy A; Fitzgerald, Michael C; Crumbliss, Alvin L

    2008-08-01

    The obligate human pathogens Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and N. meningitidis utilize a highly conserved, three-protein ATP-binding cassette transporter (FbpABC) to shuttle free Fe(3+) from the periplasm and across the cytoplasmic membrane. The periplasmic binding protein, ferric binding protein (FbpA), is capable of transporting other trivalent cations, including Ga(3+), which, unlike Fe(3+), is not redox-active. Because of a similar size and charge as Fe(3+), Ga(3+) is widely used as a non-redox-active Fe(3+) substitute for studying metal complexation in proteins and bacterial populations. The investigations reported here elucidate the similarities and differences in FbpA sequestration of Ga(3+) and Fe(3+), focusing on metal selectivity and the resulting transport function. The thermodynamic binding constant for Ga(3+) complexed with FbpA at pH 6.5, in 50 mM 4-morpholineethanesulfonic acid, 200 mM KCl, 5 mM KH(2)PO(4) was determined by UV-difference spectroscopy as log K'eff=13.7+/-0.6. This represents a 10(5)-fold weaker binding relative to Fe(3+) at identical conditions. The unfolding/refolding behavior of Ga(3+) and Fe(3+) holo-FbpA were also studied using a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy technique, stability of unpurified proteins from rates of H/D exchange (SUPREX). This analysis indicates significant differences between Fe(3+) and Ga(3+) sequestration with regard to protein folding behavior. A series of kinetic experiments established the lability of the Ga(3+)FbpA-PO(4) assembly, and the similarities/differences of stepwise loading of Fe(3+) into apo- or Ga(3+)-loaded FbpA. These biophysical characterization data are used to interpret FbpA-mediated Ga(3+) transport and toxicity in cell culture studies.

  2. Synthesis of Cu-Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@graphene composite: A magnetically separable and efficient catalyst for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Xu, Ran; Bi, Huiping, E-mail: hpbi@njust.edu.cn; He, Guangyu

    2014-09-15

    Highlights: • The Cu-Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@GE composite was prepared by one-step solvent–thermal method. • The Cu-Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@GE composite exhibited the highest catalytic activity with excellent stability. • The Cu-Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@GE composite was magnetically separable. - Abstract: In this work, the Cu-Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@GE composite was prepared easily by a one-step solvent–thermal method, which achieved the formation of Cu nanoparticles (Cu NPs), Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} NPs) and reduction of GO simultaneously. The morphology and structure of the composite was fully characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopymore » (TEM). The time-dependent adsorption spectra of the reaction mixture was measured by UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. The results demonstrated that the Cu NPs and Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} NPs were densely and evenly deposited on the graphene (GE) sheets. It was found that the Cu-Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@GE composite exhibited high catalytic activities on the reduction of p-nitrophenol to p-aminophenol. Furthermore, the composite catalyst can be easily recovered due to its magnetic separability and high stability.« less

  3. Chemical Trend of Superconducting Critical Temperatures in Hole-Doped CuBO2, CuAlO2, CuGaO2, and CuInO2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nakanishi, Akitaka; Katayama-Yoshida, Hiroshi; Ishikawa, Takahiro; Shimizu, Katsuya

    2016-09-01

    We calculated the superconducting critical temperature (Tc) for hole-doped CuXO2 (X = B, Al, Ga, and In) compounds using first-principles calculations based on rigid band model. The compounds with X = Al, Ga, and In have delafosite-type structures and take maximum Tc values at 0.2-0.3 with respect to the number of holes (Nh) in the unit-cell: 50 K for CuAlO2, 10 K for CuGaO2, and 1 K for CuInO2. The decrease of Tc for this change in X is involved by covalency reduction and lattice softening associated with the increase of ionic mass and radius. For CuBO2 which is a lighter compound than CuAlO2, the delafosite structure is unstable and a body-centered tetragonal structure emerges as the most stable structure. As the results, the electron-phonon interaction is decreased and Tc is lower by approximately 43 K than that of CuAlO2 at the hole-doping conditions of Nh = 0.2-0.3.

  4. Phase equilibria in the nominally Al65Cu23Fe12 system at 3, 5 and 21 GPa: Implications for the quasicrystal-bearing Khatyrka meteorite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stagno, Vincenzo; Bindi, Luca; Steinhardt, Paul J.; Fei, Yingwei

    2017-10-01

    Two of the three natural quasiperiodic crystals found in the Khatyrka meteorite show a composition within the Al-Cu-Fe system. Icosahedrite, with formula Al63Cu24Fe13, coexists with the new Al62Cu31Fe7 quasicrystal plus additional Al-metallic minerals such as stolperite (AlCu), kryachkoite [(Al,Cu)6(Fe,Cu)], hollisterite (AlFe3), khatyrkite (Al2Cu) and cupalite (AlCu), associated to high-pressure phases like ringwoodite/ahrensite, coesite, and stishovite. These high-pressure minerals represent the evidence that most of the Khatyrka meteoritic fragments formed at least at 5 GPa and 1200 °C, if not at more extreme conditions. On the other hand, experimental studies on phase equilibria within the representative Al-Cu-Fe system appear mostly limited to ambient pressure conditions, yet. This makes the interpretation of the coexisting mineral phases in the meteoritic sample quite difficult. We performed experiments at 3, 5 and 21 GPa and temperatures of 800-1500 °C using the multi-anvil apparatus to investigate the phase equilibria in the Al65Cu23Fe12 system representative of the first natural quasicrystal, icosahedrite. Our results, supported by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and analyses by scanning electron microscopy, confirm the stability of icosahedrite at high pressure and temperature along with additional coexisting Al-bearing phases representative of khatyrkite and stolperite as those found in the natural meteorite. One reversal experiment performed at 5 GPa and 1200 °C shows the formation of the icosahedral quasicrystal from a pure Al, Cu and Fe mixture, a first experimental synthesis of icosahedrite under those conditions. Pressure appears to not play a major role in the distribution of Al, Cu and Fe between the coexisting phases, icosahedrite in particular. Results from this study extend our knowledge on the stability of icosahedral AlCuFe at higher temperature and pressure than previously examined, and provide a new constraint on the stability of icosahedrite.

  5. A GREEN CHEMISTRY APPROACH TO PREPARATION OF CORE (FE OR CU)-SHELL (NOBLE METALS) NANOCOMPOSITES USING AQUEOUS ASCORBIC ACID

    EPA Science Inventory

    A greener method to fabricate novel core (Fe or Cu)-shell (noble metals) nanocomposites of transition metals such as Fe and Cu and noble metals such as Au, Pt, Pd, and Ag using aqueous ascorbic acid is described. Transition metal salts such as Cu and Fe were reduced using ascor...

  6. Structural and magnetic properties of ultra-thin Fe films on metal-organic chemical vapour deposited GaN(0001)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Jun-Young; Ionescu, Adrian; Mansell, Rhodri; Farrer, Ian; Oehler, Fabrice; Kinane, Christy J.; Cooper, Joshaniel F. K.; Steinke, Nina-Juliane; Langridge, Sean; Stankiewicz, Romuald; Humphreys, Colin J.; Cowburn, Russell P.; Holmes, Stuart N.; Barnes, Crispin H. W.

    2017-01-01

    Structural and magnetic properties of 1-10 nm thick Fe films deposited on GaN(0001) were investigated. In-situ reflecting high energy electron diffraction images indicated a α-Fe(110)/GaN(0001) growth of the 3D Volmer-Weber type. The α-Fe(110) X-ray diffraction peak showed a 1° full-width at half-maximum, indicating ≈20 nm grain sizes. A significant reduction in Fe atomic moment from its bulk value was observed for films thinner than 4 nm. Both GaN/Fe interface roughness and Fe film coercivity increased with Fe thickness, indicating a possible deterioration of Fe crystalline quality. Magnetic anisotropy was mainly uniaxial for all films while hexagonal anisotropies appeared for thicknesses higher than 3.7 nm.

  7. Fluorescent and colorimetric detection of Fe(III) and Cu(II) by a difunctional rhodamine-based probe

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Lei; Ye, Dandan; Li, Wenxuan; Liu, Yuanyuan; Li, Longhua; Zhang, Wenli; Ni, Liang

    2017-08-01

    A new rhodamine B hydrazone derivative (probe L) was synthesized and characterized. The probe L had sufficiently satisfactory selective response to Fe3 + and Cu2 + ions among various interferential metal ions, and high sensitivity with the detection limit of 4.63 × 10- 9 M and 5.264 × 10- 7 M for Fe3 + and Cu2 + ions, respectively. In the presence of Fe3 +, the probe L exhibited turn-on orange fluorescence accompanied by color change from colorless to pink. Toward Cu2 +, the probe L showed significant color change from colorless to red purple. These remarkable orange fluorescence and color change made probe L suitable naked-eye identify for Fe3 + and Cu2 + ions. By means of Job's plot, Benesi-Hildebrand studies and FTIR spectra, both 1:1 binding modes (L-Fe3 + and L-Cu2 +) were confirmed. The coordination mechanism and turn on/off fluorescence for L-Fe3 + and L-Cu2 + complexes were well explained by theoretical calculations. Moreover, probe L could be used as a quick, simple, visual test strip for Fe3 + and Cu2 + detection.

  8. Transverse excitations in liquid metals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hosokawa, S.; Munejiri, S.; Inui, M.; Kajihara, Y.; Pilgrim, W.-C.; Baron, A. Q. R.; Shimojo, F.; Hoshino, K.

    2013-02-01

    The transverse acoustic excitation modes were detected by inelastic x-ray scattering in liquid Ga, Cu and Fe in the Q range around 10 nm-1 using a third-generation synchrotron radiation facility, SPring-8, although these liquid metals are mostly described by a simple hard-sphere liquid. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations clearly support this finding for liquid Ga. From the detailed analyses for the S(Q,ω) spectra with good statistic qualities, the lifetime of less than 1 ps and the propagating length of less than 1 nm can be estimated for the transverse acoustic phonon modes, which correspond to the lifetime and size of cages formed instantaneously in these liquid metals. The microscopic Poisson's ratio estimated from the dynamic velocities of sound is 0.42 for liquid Ga and about -0.2 for liquid transition metals, indicating a rubber-like soft and extremely hard elastic properties of the cage clusters, respectively. The origin of these microscopic elastic properties is discussed in detail.

  9. Theoretical Investigation of Calculating Temperatures in the Combining Zone of Cu/Fe Composite Plate Jointed by Explosive Welding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qu, Y. D.; Zhang, W. J.; Kong, X. Q.; Zhao, X.

    2016-03-01

    The heat-transfer behavior of the interface of Flyer plate (or Base Plate) has great influence on the microcosmic structures, stress distributions, and interface distortion of the welded interface of composite plates by explosive welding. In this paper, the temperature distributions in the combing zone are studied for the case of Cu/Fe composite plate jointed by explosive welding near the lower limit of explosive welding. The results show that Flyer plate (Cu plate) and Base Plate (Fe plate) firstly almost have the same melting rate in the explosive welding process. Then, the melting rate of Cu plate becomes higher than that of Fe plate. Finally, the melt thicknesses of Cu plate and Fe plate trend to be different constants, respectively. Meanwhile, the melting layer of Cu plate is thicker than that of Fe plate. The research could supply some theoretical foundations for calculating the temperature distribution and optimizing the explosive welding parameters of Cu/Fe composite plate to some extent.

  10. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sağlam, M.; Güzeldir, B., E-mail: msaglam@atauni.edu.tr

    Highlights: • The CuS thin film used at Cu/n-GaAs structure is grown by SILAR method. • There has been no report on ageing of characteristics of this junction in the literature. • The properties of Cu/CuS/n-GaAs/In structure are examined with different methods. • It has been shown that Cu/CuS/n-GaAs/In structure has a stable interface. - Abstract: The aim of this study is to explain effects of the ageing on the electrical properties of Cu/n-GaAs Shottky barrier diode with Copper Sulphide (CuS) interfacial layer. CuS thin films are deposited on n-type GaAs substrate by Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR)more » method at room temperature. The structural and the morphological properties of the films have been carried out by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) techniques. The XRD analysis of as-grown films showed the single-phase covellite, with hexagonal crystal structure built around two preferred orientations corresponding to (102) and (108) atomic planes. The ageing effects on the electrical properties of Cu/CuS/n-GaAs/In structure have been investigated. The current–voltage (I–V) measurements at room temperature have been carried out to study the change in electrical characteristics of the devices as a function of ageing time. The main electrical parameters, such as ideality factor (n), barrier height (Φ{sub b}), series resistance (R{sub s}), leakage current (I{sub 0}), and interface states (N{sub ss}) for this structure have been calculated. The results show that the main electrical parameters of device remained virtually unchanged.« less

  11. Fe(II)/Cu(II) interaction on goethite stimulated by an iron-reducing bacteria Aeromonas Hydrophila HS01 under anaerobic conditions.

    PubMed

    Tao, Liang; Zhu, Zhen-Ke; Li, Fang-Bai; Wang, Shan-Li

    2017-11-01

    Copper is a trace element essential for living creatures, but copper content in soil should be controlled, as it is toxic. The physical-chemical-biological features of Cu in soil have a significant correlation with the Fe(II)/Cu(II) interaction in soil. Of significant interest to the current study is the effect of Fe(II)/Cu(II) interaction conducted on goethite under anaerobic conditions stimulated by HS01 (a dissimilatory iron reduction (DIR) microbial). The following four treatments were designed: HS01 with α-FeOOH and Cu(II) (T1), HS01 with α-FeOOH (T2), HS01 with Cu(II) (T3), and α-FeOOH with Cu(II) (T4). HS01 presents a negligible impact on copper species transformation (T3), whereas the presence of α-FeOOH significantly enhanced copper aging contributing to the DIR effect (T1). Moreover, the violent reaction between adsorbed Fe(II) and Cu(II) leads to the decreased concentration of the active Fe(II) species (T1), further inhibiting reactions between Fe(II) and iron (hydr)oxides and decelerating the phase transformation of iron (hydr)oxides (T1). From this study, the effects of the Fe(II)/Cu(II) interaction on goethite under anaerobic conditions by HS01 are presented in three aspects: (1) the accelerating effect of copper aging, (2) the reductive transformation of copper, and (3) the inhibition effect of the phase transformation of iron (hydr)oxides. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Epitaxial Fe(1-x)Gax/GaAs structures via electrochemistry for spintronics applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reddy, K. Sai Madhukar; Maqableh, Mazin M.; Stadler, Bethanie J. H.

    2012-04-01

    In this study, thin films of Fe83Ga17 (a giant magnetostrictive alloy) were grown on single-crystalline n-GaAs (001) and polycrystalline brass substrates via electrochemical synthesis from ferrous and gallium sulfate electrolytes. Extensive structural characterization using microdiffraction, high-resolution ω - 2θ, and rocking-curve analysis revealed that the films grown on GaAs(001) are highly textured with ⟨001⟩ orientation along the substrate normal, and the texture improved further upon annealing at 300 °C for 2 h in N2 environment. On the contrary, films grown on brass substrates exhibited ⟨011⟩ preferred orientation. Rocking-curve analysis done on Fe83Ga17/GaAs structures further confirmed that the ⟨001⟩ texture in the Fe83Ga17 thin film is a result of epitaxial nucleation and growth. The non-linear current-voltage plot obtained for the Fe-Ga/GaAs Schottky contacts was characteristic of tunneling injection, and showed improved behavior with annealing. Thus, this study demonstrates the feasibility of fabricating spintronic devices that incorporate highly magnetostrictive Fe(1-x)Gax thin films grown epitaxially via electrochemistry.

  13. Epitaxial growth and magnetic properties of ultraviolet transparent Ga2O3/(Ga1−xFex)2O3 multilayer thin films

    PubMed Central

    Guo, Daoyou; An, Yuehua; Cui, Wei; Zhi, Yusong; Zhao, Xiaolong; Lei, Ming; Li, Linghong; Li, Peigang; Wu, Zhenping; Tang, Weihua

    2016-01-01

    Multilayer thin films based on the ferromagnetic and ultraviolet transparent semiconductors may be interesting because their magnetic/electronic/photonic properties can be manipulated by the high energy photons. Herein, the Ga2O3/(Ga1−xFex)2O3 multilayer epitaxial thin films were obtained by alternating depositing of wide band gap Ga2O3 layer and Fe ultrathin layer due to inter diffusion between two layers at high temperature using the laser molecular beam epitaxy technique. The multilayer films exhibits a preferred growth orientation of crystal plane, and the crystal lattice expands as Fe replaces Ga site. Fe ions with a mixed valence of Fe2+ and Fe3+ are stratified distributed in the film and exhibit obvious agglomerated areas. The multilayer films only show a sharp absorption edge at about 250 nm, indicating a high transparency for ultraviolet light. What’s more, the Ga2O3/(Ga1−xFex)2O3 multilayer epitaxial thin films also exhibits room temperature ferromagnetism deriving from the Fe doping Ga2O3. PMID:27121446

  14. Quantitative analysis of the persistent photoconductivity effect in Cu(In,Ga)Se2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maciaszek, Marek; Zabierowski, Paweł

    2018-04-01

    The magnitude of the persistent photoconductivity effect (PPC) in two sets of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 samples, differing in the amount of cadmium and sodium, was measured. Using equations describing the magnitude of PPC, metastable defect and shallow acceptor densities were calculated. The method of the analysis of PPC in the presence of a deep acceptor level was presented. Based on obtained results, we drew conclusions about reasons of decreased PPC in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 without sodium as well as the role of (VSe-VCu) complexes in establishing the carrier concentration in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 with and without sodium.

  15. Utilization of Metal Sulfide Material of (CuGa)(1-x)Zn(2x)S2 Solid Solution with Visible Light Response in Photocatalytic and Photoelectrochemical Solar Water Splitting Systems.

    PubMed

    Kato, Takaaki; Hakari, Yuichiro; Ikeda, Satoru; Jia, Qingxin; Iwase, Akihide; Kudo, Akihiko

    2015-03-19

    Upon forming a solid solution between CuGaS2 and ZnS, we have successfully developed a highly active (CuGa)(1-x)Zn(2x)S2 photocatalyst for H2 evolution in the presence of sacrificial reagents under visible light irradiation. The Ru-loaded (CuGa)0.8Zn0.4S2 functioned as a H2-evolving photocatalyst in a Z-scheme system with BiVO4 of an O2-evolving photocatalyst and Co complexes of an electron mediator. The Z-scheme system split water into H2 and O2 under visible light and simulated sunlight irradiation. The (CuGa)(1-x)Zn(2x)S2 possessed a p-type semiconductor character. The photoelectrochemical cell with a Ru-loaded (CuGa)0.5ZnS2 photocathode and a CoO(x)-modified BiVO4 photoanode split water even without applying an external bias. Thus, we successfully demonstrated that the metal sulfide material group can be available for Z-scheme and electrochemical systems to achieve solar water splitting into H2 and O2.

  16. Threshold voltage tuning in AlGaN/GaN HFETs with p-type Cu2O gate synthesized by magnetron reactive sputtering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Lei; Li, Liuan; Xie, Tian; Wang, Xinzhi; Liu, Xinke; Ao, Jin-Ping

    2018-04-01

    In present study, copper oxide films were prepared at different sputtering powers (10-100 W) using magnetron reactive sputtering. The crystalline structure, surface morphologies, composition, and optical band gap of the as-grown films are dependent on sputtering power. As the sputtering power decreasing from 100 to 10 W, the composition of films changed from CuO to quasi Cu2O domination. Moreover, when the sputtering power is 10 W, a relative high hole carrier density and high-surface-quality quasi Cu2O thin film can be achieved. AlGaN/GaN HFETs were fabricated with the optimized p-type quasi Cu2O film as gate electrode, the threshold voltage of the device shows a 0.55 V positive shift, meanwhile, a lower gate leakage current, a higher ON/OFF drain current ratio of ∼108, a higher electron mobility (1465 cm2/Vs), and a lower subthreshold slope of 74 mV/dec are also achieved, compared with the typical Ni/Au-gated HFETs. Therefore, Cu2O have a great potential to develop high performance p-type gate AlGaN/GaN HFETs.

  17. Magnetic properties of quadruple perovskite solid solutions Ca{sub 1–x}Y{sub x}Cu{sub 3}Fe{sub 4}O{sub 12} and Y{sub 1–y}Ce{sub x}Cu{sub 3}Fe{sub 4}O{sub 12}

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Murakami, Makoto; Mori, Shigeo; Yamada, Ikuya, E-mail: i-yamada@21c.osakafu-u.ac.jp

    Magnetic properties of the quadruple perovskite solid solutions Ca{sub 1–x}Y{sub x}Cu{sub 3}Fe{sub 4}O{sub 12} and Y{sub 1–y}Ce{sub y}Cu{sub 3}Fe{sub 4}O{sub 12} are investigated. Ca{sub 1–x}Y{sub x}Cu{sub 3}Fe{sub 4}O{sub 12} shows continuous increase in the ferromagnetic transition temperature as x increases. Y{sub 1–y}Ce{sub y}Cu{sub 3}Fe{sub 4}O{sub 12} exhibits a ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic transition in the vicinity of y = 0.5. These observations demonstrate the electron doping effect on magnetic properties of charge-disproportionated ACu{sub 3}Fe{sub 4}O{sub 12} phases.

  18. Activities in Cu2S-FeS-PbS melts at 1200 °C

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eriç, H.; Timuçin, M.

    1981-09-01

    The dew-point method was used to determine the vapor pressures of PbS over liquid sulfides of the system Cu2S-FeS-PbS at 1200 °C. From the PbS activity data, activities of Cu2S and FeS were evaluated both in binary and ternary melts by Gibbs-Duhem calculations. The systems Cu2S-PbS and Cu2S-FeS exhibit negative departures from ideal behavior, while the FeS-PbS melts are ideal solutions at 1200 °C.

  19. Rosette iron deficiency transcript and microRNA profiling reveals links between copper and iron homeostasis in Arabidopsis thaliana

    PubMed Central

    Waters, Brian M.; Stein, Ricardo J.

    2012-01-01

    Iron (Fe) is an essential plant micronutrient, and its deficiency limits plant growth and development on alkaline soils. Under Fe deficiency, plant responses include up-regulation of genes involved in Fe uptake from the soil. However, little is known about shoot responses to Fe deficiency. Using microarrays to probe gene expression in Kas-1 and Tsu-1 ecotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana, and comparison with existing Col-0 data, revealed conserved rosette gene expression responses to Fe deficiency. Fe-regulated genes included known metal homeostasis-related genes, and a number of genes of unknown function. Several genes responded to Fe deficiency in both roots and rosettes. Fe deficiency led to up-regulation of Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) genes CSD1 and CSD2, and down-regulation of FeSOD genes FSD1 and FSD2. Eight microRNAs were found to respond to Fe deficiency. Three of these (miR397a, miR398a, and miR398b/c) are known to regulate transcripts of Cu-containing proteins, and were down-regulated by Fe deficiency, suggesting that they could be involved in plant adaptation to Fe limitation. Indeed, Fe deficiency led to accumulation of Cu in rosettes, prior to any detectable decrease in Fe concentration. ccs1 mutants that lack functional Cu,ZnSOD proteins were prone to greater oxidative stress under Fe deficiency, indicating that increased Cu concentration under Fe limitation has an important role in oxidative stress prevention. The present results show that Cu accumulation, microRNA regulation, and associated differential expression of Fe and CuSOD genes are coordinated responses to Fe limitation. PMID:22962679

  20. Partitioning of Mo, P and other siderophile elements (Cu, Ga, Sn, Ni, Co, Cr, Mn, V, and W) between metal and silicate melt as a function of temperature and silicate melt composition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Righter, K.; Pando, K. M.; Danielson, L.; Lee, Cin-Ty

    2010-03-01

    Metal-silicate partition coefficients can provide information about the earliest differentiation histories of terrestrial planets and asteroids. Systematic studies of the effects of key parameters such as temperature and melt composition are lacking for many elements. In particular, data for Mo is scarce, but given its refractory nature, is of great value in interpreting metal-silicate equilibrium. Two series of experiments have been carried out to study Mo and P partitioning between Fe metallic liquid and basaltic to peridotitic silicate melt, at 1 GPa and temperatures between 1500 and 1900 °C. Because the silicate melt utilized was natural basalt, there are also measurable quantities of 9 other siderophile elements (Ni, Co, W, Sn, Cu, Mn, V, Cr, Ga and Zn). The Ni and Co data can be used to assess consistency with previous studies. In addition, the new data also allow a first systematic look at the temperature dependence of Cu, Ga, Sn, Cr, Mn V and W for basaltic to peridotitic melts. Many elements exhibit an increase in siderophile behavior at higher temperature, contrary to popular belief, but consistent with predictions from thermodynamics. Using these new data we examine DMomet/sil and DPmet/sil in detail and show that increasing temperature causes a decrease in the former and an increase in the latter, whereas both increase with MgO content of the silicate melt. The depletions of Mo and P in the mantle of the Earth can be explained by metal-silicate equilibrium at magma ocean conditions — both elements are satisfied at PT conditions of an intermediate depth magma ocean for the Earth 22.5 GPa and 2400 °C.

  1. Trace elements in farmed fish (Cyprinus carpio, Ctenopharyngodon idella and Oncorhynchus mykiss) from Beijing: implication from feed.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Haifeng; Qin, Dongli; Mou, Zhenbo; Zhao, Jiwei; Tang, Shizhan; Wu, Song; Gao, Lei

    2016-06-01

    Concentrations of 30 trace elements, Li, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Mo, Zn, Se, Sr, Co, Al, Ti, As, Cs, Sc, Te, Ba, Ga, Pb, Sn, Cd, Sb, Ag, Tm, TI, Be, Hg and U in major cultured freshwater fish species (common carp-Cyprinus carpio, grass carp-Ctenopharyngodon idella and rainbow trout-Oncorhynchus mykiss) with the corresponding feed from 23 fish farms in Beijing, China, were investigated. The results revealed that Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Sr, Se were the major accumulated essential elements and Al, Ti were the major accumulated non-essential elements, while Mo, Co, Ga, Sn, Cd, Sb, Ag, Tm, U, TI, Be, Te, Pb and Hg were hardly detectable. Contents of investigated trace elements were close to or much lower than those in fish from other areas in China. Correlation analysis suggested that the elemental concentrations in those fish species were relatively constant and did not vary much with the fish feed. In comparison with the limits for aquafeeds and fish established by Chinese legislation, Cd in 37.5% of rainbow trout feeds and As in 20% of rainbow trout samples exceeded the maximum limit, assuming that inorganic As accounts for 10% of total As. Further health risk assessment showed that fish consumption would not pose risks to consumers as far as non-essential element contaminants are concerned. However, the carcinogenic risk of As in rainbow trout for the inhabitants in Beijing exceeded the acceptable level of 10(-)(4), to which more attention should be paid.

  2. Characterization of Cu buffer layers for growth of L10-FeNi thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mizuguchi, M.; Sekiya, S.; Takanashi, K.

    2010-05-01

    A Cu(001) layer was fabricated on a Au(001) layer to investigate the use of Cu as a buffer layer for growing L10-FeNi thin films. The epitaxial growth of a Cu buffer layer was observed using reflection high-energy electron diffraction. The flatness of the layer improved drastically with an increase in the substrate temperature although the layer was an alloy (AuCu3). An FeNi thin film was epitaxially grown on the AuCu3 buffer layer by alternate monatomic layer deposition and the formation of an L10-FeNi ordered alloy was expected. The AuCu3 buffer layer is thus a promising candidate material for the growth of L10-FeNi thin films.

  3. Soft x-ray spectroscopy of a complex heterojunction in high-efficiency thin-film photovoltaics: Intermixing and Zn speciation at the Zn(O,S)/Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 interface

    DOE PAGES

    Mezher, Michelle; Garris, Rebekah; Mansfield, Lorelle M.; ...

    2016-11-11

    In this study, the chemical structure of the Zn(O,S)/Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 interface in high-efficiency photovoltaic devices is investigated using X-ray photoelectron and Auger electron spectroscopy, as well as soft X-ray emission spectroscopy. We find that the Ga/(Ga+In) ratio at the absorber surface does not change with the formation of the Zn(O,S)/Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 interface. Furthermore, we find evidence for Zn in multiple bonding environments, including ZnS, ZnO, Zn(OH) 2, and ZnSe. We also observe dehydrogenation of the Zn(O,S) buffer layer after Ar+ ion treatment. Similar to high-efficiency CdS/Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 devices, intermixing occurs at the interface, with diffusion of Se into the buffer,more » and the formation of S—In and/or S—Ga bonds at or close to the interface.« less

  4. The effect of ionic interactions on the oxidation of metals in natural waters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Millero, Frank J.

    1985-02-01

    The effect of ionic interactions of the major components of natural waters on the oxidation of Cu(I) and Fe(II) has been examined. The various ion pairs of these metals have been shown to have different rates of oxidation. For Fe(II), the chloride and sulfate ion pairs are not easily oxidized. The measured decrease in the rate constant at a fixed pH in chloride and sulfate solutions agrees very well with the values predicted. The effect of pH (6 to 8) on the oxidation of Fe(II) in water and seawater have been shown to follow the rate equation -d in [Fe(II)]/dt = k 1β 1α Fe/[H +] + k 2β 2α Fe/[H +] 2 where k1 and k2 are the pseudo first order rate constants, β1 and β2 are the hydrolysis constants for Fe(OH) + and Fe(OH) 0. The value of αFE is the fraction of free Fe 2+. The value of k1 (2.0 ±0.5 min-1) in water and seawater are similar within experimental error. The value of k2 (1.2 × 10 5 min -1) in seawater is 28% of its value in water in reasonable agreement with predictions using an ion pairing model. For the oxidation of Cu(I) a rate equation of the form -d ln [Cu(I)]/dt = k 0α Cu+ k 1β 1α Cu[Cl] was found where k0 (14.1 sec -1) and k1 (3.9 sec -1) are the pseudo first order rate constants for the oxidation of Cu + and CuCl 0, β1 is the formation constant for CuCl 0 and αCu is the fraction of free Cu +. Thus, unlike the results for Fe(II), Cu(I) chloride complexes have measurable rates of oxidation.

  5. Back surface studies of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin film solar cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Simchi, Hamed

    Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin film solar cells have attracted a lot of interest because they have shown the highest achieved efficiency (21%) among thin film photovoltaic materials, long-term stability, and straightforward optical bandgap engineering by changing relative amounts of present elements in the alloy. Still, there are several opportunities to further improve the performance of the Cu(In,Ga)Se2 devices. The interfaces between layers significantly affect the device performance, and knowledge of their chemical and electronic structures is essential in identifying performance limiting factors. The main goal of this research is to understand the characteristics of the Cu(In,Ga)Se2-back contact interface in order to design ohmic back contacts for Cu(In,Ga)Se2-based solar cells with a range of band gaps and device configurations. The focus is on developing either an opaque or transparent ohmic back contact via surface modification or introduction of buffer layers in the back surface. In this project, candidate back contact materials have been identified based on modeling of band alignments and surface chemical properties of the absorber layer and back contact. For the first time, MoO3 and WO 3 transparent back contacts were successfully developed for Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 solar cells. The structural, optical, and surface properties of MoO 3 and WO3 were optimized by controlling the oxygen partial pressure during reactive sputtering and post-deposition annealing. Valence band edge energies were also obtained by analysis of the XPS spectra and used to characterize the interface band offsets. As a result, it became possible to illuminate of the device from the back, resulting in a recently developed "backwall superstrate" device structure that outperforms conventional substrate Cu(In,Ga)Se2 devices in the absorber thickness range 0.1-0.5 microm. Further enhancements were achieved by introducing moderate amounts of Ag into the Cu(In,Ga)Se2 lattice during the co-evaporation method resulting in a 9.7% cell (with 0.3 microm thickness) which has the highest efficiency reported for ultrathin CIGS solar cells to date. In addition, sulfized back contacts including ITO-S and MoS 2 are compared. Interface properties of different contact layers with (Ag,Cu)(In,Ga)Se2 absorber layers with various Ga/(Ga+In) and Ag/(Ag+Cu) ratios are discussed based on the XPS analysis and thermodynamics of reactions.

  6. The transition metal gallium disrupts Pseudomonas aeruginosa iron metabolism and has antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity

    PubMed Central

    Kaneko, Yukihiro; Thoendel, Matthew; Olakanmi, Oyebode; Britigan, Bradley E.; Singh, Pradeep K.

    2007-01-01

    A novel antiinfective approach is to exploit stresses already imposed on invading organisms by the in vivo environment. Fe metabolism is a key vulnerability of infecting bacteria because organisms require Fe for growth, and it is critical in the pathogenesis of infections. Furthermore, humans have evolved potent Fe-withholding mechanisms that can block acute infection, prevent biofilm formation leading to chronic infection, and starve bacteria that succeed in infecting the host. Here we investigate a “Trojan horse” strategy that uses the transition metal gallium to disrupt bacterial Fe metabolism and exploit the Fe stress of in vivo environments. Due to its chemical similarity to Fe, Ga can substitute for Fe in many biologic systems and inhibit Fe-dependent processes. We found that Ga inhibits Pseudomonas aeruginosa growth and biofilm formation and kills planktonic and biofilm bacteria in vitro. Ga works in part by decreasing bacterial Fe uptake and by interfering with Fe signaling by the transcriptional regulator pvdS. We also show that Ga is effective in 2 murine lung infection models. These data, along with the fact that Ga is FDA approved (for i.v. administration) and there is the dearth of new antibiotics in development, make Ga a potentially promising new therapeutic for P. aeruginosa infections. PMID:17364024

  7. Investigation of significantly high barrier height in Cu/GaN Schottky diode

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Garg, Manjari, E-mail: meghagarg142@gmail.com; Kumar, Ashutosh; Singh, R.

    2016-01-15

    Current-voltage (I-V) measurements combined with analytical calculations have been used to explain mechanisms for forward-bias current flow in Copper (Cu) Schottky diodes fabricated on Gallium Nitride (GaN) epitaxial films. An ideality factor of 1.7 was found at room temperature (RT), which indicated deviation from thermionic emission (TE) mechanism for current flow in the Schottky diode. Instead the current transport was better explained using the thermionic field-emission (TFE) mechanism. A high barrier height of 1.19 eV was obtained at room temperature. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to investigate the plausible reason for observing Schottky barrier height (SBH) that is significantlymore » higher than as predicted by the Schottky-Mott model for Cu/GaN diodes. XPS measurements revealed the presence of an ultrathin cuprous oxide (Cu{sub 2}O) layer at the interface between Cu and GaN. With Cu{sub 2}O acting as a degenerate p-type semiconductor with high work function of 5.36 eV, a high barrier height of 1.19 eV is obtained for the Cu/Cu{sub 2}O/GaN Schottky diode. Moreover, the ideality factor and barrier height were found to be temperature dependent, implying spatial inhomogeneity of barrier height at the metal semiconductor interface.« less

  8. NH 3-SCR on Cu, Fe and Cu + Fe exchanged beta and SSZ-13 catalysts: Hydrothermal aging and propylene poisoning effects

    DOE PAGES

    Wang, Aiyong; Wang, Yilin; Walter, Eric D.; ...

    2017-10-07

    Cu, Fe and Cu + Fe ion exchanged Beta and SSZ-13 catalysts were prepared by solution ion exchange using commercial NH 4/Beta, and NH 4/SSZ-13 that was prepared in-house. To study hydrothermal aging effects, Beta supported catalysts were aged hydrothermally at 700 °C and SSZ-13 supported catalysts were aged at 750 °C. In order to reveal the effects of Fe addition in the co-exchanged catalysts, these catalysts were characterized by means of powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), N 2 adsorption-desorption, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), 27Al-nuclear magnetic resonance ( 27Al-NMR) and propylene coking followed with temperature programmed reaction (TPR), and further testedmore » with standard NH 3-SCR with and without the presence of propylene. Collectively, the catalyst characterizations and reaction testing indicated minor beneficial effects of Fe addition in Cu,Fe/Beta, where NH 3-SCR activity, N 2 selectivity and hydrothermal stability were all slightly improved. In contrast, Fe addition did not show apparent beneficial effects in low-temperature SCR for the Cu,Fe/SSZ-13 case. In conclusion, at elevated reaction temperatures, however, the presence of Fe indeed considerably improved NO conversion and N 2 selectivity for the hydrothermally aged Cu,Fe/SSZ-13 catalyst in the presence of propylene.« less

  9. NH 3-SCR on Cu, Fe and Cu + Fe exchanged beta and SSZ-13 catalysts: Hydrothermal aging and propylene poisoning effects

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wang, Aiyong; Wang, Yilin; Walter, Eric D.

    Cu, Fe and Cu + Fe ion exchanged Beta and SSZ-13 catalysts were prepared by solution ion exchange using commercial NH 4/Beta, and NH 4/SSZ-13 that was prepared in-house. To study hydrothermal aging effects, Beta supported catalysts were aged hydrothermally at 700 °C and SSZ-13 supported catalysts were aged at 750 °C. In order to reveal the effects of Fe addition in the co-exchanged catalysts, these catalysts were characterized by means of powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), N 2 adsorption-desorption, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), 27Al-nuclear magnetic resonance ( 27Al-NMR) and propylene coking followed with temperature programmed reaction (TPR), and further testedmore » with standard NH 3-SCR with and without the presence of propylene. Collectively, the catalyst characterizations and reaction testing indicated minor beneficial effects of Fe addition in Cu,Fe/Beta, where NH 3-SCR activity, N 2 selectivity and hydrothermal stability were all slightly improved. In contrast, Fe addition did not show apparent beneficial effects in low-temperature SCR for the Cu,Fe/SSZ-13 case. In conclusion, at elevated reaction temperatures, however, the presence of Fe indeed considerably improved NO conversion and N 2 selectivity for the hydrothermally aged Cu,Fe/SSZ-13 catalyst in the presence of propylene.« less

  10. Failure Mechanisms of SAC/Fe-Ni Solder Joints During Thermal Cycling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gao, Li-Yin; Liu, Zhi-Quan; Li, Cai-Fu

    2017-08-01

    Thermal cycling tests have been conducted on Sn-Ag-Cu/Fe- xNi ( x = 73 wt.% or 45 wt.%) and Sn-Ag-Cu/Cu solder joints according to the Joint Electron Device Engineering Council industrial standard to study their interfacial reliability under thermal stress. The interfacial intermetallic compounds formed for solder joints on Cu, Fe-73Ni, and Fe-45Ni were 4.5 μm, 1.7 μm, and 1.4 μm thick, respectively, after 3000 cycles, demonstrating excellent diffusion barrier effect of Fe-Ni under bump metallization (UBM). Also, two deformation modes, viz. solder extrusion and fatigue crack formation, were observed by scanning electron microscopy and three-dimensional x-ray microscopy. Solder extrusion dominated for solder joints on Cu, while fatigue cracks dominated for solder joints on Fe-45Ni and both modes were detected for those on Fe-73Ni. Solder joints on Fe-Ni presented inferior reliability during thermal cycling compared with those on Cu, with characteristic lifetime of 3441 h, 3190 h, and 1247 h for Cu, Fe-73Ni, and Fe-45Ni UBM, respectively. This degradation of the interfacial reliability for solder joints on Fe-Ni is attributed to the mismatch in coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) at interconnection level. The CTE mismatch at microstructure level was also analyzed by electron backscatter diffraction for clearer identification of recrystallization-related deformation mechanisms.

  11. Predicting Ga and Cu Profiles in Co-Evaporated Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 Using Modified Diffusion Equations and a Spreadsheet

    DOE PAGES

    Repins, Ingrid L.; Harvey, Steve; Bowers, Karen; ...

    2017-05-15

    Cu(In,Ga)Se 2(CIGS) photovoltaic absorbers frequently develop Ga gradients during growth. These gradients vary as a function of growth recipe, and are important to device performance. Prediction of Ga profiles using classic diffusion equations is not possible because In and Ga atoms occupy the same lattice sites and thus diffuse interdependently, and there is not yet a detailed experimental knowledge of the chemical potential as a function of composition that describes this interaction. Here, we show how diffusion equations can be modified to account for site sharing between In and Ga atoms. The analysis has been implemented in an Excel spreadsheet,more » and outputs predicted Cu, In, and Ga profiles for entered deposition recipes. A single set of diffusion coefficients and activation energies are chosen, such that simulated elemental profiles track with published data and those from this study. Extent and limits of agreement between elemental profiles predicted from the growth recipes and the spreadsheet tool are demonstrated.« less

  12. Predicting Ga and Cu Profiles in Co-Evaporated Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 Using Modified Diffusion Equations and a Spreadsheet

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Repins, Ingrid L.; Harvey, Steve; Bowers, Karen

    Cu(In,Ga)Se 2(CIGS) photovoltaic absorbers frequently develop Ga gradients during growth. These gradients vary as a function of growth recipe, and are important to device performance. Prediction of Ga profiles using classic diffusion equations is not possible because In and Ga atoms occupy the same lattice sites and thus diffuse interdependently, and there is not yet a detailed experimental knowledge of the chemical potential as a function of composition that describes this interaction. Here, we show how diffusion equations can be modified to account for site sharing between In and Ga atoms. The analysis has been implemented in an Excel spreadsheet,more » and outputs predicted Cu, In, and Ga profiles for entered deposition recipes. A single set of diffusion coefficients and activation energies are chosen, such that simulated elemental profiles track with published data and those from this study. Extent and limits of agreement between elemental profiles predicted from the growth recipes and the spreadsheet tool are demonstrated.« less

  13. AB INITIO Investigations of the Magnetism in Diluted Magnetic Semiconductor Fe-DOPED GaN

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheng, Jie; Zhou, Jing; Xu, Wei; Dong, Peng

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, we present a first principle investigation on Fe-doped GaN with wurtzite and zinc-blend structure using full potential density functional calculations. Data point out that the magnetic behavior of Fe-doped GaN system is strongly dependent on Fe doping configurations. In agreement with the experimental reports, and independently by doping, antiferromagnetism occurs in the zinc-blend structure, while in the wurtzite structure ferromagnetism depends on the Fe doping configurations. Detailed analyses combined with density of state calculations support the assignment that the ferromagnetism is closely related to the impurity band at the origin of the hybridization of Fe 3d and N 2p states in the Fe-doped GaN of wurtzite phase.

  14. Electronic, Magnetic, and Redox Properties of [MFe(3)S(4)] Clusters (M = Cd, Cu, Cr) in Pyrococcus furiosus Ferredoxin.

    PubMed

    Staples, Christopher R.; Dhawan, Ish K.; Finnegan, Michael G.; Dwinell, Derek A.; Zhou, Zhi Hao; Huang, Heshu; Verhagen, Marc F. J. M.; Adams, Michael W. W.; Johnson, Michael K.

    1997-12-03

    The ground- and excited-state properties of heterometallic [CuFe(3)S(4)](2+,+), [CdFe(3)S(4)](2+,+), and [CrFe(3)S(4)](2+,+) cubane clusters assembled in Pyrococcus furiosus ferredoxin have been investigated by the combination of EPR and variable-temperature/variable-field magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) studies. The results indicate Cd(2+) incorporation into [Fe(3)S(4)](0,-) cluster fragments to yield S = 2 [CdFe(3)S(4)](2+) and S = (5)/(2) [CdFe(3)S(4)](+) clusters and Cu(+) incorporation into [Fe(3)S(4)](+,0) cluster fragments to yield S = (1)/(2) [CuFe(3)S(4)](2+) and S = 2 [CuFe(3)S(4)](+) clusters. This is the first report of the preparation of cubane type [CrFe(3)S(4)](2+,+) clusters, and the combination of EPR and MCD results indicates S = 0 and S = (3)/(2) ground states for the oxidized and reduced forms, respectively. Midpoint potentials for the [CdFe(3)S(4)](2+,+), [CrFe(3)S(4)](2+,+), and [CuFe(3)S(4)](2+,+) couples, E(m) = -470 +/- 15, -440 +/- 10, and +190 +/- 10 mV (vs NHE), respectively, were determined by EPR-monitored redox titrations or direct electrochemistry at a glassy carbon electrode. The trends in redox potential, ground-state spin, and electron delocalization of [MFe(3)S(4)](2+,+) clusters in P. furiosus ferredoxin are discussed as a function of heterometal (M = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Tl).

  15. Equilibrium Thermodynamics, Formation, and Dissociation Kinetics of Trivalent Iron and Gallium Complexes of Triazacyclononane-Triphosphinate (TRAP) Chelators: Unraveling the Foundations of Highly Selective Ga-68 Labeling

    PubMed Central

    Vágner, Adrienn; Forgács, Attila; Brücher, Ernő; Tóth, Imre; Maiocchi, Alessandro; Wurzer, Alexander; Wester, Hans-Jürgen; Notni, Johannes; Baranyai, Zsolt

    2018-01-01

    In order to rationalize the influence of FeIII contamination on labeling with the 68Ga eluted from 68Ge/68Ga-generator, a detailed investigation was carried out on the equilibrium properties, formation and dissociation kinetics of GaIII- and FeIII-complexes of 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-tris(methylene[2-carboxyethylphosphinic acid]) (H6TRAP). The stability and protonation constants of the [Fe(TRAP)]3− complex were determined by pH-potentiometry and spectrophotometry by following the competition reaction between the TRAP ligand and benzhydroxamic acid (0.15 M NaNO3, 25°C). The formation rates of [Fe(TRAP)] and [Ga(TRAP)] complexes were determined by spectrophotometry and 31P-NMR spectroscopy in the pH range 4.5–6.5 in the presence of 5–40 fold HxTRAP(x−6) excess (x = 1 and 2, 0.15 M NaNO3, 25°C). The kinetic inertness of [Fe(TRAP)]3− and [Ga(TRAP)]3− was examined by the trans-chelation reactions with 10 to 20-fold excess of HxHBED(x−4) ligand by spectrophotometry at 25°C in 0.15 M NaCl (x = 0,1 and 2). The stability constant of [Fe(TRAP)]3− (logKFeL = 26.7) is very similar to that of [Ga(TRAP)]3− (logKGaL = 26.2). The rates of ligand exchange reaction of [Fe(TRAP)]3− and [Ga(TRAP)]3− with HxHBED(x−4) are similar. The reactions take place quite slowly via spontaneous dissociation of [M(TRAP)]3−, [M(TRAP)OH]4− and [M(TRAP)(OH)2]5− species. Dissociation half-lives (t1/2) of [Fe(TRAP)]3− and [Ga(TRAP)]3− complexes are 1.1 × 105 and 1.4 × 105 h at pH = 7.4 and 25°C. The formation reactions of [Fe(TRAP)]3− and [Ga(TRAP)]3− are also slow due to the formation of the unusually stable monoprotonated [*M(HTRAP)]2− intermediates [*logKGa(HL) = 10.4 and *logKFe(HL) = 9.9], which are much more stable than the [*Ga(HNOTA)]+ intermediate [*logKGa(HL) = 4.2]. Deprotonation and transformation of the monoprotonated [*M(HTRAP)]2− intermediates into the final complex occur via OH−-assisted reactions. Rate constants (kOH) characterizing the OH−-driven deprotonation and transformation of [* Ga(HTRAP)]2− and [*Fe(HTRAP)]2− intermediates are 1.4 × 105 M−1s−1 and 3.4 × 104 M−1s−1, respectively. In conclusion, the equilibrium and kinetic properties of [Fe(TRAP)] and [Ga(TRAP)] complexes are remarkably similar due to the close physico-chemical properties of FeIII and GaIII-ions. However, a slightly faster formation of [Ga(TRAP)] over [Fe(TRAP)] provides a rationale for a previously observed, selective complexation of 68GaIII in presence of excess FeIII. PMID:29876344

  16. Nanoscale insight into the p-n junction of alkali-incorporated Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 solar cells

    DOE PAGES

    Stokes, Adam; Al-Jassim, Mowafak; Norman, Andrew; ...

    2017-04-05

    The effects of alkali diffusion and post-deposition treatment in three-stage processed Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 solar cells are examined by using atom probe tomography and electrical property measurements. Cells, for which the substrate was treated at 650 °C to induce alkali diffusion from the substrate prior to absorber deposition, exhibited high open-circuit voltage (758 mV) and efficiency (18.2%) and also exhibited a 50 to 100-nm-thick ordered vacancy compound layer at the metallurgical junction. Surprisingly, these high-temperature samples exhibited higher concentrations of K at the junction (1.8 at.%) than post-deposition treatment samples (0.4 at.%). A model that uses Ga/(Ga + In) and Cu/(Gamore » + In) profiles to predict bandgaps (+/-17.9 meV) of 22 Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells reported in literature was discussed and ultimately used to predict band properties at the nanoscale by using atom probe tomography data. The high-temperature samples exhibited a greater drop in the valence band maximum (200 meV) due to a lower Cu/(Ga + In) ratio than the post-deposition treatment samples. There was an anticorrelation of K concentrations and Cu/(Ga + In) ratios for all samples, regardless of processing conditions. In conclusion, changes in elemental profiles at the active junctions correlate well with the electrical behaviour of these devices.« less

  17. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Peng, Yuan; Wang, Junling, E-mail: jlwang@ntu.edu.sg; Zheng, Jianwei

    Single n-type dopant in CuO has either a deep donor level or limited solubility, inefficient in generating free electrons. We have performed ab-initio study of the donor-acceptor codoping to obtain n-type CuO. Our results show that N codoping can slightly improve the donor level of Zr and In by forming shallower n-type complexes (Zr{sub Cu}-N{sub O} and 2In{sub Cu}-N{sub O}), but their formation energies are too high to be realized in experiments. However, Li codoping with Al and Ga is found to be relatively easy to achieve. 2Al{sub Cu}-Li{sub Cu} and 2Ga{sub Cu}-Li{sub Cu} have shallower donor levels than singlemore » Al and Ga by 0.14 eV and 0.08 eV, respectively, and their formation energies are reasonably low to act as efficient codopants. Moreover, Li codoping with both Al and Ga produce an empty impurity band just below the host conduction band minimum, which may reduce the donor ionization energy at high codoping concentrations.« less

  18. Material growth and characterization for solid state devices

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stefanakos, E. K.; Collis, W. J.; Abul-Fadl, A.; Iyer, S.

    1984-01-01

    During the reporting period, InGaAs was grown on Fe-doped (semi-insulating) (100) InP substrates by current controlled liquid phase epitaxy (CCLPE) at 640 C and current densities of 2.5A sq/cm to 5 A/sq cm for periods from 5 to 30 minutes. Special efforts were made to reduce the background carrier concentration in the grown layers as much as possible. The best layers exhibited carrier concentrations in the mid-10 to the 15th power/cu cm range and up to 10,900 sq cm/V-sec room temperature mobility. InGaAsP quaternary layers of energy gap corresponding to wavelengths of approximately 1.5 microns and 1.3 microns were grown on (100) InP substrates by CCLPE. In the device fabrication area, work was directed toward processing MISFET's using InGaAs. SiO2, Si3N4 and Al2O3 were deposited by ion beam sputtering, electron beam evaporation and chemical vapor reaction on Si, GaAs, and InGaAs substrates. SiO2 and Si3N4 sputtered layers were found to possess a high density of pinhole defects that precluded capacitance-voltage analysis. Chemical vapor deposited Al2O3 layers on Si, GaAs and InGaAs substrates also exhibited a large number of pinhole defects. This prevented achieving good MIS devices over most of the substrate surface area.

  19. Copper-nickel superalloys as inert alloy anodes for aluminum electrolysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shi, Zhongning; Xu, Junli; Qiu, Zhuxian; Wang, Zhaowen; Gao, Bingliang

    2003-11-01

    The superalloys Cu-Ni-Al, Cu-Ni-Fe, and Cu-Ni-Cr were studied as anodes for aluminum electrolysis. The alloys were tested for corrosion in acidic electrolyte molten salt and for oxidation in both air and oxygen. The results showed that the Cu-Ni-Al anodes possess excellent resistance to oxidation and corrosion, and the oxidation rates of Cu-Ni-Fe and Cu-Ni-Al anodes were slower than those of pure copper or nickel. During electrolysis, the cell voltage of the Cu-Ni-Al anode was affected most by the concentration of alumina in cryolite molten salt. The Cu-Ni-Fe anode exhibited corrosion resistance in electrolyte molten salt. Comparatively, the Cu-Ni-Cr anode showed poor resistance to oxidation and corrosion. The testing found that further study is warranted on the use of Cu-Ni-Al and Cu-Ni-Fe as inert alloy anodes.

  20. Light-induced degradation in gallium-doped silicon

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lindroos, Jeanette; Yli-Koski, Marko; Haarahiltunen, Antti; Schubert, Martin C.; Savin, Hele

    2012-02-01

    Light-induced degradation (LID) is a lifetime-decreasing effect in silicon solar cells attributed to the formation of B-O defect complexes during illumination [1-2]. However, Savin et al. [3] have recently observed degradation similar to LID in B- and P-doped Si contaminated with Cu, suggesting that Cu might be the cause of LID. Since Ga-doped Si is considered a degradation-free option to conventional B-doped Si [2], lifetime stability should also be studied in Cu-contaminated Ga-Si. Hence, in this paper, we intentionally contaminated high-oxygen 0.41 and 10.1 φcm Ga-doped Cz-Si with Cu and subjected the material to illumination. No lifetime degradation was measured with μ-PCD in clean Ga-Si or at low Cu levels, which is in agreement with the previously reported LID-free behavior of Ga-Si [2]. However, at higher Cu levels (20 ppb), a clear lifetime degradation was observed in Ga-Si. This lifetime degradation increased with increasing Cu concentration or with increasing wafer resistivity. [1] J. Schmidt, A.G. Aberle and R. Hezel, 26th IEEE PVSC, Anaheim, CA, USA, p.13-18 (1997). [2] S.W. Glunz, S. Rein, W. Warta, J. Knobloch and W. Wettling. Sol. Energ. Mat. Sol. C. 65, 219-229 (2001). [3] H. Savin, M. Yli-Koski and A. Haarahiltunen. Appl. Phys. Lett. 95, 152111 (2009).

  1. Activities in Cu2S-FeS-SnS melts at 1200 °C

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eric, R. Hurman

    1993-04-01

    The dew-point technique was used to measure the vapor pressures of SnS over liquid sulfides of the system Cu2S-FeS-SnS at 1200 °C. Activities of SnS were generated from the measured vapor pressures of SnS. Activities of Cu2S and FeS were evaluated both in binary and ternary melts by Gibbs-Duhem calculations from the known SnS activity data. The systems Cu2S-SnS and Cu2S-FeS exhibit negative departures from ideal behavior, while FeS-SnS melts exhibit positive deviations.

  2. Chemical vapor transport of chalcopyrite semiconductors: CuGaS2 and AgGaS2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lauck, R.; Cardona, M.; Kremer, R. K.; Siegle, G.; Bhosale, J. S.; Ramdas, A. K.; Alawadhi, H.; Miotkowski, I.; Romero, A. H.; Muñoz, A.; Burger, A.

    2014-09-01

    Crystals of CuGaS2 and AgGaS2 with different isotopic compositions have been grown by chemical vapor transport (CVT) using iodine as the transport agent. Before performing the CVT growth, sulfur and copper were purified by sublimation and etching, respectively. 109Ag and the etched 71Ga isotopes were purified from oxides by vacuum annealing. Transparent yellow orange crystals of CuGaS2 and greenish yellow crystals of AgGaS2 were obtained in the shape of platelets, chunks, rods and needles in sizes of up to 8 mm (CuGaS2) and 30 mm (AgGaS2). These crystals were used to study their electronic, vibrational and thermodynamic properties. Higher excitonic states (n=2,3) were observed at low temperatures with wavelength-modulated reflectivity spectroscopy, thus proving an excellent surface and crystal quality. In addition, the experimentally determined non-monotonic temperature dependence of the excitonic energies can be well fitted by using two Bose-Einstein oscillators and their statistical factors, corresponding to characteristic acoustic and optical phonon frequencies. Isotopic shift of excitonic energies has also been successfully observed in these crystals.

  3. Optimization of operating parameters for gas-phase photocatalytic splitting of H2S by novel vermiculate packed tubular reactor.

    PubMed

    Preethi, V; Kanmani, S

    2016-10-01

    Hydrogen production by gas-phase photocatalytic splitting of Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) was investigated on four semiconductor photocatalysts including CuGa1.6Fe0.4O2, ZnFe2O3, (CdS + ZnS)/Fe2O3 and Ce/TiO2. The CdS and ZnS coated core shell particles (CdS + ZnS)/Fe2O3 shows the highest rate of hydrogen (H2) production under optimized conditions. Packed bed tubular reactor was used to study the performance of prepared photocatalysts. Selection of the best packing material is a key for maximum removal efficiency. Cheap, lightweight and easily adsorbing vermiculate materials were used as a novel packing material and were found to be effective in splitting H2S. Effect of various operating parameters like flow rate, sulphide concentration, catalyst dosage, light irradiation were tested and optimized for maximum H2 conversion of 92% from industrial waste H2S. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. As(V) removal capacity of FeCu bimetallic nanoparticles in aqueous solutions: The influence of Cu content and morphologic changes in bimetallic nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Sepúlveda, Pamela; Rubio, María A; Baltazar, Samuel E; Rojas-Nunez, J; Sánchez Llamazares, J L; Garcia, Alejandra García; Arancibia-Miranda, Nicolás

    2018-08-15

    In this study, bimetallic nanoparticles (BMNPs) with different mass ratios of Cu and Fe were evaluated. The influence of the morphology on the removal of pollutants was explored through theoretical and experimental studies, which revealed the best structure for removing arsenate (As(V)) in aqueous systems. To evidence the surface characteristics and differences among BMNPs with different mass proportions of Fe and Cu, several characterization techniques were used. Microscopy techniques and molecular dynamics simulations were applied to determine the differences in morphology and structure. In addition, X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to determine the presence of various oxides. Finally, the magnetization response was evaluated, revealing differences among the materials. Our cumulative data show that BMNPs with low amounts of Cu (Fe 0.9 Cu 0.1 ) had a non-uniform core-shell structure with agglomerate-type chains of magnetite, whereas a Janus-like structure was observed in BMNPs with high amounts of Cu (Fe 0.5 Cu 0.5 ). However, a non-uniform core-shell structure (Fe 0.9 Cu 0.1 ) facilitated electron transfer among Fe, Cu and As, which increased the adsorption rate (k), capacity (q e ) and intensity (n). The mechanism of As removal was also explored in a comparative study of the phase and morphology of BMNPs pre- and post-sorption. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Adsorption of multi-heavy metals Zn and Cu onto surficial sediments: modeling and adsorption capacity analysis.

    PubMed

    Li, Shanshan; Zhang, Chen; Wang, Meng; Li, Yu

    2014-01-01

    Improved multiple regression adsorption models (IMRAMs) was developed to estimate the adsorption capacity of the components [Fe oxides (Fe), Mn oxides (Mn), organic materials (OMs), residuals] in surficial sediments for multi-heavy metal Zn and Cu. IMRAM is an improved version over MRAM, which introduces a computer program in the model developing process. As MRAM, Zn(Cu) IMRAM, and Cu(Zn) IMRAM again confirmed that there is significant interaction effects that control the adsorption of compounded Zn and Cu, which was neglected by additional adsorption model. The verification experiment shows that the relative deviation of the IMRAMs is less than 13%. It is revealed by the IMRAMs that Mn, which has the greatest adsorption capability for compounded Zn and Cu (54.889 and 161.180 mg/l, respectively), follows by interference adsorption capacity of Fe/Mn (-1.072 and -24.591 mg/l respectively). Zn and Cu influence each other through different mechanisms. When Zn is the adsorbate, compounded Cu mainly affects the adsorption capacities of Fe/Mn and Fe/Mn/OMs; while when Cu is the adsorbate, compounded Zn mainly exerts its effect on Mn, Fe/Mn, and Mn/OMs. It also shows that the compounded Zn or Cu weakened the interference adsorption of Fe/Mn, and meanwhile, strengthened the interference adsorption of Mn/OMs.

  6. Giant magnetoresistance (GMR) behavior of electrodeposited NiFe/Cu multilayers: Dependence of non-magnetic and magnetic layer thicknesses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kuru, Hilal; Kockar, Hakan; Alper, Mursel

    2017-12-01

    Giant magnetoresistance (GMR) behavior in electrodeposited NiFe/Cu multilayers was investigated as a function of non-magnetic (Cu) and ferromagnetic (NiFe) layer thicknesses, respectively. Prior to the GMR analysis, structural and magnetic analyses of the multilayers were also studied. The elemental analysis of the multilayers indicated that the Cu and Ni content in the multilayers increase with increasing Cu and NiFe layer thickness, respectively. The structural studies by X-ray diffraction revealed that all multilayers have face centred cubic structure with preferred (1 1 0) crystal orientation as their substrates. The magnetic properties studied with the vibrating sample magnetometer showed that the magnetizations of the samples are significantly affected by the layer thicknesses. Saturation magnetisation, Ms increases from 45 to 225 emu/cm3 with increasing NiFe layer thickness. The increase in the Ni content of the multilayers with a small Fe content causes an increase in the Ms. And, the coercivities ranging from 2 to 24 Oe are between the soft and hard magnetic properties. Also, the magnetic easy axis of the multilayers was found to be in the film plane. Magnetoresistance measurements showed that all multilayers exhibited the GMR behavior. The GMR magnitude increases with increasing Cu layer thickness and reaches its maximum value of 10% at the Cu layer thickness of 1 nm, then it decreases. And similarly, the GMR magnitude increases and reaches highest value of pure GMR (10%) for the NiFe layer thickness of 3 nm, and beyond this point GMR decreases with increasing NiFe layer thickness. Some small component of the anisotropic magnetoresistance was also observed at thin Cu and thick NiFe layer thicknesses. It is seen that the highest GMR values up to 10% were obtained in electrodeposited NiFe/Cu multilayers up to now. The structural, magnetic and magnetoresistance properties of the NiFe/Cu were reported via the variations of the thicknesses of Cu and NiFe layers with stressing the role of layer thicknesses on the high GMR behavior.

  7. An X-ray absorption spectroscopic study of the metal site preference in Al1-xGaxFeO3

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Walker, James D. S.; Grosvenor, Andrew P.

    2013-01-01

    Magnetoelectric materials have potential for being introduced into next generation technologies, especially memory devices. The AFeO3 (Pna21; A=Al, Ga) system has received attention to better understand the origins of magnetoelectric coupling. The magnetoelectric properties this system exhibits depend on the amount of anti-site disorder present, which is affected by the composition and the method of synthesis. In this study, Al1-xGaxFeO3 was synthesized by the ceramic method and studied by X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Al L2,3-, Ga K-, and Fe K-edge spectra were collected to examine how the average metal coordination number changes with composition. Examination of XANES spectra from Al1-xGaxFeO3 indicate that with increasing Ga content, Al increasingly occupies octahedral sites while Ga displays a preference for occupying the tetrahedral site. The Fe K-edge spectra indicate that more Fe is present in the tetrahedral site in AlFeO3 than in GaFeO3, implying more anti-site disorder is present in AlFeO3.

  8. A comprehensive study of magnetic exchanges in the layered oxychalcogenides Sr 3 Fe 2 O 5 Cu 2 Q 2 ( Q = S, Se)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lü, Minfeng; Mentré, Olivier; Gordon, Elijah E.

    2017-12-01

    The layered oxysulfide Sr3Fe2O5Cu2S2 was prepared, and its crystal structure and magnetic properties were characterized by synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD), powder neutron diffraction (PND), Mössbauer spectroscopy measurements and by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. In addition, the spin exchange interactions leading to the ordered magnetic structure of Sr3Fe2O5Cu2S2 were compared with those of its selenium analogue Sr3Fe2O5Cu2Se2. The oxysulfide Sr3Fe2O5Cu2S2 adopts a G-type antiferromagnetic (AFM) structure at a temperature in the range 485–512 K, which is comparable with the three-dimensional (3D) AFM ordering temperature, TN ≈ 490 K, found for Sr3Fe2O5Cu2Se2. Consistent with this observation, the spin exchange interactions ofmore » the magnetic (Sr3Fe2O5)2+ layers are slightly greater (but comparable) for oxysulfide than for the oxyselenide. Attempts to reduce or oxidize Sr3Fe2O5Cu2S2 using topochemical routes yield metallic Fe.« less

  9. Conditions and mechanisms for the formation of nano-sized Delafossite (CuFeO2) at temperatures ≤90 °C in aqueous solution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    John, Melanie; Heuss-Aßbichler, Soraya; Ullrich, Aladin

    2016-02-01

    In this study, we present the mechanism of CuFeO2 formation in aqueous solution at low temperatures ≤90 °C, using sulfate salts as reactants. Furthermore, we demonstrate the influence of experimental conditions (alkalization, reaction and ageing temperature and time) on the synthesized nanoparticles. In all cases, GR-SO4, a Fe(II-III) layered double hydroxysulphate (Fe2+4Fe3+2(OH)12·SO4) and Cu2O precipitate first. During further OH- supply GR-SO4 oxidizes and forms Fe10O14(OH)2, Cu2O and CuFeO2 crystals. Due to the high pH further CuFeO2 crystals grow at the cost of the unstable intermediate products. The reaction rate increases with increasing ageing temperature, reaction pH and, in particular, NaOH concentrations in the solution. As a result, highly crystalline CuFeO2 (3R and 2H polytypes) nanoparticles showing hexagonal morphology can be synthesized at 70 °C within 10 h or at 50 °C within 1 week. The formation of 2H polytype is favored by additional OH- supply during the pH-stat time and rather low temperatures.

  10. A comparative study of thermoelectric properties of CuGaTe2 by using PBE and MBJ potentials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharma, Sonu; Singh, Birender; Kumar, Pradeep

    2018-04-01

    We have investigated the electronic and thermoelectric properties of CuGaTe2 by combining the first principle calculations with Boltzmann transport theory. The electronic properties show that CuGaTe2 is a direct band semiconductor with large band gap at r-point. The band gaps are computed by using PBE and mBJ potentials and value obtained with mBJ is much closer to the experimental value. Partial density of states plots show that the band gap is formed by the hybridization between 3d states of Cu atom, 4s and 4p states of Ga atom and 5p states of Te atom. Very large value (˜300 µVK-1) of Seebeck coefficient is obtained for this compound. Figure-of-merit calculated by using transport coefficients is also found to be very large for the entire temperature range and CuGaTe2 is a good thermoelectric material.

  11. Studies on the sensing behaviour of nanocrystalline CuGa(2)O(4) towards hydrogen, liquefied petroleum gas and ammonia.

    PubMed

    Biswas, Soumya Kanti; Sarkar, Arpita; Pathak, Amita; Pramanik, Panchanan

    2010-06-15

    In the present article, the gas sensing behaviour of nanocrystalline CuGa(2)O(4) towards H(2), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and NH(3) has been reported for the first time. Nanocrystalline powders of CuGa(2)O(4) having average particle sizes in the range of 30-60nm have been prepared through thermal decomposition of an aqueous precursor solution comprising copper nitrate, gallium nitrate and triethanol amine (TEA), followed by calcination at 750 degrees C for 2h. The synthesized nanocrystalline CuGa(2)O(4) powders have been characterised through X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) study, energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis and BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller) surface area measurement. The synthesized CuGa(2)O(4) having spinel structure with specific surface area of 40m(2)/g exhibits maximum sensitivity towards H(2), LPG, and NH(3) at 350 degrees C.

  12. Spontaneous perpendicular exchange bias effect in L10-MnGa/FeMn bilayers grown by molecular-beam epitaxy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, X. P.; Lu, J.; Mao, S. W.; Yu, Z. F.; Wei, D. H.; Zhao, J. H.

    2018-01-01

    We report on the spontaneous perpendicular exchange bias effect in as-grown L10-MnGa/FeMn bilayers. An FeMn layer with different thicknesses is introduced as an antiferromagnetic layer to couple with single-crystalline ferromagnetic L10-MnGa, which is epitaxially grown on a GaAs (001) substrate by molecular-beam epitaxy. The perpendicular exchange bias shows a strong dependence on both the thickness of the FeMn layer and the measurement temperature. A large spontaneous perpendicular exchange bias up to 8.9 kOe is achieved in L10-MnGa/FeMn bilayers at 5 K without any external magnetic treatment. The corresponding effective interfacial exchange energy Jeff is estimated to be 1.4 mJ/m2. The spontaneous perpendicular exchange bias effect in the (001) textured L10-MnGa/FeMn bilayers paves the way for spintronic devices based on exchange biased perpendicularly magnetized materials.

  13. Thermodynamic analysis of binary Fe{sub 85}B{sub 15} to quinary Fe{sub 85}Si{sub 2}B{sub 8}P{sub 4}Cu{sub 1} alloys for primary crystallizations of α-Fe in nanocrystalline soft magnetic alloys

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Takeuchi, A., E-mail: takeuchi@imr.tohoku.ac.jp; Zhang, Y.; Takenaka, K.

    2015-05-07

    Fe-based Fe{sub 85}B{sub 15}, Fe{sub 84}B{sub 15}Cu{sub 1}, Fe{sub 82}Si{sub 2}B{sub 15}Cu{sub 1}, Fe{sub 85}Si{sub 2}B{sub 12}Cu{sub 1}, and Fe{sub 85}Si{sub 2}B{sub 8}P{sub 4}Cu{sub 1} (NANOMET{sup ®}) alloys were experimental and computational analyzed to clarify the features of NANOMET that exhibits high saturation magnetic flux density (B{sub s}) nearly 1.9 T and low core loss than conventional nanocrystalline soft magnetic alloys. The X-ray diffraction analysis for ribbon specimens produced experimentally by melt spinning from melts revealed that the samples were almost formed into an amorphous single phase. Then, the as-quenched samples were analyzed with differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) experimentally for exothermicmore » enthalpies of the primary and secondary crystallizations (ΔH{sub x1} and ΔH{sub x2}) and their crystallization temperatures (T{sub x1} and T{sub x2}), respectively. The ratio ΔH{sub x1}/ΔH{sub x2} measured by DSC experimentally tended to be extremely high for the Fe{sub 85}Si{sub 2}B{sub 8}P{sub 4}Cu{sub 1} alloy, and this tendency was reproduced by the analysis with commercial software, Thermo-Calc, with database for Fe-based alloys, TCFE7 for Gibbs free energy (G) assessments. The calculations exhibit that a volume fraction (V{sub f}) of α-Fe tends to increase from 0.56 for the Fe{sub 85}B{sub 15} to 0.75 for the Fe{sub 85}Si{sub 2}B{sub 8}P{sub 4}Cu{sub 1} alloy. The computational analysis of the alloys for G of α-Fe and amorphous phases (G{sub α-Fe} and G{sub amor}) shows that a relationship G{sub α-Fe} ∼ G{sub amor} holds for the Fe{sub 85}Si{sub 2}B{sub 12}Cu{sub 1}, whereas G{sub α-Fe} < G{sub amor} for the Fe{sub 85}Si{sub 2}B{sub 8}P{sub 4}Cu{sub 1} alloy at T{sub x1} and that an extremely high V{sub f} = 0.75 was achieved for the Fe{sub 85}Si{sub 2}B{sub 8}P{sub 4}Cu{sub 1} alloy by including 2.8 at. % Si and 4.5 at. % P into α-Fe. These computational results indicate that the Fe{sub 85}Si{sub 2}B{sub 8}P{sub 4}Cu{sub 1} alloy barely forms amorphous phase, which, in turn, leads to high V{sub f} and resultant high B{sub s}.« less

  14. Minor-Cu doped soft magnetic Fe-based FeCoBCSiCu amorphous alloys with high saturation magnetization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Yanhui; Wang, Zhenmin; Zhang, Wei

    2018-05-01

    The effects of Cu alloying on the amorphous-forming ability (AFA) and magnetic properties of the P-free Fe81Co5B11C2Si1 amorphous alloy were investigated. Addition of ≤ 1.0 at.% Cu enhances the AFA of the base alloy without significant deterioration of the soft magnetic properties. The Fe80.5Co5B11C2Si1Cu0.5 alloy with the largest critical thickness for amorphous formation of ˜35 μm possesses a high saturation magnetization (Bs) of ˜1.78 T, low coercivity of ˜14.6 A/m, and good bending ductility upon annealing in a wide temperature range of 513-553 K with maintaining the amorphous state. The fabrication of the new high-Fe-content Fe-Co-B-C-Si-Cu amorphous alloys by minor doping of Cu gives a guideline to developing high Bs amorphous alloys with excellent AFA.

  15. Reduction of CO2 to low carbon alcohols on CuO FCs/Fe2O3 NTs catalyst with photoelectric dual catalytic interfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Peiqiang; Wang, Huying; Xu, Jinfeng; Jing, Hua; Zhang, Jun; Han, Haixiang; Lu, Fusui

    2013-11-01

    In this paper, the CuO FCs/Fe2O3 NTs catalyst was obtained after Fe2O3 nanotubes (Fe2O3 NTs) were decorated with CuO flower clusters (CuO FCs) by the pulse electrochemical deposition method. The in situ vertically aligned Fe2O3 NTs were prepared on the ferrous substrate by a potentiostatic anodization method. The SEM result showed the volcano-like Fe2O3 NTs were arranged in order and the CuO FCs constituted of flaky CuO distributed on the Fe2O3 NTs surface uniformly. After CuO FCs were loaded on Fe2O3 NTs, the absorption of visible light was enhanced noticeably, and its band gap narrowed to 1.78 eV from 2.03 eV. The conduction band and valence band locating at -0.73 eV and 1.05 eV, respectively were further obtained. In the PEC reduction of CO2 process, methanol and ethanol were two major products identified by chromatography. Their contents reached 1.00 mmol L-1 cm-2 and 107.38 μmol L-1 cm-2 after 6 h, respectively. This high-efficiency catalyst with photoelectric dual catalytic interfaces has a great guidance and reference significance for CO2 reduction to liquid carbon fuels.In this paper, the CuO FCs/Fe2O3 NTs catalyst was obtained after Fe2O3 nanotubes (Fe2O3 NTs) were decorated with CuO flower clusters (CuO FCs) by the pulse electrochemical deposition method. The in situ vertically aligned Fe2O3 NTs were prepared on the ferrous substrate by a potentiostatic anodization method. The SEM result showed the volcano-like Fe2O3 NTs were arranged in order and the CuO FCs constituted of flaky CuO distributed on the Fe2O3 NTs surface uniformly. After CuO FCs were loaded on Fe2O3 NTs, the absorption of visible light was enhanced noticeably, and its band gap narrowed to 1.78 eV from 2.03 eV. The conduction band and valence band locating at -0.73 eV and 1.05 eV, respectively were further obtained. In the PEC reduction of CO2 process, methanol and ethanol were two major products identified by chromatography. Their contents reached 1.00 mmol L-1 cm-2 and 107.38 μmol L-1 cm-2 after 6 h, respectively. This high-efficiency catalyst with photoelectric dual catalytic interfaces has a great guidance and reference significance for CO2 reduction to liquid carbon fuels. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Reduction of CO2 to low carbon alcohols on CuO FCs/Fe2O3 NTs catalyst with photoelectric dual catalytic interfaces. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr03352j

  16. Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/CuO/ZnO/Nano graphene platelets (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/CuO/ZnO/NGP) composites prepared by sol-gel method with enhanced sonocatalytic activity for the removal of dye

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hendry, Tju; Taufik, Ardiansyah; Saleh, Rosari, E-mail: rosari.saleh@gmail.com, E-mail: rosari.saleh@ui.ac.id

    2016-04-19

    In this study, an attempt has been made to synthesize nanographene platelets coupled with Fe3O4/CuO/ZnO (Fe3O4/CuO/ZnO/NGP) with various ZnO loadings using a two step methods, sol-gel followed by hydrothermal method. Characterization was carried out by X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer. The sonocatalytic performance was evaluated by degradation of methylene blue under ultrasonic irradiation.The Fe3O4/CuO/ZnO/NGP showed superior sonocatalytic activity than the Fe3O4/CuO/ZnO materials. They also showed high stability and can be easily separated from the reaction system for recycling process.

  17. Microstructure and mechanical properties of aluminium matrix composites reinforced by Al{sub 62}Cu{sub 25.5}Fe{sub 12.5} melt spun ribbon

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lityńska-Dobrzyńska, Lidia, E-mail: l.litynska@imim.pl; Mitka, Mikołaj; Góral, Anna

    Aluminium matrix composites containing 15, 30 and 50 vol.% of pulverized Al{sub 62}Cu{sub 25.5}Fe{sub 12.5} (in at.%) melt spun ribbons have been prepared by a vacuum hot pressing (T = 673 K, P = 600 MPa). The microstructure of the initial ribbon and the composites was investigated using X-ray, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. In the as-spun ribbon the quasicrystalline icosahedral phase (i-phase) coexisted with the cubic copper rich β-Al(Cu, Fe) intermetallic compound. The phase composition of Al-Cu-Fe particles changed after consolidation process and the i-phase transformed partially to the ω-Al{sub 70}Cu{sub 20}Fe{sub 10} phase. Additionally, the Θ-Al{sub 2}Cu phasemore » formed at the α(Al)/Al-Cu-Fe particle interfaces. With an increase in volume fraction of the reinforcement the hardness of the composites increased up to HV = 180 for the highest amount of added particles. The ultimate compression strength of the same sample reached the value of 545 MPa. - Highlights: • Al and 15, 30, 50% of pulverized Al{sub 62}Cu{sub 25.5}Fe{sub 12.5} melt spun ribbon were consolidated. • The initial ribbon consisted of the icosahedral i-phase and copper rich β-Al(Cu, Fe). • The i-phase partially transforms to ω-Al{sub 7}Cu{sub 2}Fe phase in all composites. • Increase of microhardness and compressive strength with content of reinforcement • Ultimate compression strength 545 MPa for 50% of added particles.« less

  18. Solid state 31phosphorus nuclear magnetic resonance of iron-, manganese-, and copper-containing synthetic hydroxyapatites

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sutter, B.; Taylor, R. E.; Hossner, L. R.; Ming, D. W.

    2002-01-01

    The incorporation of micronutrients into synthetic hydroxyapatite (SHA) is proposed for slow release of these nutrients to crops in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Advanced Life Support (ALS) program for Lunar or Martian outposts. Solid state 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) was utilized to examine the paramagnetic effects of Fe3+, Mn2+, and Cu2+ to determine if they were incorporated into the SHA structure. Separate Fe3+, Mn2+, and Cu2+ containing SHA materials along with a transition metal free SHA (pure-SHA) were synthesized using a precipitation method. The proximity (<1 nm) of the transition metals to the 31P nuclei of SHA were apparent when comparing the integrated 31P signal intensities of the pure-SHA (87 arbitrary units g-1) with the Fe-, Mn-, and Cu-SHA materials (37-71 arbitrary units g-1). The lower integrated 31P signal intensities of the Fe-, Mn-, and Cu-SHA materials relative to the pure-SHA suggested that Fe3+, Mn2+, and Cu2+ were incorporated in the SHA structure. Further support for Fe3+, Mn2+, and Cu2+ incorporation was demonstrated by the reduced spin-lattice relaxation constants of the Fe-, Mn-, and Cu-SHA materials (T'=0.075-0.434s) relative to pure-SHA (T1=58.4s). Inversion recovery spectra indicated that Fe3+, Mn2+, and Cu2+ were not homogeneously distributed about the 31P nuclei in the SHA structure. Extraction with diethylene-triamine-penta-acetic acid (DTPA) suggested that between 50 and 80% of the total starting metal concentrations were incorporated in the SHA structure. Iron-, Mn-, and Cu-containing SHA are potential slow release sources of Fe, Mn, and Cu in the ALS cropping system.

  19. Effects of phase transformation on the microstructures and magnetostriction of Fe-Ga and Fe-Ga-Zn ferromagnetic shape memory alloys

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lin, Yin-Chih, E-mail: lin3312@cc.kuas.edu.tw; Lin, Chien-Feng

    2015-05-07

    The phase transformation and magnetostriction of bulk Fe{sub 73}Ga{sub 27} and Fe{sub 73}Ga{sub 18}Zn{sub 9} (at. %) ferromagnetic shape memory alloys (FSMs) were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and a magnetostrictive-meter setup. For the Fe{sub 73}Ga{sub 27} FSM alloy solution treated at 1100 °C for 4 h and quenched in ice brine, the antiphase boundary segments of the D0{sub 3} domain were observed in the A2 (disordered) matrix, and the Fe{sub 73}Ga{sub 27} FSM alloy had an optimal magnetostriction (λ{sub ‖}{sup s }= 71 × 10{sup −6} and λ{sub ⊥}{sup s }= −31 × 10{sup −6}). In Fe{sub 73}Ga{sub 27} FSM alloy as-quenched, aged at 700 °C formore » 24 h, and furnace cooled, D0{sub 3} nanoclusters underwent phase transformation to an intermediate tetragonal phase (i.e., L1{sub 0}-like martensite) via Bain distortion, and finally L1{sub 2} (Fe{sub 3}Ga) structures precipitated, as observed by TEM and XRD. The L1{sub 0}-like martensite and L1{sub 2} phases in the aged Fe{sub 73}Ga{sub 27} FSM alloy drastically decreased the magnetostriction from positive to negative (λ{sub ‖}{sup s }= −20 × 10{sup −6} and λ{sub ⊥}{sup s }= −8 × 10{sup −6}). However, in Fe{sub 73}Ga{sub 18}Zn{sub 9} FSM alloy as-quenched and aged, the phase transformation of D0{sub 3} to an intermediate tetragonal martensite phase and precipitation of L1{sub 2} structures were not found. The results indicate that the aged Fe{sub 73}Ga{sub 18}Zn{sub 9} FSM alloy maintained stable magnetostriction (λ{sub ‖}{sup s }= 36 × 10{sup −6} and λ{sub ⊥}{sup s }= −31 × 10{sup −6}). Adding Zn can improve the ferromagnetic shape memory effect of aged Fe{sub 73}Ga{sub 18}Zn{sub 9} alloy, which may be useful in application of the alloy in high temperature environments.« less

  20. Handbook of Isotopes in the Cosmos

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clayton, Donald

    2007-08-01

    List of illustrations; Preface; Introduction; 1. Hydrogen (H); 2. Helium (He); 3. Lithium (Li); 4. Beryllium (Be); 5. Boron (B); 6. Carbon (C); 7. Nitrogen (N); 8. Oxygen (O); 9. Fluorine (F); 10. Neon (Ne); 11. Sodium (Na); 12. Magnesium (Mg); 13. Aluminium (Al); 14. Silicon (Si); 15. Phosphorous (P); 16. Sulphur (S); 17. Chlorine (Cl); 18. Argon (Ar); 19. Potassium (K); 20. Calcium (Ca); 21. Scandium (Sc); 22. Titanium (Ti); 23. Vanadium (V); 24. Chromium (Cr); 25. Manganese (Mn); 26. Iron (Fe); 27. Cobalt (Co); 28. Nickel (Ni); 29. Copper (Cu); 30. Zinc (Zn); 31. Gallium (Ga); Glossary.

  1. Handbook of Isotopes in the Cosmos

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clayton, Donald

    2003-09-01

    List of illustrations; Preface; Introduction; 1. Hydrogen (H); 2. Helium (He); 3. Lithium (Li); 4. Beryllium (Be); 5. Boron (B); 6. Carbon (C); 7. Nitrogen (N); 8. Oxygen (O); 9. Fluorine (F); 10. Neon (Ne); 11. Sodium (Na); 12. Magnesium (Mg); 13. Aluminium (Al); 14. Silicon (Si); 15. Phosphorous (P); 16. Sulphur (S); 17. Chlorine (Cl); 18. Argon (Ar); 19. Potassium (K); 20. Calcium (Ca); 21. Scandium (Sc); 22. Titanium (Ti); 23. Vanadium (V); 24. Chromium (Cr); 25. Manganese (Mn); 26. Iron (Fe); 27. Cobalt (Co); 28. Nickel (Ni); 29. Copper (Cu); 30. Zinc (Zn); 31. Gallium (Ga); Glossary.

  2. Effect of Heat Treatment on Microstructure and Magnetostrictive Property of Melt-Spun Fe85Ga15 Ribbons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Hao; Wang, Haiou; Cao, Mengxiong; Tan, Weishi; Shi, Yangguang; Chen, Yu; Huang, Yuying

    2013-09-01

    In order to study the microstructure of Fe-Ga alloy, Fe85Ga15 ribbons prepared with different wheel velocity were studied by high resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) and extend X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). HRXRD patterns showed that only disordered A2 phase was observed in as-cast Fe85Ga15 alloy. A modified-DO3 phase was detected in all of the melt spun samples. The HRXRD associated with EXAFS results indicated that Ga atoms were located as second-nearest neighbor along [100] orientation. A little DO3 phase was found in ribbons annealed at 1000°C under 0.06 MPa Ar atmosphere. The result of magnetostriction measurement revealed that in the ribbon prepared with higher wheel velocity, more modified-DO3 phase will enhance the magnetostriction. DO3 phase in the annealed sample will deteriorate the magnetostrictive properties of Fe-Ga ribbons.

  3. Influence of Cu on modifying the beta phase and enhancing the mechanical properties of recycled Al-Si-Fe cast alloys.

    PubMed

    Basak, C B; Babu, N Hari

    2017-07-18

    High iron impurity affects the castability and the tensile properties of the recycled Al-Si alloys due to the presence of the Fe containing intermetallic β-Al 9 Fe 2 Si 2 phase. To date only Mn addition is known to transform the β-Al 9 Fe 2 Si 2 phase in the Al-Si-Fe system. However, for the first time, as reported here, it is shown that β-phase transforms to the ω-Al 7 Cu 2 Fe phase in the presence of Cu, after solutionization at 793 K. The ω-phase decomposes below 673 K resulting into the formation of θ-Al 2 Cu phase. However, the present thermodynamic description of the Al-Si-Fe-Cu system needs finer tuning to accurately predict the stability of the ω-phase in these alloys. In the present study, an attempt was made to enhance the strength of Al-6wt%Si-2wt%Fe model recycled cast alloy with different amount of Cu addition. Microstructural and XRD analysis were carried out in detail to show the influence of Cu and the stability range of the ω-phase. Tensile properties and micro-hardness values are also reported for both as-cast and solutionized alloys with different amount of Cu without and with ageing treatment at 473 K. The increase in strength due to addition of Cu, in Fe-rich Al-Si alloys is promising from the alloy recyclability point of view.

  4. Longitudinal spin Seebeck effect in Nd{sub 2}BiFe{sub 5−x}Ga{sub x}O{sub 12} prepared on gadolinium gallium garnet (001) by metal organic decomposition method

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Asada, H., E-mail: asada@yamaguchi-u.ac.jp; Kuwahara, A.; Sakata, N.

    2015-05-07

    Nd{sub 2}BiFe{sub 5−x}Ga{sub x}O{sub 12} thin films with the Ga composition x = 0, 0.5, and 1.0 are prepared on (001) oriented gadolinium gallium garnet substrates by a metal organic decomposition method. Only (001) peaks are observed in x-ray diffraction patterns for all the films, suggesting that the highly oriented Nd{sub 2}BiFe{sub 5−x}Ga{sub x}O{sub 12} thin films were formed. Increasing Ga composition, the saturation magnetization decreases, and the perpendicular easy axis is enhanced due to the decrease of the shape anisotropy. Longitudinal spin Seebeck effects (LSSEs) in Nd{sub 2}BiFe{sub 5−x}Ga{sub x}O{sub 12} thin films with a Pt layer of 10 nm in thicknessmore » were investigated. Magnetic field dependence of the thermoelectric voltage caused by the LSSE in Nd{sub 2}BiFe{sub 5−x}Ga{sub x}O{sub 12} films indicates the hysteresis loop with the small coercivity reflecting the magnetization curve. The decrease of LSSE voltage in Nd{sub 2}BiFe{sub 5−x}Ga{sub x}O{sub 12} is clearly observed with the decrease of Fe composition.« less

  5. Using elemental profiles and stable isotopes to trace the origin of green coffee beans on the global market.

    PubMed

    Santato, Alessandro; Bertoldi, Daniela; Perini, Matteo; Camin, Federica; Larcher, Roberto

    2012-09-01

    A broad elemental profile incorporating 54 elements (Li, Be, B, Na, Mg, Al, P, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Y, Mo, Pd, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, Te, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Er, Tm, Yb, Re, Ir, Pt, Au, Hg, Tl, Pb, Bi and U) in combination with δ(2) H, δ(13) C, δ(15) N and δ(18) O was used to characterise the composition of 62 green arabica (Coffea arabica) and robusta (Coffea canephora) coffee beans grown in South and Central America, Africa and Asia, the four most internationally renowned areas of production. The δ(2) H, Mg, Fe, Co and Ni content made it possible to correctly assign 95% of green coffee beans to the appropriate variety. Canonical discriminant analysis, performed using δ(13) C, δ(15) N, δ(18) O, Li, Mg, P, K, Mn, Co, Cu, Se, Y, Mo, Cd, La and Ce correctly traced the origin of 98% of coffee beans. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  6. Effect of Selenization Processes on CIGS Solar Cell Performance.

    PubMed

    Wu, C H; Wu, P W; Chen, J H; Kao, J Y; Hsu, C Y

    2018-07-01

    Cu(In, Ga)Se2 (CIGS) films were fabricated by a two-step process method using sputtering from Cu0.7Ga0.3 and In targets. The metallic precursor structures of In/CuGa/In were prepared, and CuGa film was adjusted to the thicknesses of 150, 200, 250 and 300 nm, in order to optimize the CIGS film. After selenization, three independent CIGS (112), CIGS (220/204) and CIGS (312/116) began to crystallize at ~280 °C and phase peaks continued growing until 560 °C. Experimental results showed that with a single stage selenization method, the excessive stoichiometry of the CIGS films was obtained. Using three sequential stages for the selenization process, with a annealing time of 20 min, the stoichiometry of the CIGS absorbers with the Cu/(In + Ga) and Ga/(In + Ga) showed atomic ratios of 0.94 and 0.34, respectively. The intensity of the (112) XRD diffraction peak became stronger, indicating an improvement in the crystallinity. Raman spectra of CIGS absorbers showed a main peak (174 cm-1) and two weak signals (212 and 231 cm-1). TEM image for electron diffraction pattern showed that the grains were randomly oriented. CIGS solar cell device prepared with a proper selenization, a maximum efficiency of 12.45% was obtained.

  7. Integrated photooxidative-extractive desulfurization system for fuel oil using Cu, Fe and Cu-Fe/TiO2 and eutectic based ionic liquids: Effect of calcination temperature and duration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zaid, Hayyiratul Fatimah Mohd; Kait, Chong Fai; Mutalib, Mohamed Ibrahim Abdul

    2014-10-01

    Photocatalyts TiO2 doped with Cu, Fe and Cu-Fe metal at different calcination temperature and duration were successfully prepared and characterized. Photocatalytic oxidative desulfurization of model oil containing dibenzothiophene as the sulfur compound (100 ppm) using the prepared photocatalyst was investigated. The photocatalyst calcined at 500°C and duration of 1 h showed the best performance.

  8. Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of NiTiFeAlCu High-Entropy Alloys with Exceptional Nano-precipitates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Yanqiu; Wang, Sibing; Jiang, Shuyong; Zhu, Xiaoming; Sun, Dong

    2017-01-01

    Three novel NiTiFeAlCu high-entropy alloys, which consist of nano-precipitates with face-centered cubic structure and matrix with body-centered cubic structure, were fabricated to investigate microstructures and mechanical properties. With the increase in Ni and Ti contents, the strength of NiTiFeAlCu alloy is enhanced, while the plasticity of NiTiFeAlCu alloy is lowered. Plenty of dislocations can be observed in the Ni32Ti32Fe12Al12Cu12 high-entropy alloy. The size of nano-precipitates decreases with the increase in Ni and Ti contents, while lattice distortion becomes more and more severe with the increase in Ni and Ti contents. The existence of nano-precipitates, dislocations and lattice distortion is responsible for the increase in the strength of NiTiFeAlCu alloy, but it has an adverse influence on the plasticity of NiTiFeAlCu alloy. Ni20Ti20Fe20Al20Cu20 alloy exhibits the substantial ability of plastic deformation and a characteristic of steady flow at 850 and 1000 °C. This phenomenon is attributed to a competition between the increase in the dislocation density induced by plastic strain and the decrease in the dislocation density due to the dynamic recrystallization.

  9. Combination of Carrier Concentration Regulation and High Band Degeneracy for Enhanced Thermoelectric Performance of Cu3SbSe4.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Dan; Yang, Junyou; Jiang, Qinghui; Zhou, Zhiwei; Li, Xin; Xin, Jiwu; Basit, Abdul; Ren, Yangyang; He, Xu; Chu, Weijing; Hou, Jingdi

    2017-08-30

    The effect of Al-, Ga-, and In-doping on the thermoelectric (TE) properties of Cu 3 SbSe 4 has been comparatively studied on the basis of theoretical prediction and experimental validation. It is found that tiny Al/Ga/In substitution leads to a great enhancement of electrical conductivity with high carrier concentration and also large Seebeck coefficient due to the preserved high band degeneracy and thereby a remarkably high power factor. Ultimately, coupled with the depressed lattice thermal conductivity, all three elements (Al/Ga/In) substituted samples have obtained a highly improved thermoelectric performance with respect to undoped Cu 3 SbSe 4 . Compared to the samples at the same Al/In doping level, the slightly Ga-doped sample presents better TE performance over the wide temperature range, and the Cu 3 Sb 0.995 Ga 0.005 Se 4 sample presents a record high ZT value of 0.9 among single-doped Cu 3 SbSe 4 at 623 K, which is about 80% higher than that of pristine Cu 3 SbSe 4 . This work offers an alternative approach to boost the TE properties of Cu 3 SbSe 4 by selecting efficient dopant to weaken the coupling between electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient.

  10. Copper(II) cyanido-bridged bimetallic nitroprusside-based complexes: Syntheses, X-ray structures, magnetic properties, 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and thermal studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Trávníček, Zdeněk; Herchel, Radovan; Mikulík, Jiří; Zbořil, Radek

    2010-05-01

    Three heterobimetallic cyanido-bridged copper(II) nitroprusside-based complexes of the compositions [Cu(tet)Fe(CN) 5NO]·H 2O ( 1), where tet= N,N' -bis(3-aminopropyl)ethylenediamine, [Cu(hto)Fe(CN) 5NO]·2H 2O ( 2), where hto=1,3,6,9,11,14-hexaazatricyclo[12.2.1.1 6,9]octadecane and [Cu(nme) 2Fe(CN) 5NO]·H 2O ( 3), where nme= N-methylethylenediamine, were synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, 57Fe Mössbauer and FTIR spectroscopies, thermal analysis, magnetic measurements and single-crystal X-ray analysis. The products of thermal degradation processes of 2 and 3 were studied by XRD, 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, SEM and EDS, and they were identified as mixtures of CuFe 2O 4 and CuO.

  11. Preparation of TbCu7-type Sm-Fe powders by low-temperature HDDR treatment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Takagi, Kenta; Jinno, Miho; Ozaki, Kimihiro

    2018-05-01

    Low-temperature hydrogen-disproportionation-desorption-recombination (HDDR) treatment of Sm-Fe alloy powder was conducted to prepare a metastable TbCu7 type Sm-Fe alloy powder with a grain size of more than a few hundreds of nanometers. While a treatment temperature above 700 °C produced the familiar Th2Zn17 type alloy, one below 600 °C resulted in successful synthesis of the TbCu7 type Sm-Fe alloy with submicron-size grains. This TbCu7 type alloy powder, however, showed no significant improvement in magnetic properties compared to the Th2Zn17 type, as its composition was estimated to be near SmFe8.5 and thus did not achieve the expected Fe-rich composition. Therefore, cross-sectional transmission electron microscope observation of the unfinished TbCu7 type alloy powder was conducted in order to explore means of forming the Fe-rich phase.

  12. Copper-promoted circumneutral activation of H2O2 by magnetic CuFe2O4 spinel nanoparticles: Mechanism, stoichiometric efficiency, and pathway of degrading sulfanilamide.

    PubMed

    Feng, Yong; Liao, Changzhong; Shih, Kaimin

    2016-07-01

    To evaluate the heterogeneous degradation of sulfanilamide by external energy-free Fenton-like reactions, magnetic CuFe2O4 spinel nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized and used as catalysts for activation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The physicochemical properties of the CuFe2O4 NPs were characterized with several techniques, including X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and magnetometry. In the catalytic experiments, CuFe2O4 NPs/H2O2 oxidation showed the best degradation performance in the circumneutral conditions that resulted from the presence of Cu(II) on the surface of the CuFe2O4 NPs. The surface area-normalized pseudo-first-order rate constants were calculated as 2.60 × 10(-2) L m(-1) min(-1), 2.58 × 10(-3) L m(-1) min(-1), 1.92 × 10(-3) L m(-1) min(-1), and 7.30 × 10(-4) L m(-1) min(-1) for CuO, CuFe2O4 NPs, Fe3O4, and α-Fe2O3 catalysts, respectively. Thus, solid state Cu(II) was more reactive and efficient than Fe(III) in the circumneutral activation of H2O2; this finding was further supported by the results regarding the stoichiometric efficiency of H2O2. The effects of experimental parameters such as the oxidant dosage and catalyst loading were investigated. The mechanism for H2O2 activation on the spinel surface was explored and could be explained by the solid redox cycles of Fe(II)/Fe(III) and Cu(II)/Cu(I). Based on the products detected, a degradation pathway via the CS bond cleavage is proposed for the degradation of sulfanilamide. The findings of this study suggest that copper can be used as a doping metal to improve the reactivity and expand the effective pH range of iron oxides. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Chemical characteristics and source of size-fractionated atmospheric particle in haze episode in Beijing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tan, Jihua; Duan, Jingchun; Zhen, Naijia; He, Kebin; Hao, Jiming

    2016-01-01

    The abundance, behavior, and source of chemical species in size-fractionated atmospheric particle were studied with a 13-stage low pressure impactor (ELPI) during high polluted winter episode in Beijing. Thirty three elements (Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na, Si, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, As, Se, Sr, Zr, Mo, Ag, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, Cs, Ba, Hg, Tl, and Pb) and eight water soluble ions (Cl-, NO3-, SO42 -, NH4+, Na+, K+, Ca2 +, and Mg2 +) were determined by ICP/MS and IC, respectively. The size distribution of TC (OC + EC) was reconstructed. Averagely, 51.5 ± 5.3% and 74.1 ± 3.7% of the total aerosol mass was distributed in the sub-micron (PM1) and fine particle (PM2.5), respectively. A significant shift to larger fractions during heavy pollution episode was observed for aerosol mass, NH4+, SO42 -, NO3-, K, Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb. The mass size distributions of NH4+, SO42 -, NO3-, and K were dominated by accumulation mode. Size distributions of elements were classified into four main types: (I) elements were enriched within the accumulation mode (< 1 μm, Ge, Se, Ag, Sn, Sb, Cs, Hg, Ti, and Pb); (II) those mass (K, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, As, Mo, and Cd) was resided mainly within the accumulation mode, ranged from 1 to 2 μm; (III) Na, V, Co, Ni, and Ga were distributed among fine, intermediate, and coarse modes; and (IV) those which were mainly found within particles larger than 2.7 μm (Al, Mg, Si, Ca, Sc, Tl, Fe, Sr, Zr, and Ba). [H+]cor showed an accumulation mode at 600-700 nm and the role of Ca2 + should be fully considered in the estimation of acidity. The acidity in accumulation mode particles suggested that generally gaseous NH3 was not enough to neutralize sulfate completely. PMF method was applied for source apportionment of elements combined with water soluble ions. Dust, vehicle, aged coal combustion, and sea salt were identified, and the size resolved source apportionments were discussed. Aged coal combustion was the important source of fine particles and dust contributed most to coarse particle.

  14. Role of Cu During Sintering of Fe0.96Cu0.04 Nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sivaprahasam, D.; Sriramamurthy, A. M.; Bysakh, S.; Sundararajan, G.; Chattopadhyay, K.

    2018-04-01

    Nanoparticle agglomerates of passivated Fe ( n-Fe) and Fe0.96Cu0.04 ( n-Fe0.96Cu0.04), synthesized through the levitational gas condensation (LGC) process, were compacted and sintered using the conventional powder metallurgy method. The n-Fe0.96Cu0.04 agglomerates produced lower green density than n-Fe, and when compacted under pressure beyond 200 MPa, they underwent lateral cracking during ejection attributed to the presence of a passive oxide layer. Sintering under dynamic hydrogen atmosphere can produce a higher density of compact in n-Fe0.96Cu0.04 in comparison to n-Fe. Both the results of dilatometry and thermogravimetric (TG) measurements of the samples under flowing hydrogen revealed enhancement of the sintering process as soon as the reduction of oxide layers could be accomplished. The shrinkage rate of n-Fe0.96Cu0.04 reached a value three times higher than n-Fe at a low temperature of 723 K (450 °C) during heating. This enhanced shrinkage rate was the manifestation of accumulation of Cu at the surface of the particles. The formation of a thin-surface melted layer enriched with copper during heating to isothermal holding facilitated as a medium of transport for diffusion of the elements. The compacts produced by sintering at 773 K (500 °C), with relative density 82 pct, were found to be unstable and oxidized instantly when exposed to ambient atmosphere. The stable compacts of density more than 92 pct with 300- to 450-nm grain size could only be produced when sintering was carried out at 973 K (700 °C) and beyond. The 0.22 wt pct residual oxygen obtained in the sintered compact is similar to what is used for conventional ferrous powder metallurgy products.

  15. Effect of soil parameters on the kinetics of the displacement of Fe from FeEDDHA chelates by Cu.

    PubMed

    Schenkeveld, Walter D C; Reichwein, Arjen M; Temminghoff, Erwin J M; van Riemsdijk, Willem H

    2012-06-28

    In soil application, o,o-FeEDDHA (iron (3+) ethylene diamine-N,N'-bis(2-hydroxy phenyl acetic acid) complex) is the active ingredient of FeEDDHA chelate-based Fe fertilizers. The effectiveness of o,o-FeEDDHA is potentially compromised by the displacement of Fe from FeEDDHA by Cu. The actual impact of Cu competition is codetermined by the kinetics of the displacement reaction. In this study, the influence of soil parameters on the displacement kinetics has been examined in goethite suspensions. The displacement reaction predominantly takes place on the reactive surface rather than in solution. The rate at which the o,o-FeEDDHA concentration declined depended on the available reactive surface area, the Cu loading, and the FeEDDHA loading. Soil factors reducing FeEDDHA adsorption (high ionic strength, humic acid adsorption onto the goethite surface, and monovalent instead of divalent cations in the electrolyte) decreased the displacement rate. For meso o,o-FeEDDHA, the displacement rate equation was derived, which is first order in FeEDDHA loading and half order in Cu loading. For soil conditions, the equation can be simplified to an exponential decay function in meso o,o-FeEDDHA solution concentration.

  16. Novel approach for removing brominated flame retardant from aquatic environments using Cu/Fe-based metal-organic frameworks: A case of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD).

    PubMed

    Li, Xiang; Liu, Hongli; Jia, Xiaoshan; Li, Guiying; An, Taicheng; Gao, Yanpeng

    2018-04-15

    Cu and Fe based metal-organic frameworks (Cu-BTC and Fe-BTC) were synthesized via a simple solvothermal method and innovatively utilized to remove a typical nonionic brominated flame retardant, hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), from aquatic environment. Results show that over 80% of HBCD was removed by Cu-BTC within 5h, which is 1.3 times higher than removal by Fe-BTC. Thermodynamic analysis confirms spontaneous adsorption of HBCD onto the metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Furthermore, the Gibbs free energy of Cu-BTC (-9.11kJ/mol) is more negative than that of Fe-BTC (-5.04kJ/mol). Both adsorption isotherms of HBCD onto Cu-BTC and Fe-BTC followed the Langmuir model, indicating a typical monomolecular-layer adsorption mechanism. In addition, the water stability test of these MOFs shows that the collapse of the Cu-BTC crystal structure is significantly hindered in the aquatic environment due to adsorption of the hydrophobic HBCD. The proposed adsorption mechanism includes van der Waals and hydrophobic interactions. These findings demonstrate that Cu/Fe-BTC are promising adsorbents for the removal of hydrophobic organic pollutants from aquatic environments, and may further improve the understanding of MOF materials for environmental applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Damping studies in Ni-Mn-Ga-Fe/PU polymer composites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saranya, C.; Kumar, S. Vinodh; Seenithurai, S.; Pandyan, R. Kodi; Munieswaran, P.; Mahendran, M.

    2015-06-01

    Ni-Mn-Ga-Fe/PU polymer composite is prepared to investigate the damping behavior by using an indigenous experimental setup. The excellent damping properties of Ni-Mn-Ga-Fe alloys bonded with polymer matrix makes possible to develop new damping materials which are effective, less expensive and easier than bulk Ni-Mn-Ga. At low frequency, the stress amplitude increases and then smoothly decreases on increasing the frequency.

  18. The influence of different locations of sputter guns on the morphological and structural properties of Cu-In-Ga precursors and Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, J.; Zhu, J.; He, Y. X.

    2014-01-01

    The influence of two different locations of sputter guns on the morphological and structural properties of Cu-In-Ga precursors and Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin films was investigated. All the precursors contained cauliflower-like nodules, whereas smaller subnodules were observed on the background. All the precursors revealed apparent three-layered structures, and voids were observed at the CIGS/SLG interface of Sets 1 and 2 films rather than Set 3 film. EDS results indicated that all CIGS thin films were Cu-deficient. Based on the grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) patterns, as-selenized films showed peaks corresponding to the chalcopyrite-type CIGS structure. Depth-resolved Raman spectra showed the formation of a dominant CIGS phase inside the films for all the as-selenized samples investigated, and of an ordered vacancy compound (OVC) phase like Cu(In,Ga)3Se5 or Cu(In,Ga)2Se3.5 at the surface and/or CIGS/SLG interface region of Sets 2 and 3 films. No evidence was obtained on the presence of an OVC phase in Set 1 CIGS film, which may be speculated that long-time annealing is contributed to suppress the growth of OVC phases. The results of the present work suggest that the metallic precursors deposited with the upright-location sputter gun might be more appropriate to prepare CIGS thin films than those sputtered with the titled-location gun.

  19. Photodegradation of gallic acid under UV irradiation: insights regarding the pH effect on direct photolysis and the ROS oxidation-sensitized process of DOM.

    PubMed

    Du, Yingxun; Chen, Hui; Zhang, Yuanyuan; Chang, Yuguang

    2014-03-01

    In this study, the degradation of gallic acid (GA), a model compound for dissolved organic matter (DOM) in controlled UV/N2, UV/air, UV/Fe(3+)/N2, and UV/Fe(3+)/air systems was investigated to elucidate the contribution of direct photolysis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) oxidation to GA degradation at various pH values. In general, the order of the degradation rate of GA in these four systems was as follows: UV/Fe(3+)/air>UV/air>UV/Fe(3+)/N2≈UV/N2. In the UV/N2 system, GA underwent slow direct photolysis, the rate of which decreased with decreasing pH. In the UV/Fe(3+)/air system, the most rapid GA degradation was achieved at pH 5. ROS are mainly derived from two sources. The first source is attributed to the role of DO and the other is attributed to the interaction of Fe(3+) and DO. The contribution of ROS to GA oxidation is much greater (>71%) than that of direct photolysis (<29%) at each pH value and is most obvious at pH 5. H2O2 formation was detected during GA degradation in the UV/air and UV/Fe(3+)/air systems. Using ROS scavengers, it was found that oxidation by OH was the main mechanism of GA degradation in the UV/Fe(3+)/air system. Based on the experimental results, a mechanism for GA degradation and ROS formation involving the effect of pH was proposed. This study furthers our understanding of changes in DOM degradation mechanisms due to global acidification. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Fabrication, testing and reliability modeling of copper/titanium-metallized GaAs MESFETs and HEMTs for low-noise applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Feng, Ting

    Today, GaAs based field effect transistors (FETs) have been used in a broad range of high-speed electronic military and commercial applications. However, their reliability still needs to be improved. Particularly the hydrogen induced degradation is a large remaining issue in the reliability of GaAs FETs, because hydrogen can easily be incorporated into devices during the crystal growth and virtually every device processing step. The main objective of this research work is to develop a new gate metallization system in order to reduce the hydrogen induced degradation from the gate region for GaAs based MESFETs and HEMTs. Cu/Ti gate metallization has been introduced into the GaAs MESFETs and HEMTs in our work in order to solve the hydrogen problem. The purpose of the use of copper is to tie up the hydrogen atoms and prevent hydrogen penetration into the device active region as well as to keep a low gate resistance for low noise applications. In this work, the fabrication technology of GaAs MESFETs and AlGaAs/GaAs HEMTs with Cu/Ti metallized gates have been successfully developed and the fabricated Cu/Ti FETs have shown comparable DC performance with similar Au-based GaAs FETs. The Cu/Ti FETs were subjected to temperature accelerated testing at NOT under 5% hydrogen forming gas and the experimental results show the hydrogen induced degradation has been reduced for the Cu/Ti FETs compared to commonly used AuPtTi based GaAs FETs. A long-term reliability testing for Cu/Ti FETs has also been carried out at 200°C and up to 1000hours and testing results show Cu/Ti FETs performed with adequate reliability. The failure modes were found to consist of a decrease in drain saturation current and pinch-off voltage and an increase in source ohmic contact resistance. Material characterization tools including Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy and a back etching technique were used in Cu/Ti GaAs FETs, and pronounced gate metal copper in-diffusion and intermixing compounds at the interface between the gate and GaAs channel layer were found. A quantifying gate sinking degradation model was developed in order to extend device physics models to reliability testing results of Cu/Ti GaAs FETs. The gate sinking degradation model includes the gate metal and hydrogen in-diffusion effect, decrease of effective channel due to the formation of interfacial compounds, decrease of electron mobility due to the increase of in-diffused impurities, and donor compensation from in-diffused metal impurity acceptors or hydrogen passivation. A variational charge control model was applied to simulate and understand the degradation mechanisms of Cu/Ti HEMTs, including hydrogen induced degradation due to the neutralization of donors. The degradation model established in this study is also applicable to other Au or Al metallized GaAs FETs for understanding the failure mechanisms induced by gate sinking and hydrogen neutralization of donors and con-elating the device physics model with reliability testing results.

  1. Phase diagram and neutron spin resonance of superconducting NaFe 1 - x Cu x As

    DOE PAGES

    Tan, Guotai; Song, Yu; Zhang, Rui; ...

    2017-02-03

    In this paper, we use transport and neutron scattering to study the electronic phase diagram and spin excitations of NaFe 1-xCu xAs single crystals. Similar to Co- and Ni-doped NaFeAs, a bulk superconducting phase appears near x≈2% with the suppression of stripe-type magnetic order in NaFeAs. Upon further increasing Cu concentration the system becomes insulating, culminating in an antiferromagnetically ordered insulating phase near x≈50%. Using transport measurements, we demonstrate that the resistivity in NaFe 1-xCu xAs exhibits non-Fermi-liquid behavior near x≈1.8%. Our inelastic neutron scattering experiments reveal a single neutron spin resonance mode exhibiting weak dispersion along c axis inmore » NaFe 0.98Cu 0.02As. The resonance is high in energy relative to the superconducting transition temperature T c but weak in intensity, likely resulting from impurity effects. These results are similar to other iron pnictides superconductors despite that the superconducting phase in NaFe 1-xCu xAs is continuously connected to an antiferromagnetically ordered insulating phase near x≈50% with significant electronic correlations. Finally, therefore, electron correlations is an important ingredient of superconductivity in NaFe 1-xCu xAs and other iron pnictides.« less

  2. The effect of TM doping on the superconducting properties of ZrNi2-xTMxGa (TM = Cu, Co) Heusler compounds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Basaula, Dharma Raj; Brock, Jeffrey; Khan, Mahmud

    2018-05-01

    We have explored the structural and superconducting properties of ZrNi2-xTMxGa (TM = Cu, Co) Heusler compounds via x-ray diffraction, scanning electron mi croscopy, electrical resistivity, dc magnetization and ac susceptibility measurements. All samples crystallized in the cubic L21 structure at room temperature. For x ≤ 0.25, all the ZrNi2-xCuxGa compounds showed superconducting properties and a decrease in TC with increasing Cu concentration. The dc magnetization data suggested type-II superconductivity for all the Cu-doped compounds. Contrary to the ZrNi2-xCuxGa compounds, no superconductivity was observed in the ZrNi2-xCoxGa compounds. Substitution of Ni by a small concentration of Co destroyed superconductivity in the Co-doped compounds. The experimental results are discussed and possible explanations are provided.

  3. Introducing a 2-His-1-Glu Nonheme Iron Center into Myoglobin Confers Nitric Oxide Reductase Activity

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lin, Y.W.; Robinson, H.; Yeung, N.

    2010-07-28

    A conserved 2-His-1-Glu metal center, as found in natural nonheme iron-containing enzymes, was engineered into sperm whale myoglobin by replacing Leu29 and Phe43 with Glu and His, respectively (swMb L29E, F43H, H64, called Fe{sub B}Mb(-His)). A high resolution (1.65 {angstrom}) crystal structure of Cu(II)-CN?-Fe{sub B}Mb(-His) was determined, demonstrating that the unique 2-His-1-Glu metal center was successfully created within swMb. The Fe{sub B}Mb(-His) can bind Cu, Fe, or Zn ions, with both Cu(I)-Fe{sub B}Mb(-His) and Fe(II)-Fe{sub B}Mb(-His) exhibiting nitric oxide reductase (NOR) activities. Cu dependent NOR activity was significantly higher than that of Fe in the same metal binding site. EPRmore » studies showed that the reduction of NO to N{sub 2}O catalyzed by these two enzymes resulted in different intermediates; a five-coordinate heme-NO species was observed for Cu(I)-Fe{sub B}Mb(-His) due to the cleavage of the proximal heme Fe-His bond, while Fe(II)-Fe{sub B}Mb(-His) remained six-coordinate. Therefore, both the metal ligand, Glu29, and the metal itself, Cu or Fe, play crucial roles in NOR activity. This study presents a novel protein model of NOR and provides insights into a newly discovered member of the NOR family, gNOR.« less

  4. Catalytic ozonation of petroleum refinery wastewater utilizing Mn-Fe-Cu/Al2O 3 catalyst.

    PubMed

    Chen, Chunmao; Yoza, Brandon A; Wang, Yandan; Wang, Ping; Li, Qing X; Guo, Shaohui; Yan, Guangxu

    2015-04-01

    There is of great interest to develop an economic and high-efficient catalytic ozonation system (COS) for the treatment of biologically refractory wastewaters. Applications of COS require options of commercially feasible catalysts. Experiments in the present study were designed to prepare and investigate a novel manganese-iron-copper oxide-supported alumina-assisted COS (Mn-Fe-Cu/Al2O3-COS) for the pretreatment of petroleum refinery wastewater. The highly dispersed composite metal oxides on the catalyst surface greatly promoted the performance of catalytic ozonation. Hydroxyl radical mediated oxidation is a dominant reaction in Mn-Fe-Cu/Al2O3-COS. Mn-Fe-Cu/Al2O3-COS enhanced COD removal by 32.7% compared with a single ozonation system and by 8-16% compared with Mn-Fe/Al2O3-COS, Mn-Cu/Al2O3-COS, and Fe-Cu/Al2O3-COS. The O/C and H/C ratios of oxygen-containing polar compounds significantly increased after catalytic ozonation, and the biodegradability of petroleum refinery wastewater was significantly improved. This study illustrates potential applications of Mn-Fe-Cu/Al2O3-COS for pretreatment of biologically refractory wastewaters.

  5. Characteristics of Catalytic Gasification of Natural Coke with H2O in a Fluidized Bed

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, L. S.; Zhao, C. S.; Wang, S.; Zhu, G.; Xiang, W. G.

    The experimental investigation on gasification characteristics of natural coke from Peicheng, Jiangsu with steam were conducted in a fluidized bed gasifier setup. The effects of several parameters, in terms of the catalyst type, the catalyst mixed manner and the dosage of catalyst over coke on the yield, the components, the heating value of fuel gas and the carbon conversion rate were examined. Results indicate that the fluidized bed gasification technology could overcome the shortcomings of natural coke. Ca-, Fe- and Cu-based nitrates could improve the gasification reaction effectively with a little difference, they could be listed in a descending sequence as follows: Cu-based>Fe-based>Ca-based according to their catalytic effect. The influences of Fe/Ca ratio and Cu/Ca ratio on gasification are similar, gas yield, carbon conversion rate and gas heating value per hour increase as Fe/Ca ratio or Cu/Ca ratio increases, but all of them go up first and then drop with decrease in Fe/Cu ratio. When the dosage of Ca-, Fe- and Cu-based nitrates mixed with the ratio of Ca/Fe/Cu= 10/35/55 is 3%, the best catalytic effect is achieved.

  6. Heterologous, Expression, and Characterization of Thermostable Glucoamylase Derived from Aspergillus flavus NSH9 in Pichia pastoris

    PubMed Central

    Karim, Kazi Muhammad Rezaul; Hossain, Md. Anowar; Sing, Ngieng Ngui; Mohd Sinang, Fazia; Hussain, Mohd Hasnain Md.; Roslan, Hairul Azman

    2016-01-01

    A novel thermostable glucoamylase cDNA without starch binding domain (SBD) of Aspergillus flavus NSH9 was successfully identified, isolated, and overexpressed in Pichia pastoris GS115. The complete open reading frame of glucoamylase from Aspergillus flavus NSH9 was identified by employing PCR that encodes 493 amino acids lacking in the SBD. The first 17 amino acids were presumed to be a signal peptide. The cDNA was cloned into Pichia pastoris and the highest expression of recombinant glucoamylase (rGA) was observed after 8 days of incubation period with 1% methanol. The molecular weight of the purified rGA was about 78 kDa and exhibited optimum catalytic activity at pH 5.0 and temperature of 70°C. The enzyme was stable at higher temperature with 50% of residual activity observed after 20 min at 90°C and 100°C. Low concentration of metal (Mg++, Fe++, Zn++, Cu++, and Pb++) had positive effect on rGA activity. This rGA has the potential for use and application in the saccharification steps, due to its thermostability, in the starch processing industries. PMID:27504454

  7. Magneto Caloric Effect in Ni-Mn-Ga alloys: First Principles and Experimental studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Odbadrakh, Khorgolkhuu; Nicholson, Don; Brown, Gregory; Rusanu, Aurelian; Rios, Orlando; Hodges, Jason; Safa-Sefat, Athena; Ludtka, Gerard; Eisenbach, Markus; Evans, Boyd

    2012-02-01

    Understanding the Magneto-Caloric Effect (MCE) in alloys with real technological potential is important to the development of viable MCE based products. We report results of computational and experimental investigation of a candidate MCE materials Ni-Mn-Ga alloys. The Wang-Landau statistical method is used in tandem with Locally Self-consistent Multiple Scattering (LSMS) method to explore magnetic states of the system. A classical Heisenberg Hamiltonian is parametrized based on these states and used in obtaining the density of magnetic states. The Currie temperature, isothermal entropy change, and adiabatic temperature change are then calculated from the density of states. Experiments to observe the structural and magnetic phase transformations were performed at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) on alloys of Ni-Mn-Ga and Fe-Ni-Mn-Ga-Cu. Data from the observations are discussed in comparison with the computational studies. This work was sponsored by the Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program (ORNL), by the Mathematical, Information, and Computational Sciences Division; Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research (US DOE), and by the Materials Sciences and Engineering Division; Office of Basic Energy Sciences (US DOE).

  8. Charge dynamics of 57Fe probe atoms in La2Li0.5Cu0.5O4

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Presniakov, I. A.; Sobolev, A. V.; Rusakov, V. S.; Moskvin, A. S.; Baranov, A. V.

    2018-06-01

    The objective of this study is to characterize the electronic state and local surrounding of 57Fe Mössbauer probe atoms within iron-doped layered perovskite La2Li0.5Cu0.5O4 containing transition metal in unusual formal oxidation states "+3". An approach based on the qualitative energy diagrams analysis and the calculations within the cluster configuration interaction method have been developed. It was shown that a large amount of charge is transferred via Cu-O bonds from the O: 2p bands to the Cu: 3d orbitals and the ground state is dominated by the d9L configuration ("Cu2+-O-" state). The dominant d9L ground state for the (CuO6) sublattice induces in the environment of the 57Fe probe cations a charge transfer Fe3+ + O-(L) → Fe4+ + O2-, which transforms "Fe3+" into "Fe4+" state. The experimental spectra in the entire temperature range 77-300 K were described with the use of the stochastic two-level model based on the assumption of dynamic equilibrium between two Fe3+↔Fe4+ valence states related to the iron atom in the [Fe(1)O4]4- center. The relaxation frequencies and activation energies of the corresponding charge fluctuations were estimated based on Mössbauer data. The results are discussed assuming a temperature-induced change in the electronic state of the [CuO4]5- clusters in the layered perovskite.

  9. Influence of composition on the performance of sintered Cu(In,Ga)Se2 nanocrystal thin-film photovoltaic devices.

    PubMed

    Akhavan, Vahid A; Harvey, Taylor B; Stolle, C Jackson; Ostrowski, David P; Glaz, Micah S; Goodfellow, Brian W; Panthani, Matthew G; Reid, Dariya K; Vanden Bout, David A; Korgel, Brian A

    2013-03-01

    Thin-film photovoltaic devices (PVs) were prepared by selenization using oleylamine-capped Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) nanocrystals sintered at a high temperature (>500 °C) under Se vapor. The device performance varied significantly with [Ga]/[In+Ga] content in the nanocrystals. The highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) observed in the devices studied was 5.1 % under air mass 1.5 global (AM 1.5 G) illumination, obtained with [Ga]/[In+Ga]=0.32. The variation in PCE with composition is partly a result of bandgap tuning and optimization, but the main influence of nanocrystal composition appeared to be on the quality of the sintered films. The [Cu]/[In+Ga] content was found to be strongly influenced by the [Ga]/[In+Ga] concentration, which appears to be correlated with the morphology of the sintered film. For this reason, only small changes in the [Ga]/[In+Ga] content resulted in significant variations in device efficiency. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. The role of impurity ions in the formation of phase composition of Norilsk ore types

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mashukov, Anatoly; Mashukova, Alla

    2013-04-01

    Using the methods of X-ray and Mössbauer spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, there were studied the samples of Norilsk ore types in order to identify compounds containing Cu and Ni. Depending on elemental composition there were singled out two sample series. Maximum concentration in percentage of selected elements for this series is presented below. 1: Ni (0), Cu (0,42), S (11,2), O (20,2), H (0.02), Fe(46,8), Ca (5,85), Mg (1,75), K (0,47), Na (0). 2: Ni (4,93), Cu (0), S (14,9), O (27,1), H (0,11), Fe (28,1), Ca (14,9), Mg (0), K (0), Na (1,61). The research conducted by using the method of scanning electron microscopy and the X-ray microanalysis showed that iron and sulfur are spread uniformly over the scanned area. Sulfur is absent in the inclusions containing Fe and Ni. There are areas, sizes 8 - 120 microns, strongly enriched by Fe. The inclusions of rectangular and rhomboid shapes sizes 8 - 15 microns contain Ni as the content of Fe increases. There were identified the inclusions having a high content of Cu, with a maximum concentration of Ni. The presence of native elements testifies to the reducing mode of ore formation processes. The phases, containing Cu ? Ni, have a complex composition: pentlandite (FeNiS2), chalcopyrite (CuFeS2), bornite (CuFeS4), nickelhexahydrite (NiSO4 [6H2O]), wroewolfeite (Cu4 (OH) 6 (SO4) • 2H2O), pyrrhotine (Fe7S8), pyrite (FeS2). The position of the absorption lines in the magnetically ordered areas indicates the presence of stoichiometric FeS and CuFeS2. Some of the samples of this group have broadened lines, indicating the existence of various positions of the Fe ions in the sublattices. The ingrowths of CuFeS2 are characterized by the degree of the structure defectiveness, by various impurities, which is reflected in the studied parameters. As regards the other sample series, containing FeS and CuFeS2 in pyrrhotine matrix of Fe 1-xSx, the spectra are the superposition of the unsolved doublet, which shows the presence of paramagnetic areas. The magnetic phase has the spectrum composed of two six-linear spectrums. The peaks on the spectrum borders show the oxide presence. The isomer shifts of the samples range from 0 to 1.394 mm/s, quadrupole splitting ranges from 0 to 2.688 mm/s. This indicates that the local electronic structure depends on the genesis of compounds. Thus, most of the bulk of Cu, Ni is not dissipated in the crystal lattices of the ore, but it is part of the ore sulphides. The presence of the characteristic structures of the solid solutions decomposition shows a wide temperature range of sulphide crystallization.

  11. Synthesis and Characterization of Fe3O4 Nanoparticles using Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) as Capping Agent and Glutaraldehyde (GA) as Crosslinker

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Budi Hutami Rahayu, Lale; Oktavia Wulandari, Ika; Herry Santjojo, Djoko; Sabarudin, Akhmad

    2018-01-01

    The use of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a capping agent and glutaraldehyde (GA) as a crosslinker for a synthesis of magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles is able to reduce agglomeration of produced Fe3O4. Additionally, oxidation of Fe3O4 by air could be avoided. The synthesis is carried out in two steps: first step, magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles were prepared by dissolving the FeCl3.6H2O and FeCl2.4H2O in alkaline media (NH3.H2O). The second step, magnetite nanoparticles were coated with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and glutaraldehyde (GA) to obtain Fe3O4-PVA-GA. The latter material was then characterized by FTIR to determine the typical functional groups of magnetite coated with PVA-GA. X-ray Diffraction analysis was used to determine structure and size of crystal as well as the percentage of magnetite produced. It was found that the produced nanoparticles have crystal sizes around 4-9 nm with the cubic crystal structure. The percentage of magnetite phase increases when the amount of glutaraldehyde increased. SEM-EDX was employed to assess the surface morphology and elemental composition of the resulted nanoparticles. The magnetic character of the magnetite and Fe3O4- PVA-GA were studied using Electron Spin Resonance.

  12. Fabrication of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@CuO core-shell from MOF based materials and its antibacterial activity

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rajabi, S.K.; Sohrabnezhad, Sh., E-mail: sohrabnezhad@guilan.ac.ir; Ghafourian, S.

    Magnetic Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@CuO nanocomposite with a core/shell structure was successfully synthesized via direct calcinations of magnetic Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@HKUST-1 in air atmosphere. The morphology, structure, magnetic and porous properties of the as-synthesized nano composites were characterized by using scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and vibration sample magnetometer (VSM). The results showed that the nanocomposite material included a Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} core and a CuO shell. The Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@CuO core-shell can be separated easily from the medium by a small magnet. The antibacterial activity of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-CuO core-shell was investigated againstmore » gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. A new mechanism was proposed for inactivation of bacteria over the prepared sample. It was demonstrated that the core-shell exhibit recyclable antibacterial activity, acting as an ideal long-acting antibacterial agent. - Graphical abstract: Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@CuO core-shell release of copper ions. These Cu{sup 2+} ions were responsible for the exhibited antibacterial activity. - Highlights: • The Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@CuO core-shell was prepared by MOF method. • This is the first study of antibacterial activity of core-shell consist of CuO and Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}. • The core-shell can be reused effectively. • Core-shell was separated from the reaction solution by external magnetic field.« less

  13. Synthesis, characterization and electrocatalytic properties of delafossite CuGaO{sub 2}

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ahmed, Jahangeer; Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451; Mao, Yuanbing, E-mail: yuanbing.mao@utrgv.edu

    2016-10-15

    Delafossite CuGaO{sub 2} has been employed as photocatalysts for solar cells, but their electrocatalytic properties have not been extensively studied, especially no comparison among samples made by different synthesis routes. Herein, we first reported the successful synthesis of delafossite CuGaO{sub 2} particles with three different morphologies, i.e. nanocrystalline hexagons, sub-micron sized plates and micron–sized particles by a modified hydrothermal method at 190 °C for 60 h [1–3], a sono-chemical method followed by firing at 850 °C for 48 h, and a solid state route at 1150 °C, respectively. Morphology, composition and phase purity of the synthesized samples was confirmed bymore » powder X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopic studies, and then their electrocatalytic performance as active and cost effective electrode materials to the oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions in 0.5 M KOH electrolyte versus Ag/AgCl was investigated and compared under the same conditions for the first time. The nanocrystalline CuGaO{sub 2} hexagons show enhanced electrocatalytic activity than the counterpart sub-micron sized plates and micron-sized particles. - Graphical abstract: Representative delafossite CuGaO2 samples with sub-micron sized plate and nanocrystalline hexagon morphologies accompanying with chronoamperometric voltammograms for oxygen evolution reaction and hydrogen evolution reaction in 0.5 M KOH electrolyte after purged with N{sub 2} gas. - Highlights: • Delafossite CuGaO{sub 2} with three morphologies has been synthesized. • Phase purity of the synthesized samples was confirmed. • Comparison on their electrocatalytic properties was made for the first time. • Their use as electrodes for oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions was evaluated. • Nanocrystalline CuGaO{sub 2} hexagons show highest electrocatalytic activity.« less

  14. Environmental application of millimeter-scale sponge iron (s-Fe(0)) particles (II): the effect of surface copper.

    PubMed

    Ju, Yongming; Liu, Xiaowen; Liu, Runlong; Li, Guohua; Wang, Xiaoyan; Yang, Yanyan; Wei, Dongyang; Fang, Jiande; Dionysiou, Dionysios D

    2015-04-28

    To enhance the catalytic reactivity of millimeter-scale particles of sponge iron (s-Fe(0)), Cu(2+) ions were deposited on the surface of s-Fe(0) using a simple direct reduction reaction, and the catalytic properties of the bimetallic system was tested for removal of rhodamine B (RhB) from an aqueous solution. The influence of Cu(0) loading, catalyst dosage, particle size, initial RhB concentration, and initial pH were investigated, and the recyclability of the catalyst was also assessed. The results demonstrate that the 3∼5 millimeter s-Fe(0) particles (s-Fe(0)(3∼5mm)) with 5wt% Cu loading gave the best results. The removal of RhB followed two-step, pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics. Cu(0)-s-Fe(0) showed excellent stability after five reuse cycles. Cu(0)-s-Fe(0) possesses great advantages compared to nanoscale zero-valent iron, iron power, and iron flakes as well as its bimetals. The surface Cu(0) apparently catalyzes the production of reactive hydrogen atoms for indirect reaction and generates Fe-Cu galvanic cells that enhance electron transfer for direct reaction. This bimetallic catalyst shows great potential for the pre-treatment of recalcitrant wastewaters. Additionally, some oxides containing iron element are selected to simulate the adsorption process. The results prove that the adsorption process of FeOOH, Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 played minor role for the removal of RhB. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. An experimental study of the local electronic structure of B-site gallium doped bismuth ferrite powders

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gholam, Turghunjan; Ablat, Abduleziz; Mamat, Mamatrishat; Wu, Rong; Aimidula, Aimierding; Bake, Muhammad Ali; Zheng, Lirong; Wang, Jiaou; Qian, Haijie; Wu, Rui; Ibrahim, Kurash

    2017-08-01

    The un-doped and gallium (Ga) doped multiferroic bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3) compounds were successfully synthesized by the hydrothermal technique. This is then followed by a series of detailed investigations into the influence of Ga doping on the structural, morphological, optical and magnetic properties of BiFe1 - xGaxO3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.15). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses reveal that B-site doping of Ga may lead to the transformation of its crystal structure from a rhombohedral with a space group of R3c to an orthorhombic with a space group of Pbnm phase. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images show that doping with Ga causes a significant reduction in particle size, when compared to un-doped BiFeO3. X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectra have also shown that as the substitution of Ga increases, the Fe K and Bi LIII-edge absorption spectra shift towards higher energy site. It also implies that doping of Ga affects the local structures of both Bi and Fe atoms. Distinct transmission band fluctuations, as shown by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra, can provide significant evidence for a transformation in crystal structure, following the increase of Ga concentration. The magnetization hysteresis measurements show that the magnetization decreases when Ga content is x ≥ 0.05. Such a phenomenon mainly stems from the substitution of Fe for an excessive amount of Ga, resulting in reduction of both valence fluctuations and the magnetization in the BiFe1 - xGaxO3 system.

  16. Synthesis, spectroscopy, and binding constants of ketocatechol-containing iminodiacetic acid and its Fe(III), Cu(II), and Zn(II) complexes and reaction of Cu(II) complex with H₂O₂ in aqueous solution.

    PubMed

    Gao, Jiaojiao; Xing, Feifei; Bai, Yueling; Zhu, Shourong

    2014-06-07

    A new neuromelanin-like ketocatechol-containing iminodiacetic acid ligand, (N-(3,4-dihydroxyl)phenacylimino)diacetic acid (H4L), which is also quite similar to compounds found in insect cuticle, has been synthesized and characterized. The X-ray crystal structure of H4L has been successfully determined. Proton binding and coordination with Fe(III), Cu(II), and Zn(II) have been studied by potentiometric titrations and UV-vis spectrophotometry in aqueous solution. UV spectra of H4L in the absence and presence of different metal ions indicate complexes formed with the catechol moiety of H4L in aqueous solution. Visible spectra and NMR reveal that H4L with Fe(III), Cu(II), and Zn(II) can all give stable mono-(ML) and dinuclear complexes [M(ML)]. Fe(III) can also form {Fe(FeL)2} and {Fe(FeL)3} species with sufficient base. The process is accompanied by a drastic color change from light blue to deep-blue to wine-red. The Fe(III)-Cu(II) heteronuclear complex also exists in aqueous solution whose spectra are similar to the homonuclear Fe(III) complex. However, the spectra of {Fe(CuL)} shifted to a longer wavelength and {Fe(CuL)2} and {Fe(CuL)3} shifted to a shorter wavelength. Keto-enol tautomerism was observed in weak basic aqueous solution as indicated by (1)H NMR spectra. The reaction products of Cu(II) complex with H2O2 depend on the H2O2 concentration and pH value. Low concentrations of H2O2 oxidize H4L to a series of semiquinone and quinone compounds with absorption maxima at 314-400 nm, while a high concentration of H2O2 oxidizes H4L to colorless muconic acid derivatives. NaIO4 gives different oxidase products, but no 2,4,5-trihydroxyphenylalanine quinone (TPQ)-like hydroxyquinone can be found.

  17. Copper-tuned magnetic order and excitations in iron-based superconductors Fe1+yTe1-xSex

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wen, Jinsheng; Xu, Zhijun; Xu, Guangyong; Lumsden, Mark; Matsuda, Masaaki; Valdivia, Patrick; Bourret, Edith; Lee, Dunghai; Gu, Genda; Tranquada, John; Birgeneau, Robert

    2012-02-01

    We report neutron scattering results on the Cu-substitution effects in the iron-based superconductors, Fe1+yTe1-xSex. In the parent compound, it is found that Cu drives the low-temperature magnetic ground state from long-range commensurate antiferromagnetic order in Fe1.06TeCu0.04 to short-range incommensurate order in FeTeCu0.1. In the former sample, the structural and magnetic ordering temperature is 40 K; in FeTeCu0.1, the structural phase transition is not obvious and a transition to the spin-glass state is found at 22 K. Cu suppresses superconductivity in FeTe0.5Se0.5---Tc is reduced to 7 K with a 2% Cu doping, and no superconductivity is found in the 10% Cu-doped sample. In the meantime, the intensity and energy of the resonance mode are suppressed in the 2% Cu-doped sample, while there is no resonance in the non-superconducting sample. Besides, the low-temperature magnetic excitation spectra are distinct for these two samples, with the superconducting one having an ``hour-glass" shape and the other one having a ``waterfall" shape. Our results provide further insights on the interplay between magnetism and superconductivity in the iron-based superconductors.

  18. Catalytic conversion of syngas to mixed alcohols over Zn-Mn promoted Cu-Fe based catalyst

    DOE PAGES

    Lu, Yongwu; Yu, Fei; Hu, Jin; ...

    2012-04-12

    Zn-Mn promoted Cu-Fe based catalyst was synthesized by the co-precipitation method. Mixed alcohols synthesis from syngas was studied in a half-inch tubular reactor system after the catalyst was reduced. Zn-Mn promoted Cu-Fe based catalyst was characterized by SEM-EDS, TEM, XRD, and XPS. The liquid phase products (alcohol phase and hydrocarbon phase) were analyzed by GC-MS and the gas phase products were analyzed by GC. The results showed that Zn-Mn promoted Cu-Fe based catalyst had high catalytic activity and high alcohol selectivity. The maximal CO conversion rate was 72%, and the yield of alcohol and hydrocarbons were also very high. Cumore » (111) was the active site for mixed alcohols synthesis, Fe 2C (101) was the active site for olefin and paraffin synthesis. The reaction mechanism of mixed alcohols synthesis from syngas over Zn-Mn promoted Cu-Fe based catalyst was proposed. Here, Zn-Mn promoted Cu-Fe based catalyst can be regarded as a potential candidate for catalytic conversion of biomass-derived syngas to mixed alcohols.« less

  19. Band structure calculations of CuAlO2, CuGaO2, CuInO2, and CuCrO2 by screened exchange

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gillen, Roland; Robertson, John

    2011-07-01

    We report density functional theory band structure calculations on the transparent conducting oxides CuAlO2, CuGaO2, CuInO2, and CuCrO2. The use of the hybrid functional screened-exchange local density approximation (sX-LDA) leads to considerably improved electronic properties compared to standard LDA and generalized gradient approximation (GGA) approaches. We show that the resulting electronic band gaps compare well with experimental values and previous quasiparticle calculations, and show the correct trends with respect to the atomic number of the cation (Al, Ga, In). The resulting energetic depths of Cu d and O p levels and the valence-band widths are considerable improvements compared to LDA and GGA and are in good agreement with available x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data. Lastly, we show the calculated imaginary part of the dielectric function for all four systems.

  20. Humidity sensitive polymers In solution processed adjustable pore-volume Cu(In,Ga)S2 photocathodes for solar hydrogen production

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Chuan; Luo, Wenjun; Wen, Xin; Guan, Zhongjie; Zou, Zhigang

    2017-11-01

    P-type Cu(In,Ga)S2 semiconductors are promising candidates to be used as photocathodes for solar water splitting. Porous structures have been widely used to improve the performances of photoelectrodes due to good minority carrier transport. However, a porous photoelectrode has longer transport distance of majority carriers, which limits its performance. Controlling pore volume of a photoelectrode can balance minority and majority carrier transport and improve the performance. Here, a porous Cu(In,Ga)S2 film is prepared by facile spin-coating method. The pore volume of Cu(In,Ga)S2 film is controlled by adjusting relative humidity (RH) of air during spin-coating process. Further studies suggest that polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) in precursor solution is a humidity sensitive polymer and plays a key role to form different pore volume. The 40% RH sample has the best performance due to its optimum pore volume. After further coated with CdS surface passivation layer and Pt electrocatalyst on the surface, a 40% RH Cu(In,Ga)S2 photocathode indicates a photocurrent density of 8.6 mA cm-2 at 0 V RHE, which is one of the highest photocurrents of Cu(In,Ga)S2 photocathodes. This new strategy for adjusting pore volume is also suitable to prepare other solution-processed inorganic materials.

  1. Fabrication and photocatalytic property of magnetic NiFe2O4/Cu2O composites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    He, Zuming; Xia, Yongmei; Tang, Bin; Su, Jiangbin

    2017-09-01

    Magnetically separable NiFe2O4/Cu2O composites were successfully synthesized by a two-step method. The samples were characterized by XRD, XPS, SEM and VSM as well as their PL spectra and UV-vis adsorption spectra. The results showed that the NiFe2O4/Cu2O composites were composed of cubic-structured Cu2O and spinel-structured NiFe2O4, were able to absorb a large amount of visible light, exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity under simulated solar light irradiation and could be easily separated by an external magnetic field. The NiFe2O4/Cu2O composites exhibited higher photocatalytic performance than that of a single semiconductor. It was found that the prominently enhanced photocatalytic performance of NiFe2O4/Cu2O composites was ascribed to the effective separation of photo-generated electron-hole pairs and the effective generation of the hydroxyl radical •OH.

  2. Annealing dependence on flexible p-CuGaO2/n-ZnO heterojunction diode deposited by RF sputtering method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li Lam, Mui; Hafiz Abu Bakar, Muhammad; Lam, Wai Yip; Alias, Afishah; Rahman, Abu Bakar Abd; Anuar Mohamad, Khairul; Uesugi, Katsuhiro

    2017-11-01

    In this work, p-CuGaO2/n-ZnO heterojunction diodes were deposited by RF powered sputtering method on polyethylene terephthalate (PETP, PET) substrates. Structural, morphology, optical and electrical properties of CuGaO2/ZnO heterojunction was investigated as a function of annealing duration. The structural properties show the ZnO films (002) peak were stronger at the range of 34° while CuGaO2 (015) peak is not visible at 44°. The surface morphology revealed that RMS roughness become smoother as the annealing duration increase to 30 minutes and become rougher as the annealing duration is increased to 60 minutes. The optical properties of CuGaO2/ZnO heterojunction diode at 30 minutes exhibit approximately 75% optical transmittance in the invisible region. The diodes exhibited a rectifying characteristic and the maximum forward current was observed for the diode annealed for 30 minutes. The diodes show an ideality factor range from 43.69 to 71.29 and turn on voltage between 0.75 V and 1.05 V.

  3. Structural, electronic, and elastic properties of CuFeS2: first-principles study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Meng; Gao, Xiang; Cheng, Yan; Chen, Xiangrong; Cai, Lingcang

    2015-03-01

    The structural, electronic, and elastic properties of CuFeS2 have been investigated by using the generalized gradient approximation (GGA), GGA + U (on-site Coulomb repulsion energy), the local density approximation (LDA), and the LDA + U approach in the frame of density functional theory. It is shown that when the GGA + U formalism is selected with a U value of 3 eV for the 3d state of Fe, the calculated lattice constants agree well with the available experimental and other theoretical data. Our GGA + U calculations indicate that CuFeS2 is a semiconductor with a band gap of 0.552 eV and with a magnetic moment of 3.64 µB per Fe atom, which are well consistent with the experimental results. Combined with the density of states, the band structure characteristics of CuFeS2 have been analyzed and their origins have been specified, which reveals a hybridization existing between Fe-3d, Cu-3s, and S-3p, respectively. The charge and Mulliken population analyses indicate that CuFeS2 is a covalent crystal. Moreover, the calculated elastic constants prove that CuFeS2 is mechanically stable but anisotropic. The bulk modulus obtained from elastic constants is 87.1 GPa, which agrees well with the experimental value of 91 ± 15 GPa and better than the theoretical bulk modulus 74 GPa obtained from GGA method by Lazewski et al. The obtained shear modulus and Debye temperature are 21.0 GPa and 287 K, respectively, and the latter accords well with the available experimental value. It is expected that our work can provide useful information to further investigate CuFeS2 from both the experimental and theoretical sides.

  4. Enhanced thermal stability of Cu alloy films by strong interaction between Ni and Zr (or Fe)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Yuehong; Li, Xiaona; Cheng, Xiaotian; Li, Zhuming; Liu, Yubo; Dong, Chuang

    2018-04-01

    Low resistivity, phase stability and nonreactivity with surrounding dielectrics are the key to the application of Cu to ultra-large-scale integrated circuits. Here, a stable solid solution cluster model was introduced to design the composition of barrierless Cu-Ni-Zr (or Fe) seed layers. The third elements Fe and Zr were dissolved into Cu via a second element Ni, which is soluble in both Cu and Zr (or Fe). The films were prepared by magnetron sputtering on the single-crystal p-Si (1 0 0) wafers. Since the diffusion characteristics of the alloying elements are different, the effects of the strong interaction between Ni and Zr (or Fe) on the film’s stability and resistivity were studied. The results showed that a proper addition of Zr-Ni (Zr/Ni  ⩽  0.6/12) into Cu could form a large negative lattice distortion, which inhibits Cu-Si interdiffusion and enhances the stability of Cu film. When Fe-Ni was co-added into Cu, the lattice distortion of Cu reached a lower value, 0.0029 Å  ⩽  |Δa|  ⩽  0.0046 Å, and the films showed poor stability. Therefore, when the model is applied to the composition design of the films, the strong interaction between the elements and the addition ratio should be taken into consideration.

  5. Facile synthesis, characterization and magnetic property of CuFe12O19 nanostructures via a sol-gel auto-combustion process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ansari, Fatemeh; Sobhani, Azam; Salavati-Niasari, Masoud

    2016-03-01

    Copper hexaferrite (CuFe12O19) nanostructures were prepared by a simple route utilizing maltose-assisted sol-gel process. The morphology, phase structure, composition and purity of nanostructures can be controlled by type of surfactant and also adjusting the Cu:surfactant, Cu:Fe and Cu:reductant ratios. The bean-shape structures are formed in the absence of the surfactant when the molar ratio of Cu:Fe and Cu:reductant are 1:12 and 1:26, respectively. The agglomerated spherical nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 7 to 20 nm are obtained in the presence of triplex, when ratio of Cu:reductant is 1:26. In the absence of surfactant and also in the presence of triplex, the samples are found to be CuFe12O19. When polymer is used, there are still the peaks of CuFe12O19 and also some boad peaks in XRD patterns, because of the small size and encapsulation of nanostructures with polymer. Magnetic measurments show superparamagnetic behavior for the all samples. The Ms for the samples obtained in the presence of polymer shows that the coating of magnetic nanostructures does not always increase Ms. FT-IR frequency bands in the range 463-626, 607 and 542 cm-1 correspond to the formation of metal oxides in ferrites.

  6. Critical Issues for Cu(InGa)Se2 Solar Cells on Flexible Polymer Web

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Eser, Erten; Fields, Shannon; Shafarman, William; Birkmire, Robert

    2007-01-01

    Elemental in-line evaporation on glass substrates has been a viable process for the large-area manufacture of CuInSe2-based photovoltaics, with module efficiencies as high as 12.7% [1]. However, lightweight, flexible CuInSe2-based modules are attractive in a number of applications, such as space power sources. In addition, flexible substrates have an inherent advantage in manufacturability in that they can be deposited in a roll-to-roll configuration allowing continuous, high yield, and ultimately lower cost production. As a result, high-temperature polymers have been used as substrates in depositing CuInSe2 films [2]. Recently, efficiency of 14.1% has been reported for a Cu(InGa)Se2-based solar cell on a polyimide substrate [3]. Both metal foil and polymer webs have been used as substrates for Cu(InGa)Se2-based photovoltaics in a roll-to-roll configuration with reasonable success [4,5]. Both of these substrates do not allow, readily, the incorporation of Na into the Cu(InGa)Se2 film which is necessary for high efficiency devices [3]. In addition, polymer substrates, can not be used at temperatures that are optimum for Cu(InGa)Se2 deposition. However, unlike metal foils, they are electrically insulating, simplifying monolithically-integrated module fabrication and are not a source of impurities diffusing into the growing film. The Institute of Energy Conversion (IEC) has modified its in-line evaporation system [6] from deposition onto glass substrates to roll-to-roll deposition onto polyimide (PI) film in order to investigate key issues in the deposition of large-area Cu(InGa)Se2 films on flexible polymer substrates. This transition presented unexpected challenges that had to be resolved. In this paper, two major problems, spitting from the Cu source and the cracking of Mo back contact film, will be discussed and the solution to each will be presented.

  7. In vitro and in vivo evaluation of the bifunctional chelator NODIA-Me in combination with a prostate-specific membrane antigen targeting vector.

    PubMed

    Läppchen, Tilman; Kiefer, Yvonne; Holland, Jason P; Bartholomä, Mark D

    2018-05-01

    We recently developed a chelating platform based on the macrocycle 1,4,7-triazacyclononane with up to three five-membered azaheterocyclic arms for complexation of the PET nuclides gallium-68 and copper-64. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the stability and pharmacokinetics of 68 Ga- and 64 Cu-complexes of the bifunctional chelator NODIA-Me 1 covalently bound to a PSMA targeting vector in vivo. NODIA-Me 1 was conjugated to the PSMA targeting Glu-NH-CO-NH-Lys moiety to give the bioconjugate NODIA-Me-NaI-Ahx-PSMA 4. The stability of [ 68 Ga]4 and [ 64 Cu]4 was assessed in vitro by serum stability studies. The PSMA binding affinity was determined in competitive cell experiments in LNCaP cells using 68 Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC as radioligand. The stability and pharmacokinetics of [ 68 Ga]4 and [ 64 Cu]4 was evaluated by PET imaging and ex vivo biodistribution studies in mice bearing subcutaneous LNCaP tumors. In human serum, [ 68 Ga]4 and [ 64 Cu]4 remained intact to 85% (3 h) and 92% (24 h), respectively. Nature of the metal chelate influenced PSMA binding affinity with IC 50 of 233 ± 10 nM for uncomplexed 4, 681 ± 7 nM for Cu-4 and 176 ± 10 nM for Ga-4. In animal studies, [ 68 Ga]4 and [ 64 Cu]4 revealed low uptake (≤1% IA g -1 ) in the majority of organs. Kidney uptake at 1 h p.i. was 6.28 ± 0.92% IA g -1 and 4.96 ± 0.79% IA g -1 and specific tumor uptake was 1.33 ± 0.46% IA g -1 and 2.15 ± 0.38% IA g -1 for [ 68 Ga]4 and [ 64 Cu]4, respectively. The bifunctional chelator NODIA-Me 1 was successfully conjugated to a PSMA targeting moiety. In small-animal PET imaging and ex vivo biodistribution studies, 68 Ga- and 64 Cu-labelled conjugates specifically delineated PSMA-positive LNCaP tumors and exhibited rapid renal clearance from non-target tissues with no significant demetallation/transchelation in vivo. The results support further development of this novel chelating platform for production of 68 Ga- and 64 Cu-labelled radiopharmaceuticals. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  8. First-principles study on alkali-metal effect of Li, Na, and K in CuInSe2 and CuGaSe2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maeda, Tsuyoshi; Kawabata, Atsuhito; Wada, Takahiro

    2015-08-01

    The substitution energies and migration energies of the alkali metal atoms of Li, Na, and K in CuInSe2 (CIS) and CuGaSe2 (CGS) were investigated by first-principles calculations. The substitution energies of Li, Na, and K atoms in CIS and CGS were calculated for two different cationic atom positions of Cu and In/Ga in the chalcopyrite unit cell. In CIS and CGS, the substitution energies of NaCu are much lower than those of NaIn and NaGa. The substitution energies of the LiCu atoms in CIS and CGS are lower than those of NaCu, while the substitution energies of KCu atoms in CIS and CGS are much higher than those of NaCu. Therefore, it is difficult to form KCu in CIS and CGS. The migration energies of Li, Na, and K atoms in CIS and CGS are obtained by a combination of the linear and quadratic synchronous transit (LST/QST) methods and the nudged elastic band (NEB) method. The theoretical migration energies of a Na atom at the Cu site to the nearest Cu vacancy (NaCu → VCu) in CIS and CGS are much lower than those of (CuCu → VCu) in CIS and CGS. The mechanism underlying the alkali metal effect of Li, Na, and K in the CIGS film during the post-deposition treatment of LiF, NaF, and KF is discussed on the basis of the calculated substitution and migration energies.

  9. Inorganic Polymers and the Elimination-Condensation Reaction.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-04-29

    studies of the elimination reaction will involve the reaction of an organoindium compound with a phosphine . The system, InMe 3-PMePhH, would be ideal. We...deprotonating reagents and potential amphoteric ligands. The compound C5H5GaMe2 reacts readily with FeCI2 to form ferrocene and with Fe2(CO)9 to...organogallium derivatives of ferrocene Fe(C5H4GaR2 )2 are being investigated by studying the reactions of Li2 (C5H4 )2Fe with two moles of GaMe2 CI or Ga(CH2SiMe3

  10. Influence of trace elements mixture on bacterial diversity and fermentation characteristics of liquid diet fermented with probiotics under air-tight condition.

    PubMed

    He, Yuyong; Chen, Zhiyu; Liu, Xiaolan; Wang, Chengwei; Lu, Wei

    2014-01-01

    Cu2+, Zn2+, Fe2+ and I- are often supplemented to the diet of suckling and early weaning piglets, but little information is available regarding the effects of different Cu2+, Zn2+, Fe2+ and I- mixtures on bacteria growth, diversity and fermentation characteristics of fermented liquid diet for piglets. Pyrosequencing was performed to investigate the effect of Cu2+, Zn2+, Fe2+ and I- mixtures on the diversity, growth and fermentation characteristics of bacteria in the liquid diet fermented with Bacillus subtilis and Enterococcus faecalis under air-tight condition. Results showed that the mixtures of Cu2+, Zn2+, Fe2+ and I- at different concentrations promoted Bacillus growth, increased bacterial diversity and lactic acid production and lowered pH to about 5. The importance of Cu2+, Zn2+, Fe2+ and I- is different for Bacillus growth with the order Zn2+> Fe2+>Cu2+> I- in a 21-d fermentation and Cu2+>I->Fe2+>Zn2+ in a 42-d fermentation. Cu2+, Zn2+, Fe2+ and I- is recommended at a level of 150, 60, 150 and 0.6 mg/kg respectively for the production of fermented liquid diet with Bacillus subtilis. The findings improve our understanding of the influence of trace elements on liquid diet fermentation with probiotics and support the proper use of trace elements in the production of fermented liquid diet for piglets.

  11. Magnetization reversal process and evaluation of thermal stability factor in Cu doped granular L10 FePt films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jain, S.; Papusoi, C.; Admana, R.; Yuan, H.; Acharya, R.

    2018-05-01

    Curie temperature TC distributions and magnetization reversal mechanism in Cu doped L10 FePt granular films is investigated as a function of film thickness in the range of ˜5-12 nm with Cu mol. % varying in the range of 0%-6%. It is shown that Cu doping increases the FePt tetragonality and chemical ordering. For Cu doped FePt-X films, coercivity (HC) exhibits a non-monotonic behavior with increasing film thickness, i.e., HC increases initially up to tcr ˜ 7 nm, and decreases thereafter. We attribute this behavior to the change in magnetization reversal mechanism from coherent to an incoherent (domain-wall driven) mode. While in un-doped films, the domain-walls nucleate at the grain boundaries, in doped films the Cu atoms may act as domain-wall nucleation and pinning sites, isolating magnetic spin clusters of reduced dimensionality with respect to the physical grain size. This is experimentally supported by a much poorer dependence of the AC susceptibility (both, real and imaginary components) on the film thickness above 7 nm than in the case of un-doped films. The formation of magnetic spin clusters inside the grains as a consequence of the reduced coupling between Fe-Fe and Fe-Pt-Fe atoms with increasing Cu doping can explain the experimentally evidenced reduction of both, the film Curie temperature, TC, and intrinsic anisotropy energy density, KC, with increasing Cu doping.

  12. Possibility to Use Hydrothermally Synthesized CuFeS2 Nanocomposite as an Acceptor in Hybrid Solar Cell

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sil, Sayantan; Dey, Arka; Halder, Soumi; Datta, Joydeep; Ray, Partha Pratim

    2018-01-01

    Here we have approached the plausible use of CuFeS2 nanocomposite as an acceptor in organic-inorganic hybrid solar cell. To produce CuFeS2 nanocomposite, hydrothermal strategy was employed. The room-temperature XRD pattern approves the synthesized material as CuFeS2 with no phase impurity (JCPDS Card no: 37-0471). The elemental composition of the material was analyzed from the TEM-EDX data. The obtained selected area electron diffraction (SAED) planes harmonized with the XRD pattern of the synthesized product. Optical band gap (4.14 eV) of the composite from UV-Vis analysis depicts that the synthesized material is belonging to wide band gap semiconductor family. The HOMO (- 6.97 eV) and LUMO (- 2.93 eV) positions from electrochemical study reveal that there is a possibility of electron transfer from MEH-PPV to CuFeS2. The optical absorption and photoluminescence spectra of MEH-PPV:CuFeS2 (donor:acceptor) composite were recorded sequentially by varying weight ratios. The monotonic blue shifting of the absorption peak position indicated the interaction between donor and acceptor materials. The possibility of electron transfer from donor (MEH-PPV) to acceptor (CuFeS2) was approved with photoluminescence analysis. Subsequently, we have fabricated a hybrid solar cell by incorporating CuFeS2 nanocomposite with MEH-PPV in open atmosphere and obtained 0.3% power conversion efficiency.

  13. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Karayigit, A.I.; Bulut, Y.; Karayigit, G.

    A total of 48 samples, feed coals (FCs), fly ashes (FAs) and bottom ashes (BAs), which were systematically collected once a week over an eight-week period from boiler units, B1-4 with 660 MW and B5-6 with 330 MW capacity from Soma power plant, have been evaluated for major and trace elements (Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ti, S, As, B, Ba, Be, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Cs, Ga, Ge, Hf, Hg, Li, Mo, Nb, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, Sb, Sc, Se, Sn, Sr, Ta, Th, Tl, U, V, Y, Zn, Zr, and REEs) to get information onmore » behavior during coal combustion. This study indicates that some elements such as Hg, Bi, Cd, As, Pb, Ge, Tl, Sn, Zn, Sb, B show enrichments in FAs relative to the BAs in both group boiler units. In addition to these, Cs, Lu, Tm, and Ga in Units B1-4 and S in Units B5-6 also have enrichments in FAs. Elements showing enrichments in BAs in both group boiler units are Ta, Mn, Nb. In addition to these, Se, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe in Units B1-4 and Cu in Units B5-6 also have enrichments in BAs. The remaining elements investigated in this study have no clear segregation between FAs and BAs. Mass balance calculations with the two methods show that some elements, S, Ta, Hg, Se, Zn, Na, Ca in Units B1-4, and Hg, S, Ta, Se, P in Units B5-6, have volatile behavior during coal combustion in the Soma power plant. This study also implies that some elements, Sb and Tb in Units B1-4 and Sb in Units B5-6, have relatively high retention effects in the combustion residues from the Soma power plant.« less

  14. CIGS thin film solar cell prepared by reactive co-sputtering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Jeha; Lee, Ho-Sub; Park, Nae-Man

    2013-09-01

    The reactive co-sputtering was developed as a new way of preparing high quality CuInGaSe2(CIGS) films from two sets of targets; Cu0.6Ga 0.4 and Cu0.4In0.6 alloy and Cu and (In0.7Ga0.3)2Se3 compound targets. During sputtering, Cu, In, Ga metallic elements as well as the compound materials were reacted to form CIGS simultaneously in highly reactive elemental Se atmosphere generated by a thermal cracker. CIGS layer had been grown on Mo/soda-lime glass(SLG) at 500°C. For both sets of targets, we controlled the composition of CIGS thin film by changing the RF power for target components. All the films showed a preferential (112) orientation as observed from X-ray diffraction analysis. The composition ratios of CIGS were easily set to 0.71-0.95, 0.10-0.30 for [Cu]/[III] and [Ga]/[III], respectively. The grain size and the surface roughness of a CIGS film increased as the [Cu]/[III] ratios increased. The solar cells were fabricated using a standard base line process in the device structure of grid/ITO/i-ZnO/CdS/CIGS/Mo/ SLG. The best performance was obtained the performance of Voc = 0.45 V, Jsc =35.6, FF = 0.535, η = 8.6% with a 0.9 μm-CIGS solar cell from alloy targets while Voc = 0.54 V, Jsc =30.8, FF = 0.509, η = 8.5% with a 0.8 μm-CIGS solar cell from Cu and (In0.7Ga0.3)2Se3.

  15. Site preference and magnetic properties of Ga/In-substituted strontium hexaferrite: An ab initio study

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dixit, Vivek; Nandadasa, Chandani N.; Kim, Seong-Gon, E-mail: kimsg@ccs.msstate.edu

    2015-11-28

    The first-principles density functional theory has been used to study Ga/In-substituted strontium hexaferrite (SrFe{sub 12}O{sub 19}). Based on the calculation of the substitution energy of Ga and In in SrFe{sub 12}O{sub 19} and the formation probability analysis, we conclude that in SrFe{sub 12−x}Ga{sub x}O{sub 19} the substituted Ga atoms prefer to occupy the 12k, 2a, and 4f{sub 1} sites, while In atoms in SrFe{sub 12−x}In{sub x}O{sub 19} occupy the 12k, 4f{sub 2}, and 4f{sub 1} sites. We used the site occupation probabilities to calculate the magnetic properties of the substituted SrFe{sub 12}O{sub 19}. It was found that as the fractionmore » of Ga atoms in SrFe{sub 12−x}Ga{sub x}O{sub 19} increases, the saturation magnetization (M{sub s}) as well as magnetic anisotropy energy (MAE) decrease, while the anisotropy field (H{sub a}) increases. In the case of SrFe{sub 12−x}In{sub x}O{sub 19}, M{sub s}, MAE, and H{sub a} decrease with an increase of the concentration of In atoms.« less

  16. Dye-Sensitized Cu2 XSnS4 (X=Zn, Ni, Fe, Co, and Mn) Nanofibers for Efficient Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution.

    PubMed

    Gonce, Mehmet Kerem; Aslan, Emre; Ozel, Faruk; Hatay Patir, Imren

    2016-03-21

    The photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activities of low-cost and noble-metal-free Cu2 XSnS4 (X=Zn, Ni, Fe, Co, and Mn) nanofiber catalysts have been investigated using triethanolamine as an electron donor and eosin Y as a photosensitizer under visible-light irradiation. The rates of hydrogen evolution by Cu2 XSnS4 (X=Zn, Ni, Fe, Co, and Mn) nanofibers have been compared with each other and with that of the noble metal Pt. The hydrogen evolution rates for the nanofibers change in the order Cu2 NiSnS4 >Cu2 FeSnS4 >Cu2 CoSnS4 >Cu2 ZnSnS4 >Cu2 MnSnS4 (2028, 1870, 1926, 1420, and 389 μmol g(-1) h(-1) , respectively). The differences between the hydrogen evolution rates of the nanofibers could be attributed to their energy levels. Moreover, Cu2 NiSnS4, Cu2 FeSnS4 , and Cu2 CoSnS4 nanofibers show higher and more stable photocatalytic hydrogen production rates than that of the noble metal Pt under long-term irradiation with visible light. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. High resolution positron annihilation induced Auger electron spectroscopy of the CuM 2,3VV-transition and of Cu sub-monolayers on Pd and Fe

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mayer, J.; Hugenschmidt, C.; Schreckenbach, K.

    2010-09-01

    We present a high resolution positron annihilation induced Auger Electron Spectroscopy (PAES) of the CuM 2,3VV-transition with the unprecedented energy resolution of Δ/EE <1%. This energy resolution and the highly intense positron source NEPOMUC enabled us to resolve the double peak structure with PAES for the first time within a measurement time of only 5.5 h. In addition, sub-monolayers of Cu were deposited on Fe- and Pd-samples in order to investigate the surface selectivity of PAES in comparison with EAES. The extremely high surface selectivity of PAES due to the different positron affinity of Cu and Fe lead to the result that with only 0.96 monolayer of Cu on Fe more than 55% of the emitted Auger electrons stem from Cu, whereas with EAES the Cu Auger fraction amounted to less than 6%.

  18. Vacuum Brazing TC4 Titanium Alloy to 304 Stainless Steel with Cu-Ti-Ni-Zr-V Amorphous Alloy Foil

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dong, Honggang; Yang, Zhonglin; Wang, Zengrui; Deng, Dewei; Dong, Chuang

    2014-10-01

    Dissimilar metal vacuum brazing between TC4 titanium alloy and 304 stainless steel was conducted with newly designed Cu-Ti-Ni-Zr-V amorphous alloy foils as filler metals. Solid joints were obtained due to excellent compatibility between the filler metal and stainless steel substrate. Partial dissolution of stainless steel substrate occurred during brazing. The shear strength of the joint brazed with Cu43.75Ti37.5Ni6.25Zr6.25V6.25 foil was 105 MPa and that with Cu37.5Ti25Ni12.5Zr12.5V12.5 was 116 MPa. All the joints fractured through the gray layer in the brazed seam, revealing brittle fracture features. Cr4Ti, Cu0.8FeTi, Fe8TiZr3 and Al2NiTi3C compounds were found in the fractured joint brazed with Cu43.75Ti37.5Ni6.25Zr6.25V6.25 foil, and Fe2Ti, TiCu, Fe8TiZr3 and NiTi0.8Zr0.3 compounds were detected in the joint brazed with Cu37.5Ti25Ni12.5Zr12.5V12.5 foil. The existence of Cr-Ti, Fe-Ti, Cu-Fe-Ti, and Fe-Ti-V intermetallic compounds in the brazed seam caused fracture of the resultant joints.

  19. Coating magnetic CuFe2O4 nanoparticles with OMS-2 for enhanced degradation of organic pollutants via peroxymonosulfate activation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ye, Peng; Wu, Deming; Wang, Manye; Wei, Yi; Xu, Aihua; Li, Xiaoxia

    2018-01-01

    A heterogeneous magnetic CuFe2O4@OMS-2 catalyst was fabricated through a facile solvent-free process using Mn(CH3COO)2 and KMnO4 in the presence of CuFe2O4. It was found that the BET surface area of OMS-2 as well as the ratio of low-valent manganese species significantly increased in the hybrid catalyst, due to interactions between CuFe2O4 and the precursor of amorphous manganese oxide. Acid Orange 7 (AO7) and other organic pollutants could be completely degraded by the CuFe2O4@OMS-2 catalyst within 30 min in the presence of peroxymonosulfate (PMS), while CuFe2O4 and OMS-2 showed no significant activity for the reaction. The hybrid catalyst also exhibited excellent long-term stability and could be easily recovered with the assistance of an external magnetic field. A possible degradation mechanism for the synergistic effects of different valent metal species and reactive radicals was proposed, which involved the electron transfer from Mn(III) or Mn(II) species to PMS with the generation of sulfate and hydroxyl radicals, and from AO7 and Cu(I) in CuFe2O4 to Mn(IV) and Mn(III) to reduce these Mn species.

  20. Introducing a 2-His-1-Glu Nonheme Iron Center into Myoglobin Confers Nitric Oxide Reductase Activity

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Y Lin; N Yeung; Y Gao

    2011-12-31

    A conserved 2-His-1-Glu metal center, as found in natural nonheme iron-containing enzymes, was engineered into sperm whale myoglobin by replacing Leu29 and Phe43 with Glu and His, respectively (swMb L29E, F43H, H64, called Fe{sub B}Mb(-His)). A high resolution (1.65 {angstrom}) crystal structure of Cu(II)-CN{sup -}-Fe{sub B}Mb(-His) was determined, demonstrating that the unique 2-His-1-Glu metal center was successfully created within swMb. The Fe{sub B}Mb(-His) can bind Cu, Fe, or Zn ions, with both Cu(I)-Fe{sub B}Mb(-His) and Fe(II)-Fe{sub B}Mb(-His) exhibiting nitric oxide reductase (NOR) activities. Cu dependent NOR activity was significantly higher than that of Fe in the same metal binding site.more » EPR studies showed that the reduction of NO to N{sub 2}O catalyzed by these two enzymes resulted in different intermediates; a five-coordinate heme-NO species was observed for Cu(I)-Fe{sub B}Mb(-His) due to the cleavage of the proximal heme Fe-His bond, while Fe(II)-Fe{sub B}Mb(-His) remained six-coordinate. Therefore, both the metal ligand, Glu29, and the metal itself, Cu or Fe, play crucial roles in NOR activity. This study presents a novel protein model of NOR and provides insights into a newly discovered member of the NOR family, gNOR.« less

  1. Half-metallic ferromagnetism in {Ti}2 {IrZ} (Z = B, Al, Ga, and In) Heusler alloys: A density functional study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sadeghi, K. H.; Ahmadian, F.

    2018-02-01

    The first-principle density functional theory (DFT) calculations were employed to investigate the electronic structures, magnetic properties and half-metallicity of {Ti}2 {IrZ} (Z = B, Al, Ga, and In) Heusler alloys with {AlCu}2 {Mn}- and {CuHg}2 {Ti}-type structures within local density approximation and generalised gradient approximation for the exchange correlation potential. It was found that {CuHg}2 {Ti}-type structure in ferromagnetic state was energetically more favourable than {AlCu}2 {Mn}-type structure in all compounds except {Ti}2 {IrB} which was stable in {AlCu}2 {Mn}-type structure in non-magnetic state. {Ti}2 {IrZ} (Z = B, Al, Ga, and In) alloys in {CuHg}2 {Ti}-type structure were half-metallic ferromagnets at their equilibrium lattice constants. Half-metallic band gaps were respectively equal to 0.87, 0.79, 0.75, and 0.73 eV for {Ti}2 {IrB}, {Ti}2 {IrAl}, {Ti}2 {IrGa}, and {Ti}2 {IrIn}. The origin of half-metallicity was discussed for {Ti}2 {IrGa} using the energy band structure. The total magnetic moments of {Ti}2 {IrZ} (Z = B, Al, Ga, and In) compounds in {CuHg}2 {Ti}-type structure were obtained as 2μ B per formula unit, which were in agreement with Slater-Pauling rule (M_{tot} =Z_{tot}-18). All the four compounds were half-metals in a wide range of lattice constants indicating that they may be suitable and promising materials for future spintronic applications.

  2. Cu-Mn-Fe alloys and Mn-rich amphiboles in ancient copper slags from the Jabal Samran area, Saudi Arabia: With synopsis on chemistry of Fe-Mn(III) oxyhydroxides in alteration zones

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Surour, Adel A.

    2015-01-01

    In the Jabal Samran area (western Saudi Arabia), secondary copper mineralization in a NE-trending shear zone in which the arc metavolcanic host rocks (dacite-rhyodacite) show conjugate fractures and extensive hydrothermal alteration and bleaching. The zones contain frequent Fe-Mn(III) oxyhydroxides (FeOH-MnOH) that resulted from oxidation of pyrite and Mn-bearing silicates. In the bleached part, the groundmass is represented by Fe-bearing interstratified illite-smectite with up to 4.02 wt% FeOt. FeOH-MnOH are pre-weathering phases formed by hydrothermal alteration in a submarine environment prior to uplifting. Five varieties of FeOH are distinguished, four of them are exclusively hydrothermal with ∼20 wt% H2O whereas the fifth contains ∼31-33 wt% H2O and might represent reworking of earlier hydrothermal FeOH phases by weathering. FeOH fills thin fractures in the form of veinlets and crenulated laminae or as a pseudomorph for pyrite, goethite and finally ferrihydrite, and this oxyhydroxide is characterized by positive correlation of Fe2O3 with SiO2 and Al2O3. On the other hand, MOH shows positive correlation between MnO2 and Al2O3 whereas it is negative between Fe2O3 and SiO2. Paratacamite is the most common secondary copper mineral that fills fractures and post-dates FeOH and MnOH. It is believed that Cl- in the structure of paratacamite represents inherited marine storage rather than from surfacial evaporates or meteoric water. The mineralogy of slags suggests a complicated mineral assemblage that includes native Cu prills, synthetic spinifixed Mn-rich amphiboles with 16.73 wt% MnO, brown glass and Ca-Mn-Fe phase close to the olivine structure. EMPA indicate that the some Cu prills have either grey discontinuous boarder zone of S-rich Mn-Cu alloy (with up to 21.95 wt% S and 19.45 wt% Mn) or grey Cu-Mn-Fe alloy (with up to 15.9 wt% Cu, 39. 12 wt% Mn and 61.64 wt% Fe). Mn in the Cu prills is expelled inward as Cu-Mn-Fe alloy inclusions whereas S is expelled outward as S-rich Mn-Cu alloy crust. Remains in the Samran smelter sites suggest the use of charcoal as a source of energy, quartzite as a flux and an air-cooling technique was used.

  3. Structure and Mechanical Properties of Al-Cu-Fe-X Alloys with Excellent Thermal Stability.

    PubMed

    Školáková, Andrea; Novák, Pavel; Mejzlíková, Lucie; Průša, Filip; Salvetr, Pavel; Vojtěch, Dalibor

    2017-11-05

    In this work, the structure and mechanical properties of innovative Al-Cu-Fe based alloys were studied. We focused on preparation and characterization of rapidly solidified and hot extruded Al-Cu-Fe, Al-Cu-Fe-Ni and Al-Cu-Fe-Cr alloys. The content of transition metals affects mechanical properties and structure. For this reason, microstructure, phase composition, hardness and thermal stability have been investigated in this study. The results showed exceptional thermal stability of these alloys and very good values of mechanical properties. Alloying by chromium ensured the highest thermal stability, while nickel addition refined the structure of the consolidated alloy. High thermal stability of all tested alloys was described in context with the transformation of the quasicrystalline phases to other types of intermetallics.

  4. Structure and Mechanical Properties of Al-Cu-Fe-X Alloys with Excellent Thermal Stability

    PubMed Central

    Školáková, Andrea; Novák, Pavel; Mejzlíková, Lucie; Průša, Filip; Salvetr, Pavel; Vojtěch, Dalibor

    2017-01-01

    In this work, the structure and mechanical properties of innovative Al-Cu-Fe based alloys were studied. We focused on preparation and characterization of rapidly solidified and hot extruded Al-Cu-Fe, Al-Cu-Fe-Ni and Al-Cu-Fe-Cr alloys. The content of transition metals affects mechanical properties and structure. For this reason, microstructure, phase composition, hardness and thermal stability have been investigated in this study. The results showed exceptional thermal stability of these alloys and very good values of mechanical properties. Alloying by chromium ensured the highest thermal stability, while nickel addition refined the structure of the consolidated alloy. High thermal stability of all tested alloys was described in context with the transformation of the quasicrystalline phases to other types of intermetallics. PMID:29113096

  5. Kinetic phenomena in zero-gap semiconductors CuFeS2 and CuFeTe2: Effect of pressure and heat treatment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Popov, V. V.; Konstantinov, P. P.; Rud', Yu. V.

    2011-10-01

    Electrical resistivity ρ and Hal coefficient R are measured as a function of the temperature ( T = 1.7-310 K) and the magnetic field (up to H = 28 kOe) in zero-gap semiconductor CuFeS2 samples subjected to hydrostatic compression and under various heat-treatment conditions. At low temperatures, anomalies are observed in the kinetic effects related to the presence of ferromagnetic clusters: the magnetoresistance at T = 4.2 K and T = 20.4 K acquires a hysteretic character and thermopower α changes its sign at T < 15 K. The temperature dependence of conduction-electron concentration n in CuFeS2 has a power form in the temperature range T = 14-300 K, which is characteristic of the intrinsic conductivity in zero-gap semiconductors. In CuFeS2, we have n( T) ∝ T 1.2; in isoelectron compound Cu1.13Fe1.22Te2, we have n( T) ∝ T 1.93. Heat treatment is found to affect the intrinsic conductivity of CuFeS2, as the action of hydrostatic compression (carrier concentration changes); that is, the carrier concentration changes. However, a power form of the n( T) and ρ( T) dependences is retained.

  6. Formation of the low-resistivity compound Cu{sub 3}Ge by low-temperature treatment in an atomic hydrogen flux

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Erofeev, E. V., E-mail: erofeev@micran.ru; Kazimirov, A. I.; Fedin, I. V.

    The systematic features of the formation of the low-resistivity compound Cu{sub 3}Ge by low-temperature treatment of a Cu/Ge two-layer system in an atomic hydrogen flux are studied. The Cu/Ge two-layer system is deposited onto an i-GaAs substrate. Treatment of the Cu/Ge/i-GaAs system, in which the layer thicknesses are, correspondingly, 122 and 78 nm, in atomic hydrogen with a flux density of 10{sup 15} at cm{sup 2} s{sup –1} for 2.5–10 min at room temperature induces the interdiffusion of Cu and Ge, with the formation of a polycrystalline film containing the stoichiometric Cu{sub 3}Ge phase. The film consists of vertically orientedmore » grains 100–150 nm in size and exhibits a minimum resistivity of 4.5 µΩ cm. Variations in the time of treatment of the Cu/Ge/i-GaAs samples in atomic hydrogen affect the Cu and Ge depth distribution, the phase composition of the films, and their resistivity. Experimental observation of the synthesis of the Cu{sub 3}Ge compound at room temperature suggests that treatment in atomic hydrogen has a stimulating effect on both the diffusion of Cu and Ge and the chemical reaction of Cu{sub 3}Ge-compound formation. These processes can be activated by the energy released upon the recombination of hydrogen atoms adsorbed at the surface of the Cu/Ge/i-GaAs sample.« less

  7. Thermally promoted evolution of open-volume defects and Cu precipitates in the deformed FeCu alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jin, Shuoxue; Cao, Xingzhong; Cheng, Guodong; Lian, Xiangyu; Zhu, Te; Zhang, Peng; Yu, Runsheng; Wang, Baoyi

    2018-04-01

    We have studied the effect of isothermal annealing on the evolution of the open-volume defect and the Cu precipitate in deformed Fe0.15Cu, Fe0.3Cu and Fe0.6Cu alloys. Using the coincidence Doppler broadening, positron annihilation lifetime and the S-W couples, the evolution of local electronic circumstance around the annihilation sites, open-volume defects and interaction between open-volume defects and Cu precipitates were measured as a function of the isothermal annealing temperatures. Cold rolling deformation induced an obvious increment in S parameters due to the formation of open-volume defects. Annealing not only resulted in gradual recovery of open-volume defects and Cu thermal precipitation, but also promoted the combination and interaction between defects and Cu precipitates. The interaction between open-volume defects and Cu precipitates was revealed clearly by the view point of S-W relationship. The S-W interaction for the different CumVn complexes was also calculated theoretically by MIKA-Doppler, which supports our experimental observations qualitatively. The results indicate that open-volume defects were formed first after cold rolling, followed by the Cu precipitation and recovery of open-volume defects, Cu precipitates recovered at the end. It is interesting that the trajectory of (S, W) points with increasing annealing temperature formed a similar closed "Parallelogram" shape. It is benefit for revealing the behavior of Cu thermal precipitation and their evolution in various Cu-bearing steels under thermal treatment. In addition, we also investigated the Cu content effect on the Cu precipitation in FeCu alloys, and the Cu precipitate phenomenon was enhanced in higher Cu content alloys.

  8. Dielectric relaxation and magnetic properties of Ti and Zn co-doped GaFeO3

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Raies, Imen; Dulmani, Shara A.; Amami, Mongi

    2018-06-01

    polycrystalline GaFeO3 and Ga0.98Zn0.02Fe0.98Ti0.02O3 were prepared by solid state reaction. They showed an orthorhombic crystal structure with Pc21n space group. The magnetic transition temperature decrease due to the dilution of the magnetic interaction. A noteworthy effect of substitution of multiple elements at the Ga and Fe-sites on dielectric constant and tangent loss of GaFeO3 has been observed. Complete studies of temperature (180-400 K) and frequency (10-107 Hz) dependence of dielectric constant and impedance have provided the effect of grains and grain boundaries on the conduction mechanism and dielectric relaxation of the material. Impedance spectroscopy results in the temperature range 160-400 K have revealed a distinct conduction process at grain and grain boundaries.

  9. Study of Ordering and Properties in Fe-Ga Alloys With 18 and 21 at. pct Ga

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Golovin, Igor S.; Dubov, L. Yu.; Funtikov, Yu. V.; Palacheva, V. V.; Cifre, J.; Hamana, D.

    2015-03-01

    Dynamical mechanical and positron annihilation spectroscopies were applied to study the structure of two Fe-Ga alloys with 18 and 21 at. pct Ga after quenching and subsequent annealing. It was found that the alloy with 18 pct Ga has much better damping capacity (Ψ ≈ 30 pct) than the alloy with 21 pct Ga (Ψ ≈ 5 pct). The reason for that is the ordering of the Ga atoms in Fe-21Ga alloy. Ordering processes in both alloys are studied at heating by differential scanning calorimetry, dilatometry, and internal friction or by step-by-step annealing using positron annihilation spectroscopy and hardness tests. Experimental results are explained by sequence of ordering transitions: A2 → D03 → L12.

  10. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Stokes, Adam; Al-Jassim, Mowafak; Norman, Andrew

    The effects of alkali diffusion and post-deposition treatment in three-stage processed Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 solar cells are examined by using atom probe tomography and electrical property measurements. Cells, for which the substrate was treated at 650 °C to induce alkali diffusion from the substrate prior to absorber deposition, exhibited high open-circuit voltage (758 mV) and efficiency (18.2%) and also exhibited a 50 to 100-nm-thick ordered vacancy compound layer at the metallurgical junction. Surprisingly, these high-temperature samples exhibited higher concentrations of K at the junction (1.8 at.%) than post-deposition treatment samples (0.4 at.%). A model that uses Ga/(Ga + In) and Cu/(Gamore » + In) profiles to predict bandgaps (+/-17.9 meV) of 22 Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells reported in literature was discussed and ultimately used to predict band properties at the nanoscale by using atom probe tomography data. The high-temperature samples exhibited a greater drop in the valence band maximum (200 meV) due to a lower Cu/(Ga + In) ratio than the post-deposition treatment samples. There was an anticorrelation of K concentrations and Cu/(Ga + In) ratios for all samples, regardless of processing conditions. In conclusion, changes in elemental profiles at the active junctions correlate well with the electrical behaviour of these devices.« less

  11. An ab initio study of Cu-based delafossites as an alternative to nickel oxide in photocathodes: effects of Mg-doping and surface electronic features.

    PubMed

    Schiavo, Eduardo; Latouche, Camille; Barone, Vincenzo; Crescenzi, Orlando; Muñoz-García, Ana B; Pavone, Michele

    2018-05-23

    CuMO2 delafossites (M = Al, Ga, and Cr) are p-type semiconductor oxides that have been recently proposed as the electrode in p-type dye-sensitized solar cells (p-DSSC) which is an alternative to the standard, low-performing nickel oxide. To assess this potential application of delafossites, we report here a DFT-based investigation of the structural and electronic properties of CuAlO2, CuGaO2 and CuCrO2. In particular, we address the role of Mg doping to obtain the p-type semiconducting character: the substitution of an M3+ cation with Mg2+ is easier with Ga than with Al and Cr, and, in all cases, the hole introduced by Mg2+ leads to the formation of Cu2+ species. Moreover, we address surface electronic features in order to characterize the most exposed delafossite surface termination and, more importantly, to predict the valence band maximum energy value, which determines the p-DSSC open circuit potential. From analysis of all our results, CuGaO2 emerges as the most promising system that can boost the development of new photocathodes for p-DSSCs.

  12. Kinetic analysis of the non-isothermal crystallization process, magnetic and mechanical properties of FeCoBSiNb and FeCoBSiNbCu bulk metallic glasses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ramasamy, Parthiban; Stoica, Mihai; Taghvaei, A. H.; Prashanth, K. G.; Ravi Kumar, Eckert, Jürgen

    2016-02-01

    The crystallization kinetics of [(Fe0.5Co0.5)0.75B0.2Si0.05]96Nb4 and {[(Fe0.5Co0.5)0.75B0.2Si0.05]0.96Nb0.04}99.5Cu0.5 bulk metallic glasses were evaluated using differential scanning calorimetry under non-isothermal condition. The fully glassy rods with diameters up to 2 mm were obtained by copper mold injection casting. Both glasses show good thermal stability, but the addition of only 0.5% Cu completely changes the crystallization behavior. The average activation energy required for crystallization decreases from 645 kJ/mol to 425 kJ/mol after Cu addition. Upon heating, the Cu-free alloy forms only the metastable Fe23B6 phase. In contrast, two well-separated exothermic events are observed for the Cu-added bulk glassy samples. First, the (Fe,Co) phase nucleates and then (Fe,Co)2B and/or (Fe,Co)3B crystallize from the remaining glassy matrix. The Cu-added alloy exhibits a lower coercivity and a higher magnetic saturation than the base alloy, both in as-cast as well as in annealed condition. Besides, the Cu-added glassy sample with 2 mm diameter exhibits a maximum compressive fracture strength of 3913 MPa together with a plastic strain of 0.6%, which is highest plastic strain ever reported for 2 mm diameter ferromagnetic bulk metallic glass sample. Although Cu addition improves the magnetic and mechanical properties of the glass, it affects the glass-forming ability of the base alloy.

  13. Efficient photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine-B by Fe doped CuS diluted magnetic semiconductor nanoparticles under the simulated sunlight irradiation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sreelekha, N.; Subramanyam, K.; Amaranatha Reddy, D.; Murali, G.; Rahul Varma, K.; Vijayalakshmi, R. P.

    2016-12-01

    The present work is planned for a simple, inexpensive and efficient approach for the synthesis of Cu1-xFexS (x = 0.00, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05 and 0.07) nanoparticles via simplistic chemical co-precipitation route by using ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) as a capping molecules. As synthesized nanoparticles were used as competent catalysts for degradation of rhodamine-B organic dye pollutant. The properties of prepared samples were analyzed with energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-visible optical absorption spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, Raman spectra and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). EDAX spectra corroborated the existence of Fe in prepared nanoparticles within close proximity to stoichiometric ratio. XRD, FTIR and Raman patterns affirmed that configuration of single phase hexagonal crystal structure as that of (P63/mmc) CuS, without impurity crystals. The average particle size estimated by TEM scrutiny is in the assortment of 5-10 nm. UV-visible optical absorption measurements showed that band gap narrowing with increasing the Fe doping concentration. VSM measurements revealed that 3% Fe doped CuS nanoparticles exhibited strong ferromagnetism at room temperature and changeover of magnetic signs from ferromagnetic to the paramagnetic nature with increasing the Fe doping concentration in CuS host lattice. Among all Fe doped CuS nanoparticles, 3% Fe inclusion CuS sample shows better photocatalytic performance in decomposition of RhB compared with the pristine CuS. Thus as synthesized Cu0·97Fe0·03S nanocatalysts are tremendously realistic compounds for photocatalytic fictionalization in the direction of organic dye degradation under visible light.

  14. Thermodynamic controls on element partitioning between titanomagnetite and andesitic-dacitic silicate melts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sievwright, R. H.; Wilkinson, J. J.; O'Neill, H. St. C.; Berry, A. J.

    2017-08-01

    Titanomagnetite-melt partitioning of Mg, Mn, Al, Ti, Sc, V, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf and Ta was investigated experimentally as a function of oxygen fugacity ( fO2) and temperature ( T) in an andesitic-dacitic bulk-chemical compositional range. In these bulk systems, at constant T, there are strong increases in the titanomagnetite-melt partitioning of the divalent cations (Mg2+, Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Zn2+) and Cu2+/Cu+ with increasing fO2 between 0.2 and 3.7 log units above the fayalite-magnetite-quartz buffer. This is attributed to a coupling between magnetite crystallisation and melt composition. Although melt structure has been invoked to explain the patterns of mineral-melt partitioning of divalent cations, a more rigorous justification of magnetite-melt partitioning can be derived from thermodynamic principles, which accounts for much of the supposed influence ascribed to melt structure. The presence of magnetite-rich spinel in equilibrium with melt over a range of fO2 implies a reciprocal relationship between a(Fe2+O) and a(Fe3+O1.5) in the melt. We show that this relationship accounts for the observed dependence of titanomagnetite-melt partitioning of divalent cations with fO2 in magnetite-rich spinel. As a result of this, titanomagnetite-melt partitioning of divalent cations is indirectly sensitive to changes in fO2 in silicic, but less so in mafic bulk systems.

  15. Iron, Manganese and Copper Release from Synthetic Hydroxyapatite

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sutter, B.; Hossner, L. R.; Ming, Douglas W.

    1999-01-01

    Kinetic stir-flow dissolution experiments were performed on iron- (Fe-SHA), manganese- (Mn-SHA), and copper- (Cu-SHA) containing synthetic hydroxyapatites. Solution treatments consisted of de-ionized water, citric acid and DTPA. Initially, Mn concentrations were higher than Cu concentrations and Fe concentrations were the lowest in all treatments. At later times Mn and Cu concentrations dropped in the DTPA treatment while Fe rose to the concentration similar to Mn and Cu. At all times, metal release concentrations in the water and citric acid treatments followed the trend of Mn>Cu>Fe. Rietveld analysis of x-ray diffraction data and ^31P NMR indicated that the metals substituted for Ca in the SHA structure. However, EPR data suggested that a metal (hydr)oxide phase existed either on the SHA surface or between the SHA crystallites. The metal concentration trend of Mn>Cu>Fe suggested that the initial solution metal concentrations are dependent on the dissolution of (hydr)oxides from SHA surfaces or between SHA crystallites. Similar metal concentrations at later times in the DTPA experiments suggests that metal concentrations were controlled by the release of Mn, Cu, or Fe from the SHA structure.

  16. Solubility of copper in silicate melts as function of oxygen and sulfur fugacities, temperature, and silicate composition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Holzheid, A.; Lodders, K.

    2001-06-01

    The solubility of Cu in silicate melts coexisting with liquid Cu(Fe) metal and liquid Cu(Fe) sulfide was determined experimentally at oxygen fugacities ranging from 10 -9.1 to 10 -13.6 bar and sulfur fugacities ranging from 10 -2.5 to 10 -6.3 bar at 1300°C. An iron oxide-free silicate of anorthite-diopside eutectic composition and a synthetic MgO-rich basaltic silicate (FeO-bearing) were used in the partitioning experiments. In S-containing systems, some of the metal reacted to metal sulfide. The silicates in the four systems investigated (Fe-free and S-free; Fe-containing and S-free; Fe-free and S-containing; Fe-containing and S-containing) had different colors depending on the dissolved Cu species and the presence of iron and/or sulfur. Irrespective of the presence of sulfur, the solubility of Cu in the silicate increases with increasing oxygen fugacity and metal/silicate partition coefficients for Cu decrease. Increasing the temperature from 1300°C to 1514°C increases the Cu solubility (decreases the metal/silicate partition coefficient) at an oxygen fugacity 0.5 log units below the iron-wüstite (IW) equilibrium in the Fe-free, S-free and Fe-containing, S-free systems. We infer the presence of monovalent Cu + ("CuO 0.5") in the silicate melt on the basis of the solubility of Cu as function of oxygen fugacity. Experiments containing iron yield a formal valence of ˜0.5 for Cu at very low oxygen fugacities, which is not observed in Fe-free systems. The low formal valence is explained by redox reactions between iron and copper in the silicate melts. There is no evidence for sulfidic dissolution of Cu in the silicates but sulfur has indirect effects on Cu partitioning. Iron metal/silicate partition coefficients depend on oxygen fugacity and on sulfur fugacity. Sulfidic dissolution of iron and oxide-sulfide exchange reactions with Cu cause a small increase in Cu metal/silicate partition coefficients. We derive an activity coefficient (γ CuO 0.5) of 10 ± 1 for liquid CuO 0.5 at 1300°C for the silicate melts used here. A comparison with literature data shows that log γ CuO 0.5 increases in proportion to the mass percentages [CaO +(Al 2O 3)/2] in silicate melts. We recommend the following equations for Cu metal/silicate and sulfide/silicate partitioning for geochemical and cosmochemical modeling if silicate composition and the activity of Cu in the metal or sulfide is known: log D met/sil = -0.48 - 0.25 · log fO 2 - log γ Cu metal + 0.02 · [CaO + (Al 2O 3)/2; wt%] silicate logD sul/sil=+0.76-0.25 · logfO 2+0.25logfS 2-logγ CS 0.5,sulfide +0.02 · [CaO+Al 2O 3/2;wt%] silicate. The derived Cu metal/silicate and metal/sulfide partition coefficients are applied to core formation in the Earth and Mars. The observed Cu abundances in the Earth cannot be easily explained by simple core-mantle equilibrium, but the observed Cu abundances for Mars are consistent with core-mantle equilibrium at low pressure and temperatures.

  17. 64Cu-DOTATATE for Noninvasive Assessment of Atherosclerosis in Large Arteries and Its Correlation with Risk Factors: Head-to-Head Comparison with 68Ga-DOTATOC in 60 Patients.

    PubMed

    Malmberg, Catarina; Ripa, Rasmus S; Johnbeck, Camilla B; Knigge, Ulrich; Langer, Seppo W; Mortensen, Jann; Oturai, Peter; Loft, Annika; Hag, Anne Mette; Kjær, Andreas

    2015-12-01

    The somatostatin receptor subtype 2 is expressed on macrophages, an abundant cell type in the atherosclerotic plaque. Visualization of somatostatin receptor subtype 2, for oncologic purposes, is frequently made using the DOTA-derived somatostatin analogs DOTATOC or DOTATATE for PET. We aimed to compare the uptake of the PET tracers (68)Ga-DOTATOC and (64)Cu-DOTATATE in large arteries, in the assessment of atherosclerosis by noninvasive imaging technique, combining PET and CT. Further, the correlation of uptake and cardiovascular risk factors was investigated. Sixty consecutive patients with neuroendocrine tumors underwent both (68)Ga-DOTATOC and (64)Cu-DOTATATE PET/CT scans, in random order. For each scan, the maximum and mean standardized uptake values (SUVs) were calculated in 5 arterial segments. In addition, the blood-pool-corrected target-to-background ratio was calculated. Uptake of the tracers was correlated with cardiovascular risk factors collected from medical records. We found detectable uptake of both tracers in all arterial segments studied. Uptake of (64)Cu-DOTATATE was significantly higher than (68)Ga-DOTATOC in the vascular regions both when calculated as maximum and mean uptake. There was a significant association between Framingham risk score and the overall maximum uptake of (64)Cu-DOTATATE using SUV (r = 0.4; P = 0.004) as well as target-to-background ratio (r = 0.3; P = 0.04), whereas no association was found with (68)Ga-DOTATOC. The association of risk factors and maximum SUV of (64)Cu-DOTATATE was found driven by body mass index, smoking, diabetes, and coronary calcium score (P < 0.001, P = 0.01, P = 0.005, and P = 0.03, respectively). In a series of oncologic patients, vascular uptake of (68)Ga-DOTATOC and (64)Cu-DOTATATE was found, with highest uptake of the latter. Uptake of (64)Cu-DOTATATE, but not of (68)Ga-DOTATOC, was correlated with cardiovascular risk factors, suggesting a potential role for (64)Cu-DOTATATE in the assessment of atherosclerosis. © 2015 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

  18. Periodic table of 3d-metal dimers and their ions.

    PubMed

    Gutsev, G L; Mochena, M D; Jena, P; Bauschlicher, C W; Partridge, H

    2004-10-08

    The ground states of the mixed 3d-metal dimers TiV, TiCr, TiMn, TiFe, TiCo, TiNi, TiCu, TiZn, VCr, VMn, VFe, VCo, VNi, VCu, VZn, CrMn, CrFe, CrCo, CrNi, CrCu, CrZn, MnFe, MnCo, MnNi, MnCu, MnZn, FeCo, FeNi, FeCu, FeZn, CoNi, CoCu, CoZn, NiCu, NiZn, and CuZn along with their singly negatively and positively charged ions are assigned based on the results of computations using density functional theory with generalized gradient approximation for the exchange-correlation functional. Except for TiCo and CrMn, our assignment agrees with experiment. Computed spectroscopic constants (r(e),omega(e),D(o)) are in fair agreement with experiment. The ground-state spin multiplicities of all the ions are found to differ from the spin multiplicities of the corresponding neutral parents by +/-1. Except for TiV, MnFe, and MnCu, the number of unpaired electrons, N, in a neutral ground-state dimer is either N(1)+N(2) or mid R:N(1)-N(2)mid R:, where N(1) and N(2) are the numbers of unpaired 3d electrons in the 3d(n)4s(1) occupation of the constituent atoms. Combining the present and previous results obtained at the same level of theory for homonuclear 3d-metal and ScX (X=Ti-Zn) dimers allows one to construct "periodic" tables of all 3d-metal dimers along with their singly charged ions.

  19. Evidences for Cu and Zn Isotope Fractionation in Sediments and Particulate Suspended Matter of the Scheldt Estuary

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Petit, J.; Mattielli, N.; de Jong, J.; Chou, L.

    2004-05-01

    Recent developments in MC-ICP-MS technology allow high precision measurements of heavy stable isotopes, such as Cu and Zn isotopes, which have been shown to undergo biotic or abiotic fractionation (1). Application of Zn isotopes to the study of aquatic ecosystems has already shown some interesting perspectives in their potential use as biogeochemical tracers in deep ocean carbonates (2) or Fe-Mn nodules (3). However, until now no investigation of possible Cu and Zn isotopic fractionation has been carried out within estuaries that are important pathways for hydrological and geochemical cycling of metals. Cu and Zn isotope geochemistry has been studied in sandy to loamy surface sediments (top 20 cm) and in suspended particulate matter (SPM) along a transect in a strong tidal estuary, the Scheldt estuary situated in Belgium and the Netherlands (November 2002). Further to separation of Cu, Fe and Zn by one step ion-exchange chromatography, Cu and Zn isotopic ratios are measured with a "Nu-Plasma" MC-ICP-MS. Instrumental mass bias is corrected using reference materials (Zn JMC, Cu NIST SRM 976 and Ga JMC standard) by simultaneous standard-sample bracketing and external normalization (500 ppb Zn doping for Cu isotopic analyses in static mode and 250 ppb Ga doping for Zn isotopic analyses in dynamic mode), together with a Ni correction. These methods lead to long-term reproducibility (2σ at 95 % confidence level) of ± 0.07 per mil for δ 66Zn (n=100 over 7 analysis sessions) and ± 0.06 per mil for δ 65Cu (n=120 over 8 analysis sessions) for 500 ppb of reference material. Average beam intensities are 6 V/ppm. Precise and reproducible results are obtained for concentration as low as 100 ppb for Cu and Zn. Expected Cu and Zn enrichment in SPM (120 ppm and 1200 ppm respectively) and sediments (being 6 to 10 times lower than SPM) in the upper estuary and progressive decrease in metal content by mixing downstream of the maximum turbidity zone (MTZ, around 5 psu) are observed. Results show that variations in Cu and Zn isotopic composition are smaller in SPM (δ 66Zn varying from 0.35 to 0.17 and δ 65Cu from -0.13 to 0.18) than in sediments. Cu and Zn isotopic signatures of sediments show a clear trend of lighter isotopes removal from the MTZ seaward with δ 66Zn varying from 0.21 at 2 psu to 1.11 per mil at 33 psu (and δ 65Cu = -0.37 to 0.24). In contrast, Zn isotopic compositions in SPM are more homogeneous with average δ 66Zn of 0.24 ± 0.18 over all the transect. Cu isotopic composition in SPM are very constant downstream of the MTZ with average δ 65Cu =-0.06 ± 0.08 but become more scattered within MTZ (varying from -0.04 to 0.18). These preliminary results pinpoint important variations in Cu and Zn isotopic compositions within estuarine systems and contrasted isotopic signatures in Cu and Zn between SPM and sediments. Results suggest the important role of early diagenesis in the isotope geochemistry of heavy metals in estuarine environment. This study provides a stepping stone for further investigation of interacting processes involved in controlling the cycling of metals in the Scheldt estuary. (1) Zhu et al., Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 200 (2002), 47-62 (2) Pichat et al., Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 6598 (2003), 1-12 (3) Maréchal et al., Geochem. Geophys. Geosyt., 1 (2000), GC000029

  20. Effect of CeLa addition on the microstructures and mechanical properties of Al-Cu-Mn-Mg-Fe alloy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Du, Jiandi

    Development of high strength lithium battery shell alloy is highly desired for new energy automobile industry. The microstructures and mechanical properties of Al-Cu-Mn-Mg-Fe alloy with different CeLa additions were investigated through optical microscopy (OM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Rietveld refinement and tensile testing. Experimental results indicate that Al{sub 8}Cu{sub 4}Ce and Al{sub 6}Cu{sub 6}La phases formed due to CeLa addition. Addition of 0.25 wt.% CeLa could promote the formation of denser precipitation of Al{sub 20}Cu{sub 2}Mn{sub 3} and Al{sub 6}(Mn, Fe) phases, which improved the mechanical properties of the alloy at room temperature.more » However, up to 0.50 wt.% CeLa addition could promote the formation of coarse Al{sub 8}Cu{sub 4}Ce phase, Al{sub 6}Cu{sub 6}La phase and Al{sub 6}(Mn, Fe) phase, which resulted in weakened mechanical properties. - Highlights: •Al-Cu-Mn-Mg-Fe alloys with different CeLa addition were fabricated through casting and rolling. •Al{sub 8}Cu{sub 4}Ce and Al{sub 6}Cu{sub 6}La phases formed after CeLa addition. •Addition of 0.25 wt.% CeLa promoted formation of denser precipitates of Al{sub 20}Cu{sub 2}Mn{sub 3} and Al{sub 6}(Mn, Fe). •Mechanical properties of the alloy was improved after 0.25 wt.% CeLa addition.« less

  1. A GREENER SYNTHESIS OF CORE (FE, CU)-SHELL (AU, PT, PD AND AG) NANOCRYSTALS USING AQUEOUS VITAMIN C

    EPA Science Inventory

    A greener method to fabricate the novel core (Fe and Cu)-shell (noble metals) metal nanocrystals using aqueous ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is described. Transition metal salts such as Cu and Fe were reduced using ascorbic acid, a benign naturally available antioxidant, and then add...

  2. Heterogeneous photo-Fenton processes using graphite carbon coating hollow CuFe2O4 spheres for the degradation of methylene blue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guo, Xiaojun; Wang, Kebai; Li, Dai; Qin, Jiabin

    2017-10-01

    The novel graphite carbon coating hollow CuFe2O4 spheres were fabricated through solvothermal method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectra, etc. The catalytic performance of the graphite carbon coating hollow CuFe2O4 spheres was evaluated in photo-Fenton-like degradation of methylene blue (MB) using H2O2 as a green oxidant under light irradiation (λ > 400 nm). The results demonstrated that the hollow CuFe2O4 spheres with graphite carbon coating exhibited superior catalytic activity. In the preparation process of catalyst, the addition of glucose was very important to its catalytic performance. Photoresponse analysis of the typical samples proved that CuFe2O4@graphite carbon core-shell hollow spheres possessed excellent photocurrent response and lower electrochemical impedance. In addition, a possible mechanism for photocatalytic degradation of MB had been presumed. Moreover, after five regeneration cycles, the graphite carbon coating hollow CuFe2O4 spheres still exhibited better properties.

  3. Combustion synthesized copper-ion substituted FeAl2O4 (Cu0.1Fe0.9Al2O4): A superior catalyst for methanol steam reforming compared to its impregnated analogue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maiti, Sayantani; Llorca, Jordi; Dominguez, Montserrat; Colussi, Sara; Trovarelli, Alessandro; Priolkar, Kaustubh R.; Aquilanti, Giuliana; Gayen, Arup

    2016-02-01

    A series of copper ion substituted MAl2O4 (M = Mg, Mn, Fe and Zn) spinels is prepared by a single step solution combustion synthesis (SCS) and tested for methanol steam reforming (MSR). The copper ion substituted Cu0.1Fe0.9Al2O4 appears to be the most active, showing ∼98% methanol conversion at 300 °C with ∼5% CO selectivity at GHSV = 30,000 h-1 and H2O:CH3OH = 1.1. The analogous impregnated catalyst, CuO (10 at%)/FeAl2O4, is found to be much less active. These materials are characterized by XRD, H2-TPR, BET, HRTEM, XPS and XANES analyses. Spinel phase formation is highly facilitated upon Cu-ion substitution and Cu loading beyond 10 at% leads to the formation of CuO as an additional phase. The ionic substitution of copper in FeAl2O4 leads to the highly crystalline SCS catalyst containing Cu2+ ion sites that are shown to be more active than the dispersed CuO nano-crystallites on the FeAl2O4 impregnated catalyst, despite its lower surface area. The as prepared SCS catalyst contains also a portion of copper as Cu1+ that increases when subjected to reforming atmosphere. The MSR activity of the SCS catalyst decreases with time-on-stream due to the sintering of catalyst crystallites as established from XPS and HRTEM analyses.

  4. Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy and Small Angle Neutron Scattering Characterization of Nanostructural Features in Irradiated Fe-Cu-Mn Alloys

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wirth, B D; Asoka-Kumar, P; Howell, R H

    2001-01-01

    Radiation embrittlement of nuclear reactor pressure vessel steels results from a high number density of nanometer sized Cu-Mn-Ni rich precipitates (CRPs) and sub-nanometer matrix features, thought to be vacancy-solute cluster complexes (VSC). However, questions exist regarding both the composition of the precipitates and the defect character and composition of the matrix features. We present results of positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) and small angle neutron scattering (SANS) characterization of irradiated and thermally aged Fe-Cu and Fe-Cu-Mn alloys. These complementary techniques provide insight into the composition and character of both types of nanoscale features. The SANS measurements indicate populations of CRPs andmore » VSCs in both alloys. The CRPs are coarser in the Fe-Cu alloy and the number densities of CRP and VSC increase with the addition of Mn. The PAS involved measuring both the positron lifetimes and the Doppler broadened annihilation spectra in the high momentum region to provide elemental sensitivity at the annihilation site. The spectra in Fe-Cu-Mn specimens thermally aged to peak hardness at 450 C and irradiated at 288 C are nearly identical to elemental Cu. Positron lifetime and spectrum measurements in Fe-Cu specimens irradiated at 288 C clearly show the existence of long lifetime ({approx}500 ps) open volume defects, which also contain Cu. Thus the SANS and PAS provide a self-consistent picture of nanostructures composed of CRPs and VSCs and tend to discount high Fe concentrations in the CRPs.« less

  5. Correlation of x-ray diffraction and Mössbauer effect measurements with magnetic properties of heat-treated Cu80Co15Fe5 ribbons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harris, V. G.; Rubinstein, M.; Das, B. N.; Koon, N. C.

    1994-05-01

    X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Mössbauer Effect (ME) measurements were performed on heat-treated Cu80Co15Fe5 melt-spun ribbons in an attempt to understand the trends in magnetic properties with heat treatment. ME measurements indicate that the majority of Fe atoms (86%) occupy sites in ferromagnetic FCC CoFe clusters after the initial quench. A heat treatment at 900 °C acts to complete the chemical separation of Fe from the Cu matrix. The presence of Co in the Cu matrix, even after high temperature anneals, provides a paramagnetic component that prohibits saturation even at high fields.

  6. Modulation of Jahn-Teller effect on magnetization and spontaneous electric polarization of CuFeO2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xiao, Guiling; Xia, Zhengcai; Wei, Meng; Huang, Sha; Shi, Liran; Zhang, Xiaoxing; Wu, Huan; Yang, Feng; Song, Yujie; Ouyang, Zhongwen

    2018-03-01

    CuFe0.99Mn0.01O2 and CuFe0.99Co0.01O2 single crystal samples are grown by a floating zone technique and their magnetization and spontaneous electric polarization have been investigated. Similarly with pure CuFeO2, an obviously anisotropic magnetization and spontaneous electric polarization were observed in the both doped samples, and their phase transition critical fields and temperatures are directly doping ion dependent. Considering the different d-shell configuration and ionic size between Mn3+, Co3+ and Fe3+ ions, in which the Mn3+ ion with Jahn-Teller (J-T) effect has different distortion on the geometry frustration from both of Fe3+ and Co3+ ion. Since for Mn3+ ion, the orbital splitting results from the low-symmetry J-T distortion in a crystal-field environment leads to a distorted MnO6 octahedron, which different from undistorted FeO6 and CoO6 octahedrons. The strain between distorted and undistorted octahedrons produces different effects on the spin reorientation transition and spontaneous electric polarization. Although the pure CuFeO2 has a very strong and robust frustration, the presence of the strain due to the random distribution of distorted MnO6 octahedron and undistorted CoO6 (FeO6) octahedrons leads to its spin reorientation transitions and spontaneous electric polarization different from CuFeO2.

  7. Gallium as a Therapeutic Agent: A Thermodynamic Evaluation of the Competition between Ga(3+) and Fe(3+) Ions in Metalloproteins.

    PubMed

    Nikolova, Valia; Angelova, Silvia; Markova, Nikoleta; Dudev, Todor

    2016-03-10

    Gallium has been employed (in the form of soluble salts) to fight various forms of cancer, infectious, and inflammatory diseases. The rationale behind this lies in the ability of Ga(3+) cation to mimic closely in appearance the native ferric ion, Fe(3+), thus interfering with the biological processes requiring ferric cofactors. However, Ga(3+) ion cannot participate in redox reactions and, when substituting for the "native" Fe(3+) ion in the enzyme active site, renders it inactive. Although a significant body of information on the Ga(3+)-Fe(3+) competition in biological systems has been accumulated, the intimate mechanism of the process is still not well understood and several questions remain: What are the basic physical principles governing the competition between the two trivalent cations in proteins? What type of metal centers are the most likely targets for gallium therapy? To what extent are the Fe(3+)-binding sites in the key enzyme ribonucleotide reductase vulnerable to Ga(3+) substitution? Here, we address these questions by studying the competition between Ga(3+) and Fe(3+) ions in model metal binding sites of various compositions and charge states. The results obtained are in line with available experimental data and shed light on the intimate mechanism of the Ga(3+)/Fe(3+) selectivity in various model metal binding sites and biological systems such as serum transferrin and ribonucleotide reductase.

  8. Crystal structure and magnetism of layered perovskites compound EuBaCuFeO5

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lal, Surender; Mukherjee, K.; Yadav, C. S.

    2018-04-01

    Layered perovskite compounds have interesting multiferroic properties.YBaCuFeO5 is one of the layered perovskite compounds which have magnetic and dielectric transition above 200 K. The multiferroic properties can be tuned with the replacement of Y with some other rare earth ions. In this manuscript, structural and magnetic properties of layered perovskite compound EuBaCuFeO5 have been investigated. This compound crystallizes in the tetragonal structure with P4mm space group and is iso-structural with YBaCuFeO5. The magnetic transition has been found to shift to 120 K as compared to YBaCuFeO5 which has the transition at 200 K. This shift in the magnetic transition has been ascribed to the decrease in the chemical pressure that relaxes the magnetic moments.

  9. Polaronic Effect on Electrical Conductivity and Thermoelectric Power in Ga(Cu)V4S8

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Naik, I.

    2018-01-01

    Polycrystalline V4-cluster compounds of GaV4S8 and its derivatives Ga0.90 Cu0.10V4S8 and Ga0.90Cu0.20V4S8 have been prepared at 800°C by solid-state reaction method. Although the cubic-rhombohedral phase transformation at 45 K was found to be absent in the derivatives of GaV4S8, low-temperature hopping conduction occurred in all the materials. In the present context, we explain the conduction mechanism for all the materials using polaron theory. The polaron size was found to be large above 260 K but small below 260 K in GaV4S8, as confirmed by the Seebeck coefficient. From the activation energies and polaron size, the anomaly at 260 K is interpreted as associated with crossover from thermally activated to nearest-neighbor hopping upon cooling.

  10. Elemental Compositions of Comet 81P/Wild 2 Samples Collected by Stardust

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Flynn, G. J.; Bleuet, P.; Borg, J.; Bradley, J.; Brenker, F.; Brennan, S.; Bridges, J.; Brownlee, D. E.; Bullock, E.; Clark, B. C.; hide

    2006-01-01

    We measured the chemical compositions of material from 23 particles in aerogel and residue in 7 craters in aluminum foil, collected during passage of the Stardust spacecraft through the coma of Comet 81P/Wild 2. These particles are chemically heterogeneous at the largest size-scale analyzed, 180 nanograms. The mean chemical composition of this Wild 2 material agrees with the CI meteorite composition for the refractory elements Mg, Si, Cr, Fe, and Ni to 35%, and for Ca and Mn to 50%. The data suggest the moderately volatile elements Cu, Zn, and Ga may be enriched in this Wild 2 material.

  11. COPPER-64 Production Studies with Natural Zinc Targets at Deuteron Energy up to 19 Mev and Proton Energy from 141 Down to 31 Mev

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bonardi, Mauro L.; Birattari, Claudio; Groppi, Flavia; Song Mainard, Hae; Zhuikov, Boris L.; Kokhanyuk, Vladimir M.; Lapshina, Elena V.; Mebel, Michail V.; Menapace, Enzo

    2004-07-01

    High specific activity no-carrier-added 64Cu is a β-/β+ emitting radionuclide of increasing interest for PET imaging, as well as systemic and targeted radioimmunotherapy of tumors. Its peculiarity of intense Auger emitter is still under investigation. The cross-sections for production of 64Cu from Zn target of natural isotopic composition were measured in the deuteron energy range from threshold up to 19 MeV and proton energy range from 141 down to 31 MeV. The stacked-foil technique was used at both K=38 cyclotron of JRC-Ispra of CEC, Italy and 160 MeV intersection point of INR proton-LINAC in Troitsk, Russia. Several Ga, Zn, Cu, Ni, Co, V, Fe and Mn radionuclides were detected in Zn targets at the EOB. Optimized irradiation conditions are reported as a function of deuteron energy and energy loss into the Zn target, as well as target irradiation time and cooling time after radiochemistry. The activity of n.c.a. 64Cu was measured through its only γ emission of 1346 keV (i.e. 0.473 % intensity) both by instrumental and radiochemical methods, due to the non-specificity of annihilation radiation at 511 keV. To this last purpose, it was necessary to carry out a selective radiochemical separation of GaIII radionuclides by liquid/liquid extraction from the bulk of irradiated Zn targets and other spallation products, which remained in the 7 M HCl aqueous phase. Anion exchange chromatography tests had been carried out to separate the 64Cu from all others radionuclides in n.c.a. form. Theoretical calculations of cross-sections were performed with codes EMPIRE II and PENELOPE for deuteron reactions and CEF model and HMS-ALICE hybrid model for proton reactions. The theoretical results are presented and compared with the experimental values.

  12. Cation Distribution and Local Configuration of Fe 2+ Ions in Structurally Nonequivalent Lattice Sites of Heterometallic Fe(II)/ M(II) ( M = Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn) Diaquadiformato Complexes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Devillers, M.; Ladrière, J.

    1993-03-01

    57Fe Mössbauer investigations are carried out on a wide series of heterometallic diaquadiformato Fe(II)/ M(II) complexes with M = Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn to provide a local picture of the coordination environment of the 57Fe 2+ ions as a function of (i) the nature of the host cation and (ii) the relative amounts of both metals in the matrix (between 50 and 0.25 at.% Fe). Information is obtained on the quantitative distribution of both metals between the two structurally nonequivalent lattice sites and on the local geometry around the dopant atom in each crystal site. In the mixed Fe-Cu complexes. Fe 2+ ions are preferentially incorporated in the tetrahydrated site; in Cu-rich Fe xCu 1- x(HCO 2) 2· 2H 2O, the 57Fe 2+ ions located in the hexaformato-coordinated site are surrounded by an axially compressed octahedron of formate ligands which contrasts with the elongated configuration observed in the pure iron compound and in the other mixed systems. Semiquantitative estimations of the tetragonal field splitting and of the extent of metal-ligand interactions are proposed from the temperature dependence of the quadrupole splitting values.

  13. Synthesis of AlFeCuCrMg{sub x} (x = 0, 0.5, 1, 1.7) alloy powders by mechanical alloying

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Maulik, Ornov; Kumar, Vinod, E-mail: vkt.meta@mnit.ac.in; Adjunct Faculty, Materials Research Centre, Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur 302017

    2015-12-15

    Novel AlFeCuCrMg{sub x} (x = 0, 0.5, 1, 1.7 mol) high-entropy alloys (HEAs) were synthesized by mechanical alloying. The effect of Mg content on the phase evolution of HEAs was investigated using X-Ray diffractometry (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern analysis. The particle morphology and composition of HEAs were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thermodynamic parameters were calculated and analyzed to explain the formation of a solid solution. XRD analysis revealed BCC as major phase and FCC as a minor phase in as-milled AlFeCuCr and AlFeCuCrMg{sub 0.5} HEAs. Also, XRD analysis of as-milledmore » AlFeCuCrMg, AlFeCuCrMg{sub 1.7} confirmed the formation of two BCC phases (BCC 1 and BCC 2). TEM–SAED analysis of AlFeCuCrMg{sub x} HEAs concurred with XRD results. Microstructural features and mechanism for solid solution formation have been conferred in detail. Phase formation of the present HEAs has been correlated with calculated thermodynamic parameters. Differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA) of these alloys confirmed that there is no substantial phase change up to 500 °C. - Highlights: • Novel AlFeCuCrMg{sub x} (x = 0, 0.5, 1, 1.7) HEAs were prepared by mechanical alloying. • Phase evolution and lattice parameter were studied by X-Ray Diffraction. • Crystallite size and lattice microstrain calculated failed to obey the Williamson–Hall method. • Criterions for formation of simple solid solution were compared to the thermodynamic parameters of the present HEAs. • Increase in the Mg concentration in AlMg{sub x}FeCuCr (x = 0, 0.5, 1, 1.7) HEAs supports the formation of BCC phase.« less

  14. Rat liver mitochondrial dysfunction by addition of copper(II) or iron(III) ions.

    PubMed

    Saporito-Magriñá, Christian; Musacco-Sebio, Rosario; Acosta, Juan M; Bajicoff, Sofía; Paredes-Fleitas, Paola; Boveris, Alberto; Repetto, Marisa G

    2017-01-01

    Increased copper (Cu) and iron (Fe) levels in liver and brain are associated to oxidative stress and damage with increased phospholipid oxidation process. The aim of this work was to assess the toxic effects of Cu 2+ and Fe 3+ addition to rat liver mitochondria by determining mitochondrial respiration in states 3 (active respiration) and 4 (resting respiration), and phospholipid peroxidation. Both, Cu 2+ and Fe 3+ produced decreases in O 2 consumption in a concentration-dependent manner in active state 3: both ions by 42% with malate-glutamate as complex I substrate (concentration for half maximal response (C 50 ) 60μM Cu 2+ and 1.25mM Fe 3+ ), and with succinate as complex II substrate: 64-69% with C 50 of 50μM Cu 2+ and with C 50 of 1.25mM of Fe 3+ . Respiratory control decreased with Cu 2+ (C 50 50μM) and Fe 3+ (C 50 1.25-1-75mM) with both substrates. Cu 2+ produced a 2-fold increase and Fe 3+ a 5-fold increase of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) content from 25μM Cu 2+ (C 50 40μM) and from 100μM Fe 3+ (C 50 1.75mM). Supplementations with Cu 2+ and Fe 3+ ions induce mitochondrial dysfunction with phospholipid peroxidation in rat liver mitochondria. Although is proved that a Fenton/Haber Weiss mechanism of oxidative damage occurs in metal-ion induced mitochondrial toxicity, slightly different responses to the metal ions suggest some differences in the mechanism of intracellular toxicity. The decreased rates of mitochondrial respiration and the alteration of mitochondrial function by phospholipid and protein oxidations lead to mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular dyshomeostasis and cell death. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Interfacial magnetism and exchange coupling in BiFeO3-CuO nanocomposite.

    PubMed

    Chakrabarti, Kaushik; Sarkar, Babusona; Ashok, Vishal Dev; Das, Kajari; Chaudhuri, Sheli Sinha; De, S K

    2013-12-20

    Ferromagnetic BiFeO3 nanocrystals of average size 9 nm were used to form a composite with antiferromagnetic CuO nanosheets, with the composition (x)BiFeO3/(100-x)CuO, x = 0, 20, 40, 50, 60, 80 and 100. The dispersion of BiFeO3 nanocrystals into the CuO matrix was confirmed by x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The ferromagnetic ordering as observed in pure BiFeO3 occurs mainly due to the reduction in the particle size as compared to the wavelength (62 nm) of the spiral modulated spin structure of the bulk BiFeO3. Surface spin disorder of BiFeO3 nanocrystals gives rise to an exponential behavior of magnetization with temperature. Strong magnetic exchange coupling between the BiFeO3 nanocrystal and the CuO matrix induces an interfacial superparamagnetic phase with a blocking temperature of about 80 K. Zero field and field cooled magnetizations are analyzed by a ferromagnetic core and disordered spin shell model. The temperature dependence of the calculated saturation magnetization exhibits three magnetic contributions in three temperature regimes. The BiFeO3/CuO nanocomposites reveal an exchange bias effect below 170 K. The maximum exchange bias field HEB is 1841 Oe for x = 50 at 5 K under field cooling of 50 kOe. The exchange bias coupling results in an increase of coercivity of 1934 Oe at 5 K. Blocked spins within an interfacial region give rise to a remarkable exchange bias effect in the nanocomposite due to strong magnetic exchange coupling between the BiFeO3 nanocrystals and the CuO nanosheets.

  16. Contrasting Physiological and Proteomic Adaptations to Iron and/or Copper Limitation in Two Strains of the Same Open Ocean Diatom Thalassiosira oceanica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schuback, N.; Hippmann, A.; Maldonado, M. T.; Allen, A. E.; McCrow, J.; Foster, L. J.; Green, B. R.; Alami, M.

    2016-02-01

    Iron plays a significant role in controlling marine primary productivity. Despite that extremely low dissolved iron (Fe) concentrations are found in Fe-limited regions, some phytoplankton are able to survive and thrive. Two strains of the model oceanic diatom Thalassiosira oceanica, TO 1003 and TO 1005, have both been used in previous studies to characterize adaptations to iron limitation. These studies have shown that T. oceanica has lowered its Fe requirements and increased its Fe acquisition efficiency compared to coastal counterparts. Both strategies may impose a higher cellular copper (Cu) demand. However, the underlying biochemical adaptations in these oceanic diatoms remain unknown. Recently, the genome, as well as the first proteomic and transcriptomic analyses of T. oceanica 1005 grown under different Fe levels, were published. To further our understanding of the interplay between Fe- and Cu- physiology in open ocean diatoms, we examined an array of physiological responses to varying degrees of Fe-, Cu- and Fe/Cu co-limitation in both strains. We also determined the differential expression of proteins using stable isotope labeling and LC-MS/MS proteomic analysis. The two strains, TO 1003 and TO 1005, need markedly different metal concentrations in the media. TO1003 requires 30% less Cu to sustain its optimal growth and less than 1/10th of the minimum Cu that is needed by TO 1005 to survive. In contrast, TO 1005 is able to grow with less Fe available in the media. The physiological and proteomic responses of these two strains when acclimated to low Fe and/or Cu concentrations will be presented. The evolutionary implications will be discussed.

  17. Preparation and Characterization of Cu-Ga-Se Thin Films Synthesized by Electrodeposition: Effect of Complexing Agent and Supporting Electrolyte

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Turner, John A; Deutsch, Todd G; Fernandez, A. M.

    CuGaSe2 (CGS) is a semiconductor that has potential use as a photo electrode for solar water splitting. Its wide band gap and high absorption coefficient make it an ideal candidate for the top absorber in tandem structures. CGS can be synthesized by several techniques, being electrodeposition the most advantageous from a technical standpoint. Many reports show that electrodeposition of these films for producing the desired precursor atomic composition can be aided by using a complexing agent. However, the use of supporting electrolyte and the type of the electrolyte to improve the atomic composition in the films has never been reported.more » Using cyclic voltammetry, with complexing agents and deposition potentials between -0.5 and -0.9 V vs. Ag/AgCl reference electrode atomic ratios close to the ideal values ([Cu]/[Ga] = 1 and [Se]/[Cu + Ga] = 1), based on atomic composition and morphology analysis are reported in this work. From the X-ray diffraction (XRD), the as-deposited films exhibit poor crystallinity; however, the XRD patterns evidence the formation CuGaSe2 after annealing of the samples.« less

  18. Numerical study of the electronic structure, elastic and optical properties of defect quaternary semiconductor CuGaSnSe4

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shen, Kesheng; Lu, Hai; Zhang, Xianzhou; Jiao, Zhaoyong

    2018-06-01

    The electronic structure, elastic and optical properties of the defect quaternary semiconductor CuGaSnSe4 in I 4 bar structure are systematically investigated using first-principles calculations. We summarize and discuss some of the studies on CuGaSnSe4 in partially ordered chalcopyrite structure and find that there are three atomic arrangements so far, but it is still uncertain which is the most stable. Through detailed simulation and comparison with the corresponding literature, we get three models and predict that M1 model should be the most stable. The band structure and optical properties of compound CuGaSnSe4, including dielectric constant, refractive index and absorption spectrum, are drawn for a more intuitive understanding. The elastic constants are also calculated, which not only prove that CuGaSnSe4 in I 4 bar structure is stable naturally but also help solve the problem of no data to accurately predict axial thermal expansion coefficients. The calculated values of the zero frequency dielectric constant and refractive index are comparable to those of the corresponding chalcopyrite structure but slightly larger.

  19. Cu2O-based solar cells using oxide semiconductors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Minami, Tadatsugu; Nishi, Yuki; Miyata, Toshihiro

    2016-01-01

    We describe significant improvements of the photovoltaic properties that were achieved in Al-doped ZnO (AZO)/n-type oxide semiconductor/p-type Cu2O heterojunction solar cells fabricated using p-type Cu2O sheets prepared by thermally oxidizing Cu sheets. The multicomponent oxide thin film used as the n-type semiconductor layer was prepared with various chemical compositions on non-intentionally heated Cu2O sheets under various deposition conditions using a pulsed laser deposition method. In Cu2O-based heterojunction solar cells fabricated using various ternary compounds as the n-type oxide thin-film layer, the best photovoltaic performance was obtained with an n-ZnGa2O4 thin-film layer. In most of the Cu2O-based heterojunction solar cells using multicomponent oxides composed of combinations of various binary compounds, the obtained photovoltaic properties changed gradually as the chemical composition was varied. However, with the ZnO-MgO and Ga2O3-Al2O3 systems, higher conversion efficiencies (η) as well as a high open circuit voltage (Voc) were obtained by using a relatively small amount of MgO or Al2O3, e.g., (ZnO)0.91-(MgO)0.09 and (Ga2O3)0.975-(Al2O3)0.025, respectively. When Cu2O-based heterojunction solar cells were fabricated using Al2O3-Ga2O3-MgO-ZnO (AGMZO) multicomponent oxide thin films deposited with metal atomic ratios of 10, 60, 10 and 20 at.% for the Al, Ga, Mg and Zn, respectively, a high Voc of 0.98 V and an η of 4.82% were obtained. In addition, an enhanced η and an improved fill factor could be achieved in AZO/n-type multicomponent oxide/p-type Cu2O heterojunction solar cells fabricated using Na-doped Cu2O (Cu2O:Na) sheets that featured a resistivity controlled by optimizing the post-annealing temperature and duration. Consequently, an η of 6.25% and a Voc of 0.84 V were obtained in a MgF2/AZO/n-(Ga2O3-Al2O3)/p-Cu2O:Na heterojunction solar cell fabricated using a Cu2O:Na sheet with a resistivity of approximately 10 Ω·cm and a (Ga0.975Al0.025)2O3 thin film with a thickness of approximately 60 nm. In addition, a Voc of 0.96 V and an η of 5.4% were obtained in a MgF2/AZO/n-AGMZO/p-Cu2O:Na heterojunction solar cell.

  20. Fabrication and Electromagnetic Properties of Conjugated NH2-CuPc@Fe3O4

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yan, Liang; Pu, Zejun; Xu, Mingzhen; Wei, Renbo; Liu, Xiaobo

    2017-10-01

    Conjugated amino-phthalocyanine copper containing carboxyl groups/magnetite (NH2-CuPc@Fe3O4) has been fabricated from FeCl3·6H2O and NH2-CuPc via a simple solvothermal method and its electromagnetic properties investigated. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy revealed that the NH2-CuPc@Fe3O4 was a waxberry-like nanomaterial with NH2-CuPc molecules effectively embedded in the interior of Fe3O4 particles in the form of beads. Introduction of NH2-CuPc effectively improved the complementarity between the dielectric and magnetic losses of the system, resulting in excellent electromagnetic performance. The minimum reflection loss of the as-prepared composite reached -33.4 dB at 7.0 GHz for coating layer thickness of 4.0 mm and bandwidth below -10.0 dB (90% absorption) of up to 3.8 GHz. These results indicate that introduction of NH2-CuPc results in a composite with potential for use as an electromagnetic microwave absorption material.

  1. Co-precipitated and collocated carbides and Cu-rich precipitates in a Fe-Cu steel characterized by atom-probe tomography.

    PubMed

    Kolli, R Prakash; Seidman, David N

    2014-12-01

    The composition of co-precipitated and collocated NbC carbide precipitates, Fe3C iron carbide (cementite), and Cu-rich precipitates are studied experimentally by atom-probe tomography (APT). The Cu-rich precipitates located at a grain boundary (GB) are also studied. The APT results for the carbides are supplemented with computational thermodynamics predictions of composition at thermodynamic equilibrium. Two types of NbC carbide precipitates are distinguished based on their stoichiometric ratio and size. The Cu-rich precipitates at the periphery of the iron carbide and at the GB are larger than those distributed in the α-Fe (body-centered cubic) matrix, which is attributed to short-circuit diffusion of Cu along the GB. Manganese segregation is not observed at the heterophase interfaces of the Cu-rich precipitates that are located at the periphery of the iron carbide or at the GB, which is unlike those located at the edge of the NbC carbide precipitates or distributed in the α-Fe matrix. This suggests the presence of two populations of NiAl-type (B2 structure) phases at the heterophase interfaces in multicomponent Fe-Cu steels.

  2. 3D hierarchical magnetic hollow sphere-like CuFe2O4 combined with HPLC for the simultaneous determination of Sudan I-IV dyes in preserved bean curd.

    PubMed

    Liu, Xueyan; Qi, Xinyu; Zhang, Lei

    2018-02-15

    Three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical magnetic hollow sphere-like CuFe 2 O 4 (3D HMHS-CuFe 2 O 4 ) were designed to sensitively detect four Sudan dyes combined with HPLC-DAD. The formation mechanism of 3D HMHS-CuFe 2 O 4 is also discussed. Compared to the particle-like CuFe 2 O 4 (PL-CuFe 2 O 4 ), the as-obtained 3D HMHS-CuFe 2 O 4 provided a higher extraction efficiency for the four Sudan dyes (I, II, III and IV) due to its hierarchical hollow structure with properly interconnected pores where the targets can easily diffuse into the reaction sites. Thus, a magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE)-HPLC method was established for the simultaneous measurement of the four Sudan dyes. Under optimized conditions, good linearity (5-4000ngg -1 , r 2 ≥0.9991), limits of detection (LODs, 0.56-0.60ngg -1 ), recoveries (91.1%-99.3%) and precision (RSDs≤4.9%) for the four Sudan dyes were obtained. The proposed MSPE-HPLC-DAD method is a convenient, effective, sensitive and time-saving method for the rapid isolation and determination of four Sudan dyes in preserved bean curd. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  3. The Gibbs free energy of nukundamite (Cu3.38Fe0.62S4): A correction and implications for phase equilibria

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Seal, R.R.; Inan, E.E.; Hemingway, B.S.

    2001-01-01

    The Gibbs free energy of formation of nukundamite (Cu3.38Fe0.62S4) was calculated from published experimental studies of the reaction 3.25 Cu3.38Fe0.62S4 + S2 = 11 CuS + 2 FeS2 in order to correct an erroneous expression in the published record. The correct expression describing the Gibbs free energy of formation (kJ???mol-1) of nukundamite relative to the elements and ideal S2 gas is ??fG?? nukundamite T(K) = -549.75 + 0.23242 T + 3.1284 T0.5, with an uncertainty of 0.6%. An evaluation of the phase equilibria of nukundamite with associated phases in the system Cu-Fe-S as a function of temperature and sulfur fugacity indicates that nukundamite is stable from 224 to 501??C at high sulfidation states. At its greatest extent, at 434??C, the stability field of nukundamite is only 0.4 log f(S2) units wide, which explains its rarity. Equilibria between nukundamite and bornite, which limit the stability of both phases, involve bornite compositions that deviate significantly from stoichiometric Cu5FeS4. Under equilibrium conditions in the system Cu-Fe-S, nukundamite + chalcopyrite is not a stable assemblage at any temperature.

  4. Transcriptome Sequencing Identifies SPL7-Regulated Copper Acquisition Genes FRO4/FRO5 and the Copper Dependence of Iron Homeostasis in Arabidopsis[C][W

    PubMed Central

    Bernal, María; Casero, David; Singh, Vasantika; Wilson, Grandon T.; Grande, Arne; Yang, Huijun; Dodani, Sheel C.; Pellegrini, Matteo; Huijser, Peter; Connolly, Erin L.; Merchant, Sabeeha S.; Krämer, Ute

    2012-01-01

    The transition metal copper (Cu) is essential for all living organisms but is toxic when present in excess. To identify Cu deficiency responses comprehensively, we conducted genome-wide sequencing-based transcript profiling of Arabidopsis thaliana wild-type plants and of a mutant defective in the gene encoding SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE7 (SPL7), which acts as a transcriptional regulator of Cu deficiency responses. In response to Cu deficiency, FERRIC REDUCTASE OXIDASE5 (FRO5) and FRO4 transcript levels increased strongly, in an SPL7-dependent manner. Biochemical assays and confocal imaging of a Cu-specific fluorophore showed that high-affinity root Cu uptake requires prior FRO5/FRO4-dependent Cu(II)-specific reduction to Cu(I) and SPL7 function. Plant iron (Fe) deficiency markers were activated in Cu-deficient media, in which reduced growth of the spl7 mutant was partially rescued by Fe supplementation. Cultivation in Cu-deficient media caused a defect in root-to-shoot Fe translocation, which was exacerbated in spl7 and associated with a lack of ferroxidase activity. This is consistent with a possible role for a multicopper oxidase in Arabidopsis Fe homeostasis, as previously described in yeast, humans, and green algae. These insights into root Cu uptake and the interaction between Cu and Fe homeostasis will advance plant nutrition, crop breeding, and biogeochemical research. PMID:22374396

  5. Iron and gallium increase iron uptake from transferrin by human melanoma cells: further examination of the ferric ammonium citrate-activated iron uptake process.

    PubMed

    Richardson, D R

    2001-04-30

    Previously we showed that preincubation of cells with ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) resulted in a marked increase in Fe uptake from both (59)Fe-transferrin (Tf) and (59)Fe-citrate (D.R. Richardson, E. Baker, J. Biol. Chem. 267 (1992) 13972-13979; D.R. Richardson, P. Ponka, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1269 (1995) 105-114). This Fe uptake process was independent of the transferrin receptor and appeared to be activated by free radicals generated via the iron-catalysed Haber-Weiss reaction. To further understand this process, the present investigation was performed. In these experiments, cells were preincubated for 3 h at 37 degrees C with FAC or metal ion solutions and then labelled for 3 h at 37 degrees C with (59)Fe-Tf. Exposure of cells to FAC resulted in Fe uptake from (59)Fe-citrate that became saturated at an Fe concentration of 2.5 microM, while FAC-activated Fe uptake from Tf was not saturable up to 25 microM. In addition, the extent of FAC-activated Fe uptake from citrate was far greater than that from Tf. These results suggest a mechanism where FAC-activated Fe uptake from citrate may result from direct interaction with the transporter, while Fe uptake from Tf appears indirect and less efficient. Preincubation of cells with FAC at 4 degrees C instead of 37 degrees C prevented its effect at stimulating (59)Fe uptake from (59)Fe-Tf, suggesting that an active process was involved. Previous studies by others have shown that FAC can increase ferrireductase activity that may enhance (59)Fe uptake from (59)Fe-Tf. However, there was no difference in the ability of FAC-treated cells compared to controls to reduce ferricyanide to ferrocyanide, suggesting no change in oxidoreductase activity. To examine if activation of this Fe uptake mechanism could occur by incubation with a range of metal ions, cells were preincubated with either FAC, ferric chloride, ferrous sulphate, ferrous ammonium sulphate, gallium nitrate, copper chloride, zinc chloride, or cobalt chloride. Stimulation of (59)Fe uptake from Tf was shown (in order of potency) with ferric chloride, ferrous sulphate, ferrous ammonium sulphate, and gallium nitrate. The other metal ions examined decreased (59)Fe uptake from Tf. The fact that redox-active Cu(II) ion did not stimulate Fe uptake while redox-inactive Ga(III) did, suggests a mechanism of transporter activation not solely dependent on free radical generation. Indeed, the activation of Fe uptake appears dependent on the presence of the Fe atom itself or a metal ion with atomic similarities to Fe (e.g. Ga).

  6. High-Performance Epoxy-Resin-Bonded Magnets Produced from the Sm2Fe17Nx Powders Coated by Copper and Zinc Metals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Noguchi, Kenji; Machida, Ken-ichi; Adachi, Gin-ya

    2001-04-01

    Fine powders of Sm2Fe17Nx coated with copper metal reduced from CuCl2 and/or zinc metal subsequently derived by photo-decomposition of diethylzinc [Zn(C2H5)2] were prepared, and their magnetic properties were characterized in addition to those of epoxy-resin-bonded magnets produced from the coated powders (Cu/Sm2Fe17Nx, Zn/Sm2Fe17Nx and Zn/Cu/Sm2Fe17Nx). The remanence (Br) and maximum energy product [(\\mathit{BH})max] of double metal-coated Zn/Cu/Sm2Fe17Nx powders were maintained at higher levels than those of single Zn metal-coated Sm2Fe17Nx ones (Zn/Sm2Fe17Nx) even after heat treatment at 673 K since the oxidation resistance and thermal stability were effectively improved by formation of the thick and uniform protection layer on the surface of Sm2Fe17Nx particles. Moreover, the epoxy-resin-bonded magnets produced from the Zn/Cu/Sm2Fe17Nx powders possessed good corrosion resistance in air at 393 K which it resulted in the smaller thermal irreversible flux loss than that of uncoated and single Zn metal-coated Sm2Fe17Nx powders in the temperature range of above 393 K.

  7. Influence of Ga-concentration on the electrical and magnetic properties of magnetoelectric CoGa xFe 2–xO 4/BaTiO 3 composite

    DOE PAGES

    Ni, Yan; Zhang, Zhen; Nlebedim, Cajetan I.; ...

    2015-03-20

    Multiferroic materials exhibit magnetoelectric (ME) coupling and promise new device applications including magnetic sensors, generators, and filters. An effective method for developing ME materials with enhanced ME effect is achieved by the coupling through the interfacial strain between piezoelectric and magnetostrictive materials. In this study, the electrical and magnetic properties of Ga doped magnetoelectric CoGa xFe 2–xO 4/BaTiO 3 composite are studied systematically. It is found that Ga doping improves the sensitivity of magnetoelastic response and stabilizes the magnetic phase of the composites. More importantly, Ga doping reduces the electrical conductivity of composite, as well as the dielectric loss. Anmore » enhancement of the electrostrain with doping Ga is also observed. Quantitative estimation indicates that magnetoelectric coupling is enhanced for Ga-doped CoGa xFe 2–xO 4/BaTiO 3 composites. As a result, the present work is beneficial to the practical application of composite CoFe 2O 4/BaTiO 3-based multiferroic materials.« less

  8. Impact of a long term fire retardant (Fire Trol 931) on the leaching of Na, Al, Fe, Mn, Cu and Si from a Mediterranean forest soil: a short-term, lab-scale study.

    PubMed

    Koufopoulou, Sofia; Michalopoulos, Charalampos; Tzamtzis, Nikolaos; Pappa, Athina

    2014-06-01

    Long term fire retardant (LTR) application for forest fire prevention purposes as well as wildland fires can result in chemical leaching from forest soils. Large quantities of sodium (Na), aluminium (Al), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu) and silicon (Si) in leachates, mainly due to ammonium (one of the major LTR components) soil deposition, could affect the groundwater quality. The leaching of Na, Al, Fe, Mn, Cu and Si due to nitrogen based LTR application (Fire Trol 931) was studied at laboratory scale. The concentrations of Na(+), Al(3+), Fe(3+)/Fe(2+), Mn(2+), Cu(2+) and Si(4+) were measured in the resulting leachates from pots with forest soil and pine trees alone and in combination with fire. The leaching of Na, Fe and Si from treated pots was significantly greater than that from control pots. The leaching of Al, Mn and Cu was extremely low.

  9. Fabrication of Fe3O4@CuO core-shell from MOF based materials and its antibacterial activity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rajabi, S. K.; Sohrabnezhad, Sh.; Ghafourian, S.

    2016-12-01

    Magnetic Fe3O4@CuO nanocomposite with a core/shell structure was successfully synthesized via direct calcinations of magnetic Fe3O4@HKUST-1 in air atmosphere. The morphology, structure, magnetic and porous properties of the as-synthesized nano composites were characterized by using scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and vibration sample magnetometer (VSM). The results showed that the nanocomposite material included a Fe3O4 core and a CuO shell. The Fe3O4@CuO core-shell can be separated easily from the medium by a small magnet. The antibacterial activity of Fe3O4-CuO core-shell was investigated against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. A new mechanism was proposed for inactivation of bacteria over the prepared sample. It was demonstrated that the core-shell exhibit recyclable antibacterial activity, acting as an ideal long-acting antibacterial agent.

  10. Lattice structures and electronic properties of CIGS/CdS interface: First-principles calculations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tang, Fu-Ling; Liu, Ran; Xue, Hong-Tao; Lu, Wen-Jiang; Feng, Yu-Dong; Rui, Zhi-Yuan; Huang, Min

    2014-07-01

    Using first-principles calculations within density functional theory, we study the atomic structures and electronic properties of the perfect and defective (2VCu+InCu) CuInGaSe2/CdS interfaces theoretically, especially the interface states. We find that the local lattice structure of (2VCu+InCu) interface is somewhat disorganized. By analyzing the local density of states projected on several atomic layers of the two interfaces models, we find that for the (2VCu+InCu) interface the interface states near the Fermi level in CuInGaSe2 and CdS band gap regions are mainly composed of interfacial Se-4p, Cu-3d and S-3p orbitals, while for the perfect interface there are no clear interface states in the CuInGaSe2 region but only some interface states which are mainly composed of S-3p orbitals in the valance band of CdS region.

  11. Structural properties of Fe-doped lanthanum gallate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mori, Kazuhiro; Fukunaga, Toshiharu; Shibata, Koji; Iwase, Kenji; Harjo, Stefanus; Hoshikawa, Akinori; Itoh, Keiji; Kamiyama, Takashi; Ishigaki, Toru

    2004-10-01

    Structural characteristics of Fe-doped LaGaO3-δ were studied by differential scanning calorimeter, neutron and high-temperature X-ray powder diffraction measurements. It was found that a phase transition temperature increases in proportion to an amount of Fe. The crystal structure could be described as a low-temperature orthorhombic phase (Pnma) and a high-temperature rhombohedral one (R 3 bar c), respectively. Lattice parameters and bond lengths between M (=Ga/Fe) and O are monotonically expand with increasing Fe-content on both orthorhombic and rhombohedral phases. This means that a substitution of Ga3+ with Fe3+ leads to an electronic configuration of t2g3eg2 (high-spin state, HS).

  12. The effects of composition and temperature on chalcophile and lithophile element partitioning into magmatic sulphides

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kiseeva, Ekaterina S.; Wood, Bernard J.

    2015-08-01

    We develop a comprehensive model to describe trace and minor element partitioning between sulphide liquids and anhydrous silicate liquids of approximately basaltic composition. We are able thereby to account completely for the effects of temperature and sulphide composition on the partitioning of Ag, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ga, Ge, In, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Ti, Tl, V and Zn. The model was developed from partitioning experiments performed in a piston-cylinder apparatus at 1.5 GPa and 1300 to 1700 °C with sulphide compositions covering the quaternary FeSsbnd NiSsbnd CuS0.5sbnd FeO. Partitioning of most elements is a strong function of the oxygen (or FeO) content of the sulphide. This increases linearly with the FeO content of the silicate melt and decreases with Ni content of the sulphide. As expected, lithophile elements partition more strongly into sulphide as its oxygen content increases, while chalcophile elements enter sulphide less readily with increasing oxygen. We parameterised the effects by using the ε-model of non-ideal interactions in metallic liquids. The resulting equation for partition coefficient of an element M between sulphide and silicate liquids can be expressed as We used our model to calculate the amount of sulphide liquid precipitated along the liquid line of descent of MORB melts and find that 70% of silicate crystallisation is accompanied by ∼0.23% of sulphide precipitation. The latter is sufficient to control the melt concentrations of chalcophile elements such as Cu, Ag and Pb. Our partition coefficients and observed chalcophile element concentrations in MORB glasses were used to estimate sulphur solubility in MORB liquids. We obtained between ∼800 ppm (for primitive MORB) and ∼2000 ppm (for evolved MORB), values in reasonable agreement with experimentally-derived models. The experimental data also enable us to reconsider Ce/Pb and Nd/Pb ratios in MORB. We find that constant Ce/Pb and Nd/Pb ratios of 25 and 20, respectively, can be achieved during fractional crystallisation of magmas generated by 10% melting of depleted mantle provided the latter contains >100 ppm S and about 650 ppm Ce, 550 ppm Nd and 27.5 ppb Pb. Finally, we investigated the hypothesis that the pattern of chalcophile element abundances in the mantle was established by segregation of a late sulphide matte. Taking the elements Cu, Ag, Pb and Zn as examples we find that the Pb/Zn and Cu/Ag ratios of the mantle can, in principle, be explained by segregation of ∼0.4% sulphide matte to the core.

  13. An empirical method for estimating instream pre-mining pH and dissolved Cu concentration in catchments with acidic drainage and ferricrete

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Nimick, D.A.; Gurrieri, J.T.; Furniss, G.

    2009-01-01

    Methods for assessing natural background water quality of streams affected by historical mining are vigorously debated. An empirical method is proposed in which stream-specific estimation equations are generated from relationships between either pH or dissolved Cu concentration in stream water and the Fe/Cu concentration ratio in Fe-precipitates presently forming in the stream. The equations and Fe/Cu ratios for pre-mining deposits of alluvial ferricrete then were used to reconstruct estimated pre-mining longitudinal profiles for pH and dissolved Cu in three acidic streams in Montana, USA. Primary assumptions underlying the proposed method are that alluvial ferricretes and modern Fe-precipitates share a common origin, that the Cu content of Fe-precipitates remains constant during and after conversion to ferricrete, and that geochemical factors other than pH and dissolved Cu concentration play a lesser role in determining Fe/Cu ratios in Fe-precipitates. The method was evaluated by applying it in a fourth, naturally acidic stream unaffected by mining, where estimated pre-mining pH and Cu concentrations were similar to present-day values, and by demonstrating that inflows, particularly from unmined areas, had consistent effects on both the pre-mining and measured profiles of pH and Cu concentration. Using this method, it was estimated that mining has affected about 480 m of Daisy Creek, 1.8 km of Fisher Creek, and at least 1 km of Swift Gulch. Mean values of pH decreased by about 0.6 pH units to about 3.2 in Daisy Creek and by 1-1.5 pH units to about 3.5 in Fisher Creek. In Swift Gulch, mining appears to have decreased pH from about 5.5 to as low as 3.6. Dissolved Cu concentrations increased due to mining almost 40% in Daisy Creek to a mean of 11.7 mg/L and as much as 230% in Fisher Creek to 0.690 mg/L. Uncertainty in the fate of Cu during the conversion of Fe-precipitates to ferricrete translates to potential errors in pre-mining estimates of as much as 0.25 units for pH and 22% for dissolved Cu concentration. The method warrants further testing in other mined and unmined watersheds. Comparison of pre-mining water-quality estimates derived from the ferricrete and other methods in single watersheds would be particularly valuable. The method has potential for use in monitoring remedial efforts at mine sites with ferricrete deposits. A reasonable remediation objective might be realized when the downstream pattern of Fe/Cu ratios in modern streambed Fe-precipitates corresponds to the pattern in pre-mining alluvial ferricrete deposits along a stream valley.

  14. Stimulated Emission and Optical Properties of Solid Solutions of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Direct Band Gap Semiconductors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Svitsiankou, I. E.; Pavlovskii, V. N.; Lutsenko, E. V.; Yablonskii, G. P.; Mudryi, A. V.; Borodavchenko, O. M.; Zhivulko, V. D.; Yakushev, M. V.; Martin, R.

    2018-05-01

    Stimulated emission, optical properties, and structural characteristics of non-irradiated and proton-irradiated Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin films deposited on soda lime glass substrates using co-evaporation of elements in a multistage process were investigated. X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray spectral analysis with energy dispersion, low-temperature photoluminescence, optical transmittance and reflectance were used to study the films. Stimulated emission at low temperatures of 20 K was found in non-irradiated and proton-irradiated Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin films upon excitation by laser pulses of nanosecond duration with a threshold power density of 20 kW/cm2. It was shown that the appearance and parameters of the stimulated emission depend strongly on the concentration of ion-induced defects in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin films.

  15. First-principles study of direct and narrow band gap semiconducting β -CuGaO 2

    DOE PAGES

    Nguyen, Manh Cuong; Zhao, Xin; Wang, Cai-Zhuang; ...

    2015-04-16

    Semiconducting oxides have attracted much attention due to their great stability in air or water and the abundance of oxygen. Recent success in synthesizing a metastable phase of CuGaO 2 with direct narrow band gap opens up new applications of semiconducting oxides as absorber layer for photovoltaics. Using first-principles density functional theory calculations, we investigate the thermodynamic and mechanical stabilities as well as the structural and electronic properties of the β-CuGaO 2 phase. Our calculations show that the β-CuGaO 2 structure is dynamically and mechanically stable. The energy band gap is confirmed to be direct at the Γ point ofmore » Brillouin zone. In conclusion, the optical absorption occurs right at the band gap edge and the density of states near the valance band maximum is large, inducing an intense absorption of light as observed in experiment.« less

  16. Different recycle behavior of Cu2+ and Fe3+ ions for phenol photodegradation over TiO2 and WO3.

    PubMed

    Wan, Lianghui; Sheng, Jiayi; Chen, Haihang; Xu, Yiming

    2013-11-15

    Photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants on TiO2 and WO3 have been widely studied, but the effects of Cu(2+) and Fe(3+) ions still remain unclear. In this work, we have found that the recycle behavior of Cu(2+) and Fe(3+) are greatly dependent on the photocatalytic activity of metal oxide used. With TiO2 (P25, anatase, and rutile), all the time profiles of phenol degradation in water under UV light well fitted to the apparent first-order rate equation. On the addition of Cu(2+), phenol degradation on anatase, rutile and WO3 also followed the first-order kinetics. On the addition of Fe(3+), the initial rate of phenol degradation on each oxide was increased, but only the reactions on three TiO2 became to follow the first order kinetics after half an hour. The relevant rate constants for phenol degradation in the presence of Cu(2+) or Fe(3+) were larger than those in the absence of metal ions. Under visible light, phenol degradation on WO3 was also accelerated on the addition of Fe(3+) or Cu(2+). Moreover, several influencing factors were examined, including the metal ion photolysis in solution. It becomes clear that as electron scavengers of TiO2 and WO3, Fe(3+) is better than Cu(2+), while they are better than O2. We propose that Fe(3+) recycle occurs through H2O2, photogenerated from TiO2, not from WO3, while Cu(2+) regeneration on a moderate photocatalyst is through the dissolved O2 in water. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  17. Discrimination of Venezuelan spirituous beverages by a trace element-radial basis neural network approach.

    PubMed

    Hernández-Caraballo, Edwin A; Avila de Hernández, Rita M; Rivas-Echeverría, Francklin; Capote-Luna, Tarcisio

    2008-01-15

    Radial basis neural networks (RBNNs) were developed and evaluated for discrimination of specimens of 'aguardiente de Cocuy', a spirituous beverage produced in the northwestern region of Venezuela. The beverage is distilled from the must of Agave cocui Trelease in an artisanship fashion with little quality control. Forty specimens, with known concentrations of copper, iron, and zinc, were used in this study. The specimens were previously collected in various locations around Sucre Municipality (Falcón State) and Urdaneta Municipality (Lara State). The normalized concentrations of these elements served as indirect descriptors of origin (input data). They were presented to the neural networks through 1-3 input nodes in seven different combinations. In addition, two categories (two collection sites) and four categories (two collection sites+two manufacturing conditions) were designated as output data, in order to assess the impact of such selection on the discrimination performance. The overall performance of the four-category RBNNs was as follows (the input data is indicated in parentheses): (Cu-Fe)>(Cu-Zn)>(Cu)>(Zn)>(Fe-Zn)>(Cu-Fe-Zn)>(Fe). In this case, the highest percentage of correct hits was 82.5%. For the two-category RBNNs, the performance decreased as indicated below: (Cu)>(Cu-Fe)>(Cu-Zn)>(Fe-Zn)>(Zn) approximately (Cu-Fe-Zn)>(Fe). The reduction in the number of categories led to an increase in the discrimination performance of all the RBNNs, the best of which was 90.0%. The possibility of discriminating specimens of 'aguardiente de Cocuy' with such an accuracy, based on a single-element determination, is particularly attractive as it would result in a reduction of analysis' costs and laboratory's response time.

  18. A resumable two-photon fluorescent probe for Cu2+ and S2- based on magnetic silica core-shell Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles and its application in bioimaging.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Huie; Liu, Yan; Luo, Weifang; Wang, Yujiao; Tang, Xiaoliang; Dou, Wei; Cui, Yumei; Liu, Weisheng

    2018-07-19

    A two-photon fluorescent probe for Cu 2+ and S 2- has been strategically prepared with naphthalimide derivative platform (NPE) covalently grafted onto the surface of magnetic core-shell Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 nanoparticles. The probe (NPE-Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 ) exhibits selective response to Cu 2+ with enhanced fluorescence and efficient separation of Cu 2+ with external magnetic field. The consequent product NPE-Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 -Cu of NPE-Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 and Cu 2+ can work as an excellent sensor for S 2- by removing Cu 2+ from the complex with fluorescence decreased, recovering the fluorescence of the probe. Therefore, the constituted Off-On-Off type fluorescence monitoring system means the probe is resumable. Moreover, the probe has been used to quantitatively detect Cu 2+ and S 2- with low detection limits, which are 0.28 μM and 0.12 μM, respectively. Furthermore, the probe shows low cytotoxicity and excellent membrane permeability, which has been successfully applied for monitoring Cu 2+ and S 2- in living cells and imaging Cu 2+ in deep-tissue with two-photon excited fluorescence. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  19. Giant magnetoresistance enhancement in spin valves with nano-oxide layers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lai, Chih-Huang; Chen, C. J.; Chin, T. S.

    2001-06-01

    The magnetoresistance (MR) ratio is enhanced by 35% by inserting the nano-oxide layer (NOL) at the Ta/Co interface in the FeMn-based top spin valves (Ta/NOL/Co/Cu/Co/FeMn/Ta). The enhancement is attributed to specular reflection, resulting in a large resistance change and small sheet resistance. However, the formation of NOL at the interface of Ta/Co suppresses the (111) texture, resulting in small exchange fields. Top spin valves with NOLs show good thermal stability up to 200 °C annealing. The MR ratio is further increased after annealing at temperatures below 200 °C. Enhancement of the MR ratio by 61% can be achieved by annealing at 150 °C. For bottom spin valves (Ta/NiFe/FeMn/Co/Cu/NiFe/Ta), NOLs formed at FeMn/Co and NiFe/Ta interfaces increase MR ratios, but NOLs at Co/Cu or Cu/NiFe deteriorate the differential spin scattering and significantly reduce MR ratios.

  20. Heavy metals in water, sediments, plants and fish of Kali Nadi U. P. (India)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ajmal, M.; Uddin, R.; Khan, A.U.

    1988-01-01

    The distribution of heavy metals viz., Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn in the water, sediments, plants and fish samples collected from the Kali Nadi (India) have been determined. The studies have shown that there was considerable variation in the concentration of heavy metals from one sampling station to the other which may be due to the variation in the quality of industrial and sewage wastes being added to the river at different places. The orders of the concentration of heavy metals in water, sediments, plants (Eicchornia crassipes) and fish (Heteropnuestes fossilis) were Fe > Znmore » > Cu > Mn > Cr > Ni > Pb > Co > Cd; Fe > Zn > Mn > Ni > Cr > Co > Cu > Pb > Cd; Fe > Mn > Zn > Cu > Ni > Co > Pb > Cr > Cd and Fe > Zn > Mn > Ni > Pb >Co > Cr > Cu > Cd, respectively.« less

  1. Integrated photooxidative extractive deep desulfurization using metal doped TiO2 and eutectic based ionic liquid

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zaid, Hayyiratul Fatimah Mohd; Kait, Chong Fai; Mutalib, Mohamed Ibrahim Abdul

    2016-11-01

    A series of metal doped TiO2 namely Fe/TiO2, Cu/TiO2 and Cu-Fe/TiO2 were synthesized and characterized, to be used as a photocatalyst in the integrated photooxidative extractive deep desulfurization for model oil (dodecane) and diesel fuel. The order of the photocatalytic activity was Cu-Fe/TiO2 followed by Cu/TiO2 and then Fe/TiO2. Cu-Fe/TiO2 was an effective photocatalyst for sulfur conversion at ambient atmospheric pressure. Hydrogen peroxide was used as the source of oxidant and eutectic-based ionic liquid as the extractant. Sulfur conversion in model oil reached 100%. Removal of sulfur from model oil was done by two times extraction with a removal of 97.06% in the first run and 2.94% in the second run.

  2. Low-temperature heat capacity and entropy of chalcopyrite (CuFeS2): estimates of the standard molar enthalpy and Gibbs free energy of formation of chalcopyrite and bornite (Cu5FeS4)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Robie, R.A.; Wiggins, L.B.; Barton, P.B.; Hemingway, B.S.

    1985-01-01

    The heat capacity of CuFeS2 (chalcopyrite) was measured between 6.3 and 303.5 K. At 298.15 K, Cp,mo and Smo(T) are (95.67??0.14) J??K-1??mol-1 and (124.9??0.2) J??K-1??mol-1, respectively. From a consideration of the results of two sets of equilibrium measurements we conclude that ??fHmo(CuFeS2, cr, 298.15 K) = -(193.6??1.6) kJ??mol-1 and that the recent bomb-calorimetric determination by Johnson and Steele (J. Chem. Thermodynamics 1981, 13, 991) is in error. The standard molar Gibbs free energy of formation of bornite (Cu5FeS4) is -(444.9??2.1) kJ??mol-1 at 748 K. ?? 1985.

  3. X-ray absorption fine structure and x-ray diffraction studies of crystallographic grains in nanocrystalline FePd:Cu thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krupinski, M.; Perzanowski, M.; Polit, A.; Zabila, Y.; Zarzycki, A.; Dobrowolska, A.; Marszalek, M.

    2011-03-01

    FePd alloys have recently attracted considerable attention as candidates for ultrahigh density magnetic storage media. In this paper we investigate FePd thin alloy film with a copper admixture composed of nanometer-sized grains. [Fe(0.9 nm)/Pd(1.1 nm)/Cu(d nm)]×5 multilayers were prepared by thermal deposition at room temperature in UHV conditions on Si(100) substrates covered by 100 nm SiO2. The thickness of the copper layer has been changed from 0 to 0.4 nm. After deposition, the multilayers were rapidly annealed at 600 °C in a nitrogen atmosphere, which resulted in the creation of the FePd:Cu alloy. The structure of alloy films obtained this way was determined by x-ray diffraction (XRD), glancing angle x-ray diffraction, and x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). The measurements clearly showed that the L10 FePd:Cu nanocrystalline phase has been formed during the annealing process for all investigated copper compositions. This paper concentrates on the crystallographic grain features of FePd:Cu alloys and illustrates that the EXAFS technique, supported by XRD measurements, can help to extend the information about grain size and grain shape of poorly crystallized materials. We show that, using an appropriate model of the FePd:Cu grains, the comparison of EXAFS and XRD results gives a reasonable agreement.

  4. Phase-transformation in iron oxide and formation of Cu/γ-Fe2O3 nanocomposite using radio-frequency sputtering with metal chips on an α-Fe2O3 target

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abe, Seishi; Watanabe, Masato

    2017-07-01

    A simple technique that uses radio-frequency sputtering with a functional element on a hematite (α-Fe2O3) target is presented for the production of maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) thin films. These films are prepared on water-cooled glass substrates in an Ar atmosphere. Investigations are done with Ti, Si, Al, Cu, Mo, and Zn, with γ-Fe2O3 being obtained only in the presence of Cu, indicating that phase transition occurs only for this metal. Mössbauer spectra and magnetization analysis reveal that the quality of the obtained γ-Fe2O3 films is higher than that of the film produced using Mg, which was reported in our previous work. High-angle annular dark-field scanning tunneling electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy reveal that the added Cu remains in a metallic state (without oxidization), forming a Cu/γ-Fe2O3 phase-mixture in the as-deposited film. The Cu/γ-Fe2O3 composite film exhibits negative magnetoresistance (MR), with a MR ratio of approximately 0.6% at room temperature in an applied field of 10 kOe, and a negative Faraday rotation of -5708 deg cm-1 at 830 nm.

  5. Cryptococcus neoformans Iron-Sulfur Protein Biogenesis Machinery Is a Novel Layer of Protection against Cu Stress.

    PubMed

    Garcia-Santamarina, Sarela; Uzarska, Marta A; Festa, Richard A; Lill, Roland; Thiele, Dennis J

    2017-10-31

    Copper (Cu) ions serve as catalytic cofactors to drive key biochemical processes, and yet Cu levels that exceed cellular homeostatic control capacity are toxic. The underlying mechanisms for Cu toxicity are poorly understood. During pulmonary infection by the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans , host alveolar macrophages compartmentalize Cu to the phagosome, and the ability to detoxify Cu is critical for its survival and virulence. Here, we report that iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters are critical targets of Cu toxicity in both Saccharomyces cerevisiae and C. neoformans in a manner that depends on the accessibility of Cu to the Fe-S cofactor. To respond to this Cu-dependent Fe-S stress, C. neoformans induces the transcription of mitochondrial ABC transporter Atm1, which functions in cytosolic-nuclear Fe-S protein biogenesis in response to Cu and in a manner dependent on the Cu metalloregulatory transcription factor Cuf1. As Atm1 functions in exporting an Fe-S precursor from the mitochondrial matrix to the cytosol, C. neoformans cells depleted for Atm1 are sensitive to Cu even while the Cu-detoxifying metallothionein proteins are highly expressed. We provide evidence for a previously unrecognized microbial defense mechanism to deal with Cu toxicity, and we highlight the importance for C. neoformans of having several distinct mechanisms for coping with Cu toxicity which together could contribute to the success of this microbe as an opportunistic human fungal pathogen. IMPORTANCE C. neoformans is an opportunistic pathogen that causes lethal meningitis in over 650,000 people annually. The severity of C. neoformans infections is further compounded by the use of toxic or poorly effective systemic antifungal agents as well as by the difficulty of diagnosis. Cu is a natural potent antimicrobial agent that is compartmentalized within the macrophage phagosome and used by innate immune cells to neutralize microbial pathogens. While the Cu detoxification machinery of C. neoformans is essential for virulence, little is known about the mechanisms by which Cu kills fungi. Here we report that Fe-S cluster-containing proteins, including members of the Fe-S protein biogenesis machinery itself, are critical targets of Cu toxicity and therefore that this biosynthetic process provides an important layer of defense against high Cu levels. Given the role of Cu ionophores as antimicrobials, understanding how Cu is toxic to microorganisms could lead to the development of effective, broad-spectrum antimicrobials. Moreover, understanding Cu toxicity could provide additional insights into the pathophysiology of human diseases of Cu overload such as Wilson's disease. Copyright © 2017 Garcia-Santamarina et al.

  6. Speciation and distribution of copper in a mining soil using multiple synchrotron-based bulk and microscopic techniques.

    PubMed

    Yang, Jianjun; Liu, Jin; Dynes, James J; Peak, Derek; Regier, Tom; Wang, Jian; Zhu, Shenhai; Shi, Jiyan; Tse, John S

    2014-02-01

    Molecular-level understanding of soil Cu speciation and distribution assists in management of Cu contamination in mining sites. In this study, one soil sample, collected from a mining site contaminated since 1950s, was characterized complementarily by multiple synchrotron-based bulk and spatially resolved techniques for the speciation and distribution of Cu as well as other related elements (Fe, Ca, Mn, K, Al, and Si). Bulk X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy revealed that soil Cu was predominantly associated with Fe oxides instead of soil organic matter. This agreed with the closest association of Cu to Fe by microscopic X-ray fluorescence (U-XRF) and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) nanoanalysis, along with the non-occurrence of photoreduction of soil Cu(II) by quick Cu L3,2-edge XANES spectroscopy (Q-XANES) which often occurs when Cu organic complexes are present. Furthermore, bulk-EXAFS and STXM-coupled Fe L3,2-edge nano-XANES analysis revealed soil Cu adsorbed primarily to Fe(III) oxides by inner-sphere complexation. Additionally, Cu K-edge μ-XANES, L3,2-edge bulk-XANES, and successive Q-XANES results identified the presence of Cu2S rather than radiation-damage artifacts dominant in certain microsites of the mining soil. This study demonstrates the great benefits in use of multiple combined synchrotron-based techniques for comprehensive understanding of Cu speciation in heterogeneous soil matrix, which facilitates our prediction of Cu reactivity and environmental fate in the mining site.

  7. Mineralogical and chemical characterization of iron-, manganese-, and copper-containing synthetic hydroxyapatites.

    PubMed

    Sutter, B; Ming, D W; Clearfield, A; Hossner, L R

    2003-01-01

    The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Advanced Life Support (ALS) Program is evaluating the use of Fe-, Mn-, and Cu-containing synthetic hydroxyapatite (SHA) as a slow release fertilizer for crops that might be grown on the International Space Station or at Lunar and Martian outposts. Separate Fe-, Mn-, and Cu-containing SHA materials along with a transition-metal free SHA (pure-SHA) were synthesized using a precipitation method. Chemical and mineralogical analyses determined if and how Fe, Mn, and Cu were incorporated into the SHA structure. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Rietveld refinement, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed that SHA materials with the apatite structure were produced. Chemical analyses indicated that the metal containing SHA materials were deficient in Ca relative to pure-SHA. The shift in the infrared PO4-mu 3 vibrations, smaller unit cell parameters, smaller particle size, and greater structural strain for Fe-, Mn-, and Cu-containing SHA compared with pure-SHA suggested that Fe, Mn, and Cu were incorporated into SHA structure. Rietveld analyses revealed that Fe, Mn, and Cu substituted into the Ca2 site of SHA. An Fe-rich phase was detected by TEM analyses and backscattered electron microscopy in the Fe-containing SHA material with the greatest Fe content. The substitution of metals into SHA suggests that metal-SHA materials are potential slow-release sources of micronutrients for plant uptake in addition to Ca and P.

  8. Mineralogical and chemical characterization of iron-, manganese-, and copper-containing synthetic hydroxyapatites

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sutter, B.; Ming, D. W.; Clearfield, A.; Hossner, L. R.

    2003-01-01

    The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Advanced Life Support (ALS) Program is evaluating the use of Fe-, Mn-, and Cu-containing synthetic hydroxyapatite (SHA) as a slow release fertilizer for crops that might be grown on the International Space Station or at Lunar and Martian outposts. Separate Fe-, Mn-, and Cu-containing SHA materials along with a transition-metal free SHA (pure-SHA) were synthesized using a precipitation method. Chemical and mineralogical analyses determined if and how Fe, Mn, and Cu were incorporated into the SHA structure. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Rietveld refinement, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed that SHA materials with the apatite structure were produced. Chemical analyses indicated that the metal containing SHA materials were deficient in Ca relative to pure-SHA. The shift in the infrared PO4-mu 3 vibrations, smaller unit cell parameters, smaller particle size, and greater structural strain for Fe-, Mn-, and Cu-containing SHA compared with pure-SHA suggested that Fe, Mn, and Cu were incorporated into SHA structure. Rietveld analyses revealed that Fe, Mn, and Cu substituted into the Ca2 site of SHA. An Fe-rich phase was detected by TEM analyses and backscattered electron microscopy in the Fe-containing SHA material with the greatest Fe content. The substitution of metals into SHA suggests that metal-SHA materials are potential slow-release sources of micronutrients for plant uptake in addition to Ca and P.

  9. Copper(II) cyanido-bridged bimetallic nitroprusside-based complexes: Syntheses, X-ray structures, magnetic properties, {sup 57}Fe Moessbauer spectroscopy and thermal studies

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Travnicek, Zdenek, E-mail: zdenek.travnicek@upol.c; Herchel, Radovan; Mikulik, Jiri

    2010-05-15

    Three heterobimetallic cyanido-bridged copper(II) nitroprusside-based complexes of the compositions [Cu(tet)Fe(CN){sub 5}NO].H{sub 2}O (1), where tet=N,N'-bis(3-aminopropyl)ethylenediamine, [Cu(hto)Fe(CN){sub 5}NO].2H{sub 2}O (2), where hto=1,3,6,9,11,14-hexaazatricyclo[12.2.1.1{sup 6,9}]octadecane and [Cu(nme){sub 2}Fe(CN){sub 5}NO].H{sub 2}O (3), where nme=N-methylethylenediamine, were synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, {sup 57}Fe Moessbauer and FTIR spectroscopies, thermal analysis, magnetic measurements and single-crystal X-ray analysis. The products of thermal degradation processes of 2 and 3 were studied by XRD, {sup 57}Fe Moessbauer spectroscopy, SEM and EDS, and they were identified as mixtures of CuFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} and CuO. - Three heterobimetallic cyano-bridged copper(II) nitroprusside-based complexes of the general compositions of [Cu(L)Fe(CN){sub 5}NO].xH{sub 2}O, wheremore » L=N,N'-bis(3-aminopropyl)ethylenediamine (complex 1), 1,3,6,9,11,14-hexaazatricyclo[12.2.1.1{sup 6,9}]-octadecane (complex 2) and N-methylethylenediamine (complex 3), were synthesized, and fully structurally and magnetically characterized. SEM, EDS, XRD and {sup 57}Fe Moessbauer experiments were used for characterization of thermal decomposition products of complexes 2 and 3.« less

  10. Corrosion and protection of heterogeneous cast Al-Si (356) and Al-Si-Cu-Fe (380) alloys by chromate adn cerium inhibitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jain, Syadwad

    In this study, the localized corrosion and conversion coating on cast alloys 356 (Al-7.0Si-0.3Mg) and 380 (Al-8.5Si-3.5Cu-1.6Fe) were characterized. The intermetallic phases presence in the permanent mold cast alloy 356 are primary-Si, Al5FeSi, Al8Si6Mg3Fe and Mg2Si. The die cast alloy 380 is rich in Cu and Fe elements. These alloying elements result in formation of the intermetallic phases Al 5FeSi, Al2Cu and Al(FeCuCr) along with primary-Si. The Cu- and Fe-rich IMPS are cathodic with respect to the matrix phase and strongly govern the corrosion behavior of the two cast alloys in an aggressive environment due to formation of local electrochemical cell in their vicinity. Results have shown that corrosion behavior of permanent mould cast alloy 356 is significantly better than the die cast aluminum alloy 380, primarily due to high content of Cu- and Fe-rich phases such as Al2Cu and Al 5FeSi in the latter. The IMPS also alter the protection mechanism of the cast alloys in the presence of inhibitors in an environment. The presence of chromate in the solution results in reduced cathodic activity on all the phases. Chromate provides some anodic inhibition by increasing pitting potentials and altering corrosion potentials for the phases. Results have shown that performance of CCC was much better on 356 than on 380, primarily due to inhomogeneous and incomplete coating deposition on Cu- and Fe- phases present in alloy 380. XPS and Raman were used to characterize coating deposition on intermetallics. Results show evidence of cyanide complex formation on the intermetallic phases. The presence of this complex is speculated to locally suppress CCC formation. Formation and breakdown of cerium conversion coatings on 356 and 380 was also analyzed. Results showed that deposition of cerium hydroxide started with heavy precipitation on intermetallic particles with the coatings growing outwards onto the matrix. Electrochemical analysis of synthesized intermetallics compounds in the presence of soluble cerium cations showed that of anodic and cathodic activity was not as strongly inhibited as was observed for chromate ions. Overall cerium conversion coating showed good performance on Al-Si (356) ally, but poor performance on Fe- and Cu-rich alloy (380).

  11. Iron and copper as virulence modulators in human fungal pathogens.

    PubMed

    Ding, Chen; Festa, Richard A; Sun, Tian-Shu; Wang, Zhan-You

    2014-07-01

    Fungal pathogens have evolved sophisticated machinery to precisely balance the fine line between acquiring essential metals and defending against metal toxicity. Iron and copper are essential metals for many processes in both fungal pathogens and their mammalian hosts, but reduce viability when present in excess. However, during infection, the host uses these two metals differently. Fe has a long-standing history of influencing virulence in pathogenic fungi, mostly in regards to Fe acquisition. Numerous studies demonstrate the requirement of the Fe acquisition pathway of Candida, Cryptococcus and Aspergillus for successful systemic infection. Fe is not free in the host, but is associated with Fe-binding proteins, leading fungi to develop mechanisms to interact with and to acquire Fe from these Fe-bound proteins. Cu is also essential for cell growth and development. Essential Cu-binding proteins include Fe transporters, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and cytochrome c oxidase. Although Cu acquisition plays critical roles in fungal survival in the host, recent work has revealed that Cu detoxification is extremely important. Here, we review fungal responses to altered metal conditions presented by the host, contrast the roles of Fe and Cu during infection, and outline the critical roles of fungal metal homeostasis machinery at the host-pathogen axis. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Apparently enhanced magnetization of Cu(I)-modified γ-Fe2O3 based nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qiu, Xiaoyan; He, Zhenghong; Mao, Hong; Zhang, Ting; Lin, Yueqiang; Liu, Xiaodong; Li, Decai; Meng, Xiangshen; Li, Jian

    2017-11-01

    Using a chemically induced transition method in FeCl2 solution, γ-Fe2O3 based magnetic nanoparticles, in which γ-Fe2O3 crystallites were coated with FeCl3ṡ6H2O, were prepared. During the synthesis of the γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles Cu(I) modification of the particles was attempted. According to the results from both magnetization measurements and structural characterization, it was judged that a magnetic silent "dead layer", which can be attributed to spin disorder in the surface of the γ-Fe2O3 crystallites due to breaking of the crystal symmetry, existed in the unmodified particles. For the Cu(I)-modified sample, the CuCl thin layer on the γ-Fe2O3 crystallites incurred the crystal symmetry to reduce the spin disorder, which "awakened" the "dead layer" on the surface of the γ-Fe2O3 crystallites, enhancing the apparent magnetization of the Cu(I)-modified nanoparticles. It was determined that the surface spin disorder of the magnetic crystallite could be related to the coating layer on the crystallite, and can be modified by altering the coating layer to enhance the effective magnetization of the magnetic nanoparticles.

  13. The Gene pat-2, Which Induces Natural Parthenocarpy, Alters the Gibberellin Content in Unpollinated Tomato Ovaries1

    PubMed Central

    Fos, Mariano; Nuez, Fernando; García-Martínez, José L.

    2000-01-01

    We investigated the role of gibberellins (GAs) in the effect of pat-2, a recessive mutation that induces facultative parthenocarpic fruit development in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) using near-isogenic lines with two different genetic backgrounds. Unpollinated wild-type Madrigal (MA/wt) and Cuarenteno (CU/wt) ovaries degenerated, but GA3 application induced parthenocarpic fruit growth. On the contrary, parthenocarpic growth of MA/pat-2 and CU/pat-2 fruits, which occurs in the absence of pollination and hormone application, was not affected by GA3. Pollinated MA/wt and parthenocarpic MA/pat-2 ovary development was negated by paclobutrazol, and this inhibitory effect was counteracted by GA3. The main GAs of the early-13-hydroxylation pathway (GA1, GA3, GA8, GA19, GA20, GA29, GA44, GA53, and, tentatively, GA81) and two GAs of the non-13-hydroxylation pathway (GA9 and GA34) were identified in MA/wt ovaries by gas chromatography-selected ion monitoring. GAs were quantified in unpollinated ovaries at flower bud, pre-anthesis, and anthesis. In unpollinated MA/pat-2 and CU/pat-2 ovaries, the GA20 content was much higher (up to 160 times higher) and the GA19 content was lower than in the corresponding non-parthenocarpic ovaries. The application of an inhibitor of 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases suggested that GA20 is not active per se. The pat-2 mutation may increase GA 20-oxidase activity in unpollinated ovaries, leading to a higher synthesis of GA20, the precursor of an active GA. PMID:10677440

  14. Copper-related defects in In0.53Ga0.47As grown by liquid-phase epitaxy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tilly, L. P.; Grimmeiss, H. G.; Hansson, P. O.

    1993-01-01

    High-purity In0.53Ga0.47As lattice matched to InP was grown by liquid-phase epitaxy and used for the study of Cu-related defects. The samples had a free-electron carrier concentration of n=5.0×1014 cm-3 and an electron mobility of μ77 K=44 000 cm2/V s. A Cu-related acceptor level 25 meV above the valence-band edge was identified using photoluminescence measurements. Comparing the energy position of this shallow acceptor level with the Ev+157.8-meV Cu-acceptor level in GaAs supports the assumption of an internal energy reference level [J. M. Langer, C. Delerue, M. Lannoo, and H. Heinrich, Phys. Rev. B 38, 7723 (1988)] common to GaAs and InxGa1-xAs.

  15. Structural defects and recombination behavior of excited carriers in Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} solar cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yang, J.; Du, H. W.; Li, Y.

    2016-08-15

    The carriers’ behavior in neutral region (NTR) and space charged region (SCR) of Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} thin film based solar cells has been investigated by temperature dependent photoluminescence (PL-T), electroluminescence (EL-T) and current-voltage (IV-T) from 10 to 300 K. PL-T spectra show that three kinds of defects, namely V{sub Se}, In{sub Cu} and (In{sub Cu}+V{sub Cu}), are localized within the band gap of NTR and SCR of CIGS layer, corresponding to the energy levels of E{sub C}-0.08, E{sub C}-0.20 and E{sub C}-0.25 eV, respectively. The In{sub Cu} and (In{sub Cu}+V{sub Cu}) deep level defects are non-radiative recombination centers at room temperature.more » The IV-T and EL-T analysis reveals that the injection modes of electrons from ZnO conduction band into Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} layer are tunneling, thermally-excited tunneling and thermionic emission under 10-40, 60-160, and 180-300 K, respectively. At 10-160 K, the electrons tunnel into (In{sub Cu}+V{sub Cu}) and V{sub se} defect levels in band gap of SCR and the drifting is involved in the emission bands at 0.96 and 1.07 eV, which is the direct evidence for a tunneling assisted recombination. At 180-300 K, the electrons are directly injected into the Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} conduction band, and the emission of 1.13 eV are ascribed to the transitions from the conduction band to the valence band.« less

  16. Efficient sorption and reduction of U(VI) on zero-valent iron-polyaniline-graphene aerogel ternary composite.

    PubMed

    Chen, Lili; Feng, Shaojie; Zhao, Donglin; Chen, Shaohua; Li, Feifei; Chen, Changlun

    2017-03-15

    In this work, zero-valent iron-polyaniline-graphene aerogel composite (Fe-PANI-GA) was prepared and applied in the removal of U(VI) from aqueous solutions by batch sorption experiments. The experimental results showed that the Fe-PANI-GA composite had an excellent removal capacity for the removal of U(VI) in acidic solutions. The results also showed that the maximum removal capacity of the Fe-PANI-GA toward U(VI) was 350.47mg/g at pH 5.5. The sorption kinetics data were well-described by pseudo-second-order. The sorption isotherms of U(VI) fitted well with Langmuir isotherm and exhibited better removal efficiency with the increase of temperature. The thermodynamic parameters (ΔG, ΔS, ΔH) indicated that the sorption of U(VI) on the Fe-PANI-GA was an endothermic and spontaneous process. Moreover, removal mechanisms were studied based on the results of XRD, FTIR and XPS. Both U(VI) sorption and partially reductive precipitation of U(VI) to U(IV) contributed to the removal of U(VI) on Fe-PANI-GA. Therefore, Fe-PANI-GA was an economic and effective material for the removal of uranium from nuclear waste in practical application. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Electromagnetic induced voltage signal to magnetic variation through torquing textured Fe81Ga19 alloy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Mingming; Li, Jiheng; Bao, Xiaoqian; Mu, Xing; Gao, Xuexu

    2017-07-01

    The results of a study on the suitability of Fe-Ga alloys for torque sensor applications are presented. A Fe81Ga19 rod with a ⟨100⟩ preferred orientation along the length direction is prepared for the torque shaft and as the electromagnetic induction sensitive element, which is wound with three coils for signal excitation, signal pickup, and applied bias magnetic field, respectively. An apparent decrease in the induced voltage signal (peak voltage) of 3.88 mV is observed as the torque loading is 50 N m in the presence of a sine excitation signal (10 V, 1 kHz) and a bias current of 0.5 A. Meanwhile, a good repeatability and stress sensitivity are obtained, especially in the low torque range. These behaviors stem from the stress induced decrease in the magnetic permeability and the rotation of the arranged magnetic moment. Here, we use the Fe81Ga19 alloy as the shaft material; nevertheless, in practical use, the same effect can be achieved by forming a Fe-Ga layer with large magnetostriction on the surface of the torsion shaft. This work shows the prospect of Fe-Ga alloys for non-contact torque sensing, for the large magnetostriction and high sensitivity of magnetization to stress.

  18. Controllable Growth of Ga Film Electrodeposited from Aqueous Solution and Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Solar Cells.

    PubMed

    Bi, Jinlian; Ao, Jianping; Gao, Qing; Zhang, Zhaojing; Sun, Guozhong; He, Qing; Zhou, Zhiqiang; Sun, Yun; Zhang, Yi

    2017-06-07

    Electrodepositon of Ga film is very challenging due to the high standard reduction potential (-0.53 V vs SHE for Ga 3+ ). In this study, Ga film with compact structure was successfully deposited on the Mo/Cu/In substrate by the pulse current electrodeposition (PCE) method using GaCl 3 aqueous solution. A high deposition rate of Ga 3+ and H + can be achieved by applying a large overpotential induced by high pulse current. In the meanwhile, the concentration polarization induced by cation depletion can be minimized by changing the pulse frequency and duty cycle. Uniform and smooth Ga film was fabricated at high deposition rate with pulse current density 125 mA/cm 2 , pulse frequency 5 Hz, and duty cycle 0.25. Ga film was then selenized together with electrodeposited Cu and In films to make a CIGSe absorber film for solar cells. The solar cell based on the Ga film presents conversion efficiency of 11.04%, fill factor of 63.40%, and V oc of 505 mV, which is much better than those based on the inhomogeneous and rough Ga film prepared by the DCE method, indicating the pulse current electrodeposition process is promising for the fabrication of CIGSe solar cell.

  19. Structural defects and recombination behavior of excited carriers in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, J.; Du, H. W.; Li, Y.; Gao, M.; Wan, Y. Z.; Xu, F.; Ma, Z. Q.

    2016-08-01

    The carriers' behavior in neutral region (NTR) and space charged region (SCR) of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin film based solar cells has been investigated by temperature dependent photoluminescence (PL-T), electroluminescence (EL-T) and current-voltage (IV-T) from 10 to 300 K. PL-T spectra show that three kinds of defects, namely VSe, InCu and (InCu+VCu), are localized within the band gap of NTR and SCR of CIGS layer, corresponding to the energy levels of EC-0.08, EC-0.20 and EC-0.25 eV, respectively. The InCu and (InCu+VCu) deep level defects are non-radiative recombination centers at room temperature. The IV-T and EL-T analysis reveals that the injection modes of electrons from ZnO conduction band into Cu(In,Ga)Se2 layer are tunneling, thermally-excited tunneling and thermionic emission under 10-40, 60-160, and 180-300 K, respectively. At 10-160 K, the electrons tunnel into (InCu+VCu) and Vse defect levels in band gap of SCR and the drifting is involved in the emission bands at 0.96 and 1.07 eV, which is the direct evidence for a tunneling assisted recombination. At 180-300 K, the electrons are directly injected into the Cu(In,Ga)Se2 conduction band, and the emission of 1.13 eV are ascribed to the transitions from the conduction band to the valence band.

  20. Magnetization reversal in epitaxial exchange-biased IrMn/FeGa bilayers with anisotropy geometries controlled by oblique deposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Yao; Zhan, Qingfeng; Zuo, Zhenghu; Yang, Huali; Zhang, Xiaoshan; Dai, Guohong; Liu, Yiwei; Yu, Ying; Wang, Jun; Wang, Baomin; Li, Run-Wei

    2015-05-01

    We fabricated epitaxial exchange biased (EB) IrMn/FeGa bilayers by oblique deposition and systematically investigated their magnetization reversal. Two different configurations with the uniaxial magnetic anisotropy Ku parallel and perpendicular to the unidirectional anisotropy Ke b were obtained by controlling the orientation of the incident FeGa beam during deposition. A large ratio of Ku/Ke b was obtained by obliquely depositing the FeGa layer to achieve a large Ku while reducing the IrMn thickness to obtain a small Ke b. Besides the previously reported square loops, conventional asymmetrically shaped loops, and one-sided and two-sided two-step loops, unusual asymmetrically shaped loops with a three-step magnetic transition for the descending branch and a two-step transition for the ascending branch and biased three-step loops were observed at various field orientations in the films of both IrMn (tIrMn=1.5 to 20 nm)/FeGa (10 nm) with Ku⊥ Ke b and IrMn (tIrMn≤2 nm)/FeGa (10 nm) with Ku|| Ke b . Considering the geometries of anisotropies, a model based on domain wall nucleation and propagation was employed to quantitatively describe the angular dependent behaviors of IrMn/FeGa bilayers. The biased three-step magnetic switching was predicted to take place when | Ku|> ɛ90°+Ke b , where ɛ90° is the 90° domain wall nucleation energy, and the EB leads to the appearance of the unusual asymmetrically shaped hysteresis loops.

  1. Structure Characterization and Properties of K-Containing Copper Hexacyanoferrate

    DOE PAGES

    Ojwang, Dickson O.; Grins, Jekabs; Wardecki, Dariusz; ...

    2016-06-03

    Copper hexacyanoferrate, Cu II[Fe III(CN) 6] 2/3 nH 2O, was synthesized, and varied amounts of K + ions were inserted via reduction by K 2S 2O 3 (aq). Ideally, the reaction can be written as Cu II[Fe III(CN) 6] 2/3∙ nH 2O + 2x/3K + + 2x/3e⁻ ↔K 2x/3Cu II[Fe II xFe III 1- x(CN) 6] 2/3 nH 2O. Infrared, Raman, and Mössbauer spectroscopy studies show that Fe III is continuously reduced to Fe II with increasing x, accompanied by a decrease of the a-axis of the cubic Fmore » $$m\\bar{3}$$m unit cell. Elemental analysis of K by inductively coupled plasma shows that the insertion only begins when a significant fraction, ~20% of the Fe III, has already been reduced. Thermogravimetric analysis shows a fast exchange of water with ambient atmosphere and a total weight loss of ~26 wt % upon heating to 180 °C, above which the structure starts to decompose. The crystal structures of Cu II[Fe III(CN) 6] 2/3∙ nH 2O and K 2/3Cu[Fe(CN) 6] 2/3∙ nH 2O were refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data. In both, one-third of the Fe(CN) 6 groups are vacant, and the octahedron around Cu II is completed by water molecules. In the two structures, difference Fourier maps reveal three additional zeolitic water sites (8c, 32f, and 48g) in the center of the cavities formed by the Cu N C Fe framework. In conclusion, the K-containing compound shows an increased electron density at two of these sites (32f and 48g), indicating them to be the preferred positions for the K + ions.« less

  2. Interfacial Microstructure and Its Influence on Resistivity of Thin Layers Copper Cladding Steel Wires

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Hongjuan; Ding, Zhimin; Zhao, Ruirong

    2018-04-01

    The interfacial microstructure and resistivity of cold-drawn and annealed thin layers copper cladding steel (CCS) wires have been systematically investigated by the methods of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and resistivity testing. The results showed that the Cu and Fe atoms near interface diffused into each other matrixes. The Fe atoms diffused into Cu matrixes and formed a solid solution. The mechanism of solid solution is of substitution type. When the quantity of Fe atoms exceeds the maximum solubility, the supersaturated solid solution would form Fe clusters and decompose into base Cu and α-Fe precipitated phases under certain conditions. A few of α-Fe precipitates was observed in the copper near Cu/Fe interfaces of cold-drawn CCS wires, with 1-5 nm in size. A number of α-Fe precipitates of 1-20 nm in size can be detected in copper near Cu/Fe interfaces of CCS wires annealed at 850°C. When annealing temperature was less than 750°C, the resistivity of CCS wires annealed was lower than that of cold-drawn CCS wires. However, when annealing temperature was above 750°C, the resistivity of CCS wires was greater than that of cold-drawn CCS wires and increased with rising the annealing temperature. The relationship between nanoscale α-Fe precipitation and resistivity of CCS wires has been well discussed.

  3. Ionomic profiling of Nicotiana langsdorffii wild-type and mutant genotypes exposed to abiotic stresses.

    PubMed

    Ardini, Francisco; Soggia, Francesco; Abelmoschi, Maria Luisa; Magi, Emanuele; Grotti, Marco

    2013-01-01

    To provide a new insight into the response of plants to abiotic stresses, the ionomic profiles of Nicotiana langsdorffii specimens have been determined before and after exposure to toxic metals (chromium) or drought conditions. The plants were genetically transformed with the rat glucocorticoid receptor (GR) or the gene for Agrobacterium rhizogenes rolC, because these modifications are known to produce an imbalance in phytohormone equilibria and a significant change in the defence response of the plant. Elemental profiles were obtained by developing and applying analytical procedures based on inductively coupled plasma atomic emission and mass spectrometry (ICP-AES/MS). In particular, the removal of isobaric interferences affecting the determination of Cr and V by ICP-MS was accomplished by use of a dynamic reaction cell, after optimization of the relevant conditions. The combined use of ICP atomic emission and mass spectrometry enabled the determination of 29 major and trace elements (Ba, Bi, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Eu, Fe, Ga, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, P, Pb, Pt, Rb, S, Sb, Sn, Sr, Te, V, W, Y, and Zn) in different parts of the plants (roots, stems, and leaves), with high accuracy and precision. Multivariate data processing and study of element distribution patterns provided new information about the ionomic response of the target organism to chemical treatment or water stress. Genetic modification mainly affected the distribution of Bi, Cr, Mo, Na, and S, indicating that these elements were involved in biochemical processes controlled by the GR or rolC genes. Chemical stress strongly affected accumulation of several elements (Ba, Ca, Fe, Ga, K, Li, Mn, Mo, Na, P, Pb, Rb, S, Sn, Te, V, and Zn) in different ways; for Ca, Fe, K, Mn, Na, and P the effect was quite similar to that observed in other studies after treatment with other transition elements, for example Cu and Cd. The effect of water deficit was less evident, mainly consisting in a decrease of Ba, Cr, Na, and Sr in roots.

  4. First principles calculations of point defect diffusion in CdS buffer layers: Implications for Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S){sub 2} and Cu{sub 2}ZnSn(Se,S){sub 4}-based thin-film photovoltaics

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Varley, J. B.; Lordi, V.; He, X.

    2016-01-14

    We investigate point defects in CdS buffer layers that may arise from intermixing with Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} (CIGSe) or Cu{sub 2}ZnSn(S,Se){sub 4} (CZTSSe) absorber layers in thin-film photovoltaics (PV). Using hybrid functional calculations, we characterize the migration barriers of Cu, In, Ga, Se, Sn, Zn, Na, and K impurities and assess the activation energies necessary for their diffusion into the bulk of the buffer. We find that Cu, In, and Ga are the most mobile defects in CIGS-derived impurities, with diffusion expected to proceed into the buffer via interstitial-hopping and cadmium vacancy-assisted mechanisms at temperatures ∼400 °C. Cu is predicted to stronglymore » favor migration paths within the basal plane of the wurtzite CdS lattice, which may facilitate defect clustering and ultimately the formation of Cu-rich interfacial phases as observed by energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopic elemental maps in real PV devices. Se, Zn, and Sn defects are found to exhibit much larger activation energies and are not expected to diffuse within the CdS bulk at temperatures compatible with typical PV processing temperatures. Lastly, we find that Na interstitials are expected to exhibit slightly lower activation energies than K interstitials despite having a larger migration barrier. Still, we find both alkali species are expected to diffuse via an interstitially mediated mechanism at slightly higher temperatures than enable In, Ga, and Cu diffusion in the bulk. Our results indicate that processing temperatures in excess of ∼400 °C will lead to more interfacial intermixing with CdS buffer layers in CIGSe devices, and less so for CZTSSe absorbers where only Cu is expected to significantly diffuse into the buffer.« less

  5. Co-Precipitation, Strength and Electrical Resistivity of Cu–26 wt % Ag–0.1 wt % Fe Alloy

    PubMed Central

    Li, Rui; Wang, Engang

    2017-01-01

    Both a Cu–26 wt % Ag (Fe-free) alloy and Cu–26 wt % Ag–0.1 wt % Fe (Fe-doping) alloy were subjected to different heat treatments. We studied the precipitation kinetics of Ag and Cu, microstructure evolution, magnetization, hardness, strength, and electrical resistivity of the two alloys. Fe addition was incapable of changing the precipitation kinetics of Ag and Cu; however, it decreased the size and spacing of rod-shaped Ag precipitates within a Cu matrix, because Fe might affect the elastic strain field and diffusion field, suppressing the nucleation of Ag precipitates. Magnetization curves showed that γ-Fe precipitates were precipitated out of the Cu matrix, along with Ag precipitates in Fe-doping alloy after heat treatments. The yield strength of the Fe-doping alloy was higher than that of the Fe-free alloy, and the maximum increment was about 41.3%. The electrical conductivity in the aged Fe-doping alloy was up to about 67% IACS (International Annealed Copper Standard). Hardness, strength, and electrical resistivity were intensively discussed, based on the microstructural characterization and solute contributions of both alloys. Our results demonstrated that an increasing fraction of nanoscale γ-Fe precipitates and decreasing spacing between Ag precipitates resulted in the increasing strength of the Fe-doping alloy. PMID:29207505

  6. A serials of sandwich-like trinuclear and one-dimensional chain cyanide-bridged iron(III)-copper(II) complexes: Syntheses, crystal structures and magnetic properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shi, Jingwen; Lan, Wenlong; Ren, Yanjie; Liu, Qingyun; Liu, Hui; Dong, Yunhui; Zhang, Daopeng

    2018-04-01

    Four pyridinecarboxamide trans-dicyanideiron(III) building blocks and one macrocyclic copper(II) compound have been employed to assemble cyanide-bridged heterometallic complexes, resulting in a serials of cyanide-bridged FeIII-CuII complexes with different structure types. The series of complexes can be formulated as: {[Cu(Cyclam)][Fe(bpb)(CN)2]2}·4H2O (1), {{[Cu(Cyclam)][Fe(bpb)(CN)2]}ClO4}n·nH2O (2), and {[Cu(Cyclam)][Fe(bpmb)(CN)2]2}·4H2O (3), {[Cu(Cyclam)][Fe(bpClb)(CN)2]2}·4H2O (4) and {{[Cu(Cyclam)][Fe(bpdmb)(CN)2]}ClO4}n·2nCH3OH (5) (bpb2- = 1,2-bis(pyridine-2-carboxamido)benzenate, bpmb2- = 1,2-bis(pyridine-2-carboxamido)-4-methyl-benzenate, bpClb2- = 1,2-bis(pyridine-2-carboxamido)-4-chloro-benzenate, bpdmb2- = 1,2-bis(pyridine-2-carboxamido)-4,5-dimethyl-benzenate, Cyclam = 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane). All the complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectra and structural determination. Single X-ray diffraction analysis shows the similar neutral sandwich-like structures for complexes 1, 3 and 4, in which the two cyano precursors acting as monodentate ligand through one of their two cyanide groups were coordinated face to face to central Cu(II) ion. The complexes 2 and 5 can be structurally characterized as one-dimensional cationic single chain consisting of alternating units of [Cu(Cyclam)]2+ and [Fe(bpb/bpdmb)(CN)2]- with free ClO4- as balanced anion. Investigation over magnetic properties of the whole serials of complexes reveals the antiferromagnetic magnetic coupling between the neighboring cyanide-bridged Fe(III) and Cu(II) ions in complexes 3 and 4 and the ferromagnetic interaction in complexes 1, 2 and 5, respectively.

  7. The geochemical cycling of trace elements in a biogenic meromictic lake

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Balistrieri, Laurie S.; Murray, James W.; Paul, Barbara

    1994-10-01

    The geochemical processes affecting the behavior and speciation of As, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn in Hall Lake, Washington, USA, are assessed by examining dissolved and acid soluble particulate profiles of the elements and utilizing results from thermodynamic calculations. The water column of this meromictic lake is highly stratified and contains distinctive oxic, suboxic, and anoxic layers. Changes in the redox state of the water column with depth affect the distribution of all the elements studied. Most noticeable are increases in dissolved Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn concentrations across the oxic-suboxic boundary, increases in dissolved As, Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, and V concentrations with depth in the anoxic layer, significant decreases in dissolved Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn concentrations in the anoxic region below the sulfide maximum, and large increases in acid soluble particulate concentrations of As, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mo, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn in the anoxic zone below the sulfide maximum. Thermodynamic calculations for the anoxic region indicate that all redox sensitive elements exist in their reduced forms, the primary dissolved forms of Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn are metal sulfide solution complexes, and solid sulfide phases of Cu, Fe, Mo, and Pb are supersaturated. Calculations using a vertical diffusion and reaction model indicate that the oxidation rate constant for Mn(II) in Hall Lake is estimated to be 0.006 d -1 and is at the lower end of the range of microbial oxidation rates observed in other natural systems. The main geochemical processes influencing the distribution and speciation of trace elements in Hall Lake appear to be transformations of dissolved elements between their oxidation states (As, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, V), cocycling of trace elements with Mn and Fe (As, Co, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, V, Zn), formation of soluble metal sulfide complexes (Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn), sorption (As, Co, Cr, Ni, V), and precipitation (Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Pb, Zn).

  8. The geochemical cycling of trace elements in a biogenic meromictic lake

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Balistrieri, L.S.; Murray, J.W.; Paul, B.

    1994-01-01

    The geochemical processes affecting the behavior and speciation of As, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn in Hall Lake, Washington, USA, are assessed by examining dissolved and acid soluble particulate profiles of the elements and utilizing results from thermodynamic calculations. The water column of this meromictic lake is highly stratified and contains distinctive oxic, suboxic, and anoxic layers. Changes in the redox state of the water column with depth affect the distribution of all the elements studied. Most noticeable are increases in dissolved Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn concentrations across the oxic-suboxic boundary, increases in dissolved As, Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, and V concentrations with depth in the anoxic layer, significant decreases in dissolved Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn concentrations in the anoxic region below the sulfide maximum, and large increases in acid soluble particulate concentrations of As, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mo, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn in the anoxic zone below the sulfide maximum. Thermodynamic calculations for the anoxic region indicate that all redox sensitive elements exist in their reduced forms, the primary dissolved forms of Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn are metal sulfide solution complexes, and solid sulfide phases of Cu, Fe, Mo, and Pb are supersaturated. Calculations using a vertical diffusion and reaction model indicate that the oxidation rate constant for Mn(II) in Hall Lake is estimated to be 0.006 d-1 and is at the lower end of the range of microbial oxidation rates observed in other natural systems. The main geochemical processes influencing the distribution and speciation of trace elements in Hall Lake appear to be transformations of dissolved elements between their oxidation states (As, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, V), cocycling of trace elements with Mn and Fe (As, Co, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, V, Zn), formation of soluble metal sulfide complexes (Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn), sorption (As, Co, Cr, Ni, V), and precipitation (Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Pb, Zn). ?? 1994.

  9. Atomistic Simulations of Grain Boundary Pinning in CuFe Alloys

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zepeda-Ruiz, L A; Gilmer, G H; Sadigh, B

    2005-05-22

    The authors apply a hybrid Monte Carlo-molecular dynamics code to the study of grain boundary motion upon annealing of pure Cu and Cu with low concentrations of Fe. The hybrid simulations account for segregation and precipitation of the low solubility Fe, together with curvature driven grain boundary motion. Grain boundaries in two different systems, a {Sigma}7+U-shaped half-loop grain and a nanocrystalline sample, were found to be pinned in the presence of Fe concentrations exceeding 3%.

  10. Irreversibility and critical current density of FeSr2ErCu2O6+y

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hata, Y.; Iida, I.; Mochiku, T.; Yasuoka, H.

    2018-03-01

    FeSr2ErCu2O6+y (ErFe1212) and non-superconducting FeSr2ErCu1.9Zn0.1O6+y were synthesized to study the property of the superconductivity and the irreversibility of ErFe1212. A large irreversibility in the temperature dependence of magnetization and a hysteresis in the magnetization curve were observed in ErFe1212. By comparison with non-superconducting FeSr2ErCu1.9Zn0.1O6+y, it was found that the most part of the hysteresis at high magnetic eld originates from the magnetism of Fe ion and some part of the hysteresis at low magnetic eld originates from the superconductivity. Using the magnetization curve of ErFe1212 and FeSr2ErCu1.9Zn0.1O6+y, the J c of ErFe1212 in individual grains at 10 K under 0.1 T was estimated by the Bean model and {J}\\text{c}\\text{intra} was 2.6 × 109 A/m2. The critical current density across inter-grain boundaries at 10 K estimated by V ‑ I measurement was {J}\\text{c}\\text{intra} = 5.7 × 104 A/m2. A large difference between {J}\\text{c}\\text{intra} and {J}\\text{c}\\text{intra} was observed in ErFe1212. {J}\\text{c}\\text{intra} and {J}\\text{c}\\text{intra} of ErFe1212 are 2.2 and 5.2 times larger than these of YFe1212, respectively.

  11. Highly reflective Ag-Cu alloy-based ohmic contact on p-type GaN using Ru overlayer.

    PubMed

    Son, Jun Ho; Jung, Gwan Ho; Lee, Jong-Lam

    2008-12-15

    We report on a metallization scheme of high reflectance, low resistance, and smooth surface morphology ohmic contact on p-type GaN. Ag-Cu alloy/Ru contact showed low contact resistivity as low as 6.2 x 10(-6) Ohms cm(2) and high reflectance of 91% at 460 nm after annealing at 400 degrees C in air ambient. The oxidation annealing promoted the out-diffusion of Ga atoms to dissolve in an Ag-Cu layer with the formation of an Ag-Ga solid solution, lowering the contact resistivity. The Ru overlayer acts as a diffusion barrier for excessive oxygen incorporation during oxidation annealing, resulting in high reflectance, good thermal stability, and smooth surface quality of the contact.

  12. Colloidal Synthesis and Thermoelectric Properties of CuFeSe2 Nanocrystals

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Bing-Qian; Zuo, Yong; Chen, Jing-Shuai; Niu, He-Lin; Mao, Chang-Jie

    2017-01-01

    Copper-based chalcogenides that contain abundant, low-cost and environmentally-friendly elements, are excellent materials for numerous energy conversion applications, such as photocatalysis, photovoltaics, photoelectricity and thermoelectrics (TE). Here, we present a high-yield and upscalable colloidal synthesis route for the production of monodisperse ternary I-III-VI2 chalcogenides nanocrystals (NCs), particularly stannite CuFeSe2, with uniform shape and narrow size distributions by using selenium powder as the anion precursor and CuCl2·2H2O and FeCl3 as the cationic precursors. The composition, the state of valence, size and morphology of the CuFeSe2 materials were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), respectively. Furthermore, the TE properties characterization of these dense nanomaterials compacted from monodisperse CuFeSe2 NCs by hot press at 623 K were preliminarily studied after ligand removal by means of hydrazine and hexane solution. The TE performances of the sintered CuFeSe2 pellets were characterized in the temperature range from room temperature to 653 K. Finally, the dimensionless TE figure of merit (ZT) of this Earth-abundant and intrinsic p-type CuFeSe2 NCs is significantly increased to 0.22 at 653 K in this work, which is demonstrated to show a promising TE materialand makes it a possible p-type candidate for medium-temperature TE applications. PMID:29278381

  13. Redox chemistry of a binary transition metal oxide (AB 2 O 4 ): a study of the Cu 2+ /Cu 0 and Fe 3+ /Fe 0 interconversions observed upon lithiation in a CuFe 2 O 4 battery using X-ray absorption spectroscopy

    DOE PAGES

    Cama, Christina A.; Pelliccione, Christopher J.; Brady, Alexander B.; ...

    2016-06-06

    Copper ferrite, CuFe 2 O 4, is a promising candidate for application as a high energy electrode material in lithium based batteries. Mechanistic insight on the electrochemical reduction and oxidation processes was gained through the first X-ray absorption spectroscopic study of lithiation and delithiation of CuFe 2 O 4. A phase pure tetragonal CuFe 2 O 4 material was prepared and characterized using laboratory and synchrotron X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. We used ex situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements to study the battery redox processes at the Fe and Cu K-edges, using X-ray absorption near-edge structuremore » (XANES), extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), and transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM) spectroscopies. EXAFS analysis showed upon discharge, an initial conversion of 50% of the copper(II) to copper metal positioned outside of the spinel structure, followed by a migration of tetrahedral iron(III) cations to octahedral positions previously occupied by copper(II). Then, upon charging to 3.5 V, the copper metal remained in the metallic state, while iron metal oxidation to iron(III) was achieved. Our results provide new mechanistic insight regarding the evolution of the local coordination environments at the iron and copper centers upon discharging and charging.« less

  14. Composite CuFe1 - xSnxO2/p-type silicon photodiodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Al-Sehemi, Abdullah G.; Mensah-Darkwa, K.; Al-Ghamdi, Ahmed A.; Soylu, M.; Gupta, R. K.; Yakuphanoglu, F.

    2017-06-01

    CuFe1 - xSnxO2 composite thin film/p-type silicon diodes were prepared on substrate by sol-gel method (x = 0.00, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07). The structure of CuFe1 - xSnxO2 composite thin films was studied using XRD analysis and films exhibited amorphous behavior. The elemental compositions and surface morphology of the films were characterized using SEM and EDX. EDX results confirmed the presence of the compositional elements. The optical band gap of CuFe1 - xSnxO2 composite thin films was determined using the optic spectra. The optical band gaps of the CuFe1 - xSnxO2 composite thin films were calculated using optical data and were found to be 3.75, 3.78, 3.80, 3.85 and 3.83 eV for x = 0.00, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05 and 0.07, respectively. The photoresponse and electrical properties of the Al/CuFe1 - xSnxO2/p-Si/Al diode were studied. The barrier height and ideality factor were determined to be averagely 0.67 eV and 2.6, respectively. The electrical and photoresponse characteristics of the diodes have been investigated under dark and solar light illuminations, respectively. The interface states were used to explain the results obtained in present study. CuFe1 - xSnxO2 photodiodes exhibited a high photoresponsivity to be used in optoelectronic applications.

  15. Redox chemistry of a binary transition metal oxide (AB2O4): a study of the Cu(2+)/Cu(0) and Fe(3+)/Fe(0) interconversions observed upon lithiation in a CuFe2O4 battery using X-ray absorption spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Cama, Christina A; Pelliccione, Christopher J; Brady, Alexander B; Li, Jing; Stach, Eric A; Wang, Jiajun; Wang, Jun; Takeuchi, Esther S; Takeuchi, Kenneth J; Marschilok, Amy C

    2016-06-22

    Copper ferrite, CuFe2O4, is a promising candidate for application as a high energy electrode material in lithium based batteries. Mechanistic insight on the electrochemical reduction and oxidation processes was gained through the first X-ray absorption spectroscopic study of lithiation and delithiation of CuFe2O4. A phase pure tetragonal CuFe2O4 material was prepared and characterized using laboratory and synchrotron X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Ex situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements were used to study the battery redox processes at the Fe and Cu K-edges, using X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES), extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), and transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM) spectroscopies. EXAFS analysis showed upon discharge, an initial conversion of 50% of the copper(ii) to copper metal positioned outside of the spinel structure, followed by a migration of tetrahedral iron(iii) cations to octahedral positions previously occupied by copper(ii). Upon charging to 3.5 V, the copper metal remained in the metallic state, while iron metal oxidation to iron(iii) was achieved. The results provide new mechanistic insight regarding the evolution of the local coordination environments at the iron and copper centers upon discharging and charging.

  16. Greener Route for Synthesis of aryl and alkyl-14H-dibenzo [a.j] xanthenes using Graphene Oxide-Copper Ferrite Nanocomposite as a Recyclable Heterogeneous Catalyst

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumar, Aniket; Rout, Lipeeka; Achary, Lakkoji Satish Kumar; Dhaka, Rajendra. S.; Dash, Priyabrat

    2017-02-01

    A facile, efficient and environmentally-friendly protocol for the synthesis of xanthenes by graphene oxide based nanocomposite (GO-CuFe2O4) has been developed by one-pot condensation route. The nanocomposite was designed by decorating copper ferrite nanoparticles on graphene oxide (GO) surface via a solution combustion route without the use of template. The as-synthesized GO-CuFe2O4 composite was comprehensively characterized by XRD, FTIR, Raman, SEM, EDX, HRTEM with EDS mapping, XPS, N2 adsorption-desorption and ICP-OES techniques. This nanocomposite was then used in an operationally simple, cost effective, efficient and environmentally benign synthesis of 14H-dibenzo xanthene under solvent free condition. The present approach offers several advantages such as short reaction times, high yields, easy purification, a cleaner reaction, ease of recovery and reusability of the catalyst by a magnetic field. Based upon various controlled reaction results, a possible mechanism for xanthene synthesis over GO-CuFe2O4 catalyst was proposed. The superior catalytic activity of the GO-CuFe2O4 nanocomposite can be attributed to the synergistic interaction between GO and CuFe2O4 nanoparticles, high surface area and presence of small sized CuFe2O4 NPs. This versatile GO-CuFe2O4 nanocomposite synthesized via combustion method holds great promise for applications in wide range of industrially important catalytic reactions.

  17. Efficient solar light-driven degradation of Congo red with novel Cu-loaded Fe3O4@TiO2 nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Arora, Priya; Fermah, Alisha; Rajput, Jaspreet Kaur; Singh, Harminder; Badhan, Jigyasa

    2017-08-01

    In this work, Cu-loaded Fe 3 O 4 @TiO 2 core shell nanoparticles were prepared in a single pot by coating of TiO 2 on Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles followed by Cu loading. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Brunauer-Emmett- Teller (BET), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and valence band X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (VB XPS) techniques were used for characterization of as prepared nanoparticles. Synergism between copper and titania was evaluated by studying the solar light-driven photodegradation of Congo red dye solution in the presence of Fe 3 O 4 @TiO 2 nanoparticles on one side and Cu-loaded Fe 3 O 4 @TiO 2 nanoparticles on the other side. The latter performed better than the former catalyst, indicating the enhanced activity of copper-loaded catalyst. Further photodegradation was studied by three means, i.e., under ultraviolet (UV), refluxing, and solar radiations. Cu-loaded Fe 3 O 4 @TiO 2 enhanced the degradation efficiency of Congo red dye. Thus, Cu act possibly by reducing the band gap of TiO 2 and widening the optical response of semiconductor, as a result of which solar light could be used to carry out photocatalysis. Graphical abstract Photodegradation of congo red over Cu-loaded Fe 3 O 4 @TiO 2 nanoparticles.

  18. One-step assembly of Fe(III)-CMC chelate hydrogel onto nanoneedle-like CuO@Cu membrane with superhydrophilicity for oil-water separation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dai, Jiangdong; Chang, Zhongshuai; Xie, Atian; Zhang, Ruilong; Tian, Sujun; Ge, Wenna; Yan, Yongsheng; Li, Chunxiang; Xu, Wei; Shao, Rong

    2018-05-01

    The research of superhydrophilic interface is developing rapidly, but the preparations of superhydrophilic surfaces through simple methods are still challenging. Herein, we reported a facile, rapid and environmentally-friendly approach for preparing a novel superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic membrane via the thermal oxidation of Cu mesh and one-step coordinated assembly of Fe(III)-CMC chelate hydrogel. Superhydrophilicity was attributed to the hydrophilicity of Fe(III)-CMC chelate hydrogel and nanoneedle-like rough structure of CuO@Cu membrane. The membrane was used to separate a variety of oil/water mixtures and exhibited excellent separation performance. Moreover, the membrane exhibited the excellent durability and superior stability against corrosion conditions. We envision that the Fe(III)-CMC@CuO@Cu membrane with good underwater superoleophobicity could provide a candidate not only for oil/water separation but also many other potential applications such as underwater oil manipulation, self-clean, and bio-adhesion control.

  19. In situ study of heavy ion irradiation response of immiscible Cu/Fe multilayers

    DOE PAGES

    Chen, Youxing; Li, Nan; Bufford, Daniel Charles; ...

    2016-04-09

    By providing active defect sinks that capture and annihilate radiation induced defect clusters immiscible metallic multilayers with incoherent interfaces can effectively reduce defect density in ion irradiated metals. Although it is anticipated that defect density within the layers should vary as a function of distance to the layer interface, there is, to date, little in situ TEM evidence to validate this hypothesis. In our study monolithic Cu films and Cu/Fe multilayers with individual layer thickness, h, of 100 and 5 nm were subjected to in situ Cu ion irradiation at room temperature to nominally 1 displacement-per-atom inside a transmission electronmore » microscope. Rapid formation and propagation of defect clusters were observed in monolithic Cu, whereas fewer defects with smaller dimensions were generated in Cu/Fe multilayers with smaller h. Moreover, in situ video shows that the cumulative defect density in Cu/Fe 100 nm multilayers indeed varies, as a function of distance to the layer interfaces, supporting a long postulated hypothesis.« less

  20. Completely transparent ohmic electrode on p-type AlGaN for UV LEDs with core-shell Cu@alloy nanosilk network (Conference Presentation)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cai, Duanjun; Wang, Huachun; Huang, Youyang; Wu, Chenping; Chen, Xiaohong; Gao, Na; Wei, Tongbo T.; Wang, Junxi; Li, Shuping; Kang, Junyong

    2016-09-01

    Metal nanowire networks hold a great promise, which have been supposed the only alternative to ITO as transparent electrodes for their excellent performance in touch screen, LED and solar cell. It is well known that the difficulty in making transparent ohmic electrode to p-type high-Al-content AlGaN conducting layer has highly constrained the further development of UV LEDs. On the IWN-2014, we reported the ohmic contact to n, p-GaN with direct graphene 3D-coated Cu nanosilk network and the fabrication of complete blue LED. On the ICNS-2015, we reported the ohmic contact to n-type AlGaN conducting layer with Cu@alloy nanosilk network. Here, we further demonstrate the latest results that a novel technique is proposed for fabricating transparent ohmic electrode to high-Al-content AlGaN p-type conducting layer in UV LEDs using Cu@alloy core-shell nanosilk network. The superfine copper nanowires (16 nm) was synthesized for coating various metals such as Ni, Zn, V or Ti with different work functions. The transmittance showed a high transparency (> 90%) over a broad wavelength range from 200 to 3000 nm. By thermal annealing, ohmic contact was achieved on p-type Al0.5Ga0.5N layer with Cu@Ni nanosilk network, showing clearly linear I-V curve. By skipping the p-type GaN cladding layer, complete UV LED chip was fabricated and successfully lit with bright emission at 276 nm.

  1. TEM study on a new Zr-(Fe, Cu) phase in furnace-cooled Zr-1.0Sn-0.3Nb-0.3Fe-0.1Cu alloy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Yushun; Qiu, Risheng; Luan, Baifeng; Hao, Longlong; Tan, Xinu; Tao, Boran; Zhao, Yifan; Li, Feitao; Liu, Qing

    2018-06-01

    A new Zr-(Fe, Cu) phase was found in furnace-cooled Zr-1.0Sn-0.3Nb-0.3Fe- 0.1Cu alloy and alloys aged at 580 °C for 10min, 2 h and 10 h. Electron diffraction experiment shows the crystal structure of this phase to be body-centered tetragonal with unit cell dimensions determined to be a = b = 6.49 Å, c = 5.37 Å. Its possible space groups have been discussed and the reason accounting for its formation is believed to be the addition of Cu according to the atom-level images. In addition, no crystal structural or chemical composition changes were observed throughout the aging process.

  2. Directional and magnetic field enhanced emission of Cu-doped ZnO nanowires/p-GaN heterojunction light-emitting diodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Viana, Bruno; Lupan, Oleg; Pauporté, Thierry

    2011-01-01

    The electrochemical deposition technique was used for the preparation of Cu-doped ZnO-nanowire-based emitters. Nanowires of high structural and optical quality were epitaxially grown on p-GaN single crystalline film substrates. We found that the emission is directional with a wavelength that is tuned and redshifted toward the visible region by doping with Cu in nanowires. Furthermore, Cu-doped ZnO-nanowires show an enhancement of the transition probability under magnetic field.

  3. Note: Erosion of W-Ni-Fe and W-Cu alloy electrodes in repetitive spark gaps.

    PubMed

    Wu, Jiawei; Han, Ruoyu; Ding, Weidong; Qiu, Aici; Tang, Junping

    2018-02-01

    A pair of W-Ni-Fe and W-Cu electrodes were tested under 100 kA level pulsed currents for 10 000 shots, respectively. Surface roughness and morphology characteristics of the two pairs of electrodes were obtained and compared. Experimental results indicated cracks divided the W-Cu electrode surface to polygons while the W-Ni-Fe electrode surface remained as a whole with pits and protrusions. Accordingly, the surface roughness of W-Ni-Fe electrodes increased to ∼3 μm while that of W-Cu electrodes reached ∼7 μm at the end of the test. The results reveal that the W-Ni-Fe alloy has a better erosion resistance and potential to be further applied in spark gaps.

  4. Near-neighbor mixing and bond dilation in mechanically alloyed Cu-Fe

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harris, V. G.; Kemner, K. M.; Das, B. N.; Koon, N. C.; Ehrlich, A. E.; Kirkland, J. P.; Woicik, J. C.; Crespo, P.; Hernando, A.; Garcia Escorial, A.

    1996-09-01

    Extended x-ray-absorption fine-structure (EXAFS) measurements were used to obtain element-specific, structural, and chemical information of the local environments around Cu and Fe atoms in high-energy ball-milled CuxFe1-x samples (x=0.50 and 0.70). Analysis of the EXAFS data shows both Fe and Cu atoms reside in face-centered-cubic sites where the first coordination sphere consists of a mixture of Fe and Cu atoms in a ratio which reflects the as-prepared stoichiometry. The measured bond distances indicate a dilation in the bonds between unlike neighbors which accounts for the lattice expansion measured by x-ray diffraction. These results indicate that metastable alloys having a positive heat of mixing can be prepared via the high-energy ball-milling process.

  5. The effect of Mn/Ni on thermodynamic properties of critical nucleus in Fe-Cu-Mn (Ni) ternary alloys

    DOE PAGES

    Li, Boyan; Zhang, Lei; Li, Chengliang; ...

    2018-04-18

    The aging- or radiation-induced hardening of Cu/Mn/Ni precipitates in Fe alloys is one of property degradation mechanisms in structural materials in nuclear reactors. Experiments show that aging or radiation leads the formation of Cu-rich precipitates, and the addition of Mn or Ni elements enhances the precipitation kinetics. In this study, the phase-field model coupled with the constrained string method have been applied to investigate the thermodynamic properties of critical nuclei such as the minimum energy path of Cu/Mn/Ni precipitation in Fe-Cu-Mn and Fe-Cu-Ni ternary alloys. The chemical free energies used in the model are taken from CALPHAD. The simulation resultsmore » show that the formation of Cu/Mn/Ni clusters needs to overcome an energy barrier, and the precipitate has a Core-Shell structure. The thermodynamic properties of the critical nucleus are influenced by temperature and Cu/Mn/Ni overall concentrations, which are in accordance with the simulation results as well as the experimental observations.« less

  6. The effect of Mg-doping and Cu nonstoichiometry on the photoelectrochemical response of CuFeO 2

    DOE PAGES

    Wuttig, Anna; Krizan, Jason W.; Gu, Jing; ...

    2016-11-14

    Here, we report the tuning of CuFeO 2 photoelectrodes by Mg doping and Cu deficiency to demonstrate the effects of carrier concentration on the photoresponse. Carrier type and concentration were quantitatively assessed using the Hall effect on pure, Mg-incorporated, and Cu-deficient pellets (CuFe 1–xMg xO 2 and Cu 1–yFeO 2, x = 0, 0.0005, 0.005, 0.02, and y = 0.005, 0.02) over the range of thermodynamic stability achievable using solid-state synthesis. The same samples were used in a photoelectrochemical cell to measure their photoresponse. We find that the material with the lowest p-type carrier concentration and the highest carrier mobilitymore » shows the largest photoresponse. Furthermore, we show that increasing the p-type carrier concentration and thus the conductivity to high levels is limited by the delafossite defect chemistry, which changes the majority carrier type from p-type to n-type near the Mg solubility limit (x = 0.05) and at high Cu defect concentrations.« less

  7. The effect of Mn/Ni on thermodynamic properties of critical nucleus in Fe-Cu-Mn (Ni) ternary alloys

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Li, Boyan; Zhang, Lei; Li, Chengliang

    The aging- or radiation-induced hardening of Cu/Mn/Ni precipitates in Fe alloys is one of property degradation mechanisms in structural materials in nuclear reactors. Experiments show that aging or radiation leads the formation of Cu-rich precipitates, and the addition of Mn or Ni elements enhances the precipitation kinetics. In this study, the phase-field model coupled with the constrained string method have been applied to investigate the thermodynamic properties of critical nuclei such as the minimum energy path of Cu/Mn/Ni precipitation in Fe-Cu-Mn and Fe-Cu-Ni ternary alloys. The chemical free energies used in the model are taken from CALPHAD. The simulation resultsmore » show that the formation of Cu/Mn/Ni clusters needs to overcome an energy barrier, and the precipitate has a Core-Shell structure. The thermodynamic properties of the critical nucleus are influenced by temperature and Cu/Mn/Ni overall concentrations, which are in accordance with the simulation results as well as the experimental observations.« less

  8. Determination of the Extent of Trace Metals Pollution in Soils, Sediments and Human Hair at e-Waste Recycling Site in Ghana.

    PubMed

    Tokumaru, Takashi; Ozaki, Hirokazu; Onwona-Agyeman, Siaw; Ofosu-Anim, John; Watanabe, Izumi

    2017-10-01

    The concentrations of trace elements (Mg, Al, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Y, Mo, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, Cs, Ba, Tl, Pb, and Bi) in soils, sediment, human hair, and foodstuff collected around the electronic waste (e-waste) recycling sites in Accra, Ghana were detected using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). High levels of Cu, Zn, Mo, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, and Pb were observed in soils collected from the e-waste recycling sites. Four sequential extraction procedures were used to evaluate the mobility and bioavailability of metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, Sb, and Pb). Especially, the results showed that Cd and Zn in soils were mostly recovered in exchangeable fraction (respectively 58.9 and 62.8%). Sediment collected from around the site had enrichment of Zn, Sn, Sb, Mo, In, Pb, and Bi. The concentrations of Cu, Mo, Cd, Sb, and Pb in human hair were significantly higher than those collected from the control site (p < 0.01). Additionally, hierarchical cluster analysis reviewed that these elements were derived from e-waste activities. The results of Pb isotopic ratios in the samples indicate that Pb in human hair possibly originated from contaminated soils, fish, and foodstuff.

  9. Large Stratospheric IDPs: Chemical Compostion and Comparison with Smaller Stratospheric IDPs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Flynn, G. J.; Bajt, S.; Sutton, S. R.; Klock, W.

    1995-09-01

    Six large stratospheric IDPs, each greater than 35 microns, previously analyzed using the X-Ray Microprobe at the National Synchrotron Light Source showed an average volatile content consistent with CI or CM meteorites [1]. Seven additional large IDPs, ranging from 37x33 to 50x44 microns in size and having chondritic major element abundances, have been analyzed using the same instrument. Each of these 7 IDPs is depleted in Ca compared to CI (Avg. Ca = 0.48xCI), a feature also observed in the first set of 6, suggesting most or all of these IDPs are hydrated. The average trace element content of these 7 large IDPs is similar to the previous set of 6 (see Figure 1), though Mn and Cu are about 70% higher in this set. The average composition of these large IDPs is distinctly different from that of smaller IDPs (generally 10 to 20 microns), which show enrichments of the volatiles Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, and Se by factors of 1.5 to 3 over CI [2]. This suggests large IDPs which are strong enough to resist fragmentation on collection are chemically different from typical smaller IDPs. This may reflect a difference in the source(s) being sampled by the two types of IDPs. A subgroup of the smaller IDPs (9 of 51 particles) have a composition similar to CI meteorites and these large IDPs [2]. Bromine is enriched in most of these large IDPs. Two Br-rich IDPs (Br >300 ppm) and one Br-poor IDP (Br ~5 ppm) were each analyzed twice. The two Br-rich IDPs showed about a factor of two Br loss between the first and second analyses, presumably due to sample heating during the first analysis. This suggests some of the Br is very weakly bound in these Br-rich IDPs, a possible signature of Br surface contamination. However, the Br contents measured in the second analyses were still ~50xCI. No loss of Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge or Se was detected in these IDPs, suggesting these elements are in more retentive sites. The Br-poor IDP (Br ~1.5xCI) showed no Br loss in the second analysis. Only one of these IDPs, L2008G10, showed a large Zn depletion (Zn/Fe <0.01xCI). This was accompanied by low contents of Ga, Ge and Br (see Figure 1). This pattern of Zn, Ge, Br and Ga depletions was previously seen in smaller IDPs which were severely heated, presumably on atmospheric entry [2]. Sulfur and K are also low in L2008G10, suggesting these elements are also lost during heating, but the Se content is 0.8xCI. A second particle, L2009C8, has a Zn/Fe=0.26xCI, possibly indicating less severe heating. The low fraction of severely heated IDPs, only one in this set of 7 and none in the set of 6 [1] suggests a very low atmospheric entry velocity for these large IDPs [3]. References: [1] Flynn G. J. et al. (1995) LPS XXVI, 407-408. [2] Flynn G. J. et al. (1993) LPS XXIV, 495-496. [3] Flynn G. J., this volume. Figure 1: Average Fe and CI normalized element abundances in 7 large IDPs, 6 different large IDPs [1], 51 smaller IDPs [2], and the single low-Zn IDP, L2008G10, included in the set of 7 large IDPs.

  10. Electrochemical corrosion behavior, microstructure and magnetic properties of sintered Nd-Fe-B permanent magnet doped by CuZn5 powders

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, W. Q.; Wang, Z.; Sun, C.; Yue, M.; Liu, Y. Q.; Zhang, D. T.; Zhang, J. X.

    2014-05-01

    Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets with a small amount of CuZn5 powders doping were prepared by conventional sintered method. The effects of CuZn5 contents on magnetic properties and microstructure, electrochemical corrosion resistance of sintered Nd-Fe-B magnets were systematically studied. The results show that the magnetic properties of magnets do not have a significant variation by CuZn5 powders doping; the coercivity of magnets rises gradually, while the remanence of the magnets decreases a little with increasing of the CuZn5 amount. The CuZn5 doped magnets have more positive corrosion potential, Ecorr, and much lower corrosion current density, icorr, than the magnets without CuZn5 doping, indicating CuZn5 doping could improve the corrosion resistance. Both Zn and Cu enrich mainly into the Nd-rich phase, fully improve the wettability between the Nd-rich phase and the Nd2Fe14B phase, and repair the defects of the main phase, so the coercivity of magnets doped with CuZn5 powders rises. Such microstructure modification effectively restrains the aggressive inter-granular corrosion. As a result, the CuZn5 doped magnet possesses excellent corrosion resistance in NaCl electrolyte.

  11. The effects of Na on high pressure phases of CuIn(0.5)Ga(0.5)Se(2) from ab initio calculation.

    PubMed

    Pluengphon, P; Bovornratanaraks, T; Vannarat, S; Pinsook, U

    2012-03-07

    The effects of Na atoms on high pressure structural phase transitions of CuIn(0.5)Ga(0.5)Se(2) (CIGS) were studied by an ab initio method using density functional theory. At ambient pressure, CIGS is known to have chalcopyrite (I42d) structure. The high pressure phase transitions of CIGS were proposed to be the same as the order in the CuInSe(2) phase transitions which are I42d → Fm3m → Cmcm structures. By using the mixture atoms method, the Na concentration in CIGS was studied at 0.1, 1.0 and 6.25%. The positive mixing enthalpy of Na at In/Ga sites (Na(InGa)) is higher than that of Na at Cu sites (Na(Cu)). It confirmed previous studies that Na preferably substitutes on the Cu sites more than the (In, Ga) sites. From the energy-volume curves, we found that the effect of the Na substitutes is to reduce the hardness of CIGS under high pressure. The most significant effects occur at 6.25% Na. We also found that the electronic density of states of CIGS near the valence band maximum is increased noticeably in the chalcopyrite phase. The band gap is close in the cubic and orthorhombic phases. Also, the Na(Cu)-Se bond length in the chalcopyrite phase is significantly reduced at 6.25% Na, compared with the pure Cu-Se bond length. Consequently, the energy band gap in this phase is wider than in pure CIGS, and the gap increased at the rate of 31 meV GPa(-1) under pressure. The Na has a small effect on the transition pressure. The path of transformation from the cubic to orthorhombic phase was derived. The Cu-Se plane in the cubic phase displaced relatively parallel to the (In, Ga)-Se plane by 18% in order to transform to the Cmcm phase. The enthalpy barrier is 0.020 eV/atom, which is equivalent to a thermal energy of 248 K. We predicted that Fm3m and Cmcm can coexist in some pressure range.

  12. Structural and magnetic properties of Nd0.67Ba0.33MnO3 manganites with partial replacement of Fe and Cu at Mn-site

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sudakshina, B.; Arun, B.; Chandrasekhar, K. Devi; Yang, H. D.; Vasundhara, M.

    2018-06-01

    We have investigated the structural and magnetic properties of Nd0.67Ba0.33MnO3 manganite and partial replacement of Mn with Fe and Cu compounds followed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The Rietveld refinement of XRD indicates orthorhombic crystal structure with I-mma space group for all the compounds and thus obtained lattice parameters confirm the presence of co-operative Jahn-Teller effect. XRD and XAS spectra results suggests the existence of Fe3+ in Fe-substituted compound where as a mixed state of Cu2+ and Cu3+ ions in the Cu-substituted compound. The ferromagnetic (FM) to paramagnetic (PM) transition and magnetic moment is found to decrease upon the substitution of Fe and Cu atoms because of the suppression of double exchange interaction. The theoretically obtained and experimentally determined values of effective PM moment and saturation magnetic moment confirms the presence of inhomogeneous magnetic states containing FM and antiferromagnetic clusters in all the studied compounds.

  13. Geochemical Characterization Of Cherts From The 3.46Ga Apex Basalt To Assess The Origins Of Possible Biosignatures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bower, D. M.; Steele, A.; Ackerson, M. R.; Bullock, E. S.; Green, O. R.; Fries, M.; Conrad, P. G.

    2017-12-01

    Many terrestrial cherts contain compelling microtextures and mineral phases that are indicative of ancient life in hydrothermal systems on early Earth. In volcanically-derived hydrothermal deposits, cherts have undergone multiple alteration events often resulting in separate generations of quartz veins that are much younger than the host rocks. In some cases, multiple episodes of hydrothermal alteration obscure otherwise syngenetic biosignatures and likewise create false signatures in the form of secondary carbon emplacement or diagenetic phase changes. To better identify possible biosignatures in hydrothermal deposits and understand their origins, we used confocal micro Raman spectroscopy, electron probe microanalysis, and cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging to characterize the quartz fabrics, mineral phases, trace elements, and macromolecular carbon (MMC) in quartz veins from the 3.46 Ga Apex Basalt chert samples. MMC, anatase (TiO2), pyrite (Fe2S), jarosite-alunite (KFe3(SO4)2(OH)6 - Kal3(SO4)2(OH)6), chamosite-phyllosilicates, and Fe-oxides all occur in close association in multiple generations of quartz veins throughout the sample suite. Mineral phases xenotime (YPO4), scorodite (FeAsO4 . H2O), apatite (CaPO4), pentlandite ((Fe,Ni)9S8), barite (BaSO4), sphalerite ((Zn,Fe)S), dolomite ((CaMg(CO3)2) and halides occur in specific generations of quartz. Trace elements (Cr, Mn, Mo, Cu, Sc, Va, Sb, and Co) are heterogeneously distributed within individual samples and likely occur due to fluid scavenging of the host basalts. CL imaging of quartz demonstrates that the majority of silicate material in the Apex cherts underwent recrystallization. This could result in the alteration of MMC and associated mineral assemblages. The biogencity and true origins of morphological features and chemical signatures in the Apex cherts are hotly debated, yet discovering the causes and nature of these puzzling attributes will be key for determining the usefulness of interrogating hydrothermal silica-rich deposits on other planetary environments.

  14. MBE growth and FMR, BLS and MOKE studies of exchange coupling in Fe whisker/Cr/Fe(001) and in Fe/Cu/Fe(001) 'loose spin' structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heinrich, B.; From, M.; Cochran, J. F.; Kowalewski, M.; Atlan, D.; Celinski, Z.; Myrtle, K.

    1995-02-01

    The exchange coupling has been studied in structures which consist of two ferromagnetic layers separated by non-ferromagnetic spacers (trilayers). The exchange coupling was measured using FMR and BLS techniques in the temperature range 77-400 K. Two systems were investigated: (a) Fe whisker/Cr/Fe(001) and (b) Fe/Cr/Fe(001). The oscillatory thickness dependence of the exchange coupling through a spin-density wave Cr spacer will be discussed and compared with recent data obtained by other groups. Cu interlayers were deposited either in a pure form, or a single monolayer of {Cu}/{Fe} alloy ('loose spins') was inserted between two pure bcc Cu(001) layers. Several such 'loose spin' structures were engineered to test the behavior of 'loose spin' structures. It was found that the presence of Fe impurity atoms has a strong tendency to decrease the direct bilinear exchange coupling. The contribution of 'loose spins' to the exchange coupling can be made significant, and even dominant, by a suitable choice of the RKKY coupling energy between the 'loose spins' and the surrounding ferromagnetic layers.

  15. Separation of copper, iron, and zinc from complex aqueous solutions for isotopic measurement

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Borrok, D.M.; Wanty, R.B.; Ridley, W.I.; Wolf, R.; Lamothe, P.J.; Adams, M.

    2007-01-01

    The measurement of Cu, Fe, and Zn isotopes in natural samples may provide valuable information about biogeochemical processes in the environment. However, the widespread application of stable Cu, Fe, and Zn isotope chemistry to natural water systems remains limited by our ability to efficiently separate these trace elements from the greater concentrations of matrix elements. In this study, we present a new method for the isolation of Cu, Fe, and Zn from complex aqueous solutions using a single anion-exchange column with hydrochloric acid media. Using this method we are able to quantitatively separate Cu, Fe, and Zn from each other and from matrix elements in a single column elution. Elution of the elements of interest, as well as all other elements, through the anion-exchange column is a function of the speciation of each element in the various concentrations of HCl. We highlight the column chemistry by comparing our observations with published studies that have investigated the speciation of Cu, Fe, and Zn in chloride solutions. The functionality of the column procedure was tested by measuring Cu, Fe, and Zn isotopes in a variety of stream water samples impacted by acid mine drainage. The accuracy and precision of Zn isotopic measurements was tested by doping Zn-free stream water with the Zn isotopic standard. The reproducibility of the entire column separation process and the overall precision of the isotopic measurements were also evaluated. The isotopic results demonstrate that the Cu, Fe, and Zn column separates from the tested stream waters are of sufficient purity to be analyzed directly using a multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS), and that the measurements are fully-reproducible, accurate, and precise. Although limited in scope, these isotopic measurements reveal significant variations in ??65Cu (- 1.41 to + 0.30???), ??56Fe (- 0.56 to + 0.34???), and ??66Zn (0.31 to 0.49???) among samples collected from different abandoned mines within a single watershed. Hence, Cu, Fe, and Zn isotopic measurements may be a powerful tool for fingerprinting specific metal sources and/or examining biogeochemical reactions within fresh water systems.

  16. Hydroxyl Radical Formation in Solutions of Fe(III) and Hydrogen Peroxide - Impact of Freezing and Thawing Process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arakaki, T.; Kinjo, M.; Shiroma, K.; Shibata, M.; Miyake, T.; Hirakawa, T.; Sakugawa, H.

    2003-12-01

    Hydroxyl radical formation was studied by detecting concentration of formate in solutions of hydrated formaldehyde, HOOH, and Fe(III) or Cu(II). Oxidation of hydrated formaldehyde by OH radical is known to form formate. Formate formation increased by about 4 times when the solution underwent freezing and thawing. Although the reaction mechanisms are not clearly understood, we believe that the concentration effect of freezing enhanced the catalytic reactions between HOOH and Fe(III) or Cu(II) and the reduction of transition metals, i.e., Fe(III) to Fe(II) and Cu(II) to Cu(I). The concentration effect also enhanced reactions between Fe(II) and HOOH or Cu(I) and HOOH, which generated OH radical (freeze-Fenton reaction). Study of the effects of pH showed that formate formation was the highest at pH = 4.0, indicating that the speciation of Fe(III) affected the formation of formate. Concentration-dependent experiments demonstrated that Fe is probably the limiting agent under typical atmospheric conditions. Our results suggested that the freezing process could be an important source of hydroxyl radical in high cloud, winter fog, rime ice and freezing acidic rain, and more importantly, a potentially additional oxidation mechanism in the atmosphere.

  17. Brazing characteristics of a Zr-Ti-Cu-Fe eutectic alloy filler metal for Zircaloy-4

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Jung G.; Lim, C. H.; Kim, K. H.; Park, S. S.; Lee, M. K.; Rhee, C. K.

    2013-10-01

    A Zr-Ti-Cu-Fe quaternary eutectic alloy was employed as a new Be-free brazing filler metal for Zircaloy-4 to supersede physically vapor-deposited Be coatings used conventionally with several disadvantages. The quaternary eutectic composition of Zr58Ti16Cu10Fe16 (at.%) showing a low melting temperature range from 832 °C to 853 °C was designed by a partial substitution of Zr with Ti based on a Zr-Cu-Fe ternary eutectic system. By applying an alloy ribbon with the determined composition, a highly reliable joint was obtained with a homogeneous formation of predominantly grown α-Zr phases owing to a complete isothermal solidification, exhibiting strength higher than that of Zircaloy-4. The homogenization of the joint was rate-controlled by the diffusion of the filler elements (Ti, Cu, and Fe) into the Zircaloy-4 base metal, and the detrimental segregation of the Zr2Fe phase in the central zone was completely eliminated by an isothermal holding at a brazing temperature of 920 °C for 10 min.

  18. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bhoomeeswaran, H.; Sabareesan, P., E-mail: sendtosabari@gmail.com

    The article mainly focuses on the enrichment of the output power obtained from Spin torque nano-oscillator by introducing the heterogeneous structure in multilayer nanopillar device. Here we devised two homogeneous and two heterogeneous devices having NiFe and Co materials. The dynamics of the devices are governed by a famous Landu- Lifshitz -Gilbert-Solencskwei (LLGS) equation which can be solved numerically using embedded RK-4 procedure. The current density and the external magnetic field for four devices are taken as 5×l0{sup 11}A/m{sup 2} and 6×l0{sup −3} A/m respectively. The applied dc current is converted into spin polarized dc current while it passes throughmore » pinned layer. The generated spin polarized dc currents produces spin transfer torque with the free layer magnetization via spacer. Thus the magnetization of the free layer gets a sustained oscillation. The results obtained from the heterogeneous STNOs are really fascinating. The frequency of the NiFe/ Cu/NiFe and Co/Cu/NiFe devices have the same frequency but there is a tremendous change in the output power which is exactly twice that the NiFe/Cu/NiFe device. The similar behaviour is also obtained from Co/Cu/Co and NiFe/Cu/Co devices. The line width and the Q-factor of the output microwave signal are also computed. Among the four devices, the NiFe/Cu/Co heterogeneous device has low linewidth (408 MHz) and high Q-factor (4.77).« less

  19. Iron minerals within specific microfossil morphospecies of the 1.88 Ga Gunflint Formation.

    PubMed

    Lepot, Kevin; Addad, Ahmed; Knoll, Andrew H; Wang, Jian; Troadec, David; Béché, Armand; Javaux, Emmanuelle J

    2017-03-23

    Problematic microfossils dominate the palaeontological record between the Great Oxidation Event 2.4 billion years ago (Ga) and the last Palaeoproterozoic iron formations, deposited 500-600 million years later. These fossils are often associated with iron-rich sedimentary rocks, but their affinities, metabolism, and, hence, their contributions to Earth surface oxidation and Fe deposition remain unknown. Here we show that specific microfossil populations of the 1.88 Ga Gunflint Iron Formation contain Fe-silicate and Fe-carbonate nanocrystal concentrations in cell interiors. Fe minerals are absent in/on all organically preserved cell walls. These features are consistent with in vivo intracellular Fe biomineralization, with subsequent in situ recrystallization, but contrast with known patterns of post-mortem Fe mineralization. The Gunflint populations that display relatively large cells (thick-walled spheres, filament-forming rods) and intra-microfossil Fe minerals are consistent with oxygenic photosynthesizers but not with other Fe-mineralizing microorganisms studied so far. Fe biomineralization may have protected oxygenic photosynthesizers against Fe 2+ toxicity during the Palaeoproterozoic.

  20. Frustration relieved ferrimagnetism in novel A- and B-site-ordered quadruple perovskite.

    PubMed

    Chen, Wei-tin; Mizumaki, Masaichiro; Saito, Takashi; Shimakawa, Yuichi

    2013-07-28

    A novel A- and B-site-ordered quadruple perovskite CaCu3Fe2Sb2O12 was obtained and it shows ferrimagnetism below about 170 K. The B-site Fe spin sublattice adapts a tetrahedral framework in a cubic structure and the Fe(3+)-Fe(3+) antiferromagnetic interaction can result in a geometrical spin frustration as seen in a simple perovskite Ca2FeSbO6. With the introduction of Cu(2+) into the A' site, the antiferromagnetic spin frustration is relieved by the strong Cu(2+)-Fe(3+) interaction, and a ferrimagnetic ordering appears at a much higher temperature than the spin-glass transition temperature.

  1. Structural and magnetic diversity in cyano-bridged bi- and trimetallic complexes assembled from cyanometalates and [M(rac-CTH)]n+ building blocks (CTH = d,l-5,5,7,12,12,14-hexamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane).

    PubMed

    Rodríguez-Diéguez, Antonio; Kivekäs, Raikko; Sillanpää, Reijo; Cano, Joan; Lloret, Francesc; McKee, Vickie; Stoeckli-Evans, Helen; Colacio, Enrique

    2006-12-25

    Seven new cyano-bridged heterometallic systems have been prepared by assembling [M'(rac-CTH)]n+ complexes (M' = CrIII, NiII, CuII), which have two cis available coordination positions, and [M(CN)6]3- (M = FeIII, CrIII) and [Fe(CN)2(bpy)2]+ cyanometalate building blocks. The assembled systems, which have been characterized by X-ray crystallography and magnetic investigations, are the molecular squares (meso-CTH-H2)[{Ni(rac-CTH)}2{Fe(CN)6)}2].5H2O (2) and [{Ni(rac-CTH)}2{Fe(CN)2(bpy)2}2](ClO4)4.H2O (5), the bimetallic chain [{Ni(rac-CTH)}2{Cr(CN)6)}2Ni(meso-CTH)].4H2O (3), the trimetallic chain [{Ni(rac-CTH)}2{Fe(CN)6)}2Cu(cyclam)]6H2O (4), the pentanuclear complexes [{Cu(rac-CTH}3{Fe(CN)6}2].2H2O (6) and [{Cu(rac-CTH)}3{Cr(CN)6)}2].2H2O (7), and the dinuclear complex [Cr(rac-CTH)(H2O)Fe(CN)6].2H2O (8). With the exception of 5, all compounds exhibit ferromagnetic interaction between the metal ions (JFeNi = 12.8(2) cm-1 for 2; J1FeCu= 13.8(2) cm-1 and J2FeCu= 3.9(4) cm-1 for 6; J1CrCu= 6.95(3) cm-1 and J2CrCu= 1.9(2)cm-1 for 7; JCrFe = 28.87(3) cm-1 for 8). Compound 5 exhibits the end of a transition from the high-spin to the low-spin state of the octahedral FeII ions. The bimetallic chain 3 behaves as a metamagnet with a critical field Hc = 300 G, which is associated with the occurrence of week antiferromagnetic interactions between the chains. Although the trimetallic chain 4 shows some degree of spin correlation along the chain, magnetic ordering does not occur. The sign and magnitude of the magnetic exchange interaction between CrIII and FeIII in compound 8 have been justified by DFT type calculations.

  2. First-principles spin-transfer torque in CuMnAs |GaP |CuMnAs junctions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stamenova, Maria; Mohebbi, Razie; Seyed-Yazdi, Jamileh; Rungger, Ivan; Sanvito, Stefano

    2017-02-01

    We demonstrate that an all-antiferromagnetic tunnel junction with current perpendicular to the plane geometry can be used as an efficient spintronic device with potential high-frequency operation. By using state-of-the-art density functional theory combined with quantum transport, we show that the Néel vector of the electrodes can be manipulated by spin-transfer torque. This is staggered over the two different magnetic sublattices and can generate dynamics and switching. At the same time the different magnetization states of the junction can be read by standard tunneling magnetoresistance. Calculations are performed for CuMnAs |GaP |CuMnAs junctions with different surface terminations between the antiferromagnetic CuMnAs electrodes and the insulating GaP spacer. We find that the torque remains staggered regardless of the termination, while the magnetoresistance depends on the microscopic details of the interface.

  3. Development of Ag-Pd-Au-Cu alloy for multiple dental applications. Part 1. Effects of Pd and Cu contents, and addition of Ga or Sn on physical properties and bond with ultra-low fusing ceramic.

    PubMed

    Goto, S; Miyagawa, Y; Ogura, H

    2000-09-01

    Ag-Pd-Au-Cu quaternary alloys consisting of 30-50% Ag, 20-40% Pd, 10-20% Cu and 20% Au (mother alloys) were prepared. Then 5% Sn or 5% Ga was added to the mother alloy compositions, and another two alloy systems (Sn-added alloys and Ga-added alloys) were also prepared. The bond between the prepared alloys and an ultra-low fusing ceramic as well as their physical properties such as the solidus point, liquidus point and the coefficient of thermal expansion were evaluated. The solidus point and liquidus point of the prepared alloys ranged from 802 degrees C to 1142 degrees C and from 931 degrees C to 1223 degrees C, respectively. The coefficient of thermal expansion ranged from 14.6 to 17.1 x 10(-6)/degrees C for the Sn- and Ga-added alloys. In most cases, the Pd and Cu contents significantly influenced the solidus point, liquidus point and coefficient of thermal expansion. All Sn- and Ga-added alloys showed high area fractions of retained ceramic (92.1-100%), while the mother alloy showed relatively low area fractions (82.3%) with a high standard deviation (20.5%). Based on the evaluated properties, six Sn-added alloys and four Ga-added alloys among the prepared alloys were suitable for the application of the tested ultra-low fusing ceramic.

  4. Substrate Profile and Metal-ion Selectivity of Human Divalent Metal-ion Transporter-1*

    PubMed Central

    Illing, Anthony C.; Shawki, Ali; Cunningham, Christopher L.; Mackenzie, Bryan

    2012-01-01

    Divalent metal-ion transporter-1 (DMT1) is a H+-coupled metal-ion transporter that plays essential roles in iron homeostasis. DMT1 exhibits reactivity (based on evoked currents) with a broad range of metal ions; however, direct measurement of transport is lacking for many of its potential substrates. We performed a comprehensive substrate-profile analysis for human DMT1 expressed in RNA-injected Xenopus oocytes by using radiotracer assays and the continuous measurement of transport by fluorescence with the metal-sensitive PhenGreen SK fluorophore. We provide validation for the use of PhenGreen SK fluorescence quenching as a reporter of cellular metal-ion uptake. We determined metal-ion selectivity under fixed conditions using the voltage clamp. Radiotracer and continuous measurement of transport by fluorescence assays revealed that DMT1 mediates the transport of several metal ions that were ranked in selectivity by using the ratio Imax/K0.5 (determined from evoked currents at −70 mV): Cd2+ > Fe2+ > Co2+, Mn2+ ≫ Zn2+, Ni2+, VO2+. DMT1 expression did not stimulate the transport of Cr2+, Cr3+, Cu+, Cu2+, Fe3+, Ga3+, Hg2+, or VO+. 55Fe2+ transport was competitively inhibited by Co2+ and Mn2+. Zn2+ only weakly inhibited 55Fe2+ transport. Our data reveal that DMT1 selects Fe2+ over its other physiological substrates and provides a basis for predicting the contribution of DMT1 to intestinal, nasal, and pulmonary absorption of metal ions and their cellular uptake in other tissues. Whereas DMT1 is a likely route of entry for the toxic heavy metal cadmium, and may serve the metabolism of cobalt, manganese, and vanadium, we predict that DMT1 should contribute little if at all to the absorption or uptake of zinc. The conclusion in previous reports that copper is a substrate of DMT1 is not supported. PMID:22736759

  5. Research and analysis on electrochemical performances of α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} electrode in Li-ion battery with different current collectors

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Huang, Lihong, E-mail: huang.lihong@foxmail.com; Min, Zhonghua; Zhang, Qinyong

    2015-06-15

    Highlights: • We achieved a reversible capacity of 415 mAh g{sup −1} after 30 cycles for α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} electrode in Li-ion battery. • Better electrical performance was obtained when using Cu foam as current collector. • As current collector for α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} electrode, Cu foam is better than Cu foil and Ni foam. • It could avoid the active materials falling off from the current collector during cycling. • It is owe to smaller surface film resistance, charge-transfer resistance, etc. - Abstract: In this work, we reported a simple synthesis of submicron α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} with rod-like structure.more » When it evaluated as electrode material for lithium ion battery, comparing with Cu foil and Ni foam, the as-prepared α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} electrodes with Cu foam current collector exhibited higher reversible capacity of 415 mAh g{sup −1} and more stable cycle performance after 30 cycles. Comparative researches on electrochemical performances of the α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} employing different current collectors (Cu foil, Cu foam and Ni foam) were discussed here in detail. According to our results, the improved electrochemical behaviors of α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} electrode with Cu foam current collector could be attributed to its particular electrode structure, i.e., porous, good electric conductivity, closed adhere to the electrode materials. Just because of that, it may make sure an easy accessibility of electrolytes and fast transportation of lithium ions, importantly, it could avoid the active materials falling off from the current collector on account of volume expansion.« less

  6. Effect of nickel addition on mechanical properties of powder forged Fe-Cu-C

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Archana Barla, Nikki

    2018-03-01

    Fe-Cu-C system is very popular in P/M industry for its good compressibility and dimensional stability with high strength. Fe-Cu-C is a structural material and is used where high strength with high hardness is required. The composition of powder metallurgy steel plays a vital role in the microstructure and physical properties of the sintered component. Fe-2Cu-0.7C-Ni alloy with varying nickel composition (0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0%, and 3.0%) wt. % was prepared by powder metallurgy (P/M) sinter forging process. The present work discuss the effect of varying nickel content on microstructure and mechanical properties.

  7. Production and Isomeric Distribution of Xanthylium Cation Pigments and Their Precursors in Wine-like Conditions: Impact of Cu(II), Fe(II), Fe(III), Mn(II), Zn(II), and Al(III).

    PubMed

    Guo, Anque; Kontoudakis, Nikolaos; Scollary, Geoffrey R; Clark, Andrew C

    2017-03-22

    This study establishes the influence of Cu(II), Fe(II), Fe(III), Zn(II), Al(III), and Mn(II) on the oxidative production of xanthylium cations from (+)-catechin and either tartaric acid or glyoxylic acid in model wine systems. The reaction was studied at 25 °C using UHPLC and LC-HRMS for the analysis of phenolic products and their isomeric distribution. In addition to the expected products, a colorless product, tentatively assigned as a lactone, was detected for the first time. The results show the importance of Fe ions and a synergistic influence of Mn(II) in degrading tartaric acid to glyoxylic acid, whereas the other metal ions had minimal activity in this mechanistic step. Fe(II) and Fe(III) were shown to mediate the (+)-catechin-glyoxylic acid addition reaction, a role previously attributed to only Cu(II). Importantly, the study demonstrates that C-8 addition products of (+)-catechin are promoted by Cu(II), whereas C-6 addition products are promoted by Fe ions.

  8. The synthesis of Cu/Fe/Fe3O4 catalyst through the aqueous solution ball milling method assisted by high-frequency electromagnetic field

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yingzhe, Zhang; Yuxing, He; Qingdong, Qin; Fuchun, Wang; Wankun, Wang; Yongmei, Luo

    2018-06-01

    In this paper, nano-magnetic Cu/Fe/Fe3O4 catalyst was prepared by a new aqueous solution ball milling method assisted by high-frequency electromagnetic field at room temperature. The products were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Microwave induced catalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) was carried out in the presence of Cu/Fe/Fe3O4. The concentration of methylene blue was determined by UV-Vis spectrophotometry. The solid catalyst showed high catalytic activity of degrade MB and considerable saturation magnetization, lower remanence and coercivity. It indicate that the catalyst can be effectively separated for reuse by simply applying an external magnetic field and it can greatly promote their potential industrial application to eliminate organic pollutants from waste-water. Finally, we found that it is the non-thermal effect of microwave that activated the catalytic activity of Cu/Fe/Fe3O4 to degrade MB.

  9. Concentrations and distributions of metals associated with dissolved organic matter from the Suwannee River (GA, USA)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kuhn, M. Keshia; Neubauer, Elisabeth; Hofmann, Thilo; von der Kammer, Frank; Aiken, George R.; Maurice, Patricia A.

    2015-01-01

    Concentrations and distributions of metals in Suwannee River (SR) raw filtered surface water (RFSW) and dissolved organic matter (DOM) processed by reverse osmosis (RO), XAD-8 resin (for humic and fulvic acids [FA]), and XAD-4 resin (for “transphilic” acids) were analyzed by asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AsFlFFF). SR samples were compared with DOM samples from Nelson's Creek (NLC), a wetland-draining stream in northern Michigan; previous International Humic Substances Society (IHSS) FA and RO samples from the SR; and an XAD-8 sample from Lake Fryxell (LF), Antarctica. Despite application of cation exchange during sample processing, all XAD and RO samples contained substantial metal concentrations. AsFlFFF fractograms allowed metal distributions to be characterized as a function of DOM component molecular weight (MW). In SR RFSW, Fe, Al, and Cu were primarily associated with intermediate to higher than average MW DOM components. SR RO, XAD-8, and XAD-4 samples from May 2012 showed similar MW trends for Fe and Al but Cu tended to associate more with lower MW DOM. LF DOM had abundant Cu and Zn, perhaps due to amine groups that should be present due to its primarily algal origins. None of the fractograms showed obvious evidence for mineral nanoparticles, although some very small mineral nanoparticles might have been present at trace concentrations. This research suggests that AsFlFFF is important for understanding how metals are distributed in different DOM samples (including IHSS samples), which may be key to metal reactivity and bioavailability.

  10. Type 2 pyoverdine from Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain BUP2 as turn-off biosensor for the rapid detection of iron and copper ions in contaminated water.

    PubMed

    Unni, Kizhakkepowathial Nair; Priji, Prakasan; Sajith, Sreedharan; Faisal, Panichikkal Abdul; Shainy, Karippayi Mattil; Joseph, Abraham; Babu, Moolath Girish; Benjamin, Sailas

    2016-09-23

    Employing fluorescent quenching mechanism, type 2 pyoverdine (PVD) purified from Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain BUP2 (new strain isolated from the rumen of Malabari goat) was used as a simple, convenient and inexpensive tool for the rapid detection of Fe and Cu ions in contaminated drinking water samples. The fluorescence emitted at λ 460 by PVD (in sterile water), mounted on a glass slide was efficiently quenched by the ions of heavy metals like Fe and Cu. The fluorescence quenching effect of PVD was monitored using UV trans-illuminator, and subsequently quantified and confirmed by spectrofluorimetry. Upon exposure for about 50 sec at 25 °C, this quenching efficiency could directly be assessed by naked eye with the aid of a UV trans-illuminator. The linear range of detection for Fe was 1 to 60 µM, while that of Cu was 1 to 20 µM. The limits of detection at µM concentration for Fe 3+ , Fe 2+ and Cu 2+ were 0.23, 0.24 and 0.38, respectively. The quenching of fluorescence was more pronounced in Fe-PVD system than Cu-PVD, and this observation was in corroboration with the Pearson acid base concept; being a hard acid, Fe 3+ effectively bound with the O-ligands and this ability was less in Cu 2+ , a border line acid. Briefly, this study proposed the use of type 2 PVD as a turn-off biosensor for the rapid screening of heavy metals like Fe and Cu in drinking water, at ppm levels only with the aid of UV trans-illuminator at 25 °C in 50 sec.

  11. Demonstration of efficient spin injection and detection in various systems using Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} based spin injectors

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bhat, Shwetha G., E-mail: shwethabhat@physics.iisc.ernet.in; Anil Kumar, P. S.

    2016-05-15

    Half-metal based spin injector devices for spin injection and detection application have proven to be efficient owing to their enhanced injection and detection efficiency. In this study, we extend the all-electrical spin injection and detection studies into different systems like Si and GaAs using half-metal Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} as a spin injector in the presence and absence of tunnel barrier MgO. Injection into GaAs is verified using conventional Fe/MgO/GaAs devices. Room temperature spin injection into both p-type and n-type Si is achieved and the spin injection could be observed down to 100 K. Obtained spin relaxation time for these n-typemore » and p-type Si at different temperatures agree well with the existing reports. Further, the temperature dependent spin injection and detection is also successfully achieved in Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/GaAs (n-type) Schottky devices, and a comparison study of the results with control experiment using Fe/MgO/GaAs (n-type) devices confirm the relaxation to be similar in the GaAs substrate, as expected. Hence, even Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} material can be effectively used as an efficient spin injector as well as detector, making it an attractive candidate for the room temperature spintronics device applications.« less

  12. YKL071W from Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes a novel aldehyde reductase for detoxification of glycolaldehyde and furfural derived from lignocellulose.

    PubMed

    Wang, Hanyu; Ouyang, Yidan; Zhou, Chang; Xiao, Difan; Guo, Yaping; Wu, Lan; Li, Xi; Gu, Yunfu; Xiang, Quanju; Zhao, Ke; Yu, Xiumei; Zou, Likou; Ma, Menggen

    2017-12-01

    Aldehydes generated as by-products during the pretreatment of lignocellulose are the key inhibitors to Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is considered as the most promising microorganism for industrial production of biofuel, xylitol as well as other special chemicals from lignocellulose. S. cerevisiae has the inherent ability to in situ detoxify aldehydes to corresponding alcohols by multiple aldehyde reductases. Herein, we report that an uncharacterized open reading frame YKL071W from S. cerevisiae encodes a novel "classical" short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) protein with NADH-dependent enzymatic activities for reduction of furfural (FF), glycolaldehyde (GA), formaldehyde (FA), and benzaldehyde (BZA). This enzyme showed much better specific activities for reduction of GA and FF than FA and BZA, and displayed much higher Km and Kcat/Km but lower Vmax and Kcat for reduction of GA than FF. For this enzyme, the optimum pH was 5.5 and 6.0 for reduction of GA and FF, and the optimum temperature was 30 °C for reduction of GA and FF. Both pH and temperature affected stability of this enzyme in a similar trend for reduction of GA and FF. Cu 2+ , Zn 2+ , Ni 2+ , and Fe 3+ had severe inhibition effects on enzyme activities of Ykl071wp for reduction of GA and FF. Transcription of YKL071W in S. cerevisiae was significantly upregulated under GA and FF stress conditions, and its transcription is most probably regulated by transcription factor genes of YAP1, CAD1, PDR3, and STB5. This research provides guidelines to identify more uncharacterized genes with reductase activities for detoxification of aldehydes derived from lignocellulose in S. cerevisiae.

  13. Effect of sputtering condition and heat treatment in Co/Cu/Co/FeMn spin valve

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Hong Jin; Bae, Jun Soo; Lee, Taek Dong; Lee, Hyuck Mo

    2002-03-01

    The exchange field of Cu(50 Å)/FeMn(50 Å)/Co(50 Å) sputtered on Si substrate was studied in terms of surface roughness and phase formation of γ-FeMn under a variety of Ar pressures and powers in sputtering. It was found that the exchange field is stronger when the surface is smoother and the FeMn layer forms better. The exchange bias field increased by more than three times after heat treatment. The effect of heat treament on magnetoresistance (MR) and resistance of the top spin valve, substrate/Co(30 Å)/Cu(30 Å)/Co(30 Å)/FeMn(150 Å), was studied. It was observed that the MR started to increase with annealing temperature and the effect was significant at 150°C. The heat treatment led to the disappearance of the intermixed layer between Co and Cu, and the concentration profile of Cu became flat and smooth at this temperature.

  14. High-temperature friction and wear studies of Fe-Cu-Sn alloy with graphite as solid lubricant under dry sliding conditions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mushtaq, Shuhaib; Wani, M. F.

    2018-02-01

    Solid lubricants are particularly used in the advanced mechanical motion systems with extreme conditions such as (high temperature, vacuum, radiation, extreme contact pressure, etc). The main focus of this paper is to study the dry sliding friction and wear behavior of Fe-Cu-Sn alloy with varying wt% of graphite at high temperature up to 423 K. The influence of temperature, sliding distance and load on friction and wear behavior of Fe-Cu-Sn alloy against EN8 steel was studied using ball (EN8) on disc (Fe-Cu-Sn alloy). Lower wear and lower friction of Fe-Cu-Sn alloy were observed at high temperature, as compared to room temperature. Surface morphological and surface analytical studies of fresh and worn surfaces were carried out using optical microscopy, 3D profilometer, scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, XRD, and Raman spectroscopy to understand the friction and wear behavior.

  15. Structural and optical properties of (Ag,Cu)(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} polycrystalline thin film alloys

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Boyle, J. H.; Shafarman, W. N.; Birkmire, R. W.

    2014-06-14

    The structural and optical properties of pentenary alloy (Ag,Cu)(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} polycrystalline thin films were characterized over the entire compositional range at a fixed (Cu + Ag)/(In + Ga) ratio. Films deposited at 550 °C on bare and molybdenum coated soda-lime glass by elemental co-evaporation in a single-stage process with constant incident fluxes exhibit single phase chalcopyrite structure, corresponding to 122 spacegroup (I-42d) over the entire compositional space. Unit cell refinement of the diffraction patterns show that increasing Ag substitution for Cu, the refined a{sub o} lattice constant, (Ag,Cu)-Se bond length, and anion displacement increase in accordance with the theoretical model proposed by Jaffe, Wei, andmore » Zunger. However, the refined c{sub o} lattice constant and (In,Ga)-Se bond length deviated from theoretical expectations for films with mid-range Ag and Ga compositions and are attributed to influences from crystallographic bond chain ordering or cation electronegativity. The optical band gap, derived from transmission and reflection measurements, widened with increasing Ag and Ga content, due to influences from anion displacement and cation electronegativity, as expected from theoretical considerations for pseudo-binary chalcopyrite compounds.« less

  16. The half-metallicity of LiMgPdSn-type quaternary Heusler alloys FeMnScZ (Z=Al, Ga, In): A first-principle study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gao, Y. C.; Gao, X.

    2015-05-01

    Based on the first-principles calculations, quaternary Heusler alloys FeMnScZ (Z=Al, Ga, In) including its phase stability, band gap, the electronic structures and magnetic properties has been studied systematically. We have found that, in terms of the equilibrium lattice constants, FeMnScZ (Z=Al, Ga, In) are half-metallic ferrimagnets, which can sustain the high spin polarization under a very large amount of lattice distortions. The half-metallic band gap in FeMnScZ (Z=Al, Ga, In) alloys originates from the t1u-t2g splitting instead of the eu-t1u splitting. The total magnetic moments are 3μB per unit cell for FeMnScZ (Z=Al, Ga, In) alloys following the Slater-Pauling rule with the total number of valence electrons minus 18 rather than 24. According to the study, the conclusion can be drawn that all of these compounds which have a negative formation energy are possible to be synthesized experimentally.

  17. Cu1–xFexO: hopping transport and ferromagnetism

    PubMed Central

    Nasir, Mohd.; Islam, Rakibul; Ahmed, Md. A; Ayaz, Saniya; Kumar, Gautham; Kumar, Sunil; Prajapat, C. L.; Roussel, Frederick; Biring, Sajal

    2017-01-01

    Single phase, sol–gel prepared Cu1–xFexO (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.125) powders are characterized in terms of structural, electronic and magnetic properties. Using dielectric and magnetic studies we investigate the coupling of electron and spin. The electrical conductivities and activation energies are studied with increasing Fe content. Modelling of experimental conductivity data emphasizes a single hopping mechanism for all samples except x = 0.125, which have two activation energies. Hole doping is confirmed by confirming a majority Fe3+ substitution of Cu2+ in CuO from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies (XPS). Such a substitution results in stabilized ferromagnetism. Fe substitution introduces variation in coercivity as an intrinsic magnetic property in Fe-doped CuO, and not as a secondary impurity phase. PMID:28989741

  18. Content and Bioaccumulation of Nine Mineral Elements in Ten Mushroom Species of the Genus Boletus

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Xue-Mei; Zhang, Ji; Li, Tao; Wang, Yuan-Zhong; Liu, Hong-Gao

    2015-01-01

    Concentrations and bioconcentration potential of nine elements (Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, and Zn) in ten species of wild edible Boletus and the corresponding underlying soils were analyzed. The analyses were performed using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrophotometer. Boletus showed relative abundant contents of P, K, Fe, Mg, Ca, and Na and less of Zn, Cu, and Mn. Caps compared to stalks were enriched in P, K, Cu, Mg, and Zn, while stalks were enriched in Mn. The elements such as P and K were accumulated (BCF > 1), while Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, and Na were excluded (BCF < 1) in the fruiting bodies. The correlation analysis indicated high correlations between Cu, Mn, Ca, and Fe in the mushrooms as compared to the corresponding soils. Significant correlations were also obtained between Cu-P (r = 0.775), Fe-P (r = 0.728), and Zn-P (r = 0.76) for caps and Cu-Mg (r = 0.721), Fe-Mg (r = 0.719), Zn-Mg (r = 0.824), and Zn-P (r = 0.818) for stalks. The results of this study imply that ability of fungi to accumulate elements from substrate could be influenced by mushroom species and underlying soil substrates. PMID:26146585

  19. Content and Bioaccumulation of Nine Mineral Elements in Ten Mushroom Species of the Genus Boletus.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xue-Mei; Zhang, Ji; Li, Tao; Wang, Yuan-Zhong; Liu, Hong-Gao

    2015-01-01

    Concentrations and bioconcentration potential of nine elements (Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, and Zn) in ten species of wild edible Boletus and the corresponding underlying soils were analyzed. The analyses were performed using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrophotometer. Boletus showed relative abundant contents of P, K, Fe, Mg, Ca, and Na and less of Zn, Cu, and Mn. Caps compared to stalks were enriched in P, K, Cu, Mg, and Zn, while stalks were enriched in Mn. The elements such as P and K were accumulated (BCF > 1), while Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, and Na were excluded (BCF < 1) in the fruiting bodies. The correlation analysis indicated high correlations between Cu, Mn, Ca, and Fe in the mushrooms as compared to the corresponding soils. Significant correlations were also obtained between Cu-P (r = 0.775), Fe-P (r = 0.728), and Zn-P (r = 0.76) for caps and Cu-Mg (r = 0.721), Fe-Mg (r = 0.719), Zn-Mg (r = 0.824), and Zn-P (r = 0.818) for stalks. The results of this study imply that ability of fungi to accumulate elements from substrate could be influenced by mushroom species and underlying soil substrates.

  20. Spectro-photometric determinations of Mn, Fe and Cu in aluminum master alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rehan; Naveed, A.; Shan, A.; Afzal, M.; Saleem, J.; Noshad, M. A.

    2016-08-01

    Highly reliable, fast and cost effective Spectro-photometric methods have been developed for the determination of Mn, Fe & Cu in aluminum master alloys, based on the development of calibration curves being prepared via laboratory standards. The calibration curves are designed so as to induce maximum sensitivity and minimum instrumental error (Mn 1mg/100ml-2mg/100ml, Fe 0.01mg/100ml-0.2mg/100ml and Cu 2mg/100ml-10mg/ 100ml). The developed Spectro-photometric methods produce accurate results while analyzing Mn, Fe and Cu in certified reference materials. Particularly, these methods are suitable for all types of Al-Mn, Al-Fe and Al-Cu master alloys (5%, 10%, 50% etc. master alloys).Moreover, the sampling practices suggested herein include a reasonable amount of analytical sample, which truly represent the whole lot of a particular master alloy. Successive dilution technique was utilized to meet the calibration curve range. Furthermore, the workout methods were also found suitable for the analysis of said elements in ordinary aluminum alloys. However, it was observed that Cush owed a considerable interference with Fe, the later one may not be accurately measured in the presence of Cu greater than 0.01 %.

  1. Preparation and study of (1 - x)CuFe2O4-xBaTiO3 (x = 0, 0.1 and 1) composite multiferroics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Murtaza, Tahir; Ali, Javid; Khan, M. S.

    2018-07-01

    The parent and mixed spinel-perovskite composite of (1 - x)CuFe2O4-xBaTiO3 (x = 0, 0.1 and 1) has been prepared by solid-state reaction method and studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Mössbauer spectroscopy, magnetometry and P-E lope tracer. The XRD results showed the formation of single phase tetragonal spinel CuFe2O4 and tetragonal perovskite BaTiO3 at room temperature, further XRD of composite 0.1CuFe2O4-0.9BaTiO3 reflects the two crystallographic phases with 1:9 ratio. The SEM micrographs show the homogeneous and uniform formation of the samples. Through EDAX analysis, the chemical composition of the sample is found to be same as the nominal composition. The high field Mossbauer data of CuFe2O4 sample shows the ferrimagnetic ordering in the sample. The observed M-H and P-E loops of the composite 0.1CuFe2O4-0.9BaTiO3 sample show the presence of spontaneous magnetization and spontaneous electric polarization indicating the multiferroic nature of the sample.

  2. The combination of activated natural zeolite-bentonite to reduce Fe and Cu in refined bleached palm oil (RBPO) by using atomic absorption spectrophotometer method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zakwan; Raja, PM; Giyanto

    2018-02-01

    Indonesia is one of the crude palm oil (CPO) production country in the world. As many products are derivated from the CPO, the quality must be increased continuously. One of the things that influence the quality of palm oil is the Fe and Cu content. The objective of this research was to reduce Fe and Cu content in Refined Bleached Palm Oil (RBPO). In processing CPO or Refined Bleachead Palm Oil (RBPO) may be contaminated by Fe and Cu from metal tank and pipe in the factory. The zeolite and bentonite was activated by maceration method using hydrochloric acid (0,1 N). Four batch reactions consisting of refined palm oil (RPO), activated natural zeolite-bentonite (ANZB) was bleached by heating and stirring them at about 105°C and 1200 rpm for 30 minutes. The results showed that all combinations of ANZB can reduce the Fe content. Thereafter, the optimal combination of ANZB was obtained in K1, K2 and K4 with Cu content 0.02 ppm. In the future, it is needed to study on the reduction of the Fe and Cu content in palm oil with the other adsorbent.

  3. Magnetic susceptibility of YBa2(Cu/1-x/Fe/x/)3O(y) prepared by various heat treatments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shibata, Tomohiko; Katsuyama, Shigeru; Yoshimura, Kazuyoshi; Kosuge, Koji

    1991-02-01

    The magnetic susceptibility of YBa2(Cu/1-x/Fe/x/)3O(y) specimens was measured following a standard heat treatment and a special heat treament stabilizing the orthorhombic phase to higher Fe concentrations. The values of the effective magnetic moment per Fe in the Cu1 site, estimated from the magnetic susceptibility and Mossbauer effect measurements, were 4.4 and 2.2 muB for the standard and specially treated specimens, respectively. The smaller effective magnetic moment in the case of specially treated specimens is attributed to the antiferromagnetic coupling between Fe spins at high temperatures.

  4. Sodium enhances indium-gallium interdiffusion in copper indium gallium diselenide photovoltaic absorbers.

    PubMed

    Colombara, Diego; Werner, Florian; Schwarz, Torsten; Cañero Infante, Ingrid; Fleming, Yves; Valle, Nathalie; Spindler, Conrad; Vacchieri, Erica; Rey, Germain; Guennou, Mael; Bouttemy, Muriel; Manjón, Alba Garzón; Peral Alonso, Inmaculada; Melchiorre, Michele; El Adib, Brahime; Gault, Baptiste; Raabe, Dierk; Dale, Phillip J; Siebentritt, Susanne

    2018-02-26

    Copper indium gallium diselenide-based technology provides the most efficient solar energy conversion among all thin-film photovoltaic devices. This is possible due to engineered gallium depth gradients and alkali extrinsic doping. Sodium is well known to impede interdiffusion of indium and gallium in polycrystalline Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 films, thus influencing the gallium depth distribution. Here, however, sodium is shown to have the opposite effect in monocrystalline gallium-free CuInSe 2 grown on GaAs substrates. Gallium in-diffusion from the substrates is enhanced when sodium is incorporated into the film, leading to Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 and Cu(In,Ga) 3 Se 5 phase formation. These results show that sodium does not decrease per se indium and gallium interdiffusion. Instead, it is suggested that sodium promotes indium and gallium intragrain diffusion, while it hinders intergrain diffusion by segregating at grain boundaries. The deeper understanding of dopant-mediated atomic diffusion mechanisms should lead to more effective chemical and electrical passivation strategies, and more efficient solar cells.

  5. Cu@Fe3O4 core-shell nanoparticle-catalyzed oxidative degradation of the antibiotic oxytetracycline in pre-treated landfill leachate.

    PubMed

    Pham, Van Luan; Kim, Do-Gun; Ko, Seok-Oh

    2018-01-01

    Novel Cu@Fe 3 O 4 core-shell nanoparticles prepared via a simple reduction method were evaluated for degradation of oxytetracycline (OTC) in pre-treated leachate (L p-TREA ) (leachate treated by conventional methods). Changes in the characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the leachate were also investigated to gain a better understanding of the effects of DOM on the performance of Cu@Fe 3 O 4 . An excellent OTC degradation of >99% was achieved within 30 min under conditions of 1 g/L Cu@Fe 3 O 4 , 20 mg/L OTC, 20 mM H 2 O 2 , and initial pH 3.0, which was similar to the efficiency obtained in deionized water (90% even at pH 9.05). Humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid (FA) were completely degraded at initial pH 3, while aromatic protein (AP) with 32.7% of 1-3 kDa constituents were totally transformed to 0.5-1 kDa compounds, and 17% < 0.5 kDa material was degraded. The OTC removal rate decreased gradually as Cu@Fe 3 O 4 was repeatedly used, but it was significantly enhanced when Cu@Fe 3 O 4 was washed after five uses to remove the organic matter on its surface. The results suggest that Cu@Fe 3 O 4 is a promising and effective catalyst for pharmaceutical and personal care product degradation in landfill leachates. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. The Behavioral and Biomedical Study of Pygmy Chimpanzees,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1976-02-19

    1 - Lokolema 2 - Matata 3 - Bosondjo Human Values Cholesterol 202 182 195 150-270 Uric Acid 6.1 6.0 6.6 2.6 Total Protein 6.7 6.0 6.3 6.0-8.0... ARAB -mg EMORYT IUIV ATLANTA GA YERKES REGIONAL PRIMATE RESEA-ETC F/6 6/5 THE BEH4AVIORAL AND BIOMEDICAL STUDY OF PYGMY CH!MPANZEIES.CU) FE 66 ORE...Albumin 4.5 4.0 4.1 3.5-5.6 Globulin 2.2 2.0 2.3 1.3-3.2 SGPT 14 16 18 5-35 SGOT 40 48 46 8-40 Alkaline Phosphatase 52 56 51 25-92 Total Bilirubin 1.4 1.3

  7. Simultaneous magnetic investigations of Cu precipitation and recovery in thermally aged Fe-Cu alloy by first-order-reversal-curves

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kobayashi, Satoru; Kawagoe, Riko; Murakami, Hiroaki

    2018-05-01

    We have measured first-order reversal curves (FORCs) for Fe-1wt%Cu alloy thermally aged at 753 K up to 20000 min. While hardness exhibits a maximum at around 1000 min, reflecting the formation and growth of Cu precipitates, major-loop coercivity monotonically decreases and becomes almost constant above 100 min.; an increase of coercivity associated with Cu precipitation is masked by a large decrease due to recovery. On the other hand, FORC diagrams exhibit two distribution peaks at low and high switching fields after aging. While the former shifts towards a lower switching field after aging, reflecting recovery, the latter shows up after aging up to ˜1000 min, possibly due to the formation of Cu precipitates. These observations demonstrate that FORCs are useful to separately evaluate competing microstructural changes in thermally aged Fe-Cu alloy where recovery and Cu precipitation take place simultaneously.

  8. Magnetic field-modulated photo-thermo-electric effect in Fe/GaAs film

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Qiao, Shuang; Liu, Jihong; Yan, Guoying

    2015-11-02

    Ferromagnet/semiconductor heterostructure, such as Fe/GaAs, is always one of the key issues in spintronics due to its prerequisite for the realization of spin sensitive devices. In this letter, a lateral photoelectric effect (LPE) was observed in Fe/GaAs. Our results show that the sensitivity was not related to laser wavelength, but only proportional to laser power, suggesting that the lateral photovoltage was induced by photo-thermo-electric effect. Moreover, we also observe that the voltage signal increases with the increase in applied field due to decreasing scattering probability for spin-polarized electrons. Our finding of LPE adds another functionality to the Fe/GaAs system andmore » will be useful in development of spin-polarized voltage devices.« less

  9. Structural Inheritance and Redox Performance of Nanoporous Electrodes from Nanocrystalline Fe85.2B10-14P0-4Cu0.8 Alloys

    PubMed Central

    Fu, Chaoqun; Xu, Lijun; Dan, Zhenhua; Makino, Akihiro; Hara, Nobuyoshi; Qin, Fengxiang; Chang, Hui

    2017-01-01

    Nanoporous electrodes have been fabricated by selectively dissolving the less noble α-Fe crystalline phase from nanocrystalline Fe85.2B14–xPxCu0.8 alloys (x= 0, 2, 4 at.%). The preferential dissolution is triggered by the weaker electrochemical stability of α-Fe nanocrystals than amorphous phase. The final nanoporous structure is mainly composed of amorphous residual phase and minor undissolved α-Fe crystals and can be predicted from initial microstructure of nanocrystalline precursor alloys. The structural inheritance is proved by the similarity of the size and outlines between nanopores formed after dealloying in 0.1 M H2SO4 and α-Fe nanocrystals precipitated after annealing of amorphous Fe85.2B14−xPxCu0.8 (x = 0, 2, 4 at.%) alloys. The Redox peak current density of the nanoporous electrodes obtained from nanocrystalline Fe85.2B10P4Cu0.8 alloys is more than one order higher than those of Fe plate electrode and its counterpart nanocrystalline alloys due to the large surface area and nearly-amorphous nature of ligaments. PMID:28594378

  10. Trace elements in tourmalines from massive sulfide deposits and tourmalinites: Geochemical controls and exploration applications

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Griffin, W.L.; Slack, J.F.; Ramsden, A.R.; Win, T.T.; Ryan, C.G.

    1996-01-01

    Trace element contents of tourmalines from massive sulfide deposits and tourmalinites have been determined in situ by proton microprobe; >390 analyses were acquired from 32 polished thin sections. Concentrations of trace elements in the tourmalines vary widely, from <40 to 3,770 ppm Mn, <4 to 1,800 ppm Ni, <2 to 1,430 ppm Cu, <9 to 4,160 ppm Zn, 3 to 305 ppm Ga, <6 to 1,345 ppm Sr, <10 to 745 ppm Sn, <49 to 510 ppm Ba, and <3 to 4,115 ppm Pb. Individual grains and growth zones are relatively homogeneous, suggesting that these trace elements are contained within the crystal structure of the tourmaline, and are not present in inclusions. The highest base metal contents are in ore-related tourmaline samples from Kidd Creek (Ontario), Broken Hill (Australia), and Sazare (Japan). Tourmaline data from these and many other massive sulfide deposits cluster by sample and display broadly linear trends on Zn vs. Fe plots, suggesting chemical control by temperature and hydrothermal and/or metamorphic fluid-mineral equilibria. Significant Ni occurs only in samples from the Kidd Creek Cu-Zn-Pb-Ag deposit, which is associated with a large footwall ultramafic body. An overall antithetic relationship between Zn and Ni probably reflects fluid source controls. Mn is correlated with Fe in tourmalines from barren associations, and possibly in some tourmalines associated with sulfide vein deposits. Sn increases systematically with Fe content irrespective of association; the highest values are found in schorls from granites. Other trace elements are generally uncorrelated with major element concentrations (e.g., Sr-Ca). Base metal proportions in the tourmalines show systematic patterns on ternary Cu-Pb-Zn diagrams that correlate well with the major commodity metals in the associated massive sulfide deposits. For example, data for tourmalines from Cu-Zn deposits (e.g., Ming mine, Newfoundland) fall mainly on the Cu-Zn join, whereas those from Pb-Zn deposits (e.g., Broken Hill, Australia) plot on the Pb-Zn join; no data fall on the Cu-Pb join, consistent with the lack of this metal association in massive sulfide deposits. The systematic relationship between base metal proportions in the tourmalines and the metallogeny of the host massive sulfide deposits indicates that the analyzed tourmalines retain a strong chemical signature of their original hydrothermal formation, in spite of variable metamorphic recrystallization. Such trace element patterns in massive sulfide tourmalines may be useful in mineral exploration, specifically for the evaluation of tourmaline concentrations in rocks, soils, and stream sediments.

  11. Low temperature texture development in Nd2Fe14B/α-Fe nanocomposite magnets via equal channel angular pressing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Besley, L.; Garitaonandia, J. S.; Molotnikov, A.; Kishimoto, H.; Kato, A.; Davies, C.; Suzuki, K.

    2018-05-01

    While suitable texture has been developed in Nd2Fe14B/α-Fe nanocomposites via thermomechanical processing methods such as die upsetting by incorporating low melting point eutectic Nd-Cu additives, significant grain coarsening occurs during this process due to the high temperature and long timescales involved, resulting in a loss of exchange coupling. Equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) is a severe plastic deformation technique which has been successfully used to produce a suitable texture in single-phase Nd2Fe14B at temperatures on the order of 500°C while preserving grain sizes on the order of 20-30nm. We investigate the development of texture in a commercial Nd2Fe14B/α-Fe nanocomposite alloy with added Nd90Cu10 produced via ECAP and then characterise it using texture x-ray diffraction and magnetic measurements. It is found that initial texture can be developed in this nanocomposite system at T = 520°C via ECAP. The average grain size of Nd2Fe14B as measured via X-ray diffraction after ECAP remains below 50nm with a developed texture. The effect of varying the amount of Nd90Cu10 additive is also investigated. It is found that with decreasing Nd90Cu10, the degree of texture is reduced while the volume fraction of α-Fe increases. This work demonstrates the development of texture in nanocomposite Nd2Fe14B/α-Fe with Nd-Cu additives whilst maintaining a grain size of approximately 50nm.

  12. Color Tuning in Garnet Oxides: The Role of Tetrahedral Coordination Geometry for 3 d Metal Ions and Ligand-Metal Charge Transfer (Band-Gap Manipulation).

    PubMed

    Bhim, Anupam; Laha, Sourav; Gopalakrishnan, Jagannatha; Natarajan, Srinivasan

    2017-10-18

    We explored garnet-structured oxide materials containing 3d transition-metal ions (e.g., Co 2+ , Ni 2+ , Cu 2+ , and Fe 3+ ) for the development of new inorganic colored materials. For this purpose, we synthesized new garnets, Ca 3 Sb 2 Ga 2 ZnO 12 (I) and Ca 3 Sb 2 Fe 2 ZnO 12 (II), that were isostructural with Ca 3 Te 2 Zn 3 O 12 . Substitution of Co 2+ , Ni 2+ , and Cu 2+ at the tetrahedral Zn 2+ sites in I and II gave rise to brilliantly colored materials (different shades of blue, green, turquoise, and red). The materials were characterized by optical absorption spectroscopy and CIE chromaticity diagrams. The Fe 3+ -containing oxides showed band-gap narrowing (owing to strong sp-d exchange interactions between Zn 2+ and the transition-metal ion), and this tuned the color of these materials uniquely. We also characterized the color and optical absorption properties of Ca 3 Te 2 Zn 3-x Co x O 12 (0

  13. Mixed nickel-gallium tellurides Ni{sub 3−x}GaTe{sub 2} as a matrix for incorporating magnetic cations: A Ni{sub 3−x}Fe{sub x}GaTe{sub 2} series

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kuznetsov, Alexey N., E-mail: alexei@inorg.chem.msu.ru; N.S. Kurnakov Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry, RAS, Leninsky pr. 31, GSP-1, 119991 Moscow; Stroganova, Ekaterina A.

    Using a high-temperature ampoule technique, a series of mixed nickel-iron-gallium metal-rich tellurides with layered structures, Ni{sub 3-x}Fe{sub x}GaTe{sub 2}, were prepared and characterized based on X-ray powder diffraction, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and {sup 57}Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy data. These compounds may be regarded as a result of partial substitution of nickel by iron in the recently reported ternary Ni{sub 3-x}GaTe{sub 2} series, which are based on NiAs/Ni{sub 2}In type of structure. The compositional boundary for the substitution was found to be at x~1. According to the Mössbauer spectroscopy data, the substitution is not statistical, and iron atoms with the increase in xmore » tend to preferentially occupy those nickel positions that are partially vacant in the initial ternary compound. Magnetic measurements data for the Ni{sub 3-x}Fe{sub x}GaTe{sub 2} series show dramatic change in behavior from temperature-independent paramagnetic properties of the initial matrix to a low-temperature (~75 K) ferromagnetic ordering in the Ni{sub 2}FeGaTe{sub 2}. - Graphical abstract: Ordered substitution of nickel by iron in the Ni{sub 3−x}GaTe{sub 2} series leading to ferromagnetic ordering. - Highlights: • A series of Ni{sub 3−x}Fe{sub x}GaTe{sub 2} compounds were synthesized. • They adopt the NiAs/Ni{sub 2}In type of structure with ordered iron distribution. • The distribution of iron was studied using {sup 57}Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. • An increase in iron content leads to the strong ferromagnetic coupling.« less

  14. Rapid ultrasound-assisted magnetic microextraction of gallic acid from urine, plasma and water samples by HKUST-1-MOF-Fe3O4-GA-MIP-NPs: UV-vis detection and optimization study.

    PubMed

    Asfaram, Arash; Ghaedi, Mehrorang; Dashtian, Kheibar

    2017-01-01

    Magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles (NPs)) HKUST-1 metal organic framework (MOF) composite as a support was used for surface imprinting of gallic acid imprinted polymer (HKUST-1-MOF-Fe 3 O 4 -GA-MIP) using vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMOS) as the cross-linker. Subsequently, HKUST-1-MOF-Fe 3 O 4 -NPs-GA-MIP characterized by FT-IR, XRD and FE-SEM analysis and applied for fast and selective and sensitive ultrasound assisted dispersive magnetic solid phase microextraction of gallic acid (GA) by UV-Vis (UA-DMSPME-UV-Vis) detection method. Plackett-Burman design (PBD) and central composite design (CCD) according to desirability function (DF) indicate the significant variables among the extraction factors vortex (mixing) time (min), sonication time (min), temperature (°C), eluent volume (L), pH and HKUST-1-MOF-Fe 3 O 4 -NPs-GA-MIP mass (mg) and their contribution on the response. Optimum conditions and values correspond to pH, HKUST-1-MOF-Fe 3 O 4 -NPs-GA-MIP mass, sonication time and the eluent volume were set as follow 3.0, 1.6mg, 4.0min and 180μL, respectively. The average recovery (ER%) of GA was 98.13% with desirability of 0.997, while the present method has best operational performance like wide linear range 8-6000ngmL -1 with a Limit of detection (LOD) of 1.377ngmL -1 , limit of quantification (LOQ) 4.591ngmL -1 and precision (<3.50% RSD). The recovery of GA in urine, human plasma and water samples within the range of 92.3-100.6% that strongly support high applicability of present method for real samples analysis, which candidate this method as promise for further application. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  15. Effects of aging time and temperature of Fe-1wt.%Cu on magnetic Barkhausen noise and FORC

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Saleh, Muad; Cao, Yue; Edwards, Danny J.

    Magnetic Barkhausen noise (MBN), hysteresis measurements, first order reversal curves (FORC), Vickers microhardness, and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analyses were performed on Fe-1wt.%Cu (Fe-Cu) samples isothermally aged at 700°C for 0.5 – 25 hours to obtain samples with different sized Cu precipitates and dislocation structures. Fe-Cu is used to simulate the thermal and irradiation-induced defects in copper-containing nuclear reactor materials such as cooling system pipes and pressure vessel materials. The sample series showed an initial increase followed by a decrease in hardness and coercivity with aging time, which is explained by Cu precipitates formation and growth as observed by TEMmore » measurements. Further, the MBN envelope showed a continuous decrease in its magnitude and the appearance of a second peak with aging. Also, FORC diagrams showed multiple peaks whose intensity and location changed for different aging time. The changes in FORC diagrams are attributed to combined changes of the magnetic behavior due to Cu precipitate characteristics and dislocation structure. A second series of samples aged at 850°C, which is above the solid solution temperature of Fe-Cu, was studied to isolate the effects of dislocations. These samples showed a continuous decrease in MBN amplitude with aging time although the coercivity and hardness did not change significantly. The decrease of MBN amplitude and the appearance of the second MBN envelope peak are attributed to the changes in dislocation density and structure. This study shows that the effect of dislocations on MBN and FORC of Fe-Cu materials can vary significantly and should be considered in interpreting magnetic signatures.« less

  16. Mass measurement in the fp-shell using the TOFI spectrometer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bai, Y.; Vieira, D. J.; Seifert, H. L.; Wouters, J. M.

    1998-12-01

    The masses of 48 neutron-rich nuclei extending from 55Sc to 75Cu have been determined from the final set of data to be acquired with the time-of-flight-isochronous (TOFI) spectrometer. The masses of eight isotopes (68Fe, 70,71Co, 73Ni, and 72-75Cu) are reported for the first time. The resulting masses now tie in neatly with the masses of previously measured neutron-rich Zn and Ga isotopes determined from fission product β-endpoint measurements. A careful evaluation of the calibration sensitivity is made with respect to inclusion or exclusion of these heavy known species and excellent calibration stability is found. Contrasting these results with previous TOFI measurements, we find that these new results fall between the results of Tu et al. (1) which trend to slightly less bound masses as one proceeds to the most neutron-rich species and Seifert et al. (2) which shows the opposite trend. Good agreement with the predictions of several mass models and Audi-Wapstra systematics are found.

  17. Effect of Cu2+ substitution on the structural, magnetic and electrical properties of gadolinium orthoferrite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sai Vandana, C.; Hemalatha Rudramadevi, B.

    2018-04-01

    The pure and copper (Cu) substituted Gadolinium orthoferrites, GdFeO3, GdCu0.1Fe0.9O3, GdCu0.2Fe0.8O3 and GdCu0.3Fe0.7O3 were synthesized by conventional solid state method. The structural, morphological, dielectric, magnetic and impedance properties of Cu substituted Gadolinium orthoferrites have been investigated. The crystallographic phase as well as the substitution of Cu2+ ions in the lattice of GdFeO3 is confirmed from the x-ray diffraction patterns. The Fourier transform infrared spectra exhibit two prominent fundamental absorption peaks at ∼417 cm‑1 and 545 cm‑1. These bands are related to inherent stretching vibrations of metals at octahedral and tetrahedral sites respectively. The coercivity (Hc) and saturation magnetization (Ms) of the synthesized samples at different temperatures were determined from the hysteresis plots. Higher coercive values, 598 Oe and 600 Oe were achieved in GdCu0.1Fe0.9O3 ferrites compared to 527 Oe and 360 Oe in pure GdFeO3 at room temperature (300 K) and low temperature (20 k) respectively. Dielectric dispersion has been observed for gadolinium ferrite samples with Maxwell–Wagner type interfacial polarization. The decrease of dielectric constant and dielectric loss tangent with an increase in frequency was observed. The conduction due to charge hopping between localized states was confirmed from AC conductivity measurements. The composition dependent cationic distributions estimated from XRD, magnetic and electrical studies are in good agreement with each other. The achieved results indicate that the substitution of Cu in gadolinium orthoferrite strongly influences the crystal structure, magnetic and electrical properties thereby making them suitable as multiple state memory devices, transducers, electronic field controlled ferromagnetic resonance devices and spintronic devices.

  18. Selection of peptides for binding semiconductor and magnetic materials for the purpose of organizing nanoscaled materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Whaley, Sandra Renee

    A peptide combinatorial approach, also known as phage display, was used to isolate peptides with the ability to bind semiconductor (GaAs, GaN, and InP) and magnetic (Fe2O3 and Fe3O4) materials. The commercially available combinatorial libraries contain randomized peptides either twelve (Ph.D-12(TM)) or seven (Ph.D-C7C(TM)) amino acids in length. The peptides are displayed on the pIII protein of M13 bacteriophage, which have been imaged by atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. After seven rounds of phage selection with a constrained seven amino acid sequence library (Ph.D-C7C(TM)), two sequences were isolated for binding Fe3O4 (MG-127 and MG-78). The haematite surface was screened with the same library and four unique sequences were isolated after six rounds of selection (HM-95, HM-101, HM-103, and HM-111). According to binding experiments (MG-78 v. MG-127 on Fe3O 4, MG-127 v. HM-95 on Fe3O4 and Fe2O 3, and MG-127 v. HM-95 on gamma-Fe2O3), the MG-127 clone had the highest affinity for iron oxide surfaces (magnetite, haematite, and maghemite) among the clones tested. The Fe3O 4 clone MG-127 displayed the ability to organize Fe3O 4 nanoparticles along bundles of phage. The synthetic peptide analog of this clone was used in the organization of nanoparticles onto the surface of latex beads. The surfaces of the III-V semiconductors were studied using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to determine their reactivity in the aqueous conditions used for phage selection. The GaN surface was shown to oxidize the least under these conditions, aiding in the ability to isolate a consensus amino acid sequence responsible for binding to this surface. The G1-3 clone isolated for binding the GaAs (100) surface displayed preferential binding to the GaAs (100) surface over Si (100), GaAs (111) A, GaAs (111) B, and AlGaAs. The synthetic peptide analog of the G12-3 clone was found to preferentially bind to GaAs (100) over either GaAs (111) surfaces or InP (100). This peptide was used to immobilize 10 nm gold particles onto the surface of GaAs within ten minutes. From these results we have shown that it is possible to isolate peptides with high affinities for binding technologically relevant materials, even those not found in nature. These peptides can be used for the organization of pre-formed nanoparticles in solution and on the surface of semiconductor materials.

  19. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chen, Cheng-Cheng; Wang, Ru-Zhi, E-mail: wrz@bjut.edu.cn; Zhu, Man-Kang

    GaN nanofilms (NFs) with different structures are grown on SiC substrates by pulsed laser deposition under different conditions. The synthesized GaN NFs are studied by X-ray diffraction, field-emission (FE) scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The GaN NFs are composed of diversified GaN nanoparticles with a diameter of 9–38 nm, thickness of 10–50 nm, and roughness of 0.22–13.03 nm. FE from the GaN NFs is structure dependent, which is explained by stress changing the band gap of the NFs. By structure modulation, the turn-on field of GaN NFs can be as low as 0.66 V/μm at a current density ofmore » 1 μA/cm{sup 2}, with a current density of up to 1.1 mA/cm{sup 2} at a field of 4.18 V/μm. Fowler-Nordheim curves of some samples contain multiple straight lines, which originate from the structural change and diversification of GaN nanoparticles under an applied field. Overall, our results suggest that GaN NFs with excellent FE properties can be prepared on SiC substrates, which provides a new route to fabricate high-efficiency FE nanodevices.« less

  20. Synthesis, structural and electronic properties of monodispersed self-organized single crystalline nanobricks of isocubanite CuFe{sub 2}S{sub 3}

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lyubutin, Igor S., E-mail: lyubutinig@mail.ru; Lin, Chun-Rong, E-mail: crlin@mail.nptu.edu.tw; Starchikov, Sergey S.

    2015-01-15

    The nanoparticles with a pure cubic phase of isocubanite CuFe{sub 2}S{sub 3} are successfully synthesized for the first time. The particles are self-organized into the single crystalline nanocomposites with a shape of “bricks” which are well ordered in a certain anisotropic orientation. All bricks have nearly the same shape and dimensions and may be considered as monodispersed nanobricks. Magnetic measurements show paramagnetic behavior of the compound down to 4.2 K with the antiferromagnetic correlation between iron ions. An average magnetic moment is about 2.8–3.0 μ{sub B} per formula unit CuFe{sub 2}S{sub 3}. Mössbauer spectroscopy data reveal that the ferric ionsmore » in isocubanite are in the high-spin state (spin S=5/2) whereas the ferrous ions are in the intermediate-spin state (S=1). The Fe{sup 3+} and Fe{sup 2+} ions are distributed randomly over tetrahedral sites and the electron exchange between these ions is absent. This can explain nonmagnetic behavior of isocubanite. In the suggested method, the combined nanocomposites containing the magnetic chalcopyrite CuFeS{sub 2} and the nonmagnetic isocubanite CuFe{sub 2}S{sub 3} can be synthesized in a certain sequence. Such composites could be useful for the applied nanotechnology. - Graphical abstract: Self-organized single crystalline “nanobricks” of isocubanite CuFe{sub 2}S{sub 3} synthesized by a thermal pyrolysis method. - Highlights: • Self-organized single crystalline “nanobricks” of CuFe{sub 2}S{sub 3} were synthesized. • All bricks are nearly monodispersed and well-ordered in a certain anisotropic orientation. • XRD, HRTEM, magnetic measurements and Mössbauer spectroscopy were used for characterization. • Nanobricks are paramagnetic down to 4.2 K with effective magnetic moment about 3.0 μ{sub B} per f.u. • Mössbauer spectroscopy data indicate different spin states of Fe{sup 2+} and Fe{sup 3+} ions.« less

  1. Ternary metal fluorides as high-energy cathodes with low cycling hysteresis

    DOE PAGES

    Wang, Feng; Kim, Sung -Wook; Seo, Dong -Hwa; ...

    2015-03-26

    In this study, transition metal fluorides are an appealing alternative to conventional intercalation compounds for use as cathodes in next-generation lithium batteries due to their extremely high capacity (3–4 times greater than the current state-of-the-art). However, issues related to reversibility, energy efficiency and kinetics prevent their practical application. Here we report on the synthesis, structural and electrochemical properties of ternary metal fluorides (M 1 yM 2 1-yF x: M 1, M 2 = Fe, Cu), which may overcome these issues. By substituting Cu into the Fe lattice, forming the solid–solution Cu yFe 1-yF 2, reversible Cu and Fe redox reactionsmore » are achieved with surprisingly small hysteresis (<150 mV). This finding indicates that cation substitution may provide a new avenue for tailoring key electrochemical properties of conversion electrodes. In conclusion, although the reversible capacity of Cu conversion fades rapidly, likely due to Cu + dissolution, the low hysteresis and high energy suggest that a Cu-based fluoride cathode remains an intriguing candidate for rechargeable lithium batteries.« less

  2. Complex permeability and permittivity spectra of percolated Fe50Co50/Cu granular composites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Massango, Herieta; Tsutaoka, Takanori; Kasagi, Teruhiro; Yamamoto, Shinichiro; Hatakeyama, Kenichi

    2017-11-01

    Complex permeability and permittivity spectra of Fe50Co50/Cu hybrid granular composite materials have been studied in the RF to microwave frequency range. At low Cu particle content, the Fe50Co50/Cu hybrid sample shows a metallic percolative property with the electrical conductivity value about 0.1 S/cm. However, the low frequency plasmonic (LFP) state with negative permittivity (ENG) spectrum was not observed. An abrupt increase of electrical conductivity takes place at 14 to 16 vol% Cu content where the conductivity becomes above 1.0 S/cm; the Fe50Co50/Cu composite possesses the LFP state with negative permittivity spectrum below a characteristic frequency. The complex permittivity spectra in the LFP state can be described by the Drude model. Magnetic permeability spectrum in the LFP state showed a broad frequency dispersion above 10 MHz; a small negative permeability (MNG) dispersion was observed from 2 to 10 GHz. Consequently, the double negative (DNG) electromagnetic property with MNG and ENG was realized in the microwave range for the Cu content of 26 and 30 vol%.

  3. Ternary metal fluorides as high-energy cathodes with low cycling hysteresis

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Feng; Kim, Sung-Wook; Seo, Dong-Hwa; Kang, Kisuk; Wang, Liping; Su, Dong; Vajo, John J.; Wang, John; Graetz, Jason

    2015-01-01

    Transition metal fluorides are an appealing alternative to conventional intercalation compounds for use as cathodes in next-generation lithium batteries due to their extremely high capacity (3–4 times greater than the current state-of-the-art). However, issues related to reversibility, energy efficiency and kinetics prevent their practical application. Here we report on the synthesis, structural and electrochemical properties of ternary metal fluorides (M1yM21-yFx: M1, M2=Fe, Cu), which may overcome these issues. By substituting Cu into the Fe lattice, forming the solid–solution CuyFe1-yF2, reversible Cu and Fe redox reactions are achieved with surprisingly small hysteresis (<150 mV). This finding indicates that cation substitution may provide a new avenue for tailoring key electrochemical properties of conversion electrodes. Although the reversible capacity of Cu conversion fades rapidly, likely due to Cu+ dissolution, the low hysteresis and high energy suggest that a Cu-based fluoride cathode remains an intriguing candidate for rechargeable lithium batteries. PMID:25808876

  4. Fenton-like Degradation of Phenol Catalyzed by a Series of Fe-Containing Mixed Oxides Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alhmoud, T. T.; Mahmoud, S. S.; Hammoudeh, A. Y.

    2018-02-01

    In our attempts to develop a solid catalyst to degrade organic pollutants in wastewater via the Fenton-like reaction, six Fe-containing mixed oxide systems were prepared by means of the sol-gel auto-combustion method to have the following stoichiometries: CuFe1.2O2.8, BaFe7.2O11.8, BaFe7.2Cu2O13.8, BaFe5.4V3O16.6, BaFe4.8Cu2V3O17.7 and Ag2Fe5.4V3O16.6. The prepared systems were thermally treated at 550°C, 650°C, 800°C and 1100°C, and then characterized by XRD to identify the present phases. The systems were tested with respect to their catalytic efficiency in the degradation of phenol (200 ppm) in water where CuFe1.2O2.8 was found to be the most reactive one (80% removal in 60 min). It showed thereby first-order kinetics and an enhanced behavior under irradiation with a 30-W LED light source. The positive role of irradiation was most obvious in the case of Ag2Fe5.4V3O16.6 in which almost complete conversion was achieved in 120 min compared to only 45% in the same period but without irradiation. However, increasing the temperature at which thermal treatment is performed was found to suppress the catalytic activity of the system. Due to their high efficiency and rather low leaching rates of constituents, CuFe1.2O2.8 or Ag2Fe5.4V3O16.6 seem to be very promising in the Fenton-like degradation of organic pollutants.

  5. Design, processing and characterization of mechanically alloyed galfenol & lightly rare-earth doped FeGa alloys as smart materials for actuators and transducers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Taheri, Parisa

    Smart materials find a wide range of application areas due to their varied response to external stimuli. The different areas of application can be in our day to day life, aerospace, civil engineering applications, and mechatronics to name a few. Magnetostrictive materials are a class of smart materials that can convert energy between the magnetic and elastic states. Galfenol is a magnetostrictive alloy comprised primarily of the elements iron (Fe) and gallium (Ga). Galfenol exhibits a unique combination of mechanical and magnetostrictive (magnetic) properties that legacy smart materials do not. Galfenol's ability to function while in tension, mechanical robustness and high Curie temperature (600 °C) is attracting interest for the alloy's use in mechanically harsh and elevated temperature environments. Applications actively being investigated include transducers for down-hole use, next-generation fuel injectors, sensing, and energy harvesting devices. Understanding correlations between microstructure, electronic structure, and functional response is key to developing novel magnetostrictive materials for sensor and actuator technologies. To this end, in the first part of this thesis we report successful fabrication and investigation of magnetic and magnetostrictive properties of mechanically alloyed Fe81Ga19 compounds. For the first time, we could measure magnetostrictive properties of mechanically alloyed FeGa compounds. A maximum saturation magnetostriction of 41 ppm was achieved which is comparable to those measured from polycrystalline FeGa alloys prepared by other processing techniques, namely gas atomization and cold rolling. Overall, this study demonstrates the feasibility of large-scale production of FeGa polycrystalline alloys powders by a simple and cost-effective mechanical alloying technique. In the second part of this work, we report for the first time, experimental results pertaining to successful fabrication and advanced characterization of a series of Er/Gd-doped [110]-textured polycrystalline alloys of nominal composition, Fe83Ga17Erx (0 In the second part of this work, we report for the first time, experimental results pertaining to successful fabrication and advanced characterization of a series of Er/Gd-doped [110]-textured polycrystalline alloys of nominal composition, Fe83Ga 17Erx (0.

  6. New structure type in the mixed-valent compound YbCu4Ga8.

    PubMed

    Subbarao, Udumula; Gutmann, Matthias J; Peter, Sebastian C

    2013-02-18

    The new compound YbCu(4)Ga(8) was obtained as large single crystals in high yield from reactions run in liquid gallium. Preliminary investigations suggest that YbCu(4)Ga(8) crystallizes in the CeMn(4)Al(8) structure type, tetragonal space group I4/mmm, and lattice constants are a = b = 8.6529(4) Å and c = 5.3976(11) Å. However, a detailed single-crystal XRD revealed a tripling of the c axis and crystallizing in a new structure type with lattice constants of a = b = 8.6529(4) Å and c = 15.465(1) Å. The structural model was further confirmed by neutron diffraction measurements on high-quality single crystal. The crystal structure of YbCu(4)Ga(8) is composed of pseudo-Frank-Kasper cages occupying one ytterbium atom in each ring which are shared through the corner along the ab plane, resulting in a three-dimensional network. The magnetic susceptibility of YbCu(4)Ga(8) investigated in the temperature range 2-300 K showed Curie-Weiss law behavior above 100 K, and the experimentally measured magnetic moment indicates mixed-valent ytterbium. Electrical resistivity measurements show the metallic nature of the compound. At low temperatures, variation of ρ as a function of T indicates a possible Fermi-liquid state at low temperatures.

  7. First-principles study of Co- and Cu-doped Ni2MnGa along the tetragonal deformation path

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zelený, M.; Sozinov, A.; Straka, L.; Björkman, T.; Nieminen, R. M.

    2014-05-01

    The influence of Co and Cu doping on Ni-Mn-Ga Heusler alloy is investigated using the first-principles exact muffin-tin orbital method in combination with the coherent-potential approximation. Single-element doping and simultaneous doping by both elements are investigated in Ni50-xCoxMn25-yGa25-zCuy+z alloys, with dopant concentrations x ,y, and z up to 7.5 at. %. Doping with Co in the Ni sublattice decreases the (c/a)NM ratio of the nonmodulated (NM) martensite, but it simultaneously increases the cubic phase stability with respect to the NM phase. Doping with Cu in the Mn or in Ga sublattices does not change the (c/a)NM ratio significantly and it decreases the cubic phase stability. For simultaneous doping by Co in the Ni sublattice and Cu in the Mn or Ga sublattices, the effects of the individual dopants are independent and about the same as for the single-element doping. Thus, the (c/a)NM ratio can be adjusted by Co doping while the phase stability can be balanced by Cu doping, resulting in stable martensite with a reduced (c/a)NM. The local stability of the cubic phase with respect to the tetragonal deformation can be understood on the basis of a density-of-states analysis.

  8. Efficiency of several leaching reagents on removal of Cu, Pb, Cd, and Zn from highly contaminated paddy soil.

    PubMed

    Gao, Ruili; Zhu, Pengfei; Guo, Guangguang; Hu, Hongqing; Zhu, Jun; Fu, Qingling

    2016-11-01

    The efficiency of five different single leaching reagents (tartaric acid (TA), citric acid (CA), CaCl 2 , FeCl 3 , EDTA) and two different composite leaching reagents (CA + FeCl 3 , CA + EDTA) on removing Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cd from contaminated paddy soil in Hunan Province (in China) was studied. The results indicated that the efficiencies of CA, FeCl 3 , and EDTA on extracting Cu, Pb, Cd, and Zn from soil were greater than that of TA and CaCl 2 , and their extraction efficiencies were EDTA ≥ FeCl 3 > CA. The efficiencies of CA + FeCl 3 on extracting Cu, Pb, Cd, and Zn were higher than that of single CA or FeCl 3 . The 25 mmol L -1 CA + 20 mmol L -1 FeCl 3 was a promising composite leaching reagent for paddy soil, and it could remove Cu (57.6 %), Pb (59.3 %), Cd (84.8 %), and Zn (28.0 %), respectively. With the same amount of leaching reagent, the efficiency of continuous leaching by several times was higher than that by once. In addition, the easily reducible and oxidizable fractions of heavy metals showed significant decrease during the process of leaching.

  9. Observation of super high energy big family with large scale Fe emulsion chambers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1985-01-01

    In order to get higher efficiencies for detecting hadrons and to make technical improvements in the chamber structure, the Mt. Kambala Emulsion Chamber Collaboration constructed 57 sq. m. of Fe chamber, with thickness 29 c.u.(1c.u.=17.6 mm Fe), using 300 tons of Fe plates and made the first exposure from Sept., 1982 to May, 1984. The photosensitive layers consist of X-ray films of Sakura N type, Fuji No. 100 type and Tianjin III type, some of them contain also emulsion plates of Fuji ET7B type. They are inserted between the Fe plates at 2 c.u., beginning at 5 c.u. from the chamber top. In a number of blocks, 3 mm spacings are provided at every 2 c.u. of Fe plates to facilitate the replacement of photosensitive layers, without disassembling the chamber. On the bottom of the chamber Fe plates of thickness 9 mm are placed in order to shield the chamber from the radioactivities of the ground. An event, numbered K2 58 of visible energy sigma E sub gamma = 7345 TeV was found in this exposure. No obvious halo is seen in the event and all the showers are clearly separated and easy to measure. A brief report of the preliminary results is presented.

  10. Spin-filter spin valves with nano-oxide layers for high density recording heads

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Al-Jibouri, Abdul; Hoban, M.; Lu, Z.; Pan, G.

    2002-05-01

    A new spin-filter spin valve with nano-oxide specular layers with structure of Ta/NiFe/IrMn/CoFe/NOL1/CoFe/Cu/CoFetfl/CutCu/NOL2/Ta was deposited using a Nordiko 9606 physical vapor deposition system. The data clearly show that the magnetoresistive (MR) ratio has been significantly improved for spin valves with thinner free layers. The MR ratio remains larger than 12% even when the CoFe free layer is as thin as 1 nm. An optimized MR ratio of ˜15% was obtained when tfl was about 1.2 nm and tCu about 1.5 nm, and was a result of the balance between the increase in the electron mean free path difference and current shunting through the conducting layer. It is also found that the Cu enhancing layer can improve soft magnetic properties of the CoFe free layer due to the low atomic intermixing observed between Co and Cu. The CoFe free layer of 1-4 nm exhibited coercivity of ˜3 Oe after annealing in a static magnetic field. This kind of spin valve with a very thin soft CoFe free layer is particularly attractive for ultra high density read head applications.

  11. Relationship between open-circuit voltage in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cell and peak position of (220/204) preferred orientation near its absorber surface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chantana, J.; Watanabe, T.; Teraji, S.; Kawamura, K.; Minemoto, T.

    2013-11-01

    Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) absorbers with various Ga/III, Ga/(In+Ga), profiles are prepared by the so-called "multi-layer precursor method" using multi-layer co-evaporation of material sources. It is revealed that open-circuit voltage (VOC) of CIGS solar cell is primarily dependent on averaged Ga/III near the surface of its absorber. This averaged Ga/III is well predicted by peak position of (220/204) preferred orientation of CIGS film near its surface investigated by glancing-incidence X-ray diffraction with 0.1° incident angle. Finally, the peak position of (220/204) preferred orientation is proposed as a measure of VOC before solar cell fabrication.

  12. The role of bacterial consortium and organic amendment in Cu and Fe isotope fractionation in plants on a polluted mine site.

    PubMed

    Pérez Rodríguez, Nathalie; Langella, Francesca; Rodushkin, Ilia; Engström, Emma; Kothe, Erika; Alakangas, Lena; Öhlander, Björn

    2014-01-01

    Copper and iron isotope fractionation by plant uptake and translocation is a matter of current research. As a way to apply the use of Cu and Fe stable isotopes in the phytoremediation of contaminated sites, the effects of organic amendment and microbial addition in a mine-spoiled soil seeded with Helianthus annuus in pot experiments and field trials were studied. Results show that the addition of a microbial consortium of ten bacterial strains has an influence on Cu and Fe isotope fractionation by the uptake and translocation in pot experiments, with an increase in average of 0.99 ‰ for the δ(65)Cu values from soil to roots. In the field trial, the amendment with the addition of bacteria and mycorrhiza as single and double inoculation enriches the leaves in (65)Cu compared to the soil. As a result of the same trial, the δ(56)Fe values in the leaves are lower than those from the bulk soil, although some differences are seen according to the amendment used. Siderophores, possibly released by the bacterial consortium, can be responsible for this change in the Cu and Fe fractionation. The overall isotopic fractionation trend for Cu and Fe does not vary for pot and field experiments with or without bacteria. However, variations in specific metabolic pathways related to metal-organic complexation and weathering can modify particular isotopic signatures.

  13. Status of neurocognitive and oxidative stress conditions in iron-steel workers.

    PubMed

    Malekirad, Ali Akbar; Mirabdollahi, Mansuoreh; Pilehvarian, Ali Asghar; Nassajpour, Ali Reza; Abdollahi, Mohammad

    2015-07-01

    The aim of this study was to determine oxidative stress status as well as ferrous (Fe) and Copper (Cu) levels in blood, neurocognitive impairment, and clinical markers in iron-steel workers. A comparative cross-sectional analysis was performed in 50 iron-steel workers who have been in contact with Fe and Cu in comparison with a control group containing 50 healthy subjects in the same age group and sex. Blood levels of lipid peroxidation, total antioxidant capacity, Fe, and Cu along with neurocognitive impairment were measured in workers and controls. Clinical examination was accomplished to record any abnormal sign or symptoms. Comparing with controls, the workers showed higher blood levels of lipid peroxidation and Cu and also a lower total antioxidant capacity. There was a positive correlation between work history and interstitial lung disease that strengths the presumption to progress to chronic obstructive lung disease in future. The results indicate that exposure to a combination of Fe and Cu in iron-steel workers induces oxidative stress. Especially, in the present case, toxic effect of Cu has been more than positive effects of Fe, but the combined exposure resulted in no such critical toxicity. © The Author(s) 2013.

  14. Moessbauer spectra of ferrite catalysts used in oxidative dehydrogenation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cares, W. R.; Hightower, J. W.

    1971-01-01

    Room temperature Mossbauer spectroscopy was used to examine bulk changes which occur in low surface area CoFe2O4 and CuFe2O4 catalysts as a result of contact with various mixtures of trans-2-butene and O2 during oxidative dehydrogenation reactions at about 420 C. So long as there was at least some O2 in the gas phase, the CoFe2O4 spectrum was essentially unchanged. However, the spectrum changed from a random spinel in the oxidized state to an inverse spinel as it was reduced by oxide ion removal. The steady state catalyst lies very near the fully oxidized state. More dramatic solid state changes occurred as the CuFe2O4 underwent reduction. Under severe reduction, the ferrite was transformed into Cu and Fe3O4, but it could be reversibly recovered by oxidation. An intense doublet located near zero velocity persisted in all spectra of CuFe2O4 regardless of the state of reduction.

  15. Corrosion behavior in high-temperature pressurized water of Zircaloy-4 joints brazed with Zr-Cu-based amorphous filler alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Jung Gu; Lee, Gyoung-Ja; Park, Jin-Ju; Lee, Min-Ku

    2017-05-01

    The compositional effects of ternary Zr-Cu-X (X: Al, Fe) amorphous filler alloys on galvanic corrosion susceptibility in high-temperature pressurized water were investigated for Zircaloy-4 brazed joints. Through an Al-induced microgalvanic reaction that deteriorated the overall nobility of the joint, application of the Zr-Cu-Al filler alloy caused galvanic coupling to develop readily between the Al-bearing joint and the Al-free base metal, finally leading to massive localized corrosion of the joint. Contrastingly, joints prepared with a Zr-Cu-Fe filler alloy showed excellent corrosion resistance comparable to that of the Zircaloy-4 base metal, since the Cu and Fe elements forming fine intermetallic particles with Zr did not influence the electrochemical stability of the resultant joints. The present results demonstrate that Fe is a more suitable alloying element than Al for brazing filler alloys subjected to high-temperature corrosive environments.

  16. Assessment of Quantum Mechanical Methods for Copper and Iron Complexes by Photoelectron Spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Niu, Shuqiang; Huang, Dao-Ling; Dau, Phuong D; Liu, Hong-Tao; Wang, Lai-Sheng; Ichiye, Toshiko

    2014-03-11

    Broken-symmetry density functional theory (BS-DFT) calculations are assessed for redox energetics [Cu(SCH 3 ) 2 ] 1-/0 , [Cu(NCS) 2 ] 1-/0 , [FeCl 4 ] 1-/0 , and [Fe(SCH 3 ) 4 ] 1-/0 against vertical detachment energies (VDE) from valence photoelectron spectroscopy (PES), as a prelude to studies of metalloprotein analogs. The M06 and B3LYP hybrid functionals give VDE that agree with the PES VDE for the Fe complexes, but both underestimate it by ∼400 meV for the Cu complexes; other hybrid functionals give VDEs that are an increasing function of the amount of Hartree-Fock (HF) exchange and so cannot show good agreement for both Cu and Fe complexes. Range-separated (RS) functionals appear to give a better distribution of HF exchange since the negative HOMO energy is approximately equal to the VDEs but also give VDEs dependent on the amount of HF exchange, sometimes leading to ground states with incorrect electron configurations; the LRC- ω PBEh functional reduced to 10% HF exchange at short-range give somewhat better values for both, although still ∼150 meV too low for the Cu complexes and ∼50 meV too high for the Fe complexes. Overall, the results indicate that while HF exchange compensates for self-interaction error in DFT calculations of both Cu and Fe complexes, too much may lead to more sensitivity to nondynamical correlation in the spin-polarized Fe complexes.

  17. Assessment of Quantum Mechanical Methods for Copper and Iron Complexes by Photoelectron Spectroscopy

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Broken-symmetry density functional theory (BS-DFT) calculations are assessed for redox energetics [Cu(SCH3)2]1–/0, [Cu(NCS)2]1–/0, [FeCl4]1–/0, and [Fe(SCH3)4]1–/0 against vertical detachment energies (VDE) from valence photoelectron spectroscopy (PES), as a prelude to studies of metalloprotein analogs. The M06 and B3LYP hybrid functionals give VDE that agree with the PES VDE for the Fe complexes, but both underestimate it by ∼400 meV for the Cu complexes; other hybrid functionals give VDEs that are an increasing function of the amount of Hartree–Fock (HF) exchange and so cannot show good agreement for both Cu and Fe complexes. Range-separated (RS) functionals appear to give a better distribution of HF exchange since the negative HOMO energy is approximately equal to the VDEs but also give VDEs dependent on the amount of HF exchange, sometimes leading to ground states with incorrect electron configurations; the LRC-ωPBEh functional reduced to 10% HF exchange at short-range give somewhat better values for both, although still ∼150 meV too low for the Cu complexes and ∼50 meV too high for the Fe complexes. Overall, the results indicate that while HF exchange compensates for self-interaction error in DFT calculations of both Cu and Fe complexes, too much may lead to more sensitivity to nondynamical correlation in the spin-polarized Fe complexes. PMID:24803858

  18. An aqueous friendly chemosensor derived from vitamin B6 cofactor for colorimetric sensing of Cu2 + and fluorescent turn-off sensing of Fe3 +

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharma, Darshna; Kuba, Aman; Thomas, Rini; Kumar, Rajender; Choi, Heung-Jin; Sahoo, Suban K.

    2016-01-01

    Chemosensor L derived from vitamin B6 cofactor pyridoxal-5-phosphate was investigated for the selective detection of Cu2 + and Fe3 + in aqueous medium. Sensor L formed a 1:1 complex with Cu2 + and displays a perceptible color change from colorless to yellow brown with the appearance of a new charge transfer band at 450 nm. In contrast, the fluorescence of L was quenched selectively in the presence of Fe3 + without any interference from other metal ions including Cu2 +.

  19. First principles study of the ground state properties of Si, Ga, and Ge doped Fe50Al50

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pérez, Carlos Ariel Samudio; dos Santos, Antonio Vanderlei

    2018-06-01

    The first principles calculation of the structural, electronic and associated properties of the Fe50Al50 alloy (B2 phase) doped by s-p elements (Im = Si, Ga, and Ge) are performed as a function of the atomic concentration on the basis of the Full Potential Linear Augmented Plane Wave (FP-LAPW) method as implemented in the WIEN2k code. The Al substitution by Im (Si and Ge) atoms (principally at a concentration of 6.25 at%) induces a pronounced redistribution of the electronic charge leading to a strong Fe-Im interaction with covalent bonding character. At the same time, decrease the lattice volume (V) while increase the bulk modulus (B). For the alloys containing Ga, the Fe-Ga interaction is also observed but the V and B of the alloy are very near to that of pure Fe-Al alloy. The magnetic moment and hyperfine parameters observed at the lattice sites of studied alloys also show variations, they increase or decrease in relation to that in Fe50Al50 according to the Im that substitutes Al.

  20. Electric modulation of conduction in multiferroic Ni-doped GaFeO3 ceramics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghani, Awais; Yang, Sen; Rajput, S. S.; Ahmed, S.; Murtaza, Adil; Zhou, Chao; Yu, Zhonghai; Zhang, Yin; Song, Xiaoping; Ren, Xiaobing

    2018-06-01

    In this work, the effects of Ni substitution on the electrical leakage and multiferroic properties of GaFeO3 were examined. Structural analysis of grown ceramics using x-ray diffraction and Raman shows that all ceramics have pure phases with an orthorhombic structure and space group. Ni substitutions slightly modify lattice parameters and induce lattice distortion within the same crystalline structure. It is observed that with increasing Ni-content up to 0.10, the magnetic transition temperature () increases from 196 K to 407 K. Ni-doped samples showed better ferroelectric properties and a drastic reduction in leakage current (~three orders of magnitude) at room temperature. Enhanced characteristics behavior is observed for 10% Ni substitution (GaFe0.9Ni0.1O3) and higher substitution leads to deterioration of properties with a larger leakage current. It is proposed that the role of Ni substitution can reduce hopping between Fe+3 and Fe+2 as well as suppressing the oxygen vacancies. This work would open new possibilities for integrating polycrystalline GaFeO3 at room temperature for magnetoelectric applications.

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