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At least 559 records · Page 31

Drainage enhances modern soil carbon contribution but reduces old soil carbon contribution to ecosystem respiration in tundra ecosystems

Abstract Warming temperatures are likely to accelerate permafrost thaw in the Arctic, potentially leading to the release of old carbon previously stored in deep frozen soil layers. Deeper thaw depths in combination with geomorphological changes due to the loss of ice structures in permafrost, may modify soil water distribution, creating wetter or drier soil conditions. Previous studies revealed higher ecosystem respiration rates under drier conditions, and this study investigated the cause of the increased ecosystem respiration rates using radiocarbon signatures of respired CO 2 from two drying manipulation experiments: one in moist and the other in wet tundra. We demonstrate that higher contributions of CO 2 from shallow soil layers (0–15 cm; modern soil carbon) drive the increased ecosystem respiration rates, while contributions from deeper soil (below 15 cm from surface and down to the permafrost table; old soil carbon) decreased. These changes can be attributed to more aerobic conditions in shallow soil layers, but also the soil temperature increases in shallow layers but decreases in deep layers, due to the altered thermal properties of organic soils. Decreased abundance of aerenchymatous plant species following drainage in wet tundra reduced old carbon release but increased aboveground plant biomass elevated contributions of autotrophic respiration to ecosystem respiration. The results of this study suggest that drier soils following drainage may accelerate decomposition of modern soil carbon in shallow layers but slow down decomposition of old soil carbon in deep layers, which may offset some of the old soil carbon loss from thawing permafrost.

Kwon, Min Jung↗

Proteogenomic characterization of difficult-to-treat breast cancer with tumor cells enriched through laser microdissection

Abstract Background Breast cancer (BC) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death among women globally. Despite advances, there is considerable variation in clinical outcomes for patients with non-luminal A tumors, classified as difficult-to-treat breast cancers (DTBC). This study aims to delineate the proteogenomic landscape of DTBC tumors compared to luminal A (LumA) tumors. Methods We retrospectively collected a total of 117 untreated primary breast tumor specimens, focusing on DTBC subtypes. Breast tumors were processed by laser microdissection (LMD) to enrich tumor cells. DNA, RNA, and protein were simultaneously extracted from each tumor preparation, followed by whole genome sequencing, paired-end RNA sequencing, global proteomics and phosphoproteomics. Differential feature analysis, pathway analysis and survival analysis were performed to better understand DTBC and investigate biomarkers. Results We observed distinct variations in gene mutations, structural variations, and chromosomal alterations between DTBC and LumA breast tumors. DTBC tumors predominantly had more mutations inTP53,PLXNB3, Zinc finger genes, and fewer mutations inSDC2,CDH1,PIK3CA,SVIL, andPTEN. Notably, Cytoband 1q21, which contains numerous cell proliferation-related genes, was significantly amplified in the DTBC tumors. LMD successfully minimized stromal components and increased RNA–protein concordance, as evidenced by stromal score comparisons and proteomic analysis. Distinct DTBC and LumA-enriched clusters were observed by proteomic and phosphoproteomic clustering analysis, some with survival differences. Phosphoproteomics identified two distinct phosphoproteomic profiles for high relapse-risk and low relapse-risk basal-like tumors, involving several genes known to be associated with breast cancer oncogenesis and progression, includingKIAA1522,DCK,FOXO3,MYO9B,ARID1A,EPRS,ZC3HAV1, andRBM14. Lastly, an integrated pathway analysis of multi-omics data highlighted a robust enrichment of proliferation pathways in DTBC tumors. Conclusions This study provides an integrated proteogenomic characterization of DTBC vs LumA with tumor cells enriched through laser microdissection. We identified many common features of DTBC tumors and the phosphopeptides that could serve as potential biomarkers for high/low relapse-risk basal-like BC and possibly guide treatment selections.

Oncology↗

Triangular cross-section beam splitters in silicon carbide for quantum information processing

Abstract Triangular cross-section color center photonics in silicon carbide is a leading candidate for scalable implementation of quantum hardware. Within this geometry, we model low-loss beam splitters for applications in key quantum optical operations such as entanglement and single-photon interferometry. We consider triangular cross-section single-mode waveguides for the design of a directional coupler. We optimize parameters for a 50:50 beam splitter. Finally, we test the experimental feasibility of the designs by fabricating triangular waveguides in an ion beam etching process and identify suitable designs for short-term implementation.

42 ENGINEERING↗

A simple route for making surfactant free lead sulfide (PbS) quantum dots

Highlights: • Surfactant free PbS NCs were successfully synthesised using CoSP technique. • The technique eliminates the requirements of washing to remove the ligands. • Grinding using mortar and pestle creates well separated PbS QDs. • Surfactant free PbS NCs are stable and do not show any degradation with time. - Abstract: An efficient, cost effective and less time consuming method suitable for mass production of surfactant free quantum dots (QDs) of lead sulfide (PbS) is reported. PbS nanocrystals (NCs) are first synthesised by continuous spray pyrolysis (CoSP) technique and de-agglomeration into PbS quantum dots (QDs) is achieved by vigorous mechanical grinding using mortar and pestle. Lead acetate and thiourea were used as the precursor materials for preparation of surfactant free PbS NCs. The broadening in XRD peaks of ground NCs as compared to as synthesized PbS NCs clearly indicated the reduction in particle size to be QDs of PbS. The TEM images also showed that ground PbS NCs were nearly spherical in shape having an average diameter in the range of 4–6 nm. The shift in optical gap from 0.41 eV to 1.47 eV supported the QD formation.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Influence of Yb{sub 2}O{sub 3} on electrical and microstructural characteristics of CaCu{sub 3}Ti{sub 4}O{sub 12} ceramics

Graphical abstract: Some Yb atoms entered in the lattice of CCTO substituted the Ca sites, the rest of Yb atoms concentrated at grain boundaries decreased the grain size. The dielectric constant was decreased by Yb doping. The dielectric loss of the CCTO could be greatly reduced at low frequency. - Highlights: • Yb atoms may take the place of Ca sites and concentrate at grain boundaries. • Tiny second phase corresponding to Yb may decrease the grain size. • Decrease of the grain size leads to the decrease of dielectric constant. • Yb doping could decrease the dielectric loss of CCTO. - Abstract: This paper focuses on the remarkable effects of Yb{sub 2}O{sub 3} doping on the microstructure and dielectric characteristics of CaCu{sub 3}Ti{sub 4}O{sub 12} (CCTO). Samples were prepared by the solid phase reaction method and sintered in air at 1030 °C for 12 h. X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies confirm that the primary phase is CCTO. Some Yb{sup 3+} ions may substitute into the Ca site at the center or zenith sites of the CCTO lattice hexahedron, while the rest of the Yb atoms may concentrate at grain boundaries. The grain size of Yb{sub 2}O{sub 3}-doped CCTO ceramics were examined by scanning electron microscopy and demonstrate sharp grain size reduction with Yb{sub 2}O{sub 3} doping. From dielectric property measurements, the Yb{sub 2}O{sub 3} doping reduces the dielectric constant of CCTO, and the dielectric loss is also reduced.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Thermoelectric performance of nanostructured p-type Zr₀.₅Hf₀.₅Co₀.₄Rh₀.₆Sb 1–x Sn x half-Heusler alloys

Several compositions of the p-type half-Heusler alloys Zr₀.₅Hf₀.₅Co₀.₄Rh₀.₆Sb 1–x Sn x (0≤x≤0.4) were synthesized by mechanically alloying high purity elemental powders using hardened steel jars and balls on a high energy shaker mill. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) investigations of several aliquots taken after regularly spaced milling time suggested that single phase products with half-Heusler (HH) structure can be obtained after 10 h. However, XRD and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies of several specimens obtained from compacted polycrystalline powders of Z₀.₅Hf₀.₅Co₀.₄Rh₀.₆Sb 1–x Sn x alloys using a uniaxial hot press (HP) revealed the presence of CoSb inclusions with various sizes embedded inside the HH matrix. Hall effect, electrical conductivity, and thermopower data collected between 300 K and 775 K on several compositions suggested that electronic transport in the synthesized Zr₀.₅Hf₀.₅Co₀.₄Rh₀.₆Sb 1–x Sn x /CoSb composites strongly depends on the average size and/or mole fraction of the embedded CoSb inclusions rather than the fraction (x) of Sn substituting for Sb. Among the samples investigated, the nanocomposite with x=0.2, which contains nanometer-scale CoSb inclusions, showed the largest power factor (800 μW/K² m at 775 K) and the lowest lattice thermal conductivity (~2.2 W/m K at 775 K) leading to a six-fold enhancement in the figure of merit when compared to the Zr₀.₅Hf₀.₅Co₀.₄Rh₀.₆Sb₀.₉₉Sn₀.₀₁ bulk matrix. - Graphical abstract: CoSb nanoinclusions embedded into a p-type Zr₀.₅Hf₀.₅Co₀.₄Rh₀.₆Sb 1–x Sn x half-Heusler matrix simultaneously boost the thermopower and carrier mobility leading to a drastic enhancement of the power factor of the resulting bulk nanostructured materials. Highlights: • The phase composition of half-Heusler (HH) alloy is very sensitive to the synthesis method. • Mechanical alloying (MA) of elements results in bulk HH matrix with CoSb inclusions. • CoSb nanoinclusions simultaneously boost the thermopower and carrier mobility with the HH matrix. • The MA process reduces lattice thermal conductivity due to high density of grain boundaries.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Evolution of carbide precipitates in Hastelloy N joints during welding and post weld heat treatment

Highlights: • The formation and spheroidization of the eutectic-like carbides are found in the Hastelloy N alloy during welding and PWHT. • All precipitates in the joints before and after the PWHT are identified as a M{sub 6}C type carbide with different morphology. • The diffusion of main element of Mo leads to the decrease of lattice parameter of the carbide during the welding and PWHT. - Abstract: The effects of welding and post weld heat treatment (PWHT) on the morphology, composition and lattice parameter of the precipitates in the welding joints of Hastelloy N alloy have been investigated. Joint samples were prepared using a gas tungsten arc welding process with ERNiMo-2 fillers, and then solid-solution treated at 1100 °C for 20 min. After welding, eutectic M{sub 6}C carbides can be observed in the heat affected zones (HAZ) and weld zones (WZ). These eutectic M{sub 6}C carbides become spheroidized during the following PWHT. The concentration of Si decreases during the transformation from the primary ones to eutectic ones, and then increases during the spheroidizing process. The total concentration of Si + Cr in M{sub 6}C carbides remains stable during welding and PWHT. At the same time, the heat leads to the outward diffusion of Mo from the M{sub 6}C carbides, which results in a decrease of the lattice parameter.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Indirect synthesis of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}via radiation- or photochemical formation of its hydrated precursors

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} precursors were produced by UV/e-beam irradiation of aqueous solutions. • Depending on the aluminium salt (Cl{sup −} or NO{sub 3}{sup −}), either γ-AlOOH or Al(OH){sub 3} is formed. • The mechanism involved strongly depends on the presence of formate anion. • Prepared mesoporous solid phase has high specific surface area (<190 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}). • Calcination of the precursor leads to the formation of γ-/η-, θ- and α-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}. - Abstract: γ-, θ- and α-modifications of aluminium oxide (alumina) were successfully prepared by calcination of precursor solid phase obtained by irradiation of clear aqueous solutions by UV light or electron beam. For the precipitate to form, formate anion must be present in the solution in sufficient concentration. According to X-ray diffraction, the precipitate was found to consist of γ-AlOOH or a mixture of γ- and α-Al(OH){sub 3}, when aluminium chloride or aluminium nitrate was used, respectively. The addition of hydrogen peroxide as a ·OH radical source and sensitizer markedly improved the efficiency of the preparation. Some hints for the apparently very complex mechanism involved were listed and discussed. Calcination of the dried precipitate at 500–800 °C produced highly porous γ-alumina with high specific surface area (ca. 150 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}). Mixture of γ- and θ-transition aluminas was obtained at 1000 °C and pure, stable corundum α-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} formed at 1200 °C. Samples were further investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy and specific surface area or porosity measurement. According to N{sub 2} adsorption isotherm, the precipitate contains mostly mesopores with average pore size 7 nm with specific surface area of ca. 100 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}. Possible applications of the material as sorbent or catalyst as well as a pure matrix for thermoluminescence dosimetry were briefly contemplated. Strong light-induced thermoluminescence was observed in both γ- and α-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} samples at 300–400 °C, whereas in the absence of light, only an inexpressive glow peak at 179 °C was observed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Deposition Mitigation in Flowing Systems Using Coatings

Abstract In pipelines, solid compounds including gas hydrates and asphaltenes may form/precipitate and accumulate on the pipe surface, leading to a gradual stenosis of the flowline. As a result, production may become increasingly difficult or possibly interrupted if mitigation efforts are not enacted. Typically, injected chemicals will either inhibit nucleation or dissolve already-formed deposits to restore original flow conditions back to the system; however, this can be a costly option. More recently, management strategies have been proposed where solids are handled in a controlled fashion rather than completely avoided. One such proposed management strategy as suggested for wall deposit formation is the use of coatings. Here, coatings can provide a low surface energy layer on the pipe wall, which restricts liquid and solid accumulation, allowing for a stable slurry flow through a system. This study utilized two material formulations within several experimental setups to probe their interactions with water, gas hydrate, asphaltene, and crude oil. The results serve as part of an ongoing investigation into a surface treatment formulation that can be tested on larger-scale, fully flowing systems, which could be ultimately implemented into real-world production scenarios. The first surface treatment is a water-based polymeric surface that displays repellency to both oil and water phases (omniphobic). Testing of this material consisted of water contact angle measurements and static asphaltene/crude oil deposition quantification at atmospheric conditions, as well as visual confirmation of hydrate deposition prevention at high pressures. Additionally, an experimental superomniphobic surface treatment, which displays elevated resiliency to both water and hydrocarbons, was also examined within the asphaltene/crude oil test as a comparison to the omniphobic surface treatment. Static contact angle results showed that the omniphobic surface treatment had reduced surface interaction with water droplets in air, increasing the low contact angles of corroded surfaces (0-31°) to slightly hydrophobic conditions of 91.5°. Additionally, rocking cells tests indicated that these omniphobic surface treatments may prevent gas hydrate deposition under high-pressure, semi-flowing conditions. Multiple tests found that formed hydrate agglomerants did not deposit for at least 48 and 72 hours. Finally, static deposition tests conducted in crude oil with forced asphaltene precipitation suggested that the omniphobic surface treatment displayed a resistance to both asphaltenes and crude oil when compared to untreated and superomniphobic surfaces.

03 NATURAL GAS↗

Induced phase transformation in ionizable colloidal nanoparticles

Abstract Acid–base equilibria directly influence the functionality and behavior of particles in a system. Due to the ionizing effects of acid–base functional groups, particles will undergo charge exchange. The degree of ionization and their intermolecular and electrostatic interactions are controlled by varying the pH and salt concentration of the solution in a system. Although the pH can be tuned in experiments, it is hard to model this effect using simulations or theoretical approaches. This is due to the difficulty in treating charge regulation and capturing the cooperative effects in a colloidal suspension with Coulombic interaction. In this work, we analyze a suspension of ionizable colloidal particles via molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, along with Monte Carlo simulations for charge regulation (MC-CR) and derive a phase diagram of the system as a function of pH. It is observed that as pH increases, particles functionalized with acid groups change their arrangement from face-centered cubic (FCC) packing to a disordered state. We attribute these transitions to an increase in the degree of charge polydispersity arising from an increase in pH. Our work shows that charge regulation leads to amorphous solids in colloids when the mean nanoparticle charge is sufficiently high. Graphical abstract

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Reactivity of the Indenyl Radical (C 9 H 7 ) with Acetylene (C 2 H 2 ) and Vinylacetylene (C 4 H 4 )

The reactions of the indenyl radicals with acetylene (C 2 H 2 ) and vinylacetylene (C 4 H 4 ) is studied in a hot chemical reactor coupled to synchrotron based vacuum ultraviolet ionization mass spectrometry. These experimental results are combined with theory to reveal that the resonantly stabilized and thermodynamically most stable 1-indenyl radical (C 9 H 7 $^\bullet$) is always formed in the pyrolysis of 1-, 2-, 6-, and 7-bromoindenes at 1500 K. The 1-indenyl radical reacts with acetylene yielding 1-ethynylindene plus atomic hydrogen, rather than adding a second acetylene molecule and leading to ring closure and formation of fluorene as observed in other reaction mechanisms such as the hydrogen abstraction acetylene addition or hydrogen abstraction vinylacetylene addition pathways. While this reaction mechanism is analogous to the bimolecular reaction between the phenyl radical (C 6 H 5 $^\bullet$) and acetylene forming phenylacetylene (C 6 H 5 CCH), the 1-indenyl+acetylene→1-ethynylindene+hydrogen reaction is highly endoergic (114 kJ mol -1 ) and slow, contrary to the exoergic (-38 kJ mol -1 ) and faster phenyl+acetylene→phenylacetylene+hydrogen reaction. In a similar manner, no ring closure leading to fluorene formation was observed in the reaction of 1-indenyl radical with vinylacetylene. Finally, these experimental results are explained through rate constant calculations based on theoretically derived potential energy surfaces.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

Random Polymerization Strategy Leads to a Family of Donor Polymers Enabling Well‐Controlled Morphology and Multiple Cases of High‐Performance Organic Solar Cells

Abstract Developing high‐performance donor polymers is important for nonfullerene organic solar cells (NF‐OSCs), as state‐of‐the‐art nonfullerene acceptors can only perform well if they are coupled with a matching donor with suitable energy levels. However, there are very limited choices of donor polymers for NF‐OSCs, and the most commonly used ones are polymers named PM6 and PM7, which suffer from several problems. First, the performance of these polymers (particularly PM7) relies on precise control of their molecular weights. Also, their optimal morphology is extremely sensitive to any structural modification. In this work, a family of donor polymers is developed based on a random polymerization strategy. These polymers can achieve well‐controlled morphology and high‐performance with a variety of chemical structures and molecular weights. The polymer donors are D–A1–D–A2‐type random copolymers in which the D and A1 units are monomers originating from PM6 or PM7, while the A2 unit comprises an electron‐deficient core flanked by two thiophene rings with branched alkyl chains. Consequently, multiple cases of highly efficient NF‐OSCs are achieved with efficiencies between 16.0% and 17.1%. As the electron‐deficient cores can be changed to many other structural units, the strategy can easily expand the choices of high‐performance donor polymers for NF‐OSCs.

Liang, Jiaen↗

Voltage‐Modulated Untwist Deformations and Multispectral Optical Effects from Ion Intercalation into Chiral Ceramic Nanoparticles

Abstract Reconfiguration of chiral ceramic nanostructures after ion intercalation should favor specific nanoscale twists leading to strong chiroptical effects. In this work, V 2 O 3 nanoparticles are shown to have “built‐in” chiral distortions caused by binding of tartaric acid enantiomers to the nanoparticle surface. As evidenced by spectroscopy/microscopy techniques and calculations of nanoscale chirality measures, the intercalation of Zn 2+ ions into the V 2 O 3 lattice results in particle expansion, untwist deformations, and chirality reduction. Coherent deformations in the particle ensemble manifest as changes in sign and positions of circular polarization bands at ultraviolet, visible, mid‐infrared (IR), near‐IR (NIR), and IR wavelengths. The g‐ factors observed for IR and NIR spectral diapasons are ≈100–400 times higher than those for previously reported dielectric, semiconductor, and plasmonic nanoparticles. Nanocomposite films layer‐by‐layer assembled (LBL) from V 2 O 3 nanoparticles reveal cyclic‐voltage‐driven modulation of optical activity. Device prototypes for IR and NIR range problematic for liquid crystals and other organic materials are demonstrated. High optical activity, synthetic simplicity, sustainable processability, and environmental robustness of the chiral LBL nanocomposites provide a versatile platform for photonic devices. Similar reconfigurations of particle shapes are expected for multiple chiral ceramic nanostructures, leading to unique optical, electrical, and magnetic properties.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Non‐Linear Kinetics of The Lithium Metal Anode on Li 6 PS 5 Cl at High Current Density: Dendrite Growth and the Role of Lithium Microstructure on Creep

Abstract Interfacial instability, viz., pore formation in the lithium metal anode (LMA) during discharge leading to high impedance, current focusing induced solid–electrolyte (SE) fracture during charging, and formation/behaviour of the solid–electrolyte interphase (SEI), at the anode, is one of the major hurdles in the development of solid‐state batteries (SSBs). Also, understanding cell polarization behaviour at high current density is critical to achieving the goal of fast‐charging battery and electric vehicle. Herein, via in situ electrochemical scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements, performed with freshly deposited lithium microelectrodes on transgranularly fractured fresh Li6PS5Cl (LPSCl), the LiǀLPSCl interface kinetics are investigated beyond the linear regime. Even at relatively small overvoltages of a few mV, the LiǀLPSCl interface shows non‐linear kinetics. The interface kinetics possibly involve multiple rate‐limiting processes, i.e., ion transport across the SEI and SE|SEI interfaces, as well as charge transfer across the LiǀSEI interface. The total polarization resistance R P of the microelectrode interface is determined to be ≈ 0.8 Ω cm 2 . It is further shown that the nanocrystalline lithium microstructure can lead to a stable LiǀSE interface via Coble creep along with uniform stripping. Also, spatially resolved lithium deposition, i.e., at grain surface flaws, grain boundaries, and flaw‐free surfaces, indicates exceptionally high mechanical endurance of flaw‐free surfaces toward cathodic load (>150 mA cm −2 ). This highlights the prominent role of surface defects in dendrite growth.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Sertad1 encodes a novel transcriptional co-activator of SMAD1 in mouse embryonic hearts

Highlights: •SERTAD1 interacts with SMAD1. •Sertad1 is expressed in mouse embryonic hearts. •SERTAD1 is localized in both cytoplasm and nucleus of cardiomyocytes. •SERTAD1 enhances expression of BMP target cardiogenic genes as a SMAD1 co-activator. -- Abstract: Despite considerable advances in surgical repairing procedures, congenital heart diseases (CHDs) remain the leading noninfectious cause of infant morbidity and mortality. Understanding the molecular/genetic mechanisms underlying normal cardiogenesis will provide essential information for the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies against CHDs. BMP signaling plays complex roles in multiple cardiogenic processes in mammals. SMAD1 is a canonical nuclear mediator of BMP signaling, the activity of which is critically regulated through its interaction partners. We screened a mouse embryonic heart yeast two-hybrid library using Smad1 as bait and identified SERTAD1 as a novel interaction partner of SMAD1. SERTAD1 contains multiple potential functional domains, including two partially overlapping transactivation domains at the C terminus. The SERTAD1-SMAD1 interaction in vitro and in mammalian cells was further confirmed through biochemical assays. The expression of Sertad1 in developing hearts was demonstrated using RT-PCR, western blotting and in situ hybridization analyses. We also showed that SERTAD1 was localized in both the cytoplasm and nucleus of immortalized cardiomyocytes and primary embryonic cardiomyocyte cultures. The overexpression of SERTAD1 in cardiomyocytes not only enhanced the activity of two BMP reporters in a dose-dependent manner but also increased the expression of several known BMP/SMAD regulatory targets. Therefore, these data suggest that SERTAD1 acts as a SMAD1 transcriptional co-activator to promote the expression of BMP target genes during mouse cardiogenesis.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Effects of competing magnetic interactions on the electronic transport properties of CuCrSe{sub 2}

We have synthesized single-phase samples of the CuCrSe{sub 2} phase that exhibits hexagonal-rhombohedral layered crystal structure with space group R3m. Here we present a detailed study of electronic transport and magnetic properties of CuCrSe{sub 2}. We moreover investigate the heat capacity of CuCrSe{sub 2} in comparison to that of CuCrS{sub 2}. The electrical resistivity of CuCrSe{sub 2} shows metallic-like behavior down to 2 K, while the thermoelectric power is large around 100 {mu}V K{sup -1} at 300 K. A weak anomaly in resistivity and a rounded maximum in magnetic susceptibility are observed around 55 K. No sharp transition at 55 K is observed in the heat capacity of CuCrSe{sub 2}, rather a visible maximum is seen. At low temperatures from 2 to 14 K, the magnetic heat capacity follows T{sup 2}-dependence. We tentatively believe this behavior of CuCrSe{sub 2} to be due to competing magnetic interactions between intralayer Cr atoms. The ferromagnetic Cr-Se-Cr indirect exchange among intralayer Cr atoms is enhanced in the selenide compound (that is more metallic than the sulfide compound), and competes with the antiferromagnetic Cr-Cr direct interactions. The interlayer antiferromagnetic exchange through Cu atoms leads to magnetic ordering at low temperature at T{sub N}=55 K. - Graphical abstract: Comparison of magnetic properties of CuCrSe{sub 2} and CuCrS{sub 2} indicates a sharp cusp-like anomaly in magnetic susceptibility at the antiferromagnetic transition of CuCrS{sub 2} while the maximum of CuCrSe{sub 2} is well rounded. Magnetization is reversible after field-cooling (FC) and zero-field-cooling (ZFC) for both compounds. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Layered CuCrSe{sub 2} can be synthesized in both fully and partially cation-ordered forms. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Contrary to previously believed insulating nature the cation-ordered phase is metallic. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Magnetic property of CuCrSe{sub 2} is somewhat different from that of CuCrS{sub 2}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Magnetization and heat capacity data suggest complex short-range ordering for CuCrSe{sub 2}.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗