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At least 631 records · Page 35
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2015

Monolithically integrated mid-infrared sensor using narrow mode operation and temperature feedback

A method to improve the sensitivity and selectivity of a monolithically integrated mid-infrared sensor using a distributed feedback laser (DFB) is presented in this paper. The sensor is based on a quantum cascade laser/detector system built from the same epitaxial structure and with the same fabrication approach. The devices are connected via a dielectric-loaded surface plasmon polariton waveguide with a twofold function: it provides high light coupling efficiency and a strong interaction of the light with the environment (e.g., a surrounding fluid). The weakly coupled DFB quantum cascade laser emits narrow mode light with a FWHM of 2 cm{sup −1} at 1586 cm{sup −1}. The room temperature laser threshold current density is 3 kA∕cm{sup 2} and a pulsed output power of around 200 mW was measured. With the superior laser noise performance, due to narrow mode emission and the compensation of thermal fluctuations, the lower limit of detection was expanded by one order of magnitude to the 10 ppm range.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2012

High mobility group box-1 is phosphorylated by protein kinase C zeta and secreted in colon cancer cells

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Specific enzyme for HMGB1 phosphorylation and its secretion is proposed. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Inhibition of PKC-{zeta} leads to significant reduction of the secreted HMGB1. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Phosphorylation of specific site of HMGB1 redirects its secretion in cancer cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Activation of PKC-{zeta} in cancers explains the enhanced HMGB1 secretion. -- Abstract: High mobility group box-1 (HMGB1), a nuclear protein, is overexpressed and secreted in cancer cells. Phosphorylation on two different nuclear localization signal regions are known to be important for the nuclear-to-cytoplasmic transport and secretion of HMGB1. However, little is known about the biochemical mechanism of HMGB1 modifications and its subsequent secretion from cancer cells. To identify the specific enzyme and important sites for HMGB1 phosphorylation, we screened the protein kinase C (PKC) family in a colon cancer cell line (HCT116) for HMGB1 binding by pull-down experiments using a 3XFLAG-HMGB1 construct. Strong interactions between atypical PKCs (PKC-{zeta}, {lambda}, and {iota}) and cytoplasmic HMGB1 were observed in HCT116 cells. We further identified the most critical PKC isotype that regulates HMGB1 secretion is PKC-{zeta} by using PKC inhibitors and siRNA experiments. The serine residues at S39, S53 and S181 of HMGB1 were related to enhancing HMGB1 secretion. We also demonstrated overexpression and activation of PKC-{zeta} in colon cancer tissues. Our findings suggest that PKC-{zeta} is involved in the phosphorylation of HMGB1, and the phosphorylation of specific serine residues in the nuclear localization signal regions is related to enhanced HMGB1 secretion in colon cancer cells.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Electrochemical recovery of Nd using liquid metals (Bi and Sn) in LiCl-KCl-NdCl 3

Highly efficient recovery of Nd into liquid metals of Bi and Sn was achieved in molten LiCl-KCl-NdCl 3 electrolyte at 773–973 K by leveraging the strong interactions of Nd with liquid metals. Based on the emf measurements of Nd-Sn and Nd-Bi alloys, the activity values of Nd were determined as low as 1.1–5.8×10 –13 in both liquid metals at 973 K while the solubility of Nd was found to be 1.46 mol% in Sn and 5.65 mol% in Bi. Both liquid metals demonstrated high round-trip coulombic efficiencies (>99.3%) during deposition-removal cycles of 10–50 mA cm –2 and high recovery capacity up to approximately 20 mol% Nd beyond the solubility limit. In addition, a high Nd recovery yield (84–90%) with respect to the applied charge was confirmed based on chemical analysis of electrolysis products in Bi after constant current electrolysis (–50 mA cm –2 ) at 873–973 K. Overpotentials during the Nd deposition process were attributed to charge-transfer and mass-transport resistances based on the current-potential curve and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The charge-transfer kinetics of Nd deposition into liquid metals was facile with high exchange current densities at ~220 mA cm –2 . Finally, the exceptionally high recovery efficiency for Nd in the molten chloride is thought to result from strong chemical interactions (i.e., low activity) of Nd in liquid metals that encourage one-step reduction, i.e., Nd 3+ + 3e → Nd(in Bi or Sn) by effectively suppressing side reaction pathways from multivalent states (Nd 2+ and Nd 3+ ).

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2014

Lithium-decorated oxidized graphyne for hydrogen storage by first principles study

The geometric stability and hydrogen storage capacity of Li decorated oxidized γ-graphyne are studied based on the first-principles calculations. It is found that oxygen atoms trend to bond with acetylenic carbons and form C=O double bonds on both sides of graphyne. The binding energy of single Li atom on oxidized graphyne is 3.29 eV, owning to the strong interaction between Li atom and O atom. Meanwhile, the dispersion of Li is stable even under a relatively high density. One attached Li atom can at least adsorb six hydrogen molecules around. Benefitting from the porous structure of graphyne and the high attached Li density, a maximum hydrogen storage density 12.03 wt. % is achieved with four Li atoms in graphyne cell. The corresponding average binding energy is 0.24 eV/H{sub 2}, which is suitable for reversible storage. These results indicate that Li decorated graphyne can serve as a promising hydrogen storage material.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2013

SUPERLUMINOUS X-RAYS FROM A SUPERLUMINOUS SUPERNOVA

The discovery of a population of superluminous supernovae (SLSNe), with peak luminosities a factor of {approx}100 brighter than normal supernovae (SNe; typically SLSNe have M{sub V} < -21), has shown an unexpected diversity in core-collapse SN properties. Numerous models have been postulated for the nature of these events, including a strong interaction of the shockwave with a dense circumstellar environment, a re-energizing of the outflow via a central engine, or an origin in the catastrophic destruction of the star following a loss of pressure due to pair production in an extremely massive stellar core (so-called pair instability SNe). Here we consider constraints that can be placed on the explosion mechanism of hydrogen-poor SLSNe (SLSNe-I) via X-ray observations, with XMM-Newton, Chandra, and Swift, and show that at least one SLSN-I is likely the brightest X-ray SN ever observed, with L{sub X} {approx} 10{sup 45} erg s{sup -1}, {approx}150 days after its initial discovery. This is a luminosity three orders of magnitude higher than seen in other X-ray SNe powered via circumstellar interactions. Such high X-ray luminosities are sufficient to ionize the ejecta and markedly reduce the optical depth, making it possible to see deep into the ejecta and any source of emission that resides there. Alternatively, an engine could have powered a moderately relativistic jet external to the ejecta, similar to those seen in gamma-ray bursts. If the detection of X-rays does require an engine it implies that these SNe do create compact objects, and that the stars are not completely destroyed in a pair instability event. Future observations will determine which, if any, of these mechanisms are at play in SLSNe.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Experimental Determination of the QCD Effective Charge α g1 ( Q )

The QCD effective charge α g1 (Q) is an observable that characterizes the magnitude of the strong interaction. At high momentum Q, it coincides with the QCD running coupling α s (Q). At low Q, it offers a nonperturbative definition of the running coupling. We have extracted α g1 (Q) from measurements carried out at Jefferson Lab that span the very low to moderately high Q domain, 0.14 ≤ Q ≤ 2.18 GeV. The precision of the new results is much improved over the previous extractions and the reach in Q at the lower end is significantly expanded. The data show that α g1 (Q) becomes Q-independent at very low Q. They compare well with two recent predictions of the QCD effective charge based on Dyson–Schwinger equations and on the AdS/CFT duality.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2013

A new exotic state in an old material: a tale of SmB{sub 6}

We review current theoretical and experimental efforts to identify a novel class of intermetallic 4f and 5f orbital materials in which strong interactions between itinerant and predominately localized degrees of freedom give rise to a bulk insulating state at low temperatures, while the surface remains metallic. This effect arises due to inversion of even-parity conduction bands and odd-parity very narrow f-electron bands. The number of band inversions is mainly determined by the crystal symmetry of a material and the corresponding degeneracy of the hybridized f-electron bands. For an odd number of band inversions, the metallic surface states are chiral and therefore remain robust against disorder and time-reversal invariant perturbations. We discuss a number of unresolved theoretical issues specific to topological Kondo insulators and outline experimental challenges in probing the chiral surface states in these materials.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2014

Statistical approach to nuclear level density

We discuss the level density in a finite many-body system with strong interaction between the constituents. Our primary object of applications is the atomic nucleus but the same techniques can be applied to other mesoscopic systems. We calculate and compare nuclear level densities for given quantum numbers obtained by different methods, such as nuclear shell model (the most successful microscopic approach), our main instrument - moments method (statistical approach), and Fermi-gas model; the calculation with the moments method can use any shell-model Hamiltonian excluding the spurious states of the center-of-mass motion. Our goal is to investigate statistical properties of nuclear level density, define its phenomenological parameters, and offer an affordable and reliable way of calculation.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Polarization Losses under Accelerated Stress Test Using Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Supported Pt Catalyst in PEM Fuel Cells

The electrochemical behavior for Pt catalysts supported on multiwalled carbon nanotubes and Vulcan XC-72 in proton exchange membrane fuel cells under accelerated stress test was examined by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and polarization technique. Pt catalyst supported on multiwalled carbon nanotubes exhibited highly stable electrochemical surface area, oxygen reduction kinetics, and fuel cell performance at a highly oxidizing condition, indicating multiwalled carbon nanotubes show high corrosion resistance and strong interaction with Pt nanoparticles. The Tafel slope, ohmic resistances, and limiting current density determined were used to differentiate kinetic, ohmic, mass-transfer polarization losses from the actual polarization curve. Kinetic contribution to the total overpotential was larger throughout the stress test. However, the fraction of kinetic overpotential decreased and mass-transfer overpotential portion remained quite constant during accelerated stress test, whereas the fraction of ohmic overpotential primarily originating from severe proton transport limitation in the catalyst layer increased under the anodic potential hold.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
DOE OSTI2011

Physics Prospects with GlueX

The new experiment GlueX is currently being constructed at Jefferson Lab. The experiment was designed to search for hybrid mesons with exotic-quantum-numbers using a beam of linearly polarized photons incident on a liquid hydrogen target. We will discuss the discovery potential of the GlueX experiment and briefly overview its physics program.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Ionic liquid assisted hydrothermal fabrication of hierarchically organized γ-AlOOH hollow sphere

Highlights: ► The γ-AlOOH hollow spheres were synthesized via an ionic liquid-assisted hydrothermal treatment. ► Ionic liquid plays an important role in the morphology of the product. ► Ionic liquid can be easily removed from the product and reused in next experiment. ► A “aggregation–solution–recrystallization” formation mechanism may occur in the system. -- Abstract: Hierarchically organized γ-AlOOH hollow spheres with nanoflake-like porous surface texture have been successfully synthesized via an ionic liquid-assisted hydrothermal synthesis method in citric acid monohydrate (CAMs). It was found that ionic liquid [bmim]{sup +}Cl{sup −} played an important role in the morphology of the product due to its strong interactions with reaction particles. The samples were characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The results show that the product has narrow particle size distribution (500–900 nm particle diameter range), high specific surface area (240.5 m{sup 2}/g) and large pore volume (0.61 cm{sup 3}/g). The corresponding γ-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} hollow spheres can be obtained by calcining it at 550 °C for 3 h. The proposed formation mechanism and other influencing factors of the γ-AlOOH hollow sphere material, such as reaction temperature, reaction duration, CAMs and urea, have also been investigated.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2011

Mercury reduction and complexation by natural organic matter

Mercuric Hg(II) species form complexes with natural dissolved organic matter (DOM) such as humic acid (HA), and this binding is known to affect the chemical and biological transformation and cycling of mercury in aquatic environments. Dissolved elemental mercury, Hg(0), is also widely observed in sediments and water. However, reactions between Hg(0) and DOM have rarely been studied in anoxic environments. Here, under anoxic dark conditions we show strong interactions between reduced HA and Hg(0) through thiol-ligand induced oxidative complexation with an estimated binding capacity of about 3.5 umol Hg(0)/g HA and a partitioning coefficient greater than 10^6 mL/g. We further demonstrate that Hg(II) can be effectively reduced to Hg(0) in the presence of as little as 0.2 mg/L reduced HA, whereas production of purgeable Hg(0) is inhibited by complexation as HA concentration increases. This dual role played by DOM in the reduction and complexation of mercury is likely widespread in anoxic sediments and water and can be expected to significantly influence the mercury species transformations and biological uptake that leads to the formation of toxic methylmercury.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Heavy-Baryon Spectroscopy from Lattice QCD

We use a four-dimensional lattice calculation of the full-QCD (quantum chromodynamics, the non-abliean gauge theory of the strong interactions of quarks and gluons) path integrals needed to determine the masses of the charmed and bottom baryons. In the charm sector, our results are in good agreement with experiment within our systematics, except for the spin-1/2 $\Xi_{cc}$, for which we found the isospin-averaged mass to be $\Xi_{cc}$ to be $3665\pm17\pm14^{+0}_{-78}$ MeV. We predict the mass of the (isospin-averaged) spin-1/2 $\Omega_{cc}$ to be $3763\pm19\pm26^{+13}_{-79}$ {MeV}. In the bottom sector, our results are also in agreement with experimental observations and other lattice calculations within our statistical and systematic errors. In particular, we find the mass of the $\Omega_b$ to be consistent with the recent CDF measurement. We also predict the mass for the as yet unobserved $\Xi^\prime_b$ to be 5955(27) MeV.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Updates on the Studies of $${\varvec{N}}^\mathbf{*}$$ N * Structure with CLAS and the Prospects with CLAS12

Here, the recent results on $\gamma_vpN^*$ electrocouplings from analyses of the data on exclusive meson electroproduction off protons measured with the CLAS detector at Jefferson Lab are presented. The impact of these results on the exploration of the excited nucleon state structure and non-perturbative strong interaction dynamics behind its formation is outlined. The future extension of these studies in the experiments with the CLAS12 detector in the upgraded Hall-B at JLab will provide for the first time $\gamma_vpN^*$ electrocouplings of all prominent resonances at the still unexplored distance scales that correspond to extremely low (0.05~GeV$^2 < Q^2 <$ 0.5~GeV$^2$) and the highest photon virtualities (5.0~GeV$^2 < Q^2 <$ 12.0~GeV$^2$) ever achieved in the exclusive electroproduction measurements. The expected results will address the most important open problems of the Standard Model: on the nature of more than 98\% of hadron mass, quark-gluon confinement and emergence of the excited nucleon state structure from the QCD Lagrangian, as well as allowing a search for the new states of hadron matter predicted from the first principles of QCD, the so-called hybrid baryons.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Nucleon Spin Structure: Longitudinal and Transverse

Inclusive Deep-Inelastic Scattering (DIS) experiments have provided us with the most extensive information on the unpolarized and longitudinal polarized parton (quark and gluon) distributions in the nucleon. It has becoming clear that transverse spin and transverse momentum dependent distributions (TMDs) study are crucial for a more complete understanding of the nucleon structure and the dynamics of the strong interaction. The transverse spin structure and the TMDs are the subject of increasingly intense theoretical and experimental study recently. With a high luminosity electron beam facility, JLab has played a major role in the worldwide effort to study both the longitudinal and transverse spin structure. Highlights of recent results will be presented. With 12-GeV energy upgrade, JLab will provide the most precise measurements in the valence quark region to close a chapter in longitudinal spin study. JLab will also perform a multi-dimensional mapping of the transverse spin structure and TMDs in the valence quark region through Semi-Inclusive DIS (SIDIS) experiments, providing a 3-d partonic picture of the nucleon in momentum space and extracting the u and d quark tensor charges of the nucleon. The precision mapping of TMDs will also allow a detailed study of the quark orbital motion and its dynamics.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2012

On the Reaction Mechanism of Acetaldehyde Decomposition on Mo(110)

The strong Mo-O bond strength provides promising reactivity of Mo-based catalysts for the deoxygenation of biomass-derived oxygenates. Combining the novel dimer saddle point searching method with periodic spin-polarized density functional theory calculations, we investigated the reaction pathways of a acetaldehyde decomposition on the clean Mo(110) surface. Two reaction pathways were identified, a selective deoxygenation and a nonselective fragmentation pathways. We found that acetaldehyde preferentially adsorbs at the pseudo 3-fold hollow site in the η2(C,O) configuration on Mo(110). Among four possible bond (β-C-H, γ-C-H, C-O and C-C) cleavages, the initial decomposition of the adsorbed acetaldehyde produces either ethylidene via the C-O bond scission or acetyl via the β-C-H bond scission while the C-C and the γ-C-H bond cleavages of acetaldehyde leading to the formation of methyl (and formyl) and formylmethyl are unlikely. Further dehydrogenations of ethylidene into either ethylidyne or vinyl are competing and very facile with low activation barriers of 0.24 and 0.31 eV, respectively. Concurrently, the formed acetyl would deoxygenate into ethylidyne via the C-O cleavage rather than breaking the C-C or the C-H bonds. The selective deoxygenation of acetaldehyde forming ethylene is inhibited by relatively weaker hydrogenation capability of the Mo(110) surface. Instead, the nonselective pathway via vinyl and vinylidene dehydrogenations to ethynyl as the final hydrocarbon fragment is kinetically favorable. On the other hand, the strong interaction between ethylene and the Mo(110) surface also leads to ethylene decomposition instead of desorption into the gas phase. This work was financially supported by the National Advanced Biofuels Consortium (NABC). Computing time was granted by a user project (emsl42292) at the Molecular Science Computing Facility in the William R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL). This work was financially supported by the National Advanced Biofuels Consortium (NABC). Computing time was granted by a user project (emsl42292) at the Molecular Science Computing Facility in the William R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL). The EMSL is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national scientific user facility located at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and supported by the DOE Office of Biological and Environmental Research. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is operated by Battelle for the U.S. Department of Energy.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Medium Modification of Vector Mesons

The theory of the strong interaction, Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD), has been remarkably successful in describing high-energy and short-distance-scale experiments involving quarks and gluons. However, applying QCD to low energy and large-distance scale experiments has been a major challenge. Various QCD-inspired models predict a partial restoration of chiral symmetry in nuclear matter with modifications of the properties of hadrons from their free-space values. Measurable changes such as a shift in mass and/or a change of width are predicted at normal nuclear density. Photoproduction of vector mesons off nuclei have been performed at different laboratories. The properties of the ρ, ω and φ mesons are investigated either directly by measuring their mass spectra or indirectly through transparency ratios. The latest results regarding medium modifications of the vector mesons in the nuclear medium will be discussed.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2011

Studies of top quark production at D0

I present recent results on top quark production in pp collisions at a center of mass energy of 1.96 TeV. The studies were performed by the D0 collaboration using approximately 5 fb{sup -1} of data taken during Run II at the Fermilab Tevatron accelerator. The top quark is the heaviest known elementary particle and completes the quark sector of the three-generation structure of the standard model (SM). It differs from the other quarks not only by its much larger mass, but also by its lifetime which is too short to build hadronic bound states. The SM predicts that top quarks are created via two independent production mechanisms at hadron colliders. The primary mode, in which a t{bar t} pair is produced from a gtt vertex via the strong interaction, was used by the D0 and CDF collaborations to establish the existence of the top quark in 1995. The second production mode of top quarks at hadron colliders is the electroweak production of a single top quark from a Wtb vertex. The predicted cross section for single top quark production is about half that of t{bar t} pairs but the signal-to-background ratio is much worse; observation of single top quark production has therefore until recently been impeded by its low rate and difficult background environment compared to the top pair production. In the following sections I will present results for the measurement of the t{bar t} pair and the single top quark production cross section using respectively 5.3 fb{sup -1} and 5.4 fb{sup -1} of data taken by the D0 experiment.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗