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Divanadium substituted keggin [PV 2 W 10 O 40 ] on non-reducible supports-Al 2 O 3 and SiO 2 : synthesis, characterization, and catalytic properties for oxidative dehydrogenation of propane

Molecular metal oxide cluster, K 5 [α-1,2-PV 2 W 10 O 40 ] (PV 2 W 10 ), was found to have intrinsic catalytic activity for the oxidative dehydrogenation of propane with high selectivity (> 80%) to propylene at low propane conversion (0.3%). Synthesis of dispersed PV 2 W 10 in non-reducible supports, γ-Al 2 O 3 and SiO 2 , was done by incipient wetness impregnation. The supported catalysts were characterized by IR, Raman spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption, x-ray powder diffraction (PXRD), elemental analysis, hydrogen temperature-programmed reduction (H 2 –TPR), and ammonia temperature-programmed desorption (NH 3 –TPD). Catalytic testing of the supported PV 2 W 10 at equimolar cluster concentration revealed that when supported in γ-Al 2 O 3 it is more active (sevenfold increase in propane conversion) but in SiO 2 it is more selective to propylene (94%). The observed performance was due to both an increase in reducibility and higher concentration of strong acid sites for PV 2 W 10 supported in γ-Al 2 O 3 versus SiO 2 . Lastly, PV 2 W10 was shown to remain intact under reaction conditions indicating its thermal and oxidative stability.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Impact of salinity on morphology, growth, and pigment profiles of Scenedesmus obliquus HTB1 under ambient air and elevated CO 2 (10 %) conditions

Certain microalgal species, such as Scenedesmus obliquus strain HTB1, thrive under high CO 2 concentrations, making them promising for carbon sequestration to mitigate climate change. Isolated from the Baltimore Inner Harbor, HTB1 grows faster with 10 % CO 2 than with ambient air. To investigate its responses to salinity and elevated CO 2 , two experiments were conducted. In the first, HTB1 was cultured at seven different salinities (0, 17.5, 20, 22.5, 25, 27.5, and 30 ppt) (parts per thousand) under ambient air. Higher salinity caused cell shrinkage, color changes from green to pale white, reduced pigments like zeaxanthin, lutein, and chlorophyll b, but increased canthaxanthin. Growth declined significantly above 22.5 ppt. The second experiment compared HTB1's response to salinity (0, 10, 20 ppt) under air and 10 % CO 2 . Cultures under 10 % CO 2 showed minimal color changes, while those under air shifted from green to brown, with salinity having less inhibitory effects on growth under elevated CO 2 . Interestingly, lutein and canthaxanthin levels rose with salinity in 10 % CO 2 . These findings indicate that elevated CO 2 mitigates salt stress in HTB1, reducing its impact on growth and promoting adaptive pigment changes. This study sheds light on how salinity and CO 2 interact to influence HTB1's morphology, growth, and pigment composition, enhancing our understanding of its resilience and potential applications.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

Quantifying replication through repeated analysis of UVM-A, a liquid reference material for cosmogenic 10 Be and 26 Al studies

In this study, in-situ produced cosmogenic nuclide sample preparation and analysis is a complicated, multi-step process with numerous possible sources of error, many of which have not been robustly quantified. Here, we use a liquid reference material (UVM-A) to test whether the analytic precision associated with individual isotopic ratios (n = 96) measured at two Accelerator Mass Spectrometry facilities (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Purdue Rare Isotope Measurement Laboratory) accurately represents the range of values determined for aliquots prepared in a single laboratory over a period of five years. We find that 10 Be/ 9 Be ratios measured at the different accelerator facilities (n = 26 and n = 70) have statistically indistinguishable central tendencies, matching to within 0.1 %. Based on this large dataset, we suggest preliminary consensus values for UVM-A of 1.45 ± 0.06 x 10 -13 for 10 Be/ 9 Be (mean, one standard deviation, n = 96) and 4.47 ± 0.22 x 10 -13 for 26 Al/ 27 Al (mean, one standard deviation, n = 27). For both 10 Be/ 9 Be and 26 Al/ 27 Al, the relative standard deviations of the measured ratios are similar to the reported analytic uncertainties of sample measurement, suggesting that sample preparation introduced little if any additional scatter beyond the uncertainty of isotopic analysis. This dataset demonstrates that robust sample preparation and measurement can generate isotope ratio data reproducible at the level of counting statistics.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Observation of Anomalously High Seebeck Coefficients in the Family of Zintl Phase Semiconductors Ca 10 RE CdSb 9 ( RE = Rare-Earth Metal)

This work reports the synthesis, structure and thermoelectric transport properties of the hole-dominated semiconductors with a general formula Ca 10 RECdSb 9 (RE = Y, Ce, Nd, Sm, and Lu). These materials feature unexpectedly high Seebeck coeffi-cients, up to 650 µV/K at 600 K, and electrical resistivities on the order of 1–1000 mΩ·cm, which is an indication of a degen-erate semiconducting state. For example, the Seebeck coeffi-cient observed in Ca 10 NdCdSb 9 (309 µV/K at 600 K) is accom-panied by low and metallic-like electrical resistivity (6 mΩ·cm) and a carrier concentration n = 4.68×10 20 cm –3 . The calculated power factor PF in Ca 10 NdCdSb 9 is 0.88 µW/cm·K 2 at 300 K, and calculations based on the single parabolic band model indi-cate that an optimum PF opt of 1.68 μW/cm·K 2 can be achieved at that temperature for a carrier concentration n opt = 6.62 × 10 19 cm –3 . Here, the estimated thermoelectric figure of merit zT in this material, when properly tuned is expected to surpass zT = 1 at 600 K.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

A multi-MeV alpha particle source via proton-boron fusion driven by a 10-GW tabletop laser

Nuclear fusion between protons and boron-11 nuclei has undergone a revival of interest thanks to the rapid progress in pulsed laser technology. Potential applications of such reaction range from controlled nuclear fusion to radiobiology and cancer therapy. A laser-driven fusion approach consists in the interaction of high-power, high-intensity pulses with H- and B-rich targets. We report on an experiment exploiting proton-boron fusion in CN-BN targets to obtain high-energy alpha particle beams (up to 5 MeV) using a very compact approach and a tabletop laser system with a peak power of ~10 GW, which can operate at high-repetition rate (up to 1 kHz). The secondary resonance in the cross section of proton-boron fusion (~150 keV in the center-of-mass frame) is exploited using a laser-based approach. The generated alpha particles are characterized in terms of energy, flux, and angular distribution using solid-state nuclear-track detectors, demonstrating a flux of ~10 5 particles per second at 10 Hz, and ~10 6 per second at 1 kHz. Hydrodynamic and particle-in-cell numerical simulations support our experimental findings. Potential impact of our approach on future spread of ultra-compact, multi-MeV alpha particle sources driven by moderate intensity (10 16 -10 17 W/cm 2 ) laser pulses is anticipated.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Near-Threshold Dipole Strength in 10 Be with Isoscalar Character

Isoscalar dipole transitions are a distinctive fingerprint of cluster structures. A 1 − resonance at 7.27(10) MeV, located just below the 𝛼-emission threshold, has been observed in the deuteron inelastic scattering reactions off 10 Be. The deformation lengths of the excited states in 10 Be below 9 MeV have been inferred from the differential cross sections using coupled channel calculations. This observed 1 − resonance has isoscalar characteristics and exhausts approximately 5%–15% of the isoscalar dipole energy-weighted sum rule, providing evidence for pronounced 𝛼 cluster structure in 10 Be. The Gamow coupled channel approach supports this interpretation and suggests the near-threshold effect might be playing an important role in this excitation energy domain. Here, the 𝛼 +𝛼 +𝑛 +𝑛 four-body calculation reproduces the observed enhanced dipole strength, implying that the four-body cluster structure is essential to describe the 1 − states in 10 Be.

Cluster models↗

Effect of doping on the phase stability and superconductivity in LaH 10

Here, we present a computational investigation into the effects of chemical doping with 15 different elements on phase stability and superconductivity in the LaH 10 structure. Most doping elements were found to induce softening of phonon modes, enhancing electron-phonon coupling and improving critical superconducting temperature while weakening dynamical stability. Unlike these dopants, Ce was found to extend the range of dynamical stability for LaH 10 by eliminating the Van Hove singularity near the Fermi level. The doped compound, La 0.75 Ce 0.25 H 10 , maintains high-temperature superconductivity. We also demonstrate that different Ce doping configurations in the LaH 10 structure have a minimal effect on energetic stability and electron-phonon coupling strength. Our findings suggest that Ce is a promising dopant to stabilize LaH 10 at lower pressures while preserving its high-temperature superconductivity.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Li 4 Ru 2 OCl 10 ·10H 2 O: crystal structure, magnetic properties and bonding interactions in ruthenium-oxo complexes

The results of the structural determination, magnetic characterization, and theoretical calculations of a new ruthenium-oxo complex, Li 4 [Ru 2 OCl 10 ]·10H 2 O, are presented. Single crystals were grown using solvent methods and the crystal structure was characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Li 4 [Ru 2 OCl 10 ]·10H 2 O crystallizes into a low-symmetry triclinic structure ($P\bar1$) due to the much smaller Li + cation compared to K + cation in the tetragonal complex K 4 [Ru 2 OCl 10 ]·H 2 O. The X-ray photoelectron spectra confirm only the single valent Ru 4+ in Li 4 [Ru 2 OCl 10 ]·10H 2 O even though two distinct Ru sites exist in the crystal structure. Magnetic measurements reveal the diamagnetic property of Li 4 [Ru 2 OCl 10 ]·10H 2 O with unpaired electrons existing on Ru 4+ . Furthermore, the molecular orbital analysis matches well with the observed UV and magnetic measurements.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Hall Effect Study of the Metamagnetic Transition in the Sr 4 (Ru 0.99 Fe 0.01 ) 3 O 10 Nanosheet

Sr 4 (Ru 0.99 Fe 0.01 ) 3 O 10 shows a ferromagnetic (FM) transition at T C ~ 105 K with the magnetic easy axis in the ab plane, followed by a metamagnetic transition (MMT) at low temperatures when the magnetic field H is applied along the c axis, which is in sharp contrast to that of the pure Sr 4 Ru 3 O 10 , where the easy axis is along the c axis and the MMT is in the ab plane. Here, we studied the MMT in the Sr 4 (Ru 0.99 Fe 0.01 ) 3 O 10 nanosheet by the Hall effect. It was found that the ordinary Hall coefficient of Sr 4 (Ru 0.99 Fe 0.01 ) 3 O 10 is almost the same as that of the pure Sr 4 Ru 3 O 10 , while a sudden increase in the Hall resistance R xy is observed below ~50 K, above which the R xy presents the conventional anomalous Hall effect up to T C . Analysis of the results indicates that the MMT has no direct correlation to the electronic structure but closely relates to the magnetic moment locking, where the magnetic-field-induced breakdown of the locked moments is responsible for the MMT.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

A CO-to-H{sub 2} Ratio of ≈10{sup -5} toward the Herbig Ae Star HK Ori

Measurements of gas mass in protoplanetary gas disks form the basis for estimating the conditions of planet formation. Among the most important constraints derived from disk diagnostics are the abundances of gas-phase species critical for understanding disk chemistry. Toward this end, we present direct line-of-sight measurements of H{sub 2} and CO, employing UV absorption spectroscopy from Hubble Space Telescope Cosmic Origins Spectrograph to characterize disk composition, molecular excitation temperatures, and spatial distribution in the circumstellar material around the Herbig Ae stars HK Ori and T Ori. We observe strong CO (N(CO) = 10{sup 15.5} cm{sup −2}; T {sub rot}(CO) = 19 K) and H{sub 2} (N(H{sub 2}) = 10{sup 20.34} cm{sup −2}; T {sub rot}(H{sub 2}) = 141 K) absorption toward HK Ori with a CO/H{sub 2} ratio of (≡N(CO)/N(H{sub 2})) = 1.3{sub −0.7}{sup +1.6} × 10{sup −5}. These measurements place direct empirical constraints on the CO-to-H{sub 2} conversion factor in the disk around a Herbig Ae star for the first time, although there is uncertainty concerning the exact viewing geometry of the disk. The spectra of T Ori show CO (N(CO) = 10{sup 14.9} cm{sup −2}; T {sub rot}(CO) = 124 K) absorption. Interestingly, we do not detect any H{sub 2} absorption toward this star (N(H{sub 2}) < 10{sup 15.9} cm{sup −2}). We discuss a potential scenario for the detection of CO without H{sub 2}, which deserves further investigation. The low abundance ratio measured around HK Ori suggests significant depletion of CO in the circumstellar gas, which conforms with the handful of other recent CO abundance measurements in protoplanetary disks.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

A Search for Photons with Energies Above 2 × 10 17 eV Using Hybrid Data from the Low-Energy Extensions of the Pierre Auger Observatory

Ultra-high-energy photons with energies exceeding 10 17 eV offer a wealth of connections to different aspects of cosmic-ray astrophysics as well as to gamma-ray and neutrino astronomy. The recent observations of photons with energies in the 10 15 eV range further motivate searches for even higher-energy photons. In this paper, we present a search for photons with energies exceeding 2 × 10 17 eV using about 5.5 yr of hybrid data from the low-energy extensions of the Pierre Auger Observatory. The upper limits on the integral photon flux derived here are the most stringent ones to date in the energy region between 10 17 and 10 18 eV.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

New Zintl Phase Yb 10 MgSb 9 with High Thermoelectric Performance

Abstract Yb 10 MgSb 9 is a new Zintl compound (with a composition closer to Yb 10.5 MgSb 9 ) and a promising thermoelectric material first reported in this work. Undoped Yb 10 MgSb 9 has an ultralow thermal conductivity due to crystallographic complexity and exhibits a relatively high peak p‐type Seebeck coefficient and high electrical resistivity. This is consistent with Zintl counting and density functional theory (DFT) calculations that the composition Yb 10.5 MgSb 9 should be a semiconductor. Na is found experimentally to be an effective p‐type dopant potentially due to the replacement of Na + for Yb 2+ , allowing for a significant decrease in electrical resistivity. With doping, a dramatic improvement of electrical conductivity is observed and the glass‐like thermal conductivity remains low, allowing for a significant enhancement of the thermoelectric figure of merit, zT . Doping increases the zT from 0.23 in undoped Yb 10 MgSb 9 to 1.06 in 7 at% Na‐doped Yb 10 MgSb 9 at 873K. This high thermoelectric performance found through Na‐doping places this material amongst the leading p‐type Zintl thermoelectrics, making it a promising candidate for future studies and high‐temperature thermoelectric applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Gas–Phase Preparation of the 14π Hückel Polycyclic Aromatic Anthracene and Phenanthrene Isomers (C 14 H 10 ) via the Propargyl Addition–BenzAnnulation (PABA) Mechanism

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) imply the missing link between resonantly stabilized free radicals and carbonaceous nanoparticles, commonly referred to as soot particles in combustion systems and interstellar grains in deep space. Whereas gas phase formation pathways to the simplest PAH – naphthalene (C 10 H 8 ) – are beginning to emerge, reaction pathways leading to the synthesis of the 14π Hückel aromatic PAHs anthracene and phenanthrene (C 14 H 10 ) are still incomplete. Here, by utilizing a chemical microreactor in conjunction with vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photoionization (PI) of the products followed by detection of the ions in a reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ReTOF-MS), the reaction between the 1'- and 2'-methylnaphthyl radicals (C 11 H 9 •) with the propargyl radical (C 3 H 3 •) accesses anthracene (C 14 H 10 ) and phenanthrene (C 14 H 10 ) via the Propargyl Addition–BenzAnnulation (PABA) mechanism in conjunction with a hydrogen assisted isomerization. Furthermore, the preferential formation of the thermodynamically less stable anthracene isomer compared to phenanthrene suggests a kinetic, rather than a thermodynamics control of the reaction.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Improvement of Drop‐Hammer Impact Testing for Safety Assessment of High Explosives Using 10‐mg Samples

Here, in this study, we established an improved method for drop-hammer impact testing of small quantities of high explosives (10 mg). We performed about seven hundred impact tests under various experimental conditions (e.g., sandpaper vs bare anvil, different sample masses, drop-weights, and striker diameters) to determine an optimal set of conditions and reaction detection methods (e.g., gas analysis, video, and sound recordings) that give the most statistically reliable results with 10 mg samples. We used both Frequentist and Bayesian statistical approaches to compare estimates of the drop height (DH50) that initiates a reaction 50% of the time, and to quantify the associated uncertainty. Gas analysis proved to be the most reliable reaction detection method, showing unambiguous rises in HE decomposition products (e.g., CO 2 ) even when the other indicators (e.g., sound, video) were inconclusive. The impact tests performed with a bare anvil showed much better reproducibility than those conducted with sandpaper, reducing the largest uncertainty observed in the data sets by a factor of 1.7. The DH 50 values obtained from three different sample masses (10, 20, and 35 mg) fell within the uncertainties of the measurements. We demonstrated the improved procedure (i.e., 10-mg samples, gas analysis, bare anvil, and Bayesian approach) on a variety of PETN samples having different surface areas and thermal histories.

PETN↗

Microstructural, Oxidation, and Mechanical Behavior of NbTi-Based Refractory Alloys with 5 to 10 Pct Co, Cr, and Ni Additions

NbTi-based refractory alloys with additions of Co, Cr, and Ni represent an interesting medium-entropy alloy system with potential for protective oxide film formation, high strength, and ductility. This study investigates the microstructural evolution, oxidation behavior, and mechanical properties of NbTi-based alloys containing 5 to 10 at. pct Co, Cr, and Ni. CALPHAD predictions suggest that this composition range can be heat treated to obtain a predominantly body-centered cubic matrix phase. Mechanical properties, including microhardness, yield strength, maximum strength, and specific strength are evaluated through isothermal compression tests conducted between room temperature and 800 °C. The oxidation kinetics of these alloys are assessed through discontinuous oxidation tests. Parabolic oxidation kinetics were observed for NbTi–10Ni and NbTi–5Co, while linear oxidation kinetics were found for NbTi–10Cr and NbTi–10(CoCrNi). Microstructures and oxide layers are characterized using X-ray diffraction, electron backscatter diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. All alloys exhibit significant mechanical softening between room temperature and 800 °C, with elastic-perfectly plastic flow observed at 800 °C. The addition of 10 pct Cr to NbTi resulted in two BCC phases up to 1050 °C, conflicting with CALPHAD predictions of a single-phase solid solution at this temperature, and resulting in higher flow stress at 800 °C. NbTi–10(CoCrNi) exhibited the lowest flow stress at 800 °C despite having more ‘cocktail effect’ potential and insufficient molar fractions of Co, Cr, or Ni to form a desirable protective oxide film.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

A worldwide aerosol phenomenology: Elemental and organic carbon in PM 2.5 and PM 10

Elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), and particulate matter (PM) concentrations in the inhalable (PM 10 ) and fine (PM 2.5 ) size fractions are measured worldwide, albeit with different analytical methods. These measurements from many researchers were collected and analyzed for Africa, America, Asia, and Europe for 2012–2019. EC/PM, OC/PM, and OC/EC ratios were examined based on region, site type, and season to infer potential sources and impacts. These analyses demonstrate that carbonaceous materials are important PM constituents throughout the world. Mean EC/PM ratios were lowest in PM 10 in Sahelian Africa and Europe (∼0.01), highest (>0.07) in PM 2.5 at urban sites in North America, South America, and Japan. Mean OC/PM ratios were lowest in PM 10 in the Sahel (∼0.06) and in PM 2.5 in China and Thailand (0.10), and highest in central and eastern Europe (∼0.3) and North America (∼0.4). OC/EC ratios were elevated in western and northern Europe, and at regional background sites in North America. EC/PM increased with PM 10 in Thailand, while OC/PM increased with higher PM mass in Thailand, India, and North America, highlighting the specific contribution of carbonaceous aerosols to PM pollution in these regions. At European and North American background sites, OC/EC ratios increased with PM mass. Higher OC/EC ratios in dry periods indicate influence of wildfires, prescribed burns, and secondary aerosol formation. Elevated wintertime EC/PM ratios coincide with residential heating in temperate climate zones.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Lithium and boron isotopic compositions of olivine in chondrules from carbonaceous and ordinary chondrite meteorites: Implications for the origin of solar 11 B/ 10 B ratio

We report the origin of solar 11 B/ 10 B ratio ~4 remains an open question. It has been thought that a significant portion of boron in the Solar System was derived from continuous spallation nucleosynthesis during interactions between Galactic Cosmic Rays and C—N—O nuclei in the interstellar medium. However, because GCR-produced boron is characterized by 11 B/ 10 B ~2.5, an endmember with 11 B/ 10 B > 4 is required to account for the solar 11 B/ 10 B ratio. Two leading hypotheses for the sources of 11 B-rich components include low energy spallation in the Sun’s parental molecular cloud and the neutrino process during the supernova explosions. In this study, lithium and boron elemental and isotopic compositions of seven porphyritic olivine chondrules and one isolated olivine crystal from four meteorites (Allende, Yamato 81020, Asuka 12236, and QUE 97008) were determined in-situ to help constrain which of the two nucleosynthetic mechanisms has most likely supplied the forming Solar System with extra 11 B. Apparent isotopic variations in Li/Si, B/Si, δ 7 Li and δ 11 B were found in chondrule olivine crystals, but only three chondrules exhibit statistically resolved δ 11 B heterogeneities. Using these three chondrules as a basis for discussion, we evaluated the processes that could potentially cause elemental and isotopic variations of Li and B. We argue that the data can be best understood in the context of condensation of lithium-boron-rich material onto chondrule precursors in (an) initially heterogeneous gaseous reservoir(s), which could be realized if the Solar System derived 11 B-rich components from a supernova or supernovae.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Rational designs to enable 10-min fast charging and long cycle life in lithium-ion batteries

A daunting challenge in the design of lithium ion batteries (LiBs) is enabling 10-min extreme fast charging (XFC) while achieving appreciable charge acceptance and cycle life. This desirable outcome requires both a comprehensive understanding of LiB operation and aging behavior at different length scales and careful optimization. Lithium plating has been a critical bottleneck because, at XFC rates, it consumes cyclable lithium causing distinct aging and safety concerns even in moderate-loading LiBs. Here, we propose combining multiple solutions, including materials-to-electrode design-to-charging protocols, that are intended to overcome limitations in lithium-ion transport in the electrolyte phase, thus enabling 10-min XFC in LiBs. Some implemented strategies include cathode chemistry, optimized carbon binder domain in the cathode, dual layer anode design, improved separator and advanced electrolyte. Further, innovative charging protocols in moderately loading (~3 mAh/cm 2 anode/2.7 mAh/cm 2 cathode) single-layer pouch cells are proposed, together with demonstrated 10-min XFC with higher charge acceptance between 87.3 and 92.1% (or 2–2.1 mAh/cm 2 ) for 600 cycles without lithium plating. This methodical study with well-defined cells shows promise in combining multiple solution strategies to enable 10-min XFC, charting a pathway to achieve XFC in higher-loading energy-optimized LiBs.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗