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At least 919 records · Page 51

Hydrogen sorption characteristics of nanostructured Pd–10Rh processed by cryomilling

Palladium and its alloys are model systems for studying solid-state storage of hydrogen. Mechanical milling is commonly used to process complex powder systems for solid-state hydrogen storage; however, milling can also be used to evolve nanostructured powder to modify hydrogen sorption characteristics. In the present study, cryomilling (mechanical attrition milling in a cryogenic liquid) is used to produce nanostructured palladium-rhodium alloy powder. Characterization of the cryomilled Pd-10Rh using electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and surface area analysis reveals that (i) particle morphology evolves from spherical to flattened disk-like particles; while the (ii) crystallite size decreases from several microns to less than 100 nm and (iii) dislocation density increases with increased cryomilling time. Hydrogen absorption and desorption isotherms as well as the time scales for absorption were measured for cryomilled Pd-10Rh, and correlated with observed microstructural changes induced by the cryomilling process. In short, as the microstructure of the Pd-10Rh alloy is refined by cryomilling: (i) the maximum hydrogen concentration in the α-phase increases, (ii) the pressure plateau becomes flatter, and (iii) the equilibrium hydrogen capacity at 760 Torr increases. In addition, the rate of hydrogen absorption was reduced by an order of magnitude compared to non-cryomilled (atomized) powder.

08 HYDROGEN↗

Electron transfer between sorbed Fe(II) and structural Fe(III) in smectites and its effect on nitrate-dependent iron oxidation by Pseudogulbenkiania sp. strain 2002

Studies have shown interfacial electron transfer (IET) between sorbed Fe(II) and structural Fe(III) in clays, but how such process alters their reactivity has not been investigated. Here we studied nitrate reduction by Fe(II)-sorbed nontronite (NAu-2) and montmorillonite (SWy-2) in the presence of an Fe(II)-oxidizer, Pseudogulbenkiania sp. At pH 6 a similar amount of Fe(II) (~1.4% wt) sorbed onto the basal surface of both clays, but with different extents of IET. For NAu-2, because a large fraction of sorbed Fe(II) remained on unreactive basal surface, its reactivity towards nitrate reduction was low. For SWy-2, IET changed majority of sorbed Fe(II) to structural Fe(II), resulting in a higher reactivity. At pH 8 the amount of edge-sorbed Fe(II) to NAu-2 (2.93%) was lower than that on SWy-2 (4.66%), and IET oxidized the majority of NAu-2 sorbed Fe(II) to Fe(III). The resulting IET-induced structural Fe(II) and the remaining fraction of sorbed-Fe(II) as a “magnetite-like” phase were highly reactive towards nitrate. In contrast, because of isolated Fe(III) atoms within the SWy-2 structure, the extent of IET was limited and the majority of sorbed Fe(II) co-precipitated or was associated with oxidized Fe(III) as mixed Fe(II)-Fe(III) nanoparticles, which was responsible for its highest reactivity towards nitrate reduction.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Flare fragmentation and type III productivity in the 1980 June 27 flare

Observations of the solar flare on June 27, 1980 were presented, 16:14-16:33 UT, which was observed by a balloon-borne 300 sq cm phoswich hard X-ray detector and by the IKARUS radio spectrometer. This flare shows intense hard X-ray (HXR) emission and an extreme productivity of (at least 754) type III bursts at 200-400 MHz. A linear correlation was found between the type III burst rate and the HXR fluence. The occurrence of about 10 type III bursts/second, and also the even higher rate of millisecond spikes, suggests a high degree of fragmentation in the acceleration region. This high quantization of injected beams, assuming the thick-target model, shows up in a linear relationship between hard X-ray fluence and the type III rate, but not as fine structures in the HXR time profile. The generation of a superhot isothermal HXR component in the decay phase of the flare coincides with the fade-out of type III production.

Aschwanden, M. J.↗

Positions of type II fundamental and harmonic sources in the 30-100 MHZ range

An excellent example of a type III-V burst followed by a type II burst with fundamental and harmonic bands was observed on June 18, 1979 at the Clark Lake Radio Observatory. The observations are described in detail and their implications are discussed with regard to the problem of directionality with respect to the magnetic field lines of the collisionless MHD shock wave generated at the start of the flash phase. It is found that the positions of type III and type II (F) bursts at a number of frequencies are essentially the same, which implies that the shock responsible for the type II radiation follows the path of the type III exciter, that is, the shock propagates along the open field lines.

Sawant, H. S.↗

Vapor–liquid equilibrium of water with the MB-pol many-body potential

Among the many existing molecular models of water, the MB-pol many-body potential has emerged as a remarkably accurate model, capable of reproducing thermodynamic, structural, and dynamic properties across water's solid, liquid, and vapor phases. In this work, we assessed the performance of MB-pol with respect to an important set of properties related to vapor-liquid coexistence and interfacial behavior. Through direct coexistence classical molecular dynamics simulations at temperatures of 400 K < T < 600 K, we calculated properties such as equilibrium coexistence densities, vapor-liquid interfacial tension, vapor pressure, and enthalpy of vaporization and compared the MB-pol results to experimental data. We also compared rigid vs fully flexible variants of the MB-pol model and evaluated system size effects for the properties studied. We found that the MB-pol model predictions are in good agreement with experimental data, even for temperatures approaching the vapor-liquid critical point; this agreement was largely insensitive to system sizes or the rigid vs flexible treatment of the intramolecular degrees of freedom. Furthermore, these results attest to the chemical accuracy of MB-pol and its high degree of transferability, thus enabling MB-pol's application across a large swath of water's phase diagram.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

The NATO III 5 MHz Distribution System

A high performance 5 MHz distribution system is described which has extremely low phase noise and jitter characteristics and provides multiple buffered outputs. The system is completely redundant with automatic switchover and is self-testing. Since the 5 MHz reference signals distributed by the NATO III distribution system are used for up-conversion and multiplicative functions, a high degree of phase stability and isolation between outputs is necessary. Unique circuit design and packaging concepts insure that the isolation between outputs is sufficient to quarantee a phase perturbation of less than 0.0016 deg when other outputs are open circuited, short circuited or terminated in 50 ohms. Circuit design techniques include high isolation cascode amplifiers. Negative feedback stabilizes system gain and minimizes circuit phase noise contributions. Balanced lines, in lieu of single ended coaxial transmission media, minimize pickup.

Vulcan, A.↗

Low-Cost Approaches to III–V Semiconductor Growth for Photovoltaic Applications

III–V semiconductors form the most efficient single- and multijunction photovoltaics. Metal–organic vapor-phase epitaxy, which uses toxic and pyrophoric gas-phase precursors, is the primary commercial growth method for these materials. In order for the use of highly efficient III–V-based devices to be expanded as the demand for renewable electricity grows, a lower-cost approach to the growth of these materials is needed. This Review focuses on three deposition techniques compatible with current device architectures: hydride vapor-phase epitaxy, close-spaced vapor transport, and thin-film vapor–liquid–solid growth. Here, we consider recent advances in each technique, including the available materials space, before providing an in-depth comparison of growth technology advantages and limitations and considering the impact of modifications to the method of production on the cost of the final photovoltaics.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Anomalous elasticity, fluctuations and disorder in elastic membranes

Motivated by freely suspended graphene and polymerized membranes in soft and biological matter we present a detailed study of a tensionless elastic sheet in the presence of thermal fluctuations and quenched disorder. The manuscript is based on an extensive draft dating back to 1993, that was circulated privately. It presents the general theoretical framework and calculational details of numerous results, partial forms of which have been published in brief Letters (Le Doussal and Radzihovsky, 1992; 1993). The experimental realization atom-thin graphene sheets (Novoselov et al., 2004) have driven a resurgence in this fascinating subject, making our dated predictions and their detailed derivations timely. To this end we analyze the statistical mechanics of a generalized D-dimensional elastic “membrane” embedded in d dimensions using a self-consistent screening approximation (SCSA), that has proved to be unprecedentedly accurate in this system, exact in three complementary limits: (i) d→∞, (ii) D→4, and (iii) D=d. Focusing on the critical “flat” phase, for a homogeneous two-dimensional (D=2) membrane embedded in three dimensions (d=3), we predict its universal roughness exponent ζ=0.590, length-scale dependent elastic moduli exponents η=0.821 and η{sub u}=0.358, and an anomalous Poisson ratio, σ = - 1/3. In the presence of random uncorrelated heterogeneity the membrane exhibits a glassy wrinkled ground state, characterized by ζ'=0.775,η' = 0.449,η{sub u}'=1.101 and a Poisson ratio σ ' = - 1/3. Motivated by a number of physical realizations (charged impurities, disclinations and dislocations) we also study power-law correlated quenched disorder that leads to a variety of distinct glassy wrinkled phases. Finally, neglecting self-avoiding interaction we demonstrate that at high temperature a “phantom” sheet undergoes a continuous crumpling transition, characterized by a radius of gyration exponent, ν=0.732 and η=0.535. Many of these universal predictions have received considerable support from simulations. We hope that this detailed presentation of the SCSA theory will be useful to further theoretical developments and corresponding experimental investigations on freely suspended graphene.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

An insight on the effect of sodium and silicon on microstructure and crystallography of high alumina cements

In the present study the influence of minor elements (Na{sub 2}O and SiO{sub 2}) on the mineralogy, chemistry and microstructure of High Alumina Cements (HACs) has been investigated. HACs have several advantages respected to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) but the shortage of Al-rich raw materials represents a limiting factor: re-use of Al-rich waste as raw material represents a solution but it will add minor elements to the raw meal that could change HACs properties. For the first time, four commercial HACs, doped with sodium and silicon, and one synthetic HAC, only highly doped in sodium, were studied through a multidisciplinary approach by combining conventional and unconventional analytical techniques. Results highlighted that (i) sodium and silicon were mainly incorporated in a sodium-rich phase (Na-phase, NCA{sub 2}, Na{sub 1.9}CaAl{sub 3.9}Si{sub 0.1}O{sub 8}), (ii) no minor phases such as gehlenite and/or mayenite occurred, and (iii) CA (CaAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}) and CA{sub 2} (CaAl{sub 4}O{sub 7}) revealed a limited ionic substitution.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Erlotinib Versus Etoposide/Cisplatin With Radiation Therapy in Unresectable Stage III Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutation-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Multicenter, Randomized, Open-Label, Phase 2 Trial

This study aimed to compare erlotinib (E) and etoposide/cisplatin (EP) with concurrent radiation therapy (RT) for patients with stage IIIA/B unresectable advanced non-small cell lung cancer with activating epidermal growth factor receptor mutation (EGFRm+).

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

DG-IMEX method for a two-moment model for radiation transport in the $\mathscr{O}$($v$/$c$) limit

Here, we consider neutral particle systems described by moments of a phase-space density and propose a realizability-preserving numerical method to evolve a spectral two-moment model for particles interacting with a background fluid moving with nonrelativistic velocities. The system of nonlinear moment equations, with special relativistic corrections to $\mathscr{O}$($v$/$c$), expresses a balance between phase-space advection and collisions and includes velocity-dependent terms that account for spatial advection, Doppler shift, and angular aberration. The model is conservative for the correct $\mathscr{O}$($v$/$c$) Eulerian-frame number density and is consistent, to $\mathscr{O}$($v$/$c$), with Eulerian-frame energy and momentum conservation. This model is closely related to the one promoted by Lowrie et al. and similar to models currently used to study transport phenomena in large-scale simulations of astrophysical environments. The proposed numerical method is designed to preserve moment realizability, which guarantees that the moments correspond to a nonnegative phase-space density. The realizability-preserving scheme consists of the following key components: (i) a strong stability-preserving implicit-explicit (IMEX) time-integration method; (ii) a discontinuous Galerkin (DG) phase-space discretization with carefully constructed numerical uxes; (iii) a realizability-preserving implicit collision update; and(iv) a realizability-enforcing limiter. In time integration, nonlinearity of the moment model necessitates solution of nonlinear equations, which we formulate as fixed-point problems and solve with tailored iterative solvers that preserve moment realizability with guaranteed global convergence. We also analyze the simultaneous Eulerian-frame number and energy conservation properties of the semi-discrete DG scheme and propose a "spectral redistribution" scheme that promotes Eulerian-frame energy conservation. Through numerical experiments, we demonstrate the accuracy and robustness of this DG-IMEX method and investigate its Eulerian-frame energy conservation properties.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

In situ reductive dissolution to remove Iodine-129 from aquifer sediments

The use of an aqueous reductant (Na-dithionite) with pH buffer (K-carbonate, pH 12) was evaluated in this laboratory study as a potential remedial approach for removing Fe oxide associated iodine and enhancing pump-and-treat extraction from iodine-contaminated sediments in the unconfined aquifer in the 200 West Area of the Hanford site. X-ray fluorescence data of untreated sediment indicated that iodine was largely associated with Fe (i.e., incorporated into Fe oxides), however, XANES data was inconclusive as to valence state. During groundwater leaching, aqueous and adsorbed iodine was quickly released, then additional iodine was slowly released potentially from dissolution of one or more surface phases. The Na-dithionite treatment removed greater iodine mass (2.9x) at a faster rate (1 to 4 orders of magnitude) compared to leaching with groundwater alone. Iron extractions for untreated and treated sediments showed a decrease in Fe(III)-oxides, which likely released iodine to aqueous solution. Solid phase inorganic carbon and aqueous Ca and Mg analysis further confirmed that significant calcite dissolution did not occur in these experiments meaning these phases did not release significant iodine. Although it was expected that, after treatment, 127 I concentrations would eventually be lower than untreated sediments, leaching experiments showed continued, elevated iodine concentrations for treated samples over 750 hours. Stop flow events during 1-D column leaching suggested that some iodide precipitated within the first few pore volumes. In the survey of metals during leaching, some silver was detected which could have been solubilized by the elevated pH of initial Na-dithionite injection. Then, silver (or other metals) could have subsequently precipitated with iodide during the initial stop flow event forming a slowly dissolving source. Although significantly greater iodine is removed with treatment, the long-term leaching needs to be investigated further as it may limit dithionite treatment at the field scale.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Pressure effects on the elastic and lattice dynamics properties of AlP from first-principles calculations

We have performed first-principles calculations to investigate the behavior under hydrostatic pressure of the structural, elastic and lattice dynamics properties of aluminum phosphide crystal (AlP), in both zinc-blende (B3) and nickel arsenide (B8) phases. Our calculated structural and electronic properties are in good agreement with previous theoretical and experimental results. The elastic constants, bulk modulus (B), shear modulus (G), and Young's modulus (E), Born effective charge and static dielectric constant ε{sub 0}, were calculated with the generalized gradient approximations and the density functional perturbation theory (DFPT). Our results in the pressure behavior of the elastic and dielectric properties of both phases are compared and contrasted with the common III–V materials. The Born effective charge ZB decreases linearly with pressure increasing, while the static dielectric constant decreases quadratically with the increase of pressure.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Ferrous iron formation following the co-aggregation of ferric iron and the Alzheimer's disease peptide β-amyloid (1–42)

For decades, a link between increased levels of iron and areas of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology has been recognized, including AD lesions comprised of the peptide b-amyloid (Ab). Despite many observations of this association, the relationship between Ab and iron is poorly understood. Using X-ray microspectroscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, electron microscopy and spectrophotometric iron(II) quantification techniques, we examine the interaction between Ab(1–42) and synthetic iron(III), reminiscent of ferric iron stores in the brain. We report Ab to be capable of accumulating iron(III) within amyloid aggregates, with this process resulting in Ab-mediated reduction of iron(III) to a redox-active iron(II) phase. Additionally, we show that the presence of aluminium increases the reductive capacity of Ab, enabling the redox cycling of the iron. These results demonstrate the ability of Ab to accumulate iron, offering an explanation for previously observed local increases in iron concentration associated with AD lesions. Furthermore, the ability of iron to form redox-active iron phases from ferric precursors provides an origin both for the redox-active iron previously witnessed in AD tissue, and the increased levels of oxidative stress characteristic of AD. These interactions between Ab and iron deliver valuable insights into the process of AD progression, which may ultimately provide targets for disease therapies.

redox↗

Surface nematic order in iron pnictides

Electronic nematicity plays an important role in iron-based superconductors. These materials have a layered structure and the theoretical description of their magnetic and nematic transitions has been well established in the two-dimensional approximation, i.e., when the layers can be treated independently. However, the interaction between iron layers mediated by electron tunneling may cause nontrivial three-dimensional behavior. Starting from the simplest model for orbital nematic in a single layer, we investigate the influence of interlayer tunneling on the bulk nematic order and a possible preemptive state where this order is only formed near the surface. In addition, we found that the interlayer tunneling suppresses the bulk nematicity, which makes favorable the formation of a surface nematic order above the bulk transition temperature. The purely electronic tunneling Hamiltonian, however, favors a nematic order parameter that alternates from layer to layer. The uniform bulk state typically observed experimentally may be stabilized by the coupling with the elastic lattice deformation. Depending on the strength of this coupling, we found three regimes: (i) surface nematic and alternating bulk order, (ii) surface nematic and uniform bulk order, and (iii) uniform bulk order without the intermediate surface phase. Lastly, the intermediate surface-nematic state may resolve the current controversy about the existence of a weak nematic transition in the compound BaFe 2 As 2-x P x .

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

First principles materials design of novel functional oxides

We review our efforts to develop and implement robust computational approaches for exploring phase stability to facilitate the prediction-to-synthesis process of novel functional oxides. These efforts focus on a synergy between (i) electronic structure calculations for properties predictions, (ii) phenomenological/empirical methods for examining phase stability as related to both phase segregation and temperature-dependent transitions and (iii) experimental validation through synthesis and characterization. We illustrate this philosophy by examining an inaugural study that seeks to discover novel functional oxides with high piezoelectric responses. Lastly, our results show progress towards developing a framework through which solid solutions can be studied to predict materials with enhanced properties that can be synthesized and remain active under device relevant conditions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗