Investigation on high magnetoresistance Ni0.81Fe0.19 films grown on （Ni0.81Fe0.19）1-xCrx underlayers

We have fabricated Ni0.18Fe0.19 films with (Ni0.18Fe0.19)1-xCrx films as underlayers by dc magnetron sputtering, the results show that larger anisotropic magnetoresistance (△R/R) values of Ni0.18Fe0.19 films are observed using the underlayers with Cr concentration of -36 at.% at an optimum underlayer thickness of -4.4 nm, the maximum AMR value is 3.35%. The results of atomic force microscope (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) show that the △R/R enhancement is attributed to the formation of large average grain size and the strong(111)texture in the Ni0.18Fe0.19 films.     

Graphene-immobilized flower-like Ni<Subscript>3</Subscript>S<Subscript>2</Subscript> nanoflakes as a stable binder-free anode material for sodium-ion batteries

A binder-free Ni₃S₂ electrode was prepared directly on a graphene-coated Ni foam (G/Ni) substrate through surface sulfiding of substrate using thiourea as the sulfur source in this work. The Ni₃S₂ showed a flower-like morphology and was uniformly distributed on the G/Ni surface. The flower-like Ni₃S₂ was composed of cross-arrayed nanoflakes with a diameter and a thickness of 1-2 μm and~50 nm, respectively. The free space in the flowers and the thin feature of Ni₃S₂ buffered the volume changes and relieved mechanical strain during repeated cycling. The intimate contact with the Ni substrate and the fixing effect of graphene maintained the structural stability of the Ni₃S₂ electrode during cycling. The G/Ni-supported Ni₃S₂ maintained a reversible capacity of 250 mAh·g-1 after 100 cycles at 50 mA·g-1, demonstrating the good cycling stability as a result of the unique microstructure of this electrode material.     

Synthesis and modification of well-ordered layered cathode oxide LiNi<Subscript>2/3</Subscript>Mn<Subscript>1/3</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript>

Oxalic-acid-based co-precipitation method was employed to prepare LiNi_2/3Mn_1/3O₂ sample with a high-ordered structure. Li⁺, Ni²⁺ and Mn²⁺ acetates were used as starting materials. The influence of the amount of lithium source in the starting materials on Li⁺ content, disorder of Li⁺-Ni²⁺ ions, and electrochemical performance has been investigated. Rietveld refinement shows that the sample prepared with 20% excess Li-source in the starting materials exhibits a perfect ordered structure. A specific discharge capacity is as high as 172 mAh/g at C/20 in the voltage range of 4.35–2.7 V. However, the cyclability is not satisfactory: about 25.3% fade in capacity was observed over 50 cycles. Chemically stable SiO2 was coated on the surface of LiNi_2/3Mn_1/3O₂ particles. A significant improvement in cyclability was attained with 3 wt% SiO2 coating, which is ascribable to the protection of LiNi_2/3Mn_1/3O₂ particles from being dissolved into the electrolyte.     

Direct observation of the clockwise light-driven rotation of F<Subscript>0</Subscript>F<Subscript>1</Subscript>-ATP synthase complex

The purified thermophilic bacterium PS3 F₁ β _10×His-tag is inserted into the F_oF₁-ATP synthases of chro-matophores isolated from photosynthetic bacteria Rhodo-spirillum rubrum. The studies of biochemical properties of the hybrid chromatophores show that they have both protons-driving capability and photophosphorylation. The fluorescent actin filaments, as a marker of its orientation by video-microscopic experiment, are connected via Maleimido-C₃-NTA to the reconstituted β_10×His-tag of F_oF₁-ATP synthases. The clockwise rotation of F_oF₁-ATP synthases driven by light is observed directly when viewed from the F_o side to F₁. This system should be valuable for further studying the coupling property of F_oF₁-ATP synthase.     

Photoluminescence and cathodoluminescence properties of a novel CaLaGa307：Dy3＋ phosphor

A single host white emitting phosphor, CaLaGa3O7:Dy3+, was synthesized by chemical co-precipitation. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, laser particle size analysis, and photoluminescence and cathodoluminescence spectra were used to investigate the structural and optical properties of the phosphor. The phosphor particles were composed of microspheres with a slight tendency to agglomerate, and an average diameter was of about 1.0 μm. The Dy3+ ions acted as luminescent centers, and substituted La3+ ions in the single crystal lattice of CaLaGa3O7 where they were located in Cs sites. Under excitation with ultraviolet light and a low voltage electron beam, the CaLaGa3O7:Dy3+ phosphor exhibited the characteristic emission of Dy3+ (4F9/2-6H15/2 and 4F9/2-6H13/2 transitions) with intense yellow emission at about 573 nm. The chromaticity coordinates for the phosphor were in the white region. The relevant luminescence mechanisms of the phosphor are investigated. This phosphor may be applied in both field emission displays and white light-emitting diodes.     

Synthesis of LiCo<Subscript>0.3</Subscript>Ni<Subscript>0.7</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript> as cathode materials for lithium ion batteries by citric acid-assisted sol-gel method

The synthesis process of LiCo0.3Ni0.7O2 was investigated by FT-IR, mass spectroscopy, elemental analysis, SEM, BET, TG/DTA and XRD in this paper. The results revealed that lithium and transition metal ions were trapped homogeneously on an atomic scale throughout the precursor. Li2CO3, NiO and CoO are the intermediate products obtained after decomposition of the precursor and Li2CO3 undergoes direct reactions with NiO and CoO to form LiCo0.3Ni0.7O2. Moreover, the kinetics of formation of LiCo0.3Ni0.7O2 by dtrate sol-gel method is faster than the case of the conventional solid-state reaction between lithium carbonate and corresponding reactants. The single phase of LiCo0.3Ni0.7O2 was synthesized at temperature as low as 550℃. The discharge capacity of LiCo0.3Ni0.7O2 increases from 127 to 185 mAh/g as the caldnation temperature increasing from 550 to 750℃. After 100 cycles, the discharge capacity of the sample calcined at 750℃ is 155 mAh/g. The electrochemical study shows that the LiCo0.3Ni0.7O2 has high discharge capacity and good cycling behavior for lithium ion batteries.     

Filter Paper-Derived Three-Dimensional Carbon Fibers Film Supported Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> as a Superior Binder-Free Anode Material for High Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries

Highly uniform and tight adhering of Fe₃O₄ particles on carbon fiber film (Fe₃O₄/CFF) is achieved through a simple in-situ thermal oxidation method. Particularly, 3D CFF with interconnected structure can shorten transfer path and buffer the volume expansion during charge-discharge cycling. Herein, the obtained Fe₃O₄/CFF anode exhibits a stable cycling performance and excellent high rate capability. The cell delivers a reversible capacity of 1 711 mAh·g^–1 at a current density of 100 mA·g^–1 after 100 cycles. Even at a high rate density of 2 A·g^–1, the specific capacity also can maintain 1 034 mAh·g^–1 after 100 cycles. The simplified fabrication is featured with low-cost and this binder-free perspective holds great potential in mass-production of high-performance metal oxide electrochemical devices.     

MNi4.8Sn0.2（M=La, Nd）-supported multi-walled carbon nanotube composites as hydrogen storage materials

Two composites LaNi4.8Sn0.2/CNTs and NdNi4.8Sn0.2/CNTs were prepared by an impregnation-reduction method. Their hydrogen storage capacity could reach up to 2.96 wt% and 2.88 wt% respectively at room temperature and 1.0 MPa pressure. These values, which might result from the synergetic effect between the alloy nanoparticles and the pretreated CNTs, were three times higher than those of the unsupported MNi4.8Sn0.2 (M=La, Nd) alloys under the same conditions. XRD and TEM revealed that the alloy particles were uniformly dispersed on the CNTs and the average particle size was ca. 30 nm. The composites also showed good stability and the hydrogen storage capacity decreased by less than 6% after 100 adsorption-desorption cycles. Moreover, no noticeable change in crystalline structure was observed for the composites.     

Low-cost solid FeS lubricant as a possible alternative to MoS<Subscript>2</Subscript> for producing Fe-based friction materials

Three reaction systems of MoS₂-Fe, FeS-Fe, and FeS-Fe-Mo were designed to investigate the use of FeS as an alternative to MoS₂ for producing Fe-based friction materials. Samples were prepared by powder metallurgy, and their phase compositions, microstructures, mechanical properties, and friction performance were characterized. The results showed that MoS₂ reacts with the matrix to produce iron-sulfides and Mo when sintered at 1050℃. Iron-sulfides produced in the MoS₂-Fe system were distributed uniformly and continuously in the matrix, leading to optimal mechanical properties and the lowest coefficient of friction among the systems studied. The lubricity observed was hypothesized to originate from the iron-sulfides produced. The FeS-Fe-Mo system showed a phase composition, porosity, and density similar to those of the MoS₂-Fe system, but an uneven distribution of iron-sulfides and Mo in this system resulted in less-optimal mechanical properties. Finally, the FeS-Fe system showed the poorest mechanical properties among the systems studied because of the lack of Mo reinforcement. In friction tests, the formation of a sulfide layer contributed to a decrease in coefficient of friction (COF) in all of the samples.     

Heterobimetallic clusters of Na<Subscript>8</Subscript>Ln(O<Superscript>t</Superscript>Bu)<Subscript>10</Subscript>(OH) as homogeneous catalysts for amidation of aldehydes with amines

Heterobimetallic clusters of Na8Ln(O^tBu)₁₀(OH) (Ln = ytterbium, europium, samarium and neodymium) are found to be useful catalysts for amidation of aldehydes with amines under mild conditions. The catalytic activity depends on the central metal ion in the cluster, and the order activity is ytterbium < europium < samarium ≈ neodymium. The catalysts show a wide range of scope in their activity towards amines including aliphatic amines and secondary cyclic amines such as pyrrolidine and piperidine.     

Li/LiFePO<Subscript>4</Subscript> battery performance with a guanidinium-based ionic liquid as the electrolyte

A new guanidinium-based ionic liquid (IL) was investigated as a novel electrolyte for a lithium rechargeable battery. The viscosity, conductivity, lithium redox behavior, and charge-discharge characteristics of the lithium rechargeable batteries were investigated for the IL electrolyte with 0.3 mol kg⁻¹ lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) salt. Li/LiFePO₄ cells incorporating the IL electrolyte without additives showed good cycle properties at a charge-discharge current rate of 0.1 C, and exhibited good rate capabilities in the presence of a mass fraction of 10% vinylene carbonate or gamma-butyrolactone.     

Composition dependence of viscosity for Al（1-x）Mgx（0≤x≤0. 10） alloys

Viscosities of molten Al（1-x）Mgx（0≤x≤0. 10 alloys have been measured in the temperature range of 973 K--1173 K by a torsional oscillation cup method. The viscosity dependence on temperature for Al（1-x）Mgx（0≤x≤0. 10 melts obeys Arrhenius equation. The viscosity increases with increasing magnesium concentration in the investigated system. There is an important relationship between viscosity and its glass-forming ability for metallic melt.     

Coral reef ecosystems in the South China Sea as a source of atmospheric CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> in summer

Field measurements of air-sea CO2 exchange in three coral reef areas of the South China Sea (i.e. the Yongshu Reef atoll of the Nansha Islands, southern South China Sea (SCS); Yongxing Island of Xisha Islands, north-central SCS; and Luhuitou Fringing Reef in Sanya of Hainan Island, northern SCS) during the summers of 2008 and 2009 revealed that both air and surface seawater partial pressures of CO2 (pCO2) showed regular diurnal cycles. Minimum values occurred in the evening and maximum values in the morning. Air pCO2 in each of the three study areas showed small diurnal variations, while large diurnal variations were ob-served in seawater pCO2. The diurnal variation amplitude of seawater pCO2 was ~70 μmol mol–1 at the Yongshu Reef lagoon, 420–619 μmol mol–1 on the Yongxing Island reef flat, and 264–579 μmol mol–1 on the reef flat of the Luhuitou Fringing Reef, and 324–492 μmol mol–1 in an adjacent area just outside of this fringing reef. With respect to spatial relations, there were large differences in air-sea CO2 flux across the South China Sea (e.g. ~0.4 mmol CO2 m–2 d–1 at Yongshu Reef, ~4.7 mmol CO2 m–2 d–1 at Yongxing Island, and ~9.8 mmol CO2 m–2 d–1 at Luhuitou Fringing Reef). However, these positive values suggest that coral reef ecosystems of the SCS may be a net source of CO2 to the atmosphere. Additional analyses indicated that diurnal variations of surface seawater pCO2 in the shallow water reef flat are controlled mainly by biological metabolic processes, while those of deeper water lagoons and outer reef areas are regulated by both biological metabolism and hydrodynamic factors. Unlike the open ocean, inorganic metabolism plays a significant role in influencing seawater pCO2 variations in coral reef ecosystems.     

Electrocatalytic oxidation of H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript> at a carbon paste electrode modified with a nickel (II)-5, 11, 17, 23-tetra-tert-butyl-25, 27-bis(Diethylcarbamoylmethoxy) calix[4] arene complex and its application

Electrochemical behavior of a carbon paste electrode (CPE) modified with nickel(II)-5, 11, 17, 23-tetra-tert-butyl-25, 27-bis(diethylcarbamoylmethoxy) calix[4]arene (Ni (II)-L) complex and its electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of hydrogen peroxide were investigated by cyclic voltammetric technique in a 5.0×10⁻² mol/L NaClO₄+1.0×10⁻³ mol/L NaOH solution. It was found that Ni(II)-L acts as an effective catalyst for the oxidation of hydrogen peroxide. The modified electrode exhibited a linear response over a hydrogen peroxide concentrations in the range of 2.0×10⁻⁵−1.0×10⁻⁴ mol/L with a detection limit as low as 1.0×10⁻⁶ mol/L. The relative standard deviation was 3.5% for 5 successive determinations of H₂O₂ at 1.0×10⁻⁵ mol/L. The modified electrode was used successfully in rainwater analysis. Foundation item: Supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province (98J040). Biography: Li Chun ya(1972-), Ph. D. candidate, research direction: electroanalysis and electrosynthesis.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In situ</Emphasis> measurement of PM<Subscript>1</Subscript> organic aerosol in Beijing winter using a high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometer

Organic aerosol (OA) is a crucial component of atmospheric fine particles. To achieve a better understanding of the chemical characteristics and sources of OA in Beijing, the size-resolved chemical composition of submicron aerosols were measured in-situ using a High-Resolution Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer in the winter of 2010, with a high time resolution of 5 min. During this study, the mean OA mass concentration was 20.9±25.3 μg/m3, varying between 1.9 and 284.6 μg/m3. Elemental analysis showed that the average H/C, O/C and N/C (molar ratio) were 1.70, 0.17, and 0.005, respectively, corresponding to an OM/OC ratio (mass ratio of organic matter to organic carbon) of 1.37. The average mass-based size distributions of OA present a promi- nent accumulation mode peaking at approximately 450 nm. The prominent presence of ultrafine particles (Dva < 100 nm) was mainly from the fresh emissions of combustion sources. A Positive Matrix Factorisation (PMF) analysis of the organic mass spectral dataset differentiated the OA into three components, including hydrocarbon-like (HOA), cooking-related (COA), and oxygenated (OOA) organic aerosols, which, on average, accounted for 26.9%, 49.7% and 23.4%, respectively, of the total organic mass. The HOA and COA likely corresponded to primary organic aerosol (POA) associated with combustion-related and cooking emissions, respectively, and the OOA components corresponded to aged secondary organic aerosol (SOA).     

Assembly of gold nanoparticles with H10TTPR （3a, 4, 5, 8, 9, 9a, 10, 11-octa-hydro-2H,3H-1,6,7,12-tetrathia-perylene） as the rigid cross-linker

Gold nanoparticles were assembled with the rigid cross-linker, H10TTPR. The assembly process was studied with the UV-vis spectroscopy and TEM. By adjusting the amount of H10TTPR added to the gold nanoparticle solution,the aggregate form of gold nanoparticles could be controlled.     

Methanol as a probe to investigate the relationship between the secondary electron donor Tyr<Subscript>Z</Subscript> and the substrate water molecules in active photosystem II

The secondary electron donor, TyrZ, is implicated in tuning the primary charge separation and the water oxidation in active pho-tosystem II (PSII). Two types of mechanisms have been proposed to explain the function of TyrZ. One is that TyrZ tunes the water oxidation through the direct interaction with substrate water molecules; the other is that TyrZ is located in a hydrophobic envi-ronment without interacting with H2O, and controls the water oxidation by tuning the strength of the hydrogen bond between TyrZ and His190. Here, methanol was used as a probe to study the possible relationship between TyrZ and H2O by monitoring the TyrZ oxidation and TyrZ· reduction at cryogenic temperatures with electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The oxidation of TyrZ and reduction of TyrZ· in both S2 and S0 states at 10 K were accelerated by addition of a small amount of methanol (6%). Theoretical studies indicate that Tyr oxidation becomes more difficult if it interacts directly with the methanol molecule; while the decrease of the polarity of its environment accelerates the oxidation of Tyr. Accordingly, CH3OH does not directly interact with TyrZ in active PSII, and the accelerative effect of methanol is caused by the strength increase of the hydrogen bond between TyrZ and His190, resulting from the decrease of polarity of their environment after the displacement of H2O by CH3OH inside PSII. Considering the similarity between methanol and water, the results in this study support the model in which TyrZ does not interact with H2O in active PSII.     

Pseudo-<Emphasis Type="Italic">in-situ</Emphasis> stir casting: a new method for production of aluminum matrix composites with bimodal-sized B<Subscript>4</Subscript>C reinforcement

A new method was applied to produce an Al-0.5wt%Ti-0.3wt%Zr/5vol%B₄C composite via stir casting with the aim of characterizing the microstructure of the resulting composite. For the production of the composite, large B₄C particles (larger than 75 μm) with no pre-heating were added to the stirred melt. Reflected-light microscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, laser particle size analysis, and image analysis using the Clemex software were performed on the cast samples for microstructural analysis and phase detection. The results revealed that as a consequence of thermal shock, B₄C particle breakage occurred in the melt. The mechanism proposed for this phenomenon is that the exerted thermal shock in combination with the low thermal shock resistance of B₄C and large size of the added B₄C particles were the three key parameters responsible for B₄C particle breakage. This breakage introduced small particles with sizes less than 10 μm and with no contamination on their surfaces into the melt. The mean particle distance measured via image analysis was approximately 60 μm. The coefficient of variation index, which was used as a measure of particle distribution homogeneity, showed some variations, indicating a relatively homogeneous distribution.     

Carbon isotopic composition,turnover and origins of soil CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> in a monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest in the Dinghushan Biosphere Reservoir,South China

Carbon isotopic compositions of soil CO2 in rainy season (July) from two natural soil profiles (DHLS & DHS) in the monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest in the Dinghushan Biosphere Reservoir (DBR), South China, are presented. Turnover and origins of soil CO₂ are preliminarily discussed in this paper. Results show that the content of soil CO2 varies between 6120 and 18718 ppmv, and increases with increasing depth until 75 cm, and then it declines. In DHLS, soil CO₂ δ¹³C ranges from −24.71‰ to −24.03‰, showing a significant inverse correlation (R²＝0.91) with the soil CO₂ content in the same layer. According to a model related to soil CO₂ δ¹³C, the soil CO₂ is mainly derived from the root respiration (>80%) in DHLS. While in DHS, where soil CO₂ ? 13C ranges from −25.19‰ to −22.82‰, soil CO₂ is primarily originated from the decomposition of organic matter (51%–94%), excluding the surface layer (20 cm, 90%). Radiocarbon data suggest that the carbon in soil CO₂ is modern carbon in both DHLS and DHS. Differences in ¹⁴C ages between the “oldest” and “youngest” soil CO₂ in DHLS and DHS are 8 months and 14 months, respectively, indicating that soil CO₂ in DHLS has a faster turnover rate than that in DHS. The ¹⁴C values of soil CO₂, which range between 100.0‰ and 107.2‰ and between 102.5‰ and 112.1‰ in DHLS and DHS, respectively, are obviously higher than those of current atmospheric CO₂ and SOC in the same layer, suggesting that soil CO₂ is likely an important reservoir for Bomb-¹⁴C in the atmosphere.     

以N,N'-亚甲基双丙烯酰胺为单体紫外光接枝制备抗污染PVDF超滤膜

 采用紫外光照接枝N, N'-亚甲基双丙烯酰胺单体的改性方法,对聚偏氟乙烯(PVDF)平板超滤膜进行抗污染改性,研究不同紫外接枝改性条件对膜性能的影响。通过扫描电镜、全反射红外光谱对改性前后膜的表面微观形貌和结构进行表征。结果表明,膜的表面变得更加光滑,引入的亲水性基团,提高了亲水性。在单体浓度为0.7 mol/L,光照时间为3 min 的条件下,改性效果最好;膜的抗污染性能最佳,同时改性对膜的通量影响较小。该改性方法的主要优点是通过水相接枝液就可对PVDF 表面进行改性,大大降低改性实验的要求和成本。