A novel glassy substance known as metallic glacial glass has been recently discovered by liquid-to-liquid transition or glaciation of some metallic-glass forming liquids.Without changing the original composition and a...A novel glassy substance known as metallic glacial glass has been recently discovered by liquid-to-liquid transition or glaciation of some metallic-glass forming liquids.Without changing the original composition and amorphous nature of the material,glaciation gives the glass intriguing properties,including high strength,high hardness,and improved thermal stability.The metallic glacial glass can be preserved at ambient temperature,above which sits the glass transition temperature,making it suitable for material applications that have not been possible with other glacial phases in other liquid systems.A brief history of the glacial phase in the triphenyl phosphite molecular liquid with similar thermodynamics and kinetics to metallic glacial glass is introduced,emphasizing the common questions faced.Different phase-transition pathways for supercooled liquids of principal crystallization,primary crystallization,quasicrystallization,short-range ordering,phase separation,mesophase for-mation,and glaciation are compared,highlighting the large enthalpy change of glaciation enabling a new landscape of the glassy state.Requirements for identifying glaciation out of other possibilities are specified.Future research directions regarding both scientific and practical needs are proposed.The review concludes with a roadmap that may lead to more compositions of metallic glacial glasses.展开更多
Recent discoveries of intrinsic two-dimensional(2D)magnets open up vast opportunities to address fundamental problems in condensed matter physics,giving rise to applications from ultra-compact spintronics to quantum c...Recent discoveries of intrinsic two-dimensional(2D)magnets open up vast opportunities to address fundamental problems in condensed matter physics,giving rise to applications from ultra-compact spintronics to quantum computing.The ever-growing material landscape of 2D magnets lacks,however,carbon-based systems,prominent in other areas of 2D research.Magnetization measurements of the Eu/graphene compound-a monolayer of the EuC_(6) stoichiometry-reveal the emergence of 2D ferromagnetism but detailed studies of competing magnetic states are still missing.Here,we employ element-selective X-ray absorption spectroscopy(XAS)and magnetic circular dichroism(XMCD)to establish the magnetic structure of monolayer EuC6.The system exhibits the anomalous Hall effect,negative magnetoresistance,and magnetization consistent with a ferromagnetic state but the saturation magnetic moment(about 2.5/%/Eu)is way too low for the half-filled f-shells of Eu^(2+)ions.Combined XAS/XMCD studies at the Eu L3 absorption edge probe the EuC6 magnetism in high fields and reveal the nature of the missing magnetic moments.The results are set against XMCD studies in Eu/silicene and Eu/germanene to establish monolayer EuC6 as a prominent member of the family of Eu-based 2D magnets combining the celebrated graphene properties with a strong magnetism of europium.展开更多
The pressing demand for high-energy/power lithium-ion batteries requires the deployment of cathode materials with higher capacity and output voltage.Despite more than ten years of research,high-voltage cathode mate-ri...The pressing demand for high-energy/power lithium-ion batteries requires the deployment of cathode materials with higher capacity and output voltage.Despite more than ten years of research,high-voltage cathode mate-rials,such as high-voltage layered oxides,spinel LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4,and high-voltage polyanionic compounds still cannot be commercially viable due to the instabilities of standard electrolytes,cathode materials,and cathode electrolyte interphases under high-voltage operation.This paper summarizes the recent advances in addressing the surface and interface issues haunting the application of high-voltage cathode materials.The understanding of the limitations and advantages of different modification protocols will direct the future endeavours on advancing high-energy/power lithium-ion batteries.展开更多
Coherent diffraction imaging enables the imaging of individual defects,such as dislocations or stacking faults,in materials.These defects and their surrounding elastic strain fields have a critical influence on the ma...Coherent diffraction imaging enables the imaging of individual defects,such as dislocations or stacking faults,in materials.These defects and their surrounding elastic strain fields have a critical influence on the macroscopic properties and functionality of materials.However,their identification in Bragg coherent diffraction imaging remains a challenge and requires significant data mining.The ability to identify defects from the diffraction pattern alone would be a significant advantage when targeting specific defect types and accelerates experiment design and execution.Here,we exploit a computational tool based on a three-dimensional(3D)parametric atomistic model and a convolutional neural network to predict dislocations in a crystal from its 3D coherent diffraction pattern.Simulated diffraction patterns from several thousands of relaxed atomistic configurations of nanocrystals are used to train the neural network and to predict the presence or absence of dislocations as well as their type(screw or edge).Our study paves the way for defect-recognition in 3D coherent diffraction patterns for material science.展开更多
BACKGROUND The enteric nervous system(ENS)is situated along the entire gastrointestinal tract and is divided into myenteric and submucosal plexuses in the small and large intestines.The ENS consists of neurons,glial c...BACKGROUND The enteric nervous system(ENS)is situated along the entire gastrointestinal tract and is divided into myenteric and submucosal plexuses in the small and large intestines.The ENS consists of neurons,glial cells,and nerves assembled into ganglia,surrounded by telocytes,interstitial cells of Cajal,and connective tissue.Owing to the complex spatial organization of several interconnections with nerve fascicles,the ENS is difficult to examine in conventional histological sections of 3-5μm.AIM To examine human ileum full-thickness biopsies using X-ray phase-contrast nanotomography without prior staining to visualize the ENS.METHODS Six patients were diagnosed with gastrointestinal dysmotility and neuropathy based on routine clinical and histopathological examinations.As controls,fullthickness biopsies were collected from healthy resection ileal regions after hemicolectomy for right colon malignancy.From the paraffin blocks,4-μm thick sections were prepared and stained with hematoxylin and eosin for localization of the myenteric ganglia under a light microscope.A 1-mm punch biopsy(up to 1 cm in length)centered on the myenteric plexus was taken and placed into a Kapton®tube for mounting in the subsequent investigation.X-ray phase-contrast tomography was performed using two custom-designed laboratory setups with micrometer resolution for overview scanning.Subsequently,selected regions of interest were scanned at a synchrotron-based end-station,and high-resolution slices were reported.In total,more than 6000 virtual slices were analyzed from nine samples.RESULTS In the overview scans,the general architecture and quality of the samples were studied,and the myenteric plexus was localized.High-resolution scans revealed details,including the ganglia,interganglional nerve fascicles,and surrounding tissue.The ganglia were irregular in shape and contained neurons and glial cells.Spindle-shaped cells with very thin cellular projections could be observed on the surface of the ganglia,which appeared to build a network.展开更多
The code benchmarking for hadron linac using the 3D Particle-In-Cell (PIC) code is an important task in the European framework “High Intensity Pulsed Proton Injector” (HIPPI). PARMILA and HALODYN are two of the code...The code benchmarking for hadron linac using the 3D Particle-In-Cell (PIC) code is an important task in the European framework “High Intensity Pulsed Proton Injector” (HIPPI). PARMILA and HALODYN are two of the codes involved in this work. Both of these codes have been developed and used for linac design and beam dynamics studies. In this paper, the simulation results of the beam dynamics were compared and analyzed. As predicted by two codes, the simulation results show some agreements. The physical design strategy which was adopted in two codes was also discussed.展开更多
In-air epitaxy of nanostructures(Aerotaxy)has recently emerged as a viable route for fast,large-scale production.In this study,we use small-a ngle X-ray scatteri ng to perform direct in-flight characterizati ons of th...In-air epitaxy of nanostructures(Aerotaxy)has recently emerged as a viable route for fast,large-scale production.In this study,we use small-a ngle X-ray scatteri ng to perform direct in-flight characterizati ons of the first step of this process,i.e.,the en gineered formatio n of Au and Pt aerosol nan oparticles by spark gen erati on in a flow of N2 gas.This represe nts a particular challe nge for characterizati on because the particle density can be extremely low in con trolled production.The particles produced are exami ned duri ng producti on at operatio nal pressures close to atmospheric conditions and exhibit a log no rmal size distributi on ranging from 5-100nm.The Au and Pt particle productio n and detection are compared.We observe and characterize the nanoparticles at different stages of synthesis and extract the corresponding domi nant physical properties,in cludi ng the average particle diameter and sphericity,as in flue need by particle sintering and the prese nee of aggregates.We observe highly sorted and sin tered spherical Au nano particles at ultra-dilute concen tratio ns(<5×10^5 particles/cm^3)corresponding to a volume fraction below 3×10^-10,which is orders of magnitude below that of previously measured aerosols.We independently confirm an average particle radius of 25 nm via Guinier and Kratky plot analysis.Our study indicates that with high-intensity synchrotron beams and careful con sideratio n of backgro und removal,size and shape info rmati on can be obtai ned for extremely low particle concentrations with industrially relevant narrow size distributions.展开更多
We demonstrate that convenient thermal treatment of a specific sapphire vicinal surface can induce the formation of a fully two-dimensional(2D)ordered surface made of a periodic assembly of(006)facets.The simiarity be...We demonstrate that convenient thermal treatment of a specific sapphire vicinal surface can induce the formation of a fully two-dimensional(2D)ordered surface made of a periodic assembly of(006)facets.The simiarity between the resuting surface topography and pattemns represented in the hexagon series"of paintings by Vasarely is really striking!We thus propose to call these surfaces as"nanoscaled Vasarely surfaces".We also show that the self-organization process,which is driven by the minimization of the free energy of a closed system,results in a quasi-linear isothermal growth of the facets'surface area over time.展开更多
The enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose is still considered as a main limiting step of the biological production of biofuels from ligno-cellulosic biomass. Glycoside hydrolases from Trichoderma reesei are currently used...The enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose is still considered as a main limiting step of the biological production of biofuels from ligno-cellulosic biomass. Glycoside hydrolases from Trichoderma reesei are currently used to produce fermentable glucose units from degradation of cellulose packed in a complex assembly of cellulose microfibrils. The present work describes the structural evolution of two prototypical samples of cellulose (a micro-crystalline cellulose and a bleached sulfite pulp) over 5 length scale orders of magnitude. The results were obtained through wide angle, small angle and ultra-small angles synchrotron X-ray scattering, completed by Small Angle Neutron Scattering and particle size analyzers. These structural evolutions were followed as a function of enzymatic conversion. The results show that whereas there is no change at the nanometer scale, drastic changes occur at micron. The observed decrease of the size of the cellulose particles is accompanied by a smoothing of the crystalline surfaces that can be explained by a two-step mechanism of the enzymatic hydrolysis.展开更多
Enabling the use of rationally designed thin films in technological devices is a recognized goal in materials science. However, constructing such thin films using highly ordered supramolecular architectures with well-...Enabling the use of rationally designed thin films in technological devices is a recognized goal in materials science. However, constructing such thin films using highly ordered supramolecular architectures with well-controlled size and growth direction has remained an elusive target. Here, we introduce a layer-by- layer protocol to grow hybrid thin films of molecule-based magnetic conductors comprising arachidic acid and donor bis（ethylenedioxy）tetrathiafulvalene （BEDO-TTF） as the organic component and Cu/Gd complexes as the inorganic component. The construction of layered hybrid thin films was achieved at ambient conditions by employing the Langmuir-Blodgett method, which provides good control over film thickness and packing of molecules in the monolayer. As demonstrated by X-ray diffraction, these films are crystalline with distinct organic and inorganic sublattices, where the BEDO-TTF molecular layer is interfaced with the inorganic layer. Due to the flexibility of the Langmuir-Blodgett deposition technique, this result indicates a route toward the preparation of well-ordered films with various functionalities, determined by the choice of the inorganic compound that is combined with the π-unit of BEDO-TFF. Moreover, the ability to deposit films on a variety of substrates establishes the potential for lower-cost device fabrication on inexpensive substrates.展开更多
Platinum-palladium nanoparticles are synthesized and characterized with regard to their application in fuel cells due to their high (electro) catalytic activity. Different preparation times are applied leading to diff...Platinum-palladium nanoparticles are synthesized and characterized with regard to their application in fuel cells due to their high (electro) catalytic activity. Different preparation times are applied leading to different structures, from Pd cubic to core-shell PtPd concave, and different chemical compositions. The resulting particles are studied via Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and in-situ X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) measurements. The latter allows the investigation of the oxygen reduction reaction following the variations with varying applied potentials by analysis using the Iterative Transformation Factor Analysis (ITFA) and the creation of a two-component system that consists of metallic Pt-Pd and the related oxide. With the used model, the different concentrations of the oxide are linked to the consecutive chemical steps of the oxygen reduction reaction. Finally, the catalytic activity of the particles is determined via linear scanning voltammetry and reveals a dependence on the shape and the composition of the particles.展开更多
Calcium hydroxide nanoparticles in aqueous suspensions (also called nanolime) were successfully employed in Cultural Heritage conservation thanks to the ability of favoring readhesion of the pictorial layer on origina...Calcium hydroxide nanoparticles in aqueous suspensions (also called nanolime) were successfully employed in Cultural Heritage conservation thanks to the ability of favoring readhesion of the pictorial layer on original carbonatic substrates or allowing to a better superficial cohesion and protection of treated stones. In this work, we have synthesized nanolime particles in aqueous suspension by two different methods. The produced particles were characterized in the laboratory, in terms of structural and morphological features, by means of X-Ray diffraction powder (XRD) and by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. Nanoparticles were crystalline, regularly shaped, hexagonally plated and with side dimensions generally ranging from 300 nm to 30 nm or less. Crystal structure of nanolime particles directly in the aqueous suspension, has been also analyzed by synchrotron diffraction from X-ray synchrotron radiation (SR-XRD);data have been analyzed by means of the Rietveld method and we have investigated the structure of Ca(OH)2 particles in suspension in terms of cell parameters, atomic coordinates, bond lengths and angles.展开更多
Two-dimension(2D)magnets have recently developed into a class of stoichiometric materials with prospective applications in ultra-compact spintronics and quantum computing.Their functionality is particularly rich when ...Two-dimension(2D)magnets have recently developed into a class of stoichiometric materials with prospective applications in ultra-compact spintronics and quantum computing.Their functionality is particularly rich when different magnetic orders are competing in the same material.Metalloxenes REX2(RE=Eu,Gd;X=Si,Ge),silicene or germanene—heavy counterparts of graphene—coupled with a layer of rare-earth metals,evolve from three-dimension(3D)antiferromagnets in multilayer structures to 2D ferromagnets in a few monolayers.This evolution,however,does not lead to fully saturated 2D ferromagnetism,pointing at a possibility of coexisting/competing magnetic states.Here,REX2 magnetism is explored with element-selective X-ray magnetic circular dichroism(XMCD).The measurements are carried out for GdSi2,EuSi2,GdGe2,and EuGe2 of different thicknesses down to 1 monolayer employing K absorption edges of Si and Ge as well as M and L edges of the rare-earths.They access the magnetic state in REX2 and determine the seat of magnetism,orbital,and spin contributions to the magnetic moment.High-field measurements probe remnants of the bulk antiferromagnetism in 2D REX2.The results provide a new platform for studies of complex magnetic structures in 2D materials.展开更多
Samples of SA508 grade 3 nuclear pressure vessel ferritic steel were subjected to tensile straining whilst being simultaneously imaged in 3D in real time using high resolution,high frame rate time-lapse synchrotron co...Samples of SA508 grade 3 nuclear pressure vessel ferritic steel were subjected to tensile straining whilst being simultaneously imaged in 3D in real time using high resolution,high frame rate time-lapse synchrotron computed tomography(CT).This enabled direct observation of void development from nucleation,through growth to coalescence and final failure validating many inferences made post-mortem or by theoretical models,as well as raising new points.The sparse,large inclusions were found to nucleate voids at essentially zero plastic strain(consistent with zero interfacial strength);these became increasingly elongated with straining.In contrast,a high density of small spherical voids were found to nucleate from the sub-micron cementite particles at larger strains(>200%)only in the centre of the necked(high triaxiality)region.An interfacial strength approaching 2100 MPa was inferred and soon after their nucleation,these small voids coalesce to form internal microcracks that lead to the final failure of the specimen.Perhaps surprisingly,under these conditions of generally low triaxial constraint the large voids are simply cut across and appear to play no significant role in determining the final failure.The implications of these results are discussed in terms of ductile fracture behaviour and the Gurson model for ductile fracture.展开更多
The 4-alkoxybenzoic acids are well-known liquid crystals showing several mesophases (nematic, smectic C phase or both) depending on the alkoxy chain length and whereby the rigid core of the mesogen is formed by interm...The 4-alkoxybenzoic acids are well-known liquid crystals showing several mesophases (nematic, smectic C phase or both) depending on the alkoxy chain length and whereby the rigid core of the mesogen is formed by intermolecular hydrogen bonds. In this paper it is shown that the thermal behaviour of lanthanide salts of 4-hexyloxybenzoic acids depends on the lanthanide ion (Ln=La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu). The lanthanum(Ⅲ) and praseodymium(Ⅲ) 4-hexyloxybenzoates exhibit a smectic A mesophase. No mesophase is found for the corresponding compounds of heavier lanthanides. The thermal properties of the lanthanide(Ⅲ) 4-hexyloxybenzoates were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarising thermo-optical microscopy and synchrotron X-ray radiation.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51971239 and 92263103)the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDB30000000)+1 种基金the National Key Research and Development Plan(2018YFA0703603)the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province(2019B030302010).
文摘A novel glassy substance known as metallic glacial glass has been recently discovered by liquid-to-liquid transition or glaciation of some metallic-glass forming liquids.Without changing the original composition and amorphous nature of the material,glaciation gives the glass intriguing properties,including high strength,high hardness,and improved thermal stability.The metallic glacial glass can be preserved at ambient temperature,above which sits the glass transition temperature,making it suitable for material applications that have not been possible with other glacial phases in other liquid systems.A brief history of the glacial phase in the triphenyl phosphite molecular liquid with similar thermodynamics and kinetics to metallic glacial glass is introduced,emphasizing the common questions faced.Different phase-transition pathways for supercooled liquids of principal crystallization,primary crystallization,quasicrystallization,short-range ordering,phase separation,mesophase for-mation,and glaciation are compared,highlighting the large enthalpy change of glaciation enabling a new landscape of the glassy state.Requirements for identifying glaciation out of other possibilities are specified.Future research directions regarding both scientific and practical needs are proposed.The review concludes with a roadmap that may lead to more compositions of metallic glacial glasses.
基金supported by NRC“Kurchatov Institute”(No.1055(characterization))the Russian Foundation for Basic Research(grant 19-07-00249(transport measurements)),and the Russian Science Foundation(grants 19-19-00009(synthesis)and 20-79-10028(magnetization measurements)).D.V.A.acknowledges support from the Presidents scholarship(SP 1398.2019.5).
文摘Recent discoveries of intrinsic two-dimensional(2D)magnets open up vast opportunities to address fundamental problems in condensed matter physics,giving rise to applications from ultra-compact spintronics to quantum computing.The ever-growing material landscape of 2D magnets lacks,however,carbon-based systems,prominent in other areas of 2D research.Magnetization measurements of the Eu/graphene compound-a monolayer of the EuC_(6) stoichiometry-reveal the emergence of 2D ferromagnetism but detailed studies of competing magnetic states are still missing.Here,we employ element-selective X-ray absorption spectroscopy(XAS)and magnetic circular dichroism(XMCD)to establish the magnetic structure of monolayer EuC6.The system exhibits the anomalous Hall effect,negative magnetoresistance,and magnetization consistent with a ferromagnetic state but the saturation magnetic moment(about 2.5/%/Eu)is way too low for the half-filled f-shells of Eu^(2+)ions.Combined XAS/XMCD studies at the Eu L3 absorption edge probe the EuC6 magnetism in high fields and reveal the nature of the missing magnetic moments.The results are set against XMCD studies in Eu/silicene and Eu/germanene to establish monolayer EuC6 as a prominent member of the family of Eu-based 2D magnets combining the celebrated graphene properties with a strong magnetism of europium.
文摘The pressing demand for high-energy/power lithium-ion batteries requires the deployment of cathode materials with higher capacity and output voltage.Despite more than ten years of research,high-voltage cathode mate-rials,such as high-voltage layered oxides,spinel LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4,and high-voltage polyanionic compounds still cannot be commercially viable due to the instabilities of standard electrolytes,cathode materials,and cathode electrolyte interphases under high-voltage operation.This paper summarizes the recent advances in addressing the surface and interface issues haunting the application of high-voltage cathode materials.The understanding of the limitations and advantages of different modification protocols will direct the future endeavours on advancing high-energy/power lithium-ion batteries.
基金We acknowledge the financial support from the European Research Council(ERC)under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program(Grant Agreement No.818823)We also thank the support of a grant from the Ministry of Science&Technology,Israel and CNRS,France.
文摘Coherent diffraction imaging enables the imaging of individual defects,such as dislocations or stacking faults,in materials.These defects and their surrounding elastic strain fields have a critical influence on the macroscopic properties and functionality of materials.However,their identification in Bragg coherent diffraction imaging remains a challenge and requires significant data mining.The ability to identify defects from the diffraction pattern alone would be a significant advantage when targeting specific defect types and accelerates experiment design and execution.Here,we exploit a computational tool based on a three-dimensional(3D)parametric atomistic model and a convolutional neural network to predict dislocations in a crystal from its 3D coherent diffraction pattern.Simulated diffraction patterns from several thousands of relaxed atomistic configurations of nanocrystals are used to train the neural network and to predict the presence or absence of dislocations as well as their type(screw or edge).Our study paves the way for defect-recognition in 3D coherent diffraction patterns for material science.
基金Supported by the Development Foundation of Region Skane,No.REGSKANE-818781 and No.2018-Projekt0024the Foundation Skane University Hospital,No.2020-0000028.
文摘BACKGROUND The enteric nervous system(ENS)is situated along the entire gastrointestinal tract and is divided into myenteric and submucosal plexuses in the small and large intestines.The ENS consists of neurons,glial cells,and nerves assembled into ganglia,surrounded by telocytes,interstitial cells of Cajal,and connective tissue.Owing to the complex spatial organization of several interconnections with nerve fascicles,the ENS is difficult to examine in conventional histological sections of 3-5μm.AIM To examine human ileum full-thickness biopsies using X-ray phase-contrast nanotomography without prior staining to visualize the ENS.METHODS Six patients were diagnosed with gastrointestinal dysmotility and neuropathy based on routine clinical and histopathological examinations.As controls,fullthickness biopsies were collected from healthy resection ileal regions after hemicolectomy for right colon malignancy.From the paraffin blocks,4-μm thick sections were prepared and stained with hematoxylin and eosin for localization of the myenteric ganglia under a light microscope.A 1-mm punch biopsy(up to 1 cm in length)centered on the myenteric plexus was taken and placed into a Kapton®tube for mounting in the subsequent investigation.X-ray phase-contrast tomography was performed using two custom-designed laboratory setups with micrometer resolution for overview scanning.Subsequently,selected regions of interest were scanned at a synchrotron-based end-station,and high-resolution slices were reported.In total,more than 6000 virtual slices were analyzed from nine samples.RESULTS In the overview scans,the general architecture and quality of the samples were studied,and the myenteric plexus was localized.High-resolution scans revealed details,including the ganglia,interganglional nerve fascicles,and surrounding tissue.The ganglia were irregular in shape and contained neurons and glial cells.Spindle-shaped cells with very thin cellular projections could be observed on the surface of the ganglia,which appeared to build a network.
文摘The code benchmarking for hadron linac using the 3D Particle-In-Cell (PIC) code is an important task in the European framework “High Intensity Pulsed Proton Injector” (HIPPI). PARMILA and HALODYN are two of the codes involved in this work. Both of these codes have been developed and used for linac design and beam dynamics studies. In this paper, the simulation results of the beam dynamics were compared and analyzed. As predicted by two codes, the simulation results show some agreements. The physical design strategy which was adopted in two codes was also discussed.
文摘In-air epitaxy of nanostructures(Aerotaxy)has recently emerged as a viable route for fast,large-scale production.In this study,we use small-a ngle X-ray scatteri ng to perform direct in-flight characterizati ons of the first step of this process,i.e.,the en gineered formatio n of Au and Pt aerosol nan oparticles by spark gen erati on in a flow of N2 gas.This represe nts a particular challe nge for characterizati on because the particle density can be extremely low in con trolled production.The particles produced are exami ned duri ng producti on at operatio nal pressures close to atmospheric conditions and exhibit a log no rmal size distributi on ranging from 5-100nm.The Au and Pt particle productio n and detection are compared.We observe and characterize the nanoparticles at different stages of synthesis and extract the corresponding domi nant physical properties,in cludi ng the average particle diameter and sphericity,as in flue need by particle sintering and the prese nee of aggregates.We observe highly sorted and sin tered spherical Au nano particles at ultra-dilute concen tratio ns(<5×10^5 particles/cm^3)corresponding to a volume fraction below 3×10^-10,which is orders of magnitude below that of previously measured aerosols.We independently confirm an average particle radius of 25 nm via Guinier and Kratky plot analysis.Our study indicates that with high-intensity synchrotron beams and careful con sideratio n of backgro und removal,size and shape info rmati on can be obtai ned for extremely low particle concentrations with industrially relevant narrow size distributions.
基金This work has been carried out partially within the QMAX Project No.ANR-09-NANO-031 funded by the French National Agency(ANR)in the frame of its program in Nanosciences,Nanotechnologies and Nanosystems(P3N2009)We acknowledge the synchrotron SOLEIL and the ESRF for provision of beamtime at the synchrotron radiation facilitiesThe authors express their gratitude towards the Limousin Region for financial support of the PhD salaries of A.F.and CM..
文摘We demonstrate that convenient thermal treatment of a specific sapphire vicinal surface can induce the formation of a fully two-dimensional(2D)ordered surface made of a periodic assembly of(006)facets.The simiarity between the resuting surface topography and pattemns represented in the hexagon series"of paintings by Vasarely is really striking!We thus propose to call these surfaces as"nanoscaled Vasarely surfaces".We also show that the self-organization process,which is driven by the minimization of the free energy of a closed system,results in a quasi-linear isothermal growth of the facets'surface area over time.
基金financial support from ADEME for a doctoral fellowship to M.C.is gratefully acknowledged
文摘The enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose is still considered as a main limiting step of the biological production of biofuels from ligno-cellulosic biomass. Glycoside hydrolases from Trichoderma reesei are currently used to produce fermentable glucose units from degradation of cellulose packed in a complex assembly of cellulose microfibrils. The present work describes the structural evolution of two prototypical samples of cellulose (a micro-crystalline cellulose and a bleached sulfite pulp) over 5 length scale orders of magnitude. The results were obtained through wide angle, small angle and ultra-small angles synchrotron X-ray scattering, completed by Small Angle Neutron Scattering and particle size analyzers. These structural evolutions were followed as a function of enzymatic conversion. The results show that whereas there is no change at the nanometer scale, drastic changes occur at micron. The observed decrease of the size of the cellulose particles is accompanied by a smoothing of the crystalline surfaces that can be explained by a two-step mechanism of the enzymatic hydrolysis.
文摘Enabling the use of rationally designed thin films in technological devices is a recognized goal in materials science. However, constructing such thin films using highly ordered supramolecular architectures with well-controlled size and growth direction has remained an elusive target. Here, we introduce a layer-by- layer protocol to grow hybrid thin films of molecule-based magnetic conductors comprising arachidic acid and donor bis（ethylenedioxy）tetrathiafulvalene （BEDO-TTF） as the organic component and Cu/Gd complexes as the inorganic component. The construction of layered hybrid thin films was achieved at ambient conditions by employing the Langmuir-Blodgett method, which provides good control over film thickness and packing of molecules in the monolayer. As demonstrated by X-ray diffraction, these films are crystalline with distinct organic and inorganic sublattices, where the BEDO-TTF molecular layer is interfaced with the inorganic layer. Due to the flexibility of the Langmuir-Blodgett deposition technique, this result indicates a route toward the preparation of well-ordered films with various functionalities, determined by the choice of the inorganic compound that is combined with the π-unit of BEDO-TFF. Moreover, the ability to deposit films on a variety of substrates establishes the potential for lower-cost device fabrication on inexpensive substrates.
文摘Platinum-palladium nanoparticles are synthesized and characterized with regard to their application in fuel cells due to their high (electro) catalytic activity. Different preparation times are applied leading to different structures, from Pd cubic to core-shell PtPd concave, and different chemical compositions. The resulting particles are studied via Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and in-situ X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) measurements. The latter allows the investigation of the oxygen reduction reaction following the variations with varying applied potentials by analysis using the Iterative Transformation Factor Analysis (ITFA) and the creation of a two-component system that consists of metallic Pt-Pd and the related oxide. With the used model, the different concentrations of the oxide are linked to the consecutive chemical steps of the oxygen reduction reaction. Finally, the catalytic activity of the particles is determined via linear scanning voltammetry and reveals a dependence on the shape and the composition of the particles.
文摘Calcium hydroxide nanoparticles in aqueous suspensions (also called nanolime) were successfully employed in Cultural Heritage conservation thanks to the ability of favoring readhesion of the pictorial layer on original carbonatic substrates or allowing to a better superficial cohesion and protection of treated stones. In this work, we have synthesized nanolime particles in aqueous suspension by two different methods. The produced particles were characterized in the laboratory, in terms of structural and morphological features, by means of X-Ray diffraction powder (XRD) and by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. Nanoparticles were crystalline, regularly shaped, hexagonally plated and with side dimensions generally ranging from 300 nm to 30 nm or less. Crystal structure of nanolime particles directly in the aqueous suspension, has been also analyzed by synchrotron diffraction from X-ray synchrotron radiation (SR-XRD);data have been analyzed by means of the Rietveld method and we have investigated the structure of Ca(OH)2 particles in suspension in terms of cell parameters, atomic coordinates, bond lengths and angles.
基金This work was supported by National Research Center(NRC)“Kurchatov Institute”(No.1359,characterization)the Russian Science Foundation(No.19-19-00009(synthesis)and No.20-79-10028(magnetization measurements))。
文摘Two-dimension(2D)magnets have recently developed into a class of stoichiometric materials with prospective applications in ultra-compact spintronics and quantum computing.Their functionality is particularly rich when different magnetic orders are competing in the same material.Metalloxenes REX2(RE=Eu,Gd;X=Si,Ge),silicene or germanene—heavy counterparts of graphene—coupled with a layer of rare-earth metals,evolve from three-dimension(3D)antiferromagnets in multilayer structures to 2D ferromagnets in a few monolayers.This evolution,however,does not lead to fully saturated 2D ferromagnetism,pointing at a possibility of coexisting/competing magnetic states.Here,REX2 magnetism is explored with element-selective X-ray magnetic circular dichroism(XMCD).The measurements are carried out for GdSi2,EuSi2,GdGe2,and EuGe2 of different thicknesses down to 1 monolayer employing K absorption edges of Si and Ge as well as M and L edges of the rare-earths.They access the magnetic state in REX2 and determine the seat of magnetism,orbital,and spin contributions to the magnetic moment.High-field measurements probe remnants of the bulk antiferromagnetism in 2D REX2.The results provide a new platform for studies of complex magnetic structures in 2D materials.
基金funding through a European Research Council Grant(COREL-CT)(No.695638)funded through EPSRC Grants(Nos.EP/R00661X/1,EP/S019367/1,EP/P025021/1 and EP/P025498/1)+1 种基金the Institute of Metal Research,the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars(No.5172510)the National Science and Technology Major Project(No.J2019-VI-0019–0134)。
文摘Samples of SA508 grade 3 nuclear pressure vessel ferritic steel were subjected to tensile straining whilst being simultaneously imaged in 3D in real time using high resolution,high frame rate time-lapse synchrotron computed tomography(CT).This enabled direct observation of void development from nucleation,through growth to coalescence and final failure validating many inferences made post-mortem or by theoretical models,as well as raising new points.The sparse,large inclusions were found to nucleate voids at essentially zero plastic strain(consistent with zero interfacial strength);these became increasingly elongated with straining.In contrast,a high density of small spherical voids were found to nucleate from the sub-micron cementite particles at larger strains(>200%)only in the centre of the necked(high triaxiality)region.An interfacial strength approaching 2100 MPa was inferred and soon after their nucleation,these small voids coalesce to form internal microcracks that lead to the final failure of the specimen.Perhaps surprisingly,under these conditions of generally low triaxial constraint the large voids are simply cut across and appear to play no significant role in determining the final failure.The implications of these results are discussed in terms of ductile fracture behaviour and the Gurson model for ductile fracture.
文摘The 4-alkoxybenzoic acids are well-known liquid crystals showing several mesophases (nematic, smectic C phase or both) depending on the alkoxy chain length and whereby the rigid core of the mesogen is formed by intermolecular hydrogen bonds. In this paper it is shown that the thermal behaviour of lanthanide salts of 4-hexyloxybenzoic acids depends on the lanthanide ion (Ln=La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu). The lanthanum(Ⅲ) and praseodymium(Ⅲ) 4-hexyloxybenzoates exhibit a smectic A mesophase. No mesophase is found for the corresponding compounds of heavier lanthanides. The thermal properties of the lanthanide(Ⅲ) 4-hexyloxybenzoates were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarising thermo-optical microscopy and synchrotron X-ray radiation.
