Abstract: An alternative pathway to assemble mesoporous molecular sieve silicas is developed using nonionic alkylamines and N,N-dimethylalkylamines (SO) as structure-directing agents in acidic conditions. The synthesized mesostructures possess wormhole-like frameworks with pore sizes and pore volumes in the range of 20-90 Angstrom and 0.5-1.3 cm(3)/g, respectively. The formation of the mesophase is controlled by a counterion-mediated mechanism of the type (S(0)H(+))(X(-)I(+)), where S(0)H(+) are protonated water molecules that are hydrogen bonded to the lone electron pairs on the amine surfactant headgroups (S(0)H(+)), X(-) is the counteranion originating from the acid, and I(+) are the positively charged (protonated) silicate species. We found that the stronger the ion X(-) is bonded to S(0)H(+), the more it catalyzes the silica condensation into (S(0)H(+))(X(-)I(+)). Br(-) is shown to be a strong binding anion and therefore a fast silica polymerization promoter compared to Cl(-) resulting in the formation of a higher quality mesophase for the Br(-) syntheses. We also showed that the polymerization rate of the silica, dictated by the counterion, controls the morphology of the mesostructures from nonuniform agglomerated blocks in the case of Br(-) syntheses to spherical particles for the Cl(-) syntheses. Next to many benefits such as low temperature, short synthesis time, and the use of inexpensive, nontoxic, and easily extractable amine templates, the developed materials have a remarkable higher thermal and hydrothermal stability compared to hexagonal mesoporous silica, which is also prepared with nonionic amines but formed through the S(0)I(0) mechanism.

Abstract: An approach to observe snake states in a graphene Hall bar containing a pn-junction is proposed. The magnetic field dependence of the bend resistance in a ballistic graphene Hall bar structure containing a tilted pn-junction oscillates as a function of applied magnetic field. We show that each oscillation is due to a specific snake state that moves along the pn-interface. Furthermore, depending on the value of the magnetic field and applied potential, we can control the lead in which the electrons will end up and hence control the response of the system.

Abstract: An aptamer-based electrochemical sensor, wherein said aptamer is covalently bonded to or chemisorbed on an electrode, said aptamer forming a robust complex with a target molecule and is encapsulated by a gelatin B matrix; a method of manufacturing an aptamer-based electrochemical sensor for determining a concentration of a target molecule comprising the steps of: selecting an aptamer to form a robust complex with a target molecule using the SELEX procedure; synthesizing said aptamer; adsorbing said aptamer on or covalently coupling said aptamer with an electrode; and providing a gelatin B matrix for said aptamer on said electrode thereby realising said aptamer-based potentiometric or amperometric sensor; and the use of the aptamer-based electrochemical sensor produced according to the above method for the electrochemical determination of a concentration of 15 the target molecule.

Abstract: An Ar plasma sustained by a surfaguide wave launcher is investigated at intermediate pressure (200–2667 Pa). Two 2D self-consistent models (quasi-neutral and plasma bulk-sheath) are developed and benchmarked. The complete set of electromagnetic and fluid equations and the boundary conditions are presented. The transformation of fluid equations from a local reference frame, that is, moving with plasma or when the gas flow is zero, to a laboratory reference frame, that is,
accounting for the gas flow, is discussed. The pressure range is extended down to 80 Pa by experimental measurements. The electron temperature decreases with pressure. The electron density depends linearly on power, and changes its behavior with pressure depending on the product of pressure and radial plasma size.

Abstract: An assessment of aqueous solubility (leaching potential) of soil contaminations with petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) is important in the context of the evaluation of (migration) risks and soil/groundwater remediation. Field measurements using monitoring wells often overestimate real TPH concentrations in case of presence of pure oil in the screened interval of the well. This paper presents a method to calculate TPH equilibrium concentrations in groundwater using soil analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography followed by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (HPLCGCXGC). The oil in the soil sample is divided into 79 defined hydrocarbon fractions on two GCXGC color plots. To each of these fractions a representative water solubility is assigned. Overall equilibrium water solubility of the non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) present in the sample and the water phase's chemical composition (in terms of the 79 fractions defined) are then calculated using Raoult's law. The calculation method was validated using soil spiked with 13 different TPH mixtures and 1 field-contaminated soil. Measured water solubilities using a column recirculation equilibration experiment agreed well to calculated equilibrium concentrations and water phase TPH composition.

Abstract: An automated electron microprobe, equipped with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer and an additional backscattered electron signal digitalization system, can allow rapid sizing and major element analysis on numerous particles. A software package has been developed to exploit the particle size and shape information to achieve quantitative analysis of single particles, and to compare the performance of the different matrix correction procedures.

Abstract: An effective tight-binding (TB) Hamiltonian for monolayer GeSnH2 is constructed which has an inversion-asymmetric honeycomb structure. The low-energy band structure of our TB model agrees very well with previous ab initio calculations even under biaxial tensile strain. Our model predicts a phase transition at 7.5% biaxial tensile strain in agreement with DFT calculations. Upon 8.5% strain the system exhibits a band gap of 134 meV, suitable for room temperature applications. It is shown that an external applied magnetic field produces a special phase which is a combination of the quantum Hall (QH) and quantum spin Hall (QSH) phases; and at a critical magnetic field strength the QSH phase completely disappears. The topological nature of the phase transition is confirmed from: (1) the calculation of the Z(2) topological invariant, and (2) quantum transport properties of disordered GeSnH2 nanoribbons which allows us to determine the universality class of the conductance fluctuations. The application of an external applied magnetic field reduces the conductance fluctuations by a factor of root 2.

Abstract: An efficient method to investigate the microstructure and spatial distribution of nitrogen and nitrogen-vacancy (N-V) defects in detonation nanodiamond (DND) with primary particle sizes ranging from approximately 3 to 50 nm is presented. Detailed analysis reveals atomic nitrogen concentrations as high as 3 at% in 50% of diamond primary particles with sizes smaller than 6 nm. A non-uniform distribution of nitrogen within larger primary DND particles is also presented, indicating a preference for location within the defective central part or at twin boundaries. A photoluminescence (PL) spectrum with well-pronounced zero-phonon lines related to the N-V centers is demonstrated for the first time for electron-irradiated and annealed DND particles at continuous laser excitation. Combined Raman and PL analysis of DND crystallites dispersed on a Si substrate leads to the conclusion that the observed N-V luminescence originates from primary particles with sizes exceeding 30 nm. These findings demonstrate that by manipulation of the size/nitrogen content in DND there are prospects for mass production of nanodiamond photoemitters based on bright and stable luminescence from nitrogen-related defects.

Abstract: An efficient model-based estimation algorithm is introduced to quantify the atomic column positions and intensities from atomic-resolution (scanning) transmission electron microscopy ((S)TEM) images. This algorithm uses the least squares estimator on image segments containing individual columns fully accounting for overlap between neighboring columns, enabling the analysis of a large field of view. To provide end-users with this well-established quantification method, a user friendly program, StatSTEM, is developed which is freely available under a GNU public license. In this chapter, this efficient algorithm is applied to three different nanostructures for which the analysis of a large field of view is required.

Abstract: An efficient procedure for the physical entrapment of proteins within a biocompatible matrix and their immobilization on electrode surfaces is of utmost importance in the fabrication of biosensors. In this work, the magnetic entrapment of hemoglobin (Hb) at the surface of a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE), through mixed hemi/ad-micelles (MHAM) array of positively charged surfactant supported iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (Mag-NPs), is reported. The Hb/MHAM@Mag-NPs biocomposite is captured at SPCE by a super magnet (Hb/MHAM@Mag-NPs/SPCE). To gain insight in the configuration of the mixed hemi/ad-micelles of CTAB at Mag-NPs, zeta-potential measurements were performed. The entrapment of Hb at MHAM@Mag-NPs was confirmed by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Direct electron transfer of the Hb intercalated into the composite film showed a pair of well-defined quasi-reversible redox peak at formal potential of −0.255 V vs. Ag/AgCl corresponding to heme Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couple. It shows that the MHAM@Mag-NPs composite could increase the adsorption ability for Hb, thus provides a facile direct electron transfer between the Hb and the substrate. The proposed biosensor showed excellent electrocatalytic activity to the H2O2 reduction in the wide concentration range from 5.0 to 300.0 µM obtained by amperometric measurement. The MichaelisMenten constant (Km) value of Hb at the modified electrode is 55.4 µM, showing its high affinity. Magnetic entrapment offers a promising design for fast, convenient and effective immobilization of protein within a few minutes for determination of the target molecule in low sample volume at disposable cost-effective SPCE.

Abstract: An electron-irradiation-induced transformation from cubic beta2 austenite to monoclinic 7M martensite was observed in situ under high resolution electron microscopy conditions in a thin foil of Ni63Al37 beta2 phase (B2, CsCl structure), with the start temperature of the martensitic transformation below but very close to room temperature. The structure of the martensite is consistent with thermoelastic or stress-induced martensite at this composition, including the existence of multiple stacking faults. The transformation is described by a gradual increase in the shear and shuffle amplitudes already existing in the precursor domains. Possible origins of the transformation are discussed.

Abstract: An energy level diagram is constructed on the basis of a microscopic Hamiltonian proposed for a description of interacting manganese impurities in diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMS). It is shown that ferromagnetism in p-type III-V DMS is governed by the strong hybridization of Mn2+-electrons with the mobile holes and localized states near the top of the valence band. The Curie temperature estimated from the proposed kinematic exchange agrees with the experiments on GaAs:Mn. The model is also applicable to the GaP:Mn system.

Abstract: An epitaxially grown heterostructure consisting of alternating layers of LaMnO3 (8 unit cells) and SrMnO3 (4 unit cells) on a SrTiO3 substrate has been studied by a combination of electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) on an atomic scale. Excitation edges of all elements are captured with subnanometer spatial accuracy, and parametrized to obtain chemical profiles. The fine-edge structure of O K and Mn L-2,L-3 edges are interpreted as signatures of the local electronic structure and show a spatial modulation of the concentration of holes with O 2p character. The chemical concentration is found to be different for the bottom and top interface of a SrMnO3 layer. HRTEM complements the EELS results and confirms the asymmetry of the interfaces. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.

Abstract: An evaluation of the accuracy and suitability of the LachanceTraill algorithm using effective α-coefficients, and the De Jongh α approach for x-ray fluorescence analysis of borax glass beads prepared from geological material was performed. By using theoretical α-coefficients obtained from the same standard and calculated elemental intensities, the two algorithms were compared under identical conditions. When only the monitor standard is used, the LachanceTrail1 approach is found to be inferior to the De Jongh basic α method. If multi-standard calibration is performed for both approaches, the accuracies are almost identical and no significant difference is found in the results. The LachanceTraill algorithm has the advantage of being easier to implement on a minicomputer and, when used without standards, it is found to give results within a few percent of the true values, which is a useful indicator in the choice of appropriate standards for more accurate analytical work.

Abstract: An experimental determination of the mean vortex velocity in superconductors mostly relies on the measurement of flux-flow resistance with magnetic field, temperature, or driving current. In the present work we introduce a method combining conventional transport measurements and a frequency-tuned flashing pinning potential to obtain reliable estimates of the vortex velocity. The proposed device is characterized using the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau formalism, where the velocimetry method exploits the resonances in mean vortex dissipation when temporal commensuration occurs between the vortex crossings and the flashing potential. We discuss the sensitivity of the proposed technique on applied current, temperature and heat diffusion, as well as the vortex core deformations during fast motion.