Abstract: Scheelite related compounds (A',A '') [(B',B '')O-4], with B', B '' = W and/or Mo are promising new light-emitting materials for photonic applications, including phosphor converted LEDs (light-emitting diodes). In this paper, the creation and ordering of A-cation vacancies and the effect of cation substitutions in the scheelite-type framework are investigated as a factor for controlling the scheelite-type structure and luminescent properties. CaGd2(1-x)Eu2x(MoO4)(4(1-y))(WO4)(4y) (0 <= x <= 1, 0 <= y <= 1) solid solutions with scheelite-type structure were synthesized by a solid state method, and their structures were investigated using a combination of transmission electron microscopy techniques and powder X-ray diffraction. Within this series all complex molybdenum oxides have (3 + 2)D incommensurately modulated structures with superspace group I4(1)/a(alpha,beta,0)00(-beta,alpha,0)00, while the structures of all tungstates are (3 + 1)D incommensurately modulated with superspace group I2/b(alpha beta 0)00. In both cases the modulation arises because of cation-vacancy ordering at the A site. The prominent structural motif is formed by columns of A-site vacancies running along the c-axis. These vacant columns occur in rows of two or three aligned along the [110] direction of the scheelite subcell. The replacement of the smaller Gd3+ by the larger Eu3+ at the A-sublattice does not affect the nature of the incommensurate modulation, but an increasing replacement of Mo6+ by W6+ switches the modulation from (3 + 2)D to (3 + 1)D regime. Thus, these solid solutions can be considered as a model system where the incommensurate modulation can be monitored as a function of cation nature while the number of cation vacancies at the A sites remain constant upon the isovalent cation replacement. All compounds' luminescent properties were measured, and the optical properties were related to the structural properties of the materials. CaGd2(1-x)(MoO4)(4(1-y))(WO4)(4y) phosphors emit intense red light dominated by the D-5(0)-F-7(2) transition at 612 nm, along with other transitions from the D-5(1) and D-5(0) excited states. The intensity of the 5D0-7F2 transition reaches a maximum at x = 0.5 for y = 0 and 1.

Abstract: Scheelite-type compounds with the general formula (A1,A2)n[(B1,B2)O4]m (2/3 ≤ n/m ≤ 3/2) are the subject of large interest owing to their stability, relatively simple preparation, and optical properties. The creation of cation vacancies (□) in the scheelite-type framework and the ordering of A cations and vacancies can be a new factor in controlling the scheelite-type structure and properties. For a long time, cation-deficient Nd3+:M2/7Gd4/7□1/7MoO4 (M = Li, Na) compounds were considered as potential lasers with diode pumping. They have a defect scheelite-type 3D structure (space group I41/a) with a random distribution of Li+(Na+), Gd3+, and vacancies in the crystal. A Na2/7Gd4/7MoO4 single crystal with scheelite-type structure has been grown by the Czochralski method. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that Na2/7Gd4/7MoO4 has a (3 + 2)D incommensurately modulated structure. The (3 + 2)D incommensurately modulated scheelite-type cation-deficient structure of Na2/7Gd4/7MoO4 [super space group I4̅ (αβ0,βα0)00] has been solved from single-crystal diffraction data. The solution of the (3 + 2)D incommensurately modulated structure revealed the partially disordered distribution of vacancies and Na and Gd cations. High-temperature conductivity measurements performed along the [100] and [001] orientation of the single crystal revealed that the conductivity of Na2/7Gd4/7MoO4 at T = 973 K equals σ = 1.13 × 105 Ω1 cm1.

Abstract: Scientific research into cultural heritage has significantly grown in importance over the past decades. The growing popularity of macroscopic imaging techniques such as X-ray fluorescence or Fourier transform infrared now means that conservators and restorers have access to highly objective information on the chemical composition of a painting without the necessity for destructive sampling. As many works of art are heterogeneous on the macroscopic scale, it is clear that solely relying on microscopic samples does not provide sufficiently representative information on the condition of a painting and that macroscopic imaging techniques should be considered a crucial part of the analytical toolkit for conservation science. The goal of this research has been to investigate the added value of reflection-mode macroscopic X-ray powder diffraction (MA-XRPD) for scientific and art historical investigations of cultural heritage artefacts. A prototype scanner was developed after careful consideration of the individual components. This mobile instrument allows for the analysis of flat objects such as oil paintings with reflection MA-XRPD. In this manner images can be obtained that show the distribution of crystalline components present at the surface of the stratigraphy. These crystalline materials can originate from different sources and include original pigments and non-original pigments. MA-XRPD offers novel insights into original pigments such as ultramarine, copper sulfates and lead white. In Girl with a Pearl Earring by Vermeer the MA-XRPD instrument was used to prove that Vermeer used multiple subtypes of lead white to achieve subtle optical effects while in the painting The Night Watch by Rembrandt the lead white composition was studied in detail; multiple rare lead-based compounds were identified that could be linked to the usage of specific driers in the oil paint. By investigating the presence of degradation products, MA-XRPD can be used to assess the conservation state of an artwork. Secondary alteration products were identified in paintings by Nellius and Mignon, explaining why the paintings had visually deteriorated over time. MA-XRPD registered the presence of lead arsenates which were formed from the original yellow arsenic-based orpiment. By combining microscopic and macroscopic analysis, a chemical degradation pathway for the conversion of the unstable orpiment pigment was proposed. In this manner, MA-XRPD can also be used to provide highly valuable information for conservators and restorers by pinpointing areas that have undergone degradation and to guide sampling campaigns.

Abstract: Searching for novel high-capacity electrode materials combining cationic and anionic redox processes is an ever-growing activity within the field of Li-ion batteries. In this respect, we report on the exploration of the Li3RuyNb1-yO4 (O <= y <= 1) system with an O/M ratio of 4 to maximize the number of oxygen lone pairs, responsible for the anionic redox. We show that this system presents a very rich crystal chemistry with the existence of four structural types, which derive from the rocksalt structure but differ in their cationic arrangement, creating either zigzag, helical, jagged chains or clusters. From an electrochemical standpoint, these compounds are active on reduction via a classical cationic insertion process. The oxidation process is more complex, because of the instability of the delithiated phase. Our results promote the use of the rich Li3MO4 family as a viable platform for a better understanding of the relationships between structure and anionic redox activity.

Abstract: Secondary electron emission is an important process that plays a significant role in several plasma‐related applications. As measuring the secondary electron yield experimentally is very challenging, quantitative modelling of this process to obtain reliable yield data is critical as input for higher‐scale simulations. Here, we build upon our previous work combining density functional theory calculations with a model originally developed by Hagstrum to extend its application to metallic surfaces. As plasmonic effects play a much more important role in the secondary electron emission mechanism for metals, we introduce an approach based on Poisson point processes to include both surface and bulk plasmon excitations to the process. The resulting model is able to reproduce the yield spectra of several available experimental results quite well but requires the introduction of global fitting parameters, which describe the strength of the plasmon interactions. Finally, we use an in‐house developed workflow to calculate the electron yield for a list of elemental surfaces spanning the periodic table to produce an extensive data set for the community and compare our results with more simplified approaches from the literature.

Abstract: Selective chromium (Cr) leaching from stainless steel slag (SS slag) by alkali roasting followed by water leaching was investigated. The efficiency of the alkali roasting process for Cr leaching was increased by optimizing the mass ratio of alkaline agents (NaOH, and NaOH-NaNO3) to the slag, roasting temperature and time. At the optimum condition (0.67 mass ratio of NaOH to SS slag, 400 degrees C, 2 h) of NaOH roasting, chromium leaching was around 83%, while the matrix material was dissolved only to a limited extent (Si 8.0%). Mechanical activation of the SS slag prior to roasting reduced the optimum NaOH to SS slag mass ratio to 0.4. The addition of NaNO3 as an oxidant to the NaOH salt increased Cr leaching to 89% after roasting at 400 degrees C for 2 h. The remaining Cr phases in the residue were almost exclusively FeCr alloys. Further chromium dissolution from these alloys is prevented by a passivation layer of Fe oxides as shown by SEM/EDS images. Based on these results, a SS slag recycling process is suggested in which roasting-water leaching followed by water washing to remove Cr yields a residue which has potential for application as a construction material. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract: Selective etching allows for obtaining carbon nanotubes with a specific chirality. While plasma-assisted etching has already been used to separate metallic tubes from their semiconducting counterparts, little is known about the nanoscale mechanisms of the etching process. We combine (reactive) molecular dynamics (MD) and force-bias Monte Carlo (tfMC) simulations to study H-etching of CNTs. In particular, during the hydrogenation and subsequent etching of both the carbon cap and the tube, they sequentially transform to different carbon nanostructures, including carbon nanosheet, nanowall, and polyyne chains, before they are completely removed from the surface of a substrate-bound Ni-nanocluster.We also found that onset of the etching process is different in the cases of the cap and the tube, although the overall etching scenario is similar in both cases. The entire hydrogenation/etching process for both cases is analysed in detail, comparing with available theoretical and experimental evidences.

Abstract: Selective suppression of nitrite-oxidising bacteria (NOB) over aerobic and anoxic ammonium-oxidising bacteria (AerAOB and AnAOB) remains a major challenge for mainstream partial nitritation/anammox implementation, a resource-efficient nitrogen removal pathway. A unique multi-stressor floc treatment was therefore designed and validated for the first time under lab-scale conditions while staying true to full-scale design principles. Two hybrid (suspended + biofilm growth) reactors were operated continuously at 20.2 ± 0.6 °C. Recurrent multi-stressor floc treatments were applied, consisting of a sulphide-spiked deoxygenated starvation followed by a free ammonia shock. A good microbial activity balance with high AnAOB (71 ± 21 mg N L−1 d−1) and low NOB (4 ± 17 % of AerAOB) activity was achieved by combining multiple operational strategies: recurrent multi-stressor floc treatments, hybrid sludge (flocs & biofilm), short floc age control, intermittent aeration, and residual ammonium control. The multi-stressor treatment was shown to be the most important control tool and should be continuously applied to maintain this balance. Excessive NOB growth on the biofilm was avoided despite only treating the flocs to safeguard the AnAOB activity on the biofilm. Additionally, no signs of NOB adaptation were observed over 142 days. Elevated effluent ammonium concentrations (25 ± 6 mg N L−1) limited the TN removal efficiency to 39 ± 9 %, complicating a future full-scale implementation. Operating at higher sludge concentrations or reducing the volumetric loading rate could overcome this issue. The obtained results ease the implementation of mainstream PN/A by providing and additional control tool to steer the microbial activity with the multi-stressor treatment, thus advancing the concept of energy neutrality in sewage treatment plants.

Abstract: Self-assembly (SA) of nanostructures has recently gained increasing interest. A clear understanding of the process is not straightforward since SA of nanoparticles is a complex multiscale phenomenon including different driving forces. Here, we study the SA between aluminum doped ZnO nanopyramids into couples by combining inorganic chemistry and advanced electron microscopy techniques with atomistic simulations. Our results show that the SA of the coupled nanopyramids is controlled first by morphology, as coupling only occurs in the case of pyramids with well-developed facets of the basal planes. The combination of electron microscopy and atomistic modeling reveals that the coupling is further driven by strong ligandligand interaction between the bases of the pyramids as dominant force, while screening effects due to Al doping or solvent as well as corecore interaction are only minor contributions. Our combined approach provides a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between the interactions at work in the coupled SA of ZnO nanopyramids.

Abstract: Self-assembly of nanoscale building blocks into ordered nanoarchitectures has emerged as a simple and powerful approach for tailoring the nanoscale properties and the opportunities of using these properties for the development of novel optoelectronic nanodevices. Here, the one-pot synthesis of CsPbBr3 perovskite supercrystals (SCs) in a colloidal dispersion by ultrasonication is reported. The growth of the SCs occurs through the spontaneous self-assembly of individual nanocrystals (NCs), which form in highly concentrated solutions of precursor powders. The SCs retain the high photoluminescence (PL) efficiency of their NC subunits, however also exhibit a redshifted emission wavelength compared to that of the individual nanocubes due to interparticle electronic coupling. This redshift makes the SCs pure green emitters with PL maxima at approximate to 530-535 nm, while the individual nanocubes emit a cyan-green color (approximate to 512 nm). The SCs can be used as an emissive layer in the fabrication of pure green light-emitting devices on rigid or flexible substrates. Moreover, the PL emission color is tunable across the visible range by employing a well-established halide ion exchange reaction on the obtained CsPbBr3 SCs. These results highlight the promise of perovskite SCs for light emitting applications, while providing insight into their collective optical properties.

Abstract: Self-organized striated structure has been observed experimentally and numerically in CF4 plasmas in radio-frequency capacitively coupled plasmas recently (Liu et al 2016 Phys. Rev. Lett. 116 255002). In this work, the striated structure is investigated in a capacitively coupled oxygen discharge with the introduction of the effect from the secondary electron emission, based on a particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collision model. As we know, the transport of positive and negative ions plays a key role in the formation of striations in electronegative gases, for which, the electronegativity needs to be large enough. As the secondary electron emission increases, electrons in the sheaths gradually contribute more ionization to the discharge. Meanwhile, the increase of the electron density, especially in the plasma bulk, leads to an increased electrical conductivity and a reduced bulk electric field, which would shield the ions' mobility. These changes result in enlarged striation gaps. And then, with more emitted electrons, obvious disruption of the striations is observed accompanied with a transition of electron heating mode. Due to the weakened field, the impact ionization in the plasma bulk is attenuated, compared with the enhanced ionization caused by secondary electrons. This would lead to the electron heating mode transition from striated (STR) mode to gamma-mode. Besides, our investigation further reveals that gamma-mode is more likely to dominate the discharge under high gas pressures or driving voltages.

Abstract: SEM-EDX and LA-ICP-MS analyses were performed on a set of early 17th century London glass fragments. The samples originate from two archaeological sites (Aldgate and Old Broad Street) where glass workshops were active in this period. The great majority of the samples are made of soda glass. Two distinct compositional groups are observed, each typical of one site of provenance. The samples originating from the Old Broad Street excavation feature a silica-soda-lime composition, with a moderate amount of potash. The samples from Aldgate are richer in potassium and feature higher amounts of trace elements such as Rb, Zr and Cu. The distinction between the two groups stems from different flux and silica sources used for glassmaking. A comparison with different European glass compositions of that time reveals no resemblance with genuine Venetian production, yet the composition of the Old Broad Street glass shows a close similarity to that of fragments produced 'a la facon de Venise' in Antwerp at the end of the 16th century. This coincides with historical sources attesting the arrival of glassworkers from the Low Countries in England and suggests that a transfer of technology took place near the turn of the century.

Abstract: Semiconductor gas sensors produced with screen-printing techniques and based on home-made tin dioxide inks are presented. The ink consists of home-made tin dioxide powder added to a polymer solution to make it screen printable on 96% alumina substrates. The major work is performed on the preparation and the characterization of pure undoped tin dioxide powder produced by two different synthetic pathways. Inks prepared with powders from each method are consecutively handled in an identical way to obtain gas sensors. The sensor response towards different gases is measured and compared for both types of starting materials.

Abstract: Semiconductor monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have brought a new paradigm by introducing optically addressable valley degree of freedom. Concomitantly, their high flexibility constitutes a unique platform that links optics to mechanics via valleytronics. With the intention to expedite the research in this direction, we investigated ten TMDs, namely MoS2, MoSe2, MoTe2, WS2, WSe2, WTe2, MoSSe, MoSeTe, WSSe, and WSeTe, which particularly includes their so-called janus types (JTMDs). First, we obtained their electronic band structures using regular and hybrid density functional theory (DFT) calculations in the presence of the spin-orbit coupling and biaxial or uniaxial strain. Our DFT results indicated that against the expectations based on their reported piezoelectric behavior, JTMDs typically interpolated between the standard band properties of the constituent TMDs without producing a novel feature. Next, by fitting to our DFT data we generated both spinless and spinful k center dot p parameter sets which are quite accurate over the K valley where the optical activity occurs. As an important application of this parametrization, we considered the circular and linear dichroism under strain. Among the studied (J)TMDs, WTe2 stood out with its largest linear dichroism under uniaxial strain because of its narrower band gap and large K valley uniaxial deformation potential. This led us to suggest WTe2 monolayer membranes for optical polarization-based strain measurements, or conversely, as strain tunable optical polarizers.

Abstract: Seminal Goodenough-Kanamori-Anderson (GKA) rules provide an inceptive understanding of the superexchange interaction of two magnetic metal ions bridged with an anion, and suggest fostered ferromagnetic interaction for orthogonal bridging bonds. However, there are no examples of two-dimensional (2D) materials with structure that optimizes the GKA arguments towards enhanced ferromagnetism and its critical temperature. Here we reveal that an ideally planar GKA ferromagnetism is indeed stable in selected tetragonal transition-metal xenes (tTMXs), with Curie temperature above 300 K found in CrC and MnC. We provide the general orbitally-resolved analysis of magnetic interactions that supports the claims and sheds light at the mechanisms dominating the magnetic exchange process in these structures. Furthermore, we propose the set of three GKA-like rules that will guarantee room temperature ferromagetnism. With recent advent of epitaxially-grown tetragonal 2D materials, our findings earmark tTMXs for facilitated spintronic and magnonic applications, or as a desirable magnetic constituent of functional 2D heterostructures.