Abstract: A theoretical framework is described to understand the results of plasmon holography experiments leading to insight in the meaning of the experimental results and pointing out directions for future experiments. The framework is based on the formalism of mutual intensity to describe how coherence is transferred through an optical system. For the inelastic interaction with the object, an expression for the volume. plasmon excitations in a free electron gas is used as a model for the behaviour of aluminium. The formalism leads to a clear graphical intuitive tool for under-standing the experiments. It becomes evident that the measured coherence is solely related to the angular distribution of the plasmon scattering in the case of bulk plasmons. After describing the framework, the special case of coherence outside a spherical particle is treated and the seemingly controversial idea of a plasmon with a limited coherence length obtained front experiments is clarified. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract: Adaptation of the photoresponse of anatase TiO2 to match the solar spectrum is an important scientific challenge. Modification of TiO2 with noble metal nanoparticles displaying surface plasmon resonance effects is one of the promising approaches. Surface plasmon resonance typically depends on chemical composition, size, shape and spatial organization of the metal nanoparticles in contact with TiO2. AuxAg(1 − x) alloy nanoparticles display strong composition-dependent surface plasmon resonance in the visible light region of the spectrum. In this work, a general strategy is presented to prepare plasmonic TiO2-based photocatalysts with a visible light response that can be accurately tuned over a broad range of the spectrum. The application as self-cleaning material toward the degradation of stearic acid is demonstrated for a plasmonic TiO2 photocatalyst displaying visible light photoactivity at the intensity maximum of solar light around 490 nm.

Abstract: Platinum metal was dispersed on microporous, mesoporous, and nonporous support materials including the zeolites Na-Y, Ba-Y, Ferrierite, ZSM-22, ETS-10, and AlPO-11, alumina, and titania. The oxidation of carbon black loosely mixed with catalyst powder was monitored gravimetrically in a gas stream containing nitric oxide, oxygen, and water. The carbon oxidation activity of the catalysts was found to be uniquely related to the Pt dispersion and little influenced by support type. The optimum dispersion is around 3-4% corresponding to relatively large Pt particle sizes of 2040 nm. The carbon oxidation activity reflects the NO oxidation activity of the platinum catalyst, which reaches an optimum in the 20-40 nm Pt particle size range. The lowest carbon oxidation temperatures were achieved with platinum loaded ZSM-22 and AlPO-11 zeolite crystallites bearing platinum of optimum dispersion on their external surfaces.

Abstract: Focused ion beam (FIB) induced damage in nanocrystalline Al thin films has been characterized using advanced transmission electron microscopy techniques. Electron tomography was used to analyze the three-dimensional distribution of point defect clusters induced by FIB milling, as well as their interaction with preexisting dislocations generated by internal stresses in the Al films. The atomic structure of interstitial Frank loops induced by irradiation, as well as the core structure of Frank dislocations, has been resolved with aberration-corrected high-resolution annular dark-field scanning TEM. The combination of both techniques constitutes a powerful tool for the study of the intrinsic structural properties of point defect clusters as well as the interaction of these defects with preexisting or deformation dislocations in irradiated bulk or nanostructured materials.

Abstract: We have expanded the double perovskite family of materials with the unusual combination of layered order in the A sublattice and rock salt order over the B sublattice to compounds NaLaFeWO6 and NaNdFeWO6. The materials have been synthesized and studied by powder X-ray diffraction, neutron diffraction, electron diffraction, magnetic measurements, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, dielectric measurements, and second harmonic generation. At room temperature, the crystal structures of both compounds can be defined in the noncentrosymmetric monoclinic P2(1) space group resulting from the combination of ordering both in the A and B sublattices, the distortion of the cell due to tilting of the octahedra, and the displacement of certain cations. The magnetic studies show that both compounds are ordered antiferromagnetically below T-N approximate to 25 K for NaLaFeWO6 and at similar to 21 K for NaNdFeWO6. The magnetic structure of NaNdFeWO6 has been solved with a propagation vector k = (1/2 0 1/2) as an antiferromagnetic arrangement of Fe and Nd moments. Although the samples are potential multiferroics, the dielectric measurements do not show a ferroelectric response.

Abstract: Combining long-range magnetic order with polarity in the same structure is a prerequisite for the design of (magnetoelectric) multiferroic materials. There are now several demonstrated strategies to achieve this goal, but retaining magnetic order above room temperature remains a difficult target. Iron oxides in the +3 oxidation state have high magnetic ordering temperatures due to the size of the coupled moments. Here we prepare and characterize ScFeO3 (SFO), which under pressure and in strain-stabilized thin films adopts a polar variant of the corundum structure, one of the archetypal binary oxide structures. Polar corundum ScFeO3 has a weak ferromagnetic ground state below 356 K-this is in contrast to the purely antiferromagnetic ground state adopted by the well-studied ferroelectric BiFeO3.

Abstract: In this work we describe the formulation and characterization of chemically modified polymeric nanocapsules incorporating the anticancer drug, quercetin, for the passive and active targeting to tumors. Folic acid was conjugated to poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) polymer to facilitate active targeting to cancer cells. Two different methods for the conjugation of PLGA to folic acid were employed utilizing polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a spacer. Characterization of the conjugates was performed using FTIR and H-1 NMR studies. The PEG and folk acid content was independent of the conjugation methodology employed. PEGylation has shown to reduce the size of the nanocapsule; moreover, zeta-potential was shown to be polymer-type dependent. Comparative studies on the cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of the different formulations by He La cells, in the presence and absence of excess folic acid, were carried out using MTT assay and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy, respectively. Both results confirmed the selective uptake and cytotoxicity of the folic acid targeted nanocapsules to the folate enriched cancer cells in a folate-dependent manner. Finally, the passive tumor accumulation and the active targeting of the nanocapsules to folate-expressing cells were confirmed upon intravenous administration in He La or IGROV-1 tumor-bearing mice. The developed nanocapsules provide a system for targeted delivery of a range of hydrophobic anticancer drugs in vivo.

Abstract: Ca(OH)(2) crystals, well known as portlandite, are grown in layered form, and we found that they can be exfoliated on different substrates. We performed first principles calculations to investigate the structural, electronic, vibrational, and mechanical properties of bulk, bilayer, and monolayer structures of this material. Different from other lamellar structures such as graphite and transition-metal dichalcogenides, intralayer bonding in Ca(OH)(2) is mainly ionic, while the interlayer interaction remains a weak dispersion-type force. Unlike well-known transition-metal dichalcogenides that exhibit an indirect-to-direct band gap crossover when going from bulk to a single layer, Ca(OH)(2) is a direct band gap semiconductor independent of the number layers. The in-plane Young's modulus and the in-plane shear modulus of monolayer Ca(OH)(2) are predicted to be quite low while the in-plane Poisson ratio is larger in comparison to those in the monolayer of ionic crystal BN. We measured the Raman spectrum of bulk Ca(OH)(2) and identified the high-frequency OH stretching mode A(1g) at 3620 cm(-1). In this study, bilayer and monolayer portlandite [Ca(OH)(2)] are predicted to be stable and their characteristics are analyzed in detail. Our results can guide further research on ultrathin hydroxites.

Abstract: A positron lifetime experiment is performed on samples produced by the compaction of nanocrystalline Ni3Al powder synthesized by the inert-gas condensation technique. In the lifetime spectrum we observe two components corresponding to defects. Computer (virtual) samples of n-Ni3Al are obtained using molecular dynamics combined with the Metropolis Monte Carlo technique. Positron lifetime calculations are then performed on selected regions of simulated samples. For this purpose, a new computational technique based on a generalization of the atomic superposition method for non-periodic systems was developed. Lifetimes calculated in this way are compared to experiment.