Abstract: Analysis of single crystal X-ray diffraction, neutron powder diffraction, electron diffraction and Zn−K-edge EXAFS data show that Ba2ZnO2Ag2Se2 contains unusual isolated [ZnO2]2− moieties resulting from fragmentation of a ZnO2 infinite plane placed under tension.

Abstract: The highly porous and desolvated (activated) coordination polymer [Zn4O(btb)2] (btb = benzene-1,3,5-tribenzoate; MOF-177) was loaded with the organometallic compounds [Cp2Fe], [Cp*2Zn], [Cu(OCHMeCH2NMe2)2], [CpCuL] (L = PMe3, CNtBu) and [CpPd(3-C3H5)] via solvent-free adsorption from the gas-phase. The inclusion compounds of the type [LnM]a@MOF-177, where [LnM] indicates the respective compound and the parameter a denotes the number of molecules per formula unit of the MOF-177, were characterised by elemental analysis, FT-IR, solid-state NMR spectroscopy and by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). Remarkably high effective loadings of up to 11 molecules [Cp2Fe] and 10 molecules [CpPd(3-C3H5)] per cavity were determined. The analytical data prove that the host lattice and the guest molecules interact only by weak van-der-Waals forces without any significant change of the framework or the chemical nature of the included molecules. Cu nanoparticles showing the typical surface plasmon resonance at 580 nm and Pd nanoparticles of about 2.6 nm in size were formed inside the cavities of MOF-177 by the thermally activated hydrogenolysis of the inclusion compounds [CpCuCNtBu]2@MOF-177 and by photolysis of [CpPd(3-C3H5)]10@MOF-177 in an inert atmosphere (Ar). PXRD, FT-IR and NMR studies revealed that the MOF-177 matrix remained unchanged during the decomposition process of the precursors. N2 adsorption studies of the obtained materials Cu@MOF-177 (e.g. 10.6 wt.% Cu, 2309 m2 g-1) and Pd@MOF-177 (e.g. 32.5 wt.%, 1063 m2 g-1) reveal high remaining specific surface areas (Langmuir model).

Abstract: When a tunneling barrier between two superconductors is formed by a normal material that would be a superconductor in the absence of phase fluctuations, the resulting Josephson effect can undergo an enormous enhancement. We establish this novel proximity effect by a general argument as well as a numerical simulation and argue that it may underlie recent experimental observations of the giant proximity effect between two cuprate superconductors separated by a barrier made of the same material rendered normal by severe underdoping.

Abstract: The ordered configurations of a monolayer of interacting magnetic dipoles confined in a circular parabolic potential are investigated as a function of the dipole moment of the particles. Despite the circular confinement, we find very asymmetric ordered structures like chains and Y-shaped configurations when a magnetic field is applied parallel to the plane of the particles. The normal-mode spectrum of the particles and its dependence on the magnetic field and the strength of the dipole moment of the particles are studied. The vibrational and rotational modes of the spectrum, which are associated with the stability of the system, are investigated in detail. The number of particles is varied and we found different ordering of the particles for different values of the dipole moment and the magnetic field. A ring structure with a large number of particles is observed for high values of the dipole moment of the particles.

Abstract: Air pollution caused by the lime production industry has become a serious problem with potential effects to human health, especially in developing countries. Colombo is a city included in the Metropolitan Region of Curitiba (capital of Parana State) in South Brazil. In Colombo city, a correlation has been shown between the lime production and the number of persons who need respiratory treatment in a local hospital, indicating that the lime industry can cause deleterious health effects in the exposed workers and population. This research was conducted to deal firstly with the characterization of the size distribution and chemical compositions of particles emitted from lime manufacturing and subsequently to assess the deposition rate of inhaled dolomitic lime aerosol particles in the human respiratory tract. The elemental chemical composition and particle size of individual atmospheric particles was quantitatively elucidated, including low-Z components like C, N and 0, as well as higher-Z elements, using automated electron probe microanalysis. Information concerning the bulk composition is provided by energy-dispersive X-ray detection. The majority of the respirable particulate matter identified was composed of aluminosilicates, Ca-Mg oxides, carbon-rich particles, mixtures of organic particles and Ca-Mg carbonates, soot and biogenic particles. In view of the chemical composition and size distribution of the aerosol particles, local deposition efficiencies in the human respiratory system were calculated, revealing the deposition of CaO center dot MgO at extrathoracic, tracheobronchial and pulmonary levels. The results of this study offer evidence to the threat of the fine and coarse particles emitted from dolomite lime manufacturing, allowing policy-makers to better focus their mitigation strategies in an effective way, as well as to the dolomite producers for the purpose of designing and/or implementing improved emission controls.

Abstract: The incommensurately modulated scheelite-like KSm( MoO4)(2) structure has been refined in the monoclinic superspace group I2/b(alpha beta 0)00 by the Rietveld method on the basis of synchrotron radiation powder diffraction data. The systematic broadening of satellite reflections has been accounted for by applying anisotropic microstrain line-broadening. The microstructure has been studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The partial disorder of the K and Sm cations in the A position is best approximated by a combination of harmonic and complex crenel functions with (0.952Sm + 0.048K) and (0.952K + 0.048Sm) atomic domains. This combination yields a compositional wave distribution from {KMoO4} to {SmMoO4} observed in the ab structure projection along q. The specific features of KSm(MoO4)(2) and degree of the A-cation ordering are discussed in comparison with the previously reported structure of KNd(MoO4)(2).

Abstract: Vortex charges in high-temperature superconductor (HTS) are studied by solving the Bogoliubovde Gennes equations based on a model Hamiltonian with antiferromagnetic (AF) and d-wave orders in the presence of the long-range Coulomb repulsion. For a sufficient strength of the AF order, the negative vortex charge is found. A sign change between negative and positive may occur by tuning the long-range Coulomb repulsion strength or the doping parameter. Recent NMR experiments are hopefully understood. We show that the charged vortex can induce a spin-orbit coupling that is important for superconductors with a short coherence length and a large value of the energy gap over the Fermi-level ratio. Fractional flux quanta are possible for HTS.