Abstract: The advances in the characterization of amorphous carbons by Raman spectroscopy over the last four decades are of interest to many industries, especially those involving the combustion, gasification and pyrolysis of coal. Many researchers report on the Raman character of the natural organic matter in carbon-containing compounds, such as coal, and relate the Raman bands to the structural order of the amorphous carbons. The basis of most of these studies evolved around the assignment of the G (graphitic, ∼1580 cm−1) band to crystalline graphite and any other bands, called D bands, (disorder, various from 1100 to 1500 cm−1) to any type of structural disorder in the graphitic structure. Concerning coal analysis, the information gained by Raman investigations has been used to describe char evolution as a function of temperature, the presence of catalysts and different gasification conditions. In addition, researchers looked at maturation, grade, doppleritization and many more aspects of interest. One aspect that has, however, not been addressed by most of the researchers is the natural inorganic matter (NIM) in the carbon-containing compounds. Micro-Raman spectroscopy (MRS) has many advantages over other characterization tools, i.e. in situ analysis, nondestructive, no sample preparation, low detection limit, micrometer-scale characterization, versatility and sensitivity to many amorphous compounds. With the distinct advantages it has over that of other molecular characterization tools, such as powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscopy with X-ray detection (SEM/EDS), it is surprising that it has not yet been fully exploited up to this point for the characterization of the NIM in coal and other amorphous carbons. This paper reviews the work published on the Raman characterization of the natural organic matter (NOM) of coals and reports on preliminary results of the NIM character of various South African coals, whereby various inorganic compounds and minerals in the coal have been characterized.

Abstract: The adsorptive voltammetric behaviour of tinidazole onto the HMDE was investigated and validated in solubilized system and biological fluids by CV, SWCAdSV and DPCAdSV. Addition of CTAB to the solution containing drug enhanced the peak current while anionic and non-ionic surfactants showed an opposite effect. The electrode process is irreversible and adsorption controlled. Various chemical and instrumental parameters affecting the monitored electroanalytical response were investigated and optimized for tinidazole determination. Under optimized conditions; the adsorptive stripping peak current is linear over the concentration range 7.0 × 10−9 to 6.2 × 10−7 mol/L with detection limit of 4.5 × 10−10 mol/L. The precision of the proposed method in terms of RSD is 1.2% and mean recovery of 100.01%. The applicability of proposed method is further extended to in vitro determination of the drug in biological fluids.

Abstract: The interior and exterior Robin problems for the Helmholtz equation in starlike planar domains are addressed by using a suitable Fourier-like technique. Attention is in particular focused on normal-polar domains whose boundaries are defined by the so-called superformula introduced by J. Gielis. A dedicated numerical procedure based on the computer algebra system Mathematica© is developed in order to validate the proposed approach. In this way, highly accurate approximations of the solution, featuring properties similar to the classical ones, are obtained. The computed results are found to be in good agreement with the theoretical findings on Fourier series expansion presented by L. Carleson.

Abstract: The application of fixed operational protocols and settings for membrane bioreactors (MBR) often leads to suboptimal filtration conditions due to the dynamic nature of mixed liquor characteristics. With regard to process optimization and energy savings, the potential benefits of a dynamic control system, enabling to adapt fouling control actions (ACS outputs) in an automated way to the actual mixed liquor fouling propensity, are thus obvious. In this paper, the pilot-scale validation of such an advanced control system (ACS) is elaborated. A specific on-line fouling measurement method, the MBR-VFM (VITO Fouling Measurement), was used for the evaluation of the mixed liquors reversible fouling propensity, which was used as a primary ACS input parameter. A first series of tests with a gradual increase in complexity of the selected input and output parameters indicated the functionality of the ACS and demonstrated a substantial reduction of aeration, however sometimes at the expense of a higher fouling rate. The ACS was further fine-tuned and subsequently tested for a longer period under more dynamic operating conditions. A significant correlation was found between the reversible fouling potential measured by the MBR-VFM and the on-line permeability, indicating that the MBR-VFM is a suitable ACS input. Furthermore, an average 22% reduction in aeration flow to the membranes could be achieved without any obvious negative effect on filtration performance. This indicates that this approach is promising to optimize energy consumption in MBRs.

Abstract: This study reports the development and validation of sensitive and selective assay method for the determination of the antidepressant drug in solubilized system and biological fluids. Solubilized system of different surfactants including cationic, anionic and non-ionic influences the electrochemical response of drug. Addition of cationic surfactant cetrimide to the solution containing drug enhances the peak current signal while anionic and non-ionic showed an opposite effect. The current signal due to reduction process was function of concentration of nitroxazepine, pH, type of surfactant and preconcentration time at the electrode surface. The reduction process is irreversible and adsorption controlled at HMDE. Various chemical and instrumental parameters affecting the monitored electroanalytical response were investigated and optimized for niroxazepine hydrochloride determination. The proposed SWCAdSV and DPCAdSV methods are linear over the concentration range 2.0 × 10-7 5.0 × 10-9 mol/L and 6.1 × 10-7 1.0 × 10-8 mol/L with detection limit of 1.62 × 10-10 mo/L and 1.4 × 10-9 mo/L respectively. The method shows good sensitivity, selectivity, accuracy and precision that makes it very suitable for determination of nitroxazepine in pharmaceutical formulation and biological fluids.

Abstract: Analytical chemistry does play a key role in the chemical characterization of the environment and it appears that X-ray spectrometry, in its many forms, is one of the most relevant analytical techniques in preventive conservation, as it is in cultural heritage research in general. X-ray spectrometry has indeed been the method of choice for the characterization of the inorganic composition of atmospheric aerosols, for a long time. We have, over the last decade, intensively used various forms of X-ray spectrometry, viz., mostly energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence, e.g. with polarized high-energy beam excitation, and automated electron probe X-ray microanalysis, together with other techniques, to identify particle types and their sources in indoor environments, including museums, while gaseous indoor pollutants were assessed using passive diffusion samplers. In each case, both bulk aerosols and individual aerosol particles were studied. For microanalysis of single particles, we have investigated a dozen techniques, but for wide, real-life applications, automated electron probe X-ray microanalysis is the most rewarding. We have first studied atmospheric aerosols in and around the Correr Museum in Venice, many other museums in Austria, Japan and England, and in the caves with prehistoric rock paintings in Altamira, Spain. Very recently, measurements were done in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and theWawel Castle in Cracow, in Italian and Polish mountain churches, in a number of museums in Belgium and the Netherlands, and in cathedrals with medieval stained glass windows. In the Correr museum, it appeared that the particles most threatening for the Bellini paintings were released by the deteriorating plaster renderings, and this could be avoided by simply improving the rendering on the museum walls. In the Wawel Castle, outdoor pollution particles, like fine soot from diesel traffic, entering via leaks in the windows and doors, and also street-deicing salts and coal burning pollution particles, brought in by visitors, mostly in winter, were found to be most worrisome. Urgent questions that are not solved at this moment pertain to the deposition processes from the atmosphere to the cultural heritage items, the critical surface interactions that take place on these items, and the establishment of suitable particle concentration standards.

Abstract: The atomic scattering amplitudes of the various atoms of the systems Ga1−xInxAs, GaAs1−xNx and InAs1−xNx are calculated using the density functional theory (DFT) approach. The scattering amplitudes of N, Ga, As and In in the model systems are compared with the frequently used Doyle and Turner values. Deviation from the latter values is found for small scattering vectors (s<0.3Å−1) and for these scattering vectors dependence on the orientation of the scattering vector and the chemical environment is reported. We suggest a parametrization of these modified scattering amplitudes (MASAs) for small scattering vectors (s<1.0Å−1). The MASAs are exploited within zero pressure classical Metropolis Monte Carlo (MC), finite temperature calculations to investigate the effect of quantum well size on the electron {002} structure factor (SF) of Ga1−xInxAs quantum wells.

Abstract: We solve the linear GinzburgLandau (GL) equation in the presence of a uniform magnetic field with cylindrical symmetry and we find analytic expressions for the eigenfunctions in terms of the confluent hypergeometric functions. The discrete spectrum results from an implicit equation associated to the boundary conditions and it is resolved in analytic form using the continued fractions formalism. We study the dependence of the spectrum and the eigenfunctions on the sample size and the surface conditions for solid and hollow cylindrical superconductors. Finally, the solutions of the nonlinear GL formalism are constructed as expansions in the linear GL eigenfunction basis and selected by minimization of the free energy. We present examples of vortex states and their energies for different samples in enhancing/suppressing superconductivity surroundings.

Abstract: LaSrMnNbO6 has been synthesized by high temperature solid state reaction under 1% H2/Ar dynamic flow. The structure is determined by Rietveld refinement of the powder X-ray diffraction data. It crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/n with the unit cell parameters: a=5.69187(12), b=5.74732(10), c=8.07018(15) Å and β=90.0504(29)°, which were also confirmed by electron diffraction. The Mn2+ and Nb5+ ions, whose valence states are confirmed by X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy, are almost completely ordered over the B-site (<1% inversion) of the perovskite structure due to the large differences of both cationic size (0.19 Å) and charge. The octahedral framework displays significant tilting distortion according to Glazers tilt system a−b−c+. Upon heating, LaSrMnNbO6 decomposes at 690 °C under O2 flow or at 775 °C in air. The magnetic susceptibility data indicate the presence of long-range antiferromagnetic ordering at TN=8 K; the experimentally observed effective paramagnetic moment, μeff=5.76 μB for high spin Mn2+ (3d5, S=5/2) is in good agreement with the calculated value (μcalcd=5.92 μB).

Abstract: Understanding the fundamental dynamics in carbon nanotube (CNT) catalysts is of primary importance to understand CNT nucleation. This Letter reports on calculated bond switching (BS) rates in pure and carbon containing nickel nanoclusters. The rates are analyzed in terms of their temperature dependent spatial distribution and the mobility of the cluster atoms. The BS mechanism is found to change from vibrational to diffusional at around 900 K, with a corresponding strong increase in activation energy. Furthermore, the BS activation energy is observed to decrease as the carbon content in the cluster increases, resulting in an effective liquification of the cluster.

Abstract: The Ni(1+)/Ni(2+) states of nickelates have the identical (3d(9)/3d(8)) electronic configuration as Cu(2+)/Cu(3+) in the high temperature superconducting cuprates, and are expected to show interesting properties. An intriguing question is whether mimicking the electronic and structural features of cuprates would also result in superconductivity in nickelates. Here we report experimental evidence for a bulklike magnetic transition in La(4)Ni(3)O(8) at 105 K. Density functional theory calculations relate the transition to a spin density wave nesting instability of the Fermi surface.

Abstract: The lowest-energy configurations of Cn(n≤55) clusters are obtained using the energy-minimization technique with the conjugate gradient method where a modified Brenner potential is invoked to describe the carbon and hydrocarbon interaction. We found that the ground-state configuration consists of a single ring for small number of C atoms and multiring structures are found with increasing n, which can be in planar, bowl-like or caplike form. Contrary to previous predictions, the binding energy Eb does not show even-odd oscillations and only small jumps are found in the Eb(n) curve as a consequence of specific types of edges or equivalently the number of secondary atoms. We found that hydrogenation of the edge atoms may change the ground-state configuration of the nanocluster. In both cases we determined the magic clusters. Special attention is paid to trigonal and hexagonal shaped carbon clusters and to clusters having a graphenelike configuration. Trigonal clusters are never the ground state while hexagonal-shaped clusters are only the ground state when they have zigzag edges.

Abstract: Metal-catalyzed growth mechanisms of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were studied by hybrid molecular dynamics−Monte Carlo simulations using a recently developed ReaxFF reactive force field. Using this novel approach, including relaxation effects, a CNT with definable chirality is obtained, and a step-by-step atomistic description of the nucleation process is presented. Both root and tip growth mechanisms are observed. The importance of the relaxation of the network is highlighted by the observed healing of defects.