Fabrication and characterization of CdTe nanoparticles attached to poly(4-vinylpyridine) nanofibers

The major objective of this work was to characterize the status of CdTe nanoparticles attached to the surface of poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP) nanofibers. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images indicated that the attachment of CdTe nanoparticles enlarged the diameter of P4VP nanofibers. Moreover, the results of the energy-dispersive X-ray spectrum and the electron diffraction pattern revealed that the deposition on the surface of P4VP nanofibers was CdTe in a cubic lattice

Monodisperse raspberry-like gold submicrometer spheres: Large-scale synthesis and interface assembling for colloid sphere array

We first suggested a one-pot method to synthesize monodisperse raspberry-like submicrometer gold spheres (MRSGS) with high yield. The resulting gold spheres were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersed X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electrochemical technology. It was found that the rough structure provided by raspberry-like gold spheres led to a tremendous electrochemical active area, which was very important because these novel hierarchical gold spheres will probably find important applications in biosensors, electrocatalysis, and others.

One Pot, Facile Synthesis of Hierarchical Silver Nanostrip Assembling Architecture

Here we present a simple wet-chemical approach to synthesize flower-like silver nanostrip assembling architecture at room temperature. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images indicate that these microstructures with the diameter of similar to 500nm exhibit hietarchical characteristic. X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersed X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and Raman spectroscopy indicate that poly (o-diaminobenzene) (PDB) also exists in the silver hierarchical microstructure.

Self-assembled 3D Architectures of LuBO3 : Eu3+: Phase-selective synthesis, growth mechanism, and tunable luminescent properties

Rhombohedral-calcite and hexagonal-vaterite types of LuBO:Eu3+ microparticles with various complex self-assembled 3D architectures have been prepared selectively by an efficient surfactant- and template-free hydrothermal process for the first time. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, photoluminescence, and cathodoluminescence spectra as well as kinetic decays were used to characterize the samples.

A novel and efficient route to Se nano/microstructures with controllable phase and shape

In this paper, we demonstrate a novel and efficient route by which the shape-controlled synthesis of t-Se nano/microstructures including nanowires, nanorods, nanobelts, microtubes, and flowers, as well as uniform spheres of a-Se, can be readily realized based on solution-mediated heat treatment with commercially available Se powders. X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectra (EDS), Raman spectra, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques were used to characterize the samples.

Uniform Ln(OH)(3) and Ln(2)O(3) (Ln = Eu, Sm) Submicrospindles: Facile Synthesis and Characterization

Monodisperse hexagonal Ln(OH)(3) (Ln = Eu, Sm) submicrospindles with uniform morphology and size have been Successfully synthesized in a large scale via a Facile aqueous solution route from the mixture of aqueous solutions or LnCl(3) and NaOH at 5 degrees C without using any surfactant or template. The as-synthesized products are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectra, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The SEM and TEM images show that the as-formed Ln(OH)(3) samples have a spindlelike shape with an equatorial diameter of 80-200 nm and a length of 500-900 nm, which are aggregates of even smaller nanoparticles.

Sol-Gel Preparation of Zn2 Si04：Mn Phosphor Layers on Silica Spheres and Their Luminescent Properties

The synthesis and luminescence properties of Zn2SiO4:Mn phosphor layers on spherical silica spheres,i.e.,a kind of core-shell complex phosphor,Zn2SiO4:Mn@SiO2 were described.Firstly,monodisperse silica spheres were obtained via the Stober method by the hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane(TEOS)Si(OC2H5)4 under base condition (using NH4OH as the catalyst).Secondly,the silica spheres were coated with a Zn2SiO4:Mn phosphor layer by a Pechini sol-gel process.X-ray diffraction(XRD),scanning electron microscope(SEM),energy-dispersive X-ray spectrum(EDS) and photoluminescence(PL) were employed to characterize the resulting complex phosphor.The results comfirm that 1000℃ annealed sample consists of crystalline Zn2SiO4:Mn shells and amorphous SiO2 cores.The phosphor show the green emission of Mn2+ at 521nm corresponding 4T1(4G)-6A1(6S) transition,and the possible luminescence mechanism is proposed.

Synthesis and characterization of Gd(OH)(3) nanobundles

Gd(OH)(3) nanobundles, which consisted of bundle-like nanorods, have been prepared through a simple and facile hydrothermal method. The crystal, purity, morphology and structural features of Gd(OH)(3) nanobundles are investigated by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). A possible formation mechanism of Gd(OH)(3) nanobundles is briefly discussed.

Synthesis, structural characterization and electrical property of new oxide ion conductors: La3MMo2O12 (M = In, Ga and Al)

New series of oxides, La3MMo2O12 (M = In, Ga and Al), have been prepared by the solid-state reaction. The composition and elemental distribution were analyzed by the energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. As determined by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), these compounds have similar crystal structures that can be indexed on a monoclinic cell at room temperature. AC impedance spectra and the DC electrical conductivity measurements in various atmospheres indicate that they are oxide ion conductors with ionic conductivities between 10(-2) and 10(-3) S/cm at 800 degrees C. The conductivity decreases in the order of La3GaMo2O12 > La3AlMo2O12 > La3InMo2O12, implying that the effect of cell volume and polarization associated with In3+, Ga3+ and Al3+ play an important role in the anion transport of these materials. The reversible phase transition was observed in all these compounds as confirmed by the differential thermal analysis (DTA) and dilatometric measurements.

Preparation and characterization of a novel solid solution of aluminum in tungsten carbide by mechanically activated high-temperature reaction

In this work, a novel substitutional solid solution (W0.8Al0.2)C was synthesized by mechanically activated high-temperature reaction. X-ray diffraction was used for phase identification during the whole reaction process. Environment scanning electronic microscopy-field emission gun and energy dispersive x-ray were used to investigate the microstructure and the quantitative material composition of the specimen. (W(0.8)A(10.2))C was found to crystallize in the WC-type, and the cell parameters were a = 2.907(1) angstrom and c = 2.837(1) angstrom. The hardness of (W0.8Al0.2)C was tested to be 19.3 +/- 1 GPa, and the density was 13.19 +/- 0.05 g cm(-3).

Characteristics of clay minerals in the northern South China Sea and its implications for evolution of East Asian monsoon since Miocene

Clay mineral assemblages, crystallinity, chemistry, and micromorphology of clay particles in sediments from ODP Site 1146 in the northern South China Sea (SCS) were analyzed, and used to trace sediment sources and obtain proxy records of the past changes in the East Asian monsoon climate since the Miocene, based on a multi-approach, including X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDS). Clay minerals consist mainly of illite and smectite, with associated chlorite and kaolinite. The illite at ODP Site 1146 has very well-to-well crystallinity, and smectite has moderate-to-poor crystallinity. In SEM the smectite particles at ODP Site 1146 often appear cauliflower-like, a typical micromorphology of volcanic smecites. The smectite at ODP Site 1146 is relatively rich in Si element, but poor in Fe, very similar to the smectite from the West Philippine Sea. In contrast, the chemical composition of illite at ODP Site 1146 has no obvious differences from those of the Loess plateau, Yellow River, Yangtze River, and Pearl River. A further study on sediment source indicates that smectite originates mainly from Luzon, kaolinite from the Pearl River, and illite and chlorite from the Pearl River, Taiwan and/or the Yangtze River. The clay mineral assemblages at ODP Site 1146 were not only controlled by continental eathering regimes surrounding the SCS, but also by the changing strength of the transport processes. The ratios of (illite+chlorite)/smectite at ODP Site 1146 were adopted as proxies for the East Asian monsoon evolution. Relatively higher ratios reflect strongly intensified winter monsoon relative to summer monsoon, in contrast, lower ratios indicate a strengthened summer monsoon relative to winter monsoon. The consistent variation of this clay proxy from those of Loess plateau, eolian deposition in the North Pacific, planktonic, benthic foraminifera, and black carbon in the SCS since 20 Ma shows that three profound shifts of the East Asian winter monsoon intensity, and aridity in the Asian inland and the intensity of winter monsoon relative to summer monsoon, occurred at about 15 Ma, 8 Ma, and the younger at about 3 Ma. The phased uplift of the Himalaya-Tibetan plateau may have played a significant role in strengthening the Asian monsoon at 15 Ma, 8 Ma, and 3 Ma.

Electrode catalysts behavior during direct ethanol fuel cell life-time test

In the present paper, a 60 h life-time test of a direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) at a current density of 20 mA cm(-2) (the beginning 38 h) and 40 mA cm(-2) (the last 22 h) was carried out. After the life-time test, the MEA could not achieve the former performance. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) were employed to characterize the anode and cathode catalyst before and after the life-time test. The XRD and TEM results showed that the particle size of the anode catalyst increased from 2.3 to 3.3 nm and the cathode from 3.0 to 4.6 nm. The EDX results of PtSn/C anode catalysts before and after the life-time test indicated that the content of the oxygen and tin, especially the content of the platinum, decreased prominently after the life-time test. The results suggest that the agglomeration of electrocatalysts, the destruction of the anode catalyst together with the fuel/water crossover from anode to cathode concurrently contribute to the performance degradation of the DEFC. (C) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Energy band alignment of SiO2/ZnO interface determined by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Thin SiO2 interlayer is the key to improving the electroluminescence characteristics of light emitting diodes based on ZnO heterojunctions, but little is known of the band offsets of SiO2/ZnO. In this letter, energy band alignment of SiO2/ZnO interface was determined by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The valence band offset Delta E-V of SiO2/ZnO interface is determined to be 0.93 +/- 0.15 eV. According to the relationship between the conduction band offset Delta E-C and the valence band offset Delta E-V Delta E-C=E-g(SiO2)-E-g(ZnO)-Delta E-V, and taking the room-temperature band-gaps of 9.0 and 3.37 eV for SiO2 and ZnO, respectively, a type-I band-energy alignment of SiO2/ZnO interface with a conduction band offset of 4.70 +/- 0.15 eV is found. The accurate determination of energy band alignment of SiO2/ZnO is helpful for designing of SiO2/ZnO hybrid devices and is also important for understanding their carrier transport properties. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [DOI 10.1063/1.3204028]

Measurement of polar C-plane and nonpolar A-plane InN/ZnO heterojunctions band offsets by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

The valence band offsets of the wurtzite polar C-plane and nonpolar A-plane InN/ZnO heterojunctions are directly determined by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to be 1.76 +/- 0.2 eV and 2.20 +/- 0.2 eV. The heterojunctions form in the type-I straddling configuration with a conduction band offsets of 0.84 +/- 0.2 eV and 0.40 +/- 0.2 eV. The difference of valence band offsets of them mainly attributes to the spontaneous polarization effect. Our results show important face dependence for InN/ZnO heterojunctions, and the valence band offset of A-plane heterojunction is more close to the "intrinsic" valence band offset.

Determination of MgO/AlN heterojunction band offsets by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

MgO is a promising gate dielectric and surface passivation film for GaN/AlGaN transistors, but little is known of the band offsets in the MgO/AlN system. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to measure the energy discontinuity in the valence band (Delta E-v) of MgO/AlN heterostructures. A value of Delta E-v=0.22 +/- 0.08 eV was obtained. Given the experimental band gap of 7.83 eV for MgO, a type-I heterojunction with a conduction band offset of similar to 1.45 eV is found. The accurate determination of the valence and conduction band offsets is important for use of III-N alloys based electronic devices.