Long-Term Evolution Of Delayed Ettringite And Gypsum In Portland Cement Mortars Under Sulfate Erosion

The magnitude evolution of ettringite and gypsum in hydrated Portland cement mortars due to sulfate attack was detected by X-ray powder diffraction. The influences of sulfate concentration and water-to-cement ratio on the evolution of ettringite and gypsum were investigated. Experimental results show that the magnitude of ettringite formation in sodium sulfate solution follows a three-stage process, namely, the 'penetration period', 'enhance period of strength', and 'macro-crack period'. The cracking of concrete materials is mainly attributed to the effect of ettringite. The gypsum formations occurred in two stages, the 'latent period' and the 'accelerated period'. The gypsum formation including ettringite formation was relative to the linear expansion of mortars to some extend. Both water-to-cement ratio and sulfate concentration play important roles in the evolution of ettringite and gypsum. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and magnetic properties of Ni-doped zinc oxide powders

Polycrystalline Zn1-xNixO diluted magnetic semiconductors have been successfully synthesized by an auto-combustion method. X-ray diffraction measurements indicated that the 5 at% Ni-cloped ZnO had the pure wurtzite structure. Refinements of cell parameters from powder diffraction data revealed that the cell parameters of Zn0.95Ni0.05O were a little bit larger than ZnO. Transmission electron microscopy observation showed that the as-synthesized powders were of the size similar to 60 nm. Magnetic investigations showed that the nanocystalline Zn0.95Ni0.05O possessed room temperature ferromagnetisin with the saturation magnetic moment of 0.1 emu/g (0.29 mu(B)/Ni2+). (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Growth and spectroscopic characteristics of Yb : LPS single crystal

For the first time, a high optical quality Yb3+-doped lutetium pyrosilicate laser crystal Lu2Si2O7 (LPS) was grown by the Czochralski (Cz) method. The segregation coefficient of ytterbium ion in Yb:LPS crystal detected by the inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer (TCP-AES) method is equal to 0.847. X-ray powder diffraction result confirms the C2/m phase monoclinic space group of the grown crystal and the peaks corresponding to different phases were indexed. The absorption and fluorescence spectra, as well as fluorescence decay lifetime of Yb3+ ion in LPS have been investigated. The absorption and fluorescence cross-sections of the transitions F-2(7/2) <-> F-2(5/2) of Yb3+ ion in LPS crystal have been determined. The advantages of the Yb:LPS crystal including high crystal quality, quasi-four-level laser operating scheme, high absorption cross-sections (1.33 x 10(-2) cm(2)) and particularly broad emission bandwidth (similar to 62 nm) indicated that the Yb:LPS crystal seemed to be a promising candidate used as compact, efficient thin chip lasers when LD is pumped at 940 and 980 nm due to its low-symmetry monoclinic structure and single crystallographic site. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of CaCu3Ti4O12 ceramic via a sol-gel method

The novel nano-ultrafine powders for the preparation of CaCu3Ti4O12 ceramic were prepared by the sol-gel method and citrate auto-ignition method. The obtained precursor powders were pressed, sintered at 1000 degrees C to fabricate microcrystal CaCu3Ti4O12 ceramic. The microcrystalline phase of CaCu3Ti4O12 was confirmed by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). The morphology and size of the grains of the powders and ceramics under different heat treatments were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The relative dielectric constant of the ceramic sintered at 1000 degrees C was measured with a magnitude of more than 10(4) at room temperature, which was approaching to those of Pb-containing complex perovskite ceramics, and the loss tangent was less than 0.20 in a broad frequency region. The relative dielectric constant and loss tangent were also compared with that of CaCu3Ti4O12 ceramic prepared by other reported methods. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Photoluminescence properties of Eu3+-doped ZnS nanocrystals prepared in a water/methanol solution

Monodispersed ZnS and Eu3+-doped ZnS nanocrystals have been prepared through the co-precipitation reaction of inorganic precursors ZnCl2, EuCl3, and Na2S in a water/methanol binary solution. The mean particle sizes are about 3-5 nm. The structures of the as-prepared ZnS nanoparticles are cubic (zinc blende) as demonstrated by an x-ray powder diffraction. Photoluminescence studies showed a stable room temperature emission in the visible spectrum region for all the samples, with a broadening in the emission band and, in particular, a partially overlapped twin peak in the Eu3+-doped ZnS nanocrystals. The experimental results also indicated that Eu3+-doped ZnS nanocrystals, prepared by controlling synthetic conditions, were stable. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.

Ultraviolet-blue electroluminescence from Gd3Ga5O12 : Ag

UV-blue light was obtained from a thin-film electroluminescence device using Gd3Ga5O12:Ag as a light-emitting layer, which was deposited by using electron-beam evaporation. The crystal composition and structure of Gd3Ga5O12:Ag were studied by x-ray powder diffraction, The Gd3Ga5O12:Ag has a photoluminescence emission which peaked at around 397 and 467 nm, which were attributed to the oxide vacancies and Ag+, respectively. The brightness of 32 cd/m(2) was obtained when an alternating voltage of 130 V at 1 kHz was applied. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)05031-2].

Mossbauer spectroscopy study of Fe-57 in R3Fe29-xTx (R=Y, Ce, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb and Dy; T=V and Cr)

Fe-57 Mossbauer spectra for the Fe atoms in the R3Fe29-xTx (R=Y, Ce, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy; T=V, Cr) compounds were collected at 4.2 K. The analysis of Mossbauer spectra was based on the results of magnetization and neutron powder diffraction measurements. The average Fe magnetic moments at 4.2 K, deduced from our data, are in accord with magnetization measurements. The average hyperfine field of Tb3Fe29-xCrx (x=1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 3.0) decreases with increasing Cr concentration, which is also in accordance with the variation of the average Fe magnetic moment in the Tb3Fe29-xCrx compounds.

Mossbauer spectroscopy study of Fe-57 in R3Fe29-xTx (R=Y, Ce, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb and Dy; T=V and Cr)

Fe-57 Mossbauer spectra for the Fe atoms in the R3Fe29-xTx (R=Y, Ce, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy; T=V, Cr) compounds were collected at 4.2 K. The analysis of Mossbauer spectra was based on the results of magnetization and neutron powder diffraction measurements. The average Fe magnetic moments at 4.2 K, deduced from our data, are in accord with magnetization measurements. The average hyperfine field of Tb3Fe29-xCrx (x=1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 3.0) decreases with increasing Cr concentration, which is also in accordance with the variation of the average Fe magnetic moment in the Tb3Fe29-xCrx compounds.

High PL-efficiency ZnO nanocrystallites/PPV composite nanofibers

In this paper, we report for the first time on the synthesis of ZnO nanocrystallites in conjugated polymer (PPV) nanofibers by the coupling of the in situ/blend methods and electrospinning. These composite nanofibers were characterized by fluorescence microscopy, atomic force microscope (AFM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL) spectra, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD).

Electronic and magnetic properties of YBa2Fe3O8 from a first-principles study

The electronic and magnetic properties of YBa2Fe3O8 have been systematically investigated within the framework of density-functional theory using the standard generalized gradient approximation (GGA) as well as the GGA plus Hubbard U(GGA + U) method. The GGA results show that the G-type antiferromagnetic (AFM) state is preferred among the considered magnetic configurations. The striking ionic character is shown for Y and Ba atoms while very strong hybridization is found between Fe 3d and O 2p orbitals

Photo- and Thermo-Chromic Study of the Ethylenediamine Trimolybdate

The ethylenediamine trimolybdate (ENTMo) can show unusually photochromic and thermochromic properties and there exists in the difference of chromic mechanisms, which has been proved in our previous work [I]. In this paper, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and laser Raman spectroscopy (LRS) of the colored samples are characterized and analyzed in detail. The crystal structure, the inorganic skeleton and the microenvironment of center ions of the colored samples do not substantively change except distortion. The color difference of the photochromic and the thermochromic samples is discussed and that the difference of reduction sites result in their different chromic mechanisms is suggested.

Crystal structure of microwave dielectric ceramics Ba[(Mg1-xCdx)(0.33)Nb-0.67]O-3

A series of complex perovskite solid solutions of Ba[(Mg1-xCdx)(0.33)Nb-0.67]O-3 have been synthesized by the columbite method. Detailed Rietveld refinement of their X-ray diffraction data show that Ba[(Mg1-xCdx)0(.33)Nb(0.67)]O-3 has an order trigonal structure. The ordering degree as determined by the B-site occupancies increases with the partial substitution of Cd for Mg.

Microemulsion-mediated solvothermal synthesis and photoluminescent property of 3D flowerlike MnWO4 micro/nanocomposite structure

Novel three-dimensional (3D) flowerlike MnWO4 micro/nanocomposite structure has been successfully synthesized for the first time. The synthesized products were systematically studied by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. It is found that both reaction time and temperature have significant effects on the morphology of the products.

A simple selenium source to synthesize CdSe via the two-phase thermal approach

A novel selenium source was developed to synthesize the size-controlled CdSe nanocrystals with relatively narrow size distribution successfully in a two-phase thermal approach. A highly reactive and aqueous soluble selenium source was provided by the reduction of selenite, and in this route the size of the nanocrystals can be adjusted by the reaction temperature and time. The size, crystalline structure and optical characteristics of these nanocrystals were investigated by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The influence factors for this approach were also discussed.

Reducing HAuCl4 by the C-60 dianion: C-60-directed self-assembly of gold nanoparticles into novel fullerene bound gold nanoassemblies

The C-60 dianion is used to reduce tetrachloroauric acid (HAuCl4) for the first time; three-dimensional C-60 bound gold (Au-C-60) nanoclusters are obtained from C-60-directed self-assembly of gold nanoparticles due to the strong affinities of Au-C-60 and C-60-C-60. The process was monitored in situ by UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy. The resulting Au-C-60 nanoclusters were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), x-ray powder diffraction (XRD), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and FT-IR and Raman spectroscopies.