Interaction of aqueous inorganic orthophosphate and phosphate rock

An experimental study was made of the interaction of phosphate rock and aqueous inorganic orthophosphate, calcium, and hydroxyl ions. A model of the reaction was developed by observing electron diffraction patterns in conjunction with concentration changes of chemical components. The model was applied in explaining the performance of batch suspensions of powdered phosphate rock and packed columns of granular phosphate rock. In both cases the reaction consisted initially of a rapid nucleation phase that occurred in a time period of minutes. In the batch system the calcium phosphate nuclei then ripened into larger micro-crystals of hydroxyapatite, which eventually became indistinguishable from the original phosphate rock surface. During column operation the high supersaturation ratio that existed after the rapid nucleation phase resulted in a layer of small nuclei that covered a slowly growing hydroxyapatite crystal.

The column steady-state rate constant was found to increase with increasing temperature, pH, and fluoride concentration, and to decrease with increasing concentrations of magnesium sulfate, ammonium chloride, and bicarbonate ion.

An engineering feasibility study indicated that, based on economic considerations, nucleation of apatite on phosphate rock ore has a potential use as a wastewater phosphate removal treatment process.

Mechanisms of femtosecond laser-induced damage in magnesium fluoride

We studied the single-shot damage in magnesium fluoride irradiated by 800 nm femtosecond (fs) laser. The dependence of damage thresholds on the laser pulse durations from 60 to 750 fs was measured. The pump-probe measurements were carried out to investigate the time-resolved electronic excitation processes. A coupled dynamic model was applied to study the microprocesses in the interaction between fs laser and magnesium fluoride. The results indicate that both multiphoton ionization and avalanche ionization play important roles in the femtosecond laser-induced damage in MgF2. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pulse NMR in solids : chemical shift, lead fluoride and thorium hydride

Part one of this thesis consists of two sections. In the first section the fluorine chemical shift of a single crystal CaF_2 has been measured as a function of external pressure up to 4 kilobar at room temperature using multiple pulse NMR techniques. The pressure dependence of the shift is found to be -1.7 ± 1 ppm/kbar, while a theoretical calculation using an overlap model predicts a shift of -0.46 ppm/kbar. In the second section a separation of the chemical shift tensor into physically meaningful "geometrical" and "chemical" contributions is presented and a comparison of the proposed model calculations with recently reported data on hydroxyl proton chemical shift tensors demonstrates, that for this system, the geometrical portion accounts for the qualitative features of the measured tensors.

Part two of the thesis consists of a study of fluoride ion motion in β-PbF_2 doped with NaF by measurement of the ^(19)F transverse relaxation time (T_2), spin lattice relaxation time (T_1) and the spin lattice relaxation time in the rotating frame (T_(1r)). Measurements over the temperature range of -50°C to 160°C lead to activation energies for T_1, T_(1r) and T_2 of 0.205 ± 0.01, 0.29 + 0.02 and 0.27 ± 0.01 ev/ion, and a T_(1r) minimum at 56°C yields a correlation time of 0.74 μsec. Pressure dependence of T_1 and T_2 yields activation volumes of <0.2 cm^3/g-mole and 1.76 ± 0.05 cm^3/g-mole respectively. These data along with the measured magnetic field independence of T_1 suggest that the measured T_1's are not caused by ^(19)F motion, but by thermally excited carriers.

Part three of the thesis consists of a study of two samples of Th_4H_(15), prepared under different conditions but both having the proper ratio of H/Th (to within 1%). The structure of the Th_4H_(15) as suggested by X-ray measurements is confirmed through a moment analysis of the rigid lattice line shape. T_1 and T_2 measurements above 390 K furnish activation energies of 16.3 ± 1.2 kcal/mole and 18.0 ± 3.0 kcal/mole, respectively. Below 350 K, T_(1r) measurements furnish an activation energy of 10.9 ± 0.7 kcal/mole, indicating most probably more than a single mechanism for proton motion. A time-temperature hysteresis effect of the proton motion was found in one of the two samples and is strongly indicative of a phase change. T_1 at room temperature and below is dominated by relaxation due to conduction electrons with the product T_1T being 180 ± 10 K-sec. Using multiple pulse techniques to greatly reduce homonuclear dipolar broadening, a temperature-dependent line shift was observed, and the chemical shift anisotropy is estimated to be less than 16 ppm.

Experiments on the production of a highly dispersible calcium carbonate. ('Experimental section' only) [Translation from: Szklo i Ceramiki 30, 133-136, 1979]

This short translation summarises experiments on the production of a highly dispersible precipitate of calcium carbonate. The translation covers the 'Experimental section' (of the original larger paper) only.

Avaliação in vitro do efeito remineralizante de diferentes princípios bioativos no esmalte dental bovino submetido à erosão

O objetivo deste estudo in vitro foi avaliar por meio da fluorescência de Raios X, oefeito remineralizante de dois diferentes princípios bioativos contidos no Desensibilize Nano P (nanopartículas de hidroxiapatita de cálcio) e no GC Tooth Mousse (CPP-ACP,fosfopeptídios de caseína e fosfato de cálcio amorfo) assim como da saliva artificial e do fluoreto de sódio gel neutro no esmalte dental bovino submetido a desafio erosivo. Foram utilizados 20 incisivos bovinos, seccionados na linha amelo-cementária, fixados em resina epóxi e padronizados pela planificação da superfície. Foram obtidos 20 corpos de prova (CP) que foram divididos aleatoriamente em 4 grupos. Todos os dentes foram avaliadosinicialmente para a obtenção da contagem dos elementos fósforo (P), cálcio (Ca) e estrôncio (Sr) interpretados a partir de um espectro de Fluorescência de Raios X obtidos pelo Artax 800. Após uma semana da medição inicial, cada grupo de amostras foi imerso em uma solução de 10 ml de ácido cítrico a 2% (pH 2,6) por 90 minutos. Imediatamente após obtenção dos espectros dos dentes submetidos ao desafio erosivo, cada grupo recebeu seus tratamentos correspondentes. Grupo 1 (Saliva) - saliva; Grupo 2 (Flúor) - Flúor; Grupo 3 (Nano P) - Desensibilize Nano P; Grupo 4 (Recaldent) - GC Tooth Mousse. A leitura e os tratamentos eram realizados a cada sete dias sendo repetidos por de 3 semanas. Foi utilizado inicialmente o teste de Bonferroni para comparação das médias de P, Ca e Sr dentro de cada grupo, com um nível de significância de 0,05 (p=0,05), que demonstrou remineralização efetiva na terceira semana de tratamento no grupo Nano P. Posteriormente foi utilizado o teste T-Student para comparação das médias de P, Ca e Sr entre os diferentes grupos, também com um nível de significância de 0,05 (p=0,05). O grupo Nano P foi mais efetivo do que todos os outros grupos e o grupo Saliva menos efetivo que Fluor e Recaldent após três semanas de tratamento. Nestas condições expirimentais in vitro a pasta Desensibilize Nano P foi eficaz noprocesso de remineralização dental desde a primeira semana de tratamento e estável após 3 semanas de tratamento do que os tratamentos com Saliva, Flúor e GC Tooth Mousse.

Structural role of fluoride in aluminophosphate sol-gel glasses: High-resolution double-resonance NMR studies

The local structure of Na-Al-P-O-F glasses, prepared by a novel sol-gel route, was extensively investigated by advanced solid-state NMR techniques. Al-21{F-19} rotational echo double resonance (REDOR) results indicate that the F incorporated into aluminophosphate glass is preferentially bonded to octahedral Al units and results in a significant increase in the concentration of six-coordinated aluminum. The extent of Al-F and Al-O-P connectivities are quantified consistently by analyzing Al-27{P-31} and Al-21{F-19} REDOR NMR data. Two distinct types of fluorine species were identified and characterized by various F-19{Al-27}, F-19{Na-23}, and F-19{P-31} double resonance experiments, which were able to support peak assignments to bridging (Al-F-Al, -140 ppm) and terminal (Al-F, -170 ppm) units. On the basis of the detailed quantitative dipole-dipole coupling information obtained, a comprehensive structural model for these glasses is presented, detailing the structural speciation as a function of composition.

Investigation of the effect of fluoride ions introduction on structural, OH- content and up-conversion luminescence properties in Er3+-doped heavy metal oxide glasses

Effect of fluoride ions introduction on structural, OH- content and up-conversion luminescence properties in Er3+-doped heavy metal oxide glasses have been investigated. Structure was investigated, indicating that fluoride has an important influence on the phonon density, maximum phonon energy of host glasses. With increasing fluoride content, the up-conversion luminescence intensity and quantum efficiencies increase notably, which could not be explained only by the maximum phonon energy change of host glasses. Our results show that, with the introduction of PbF2, the decrease of phonon density and OH- content contributes more to the enhanced up-conversion emissions than that of maximum phonon energy. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of alkali and alkaline earth fluoride introduction on thermal stability and structure of fluorophosphate glasses

The thermal stability and structure of RF-RF2-AIF(3)-Al(PO3)(3) fluorophosphate glasses were investigated. Analyses of infrared absorbance spectra and Raman spectra reveal that with increasing number of alkali and alkaline earth fluoride components, the sum of P-O-P bond and O-P-O bond increases and glass network is strengthened. Consequently, the inhibition to nucleation and crystallization processes is improved, which is proved by the increment of thermal stability factors AT and S determined by differential scanning calorimetry. In addition, it was found that LiF has poor ability to form glass in univalent alkali fluorides and MgF2 has comparative strong ability to form glass in bivalent alkaline earth fluorides. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier B.V.

UV-blue upconverted emission from Nd3+-doped InF3-based heavy-metal fluoride glasses for blue upconversion fibre laser

We report spectral properties and thermal stability of Nd3+-doped InF3-based heavy-metal fluoride glasses. Fluoroindate glasses in the chemical compositions (in mol%) of (38-x)InF3-16BaF(2)-20ZnF(2)-20SrF(2)-3GdF(3)-1GaF(3-)2NaF-xNdF(3) (x = 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, 3) have been prepared under a controlled atmosphere in a dry box. Strong UVblue upconversion emission from a green excitation wavelength has been observed and the involved mechanisms have been explained. Near-infrared emission occurs simultaneously upon excitation of the UV-blue upconversion emissions with a cw Ar(+)laser. The upconversion spectra have revealed four dominant emissions at 354, 380, 412 and 449 nm, which belong to the transitions of D-4(3/2) -> I-4(9/2), D-4(3/2) -> I-4(11/2) and P-2(3/2) -> I-4(9/2), D-4(3/2) -> I-4(13/2) and P-2(3/2) -> I-4(11/2), D-4(3/2) -> I-4(15/2) and P-2(3/2) -> I-4(13/2), respectively.

Effects of chloride substitution on the chemical and physical properties and the crystallization behavior in heavy metal fluoride glasses

Effect of the substitutions of chloride for fluoride on the chemical and physical properties and the crystallization behavior in heavy metal fluoride glasses has been investigated. The characteristic temperature of the glass does not changed obviously when the fluoride was taken place by chloride. Compared with samples of being free of ErF3, the doping samples are more inclined to be surface crystallization. Optical basicity in the glass system increases with increasing the negative charge provided by the chloride atoms and the absorption peak red shifted is observed in absorption spectra. XRD measurements show that not a single crystalline phase appears in the heated glass samples, which indicate the substitutions of chloride for fluoride with a variety of crystalline precipitation trends. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.

Multicolor luminescence in oxygen-deficient Tb3+;doped calcium aluminogermanate glasses

In this paper, we report on the multicolor luminescence in oxygen-deficient Tb3+-doped calcium aluminogermanate glasses. A simple method was proposed to control oxygen-deficient defects in glasses by adding metal Al instead of the corresponding oxide (Al2O3), resulting in efficient blue and red emissions from Tb3+-undoped glasses with 300 and 380 nm excitation wavelengths, respectively. Moreover, in Tb3+-doped oxygen-deficient glasses, bright three-color (sky-blue, green or yellow, and red) luminescence was observed with 300, 380, and 395 nm excitation wavelengths, respectively. These glasses are useful for the fabrication of white light-emitting diode (LED) lighting.

Spectral investigation of Yb-doped calcium pyroniobate crystal

Ytterbium-doped calcium pyroniobate single crystal has been grown for the first time. Spectral properties of Yb: Ca2Nb2O7 were investigated by emission and absorption spectra. Its cooperative luminescence and fluorescence lifetime were also studied. Yb ions in Ca2Nb2O7 showed very broad absorption and emission bandwidth and relatively large absorption and emission cross-sections. Along with other optical properties, this Yb-doped crystal would be a potential self-frequency doubling femtosecond laser gain material. (C) 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Pivoting between Calmodulin Lobes Triggered by Calcium in the Kv7.2/Calmodulin Complex

Kv7.2 (KCNQ2) is the principal molecular component of the slow voltage gated M-channel, which strongly influences neuronal excitability. Calmodulin (CaM) binds to two intracellular C-terminal segments of Kv7.2 channels, helices A and B, and it is required for exit from the endoplasmic reticulum. However, the molecular mechanisms by which CaM controls channel trafficking are currently unknown. Here we used two complementary approaches to explore the molecular events underlying the association between CaM and Kv7.2 and their regulation by Ca2+. First, we performed a fluorometric assay using dansylated calmodulin (D-CaM) to characterize the interaction of its individual lobes to the Kv7.2 CaM binding site (Q2AB). Second, we explored the association of Q2AB with CaM by NMR spectroscopy, using N-15-labeled CaM as a reporter. The combined data highlight the interdependency of the N- and C-lobes of CaM in the interaction with Q2AB, suggesting that when CaM binds Ca2+ the binding interface pivots between the N-lobe whose interactions are dominated by helix B and the C-lobe where the predominant interaction is with helix A. In addition, Ca2+ makes CaM binding to Q2AB more difficult and, reciprocally, the channel weakens the association of CaM with Ca2+.