Crystal chemistry of a new solid solution in the BaO-Bi2O3-Nb2O5 system: Ba-5x/2-Bi(1-x)5/3Nb5O15

A solid solution of the type Ba5x/2Bi(1-x)5/3Nb5O15 has been identified in the BaO-Bi2O3-Nb2O5 system for the first time. The limits of the solid solution are within the range 0.52 <= x <= 0.80. The compositions x = 0.52, 0.60, 0.72, 0.77, 0.78, and 0.80 were synthesized by the solid-state technique from the starting materials in stoichiometric quantities. The powder X-ray patterns of all the phases in the domain indicate a structural similarity to tetragonal tungsten bronzes (TTBs). The compositions below x = 0.52 and those above x = 0.80 exhibit barium niobate and bismuth niobate impurities, respectively. Single crystals of the composition x = 0.77 were obtained by the melt cooling technique. The crystal structure of Ba3.85/2Bi1.15/3Nb5O15 (x = 0.77) was solved in the tetragonal space group P4bm (No. 100) with a = 12.4938 (14) angstrom, c = 3.9519 (2) A, V = 616.87 (10) angstrom(3), and Z = 2 and was refined to an R index of 0.034. Dielectric measurements on all the phases indicate a typical relaxor behavior with a broad phase transition at T-m approximate to 300 K.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of a galactose-specific lectin from Dolichos lablab

The galactose-specific lectin from the seeds of Dolichos lablab has been crystallized using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion technique. The crystals belong to space group P1, with unit-cell parameters a = 73.99, b = 84.13, c = 93.15 angstrom, alpha = 89.92, beta = 76.01, gamma = 76.99 degrees. X-ray diffraction data to a resolution of 3.0 angstrom have been collected under cryoconditions ( 100 K) using a MAR imaging-plate detector system mounted on a rotating-anode X-ray generator. Molecular-replacement calculations carried out using the available structures of legume lectins as search models revealed that the galactose-specific lectin from D. lablab forms a tetramer similar to soybean agglutinin; two such tetramers are present in the asymmetric unit.

First-principles analysis of electron correlation, spin ordering and phonons in the normal state of FeSe1-x

We present first-principles density-functional-theory-based calculations to determine the effects of the strength of on-site electron correlation, magnetic ordering, pressure and Se vacancies on phonon frequencies and electronic structure of FeSe1-x. The theoretical equilibrium structure (lattice parameters) of FeSe depends sensitively on the value of the Hubbard parameter U of on-site correlation and magnetic ordering. Our results suggest that there is a competition between different antiferromagnetic states due to comparable magnetic exchange couplings between first- and second-neighbor Fe sites. As a result, a short range order of stripe antiferromagnetic type is shown to be relevant to the normal state of FeSe at low temperature. We show that there is a strong spin-phonon coupling in FeSe (comparable to its superconducting transition temperature) as reflected in large changes in the frequencies of certain phonons with different magnetic ordering, which is used to explain the observed hardening of a Raman-active phonon at temperatures (similar to 100 K) where magnetic ordering sets in. The symmetry of the stripe antiferromagnetic phase permits an induced stress with orthorhombic symmetry, leading to orthorhombic strain as a secondary order parameter at the temperature of magnetic ordering. The presence of Se vacancies in FeSe gives rise to a large peak in the density of states near the Fermi energy, which could enhance the superconducting transition temperature within the BCS-like picture.

Sonochemical synthesis of Ce1-xFexO2-delta (0 <= x <= 0.45) and Ce0.65Fe0.33Pd0.02O2-delta nanocrystallites: oxygen storage material, CO oxidation and water gas shift catalyst

Nanocrystalline Ce1-xFexO2-delta (0 <= x <= 0.45) and Ce0.65Fe0.33Pd0.02O2-delta of similar to 4 nm sizes were synthesized by a sonochemical method using diethyletriamine (DETA) as a complexing agent. Compounds were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Ce1-xFexO2-delta (0 <= x <= 0.45) and Ce0.65Fe0.33Pd0.02O2-delta crystallize in fluorite structure where Fe is in +3, Ce is in +4 and Pd is in +2 oxidation state. Due to substitution of smaller Fe3+ ion in CeO2, lattice oxygen is activated and 33% Fe substituted CeO2 i.e. Ce0.67Fe0.33O1.835 reversibly releases 0.31O] up to 600 degrees C which is higher or comparable to the oxygen storage capacity of CeO2-ZrO2 based solid solutions (Catal. Today 2002, 74, 225-234). Due to interaction of redox potentials of Pd2+/0(0.89 V) and Fe3+/2+ (0.77 V) with Ce4+/3+ (1.61 V), Pd ion accelerates the electron transfer from Fe2+ to Ce4+ in Ce0.65Fe0.33Pd0.02O1.815, making it a high oxygen storage material as well as a highly active catalyst for CO oxidation and water gas shift reaction. The activation energy for CO oxidation with Ce0.65Fe0.33Pd0.02O1.815 is found to be as low as 38 kJ mol(-1). Ce0.67Fe0.33O1.835 and Ce0.65Fe0.33Pd0.02O1.815 have also shown high activity for the water gas shift reaction. CO conversion to CO2 is 100% H-2 specific with these catalysts and conversion rate was found to be as high 27.2 mu moles g(-1) s(-1) and the activation energy was found to be 46.4 kJ mol(-1) for Ce0.65Fe0.33Pd0.02O1.815.

Cloning, expression, purification and preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies of 2-methylisocitrate lyase from Salmonella typhimurium. Acta Crystallogr

In Salmonella typhimurium, propionate is oxidized to pyruvate via the 2-methylcitric acid cycle. The last step of this cycle, the cleavage of 2-methylisocitrate to succinate and pyruvate, is catalysed by 2-methylisocitrate lyase (EC 4.1.3.30). Methylisocitrate lyase (molecular weight 32 kDa) with a C-terminal polyhistidine affinity tag has been cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified and crystallized under different conditions using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion technique. Crystals belong to the orthogonal space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 63.600, b = 100.670, c = 204.745 Angstrom. A complete data set to 2.5 Angstrom resolution has been collected using an image-plate detector system mounted on a rotating-anode X-ray generator.

Synthesis and electrical properties of the (PVA)(0.7)(Kl)(0.3)center dot xH(2)SO(4) (0 <= x <= 5) polymer electrolytes and their performance in a primary Zn/MnO2 battery

Solid acid polymer electrolytes (SAPE) were synthesised using polyvinyl alcohol, potassium iodide and sulphuric acid in different molar ratios by solution cast technique. The temperature dependent nature of electrical conductivity and the impedance of the polymer electrolytes were determined along with the associated activation energy. The electrical conductivity at room temperature was found to be strongly depended on the amorphous nature of the polymers and H2SO4 concentration. The ac (100 Hz to 10 MHz) and dc conductivities of the polymer electrolytes with different H2SO4 concentrations were analyzed. A maximum dc conductivity of 1.05 x 10(-3) S cm(-1) has been achieved at ambient temperature for electrolytes containing 5 M H2SO4. The frequency and temperature dependent dielectric and electrical modulus properties of the SAPE were studied. The charge transport in the present polymer electrolyte was obtained using Wagner's polarization technique, which demonstrated the charge transport to be mainly due to ions. Using these solid acid polymer electrolytes novel Zn/SAPE/MnO2 solid state batteries were fabricated and their discharge capacity was calculated. An open circuit voltage of 1.758V was obtained for 5 M H2SO4 based Zn/SAPE/MnO2 battery. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Critical exponent of the electrical conductivity in the paracoherence region of a thin film of YBa2Cu3O7?x

Critical exponent of the electrical conductivity in the paracoherence region (gamma) of the high temperature superconductor YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) has been estimated for high quality thin film on ZrO2 substrate prepared by high pressure oxygen sputtering. High energy ion irradiation was carried out using 100 MeV O-16(7+) ions at liquid nitrogen to see the effects of disorder on the value of the exponent. The critical exponent from a value of about 2 to 1.62 upon irradiation. Studies were also carried film to see the effect of ageing and annealing.

Quantum corrections to the conductivity in a perovskite oxide: A low-temperature study of LaNi1-xCoxO3 (0?x?0.75)

In this paper we propose to study the evolution of the quantum corrections to the conductivity in an oxide system as we approach the metal-insulator (M-I) transition from the metallic side. We report here the measurement of the low-temperature (0.1 K100 K) electrical conductivity of the perovskite-structure oxide system LaNi1-x CoxO3 (0?x?0.75). LaNiO3 is a metal and LaCoO3 is an insulator. The system is metallic for x?0.65. For all x, at low temperatures, the conductivity (?) rises with temperature (T). Below 2 K, ? follows a power-law behavior, ?(T)=?(0)+?Tm. For samples in the metallic regime, away from the metal-insulator transition (x?0.4), m?0.3�0.4. As the transition is approached [i.e., ?(0)?0], m increases rapidly; and at the transition [?(0)=0, xc?0.65], m?1. On the insulating side (x>0.65), m takes on large values and ?(0)=0. We explain the temperature dependence of ?(T), for T<2 K, on the metallic side (x?0.4), as arising predominantly from electron-electron interactions, taking into account the diffusion-channel contribution (which gives m=0.5) as well as the Cooper-channel contribution. In this regime, the correction to conductivity, ??(T), is a small fraction of ?(T). However, as the M-I transition is approached (x?xc), ??(T) starts to dominate ?(T) and the above theories fail to explain the observed ?(T).

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of a galactose-specific lectin from the seeds of Butea monosperma

The galactose-specific lectin from the seeds of Butea monosperma has been crystallized by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion technique. The crystals belonged to space group P1, with unit-cell parameters a = 78.45, b = 78.91, c = 101.85 A, alpha = 74.30, beta = 76.65, gamma = 86.88 degrees. X-ray diffraction data were collected to a resolution of 2.44 A under cryoconditions (100 K) using a MAR image-plate detector system mounted on a rotating-anode X-ray generator. Molecular-replacement calculations carried out using the coordinates of several structures of legume lectins as search models indicate that the galactose-specific lectin from B. monosperma forms an octamer.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of a galactose-specific lectin from the seeds of Butea monosperma

The galactose-specific lectin from the seeds of Butea monosperma has been crystallized by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion technique. The crystals belonged to space group P1, with unit-cell parameters a = 78.45, b = 78.91, c = 101.85 A, alpha = 74.30, beta = 76.65, gamma = 86.88 degrees. X-ray diffraction data were collected to a resolution of 2.44 A under cryoconditions (100 K) using a MAR image-plate detector system mounted on a rotating-anode X-ray generator. Molecular-replacement calculations carried out using the coordinates of several structures of legume lectins as search models indicate that the galactose-specific lectin from B. monosperma forms an octamer.

New La2CuO4 derivatives La(2-2x)Sr(2x)Cu(1-x)M(x)O(4) (M=Ti, Mn, Fe, or Ru): A study of linear Cu-O-M electronic interaction in two dimensions

Oxides of the general formula La2-2xSr2xCu1-xII,M(x)(IV)O(4) (M = Ti, Mn, Fe, or Ru), crystallizing in the tetragonal K,NIF, structure, have been synthesized. For M=Ti, only the x=0,5 member could be prepared, while for M=Mn and Fe, the composition range is 0<x<1.0, and for M=Ru, the composition range is 0<x less than or equal to 0.5. There is no evidence for an ordering of Cu(II) and M(IV) in the x = 0.5 members. While the members of the M=Ti, Mn, and Ru series are semiconducting/insulating, the members of the M=Fe series are metallic, showing a broad metal-semiconductor transition around 100 K for O<x less than or equal to 0.15 that is possibly related to a Cu(II)-O-Fe(IV) <--> Cu(III)-O-Fe(III) valence degeneracy. Increasing the strontium content at the expense of lanthanum in La2-2xSr2xCu1-xFexO4 for x less than or equal to 0.20 renders the samples metallic but not superconducting. (C) 1997 Academic Press.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray studies of a galactose-specific lectin from the seeds of Spatholobus parviflorus

A galactose-specific seed lectin was purified from the legume Spatholobus parviflorus and crystallized using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion technique. The crystals belonged to space group P1, with unit-cell parameters a = 60.998, b = 60.792, c = 78.179 angstrom, alpha = 101.32, beta = 91.38, gamma = 104.32 degrees. X-ray diffraction data were collected under cryoconditions (100 K) to a resolution of 2.04 angstrom using a MAR image-plate detector system mounted on a rotating-anode X-ray (Cu K alpha) generator. Molecular replacement using legume-lectin coordinates as a search model gave a tetrameric structure.

A study of Al2O3:C films on Si(100) grown by low pressure MOCVD

We report the characterization of carbonaceous aluminium oxide, Al2O3:C, films grown on Si(100) by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. The focus is on the study of the effects of carbon on the dielectric properties of aluminium oxide in a qualitative manner. The carbon present in the aluminium oxide film derives from aluminium acetylacetonate used as the source of aluminium. As-grown films comprise nanometer-sized grains of alumina (∼ 20–50 nm) in an amorphous carbonaceous matrix, as examined by X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The films are shiny; they are smooth as observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). An attempt has been made to explore the defects (viz., oxide charge density) in the aluminium oxide films using room temperature high frequency capacitance – voltage (C-V) and current–voltage (I-V) measurements. The hysteresis and stretch-out in the high frequency C-V plots is indicative of charge trapping. The role of heteroatoms, as characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, in the transport of charge in Al2O3:C films is discussed.

A 100MHz to 1GHz, 0.35V to 1.5V Supply 256 x 64 SRAM Block Using Symmetrized 9T SRAM Cell with Controlled Read

In this paper, we present dynamic voltage and frequency Managed 256 x 64 SRAM block in 65 nm technology, for frequency ranging from 100 MHz to 1 GHz. The total energy is minimized for any operating frequency in the above range and leakage energy is minimized during standby mode. Since noise margin of SRAM cell deteriorates at low voltages, we propose static noise margin improvement circuitry, which symmetrizes the SRAM cell by controlling the body bias of pull down NMOS transistor. We used a 9T SRAM cell that isolates Read and hold noise margin and has less leakage. We have implemented an efficient technique of pushing address decoder into zigzag- super-cut-off in stand-by mode without affecting its performance in active mode of operation. The read bit line (RBL) voltage drop is controlled and pre-charge of bit lines is done only when needed for reducing power wastage.

Substrate nitridation induced modulations in transport properties of wurtzite GaN/p-Si (100) heterojunctions grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Phase pure wurtzite GaN films were grown on Si (100) substrates by introducing a silicon nitride layer followed by low temperature GaN growth as buffer layers. GaN films grown directly on Si (100) were found to be phase mixtured, containing both cubic (beta) and hexagonal (alpha) modifications. The x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy studies reveal that the significant enhancement in the structural as well as in the optical properties of GaN films grown with silicon nitride buffer layer grown at 800 degrees C when compared to the samples grown in the absence of silicon nitride buffer layer and with silicon nitride buffer layer grown at 600 degrees C. Core-level photoelectron spectroscopy of Si(x)N(y) layers reveals the sources for superior qualities of GaN epilayers grown with the high temperature substrate nitridation process. The discussion has been carried out on the typical inverted rectification behavior exhibited by n-GaN/p-Si heterojunctions. Considerable modulation in the transport mechanism was observed with the nitridation conditions. The heterojunction fabricated with the sample of substrate nitridation at high temperature exhibited superior rectifying nature with reduced trap concentrations. Lowest ideality factors (similar to 1.5) were observed in the heterojunctions grown with high temperature substrate nitridation which is attributed to the recombination tunneling at the space charge region transport mechanism at lower voltages and at higher voltages space charge limited current conduction is the dominating transport mechanism. Whereas, thermally generated carrier tunneling and recombination tunneling are the dominating transport mechanisms in the heterojunctions grown without substrate nitridation and low temperature substrate nitridation, respectively. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3658867]