Low-temperature growth properties of Si1-xGex by disilane and solid-Ge molecular beam epitaxy

Low temperature (similar to 500 degrees C) growth properties of Si1-xGex by disilane and solid-Ge molecular beam epitaxy have been studied with an emphasis on surface morphology and growth kinetics. It is found that low-temperature growth(<500 degrees C) is in layer-by-layer mode and atomically-smooth surfaces have been obtained in as-grown samples with large Ge composition (>0.5). Ge composition dependence on substrate temperature, Ge cell temperature and disilane flow rate have been investigated. It is found that in low-temperature growth (less than or equal to 500 degrees C) and under large disilane flux, Ge composition increases with the increase of Ge flux and further increase of Ge flux leads to the saturation of Ge composition. Similar compositional dependence has been found at different growth temperatures. The saturated composition increases with the decrease of substrate temperature. The results can be explained if H desorption is assumed to occur from both Si and Ge monohydrides without diffusional exchange and the presence of Ge enhances H desorption on a Si site. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

气体水合物生成特性实验研究

实验研究了添加剂对甲烷气体水合物形成过程的影响。发现微量的表面活性剂降低了甲烷气体水合物在静止反应器中形成的诱导时间，并使水合物快速形成和生长，提高了水合物形成过程中的填充密度。阴离子表面活性剂（十二烷基硫酸钠）对水合物生长的促进作用比非离子表面活性剂（烷基多糖苷）强。液态烃环戊烷降低了水合物形成的诱导时间，但环戊烷不能提高水合物的填充密度。

Production of biodiesel from soapstock using an ion-exchange resin catalyst

The feasibility of biodiesel production from soapstock containing high water content and fatty matters by a solid acid catalyst was investigated. Soapstock was converted to high-acid acid oil (HAAO) by the hydrolysis by KOH and the acidulation by sulfuric acid. The acid value of soapstock-HAAO increased to 199.1 mg KOH/g but a large amount of potassium sulfate was produced. To resolve the formation of potassium sulfate, acid oil was extracted from soapstock and was converted to HAAO by using sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS). The maximum acid value of acid oil-HAAO was 194.2 mg KOH/g when the mass ratio of acid oil, sulfuric acid, and water was 10:4:10 at 2% of SDBS. In the esterification of HAAO using Amberylst-15, fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) concentration was 91.7 and 81.3% for soapstock and acid oil, respectively. After the distillation, FAME concentration became 98.1% and 96.7% for soapstock and acid oil. The distillation process decreased the total glycerin and the acid value of FAME produced a little.

Study on the kinetics of hydrate formation in a bubble column

Gas hydrate formation experiments were performed using methane in the presence of tetrahydrofuran (THF) in aqueous solution in a transparent bubble column in which a single pipe or a sintered plate was used to produce bubbles. The mole fraction of THF in aqueous solution was fixed at 6%. The hydrate formation kinetic behaviors on the surface of the rising bubble, the mechanical stability of hydrate shell formed on the surface of the bubble, the interactions among the bubbles with hydrate shell were observed and investigated morphologically. The rise velocities of individual bubbles with hydrate shells of different thickness and the consumption rates of methane gas were measured. A kinetic model was developed to correlate the experimentally measured gas consumption rate data. It was found that the hydrate formation rate on the surface of the moving bubble was high, but the formed hydrate shell was not very easy to be broken up. The bubbles with hydrate shells tended to agglomerate rather than merge into bigger bubble. This kind of characteristic of hydrate shell hindered the further formation of hydrate and led to the lower consumption rate of methane. The consumption rate of methane was found to increase with the decrease of temperature or increase of pressure. The increase of gas flux led to a linear increase in consumption rate of methane. It was demonstrated that the developed kinetic model could be used to correlate the consumption rate satisfyingly.

Fluorescence pH probe based on microstructured polymer optical fiber

A kind of optical pH sensor was demonstrated that is based on a pH-sensitive fluorescence dye-doped (eosin) cellulose acetate (CA) thin-film modified microstructured polymer optical fiber (MPOF). It was obtained by directly inhaling an eosin-CA-acetic acid mixed solution into array holes in a MPOF and then removing the solvent (acetic acid). The sensing film showed different fluorescence intensities to different pH solutions in a pH range of 2.5-4.5. Furthermore, the pH response range could be tailored through doping a surfactant, hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), in the sensing film. (c) 2007 Optical Society of America.

分子组装体的扫描探针显微学研究

本文简要评述了扫描探针显微学研究的发展过程、目前状况及发展方向，着重介绍了扫描探针显微学(SPM)在分子组装体研究中的一些应用。采用扫描探针显微学结合电化学的方法对自组装膜(SAMs)、表面活性剂(surfactant)、纳米颗粒(nanoparticles)等分子组装体系进行了研究，并结合IR、QCM、XPS、XRD等多种手段对分子组装体在电极表面的形态和结构进行了探讨。主要结果如下：1．SPM研究以杂多酸为基础的分子组装体我们通过将AsMo_(11)V0_(40)~(4-)杂多酸阴离子从其酸性溶液中自吸附至金表面的方法，制备了一类新的无机自组装膜。我们利用QCM、STM和电化学方法分别研究了AsMo_(11)VO_(40)~(4-)自组装膜的吸附过程、在Au表面的结构和电化学性质。QCM数据表明这个自组装过程可以用Langmuir吸附等温式来描述，其吸附自由能为-20 KJ/mol。 通过QCM测得的AsMo_(11)VO_(40)~(4-)自组装膜的表面覆盖度的最大值为1.7 * 10~(-10)mol/cm~2，这相当于一个AsMo_(11)VO_(40)~(4-)阴离子的密堆积单层。AsMo_(11)VO_(40)~(4-)自组装膜的循环伏安图上出现三对可逆的氧化还原峰，每对峰所对应的自组装膜的表面覆盖度都亦为1.78 * 10~(-10) mol/cm2，和QCM结果一致。现场STM图像显示AsMo_(11)VO_(40)~(4-)自组装膜十分的均一没有如何多层或聚集体的结构。高分辨STM图进一步显示在Au(111)表面的sMo_(11)VO_(40)~(4-)自组装膜于+0.7 V(vs．Ag | AgCl)表现出二维有序的四方晶体结构，晶格间距为10-11 A。这个值与sMo_(11)VO_(40)~(4-)阴离子的直径十分接近。从STM图我们也估算出AsMo_(11)VO_(40)~(4-)自组装膜的表面覆盖度为1.8 * 10~(-10) mol/cm~2，这和QCM以及电化学的实验结果都很接近。我们进一步研究了一种新的以杂多酸为基础的有机无机复合膜--砷钼钒杂多酸的十一烷基吡啶盐(CPMVA)--的制备、结构和电催化性质。通过在这种盐的丙酮溶液中循环电位扫描，我们可以在HOPG电极表面制备稳定的CPMVA膜。我们利用XPS、STM和电化学多种手段来表征CPMVA膜的结构和性质。这些研究表明：在新剥离HOPG表面CPMVA膜的结构为自聚集的分子团，而在预阴极化HOPG表面CPMVA膜的结构为自有序单层。CPMVA膜在酸性和丙酮溶剂中部表现出可逆的氧化还原动力学行为，这说明这种新类型的膜甚至能在有机溶剂中用作催化剂。当溶液的pH值大于7.O时，CPMVA膜也能维持其稳定性，它对pH值的依赖程度明显小于其无机物形式的膜(H_4AsMo_(11)VO_(40))对pH值的依赖程度。CPMVA膜对Br0_3-的还原表现出很好的电催化活性，催化电流与BrO_3~-的浓度的平方成正比。这种有很高稳定性的新类型杂多酸膜在催化剂领域中将有很广阔的应用前景。2．电化学STM研究吸附在金属表面的表面活性剂聚集体由于电位诱导引起的结构变化表面活性剂在表面的吸附已广泛地被用于限制电极表面的活性和稳定溶液中的胶体和纳米粒子，但是人们对表面活性剂在电极表面的结构和由于电位变化所引起的结构改变并不清楚。在这个工作中我们利用现场STM观察了电位控制下表面活性剂十二烷基磺酸钠(SDS)在Au(111)表面的吸附。STM图像显示通过控制电位SDS在Au(111)表面有一从半圆柱胶束单层向致密双层膜过渡的构象变化。我们也建立了SDS聚集体在Au(111)表面电位诱导结构变化的模型。就我们所知，这是第一次系统地研究表面活性剂聚集体在金属表面的电位诱导结构变化。3．在固体表面构筑有序的聚苯胺分子导线我们提出了一种新的通过分子设计构筑有序聚苯胺分子导线的新方法。首先，根据Saveant的方法我们在HOPG表面修饰上有序的4-氨基苯单层，然后溶液中的苯胺分子通过阶跃的方法被层层电聚合在4-氨基苯单层修饰的HOPG表面，形成有序的聚苯胺分子导线。FTIR-ERS和XPS结果证实HOPG表面上形成了聚苯胺。SPM图显示在HOPG表面的聚苯胺平面结构为有序的3~(1/2) * 3~(1/2) R 30°。小角X-射线反射结果表明聚苯胺分子导线是垂直站立在HOPG表面。电化学测量进一步表明聚苯胺分子导线的形成有利于加速电子传递速率。这种先分子设计后电聚合的方法可能会成为一类在固体表面制备有序导电聚合物分子导线的新方法。依据上一个实验，我们在金表面通过自组装的方法构筑了绝缘分子导线。我们选择β-环糊精(β-CD)作为包络4-氨基硫酚的理想主体分子。β-CD和4-氨基硫酚形成的包络物首先被自组装到Au表面，然后也通过阶跃的方法被层层电聚合在自组装膜修饰的Au表面，形成有序的聚苯胺分子导线。FTIR-ERS和XPS结果证实Au表面上形成了聚苯胺。低电流STM(LC-STM)图像表明在Au(111)表面的聚苯胺分子线为六角的二维有序，分子与分子之间的最相邻距离为15.5±0.5 A。这种先进行CD超分子自组装后电聚合的方法可能会成为一类制备导电聚合物绝缘分子导线的新方法。4．SPM研究在HOPG表面电化学合成的纳米材料我们通过脉冲恒电位方法从稀的苯胺酸性溶液(1mM苯胺 + 1 M HClO_4)在HOPG表面制备聚苯胺纳米颗粒。我们利用FTIR-ERS、XPS、TM-AFM手段来表征聚苯胺纳米颗粒的组成和结构。FTIR-ERS和XPS结果表明制得的聚苯胺纳米颗粒主要以亚胺形式存在。TM-AFM图像显示分散于HOPG表面的聚苯胺纳米颗粒的表面覆盖度约为10~(10)cm~(-2)。这些纳米颗粒都为圆盘型，直径为200到600埃，高度为10到30埃。这些纳米颗粒的大小随聚合电量由5.7 μC/cm~2增加到19.3 μC/cm~2而增大。我们提出了一种通过分子设计在HOPG表面制备金属纳米粒子的新方法。第一步，根据Saveant的方法我们在HOPG表面修饰上一个4-氨基苯单层。第二步，通过配位相互作用Ag~+能在4-氨基功能化的HOPG表面形成单层。第三步，通过脉冲恒电位方法我们就能在4-氨基苯功能化的HOPG制备Ag纳米颗粒。电化学测量证明了在HOPG表面上Ag纳米颗粒的形成。STM图像显示通过这种方法制得的Ag纳米颗粒的大小十分均一且在HOPG表面上的分散度很高。这种新方法可被广泛地用来在碳表面制备各种金属纳米粒子。

Synthesis and magnetic characterization of nickel ferrite nanoparticles prepared by co-precipitation route

Magnetic nanoparticles of nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) have been synthesized by co-precipitation route using stable ferric and nickel salts with sodium hydroxide as the precipitating agent and oleic acid as the surfactant. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analyses confirmed the formation of single-phase nickel ferrite nanoparticles in the range 8-28 nm depending upon the annealing temperature of the samples during the synthesis. The size of the particles (d) was observed to be increasing linearly with annealing temperature of the sample while the coercivity with particle size goes through a maximum, peaking at similar to 11 nm and then decreases for larger particles. Typical blocking effects were observed below similar to 225 K for all the prepared samples. The superparamagnetic blocking temperature (T-B) was found to be increasing with increasing particle size that has been attributed to the increased effective anisotropy energy of the nanoparticles. The saturation moment of all the samples was found much below the bulk value of nickel ferrite that has been attributed to the disordered surface spins or dead/inert layer in these nanoparticles. (c) 2008 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.

Preparation and characterization of microencapsulated hexadecane used for thermal energy storage

Polyurea microcapsules about 2.5 mum in diameter containing phase change material for thermal energy storage application were synthesized and characterized by interfacial polycondensation method with toluene-2,4-diisocyanate and ethylenediamine as monomers in an emulsion system. Hexadecane was used as a phase change material and OP, which is nonionic surfactant, and used as an emulsifier. The chemical structure and thermal behavior of the microcapsules were investigated by FTIR and thermal analysis respectively. The results show encapsulated hexadecane has a good potential as a solar energy storage material.

Microencapsulation of n-eicosane as energy storage material

For heat energy storage application, polyurea. microcapsules containing phase change material, n-eicosane, were synthesized by using interfacial polymerization method with toluene- 2,4-diisocyanate (TDI) and diethylenetriamine (DETA) as monomers in an emulsion system. Poly(ethylene glycol)octyl-phenyl ether (OP), a nonionic surfactant, was the emulsifier for the system. The experimental result indicates that TDI was reacted with DETA in a mass ratio of 3 to 1. FT-IR spectra confirm the formation of wall material, polyurea, from the two monomers, TDI and DETA. Encapsulation efficiency of n-eicosane is about 75%. Microcapsule of n-eicosane melts at a temperature close to that of n-eicosane, while its stored heat energy varies with core material n-eicosane when wall material fixed. Thermo-gravimetric analysis shows that core material n-eicosane, micro-n-eicosane and wall material polyurea can withstand temperatures up to 130, 170 and 250 degreesC, respectively.

Hydrothermal stability and catalytic activity of aluminum-containing mesoporous ethane-silicas

Aluminum was incorporated into the mesoporous framework of ethane-silica by one-pot condensation of Al(OiPr)(3) with 1,2-bis(trimethoxysilyl)ethane using octadecyltrimethylammonium chloride as surfactant. Powder X-ray diffraction patterns, nitrogen sorption analysis, and TEM results reveal the formation of an ordered mesoporous material with uniform porosity. Al-27 MAS NMR confirms the incorporation of aluminum in the framework. The synthesized materials exhibit extremely high hydrothermal stability in boiling water (no obvious change of mesostructure and textural properties was observed even after refluxing in water for 100 h), which could be mainly contributed to the ethane-bridged mesoporous framework. The aluminum-containing mesoporous ethane-silicas are efficient catalysts for the alkylation of 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol by cinnamyl alcohol to yield a flavan.

Demulsification of emulsions exploited by enhanced oil recovery system

Experimental data are presented to show the influence of the enhanced oil recovery system's components, alkali, surfactant, and polymer, on the demulsification and light transmittance of the water separated from the emulsions. Among which, the effects of surfactants, polyoxyethylene (10) alkylphenol ether (OP-10) and sodium petroleum sulfonate (CY-1) on emulsion stability, are the strongest of any component, the effects of polymer, hydrolytic polyacrylamide (HPAM) 3530S, on emulsion stability are the weakest. This research also suggests a possible emulsion minimization approach, which could be implemented in refineries utilizing microwave radiation. Compared with conventional heating, microwave radiation can effectively enhance the demulsification rate by an order of magnitude and increase the light transmittance of the water separated from the emulsions. The demulsification efficiency may reach 100% in a very short. time under microwave radiation.

Preparation of uniform calcium alginate gel beads by membrane emulsification coupled with internal gelation

With the objective of making calcium alginate gel beads with small and uniform size, membrane emulsification coupled with internal gelation was proposed. Spherical gel beads with mean size of about 50 mum, and even smaller ones in water, and with narrow size distribution were successfully obtained. Experimental studies focusing mainly on the effect of process parameters on bead properties were performed. The size of the beads was mainly dependent on the diameter of the membrane pores. High transmembrane pressure made for large gel beads with wide size distribution. Low sodium alginate concentration produced nonspherical beads, whereas a high concentration was unsuitable for the production of small beads with narrow distribution. Thus 1.5% w/v was enough. A high surfactant concentration favored the formation of small beads, but the adverse effect on mass transfer should be considered in this novel process. (C) 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Two-dimensional capillary electrophoresis involving capillary isoelectric focusing and capillary zone electrophoresis

Capillary isoelectric focusing (cIEF) and capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) was on-line hyphenated by a dialysis interface to achieve a 2D capillary electrophoresis (CE) system. The system was used with just one high-voltage power supply and three electrodes (one cathode shared by the two dimensions). The focused zone in the first dimension (i.e. the cIEF) was driven to the dialysis interface by electroosmotic flow (EOF), besides chemical mobilization from the first anode to the shared cathode. And then in the second dimension (i.e. the CZE), the separated zone was further separated and driven by an inverted EOF, which originated from the charged layer of a cationic surfactant adsorbed onto the inner wall of the capillary. Finally, a solution of ribonuclease was rapidly separated to assess the feasibility of the two-dimensional CE implement. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Direct spectroscopic evidence for the specific property of aqueous core phase in black soap film

The microenvironment of the aqueous core phase in the black soap film of cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide with the anionic dye Brilliant Yellow as spectral probe has been studied by UV-vis spectroscopy. Under neutral and basic conditions, the dye aggregates in the films exist as both the acid and base forms in contrast to a preference of the base form in the bulk solutions. The specific property of black soap film, that the intrinsic pH value of the aqueous core phase insensitively responds to pH changes of the bulk solution, is directly observed through UV-vis spectra.