Nanocrystalline GaN and GaN:H films grown by RF-magnetron sputtering

The structural and optical properties of nanocrystalline GaN and GaN:H films grown by RF-tnagnetron sputtering are focused here. The films were grown using a Ga target and a variety of deposition parameters (N 2/H 2/Arflow rates, RF power, and substrate temperatures). Si (100) and fused silica substrates were used at relatively low temperatures (T s ≤ 420K). The main effects resulting from the deposition parameters variations on the films properties were related to the presence of hydrogen in the plasma. The X-ray diffraction analysis indicates that the grain sizes (∼15nm) and the crystallized volume fraction significantly decrease when hydrogen is present in the plasma. The optical absorption experiments indicate that the hydrogenated films have absorption edges very similar to that of GaN single crystal films reported in the literature, while the non-hydrogenated samples present larger absorption tails encroaching into the gap energies.

Temperature dependence of structural and electronic properties of the spin-liquid candidate κ-(BEDT-TTF) 2Cu 2(CN) 3

We investigate the effect that the temperature dependence of the crystal structure of a two-dimensional organic charge-transfer salt has on the low-energy Hamiltonian representation of the electronic structure. For that, we determine the crystal structure of κ-(BEDT-TTF) 2Cu 2(CN) 3 for a series of temperatures between T=5 and 300 K by single crystal X-ray diffraction and analyze the evolution of the electronic structure with temperature by using density functional theory and tight binding methods. We find a considerable temperature dependence of the corresponding triangular lattice Hubbard Hamiltonian parameters. We conclude that even in the absence of a change of symmetry, the temperature dependence of quantities like frustration and interaction strength can be significant and should be taken into account. © 2012 American Physical Society.

High-resolution thermal expansion measurements under helium-gas pressure

We report on the realization of a capacitive dilatometer, designed for high-resolution measurements of length changes of a material for temperatures 1.4K ≤ T ≤ 300K and hydrostatic pressure P ≤ 250MPa. Helium ( 4He) is used as a pressure-transmitting medium, ensuring hydrostatic-pressure conditions. Special emphasis has been given to guarantee, to a good approximation, constant-pressure conditions during temperature sweeps. The performance of the dilatometer is demonstrated by measurements of the coefficient of thermal expansion at pressures P ≃ 0.1MPa (ambient pressure) and 104MPa on a single crystal of azurite, Cu 3(CO 3) 2(OH) 2, a quasi-one-dimensional spin S = 1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet. The results indicate a strong effect of pressure on the magnetic interactions in this system. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.

Influence of the network modifier on the characteristics of MSnO 3 (M=Sr and Ca) thin films synthesized by chemical solution deposition

CaSnO3 and SrSnO3 alkaline earth stannate thin films were prepared by chemical solution deposition using the polymeric precursor method on various single crystal substrates (R- and C-sapphire and 100-SrTiO3) at different temperatures. The films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (θ-2θ, ω- and φ-scans), field emission scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence. Epitaxial SrSnO3 and CaSnO 3 thin films were obtained on SrTiO3 with a high crystalline quality. The long-range symmetry promoted a short-range disorder which led to photoluminescence in the epitaxial films. In contrast, the films deposited on sapphire exhibited a random polycrystalline growth with no meaningful emission regardless of the substrate orientation. The network modifier (Ca or Sr) and the substrate (sapphire or SrTiO3) influenced the crystallization process and/or the microstructure. Higher is the tilts of the SnO6 octahedra, as in CaSnO3, higher is the crystallization temperature, which changed also the nucleation/grain growth process. © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Synthesis, cytotoxicity, antibacterial and antileishmanial activities of imidazolidine and hexahydropyrimidine derivatives

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Photoluminescence of core-shell nanoparticles made from yttrium stabilized zirconia powder grain coated with alumina

A YSZ@Al2O3 nanocomposite was obtained by Al 2O3 coating on the surface of yttrium stabilized zirconia via a polymeric precursor method. The resulting core-shell structures were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electronic microscopy and PL spectra. The TEM micrographs clearly show a homogeneous Al2O3 shell around the ZrO2 core. The observed PL is related to surface-interface defects. Such novel technologies can, in principle, explore materials which are not available in the bulk single crystal form but their figure-of-merit is dramatically dependent on the surface-interface defect states. © 2013 This journal isThe Royal Society of Chemistry.

An experimental verification of newton's second law

We describe an experimental procedure to probe the validity of Newton's second law. The experimental arrangement allows us to accelerate a glider on an air track by means of forces that are both steady and known. We also show how to determine acceleration from average speeds calculated for successive time intervals of the motion measured by using several electronic counters connected to a single-crystal oscillator circuit. Within experimental errors, the experiments clearly show the proportionality between acceleration and force for a fixed mass and between acceleration and inverse of mass for a fixed force. © by the Sociedade Brasileira de Física.

Supramolecular assemblies and magnetic behaviors of the M(II)/p-aminopyridine/malonate (M = Ni, Mn, Cu, Co) systems

The coordination compounds [Ni(μ-mal)(apy)2(H 2O)]·2.8H2O (1), [Mn(μ-mal)(H2O) 2] (2), (apyH)2[Cu(μ-mal)2] (3) and (apyH)2[Co(mal)2(H2O)2] (4) (mal = malonate, apy = p-aminopyridine) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, vibrational spectroscopy, single crystal X-ray diffraction and magnetometry. With exception of 4, the malonate group acts as bridging ligand leading to the formation of one-dimensional polymeric chains. In compound 1 it was observed the coordination of the p-aminopyridine in the axial positions of the distorted octahedral coordination sphere. The solid-state structure exhibits a high complex 3D network formed by several supramolecular interactions. Magnetic properties were determined for all members of the series and indicate that the materials behave are normal paramagnets, except the Mn polymer 2 which exhibits an antiferromagnetic ground state. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis, characterization, x-ray structure, DNA cleavage, and cytotoxic activities of palladium(ii) complexes of 4-phenyl-3-thiosemicarbazide and triphenylphosphane

Complexes of the type [PdX(PPh3)(1)]X [1 = 4-phenyl-3- thiosemicarbazide; X = Cl- (2), Br- (3), I- (4), and SCN- (5)] have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses and IR, UV/Vis, and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The molecular structure of complex 4 was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The binding of the complexes with a purine base (guanosine) was investigated by 1H NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, which showed the complexes to coordinate to guanosine through N7. A gel electrophoresis assay demonstrated the ability of 2-5 to cleave DNA plasmid. All the complexes were tested in vitro by means of the MTT assay for their cytotoxicity against two murine cell lines, LM3 (mammary adenocarcinoma) and LP07 (lung adenocarcinoma), and compared with cisplatin. Complexes 2-5 exhibited good cytotoxicity that surpasses that of cisplatin in the case of LM3. A series of thiosemicarbazide/phosphane palladium(II) complexes have been synthesized and fully characterized. These complexes are able to cleave DNA plasmid and show cytotoxicity against adenocarcinoma (mammary LM3 and lung LP07), surpassing the cytotoxicity of cisplatin in the case of LM3. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Structural and electrical properties of LaNiO3 thin films grown on (100) and (001) oriented SrLaAlO4 substrates by chemical solution deposition method

LaNiO3 thin films were deposited on SrLaAlO4 (1 0 0) and SrLaAlO4 (0 0 1) single crystal substrates by a chemical solution deposition method and heat-treated in oxygen atmosphere at 700° C in tube oven. Structural, morphological, and electrical properties of the LaNiO 3 thin films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and electrical resistivity as temperature function (Hall measurements). The X-ray diffraction data indicated good crystallinity and a structural preferential orientation. The LaNiO3 thin films have a very flat surface and no droplet was found on their surfaces. Samples of LaNiO3 grown onto (1 0 0) and (0 0 1) oriented SrLaAlO4 single crystal substrates reveled average grain size by AFM approximately 15-30 nm and 20-35 nm, respectively. Transport characteristics observed were clearly dependent upon the substrate orientation which exhibited a metal-to-insulator transition. The underlying mechanism is a result of competition between the mobility edge and the Fermi energy through the occupation of electron states which in turn is controlled by the disorder level induced by different growth surfaces. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l.

Structure, characterization and near-infrared emission of a novel 6-connected uninodal 3D network of Nd(III) containing 2,5-thiophenedicarboxylate anion

The novel coordination polymer with the formula {[Nd2(2,5-tdc)3(dmf)2(H2O)2].dmf.H2O}n (2,5-tdc2-=2,5-thiophedicarboxylate anion and dmf=dimethylformamide) has been synthesized and characterized by thermal analysis (TG/DTA), vibrational spectroscopy (FTIR) and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). Structure analysis reveals that Nd(III) ions show dicapped trigonal prism coordination geometry. The 2,5-tdc2- ligands connect four Nd(III) centers, adopting (κ1 - κ1) - (κ1 - κ1) - μ4 coordination mode, generating an interesting 6-connected uninodal 3D network. Photophysical properties were studied using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DR) and excitation/emission spectra. The photoluminescence data show the near infrared emission (NIR) with the characteristic 4F3/2→4IJ (J=9/2, 11/2 and 13/2) transitions of Nd(III) ion, indicating that 2,5-tdc2- is able to act as a sensitizer for emission in NIR region. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

A polymeric europium complex with the ligand thiophene-2-carboxylic acid: Synthesis, structural and spectroscopic characterization

A polymeric complex [Eu(α-tpc)3(α-Htpc) 2]n and its characterization by single crystal X-ray and thermal analysis, infrared and photoluminescence spectroscopies are described. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic Cc space group. The asymmetric unit is formed from a europium ion bonded to one carboxyl oxygen of five different thiophene carboxylic moieties. Three of these moieties are deprotonated and bridge between neighboring europium ions giving rise to an infinite polymer along the c axis. Besides the europium characteristic emission lines, the emission spectra show unambiguously the crystal size effect on the 5D0 → 7F0 transition. The complex thermal decomposition at 220 C leads to a stable luminescent complex in which the 5D0 → 7F4 transition reveals a monomeric characteristic. The Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters to the polymeric and the monomeric compound with the same ligand and coordination number were compared. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Pesquisa e desenvovimento de novos materiais microporosos e mesoporosos para uso em ressonância magnética nuclear por imagem como agentes de contraste

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Potencialidades biológicas e aspectos estruturais de compostos contendo paládio(II) e isonicotinamida

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Obtenção de espécies moleculares e supramoleculares a partir de reações de auto-montagem entre íons lantanídeos e moléculas orgânicas multilópicas

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)