Role of Mn impurity in the deterioration of ZnS:Cu, Br electroluminescent phosphors

ZnS:Cu, Br powder EL phosphors showed 6-line EPR signal at 25°C whose intensity increases with Cu content and on annealing in Zn-vapour. The signal arises from native Mn impurity. The starting material does not show any EPR signal since Mn2+ acts as an affinity potential well for a hole in ZnS, forming Mn3+ - a chemically uncommon situation in sulfides. In doped ZnS, holes are trapped at Cu such that Mn2+ persists. Deterioration of EL brightness is accompanied by the decrease in EPR signal intensity due to field assisted hole transference to Mn2+. Intentional addition of Mn in ZnS:Cu, Br decreases the brightness and shortens life time. Stable phosphors require ZnS with Mn content less than 1014 cm−3.

Thermodynamic scaling theory for the two-impurity Anderson model

We present results of a study of the two-impurity Anderson model using a thermodynamic scaling theory developed recently. The model is characterized by the Coulomb energy U, the orbital energy epsilond, the d-level width Gamma, and the separation between impurities R. If Gamma<<−epsilond<impurity Kondo problem, discussed by us elsewhere; the main difference is that the RKKY interaction can acquire an antiferromagnetic contribution with a (kFR)−2 envelope over a restricted range of kFR. In this case impurity-impurity interactions can be substantial. The other interesting case is when the impurities have a ''fluctuating valence'' with the singlet lying lower in energy, i.e., epsilond>~Gamma. Here we find that the single-impurity physics dominates the low-temperature behavior, and impurity-impurity interactions are perturbative. The qualitative features of the temperature-dependent susceptibility are discussed. Journal of Applied Physics is copyrighted by The American Institute of Physics.

Measurement of resistivity and dielectric constant of beach-sand minerals

Resistivity and dielectric constant are important parameters which influence the separation of particles in a drum-type electrostatic separator. The paper provides details of the measurement of the parameters and data on the magnitude of resistivity and dielectric constant of the minerals of beach sand.

High Resoulution Electron Microscopy of Chloritoid Minerals From Different Geological Melieu

Structural defects of three chloritoid minerals from distinet geologic melieu have been investigated by high resolution electron microscopy. X-ray powder and electron diffraction patterns indicate that the chloritoid from one geological source (A) is2M 1+2M2 monoclinic variant while those from another geological source (B) are 2M 2 monoclinic variants. In a typical one-dimensional lattice image of a crystal from sourceA, the 2M 2 matrix is broken by insertion of triclinic inter-growths. Another crystal with the 2M 2 matrix showed single, triple, quadruple and quintuple layers displaying an unusually high degree of disorder. Lattice images of 2M 2 monoclinic variants from sourceB yielded more homogeneous micrographs. The important finding from the present studies is that the chloritoid from sourceA is a severely disordered low-temperature intermediate phase in the conversion of the triclinic chloritoid to the high-temperature ordered monoclinic variants of sourceB. Severely disordered chloritoids, marking the beginning of low grade metamorphism, are generated as intermediates between the state of complete disordered arrangement towards the end of low grade metamorphism within the narrow stability range of 400°–500°C.

Two-Impurity Kondo Problem

The two-impurity Kondo problem is studied by use of perturbative scaling techniques. The physics is determined by the interplay between the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interaction between the two impurity spins and the Kondo effect. In particular, for a strong ferromagnetic RKKY interaction the susceptibility exhibits three structures as the temperature is lowered, corresponding to the ferromagnetic locking together of the two impurity spins followed by a two-stage freezing out of their local moments by the conduction electrons due to the Kondo effect.

Resistance Minimum in Dilute Magnetic Alloys in the Absence of Impurity Moments

A possible mechanism for the resistance minimum in dilute alloys in which the localized impurity states are non-magnetic is suggested. The fact is considered that what is essential to the Kondo-like behaviour is the interaction of the conduction electron spin s with the internal dynamical degrees of freedom of the impurity centre. The necessary internal dynamical degrees of freedom are provided by the dynamical Jahn-Teller effect associated with the degenerate 3d-orbitals of the transition-metal impurities interacting with the surrounding (octahedral) complex of the nearest-neighbour atoms. The fictitious spin I characterizing certain low-lying vibronic states of the system is shown to couple with the conduction electron spin s via s-d mixing and spin-orbit coupling, giving rise to a singular temperature-dependent exchange-like interaction. The resistivity so calculated is in fair agreement with the experimental results of Cape and Hake for Ti containing 0.2 at% of Fe.

Role of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans and sulphur (sulphide)-dependent ferric-ion-reducing activity in the oxidation of sulphide minerals

Thiobacillus ferrooxidans oxidized the sulphide minerals e.g., pyrite, pyrrhotite and copper concentrate under anaerobic conditions in the presence of ferric ion as sole electron acceptor. Copper and iron were solubilized from sulphide ores by the sulphur (sulphide)-dependent ferric-ion oxidoreductase activity. Treatment of resting cells of T. ferrooxidans with 0.5% phenol for 30 min completely destroyed the iron- and copper-solubilizing activity. The above treatment destroyed the sulphur(sulphide)-dependent ferric-ion-reducing activity completely but did not affect the iron-oxidizing activity. The results suggest that sulphur(sulphide)-dependent ferric-ion-reducing activity actively participates in the oxidation of sulphide minerals under anaerobic conditions. The activity of sulphur(sulphide)-dependent ferric ion reduction in the solubilization of iron and copper from the sulphide ores were also observed under aerobic conditions in presence of sodium azide (0.1 μmol), which completely inhibits the iron-oxidizing activity.

Chloromycetin in the nutrition of the silkworm Bombyx mori L.-II. Influence on digestion and utilization of protein, fat, and minerals

The nature and extent of the influence of chloromycetin on larval digestion and utilization of the principal dietary constituents-the proteins, fats, and minerals-was studied. The antibiotic was shown to influence favourably the utilization of all the constituents studied. The results have been discussed in the light of these and other findings.

Hole pairing within an extended Anderson impurity model applicable to the high-Tc cuprates

We calculate the binding energy of a hole pair within the extended Anderson Hamiltonian for the high-Tc cuprates including a Cu impurity and an oxygen-derived band. The results indicate that stable hole pairs can be formed for intra-atomic and interatomic Coulomb repulsion strengths larger than 6 and 3.5 eV, respectively. It is also shown that the total hybridization strength between the Cu 3d and oxygen p band should be less than 2.5 eV. The hole pairing takes place primarily within the oxygen-derived p band. The range of parameter values for which hole pairing occurs is also consistent with the earlier photoemission results from these cuprates.

Chemical-shift of the X-ray K-absorption edge of Co in some compounds, complexes and minerals

The chemical-shift of the X-ray K-absorption edge of Co was studied in a large number of compounds, complexes (spinels) and minerals of Co in its different oxidation states having widely different crystal structures and containing different types of bonding and various types of ligands, and were reported collectively, for the first time, in a single paper. A quadratic relationship was established on the basis of least-squares regression analysis to hold between the chemical-shift and the effective charge on the absorbing atom, but the dominance of the linear term was shown. This relation was utilized in evaluating the charge on the Co-ion in a number of minerals. The effect on chemical-shift of oxidation states of the absorbing atom, of the bond length, crystal structure and higher shell atoms of the molecule, and of electronegativity, atomic number and ionic radius of the ligand was discussed.

Zeta Potential Studies On Some Iron-Ore Minerals In The Presence Of Starches

Authors perform zeta potential studies on hematite, corundum, and quartz samples using starches to understand the adsorption behavior of polymeric starch flocculants at the oxide mineral-solution interface and to correlate this information with their flocculation characteristics and investigate effects of pH and CaCl#72 on zeta potential of Fe ore minerals.

Modelling the chemical weathering fluxes at the watershed scale in the Tropics (Mule Hole, South India): Relative contribution of the smectite/kaolinite assemblage versus primary minerals

We investigate the chemical weathering processes and fluxes in a small experimental watershed (SEW) through a modelling approach. The study site is the Mule Hole SEW developed on a gneissic basement located in the climatic gradient of the Western Ghats, South India. The model couples a lumped hydrological model simulating the water budget at the watershed scale to the WITCH model estimating the dissolution/precipitation rates of minerals using laboratory kinetic laws. Forcing functions and parameters of the simulation are defined by the field data. The coupled model is calibrated with stream and groundwater compositions through the testing of a large range of smectite solubility and abundance in the soil horizons. We found that, despite the low abundance of smectite in the dominant soil type of the watershed (4 vol.%), their net dissolution provides 75% of the export of dissolved silica, while primary silicate mineral dissolution releases only 15% of this flux. Overall, smectites (modelled as montmorillonites) are not stable under the present day climatic conditions. Furthermore, the dissolution of trace carbonates in the saprolitic horizon provides 50% of the calcium export at the watershed scale. Modelling results show the contrasted behavior of the two main soil types of the watershed: red soils (88% of the surface) are provider of calcium, while black soils (smectite-rich and characterized by a lower drainage) consumes calcium through overall carbonate precipitation. Our model results stress the key role played by minor/accessory minerals and by the thermodynamic properties of smectite minerals, and by the drainage of the weathering profiles on the weathering budget of a tropical watershed. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Polymorphism in a TADDOL analogue induced by the presence of a chiral impurity

Crystallization of a TADDOL analogue results in an orthorhombic P2(1)2(1)2(1) form while the presence of a minute amount of a chiral impurity in the crystallization is found to be responsible for crystallization in a monoclinic P2(1) form.

Perturbation of critical solution temperatures by impurity doping

An expression is developed for the variation of the critical solution temperature of a binary liquid system when a third component (dopant) is added, using an extension of the regular solution theory. The model can be used for UCST, LCST and for closed loop systems and has the correct features in the limiting cases.

Impurity effects on the critical behaviour of the electrical resistance of binary liquid mixtures

The electrical resistance of the binary liquid system cyclohexane + acetic anhydride is measured, in the critical region, both in the pure mixture and when the mixture is doped with small amounts (≈ 100 ppm) of H2O/D2O impurities.T c was approached to aboutt=3×10−6 wheret=(T −T c )/T c . The critical exponentb ≈ 0.35 in the fit of the resistance data to the equationdR/dT ∼t −b does not seem to be affected appreciably by the impurities. There is a sign reversal ofdR/dt in the non-critical region. Binary liquid systems seem to violate the universality of the critical resistivity.