Low-temperature preparation of fine-particle cobaltites

A novel solid-solution precursor method for the preparation of fine-particle cobaltites at low temperatures has been described. The precursors, hydrazinium metal hydrazine carboxylate hydrates, N2H5M1/3Co2/3(N2H3COO)3 · H2O, where M = Mg, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Zn, decompose in air <250°C to yield corresponding metal cobaltites, MCo2O4. Formation of cobaltites has been confirmed by thermogravimetry (TG) weight loss, IR, and X-ray diffraction. Combustion of the precursor in air yields fine-particle cobaltites with surface areas in the range of 12–115 m2g−1 and particle sizes of 1–40 μm. Low decomposition temperatures of the precursors accompanied by the evolution of large amounts of gases appear to control the particle size of the cobaltites.

Low temperature Properties of glasses-unsolved problems

Glasses show very interesting behavior well below the glass transition temperature. Inspite of various experimental observations, even simple quantitative explanations relating these relaxation phenomena to structural properties are absent. In this paper we have tried to point out a phenomenological approach to this problem by identifying certain parameters which we think can be used to characterize these relaxations.

On the use of oxalates as starting materials for low-temperature preparation of bronzes and other reduced phases

A novel low-temperature method of preparing bronzes of tungsten and vanadium and other reduced phases is reported.

Low-Temperature Fluorination Of Sulfur-Compounds With Elemental Fluorine

Low temperature fluorination technique is adopted for fluorination of the following sulphur compounds in freon-11 medium (1) Sulphur dioxide (2) Thionyl chloride (3) Sulphuryl chloride (4) Tetrasulphur tetra nitride and (5) Sulphur bromide. All the compounds undergo oxidative fluorination to give rise to sulphur-fluorine compounds except sulphuryl chloride which resists fluorination. Sulphuryl chloride thus behaves as a good solvent medium for fluorination of other reactive compounds like elemental sulphur. Details of the experimental procedures adopted and the identification of the products will be presented

Low temperature ferrite formation using metal oxalate hydrazinate precursor

Magnesium ferrite, MgFe2O4 has been prepared at low temperatures by the thermal decomposition of a new precursor, MgFe2(C2O4)3. 5N2H4. The ferrite has been characterized by X-ray diffraction, infrared and Mössbauer spectra.

Impact of low temperature storage on active and storage forms of folate in choy sum (Brassica rapa subsp parachinensis)

Choy sum (Brassica rapa subsp. parachinensis) is a dark green leafy vegetable that contains high folate (vitamin B9) levels comparable to spinach. Folate is essential for the maintenance of human health and is obtained solely through dietary means. Analysis of the edible portion of choy sum by both microbiological assay and LC-MS/MS indicated that total folate activity remained significantly unchanged over 3 weeks storage at 4 degrees C. Inedible fractions consisted primarily of outer leaves, which showed signs of rotting after 14d, and a combination of rotting and yellowing after 21 d, contributing to 20% and 40% of product removal, respectively. Following deconjugation of the folate present in choy sum to monoglutamate and diglutamate derivatives, the principal forms (vitamers) of folate detected in choy sum were 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and 5-formyl tetrahydrofolate, followed by tetrahydrofolate (THF), 5,10-methenyl-THF, and 10-formyl folic acid. During storage, a significant decline in 5-formyl-THF was observed, with a slight but not significant increase in the combined 5-methyl-THF derivatives. The decline in 5-formyl-THF in relation to the other folate vitamers present may indicate that 5-formyl-THF is being utilised as a folate storage reserve, being interconverted to more metabolically active forms of folate, such as 5-methyl-THF. Although folate vitamer profile changed over the storage period, total folate activity did not significantly change. From a human nutritional perspective this is important, as while particular folate vitamers (e.g. 5-methyl-THF) are necessary for maintaining vital aspects of plant metabolism, it is less important to the human diet, as humans can absorb and interconvert multiple forms of folate. The current trial indicates that it is possible to store choy sum for up to 3 weeks at 4 degrees C without significantly affecting total folate concentration of the edible portion. Crown Copyright (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of the electric field on the low-temperature thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate/polystyrene propellant

An electric field (100 V/cm at 230°C and 150°C) has been applied to ammonium perchlorate (AP)/polystyrene (PS) propellant mixtures in order to understand the low temperature decomposition behavior of the propellant. The charge-carrying species is anionic in nature at 230°C, which could be ClO4−, but is cationic at 150°C, which could be either NH4+ or H+. These results are parallel to that observed for pure ammonium perchlorate (AP) pellets [1]. The burning rate (Image ) of the propellant was found to follow the same trend as that for the thermal decomposition of the propellant on application of an electric field. At 150°C Image was higher at the −ve electrode than at the +ve electrode, but at 230°C just the opposite was observed. Kinetic studies have confirmed that the decomposition of the orthorhombic AP follows two mechanism corresponding to E = 30 kcal mol−1 (180–230°C) and E = 15 kcal mol−1 (150–180°C).

Low temperature exposure of root system and inflorescence affected flowering and fruit set in 'Chardonnay' grapevines (Vitis vinifera)

The mechanisms by which low temperature affects flowering and fruit set of grapevines are poorly understood, as is the specific response of the grapevine root system and inflorescence to low temperature effects that reduce fruit set. This study aimed to determine the responses of the root system and inflorescence of the grapevine 'Chardonnay' to low temperature (10 degrees C) during flowering, and considered the possible mechanisms of low temperature effects on those parts. Temperature treatments of 10 degrees C or 20 degrees C were imposed to potted 'Chardonnay' grapevines in a glasshouse for up to two weeks during the early stages of flowering. When the root system alone was exposed to 10 degrees C (with the rest of the plant at 20 degrees C) during flowering, the number of attached berries and percentage fruit set were significantly reduced by 50 % than when the root system alone was exposed to 20 degrees C. Whereas, exposure of the inflorescence alone to 10 degrees C (with the rest of the plant at 20 degrees C) delayed flowering, allowed rachis to grow longer, and increased both the number of attached berries (from 22 to 62 per vine) and fruit set (from 8 % to, 20 %), than when the inflorescence alone was exposed to 20 degrees C. This study will enhance our understanding of the possible mechanisms of low temperature effects on grapevine fruit set and productivity.

Thermal activation parameters for low temperature deformation of alpha-hafnium

Abstract is not available.

ESR study of exchange coupled pairs in copper diethyldithiocarbamate—explanation of the low temperature hyperfine anomaly

A study of the hyperfine interaction in the ESR of Cu-Cu pairs in single crystals of copper diethyldithiocarbamate as a function of temperature has shown distinct differences in the hyperfine structure in the two fine structure transitions at 20 K, the spectrum not having the same hyperfine intensity pattern in the low field fine structure transition in contrast to that of the high field transition. The details of the structure of both the fine structure transitions in the 20 K spectrum have now been explained by recognizing the fact that the mixing of the nuclear spin states caused by the anisotropic hyperfine interaction affects the electron spin states | + 1 > and | −> differently. This has incidentally led to a determination of the sign ofD confirming the earlier model. The anomalous hyperfine structure is found to become symmetric at 77 K and 300 K. It is proposed that the reason for this lies in the dynamics of spin-lattice interaction which limits the lifetime of the spin states in each of the electronic levels | − 1 >, | 0 > and | + 1 > The estimate of spin-lattice relaxation time agrees with those indicated from other studies. The model proposed here for the hyperfine interaction of pairs in the electronic triplet state is of general validity.

Towards a temperature-guided molecular switch: an unusual reversible low-temperature polymorphic phase transition in a conformational locked environment

A conformationally locked tetraacetate undergoes, quite akin to a temperature-guided molecular switch, a reversible thermal switching between two polymorphic modifications; the room-temperature alpha-form converted at -4 degrees C to a low-temperature denser beta-form, which displayed an unusual kinetic stability till 67 degrees C and transformed back to the alpha-form beyond this temperature.

Microbial activities in boreal soils: Biodegradation of organic contaminants at low temperature and ammonia oxidation

This thesis deals with the response of biodegradation of selected anthropogenic organic contaminants and natural autochthonous organic matter to low temperature in boreal surface soils. Furthermore, the thesis describes activity, diversity and population size of autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) in a boreal soil used for landfarming of oil-refinery wastes, and presents a new approach, in which the particular AOB were enriched and cultivated in situ from the landfarming soil onto cation exchange membranes. This thesis demonstrates that rhizosphere fraction of natural forest humus soil and agricultural clay loam soil from Helsinki Metropolitan area were capable of degrading of low to moderate concentrations (0.2 50 µg cm-3) of PCP, phenanthrene and 2,4,5-TCP at temperatures realistic to boreal climate (-2.5 to +15 °C). At the low temperatures, the biodegradation of PCP, phenanthrene and 2,4,5-TCP was more effective (Q10-values from 1.6 to 7.6) in the rhizosphere fraction of the forest soil than in the agricultural soil. Q10-values of endogenous soil respiration (carbon dioxide evolution) and selected hydrolytic enzyme activities (acetate-esterase, butyrate-esterase and β-glucosidase) in acid coniferous forest soil were 1.6 to 2.8 at temperatures from -3 to +30 °C. The results indicated that the temperature dependence of decomposition of natural autochthonous soil organic matter in the studied coniferous forest was only moderate. The numbers of AOB in the landfarming (sandy clay loam) soil were determined with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) and with Most Probable Number (MPN) methods, and potential ammonium oxidation activity was measured with the chlorate inhibition technique. The results indicated presence of large and active AOB populations in the heavily oil-contaminated and urea-fertilised landfarming soil. Assessment of the populations of AOB with denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) profiling and sequence analysis of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA genes showed that Nitrosospira-like AOB in clusters 2 and 3 were predominant in the oily landfarming soil. This observation was supported by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis of the AOB grown on the soil-incubated cation-exchange membranes. The results of this thesis expand the suggested importance of Nitrosospira-like AOB in terrestrial environments to include chronically oil-contaminated soils.

Low temperature molten-salt synthesis of nanocrystalline cubic Sr2SbMnO6

Sr2SbMnO6 (SSM) powders were successfully synthesized at reasonably low temperatures via molten-salt synthesis (MSS) method using eutectic composition of 0.635 Li2SO4-0.365 Na2SO4 (flux). High-temperature cubic phase SSM was stabilized at room temperature by calcining the as-synthesized powders at 900 degrees C/10 h. The phase formation and morphology of these powders were characterized via X-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The SSM phase formation associated with similar to 60 nm sized crystallites was also confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. The activation energy associated with the particle growth was found to be 95 +/- 5 kJ mol(-1). The dielectric constant of the tetragonal phase of the ceramic (fabricated using this cubic phase powder) with and without the flux (sulphates) has been monitored as a function of frequency (100 Hz-1 MHz) at room temperature. Internal barrier layer capacitance (IBLC) model was invoked to rationalize the dielectric properties.

Ce0.67Cr0.33O2.11: A New Low-Temperature O-2 Evolution Material and H-2 Generation Catalyst by Thermochemical Splitting of Water

Ce0.67Cr0.33O2.11 was synthesized by hydrothermal method using diethylenetriamine as complexing agent (Chem. Mater. 2008, 20, 7268). Ce0.67Cr0.33O2.11 being the only compound likes UO2+delta to have excess oxygen, it releases a large proportion of its lattice oxygen (0.167 M [O]/mole of compound) at relatively low temperature (465 degrees C) directly and it has been utilized for generation of H-2 by thermo-splitting of water. An almost stoichiometric amount of H-2 (0.152 M/Mole of compound) is generated at much lower temperature (65 degrees C). There is an almost comparable amount of oxygen release and hydrogen generation over this material at very low temperature comparedto other CeO2-MOx (Mn, Fe, Cu, and Ni) mixed-oxide solid solutions (O-2 evolution >= 1300 degrees C and H-2 generation at 1000 degrees C). The reversible nature of oxygen release and intake of this material is attributed to its fluorite Structure and coupling between the Ce4+/Ce3+ and Cr4+/6+/Cr3+ redox couples. Compound shows reversible oxygen release and intake by H2O absorption and subsequent hydrogen release to gain parent structure and hence this material can be utilized for generation of H-2 at very low temperature by thermo-chemical splitting of water.