Growth mode transition involving a potential-dependent isotropic to anisotropic surface atom diffusion change. Gold electrodeposition on HOPG followed by STM

The electrodeposition of gold on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) from acid aqueous solutions was studied by using electrochemical techniques complemented with ex-situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The kinetics of gold electrodeposition is consistent with a nucleation and three-dimensional growth process under diffusion control from the solution side. As the applied potential moves in the negative direction, the gold crystal density increases, and the crystal shape changes from a Euclidean to a dendritic fractal morphology. This transition can be assigned to the anisotropic surface diffusion of gold adatoms induced by the applied electric potential. A model including a potential-dependent energy barrier at step edges accounts for the morphology transition for gold electrodeposition on HOPG.Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas (INIFTA)Facultad de Ciencias Exacta

Kinetics and Mechanism of Gold Dendrite Electroformation on C(0001) : Activation Energy for Gold Adatom Surface Diffusion

Au electrodeposition on C(0001) from aqueous solutions with different concentrations of AuCl3·HCl, at a constant ionic mass transport rate (jL), in the temperature range 275 ≤ T ≤ 313 K, results in the initial formation of nanometer-sized Au islands consisting of a central core and symmetrically distributed branches with the island fractal dimension Df = 1.6. For all values of T, the time dependence of the Au island radius fulfills a r ∝ tn relationship with n = 0.25 ± 0.05. At constant T, the density of Au islands (Ns) increases according to Ns ∝ jLX with X = 0.69 ± 0.03. At constant jL, the value of Ns decreases as T is increased, following an Arrhenius-type relationship. Kinetic data are consistent with a growth mechanism involving surface diffusion of Au adatoms from the island core towards branch tips. From the dependence of Ns on T at constant jL, the activation energy for Au adatom surface diffusion results in Ea* ≈ 11 Kcal/mol. This figure is slightly smaller than Ea* ≈ 14 Kcal/mol that has been reported for Au atom surface diffusion in Cl--ion free acid solutions.Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicada

Growth mode transition involving a potential-dependent isotropic to anisotropic surface atom diffusion change. Gold electrodeposition on HOPG followed by STM

The electrodeposition of gold on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) from acid aqueous solutions was studied by using electrochemical techniques complemented with ex-situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The kinetics of gold electrodeposition is consistent with a nucleation and three-dimensional growth process under diffusion control from the solution side. As the applied potential moves in the negative direction, the gold crystal density increases, and the crystal shape changes from a Euclidean to a dendritic fractal morphology. This transition can be assigned to the anisotropic surface diffusion of gold adatoms induced by the applied electric potential. A model including a potential-dependent energy barrier at step edges accounts for the morphology transition for gold electrodeposition on HOPG.Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas (INIFTA)Facultad de Ciencias Exacta

The Influence of Adsorbates on the Growth Mode of Gold Islands Electrodeposited on the Basal Plane of Graphite

Gold electrodeposition on C(0001) from aqueous 0.5 mM AuCl3·HCl, in the range of apparent charge density (6 ≤ q ≤ 10 mC/cm2) and under mass transport kinetic control from the solution side, results in the formation of nanometer to micrometer size Au(111) islands. These islands consist of a small three-dimensional (3D) central core and large quasi-two-dimensional (2D) dendritic branches. Ex situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) imaging data show that the shape of islands is determined by anisotropic surface diffusion contributions. The addition of citric acid to the plating solution hinders branching and promotes 3D island growth. The adsorption of citric acid at step edges hinders interterrace gold atom surface diffusion, as concluded from in situ STM imaging. Conversely, the addition of an excess of sodium chloride enhances 2D island growth and dense branching formation. These results can be explained considering that the presence of adsorbates either increases or decreases the height of activation energy barriers for interterrace surface diffusion. In this way, the change of the island aspect ratio with the nature of the additive can be explained.Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicada

First results on light readout from the 1-ton ArDM liquid argon detector for dark matter searches

ArDM-1t is the prototype for a next generation WIMP detector measuring both the scintillation light and the ionization charge from nuclear recoils in a 1-ton liquid argon target. The goal is to reach a minimum recoil energy of 30\,keVr to detect recoiling nuclei. In this paper we describe the experimental concept and present results on the light detection system, tested for the first time in ArDM on the surface at CERN. With a preliminary and incomplete set of PMTs, the light yield at zero electric field is found to be between 0.3-0.5 phe/keVee depending on the position within the detector volume, confirming our expectations based on smaller detector setups.Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures, v2 accepted for publication in JINS

Interplay of Surface Diffusion and Surface Tension in the Evolution of Solid/Liquid Interfaces : Dealloying of β-Brass in Aqueous Sodium Chloride

The dealloying of β-brass in 0.5 M aqueous NaCl was studied by electrochemical techniques at different temperatures in the range 278 K ≤ T ≤ 318 K, complemented with in situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) imaging. In the potential region where the electrodissolution of zinc and the formation of vacancies and copper islands take place, two different roughness regimes were distinguished. When dealloying involves only a few monolayers (ML) the process approaches a quasiuniform alloy electrodissolution, whereas after electrodissolution of more than 20 ML, void formation takes place. In both regimes the interface evolution was analyzed by applying the dynamic scaling method to in situ STM imaging data. The first roughness regime exhibits a stable interface consisting of copper-rich islands that coarsen with time according to a surface diffusion controlled process. The second roughness regime exhibits an unstable interface due to a curvature dependent corrosion rate enhancing zinc electrodissolution at cavities. The overall interface evolution is well-described by a differential stochastic equation containing an electrodissolution term and surface rearrangement terms related to surface diffusion and negative surface tension effect.Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicada

Análisis de la aplicabilidad del modelo de Bohr acerca de la predicción de las líneas de emisión del átomo de helio en el marco del dictado de Física Moderna en la Facultad de Ingeniería de la UNLP

El dictado de la materia Física IIIA de las carreras de Ingeniería Electrónica (IE1), Electricista (IE2) y Química (IQ) dictadas en la Facultad de Ingeniería (FI) de la Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) abarca dos módulos bimestrales. En el segundo de ellos se abordan temas de Física Moderna y entre las actividades de laboratorio establecidas, los alumnos deben realizar un experimento destinado a determinar las líneas características de emisión de una lámpara de gas de He a baja presión utilizando un espectrómetro portátil. En el presente trabajo se describe el instrumental utilizado, la metodología experimental adoptada, se presentan las mediciones realizadas de las líneas características emitidas por el átomo He (HeI) y se las compara con las líneas publicadas en la literatura. A partir del uso del modelo de Bohr para el caso del átomo de He+1 simplemente ionizado (HeII), se estiman las longitudes de onda emitidas por el ión HeII y se las compara con las líneas características del HeII publicadas. También en el marco del modelo de Bohr, se calculan las longitudes de onda emitidas por el átomo HeI despreciando la repulsión entre los electrones y se las compara con las líneas observadas en el laboratorio. Finalmente, se analiza la aplicabilidad del modelo de Bohr en la descripción de los sistemas HeI y HeII.The Physic IIIA course of the Electronic, Electric and Chemical Engineering degrees of La Plata University includes two modules of two months each. The second teaching module includes Modern Physic topics. In special, in the laboratory activities, students carry out an experiment to determine the characteristic emission lines of an He lamp using a didactic spectrometer. In the present work, we describe the approach used in the laboratory and the experimental methodology. We present the emission lines measured and we compare these measurements with the He emission lines reported in the literature. From the Bohr model, we estimate the emitted wave length for the case of the He+1 ion (The He atom without an electron) and we compare these wave lengths with the lines published. In this sense, we also calculate the emitted lines of the He atom in the frame of the Bohr model and we compare these calculations with the lines measured in the laboratory. Finally, we analyze the potential application of the Bohr model in the description of the He atom and of the He+1 ion.Trabajo presentado en la 96A Reunión Nacional de Física y II Reunión Conjunta Sociedad Uruguaya de Física - AsociacióN Física Argentin

Sister chromatid exchanges and micronuclei in peripheral lymphocytes of shoe factory workers exposed to solvents.

We examined sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and micronuclei (MN; cytokinesis-block method) in cultured peripheral lymphocytes from 52 female workers of two shoe factories and from 36 unexposed age- and sex-matched referents. The factory workers showed an elevated level of urinary hippuric acid, a biomarker of toluene exposure, and workplace air contained high concentrations of various organic solvents such as toluene, gasoline, acetone, and (in one of the plants only) ethylacetate and methylenediphenyl diisocyanate. The shoe factory workers showed a statistically significant higher frequency of micronucleated binucleate lymphocytes in comparison with the referents. This finding agreed with three preliminary MN determinations (each comprising 27-32 shoe workers and 16-20 controls) performed in one of the plants 2-5 years earlier. The shoe factory workers also had a lower average level of blood hemoglobin than the referents. In contrast, no difference was found between the groups in SCE analysis. Smokers showed significantly higher mean frequencies of SCEs per cell and high frequency cells (HFC) than nonsmokers. Aging was associated with increased MN rates and reduced cell proliferation. Polymorphism of the glutathione S-transferase M1 gene (GSTM1) did not affect the individual level of SCEs; but in smoking shoe workers an effect of the occupational exposure on the frequency of micronucleated cells could be seen only in GSTM1 null subjects. The low prevalence of the glutathione S-transferase T1 (GSTT1) null genotype precluded the evaluation of the influence of GSTT1 polymorphism. Our results show that the shoe factory workers have experienced genotoxic exposure, which is manifest as an increase in the frequency of MN, but not of SCEs, in peripheral lymphocytes. The exposures responsible for the MN induction could not be identified with certainty, but exposure to benzene in gasoline and methylenediphenyl diisocyanate may explain some of the findings

Autocracy-Sustaining Versus Democratic Federalism:Explaining the Divergent Trajectories of Territorial Politics in Russia and Western Europe

This article provides a comparative assessment of territorial politics in Russia and Western Europe. The consolidation or deepening of regional autonomy in Western Europe contrasts with the transformation of Russia from a segmented and highly centrifugal state into a centralized authoritarian state in the course of just two decades. The consolidation of territorial politics in Western Europe is linked to the presence of endogenous safeguards that are built into their territorial constitutional designs and most importantly to the dynamics that emanate from multi-level party competition in the context of a liberal and multi-level democracy. In contrast, in Russia, neither endogenous safeguards nor multi-level party democracy play an important role in explaining the dynamics of Russian federalism, but who controls key state resources instead. We argue that under Putin power dependencies between the Russian center and the regions are strongest where regional democracy is at its weakest, thus producing ‘autocracy-sustaining’ instead of a democratic federation. By studying the relationship between federalism and democracy in cases where both concepts are mutually reinforcing (as in Western Europe) with the critical case of Russia where they are not, we question the widely held view that democracy is a necessary pre-condition for federalism.Peer reviewe