Size-dependent evolution of the atomic vibrational density of states and thermodynamic properties of isolated Fe nanoparticles

We have gained insight into the internal degree of atomic disorder in isolated size-selected Fe nanoparticles (NPs) (similar to 2-6 nm in size) supported on SiO2/Si(111) and Al2O3(0001) from precise measurements of the low-energy (low-E) part of the phonon density of states [PDOS, g(E)] via Fe-57 nuclear resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (NRIXS) combined with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements. An intriguing size-dependent trendwas observed, namely, an increase of the low-E excess density of phonon states (as compared to the PDOS of bulk bcc Fe) with increasing NP size. This is unexpected, since usually the enhancement of the density of low-E phonon modes is attributed to low-coordinated atoms at the NP surface, whose relative content increases with decreasing NP size due to the increase in the surface-to-volume ratio. Our NPs are covered by a Ti-coating layer, which essentially restores the local neighborhood of surface Fe atoms towards bulk-like coordination, reducing the surface effect. Our data can be qualitatively explained by the existence of low-coordinated Fe atoms located at grain boundaries or other defects with structural disorder in the interior of the large NPs (similar to 3-6 nm), while our small NPs (similar to 2 nm) are single grain and, therefore, characterized by a higher degree of structural order. This conclusion is corroborated by the observation of Debye behavior at low energy [g(E) similar to E-n with n similar to 2] for the small NPs, but non-Debye behavior (with n similar to 1.4) for the large NPs. The PDOS was used to determine thermodynamic properties of the Fe NPs. Finally, our results demonstrate that, in combination with TEM, NRIXS is a suitable technique to investigate atomic disorder/defects in NPs. We anticipate that our findings are universal for similar NPs with bcc structure

Inside the guts of wood-eating catfishes: can they digest wood?

To better understand the structure and function of the gastrointestinal (GI) tracts of wood-eating catfishes, the gross morphology, length, and microvilli surface area (MVSA) of the intestines of wild-caught Panaque nocturnus, P. cf. nigrolineatus “Marañon”, and Hypostomus pyrineusi were measured, and contrasted against these same metrics of a closely related detritivore, Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus. All four species had anatomically unspecialized intestines with no kinks, valves, or ceca of any kind. The wood-eating catfishes had body size-corrected intestinal lengths that were 35% shorter than the detritivore. The MVSA of all four species decreased distally in the intestine, indicating that nutrient absorption preferentially takes place in the proximal and mid-intestine, consistent with digestive enzyme activity and luminal carbohydrate profiles for these same species. Wild-caught Pt. disjunctivus, and P. nigrolineatus obtained via the aquarium trade, poorly digested wood cellulose (<33% digestibility) in laboratory feeding trials, lost weight when consuming wood, and passed stained wood through their digestive tracts in less than 4 h. Furthermore, no selective retention of small particles was observed in either species in any region of the gut. Collectively, these results corroborate digestive enzyme activity profiles and gastrointestinal fermentation levels in the fishes’ GI tracts, suggesting that the wood-eating catfishes are not true xylivores such as beavers and termites, but rather, are detritivores like so many other fishes from the family Loricariidae