Structural investigation of crystallized Ge-Ga-Se chalcogenide glasses

H. Klym thanks to the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine for support and Dr. P. Demchenko for the assistance in XRD experiments.Crystallization transformation in the 80GeSe2-20Ga2Se3 chalcogenide glasses caused by annealing at 380 °C during different duration (25, 50, 80 and 100 hours) are studied using X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy methods. It is established that GeGa4Se phase of low- and high-temperature modification, Ga2Se3 phase (α- and γ-modification) and GeSe2 phases are crystallized during this process. It is shown that annealing duration over 50 h does not lead to further internal structural crystallization, while annealing for 80 h result in processes of surface crystallization.Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine; Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia as the Center of Excellence has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme H2020-WIDESPREAD-01-2016-2017-TeamingPhase2 under grant agreement No. 739508, project CAMART

Positronium Characterization of Nanopores in Technologically Modified MgO-Al2O3 Ceramics

It is established that positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy can be successful used as porosimetry method to study of nanopores size and transformation of free volume in humidity-sensitive MgO-Al2O3 ceramics in adsorption-desorption cycles using lifetimes of ortho-positronium-related components. It is shown that the fourth component gives information about water-free volume or nanopores size, while the third component reflects positronium trapping both in nanopores and in water “bubbles”

Positronium Characterization of Nanopores in Technologically Modified MgO-Al2O3 Ceramics

It is established that positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy can be successful used as porosimetry method to study of nanopores size and transformation of free volume in humidity-sensitive MgO-Al2O3 ceramics in adsorption-desorption cycles using lifetimes of ortho-positronium-related components. It is shown that the fourth component gives information about water-free volume or nanopores size, while the third component reflects positronium trapping both in nanopores and in water “bubbles”

Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy insight on free volume conversion of nanostructured MgAl2 O4 ceramics

H.K. and A.I.P. are grateful for the support from the COST Action CA17126. H.K. was also supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (project for young researchers No. 0119U100435). In addition, I.K. and H.K. were also supported by the National Research Foundation of Ukraine via project 2020.02/0217, while the research of A.I.P. was funded by the Latvian research council via the Latvian National Research Program under the topic ?High-Energy Physics and Accelerator Technologies?, Agreement No: VPP-IZM-CERN-2020/1-0002. In addition, the research of A.I.P. has been supported by the Latvian-Ukrainian Grant LV-UA/2021/5. The Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia (Latvia) as the Centre of Excellence has received funding from the European Union?s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme H2020-WIDESPREAD01-2016-2017- Teaming Phase2 under grant agreement No. 739508, project CAMART2.Herein we demonstrate the specifics of using the positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) method for the study of free volume changes in functional ceramic materials. Choosing technological modification of nanostructured MgAl2 O4 spinel as an example, we show that for ceramics with well-developed porosity positron annihilation is revealed through two channels: positron trapping channel and ortho-positronium decay. Positron trapping in free-volume defects is described by the second component of spectra and ortho-positronium decay process by single or multiple components, depending on how well porosity is developed and on the experimental configuration. When using proposed positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy approaches, three components are the most suitable fit in the case of MgAl2 O4 ceramics. In the analysis of the second component, it is shown that technological modification (increasing sintering temperature) leads to volume shrinking and decreases the number of defect-related voids. This process is also accompanied by the decrease of the size of nanopores (described by the third component), while the overall number of nanopores is not affected. The approach to the analysis of positron annihilation lifetime spectra presented here can be applied to a wide range of functional nanomaterials with pronounced porosity. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Published under the CC BY 4.0 license.European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme H2020-WIDESPREAD01-2016-2017-Teaming Phase2 739508; Latvian National Research Program VPP-IZM-CERN-2020/1-0002; Latvian Science Council; National Research Foundation of Ukraine 2020.02/0217; European Cooperation in Science and Technology CA17126; National Research Foundation of Korea; Latvijas Universitate; Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine 0119U100435; Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia as the Center of Excellence has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme H2020-WIDESPREAD-01-2016-2017-TeamingPhase2 under grant agreement No. 739508, project CAMART2

Nanoporous characterization of modified humidity-sensitive MgO-Al2O3 ceramics by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy method

The work was supported by the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science. H. Klym thanks Prof. O. Shpotyuk for the fruitful discussion.Investigation of nanopores in the humidity-sensitive MgO-Al2O3 ceramics modified at 1100°C for 2 hours was performed using positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy method. Lifetimes of the third and fourth components of positron annihilation lifetime spectra obtained by four-component fitting procedure were used for calculation of nanopores radii. Transformation in free volumes was studied in ceramics after drying and exposure to water vapor. It is established that the lifetime of the third component decreases and the intensity of this component increases in ceramics exposed to water vapor reflecting ortho-positronium decay in nanopores simultaneously with annihilation in water bubbles. The characteristics of the fourth component (lifetime and intensity) decrease in ceramics exposed to water vapor reflecting ortho-positronium trapping in free-water volume of nanopores. Final drying of the MgO-Al2O3 ceramics results in returning of ortho-positronium lifetimes and intensities to the initial values confirming good desorption of water from nanopores of ceramics.Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia as the Center of Excellence has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme H2020-WIDESPREAD-01-2016-2017-TeamingPhase2 under grant agreement No. 739508, project CAMART

Infrared characterization of silicon carbide nanowires

Silicon carbide nanowires have been obtained via combustion synthesis route. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that the synthesized material is the 3C polytype of silicon carbide with zincblende unit cell. Detailed investigations of such SiC 1D nanostructures were carried out exploiting Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. IR measurements we performed using BRUKER HYPERION FT-IR microscope. For the purpose of comparison, a series of powder samples were examined, including raw synthesis product, purified SiC nanowires and several commercially available microand nanopowders (from Alpha Aesar and PlasmaChem). Comprehensive comparative analysis of the MIR spectra has been performed. When you are citing the document, use the following link http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/2063

Evolution of free volumes in polycrystalline baga2o4 ceramics doped with eu3+ ions

H.K. and Y.K. would like to thank A. Ingram for assistance in PAL experiments. The authors thank E.A. Kotomin and M. Brik for the many useful discussions. The research was (partly) performed in the Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia ISSP UL. ISSP UL as the Center of Excellence is supported through the Framework Program for European universities Union Horizon 2020, H2020-WIDESPREAD-01–2016–2017-TeamingPhase2 under Grant Agreement No. 739508, CAMART2 project.BaGa2O4 ceramics doped with Eu3+ ions (1, 3 and 4 mol.%) were obtained by solid-phase sintering. The phase composition and microstructural features of ceramics were investigated using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy in comparison with energy-dispersive methods. Here, it is shown that undoped and Eu3+-doped BaGa2O4 ceramics are characterized by a developed structure of grains, grain boundaries and pores. Additional phases are mainly localized near grain boundaries creating additional defects. The evolution of defect-related extended free volumes in BaGa2O4 ceramics due to the increase in the content of Eu3+ ions was studied using the positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy technique. It is established that the increase in the number of Eu3+ ions in the basic BaGa2O4 matrix leads to the agglomeration of free-volume defects with their subsequent fragmentation. The presence of Eu3+ ions results in the expansion of nanosized pores and an increase in their number with their future fragmentation. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Published under the CC BY 4.0 license.This work was supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (project for young researchers No. 0119U100435) for H.K and Y.K.; the National Research Foundation of Ukraine (project 2020.02/0217) for I.K. and H.K. as well as by the Latvian research council via the Latvian National Research Program under the topic “High-Energy Physics and Accelerator Technologies”, Agreement No: VPP-IZM-CERN-2020/1-0002, for V.P. and A.I.P; ISSP UL as the Center of Excellence is supported through the Framework Program for European universities Union Horizon 2020, H2020-WIDESPREAD-01–2016–2017-TeamingPhase2 under Grant Agreement No. 739508, CAMART2 project

Luminescence, vibrational and XANES studies of AlN nanomaterials

Abstract The paper reports comparative studies on synthesized aluminium nitride nanotubes, nanoparticles and commercially available micron-sized AlN powder using different spectroscopic techniques: cathodoluminescence measurements (CL), X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Crucial distinctions in CL spectra are observed for nano- and microsized aluminium nitride powders; systematic shift of the IR absorption maximum has been detected for nanostructured aluminium nitride as compared to commercial samples. Through XANES experiments on Al K-edge structural differences between nano- and bulk AlN are revealed, intensity of features in absorption spectra has been found to be a function of wurtzite and zincblend phases amount in nanostructured samples

Long-term evolution of luminescent properties in CdI₂ crystals

Fresh and aged melt-grown or gas-phase grown CdI₂ crystals are studied by means of low-temperature photoluminescence spectroscopy. Noticeable transformations of emission spectra are observed after long-term aging. The formation of nanostructures containing cadmium oxide and cadmium hydroxide as well as the changes in local surrounding of iodine atoms and the possible growth of polytypic modifications of CdI₂ are taken into account when considering the diversity of optical spectra