Progress in development of a new luminescence setup at the FinEstBeAMS beamline of the MAX IV laboratory

The main funding for the FinEstBeAMS beamline has been obtained from the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (project “Estonian beamline to MAX-IV synchrotron”, granted to the University of Tartu) and from the Academy of Finland through the Finnish Research Infrastructure funding projects ( FIRI2010 , FIRI2013 , FIRI2014 ). The authors also acknowledge the funding contributions of the University of Oulu , University of Turku , Tampere University of Technology , the Estonian Research Council ( IUT 2-25 , IUT 2-26 , PRG-111 ), as well as the Estonian Centre of Excellence in Research “Advanced materials and high-technology devices for sustainable energetics, sensorics and nanoelectronics” TK141 (2014-2020.4.01.15-0011). The strategic funding of Finnish FIMAX consortium coordinating university , University of Oulu , for beamline personnel is also acknowledged. The authors thank the MAX IV Laboratory for financial and infrastructural support as well as for assistance during the construction of the FinEstBeaMS beamline.FinEstBeAMS is a new materials science beamline at the 1.5 GeV storage ring of the MAX IV Laboratory in Lund, Sweden. It has been built based on grazing incidence monochromatization of synchrotron light, which allows to cover a remarkably wide excitation energy range from ultraviolet to soft x-rays (4.5–1450 eV). A new mobile luminescence spectroscopy end station has been commissioned with design benefitting from the advantages of a high flux elliptically polarizing undulator light source. We report on the design of the luminescence end station, its technical realization and performance achieved so far. Special attention is paid to the experimental challenges for luminescence spectroscopy under grazing incidence excitation conditions. The first luminescence results obtained demonstrate a reliable performance of the advanced setup at FinEstBeAMS.Eesti Teadusagentuur IUT 2-25,PRG-111,IUT 2-26; European Commission; University of Tartu; Academy of Finland FIRI2010,FIRI2013,FIRI2014; Tampereen Teknillinen Yliopisto; Turun Yliopisto; European Regional Development Fund; 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

In Situ X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopic and Electrochemical Studies of the Bromide Anions Dissolved in 1-Ethyl-3-Methyl Imidazolium Tetrafluoroborate

Influence of electrode potential on the electrochemical behavior of a 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMImBF4) solution containing 5 wt % 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide (EMImBr) has been investigated using electrochemical and synchrotron-initiated high-resolution in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) methods. Observation of the Br 3d5/2 in situ XPS signal, collected in a 5 wt % EMImBr solution at an EMImBF4⁻vacuum interface, enabled the detection of the start of the electrooxidation process of the Br− anion to Br3− anion and thereafter to the Br2 at the micro-mesoporous carbon electrode, polarized continuously at the high fixed positive potentials. A new photoelectron peak, corresponding to B⁻O bond formation in the B 1s in situ XPS spectra at E ≤ −1.17 V, parallel to the start of the electroreduction of the residual water at the micro-mesoporous carbon electrode, was observed and is discussed. The electroreduction of the residual water caused a reduction in the absolute value of binding energy vs. potential plot slope twice to ca. dBE dE−1 = −0.5 eV V−1 at E ≤ −1.17 V for C 1s, N 1s, B 1s, F 1s, and Br 3d5/2 photoelectrons

Colorimetric gas detection by the varying thickness of a thin film of ultrasmall PTSA-coated TiO2 nanoparticles on a Si substrate

Financial support from the Estonian Research Council (IUT2-25, PUT170, PUT1096, PUT748, PUTJD680), the Estonian Centre of Excellence in Research Projects “Advanced materials and high-technology devices for sustainable energetics, sensorics and nanoelectronics” TK141 (2014-2020.4.01.15-0011), “Emerging orders in quantum and nanomaterials” TK134 and the Development Fund of the University of Tartu, are all gratefully acknowledged.Colorimetric gas sensing is demonstrated by thin films based on ultrasmall TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) on Si substrates. The NPs are bound into the film by p-toluenesulfonic acid (PTSA) and the film is made to absorb volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Since the color of the sensing element depends on the interference of reflected light from the surface of the film and from the film/silicon substrate interface, colorimetric detection is possible by the varying thickness of the NP-based film. Indeed, VOC absorption causes significant swelling of the film. Thus, the optical path length is increased, interference wavelengths are shifted and the refractive index of the film is decreased. This causes a change of color of the sensor element visible by the naked eye. The color response is rapid and changes reversibly within seconds of exposure. The sensing element is extremely simple and cheap, and can be fabricated by common coating processes.Eesti Teadusagentuur PUT748,IUT2-25,PUT170,PUT1096,PUTJD680; Estonian Centre of Excellence in Research Projects 2014-2020.4.01.15-0011,TK134,TK141; University of Tartu; 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

Switchable Optical Transmittance of TiO2 Submicron-Diameter Wire Suspension-Based “Smart Window” Device

In this paper, for the first time, a TiO2 submicron-diameter wire suspension-based smart window device is demonstrated in which combined planar and finger electrodes are utilised to reversibly change the orientation of the nanowires. Electrospun TiO2 anatase submicron-diameter wire suspensions in a viscous polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix were prepared directly from electrospun submicron-diameter fibre mats by using high-shear mixing, achieving the complete break-up of all electrospun mats and suspending TiO2 submicron-diameter wires uniformly in the PDMS matrix. Suspension was used as an active layer in an electro-optical device where a reversible change in light scattering is achieved by preparing a device consisting of an active layer and combined planar and finger electrode system. Using the constructed device, it was possible to change the alignment or spatial distribution of TiO2 submicron-diameter wires by applying a DC electric field across the planar or finger, electrodes thus changing the transmittance (DT = 25%) of the suspension and demonstrating the potential to use combined planar and finger electrode devices in smart window applications

Electro-Optics of Electrospun TiO2 Anatase Submicron Wire Based Dipole Particle Suspension Device

Electro-optical properties of electrospun anatase TiO2 submicron wire dispersion in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) were investigated. The optical properties of the dispersion were altered by electrophoretic manipulation of submicron wires (SMWs) in the PDMS matrix. SMWs were aligned in the electric field at a field strength of 0.1 V/lm, resulting in a change in transmittance of up to 23%. Transmittance changes can be attributed to a decrease of light scattering cross-sections during the SMW orientation in the electric field

Photofragmentation of gas-phase acetic acid and acetamide clusters in the vacuum ultraviolet region

Photofragmentation of gas-phase acetamide and acetic acid clusters produced by a supersonic expansion source has been studied using time-of-flight mass spectrometry and the partial ion yield (PIY) technique combined with tunable vacuum-ultraviolet synchrotron radiation. Appearance energies of the clusters and their fragments were experimentally determined from the PIY measurements. The effect of clusterization conditions on the formation and fragmentation of acetic acid clusters was investigated. Ab initio quantum mechanical calculations were performed on both samples' dimers to find their neutral and ionized geometries as well as proton transfer energy barriers leading to the optimal geometries. In the case of the acetamide dimer, the reaction resulting in the production of ammoniated acetamide was probed, and the geometry of the obtained ion was calculated

Photocatalytic Activity of Anatase–Nickel Ferrite Heterostructures

The simple co-precipitation route was used to couple commercial TiO2 anatase nanopowder with nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4). The morphology and the crystalline structure of composite nanoparticles were characterised by TEM, N2 adsorption-desorption, XRD and Rietveld refinement, XPS and XAS. The optical and magnetic properties were investigated. After co-precipitation NiFe2O4 nanoparticles, composed of spinel ferrite crystal phase, were formed on the surface of TiO2 anatase nanopowder. The TiO2/NiFe2O4 composite oxide demonstrated large specific surface area, high visible light absorption efficiency and efficient charge carrier separation, compared to pristine anatase TiO2 or pristine NiFe2O4, representatively. The obtained TiO2/NiFe2O4 composite oxides, with different nickel ferrite contents (5, 10, 25, 50 and 75 wt%) showed decent visible light photocatalytic efficiency, up to three times higher than pure anatase or pure NiFe2O4. However, TiO2/NiFe2O4 composite oxides did not demonstrate high magnetic properties