Probing magnetic ordering in air stable iron-rich van der Waals minerals

In the rapidly expanding field of two-dimensional materials, magnetic monolayers show great promise for the future applications in nanoelectronics, data storage, and sensing. The research in intrinsically magnetic two-dimensional materials mainly focuses on synthetic iodide and telluride based compounds, which inherently suffer from the lack of ambient stability. So far, naturally occurring layered magnetic materials have been vastly overlooked. These minerals offer a unique opportunity to explore air-stable complex layered systems with high concentration of local moment bearing ions. We demonstrate magnetic ordering in iron-rich two-dimensional phyllosilicates, focusing on mineral species of minnesotaite, annite, and biotite. These are naturally occurring van der Waals magnetic materials which integrate local moment baring ions of iron via magnesium/aluminium substitution in their octahedral sites. Due to self-inherent capping by silicate/aluminate tetrahedral groups, ultra-thin layers are air-stable. Chemical characterization, quantitative elemental analysis, and iron oxidation states were determined via Raman spectroscopy, wavelength disperse X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry measurements were performed to examine the magnetic ordering. These layered materials exhibit paramagnetic or superparamagnetic characteristics at room temperature. At low temperature ferrimagnetic or antiferromagnetic ordering occurs, with the critical ordering temperature of 38.7 K for minnesotaite, 36.1 K for annite, and 4.9 K for biotite. In-field magnetic force microscopy on iron bearing phyllosilicates confirmed the paramagnetic response at room temperature, present down to monolayers.Comment: 19 pages, 6 figure

Low Energy Experiments that Measure Fundamental Constants and Test Basic Symmetries (4/4)

Cold Antihydrogen: Are We There? Cold antihydrogen offers the possibility to precisely compare the structure of antihydrogen and hydrogen atoms, using the well developed tools of laser spectroscopy with antihydrogen atoms cold enough to be trapped in the minimum of a magnetic field gradient. Progress made at CERN's new Antiproton Decelerator will be discussed, along with goals and aspirations, such as measuring the anti-Rydberg constant. ATRAP has observed and studied the interaction of low energy antiprotons and positrons for more than a year, and ATHENA hopes to soon make antiprotons and positrons to interact as well

In-Situ Synchrotron Profile Analysis after High-Pressure Torsion Deformation

The presence of hydrostatic pressure is a general crucial characteristic of severe plastic deformation methods for reaching high strains and for introducing large quantities of lattice defects, which are necessary to establish new grain boundaries. Insights into the processes occurring during deformation and the influence of hydrostatic pressure are necessary to help better understand the SPD methods. A special experimental procedure was designed to simulate the hydrostatic pressure release: High pressure torsion (HPT)-deformed microstructure changes related to the release of hydrostatic pressure after the HPT deformation of copper and nickel were studied by freezing the sample before releasing the pressure. High-resolution in-situ X-ray diffraction of the heating process was performed using synchrotron radiation in order to apply X-ray line profile analysis to analyze the pressure release. The results on copper and nickel generally indicated the influence of hydrostatic pressure on the mobility and interaction of deformation-induced defects as well as the resulting microstructure.© 2019 by the author

Precise determination of graphene functionalization by in situ Raman spectroscopy

The verification of a successful covalent functionalization of graphene and related carbon allotropes can easily be carried out by Raman spectroscopy. Nevertheless, the unequivocal assignment and resolution of individual lattice modes associated with the covalent binding of addends was elusive up to now. Here we present an in situ Raman study of a controlled functionalization of potassium intercalated graphite, revealing several new bands appearing in the D-region of the spectrum. The evolution of these bands with increasing degree of functionalization from low to moderate levels provides a basis for the deconvolution of the different components towards quantifying the extent of functionalization. By complementary DFT calculations we were able to identify the vibrational changes in the close proximity of the addend bearing lattice carbon atoms and to assign them to specific Raman modes. The experimental in situ observation of the developing functionalization along with the reoxidation of the intercalated graphite represents an important step towards an improved understanding of the chemistry of graphene.© The Author(s) 201

Modelling spatial patterns of correlations between concentrations of heavy metals in mosses and atmospheric deposition in 2010 across Europe

Background: This paper aims to investigate the correlations between the concentrations of nine heavy metals in moss and atmospheric deposition within ecological land classes covering Europe. Additionally, it is examined to what extent the statistical relations are affected by the land use around the moss sampling sites. Based on moss data collected in 2010/2011 throughout Europe and data on total atmospheric deposition modelled by two chemical transport models (EMEP MSC-E, LOTOS-EUROS), correlation coefficients between concentrations of heavy metals in moss and in modelled atmospheric deposition were specified for spatial subsamples defined by ecological land classes of Europe (ELCE) as a spatial reference system. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and logistic regression (LR) were then used to separate moss sampling sites regarding their contribution to the strength of correlation considering the areal percentage of urban, agricultural and forestry land use around the sampling location. After verification LDA models by LR, LDA models were used to transform spatial information on the land use to maps of potential correlation levels, applicable for future network planning in the European Moss Survey. Results: Correlations between concentrations of heavy metals in moss and in modelled atmospheric deposition were found to be specific for elements and ELCE units. Land use around the sampling sites mainly influences the correlation level. Small radiuses around the sampling sites examined (5 km) are more relevant for Cd, Cu, Ni, and Zn, while the areal percentage of urban and agricultural land use within large radiuses (75–100 km) is more relevant for As, Cr, Hg, Pb, and V. Most valid LDA models pattern with error rates of < 40% were found for As, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and V. Land use-dependent predictions of spatial patterns split up Europe into investigation areas revealing potentially high (= above-average) or low (= below-average) correlation coefficients. Conclusions: LDA is an eligible method identifying and ranking boundary conditions of correlations between atmospheric deposition and respective concentrations of heavy metals in moss and related mapping considering the influence of the land use around moss sampling sites.© The Author(s) 201