1,366 research outputs found

    Macroscale and Nanoscale Photoelectrochemical Behavior of p-Type Si(111) Covered by a Single Layer of Graphene or Hexagonal Boron Nitride

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    Two-dimensional (2D) materials may enable a general approach to the introduction of a dipole at a semiconductor surface as well as control over other properties of the double layer at a semiconductor/liquid interface. Vastly different properties can be found in the 2D materials currently studied due in part to the range of the distribution of density-of-states. In this work, the open-circuit voltage (V_(oc)) of p-Si–H, p-Si/Gr (graphene), and p-Si/h-BN (hexagonal boron nitride) in contact with a series of one-electron outer-sphere redox couples was investigated by macroscale measurements as well as by scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM). The band gaps of Gr and h-BN (0–5.97 eV) encompass the wide range of band gaps for 2D materials, so these interfaces (p-Si/Gr and p-Si/h-BN) serve as useful references to understand the behavior of 2D materials more generally. The value of V_(oc) shifted with respect to the effective potential of the contacting solution, with slopes (ΔV_(oc)/ΔE_(Eff)) of −0.27 and −0.38 for p-Si/Gr and p-Si/h-BN, respectively, indicating that band bending at the p-Si/h-BN and p-Si/Gr interfaces responds at least partially to changes in the electrochemical potential of the contacting liquid electrolyte. Additionally, SECCM is shown to be an effective method to interrogate the nanoscale photoelectrochemical behavior of an interface, showing little spatial variance over scales exceeding the grain size of the CVD-grown 2D materials in this work. The measurements demonstrated that the polycrystalline nature of the 2D materials had little effect on the results and confirmed that the macroscale measurements reflected the junction behavior at the nanoscale

    Systematic Floral Anatomy of Pontederiaceae

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    Twenty species of Pontederiaceae and six species of the outgroup families Haemodoraceae and Philydraceae were investigated with regard to floral anatomy, using standard histological methods and graphic reconstructions. Variation is described in several features, including functional carpel number, the distribution of floral aerenchyma, the presence of unusual floral epithelial cells, the presence, type, and distribution of tannin cells, crystal type and distribution, aspects of placentation, ovule number, number of ovule rows per carpel, and septal nectary presence. In order to better assess character homology, one of these features, placentation, was divided into three discrete characters: septal fusion, placenta position, and placenta evagination. Several of the floral characters were optimized onto a most parsimonious cladogram from a relatively recent study using combined chloroplast DNA data. Associations of character states with specific clades were observed in functional carpel number, aerenchyma distribution, epithelial cell presence, tannin cell distribution, septal nectary presence, and the three redefined aspects of placentation: septal fusion, placenta position, and placenta evagination. These floral data will be valuable in further elucidating relationships in Pontederiaceae in future studies of the group

    Macroscale and Nanoscale Photoelectrochemical Behavior of p-Type Si(111) Covered by a Single Layer of Graphene or Hexagonal Boron Nitride

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    Two-dimensional (2D) materials may enable a general approach to the introduction of a dipole at a semiconductor surface as well as control over other properties of the double layer at a semiconductor/liquid interface. Vastly different properties can be found in the 2D materials currently studied due in part to the range of the distribution of density-of-states. In this work, the open-circuit voltage (V_(oc)) of p-Si–H, p-Si/Gr (graphene), and p-Si/h-BN (hexagonal boron nitride) in contact with a series of one-electron outer-sphere redox couples was investigated by macroscale measurements as well as by scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM). The band gaps of Gr and h-BN (0–5.97 eV) encompass the wide range of band gaps for 2D materials, so these interfaces (p-Si/Gr and p-Si/h-BN) serve as useful references to understand the behavior of 2D materials more generally. The value of V_(oc) shifted with respect to the effective potential of the contacting solution, with slopes (ΔV_(oc)/ΔE_(Eff)) of −0.27 and −0.38 for p-Si/Gr and p-Si/h-BN, respectively, indicating that band bending at the p-Si/h-BN and p-Si/Gr interfaces responds at least partially to changes in the electrochemical potential of the contacting liquid electrolyte. Additionally, SECCM is shown to be an effective method to interrogate the nanoscale photoelectrochemical behavior of an interface, showing little spatial variance over scales exceeding the grain size of the CVD-grown 2D materials in this work. The measurements demonstrated that the polycrystalline nature of the 2D materials had little effect on the results and confirmed that the macroscale measurements reflected the junction behavior at the nanoscale

    In Situ Quantification of Surface Intermediates and Correlation to Discharge Products on Hematite Photoanodes using a Combined Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy Approach

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    Hematite is a promising photoanode for solar driven water splitting. Elucidating its surface chemical pathways is key to improving its performance. Here, we use redox titrations in the Surface Interrogation mode of Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (SI-SECM) to quantitatively probe in situ the reactivity and time evolution of surface species formed on hematite during photo assisted water oxidation. Using SI-SECM, two distinct populations of oxidizing surface species were resolved with measured k_(si) of 316 m^3/(mol·s) and 2 m^3/(mol·s) for the more and less reactive species, respectively. While the surface coverage of both species was found to increase as a function of applied bias, the rate constants did not change appreciably, suggesting that the mechanism of water oxidation is independent of bias potential. In the absence of applied potential, both populations exhibit decay that is well described by second order kinetics, with k_d values of 1.2 × 10^5 ± 0.2 × 10^5 and 6.3 × 10^3 ± 0.9 × 10^3 m^2/(mol·s) for the fast and slow reacting adsorbates, respectively. Using transient substrate generation/tip collection mode, we detected the evolution of as much as 1.0 μmol/m^2 of H_2O_2 during this decay process, which correlates with the coverage observed by one of the titrated species. By deconvoluting the reactivity of multiple adsorbed reactants, these experiments demonstrate how SI-SECM enables direct observation of multiple adsorbates and reaction pathways on operating photoelectrodes

    Rehabilitation of Antimony Mine Wastes at Hillgrove, New South Wales

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    The tailings disposal systems of the New England Antimony Mines N. L. Company were investigated and a plan for future tailings disposal prepared. This was a two stage process, the first resulting from the capacity of the existing tailings dump having been reached, the second from a decision to reprocess the tailings due to a rise in the price of gold and a decline in the grade of antimony in the mined rock. The tailings disposal systems involved the creation of a closed system in which both solid and liquid wastes could be managed. ... The root morphology of plants grown in the tailings mixtures reflected the aeration and mechanical impedence effects over the range of moisture tensions created under glass house conditions and regular watering to maintain field capacity. Roots were stunted with limited lateral development. Root tips were clubbed with many roots displaying swollen sections. An abundance of root hairs were evident together with noticeable changes in direction of root members. ... It was concluded that the establishment of vegetation in the tailings was not practicable due to the effects of poor aeration and mechanical impedence. The most suitable rehabilitation method would be to apply a topsoil covering and establish a self sustaining cover of vegetation

    Report from the third international consensus meeting to harmonise core outcome measures for atopic eczema/dermatitis clinical trials (HOME).

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    This report provides a summary of the third meeting of the Harmonising Outcome Measures for Eczema (HOME) initiative held in San Diego, CA, U.S.A., 6-7 April 2013 (HOME III). The meeting addressed the four domains that had previously been agreed should be measured in every eczema clinical trial: clinical signs, patient-reported symptoms, long-term control and quality of life. Formal presentations and nominal group techniques were used at this working meeting, attended by 56 voting participants (31 of whom were dermatologists). Significant progress was made on the domain of clinical signs. Without reference to any named scales, it was agreed that the intensity and extent of erythema, excoriation, oedema/papulation and lichenification should be included in the core outcome measure for the scale to have content validity. The group then discussed a systematic review of all scales measuring the clinical signs of eczema and their measurement properties, followed by a consensus vote on which scale to recommend for inclusion in the core outcome set. Research into the remaining three domains was presented, followed by discussions. The symptoms group and quality of life groups need to systematically identify all available tools and rate the quality of the tools. A definition of long-term control is needed before progress can be made towards recommending a core outcome measure

    Training of Instrumentalists and Development of New Technologies on SOFIA

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    This white paper is submitted to the Astronomy and Astrophysics 2010 Decadal Survey (Astro2010)1 Committee on the State of the Profession to emphasize the potential of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) to contribute to the training of instrumentalists and observers, and to related technology developments. This potential goes beyond the primary mission of SOFIA, which is to carry out unique, high priority astronomical research. SOFIA is a Boeing 747SP aircraft with a 2.5 meter telescope. It will enable astronomical observations anywhere, any time, and at most wavelengths between 0.3 microns and 1.6 mm not accessible from ground-based observatories. These attributes, accruing from the mobility and flight altitude of SOFIA, guarantee a wealth of scientific return. Its instrument teams (nine in the first generation) and guest investigators will do suborbital astronomy in a shirt-sleeve environment. The project will invest $10M per year in science instrument development over a lifetime of 20 years. This, frequent flight opportunities, and operation that enables rapid changes of science instruments and hands-on in-flight access to the instruments, assure a unique and extensive potential - both for training young instrumentalists and for encouraging and deploying nascent technologies. Novel instruments covering optical, infrared, and submillimeter bands can be developed for and tested on SOFIA by their developers (including apprentices) for their own observations and for those of guest observers, to validate technologies and maximize observational effectiveness.Comment: 10 pages, no figures, White Paper for Astro 2010 Survey Committee on State of the Professio

    Hubble Space Telescope NICMOS Polarization Measurements of OMC-1

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    We present 2micron polarization measurements of positions in the BN region of the Orion Molecular Cloud (OMC-1) made with NICMOS Camera 2 (0.2'' resolution) on HST. Our results are as follows: BN is sim 29% polarized by dichroic absorption and appears to be the illuminating source for most of the nebulosity to its north and up to sim 5'' to its south. Although the stars are probably all polarized by dichroic absorption, there are a number of compact, but non-point-source, objects that could be polarized by a combination of both dichroic absorption and local scattering of star light. We identify several candidate YSOs, including an approximately edge-on bipolar YSO 8.7'' east of BN, and a deeply-embedded variable star. Additional strongly polarized sources are IRc2-B, IRc2-D, and IRc7, all of which are obviously self-luminous at mid-infrared wavelengths and may be YSOs. None of these is a reflection nebula illuminated by a star located near radio source I, as was previously suggested. Other IRc sources are clearly reflection nebulae: IRc3 appears to be illuminated by IRc2-B or a combination of the IRc2 sources, and IRc4 and IRc5 appear to be illuminated by an unseen star in the vicinity of radio source I, or by Star n or IRc2-A. Trends in the magnetic field direction are inferred from the polarization of the 26 stars that are bright enough to be seen as NICMOS point sources. The most polarized star has a polarization position angle different from its neighbors by sim 40^o, but in agreement with the grain alignment inferred from millimeter polarization measurements of the cold dust cloud in the southern part of OMC-1.Comment: 41 pages, 8 figures, 4 tables, to appear in The Astrophysical Journa
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