Generation of low-temperature plasma by low-pressure arcs for synthesis of nitride coatings

Experiments were performed to study gas, metal, and mixed metal-gas plasmas. The plasmas were generated with the use of an arc evaporator and a gas-plasma source with a hot filament and hollow cathode that were operated independently or simultaneously. It has been revealed that the arc current of gas-plasma source affects the parameters of the metal-gas plasma and the element concentrations in the coatings. It has been demonstrated that the characteristics of the nitride coatings produced by plasma-assisted vacuum-arc deposition can be controlled by varying the parameters of the arc in the gas-plasma source

Gaseous Vanadium Molybdate and Tungstates: Thermodynamic Properties and Structures

The stability of gaseous vanadium molybdate and vanadium tungstates was confirmed by high-temperature mass spectrometry. A number of gas-phase reactions involving vanadium-containing salts were studied. On the basis of equilibrium constants, the standard formation enthalpies of gaseous VMoO₄ (−676 ± 27 kJ/mol), VWO₃ (−331 ± 29 kJ/mol), and VWO₄ (−706 ± 23 kJ/mol) at 298 K were determined. A theoretical study of these salts revealed the structure with bidentate binding of the vanadium cation to the anion part to be the lowest-lying isomer, with a quartet spin state for VMoO₄ and VWO₄ molecules as well as a sextet spin state for the VWO₃ molecule. On the basis of critical analysis of the literature data concerning standard formation enthalpies of gaseous VO and VO₂, we adopted new values of Δ_f<i>H</i>°(298) = 135 ± 10 kJ/mol for VO­(g) and −185 ± 15.0 kJ/mol for VO₂(g). Overall, the results obtained allowed us to estimate the standard formation enthalpy of VMoO₃ to be −318 kJ/mol with an accuracy near 40 kJ/mol

Generation of low-temperature plasma by low-pressure arcs for synthesis of nitride coatings

Experiments were performed to study gas, metal, and mixed metal-gas plasmas. The plasmas were generated with the use of an arc evaporator and a gas-plasma source with a hot filament and hollow cathode that were operated independently or simultaneously. It has been revealed that the arc current of gas-plasma source affects the parameters of the metal-gas plasma and the element concentrations in the coatings. It has been demonstrated that the characteristics of the nitride coatings produced by plasma-assisted vacuum-arc deposition can be controlled by varying the parameters of the arc in the gas-plasma source

A new mineral species rossovskyite, (Fe3+,Ta)(Nb,Ti)O4: crystal chemistry and physical properties

A new mineral rossovskyite named after L.N. Rossovsky was discovered in granite pegmatites of the Bulgut occurrence, Altai Mts., Western Mongolia. Associated minerals are microcline, muscovite, quartz, albite, garnet of the almandine–spessartine series, beryl, apatite, triplite, zircon, pyrite, yttrobetafite-(Y) and schorl. Rossovskyite forms flattened anhedral grains up to 6 × 6 × 2 cm. The color of the mineral is black, and the streak is black as well. The luster is semi-metallic, dull. Mohs hardness is 6. No cleavage or parting is observed. Rossovskyite is brittle, with uneven fracture. The density measured by the hydrostatic weighing method is 6.06 g/cm2, and the density calculated from the empirical formula is 6.302 g/cm3. Rossovskyite is biaxial, and the color in reflection is gray to dark gray. The IR spectrum contains strong band at 567 cm−1 (with shoulders at 500 and 600 cm−1) corresponding to cation–oxygen stretching vibrations and weak bands at 1093 and 1185 cm−1 assigned as overtones. The reflection spectrum in visible range is obtained. According to the Mössbauer spectrum, the ratio Fe2+:Fe3+ is 35.6:64.4. The chemical composition is as follows (electron microprobe, Fe apportioned between FeO and Fe2O3 based on Mössbauer data, wt%): MnO 1.68, FeO 5.92, Fe2O3 14.66, TiO2 7.69, Nb2O5 26.59, Ta2O5 37.51, WO3 5.61, total 99.66. The empirical formula calculated on four O atoms is: Mn2+0.06Mn0.062+ Fe2+0.21Fe0.212+ Fe3+0.47Fe0.473+Ti0.25Nb0.51Ta0.43W0.06O4. The crystal structure was determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. The new mineral is monoclinic, space group P2/c, a = 4.668(1), b = 5.659(1), c = 5.061(1) Å, β = 90.21(1)º; V = 133.70(4) Å3, Z = 2. Topologically, the structure of rossovskyite is analogous to that of wolframite-group minerals. The crystal-chemical formula of rossovskyite is [(Fe3+, Fe2+, Mn)0.57Ta0.32Nb0.11][Nb0.40Ti0.25Fe0.18Ta0.11W0.06]O4. The strongest lines of the powder X-ray diffraction pattern [d, Å (I, %) (hkl)] are as follows: 3.604 (49) (110), 2.938 (100) (−1−11), 2.534 (23) (002), 2.476 (29) (021), 2.337 (27) (200), 1.718 (26) (−202), 1.698 (31) (−2−21), 1.440 (21) (−311). The type specimen of rossovskyite is deposited in the Mineralogical Museum of the Tomsk State University, Tomsk, 634050 Russia, with the inventory number 20927

Monovalent cation (MC) current in cardiac and smooth muscle cells: regulation by intracellular Mg(2+) and inhibition by polycations

1. Previously we have described a monovalent cation (MC) current that could be unmasked by the removal of extracellular divalent cations in vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC) and cardiac myocytes, but specific and potent inhibitors of MC current have not been found, and the mechanism of its intracellular regulation remains obscure. 2. Here we show that small MC current is present in intact cells and could be dramatically up-regulated during cell dialysis. MC current in dialyzed cells strongly resembled monovalent cation current attributed to Ca(2+) release-activated Ca(2+)-selective (CRAC) channels, but its activation did not require depletion of Ca(2+) stores, and was observed when the cells were dialyzed with, or without BAPTA. 3. Intracellular free Mg(2+) inhibits MC current with K(d)=250 μM. 4. Extracellular (but not intracellular) spermine effectively blocked MC current with K(d) =3–10 μM, while store-operated cations (SOC) channels and capacitative Ca(2+) influx were not affected. 5. Spermine effectively inhibited MC current-induced SMC depolarization, and prevented Ca(2+) paradox-induced vascular contracture. 6. Both, MC and SOC currents were inhibited by 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2-APB). 7. It is concluded that MC current could be regulated by intracellular Mg(2+), and low concentrations of extracellular spermine could be used to discriminate it from SOC current, and to assess its role in cellular function