22,638 research outputs found
Enhancement of Tc by Sr substitution for Ba in Hg-2212 superconductor
The Ba substitution by Sr has been studied in two Hg-2212 series:
Hg2(Ba(1-y)Sr(y))2YCu2O8-d and Hg2(Ba(1-y)Sr(y))2(Y0.80Ca0.20)Cu2O8-d. In both
series a Tc enhancement of about 40 K is observed when Sr substitutes Ba from y
= 0 to y = 1.0.
The y = 0 compound of the first series is the non superconducting
Hg2Ba2YCu2O8-d prototype. In the second series, this y = 0 compound is already
superconducting at 21 K. Indeed the members of this series present a higher
charge carrier density in their CuO2 superconducting planes than their
homologues of the first series due to the doping introduced by the substitution
of 20% of Y by Ca. The compounds of both series were synthesized in high
pressure (3.5 GPa) - high temperature (950 - 1050C) conditions. In both cases
Sr substitution was successful up to the full replacement of Ba (y = 1.0). The
Hg-2212 phases were characterized by XRD, SEM, EDX and a.c. susceptibility.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Physica
First foot prints of chemistry on the shore of the Island of Superheavy Elements
Chemistry has arrived on the shore of the Island of Stability with the first
chemical investigation of the superheavy elements Cn, 113, and 114. The results
of three experimental series leading to first measured thermodynamic data and
qualitatively evaluated chemical properties for these elements are described.
An interesting volatile compound class has been observed in the on-line
experiments for the elements Bi and Po. Hence, an exciting chemical study of
their heavier transactinide homologues, elements 115 and 116 is suggested.Comment: Invited Talk given at the 11th International Conference on
Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions (NN2012), San Antonio, Texas, USA, May 27-June 1,
2012. To appear in the NN2012 Proceedings in Journal of Physics: Conference
Series (JPCS
Re-entrant ferroelectricity in liquid crystals
The ferroelectric (Sm C) -- antiferroelectric (Sm C) -- reentrant
ferroelectric (re Sm C) phase temperature sequence was observed for system
with competing synclinic - anticlinic interactions. The basic properties of
this system are as follows (1) the Sm C phase is metastable in temperature
range of the Sm C stability (2) the double inversions of the helix
handedness at Sm C -- Sm C and Sm C% -- re-Sm C phase
transitions were found (3) the threshold electric field that is necessary to
induce synclinic ordering in the Sm C phase decreases near both Sm
C -- Sm C and Sm C -- re-Sm C phase boundaries, and it has
maximum in the middle of the Sm C stability region. All these properties
are properly described by simple Landau model that accounts for nearest
neighboring layer steric interactions and quadrupolar ordering only.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, submitted to PR
Re-entrant ferroelectricity in liquid crystals
The ferroelectric (Sm C) -- antiferroelectric (Sm C) -- reentrant
ferroelectric (re Sm C) phase temperature sequence was observed for system
with competing synclinic - anticlinic interactions. The basic properties of
this system are as follows (1) the Sm C phase is metastable in temperature
range of the Sm C stability (2) the double inversions of the helix
handedness at Sm C -- Sm C and Sm C% -- re-Sm C phase
transitions were found (3) the threshold electric field that is necessary to
induce synclinic ordering in the Sm C phase decreases near both Sm
C -- Sm C and Sm C -- re-Sm C phase boundaries, and it has
maximum in the middle of the Sm C stability region. All these properties
are properly described by simple Landau model that accounts for nearest
neighboring layer steric interactions and quadrupolar ordering only.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, submitted to PR
Evidence of late Quaternary environmental change in a continental east Antarctic lake from lacustrine sedimentary pigment distributions
A sediment core from Progress Lake, one of the oldest lacustrine sequences in East Antarctica, contains distinct zones dating from a previous interglacial (most likely Marine Isotope Stage 5e, c. 125-115 kyr BP) and the present interglacial (Marine Isotope Stage 1), separated by a transition zone representing when the lake became sub-glacial. Profiles of fossil pigments, determined using high performance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, show distinct differences in the photoautotrophic community during these two interglacial periods. The first was dominated by algae and purple phototrophic bacteria, with periods of photic zone euxinia indicated by pigments from anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria. Specific chlorophyll a derivatives reveal periods when grazing pressure impacted significantly on the phytoplankton community. The virtual absence of pigments in the transition zone reflects severe restriction of photoautotrophic activity, consistent with the take having become sub-glacial. Retreat of snow and ice in the late Holocene (3345 C-14 yr Bp) allowed establishment of a less diverse primary producer community, restricted to algae and cyanobacteria. Grazers were severely restricted and oxidative transformation was more important than during the previous interglacial. The pigment data provide a unique and detailed insight in to the evolution of the lake ecology over an interglacial-glacial-interglacial transition and strong evidence that the Marine Isotope Stage 5e interglacial in this region of coastal East Antarctica was several degrees warmer than at present
Liquid crystalline properties of unsymmetrically substituted phthalocyanines: structural features leading to nematic mesophase materials
A novel homologous series of four 1,4,8,11,15,18-hexakis(pentyl)-22-methyl-25-hydroxyalkylphthalocyanine derivatives with the hydroxyalkyl chain varying from hydroxynonyl through to hydroxydodecyl has been synthesized to investigate the role of the hydroxyalkyl chain in promoting thermotropic liquid crystalline behavior. Polarizing optical miscoscopy reveals that the compound with the shortest hydroxyalkyl chain (hydroxynonyl) exhibits a mesophase with a texture characteristic of a columnar mesophase, common among liquid crystalline phthalocyanine derivatives. However, as the chain is lengthened along the series, there appears a second type of mesophase that shows a schlieren texture. Such a texture is characteristic of a nematic phase and rare among liquid crystalline phthalocyanine derivatives. A fifth compound, the novel 1,4,8,11,15,18-hexakis(pentyl)-22-methyl-25- dodecylphthalocyanine, exhibits only columnar mesophase behavior suggesting that the hydroxyl group at the end of the longer chains of the former compounds is important in developing the nematic phase
Aqueous phase hydration and hydrate acidity of perfluoroalkyl and n:2 fluorotelomer aldehydes
Perfluoroalkyl aldehydes (PFAlds) and n:2 fluorotelomer aldehydes (FTAlds) are degradation products of precursor compounds that include fluorotelomer alcohols, iodides, acrylates, phosphate esters, and other derivatives, as well as hydrofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons. The SPARC software program and comparative density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to investigate the aqueous phase hydration equilibrium constants (K~hyd~) of PFAlds and FTAlds. DFT studies suggest that all PFAlds will be dominantly present as the hydrated form in aqueous solution. While SPARC correctly estimates the K~hyd~ for the C~1~ PFAld, it appears to incorrectly predict a large decline in K~hyd~ (particularly between C~1~ and C~2~) with increasing perfluoroalkyl chain length for this class of compounds. Both SPARC and DFT investigations suggest that FTAlds will not likely be substantially hydrated in aquatic systems or in vivo. Using corrected SPARC estimates, PFAld hydrates are expected to have pK~a~ values in the range of phenols (ca. 9 to 10), whereas n:2 FTAld hydrates are expected to have pK~a~ values ca. 2 to 3 units higher (ca. 12 to 13). Where relevant, the molecular and/or dissociated hydrate forms of PFAlds and FTAlds need to be explicitly considered in environmental, toxicological, and waste treatment investigations
The Janthinobacterium sp. HH01 genome encodes a homologue of the V. cholerae CqsA and L. pneumophila LqsA autoinducer synthases
Janthinobacteria commonly form biofilms on eukaryotic hosts and are known to synthesize antibacterial and antifungal compounds. Janthinobacterium sp. HH01 was recently isolated from an aquatic environment and its genome sequence was established. The genome consists of a single chromosome and reveals a size of 7.10 Mb, being the largest janthinobacterial genome so far known. Approximately 80% of the 5,980 coding sequences (CDSs) present in the HH01 genome could be assigned putative functions. The genome encodes a wealth of secretory functions and several large clusters for polyketide biosynthesis. HH01 also encodes a remarkable number of proteins involved in resistance to drugs or heavy metals. Interestingly, the genome of HH01 apparently lacks the N-acylhomoserine lactone (AHL)-dependent signaling system and the AI-2-dependent quorum sensing regulatory circuit. Instead it encodes a homologue of the Legionella- and Vibrio-like autoinducer (lqsA/cqsA) synthase gene which we designated jqsA. The jqsA gene is linked to a cognate sensor kinase (jqsS) which is flanked by the response regulator jqsR. Here we show that a jqsA deletion has strong impact on the violacein biosynthesis in Janthinobacterium sp. HH01 and that a jqsA deletion mutant can be functionally complemented with the V. cholerae cqsA and the L. pneumophila lqsA genes
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