Electrically conductive and optically transparent Sb-doped SnO2 STM-probe for local excitation of electroluminescence

We demonstrate that an optically transparent and electrically conductive antimon-doped tin-oxide tip that is prepared in a sol-gel process can be used as a probe for scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM), yielding atomic vertical and nanometre lateral resolution. Emission of visible light from the tunnelling junction between gold particles and the tip is observed for bias voltages above 7 V. In contrast to the metallic tips generally used in STM, this tip does not significantly perturb the local optical response. Therefore, the tunnelling induced light can be used to map the optical near-field of surface structures with the tunnel gap acting as highly localised light source for the investigation of near-field enhancement in complex metal structures.     

Novel homogeneous gel fibers and capillaries from blend of titanium tetrabutoxide and siloxane functionalized ionic liquid

The preparation of ionogels by sol–gel processing has attracted much attention, because the final ceramic materials combine properties of both inorganic matrix (thermal and mechanical stability) and the ionic liquid (ionic conductivity). The aim of this study was to combine different imidazolium based ionic liquids (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [EMIM][BF₄], 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium tetrafluoroborate [BMIM][BF₄], 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [DMIM][BF₄] and 1-methyl-3-[3′-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]imidazolium chloride MTICl) with titanium(IV) butoxide to prepare homogenous hybrid fibers through aqueous sol–gel reaction. The study showed that ionic liquid miscibility with metal alkoxide plays an important role in the preparation of homogenous fibers. Unlike simple imidazolium salts functionalized ionic liquid was dispersed homogenously in fibers, but the main advantage is derived from its chemical structure. New stable ionic liquid can be involved in sol–gel processes through ethoxy groups and as a result it associates with titanium alkoxide network by covalent bonding providing non-leaking ceramic hybrid material. Indirect and direct characterization studies of the product were carried out by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), silicon-29 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (²⁹Si NMR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopies; also infrared spectra (IR) were recorded. Thermal analyses were performed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).     

Mitochondria and Energetic Depression in Cell Pathophysiology

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a hallmark of almost all diseases. Acquired or inherited mutations of the mitochondrial genome DNA may give rise to mitochondrial diseases. Another class of disorders, in which mitochondrial impairments are initiated by extramitochondrial factors, includes neurodegenerative diseases and syndromes resulting from typical pathological processes, such as hypoxia/ischemia, inflammation, intoxications, and carcinogenesis. Both classes of diseases lead to cellular energetic depression (CED), which is characterized by decreased cytosolic phosphorylation potential that suppresses the cell’s ability to do work and control the intracellular Ca²⁺ homeostasis and its redox state. If progressing, CED leads to cell death, whose type is linked to the functional status of the mitochondria. In the case of limited deterioration, when some amounts of ATP can still be generated due to oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), mitochondria launch the apoptotic cell death program by release of cytochrome c. Following pronounced CED, cytoplasmic ATP levels fall below the thresholds required for processing the ATP-dependent apoptotic cascade and the cell dies from necrosis. Both types of death can be grouped together as a mitochondrial cell death (MCD). However, there exist multiple adaptive reactions aimed at protecting cells against CED. In this context, a metabolic shift characterized by suppression of OXPHOS combined with activation of aerobic glycolysis as the main pathway for ATP synthesis (Warburg effect) is of central importance. Whereas this type of adaptation is sufficiently effective to avoid CED and to control the cellular redox state, thereby ensuring the cell survival, it also favors the avoidance of apoptotic cell death. This scenario may underlie uncontrolled cellular proliferation and growth, eventually resulting in carcinogenesis.     

Surface fatigue and wear of PVD coated punches during fine blanking operation

Performance of two different physical vapour deposited (PVD) TiCN and Alcrona® (AlCrN) coatings systems is under investigation. Coatings were deposited on the punches produced from the Böhler S390 Microclean steel. Two different surface preparation techniques were used – wet polishing (high surface roughness) and dry polishing (low surface roughness).Industrial trials of PVD coated punches in fine blanking operation were performed and studied. Wear of punches was analysed in regard to the punch geometry, position in the die and surface roughness, and measured after maximum 100,000 cycles at high loads.Punches with higher surface roughness seem to withstand numerous loading cycles with some traces of coating delamination and wear. On the other hand performance of PVD coatings with smaller surface roughness in a striking way was much worse.Comparative trials of the coatings surface fatigue wear and indentation surface fatigue testing were performed in the laboratory as well. In surface fatigue wear testing coatings were dynamically indented by ball (spherical) indenters made from conventional hardmetal (WC-6 wt.%). Testing parameters were identical to those of industrial trials. The Vickers diamond pyramid indenter was cyclically pressed with 500 N load at single point during indentation surface fatigue testing. Results are in agreement with surface fatigue wear tests results.Finally the microstructural investigations using SEM and XRD techniques were performed for better understanding of the surface fatigue and wear mechanisms during fine blanking process.Results of both trials are in good agreement and allow predicting performance of coatings.     

Alkoxide-based precursors for direct drawing of metal oxide micro- and nanofibres

The invention of electrospinning has solved the problem of producing micro- and nanoscaled metal oxide fibres in bulk quantities. However, until now no methods have been available for preparing a single nanofibre of a metal oxide. In this work, the direct drawing method was successfully applied to produce metal oxide (SnO₂, TiO₂, ZrO₂, HfO₂ and CeO₂) fibres with a high aspect ratio (up to 10 000) and a diameter as small as 200 nm. The sol–gel processing includes consumption of precursors obtained from alkoxides by aqueous or non-aqueous polymerization. Shear thinning of the precursors enables pulling a material into a fibre. This rheological behaviour can be explained by sliding of particles owing to external forces. Transmission (propagation) of light along microscaled fibres and their excellent surface morphology suggest that metal oxide nanofibres can be directly drawn from sol precursors for use in integrated photonic systems.     

On the porosity of polypyrrole films

Polypyrrole (PPy) films doped with anions of various size, charge and chemical nature (inorganic, surfactant, with aromatic ring) were electrochemically synthesized and investigated by low-temperature N₂ sorption experiments at −196 °C. The specific surface area, total pore volume, average pore radius, pore size distribution and other parameters for oxidized PPy films using dodecylsulfate, 2-naphthalene sulfonate, 1,5-naphthalene disulfonate, poly(4-styrenesulfonate), tosylate, perchlorate, nitrate and chloride as dopant ions, were calculated. The obtained data show that although the average pore radius of investigated mesoporous PPy films (17–19 Å) is practically independent of the dopant anion used, however the latter determines the total pore volume and specific surface area values in different PPy materials investigated. As the total pore volumes for PPy films doped with large amphiphilic anions show the smallest values, the corresponding values for PPy/small inorganic anions, are up to 2 times higher.     

Utilization of Estonian oil shale semicoke

In thermal processing of oil shale in vertical retorts huge quantities of a solid waste — semicoke are formed. It has been shown that circulating fluidized bed combustion of semicoke could be a promising technology allowing utilization of its high residual energy potential. The main parameters of combustion process and the additional heat produced were calculated and verified by combustion tests in a fluidized bed device with a thermal capacity of 50 kW_th. The experiments indicated that semicoke with low moisture content can be burnt directly in fluidized bed. For the combustion of semicoke with higher moisture content (over 10%) about 10% of oil shale must be added. In addition, possibilities for utilizing residual carbon present in semicoke by obtaining carbon-rich materials with further production, for example, activated carbon were discussed. A series of experiments accompanied by SEM and EDAX analysis was carried out in order to elucidate the distribution of carbon and mineral part in semicoke and to find possibilities for their separation and subsequent enrichment. Different separation methods — selective grinding and subsequent screening, pneumatic separation and triboelectroseparation method were analyzed. It was shown that due to close integration of mineral and organic part in semicoke, the separation of carbon-rich ingredients by these methods was not enough effective to obtain enriched products suitable for the production of activated carbon.     

Atmospheric accessions of heavy metals to some New Zealand pastoral soils

Total heavy metal deposition was monitored at seven rural sites across New Zealand to determine the rate of atmospheric deposition of heavy metals to soils and to evaluate any regional and temporal variations in metal deposition. Heavy metal deposition was collected monthly in Warren Spring Laboratory type inverted frisbees. The rate of heavy metal deposition followed the order Zn>Cu>Cr>Pb>Ni>Cd. There were no obvious trends with regards to either seasonal or spatial deposition for any of the heavy metals measured. With the exception of Zn, heavy metal deposition in New Zealand was generally lower than rates measured in other countries. This reflects the general lack of high temperature industrial processes from urban-based industrial processes that are an important source of heavy metal aerosols in other industrialised regions worldwide. The inverted frisbee technique used provides a reliable indication of the magnitude of deposition of heavy metals from the atmosphere at a reasonable cost and with manageable logistical effort for a national survey.