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ZnS thin films were synthesized using the spray pyrolysis technique at 350 °C. Following the annealing process, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was performed to examine the structural characteristics of the films. This analysis revealed a gradual substitution of sulfur by oxygen during an extended annealing period, leading to the transformation of the samples into a mixed phase consisting of ZnS, ZnO, and a substitutional solid solution Zn(S,O). The surface morphology and elemental composition of the treated films were investigated using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) and profilometry. These crystalline particles of growing ZnO phase adopt a hexagonal shape, displaying well defined edges and smoother surfaces, with dimensions of approximately 600 nm. Moreover, a change in surface properties, marked by a transition from hydrophilic to hydrophobic behavior, was observed. The optical characteristics were examined through transmittance, reflectance and absorbance spectra, recorded in the range of 200–2500 nm. Films with a high percentage of ZnO are more absorbent in the UV range and have a narrower bandgap energy. Additionally, the photocatalytic activity was evaluated by monitoring the degradation of an aqueous solution of methylene blue (MB) when exposed to sunlight. Enhanced degradation of MB dye was observed as the amount of zinc oxide in the annealed samples increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Cobalt phosphides have been investigated as potentially useful electrocatalysts for accelerating hydrogen evolution. Cobalt phosphide electrocatalysts are synthesized in a single step at varied phosphating temperatures (350, 400, 450 °C) via the gas phase approach. Synthesized at a phosphating temperature of 350 °C, Co2P (CP‐350) transforms into a mixed phase that contains both Co2P and CoP (CP‐400 and CP‐450) as the phosphating temperature goes up which is confirmed by XRD. CP‐350, CP‐400, and CP‐450 exhibited overpotentials of 181, 270, and 293 mV respectively with Tafel slopes of 112, 146, and 175 mV/dec. In contrast to CP‐400 and CP‐450, CP‐350 revealed superior hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance and stability for up to 12 h due to its pure phase (Co2P), high surface area (151 m2/g), and high electrochemical surface area (7.02 cm2) with low charge transfer resistance. According to our work, changing the phase and active surface area of transition metal phosphide catalysts can greatly increase their HER catalytic efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rare Metals is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Inorganic Chemicals Industry is the property of Editorial Office of Inorganic Chemicals Industry and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Using first-principle numerical simulations, we find a new spatially inhomogeneous phase in rigidly rotating Nc=3 gluon plasma. This mixed phase simultaneously possesses both confining and deconfining phases in thermal equilibrium. Unexpectedly, the local critical temperature of the phase transition at the rotation axis does not depend on the angular frequency within a few percent accuracy. Even more surprisingly, an analytic continuation of our results to the domain of real angular frequencies indicates a profound breaking of the Tolman-Ehrenfest law in the vicinity of the phase transition, with the confining (deconfining) phase appearing far (near) the rotation axis.

Cobalt hydroxide is a widely studied electrode material for supercapacitor and alkaline zinc ion batteries. The large interlayer spacing of Co(OH)2 is also attractive to store Zn ions. However, Co(OH)2 is quite unstable in the acidic ZnSO4 electrolyte due to its amphoteric nature. Herein, we synthesized a mixed phase of Co(OH)2/CoOOH via a two-step electrochemical preparation. As the cathode material for an aqueous zinc ion battery (AZIB), Co(OH)2/CoOOH delivered a maximum capacity of 164 mAh g−1 at 0.05 A g−1 and a high energy density of 275 Wh kg−1. Benefiting from the low charge-transfer resistance, a capacity of 87 mAh g−1 was maintained at 1.6 A g−1, showing a good rate performance of the mixed phase. Various spectroscopy analyses and simulations based on the density functional theory (DFT) suggested a higher thermal stability of the mixed phase than pure Co(OH)2, due to its less local structural disorder. The reduced Co-Co and Co-O shells increased the mechanical strength of the mixed phase to accommodate Zn2+ ions and endure the electrostatic repulsion, resulting in an enhanced cycling stability. The mixed phased also delivered a good stability at the current density of 0.05 A g−1. After 200 cycles, a capacity retention of 78% was retained, with high Coulombic efficiencies. These results provide a new route to synthesize high-performance LDH for aqueous zinc ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performance of nonfullerene‐based organic solar cells is largely dependent on the donor:acceptor blend morphology, which is initially tuned by composition. However, morphological design rules are difficult to identify due to the complex relationship between composition‐dependent phase behavior and performance properties. In this study, the authors are able to establish a direct link between PM6:Y6 film morphology and device properties by combining grazing‐incidence wide‐angle X‐ray scattering with highly sensitive Fourier transform photocurrent spectroscopy. By analyzing properties across the full composition range, interfacial microstructure and the corresponding charge transfer (CT) states are identified and direct structure–property relationships are established. The results indicate that open‐circuit voltage is controlled by the CT state at amorphous‐PM6:crystalline‐Y6 interfaces. Crystalline Y6 is found to increase both transport and non‐radiative recombination, suggesting that morphological tradeoffs may be necessary for overall device optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing a reliable sensor for indoor formaldehyde (HCHO) with high sensitivity and selectivity is crucial for environmental and health protection. This study reported HCHO sensors based on a nanoporous mixed-phase In2O3 nanoparticle. A combined cubic and orthorhombic phase In-(OH)3/InOOH [c-In-(OH)3/o-InOOH] precursor, synthesized through a facile solvothermal route at different temperatures, was annealed to prepare the In2O3 nanoparticle homojunction. The obtained In2O3, calcined at 350 °C, exhibited a porous structure and a large specific surface area of 81.46 cm3·g–1, facilitating more number of active sites' exposure for HCHO-sensing reactions. Results showed that the In2O3 calcined at 350 °C exhibited the best HCHO-sensing performances at 120 °C with a large response value (330–50 ppm), good selectivity, and a short response time (12 s). Additionally, its detection limit could reach 11 ppb. This HCHO gas sensing behavior was owing to the mixed-phase homojunction structure formed between cubic and rhombohedral In2O3, the large specific surface area, and the porous structure with abundant oxygen vacancies. This study indicated that the nanoporous mixed-phase In2O3 nanoparticles could be the potential candidates for rapidly detecting HCHO at low concentration levels under low power consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerosol concentration, size and composition are fundamental in hydrometeor formation processes. Meteorological models often use prescribed aerosol concentrations and a single substance. In this study, we analyze the role of aerosol concentration, acting both as CCN and IN, in the development of precipitation in a mixed phase system in numerical weather simulations. To this end, Storm Filomena was selected as the case study. In such a mixed-phase system, the coexistence of supercooled water with ice crystals, as well as the particular existence of a thermal inversion, led to the formation of precipitation in the form of rain, snow and graupel. Several high resolution experiments varying the fixed background aerosol concentration as well as a simulation with an interactive aerosol calculation were performed by means of the WRF-Chem model, using the same physics suite, domain and driving conditions. Results show that the total precipitation remains basically unaltered, with maximum changes of 5%; however, the production of snow is heavily modified. The simulation with maximum prescribed aerosol concentration produced 27% more snow than the interactive aerosol simulation, and diminished the graupel (74%) and rain production (28%). This redistribution of precipitation is mainly linked to the fact that under fixed ice crystal population the variation of aerosol concentration translates into changes in the liquid water content and droplet size and number concentration, thus altering the efficiency of precipitation production. In addition, while modifying the prescribed aerosol concentration produces the same precipitation pattern with the concentration modulating the precipitation amount, interactive aerosol calculation leads to a different precipitation pattern due to the spatial and temporal variability induced in the dynamical aerosol distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cobalt hydroxide is a widely studied electrode material for supercapacitor and alkaline zinc ion batteries. The large interlayer spacing of Co(OH)2 is also attractive to store Zn ions. However, Co(OH)2 is quite unstable in the acidic ZnSO4 electrolyte due to its amphoteric nature. Herein, we synthesized a mixed phase of Co(OH)2/CoOOH via a two-step electrochemical preparation. As the cathode material for an aqueous zinc ion battery (AZIB), Co(OH)2/CoOOH delivered a maximum capacity of 164 mAh g−1 at 0.05 A g−1 and a high energy density of 275 Wh kg−1. Benefiting from the low charge-transfer resistance, a capacity of 87 mAh g−1 was maintained at 1.6 A g−1, showing a good rate performance of the mixed phase. Various spectroscopy analyses and simulations based on the density functional theory (DFT) suggested a higher thermal stability of the mixed phase than pure Co(OH)2, due to its less local structural disorder. The reduced Co-Co and Co-O shells increased the mechanical strength of the mixed phase to accommodate Zn2+ ions and endure the electrostatic repulsion, resulting in an enhanced cycling stability. The mixed phased also delivered a good stability at the current density of 0.05 A g−1. After 200 cycles, a capacity retention of 78% was retained, with high Coulombic efficiencies. These results provide a new route to synthesize high-performance LDH for aqueous zinc ion batteries.

The In-Cloud Icing and Large-drop Experiment (ICICLE) flight campaign, led by the United States Federal Aviation Administration, was conducted in the geographical region over US Midwest and Western Great Lakes, between January and March 2019, with the aim to collect atmospheric data and study the aircraft icing hazard. Measurements were taken onboard the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) Convair-580 aircraft, which was equipped with more than 40 in situ probes, sensors, and remote sensing instruments in collaboration with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). In each flight, aerosol, cloud microphysics, atmospheric and aircraft state data were collected. Atmospheric environment characterization is critical both for cloud studies and for operational decision making in flight. In this study, we use the advantage of multiple input parameters collected in-flight together with machine learning and clustering techniques to characterize the flight environment. Eleven parameters were evaluated for the classification of the sampled environment along the flight path. Namely, aerosol concentration, temperature, hydrometeor concentration, hydrometeor size, liquid water content, total water content, ice accretion rate, and radar parameters in the vicinity of the aircraft. In the analysis of selected flights, we were able to identify periods of supercooled liquid clouds, glaciated clouds, two types of mixed-phase clouds, and clear air conditions. This approach offers an alternative characterization of cloud boundaries and a complementary identification of flight periods with hazardous icing conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nickel hydroxide is widely used as cathode materials in nickel-metal secondary batteries. In this work, Mn-substituted nickel hydroxide samples with a special α/β mixed phase structure were synthesized by chemical co-precipitation method. The physical properties were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The results show that the structure of the samples and the amount of intercalated anions and water molecules are highly related to the content of the Mn substituted. Their electrochemical performances were characterized by charge/discharge tests and electrochemical cycle tests. The results demonstrate that the Mn-substituted samples with a α/β mixed phase structure perform a much higher discharge capacity than normal β-nickel hydroxide. The specific discharge capacity reaches 330 mAh·g−1 after 50 cycles of charge/discharge in charging rate of 0.2C under ambient temperature. Meanwhile, the samples show no capacity loss in electrochemical cycles, which indicates that the mixed phase nickel hydroxide maintains high structure stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using first-principle numerical simulations, we find a new spatially inhomogeneous phase in rigidly rotating N c = 3 gluon plasma. This mixed phase simultaneously possesses both confining and deconfining phases in thermal equilibrium. Unexpectedly, the local critical temperature of the phase transition at the rotation axis does not depend on the angular frequency within a few percent accuracy. Even more surprisingly, an analytic continuation of our results to the domain of real angular frequencies indicates a profound breaking of the Tolman-Ehrenfest law in the vicinity of the phase transition, with the confining (deconfining) phase appearing far (near) the rotation axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerosol concentration, size and composition are fundamental in hydrometeor formation processes. Meteorological models often use prescribed aerosol concentrations and a single substance. In this study, we analyze the role of aerosol concentration, acting both as CCN and IN, in the development of precipitation in a mixed phase system in numerical weather simulations. To this end, Storm Filomena was selected as the case study. In such a mixed-phase system, the coexistence of supercooled water with ice crystals, as well as the particular existence of a thermal inversion, led to the formation of precipitation in the form of rain, snow and graupel. Several high resolution experiments varying the fixed background aerosol concentration as well as a simulation with an interactive aerosol calculation were performed by means of the WRF-Chem model, using the same physics suite, domain and driving conditions. Results show that the total precipitation remains basically unaltered, with maximum changes of 5%; however, the production of snow is heavily modified. The simulation with maximum prescribed aerosol concentration produced 27% more snow than the interactive aerosol simulation, and diminished the graupel (74%) and rain production (28%). This redistribution of precipitation is mainly linked to the fact that under fixed ice crystal population the variation of aerosol concentration translates into changes in the liquid water content and droplet size and number concentration, thus altering the efficiency of precipitation production. In addition, while modifying the prescribed aerosol concentration produces the same precipitation pattern with the concentration modulating the precipitation amount, interactive aerosol calculation leads to a different precipitation pattern due to the spatial and temporal variability induced in the dynamical aerosol distribution.

Because of the decrease in the band gap and the carrier recombination rate, the visible light photocatalysis performance of the mixed-phase TiO2 with oxygen vacancies is better than that of the pure-phase TiO2. In this study, two different acids were separately applied in the hydrothermal synthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles without any post-heat treatment. The reaction was carried out at a relatively low temperature not exceeding 140∘C. Both kinds of crystallized TiO2 powders show much more band gap reduction than that of commercial Degussa P25 TiO2 nanoparticles, which can be attributed to the oxygen vacancies. Under the visible light illumination-assisted photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange in water, the two mixed-phase TiO2 powders exhibited a steady photocatalytic activity upon increasing to five cycles. The highest photocatalytic efficiency of the two powders is 2.7 times than that of the P25 powder, which is regarded as an excellent photocatalyst for water purification. Mixed-phase TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized by acid-assisted hydrothermal synthesis at 140∘C without any post-calcination. Compared with P25, the specific surface area of H-TiO2 (by HCl) and A-TiO2 (by acetic acid) is larger. At the same time, H-TiO2 and A-TiO2 have excellent photocatalytic performances when assisting in the degradation of methyl orange in water under visible light illumination. The stable high photocatalytic performance and the simple preparation methods of the H-TiO2 and A-TiO2 nanoparticles will promote the industrial application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of different light irradiation was studied on photocatalytic degradation of 2‐chlorophenol (2‐CP) using mesoporous titania nanoparticles (MTNs) prepared by microwave‐assisted methods. The photoactivity of MTNs was also compared with pretreated commercial TiO2 and Degussa P25 (P25). The reactions were conducted for 2.5 hr under UV‐A, UV‐C, sunlight, and visible light using a batch reactor. The catalysts were characterized by X‐ray powder diffractometer, UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, photoluminescence, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method, field‐emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The characterization results confirmed that MTN consisted a composition of 21% rutile phase and 79% anatase phase with Ti3+ site defects (TSDs) and oxygen vacancies (OVs) in their structures because of their anionic surfactant nature, microwave heating, and high calcination temperature during the catalyst preparation. Besides, the photoactivity of MTN upon degradation of 2‐CP under sunlight has exhibited the best performance with 100% degradation followed by UV‐A, visible light, and UV‐C with degradation of 96, 52, and 39%, respectively. MTNs showed a remarkable performance due to their mixed‐phase crystalline structures as well as the formation of TSDs and OVs, which improved the charge migration, lowered the band gap energy, and reduced the rate of electron–hole recombination, thus succeeded to be activated under a wide range of light responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The In-Cloud Icing and Large-drop Experiment (ICICLE) flight campaign, led by the United States Federal Aviation Administration, was conducted in the geographical region over US Midwest and Western Great Lakes, between January and March 2019, with the aim to collect atmospheric data and study the aircraft icing hazard. Measurements were taken onboard the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) Convair-580 aircraft, which was equipped with more than 40 in situ probes, sensors, and remote sensing instruments in collaboration with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). In each flight, aerosol, cloud microphysics, atmospheric and aircraft state data were collected. Atmospheric environment characterization is critical both for cloud studies and for operational decision making in flight. In this study, we use the advantage of multiple input parameters collected in-flight together with machine learning and clustering techniques to characterize the flight environment. Eleven parameters were evaluated for the classification of the sampled environment along the flight path. Namely, aerosol concentration, temperature, hydrometeor concentration, hydrometeor size, liquid water content, total water content, ice accretion rate, and radar parameters in the vicinity of the aircraft. In the analysis of selected flights, we were able to identify periods of supercooled liquid clouds, glaciated clouds, two types of mixed-phase clouds, and clear air conditions. This approach offers an alternative characterization of cloud boundaries and a complementary identification of flight periods with hazardous icing conditions.

A mixed phase LaVO 4 with high dispersion was in situ induced and implanted in graphene oxide-graphite carbon nitride composite. The obtained nanocomposite (GO–C 3 N 4 –LaVO 4) showed high and stable photocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution, which significantly benefited from the improved charge separation and light absorption in the special composite photocatalyst as evidenced by UV–vis spectra, fluorescence spectrum, photocurrent response and electrochemical impedance. The fabrication strategy of mixed phase LaVO 4 in the GO-C 3 N 4 provides a new idea for constructing cheap and active organic-inorganic semiconductor photocatalysts for hydrogen generation. [Display omitted] • A LaVO 4 with mixed phase was facilely in-situ implanted in the GO-C 3 N 4. • Charge separation can be greatly enhanced in the obtained nanocomposite. • The mechanisms of fabrication and charge transfer in the composite were explored. • The nanocomposite exhibited excellent photocatalytic performance for H 2 production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a disabling psychiatric disorder with frequent recurrences. Less than half of the patients with BD show good long-term response to treatment. Apart from pharmacotherapy, psychoeducation may be effective in reducing the symptoms and recurrence of BD, leading to improvements in patients' quality of life. In this study, we examined the effect of family psychoeducation on relapse rate and length of hospital stay in patients with BDs. Methods: This randomized controlled clinical trial (ethical committee number; IR.QUMS.REC.1394.136) was performed on 64 patients with BD at 22 Bahman Hospital of Qazvin, Iran. The patients were allocated into the following two groups: intervention and control groups. The patients in the control group received standard medical treatment, whereas those in the intervention group received 4 weekly sessions of family group psychoeducation, in addition to medical treatment. The patients were evaluated using the Beck Depression Inventory Rating Scale and the Young Mania Rating Scale. The recurrence rate, disease severity, and quality of life in both groups were evaluated. The intervention and control groups were followed up for 9 months regarding recurrence and hospitalization, and the results were compared between the groups. Results: Data analysis showed a reduction in the frequency and duration of hospitalization in the group receiving family psychoeducation and was dependent on the patient's level of education, place of residence (town/village), duration of illness, and frequency of hospitalization before the intervention. Conclusion: In addition to pharmacotherapy, family psychoeducation can have an enormous impact on patients with BDs and limit or decrease the risk of recurrence.

In addition to the well‐known insulator–metal transition above room temperature in pure VO2, AlxV1−xO2 exhibits an insulator–insulator transition at temperatures above room temperature and below the insulator–metal transition temperature, consisting of an increase in resistance by a factor ≤2. The wealth of static and dynamic domain structures discovered in the mixed‐metal‐insulator state of free‐standing, high‐quality, pure VO2 single crystals via optical microscopy synchronous with dc I–V tracing has inspired the use of this technique in these more complex materials. Reported herein are I(V) measurements conducted on crystals of AlxV1−xO2 (0.007≤ × ≤0.02) at various ambient temperatures (To). Prominent features (switching) on the I(V) loops are easily identified with the onset of the insulator–insulator and of the mixed‐metal‐insulator states, both induced by self‐heating (Joule heating). The switching results from instabilities of two different types of negative differential resistance regimes. The applied power at the onset of each switching scales with the excess temperature above ambient. For both transitions, optical microscopy synchronous with dc I–V tracing visualizes the expansion of each phase within the background upon the current increasing, and its contraction upon the current decreasing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The catalytic influence of different crystalline phases of aluminum hydroxide nanoparticles for the hydrogen generation from the reaction of Al and water is described. In this study, different aluminum hydroxide powder crystalline phases (mixed‐phase, bayerite phase, gibbsite phase), (Al(OH)3), were distinctly prepared using precipitation methods in different solvents (methanol, ethanol, and HNO3) at room temperature (25°C). Interestingly, the materials synthesized using ethanol and HNO3 showed bayerite. Using methanol as the solvent showed a gibbsite phase confirmed by X‐ray diffraction, XPS, Raman spectroscopy, and field emission spectroscopy (FESEM). Hydrogen generation using small crystal sized bayerite phase and mixed‐phase show higher catalytic efficiency than the pure and large gibbsite phase powders and the catalytic effect of different crystalline Al(OH)3 catalysts in the order of mixed phase>bayerite phase>gibbsite phase. The bayerite phase catalyst displayed the highest yield (100%) within 2 hours, but the gibbsite phase showed around 60% to 70% yield for a long time of 15 hours. However, more gibbsite phase‐orientation would have strong catalytic power when it is small and plate‐like thin layer (S.No.4, mixed phases). ~100% yield of hydrogen can be produced from 1 g Al/100 g water system within ~40 minutes using 1 g synthesized Al(OH)3 (S.No.4). This work delivers a novel technique to generate hydrogen for movable devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mixed-phase barium titanium oxide perovskite nanoparticles were synthesized by calcining barium carbonate and titanium dioxide precursors at 900 °C. The nanoparticles were characterized using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and selective area diffraction analysis. The synthesized barium titanium oxide particles were found to have almost spherical shape with 6-15 nm size. The synthesized mixed-phase BaTiO3/Ba2TiO4 perovskite nanoparticles are used for biofuel production. The formation of methyl ester after the transesterification reaction confirms the conversion of essential oil into biofuel, as analyzed by GC-MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, WS2 nanomaterials with different phases are Synthesized, and their gas-sensitive properties of ammonia are analyzed systematically. First, hydrothermal method and liquid phase method were used to prepared the different phase material. Moreover, the nanostructure and morphology are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). On the basis of result of the XRD, the difference between the peaks indicates different crystal structure. And SEM show the calcination temperature affects the morphology, and the same materials with different morphologies have similar optimum working temperature. Finally, the gas sensing performance of different WS2 sensor is investigated in different concentration of ammonia gas at optimal temperature. The results indicate that the mixed-phase exhibited a low detection limit, excellent selectivity and superb repeatability compared with 3R phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed-phase α x /β 1-x -LiVOPO 4 /C (x = 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9) composites were synthesized by the solid-phase sintering method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses revealed that a series of composites were comprised of pure triclinic α-LiVOPO 4 and orthorhombic β-LiVOPO 4 components. The mixed-phase materials exhibit better rate performance than whether pure triclinic α-LiVOPO 4 /C or orthorhombic β-LiVOPO 4 /C. The α 0.5 /β 0.5 -LiVOPO 4 /C (α:β = 1:1) composite exhibit superior high-rate capability. When cycled at 2C and 5C, the initial discharge capacities of the α 0.5 /β 0.5 -LiVOPO 4 /C composite are 81.1 mAh g−1 and 69.8 mAh g−1 respectively, which are significantly higher than those of the pure α-LiVOPO 4 /C (30.6 mAh g−1 and 18.6 mAh g−1, respectively) and β-LiVOPO 4 /C (56.8 mAh g−1 and 36.9 mAh g−1, respectively). The improved electrochemical performance could be attributed to the mixed phase possess an open framework and stable structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel "water-in-oil" type reverse microemulsion assisted synthesis detail on the formation of mixed cubic and hexagonal (α + β) phase NaYF4:Yb,Er nanoparticles and their upconversion emission properties are presented. The effect of surfactants, fluorine precursors on the crystallographic phase fraction, crystallite size of NaYF4:Yb,Er nanoparticles on red upconversion emission is discussed. The NaYF4:Yb,Er nanoparticles synthesized with CTAB, and oleic acid surfactants give larger crystallite size and moderate hexagonal/cubic phase fraction. It has resulted very intense upconversion red emission. The oleic-acid-free preparation of NaYF4:Yb,Er nanoparticles resulted highly-agglomerated nanoparticles and low crystallite size, which gives less-intense upconversion emission. The cubic and hexagonal phase fractions of NaYF4:Yb,Er depends on surfactants, microemulsion, molar concentrations of precursors, and post-calcination. All these factors influence the mondispersibility and upconversion red emission properties. The 980 nm laser pump power dependent upconversion emission studies have confirmed the typical two-photon behavior in α + β phase NaYF4:Yb,Er nanoparticles. Their decay life was also measured to correlate the upconversion red emission intensity. The effect of mixed α + β phase NaYF4:Yb,Er nanoparticles on the 1530 nm NIR emission is also presented. Highlights: Mixed phase NaYF4:Yb,Er nanoparticles were prepared by reverse microemulsion. The hexagonal/cubic phase fraction is changed by varying surfactants/precursors. Visible upconversion and NIR emissions are observed under 980 nm excitation. CTAB-OA assisted synthesis yielded uniform nanospheres and strong upconversion. OA free preparation resulted in agglomerated particles affects the upconversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore the localization properties of a double-stranded ladder within a tight-binding framework where the site energies of different lattice sites are distributed in the cosine form following the Aubry–André–Harper (AAH) model. An imaginary site energy, which can be positive or negative, referred to as physical gain or loss, is included in each of these lattice sites which makes the system a non-Hermitian (NH) one. Depending on the distribution of imaginary site energies, we obtain balanced and imbalanced NH ladders of different types, and for all these cases, we critically investigate localization phenomena. Each ladder can be decoupled into two effective one-dimensional (1D) chains which exhibit two distinct critical points of transition from metallic to insulating (MI) phase. Because of the existence of two distinct critical points, a mixed-phase (MP) zone emerges which yields the possibility of getting a mobility edge (ME). The conducting behaviors of different energy eigenstates are investigated in terms of inverse participation ratio (IPR). The critical points and thus the MP window can be selectively controlled by tuning the strength of the imaginary site energies which brings a new insight into the localization aspect. A brief discussion on phase transition considering a multi-stranded ladder was also given as a general case, to make the present communication a self-contained one. Our theoretical analysis can be utilized to investigate the localization phenomena in different kinds of simple and complex quasicrystals in the presence of physical gain and/or loss.

• The detailed growth mechanism of rutile TiO 2 nanorodphotocatalyst remains unclear. • Interaction between precursors (TiCl 4 and water) and five different rutile stoichiometric surfaces is computed. • Selectivity of interaction between TiCl 4 and (001) termination explains the growth in the [001] direction. • Computational chemistry can be used to resolve experimental growth information. Synthesis of 1D TiO 2 nanorods is promising nowadays owing to their broad applications in photocatalytic devices. A groundbreaking synthesis procedure of one-step producing large-scale, free-standing and heterogeneous phase (anatase and rutile) 1D TiO 2 nanorod array which efficiently enhances the photocatalytic activity has been previously proposed. However, the detailed growth mechanism of this catalyst remains unclear, mainly because the synthesis takes place in a closed autoclave. This study presents a complementary approach to understand the growth mechanism using computer modeling based on density functional theory (DFT). The interaction of the precursor (titanium butoxide in hydrochloric acid media, modelled by TiCl 4) and solvent (water) with preexisting rutile titania is computed to derive the thermodynamic trends to grow additional TiO 2 layers. Five different termination models of the rutile surfaces were built: (001), (100), (101), (110) and (111), and their interaction with precursor and water was computed. Molecular and dissociative adsorption are considered as well as coadsorption. Our results point to a preferential growth of the (001) termination of rutile TiO 2 through intermediates involving TiCl 3 +, Cl− and hydroxyl groups. The results obtained show how computational chemistry can be used to resolve experimental growth information. The protocol used i.e. computing different terminations and their explicit interaction with both the precursor and the solvent, can be extended to other materials in which the growth takes place following well-defined preferential directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of Zr1-xNixO2 nanocrystalline powders were synthesized by chemical route and then calcined at 750 °C for 5 h. A mixed phase of monoclinic and tetragonal phase of ZrO2 has been observed in XRD patterns and Raman studies. The tetragonal phase of ZrO2 increases up to a Ni concentration of x = 0.025 and thereafter suppression of the tetragonal phase is observed with the increase in monoclinic phase of ZrO2. At lower concentration of Ni of x = 0.01, the material manifests with diamagnetic property and then a diamagnetic to ferromagnetic transition is established at above than x = 0.01. The saturation magnetization increases with increase in Ni concentration up to x = 0.025 and then decreases for Ni concentration of x = 0.03 in Ni substituted ZrO2. The sudden fall in saturation magnetization in Zr0.97Ni0.03O2 arises due to the superexchange interactions between two neighboring Ni2+ ions which lead to antiferromagnetism in the material and suppress the ferromagnetic ordering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(GaIn)2O3 (IGO) films with a Ga content of about 30% were deposited on sapphire substrates by magnetron sputtering followed by thermal annealing. Annealing temperatures from 600°C to 1000°C showed little influence on the structural and optical properties of the films. All the films showed smooth surfaces and high transmittances in the visible range. X-ray diffraction patterns identified the mixed phase structure of the obtained films. Only one absorption edge was identified for all the films, suggesting these films are suitable for fabricating high responsivity ultraviolet detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed phase TiO2 is known to have better photocatalytic property as the resulting grain boundaries and interfaces between substrate, anatase and rutile phases play a crucial role in transferring/trapping photogenerated electrons. Here we have grown three different thicknesses (10 nm, 30 nm and 50 nm) of Ti thin films on Si(100) substrate in a sputter coater. Thermal oxidation in air at 600 °C for 1 h leads to the formation of mixed phase TiO2 thin films. Surface morphology and crystalline quality of thin film are discussed using XRD, SEM and TEM results. Moiré fringes resulting from interfacial strain have been discussed using lattice resolved HRTEM images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant enhancement of photocatalytic H 2 evolution performance was realized over the BCN-TiO 2 (A+R) heterojunctions. The synergistic effect of heterojunction and phase-junction increases carrier lifetime and photocatalytic activity due to the formation of intimate interfacial structure and large contact area. • BCN-TiO2(A+R) heterojunctions was constructed via a calcination method. • Intimate interfacial structure with large contact area was obtained. • BCN-TiO2(A+R) exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity of H 2 evolution. • Synergistic effect of heterojunction and phase-junction increases carrier lifetime. In this work, BCN-TiO 2 (A+R) heterojunctions were constructed via a simple one-step calcination method as efficient photocatalysts for H 2 evolution. Simultaneously, an anatase/rutile phase-junction was also obtained due to the crystalline phase transformation that occurred during high-temperature calcination. The unique heterojunction and phase-junction lead to the formation of an intimate interface and large contact area between two semiconductors and extended the visible-light absorption range. Therefore, BCN-TiO 2 (A+R) heterojunctions with a mixed anatase and rutile phase exhibit enhanced photocarrier separation efficiency, realizing an eleven-fold increase in the electron lifetime compared to that of pure TiO 2 and yielding a remarkable visible-light-driven H 2 evolution rate nearly 7.5 and 12.2 times higher than that of TiO 2 (A+R) and pure BCN, respectively. This work provides a new strategy for designing efficient water-splitting photocatalysts with highly efficient charge separation and transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The cubic-rhombohedral-In 2 O 3 microflower is assembled by ultrathin nanosheets. • The sensors based on cubic-rhombohedral-In 2 O 3 exhibited a rather low detection limit of 10 ppb to acetone. • The sensor can easily distinguish acetone from the other gases including ethanol. • The extraordinary gas sensing properties are mainly attributed to the unusual n-n heterojunction. Analyzing volatile organic compounds in exhaled breath is a noninvasive method that has potential for disease assessment. Herein, acetone sensors based on porous In 2 O 3 flowers are synthesized through a facile solvothermal method. Structural characterizations demonstrate that the three-dimensional In 2 O 3 flower-like structure comprises porous ultrathin two-dimensional nanosheets. The structural porosity results in a large specific surface area and fast gas diffusion, which can improve the gas sensing performance. The crystalline structure of the prepared hierarchical flower-like In 2 O 3 is a mixed phase of rhombohedral and cubic phases according to the XRD patterns. The sensing properties of the cubic-rhombohedral In 2 O 3 (bcc-rh-In 2 O 3) are also investigated. Compared with commercial-In 2 O 3 -based sensor, the bcc-rh-In 2 O 3 sensor exhibits 2.9 times higher response (Ra/Rg = 12) and shorter response time (ca. 2 s) toward 50 ppm acetone. The bcc-rh-In 2 O 3 sensor has a low detection limit of 10 ppb in atmosphere and can easily distinguish acetone from ethanol. The extraordinary properties of the bcc-rh-In 2 O 3 sensor are mainly attributed to the n-n heterojunction between rh-In 2 O 3 and bcc-In 2 O 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This work aims to study synthesis methods and photoluminescence properties of ZrTiO 4. Wet chemical routes used for synthesis are solution combustion method and polymeric precursor method. Urea and glycine are two different fuels used in solution combustion synthesis. Scanning Electron Microscope studies confirms that morphology of the nanoparticles depends on synthesis method. Photoluminescent property depends on the phase of the material, rather than the method of synthesis. Characterization such as X-ray diffraction, SEM, Reflectance and Photoluminescence studies prove the role of synthesis methods on the properties of the ZrTiO 4. Both upconversion and down conversion luminescence have been achieved by synthesizing ZrTiO 4 from solution combustion method using urea as fuel, where ZrTiO 4 exists in mixed phase. Highlights • Synthesis of ZrTiO 4 by two different routes such as solution combustion and polymeric precursor methods. • To study the effect of fuels in solution combustion method, ZrTiO 4 has been synthesized using Glycine and Urea as two different fuels. ZrTiO 4 prepared by Glycine gives single phase, whereas urea fuel gives mixed phase. The polymeric precursor method yield ZrTiO 4 in single phase. • Photoluminescence studies prove the role of synthesis methods on the properties of the ZrTiO 4. Both upconversion and down conversion luminescence have been achieved by synthesizing ZrTiO 4 from solution combustion method using urea as fuel. In spite of synthesis methods ZrTiO 4 in single phase does not provide any luminescence peaks. • It can be concluded that material in mixed phase can be considered as a good candidate for Photoluminescence applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the various theoretical mechanisms proposed to reach a higher Tc, the interface mechanism in different forms has been the one most explored, and it provides continual inspiration and hope for realizing the ultimate goal for researchers in the superconductivity field—room-temperature superconductivity. Difficulties do exist, as most of the materials proposed to exhibit the interfacial mechanism are artificially formed heterostructures and are by nature delicate and easily disturbed by strain and change in the stoichiometry at the interface. The discoveries of superconductivity in naturally assembled single crystals of rare earth (R)-doped CaFe2As2 (Ca122) with a Tc up to 49 K and undoped CaFe2As2 with a Tc up to 25 K have opened an alternate route to tackle the problem. The experimental observation has provided the most direct evidence for interface-induced superconductivity in Ca122 to date and possibly in R-doped Ca122. Given the fact that neither chemical doping nor the application of physical pressure has ever induced a Tc higher than 40 K in bulk FeSe, the reports of Tc up to 45-109 K in FeSe/STO thin films demonstrate that FeSe/STO is an ideal system in which to explore interface-enhanced superconductivity. Here we review the above three specific examples of our effort toward superconductors of higher Tc to demonstrate that the interface mechanism may be a promising paradigm to achieve higher Tc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the mixed phase as the pressure medium of hydraulic artificial muscles, which has rarely been mentioned before. Then a novel mixed phase activated artificial muscle is designed. Through this method, the weight of artificial muscle can be reduced effectively compared with the traditional hydraulic artificial muscles. The artificial muscle shows the same advantages of the hydraulic artificial muscles, more than that, this artificial muscle has a good anti-bending and anti-extrusion capacity. Despite the actuation mechanism of the hydraulic artificial muscles, the characteristics of the mixed phase activated artificial muscles have not been widely studied. The muscle is tested of its anti-deformability under the uniform load and the concentrated load respectively. The characteristics of contraction and expansion are studied in different pressure conditions and the weight reduction of the pressure medium is analyzed. Moreover, the gravity model is established to adapt to any kind of pressure medium. At last the bending test of flexible arm which composed of three parallel artificial muscles is carried out. The bending capacity and grasping ability are analyzed. Furthermore, the experiment of the arm is conducted underwater.

Since the beginning of civil aviation, icing is a severe weather hazard for aircraft operation. In this context, the phenomenon of ice crystal icing has been identified as a risk for flight safety in the recent past. Ice crystals can accrete on warm components such as heated stagnation pressure probes and engine compressor blades. Liquid melt water or additional liquid droplets in the icing cloud enable the ice particles to stick to the component surface and to form a cohesive ice accretion layer. In this paper, we present results of comprehensive icing wind tunnel tests on ice crystal ice accretion together with results of complementary simulations by means of the ONERA icing code IGLOO2D. The experiments show a strong influence of ambient temperature on the icing process. In agreement with literature findings, ice particle sticking ability can be correlated with the ice cloud composition. Correlations between accretion shape and growth rate have been identified. IGLOO2D separates accretion abrasion by particle impact from the efficiency with which those particles stick to the deposit. Comparisons of computational and experimental results indicate that this sticking efficiency has the greatest effect on ice shapes at low Mach numbers, at least for the particle sizes and conditions used in the experiments. The experimental and numerical findings of this study can be considered as complementary to existing knowledge on ice crystal icing. Therefore, the experimental results are provided to an international benchmark of test cases for icing code validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In-situ observations of cloud microphysical properties, carried out over different parts of Indian sub-continent using an instrumented research aircraft during Phase-I of Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement EXperiment (CAIPEEX) from June to September 2009, were studied. Different cloud probes were used to characterize the hydrometeor and precipitation types in the monsoon clouds. The results revealed that all liquid phase hydrometeors were present at temperatures −12 °C to 15 °C. Most of the presence of rain drops were found in the liquid water content (LWC) range from 0.5 to 2 g/m 3 . In general, rain drops are initiated when the droplet effective radius (R e ) exceeded 12 μm. Rain dominated at the tops of young growing convective clouds even at temperatures colder than −10 °C. Mixed phase hydrometeors were present at temperatures from −2 °C to −18 °C. The cases where mixed phase precipitation occurred at temperatures warmer than about −7 °C were associated with influx of transported dust aerosol at the upper (supercooled) region of these cloud systems. Ice only hydrometeors were found at temperatures extending from −10 °C to −22 °C. Most of the monsoon rain is produced by warm and cold cloud/mixed-phase processes in the cloud. The combined R e from two different cloud probes is useful for validation of satellite derived cloud microphysical parameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]