A simple,rapid and sensitive method based on modified multiwalled carbon nanotube for preconcentration and determination of lead ions in aqueous media in natural pHs

In this study, multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) was modified by the pyridine group using a silane agent and characterized by infrared spectroscopy (IR), thermal analysis (TG/DTA), and elemental analysis (CHN) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The application of this sorbent was investigated in determination of lead ions in aqueous samples, using flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). Through this study, different parameters such as pH and sample flow rate on adsorption process and eluent concentration, volume and flow rate were optimized. The limit of detection (LOD), the relative standard deviation and the recovery of the method were 2 ng mL^?1, 1.3% and 99.7%, respectively. Two standard reference materials (NIST 1571 and NIST 1572) were used to verify accuracy of this method. Finally, the sorbent was successfully applied for extraction and determination of low levels of Pb(II) ions in aqueous samples.     

Dual-band isotropic metamaterial absorber based on near-field interaction in the Ku band

We numerically and experimentally investigate single-band and dual-band isotropic metamaterial absorbers (IMAs) based on metallic disks. By optimizing the diameter of the metallic disks and the thickness of the dielectric substrate, the single-band IMA is observed at 16.2 GHz with absorptivity of 97%. When adding one disk-pair to the structure, the dual-band IMA is obtained at 12.8 and 15.5 GHz due to the symmetry breaking. The physical mechanics is explained by near-field coupling effect and equivalent LC circuit model. The measurement results performed in the range 12–18 GHz show a good agreement with simulation and theoretical analysis. Our findings demonstrate a new approach to achieve dual-band and multi-band IMAs.     

Comparative absorption kinetics of seven active ingredients of Eucommia ulmoides extracts by intestinal in situ circulatory perfusion in normal and spontaneous hypertensive rats

Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. (E. ulmoides) is a valuable and nourishing medicinal herb in China that has been used in the treatment of hypertension. Given the fact that most traditional Chinese medicine is mainly used to treat disease, investigating the pharmacokinetics of traditional Chinese medicines in the pathological state is more useful than that in the normal state. However, the differences in the absorption kinetics of active ingredients of E. ulmoides extract between pathological and physiological conditions have not been reported. Therefore, in this study, the rat intestinal in situ circulatory perfusion model was used to investigate the differences in absorption kinetics of seven active ingredients of E. ulmoides extract in normal and spontaneously hypertensive rats, namely, genipinic acid, protocatechuic acid, neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, (+)-pinoresinol di-O-β-D -glucopyranoside and (+)-pinoresinol 4′-O-β-D -glucopyranoside. Our results indicate that the pathological state of spontaneous hypertension may change the absorption of active components of E. ulmoides extracts, and these findings may provide a reference for improving the rational use of E. ulmoides in the clinic.     

High index of refraction via quantum interference in a three-level system of Er^3＋-doped yttrium aluminium garnet crystal

A simple three-level system is proposed to produce high index of refraction with zero absorption in an Er^3＋-doped yttrium aluminium garnet （YAG） crystal, which is achieved for a probe field between the excited state 4I13/2 and ground state 4I15/2 by adjusting a strong coherent driving field between the upper excited state 4I11/2 and 4I15/2. It is found that the changes of the frequency of the coherent driving field and the concentration of Er^3＋ ions in the YAG crystal can maximize the index of refraction accompanied by vanishing absorption. This result could be useful for the dispersion compensation in fibre communication, laser particle acceleration, high precision magnetometry and so on.     

Applications of synchrotron radiation in materials analysis

The synchrotron radiation (SR) emitted by circulating high-energy electrons has extraordinary properties: The light is intensive and bright, it is tunable and highly collimated, and finally, it is linearly polarized. These exceptional properties have initiated a unique revival of many spectroscopies using electromagnetic radiation. The techniques of special concern for materials analysis which are treated in this article are: X-ray absorption, reflection, fluorescence, diffraction and topography. A number of examples will be given in order to illustrate the possibilities of these techniques when SR is used.On leave of absence from Institut für Festkörperforschung, KFA Jülich, D-5170 Jülich, Federal Republic of Germany     

Systematic investigations of the multi-element preconcentration from copper by precipitation of the matrix as copper(I) oxide and copper(I) thiocyanate

Two methods for multi-element preconcentration from copper by reductive matrix precipitation are presented. In systematic investigations on the coprecipitation behaviour of Ag, Al, Au, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Fe, Ga, In, Mn, Mo, NJ, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn, Te and Zn during precipitation of the copper matrix as Cu₂O or CuSCN, the separation parameters were optimized. By combination with a hexamethyleneammonium hexamethylenedithiocarbamate collector precipitation, a concentration of 8 elements (Cu₂O precipitation) or 13 elements (CuSCN precipitation) in a small volume was achieved. The limits of detection of the procedures are, depending on the element, 0.1–5 μg g^?1 for flame atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and 0.01–0.1 μg g^?1 for graphite furnace AAS. The relative standard deviations are about 3%. The analytical performance of the procedures is compared with that of an electrolytic copper separation.     

Infra-red free-carrier absorption due to impurity scattering in semiconducting quantum well structures

The theory of free-carrier absorption (FCA) is developed, in the extreme quantum limit when the carriers are assumed to populate only the lowest quantized energy level, for quasi-two and one-dimensional semiconducting quantum well structures where the carriers are scattered by ionized impurities. The radiation field is assumed to be polarized in the plane of the layer in the quasi-two-dimensional case and along the length of the wire in the quasi-one-dimensional case. Expressions for FCA are obtained for the cases where the impurities are either in the well (background impurities) or outside the well (remote impurities). Variation of FCA is numerically studied with photon frequency and well width.     

Investigations of Solid State Dynamics at the NRSSR Beamline at PETRA II. An Overview

The present status of the new nuclear resonance beamline PETRA 1 at HASYLAB, DESY, Hamburg is described. Besides an overview of the experimental setup some examples of recent experiments are given. Those cover the main applications, i.e., inelastic scattering from iron alloys and quasielastic scattering from glass-forming liquids. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

声波在一维声子晶体中共振隧穿的研究

通过从实验和理论方面对声波在一维声子晶体单晶体和被小的共振腔分开的双晶体中传播时发生的隧穿和共振隧穿现象的研究，观察到了声子晶体单晶体在带隙频率范围内发生的隧穿现象，而对于双晶体样品，在带隙频率范围内出现了很强的共振透射峰.共振发生时，实验测得的群时间很大，但是没有共振时，群速度却很快. 关键词： 声波 声子晶体 隧穿 共振     

Au-Au2S复合纳米球壳微粒的空腔谐振及参量讨论

Au-Au2S复合纳米球壳微粒（金纳米球壳），是一种新型复合结构的纳米微粒，其结构为纳米级的Au2S介质球外包裹了一层几个纳米厚的黄金球壳。这种复合纳米球壳微粒可以被抽象为球型谐振腔。报道了它的空腔谐振吸收的实验结果，并且运用经典理论结合介观结构特征，讨论了有关Au-Au2S复合纳米球壳微粒空腔谐振吸收的一些重要参量，其中包括谐振吸收波长、品质因数、谐振能量等。另外，还讨论了金球壳的厚度对这些重要参量的影响。