Magnetic properties of hexagonal closed-packed iron deduced from direct observations in a diamond anvil cell

The attraction of hexagonal closed packed (hcp) iron to a magnet at 16.9 gigapascals and 261 degrees centigrade suggests that hcp iron is either paramagnetic or ferromagnetic with susceptibilities from 0. 15 to 0.001 and magnetizations from 1800 to 15 amperes per meter. If dominant in Earth's inner core, paramagnetic hcp iron could stabilize the geodynamo.     

Sound velocities in iron to 110 gigapascals

The dispersion of longitudinal acoustic phonons was measured by inelastic x-ray scattering in the hexagonal closed-packed (hcp) structure of iron from 19 to 110 gigapascals. Phonon dispersion curves were recorded on polycrystalline iron compressed in a diamond anvil cell, revealing an increase of the longitudinal wave velocity (VP) from 7000 to 8800 meters per second. We show that hcp iron follows a Birch law for VP, which is used to extrapolate velocities to inner core conditions. Extrapolated longitudinal acoustic wave velocities compared with seismic data suggest an inner core that is 4 to 5% lighter than hcp iron.     

Synchrotron X-ray Study of Iron at High Pressure and Temperature

X-ray synchrotron experiments with in situ laser heating of iron in a diamond-anvil cell show that the high-pressure epsilon phase, a hexagonal close-packed (hcp) structure, transforms to another phase (possibly a polytype double-layer hcp) at a pressure of about 38 gigapascals and at temperatures between 1200 and 1500 kelvin. This information has implications for the phase relations of iron in Earth's core.     

The structure of iron in Earth's inner core

Earth's solid inner core is mainly composed of iron (Fe). Because the relevant ultrahigh pressure and temperature conditions are difficult to produce experimentally, the preferred crystal structure of Fe at the inner core remains uncertain. Static compression experiments showed that the hexagonal close-packed (hcp) structure of Fe is stable up to 377 gigapascals and 5700 kelvin, corresponding to inner core conditions. The observed weak temperature dependence of the c/a axial ratio suggests that hcp Fe is elastically anisotropic at core temperatures. Preferred orientation of the hcp phase may explain previously observed inner core seismic anisotropy.     

High-Pressure Elasticity of Iron and Anisotropy of Earth's Inner Core

A first principles theoretical approach shows that, at the density of the inner core, both hexagonal [hexagonal close-packed (hcp)] and cubic [face-centered-cubic (fcc)] phases of iron are substantially elastically anisotropic. A forward model of the inner core based on the predicted elastic constants and the assumption that the inner core consists of a nearly perfectly aligned aggregate of hcp crystals shows good agreement with seismic travel time anomalies that have been attributed to inner core anisotropy. A cylindrically averaged aggregate of fcc crystals disagrees with the seismic observations.     

鮰爱德华菌hcp基因的克隆及重组表达

通过克隆获得鮰爱德华菌Edwardsiella ictaluri LH51溶血素共调节蛋白(Hcp)编码基因hcp,该基因全长为489 bp,编码163个氨基酸,hcp编码蛋白的理论相对分子质量为17 800,等电点为5.21。氨基酸序列分析结果表明,鮰爱德华菌hcp基因与迟钝爱德华菌Edwardsiella tarda毒力蛋白EvpC(Hcp同源物)、发光杆菌Photorhabdus luminescens hcp基因等具有高度同源性。将鮰爱德华菌Hcp氨基酸序列连接至pGS-21a表达载体中,成功构建了pGS-21 a-hcp原核表达质粒;再将表达质粒转化至BL21(DE3)菌株后,经IPTG诱导、镍柱层析纯化获得大量携带GST和组氨酸双标签的融合蛋白。经SDS-PAGE和Western blot分析,确认获得了相对分子质量约为45 000的融合蛋白,并成功制备了具有较高效价的多克隆抗体。     

Orientation of the dipole moments of hydroxyl groups in oxidized and unoxidized biotite

Observations of the infrared absorption bands attributed to the stretching vibrations of hydroxyl groups in biotite containing predominantly ferrous iron show that the dipole moments of the hydroxyls associated with ferrous iron are oriented perpendicular to the cleavage plane of the lattice. Oxidation in the biotite from ferrous iron to ferric iron results in the disappearance of the infrared absorption bands due to the hydroxyls associated with ferrous iron. The dipole moments of the hydroxyls associated with ferric iron in the oxidized biotite have been shown to be in an inclined position with respect to the cleavage plae. Our experiments confirm the hypothesis of Barshad and Kishk regarding the effect of oxidation on the replaceability of interlayer potassium ions in biotite by ammonium ions.     

Guest-dependent spin crossover in a nanoporous molecular framework material

The nanoporous metal-organic framework Fe2(azpy)4(NCS)4.(guest) (azpy is trans-4,4'-azopyridine) displays reversible uptake and release of guest molecules and contains electronic switching centers that are sensitive to the nature of the sorbed guests. The switching of this material arises from the presence of iron(II) spin crossover centers within the framework lattice, the sorbed phases undergoing "half-spin" crossovers, and the desorbed phase showing no switching property. The interpenetrated framework structure displays a considerable flexibility with guest uptake and release, causing substantial changes in the local geometry of the iron(II) centers. The generation of a host lattice that interacts with exchangeable guest species in a switchable fashion has implications for the generation of previously undeveloped advanced materials with applications in areas such as molecular sensing.     

Inner Core Anisotropy Due to the Magnetic Field--induced Preferred Orientation of Iron

Anisotropy of the inner core of the Earth is proposed to result from the lattice preferred orientation of anisotropic iron crystals during their solidification in the presence of a magnetic field. The resultant seismic anisotropy is related to the geometry of the magnetic field in the core. This hypothesis implies that the observed anisotropy (fast velocity along the rotation axis) indicates a strong toroidal field in the core, which supports a strong field model for the geodynamo if the inner core is made of hexagonal close-packed iron.     

Lunar surface: composition inferred from optical properties

The optical characteristics (intensity, polarization, spectrum, and albedo) of the moon surface are compared with those of rock and meteorite powders. The only materials whose optical properties match those of the lunar surface are basic rocks containing lattice iron but little or no free iron, and then only after irradiation of these rocks by a simulated solar wind. Optical properties of chondritic meteorite powders differ from those of the moon in significant respects. The lunar crust is probably not chondritic, but is similar in composition to terrestrial iron-rich basalts. These results are independent of those from the Surveyor V alpha-scattering experiment and, in addition, provide a basis for extrapolating the Surveyor V analysis to other areas of the moon. The Surveyor V experiment has thus confirmed the value of earth-based optical techniques for the study of the structure and composition of the surfaces of other planets.     

Mechanism of the body-centered cubic--hexagonal close-packed phase transition in iron

The transition from body-centered cubic to hexagonal close-packed phase in iron has been studied in a diamond anvil cell with synchrotron radiation. The hexagonal close-packed phase, when it first appears, has a ratio of lattice parameters that is significantly larger than normal. This is attributed to a displacive mechanism that causes a distortion of the hexagonal close-packed structure in a body-centered cubic matrix. The hexagonal close-packed phase adjacent to a boundary with the body-centered cubic phase is stretched in the c direction and compressed in the a direction when it first forms.     

Controlling the dynamics of a single atom in lateral atom manipulation

We studied the dynamics of a single cobalt (Co) atom during lateral manipulation on a copper (111) surface in a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope. The Co binding site locations were revealed in a detailed image that resulted from lateral Co atom motion within the trapping potential of the scanning tip. Random telegraph noise, corresponding to the Co atom switching between hexagonal close-packed (hcp) and face-centered cubic (fcc) sites, was seen when the tip was used to try to position the Co atom over the higher energy hcp site. Varying the probe tip height modified the normal copper (111) potential landscape and allowed the residence time of the Co atom in these sites to be varied. At low tunneling voltages (less than approximately 5 millielectron volts), the transfer rate between sites was independent of tunneling voltage, current, and temperature. At higher voltages, the transfer rate exhibited a strong dependence on tunneling voltage, indicative of vibrational heating by inelastic electron scattering.     

甘氨酸亚铁的合成和晶体结构研究

以甘氨酸和七水硫酸亚铁为原料合成了甘氨酸亚铁。采用溶剂挥发法得到了晶体,并通过红外谱图和X-射线单晶衍射确定了晶体的结构。化合物属于三斜晶系,空间群P-1,晶胞参数:a=0.59949(3)nm,b=0.67626(4)nm,c=1.33192(6)nm,α=85.453(4)°,β=82.914(4)°,γ=83.115(5)°,V=0.53085(5)nm3,C4H30N2O22Fe2S2,Mr=634.12,Z=1,R1=0.0219,wR2=0.0640[I>2σ(I)],S=1.005。化合物中铁(Ⅱ)配位数为6,配位多面体为变形的八面方体构型。结构式为 。     

Band gap of forsterite

Optical absorption and reflectivity measurements on synthetic forsterite show that this silicate has a wide band gap of the order of 8.4 electron volts; thus it resembles other pure insulating oxides such as MgO. For natural olivines, in which divalent cations, mainly Fe(2+), can replace Mg(2+), all the optical absorption bands between the lattice overtones in the infrared and the first excitonic transition at 8.4 electron volts are due to the presence of iron.     

Fe掺杂SrSnO3陶瓷的制备及其特性的研究

以SrCO3、SnO2和Fe3O4为原料,采用传统固相反应法制备了Fe掺杂SrSnO3陶瓷,并借助XRD和SEM,研究了SrFexSn1-xO3的相结构、形貌及Fe掺杂量对其电性能的影响.XRD图谱表明：未经烧结的样品是混合物,随着烧结次数的增加,样品的收缩增大,成品纯度变高,XRD杂峰减少.Fe掺杂SrSnO3陶瓷中随着Fe含量从0增加到1,烧结温度逐渐降低,从1480℃下降到1200℃,其晶格常数从0.806 9 nm下降到0.773 6 nm,晶体结构没有发生明显改变.SEM图片显示,靶材晶粒随着掺杂量的增加逐渐增大,由2.09μm增加到4.93μm.     

Direction-specific interactions control crystal growth by oriented attachment

The oriented attachment of molecular clusters and nanoparticles in solution is now recognized as an important mechanism of crystal growth in many materials, yet the alignment process and attachment mechanism have not been established. We performed high-resolution transmission electron microscopy using a fluid cell to directly observe oriented attachment of iron oxyhydroxide nanoparticles. The particles undergo continuous rotation and interaction until they find a perfect lattice match. A sudden jump to contact then occurs over less than 1 nanometer, followed by lateral atom-by-atom addition initiated at the contact point. Interface elimination proceeds at a rate consistent with the curvature dependence of the Gibbs free energy. Measured translational and rotational accelerations show that strong, highly direction-specific interactions drive crystal growth via oriented attachment.     

In Situ Determination of the NiAs Phase of FeO at High Pressure and Temperature

In situ synchrotron x-ray diffraction measurements of FeO at high pressures and high temperatures revealed that the high-pressure phase of FeO has the NiAs structure (B8). The lattice parameters of this NiAs phase at 96 gigapascals and 800 kelvin are a = 2.574(2) angstroms and c = 5.172(4) angstroms (the number in parentheses is the error in the last digit). Metallic behavior of the high-pressure phase is consistent with a covalently and metallically bonded NiAs structure of FeO. Transition to the NiAs structure of FeO would enhance oxygen solubility in molten iron. This transition thus provides a physiochemical basis for the incorporation of oxygen into the Earth's core.     

玉米种质籽粒铁含量的测定及差异分析

实验采用原子吸收分光光度计测定了53个自由授粉品种(OPV),227个自交系材料和868个杂交种材料的铁含量。结果表明,OPV铁含量变化范围在10.9789~27.8734 mg/kg,平均值为18.3599 mg/kg;自交系铁含量变化范围在11.6094~32.7188mg/kg,平均值为19.6126 mg/kg;杂交种铁含量变化范围在10.8619~38.0874 mg/kg,平均值为18.5274 mg/kg。此外,两地和两季联合方差分析结果表明,地点、季节、基因型以及地点与基因型互作、季节与基因型互作对玉米籽粒铁含量的影响均达到极显著水平,说明铁含量基因型间存在真实的遗传差异,且地点、季节、基因型以及地点与基因型互作、季节与基因型互作对玉米籽粒铁含量均有较大影响。     

几种土壤及其铁锰结核中粘粒矿物组合的研究

以我国几种常见土壤及相应土壤铁锰结核为试验材料,应用Ｘ－射线衍射,研究了土壤和铁锰结核中层状硅酸盐和氧化铁的类型组合。结果表明：１）从南到北,从供试红壤到砂姜黑土,其层状硅酸盐矿物组合变化表现为由１：１型高岭为主变为以２：１型水云母为主,１．４ｎｍ矿物中由１．４ｎｍ过渡矿物转变为蛭石;从不含蒙脱石到含有一定量的蒙脱石。供试铁锰结核与相应土壤中的层状硅酸盐矿物组合及含量消长趋势在总体上基本一致。２）     

莫莫格湿地土壤铁的质量分数及分布

以莫莫格芦苇沼泽、芦苇—羊草草甸和羊草草甸3种类型湿地土壤为对象,研究了土壤游离铁和无定形铁的质量分数以及铁活化度的时空变化趋势。结果表明:土壤游离铁质量分数的季节变化为春季最明显,其次为夏季,秋季最弱;而无定形铁质量分数的季节变化则表现为夏季明显,秋季次之,春季最弱。随着土壤深度的增加,游离铁质量分数逐渐降低,至60～90 cm处略有升高;而无定形铁质量分数则表现为自表层向深层递减的规律。3种类型湿地土壤游离铁质量分数比较,羊草草甸最高、芦苇沼泽次之、芦苇—羊草草甸最低;无定形铁质量分数则表现为芦苇沼泽最高、羊草草甸次之、芦苇—羊草草甸最低。湿地土壤铁的活化度夏、秋季节高,春季低;土壤表层铁活化度高于底层。