Two-dimensional nematic colloidal crystals self-assembled by topological defects

The ability to generate regular spatial arrangements of particles is an important technological and fundamental aspect of colloidal science. We showed that colloidal particles confined to a few-micrometer-thick layer of a nematic liquid crystal form two-dimensional crystal structures that are bound by topological defects. Two basic crystalline structures were observed, depending on the ordering of the liquid crystal around the particle. Colloids inducing quadrupolar order crystallize into weakly bound two-dimensional ordered structure, where the particle interaction is mediated by the sharing of localized topological defects. Colloids inducing dipolar order are strongly bound into antiferroelectric-like two-dimensional crystallites of dipolar colloidal chains. Self-assembly by topological defects could be applied to other systems with similar symmetry.     

Surfactant-mediated two-dimensional crystallization of colloidal crystals

Colloidal particles can form unexpected two-dimensional ordered colloidal crystals when they interact with surfactants of the opposite charge. Coulomb interactions lead to self-limited adsorption of the particles on the surface of vesicles formed by the surfactants. The adsorbed particles form ordered but fluid rafts on the vesicle surfaces, and these ultimately form robust two-dimensional crystals. This use of attractive Coulomb interaction between colloidal particles and surfactant structures offers a potential new route to self-assembly of ordered colloidal structures.     

Layer-by-layer growth of binary colloidal crystals

We report the growth of binary colloidal crystals with control over the crystal orientation through a simple layer-by-layer process. Well-ordered single binary colloidal crystals with a stoichiometry of large (L) and small (S) particles of LS2 and LS were generated. In addition, we observed the formation of an LS3 superstructure. The structures formed as a result of the templating effect of the first layer and the forces exerted by the surface tension of the drying liquid. By using spheres of different composition, one component can be selectively removed, as is demonstrated in the growth of a hexagonal non-close-packed colloidal crystal.     

Visualization of dislocation dynamics in colloidal crystals

The dominant mechanism for creating large irreversible strain in atomic crystals is the motion of dislocations, a class of line defects in the crystalline lattice. Here we show that the motion of dislocations can also be observed in strained colloidal crystals, allowing detailed investigation of their topology and propagation. We describe a laser diffraction microscopy setup used to study the growth and structure of misfit dislocations in colloidal crystalline films. Complementary microscopic information at the single-particle level is obtained with a laser scanning confocal microscope. The combination of these two techniques enables us to study dislocations over a range of length scales, allowing us to determine important parameters of misfit dislocations such as critical film thickness, dislocation density, Burgers vector, and lattice resistance to dislocation motion. We identify the observed dislocations as Shockley partials that bound stacking faults of vanishing energy. Remarkably, we find that even on the scale of a few lattice vectors, the dislocation behavior is well described by the continuum approach commonly used to describe dislocations in atomic crystals.     

Super plastic bulk metallic glasses at room temperature

In contrast to the poor plasticity that is usually observed in bulk metallic glasses, super plasticity is achieved at room temperature in ZrCuNiAl synthesized through the appropriate choice of its composition by controlling elastic moduli. Microstructures analysis indicates that the super plastic bulk metallic glasses are composed of hard regions surrounded by soft regions, which enable the glasses to undergo true strain of more than 160%. This finding is suggestive of a solution to the problem of brittleness in, and has implications for understanding the deformation mechanism of, metallic glasses.     

Discrete atom imaging of one-dimensional crystals formed within single-walled carbon nanotubes

The complete crystallography of a one-dimensional crystal of potassium iodide encapsulated within a 1.6-nanometer-diameter single-walled carbon nanotube has been determined with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Individual atoms of potassium and iodine within the crystal were identified from a phase image that was reconstructed with a modified focal series restoration approach. The lattice spacings within the crystal are substantially different from those in bulk potassium iodide. This is attributed to the reduced coordination of the surface atoms of the crystal and the close proximity of the van der Waals surface of the confining nanotube.     

Linked reactivity at mineral-water interfaces through bulk crystal conduction

The semiconducting properties of a wide range of minerals are often ignored in the study of their interfacial geochemical behavior. We show that surface-specific charge density accumulation reactions combined with bulk charge carrier diffusivity create conditions under which interfacial electron transfer reactions at one surface couple with those at another via current flow through the crystal bulk. Specifically, we observed that a chemically induced surface potential gradient across hematite (alpha-Fe2O3) crystals is sufficiently high and the bulk electrical resistivity sufficiently low that dissolution of edge surfaces is linked to simultaneous growth of the crystallographically distinct (001) basal plane. The apparent importance of bulk crystal conduction is likely to be generalizable to a host of naturally abundant semiconducting minerals playing varied key roles in soils, sediments, and the atmosphere.     

Biomolecular interactions at phospholipid-decorated surfaces of liquid crystals

The spontaneous assembly of phospholipids at planar interfaces between thermotropic liquid crystals and aqueous phases gives rise to patterned orientations of the liquid crystals that reflect the spatial and temporal organization of the phospholipids. Strong and weak specific-binding events involving proteins at these interfaces drive the reorganization of the phospholipids and trigger orientational transitions in the liquid crystals. Because these interfaces are fluid, processes involving the lateral organization of proteins (such as the formation of protein- and phospholipid-rich domains) are also readily imaged by the orientational response of the liquid crystal, as are stereospecific enzymatic events. These results provide principles for label-free monitoring of aqueous streams for molecular and biomolecular species without the need for complex instrumentation.     

Full three-dimensional photonic bandgap crystals at near-infrared wavelengths

An artificial crystal structure has been fabricated exhibiting a full three-dimensional photonic bandgap effect at optical communication wavelengths. The photonic crystal was constructed by stacking 0.7-micrometer period semiconductor stripes with the accuracy of 30 nanometers by advanced wafer-fusion technique. A bandgap effect of more than 40 decibels (which corresponds to 99.99% reflection) was successfully achieved. The result encourages us to create an ultra-small optical integrated circuit including a three-dimensional photonic crystal waveguide with a sharp bend.     

Vertical aluminophosphate molecular sieve crystals grown at inorganic-organic interfaces

Tubular aluminophosphate molecular sieve crystals were grown at an organic interface with their channels (7 angstroms in cross section) vertical to the substrate. To induce surface nucleation and oriented growth of AIPO(4)-5 crystals, organophosphonate layers cross-linked with Zr(IV) were assembled on a gold substrate and the modified substrate was immersed in a hydrothermal bath containing reagents for the synthesis of the molecular sieve. Reflection-absorption infrared studies demonstrated the stability of the phosphonate layers under these conditions. Drastic changes in the morphology of the surface-grown crystals from spherical agglomerates to vertical needles to thin tilted needles could be achieved by adjusting the water content of the synthesis bath. Nitrogen sorption in these structures on a piezoelectric device confirmed the presence of zeolitic microporosity.     

Poliovirus crystals within the endoplasmic reticulum of endothelial and mononuclear cells in the monkey spinal cord

The lumbar motor columns of a cynomolgus monkey that had become tetraplegic after experimental infection with a highly virulent strain of type 3 poliovirus were examined by electron microscopy. Crystalline aggregates of poliovirus occurred within the endoplasmic reticulum of endothelial cells as well as of mononuclear inflammatory cells. This finding suggests that the endoplasmic reticulum might be much more involved in poliovirus multiplication than has been previously supposed.     

Adaptation of bulk constitutive equations to insoluble monolayer collapse at the air-water interface

A constitutive equation based on stress-strain models of bulk solids was adapted to relate the surface pressure, compression rate, and temperature of an insoluble monolayer of monodendrons during collapse at the air-water interface. A power law relation between compression rate and surface pressure and an Arrhenius temperature dependence of the steady-state creep rate were observed in data from compression rate and creep experiments in the collapse region. These relations were combined into a single constitutive equation to calculate the temperature dependence of the collapse pressure with a maximum error of 5 percent for temperatures ranging from 10 degrees to 25 degrees C.     

小流域尺度土壤容重及其影响因素的空间变异

揭示土壤容重及其影响因素的空间变异能够为容重制图以及土地质量评价服务。选择黄土丘陵沟壑区典型小流域,测定土壤容重与环境因子。在分析土壤容重与环境因子空间变异的基础上,建立二者之间关系。结果表明:土壤容重表现为弱变异性。土地利用、坡位与坡形对土壤容重产生显著影响;不同土地利用方式土壤容重表现为乔木林地园地灌木林地荒草地耕地的总体趋势;坡位之间土壤容重表现为上坡山顶中坡下坡;坡形之间土壤容重表现为凹形坡凸形坡线形坡梯田。根系密度、枯落物蓄积量、植被盖度与生物结皮盖度在不同土地利用方式之间差异显著。不同坡位之间只有生物结皮盖度差异显著。不同坡形之间只有根系密度差异显著。相关分析表明表层土壤容重与生物结皮盖度及坡向相关不显著,容重与植被盖度、枯落物蓄积量、根系密度及坡度显著负相关。逐步回归分析表明土地利用、坡度与植被盖度是影响土壤容重的主要因素,能够解释58.15%的土壤容重变异,本研究建立的拟合关系为土壤容重空间制图提供了便捷途径。     

Phonons localized at step edges: a route to understanding forces at extended surface defects

Inelastic helium atom scattering has been used to measure the phonons on a stepped metallic crystalline surface, Ni(977). When the scattering plane is oriented parallel to the step edges and perpendicular to the terraces, two branches of step-induced phonons are observed. These branches are identified as transversely polarized, step-localized modes that propagate along the step edge. Analysis reveals significant anisotropy in the force field near the step edge, with all forces near the step edge being substantially smaller than in the bulk. Such measurements provide valuable information on metallic bonding and interface stability near extended surface defects.     

海底管道腐蚀缺陷处阴极保护数值模拟

海底管道表面很容易因为腐蚀形成缺陷点,具有深度大、传播快且检测困难的特点,对管道安全运行产生很大隐患。通过数值模拟方法研究了X80海底管道钢表面存在腐蚀缺陷时缺陷点内部对阴极保护产生的屏蔽作用,利用有限元方法模拟缺陷处的局部电位和阳极/阴极反应电流密度。结果表明:在腐蚀缺陷处阴极保护电流被部分屏蔽,特别是在缺陷的底部位置;缺陷处对阴极保护的屏蔽作用随着缺陷深度的增加和宽度的减小而越来越强。研究结果可为现场海底管道腐蚀状况和剩余寿命的评估提供指导。     

密集烘烤定色期升温速度对烤烟类胡萝卜素降解和颜色的影响

采用河南农业大学设计的电热式温湿自控密集烤烟箱,研究了密集烘烤定色期不同升温速度对烤烟类胡萝卜素降解组分、降解香气成分含量及颜色的影响.结果表明,类胡萝卜素含量随烘烤时间的推进逐渐降低,β-胡萝卜素、叶黄质、新黄质和紫黄质在定色期的降解幅度均为:慢速升温(1℃/2.0 h)>中速升温(1℃/1.5 h)>快速升温(1℃/1.0 h),慢速升温处理类胡萝卜素总量降幅达76.11%.烤后烟叶类胡萝卜素降解香气物质含量以慢速升温处理最高(39.73μg·g-1),其次为中速升温处理(35.07μg·g-1).烟叶各颜色参数在定色期开始后的18 h前后均有一个高峰,定色过程中亮度(L*)、红度值(a*)与烟叶类胡萝卜素及其各组分含量均呈负相关,其中a*与类胡萝卜素组分含量的相关性较好.可见,定色期以1℃/2.0 h升温利于烟叶类胡萝卜素的充分降解和外观质量及香气质量的改善.     

Fork reversal and ssDNA accumulation at stalled replication forks owing to checkpoint defects

Checkpoint-mediated control of replicating chromosomes is essential for preventing cancer. In yeast, Rad53 kinase protects stalled replication forks from pathological rearrangements. To characterize the mechanisms controlling fork integrity, we analyzed replication intermediates formed in response to replication blocks using electron microscopy. At the forks, wild-type cells accumulate short single-stranded regions, which likely causes checkpoint activation, whereas rad53 mutants exhibit extensive single-stranded gaps and hemi-replicated intermediates, consistent with a lagging-strand synthesis defect. Further, rad53 cells accumulate Holliday junctions through fork reversal. We speculate that, in checkpoint mutants, abnormal replication intermediates begin to form because of uncoordinated replication and are further processed by unscheduled recombination pathways, causing genome instability.