High-pressure synthesis of rock salt LiMeO2-ZnO (Me = Fe3+, Ti3+) solid solutions

Metastable LiMeO2-ZnO (Me = Fe3+, Ti3+) solid solutions with rock salt crystal structure have been synthesized by solid state reaction of ZnO with LiMeO2 complex oxides at 7.7 GPa and 1350-1450 K. Structure, phase composition, thermal stability and thermal expansion of the recovered samples have been studied by X-ray diffraction with synchrotron radiation. At ambient pressure rock salt LiMeO2-ZnO solid solutions are kinetically stable up to 670-800 K depending on the composition.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl

Precipitation pathways for ferrihydrite formation in acidic solutions

Iron oxides and oxyhydroxides form via Fe hydrolysis and polymerization in many aqueous environments, but the pathway from Fe monomers to oligomers and then to solid phase nuclei is unknown. In this work, using combined X-ray, UV-vis, and Mössbauer spectroscopic approaches, we were able to identify and quantify the long-time sought ferric speciation over time during ferric oxyhydroxide formation in partially-neutralized ferric nitrate solutions ([Fe ]=0.2M, 1.

Where Teachers Thrive: A Book Review

This article reviews the book Where Teachers Thrive: Organizing Schools for Success written by Dr. Susan Moore Johnson and published in 2019. By describing the content of each chapter as well as the overall contributions of this recent book to knowledge about the interaction between school contexts, policy environments, and teacher experience, this review provides readers with a taste of this groundbreaking work while also offering analysis and minor critiques.&nbsp

Through the Eyes of Novice Teachers: Experiences with Professional Cultures Within and Outside of Neoliberal “No-Excuses” Charter Schools

As neoliberal education reforms spread globally, including the development of school choice pathways that create different types of schools, a reexamination of teacher professionalism may be in order. Current literature about teacher experiences with neoliberal reforms often focuses on negative aspects of organizational professionalism and managerialism, describing shifts in professionalism as stifling teacher autonomy and diminishing satisfaction through increased accountability, standardization, and supervision. However, studies often only examine single school sites and the views and experiences of veteran teachers. This study considers two novice teachers' experiences as they transition between schools, one with more traditional professional cultures and the other within the hyper-neoliberal professional contexts of 'no-excuses’ charter schools, contrasting how they interpreted aspects of professionalism, development, and satisfaction in different environments. Compared to more traditionally professional school environments, novices’ experiences with managerial approaches to teacher professionalism served to accelerate their development while having drawbacks in terms of workload and turnover. The collaboration and collegiality, bounded autonomy, and shared accountability to mutual goals at these “no-excuses” charter schools seemed to create occupational professional subcultures where novice teachers feel simultaneously challenged and supported. The paper discusses implications for reexamining neoliberal approaches to teacher professionalism, mobility, and school organization.&nbsp

Carbon Nanotubes by a CVD Method. Part I: Synthesis and Characterization of the (Mg, Fe)O Catalysts

The controlled synthesis of carbon nanotubes by chemical vapor deposition requires tailored and wellcharacterized catalyst materials. We attempted to synthesize Mg1-xFexO oxide solid solutions by the combustion route, with the aim of performing a detailed investigation of the influence of the synthesis conditions (nitrate/urea ratio and the iron content) on the valency and distribution of the iron ions and phases. Notably, characterization of the catalyst materials is performed using 57Fe Mo¨ssbauer spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electron microscopy. Several iron species are detected including Fe2+ ions substituting for Mg2+ in the MgO lattice, Fe3+ ions dispersed in the octahedral sites of MgO, different clusters of Fe3+ ions, and MgFe2O4-like nanoparticles. The dispersion of these species and the microstructure of the oxides are discussed. Powders markedly different from one another that may serve as model systems for further study are identified. The formation of carbon nanotubes upon reduction in a H2/CH4 gas atmosphere of the selected powders is reported in a companion paper

Binding mechanism of arsenate on rutile (110) and (001) planes studied using grazing-incidence EXAFS measurement and DFT calculation

Characterization of contaminant molecules on different exposed crystal planes is required to conclusively describe its behavior on mineral surfaces. Here, the structural properties and relative stability of arsenate adsorbed on rutile TiO2 (110) and (001) surfaces were investigated using grazing-incidence extended X-ray absorption fine structure (GI-EXAFS) spectra and periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculation. The combined results indicated that arsenate mainly formed inner-sphere bidentate binuclear (BB) and monodentate mononuclear (MM) complexes on both surfaces, but the orientational polar angles of arsenate on the (110) surface were commonly smaller than that on the (001) surface for the two adsorption modes. The DFT calculation showed that the (110) plane had a higher affinity toward arsenate than the (001) plane, suggesting that, for a given adsorption mode (i.e., MM or BB structure), a small polar angle was more favorable for arsenate stabilized on the rutile surfaces

Fe/Co Alloys for the Catalytic Chemical Vapor Deposition Synthesis of Single- and Double-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs). 1. The CNT−Fe/Co−MgO System

Mg0.90FexCoyO (x + y ) 0.1) solid solutions were synthesized by the ureic combustion route. Upon reduction at 1000 °C in H2-CH4 of these powders, Fe/Co alloy nanoparticles are formed, which are involved in the formation of carbon nanotubes, which are mostly single and double walled, with an average diameter close to 2.5 nm. Characterizations of the materials are performed using 57Fe Mo¨ssbauer spectroscopy and electron microscopy, and a well-established macroscopic method, based on specific-surface-area measurements, was applied to quantify the carbon quality and the nanotubes quantity. A detailed investigation of the Fe/Co alloys’ formation and composition is reported. An increasing fraction of Co2+ ions hinders the dissolution of iron in the MgO lattice and favors the formation of MgFe2O4-like particles in the oxide powders. Upon reduction, these particles form R-Fe/Co particles with a size and composition (close to Fe0.50Co0.50) adequate for the increased production of carbon nanotubes. However, larger particles are also produced resulting in the formation of undesirable carbon species. The highest CNT quantity and carbon quality are eventually obtained upon reduction of the iron-free Mg0.90Co0.10O solid solution, in the absence of clusters of metal ions in the starting material. Introduction Catalyti

Ubiquitous Presence of Fe(II) in Aquatic Colloids and Its Association with Organic Carbon

Despite being thermodynamically less stable, small ferrous colloids (60 nm to 3 μm in diameter) remain an important component of the biogeochemical cycle at the Earth’s surface, yet their composition and structure and the reasons for their persistence are still poorly understood. Here we use X-ray-based Fe L-edge and carbon K-edge spectromicroscopy to address the speciation and organic–mineral associations of ferrous, ferric, and Fe-poor particles collected from sampling sites in both marine and freshwater environments. We show that Fe(II)-rich phases are prevalent throughout different aquatic regimes yet exhibit a high degree of chemical heterogeneity. Furthermore, we show that Fe-rich particles show strong associations with organic carbon. The observed association of Fe(II) particles with carboxamide functional groups suggests a possible microbial role in the preservation of Fe(II). These finding have significant implications for the behavior of Fe(II) colloids in oxygenated waters, and their role in different aquatic biogeochemical processes

Characterization of nanoparticle formation and aggregation on mineral surfaces

The research effort in the Waychunas group is focused on the characterization and measurement of processes at the mineral-water interfaces specifically related to the onset of precipitation. This effort maps into one of the main project groups with the Penn State University EMSI (CEKA) known as PIG (Precipitation Interest Group), and involves collaborations with several members of that group. Both synchrotron experimentation and technique development are objectives, with the goals of allowing precipitation from single molecule attachment to sub-monolayer coverage to be detected and analyzed. The problem being addressed is the change in reactivity of mineral interfaces due to passivation or activation by precipitates or sorbates. In the case of passivation, fewer active sites may be involved in reactions with environmental fluids, while in the activated case the precipitate may be much more reactive than the substrate, or result in the creation of a higher density of active sites. We approach this problem by making direct measurements of several types of precipitation reactions: iron-aluminum oxide formation on quartz and other substrates from both homogeneous (in solution) nucleation, and heterogeneous (on the surface) nucleation; precipitation and sorption of silicate monomers and polymers on Fe oxide surfaces; and development of grazing-incidence small angle x-ray scattering (GISAXS) as a tool for in-situ measurement of precipitate growth, morphology and aggregation. We expect that these projects will produce new fundamental information on reactive interface growth, passivation and activation, and be applicable to a wide range of environmental interfaces