On the origin of extraordinary cyclic strengthening of the austenitic stainless steel Sanicro 25 during fatigue at 700°C.

The origin of the extraordinary strengthening of the highly-alloyed austenitic stainless steel Sanicro 25 during cyclic loading at 700°C was investigated by use of advanced scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Along with substantial change of dislocation structure, nucleation of two distinct populations of nanoparticles was revealed. Fully coherent Cu-rich nanoparticles were observed homogeneously dispersed with high density along with nanometer-sized incoherent NbC carbides precipitating on dislocations during cyclic loading. Probe-corrected HAADF STEM imaging was used to characterize the atomic structure of nanoparticles. Compositional analysis was conducted using both EELS and high spatial resolution EDS. High temperature exposure induced precipitation of a high density of coherent Cu-rich nanoparticles while strain-induced nucleation of incoherent NbC nanoparticles leads to retardation of dislocation movement. The pinning effects and associated obstacles to dislocation motion prevent recovery and formation of the localized low-energy cellular structures. As a consequence, the alloy exhibits remarkable cyclic hardening at elevated temperature.

A microarray for screening the variability of 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer in Pseudomonas syringae.

The 16S-23S ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS1) is often used as a subspecies or strain-specific molecular marker for various kinds of bacteria. However, the presence of different copies of ITS1 within a single genome has been reported. Such mosaicism may influence correct typing of many bacteria and therefore knowledge about exact configuration of this region in a particular genome is essential. In order to screen the variability of ITS1 among and within Pseudomonas syringae genomes, an oligonucleotide microarray targeting different configurations of ITS1 was developed. The microarray revealed seven distinct variants in 13 pathovars tested and detected mosaicism within the genomes of P. syringae pv. coronafaciens, pisi, syringae and tabaci. In addition, the findings presented here challenge the using of rRNA analysis for pathovar and strain determination.

The checkerboard pattern of Bi(0.63)Sr(0.37)MnO(3) determined using resonant x-ray scattering at the Mn K edge.

A study using resonant x-ray scattering at the Mn K edge has been carried out on a Bi(0.63)Sr(0.37)MnO(3) single crystal. This compound undergoes a metal-insulator phase transition to the so-called charge ordered (CO) state at about 530 K. Strong resonance signals were observed at room temperature as the energy was tuned through the Mn K edge for several superstructures of the CO phase. The energy, polarization and azimuth angle dependences agree with a checkerboard ordering in the ab plane of manganese atoms of two types, in terms of their different local geometrical structures. One of the sites is anisotropic-a tetragonal distorted oxygen octahedron-and the other is isotropic-a nearly undistorted one, as observed for Bi(0.5)Sr(0.5)MnO(3) and other half-doped manganites. This result indicates that the checkerboard pattern is strongly stable and extends to doping concentrations x<0.5. No superstructures corresponding to the doubling of the c axis were detected. Intermediate valence states lower than 3.5, according to the fractional charge segregation, were deduced for the two non-equivalent Mn atoms, i.e. Mn(3.30+) and Mn(3.44+).

Magnetic and electronic properties of Bi(0.75)Ca(0.25)MnO(3).

The magnetic, structural and electronic properties of Bi(0.75)Ca(0.25)MnO(3) have been investigated in comparison with those of Bi(0.75)Sr(0.25)MnO(3). Magnetometry, diffraction and muon spin relaxation (µSR) data confirm different structural, magnetic and electronic transitions in the two compounds. The anisotropic changes of cell parameters across the structural transition in Bi(0.75)Ca(0.25)MnO(3) (275 K) differ markedly from the lattice anomalies in Bi(0.75)Sr(0.25)MnO(3) (600 K) and also from those in Bi(0.50)Ca(0.50)MnO(3) (325 K). The ground state of Bi(0.75)Ca(0.25)MnO(3) is characterized by a high degree of spin disorder and frustrated interactions. There is no evidence of a ferromagnetic component in the ground state of Bi(0.75)Ca(0.25)MnO(3). However, the application of a magnetic field (even of a few gauss) produces a continuous progressive polarization of the Mn moments (≈2 µ(B)/Mn at 5 T, ZFC, 5 K). Differences between Ca and Sr perovskites with x = 1/4 are greater than for the x = 1/2 counterparts, and point to distinct ground states and charge/orbital configurations.

Holographic methods in X-ray crystallography. IV. A fast algorithm and its application to macromolecular crystallography.

The holographic method makes use of partially modeled electron density and experimentally measured structure-factor amplitudes to recover electron density corresponding to the unmodeled part of a crystal structure. This paper describes a fast algorithm that makes it possible to apply the holographic method to sizable crystallographic problems. The algorithm uses positivity constraints on the electron density and can incorporate a 'target' electron density, making it similar to solvent flattening. The potential for applying the holographic method to macromolecular X-ray crystallography is assessed using both synthetic and experimental data.

Pneumatoamperometric determination of chlorine in water.

Free chlorine in water can be determined by acidifying the water sample, purging it with nitrogen and determining the chlorine present in the nitrogen stream with a gold porous electrode. The current response of gold porous electrode is related to the concentration of free chlorine by using a calibration curve. This pneumatoamperometric method gives results fully comparable to the standard o-toluidine photometric method used for water supplies. It is uninfluenced by the presence of other dissolved oxidants and requires only one milliliter of sample.

Electrochemical stripping determination of traces of copper, lead, cadmium and zinc in zirconium metal and zirconium dioxide.

Procedures have been developed for the determination of copper, lead, cadmium and zinc in zirconium metal and zirconium dioxide, at concentrations of 1 ppm or less. Zirconium metal was dissolved in suphuric acid, and zirconium dioxide decomposed under pressure with hydrofluoric acid. Sample solutions were prepared in dilute sulphuric acid. For the stripping determination, the sample solution was either mixed with a complexing tartrate base electrolyte or the pre-electrolysis was carried out in acid solution, with the acid solution being exchanged for a pure base electrolyte (e.g. an acetate buffer) for the stripping step. The stripping step was monitored by d.c., differential pulse and Kalousek commutator voltammetry and the three methods were compared. A stationary mercury-drop electrode can generally be used for all the methods, whereas a mercury-film electrode is suitable only for the d.c. voltammetric determination of copper, lead and cadmium, as pulse measurements with films are poorly reproducible and the electrodes are easily damaged. The relative standard deviation does not exceed 20%. Some samples contained relatively large amounts of copper, which is best separated by electrodeposition on a platinum electrode.