Source Of Ions Research Articles

High-energy laser facility PHELIX at GSI: latest advances and extended capabilities

Abstract The high-energy/high-intensity laser facility PHELIX of the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt, Germany, has been in operation since 2008. Here, we review the current system performance, which is the result of continuous development and further improvement. Through its versatile frontend architecture, PHELIX can be operated in both long- and short-pulse modes, corresponding to ns-pulses with up to 1 kJ pulse energy and sub-ps, 200 J pulses, respectively. In the short-pulse mode, the excellent temporal contrast and the control over the wavefront make PHELIX an ideal driver for secondary sources of high-energy ions, neutrons, electrons and X-rays. The long-pulse mode is mainly used for plasma heating, which can then be probed by the heavy-ion beam of the linear accelerator of GSI. In addition, PHELIX can now be used to generate X-rays for studying exotic states of matter created by heavy-ion heating using the ion beam of the heavy-ion synchrotron of GSI.

Deposition of insoluble calcium phosphate layers by combining finely dispersed calcium hydroxide sols with soluble phosphates

Carbonate containing materials are subject to severe weathering. Traditional formulations of stone strengtheners have low compatibility with the original material and further they contain VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which endanger human health and the environment. This study explores the high potential of novel treatments based on water-soluble phosphates used as an agent to react with calcium carbonate (CaCO3) to form an insoluble film of calcium phosphate in the pore space of the treated material. Pretreatments with nanolime suspensions ensure greater availability of calcium ions and reduce the consumption of the original material in the reactions. An alkaline environment is required to promote the conversion of the CaCO3 components to hydroxyapatite-like compounds. Based on experiments in aqueous solutions, different sources of phosphate ions could be examined and compared for the development of effective treatments to apply on different test specimens. To implement the treatments, barium phosphate solutions were investigated. Important aspects of this research are the use of green solvents and the search of components that avoid the formation of byproducts, to increase the efficiency of the chemical reactions and reduce possible negative effects on the operator, the environment and the very same built heritage material. The developed treatments are a valuable alternative to the traditional methods, as it follows an improvement in the material properties without affecting the moisture transport within it and allows the evenly reaction of the strengthened material to external physical and mechanical stresses without creating internal tension between the grains.

Analysis of concentrations of nitrate salts of PM2.5 in downwind marine atmospheres related to gas-particle partitioning and different sources in China

In order to explore the concentration characteristics and sources of major inorganic ions in marine atmospheric PM2.5, this study explores the concentration features of major inorganic ions in PM2.5 under the marine atmospheric observations of the offshore ~2000 km coastline of China in the downwind direction of the land-based sources. The observation results showed that the concentration of NO3- ranged from 0.03-10 μg m-3 with a variation of three orders of magnitude, and the main contributing species in PM2.5 was NO3- in the high concentration level observation period. The E-AIM results showed that NH3, HNO3 did not reach thermodynamic equilibrium with NH4+, NO3-, and ammonium nitrate was in volatile state, both during the day and at night. The results of the source analysis using PMF showed that there were three factors with identifiable contributions to NO3-, with Factor 1 considered to be a source of ship emissions, Factor 2 reflecting aerosols under low and medium pollution scenarios, and Factor 3 being aerosols under heavy pollution scenarios. Factor 3 was the main contributing source of NO3- concentration with a contribution of 84%, followed by Factor 2 (contribution of 15%) and the lowest contribution by Factor 1 (0.7%).

Study of Orbit Motion of Hydrogen and Deuterium Beam Ions Toward Neutral Beam Injection Experiment in Thailand Tokamak-1

Thailand Tokamak-1 (TT-1) is a small tokamak under the operation of the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology. In our future plans, TT-1 has the feasibility of being equipped with external heating systems to achieve high-performance plasma operation and conduct physics associated with fast ions generated by the external heating system. One of the potential external heating systems under consideration is a positive-ion-source-based neutral beam injection (NBI) heating system. The primary source of fast ions for the NBI can be either hydrogen or deuterium-doped hydrogen beams. This study examines how hydrogen and deuterium ions, namely protons and deuterons, respectively, move in orbits, using the Lorentz orbit (LORBIT) code to track their full gyromotion. The energy of the ions has been varied between 200 eV and 40 keV. Three trajectory motions have been characterized, i.e., counter-passing ion, co-passing ion, and trapped ion. The average Larmor radius, dependent on the ion energies, has been investigated. The Larmor radius significantly increases with increasing ion energy in the case of trapped ions, while in the case of counter- and co-passing ions, the Larmor radius exhibits a slight increase with increasing ion energy. Furthermore, the pitch angle range of the lost ion in the TT-1 has been investigated. The results demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing a deuterium-doped hydrogen beam in TT-1 to study fast ion physics. To avoid a large number of lost ions, it is possible to use a deuterium-doped hydrogen beam with an energy not exceeding approximately 10 keV in the TT-1.

Manganese and Nitrogen Doped Biomass-Based Activated Carbons As Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction and Water Splitting

In this study, an efficient manganese (Mn) and nitrogen (N) co-doped carbon materials were prepared using the three raw materials, namely alder charcoal (Mn-N-CAC), hydrothermally carbonised birch wood (Mn-N-CW), and black liquor (Mn-N-CBL). At first, biomass-based activated carbon materials were synthesized. Mn and N were co-doped in one step using the reaction mixture containing Mn2+ ions source, activated carbon material, and dicyandiamide (DCDA) in dimethylformamide (DMF). DMF was evaporated and the mixture was treated for 60 min at a temperature of 800 ºC. The specific surface area, morphology, structure, and composition of Mn-N-C were determined using BET, TEM, XPS, Raman, XRD, and ICP-OES. Activity of resulted Mn-N-C materials was evaluated for oxygen reduction (ORR) as well as for hydrogen and oxygen evolution (HER and OER) using linear-sweep voltammetry (LSV) with a rotating disk electrode (RDE) in alkaline media.It was found that all Mn-N-C materials had a high specific surface area in the range of approximately of 1800 to 2200 m2 g-1 but the Mn-N-CBL presented a higher contribution of the mesopores in comaparison to Mn-N-CAC and Mn-N-CW which are similar. All synthesized Mn-N-C materials exhibit excellent electrocatalytic activity for ORR with the onset and half-wave potentials of approximately 0.88‒0.90 and 0.80‒0.84 V, respectively, showing the 4e‒ electrons transfer path in 0.1 M KOH solution. The Mn-N-C materials also show enhanced activity for HER and OER in alkaline media. Acknowledgment The “Sustainably Produced Carbon Nanomaterials for Energy Applications (SuNaMa)” benefits from a 988000 € grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway through the EEA Grants. The aim of the project is to develop innovative, high-performance, highly conductive, electrocatalytically active, durable, cost-effective, and high surface area nanocarbon materials. Project contract with the Research Council of Lithuania (LMTLT) No. is S-BMT-21-12 (LT08-2-LMT-K-01-055).

Development and implementation of holmium sources produced by molecular plating for the HOLMES experiment

This manuscript reports on the optimization of a molecular plating procedure for the production of uniform and homogeneous films of holmium deposited onto gold-plated copper substrate. In particular, the effects caused by molecular plating solvents with different vapour pressure on the morphology and stability of the resulting films were investigated, allowing the selection of the optimum solvent. The developed procedure will allow allow the production of sources of holmium ions for the envisaged HOLMES experiment aiming at the direct measurement of the neutrino mass.

Development and Testing of a High-Frequency Driver for a Charge-Exchange Source of Negative Hydrogen Ions

A source of negative hydrogen ions based on the recharging of a beam of positive ions in a gas target is being developed at the Institute of Nuclear Physics. G.I. Budker SB RAS. The charge exchange source can be used to inject into the tandem accelerator a neutron source intended for boron neutron capture therapy. One of the important elements of the source is the plasma emitter, which creates positive ions for primary acceleration. As an emitter, a high-frequency driver based on an induction discharge and designed for a multi-second operating mode was chosen. In this work, we measured the emission characteristics of a high-frequency driver using a moving grid probe. As a result, the parameters necessary for the use of the driver in a rechargeable source of negative ions have been achieved. The analysis of experimentally measured thermal loads in the multisecond mode is carried out.

The Chemical Weathering of Rocks and Its Carbon Sink Effect in the Naqu River Basin of the Nujiang River Source Area, Southwest China

Carbon plays an important role in global climate change. The mechanisms of carbon sources and carbon sinks have also received wide attention from society, and the physical and chemical characteristics of riverine ions can reflect the chemical weathering of rocks and carbon sink capacity of river basins. Based on the data on river, rainwater, and rock samples from 2019, this study used various methods, such as ion ratio diagrams and ternary diagrams, to analyze the chemical characteristics of water; the chemical weathering and carbon sink effects of rocks were also calculated while assuming three scenarios based on the main sources of ions in the Naqu River. The results showed that for the whole catchment, the main ion sources in the river were: carbonate rock chemical weathering > silicate rock chemical weathering > evaporite dissolution > atmospheric precipitation input. According to the calculations, in the three scenarios, the carbonate weathering rates were 16.84, 11.32, and 14.08 t/km2/yr, and the carbon sink capacities were 66.47, 121.13, and 93.80 mol/km2/yr, respectively; the evaporite weathering rates were 2.20, 9.63, and 5.92 t/km2/yr, respectively. The silicate chemical weathering rate and carbon sink capacity did not change significantly in either scenario, with 6.82 t/km2/yr and 248.6 mol/km2/yr, respectively. This study quantified the ion sources in the Naqu River basin and accurately analyzed their chemical genesis, which helps in understanding the role of the rivers of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau in the global carbon cycle and global climate change, in addition to providing a reference for the scientific development of the Nujing River.

Laboratory ECR Source of Light Ions with a Resonant Discharge Chamber for Installation on a High-Voltage Platform

Laboratory ECR Source of Light Ions with a Resonant Discharge Chamber for Installation on a High-Voltage Platform

A Comparative Analysis of Phytochemicals, Metal Ions, Volatile Metabolites in Heart Wood, Stem Bark and Leaves of Salix alba L. along with in Vitro Antioxidant, Antacid, Antimicrobial Activities for Sake of Environment Conservation by Substitution of Stem Bark With Leaf.

The genus of Salix is used in food, medicine and nutraceuticals, and standardized by using the single marker compound Salicin only. Stem bark is the official part used for the preparation of various drugs, nutraceuticals and food products, which may lead to overexploitation and damage of tree. There is need to search substitution of the stem bark with leaf of Salix alba L. (SA), which is yet not reported. Comparative phytochemicals viz. Salicin, Procyanidin B1 and Catechin were quantified in the various parts of SA viz. heart wood (SA-HW), stem bark (SA-SB) and leaves (SA-L) of Salix alba L.by using newly developed HPLC method. It was observed that SA-HW and SA-L contained far better amount of Salicin, Procyanidin B and Catechin as compared to SA-SB (SA-HW~SA-L≫SA-SB). Essential and toxic metal ions of all three parts were analysed using newly developed ICP-OES method, where SA-L were founded as a rich source of micronutrients and essential metal ions as compared to SA-SB and SA-HW. GC-MS analysis has shown the presence of fatty acids and volatile compounds. The observed TPC and TFC values for all three parts were ranged from 2.69 to 32.30 mg GAE/g of wt. and 37.57 to 220.76 mg QCE/g of wt. respectively. In DPPH assay the IC50 values of SA-SB, SA-HW, and SA-L were 1.09 (±0.02), 5.42 (±0.08), and 8.82 (±0.10) mg/mL, respectively. The order of antibacterial activities against E. coli, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and B. subtilis strains was SA-L>SA-HW>SA-SB with strong antibacterial activities against S. aureus, and B. subtilis strains. The antacid activities order was SA-L>SA-SB>SA-HW. The leaves of SA have shown significant source of nutrients, phytochemicals and medicinal properties than SA-HW and SA-SB. The leaves of SA may be considered as substitute of stem bark to save the environment or to avoid over exploitation, but after the complete pharmacological and toxicological studies.

Mechanistic Analysis and Control of Electro‐Fabrication with Soft Matter: Polysaccharide Self‐Assembly with Electrochemically Produced Metal Ions

AbstractElectro‐fabrication is an emerging additive manufacturing approach that includes a variety of mechanisms and crosslinking chemistries to induce the self‐assembly‐ of soft matter. Within electro‐fabrication techniques, anodic electro‐fabrication is of great interest, because it can use the electrode as a sacrificial source of metal ions for the controlled formation of chelated hydrogels. However, it remains challenging to understand how the various solution conditions (e.g., buffer capacity, ligands) and imposed voltages must be controlled to achieve the chelation and sol‐gel transition. Herein, a comprehensive thermodynamics‐based framework is built to guide the selection of conditions for the self ‐assembly of polysaccharide hydrogels by crosslinking with transition metal ions generated via corrosion. This methodology is demonstrated through real‐time spectro‐electrochemical monitoring and employed for the electro‐fabrication of chitosan hydrogels chelated with Au3+, Ag+, Cu2+, and Pd2+, and alginate hydrogels chelated with Cu2+. The presented guidelines are intended to extend the capabilities of the controlled fabrication of assemblies crosslinked with metal ions, opening new horizons for unprecedented materials design with precisely tailored structures and functions.

Enhancing biocement precipitation potential of locally isolated soil ureolytic bacteria using seawater

A locally isolated ureolytic bacterial strain, identified as Kurthia zopfii strain Bal19, was retrieved from soil samples taken at Zoo Johor, Malaysia. It demonstrated remarkable biocement precipitation capabilities, yielding 1.23 g/L when combined with seawater, serving as an economical source of calcium ions. This promising performance suggests the viability of using this specific bacterial strain in tandem with seawater for cost-effective biocement precipitation (BCP), offering a compelling alternative to conventional calcium salts like calcium chloride for large-scale biocementation applications in Malaysia.

Analyses of ∼0.05–2 MeV Ions Associated with the 2022 February 16 Energetic Storm Particle Event Observed by Parker Solar Probe

We present analyses of 0.05–2 MeV ions from the 2022 February 16 energetic storm particle event observed by Parker Solar Probe's (PSP) IS⊙IS/EPI-Lo instrument at 0.35 au from the Sun. This event was characterized by an enhancement in ion fluxes from a quiet background, increasing gradually with time with a nearly flat spectrum, rising sharply near the arrival of the coronal mass ejection (CME)–driven shock, becoming nearly a power-law spectrum, then decaying exponentially afterward, with a rate that was independent of energy. From the observed fluxes, we determine diffusion coefficients, finding that far upstream of the shock the diffusion coefficients are nearly independent of energy, with a value of 1020 cm2 s−1. Near the shock, the diffusion coefficients are more than 1 order of magnitude smaller and increase nearly linearly with energy. We also determine the source of energetic particles, by comparing ratios of the intensities at the shock to estimates of the quiet-time intensity to predictions from diffusive shock acceleration theory. We conclude that the source of energetic ions is mostly the solar wind for this event. We also present potential interpretations of the near-exponential decay of the intensity behind the shock. One possibility we suggest is that the shock was overexpanding when it crossed PSP and the energetic particle intensity decreased behind the shock to fill the expanding volume. Overexpanding CMEs could well be more common closer to the Sun, and this is an example of such a case.

Optimization of anodizing parameters for the morphological properties of TiO2 nanotubes based on response surface methodology

TiO2 nanotube (TNT) morphology is crucial for applications in a variety of fields. In this paper, response surface methodology (RSM) has been utilized to optimize the anodizing parameters i.e., electrolyte concentration (C), anodization voltage (V), and time (t) for morphology (e.g., nanotube diameter and length) of TNTs. Ethylene glycol (EG) based electrolyte has been used for anodization employing ammonium fluoride (NH4F) as a source of fluoride ion (F–) with 2.5 vol% H2O. Reliable regression models have been developed between the input variables and the corresponding responses, namely tube diameter and length with multiple regression coefficients of 0.9649 and 0.9253, respectively, revealing a trustworthy association between the actual and those predicted values using the quadratic model. The predicted values of C (0.31 wt%), V (38.44 V), and t (69.37 min) were found to be the optimum anodization condition preceding a TiO2 nanotubes diameter of 99.31 nm and length of 4572.64 nm. It was observed that the nanotubes diameter and length are more affected by anodizing voltage and time, and less sensitive to NH4F concentration. Therefore, RMS could be an appropriate technique to optimize anodizing parameters for producing TiO2 nanotubes with good morphology.

Layered double hydroxide nanoparticles for a smartphone digital image colorimetry-based determination of fluoride ions in water, milk and dental products

A novel smartphone digital image colorimetry-based approach was developed for fluoride ion determination, using layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanoparticles (Mg2Al(OH)7) as sorbents for analyte preconcentration and as a source of a central metal ion for a colored complex formation. A cotton rotating disk provided effective retention of the LDH nanoparticles during solid-phase microextraction and elution, excluding time-consuming centrifugation process. In the proposed procedure, the nanoparticles acted as aluminum ion source for alizarin complexone-Al3+-F– complex formation. An image of Eppendorf tube, containing the colored complex solution was obtained by a smartphone and converted, using the RGB model for fluoride ion determination. The procedure had a linear range of 0.20–20 mg L−1 with a limit of detection of 0.06 mg L−1. The developed procedure provided effective fluoride separation from various matrices for its determination by a smartphone without additional sample pretreatment.

Spatial Distribution and Factors Influencing the Various Forms of Iron in Alluvial–Lacustrine Clayey Aquitard

The compression release of pore water in clayey aquitards has a significant impact on groundwater quality. Iron is an active variable element that mediates biochemical reactions in groundwater systems, but its transformation mechanisms in clayey aquitards remain unclear. The sediment and pore water samples from the shallow clayey aquitard (thickness = ~20 m) in the Chen Lake area of China were collected in three boreholes. The spatial distribution and influencing factors of Fe occurrence in the aquitard were revealed using hierarchical extraction, statistical analysis, and simulation calculations. The results indicate that the background value of alluvial–lacustrine sediments primarily affects the Fe concentration of clayey sediments. The dissimilatory reduction in free Fe oxide was the main source of Fe ions in pore water, resulting in a major percentage of Fe2+ in the total Fe concentration (0.07−5.91 mg/L). The abundant organic matter in organic-rich clay promoted a dissimilatory reduction in Fe (III) oxides, while the Fe concentrations of sediment and pore water were lower in the sand-rich stratum because of its weak adsorption capacity. The impact of human reclamation activities on the aquitard was mainly concentrated in the shallow layer (>−3 m), resulting in water drainage and O2 and CO2 input, which induced the crystallization of poorly crystalline Fe oxides. The input of reactive organic matter from reclaimed crops promoted the dissimilatory reduction in Fe oxides and the enrichment of Fe in deep pore water. The copious Fe2+ in deep stratum pore water tended to interact with CO32− and S2− to form coprecipitation with Fe (II). The concentrations of As, Cr, Sr, Zn, and Mn in pore water followed a similar variation trend to the Fe ion concentration, and their release could be attributed to the reduction dissolution of sediment Fe (III) oxides.

Hantzsch Esters Enabled [2π+2σ] Cycloadditions of Bicyclo [1.1.0] butanes and Alkenes under Photo Conditions.

Hantzsch esters (HEs) are widely recognized as sources of hydride ions (H-) and sacrificial electron donors in their ground state. Here, we report the application of HE as a mediator in [2π+2σ] cycloaddition of bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes (BCBs) with alkenes under photo conditions. Through this strategy, various substituted bicyclo[2.1.1]hexanes can be efficiently prepared.

Undenatured type II collagen and its role in improving osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease, affecting 32.5 million US adults or 242 million people worldwide. There is no cure for OA. Many animal and clinical trials showed that oral administration of undenatured type II collagen could significantly reduce the incidence of OA or alleviate the symptoms of articular cartilage. Type II collagen is an important component of cartilage matrix. This article reviewed research progress of undenatured type II collagen including its methods of extraction and preparation, structure and characterization, solubility, thermal stability, gastrointestinal digestive stability, its role in improving OA, and the mechanism of its action in improving OA. Type II collagen has been extensively explored for its potential in improving arthritis. Methods of extraction of type II collagen are inefficient and tedious. The method of limited enzymatic hydrolysis is mainly used to prepare soluble undenatured type II collagen (SC II). The solubility, thermal and gastrointestinal digestive stability of SC II are affected by the sources of raw material, pH, salt ions, and temperature. Oral administration of undenatured type II collagen improves OA, whereas its activity is affected by the sources, degree of denaturalization, intervention methods and doses. However, the influence of the structure of undenatured type II collagen on its activity and the mechanism are unclear. The findings in this review support that undenatured type II collagen can be used in the intervention or auxiliary intervention of patients with OA.

Temporal Variation and Potential Sources of Water-Soluble Inorganic Ions in PM2.5 in Two Sites of Mexico City

This study presents the characterization and source apportionment of water-soluble inorganic ions (WSII), contained in particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter equal to or less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5), performed using the positive matrix factorization model (PMF). PM2.5 were collected in Mexico City from two sites: at Merced (MER), which is a residential location with commercial activities, and at Metropolitan Autonomous University (UAM), which is located in an industrial area. The monitoring campaign was carried out across three seasons named Hot Dry (HD) (March–June), Rain (RA) (July–October), and Cold Dry (CD) (November-February). PM2.5 concentration behavior in both sites was similar, following the order: CD > HD > RA. The UAM site exhibited higher concentrations of PM2.5, of the five cations (Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+, K+ and NH4+), and of the four anions (Cl−, SO42−, NO3− and PO43−) than MER, since the UAM site is surrounded by several industrial zones. PM2.5 average concentrations for UAM and MER were 28.4 ± 11.2 and 20.7 ± 8.4 μg m−3, respectively. The ratio of cation equivalent to anion equivalent (CE/AC) showed that aerosol pH is acidic, which was confirmed by direct pH measurements. The sulfur oxidation rate (SOR) was 20 times larger than the nitrogen oxidation rate (NOR). Additionally, SO42− was the most abundant ion during the whole year, especially during the CD season with 5.13 ± 2.5 μg m−3 and 4.9 ± 3.6 μg m−3 for UAM and MER, respectively, when solar radiation displayed a high intensity. On the opposite side, the conversion of NO2 to NO3−, respectively, was low. The air mass backward trajectories were modeled using the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA-HYSPLIT), which allowed us to know that differences in the mass trajectories during the days with higher concentrations were due to an effect of air recirculation, which favored PM2.5 accumulation and resuspension. On the other hand, on the days with less PM2.5, good air dispersion was observed. The main sources identified with the PMF model were secondary aerosol, vehicular, industrial crustal, and biomass burning for UAM, while for MER they were vehicular, secondary aerosol, and crustal.

Difference in the Osteoblastic Calcium Signaling Response Between Compression and Stretching Mechanical Stimuli

In orthodontics, various forms of mechanical stimulation induce opposing bone metabolism mechanisms. Bone resorption and bone formation occur in areas of compressive and tensile force action, respectively. The mechanism that causes such a difference in bone metabolism is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the difference in the osteoblastic calcium signaling response between compression and stretching mechanical stimuli. We applied two types of mechanical stimuli to osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells: first microneedle direct indentation onto the cell as compression stimuli, and second stretching stimuli by using originally developed cell stretching MEMS device. Cells were treated with thapsigargin and calcium-free medium to investigate the source of the calcium ion. The results demonstrated variations in the osteoblastic calcium signaling response between the compression and stretching stimuli. The magnitude of an increase in the intracellular calcium ion concentration is much higher in the compression stimuli-applied cell group. Treatment of calcium-free medium nearly suppressed the calcium signaling response to both types of mechanical stimulation. Thapsigargin treatment induced an increase in the magnitude of calcium signaling response to the compression stimuli, while suppressed the slow and sustained increase in the calcium ion concentration in the stretching stimuli-applied cell group. These findings demonstrate the difference in the characteristics of osteoblastic calcium signaling response between compression and stretching mechanical stimuli.