Enhanced Oxygen Ion Conductivity and Ionic Conduction Mechanistic Visualization in Tetragonal Zircon-Type Pr1-x Sr x VO4-0.5x

Oxide-ion conductors based on tetrahedral anion-related oxides have attracted considerable attention due to their high oxygen-ion conductivity and potential applications in clean energy devices, such as solid-state fuel cells. In this study, we report the improvement of oxide-ion conductivity by Sr2+ doping in isolated tetrahedral zircon-type PrVO4. It is found that Pr0.975Sr0.025VO4-delta features the highest…

Topotactic Reduction-Induced Stabilization of β-La2Mo2O8.68 Phase: Structure, Static Oxygen Disorder, and Electrical Properties

La2Mo2O9 is acknowledged as an exceptional oxide ion conductor. It undergoes a reversible phase transition around 580 degrees C from the nonconductive low-temperature monoclinic alpha-La2Mo2O9 phase to the highly conductive high-temperature cubic beta-La2Mo2O9 phase. In addition, La2Mo2O9 demonstrates complex chemistry under reducing conditions. This study reports, for the first time, the stabilization at ambient temperature…

Investigation of Sn Promoter on Ni/CeO2 Catalysts for Enhanced Acetylene Semihydrogenation to Ethylene

Ethylene, as an important chemical raw material, could be produced through the coal-based acetylene hydrogenation route. Nickel-based catalysts demonstrate significant activity in the semihydrogenation reaction of acetylene, but they encounter challenges related to catalyst deactivation and overhydrogenation. Herein, the effect of Sn promoter on Ni/CeO2 catalysts has been comprehensively explored for acetylene semihydrogenation. The optimized…

Nanoparticulated Bimodal Contrast Agent for Ultra-High-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectral X-ray Computed Tomography

Bimodal medical imaging based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) is a well-known strategy to increase the diagnostic accuracy. The most recent advances in MRI and CT instrumentation are related to the use of ultra-high magnetic fields (UHF-MRI) and different working voltages (spectral CT), respectively. Such advances require the parallel development of…

Dysprosium and Holmium Vanadate Nanoprobes as High-Performance Contrast Agents for High-Field Magnetic Resonance and Computed Tomography Imaging

We describe a wet chemical method for the synthesis of uniform and well-dispersed dysprosium vanadate (DyVO4) and holmium vanadate (HoVO4) nanoparticles with an almost spherical shape and a mean size of ∼60 nm and their functionalization with poly(acrylic acid). The transverse magnetic relaxivity of both systems at 9.4 T is analyzed on the basis of…

Tailoring the Band Gap in the ZnS/ZnSe System: Solid Solutions by a Mechanically Induced Self-Sustaining Reaction

The complete ZnSxSe1-x solid solution was successfully obtained by the mechanochemical process denoted as a mechanically induced self-sustaining reaction. Excellent control of the chemical stoichiometry of the solid solution was possible by adjusting the atomic ratio of the starting Zn/S/Se elemental mixture subjected to milling. A mixture of both wurtzite-2H (hexagonal) and zinc blende (cubic)…

Local Disorder and Tunable Luminescence in Sr1–x/2Al2–xSixO4 (0.2 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) Transparent Ceramics

Eu-doped Sr1–x/2Al2–xSixO4 (x = 0.2, 0.4, and 0.5) transparent ceramics have been synthesized by full and congruent crystallization from glasses prepared by aerodynamic levitation and laser-heating method. Structural refinements from synchrotron and neutron powder diffraction data show that the ceramics adopt a 1 × 1 × 2 superstructure compared to the SrAl2O4 hexagonal polymorph. While the observed superstructure…

Structural, Optical, and Electrical Characterization of Yttrium-Substituted BiFeO3 Ceramics Prepared by Mechanical Activation

Ceramics of Bi1-xYxFeO3 solid solutions (x = 0.02, 0.07, and 0.10) have been prepared by mechanical activation followed by sintering. The effect of yttrium content on the structural, electrical, and optical properties of the materials has been studied. Thus, single-phase solid solutions with rhombohedral R3c structure have been achieved for x = 0.02 and 0.07,…

Crystal Structures and Photoluminescence across the La2Si2O7–Ho2Si2O7 System

The La2Si2O7−Ho2Si2O7 system displays a solid solubility region of G-(La,Ho)2Si2O7 which extends to the La0.6Ho1.4Si2O7 composition. Compositions richer in Ho3+ show a two-phase domain (G+δ), while δ-(La,Ho)2Si2O7 is the stable phase for Ho3+ contents higher than La0.2Ho1.8Si2O7. A preferential occupation of Ho for the RE2 site of the G-unit cell is observed. Luminescence measurements have…

Synthesis and Properties of Multifunctional Tetragonal Eu:GdPO4 Nanocubes for Optical and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Applications

A simple and fast (7 min) procedure for synthesis of gadolinium phosphate nanocubes (edge = 75 nm) based on the microwave-assisted heating at 120 °C of gadolinium acetylacetonate and phosphoric acid solutions in buthylene glycol is reported. These nanocubes were highly crystalline and crystallized into a tetragonal structure, which has not been ever reported for…