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Wilke SK, Benmore CJ, Alderman OLG, Sivaraman G, Ruehl MD, Hawthorne KL, Tamalonis A, Andersson DA, Williamson MA, Weber R. Plutonium oxide melt structure and covalency. Nat Mater 2024:10.1038/s41563-024-01883-3. [PMID: 38671164 DOI: 10.1038/s41563-024-01883-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Advances in nuclear power reactors include the use of mixed oxide fuel, containing uranium and plutonium oxides. The high-temperature behaviour and structure of PuO2-x above 1,800 K remain largely unexplored, and these conditions must be considered for reactor design and planning for the mitigation of severe accidents. Here, we measure the atomic structure of PuO2-x through the melting transition up to 3,000 ± 50 K using X-ray scattering of aerodynamically levitated and laser-beam-heated samples, with O/Pu ranging from 1.57 to 1.76. Liquid structural models consistent with the X-ray data are developed using machine-learned interatomic potentials and density functional theory. Molten PuO1.76 contains some degree of covalent Pu-O bonding, signalled by the degeneracy of Pu 5f and O 2p orbitals. The liquid is isomorphous with molten CeO1.75, demonstrating the latter as a non-radioactive, non-toxic, structural surrogate when differences in the oxidation potentials of Pu and Ce are accounted for. These characterizations provide essential constraints for modelling pertinent to reactor safety design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen K Wilke
- Materials Development, Inc., Arlington Heights, IL, USA.
- X-Ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL, USA.
| | - Chris J Benmore
- X-Ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL, USA
| | - Oliver L G Alderman
- ISIS Neutron & Muon Source, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, UK
| | - Ganesh Sivaraman
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Matthew D Ruehl
- Chemical and Fuel Cycle Technologies Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL, USA
| | - Krista L Hawthorne
- Chemical and Fuel Cycle Technologies Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL, USA
| | | | - David A Andersson
- Materials Science and Technology Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA
| | - Mark A Williamson
- Chemical and Fuel Cycle Technologies Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL, USA
| | - Richard Weber
- Materials Development, Inc., Arlington Heights, IL, USA
- X-Ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL, USA
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2
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Nasralla M, Laurent H, Alderman OLG, Headen TF, Dougan L. Trimethylamine-N-oxide depletes urea in a peptide solvation shell. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2317825121. [PMID: 38536756 PMCID: PMC10998561 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2317825121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) and urea are metabolites that are used by some marine animals to maintain their cell volume in a saline environment. Urea is a well-known denaturant, and TMAO is a protective osmolyte that counteracts urea-induced protein denaturation. TMAO also has a general protein-protective effect, for example, it counters pressure-induced protein denaturation in deep-sea fish. These opposing effects on protein stability have been linked to the spatial relationship of TMAO, urea, and protein molecules. It is generally accepted that urea-induced denaturation proceeds through the accumulation of urea at the protein surface and their subsequent interaction. In contrast, it has been suggested that TMAO's protein-stabilizing effects stem from its exclusion from the protein surface, and its ability to deplete urea from protein surfaces; however, these spatial relationships are uncertain. We used neutron diffraction, coupled with structural refinement modeling, to study the spatial associations of TMAO and urea with the tripeptide derivative glycine-proline-glycinamide in aqueous urea, aqueous TMAO, and aqueous urea-TMAO (in the mole ratio 1:2 TMAO:urea). We found that TMAO depleted urea from the peptide's surface and that while TMAO was not excluded from the tripeptide's surface, strong atomic interactions between the peptide and TMAO were limited to hydrogen bond donating peptide groups. We found that the repartition of urea, by TMAO, was associated with preferential TMAO-urea bonding and enhanced urea-water hydrogen bonding, thereby anchoring urea in the bulk solution and depleting urea from the peptide surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mazin Nasralla
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, LeedsLS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Harrison Laurent
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, LeedsLS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Oliver L. G. Alderman
- Disordered Materials Group, ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, DidcotOX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas F. Headen
- Disordered Materials Group, ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, DidcotOX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - Lorna Dougan
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, LeedsLS2 9JT, United Kingdom
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Wilke SK, Al-Rubkhi A, Koyama C, Ishikawa T, Oda H, Topper B, Tsekrekas EM, Möncke D, Alderman OLG, Menon V, Rafferty J, Clark E, Kastengren AL, Benmore CJ, Ilavsky J, Neuefeind J, Kohara S, SanSoucie M, Phillips B, Weber R. Microgravity effects on nonequilibrium melt processing of neodymium titanate: thermophysical properties, atomic structure, glass formation and crystallization. NPJ Microgravity 2024; 10:26. [PMID: 38448495 PMCID: PMC10918169 DOI: 10.1038/s41526-024-00371-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
The relationships between materials processing and structure can vary between terrestrial and reduced gravity environments. As one case study, we compare the nonequilibrium melt processing of a rare-earth titanate, nominally 83TiO2-17Nd2O3, and the structure of its glassy and crystalline products. Density and thermal expansion for the liquid, supercooled liquid, and glass are measured over 300-1850 °C using the Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF) in microgravity, and two replicate density measurements were reproducible to within 0.4%. Cooling rates in ELF are 40-110 °C s-1 lower than those in a terrestrial aerodynamic levitator due to the absence of forced convection. X-ray/neutron total scattering and Raman spectroscopy indicate that glasses processed on Earth and in microgravity exhibit similar atomic structures, with only subtle differences that are consistent with compositional variations of ~2 mol. % Nd2O3. The glass atomic network contains a mixture of corner- and edge-sharing Ti-O polyhedra, and the fraction of edge-sharing arrangements decreases with increasing Nd2O3 content. X-ray tomography and electron microscopy of crystalline products reveal substantial differences in microstructure, grain size, and crystalline phases, which arise from differences in the melt processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen K Wilke
- Materials Development, Inc., Evanston, IL, 60202, USA.
- X-ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL, 60439, USA.
| | | | | | | | - Hirohisa Oda
- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Brian Topper
- Center for High Technology Materials, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87106, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Tsekrekas
- Inamori School of Engineering at the New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred University, Alfred, NY, 14802, USA
| | - Doris Möncke
- Inamori School of Engineering at the New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred University, Alfred, NY, 14802, USA
| | - Oliver L G Alderman
- ISIS Neutron & Muon Source, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 0QX, UK
| | | | | | - Emma Clark
- Materials Development, Inc., Evanston, IL, 60202, USA
| | - Alan L Kastengren
- X-ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL, 60439, USA
| | - Chris J Benmore
- X-ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL, 60439, USA
| | - Jan Ilavsky
- X-ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL, 60439, USA
| | - Jörg Neuefeind
- Neutron Science Division, Spallation Neutron Source, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Shinji Kohara
- National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan
| | | | | | - Richard Weber
- Materials Development, Inc., Evanston, IL, 60202, USA
- X-ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL, 60439, USA
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Byrne EL, Madhukailya S, Alderman OLG, Blesic M, Holbrey JD. The role of urea in formation of the sodium acetate trihydrate (SAT)-urea eutectic liquid: a neutron diffraction and isotopic substitution study. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:3051-3059. [PMID: 38180076 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp05516g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Neutron diffraction with isotopic substitution has been used to investigate the structure of the liquid sodium acetate trihydrate-urea eutectic (mole fraction (χurea) of 0.60) at 50 °C. Urea competes with acetate anions and water molecules in the solvation of sodium ions, displacing water and, simultaneously, stabilising the liberated 'excess' water through hydrogen bonding between water and urea molecules in the eutectic liquid. This provides a direct insight into the role of urea as both denaturant and hydrogen-bond network former in generating eutectic liquids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily L Byrne
- The QUILL Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen's University Belfast, David Keir Building, Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5AG, UK.
| | - Sanskrita Madhukailya
- The QUILL Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen's University Belfast, David Keir Building, Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5AG, UK.
| | - Oliver L G Alderman
- ISIS, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0DE, UK
| | - Marijana Blesic
- The QUILL Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen's University Belfast, David Keir Building, Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5AG, UK.
| | - John D Holbrey
- The QUILL Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen's University Belfast, David Keir Building, Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5AG, UK.
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Shi C, Alderman OLG, Tamalonis A, Weber JKR, Benmore CJ. The structure of molten calcium ferrite under various redox conditions. Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci 2023; 381:20220352. [PMID: 37634540 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2022.0352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Laser-heated melts based on the 43CaO-57Fe2O3-x eutectic, close to the calcium ferrite (CF) composition, were measured with high-energy X-ray diffraction using aerodynamic levitation over a range of redox states controlled by CO/CO2 gas atmospheres. The iron-oxygen coordination number was found to rise from 4.4 ± 0.3 at 15% Fe3+ to 5.3 ± 0.3 at 87% Fe3+. Empirical potential structure refinement modelling was used to obtain the ferric and ferrous partial pair distribution functions. It was found that the Fe2+ iron-oxygen coordination number is consistently approximately 10% higher in CF than in pure iron oxide, while Fe3+ is essentially identical in all but the most oxygen-rich environments (where it is higher in CF compared with FeOx). The model also shows calcium octahedra to be the dominant species across all redox environments, although the population of CaO7 increases with the availability of oxygen at the expense of CaO4 and CaO5. This article is part of the theme issue 'Exploring the length scales, timescales and chemistry of challenging materials (Part 1)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caijuan Shi
- Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Oliver L G Alderman
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0QX, UK
| | | | - J K R Weber
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0QX, UK
- Materials Development, Inc., Arlington Heights, IL, USA
| | - Chris J Benmore
- X-Ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL, USA
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Alderman OLG, Benmore CJ, Holland D, Weber JKR. Boron coordination change in barium borate melts and glasses and its contribution to configurational heat capacity, entropy, and fragility. J Chem Phys 2023; 158:2895231. [PMID: 37290074 DOI: 10.1063/5.0153282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
High-energy x-ray diffraction from molten and glassy BaB2O4 and BaB4O7 has been performed using aerodynamic levitation and laser heating over a wide range of temperatures. Remarkably, even in the presence of a heavy metal modifier dominating x-ray scattering, it was possible to extract accurate values for the tetrahedral, sp3, boron fraction, N4, which declines with increasing temperature, using bond valence-based mapping from the measured mean B-O bond lengths while accounting for vibrational thermal expansion. These are used within a boron-coordination-change model to extract enthalpies, ΔH, and entropies, ΔS, of isomerization between sp2 and sp3 boron. The results for BaB4O7, ΔH = 22(3) kJ mol-1 boron, ΔS = 19(2) J mol-1 boron K-1, agree quantitatively with those found previously for Na2B4O7. Analytical expressions for N4(J, T) and associated configurational heat capacity, CPconf(J, T), and entropy, Sconf(J, T), contributions are extended to cover a wide composition range 0 ≤ J = BaO/B2O3 ≤ 3 using a model for ΔH(J) and ΔS(J) derived empirically for lithium borates. Maxima in the CPconf(J, Tg) and fragility index contributions are thereby predicted for J ≲ 1, higher than the maximum observed and predicted in N4(J, Tg) at J ≃ 0.6. We discuss the utility of the boron-coordination-change isomerization model in the context of borate liquids containing other modifiers and the prospect of neutron diffraction to aid in empirical determinations of modifier-dependent effects, illustrated by new neutron diffraction data on Ba11B4O7 glass, its well-known α-polymorph, and lesser-known δ-phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- O L G Alderman
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - C J Benmore
- X-Ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
| | - D Holland
- Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - J K R Weber
- X-Ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
- Materials Development, Inc., Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004, USA
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Abstract
We have performed a neutron scattering experiment on supercritical fluid nitrogen at 160 K (1.27 TC) over a wide pressure range (7.8 MPa/0.260 g/mL-125 MPa/0.805 g/mL). This has enabled us to study the process by which nitrogen changes from a fluid that exhibits gaslike behavior to one that exhibits rigid liquidlike behavior at a temperature close to, but above, the critical temperature by crossing the Widom lines followed by the Frenkel line on pressure (density) increase. We find that the Frenkel line transition is indicated by a transition to a regime of rigid liquidlike behavior in which the coordination number remains constant within error, in agreement with our previous work at 300 K. The Frenkel line transition takes place at approximately the same density at 160 and 300 K. The data do not conclusively show an additional transition at the location of the known Widom lines. We find that behavior remains gaslike until the Frenkel line is crossed and our data support the hypothesis that Widom line transitions are density increase-driven.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciprian G Pruteanu
- Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.,SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy and Centre for Science at Extreme Conditions, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JZ, United Kingdom
| | - John E Proctor
- Materials and Physics Research Group, Newton Building, University of Salford, Manchester M5 4WT, United Kingdom
| | - Oliver L G Alderman
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - John S Loveday
- SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy and Centre for Science at Extreme Conditions, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JZ, United Kingdom
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Benmore CJ, González GB, Alderman OLG, Wilke SK, Yarger JL, Leinenweber K, Weber JKR. Hard x-ray methods for studying the structure of amorphous thin films and bulk glassy oxides. J Phys Condens Matter 2021; 33:194001. [PMID: 33540391 DOI: 10.1088/1361-648x/abe352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
High-energy photon diffraction minimizes many of the corrections associated with laboratory x-ray diffractometers, and enables structure factor measurements to be made over a wide range of momentum transfers. The method edges us closer toward an ideal experiment, in which coordination numbers can be extracted without knowledge of the sample density. Three case studies are presented that demonstrate new hard x-ray methods for studying the structure of glassy and amorphous materials. First, the methodology and analysis of high-energy grazing incidence on thin films is discussed for the case of amorphous In2O3. The connectivity of irregular InO6polyhedra are shown to exist in face-, edge- and corner-shared configurations in the approximate ratio of 1:2:3. Secondly, the technique of high-energy small and wide angle scattering has been carried out on laser heated and aerodynamically levitated samples of silica-rich barium silicate (20BaO:80SiO2), from the single phase melt at 1500oC to the phase separated glass at room temperature. Based on Ba-O coordination numbers of 6 to 7, it is argued that the although the potential of Ba is ionic, it is weak enough to cause the liquid-liquid immiscibility to become metastable. Lastly, high-energy small and wide angle scattering has also been applied to high water content (up to 12 wt.%) samples of hydrous SiO2glass quenched from 1500oC at 4 GPa. An increase of Si1-O2correlations at 4.3 Å is found to be consistent with an increase in the population of three-membered SiO4rings at the expense of larger rings.
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Affiliation(s)
- C J Benmore
- X-Ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, United States of America
- Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, United States of America
| | - G B González
- Department of Physics, DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois 60614, United States of America
| | - O L G Alderman
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - S K Wilke
- Materials Development, Inc., Evanston, IL 60202, United States of America
| | - J L Yarger
- Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, United States of America
| | - K Leinenweber
- Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, United States of America
| | - J K R Weber
- X-Ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, United States of America
- Materials Development, Inc., Evanston, IL 60202, United States of America
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Alderman OLG, Benmore CJ, Feller S, Kamitsos EI, Simandiras ED, Liakos DG, Jesuit M, Boyd M, Packard M, Weber R. Correction to "Short-Range Disorder in TeO 2 Melt and Glass". J Phys Chem Lett 2020; 11:1377. [PMID: 32017572 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c00336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
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Alderman OLG, Benmore CJ, Feller S, Kamitsos EI, Simandiras ED, Liakos DG, Jesuit M, Boyd M, Packard M, Weber R. Short-Range Disorder in TeO 2 Melt and Glass. J Phys Chem Lett 2020; 11:427-431. [PMID: 31867975 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.9b03231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
High-resolution X-ray pair distribution functions for molten and glassy TeO2 reveal coordination numbers nTeO ≈ 4. However, distinct from the known α-, β-, and γ-TeO2 polymorphs, there is considerable short-range disorder such that no clear cutoff distance between bonded and nonbonded interactions exists. We suggest that this is similar to disorder in δ-TeO2 and arises from a broad distribution of asymmetric Te-O-Te bridges, something that we observe becomes increasingly asymmetric with increasing liquid temperature. Such behavior is qualitatively consistent with existing interpretations of Raman scattering spectra, and equivalent to temperature-induced coordination number reduction, for sufficiently large cutoff radii. Therefore, TeO2 contains a distribution of local environments that are, furthermore, temperature dependent, making it distinct from the canonical single-oxide glass formers. Our results are in good agreement with high-level ab initio cluster calculations.
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Affiliation(s)
- O L G Alderman
- Materials Development, Inc. , Arlington Heights , Illinois 60004 , United States
| | - C J Benmore
- X-Ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source , Argonne National Laboratory , Argonne , Illinois 60439 , United States
| | - S Feller
- Department of Physics , Coe College , Cedar Rapids , Iowa 52402 , United States
| | - E I Kamitsos
- National Hellenic Research Foundation , 48 Vassileos Constantinou Avenue , 11635 Athens , Greece
| | - E D Simandiras
- National Hellenic Research Foundation , 48 Vassileos Constantinou Avenue , 11635 Athens , Greece
| | - D G Liakos
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung , Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1 , 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr , Germany
| | - M Jesuit
- Department of Physics , Coe College , Cedar Rapids , Iowa 52402 , United States
| | - M Boyd
- Department of Physics , Coe College , Cedar Rapids , Iowa 52402 , United States
| | - M Packard
- Department of Physics , Coe College , Cedar Rapids , Iowa 52402 , United States
| | - R Weber
- Materials Development, Inc. , Arlington Heights , Illinois 60004 , United States
- X-Ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source , Argonne National Laboratory , Argonne , Illinois 60439 , United States
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Alderman OLG, Benmore CJ, Neuefeind J, Tamalonis A, Weber R. Molten barium titanate: a high-pressure liquid silicate analogue. J Phys Condens Matter 2019; 31:20LT01. [PMID: 30790768 DOI: 10.1088/1361-648x/ab0939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The structure of molten BaTiO3 has been measured using laser heating, aerodynamic levitation and a combination of neutron diffraction with Ti isotope substitution, x-ray diffraction and spectroscopy. All measurements indicate a Ti-O coordination of n TiO = 4.4(2), far lower than the perovskite or hexagonal crystalline forms. However, n TiO > 4 suggests structural analogy with molten silicates at high pressures. We introduce methodology for ascertaining such analogies and demonstrate similarity with molten CaSiO3 at upper mantle pressures circa 5 GPa. Although some topological differences exist, we propose that planetary melt analogues provide rich insight into important processes relevant to hot exoplanets and Earth's early history.
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Affiliation(s)
- O L G Alderman
- Materials Development, Inc., Arlington Heights, IL 60004, United States of America
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Weber JKR, Tamalonis A, Benmore CJ, Alderman OLG, Sendelbach S, Hebden A, Williamson MA. Aerodynamic levitator for in situ x-ray structure measurements on high temperature and molten nuclear fuel materials. Rev Sci Instrum 2016; 87:073902. [PMID: 27475566 DOI: 10.1063/1.4955210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Accepted: 06/22/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
An aerodynamic levitator with carbon dioxide laser beam heating was integrated with a hermetically sealed controlled atmosphere chamber and sample handling mechanism. The system enabled containment of radioactive samples and control of the process atmosphere chemistry. The chamber was typically operated at a pressure of approximately 0.9 bars to ensure containment of the materials being processed. Samples 2.5-3 mm in diameter were levitated in flowing gas to achieve containerless conditions. Levitated samples were heated to temperatures of up to 3500 °C with a partially focused carbon dioxide laser beam. Sample temperature was measured using an optical pyrometer. The sample environment was integrated with a high energy (100 keV) x-ray synchrotron beamline to enable in situ structure measurements to be made on levitated samples as they were heated, melted, and supercooled. The system was controlled from outside the x-ray beamline hutch by using a LabVIEW program. Measurements have been made on hot solid and molten uranium dioxide and binary uranium dioxide-zirconium dioxide compositions.
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Affiliation(s)
- J K R Weber
- Materials Development, Inc., Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004, USA
| | - A Tamalonis
- Materials Development, Inc., Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004, USA
| | - C J Benmore
- Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
| | - O L G Alderman
- Materials Development, Inc., Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004, USA
| | - S Sendelbach
- Materials Development, Inc., Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004, USA
| | - A Hebden
- Nuclear Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
| | - M A Williamson
- Nuclear Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
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Wilding MC, Wilson M, Alderman OLG, Benmore C, Weber JKR, Parise JB, Tamalonis A, Skinner L. Low-Dimensional Network Formation in Molten Sodium Carbonate. Sci Rep 2016; 6:24415. [PMID: 27080401 PMCID: PMC4832186 DOI: 10.1038/srep24415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2015] [Accepted: 03/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Molten carbonates are highly inviscid liquids characterized by low melting points and high solubility of rare earth elements and volatile molecules. An understanding of the structure and related properties of these intriguing liquids has been limited to date. We report the results of a study of molten sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) which combines high energy X-ray diffraction, containerless techniques and computer simulation to provide insight into the liquid structure. Total structure factors (F(x)(Q)) are collected on the laser-heated carbonate spheres suspended in flowing gases of varying composition in an aerodynamic levitation furnace. The respective partial structure factor contributions to F(x)(Q) are obtained by performing molecular dynamics simulations treating the carbonate anions as flexible entities. The carbonate liquid structure is found to be heavily temperature-dependent. At low temperatures a low-dimensional carbonate chain network forms, at T = 1100 K for example ~55% of the C atoms form part of a chain. The mean chain lengths decrease as temperature is increased and as the chains become shorter the rotation of the carbonate anions becomes more rapid enhancing the diffusion of Na(+) ions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin C Wilding
- Department of Physics, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Mark Wilson
- Department of Chemistry, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, UK
| | - Oliver L G Alderman
- X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne IL60439, USA.,Materials Development, Inc., Arlington Heights IL 60004, USA
| | - Chris Benmore
- X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne IL60439, USA
| | - J K R Weber
- X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne IL60439, USA.,Materials Development, Inc., Arlington Heights IL 60004, USA
| | - John B Parise
- Geosciences Department and Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, NY 11794-2100, USA
| | | | - Lawrie Skinner
- X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne IL60439, USA.,Materials Development, Inc., Arlington Heights IL 60004, USA.,Geosciences Department and Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, NY 11794-2100, USA
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Weber JKR, Benmore CJ, Suthar KJ, Tamalonis AJ, Alderman OLG, Sendelbach S, Kondev V, Yarger J, Rey CA, Byrn SR. Using containerless methods to develop amorphous pharmaceuticals. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2016; 1861:3686-3692. [PMID: 27062908 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2016.03.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2016] [Revised: 03/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many pipeline drugs have low solubility in their crystalline state and require compounding in special dosage forms to increase bioavailability for oral administration. The use of amorphous formulations increases solubility and uptake of active pharmaceutical ingredients. These forms are rapidly gaining commercial importance for both pre-clinical and clinical use. METHODS Synthesis of amorphous drugs was performed using an acoustic levitation containerless processing method and spray drying. The structure of the products was investigated using in-situ high energy X-ray diffraction. Selected solvents for processing drugs were investigated using acoustic levitation. The stability of amorphous samples was measured using X-ray diffraction. Samples processed using both spray drying and containerless synthesis were compared. RESULTS We review methods for making amorphous pharmaceuticals and present data on materials made by containerless processing and spray drying. It was shown that containerless processing using acoustic levitation can be used to make phase-pure forms of drugs that are known to be difficult to amorphize. The stability and structure of the materials was investigated in the context of developing and making clinically useful formulations. CONCLUSIONS Amorphous compounds are emerging as an important component of drug development and for the oral delivery of drugs with low solubility. Containerless techniques can be used to efficiently synthesize small quantities of pure amorphous forms that are potentially useful in pre-clinical trials and for use in the optimization of clinical products. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE Developing new pharmaceutical products is an essential enterprise to improve patient outcomes. The development and application of amorphous pharmaceuticals to increase absorption is rapidly gaining importance and it provides opportunities for breakthrough research on new drugs. There is an urgent need to solve problems associated with making formulations that are both stable and that provide high bioavailability. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Science for Life" Guest Editor: Dr. Austen Angell, Dr. Salvatore Magazù and Dr. Federica Migliardo.
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Affiliation(s)
- J K R Weber
- MDI, Arlington, Heights, IL, USA; Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL, USA.
| | - C J Benmore
- Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL, USA; Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - K J Suthar
- Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL, USA
| | | | - O L G Alderman
- MDI, Arlington, Heights, IL, USA; Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL, USA
| | | | - V Kondev
- Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL, USA
| | - J Yarger
- Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - C A Rey
- C. Rey, Inc., Evanston, IL, USA
| | - S R Byrn
- Purdue University, Lafayette, IN, USA
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Alderman OLG, Ferlat G, Baroni A, Salanne M, Micoulaut M, Benmore CJ, Lin A, Tamalonis A, Weber JKR. Liquid B2O3 up to 1700 K: x-ray diffraction and boroxol ring dissolution. J Phys Condens Matter 2015; 27:455104. [PMID: 26499978 DOI: 10.1088/0953-8984/27/45/455104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Using high energy x-ray diffraction, the structure factors of glassy and molten B2O3 were measured with high signal-to-noise, up to a temperature of T = 1710(20) K. The observed systematic changes with T are shown to be consistent with the dissolution of hexagonal [B3O6] boroxol rings, which are abundant in the glass, whilst the high-T (>~1500 K) liquid can be more closely described as a random network structure based on [BO3] triangular building blocks. We therefore argue that diffraction data are in fact qualitatively sensitive to the presence of small rings, and support the existence of a continuous structural transition in molten B2O3, for which the temperature evolution of the 808 cm−1 Raman scattering band (boroxol breathing mode) has long stood as the most emphatic evidence. Our conclusions are supported by both first-principles and polarizable ion model molecular dynamics simulations which are capable of giving good account of the experimental data, so long as steps are taken to ensure a ring fraction similar to that expected from Raman spectroscopy. The mean thermal expansion of the B-O bond has been measured directly to be αBO = 3.7(2) × 10−6 K−1, which accounts for a few percent of the bulk expansion just above the glass transition temperature, but accounts for greater than one third of the bulk expansion at temperatures in excess of 1673 K.
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Tamalonis A, Weber JKR, Neuefeind JC, Carruth J, Skinner LB, Alderman OLG, Benmore CJ. Note: Detector collimators for the nanoscale ordered materials diffractometer instrument at the Spallation Neutron Source. Rev Sci Instrum 2015; 86:096105. [PMID: 26429492 DOI: 10.1063/1.4930279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Five neutron collimator designs were constructed and tested at the nanoscale ordered materials diffractometer (NOMAD) instrument. Collimators were made from High Density PolyEthylene (HDPE) or 5% borated HDPE. In all cases, collimators improved the signal to background ratio and reduced detection of secondary scattering. In the Q-range 10-20 Å(-1), signal to background ratio improved by factors of approximately 1.6 and 2.0 for 50 and 100 mm deep collimators, respectively. In the Q-range 40-50 Å(-1), the improvement factors were 1.8 and 2.7. Secondary scattering as measured at Q ∼ 9.5 Å(-1) was significantly decreased when the collimators were installed.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Tamalonis
- Materials Development, Inc., Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004, USA
| | - J K R Weber
- Materials Development, Inc., Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004, USA
| | - J C Neuefeind
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, USA
| | - J Carruth
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, USA
| | - L B Skinner
- Materials Development, Inc., Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004, USA
| | - O L G Alderman
- Materials Development, Inc., Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004, USA
| | - C J Benmore
- Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
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Skinner LB, Benmore CJ, Weber JKR, Williamson MA, Tamalonis A, Hebden A, Wiencek T, Alderman OLG, Guthrie M, Leibowitz L, Parise JB. Molten uranium dioxide structure and dynamics. Science 2014; 346:984-7. [PMID: 25414311 DOI: 10.1126/science.1259709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Uranium dioxide (UO2) is the major nuclear fuel component of fission power reactors. A key concern during severe accidents is the melting and leakage of radioactive UO2 as it corrodes through its zirconium cladding and steel containment. Yet, the very high temperatures (>3140 kelvin) and chemical reactivity of molten UO2 have prevented structural studies. In this work, we combine laser heating, sample levitation, and synchrotron x-rays to obtain pair distribution function measurements of hot solid and molten UO2. The hot solid shows a substantial increase in oxygen disorder around the lambda transition (2670 K) but negligible U-O coordination change. On melting, the average U-O coordination drops from 8 to 6.7 ± 0.5. Molecular dynamics models refined to this structure predict higher U-U mobility than 8-coordinated melts.
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Affiliation(s)
- L B Skinner
- X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA. Mineral Physics Institute, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2100, USA. Materials Development, Inc., 3090 Daniels Court, Arlington Heights, IL 60004, USA.
| | - C J Benmore
- X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA
| | - J K R Weber
- X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA. Materials Development, Inc., 3090 Daniels Court, Arlington Heights, IL 60004, USA
| | - M A Williamson
- Chemical Science and Engineering, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA
| | - A Tamalonis
- X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA
| | - A Hebden
- Chemical Science and Engineering, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA
| | - T Wiencek
- Nuclear Engineering, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA
| | - O L G Alderman
- X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA. Materials Development, Inc., 3090 Daniels Court, Arlington Heights, IL 60004, USA
| | - M Guthrie
- Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC 20015, USA
| | - L Leibowitz
- Chemical Science and Engineering, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA
| | - J B Parise
- Mineral Physics Institute, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2100, USA. Photon Sciences, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
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Alderman OLG, Iuga D, Howes AP, Pike KJ, Holland D, Dupree R. Spectral assignments and NMR parameter-structure relationships in borates using high-resolution 11B NMR and density functional theory. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2013; 15:8208-21. [PMID: 23608768 DOI: 10.1039/c3cp50772f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
High-resolution, solid-state (11)B NMR spectra have been obtained at high magnetic fields for a range of polycrystalline borates using double-rotation (DOR), multiple-quantum magic angle spinning and isotopic dilution. DOR linewidths can be less than 0.2 ppm in isotopically diluted samples, allowing highly accurate values for the isotropic chemical shift, δiso, and electric field gradient to be obtained. The experimental values are used as a test of density functional calculations using both projector augmented wave based CASTEP and WIEN2k. The CASTEP calculations of δiso are generally in very good agreement with experiment, having r.m.s. deviation 0.40 ppm. WIEN2k calculations of electric field gradient magnitude, CQ, and asymmetry, η, are also in excellent agreement with experiment, with r.m.s. deviations 0.038 MHz and 0.042 respectively. However, whilst CASTEP gives a similar deviation for η (0.043) it overestimates CQ by ∼15%. After scaling of the calculated electric field gradient by 0.842 the deviation in CQ is practically identical to that of the WIEN2k calculations. The spectral assignments that follow from the experimental and computational results allow identification of correlations between δiso and (a) the average B-O-B bond angle, θ[combining overline], for both three and four coordinated boron, giving δiso(B(III)) = (185.1 -θ[combining overline])/3.42 ppm and δiso(B(IV)) = (130.2 -θ[combining overline])/5.31 ppm; and (b) the ring-site T(3) unit trigonal planar angular deviation, Stri, giving δiso(T(3)(ring)) = (1.642 × 10(-2)-Stri)/(8.339 × 10(-4)) ppm.
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Alderman OLG, Hannon AC, Holland D, Feller S, Lehr G, Vitale AJ, Hoppe U, Zimmerman MV, Watenphul A. Lone-pair distribution and plumbite network formation in high lead silicate glass, 80PbO·20SiO2. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2013; 15:8506-19. [DOI: 10.1039/c3cp51348c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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