Organization of malonamides from the interface to the organic bulk phase

Micheau, C.; 上田 祐生; 元川 竜平; 阿久津 和宏*; 山田 悟史*; 山田 雅子*; Moussaoui, S. A.*; Makombe, E.*; Meyer, D.*; Berthon, L.*; et al.

Journal of Molecular Liquids, 401, p.124372_1 - 124372_12, 2024/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molliq.2024.124372

Supramolecular organization of extractant molecules impacts metal ions separation behavior. Probing bulk and interfacial structures of the relevant systems is expected to provide key insights into the metal ion selectivity and kinetic aspects. The supramolecular features of two solvent extraction systems based on malonamide extractants, N,N,N′,N′-tetrahexylmalonamide (THMA) in toluene and N,N′-dimethyl-N,N′-dibutyl-2-tetradecylmalonamide (DBMA) in n-heptane, were studied using small-angle X-ray scattering for the organic bulk phases, as well as interfacial tension and neutron reflectivity measurements for the interfaces. In the bulk solution, THMA forms dimeric/trimeric associates but no aggregates in toluene, while DBMA forms large aggregates in n-heptane. On the other hand, THMA accumulates in a diffuse layer at the interface at high THMA concentration, whereas DBMA forms a compact but thinner layer. After Pd(II) extraction, the thickness of interfacial layers decreases in the case of THMA, and totally vanishes in the case of DBMA. Based on these new structural information, two mechanisms are proposed for Pd(II) and Nd(III) extraction with malonamides. In toluene, THMA associates slightly accumulate in the vicinity of the interface, then coordinate Pd(II) and diffuse into the organic bulk phase. In n-heptane, DBMA aggregates adsorb at the interface then pick up Nd(III) cations in their polar cores and finally diffuse into the bulk.

Quantum critical behavior of the hyperkagome magnet MnCoSi

山内 宏樹; Sari, D. P.*; 安井 幸夫*; 坂倉 輝俊*; 木村 宏之*; 中尾 朗子*; 大原 高志; 本田 孝志*; 樹神 克明; 井川 直樹; et al.

Physical Review Research (Internet), 6(1), p.013144_1 - 013144_9, 2024/02

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.6.013144

-Mn-type family alloys Mn have three-dimensional antiferromagnetic (AFM) corner-shared triangular network. The antiferromagnet MnRhSi shows magnetic short-range order (SRO) over a wide temperature range of approximately 500 K above the Nel temperature = 190 K. MnCoSi has the smallest lattice parameter and the lowest in the family compounds. The quantum critical point (QCP) from AFM to the quantum paramagnetic state is expected near a cubic lattice parameter of 6.15 of MnCoSi is only 140 K, quantum critical behavior is observed in MnCoSi as the enhancement of the electronic specific heat coefficient . We study how the magnetic SRO appears in MnCoSi by using neutron scattering, SR, and physical property measurements. The experimental results show that the neutron scattering intensity of the magnetic SRO does not change much regardless of the suppressed magnetic moment in the long-range magnetic ordered state compared to those of MnRhSi. The initial asymmetry drop ratio of SR above becomes small, and the magnetic SRO temperature is suppressed to 240 K. The results suggest that the MnCoSi is close to the QCP in the Mn system.

11th International Workshop on Sample Environment

河村 聖子

Neutron News, 34(2), p.2 - 3, 2023/04

https://doi.org/10.1080/10448632.2023.2190708

In August-September 2022, The 11th International Workshop on Sample Environment at Scattering Facilities was held in Japan for the first time. Neutron and synchrotron facilities in Japan, including J-PARC, hosted this workshop, and 87 people from 11 countries, who were engineers, technicians and scientists working on sample environment at the scattering facilities in the world and industrial partners, participated. In this workshop, oral and poster presentations, virtual tour of the Japanese facilities, the general assembly meeting of ISSE, which is the international society patronaging the workshop, were held.

Experimental evidence for the significance of optical phonons in thermal transport of tin monosulfide

Wu, P.*; 村井 直樹; Li, T.*; 梶本 亮一; 中村 充孝; 古府 麻衣子; 中島 健次; Xia, K.*; Peng, K.*; Zhang, Y.*; et al.

New Journal of Physics (Internet), 25(1), p.013032_1 - 013032_11, 2023/01

https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/acb3ed

The understanding of the lattice dynamics is essential for engineering the thermal transport properties in quantum materials. Based on the canonical point of view, acoustic phonons are believed to be the principal thermal carriers in heat flow. Here, in this work, optical phonons are elucidated to play a pivotal role in determining the lattice thermal conductivity in thermoelectric material SnS by using the state-of-the-art inelastic neutron scattering technique combined with first-principles calculations. Additionally, in contrast to acoustic phonons, optical phonons are observed to exhibit pronounced softening and broadening with temperature. Our observations not only shed light on the significance of the optical phonons in thermal transport but also provide a vital clue to suppress the propagation of optical phonons to optimize the thermoelectric performance of SnS.

Micro- to nano-scale areal heterogeneity in pore structure and mineral compositions of a sub-decimeter-sized Eagle Ford Shale

Wang, Q.*; Hu, Q.*; Zhao, C.*; Yang, X.*; Zhang, T.*; Ilavsky, J.*; Kuzmenko, I.*; Ma, B.*; 舘 幸男

International Journal of Coal Geology, 261, p.104093_1 - 104093_15, 2022/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2022.104093

To understanding the spatial heterogeneity of mineral and pore structure variations in fine-grained shale, microscale X-ray fluorescence (micro-XRF) mapping, (ultra-) small-angle X-ray scattering [(U)SAXS] and wide-angle X-ray scattering were applied for two samples from a piece of Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas. Thin section petrography and field emission-scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), total organic carbon, and pyrolysis were also utilized to investigate the potential spatial heterogeneity of pore types, mineral and organic matter compositions for both samples. Overall, the siliceous-carbonate mineral contents in these carbonate-rich Eagle Ford Shale vary between laminations at mm scales. By analyzing six selected sub-samples on each of two samples with X-ray scattering and XRD techniques, nm-sized pores are mainly interparticle ones in the higher calcite regions, where the porosity is also relatively lower, while the lower calcite regions consist of both interparticle and intraparticle pore types with higher porosity. Finally, the micro-XRF and (U)SAXS are combined to generate porosity distribution maps to provide more insights about its heterogeneity related to the laminations and fractures at our observational scales.

Quantum critical spin-liquid-like behavior in the = quasikagome-lattice compound CeRhPdSn investigated using muon spin relaxation and neutron scattering

Tripathi, R.*; Adroja, D. T.*; Ritter, C.*; Sharma, S.*; Yang, C.*; Hillier, A. D.*; Koza, M. M.*; Demmel, F.*; Sundaresan, A.*; Langridge, S.*; et al.

Physical Review B, 106(6), p.064436_1 - 064436_17, 2022/08

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.106.064436

We present the results of muon spin relaxation (SR) and neutron scattering measurements on the Ce-based quasikagome lattice CeRhPdSn ( = 0.1 to 0.75). Our SR results reveal the absence of both static long-range magnetic order and spin freezing down to 0.05 K in the = 0.1 sample, which is consistent with neutron scattering results. The weak temperature-dependent plateaus of the dynamic spin fluctuations below 0.2 K in zero field together with its longitudinal-field (LF) dependence indicate the presence of dynamic spin fluctuations persisting even at 0.05 K without static magnetic order. We argue that such a behavior for = 0.1 can be attributed to a metallic spin-liquid-like ground state near the quantum critical point in the frustrated Kondo lattice. The LF-SR study suggests that the out of kagome plane spin fluctuations are responsible for the spin-liquid behavior.

Multipole polaron in the devil's staircase of CeSb

新井 陽介*; 黒田 健太*; 野本 拓也*; Tin, Z. H.*; 櫻木 俊輔*; Bareille, C.*; 明比 俊太朗*; 黒川 輝風*; 木下 雄斗*; Zhang, W.-L.*; et al.

Nature Materials, 21(4), p.410 - 415, 2022/04

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-021-01188-9

Low-energy electronic structures of CeSb which shows multiple phase transitions known as devil's staircase were examined by combination of laser angle-resolved photoemission, Raman and neutron scattering spectroscopies. A new type of electron-boson coupling between the mobile electrons and quadrupole CEF-excitations of the 4f orbitals was found. The coupling is exceedingly strong and exhibits anomalous step-like enhancement during the devil's staircase transition, unveiling a new type of quasiparticle, named multipole polaron.

Experimental analysis on dynamics of liquid molecules adjacent to particles in nanofluids

橋本 俊輔*; 中島 健次; 菊地 龍弥*; 蒲沢 和也*; 柴田 薫; 山田 武*

Journal of Molecular Liquids, 342, p.117580_1 - 117580_8, 2021/11

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molliq.2021.117580

エチレングリコール水溶液中に二酸化ケイ素(SiO)ナノ粒子を分散したナノ流体の準弾性中性子散乱測定(QENS)およびパルス磁場勾配核磁気共鳴分析(PFGNMR)を行った。研究目的は、このナノ流体の熱伝導率が理論値を超えて増加するメカニズムを解明することだった。得られた実験結果は、SiOナノ粒子の周りの液体分子の運動が非常に制限されているため、SiOナノ粒子の添加により、エチレングリコール水溶液中の液体分子の自己拡散係数が低下していることを示す。そして温度一定の条件で、SiOナノ流体中で、液体分子の自己拡散係数が減少するにつれて、熱伝導率が増加した。

Position-encoded automatic cell elevator for BL02, J-PARC MLF

富永 大輝*; 小林 誠*; 山田 武*; 松浦 直人*; 川北 至信; 笠井 聡*

JPS Conference Proceedings (Internet), 33, p.011095_1 - 011095_5, 2021/03

BB2019-1955.pdf:1.33MB

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSCP.33.011095

トップローディング型冷凍機用の垂直移動型試料交換機が、J-PARC MLFのBL02に設置された中性子分光器の利用支援のために開発された。PEACEと名付けられたこの試料交換機は、中性子照射位置での試料位置の再現性を、PEEKと呼ぶ物質でできたガイドを利用して制御している。3つの試料位置でのバックグラウンド散乱のプロファイルの変化は1.6%以内であることが分かった。この結果は、垂直軸からの試料位置の偏差が0.3mmであることを考えると妥当である。

Relevance of hydrogen bonded associates to the transport properties and nanoscale dynamics of liquid and supercooled 2-propanol

Zhai, Y.*; Luo, P.*; 長尾 道弘*; 中島 健次; 菊地 龍弥*; 川北 至信; Kienzle, P. A.*; Z, Y.*; Faraone, A.*

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 23(12), p.7220 - 7232, 2021/03

https://doi.org/10.1039/d0cp05481j

2-Propanol was investigated, in both the liquid and supercooled states, as a model system to study how hydrogen bonds affect the structural relaxation and the dynamics of mesoscale structures, of approximately several Angstroms, employing static and quasi-elastic neutron scattering and molecular dynamics simulation. Dynamic neutron scattering measurements were performed over an exchanged wave-vector range encompassing the pre-peak, indicative of the presence of H-bonding associates, and the main peak. The dynamics observed at the pre-peak is associated with the formation and disaggregation of the H-bonded associates and is measured to be at least one order of magnitude slower than the dynamics at the main peak, which is identified as the structural relaxation. The measurements indicate that the macroscopic shear viscosity has a similar temperature dependence as the dynamics of the H-bonded associates, which highlights the important role played by these structures, together with the structural relaxation, in defining the macroscopic rheological properties of the system. Importantly, the characteristic relaxation time at the pre-peak follows an Arrhenius temperature dependence whereas at the main peak it exhibits a non-Arrhenius behavior on approaching the supercooled state. The origin of this differing behavior is attributed to an increased structuring of the hydrophobic domains of 2-propanol accommodating a more and more encompassing H-bond network, and a consequent set in of dynamic cooperativity.