Quick-scanning X-ray absorption fine structure beamline at SSRF

The layout and characteristics of the hard X-ray spectroscopy beamline(BL11B)at the Shanghai synchrotron radiation facility are described herein.BL11B is a bending-magnet beamline dedicated to conventional and millisecond-scale quick-scanning X-ray absorption fine structures.It is equipped with a cylindrical collimating mirror,a double-crystal monochromator comprising Si(111)and Si(311),a channel-cut quick-scanning Si(111)monochromator,a toroidal focusing mirror,and a high harmonics rejection mirror.It can provide 5-30 keV of X-rays with a photon flux of~5×10^(11)photons/s and an energy resolution of~1.31×10^(-4)at 10 keV.The performance of the beamline can satisfy the demands of users in the fields of catalysis,materials,and environmental science.This paper presents an overview of the beamline design and a detailed description of its performance and capabilities.

Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) of FAPbI_(3) for understanding local structure-stability relation in perovskite solar cells

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) employing formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI_(3)) have shown high efficiency.However,operational stability has been issued due to phase instability of α phase FAPbI_(3) at ambient temperature.Excess precursors in the perovskite precursor solution has been proposed to improve not only power conversion efficiency (PCE) but also device stability.Nevertheless,there is a controversial issue on the beneficial effect on PCE and/or stability between excess FAI and excess PbI_(2).We report here extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) of FAPbI_(3) to study local structural change and explain the effect of excess precursors on photovoltaic performance and stability.Perovskite films prepared from the precursor solution with excess PbI_(2)shows better stability than those from the one with excess FAI,despite similar PCE.A rapid phase transition from α phase to non-perovskite δ phase is observed from the perovskite film formed by excess FAI.Furthermore,the (Pb-I) bond distance evaluated by the Pb L_(III)-edge EXAFS study is increased by excess FAI,which is responsible for the phase transition and poor device stability.This work can provide important insight into local structure-stability relation in the FAPbI_(3)-based PSCs.

FINE STRUCTURE ANALYSIS OF DEFORMED STEEL 1Cr18Ni9

X-ray diffraction profiles of various deformed steel 1Cr18Ni9 through stepped scanning were obtained.By profile analysis,some structure parameters such as effective domain size D_(eff), dislocation density in domain,distribution parameterand bulk stored energy densiy (E/V),etc.,were obtained.The results were compared with those of TEM observation.The true domain sizes D_e are comparable,but the minimum and characteristics of width of stack- ing fault are different.This may be resulted from the large fluctuation in width of stacking fault.

XAFS Study of Coordination Structure of Cu（L-His）2 in Solution

Multiple coordination modes are present copper coordination environment varies in the CuII-histidine complex in solution and the with pH. In this work, we have investigated the coordination geometry of Cu（His）2 complex using X-ray absorption fine structure （XAFS） analysis. Copper K-edge XAFS spectra were acquired on aqueous Cu2＋ samples with his- tidine at different pH values. The coordination environments were further confirmed by chemically modified histidine. Results show that the caboxylate groups coordinate at acidic condition, while amino and imidazole nitrogens get coordinated at higher pH. For the co- ordination geometry of Cu（His）2 in solution at physiological pH, the sixfold coordination is preferentially formed, while the fivefold coordination can co-exist in equilibrium.

Structure and chemical valence study of Sr_(n+1)Ru_nO_(3n+1)(n= 1, 2, ∞) series

Effect of structure parameter n and its coupling with the connection mode among RuO6 octahedra of Srn＋1RUnO3n＋1 （n = 1, 2, ∞） are investigated. The gradually enhanced rotation and tilting effect with increasing n are observed in Srn＋1RUnO3n＋1. Besides, the chemical valence of Ru is not changed, while the one of Sr gradually varies with increasing n, which highlights the great contribution of connection mode to the chemical environment. Our results show a strong n dependence on the connection mode between octahedra in Srn＋1RUnO3n＋1 （n = 1, 2, ∞）.

X-ray Spectroscopically Probing Mo_(2)C@MoSe_(2)Heterojunction Electrodes

Due to their high electrical conductivity and layered structure,two dimensional MXene materials are re⁃garded as promising candidates for energy storage applications.However,the relatively low stability and specific ca⁃pacity of MXene materials limit their further utilization.In this study,these issues are addressed using a heterostruc⁃ture strategy via a one-step selenization method to form Mo_(2)C@MoSe_(2).Synchrotron radiation X-ray spectroscopic and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy(HRTEM)characterizations revealed the heterostructure consisting of in-situ grown MoSe_(2)on Mo_(2)C MXene.Electrochemical tests proved the heterojunction electrode’s superior rate perfor⁃mance of 289.06 mAh·g^(-1)at a high current density of 5 A·g^(-1)and long cycling stability of 550 mAh·g^(-1)after 900 cycles at 1 A·g^(-1).This work highlights the useful X-ray spectroscopic analysis to directly elucidate the heterojunction structure,providing an effective reference method for probing heterostructures.

Theoretical characterization of the adsorption configuration of pyrrole on Si(100)surface by x-ray spectroscopy

The possible configurations of pyrrole absorbed on a Si(100)surface have been investigated by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS)and near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure(NEXAFS)spectra.The C-1s XPS and NEXAFS spectra of these adsorption configurations have been calculated by using the density functional theory(DFT)method and fullcore hole(FCH)approximation to investigate the relationship between the adsorption configurations and the spectra.The result shows that the XPS and NEXAFS spectra are structurally dependent on the configurations of pyrrole absorbed on the Si(100)surface.Compared with the XPS,the NEXAFS spectra are relatively sensitive to the adsorption configurations and can accurately identify them.The NEXAFS decomposition spectra produced by non-equivalent carbon atoms have also been calculated and show that the spectral features vary with the diverse types of carbon atoms and their structural environments.

Oxidation of antimony (Ⅲ) in soil by manganese (Ⅳ) oxide using X-ray absorption fine structure

The oxidation of antimony （Ⅲ） in soils was studied using X-ray absorption fine structure （XAFS） spectra. An andosol soft sample and artificial soil samples （SiO2 blended with iron （Ⅲ） hydroxide and manganese （Ⅳ） oxide） were used herein. After adding antimony （Ⅲ） oxide to all soil samples, the oxidation process was observed by recording the XAFS spectra of Sb K-edge, Fe Kedge, and Mn K-edge. The results indicated that manganese （Ⅳ） oxide played an important role in the oxidation of Sb（Ⅲ）; however iron （Ⅲ） hydroxide was not directly related to the reaction. During a 2-hr continuous Sb K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure （XANES） measurement with an interval of I rain of one of the artificial soil samples （SiO2 ＋ MnO2 ＋ Sb2O3）, a pseudo-first-order reaction was determined with an average estimated rate of 0.52 ±0.04 hr-1. Compared to the lower oxidation rate of andosol, it is suggested that because of the low concentration of Mn（Ⅳ） in natural soils, the oxidation process of Sb（Ⅲ） might be relatively slow and require more time to convert Sb（Ⅲ） to Sb（V）.

Synthesis, characterization and extended X-ray absorption fine structure of novel polynuclear copper complexes with new eighteen-membered macrocycle ligands

Macrocycle compounds have great importance in host-guest chemistry and moleculeidentifications. 4-acetyl-bispyrazolones are a new type of polydentate ligands. Whenthey react with diamine compounds, new compounds or complexes containing C=O andC=N groups can be obtained. These compounds can be used to study the relationship ofcoordination structure and its properties, energy transferring processes between metal

Relating atomic local structures and Curie temperature of NdFeB permanent magnets:an X-ray absorption spectroscopic study

Relationship between atomic local structures and Curie temperature of NdFeB permanent magnets was investigated semi-quantitatively using synchrotron radiation technique. Fe K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy(XAS) was employed to study the local structure of Fe atoms for samples before and after doping Dy, Tb or Gd. It is found that the bond lengths and coordination numbers are changed. Thus, the exchange interaction between Fe atoms increases with Dy, Tb or Gd doping, resulting in the improvement of Curie temperature of NdFeB permanent magnets. The doping effect is proven by experimental measurement of the magnetic properties. Microstructural characterization using scanning electron microscopy(SEM) was also used to further analyze the effect of different rare earth elements doping on Curie temperature of NdFeB permanent magnets.

锐钛矿晶型TiO_2溶胶的精细结构及其光催化活性

以钛酸丁酯为前驱体,在过量水体系中制备出含有锐钛矿晶粒的TiO2溶胶。利用X射线吸收精细结构、zeta电位测量、X射线衍射对溶胶特性进行研究,并考察其对若丹明B的光催化活性。结果表明:陈化时间超过20d的溶胶较为稳定,在X射线近边结构谱中具有与锐钛矿型TiO2相似的边前结构;随陈化时间的增加,Ti的配位数增加直至趋近于锐钛矿型TiO2配位数。陈化时间超过20d的TiO2溶胶含有锐钛矿晶粒,在紫外光照下可不经处理直接催化降解若丹明B。

Structural control of magnetic nanoparticles for positive nuclear magnetic resonance imaging

In addition to the tens of millions of medical doses consumed annually around the world,a vast number of nuclear magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)contrast agents are being deployed in MRI research and development,offering precise diagnostic information,targeting capabilities,and analyte sensing.Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles(SPIONs)are notable among these agents,providing effective and versatile MRI applications while also being heavy-metal-free,bioconjugatable,and theranostic.We designed and implemented a novel two-pronged computational and experimental strategy to meet the demand for the efficient and rigorous development of SPION-based MRI agents.Our MATLAB-based modeling simulation and magnetic characterization revealed that extremely small maghemite SPIONs in the 1-3 nm range possess significantly reduced transversal relaxation rates(R_(2))and are therefore preferred for positive(T_(1)-weighted)MRI.Moreover,X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption fine structure analyses demonstrated that the diffraction pattern and radial distribution function of our SPIONs matched those of the targeted maghemite crystals.In addition,simulations of the X-ray near-edge structure spectra indicated that our synthesized SPIONs,even at 1 nm,maintained a spherical structure.Furthermore,in vitro and in vivo MRI investigations showed that our 1-nm SPIONs effectively highlighted whole-body blood vessels and major organs in mice and could be cleared through the kidney route to minimize potential post-imaging side effects.Overall,our innovative approach enabled a swift discovery of the desired SPION structure,followed by targeted synthesis,synchrotron radiation spectroscopic studies,and MRI evaluations.The efficient and rigorous development of our high-performance SPIONs can set the stage for a computational and experimental platform for the development of future MRI agents.

Support effect of zinc tin oxide on gold catalyst for CO oxidation reaction

Nanostructured gold catalyst supported on metal oxide is highly active for the CO oxidation reac‐tion. In this work, a new type of oxide support, zinc tin oxide, has been used to deposit 0.7 wt%Au via a deposition‐precipitation method. The textural properties of Zn2SnO4 support have been tuned by varying the molar ratio between base （N2H4＆#183;H2O） and metal ion （Zn2＋） to be 4/1, 8/1 and 16/1. The catalytic tests for CO oxidation reaction revealed that the reactivity on Au‐Zn2SnO4 with N2H4＆#183;H2O/Zn2＋ = 8/1 was the highest, while the reactivity on Au‐Zn2SnO4 with N2H4＆#183;H2O/Zn2＋ =16/1 was almost identical to that of the pure support. Both fresh and used catalysts have been characterized by multiple techniques including nitrogen adsorption‐desorption, X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, high‐angle annular dark‐field scanning transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X‐ray adsorption fine structure, and tempera‐ture‐programmed reduction by hydrogen. These demonstrated that the textural properties, espe‐cially pore volume and pore size distribution, of Zn2SnO4 play crucial roles in the averaged size of gold nanoparticles, and thus determine the catalytic activity of Au‐Zn2SnO4 for CO oxidation.

Research Article Local structure and magnetic properties of a nanocrystalline Mnrich Cantor alloy thin film down to the atomic scale

The huge atomic heterogeneity of high-entropy materials along with a possibility to unravel the behavior of individual components at the atomic scale suggests a great promise in designing new compositionally complex systems with the desired multifunctionality.Herein,we apply multi-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy(extended X-ray absorption fine structure(EXAFS),Xray absorption near edge structure(XANES),and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism(XMCD))to probe the structural,electronic,and magnetic properties of all individual constituents in the single-phase face-centered cubic(fcc)-structured nanocrystalline thin film of Cr_(20)Mn_(26)Fe_(18)Co_(19)Ni_(17)(at.%)high-entropy alloy on the local scale.The local crystallographic ordering and componentdependent lattice displacements were explored within the reverse Monte Carlo approach applied to EXAFS spectra collected at the K absorption edges of several constituents at room temperature.A homogeneous short-range fcc atomic environment around the absorbers of each type with very similar statistically averaged interatomic distances(2.54-2.55Å)to their nearest-neighbors and enlarged structural relaxations of Cr atoms were revealed.XANES and XMCD spectra collected at the L2,3 absorption edges of all principal components at low temperature from the oxidized and in situ cleaned surfaces were used to probe the oxidation states,the changes in the electronic structure,and magnetic behavior of all constituents at the surface and in the sub-surface volume of the film.The spin and orbital magnetic moments of Fe,Co,and Ni components were quantitatively evaluated.The presence of magnetic phase transitions and the co-existence of different magnetic phases were uncovered by conventional magnetometry in a broad temperature range.

Sub-2 nm ultra-thin Bi_(2)O_(2)CO_(3)nanosheets with abundant Bi-O structures toward formic acid electrosynthesis over a wide potential window

The electrocatalytic reduction of CO_(2)to HCOOH(ERC-HCOOH)is one of the most feasible ways to alleviate energy crisis and solve environmental problems.Nevertheless,it remains a challenge for ERC-HCOOH to maintain excellent activity and selectivity in a wide potential window.Herein,ultra-thin flower-like Bi_(2)O_(2)CO_(3)nanosheets(NSs)with abundant Bi-O structures were in situ synthesized on carbon paper via topological transformation and post-processing.Faraday efficiency of HCOOH(FEHCOOH)reached 90%in a wide potential window(-1.5 to-1.8 V vs.Ag/AgCl).Significantly,excellent FEHCOOH(90%)and current density(47 mA·cm^(-2))were achieved at-1.8 V vs.Ag/AgCl.The X-ray absorption fine structure(XAFS)combined with density functional theory(DFT)calculation demonstrated that the excellent performance of Bi_(2)O_(2)CO_(3)NS was attributed to the abundant Bi-O structures,which was conducive to enhancing the adsorption of CO_(2)^(*)and OCHO^(*)intermediates and can effectively inhibit hydrogen evolution.The excellent performance of Bi_(2)O_(2)CO_(3)NS over a wide potential window could provide new insights for the efficient electrocatalytic conversion of CO_(2).

Low temperature Pmmm and C2/m phases in Sr_2CuO_(3+δ) high temperature superconductor

A new low temperature Pmmm(120 K) phase was found in high temperature superconductor Sr_2 CuO_(3+δ), which was indicated as a pure electronic phase by resonant x-ray diffraction at Cu K-edge. As shown by x-ray absorption fine structure(EXAFS) and x-ray absorption near edge structure(XANES) at Cu K-edge, the strong charge density redistribution and local lattice fluctuations around Cu site at the onset of phase transition were due to the occurrence of superconductive coherence, the redistribution and fluctuation finished at Tc. Finally, the electron–lattice interaction was mainly elaborated to understand the superconductivity of Sr_2 CuO_(3+δ).

Unveiling anomalous lattice shrinkage induced by Pi-backbonding in Prussian blue analogues

Transition-metal(TM)-based Prussian blue and its analogues(TM-PBAs) have attracted considerable attention as cathode materials owing to their versatile ion storage capability with tunable working voltages. TM-PBAs with different crystal structures, morphologies, and TM combinations can exhibit excellent electrochemical properties because of their unique and robust host frameworks with well-defined<100> ionic diffusion channels. Nonetheless, there is still a lack of understanding regarding the performance dependence of TM-PBAs on structural changes during charging/discharging processes. In this study, in situ X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption fine structure analyses elucidate the TMdependent structural changes in a series of TM-PBAs during the charging and discharging processes.During the discharging process, the lattice volume of Fe-PBA increased while those of Ni-and Cu-PBAs decreased. This discrepancy is attributed to the extent of size reduction of the cyanometallate complex([Fe(CN)_(6)]) via pi-backbonding from Fe to C due to redox flips of the low-spin Fe^(3+/2+) ion. This study presents a comprehensive understanding of how TM selection affects capacity acquisition and phase transition in TM-PBAs, a promising class of cathode materials.

The variation of Mn-dopant distribution state with x and its effect on the magnetic coupling mechanism in Zn_(1-x) Mn_x O nanocrystals

Zn1-xMnxO （x = 0.0005, 0.001, 0.005, 0.01, 0.02） nanocrystals are synthesized by using a wet chemical process. The coordination environment of Mn is characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and its X-ray absorption fine structure. It is found that the solubility of substitutional Mn in a ZnO lattice is very low, which is less than 0.4%. Mn ions first dissolve into the substitutional sites in the ZnO lattice, thereby forming Mn2＋O4 tetrahedral coordination when x ≤ 0.001, then entering into the interstitial sites and forming Mn3＋O6 octahedral coordination when x ≥ 0.005. All the samples exhibit paramagnetic behaviors at room temperature, and antiferromagnetic coupling can be observed below 100 K.

Determination of the sites of Fe atoms in Fe-substituted Mn12

In this paper neutron diffraction experiments were performed for Fe-substituted Mn12 in order to determine the sites of Fe atoms. The results of structure refinements for the sample with our accessed highest Fe content showed that all Fe atoms occupied Mn（3） sites in the Mn12 skeleton. The x-ray absorption fine structure experiments as well as multiple scattering simulations gave the same result. Thus we concluded that Fe atoms only occupied Mn（3） sites. This conclusion also means that Fe-substituted Mn12 series only includes the four single-molecule magnets of [Mn12-xFexO12（CH3COO）16（H2O）4]·2CH3COOH·4H2O （x = 1, 2, 3, and 4）, denoted by Mn11Fe1, Mn10Fe2, MngFe3, and Mn8Fe4, respectively.

Manipulating coupling state and magnetism of Mn-doped ZnO nanocrystals by changing the coordination environment of Mn via hydrogen annealing

Mn-doped ZnO nanocrystals are synthesized by a wet chemical route and treated in H2/Ar atmosphere with different H2/Ar ratios. It is found that hydrogen annealing could change the coordination environment of Mn in ZnO lattice and manipulate the magnetic properties of Mn-doped ZnO. Mn ions initially enter into interstitial sites and a Mn3＋ 06 octahedral coordination is produced in the prepared Mn-doped ZnO sample, in which the nearest neighbor Mn3＋ and 02 ions could form a Mn3＋-O2--Mn3＋ complex. After H2 annealing, interstitial Mn ions can substitute for Zn to generate the Mn2＋O4 tetrahedral coordination in the nanocrystals, in which neighboring Mn2＋ ions and H atoms could form a Mn2＋-O2--Mn2＋ complex and Mn-H-Mn bridge structure. The magnetic measurement of the as-prepared sample shows room temperature paramagnetic behavior due to the Mn3＋-O2--Mn3＋ complex, while the annealed samples exhibit their ferromagnetism, which originates from the Mn-H-Mn bridge structure and the Mn-Mn exchange interaction in the Mn2＋-O2--Mn2＋ complex.