The assembly of nanoparticles into large, two-dimensional structures provides a route for the exploration of collective phenomena among mesoscopic building blocks. We characterize the structure of Langmuir monolayers of dodecanethiol-ligated gold nanoparticles with in situ optical microscopy and X-ray scattering. The interparticle spacing increases with thiol concentration and does not depend on surface pressure. The correlation lengths of the Langmuir monolayer crystalline domains are on the order of five to six particle diameters. Further compression of the monolayers causes wrinkling; however, we find that wrinkled monolayers with excess thiol can relax to an unwrinkled state following a reduction of surface pressure. A theoretical model based on van der Waals attraction and tunable steric repulsion is adopted to explain this reversibility.

In this study we investigate the effects of Ce doping in R1−xAxMnO3 (R=La, Ce, and A=Sr, Ce) on the magnetic and transport properties of this system. For La1−xCexMnO3 (LCMO), an increase in Ce concentration is accompanied by an increase in TC from 225 to 236 K, as well as an increase in the electrical resistivity. An extremely high resistivity is observed in the new system Ce1−xSrxMnO3 (CSMO) which becomes insulating below its Curie temperature of 43 K. A maximum magnetoresistance (MR) ratio of 40% for CSMO and 53% for LCMO is observed. A larger change in resistivity is seen to correspond to an increase in the Ce concentration, however this is offset by an overall resistivity increase which keeps the MR ratio low. The high resistivity may be due to unreacted oxides in the samples. If true, the amount of impurity appears to be proportional to the Ce doping. If this impurity level can be reduced, a significant colossal magnetoresistance effect could be exhibited by these systems.

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A new apparatus has been developed for microtomography studies under high pressure. The pressure generation mechanism is based on the concept of the widely used Drickamer anvil apparatus, with two opposed anvils compressed inside a containment ring. Modifications are made with thin aluminum alloy containment rings to allow transmission of x rays. Pressures up to 8GPa have been generated with a hydraulic load of 25T. The modified Drickamer cell is supported by thrust bearings so that the entire pressure cell can be rotated under load. Spatial resolution of the high pressure tomography apparatus has been evaluated using a sample containing vitreous carbon spheres embedded in FeS matrix, with diameters ranging from 0.01to0.2mm. Spheres with diameters as small as 0.02mm were well resolved, with measured surface-to-volume ratios approaching theoretical values. The sample was then subject to a large shear strain field by twisting the top and bottom Drickamer anvils. Imaging analysis showed that detailed microstructure evolution information can be obtained at various steps of the shear deformation, allowing strain partition determination between the matrix and the inclusions. A sample containing a vitreous Mg2SiO4 sphere in FeS matrix was compressed to 5GPa, in order to evaluate the feasibility of volume measurement by microtomography. The results demonstrated that quantitative inclusion volume information can be obtained, permitting in situ determination of P-V-T equation of state for noncrystalline materials.