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The electronic spectroscopy of UO(2) has been examined using multiphoton ionization with mass-selected detection of the UO(2) (+) ions. Supersonic jet cooling was used to reduce the spectral congestion. Twenty-two vibronic bands of neutral UO(2) were observed in the range from 17,400 to 32,000 cm(-1). These bands originated from the U(5fphi(u)7ssigma(g))O(2) X (3)Phi(2u) and (3)Phi(3u) states. The stronger band systems are attributed to metal-centered 7p<--7s transitions. Threshold ionization measurements were used to determine the ionization potentials of UO and UO(2). These were found to be higher than the values obtained previously from electron impact measurements but in agreement with the results of recent theoretical calculations.

Alumina is a material that has been used in both dental and orthopedic applications. It is with these uses in mind that osteoblast (bone-forming cell) function on alumina of varying particulate size, chemistry, and phase was tested in order to determine what formulation might be the most beneficial for bone regeneration. Specifically, in vitro osteoblast adhesion, proliferation, intracellular alkaline phosphatase activity, and calcium deposition was observed on delta-phase nanospherical, alpha-phase conventional spherical, and boehmite nanofiber alumina. Results showed for the first time increased osteoblast functions on the nanofiber alumina. Specifically, a 16% increase in osteoblast adhesion over nanophase spherical alumina and a 97% increase over conventional spherical alumina were found for nanofiber alumina after 2 h. A 29% increase in cell number after 5 days and up to a 57% greater amount of calcium was found on the surface of the nanofiber alumina compared with other alumina surfaces. Some of the possible explanations for such enhanced osteoblast behavior on nanofiber alumina may be attributed to chemistry, crystalline phase, and topography. Increased osteoblast function on nanofiber alumina suggests that it may be an ideal material for use in orthopedic and dental applications.

The pulsed field ionization-zero kinetic energy photoelectron technique has been used to observe the low-lying energy levels of UO+. Rotationally resolved spectra were recorded for the ground state and the first nine electronically excited states. Extensive vibrational progressions were characterized. Omega+ assignments were unambiguously determined from the first rotational lines identified in each vibronic band. Term energies, vibrational frequencies, and anharmonicity constants for low-lying energy levels of UO+ are reported. In addition, accurate values for the ionization energies for UO [48,643.8(2) cm(-1)] and U [49,957.6(2) cm(-1)] were determined. The pattern of low-lying electronic states for UO+ indicates that they originate from the U3+(5f3)O2- configuration, where the uranium ion-centered interactions between the 5f electrons are significantly stronger than interactions with the intramolecular electric field. The latter lifts the degeneracy of U3+ ion-core states, but the atomic angular momentum quantum numbers remain reasonably well defined.

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