PhD progres - problems! problems! problems!

Again..FAILED!
I could not get the results as expected
what is wrong with my research?
or what is wrong with me?
tangan seni aku rupenya tangan perosak!
asik rosak je sample

I keep thinking about my research
last night I had a great dream
that my samples have very good results
well, the results not yet released
will get it tomorrow
oh God, please make my dream come true!!!!!!!

what am I doing is synthesis nanoparticles
intermetallic NiAl nanoparticles actually
initially, i just wanna fabricate the nanoparticles
for coating application of course
i have to fabricate that crazy alloy coz we cant get it from any supplier
of course they have it..
but not as small as 10 nm in diameter
maybe for more than 100nm, we can purchase here in Japan
why do I need 10nm particles?
coz I need to develop a layer of 1 micrometer co-deposition

Yes..this is Japanese style
Never say never (cam justin bibir lak)
if they dont have it, we will make it
I do remember one of my friend in Malaysia could not do anything for 3 semesters
coz the materials was not available in Malaysia
in fact, over the world
crazy right?

hah..until now, i cant get any NiAl nanoparticles
most of my samples have about 1% Al content
useless!
I have tried various Ni precursors
from organometallic precursors to metallic precursors

at first, I thought organometallic precursors were cool
cool because they have crazy organic nomenclatures like cyclopentadianyl, acethylacetone..bla..bla..
I used to hate those chemistry things
but now I can't escape anymore
I have to play with them..and LOVE them!

Right now, I feel like talking about my work
I play with the wet chemical synthesis in non-aqueous solvent like THF
non-aqueous environment is needed to avoid any oxygen/humid contamination
and of course the organometallic precursors like NiCp2 and NiAcac2 are soluble in THF
the Ni 2+ and Al3+ have been reduced perfectly
using a very strong chemical reducer - sodium naphthalide
and the weak bonding of organic ligands like Acac and Cp are credits to this methods

seems like different organic ligands contribute to the passivity of Ni surface
for example Acac have phi bonding with Ni2+
WTF is phi bonding?
Damn! I have no idea at all
waaa....I have to study more and more in solid chemistry
sensei used to said that phi bonding is weaker than delta bonding
Cp ligands has delta bonding with Ni2+
really? how am I suppose to know which organic guy has delta
and which one has phi bonding?
questions....huh...malas nak carik jawapan!

My hypothesis is, organic ligand is too sticky when they sit together with Ni
why? simple!
using the same methods and same condition
applied to other metal like Platinum
you will definitely got intermetallic phase
the Pt surface clearly not passivated by its organic ligands
experimentally? -yes! that is the answer..
theoretically? - no! I have no idea
again, malas nak carik jawapan!

By chance, I found an amazing paper
just published this year
a new Ni precursors were found
and as a coincident, the guy who found that idea is my sensei's friend
they used to work together back then in US, at Cornell U
my sensei said that this guy spent 2 year playing with Ni nanoparticles
Ya Tuhan...I felt like I have just started
and I dont have another 2 years
boleh grad ke nih?

WTH is that new Ni precursor?
jeng..jeng..jeng...
I am working on it right now
this new guy will definitely can solved my sticky organic ligands problems
and I am gonna love him soon

But unfortunately...
after 3rd trial, still no promising results
1st attempt...definitely poor handling
2nd...11-mar Japan mega-quake;
the furnace were break down and I left it just like that over months
3rd...huh..I dont wanna talk about it actually
terrible silly mistakes
double mistake-1st; i forgot to turn the furnace off
2nd- the sample tube was not perfectly sealed
my mistake though I have prepared it like menatang minyak yang penuh
cis..cis...dan cis!

It wasn't completely my fault actually
the furnace itself does not provide a good heating condition
it's like a tube furnace with open ends
sensei suggested that i should use vacuum furnace instead

well well well
then I have to design a new sample tube
extra work again
in a very fast moving mode
in two weeks, I have tried many experiments
so so tired

i think I have worked so hard
why?
because people always said;
work smart, not work hard
well...they left me no choice
coz I think I am not smart
so I have to work hard
the thing is, I work too hard
and I just wasting my time.....

ALLAH HUMMA YASSIR WALA TUASSIR BIKAHIRIL TAMMIM
mintak2 la sample aku kali nih jadi....