Effect of TiO2 addition on the crystallization of quenched glasses in the SiO2–Al2O3–ZrO2 system

The glass formation in the SiO₂-rich region of the ternary oxide system Al₂O₃–ZrO₂–SiO₂ with MgO, CaO, and TiO₂ as melting aids was analyzed. The crystallization of glasses with different content of TiO₂ and phase evolution with the temperature was studied by X-ray diffraction, infrared, laser Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The use of TiO₂ favored formation and crystallization of the glasses due to the decrease of the viscosity of melts and acting as a nucleating agent. The crystalline phase of t-ZrO₂ was developed at temperatures as low as 880°C whereas in as prepared specimens without TiO₂ its presence was not detected. For the specimens with TiO₂, t-ZrO₂ and mullite were the principal phases at 1000°C. TiO₂ addition did not change the crystallization sequence but decreased the formation temperature of the crystalline phases. Most of Ti⁴⁺ ions entered into t-ZrO₂ and only a small portion in mullite, but the surplus was detected in ZrTiO₄.     

Muon–hadron detector of the carpet-2 array

The 1-GeV muon–hadron detector of the Carpet-2 multipurpose shower array at the Baksan Neutrino Observatory, Institute for Nuclear Research, Russian Academy of Sciences (INR, Moscow, Russia) is able to record simultaneously muons and hadrons. The procedure developed for this device makes it possible to separate the muon and hadron components to a high degree of precision. The spatial and energy features of the muon and hadron extensive-air-shower components are presented. Experimental data from the Carpet-2 array are contrasted against data from the EAS-TOP and KASCADE arrays and against the results of the calculations based on the CORSIKA (GHEISHA + QGSJET01) code package and performed for primary protons and iron nuclei.     

Elasticity of the B2 phase and the effect of the B1–B2 phase transition on the elasticity of MgO

A study of the high-pressure anisotropy of MgO was conducted using first-principles calculations based on density functional theory within the generalized gradient approximations. The pressure dependence of the elastic stiffness coefficients and the anisotropy parameters, in both B1 and B2 phases, shows that for high-hydrostatic compression the easiest deformation is the shear along (100) plane and the the material's response to deformation and to shearing strains is quite the same. According to the calculations of the velocities of propagation of elastic waves, we deduced that MgO develop an elastic anisotropy, especially, in the B1 phase. We present the B2 phase elastic properties which are not already studied under high pressure.     

Crystallization kinetics of the TeO2–BaO glass system

Tellurite glasses of the system (100–x)TeO₂–xBaO, with x = 05, 10, 15 and 20 wt%, have been prepared and studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The crystallization kinetics of the glasses were investigated under non-isothermal conditions, applying the formal theory of transformations for heterogeneous nucleation to the experimental data obtained by DSC, using continuous-heating techniques. In addition, from the dependence of the glass-transition temperature (T _g) on heating rate, the activation energy for the glass transition was derived. Similarly, the activation energy of the crystallization process was determined and the crystallization mechanism characterized. The thermal stability of these glasses are considered in terms of the characteristic temperatures, T _g and T _in (the onset temperature of crystallization), via ΔT = T _in?T _g and a kinetic parameter K(T _g). The results confirm that thermal stability decreases with increasing BaO content. The phases into which the glass crystallizes have been identified by X-ray diffraction. Diffractograms of the transformed material indicate the presence of microcrystallites of α-TeO₂, γ-TeO₂ and BaTeO₃ in the remaining amorphous matrix.     

Spectral–kinetic characteristics of the F2 laser transition

A theoretical model for the F₂(D–A) laser transitions is built. The model includes a scheme of the main laser transitions proposed. A value of the radiative lifetime of the upper laser level in the conventional kinetic models of the F₂ laser is proved to be underestimated by one order of magnitude. A general theory of steady-state light amplification in a molecular laser with non-equilibrium vibrational distribution is developed. Relations of the small-signal gain and the saturating energy flux with parameters of molecular electronic–vibrational kinetics are established. The theory is applied to explain properties of F₂ laser amplifiers. PACS 31.70.Hq; 42.55.Lt     

Rotational Analysis of the 1–4 Band of the B 2Σ+–X 2Σ+ System of 14C16O+

ABSTRACT

High-resolution emission spectrum of the 1–4 band of the B ²Σ⁺–X ²Σ⁺ transition of ¹⁴C¹⁶O⁺ was observed for the first time by conventional emission spectroscopy. The band spectrum was excited in a water-cooled Geissler lamp filled with commercial gaseous carbon monoxide enriched in about 80% of the radiocarbon ¹⁴C. A rotational analysis has been carried out and obtained molecular constants have been merged with previously published data for the B ²Σ⁺–A ²Π_i and A ²Π_i–X ²Σ⁺ transitions. The principal equilibrium constants for the ground X ²Σ⁺ state obtained from this work are ω_e = 2121.7726(98), ω_e x _e = 13.9055(27), B _e = 1.815290(30), α_e = 1.6594(33) × 10^?2, and γ_e = ? 0.377(73) × 10^?4 cm^?1. Also, presently known experimental equilibrium molecular constants of the X ²Σ⁺ states of the CO⁺ isotopic molecules are summarized and isotopic dependence of the B _e and ω _e constants is discussed.     

Surface properties of palladium catalysts supported on ternary ZrO2–Al2O3–WOx oxides prepared by the sol–gel method: Study of the chemical state of the support

The surface properties of Pd and Pd–Pt catalysts supported on binary ZrO₂–WOx and ternary ZrO₂–Al₂O₃–WOx oxides prepared by the sol–gel method were studied. Special attention was paid to the study of the texture of the catalysts as well as the chemical state of tungstated zirconia and tungstated zirconia promoted with alumina in the palladium catalysts. The catalysts were tested in the isomerization of n-hexane and were characterized by N₂ physisorption, XRD, TPR, Raman spectroscopy, XPS and FT-IR of adsorbed pyridine. The catalysts had bimodal pore size distributions with mesopores in the range 55–70 Å and macropores of 1000 Å in diameter. The catalysts had a surface WOx coverage (4.4–6.0 W nm^?2) lower than that of the theoretical monolayer (7.0 W nm^?2). A lower acidity of the ternary ZrO₂–Al₂O₃–WOx oxide as compared to the binary ZrO₂–WOx oxide was found. Higher activity in the isomerisation of n-hexane was obtained in the Pd–Pt catalysts supported on ternary ZrAlW oxides prepared by sol–gel that is correlated with the coexistence on the surface of W⁴⁺ (WO₂) or W⁰ and W⁶⁺ (Al₂(WO₄)₃) species, ZrO₂ in the tetragonal phase and a high amount of ZrOx suboxides species in a low oxidation state (Zr³⁺ and Zr²⁺).     

Special Features of the Correlation between the Uranium–Oxygen Interatomic Distances and the Frequencies of the Valence Vibrations of the UO2 2+ Group in Complex Compounds of Uranyl

We considered the factors due to which the dependences between the uranium–oxygen distances R ₀ and the frequencies of valence vibrations _as for complex compounds of uranyl are described by two independent expressions generally represented by equations of the type R ₀ = a + b_as ^–2/3 (b > 0) with the coefficients a and b differing in the regions R ₀ < 0.178 nm and R ₀ > 0.178 nm. It is shown that the reason is that there is a mutual effect of the ligands in the uranyl complex responsible for different partial contributions of the uranium orbitals and of the atoms of the first coordination sphere to the chemical bonding.     

Rovibrational spectra of the Ar–D2O and Kr–D2O van der Waals complexes in the v2 bend region of D2O

Rovibrational spectra of Ar–D₂O and Kr–D₂O complexes are measured in the v₂ bend region of D₂O monomer using a tunable mid-infrared diode laser spectrometer. One para and two ortho bands for both complexes are identified and then analyzed in terms of a nearly free internal rotor model. Molecular constants for the excited vibrational states, including band-origin, rotational and centrifugal distortion constants, and Coriolis coupling constant, are determined accurately. A comparison of the observed band-origins of Ar–D₂O and Kr–D₂O with the previous results of Ne–D₂O shows regular trends of shift from Kr–D₂O to Ne–D₂O.     

Effect of SnI2 on the thermal and optical properties of Ge–Se–Te glasses

A systematic series of (Ge₂₀Se₁₅Te₆₅)_1?x–(SnI₂)_x (x = 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15) chalcogenide glasses have been prepared. The amorphous nature can be confirmed by XRD and SEM. With the SnI₂ content increasing, the indirect optical band gaps are decreased from 0.662 to 0.622 eV according to Tauc laws. The introduction of SnI₂ makes the glasses much easier to prepare and more stable against crystallization, making them drawable as optical fibers. The highest ΔT (130 °C) value for (Ge₂₀Se₁₅Te₆₅)_0.9–(SnI₂)_0.1 glass composition can be obtained. A slight red-shifting of the long-wavelength cutting-off edge from 18.4 to 19.4 μm was shown and it seems that SnI₂ in these glasses offers the improvement in the far-infrared properties.     

Electron–Hole Dimers in the Parent Phase of Quasi–2D Cuprates

Physics of the Solid State - The key feature of parent cuprates of the La2CuO4 type, in addition to their high ionic polarizability and closeness to polarization catastrophe, is identified as their...     

Nonlinear properties of multiphase high-temperature superconductors of the Bi–Sr–Ca–Cu–O system in the temperature range of the superconducting transition

The nonlinear characteristics of high-temperature superconductors of the Bi–Sr–Ca–Cu–O system have been experimentally investigated in the temperature range of the superconducting transition under the influence of a harmonic alternating magnetic field. The effect of the generation of odd harmonics in the signal of response to a harmonic alternating magnetic field for multiphase high-temperature superconductors containing regions with different values of the critical temperature in their bulk has been observed for the first time. The mechanism of harmonic generation in a superconductor in the resistive state, which is associated with the switch effect, i.e., with the redistribution of eddy current density between the local regions of the superconductor, has been considered.     

Mixing Time of Markov Chains for the 1–2 Model

Journal of Statistical Physics - A 1–2 model configuration is a subset of edges of a hexagonal lattice satisfying the constraint that each vertex is incident to 1 or 2 edges. We introduce...     

On the Effect of Stochastic Fluctuations in the Dynamics of the Lifshitz–Slyozov–Wagner Model

In this paper the dynamics of a system of spherical particles that fill a small volume fraction of the space and that evolves in a concentration field is discussed. Corrections to the Lifshitz–Slyozov–Wagner (LSW) model that take into account the stochastic character of the problem are computed. It is proved, under suitable smallness assumptions for the volume fraction filled by the particles, that the effect of these corrections does not modify much the dynamics of the self-similar solutions of the LSW system of equations.     

Evolution of the structure of Rb2ZnCl4 over the temperature range 4.2–310 K

X-ray diffraction is used to study the temperature dependence of the lattice parameters and the sequence of structural realignments in crystalline Rb₂ZnCl₄ over temperatures of 4.2–310 K. The appearance of and changes in the system of satellite reflexes indicative of structural ordering are studied. Below 74 K, on going into the monoclinic phase (space group A11a), anomalies are observed in the behavior of the lattice parameters, and superstructural reflexes develop with wave vectors q=a ^*/3+b ^*/2+c ^*/2 corresponding to an increase by a large factor in initial parameters a, b, and c of the Pnma-phase. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 1084–1090 (June 1999)     

On quasi-periodic solutions of the 2+1 dimensional Caudrey–Dodd–Gibbon–Kotera–Sawada equation

The 2+1 dimensional Caudrey–Dodd–Gibbon–Kotera–Sawada equation is decomposed into systems of integrable ordinary differential equations resorting to the nonlinearization of Lax pairs. The Abel–Jacobi coordinates are introduced to straighten the flows, from which quasi-periodic solutions of the 2+1 dimensional Caudrey–Dodd–Gibbon–Kotera–Sawada equation are obtained in terms of Riemann theta functions.     

Structural evolution of ZrO2–mullite nanocomposites from the Si–Al–Zr–O amorphous bulk

ZrO₂–mullite nanocomposites were fabricated by in-situ-controlled crystallization of Si–Al–Zr–O amorphous bulk at 800–1250°C. The structural evolution of the Si–Al–Zr–O amorphous, annealed at different temperatures, was studied by X-ray diffraction, infrared, Laser Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The materials consisted of an amorphous phase up to 920°C at which phase separation of Si-rich and Al, Zr-rich clusters occurred. The crystalline phases of t-ZrO₂ and mullite were observed at 950°C and 1000°C, respectively. Mullite with a tetragonal structure, formed by the reaction between Al–Si spinel and amorphous silica at low temperature, changed into an orthorhombic structure with the increase of temperature. It was the phase segregation that improved crystallization of the Si–Al–Zr–O amorphous bulk. The anisotropic growth of mullite was observed and the phase transformation from t-ZrO₂ to m-ZrO₂ occurred when the temperature was higher than 1100°C.     

Results of the Experiments on the Crystallization of a Ge–Si–Sb Solid Solution under the Conditions of Microgravity on the Soyuz–Apollo Spacecraft

Physics of the Solid State - Objective factors that allow the experiment on growing crystals of a Ge–Si–Sb solid solution on the Soyuz–Apollo spacecraft to take a special place...