Coercivity analysis in R17Fe83−χBχ magnets

We studied the coercivity in magnets of composition R₁₇Fe_83−χB_χ (R = Nd, Pr and χ = 8, 30), using measurements of the coercive field H_c, its angular dependence, and the magnetic viscosity coefficient S_v, for temperatures between 4.2 and 500 K. The results are discussed in relation to a model which does not specifically consider the detailed mechanisms involved in magnetization reversal, but which provides information about the magnetic properties in the activation volume v where magnetization reversal is initiated. It is concluded that the ordering temperature in v tends to be slightly smaller than in the bulk and that the room temperature anisotropy in v is not strongly reduced with respect to the bulk value. Finally, a direct evaluation of the dipolar interactions is in good agreement with results obtained from H_c(T).     

Angular momentum effect in prescission particle multiplicities for a light system by diffusion model

The effect of angular momentum on the competition between fission and particle emission during light system fission process was studied via fission diffusion model. The prescission particle multiplicities were found to increase with decreasing angular momentum. The experimental prescission proton and α particle multiplicities can be fitted for 10.6 MeV/nucleon ⁸⁴Kr(²⁷Al,binary fission) reaction with this model. Entrance channel effect found in [1] is proved to be angular momentum effect.     

Thermal Behavior of Urea-(D) Tartaric Acid and Urea-(DL) Tartaric Acid Crystals

The thermal behavior of two new non-linear optical (NLO) materials, urea-(D) tartaric acid (UDT) and urea-(DL) tartaric acid (UDLT) were studied by using DSC, TG and TMA. The results show that: 1) The two crystals have different melting points but similar decomposition temperatures due to the influences of intermolecular forces, which is attributed to the stereo effects of (D)-tartaric and (DL)-tartaric acid molecules; 2) There was only thermal expansion and no thermal contraction when the UDT and UDLT crystals were heated; 3) There was no phase transition within the measured temperature range; 4) The thermal expansion of the UDT and UDLT crystals shows a small anisotropy; 5) The specific heats of UDT and UDLT change linearly with temperature in the measured temperature range and the value for UDT is 1.321 J g-1 K-1 at 320 K while the specific heat of UDLT is 1.357 J g-1 K-1 at the same temperature. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Photorefractive shearing interferometer

A novel method of obtaining shearing interferogram by slightly moving the crystal in a photorefractive interferometer is proposed. This method can measure the phase of an object itself instead of its diffraction field, and it is easy to realize continuously changeable shearing distance in any lateral direction and introduce carrier fringes at the same time. Both the theoretical analysis and experimental verification are given.     

The colloidal stability and core-shell structure of magnetite nanoparticles coated with alginate

The adsorption of alginate (Alg) onto the surface of in water dispersed Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles and zeta potential of alginate-coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles have been investigated to optimize the colloidal stability of Alg-coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles. The adsorption amount of Alg increased with the decrease of adsorption pH. The zeta potential of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles shifted to a lower value after adsorption of Alg. The lower adsorption pH was the lower zeta potential of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles became. The Alg-coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were found to be stabilized by steric and electrostatic repulsions. Those prepared at pH 6 were not stable around pH 5, and those prepared at pH 4 became unstable at pH below 3.5. Alg of M_w 45 kDa was a little bit more adsorbed onto nanoparticles surface than that of M_w 24 kDa. An average Fe₃O₄ core size of 9.3 ± 1.7 nm was found by transmission electronic microscopy. An average hydrodynamic diameter of 30-150 nm was measured by photon correlation spectroscopy. However, an average core size of 10 nm and an average hydrodynamic diameter of 38 nm were estimated from the magnetization curve of the concentrated magnetic fluids (MFs). The maximum available saturation magnetization of MFs was about 3.5 kA/m.     

Direct measurement of the magnetocaloric effect in La0.67Ca0.33MnO3

Polycrystalline perovskite La_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃ was synthesized by a sol–gel method. Its adiabatic temperature change ΔT_ad induced by a magnetic field change was measured directly. At 268 K, near its Curie temperature T_C, ΔT_ad of La_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃ induced by a magnetic field change of 2.02 T reaches 2.4 K. The latent heat Q and magnetic entropy change −ΔS_M induced by a magnetic field change were calculated from the temperature dependence of ΔT_ad and zero-field heat capacity C_p. The maximum values of Q and −ΔS_M in La_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃ induced by a magnetic field change of 2.02 T are 1.85 J g⁻¹ and 6.9 J kg⁻¹ K⁻¹, respectively. The former is larger than the phase transition latent heat of heating or cooling, which is about 1.70 J g⁻¹.     

Synthesis and characterization of polyimides derived from (3‐amino‐2,4,6‐trimethylphenyl)‐(3′‐aminophenyl)methanone and aromatic dianhydrides

A series of new polyimides were prepared via the polycondensation of (3‐amino‐2,4,6‐trimethylphenyl)‐(3′‐aminophenyl)methanone and aromatic dianhydrides, that is, 3,3′,4,4′‐biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA), 4,4′‐oxydiphthalic anhydride, 3,3′,4,4′‐benzophenone tetracarboxylic dianhydride, and 2,2′‐bis(3,4‐dicarboxyphenyl) hexafluoropropane dianhydride. The structures of the polyimides were characterized by Fourier transform infrared and NMR measurements. The properties were evaluated by solubility tests, ultraviolet–visible analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis. The two different meta‐position‐located amino groups with respect to the carbonyl bridge in the diamine monomer provided it with an unsymmetrical structure. This led to a restriction on the close packing of the resulting polymer chains and reduced interchain interactions, which contributed to the solubility increase. All the polyimides except that derived from BPDA had good solubility in strong aprotic solvents, such as N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone, N,N′‐dimethylacetamide, N,N‐dimethylformamide, and dimethyl sulfone, and in common organic solvents, such as cyclohexanone and chloroform. In addition, these polyimides exhibited high glass‐transition values and excellent thermal properties, with an initial thermal decomposition temperature above 470 °C and glass‐transition temperatures in the range of 280–320 °C. The polyimide films also exhibited good transparency in the visible‐light region, with transmittance higher than 80% at 450 nm and a cutoff wavelength lower than 370 nm. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 1291–1298, 2006     

Meshless simulation of equilibrium swelling/deswelling of pH‐sensitive hydrogels

Hydrogels have been widely used in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and Bio‐MEMS devices. In this article, the equilibrium swelling/deswelling of the pH‐stimulus cylindrical hydrogel in the microchannel is studied and simulated by the meshless method. The multi‐field coupling model, called multi‐effect‐coupling pH‐stimulus (MECpH) model, is presented and used to describe the chemical field, electric field, and the mechanical field involved in the problem. The partial differential equations (PDEs) describing these three fields are either nonlinear or coupled together. This multi‐field coupling and high nonlinear characteristics produce difficulties for the conventional numerical methods (e.g., the finite element method or the finite difference method), so an alternative—meshless method is developed to discretize the PDEs, and the efficient iteration technique is adopted to solve the nonlinear problem. The computational results for the swelling/deswelling diameter of the hydrogel under the different pH values are firstly compared with experimental results, and they have a good agreement. The influences of other parameters on the mechanical properties of the hydrogel are also investigated in detail. It is shown that the multi‐field coupling model and the developed meshless method are efficient, stable, and accurate for simulation of the properties of the stimuli‐sensitive hydrogel. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 326–337, 2006     

Theoretical and computational studies of vectorial processes in biomolecular systems

Efficient vectorial processes such as the transduction of bioenergy and signals are characteristics that strikingly distinguish living systems from inanimate materials. Recent developments in biophysical and biochemical techniques have provided new information about the structure, dynamics and interaction of biomolecules involved in vectorial life processes at multiple length and temporal scales. This wealth of data makes it possible to carry out theoretical and computational studied of key mechanistic questions associated with complex life processes at an unprecedented level. Using two “vectorial biomolecular machines”, myosin and cytochrome c oxidase, as examples, we discuss the identification of interesting and biologically relevant questions that require thorough theoretical analysis. Technical challenges and recent progress related to these theoretical investigations are briefly summarized