Contact angle determination of micro- and nanoparticles at fluid/fluid interfaces: the excluded area concept

A novel and simple method for the determination of the contact angle of nano- and microparticles at the liquid/air interface is proposed. The principle is based on the consideration of differences between the pressure/area isotherms of a 2D single-component system of a surfactant and those of binary systems comprised of the same surfactant and the particles to be studied. The theoretical analysis of the contact-angle behavior in this system upon compression allows the prediction of direction of the particles' squeezing out of the surface layer and therefore the distinction between the particles with high contact angle (Theta(p) > 90 degrees) and low (Theta(p) < 90 degrees) hydrophobicity. The application of this method to microparticles of two different hydrophobicities demonstrates good agreement between the obtained contact angles and the corresponding degrees of hydrophobicity given by the particle provider.     

Machine scheduling with resource dependent processing times

We consider machine scheduling on unrelated parallel machines with the objective to minimize the schedule makespan. We assume that, in addition to its machine dependence, the processing time of any job is dependent on the usage of a discrete renewable resource, e.g. workers. A given amount of that resource can be distributed over the jobs in process at any time, and the more of that resource is allocated to a job, the smaller is its processing time. This model generalizes the classical unrelated parallel machine scheduling problem by adding a time-resource tradeoff. It is also a natural variant of a generalized assignment problem studied previously by Shmoys and Tardos. On the basis of an integer linear programming formulation for a relaxation of the problem, we use LP rounding techniques to allocate resources to jobs, and to assign jobs to machines. Combined with Graham’s list scheduling, we show how to derive a 4-approximation algorithm. We also show how to tune our approach to yield a 3.75-approximation algorithm. This is achieved by applying the same rounding technique to a slightly modified linear programming relaxation, and by using a more sophisticated scheduling algorithm that is inspired by the harmonic algorithm for bin packing. We finally derive inapproximability results for two special cases, and discuss tightness of the integer linear programming relaxations.     

Dynamic surface properties of polyelectrolyte/surfactant adsorption films at the air/water interface: poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) and sodium dodecylsulfate

The dynamic surface elasticity, dynamic surface tension, and ellipsometric angles of mixed aqueous poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride)/sodium dodecylsulfate solutions (PDAC/SDS) have been measured as a function of time and surfactant concentration. This system represents a typical example of polyelectrolyte/surfactant complex formation and subsequent aggregation on the nanoscale. The oscillating barrier and oscillating drop methods sometimes led to different results. The surface viscoelasticity of mixed PDAC/SDS solutions are very close to those of mixed solutions of sodium polystyrenesulfonate and dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide but different from the results for some other polyelectrolyte/surfactant mixtures. The abrupt drop in surface elasticity when the surfactant molar concentration approaches the concentration of charged polyelectrolyte monomers is caused by the formation of microparticles in the adsorption layer. Aggregate formation in the solution bulk does not influence the surface properties significantly, except for a narrow concentration range where the aggregates form macroscopic flocks. The mechanism of the observed relaxation process is controlled by the mass exchange between the surface layer and the flocks attached to the liquid surface.     

Mesostructure of xerogels of hydrated zirconium dioxide

The fractal properties of xerogels of hydrated zirconium dioxide ZrO₂, which are synthesized by precipitation from a zirconyl nitrate solution at various pH values, are studied. Small-angle neutron scattering data and low-temperature nitrogen adsorption data indicate the strong effect of the acidity of the medium on the fractal dimension of xerogels and the size of constituent monomer particles. It is shown that this effect is also characteristic of xerogels of hydrated hafnium dioxide HfO₂, which is a chemical analogue of hydrated zirconium dioxide.     

Consistency of surface mechanical properties of spread protein layers at the liquid–air interface at different spreading conditions

Π/A isotherms of spread β-lactoglobulin and β-casein at the air–water interface are measured under different spreading conditions. While the isotherms do not show drastic effects of the spreading concentration and the compression rate the interfacial shear rheological behaviour is significantly influenced. In particular, the shear viscosity of β-lactoglobulin layers depend directly on the spreading concentration. Significant viscosity increase is obtained at larger surface pressures when the spreading concentration is increased. In contrast the shear rheology of the spread β-casein layers can be normalised by plotting the viscosities as a function of the surface pressure Π. The different behaviour is discussed in terms of denaturation of the β-lactoglobulin during the monolayer formation process by adsorption from the spread thin protein solution layer.     

Stress relaxation behaviour of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine monolayers spread on the surface of a pendant drop

Dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) monolayers were characterised by surface pressure/area isotherms (π/A) and surface dilational rheological parameters at temperatures 20–40°C. The methods used were the Langmuir trough and the pendant drop micro-film balance. The latter allows accurate measurements at higher temperatures and transient drop deformation. Stable DPPC monolayers were found only for low surface pressures, π<15 mN m⁻¹. At higher monolayer compression π decreases over a long time, mainly caused by molecular rearrangement processes in the monolayer starting in the coexisting region. At π>25 mN m⁻¹ and 20°C relaxation experiments give evident of rupturing, brittle monolayer structures. At higher temperatures the monolayers became more fluid-like. π/A-isotherms determined by using both methods principally agree with each other, but show also remarkable differences, which cannot be explained so far satisfactory. Transient drop relaxation experiments were analysed for the short time range (600 s). At 20°C the dilational modulus (_r) and the surface dilational viscosity (ξ_r) passes a stationary maximum at 0.54 nm² molecule⁻¹ and increase strongly at higher surface coverage, thus indicating crystalline monolayer structure. Increasing temperature from 20 to 30°C causes a rapid decrease of _r and ξ_r and a shift of the stationary maximum to lower surface coverage. No evidence for crystalline structure is found. Further increase of temperature causes _r and ξ_r increase again. This increase is caused by a rising relaxation time, while the elasticity does not change in the same manner. Such intermediate decrease of _r and ξ_r in the range 30–40°C appears to be unusual and can be interpreted as a consequence of strong DPPC interactions and strongly pronounced retardation of monolayer deformation. The study is discussed in connection to the physiology of breathing. For pulmonary surfactants the observed behaviour seems to be understandable. It is however interesting that such complex behaviour is observed for monolayers consisting of DPPC only.     

Randomized Complexity Lower Bound for Arrangements and Polyhedra

The complexity lower bound Ω (log N ) for randomized computation trees is proved for recognizing an arrangement or a polyhedron with N faces. This provides, in particular, the randomized lower bound Ω (n log n ) for the DISTINCTNESS problem and generalizes [11] where the randomized lower bound Ω (n ² ) was ascertained for the KNAPSACK problem. The core of the method is an extension of the lower bound from [8] on the multiplicative complexity of a polynomial. Received May 14, 1997, and in revised form October 27, 1997, and February 16, 1998.     

Study of quasi-two- and three-dimensional ordered porous structures by means of small-angle X-ray scattering in the grazing incidence geometry

The structure of surface layers of thin metal inverse opals has been studied first by the grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering technique. Contributions of the form factor and structure factor to the small-angle diffraction pattern have been separated using a numerical model of the scattering process. The complementary use of the small-angle X-ray scattering and grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering techniques has provided independent information about the bulk and surface properties of the samples and allowed a type of defect in the investigated structures to be determined. The measurement results have been verified by atomic force microscopy.

     

High-speed electronics of the T0 detector for the ALICE experiment (CERN)

The design and special features of the main units of high-speed electronics for the trigger subsystem of the T0 detector of the ALICE experiment are considered. Its characteristic time resolution is 50 ps. The dead time does not exceed 25 ns.     

Status of the endcap BGO calorimeter of the CMD-3 detector

The electromagnetic endcap BGO calorimeter of the CMD-3 detector is ready for experiments at the new e ⁺ e ^? collider VEPP-2000. Light readout is performed by silicon photodiodes. A thermalcontrol system that is able to maintain the calorimeter temperature at a level of 12 ±1°C was designed and manufactured. All blocks of the endcap calorimeter are assembled, tested, and prepared for installing at the detector.