New and Old Concepts in Thermoelectric Materials

Herein we cover the key concepts in the field of thermoelectric materials research, present the current understanding, and show the latest developments. Current research is aimed at increasing the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) by maximizing the power factor and/or minimizing the thermal conductivity. Attempts at maximizing the power factor include the development of new materials, optimization of existing materials by doping, and the exploration of nanoscale materials. The minimization of the thermal conductivity can come through solid‐solution alloying, use of materials with intrinsically low thermal conductivity, and nanostructuring. Herein we describe the most promising bulk materials with emphasis on results from the last decade. Single‐phase bulk materials are discussed in terms of chemistry, crystal structure, physical properties, and optimization of thermoelectric performance. The new opportunities for enhanced performance bulk nanostructured composite materials are examined and a look into the not so distant future is attempted.     

Cover Picture: Toroidal Micelles of Uniform Size from Diblock Copolymers (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 25/2009)

Pure toroidal micelles of highly uniform shape and size are presented by T. Chang et al. in their Communication on page 4594 ff. The donut‐shaped micelles are prepared by spontaneous self‐assembly of a polyisoprene‐block‐poly(2‐vinylpyridine) copolymer, and are stable enough to act as a template for the growth of gold nanoparticles along the ring surface.

     

Determination of organophosphate flame retardants in sediments by microwave-assisted extraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry with electron impact and chemical ionization

An efficient microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) procedure coupled to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) with electron impact (EI) and chemical ionization (CI) has been developed to determine five organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) in marine and river sediments. The effects of various operating parameters on the quantitative extraction of the OPFRs through MAE were systematically investigated. Selected OPFRs were extracted from the sediments through MAE using 40 mL of acetone at 120 °C for 20 min. The limits of quantitation ranged from 0.1 to 0.4 ng/g (dry weight) in 2 g of the sediment samples. Moreover, as the chlorinated alkyl phosphates present no molecular ions in EI, GC–MS with furan-CI (furan-CI) was applied to confirm their determination in complex environmental samples. The recoveries of the selected OPFRs in spiked sediment samples ranged from 62% to 106% (relative standard derivation, 1−11%). The total concentrations of the selected OPFR residues in marine and river sediments ranged from 1.0 to 12.6 ng/g.     

Cavity Ring Down Laser Absorption Spectroscopy of Nil

The absorption spectrum of NiI between 445 and 510 nm has been investigated using the technique of laser vaporization/reaction with free jet expansion and cavity ring down laser absorption spectroscopy. Two new transitions namely,[21.3]^2△5/2-X^2△5/2 and [21.9]^2Ⅱ3/2-X^2△5/2 systems were identified and studied. Spectra of both ^58NiI and ^60NiI isotopic molecules were observed. Equilibrium molecular constants for both electronic states are reported and the equilibrium bond length for the [21.3]^2△5/2 state and the[21.9]^2Ⅱ3/2 state was respectively determined to be 2.431 and 2.481 A.     

The optimal ordering policy of the EOQ model under trade credit depending on the ordering quantity from the DCF approach

This paper discusses the optimum order quantity of the EOQ model that is not only dependent on the inventory policy but also on firm’ credit policy. Here, the conditions of using a discounted cash-flows (DCF) approach and trade credit depending on the quantity ordered are discussed. We consider that if the order quantity is less than at which the delay in payments is permitted, the payment for the item must be made immediately. Otherwise, the fixed trade credit period is permitted.     

Bootstrapping sums of independent but not identically distributed continuous processes with applications to functional data

In many areas of application, the data are of functional nature, such as (one-dimensional) spectral data and two- or three-dimensional imaging data. It is often of interest to test for the significance of some set of factors in the functional observations (e.g., test for the mean differences between two groups). Testing hypotheses point-by-point (voxel-by-voxel in neuroimaging studies) results in a severe multiple-comparisons problem as the number of measurements made per observation is typically much larger than the number of observations (“large p, small n”). Thus solutions to this problem should take into account the spatial correlation structure inherent in the data. Popular approaches in such a setting include the general Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) approach and the permutation test, but these rely on strong parametric and exchangeability assumptions. In situations in which these assumptions are not satisfied, a nonparametric multiplier bootstrap approach may be used. Motivated by this problem, we present general results for multiplier bootstraps for sums of independent but not identically distributed processes. We also consider the application of these results to an imaging setting and provide sufficient conditions that will ensure asymptotic control of the familywise error rate.     

Performance analysis of an elevator system during up-peak

We model and analyze an elevator system during up-peak. We study the round-trip time, whose distribution depends strongly on the number of passengers waiting at the lobby, as well as the number of stops and the highest reversal floor. The distribution functions of the passenger queue length in the lobby, the round-trip time, the waiting time, the ride time and the journey time are derived.     

Inverse nodal problem for differential pencils

An inverse nodal problem is studied for the diffusion operator with real-valued coefficients on a finite interval with Dirichlet boundary conditions. The oscillation of the eigenfunctions corresponding to large modulus eigenvalues is established and an asymptotic of the nodal points is obtained. The uniqueness theorem is proved and a constructive procedure for solving the inverse problem is given.     

Effects of Damping Mechanisms in Free and Forced Vibrations of Some Structural Members

For continuous vibrating systems, such as bars and beams, end-mounted in the environment, knowledge about the mass, damping and stiffness properties of the resonating environment is important for analyzing free and forced vibrations of such structural members which are also damped themselves. To finally get an identification of the clamping parameters, examinations of both vibrating structural members for various restraint conditions and dynamic interaction with viscoelastic halfspaces, etc., are required. As a first step, longitudinal bar vibrations are studied in detail. The method of separation of variables combined with the reformatted orthogonality relation, and numerical integration is applied for calculating the free and forced oscillations. (© 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)