Subfemtosecond K-shell excitation with a few-cycle infrared laser field

Subfemtosecond bursts of extreme ultraviolet radiation, facilitated by a process known as high-order harmonic generation, are a key ingredient for attosecond metrology, providing a tool to precisely initiate and probe ultrafast dynamics in the microcosms of atoms, molecules, and solids. These ultrashort pulses are always, and as a by-product of the way they are generated, accompanied by laser-induced recollisions of electrons with their parent ions. By using a few-cycle infrared (λ(0)=2.1 μm) driving laser, we were able to directly excite high-energy (～870 eV) inner-shell electrons through laser-induced electron recollision, opening the door to time-resolved studies of core-level and concomitant multielectron dynamics.     

Azole. 45.

The three title compounds, namely (Z)‐1‐(4,5‐di­nitro­imidazol‐1‐yl)‐3‐morpholinopropan‐2‐one 2,4‐di­nitro­phenyl­hydrazone, C₁₆H₁₇N₉O₉, (IV), (Z)‐3‐morpholino‐1‐(4‐morpholino‐5‐nitro­imidazol‐1‐yl)propan‐2‐one 2,4‐di­nitro­phenyl­hydrazone, C₂₀H₂₅N₉O₈, (Va), and (E)‐3‐morpholino‐1‐(4‐morpholino‐5‐nitro­imidazol‐1‐yl)propan‐2‐one 2,4‐di­nitro­phenylhydra­zone tetra­hydro­furan solvate, C₂₀H₂₅N₉O₈·C₄H₈O, (Vb), have been prepared and their structures determined. In (IV), the C‐4 nitro group is nearly perpendicular to the imidazole ring and the C‐4—NO₂ bond length is comparable to the value for a normal single Csp²—NO₂ bond. In (IV), (Va) and (Vb), the C‐­5 nitro group deviates insignificantly from the imidazole plane and the C‐5—NO₂ bond length is far shorter in all three compounds than C‐4—NO₂ in (IV). In consequence, the C‐4 nitro group in (IV) is easily replaced by morpholine, while the C‐5 nitro group in (IV), (Va) and (Vb) shows an extraordinary stability on treatment with the amine. The E configuration in (Vb) is stabilized by a three‐centre hydrogen bond.     

Validated simulation of kinematics and dynamics of multibody systems using interval and Taylor model based methods

In this paper, we present an integrated environment for validated modeling and simulation of kinematics and dynamics of various classes of mechanical systems SMARTMOBILE ( S imulation and M odeling of dyn A mics in MOBILE: R eliable and T emplate–based) built on top of the non-validated tool MOBILE. We outline the main features of SMARTMOBILE and its applicability area. The functionality of the new tool and the importance of the application of validated techniques are demonstrated. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Direct and sensitized photoinitiated cationic polymerization using pyridinium salts

Results of polymerization and laser flash photolysis studies concerning the direct and indirect photoinitiation of cationic polymerizations using N-alkoxy pyridinium and N-alkoxy quinolinium salts are presented. The indirect action can be based on (a) the generation of carbocations via the oxidation of photochemically produced free radicals and (b) the generation of radical cations via the reaction of electronically excited sensitizers with pyridinium or quinolinium ions. With respect to (a) substituted vinyl bromides were found be an effective source of oxidizable free radicals (vinyl radicals), and regarding (b) singlet or triplet excited states of thioxanthone, anthracene, perylene and phenothiazine, which, in the ground state, strongly absorb light in the 300 to 400 nm range, were found to react rapidly with pyridinium salts.     

Fire retardants and fire safety how can tests reflect reality?

In the standard test methods, the thermal action proceeds even today in most cases under the conditions of the well ventilated fire. The intensity of the thermal action varies widely, however, depending on the designed safety level. In the last few years, the outstanding purpose was to test the behaviour of products under the action of fire, in particular the time to the flash-over. The intensity of the fire action rises accordingly, despite the possibility of further free ventilation, to such a degree that the test conditions in laboratory processes can reflect reality only under certain conditions. This philosophy is drawn from the results of statistical investigations in the U.S. is that the time to the flash-over in a room is equal to the time to untenability, because most of the victims of the fire were not present in the room where the fire broke out. Test methods on a real scale that serve this designed safety level will therefore have to work with the high fire action on the products to be tested. In contrast, however, in some European countries the philosophy underlying the adoption of designed safety levels is that the main purpose is to protect human beings who are present in the room where the fire breaks out. According to this philosophy, a fire development that threatens to become dangerous must always be prevented. Consequently, interest is focused mainly on restricting the spread of fire and thus preventing a flash-over. The test methods to be designed with this purpose in view should, therefore, simulate the conditions of the starting fire or the developing fire. The efficiency of a fire retardant can then be evaluated according to whether the fire spread is restricted or not. Under these conditions, the question of the time to be flash-over is of no significance. With standard tests, it is impossible to make a statement as to how far the fire safety of products can be improved by the use of fire retardants unless the safety-relevant range of application for the test method has been defined.     

The thermal susceptibility of poly(chloroethyl methacrylates)

The non-oxidative thermal degradation kinetics and mechanism of poly(2-monochloro, 2, 2-dichloro and 2, 2, 2, -trichloroethyl methacrylates) were studied. The influence of the antioxidant IRGA-NOX 1010 on the thermal degradation of the monochloroethyl derivative was also investigated. Initial hydrolysis data on the major degradation products, the corresponding monomers, were obtained.     

A deuteron NMR study on order and phase behaviour of liquid-crystalline copolymers

Liquid-crystalline (LC) block copolymers of lamellar morphology were prepared via anionic polymerization of polystyrene-block-1,2-polybutadiene and subsequent introduction of a deuterated mesogen by polymer analogous reaction. Deuteron NMR measurements show that the first-order nematic/isotropic transition in the block copolymer is changed to a critical behaviour under the influence of shear. In the nematic phase the order parameter is reduced with respect to the homopolymer, and there is no evidence of an isotropic boundary layer of the LC-block at the nematic/isotropic interface.