Interlaboratory comparisons and improvements of methods for acid number determination in used motor oils

The results of two interlaboratory comparisons of acid number determinations in used motor oils are discussed. It is shown that the comparability of the measurement results is not as good as that required by known standards for petroleum products. The problem is motor oil contaminants which accumulated during use, and which are the source of a matrix effect in the acid number determination. The standard methods’ drawbacks are analyzed and some improvements are proposed. Repeatability and accuracy of the improved methods are evaluated. Received: 11 December 2001 Accepted: 15 February 2002     

凸域内单叶函数的导数

设函数f（w）为凸区域D内的单叶解析函数,对于2≤n≤8和所有w∈D,本文得到估计式|f（n）（w）/f＇（w）|的精确上界.这个结果推广了一些已知的结论.     

The effect of Erbium concentration on the optical spectrum of Erbium-doped fiber laser

We report an experimental observation of the influence of concentration of Er³⁺ ions in an Erbiumdoped silica fiber on the spectral characteristics of an erbium fiber laser. Our basic conclusion is that an increase of erbium concentration in the fiber results in the laser optical spectrum narrowing. We also discuss possible mechanisms responsible for this effect.     

Standard enthalpy of formation of La2CoO4(cr)

The enthalpies of reactions of La₂CoO₄(cr) and CoCl₂(cr) with hydrochloric acid were measured with an isothermal-jacket calorimeter. The results obtained and the available literature data were used to calculate the standard enthalpy of formation of La₂CoO₄(cr) at 298.15 K, Δ_f H ^o = ?2179 ± 7 kJ/mol.     

溴酸钾-亚甲蓝催化光度法测定硝酸盐和亚硝酸盐

用镉柱将NO-3 还原为NO-2 ,利用在磷酸介质中NO-2 对溴酸钾氧化亚甲蓝这一褪色反应具有强烈的催化作用而建立了同时测定痕量硝酸盐和亚硝酸盐的新方法。本方法简便、快速、灵敏 ,对亚硝酸盐和硝酸盐测定的线性范围分别为 0～ 2 0 0 μg·L-1和 0 0 0 3～ 310 μg·L-1,用于测定各种水样中痕量NO-2 和NO-3 的含量均获得满意结果     

Probe measurements in a discharge with liquid nonmetallic electrodes in air at atmospheric pressure

Discharges with liquid nonmetallic electrodes of much interest for applications are investigated. It is found that a dc discharge between two streams of tap water in air at atmospheric pressure is stable at a currentof 40≤I≤100 mA. The discharge exists in the diffuse (volume) form with a relatively low current density (∼0.2 A/cm²) and a high (above one kilovolt) voltage drop across the air gap (∼1 cm) between the water electrodes. The current density and voltage depend only slightly on the discharge current. Probe measurements show that three regions can be distinguished in the discharge: two electrode regions (1–2 mm in length) and a discharge column with a constant electric field of ≈0.8 kV/cm (i.e., E/N≈20 Td, because the gas in the discharge is heated up to 1500–2000 K). The average electric field strength near the electrodes is E≈2–3×10³ V/cm (E/N≈60–80 Td). The charged particle density in the column is n ∼ 10¹² cm⁻³. The probe measurements of n agree with the previous microwave absorption measurements. The water vapor concentration in the column is also estimated from probe measurements.     

Two-dimensional Heisenberg model with spin s=1/2 and antiferromagnetic exchange treated as a spin liquid

The spin system of the Heisenberg model (s=1/2) on a square lattice with antiferromagnetic (AFM) exchange between nearest neighbors (in which there is no long-range magnetic order at any T≠0) is treated as a spatially homogeneous isotropic spin liquid. The double-time temperature Green’s function method is used in the framework of a second-step decoupling scheme. It is shown that, as T → 0, the spin liquid goes over (without any change in symmetry) to a singlet state with energy (per bond) ?₀=?0.352 and the correlation length diverges as ξ ∝ T ^?1 exp(T ₀/T). The spatial spin correlators oscillate in sign with distance, as in the AFM state. The theory allows one to calculate the main characteristics of the system in all temperature ranges.     

Eye tissue structure and refraction alterations upon nondestructive laser action

A new approach to alterations in eye refraction upon nondestructive laser action on the sclera and cornea is studied. It is demonstrated in in vivo experiments on rabbit eyes that sequential laser irradiation of the sclera and cornea yields a significant alteration in the eye refraction. The collagen structure of the sclera and cornea is studied after the nondestructive laser action with noninvasive polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography. It is demonstrated that collagen fibers that provide for the cornea tension and applanation partially survive in the zone of the local denaturation of sclera. An irradiation mode that corresponds to an increase in the cornea’s plasticity and does not cause visible structural changes is chosen. The simplest theoretical model for alterations in the eye refraction upon the nonablative laser action on sclera is analyzed. The alteration in the cornea curvature upon stretching resulting from the local sclera coagulation and the corresponding decrease in its volume is calculated. The model makes it possible to approximately estimate the laser irradiation modes that provide the desired alterations in eye refraction.     

Lasing in the far IR spectral range under femtosecond optical excitation of the InAs semiconductor in a magnetic field

Generation of a coherent electromagnetic radiation in the far IR (THz) spectral range upon excitation of a semiconductor InAs crystal by 70-fs Ti: sapphire laser pulses is studied. The effect of a magnetic field of different orientation on generation in the submillimeter-wavelength range is analyzed. Placing the crystal into the magnetic field of an optimized permanent magnet with a strength of 5 kOe aligned along the surface of the semiconductor increased the power of generated radiation by a factor of six compared with that in the absence of the field. For the average pump-laser output power of 150 mW and repetition rate of 80 MHz, the average power of the THz radiation reached 100 nW. For detection of ultrashort pulses of the THz radiation, we used, for the first time, a highly sensitive uncooled optoacoustic detector, which detected signals with a power lower than 1 nW.