A hybrid-Trefftz element containing an elliptic hole

Much work on special elements that simplify geometrical modelling of structures containing holes, cracks and/ or inclusions has been reported extensively in the literature. This paper presents a hybrid-Trefftz element containing elliptic hole formulated using Hellinger–Reissner principle by employing trial functions based on the mapping technique and the Cauchy integral method. The element presented in this paper could be regarded as an improved formulation over Piltner [Special finite elements with holes and internal cracks, Int. J. Numer. Methods Eng. 21 (1985) 1471–1485] element because the chosen trail functions in this paper have provided relatively more stable solutions. The use of the element with other ordinary displacement-based finite elements has also yielded very accurate solutions even when very coarse meshes relative to the size of the elliptic hole have been used.     

WAXS studies on block copolymers of ethylene and propylene

Wide-angle X-ray scattering from presumed block copolymers of polypropylene (PP) and ethylene-propylene copolymer (EPR), i.e., PP-EPR and PP-EPR-PP, synthesized by sequential polymerization with δ-TiCl₃? Et₂AlCl, was examined and compared with WAXS of mechanical blends and chain-transfer mixtures of PP and EPR with comparable compositions. The peak at 2θ = 20° for both the copolymers and the mixtures was attributed to the γ modification of PP in EPR. A strong variation in the ratio of diffraction intensities I₀₄₀/I₁₁₀ of PP in block copolymers and mixtures was explained in terms of crystallite growth in different directions. Analysis of the patterns and calculation of crystallinity, crystallite size, and lattice parameters led to the conclusion that block structure existed in the prepared copolymers.     

Synthesis for robust synchronization of chaotic systems under output feedback control with multiple random delays

Synchronization under output feedback control with multiple random time delays is studied, using the paradigm in nonlinear physics—Chua’s circuit. Compared with other synchronization control methods, output feedback control with multiple random delay is superior for a realistic synchronization application to secure communications. Sufficient condition for global stability of delay-dependent synchronization is established based on the LMI technique. Numerical simulations fully support the analytical approach, in spite of the random delays.     

Study of interactions of various ionic species with solvents toward the design of receptors

In earlier studies, the interactions of isolated ionic species with various solvents were investigated using ab initio calculations. The ionic species investigated included cations (proton, hydronium, ammonium, and metal cations) and anions (single electron, hydroxide, and halide anions). However in the present study, we investigate the interactions of these ionic species with the solvent in the presence of other competing ionic species. We also elaborate on how the information obtained from these extensive studies have been employed in designing and synthesizing various kinds of novel ionophores and receptors.     

A high-resolution MAS NMR study on the potential catalysts Mo/HBeta for olefin metathesis: The interaction of Mo species with HBeta zeolite

The interfacial interaction of Mo species with the HBeta zeolite was studied by multinuclear MAS NMR, XRD and N₂ adsorption. As proved by the quantitative ²⁷Al MAS NMR, this interaction is so strong as to dealuminate the framework of HBeta, and leads to a new peak appearing at −14 ppm, which indicates the formation of crystalline Al₂(MoO₄)₃. This can also be detected by XRD measurements when the Mo loading is as high as 9.0 wt.%. The corresponding quantitative ²⁹Si and ¹H MAS NMR spectra show that the amount of silanols and Brønsted acidic sites decrease obviously with increasing Mo loading. This also reveals an interaction between Mo species and HBeta support through an oxygen bridge resulting from condensation with the hydroxyls on the support. At higher Mo loadings, the interaction is so strong that it results in an extraction of aluminum from the zeolite framework, and subsequently appearance of Al₂(MoO₄)₃ and loss of Brønsted acidic sites. These can be correlated to the low catalytic activity of Mo/HBeta in metathesis of ethylene and 2-butylene to propylene.     

In‐line monitoring of UV photopolymerization with a quartz crystal resonator

An in‐line monitoring device using a quartz crystal resonator for thin film polymerization was proposed, and its performance has been evaluated by implementing in the UV polymerization of 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate with a photoinitiator of 1‐chloroanthraquinone. Because the variation of resonant resistance of the resonator is proportional to the square root of viscosity change that is closely related to the polymerization degree, the resistance can be used as a measure of the polymerization degree. The resistance measurements were compared with the outcome of instrumental analyses of polymerization degree using an FTIR spectrometer and a gel permeation chromatograph. The experimental results showed that the resistance measurements were consistent with the experimental outcome of the instrumental analyses, and this indicates the effectiveness of the proposed device. Owing to the simplicity and availability of the resonator system, its wide utilization in the monitoring of a variety of film polymerization processes, including photoresistor application, is expected. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 2428–2439, 2006     

Measurement and prediction of solubilities and diffusion coefficients of carbon dioxide in starch–water mixtures at elevated pressures

The solubility and diffusion coefficient of carbon dioxide in intermediate‐moisture starch–water mixtures were determined both experimentally and theoretically at elevated pressures up to 16 MPa at 50 °C. A high‐pressure decay sorption system was assembled to measure the equilibrium CO₂ mass uptake by the starch–water system. The experimentally measured solubilities accounted for the estimated swollen volume by Sanchez–Lacombe equation of state (S‐L EOS) were found to increase almost linearly with pressure, yielding 4.0 g CO₂/g starch–water system at 16 MPa. Moreover, CO₂ solubilities above 5 MPa displayed a solubility increase, which was not contributed by the water fraction in the starch–water mixture. The solubilities, however, showed no dependence on the degree of gelatinization (DG) of starch. The diffusion coefficient of CO₂ was found to increase with concentration of dissolved CO₂, which is pressure‐dependent, and decrease with increasing DG in the range of 50–100%. A free‐volume‐based diffusion model proposed by Areerat was employed to predict the CO₂ diffusivity in terms of pressure, temperature, and the concentration of dissolved CO₂. S‐L EOS was once more used to determine the specific free volume of the mixture system. The predicted diffusion coefficients showed to correlate well with the measured values for all starch–water mixtures. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 607–621, 2006     

Local chemical distribution and electronic structure of Ge1−xTx DMS single crystals (T=Cr,Mn, Fe)

The spatial concentration distribution and local electronic structure of ferromagnetic Ge_1−xT_x (T=Cr, Mn, Fe) DMS single crystals have been investigated by using scanning photoelectron microscopy (SPEM), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and photoemission spectroscopy (PES). It is found that doped T ions in Ge_1−xT_x crystals are chemically phase-separated, suggesting that the observed ferromagnetism arises from the phase-separated T-rich phases in Ge_1−xT_x.     

具有HfN/HfO2栅结构的p型MOSFET中的负偏置-温度不稳定性研究

研究了HfN/HfO₂高K栅结构p型金属-氧化物-半导体(MOS)晶体管(MOSFET)中，负 偏置-温度应力引起的阈值电压不稳定性(NBTI)特征.HfN/HfO₂高K栅结构的等效 氧化层厚度(EOT)为1.3nm，内含原生缺陷密度较低.研究表明，由于所制备的HfN/HfO₂ 高K栅结构具有低的原生缺陷密度，因此在p-MOSFET器件中观察到的NBTI属HfN/HfO2高K栅结构的本征特征，而非工艺缺陷引起的；进一步研究表明，该HfN/HfO₂高K栅结构中观察到的NBTI与传统的SiO₂基栅介质p-MOSFET器件中观察 到的NBTI具有类似的特征，可以被所谓的反应-扩散(R-D)模型表征： HfN/HfO₂ 栅结构p-MOSFET器件的NBTI效应的起源可以归为衬底注入空穴诱导的界面反应机理，即在负 偏置和温度应力作用下，从Si衬底注入的空穴诱导了Si衬底界面Si-H键断裂这一化学反应的 发生，并由此产生了Si^＋陷阱在Si衬底界面的积累和H原子在介质层内部的扩散 ，这种Si^＋陷阱的界面积累和H原子的扩散导致了器件NBTI效应的发生. 关键词： 高K栅介质 负偏置-温度不稳定性(NBTI) 反应-扩散(R-D)模型