An integral equation method for the electromagnetic scattering from cavities

Consider a time‐harmonic electromagnetic plane wave incident on a cavity in a ground plane. The physical process is modelled by Maxwell's equations. In this paper, integral representations of the solutions to the model problem in both fundamental polarizations are derived and studied. Existence and uniqueness of the solutions for the integral equations are established. The integral equations approach forms a basis for numerical solution of the model problem. In particular, for each fundamental polarization, an integral formulation with Gårding‐type estimates is derived. These formulations provide a basis for variational boundary element methods for solving the cavity problem. The Gårding‐type estimates imply convergence results for conforming boundary element methods. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd     

Effect of SnSb Particle Size on Creep Behaviour under Power Law Regime of Sn-10%Sb Alloy

Sn-10 %Sb alloy was casted from the liquid state, drawn into wires of 0.55 mm in diameter or rolled into sheet of 0.2 mm thick. The as received as well as the heat treated specimens were examined by metallurgical microscope. Room temperature creep tests at constant loads were also carried out. The results obtained show that increasing annealing temperature, T_a, affects the structure and properties of the alloy. The increase of T_a leads to smaller SnSb particle size, therefore results in increasing its mechanical strength as measured by the decrease in steady state creep rate of specimen. The stress exponent parameter (m) calculated from the equation ϵ_S= A s_m was found to have higher values than usual and to decrease by increasing annealing temperature which was related to the associated decrease of the SnSb particle size.     

The Hydrothermal Synthesis of Petalite Mineral Phases and their Morphological Changing by Increasing of Temperature

In this investigation the Petalite minerals were synthesized hydrothermally at different temperatures from a glass with the composition Li₂CO₃:Al₂O₃: SiO₂ and the relation 1: 1: 8. On that occasion the following mineral phases arised:

• at low temperatures (410°C) α-petalite (unit cell å = 11.737 Å/b̊ = 5.17 Å/c̊ = 7.63 Å, space group P₂/a);
• At 490 °C α-petalite was splitted to quartz and an orthorhombic β₁-petalite (unit cell å = 18.24 Å/c̊ = 10.54 Å/c̊ = 10.57 Å, space group P_mC_n). β₁-petalite could be observated until 1000 °C.
• at 560 °C tetragonal β₂-petalite (unit cell å = 7.50 Å/c̊ = 9.07 Å, space group P 4₃2₁2) in parallel with β₁-petalite;
• Behind 750 °C β₂-petalite was not observed.
• Behind 900 °C a pseudohexagonal mineral phase developed from β₁-petalite. May be it is possible to indicate this phase as hexagonal (unit cell å = 5.217 Å/c̊ = 5.464 Å, space group P 6₂22 or P 6₄22). The author suggests to denote this phase as β₃-petalite.

     

Novel experimental design paradigm for development of eco-friendly gradient chromatographic method for simultaneous determination of metronidazole and spiramycin

This work describes the innovative experimental design-assisted development of a green gradient chromatographic method for concomitant analysis of metronidazole (MTR) and spiramycin (SPR). Two different designs including fractional factorial and Box-Behnken designs were implemented for screening and optimization steps, respectively. The optimum chromatographic conditions involved a mobile phase consisting of ethanol and 20 mM sodium dihydrogen phosphate solution (pH adjusted to 2.5) in the ratio 2:98 (v/v) for 2 min then the ratio changed to 30:70 (v/v). The flow rate was 1.3 mL/minute. Separation and analysis were performed on X-bridge C18 (150 mm × 4.6 mm × 3.5 μm) column with diode array detector set at 230 nm. Column oven temperature was 40°C. A linear response was acquired over the range of 5–125 μg/mL for both drugs. Detection and quantitation limits were 0.86 and 2.62 μg/mL for MTR and 0.92 and 2.83 μg/mL for SPR, respectively. The method was implemented for determination of both drugs in three tablet formulations. The method was proved to be green as evaluated by three assessment tools. The application of experimental designs assists in development of a robust green chromatographic method in gradient elution mode for determination of both drugs within reasonable time.     

The Hydrothermal Effect on Crystal Development and Electrical Conductivity of Li2CO3

Lithiumcarbonat was treated hydrothermally in the range of temperature from 80 °C to 600 °C. The Li₂CO₃-crystals of the starting material were monoclinic with the unit cell a = 8.39 Å, b = 5.00 Å, c = 6.21 Å, β = 114.5° and the space group C2/c (Zemann). During the increase of temperature the habit of the Li₂CO₃-crystals changed in the ranges of higher temperatures that they could be described as pseudocubic. In parallel with this development the electrical conductivity of the crystals also changed.     

Transmission properties of space-time modulated metamaterials

We prove the possibility of achieving exponentially growing wave propagation in space-time modulated media and give an asymptotic analysis of the quasifrequencies in terms of the amplitude of the time modulation at the degenerate points of the folded band structure. Our analysis provides the first proof of existence of k-gaps in the band structures of space-time modulated systems of subwavelength resonators.     

Aggregation phenomena in polyelectrolyte multilayers made from polyelectrolytes bearing bulky functional,hydrophobic fragments

The functionalization of polyelectrolyte multilayers often implies the use of bulky functional fragments, attached to a standard polyelectrolyte matrix. Despite of the high density of non-charged, often hydrophobic substituents, regular film growth by sequential adsorption proceeds easily when an appropriate polyelectrolyte counter ion is chosen. However, the functional fragments may cluster or aggregate. This complication is particularly evident when using chromophores and fluorophores as bulky pendant groups. Attention has to be paid to this phenomenon for the design of functional polyelectrolyte films, as aggregation may modify crucially the properties. The use of charged spacer groups does not necessarily suppress the aggregation of functional side groups. Still, clustering and aggregation depend on the detailed system employed, and are not obligatory. In the case of cationic poly(acrylamide)s labeled with naphthalene and pyrene fluorophores, for instance, the polymers form intramolecular hydrophobic associates in solution, as indicated by strong excimer formation. But the polymers can undergo a conformational rearrangement upon adsorption so that they are decoiled in the adsorbed films. Analogous observations are made for polyanions bearing mesogenic biphenyls fragments. In contrast, polycations functionalized with the dye coumarin 343 show little aggregation in solution, but a marked aggregation in the ESA films.     

The Morphology of Some Hydrothermally Synthesized Li-Minerals: A-Zeolite, α-Eucryptite, β-Spodumene and β-Eucryptite

The hydrothermal treatment of glass with the composition 2 LiF, Al₂O₃, 3 SiO₂ at 1 kbar in the range of 150 °C to 850 °C gave rise to the formation of A-zeolite with orthorhombic unit cell with å = 10.31 Å/b̊ = 8.18 Å/c̊ = 5.0 Å (space group Pna2₁), α-eucryptite, trigonal, å = 13.4 Å/bº = 13.4/Å/cº = 9.0 Å (space group R 3 ), β-spodumene, pseudocubic/tetragonal, å = 7.53 Å/b̊ = 7.53 Å/c̊ = 9.15 Å (space group P4₃2₁2), β-eucryptite, monoclinic, å = 7.75 Å/b̊ = 5.2 Å/c̊ = 11.16 Å (space group P6₂22). The morphology and development of the mineral phases depend on the temperature of formation.