EPMA of interfaces applied to the solid oxide fuel cell

Chemical interactions at the phase boundaries of materials applied for the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) have been studied by EPMA. The chemical reactivity at the interface of La_y-xSr_xMnO₃/ZrO₂-Y₂O₃ is dependent on the stoichiometry (y) and the Sr content (x) of the perovskite. Typical reaction products (zirconates) and a diffusion zone in the ZrO₂–Y₂O₃ have been observed. The extension of cation release (Mn) is related to the increasing chemical activity of Mn oxide in the perovskite by the Sr substitution for La. The wettability of the metal/oxide interface in the anode cermet (Ni/ZrO₂–Y₂O₃) has been found to be influenced by chemical reactions resulting from the applied reducing atmosphere with high carbon activity. The disintegration of ZrO₂–Y₂O₃ in contact with molten Ni or Ni-Ti and Ni-Cr alloys leads to the redeposition of Y₂O₃-enriched oxides and also to Zr-rich intermetallic compounds and eutectics.     

Overvoltage protection concept for DC railway systems

Protection concepts for DC railway systems are introduced, considering the different insulation of the rails and the earthing concepts. The requirements and ratings for gapless MO-surge arresters (or short: arresters) are based on the relevant EN standards and national guidelines. A newly developed hybrid voltage limiter, which combines overvoltage protection and the protection against dangerous touch voltages, is introduced.     

Influence of swirl on the stability of a rod in annular leakage flow

The influence of swirl (flow rotation) on the stability of a rod in annular leakage flow is investigated. Under the assumption of laminar flow and plane vibrations (no whirling), it is shown that the swirl acts, in effect, as an elastic foundation with negative foundation stiffness, the magnitude being proportional to the mean circumferential flow rate squared. Consequently, swirl always lowers the critical axial flow speed in case of divergence instability of a rod of finite length. Numerical analysis is needed to predict the effect of swirl in case of flutter instability of a finite rod; this is not performed here. However, for the flutter-like instability of travelling waves in an infinite rod-channel system, it is shown analytically that swirl again always lowers the critical axial flow speed. Finally, it is found that by circumferential flow alone, the travelling waves are extinguished at a certain flow rate, followed by a divergence-like instability.     

Robust synchronization of chaotic non-autonomous systems using adaptive-feedback control

In this paper, we apply the simple adaptive-feedback control scheme to synchronize a class of chaotic non-autonomous systems. Based on the invariance principle of differential equations, some generic sufficient conditions for global asymptotic synchronization are obtained. Unlike the usual linear feedback, the variable feedback strength is automatically adapted to completely synchronize two identical systems and simple to implement in practice. As illustrative examples, synchronization of two parametrically excited chaotic pendulums and that of two 4D new systems are considered here. Numerical simulations show the proposed method is effective and robust against the effect of noise.     

Statistical properties of 2-D generalized hyperbolic attractors

Recently Pesin introduced a large class of hyperbolic attractors, and for those attractors he established the Smale spectral decomposition. In this paper our main results are a stretched exponential bound on the decay of correlations and the central limit theorem. Also we will obtain conditions under which two well known attractors-those of Belykh and Lozi-are subject to our main results. (c) 1995 American Institute of Physics.     

Catalytic properties of metal-containing oxidized coal catalysts in some redox reactions

An increased activity in some redox reactions was observed for some metal ions bound by ion-exchange to oxidized coals. The similarity of the catalytic properties of oxidized coals modified by Fe(III), Cu(II), Mn(II) and other cations has been established for various redox reactions: decomposition of H₂O₂, oxidation of some organic and inorganic substances by hydrogen peroxide and oxygen. The catalytic activity of the modified coals depends on how the modifying additive is bonded to the surface and the amount of the dopant. New methods for the practical use of catalysts with regulated activity are noted. Translated from Teoreticheskiya i éksperimental’naya Khimiya, Vol. 33, No. 4, pp. 256–260, 1997.     

An efficient access to both enantiomers of pipecolic acid

An efficient and convenient synthesis of both enantiomers of pipecolic acid has been developed using the intramolecular cyclization of 2-amino-6-bromohexanoic acid under mild conditions.