Alpha decay rate enhancement in metals: An unlikely scenario

It has been recently suggested that one might drastically shorten the alpha lifetime of nuclear waste products, if these are embedded in metals at low temperatures. Using quantum mechanical tunneling arguments, we show that such an effect is likely to be very small, if present at all.     

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.     

Simulating systematic errors in X-ray absorption spectroscopy experiments: Sample and beam effects

The article presents an analytical model to simulate experimental imperfections in the realization of an X-ray absorption spectroscopy experiment, performed in transmission or fluorescence mode. Distinction is made between sources of systematic errors on a time-scale basis, to select the more appropriate model for their handling. For short time-scale, statistical models are the most suited. For large time-scale, the model is developed for sample and beam imperfections: mainly sample inhomogeneity, sample self-absorption, beam achromaticity. The ability of this model to reproduce the effects of these imperfections is exemplified, and the model is validated on real samples. Various potential application fields of the model are then presented.     

Ion flotation of rhodium(III) and palladium(II) with anionic surfactants

The ion flotation of rhodium(III) and palladium(II) with some anionic surfactants has been investigated. Two flotation procedures are proposed for the separation of some platinum metals, based on differences in the kinetic properties of the chloro-complexes of rhodium(III), palladium(II) and platinum(IV). The first involves the selective flotation of Rh(H(2)O)(3+)(6) from PdCl(2-)(4) and PtCl(2-)(6) in dilute hydrochloric acid with sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS). After precipitation of the hydroxide and redissolution in dilute acid, the Rh(III) is converted into Rh(H(2)O)(3+)(6), Pd(II) and Pt(IV) remaining as PdCl(2-)(4) and PtCl(2-)(6) respectively, and separation is achieved by floating the Rh(H(2)O)(3+)(6) with SDBS. The second is for separation of Pd(II). Prior to flotation, the solution of PdCl(2-)(4) and PtCl(2-)(6) is heated with ammonium acetate to convert PdCl(2-)(4) into Pd(NH(3))(2+)(4). The chloro-complex of Pt(IV) is unaffected. The complex cation, Pd(NH(3))(2+)(4), is then selectively floated with SDBS. The procedures are fast, simple and do not require expensive reagents and apparatus.     

Ways of formulating wind speed in heat convection significantly influencing pavement temperature prediction

This paper investigates the influences of wind speed and of heat-convection coefficient on the temperature prediction of a slab. Numerical calculation of a slab temperature found that wind speed varies the slab temperature in a degree of 2–10 °C. More varying degrees occur at midday and in sunny day but less, at midnight and in a cloud day. These degrees also depend on the used heat-convection coefficients, which have different values in different models. Special emphases are paid to unearth the correlation between different heat convection coefficients and find the best alternative in the slab-temperature prediction.     

三效吸收式制冷循环系统性能分析

对12个通用的三效循环系统以及这12个通用循环系统组成的76种可能的密闭循环系统进行了评测。根据通用三效循环系统的压力和溶解度要求,对通用三效循环系统进行了分析,并充分考虑各部件设计中的问题和COPs数值,以及处于高腐蚀环境中部件的数目。通过分析,确定了四个性价比较优的系统:Alkitrate Topping循环系统,Pressure Staged Envelope循环系统,High Overlap循环系统和Dual Loop循环系统。     

Ab initio investigation into the structural, electronic and elastic properties of AlCu2TM (TM = Ti, Zr and Hf) ternary compounds

The Al-Cu-TM (TM = transition metal) alloy system has attracted great attention for both excellent glass-forming ability and its interesting physical properties. In this work, an investigation into the crystal, electrical and elastic properties of the AlCu₂TM (TM = Ti, Zr, and Hf) compounds has been conducted by first-principles calculations based on density-functional theory. The fully relaxed structure parameters of the AlCu₂TM compounds are in good agreement with previous experimental and other theoretical results. Besides, the cohesive energies of all the AlCu₂TM compounds have been evaluated. The energy band and densities of state of these compounds are also obtained. According to the calculated single crystal elastic constants, all the compounds are mechanically stable. The polycrystalline bulk moduli, shear moduli, Young’s moduli and Poisson’s ratio have been deduced by using Voigt-Reuss-Hill (VRH) approximations. The calculated negative Cauchy pressure and ratio of bulk modulus to shear modulus indicated that the AlCu₂TM compounds are ductile materials. The Debye temperatures of the AlCu₂TM compounds decrease with increasing the TM (Ti, Zr, and Hf) atomic number.     

ICP-AES测定高浓度基体下杂质元素的偏最小二乘法研究

建立了ICP-AES测定高浓度基体中微量杂质元素的偏最小二乘方法(PLS)。研究表明,PLS能有效校正高浓度基体干扰引起的测量误差,比多元光谱拟合法(MSF)能承受的基体浓度更高。当基体与杂质的含量比为1 000∶1～20 000∶1时,该方法的加标回收率在95%～105%之间。对于干扰效应与基体浓度呈非线性相关的体系,普通PLS的预测准确度不高,但使用基于样品浓度矩阵变换的偏最小二乘法(LIN-PPLS),则明显改善了预测的准确度。分别用MSF、普通PLS和LIN-PPLS对水系沉积物国家标准物质GBW07312中的Co,Pb和Ga进行测定,结果表明,LIN-PPLS的预测准确度优于普通PLS,而普通PLS的预测准确度优于MSF。     

巧用二极管的创新性实验

结合物理实验的教学功能,介绍几款巧用二极管的创新性物理实验的设计与制作。