A six-minute determination of carbon and hydrogen with titrimetric finish

Summary A method is described for the C/H determination with a completely titrimetric finish. Both carbon and hydrogen are converted to an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide, which is titrated in a non-aquous medium. The procedure can be applied for the analysis of substances separated by a gas Chromatograph. The determination takes about six minutes.

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Zusammenfassung Ein Verfahren zur C-H-Bestimmung wird beschrieben, bei dem die Endbestimmung volumetrisch erfolgt. Hierbei werden sowohl Kohlenstoff als auch Wasserstoff in äquivalente Mengen Kohlendioxid übergeführt und dieses durch Titration in nichtwäßrigem Medium erfaßt. Die Methode kann auch für die Analyse gaschromatographisch getrennter Substanzen benutzt werden. Eine Bestimmung ist innerhalb von 6 min beendet.

     

High-yield solvothermal formation of magnetic CoPt alloy nanowires

One-dimensional (1D) magnetic nanomaterials have attracted much attention recently because of their applications in magnetic recording and spintronics. Nevertheless, it remains a challenge to prepare free-standing magnetic nanowires in high yield. This Communication reports the successful high-yield synthesis of an interesting 1D ferromagnetic CoPt alloy by direct decomposition of platinum acetylacetonate and cobalt carbonyl compound in ethylenediamine solvent through a solvothermal reaction. The CoPt alloy nanowires obtained have a tunable diameter of 10-50 nm and a length along the longitudinal axis of up to several microns, depending on crystallization temperature and reaction time. A unique formation mechanism involving coarsening and ripening under solvothermal conditions was discovered. This research opens new opportunities in synthesizing nanomaterials through low-temperature solvothermal processes.     

Microwave spectrum and dipole moment of glycolic acid

More than 200 rotational transitions of glycolic acid (CH₂OHCOOH) have been assigned in the frequency range 18–40 GHz. Rotational constants and centrifugal distortion constants for the ground state and two vibrationally excited states were deduced. From Stark splittings the dipole moment was determined: μ_a = 1.913(5), μ_b = 0.995(14) and μ_total = 2.156(9) D.     

Accurate measurement of the exciton diffusion length in a conjugated polymer using a heterostructure with a side-chain cross-linked fullerene layer

Exciton diffusion and photoluminescence quenching in conjugated polymer/fullerene heterostructures are studied by time-resolved photoluminescence. It is observed that heterostructures consisting of a spin-coated poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV)-based derivative and evaporated C60 are ill-defined because of diffusion of C60 into the polymer, leading to an overestimation of the exciton diffusion length. This artifact is resolved by the use of a novel, thermally side-chain polymerizing and cross-linking fullerene derivative (F2D) containing two diacetylene moieties, forming a completely immobilized electron acceptor layer. With this heterostructure test system, an exciton diffusion length of 5 +/- 1 nm is derived for this PPV derivative from time-integrated luminescence quenching data.     

Average mass approach to stable isotope dilution mass spectrometry

The application of the fundamental equation for isotopic dilution mass spectrometry to real samples often requires using approximations which can lead to significant errors. A new approach relating the composition of isotopic mixtures to the average mass of the mass spectral pattern is presented. The fundamental equations are completely general; they should be applicable to a wide range of problems and may provide improved accuracy and precision in some cases.     

Formation and accumulation of contact deficiencies in a tunnel segmented lining

Damages observed in tunnels constructed with tunnel boring machines affect the overall quality of the structure and the efficiency of the construction process. Most of these damages are caused by contact deficiencies between segments that are generated by the sum of several tolerances on the shape and on the placement of the lining. Moreover, the imperfection of one ring affects the placement of the following ones, inducing an accumulation mechanism that magnifies the imperfection expected due to the sum of tolerances in a single isolated ring. The overall consideration of these phenomena yields an intricate analysis that must take into account some important probabilistic aspects. This paper explains how the tolerances may evolve into the contact deficiencies found in practice. Initially the types of tolerances and contact deficiencies more likely to affect the structural behavior of the lining are analyzed. A mathematical model is proposed to explain the relation between tolerances and contact deficiencies. The predictions obtained with the model are then compared with the measurements performed in the tunnel of Line 9 in Barcelona. The results obtained reinforce the importance of the model proposed in this study, which quantifies aspects that so far could only be studied qualitatively or on a trial and error basis.