Evolution of electrical conductivity and semiconductor to metal transition of iron oxides at extreme conditions

Iron oxides are widely found as ores in Earth's crust and are also important constituents of its interiors. Their polymorphism, composition changes, and electronic structures play essential roles in controlling the structure and geodynamic properties of the solid Earth. While all-natural occurring iron oxides are semiconductors or insulators at ambient pressure, they start to metalize under pressure. Here in this work, we review the electronic conductivity and metallization of iron oxides under high-pressure conditions found in Earth's lower mantle. We summarize that the metallization of iron oxides is generally controlled by the pressure-induced bandgap closure near the Fermi level. After metallization, they possess much higher electrical and thermal conductivity, which will facilitate the thermal convection, support a more stable and thicker D^{$\prime\prime$} layer, and formulate Earth's magnetic field, all of which will constrain the large-scale dynamos of the mantle and core.     

Electron Transport in Configurational Model of Ferromagnetic Fulleride with Triple Orbital Degeneracy

Abstract

Phenomenon of ferromagnetic ordering was for a long time associated exclusively with transition metal and rare-earth compounds. Nowadays this view is challenged by growing evidence that in molecular carbon-based systems the ferromagnetic alignment of spins can be observed as well. We have developed a microscopical model of a fulleride electronic subsystem taking into account triple orbital degeneracy of energy states within the configurational-operator approach. Using the Green function method the energy spectrum of the model has been calculated. Conditions for the ferromagnetic state stabilization have been determined. Static electrical conductivity and effective masses of current carriers in the system with orbitally degenerated energy band have been obtained. In the ground state and for low temperatures at different forms of unperturbed density of electronic states the concentration dependences of transport characteristics for less-then-half-filled lower quasiparticle subband have been calculated.     

Surface Tension Effect on Harmonics of Rayleigh-Taylor Instability

Using the method of the parameter expansion up to the third order, explicitly investigates surface tension effect on harmonics at weakly nonlinear stage in Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) for arbitrary Atwood numbers and compares the results with those of classical RTI within the framework of the third-order weakly nonlinear theory. It is found that surface tension strongly reduces the linear growth rate of time, resulting in mild growth of the amplitude of the fundamental mode, and changes amplitudes of the second and third harmonics, as is expressed as a tension factor coupling in amplitudes of the harmonics. On the one hand, surface tension can either decrease or increase the space amplitude; on the other hand, surface tension can also change their phases for some conditions which are explicitly determined.     

Hydrogel Microchambers Integrated with Organic Electrodes for Efficient Electrical Stimulation of Human iPSC‐Derived Cardiomyocytes

A hydrogel‐based microchamber with organic electrodes for efficient electrical stimulations of human induced pluripotent stem cell‐derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC‐CMs) is described. The microchamber is made from molecularly permeable, optically transparent, and electrically conductive polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel and highly capacitive carbon electrode modified with poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT). Spheroids of hiPSC‐CMs are cultured in microchambers, and electrically stimulated by the electrode for maturation. The large interfacial capacitance of the electrodes enables several days of electrical stimulation without generation of cytotoxic bubbles even when the electrodes are placed near the spheroids. The spheroids can be cultivated in the closed microchambers because of the permeated nutrients through the hydrogel, thus the spheroids are stably addressable and the culture medium around the sealed microchambers can be simply exchanged. Synchronized beating of the spheroids can be optically analyzed in situ, which makes it possible to selectively collect electrically responsive cells for further use. As the hydrogel is electrically conductive, the amount of electrical charge needed for maturing the spheroids can be reduced by configuring electrodes on the top and the bottom of the microchamber. The bioreactor will be useful for efficient production of matured hiPSC‐CMs for regenerative medicine and drug screening.     

掺锗提高VO2薄膜的相变温度机理研究

二氧化钒(VO₂)作为一种长久以来备受关注的新型可逆相变材料,发展潜力巨大,其相变温度(T_MIT)的调控一直是研究热点。本文主要利用锗离子作为掺杂离子探索其对VO₂薄膜T_MIT的影响,并尝试解释其内部作用机理。在约1 cm²大小抛光的氧化铝薄片上沉积了一系列含不同比例锗离子VO₂薄膜。研究发现锗离子作为掺杂离子确实有利于T_MIT的提高(本课题T_MIT最大可达84.7 ℃)。T_MIT提高的主要原因是锗离子的引入能够强化单斜态V-V二聚体的稳定性,进而增强单斜态的稳定性,使得低温单斜态向四方金红石态转变更加困难。     

Nonexistence of global solutions of wave equations with weak time-dependent damping and combined nonlinearity

In our previous two works, we studied the blow-up and lifespan estimates for damped wave equations with a power nonlinearity of the solution or its derivative, with scattering damping independently. In this work, we are devoted to establishing a similar result for a combined nonlinearity. Comparing to the result of wave equation without damping, one can say that the scattering damping has no influence.     

Kinetics of carbon steel dissolution in ammonium chloride solution containing sodium thiosulfate

The dissolution behavior of carbon steel in ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl) solution containing sodium thiosulfate (Na₂S₂O₃) of various concentrations (0.01 and 0.1 M) was investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and other nonelectrochemical techniques. The weight loss and polarization measurements indicate a significant increase in the NH₄Cl corrosion rate of carbon steel on addition of Na₂S₂O_3. The EIS measurements exhibited two capacitive loops at multiple direct current (dc) potentials for both the concentrations. Electrical equivalent circuit (EEC) and reaction mechanism analysis (RMA) were employed to analyze the impedance data. A four-step mechanism with two intermediate adsorbate species of same charge was proposed to explain the dissolution behavior of carbon steel in the given system. The surface coverage values enumerated that the surface was entirely covered with adsorbed species unlike in the pure NH₄Cl system. Charge transfer resistance and polarization resistance values estimated from RMA parameters indicate the increase in a dissolution rate with dc potential. The surface morphology was inspected via field emission scanning electron microscopy, and the corrosion products including surface state of carbon steel electrode were analyzed using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.     

Initial boundary value problem for a class of strongly damped semilinear wave equations with logarithmic nonlinearity

This paper deals with the initial boundary value problem for strongly damped semilinear wave equations with logarithmic nonlinearity $u_{tt}-\Delta u-\Delta u_t={\phi }_p\left(u\right)log\left|u\right|$ in a bounded domain $\Omega \subset {\mathbb{R}}^n$. We discuss the existence, uniqueness and polynomial or exponential energy decay estimates of global weak solutions under some appropriate conditions. Moreover, we derive the finite time blow up results of weak solutions, and give the lower and upper bounds for blow-up time by the combination of the concavity method, perturbation energy method and differential–integral inequality technique.     

平面波输入下海水-海床-结构动力相互作用分析

海洋工程结构的地震反应分析是保证海洋工程结构地震安全的重要环节.由于其所处的复杂环境, 该问题涉及到流固耦合和土-结相互作用.本文基于海水、饱和海床、基岩流固耦合统一计算框架,采用Davidenkov模型和修正的Masing准则考虑饱和海床的非线性,在脉冲SV波垂直入射下, 进行了海域场地和海洋工程结构的动力响应分析. 首先,对比分析了线性自由场和非线性自由场输入情形的海域场地非线性反应,结果表明线性自由场输入时反应不合理,自由场分析和场地分析应该采用相一致的本构模型. 然后,对比分析了海床分别为线性和非线性情形时,海域场地以及海水-海床-结构体系的反应特征. 与线性海床情形相比,非线性对海床反应的影响主要由如下两方面因素控制: 一方面,非线性导致饱和海床模量减小, 饱和海床与基岩间的波阻抗比减小,由基岩到饱和海床间的反射系数和透射系数增加, 导致反应增大; 另一方面,非线性导致阻尼加大, 使海床反应减小. 对于本文算例而言,阻尼对非线性海床结果的影响占主导作用.