Dark Energy with Phantom Crossing and the H0 Tension

We investigate the possibility of phantom crossing in the dark energy sector and the solution for the Hubble tension between early and late universe observations. We use robust combinations of different cosmological observations, namely the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), local measurement of Hubble constant (H0), Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) and SnIa for this purpose. For a combination of CMB+BAO data that is related to early universe physics, phantom crossing in the dark energy sector was confirmed at a 95% confidence level and we obtained the constraint H0=71.0−3.8+2.9 km/s/Mpc at a 68% confidence level, which is in perfect agreement with the local measurement by Riess et al. We show that constraints from different combinations of data are consistent with each other and all of them are consistent with phantom crossing in the dark energy sector. For the combination of all data considered, we obtained the constraint H0=70.25±0.78 km/s/Mpc at a 68% confidence level and the phantom crossing happening at the scale factor am=0.851−0.031+0.048 at a 68% confidence level.     

Discrete element modelling of large soil deformations under heavy vehicles

This paper addresses the challenges of creating realistic models of soil for simulations of heavy vehicles on weak terrain. We modelled dense soils using the discrete element method with variable parameters for surface friction, normal cohesion, and rolling resistance. To find out what type of soils can be represented, we measured the internal friction and bulk cohesion of over 100 different virtual samples. To test the model, we simulated rut formation from a heavy vehicle with different loads and soil strengths. We conclude that the relevant space of dense frictional and frictional-cohesive soils can be represented and that the model is applicable for simulation of large deformations induced by heavy vehicles on weak terrain.     

Nickel tetrathiooxalate as a cathode material for potassium batteries

We report a nickel tetrathiooxalate (NiTTO) coordination polymer as a cathode material for potassium batteries. In a potential range of 1.3–3.6 V vs. K⁺/K, the specific capacity of the material is 209 mA h g^?1 at a current density of 0.1 A g^?1, which roughly corresponds to the two-electron reduction of polymer repeating units. The charge–discharge mechanisms of NiTTO in potassium cells were examined using operando Raman spectroscopy.     

Multifunctional material Bi4Ge3O12: thermodynamic properties

Thermodynamic characteristics of a single crystal of bismuth orthogermanate (Bi₄Ge₃O₁₂), which are necessary to improve device portfolio, have been studied. It has been shown that bismuth orthogermanate is thermodynamically stable against decomposition into binary oxides at 50 °C, which gives us grounds to consider this compound promising for various applications.     

Portable single-sided NMR measurements at variable temperatures: Implementation of a thermo-controlled device and application to the heating of bread dough

A temperature control unit was implemented to vary the temperature of samples studied on a commercial Mobile Universal Surface Explorer nuclear magnetic resonance (MOUSE-NMR) apparatus. The device was miniaturized to fit the maximum MOUSE sampling depth (25 mm). It was constituted by a sample holder sandwiched between two heat exchangers placed below and above the sample. Air was chosen as the fluid to control the temperature at the bottom of the sample, at the interface between the NMR probe and the sample holder, in order to gain space. The upper surface of the sample was regulated by the circulation of water inside a second heat exchanger placed above the sample holder. The feasibility of using such a device was demonstrated first on pure water and then on several samples of bread dough with different water contents. For this, T1 relaxation times were measured at various temperatures and depths and were then compared with those acquired with a conventional compact closed-magnet spectrometer. Discussion of results was based on biochemical transformations in bread dough (starch gelatinization and gluten heat denaturation). It was demonstrated that, within a certain water level range, and because of the low magnetic field strength of the MOUSE, a linear relationship could be established between T1 relaxation times and the local temperature in the dough sample.     

Spectroscopic properties and bond dissociation energies of PbX,PbX±, PbX2 and PbX2± (X ​= ​F,Cl, Br,I)

Ab initio calculations have been performed to investigate some of the spectroscopic properties, like geometry, frequency, electron affinity, ionization potential and finally adiabatic bond dissociation energies (BDEs) of lead monohalides, lead dihalides and their ions viz. PbX, PbX^±, PbX₂, $\mathrm{P}\mathrm{b}{\mathrm{X}}_{\mathrm{2}}^{\pm }$ (X ?= ?F, Cl, Br, I) in their ground state at the QCISD(T)//MP2 level of theory using correlation consistent basis sets. For the validation of MP2 optimized geometry and frequency, we further obtained geometry and frequency of all the neutral and ionic systems using QCISD(T) method with the same basis sets. The BDEs of PbX₂ molecules are calculated using the BDEs of $\mathrm{P}\mathrm{b}{\mathrm{X}}_{\mathrm{2}}^{\pm }$ ions and taking ionization potential and electron affinity of various systems. The calculated values are found in good agreement with the available data. Most of the data for ionic systems are reported first time in literature.     

Visible-Light Augmented Lithium Storage Capacity in a Ruthenium(II) Photosensitizer Conjugated with a Dione-Catechol Redox Couple

Controlling redox activity of judiciously appended redox units on a photo-sensitive molecular core is an effective strategy for visible light energy harvesting and storage. The first example of a photosensitizer - electron donor coordination compound in which the photoinduced electron transfer step is used for light to electrical energy conversion and storage is reported. A photo-responsive Ru-diimine module conjugated with redox-active catechol groups in [Ru(II)(phenanthroline-5,6-diolate)₃]⁴⁻ photosensitizer can mediate photoinduced catechol to dione oxidation in the presence of a sacrificial electron acceptor or at the surface of an electrode. Under potentiostatic condition, visible light triggered current density enhancement confirmed the light harvesting ability of this photosensitizer. Upon implementation in galvanostatic charge-discharge of a Li battery configuration, the storage capacity was found to be increased by 100 %, under 470 nm illumination with output power of 4.0 mW/cm⁻². This proof-of-concept molecular system marks an important milestone towards a new generation of molecular photo-rechargeable materials.     

Global existence and time decay of the non-cutoff Boltzmann equation with hard potential

This paper is concerned with the Cauchy problem on the Boltzmann equation without angular cutoff assumption for hard potential in the whole space. When the initial data is a small perturbation of a global Maxwellian, the global existence of solution to this problem is proved in unweighted Sobolev spaces $H^N\left({\mathbb{R}}_{x,v}^6\right)$ with $N\ge 2$. But if we want to obtain the optimal temporal decay estimates, we need to add the velocity weight function, in this case the global existence and the optimal temporal decay estimate of the Boltzmann equation are all established. Meanwhile, we further gain a more accurate energy estimate, which can guarantee the validity of the assumption in Chen et al. (0000).     

Influence of oxygen on soot formation during acetylene pyrolysis

Kinetic modeling of pyrolysis of acetylene diluted with argon showed a strong influence of small additives of oxygen on the routes of formation of soot nuclei. The influence of oxygen on various channels of formation and consumption of propargyl radicals C₃H₃, which are important precursors of soot formation, as well as the fundamental possibility of controlling the process of soot formation and its properties are considered.