The state of the art and prospects of detonation-synthesis nanodiamond applications in Belarus

Technological features of the commercial production of detonation-synthesis nanodiamonds at the SINTA Joint-Stock Company and the characteristics of the nanodiamonds and diamond-containing mixtures produced are considered. Nanodiamond applications in the production of composite electrolytic coatings that are based on chromium, nickel, gold, and silver, exhibit good service properties, and save on the use of noble metals and electric power are exemplified. Nanodiamond applications for the modification of plastics, antifriction lubricants, and oxide coatings grown by microarc oxidation of aluminum alloys are also considered. The prospective application of nanodiamonds as a raw material in the synthesis of diamond powders and superhard composites by static and shock-wave loading is demonstrated.     

The continuous time random walk,still trendy: fifty-year history,state of art and outlook

In this article we demonstrate the very inspiring role of the continuous-time random walk (CTRW) formalism, the numerous modifications permitted by its flexibility, its various applications, and the promising perspectives in the various fields of knowledge. A short review of significant achievements and possibilities is given. However, this review is still far from completeness. We focused on a pivotal role of CTRWs mainly in anomalous stochastic processes discovered in physics and beyond. This article plays the role of an extended announcement of the Eur. Phys. J. B Special Issue [http://epjb.epj.org/open-calls-for-papers/123-epj-b/1090-ctrw-50-years-on] containing articles which show incredible possibilities of the CTRWs.     

Singularities: The state of the art

A brief, but precise and unified account is given of the results that have been rigorously established at the time of writing concerning the existence and nature of singularities in classical general relativity.     

Beta-NMR spectroscopy: Modern state and prospects

Fundamentals of the method of beta-NMR spectroscopy are outlined, and basic types of investigations performed thus far and possible new lines of investigations are surveyed.     

Toroid type high-pressure device: history and prospects

The Toroid type high-pressure device and its predecessor, the Chechevitsa (lentil) type high-pressure device, are known to be used efficiently for the synthesis of new materials in recent decades. It was through the Chechevitsa device the first ultradense modification of silica, ‘stishovite’, was obtained. Both devices were essential for the industrial production of superhard materials in the USSR and other socialist countries. In 1980s, almost half of the world synthetic diamond and c-BN products were manufactured by these devices. However, the application of the Toroid device for examining the structure and physical properties of highly compressed substances has been considerably less appreciated. Meanwhile, the device has some unique features that have made possible 35-years of an extensive investigation of physical properties of substances at pressures up to 150 kbar, including electron transport and thermodynamic properties, elastic characteristics, viscosity, thermo-conductivity and other physical properties. Also, the device has been widely employed for structural X-ray and neutron diffraction studies of many materials. But it is not until recently that the convenience of the Toroid device for physical studies has been fully recognized. Through this recognition, the Toroid type device is today becoming increasingly popular among the researchers in the field of high pressures around the world.     

Colour and art: A brief history of pigments

Human beings have had an inherent urge to leave their mark in the form of works of art since prehistoric times. This has driven the quest for new and better pigments with which to make paints. This paper describes the origins and composition of earliest earth pigments used by primitive man to decorate the walls of caves through to the synthetic pigments developed in more recent times. Despite modern technology, the artist's palette remains a mixture of the pigments used by cave artists, natural pigments used in the middle ages, and modern organic compounds.     

State-of-the art and prospects of AIIIBV science and technology

Following a short historical retrospective, a survey of A^IIIB^v materials research is presented. Potentiality of the main techniques (VPE, LPE and MBE) and material systems (AIGaAs, InGaAs) is assessed with respect to requirements posed by device manufacture. Major emphasis is placed upon the discussion of modern trends in heterostructure devices for optoelectronics, such as injection lasers, light-emitting diodes, solar cells, detectors etc. Other topics, such as Gunn diodes, avalanche-drift diodes and HF transistors, are also covered.     

Occupational exposure limits for nanomaterials: state of the art

Assessing the need for and effectiveness of controlling airborne exposures to engineered nanomaterials in the workplace is difficult in the absence of occupational exposure limits (OELs). At present, there are practically no OELs specific to nanomaterials that have been adopted or promulgated by authoritative standards and guidance organizations. The vast heterogeneity of nanomaterials limits the number of specific OELs that are likely to be developed in the near future, but OELs could be developed more expeditiously for nanomaterials by applying dose–response data generated from animal studies for specific nanoparticles across categories of nanomaterials with similar properties and modes of action. This article reviews the history, context, and approaches for developing OELs for particles in general and nanoparticles in particular. Examples of approaches for developing OELs for titanium dioxide and carbon nanotubes are presented and interim OELs from various organizations for some nanomaterials are discussed. When adequate dose–response data are available in animals or humans, quantitative risk assessment methods can provide estimates of adverse health risk of nanomaterials in workers and, in conjunction with workplace exposure and control data, provide a basis for determining appropriate exposure limits. In the absence of adequate quantitative data, qualitative approaches to hazard assessment, exposure control, and safe work practices are prudent measures to reduce hazards in workers.     

歌剧院声学的和建筑的设计工具,现状和前景

现代歌剧院和剧院内部建筑的设计及其实现,趋向于标准化和遵循同样的审美倾向,这导致这些大厅的声学性能比较低劣,大厅设计的历史过程是,从独特的审美和视觉的途径,转向实用性地复制一些最成功的样板,然后又转向声学的理论化和各式各样的模型化,首先出现了小型的声学硬件的模型,随后是计算机模型,除了能够可靠地预计声学质量之外,计算机的真正优势在于它们的灵活性,它们能够完美地满足设计者之间的对话需要,特别是满足声学家和建筑师之间的对话需要,这就是新千年的伟大革命,它必须一些古老大厅建筑的丰富内含可能重新综合,只要人们重新引进对某些这类大厅的高声学质量的有助益的一些模式。     

Invited Review: DNA-mediated artificial nanobiostructures: state of the art and future directions

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)-mediated assembly of nanometer and micrometer scale structures can have a profound impact in the fields of nanoelectronics and nanotechnology. Such structures can also find applications in microelectromechanical systems, hybrid bio-sensors, and the potential to continue the scaling of Moore’s law beyond the 50 nm node. While engineers and scientists have been long aspiring to controllably and specifically manipulate structures at the micrometer and nanometer scale, nature has been performing these tasks and assembling structures with great accuracy and high efficiency using highly specific biological molecules such as DNA and proteins. This paper describes the motivations and fundamentals behind these assembly concepts, with a focus on DNA hybridization-mediated assembly, and presents the state of the art in this field. In addition, new ideas and directions for future research on DNA-mediated assembly of active devices and DNA-based molecular devices are also presented.     

State of the art of prospects for investigations of luminescent solar concentrators

Kuban State University, 149 K. Libknecht Str., Krasnodar, 350640, Russia. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 62, No. 3, pp. 204–209, May–June, 1995.     

Nuclear ground state properties: Recent results and prospects at isolde

Conclusion The application of lasers to nuclear physics is an extremely lively and Interesting area of research in physics. In the few years that have passed since its development, a large number of beautiful experiments have been performed. Most of the experiments have been performed at ISOLDE. For the next years, optical spectroscopy will continue to play a key role for a determination of spins, moments and charge radll of nuclear ground or isomeric states.     

Atom manipulation with the scanning tunneling microscope: nanostructuring and femtochemistry

We briefly survey our recent studies on the ‘soft’lateral manipulation of atoms and small molecules with the scanning tunneling microscope (STM), whereby mainly the tip–surface forces are employed. Repulsive (pushing) as well as discontinuous (pulling) and continuous (sliding)attractive manipulation modes could be distinguished on Cu(211) for CO molecules and metal atoms, respectively. In the case of pulling of Cu atoms on Cu(111) even finer details could be discerned: the adparticle may show various movement patterns visiting different surface sites upon applying different tip forces. Lateral manipulation also allows modifications of the Cu(211) substrate itself in an atom-by-atom manner by releasing atoms from sixfold coordinated kink sites and even sevenfold coordinated regular step sites. Furthermore, investigations concerning controled vertical manipulation with emphasis on ‘picking-up’ single CO molecules are reported. The mechanism behind vertical transfer of CO molecules relates to ultrafast chemical processes. Vertical manipulation implies, besides extending the possibilities for the build-up of nanostructures, the important possibility of creating structurally and compositionally well-defined tips, which may eventually lead to chemical sensitivity with the STM.     

PHM技术国内外发展情况综述

随着现代武器装备复杂化、综合化、智能化程度的不断提高,传统的故障诊断技术难以适应新的需求。为了满足信息化战争对武器装备作战效能和快捷、精准、持续保障的要求,20世纪90年代中期,PHM(故障预测与健康管理)技术应运而生。从发展概况、应用成效、PHM验证评价、典型案例分析以及发展规划5个方面总结了国外PHM技术发展的应用成效;并对国内PHM技术的基础理论、工程技术与应用方面的发展状况进行了总结;通过对比国内外PHM技术的发展应用现状,总结分析了目前国内PHM技术发展现状与国外先进水平之间的差距以及未来发展的借鉴启示。     

Solar-assisted liquid metal MHD power generation: A state of the art study

The research and development of LMMHD energy conversion (EC) systems which started in the 1960s has already come a long way and is heading towards commercialization. Design and development of such systems has to deal with a number of questions relating to single- and two-phase flows of molten metals, including different patterns of two-phase flow, interphase, phenomena, heat transfer, performance of LMMHD components and compatibility of liquid metals with other fluids and with confinement materials. Liquid metal MHD (LMMHD) power conversion systems proposed many years ago are gaining increasing attention in their various proposed modes, consisting of single-phase or two-phase fluid flow for a wide range of heat sources, e.g. solar energy, waste heat, nuclear energy, etc.Liquid metal MHD (LMMHD) power systems have been recently proposed for direct electrical energy conversion of low grade thermal sources of energy, like solar energy. Solar-powered LMMHD power generation systems are very attractive regarding efficiency and cost per unit of installed power. Theoretical and experimental investigations carried out in the various aspects of these systems are presented. A state of the art review of activities in the solar-powered LMMHD power systems field which have taken place so far is described here.     

Current state,problems, and prospects of thermonuclear facilities based on the magneto-inertial confinement of hot plasma

Magneto-inertial fusion (MIF) is an original technique of inertial thermonuclear fusion, where spherical and cylindrical gas or plasma configurations are compressed under the action of an external magnetic field. We present a brief review of recent data on laser- and plasma jet-driven MIF systems and possible ways they can be applied. This work also presents problems of and prospects for the application of such approaches.