Viscoelastic properties of amorphous polymers 3: low molecular weight poly(methylphenylsiloxane)

By making creep and recoverable creep measurements of a nearly monodisperse low molecular weight poly(methyl phenyl siloxane) sample, we have found on decreasing temperature towardsT _g that there is continuously a change in the viscoelastic spectrum concomitant with a decrease of the steadystate recoverable compliance. This behavior is exactly the same as previously observed in low molecular weight poly(styrene), proving that this spectacular anomaly in the viscoelasticity of low molecular weight polymers is general and deserves an explanation. Photon correlation spectroscopic measurements performed on the same sample have extended the observation of the viscoelastic response to shorter times and the result corroborates the trend of variation established by the creep data.Dedicated to Prof.Dr. E. W. Fischer on his 65th Birthday. Prof.Dr. Fischer is known for his valuable contribution to fosterine, international collaboration of research in polymer science. This work is an example of his contribution because it would not be possible without him bringing us together. One of us (KLN) would like to take this opportunity to thank Prof. Dr. Fischer for his unwaiving support of the 1st (Crete) and the 2nd (Alicante) International Discussion Meeting on Relaxations in Complex Systems     

Effect of phonon scattering from neutral and charged impurity centers on the lattice heat conductivity of PbTe:(Tl, Na)

Experimental data on the effect of thallium and sodium impurities on the lattice heat conductivity of PbTe at room temperature are reported. Because the lattice of lead chalcogenides is strongly polarized near charged impurities, the effect of impurities on the lattice heat conductivity depends substantially on their charge state. This property of the material has been used to determine the charge state of the thallium impurity in PbTe. The results obtained argue for a model of quasi-local thallium-impurity states which assumes low electron-correlation energy at an impurity center. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 1206–1208 (July 1998)     

Electron as the eigenstate of curvilinear space with torsion

Ideas previously enunciated by the author about the physical interpretation of curvilinear space with torsion are developed. With the new equations describing the eigenstates of such a space, the static centrosymmetric solution for gravitational and electric fields can be made consistent with the Newton and Coulomb laws. The asymptotic behavior of the axisymmetric solution at infinity is studied. The gyromagnetic ratio obtained is characteristic of the electron. Ural State University. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 5, p. 56–60, May, 1998.     

Orthogonal modules and nonlinear cohomologies

Ordinary cohomologies in an algebra most often exhibit themselves either as objects that describe extensions (of algebras, groups, or modules) or as subjects hindering the existence of algebraic constructions. We introduce the notion of nonlinear cohomologies at a level of cochain complexes, furnish particular examples for Lie algebras, and give an interpretation of first nonlinear cohomologies in terms of “quasiextensions” of orthogonal modules. Translated fromAlgebra i Logika, Vol. 37, No. 5, pp. 522–541, September–October, 1998.     

Thermal gradient induced sidebranching in directional solidification

The polycrystalline perovskitelike manganese oxides La_1-xA_xMnO (A = Na, and K, ) have been fabricated by sol-gel technique. For all the compositions explored in this work, the average manganese oxidation state is practically constant, at for A = Na, and for A = K, respectively. A close relationship is confirmed to hold between the Curie temperature (T_c) and the bond distance of Mn-O. Results of magnetic measurements show that these materials can be utilized as suitable candidates for magnetic refrigerants with wide applied temperature span, for their significant entropy change and the easily tuned Curie temperature. Received: 12 September 1997 / Revised: 18 December 1997 / Accepted: 21 January 1998     

Laser spectroscopy of the 1s HFS of H-like ions at a bunched beam in the storage ring ESR

The investigation of the 1s HFS provides a good possibility for testing QED effects in a combination of a strong electric and magnetic field. Here, we report about the laserspectroscopic measurements of the ground state hyperfine splitting in ²⁰⁷Pb⁸¹⁺. To handle this M1-transition in the infrared optical regime with its long lifetime, we developed a new detection technique using a bunched ion beam. For the observation of fluorescence light, a new mirror system is adapted to the emission characteristics from an ion beam at relativistic velocities. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Mössbauer study of Martian regolith analogues

Terrestrial basalt rocks considered to be a good analogues of the Martian regolith were studied by using the Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The weathering of basalts was followed by the changes of the Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ ratio. The basalt rock undergoes alteration from primary mineral composition (olivine+pyroxene+plagioclase) through smectite to kaolinite clay with oxides and hydroxides with the increase of the Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ ratio.     

Interactions between the components in isotactic polypropylene blended with EPDM

The interaction of isotactic polypropylene with ethylene propylene diene terpolymer in their blends has been investigated by use of differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, wide- and small-angle x-ray scattering, and by investigating the nucleation and kinetics of crystallization of the iPP component under the polarization microscope. It is found, that the dispersion of the EPDM component in the iPP matrix is dependent on blend composition and is maximal at 10% EPDM content. An interface layer between the two components is formed by migration of iPP molecules into the EPDM phase. A model for this interface is proposed.     

FORECASTING MINERAL SUPPLY FROM MINERAL RENT DATA

An optimal control model of exhaustible resources is used to clarify the long run relationship between mineral rent and depletion cost at the industry level. A standard first order condition of the time rate of change of rents is reformulated to reveal that rent data may be used to help forecast the rise in extraction costs resulting from resource depletion. This application of the theory of exhaustible resources is illustrated using historical mineral industry rent and extraction cost data. A forecast of U.S. coal extraction costs, following the method proposed in this paper, suggests that future rates of extraction cost increases will be similar to rates experienced in the past.