Electrophysical characteristics and stability of solid apatite-like electrolytes La x Si6O12 + 1.5x and La x Ge6O12 + 1.5x

Oxygen-ion conduction in apatite-like compounds based on silicates and germanates of lanthanum La _x A₆O_{12 + 1.5x} (A = Si, Ge; x = 9.11–10.22) is studied. The compounds are shown to be purely ionic conductors at 600–900°C and partial oxygen pressures 10^?16 to 10⁵ Pa. The electroconductivity of the best conducting specimens of La _x A₆O_{12 + 1.5x} (A = Si, Ge; x = 9.77–10) exceeds that of electrolyte YSZ at moderate temperatures. The electroconductivity of lanthanum germanate is substantially greater than that of lanthanum silicate, specifically, 7.85 × 10^?2 and 2.35 × 10^?2 S cm^?1, respectively, at 800°C. An inflection is discovered at ～750°C in the temperature dependences of electroconductivity of La _x Ge₆O_{12 + 1.5x} (x = 9.77–10.22). A dilatometric examination points to a second-kind phase transition that may be due to the oxygen sublattice disordering. The behavior of apatite-like electrolytes La _x A₆O_{12 + 1.5x} (A = Si, Ge) during long exploitation periods in the interval of working temperatures of electrochemical devices is studied for the first time ever. The electrolytes’ aging at 800°C in air for 1000 h was investigated by the electroconductivity method. The electroconductivity of lanthanum germanates decayed with time by 5% and that of lanthanum silicates, by 9.5%. The steady-state values of electroconductivity of all compounds studied is reached after 600–700 h. The compounds studied form a class of materials that hold some promise as solid electrolytes for medium-temperature fuel cells and other electrochemical devices.     

New dynamic axial compression columns with means for monitoring floating adapter position. Column design and utilisation in low pressure LC on soft packings

Summary The design of new dynamic, axial-compression columns with a system for continous packed bed adjustment and monitoring of the floating adapter position is described. The columns are meant for liquid chromatography at low pressures (up to 8 bar) in aqueous and organic media with stationary phases of all types. The columns have adapter position pickups for continuous automatic monitoring of the bed height (original “swellographic” monitoring). The column described with gas pressurisation was tested with soft Sephadex G-10 and G-25. In spite of the reduction in external porosity there was no dramatic increase in back-pressure. The column proved to provide long-term stability of the packed bed and improvement in resolution. Presented at the 21^st ISC held in Stuttgart, Germany, 15^th–20^th September, 1996     

Measure-valued almost periodic functions

We consider Stepanov almost periodic functions μ ∈ ranging in the metric space of Borel probability measures on a complete separable metric space is equipped with the Prokhorov metric). The main result is as follows: a function , belongs to if and only if for each bounded continuous function , the function is Stepanov almost periodic (of order 1) and

On Weyl almost periodic selections of multivalued maps

We prove that Weyl almost periodic multivalued maps R∋t→F(t)∈clU have Weyl almost periodic selections, where clU is the collection of non-empty closed sets of a complete metric space U.     

Choice Functions and Extensive Operators

The paper puts forth a theory of choice functions in a neat way connecting it to a theory of extensive operators and neighborhood systems. We consider classes of heritage choice functions satisfying conditions M, N, W, and C, or combinations of these conditions. In terms of extensive operators these classes can be considered as generalizations of symmetric, anti-symmetric and transitive binary relations. Among these classes we meet the well-known classes of matroids and convex geometries. Using a ‘topological’ language we discuss these classes of monotone extensive operators (or heritage choice functions) in terms of neighborhood systems. A remarkable inversion on the set of choice functions is introduced. Restricted to the class of heritage choice functions the inversion turns out to be an involution, and under this involution the axiom N is auto-inverse, whereas the axioms W and M change places. This research was supported in part by NWO–RFBR grant 047.011.2004.017, by RFBR grant 05-01-02805 CNRSL_a, and the grant NSh-929.2008.6, School Support. We want to thank B. Monjardet, the editor and a referee for discussions and useful suggestions.     

Existence of fixed points for mappings of finite sets

We show that the existence theorem for zeros of a vector field (fixed points of a mapping) holds in the case of a “convex” finite set X and a “continuous” vector field (a self-mapping) directed inwards into the convex hull co X of X. The main goal is to give correct definitions of the notions of “continuity” and “convexity”. We formalize both these notions using a reflexive and symmetric binary relation on X, i.e., using a proximity relation. Continuity (we shall say smoothness) is formulated with respect to any proximity relation, and an additional requirement on the proximity (we shall call it the acyclicity condition) transforms X into a “convex” set. If these two requirements are satisfied, then the vector field has a zero (i.e., a fixed point).     

Observation of a new DsJ meson in B+-->D0D0K+ decays

We report the observation of a new DsJ meson produced in B+-->D0DsJ-->D0D0K+. This state has a mass of M=2708+/-9(-10)(+11) MeV/c2, a width Gamma=108+/-23(-31)(+36) MeV/c2 and a 1- spin-parity. The statistical significance of this observation is 8.4 sigma. The results are based on an analysis of 449 x 10(6) BB events collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e- collider.     

Lasing of iodine in the fullerene-oxygen-iodine system

The possibility of lasing in the fullerene-oxygen-iodine system with optical excitation of fullerene is studied. Laser radiation with an energy of 25 mJ and a pulse duration of 5–10 ms is obtained.     

Mean force on a small sphere in a sound field in a viscous fluid

A mean force exerted on a small rigid sphere by a sound wave in a viscous fluid is calculated. The force is expressed as a sum of drag force coming from the external steady flow existing in the absence of the sphere and contributions that are cross products of velocity and velocity derivatives of the incident field. Because of the drag force and an acoustic streaming generated near the sphere, the mean force does not coincide with the acoustic radiation pressure, i.e., the mean momentum flux carried by the sound field through any surface enclosing the sphere. If the sphere radius R is considerably smaller than the viscous wave penetration depth delta, the drag force can give the leading-order contribution (in powers of delta/R) to the mean force and the latter can then be directed against the radiation pressure. In another limit, delta< or =R, the drag force and acoustic streaming play a minor role, and the mean force reduces to the radiation pressure, which can be expressed through source strengths of the scattered sound field. The effect of viscosity can then be significant only if the incident wave is locally plane traveling.