Superferromagnetic nanostructures

Interactions between magnetic nanoparticles can lead to superferromagnetic ordering, i.e. ordering of their magnetic moments at low temperatures. The use of a simple mean field theory, describing the temperature dependence of the order parameter is discussed. This model is found to give excellent fits to experimental results. In systems of particles with pure dipole interactions, the degree of ordering depends critically on the geometrical configuration of the particles. The application of superferromagnetic nanostructures for magnetic refrigeration is also discussed.     

Methane activation on Ni(1 1 1): Effects of poisons and step defects

We have, theoretically and experimentally, investigated the dissociation of methane on the terraces and steps of a Ni(1 1 1) surface. Using Density Functional Theory (DFT) total energy calculations combined with Ultra High Vacuum (UHV) experiments, we find that the steps exhibit a higher activity than the terraces. We have, furthermore, investigated how carbon and sulfur present on the surface will deactivate the steps, leaving only the terraces active. We find the intrinsic sticking probabilities of methane on the steps and terraces at 500 K to be 2.8 × 10⁻⁷ for the steps and 2.1 × 10⁻⁹ for the terraces, in complete agreement with our calculated difference in activation energy of 17 kJ/mol.     

利用电泳技术在不锈钢和铁基底上制备MgB2带材

本文首次报道了利用电泳技术在铁和不锈钢基底上制备MgB2超导带材.电阻测量表明,沉积在铁和不锈钢基底上MgB2带材的超导零电阻转变温度分别为37.5K和31K,超导转变宽度分别为0.3K和1K.磁测量表明,(5K,OT)时不锈钢基底上带材的临界电流密度为6×105(A/cm2).X射线衍射谱和扫描电子显微镜图象表明样品结晶良好,晶粒生长致密.本工艺制备MgB2带材时不受系统真空度的限制,生长迅速,成本低廉,并且可以根据不同的需要任意选择基底的形状和大小.     

Slow-light enhanced optical detection in liquid-infiltrated photonic crystals

Slow-light enhanced optical detection in liquid-infiltrated photonic crystals is theoretically studied. Using a scattering-matrix approach and the Wigner–Smith delay time concept, we show that optical absorbance benefits both from slow-light phenomena as well as a high filling factor of the energy residing in the liquid. Utilizing strongly dispersive photonic crystal structures, we numerically demonstrate how liquid-infiltrated photonic crystals facilitate enhanced light–matter interactions, by potentially up to an order of magnitude. The proposed concept provides strong opportunities for improving existing miniaturized absorbance cells for optical detection in lab-on-a-chip systems.     

Enthalpies of sorption of linear hydrocarbons (C2–C8) and chloroderivatives of methane and ethylene on the surface of hydrotalcite

Differential molar adsorption enthalpies (DMAE) were determined by gas chromatographic measurements of specific retention volume of vapors on the surface of two forms of Mg–Al hydrotalcite. A linear dependence of the DMAE on the number of the carbon atoms in hydrocarbons was observed for both form of hydrotalcite. The dependence of the differential molar adsorption enthalpies on the number of chlorine atoms in organic molecules is discussed. A linear dependence of DMAE on the molecular weight of chloroderivatives of methane and ethylene on the basic form in an order monochloromethane < dichloromethane < trichloromethane or vinylidene chloride < 1,1-dichloroethylene < trichloroethylene was found.     

New Interfaces for Coupling TLC with TOF SIMS

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - Two interfaces have been tested for coupling thin-layer chromatography (TLC) with time-of-flight secondary-ion mass spectrometry...     

Fluorimetric determination of the levels of urinary neopterin and serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in the nonagenarians

Twelve self-sustaining nonagenarians, 10 women and two men, aged 94+/-3 years, and eight institutionalised nonagenarians, eight women, aged 91+/-1 year as well as 11 control subjects, seven women and four men, aged 84+/-5 years entered the study. Urinary neopterin, an indicator of systemic immune activation, and serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), a marker of lipoperoxidation, were determined initially, and collection of the blood and urine samples was repeated at 3-month interval. Neopterin was measured in the urine specimens by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. A C(18) reversed-phase column 3.3x150 mm, 5 mum-diameter packing Separon SGX was used. Potassium phosphate buffer (15 mmol l(-1), pH 6.4) at flow rate of 0.8 ml min(-1) was used as mobile phase. After centrifugation (5 min, 1300xg) and diluting 100 mul of urine specimens with 1.0 ml of mobile phase containing 2 g of disodium-EDTA per litre, a 20 mul sample was injected on a column. Neopterin was identified by its native fluorescence (353 nm excitation, 438 nm emission). Creatinine was determined by Jaffé kinetic reaction after dilution of sample 1:50 (v/v). The concentration of neopterin in urine was expressed as neopterin/creatinine ratio (mumol mol(-1) creatinine). TBARS were determined spectrofluorometrically using LS-5 spectrofluorimeter (excitation wavelength 528 nm, emission wavelength 558 nm) after extraction with n-butanol treatment with thiobarbituric acid. The significance of differences between nonagenarians and control group was examined by ANOVA-Kruskal-Wallis tests, using statistical software NCSS 6.0.21 (Kaysville, UT, 1996). The decision on significance was based on P=0.05. Urinary neopterin was significantly higher in institutionalised compared to self-sustaining subjects and controls (625+/-565 vs. 203+/-63 mumol mol(-1) creatinine, and 198+/-128 mumol mol(-1) creatinine, respectively, P=0.006). The serum TBARS were higher in both groups of nonagenarians (3.23+/-1.16 mumol l(-1) and 2.69+/-0.39 vs. 2.12+/-0.83 mumol l(-1) for the self-sustaining, institutionalised and controls, respectively, P=0.023). We conclude that the fluorimetric determinations of urinary neopterin and serum TBARS can be useful for the monitoring health status in the elderly patients.     

An anisotropic fibre-network model for mechano-sorptive creep in paper

In this paper a simplified network model for mechano-sorptive creep is presented, which is a further development of an earlier paper [Strömbro, J., Gudmundson, P., 2008. Mechano-sorptive creep under compressive loading – a micromechanical model. International Journal of Solids and Structures 45 (9), 2420–2450.]. It is assumed that the anisotropic hygroexpansion of the fibres leads to large stresses at the fibre bonds when the moisture content changes. The resulting stress state will accelerate creep if the fibre material obeys a constitutive law that is non-linear. Fibre kinks are included in order to capture experimental observations of larger mechano-sorptive effects in compression than in tension. Moisture dependent material parameters and anisotropy in the fibre distribution have been introduced. Theoretical predictions based on the model are compared to experimental results for an anisotropic paper both under tensile and compressive loading at varying moisture content and it is found that the important features in the experiments are captured by the model. Different kinds of drying conditions have also been examined.     

An exponential lower bound to the size of bounded depth frege proofs of the pigeonhole principle

We prove lower bounds of the form exp(n^{ε d}), ε_d > 0, on the length of proofs of an explicit sequence of tautologies, based on the Pigeonhole Principle, in proof systems using formulas of depth d, for any constant d. This is the largest lower bound for the strongest proof system, for which any superpolynomial lower bounds are known.