Magnetic order induced birefringence and critical behaviour of the long range order parameter in NiO

The optical linear magnetic birefringence of single-domain NiO crystals was measured at temperatures above and below the antiferromagnetic phase transition. The analysis of the experimental data yield a Néel temperature of T_N = (523.7 ± 0.2)K and a critical exponent β = 0.325^+0.01_-0.02 which determines the temperature behaviour of the magnetic long range order parameter $\text{S}\text{?}\text{～ (}\text{1?T}\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{N}}\text{)}{}^{\mathrm{\beta }}$. This critical behaviour of S? is found to be continued to temperatures well below T_N.     

Chaos in a three-variable model of an excitable cell

We describe chaotic behavior in a model that consists of three first-order, non-linear differential equations, which represent ionic events in excitable membranes. For a certain range of conductances, the model generates chaotic action potentials, and the intracellular calcium concentration also varies chaotically. The chaos was characterized by constructing phase portraits and one-variable maps using the membrane potentials and calcium concentrations. This is the first, simple, biophysically realistic model for excitable cells that shows endogenous chaos.     

Synchrotron X-ray scattering study of the mechanism of nanopore generation in nanoporous organosilicate thin films imprinted with a reactive six-armed porogen

In situ grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering analysis was successfully performed during the thermal processing of film blends of polymethylsilsesquioxane (PMSSQ) precursor and triethoxysilyl-terminated six-arm poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (mPCL6) porogen. In addition, thermogravimetric analysis of the films was carried out in a nitrogen atmosphere. These measurements provide important information about the structures of the blend films and of the resulting porous films. In particular, they are used in this paper to establish the mechanism of the formation of imprinted pores within the blend films. During the heating run, the sacrificial thermal degradation of the porogen component commenced at 320 degrees C, generating pores in the resulting cured PMSSQ films. Only very limited porogen aggregation occurred during the blend film formation process (spin-coating and subsequent drying), and these porogen aggregates were of relatively small size and narrow size distribution. The observed restriction of the formation of such porogen aggregates was found to result from the favorable hybridization reaction of the porogen's reactive end groups with the reactive functional groups of the PMSSQ precursor, which competes with aggregation via reaction between the porogen molecules. The average radius (or half-size) of the porogen aggregates was in the range 2.45-3.98 nm, depending on the porogen loading (10-40 wt %). The porogen aggregates retained their size and size distribution until thermal degradation, which resulted in the imprinting of nanopores in the cured PMSSQ films with size and size distribution corresponding to those of the porogen aggregates. The porosities of the resulting nanoporous films were in the range 12.4-41.7%, depending on the initial porogen loading.     

Effect of heterogeneity on the quantitative determination of trace elements in concrete

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy has been used for quantitative measurement of trace elements, e.g. sulfur and chlorine, in concrete. Chloride and sulfate ions have a large effect on the durability of concrete structures, and quantitative measurement is important for condition assessment and quality assurance. Concrete is a highly heterogeneous material in composition and grain-size distribution, i.e. the spatial distribution of elements. Calibration plots were determined by use of laboratory-made reference samples consisting of pressings of cement powder, hydrated cement, cement mortar, and concrete, in which the heterogeneity of the material is increasing because of the aggregates. Coarse aggregate and cement paste are distinguishable by the intensity of the Ca spectral lines. More advanced evaluation is necessary to account for the effect of the fine aggregate. The three series of reference samples enable systematic study of the effects of heterogeneity on spectral intensity, signal fluctuation, uncertainty, and limits of detection. Spatially resolved measurements and many spectra enable statistical evaluation of the data. The heterogeneity has an effect on measurement of the sulfur and chlorine content, because both occur mainly in the cement matrix. Critical chloride concentrations are approximately 0.04% (m/m). The chlorine spectral line at 837.6 nm is evaluated. The natural sulfur content of concrete is approximately 0.1% (m/m). The spectral line at 921.3 nm is evaluated. One future application may be simultaneous determination of the amount of damaging trace elements and the cement content of the concrete.     

Mechanical Properties of Bacterially Synthesized Nanocellulose Hydrogels

The mechanical characteristics of bacterially synthesized nano-cellulose (BNC) were studied with uniaxial compression and tensile tests. Compressive loads result in a release of water and the deformation of the water-saturated network corresponds approximately to the volume of released water. The BNC hydrogel exhibits a mainly viscous response under compression. The strain response under tensile loads has an elastic and a viscous component. This can be described with a Maxwell model, where the viscosity is strain rate-dependent. When the aqueous phase of the BNC hydrogel is stabilized with an additional alginate hydrogel matrix, the system exhibits an elastic response under compressive loads. The analysis of the ‘alginated’ BNC network with the Maxwell model shows that the alginate matrix increases the viscosity of the composite system. The results of the mechanical tests show that the water absorbed in the BNC hydrogel strongly influences its mechanical behavior.     

A spectrum result on maximal partial ovoids of the generalized quadrangle , even

This article presents a spectrum result on maximal partial ovoids of the generalized quadrangle Q(4,q), q even. We prove that for every integer k in an interval of, roughly, size [q²/10,9q²/10], there exists a maximal partial ovoid of size k on Q(4,q), q even. Since the generalized quadrangle W(q), q even, defined by a symplectic polarity of PG(3,q) is isomorphic to the generalized quadrangle Q(4,q), q even, the same result is obtained for maximal partial ovoids of W(q), q even. As equivalent results, the same spectrum result is obtained for minimal blocking sets with respect to planes of PG(3,q), q even, and for maximal partial 1-systems of lines on the Klein quadric Q⁺(5,q), q even.     

Analyse der Rückstoßprodukte in neutronenbestrahlten Phenylarsenverbindungen, 3. Mitteilung: Über die Bestimmung der Ausbeute an Diphenylarsen-Rückstoßprodukten

Für das in der 1. Mitteilung [1] beschriebene Trennverfahren zur Anfarbeitung bestrahlter Mono-, Di- und Triphenylarsenverbindungen sollte die Effektivität der chromatographischen Trennung an dem Kationenaustauscher KPS (6% DVB) mit Hilfe einer unabhängigen Methode überprüft werden. Außerdem sollten Hinweise über Art und Anzahl der nichtidentifizierten ?unbckanntcn Produkte“ erhalten werden, die gemeinsam mit den Diphenylarsen-Rüekstoßprodukten im NaOH-Eluat auftreten. Zu diesem Zweck wurde die von Siuda [2] vorgeschlagene papierelektrophoretische Trennung benutzt.     

Absolutbestimmung der spezifischen Aktivität 35S-haltiger Substanzen

Als wesentlichste Vorausselzungen für eine präzise Absolutbestimmung der spezifischen Aktivität ³³S-haltiger Substanzen werden die Sorption von SO₂ an den Zählrohren und der Füllapparatur, die Beeinflussung des Gasentladungsmechanismus im beschränkten Proportionalbereich durch negativ geladene SO₂-Ionen und die kinetischen Isotopieeffekte bei nicht hundertprozentiger Überführung der Ausgangssubstanzen zu Meβgas untersucht. Speziell beschrieben werden die Umsetzung von Natriumsulfat bzw. Schwefelsäure in wäβriger Lösung und Thioharstoff zu Bariumsulfat und dessen Verbrennung zu Schwefeldioxid. Der Gesamtfehlre, mit dem die Angabe der spezifischen Aktivität für die genannten Ausgangssubstanzen behaftel ist, wird angegeben.     

Anwendungsmöglichkeiten des Anionenaustausches mit Salpetersäure-Methanol-Gemischen für die Trennung der Seltenen Erden

Der Anionenaustausch mit Salpetersäure-Methanol-Gemischen kann erfolgreich zur Reindarstellung vieler Elemente genutzt werden. Es werden Möglichkeiten der praktischen Anwendung solcher Glemische für die Trennung der leichten Lanthaniden, für die Reinigung der Lanthaniden von Zr und Hf und die Ausnutzung fūr die Produktion von radioaktiven Isotopen genannt.