Double-diffusive convection for a heated cylinder submerged in a salt-stratified fluid layer

Double-diffusive convection due to a cylindrical source submerged in a salt-stratified solution is numerically investigated in this study. For proper simulation of the vortex generated around the cylinder, a computational domain with irregular shape is employed. Flow conditions depend strongly on the thermal Rayleigh number, Ra _T , and the buoyancy ratio, R _ρ. There are two types of onset of instability existing in the flow field. Both types are due to either the interaction of the upward temperature gradient and downward salinity gradient or the interaction of the lateral temperature gradient and downward salinity gradient. The onset of layer instability due to plume convection is due to the former, whereas, the onset of layer instability of layers around the cylinder is due to the latter. Both types can be found in the flow field. The transport mechanism of layers at the top of the basic plume belongs to former while that due to basic plume and layer around the cylinder are the latter. The increase in Ra _T reinforces the plume convection and reduces the layer numbers generated around the cylinder for the same buoyancy ratio. For the same Ra _T , the increase of R _ρ suppresses the plume convection but reinforces the layers generated around the cylinder. The profiles of local Nusselt number reflects the heat transfer characteristics of plume convection and layered structure. The profiles of averaged Nusselt number are between the pure conduction and natural convection modes and the variation is due to the evolution of layers. Received on 13 September 1996     

Determination of tyrosine traces by adsorption voltammetry of its copper (II) complex

The electrochemical behavior of the copper-tyrosine complex has been studied by linear-sweep adsorption voltammetry. In 0.02 mol/L Na₂HPO₄ buffer solution (pH=9.6), the complex can be adsorped on a hanging mercury drop electrode and reduced at a peak potential of about –0.42 V (vs. SCE). The secondary derivative peak height is linear proportional to the concentration of tyrosine in the range 1.0×10^–7–5.0×10^–5 mol/L. The detection limit is 5×10^–8 mol/L.Project supported by the Provincial Science Foundation of Shandong Province     

Computation of confined coflow jets with three turbulence models

A numerical study of confined jets in a cylindrical duct is carried out to examine the performance of two recently proposed turbulence models: an RNG-based K-? model and a realizable Reynolds stress algebraic equation model. The former is of the same form as the standard K-? model but has different model coefficients. The latter uses an explicit quadratic stress-strain relationship to model the turbulent stresses and is capable of ensuring the positivity of each turbulent normal stress. The flow considered involves recirculation with unfixed separation and reatachment points and severe adverse pressure gradients, thereby providing a valuable test of the predictive capability of the models for complex flows. Calculations are performed with a finite volume procedure. Numerical credibility of the solutions is ensured by using second-order-accurate differencing schemes and sufficiently fine grids. Calculations with the standard K-? model are also made for comparison. Detailed comparisons with experiments show that the realizable Reynolds stress algebraic equation model consistently works better than does the standard K-? model in capturing the essential flow features, while the RNG-based K-? model does not seem to give improvements over the standard K-? model under the flow conditions considered.     

Quality assurance for the analytical data of micro elements in food

The micro element content of food is an important quality index due to the action of these elements on human health. In this article, we discuss how to ensure the reliability of analytical data on micro elements in order to truly represent the condition of food. Sampling, treatment of the analytical sample, selection of the analytical method, standard solution, and certified reference material, blank test, calibration of the instrument and equipment, application of the quality control chart, assessment of the final analytical result, and quality assurance system are briefly described. Received: 5 July 2001 Accepted: 19 November 2001     

Optical behaviour of photoimageable cholesteric liquid crystal cells with various novel chiral compounds

In theory, both polarity and steric hindrance are basic factors which affect molecular interactions. To investigate the optical properties and steric structures of chiral compounds having different chiral moieties which affect the wavelength of light reflection in liquid crystal (LC) cells, a series of novel chiral compounds and azobenzene derivatives were synthesized. The liquid crystalline phases of the compounds were identified using small angle X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and polarizing optical microscopy. Cholesteric LC cells with various synthesized chiral dopants which selectively reflect visible light were first prepared, the photochemical switching behaviour of colours was then investigated, with special reference to the change in transmittance in cholesteric LC cells containing an azobenzene derivative as a photoisomerizable guest molecule. Reversible isomerization of azobenzene molecules occurred in the cholesteric systems, resulting in a depression of T_ChI and a shift of the selectively reflected wavelength. We discuss the photochemically driven change in the helical pitch of the cholesteric LCs with respect to structural effects involving the chiral moieties. Molecular interactions caused by the added dopants, reliability and stability of the photoisomerization, and UV irradiation effects on the cholesteric LC cells were also investigated. A real image was recorded through a mask on a cholesteric LC cell fabricated in this investigation.     

Developing a hybrid emulsion polymerization system to synthesize Fe3O4/polystyrene latexes with narrow size distribution and high magnetite content

A hybrid emulsion polymerization was formulated for synthesizing Fe₃O₄/polystyrene composite latex. This system, containing binary droplets that are magnetic (Mag)‐droplets with a diameter of 100–200 nm and styrene (St)‐droplets with a diameter of 3–4 μm, was obtained by mixing Mag‐miniemulsion and St‐macroemulsion. With extremely low surfactants concentration (?critical micelle concentration, CMC), the nucleated loci are selectively controlled in the Mag‐droplets, as the result of smaller droplet size and larger surface ratio. Both water‐soluble potassium persulfate (KPS) and oil‐soluble 2,2′‐azobis(2‐isobutyronitrile) was adopted to initiate the polymerization. In the presence of KPS, magnetic polystyrene latices with particles size of 60–200 nm, narrow size distribution, and high magnetite content (86 wt % measured by TGA) were attained successfully. The synthesized magnetic Fe₃O_4/polystyrene latices assembled into well‐ordered hexagonal structure in the surface of a carbon supported copper grid. The influence of various parameters on various aspects of the as‐synthesized Fe₃O₄/polystyrene was investigated in detail: type of initiator on composite morphology, feed ratio of Mag‐miniemulsion and St‐macroemulsion on magnetite content, and hydrophobic agent or amount of surfactant on size and size distribution. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 5285–5295, 2007     

Microstructural evolution of decagonal quasicrystal in the undercooled Al72Ni12Co16 alloy melts

The microstructure evolution of decagonal quasicrystals in Al₇₂Ni₁₂Co₁₆ alloy was investigated by the electromagnetic melting and cyclic superheating method. Single-phase decagonal quasicrystals have been obtained when the undercoolings were larger than 60 K. The decagonal quasicrystals formed at various undercoolings show different microstructural morphologies. Furthermore, grain refinement was found near the undercooling of 120 K. Based on current thermodynamic and dendrite growth theories, a dimensionless superheating parameter was adopted to explain the effect of processing conditions on the microstructure of Al₇₂Ni₁₂Co₁₆ alloy. The result indicate that the fine equiaxied microstructure of decagonal quasicrystal (D-phase) formed near on undercooling of 120 K originates from the break-up of dendrites.     

The study of lithium fast ion conductors of Li3xLa0.67−xScyTi1−2yNbyO3 system

Perovskite-type lithium fast ion conductors of Li_3xLa_0.67−xSc_yTi_1−2yNb_yO₃ system were prepared by solid state reaction. X-Ray powder diffraction shows that perovskite solid solution form in the ranges of x=0.10, y≤0.10. AC impedance measurements indicate that the bulk conductivities and the total conductivities are of the order of 10⁻⁴ S·cm⁻¹ and 10⁻⁵ S·cm⁻¹ at 25 °C respectively. The compositions have low bulk activation energies of about 17 kJ/mol in the temperature ranges of 298 – 523 K and total activation energies of about 37 kJ/mol in the temperature ranges of 298 – 523 K.     

Effect of end groups on complexation kinetics between cyclodextrins and guest polymers

α‐Cyclodextrin (α‐CD) has been complexed with various poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) derivatives in aqueous solution. It has been found that the end groups of PEG derivatives affect the complexation kinetics greatly, but have only a little influence on the thermodynamic behavior. By increasing the hydrophobicity of end groups, the complexation speeds up rapidly. On the other hand, the bulky end groups slow down the threading of polymeric guests into the cavity of CD. By changing the hydrophobicity and the size of end groups, the complexation rate can be adjusted in the range of several orders of magnitudes, which should be quite useful in the design of new supramolecular systems. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 2050–2057, 2006