Non-steady state homogeneous nucleation in glass-forming systems: Dimensionless kinetic equation

The kinetic equation of the classical homogeneous nucleation theory is rewritten in dimensionless form and it is shown that the numerical computation of the dimensionless kinetic equation is approximately 20 times faster in comparison with the original kinetic equation. The results are compared with known analytical results and with previous numerical results in the case of the constant and variable temperature for the model Li₂O.2 SiO₂ melt. It is shown, e.g., that under non-isothermal conditions the nucleation rate is greater than the quasistationary nucleation rate and the cluster distribution function is greater than the corresponding quasiequilibrium cluster distribution function.     

On the bootstrap effect in large tokamaks with lower hybrid driven current

The amplification of lower hybrid (LH) driven current of various profiles has been found. The results strongly depend on the plasma temperature profile, on the LH current profile, and on the magnitude of the particle diffusion flux.This work was started during the visit of the author in the I. V. Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy, Moscow. The author thanks IAE for hospitality, and V. Parail, G. V. Pereverzev, A. Smoljakov and R. Klíma for many useful and critical discussions.     

Quantitative characterization of chaotic instabilities in semiconductors

A method for quantitative characterization of chaotic dynamical systems is discussed. An electronic instrument for determining the number of independent variablesk ^*, involved in the motion, is described. It allows one to obtain these in real time from a single observable. The suggested technique has been applied to quantification of strange attractors underlying chaotic instabilities in semi-insulating GaAsCr, and n-Ge, irradiated with high energy electrons. In n-Ge, for instance, the measured numbersk ^* range from 2 to 4 depending on control parameters. These measurements reveal the highly deterministic nature of the observed chaotic oscillations. The physical mechanisms responsible for the current instabilities and chaotic behaviour are discussed.     

Transition metal complexes with Girard reagent-based ligands

The ligand, salicylaldehyde Girard-T hydrazonium chloride, [H₂SalGT]Cl (1), and two complexes [Cu(HSalGT)X₂]·H₂O (X = Br(2); Cl(3)) were synthesized and their crystal structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray analysis. In the two isostructural complexes, the Cu(II) is located in a square-pyramidal environment, with the chelating ligand and one halogen atom in the basal plane and the second halogen in the apical position. The most apparent structural difference between the 1 and its complexes 2 and 3 is the orientation of the N(CH₃)₃ group: in 1, it is practically coplanar to the rest of the molecule, while in 2 and 3 it is oriented to the side of the axially bonded halogen, which can be explained by the C–H…X intramolecular interactions. The compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductivity, magnetic susceptibility and electronic absorption spectra.     

Thermal coefficient of linear expansion of non-crystalline chalcogenides in the As-S-Se-Te-I system

The object of the paper is an investigation of the glasses of the (As₂S₃)_x(AsSe_0.5Te_0.5I)_100-x. type for 65≤;x≤;95, using methods of thermomechanical analysis. Values of the thermal coefficients of linear expansion in solid and visco-plastic phase were determined. it was shown that introducing arsenic-sulfide in glass-matrix AsChI, i.e. (AsSe_0.5Te_0.5I), leads to an increasing stability of these glasses. The characteristic temperatures of softening Tg and the temperature of the beginning of deformation t_w increase by increasing content of As₂S₃. The analytical forms of dependence of four significant physical values α_g, α_l, Tg, Tw, as a function of As₂S₃ content in the structure of glasses were fitted. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Fibers and 3D mesh scaffolds from biodegradable starch-based blends: production and characterization

The aim of this work is the production of fibers from biodegradable polymers to obtain 3D scaffolds for tissue engineering of hard tissues. The scaffolds required for this highly demanding application need to have, as well as the biological and mechanical characteristics, a high degree of porosity with suitable dimensions for cell seeding and proliferation. Furthermore, the open cell porosity should have adequate interconnectivity for a continuous flow of nutrients and outflow of cell metabolic residues as well as to allow cell growth into confluent layers. Blends of corn starch, a natural biodegradable polymer, with other synthetic polymers (poly(ethylene vinyl alcohol), poly(epsilon-caprolactone), poly(lactic acid)) were selected for this work because of their good balance of properties, namely biocompatibility, processability and mechanical properties. Melt spinning was used to produce fibers from all the blends and 3D meshes from one of the starch-poly(lactic acid) blends. The experimental characterization included the evaluation of the tensile mechanical properties and thermal properties of the fibers and the compression stiffness, porosity and degradation behavior of the 3D meshes. Light microscopy picture of 3D meshes.     

Accreditation of reference material producers: the example of IRMM's Reference Materials Unit

The potential approaches for third-party assessment of reference material producers are revisited and the activities of the Reference Materials (RM) Unit of the Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM) to obtain accreditation to ISO Guide 34 and ISO 17025 are described. Accreditation was related to the Unit as all matrix RM activities of the institute are concentrated there. A management system was established that allows sufficient flexibility to be applicable to a wide range of RMs while being precise enough to ensure compliance with ISO Guides 30, 31 and especially 34 and 35. Accreditation was achieved in 2004 with independent scopes for testing and RM production and was confirmed and extended in 2005. The key aspects of the RM Unit's management system for RM production are presented. Presented at BERM-10, April 2006, Charleston, SC, USA     

Strained Structure in Ho0.5Sr0.5MnO3

The Ho_0.5Sr_0.5MnO₃ perovskite, synthesized in air, has been studied by combining neutron powder and electron diffraction techniques. The Pnma-type structure exhibits a strong tilting of the MnO₆ octahedra. This octahedra tilting and microtwinning involve a complex strained structure. No structural transition is observed down to 1.4 K, but short-range A-type antiferromagnetism running over only a few perovskite subcells is evidenced below ≈90 K. The different behavior of this perovskite compared to other Ln_0.5Sr_0.5MnO₃ perovskites is discussed in terms of A-site cationic mismatch.     

The search for a new model structure of β-Factor XIIa

We present the search for a new model of -factor XIIa, a blood coagulation enzyme, with an unknown experimental 3D-structure. We decided to build not one but three different models using different homologous proteins as well as different techniques and different modellers. Additional studies, including extensive molecular dynamics simulations on the solvated state, allowed us to draw several conclusions concerning homology modelling, in general, and -factor XIIa, in particular.     

Lamellar Organo-Bridged Silicones

The acid-hydrolysis of an organo-bridged bisdiethoxysilylated molecular precursor bearing urea groups, (EtO)₂MeSi(CH₂)₃NHCONH(CH₂)₁₂NHCONH(CH₂)₃SiMe(OEt)₂, has been performed in pure aqueous medium. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of the resulting insoluble solid revealed plate-like forms with a lamellar structure as determined by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) studies with a sharp peak at 28.5 Å. The solid state ²⁹Si MAS-NMR spectrum of this bridged siloxane hybrid is consistent with a moderately condensed material with complete preservation of the Si–C bonds throughout the hybrid network. In comparison, the classical sol–gel hydrolysis-condensation of the molecular precursor in ethanol with stoichiometric amount of water and fluoride anion as catalyst produced an amorphous featureless solid.