A nonlinear energy sink with an energy harvester: Transient responses

This paper investigates energy harvesting using nonlinear energy sink. First a novel apparatus is described in detail outlining how the essential nonlinearity and energy harvesting are achieved. Then the system modeling is addressed, including the equations of motion for the mechanical system and the electromechanical system, and a formula for the transduction factor. The experimental identification is conducted to determine several key parameters and relationships. Using the established models, a computer simulation is carried out to investigate the apparatus?s performance under transient responses in terms of vibration absorption and energy harvesting. Finally experiments are conducted to validate the simulation results. It is shown that the system performs well, being capable of energy localization as well as broad band vibration absorption. The system is also shown to be capable of harvesting energy.     

Mg substitution in CuCrO2 delafossite compounds

A detailed investigation of the series CuCr_1−xMg_xO₂ (x=0.0-0.05) has been performed by making high-temperature resistivity and thermopower measurements, and by performing a theoretical analysis of the latter. Microstructure characterization has been carried out as well. Upon Mg²⁺ for Cr³⁺ substitution, a concomitant decrease in the electrical resistivity and thermopower values is found, up to x∼0.02-0.03, indicating a low solubility limit of Mg in the structure. This result is corroborated by scanning electron microscopy observations, showing the presence of MgCr₂O₄ spinels as soon as x=0.005. The thermopower is discussed in the temperature-independent correlation function ratio approximation as based on the Kubo formalism, and the dependence of the effective charge carrier density on the nominal Mg substitution rate is addressed. This leads to a solubility limit of 1.1% Mg in the delafossite, confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis.     

Minimizing dispersive distortions in carrier-envelope phase sweeping with glass wedges

A systematic experimental study is performed to examine the f-2f technique for sweeping the carrier-envelope phase (CEP) of few-cycle laser pulses by changing the amount of positive dispersion in the extracavity beam path. Slightly changing the dispersion not only changes the CEP but affects the entire spectral-phase function. As a result, large discrepancies are found between the true CEP as independently measured with a stereo-above-threshold-ionization spectrometer and the CEP detected by an f-2f interferometer when sweeping the phase with glass wedges. A new CEP-stabilization scheme is proposed and experimentally shown to significantly improve the performance of CEP sweeping.     

Quantitative analysis of infrared absorption coefficient of spider silk fibers

Spider silk has a high degree of crystallinity comprising nanocrystals which are interlinked by amorphous regions containing pre-strained spidroin chains. Both, crystal volume fraction and crystal size were shown to be critical for the macroscopic mechanical properties of silk. In this study, for the first time, quantitative results were obtained from absorption IR spectra. Two main difficulties must be overcome: the cylindrical sample geometry and the absence of suitable reference spectra. We show that it is possible to get reproducible absorption coefficient spectra from dense parallel fiber grids immersed in a refractive index matching liquid. Comparison with model polypeptides yields the nanocrystal volume fraction that is close to the crystallinity values given by solid-state NMR or X-ray scattering.     

Ordering and mobility of ferroelectric liquid crystal dimer as studied by FT-IR spectroscopy with 2D-IR correlation analysis

Both a conservative rapid-scan FT-IR technique and a novel step-scan FT-IR technique with 2D correlation analysis were used to study the orientation and the mobility of a ferroelectric liquid crystal dimer during switching under an electric field. The detailed mutual arrangements of different molecular segments (mesogen, poly(methylene) chain, polysiloxane chain) in a smectic C* phase were derived from the static spectra. It was shown that the long mesogen axis, the average poly(methylene) and the average polysiloxane chain axes do not coincide with each other. The hindered rotation of the carbonyl group is confirmed. Time-resolved FT-IR technique was used to follow the segmental motion with a time resolution of 5 μs. The temperature and electric field strength dependencies of the mobility of these segments are discussed. 2D correlation analysis of time-resolved data reveals small differences in the behavior of the carbonyl and the benzoic rings in the mesogen moieties, that can be explained as differences in the orientation distribution functions of these moieties.     

Infrared spectra of new Re(III) complexes with thiourea derivatives

Complexes of the type [Re(III)L6]X3, with L = thiourea, N-methylthiourea, N-ethylthiourea or N,N'-dimethytlthiourea and X = Cl- or PF6-, were prepared as suitable precursors for the synthesis of new rhenium complexes potentially useful in nuclear medicine. The infrared (IR) spectra of these complexes were recorded and analyzed and a general vibrational pattern for Re(III) complexes with thiourea derivatives could be established. Approximate assignments for N-allylthiourea and N-ethylthiourea are also proposed for the first time. The synthesis of the new complex [Re(III)(N-allylthiourea)6](PF6)3 is also reported, and information about its structural characteristics was obtained comparing its IR spectrum with those of the other complexes of the investigated series.     

Magnetic properties and molecular structures of binuclear (2-pyrazinecarboxylate)-bridged complexes containing Re(IV) and M(II) (M = Co, Ni)

Three novel Re(iv) compounds, the mononuclear complex Bu(4)N[ReBr(5)(Hpyzc)] (1) and the heterobimetallic complexes [ReBr(5)(mu-pyzc)M(dmphen)(2)].2CH(3)CN [M = Co (2), Ni (3)] (Hpyzc = 2-pyrazinecarboxylic acid, dmphen = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline), have been synthesized and their crystal structures determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The structure of 1 consists of [ReBr(5)(Hpyzc)](-) complex anions and tetrabutylammonium cations, Bu(4)N(+). The Re(iv) is surrounded by five bromide anions and a N-donor Hpyzc monodentate ligand, in a distorted octahedral environment. The structures of 2 and 3 consist of dinuclear units [ReBr(5)(mu-pyzc)M(dmphen)(2)], with the metal ions linked by a pyzc bridge ligand, being bidentate toward M(II) and monodentate toward Re(IV). The environment of Re(IV) is the same as in 1, whereas M(II) is six-coordinate, being surrounded by four nitrogen atoms of two bidentate dmphen ligands and one oxygen atom and one nitrogen atom of the pyzc anion. The magnetic properties of 1-3 were investigated in the temperature range 2.0-300 K. 1 shows the expected magnetic behavior for a mononuclear Re(IV) complex with a weak intermolecular antiferromagnetic coupling at low temperatures. The bimetallic complexes exhibit an intramolecular ferromagnetic coupling between Re(IV) and the M(II) ion (Co, Ni).