Thermodynamic study of alkali sulphates: Calculation of enthalpy,entropy and Gibbs free energy

Joined with measures of specific heat at low temperature , a calorimetric study of alkali sulphates from ordinary temperature to 1500 K has allowed the calculation of enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs free energy of these salts. The value of entropy at melting point is compared with the value assessed by an acoustical method.     

Long lived acoustic vibrational modes of an embedded nanoparticle

Classical continuum elastic calculations show that the acoustic vibrational modes of an embedded nanoparticle can be lightly damped even when the longitudinal plane wave acoustic impedances Z(o)=rhov(L) of the nanoparticle and the matrix are the same. It is not necessary for the matrix to be less dense or softer than the nanoparticle in order to have long lived vibrational modes. A corrected formula for acoustic impedance is provided for the case of longitudinal spherical waves. Continuum boundary conditions do not always accurately reflect the microscopic nature of the interface between the nanoparticle and the matrix, and a multilayer model of the interface reveals the possibility of additional reduction of mode damping.     

Cheat sensitive quantum bit commitment

We define cheat sensitive cryptographic protocols between mistrustful parties as protocols which guarantee that, if either cheats, the other has some nonzero probability of detecting the cheating. We describe an unconditionally secure cheat sensitive nonrelativistic bit commitment protocol which uses quantum information to implement a task which is classically impossible; we also describe a simple relativistic protocol.     

Inert site in a protein zinc cluster: isotope exchange by high resolution mass spectrometry

Using electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry, we show that one Zn2+ ion in the Zn4 cluster of cyanobacterial metallothionein is inert to exchange with 67Zn2+. We suggest that this is zinc in site A, which together with the surrounding alpha and beta secondary structure forms a zinc-finger fold.     

Phase transitions in gallium nanodroplets detected by dielectric spectroscopy

Both theoretical and experimental works give evidence that gallium exhibits solid phases labelled , , , besides the stable phase strongly dependent both on the size and the confinement conditions. An experimental technique was used based on capacitance and conductance measurements vs. temperature in the audiofrequency range. This technique is particularly sensitive to the conditions of the investigated particle surface that plays a fundamental role in the melting and more generally in the phase transition processes. In particular the strict relation between the derivative of the capacitance with respect to the temperature, dC/dT, and the entropy of the system is considered. In gallium nanoparticles 20 nm in radius, only the phase is shown to occur. Further the transition to liquid phase was detected. The melting process was found to start about 65 K below the full melting temperature value. In the case of particles 10 nm in radius, where different metastable phases may occur, the capacitance vs. temperature curve was found to display abrupt changes of the slope. The singularities are associated to a well defined transition temperature.     

Estimates for solutions of quasilinear problems with dead cores

A Rayleigh-Faber-Krahn type inequality is used to derive bounds for boundary value problems appearing in reaction-diffusion problems where the reactant is consumed. Interesting quantities are the minimum of the solution and the measure of the set where it vanishes. The proofs are rather elementary and apply to problems possessing solutions in a weak sense.