Studying the process of ionization of hydrogen in conditions of its forced delivery to a porous nickel oxide electrode

The hydrogen ionization process is studied experimentally on an industrial sintered nickel oxide electrode in models of sealed nickel-metal hydride batteries. It is shown that the hydrogen ionization rates that are reached during overcharge by high current densities in conditions of forced gas delivery into the electrode pores (up to 40 mA cm^?2) exceed the self-discharge rate of a nickel-hydrogen battery by two orders of magnitude. Up to 70% of hydrogen delivered into the compact assembly block undergoes ionization during forced charge of models of sealed nickel-metal hydride batteries with a closed hydrogen cycle. Two independent methods (potentiostatic and manometric) are used to determine the relationship between rates of hydrogen ionization with the degree of the electrode filling with gas and perform estimation of the process intensity at a unit reaction surface. It is established that, in conditions of forced gas delivery, practically all the hydrogen oxidation current is generated at the surface of the nickel oxide electrode beneath thin films of an electrolyte solution at the rate of 4–5 mA cm^?2. It is shown that the hydrogen oxidation rate on a nickel oxide electrode filled in part by gas is independent of the electrode potential, probably because of a tangible contribution made by diffusion limitations to the overall hampering of the process.     

Irregularities of distribution with respect to strips

Summary A lower bound is established for the strip discrepancy of a broad class of point distributions. The bound implies unbounded strip discrepancy for equally weighted point distributions under favorable conditions. The methods of proof use notions from integral geometry.     

Mathematical modeling of flows through inelastic porous solids

We propose a framework, based on classical mixture theory, to describe the isothermal flow of an incompressible fluid through a deformable inelastic porous solid. The modeling of the behavior of the inelastic solid takes into account changes in the elastic response due to evolution in the microstructure of the material. We apply the model to a compression layer problem. The mathematical problem generated by the model is a free boundary problem.     

Effects of sputter deposition parameters and post-deposition annealing on the electrical characteristics of LaAlO3 dielectric films on Si

The influence of processing parameters on the electrical characteristics of RuO₂/LaAlO₃/Si metal-oxide-semiconductor structures was investigated. In particular, the sputtering regime during deposition of LaAlO₃ on Si and the atmosphere used in the post-deposition annealing step were addressed by determining capacitance-voltage and gate current-voltage characteristics. These results were correlated with compositional information obtained by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and nuclear reaction analysis. A post-deposition annealing step in oxygen at 600 °C resulted in better electrical characteristics of the final structure as compared to the same treatment performed in nitrogen. This result is explained by oxygen ability to heal oxygen vacancies in the LaAlO₃ film, especially at the dielectric/semiconductor interface region. A thermalized sputtering regime during deposition of LaAlO₃ on Si leads to capacitors with electrical characteristics superior to those deposited in ballistic regime. PACS 77.84.Dy; 81.15.Cd; 81.40.Gh; 73.40.Qv; 82.80.Yc     

EPR-detected photoinduced electron transfer in three structurally related molecular triads

A comparative electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) study has been performed on a series of structurally related molecular triads which undergo photoinduced electron transfer and differ one from the other in terms of the acceptor or donor moieties. The molecular triads, C-P-C₆₀, TTF-P-C₆₀ and C-P-P_F, share the same free-base, tetraarylporphyrin (P) as the primary electron donor, which after light excitation initiates the electron transfer process, but differ either in terms of the electron acceptor (fullerene derivative, C₆₀, versus fluorinated free-base porphyrin, P_F), or in terms of the final electron donor (carotenoid polyene, C, versus tetrathiafulvalene, TTF). All these molecular triads can be considered artificial photosynthetic reaction centers in their ability to mimic several key properties of the reaction center primary photochemistry. Photoinduced charge separation and recombination have been followed by time-resolved EPR in a glass of 2-methyltetrahydrofuran and in the nematic phase of the uniaxial liquid crystal E-7. All the triads undergo photoinduced electron transfer, with the generation of charge-separated states in both the low-dielectric environment of the 2-methyl-tetrahydrofuran glass and in anisotropic E-7 medium. Different photochemical pathways have been recognized depending on the specific donor and acceptor moieties constituting the molecular triads. In the presence of the tetrathiafulvalene electron donor singlet- and triplet-initiated electron transfer routes are concurrently active. Recombination to the low-lying carotenoid triplet state occurs in the carotene-based triads, while singlet recombination is the only active route for the TTF-P-C₆₀ triad, where a low-lying triplet state is lacking. Long-lived charge separation has been observed in the case of TTF-P-C₆₀: about 8 μs for the singlet-born radical pair in the glassy isotropic matrix and about 7 μs for the triplet-born radical pair in the nematic phase of E-7. For all the molecular triads, a weak exchange interaction (J?1 G) between the electrons in the final spin-correlated radical pair has been evaluated by simulation of the EPR spectra, providing evidence for superexchange electronic interactions mediated by the tetraarylporphyrin bridge.     

Chromatic and opto-mechanical dispersion of some characteristic parameters of optical fiber undergoing macrobending

Bending of optical fiber leads to an induced-anisotropy in the index profile that influences many important guiding fiber parameters. An analytical method is described for the measurement of refractive-index-wavelength dispersion in bent optical fibers. Multiple-beam Fizeau fringes technique at transmission is used to analyze the opto-mechanical properties and induced-index anisotropy in a standard single-mode fiber undergoes pure mechanical macrobending. The shift in Fizeau fringes is employed to evaluate the dispersion of the cladding material of the bent fiber. The radial variations in Cauchy’s coefficients and the associated variations of some fiber parameters due to macrobending are carried out. The radial profiles of some material parameters such as oscillation energy, dispersion energy, lattice energy and material dispersion are measured as well. The presented method is capable to achieve quantitative and qualitative measurements, which is not available with other methods. The method has a good index resolution in the order of 10⁻⁴ and spatial resolution of 1.3 μm.     

Full-relativistic calculation of electronic structure of Zr2AlC and Zr2AlN

We have employed a full-relativistic version of an all-electron full-potential linearized-augmented plane-wave method in the local density approximation to investigate the electronic structure of nanolaminate Zr₂AlX (X=C and N). The Zr 4d electrons are treated as valence electrons. We have investigated the lattice parameters, bulk moduli, band structures, total and partial densities of states and charge densities. It is demonstrated that the strength and electrical transport properties in these materials are principally governed by the metallic planes.     

Structural and electronic properties of graphite layers grown on SiC(0 0 0 1)

Photoelectron spectroscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, and scanning probe microscopy were used to investigate the electronic and structural properties of graphite layers grown by solid state graphitization of SiC(0 0 0 1) surfaces. The process leads to well-ordered graphite layers which are rotated against the substrate lattice by 30°. On on-axis 6H-SiC(0 0 0 1) substrates we observe graphitic layers with up to several 100 nm wide terraces. ARUPS spectra of the graphite layers grown on on-axis 6H-SiC(0 0 0 1) surfaces are indicative of a well-developed band structure. For the graphite/n-type 6H-SiC(0 0 0 1) layer system we observe a Schottky barrier height of ?_B,n = 0.3 ± 0.1 eV. ARUPS spectra of graphite layers grown on 8° off-axis oriented 4H-SiC(0 0 0 1) show unique replicas which are explained by a carpet-like growth mode combined with a step bunching of the substrate.     

Wavelength and power monitoring of DWDM systems using scanning F–P filter calibrated with a F–P laser

A novel technique to overcome the long-term drift and hysteresis of a scanning Fabry–Perot filter was developed and applied to wavelength and power monitoring of DWDM system. By using the comb peaks generated by a temperature-stabilized, near threshold-biased Fabry–Perot diode laser as wavelength reference for the scanning Fabry–Perot filter, wavelength and power measurement accuracy of better than ±10 pm and 0.2 dB, respectively, were achieved.     

Convergent Flows of Molten Polymers Modeled by Generalized Second-Grade Fluids of Power-Law Type

The molding processes of polymer melts involve geometrically complex dies. Such dies are usually tapered or streamlined to achieve a maximum output rate under conditions of laminar flow. The model of a generalized second-grade fluid of power-law type is used and the results obtained are illustrated by examples of convergent flows in conical and wedge-shaped dies.