NCO quantitative measurement in premixed low pressure flames by combining LIF and CRDS techniques

NCO is a short-lived species involved in NO(x) formation. It has never been quantitatively measured in flame conditions. In the present study, laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) and cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) were combined to measure NCO radical concentrations in premixed low-pressure flames (p = 5.3 kPa). NCO LIF excitation spectrum and absorption spectrum (using CRDS) measured in a stoichiometric CH(4)/O(2)/N(2)O/N(2) flame were found in good agreement with a simulated spectrum using PGOPHER program that was used to calculate the high-temperature absorption cross section of NCO in the A(2)Σ(+)-X(2)Π transition around 440.479 nm. The relative NCO-LIF profiles were measured in stoichiometric CH(4)/O(2)/N(2)O/N(2) flames where the ratio N(2)O/O(2) was progressively decreased from 0.50 to 0.01 and in rich CH(4)/O(2)/N(2) premixed flames. Then, the LIF profiles were converted into NCO mole fraction profiles from the absorption measurements using CRDS in a N(2)O-doped flame.     

Molecular tectonics: design of enantiomerically pure helical tubular crystals with controlled channel size and orientation

The combination of four enantiomerically pure organic tectons composed of a rigid chiral backbone bearing two terminal pyridyl coordinating sites with ZnSiF(6) behaving as an infinite pillar leads to the formation of tubular 2-D enantiomerically pure helical channels with controlled size and orientation.     

Synthesis of spiroketals under neutral conditions via a type III ring-rearrangement metathesis strategy

A conceptually novel approach to spiro- and dispiroketals of various ring-sizes under neutral conditions has been designed which complements the classical thermodynamically driven tactic. Key steps involved the formation of α-alkoxyfurans, their [4+2] or [4+3] cycloaddition reactions and the ring-rearrangement metathesis of the resulting oxabicycles.     

Selective conversion of {Mo132} Keplerate ion into 4-electron reduced crown-capped Keggin derivative [Te5Mo15O57](8-). A key intermediate to single-phase M1 multielement MoVTeO light-alkanes oxidation catalyst

{Mo(132)} Keplerate anion reacts with tellurites to give a soluble precursor to produce in hydrothermal conditions single-phase M1 MoVTeO light-alkanes oxidation catalyst. Characterization of this Te-containing intermediate by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, (125)Te NMR, UV-visible and redox titration reveals a molybdotellurite anion as a crown-capped Keggin derivative.     

Computing the maximum transient energy growth

The calculation of maximum transient energy growth is a problem of interest in several areas of science and engineering. An algorithm that guarantees the calculation of this measure to an arbitrary accuracy in a finite number of steps is proposed for finite-dimensional linear-time-invariant dynamical systems. The algorithm is illustrated with a numerical example.     

Laser-induced incandescence technique to identify soot nucleation and very small particles in low-pressure methane flames

This paper presents the study we carried out on the formation of soot particles in low-pressure premixed CH₄/O₂/N₂ flames by using Laser-Induced Incandescence (LII). Flames were stabilised at 26.6 kPa (200 torr). Four different equivalence ratios were tested (Φ = 1.95, 205, 2.15 and 2.32), Φ = 1.95 corresponding to the equivalence ratio for which LII signals begin to be measurable along the flame. The evolution of the LII signals with laser fluence (fluence curve), time (temporal decay) and emission wavelength is reported at different heights above the burner. We specifically took advantage of the low-pressure conditions to probe with a good spatial resolution the soot inception zone of the flames. Significant different behaviours of the fluence curves are observed according to the probed region of the flames and Φ. In addition, while the surface growth process is accompanied by an increase in the LII decay-times (indicator of the primary particle diameter) at higher Φ, decay-times become increasingly short at lower Φ reaching a constant value along the flame at Φ = 1.95. These behaviours are consistent with the detection of the smallest incandescent particles in the investigated flames, these particles having experienced very weak surface growth. Flame modelling including soot formation has been implemented in flames Φ = 2.05 and 2.32. Experimental quantitative soot volume fraction profiles were satisfactorily reproduced by adjusting the fraction of reactive soot surface available for reactions. The qualitative variation of the computed soot particle diameter and the relative weight of surface growth versus nucleation were consistent with the experimental observations.     

Conservation laws for cosmological perturbations

We briefly recall the problem of defining conserved quantities such as energy in general relativity, and the solution given by introducing a symmetric background. We apply the general formalism to perturbed Robertson-Walker spacetimes with de Sitter geometry as background. We relate the obtained conserved quantities to Traschen's integral constraints and mention a few applications in cosmology.     

Dissolved Cu(II) Speciation in Unpolluted Soil Solutions of a Planosolic Horizon

Dissolved Cu(II) speciation in unpolluted soil solutions from different horizons was studied using differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV). Three sites were selected according to topography and monitored for three years. Experiments evidence Cu(II) can be bound by DOM (Dissolved Organic Matter) through complexation and/or adsorption reactions. The complexation capacity and the corresponding conditional stability constant were determined for complexation reactions. The adsorbing sites were titrated. A potential binding coefficient was calculated to compare both types of reactions. Results show adsorption is less frequent than complexation but exhibits higher binding coefficient.