An experimental test of exchange degeneracy in the hyperchange exchange reactions π+p→K+Σ+and K−→π−Σ+

For the first time, the line reversed reactions π⁺p→K⁺Σ⁺and K^?p→π^?Σ⁺ have been studied in the same apparatus. We present the differential cross sections and polarizations over a large t range and at two momenta, 7.0 and 10.1 GeV/c. The differential cross sections as a function of t are shown for the first time to cross over. Going from the lower to the higher momentum, the differences in cross section between the two reactions diminish at low |t| by about a factor 2. We find large polarizations of opposite sign for the two reactions. The momentum dependence, presented in the form of α_eff(t) for the t range 0 to ?2 (GeV/c)², is compared with the expectations from the K¹?K⁷ trajectory.     

Study of electrical,mechanical, and nanoscale free‐volume properties of NBR and EPDM rubber reinforced by bentonite or kaolin

The effect of Na bentonite, Ca bentonite, and kaolin fillers on the macrostructure and microstructure of acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, ethylene propylene diene rubber, and their blend (50/50) was studied through electrical and mechanical measurements, as well as with positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy. The real part of permittivity (ε′), dielectric loss (ε″), and the crosslinking density were found to increase with increasing filler content. The increase of crosslinking density of the blend with increasing amount of fillers reflects a decrease in the equilibrium swelling up to 21.50 wt % compared with that of the unfilled blends. The mechanical investigation showed pronounced increase in the tensile strength, and in elongation at break with the addition of up to 21.50 wt % of filler. In addition, comparing between different fillers showed that the reinforcing effect of Na bentonite is more effective than Ca bentonite and kaolin but the physico‐mechanical of Ca bentonite is less than that for kaolin. The positron annihilation lifetime measurements revealed that the free‐volume properties were strongly affected by the amount and type of filler, in particular, the free‐volume fraction was dramatically decreased with increasing filler content. Furthermore, correlations were made between the free‐volume parameters and both electrical and mechanical properties. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 1825–1838, 2009     

Synthesis and photovoltaic properties of 2,6‐bis(2‐thienyl) benzobisazole and 4,8‐bis(thienyl)‐benzo[1,2‐B:4,5‐B′]dithiophene copolymers

In an effort to design efficient low‐cost polymers for use in organic photovoltaic cells the easily prepared donor–acceptor–donor triad of a either cis‐benzobisoxazole, trans‐benzobisoxazole or trans‐benzobisthiazole flanked by two thiophene rings was combined with the electron‐rich 4,8‐bis(5‐(2‐ethylhexyl)‐thien‐2‐yl)‐benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]dithiophene. The electrochemical, optical, morphological, charge transport, and photovoltaic properties of the resulting terpolymers were investigated. Although the polymers differed in the arrangement and/or nature of the chalcogens, they all had similar highest occupied molecular orbital energy levels (?5.2 to ?5.3 eV) and optical band gaps (2.1–2.2 eV). However, the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy levels ranged from ?3.1 to ?3.5 eV. When the polymers were used as electron donors in bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices with PC₇₁BM ([6,6]‐phenyl C₇₁‐butyric acid methyl ester) as the acceptor, the trans‐benzobisoxazole polymer had the best performance with a power conversion efficiency of 2.8%. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 316–324     

Application of Spline Functions to Systems of Volterra Integral Equations of the First and Second Kinds

Continuous approximations to the solution of systems of Volterraintegral equations of the first and second kinds are soughtby methods using spline functions of degree m, deficiency-(k—1),i.e. in C^m—k, and a fixed quadrature rule of degree p-1,p m-1. The resulting method is called an (m, k)-method. Thestability behaviour of the (m, 1)- and the (m, m)-method isstudied for arbitrarily finite m. Also studied is the stabilityof the (m, m-1)-method for second-kind systems. Convergenceresults and asymptotic formulae for the discretization errorare obtained.     

A dimeric copper coumarin complex: synthesis and crystal structure of [{Cu(4-methyl-7-(salicylideneamino)coumarin)2}2]

A binuclear copper complex [{Cu(L)₂}₂], C₆₈H₄₈Cu₂N₄O₁₂C (where L is 4-methyl-7-(salicylideneamino)coumarin), has been synthesized and characterized using elemental analysis, molar conductance measurements, and infrared, ultraviolet and ESR spectrosopy. The molecular structure of title compound, determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies, reveals that the two symmetric Cu(L)2 units are associated into a dimer by rather long Cu...O bonds. The Cu(II) ions are bridged via the phenolic oxygen of one of the monomers and have distorted trigonal bipyramidal conformation geometry. Within each monomer the two methylsubstituted coumarin skeletons are trans to one another, but adopt a parallel arrangement with respect to the other monomer. Only half of the complex molecule can be found in the asymmetric unit, Z′ = 0.5, the other half is generated by the symmetry centre.      

Giant effect of uniaxial pressure on magnetic domain populations in multiferroic bismuth ferrite

Neutron diffraction is used to show that small (～7 MPa, or 70 bar) uniaxial pressure produces significant changes in the populations of magnetic domains in a single crystal of 2% Nd-doped bismuth ferrite. The magnetic easy plane of the domains converted by the pressure is rotated 60° relative to its original position. These results demonstrate extreme sensitivity of the magnetic properties of multiferroic bismuth ferrite to tiny (less than 10(-4)) elastic strain, as well as weakness of the forces pinning the domain walls between the cycloidal magnetic domains in this material.