Dynamics of structural transformations between lamellar and inverse bicontinuous cubic lyotropic phases

The liquid crystalline lamellar (L(alpha)) to double-diamond inverse bicontinuous cubic (Q(D)(pi)) phase transition for the amphiphile monoelaidin in excess water exhibits a remarkable sequence of structural transformations for pressure or temperature jumps. Our data imply that the transition dynamics depends on a coupling between changes in molecular shape and the geometrical and topological constraints of domain size. We propose a qualitative model for this coupling based on theories of membrane fusion via stalks and existing knowledge of the structure and energetics of bicontinuous cubic phases.     

Isolation of NO(3)(-)-N as 1-phenylazo-2-naphthol (Sudan-1) for measurement of delta(15)N

The conversion of nitrate (NO(3)(-)) to 1-phenylazo-2-naphthol (Sudan-1) has been examined as a method for natural abundance measurement of delta(15)N of NO(3)(-). The reaction results in dilution of NO(3)(-)-N with only one reagent-derived N and the product is readily concentrated from dilute samples by reverse phase chromatography. There is systematic isotopic fractionation during the reaction, but this can be allowed for by analysing known NO(3)(-) standards along with each sample set. Sudan-1 prepared from surface water samples containing approximately 50 &mgr;g NO(3)(-)-N can be analysed by automated continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry with a precision of 0.2 per thousand (one standard deviation) and the accuracy is not affected by interference from other nitrogenous species in the sample or reagents. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Gas-phase deprotonation of arylalkylamines. A collision-induced dissociation study

The collision-induced dissociation (CID) of deprotonated arylalkylamines of general formula R(1)C(6)H(4)CHR(2)CH(2)NR(3)(2) (where R(1) = H, OH, F or NO(2); R(2) = H or OH; R(3) = H or CH(3)) generated by negative chemical ionization with H(2)O and D(2)O as ionizing reagents, is discussed. The negative chemical ionization mass spectra show that, in the absence of a hydroxy group in the aromatic ring, deprotonation takes place at the benzylic position whereas the proton is lost from the OH group when present. The nitro compound forms only M(-.) ions. The CID spectra of the deprotonated molecules show that fragmentations are strongly dependent on the structural features of the molecules, namely the presence or absence of substituents in the aromatic ring or aliphatic chain. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Astrophysical S-factors from asymptotic normalization coefficients

S-factors for direct capture reactions can be found at astrophysical energies from asymptotic normalization coefficients which provide the normalization of the tail of the overlap function. For example the overlap for ⁸B → ⁷Be+p defines the S-factor for ⁷Be (p, γ)⁸B. Peripheral transfer reactions offer a technique to determine these asymptotic normalization coefficients. As a test of the technique, the ¹⁶O(³He, d)¹⁷F reaction has been used to determine asymptotic normalization coefficients for transitions to the ground and first excited states of ¹⁷F. The S-factors for ¹⁶O(p, γ)¹⁷F calculated from these ¹⁷F → ¹⁶O+p asymptotic normalization coefficients are found to be in very good agreement with recent measurements. Following the same technique, the ¹⁰B(⁷Be, ⁸B)⁹Be and ¹⁴N(⁷Be, ⁸B)¹³C reactions have been used to measure the asymptotic normalization coefficient for ⁷Be(p, γ)⁸B. This result provides an indirect determination of S ₁₇(0).     

Numerical investigation of mid-infrared emission from Pr^{3+} doped GeAsGaSe fibre

The experimentally obtained luminescence characteristics of a praseodymium (Pr $^{3+})$ doped chalcogenide glass fiber are studied numerically using a rate equation approach. The numerical model includes both the radiative and non-radiative transition paths whilst it neglects the up-conversion processes. Photoluminescence spectra at mid-infrared wavelengths ranging from 3.5 to 6   ${\upmu }$ m were obtained by using two pump wavelengths: 1.55 and 1.94   ${\upmu }$ m. A good agreement between the experiment and theory is obtained for the photoluminescence decay profiles.     

Quantifying relativistic interactions from angular momentum partitioning measurements during photoionization

We have measured the degree of helicity of fluorescent radiation from Ar+[3p4[3P]4p] 2P(o)1/2 formed by circularly polarized synchrotron radiation in the region of double excitations converging to Ar+3p4 nl satellite states. Angular momentum coupling allows the partitioning of the one unit of angular momentum brought into the system to be demarcated. We obtain a nonvanishing expectation value of the total spin of the residual ion-photoelectron system indicating significant relativistic interactions during the photoionization process.     

The solubility of zinc dodecanoate in xylene and tetrachloromethane

Whereas zinc dodecanoate in xylene exhibits a critical solution temperature, it does not do so in tetrachloromethane.Evidence is presented which suggests that the abrupt increase in solubility in xylene is not due to a phase change of the solid zinc dodecanoate.     

Near- and Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy of Sol-Gel Derived Ormosil Films for Photonics from Tetramethoxysilane and Trimethoxysilylpropylmethacrylate

Ormosil dipped thin films and cast films were prepared using tetramethoxysilane and trimethoxysilylpropylmethacrylate (TMSPM). Structural changes during thermally induced polymerisation of the organic groups were investigated using near- and mid-infrared (IR) spectroscopy. IR spectra of the ormosil dipped thin films, dried at 60°C, have shown that further heat-treatment of the films at 160°C leads to the free radical polymerisation of C=C bonds in TMSPM. In the mid-infrared spectra, the intensity of the band at around 3500 cm^–1, due to O–H bonds, increased with the progress of polymerisation of vinyl groups. Near-infrared spectra of the cast films showed that this increase in intensity of the O–H band is due to the increase of monomeric water molecules hydrogen bonded to silanols. We suggest that optical loss measurements must be made in a dry atmosphere or, with a cover coating to protect the ormosil from adsorption of water, to reduce this source of optical loss for waveguides based on TMSPM.