Anodic oxide growth on Zr in neutral aqueous solution

Anodization and subsequent cathodic reactions on a thin-film sample of Zr were studied with in-situ neutron reflectometry (NR) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The NR results during anodization showed the originally 485 Å thick Zr film generally behaved similar to a bulk electrode in neutral solution. The anodization ratio measured at applied potentials increased in steps of 0.5 V was somewhat higher than the value determined by coulometry, while the Pilling Bedworth ratio is in good agreement with published data. Thickening of the oxide layer, accelerated immediately after each potential increase, gradually decreased over several hours, but remained nonzero even after ～12 h. The thickened oxide eventually cracked when its thickness reached ～120 Å, causing loss of passivation. Surprisingly, neither the anodization ratio nor the Pilling Bedworth ratio showed any discontinuity at the time of oxide cracking, and the EIS behaviour remained qualitatively as before. This observation is taken as the evidence that the cracked and intact regions of the electrode behave more or less independently as parallel electrodes. When the potential was eventually switched to cathodic polarity, NR shows, as expected, that the effects of oxide cracking were irreversible. However, the electrode resistance recovered partially suggesting the cracks were rapidly plugged with newly formed oxide.     

Investigation of 2-aminoethanethiol as corrosion inhibitor for steel using response surface methodology (RSM)

The inhibition efficiency of 2-aminoethanethiol (2-AEE) has been investigated against steel corrosion in 0.1 M HCl solution. The effect of temperature, pH, and concentration were studied with the help of potentiodynamic measurement, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic absorption spectroscopy techniques. The potential of zero charge (E_pzc) studies showed that the adsorption occurs via ?SH group; the metal surface is positively charged in corrosive test solution. The adsorptive interaction is evaluated, and best correlation was obtained with Langmuir isotherm. 2-AEE was shown to have significant inhibition efficiency against steel corrosion. The response surface methodology was employed to explain the relation between pH, inhibitor concentration, and the efficiency. The regression analysis was realized for development of an equation between independent variables and the output. The success of fitting model was tested with basic statistical arguments, residual and variance analysis, T and F tests, and R ² value. The statistical evaluations showed that the obtained polynomial equation can be successfully used for optimization of applications involving the use of 2-AEE as inhibitor.     

Ba3V2S4O3: A Mott Insulating Frustrated Quasi‐One‐Dimensional S=1 Magnet

Through a solid‐state reaction, a practically phase pure powder of Ba₃V₂S₄O₃ was obtained. The crystal structure was confirmed by X‐ray single‐crystal and synchrotron X‐ray powder diffraction (P6₃, a=10.1620(2), c=5.93212(1) Å). X‐ray absorption spectroscopy, in conjunction with multiplet calculations, clearly describes the vanadium in charge‐disproportionated V^IIIS₆ and V^VSO₃ coordinations. The compound is shown to be a strongly correlated Mott insulator, which contradicts previous predictions. Magnetic and specific heat measurements suggest dominant antiferromagnetic spin interactions concomitant with a weak residual ferromagnetic component, and that intrinsic geometric frustration prevents long‐range order from evolving.     

Dependence of the “solubility” of oxidized carbon nanomaterials on the acidity of aqueous solutions

The “solubility” of oxidized carbon nanotubes depends on the acidity of aqueous solutions and increases drastically when pH increases from 1 (when it is almost zero) to 2. The same behavior is inherent in graphite and graphene oxides, the only difference lying in smoother increase in the solubility and in a wider range of pH. The reason for the change in solubility was shown to be cleavage of hydrogen bonds between the carboxyl groups of different particles and the behavior of the oxidized fragments (oxidation debris). It was concluded that the character of the dependences was dictated by the different geometries of nanoparticles and different distributions of carboxyl groups on their surface.     

A Constant-Potential Infeasible-Start Interior-Point Algorithm with Computational Experiments and Applications

We present a constant-potential infeasible-start interior-point (INFCP) algorithm for linear programming (LP) problems with a worst-case iteration complexity analysis as well as some computational results.The performance of the INFCP algorithm is compared to those of practical interior-point algorithms. New features of the algorithm include a heuristic method for computing a good starting point and a procedure for solving the augmented system arising from stochastic programming with simple recourse. We also present an application to large scale planning problems under uncertainty.     

Enhanced renal image contrast by ethanol fixation in phase‐contrast X‐ray computed tomography

Phase‐contrast X‐ray imaging using a crystal X‐ray interferometer can depict the fine structures of biological objects without the use of a contrast agent. To obtain higher image contrast, fixation techniques have been examined with 100% ethanol and the commonly used 10% formalin, since ethanol causes increased density differences against background due to its physical properties and greater dehydration of soft tissue. Histological comparison was also performed. A phase‐contrast X‐ray system was used, fitted with a two‐crystal X‐ray interferometer at 35 keV X‐ray energy. Fine structures, including cortex, tubules in the medulla, and the vessels of ethanol‐fixed kidney could be visualized more clearly than that of formalin‐fixed tissues. In the optical microscopic images, shrinkage of soft tissue and decreased luminal space were observed in ethanol‐fixed kidney; and this change was significantly shown in the cortex and outer stripe of the outer medulla. The ethanol fixation technique enhances image contrast by approximately 2.7–3.2 times in the cortex and the outer stripe of the outer medulla; the effect of shrinkage and the physical effect of ethanol cause an increment of approximately 78% and 22%, respectively. Thus, the ethanol‐fixation technique enables the image contrast to be enhanced in phase‐contrast X‐ray imaging.     

Studies on frequency and gate voltage effects on the dielectric properties of Au/n-Si (110) structure with PVA–nickel acetate composite film interfacial layer

The admittance technique was used in order to investigate the frequency dependence of dielectric constant (????), dielectric loss (????), dielectric loss tangent (tan??), the ac electrical conductivity (?? _ac), and the electric modulus of PVA (Ni-doped) structure. Experimental results revealed that the values of ???? , ????, (tan??), ?? _ac and the electric modulus show fairly large frequency and gate bias dispersion due to the interface charges and polarization. The ?? _ac is found to increase with both increasing frequency and voltage. It can be concluded that the interface charges and interfacial polarization have strong influence on the dielectric properties of metal?Cpolymer?Csemiconductor (MIS) structures especially at low frequencies and in depletion and accumulation regions. The results of this study indicate that the ???? values of Au/PVA/n-Si with Nickel-doped PVA interfacial layer are quite higher compared to those with pure and other dopant/mixture??s of PVA.     

Monotonicity of L?wner operators and its applications to symmetric cone complementarity problems

We prove necessary and sufficient conditions for locally Lipschitz L?wner operators to be monotone, strictly monotone and strongly monotone. Utilizing our characterization of the strict monotonicity of L?wner operators, we generalize Mangasarian class of Nonlinear Complementarity Problem (NCP)-functions to the setting of symmetric cone complementarity problem. This affirmatively answers a question of Tseng [Math Program 83:159–185, 1998].     

Molecular Design of Calixarene 5. Syntheses and Cation Selectivities of Novel Schiff's Base p‐tert‐Butylcalix[4]arenes

Five novel Schiff's bases p‐tert‐butylcalix[4]arenes have been synthesized in high yields by the reaction of 1,3‐distally disubstituted p‐tert‐butylcalix[4]arene amine (1) with the corresponding aromatic aldehydes, and their cation binding abilities and selectivities with alkali and heavy metal ions have been evaluated by solvent extraction of aqueous metal picrates to show the highest Ag⁺ extractability for Schiff's base p‐tert‐butylcalix[4]arene (6) and the best Na⁺/Li⁺ and Ag⁺/Ti⁺ selectivities for Schiff's base p‐tert‐butylcalix[4]arene (4 and 2) over any other calix[4]arene derivatives, respectively.     

On the stability and boundedness of solutions to third order nonlinear differential equations with retarded argument

This paper investigates stability and boundedness of solutions to third order nonlinear differential equation with retarded argument: $$\begin{array}{l}x'''(t)+\varphi\bigl(x(t-r),x'(t-r),x''(t-r)\bigr)x''(t)\\\qquad{}+\psi\bigl(x'(t-r)\bigr)+h\bigl(x(t-r)\bigr)\\\quad=p\bigl(t,x(t),x(t-r),x'(t),x'(t-r),x''(t)\bigr).\end{array}$$ By the use of the Lyapunov functional, sufficient conditions for stability and boundedness of solutions to the considered equations are obtained. Examples are introduced throughout the paper for illustrations.