Investigation and modelling of damping in a plate with a bonded porous layer

Behavior of a poro-elastic material bonded onto a vibrating plate is investigated in the low-frequency range. From the analysis of dissipation mechanisms, a model accounting for damping added by the porous layer on the plate is derived. This analysis is based on a 3-D finite element formulation including poro-elastic elements based on Biot displacement theory. First, dissipated powers related to thermal, viscous and viscoelastic dissipation are explicited. Then a generic configuration (simply-supported aluminium plate with a bonded porous layer and mechanical excitation) is studied. Thermal dissipation is found negligible. Viscous dissipation can be optimized as a function of airflow resistivity. It can be the major phenomenon within soft materials, but for most foams viscoelastic dissipation is dominant. Consequently an equivalent plate model is proposed. It includes shear in the porous layer and only viscoelasticity of the skeleton. Excellent agreement is found with the full numerical model.     

Two scenarios for phase-transformation in disordered media

The reasons for the existence of various scenarios for structural transformations in disordered condensed media, such as liquids and amorphous substances, where both smeared transformations and sharp first-order transitions may occur, were analyzed. The ratio between the spatial scale of structural correlations and the size of the smallest possible region occupied by a new phase in the matrix of initial modification is the key parameter determining the scenario for equilibrium phase transformations in liquids. In amorphous substances, the experimentally observed transformations occur far from equilibrium, and the possible size of the region occupied by the new phase corresponds to the minimal nucleus size. For some amorphous solids, quantitative analysis of the transformation width was carried out and the main classes of covalent substances, in which the smeared or sharp transitions occur, were revealed. Specific features of the interparticle interactions determining various transformation scenarios are discussed.     

Preparation and properties of homogeneous V2O5-SiO2 xerogel composite based on interpenetrating polymer network

In this paper, we report the conducting and electrochemical properties of a homogeneous V₂O₅-SiO₂ xerogel composite obtained from the simultaneous polymerization in both inorganic components (Si-O and V-O based polymers) forming an interpenetrating polymer network, where a mutual “solubility” due to cross-links and entanglements was observed. The presence of V₂O₅ inside the silica matrix has a strong effect on electrical conductivity; measurements showed room temperature conductivity almost 1000 times higher than what is found in the literature. In addition, the electrochemical behavior is quite similar to that found in V₂O₅ xerogel. Moreover, the effects of thermal treatment on the conducting and electrochemical properties were investigated. It was found that both properties were improved with no significant effect on V₂O₅ xerogel layered structure.     

Catalytic Self-Hydrogenation of Anthracene in the Presence of a Magnesium–Anthracene Adduct

The catalytic properties of cluster magnesium derivatives were studied using the self-hydrogenation reaction of unsaturated compounds as an example. In the presence of a cluster magnesium–anthracene adduct at 150–298 K, the self-hydrogenation of anthracene occurred with yields of up to 40 molecules per atom of magnesium.     

Semiconductor Detectors, Mixers, and Frequency Multipliers for the Terahertz Band

The state of the art in the development of semiconductor detectors, mixers, and frequency multipliers based on Schottky-barrier diodes (SBDs) and heterojunction structures for uncooled terahertz receivers is reviewed. The present status of this field features a transition from quasi-optical designs based on dot-matrix, whisker-contacted SBDs to the designs with hybrid-integrated and monolithic constructions on the planar SBD base, which are positioned in a waveguide mount. The high-level performance of these planar devices is achieved by partially or completely removing or changing semiconductor substrates and/or using membrane constructions incorporated in the waveguide.     

Integral Newton-Type Polynomials with Continual Nodes

We construct an integral Newton-type interpolation polynomial with a continual set of nodes. This interpolant is unique and preserves an operator polynomial of the corresponding degree.     

An Alternative Approach to the Extraction of Structure Functions in Deep Inelastic e-p Scattering at 5 to 20 GeV

Two structure functions W1(x,Q2) and W2(x,Q2) are determined by using the cross sections measured in the deep inelastic electron-proton scattering experiments at Stanford Linac in the energy range of 5 to 20 GeV. In this paper an alternative mathematical approach have been used in such determination, resulting in a larger number of points in the graphs of the structure functions.     

Analysis of Two-Dimensional Optical Fields Using an Additional Shift

A solution to the phase problem in optics is considered within the context of registration and analysis of two-dimensional stationary optical fields transformed by the object under study or fields forming an image. To obtain information on amplitude and phase distributions of the light field analyzed, a method of registration of two intensity distributions is used. The first distribution corresponds directly to the amplitude distribution. The other is formed for the sum of the initial field and the field shifted along a certain direction. The intensity distributions obtained allow one to calculate the two-dimensional structure of the field under study. It is noteworthy that the method requires no iteration procedures in solving the problem. This leads to speeding up of the processing and analysis of the information. Two variants of optical schemes for the analysis of light fields are considered. The first one corresponds to registration of the image of the analyzed plane and the second to registration of the spectrum of the spatial frequencies.