Mechanical endurance of polymer electrolyte membrane and PEM fuel cell durability

The life of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) is currently limited by the mechanical endurance of polymer electrolyte membranes and membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs). In this paper, the authors report recent experimental and modeling work toward understanding the mechanisms of delayed mechanical failures of polymer electrolyte membranes and MEAs under relevant PEMFC operating conditions. Mechanical breach of membranes/MEAs in the form of pinholes and tears has been frequently observed after long‐term or accelerated testing of PEMFC cells/stacks. Catastrophic failure of cell/stack due to rapid gas crossover shortly follows the mechanical breach. Ex situ mechanical characterizations were performed on MEAs after being subjected to the accelerated chemical aging and relative humidity (RH) cycling tests. The results showed significant reduction of MEA ductility manifested as drastically reduced strain‐to‐failure of the chemically aged and RH‐cycled MEAs. Postmortem analysis revealed the formation and growth of mechanical defects such as cracks and crazing in the membranes and MEAs. A finite element model was used to estimate stress/strain states of an edge‐constrained MEA under rapid RH variations. Damage metrics for accelerated testing and life prediction of PEMFCs are discussed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 2346–2357, 2006     

Reinforcement effect of MAA on nano‐CaCo3‐filled EPDM vulcanizates and possible mechanism

Methacrylic acid (MAA) was used as in situ surface modifier to improve the interface interaction between nano‐CaCO₃ particle and ethylene–propylene–diene monomer (EPDM) matrix, and hence the mechanical properties of nano‐CaCO₃‐filled EPDM vulcanizates. The results showed that the incorporation of MAA improved the filler–matrix interaction, which was proved by Fourier transformation infrared spectrometer (FTIR), Kraus equation, crosslink density determination, and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The formation of carboxylate and the participation of MAA in the crosslinking of EPDM indicated the strong filler–matrix interaction from the aspect of chemical reaction. The results of Kraus equation showed that the presence of MAA enhanced the reinforcement extent of nano‐CaCO₃ on EPDM vulcanizates. Crosslink density determination proved the formation of the ionic crosslinks in EPDM vulcanizates with the existence of MAA. The filler particles on tensile fracture were embedded in the matrix and could not be observed obviously, indicating that a strong interfacial interaction between the filler and the matrix had been achieved with the incorporation of MAA. Meanwhile, the presence of MAA remarkably increased the modulus and tensile strength of the vulcanizates, without negative effect on the high elongation at break. Furthermore, the ionic bond was thought to be formed only on filler surface because of the absolute deficiency of MAA, which resulted in the possible structure where filler particles were considered as crosslink points. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 1226–1236, 2006     

Strong instability of solitary waves for nonlinear Klein–Gordon equations and generalized Boussinesq equations

We study here instability problems of standing waves for the nonlinear Klein–Gordon equations and solitary waves for the generalized Boussinesq equations. It is shown that those special wave solutions may be strongly unstable by blowup in finite time, depending on the range of the wave's frequency or the wave's speed of propagation and on the nonlinearity.     

基于反相位脉冲技术的生物组织谐波成像研究

理论及实验研究了反相位脉冲技术在生物组织二次谐波成像中的应用。结合有限振幅声波的非线性传播理论,从理论上证明了反相位脉冲技术可有效抑制基波信号,同时二次谐波信号增强两倍,轴向及径向声场的实验测量结果基波被抑制30～50dB,二次谐波提高6dB,与理论相符。建立了相应的成像系统,对若干生物离体组织进行了基于反相位脉冲相位技术的二次谐波成像,并与常规的基波及二次谐波图像对比,进一步证明了该技术能有效提高图像的对比度和清晰度。     

A MEMS-Based Piezoelectric Power Generator for Low Frequency Vibration Energy Harvesting

A novel power generator has been achieved to convert vibration to electrical energy via the piezoelectric effect. The generator obtained by micro fabrication process mainly consists of silicon based frame and composite cantilever. The prototype tested at resonant vibration generates 1.15μW of effective power to a 20.4-kΩ resistance load. The potential of this work is to offer miniaturization solutions for power generators, and with the proposed method the ambient ubiquitous vibration can be harvested effectively as endless energy source to form an integrated self-powering system.     

Double neutron/proton ratio of nucleon emissions in isotopic reaction systems as a robust probe of nuclear symmetry energy

The double neutron/proton ratio of nucleon emissions taken from two reaction systems using four isotopes of the same element, namely, the neutron/proton ratio in the neutron-rich system over that in the more symmetric system, has the advantage of reducing systematically the influence of the Coulomb force and the normally poor efficiencies of detecting low energy neutrons. The double ratio thus suffers less systematic errors. Within the IBUU04 transport model the double neutron/proton ratio is shown to have about the same sensitivity to the density dependence of nuclear symmetry energy as the single neutron/proton ratio in the neutron-rich system involved. The double neutron/proton ratio is therefore more useful for further constraining the symmetry energy of neutron-rich matter.     

Model and empirical study on some collaboration networks

In this paper we present an empirical study of a few practical systems described by cooperation networks, and propose a model to understand the results obtained. We study four non-social systems, which are the Bus Route Networks of Beijing and Yangzhou, the Travel Route Network of China, Huai-Yang recipes of Chinese cooked food, and a social system, which is the Collaboration Network of Hollywood Actors. In order to explain the results related to the degree distribution, act-degree distribution and act-size distribution (especially about the degree distribution, which may be better fitted using a stretched exponential distribution (SED)), we suggest a simple model to show a possible evolutionary mechanism for the emergence of such networks. The analytic and numerical results obtained from the model are in good agreement with the empirical results.     

Infrared combination and difference bands of the NO dimer

The mid-infrared (1500-3800 cm⁻¹) absorption spectrum of gaseous nitric oxide has been studied at low temperature (99 K) with a long absorption path (160 m) in order to observe weak combination, difference, and overtone bands of the NO dimer. About ten new bands were assigned with greater or lesser certainty. Combined with previous results, they lead to a set of 12 secure and 7 tentative vibrational term values for (NO)₂, essentially doubling our knowledge of NO dimer vibrational states. The strongest non-fundamental bands in this region, other than the ν₁ (symmetric N-O stretch) + ν₅ (asymmetric N-O stretch) overtone, involve combinations of ν₅ with ν₃ (intermolecular stretch). Excitation of ν₅ results in increased frequencies for the intermolecular modes ν₂, ν₃, and ν₄. A new value of 155.5 cm⁻¹ was obtained for ν₄, the elusive infrared-inactive out-of-plane fundamental vibration.     

Investigation of the Doughnut Effect in Cy3-Labeled Protein Microarrays using Scanning Near-Field Optical Microscope

We demonstrate the fluorescence mapping of protein microarrays by the technique of scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM) and confocal microscopy. Micron sized spots (300 μm) of human Immunoglobulin G (hIgG) protein with and without a Cy3 dye labeling have been fabricated on glass substrates by an immobilization method which makes use of calixcrown derivatives termed Prolinker. We have also tried to probe into the well-known “doughnut effect” observed in fluorescence images of proteins using the SNOM technique. The topographic and fluorescence SNOM images revealed that the number of proteins at the boundary of the spot were more than at the center in the case of the microarray spot which showed brighter luminescence at the edge than at the center in the confocal image.     

Bioisosterism between Sulfonyl Group and Phosphoryl Group-The Synthesis of New ALS Inhibitors N-(Arylamino Hydroxyl Phosphoryl)-N'-(4,6-Dimethoxypyrimidine-2-yl)ureas

Sulfonylureaherbicidesisanewclassofherbicidesdiscoveredinthemid-l97O's',whosemodeofactionhasbeenestablishedastheinhibitionofacetolactatesynthase(ALS,alsoreferredasacetohydroxyacidsynthase)'-Muchattentionhasbeenfocussedonthiskindofcompound,sincetheyhaveunprecedenteduserates,ahighdegreeofselectivity,andexcellentenvironmentalsafety'.NumerousmodificationsofthestrUctureofthisclassofherbicideshavebeenreported'.Wehavetakenattentiontothesimi1alltybetweenthesulfonylgroup(-SO2-)andphosphoryIgroup[-P…