Front roughening in three-dimensional imbibition

We investigate the structure and dynamics of the interface between two immiscible liquids in a three-dimensional disordered porous medium. We apply a phase-field model that includes explicitly disorder and discuss both spontaneous and forced imbibition. The structure of the interface is dominated by a length scale ξ_× which arises from liquid conservation. We further show that disorder in the capillary and permeability act on different length scales and give rise to different scalings and structures of the interface properties. We conclude with a range of applications.     

Polarization dynamics of longitudinally monomode bipolarized microchip solid-state lasers

This paper is devoted to the polarization dynamics of a longitudinally monomode bipolarized Nd:YAG laser: the low-frequency polarization dynamics of a microchip laser is studied experimentally and theoretically. The intensities and the relaxation oscillation spectrum of orthogonally polarized modes versus the direction of pump polarization is observed. A phase-sensitive model of a longitudinally monomode bipolarized solid-state laser with linear polarized diode laser pump is developed to account for the experimental observations.     

Recycling in telomerization of butadiene with D‐xylose: Pd(TPPTS)n‐KF/Al2O3 as an active catalyst

A palladium‐TPPTS catalyst heterogenized on KF/alumina has been shown to be effective and recyclable for the selective formation of monooctadienylxylopyranosides via the telomerization of butadiene with D ‐xylose. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rheological properties of binary associating polymers

Dynamics of associating polymer solutions above the reversible gelation point are studied. Each macromolecule consists of a soluble backbone (B) and a small fraction of specific strongly interacting groups (A or C stickers) attached to B. A mixture of B–A and B–C associating polymers with 1:1 stoichiometric ratio is considered. As a result of AC association, the polymers reversibly gelate above the overlap concentration. It is shown that (1) the network strands are linear complexes (double chains) of B–A and B–C; (2) “diffusion” of the network junction points is characterized by an apparent activation energy, which can be significantly higher than the energy of one AC bond; (3) most importantly, the randomness of sticker distribution along the chain can significantly slow down the network relaxation leading to a markedly non-Maxwellian viscoelastic behavior. The theory elucidates the most essential features of rheological behavior of polysaccharide associating systems (with A = adamantyl moiety, C = β-cyclodextrin, B = either chitosan or hyaluronan) including similar behavior of G ^′ and G ^″ in a wide frequency range, strong temperature dependence of the characteristic frequency ω _x , and an extremely strong effect of added free stickers (fC) on the dynamics. This paper was presented at Annual European Rheology Conference (AERC) held in Hersonisos, Crete, Greece, April 27–29, 2006.     

Advances in constant-velocity Mössbauer instrumentation

A prototype of a programmable constant-velocity scaler is presented. This instrument allows the acquisition of partial Mössbauer spectra in selected energy regions using standard drivers and transducers. It can be fully operated by a remote application, thus data acquisition can be automated. The instrument consists of a programmable counter and a constant-velocity reference. The reference waveform generator is amplitude modulated with 13-bit resolution, and is programmable in a wide range of frequencies and waveforms in order to optimize the performance of the transducer. The counter is compatible with most standard SCA, and is configured as a rate-meter that provides counts per selectable time slice at the programmed velocity. As a demonstration of the instrument applications, a partial Mössbauer spectrum of a natural iron foil was taken. Only positive energies were studied in 512 channels, accumulating 20 s per channel. A line width of 0.20 mm/s was achieved, performing with an efficiency of 80%.     

Etude structurale des sulfotellurures de terres rares (LS)2Te1+x (L = Tb,Dy, Ho,Er, Tm et Y). I. Sous-structure de la phase ordonnée de (HoS)2Te1,34. Structure de la phase desordonnée de (TbS)2Te

The lanthanide sulfotellurides (LS)₂Te_1+x (0 ≤ x < 0.50) show order-disorder phenomena. Above 450°C, they crystallize in a partially disordered structure, orthorhombic with cell parameters a, b, and c close to 4.1, 5.2, and 13.6 Å, respectively. This structure is determined from diffractometer data on a (HoS)₂Te_1.34 crystal (R = 0.061). It is built up along the c axis from (L₄S) tetrahedra layers, separated by Te planes. Disorder and nonstoichiometry are related to the two vacant Te sites.     

Autour du théorème de Ferrand–Obata (Concerning the Theorem of Ferrand–Obata)

The aim of this article is to give a new dynamical proof of the Ferrand–Obata theorem when the manifold is compact. This will give us a generalisation of this theorem to transversally conformal foliations ofcodimension greater than three and constant basic functions.     

An attempt on the calculation of relativistic potential energy curves: Noble gas difluorides

Total energy SCF calculations were performed for noble gas difluorides in a relativistic procedure and compared with analogous non-relativistic calculations. The discrete variational method with numerical basis functions was used. Rather smooth potential energy curves could be obtained. The theoretical Kr-F and Xe-F bond distances were calculated to be 3.5 a.u. and 3.6 a.u. which should be compared with the experimental values of 3.54 a.u. and 3.7 a.u. Although the dissociation energies are off by a factor of about five it was found that ArF₂ may be a stable molecule. Theoretical ionization energies for the outer levels reproduce the experimental values for KrF₂ and XeF₂ to within 2 eV.