Visualization of concentration field in a vortex ring using acetone PLIF

To improve the understanding of flame propagation through a nonpremixed vortex ring, the characteristics of fuel concentration in a vortex ring have been investigated experimentally. The vortex ring was generated by the ejection of propane with a single stroke motion of a speaker. Planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) technique was adopted by seeding acetone as a tracer to fuel stream, in which the PLIF signal intensity is directly proportional to the concentration of acetone. This technique provides non-intrusive and instantaneous measurement of concentration field. Results showed that fuel concentration and its gradient decreased with the evolution of a vortex ring. When a nonpremixed flame propagated through a vortex ring, the flame location coincides with the inner most spiral mixing layer of fuel and air in a vortex ring.     

Dynamical Invariant and Exact Mechanical Analyses for the Caldirola–Kanai Model of Dissipative Three Coupled Oscillators

We study the dynamical invariant for dissipative three coupled oscillators mainly from the quantum mechanical point of view. It is known that there are many advantages of the invariant quantity in elucidating mechanical properties of the system. We use such a property of the invariant operator in quantizing the system in this work. To this end, we first transform the invariant operator to a simple one by using a unitary operator in order that we can easily manage it. The invariant operator is further simplified through its diagonalization via three-dimensional rotations parameterized by three Euler angles. The coupling terms in the quantum invariant are eventually eliminated thanks to such a diagonalization. As a consequence, transformed quantum invariant is represented in terms of three independent simple harmonic oscillators which have unit masses. Starting from the wave functions in the transformed system, we have derived the full wave functions in the original system with the help of the unitary operators.     

Using Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced 3-T MRI for the differentiation of infiltrative hepatocellular carcinoma and focal confluent fibrosis in liver cirrhosis

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to determine significant imaging features to differentiate between infiltrative hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and confluent fibrosis (CF) in liver cirrhosis using Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced 3-T magnetic resonance imaging.

Material and methods

Nineteen infiltrative HCCs and eight CFs were included. We evaluated the difference in imaging findings and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) between the two entities. We compared T2-weighted image (WI) and hepatobiliary phase (HBP) in terms of the clarity of the lesion outer margin.

Results

Seventeen infiltrative HCCs showed lobulated margin, while focal CFs showed either straight (n = 3) or irregular margins (n = 5) (P = .001). All infiltrative HCCs had intact or bulging contours, and all focal CFs showed capsular retraction (P = .001). Fourteen infiltrative HCCs and two focal CFs showed arterial enhancement (P = .035). The ADC of infiltrative HCCs was significantly lower than that of CFs (P = .001). Satellite nodules were noted in 10 infiltrative HCCs. In terms of outer margin clarity, infiltrative HCCs showed a more distinct margin on HBP than on T2-WI (P = .005), while these two sequences were not significantly different in focal CFs (P = 1.000).

Conclusion

HBP improved the imaging characteristics of infiltrative HCC, allowing it to be distinguished from focal CF. Infiltrative HCC showed lower ADC values than focal CF. Lobular configuration, contour bulging, enhancement pattern, associated satellite nodules and portal vein thrombosis were still found to be highly suggestive MR findings for infiltrative HCC.     

High performance Zn–Sn–O thin film transistors with Cu source/drain electrode

Zn–Sn–O (ZTO) thin film transistors (TFTs) were fabricated with a Cu source/drain electrode. Although a reasonably high mobility (μ_FE) of 13.2 cm²/Vs was obtained for the ZTO TFTs, the subthreshold gate swing (SS) and threshold voltage (V_th) of 1.1 V/decade and 9.1 V, respectively, were inferior. However, ZTO TFTs with Ta film inserted as a diffusion barrier, exhibited improved SS and V_th values of 0.48 V/decade and 3.0 V, respectively as well as a high μ_FE value of 18.7 cm²/Vs. The improvement in the Ta‐inserted device was attributed to the suppression of Cu lateral diffusion into the ZTO channel region. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Preparation and Characterization of Electroactive Anion‐Exchange Acrylic Polymer–Gold Composites

The characteristics and performance of an ionic polymer–metal composite (IPMC), prepared with an anion‐exchange acrylic copolymer, was examined. The acrylic copolymer was synthesized by the radical copolymerization of fluoroalkyl methacrylate and 2‐(dimethyl amino)ethyl methacrylate(AMA). Effects of the AMA repeating unit's content in the copolymer and effects of the anion type present on the actuation of the IPMC were observed. The optimal content of 19.4 wt% AMA in the IPMC copolymer yielded the best actuation. The actuation also improved according to the type of anion present in the composite, in the following order: Br^???4 ^?.     

Mechanical,Thermal, and Surface Properties of Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Polyethylene/Polypropylene Blends

Various compositions of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene/polypropylene (UHMWPE/PP) blends were prepared in decalin, with the rheological, mechanical, thermal, and surface properties of the blends being determined using the solution cast film. Viscosity and mechanical properties of the blends decreased below the additivity value with increasing PP content implying that PP molecules disturb the entanglement of UHMWPE. Contact angle of the blend films with a water drop increased with increasing content of PP. The atomic force microscope (AFM) images showed that the surface of cast UHMWPE was very smooth whereas that of cast PP was very uneven. For blends, the surface became rough and uneven with increasing content of PP. The melting temperature of PP (T _mP) decreased in the blends with increasing UHMWPE content while that of UHMWPE (T _mU) remained almost constant in blends.     

Biodegradable Holographic Polymer-Dispersed Liquid Crystal

The a-D-glucose was chemically modified with an allyl isocyanate (MG) and introduced into the polymer matrix for holographic polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (HPDLC), and the effects were studied in terms of morphology, grating formulation dynamics and electro-optical and biodegradable properties. Phase separation and diffraction efficiency increased at low content of (MG ≤ 4 wt%), while a rapid increase in crosslink density entrapped the LC droplets within the polymer to give poor phase separation, small droplet size, and low diffraction efficiency at high content. The HPDLC film was driven only with the addition of MG due to the increased droplet size with a minimum driving voltage of 18 V at 6.0 wt% MG. With the addition and an increasing amount of MG, the biodegradation of the composite film in a buffer solution was significantly increased in proportion to its amount.     

Significant decrease in interfacial energy of grain boundary through serrated grain boundary transition

The mechanism of serrated grain boundary formation and its effect on liquation behaviour have been studied in a wrought nickel-based superalloy – Alloy 263. It was newly discovered that grain boundaries are considerably serrated in the absence of γ?′-phase or M₂₃C₆ at the grain boundaries. An electron energy-loss spectroscopy study suggests that serration is triggered by the discontinuous segregation of C and Cr atoms at grain boundaries for the purpose of relieving the excessive elastic strain energy. The grain boundaries serrate to have specific segments approaching one {111} low-index plane at a boundary so that the interfacial free energy of the grain boundary can be decreased, which may be responsible for the driving force of the serration. The serrated grain boundaries effectively suppress grain coarsening and are highly resistant to liquation due to their lower wettability resulting from a lower interfacial energy of the grain boundary.     

An Experimental Study on Heat Transfer Coefficients of a CO2-Filled Thermosyphon

Abstract

Because carbon dioxide is ozone friendly and has negligible global warming potential, it has received renewed interest in recent years as an important alternative refrigerant. In this article, the heat transfer characteristics of a carbon dioxide-filled two-phase closed thermosyphon were investigated experimentally, and the empirical heat transfer correlations are reported. The heat transfer data were analyzed, and heat transfer coefficients were compared with conventional heat transfer correlations. The results represent that heat transfer correlation of the heated section can be expressed with Kutatelatze's correlation, and heat transfer coefficients of the condenser section are found to be in reasonable agreement with the Nusselt equation.     

Effect of a buffer layer between the shell and ligand on the optical properties of an exciton and biexciton in type-II quantum dot nanocrystals

In this study, we have investigated the effect of the buffer layers on the electronic and optical properties of an exciton (X) and a biexciton (XX) in a type-II CdTe/CdSe quantum dot nanocrystal. In an experimental study, it has been reported that when a CdTe/CdSe quantum dot nanocrystal is coated by a ZnTe material as a buffer layer, the photoluminescence quantum yield is growing from 4 to 20%. We have confirmed theoretically this improvement and extended the calculations to an XX structure. In the calculations, two different semiconductor materials, CdS and ZnTe, have been considered for the buffer layer. We have theoretically shown that the buffer layer causes an increase in the radiative oscillator strength of both X and XX. When the ZnTe is used as the buffer layer, the oscillator strength becomes stronger when compared to CdSe buffer material because of higher conduction band offset between CdSe and ZnTe.