Observation of hydrogen induced intermediate borides in PrFeB based alloys by Mössbauer effect spectroscopy

In the present work, a quantitative analysis of the phase compositions by Mössbauer effect spectroscopy of solid and conventional hydrogen disproportionated Pr_13.7Fe_80.3B_6.0 and Pr_13.7Fe_63.5Co_16.7Zr_0.1B_6.0 alloys was carried out. Significant amounts of intermediate borides t-Fe₃B and Pr(Fe, Co)₁₂B₆ were detected after solid hydrogen disproportionation treatment in Pr_13.7Fe_80.3B_6.0 and Pr_13.7Fe_63.5Co_16.7Zr_0.1B_6.0 alloys, respectively. After conventional hydrogenation–disproportionation–desorption–recombination treatment these phases were not detected and in no case residual Pr₂Fe₁₄B-phase was found. It was observed that the amount of intermediate borides after disproportionation can be correlated with the degree of texture after recombination at various temperatures.     

Computing Aviation Sparing Policies: Solving a Large Nonlinear Integer Program

Deployed US Navy aircraft carriers must stock a large number of spare parts to support the various types of aircraft embarked on the ship. The sparing policy determines the spares that will be stocked on the ship to keep the embarked aircraft ready to fly. Given a fleet of ten or more aircraft carriers and a cost of approximately 50 million dollars per carrier plus the cost of spares maintained in warehouses in the United States, the sparing problem constitutes a significant portion of the Navy’s resources. The objective of this work is to find a minimum-cost sparing policy that meets the readiness requirements of the embarked aircraft. This is a very large, nonlinear, integer optimization problem. The cost function is piecewise linear and convex while the constraint mapping is highly nonlinear. The distinguishing characteristics of this problem from an optimization viewpoint are that a large number of decision variables are required to be integer and that the nonlinear constraint functions are essentially “black box” functions; that is, they are very difficult (and expensive) to evaluate and their derivatives are not available. Moreover, they are not convex. Integer programming problems with a large number of variables are difficult to solve in general and most successful approaches to solving nonlinear integer problems have involved linear approximation and relaxation techniques that, because of the complexity of the constraint functions, are inappropriate for attacking this problem. We instead employ a pattern search method to each iteration of an interior point-type algorithm to solve the relaxed version of the problem. From the solution found by the pattern search on each interior point iteration, we begin another pattern search on the integer lattice to find a good integer solution. The best integer solution found across all interations is returned as the optimal solution. The pattern searches are distributed across a local area network of non-dedicated, heterogeneous computers in an office environment, thus, drastically reducing the time required to find the solution.     

Pressure effects on the quadrupole coupling constant of 7Li in first stage lithium graphite

The pressure dependence of the experimental ⁷Li NMR spectra is reported for first stage lithium graphite (LiC₆) intercalation compound at temperatures T = 232 and 293 K. This experiment together with the presented point charge model calculation of the ⁷Li quadrupole coupling constant $\text{(}\text{e}{}^2\text{qQ}\text{h}\text{)}$ allows an unambiguous determination of the sign of e²qQ/h which is negative: $\text{e}{}^2\text{qQ}\text{h=-52 kHz}$ at p = 1 bar and T = 232 K. The averaged location of the electrons transferred from the Li intercalant to the graphite layers, as estimated in this study, is in excellent agreement with earlier theoretical energy-band calculations. The compressibility of LiC₆ in the c-direction is predicted to be k_c = 1.7 × 10^-12cm²dyn^-1, it agrees with estimates derived from the available phonon dispersion relations.     

Fluorinations with complex metal fluorides. Part 6 [1] fluorination of yridine and related compounds with caesium tetrafluorocobaltate(III) [2]

Pyridine has been fluorinated over caesium tetrafluorocobaltate(III) (CsCo^IIIF₄) at 300–400°C to give a mixture of undecafluoro-N-methylpyrrolidine, bis(trifluoromethyl)amine, pentafluoropyridine and several polyfluoropyridines; the product composition depended to some extent on the geometry of the reactor. The fluorinations of pentafluoropyridine, piperidine and undecafluoropiperidine were also investigated.     

A theorem on sequentiality and compactness, with its fuzzy extension

An amended proof of a theorem of Franklin's on sequentiality and sequential compactness is presented, and a corresponding fuzzy version formulated using the theory of quasi-coincidence.     

Design and Cold Tests of Asymmetric Quasioptical Resonators

This paper presents the design and test of asymmetric quasioptical resonators for gyrotron applications, where most of the diffraction output coupling comes from the smaller of two mirrors. A computer code based on scalar diffraction theory is used to calculate the resonator losses and the electric field near the mirrors. Resonators with mirror separations approaching confocal have reduced side lobes in the diffraction patterns, which should allow for better power transmission and focusing. Cold tests have been performed at 94 and 141 GHz to measure the quality factor of the asymmetric resonators as a function of mirror separation and mirror misalignment. Typical resonator parameters include 65 cm mirror separation, 1-3% output coupling and 85% of the losses from the small mirror. A half-symmetric resonator with one flat and one curved mirror has also been investigated. The calculated values of Q are in reasonably good agreement with the cold test measurements.     

Design and Experimental Characterization of Low‐Volume PM10/2.5/1.0 Trichotomous Sampler Inlet

This paper presents the development and laboratory evaluation of a PM10/2.5/1.0 trichotomous sampling inlet that consists of two main parts: a previously designed PM10 size‐selective inlet part and a PM2.5/1.0 two‐stage virtual impactor, which was newly fabricated and attached serially to the PM10 size selective inlet part. Particles are collected in three locations through the trichotomous sampling inlet to provide for not only particle concentration measurements of PM10, PM2.5 and PM1.0, but also those of PM2.5–10 and PM1.0–2.5.