Liquid–gas critical phenomena under confinement: small-angle neutron scattering studies of CO2 in aerogel

Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) is a well-established technique for investigating the behavior of confined binary liquid solutions, as it can probe the correlation length and susceptibility in pores on length scales 1 – 100 nm. We applied SANS to explore the influence of confinement on critical behavior of an individual fluid carbon dioxide (CO₂) in a highly porous aerogel. The results demonstrate that quenched disorder induced by aerogel significantly depresses density fluctuations. Despite the negligible volume occupied by aerogel (< 4%), the macroscopic phase separation of confined CO₂ into coexisting liquid and gaseous phases is suppressed and below the critical temperature of the bulk fluid frozen methastable microdomains are formed. Experimental data show that critical adsorption is as important as the effect of confinement in defining the behavior of confined fluids.     

Electrical properties of neodymium doped CaBi4Ti4O15 ceramics

Neodymium doped bismuth layer structure ferroelectrics (BLSFs) ceramics CaBi_4−xNd_xTi₄O₁₅ (x=0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75) were prepared by solid-state reaction method. X-ray diffraction pattern showed that single phase was formed when x=0-0.75. The refined lattice parameters showed that a (b) axes decrease at x=0.25 and increase with more Nd³⁺ dopant. The effects of Nd³⁺ doping on the dielectric and ferroelectric properties of CaBi₄Ti₄O₁₅ ceramics are studied. Nd³⁺ dopant decreased the Curie temperature linearly, and the dielectric loss, tan δ, as well. The remnant polarization of Nd³⁺ doped CaBi₄Ti₄O₁₅ ceramics was increased by 80% at x=0.25, while more Nd³⁺ dopant decreased the remnant polarization. CaBi_3.75Nd_0.25Ti₄O₁₅ ceramics had the largest piezoelectric constant d₃₃. The structure and properties of CaBi_4−xNd_xTi₄O₁₅ ceramics showed that Nd³⁺ may occupy different crystal locations when Nd³⁺ content x is less than 0.25 and more than 0.50.     

Study of a Microwave Radar Signal Backscattered at Small Incidence Angles: In-Situ Measurements

We present the results of data processing of the field experiment devoted to a study of a microwave signal backscattered by a rough water surface and compare them with the theoretical estimates. The measurements were conducted sequentially using a radar with parabolic and knife-beam antennas. The radar was mounted on the Molitovsky bridge at a height of 40 m across the Oka river in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. For the radar with knife-shaped antenna pattern, we examined the reflected-signal power and the shift and width of the Doppler spectrum as functions of the azimuthal angle for the nadir sounding. For the parabolic antenna, we studied the reflected-signal power as a function of the incidence angle. Comparison with the experimental data shows that the developed theoretical model of a Doppler spectrum is in good agreement with the observations. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 48, No. 8, pp. 661–673, August 2005.     

The effects of crystal structure on optical absorption/photoluminescence of bis(8-hydroxyquinoline)zinc

In this paper, the transformation processes of two types of bis(8-hydroxyquinoline)zinc: Znq₂ dihydrate and anhydrous (Znq₂)₄ were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectra (IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG). The effects of crystal structure on optical properties of bis(8-hydroxyquinoiline)zinc were analyzed. Znq₂ dihydrate can be transformed into anhydrous (Znq₂)₄ during heating under vacuum. Reversal transformation occurs by the interaction between chloroform and (Znq₂)₄. But (Znq₂)₄ was partially transformed into Znq₂ dihydrate by the interaction between ethanol and (Znq₂)₄. The different molecular structure results in different crystal stacking and electronic structure, thereby affect its optical properties.     

Amplifiers and Lasers in PCF Configurations

In this paper we will present an overview of the use of photonic crystal fibers as fiber amplifiers. We will describe the basic concepts of optical amplification, and how to do numerical modelling of such components. We will then identify advantages and disadvantages of amplifiers based on PCF technology compared to conventional fibers, and then go into greater detail on some of these specific applications, such as low pump power amplifiers, and high-power double-clad amplifiers and lasers.     

Decreasing the Displacements of a Composite Saddle-Shaped Cable Roof

The structural possibilities of decreasing the compliance of a composite saddle-shaped cable roof having a compliant support contour are investigated. The use of a supporting contour consisting of cables joined together with tie-bars is considered as a structural method enabling one to decrease the compliance of the roof. Each cable of the support has its own initial flexure. The method is most efficient from the viewpoint of material consumption per unit of covered area relative to the increasing rigidity and prestress level of the cable net.The efficiency of the method was evaluated by a numerical experiment, which was carried out for a composite saddle-shaped cable roof 50 × 50 m in the plan. The roof was formed by two orthogonal cable groups joined with a compliant supporting contour. A hybrid composite cable based on a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic, a glass-fiber-reinforced plastic, and steel was considered as a material for the cable net in combination with steel. The material consumption and the maximum vertical displacement of the cable net in relation to the initial geometrical characteristics of the supporting contour were obtained. A possibility of decreasing the maximum vertical displacements of the roof by 8% was established.     

Stress-Strain State in the Zone of Load Transfer in a Composite Specimen under Uniaxial Tension

The stress-strain state in the zone of load transfer in a uniaxially stretched specimen made of a unidirectional epoxy carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) is investigated. A parametric analysis of the influence of geometric and mechanical characteristics of the specimen on its stress-strain state is performed by means of finite-element modeling. The parameters allowing us to significantly reduce the dangerous concentration of transverse and tangential stresses are revealed. The mechanical tensile characteristics of a high-strength pultruded unidirectional CFRP are determined experimentally, and the size effect of its strength is estimated.     

Isometric Isomorphisms Between Banach Algebras Related to a Certain Class of Clifford Topological Semigroups

In the present paper it is shown that if S₁ and S₂ are two Clifford topological semigroups satisfying certain conditions and T is an isometric isomorphism of LUC(S₁*) onto LUC(S₂*), then T maps S₁ topologically isomorphically onto S₂. Furthermore, T maps M ^l _n(S₁) (M(S₁), respectively) isometrically isomorphically onto M ^l _n(S₂) (M(S₂), respectively). Indeed, we have obtained a generalization of a well-known result of Ghahramani, Lau and Losert for locally compact groups to a more general setting of Clifford topological semigroups.     

53rd Meeting of the International Society of Electrochemistry

Russian Journal of Electrochemistry -