Ultrathin functional films of titanium(IV) oxide

Chemistry and physics of thin semiconducting layers of various types are subjects of intense research. Especially when nanotechnology methods such as self-assembly are involved, amazing structural and/or functional properties may appear. Also modern physical methods using variously organized plasma arrangements are able to produce uniform structures with distinctive functionality. In this review, based virtually on our own work, discussions on the preparation, structure, morphology, and function of titanium(IV) oxide nanoscopic thin films are presented. It was shown that structurally and functionally similar titanium(IV) oxide films can be prepared via completely different preparation techniques. Function tests were arranged as “primary”, covering the assessment of the light induced charge separation efficiency, and “secondary”, based on photocatalytic surface oxidations.     

Mathematical model of aerobic stabilization of old landfills

A short-term aerobic stabilization of digested waste in the final methane phase was studied. The effect of aeration rate on the reduction of leachate parameters and on the rate of CO₂ production and O₂ assimilation was investigated. Experimental simulation of aerobic landfill stabilization was carried out using lysimeters. When testing the effect of aeration rate on the reduction of leachate indices (BOD₅, COD, N-NH₄⁺), it was reported that the most significant reduction was obtained at the highest rate of aeration and the smallest reduction of leachate indices was attained not at the lowest but at medium aeration rates. Both the rate of CO₂ production and the O₂ assimilation reached their highest values in the lysimeters aerated at a high rate of aeration. The proposed mathematical model which consists of a system of five differential equations describing CO₂ production, O₂ assimilation and the changes of organic carbon content in the leachate correspond well with the experimental data.     

Polyvinyl alcohol-borate hydrogel containing Prussian blue for surface decontamination

A polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-borate hydrogel-based strippable surface decontaminant containing an ammonium salt and Prussian blue (PB) was developed for the removal of ¹³⁷Cs from various surfaces. This surface decontaminant can be easily prepared by the simple mixing of commercially available materials, such as PVA, borax, NH₄Cl and PB, in water, and the decontaminant can be peeled off surfaces due to its high elastic property after surface decontamination. The hydrogel displayed an effective removal performance for Cs from painted cement, aluminum, stainless steel, and cement surfaces and a potential for reusability. Therefore, the PB/PVA-borate hydrogel has good potential as a new surface decontaminant.     

Possible acceleration of cosmic rays in a rotating system: Uehling-Uhlenbeck model

We illustrate the possible acceleration of cosmic rays passing through a kind of amplification channel (via diffusion modes of propagating plane-wave fronts) induced by a rotating system. Our analysis is mainly based on the quantum discrete kinetic model (considering a discrete Uehling-Uhlenbeck collision term), which has been used to study the propagation of plane (e.g., acoustic) waves in a system of rotating gases.     

Prospects for p̄p → ȲY studies at PANDA

Strangeness and charm production provide an excellent probe of QCD in the confinement domain. With the PANDA detector at FAIR, this can be studied in e.g., hyperon production in the p?p → ?Y reactions. In PANDA, all ground state strange hyperons and single charmed Λ’s will be accessible. Simulations show that the differential cross sections and spin observables can be well reconstructed for these reaction channels.