A Model of spin catalysis in bacterial photosynthetic reaction centres

A model of influence of non-heme Fe²⁺ ion on kinetics of electron transfer between quinone anion-radicals Q_A⁻ and Q_B⁻ in bacterial reaction centres is proposed and investigated. Physical mechanism of the influence is associated with singlet-triplet transitions in Q_A⁻Q_B⁻ Pair caused by interactions with paramagnetic Fe²⁺. The model incorporates exchange couplings between the particles and zero-field splittings in high-spin Fe²⁺. These interactions are shown to catalyze electron transfer in triplet pairs and alter the reaction yield significantly.     

Negative shift of a light beam reflected from the interface between optically transparent and resonant media

The lateral shift of a light beam reflected from the interface between an optically transparent dielectric and a medium for which the frequency dependences of the real and imaginary parts of the permittivity have a resonant form is investigated. At certain radiation frequencies and angles of incidence, a negative displacement of the reflected beam along the interface takes place.     

Enhancing the Thermal Stability of Ionogels: Synthesis and Properties of Triple Ionic Liquid/Halloysite/MCC Ionogels

In this study, an ionic liquid (IL), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate, was used to prepare ionogels with microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and halloysite (Hal). SEM, XRD, TG, DSC, FTIR spectroscopy, conductometry and mechanical tests were used to study the morphology, structure, thermal behaviour and electrophysical and mechanical characteristics of synthesised ionogels. XRD analysis showed a slight decrease in the interlayer space of halloysite in ionogels containing MCC, which may have been associated with the removal of residual water molecules resulting from hydrophilic IL anions and polymer macromolecules. A change in conductivity and glass-transition temperature of the ionic liquid was revealed due to intercalation into halloysite (a confinement effect) and modification with cellulose. For triple IL/Hal/MCC ionogels, the characteristic thermal degradation temperatures were higher than the corresponding values for IL/Hal composites. This indicates that the synthesised IL/Hal/MCC ionogels are characterised by a greater thermal stability than those of IL/Hal systems.     

Photoregulation of the optical properties of comb-shaped polymers with mesogenic side groups

A new approach for photoregulation of supramolecular structure and optical properties of polyacrylic copolymers bearing azobenzene and cyanobiphenyl mesogenic groups is presented. The detailed study of photooptical behaviour, kinetics of photoinduced optical birefringence and mechanism of structural transformations taking place during a laser illumination are discussed.     

Translational cooling of doped nanocrystals by Raman pulses: Towards macroscopic quantum state

One of the most interesting problems of modern physics is the realization of nanoparticles in macroscopic quantum states, in which they behave as a quantum objects. These states can only be implemented at ultra-low translational temperatures that have not been achieved so far. Here we develop a novel method for optical cooling of CaF₂:Yb³⁺ nanocrystals, which is based on the coherent population transfer induced in the impurity ions by ultraviolet Raman pulses. A doped nanocrystal localized in a radio-frequency trap is cooled due to the photon recoil from the pulses of varied intensity. The proposed method allows to obtain nanocrystals with translational temperatures of the order of 10^?9 K, which indicates that the nanocrystal approaches a macroscopic quantum state.     

Seiches in a Basin with an Open Entrance

Two-dimensional seiche oscillations in a rectangular basin of constant depth with an open entrance are considered within the framework of the linear theory of long waves. An analytical solution is obtained for the case where a nodal level line is located at the entrance to the basin. It is shown that transverse seiches in a basin with an open entrance are two-dimensional in contrast to similar modes in a completely closed basin, which are one-dimensional. Seiche parameters are calculated for model basins with dimensions and depth characteristic of a number of Sevastopol bays. Comparison of the calculation results with observations data shows that they are in satisfactory agreement.     

Structural phase states and properties of the layer surfaced on low-carbon steel with Fe‒C‒Cr‒Nb‒W powder-core wire followed by electron-beam processing

Structural phase states and tribological properties of the coating surfaced onto Hardox 450 martensite low-carbon steel with powder wire Fe?C?Cr?Nb?W and modified by subsequent electron-beam processing are studied by methods of modern physical material science. It is shown that irradiation of ~5 thick surfaced layer with high intensity pulsed electron beams results in the formation of ~20 μm thick surface layer with the master phases of α-Fe and NbC, Fe₃C and M₆C(Fe₃W₃C) carbides. The main difference of the surface layer modified with electron-beam processing from the unmodified volume of the surfacing is the morphology and dimensions of the second phase inclusions. In the modified layer of the surfacing the inclusions have smaller dimensions and are located in the form of interlayers along the grain boundaries. In unmodified surfacing the particles of the faceted shape located chaotically in the grain volume are the basic morphological type of the inclusions. It is noted that the small value of crystal lattice Nb parameter observed in the experiment may be caused by the high level of vacant interstitial sites having the smaller size in comparison with the occupied interstitial sites. It is established that wear resistance of the surfaced layer after electron-beam processing increases more than 70-fold relative to wear resistance of Hardox 450 steel and friction coefficient decreases significantly (~3-fold).     

Some Thermodynamic Features of Uranium–Plutonium Nitride Fuel in the Course of Burnup

Calculation studies on the effect of carbon and oxygen impurities on the chemical and phase compositions of nitride uranium–plutonium fuel in the course of burnup are performed using the IVTANTHERMO code. It is shown that the number of moles of UN decreases with increasing burnup level, whereas UN_1.466, UN_1.54, and UN_1.73 exhibit a considerable increase. The presence of oxygen and carbon impurities causes an increase in the content of the UN_1.466, UN_1.54 and UN_1.73 phases in the initial fuel by several orders of magnitude, in particular, at a relatively low temperature. At the same time, the presence of impurities abruptly reduces the content of free uranium in unburned fuel. Plutonium in the considered system is contained in form of Pu, PuC, PuC₂, Pu₂C₃, and PuN. Plutonium carbides, as well as uranium carbides, are formed in small amounts. Most of the plutonium remains in the form of nitride PuN, whereas unbound Pu is present only in the areas with a low burnup level and high temperatures.     

Fabrication and properties of neodymium-activated yttrium oxide optical ceramics

About new technology of production of transparent ceramics including laser synthesis of nanopowders, their magnetic pulsed compaction and vacuum sintering is reported. The results of investigations of the synthesized samples of transparent ceramics made from neodymium-activated yttrium oxide are presented. It has been shown that in a 1.1 mm thickness sample with optical loss coefficient α_1.07μm = 0.03 cm^?1 laser generation at λ _g ～ 1.08 μm with a slope efficiency of 15% at laser diode pumping at a wavelength of 807 nm has been obtained.