Thermal lens spectrometric determination of hexavalent chromium

The applicability of thermal lens spectrometry (TLS) for quantification and routine determination of hexavalent chromium was investigated by using a collinear dual beam thermal lens spectrometer. In aqueous solutions the LOD of 0.1 μg l⁻¹ was obtained for Cr(VI) by using 160 mW laser power. The performance of the technique was verified by the determination of hexavalent chromium in standard reference water samples (NIST SRM 1643a and NIST SRM 1643c) and comparing the results for Cr(VI) in CCA (Cr, Cu, As)-treated timber extracts to concentrations obtained by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Good agreement between the TLS results and reported values for Cr(VI) in SRMs as well as AAS results for Cr(VI) in CCA-treated timbers confirmed that TLS is a reliable and accurate analytical technique applicable for the determination of Cr(VI) in aqueous solutions at concentration levels 0.5–100 μg l⁻¹.     

Excess molar volumes and excess viscosities for then-hexane+dichloromethane+tetrahydrofuran ternary system at 25°C

Exces molar volumes, and excess viscosities of then-hexane+dichloromethane+tetrahydrofuran system have been determined at 25°C by measuring densities and viscosities. Different expressions exist in the literature to predict these excess properties from binary data. The empirical correlation of Cibulka is shown to be the best in this system.     

An extremal problem concerning matrices of 0's and 1 's

We determine the smallest number f(n,k) such that every (0,1)-matrix of order n what zero main diagonal which has at least f(n,k) 1's contains an irreducible, principal submatrix of order K. We characterize those matrices with f(n,k)-1 l's having no irreducible, principal submatrix of order k     

Magnetic control of chemical transformations: application for programmed electrocatalysis and surface patterning

Lateral translocation of electrocatalyst-modified magnetic particles was achieved upon application of an external magnetic field. Programmed electrocatalytic reactions at different electrodes or different areas of an electrode were performed. The spatially controlled electrocatalytic reactions were exemplified with NADH electrocatalytic oxidation and with bioelectrocatalytic electrode patterning. The method will be particularly useful for programmed electrochemical reactions at interdigitated electrodes.     

Modification of Electrical Activity of Grain Boundaries in EFG Silicon Under Influence of Hydrogen Plasma

We investigated an influence of hydrogen plasma treatment on electrical properties of shaped silicon polycrystals. Hydrogen penetration into polycrystalline silicon is demonstrated to depend on the state of the crystal (as-grown or annealed) and type of grain boundary (general or weakly deviated from special orientations). It is found that interaction of atomic hydrogen with grain boundaries can result not only in decrease of their electrical activity, but also in increase of potential barrier height at relatively high (more than 2 × 10¹⁸ cm^–2) doses of incorporated hydrogen. This phenomenon is explained by a phenomenological model which takes into account passivation of grain boundary dangling bonds and boron atoms in the bulk as two main mechanisms controlling hydrogenation effect.     

Superspace mechanics as the classical limit of superfield theory

The semi-classical superspace pseudomechanics of Casalbuoni and others is shown to be the classical limit of a scalar superfield theory by a WKB type of approximation. By avoiding second class constraints, the relationship between the mechanics and the field theory is clarified. The spin1/2sector is then examined to find the (semiclassical) WKB limit of the Dirac equation.     

Investigations on the balloon as an impulse source

Measurements of impulses produced by bursting balloons are presented. Various sizes of balloons were popped with a mechanical device in an anechoic chamber and recorded with a spherical microphone array. The power responses and directivity of the balloons are analyzed. Results indicate that power responses have two emphasized frequencies which depend on balloon size and inflation level. Larger balloons radiated more energy and higher inflation levels resulted in stronger high frequency content. Balloon directivity patterns are stable over repetitions. However, balloons do not radiate omnidirectionally. The degree of omnidirectionality improves with balloon size and for midrange frequencies.     

Nonequilibrium steady states of stochastic lattice gas models of fast ionic conductors

We investigate theoretically and via computer simulation the stationary nonequilibrium states of a stochastic lattice gas under the influence of a uniform external fieldE. The effect of the field is to bias jumps in the field direction and thus produce a current carrying steady state. Simulations on a periodic 30 × 30 square lattice with attractive nearest-neighbor interactions suggest a nonequilibrium phase transition from a disordered phase to an ordered one, similar to the para-to-ferromagnetic transition in equilibriumE=0. At low temperatures and largeE the system segregates into two phases with an interface oriented parallel to the field. The critical temperature is larger than the equilibrium Onsager value atE=0 and increases with the field. For repulsive interactions the usual equilibrium phase transition (ordering on sublattices) is suppressed. We report on conductivity, bulk diffusivity, structure function, etc. in the steady state over a wide range of temperature and electric field. We also present rigorous proofs of the Kubo formula for bulk diffusivity and electrical conductivity and show the positivity of the entropy production for a general class of stochastic lattice gases in a uniform electric field.Supported in part by National Science Foundation Grant DMR81-14726 and NATO Grant 040.82.Work supported in part by a Lafayette College Junior Faculty Leave Grant.Work supported in part by a Heisenberg fellowship of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Structure and Morphology of a Polyether/Polyacrylate Semi-interpenetrating Polymer Network

In this study NMR and DSC are used to probe the structure, thermal characteristics and morphology of a network formed from a diepoxide/acrylate system. Separate chemistries are employed to polymerize the diepoxide and acrylate components. The cationic polymerization of the diepoxide exhibits excellent selectivity in producing a crosslinked polyether network without affecting the acrylate monomer. Subsequent photoinitiated free-radical polymerization of the acrylate produces a phase separated, semi-interpenetrating polymer network (SIPN).This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.