Dependence of pulser driving responses on electrical and motional characteristics of NDE ultrasonic probes

Acoustic performance in ultrasonic transmitters can be improved by means of a suitable electrical driving response and matching/tuning networks. It is important to predict this electrical response, but doing so is not easy because it departs notably from the nominal pattern with the loading probes. In practice, the analysis of HV pulser spikes in NDE applications requires fairly complex models in the transient regime and, in addition, non-linear problems could arise, especially in the case of tuned transmitters. In this paper, the most relevant influences of loading characteristics of NDT ultrasonic probes on the pulser electrical driving responses are evaluated in time and frequency domains. Conventional pulse generators and typical NDE pulsers are considered. Driving responses are analysed across commercial ultrasonic probes and, alternatively, across similar purely electrical loads. Distinct influences on pulser responses from electrical and motional sections of the probes are identified. All these aspects are studied on the basis of experimental and computer results.     

Accurate time delay determination for femtosecond X-ray diffraction experiments

Intensity correlations and noise reduction are observed and characterized in the broadband supercontinuum generated by spatio-temporal solitons propagating in air, i.e., in filamentation of ultrashort laser pulses. Large correlations and reduction of the laser noise are observed already at the first steps of the filamentation process, while further propagation results in cascaded χ⁽³⁾ broadening processes and yield complex correlation maps. The spectral range yielding an optimal laser noise reduction of 3.6 dB is found to cover 10 nm around the fundamental wavelength. PACS 42.65.Jx; 42.65.Tg; 42.65.Ky; 42.50.Lc     

Preparation of porous manganese oxide nanomaterials by one-pot synthetic sol–gel method

For the first time, the simple epoxide addition, sol–gel method has been employed to successfully prepare porous, high surface area manganese (II) aerogel nanomaterials. These uniform materials can then undergo calcination at relatively low temperature to selectively yield the mixed-valent Mn₃O₄ complex illustrating both an ease of preparation and synthesis versatility.     

Über Chalkogenolate. 194 [1]: S-Bis(trimethylsilyl)aminoester von Dithiocarbamidsäuren 3. Kristall- und Molekülstruktur vom Methyl-und i-Propylderivat [1]

Inhaltsübersicht. Die Titelverbindungen R₂N–CS–S–N[Si(CH₃)₃]₂ mit Ii = CH₃ bzw. CH(CH₃)₂ kristallisieren orthorhombisch bzw. monoklin: Gitterkonstanten für R = CH₃ (bei ?165°C) a = 8,397(4) Å, b = 11,917(4) Å, c = 31,966 (11) Å, Pbca (Nr. 61), Z = 8. R = CH(CH₃)₂ (bei ?80°C) a =13,183(3) Å, b = 10,873(11) Å, c = 14,865(2) Å, β = 105,86(2)° P2₁/n (Nr. 14), Z = 4. Die Kristallstrukturen wurden unter Verwendung von 4227 bzw. 3 433 symmetrieunabhängigen Reflexen (gemessen bei ?165 bzw. ?80 °C) bestimmt und bis auf Zuverlässigkeitsfaktoren von R = 0,081 bzw. 0,082 verfeinert (R_w = 0,084 bzw. 0,114). Bei beiden Verbindungen ist der C₂N–CS–S–N-Teil des Moleküls nahezu planar. Zwischen dem Thiocarbonyl-S-Atom und dem N-Atom der silylierten Aminogruppe bestehen Wechselwirkungen. On Chalcogenolates. 194. S-Bis (trimethylsilyl) amino Esters of Dithiocarbamic Acids. 3. Crystal and Molecular Structure of the Methyl and i-Propyl Derivative The title compounds R₂N–CS–S–N[Si(CH₃)₃]₂ with R = CH₃ and CH(CH₃)₂, respectively, crystallize orthorhombic and monoclinic, resp.; cell dimensions and space group see “Inhaltsübersicht”. The structures of both compounds have been determined from single crystal X-ray data measured at ?165°C and ?80°C, resp., and refined to R's of 0.081 and 0.082, resp., (R_w = 0.084 and 0.114, resp.) using 4227 and 3433, resp., independent reflections. In both compounds the C₂N–CS–S–N core of the molecule is nearly plane. Between the thiocarbonyl sulfur atom and the nitrogen atom of the amino group interactions exist. In Fortführung unserer Untersuchungen [1, 2] über N, N-Dialkyldithiocarbamidsäure-S-bis(trimethylsilyl)aminoester R₂N–CS–S–N[Si(CH₃)₃]₂ haben wir die Kristall- und Molekülstrukturen der Verbindungen mit R = CH₃ und CH(CH₃)₂ bestimmt. Dabei sollte untersucht werden, welchen Einfluß sterisch anspruchsvollere Alkylgruppen (R = CH₃ → CH(CH₃)₂) auf die Molekülgeo-metrie haben. Eine strukturchemische Charakterisierung dieser Verbindungs-klasse ist bis jetzt noch nicht erfolgt; vgl. die Literaturzusammenstellung bei [3].     

Hydrodynamically induced crystallization of polymers from solution

Summary This paper primarily describes the large diversity in morphology of fibrillar polyethylene crystals precipitated from stirred solutions at elevated temperatures. Shish-kebabs crystallized at 112°C from stirred xylene solutions of linear polyethylene exhibit lamellar overgrowths having thicknesses of the order of 150 Å from which it was concluded i. a. that at crystallization temperatures above 100°C only backbones are formed and that the surrounding polymer molecules deposit epitaxially on the substrate at lower temperatures. The variation in the appearance of the overgrowth and the inhomogeneity of the samples can be traced back to irregular stacking and to differences in washability of the fibrillar crystals, these differences being largely due to the non-uniform flow pattern along the various stirrer parts. Unusual lamellar shapes, interconnections, sheets between lamellae, the veil on the Shish-kebab noted byKeller andMachin, may well be explained byKeith, Padden andVadimskys mechanism of crystallization-induced orientation of macromolecules between the lamellae and the consequent formation of extendedchain crystals. The lamellar overgrowth appears to be arranged along the backbone according to a logarithmic normal distribution, and the average diameter of the lamellar crystals increases with the average spacing, both being approximately equal in size. The fibrillar crystals end in smooth tapered tails having lengths varying between 5 and 8 .These observed fibre ends agree best with the unroll model proposed for fibrillar crystal growth in flow fields if on the average each molecule introduces one chain fold and the chain ends are randomly assimilated by the crystal lattice. Linear polyethylene below molecular weight of 50×10³ and low density polyethylene did not crystallize in fibrillar habit. whereas copolymers of ethylene and slight amounts of propylene and butylene proved capable of forming fibrillar crystals and isotactic polypropylene yielded smooth and overgrown fibres.

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Zusammenfassung Der Bericht befaßt sich zuerst mit der großen morphologischen Mannigfaltigkeit faseriger, bei erhöhter Temperatur aus gerührten Lösungen gefällter Polyäthylenkristalle. Bei 112°C aus gerührten Xylollösungen von linearem Polyäthylen herauskristallisierte Schaschlik-Strukturen zeigen eine lamellare Überwachsung mit einer Dicke von etwa 150 Å, woraus u. a. geschlossen wird, daß sich bei Kristallisations-temperaturen über 100°C nur Faserkerne bilden und daß die umringenden polymeren Moleküle sich bei niedrigeren Temperaturen epitaxial auf dem Substrat ablagern. Die Verschiedenheit in der Form der Überwachsung und die Inhomogenität der Proben lassen sich erklären durch eine unregelmäßige Ablagerung auf dem Rührer und durch Unterschiede in der Auswaschbarkeit der faserigen Kristalle, welche Unterschiede weitgehend auf das nicht einheitliche Strömungsbild längs der verschiedenen Rührerteile zurückzuführen sind. Ungewöhnliche lamellenartige Formen, interlamellare Verbindungen, Häutchen zwischen den Lamellen und die vonKeller undMachin festgestellte Verschleierung der Schaschlikgebilde lassen sich sehr gut durch denKeith-, Padden- undVadimsky-Mechanismus einer durch die Kristallisation verursachten Orientierung von Makromolekülen zwischen den Lamellen und durch die anschließende Bildung von extended-chain Kristallen erklären. Wie sich zeigt, gruppiert sich die lamellare Überwachsung um den Kern entsprechend einer logarithmischen Normalverteilung; der mittlere Durchmesser der lamellaren Kristalle nimmt zu mit der mittleren Größe der Zwischenabstände, wobei beide ungefähr gleich groß sind. Die faserigen Kristalle enden in allmählich spitz auslaufenden Gebilden mit Längen von etwa 5 bis 8 . Diese Faserenden stimmen gut überein mit dem für das Wachsen faseriger Kristalle in Strömungsgebieten vorgeschlagenen unroll-Modell, falls im Durchschnitt jedes Molekül eine Kettenfaltung einleitet und die Kettenenden willkürlich in das Kristallgitter aufgenommen werden. Lineares Polyäthylen mit einem Molekulargewicht unter 50×10³ und Hochdruckpolyäthylen kristallisieren nicht in der faserigen Form, während —wie sich zeigt—Copolymere von Äthylen und geringen Propylen- und Butylenmengen in der Lage sind, faserige Kristalle zu bilden und isotaktisches Propylen schöne und überwachsene Fibrillen ergibt.

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With 25 figures in 28 details     

Using dialog-controlled rule systems in a maintenance module for knowledge bases

Dialog-controlled rule systems were introduced as a tool to describe the way in which theWimdas system for knowledge-based analysis of marketing data manages its dialog with the user. In this paper we shall discuss how dialog-controlled rule systems can be used to specify a formal language aiding a knowledge engineer in maintaining a system's knowledge base. Although this language is finite, it must be defined generically, being too extensive to be enumerated. In contrast to the well-known traditional methods for defining formal languages — using finite automata, regular expressions or grammars — our method can be applied by a user who need not be an expert in theoretical computer science.Research for this paper was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Nanoparticle agglomeration in polymer-based solar cells

We show that the morphology of polymer-based solar cells substantially changes after annealing using small angle neutron scattering. Phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) is found reasonably well dispersed within the poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) rich phase after initial processing (spin coating). However, the PCBM structure coarsens after annealing, clearly evidenced by the increase in scattering intensity at a small wave vector. The change in morphology at the nanoscale is related to improved device performance and the simultaneous, contradictory, increase in photoluminescence.     

Comparing results of X-ray diffraction, µ-Raman spectroscopy and neutron diffraction when identifying chemical phases in seized nuclear material,during a comparative nuclear forensics exercise

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - This work presents the results for identification of chemical phases obtained by several laboratories as a part of an international nuclear...