Cage-like ordered silica with large mesopore volume synthesized by doubling amount of polymer, adding sodium chloride and lowering acid concentration

Cage-like ordered mesoporous silica, FDU-1, with about twice the pore volume and a narrower pore size distribution compared with those for previously reported samples was synthesized in a much shorter time by doubling the amount of block copolymer, adding sodium chloride and lowering the acid concentration.     

Laser frequency stabilization by magnetically assisted rotation spectroscopy

We present a method of Doppler-free laser frequency stabilization based on magnetically assisted rotation spectroscopy (MARS) which combines the Doppler-free velocity-selective optical pumping (VSOP) and magnetic rotation spectroscopy. The stabilization is demonstrated for the atomic rubidium transitions at 780 nm. The proposed method is largely independent of stray magnetic fields and does not require any modulation of the laser frequency. Moreover, the discussed method allows one to choose between locking the laser exactly to the line center, or with a magnetically-controlled shift to an arbitrary frequency detuned by up to several natural linewidths. This feature is useful in many situations, e.g. for laser cooling experiments. In addition to presenting the principle of the method, its theoretical background and peculiarities inherent to the repopulation VSOP are discussed.     

EPR evidence of antiferromagnetic ordering in single‐layer graphene

We report electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) evidence of the antiferromagnetic ordering in pristine single‐layer graphene. Temperature dependences of the parameters of EPR spectra obtained for vacuum‐processed samples were studied within the temperature range of 4.2–300 K. Our experiment has confirmed recent theoretical predictions that in single‐layer graphene the carrier‐mediated exchange interaction leads to antiferromagnetic coupling. We note some quantitative discrepancies between the theory and experimental findings and discuss their origins. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A vanadyl Schiff base complex: {2,2′‐[1,1′‐(o‐phenylenedinitrilo)bis(ethan‐1‐yl‐1‐ylidene)]diphenolato}oxovanadium(IV)

The green crystals of the title compound, [V(C₂₂H₁₈N₂O₂)O], represent a mononuclear oxovanadium complex. The central V^IV centre has a distorted square‐pyramidal coordination. Two N atoms and two O atoms of the Schiff base ligand define the base of the pyramid, and the oxide O atom is in the apical position. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to analyse the changes in the geometry of the ligand during the complex formation. The most significant changes are observed in the values of the torsion angles in the vicinity of the donor N atoms. The HOMA index (Harmonic Oscillator Model of Aromaticity) has been calculated to compare the aromaticity of the benzene rings in the complex and its ligand.     

Towards tomography of quark–gluon plasma using double inclusive forward-central jets in Pb–Pb collision

We propose a new framework, merging High Energy Factorization with final-state jet quenching effects due to interactions in a quark–gluon plasma, to compute di-jet rates at mid-rapidity and forward rapidity. It allows one to consistently study the interplay of initial-state effects with medium interactions, opening the possibility for understanding the dynamics of hard probes in heavy-ion collisions and the QGP evolution in rapidity.     

Finite-Time Universality in Nonequilibrium CFT

Recently, remarkably simple exact results were presented about the dynamics of heat transport in the local Luttinger model for nonequilibrium initial states defined by position-dependent temperature profiles. We present mathematical details on how these results were obtained. We also give an alternative derivation using only algebraic relations involving the energy-momentum tensor which hold true in any unitary conformal field theory (CFT). This establishes a simple universal correspondence between initial temperature profiles and the resulting heat-wave propagation in CFT. We extend these results to larger classes of nonequilibrium states. It is proposed that such universal CFT relations provide benchmarks to identify nonuniversal properties of nonequilibrium dynamics in other models.     

Comparison of experimental and numerical results on metallic plates subjected to explosions

A comparative study of dynamic response including damage and rupture processes of thin metallic plates subjected to shock-wave impulses – explosions is presented. The results of the finite element numerical analysis are related to experiments. Due to high strain rate during explosions the elasto-viscoplastic Chaboche's constitutive law including damage effects has been applied. For the assumed model proper material parameters identification has been done. In the dynamic, geometrically non-linear analysis the MSC.Marc system has been used. A good correlation between numerical and experimental results has been observed. (© 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Dynamics and control of underactuated mechanical systems: analysis and simple experimental verification

Underactuated mechanical systems are systems with fewer control inputs than the degrees of freedom, m < n, the relevant technical examples being e.g. cranes, aircrafts and flexible manipulators. The determination of an input control strategy that forces an underactuated system to complete a set of m specified motion tasks (servo-constraints) is a demanding problem. The solution is conditioned to differential flatness of the problem, denoted that all 2n state variables and m control inputs can algebraically be expressed, at least theoretically, in terms of the desired m outputs and their time derivatives up to a certain order. A more practical formulation, motivated hereafter, is to pose the problem as a set of differential-algebraic equations, and then obtain the solution numerically. The theoretical considerations are illustrated by a simple two-degree-of-freedom underactuated system composed of two rotating discs connected by a flexible rod (torsional spring), in which the pre-specified motion of the first disc is actuated by the torque applied to the second disc, n = 2 and m = 1. The determined control strategy is then verified experimentally on a laboratory stand representing the two-disc system. (© 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Development of a portable analyzer using solid-phase microextraction coupled with thermal desorption digitally-controlled plasma optical emission spectrometry for the determination of mercury volatile compounds released from sediments

Novel multi-species analyzer based on thermal desorption and digitally-controlled plasma optical emission spectrometry followed by solid-phase microextraction has been developed for determining various organometallics in sediment samples. A helium plasma source operating at 10?kHz and an integrated small-sized spectrometer with a charge-coupled device detector is installed for cost-effective atomic emission measurement and signal acquisition. Moreover, the analyzer size of a portable device is achieved, while the system is capable of absorbing large amounts of measurement data. Specifically, the analyzer has been applied for the speciation of mercury species in sediments. Method detection limits for MeHg and Hg²⁺ are 35.4 and 9.6?ng L^?1. Thus, sediments containing above 0.2 µg kg^?1 of mercury can be analyzed with precision 1–3.5% of RSD. The developed methods are validated by the analysis of estuarine sediment certified reference material ERM CC580, GBW 07405 Chinese soil. [AQ1]