A simple method for quantitative imaging of 2D acoustic fields using refracto-vibrometry

This paper presents a simple 2D method for rapid time resolved quantitative imaging of acoustic waves using refracto-vibrometry. We present the theoretical background, the experimental method and reconstructions of acoustic reflection and interference. We investigate the applicability of the method, in particular the effect of sound radiator geometry. Finite element and experimental reconstructions of the sound fields are analysed. The spatial limitations and accuracy of the method are presented and discussed.     

Gel formation of solutions of fibrillar proteins during flow in a longitudinal field

The effect of gel formation in the jets of salt-containing solutions of fibrillar proteins (silk fibroin and wool keratin) in a longitudinal hydrodynamic field modeling the process of natural-silk formation in silk glands is studied. Structural transformations in macromolecules are monitored via birefringence measurements, optical rotatory dispersion, and polarization ultramicroscopy. Gel formation under the action of a longitudinal rate gradient is accompanied by the α → β-conformation transition and by the attainment of high degrees of orientation.     

Thermal and structural changes of photosynthetic reaction centers characterized by photoacoustic detection with a broad frequency band hydrophone.

Photoacoustic measurements using a broad frequency band hydrophone were carried out in photosynthetic reaction centers (RC) isolated from Rhodobacter sphaeroides R-26 purple bacteria. Data were extracted on enthalpy and volume changes accompanying the primary steps after excitation in the range of 0-500 microseconds aimed at further characterizing the thermodynamic properties of the RC. Quinone titration showed that the volume contraction accompanying the electron transport is sensitive to the molecular species occupying the secondary quinone site. delta VM = 14.4, 7.7 and 4.3 cm3 molar volume contractions were calculated from the measured parameters for 1, 2 and 0.07 quinone/RC after light excitation. Comparing the enthalpy changes (delta H) to the Gibbs free energy data in the literature, a rather large (26%) entropic contribution to the free energy changes (delta G) is estimated for the P*QAQB-->P+QA-QB electron transport (where QA and QB represent primary and secondary quinones, respectively). This is in contrast to previous estimations that delta G = delta H in these processes. On the other hand, only a small (4%) entropic contribution to the delta G of the P*QAQB-->P+QAQB- process is estimated, in agreement with the literature data. Our results are in good agreement with the data obtained earlier (Edens et al. [2000] J. Am. Chem. Soc. 122, 1479-1485).     

Influence of electrolyte on interfacial and rheological properties and shear stability of highly concentrated W/O emulsions

The effect of the electrolyte concentration on the interfacial interactions, rheological properties and emulsion shear stability was investigated. The increase of the electrolyte concentration leads to the growth of storage modulus and the yield stress of emulsions and enhances the emulsion stability to shearing, while interfacial tension decreases. The observed effects were attributed to the interfacial interaction of a surfactant and an electrolyte that was confirmed by the IR-analysis. The interaction between an electrolyte and a surfactant provides a stable interface.     

Rheological peculiarities of concentrated suspensions

The rheological properties of concentrated suspensions of metal oxides dispersed in transformer oil, which are used as electrorheological fluids, are systematically studied. Colloidal particles have intermediate sizes between nano- and microsized scales. Low-amplitude dynamic measurements show that the storage moduli of the examined suspensions are independent of frequency and these materials should be considered as solidlike elastic media. The storage modulus is proportional to the five-powdered particle volume concentration. At the same time, a transition through an apparent yield stress with a reduction in the viscosity by approximately six orders of magnitude is distinctly seen upon shear deformation. The character of the rheological behavior depends on the regime of suspension deformation. At very low shear rates, a steady flow is possible; however, upon an increase in the rate, an unsteady regime is realized with development of self-oscillations. When constant shear stresses are preset, in some range of stresses, thickening of the medium takes place, which can also be accompanied by self-oscillations. In order to gain insight into the nature of this effect, measurements are performed for samples with different volume/surface ratios, which show that, in some deformation regimes, suspension is separated into layers and slipping occurs along a low-viscosity layer with a thickness of several dozen microns. Direct observations show a distinct structural inhomogeneity of the flow. The separation and motion of layers with different compositions explain the transition to the flow with the lowest apparent Newtonian viscosity. Thus, the deformation of concentrated suspensions is associated with self-oscillations of stresses and slipping along a low-viscosity interlayer.     

Relativistic surface-wave oscillators with 1D and 2D periodic structures

A nonlinear nonstationary theory of surface-wave oscillators with 1D and 2D periodic structures is constructed in terms of a quasi-optical approach. The radiation field is represented as a superposition of quasi-optical wave beams coupled on a corrugated surface and forming a self-consistent structure. Synchronous interaction with rectilinear relativistic ribbon and cylindrical electron beams is observed when the surface wave slows down. The results obtained in terms of the average approach are compared with those obtained by direct numerical particle-in-cell simulation. The feasibility of creating small-size millimeterwave gigawatt power supplies based on 2D planar and cylindrical surface-wave oscillators is demonstrated.     

Scalar relativistic calculations of hyperfine coupling tensors using the Douglas-Kroll-Hess method with a finite-size nucleus model

A scalar relativistic method to calculate hyperfine coupling tensors at the Douglas-Kroll-Hess level has been extended to incorporate a finite-size nucleus model using a Gaussian charge and magnetic moment distribution. Density functional calculations at gradient-corrected and hybrid functional levels have been carried out for the group 11 atoms and for a set of small group 12 molecules, comparing nonrelativistic as well as scalar relativistic results at second-order Douglas-Kroll-Hess level with and without finite-size nucleus. While nonrelativistic calculations underestimate isotropic hyperfine couplings increasingly with increasing nuclear charge, scalar relativistic calculations with point nucleus provide somewhat overestimated values. Inclusion of the finite-size nuclear model in the calculation of the wavefunction, and in the transformed hyperfine operators both decrease the magnitude of the hyperfine couplings. The effects, which are cumulative, improve agreement with experiment.     

Interaction of Hydrogen with Silicon during Mechanical Activation

Mechanical activation of silicon powder under hydrogen was investigated using an AGO-2U centrifugal planetary activator. An IR spectroscopic study revealed that there was direct chemical interaction between hydrogen and silicon with the formation of hydrides.     

Generation of unipolar pulses during interaction between electromagnetic radiation and a lateral semiconductor superlattice

We theoretically predict the effect of generation of unipolar electromagnetic pulses during interaction between intense terahertz electromagnetic radiation and quantum lateral semiconductor superlattices. It is shown that this effect takes place when a superlattice is irradiated by pulsed signals and is due to the fact that stability of the limit cycles describing the dynamic behavior of the system changes successively with the variation in the external-field amplitude. It is noted that such an effect should also be expected in the response of a low-capacitance Josephson junction to a quasiharmonic forcing. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 49, No. 3, pp. 227–234, March 2006.     

Rheology of aqueous poly(ethylene oxide) solutions reinforced with bentonite clay

The rheological properties of bentonite clay-filled aqueous solutions of high-molecular-mass poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) have been studied. The PEO solution is a typical polymer solution characterized by the highest Newtonian viscosity and the range of non-Newtonian flow. The addition of small amounts of bentonite to the PEO solution causes passage to a viscoplastic behavior that manifests itself as the appearance of the yield stress. Therewith, the flow at the highest Newtonian viscosity in the region of low shear stresses (rather than rates) remains possible. After passing through the yield stress, the effect of antithixotropy, i.e., an increase in the viscosity with the deformation rate in a certain shear rate region, has been observed for the multicomponent systems. The data obtained have been interpreted assuming that the addition of the solid filler to the polymer solution destroys the random network of entanglements between macromolecules, while the presence of the polymer in the clay suspension reduces the strength of the coagulation structure of bentonite.