Preparation of colloidal solutions of noble metals stabilized by polyoxometalates and supported catalysts based on these solutions

Conditions for the preparation of stable aqueous monometallic and bimetallic colloidal solutions (sols) of noble metals (Ru, Rh, Pd, Pt, Ir, Ag, and Au) in the presence of polyoxometalates containing W, Mo, V, and Nb were found. The stability of sols against coagulation at room temperature was studied. The metal/C samples prepared by metal adsorption from sols were studied by powder X-ray diffraction analysis and transmission electron microscopy. The following factors of importance for the preparation of a stable sol are discussed: (1) the formation of a sol of a metal polyhydroxo complex stabilized by a polyoxometalate (preliminary stage) and (2) the formation of polyoxometalate-metal clusters in the course of reduction of polyhydroxo complexes.Translated from Kinetika i Kataliz, Vol. 45, No. 6, 2004, pp. 921–929.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2004 by Maksimova, Chuvilin, Moroz, Likholobov, Matveev.     

Scaling laws for the spatial distributions of the plasma parameters in the positive column of a dc oxygen discharge

Comprehensive self-consistent simulations of the positive column plasma of a dc oxygen discharge are performed with the help of commercial CFDRC software (), which enables one to carry out computations in an arbitrary 3D geometry using fluid equations for heavy components and a kinetic equation for electrons. The main scaling laws for the spatial distributions of charged particles are determined. These scaling laws are found to be quite different in the parameter ranges that are dominated by different physical processes. At low pressures, both the electrons and negative ions in the inner discharge region obey a Boltzmann distribution; as a result, a flat profile of the electron density and a parabolic profile of the ion density are established there. In the ion balance, transport processes prevail, so that ion heating in an electric field dramatically affects the spatial distribution of the charged particles. At elevated pressures, the volume processes prevail in the balance of negative ions and the profiles of the charged particle densities in the inner region turn out to be similar to each other.     

Nonlinear vibrations of a charged drop in a third-order approximation in the amplitude of multimode initial deformation

A solution to the problem of nonlinear surface vibration of a charged ideal liquid drop is found in a third-order approximation in initial multimode deformation of the equilibrium spherical shape by the method of many scales. It is shown that the spectrum of modes that are responsible for the shape of the drop at an arbitrary time instant depends considerably on the spectrum of modes governing the initial deformation of the drop. The latter spectrum also has an effect on nonlinear corrections to the vibration frequencies and, consequently, on a nonlinear correction to the critical Rayleigh parameter, which specifies the stability of the drop against self-charge.     

On wave radiation induced by a fast shock wave in an oblique magnetic field

The corrugation stability of the flat surface of a fast magnetohydrodynamic shock wave in a perfect monoatomic gas with a constant heat capacity is studied with numerical techniques. The magnetic field makes an arbitrary angle with the plane of discontinuity. It is shown that the shock wave remains stable only if it is strictly perpendicular to the magnetic field. At any other angle between the fast shock wave and magnetic field, the former may spontaneously radiate outwardly propagating magnetohydrodynamic waves under certain conditions. Incoming flow characteristics at which these waves are induced are determined.     

Charge manipulation and imaging of the Mn acceptor state in GaAs by cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy

An individual Mn acceptor in GaAs is mapped by cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy (X-STM) at room temperature and a strongly anisotropic shape of the acceptor state is observed. An acceptor state manifests itself as a cross-like feature which we attribute to a valence hole weakly bound to the Mn ion forming the (Mn²⁺3d⁵+hole) complex. We propose that the observed anisotropy of the Mn acceptor wavefunction is due to the d-wave present in the acceptor ground state.     

Two scenarios for phase-transformation in disordered media

The reasons for the existence of various scenarios for structural transformations in disordered condensed media, such as liquids and amorphous substances, where both smeared transformations and sharp first-order transitions may occur, were analyzed. The ratio between the spatial scale of structural correlations and the size of the smallest possible region occupied by a new phase in the matrix of initial modification is the key parameter determining the scenario for equilibrium phase transformations in liquids. In amorphous substances, the experimentally observed transformations occur far from equilibrium, and the possible size of the region occupied by the new phase corresponds to the minimal nucleus size. For some amorphous solids, quantitative analysis of the transformation width was carried out and the main classes of covalent substances, in which the smeared or sharp transitions occur, were revealed. Specific features of the interparticle interactions determining various transformation scenarios are discussed.     

Transition radiation from relativistic charged particles interacting with atomic strings in a crystal

The problem of transition radiation generated by relativistic particles incident on atomic strings in a crystal at a small angle is considered. Conditions are obtained under which the problem of transition radiation reduces to that of radiation generated by a collision with a filament-like target. It is shown that the angular distribution of transition radiation is symmetric with respect to the atomic-string axis.     

Possible lower bounds for the direct detection rate of SUSY dark matter

One can expect accessible lower bounds for the dark matter detection rate due to restrictions on masses of the SUSY partners. To explore this correlation, one needs a new-generation large-mass detector. The absolute lower bound for the detection rate can naturally be due to spin-dependent interaction. Aimed at detecting dark matter with sensitivity higher than 10^?5 event/kg/d, an experiment should have a nonzero-spin target. Perhaps, it is best to create a GENIUS-like detector with both ⁷³Ge (high spin) and ⁷⁶Ge nuclei.     

Optimal Path Planning Based on Visibility

Various problems associated with optimal path planning for mobile observers such as mobile robots equipped with cameras to obtain maximum visual coverage of a surface in the three-dimensional Euclidean space are considered. The existence of solutions to these problems is discussed first. Then, optimality conditions are derived by considering local path perturbations. Numerical algorithms for solving the corresponding approximate problems are proposed. Detailed solutions to the optimal path planning problems for a few examples are given.