Deformation of doped NaCl crystals during uniaxial compression at temperatures of 4.2–293 K

The impurity weakening of crystalline NaCl:Mg and NaCl:Mn associated with purification of the matrix in a melt is demonstrated. This effect is manifested in a consistent change in the yield strength and mobility of dislocations. Its unusual temperature dependence is determined: in a number of cases weakening becomes greater as the temperature is lowered within the interval 293–4.2 K. A deviation in the elastic region of the stress-strain curves is observed to increase as the temperature is lowered. Plasticizing of crystalline NaCl is established: when the deformation temperature is lowered from 293 to 77 and 4.2 K the rate of rise in the yield strength of Cd²⁺ and Sr²⁺ doped samples is lower than that of undoped samples. An explanation for this fact is proposed. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 313–317 (February 1997) Deceased.     

Traveling-wave solutions and their application to inverse problems of sorption dynamics

Translated from Matematicheskie Modeli i Optimizatsiya Vychislitel'nykh Algoritmov, pp. 67–74, 1994.     

A numerical study of an unsteady laminar flow in a doubly constricted 3D vessel

Unsteady flow dynamics in doubly constricted 3D vessels have been investigated under pulsatile flow conditions for a full cycle of period T. The coupled non‐linear partial differential equations governing the mass and momentum of a viscous incompressible fluid has been numerically analyzed by a time accurate Finite Volume Scheme in an implicit Euler time marching setting. Roe's flux difference splitting of non‐linear terms and the pseudo‐compressibility technique employed in the current numerical scheme makes it robust both in space and time. Computational experiments are carried out to assess the influence of Reynolds' number and the spacing between two mild constrictions on the pressure drop across the constrictions. The study reveals that the pressure drop across a series of mild constrictions can get physiologically critical and is also found to be sensitive both to the spacing between the constrictions and the oscillatory nature of the inflow profile. The flow separation zone on the downstream constriction is seen to detach from the diverging wall of the constriction leading to vortex shedding with 3D features earlier than that on the wall in the spacing between the two constrictions. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mössbauer studies on some new magnetic oxides

Three new magnetic oxides have been synthesised, viz., Li₂Fe₃VO₈, YFe₃TiO₈ and CaFe₃VO₈. XRD studies show that the first compound has a cubic symmetry of spinel type while the latter two show orthorhombic symmetry. All the three compounds are magnetic at room temperature, however, the first compound shows a large magnetic moment as compared to the other two. Their Mössbauer spectra at room temperature show distinct hyperfine split spectral lines. The present preliminary investigation indicates that the long range order is ferrimagnetic in Li₂Fe₃VO₈ and CaFe₃VO₈ while in YFe₃TiO₈ it is more likely to be canted antiferromagnetic.     

Pit your wits against young minds!

This column is a place for those bits of contagious mathematics that travel from person to person in the community, because they are so elegant, suprising, or appealing that one has an urge to pass them on. Contributions are most welcome.     

Use of the Apparent Content Curves for the spectrophotometric identification of substances: identification of amphetamines

The possibility of identification of substances which have similar spectral behaviour by means of Apparent Content Curves has been studied. This study is carried out with absorption, excitation and emission spectra of several amphetamines of widespread pharmaceutical use. Results obtained show that amphetamine, phenylpropanolamine, pseudoephedrine, phenylephrine, epinephrine, dopamine and methoxyamphetamine can be identified with a probability of >95%.     

Comparison of four quantification methods for the determination of PCB in transformer oils

The analysis of PCB in transformer oils has been achieved with three HRGC/ECD based methods, proposed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC/TC 10), by the Comité Européen de Normalisation (CEN/TC 19/WG 22) and by the Deutsches Institut für Normung (DIN 51 527). The same clean-up, described in the CEN/TC 19/WG 22, has been used for all the samples, allowing a comparison of the quantification procedure only. The total chlorine content has also been determined with X-ray fluorescence. These different methods of quantification are compared and their application for legislative purposes is discussed.Dedicated to Professor Dr Dieter Klockow on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

Structural changes in discotic samples during transition from crystal to discotic mesophase as revealed by electron microscopy and diffraction

Classical methods of structural analysis cannot be applied to liquid crystals because higher order reflections disappear during the transition from crystal to liquid crystal due to the reduction in long range orientational and translational correlations. However, in order to relate physical properties to the molecular architecture, it is essential to have information about molecular positions and orientations in the crystalline state as well as in the liquid crystalline state. In this work, the transition from crystalline to liquid crystalline phase is carefully monitored and the relationship between the original lattice and the new molecular positions found using electron diffraction. In addition to this, a new high resolution electron-microscopic technique is described in which the positions of molecules in the crystalline and the quenched discotic phase are directly imaged and the defects observed in the crystalline and LC phase compared and quantitatively analysed.     

Di[2-(4-substituted-phenyl)-3-mercapto-propenato]-nickel(II) complexes. Metallo-mesogens exhibiting broad nematic ranges

Di[2-(4-substituted-phenyl)-3-mercapto-propenato]-nickel(II) complexes have been synthesized and investigated. All of them are mesomorphic; they have nematic phases with wide ranges and typical Schlieren textures.