Mean wind in convective turbulence of mercury

The large-scale circulation, often called "wind," in the confined thermal turbulence of mercury is studied experimentally. The instantaneous velocity profile at 128 points is directly measured using ultrasonic velocimetry. The periodic velocity oscillation is observed in the case of the aspect-ratio Gamma = 1,2 but not in Gamma = 0.5. Its peak frequency is scaled by f(c) proportional Ra(gamma(c)), where Ra is the Rayleigh number and gamma(c) = 0.43,0.45 for Gamma = 1,2. f(c) is close to the wind circulation frequency f(p), and has the same order of transit time from the bottom to the top of the convection cell. A single roll circulation is expected in Gamma = 1; however, axisymmetric toroidal rings may exist near the upper and lower plate for Gamma = 0.5, which are stable up to Ra = 7 x 10 (10).     

On-chip electrochemical measurement of beta-galactosidase expression using a microbial chip

[small beta]-Galactosidase expression in a small number of Escherichia coli cells has been measured in real time with an electrochemical sensor chip. E. coli cells were embedded using collagen gel within a micropore which was microfabricated onto a chip. The activity of the expressed [small beta]-galactosidase was determined using p-aminophenyl [small beta]-d-galactopyranoside (PAPG) as a substrate.     

Fabrication of vertically and unidirectionally oriented polypeptide assemblies on self-assembled monolayers by stepwise polymerization

A polypeptide assembly prepared by stepwise polymerization on a self-assembled monolayer consisting of amino-alkanethiol and dialkyl disulfide oriented vertically and unidirectionally to the surface.     

In-situ monitoring of a film preparation process for hydroxypropyl cellulose cast from isotropic aqueous solution using microdielectrometry

Solid cast films with polydomain textures were prepared on a glass substrate with transparent interdigitated electrodes from an isotropic aqueous solution of hydroxypropyl cellulose via its liquid crystalline phase under the sinusoidal electric field with small amplitude and frequency of 0.05 V µm^-1 and 10⁵ Hz, respectively. The process was monitored using microdielectrometry as well as polarised optical microscopy. The apparent dielectric constant ε_r' and loss factor ε_r' sensitively changed with time depending on the process conditions. On the other hand, the logarithmic relation between ε_r' and ε_r' showed a single curve, when they were normalised by an effective portion of the electrostatic energy density estimated using each solid-film thickness. The conversion to the solid film was estimated during the process based on the concentration dependences of ε_r' and ε_r'. Characteristic times were reported for the onset of the biphasic phase, fully developed cholesteric phase and termination of the process.     

Effect of swirling flow on unburned ratio and nitrogen oxide concentration in a spray combustion system

The effect of swirling flow on the unburned ratio and NO concentration in exhausted gas was studied for slurry [coal-water mixture (CWM)] spray combustion with variations of swirl numbers. A numerical analysis for CWM combustion was performed for axisymmetric flow in a cylindrical geometry. First, to check the performance of three previous k-ε turbulence models modified with swirling flow, velocity components of isothermal swirling jets were measured by laser-Doppler anemometry (LDA) and compared with predicted results. The two modified models gave more reliable results than the conventional one. Next, as the swirl number could not be estimated by the angular momentum derived from the vane angle of the circular swirler, the reduction rate of the tangential momentum flux through the tube of the circular swirler was measured and calculated. Both measured and predicted results showed that when the swirl number S′ given by the vane angle was 2.0, the effective swirl number S_eff decreased by about 60% to S′. To take the results mentioned above into consideration, effects of swirl number on both the exhausted NO concentration and unburned ratio were investigated. The predicted unburned ratio showed good agreement with the experimental results. Both experimental and calculated results showed that the optimum operating conditions controlling the exhausted NO concentration and unburned ratio in this spray combustion system were obtained when the swirl number S_eff was about 0.5.     

Miscibility and volume changes of mixing in the polystyrene/poly(2-chlorostyrene) blend system

The specific volume-temperature relationships of polystyrene, poly(2-chlorostyrene), and their polymer blends as well as the volume change of mixing Δv_m of the blends were obtained in the liquid state by dilatometry. The equation of state parameter and the molecular parameter of each homopolymer and blends were determined according to the lattice fluid theory of Sanchez and Lacombe. The experimental Δv_m obtained agreed quite well with that predicted from theory, and the enthalpy of mixing ΔH_m was also predicted using the pair molecular parameter. These two values were negative, indicative of miscibility of polystyrene and poly(2-chlorostyrene) in the liquid state. The absolute values of Δv_m and ΔH_m were about twice those for polystyrene and poly(phenylene oxide) blend, suggesting a specific interaction between the two polymers.     

Structure of the vinyldiazomethyl anion and energetic comparison to the cyclic isomers

The 351.1 nm photoelectron spectrum of the vinyldiazomethyl anion has been measured. The ion is generated through the reaction of the allyl anion with N(2)O in helium buffer gas in a flowing afterglow source. The spectrum exhibits the vibronic structure of the vinyldiazomethyl radical in its electronic ground state as well as in the first excited state. Electronic structure calculations have been performed for these molecules at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory. A Franck-Condon simulation of the X (2)A' state portion of the spectrum has been carried out using the geometries and normal modes of the anion and radical obtained from these calculations. The simulation unambiguously shows that the ions predominantly have an E conformation. The electron affinity (EA) of the radical has been determined to be 1.864 +/- 0.007 eV. Vibrational frequencies of 185 +/- 10 and 415 +/- 20 cm(-1) observed in the spectrum have been identified as in-plane CCN bending and CCC bending modes, respectively, for the X (2)A' state. The spectrum for the A (2)A' state is broad and structureless, reflecting large geometry differences between the anion and the radical, particularly in the CCN angle, as well as vibronic coupling with the X (2)A' state. The DFT calculations have also been used to better understand the mechanism of the allyl anion reaction with N(2)O. Collision-induced dissociation of the structural isomer of the vinyldiazomethyl anion, the 1-pyrazolide ion, has been examined, and energetics of the structural isomers is discussed.