Dependence of the Methane Decomposition Factor in Cold Electron-Beam Plasma upon Input Power

A device for creating a cold nonequilibrium electron-beam plasma in a supersonic gas flow has been developed. A method proposed for generating this plasma is described. It has been established that methane is activated by direct electron impact in electron-beam plasma under specified conditions. It has been shown that applying an external electromagnetic field leads to a significant increase in the methane decomposition factor due to the involvement of secondary, low-energy beam electrons accelerated in the electromagnetic field.     

Facile synthesis of isomerically pure fullerenols C60(OH)5Br and 1,4-C60(OH)2 from chlorofullerene C60Cl6

The chlorofullerene C₆₀Cl₆ was demonstrated as a versatile precursor for the synthesis of two isomerically pure fullerenols via tetrabutylammonium bromide promoted reactions with water. Performing the synthesis in wet chlorobenzene produced 1,4-C₆₀(OH)₂ as the only isolable product along with substantial amounts of non-functionalized C₆₀. However, the addition of DMSO as a co-solvent altered the reaction pathway, leading to the formation of C₆₀(OH)₅Br as the main product. Both isolated compounds were novel and their molecular compositions and structures were confirmed by mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. The fullerenol C₆₀(OH)₅Br, which was formed in a moderate yield, represents the first isomerically pure polyhydroxylated fullerene available on a large scale.     

Modern application packages for rigorous solution of problems of light propagation in anisotropic layered media: II. Optically active crystals

The matrix Δ suggested by Berreman for optically active crystals of various symmetry classes has been calculated with the use of the Mathematica-4.1 package. It is shown that the eigenvalues of this matrix are the refractive indices, whereas its eigenvectors determine the polarization states of eigenwaves propagating in the crystal. The relation between the components of the gyration tensors obtained on the basis of various constitutive equations is established. The essential differences in the optical activity described on the basis of these equations are also discussed.     

Nitrone cycloadditions to 1,2-diphenylcyclopropenes and subsequent transformations of the isoxazolidine cycloadducts

1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition of C-aryl,N-aryl (or N-methyl) nitrones with a number of 1,2-diphenylcyclopropenes substituted at the C(3) position occurs with the formation of expected "normal" cycloadducts (with N-methylnitrones) and products of their subsequent transformations. Among them are corresponding alpha-acetophenyl aziridines and tetra (or penta) -arylpyrroles. Aziridines and the normal cycloadducts can be also thermally converted to such arylpyrroles with moderate to good yields. Substitution at the C(3( position of cyclopropenes by an electron acceptor group decreases the reactivity of cyclopropenes.     

Rheological evidence for the existence of subphases in the liquid crystalline 4-n-alkoxybenzoic acids

The rheological behaviour of the homologous series, the alkyloxybenzoic acids, has been studied at steady flow and small amplitude oscillatory shear. The temperature dependencies of the viscosity were compared with differential scanning calorimetry data in order to estimate pretransitional phenomena in mesophases. The values of the viscosity and flow activation energy (E) can be indicative of the mesophase state. 4-n-pentyloxybenzoic acid yields a classic nematic (N) phase while the next homologues show a cybotactic nematic phase having a higher E value. The N phase is a Newtonian fluid of lower viscosity than that of the isotropic phase. The cybotactic nematic phase by its rheological properties takes an intermediate position between the N phase and a smectic C (SmC) phase. The SmC phase is a viscoelastic and viscoplastic medium. The SmC phase of 4-n-octyloxy-, 4-n-nonyloxy-, 4-n-decyloxy- and 4-n-dodecyloxybenzoic acid can exist in high- and low-ordered states. The more ordered smectic phase is characterised by higher stiffness, viscosity and yield stress than those of the less ordered. The SmC phase of 4-n-hexadecyloxybenzoic acid is characterised by the only state with unstable value of apparent viscosity. The phase state and the transition temperature can be dependent on the thermal history of the sample and a mechanical shear.     

Experimental and Computational Analysis of the Solvent‐Dependent O2/Li+‐O2− Redox Couple: Standard Potentials,Coupling Strength,and Implications for Lithium–Oxygen Batteries

Understanding and controlling the kinetics of O₂ reduction in the presence of Li⁺‐containing aprotic solvents, to either Li⁺‐O₂⁻ by one‐electron reduction or Li₂O₂ by two‐electron reduction, is instrumental to enhance the discharge voltage and capacity of aprotic Li‐O₂ batteries. Standard potentials of O₂/Li⁺‐O₂⁻ and O₂/O₂⁻ were experimentally measured and computed using a mixed cluster‐continuum model of ion solvation. Increasing combined solvation of Li⁺ and O₂⁻ was found to lower the coupling of Li⁺‐O₂⁻ and the difference between O₂/Li⁺‐O₂⁻ and O₂/O₂⁻ potentials. The solvation energy of Li⁺ trended with donor number (DN), and varied greater than that of O₂⁻ ions, which correlated with acceptor number (AN), explaining a previously reported correlation between Li⁺‐O₂⁻ solubility and DN. These results highlight the importance of the interplay between ion–solvent and ion–ion interactions for manipulating the energetics of intermediate species produced in aprotic metal–oxygen batteries.     

Heat transfer in the plastic phases I and II of cyclopentane

Thermal conductivity of solid cyclopentane C₅H₁₀ has been measured at isochoric conditions in the plastic phases I and II for samples of different densities. Isochoric thermal conductivity is nearly constant in phase II and increases with temperature in phase I. Such behaviour is attributed to weakening of the translational orientational coupling which, in turn, leads to a decrease of phonon scattering on rotational excitations. The experimental data are described in terms of a modified Debye model of thermal conductivity with allowance for heat transfer by both low-frequency phonons and diffusive modes.