Observation of immobilized water molecules around hydrophobic groups

We have used femtosecond midinfrared spectroscopy to study the orientational mobility of water molecules in the hydration shells of hydrophobic groups. Our results show that hydrophobic groups are surrounded by a number of water molecules that display much slower orientational dynamics than the bulk liquid and that are therefore effectively immobilized. It turns out that each methyl group is surrounded by four immobilized water OH groups.     

Measurement of the tau lepton mass and an upper limit on the mass difference between tau+ and tau-

The mass of the tau lepton has been measured in the decay mode tau-->3pinutau using a pseudomass technique. The result obtained from 414 fb-1 of data collected with the Belle detector is Mtau=[1776.61+/-0.13(stat)+/-0.35(sys)] MeV/c2. The upper limit on the relative mass difference between positive and negative tau leptons is |Mtau+-Mtau-|/Mtau<2.8 x 10-4 at 90% confidence level.     

System size and energy dependence of jet-induced hadron pair correlation shapes in Cu+Cu and Au+Au collisions at square root sNN=200 and 62.4 GeV

We present azimuthal angle correlations of intermediate transverse momentum (1-4 GeV/c) hadrons from dijets in Cu+Cu and Au+Au collisions at square root sNN=62.4 and 200 GeV. The away-side dijet induced azimuthal correlation is broadened, non-Gaussian, and peaked away from Delta phi=pi in central and semicentral collisions in all the systems. The broadening and peak location are found to depend upon the number of participants in the collision, but not on the collision energy or beam nuclei. These results are consistent with sound or shock wave models, but pose challenges to Cherenkov gluon radiation models.     

Study of high-coercivity sintered NdFeB magnets

Magnetic powders for sintered NdFeB magnets have been prepared by using an advanced processing method including strip casting, hydrogen decrepitation, jet milling and rubber isotropic press. The effects of Dy, Ga and Co addition on the microstructure and magnetic properties of sintered magnets have been investigated. By adopting a suitable component ratio and adjusting proper technological parameters, we have prepared high-coercivity sintered NdFeB magnets with hard magnetic properties of _jH_c=25.6 kOe, B_r=13.2 kG and (BH)_max=39.9 MGOe. The temperature coefficient of coercivity of the magnets (between 20 and 150 °C) is –0.53%/°C. The magnetic properties at high temperature satisfy the needs of permanent magnet motors.     

Numerical analyses of flow around airfoils subjected to flow induced vibration

This paper describes extensive computer-based analytical studies on the details of unsteady flow behavior around airfoils subjected to flow induced vibration in turbo-machinery. To consider the time-dependent motions of airfoils, a complete Navier-Stokes solver incorporating a moving mesh based on an analytic solution of motion equation for airfoil translation and rotation was applied. The drag and lift coefficients for the cases of stationary airfoils and airfoils subjected to flow induced vibration were examined. From the numerical results in non-coupling case as out of consideration of the airfoil motion, it was found that the separation vortex consisted of large-scale rolls with axes in the span direction, and rib substructures with axes in the stream direction. In the coupling simulation including the airfoil motion, both the translation and the rotation displacement were gradually increased when the airfoil translation and rotation natural frequencies synchronize exactly with the oscillation frequency of the fluid force. In addition, the transformation from complex structure with rolls and ribs to two-dimensional aspect of only rolls could be visualized in three-dimensional simulation.     

Fabrication and magnetic properties of ordered Fe60Pb40 nanowire arrays electrodeposited in AAO templates

Ordered ferromagnetic-nonmagnetic heterogeneous Fe₆₀Pb₄₀ nanowire arrays were successfully fabricated by alternating current (AC) electrodeposition into nanoporous alumina templates. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image and selected-area diffraction (SAED) pattern analysis showed that the Fe₆₀Pb₄₀ nanowires are polycrystalline with an average diameter of 22 nm and lengths up to several micrometers. X-ray diffraction (XRD) observations indicated that α-Fe and fcc Pb phase coexist and do not form metastable alloy phase. The as-deposited samples were annealed at 200, 300, 400 and 500 ^°C, respectively. Magnetic measurements showed that nanowires have high magnetic anisotropy with their easy axis parallel to the nanowire arrays, and the coercivity of the samples increased with the annealing temperature up to 400 ^°C and reached a maximum (2650 Oe). The change of magnetic properties associated with the microstructure was discussed.     

Surface structure of In/Si(1 1 1) studied by reflection high-energy positron diffraction

We have investigated a quasi-one-dimensional structure of In/Si(1 1 1) surface using reflection high-energy positron diffraction (RHEPD), which is sensitive to the topmost surface structure under the total reflection condition. From the rocking curves, we found that In atoms are located at two different vertical positions, i.e., 0.99 Å and 0.55 Å from the Si zigzag chain in both 4 × 1 (210 K) and 8 × 2 (60 K) phases.     

Percolation Thresholds in Ternary Polymer Melt Blends with Separate Dispersions of the Inner Phases: Mathematical Model

A mathematical model based on a straightforward geometrical background is developed which enables predictions of a transition of one dispersed phase to a cocontinuous one (i.e., the percolation threshold) on addition of another dispersed phase during melt mixing in ternary polymer blends. The present work concerns only ternary blends with two separate dispersions of the inner phases in which no encapsulation takes place. In addition, in order to simplify the model, one of the inner phases was represented by hard, nondeformable microspheres The expression developed describes well an experimental relationship between the percolation threshold, the concentration above which the former dispersed phase transforms to a continuous one, and concentrations of both inner phases. The results agree well with the experimental data obtained in a previous work.