Velocity fluctuations in laminar fluid flow

Fluctuating hydrodynamics, originally developed for fluctuations in fluids in equilibrium, can be extended to deal also with thermally excited hydrodynamic fluctuations in non-equilibrium states. After first reviewing some results earlier obtained for temperature fluctuations in fluids subjected to an externally imposed temperature gradient, we use in this paper fluctuating hydrodynamics to determine the enhancement of velocity fluctuations in laminar fluid flow. Adopting the case of planar Couette flow as a representative example, we show how the fluctuations of the wall-normal component of the velocity and of the wall-normal component of the vorticity can be obtained as solutions of a stochastic Orr–Sommerfeld equation and a stochastic Squire equation, respectively. By solving these fluctuating hydrodynamic equations we obtain quantitative estimates of the flow-induced non-equilibrium enhancements of the velocity and vorticity fluctuations as a function of the Reynolds number and of the wave number of the fluctuations.     

Low-frequency velocity correlation spectrum of fluid in a rectangular microcapillary

In addition to the fast correlation for local stochastic motion, the velocity correlation function in a fluid enclosed within the pore boundaries features a slow long time-tail decay. At late times, the flow approaches that of an incompressible fluid. Here, we consider the motion of a viscous fluid, at constant temperature, in a rectangular semipermeable channel. The fluid is driven through the rectangular capillary by a uniform main pressure gradient. Tiny pressure gradients are allowed perpendicular to the main flux. We solve numerically the three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations for the velocity field to obtain the steady solution. We then set and solve the Langevin equation for the fluid velocity. We report hydrodynamic fluctuations for the center-line velocity together with the corresponding relaxation times as a function of the size of the observing region and the Reynolds number. The effective diffusion coefficient for the fluid in the microchannel is also estimated (Deff = 1.43 x 10(-10) m2.s-1 for Re = 2), which is in accordance with measurements reported for a similar system (Stepisnik, J.; Callaghan, P. T. Physica B 2000, 292, 296-301; Stepisnik, J.; Callaghan, P. T. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2001, 19, 469-472).     

Development of a sequential injection analysis system for the potentiometric determination of nitrite in meat products by using a Gran’s plot method

A method was developed for in vitro dissolution and ICP-AES based determination of cadmium (Cd) for evaluating its bioaccessibility in herbal medicines to investigate the utility of this test for toxicological assessments. The bioaccessible Cd content of five commonly consumed and Cd-accumulating herbal medicines was determined by in vitro dissolution test with a biorelevant medium simulating gastric conditions. Cd levels were determined by a validated ICP-AES method. In all 5 herbal medicines, the total amount of Cd in herbal medicines was not proportional to the bioaccessible Cd content, which varied from 23.0% to 54.9%. The Cd tolerance limit was exceeded by four of the five herbal medicines in terms of total Cd content, but by only one of these in terms of bioaccessible Cd content. Assessments based on total content may overestimate the risk of Cd toxicity from herbal medicines. Assessing bioaccessibility by in vitro dissolution test coupled with ICP-AES method may be a more appropriate means of determining the safety of herbal medicines containing Cd.     

Silica-based powders and monoliths with bimodal pore systems

Porous pure and doped silicas with pore sizes at two length scales (meso/macroporous) have been prepared and shaped both as powders and monoliths through a one-pot surfactant assisted procedure by using a simple template agent and starting from atrane complexes as inorganic precursors.     

Structural and electronic behavior of Sr2GdRuO6 complex perovskite

We report experimental and theoretical study of crystallographic lattice and electronic structure of Sr₂GdRuO₆ complex perovskite, which is used as precursor in the fabrication process of superconducting ruthenocuprate RuSr₂GdCu₂O₈. Samples were produced by the standard solid state reaction. Rietveld refinement of experimental X-ray diffraction patterns shows that material crystallizes in a monoclinic structure, which belongs to the P2₁/n (#14) space group, with lattice parameters , , , and tilt angle β=90.258. Calculations of electronic structure were performed by the density functional theory. The exchange and correlation potentials were included through the LDA+U approximation. Density of states (DOS) study was carried out considering the two spin polarizations. Results show Gd are majority responsible for the magnetic character in this material, but Ru contribution is also relevant because d-orbital is closer to Fermi level. Theoretical results evidence that Sr₂GdRuO₆ material behaves as a magnetic semiconductor, with 20μ_B effective magnetic moment.     

Nanoparticulated silicas with bimodal porosity: chemical control of the pore sizes

Nanoparticulated bimodal porous silicas (NBSs) with pore systems structured at two length scales (meso- and large-meso-/macropores) have been prepared through a one-pot surfactant-assisted procedure by using a simple template agent and starting from silicon atrane complexes as hydrolytic inorganic precursors. The final bulk materials are constructed by an aggregation of pseudospherical mesoporous primary nanoparticles process, over the course of which the interparticle (textural) large pore system is generated. A fine-tuning of the procedural variables allows not only an adjustment of the processes of nucleation and growth of the primary nanoparticles but also a modulation of their subsequent aggregation. In this way, we achieve good control of the porosity of both the intra- and interparticle pore systems by managing independent variables. We analyze in particular the regulating role played by two physicochemical variables: the critical micelar concentration (cmc) of the surfactant and the dielectric constant of the reaction medium.