A comparative study on the interaction between tin(II) porphyrin and selected group 8B metals for potential application as reduction catalysts

We study the interaction between tin(II) porphyrin (SnPor) with platinum and non-precious Group 8B metals (iron, cobalt and nickel) by density functional theory and discuss the electronic properties of the resulting products. We also model the interaction of the resulting compounds with water where applicable. Our studies indicate that, SnPor-Ni possesses electronic properties similar to SnPor-Pt, suggesting that it may possess similar photocatalytic properties for reduction reactions, such as converting water to hydrogen gas.     

Improving nucleation in the fabrication of high-quality 3D macro-porous copper film through the surface-modification of a polystyrene colloid-assembled template

A new approach is developed to the fabrication of high-quality three-dimensional macro-porous copper films. A highly-ordered macroporous copper film is successfully produced on a polystyrene sphere (PS) template that has been modified by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). It is shown that this procedure can change a hydrophobic surface of PS template into a hydrophilic surface. The present study is devoted to the influence of the electrolyte solution transport on the nucleation process. It is demonstrated that the permeability of the electrolyte solution in the nanochannels of the PS template plays an important role in the chemical electrodeposition of high-quality macroporous copper film. The permeability is drastically enhanced in our experiment through the surface modification of the PS templates. The method could be used to homogeneously produce a large number of nucleations on a substrate, which is a key factor for the fabrication of the high-quality macroporous copper film.     

Phase transitions in gallium nanodroplets detected by dielectric spectroscopy

Both theoretical and experimental works give evidence that gallium exhibits solid phases labelled , , , besides the stable phase strongly dependent both on the size and the confinement conditions. An experimental technique was used based on capacitance and conductance measurements vs. temperature in the audiofrequency range. This technique is particularly sensitive to the conditions of the investigated particle surface that plays a fundamental role in the melting and more generally in the phase transition processes. In particular the strict relation between the derivative of the capacitance with respect to the temperature, dC/dT, and the entropy of the system is considered. In gallium nanoparticles 20 nm in radius, only the phase is shown to occur. Further the transition to liquid phase was detected. The melting process was found to start about 65 K below the full melting temperature value. In the case of particles 10 nm in radius, where different metastable phases may occur, the capacitance vs. temperature curve was found to display abrupt changes of the slope. The singularities are associated to a well defined transition temperature.     

Pearling instabilities in water-dispersed copolymer cylinders with charged brushes

We investigate the structural behavior of a poly(styrene)-block-poly(acrylic acid) diblock copolymer which forms hexagonally-packed PS cylinders (C-phase) in the melt state. The water dispersion of this structure provides hairy cylinders which comprise a PAA swollen cylindrical brush with a height h tunable via its degree of ionization and the ionic strength in the solution, and a water-free, PS cylindrical core of constant radius R_C. Such system constitutes an out-of-equilibrium frustrated model system: the selective swelling of the PAA brush results in a frustration of the interface curvature, which the ratio h/R_C allows to quantify. Upon heating at a temperature higher than the glass transition temperature of the PS core, the glassiness of the core is relieved and the mechanical constraints arising from the selective swelling of the structure can be relaxed: the cylinders undergo a cylinder-to-sphere transition upon annealing at high temperature, when above a frustration threshold h/R_C 1.8. Thanks to a careful mapping of the transition diagram, an undulating cylindrical morphology (UC) is identified between unchanged cylinders ( h/R_C 1.8) and spheres ( h/R_C 2.0), which appears to result from a Rayleigh-like pearling instability of the copolymer cylinders.     

Preparation of Ca(1−x)EuxGa2S4 crystals and their photoluminescence, absorption and excitation spectra

The single crystal of CaGa₂S₄:Eu is expected as a useful laser material with a high quantum efficiency of light emission. However, as far as our knowledge is concerned, the systematic study of the mixed compounds of Ca_(1−x)Eu_xGa₂S₄ as a function of x has not been reported up to now. Here, we have first constructed the phase diagram of the CaGa₂S₄ and EuGa₂S₄ pseudo binary system, and show that it forms the solid solution. Then we have grown single crystals of these compounds. The maximum photoluminescence efficiency is achieved at x=0.25. From the three peak energies observed in the photoluminescence excitation (PLE) and absorption spectra, the 5d excited states are suggested to consist of three levels arising from the multiplets of Eu²⁺ ions.     

Photoluminescence spectra of rare earth doped CaGa2S4 single crystals

Six kind CaGa₂S₄ single crystals doped with different rare earth (RE) elements are grown by the horizontal Bridgman method, and their photoluminescence (PL) spectra are measured in the temperature range from 10 to 300 K. The PL spectra of Ce or Eu doped crystals have broad line shapes due to the phonon assisted 4f-5d transitions. On the other hand, those of Pr³⁺, Tb³⁺, Er³⁺ or Tm³⁺ doped samples show narrow ones owing to the 4f-4f transitions. The assignments of the electronic levels are made in reference to the reported data of RE 4f multiplets observed in same materials.     

Hybrid passive/active absorbers for flow ducts

A new type of acoustic liner developed for broadband noise reduction in flow ducts is considered in this paper. It combines passive absorbent properties of a porous layer and active control at its rear face. The complete design procedure of this hybrid passive/active liner is developed here. The passive part is first considered with the determination of a suitable porous material and the cut-off frequency separating the active low frequency regime from the passive high frequency one. The control system is then presented: a digital adaptive feedback control is performed independently cell by cell, allowing an easy subsequent increase of the liner surface. The entire optimization process has been successfully applied to a laboratory flow duct: both predictions and measurements show the interest of the hybrid liner to reduce the noise radiation.     

一种双段多层长周期光纤光栅光谱特性研究

长周期光纤光栅(LPFG)传感器具有非常广泛的应用价值,而有效解决物理量交叉敏感问题是其实用化的关键。基于LPFG对包层外介质折射率和厚度的敏感性,提出一种双段多层折射率横向分布结构的新型LPFG传感器的设计,并利用耦合模理论和传输矩阵方法分析了镀膜材料折射率、膜层厚度和镀层长度对新型LPFG传感器光谱特性的影响。软件仿真结果证明,这种LPFG由于结构设计上的特殊性,将使LPFG的谐振峰发生分裂,即一个透射峰分裂为两个。由于两个分裂峰对应力和温度的灵敏度不同,利用该结构的LPFG作为传感器,可以实现温度、应力等物理量的同步测量,从而解决LPFG传感器的交叉敏感问题。     

铈掺杂高钆镥氧化物玻璃制备和光谱性能

实验中采用高温熔融法制备了一系列高钆镥硼硅酸盐新型玻璃体系样品,研究了这种新型玻璃体系的玻璃形成区,测量了样品的玻璃稳定性和密度。结果表明,玻璃体系的玻璃形成区较广,玻璃稳定性良好（析晶温度与转变温度的差为262 ℃）,且玻璃样品的密度达到5 g/cm3。以此种玻璃体系作为基质掺入Ce3+离子,测量其透过光谱、激发光谱、发射光谱、X射线激发发射光谱以及Gd3+离子的衰减时间。结果表明,玻璃的透过性能适合Ce3+离子的掺杂,并且Gd2O3和Lu2O3对闪烁体发光都具有积极的影响,同时研究了Gd3+离子和Ce3+离子的能量传递机理及最佳能量传递掺杂摩尔比。从玻璃的物理性能和光谱性能考虑,这种闪烁玻璃系统具有广泛应用于高能物理材料中的一定潜力。     

MgB2超导圆线基底交流损耗的计算分析

二硼化镁(MgB2)超导体在非铜氧化物陶瓷超导体中具有最高临界转变温度,给超导应用带来了新的契机.铁与镁不反应,且价格低廉,在需要热处理的超导成材工艺中,常常采用铁作MgB2的基底;然而,这种高磁导率的材料有可能增大基底的损耗.本文采用有限元分析软件ANSYS计算了工频下不同材料基底超导圆线传输交流的基底损耗,分析了基底损耗与电流大小、基底厚度之间的关系,对双层基底的损耗也进行了研究.本文的结果对于适当选取截面尺寸、基底材料和工作电流以期减小交流损耗,具有一定参考意义.