On confinement characteristics of the newly developed sawtooth-free plasmas in KSTAR tokamak

Development of advanced scenarios, an important experimental goal of the Korea superconducting tokamak advanced research (KSTAR) project, has just begun. The safety factor (q) profile is a key to achieve these advanced scenarios. Particularly the hybrid scenario, one of the advanced scenarios, can be established generally with low magnetic shear (s) at the center with central q-value above unity so to avoid sawtooth instability. This q-profile was successfully produced using early divertor formation during a plasma current ramp-up phase in KSTAR. Auxiliary heating was also employed during the current ramp-up phase to delay the inductive current diffusion to the center of the plasma. In addition to the early divertor formation method, the target q-profile was attempted to be achieved by modifying the plasma current waveform using the so-called, ‘current-overshoot’ method and the timing of L-mode to H-mode transition. In this work, the confinement characteristics of these sawtooth-free regimes are investigated. The global energy confinement time is calculated and compared with that of conventional H-modes in KSTAR. The confinement enhancement factor reveals that the newly developed discharges are not improved over H-modes contrary to results of other tokamaks. To investigate the reason, transport modeling is performed self-consistently with an integrated simulation package incorporating plasma equilibrium, transport, and heating and current drive. The current ramp-up phase is simulated and impact of early divertor formation, current-overshoot, and early L–H transition on the target q-profile and s/q profile is addressed. The s/q profile is found to be not improved in these discharges compared with hybrid scenarios reported in other tokamaks. Based on these results, future experimental directions are addressed to access the hybrid regimes in KSTAR.     

RELAXATION IN DOMAINS:STRUCTURE AND SEGMENTAL DYNAMICS OF LC/I DIBLOCK COPOLYMERS

A series of block copolymers consisting of an isotropic (polystyrene) block and a side-chain liquid crystallineblock (LC) have been studied using small-angle X-ray scattering and dielectric spectroscopy. The triblock copolymer (PS-LC-PS) displays an order-to-order transition (OOT) together with the isotropic/nematic transition of the LC phase. The seriesof diblock copolymers show no clear OOT but the phase diagram differs from that of non-LC block copolymers. Thesegmental dynamics as measured with dielectric spectroscopy is dominated by the α and δ relaxation of the LC block. Bothdisplay a WLF like temperature dependence. The relaxation times are influenced by the constraints of the nanoscale domains.They are decreased for the LC confined in the domain as compared to the LC in the continuous matrix.     

2H-NMR CHARACTERIZATION OF CLAY DISPERSION AND CONFINEMENT EFFECT ON PROBE MOLECULES IN RUBBER/CLAY NANOCOMPOSITE-GELS

 ²H-NMR spectroscopy of the probe molecule, deuterated benzene, was applied to characterize organo-clay dispersion and confinement effect on the local motion of benzene in rubber/clay nanocomposite-gels. The observed ²H line shapes of benzene in intercalated and exfoliated nanocomposites were obviously different, which can be used to estimate clay-dispersion quality. ²H-NMR line shapes also reflect the different influence of intercalated or exfoliated layered-silicates on local motions of benzene, implying that probe molecules exhibit different local motions depending on different confined geometry in these nanocomposites. Viscosity measurements further confirmed these NMR results.     

Conformational properties and dynamics of protein-like chains confined in an infinite cylinder

In this paper the conformational properties and dynamics of protein-like lattice chains confined in an infinite cylinder are investigated by using Monte Carlo simulation method and the hybrid (3 1 0) lattice model. When the diameter of infinite cylinder D is greater than 0.5-0.7R_F, the shape of protein-like chains remains unchanged, here Flory radius R_F is R_F = 3.0N^0.6. When D < 0.5R_F, the confinement of the cylinder help to form the helices, however, it hinders to form the coils, and the shape of protein-like chains changes from sphere-like structure to rod-like one. Different confinements affect distinctly to form the secondary structure of proteins. There exist a different dynamics behavior between protein-like chains confined in an infinite cylinder and general protein-like chains without confinement. These investigations may provide some insights into the influence of crowding condition to the conformation properties and dynamics of proteins.     

椭圆高双折射光子晶体光纤的双折射及损耗研究

提出了一种椭圆型高双折射光子晶体光纤,并采用多极法分析各结构参量对模式基模模场、双折射、损耗特性的影响.结果表明:改变椭圆型空气孔的椭圆率和包层椭圆率的大小,在波长1 550nm处,该光纤可获得2.26×10-3的双折射,限制损耗为2.8×10-3dB/km,且此时x偏振方向和y偏振方向相差数十倍,有利于光信号偏振传输,可用于制造偏振单模传输的保偏光纤;在1 300~1 500nm的波长范围内,该光纤有稳定的大小为10-6的低损耗.     

MOF衍生碳基电催化剂限域催化O2还原和CO2还原反应

化石燃料的大量消耗和环境的逐渐恶化导致迫切需要开发和探索有效的能源转换和存储技术. 电化学是各种能源转换装置的基础和关键. 设计和合成具有高催化活性的非贵金属基和非金属基催化剂是最好的选择. 金属有机骨架(MOF)衍生的碳基材料具有比表面积大、 孔隙率高的特点, 可以选择性地限制不同类型的金属. 因此, MOF衍生碳作为催化剂载体使用时具有良好的限域效应, 有利于提高催化剂的活性和稳定性. 本文综合评述了MOF衍生材料在催化反应中的限域效应, 并介绍了MOF衍生碳基材料在氧还原反应(ORR)和二氧化碳还原反应(CO₂RR)电催化方面的最新进展, 揭示了MOF碳基材料在电催化反应中的构效关系. 最后, 讨论了MOF衍生的碳基材料在ORR和CO₂RR电催化中的挑战和机遇, 以及未来可能的解决方案.     

Visible-Light-Reactive Single-Chain Nanoparticles

We introduce a single-chain nanoparticle (SCNP) system capable of catalyzing the photooxidation of nonpolar alkenes up to three times more efficiently than an equivalent small-molecule photosensitizer at an identical concentration. Specifically, we construct a polymer chain constituted of poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate and glycidyl methacrylate which we compact via multifunctional thiol-epoxide ligation and functionalize with Rose Bengal ( RB ) in a one pot reaction, affording SCNPs with a hydrophilic shell and hydrophobic photocatalytic regions. Photooxidation of the internal alkene in oleic acid proceeds under green light. RB confined within the SCNP is three times more effective for nonpolar alkenes than free RB in solution, which we hypothesize is due to the spatial proximity of the photosensitizing units to the substrate in the hydrophobic region. Our approach demonstrates that SCNP based catalysts can afford enhanced photocatalysis via confinement effects in a homogeneous reaction environment.     

Organohydrogels with High-Speed Lubrication by Confining Polymer Chain Mobility by an Interpenetrated Heteronetwork

Hydrogels with pure hydrophilic network have received much attention due to their excellent low frictional behavior. However, the lubrication performance of hydrogels is not satisfied under high-speed condition due to the energy dissipation caused by adsorbed polymer chains as well as the failure of lubricating mechanisms accompanied by the transition of lubrication regime. In this work, interpenetrating double-network organohydrogels were constructed by combining hydrophilic and oleophilic polymer networks to modify the physiochemical properties of surface polymer chains, especially the chain mobility. The oleophilic polymer network spatially restricting the mobility of the swollen hydrophilic network in water, resulted in a low coefficient of friction (ca. 0.01) compared with conventional hydrogels at high speed (0.1 m s⁻¹). Meanwhile, the organohydrogels had superior wear resistance, with almost no wear observed on the sliding track after 5 k cycles of rubbing at high speed. The design concept of organohydrogels can be extended to a variety of low-wear, highly-lubricating materials.