Light scattering of nanocrystalline TiO2 film used in dye-sensitized solar cells

This paper studies the light scattering and adsorption of nanocrystalline TiO2 porous films used in dye-sensitized solar cells composed of anatase and/or rutile particles by using an optical four-flux radiative transfer model. These light properties are difficult to measure directly on the functioning solar cells and they can not be calculated easily from the first-principle computational or quantitative theoretical evaluations. These simulation results indicate that the light scattering of 1 25 nm TiO2 particles is negligible, but it is effective in the range of 80 and 180 nm. A suitable mixture of small particles （10 nm radius）, which are resulted in a large effective surface, and of larger particles （150 nm radius）, which are effective light scatterers, have the potential to enhance solar absorption significantly. The futile crystals have a larger refractive index and thus the light harvest of the mixtures of such larger rutile and relatively small anatase particles is improved in comparison with that of pure anatase films. The light absorption of the 10μm double-layered films is also examined. A maximal light absorption of double-layered film is gotten when the thickness of the first layer of 10 urn-sized anatase particles is comparable to that of the second larger rutile layer.     

A Graded Quadrivalent Logic for Ordinal Preference Modelling: Loyola–Like Approach

We extend a quadrivalent logic of Belnap to graded truth values in order to handle graded relevance of positive and negative arguments provided in preferential information concerning ranking of a finite set of alternatives. This logic is used to design the preference modelling and exploitation phases of decision aiding with respect to the ranking problem. The graded arguments are presented on an ordinal scale and their aggregation leads to preference model in form of four graded outranking relations (true, false, unknown and contradictory). The exploitation procedure combines the min-scoring procedure with the leximin rule. Aggregation of positive and negative arguments as well as exploitation of the resulting outranking relations is concordant with an advice given by St. Ignatius of Loyola (1548) how to make a good choice.     

Inclusion of Enantiomeric Carvones in β-Cyclodextrin: a Variable Temperature 1H NMR Study in Aqueous Solution

In aqueous solution, the apparent association constant at room temperature for the 1 : 1 inclusion of S-(+)-carvone in - cyclodextrin is double of that for R-(-)-carvone, whereas, at 45 °C, both enantiomers have association constants two orders of magnitude smaller, with the S-(+) inclusion being then slightly weaker than the R-(-) encapsulation. Calculations carried out at the molecular mechanics, AM1 and STO-3G levels confirm the preferential inclusion of the S-enantiomer and provide important clues for understanding chiral discrimination by -cyclodextrin.     

Transfer Operators and State Spaces for Discrete Multidimensional Linear Systems

This paper treats multidimensional discrete input-output systems from the constructive point of view. We adapt and improve recursive algorithms, derived earlier by E. Zerz and the second author from standard Gröbner basis algorithms, for the solution of the canonical Cauchy problem for linear systems of partial difference equations with constant coefficients on the lattices N = ^r1 × ^r2. These recursive algorithms, in turn, furnish four other solution methods for the initial value problem, namely by transfer operators, by canonical Kalman global state equations, by parametrizations of controllable systems and, for systems with proper transfer matrix and left bounded input signals, by convolution with the transfer matrix. In the 2D-case N = ² the last method was studied by S. Zampieri. Minimally embedded systems are studied and give rise to especially simple Kalman equations. The latter also imply a useful characterization of the characteristic or polar variety of the system by eigenvalue spectra. For N = ^r we define reachability of a system and prove that controllability implies reachability, but not conversely. Moreover we solve, in full generality, the modelling problem which was introduced and partially solved by F. Pauer and S. Zampieri. Various algorithms have been implemented by the first author in axiom, and examples are demonstrated by means of computer generated pictures. Related work on state space representations has been done by the Padovian and Groningian system theory schools.     

Maximal inequalities via bracketing with adaptive truncation

The paper provides a recursive interpretation for the technique known as bracketing with adaptive truncation. By way of illustration, a simple bound is derived for the expected value of the supremum of an empirical process, thereby leading to a simpler derivation of a functional central limit theorem due to Ossiander. The recursive method is also abstracted into a framework that consists of only a small number of assumptions about processes and functionals indexed by sets of functions. In particular, the details of the underlying probability model are condensed into a single inequality involving finite sets of functions. A functional central limit theorem of Doukhan, Massart and Rio, for empirical processes defined by absolutely regular sequences, motivates the generalization.     

Finite-element modelling of soil-geogrid interaction dealing with the pullout behaviour of geogrids

A two dimensional plane-stress finite-element type of analysis is presented to predict the behaviour of geogrids embedded in sand under pullout loading conditions. In the analysis the interactions between soil and geogrid are simulated by non-linear springs. The stiffnesses of the springs can be determined from simple tests in a specially designed pullout box. The proposed finite element (FE) analysis is applied to interpret test results from a large scale pullout test rig. The predicted behaviour of the geogrid under pullout load agrees well with the observed data including the load-displacement properties, the displacement distribution along the longitudinal direction and the mobilisation of the frictional and bearing resistance.     

Position of starting spot in TLC: Influence on average plate height

Summary The influence of the distance between the solvent entry and the starting zone positions, Z₀, on the average plate height was studied. This factor was found to be of major importance and could be optimized. The Guiochon and Siouffi model greatly underestimates the plate height for low values of Z₀.     

One-dimensional modelling of TEA CO2 lasers

One-dimensional modelling was applied to a TEA CO₂ laser whose discharge volume was divided into multiple narrow channels. Each of these channels was regarded as a separate laser channel in which a circuit-coupled kinetic model was employed to compute its discharge formation, and a rate-equation model was used to predict its laser output. Such a one-dimensional model could be employed to study the spatial variation in the transverse discharge—due mainly to a one-sided ultraviolet-preionization and the electrode contour—and its effects on the laser output. Reasonably good agreement was obtained between the one-dimensional model and the experiment, which employed a pair of Ernst profile electrodes.     

The network approach to calculation of characteristic time constants of the flat two-layer superconducting cable

The matrix method was used to investigate the process of current decay in the samples of flat two-layer superconducting cables. The discrete spectrum of eigen-frequencies has been obtained. Each of these frequencies determines the rate of decay of the correspondent eigen-current. Despite of the increasing of the number of eigen-frequencies with the enlargement of the sample dimensions the spectrum remains finite, as the maximum and minimum frequencies tend to finite limits. An analysis made for the lowest eigen-frequencies showed the corresponding eigen-currents to be slowly decaying long current loops. Within the range of high frequencies the sinusoidal distribution of eigen-currents in the rows of the cable was observed.