Perfect-Fluid Sources for the Levi-Civita Metric II

A regular static interior solution of Einstein’s field equations representing a perfect fluid cylinder of finite radius is presented. The solution is matched to the Levi-Civita vacuum solution at a boundary where the pressure vanishes. The density and pressure are finite and positive inside the cylinder for a specific range of the mass parameter. The solution could thus represent a reasonable source for the Levi-Civita metric.     

A ghost fluid Lattice Boltzmann method for complex geometries

A ghost fluid Lattice Boltzmann method (GF‐LBM) is developed in this study to represent complex boundaries in Lattice Boltzmann simulations of fluid flows. Velocity and density values at the ghost points are extrapolated from the fluid interior and domain boundary via obtaining image points along the boundary normal inside the fluid domain. A general bilinear interpolation algorithm is used to obtain values at image points which are then extrapolated to ghost nodes thus satisfying hydrodynamic boundary conditions. The method ensures no‐penetration and no‐slip conditions at the boundaries. Equilibrium distribution functions at the ghost points are computed using the extrapolated values of the hydrodynamic variables, while non‐equilibrium distribution functions are extrapolated from the interior nodes. The method developed is general, and is capable of prescribing Dirichlet as well as Neumann boundary conditions for pressure and velocity. Consistency and second‐order accuracy of the method are established by running three test problems including cylindrical Couette flow, flow between eccentric rotating cylinders and flow over a cylinder in a confined channel. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Free (open) boundary condition: some experiences with viscous flow simulations

The free (or open) boundary condition (FBC, OBC) was proposed by Papanastasiou et al. (A new outflow boundary condition, International Journal for Numerical Methods in Fluids, 1992; 14:587–608) to handle truncated domains with synthetic boundaries where the outflow conditions are unknown. In the present work, implementation of the FBC has been tested in several benchmark problems of viscous flow in fluid mechanics. The FEM is used to provide numerical results for both cases of planar and axisymmetric domains under laminar, isothermal or non‐isothermal, steady‐state conditions, for Newtonian fluids. The effects of inertia, gravity, compressibility, pressure dependence of the viscosity, slip at the wall, and surface tension are all considered individually in the extrudate‐swell benchmark problem for a wide range of the relevant parameters. The present results extend previous ones regarding the applicability of the FBC and show cases where the FBC is inappropriate, namely in the extrudate‐swell problem with gravity or surface‐tension effects. Particular emphasis has been given to the pressure at the outflow, which is the most sensitive quantity of the computations. In all cases where FBC is appropriate, excellent agreement has been found in comparisons with results from very long domains. The formulation for Picard‐type iterations is given in some detail, and the differences with the Newton–Raphson formulation are highlighted regarding some computational aspects. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Inducing anisotropy in bulk Nd-Fe-Co-Al-B nanocrystalline alloys by quenching in magnetic field

We have observed magnetic anisotropy in bulk Nd_55−xCo_xFe₃₀Al₁₀B₅ (x=10, 15 and 20) alloys prepared by copper mold suction casting method with a presence of external magnetic field (quenching field) μ₀H=0.25 T. By changing direction of the measuring field from perpendicular to parallel one in comparison with that of the quenching field, coercive force of the alloys slightly decreases while remanent magnetization and squareness of hysteresis loop increase more clearly. It is also found that the higher Co-concentration in the alloys the larger magnetic anisotropy is induced. The structure analyses manifest nanocrystalline particles embedded in residual amorphous matrix of the alloys. The size of the particles is in range of 10-30 nm and their crystalline phases consist of Nd₂(Fe,Co)₁₄B, Nd₃Co, Nd₃Al, NdAl₂ and Nd.     

常压下玉米秸秆液化工艺的优化及其生物油分析

随着化石能源的日益短缺，可再生木质生物质资源的利用越来越受到重视，常压液化技术是生物质资源高效利用的主要方式之一。利用单因素方法，探讨液化温度、复配液化剂二甘醇（DEG）与1,2-丙二醇（PG）的混合比、液固比、催化剂磷酸的用量、反应时间等因素对玉米秸秆液化得率的影响，以便优化其液化工艺；然后采用热重分析仪（TGA）、气相色谱-质谱技术（GC-MS）和核磁共振（NMR）技术对此优化条件下所得生物油的挥发降解特性和主要组成成分进行了检测探讨。分析表明，玉米秸秆液化时优化工艺参数为：液化温度170 ℃，液化剂DEG与PG混合比1∶2，液固比5∶1，H₃PO₄用量10%，反应时间45 min；此时玉米秸秆液化得率高至99.50%。TGA结果表明，此条件下所得生物油含有80%以上碳数小于25的化合物，热解后最终残炭量约为15%。GC-MS表明，可以检测出此生物油中含有的39种有机物，其中，醇类有机物的含量最多，酚类有机物的含量次之，它们相对含量依次是70.70%和25.63%，其还含有一定量的有机酸（2.80%）、醚类（0.64%）、酯类（0.10%）和酮类（0.13%）等有机物；其组分十分复杂，高含氧量，稳定性较差。1H-和13C-NMR分析表明，不同化学位移δ与生物油中不同类型的质子和碳原子相对应，明确生物油中不同类型H和C的分布，有利于对其分子结构进行深入探讨。这些研究为非木材生物质高效液化条件的选择及液化产物制备化学品和生物燃油给予理论基础与应用支持，促进了生物质资源的有效转化利用及其生物质基产品的开发。     

Simulation of viscoelastic fluids in a 2D abrupt contraction by spectral element method

This study presents the vortex structure and numerical instability increase occurring when the level of elasticity is enhanced in inertial flows in planar contraction configuration for finitely extensible nonlinear elastic model by Peterlin (FENE‐P) fluid 1 . The re‐entrant corner effect on corner vortices is also considered. The calculations are performed using extended matrix logarithm formulation described in a previous paper: A. Jafari et al. A new extended matrix logarithm formulation for the simulation of viscoelastic fluids by spectral elements. Computer & Fluids 2010; 39 (9):1425–1438. In that reference, the proposed algorithm has been tested for simple geometry such as Poiseuille flow. In this study, we are interested in the capability of this algorithm for more complex geometry. This formulation helps to reach higher values of the Weissenberg number when compared with the classical one. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Versatile Electronic,Magnetic and Photo-Electro Catalytic Activity of a New 2D MA2Z4 Family**

The recent successful growth of MoSi₂N₄ and WSi₂N₄ monolayers led to the discovery of a new class of the two-dimensional (2D) MA₂Z₄ materials with no known 3D layered allotropes, which renders great possibilities to integrate diverse properties by proper design of sandwiched “MZ₂” building blocks and “A−Z” passivation layers. In this work, the dynamic stability, electronic properties, and surface reactivity of the new MA₂Z₄ family, in which M is Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, A refers to Si or Ge, and Z is N, P or As, is theoretically probed. Among the proposed 54 possible combinations, about 42 compositions are dynamically stable, which vary from non-magnetic, anti-ferromagnetic, to ferromagnetic semiconductors, metals and half-metals. In particular, the VB (V, Nb, Ta) MA₂Z₄ possesses robust intrinsic ferromagnetism that is essential for spintronics applications. In regard to surface activity, most MA₂Z₄, particularly N- or P-terminated IVB and VB MA₂Z₄, have high catalytic potential for hydrogen evolution, and the ▵G_H of non-magnetic MA₂Z₄ is highly correlated to the highest occupied p electronic states of the surface Z atoms. The photocatalytic activity is also evaluated. MoSi₂N₄ and WSi₂N₄ within 4 % tensile strain are capable of photocatalytic overall water splitting. The findings indicate the new 2D MA₂Z₄ family has fascinating properties and possesses strong potential for applications but not limited to electronics, spintronics and catalysts, which will stimulate the interests of experimental synthesis.