Time-, wavelength-, and polarization-resolved measurements of OH (A 2Σ+ ) picosecond laser-induced fluorescence in atmospheric- pressure flames

Laser-induced fluorescence of OH (A ²Σ⁺, v’=1) was measured in hydrogen/oxygen and hydrogen/air/nitrogen flames using laser pulses of 80 psec duration. A 2D signal acquisition scheme simultaneously employed wavelength, temporal, and polarization resolution. The signals emitted in different rotational branches exhibit polarization-dependent intensities, depending on the rotational branch of the absorption line used. It is possible to select experimental conditions such that rotational and vibrational relaxation as well as electronic quenching can be monitored simultaneously. Advantages and limitations of the experimental approach are discussed. Numerical simulations are presented of the LIF spectra affected by energy transfer. Received: 29 March 1999 / Revised version: 14 June 1999 / Published online: 27 October 1999     

A combinatorial sample-preparation robot system using the volumetric-weighing method

We have developed a new automatic sample-preparation robot system with use of the volumetric-weighing method. In this system, slurries, aqueous solutions, and other wet reagents are employed as starting materials and 64 (8×8) samples at the maximum are prepared on a library plate of 35 mm × 35 mm size. Volumetric-weighing and mixing of the starting materials and distributing reaction mixtures to the library plate are automatically performed by computer-controlled mechanisms with an easy-to-use programming software interface. While this robot is designed in terms of space saving and portability, it is able to equip with an atmosphere-controlled furnace to sinter the samples on the library plate. Typical preparation time for a library plate of 36 (6×6) samples is less than 40 min. This robot system is promising in enhancing throughput of wet-chemically synthesized materials researches.     

Structural relaxation and viscous flow in amorphous ZrAlCu

The ternary metallic glass Zr₆₅Al_7.5Cu_27.5 offers a wide temperature range between glass transition temperature and crystallization temperature and is therefore well suited for investigation of the glass transition and the state of the super cooled liquid. The non-linear viscosity change caused by structural relaxation has been measured caused by structural relaxation has been measured using tensile creep experiments on as quenched samples. The increase of viscosity can be described by bimolecular annihilation kinetics of flow defects. The Arrhenius plot of equilibrium viscosity shows a kink at a temperature which seems to be the glass transition temperature. The activation energies of viscous flow below and above that glass transition temperature differ by nearly a factor two. Different microscopic processes responsible for viscous flow in the two regimes of temperature are therefore conceivable. This view is also encouraged by Dynamic-Mechanical-Analysis on relaxed samples, a method to examine the viscoelastic behaviour of glassy materials on different time scales and by recent diffusion measurements on a different system.     

Hydrogenated carbon clusters produced by highly charged ion impact on solid

The emission of small (hydrogenated) carbon cluster ions C_nHm ⁺ (n =2-22) upon highly charged Xe^q+ (q =20-44) impact on C₈₄ surfaces is studied by means of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. The respective stage of hydrogenation/protonation of a certain carbon cluster ion Cn ⁺ is a strong indication for its geometrical structure. From the cluster ion yield as a function of cluster size it can be concluded, that the hydrogenation takes place after the initial carbon cluster formation. The carbon clusters seem to be emitted as an entity in agreement with “equilibrium” and “shock wave” models. Received 4 February 2000     

Three-body hadronic structure of low-lying 1/2+ Σ and Λ resonances⋆

We discuss the dynamical generation of some low-lying 1/2⁺ Σ 's and Λ 's in two-meson one-baryon systems. These systems have been constructed by adding a pion in the S -wave to the ˉN pair and its coupled channels, where the 1/2^- Λ(1405) -resonance gets dynamically generated. We solve Faddeev equations in the coupled-channel approach to calculate the T -matrix for these systems as a function of the total energy and the invariant mass of one of the meson-baryon pairs. This squared T -matrix shows peaks at the energies very close to the masses of the strangeness -1 , 1/2⁺ resonances listed in the particle data book.     

Non-interferometric transient quantitative phase microscopy for ultrafast engineering

Lead-free piezoelectric ceramics Bi_0.5(Na_1-x-yK_xAg_y)_0.5TiO₃ [BNKAT(x/y)] have been synthesized by the mixed oxide method. The effects of the amount of K⁺ and Ag⁺ on the electrical properties were examined. X-ray diffraction patterns indicate that K⁺ and Ag⁺ ions partially substitute for the Na⁺ ions in Bi_0.5Na_0.5TiO₃ and form a solid solution during sintering. At room temperature, the ceramics exhibit good performances with piezoelectric constant d₃₃=189 pC/N, electromechanical coupling factor k_p=35.0%, remanent polarization P_r=39.5 μC/cm², and coercive field E_c=3.3 kV/mm, respectively. The curves of the dielectric constant ε_r and loss tangent tan δ versus temperature show that the transition temperature from ferroelectric to anti-ferroelectric phase decreases with increasing the K⁺ content for the compositions researched. The dependencies of k_p and polarization versus electric (P–E) hysteresis loops on temperature reveal that the depolarization temperature T_d of BNKAT(0.15/0.015) ceramics, which have good piezoelectric properties (d₃₃=134 pC/N, k_p=32.5%) and strong ferroelectricity (P_r=39.5 μC/cm², E_c=4.1 kV/mm) at room temperature, is above 160 °C. PACS 77.22.-d; 77.65.Bn; 77.80.Bh; 77.80.Dj; 77.84.Dy     

Lyapunov modes and time-correlation functions for two-dimensional systems

The relation between the Lyapunov modes (delocalized Lyapunov vectors) and the momentum autocorrelation function is discussed in two-dimensional hard-disk systems. We show numerical evidence that the smallest time-oscillating period of the Lyapunov modes is twice as long as the time-oscillating period of momentum autocorrelation function for both square and rectangular two-dimensional systems with hard-wall boundary conditions.     

Viscosity of (GeSe2)x(Sb2Se3)1−x undercooled melts

Viscosity of (GeSe₂)_x(Sb₂Se₃)_1−x undercooled melts (x = 0.4-0.8) was measured using parallel-plate method and penetration method. By using these two techniques viscosity of the whole measurable region of undercooled melt and of the part of glass region can be measured. In this relatively broad viscosity interval (seven orders of magnitude) all measured samples show Newtonian behavior and the dependence of their viscosity on temperature can be described by a simple Arrhenius equation. The kinetic fragilities calculated from these dependencies show similar compositional dependence as heat capacity changes at glass transition measured by DSC.     

On the chemical structure of phosphorus compounds in phosphoric acid-activated carbon

Chemical structure of phosphorus species in polymer-based phosphoric acid-activated carbon SP800 was investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It has been shown that most probable structure for phosphorus species is condensed phosphates bound to carbon lattice via COP bonding.     

Structure and properties of electrodeposited Fe-Ni-W alloys with different levels of tungsten content: A comparative study

Fe-Ni-W alloys with 18 wt%, 35 wt% and 55 wt% tungsten have been obtained by electrodeposition from an ammoniacal citrate bath. The deposits are smooth, of nice appearance, and adhere well to iron and steel. The morphology and structure of Fe-Ni-W alloys were studied by SEM and XRD, respectively. The structure of the as-plated deposits changed from crystalline to amorphous with increasing tungsten content. The amorphous structure crystallized under heat treatment condition. The wear and corrosion resistance of the deposits were tested by MPX-2000 wear-tear equipment and neutral salt spray test (NSS), respectively. The alloys with 55 wt% tungsten, after heat treatment at proper temperatures, appear to have good wear resistance and hardness. The alloys with 18 wt% tungsten are very corrosion-resistant.