DC electrical conductivity of carbon black polymer composites at low temperatures

The understanding of the charge transport mechanism of the conducting polymers and their composites is important for the successful fabrication of semiconductor devices.In this work, the DC electrical conductivity of carbon black particles in a polystyrene matrix, in the temperature range of 80 to 250 K is examined, for concentrations below the critical percolation concentration. We show that three-dimensional variable range hopping is observed, that is, the temperature behavior of the DC conductivity can be expressed by . From the hopping parameter we obtained the mean hopping distance, the density of active centers and the energy associated with it.     

Thermoelectric properties of homologous p- and n-type boron-rich borides

Thermoelectric properties of a series of layered homologous rare-earth boron carbonitrides: HoB₁₇CN, REB₂₂C₂N (RE=Y,Er,Lu), and YB_28.5C₄, were investigated. Samples for measurements were prepared in the form of hot pressed or isostatically pressed and annealed single phase polycrystalline powder. This series of compounds has structures where B₆ octahedral and rare-earth atomic layers reside between an increasing number of B₁₂ icosahedral and C-B-C chain layers, and has structural analogy to boron carbide. Interestingly, a variation from p-type thermoelectric behavior for YB_28.5C₄ to n-type for REB₂₂C₂N and HoB₁₇CN was observed. This is the first non-doped compound among the boron-rich borides in which n-type thermoelectric behavior has been observed. Similar to other boron cluster compounds low values of the thermal conductivity κ were found. The origins of the low κ in such compounds has not been fully explained, but comparison among the homologous series shows that the thermal conductivity appears to increase as the number of boron cluster layers increases. This result indicates that the heavy rare-earth atoms residing in the boron matrix may play a role in depressing thermal conductivity in addition to other features common to boron cluster compounds. Although the absolute values of the determined figures of merit ZT are not large for hot pressed samples, the Seebeck coefficients and power factors for both n-type and p-type in this series show an increase at temperatures exceeding 1000 K.     

Reaction between LiF and MF5 (M = Ta, Nb) in a fluorine atmosphere

LiMF₆ (M = Ta, Nb) was prepared by the reaction between LiF and MF₅ (M = Ta, Nb) in F₂ gas. Pure LiMF₆ (M = Ta, Nb) salts were obtained by using the reaction at temperatures higher than 473 K under 80 kPa (F₂) for 24 h. The x values in LiMF_x (M = Ta, Nb) were confirmed as 5.7-6.0 by XRD-Rietveld analysis. Results showed that LiMF₆ (M = Ta, Nb) has a trigonal structure (, Z = 3). The respective lattice parameters of LiTaF₆ and LiNbF₆ are a₀ = 0.533 nm, c₀ = 1.362 and a₀ = 0.532 nm, c₀ = 1.360. The equivalent conductivities of both LiMF₆ (M = Ta, Nb) in propylene carbonate (PC) are equal at 15.2 Ω⁻¹ cm² mol⁻¹ at 0.01 mol dm⁻³. The electrochemical potential window of TaF₆⁻ is 7.0 V, which is 0.4 and 0.2 V wider, respectively, than those of BF₄⁻ and PF₆⁻.     

Carbon nanotube-enhanced separation of DNA fragments by a portable capillary electrophoresis system with contactless conductivity detection

It was demonstrated that separation of DNA fragments by a CE-contactless conductivity detection system (CE-CCD) could be enhanced with multiple-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNs) as buffer additive. For HaeIII digest of PhiX174 DNA, optimized MWCN concentration was obtained when the MWCN was above its threshold concentration, at which MWCN could form a network in the buffer as pseudostationary phase to provide additional interaction sites. In the case of larger DNA, MWCN near or below its threshold concentration was enough to provide great improvement of the resolution, which was shown by the separation of the 2-Log DNA ladder. Furthermore, the buffer containing MWCN could provide a more stable baseline in the CE-CCD system, owing to less fluctuation of its conductivity. Compared with CE-UV, CE-CCD with MWCN could provide lower LODs as well as better resolution.     

Determination of tobramycin in human serum by capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductivity detection

A study on the determination of the antibiotic tobramycin by CE with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection is presented. This method enabled the direct quantification of the non-UV-absorbing species without incurring the disadvantages of the indirect approaches which would be needed for optical detection. The separation of tobramycin from inorganic cations present in serum samples was achieved by optimizing the composition of the acetic acid buffer. Field-amplified sample stacking was employed to enhance the sensitivity of the method and a detection limit of 50 microg/L (S/N = 3) was reached. The RSDs obtained for migration time and peak area using kanamycin B as internal standard were typically 0.12 and 4%, respectively. The newly developed method was validated by measuring the concentration of tobramycin in serum standards containing typical therapeutic concentrations of 2 and 10 mg/L. The recoveries were 96 and 97% for the two concentrations, respectively.     

Graphene as Gas Sensors

The triatomic and tetratomic gas molecule adsorption effects on the electrical conductivity of graphene are investigated by the tight-binding model, Green's function method, and coherent potential approximation. We find that the electrical conductivity of graphene sheet is sensitive to the adsorption of these gases.     

土壤含盐量与电导率的高光谱反演精度对比研究

探明土壤盐渍化的高光谱遥感监测机理,对改善高光谱遥感监测精度具有重要意义。以南疆地区温宿县、和田县、拜城县的水稻土为研究对象,通过分析土样的高光谱数据和室内测定的盐分与电导率数据,研究了耕作土壤含盐量与电导率的关系,并比较了含盐量和电导率与不同光谱指标的相关性以及二者高光谱反演的精度。结果表明,南疆水稻土的含盐量与电导率的相关性较低,二者之间的关系因地区差异而有较大的变化;含盐量与反射率、一阶微分、连续统去除之间的相关性要优于电导率,特别在一些土壤盐渍化的敏感波段尤为突出;以含盐量建立的多元线性回归、主成分回归、偏最小二乘回归模型的决定系数和相对分析误差均高于电导率。研究表明高光谱信息对土壤含盐量的响应比电导率更敏感,以含盐量为监测指标的高光谱反演精度明显要优于电导率。该结果可为提高土壤盐渍化高光谱遥感监测精度提供理论依据。     

Effect of temperature gradient within a solid particle on the rotation and oscillation modes in solid-dispersed two-phase flows

Liquid–solid two-phase flow with heat transfer is simulated, and the effect of temperature gradient within a solid particle on the particle behaviour and heat transfer is studied. The interaction between fluid and particles is considered with our original immersed solid approach on a rectangular grid system. The local heat flux at the fluid–solid interface is described with an anisotropic heat conductivity matrix, and the governing equation of temperature is time-updated with an implicit treatment for the diffusion term. The method is applied to a 2-D natural convection flow of a relatively low Rayleigh number including multiple particles. Heat transfer and particle behaviours are studied for different solid heat conductivities (ratio to the fluid conductivity ranging between 10⁻³ and 10³) and solid volume fractions. Under a condition of relatively low heat conductivity ratio, the particles show a simple circulating flow. By increasing the heat conductivity ratio, a transition of the particulate flow is observed to oscillation mode around the domain centre due to the buoyancy force as a restitution force. The oscillation period is found to vary with the heat conductivity ratio, and it is related to the time scales for the heat transfer via fluid and solid.     

新型Gemini咪唑表面活性剂的合成及表面性能

以2,2-双(溴甲基)-1,3-丙二醇为连接基合成了新型的连接基为枝状的Gemini咪唑表面活性剂2,4-二(溴化-3-烷基咪唑)-1,3-丙二醇([Cn-P-Cnim]Br2,n=10,12,14).产物经核磁共振氢谱(1H NMR)、红外(IR)光谱和元素分析等进行了分析,证明所得产物即为目标产物.通过表面张力法和电导法测量其表面活性并计算胶束形成热力学参数(ΔG m—0,ΔH m—0,ΔS m—0).结果表明,25℃时3种表面活性剂均具有很高的表面活性,胶束的形成是自发的熵驱动过程.