Tensor gauge field localization on a string-like defect

This work is devoted to the study of tensor gauge fields on a string-like defect in six dimensions. This model is very successful in localizing fields of various spins only by gravitational interaction. Due to problems of field localization in membrane models we are motivated to investigate if a string-like defect localizes the Kalb–Ramond field. In contrast to what happens in Randall–Sundrum and thick brane scenarios we find a localized zero mode without the addition of other fields in the bulk. Considering the local string defect we obtain analytical solutions for the massive modes. Also, we take the equations of motion in a supersymmetric quantum mechanics scenario in order to analyze the massive modes. The influence of the mass as well as the angular quantum number in the solutions is described. An additional analysis on the massive modes is performed by the Kaluza–Klein decomposition, which provides new details about the KK masses.     

Composite of SiO2 and Hydrogel Having Microphase Separated Structure: Physical Properties Dependence on pH

Abstract

Organic-inorganic composite gel was prepared by using PEG-modified urethane acrylate (PMUA) gel and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). PMUA gel was prepared by the phase-inversion emulsion polymerization of PMUA emulsion. The gelation of PMUA emulsion using this method enables PMUA gel to swell with H₂O, TEOS, and ethanol. Hydrolysis and condensation reaction rates of the sol-gel process are strongly influenced by the pH controlled by catalysts such as HCl and NH₄OH. Additionally, the morphology on the cross section of composite and the amount of silica ingredient incorporated into the composite gel were dependent on solvent, the molar ratio of H₂O to TEOS, as well as the pH value.

As the silica content increased, due to hydrogen bonds interacting between PMUA gel and SiO₂, particles, the tensile strength of composites considerably increased, whereas the elongation at break decreased. The incorporation of silica ingredient in PMUA gel/silica composites was verified with FTIR/ATR and SEM. The amount of the silica component in the composite was indirectly investigated by using TGA thermal analysis.     

A domain decomposition method for three species modeling of multi-electrode negative corona discharge – With applications to electrostatic precipitators

The negative corona discharge problem for multi-electrode geometries is modeled by a three species model. The equations are solved using domain decomposition, by recognizing that multiple species are only present in a small part of the domain, and hence only need to be incorporated locally in the model.The method is applied to an industrially relevant three wire electrostatic precipitator geometry. The calculated current density is in good agreement with experimental data. To further illustrate applications of the three species solution, it is used for coupled particle, fluid, and electrostatic simulations to analyze particle collection properties.     

Domains and domain walls in multiferroics

Multiferroics are gathering solid-state matter in which several types of orders are simultaneously allowed, as ferroelectricity, ferromagnetism (or antiferromagnetism), ferroelasticity, or ferrotoroidicity. Among all, the ferroelectric/ferromagnetic couple is the most intensively studied because of potential applications in novel low-power magnetoelectric devices. Switching of one order thanks to the other necessarily proceeds via the nucleation and growth of coupled domains. This review is an introduction to the basics of ferroelectric/ferromagnetic domain formation and to the recent microscopy techniques devoted to domains imaging, providing new insights into the archetypal multiferroic domain morphologies. Some relevant examples are also given to illustrate some of the unexpected properties of domain walls, as well as the way these domain walls can be manipulated altogether thanks to various types of magnetoelectric coupling.     

Thermodynamic Control of Domain Swapping by Modulating the Helical Propensity in the Hinge Region of Myoglobin

Domain swapping is an exception to Anfinsen's dogma, and more than one structure can be produced from the same amino acid sequence by domain swapping. We have previously shown that myoglobin (Mb) can form a domain‐swapped dimer in which the hinge region is converted to a helical structure. In this study, we showed that domain‐swapped dimerization of Mb was achieved by a single Ala mutation of Gly at position 80. Multiple Ala mutations at positions 81 and 82 in addition to position 80 facilitated dimerization of Mb by stabilization of the dimeric states. Domain swapping tendencies correlated well with the helical propensity of the mutated residue in a series of Mb mutants with amino acids introduced to the hinge region. These findings demonstrate that a single mutation in the hinge loop to modify helical propensity can control oligomer formation, providing new ideas to create high‐order protein oligomers using domain swapping.     

高分子相分离的分子动力学模拟

用粗粒化分子动力学(MD)模拟方法从分子层次研究两组分聚合物共混体系相分离过程中的动力学. 在相分离初期, 相区尺寸不随时间增加而变化; 在相分离中期, 相区尺寸与时间有很好的标度关系, 标度指数(α=1/3)符合Lifshiz-Slyozov提出的以扩散为主导的蒸发-凝聚机理的标度预测; 在相分离后期, 体系实现宏观相分离, 相区尺寸不再随时间改变而变化. 体积分数小的高分子链尺寸在相分离过程中先收缩再扩张, 在实现宏观相分离后, 高分子链尺寸又回到本体状态尺寸.     

光子晶体能态密度的电磁场特性

基于时域有限差分法,以半导体材料CdSe和CdTe构成二维三角晶格光子晶体,数值模拟了它们的光子晶体能态密度电磁场特性。结果表明,CdSe和CdTe构成二维三角晶格光子晶体具有较好的光子带隙,形成的带隙宽度随介电常数差值的增大而增大。研究结果为光子晶体器件的开发提供参考。     

A cell functional minimization scheme for parabolic problem

We are interested in a robust and accurate finite volume scheme for 2-D parabolic problems derived from the cell functional minimization approach. The scheme has a local stencil, is locally conservative, treats discontinuity rigorously and leads to a symmetric positive definite linear system. Since the scheme has both cell centered unknowns and cell edge unknowns, the computational cost is an issue and a parallel algorithm is then suggested based on nonoverlapping domain decomposition approach. The interface condition is of the Dirichlet–Robin type and has a parameter λ. By choosing this parameter properly, the convergence of the iteration process could be sped up. Numerical results for linear and nonlinear problems demonstrate the good performance of the cell functional minimization scheme and its parallel version on distorted meshes.     

MORPHOLOGY OF POLYURETHANES REVISITED BY COMPLEMENTARY AFM AND TEM

Cast, segmented polyetherurethanes with 30 and 50% hard-segment content (HSC), respectively, were studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Multi-phase segregation was observed in both samples on two levels (micro and nano) of structural organization. Spherulites with a prominent radial structure, built of branched fibrils and globules, were captured on the micrometer level. The use of AFM enabled us to investigate the nanostructure in the polyurethanes studied here. In the sample with low (30%) HSC, nano-scale phase separation was observed by AFM in areas outside the crystalline aggregates. The morphology in these domains exhibited short, rodlike hard domains embedded in the matrix of the soft segments. The other sample (50% HSC) contained four identifiable morphological features. These included spherulites, globules, bundles of lamellae, and nanophase-separated, rodlike hard domains, embedded in the soft-segment matrix.

The globules did not have any internal structure visible by AFM down to the nanometer scale. We speculate that the globules form as a result of macro-phase segregation, due to incompatibility of the reactants, during synthesis and may thus be identified as pockets of free hard segments. The AFM phase imaging has been very useful to observe the bundles of lamellae and the nanoscale phase-separated structures, which were not captured by TEM, due to large differences in AFM phase signal contrast between the hard and the soft domains.