Neutron radiation damage in zirconium and its alloys

There has been much research and speculation recently on the nature of radiation induced defects in zirconium and its alloys, and in particular on the absence of voids at high fluences and temperatures in the range 0.3 to 0.5 T _m (T _m is the absolute melting temperature). Wolfenden and Farrell¹ have reviewed the evidence and suggest that α-Zr has so far resisted void formation during neutron irradiation because of: (a) the absence of a dislocation (loop or tangle) structure and/or (b) a low insoluble gas (e.g. helium) content.     

The effect of porosity on the laser induced damage threshold of TiO2 and ZrO2 single layer films

Monolayer ZrO₂ and TiO₂ films were prepared on BK7 glass by physical vapor deposition (PVD) and were subsequently annealed for 1 h at 300 °C. By using the transmission spectra of two samples and the envelope method, the refractive index dispersion and extinction coefficients have been calculated. Laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) measurement shows that despite slight differences between the extinction coefficients of the two samples, the LIDT parameter of the ZrO₂ film is greater than that of the TiO₂ film. This fact leads us to consider thermal conductivity as an important parameter for interpreting the LIDT difference. According to our theoretical analysis, as a consequence of increase in the number of thermal barriers along poorer film, its thermal conductivity, and hence LIDT, decreased, which is in agreement with our experimental results. The measured porosity of the two samples shows higher porosity for TiO₂ single layer, which is in agreement with atomic force (AFM) images. The gradual and smooth damage morphology of ZrO₂ observed in optical images implies higher thermal conductivity than TiO₂.     

低渗透油藏水锁伤害机理及解水锁实验研究*

针对地层压力低（压力系数小于1）、油井含水率低（小于50%）的低渗油井，水锁伤害普遍存在的问题，研究了毛细管效应和贾敏效应对产生水锁现象的机理认识。通过实验数据结果分析，得到了水锁现象与渗透率的关系，即：渗透率越低，水锁程度越严重，10.00 mD以下的岩芯，压力升高值基本在25%左右，而大于10.00 mD的岩芯压力升高值在15%左右。注入表面活性剂后，解除水锁效果非常明显，特别是渗透率越低，效果越明显，最高驱替压力值下降幅度达到了近50%。说明表面活性剂对解水锁具有很好的效果。     

DNA aggregation and cleavage in CGE induced by high electric field in aqueous solution accompanying electrokinetic sample injection

The phenomenon of peak area decrease due to high injection voltage (V_inj, e.g. 10–30 kV, 200–600 V/cm in the 50 cm capillary) was found in the analysis of very dilute DNA fragments (<0.2 mg/L) by using high‐sensitive electrokinetic supercharging‐CGE. The possibility of DNA cleavage in aqueous solution was suggested, in addition to the aggregation phenomenon that is already known. The analysis of intentionally voltage‐affected fragments (at 200 V/cm) also showed decreased peak areas depending on the time of the voltage being applied. Computer simulation suggested that a high electric field (a few kV/cm or more) could be generated partly between the electrode and the capillary end during electrokinetic injection (EKI) process. After thorough experimental verification, it was found that the factors affecting the damage during EKI were the magnitude of electric field, the distance between tips of electrode and capillary (D_e/c), sample concentration and traveling time during EKI in sample vials. Furthermore, these factors are correlating with each other. A low conductivity of diluted sample would cause a high electric field (over a few hundred volts per centimeter), while the longer D_e/c results in a longer traveling time during EKI, which may cause a larger degree of damage (aggregation and cleavage) on the DNA fragments. As an important practical implication of this study, when the dilute DNA fragments (sub mg/L) are to be analyzed by CGE using EKI, injection voltage should be kept as low as possible.     

磷酸基团在环丙沙星光敏损伤DNA中的作用

利用紫外-可见稳态吸收光谱, 稳态荧光发射光谱和激光光解瞬态光谱实验方法研究了磷酸基团在环丙沙星(CPX)光敏损伤DNA中的作用. 紫外-可见和稳态荧光光谱实验证实了磷酸根离子影响环丙沙星的稳态吸收和发射谱, 实验结果表明磷酸根是通过弱相互作用与环丙沙星结合. 我们还利用激光闪光光解实验分别研究了鸟苷(Gua), 脱氧鸟苷(dG)以及脱氧鸟苷酸(dGMP)对环丙沙星三线态(³CPX^*)的影响, 通过对比实验证实了在环丙沙星光敏损伤dGMP中, 由于磷酸基团的存在, 导致了环丙沙星三线态吸收峰的改变, 从而改变了光敏损伤反应的途径. 通过研究发现, 光敏损伤途径的改变是由于dGMP结构上磷酸基团通过氢键与环丙沙星结合所造成的. 最后, 根据实验结果并对比Gua, dG和dGMP的结构, 提出了一个合理的磷酸基团的作用机理.     

Optimal and approximate boundary controls of an elastic body with quasistatic evolution of damage

In this paper, we study an optimal control problem for the mixed boundary value problem for an elastic body with quasistatic evolution of an internal damage variable. We suppose that the evolution of microscopic cracks and cavities responsible for the damage is described by a nonlinear parabolic equation. A density of surface traction p acting on a part of boundary of an elastic body Ω is taken as a boundary control. Because the initial boundary value problem of this type can exhibit the Lavrentieff phenomenon and non‐uniqueness of weak solutions, we deal with the solvability of this problem in the class of weak variational solutions. Using the convergence concept in variable spaces and following the direct method in calculus of variations, we prove the existence of optimal and approximate solutions to the optimal control problem under rather general assumptions on the quasistatic evolution of damage. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An original approach for Raman spectroscopy analysis of radioactive materials and its application to americium‐containing samples

An approach for Raman measurements of highly radioactive samples is presented here. The innovative part of this approach lies in the fact that no single part of the Raman equipment is in direct contact with the radioactive sample, as the sample is sealed in an alpha‐tight capsule. Raman analysis is effectively performed through the optical‐grade quartz window closing the capsule. This allows performing micro‐Raman measurements on radioactive samples with no limitations on the laser source wavelength, polarisation mode, spectrometer mode and microscope mode (provided the focal length of the microscope objective is greater than the thickness of the quartz window and with sub mg samples). Some example results are shown and discussed. In particular, some spectral features of americium‐containing oxide nuclear fuel specimens are presented. Raman spectra clearly reveal in these specimens the presence of abundant oxygen defects induced in the fcc fluorite lattice by trivalent americium. In order to complete the analysis the Raman spectrum of pure americium dioxide was also measured with a lower energy excitation source compared with previous research. The current results seem to be consistent with the possible occurrence of a photolysis process induced by the Raman laser, resulting in the formation of hyperstoichiometric americium sesquioxide Am₂O_{3 + z}. Such a photolytic process is deemed to be unavoidable when visible lasers are used as excitation sources for the Raman analysis of americium dioxide. © 2015 The Authors Journal of Raman Spectroscopy Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.