Spontaneous translation of nanodroplet over a heterogeneous surface due to thermal cycles: role of solid–liquid interfacial fluctuations

ABSTRACT

We study the molecular-scale features of the solid surface that result in the spontaneous motion of a nanodroplet due to the periodic variation of temperature. We first employ a thermodynamic model to predict the variation of solid–fluid interfacial properties that can result in the above motion. The model identifies a composite (surface couple) made of two surfaces that are characterised by a large difference between the entropic parts of the solid–liquid interfacial free energies. In order to understand the molecular-scale features of the two surfaces that may form a surface couple, we performed grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations of Lennard Jones fluid and crystalline surfaces made of Lennard Jones-like atoms. We then used the cumulant expansions of the perturbation formulas to divide the interfacial entropy into two parts: The one that is directly affected by the solid–fluid attraction (direct part), and the other (indirect part) that is indirectly affected by the solid–fluid attraction via the alteration of interfacial fluctuations. Our results indicate that two surfaces form a surface couple if the differences between their chemical natures lead to large differences in the indirect part of the interfacial entropy, while the direct part remains relatively unaffected.     

Pressure of the fluctuating vacuum: Interpretation of the attractive and repulsive Casimir force

We calculate the Casimir force between two magnetodielectric slabs. The force expression is expressed in terms of parameters with which the repulsive effect is more transparent and convenient for numerical analysis. Finally, we propose a physical interpretation of the effect which clarifies the sign of force properly.     

Structural and Thermodynamic Peculiarities of Core-Shell Particles at Fluid Interfaces from Triangular Lattice Models

A triangular lattice model for pattern formation by core-shell particles at fluid interfaces is introduced and studied for the particle to core diameter ratio equal to 3. Repulsion for overlapping shells and attraction at larger distances due to capillary forces are assumed. Ground states and thermodynamic properties are determined analytically and by Monte Carlo simulations for soft outer- and stiffer inner shells, with different decay rates of the interparticle repulsion. We find that thermodynamic properties are qualitatively the same for slow and for fast decay of the repulsive potential, but the ordered phases are stable for temperature ranges, depending strongly on the shape of the repulsive potential. More importantly, there are two types of patterns formed for fixed chemical potential—one for a slow and another one for a fast decay of the repulsion at small distances. In the first case, two different patterns—for example clusters or stripes—occur with the same probability for some range of the chemical potential. For a fixed concentration, an interface is formed between two ordered phases with the closest concentration, and the surface tension takes the same value for all stable interfaces. In the case of degeneracy, a stable interface cannot be formed for one out of four combinations of the coexisting phases, because of a larger surface tension. Our results show that by tuning the architecture of a thick polymeric shell, many different patterns can be obtained for a sufficiently low temperature.     

地下强爆炸诱发地表塌陷的试验模拟与应用

地下核爆炸后会在地表产生下陷弹坑、塌陷带等不可逆变形爆炸后效应,利用地表形变信息对地下核试验进行有效监控和评估具有十分重要的意义。基于考虑重力影响的地下强爆炸塌陷成坑相似理论,利用陆军工程大学自主研制的地下爆炸效应真空室模拟试验装置,对2017年9月3日朝鲜地下核试验诱发的地表不可逆变形进行了模型试验。试验结果表明,地表塌陷带半径为257 m,下陷弹坑的半径为154 m,与美国、前苏联等国家已有的地下核试验经验公式的数据结果基本相当,并且符合天基雷达TS-InSar卫星监测数据的估算结果,验证了地下爆炸真空室模型试验在地下强爆炸诱发地表不可逆变形区域模拟和评估的可行性,成为有效补充地震波和卫星监测地下强爆炸的一种研究手段。     

HL-2M装置真空室预装阶段检漏试验

通过在加工现场和安装现场搭建的真空辅助系统、四极质谱计及氦检漏仪组成的检漏系统,运用残余气体分析和氦质谱检漏方法在冷态下对HL-2M真空室扇形段及真空室整体进行了真空检漏试验.对漏点进行修复后,测试了真空室的极限真空度和总漏气率等.真空室经过72h的抽气后,真空度达到3.7×10?5Pa,超过了1.0×10?4Pa的预...     

迁移管的电场强度对真空紫外电离-离子迁移谱仪性能的影响

离子迁移管是离子迁移谱仪的核心部分,它用来产生均匀的电场,以使不同迁移率的离子进行分离。本研究以丙酮为例,详细研究了本课题组所研制的真空紫外电离源-离子迁移谱仪中迁移管的电场参数对离子的灵敏度和分辨率的影响,发现电压的增大灵敏度增大,但是分辨率存在一个最佳的电压,这些结果可用于迁移谱的优化设计。     

The sound velocity in ideal liquid mixtures from thermal volume fluctuations.

The selection of the correct mixing rule for sound velocity in ideal liquid mixtures determines the interpretation of the sound velocity in real mixtures. This is especially important for the determination of apparent properties of solutes, such as their apparent compressibility. There are different approaches reported in the literature, and this article presents a new derivation of the mixing rule based on statistical mechanics. It is shown that the correlation of volume fluctuations between adjacent components has a crucial influence on the ideal mixing rule.     

Mechanical properties of single motor molecules studied by three-dimensional thermal force probing in optical tweezers.

A new method combining three-dimensional (3D) force measurements in an optical trap with the analysis of thermally induced (Brownian) position fluctuations of a trapped probe was used to investigate the mechanical properties of a single molecule, the molecular motor kinesin. One kinesin molecule attached to the probe was bound in a rigorlike state to one microtubule. The optical trap was kept weak to measure the thermal forces acting on the probe, which were mainly counterbalanced by the kinesin tether. The stiffness of kinesin during stretching and compression with respect to its backbone axis were measured. Our results indicate that a section of kinesin close to the motor domain is the dominating element in the flexibility of the motor structure. The experiments demonstrate the power of 3D thermal fluctuation analysis to characterize mechanical properties of individual motor proteins and indicate its usefulness to study single molecule in general     

Some intriguing items in the history of scientific balances

The short survey covers the development of the balance since its invention in the Neolithic era. Scales have been used most probably first as tools in trading, but already in Old Egyptian papyrus its use in techniques is documented. Its theory was cleared by Aristotle and Archimedes and at least at that time it was used as a scientific instrument. Today the balance is still the most widely used instrument in science and there are still improvements.     

Ce-TiO_x超细粒子的模板法制备及结构研究

利用模板法结合真空干燥技术制备出Ce-TiOx超细粒子,用XRD,TG-DSC,TEM等手段进行表征;以甲基橙溶液的光催化降解测试Ce-TiOx超细粒子的催化活性;考察初始物质的量比及热处理温度对Ce-TiOx超细粒子的结构及光催化活性的影响。结果显示:钛干凝胶经400℃热处理可得结晶度较高的锐钛矿型TiO2,800℃时TiO2转变为金红石相;Ce-Ti干凝胶经800℃热处理可得粒径约为45 nm的类球形颗粒;Ce-TiOx超细粒子中,钛以Ti3O5,Ti6O11,TiO2等多种形式存在,铈以CeO2和Ce7O12的形式存在;稀土铈影响Ce-TiOx超细粒子中钛的价态。