Nouvelles recherches sur le mécanisme de gélification

Résumé L'analyse des résultats de l'étude expérimentale de la transformation sol-gel des solutions de gélatine au moyen de mesures de biréfringence d'écoulement montre l'impossibilité de représenter ces solutions à l'aide d'un système de particules indépendantes polydispersées.On propose un mécanisme d'écoulement tenant compte de l'ébauche d'une structure au sein des solutions de gélatine. L'écoulement nécessite la rupture de certaines liaisons. L'angle d'extinction est relié à l'orientation moyenne des liaisons sollicitées à se rompre tandis que l'intensité de la biréfringence dépend du nombre de liaisons qui se brisent. On interprète sur la mÊme base les variations du coefficient de viscosité.Après avoir montré qu'une cinétique d'associationdissociation analogue à celle qui intervient dans les polymérisations conduit à des variations inacceptables de l'angle d'extinction, on introduit une vitesse de transformation dépendant d'une énergie d'attraction entre les particules qui s'oppose à leur agitation thermique.La cinétique de la transformation est très simple dans la première phase de l'évolution: le nombre de liaisons formées est proportionnel au temps. Dans la seconde phase apparait une perturbation importante de la structure sous l'effet de l'écoulement.Les paramètres autres que la température qui agissent sur la vitesse de transformation sol-gel le font en modifiant l'énergie d'attraction interparticulaire.

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Zusammenfassung Die Analyse der Ergebnisse einer experimentellen Untersuchung der Transformation Sol — Gel von Gelatinelösungen mit Hilfe von Messungen der Strömungsdoppelbrechung zeigt die Unmöglichkeit, solche Lösungen mit Hilfe eines Systems von unabhängigen polydispergierten Teilchen zu beschreiben.Es wird ein Strömungsmechanismus vorgeschlagen, der eine Andeutung einer Struktur herrÜhrend von der Gelatinelösung zeigt. Die Strömung verlangt den Bruch gewisser Bindungen. Der Extinktionswinkel ist mit der mittleren Orientierung der zu brechenden Bindungen verkoppelt, während die Intensität der Doppelbrechung von der Zahl der aufreißenden Bindungen abhängt. Es läßt sich auf der gleichen Grundlage die Veränderung des Viskositätskoeffizienten interpretieren.Nachdem gezeigt ist, daß eine Kinetik der Assoziation-Dissoziation, derjenigen analog, die bei Polymerisationen eintritt, zu unannehmbaren Variationen des Extinktionswinkels fÜhrt, wird eine Übergangsgeschwindigkeit eingefÜhrt, die von einer Anziehungsenergie zwischen den Teilchen herrÜhrt, welche mit der Wärmebewegung im Gleichgewicht steht.Die Kinetik des Übergangs ist in der ersten Phase der Entwicklung sehr einfach. Die Zahl der gebildeten Bindungen ist proportional der Zeit. In der zweiten Phase erscheint unter dem Einfluß der Strömung eine sehr wesentliche Störung der Struktur.Die Parameter, andere als die Temperatur, die die Geschwindigkeit der Sol-Gel-Transformation beeinflussen, machen sich in einer Modifikation der interpartikulären Anziehungsenergie bemerkbar.

     

Generation of a magnetic field by dynamo action in a turbulent flow of liquid sodium

We report the observation of dynamo action in the von Kármán sodium experiment, i.e., the generation of a magnetic field by a strongly turbulent swirling flow of liquid sodium. Both mean and fluctuating parts of the field are studied. The dynamo threshold corresponds to a magnetic Reynolds number R(m) approximately 30. A mean magnetic field of the order of 40 G is observed 30% above threshold at the flow lateral boundary. The rms fluctuations are larger than the corresponding mean value for two of the components. The scaling of the mean square magnetic field is compared to a prediction previously made for high Reynolds number flows.     

“Homodoping” strategy for building conducting Langmuir-Blodgett films

A strategy leading to the formation of conducting LB films without any doping treatment is investigated. The method consists of mixing, within the same layer, semi-amphiphilic and amphiphilic derivatives of the same electroactive nucleus (here Tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ)). LB films obtained in this way with the sulphonium TCNQ salt as the semi-amphiphilic molecule and the octadecyl TCNQ as the amphiphilic one in the molecular ratio 1 to 2, are of high optical quality. Such films show a d.c. conductivity which is almost constant with variation in the number of layers, down to one bilayer. Preliminary results obtained by changing the nature of the counterion in the semi-amphiphilic molecule are in good agreement with those of the sulphonium TCNQ-octadecyl TCNQ⁰.     

Dispersion des indices de refraction du molybdate de plomb (PbMoO4) et de la paratellurite (TeO2)

An infrared goniometer, shortly described has been used for the determinations of the refractive indices of two interesting acousto-optical materials: lead molybdate (PbMoO₄) and paratellurite (TeO₂). The given results complete those previously available which concern only the visible range. Coefficients of Sellmeier equations for the whole transparency range of both materials are also given and discussed.     

Electrical conductivity and crystallization in amorphous germanium

A simple model is presented which interprets conductivity variations due to crystallization in amorphous layers and allows the determination of the growth rate of crystallization. The validity of this model is demonstrated in the case of germanium.     

The vacancy-interstitial pair in electron irradiated germanium

We have studied the influence of the nature and concentration of donor impurity on the 65°K and 35°K stages in electron irradiated n-type germanium. Because the nature of the impurity does not influence the 65°K stage and because this stage is present alone in lightly doped samples, we confirm that it is associated with the annihilation of a vacancy-interstitial pair. Because the 35°K stage is directly connected to the impurity concentration, and not to the free electron concentration, we conclude that it is associated with the annihilation of a vacancy and interstitial-impurity pair. We have shown that the annihilation of the vacancy-interstitial pair occurs through the interstitial mobility at 65°K, 27°K and 4.5°K depending on its charge state, and that the interstitial-impurity mobility occurs at 35°K.

Our model explains easily the radiation annealing, the behavior of irradiated p-type germanium and can be extended to the case of indium antimonide and perhaps of silicon.     

On the minimality of the p-harmonic ma p $$x/\|x\|$$ for weighted energy

In this paper, we study the minimality of the map for the weighted energy functional , where is a continuous function. We prove that for any integer and any non-negative, non-decreasing continuous function f, the map minimizes E _f,p among the maps in which coincide with on . The case p = 1 has been already studied in [Bourgoin J.-C. Calc. Var. (to appear)]. Then, we extend results of Hong (see Ann. Inst. Poincaré Anal. Non-linéaire 17: 35–46 (2000)). Indeed, under the same assumptions for the function f, we prove that in dimension n ≥  7 for any real with , the map minimizes E _f,p among the maps in which coincide with on .      

Non perturbative approach for a polar and polarizable linear molecule in an inhomogeneous electric field: Application to molecular beam deviation experiments

A non perturbative approach is used to solve the problem of a rigid linear molecule with both a permanent dipole moment and a static dipole polarizability, in a static electric field. Eigenenergies are obtained and compared to perturbative low field and high field approximations. Analytical expressions for the orientation parameters and for the gradient of the energy are given. This non perturbative approach is applied to the simulation of beam deviation experiments in strong electric field. Results of simulations are given for inhomogeneous alkali dimers. For LiNa, the simulations are compared to experimental data. For LiK, deviation profiles have been simulated in order to prepare future experiments on this molecule. Received 21 July 1999 and Received in final form 22 September 1999