Character of the thermal motion of water molecules according to the data on quasielastic incoherent scattering of slow neutrons

The paper discusses the applicability of quasi-crystalline approximation to describing the thermal motion of water molecules in their normal and supercooled states. The problem is subjected to the critical analysis of experimental data on incoherent scattering of slow neutrons based on theories developed by Singwi-Sjolander [1] and Oskotsky [2] modified to duly take into account the limited applicability range of diffusion approximation. The applicability conditions of quasi-crystalline approximation are shown to be consistently satisfied only when water is in supercooled state and within a narrow temperature range above the melting temperature.     

Liquid–gas critical phenomena under confinement: small-angle neutron scattering studies of CO2 in aerogel

Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) is a well-established technique for investigating the behavior of confined binary liquid solutions, as it can probe the correlation length and susceptibility in pores on length scales 1 – 100 nm. We applied SANS to explore the influence of confinement on critical behavior of an individual fluid carbon dioxide (CO₂) in a highly porous aerogel. The results demonstrate that quenched disorder induced by aerogel significantly depresses density fluctuations. Despite the negligible volume occupied by aerogel (< 4%), the macroscopic phase separation of confined CO₂ into coexisting liquid and gaseous phases is suppressed and below the critical temperature of the bulk fluid frozen methastable microdomains are formed. Experimental data show that critical adsorption is as important as the effect of confinement in defining the behavior of confined fluids.     

Anisotropic and isotropic phases of polymer melts

The melting mechanism of polymer crystals is proposed. It is assumed that the melting happens due to forming supervacancies. This mechanism leads the appearance of anisotropic phase of a melt. It is shown that two phases—anisotropic and isotropic—can exist in polymer melts.     

Molecular dynamics in aqueous solutions of β-cyclodextrin

Water molecule mobility in ion-containing and nonionic aqueous solutions of β-cyclodextrin was studied by quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS). The total self-diffusion coefficients and their components corresponding to the contributions from collective (Lagrange type) and single-particle (jump diffusion) parts of molecular motions were determined. From the data obtained, one can conclude that the molecular mobility of free water in nonionic aqueous solutions of β-cyclodextrin with guest molecules (2-aminopyridine) proceeds by a single-particle mechanism. The addition of Pb²⁺ ions into the solution leads to increase in self-diffusion coefficients and growth of a bound water fraction.     

Comparative structural characterization of the water dispersions of detonation nanodiamonds by small-angle neutron scattering

The structure of nanodiamond water dispersions prepared under different conditions was investigated by small-angle neutron scattering at the scale of 1 to 100 nm. The study of diluted dispersions was regarded as of paramount importance. Similarly to previous studies, strong clustering of particles was revealed in the solutions. The typical size of clusters (40 nm and above) depends on the modification of the dispersions. A common property can be distinguished for different systems: the fractal dimension of the clusters is in the range of 2.3?C2.4, which indicates that there is a common clustering mechanism in such systems. Using contrast variation, the existence of a nondiamond component in the colloidal particles of the dispersions was confirmed; it correlates with the presence of a graphene shell on crystallite surfaces.     

The influence of fluctuation inhomogeneity in a volume phase on one-layer adsorption

A theoretical study of adsorption was performed using a model of two-dimensional lattice liquid. One-layer adsorption from a binary solution was considered. As a result, the temperature dependence of the coefficient of the degree of filling close to the critical binary solution stratification point was found taking into account nonlocal liquid properties. Correlation effects that arise close to the critical point were shown to influence adsorption substantially.     

Structure of amyloid aggregates of lysozyme from small-angle X-ray scattering data

The structure of filament amyloid aggregates of hen egg white lysozyme in water has been investigated by the small-angle X-ray scattering method. The experimental data are described by different cylindrical models, among which the best agreement is reached with the long helix model. A comparison of the results with the small-angle neutron scattering data reveals the influence of the heavy component of the solvent (a H₂O/D₂O mixture) on the structure of the filaments.     

The studies of structural aspects of the cluster formation in silicate glasses doped with cerium and titanium oxides by small-angle neutron scattering

The structural aspects of the formation of Ti-Ce-O nanoclusters in silicate glasses doped with oxides TiO₂ and CeO₂ have been studied by means of small-angle neutron scattering. It has been obtained that, in such glasses, complex oxide nanoclusters with sizes of 300–380 Å are formed; their average size increases and the fractal dimension is changed as the concentration of the initial oxides increases. Correlation between the structural characteristics of the nanoclusters and the optical properties of the doped silicate glasses is discussed.     

Critical phenomena in high-energy lepton- and hadron-induced reactions

We argue that the nucleon seen in the Bjorken scaling region is a gas of quasi-free partons. As x decreases, for certain values of Q ² the partons in a nucleon coalesce to a liquid (saturation). Experimentally this phenomenon is manifested as the turn-over of the structure function derivatives. The phenomenon can be quantified in the framework of statistical models, percolation and other approaches to collective effects in the strongly interacting matter. Similarities and differences between the case of lepton-hadron, hadron-hadron and heavy-ion collisions are discussed.     

Optical Properties of Amorphous Co‐Containing Alloys in the IR Region of the Spectrum and Their Magnetoresistive Characteristics

The optical properties of amorphous and nanocrystalline tapes of CoFeNiSiB alloys and the ac magnetoresistive effect in them have been investigated. It is shown that the magnetoresistive effect in these alloys increases by about a factor of two after lowtemperature treatment and subsequent laser annealing of these tapes in an external magnetic field. Correlation between the anomalous behavior of the dielectric function of these alloys in the IR region of the spectrum and their magnetoresistive characteristics after thermal annealings has been established. The interrelation between the density of localized electronic states near the Fermi level and the value of the magnetoresistive effect has been revealed. The influence of the induced magnetic anisotropy on the transverse permeability in amorphous and nanocrystalline CoFeNiSiB alloys and, consequently, also on the magnetoresistive effect has been analyzed.