Enlightened sonochemistry

Sonochemistry and photochemistry are initiated by high-energy transient species, which may be prone to mutual interaction. Electronic excitation of solutes by energy transfer from high energy species generated in collapsing bubbles is already supported by experimental evidence. The rates of photochemical reactions can be affected by ultrasound-induced mixing of liquids caused by microstreaming near pulsating cavitation bubbles and shockwaves due to bubble collapse. This may not only improve light absorption but also modify the pathway of reaction by increasing the contact between reagents. Finally, one may speculate about a potentially new chemistry of photoexcited solutes under the extreme conditions inside cavitation microreactors. This work reviews research on the excitation of solutes by sonoluminescence, the combined effects of ultrasound and light on liquid systems and the effect of ultrasound on photocatalytic reactions.     

Co-doped In2O3 thin films: Room temperature ferromagnets

Laser-ablated Co-doped In₂O₃ thin films were fabricated under various growth conditions on R-cut Al₂O₃ and MgO substrates. All Co:In₂O₃ films are well-crystallized, single phase, and room temperature ferromagnetic. Co atoms were well substituted for In atoms, and their distribution is greatly uniform over the whole thickness of the films. Films grown at 550 °C showed the largest magnetic moment of about 0.5 μ_B/Co, while films grown at higher temperatures have magnetic moments of one order smaller. The observed ferromagnetism above room temperature in Co:In₂O₃ thin films has confirmed that doping few percent of magnetic elements such as Co into In₂O₃ could result in a promising magnetic material.     

Estimation of entropy and other functionals of a multivariate density

For a multivariate density f with respect to Lebesgue measure , the estimation of % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXafv3ySLgzGmvETj2BSbqefm0B1jxALjhiov2D% aebbfv3ySLgzGueE0jxyaibaiiYdd9qrFfea0dXdf9vqai-hEir8Ve% ea0de9qq-hbrpepeea0db9q8as0-LqLs-Jirpepeea0-as0Fb9pgea% 0lrP0xe9Fve9Fve9qapdbaqaaeGacaGaaiaabeqaamaabaabcaGcba% Waa8qaaeaacaWGkbGaaiikaiaadAgacaGGPaGaamOzaiaadsgacqaH% 8oqBaSqabeqaniabgUIiYdaaaa!4404!\[\int {J(f)fd\mu } \], and in particular % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXafv3ySLgzGmvETj2BSbqefm0B1jxALjhiov2D% aebbfv3ySLgzGueE0jxyaibaiiYdd9qrFfea0dXdf9vqai-hEir8Ve% ea0de9qq-hbrpepeea0db9q8as0-LqLs-Jirpepeea0-as0Fb9pgea% 0lrP0xe9Fve9Fve9qapdbaqaaeGacaGaaiaabeqaamaabaabcaGcba% Waa8qaaeaacaWGMbWaaWbaaSqabeaacaaIYaaaaOGaamizaiabeY7a% TbWcbeqab0Gaey4kIipaaaa!41E4!\[\int {f^2 d\mu } \] and % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXafv3ySLgzGmvETj2BSbqefm0B1jxALjhiov2D% aebbfv3ySLgzGueE0jxyaibaiiYdd9qrFfea0dXdf9vqai-hEir8Ve% ea0de9qq-hbrpepeea0db9q8as0-LqLs-Jirpepeea0-as0Fb9pgea% 0lrP0xe9Fve9Fve9qapdbaqaaeGacaGaaiaabeqaamaabaabcaGcba% Waa8qaaeaacaWGMbGaciiBaiaac+gacaGGNbGaamOzaiaadsgacqaH% 8oqBaSqabeqaniabgUIiYdaaaa!44AC!\[\int {f\log fd\mu } \], is studied. These two particular functionals are important in a number of contexts. Asymptotic bias and variance terms are obtained for the estimators % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXafv3ySLgzGmvETj2BSbqefm0B1jxALjhiov2D% aebbfv3ySLgzGueE0jxyaibaiiYdd9qrFfea0dXdf9vqai-hEir8Ve% ea0de9qq-hbrpepeea0db9q8as0-LqLs-Jirpepeea0-as0Fb9pgea% 0lrP0xe9Fve9Fve9qapdbaqaaeGacaGaaiaabeqaamaabaabcaGcba% WaaybyaeqaleqabaGaey4jIKnaneaacaWGjbaaaOGaeyypa0Zaa8qa% aeaacaWGkbGaaiikamaawagabeWcbeqaaiabgEIizdqdbaGaamOzaa% aakiaacMcacaWGKbGaamOramaaBaaaleaacaWGobaabeaaaeqabeqd% cqGHRiI8aaaa!4994!\[\mathop I\limits^ \wedge = \int {J(\mathop f\limits^ \wedge )dF_N } \] and % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXafv3ySLgzGmvETj2BSbqefm0B1jxALjhiov2D% aebbfv3ySLgzGueE0jxyaibaiiYdd9qrFfea0dXdf9vqai-hEir8Ve% ea0de9qq-hbrpepeea0db9q8as0-LqLs-Jirpepeea0-as0Fb9pgea% 0lrP0xe9Fve9Fve9qapdbaqaaeGacaGaaiaabeqaamaabaabcaGcba% WaaybyaeqaleqabaGaeSipIOdaneaacaWGjbaaaOGaeyypa0Zaa8qa% aeaacaWGkbGaaiikamaawagabeWcbeqaaiabgEIizdqdbaGaamOzaa% aakiaacMcadaGfGbqabSqabeaacqGHNis2a0qaaiaadAgaaaGccaWG% KbGaeqiVd0galeqabeqdcqGHRiI8aaaa!4C40!\[\mathop I\limits^ \sim = \int {J(\mathop f\limits^ \wedge )\mathop f\limits^ \wedge d\mu } \], where % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXafv3ySLgzGmvETj2BSbqefm0B1jxALjhiov2D% aebbfv3ySLgzGueE0jxyaibaiiYdd9qrFfea0dXdf9vqai-hEir8Ve% ea0de9qq-hbrpepeea0db9q8as0-LqLs-Jirpepeea0-as0Fb9pgea% 0lrP0xe9Fve9Fve9qapdbaqaaeGacaGaaiaabeqaamaabaabcaGcba% WaaybyaeqaleqabaGaey4jIKnaneaacaWGMbaaaaaa!3E9C!\[{\mathop f\limits^ \wedge }\] is a kernel density estimate of f and F _n is the empirical distribution function based on the random sample X ₁ ,..., X _n from f. For the two functionalsmentioned above, a first order bias term for Î can be made zero by appropriate choices of non-unimodal kernels. Suggestions for the choice of bandwidth are given; for % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXafv3ySLgzGmvETj2BSbqefm0B1jxALjhiov2D% aebbfv3ySLgzGueE0jxyaibaiiYdd9qrFfea0dXdf9vqai-hEir8Ve% ea0de9qq-hbrpepeea0db9q8as0-LqLs-Jirpepeea0-as0Fb9pgea% 0lrP0xe9Fve9Fve9qapdbaqaaeGacaGaaiaabeqaamaabaabcaGcba% WaaybyaeqaleqabaGaey4jIKnaneaacaWGjbaaaOGaeyypa0Zaa8qa% aeaadaGfGbqabSqabeaacqGHNis2a0qaaiaadAgaaaGccaWGKbGaam% OramaaBaaaleaacaWGobaabeaaaeqabeqdcqGHRiI8aaaa!476C!\[\mathop I\limits^ \wedge = \int {\mathop f\limits^ \wedge dF_N } \], a study of optimal bandwidth is possible.This research was supported by an NSERC Grant and a UBC Killam Research Fellowship.     

Study of migration of active components of phosphorescent oxygen sensors for food packaging applications

A study of migration of the active components of oxygen sensors into food is presented. Six types of sensors, based on different oxygen sensitive dyes (two metalloporphyrins and one ruthenium dye), polymers (polystyrene and polysulfone) and support materials, were exposed to a number of standard ‘food simulants’ recommended by FDA/EU guidelines and then assayed for migration or sensor components and changes in oxygen calibration. Both metalloporphyrin sensor dyes leached only in olive oil and in 95% ethanol (used as a positive control), at maximum levels of 19.22 μg/dm² for PtOEPK and 113.96 μg/dm² for PtTFPP. The RuDPP dye showed maximum leaching in 95% ethanol (25.19 μg/dm²) while also migrating in an acidic aqueous simulant. Planar supports such as polyester tended to enhance the stability of the sensor. Migration of the styrene monomer from the polystyrene encapsulation medium was concluded to be low enough to be insignificant. Migration of sensor components was shown to correlate with the changes in sensor response to oxygen. Based on these results, sensor combinations were ranked on the basis of their resistance to leaching and their general stability, safety and suitability for use on a large scale in packaged foods and related food applications was proven.     

When Ramification points meet

Summary This paper contains three applications of the technique of limit series (our [1986]) to the theory of ramification of linear series on smooth curves, and curves of compact type, overC.Let {L _t t|<}, be a family of linear series on a smooth family of smooth curves {C _t }, and letp ₁(t),p ₂(t)C _t be sections of the family which coincide (only) att=0. Setp=p ₁())=p ₂(0)C ₀.We first give a condition related to the Schubert calculus which must be satisfied by the ramification series and the . We then take up the converse problem: In what ways can a given ramification point arise as a limit? We show that if the ramification point isdimensionally proper in the sense of our [1986], then families of every kind allowed by the Schubert calculus condition can actually be constructed. Finally, we prove that dimensional propriety is in a strong sense an open condition, so that ramification points constructed as above are again dimensionally proper.In the body of the paper we work not with pairs of points, as above, but with arbitrary finite collections of points approaching (possibly) several points of the limit curve. Further, by their nature, the results are valid for families of curves of compact type.     

Ternary rare-earth alumo-silicides—single-crystal growth from Al flux, structural and physical properties

A number of rare-earth alumo-silicides (R-Al-Si) have been synthesized from the corresponding elements by high-temperature reactions, carried out in excess of aluminum to serve as a flux. Under these experimental conditions, large single crystals of all R-Al-Si ternary phases were readily produced. The crystal structures these ternaries adopt were studied by means of powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction and were classified as follows: (1) the early rare-earths (R=La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd) yield RAl_xSi_2−x, x∼1, non-stoichiometric ternary derivatives of the body-centered α-ThSi₂-type; (2) the late rare-earths (R=Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm) form stoichiometric R₂Al₃Si₂ compounds that crystallize in the C-centered monoclinic Y₂Al₃Si₂-type; (3) the divalent Eu and Yb produce EuAl₂Si₂ and YbAl₂Si₂ with the trigonal CaAl₂Si₂-type, whereas the last lanthanide element, Lu, forms LuAlSi with C-centered orthorhombic YAlGe-type. These structural trends are reviewed, and the evolution of the basic physical properties such as magnetism, heat capacity and electrical resistivity when moving across the series is described in detail.     

Paired Electrolysis of Aldoses in a Divided Flow Cell

Simultaneous anodic oxidation and cathodic reduction of aldoses in a divided flow cell were studied. The stream of the anolyte was an aqueous solution containing D-glucose, sodium bromide, and sodium bicarbonate. The stream of the catholyte was also an aqueous solution containing xylose and sodium sulfite. The factors which affected both the anodic and cathodic reactions were studied. The results indicate that the flow rates and temperatures of the anolyte and the catholyte, concentrations of the aldoses, pH values and the material of electrodes significantly affect both anodic and cathodic yields. The selectivities of gluconic acid in the anode and xylitol in the cathode were very high. The power consumption of paired electrolysis in the flow system was less than paired electrolysis in a batch system.     

Electroreductive polymerization of trans-[RuCl 2(vpy) 4] on Nd-Fe-B magnets: electrochemical impedance spectroscopy interpretation, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy analysis

The electropolymerization of trans-[RuCl₂(vpy)₄] (vpy=4-vinylpyridine) monomer on Nd-Fe-B magnets was studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Impedance diagrams obtained during the polymerization process were used to monitor film formation. The EIS results gave insight into the electrochemical phenomena occurring at the magnet surface as the polymerization process progressed. The film structure and morphology were also studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The Raman spectroscopy results showed that the polymerization takes place at the vinyl groups of the monomer and also that the redox polymer structure is very similar to that of the monomer. The ratio of the intensity of the XPS peaks for fluorine (from the electrolyte PF₆ ^–) and ruthenium present in the film showed that the polymer on Nd-Fe-B contained an equal proportion of Ru²⁺ and Ru³⁺, indicating that part of the film is positively charged, i.e. {[RuCl₂(vpy)₄]⁺} _n .