The influence of pulse duration on the stress levels in ablation of ceramics: A finite element study

We present a finite element model to investigate the dynamic thermal and mechanical response of ceramic materials to pulsed infrared radiation. The model was applied to the specific problem of determining the influence of the pulse duration on the stress levels reached in human dental enamel irradiated by a CO₂ laser at 10.6 μm with pulse durations between 0.1 and 100 μs and sub-ablative fluence. Our results indicate that short pulses with durations much larger than the characteristic acoustic relaxation time of the material can still cause high stress transients at the irradiated site, and indicate that pulse durations of the order of 10 μs may be more adequate both for enamel surface modification and for ablation than pulse durations up to 1 μs. The model presented here can easily be modified to investigate the dynamic response of ceramic materials to mid-infrared radiation and help determine optimal pulse durations for specific procedures.     

Oscillations of linear integro-differential equations

Sufficient conditions which guarantee that certain linear integro-differential equation cannot have a positive solution are established.     

Approche non paramétrique du filtrage de système non linéaire à temps discret et à paramètres inconnus

Particle filters are presently among the most powerful tools for filtering discrete time non linear systems. However the presence of unknown parameters in the system equations makes their use more complex and can even impair their convergence properties. This Note shows how an on-line consistent estimation of these parameters can be obtained simultaneously to that of the state variables to be filtered. This approach relies upon a kernel-based non parametric estimation of conditional probability densities from successive Monte Carlo generations of system particles. To cite this article: V. Rossi, J.-P. Vila, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 340 (2005).     

Immobilization of catalase on membranes of poly(ethylene)-g-co-acrylic acid and poly(tetrafluoroethylene)-g-co-acrylic acid and their application in hydrogen peroxide electrochemical sensors

The immobilization of catalase on grafted membranes of poly(ethylene)-g-co-acrylic acid and poly(tetrafluoroethylene)-g-co-acrylic acid and their application in hydrogen peroxide electrochemical sensors is described. The introduction of carboxylic acid groups onto a hydrophobic support provides a good environment for subsequent enzyme immobilization. This single membrane, hydrogen peroxide sensor showed significant improvement with respect to the double membrane versions. The response is very rapid, the linear range being from 10 μM up to 6 mM, with a detection limit of 4.7 μM, and a lifetime of more than 4 months.     

On some Nikolski - and Oswald-type inequalities

Inequalities of Nikolski (Trudy Mat. Inst. Steklova 38 (1951), 2.3, p. 255) in L_2π^p, p 1, and of Oswald (Izv. Vyssh. Uchebn. Zaved. Mat. 7 (1976), (3.4), p. 71; Theorem 1, p. 69), 0 < p < 1, are extended to the case of Orlicz spaces L_2π.     

Yttrium aluminate crystals for slabs

The methods of growing YAG:Nd crystals with a flat interface and YAP:Nd crystals with a sharp conical interface are described. The form of the interface was controlled by the He and H₂O content in the reducing atmosphere composed mainly of Ar and H₂ as well as by axial temperature gradient above the melt level. The crystals of 120–180 mm in length were machined to the high-quality slabs.     

Silica hybrid nanocomposites

In this work we present experimental results about the formation, properties and structure of sol — gel silica based biocomposite containing Calcium alginate as an organic compound. Two different types of silicon precursors have been used in the synthesis: tetramethylortosilicate (TMOS) and ethyltrimethoxysilane (ETMS). The samples have been prepared at room temperature. The hybrids have been synthesized by replacing different quantitis of the inorganic precursor with alginate. The structure of the obtained hybrid materials has been studied by XRD, IR Spectroscopy, EDS, BET and AFM. The results proved that all samples are amorphous possessing a surface area from 70 to 290 m²/g. It has also been established by FT IR spectra that the hybrids containing TMOS display Van der Walls and Hydrogen bonding or electrostatic interactions between the organic and inorganic components. Strong chemical bonds between the inorganic and organic components in the samples with ETMS are present. A self-organized nanostructure has been observed by AFM. In the obtained hybrids the nanobuilding blocks average in size at about 8–14 nm for the particles.     

Particle shape in thixotropic aluminium and thorium molybdates gels

Summary Electron microscope examination of thixotropic aluminium and thorium molybdate gels shows that one hour after formation they are constituted by short fibrils of small axial ratio. The fibrils of the aluminium molybdate gels, with ageing at room temperature or with boiling, increase in diameter and length; the fibrous shape of the particles is maintained after two and a half years of ageing; all fibrils are crystalline by electron diffraction. The fibrils of the thorium molybdate gels, except in the gels containing hydrochloric acid, change with ageing at room temperature or with boiling, into plates of hexagonal, elliptical or rectangular profile; the fibrils and plates are crystalline and have the same electron diffraction pattern as the fibrils.This work was aided, in part, by grants from Conselho Nacional de Pesquisas and the Rockefeller Foundation.