A new beam asymmetry measurement from pion photoproduction on the neutron using CLAS

We present a preliminary analysis of the photon beam asymmetry observable （Z） from the pho- toproduction reaction channel γn → pπ in the invariant mass range 1.6--2.3 GeV. The measurement was obtained using the near-4π CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer （CLAS） at Jefferson Laboratory, USA, employing a linearly polarised photon beam with an energy range 1.1 2.3 GeV, incident on a liquid deuterium target. The measurement will provide new data to address the poorly established neutron excitation spectrum and will greatly expand the sparse world data-set both in energy and angle.     

Transport properties of nitrogen in single walled carbon nanotubes

Transport properties including collective and tracer diffusivities of nitrogen, modeled as a diatomic molecule, in single walled carbon nanotubes have been studied by equilibrium molecular dynamics at different temperatures and as a function of pressure. It is shown that while the asymptotic decay of the translational and rotational velocity autocorrelation function is algebraic, the collective velocity decays exponentially with the relaxation time related to the interfacial friction. The tracer diffusivity in the nanochannel, which is comparable in magnitude with diffusivity in the equilibrium bulk phase, depends only weakly on the conditions at the fluid-solid interface, whereas the collective diffusivity is a strong function of the hydrodynamic boundary conditions and is found to be three orders of magnitude higher than self-diffusivity in carbon nanotubes and for the comparatively rough surface of the rare-gas tube it is one order of magnitude greater. A relationship between the collective diffusivity and the Maxwell coefficient describing wall collisions is obtained. The transport coefficients appear to be insensitive to the long-range details of the potential function.     

Atomistic modelling in metrology: algorithms and current challenges

Mathematical modelling plays an increasingly important role in measurement science where many problems of fundamental and practical importance require solutions at meso- and nano-scales. In quantum and materials metrology atomistic simulation has developed to a level where it is competing in accuracy with laboratory measurements. This article gives a brief overview of current applications of atomistic simulation to problems of metrology. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Deeply virtual compton scattering from the neutron with CLAS and CLAS12

Generalised Parton Distributions (GPDs) offer an insight into the three-dimensional structure of the nucleon and its internal dynamics, relating the longitudinal momentum of quarks to their transverse position. A very effective means of accessing GPDs is via measurements of cross-sections and polarisation-asymmetries in Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering (DVCS). In particular, the beam-spin asymmetry (BSA) in DVCS from the neutron is especially sensitive to angular momentum of the up- and down-quarks, and its measurement therefore has potential to shed important light on the puzzle of nucleon spin. We present a preliminary extraction of BSA from a recent experiment using a 6 GeV electron beam and the CLAS detector at Jefferson Laboratory and introduce the Central Neutron Detector to be integrated with CLAS12 for the exclusive measurement of neutron DVCS at 11 GeV, made possible by the Jefferson Lab upgrade.     

A new beam asymmetry measurement from pion photoproduction on the neutron using CLAS

We present a preliminary analysis of the photon beam asymmetry observable (Σ) from the pho-toproduction reaction channel γn→pπ~- in the invariant mass range 1.6-2.3 GeV. The measurement was obtained using the near-4π CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) at Jefferson Laboratory, USA, employing a linearly polarised photon beam with an energy range 1.1-2.3 GeV, incident on a liquid deuterium target. The measurement will provide new data to address the poorly established neutron excitation spectrum and will greatly expand the sparse world data-set both in energy and angle.     

Effect of poly (lactic acid)‐graft‐glycidyl methacrylate as a compatibilizer on properties of poly (lactic acid)/banana fiber biocomposites

The main aim of this study was to synthesis of poly (lactic acid) (PLA)‐graft‐glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) as well as its influence on the properties of PLA/banana fiber biocomposites. PLA‐graft‐GMA graft copolymer (GC) was synthesized by melt blending PLA with GMA using benzoyl peroxide and dicumyl peroxide as initiators. Graft copolymerization was confirmed by FTIR and ¹H‐NMR spectroscopic studies. PLA/silane treated banana fiber (SiB) biocomposites with various GC concentrations were prepared by melt blending followed by injection molding techniques. The influence of GC content on the mechanical, thermal and moisture resistance properties of the composite was investigated. The addition of 15 wt% GC content in the biocomposite provided optimum tensile and flexural strength, which is attributed to the greater compatibility between fiber and PLA matrix. The thermal properties of biocomposites have been evaluated using thermogravimetric analysis which provided evidence of improved interfacial adhesion between SiB and PLA by the addition of GC. Additionally, GC enhanced the moisture absorption resistance of biocomposites. These results indicated that GC is indeed a good candidate as a compatibilizing agent to improve the compatibility in PLA/fiber biocomposites. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.