Detection of autocatalytic decomposition behavior of energetic materials using APTAC

Characterization of autocatalytic decomposition reactions is important for the safe handling and storage of energetic materials. Isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) has been widely used to detect autocatalytic decomposition of energetic materials. However, isothermal DSC tests are time consuming and the choice of experimental temperature is crucial. This paper shows that an automatic pressure tracking calorimeter (APTAC) can be a reliable and efficient screening tool for the identification of autocatalytic decomposition behavior of energetic materials. Hydroxylamine nitrate (HAN) is an important member of the hydroxylamine family. High concentrations of HAN are used as liquid propellants, and low concentrations of HAN are used primarily in the nuclear industry for decontamination of equipment. Because of its instability and autocatalytic decomposition behavior, HAN has been involved in several incidents.     

A stereoselective synthesis of asymmetrically substituted calix[4]arenecarbamates

Calix[4]arenes bearing a methoxy and an R or S α-phenylethylacetamido group at the narrow rim of macrocycles are stereoselectively acylated with 1 equiv of trichloroacetyl isocyanate to give chiral asymmetrically substituted calix[4]arenecarbamates in preparative yields and high diastereomeric excess.     

K10Ga3Bi6.65 – The First Compound in the Ternary A-Ga-Bi System Comprising Cyclic Tris-meta Borate-Analogous [Ga3Bi6]9– Units and Bi2 Dumbbells

K₁₀Ga₃Bi_6.65 is the first representative in the ternary system A-Ga-Bi (A = alkali metal). It contains [Ga₃Bi₆]^9– anions with planar triangular-coordinated Ga atoms as the main structural feature, accompanied by isolated Bi–Bi dumbbells. Alkali metal cations are counterbalancing the charges and fill the space between the anionic units. According to the Zintl-Klemm concept charge balance is reached if an almost equal ratio of single and double-bonded Bi₂ dumbbells are present according to (K⁺)₁₀[Ga₃Bi₆]^9–([Bi-Bi]^4–)_1/6([Bi=Bi]^2–)_1/6.     

Experimental demonstration of a narrowband, angular tolerant, polarization independent, doubly periodic resonant grating filter

Resonant grating filters are promising components for free-space narrowband filtering. Unfortunately, due to their weak angular tolerance, their performances are strongly deteriorated when they are illuminated with a standard collimated beam. Yet this problem can be overcome by resorting to a complex periodic pattern known as the doubly periodic grating [Lemarchand et al., Opt. Lett.23, 1149 (1998)]. We report what we believe to be the first experimental fabrication and characterization of a bidimensional doubly periodic grating filter. We obtained a 0.5 nm bandpass polarization independent reflection filter for telecom wavelengths (1520-1570 nm) that presents a transmittivity minimum of 18% with a standard incident collimated beam.     

Three-Dimensional Structure of Thermostable D-Amino Acid Transaminase from the Archaeon Methanocaldococcus jannaschii DSM 2661

Crystallography Reports - Pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP)-dependent transaminases catalyze the stereospecific amino-group transfer from an amino acid or amine to ketone or keto acid....     

Ultrafast magneto-optics in nickel: magnetism or optics?

Several magnetic and optical processes contribute to the magneto-optical response of nickel thin films after excitation by a femtosecond laser pulse. We achieved a first complete identification by explicitly measuring the time-resolved Kerr ellipticity and rotation, as well as its temperature and magnetic field dependence in epitaxially grown (111) and (001) oriented Cu/Ni/Cu wedges. The first hundreds of femtoseconds the response is dominated by state filling effects. The true demagnetization takes approximately 0.5-1 ps. At the longer (sub-ns) time scales the spins are found to precess in their anisotropy field. Simple and transparent models are introduced to substantiate our interpretation.