Metastability of a circular o-ring due to intrinsic curvature

An o-ring takes spontaneously the shape of a chair when strong enough torsion is applied in its tangent plane. This state is metastable, since work has to be done on the o-ring to return to the circular shape. We show that this metastable state exists in a Hamiltonian where curvature and torsion are coupled via an intrinsic curvature term. If the o-ring is constrained to be planar (2d case), this metastable state displays a kink-anti-kink pair. This state is metastable if the ratio is less than , where C and A are the torsion and the bending elastic constants [#!landau!#]. In three dimensions, our variational approach shows that . This model can be generalized to the case where the bend is induced by a concentration field which follows the variations of the curvature. Received: 27 August 1997 / Revised: 23 October 1997 / Accepted: 12 November 1997     

钴掺杂Sr1.5La0.5MnO4的合成及高温电化学性能研究

采用EDTA-柠檬酸法合成了中温固体氧化物燃料电池阴极材料Sr_1.5La_0.5Mn_1-xCo_xO₄（SLMCO_x）,并利用粉末X射线衍射（XRD）、X射线光电子能谱（XPS）以及电化学交流阻抗谱（EIS）进行表征。结果表明,该材料与Ce_0.9Gd_0.1O_1.95（CGO）在1 200℃烧结12 h不发生化学反应。随着Co掺入量的增加,氧化物中Mn³⁺和Co²⁺含量增多,晶格氧含量降低,晶格畸变率增大。交流阻抗谱（EIS）测试结果显示,钴的掺杂明显降低电极的极化电阻,其中Sr_1.5La_0.5Mn_0.7Co_0.3O₄阴极在700℃空气中的极化电阻为0.62 Ω·cm²,明显小于Sr_1.5La_0.5MnO₄阴极在750℃的极化电阻（1.5 Ω·cm²）,表明钴掺杂的Sr_1.5La_0.5Mn_1-xCo_xO₄是一种潜在的IT-SOFC阴极材料。     

中温固体氧化物燃料电池阴极材料LaBiMn2O6的制备与性能研究

采用固相法合成了中温固体氧化物燃料电池(IT-SOFCs)阴极材料LaBiMn₂O₆,并利用X射线衍射(XRD)和电化学阻抗谱(EIS)进行表征.结果表明该材料与电解质Ce_0.7Bi_0.3O_1.85(CBO)在1 000 ℃烧结12 h不发生反应.交流阻抗和直流极化测试结果发现,阴极极化电阻随测试温度的增加而逐渐减小,700 ℃空气中的极化电阻为0.71 Ω·cm²;氧分压测试结果显示,在600~700 ℃范围内,电极反应的速率控制步骤为电极上发生的电荷转移反应.电极过电位为85 mV时,700 ℃的阴极电流密度达到 216 mA·cm^-2 ,表明LaBiMn₂O₆是一种潜在的中温固体氧化物燃料电池(IT-SOFCs)阴极材料.     

High-energy femtosecond laser pulse compression in single- and multi-ionization regime of rare gases: experiment versus theory

We report experimental and numerical results on the post-compression of 40 fs duration pulses down to 10 fs at high energy level (multi-mJ). The spectral broadening is achieved through the self-phase modulation resulting from optical-field-ionization of different noble gases (He, Ne, Ar) by the 40-fs laser pulse propagating in a low-pressure gas-filled hollow capillary. We discuss the influence of the multi-ionization dynamics, through the gas dependence, on the laser energy carried by the capillary, as well as on the duration and temporal shape of the post-compressed pulses. In all the different experimental conditions investigated in this article (pressures and gases used), the experimental data is in good agreement with the numerical results from a three-dimension propagation code. Through this study, we demonstrate the robustness of the proposed post-compression technique with regard to multi-ionization, indicating that it can be used on a large intensity range by judiciously choosing the gas.     

钴掺杂Sr1.5La0.5MnO4的合成及高温电化学性能研究

采用EDTA-柠檬酸法合成了中温固体氧化物燃料电池阴极材料Sr_(1.5)La_(0.5)Mn_(1-x)Co_xO_4(SLMCOx),并利用粉末X射线衍射(XRD)、X射线光电子能谱(XPS)以及电化学交流阻抗谱(EIS)进行表征。结果表明,该材料与Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95(CGO)在1 200℃烧结12 h不发生化学反应。随着Co掺入量的增加,氧化物中Mn~(3+)和Co~(2+)含量增多,晶格氧含量降低,晶格畸变率增大。交流阻抗谱(EIS)测试结果显示,钴的掺杂明显降低电极的极化电阻,其中Sr_(1.5)La_(0.5)Mn_(0.7)Co_(0.3)O_4阴极在700℃空气中的极化电阻为0.62Ω·cm~2,明显小于Sr_(1.5)La_(0.5)MnO_4阴极在750℃的极化电阻(1.5Ω·cm~2),表明钴掺杂的Sr_(1.5)La_(0.5)Mn_(1-x)CoxO_4是一种潜在的IT-SOFC阴极材料。     

Composition and electrochemical properties of LiCu xMn 2- xO 4 and LiCu 0.5- yAl yMn 1.5O 4

In order to gain a better understanding of the parameters affecting the capacity and performance of spinel electrode materials, the chemical composition and cation distribution of three members of the LiCu_xMn_2–xO₄ and LiCu_0.5–yAl_yMn_1.5O₄ series have been studied by chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The synthesis used stoichiometric and lithium-excess precursors. The results evidence that lithium is always incorporated in lower contents than expected from the nominal stoichiometry, owing to the occurrence of significant amounts of copper in the tetrahedral sites of the structure. Manganese displays an oxidation state below 4+ in all these solids, while the lithium-excess synthesis leads to a slightly higher average oxidation state. The electrochemical results evidence the lack of improvement in capacity by using lithium-excess synthesis, while a significant increase in capacity is obtained by aluminium doping, reaching values of 100 mAh/g.     

CRTA Study of the Reduction of UO2F2 into UO2 by Dry H2

The reduction of UO₂F₂ by dry H₂ was studied by Controlled Rate EGA, with a special set-up operating under a gas flow under atmospheric pressure. At the constant transformation rate selected, this reduction apparently takes place in one main step, around 450°C (for a total duration of 100 h), followed by a small exothermic step. The final product is a stoichiometric, well crystallized UO₂. XRD analysis shows the occurrence of two successive intermediates of which one has a structure close to that of UO₂, but with interstitial fluorine atoms. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A new method to study complex materials in solid state chemistry: application to chalcogenide materials

We show that a combined application of Mössbauer spectroscopy and other experimental tools such as X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X‐ray absorption spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance provides a coherent picture of the local electronic structure in chalcogenide materials. In order to develop this idea we propose an analysis of the Sn, Sb and Te local electronic structures for three different systems of materials. The first example concerns the In–Sn–S system. We show that Li insertion in In₁₆Sn₄S₃₂ leads to changes of the Sn oxidation states from Sn(IV) to Sn(II). The second example concerns materials of the Tl–Sb–S system. We show that variations of the ¹²¹Sb Mössbauer isomer shift and surface of the first peak of the X‐ray absorption spectra at the Sb L_III edge can be linearly correlated because of the main influence of the Sb 5s electrons. This is explained by changes in the local environment of the Sb atoms. The last example concerns the crystalline phases of the Tl–Sn–Te system. The formal oxidation numbers of the Te atoms are determined from ¹²⁵Te Mössbauer spectroscopy and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. They are related to the different types of bonds involving the Te atoms in the Tl–Sn–Te compounds.