Synthesis of Ta C and Ta_2C from tantalum and graphite in the laser-heated diamond anvil cell

The pressure dependence of the onset of the formation of Ta C and Ta2 C from the elements has been investigated by in situ X-ray diffraction and pyrometry.Ta C has been synthesized by the reaction of Ta and graphite at pressures between 8.6 and 14.3 GPa and at temperatures up to 2,300 K using a laser-heated diamond anvil cell. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction. Ta and graphite begin to react around 1,100 K at ambient pressure conditions, and the reaction temperature increases with increasing pressure. A linear extrapolation of these data is consistent with recent observations of the formation of Ta C at 90 GPa and 3,600 K. We show that diffusion of carbon into tantalum significantly changes the lattice parameter of up to 2 % in the pressure range of up to19 GPa. In some experiments, Ta2 C was formed concomitantly. The experimentally determined bulk modulus of Ta2 C is B0;exp：= 286（5） GPa. Other tantalum carbide phases were not observed.     

Adelfa： a futuristic biodiesel fuel for DI diesel engines： a comparative experimental investigation

Biodiesel fuel is found to be a promising alter- native for the petroleum diesel based on the results published by the researchers for a decade. Biodiesel fuel is renewable and non degradable fuel. Many countries use biodiesel fuel for automotives to meet the crisis due to the depletion of the petroleum fuel and to meet the stringent emission norms. Various researches have been carried out with different bio- diesel fuels with vegetable oil as the source and appreciable results were reported. Few biodiesel fuels which have been already tested are Jatropha, Pongamia, Mahua, neem, cotton seed, etc. In this experimental work, Adelfa biodiesel blend is used as the test fuel. The emission and performance charac- teristics were compared with three other different biodiesel fuel blends. Appreciable results imply that Adelfa biodiesel （Nerium oil methyl ester） can be a futuristic biodiesel fuel, which has a good compatibility with the direct injection （DI） diesel engine without any major modification. Moreover, Adelfa can be cultivated in a non agricultural land with fewer sources of water. It is widely spread over all major countries of Asia. Experimental investigations have been carried out on a single cylinder DI diesel engine with standard engine speci- fications. In this experimental work, various Adelfa biodiesel blends is compared with reference fuel （diesel） to choose the best blend which gives a closer performance to diesel. The comparative analysis with other biodiesel fuels has also been done and results have been discussed.     

Assessment of alternated cooling and heating treatment by US combined CEUS in the VX2 rabbit liver tumor model

Inoperable liver tumors are often treated by thermal ablation that destroys the tumor in situ and spares the adjacent hepatic tissue.Thermal–physical treatment has many advantages,but treatment by freezing or heating alone has some limitations.By taking the advantages and disadvantages of cryosurgery and thermotherapy into consideration,a new thermal technique that combines cryosurgery and radio frequency ablation has been proposed,thereby overcoming the disadvantages of each treatment strategy and improving therapeutic outcomes.This new approach remains to be systematically studied in the liver;therefore,this study was performed to estimate survival after alternated cooling and heating ablation therapy in a VX2 rabbit liver tumor model.Sixteen days after VX2 carcinoma implantation into the rabbit liver,tumors were treated with alternated cooling and heating ablation therapy.Rabbits were monitored for 6 months after treatment and assessed with ultrasound(US)and computed tomography at 1,7,14,and 30 days posttreatment.Untreated tumor-bearing animals served as the control group.Our results show that alternate freezing and heating ablation therapy resulted in a good recovery of VX2 rabbits.Compared with the control group,treated rabbits lived significantly longer(P\0.05),with 70%of treated animals surviving to 196 days posttreatment without metastasis or recurrence,while none of the controls did so.There was no local recurrence in the treatment group.All rabbits in the control group developed metastasis,while metastasis was only observed in 30% of treated rabbits.These results suggest that alternate cooling and heating ablation therapy can prolong the survival time of rabbits with VX2 liver tumors and is an effective method for tumor therapy.Furthermore,we also showed in this model that contrast enhanced US is a valid follow-up approach to assess treatment effectiveness.     

Review of galactic and extragalactic searches for class I methanol masers

Class I methanol masers are important tools for investigations of star formation throughout the Universe. Recently, a series of surveys for class I methanol masers at the 95 GHz transition toward samples of young stellar objects have been undertaken. These surveys have resulted in the detection of about 200 new class I methanol masers and combined with previous increased the number of known observations they have class I methanol masers in our Galaxy to ~400. From analysis of the relationship between class I methanol maser emission and associated astrophysical objects, it has been shown that the intensity of the class I methanol maser emission is closely correlated with the properties of the 1.1 mm Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey （BGPS） dust continuum sources and outflow properties. This further supports the hypothesis that class I methanol masers are collisionally pumped and excited in shocked regions. Based on these observations, it can be inferred that the BGPS catalog is likely to provide more reliable samples for targeting further class I methanol maser searches. A new survey for class I methanol masers toward a larger size sample of BGPS sources to test this is currently underway. The prospects for detecting class I methanol megamasers in extragalactic sources is discussed, and observations constituting the first sensitive search have been proposed.     

Compression behavior of Sm）2Ti2O7-pyrochlore up to 50 GPa：single-crystal X-ray diffraction and density functional theory calculations

Single-crystal X-ray diffraction at pressures up to 50 GPa has been employed to study the compression behavior of Sm2Ti2O7-pyrochlore. In contrast to earlier reports, we observed no pressure-induced amorphization or pressure-induced anion disorder up to 50 GPa. The experimental study has been complemented by density functional theory-based calculations. A combination of the theoretical and experimental data yields a bulk modulus of 185 GPa, significantly higher than a value which had been reported earlier. In comparison to earlier work, the current study provides more reliable data due to the use of neon as a pressure medium, which provides a more hydrostatic pressure than the aluminum, which had been employed as a pressure medium in the earlier studies. An analysis of the compressibility of Al2B2O7 pyrochlores shows an approximately linear dependence of the bulk modulus on the unit cell volume.     

A Study of a Stand- Alone Type Variable Speed Wind Tur bine System with Synchronous Generator

Most recently produced wind generators use variable-speed systems for high-efficiency operation and low mechanical stress.In this study of a variable-speed standalone system that uses a synchronous machine,a power converter for the system was developed and tested.The maximum power points were approximated in a line according to the wind speed changes,and the linear approximation MPPT algorithm was used to determine the duty ratio that corresponds to the intersection point of the observed power and linearized line using the power generated from the generator at a point.With the fabricated converter,it was verified that the voltage,current and theta were normal with the varied load current.     

Densification behavior of mechanically milled Cu–8 at% Cr alloy and its mechanical and electrical properties

Synthesis and consolidation behavior of Cu–8 at%Cr alloy powders made by mechanical alloying with elemental Cu and Cr powders,and subsequently,compressive and electrical properties of the consolidated alloys were studied.Solid solubility of Cr in Cu during milling,and subsequent phase transformations during sintering and heat treatment of sintered components were analyzed using X-ray diffraction,scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.The milled powders were compacted applying three different pressures(200 MPa,400 MPa and 600 MPa)and sintered in H2atmosphere at 900 1C for 30 min and at 1000 1C for 1 h and 2 h.The maximum densification(92.8%)was achieved for the sample compacted at 600 MPa and sintered for 1000 1C for 2 h.Hardness and densification behavior further increased for the compacts sintered at 900 1C for 30 min after rolling and annealing process.TEM investigation of the sintered compacts revealed the bimodal distribution of Cu grains with nano-sized Cr and Cr2O3precipitation along the grain boundary as well as in grain interior.Pinning of grain boundaries by the precipitates stabilized the fine grain structure in bimodal distribution.     

Growth, structural, optical, thermal and dielectric properties of a novel semi-organic nonline ar optical crystal: Dichloro-diglycine zinc II

Dichloro-diglycine zinc II(DCDGZ II),a semi-organic nonlinear optical material has been synthesized and single crystals were grown from the aqueous solution up to dimensions 20×10×3 mm3.The title compound,DCDGZ II(C4H10Cl2N2O4Zn H2O) crystallizes into monoclinic structure with the space group of C2/c.The unit-cell parameters were found to be a=14.4191(7),b=6.9180(2),c=12.9452(6) and Z=4.In the crystal structure,DCDGZ II layer is building up alternatingly with layers of water in which the zinc ions lie on a twofold axis.Theoretical calculations for polarizability,which are useful for device fabrication were made using Clausius–Mosotti equation and Penn analysis and the results were compared.Fourier transform infrared(FTIR) spectroscopic studies were performed for the identification of the different functional groups presented in the compound.The UV–vis–NIR absorption spectrum reveals that the lower UV cut-off wavelength is 240 nm.The optical band gap of the crystal was estimated as 2.2 eV.The surface morphology,thermal behaviour,dielectric properties have been studied using SEM,TG/DTA and LCR HITESTER analyzer.The nonlinear optical property of the crystal was also confirmed using Kurtz powder technique.     

A simulation study on the thermal and wetting behavior of alkane thiol SAM on gold (111) surface

Molecular dynamics simulations have been performed to investigate the structural,thermal and wetting properties of self-assembled monolayer(SAM) of alkane thiol on gold surface.The specific heat capacity of the gold SAM surface was found to linearly increase with the temperature in the range 100–300 K.It was found to drop down at 400 K and this decrease might be attributed to the disorder of the SAM chains.Hydration of gold SAM surface for two different terminal groups,namely methyl(hydrophobic),and hydroxy(hydrophilic) was studied at room temperature.The difference in their wetting behavior and the structure of their interfacial water were examined from the estimation of the z density profile,radial distribution function,hydrogen bonds and orientation of water dipoles in the interfacial region.The present simulation results suggest that the wetting behavior of the gold SAM surface can be modified by altering the terminal functional group of the SAM chains.     

In fl uence of HEPES buffer on the local pH and formation of surface layer during in vitro degradation tests of magnesium in DMEM

The human body is a buffered environment where p H is effectively maintained. HEPES is a biological buffer often used to mimic the buffering activity of the body in in vitro studies on the degradation behavior of magnesium. However, the influence of HEPES on the degradation behavior of magnesium in the DMEM pseudo-physiological solution has not yet been determined. The research aimed at elucidating the degradation mechanisms of magnesium in DMEM with and without HEPES. The morphologies and compositions of surface layers formed during in vitro degradation tests for 15–3600 s were characterized. The effect of HEPES on the electrochemical behavior and corrosion tendency was determined by performing electrochemical tests. HEPES indeed retained the local p H, leading to intense intergranular/interparticle corrosion of magnesium made from powder and an increased degradation rate. This was attributed to an interconnected network of cracks formed at the original powder particle boundaries and grain boundaries in the surface layer, which provided pathways for the corrosive medium to interact continuously with the internal surfaces and promoted further dissolution. Surface analysis revealed significantly reduced amounts of precipitated calcium phosphates due to the buffering activity of HEPES so that magnesium became less well protected in the buffered environment.