High-efficiency and low-cost hybrid nanomaterial as enhancing electrocatalyst: Spongelike AWN core/shell nanomaterial with hollow cavity

A high-efficiency and low-cost spongelike Au/Pt core/shell electrocatalyst with hollow cavity has been facilely obtained via a simple two-step wet chemical process. Hollow gold nanospheres were first synthesized via a modified galvanic replacement reaction between Co nanoparticles in situ produced and HAUCl(4). The as-prepared gold hollow spheres were employed as seeds to further grow spongelike Pt shell. It is found that the surface of this hybrid nanomaterial owns many Pt nanospikes, which form a spongelike nanostructure. All experimental data including scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and UV-vis-near-infrared spectroscopy have been employed to characterize the obtained Au/Pt hybrid nanomaterial. The rapid development of fuel cell has inspired us to investigate the electrocatalytic properties for dioxygen and methanol of this novel hybrid nanomaterial. Spongelike hybrid nanomaterial mentioned here exhibits much higher catalytic activity for dioxygen reduction and methanol oxidation than the common Pt electrode.

Quantifying robustness and dissipation cost of yeast cell cycle network: The funneled energy landscape perspectives

We study the origin of robustness of yeast cell cycle cellular network through uncovering its underlying energy landscape. This is realized from the information of the steady-state probabilities by solving a discrete set of kinetic master equations for the network. We discovered that the potential landscape of yeast cell cycle network is funneled toward the global minimum, G1 state. The ratio of the energy gap between G1 and average versus roughness of the landscape termed as robustness ratio ( RR) becomes a quantitative measure of the robustness and stability for the network. The funneled landscape is quite robust against random perturbations from the inherent wiring or connections of the network. There exists a global phase transition between the more sensitive response or less self-degradation phase leading to underlying funneled global landscape with large RR, and insensitive response or more self-degradation phase leading to shallower underlying landscape of the network with small RR. Furthermore, we show that the more robust landscape also leads to less dissipation cost of the network. Least dissipation and robust landscape might be a realization of Darwinian principle of natural selection at cellular network level. It may provide an optimal criterion for network wiring connections and design.

Relationship between the continually expanded interlayer distance of layered silicates and excess intercalation of cationic surfactants

Excess intercalation of cationic surfactants into Na-montmorillonites (MMTs) was investigated in organically modified silicates (OMSs), synthesized with MMTs and octadecylammonium chloride (OAC) by systematically varying the surfactant loading level from 0.625 to 1, 1.25, 1.56, 2, and 2.5 with respect to the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of MMTs. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis results indicated that the continuous increase of interlayer distances came from the entering of surfactants into the interlayer of MMTs. Excess surfactants were extracted with a Soxhlet apparatus, which showed two kinds of intercalation states of surfactants in the interlayer when the surfactant loading level was beyond the CEC. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry were used to explore the microstructures of OMSs. It was found that the surfactants arranged more orderly as the loading level increased and the excess surfactants piled up in the interlayer together with counterions, forming a sandwiched surfactant layer. On the basis of the results, the layer structures of OMSs and the mechanism by which the surfactants entered the interlayer were expounded: surfactant cations entered the interlayer through cation exchange reactions and were tightly attracted to the silicate platelet surfaces when the surfactant loading level was below the CEC;

Brittle-tough transition in PP/EPDM blends: effects of interparticle distance and tensile deformation speed

The toughness of polypropylene (PP)/ethylene-propylene-diene monomer rubber (EPDM) blends containing various EPDM contents as a function of the tensile speed was studied. The toughness of the blends was determined from the tensile fracture energy of the side-edge notched samples. A sharp brittle-tough transition was observed in the fracture energy versus interparticle distance (ID) curves when the crosshead speed < 102.4 mm/min. It was observed that the brittle-ductile transition of PP/EPDM blend occurred either by reducing ID or by decreasing the tensile speed. The correlation between the critical interparticle distance and tensile deformation rate was compared with that between the critical interparticle distance and temperature for PP/EPDM blends. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Brittle-ductile transition in high-density polyethylene/glass-bead blends: Effects of interparticle distance and temperature

The toughness of high-density polyethylene (HDPE)/glass-bead blends containing various glass-bead contents as a function of temperature was studied. The toughness of the blends was determined from the notch Izod impact test. A sharp brittle-ductile transition was observed in impact strength-interparticle distance (ID) curves at various temperatures. The brittle-ductile transition of HDPE/glass-bead blends occurred either with reduced ID or with increased temperature. The results indicated that the brittle-ductile-transition temperature dropped markedly with increasing glass-bead content. Moreover, the correlation between the critical interparticle distance (ID.) and temperature was obtained. Similar to the ID, of polymer blends with elastomers, the ID, nonlinearly increased with increasing temperature. However, this was the first observation of the variation of the ID, with temperature for polymer blends with rigid particles. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym. Sci Part B: Polym. Phys 39: 1855-1859, 2001.

Atom space distance and computing of molecular similarity

A mathematical model on computation of molecular similarity was suggested, The algorithmic techniques for measuring the degree of similarity between pairs of three-dimensional chemical molecules was represented by modified interatomic distance matrices. Current work was carried out on Indigo 2 work station with Sybyl software. Four groups of molecules were used to compute the molecules similarity to testing the mathematical model with satisfactory results.

Effect of polymer chain structure and chain distance on luminescent efficiency

Three kinds of PPV-based copolymers were synthesized and characterized. Their luminescent properties were investigated and discussed by PL spectrum, and time-dependence luminescent spectrum in film and solution stare. The results show that in the range of our study, the PL intensity and lifetime of luminescent decay increase with the increasing length of flexible segments and the solution diluting, indicating the tendency of the increase of luminescent efficiency.

Interparticle distance-temperature-strain rate equivalence for the brittle-tough transition in polymer blends

From the angle of energy transformation an equation was obtained for the brittle transition in polymer blends. The effects of interparticle distance, temperature and strain rate on the brittle-tough transition in polymer blends were characterized by this equation. The calculations show that, for this transition: (1) increasing temperature and decreasing interparticle distance are equivalent and the shift factor increases with increasing temperature; (2) decreasing strain rate and decreasing interparticle distance have equivalent effects on the transition; (3) the strain rate must be optimum in order to find the brittle-tough transition phenomena for a given temperature region. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

A simple and low-cost airlift photobioreactor for microalgal mass culture

A simple, low-cost, and efficient airlift photobioreactor for microalgal mass culture was designed and developed. The reactor was made of Plexiglas, and composed of three major parts: outer tube, draft tube and air duct. The fluid-dynamic characteristics of the airlift reactor were studied. The system proved to be well suited to the mass cultivation of a marine microalga, Chlorella sp. In batch culture, the biomass volumetric output rate of 0.21 g l(-1) d(-1) was obtained at the superficial gas velocity of 4 mm s(-1) in the draft tube.

Robust Guaranteed Cost Control for Yaw Control of Helicopter

针对具有时变不确定性且不确定性界为椭球的线性系统提出了一种新的具有自适应机制的鲁棒保性能控制器设计方法。首先,引入一个具有可由自适应律在线调整的可调参数的目标模型,通过该参数来保证由目标模型与被控模型所获得的误差系统渐近稳定。结合保证目标模型稳定性的设计,最终形成保证闭环系统稳定且控制器增益仿射依赖于可调参数的鲁棒保性能跟踪控制器。应用于安装在试验平台上的小型直升机航向控制中,仿真试验表明了该方法的有效性。

悬索桥隧道式锚碇与围岩系统的破坏模式研究

The anchorages are unparalleled structures only in a suspension bridge, and as main bearing facilities, play an important role in connecting the superstructures and the ground. The tunnel anchorage, as one alternative type of the anchorages, has more advantages over its counterpart, the gravity anchorage. With the tunnel anchorages adopted, not only can surface excavation be reduced to protect the environment, and natural condition of the rock be utilized and potential bearing capacity of surrounding rock be mobilized to save engineering cost, but also the technological predominance of auxiliary engineering measures, such as prestressed concrete, anchoring piles, rock anchors and collar beam between the two separated anchorages, can be easily cooperated to work together harmoniously under the circumstances of poor rock quality. There are plentiful high mountains and deep canyons in west part of China, and long-span bridge construction is inevitably encountered in order to realize leapfrogging development of the transportation infrastructure. Western mountainous areas usually possess the conditions for constructing tunnel anchorages, and therefore, the tunnel anchorages, which are conformed to the conception of resource conservative and sustainable society, extremely have application and popularization value in western underdeveloped region. The scientific and technological problem about the design, construction and operation of tunnel anchorages should be further investigated. Combining the engineering of western tunnel anchorages for the Balinghe Suspension Bridge, this paper probed into the survey method and in-situ test method for tunnel anchorages, scientific rock quality evaluation of surrounding rock to provide reasonable physical and mechanical parameters for design, construction and operation of tunnel anchorages, bearing capacity estimation for tunnel anchorage, deformation prediction of the anchorage-rockmass system, tunnel-anchorage slope stability analysis and the evaluation of excavation stability and degree of safety of the anchorage tunnel. The following outcomes were obtained: 1. Materials of tunnel anchorages of suspension bridge built (and in progress) at home and abroad were systematically sorted out, with the engineering geological condition and geomechanical property of surrounding rock around the anchorage tunnel, the design size of anchorages and the construction method of anchorage tunnel paid more emphasis on, to unveil the internal relationship between the engineering geological conditions of surrounding rock and the design size and axis angle of anchorages and provide references for future design, construction and study of tunnel anchorages. 2. Physical and mechanical parameters were recommended based on three domestic and foreign methods of rock quality evaluation. 3. In-situ tests, adopting the back-thrust method, of two kinds of reduced scale model, 1/30 and 1/20, for the tunnel anchorages were conducted in the declining exploration drift with rock mass at the test depth being the same as surrounding rock around real anchorages, and reliable field rockmass displacement data were acquired. Attenuation relation between the increment of distance from the anchorage and the decrement of rockmass displacement under maximum test load, and influential scope suffered by anchorage load were obtained. 4. Using similarity theory, the magnitude of real anchorage and rockmass displacement under design load and degree of safety of the anchorage system were deduced. Furthermore, inversion analysis to deformation modulus of slightly weathered dolomite rock, the surrounding rock of anchorage tunnel, was performed by the means of numerical simulation. 5. The influential law of the geometrical size to the limit bearing capacity of tunnel anchorage was studied. 6. Based on engineering geological survey data, accounting for the combination of strata layer and adverse discontinuities, the failure patterns of tunnel anchorage slope were divided into three modes: sliding of splay saddle pier slope, superficial-layer slippage, and deep-layer slippage. Using virtual work principle and taking anchorage load in account, the stability of the three kinds of failure patterns were analyzed in detail. 7. The step-by-step excavation of anchorage tunnel, the numerical overload and the staged decrement of rock strength parameters were numerically simulated to evaluate the excavation stability of surrounding rock around anchorage tunnel, the overload performance of tunnel anchorage, and the safety margin of strength parameters of the surrounding rock.