Phase transition in ammonium aluminium and ammonium chromium alums-A high pressure EPR study

An investigation of the phase transitions at high pressures in the alums mentioned in the title has been carried out using EPR of the Cr3+ ion (at the trivalent metal ion site). It is observed that at ambient as well as at high pressures there is a change of slope in the linear variations of the zero field splitting with temperature and that the low temperature phase is characterised by a large number of lines in the EPR spectra. The transition temperature shows a large positive shift with pressure, for both the alums. All these facts are explained in terms of our model of the origin of the trigonal field at the trivalent metal ion site as well as the details of the motion of NH4+ ion.

Photoemission study of YBa2Cu3O7 through the superconducting transition: Evidence for oxygen dimerization

Photoemission spectra of YBa2Cu3O7-δ in the normal and superconducting states provide direct evidence for dimerization of oxygen below Tc. Cu2+ is found to reduce to Cu1+ concomitantly. These changes may be of vital importance to the mechanism of high-temperature superconductivity.

Interaction of carbon monoxide with transition metal surfaces

XPS studies of the interaction of carbon monoxide with surfaces of Fe, Co and Ni indicate that at 300 K, the disproportionation reaction is prominent up to exposures of 103 L giving rise to high surface concentrations of carbon. At higher exposures and higher temperatures, dissociation of carbon monoxide accompanied by the formation of surface oxide layers becomes more prominent. In the case of copper, disproportionation is prominent up to 104 L even at 500 K followed by dissociation at higher exposures. These results are also supported by Auger spectroscopic studies.

Effect of radiation on the Peierls transition

The effect of radiation on the Peierls transition in a one-dimensional metal is investigated. It is pointed out that an external radiation field satisfying appropriate frequency conditions reduces the width of the Peierls gap.

Transition to fatherhood: A cross-cultural comparison

A prospective study was conducted of fathers' transition to parenthood from mid-pregnancy to 6 weeks postpartum. The subjects were 198 fathers from Greece (Athens) and 142 from Britain (Bristol). Social class, age and parity distributions were similar between the two populations. The culture and social structure experienced by each varied widely, however, and was a focus of interest. Two major themes in fatherhood across the two populations were explored: first, the father's instrumental role in provision of emotional and practical support to his partner and care for his child; and second the father's emotional reaction to his partner's pregnancy, the birth of his child and early parenthood. In both cultures fathers reported that they took an active instrumental role in supporting their partner and in participating in childcare. Markedly more British fathers attended the delivery. There were no overall differences in the degree to which fathers participated in childcare though the nature of this participation varied. British fathers more commonly took on housework duties. During their partner's pregnancy Greek fathers experienced significantly higher malaise than their British counterparts and also reported feeling that they had less social support. Common to many fathers in both cultures during this time were fears that their partner might change or be damaged by the pregnancy. After the birth, there was no difference in emotional well-being between the Greek and British fathers. Reactions to fatherhood and enjoyment of the child were similar for the two cultures also. Patterns of correlation between variables both within and across the antenatal and postnatal time periods were, for the most part, similar for the two cultures. Social support, however, was found to relate to father's emotional and instrumental reaction to parenthood only in the case of the British sample. Findings are discussed in terms of each culture's point on the continuum of social change.

Dynamics Of Thermotropic Liquid Crystals Across The Isotropic-Nematic Transition And Their Similarity With Glassy Relaxation In Supercooled Liquids

No abstract.

Implementation of an electronic nose for continuous odour monitoring in a poultry shed

Continuous odour monitoring technologies are necessary to understand the complex odour-generating mechanisms within poultry housing as well as to identify strategies to reduce the impact of odour emissions on local communities. To evaluate electronic nose (EN) technologies for continuously assessing odour concentration in poultry housing, a mobile laboratory containing an electronic nose and an associated sample delivery system was deployed to a commercial poultry farm and tested over a broiler production cycle. The results demonstrated that it was possible to develop a model to allow an electronic nose to provide a semi-continuous measurement of odour concentrations. The electronic nose was also able to demonstrate the influence of shed conditions on odour emissions.

Cresols - An investigation into their electronic structure and spectra

The three isomeric cresols were subjected to the all-valence-electron CNDO/2 andPPP-CI calculations. Results from this study were used: (i) to compare the electronic structures of these isomers vis-Ã-vis parent compounds-phenol and toluene, (ii) to obtain a quantitative picture of their chemical reactivities and electronic absorption spectra. Using the sgr-core charges derived from CNDO/2 calculations and subsequently revising the valence-state ionisation potential and one-center-two-electron repulsion integrals, thePPP-CI calculations were performed on the title compounds according toNishimoto andForster scheme. In these calculations the pseudo-unsaturated nature of the methyl group has been given due consideration. In spectral assignment, compared to the conventionalPPP approach, the CNDO/2-basedPPP-CI method gave a better agreement with the experimental data.

X-ray absorption spectra of niobium dichalcogenides and their first-row transition-metal intercalates

X-ra!. K-absorption spectra of niobium in niobium dichalcogenides. namely NbS, and NbSe, and their first-row transition-metal intercalates Mi P 3N bSz (M = Cr. Mn. Fe. Co. Ni) and Ml#,NbSe2 (M = Fe. CO). have been measured together with those in niobium metal. The spectra of these materials are \er? similar to one another. They reflect the transitions to the partially filled niobium d band with some p character. A bariety of x-ray absorption nearedge structures (XASES) associated with the K edges of intercalated atoms are also presented and discussed.

Numerical studies on columnar-to-equiaxed transition in directional solidification of binary alloys

A numerical study on columnar-to-equiaxed transition (CET) during directional solidification of binary alloys is presented using a macroscopic solidification model. The position of CET is predicted numerically using a critical cooling rate criterion reported in literature. The macroscopic solidification model takes into account movement of solid phase due to buoyancy, and drag effect on the moving solid phase because of fluid motion. The model is applied to simulate the solidification process for binary alloys (Sn-Pb) and to estimate solidification parameters such as position of the liquidus, velocity of the liquidus isotherm, temperature gradient ahead of the liquidus, and cooling rate at the liquidus. Solidification phenomena under two cooling configurations are studied: one without melt convection and the other involvin thermosolutal convection. The numerically predicted positions of CET compare well with those of experiments reported in literature. Melt convection results in higher cooling rate, higher liquidus isotherm velocities, and stimulation of occurrence of CET in comparison to the nonconvecting case. The movement of solid phase aids further the process of CET. With a fixed solid phase, the occurrence of CET based on the same critical cooling rate is delayed and it occurs at a greater distance from the chill.

Photochemical Oxidation of Thioketones: Steric and Electronic Aspects

Oxidation of diaryl, aryl alkyl, and dialkyl thioketones by singlet oxygen generated via self-sensitization and other independent methods yielded the corresponding ketone and sulfine in varying amounts. A zwitterionic/ diradical intermediate arising out of the primary interaction of singlet oxygen with the thiocarbonyl chromophore is believed to be the common intermediate for the ketone and sulfine. While closure of the zwitterion/diradical to give 1,2,3-dioxathietane would lead to the ketone, competing oxygen elimination is believed to lead to the sulfine. This partitioning is governed by steric and electronic factors operating on the zwitterionic/diradical intermediate.

Studies on vacuum pyrolysis of ammonium perchlorate and ammonium perchlorate/polystyrene propellant in the presence of transition metal oxides

Vacuum pyrolysis of ammonium perchlorate (AP) and ammonium perchlorate/polystyrene (PS) propellant has been studied by differential thermal analysis (DTA) in order to observe the effect of transition metal oxides on sublimation. Sublimation and decomposition being competitive processes, their proportions depend on the pressure of the pyrolysis chamber. The enthalpies for complete decomposition and complete sublimation are available from the literature and by using these data together with DTA area measurements, the extents of sublimation and decomposition have been calculated for AP and the propellant system. The effect of the metal ions on the extent and rate of sublimation depends on their nature. For AP the extent of sublimation increases with a decrease in particle size. For the propellants the powder sublimes more readily than the bulk material, but in the presence of metal ions the bulk material sublimes more readily than the powder. To substantiate this finding, the effect of MnO2 on AP sublimation as a function of particle size was examined, and it was observed that the extent of sublimation decreases as the particle size decreases.

High-Pressure Nmr And Compressibility Evidence For A Phase-Transition In The Protonic Conductor (NH4)4Fe(CN)6.1.5H2o

1H NMR at high hydrostatic pressures and compressibility studies show that the protonic conductor (NH4)4Fe(CN)6·1.5H2O undergoes a phase transition around 0.45 GPa. The transition is characterized by a large hysteresis. From the NMR studies, an activation volume of 6% is obtained below the phase transition, indicating the dominance of Frenkel defects.

The role of transition metal oxides in the decomposition and explosion of arylammonium perchlorates

The influence of MnO2, CuO, and NiO on the thermal decomposition and explosivity of arylammonium perchlorates has been studied by differential thermal analysis (DTA) and explosive sensitivity measurements. The metal oxides considerably sensitize both decomposition and explosion and the sensitizing effect is in the order NiO < CuO < MnO2. The accelerated decomposition or explosion seems to occur via the formation of an intermediate, metal perchlorate arylamine complex. The experimental evidence for the mechanism put forward has been included.