Use of an open photoacoustic cell for the thermal characterisation of liquid crystals

In this paper, we describe the use of an open cell photoacoustic configuration for the evaluation of the thermal effusivity of liquid crystals. The feasibility, precision and reliability of the method are initially established by measuring the thermal effusivities of water and glycerol, for which the effusivity values are known accurately. In order to demonstrate the use of the present method in the thermal characterization of liquid crystals, we have measured the thermal effusivity values in various mesophases of 4-cyano-4 - octyloxybiphenyl (8OCB) and 4-cyano-4 -heptyloxybiphenyl (7OCB) liquid crystals using a variable temperature open photoacoustic cell. A comparison of the measured values for the two liquid crystals shows that the thermal effusivities of 7OCB in the nematic and isotropic phases are slightly less than those of 8OCB in the corresponding phases

Use of an open photoacoustic cell for the thermal characterisation of liquid crystals

In this paper, we describe the use of an open cell photoacoustic configuration for the evaluation of the thermal effusivity of liquid crystals. The feasibility, precision and reliability of the method are initially established by measuring the thermal effusivities of water and glycerol, for which the effusivity values are known accurately. In order to demonstrate the use of the present method in the thermal characterization of liquid crystals, we have measured the thermal effusivity values in various mesophases of 4-cyano-4 - octyloxybiphenyl (8OCB) and 4-cyano-4 -heptyloxybiphenyl (7OCB) liquid crystals using a variable temperature open photoacoustic cell. A comparison of the measured values for the two liquid crystals shows that the thermal effusivities of 7OCB in the nematic and isotropic phases are slightly less than those of 8OCB in the corresponding phases

Use of an open photoacoustic cell for the thermal characterisation of liquid crystals

In this paper, we describe the use of an open cell photoacoustic configuration for the evaluation of the thermal effusivity of liquid crystals. The feasibility, precision and reliability of the method are initially established by measuring the thermal effusivities of water and glycerol, for which the effusivity values are known accurately. In order to demonstrate the use of the present method in the thermal characterization of liquid crystals, we have measured the thermal effusivity values in various mesophases of 4-cyano-4 - octyloxybiphenyl (8OCB) and 4-cyano-4 -heptyloxybiphenyl (7OCB) liquid crystals using a variable temperature open photoacoustic cell. A comparison of the measured values for the two liquid crystals shows that the thermal effusivities of 7OCB in the nematic and isotropic phases are slightly less than those of 8OCB in the corresponding phases

Photosynthetic induction in Eucalyptus urograndis seedlings and cuttings measured by an open photoacoustic cell

Photosynthetic induction in leaves of four-month-old Eucalyptus urograndis seedlings and of cuttings obtained from adult trees that were previously dark-adapted was studied by the in vivo and in situ Open Photoacoustic Cell Technique, Results for the gas exchange component of the photoacoustic (PA) signal were interpreted considering that the gas uptake component would have a phase angle nearly opposite to that of the oxygen evolution component. By subtracting the thermal component from the total PA signal, we studied the competition between gas uptake and oxygen evolution during the photosynthetic induction. Seedlings presented a net oxygen evolution prior to cuttings, but cuttings reached a higher steady-state photosynthetic activity. The chlorophyll (Chl) a/b ratio and the Chl fluorescence induction characteristic F-v/F-m were significantly higher for cuttings, while there was no difference between samples in stomata density and leaf thickness. Thus the differences in PA signals of seedlings and cuttings are associated to differences between the photosystem 2 antenna systems of these samples.

Open photoacoustic cell for thermal diffusivity measurements of a fast hardening cement used in dental restoring

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Photosynthesis in eucalyptus studied by the open photoacoustic technique: Effects of irradiance and temperature

This work demonstrates the usefulness of the Open Photoacoustic Cell Technique to study the effects of irradiance and temperature on photosynthesis. bl vivo and ill situ photosynthetic induction measurements were performed in three different species of eucalyptus plants (E. grandis, E. urophylla, and E, urograndis) previously dark-adapted at different temperatures. Photosynthetic activity curves were built as a function of light intensity, indicating the occurrence of photosynthesis saturation. E. urograndis presented higher photosynthetic activity than the other species, especially at low temperature, indicating its tolerance to stress conditions. The incidence of background saturation light of various intensities allowed the irt situ study of photoinhibition in eucalyptus plants through open photoacoustics. (C) 2001 MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica.

Open-cell photoacoustic investigation of the thermal effusivity of liquid crystals

We report the use of an open photoacoustic cell configuration for the evaluation of thermal effusivity of liquid crystals. Initially, the method is calibrated using water and glycerol as transparent liquid samples, and the role of thermal conductivity of these liquids on the photoacoustic signal amplitude is discussed. To demonstrate the application of the present method for the evaluation of thermal effusivity of liquid crystals, we have used certain multicomponent nematic liquid crystal mixtures, namely BL001, BL002, BL032, and BL035. Each of these liquid crystal mixtures contains four to nine components and are primarily based on the cyanobiphenyl structure. The measured values of thermal effusivity of BL001 and BL002 were found to be almost the same, but differ from those of BL032 and BL035, which implies a difference in composition of the latter two from the former two mixtures.

Photoacoustic evaluation of the thermal effusivity in the isotropic phase of certain comb-shaped polymers

The thermal effusivity values in the isotropic phase of certain comb-shaped polymers have been evaluated for the first time using an open photoacoustic cell configuration. The compounds investigated have siloxane and acrylate backbone and they carry mesogenic groups in their side chain. The results indicate that the polymer chain length as well as the side chain length have pronounced influence on the thermal effusivity values in liquid crystalline polymers

Thermal characterization of intrinsic and extrinsic InP using photoacoustic technique

An open photoacoustic cell operating in the low range of chopping frequency has been employed to evaluate the thermal diffusivity values of intrinsic InP and InP doped with S, Sn and Fe. The experimental set-up is calibrated by the evaluation of thermal diffusivity value of pure Si and GaAs. The present investigation shows that doped samples show a reduced value for thermal diffusivity compared to intrinsic sample. From the analysis of data it is also seen that nature of dopant clearly influences the thermal diffusivity value of semiconductors. The results are explained in terms of phonon assisted heat transfer mechanism in semiconductors

Thermal characterization of intrinsic and extrinsic InP using photoacoustic technique

An open photoacoustic cell operating in the low range of chopping frequency has been employed to evaluate the thermal diffusivity values of intrinsic InP and InP doped with S, Sn and Fe. The experimental set-up is calibrated by the evaluation of thermal diffusivity value of pure Si and GaAs. The present investigation shows that doped samples show a reduced value for thermal diffusivity compared to intrinsic sample. From the analysis of data it is also seen that nature of dopant clearly influences the thermal diffusivity value of semiconductors. The results are explained in terms of phonon assisted heat transfer mechanism in semiconductors

Thermal characterization of intrinsic and extrinsic InP using photoacoustic technique

An open photoacoustic cell operating in the low range of chopping frequency has been employed to evaluate the thermal diffusivity values of intrinsic InP and InP doped with S, Sn and Fe. The experimental set-up is calibrated by the evaluation of thermal diffusivity value of pure Si and GaAs. The present investigation shows that doped samples show a reduced value for thermal diffusivity compared to intrinsic sample. From the analysis of data it is also seen that nature of dopant clearly influences the thermal diffusivity value of semiconductors. The results are explained in terms of phonon assisted heat transfer mechanism in semiconductors

Photoacoustic studies on n-type InP

We discuss an open photoacoustic cell study on sulfer-doped n-type InP wafer. The thermal diffusivity of the sample is evaluated from the phase data associated with the photoacoustic signal as a function of the modulation frequency under heat transmission configuration. Analysis is made on the basis of the Rosencwaig-Gersho theory and the results are compared with those from earlier reported photoacoustic studies of semiconductors. Our investigation clearly indicates that the instantaneous thermalization process is the major heat diffusion mechanism responsible for the photoacoustic signal generation in an InP sample.

Studies on Heat Diffusion in Selected Conducting Polymers using Probe Beam Deflection and Photoacoustic Techniques

In the present study, radio frequency plasma polymerization technique is used to prepare thin films of polyaniline, polypyrrole, poly N-methyl pyrrole and polythiophene. The thermal characterization of these films is carried out using transverse probe beam deflection method. Electrical conductivity and band gaps are also determined. The effect of iodine doping on electrical conductivity and the rate of heat diffusion is explored.Bulk samples of poyaniline and polypyrrole in powder form are synthesized by chemical route. Open photoacoustic cell configuration is employed for the thermal characterization of these samples. The effect of acid doping on heat diffusion in these bulk samples of polyaniline is also investigated. The variation of electrical conductivity of doped polyaniline and polypyrrole with temperature is also studied for drawing conclusion on the nature of conduction in these samples. In order to improve the processability of polyaniline and polypyrrole, these polymers are incorporated into a host matrix of poly vinyl chloride. Measurements of thermal diffusivity and electrical conductivity of these samples are carried out to investigate the variation of these quantities as a function of the content of polyvinyl chloride.

Thermal characterization of ceramic tapes using photoacoustic effect

Thermal characterization of alumina–zirconia and zirconia ceramic tapes using a photoacoustic technique is presented. A transmission-mode geometry is employed for the measurement of thermal diffusivity while a reflection-mode geometry is used for the measurement of thermal effusivity. In both these geometries, the same open photoacoustic cell is used. From the measured values of thermal diffusivity and thermal effusivity, the thermal conductivity value has also been evaluated.

Photosynthesis induction in Eucalyptus urograndis seedlings and cuttings measured by Open Photoacoustics

In this work we study the photosynthetic induction in Eucalyptus urograndis leaves using the Open Photoacoustic Cell Technique. In vivo and in situ measurements were performed in leaves of four months-old E. urograndis seedlings and C041 cuttings previously dark-adapted for at least 10 h. Experimental results for the gas exchange component of the photoacoustic (PA) signal are interpreted considering that a gas uptake component would have a phase angle nearly opposite to that of the oxygen evolution component. Analysis of the photosynthetic induction data shows that seedlings present a net oxygen evolution before cuttings, but cuttings reach a higher steady-state photosynthetic activity.