Sorption of 131I2 and CH3 131I from Water Vapor-Air Phase on Polysorb-1

Sorption of ¹³¹I₂ and CH₃ ¹³¹I from water vapor-air phase on Polysorb-1 polymeric sorbent was studied. The efficiency of radioiodine sorption depends on the humidity and flow rate of the vapor-air stream, column temperature, and the amount of volatile radioiodine compounds. Polysorb-1 effectively removes molecular iodine at the relative humidity of up to 100% and the sorption temperature from 20 to 125°C. Under these conditions, more than 99.9% of ¹³¹I₂ is removed from a gas flow at the height of the sorbent bed of 22.0 cm and time of gas-sorbent contact of 3.4 s. Polysorb-1 does not sorb methyl iodide from a water vapor-gas flow.     

Sorption of CH3131I from Steam-Gas Phase on Modified Ag-Containing Zeolites

Sorption of CH₃ ¹³¹I from the steam-gas phase on Ag-containing zeolites modified with acetylene was studied. The radioiodine adsorption in a column depends on the silver concentration in the sorbent, humidity of the steam-gas flow, and the temperature. The modified sorbents AgX-m containing 30-57% silver efficiently localize CH3I at the humidity up to 80% and sorption temperature from 120 to 195°C. Under these conditions the decontamination factor of a gas flow with respect to CH₃ ¹³¹I at 7.5-cm height of the sorbent bed and a 0.2 s gas-sorbent contact time exceeds 99.99%. The sorption properties of the modified Ag-containing sorbents are better that those of the nonmodified sorbents and known Ag-substituted zeolites.     

Sorption of Radioactive Iodine and Fluoride Ion on Hydroxyapatite from the Aqueous Phase

Sorption of the ¹³¹I^-, ¹³¹IO₃ ^-, and F^- ions on various samples of hydroxyapatite (HAP) from aqueous solutions was studied. The HAP samples were prepared by the following reactions: Ca(OH)₂ + H₃PO₄ HAP, CACl₂ + Na₃PO₄ + NaOH HAP, and Ca(NO₃)₂ + HAP seed + (NH₄)₂HPO₄ + NH₃ HAP. None of the HAP samples sorb ionic species of radioactive iodine from aqueous solutions. As for F^-, the best sorption properties are exhibited by the HAP sample prepared by the second reaction. The degree of recovery of fluoride ion with the HAP precipitate in 5 min, 4 h, and 5 days of the contact of the solid and liquid phases is 54, 66, and >95% of the initial F^- amount, respectively. The distribution factor K _d of the fluoride ion between the HAP solid phase and solution decreases with increasing V/m ratio and pH of the initial solution.     

CO/pH2: A Molecular Thermometer

We utilize reversible temperature dependent changes in the IR absorption spectrum of CO molecules isolated in solid parahydrogen (pH₂) to probe bulk temperature changes during rapid vapor deposition. The intensity of a well resolved feature near 2135 cm^–1 increases monotonically with temperature over the 2 to 5 K range. The thermally populated initial state of this transition lies 12 K above the CO/pH₂ ground state. During the deposition of 100 ppm CO/pH₂ samples, we detect temperature gradients 10 K/cm in 0.1 cm-thick samples subjected to heat loads 10 mW/cm². The resulting estimated thermal conductivity (TC) is 3(±2) mW/cm-K, averaged over the 2 to 5 K region. This value is 1000 times lower than the TC of single crystal solid pH₂, and 10 times lower than previously measured for pH₂ solids doped with 100 ppm concentrations of heavy impurities [Manzhelii, Gorodilov, and Krivchikov, Low Temp. Phys. 22, 131 (1996)]. We attribute this abnormally low TC to the known mixed fcc/hcp structure of the rapid vapor deposited solids.     

The frictional behaviour of LiF single crystals

A study has been made of the influence of initial surface roughness, renewable and non-renewable surface contaminants, and irradiation hardening on the coefficient of friction for one LiF single crystal (A) sliding on another (B) in {100}_A<010>_A{100}_B 010_B orientation at 295 K. The normal load was 1 N, the nominal contact pressure 0.1 MPa, the sliding velocity 0.2 to 0.6 mm sec^–1, and the amplitude of the (reciprocate) motion a few millimetres. Any influence of non-renewable contaminants persisted only for cumulative relative displacements 0.1 m, and that of micrometre-scale initial surface roughness only for a few metres. At steady state in the presence of renewable contaminants the coefficient of friction varied only from a high of 0.45 in ultra-high vacuum ( 7.5 × 10^–8 Pa) and dry nitrogen-rich air ( 10⁵ Pa, relative humidity 15%) to a low of 0.38 in moist nitrogen-rich air ( 10⁵ Pa, relative humidity 50%). Irradiation hardening had no effect on the coefficient of friction at steady state. The worn surfaces created by steady-state sliding always exhibited a grooved topography partly obscured by more-or-less adherent layers of variously consolidated equiaxed debris particles 100 nm in size. Owing to the action of image forces, these particles contained no dislocations. It is suggested that the coefficient of friction was determined at steady state by the stress needed to shear these tiny particles past one another as near-rigid bodies.     

Hydrolysis of Np(IV)

Hydrolysis of Np(IV) at p[H⁺] from 0 to 2.7 and ionic strength I = 0.1-1.0 was studied spectrophotometrically. In the p[H⁺] range from 0 to 2.2 and Np(IV) concentrations of 4.5 ×10^{- 5}-1.75 ×10^{- 4} M, polymerization and formation of colloids are negligible and do not noticeably affect the hydrolysis constant measurements. The hydrolysis is completely reversible. With increasing p[H⁺] to 2, only the NpOH^{3 +} complex is formed; the spectrum of this hydroxy complex was calculated. The typical narrow band of Np(IV) aqua ion occurs at 732.2 nm; in hydroxy complex, it is shifted to 729.5 nm and its intensity decreases by a factor of about 2.7. The average constant of Np(IV) hydrolysis equilibrium [Np^{4 +} + H₂O NpOH^{3 +} + H⁺] recalculated to the ionic strength I = 0 was determined as logK ₁ ⁰ = -1.23±0.06, which corresponds to the stability constant of the complex NpOH^{3 +} log₁ ⁰ = 12.77±0.06. The stability constant of the complex Np(OH)₂ ^{2 +} was calculated to be log₂ ⁰ = 24.3.     

On the temperature dependence of the London penetration depth in a superconductor

In the framework of the electron-phonon theory of superconductivity [1], it is shown that the magnetic field penetration depth _L increases like a certain power of temperature atTT _c due to the low-lying excitations in the phonon spectrum. For the acoustic phonons with the density of states ² the penetration depth increases T ⁵. The origin of such a high power ofT is the same as that in the case of resistivity of the normal metal: the phonon corrections to the electromagnetic vertex should be taken into account, and major terms (T ³) cancel, the surviving ones having a higher power ofT. The possibility of linear and quadratic terms in _L(T) is discussed in a model of electrons interacting with two-level centers [2].     

Magnetization and Re LIII-Edge Studies of (Hg,Re)Sr2CuO4 + δ System

Chemically stable nominal compositions of (Hg_1-x Re _x )Sr₂CuO_{4 +} (x = 0.05, 0.10, and 0.20), designated as (Hg,Re)-1201 phase, were synthesized at 920°C in partial vacuum. The samples with x = 0.05 and 0.10 are superconducting (SC) with T _c ^onset 40 and 54 K, respectively. On the other hand, for the composition with x = 0.20, the sample is nonsuperconducting down to 5 K. The sample with composition (Hg_0.9Re_0.1)Sr₂CuO_{4 +} on cooling, below 10 K in dc-field of 4 kOe, shows a dramatic decrease (reversal) in diamagnetic signal. Such a reduction in diamagnetic response is also reflected by the sample's supercurrent induced magnetic hysteresis curve generated at 9 K. In the light of the available reports and our Re L_III-edge measurements, we attribute this effect to a field enhanced paramagnetic contribution probably arising mainly from mixed valent (6⁺, 7⁺ dominant) Re ions. The critical current density (J _c), calculated using Bean's model, for (Hg_0.9Re_0.1)Sr₂CuO_{4 +} is 6 × 10³ A/cm² (4.5 K, 5 kOe).     

The fracture energy of carbon-fibre reinforced glass

The fracture energy of carbon-fibre reinforced glass has been measured by the work of fracture technique, using specimens of varied geometry, Meaningful material properties were obtained only when crack propagation was controlled throughout failure. The work of fracture ( _F) depended on strain-rate and fibre volume fraction, and was typically 3 kJm^–2 for a 40 vol % specimen. Variations of work of fracture due to strain-rates have been related to the microstructure of the fracture surfaces and estimates have been obtained of the fibre-matrix interfacial shear stress during pull-out. Approximate estimates have been made of the fracture initiation energy ( _I) by fracture mechanics analyses, _I was less than _F and no strain-rate sensitivity was detected. An attempt has been made to explain _I in terms of the initial rate of release of strain energy during fibre fracture.     

Structure of alkali dimers at the surface of liquid helium

Calculations are presented of the equilibrium configuration (dimple) of a Na₂ or Li₂ molecule absorbed on the surface of liquid³H e or liquid⁴He. The computed aimer binding energies are somewhat greater than those of the monomers. The lowest energy occurs when the molecule lies flat, but the energy in the erect orientation is only 1K higher (implying relatively free rotation). The center of mass lies 4Åabove the liquid surface and the dimple has a depth 3Å. An exceptional case is Li₂ on liquid³H e, for which the surface state is unstable relative to solvation in the bulk.     

Some observations on the deformation characteristics of bulk polycrystalline zirconium hydrides

The deformation behaviour of bulk polycrystalline zirconium hydrides in the composition range ZrH_1.27 to ZrH_1.66 has been investigated by compressive loading at temperatures between room temperature and 500° C. Single-phase -zirconium hydride is brittle below 100° C. Analyses of slip traces on specimens deformed at temperatures between 100 and 250° C have shown that the glide planes are {111} types. The deformation characteristics of and ( + ) alloys at temperatures between 100 and 500° C are consistent with the hydrogen vacancies in the -phase providing significant lattice friction to the movement of dislocations in the zirconium lattice of the hydride structure. The room temperature fracture stress of ( + ) alloys increases with the volume fraction of the -phase and this can be related to the resistance offered by platelets to the propagation of cleavage cracks in the matrix. In a ( + + ) alloy the resistance to crack propagation at room temperature is further increased by the soft -zirconium phase.     

Carrier Mobility in GaSb–V2Ga5and GaSb–GaV3Sb5 Eutectic Alloys

Experimental evidence is presented that semiconductor–metal eutectics with a low content of the metallic phase (4 vol %) are similar in electronic structure to inhomogeneous semiconductors. The microstructure of undoped and Te-doped GaSb–V₂Ga₅ and GaSb–GaV₃Sb₅ eutectic alloys is examined, and the Hall mobility of carriers in these alloys is determined. The anomalous temperature variation of Hall mobility in GaSb–V₂Ga₅ ( T ²) and GaSb–GaV₃Sb₅ ( T ⁵) is interpreted in terms of infinite clusters ofn-type metallic inclusions embedded in a p-type semiconductor matrix and interconnected through overlapping inhomogeneous interfaces. It seems likely that the difference in conductivity type between the semiconductor matrix and the infinite clusters gives rise to a random large-scale potential relief. Te compensation of GaSb in the eutectic alloys causes the Hall mobility to vary more rapidly with temperature, T ³ to T ¹⁰, which is interpreted as due to an increase in the amplitude of the random large-scale potential relief, the formation of infinite clusters, and partial compensation of unintentional acceptor doping in the semiconductor matrix.     

Modified mixed oxide perovskites 0.7Sr(Al1/2B1/2) O3·0.3LaAlO3 and 0.7Sr(Al1/2B1/2) O3·0.3NdGaO3 (B=Ta5+ or Nb5+) for high-T c superconductor substrate applications

Single-crystal fibres of modified strontium aluminium tantalum oxide (1-x)Sr(Al_1/2Ta_1/2) O₃·xLaAlO₃(SAT-LA) and (1-x)Sr(Al_1/2Ta_1/2)O₃·xNdGaO₃ (SAT·NG), and modified strontium aluminum niobium oxide (1-x)Sr(Al_1/2Nb_1/2)O₃·xNdGaO₃(SAT·NG) and (1-x)Sr (Al_1/2Nb_1/2)O₃·xLaAlO₃ (SAN·LA) were grown using a laser-heated pedestal growth technique. 0.7SAT·0.3LA grows congruently and retains a twin free simple cubic perovskite structure (as the SAT) when cooled down to room temperature. 0.7SAT·0.3LA crystals have a moderate dielectric constant ( = 21.7) and low dielectric loss (tan = 7.5 × 10^–5) at 10 kHz and 90 K. The reduction problem of Ta⁵⁺ is eliminated (which is common in the case of SAT growth). 0.7SAT·0.3NG and 0.7SAN·0.3NG have lower melting temperatures and crystal growth is easier. NdGaO₃ addition to the SAT and SAN enhances the potential of SAT and SAN as large-area substrates for high-T _c superconductor growth. However, the dielectric constants increased from -12 to -16(0.7SAT·0.3NG) and from 18 to 23 (0.7SAN·0.3NG) as a result of NdGaO₃ incorporation.     

Effect of magnetic field and temperature on the voltage-current characteristics of YBCO superconductor

Voltage-current characteristics of YBCO superconductor was studied under magnetic field up to 0.4 T at different temperatures below T_c. The critical temperature decreases and the transition width broadens under magnetic field. V-I data below T_c were fitted to a power law expression V I^(T,B) in which (T,B) is found to decrease with increase of magnetic field and temperature, gradually approaching unity as T approaches T_c, being independent of magnetic field. Similarly, (T,B) approaches unity as magnetic field increases being independent of temperature.     

Critical Supersaturation of Superfluid 3He-4He Mixtures

We report the results of our systematic study of the phase separation in supersaturated ³He-⁴He liquid mixtures of the ³He-dilute phase. The amount of the critical supersaturation is determined within the wide ranges of the temperature (0.4–645mK) and the pressure (1–8.5kgf/cm²). Using the data we construct the surface of critical supersaturation, x _3,cr (T,P), which enables us to recognize almost the overall behavior of the critical supersaturation in superfluid ³He-⁴He mixtures. The main specific features observed are (i) below 10mKx _{3, cr} is almost temperature-independent, (ii) above 10mK up to 500mKx _{3, cr} increases with the temperature, and (iii) above 500mKx _{3, cr} decreases smoothly with the increase of temperature down to zero at the tricritical point. We give various discussions from the viewpoint of the quantum nucleation, the classical thermal nucleation and the crossover between them.     

A Scaling Calculation of the Scattering of 4He Atomic Beams

We describe a simulation of the scattering in beams of helium atoms. The number of atoms N in the beams is reduced by a large scaling factor while the collision cross-section is increased by . This leaves the rate of scattering for each particle unchanged. As an example, we predict the outcome of a low temperature atomic beam experiment to measure the ⁴ He- ⁴ He atomic scattering cross-section at low energies. Because of the existence of a very weakly bound dimer, the low energy cross-section is expected to be unusually large, 1.83 × 10 ⁵ Å ² . In the simulation N/ is small enough for the trajectories of all the scaled atoms to be calculated numerically. The simulation shows that the experiment is quite practicable. The proposed apparatus is just over 20 cm long, and a few centimeters wide, small enough to fit in a dilution refrigerator. The heaters and bolometers are assumed to be similar to those used in previous low temperature scattering experiments. We show that, using low intensity beams, the cross-section can be measured as a function of the relative velocity v _r between 2 and 8 m/sec, corresponding to relative energies between 1 and 16 mK. By fitting (v _r) one can determine the scattering length and effective range of the interaction. We predict that, at high intensity where multiple scattering is very important, the two beams coalesce into one.     

Vortex imaging in superconducting films by scanning hall probe microscopy

We have used a low noise Scanning Hall Probe Microscope (SHPM) to study vortex structures in superconducting films. The microscope has high magnetic field (2.9×10^–8T/Hz at 77K) and spatial resolution, 0.85m. Magnetic field profiles of single vortices in High T_c YBa₂Cu₃O_7– thin films have been successfully measured and the microscopic penetration depth of the superconductor has been extracted as a function of temperature. Flux penetration into the superconductor has been imaged in real time (8s/frame).     

Sr2YRu1?uCuuO6: Evidence for SrO-Layer Superconductivity

Sr₂YRuO₆ doped on its Ru site by Cu superconducts at the below 45 K, although its Ru and Cu are magnetically ordered at 23 K and 86 K, respectively. The SrO layers superconduct. Ba₂GdRuO₆, when doped with Cu, does not superconduct, because L = 0 Gd is not crystal-field split, and so induces Cooper pair-breaking.     

A universal dependence for thermal conductivity of metals and dilute alloys

A universal curve relating the maximum of thermal conductivity and its respective temperature with the residual electrical resistivity has been proposed for metals and dilute alloys. Based on the equation of that curve, a comparative analysis of selected literature data of thermal conductivity of metals, which have residual electrical resistivity in the range 10^–11<₀<10^–5. cm, have been performed. Using the data for 33 metals, confirmation of the Wiedemann-Franz law for the impurity component/T of thermal conductivity was obtained, which means that _th/_el1, where _th and _el are the parameters of the electron-lattice defect interaction obtained from measurements of thermal and electrical conductivity, respectively. Examples of the failure of the Wiedemann-Franz law are also presented, exhibiting the values of _th/_el in the range 0.16 to 25. Measurements of thermal conductivity in the range 2 to 20 K and determination of the residual electrical resistivity for the samples of Cd doped with Zn and quenched were performed, resulting in values _th/_el1.     

Investigation of short range ordering in polymers by means of radial distribution functions derived from X-ray diffraction

Four samples of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), with different thermal histories were investigated by radial distribution function (RDF) methods. Intramolecular distances in the polymer repeat unit were successfully attributed to peaks in the RDF plot up to values of r 5 Å. A broad peak at 4 Å was attributed to nearest neighbour intermolecular ordering, but there was no evidence of ordering beyond this distance in samples annealed for prolonged periods at temperatures close to the polymer T _g. This evidence does not support previous models proposing the presence of extensive para-crystalline ordering in amorphous PET. Low frequency broad peaks, with a periodicity of 4 Å, were resolved out to values of r 20 Å in the RDF plot for a sample with a density crystallinity index of 20%, thus confirming the sensitivity of the RDF analysis to short range intermolecular ordering.