Numerical computation for clustering of carbon particles with various sizes under both natural and magnetizing convections

The behavior of carbon particles from 0.01 to diameters in natural convection flow field of air was numerically studied including the effect of the magnetic field and the Brownian motion. One thousand carbon particles were released randomly in a vertical cylindrical enclosure whose height is equal to its radius. The enclosure was heated from below and cooled from above to produce the bulk flow of the natural convection of air in the atmospheric condition. A coil with electric current was set coaxially at the enclosure bottom to produce a magnetic field. Sample computations are carried out for the enclosure of 3 cm high and maximum magnetic field is 2.8 T or less. The results show that the natural convection of air is enhanced by the magnetic field. With the increase in the magnetic strength, more particles go along the fluid streak lines. With the increase in the particle size, more particles get together at the vortex center and cluster.     

Characterization of multiwall carbon nanotubes and influence of surfactant in the nanocomposite processing

Carbon nanotubes prepared by a classical CVD method with a nickel catalyst have been characterized, then used as conducting anisometric objects dispersed into a polymeric matrix. In a first part, these nanotubes are structurally characterized before and after heat treatments (HTT=1500, 2000, 2500 °C). Diffusion Raman experiments and diamagnetic susceptibility experiments demonstrated their limited graphitized structures.Then, in a second step, a well defined processing way to prepare nanocomposites with a standard epoxy resin is presented. In particular, the use or not of a non-ionic surfactant (Tergitol) to disperse these nanotubes is analyzed. The influence of nanotube contents is examined on the bulk nanocomposite density, the glass transition temperature of the nanocomposites, and the d.c. electrical conductivity behavior. These results demonstrated that the interfacial properties are playing a fundamental role. On one hand, the glass transition temperature is increasing with the nanotube content, and on the other hand, the percolation threshold is found for a rather high critical volumic concentration. Finally, it is demonstrated that a pure geometrical model is not sufficient to explain these behaviors and that a wrapping effect of the organic matrix around the nanotubes has to be considered.     

Synthesis and characteristics of carbon encapsulated magnetic nanoparticles produced by a hydrothermal reaction

A novel process to synthesize carbon encapsulated magnetic nanoparticles was developed by heating an aqueous glucose solution containing Fe@Au (Au coated Fe nanoparticles) or Ni nanoparticles at 160–180 °C for 2 h. In comparison with traditional methods, such a hydrothermal approach is not only simple but also able to provide functional groups such as –OH on the surface of carbon sphere. Only pure Fe nanoparticles did not favor the formation of carbon encapsulated magnetic nanoparticles due to the oxidation of Fe nanoparticles by H₂O during the reaction and their surfaces had to be coated by an Au shell in advance. The results of TEM, HRTEM, XRD, XPS and vibration sample magnetometer characterization show that uniform carbon spheres containing some embedded Fe@Au nanoparticles with a saturation of 14.6 emu/g are obtained and the size of a typical product is 200 nm. Carbon encapsulated Ni nanoparticles have been successfully prepared in the same way.     

Rescheduling policies for large-scale task allocation of autonomous straddle carriers under uncertainty at automated container terminals

This paper investigates replanning strategies for container-transportation task allocation of autonomous Straddle Carriers (SC) at automated container terminals. The strategies address the problem of large-scale scheduling in the context of uncertainty (especially uncertainty associated with unexpected events such as the arrival of a new task). Two rescheduling policies–Rescheduling New arrival Jobs (RNJ) policy and Rescheduling Combination of new and unexecuted Jobs (RCJ) policy–are presented and compared for long-term Autonomous SC Scheduling (ASCS) under the uncertainty of new job arrival. The long-term performance of the two rescheduling policies is evaluated using a multi-objective cost function (i.e., the sum of the costs of SC travelling, SC waiting, and delay of finishing high-priority jobs). This evaluation is conducted based on two different ASCS solving algorithms–an exact algorithm (i.e., branch-and-bound with column generation (BBCG) algorithm) and an approximate algorithm (i.e., auction algorithm)–to get the schedule of each short-term planning for the policy. Based on the map of an actual fully-automated container terminal, simulation and comparative results demonstrate the quality advantage of the RCJ policy compared with the RNJ policy for task allocation of autonomous straddle carriers under uncertainty. Long-term testing results also show that although the auction algorithm is much more efficient than the BBCG algorithm for practical applications, it is not effective enough, even when employed by the superior RCJ policy, to achieve high-quality scheduling of autonomous SCs at the container terminals.     

Synthesis, characterization, and crystal structures of two new polyoxomolybdate wheel clusters

Two new polyoxomolybdates Na₅(NH₄)₁₆[Mo₅₇Mn₆(NO)₆O₁₇₄ (OH)₃(H₂O)₂₄] · 44H₂O (1) and (NH₄)₂₁[Mo₅₇Cu₆(NO)₆O₁₆₈(OH)₃(H₂O)₂₄] · 53H₂O (2) were synthesized in aqueous solution and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, TG analysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. They represent interesting examples of integrating and embedding magnetic 3d metal ions into the diamagnetic polyoxomolybdate host structure.     

磁放大器控制硅弧焊整流器性能的研究

本文针对硅弧焊整流器的控制性能,在分析铁磁材料特性的基础上,分别对单铁芯磁放大器和双铁芯磁放大器的结构和工作原理进行了深入的研究,提出了单铁芯磁放大器所存在的缺点以及双铁芯磁放大器的优点,使得硅弧焊整流器的设计采用双铁芯磁放大器,能够避免焊接时焊接电流波形的畸变,对提高焊接质量是有利的。     

基于磁通门传感器的铁磁探测系统设计

在核磁共振检查前需要进行无磁化确认,针对核磁共振检查所处的环境背景磁场复杂、干扰较多,系统出现误报警高、探测失效等问题,设计了基于磁通门传感器的铁磁探测系统。系统使用二次谐波法测量磁场信号,设计模拟电路进行信号相敏检测。通过积分反馈提高闭环系统的线性度和抗干扰性,探头工作在稳定的状态。采用卡尔曼滤波对背景磁场和磁异信号进行处理,提高信号信噪比,同时设计能量检测器对磁异信号进行检测。试验测试结果表明,系统在核磁共振室外复杂磁场环境可以减少设备工作时的误报警,有效探测出铁磁性物质。     

MAGNETIC MEASUREMENTS ON FERROFLUIDS

Magnetic measurements on ferrofluids can be used to determine the magnetic concentration which may be as large as 15% by volume in a very viscous fluid. Additional information on the particle size distribution parameters and the mode of magnetisation can be obtained from an analysis of the magnetisation curve. Magnetic studies are also invaluable for a correct interpretation of the magnetic dichroism, birefringence and small angle neutron scattering (SANS) data. Measurements on a ferrofluid after freezing enables the shape anisotropy to be determined and the degree of particle elongation (∼15%) calculated.     

Synthesis and characterization of a new water-soluble endohedral metallofullerene for MRI contrast agents

Water-soluble amino acid derivatives of gadolinium (Gd) endohedral metallofullerenes (AAD-EMFs), Gd@C₈₂O_m(OH)_n(NHCH₂CH₂COOH)_l (m ≈ 6, n ≈ 16 and l ≈ 8) are synthesized by a direct reaction of the pure endohedral metallofullerene Gd@C₈₂ with an excess of alkaline solution of β-alanine. The structure of the AAD-EMFs is characterized by FTIR, XPS and laser-desorption time-of-flight (LD-TOF) mass spectrometries. Water proton relaxivity analysis indicates that the longitudinal relaxivity R₁ (the effect on 1/T₁, 9.1 mM⁻¹ s⁻¹) of AAD-EMFs is higher than that of the commercial MRI contrast agent, Magnevist (gadolinium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, Gd-DTPA, 5.6 mM⁻¹ s⁻¹). The MRI phantom studies are performed to confirm the high efficiency of this sample as MRI contrast agents.     

pH sensitive supramolecular vesicles from cyclodextrin graft copolymer and benzimidazole ended block copolymer as dual drug carriers

Supramolecular assemblies from chitosan-graft-β-cyclodextrin (CS-g-CD) and benzimidazole ended poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PEG-b-PCL-BM) were formed based on the inclusion complexation between β-cyclodextrin and benzimidazole. The supra-amphiphiles self-assembled into complex vesicles with PCL/β-CD as the hydrophobic membrane, hydrophilic PEG and CS as the corona. The hydrophobic membrane and aqueous lumen of vesicles exhibited efficient entrapment both for hydrophobic curcumin (CUR) and hydrophilic doxorubicin (DOX). The drug loading of vesicles was more than 20.2% and 38.4% for CUR and DOX, respectively. Decreasing pH to acidic condition or increasing temperature, more controllable and rapid release of two drugs was observed. Cytotoxicity assays revealed that dual drug-loaded vesicles retained high cell proliferation inhibition efficiency than free drugs.GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT