960 research outputs found
Diffusive Spreading of Chainlike Molecules on Surfaces
We study the diffusion and submonolayer spreading of chainlike molecules on
surfaces. Using the fluctuating bond model we extract the collective and tracer
diffusion coefficients D_c and D_t with a variety of methods. We show that
D_c(theta) has unusual behavior as a function of the coverage theta. It first
increases but after a maximum goes to zero as theta go to one. We show that the
increase is due to entropic repulsion that leads to steep density profiles for
spreading droplets seen in experiments. We also develop an analytic model for
D_c(theta) which agrees well with the simulations.Comment: 3 pages, RevTeX, 4 postscript figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Letters (1996
Glassy phases and driven response of the phase-field-crystal model with random pinning
We study the structural correlations and the nonlinear response to a driving
force of a two-dimensional phase-field-crystal model with random pinning. The
model provides an effective continuous description of lattice systems in the
presence of disordered external pinning centers, allowing for both elastic and
plastic deformations. We find that the phase-field crystal with disorder
assumes an amorphous glassy ground state, with only short-ranged positional and
orientational correlations even in the limit of weak disorder. Under increasing
driving force, the pinned amorphous-glass phase evolves into a moving
plastic-flow phase and then finally a moving smectic phase. The transverse
response of the moving smectic phase shows a vanishing transverse critical
force for increasing system sizes
Influence of nanoparticle size, loading, and shape on the mechanical properties of polymer nanocomposites
We study the influence of spherical, triangular, and rod-like nanoparticles on the mechanical properties of a polymernanocomposite (PNC), via coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. We focus on how the nanoparticle size, loading, mass, and shape influence the PNC’s elastic modulus, stress at failure and resistance against cavity formation and growth, under external stress. We find that in the regime of strong polymer-nanoparticle interactions, the formation of a polymer network via temporary polymer-nanoparticle crosslinks has a predominant role on the PNC reinforcement. Spherical nanoparticles, whose size is comparable to that of the polymermonomers, are more effective at toughening the PNC than larger spherical particles. When comparing particles of spherical, triangular, and rod-like geometries, the rod-like nanoparticles emerge as the best PNC toughening agents.Peer reviewe
Dynamics of driven interfaces near isotropic percolation transition
We consider the dynamics and kinetic roughening of interfaces embedded in
uniformly random media near percolation treshold. In particular, we study
simple discrete ``forest fire'' lattice models through Monte Carlo simulations
in two and three spatial dimensions. An interface generated in the models is
found to display complex behavior. Away from the percolation transition, the
interface is self-affine with asymptotic dynamics consistent with the
Kardar-Parisi-Zhang universality class. However, in the vicinity of the
percolation transition, there is a different behavior at earlier times. By
scaling arguments we show that the global scaling exponents associated with the
kinetic roughening of the interface can be obtained from the properties of the
underlying percolation cluster. Our numerical results are in good agreement
with theory. However, we demonstrate that at the depinning transition, the
interface as defined in the models is no longer self-affine. Finally, we
compare these results to those obtained from a more realistic
reaction-diffusion model of slow combustion.Comment: 7 pages, 9 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. E (1998
Amaranth oil application for coronary heart disease and hypertension
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the Nation's leading killer for both men and women among all racial and ethnic groups. Development and progression of CVD is linked to the presence of risk factors such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension, obesity, and diabetes mellitus. It is known that cholesterol is an indicator of increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Low-density cholesterol (LDL) above 130 mg/dl high-density cholesterol (HDL) cholesterol below 35 mg/dl and total blood cholesterol above 200 mg/dl are indicators of problematic cholesterol. Proper ranges of cholesterol are important in the prevention of CVD. It has been suggested that a reduction in the consumption of saturated and an increase in unsaturated fatty acids is beneficial and prevents CVD. Amaranth grain contains tocotrienols and squalene compounds, which are known to affect cholesterol biosynthesis. The cholesterol precursors squalene, lanosterol and other methyl sterols, reflect cholesterol synthesis [1-3], whereas plant sterols and cholestanol, a metabolite of cholesterol, reflect the efficiency of cholesterol absorption in normal and hyperlipidemic populations [4-6]. Qureshi with co-authors [7] showed that feeding of chickens with amaranth oil decreases blood cholesterol levels, which are supported by the work of others [8]. Previously, we have shown that Amaranth oil modulates the cell membrane fluidity [9] and stabilized membranes that could be one reason as to why it is beneficial to those who consume it. It is known that in hypertension, the cell membrane is defective and hence, the movement of the Na and K ions across the cell membranes could defective that could contribute to the development of increase in blood pressure. Based on these properties of amaranth oil we hypothesize that it could be of significant benefit for patients with CVD
A Better Way to Measure Choices’, Discrete Choice Experiment/Conjoint Analysis Studies in Nephrology - A Literature Review.
Anomalous Sliding Friction and Peak Effect near the Flux Lattice Melting Transition
Recent experiments have revealed a giant "peak effect" in ultrapure high
superconductors. Moreover, the new data show that the peak effect
coincides exactly with the melting transition of the underlying flux lattice.
In this work, we show using dynamical scaling arguments that the friction due
to the pinning centers acting on the flux lattice develops a singularity near a
continuous phase transition and can diverge for many systems. The magnitude of
the nonlinear sliding friction of the flux lattice scales with this atomistic
friction. Thus, the nonlinear conductance should diverge for a true continuous
transition in the flux lattice or peak at a weakly first order transition or
for systems of finite size.Comment: 4 pages, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Flame propagation in random media
We introduce a phase-field model to describe the dynamics of a
self-sustaining propagating combustion front within a medium of randomly
distributed reactants. Numerical simulations of this model show that a flame
front exists for reactant concentration , while its vanishing at
is consistent with mean-field percolation theory. For , we find
that the interface associated with the diffuse combustion zone exhibits kinetic
roughening characteristic of the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation.Comment: 4, LR541
Scaling, Propagation, and Kinetic Roughening of Flame Fronts in Random Media
We introduce a model of two coupled reaction-diffusion equations to describe
the dynamics and propagation of flame fronts in random media. The model
incorporates heat diffusion, its dissipation, and its production through
coupling to the background reactant density. We first show analytically and
numerically that there is a finite critical value of the background density,
below which the front associated with the temperature field stops propagating.
The critical exponents associated with this transition are shown to be
consistent with mean field theory of percolation. Second, we study the kinetic
roughening associated with a moving planar flame front above the critical
density. By numerically calculating the time dependent width and equal time
height correlation function of the front, we demonstrate that the roughening
process belongs to the universality class of the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang interface
equation. Finally, we show how this interface equation can be analytically
derived from our model in the limit of almost uniform background density.Comment: Standard LaTeX, no figures, 29 pages; (to appear in J. Stat. Phys.
vol.81, 1995). Complete file available at
http://www.physics.helsinki.fi/tft/tft.html or anonymous ftp at
ftp://rock.helsinki.fi/pub/preprints/tft
- …