Imaging structures and measuring forces at nanoscales with atomic force microscopy

Interaction between interfaces in solution of chemical reagents is scientifically and technologically significant. Atomic force microscopy has been used to visualise structures of adsorbed surfactant molecules and measure interaction forces between surfaces with adsorbed molecules. This paper presents the results obtained by the author and associates in three major research strands, including imaging structures of surfactants adsorbed at solid-liquid interfaces, measuring interfacial forces between water-repellent (hydrophobic) surfaces and microhydrodynamic forces between an AFM colloid probe and a soft interface. The research increases our understanding of the role of surfactants and interaction forces in particle technology and interface science

Intrinsic Domain Wall Resistance in Ferromagnetic Semiconductors

Transport through zincblende magnetic semiconductors with magnetic domain walls is studied theoretically. We show that these magnetic domain walls have an intrinsic resistance due to the spin-orbit interaction. The intrinsic resistance is independent of the domain wall shape and width when the latter is larger than the Fermi wavelength. For typical parameters, the intrinsic domain wall resistance is comparable to the Sharvin resistance and should be experimentally measurable.Comment: Final versio

A review of principles and applications of magnetic flocculation to separate ultrafine magnetic particles

Magnetic separation has been used in industries to concentrate or remove magnetic minerals/particles for many years. The separation of ultrafine magnetic particles is significantly influenced by aggregation between particles due to various external and interparticle forces, such as gravity, magnetic attraction, van der Waals, electrical double-layer, hydrodynamic, and Brownian diffusion forces. This review focuses on the principles of the magnetic flocculation and separation of micrometer-sized particles in solution. Potential energies between particles are linked to the particle aggregation (i.e. stability), sedimentation and dispersion in applied magnetic fields. Prediction and control of magnetic flocculation are achieved by simulating particle motions around the surface of the magnetic separators using various mathematical models, with some large-scale applications of magnetic flocculation are being demonstrated

Potential Desalination of Coal Seam Gas Coproduced Water Using Zeolite

Natural clinoptilolite type zeolite was examined for its potential to treat coal seam gas (CSG) water and remove sodium ions to lower sodium adsorption ratio and reduce pH. The effectiveness of unmodified and modified natural zeolite is due to their regular composition and open porous structure, high exchange capacity, mechanical strength and stability, and consistency in particle size. The effects of acid modification in bringing about changes to the physicochemical properties of clinoptilolite underpin the effectiveness of this material for treatment of CSG saline water. The sodium adsorption capacity of acid-modified zeolite increases up to three times greater than that of the unmodified zeolite. The atomic percentage and binding energies of the chemical elements comprising zeolite are changed significantly following the acid modification. The Si/Al atomic ratio increases with increasing sulfuric acid concentration. Dealumination is the main reason for the increase in the surface charge and cation exchange capacity of clinoptilolite after acid modification. It is due to the increased defects in the crystal structure/lattice, which result in increasing numbers of charge vacancies. Sodium-rich synthetic zeolites 4A and Na─Y after acid modification are also examined by following the dissolution of the first-order fast kinetics and recrystallization processes which can be homogeneous or heterogeneous

Irreducible representations of Upq[gl(2/2)]

The two-parametric quantum superalgebra $U_{pq}[gl(2/2)]$ and its representations are considered. All finite-dimensional irreducible representations of this quantum superalgebra can be constructed and classified into typical and nontypical ones according to a proposition proved in the present paper. This proposition is a nontrivial deformation from the one for the classical superalgebra gl(2/2), unlike the case of one-parametric deformations.Comment: Latex, 8 pages. A reference added in v.

Motions of a homopolar motor inside a conducting tube

We analyze the physics of a type of homopolar motor comprising an AA battery with two cylindrical neodymium magnets on each end that roll inside a metal cylindrical tube. The motion of the motor results from the interaction between the magnetic field of the magnets and the magnetic field created by the current inside the magnets. We develop a model to describe the dynamics of the system, including the calculation of the terminal velocity of the motor due to eddy currents.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

A quantitative review of the transition salt concentration for inhibiting bubble coalescence

Some salts have been proven to inhibit bubble coalescence above a certain concentration called the transition concentration. The transition concentration of salts has been investigated and determined by using different techniques. Different mechanisms have also been proposed to explain the stabilizing effect of salts on bubble coalescence. However, as yet there is no consensus on a mechanism which can explain the stabilizing effect of all inhibiting salts. This paper critically reviews the experimental techniques and mechanisms for the coalescence of bubbles in saline solutions. The transition concentrations of NaCl, as the most popularly used salt, determined by using different techniques such as bubble swarm, bubble pairs, and thin liquid film micro-interferometry were analyzed and compared. For a consistent comparison, the concept of TC95 was defined as a salt concentration at which the "percentage coalescence" of bubbles reduces by 95% relative to the highest (100% in pure water) and lowest (in high-salt concentration) levels. The results show a linear relationship between the TC95 of NaCl and the reciprocal of the square root of the bubble radius. This relationship holds despite different experimental techniques, salt purities and bubble approach speeds, and highlights the importance of the bubble size in bubble coalescence. The available theoretical models for inhibiting effect of salts have also been reviewed. The failure of these models in predicting the salt transition concentration commands further theoretical development for a better understanding of bubble coalescence in salt solutions

On the predictions for diffusion-driven evaporation of sessile droplets with interface cooling

The diffusion-driven evaporation of sessile droplets from planar surfaces is influenced by cooling at the air-liquid interface. Here, corrections to the available models for predicting the evaporation process are presented. The mass conservation for diffusion-driven evaporation is resolved by considering the effect of interface cooling on the change in density of saturated vapour along the liquid-vapour interface of sessile droplets. Corrections to the predictions for the spatial distribution of vapour density around a sessile droplet and the evaporative flux of vapour at the interface are obtained. The classical models are recovered from the new predictions if interface cooling is negligible. Comparison between the new and classical predictions for the local surface evaporative flux is obtained using the literature data. Our analysis shows a significant effect of interface cooling which should be considered in predicting diffusion-driven evaporation of sessile droplets on planar surfaces