Characterisation and categorisation of the diversity in viscoelastic vibrational properties between 98 wood types

International audienceContext Increased knowledge on diversity in wood properties would have implications both for fundamental research and for promoting a diversification of uses as material. *Aims The objective is to contribute to overcoming the critical lack of data on the diversity of wood dynamic mechanical/viscoelastic vibrational properties, by testing lesser-known species and categorizing sources of variability. *Methods Air-dry axial specific dynamic modulus of elasticity (E'/γ) and damping coefficient (tanδ) were measured on a wide sampling (1792 specimens) of 98 wood types from 79 species. An experimental device and protocol was designed for conducting systematic (i.e. rapid and reproducible) characterizations. *Results Diversity at the specimens' level corroborates the "standard" relationship between tanδ and E'/γ, which is discussed in terms of orientation of wood elements and of chemical composition. Diversity at the species level is expressed on the basis of results for normal heartwood, with specific gravity (γ) ranging from 0.2 to 1.3. Axial E'/γ ranges from 9 to 32 GPa and tanδ from 4×10-3 to 19×10-3. Properties distribution follows a continuum, but with group characteristics. The lowest values of tanδ are only found in certain tropical hardwoods. Results can also suggest alternative species for musical instruments making

Bidirectional antimonide laser diodes: application to the development of an infrared probe based on absorption spectroscopy

International audienceWe present a study of a sensor probe based on tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy, using antimonide-based diode lasers emitting at 2.3 and 2.6 μm. The lasers were fabricated by molecular beam epitaxy in the IES laboratory. The active regions are based on InGaAsSb/AlGaAsSb quantum wells grown on a GaSb(N) substrate. The diode lasers operate at room temperature in a continuous wave (CW) regime and exhibit 5 mW of emitted power. A linear optical setup using the two emitting facets of the diode lasers was developed. By using a second derivative detection by wavelength modulation spectroscopy, we obtained a CH4 detection limit of 9 ppm m. The sensor is designed to be used in soil and to measure CH4, CO2 and H2O, which are important constituents of the soil atmosphere generated by anaerobic digestion, microbial respiration or water transfer

Expedient approach to novel N-unprotected bicyclic azapyrimidine and pyridine structures.

International audienceA direct route to novel bicyclic N-unprotected azapyrimidine structures including fused five-, six-, and seven-membered rings is described involving radical addition and cyclization of xanthates; this approach could be partially extended to pyridines