Two-phase flow and oxygen transport in the perforated gas diffusion layer of proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Liquid water transport in perforated gas diffusion layers (GDLs)is numerically investigated using a three-dimensional (3D)two-phase volume of fluid (VOF)model and a stochastic reconstruction model of GDL microstructures. Different perforation depths and diameters are investigated, in comparison with the GDL without perforation. It is found that perforation can considerably reduce the liquid water level inside a GDL. The perforation diameter (D = 100 μm)and the depth (H = 100 μm)show pronounced effect. In addition, two different perforation locations, i.e. the GDL center and the liquid water break-through point, are investigated. Results show that the latter perforation location works more efficiently. Moreover, the perforation perimeter wettability is studied, and it is found that a hydrophilic region around the perforation further reduces the water saturation. Finally, the oxygen transport in the partially-saturated GDL is studied using an oxygen diffusion model. Results indicate that perforation reduces the oxygen diffusion resistance in GDLs and improves the oxygen concentration at the GDL bottom up to 101% (D = 100 μm and H = 100 μm)

Two-body scattering in a trap and a special periodic phenomenon sensitive to the interaction

Two-body scattering of neutral particles in a trap is studied theoretically. The control of the initial state is realized by using optical traps. The collisions inside the trap occur repeatedly; thereby the effect of interaction can be accumulated. Two periodic phenomena with a shorter and a much longer period, respectively, are found. The latter is sensitive to the interaction. Instead of measuring the differential cross section as usually does, the measurement of the longer period and the details of the periodic behavior might be a valid source of information on weak interactions among neutral particles.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Repeating head-on collisions in an optical trap and the evaluation of spin-dependent interactions among neutral particles

A dynamic process of repeating collisions of a pair of trapped neutral particles with weak spin-dependent interaction is designed and studied. Related theoretical derivation and numerical calculation have been performed to study the inherent coordinate-spin and momentum-spin correlation. Due to the repeating collisions the effect of the weak interaction can be accumulated and enlarged, and therefore can be eventually detected. Numerical results suggest that the Cr-Cr interaction, which has not yet been completely clear, could be thereby determined. The design can be in general used to determine various interactions among neutral atoms and molecules, in particular for the determination of very weak forces.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figure

Superconductivity mediated by the antiferromagnetic spin-wave in chalcogenide iron-base superconductors

The ground state of K$_{0.8+x}$Fe$_{1.6+y}$Se$_2$ and other iron-based selenide superconductors are doped antiferromagnetic semiconductors. There are well defined iron local moments whose energies are separated from those of conduction electrons by a large band gap in these materials. We propose that the low energy physics of this system is governed by a model Hamiltonian of interacting electrons with on-site ferromagnetic exchange interactions and inter-site superexchange interactions. We have derived the effective pairing potential of electrons under the linear spin-wave approximation and shown that the superconductivity can be driven by mediating coherent spin wave excitations in these materials. Our work provides a natural account for the coexistence of superconducting and antiferromagnetic long range orders observed by neutron scattering and other experiments.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure