32,667 research outputs found
Multi-chord fiber-coupled interferometer with a long coherence length laser
This paper describes a 561 nm laser heterodyne interferometer that provides
time-resolved measurements of line-integrated plasma electron density within
the range of 10^15-10^18 cm^(-2). Such plasmas are produced by railguns on the
Plasma Liner Experiment (PLX), which aims to produce \mu s-, cm-, and
Mbar-scale plasmas through the merging of thirty plasma jets in a spherically
convergent geometry. A long coherence length, 320 mW laser allows for a strong,
sub-fringe phase-shift signal without the need for closely-matched probe and
reference path lengths. Thus only one reference path is required for all eight
probe paths, and an individual probe chord can be altered without altering the
reference or other probe path lengths. Fiber-optic decoupling of the probe
chord optics on the vacuum chamber from the rest of the system allows the probe
paths to be easily altered to focus on different spatial regions of the plasma.
We demonstrate that sub-fringe resolution capability allows the interferometer
to operate down to line-integrated densities of order 10^15 cm^(-2).Comment: submitted to Rev. Sci. Instrum. (2011
Inexpensive cross-linked polymeric separators made from water soluble polymers
Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) crosslinked chemically with aldehyde reagents produces membranes which demonstrate oxidation resistance, dimensional stability, low ionic resistivity, low zincate diffusivity, and low zinc dendrite penetration rate which make them suitable for use as alkaline battery separators. They are intrinsically low in cost and environmental health and safety problems associated with commercial production appear minimal. Preparation, property measurements, and cell test results in Ni/Zn and Ag/Zn cells are described and discussed
In-situ cross linking of polyvinyl alcohol
A method of producing a crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol structure, such as a battery separator membrane or electrode envelope is described. An aqueous solution of a film-forming polyvinyl alcohol is admixed with an aldehyde crosslinking agent a basic pH to inhibit crosslinking. The crosslinking agent, perferably a dialdehyde such as glutaraldehyde, is used in an amount of from about 1/2 to about 20% of the theoretical amount required to crosslink all of the hydroxyl groups of the polymer. The aqueous admixture is formed into a desired physical shape, such as by casting a sheet of the solution. The sheet is then dried to form a self-supporting film. Crosslinking is then effected by immersing the film in aqueous acid solution. The resultant product has excellent properties for use as a battery separator
Cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol and method of making same
A film-forming polyvinyl alcohol polymer is mixed with a polyaldehyde-polysaccharide cross-linking agent having at least two monosaccharide units and a plurality of aldehyde groups per molecule, perferably an average of at least one aldehyde group per monosaccharide units. The cross-linking agent, such as a polydialdehyde starch, is used in an amount of about 2.5 to 20% of the theoretical amount required to cross-link all of the available hydroxyl groups of the polyvinyl alcohol polymer. Reaction between the polymer and cross-linking agent is effected in aqueous acidic solution to produce the cross-linked polymer. The polymer product has low electrical resistivity and other properties rendering it suitable for making separators for alkaline batteries
In situ self cross-linking of polyvinyl alcohol battery separators
A battery separator was produced from a polyvinyl alcohol sheet structure which was subjected to an in situ, self crosslinking process by selective oxidation of the 1,2 diol units present in the polyvinyl alcohol sheet structure. The 1,2 diol units were cleaved to form aldehyde end groups which subsequently crosslink through acetalization of the 1,3 diol units of the polyvinyl alcohol. Selective oxidation was achieved using a solution of a suitable oxidizing agent such as periodic acid or lead tetraacetate
Method of cross-linking polyvinyl alcohol and other water soluble resins
A self supporting sheet structure comprising a water soluble, noncrosslinked polymer such as polyvinyl alcohol which is capable of being crosslinked by reaction with hydrogen atom radicals and hydroxyl molecule radicals is contacted with an aqueous solution having a pH of less than 8 and containing a dissolved salt in an amount sufficient to prevent substantial dissolution of the noncrosslinked polymer in the aqueous solution. The aqueous solution is then irradiated with ionizing radiation to form hydrogen atom radicals and hydroxyl molecule radicals and the irradiation is continued for a time sufficient to effect crosslinking of the water soluble polymer to produce a water insoluble polymer sheet structure. The method has particular application in the production of battery separators and electrode envelopes for alkaline batteries
Alkaline battery containing a separator of a cross-linked copolymer of vinyl alcohol and unsaturated carboxylic acid
A battery separator for an alkaline battery is described. The separator comprises a cross linked copolymer of vinyl alcohol units and unsaturated carboxylic acid units. The cross linked copolymer is insoluble in water, has excellent zincate diffusion and oxygen gas barrier properties and a low electrical resistivity. Cross linking with a polyaldehyde cross linking agent is preferred
Tendency of spherically imploding plasma liners formed by merging plasma jets to evolve toward spherical symmetry
Three dimensional hydrodynamic simulations have been performed using smoothed
particle hydrodynamics (SPH) in order to study the effects of discrete jets on
the processes of plasma liner formation, implosion on vacuum, and expansion.
The pressure history of the inner portion of the liner was qualitatively and
quantitatively similar from peak compression through the complete stagnation of
the liner among simulation results from two one dimensional
radiationhydrodynamic codes, 3D SPH with a uniform liner, and 3D SPH with 30
discrete plasma jets. Two dimensional slices of the pressure show that the
discrete jet SPH case evolves towards a profile that is almost
indistinguishable from the SPH case with a uniform liner, showing that
non-uniformities due to discrete jets are smeared out by late stages of the
implosion. Liner formation and implosion on vacuum was also shown to be robust
to Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth. Interparticle mixing for a liner
imploding on vacuum was investigated. The mixing rate was very small until
after peak compression for the 30 jet simulation.Comment: 28 pages, 16 figures, submitted to Physics of Plasmas (2012
Polyvinyl alcohol cross-linked with two aldehydes
A film forming polyvinyl alcohol resin is admixed, in aqueous solution, with a dialdehyde crosslinking agent which is capable of crosslinking the polyvinyl alcohol resin and a water soluble acid aldehyde containing a reactive aldehyde group capable of reacting with hydroxyl groups in the polyvinyl alcohol resin and an ionizable acid hydrogen atom. The dialdehyde is present in an amount sufficient to react with from 1 to 20% by weight of the theoretical amount required to react with all of the hydroxyl groups of the polyvinyl alcohol. The amount of acid aldehyde is from 1 to 50% by weight, same basis, and is sufficient to reduce the pH of the aqueous admixture to 5 or less. The admixture is then formed into a desired physical shape, such as by casting a sheet or film, and the shaped material is then heated to simultaneously dry and crosslink the article
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