16,541 research outputs found
Roles of Free Electrons and H2O2 in the Optical Breakdown-Induced Photochemical Reduction of Aqueous [AuCl4]-
Free electrons and H2O2 formed in an optical breakdown plasma are found to directly control the kinetics of [AuCl4]− reduction to form Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) during femtosecond laser-assisted synthesis of AuNPs. The formation rates of both free electrons and H2O2 strongly depend on the energy and duration of the 800 nm laser pulses over the ranges of 10−2400 μJ and 30−1500 fs. By monitoring the conversion of [AuCl4]− to AuNPs using in situ UV−vis spectroscopy during laser irradiation, the first- and second-order rate constants in the autocatalytic rate law, k1 and k2, were extracted and compared to the computed free electron densities and experimentally measured H2O2 formation rates. For laser pulse energies of 600 μJ and lower at all pulse durations, the first-order rate constant, k1, was found to be directly proportional to the theoretically calculated plasma volume, in which the electron density exceeds the threshold value of 1.8 × 1020 cm−3. The second-order rate constant, k2, was found to correlate with the measured H2O2 formation rate at all pulse energies and durations, resulting in the empirical relationship k2 ≈ H2O20.5. We have demonstrated that the relative composition of free electrons and H2O2 in the optical breakdown plasma may be controlled by changing the pulse energy and duration, which may make it possible to tune the size and dispersity of AuNPs and other metal nanoparticle products synthesized with femtosecond laser-based methods
Optimal control strategies for tuberculosis treatment: a case study in Angola
We apply optimal control theory to a tuberculosis model given by a system of
ordinary differential equations. Optimal control strategies are proposed to
minimize the cost of interventions. Numerical simulations are given using data
from Angola.Comment: This is a preprint of a paper whose final and definite form will
appear in the international journal Numerical Algebra, Control and
Optimization (NACO). Paper accepted for publication 15-March-201
Rigorous Formulation of Duality in Gravitational Theories
In this paper we evince a rigorous formulation of duality in gravitational
theories where an Einstein like equation is valid, by providing the conditions
under which the Hodge duals (with respect to the metric tensor g) of T^a and
R_b^a may be considered as the torsion and curvature 2-forms associated with a
connection D', part of a Riemann-Cartan structure (M,g',D'), in the cases g =
g' and g does not equal g', once T^a and R_b^a are the torsion and curvature
2-forms associated with a connection D part of a Riemann-Cartan structure
(M,g,D). A new form for the Einstein equation involving the dual of the Riemann
tensor of D is also provided, and the result is compared with others appearing
in the literature.Comment: 15 page
Isobaric Yield Ratios and The Symmetry Energy In Fermi Energy Heavy Ion Reactions
The relative isobaric yields of fragments produced in a series of heavy ion
induced multifragmentation reactions have been analyzed in the framework of a
Modified Fisher Model, primarily to determine the ratio of the symmetry energy
coefficient to the temperature, , as a function of fragment mass A. The
extracted values increase from 5 to ~16 as A increases from 9 to 37. These
values have been compared to the results of calculations using the
Antisymmetrized Molecular Dynamics (AMD) model together with the statistical
decay code Gemini. The calculated ratios are in good agreement with those
extracted from the experiment. In contrast, the ratios determined from fitting
the primary fragment distributions from the AMD model calculation are ~ 4 and
show little variation with A. This observation indicates that the value of the
symmetry energy coefficient derived from final fragment observables may be
significantly different than the actual value at the time of fragment
formation. The experimentally observed pairing effect is also studied within
the same simulations. The Coulomb coefficient is also discussed.Comment: 10 pages, 12 figure
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