Quantification and Characterization of Aluminum Distributions in Commercial Beta and Mordenite Zeolites by Cobalt Exchange

The aluminum distribution throughout the zeolite framework determines the structural, ion-exchange and catalytic properties of the zeolite. Several methods have been proposed to control the Al distribution, but in order to accurately assess these methods a procedure is needed to quantify Al distribution in various zeolite frameworks. Co2+ ions exchange onto the zeolite framework at Al pairs, and atomic absorbance spectroscopy (AAS) can be used to quantify the number of exchanged Co2+ ions and, in turn, the overall number of Al pairs. Each framework exhibits differences in pore size and channel configuration which affect the equilibrium conditions needed for saturation of all paired Al sites with Co2+ ions. In order to achieve saturation of the Co2+ ions, a reproducible exchange procedure must be developed for each framework of interest. Commercial beta (BEA) and mordenite (MOR) zeolites were subjected to liquid-phase cobalt ion exchange with varying exchange solution molarity, temperature, number of repetitions and time of exchange. The zeolites were then washed and treated in an oxidizing environment at high temperatures before undergoing AAS analysis to determine Co2+ concentration and diffuse reflectance UV-Vis spectroscopy (DRUV-VIS) to ensure only bare Co2+ ions were present. The BEA framework was found to achieve saturation at the following conditions: 0.50 M Co(NO3)2 exchange solution, ambient temperature, 1 repetition and 12 hour exchange time. The exchange procedure for MOR zeolites requires a 0.05 M Co(NO3)2 solution, ambient temperature, 24 hour exchange time and 1 repetition. These procedures will aid in the creation of an accurate catalog of the Al distribution in various commercially available BEA and MOR zeolites, as well as aiding in further synthesis studies to control the Al distribution in BEA and MOR zeolites

Two dimensional lattice Gross--Neveu model with domain-wall fermions

We investigate the two dimensional lattice Gross--Neveu model in large flavor number limit using the domain-wall fermion formulation, as a toy model of lattice QCD. We study nonperturbative behaviorn of the restoration of chiral symmetry of the domain-wall fermions as the extent of the extra dimension $(N_s)$ is increased to infinity. We find the the parity broken phase (Aoki phase) for finite $N_s$, and study the phase diagram, which is related to the mechanism of the chiral restoration in $N_s\to\infty$ limit. The continuum limit is taken and $O(a)$ scaling violation of observables vanishes in $N_s\to\infty$ limit. We also examine the systematic dependencies of observables to the parameters.Comment: 36 pages (26 figures), Latex (epsf style-file needed

Probing the Region of Massless Quarks in Quenched Lattice QCD using Wilson Fermions

We study the spectrum of $H(m)=\gamma_5 W(-m)$ with $W(m)$ being the Wilson-Dirac operator on the lattice with bare mass equal to $m$. The background gauge fields are generated using the SU(3) Wilson action at $\beta=5.7$ on an $8^3\times 16$ lattice. We find evidence that the spectrum of $H(m)$ is gapless for $1.02 < m < 2.0$, implying that the physical quark is massless in this whole region.Comment: 22 pages, LaTeX file, uses elsart.sty, includes 11 figures A typographical error in one reference has been fixe

IMECE2002-32157 GPS-BASED REAL-TIME IDENTIFICATION OF TIRE-ROAD FRICTION COEFFICIENT

ABSTRACT Vehicle control systems such as collision avoidance, adaptive cruise control and automated lane-keeping systems as well as ABS and stability control systems can benefit significantly from being made &quot;road-adaptive&quot;. The estimation of tire-road friction coefficient at the wheels allows the control algorithm in such systems to adapt to external driving conditions. This paper develops a new tire-road friction coefficient estimation algorithm based on measurements related to the lateral dynamics of the vehicle. A lateral tire force model parameterized as a function of slip angle, friction coefficient, normal force and cornering stiffness is used. A real-time parameter identification algorithm that utilizes measurements from a differential GPS system and a gyroscope is used to identify the tire-road friction coefficient and cornering stiffness parameters of the tire. The advantage of the developed algorithm is that it does not require large longitudinal slip in order to provide reliable friction estimates. Simulation studies indicate that a parameter convergence rate of one second can be obtained. Experiments conducted on both dry and slippery road indicate that the algorithm can work very effectively in identifying a slippery road. Two other new approaches to realtime tire road friction identification system are also discussed in the paper

Chemistry-induced Intrinsic Stress Variations During the Chemical Vapor Deposition of Polycrystalline Diamond

Intrinsic tensile stresses in polycrystalline films are often attributed to the coalescence of neighboring grains during the early stages of film growth, where the energy decrease associated with converting two free surfaces into a grain boundary provides the driving force for creating tensile stress. Several recent models have analyzed this energy trade off to establish relationships between the stress and the surface∕interfacial energy driving force, the elastic properties of the film, and the grain size. To investigate these predictions, experiments were conducted with diamond films produced by chemical vapor deposition. A multistep processing procedure was used to produce films with significant variations in the tensile stress, but with essentially identical grain sizes. The experimental results demonstrate that modest changes in the deposition chemistry can lead to significant changes in the resultant tensile stresses. Two general approaches were considered to reconcile this data with existing models of stress evolution. Geometric effects associated with the shape of the growing crystal were evaluated with a finite element model of stress evolution, and variations in the surface∕interfacial energy driving force were assessed in terms of both chemical changes in the deposition atmosphere and differences in the crystal growth morphology. These attempts to explain the experimental results were only partially successful, which suggests that other factors probably affect intrinsic tensile stress evolution due to grain boundary formation

Static Safety for an Actor Dedicated Process Calculus by Abstract Interpretation

The actor model eases the definition of concurrent programs with non uniform behaviors. Static analysis of such a model was previously done in a data-flow oriented way, with type systems. This approach was based on constraint set resolution and was not able to deal with precise properties for communications of behaviors. We present here a new approach, control-flow oriented, based on the abstract interpretation framework, able to deal with communication of behaviors. Within our new analyses, we are able to verify most of the previous properties we observed as well as new ones, principally based on occurrence counting

Potential for modulation of the hydrophobic effect inside chaperonins

Despite the spontaneity of some in vitro protein folding reactions, native folding in vivo often requires the participation of barrel-shaped multimeric complexes known as chaperonins. Although it has long been known that chaperonin substrates fold upon sequestration inside the chaperonin barrel, the precise mechanism by which confinement within this space facilitates folding remains unknown. In this study, we examine the possibility that the chaperonin mediates a favorable reorganization of the solvent for the folding reaction. We begin by discussing the effect of electrostatic charge on solvent-mediated hydrophobic forces in an aqueous environment. Based on these initial physical arguments, we construct a simple, phenomenological theory for the thermodynamics of density and hydrogen bond order fluctuations in liquid water. Within the framework of this model, we investigate the effect of confinement within a chaperonin-like cavity on the configurational free energy of water by calculating solvent free energies for cavities corresponding to the different conformational states in the ATP- driven catalytic cycle of the prokaryotic chaperonin GroEL. Our findings suggest that one function of chaperonins may be to trap unfolded proteins and subsequently expose them to a micro-environment in which the hydrophobic effect, a crucial thermodynamic driving force for folding, is enhanced

Chiral Fermions on the Lattice

An expression for the lattice effective action induced by chiral fermions in any even dimensions in terms of an overlap of two states is shown to have promising properties in two dimensions: The correct abelian anomaly is reproduced and instantons are suppressed.Comment: 9p, Postscript file, RU--93--3