92 research outputs found
Kinetic hindrance during the initial oxidation of Pd(100) at ambient pressures
The oxidation of the Pd(100) surface at oxygen pressures in the 10^-6 to 10^3
mbar range and temperatures up to 1000 K has been studied in-situ by surface
x-ray diffraction (SXRD). The results provide direct structural information on
the phases present in the surface region and on the kinetics of the oxide
formation. Depending on the (T,p) environmental conditions we either observe a
thin sqrt(5) x sqrt(5) R27 surface oxide or the growth of a rough, poorly
ordered bulk oxide film of PdO predominantly with (001) orientation. By either
comparison to the surface phase diagram from first-principles atomistic
thermodynamics or by explicit time-resolved measurements we identify a strong
kinetic hindrance to the bulk oxide formation even at temperatures as high as
675 K.Comment: 4 pages including 4 figures, Related publications can be found at
http://www.fhi-berlin.mpg.de/th/paper.htm
Combustion experiments with homogeneous and gradient H2-CO-air-mixutres in semi-confined geometries
The Paradox of Power in CSR: A Case Study on Implementation
Purpose Although current literature assumes positive outcomes for stakeholders resulting from an increase in power associated with CSR, this research suggests that this increase can lead to conflict within organizations, resulting in almost complete inactivity on CSR.
Methods A single in-depth case study, focusing on power as an embedded concept.
Results Empirical evidence is used to demonstrate how some actors use CSR to improve their own positions within an organization. Resource dependence theory is used to highlight why this may be a more significant concern for CSR.
Conclusions Increasing power for CSR has the potential to offer actors associated with it increased personal power, and thus can attract opportunistic actors with little interest in realizing the benefits of CSR for the company and its stakeholders. Thus power can be an impediment to furthering CSR strategy and activities at the individual and organizational level
Untersuchungen zur Kontrolle von Radiolysegas-Detonationen in deutschen Siedewasserreaktoren. Studies of the control of radiolysis gas detonations in German boiling water reactors (BWR)
Breathing Current Domains in Globally Coupled Electrochemical Systems: A Comparison with a Semiconductor Model
Spatio-temporal bifurcations and complex dynamics in globally coupled
intrinsically bistable electrochemical systems with an S-shaped current-voltage
characteristic under galvanostatic control are studied theoretically on a
one-dimensional domain. The results are compared with the dynamics and the
bifurcation scenarios occurring in a closely related model which describes
pattern formation in semiconductors. Under galvanostatic control both systems
are unstable with respect to the formation of stationary large amplitude
current domains. The current domains as well as the homogeneous steady state
exhibit oscillatory instabilities for slow dynamics of the potential drop
across the double layer, or across the semiconductor device, respectively. The
interplay of the different instabilities leads to complex spatio-temporal
behavior. We find breathing current domains and chaotic spatio-temporal
dynamics in the electrochemical system. Comparing these findings with the
results obtained earlier for the semiconductor system, we outline bifurcation
scenarios leading to complex dynamics in globally coupled bistable systems with
subcritical spatial bifurcations.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, 70 references, RevTex4 accepted by PRE
http://pre.aps.or
On the Role of Attention in Binocular Rivalry: Electrophysiological Evidence
During binocular rivalry visual consciousness fluctuates between two dissimilar monocular images. We investigated the role of attention in this phenomenon by comparing event-related potentials (ERPs) when binocular-rivalry stimuli were attended with when they were unattended. Stimuli were dichoptic, orthogonal gratings that yielded binocular rivalry and dioptic, identically oriented gratings that yielded binocular fusion. Events were all possible orthogonal changes in orientation of one or both gratings. We had two attention conditions: In the attend-to-grating condition, participants had to report changes in perceived orientation, focussing their attention on the gratings. In the attend-to-fixation condition participants had to report changes in a central fixation target, taking attention away from the gratings. We found, surprisingly, that attending to rival gratings yielded a smaller ERP component (the N1, from 160–210 ms) than attending to the fixation target. To explain this paradoxical effect of attention, we propose that rivalry occurs in the attend-to-fixation condition (we found an ERP signature of rivalry in the form of a sustained negativity from 210–300 ms) but that the mechanism processing the stimulus changes is more adapted in the attend-to-grating condition than in the attend-to-fixation condition. This is consistent with the theory that adaptation gives rise to changes of visual consciousness during binocular rivalry
Seeking legitimacy through CSR: Institutional Pressures and Corporate Responses of Multinationals in Sri Lanka
Arguably, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices of multinational enterprises (MNEs) are influenced by a wide range of both internal and external factors. Perhaps most critical among the exogenous forces operating on MNEs are those exerted by state and other key institutional actors in host countries. Crucially, academic research conducted to date offers little data about how MNEs use their CSR activities to strategically manage their relationship with those actors in order to gain legitimisation advantages in host countries. This paper addresses that gap by exploring interactions between external institutional pressures and firm-level CSR activities, which take the form of community initiatives, to examine how MNEs develop their legitimacy-seeking policies and practices. In focusing on a developing country, Sri Lanka, this paper provides valuable insights into how MNEs instrumentally utilise community initiatives in a country where relationship-building with governmental and other powerful non-governmental actors can be vitally important for the long-term viability of the business. Drawing on neo-institutional theory and CSR literature, this paper examines and contributes to the embryonic but emerging debate about the instrumental and political implications of CSR. The evidence presented and discussed here reveals the extent to which, and the reasons why, MNEs engage in complex legitimacy-seeking relationships with Sri Lankan institutions
Roles of contour and surface processing in microgenesis of object perception and visual consciousness
Developments in visual neuroscience and neural-network modeling indicate the
existence of separate pathways for the processing of form and surface attributes
of a visual object. In line with prior theoretical proposals, it is assumed that
the processing of form can be explicit or conscious only as or after the surface
property such as color is filled in. In conjunction with extant psychophysical
findings, these developments point to interesting distinctions between
nonconscious and conscious processing of these attributes, specifically in
relation to distinguishable temporal dynamics. At nonconscious levels form
processing proceeds faster than surface processing, whereas in contrast, at
conscious levels form processing proceeds slower than surface processing. I
mplications of separate form and surface processing for current and future
psychophysical and neuroscientific research, particularly that relating cortical
oscillations to conjunctions of surface and form features, and for cognitive
science and philosophy of mind and consciousness are discussed
A nanoparticle bed micro-reactor with high syngas yield for moderate temperature micro-scale SOFC power plants
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