Electrochemical detection of simple alkanes by utilizing a solid-state zirconia-based gas sensor

Solid-state gas sensors composed of complex oxide electrolytes offer great potential for analyzing various atmospheres at high temperatures. While relatively simple gas mixtures (H2O+N2, O2+N2) have been successfully studied by means of ZrO2-based sensors, the precise detection of more complex compounds represents a challenging task. In this work, we present our findings regarding the analysis of lower alkanes (CH4, C2H6, and C3H8) mixed with nitrogen as an inert gas, utilizing an amperometric ZrO2-based sensor. This sensor, serving as an electrochemical cell with a diffusion barrier, was tested at 500–600 °C to measure the limiting current, which depends on the gas composition and can be further used as a basis for calibration curves. In addition, the diffusion coefficients of the specified gas mixtures were successfully found and compared with references, confirming the applicability of the fabricated sensor for studying diffusion processes in wide concentration and temperature ranges

Sensor for operational control of oxygen and combustible gases concentration in waste gases of thermal units

A new sensor has been developed for continuous monitoring of oxygen and combustible gases content in the waste gases of thermal units. The target application of the sensor is its installation in shunt pipes of thermal units, directly into the waste gas flow. The sensor is characterized by one reference gas electrode and three measuring electrodes applied on the surface of a solid electrolyte tube made of a zirconia electrolyte (e.g., 8YSZ). The reference gas electrode and one of the measuring electrodes were made of silver, the second measuring electrode was made of platinum, the third measuring electrode was made of a mixture of zinc oxide (95 wt %) and lanthanum-strontium manganite (5 wt %). The oxygen content in the gas mixture was determined by the well-known potentiometric method in accordance with the Nernst equation, i.e. an Ag|8YSZ|Ag electrochemical cell was used. To determine the products of incomplete combustion of fuel, the method of mixed potential between Pt- and Zn-based electrodes was used; the obtained potential value was determined by the difference in the oxidation rate of carbon monoxide as the main component of unburned fuels, on different materials of measuring electrodes. The experimental results of the sensor for the determination of carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and methane in a gas mixture are presented.https://doi.org/10.15826/elmattech.2023.2.01

In vivo biotinylated calpastatin improves the affinity purification of human m-calpain

Recently we established a novel affinity purification method for calpain by exploiting the specific and reversible binding properties of its intrinsically disordered protein inhibitor, calpastatin. The immobilization strategy relied on the strength and specificity of the biotin - streptavidin interaction. Here, we report an improved and optimized method that even enables the general applicability of in vivo biotinylated (intrinsically disordered) proteins in any affinity capture strategy. Since in vitro chemical biotinylation is only accomplished with reagents that lack exact site specificity, it can not only cause sample heterogeneity but it can also hamper the functionality of the biotinylated molecules. Therefore, we have developed a recombinant expression protocol to produce in vivo biotinylated human calpastatin domain 1 (hCSD1) in Escherichia coli. We have experimentally verified that the biotinylated polypeptide tag is compatible with the intrinsically disordered state of hCSD1 and that it does not influence the functional properties of this intrinsically disordered protein (IDP). The in vivo biotinylated hCSD1 was then used without the need of any prepurification step prior to the affinity capturing of its substrate, human m-calpain. This leads to a simplified purification strategy that allows capturing the calpain efficiently from a complex biological mixture with only a single chromatogaphic step and in a considerably reduced timeframe. Our approach is generally applicable through the in vivo biotinylation of any IDP of interest, and its practical implementation will showcase the power to exploit the properties of IDPs in affinity capture strategies. © 2018 The Author

Probes of Lorentz Violation in Neutrino Propagation

It has been suggested that the interactions of energetic particles with the foamy structure of space-time thought to be generated by quantum-gravitational (QG) effects might violate Lorentz invariance, so that they do not propagate at a universal speed of light. We consider the limits that may be set on a linear or quadratic violation of Lorentz invariance in the propagation of energetic neutrinos, v/c=[1 +- (E/M_\nuQG1)] or [1 +- (E/M_\nu QG2}^2], using data from supernova explosions and the OPERA long-baseline neutrino experiment. Using the SN1987a neutrino data from the Kamioka II, IMB and Baksan experiments, we set the limits M_\nuQG1 > 2.7(2.5)x10^10 GeV for subluminal (superluminal) propagation, respectively, and M_\nuQG2 >4.6(4.1)x10^4 GeV at the 95% confidence level. A future galactic supernova at a distance of 10 kpc would have sensitivity to M_\nuQG1 > 2(4)x10^11 GeV for subluminal (superluminal) propagation, respectively, and M_\nuQG2 > 2(4)x10^5 GeV. With the current CNGS extraction spill length of 10.5 micro seconds and with standard clock synchronization techniques, the sensitivity of the OPERA experiment would reach M_\nuQG1 ~ 7x10^5 GeV (M_\nuQG2 ~ 8x10^3 GeV) after 5 years of nominal running. If the time structure of the SPS RF bunches within the extracted CNGS spills could be exploited, these figures would be significantly improved to M_\nuQG1 ~ 5x10^7 GeV (M_\nuQG2 ~ 4x10^4 GeV). These results can be improved further if similar time resolution can be achieved with neutrino events occurring in the rock upstream of the OPERA detector: we find potential sensitivities to M_\nuQG1 ~ 4x10^8 GeV and M_\nuQG2 ~ 7x10^5 GeV.Comment: 33 pages, 22 figures, version accepted for publication in Physical Review

Gas dynamics of stationary supersonic gas jets with inert particles exhausting into a medium with low pressure

Issues related to the development of tools for mathematical modeling of stationary supersonic flows of an ideal compressible gas with inert particles are considered. A mathematical model is constructed that describes the flow of an inviscid compressible gas with inert particles in a jet flowing from an axisymmetric nozzle into a flooded space. Provided that the flow is supersonic along one of the spatial coordinates, the Euler equations are hyperbolic along this coordinate. For numerical calculations of the gas flow field, the finite volume method and the marching method are used. For integration over the marching direction, the three-step Runge–Kutta scheme is used. The procedure for calculating the flows includes the reconstruction of the values of the desired functions on the faces of the control volumes from the average values over the control volumes and the solution of the problem of the decay of an arbitrary discontinuity (the Riemann problem). The Lagrangian method of test particles is used to describe the dispersed phase. The effects of the reverse influence of particles on the flow of the carrier gas are not taken into account. The effects of viscosity and rarefaction of the gas flow are taken into account only when the gas interacts with particles. Calculation of the trajectories of inert particles is carried out in a known flow field of the carrier gas. The motion trajectories of discrete inclusions in jet flows with strong underexpansion are presented. The influence of the particle size and the coordinates of the particle entry point into the flow on the features of their transfer by the jet stream are discussed. Efficient means of numerical simulation of stationary supersonic flows of an ideal compressible gas with particles in nozzles and jets have been developed. The calculation results are of interest for studying supersonic gas suspension flows around bodies and for calculating oblique shock waves

Software for processing of experimental data on polarization laser sensing of high-level clouds

Methodology for determination of the optical and geometric characteristics of clouds is described. Problems of processing data obtained in experiments on polarization laser sensing of the atmosphere are discussed. Technique for reduction of the phase matrices of cirrus obtained with the high-altitude polarization lidar developed at National Research Tomsk State University to the symmetry plane affixed to the preferred orientation of ice crystals in cirrus is described. The experimental data are compared with the data of numerical modeling of phase matrices in the physical optics approximation and meteorological conditions over the lidar at cirrus altitudes. © (2015) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only

Josephson effect in superconducting constrictions with hybrid SF electrodes: peculiar properties determined by the misorientation of magnetizations

Josephson current in SFcFS junctions with arbitrary transparency of the constriction (c) is investigated. The emphasis is done on the analysis of the supercurrent dependencies on the misorientation angle $\theta$ between the in-plane magnetizations of diffusive ferromagnetic layers (F). It is found that the current-phase relation $I(\phi)$ may be radically modified with the $\theta$ variation: the harmonic $I_{1}\sin \phi$ vanishes for definite value of $\theta$ provided for identical orientation of the magnetizations ($\theta =0$) the junction is in the $"\pi"$ state. The Josephson current may exhibit a nonmonotonic dependence on the misorientation angle both for realization of $"0 "$ and $"\pi "$ state at $\theta =0$. We also analyze the effect of exchange field induced enhancement of the critical current which may occur in definite range of $\theta$.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, submitted to JETP Letter

Exploration of Possible Quantum Gravity Effects with Neutrinos II: Lorentz Violation in Neutrino Propagation

It has been suggested that the interactions of energetic particles with the foamy structure of space-time thought to be generated by quantum-gravitational (QG) effects might violate Lorentz invariance, so that they do not propagate at a universal speed of light. We consider the limits that may be set on a linear or quadratic violation of Lorentz invariance in the propagation of energetic neutrinos, v/c=[1 +- (E/M_\nuQG1)] or [1 +- (E/M_\nu QG2}^2], using data from supernova explosions and the OPERA long-baseline neutrino experiment.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, proceedings for invited talk by A.Sakharov at DISCRETE'08, Valencia, Spain; December 200