Magnetization Plateaus in the Spin-1/2 Kagome Antiferromagnets: Volborthite and Vesignieite

The magnetization of two spin-1/2 kagome antiferromagnets, volborthite and vesignieite, has been measured in pulsed magnetic fields up to 68 T. A magnetization plateau is observed for each compound near the highest magnetic field. Magnetizations at saturation are approximately equal to 0.40Ms for both compounds, where Ms is the fully saturated magnetization, irrespective of a difference in the distortion of the kagome lattice between the two compounds. It should be noted that these values of magnetizations are significantly larger than Ms/3 predicted theoretically for the one-third magnetization plateau in the spin-1/2 kagome antiferromagnet. The excess magnetization over Ms/3 is nearly equal to the sum of the magnetizations gained at the second and third magnetization steps in volborthite, suggesting that there is a common origin for the excess magnetization and the magnetization steps.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. Phys. Rev. B, accepte

Effects of Drive System Lubricant Additives upon Rolling Fatigue of Carburized and Hardened Steel Rollers

To clarify the effects of a drive system lubricant additive upon rolling fatigue of rollers manufactured from carburized and hardened steel, three types of oil were used as lubricants: one mineral base oil and the other two mineral base oils to which an S-P additive package and ATF additive package were added, respectively. These specimens were tested for sliding/rolling fatigue and examined for failure on the surface, rolling fatigue strength, and other properties. Roller surface temperatures and inter-roller frictional coefficients were found scarcely affected by the type of oil used. Irrespective of the difference in oil type, failure on the surface was found to be entirely spalling attributable to cracks generated in the subsurface. The depth at which spalling cracks had taken place was found nearly coincident with the depth at which a ratio of reversing orthogonal shear stress to hardness had amplitude A(Tyz/Hv) maximized. These depths were larger as Hertz stress became more prominent. Nevertheless, they were found hardly affected by the type of oil. Although rolling fatigue strength did not show a significant difference dependent upon the type of oil, it may be said that fatigue life would be somewhat negatively affected by an extreme pressure coated film with a content of sulfur and phosphorus

Preparation of sodium hexatitanate photocatalysts by a flux method for photocatalytic steam reforming of methane

Fine crystals of sodium hexatitanate (Na₂Ti₆O₁₃) were prepared by a flux method for photocatalytic steam reforming of methane (PSRM) to produce hydrogen. The examined parameters for the preparation in this study were the solute concentration in the molten sodium chloride salt and the cooling rate from the molten mixture. As a reference, another sample was prepared by a solid state reaction method, which corresponds to the preparation without the sodium chloride flux. The prepared samples consisted of hexagonal rod-like microcrystals of monoclinic structure with various morphology, particle size, crystallite size, aspect ratio, and specific surface area. The solute concentration affected the length and the aspect ratio of the rod-like structure although the cooling rate did not so much. The samples were loaded with 0.05 wt% of Rh cocatalyst nanoparticles, which was well dispersed oxide species on the surface. The Rh-loaded samples exhibited photocatalytic activity for hydrogen production in the PSRM. It was found that the photocatalytic production rate varied with the various structural parameters, especially correlated with the crystallite size of the rod-like Na₂Ti₆O₁₃ fine crystals

Resonant Spin-Flavor Conversion of Supernova Neutrinos: Dependence on Electron Mole Fraction

Detailed dependence of resonant spin-flavor (RSF) conversion of supernova neutrinos on electron mole fraction Ye is investigated. Supernova explosion forms a hot-bubble and neutrino-driven wind region of which electron mole fraction exceeds 0.5 in several seconds after the core collapse. When a higher resonance of the RSF conversion is located in the innermost region, flavor change of the neutrinos strongly depends on the sign of 1-2Ye. At an adiabatic high RSF resonance the flavor conversion of bar{nu}_e -> nu_{mu,tau} occurs in Ye 0.5 and inverted mass hierarchy. In other cases of Ye values and mass hierarchies, the conversion of nu_e -> bar{nu}_{mu,tau} occurs. The final bar{nu}_e spectrum is evaluated in the cases of Ye 0.5 taking account of the RSF conversion. Based on the obtained result, time variation of the event number ratios of low bar{nu}_e energy to high bar{nu}_e energy is discussed. In normal mass hierarchy, an enhancement of the event ratio should be seen in the period when the electron fraction in the innermost region exceeds 0.5. In inverted mass hierarchy, on the other hand, a dip of the event ratio should be observed. Therefore, the time variation of the event number ratio is useful to investigate the effect of the RSF conversion.Comment: 16 pages, 33 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review