2,169 research outputs found
Anomalous expansion and phonon damping due to the Co spin-state transition in RCoO_3 with R = La, Pr, Nd and Eu
We present a combined study of the thermal expansion and the thermal
conductivity of the perovskite series RCoO_3 with R = La, Nd, Pr and Eu. The
well-known spin-state transition in LaCoO_3 is strongly affected by the
exchange of the R ions due to their different ionic radii, i.e. chemical
pressure. This can be monitored in detail by measurements of the thermal
expansion, which is a highly sensitive probe for detecting spin-state
transitions. The Co ions in the higher spin state act as additional scattering
centers for phonons, therefore suppressing the phonon thermal conductivity.
Based on the analysis of the interplay between spin-state transition and heat
transport, we present a quantitative model of the thermal conductivity for the
entire series. In PrCoO_3, an additional scattering effect is active at low
temperatures. This effect arises from the crystal field splitting of the 4f
multiplet, which allows for resonant scattering of phonons between the various
4f levels.Comment: 15 pages including 5 figure
Evidence for Multiple Phase Transitions in La_1-xCa_xCoO_3
We report thermal-expansion and specific-heat data of the series
La_1-xCa_xCoO_3 for 0 <= x <= 0.3. For x = 0 the thermal-expansion coefficient
alpha(T) features a pronounced maximum around T = 50 K caused by a
temperature-dependent spin-state transition from a low-spin state (S=0) at low
temperatures towards a higher spin state of the Co^3+ ions. The partial
substitution of the La^3+ ions by divalent Ca^2+ ions causes drastic changes in
the macroscopic properties of LaCoO_3. Around x ~ 0.125 the large maximum in
alpha(T) has completely vanished. With further increasing x three different
anomalies develop
Temperature dependence of the response of lithium-drifted germanium detectors to gamma rays
Temperature dependence of lithium-drifted germanium detector response to gamma radiatio
Thermal Conductivity, Thermopower, and Figure of Merit of La_{1-x}Sr_xCoO_3
We present a study of the thermal conductivity k and the thermopower S of
single crystals of La_{1-x}Sr_xCoO_3 with 0<= x <= 0.3. For all Sr
concentrations La_{1-x}Sr_xCoO_3 has rather low k values, whereas S strongly
changes as a function of x. We discuss the influence of the temperature- and
the doping-induced spin-state transitions of the Co ions on both, S and k. From
S, k, and the electrical resistivity rho we derive the thermoelectric figure of
merit Z=S^2/(k*rho). For intermediate Sr concentrations we find notably large
values of Z indicating that Co-based materials could be promising candidates
for thermoelectric cooling.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures included, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Reliable quantification of 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene in urine using a conjugated reference compound for calibration.
After environmental and occupational exposure to naphthalene, 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene (1,2-DHN) was shown to be one major metabolite in human naphthalene metabolism. However, the instability of free 1,2-DHN complicates the reliable determination of this promising biomarker in urine. To solve this stability problem, glucuronide conjugates of 1,2-DHN and the corresponding isotopically labelled D-6-1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene (D-6-1,2-DHN) were synthesised and applied as reference material and internal standard in a gas chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric (GC-MS/MS) method. The determination of 1- and 2-naphthol (1-MHN, 2-MHN) was included in the procedure to enable a comprehensive assessment of naphthalene metabolism and exposure. The results of the validation showed a high reliability and sensitivity of the method. The detection limits range from 0.05 to 0.16 mu g/L. Precision and repeatability were determined to range from 1.4 to 6.6% for all parameters. The simultaneous determination of 1- and 2-MHN as additional parameters besides 1,2-DHN enables the application of the method for further metabolism and kinetic studies on naphthalene. The use of glucuronide-derivative reference substances and the application of structurally matched isotopic-labelled internal standards for each substance guarantee a reliable quantification of the main naphthalene metabolites 1,2-DHN and 1- and 2-MHN
A procedure for the fatigue life prediction of straight fibers pneumatic muscles
Different from the McKibben pneumatic muscle actuator, the straight fibers one is made of an elastomeric tube closed at the two ends by two heads that ensure a mechanical and pneumatic seal. High stiffness threads are placed longitudinally into the wall of the tube while external rings are placed at some sections of it to limit the radial expansion of the tube. The inner pressure in the tube causes shortening of the actuator. The working mode of the muscle actuator requires a series of critical repeated contractions and extensions that cause it to rupture. The fatigue life duration of a pneumatic muscle is often lower than traditional pneumatic actuators. The paper presents a procedure for the fatigue life prediction of a straight-fibers muscle based on experimental tests directly carried out with the muscles instead of with specimens of the silicone rubber material which the muscle is made of. The proposed procedure was experimentally validated. Although the procedure is based on fatigue life duration data for silicone rubber, it can be extended to all straight-fibers muscles once the fatigue life duration data of any material considered for the muscles is known
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