Velocity dependence of friction of confined polymers

We present molecular dynamics friction calculations for confined hydrocarbon solids with molecular lengths from 20 to 1400 carbon atoms. Two cases are considered: (a) polymer sliding against a hard substrate, and (b) polymer sliding on polymer. We discuss the velocity dependence of the frictional shear stress for both cases. In our simulations, the polymer films are very thin (approx. 3 nm), and the solid walls are connected to a thermostat at a short distance from the polymer slab. Under these circumstances we find that frictional heating effects are not important, and the effective temperature in the polymer film is always close to the thermostat temperature. In the first setup (a), for hydrocarbons with molecular lengths from 60 to 1400 carbon atoms, the shear stresses are nearly independent of molecular length, but for the shortest hydrocarbon C20H42 the frictional shear stress is lower. In all cases the frictional shear stress increases monotonically with the sliding velocity. For polymer sliding on polymer [case (b)] the friction is much larger, and the velocity dependence is more complex. For hydrocarbons with molecular lengths from 60 to 140 C-atoms, the number of monolayers of lubricant increases (abruptly) with increasing sliding velocity (from 6 to 7 layers), leading to a decrease of the friction. Before and after the layering transition, the frictional shear stresses are nearly proportional to the logarithm of sliding velocity. For the longest hydrocarbon (1400 C-atoms) the friction shows no dependence on the sliding velocity, and for the shortest hydrocarbon (20 C-atoms) the frictional shear stress increases nearly linearly with the sliding velocity.Comment: 10 pages, 14 figure

Autonomous flight of a quadrocopter group with the use of the virtual leader strategy

In this article we present an algorithm of controlling the quadrocopters swarm and a theory of applying the Kalman filter for the equations of motion of a quadrocopter in mountainous conditions. In our case, in order to coordinate the group, it is necessary to form the spatial programmatic trajectory of the UAV using the appropriate control law. The concept of coordinated reversal is introduced, which allows to obtain analytical equations of spatial motions expressed through the definition of the velocity vector and the yaw angle. The algorithm was tested in the Gazebo simulator. The results are used for spatial motion of quadrocopter groups

Sterile neutrino and dark matter

We consider the equation that describes the dynamics of the sterile neutrino density in primeval plasma. The analysis of this equation results in the 5% contribution of the sterile neutrino with mixing parameters $\Delta m^2_{14} = 7.3\text{eV}^2$ and $\sin^2 2\theta_{14} = 0.33$ to the energy density of the Universe. The considered parameters of the sterile neutrino correspond to the warm dark matter.Comment: 7 pages, 11 figure

DEVELOPING THE METHODS OF FOOD PRESERVATIVES EXTRACTION FROM COMPLEX MATRICES FOR BIOASSAY PURPOSE

The presence of food additives in food products may be associated with the risk of their toxic effects on human body. Therefore, the study of approaches to testing their safety seems to be a particularly urgent task. The aim of this study was to determine the conditions for extracting food preservatives from the samples of preserved pureed vegetables for further bioassay of the extract obtained in the Allium test. Onion roots were used as a test object in this method. Two extraction methods of benzoic and sorbic acids added to pureed vegetables have been developed. Distilled water and acetone were used as extracting solutions. The extraction efficiency was evaluated on Shimadzu Prominence LC-20 liquid chromatograph (Japan) in the ultraviolet range, wavelength 235 nm (benzoic acid), 285 nm (sorbic acid). According to the results of studies using both water and acetone as extractants, the degree of preservatives extraction was approximately the same and quite high. In the quantitative calculation of the preservatives content in pureed vegetables, the value of the correction factor was 0.8. However, due to certain production characteristics of this product, i. e. the stage of cauliflower homogenization, obtaining an extract with acetone seems to be more acceptable for the Allium test conditions.The presence of food additives in food products may be associated with the risk of their toxic effects on human body. Therefore, the study of approaches to testing their safety seems to be a particularly urgent task. The aim of this study was to determine the conditions for extracting food preservatives from the samples of preserved pureed vegetables for further bioassay of the extract obtained in the Allium test. Onion roots were used as a test object in this method. Two extraction methods of benzoic and sorbic acids added to pureed vegetables have been developed. Distilled water and acetone were used as extracting solutions. The extraction efficiency was evaluated on Shimadzu Prominence LC-20 liquid chromatograph (Japan) in the ultraviolet range, wavelength 235 nm (benzoic acid), 285 nm (sorbic acid). According to the results of studies using both water and acetone as extractants, the degree of preservatives extraction was approximately the same and quite high. In the quantitative calculation of the preservatives content in pureed vegetables, the value of the correction factor was 0.8. However, due to certain production characteristics of this product, i. e. the stage of cauliflower homogenization, obtaining an extract with acetone seems to be more acceptable for the Allium test conditions

Defect-unbinding and the Bose-glass transition in layered superconductors

The low-field Bose-glass transition temperature in heavy-ion irradiated Bi_2Sr_2CaCu_2O_8+d increases progressively with increasing density of irradiation-induced columnar defects, but saturates for densities in excess of 1.5 x10^9 cm^-2. The maximum Bose-glass temperature corresponds to that above which diffusion of two-dimensional pancake vortices between different vortex lines becomes possible, and above which the ``line-like'' character of vortices is lost. We develop a description of the Bose-glass line that is in excellent quantitative agreement with the experimental line obtained for widely different values of track density and material parameters.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Infrared studies of a La_(0.67)Ca_(0.33)MnO_3 single crystal: Optical magnetoconductivity in a half-metallic ferromagnet

The infrared reflectivity of a La_(0.67)Ca_(0.33)MnO_3 single crystal is studied over a broad range of temperatures (78–340 K), magnetic fields (0–16 T), and wave numbers (20–9000cm^(-1)). The optical conductivity gradually changes from a Drude-like behavior to a broad peak feature near 5000cm-1 in the ferromagnetic state below the Curie temperature T_C=307K. Various features of the optical conductivity bear striking resemblance to recent theoretical predictions based on the interplay between the double exchange interaction and the Jahn-Teller electron-phonon coupling. A large optical magnetoconductivity is observed near T_C