Time-resolved Microwave Conductivity. Part 2.-Quantum-sized TiO_2 and the Effect of Adsorbates and Light Intensity on Charge-carrier Dynamics

Charge-carrier recombination dynamics after a pulsed laser excitation are investigated by time-resolved microwave conductivity (TRMC) for quantum-sized (Q-) TiO_2 and P25, a bulk-phase TiO_2. Adsorbed scavengers such as HNO_3, HC, HCIO_4, isopropyl alcohol, trans-decalin, tetranitromethane, and methyl viologen dichloride result in different charge-carrier recombination dynamics for Q-TiO_2 and P25. The differences include a current doubling with isopropyl alcohol for which electron injection into Q-TiO_2 is much slower than into P25 and relaxation of the selection rules of an indirect-bandgap semiconductor due to size quantization. However, the faster interfacial charge transfer predicted for Q-TiO_2 due to a 0. 2 eV gain in redox overpotentials is not observed. The effect of light intensity is also investigated. Above a critical injection level, fast recombination channels are opened, which may be a major factor resulting in the dependence of the steady-state photolysis quantum yields on l^(–1/2). The fast recombination channels are opened at lower injection levels for P25 than for Q-TiO_2, and a model incorporating the heterogeneity of surface-hole traps is presented

BIOMECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF THE DYNAMICS OF SKATING (SKATING 1-2)

Biomechanical data (curves and values) on skating technique are necessary for effective technique training. 1995-1997 kinematographic 3Danalyses of international top class athletes were made during uphill skating. A kinematic description of skating technique, as well as of technical reserves of top German athletes was obtained (Herrmann/Clauß, 1997). The specific dynamic reasons for the kinematic appearance were the subject of continued analyses. It was also aimed to collect information about measuring technical requirements of specific sensors and their attachment to the specific ski and pole. Corresponding results published so far are insufficient and affected by problems

Time-resolved Microwave Conductivity. Part 1.—TiO_2 Photoreactivity and Size Quantization

Charge-carrier recombination dynamics after laser excitation are investigated by time-resolved microwave conductivity (TRMC) measurements of quantum-sized (Q-) TiO_2, Fe^(III)-doped Q-TiO_2, ZnO and CdS, and several commercial bulk-sized TiO2 samples. After pulsed laser excitation of charge carriers, holes that escape recombination react with sorbed trans-decalin within ns while the measured conductivity signal is due to conduction-band electrons remaining in the semiconductor lattice. The charge-carrier recombination lifetime and the interfacial electron-transfer rate constant that are derived from the TRMC measurements correlate with the CW photo-oxidation quantum efficiency obtained for aqueous chloroform in the presence of TiO_2. The quantum efficiencies are 0. 4 % for Q-TiO_2, 1. 6 % for Degussa P25, and 2. 0 % for Fe^(III)-doped Q-TiO_2. The lower quantum efficiencies for Q-TiO_2 are consistent with the relative interfacial electron-transfer rates observed by TRMC for Q-TiO_2 and Degussa P25. The increased quantum efficiencies of Fe^(III)-doped Q-TiO_2 and the observed TRMC decays are consistent with a mechanism involving fast trapping of valence-band holes as Fe^(IV) and inhibition of charge-order recombination

Subsonic phase transition waves in bistable lattice models with small spinodal region

Phase transitions waves in atomic chains with double-well potential play a fundamental role in materials science, but very little is known about their mathematical properties. In particular, the only available results about waves with large amplitudes concern chains with piecewise-quadratic pair potential. In this paper we consider perturbations of a bi-quadratic potential and prove that the corresponding three-parameter family of waves persists as long as the perturbation is small and localised with respect to the strain variable. As a standard Lyapunov-Schmidt reduction cannot be used due to the presence of an essential spectrum, we characterise the perturbation of the wave as a fixed point of a nonlinear and nonlocal operator and show that this operator is contractive in a small ball in a suitable function space. Moreover, we derive a uniqueness result for phase transition waves with certain properties and discuss the kinetic relation.Comment: revised version with extended introduction, improved perturbation method, and novel uniqueness result; 20 pages, 5 figure

Different pathways of the formation of highly oxidized multifunctional organic compounds (HOMs) from the gas-phase ozonolysis of β-caryophyllene

The gas-phase mechanism of the formation of highly oxidized multifunctional organic compounds (HOMs) from the ozonolysis of β-caryophyllene was investigated in a free-jet flow system at atmospheric pressure and a temperature of 295 ± 2 K. Reaction products, mainly highly oxidized RO2 radicals containing up to 14 oxygen atoms, were detected using chemical ionization – atmospheric pressure interface – time-of-flight mass spectrometry with nitrate and acetate ionization. These highly oxidized RO2 radicals react with NO, NO2, HO2 and other RO2 radicals under atmospheric conditions forming the first-generation HOM closed-shell products. Mechanistic information on the formation of the highly oxidized RO2 radicals is based on results obtained with isotopically labelled ozone (18O3) in the ozonolysis reaction and from hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange experiments of acidic H atoms in the products. The experimental findings indicate that HOM formation in this reaction system is considerably influenced by the presence of a double bond in the RO2 radicals primarily formed from the β-caryophyllene ozonolysis. Three different reaction types for HOM formation can be proposed, allowing for an explanation of the detected main products: (i) the simple autoxidation, corresponding to the repetitive reaction sequence of intramolecular H-abstraction of a RO2 radical, RO2  →  QOOH, and subsequent O2 addition, next forming a peroxy radical, QOOH + O2  →  R′O2; (ii) an extended autoxidation mechanism additionally involving the internal reaction of a RO2 radical with a double bond forming most likely an endoperoxide and (iii) an extended autoxidation mechanism including CO2 elimination. The individual reaction steps of the reaction types (ii) and (iii) are uncertain at the moment. From the product analysis it can be followed that the simple autoxidation mechanism accounts only for about one-third of the formed HOMs. Time-dependent measurements showed that the HOM formation proceeds at a timescale of 3 s or less under the concentration regime applied here. The new reaction pathways represent an extension of the mechanistic understanding of HOM formation via autoxidation in the atmosphere, as recently discovered from laboratory investigations on monoterpene ozonolysis

GROUND REACTION FORCE AND THE FORCE ON CENTER OF MASS

Force plate measurements pertain to standard investigations in biomechanics. Using force curves of drop jumps etc. The purpose is to analyze impulse, rise time or maximum of height. These forces are ground reaction forces, which are composed of the actions of the different parts of the human body. We usually imply a direct correlation to the force of Center of Mass (CM). But the human body is not rigid. We also need to take into account the case of dissipative forces

Tropospheric Aqueous-Phase Oxidation of Isoprene-Derived Dihydroxycarbonyl Compounds

The dihydroxycarbonyls 3,4-dihydroxy-2-butanone (DHBO) and 2,3-dihydroxy-2-methylpropanal (DHMP) formed from isoprene oxidation products in the atmospheric gas phase under low-NO conditions can be expected to form aqSOA in the tropospheric aqueous phase because of their solubility. In the present study, DHBO and DHMP were investigated concerning their radical-driven aqueous-phase oxidation reaction kinetics. For DHBO and DHMP the following rate constants at 298 K are reported: k(OH + DHBO) = (1.0 ± 0.1) × 109 L mol-1 s-1, k(NO3 + DHBO) = (2.6 ± 1.6) × 106 L mol-1 s-1, k(SO4-+ DHBO) = (2.3 ± 0.2) × 107 L mol-1 s-1, k(OH + DHMP) = (1.2 ± 0.1) × 109 L mol-1 s-1, k (NO3 + DHMP) = (7.9 ± 0.7) × 106 L mol-1 s-1, k(SO4- + DHMP) = (3.3 ± 0.2) × 107 L mol-1 s-1, together with their respective temperature dependences. The product studies of both DHBO and DHMP revealed hydroxydicarbonyls, short chain carbonyls, and carboxylic acids, such as hydroxyacetone, methylglyoxal, and lactic and pyruvic acid as oxidation products with single yields up to 25%. The achieved carbon balance was 75% for DHBO and 67% for DHMP. An aqueous-phase oxidation scheme for both DHBO and DHMP was developed on the basis of the experimental findings to show their potential to contribute to the aqSOA formation. It can be expected that the main contribution to aqSOA occurs via acid formation while other short-chain oxidation products are expected to back-partition into the gas phase to undergo further oxidation there

A new source of methylglyoxal in the aqueous phase

Carbonyl compounds are ubiquitous in atmospheric multiphase system participating in gas, particle, and aqueous-phase chemistry. One important compound is methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), as it is detected in significant amounts in the gas phase as well as in cloud water, ice, and rain. Consequently, it can be expected that MEK influences the liquid-phase chemistry. Therefore, the oxidation of MEK and the formation of corresponding oxidation products were investigated in the aqueous phase. Several oxidation products were identified from the oxidation with OH radicals, including 2,3-butanedione, hydroxyacetone, and methylglyoxal. The molar yields were 29.5 % for 2,3-butanedione, 3.0 % for hydroxyacetone, and 9.5 % for methylglyoxal. Since methylglyoxal is often related to the formation of organics in the aqueous phase, MEK should be considered for the formation of aqueous secondary organic aerosol (aqSOA). Based on the experimentally obtained data, a reaction mechanism for the formation of methylglyoxal has been developed and evaluated with a model study. Besides known rate constants, the model contains measured photolysis rate constants for MEK (kp  =  5  ×  10−5 s−1), 2,3-butanedione (kp  =  9  ×  10−6 s−1), methylglyoxal (kp  =  3  ×  10−5 s−1), and hydroxyacetone (kp  =  2  ×  10−5 s−1). From the model predictions, a branching ratio of 60 /40 for primary/secondary H-atom abstraction at the MEK skeleton was found. This branching ratio reproduces the experiment results very well, especially the methylglyoxal formation, which showed excellent agreement. Overall, this study demonstrates MEK as a methylglyoxal precursor compound for the first time

A new source of methylglyoxal in the aqueous phase

Carbonyl compounds are ubiquitous in atmospheric multiphase system participating in gas, particle, and aqueous-phase chemistry. One important compound is methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), as it is detected in significant amounts in the gas phase as well as in cloud water, ice, and rain. Consequently, it can be expected that MEK influences the liquid-phase chemistry. Therefore, the oxidation of MEK and the formation of corresponding oxidation products were investigated in the aqueous phase. Several oxidation products were identified from the oxidation with OH radicals, including 2,3-butanedione, hydroxyacetone, and methylglyoxal. The molar yields were 29.5 % for 2,3-butanedione, 3.0 % for hydroxyacetone, and 9.5 % for methylglyoxal. Since methylglyoxal is often related to the formation of organics in the aqueous phase, MEK should be considered for the formation of aqueous secondary organic aerosol (aqSOA). Based on the experimentally obtained data, a reaction mechanism for the formation of methylglyoxal has been developed and evaluated with a model study. Besides known rate constants, the model contains measured photolysis rate constants for MEK (kp  =  5  ×  10−5 s−1), 2,3-butanedione (kp  =  9  ×  10−6 s−1), methylglyoxal (kp  =  3  ×  10−5 s−1), and hydroxyacetone (kp  =  2  ×  10−5 s−1). From the model predictions, a branching ratio of 60 /40 for primary/secondary H-atom abstraction at the MEK skeleton was found. This branching ratio reproduces the experiment results very well, especially the methylglyoxal formation, which showed excellent agreement. Overall, this study demonstrates MEK as a methylglyoxal precursor compound for the first time

Treatment of non-ideality in the SPACCIM multiphase model-Part 2: Impacts on the multiphase chemical processing in deliquesced aerosol particles

Tropospheric deliquesced particles are characterised by concentrated non-ideal solutions ("aerosol liquid water" or ALW) that can affect the occurring multiphase chemistry. However, such non-ideal solution effects have generally not yet been considered in and investigated by current complex multiphase chemistry models in an adequate way. Therefore, the present study aims at accessing the impact of non-ideality on multiphase chemical processing in concentrated aqueous aerosols. Simulations with the multiphase chemistry model (SPACCIM-SpactMod) are performed under different environmental and microphysical conditions with and without a treatment of non-ideal solutions in order to assess its impact on aqueous-phase chemical processing. The present study shows that activity coefficients of inorganic ions are often below unity under 90% RH-deliquesced aerosol conditions and that most uncharged organic compounds exhibit activity coefficient values of around or even above unity. Due to this behaviour, model studies have revealed that the inclusion of non-ideality considerably affects the multiphase chemical processing of transition metal ions (TMIs), oxidants, and related chemical subsystems such as organic chemistry. In detail, both the chemical formation and oxidation rates of Fe(II) are substantially lowered by a factor of 2.8 in the non-ideal base case compared to the ideal case. The reduced Fe(II) processing in the non-ideal base case, including lowered chemical rates of the Fenton reaction (70 %), leads to a reduced processing of HOx=HOy under deliquesced aerosol conditions. Consequently, higher multiphase H2O2 concentrations (larger by a factor of 3.1) and lower aqueous-phase OH concentrations (lower by a factor of 4) are modelled during non-cloud periods. For H2O2, a comparison of the chemical reaction rates reveals that the most important sink, the reaction with HSO3 , contributes with a 40% higher rate in the non-ideal base case than in the ideal case, leading to more efficient sulfate formation. On the other hand, the chemical formation rates of the OH radical are about 50% lower in the non-ideal base case than in the ideal case, leading to lower degradation rates of organic aerosol components. Thus, considering non-ideality influences the chemical processing and the concentrations of organic compounds under deliquesced particle conditions in a compound-specific manner. For example, the reduced oxidation budget under deliquesced particle conditions leads to both increased and decreased concentration levels, e.g. of important C2=C3 carboxylic acids. For oxalic acid, the present study demonstrates that the non-ideality treatment enables more realistic predictions of high oxalate concentrations than observed under ambient highly polluted conditions. Furthermore, the simulations imply that lower humidity conditions, i.e. more concentrated solutions, might promote higher oxalic acid concentration levels in aqueous aerosols due to differently affected formation and degradation processes. © 2020 Copernicus GmbH. All rights reserved