Using of nanocomposite membranes composed of polymer and inorganic nanoparticles is a novel method to enhance gas separation performance. In this study, membranes were fabricated from polyester (PE) containing silica (SiO2) nanoparticles and gas permeation properties of the resulting membranes were investigated. Morphology of the membranes, SiO2 distribution a...

Quinones are a class of compounds which have widespread importance in chemistry, biology and medicine. Because of their appropriate performance in electron transferring rate, quinones are among the most applicable mediators in biosensors. Recently, the effects of different non-metal substitutions on redox potential of quinone have been investigated to design suitable mediators for different ele...

At a congress with rather ununsual characteristics (see description, page 266) the organizing group decided to stand back and thus oblige the participants in plenary to make the quantum leap in attitude from being there to be served passively by the organizing group to being, making and evolving the Congress themselves as a conscious whole. The consequences of this dramatic decision and the pro...

Giant electric-field-induced strain of 0.70%, corresponding to a d33 * value of 1400 pm V(-1) , is observed in a lead-free (Bi1/2 Na1/2 )TiO3 -based polycrystalline ceramic. This is comparable to the properties of single crystals. An in situ transmission electron microscopy study indicates that the excellent performance originates from phase transitions under the applied electric fields.

Adhesion and friction between metallic materials are of importance to many dynamic mechanical systems, particularly to those at nanoor micro-scales. Under light loads, friction is mainly dependent on the adhesion between two surfaces in contact, to which valence electrons have the predominant contribution. However, the correlation between the electronic behavior and adhesion as well as friction...

The ground-state electronic order in doped manganites is frequently associated with a lattice modulation, contributing to their many interesting properties. However, measuring the thermal evolution of the lattice superstructure with reciprocal-space probes alone can lead to ambiguous results with competing interpretations. Here we provide direct observations of the evolution of the superstructu...

A new kind of ambient calculus is presented, where the open capability is replaced by direct mobility of generic processes. The calculus comes equipped with a labelled transition system in which types play a major role: this system allows us to show interesting algebraic laws. Types express, as usual, the communication, access and mobility properties of the modelled system; inferred types expre...

An accurate theory describing adiabatic following of the dark, nonabsorbing state in the three-level system is developed. An analytical solution for the wave function of the particle experiencing Raman excitation is found as an expansion in terms of the time varying nonadiabatic perturbation parameter. The solution can be presented as a sum of adiabatic and nonadiabatic parts. Both are estimate...