A study on a novel material - manganese borosilicate glass without alkali metals, was reported. It was found that the obtained samples containing high amount of manganese oxide (60MnO–xSiO2–(40 − x)B2O3, x = 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30 mol%) were amorphous and homogeneous. XPS measurements showed that most of manganese ions are at oxidation level of Mn2 + ions and the mean oxidation level slightly moves toward higher value, with increasing...

Evaluation of fire hazard caused by electrical installations is a difficult and important topic, and it limits the possibility of loss of life or health of people, as well as the occurrence of significant property damage. In particular, this hazard was caused by power cables and especially photovoltaic (PV) installations. The authors proved that power cables directly exposed to strong solar radiation are likely to exceed maximum...

It is well-known that, nano-mechanics should take into account not only physical phenomena occuring within the bulk but, first of all, the physical phenomena appropriate for a surface of two materials contact. The huge volume density of internal surfaces as well countours lines located within the nanomaterial results in our interest in, apart from classical form of mass, momentum and entropy transport, those modes of transportation...

Sol–gel layers have been the subject of many studies in recent decades. However, very little information exists about layers in which carbon structures are developed in situ. Using the spin-coating method, we obtained thin iron-doped SiO2/C composite films. The results of Raman spectroscopy showed that our samples consisted of graphitic forms and polymers. The latter’s contribution decreases with rising temperature. FTIR and EDS...

Superconductivity is observed with critical temperature Tc = 2.0 K in self-flux-grown single crystals of CaBi2. This material adopts the ZrSi2 structure type with lattice parameters a = 4.696(1) Å, b = 17.081(2) Å and c = 4.611(1) Å. The crystals of CaBi2 were studied by means of magnetic susceptibility, specific heat and electrical resistivity measurements. The heat capacity jump at Tc is DC/gTc = 1.41, confirming bulk superconductivity;...