Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The present paper describes the development of ultra-fine grains on the surface of AZ31 alloys caused by hydrogenation and dehydrogenation treatment, so-called HDDR process. Upon hydrogenation process, disproportionation reaction occurred in forming of MgH{sub 2}, Mg{sub 0.42}Al{sub 0.58}, and Al phases. In the following desorption process, the three phases were re-solved into the AZ31 alloy. As a result of the HDDR phenomena, the grain size of AZ31 alloy powders was reduced down to about 100 nm after the heat treatment at 350 C under a hydrogen pressure of 7 MPa for 24 h. The grain size tended to be increased with increasing process temperatures. In addition, the HDDR process was also applied to AZ31 alloy plates. By the HDDR process at 450 C, the grain size was reduced to less than 500 nm, where hydrogenated layer thickness was limited to be in the range of about 20 {mu}m from the ...

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Supermetal with critical characteristics is under advanced investigation for further improvement of metal materials. Although iron is most frequently used as structural material among various metals, it should be used more carefully and effectively because of resource limitation and global environmental problem. It is essential to draw various excellent properties much more from iron and to improve recyclability. In particular, the best way to meet these requirements is achievement of more fine structure and higher purity. Since the lowest crystalline grain size is now limited to nearly 10{mu}m, metallic structure composed of grains below 1{mu}m is expected by mesoscopic control. Various methods have been studied to achieve ultra-fine crystalline structure, and study of precise heat treatment control and ultra-strength metallurgy is required. Heat treatment in magnetic field and layered structure by mechanical alloying are ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A-15 compounds are extremely brittle and difficult to process for practical applications. A novel processing technique was developed to greatly improve the mechanical and superconducting properties of A-15 alloys. The new processing technique can be described as follows: (1) to select compounds that can form the A-15 phase (the selected A-15 compounds in this research were Ti3Nb6Mo3Si4 and Nb99.5-(x + y)AlxSiyB0.5 alloys); (2) to rapidly solidify them into the amorphous state; (3) to anneal the quenched amorphous products into ultra fine-grained single A-15 phase. The extreme grain refinement greatly improved the flexibility and the critical current density of the alloys. The melt spinning technique was used to rapidly solidify Ti3Nb6Mo3Si4 and Nb99.5-(x + y)AlxSiyB0.5 alloys. Ti3Nb6Mo3Si4 alloys were relatively easily formed into the amorphous state. Nb3Al alloys required the addition of glass forming elements Si and B. It ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A cell calculation code SLAROM-UF was developed to improve calculation accuracy of effective cross sections for various fast reactor types. SLAROM-UF has a capability to calculate effective cross sections in ultra fine groups of about 100,000 below 50keV and in fine groups above the energy (maximum 900 groups). Resonance interaction among the fuel, the coolant, and the structure materials can be treated accurately even in a heterogeneous cell structure. Temperature can be set up freely in a cell by the ultra fine group calculation. Improvement in nuclear characteristics was observed in the analysis of JUPITER critical experiment, as 0.1% for criticality, 4% for sodium void reactivity, several % for radial reaction rate distribution, when SLAROM-UF was used instead of the typical cell calculation code. The effect of the ultra fine group calculation is remarkable ...

Science.gov (United States)

Current dewatering methods for ultra-fine coal suspensions are inadequate and usually require subsequent expensive thermal drying. This unique dewatering method is based on pressurized electroosmosis, the movement of water by an electrical field through a porous medium, under modest pressure, e.g., 110 psi. More ultra-fine coal can be utilized since an effective dewatering process can be realized by combining known filtration techniques with electroosmosis. The dewatering efficiency can be significantly improved, the residual moisture of the cake can be substantially reduced and handling problems can be eliminated. Bench-scale testing is being used to optimize the parameters which influence pressurized electroosmotic dewatering (PED) of ultra-fine coal suspensions. Particle size distribution is being addressed to obtain a maximum density for a given pressure such that pore saturation is maintained allowing electroosmosis to ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper discussed the potential of biofuels with particular reference to the situation in Germany and Europe. Emphasis was on technical potential, such as biofuel production, utilization and environmental aspects. The Institute of Agricultural Technology and Biosystems Engineering ran vTI emission tests on diesel engines to evaluate the environmental impacts of biofuels. This testing facility is able to drive heavy-duty diesel engines in both stationary and dynamic test cycles, such as the European ESC and ETC. Additional analyses were conducted to determine the fine and ultra-fine particles, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), aldehydes, ketones, and the usual regulated exhaust gas compounds. Ames tests were conducted to assess the mutagenic potential of tailpipe emissions. Previous study results showed that neat vegetable oils can render the exhaust high in mutagenic potency. Some of the non-regulated exhaust gas compounds were found to vary nonlinearly ...

Science.gov (United States)

... Title : THE INFLUENCE OF GRAIN BOUNDARY CARBIDE DENSITY ON THE BRITTLE FRACTURE OF FERRITE PEARLITE STEELS. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Exhaust fine and ultra fine particle numbers, particle sizes, mass, shape, structure and density were studied from Euro II - EEV emission level heavy-duty vehicles. For total particle emission factors city buses were run on dynamic conditions simulating city bus driving. The new heavy-duty chassis dynamometer of VTT was used. Vehicles were a comprehensive sample of current city bus fleet, the type approved emission level of which was Euro II - Euro III. Also cleaner engines of Euro IV to EEV targeted emission level were included: CRT, CNG, DPF. Particle emissions of these buses were extremely low; numbers 1/100 - 1/1000 and masses 1/10 - 1/100 of those of the predominating techniques. Morphological properties of fine particle populations that represent majority of particle size distribution (Da < 500 nm) are being analyzed by image processing (Matlab) from electron microscopical images (SEM, ESEM and TEM) as a function of particle size. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Plutonium oxide fuel pellets for powering radioisotopic thermoelectric generators for NASA space vehicles are encapsulated in iridium which has been grain-boundary-stabilized with thorium and aluminum. After aging for 6 months at 1310/sup 0/C under vacuum, enhanced grain growth is observed in the near-surface grains of the iridium next to the PuO/sub 2/. Examination of the grain boundaries by AES and SIMS shows a depletion of thorium and aluminum. Iron, chromium, and nickel from the fuel were found to diffuse into the iridium along the grain boundaries. Enhanced grain growth appears to result from thorium depletion in the grain boundaries of the near-surface grains next to the fuel. However, in one instance grain growth was slowed by the formation of thorium oxide by oxygen diffusing up the ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

In this research, the interactive effect of grain and specimen sizes on the flow stress of sheet metal in microforming is investigated via the tensile test of pure copper and numerical modeling. Models based on different assumptions are proposed to analyze the size effect phenomenon. It is found that the flow stress decreases linearly with the decrease of the ratio of specimen to grain sizes. The grain boundary thickness decreases and its volume fraction increases with the decrease of grain size. The variation of grain boundary thickness is not proportional to the variation of grain size. Furthermore, the fraction of grain boundary increases with the strain and the ratio of specimen to grain sizes. Based on the FE simulation, it is found that the simulated flow stress, which is modeled bas...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The effect of WC particle size with the addition of VC as a grain growth inhibitor was investigated during the liquid phase sintering of WC-Co system. With increasing WC particle size at the same VC content, the effect of grain growth inhibition was increased. Also, with increasing the VC content, the grain shape of WC was changed from the faceted shape to the distorted shape, and the step density of the WC grain was increased. (orig.)

Science.gov (United States)

... Accession Number : ADA137272. Title : Effects of Yttrium Microalloying on the Epitaxial Grain Growth in Ti-6Al-4V Weld Fusion Zones. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper reviews our simulation study by numerical calculation based on two-, three- and multi-grain-size models on WC grain growth in fine grained WC-Co hardmetal doped with VC. The study aimed to presume or predict the following: (1) the cause and conditions for the abnormal grain growth which occurs in some cases in the fine grained hardmetal prepared from fine WC powders with mean grain size below about 0.2{mu}m, and (2) how the mean grain size of the hardmetal varies with decreasing mean grain size of the WC starting powder to 0.1 pm or nano-meter size. The calculation results by these three kinds of models suggested the following, respectively: (1) the occurrence of the abnormal grain growth is generally substantial for WC starting powder with bimodal size-distribution and mean gram size ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

For an ultrafine grain ferrite/cementite (UGF/C) steel, the Charpy impact energy was measured at temperatures from 373K to 4.2K, and tensile tests were carried out at temperatures between 323K and 77K. For the steel with annealed microstructure, the ductile-to-brittle transition appearance temperature (DBTT) was lower than the Charpy transition temperature (CTT). With increasing annealing time at 873K, the DBTT and the CTT increased, and the DBTT approached the CTT. The DBTT decreased with decreasing effective grain size. The effective grain size correlated to the grain size of the larger grain size peak in the distribution of grains with {100} planes. The annealed microstructures had higher yield strength for equivalent toughness (including upper shelf energy, DBTT and CTT) compared to th...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

To evaluate the effect of porosity on superplasticity behavior, it is essential to use materials of similar initial grain sizes. This can be achieved by HIPing, which provides an effective way of reducing initial porosity while avoiding appreciable grain growth; various levels of porosity can be achieved for similar grain sizes. This note is concerned with the influence of porosity on superplasticity tensile deformation of a fine grained high-purity alumina doped with copper oxide and containing a grain growth inhibitor. Specimens were prepared by slip casting to net-shape and sintering; some presintered specimens were HIPed to reduce porosity. The subsequent superplasticity behavior is related to porosity in the material.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Using a radioactive tracer method the bulk and grain boundary diffusion of "5"9Fe was determined in industrial alloy 800 and melts of alloy 800 with additional P and S in the temperature range 800 to 1000 C. The use of the approximation of Suzuoka was confirmed by autoradiographs. In alloy 800 H the activation energy of grain boundary diffusion of "5"9Fe is (209 #+-# 17)kJ/mol. Dissolved elements especially P increase the activation energy of the grain boundary diffusion of Fe by their segregation to the grain boundaries. In addition the influence of the grain boundary diffusion on the growth of creep cavities was investigated in the same materials, and the chemical composition of the creep cavities and grain boundaries were analysed by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). For alloy 800 + 0.088 wt-%P an enrichment of about 14 at-%P was observed at the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scanning thermal microscopy (SThM) was used to map thermal conductivity images in an ultrafine-grained copper surface layer produced by surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT). It is found that the deformed surface layer shows different thermal conductivities that strongly depend on the grain size of the microstructure: the thermal conductivity of the nanostructured surface layer decreases obviously when compared with that of the coarse-grained matrix of the sample. The role of the grain boundaries in thermal conduction is analyzed in correlation with the heat conduction mechanism in pure metal. A theoretical approach, based on this investigation, was used to calculate the heat flow from the probe tip to the sample and then estimate the thermal conductivities at different scanning positions. Experimental results and theoretical calculation demonstrate that SThM can be used as a tool for the ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The grain morphology developed during solidification of an Al-4.5% Cu alloy is represented generally by columnar or equiaxed dendrites. Twinned feathery grains are found in the structure formed under certain heat and flow conditions during solidification. In this work, these conditions were achieved during solidification in a cavity under forced flow. Feathery grain formation is studied by means of fluid dynamics simulations with solidification included and by experiments. In order to determine the crystallographic orientation of feathery grains, electron backscattered diffraction measurements were performed. The growth features of feathery grains were analyzed by observations made normal and parallel to the growth direction. Some correlations between twinned feathery morphology, flow and ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The deformation behavior and structure changes of magnesium alloy AZ31 were studied in compression at temperatures ranging from 523 K to 673 K and at a strain rate of 3 x 10{sup -3} s{sup -1}. They depend sensitively on deformation temperature. At high temperatures, grain fragmentation takes place due to frequent formation of kink bands initially at corrugated grain boundaries and then in grain interiors, followed by full development of new grains in high strain. At lower temperatures, in contrast, twinning takes place in rather coarse grains and kink bands are formed mainly in finer original ones in low strain. It is concluded that new grain evolution can be controlled by a deformation-induced continuous reaction resulting in grain fragmentation by kink bands, i.e. continuous dynamic recrystallization (cDRX). The latter is discussed ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deformation mechanisms of Mg-Al-Zn (AZ31) alloys were investigated by performing tensile test at room temperature. In fine grain Mg alloys deformed at room temperature, nonbasal slip systems were found to be active as well as basal slip systems because of grain-boundary compatibility effect. Slip-induced grain-boundary sliding occurred as a complementary deformation mechanism to give rise to c-axis component of strain. With increasing grain size, the activation of the nonbasal slip systems was limited near grain boundaries. Instead of grain-boundary sliding, twinning occurred as a complementary deformation mechanism in large grained samples. Orientation analysis of twins indicated that twinning is induced by stress concentration due to the pile up of basal dislocations. The grain-size dependence on deformation mechanism ...

Science.gov (United States)

PMID:21671451

Science.gov (United States)

... GUN PROPELLANTS, GUN CHAMBERS, PROPELLANT GRAINS, HOWITZERS, COMBUSTIBLE CARTRIDGE CASES, ZONE CHARGES. ...

Science.gov (United States)

Molten zone recrystallized as well as sheet grown polycrystalline silicon has shown a minimum in the temperature dependence of the Hall mobility. In order to explain this experimental finding a new model is proposed, which is based on negatively charged grain boundaries for the p-type silicon material under study. This results in a potential well at the grain boundaries instead of the more generally observed potential barrier. A key feature in the model is that the space charge density at the grain boundary depends on the Fermi level position and therefore on temperature. In addition, the change in the measured Hall mobility before and after hydrogen passivation of the grain boundaries is discussed.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

... Tohoku University, Graduate School of Engineering, Sendai, Miyagi (Japan)

Science.gov (United States)

A bright field scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) micrograph showing a Wassonite grain in dark contrast. ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nanocrystalline materials can exhibit properties which are considerably different from their coarse-grained counterparts, making them unique for basic or applied research and also very promising for potential applications. The topics which are addressed in the present paper are magnetic properties and magnetic correlations on the nanometer scale, mechanical properties, in particular the influence of grain boundaries on the elastic and plastic behaviour, and vibration models of grain boundary atoms in nanostructured materials. (author)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The ductility of extruded heavy-section Ti-base--Mo--V--Fe--Al alloy was studied. Metallographic evidence for the large effect of grain size on ductility is presented. Fracture was found to occur in large-grain material after less deformation than in smaller grain size specimens.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Past movement on faults can be dated by measurement of the intensity of ESR signals in quartz. These signals are reset by local lattice deformation and local frictional heating on grain contacts at the time of fault movement. The ESR signals then trow back as a result of bombardment by ionizing radiation from surrounding rocks. The age is obtained from the ratio of the equivalent dose, needed to produce the observed signal, to the dose rate. Fine grains are more completely reset during faulting, and a plot of age vs grain size shows a plateau for grains below critical size : these grains are presumed to have been completely zeroed by the last fault activity. We carried out ESR dating of fault rocks collected from the Yangsan fault system. ESR dates from the this fault system range from 870 to 240 ka. Results of this research suggest that long-term cyclic fault activity continued ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

TaC and TaC-1wt.% B4C powders were consolidated using spark plasma sintering (SPS) at 1850^oC and varying pressure of 100, 255 and 363MPa. The effect of pressure on the densification and grain size is evaluated. The role of nano-sized B4C as sintering aid and grain growth inhibitor is studied by means of XRD, SEM and high resolution TEM. Fully dense TaC samples were produced at a pressure of 255MPa and higher at 1850^oC. The increasing pressure also resulted in an increase in TaC grain size. Addition of B4C leads to an increase in the density of 100MPa sample from 89% to 97%. B4C nano-powder resists grain growth even at high pressure of 363MPa. The formation of TaB2/Carbon at TaC grain boundaries helps in pinning the grain boundary and inhibiting grain growth. The effect of B4C addition on...

Science.gov (United States)

The progress made during the first two years of a program to study the migration of grain boundaries in ceramic oxides is reported. The principal results of the program are concerned with the structure of grain boundaries in ..cap alpha..-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/, although important new information has also been obtained on grain boundaries in spinels and both germanlum and silicon. Attention is focused on the basal twin boundary in ..cap alpha..-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ which had been identified as a model interface in early work. A series of new grain boundaries exemplified by the (11anti23) twin are also discussed briefly as is the rhombohedral twin interface. Earlier results on the first-order (..sigma..=3) twin in spinel have been extended with the development of models for the computer-simulation of high-resolution TEM images of these interfaces. A study of low-angle grain boundaries in ...

Science.gov (United States)

An in-depth industrial hygiene survey was conducted to evaluate worker exposures to phosphine during fumigation of grain at the Early and Daniel Co. grain elevator in Louisville, Kentucky. Stored grain was fumigated using aluminum phosphide. Aluminum-phosphide pellets were also added directly to the grain by the blender as it was poured into the storage containers. Local exhaust ventilation was used at points in the grain-moving system where grain dust was generated. Air samples were taken during full-shift periods at the breathing zone of the weighmaster, two bin floormen, and the blender. Area monitoring samples were also taken. If the operators spend considerable time in the vicinity of a bin which is being filled with grain, there is a likelihood of far greater exposure levels being noted. According to the author, further studies of the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The crystallography of #alpha#(hcp) precipitates formed on the #beta#(bcc) matrix grain boundaries has been studied with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in a Ti-15V-3Cr-3Sn-3Al alloy. The #alpha# precipitates have a near-Burgers orientation relationship with respect to at least one of the adjacent #beta# grains. Among the possible 12 variants in this orientation relationship, the variant that [11 bar 20]_#alpha# is parallel to the _#beta# closest to the grain boundary plane tends to be preferred by the #alpha# precipitates. Additionally, further variant selections are made so as to minimize the deviation of orientation relationship with respect to the ''opposite'' #beta# grain from the Burgers one. Such rules in variant selection often result in the formation of precipitates with a single variant at a planar grain boundary. Prior small deformation of #beta# matrix changes the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grain refinement behavior of copper alloys cast in permanent molds was investigated. This is one of the least studied subjects in copper alloy castings. Grain refinement is not widely practiced for leaded copper alloys cast in sand molds. Aluminum bronzes and high strength yellow brasses, cast in sand and permanent molds, were usually fine grained due to the presence of more than 2% iron. Grain refinement of the most common permanent mold casting alloys, leaded yellow brass and its lead-free replacement EnviroBrass III, is not universally accepted due to the perceived problem of hard spots in finished castings and for the same reason these alloys contain very low amounts of iron. The yellow brasses and Cu-Si alloys are gaining popularity in North America due to their low lead content and amenability for permanent mold casting. These alloys are prone to hot tearing in permanent mold casting. ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rare earth stabilised #alpha#-SiAlONs are commonly observed with an equiaxed grain morphology. Elongated #alpha#-SiAlON has been observed in some of these systems, however it usually results from special techniques such as pressure sintering. The formation of elongated #alpha#-SiAlON grains during pressureless sintering has been shown to commonly occur in the Ca #alpha#-SiAlON system. Examination of phase and microstructural development in three Ca #alpha#-SiAlON compositions in the temperature range 1400 deg to 1800 deg C showed that phase development and grain growth occurred at different temperatures. It was found that chemical reactions were completed by 1550 deg C, however significant grain growth did not occur at this temperature. Grain growth progressed from 1600 deg C and continued up to 1800 deg C, the maximum temperature investigated. At 1800 deg C, #alpha#-SiAlON was ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dysprosium #alpha#-sialon ceramic has been fabricated from #alpha#-Si_3N_4, AlN, Al_2O_3 and Dy_2O_3 starting powders, using gas pressure sintering at 1800 deg C or higher temperatures under a relatively low gas pressure of 0.9MPa N_2. The resultant #alpha#-sialon grains showed significantly different features, such as equiaxed, elongated, and even a few extraordinarily large with high aspect ratio grains in the fine matrix, which has rarely been observed in #alpha#' ceramics. It is suggested that the temperature strongly influences the grain morphologies of #alpha#-sialon, playing an important role particularly in the latter stage of the 'nucleation-growth' process. Such a microstructural morphology of mixed with equiaxed and elongated grains toughens the #alpha#-sialon ceramics and leaves them still hard. Overly high temperature treatment leads to the preferential growth of a few #alpha#' ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The effects of the dopants, Mg{sup 2+}, Sr{sup 2+}, Sc{sup 3+}, Yb{sup 3+}, Gd{sup 3+}, La{sup 3+}, Ti{sup 4+}, Zr{sup 4+}, Ce{sup 4+}, and Nb{sup 5+}, on the grain boundary mobility of dense Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} have been investigated from 1,500 to 1,650 C. Parabolic grain growth has been observed in all cases over a grain size from 0.31 to 12.5 {micro}m. Together with atmospheric effects, the results suggest that interstitial transport is the rate-limiting step for diffusive processes in Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}, which is also the case in CeO{sub 2}. The effect of solute drag cannot be ascertained but the anomalous effect of undersized dopants (Ti and Nb) on diffusion enhancement, previously reported in CeO{sub 2}, is again confirmed. Indications of very large binding energies between aliovalent dopants and oxygen defects are also observed. Overall, the most effective grain growth inhibitor is Zr{sup 4+}, while ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) was applied to evaluate the heterogeneity of a passive film formed on a pure iron electrode in deaerated pH 8.4 borate solution. A probe current image of SECM was measured with a tip-generation/sub-strate-collection (TO/SC) mode in deaerated pH 8.4 borate solution containing 0.03 moldm{sup -3} Fe(CN){sub 6}{sup 4-} as a mediator. The difference in thickness of passive films formed on two iron plates at different potentials could be evaluated from the probe current image. The probe current image of the passivated iron surface with distinctive crystal grains was composed of the patch patterns, the shapes of which coincided completely with the shapes of the substrate crystal grains. The probe current flowed above the grain surface oriented to {l_brace}100{r_brace} plane was less than that above the grain surface oriented to {l_brace}110{r_brace} or ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The effects of Fe and B_4C on the sintering behavior and mechanical properties of TiB_2 ceramics have been studied. Sintering was performed in an Ar atmosphere at 2000 degrees C using attrition-milled TiB_2 powder. When a small amount of Fe (0.5 wt%) was added, abnormal grain growth occurred and the sintered density was low. In the case of B_4C added along with 0.5 wt% Fe, however, abnormal grain growth was remarkably suppressed, and the sintered density was increased up to 95% of theoretical. But with excess Fe addition (5 wt%), B_4C grains did not act as a grain growth inhibitor, and B_4C grains were frequently trapped in large TiB_2 grains. The best mechanical properties were obtained for the TiB_2-10 wt% B_4C-0.5 wt% Fe ceramics, which exhibited a three-point bending strength of 400 MPa and a fracture toughness of 5.5 MPa #centre dot# m"1"/"2.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The grain boundary misorientation distribution of 203 grain boundaries in bulk processed high Tc superconductor YBa_2Cu_3O_7_-_#delta# with five processing conditions;, was studied. Two complementary analytical approaches, Grain Boundary Misorientation Distribution (GBMD) from the random description, using a hypothesis test and #chi#"2 analysis, and Grain Boundary Character Distribution (GBCD), using the Coincidence Site Lattice (CSL) model, were applied. The GBMD and GBCD both showed grain boundary evolution departing from a random distribution above 935 C processing temperature. The GBCD analyses indicated an approximately linear increase in the population of CSL-related boundaries, among which the tetragonal CSL (c/a #not =# 3) boundaries grew in the same trend while orthorhombic boundaries (c/a = 3) became stagnated. The results from comparing the corresponding GBCD and volume ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parameters of permanent magnets result from the combination of intrinsic properties such as saturation magnetization, magnetic exchange, and magnetocrystalline energy, as well as microstructural parameters such as phase structure, grain size, and orientation. Reduction of grain size into nanocrystalline regime (#approx# 50 nm) leads to the enhanced remanence which derives from ferromagnetic exchange coupling between highly refined grains. In this study the fundamental phenomena, quantities, and structure parameters, which define nanophase permanent magnets are presented and discussed. The theoretical considerations are confronted with experimental data for nanocrystalline Sm-Fe-N type permanent magnets. (author)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

It is known that in size reduction of the granular structure of ferrite and ferrite-pearlite steels the temperature of the transformation from ductile to brittle condition is lowered. This effect can also be caused by an increase in the dispersity of intragrain and intergrain segregations (sulfides, carbonitrides, and segregations of impurity atoms), which accompanies grain size reduction and promotes initiation and propagation of cracks. In order to clarify the mechanism of fracture of steel in the region of the ductile-brittle transition steel 45 with different grain sizes and pearlite morphologies has been investigated.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The efficiency of NbC on WC grain coarsening in a WC-10wt.%Co hardmetal alloy was demonstrated by hardness measurement and WC granulation observation. The heterogeneous and overall grain growth were controlled. A low temperature experimentally produced NbC was used and compared to the inhibition potential of a commercial NbC powder. The results were the same in terms of structural fineness and hardness. The dispersion of the experimental NbC was not a problem, in spite of its size. The experimental NbC has very large particles, formed by agglomerates of small crystallites. During milling these agglomerates could be broken down. (orig.)

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

In the paper, the effect of Ni content, WC grain size and Mo2C addition on WC-6.25wt%TiC-9.3wt%Ni cemented carbide were investigated to improve the properties of Ni-bonded cemented carbides. The results show that the decrease of Ni content will result in the decrease of transverse rupture strength and increase of hardness; with the decrease of WC particle size, hardness increases due to the refinement of WC grains, however, the transverse rupture strength decrease due to the decrease of Ni binder thickness; Mo2C proves to be an effective grain growth inhibitor. With the increase of Mo2C content, the WC grains are refined and the hardness and transverse rupture strength are improved. Generally, when the Ni content is decreased to 8.4wt%, 13.45mm WC is used and 1.2wt% Mo2C is added, a higher...

Science.gov (United States)

... Astronomy & Space Biology Chemistry & Materials Computing Earth & Environment Education ... Materials Research Center at the University of Chicago, one of nearly 30 NSF-supported Materials ...

Science.gov (United States)

The general goals of this research effort is to explore the potential applications and performance of fine grained computer architectures for vision. The body of this report gives a brief overview of the results of the research during the first twelve mon...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The use of selective additives such as MgO as a sintering aid and a rare earth oxide as a grain growth inhibitor, has allowed the manufacture of beryllia ceramics having close to theoretical density. The grain size and grain size distribution can be controlled by an optimum firing schedule leaving a remnant porosity which is extremely fine (0.2 {mu}m). This structure is compared with conventional BeO ceramics, densified by liquid phase sintering, which develops a glassy grain boundary and retains large pores up to 3 {mu}m. The significantly improved strength properties, extremely fine pores,the 'pinning effect' of rare earth oxide, and the superior surface finish both in the as-fired and polished state are discussed in relation to the micro-structure. (orig.).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nickel ion radiation at 500 C was shown to have a strong effect on the surface electrochemistry and intergranular corrosion (IGC) of stainless steel (SS). Measured current densities in a 1 N sulfuric acid solution at room temperature were increased at active-passive, passive, and transpassive potentials. Radiation effects on the current decay behavior and susecptibility to IGC were similar for a fine-grained (FG) S alloy and for a very large-grained (LG) SS. Radiation-induced segregation (RIS) at the surface was believed to promote higher currents at short times, whereas segregation at grain boundaries was responsible for IG attack. Analytical electron microscopy (AEM) measurements revealed chromium and iron depletion plus Ni and silicon enrichment at grain boundaries in irradiated specimens. Si enhanced dissolution at transpassive potentials, whereas Cr depletion did the same at active-passive and ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundIn biomedical ontologies, mereological relations have always been subject to special interest due to their high relevance in structural descriptions of anatomical entities,...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The grain size dependence of the tensile properties and the deformation mechanisms responsible for those properties are examined for Mg alloy, AZ31B, sheet. Specifically, the Hall-Petch effect and strain anisotropy (r-value) are characterized experimentally, and interpreted using polycrystal plasticity modeling. {1 0 . 2} extension twins, {1 0 . 1} contraction twins, and so-called 'double-twins' are observed via microscopy and diffraction-based techniques, and the amount of twinning is found to increase with increasing grain size. For the sheet texture and tensile loading condition examined, {1 0 . 2} extension twinning is not expected, yet the polycrystal plasticity model predicts the observed behavior, including this 'anomalous' tensile twinning. The analysis shows that the Hall-Petch strength dependence, of the polycrystal as a whole, is primarily determined by the grain size dependence of the strength of the prismatic ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Microstructural observations of damage around indentations in Ti{sub 3}SiC{sub 2} are presented. The Vickers hardness decreased with increasing load and asymptotically approached 4 GPa at the highest loads. No indentation cracks were observed even at loads as high as 300 N. Preliminary strength versus indentation plots indicate that, at least for the large-grained material ({approx}100 {micro}m) studied here, Ti{sub 3}SiC{sub 2} is a damage-tolerant material able to contain the extent of microdamage to a small area around the indent. The following multiple energy-absorbing mechanisms have been identified from scanning electron micrographs of areas in the vicinity of the indentation: diffuse microcracking, delamination, crack deflection, grain push-out, grain pull-out, and the buckling of individual grains.

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Necessary conditions are derived for compact aggregates of solid matter to develop from loose local clumps of dust grains in a contracting protostellar cloud.

CERN Document Server

Three dimensional rotatory modes of oscillations in a one-dimensional chain of rodlike charged particles or dust grains in a plasma are investigated. The dispersion characteristics of the modes are analyzed. The stability of different equilibrium orientations of the rods, phase transitions between the different equilibria, and a critical dependence on the relative strength of the confining potential are analyzed. The relations of these processes with liquid crystals, nanotubing, and plasma coating are discussed.

Science.gov (United States)

This study investigated relationships between molecular weight distributions of unreduced grain proteins and grain, flour, and end-use quality characteristics of soft white winter wheats grown in Oregon. Absorbance area and area % values of protein fractions separated by size exclusion HPLC (SE-HPL...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The influence of structure on mechanical properties in the course of tensile tests in a wide range of temperatures was studied, using the VT16 structure thermally strengthened (alpha+beta)-titanium alloy by way of example. It is ascertained that transition from ductile to brittle fracture at the temperature of -196 deg C is observed only in coarse-grain alloy having alpha-eldging of beta grains.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The effect of electron beam welding parameters on fusion zone (FZ) microstructure and porosity in a Ti-6.8 Al-3.42 Mo-1.9 Zr-0.21 Si alloy (Russian designation VT 9) has been investigated. It has been observed that the FZ grain width increased continuously with increase in heat input when the base metal was in the #beta# heat-treated condition, while in the #alpha# + #beta# heat-treated base metal welds, the FZ grain width increased only after a threshold energy input. The difference is attributed to both the weld thermal cycle and the pinning effect of equiaxed primary alpha on grain growth in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) of #alpha# + #beta# heat-treated base metal. Postweld heat treatment (PWHT) in the subtransus and supertransus regions did not alter the columnar grain morphology in the FZ, possibly due to the lack of enough driving force for the formation of new grains by the ...

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Silicon nitride based ceramics have attracted considerable attention as good candidates for structural applications due to their excellent mechanical properties including strength, hardness, fracture toughness, and high temperature strength. These properties are strongly influenced by grain size and morphology, and by the degree of crystallinity and chemistry of grain boundary phases. In this work, the microstructure of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} densified with Nd{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} sintering additives was studied. Sintered samples were polished and plasma etched for microstructural analysis using scanning electron microscope. Quantitative evaluation of materials microstructure was accomplished using Quantikov software. Fracture toughness was measured by Vickers indentation method. The observed microstructure is typical of silicon nitride based materials and is characterized by high aspect ratio.-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} ...

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Alloy 800 is an austenitic Fe-Ni-Cr steel containing relatively minor but important amounts of carbon, aluminium and titanium. Special grades of alloy 800 known as 800H, 800HT and 800LC differ in the concentrations of these elements. In addition to these industrial specifications, further melts were prepared containing phosphorous or sulphur. Using a radioactive tracer method the bulk and grain-boundary diffusion of {sup 59}Fe was investigated in these alloys in the temperature range 800 to 1000 C. For evaluation of the diffusion profiles the approximation of Suzuoka was used, which considers the depletion of the tracer on the surface. By autoradiography it was confirmed that such depletion occurs. In alloy 800H the activation energy of grain-boundary diffusion of {sup 59}Fe was found to be (209{+-}17) kJ/mol; dissolved elements, especially phosphorous, increase the activation energy. The same materials - aged at 800 C for 100 h - were used for ...

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A Fe-20at.%Cr-10%Al matrix was dispersed with a wide range of different oxides in order to study the effect of oxygen-active dopants on the high-temperature growth and adhesion of {alpha}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} scales. Effect of these various cation dopants on the alumina scale microstructure was correlated with dopant ion segregation to the {alpha}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} grain boundaries using analytical electron microscopy. Elements such as Mn and V showed little effect on the oxide scale and were not observed to segregate. Elements such as Y and Gd resulted in finer, more columnar {alpha}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} grains and were segregated to scale grain boundaries. However, Ti, Ta, Ca, and Nb also were found to segregate but had a lesser effect on scale morphology. This indicates that cation segregation to scale grain boundaries is not a sufficient condition to achieve beneficial oxidation effects. The driving force ...

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Past movement on faults can be dated by measurement of the intensity of ESR signals in quartz. These signals are reset by local lattice deformation and local frictional heating on grain contacts at the time of fault movement. The ESR signals then grow back as a result of bombardment by ionizing radiation from surrounding rocks. The age is obtained from the ratio of the equivalent dose, needed to produce the observed signal, to the dose rate. Fine grains are more completely reset during faulting, and a plot of age vs. grain size shows a plateau for grains below critical size; these grains are presumed to have been completely zeroed by the last fault activity. We carried out ESR dating of fault rocks collected near the Gori nuclear reactor. Most of the ESR signals of fault rocks collected from the basement are saturated. This indicates that the last movement of the faults had occurred ...

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BaTiO{sub 3} compacts, when fluxed with {lt} 2 vol% of a complex borate glass phase, were sintered to near theoretical density at temperatures {lt} 1175{degrees}C in 2 h. Microstructural analysis showed a uniform grain size {lt} 1.0 {mu}m with 0.75 wt% ZrO{sub 2} added to the flux phase as a grain growth inhibitor. TEM analysis revealed a microcrystalline grain-boundary phase with the ZrO{sub 2} resident along the grain boundaries. These samples displayed an essentially flat dielectric profile, low dissipation factors ({lt} 2%) over the range 25{degrees} to 125{degrees}C, a near linear dependence ({approx} {+-} 15%) between 25{degrees} and {minus} 55{degrees}C, and significantly increased voltage stability. X-ray diffraction analysis of these small-grained materials indicates a suppression of the tetragonal structure toward a more cubic modification.

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The effects of the dopants, Mg{sup 2+}, Ca{sup 2+}, Sr{sup 2+}, Sc{sup 3+}, Yb{sup 3+}, Y{sup 3+}, Gd{sup 3+}, La{sup 3+}, Ti{sup 4+}, Zr{sup 4+}, and Nb{sup 5+}, on the grain boundary mobility of dense CeO{sub 2} have been investigated from 1,270 to 1,420 C. Parabolic grain growth has been observed in all instances. Together with atmospheric effects, the results support the mechanism of cation interstitial transport being the rate-limiting step. A strong solute drag effect has been demonstrated for diffusion-enhancing dopants such as Mg{sup 2+} and Ca{sup 2+}, which, at high concentrations, can nevertheless suppress grain boundary mobility. Severely undersized dopants (Mg, Sc, Ti, and Nb) have a tendency to markedly enhance grain boundary mobility, probably due to the large distortion of the surrounding lattice that apparently facilitates defect migration. Overall, the most effective ...

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Previous work showed that the segl mutant of barley (Hordeum vulgare o Betzes) did not differ from normal Betzes in plant growth, photosynthesis, or fertility, but it produced only shrunken seeds regardless of pollen source. To determine whether defects in sucrose uptake or starch synthesis resulted in the shrunken condition, developing grains of Betzes and segl were cultured in (/sup 14/C)sucrose solutions after slicing transversely to expose the endosperm cavity and free space. In both young grains (before genotypes differed in dry weight) and older grains (17 days after anthesis, when segl grains were smaller than Betzes), sucrose uptake and starch synthesis were similar in both genotypes on a dry weight basis. To determine if sucrose was hydrolyzed during uptake, spikes of Betzes and segl were allowed to take up (fructose-U-/sup 14/C)sucrose 14 days after anthesis and the radioactivity of endosperm ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The thermal stability of nanoscale grains in cryomilled aluminum powders containing 1% diamantane was investigated. Diamantane is a diamondoid molecule consisting of 14 carbon atoms in a diamond cubic structure that is terminated by hydrogen atoms. The nanostructures of the resulting cryomilled powders were characterized using both transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The average grain size was found to be on the order of 22?nm, a value similar to that obtained for cryomilled Al without diamantane. To determine thermal stability, the powders were heated in an inert gas atmosphere at constant temperatures between 423 and 773?K (0.51T m to 0.83T m) for exposure times of up to 10?h. The average grain size for all powders containing diamantane was obse...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A sialon sintering product of the present invention comprises #beta#'-sialon grains and less than 2vol% of a grain boundary phase, and a relative density of the sintering product is greater than 98%. It exhibits a high temperature strength of greater than 500Mpa at 650degC and shows such high corrosion resistances that the reduction of the volume due to corrosion is less than 0.5mg/cm"2 in a liquid sodium immersion test, and the corrosion of the grain boundary is not observed. Accordingly, there can be provided a sialon sintering product excellent in corrosion resistance in a liquid sodium circumstance while keeping the high temperature strength as an excellent characteristic of the sialon sintering product. (T.M.).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Although infrared-stimulated luminescence (IRSL) signals in feldspars can be bleached rapidly by sunlight, there could still be a small amount of IRSL signal remaining in sediment grains if they have experienced only relatively short sunlight exposure before deposition. This remaining signal results in a ''remnant dose'' stored in the grain and is important for young samples but negligible for old samples. Several methods have been introduced to detect insufficient bleaching, and some of them can provide information on the extent of the bleaching. Others can only distinguish between samples bleached for a very long time and for a short time. Empirical methods are introduced to evaluate the possible values of equivalent dose accumulated since the grains were deposited. These methods involve the analysis of the equivalent doses and the natural IRSL signals obtained using single-disc dose determination methods. (author).

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Vanadium carbide is the most effective grain growth inhibitor for ultrafine WC-Co composites due to its high solubility and mobility in the cobalt phase at relatively low temperatures; however, there are still some debates over the best way to introduce it into the WC-Co formulation. In this paper, the differences between admixed and chemically doped grain growth inhibitors on the microstructural development and properties of an ultrafine WC-10Co composite are discussed. The densification rate of chemically doped samples is slower in the early stage of sintering and the WC grain sizes of the sintered alloys are finer than those of admixed samples, leading to the increase of hardness and transverse rupture strength of the sintered alloys. The effectiveness of the chemically doped inhibitor ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

An ultrafine-grained ferrite/cementite (UGF/C) steel with a local high density of cementite particles was fabricated through caliber-warm-rolling followed by annealing and resulted in a bimodal-sized microstructure. The characteristic bimodal-sized microstructure was attributed to the original ferrite-pearlite structure and cementite spacing, and reflected the original ferrite-pearlite structure. The smaller-sized clusters corresponded to the former pearlite regions and the larger-sized clusters to the proeutectoid ferrite regions. The cementite particles naturally localized within the former pearlite region. Most of the ferrite coarsening did not occur until the cementite particle spacing reached a critical value. The UGF/C microstructure with a bimodal grain size showed a yield strength ...

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The distribution of /sup 35/S-sulfate and /sup 3/H-glucosamine in the angular region of the hamster was studied by light and electron microscopic autoradiography following intraperitoneal injection of these compounds to hamsters. Exposed silver grains of /sup 35/S-sulfate were concentrated in the trabecular meshwork, sclera, and cornea, and grains of /sup 3/H-glucosamine were localized in the trabecular region. The radioactivity of both isotopes was observed in the Golgi apparatuses of the endothelial cells of the angular aqueous plexus and the trabecular meshwork. The grains were noted over the entire cytoplasm, except for the nucleus, and then were incorporated into the amorphous substance and collagen fibers in the region adjacent to the angular aqueous sinus. These results suggest that endothelial cells in the angular region synthesize and secrete the sulfated glycosaminoglycans and hyaluronic acid.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Densification of Y_2O_3 by HIP was investigated in the range 1250"0C-1550"0C at a pressure of 150 MPa. Runs were made in metallic capsules with 200 g of powder. The powder under investigation is 99.9% purity, supplied by RHONE-POULENC. The study reveals the importance of residual gases in the HIP technique of powder densification. The density of the final product is in the range 93% to 100% of theoretical density depending on pretreatment (or outgassing) of the powder. Residual gases have been identified. Final products have been characterized by microscopy (grain size, porosity, microhardness). Porosity and grain size depend on pretreatment conditions. In particular a 1200"0C pretreatment results in zero porosity and significant decrease of grain size. 4 tables, 11 figs, 16 refs.

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The performance of advanced ceramics under cavitation loading in distilled water was studied by using a laboratory test with vibration-induced cavitation following the pattern of the ASTM standard G32-92. The hardened and tempered martensitic steel 100Cr6 was used as a reference. The aim was to identify mechanisms and the effects of important microstructural parameters on damage of polished Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-ZrO{sub 2}, ZrO{sub 2} and SiC ceramics. Results showed that surface damage of brittle ceramics was mainly dominated by intergranular fracture, followed by detachment of single grains or fragments of them. Both incubation time and erosion rate were affected by the amount of initial surface cavities, grain sizes and secondary phases at grain boundaries. (orig.)

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

A monoclonal antibody raised against carboxyl-linked IAA was used in Western blot analysis of storage proteins from kernels of Avena sativa, Pennisetum americanum, Sorghum bicolor,...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The rapid global loss of natural habitats and biodiversity, and limited resources, place a premium on maximizing the expected benefits of conservation actions. The scarcity of information on the fine-grained...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

During reproduction in flowering plants, pollen grains form a tube that grows in a polarized fashion through the female tissues to eventually fertilize the egg cell. These highly polarized pollen tubes...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Praseodymium-doped Bi_4Ti_3O_1_2 (BIT) with various compositions of dopant, Pr (x = 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8) in Bi_4_-_xPr_xTi_3O_1_2 (BPT) were synthesized using a low temperature wet chemical technique. Powders calcined at 800 deg. C exhibit a single phase polycrystalline perovskite bismuth-layered structure. Randomly oriented plate-like structures were observed under Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). A small amount of Pr doping (x = 0.5) resulted in dramatically reduced of grain size from 2 #mu#m to less than 50 nm in which Pr plays the role as a grain growth inhibitor. However, by increasing the composition of Pr, bigger grain size of up to 1 #mu#m was observed for x = 0.8 that was caused by diffusion of Pr in the perovskite structure. Dielectric properties showed that dielectric permittivity decreased with the addition of x = 0.50, and increasing with further addition of Pr. Dissipation factor (tan #delta#) followed the ...

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Aerospace gas turbine disks operate in an environment of relatively high stresses caused by centrifugal forces and elevated temperatures. These severe conditions necessitate the need for materials with high temperature strength and good low cycle fatigue resistance. One class of alloys used for this task is the nickel base superalloys, out of which, IN 718 is the most widely used in the aerospace industry. The properties of IN 718 are attributed to the combined effects of the chemistry, heat treatment, and microstructure. The chemistry is tailored not only for solid solution strengthening but also for precipitation hardening developed during heat treatment, which combined with a fine grained microstructure lead to excellent mechanical properties such as low cycle fatigue resistance and elevated temperature strength. The properties of a gas turbine disk are sensitive to the microstructure, in particular the grain size, which is dependent on the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Localized deformation may play a key role in the underlying mechanism of irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC) in light water reactor core components. In this study, four austenitic alloys, 18Cr8Ni, 15Cr12Ni, 13Cr15Ni and 21Cr32Ni, with different stacking fault energies were irradiated to 1 and 5 dpa at 360 deg. C using 3.2 MeV protons. Interrupted constant extension rate tensile (CERT) tests were conducted in a simulated BWR environment to determine IASCC susceptibility. In order to characterize the localized deformation in slip channels and grain boundaries, parallel CERT experiments were also performed in an argon atmosphere. Results show that the IASCC susceptibility of the tested alloys increases with increasing irradiation dose and decreasing stacking fault energy. IASCC tends to initiate at locations where slip channels intersect grain boundaries. Localized deformation in the form of grain boundary ...

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GaAs material and device structure optimization studies on optical-grade, millimeter-and-less grain-size polycrystalline Ge substrates are presented. We discuss the growth of high-quality epitaxial layers across various crystalline orientations of a polycrystalline substrate; this is important for obtaining high-performance solar cells. The GaAs solar cell on n-type poly-Ge substrate is a p-on-n type, with an undoped spacer between the p-emitter and the n-base. An experimental study of dark currents in these junctions, with and without the spacer, as a function of temperature (77K to 288K) is presented; this study suggests that the spacer reduces the tunneling contribution to dark current. In addition, we describe device-structure optimization studies that have led us to achieve an open-circuit voltage (V{sub oc}) exceeding 1 Volt and an AM1.5 efficiency of {approximately}19{percent} for a 4-cm{sup 2}-area GaAs cell on sub-mm grain-size ...

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Tantalum and tantalum-based thin films have gained precedence as the diffusion barrier for copper interconnects used in the latest generation of integrated circuits (ICs). The paper presents insight and observations on the covariance of texture and grain size of wrought tantalum sputtering targets and their influence on sputtering performance. Previous studies involving deposition trials of tantalum targets of varying metallurgical character had demonstrated that both grain size and textural homogeneity is critical for assuring reliable sputtering performance of tantalum. Subsequently, a model had been proposed to prescribe how localized texture bands and orientation clusters in tantalum are effectively resistant to sputter erosion. In this paper, results of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and orientation imaging microscopy (OIM{sup TM}) analyses on the eroded surface of a tantalum sputtering target are presented. Initial findings support the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The effects of gate and drain bias stresses on thin film transistors fabricated in polysilicon films crystallized using the advanced sequential lateral solidification excimer laser annealing (SLS ELA) process, which yields very elongated polysilicon grains and allows the fabrication of TFTs without grain boundary barriers to current flow, are investigated as a function of the active layer thickness and of the TFT orientation relative to the grains. The application of hot carrier stress, with a condition of V_G_S = V_D_S/2, was determined to induce threshold voltage, subthreshold swing and transconductance degradation for TFTs in thicker polysilicon films and the associated stress-induced increase in the active layer trap density was evaluated. However, this device degradation was drastically reduced for TFTs fabricated in ultra-thin films. Furthermore, the application of the same stress condition to TFTs oriented vertically ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The objective of this experiment was to determine the effect of dietary grain on calcium homeostasis. Six rumen-fistulated dairy cows with 3 or more previous lactations and no history of parturient...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Magnetotactic bacteria contain chains of magnetically interacting crystals (magnetosome crystals), which they use for navigation (magnetotaxis). To improve magnetotaxis efficiency, the magnetosome crystals...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Effect of strain rate, temperature and grain size in the climb-controlled dislocation creep region for AZ31 magnesium alloy was examined at lower temperature of {proportional_to}473 K. The flow stress was not affected by the difference in grain size. The strain rate sensitivity, m, was obtained 0.14 and 0.2 at low temperatures in high strain rate and at high temperature in low strain rate, respectively. It was found that the notion of effective diffusivity could express the dominant diffusion process during climb-controlled dislocation creep behavior uniquely. (orig.)

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Rare-earth oxides are doped into ZnO varistors as grain growth inhibitors for increasing the varistors' voltage gradients. However, their leakage currents become large and their nonlinear coefficients decrease at the same time. The reasonable explanation for such a phenomenon has not yet been available. In this paper, the temperature dependences of varistor samples' leakage currents are investigated, which reveal that the increased leakage currents of ZnO varistors with Y2O3 doping are mainly due to the bypass paths through the intergranular materials at grain corners.

CERN Document Server

Motivated by the numerical investigations of Laval, Dubrulle & Nazarenko (1999), we develop a quasilinear theory of the 2D Euler equation and derive an integro-differential equation for the evolution of the coarse-grained vorticity. This equation respects all the invariance properties of the Euler equation and conserves angular momentum in a circular domain and linear impulse in a channel (as well as in an infinite domain). The explicit energy is not rigorously conserved as it is partly transfered into fine-grained fluctuations but the total energy is conserved. We prove a H-theorem for the Fermi-Dirac entropy and make the connection with statistical theories of 2D turbulence.

Science.gov (United States)

Deformation experiments performed in-situ in the transmission electron microscope have led to an increased understanding of dislocation dynamics. To illustrate the capability of this technique two examples will be presented. In the first example, the processes of work hardening in Mo at room temperature will be presented. These studies have improved our understanding of dislocation mobility, dislocation generation, and dislocation-obstacle interactions. In the second example, the interaction of matrix dislocations with grain boundaries will be described. From such studies predictive criteria for slip transfer through grain boundaries have been developed.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Effect of scale on determination of 12Kh18N10T steel tendency to intergranular corrosion (IGC) by rapid electrochemical techniques in solution of 10 % H_2SO_4+0.0025 g/l KCNS was investigated. It is shown that scale presence of steel surface accelerates anode dissolving, activates grain boundaries. All this results to the effect of tendency to IGC in steels, not inclined to it. The scale is not completely removed from the surface, but remains partially along grain boundaries in result of successive pickling of scale and then a surface layer of metal. This also couses the effect of tendency to IGC.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nano-indentation has been used to assess the hardness of equiaxed grains of #alpha#-Ti as a function of orientation. Surface normals of these grains in metallographic sections were assessed using orientation imaging microscopy. Thin membranes of material from below a series of nano-indentations were excised by use of a dual-beam focused ion beam instrument. In this way, the dislocation substructures beneath individual indentations were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, permitting an identification of both statistically stored and geometrically necessary dislocations.

Science.gov (United States)

The anisotropy of H/sub c2/ was measured in a V$sub 3$Si monocrystal and was found to be much larger than in other materials. The max elementary pinning force f/sub p/ is estimated to be approximately 0.01 dyn/cm at the reduced field H/H/sub c/ = 0.25 and 4.2$sup 0$K. Control of texture as well as of grain size is important for improving J/sub c/ in A-15 compounds. (DLC)

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It has been reported by the present authors that behavior of tritium release from solid breeder grain is consisted of diffusion in grain, tritium transfer at surface layer and surface reactions on grain surface such as adsorption or isotope exchange reactions. Tritium release curves estimated using the tritium release model gave good agreement with observed tritium release curves from Li{sub 4}SiO{sub 4}, Li{sub 2}ZrO{sub 3} or LiAlO{sub 2}. Tritium release behavior from Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} under humid purge gas, dry purge gas and dry purge gas with hydrogen conditions is discussed in this study, tritium release curves using the release model that we proposed previously give a good agreements with experimental tritium release curves. Tritium effective diffusivity in the crystal grain of Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} is also estimated in this study using a curve-fitting method applied to the release curves ...

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Increased nitrogen levels have been correlated with decreased ductility and elevated ductile-to-brittle transition temperature in pressure vessel steels [1]. However, the exact role played by nitrogen in the embrittlement of steels remains unclear. Miller and Burke have reported atom probe ion microscopy findings from neutron-irradiated low-alloy pressure vessel steel showing the presence of a 1 to 2 ruonolayer thick film of Mo, N, and C at prior austenitic grain boundaries (GB's) [2], suggesting a role for nitrogen as an intergranular embrittler. It is of interest for the development of mitigation strategies whether nitrogen must combine with other impurities to form nitride precipitates in order to exert an embrittling effect. Briant et al [1] have associated the embrittling effect of N in steels exclusively with intergranular nitride formation. This association suggests that high nitrogen levels may be acceptable if nitride precipitation at ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The microstructure of a pressureless sintered (1,605 C, 90 min) O' + #beta#' SiAlON ceramic with CeO_2 doping has been investigated. It is duplex in nature, consisting of very large, slablike elongated O' grains (20--30 #mu#m long), and a continuous matrix of small rodlike #beta#' grains (< 1.0 #mu#m in length). Many #alpha#-Si_3N_4 inclusions (0.1--0.5 #mu#m in size) were found in the large O' grains. CeO_2-doping and its high doping level as well as the high Al_2O_3 concentration were thought to be the main reasons for accelerating the reaction between the #alpha#-Si_3N_4 and the Si-Al-O-N liquid to precipitate O'-SiAlON. This caused the supergrowth of O' grains. The rapid growth of O' crystals isolated the remnant #alpha#-Si_3N_4 from the reacting liquid, resulting in a delay in the #alpha# #-># #beta#-Si_3N_4 transformation. The large O' grains and the #alpha#-Si_3N_4 ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The creep characteristics of alloy 800 at temperatures around 600"0C are greatly affected by the composition and treatments in the final stages of manufacture. Short-term and creep properties of alloy 800 at 600"0C are described for six melts covering the carbon range 0.054-0.078%, the titanium range 0.23-0.57% and the aluminium range 0.17-0.52%. The properties are related to the alloy chemistry and the microstructure. It is shown that homogeneously nucleated #gamma#'-precipitates are the main cause of low ductility in alloy 800 but there is also some influence of, for instance, grain boundary M_2_3C_6 films and discontinuous precipitation of Ni_3Ti or M_2_3C_6 in grain boundaries. The extent of #gamma#'-precipitation is controlled primarily by the (Ti+Al)-content. To avoid #gamma#' and ensure a high creep ductility the (Ti+Al)-content should be limited to 0.70-0.75% for alloy 800 with a carbon content of 0.054-0.078% and solution annealed at ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We have fabricated MgB_2 dc SQUIDs (superconducting quantum interference devices) containing inter-grain nanobridges as Josephson elements by a focused ion beam (FIB) etching method and measured their transport properties. The entire structure including the SQUID loop was patterned only using a FIB. The beam energy was 30 kV and the current was 0.9 nA for larger structures and 34 and 1.5 pA for the nanobridge pattern. Each bridge with a nominal width of 100 nm crossed a single grain boundary in the normal direction. The SQUID loop had a 3.1 #mu#m x 3.1 #mu#m hole with a 2 #mu#m average linewidth, corresponding to an inductance of 5.1 pH. The nanobridges had a two-step transition with an increase in the resistivity of more than a decade and a substantial decrease in the critical current density. Current-voltage characteristics showed a resistively shunted junction behavior at all temperatures below T_c, which implies that the current in the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nitrogen-rich Ca-#alpha#-sialon ceramics, prepared with CaH_2 as one of the starting powders, were compressively deformed in spark plasma sintering equipment. Compared with the oxygen-rich Ca-#alpha#-sialons, increasing onset deformation temperatures (about 150 K higher) were observed for nitrogen-rich Ca-#alpha#-sialons deformed at a rate of 2 x 10"-"3 s"-"1. High hardness (H_V_1_0 = 18-20 GPa) and toughness (K_I_C = 4-7 MPa m"1"/"2) were maintained after the deformation. Anisotropic grain growth was found to take place during deformation, resulting in anisotropic microstructures, containing coarse and elongated grains. The observed differences in deformation behaviour and properties between nitrogen-rich and oxygen-rich Ca-#alpha#-sialons are, as indicated by transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy analysis, attributed to the presence of reduced amounts of a nitrogen-rich grain-boundary ...

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Microstructural analyses by advanced metallographic techniques were conducted on mockup welds and a cracked BWR core shroud weld fabricated from Type 304L stainless steel. heat-affected zones of the shroud weld and mockup shielded-metal-arc welds were free of grain-boundary carbide, martensite, delta ferrite, or Cr depletion near grain boundaries. However, as a result of exposure to welding fumes, the heat-affected zones of the welds were significantly contaminated by fluorine and oxygen which migrate to grain boundaries. Significant oxygen contamination promotes fluorine contamination and suppresses classical thermal sensitization, even in Type 304 steels. Results of slow-strain-rate tensile tests indicate that fluorine exacerbates the susceptibility of irradiated steels to intergranular stress corrosion cracking. These observations, combined with previous reports on the strong influence of weld flux, indicate that oxygen ...

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Nanocrystalline cemented tungsten carbide has attracted considerable interests for use in cutting tool because of its superior mechanical properties. In this study, nano-sized powders of mixed WC and Co were prepared from attrition-milled oxides by a gas reduction-carburization process. The effects of compacting pressure, heating schedule, additional ball-milling, and the presence of a grain growth inhibitor on the sintering properties of the nano-sized WC-Co powders were examined. The grain size and phases in WC-Co alloy were clearly affected by compacting pressure. Because of the trapped gases and the lower melting point of the cobalt binder, when a compact of nano-sized WC-Co powder was sintered through a heating schedule with holding steps, the sintered alloy maintained the small size of WC grains without any {eta} phase. In addition, the additional ball-milling improved the microstructure and mechanical properties of ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Application of inorganic S upto 20 mg kg"-"1 soil increased the grain yield of toria and total uptake of S. Incorporation of green manure (above ground portion) alongwith inorganic S further increased the grain yield of toria as well as sulphur uptake. Maximum grain yield of toria was obtained when green manure was supplemented with 10 mg S kg"-"1 soil. Cowpea as green manure proved superior to guara. Per cent S derived from green manures (SdfGM) decreased with increase in the level of inorganic S and ranged from 12.3 to 25.1. Total amount of S supplied by cowpea and guara in presence of varying levels of inorganic S ranged from 7.6 to 10.5 and 5.9 to 8.6 mg pot"-"1, respectively. Correspondingly, the per cent utilization of S ranged from 24.5 to 33.9 and 19.4 to 28.7, respectively. The results suggest that S from green manures significantly contributed to S nutrition of oilseed crops and it should be considered for better ...

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This paper describes inorganic solid electrolytes from a viewpoint of electrolytes for lithium batteries. Lithium ion conductive inorganic solid electrolytes are largely divided into crystalline and amorphous substances. Crystalline substances are known as LiI and Li3N, and also oxygen acid salt. However, when considering application to a battery, its large grain boundary resistance and electrochemical instability would be a problem. Lithium ion conductive amorphous solid electrolytes are divided into an oxide system and a sulfide system. Since most of them do not contain transition metal elements, they are stable against electrochemical reduction, and ions move isotropically in electrolyte. Therefore, ion conduction paths across the grain boundaries may be connected more easily, forming an electrolyte with low grain boundary resistance. As a result of the efforts of the authors in searching new additives substituting LiI, ...

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The aim of this study as to determine the mechanisms involved in using ammonium fluoborate as a reducing atmosphere when preheating a high magnesium content aluminium alloy. Rutherford Backscattering (RBS) has been the major technique used in the analysis of samples, it revealed significant reduction in both the diffusion of magnesium to the surface and the calculated oxide thickness in the presence of NH{sub 4}BF{sub 4}. At temperatures above 500 deg C in air, SEM images revealed depressions and voids due to incipient melting at various stages, around the grain boundaries. Grain boundaries effectively acted as pipes aiding the diffusion of magnesium to the surface. These results have been verified through compositional analysis with both RBS and auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Results from NH{sub 4}BF{sub 4} atmosphere preheat conditions showed significant improvements. It was verified experimentally that above 500 deg C , AA5182 alloys ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A dilute tungsten heavy alloy consisting of 50W-35Ni-15Fe (wt pct) was liquid phase sintered at 1,500 C for times ranging from 30 to 960 minutes. This alloy corresponds to a nominal solid content of 20 vol pct at the sintering temperature. Because of the excess liquid, the alloy densified easily and exhibited extensive liquid-solid separation due to the density difference between the phases. The solid content at the compact bottom ranged from 45 to 70 vol pct over position and time. The microstructure of the settled region was quantified for volume fraction of tungsten, grain size, connectivity, and settled solid angle of repose. These results provide a basis for extending the microstructural parameters to possible microgravity conditions. The grain growth rate constant varies with the inverse 2/3 power of the volume fraction of liquid, possibly reflecting combined coalescence and solution-reprecipitation processes. This volume-fraction effect ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The present work focuses on the transformation of high-purity Ni powder blends of controlled volume fractions (40 and 60 %) of nanometre-sized (100 nm) and micrometre-sized (544 nm) particles into bulk samples as part of a strategy for producing ultrafine-grained materials usefully exhibiting both strength and ductility. The process involved cold isostatic pressing at 1.5 GPa and sintering. The resulting bulk samples had relative densities near 95 %, were texture-free, and exhibited two different grain size distributions with an average value of 600 #+-# 30 nm. The mechanical properties were investigated by compression and microhardness tests, both at room temperature, and compared to the behaviour of a sample processed from micrometre-sized powder only. Samples prepared from the blends exhibited high yield stresses of 440 and 550 MPa after compression, and they did sustain work hardening. Tests conducted before and after compression up to 50 % ...

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The microstructural development and grain-coarsening behavior of WC-Co alloys, with and without a VC additive, were investigated. The primary goal was to determine the mechanism through which VC acts as a grain-growth inhibitor. The study involved long-time sintering experiments (1 to 100 hours) on fully dense material, nascent stage sintering (90 to 1,320 seconds) starting with the green compact, and surrogate liquid phase experiments to characterize the WC powder prior to sintering. Quantitative microstructural analysis using intercept length distributions was performed for the long-term sintering. The nascent stage experiments involved the measurement of the specific surface area (S{sub v}) of each type of interface separately allowing the determination of the contribution of each developing entity to the overall microstructural evolution. The VC addition has been found to enhance the breakup of multigrained particles in the earliest stages ...

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The microstructure of the secondary deformation zone (SDZ) near the cutting surface in metal chips of Ti-6Al-4V formed during machining was investigated using focused ion beam (FIB) specimen preparation and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging. Use of the FIB allowed precise extraction of the specimen across this region to reveal its inhomogeneous microstructure resulting from the non-uniform distribution of strain, strain rate, and temperature generated during the cutting process. Initial imaging from conventional TEM foil preparation revealed microstructures ranging from heavily textured to regions of fine grains. Using FIB preparation, the transverse microstructure could be interpreted as fine grains near the cutting surface which transitioned to coarse grains toward the free surface. At the cutting surface a 10 nm thick recrystallized layer was observed capping a 20 nm thick amorphous layer.

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Microstructure and texture evolution in the AZ31 Mg alloy subject to equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) have been investigated and correlated with the mechanical properties. When AZ31 Mg alloy was ECAPed up to 8 passes following the route B{sub c}, grain refinement occurred effectively. Texture was also changed during ECAP. The original fiber texture of the extruded AZ31 Mg alloy changed to a new texture component of (01 anti 11)[5 anti 2 anti 3 anti 1], and the texture of (01 anti 11)[5 anti 2 anti 3 anti 1] orientation was rotated to (13 anti 46)[7 anti 5 anti 20] orientation after 6-pass ECAP process. The variation of the strength with the pass number was explained by the texture and grain size. The strength data of AZ31 Mg alloys followed the standard Hall-Petch relationship when the similar texture was retained during the ECAP process. Otherwise the effect of texture on strength was dominant over the strengthening due to ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The influence of some processing factors such as cold work and heat treatment on the susceptibility to caustic stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of modified alloy 800, referred to alloy 800 M, in a boiling solution of 50%NaOH + 0.3%SiO_2+0.3%Na_2S_2O_3 was investigated by means of microstructure examination, tensile test, stress analysis, SCC test of C-rings, Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and corrosion mode. Cold work led to lengthening of grains, decrease in ductility, increase in strength, residential stress and susceptibility to SCC. With increasing temperature of heat treatment on alloy 800 M after cold work, grains became bigger, ductility increased but strength, residential stress and susceptibility to SCC decreased. SCC cracks on C-ring specimens initiated from pitting and propagated along grain boundaries. AES analysis indicates that the surface films on alloy 800M are enriched in nickel and depleted in iron and ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A sum-over-histories generalized quantum theory is developed for homogeneous minisuperspace type A Bianchi cosmological models, focusing on the particular example of the classically recollapsing Bianchi type-IX universe. The decoherence functional for such universes is exhibited. We show how the probabilities of decoherent sets of alternative, coarse-grained histories of these model universes can be calculated. We consider in particular the probabilities for classical evolution defined by a suitable coarse graining. For a restricted class of initial conditions and coarse grainings we exhibit the approximate decoherence of alternative histories in which the universe behaves classically and those in which it does not. For these situations we show that the probability is near unity for the universe to recontract classically if it expands classically. We also determine the relative probabilities of quasiclassical trajectories ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Holmium doped barium based hexaferrites BaFe12-2xHo2xO19 with (x=0.0-1.0) were synthesized by solid state reaction method. Structural and magnetic characterization of these ferrites provide significant information about their reactive physical properties. X-ray analysis reveals that in all samples M-type structure exist with few secondary phases. Scanning electron microscope revealed the grain size of the specimen. The results show that grain size decreases with the substitution degree of Holmium. Thus rare earth element Holmium Ho^3^+ acts as a grain growth inhibitor. The magnetic hysteresis loops show the variation in the values of magnetic parameters like saturation magnetization (Ms), remanent magnetization (Mr) and coercivity (Hc) were observed by changing Ho^3^+ content in BaFe12-2xH...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The development of tough #alpha#-SiAlON with elongated grains in the last five years is summarized. This progress has been guided by the improved understanding of phase relations and nucleation/growth kinetics in SiAlON ceramics. Although most #alpha#-SiAlON compositions can be processed to contain some elongated grains, their microstructure, fracture toughness and R-curve behavior vary greatly. Such variability is due to the different phase stability of #alpha#-SiAlONs and the varying physical chemistry of the competing phases, including the transient/residual liquid. For this reason, microstructure control of #alpha#-SiAlON must pay close attention to the composition, starting powder and heating schedule. Seeding with single crystals of an appropriate #alpha#-SiAlON composition provides an attractive alternative that simplifies the task of microstructure control, since such seeds are thermodynamically stable and they completely dominate the ...

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The study examines the isothermal fatigue properties of novel ODS iron-base or nickel-base superalloys at temperatures of 850 C and 1050 C. The materials are different in grain structure and texture, so that particularly the effects of grain structures and textures can be studied. In order to also perform examinations of creep-fatigue interactions, various load cycles are applied. It is shown that the LCF-affected life of the grain structures of both alloy types is determined by the elastic modulus. The cyclic lifetimes determined by the conventional Manson-Coffin method for both alloy types exhibit differences of up to two orders of magnitude. Using the product of the total strain range and the elastic modulus, however, will yield precise life predictions. Under conditions of LCF stress only, the grain structure has no effect on the materials` service life, other than in the case of creep-fatigue, but ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

In order to study the species composition of endophytes from wheat healthy plants in Buenos Aires Province (Argentina) and to determine their infection frequencies from leaves, stems, glumes and grains, wheat plants were collected from five cultivars at five growth stages from crop emergence to harvest. A total of 1,750 plant segments (leaves, stems, glumes and grains) were processed from the five wheat cultivars at five growth stages, and 722 isolates of endophytic fungi recovered were identified as 30 fungal genera. Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium herbarum, Epicoccum nigrum, Cryptococcus sp., Rhodotorula rubra, Penicillium sp. and Fusarium graminearum were the fungi that showed the highest colonization frequency (CF%) in all the tissues and organs analysed. The number of taxa isolated...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An experimental study on superplastic forming behaviors and microstructure characters of commercial magnesium alloy sheet AZ31B is presented in this paper. The main experimental results show that the commercial magnesium alloy AZ31B sheet has superplastic capability. For the received sheet without any pre-processing, the maximum elongation is 295%. The dynamic recrystallization and grain refinement can be found, In the case of temperature =# 350 deg. C. The superplastic behaviors can be improved by controlling the dynamic recrystallization and grain refinement. Some experimental results of free superplastic bulging are presented in this paper. The results show that influence of temperature on forming capability is much less than the influences of temperature on elongation. In addition, the maximum principle strain.

CERN Document Server

We present mid-infrared spectro-imagery and high-resolution spectroscopy ofthe Orion bar and of a region in the Orion nebula. These observations have beenobtained in the Guaranteed Time with the Circular Variable Filters of the ISOcamera (CAM-CVF) and with the Short Wavelength Spectrometer (SWS), on board theEuropean Infrared Space Observatory (ISO). Our data shows emission fromamorphous silicate grains from the entire HII region and around the isolatedO9.5V star Theta2 Ori A. The observed spectra can be reproduced by a mixture ofinterstellar silicate and carbon grains heated by the radiation of the hotstars present in the region. Crystalline silicates are also observed in theOrion nebula and suspected around Theta2 Ori A. They are probably ofinterstellar origin. The ionization structure and the distribution of thecarriers of the Aromatic Infrared Bands (AIBs) are briefly discussed on thebasis of the ISO observations.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The nickel-rich superalloys Alloy 600 and Alloy 800 have been corroded in mildly alkaline deuterated aqueous conditions typical of secondary coolant circuits in a nuclear power station. The oxide films and substrates of these alloys have been analysed by imaging SIMS depth profiling, which makes it possible to describe elemental distribution in all three dimensions. The measurement of the distribution of the secondary ions NiO[sup -], FeO[sup -] and CrO[sup -] appears useful for detailing the behaviour of nickel, iron and chromium within oxidized phases. The measurement of D[sup -] distribution outlines the extent of oxide hydration. For Alloy 800, evidence of sodium migration into the grain boundaries of the alloy substrate is found. For Alloy 600, no grain boundary sodium ingress can be identified under comparable corrosion conditions. (author).

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract Incomplete dispersion of aggregates is a well known difficulty when analyzing soil texture of Andosols, particularly if no fresh soil material is available. To facilitate such investigations, several dispersion procedures were carried out on air dried samples rich in short range order minerals, originating from selected Andosol profiles (S Mexico). As a result, we propose an improved method based on a sequential chemical treatment with K oxalate, NH4 oxalate, and oxalic acid that reliably removes cementing agents and allows for a stable dispersion of soil particles after addition of Na pyrophosphate. This method was proved to be well reproducible and highly reliable for routine grain size determinations. The potential error caused by the inherent risk of dissolving primary mineral...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In the formation of A-15 superconducting compounds by solid state diffusion, the time exponent in the growth law under different experimental conditions varies widely from about 0.25 to 1.0. Specific models of growth for different operative rate-controlling conditions are proposed. When the diffusion of B atoms in the matrix is rate-controlling, the thickness of the reacted compound layer increases as tsup(1/2) or tsup(2/3). When the diffusion of B atoms through the compound layer is rate controlling, a tsup(1/2) dependence both for bulk diffusion and grain-boundary diffusion is predicted. When substantial grain growth occurs in the reacted layer during the diffusion anneal, the time exponent observed could be as low as 1/4. Experimental data in support of the predictions of the proposed models are presented. (author).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pure Cu of 99.98 wt.% purity has been processed at room temperature by diverse techniques of severe plastic deformation, namely equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP), high pressure torsion (HPT) and a combination of both in order to find out the evolution on the microstructural homogeneity for each of the processes and their combination. Starting with a grain size of #approx#60 #mu#m, severe plastic deformation has been introduced to the material while maintaining the sample dimensions unchanged through the processes of ECAP and HPT. A significant decrease in grain size was observed by transmission electronic microscopy (TEM). Microtensile and microhardness tests were carried out on the deformed material in the three processing conditions. A significant improvement of the tensile strength was promoted with admissible penalization on ductility.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minor addition of B to the Ti-6Al-4V alloy reduces the prior #beta# grain size by more than an order of magnitude. TiB formed in-situ in the process has been noted to decorate the grain boundaries. This microstructural modification influences the mechanical behavior of the Ti-6Al-4V alloy significantly. In this paper, an overview of our current research on tensile properties, fracture toughness as well as notched and un-notched fatigue properties of Ti-6Al-4V-xB with x varying between 0.0 to 0.55 wt.% is presented. A quantitative relationship between the microstructural length scales and the various mechanical properties have been developed. Moreover, the effect of the presence of hard and brittle TiB has also been studied.

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The subscale Varestraint test has been used to determine the relative hot cracking susceptibility of the fusion zone in four commercial heats of alloy 800. Although all four heats were susceptible to cracking, one heat exhibited a significant increase in cracking relative to the other three. Optical metallography revealed that nearly all the cracking was localized along fusion zone grain boundaries. Microprobe analysis of the grain boundaries detected high concentrations of titanium, silicon, and niobium resulting from partitioning during solidification. The fusion zone hot cracking mechanism in alloy 800 involves the complex interaction of titanium, silicon, niobium, and carbon along the solidification boundaries. SEM and Auger analyses of the hot crack fracture surfaces revealed the presence of (Ti, Nb)-rich carbides, suggesting that these particles precipitate from the liquid which solidifies last on the fracture surface. 23 references.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Surveys were carried out in 2006 and 2007 in Umbria (central Italy) to evaluate the presence of mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins in maize grain sampled at harvest. Fusarium spp., were the most abundant species detected in maize kernels, followed by Aspergillus species of sections Flavi and Nigri and by Penicillium spp. Among Fusarium species, F. verticillioides was the most prevalent species, as detected by PCR directly on the kernels and on the fungi isolated from the kernels, followed by F. proliferatum and F. subglutinans. Fumonisins were the predominant mycotoxins with values, on average, of 4.3 and 5.7mgkg-1, in 2006 and 2007, respectively, with a maximum of 76.3mgkg-1 in the second year. Deoxynivalenol ranged from 0.2 to 3.98mgkg-1 in 2006 (average 1.04mgkg-1) and from undetectable...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nanocrystalline powders of GaN with grain sizes ranging from 2 to 30 nm were examined under high external pressures by in situ diffraction techniques in a diamond anvil cell at DESY (HASYLAB, Station F3). The experiments on densification of pure powders under high pressure were performed without a pressure medium. The mechanism of generation and relaxation of internal strains and their distribution in nanoparticles was deduced from Bragg reflections recorded in situ under high pressures at room temperature. The microstrain was calculated from the full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) values of the Bragg lines. It was found that microstrains in GaN crystallites are generated and subsequently relaxed by two mechanisms: generation of stacking faults and change of the size and shape of the grains occurring under external stress. (author)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Up to 90% of the life time of cyclically loaded components is determined by short crack initiation and propagation. This stage of the fatigue damage process is strongly influenced by microstructural features, e.g. grain boundaries and crystallographic grain orientation. Therefore LEFM can not be applied in a reasonable manner explaining the demand for a mechanism-related modelling method. The present study deals with mechanical testing and microstructural examinations applied to the relatively new #beta#-titanium alloy LCB. The results are used as data base to develop a new short crack model that is based on the model of Navarro and de los Rios. By using various techniques such as electron back-scattered diffraction and finite-element calculations the origin of crack initiation is revealed and the characteristics of crack propagation is determined. (orig.)

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

In this project, nanocrystalline SnO2 powders were successfully prepared by (a) citrate sol-gel and (b) direct precipitation methods. Powders were characterized using thermal analysis techniques (DTA-TG-DSC), X-ray powder Diffraction (XRD), surface area (BET) and electrical conductivity measurements. XRD patterns showed the presence of the cassiterite structure. SnO2 particles, prepared through sol-gel method exhibit crystallite sizes in the range from 3.1 to 22.3 nm when the gel is heat treated at different temperatures up to 900?C. SnO2 nanocrystallites prepared by the precipitation method are comparatively larger in size. The higher specific surface area was obtained for the powder prepared using sol-gel method and the obtained average grain size (d) is relatively large compared with th...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Antisense- or RNAi-mediated suppression of the biosynthesis of nutritionally inferior storage proteins is a promising strategy for improving the amino acid profile of seeds. However, the potential pleiotropic effects of this on interconnected pathways and the agronomic quality traits need to be addressed. In the current study, a transcriptomic analysis of an antisense C-hordein line of barley was performed, using a grain-specific cDNA array. The C-hordein antisense line is characterized by marked changes in storage protein and amino acid profiles, while the seed weight is within the normal range and no external morphological irregularities were observed. The results of the transcriptome analysis showed excellent correlation with data on changes in the relative proportions of storage protei...

CERN Document Server

Several complex organic molecules are routinely detected in high abundances towards hot cores and hot corinos. For many of them, their paths of formation in space are uncertain, as gas phase reactions alone seem to be insufficient. In this paper, we investigate a possible solid-phase route of formation for methyl formate (HCOOCH3). We use a chemical model updated with recent results from an experiment where simulated grain surfaces were irradiated with 200 keV protons at 16 K, to simulate the effects of cosmic ray irradiation on grain surfaces. We find that this model may be sufficient to reproduce the observed methyl formate in dark clouds, but not that found in hot cores and corinos.

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The influence of high C martensite on the strength and impact behavior of C-Mn-Nb-Al steels has been determined for two distributions: films surrounding the ferrite grains and distinct colonies. In the former case, the impact behavior markedly deteriorated, this deterioration increasing with martensite level. The changes in impact behavior could be explained by regarding the films of martensite as being similar to the brittle grain boundary carbides that are present in ferrite-pearlite steels. These films readily crack, yet are always thick enough to produce a sufficient wide crack to render crack propagation easy. The critical event in fracture then becomes the ability to propagate the cracks through the grain boundaries. The greater the grain boundary coverage by these films, the easier this becomes and the worse is the impact behavior. When the martensite is present as colonies, again the impact ...

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The microstructure of Al/{alpha}-Al{sub 2}0{sub 3} composites made by infiltrating Al into dense mullite preforms has been characterized using transmission electron microscopy. Observations revealed that the formation of the Al/Al{sub 2}0{sub 3} composites involves three stages. Initially, Al infiltrates into a dense mullite preform through grain boundary diffusion, and reacts with mullite at grain boundaries to form a partial reaction zone. Then, a complete reaction takes place in the reaction region between the partial reaction zone and the full reaction zone to convert the dense mullite preform to a composite of {alpha}-Al{sub 2}0{sub 3} (matrix) and an Al-Si phase (thin channels). Finally, the reduced Si from the reaction diffuses out of the Al/Al{sub 2}0{sub 3} composite through the metal channels, whereas Al from the molten Al pool is continuously drawn to the reaction region until the mullite preform is consumed or the sample is removed ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radiation hardening and radiation-induced chromium (Cr) depletion were related to intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) response among various stainless steels (SS). Available data on neutron-irradiated materials were analyzed and correlations developed between fluence, yield strength, grain-boundary Cr concentration, and cracking susceptibility in high-temperature water environments. Large heat-to-heat differences in the critical fluence (0.2 neutrons/cm"2 to 2.5 x 10"2"1 neutrons/cm"2) for IGSCC were documented. Variability often was consistent with yield strength differences among irradiated materials. IGSCC correlated better to yield strength than to fluence for most heats, suggesting a possible role for radiation-induced hardening (and microstructure) on cracking. However, isolated heats revealed a wide range of yield strengths (450 MPa to 800 MPa) necessary to promote IGSCC which could not be explained by strength effects alone. ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Data on a technology for the manufacture of a new biologically active humic preparation based on the Neogene brown coals deposited in Belarus are presented. The physicochemical properties of the preparation are given, and its biological activity is evaluated; the results of plant cultivation tests in the basic crops of the region?potatoes and grain crops?are also considered.

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Cattle and pig wastes, orange peels, compost, and grain husks were hydrolyzed in an alkaline medium to investigate the CH4 generation capacity. The respective CH4 production capacities from pig wastes and rice hulls were approximately 1 and approximately 0.1 L/g. The CH4 produced can be used to supplement energy requirements of farms.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Rader Member contains coarse allochthonous carbonate debris deposited basinward of a approx. = 500-m high angle of repose foreslope. Sheet-like megabreccias with internal channel fills up to 35 m thick are traceable 6.5 km along the reef escarpment (depositional strike) and extend 13 km southeast from the toe of slope into the Delaware basin. A prominent erosion surface at the base of the megabreccias may represent a major basin-sloping unconformity. At maximum thickness (65 m) of exposed Rader, three lithologic units are recognized in upward succession: (1) fine-grained, bioturbated limestones interbedded with fine-grained, laminated sandstones; (2) matrix- and clast-supported megabreccias comprised of chaotically oriented limestone blocks (up to 10 m across) with a fine-grained sandstone matrix; and (3) coarse to fine-grained carbonate turbidites interbedded with sandstones. The megabreccias ...

Science.gov (United States)

Variation for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain yield and its component traits was documented in a `Cheyenne¿ x Cheyenne (`Wichita¿ 3A) recombinant inbred chromosome line population. In the present study, a population of 223 Cheyenne (Wichita 3A) recombinant inbred chromosome lines was used to map ...

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This study aims to evaluate fatigue strength properties at long-term high temperature of 316FR steels developed for structural materials applied to high temperature components in the 21st Century such as Demonstration FBR, and to obtain design indicators on high temperature strength properties arranged on chemical composition and grain size on a base of 316FR stainless steels. As results obtained by the study, it could be found that as a result of systematic examinations on temperatures and strain rate dependence on symmetric triangular strain waveform of 316FR steels between 500 to 600degC, temperature of fatigue life, and strain rate dependence can be integrally evaluated by a parameter analysis method developed by authors and life prediction at ultra low strain rate of less than 10{sup -6}/s and its experimental verification could be carried out. And, it was also found that as a result of evaluation of creep fatigue life and creep rupture properties on materials ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This report introduces present status on food irradiation at home and abroad in detail. It also introduces the scientific research and application in reducing diseases caused by food borne pathogens, quarantine control of import and export products, grain store and killing insects in traditional Chinese medicine. The report also analyzes the problems in developing food irradiation in China and gives some suggestions

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Modern high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM) instruments, which are capable of a point-to-point resolution of better than 0.2 nm, have allowed atomic-scale observations of a variety of internal interfaces. The application of the HREM technique to fcc model systems for the purpose of addressing a number of interface issues will be examined in this paper. Atomic structure observations for heterophase interfaces of metal/metal and metal/metal-oxide systems as well as HREM studies of grain boundaries in NiO and Au will be discussed with emphasis on generic structural features and the role of the interface plane. Comparisons between observed interface structures and atomistic computer modeling results have shown agreements for some interfaces, as well as certain differences in others. A number of structural features are common to both metal and oxide grain boundaries, as well as certain heterophase boundaries. Of particular importance in ...

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The issues of the geothermal resource at Brady's Hot Springs are dealt with: the prospective supply of feedstocks to the ethanol plant, the markets for the spent grain by-products of the plant, the storage, handling and transshipment requirements for the feedstocks and by-products from a rail siding facility at Fernley, the probable market for fuel ethanol in the region, and an assessment of the economic viability of the entire undertaking.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

One of several methods to build YSZ electrolyte of SOFC is plasma spraying. This system heats particle to a melting point and then pushing them into target and forming a deposition. This paper presents heating studies of YSZ particle in plasma jet. By simple model it is shown that the required time such those YSZ particle with grain size of 50 ?m to be melt is around 12 x 10-4 second. (author)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We propose a system for the on-line monitoring of short and medium term radioactive waste repositories. Such a system is distributed, fine-grained, robust, reliable, and must be based on low-cost components. It could, in principle, open new perspectives on the modality of waste packaging and storage. In particular we propose to employ a new family of cheap and powerful micro sensors to be placed in shape of a fine grid around each single drum. (authors)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A simple and continuous model for the on-state current of polysilicon thin-film transistors, suitable for implementation in circuit simulators, is presented. The model includes the potential barrier at the grain boundaries, the channel length modulation and the excess current due to impact ionization. Comparison between measured output characteristics and the model shows excellent agreement over wide range of bias voltages and for devices with different gate lengths.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

To clarify the acidic and alkaline Intergranular Stress Corrosion Cracking (IGSCC) mechanism of thermally treated alloy 690 (alloy 690 TT) and shot peened alloy 800 (alloy 800 SP), C-ring tests were conducted in deaerated HCl solutions and in deaerated NaOH solutions at 350degC, compared with the acidic and the alkaline IGSCC susceptibilities of mill-annealed alloy 600 (alloy 600 MA), full-sensitized one (alloy 600 FS) and thermally treated one (alloy 600 TT). Grain boundary characteristics, such as chromium depleted zone and chromium carbide precipitation, were examined using modified Huey test and Transmission Electron Microscopy. Potential-pH diagram for Ni, Cr, Fe-H{sub 2}O system at 350degC was constructed and the solubilities of NiO, Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} were also calculated to evaluate the stability of oxide films which were formed on the surfaces of alloy 690, 800 and 600. Under the acidic condition, the IGSCC susceptibility of alloy 800 ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Under the direction of the NASA-Glenn Research Center, the Edison Welding Institute (EWI) in Columbus, OH performed a series of non-fusion joining experiments to determine the feasibility of joining refractory metals or refractory metal alloys to Ni-based superalloys. Results, as reported by EWI, can be found in the project report for EWI Project 48819GTH (Attachment A, at the end of this document), dated October 10, 2005. The three joining methods used in this investigation were inertia welding, magnetic pulse welding, and electro-spark deposition joining. Five materials were used in these experiments: Mo-47Re, T-111, Hastelloy X, Mar M-247 (coarse-grained, 0.5 mm to several millimeter average grain size), and Mar M-247 (fine-grained, approximately 50 (micro)m average grain size). Several iterative trials of each material combination with each joining method were performed to determine the best ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stress corrosion cracking tests in constant extension rate tensile (CERT) and constant load tensile (CLT) tests were conducted on Ni-xCr- 9Fe-yC in Ar, water, and a LiOH-boric acid solution. Cr and C improve the resistance of Ni-base alloys to IG cracking in both Ar and water at 360C. Since creep plays a role in IG cracking, one possible explanation for the role of the environment involves its effect on the creep. Experiments were conducted on the role of C in the deformation behavior and failure mode of Ni-16Cr-9Fe. Constant load experiments were conducted on Ni-16Cr-9Fe to determine if the CLT test is more aggressive than CERT. The electron backscattering technique in a SEM is being developed in order to extend the IG cracking studies to grain sizes typical of commercial alloys, 20-30 microns.

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Magnesium alloys have replaced resins as a material for the components of electronic products such as cell phone and notebook personal computer mainly, because of their lightness and rigidity. Thin walls, a complicated shape, and high appearance quality are all needed in the external parts. Die-casting and injection molding are the main method of manufacturing magnesium alloy parts. The optimal cast conditions and mold design have been investigated in order that a few defects such as surface cracks and mold cavities in casting parts would be reduced. Instead of cast, plastic forming technologies such as warm drawing and hot forging have been developed to form thinner walls and less defects. Plastic formability of magnesium alloy in hot working is dependent on a grain size of material. The material with fine grains has advantage of being formed at high strain rate. The characteristics of forming processes of magnesium parts for Japanese home ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We study the lipid and phase transferability of our recently developed systematically coarse-grained solvent-free membrane model. The force field was explicitly parameterized to describe a fluid 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine (POPC) bilayer at 310 K with correct structure and area per lipid, while gaining at least three orders of magnitude in computational efficiency (see Wang and Deserno 2010 J. Phys. Chem. B 114 11207-20). Here, we show that exchanging CG tails, without any subsequent re-parameterization, creates reliable models of 1,2-dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) and 1,2-dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) lipids in terms of structure and area per lipid. Furthermore, all CG lipids undergo a liquid-gel transition upon cooling, with characteristics like those observed in experiments and all-atom simulations during phase transformation. These studies suggest a promising transferability of our force field parameters to different lipid species and ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Performance of SRF cavities are limited by non-linear localized effects. The variation of local material characters between "hot" and "cold" spots is thus of intense interest. Such locations were identified in a BCP-etched large-grain single-cell cavity and removed for examination by high resolution electron microscopy (SEM), electron-back scattering diffraction microscopy (EBSD), optical microscopy, and 3D profilometry. Pits with clearly discernable crystal facets were observed in both "hotspot" and "coldspot" specimens. The pits were found in-grain, at bi-crystal boundaries, and on tri-crystal junctions. They are interpreted as etch pits induced by surface crystal defects (e.g. dislocations). All "coldspots" examined had qualitatively low density of etching pits or very shallow tri-crystal boundary junction. EBSD revealed the crystal structure surrounding the pits via crystal phase orientation mapping, while 3D profilometry gave information ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) has been used to investigate changes that occur in an advanced Ir-0.3W alloy during high temperature aging. This alloy is used to clad "2"3"8PuO_2 heat sources used in thermoelectric generators for deep space reconnaissance satellites. Long-term direct contact with PuO_2 at 1400"0C leads to physical and chemical changes within the cladding alloy that affect its metallurgical properties. SIMS was used to show that Cr, Fe, Ni, and in some cases O, diffuse from the PuO_2 into the alloy. Thorium and aluminum diffuse out of the alloy in these same regions. This SIMS study suggests that inward O diffusion and subsequent formation of ThO_2 on grain boundaries may stabilize the alloy against enhanced grain growth.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Earth`s troposphere and hydrosphere contain abundant naturally generated dust. The ultimate source materials from which the terrestrially produced dust is generated are the various rock types exposed at the Earth`s surface. Natural dust is a composite of (1) lithic, primary mineral grains; (2) mineral grains formed by secondary chemical reactions; (3) volcanic ash and dust; (4) salts from sea sprays; (5) extra-terrestrial dust; and (6) biologic materials. In this paper the various pathways to the natural generation of dust (via the hydrologic cycle) will be discussed, and two geologically well-known natural dust sources will be described, paying particular attention to quantitative measurements of the dusts from these areas. General dust studies that provide data on possibly global background levels will be presented as well.. A few general aspects of the mineralogical characterization of dust particles and a discussion of some of the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The bullet evidence in the JFK assassination investigation was reexamined from metallurgical and statistical standpoints. The questioned specimens are comprised of soft lead, possibly from full-metal-jacketed Mannlicher-Carcano, 6.5-mm ammunition. During lead refining, contaminant elements are removed to specified levels for a desired alloy or composition. Microsegregation of trace and minor elements during lead casting and processing can account for the experimental variabilities measured in various evidentiary and comparison samples by laboratory analysts. Thus, elevated concentrations of antimony and copper at crystallographic grain boundaries, the widely varying sizes of grains in Mannlicher-Carcano bullet lead, and the 5-60 mg bullet samples analyzed for assassination intelligence effectively resulted in operational sampling error for the analyses. This deficiency was not considered in the original data interpretation and resulted in an ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Recently we have found a highly effective additive for the melt growth processings attaining high critical currents in YBCO superconductor. It is platinum and it behaves as an effective grain growth inhibitor for the Y{sub 2}BaCuO{sub 5} phase. Even with less than 1 wt.% doping, Y{sub 2}BaCuO{sub 5} particles becomes less than one micron in size and distribute themselves to become homogeneously embedded in the large grown YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub y} grains. The sample shows large magnetic hysteresis and a typical J{sub c} value estimated by using Bean's model critical state model is 18000 A/cm{sup 2} at 77 K and 1 T. We found that rhodium has a similar remarkable effect. (orig.).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The densification of #alpha#"1-and #alpha#"+#beta#"1-sialon ceramics has been studied by means of in situ dilatometry. It is seen that the densification is greatly affected by the reaction sequences and the grain growth. The formation and densification of sialons start simultaneously as the dissolution of nitrides into the oxide eutectic liquid phase occurs. The formation of sialons is complete at 1800 deg C., while full densification can only be obtained by using gas pressure sintering. The typical microstructure of both #alpha#"'-and mixed #alpha#'+#beta#'-sialon ceramics consists of a crystalline phase of sialons and a small fraction of amorphous phase at grain boundaries. Vickers hardness (HV0.5) was measured by using the indentation technique, and the biaxial bending strength (#sigma#_b_i) was determined with the 'ball-on-ring' test. Fracture toughness was determined by using both the indentation and single-edged notched beam techniques. ...

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Spray depositing allows the production of steels having a structure which is free of any macro-segregation, homogeneous and equiaxed. Nevertheless the spray deposition of steels shows some effects that have to be regarded as disadvantages. A porous region at the billet border and a rather coarse-grained microstructure can be noticed. As a result, in the presented work the influence of a subsequent hot rolling and a following heat treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties has been investigated. For this purpose the bearing steel SAE 52100 has been used as master material. The initial microstructure has been transformed to a homogeneous equiaxed fine-grained pearlitic microstructure without any remaining porosity. To get use of the characteristic properties of this high-strength steel an isothermal bainitic hardening has been carried out. Information about the mechanical properties of this material has been gained by tensile and ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In this study, dissimilar welds between HP heat-resistant steel and Incoloy 800 were made with four different filler materials including: 309 stainless steel and nickel-based Inconel 82, 182 and 617. The microstructure of the base metals, weld metals and their interfaces were characterized by utilizing optical and scanning electron microscopy. Grain boundaries migration in the weld metals was studied. It was found that the migration of grain boundaries in the Inconel 82 weld metal was very extensive. Precipitates of TiC and M_2_3C_6 (M = Cr and Mo) in the Inconel 617 weld metal are identified. The necessary conditions for the formation of cracks close to the fusion line of the 309-HP joints are described. Furthermore unmixed zone near the fusion line between HP steel base metal and Inconel 82 weld metal is discussed. An epitaxial growth is characterized at the fusion line of the 309-Alloy 800 and Inconel 617-Alloy 800 joints.

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Traditional laboratory diffusion experiments in rock material are time consuming, and quite small samples are generally used. Electrical conductivity measurements, on the other hand, provide a fast means for examining transport properties in rock and allow measurements on larger samples as well. Laboratory measurements using electrical conductivity give results that compare well to those from traditional diffusion experiments. The measurement of the electrical resistivity in the rock surrounding a borehole is a standard method for the detection of water conducting fractures. If these data could be correlated to matrix diffusion properties, in-situ diffusion data from large areas could be obtained. This would be valuable because it would make it possible to obtain data very early in future investigations of potentially suitable sites for a repository. This study compares laboratory electrical conductivity measurements with in-situ resistivity measurements from a borehole at Aespoe. The ...

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Clay-based materials can be cold-stabilized using binder and formed by extrusion. This paper deals with the properties of such materials under the influence of silico-aluminous flying ashes addition. Flying ashes are solid industrial wastes produced by coal combustion. Characteristics of ashes bearing clay-based products, such as dimensional stability, water and mechanical resistance, accelerated aging, are considerably improved with respect to simple clay-binder mixtures. This is principally due to a better hydration of the binder in ashes-bearing mixtures because of: a higher free-water availability as a consequence of the smaller specific surface of ash grains, the filler effect of ash grains which do not participate to the reactions, the specific property of silico-aluminous ashes that can fix the lime in presence of water to produce hydrated compounds. These ashes-bearing clay based materials can have the same qualities as classical ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bulk nanocrystalline pure iron rods were fabricated by the equal channel angular pressure (ECAP) technique up to eight passes. The microstructure and grain size distribution, natural immersion and electrochemical corrosion in simulated body fluid, cellular responses and hemocompatibility were investigated in this study. The results indicate that nanocrystalline pure iron after severe plastic deformation (SPD) would sustain durable span duration and exhibit much stronger corrosion resistance than that of the microcrystalline pure iron. The interaction of different cell lines reveals that the nanocrystalline pure iron stimulates better proliferation of fibroblast cells and preferable promotion of endothelialization, while inhibits effectively the viability of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The burst of red cells and adhesion of the platelets were also substantially suppressed on contact with the nanocrystalline pure iron in blood circulation. A clear ...

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The global production of steel is predicted to increase rapidly to meet future demands. In order to conserve the natural resources, certain measures must be taken. These include perfecting the recycling of steel, improving the performance to extend the life of the material, and reduce the need for massive production of steel by increasing the strength of the material. This paper presented a design concept for ultrafine complex microstructure steel. The National Research Institute for Metals in Japan has worked on a project which investigated 800 MPa ferrite steel for welded structures with a chemical composition similar to 400 MPa-class plain carbon steel. The doubled strength was attributed to grain refinement. Novel welding techniques were also used for joining the ultrafine microstructure. In this study, low carbon Si-Mn ferrite-pearlite steels were subjected to a thermo-mechanical treatment to produce a microstructure of 1 micron order ultrafine ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The transport properties of a 'thin' polycrystalline diamond film are analyzed after the sample exposure to 8.06-keV x-ray radiation. Structure and morphology of the as-grown film have been evaluated by Raman, x-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy techniques. The transport properties have been investigated by measuring dark current-voltage characteristics in the temperature range of 60 to 360 K. Ohmic transport has been evidenced on the as-grown film up to 1.16x10"5 V/cm. After irradiation, nonlinear contributions to the dark current have been evidenced and related to field-assisted thermal ionization of traps. Below 200 K, hopping mechanisms have been observed. Correlations have been found among x-ray irradiation, density of traps involved in the transport processes, and the nonhomogeneous nature of the sample. A simple model of the grain boundary structure is proposed to explain the observations.

CERN Document Server

Aims: The production of saturated organic molecules in hot cores and corinos is not well understood. The standard approach is to assume that, as temperatures heat up during star formation, methanol and other species evaporate from grain surfaces and undergo a warm gas-phase chemistry at 100 K or greater to produce species such as methyl formate, dimethyl ether, and others. But a series of laboratory results shows that protonated ions, typical precursors to final products in ion-molecule schemes, tend to fragment upon dissociative recombination with electrons rather than just ejecting a hydrogen atom. Moreover, the specific proposed reaction to produce protonated methyl formate is now known not to occur at all. Methods: We utilize a gas-grain chemical network to probe the chemistry of the relatively ignored stage of hot core evolution during which the protostar switches on and the temperature of the surrounding gas and dust rises from 10 K to ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ca #alpha#-sialon is a high hardness material that exhibits in-situ growth of elongated grains during pressureless sintering. This potentially gives the material very good fracture toughness. This paper examined the effects of a number of variables on microstructural development during sintering. The effect of composition was investigated by studying seven different compositions. Densification was seen to be hindered in compositions that produced only small quantities of liquid phase during sintering. Elongated #alpha#-sialon was observed in all the compositions. It was in combination with equiaxed #alpha#--sialon in low liquid compositions, but only elongated #alpha#-sialon was present in the liquid rich compositions. The effects of using P-Si_3N_4 instead of #alpha#-Si_3N_4 starting powders were also examined. Compositions using only #alpha#-S_3N_4 and those that used a 50:50 #alpha#:#beta# mix displayed similar development during sintering. However, compositions ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Separate effect of impurities and alloying additions of phosphorus, silicon, boron, carbon, sulphur, magnesium, copper, aluminium and molybdenum on the tendency to intergranular corrosion (IGC) of quenched highly pure steel Fe-20% Cr-20Ni in boiling solution 27% HNO_3+40 g/l Cr"6"+, as well as in sulphuric and nitric acids mainly at potentials, corresponding to repassivation range, has been studied. It is shown that steel susceptibility to IGC depends on impurity nature and to a high extent is determined by the potential value independent of the way of its achieving. The most unfavourable effect on stability of grain boundaries is produced by microadditions of boron as well as by impurities of phosphorus and silicon. To ensure increased corrosion resistance of the investigated steel against IGC in highly oxidative media the pontent of phosphorus and silicon impurities unit should not exceed 0.01 and 0.2% respectively. At that, boron introduction into steel as a ...

Science.gov (United States)

In this study, four API X80 pipeline steels were fabricated by varying Mo, Cr, and V additions, and their microstructures and crystallographic orientations were analyzed to investigate the effects of their alloying compositions on tensile properties and Charpy impact properties. Because additions of Mo and V promoted the formation of fine acicular ferrite (AF) and granular bainite (GB) while prohibiting the formation of coarse GB, they increased the strength and upper-shelf energy (USE) and decreased the energy transition temperature (ETT). The addition of Cr promoted the formation of coarse GB and hard secondary phases, thereby leading to an increased effective grain size, ETT, and strength, and a decreased USE. The addition of V resulted in a higher strength, a higher USE, a smaller effective grain size, and a lower ETT, because it promoted the formation of fine and homogeneous of AF and GB. The steel that contains 0.3 wt pct Mo and 0.06 wt ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The effect of warm rolling under various conditions on the microstructure and mechanical property was investigated using an AZ31 Mg alloy sheet. Several processing parameters such as initial thickness, thickness reduction by a single pass rolling, rolling temperature, roll speed, and roll temperature were varied to elicit an optimum condition for the warm rolling process of AZ31 Mg alloy. Microstructure and mechanical properties were measured for specimens subjected to rolling experiments of various conditions. Warm rolling of 30% thickness reduction per pass was possible without any side-crack at temperatures as low as 200 C under the roll speed of 30 m/min. The initial microstructure before rolling was the mixed one consisting of partially recrystallized and cast structures. Grain refinement was found to occur actively during the warm rolling, producing a very fine grain size of 7 {mu}m after 50% reduction in single pass rolling at 200 C. ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Certain 6000-series extrusions may develop susceptibility to intergranular corrosion (IGC) by improper heat treatment, especially if copper is present as an alloying element. Although occurrence of IGC in such cases is documented, the underlying mechanisms are not adequately explained. We present corrosion data for two model alloys, having different Cu content and Mg:Si ratio, showing that the susceptibility to IGC depended primarily on the Cu content and secondly on thermal processing. Low Cu samples (0.0005 wt.% Cu) were essentially resistant to IGC. High Cu samples (0.12 wt.% Cu), which were air cooled after extrusion, exhibited significant IGC. However, IGC susceptibility was reduced significantly as a result of artificial aging to peak strength. Water quenched high Cu samples were essentially resistant to IGC. However, slight IGC susceptibility was introduced after aging. Electron optical characterisation revealed Al_4Mg_8Si_7Cu_2 (Q-phase) grain boundary ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ion bombardment during deposition can significantly modify the film properties. In the partially ionized beam deposition, ions derived from the depositing material, i.e., the self-ions, are used during deposition. Cu films were deposited on SiO_2 substrates at room temperature using 1% Cu self-ions with an energy ranging between 0--4 keV. We studied the microstructures of the Cu films using x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, measured the impurity level inside the films using secondary ion mass spectrometry, and performed the resistivity measurements using a four point probe. The results indicate that there is an optimum ion energy around 2 keV at which, the integrated x-ray intensity ratio I(111)/I(200) reaches its maximum value indicating a strong left-angle 111 right-angle texture, while the impurity concentration and resisitivity are minimum. The correlation between the structural, compositional and electrical properties are discussed in the framework of Mayadas ...

Science.gov (United States)

Ion bombardment during deposition can significantly modify the film properties. In the partially ionized beam deposition, ions derived from the depositing material, i.e., the self-ions, are used during deposition. Cu films were deposited on SiO{sub 2} substrates at room temperature using 1% Cu self-ions with an energy ranging between 0--4 keV. We studied the microstructures of the Cu films using x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, measured the impurity level inside the films using secondary ion mass spectrometry, and performed the resistivity measurements using a four point probe. The results indicate that there is an optimum ion energy around 2 keV at which, the integrated x-ray intensity ratio {ital I}(111)/{ital I}(200) reaches its maximum value indicating a strong {l angle}111{r angle} texture, while the impurity concentration and resisitivity are minimum. The correlation between the structural, compositional and electrical properties are discussed in the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This paper presents a new methodology to create realistic 3D microstructures of polycrystals. The virtual microstructures are based on statistical data describing the morphological and crystallographic textures of a sample, obtained from an EBSD analysis. In addition, the methodology can reproduce the observed surface on top of the simulated microstructure. This feature allows finite element calculations on these virtual aggregates to be compared to experimental results of mechanical tests. Such a comparison leads to the identification of the mechanical parameters of constitutive laws, such as critical resolved shear stress and strain hardening, using an optimization algorithm. Two materials were simulated in this study: TiAl and grade 702 zirconium. The first one presents twins inside the microstructure and the second one has an anisotropic texture. Based on 2D simulations, the important parameters necessary to describe a microstructure were identified as grain ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A series of ball-on-disc wear and friction measurements were made for surfaces which have a chemical vapour deposition carbon silicon alloy layer on a carbon substrate (fine grain POCO graphite). Nitrogen ion irradiation was used to improve the wear resistance of the carbon alloy surface. For comparison, measurements were also taken for alumina against alumina. It was found that the lowest friction coefficient and lowest wear occurred for ion irradiated coated samples containing 4% Si in the alloy and that the performance was superior to that of alumina. ((orig.)).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mg-3%Al-1%Zn (AZ31) alloy was subjected to ECAE processing at 523 and 573 K. Microstructure observation and texture analysis were carried out using optical microscope and SEM-EBSD technique in order to investigate the process of microstructural changes including texture development during ECAE processing. Grain refinement during ECAE processing is enhanced by dynamic continuous recrystallization. The texture of the ECAE-processed AZ31 alloy specimens change with ECAE processing temperature, and the textural changes relate to deformation mechanisms that change with ECAE processing temperature. (orig.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Effect of strain and temperature on high temperature deformation properties of an alpha + beta titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V has been investigated in the temperature range 800 to 910 deg. C by using the method of cross head speed cycling. On the basis of flow stress strain rate-strain rate sensitivity data and microstructural studies of the undeformed and deformed regions of tensile test pieces, both strain introduced hardening and softening effects were observed during the course of deformation which could be associated with grain coarsening and refining respectively. (author)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We explore the relation of nanostructures with the appearance of giant magnetoresistance (GMR) in melt-spun CuCo ribbons. We find by energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy that the ribbons are composed of a periodic distribution of Co within the Cu, as in spinodal decomposition. The lamellar structure should thus be associated with GMR, as only a small percentage of the Co is present in the form of grains. This is counterintuitive, for no clear interfaces are present as required by standard models, and the period of the composition oscillation (43-52 nm) is an order of magnitude larger than the mean free paths for electrons. Upon annealing, a secondary spinodal decomposition appears following the same direction as the original.

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We present the synthesis, magnetic and UV spectrometry of NiZn-ferrite nanofiber. The single phase of spinel ferrite was obtained at 600 {sup o}C. The NiZn-ferrite fibers fabricated by an electrospinning process were formed as a polygonal grain growth with firing temperature in fiber matrix. It appeared that the saturation magnetization (M{sub S}) of NiZn-ferrite nanofiber was dependent on Ni/Zn molar ratio which is similar to that of the inverse spinel ferrites. The NiZn-ferrite fibers showed good DNA adsorption efficiency that can be modified and utilized for DNA separation with magnetic nanofiber as a novel material in clinical applications.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The symposium, Polycrystalline Thin Films - Structure, Texture, Properties, and Applications III, was held at the 1997 Materials Research Society Spring Meeting on March 31--April 4 in San Francisco, California. The topics and investigations were interdisciplinary in nature, and ranged from fundamental to technological. Specifically, the work presented in this volume includes film growth, texture and structural evolution, phase transformation, characterization of grain boundaries and interfaces, stress analysis, and works on polycrystalline Si and SiGe films and devices. Fifty four papers were processed separately for inclusion on the data base.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Technologic regimes of cryomotor rotor fabrication are determined. Blanks of yttrium ceramics powder are molded hydrostatically at 400-600 MPa. To confirm the serviceability of electric machines of the considered, a hysteretic 10 W power electric motor with the following dimensions of HTSC-ceramics rotor: external diameter - 56 mm; internal diameter - 45 mm, height - 60 mm, is developed and tested in the liquid nitrogen medium. 8 refs.; 8 figs.; 1 tab.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A report is given on an improved filler-binder mixing method in the manufacture of artificial graphite, the so-called coat-mix process. The individual graphite-filler grains are coated completely with uniform binder coatings (phenol formaldehyde resin) in a continuous process. Methanol is used as solvent for the resin. In a modified further development of the process, the use of organic solvents can be disregarded by dissolving the binder resin in caustic soda and injecting the slurry into water diluted acid. The manufacture of casting molds from coat-mix powders, their properties and industrial application are given. Finally, the advantages of using carbon bodies of coal-mix material for conversion to silicon carbide are indicated. (IHOE).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper reports the presence of face centered cubic cobalt precipitates inside tungsten carbide in nanocomposite of WC-Co synthesized by spray conversion processing. EDS was used to identify the presence and micro-diffraction was employed to determine the nature of the precipitates. There is entrapment of cobalt in tungsten carbide during the spray conversion process used to form WC/Co powder. During consolidation, at high temperatures, the cobalt attains enough mobility to precipitate inside WC. A vanadium containing compound was seen at the interfaces in samples which incorporated VC as a grain growth inhibitor. (orig.)

Science.gov (United States)

A method is disclosed for the production of form coke, such as coke for use in the smelting industry as blast furnace coke and also in electro-metallurgical facilities. The process consists of : coking a high volatile coal containing at least 35% volatile constituents so as to remove the volatile constituents to form a non-baking base coal; mixing a plurality of fine grain coal components together, of which at least one of the components comprises said non-baking base coal and at least one other component comprises a baking bituminous coal so as to form a mixture of such coals; subjecting the mixture to a degassing operation using highly volatile coals; coking the degassed mixture; and pressing the coke into briquettes.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wood-plastic combination (WPC) was produced by #gamma#-irradiation of persimmon impregnated with acrylonitrile and styrene. The hardness and strength of WPC obtained were higher than those of an unmodified wood. Thus, it was found that the WPC is suited for a head of golf club, because the Shore hardness value of WPC is 36% greater than that of unmodified wood. An impregnation method of monomers with some pigments could produce colored WPC without diminishing natural grain. Head of golf club could be manufactured from colored WPC in practice. (auhtor).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The report discusses: Combustion characteristics of various commercial cokes for cupola furnace operation; quality level of modern cokes; foundry coke, blast furnace coke, MB coke; characteristic data, e.g. grain size distribution, drum resistance, concentrations of water, carbon, sulphur, ash, and volatiles, reactivity; changes in coke quality during transport. (HS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The influence of microalloying vanadium or titanium on improving the corrosion resistance of mild steel in saturated calcium hydroxide solution was investigated. Potential-time, potentiodynamic polarization, and impedance measurement techniques were employed. The corrosion products have been examined by infrared and X-ray diffraction analysis and by scanning electron microscopy. It has been shown that the grain refining, due to microalloying, plays an important role in enhancing the corrosion resistance of steel. Scales of calcite and iron oxides on top of a protective oxide are formed on the investigated steels.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Optimum conditions for microstructural control in industrial hot working of cast and homogenized AZ31 magnesium alloys are evaluated by using a processing map. The recommended window for bulk metal working of this alloy is the domain in the temperature range 300-450 C and strain rate range 1-10 s{sup -1}, and the optimum processing parameters are 400 C and 10 s{sup -1}, where grain-boundary self diffusion is the rate-controlling mechanism. (Abstract Copyright [2009], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Friction stir welding of dissimilar formed Mg alloys(AZ31/AZ91) was successfully carried out at the limited welding conditions. In a sound joint, SZ was mainly consisted of AZ31 Mg alloy which was located the retreating side. Dynamic recrystallization and grain growth occurred and {beta} intermetallic compounds of AZ 91 Mg alloy was not observed in SZ. BM had a higher hardness than that of the weld zone. The fracture location was not weld zone but BM of the AZ91 Mg alloy in tensile test. (orig.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

AlN nanocrystalline layers and superstructures are used in the modern optoelectronic technology as reflecting mirrors in semiconductor layers. In the present work the properties of AlN films prepared by sputtering methods from an AlN target in reactive Ar + N plasma were investigated. The characterization was performed with HRTEM, SEM, glancing angle XRD and RBS methods. The present measurements confirmed the polycrystalline structure of AlN layers and enabled the evaluation of their grain size. The roughness and thickness of the layers were additionally determined by ellipsometric and profilometric measurements. (author)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Magnesium cast parts as well as indirectly and hydrostatically extruded profiles were used in order to investigate the influence of different microstructures on the damping behaviour of magnesium AZ-alloys. Especially, hydrostatic extrusion leads to a significant grain refinement in the extruded profile compared to indirect extrusion. Strain dependent damping measurements were carried out at room temperature using alloys AZ31, AZ61 and AZ80. Damping was determined as the logarithmic decrement of free bending beam vibrations. The results of these measurements after indirect and hydrostatic extrusion are shown and discussed. (orig.)

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

We discuss the feasibility of a hierarchical protocol whereby the description and prediction of adsorbed fluids in confined systems at the mesoscopic scale is achieved by use of interface potentials that are obtained from raw molecular simulation data. Starting from a microscopic description of a fluid?s interface on a flat substrate, we attempt to extract the minimum information that is required in order to predict the behavior of that fluid at larger length scales from coarse grained surface Hamiltonians. A critical assessment of this procedure hinges on controversial aspects of wetting behavior and more generally on the meaning of metastability and instability of thermodynamic systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Lecture notes (pdf) on Ceramics is part of a physics course on the properties of matter from the University of Auckland, Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering. The following topics are covered: types of chemical bonding, degree of ionic character, structure of ceramics and crystallography, interstitial sites in different crystal structures, silicate structures, glasses, glass transition temperature, glass viscosity, thermal and mechanical properties of ceramics and glasses, fracture properties of ceramics and processing of ceramic materials. Keywords: ionic bonds; covalent bonds; coordination numbers; thermal shock; grain growth; sintering; green body

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Both microstructural graded and homogenous single-phase #alpha#-Sialon is obtained from Si_3N_4 powder for a broad range of compositions of practical interest. Elongated grains of #alpha#-Sialon could be developed in the monophase material by controlled mechanism of nucleation and growth. Tailoring of microstructure was realized through slow transformation reaction from Si_3N_4 to #alpha#-Sialon at lower temperature than sintering temperature when the composition is near the #alpha#-Sialon phase boundary. The mechanical properties are strongly correlated with the microstructure and are enhanced greatly in the optimized Sialon composition. (author)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We have investigated the nanocrystalline microstructure and the hard magnetic properties of Sm(Co{sub 0.725}Fe{sub 0.1}Cu{sub 0.12}Zr{sub 0.04}B{sub 0.015}){sub 7.4} melt-spun ribbons. The coercivity (H{sub c}) of the as-spun ribbons increased with the wheel surface speed from 2.8kOe for 10m/s to 14.5kOe for 40m/s. The post-annealing of the melt-spun ribbons from 700 to 900 deg. C for 10min did not lead to a substantial increase of H{sub c}. However, after isothermal aging at 820 deg. C and subsequent slow cooling (0.5 deg. C/min) to 120 deg. C, H{sub c} increased from 2.8 to 10.9kOe for 10m/s, while it decreased from 14.5 to 13.5kOe for 40m/s ribbons. The grain size of the melt-spun ribbon reduced with structural transformation from 2:17H (Th{sub 2}Ni{sub 17}-hexagonal type) to 1:7H (TbCu{sub 7}-hexagonal type) as the wheel surface speed was increased. Three-dimensional atom probe analysis showed a boron enriched precipitate at the grain ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In situ scanning tunneling microscopy has been used to study the nucleation and growth mechanisms and the structure of passive films formed on Cu(111) surfaces in 0.1 M borate buffer solution (pH 9.3). A surface topography characterized by terraces with monoatomic steps is obtained after potentiodynamic reduction down to {minus}1.12 V/standard hydrogen electrode (SHE), of the electropolished surface exposed to air. The formation of a single Cu{sub 2}O passive layer at 0.03 V/SHE proceeds first by a roughening of the steps assigned to a locally blocked step flow process due to a competition between dissolution and preferential nucleation of the oxide at the steps. The observed oxide nuclei are 2--3 nm wide and about one atomic plane high. This process leads to the complete coverage of the terraces by a grain-like structure of the oxide film. The initial terrace topography is completely altered. Thickening of this oxide layer leads to unstable scanning tunneling ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We have tested the suitability of a new single-aliquot regenerative-dose protocol for estimating the equivalent dose (D_e) in polymineral fine grains extracted from colluvia from various sites in Germany. First, we report the behaviour of three OSL signals: (i) blue-stimulated, (ii) infrared-stimulated luminescence, and (iii) blue-stimulated luminescence following infrared (IR) stimulation, using a near-UV (290-380 nm) detection window in each case. For these three signals, there is a significant change in sensitivity with regeneration cycle; this change can be compensated for using the response to a fixed test dose after each natural or regenerated measurement. The source of the three luminescence signals is then investigated using pulse-anneal and elevated-temperature experiments. Fading tests on laboratory-induced signals show that although the IR signals fade by up to 23% in 15 days at 100 deg. C, the post-IR blue signals are stable. The preheat dependence of ...