Atomic-scale processes revealing dynamic twin boundary strengthening mechanisms in face-centered cubic materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Z.Q.; Chisholm, M.F.; He, L.L.; Pennycook, S.J.; Ye, H.Q.

2012-01-01

We report experimental investigations on interactions/reactions between dislocations and twin boundaries in Al. The absorption of screw dislocations via cross-slip and the production of stair-rods via reactions with non-screw dislocations were verified by atomic resolution imaging. Importantly, the resulting partial dislocations moving along twin boundaries can produce secondary sessile defects. These immobile defects act as obstacles to other dislocations and also serve to pin the twin boundaries. These findings show the atomic-level dynamics of the dislocation–twin boundary processes and the unique strengthening mechanism of twin boundaries in face-centered cubic metals.

On the electron density localization in elemental cubic ceramic and FCC transition metals by means of a localized electrons detector.

Science.gov (United States)

Aray, Yosslen; Paredes, Ricardo; Álvarez, Luis Javier; Martiz, Alejandro

2017-06-14

The electron density localization in insulator and semiconductor elemental cubic materials with diamond structure, carbon, silicon, germanium, and tin, and good metallic conductors with face centered cubic structure such as α-Co, Ni, Cu, Rh, Pd, Ag, Ir, Pt, and Au, was studied using a localized electrons detector defined in the local moment representation. Our results clearly show an opposite pattern of the electron density localization for the cubic ceramic and transition metal materials. It was found that, for the elemental ceramic materials, the zone of low electron localization is very small and is mainly localized on the atomic basin edges. On the contrary, for the transition metals, there are low-valued localized electrons detector isocontours defining a zone of highly delocalized electrons that extends throughout the material. We have found that the best conductors are those in which the electron density at this low-value zone is the lowest.

Orientation dependence of the dislocation microstructure in compressed body-centered cubic molybdenum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, S.; Wang, M.P.; Chen, C.; Xiao, Z.; Jia, Y.L.; Li, Z.; Wang, Z.X.

2014-01-01

The orientation dependence of the deformation microstructure has been investigated in commercial pure molybdenum. After deformation, the dislocation boundaries of compressed molybdenum can be classified, similar to that in face-centered cubic metals, into three types: dislocation cells (Type 2), and extended planar boundaries parallel to (Type 1) or not parallel to (Type 3) a (110) trace. However, it shows a reciprocal relationship between face-centered cubic metals and body-centered cubic metals on the orientation dependence of the deformation microstructure. The higher the strain, the finer the microstructure is and the smaller the inclination angle between extended planar boundaries and the compression axis is. - Highlights: • A reciprocal relationship between FCC metals and BCC metals is confirmed. • The dislocation boundaries can be classified into three types in compressed Mo. • The dislocation characteristic of different dislocation boundaries is different

The flow stress of high-purity refractory body-centred cubic metals and its modification by atomic defects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seeger, A.

1995-01-01

The strong temperature and strain-rate dependence of the flow stress of high-purity refractory body-centred cubic metals has been shown to be an intrinsic property and is usually ascribed to a high Peierls barrier of a o left angle 111 right angle /2 screw dislocations. These barriers are overcome by the formation of kink pairs on the screw dislocations. The paper reports on recent, very complete flow-stress data on ultra-high purity Mo crystals obtained by two different experimental techniques and covering the temperature range 4 K to 460 K. The results are in accord with earlier work of Brunner and Diehl on α-Fe, who showed that below the so-called knee temperature, T K , three regimes in the temperature variation of the flow-stress should be distinguished. Two of them are fully accounted for by the same glide mechanism, namely elementary glide steps on {211} planes. The so-called upper bend separating these two regimes in an inherent feature of the theory of kink-pair formation and does not indicate a change in the glide mechanism. There is, however, strong evidence that the so-called lower bend, separating the range of {211} elementary glide steps from the low-temperature flow-stress regime, is due to a change in the glide mechanism. It is argued that at the lower bend the screw-dislocation cores undergo a ''first-order phase transition'' from a low-temperature configuration that allows glide of a given screw dislocation on any of its three {110} glide planes to a high-temperature configuration that can glide only on one definite {211} plane. Between T K and the lower-bend temperature, T, bcc metals may show the unique phenomena of alloy and irradiation softening. With regard to the latter phenomenon, Brunner and Diehl distinguish between ''primary'' and ''secondary'' softening. It is shown that alloy softening and the ''secondary irradiation softening'' of bcc metals may be explained by an ''overheating'' of the phase transition in the dislocation core. (orig./WL)

Use of the Primitive Unit Cell in Understanding Subtle Features of the Cubic Closest-Packed Structure

Science.gov (United States)

Hawkins, John A.; Rittenhouse, Jeffrey L.; Soper, Linda M.; Rittenhouse, Robert C.

2008-01-01

One of the most important crystal structures adopted by metals is characterized by the "abcabc"...stacking of close-packed layers. This structure is commonly referred to in textbooks as the cubic close-packed (ccp) or face-centered cubic (fcc) structure, since the entire lattice can be generated by replication of a face-centered cubic unit cell…

Martensitic cubic → tetragonal transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schumann, H.

1983-01-01

Indium-thallium alloys containing 14 to 30% At. Tl have a cubic face-centred beta phase wich changes into a tetragonal face-centred alpha martensite during solidification. The martensite contains twin crystals that are large enough to be seen by means of a light microscope. The phenomenological crystallographic martensite theory was used to calculate Miller's index of the habit plane, the formation of the surface relief, the orientation relations and the critical thickness ratio of the twins. In a beta monocrystal frequently only one of the 24 crystallographic possible habit planes are formed at one end of the sample and migrate through the whole crystal when the temperature drops. Externally applied tension and compression influence in different ways the direction in which the habit plane moves and can even destroy the twinned structure, i.e. they can modify the substructure of the martensite crystal. This induces superelasticity, an effect that has also been described quantitatively. (author)

Slip systems, dislocation boundaries and lattice rotations in deformed metals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Winther, Grethe

2009-01-01

Metals are polycrystals and consist of grains, which are subdivided on a finer scale upon plastic deformation due to formation of dislocation boundaries. The crystallographic alignment of planar dislocation boundaries in face centred cubic metals, like aluminium and copper, deformed to moderate...... of the mechanical anisotropy of rolled sheets. The rotation of the crystallographic lattice in each grain during deformation also exhibits grain orientation dependence, originating from the slip systems. A combined analysis of dislocation boundaries and lattice rotations concludes that the two phenomena are coupled...

Face-centered-cubic Nb-Si solid solutions produced by picosecond pulsed laser quenching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, W.K.; Spaepen, F.

1985-01-01

Face-centered-cubic Nb/sub 100-x/Si/sub x/ solid solutions (10 2 . The lattice parameters of these solutions suggest that the solute atoms can be interstitial or substitutional, probably as a result of a change in the quenching conditions

Temperature dependence of critical resolved shear stress for cubic metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rashid, H.; Fazal-e-Aleem; Ali, M.

1996-01-01

The experimental measurements for critical resolved shear stress of various BCC and FCC metals have been explained by using Radiation Model. The temperature dependence of CRSS for different cubic metals is found to the first approximation, to upon the type of the crystal. A good agreement between experimental observations and predictions of the Radiation Model is found. (author)

New orientation formation and growth during primary recrystallization in stable single crystals of three face-centred cubic metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miszczyk, M.; Paul, H.; Driver, J.H.; Maurice, C.

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: For Ni, Cu and Cu-2%Al and (1 1 0)[0 0 −1] and (1 1 0)[1 −1 −2] initial orientations at the initial stages of recrystallization, the appearance of a specific number of new orientation groups of new grains has been demonstrated. The orientation relations across the recrystallization front are characterized by a high proportion of angles in the range 25–35° and 45–55° around axes mostly grouped about the 〈1 2 2〉, 〈1 1 1〉, 〈1 2 3〉 and 〈1 1 2〉 directions. A local minimum was noted for the disorientation angle densities close to 40° in all cases. For a single isolated nucleus of uniform orientation, the rotation axes are usually grouped around one of the normals of all four {1 1 1} planes but do not (or only rarely) coincide with them. The orientation of the growing new grain quickly transforms through the formation of a first generation twins. The most frequent situation occurs when the normal of the twinning face plane is situated near the rotation axis, around which the crystal lattice of the ‘primary nuclei’ rotates. Based on the anisotropy of grain growth a possible mechanism of orientation generation and grain growth by thermally activation movement of dislocation families, on {1 1 1} planes is proposed. - Abstract: The early stages of recrystallization have been systematically characterized in single crystal metals of medium and low stacking fault energy. Goss {1 1 0}〈0 0 1〉 and brass {1 1 0}〈1 1 2〉 oriented samples of Ni, Cu and Cu–2 wt.% Al alloy were deformed in a channel die to a logarithmic strain of 0.51 to develop a homogeneous structure composed of two sets of symmetrical primary microbands and then lightly annealed. Scanning electron microscopy/electron backscattered diffraction analyses demonstrate a strong relation between as-deformed orientations and the limited number of recrystallized grain orientations. The disorientation angles across the recrystallization front are mostly grouped in

Off-centre motion in doped cubic oxides: A general view on the instability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aramburu, J.A.; Garcia-Fernandez, P., E-mail: garciapa@unican.es; Moreno, M.

2015-10-16

Highlights: • Recent experiment showing an off-centre motion in MgO:Ni{sup 2+} is unlikely to be correct. • Correspondence between small ionic radius and off-centre motion does not exist. • Small impurity charge or small coupling to the lattice facilitate off-centre motion. - Abstract: The existence of an off-centre distortion for impurities in cubic oxides is explored by Density Functional Theory calculations. We find that models based on ionic radii are inadequate to explain the off-centre instability. By contrast, increase of the nominal impurity charge or decrease of the host lattice constant act against the off-centre distortion. This explains why the motion of just the Ni{sup 2+} impurity can happen in SrO, in agreement with experimental data, while not for smaller Cr{sup 3+} or Ti{sup 4+} ions in the same lattice. Moreover, the different electronic structure and coupling to the host lattice are shown to be behind a small but positive force constant for Na{sup +} and Mn{sup 2+} in SrO. Our results indicate that an off-centre motion in MgO:Ni{sup 2+} is rather unlikely and that the local contributions to the instability in pure BaTiO{sub 3} are not enough to induce ferroelectricity if just the movement of Ti{sup 4+} ion is considered.

Efficient LBM visual simulation on face-centered cubic lattices.

Science.gov (United States)

Petkov, Kaloian; Qiu, Feng; Fan, Zhe; Kaufman, Arie E; Mueller, Klaus

2009-01-01

The Lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) for visual simulation of fluid flow generally employs cubic Cartesian (CC) lattices such as the D3Q13 and D3Q19 lattices for the particle transport. However, the CC lattices lead to suboptimal representation of the simulation space. We introduce the face-centered cubic (FCC) lattice, fD3Q13, for LBM simulations. Compared to the CC lattices, the fD3Q13 lattice creates a more isotropic sampling of the simulation domain and its single lattice speed (i.e., link length) simplifies the computations and data storage. Furthermore, the fD3Q13 lattice can be decomposed into two independent interleaved lattices, one of which can be discarded, which doubles the simulation speed. The resulting LBM simulation can be efficiently mapped to the GPU, further increasing the computational performance. We show the numerical advantages of the FCC lattice on channeled flow in 2D and the flow-past-a-sphere benchmark in 3D. In both cases, the comparison is against the corresponding CC lattices using the analytical solutions for the systems as well as velocity field visualizations. We also demonstrate the performance advantages of the fD3Q13 lattice for interactive simulation and rendering of hot smoke in an urban environment using thermal LBM.

Influence of stacking fault energies on the size distribution and character of defect clusters formed by collision cascades in face-centered cubic metals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. Yang

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to evaluate the influence of the stacking fault energy (SFE as a single variable parameter on defect formation by collision cascades in face-centered cubic metals. The simulations are performed for energies of a primary knock-on atom (EPKA up to 50keV at 100K by using six sets of the recently developed embedded atom method–type potentials. Neither the number of residual defects nor their clustering behavior is found to be affected by the SFE, except for the mean size of the vacancy clusters at EPKA=50keV. The mean size increases as the SFE decreases because of the enhanced formation of large vacancy clusters, which prefer to have stacking faults inside them. On the other hand, the ratio of glissile self-interstitial atom (SIA clusters decreases as the SFE increases. At higher SFEs, both the number of Frank loops and number of perfect loops tend to decrease; instead, three-dimensional irregular clusters with higher densities appear, most of which are sessile. The effect of SFE on the number of Frank loops becomes apparent only at a high EPKA of 50keV, where comparably large SIA clusters can be formed with a higher density.

Pressure-driven insulator-metal transition in cubic phase UO2

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Li; Wang, Yilin; Werner, Philipp

2017-09-01

Understanding the electronic properties of actinide oxides under pressure poses a great challenge for experimental and theoretical studies. Here, we investigate the electronic structure of cubic phase uranium dioxide at different volumes using a combination of density functional theory and dynamical mean-field theory. The ab initio calculations predict an orbital-selective insulator-metal transition at a moderate pressure of ∼45 GPa. At this pressure the uranium's 5f 5/2 state becomes metallic, while the 5f 7/2 state remains insulating up to about 60 GPa. In the metallic state, we observe a rapid decrease of the 5f occupation and total angular momentum with pressure. Simultaneously, the so-called “Zhang-Rice state”, which is of predominantly 5f 5/2 character, quickly disappears after the transition into the metallic phase.

Neutron diffraction study of cubic titanium carbohydride at the homogeneity lower limit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khidirov, I.; Mirzaev, B.B.; Mukhtarova, N.N.

2004-01-01

Cubic carbohydride TiC 0.47H0.22 was prepared by means of quenching from 1200 deg.C followed by the heat treatment using special regime for preventing the hydrogen yield out the lattice. It is shown that at the lower limit of homogeneity range of the cubic carbohydride, hydrogen atoms occupy the tetrahedral interstices 8(c) of the disordered cubic structure with space group of Fm3m. It is found that carbon and hydrogen atoms are partially ordered by annealing at 900-700 deg.C. The ordered structure is face-centred cubic lattice with the parameter a ≅2a 0 , where a 0 is the lattice parameter in disordered structure. The crystal structure of the disordered phase is described within the framework of space group Fd3m, where the carbon atoms occupy mainly (70%) octahedral interstices 16(c) and another ones of carbon and all hydrogen atoms occupy the octahedral interstices 16(d). (author)

BDA: A novel method for identifying defects in body-centered cubic crystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Möller, Johannes J; Bitzek, Erik

2016-01-01

The accurate and fast identification of crystallographic defects plays a key role for the analysis of atomistic simulation output data. For face-centered cubic (fcc) metals, most existing structure analysis tools allow for the direct distinction of common defects, such as stacking faults or certain low-index surfaces. For body-centered cubic (bcc) metals, on the other hand, a robust way to identify such defects is currently not easily available. We therefore introduce a new method for analyzing atomistic configurations of bcc metals, the BCC Defect Analysis (BDA). It uses existing structure analysis algorithms and combines their results to uniquely distinguish between typical defects in bcc metals. In essence, the BDA method offers the following features:•Identification of typical defect structures in bcc metals.•Reduction of erroneously identified defects by iterative comparison to the defects in the atom's neighborhood.•Availability as ready-to-use Python script for the widespread visualization tool OVITO [http://ovito.org].

Discrete exterior calculus approach for discretizing Maxwell's equations on face-centered cubic grids for FDTD

Science.gov (United States)

Salmasi, Mahbod; Potter, Michael

2018-07-01

Maxwell's equations are discretized on a Face-Centered Cubic (FCC) lattice instead of a simple cubic as an alternative to the standard Yee method for improvements in numerical dispersion characteristics and grid isotropy of the method. Explicit update equations and numerical dispersion expressions, and the stability criteria are derived. Also, several tools available to the standard Yee method such as PEC/PMC boundary conditions, absorbing boundary conditions, and scattered field formulation are extended to this method as well. A comparison between the FCC and the Yee formulations is made, showing that the FCC method exhibits better dispersion compared to its Yee counterpart. Simulations are provided to demonstrate both the accuracy and grid isotropy improvement of the method.

Face Centered Cubic and Hexagonal Close Packed Skyrmion Crystals in Centrosymmetric Magnets

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Shi-Zeng; Batista, Cristian D.

2018-02-01

Skyrmions are disklike objects that typically form triangular crystals in two-dimensional systems. This situation is analogous to the so-called pancake vortices of quasi-two-dimensional superconductors. The way in which Skyrmion disks or "pancake Skyrmions" pile up in layered centrosymmetric materials is dictated by the interlayer exchange. Unbiased Monte Carlo simulations and simple stabilization arguments reveal face centered cubic and hexagonal close packed Skyrmion crystals for different choices of the interlayer exchange, in addition to the conventional triangular crystal of Skyrmion lines. Moreover, an inhomogeneous current induces a sliding motion of pancake Skyrmions, indicating that they behave as effective mesoscale particles.

BFACF-style algorithms for polygons in the body-centered and face-centered cubic lattices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Janse van Rensburg, E J [Department of Mathematics and Statistics, York University, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3 (Canada); Rechnitzer, A, E-mail: rensburg@yorku.ca, E-mail: andrewr@math.ubc.ca [Department of Mathematics, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 1Z2, British Columbia (Canada)

2011-04-22

In this paper, the elementary moves of the BFACF-algorithm (Aragao de Carvalho and Caracciolo 1983 Phys. Rev. B 27 1635-45, Aragao de Carvalho and Caracciolo 1983 Nucl. Phys. B 215 209-48, Berg and Foester 1981 Phys. Lett. B 106 323-6) for lattice polygons are generalized to elementary moves of BFACF-style algorithms for lattice polygons in the body-centered (BCC) and face-centered (FCC) cubic lattices. We prove that the ergodicity classes of these new elementary moves coincide with the knot types of unrooted polygons in the BCC and FCC lattices and so expand a similar result for the cubic lattice (see Janse van Rensburg and Whittington (1991 J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 24 5553-67)). Implementations of these algorithms for knotted polygons using the GAS algorithm produce estimates of the minimal length of knotted polygons in the BCC and FCC lattices.

BFACF-style algorithms for polygons in the body-centered and face-centered cubic lattices

Science.gov (United States)

Janse van Rensburg, E. J.; Rechnitzer, A.

2011-04-01

In this paper, the elementary moves of the BFACF-algorithm (Aragão de Carvalho and Caracciolo 1983 Phys. Rev. B 27 1635-45, Aragão de Carvalho and Caracciolo 1983 Nucl. Phys. B 215 209-48, Berg and Foester 1981 Phys. Lett. B 106 323-6) for lattice polygons are generalized to elementary moves of BFACF-style algorithms for lattice polygons in the body-centered (BCC) and face-centered (FCC) cubic lattices. We prove that the ergodicity classes of these new elementary moves coincide with the knot types of unrooted polygons in the BCC and FCC lattices and so expand a similar result for the cubic lattice (see Janse van Rensburg and Whittington (1991 J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 24 5553-67)). Implementations of these algorithms for knotted polygons using the GAS algorithm produce estimates of the minimal length of knotted polygons in the BCC and FCC lattices.

BFACF-style algorithms for polygons in the body-centered and face-centered cubic lattices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Janse van Rensburg, E J; Rechnitzer, A

2011-01-01

In this paper, the elementary moves of the BFACF-algorithm (Aragao de Carvalho and Caracciolo 1983 Phys. Rev. B 27 1635-45, Aragao de Carvalho and Caracciolo 1983 Nucl. Phys. B 215 209-48, Berg and Foester 1981 Phys. Lett. B 106 323-6) for lattice polygons are generalized to elementary moves of BFACF-style algorithms for lattice polygons in the body-centered (BCC) and face-centered (FCC) cubic lattices. We prove that the ergodicity classes of these new elementary moves coincide with the knot types of unrooted polygons in the BCC and FCC lattices and so expand a similar result for the cubic lattice (see Janse van Rensburg and Whittington (1991 J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 24 5553-67)). Implementations of these algorithms for knotted polygons using the GAS algorithm produce estimates of the minimal length of knotted polygons in the BCC and FCC lattices.

Microscopy evidence of the face-centered cubic arrangement of monodisperse polystyrene nanospheres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang Hui [School of Science, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044 (China)]. E-mail: zhanghui14305@sohu.com; Duan Renguan [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Li Fan [Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); Tang Qing [Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080 (China); Li Wenchao [Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China)

2007-07-01

This paper reports a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigation of polystyrene artificial opal achieved through self-assembly of monodisperse polystyrene nanospheres with a diameter of 250 nm from colloidal suspension after being ambient dried. A detailed analysis of the SEM images verifies that the face-centered cubic (fcc) phase is the most stable one for the polystyrene opal prepared. This finding provides a strong support for, by using polystyrene opal as template, fabricating a photonic crystal with inverse fcc structure of full band gap if the refractive index contrast is higher than 2.8 and the filling fraction of the high index materials is between 0.2 and 0.3.

Microscopy evidence of the face-centered cubic arrangement of monodisperse polystyrene nanospheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Hui; Duan Renguan; Li Fan; Tang Qing; Li Wenchao

2007-01-01

This paper reports a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigation of polystyrene artificial opal achieved through self-assembly of monodisperse polystyrene nanospheres with a diameter of 250 nm from colloidal suspension after being ambient dried. A detailed analysis of the SEM images verifies that the face-centered cubic (fcc) phase is the most stable one for the polystyrene opal prepared. This finding provides a strong support for, by using polystyrene opal as template, fabricating a photonic crystal with inverse fcc structure of full band gap if the refractive index contrast is higher than 2.8 and the filling fraction of the high index materials is between 0.2 and 0.3

Nano- and microsized cubic gel particles from cyclodextrin metal-organic frameworks.

Science.gov (United States)

Furukawa, Yuki; Ishiwata, Takumi; Sugikawa, Kouta; Kokado, Kenta; Sada, Kazuki

2012-10-15

Sweet cube o' mine: Bottom-up control of gel particles has been regarded as a great challenge. By employing internal cross-linking of cyclodextrin metal-organic frameworks, cubic sugar gels were formed with sharp edges that reflect the shape of the crystals. This enabled the fabrication of shape- and size-controlled polymer gels from porous crystals (see picture). Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Experimental and computational study on the phase stability of Al-containing cubic transition metal nitrides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rovere, Florian; Mayrhofer, Paul H; Music, Denis; Ershov, Sergey; Baben, Moritz to; Schneider, Jochen M; Fuss, Hans-Gerd

2010-01-01

The phase stability of Al-containing cubic transition metal (TM) nitrides, where Al substitutes for TM (i.e. TM 1-x Al x N), is studied as a function of the TM valence electron concentration (VEC). X-ray diffraction and thermal analyses data of magnetron sputtered Ti 1-x Al x N, V 1-x Al x N and Cr 1-x Al x N films indicate increasing phase stability of cubic TM 1-x Al x N at larger Al contents and higher temperatures with increasing TM VEC. These experimental findings can be understood based on first principle investigations of ternary cubic TM 1-x Al x N with TM = Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Y, Zr and Nb where the TM VEC and the lattice strain are systematically varied. However, our experimental data indicate that, in addition to the decomposition energetics (cubic TM 1-x Al x N → cubic TMN + hexagonal AlN), future stability models have to include nitrogen release as one of the mechanisms that critically determine the overall phase stability of TM 1-x Al x N.

Face centered cubic SnSe as a Z2 trivial Dirac nodal line material

OpenAIRE

Tateishi, Ikuma; Matsuura, Hiroyasu

2018-01-01

The presence of Dirac nodal line in the time-reversal and inversion symmetric system is dictated by Z2 index when spin-orbit interaction is absent. With the first principles calculation, we show that the Dirac nodal line can emerge in Z2 trivial material by calculating the band structure of SnSe of face centered cubic lattice as an example and it becomes a topological crystalline insulator when spin-orbit interaction is taken into account. We clarify the origin of the Dirac nodal line by obta...

Polarization Change in Face-Centered Cubic Opal Films

Science.gov (United States)

Wolff, Christian; Romanov, Sergei; Küchenmeister, Jens; Peschel, Ulf; Busch, Kurt

2011-10-01

Artificial opals are a popular platform for investigating fundamental properties of Photonic Crystals (PhC). In this work, we provide a theoretical analysis of polarization-resolved transmission experiments through thin opal films. Despite the full cubic symmetry of the PhC, this system provides a very efficient mechanism for manipulating the polarization state of light. Based on band structure calculations and Bloch mode analysis, we find that this effect closely resembles classical birefringence. Due to the cubic symmetry, however, a description using tensorial quantities is not possible. This indicates fundamental limitations of effective material models for Photonic Crystals and demonstrates the importance of accurately modelling the microscopic geometry of such systems.

Ab Initio Guided Low Temperature Synthesis Strategy for Smooth Face–Centred Cubic FeMn Thin Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Friederike Herrig

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The sputter deposition of FeMn thin films with thicknesses in the range of hundred nanometres and beyond requires relatively high growth temperatures for the formation of the face-centred cubic (fcc phase, which results in high thin film roughness. A low temperature synthesis strategy, based on local epitaxial growth of a 100 nm thick fcc FeMn film as well as a Cu nucleation layer on an α-Al2O3 substrate at 160 °C, enables roughness values (Ra as low as ~0.6 nm, which is in the same order of magnitude as the pristine substrate (~0.1 nm. The synthesis strategy is guided by ab initio calculations, indicating very strong interfacial bonding of the Cu nucleation layer to an α-Al2O3 substrate (work of separation 5.48 J/m²—which can be understood based on the high Cu coordination at the interface—and between fcc FeMn and Cu (3.45 J/m². Accompanied by small lattice misfits between these structures, the strong interfacial bonding is proposed to enable the local epitaxial growth of a smooth fcc FeMn thin film. Based on the here introduced synthesis strategy, the implementation of fcc FeMn based thin film model systems for materials with interface dominated properties such as FeMn steels containing κ-carbide precipitates or secondary phases appears meaningful.

Evolution of microstructure in face centered cubic metals during irradiation: A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garner, F.A.

1993-06-01

When fcc metals and alloys are irradiated at elevated temperatures, they tend to evolve toward saturation microstructures that are independent of the starting state of the metal and the early details of irradiation history. This leads to property changes and rates of dimensional change that also eventually become independent of the starting state. The evolution of microstructure in complex alloys, especially during the transient regime, is usually determined by the complex interaction of many microstructural and microchemical processes. The more complex the alloy, the more difficult it is to-identify and define the separate influence of each participating mechanism. The use of irradiation studies conducted on simple metals or model alloys assists in understanding the behavior of alloys of engineering relevance. A review of such studies shows that a number of prevailing perceptions of radiation-induced microstructural evolution are not universally correct

Ab initio phonon dispersions of face centered cubic Pb: effects of spin-orbit coupling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dal Corso, Andrea

2008-01-01

I present the ab initio phonon dispersions of face centered cubic Pb calculated within the framework of density functional perturbation theory, with plane waves and a fully relativistic ultrasoft pseudopotential which includes spin-orbit coupling effects. I find that, within the local density approximation, the theory gives phonon frequencies close to the experimental inelastic neutron scattering data. Many of the anomalies present in these dispersions are well reproduced by the fully relativistic pseudopotential theory and can be shown to appear only for small values of the smearing parameter that controls the sharpness of the Fermi surface.

Influence of a hydrostatic pressure on the diffusion in metals having a cubic structure; Contribution a l'etude de l'influence de la pression hydrostatique sur la diffusion dans les metaux cubiques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beyeler, M [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1969-07-01

In view of obtaining informations on the structure of vacancies. We have determined, by diffusion experiments under high pressure, the activation volumes for self diffusion in different face centered cubic metals: silver, gold, copper, aluminium and in body centered cubic uranium (gamma phase). Activation volumes for noble metals diffusion in aluminium have also been investigated. The experimental results on gold, silver and copper are in good agreement with most of the theoretical models. The estimated activation volume for gamma uranium seems to indicate a vacancy mechanism.The results on aluminium for both self and impurity diffusion agree quite well with Friedel's theoretical predictions. [French] Pour preciser la structure des lacunes, on a, par des etudes de diffusion sous haute pression determine les volumes d'activation correspondant a l'autodiffusion dans des metaux de structure cubique face centree: argent, or, cuivre et aluminium et dans un metal de structure cubique centree: l'uranium gamma. On a egalement determine les volumes d'activation pour l'heterodiffusion des metaux nobles dans l'aluminium. Les resultats obtenus pour l'or, l'argent et le cuivre sont en accord avec la plupart des modeles theoriques classiques. Le volume d'activation d'autodiffusion evalue pour l'uranium gamma est compatible avec une diffusion par lacune. Les resultats concernant l'aluminium et l'heterediffusion des metaux nobles dans l'aluminium verifient assez bien les previsions theoriques de Friedel. (auteur)

Force-induced chemical reactions on the metal centre in a single metalloprotein molecule

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Peng; Arantes, Guilherme M.; Field, Martin J.; Li, Hongbin

2015-01-01

Metalloproteins play indispensable roles in biology owing to the versatile chemical reactivity of metal centres. However, studying their reactivity in many metalloproteins is challenging, as protein three-dimensional structure encloses labile metal centres, thus limiting their access to reactants and impeding direct measurements. Here we demonstrate the use of single-molecule atomic force microscopy to induce partial unfolding to expose metal centres in metalloproteins to aqueous solution, thus allowing for studying their chemical reactivity in aqueous solution for the first time. As a proof-of-principle, we demonstrate two chemical reactions for the FeS4 centre in rubredoxin: electrophilic protonation and nucleophilic ligand substitution. Our results show that protonation and ligand substitution result in mechanical destabilization of the FeS4 centre. Quantum chemical calculations corroborated experimental results and revealed detailed reaction mechanisms. We anticipate that this novel approach will provide insights into chemical reactivity of metal centres in metalloproteins under biologically more relevant conditions. PMID:26108369

Thermodynamics of face-centered-cubic silicon nucleation at the nanoscale from laser ablation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Shengliang; Li Wuhong; Liu Wei; Dong Yingge; Cao Shirui; Yang Jinlong

2011-01-01

The thermodynamic nucleation and the phase transition of the face-centered-cubic structure of Si (fcc-Si) on the nanoscale are performed by taking the effect of nanosize-induced additional pressure on the fcc-Si formation under the conditions generated by laser ablation in liquid into account. The thermodynamic analyses showed that the formation of fcc-Si nanocrystals with sizes of 2-6 nm would take place prior to that of large fcc-Si nanocrystals, and the phase transition probability from diamond-like structure Si (d-Si) to fcc-Si is rather high, up to 10 -3 -10 -2 , under the conditions created by laser ablation of an Si target in water. These theoretical results suggest that laser ablation in liquid would be an effective industrial route to prepare ultrasmall fcc-Si nanocrystals.

Near transferable phenomenological n-body potentials for noble metals.

Science.gov (United States)

Pontikis, Vassilis; Baldinozzi, Gianguido; Luneville, Laurence; Simeone, David

2017-09-06

We present a semi-empirical model of cohesion in noble metals with suitable parameters reproducing a selected set of experimental properties of perfect and defective lattices in noble metals. It consists of two short-range, n-body terms accounting respectively for attractive and repulsive interactions, the former deriving from the second moment approximation of the tight-binding scheme and the latter from the gas approximation of the kinetic energy of electrons. The stability of the face centred cubic versus the hexagonal compact stacking is obtained via a long-range, pairwise function of customary use with ionic pseudo-potentials. Lattice dynamics, molecular statics, molecular dynamics and nudged elastic band calculations show that, unlike previous potentials, this cohesion model reproduces and predicts quite accurately thermodynamic properties in noble metals. In particular, computed surface energies, largely underestimated by existing empirical cohesion models, compare favourably with measured values, whereas predicted unstable stacking-fault energy profiles fit almost perfectly ab initio evaluations from the literature. All together the results suggest that this semi-empirical model is nearly transferable.

Volatilization behavior of transactinides from metal surfaces and melts (thermochemical calculation); Verfluechtigungsverhalten der Transaktinoide von Metalloberflaechen und aus Schmelzen (Thermochemische Kalkulation)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eichler, B

2003-01-01

Volatilization properties of elements with the atomic numbers Z=104 to 116 are determined on the basis of empirical relations. These empirical correlations are deduced from the analysis of thermochemical data of metallic elements in the periodic table and their relations to the material constant: Structure specific connections are shown to exist between the electron densities at the 'Wigner-Seitz' cell borders of metals and the specific surface energies of solid metals with hexagonal, cubic face-centred, cubic body-centred and rhombohedral lattices. Analogously, structure specific relations can be found between the standard enthalpies of the gaseous monoatomic metals and their surface energies. Linear correlations with exceptionally high correlation coefficients are observed between the standard sublimation enthalpies of isotypic metals in the dimeric state and the surface energies. Volatilization properties are deduced for the transactinides on the basis of these established relations, applying a predicted structure and further empirical correlations. These volatilization properties are in detail: the standard enthalpies of the gaseous monomers; the standard sublimation enthalpies of the dimers; the standard dissociation enthalpies of the dimers; the standard enthalpies of adsorption on metal surfaces; the volatilization enthalpies from molten metals, and the standard formation enthalpies of hetero binuclear intermetallic molecules. Thermochemical constants required for the calculation of the intermetallic interactions are determined using the Miedema model. The closed systematic approach facilitate: the assessment of the calculated data considering the agreement with known rules of metal chemistry, trends in the 7{sup t}h row and along the groups of the periodic table, the coherence of the data, and the action of closed shell effects in the electron configurations. From the obtained data conclusions are possible regarding the design of volatilization

Mechanical Behaviour of Conventional Materials at Experimental Conditions of Deep Drawing Technological Process

Science.gov (United States)

Nikolov, N.; Pashkouleva, D.; Kavardzhikov, V.

2012-09-01

The paper deals with experimental investigations on the mechanical behaviour of body-centred-cubic (BCC) and face-centred-cubic (FCC)-conventionally structured sheet metalic-metalic materials under stress-strain conditions of a deep drawing process determined by a coefficient close to the limiting one for Steel 08 and punch diameter of 50 mm. The mechanical characteristics of the investigated materials are identified by one-dimensional tension tests. The materials' responses, as results of identical loading conditions, are described by the change of blank sizes and characteristics of the forming processes. The chosen deformation path ensures obtaining a qualitative steel piece and leads to failures of aluminium and brass blanks. The reported results could be useful for investigations and predictions of the mechanical responses of such type metallic structures applying microscopic instrumented observations and numerical simulations.

The competitive growth of cubic domains in Ti(1-x)AlxN films studied by diffraction anomalous near-edge structure spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinot, Y; Tuilier, M-H; Pac, M-J; Rousselot, C; Thiaudière, D

2015-11-01

Titanium and aluminium nitride films deposited by magnetron sputtering generally grow as columnar domains made of oriented nanocrystallites with cubic or hexagonal symmetry depending on Al content, which are embedded in more disordered grain boundaries. The substitution of Al atoms for Ti in the cubic lattice of the films improves their resistance to wear and oxidation, allowing their use as protective coatings. Ti K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy, which probes both crystallized and more disordered grain boundaries, and X-ray diffraction anomalous fine structure, which is sensitive to short- and long-range order within a given crystallized domain, are carried out on a set of Ti(1-x)AlxN films deposited by magnetron sputtering on Si substrates. Attention is paid to the shape of the pre-edge region, which is sensitive to the symmetry of the site occupied by Ti atoms, either octahedral in face-centred-cubic Ti-rich (TiN, Ti0.54Al0.46N) samples or tetrahedral in hexagonal-close-packed Al-rich (Ti0.32Al0.68N) films. In order to obain information on the titanium environment in the well crystallized areas, subtraction of the smooth part of the energy-dependent structure factor for the Bragg reflections is applied to the pre-edge region of the diffraction anomalous data in order to restore their spectroscopic appearance. A flat pre-edge is related to the typical octahedral environment of Ti atoms for cubic reflections. The difference observed between pre-edge spectra associated with face-centred-cubic 200 and 111 Bragg reflections of Ti0.54Al0.46N is assigned to Ti enrichment of 111 large well ordered domains compared with the more disordered 200 ones. The sharp peak observed in the spectrum recorded from the hexagonal 002 peak of Ti0.32Al0.68N can be regarded as a standard for the pure tetrahedral Ti environment in hexagonal-close-packed nitride.

Influence of a hydrostatic pressure on the diffusion in metals having a cubic structure; Contribution a l'etude de l'influence de la pression hydrostatique sur la diffusion dans les metaux cubiques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beyeler, M. [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1969-07-01

In view of obtaining informations on the structure of vacancies. We have determined, by diffusion experiments under high pressure, the activation volumes for self diffusion in different face centered cubic metals: silver, gold, copper, aluminium and in body centered cubic uranium (gamma phase). Activation volumes for noble metals diffusion in aluminium have also been investigated. The experimental results on gold, silver and copper are in good agreement with most of the theoretical models. The estimated activation volume for gamma uranium seems to indicate a vacancy mechanism.The results on aluminium for both self and impurity diffusion agree quite well with Friedel's theoretical predictions. [French] Pour preciser la structure des lacunes, on a, par des etudes de diffusion sous haute pression determine les volumes d'activation correspondant a l'autodiffusion dans des metaux de structure cubique face centree: argent, or, cuivre et aluminium et dans un metal de structure cubique centree: l'uranium gamma. On a egalement determine les volumes d'activation pour l'heterodiffusion des metaux nobles dans l'aluminium. Les resultats obtenus pour l'or, l'argent et le cuivre sont en accord avec la plupart des modeles theoriques classiques. Le volume d'activation d'autodiffusion evalue pour l'uranium gamma est compatible avec une diffusion par lacune. Les resultats concernant l'aluminium et l'heterediffusion des metaux nobles dans l'aluminium verifient assez bien les previsions theoriques de Friedel. (auteur)

On tension-compression asymmetry in ultrafine-grained and nanocrystalline metals

KAUST Repository

Gurses, Ercan; El Sayed, Tamer S.

2010-01-01

We present a physically motivated computational study explaining the tension/compression (T/C) asymmetry phenomenon in nanocrystalline (nc) and ultrafine-grained (ufg) face centered cubic (fcc) metals utilizing a variational constitutive model where

Face-centered-cubic lithium crystals formed in mesopores of carbon nanofiber electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Byoung-Sun; Seo, Jong-Hyun; Son, Seoung-Bum; Kim, Seul Cham; Choi, In-Suk; Ahn, Jae-Pyoung; Oh, Kyu Hwan; Lee, Se-Hee; Yu, Woong-Ryeol

2013-07-23

In the foreseeable future, there will be a sharp increase in the demand for flexible Li-ion batteries. One of the most important components of such batteries will be a freestanding electrode, because the traditional electrodes are easily damaged by repeated deformations. The mechanical sustainability of carbon-based freestanding electrodes subjected to repeated electrochemical reactions with Li ions is investigated via nanotensile tests of individual hollow carbon nanofibers (HCNFs). Surprisingly, the mechanical properties of such electrodes are improved by repeated electrochemical reactions with Li ions, which is contrary to the conventional wisdom that the mechanical sustainability of carbon-based electrodes should be degraded by repeated electrochemical reactions. Microscopic studies reveal a reinforcing mechanism behind this improvement, namely, that inserted Li ions form irreversible face-centered-cubic (FCC) crystals within HCNF cavities, which can reinforce the carbonaceous matrix as strong second-phase particles. These FCC Li crystals formed within the carbon matrix create tremendous potential for HCNFs as freestanding electrodes for flexible batteries, but they also contribute to the irreversible (and thus low) capacity of HCNFs.

Migration energy barriers of symmetric tilt grain boundaries in body-centered cubic metal Fe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Minghui; Gu, Jianfeng; Jin, Zhaohui

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: DFT calculated migration energy barrier (left) for symmetric grain boundary in metals is an essential physical property to measure the trend of grain boundary migration, in particular, in terms of the classical homogeneous nucleation model of GB dislocation/disconnection loops (right). - Migration energy barriers of two symmetric tilt grain boundaries in body-centered cubic metal Fe are obtained via first-principles calculations in combination with the nudged elastic band methods. Although the two grain boundaries show similar grain boundary energies, the migration energy barriers are different. Based on a homogeneous nucleation theory of grain-boundary dislocation loops, the calculated energy barrier provides a measure of intrinsic grain-boundary mobility and helps to evaluate effects due to vacancy and interstitial atoms such as carbon

Defect production rates by electrons, ions and neutrons in cubic metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, P.; Nielsen, B.R.; Andersen, H.H.

1982-01-01

The results of an interlaboratory program to study low temperature damage rates in dilute alloys of 300 ppM Zr in vanadium, niobium and molybdenum with electrons, light ions, fission neutrons and high energy neutrons are summarized. Additional experiments and literature data supplied complete sets of data also for the fcc metals Al, Cu and Pt. From the initial damage rates, displacement functions for each material were derived which give the number of stable defects produced by a recoil event of a certain knock-on energy. The low and high energy part of the displacement function was determined from the results of the electron and neutron irradiations, respectively, while the light ion data supplied information on the intermediate energy range. The displacement function allows the reliable calculation of atomic displacement rates also for particles and/or energies not employed in this program. For all metals the displacement rates for high energy neutrons scaled reasonably with the minimum displacement energies. This allows to estimate neutron damage rates also for those cubic metals where no high energy neutron results are available. For stainless steel, e.g., an average displacement energy of about 120 eV is deduced. The results are suggested to find practical use in defect calculations for fusion reactor first wall technology and in correlating the corresponding simulation experiments

Energy gap formation mechanism through the interference phenomena of electrons in face-centered cubic elements and compounds with the emphasis on half-Heusler and Heusler compounds

Science.gov (United States)

Mizutani, U.; Sato, H.

2018-05-01

Many face-centred cubic elements and compounds with the number of atoms per unit cell N equal to 8, 12 and 16 are known to be stabilised by forming either a band gap or a pseudogap at the Fermi level. They are conveniently expressed as cF8, cF12 and cF16, respectively, in the Pearson symbol. From the cF8 family, we worked on three tetravalent elements C (diamond), Si and Ge, SZn-type AsGa compound and NaCl-type compounds like BiLu, AsSc, etc. From the cF12 family, more than 80 compounds were selected, with a particular emphasis on ABC- and half-Heusler-type ternary equiatomic compounds. Among cF16 compounds, both the Heusler compounds ABC2 and Zintl compounds were studied. We revealed that, regardless of whether or not the transition metal (TM) and/or rare-earth (RE) elements are involved as constituent elements, the energy gap formation mechanism for cF8, cF12 and cF16 compounds can be universally discussed in terms of interference phenomenon of itinerant electrons with set of reciprocal lattice planes with ? = 8, 11 and 12, where ? refers to square of the critical reciprocal of lattice vector of an fcc lattice. The number of itinerant electrons per unit cell, e/uc, for all these band gap/pseudogap-bearing compounds is found to fall on a universal line called "3/2-power law" when plotted against ? on a logarithmic scale. This proves the validity of the fulfilment of the interference condition ? in conformity with other pseudogap compounds with different crystal symmetries and different sizes of the unit cell reported in literature.

Macroscopic and bulk-controlled elastic modes in an interaction of interstitial alcali metal cations within a face-centered cubic crystalline fullerine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tatarenko, V.A.; Tsysman, C.L.; Oltarzhevskaya, Y.T. [Institute for Metal Physics, Kiev (Ukraine)

1994-12-31

The calculations in a majority of previous works for the fulleride (AqC{sub 60}) crystals were performed within the framework of the rigid-lattice model, neglecting the distoration relaxation of the host fullerene (C{sub 60}) crystal caused by the interstitial alkali-metal (A) cations. However, an each cation is a source of a static distoration field, and the resulting field is a superposition of such fields generated by all cations. This is a reason why the host-crystal distortions depend on the A-cations configurations, i.e. on a type of a spatial bulk distribution of interstitial cations. This paper seeks to find a functional relation between the amplitudes of the doping-induced structure-distortion waves and of statistic concentration ones. A semiphenomenological model is constructed here within the scope of statistical-thermodynamic treatment and using the lattice-statistics simulation method. In this model the effects due to the presence of q solute A cations over available interstices (per unit cell) on the statistic inherent reorientation and/or displacements of the solvent molecules from the average-lattice sites as well as on the lattice parameter a of the elastically-anysotropic cubic C{sub 60} crystal are taken into account.

Plasmon polaritons in cubic lattices of spherical metallic nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Lamowski, Simon; Mann, Charlie-Ray; Hellbach, Felicitas; Mariani, Eros; Weick, Guillaume; Pauly, Fabian

2018-03-01

We theoretically investigate plasmon polaritons in cubic lattices of spherical metallic nanoparticles. The nanoparticles, each supporting triply-degenerate localized surface plasmons, couple through the Coulomb dipole-dipole interaction, giving rise to collective plasmons that extend over the whole metamaterial. The latter hybridize with photons forming plasmon polaritons, which are the hybrid light-matter eigenmodes of the system. We derive general analytical expressions to evaluate both plasmon and plasmon-polariton dispersions and the corresponding eigenstates. These are obtained within a Hamiltonian formalism, which takes into account retardation effects in the dipolar interaction between the nanoparticles and considers the dielectric properties of the nanoparticles as well as their surrounding. Within this model we predict polaritonic splittings in the near-infrared to the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum that depend on polarization, lattice symmetry, and wave-vector direction. Finally, we show that the predictions of our model are in excellent quantitative agreement with conventional finite-difference frequency-domain simulations, but with the advantages of analytical insight and significantly reduced computational cost.

Metal centre effects on HNO binding in porphyrins and the electronic origin: metal's electronic configuration, position in the periodic table, and oxidation state.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Liu; Fang, Weihai; Zhang, Yong

2012-04-21

HNO binds to many different metals in organometallic and bioinorganic chemistry. To help understand experimentally observed metal centre effects, a quantum chemical investigation was performed, revealing clear general binding trends with respect to metal centre characteristics and the electronic origin for the first time. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012

Rhizome of Anemarrhena asphodeloides as mediators of the eco-friendly synthesis of silver and gold spherical, face-centred cubic nanocrystals and its anti-migratory and cytotoxic potential in normal and cancer cell lines.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hyun A; Castro-Aceituno, Veronica; Abbai, Ragavendran; Moon, Seong Soo; Kim, Yeon-Ju; Simu, Shakina Yesmin; Yang, Deok Chun

2018-03-29

The water extract of Anemarrhena asphodeloides, the traditional oriental medicinal plant, mediated the eco-friendly synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Aa-AgNPs) and gold nanoparticles (Aa-AuNPs). First, its therapeutic rhizome was powdered prior to water extraction and then silver, gold nanoparticles were synthesized. Aa-AgNPs and Aa-AuNPs were found to be spherical, face-centred cubic nanocrystals with a Z-average hydrodynamic diameter of 190 and 258 nm, respectively. In addition, proteins and aromatic biomolecules were the plausible players associated with the production and stabilization of Aa-AgNPs; instead, phenolic compounds were responsible for the synthesis and stability of Aa-AuNPs. In vitro cytotoxic analysis revealed that up to 50 μg.mL -1 concentration Aa-AuNPs did not exhibit any toxicity on 3T3-L1, HT29 and MCF7 cell lines, while being specifically cytotoxic to A549 cell line. On the contrary, Aa-AgNPs displayed a significantly higher toxicity in comparison to Aa-AuNPs in all cell lines specially MCF7 cell line. Since cancer cells were more sensitive to Aa-Au/AgNPs treatments, further evaluation was done in order to determine their anticancer potential. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was not affected by Aa-AuNPs, on the other hand, Aa-AgNPs treatment exhibited a higher potential to induce oxidative stress in A549 cells than HT29 and MCF7 cells. In addition, Aa-Ag/AuNPs reduced cell migration in A549 cells at 10 and 50 μg.mL -1 , respectively. So far, this is the only report uncovering the ability of A. asphodeloides to synthesize silver and gold nanoparticles with anticancer potential and also indirectly enabling its large-scale utilization with value addition.

Polyamorphism in metalic glass.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sheng, H. W.; Liu, H. Z.; Cheng, Y. Q.; Wen, J.; Lee, P.L.; Luo, W.K.; Shastri, S.D.; Ma, E.; X-Ray Science Division; Johns Hopkins Univ.; Chinese Academy of Sciences

2007-03-01

A metal, or an alloy, can often exist in more than one crystal structure. The face-centered-cubic and body-centered-cubic forms of iron (or steel) are a familiar example of such polymorphism. When metallic materials are made in the amorphous form, is a parallel 'polyamorphism' possible? So far, polyamorphic phase transitions in the glassy state have been observed only in glasses involving directional and open (such as tetrahedral) coordination environments. Here, we report an in situ X-ray diffraction observation of a pressure-induced transition between two distinct amorphous polymorphs in a Ce{sub 55}Al{sub 45} metallic glass. The large density difference observed between the two polyamorphs is attributed to their different electronic and atomic structures, in particular the bond shortening revealed by ab initio modeling of the effects of f-electron delocalization. This discovery offers a new perspective of the amorphous state of metals, and has implications for understanding the structure, evolution and properties of metallic glasses and related liquids. Our work also opens a new avenue towards technologically useful amorphous alloys that are compositionally identical but with different thermodynamic, functional and rheological properties due to different bonding and structural characteristics.

Wear resistance of layers hard faced by the high-alloyed filler metal

OpenAIRE

Dušan Arsić; Vukić Lazić; Ruzica R. Nikolic; Milan Mutavdžić; Srbislav Aleksandrović; Milan Djordjević

2016-01-01

The objective of this work was to determine the wear resistance of layers hard faced by the high-alloyed filler metal, with or without the austenite inter-layer, on parts that operate at different sliding speeds in conditions without lubrication. The samples were hard faced with the filler metal E 10-UM-60-C with high content of C, Cr and W. Used filler metal belongs into group of alloys aimed for reparatory hard facing of parts damaged by abrasive and erosive wear and it is characterized by ...

New pathway for the formation of metallic cubic phase Ge-Sb-Te compounds induced by an electric current.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Yong-Jin; Cho, Ju-Young; Jeong, Min-Woo; Na, Sekwon; Joo, Young-Chang

2016-02-23

The novel discovery of a current-induced transition from insulator to metal in the crystalline phase of Ge2Sb2Te5 and GeSb4Te7 have been studied by means of a model using line-patterned samples. The resistivity of cubic phase Ge-Sb-Te compound was reduced by an electrical current (~1 MA/cm(2)), and the final resistivity was determined based on the stress current density, regardless of the initial resistivity and temperature, which indicates that the conductivity of Ge-Sb-Te compound can be modulated by an electrical current. The minimum resistivity of Ge-Sb-Te materials can be achieved at high kinetic rates by applying an electrical current, and the material properties change from insulating to metallic behavior without a phase transition. The current-induced metal transition is more effective in GeSb4Te7 than Ge2Sb2Te5, which depends on the intrinsic vacancy of materials. Electromigration, which is the migration of atoms induced by a momentum transfer from charge carriers, can easily promote the rearrangement of vacancies in the cubic phase of Ge-Sb-Te compound. This behavior differs significantly from thermal annealing, which accompanies a phase transition to the hexagonal phase. This result suggests a new pathway for modulating the electrical conductivity and material properties of chalcogenide materials by applying an electrical current.

On the use of distorted fcc structures for describing high-pressure phases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerward, L.; Staun Olsen, J.; Benedict, U.

1986-01-01

The paper describes distorted lattices that can be derived from the face-centred cubic Bravais lattice. Crystallographic principles are outlined and it is discussed how various lattices can be identified from the observed splitting of X-ray powder diffraction lines. Examples are taken from recent high-pressure studies of actinide rocksalt structure compounds and cerium metal. (orig.)

Plastic fluctuations in empty crystals formed by cubic wireframe particles

Science.gov (United States)

McBride, John M.; Avendaño, Carlos

2018-05-01

We present a computer simulation study of the phase behavior of colloidal hard cubic frames, i.e., particles with nonconvex cubic wireframe geometry interacting purely by excluded volume. Despite the propensity of cubic wireframe particles to form cubic phases akin to their convex counterparts, these particles exhibit unusual plastic fluctuations in which a random and dynamic fraction of particles rotate around their lattice positions in the crystal lattice while the remainder of the particles remains fully ordered. We argue that this unexpected effect stems from the nonconvex geometry of the particles in which the faces of a particle can be penetrated by the vertices of the nearest neighbors even at high number densities.

Metallic substrates for high temperature superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Truchan, Thomas G.; Miller, Dean J.; Goretta, Kenneth C.; Balachandran, Uthamalingam; Foley, Robert

2002-01-01

A biaxially textured face-centered cubic metal article having grain boundaries with misorientation angles greater than about 8.degree. limited to less than about 1%. A laminate article is also disclosed having a metal substrate first rolled to at least about 95% thickness reduction followed by a first annealing at a temperature less than about 375.degree. C. Then a second rolling operation of not greater than about 6% thickness reduction is provided, followed by a second annealing at a temperature greater than about 400.degree. C. A method of forming the metal and laminate articles is also disclosed.

Texture evolution maps for upset deformation of body-centered cubic metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Myoung-Gyu; Wang, Jue; Anderson, Peter M.

2007-01-01

Texture evolution maps are used as a tool to visualize texture development during upset deformation in body-centered cubic metals. These maps reveal initial grain orientations that tend toward normal direction (ND)|| versus ND|| . To produce these maps, a finite element analysis (FEA) with a rate-dependent crystal plasticity constitutive relation for tantalum is used. A reference case having zero workpiece/die friction shows that ∼64% of randomly oriented grains rotate toward ND|| and ∼36% rotate toward ND|| . The maps show well-established trends that increasing strain rate sensitivity and decreasing latent-to-self hardening ratio reduce both and percentages, leading to more diffuse textures. Reducing operative slip systems from both {1 1 0}/ and {1 1 2}/ to just {1 1 0}/ has a mixed effect: it increases the percentage but decreases the percentage. Reducing the number of slip systems and increasing the number of FEA integration points per grain strengthen - texture bands that are observed experimentally

The quantitative representation of fiber-and sheet-texture in metals of cubic system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, H.J.; Kim, S.C.; Chun, B.C.; Lee, C.Y.

1983-01-01

This is the first article of a series dealing with studies on the quantitative representation of fiber-and sheet-type textures in metals of cubic crystal system. Texture measurements by neutron diffraction method are analyzed using Bunge's series expansion method and the effect of series truncation is studied for samples of various texture sharpness. The present article describes two computer programs, TXFIB and TXSHT, develped for the analysis of the respective fiber-and sheet-type texture. Using these computer programs, the orientation distribution function can be expanded in the series of generalized spherical harmonics up to 58th term from 6 experimental pole figures as input. Estimations of various errors involved in the texture analysis and texture sharpness index are also included in the programs. (Author)

Clean Grain Boundary Found in C14/Body-Center-Cubic Multi-Phase Metal Hydride Alloys

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hao-Ting Shen

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The grain boundaries of three Laves phase-related body-center-cubic (bcc solid-solution, metal hydride (MH alloys with different phase abundances were closely examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, and more importantly, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD techniques. By using EBSD, we were able to identify the alignment of the crystallographic orientations of the three major phases in the alloys (C14, bcc, and B2 structures. This finding confirms the presence of crystallographically sharp interfaces between neighboring phases, which is a basic assumption for synergetic effects in a multi-phase MH system.

Synthesis of ultrathin face-centered-cubic Au@Pt and Au@Pd core-shell nanoplates from hexagonal-close-packed Au square sheets

KAUST Repository

Fan, Zhanxi

2015-03-17

The synthesis of ultrathin face-centered-cubic (fcc) Au@Pt rhombic nanoplates is reported through the epitaxial growth of Pt on hexagonal-close-packed (hcp) Au square sheets (AuSSs). The Pt-layer growth results in a hcp-to-fcc phase transformation of the AuSSs under ambient conditions. Interestingly, the obtained fcc Au@Pt rhombic nanoplates demonstrate a unique (101)f orientation with the same atomic arrangement extending from the Au core to the Pt shell. Importantly, this method can be extended to the epitaxial growth of Pd on hcp AuSSs, resulting in the unprecedented formation of fcc Au@Pd rhombic nanoplates with (101)f orientation. Additionally, a small amount of fcc (100)f-oriented Au@Pt and Au@Pd square nanoplates are obtained with the Au@Pt and Au@Pd rhombic nanoplates, respectively. We believe that these findings will shed new light on the synthesis of novel noble bimetallic nanostructures. Phase change: Ultrathin Au@Pt and Au@Pd core-shell nanoplates were prepared from Au square sheets. A phase transformation from hexagonal close-packed (hcp) to face-centered cubic (fcc) is observed upon coating the hcp Au square sheets with Pt or Pd under ambient conditions. The prepared fcc Au@Pt and Au@Pd rhombic nanoplates demonstrate unique (101)f orientation (picture shows a typical fcc Au@Pt rhombic nanoplate). © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Anelastic relaxation of interstitial foreign atoms and their complexes with intrinsic defects in B.C.C. metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weller, M.

1985-01-01

In body-centred cubic metals, heavy interstitial foreign atoms (IFA) O, N and C give rise to relaxations of Snoek type. For dilute alloys, relaxation parameters are summarized. In concentrated alloys (group Va metals containing O or N) Snoek relaxations are influenced by the interaction of IFA. The recent controversy is discussed as to whether this interaction is based on clustering or anticlustering. In irradiated metals complexes of IFA with intrinsic atomic defects (vacancies or self interstitial atoms) also give rise to relaxations

Cleavage of hydrogen by activation at a single non-metal centre - towards new hydrogen storage materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Grabowski, Sławomir J

2015-05-28

Molecular surfaces of non-metal species are often characterized by both positive and negative regions of electrostatic potential (EP) at a non-metal centre. This centre may activate molecular hydrogen which further leads to the addition reaction. The positive EP regions at the non-metal centres correspond to σ-holes; the latter sites are enhanced by electronegative substituents. This is why the following simple moieties; PFH2, SFH, AsFH2, SeFH, BrF3, PF(CH3)2 and AsF(CH3)2, were chosen here to analyze the H2 activation and its subsequent splitting at the P, As, S, Se and Br centres. Also the reverse H-H bond reforming process is analyzed. MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ calculations were performed for systems corresponding to different stages of these processes. The sulphur centre in the SFH moiety is analyzed in detail since the potential barrier height for the addition reaction for this species is the lowest of the moieties analyzed here. The results of calculations show that the SFH + H2 → SFH3 reaction in the gas phase is endothermic but it is exothermic in polar solvents.

Size-dependent plastic deformation of twinned nanopillars in body-centered cubic tungsten

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Shuozhi; Startt, Jacob K.; Payne, Thomas G.; Deo, Chaitanya S.; McDowell, David L.

2017-05-01

Compared with face-centered cubic metals, twinned nanopillars in body-centered cubic (BCC) systems are much less explored partly due to the more complicated plastic deformation behavior and a lack of reliable interatomic potentials for the latter. In this paper, the fault energies predicted by two semi-empirical interatomic potentials in BCC tungsten (W) are first benchmarked against density functional theory calculations. Then, the more accurate potential is employed in large scale molecular dynamics simulations of tensile and compressive loading of twinned nanopillars in BCC W with different cross sectional shapes and sizes. A single crystal, a twinned crystal, and single crystalline nanopillars are also studied as references. Analyses of the stress-strain response and defect nucleation reveal a strong tension-compression asymmetry and a weak pillar size dependence in the yield strength. Under both tensile and compressive loading, plastic deformation in the twinned nanopillars is dominated by dislocation slip on {110} planes that are nucleated from the intersections between the twin boundary and the pillar surface. It is also found that the cross sectional shape of nanopillars affects the strength and the initial site of defect nucleation but not the overall stress-strain response and plastic deformation behavior.

An overview on the Bauschinger effect in metallic materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Yanfeng; Li Cong; Ling Xuyu; Shen Baoluo; Gao Shengji

2002-01-01

The Bauschinger effect in metallic materials including f.c.c. (face-centered cubic) and b.c.c. (body-centered cubic) materials such as pure alloys, casting alloys, copper alloys, aluminium alloys and metal matrix composite materials, and h.c.p. (hexagonal close packed) materials such as zirconium alloys and titanium alloys have been summarized comprehensively. The mechanism of Bauschinger effect is reviewed from the point of dislocation theory and internal stress (or back stress) that is responsible for the effect. Based upon these theories, the methods for calculating internal stress and models for simulating the effect are described briefly, which could explain the effect quantitatively. Finally, the measures to reduce or eliminate the effect have been pointed out, along with the issues to be researched in the future

Effective-medium theory for nonlinear magneto-optics in magnetic granular alloys: cubic nonlinearity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Granovsky, Alexander B.; Kuzmichov, Michail V.; Clerc, J.-P.; Inoue, Mitsuteru

2003-01-01

We propose a simple effective-medium approach for calculating the effective dielectric function of a magnetic metal-insulator granular alloy in which there is a weakly nonlinear relation between electric displacement D and electric field E for both constituent materials of the form D i =ε i (0) E i +χ i (3) |E i | 2 E i . We assume that linear ε i (0) and cubic nonlinear χ i (3) dielectric functions are diagonal and linear with magnetization non-diagonal components. For such metal-insulator composite magneto-optical effects depend on a light intensity and the effective cubic dielectric function χ eff (3) can be significantly greater (up to 10 3 times) than that for constituent materials. The calculation scheme is based on the Bergman and Stroud-Hui theory of nonlinear optical properties of granular matter. The giant cubic magneto-optical nonlinearity is found for composites with metallic volume fraction close to the percolation threshold and at a resonance of optical conductivity. It is shown that a composite may exhibit nonlinear magneto-optics even when both constituent materials have no cubic magneto-optical nonlinearity

A Study on Flexural Properties of Sandwich Structures with Fiber/Metal Laminate Face Sheets

Science.gov (United States)

Dariushi, S.; Sadighi, M.

2013-10-01

In this work, a new family of sandwich structures with fiber metal laminate (FML) faces is investigated. FMLs have benefits over both metal and fiber reinforced composites. To investigate the bending properties of sandwich beams with FML faces and compare with similar sandwich beams with fibrous composite faces, 6 groups of specimen with different layer arrangements were made and tested. Results show that FML faces have good resistance against transverse local loads and minimize stress concentration and local deformations of skin and core under the loading tip. In addition, FML faces have a good integrity even after plateau region of foam cores and prevent from catastrophic failures, which cannot be seen in fibrous composite faces. Also, FML faces are lighter than metal faces and have better connection with foam cores. Sandwich beams with FML faces have a larger elastic region because of simultaneous deformation of top and bottom faces and larger failure strain thanks to good durability of FMLs. A geometrical nonlinear classical theory is used to predict force-deflection behavior. In this model an explicit formula between symmetrical sandwich beams deflections and applied force which can be useful for designers, is derived. Good agreement is obtained between the analytical predictions and experimental results. Also, analytical results are compared with small deformation solution in a parametric study, and the effects of geometric parameters on difference between linear and nonlinear results are discussed.

Effective-medium theory for nonlinear magneto-optics in magnetic granular alloys: cubic nonlinearity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Granovsky, Alexander B. E-mail: granov@magn.ru; Kuzmichov, Michail V.; Clerc, J.-P.; Inoue, Mitsuteru

2003-03-01

We propose a simple effective-medium approach for calculating the effective dielectric function of a magnetic metal-insulator granular alloy in which there is a weakly nonlinear relation between electric displacement D and electric field E for both constituent materials of the form D{sub i}={epsilon}{sub i}{sup (0)}E{sub i} +{chi}{sub i}{sup (3)}|E{sub i}|{sup 2}E{sub i}. We assume that linear {epsilon}{sub i}{sup (0)} and cubic nonlinear {chi}{sub i}{sup (3)} dielectric functions are diagonal and linear with magnetization non-diagonal components. For such metal-insulator composite magneto-optical effects depend on a light intensity and the effective cubic dielectric function {chi}{sub eff}{sup (3)} can be significantly greater (up to 10{sup 3} times) than that for constituent materials. The calculation scheme is based on the Bergman and Stroud-Hui theory of nonlinear optical properties of granular matter. The giant cubic magneto-optical nonlinearity is found for composites with metallic volume fraction close to the percolation threshold and at a resonance of optical conductivity. It is shown that a composite may exhibit nonlinear magneto-optics even when both constituent materials have no cubic magneto-optical nonlinearity.

Control of in-plane texture of body centered cubic metal thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harper, J.M.; Rodbell, K.P.; Colgan, E.G.; Hammond, R.H.

1997-01-01

We show that dramatically different in-plane textures can be produced in body centered cubic (bcc) metal thin films deposited on amorphous substrates under different deposition conditions. The crystallographic orientation distribution of polycrystalline bcc metal thin films on amorphous substrates often has a strong left-angle 110 right-angle fiber texture, indicating that {110} planes are parallel to the substrate plane. When deposition takes place under bombardment by energetic ions or atoms at an off-normal angle of incidence, the left-angle 110 right-angle fiber texture develops an in-plane texture, indicating nonrandom azimuthal orientations of the crystallites. Three orientations in Nb films have been observed under different deposition geometries, in which the energetic particle flux coincides with channeling directions in the bcc crystal structure. In-plane orientations in Mo films have also been obtained in magnetron sputtering systems with various configurations. These are described, and an example is given in which the in-plane orientation of Mo films deposited in two different in-line magnetron sputtering systems differs by a 90 degree rotation. In these two cases, there is a strong left-angle 110 right-angle fiber texture, but the in-plane left-angle 100 right-angle direction is oriented parallel to the scan direction in one system, and perpendicular to the scan direction in the other system. The conditions which produce such different in-plane textures in two apparently similar sputtering systems are discussed. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics

Exploitation of 3D face-centered cubic mesoporous silica as a carrier for a poorly water soluble drug: Influence of pore size on release rate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, Wenquan; Wan, Long; Zhang, Chen; Gao, Yikun; Zheng, Xin; Jiang, Tongying; Wang, Siling, E-mail: silingwang@syphu.edu.cn

2014-01-01

The purposes of the present work were to explore the potential application of 3D face-centered cubic mesoporous silica (FMS) with pore size of 16.0 nm as a delivery system for poorly soluble drugs and investigate the effect of pore size on the dissolution rate. FMS with different pore sizes (16.0, 6.9 and 3.7 nm) was successfully synthesized by using Pluronic block co-polymer F127 as a template and adjusting the reaction temperatures. Celecoxib (CEL), which is a BCS class II drug, was used as a model drug and loaded into FMS with different pore sizes by the solvent deposition method at a drug–silica ratio of 1:4. Characterization using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), nitrogen adsorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to systematically investigate the drug loading process. The results obtained showed that CEL was in a non-crystalline state after incorporation of CEL into the pores of FMS-15 with pore size of 16.0 nm. In vitro dissolution was carried out to demonstrate the effects of FMS with different pore sizes on the release of CEL. The results obtained indicated that the dissolution rate of CEL from FMS-15 was significantly enhanced compared with pure CEL. This could be explained by supposing that CEL encountered less diffusion resistance and its crystallinity decreased due to the large pore size of 16.0 nm and the nanopore channels of FMS-15. Moreover, drug loading and pore size both play an important role in enhancing the dissolution properties for the poorly water-soluble drugs. As the pore size between 3.7 and 16.0 nm increased, the dissolution rate of CEL from FMS gradually increased. - Highlights: • Exploitation of 3D cubic mesoporous silica (16 nm) as a carrier was completed. • The release rate of CEL increased on increasing the pore size of carriers. • The crystallinity

Production of crystalline refractory metal oxides containing colloidal metal precipitates and useful as solar-effective absorbers

Science.gov (United States)

Narayan, Jagdish; Chen, Yok

1983-01-01

This invention is a new process for producing refractory crystalline oxides having improved or unusual properties. The process comprises the steps of forming a doped-metal crystal of the oxide; exposing the doped crystal in a bomb to a reducing atmosphere at superatmospheric pressure and a temperature effecting precipitation of the dopant metal in the crystal lattice of the oxide but insufficient to effect net diffusion of the metal out of the lattice; and then cooling the crystal. Preferably, the cooling step is effected by quenching. The process forms colloidal precipitates of the metal in the oxide lattice. The process may be used, for example, to produce thermally stable black MgO crystalline bodies containing magnetic colloidal precipitates consisting of about 99% Ni. The Ni-containing bodies are solar-selective absorbers, having a room-temperature absorptivity of about 0.96 over virtually all of the solar-energy spectrum and exhibiting an absorption edge in the region of 2 .mu.m. The process parameters can be varied to control the average size of the precipitates. The process can produce a black MgO crystalline body containing colloidal Ni precipitates, some of which have the face-centered-cubic structure and others of which have the body-centered cubic structure. The products of the process are metal-precipitate-containing refractory crystalline oxides which have improved or unique optical, mechanical, magnetic, and/or electronic properties.

An environment-dependent semi-empirical tight binding model suitable for electron transport in bulk metals, metal alloys, metallic interfaces, and metallic nanostructures. I. Model and validation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hegde, Ganesh, E-mail: ghegde@purdue.edu; Povolotskyi, Michael; Kubis, Tillmann; Klimeck, Gerhard, E-mail: gekco@purdue.edu [Network for Computational Nanotechnology (NCN), Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907 (United States); Boykin, Timothy [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alabama, Huntsville, Alabama (United States)

2014-03-28

Semi-empirical Tight Binding (TB) is known to be a scalable and accurate atomistic representation for electron transport for realistically extended nano-scaled semiconductor devices that might contain millions of atoms. In this paper, an environment-aware and transferable TB model suitable for electronic structure and transport simulations in technologically relevant metals, metallic alloys, metal nanostructures, and metallic interface systems are described. Part I of this paper describes the development and validation of the new TB model. The new model incorporates intra-atomic diagonal and off-diagonal elements for implicit self-consistency and greater transferability across bonding environments. The dependence of the on-site energies on strain has been obtained by appealing to the Moments Theorem that links closed electron paths in the system to energy moments of angular momentum resolved local density of states obtained ab initio. The model matches self-consistent density functional theory electronic structure results for bulk face centered cubic metals with and without strain, metallic alloys, metallic interfaces, and metallic nanostructures with high accuracy and can be used in predictive electronic structure and transport problems in metallic systems at realistically extended length scales.

An environment-dependent semi-empirical tight binding model suitable for electron transport in bulk metals, metal alloys, metallic interfaces, and metallic nanostructures. I. Model and validation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hegde, Ganesh; Povolotskyi, Michael; Kubis, Tillmann; Klimeck, Gerhard; Boykin, Timothy

2014-01-01

Semi-empirical Tight Binding (TB) is known to be a scalable and accurate atomistic representation for electron transport for realistically extended nano-scaled semiconductor devices that might contain millions of atoms. In this paper, an environment-aware and transferable TB model suitable for electronic structure and transport simulations in technologically relevant metals, metallic alloys, metal nanostructures, and metallic interface systems are described. Part I of this paper describes the development and validation of the new TB model. The new model incorporates intra-atomic diagonal and off-diagonal elements for implicit self-consistency and greater transferability across bonding environments. The dependence of the on-site energies on strain has been obtained by appealing to the Moments Theorem that links closed electron paths in the system to energy moments of angular momentum resolved local density of states obtained ab initio. The model matches self-consistent density functional theory electronic structure results for bulk face centered cubic metals with and without strain, metallic alloys, metallic interfaces, and metallic nanostructures with high accuracy and can be used in predictive electronic structure and transport problems in metallic systems at realistically extended length scales

An environment-dependent semi-empirical tight binding model suitable for electron transport in bulk metals, metal alloys, metallic interfaces, and metallic nanostructures. I. Model and validation

Science.gov (United States)

Hegde, Ganesh; Povolotskyi, Michael; Kubis, Tillmann; Boykin, Timothy; Klimeck, Gerhard

2014-03-01

Semi-empirical Tight Binding (TB) is known to be a scalable and accurate atomistic representation for electron transport for realistically extended nano-scaled semiconductor devices that might contain millions of atoms. In this paper, an environment-aware and transferable TB model suitable for electronic structure and transport simulations in technologically relevant metals, metallic alloys, metal nanostructures, and metallic interface systems are described. Part I of this paper describes the development and validation of the new TB model. The new model incorporates intra-atomic diagonal and off-diagonal elements for implicit self-consistency and greater transferability across bonding environments. The dependence of the on-site energies on strain has been obtained by appealing to the Moments Theorem that links closed electron paths in the system to energy moments of angular momentum resolved local density of states obtained ab initio. The model matches self-consistent density functional theory electronic structure results for bulk face centered cubic metals with and without strain, metallic alloys, metallic interfaces, and metallic nanostructures with high accuracy and can be used in predictive electronic structure and transport problems in metallic systems at realistically extended length scales.

Modelling the material behaviour of metastable stainless

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Datta, K.; Geijselaers, Hubertus J.M.; Post, J.; Beyer, J.; Huetink, Han; Cesar de Sa, Jose M.A.; Santos, Abel D.

2007-01-01

Metastable austenitic stainless steels are designed to be thermodynamically unstable such that deformation even at room temperatures can bring about a change in the phase of face centred cubic austenite to either hexagonal close packed martensite and/or to body centred cubic martensite. This solid

Phase stabilisation of hexagonal barium titanate doped with transition metals: A computational study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dawson, J.A.; Freeman, C.L.; Harding, J.H.; Sinclair, D.C.

2013-01-01

Interatomic potentials recently developed for the modelling of BaTiO 3 have been used to explore the stabilisation of the hexagonal polymorph of BaTiO 3 by doping with transition metals (namely Mn, Co, Fe and Ni) at the Ti-site. Classical simulations have been completed on both the cubic and hexagonal polymorphs to investigate the energetic consequences of transition metal doping on each polymorph. Ti-site charge compensation mechanisms have been used for the multi-valent transition metal ions and cluster binding energies have been considered. Simulations show a significant energetic gain when doping occurs at Ti sites in the face sharing dimers (Ti 2 sites) of the hexagonal polymorph compared with the doping of the cubic polymorph. This energetic difference between the two polymorphs is true for all transition metals tested and all charge states and in the case of tri- and tetra-valent dopants negative solution energies are found for the hexagonal polymorph suggesting actual polymorph stabilisation occurs with the incorporation of these ions as observed experimentally. Oxidation during incorporation of Ni 2+ and Fe 3+ ions has also been considered. - Graphical abstract: The representation of the strongest binding energy clusters for tri-valent dopants—(a) Ti 2 /O 1 cluster and (b) Ti 2 /O 2 cluster. Highlights: ► Classical simulations show a significant energetic gain when doping occurs at Ti sites in the face sharing dimers (Ti2 sites) of the hexagonal polymorph compared with the doping of the cubic polymorph. ► This energetic difference between the two polymorphs is true for all transition metals tested and all charge states. ► In the case of tri- and tetra- valent dopants negative solution energies are found for the hexagonal polymorph suggesting actual polymorph stabilisation occurs with the incorporation of these ions

Standard test method for determining the orientation of a metal crystal

CERN Document Server

American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

2009-01-01

1.1 This test method covers the back-reflection Laue procedure for determining the orientation of a metal crystal. The back-reflection Laue method for determining crystal orientation (1, 2) may be applied to macrograins (3) (0.5-mm diameter or larger) within polycrystalline aggregates, as well as to single crystals of any size. The method is described with reference to cubic crystals; it can be applied equally well to hexagonal, tetragonal, or orthorhombic crystals. 1.2 Most natural crystals have well developed external faces, and the orientation of such crystals can usually be determined from inspection. The orientation of a crystal having poorly developed faces, or no faces at all (for example, a metal crystal prepared in the laboratory) must be determined by more elaborate methods. The most convenient and accurate of these involves the use of X-ray diffraction. The “orientation of a metal crystal” is known when the positions in space of the crystallographic axes of the unit cell have been located with...

Watching a metal collapse: Examining cerium's γ ↔ α transformation using X-ray diffraction of compressed single and polycrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moore, K.T.; Belhadi, L.; Decremps, F.; Farber, D.L.; Bradley, J.A.; Occelli, F.; Gauthier, M.; Polian, A.; Aracne-Ruddle, C.M.

2011-01-01

Numerous investigations have been performed on Ce metal since the discovery of the γ → α phase transformation, where a face-centered cubic structure is believed to collapse isostructurally with a volume change of ∼17%. However, two questions have yet to be answered definitively. First, is the transformation truly isostructural or is the face-centered cubic structure lost in α-Ce due to symmetry breaking? Second, if the transformation is isostructural does the face-centered cubic structure stay in crystallographic orientation through the volume collapse? Here, we use high-pressure and high-temperature X-ray diffraction measurements to examine single and polycrystalline samples of Ce in the vicinity of the γ ↔ α transformation. This was achieved by successive continuous compression and decompression in a diamond anvil cell at temperatures under, at and above the critical point. Our results show that the crystal structure remains face-centered cubic for both the γ and α phases. The results also show that the face-centered cubic structure retains its crystallographic orientation, simply reducing in volume during the γ → α phase transformation. Upon transformation to α, polycrystalline samples show increased diffraction peak broadening, while single crystals show increased streaking. These changes in diffraction can be attributed to increased damage and lattice misorientation from the transformation. Using a simple atomic lattice model, we show that a periodic array of misfit edge dislocation is necessary to accommodate the large volume difference at the γ-α interface and this could act as a source of the edge dislocations needed to produced previously observed deformation bands.

Change of Energy of the Cubic Subnanocluster of Iron Under Influence of Interstitial and Substitutional Atoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Nedolya, Anatoliy V; Bondarenko, Natalya V

2016-12-01

Energy change of an iron face-centred cubic subnanocluster was evaluated using molecular mechanics method depending on the position of a carbon interstitial atom and substitutional atoms of nickel. Calculations of all possible positions of impurity atoms show that the energy change of the system are discrete and at certain positions of the atoms are close to continuous.In terms of energy, when all impurity atoms are on the same edge of an atomic cluster, their positions are more advantageous. The presence of nickel atoms on the edge of a cubic cluster resulted in decrease of potential barrier for a carbon atom and decrease in energy in the whole cluster. A similar drift of a carbon atom from central octahedral interstitial site to the surface in the direction occurred under the influence of surface factors.Such configuration corresponds to decreasing symmetry and increasing the number of possible energy states of a subnanocluster, and it corresponds to the condition of spontaneous crystallization process in an isolated system.Taking into account accidental positions of the nickel atom in the iron cluster, such behaviour of the carbon atom can explain the mechanism of growth of a new phase and formation of new clusters in the presence of other kind of atoms because of surface influence.

Centres and limit cycles for an extended Kukles system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jane M. Pearson

2007-09-01

Full Text Available We present conditions for the origin to be a centre for a class of cubic systems. Some of the centre conditions are determined by finding complicated invariant functions. We also investigate the coexistence of fine foci and the simultaneous bifurcation of limit cycles from them.

Study on dependence of dose enhancement on cluster morphology of gold nanoparticles in radiation therapy using a body-centred cubic model

Science.gov (United States)

Ahn, Sang Hee; Chung, Kwangzoo; Shin, Jung Wook; Cheon, Wonjoong; Han, Youngyih; Park, Hee Chul; Choi, Doo Ho

2017-10-01

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) injected in a body for dose enhancement in radiation therapy are known to form clusters. We investigated the dependence of dose enhancement on the GNP morphology using Monte-Carlo simulations and compared the model predictions with experimental data. The cluster morphology was approximated as a body-centred cubic (BCC) structure by placing GNPs at the 8 corners and the centre of a cube with an edge length of 0.22-1.03 µm in a 4  ×  4  ×  4 µm3 water-filled phantom. We computed the dose enhancement ratio (DER) for 50 and 260 kVp photons as a function of the distance from the cube centre for 12 different cube sizes. A 10 nm-wide concentric shell shaped detector was placed up to 100 nm away from a GNP at the cube centre. For model validation, simulations based on BCC and nanoparticle random distribution (NRD) models were performed using parameters that corresponded to the experimental conditions, which measured increases in the relative biological effect due to GNPs. We employed the linear quadratic model to compute cell surviving fraction (SF) and sensitizer enhancement ratio (SER). The DER is inversely proportional to the distance to the GNPs. The largest DERs were 1.97 and 1.80 for 50 kVp and 260 kVp photons, respectively. The SF predicted by the BCC model agreed with the experimental value within 10%, up to a 5 Gy dose, while the NRD model showed a deviation larger than 10%. The SERs were 1.21  ±  0.13, 1.16  ±  0.11, and 1.08  ±  0.11 according to the experiment, BCC, and NRD models, respectively. We most accurately predicted the GNP radiosensitization effect using the BCC approximation and suggest that the BCC model is effective for use in nanoparticle dosimetry.

Study of helium diffusion, implanted at a cyclotron, in face-centered cubic metals: Au, Ag and Al

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sciani, V.

1985-01-01

Helium in metals is produced by nuclear reactions of energetic particles. In nuclear technology the interest on helium in metals is import, due to its production by (n, α) reaction. Because helium has extremely low solubility in metals, the precipitation in the form of filled bubbles at elevated temperatures occurs, which have detrimental effects on mechanical properties and may limit the lifetime of structural components. One typical example is the high temperature embrittlement. The nucleation and growth of the bubbles strongly depends on the mobility of the helium. This work presents the study of helium diffusion in Au, Ag and Al at temperatures above room temperature. The helium created by (n, α) reactions has been simulated by homogeneous alpha particles implantation in cyclotron, at room temperature, in specimens of thicknesses between 5 and 50 μm and helium concentration between 10 -3 to 10 ppm. After implantation, the specimens were dropped in a furnace in a UHV-chamber and the diffusion was measured by observing the He-release during linear and isothermal annealings. The occurence of free diffusion was comparing the dependence of release kinetics on helium concentration, sample thickness, time and heating rate to diffusion theory and is clearly separeted from agglomeration process. The diffusion constants of helium in Au, Ag and Al follow an Arrhenius behavior, with: Au:D o =10 -1.0 cm 2 /s ΔH=1.70eV Ag:D 0 =10 -1.2 cm 2 /s ΔH=1.51eV Al:D o =10 +0.5 cm 2 /s ΔH=1.40eV. The results are compared to self-diffusion and to the diffusion of other gases in these metals. Comparison with theoretical estimates favours the vacancy mechanism for helium diffusion in Au, Ag and Al. (author) [pt

On tension-compression asymmetry in ultrafine-grained and nanocrystalline metals

KAUST Repository

Gurses, Ercan

2010-12-01

We present a physically motivated computational study explaining the tension/compression (T/C) asymmetry phenomenon in nanocrystalline (nc) and ultrafine-grained (ufg) face centered cubic (fcc) metals utilizing a variational constitutive model where the nc-metal is modeled as a two-phase material consisting of a grain interior phase and a grain boundary affected zone (GBAZ). We show that the existence of voids and their growth in GBAZ renders the material pressure sensitivity due to porous plasticity and that the utilized model provides a physically sound mechanism to capture the experimentally observed T/C asymmetry in nc- and ufg-metals. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Wear resistance of layers hard faced by the high-alloyed filler metal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dušan Arsić

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The objective of this work was to determine the wear resistance of layers hard faced by the high-alloyed filler metal, with or without the austenite inter-layer, on parts that operate at different sliding speeds in conditions without lubrication. The samples were hard faced with the filler metal E 10-UM-60-C with high content of C, Cr and W. Used filler metal belongs into group of alloys aimed for reparatory hard facing of parts damaged by abrasive and erosive wear and it is characterized by high hardness and wear resistance. In experiments, the sliding speed and the normal loading were varied and the wear scar was monitored, based on which the volume of the worn material was calculated analytically. The contact duration time was monitored over the sliding path of 300 mm. The most intensive wear was established for the loading force of 100 N and the sliding speed of 1 m.s-1, though the significant wear was also noticed in conditions of the small loading and speed of 0.25 m.s-1, which was even greater that at larger speeds.

Electrical transport and capacitance characteristics of metal-insulator-metal structures using hexagonal and cubic boron nitride films as dielectrics

Science.gov (United States)

Teii, Kungen; Kawamoto, Shinsuke; Fukui, Shingo; Matsumoto, Seiichiro

2018-04-01

Metal-insulator-metal capacitor structures using thick hexagonal and cubic boron nitride (hBN and cBN) films as dielectrics are produced by plasma jet-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and their electrical transport and capacitance characteristics are studied in a temperature range of 298 to 473 K. The resistivity of the cBN film is of the order of 107 Ω cm at 298 K, which is lower than that of the hBN film by two orders of magnitude, while it becomes the same order as the hBN film above ˜423 K. The dominant current transport mechanism at high fields (≥1 × 104 V cm-1) is described by the Frenkel-Poole emission and thermionic emission models for the hBN and cBN films, respectively. The capacitance of the hBN film remains stable for a change in alternating-current frequency and temperature, while that of the cBN film has variations of at most 18%. The dissipation factor as a measure of energy loss is satisfactorily low (≤5%) for both films. The origin of leakage current and capacitance variation is attributed to a high defect density in the film and a transition interlayer between the substrate and the film, respectively. This suggests that cBN films with higher crystallinity, stoichiometry, and phase purity are potentially applicable for dielectrics like hBN films.

Hexagonal close packed to face centered cubic polymorphic transformation in nanocrystalline titanium-zirconium system by mechanical alloying

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bera, S.; Manna, I.

2006-01-01

The present study reports a reversible hexagonal close packed (hcp) to face centered cubic (fcc) polymorphic phase transformation in four different nanocrystalline titanium-zirconium binary alloys in the course of mechanical alloying in a planetary ball mill. This transformation is monitored at appropriate stages by X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Lattice parameter of the nanocrystalline fcc phase is a function of the alloy composition. For a given alloy, the lattice parameter and hence volume per atom increase with increase in milling time under comparable conditions. On the other hand, crystallite size, measured from X-ray peak broadening, significantly decreases with the progress of milling. It is suggested that structural instability due to plastic strain, increasing lattice expansion, and negative (from core to boundary) hydrostatic pressure is responsible for this hcp → fcc polymorphic transformation. The said transformation seems reversible as isothermal annealing at 1000 deg. C for 1 h or melting the powder mass leads to partial or complete transformation of the milled product from single phase fcc to hcp

Hydrogen transport behavior of metal coatings for plasma-facing components

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anderl, R.A.; Holland, D.F.; Longhurst, G.R. (Idaho National Engineering Lab., Idaho Falls (USA))

1990-12-01

Plasma-facing components for experimental and commercial fusion reactor studies may include cladding or coatings of refractory metals like tungsten on metallic structural substrates such as copper, vanadium alloys and austenitic stainless steel. Issues of safety and fuel economy include the potential for inventory buildup and permeation of tritium implanted into the plasma-facing surface. This paper reports on laboratory-scale studies with 3 keV D{sub 3}{sup +} ion beams to investigate the hydrogen transport behavior in tungsten coatings on substrates of copper. These experiments entailed measurements of the deuterium re-emission and permeation rates of tungsten, copper, and tungsten-coated copper specimens at temperatures ranging from 638 to 825 K and implanting particle fluxes of approximately 5x10{sup 19} D/m{sup 2} s. Diffusion constants and surface recombination coefficients with enhancement factors due to sputtering were obtained from these measurements. These data may be used in calculations to estimate permeation rates and inventory buildups for proposed diverter designs. (orig.).

Hydrogen transport behavior of metal coatings for plasma-facing components

Science.gov (United States)

Anderl, R. A.; Holland, D. F.; Longhurst, G. R.

1990-12-01

Plasma-facing components for experimental and commercial fusion reactor studies may include cladding or coatings of refractory metals like tungsten on metallic structural substrates such as copper, vanadium alloys and austenitic stainless steel. Issues of safety and fuel economy include the potential for inventory buildup and permeation of tritium implanted into the plasma-facing surface. This paper reports on laboratory-scale studies with 3 keV D +3 ion beams to investigate the hydrogen transport behavior in tungsten coatings on substrates of copper. These experiments entailed measurements of the deuterium re-emission and permeation rates for tungsten, copper, and tungsten-coated copper specimens at temperatures ranging from 638 to 825 K and implanting particle fluxes of approximately 5 × 10 19 D/m 2 s. Diffusion constants and surface recombination coefficients with enhancement factors due to sputtering were obtained from these measurements. These data may be used in calculations to estimate permeation rates and inventory buildups for proposed diverter designs.

Thermoelectric-Driven Liquid-Metal Plasma-Facing Structures (TELS) Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruzic, David [Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL (United States)

2016-12-17

The Thermoelectric-Driven Liquid-Metal Plasma-Facing Structures (TELS) project was able to establish the experimental conditions necessary for flowing liquid metal surfaces in order to be utilized as surfaces facing fusion relevant energetic plasma flux. The work has also addressed additional developments along with progressing along the timeline detailed in the proposal. A no-cost extension was requested to conduct other relevant experiment- specifically regarding the characterization droplet ejection during energetic plasma flux impact. A specially designed trench module, which could accommodate trenches with different aspect ratios was fabricated and installed in the TELS setup and plasma gun experiments were performed. Droplet ejection was characterized using high speed image acquisition and also surface mounted probes were used to characterize the plasma. The Gantt chart below had been provided with the original proposal, indicating the tasks to be performed in the third year of funding. These tasks are listed above in the progress report outline, and their progress status is detailed below.

Hydrogen transport behavior of metal coatings for plasma facing components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderl, R.A.; Holland, D.F.; Longhurst, G.R.

1990-01-01

Plasma-facing components for experimental and commercial fusion reactor studies may include cladding or coatings of refractory metals like tungsten on metallic structural substrates such as copper, vanadium alloys and austenitic stainless steel. Issues of safety and fuel economy include the potential for inventory buildup and permeation of tritium implanted into the plasma-facing surface. This paper reports on laboratory-scale studies with 3-keV D 3 + ion beams to investigate the hydrogen transport behavior in tungsten coatings on substrates of copper. These experiments entailed measurements of the deuterium re-emission and permeation rates for tungsten, copper, and tungsten-coated copper specimens at temperatures ranging from 638 K to 825 K and implanting particle fluxes of approximately 5 x 10 19 D/m 2 s. Diffusion constants and surface recombination coefficients with enhancement factors due to sputtering were obtained from these measurements. These data may be used in calculations to estimate permeation rates and inventory buildups for proposed diverter designs. 18 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs

Minimal knotted polygons in cubic lattices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Rensburg, E J Janse; Rechnitzer, A

2011-01-01

In this paper we examine numerically the properties of minimal length knotted lattice polygons in the simple cubic, face-centered cubic, and body-centered cubic lattices by sieving minimal length polygons from a data stream of a Monte Carlo algorithm, implemented as described in Aragão de Carvalho and Caracciolo (1983 Phys. Rev. B 27 1635), Aragão de Carvalho et al (1983 Nucl. Phys. B 215 209) and Berg and Foester (1981 Phys. Lett. B 106 323). The entropy, mean writhe, and mean curvature of minimal length polygons are computed (in some cases exactly). While the minimal length and mean curvature are found to be lattice dependent, the mean writhe is found to be only weakly dependent on the lattice type. Comparison of our results to numerical results for the writhe obtained elsewhere (see Janse van Rensburg et al 1999 Contributed to Ideal Knots (Series on Knots and Everything vol 19) ed Stasiak, Katritch and Kauffman (Singapore: World Scientific), Portillo et al 2011 J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 44 275004) shows that the mean writhe is also insensitive to the length of a knotted polygon. Thus, while these results for the mean writhe and mean absolute writhe at minimal length are not universal, our results demonstrate that these values are quite close the those of long polygons regardless of the underlying lattice and length

Liquid-metal plasma-facing component research on the National Spherical Torus Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Jaworski, M. A.; Khodak, A.; Kaita, R.

2013-12-01

Liquid metal plasma-facing components (PFCs) have been proposed as a means of solving several problems facing the creation of economically viable fusion power reactors. Liquid metals face critical issues in three key areas: free-surface stability, material migration and demonstration of integrated scenarios. To date, few demonstrations exist of this approach in a diverted tokamak and we here provide an overview of such work on the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX). The liquid lithium divertor (LLD) was installed and operated for the 2010 run campaign using evaporated coatings as the filling method. Despite a nominal liquid level exceeding the capillary structure and peak current densities into the PFCs exceeding 100 kA m-2, no macroscopic ejection events were observed. The stability can be understood from a Rayleigh-Taylor instability analysis. Capillary restraint and thermal-hydraulic considerations lead to a proposed liquid-metal PFCs scheme of actively-supplied, capillary-restrained systems. Even with state-of-the-art cooling techniques, design studies indicate that the surface temperature with divertor-relevant heat fluxes will still reach temperatures above 700 °C. At this point, one would expect significant vapor production from a liquid leading to a continuously vapor-shielded regime. Such high-temperature liquid lithium PFCs may be possible on the basis of momentum-balance arguments.

Magnetic states, correlation effects and metal-insulator transition in FCC lattice

Science.gov (United States)

Timirgazin, M. A.; Igoshev, P. A.; Arzhnikov, A. K.; Irkhin, V. Yu

2016-12-01

The ground-state magnetic phase diagram (including collinear and spiral states) of the single-band Hubbard model for the face-centered cubic lattice and related metal-insulator transition (MIT) are investigated within the slave-boson approach by Kotliar and Ruckenstein. The correlation-induced electron spectrum narrowing and a comparison with a generalized Hartree-Fock approximation allow one to estimate the strength of correlation effects. This, as well as the MIT scenario, depends dramatically on the ratio of the next-nearest and nearest electron hopping integrals {{t}\\prime}/t . In contrast with metallic state, possessing substantial band narrowing, insulator one is only weakly correlated. The magnetic (Slater) scenario of MIT is found to be superior over the Mott one. Unlike simple and body-centered cubic lattices, MIT is the first order transition (discontinuous) for most {{t}\\prime}/t . The insulator state is type-II or type-III antiferromagnet, and the metallic state is spin-spiral, collinear antiferromagnet or paramagnet depending on {{t}\\prime}/t . The picture of magnetic ordering is compared with that in the standard localized-electron (Heisenberg) model.

Local-field correction in the lattice dynamics of b.b.c. transition metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Onwuagba, B.N.

1984-01-01

It is shown that the off-diagonal components of the inverse dielectric matrix which determine the local-field correction associated with s-d interactions, make contributions to the dynamical matrix for phonon dispersion in the body-centred cubic transition metals V, Nb and Ta which tend to cancel the Born-Mayer contribution, just as the diagonal components of the inverse dielectric matrix tend to cancel or screen the long-range (Coulombic) contribution. Numerical calculations show that the cancellation of the Born-Mayer contribution to the dynamical matrix by the local-field correction is such that the effective short-range interatomic potential turns out to be attractive rather than repulsive in these metals and accounts for some peculiar shapes of the major soft modes observed in these metals

Liquid-metal plasma-facing component research on the National Spherical Torus Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaworski, M A; Khodak, A; Kaita, R

2013-01-01

Liquid metal plasma-facing components (PFCs) have been proposed as a means of solving several problems facing the creation of economically viable fusion power reactors. Liquid metals face critical issues in three key areas: free-surface stability, material migration and demonstration of integrated scenarios. To date, few demonstrations exist of this approach in a diverted tokamak and we here provide an overview of such work on the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX). The liquid lithium divertor (LLD) was installed and operated for the 2010 run campaign using evaporated coatings as the filling method. Despite a nominal liquid level exceeding the capillary structure and peak current densities into the PFCs exceeding 100 kA m −2 , no macroscopic ejection events were observed. The stability can be understood from a Rayleigh–Taylor instability analysis. Capillary restraint and thermal-hydraulic considerations lead to a proposed liquid-metal PFCs scheme of actively-supplied, capillary-restrained systems. Even with state-of-the-art cooling techniques, design studies indicate that the surface temperature with divertor-relevant heat fluxes will still reach temperatures above 700 °C. At this point, one would expect significant vapor production from a liquid leading to a continuously vapor-shielded regime. Such high-temperature liquid lithium PFCs may be possible on the basis of momentum-balance arguments. (paper)

Cubical local partial orders on cubically subdivided spaces - existence and construction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fajstrup, Lisbeth

The geometric models of Higher Dimensional Automata and Dijkstra's PV-model are cubically subdivided topological spaces with a local partial order. If a cubicalization of a topological space is free of immersed cubic Möbius bands, then there are consistent choices of direction in all cubes, such ...... that the underlying geometry of an HDA may be quite complicated....

Cubical local partial orders on cubically subdivided spaces - Existence and construction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fajstrup, Lisbeth

2006-01-01

The geometric models of higher dimensional automata (HDA) and Dijkstra's PV-model are cubically subdivided topological spaces with a local partial order. If a cubicalization of a topological space is free of immersed cubic Möbius bands, then there are consistent choices of direction in all cubes...... that the underlying geometry of an HDA may be quite complicated....

X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) Characterization Methods for Sigma=3 Twin Defects in Cubic Semiconductor (100) Wafers

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Yeonjoon (Inventor); Kim, Hyun Jung (Inventor); Skuza, Jonathan R. (Inventor); Lee, Kunik (Inventor); King, Glen C. (Inventor); Choi, Sang Hyouk (Inventor)

2017-01-01

An X-ray defraction (XRD) characterization method for sigma=3 twin defects in cubic semiconductor (100) wafers includes a concentration measurement method and a wafer mapping method for any cubic tetrahedral semiconductor wafers including GaAs (100) wafers and Si (100) wafers. The methods use the cubic semiconductor's (004) pole figure in order to detect sigma=3/{111} twin defects. The XRD methods are applicable to any (100) wafers of tetrahedral cubic semiconductors in the diamond structure (Si, Ge, C) and cubic zinc-blend structure (InP, InGaAs, CdTe, ZnSe, and so on) with various growth methods such as Liquid Encapsulated Czochralski (LEC) growth, Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE), Organometallic Vapor Phase Epitaxy (OMVPE), Czochralski growth and Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) growth.

Anisotropy of electron work function and reticular compacting of friable faces of metallic crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vladimirov, A.F.

1999-01-01

The review and statistical estimate of experimental data on work functions for BCC-, FCC- and HCP - metals (W, Mo, Ta, Nb, Cr, V, Ni, Y) as well as the earlier developed quantum-mechanical statistical model of double electrical layer formation at metal surface and the calculation of an electron work function dipole constituent serve as a basis for the development of a semi-empirical theory of electron work function anisotropy. A coefficient of reticular compacting of friable crystal faces is introduced and statistically estimated. A coefficient of crystal emission anisotropy is also introduced and estimated both theoretically and empirically. The theory permits calculating work functions for all crystal faces and a volumetric constituent of the work function from the measured value of electron work function for a single face [ru

Creating probabilistic maps of the face network in the adolescent brain: A multi-centre functional MRI study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tahmasebi, Amir M.; Mareckova, Klara; Artiges, Eric; Martinot, Jean-Luc; Banaschewski, Tobias; Barker, Gareth J.; Loth, Eva; Schumann, Gunter; Bruehl, Ruediger; Ittermann, Bernd; Buchel, Christian; Conrod, Patricia J.; Flor, Herta; Strohle, Andreas; Garavan, Hugh; Gallinat, Jurgen; Heinz, Andreas; Poline, Jean-Baptiste; Rietschel, Marcella; Smolka, Michael N.; Paus, Tomas

2012-01-01

Large-scale magnetic resonance (MR) studies of the human brain offer unique opportunities for identifying genetic and environmental factors shaping the human brain. Here, we describe a dataset collected in the context of a multi-centre study of the adolescent brain, namely the IMAGEN Study. We focus on one of the functional paradigms included in the project to probe the brain network underlying processing of ambiguous and angry faces. Using functional MR (fMRI) data collected in 1,110 adolescents, we constructed probabilistic maps of the neural network engaged consistently while viewing the ambiguous or angry faces; 21 brain regions responding to faces with high probability were identified. We were also able to address several methodological issues, including the minimal sample size yielding a stable location of a test region, namely the fusiform face area (FFA), as well as the effect of acquisition site (eight sites) and scanner (four manufacturers) on the location and magnitude of the fMRI response to faces in the FFA. Finally, we provided a comparison between male and female adolescents in terms of the effect sizes of sex differences in brain response to the ambiguous and angry faces in the 21 regions of interest. Overall, we found a stronger neural response to the ambiguous faces in several cortical regions, including the fusiform face area, in female (vs. male) adolescents, and a slightly stronger response to the angry faces in the amygdala of male (vs. female) adolescents. (authors)

On metal-insulator transition in cubic fullerides

Science.gov (United States)

Iwahara, Naoya; Chibotaru, Liviu

The interplay between degenerate orbital and electron correlation is a key to characterize the electronic phases in, for example, transition metal compounds and alkali-doped fullerides. Besides, the degenerate orbital couples to spin and lattice degrees of freedom ,giving rise to exotic phenomena. Here, we develop the self-consistent Gutzwiller approach for the simultaneous treatment of the Jahn-Teller effect and electron correlation, and apply the methodology to reveal the nature of the ground electronic state of fullerides. For small Coulomb repulsion on site U, the fulleride is quasi degenerate correlated metal. With increase of U, we found the quantum phase transition from the metallic phase to JT split phase. In the latter, the Mott transition (MT) mainly develops in the half-filled subband, whereas the empty and the completely filled subbands are almost uninvolved. Therefore, we can qualify the metal-insulator transition in fullerides as an orbital selective MT induced by JT effect.

On the geometrical factor in the off-centre diffusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Despa, F.; Apostol, M.

1995-07-01

The geometrical factor of the off-centre diffusion coefficient is computed for certain two- and three-dimensional cubic lattice, and a method is indicated for estimating this factor in more general cases. (author). 7 refs, 4 figs

Particle linear theory on a self-gravitating perturbed cubic Bravais lattice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marcos, B.

2008-01-01

Discreteness effects are a source of uncontrolled systematic errors of N-body simulations, which are used to compute the evolution of a self-gravitating fluid. We have already developed the so-called ''particle linear theory''(PLT), which describes the evolution of the position of self-gravitating particles located on a perturbed simple cubic lattice. It is the discrete analogue of the well-known (Lagrangian) linear theory of a self-gravitating fluid. Comparing both theories permits us to quantify precisely discreteness effects in the linear regime. It is useful to develop the PLT also for other perturbed lattices because they represent different discretizations of the same continuous system. In this paper we detail how to implement the PLT for perturbed cubic Bravais lattices (simple, body, and face-centered) in a cubic simulation box. As an application, we will study the discreteness effects--in the linear regime--of N-body simulations for which initial conditions have been set up using these different lattices.

Liquid Metals as Plasma-facing Materials for Fusion Energy Systems: From Atoms to Tokamaks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stone, Howard A. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States); Koel, Bruce E. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States); Bernasek, Steven L. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States); Carter, Emily A. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States); Debenedetti, Pablo G. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States); Panagiotopoulos, Athanassios Z. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)

2017-06-23

The objective of our studies was to advance our fundamental understanding of liquid metals as plasma-facing materials for fusion energy systems, with a broad scope: from atoms to tokamaks. The flow of liquid metals offers solutions to significant problems of the plasma-facing materials for fusion energy systems. Candidate metals include lithium, tin, gallium, and their eutectic combinations. However, such liquid metal solutions can only be designed efficiently if a range of scientific and engineering issues are resolved that require advances in fundamental fluid dynamics, materials science and surface science. In our research we investigated a range of significant and timely problems relevant to current and proposed engineering designs for fusion reactors, including high-heat flux configurations that are being considered by leading fusion energy groups world-wide. Using experimental and theoretical tools spanning atomistic to continuum descriptions of liquid metals, and bridging surface chemistry, wetting/dewetting and flow, our research has advanced the science and engineering of fusion energy materials and systems. Specifically, we developed a combined experimental and theoretical program to investigate flows of liquid metals in fusion-relevant geometries, including equilibrium and stability of thin-film flows, e.g. wetting and dewetting, effects of electromagnetic and thermocapillary fields on liquid metal thin-film flows, and how chemical interactions and the properties of the surface are influenced by impurities and in turn affect the surface wetting characteristics, the surface tension, and its gradients. Because high-heat flux configurations produce evaporation and sputtering, which forces rearrangement of the liquid, and any dewetting exposes the substrate to damage from the plasma, our studies addressed such evaporatively driven liquid flows and measured and simulated properties of the different bulk phases and material interfaces. The range of our studies

Twinning interactions induced amorphisation in ultrafine silicon grains

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cao, Y. [School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052 (Australia); Zhang, L.C., E-mail: liangchi.zhang@unsw.edu.au [School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052 (Australia); Zhang, Y. [School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (China)

2016-03-21

Detailed transmission electron microscopy analysis on a severely deformed Al-Si composite material has revealed that partial dislocation slips and deformation twinning are the major plastic deformation carriers in ultrafine silicon grains. This resembles the deformation twinning activities and mechanisms observed in nano-crystalline face-centred-cubic metallic materials. While deformation twinning and amorphisation in Si were thought unlikely to co-exist, it is observed for the first time that excessive twinning and partial dislocation interactions can lead to localised solid state amorphisation inside ultrafine silicon grains.

Helium release from metals with face-centered cubic structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sciani, V.; Lucki, G.; Jung, P.

1984-01-01

The helium release from gold sheets of 5 and 54 μm of thickness and helium concentrations from 10 -9 to 10 -5 ap of He during the isothermal and linear annealing is studied. The helium was put in the sample through the implantation of alpha particles, with variable energy,in the cyclotron. The free diffusion of the atoms of the helium, where the diffusion coefficient follows an Arrhenius law is studied. (E.G.) [pt

Basic criteria for formation of growth twins in high stacking fault energy metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, K. Y.; Zhang, X.; Bufford, D.; Chen, Y.; Liu, Y.; Wang, H.

2013-01-01

Nanotwinned metals received significant interest lately as twin boundaries may enable simultaneous enhancement of strength, ductility, thermal stability, and radiation tolerance. However, nanotwins have been the privilege of metals with low-to-intermediate stacking fault energy (SFE). Recent scattered studies show that nanotwins could be introduced into high SFE metals, such as Al. In this paper, we examine several sputter-deposited, (111) textured Ag/Al, Cu/Ni, and Cu/Fe multilayers, wherein growth twins were observed in Al, Ni, and face-centered cubic (fcc) Fe. The comparisons lead to two important design criteria that dictate the introduction of growth twins in high SFE metals. The validity of these criteria was then examined in Ag/Ni multilayers. Furthermore, another twin formation mechanism in high SFE metals was discovered in Ag/Ni system

Calculations of and evidence for chain packing stress in inverse lyotropic bicontinuous cubic phases.

Science.gov (United States)

Shearman, Gemma C; Khoo, Bee J; Motherwell, Mary-Lynn; Brakke, Kenneth A; Ces, Oscar; Conn, Charlotte E; Seddon, John M; Templer, Richard H

2007-06-19

Inverse bicontinuous cubic lyotropic phases are a complex solution to the dilemma faced by all self-assembled water-amphiphile systems: how to satisfy the incompatible requirements for uniform interfacial curvature and uniform molecular packing. The solution reached in this case is for the water-amphiphile interfaces to deform hyperbolically onto triply periodic minimal surfaces. We have previously suggested that although the molecular packing in these structures is rather uniform the relative phase behavior of the gyroid, double diamond, and primitive inverse bicontinuous cubic phases can be understood in terms of subtle differences in packing frustration. In this work, we have calculated the packing frustration for these cubics under the constraint that their interfaces have constant mean curvature. We find that the relative packing stress does indeed differ between phases. The gyroid cubic has the least packing stress, and at low water volume fraction, the primitive cubic has the greatest packing stress. However, at very high water volume fraction, the double diamond cubic becomes the structure with the greatest packing stress. We have tested the model in two ways. For a system with a double diamond cubic phase in excess water, the addition of a hydrophobe may release packing frustration and preferentially stabilize the primitive cubic, since this has previously been shown to have lower curvature elastic energy. We have confirmed this prediction by adding the long chain alkane tricosane to 1-monoolein in excess water. The model also predicts that if one were able to hydrate the double diamond cubic to high water volume fractions, one should destabilize the phase with respect to the primitive cubic. We have found that such highly swollen metastable bicontinuous cubic phases can be formed within onion vesicles. Data from monoelaidin in excess water display a well-defined transition, with the primitive cubic appearing above a water volume fraction of 0.75. Both of

Analysis and Behaviour of Sandwich Panels with Profiled Metal Facings under Transverse Load

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Budescu

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Sandwich panels with thin steel facings and polyurethane core combine the load-carrying capacity of metal facings and protection functions with core properties. The core separates the two facings and keeps them in a stable condition, transmits shear between external layers, provides most of the shear rigidity and occasionally makes of useful contribution to the bending stiffness of the sandwich construction as a whole [1]. An experimental program on sandwich panels has been organized to prove that the mechanical properties of core and interface satisfy the load-carrying requirements for structural sandwich panels. The analysis of sandwich panels with deep profiles facings for cladding elements, respectively the roof constructions, has been carried out according to the European design norms [1], [5].

Electronic structure and metallization of cubic GdH{sub 3} under pressure: Ab initio many-body GW calculations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kong, Bo, E-mail: kong79@yeah.net, E-mail: yachao.zhang@pku.edu.cn [School of Physics and Electronic Sciences, Guizhou Education University, Guiyang 550018 (China); Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Computational Nano-Material Science, Guizhou Education University, Guiyang 550018 (China); Zhang, Yachao, E-mail: kong79@yeah.net, E-mail: yachao.zhang@pku.edu.cn [Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Computational Nano-Material Science, Guizhou Education University, Guiyang 550018 (China)

2016-07-07

The electronic structures of the cubic GdH{sub 3} are extensively investigated using the ab initio many-body GW calculations treating the Gd 4f electrons either in the core (4f-core) or in the valence states (4f-val). Different degrees of quasiparticle (QP) self-consistent calculations with the different starting points are used to correct the failures of the GGA/GGA + U/HSE03 calculations. In the 4f-core case, GGA + G{sub 0}W{sub 0} calculations give a fundamental band gap of 1.72 eV, while GGA+ GW{sub 0} or GGA + GW calculations present a larger band gap. In the 4f-val case, the nonlocal exchange-correlation (xc) functional HSE03 can account much better for the strong localization of the 4f states than the semilocal or Hubbard U corrected xc functional in the Kohn–Sham equation. We show that the fundamental gap of the antiferromagnetic (AFM) or ferromagnetic (FM) GdH{sub 3} can be opened up by solving the QP equation with improved starting point of eigenvalues and wave functions given by HSE03. The HSE03 + G{sub 0}W{sub 0} calculations present a fundamental band gap of 2.73 eV in the AFM configuration, and the results of the corresponding GW{sub 0} and GW calculations are 2.89 and 3.03 eV, respectively. In general, for the cubic structure, the fundamental gap from G{sub 0}W{sub 0} calculations in the 4f-core case is the closest to the real result. By G{sub 0}W{sub 0} calculations in the 4f-core case, we find that H or Gd defects can strongly affect the band structure, especially the H defects. We explain the mechanism in terms of the possible electron correlation on the hydrogen site. Under compression, the insulator-to-metal transition in the cubic GdH{sub 3} occurs around 40 GPa, which might be a satisfied prediction.

Additive Manufacturing: Reproducibility of Metallic Parts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konda Gokuldoss Prashanth

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The present study deals with the properties of five different metals/alloys (Al-12Si, Cu-10Sn and 316L—face centered cubic structure, CoCrMo and commercially pure Ti (CP-Ti—hexagonal closed packed structure fabricated by selective laser melting. The room temperature tensile properties of Al-12Si samples show good consistency in results within the experimental errors. Similar reproducible results were observed for sliding wear and corrosion experiments. The other metal/alloy systems also show repeatable tensile properties, with the tensile curves overlapping until the yield point. The curves may then follow the same path or show a marginal deviation (~10 MPa until they reach the ultimate tensile strength and a negligible difference in ductility levels (of ~0.3% is observed between the samples. The results show that selective laser melting is a reliable fabrication method to produce metallic materials with consistent and reproducible properties.

The challenges facing the European Union Centres of Excellence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dupre, Bruno; )

2012-10-01

On 19 April 2012, the United Nation Security Council congratulated the European Union for its initiative on centres of excellence in the nuclear, radiological, biological, and chemical fields. The time for glowing reports is over. Three years after its creation, the support of EU Member Sates, the Security Council, the G8, the IEAE, the WHO, the USA, Interpol, the ICRC, has been obtained. Other diplomatic, organisational, and communicative challenges have now arisen regarding implementation. The manifest challenges include: 1/Political exploitation of the centres. Following a recent round table in Algiers, the Algerian press ran headlines such as 'terrorism, the Malian crisis arrives in Algiers' CBRN centres of excellence' and 'Bouteflika, the centres of excellence slight'. 2/Communication errors. A unanimously approved expert in South East Asia became a persona non grata over the last six months despite not making any fundamental mistake, aside from his inability to evaluate the degree of a country's sensitivity and pride. The countries in the region went so far as to threaten to pull out of the Manila centre as a result of this ultimately minor error in communication. 3/The scope of the centres' role complicates the grasp of its objectives. To date, the focus has essentially been on non-proliferation and the fight against CBRN terrorism, under the well-established theme of Resolution 1540. The shift of CBRN focus, at the behest of certain regions, on to real natural risks (pandemics) or industrial risks (protection of crucial infrastructure following an earthquake, flooding, or a tsunami) fundamentally changes the teams' make-up and the mobilization of resources. The emergency services culture is different to that of nonproliferation. However, they both very much address CBRN risks and threats. 4/The limits of the 'bottom-up' approach. To date, the centres' success has been due to the lack of restrictive rules. The policy is to enlist willing third-party States

Calculation of binary phase diagrams between the actinide elements, rare earth elements, and transition metal elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selle, J.E.

1992-01-01

Attempts were made to apply the Kaufman method of calculating binary phase diagrams to the calculation of binary phase diagrams between the rare earths, actinides, and the refractory transition metals. Difficulties were encountered in applying the method to the rare earths and actinides, and modifications were necessary to provide accurate representation of known diagrams. To calculate the interaction parameters for rare earth-rare earth diagrams, it was necessary to use the atomic volumes for each of the phases: liquid, body-centered cubic, hexagonal close-packed, and face-centered cubic. Determination of the atomic volumes of each of these phases for each element is discussed in detail. In some cases, empirical means were necessary. Results are presented on the calculation of rare earth-rare earth, rare earth-actinide, and actinide-actinide diagrams. For rare earth-refractory transition metal diagrams and actinide-refractory transition metal diagrams, empirical means were required to develop values for the enthalpy of vaporization for rare earth elements and values for the constant (C) required when intermediate phases are present. Results of using the values determined for each element are presented

Ab initio modeling of interactions between screw dislocations and interstitial solutes in body-centered cubic transition metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luthi, Berengere

2017-01-01

In order to improve our understanding of alloy plasticity, it is important to describe at the atomic scale the dislocation-solute interactions and their effect on the dislocation mobility. This work focuses on the body-centered cubic (BCC) transition metals in presence of interstitial solute atoms, in particular the Fe-C system. Using Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations, the core structure of the screw dislocation of Burgers vector b=1/2<111> was investigated in iron in presence of boron, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen solute atoms, and in BCC metals from group 5 (V, Nb, Ta) and 6 (Mo, W) in presence of carbon solutes. A core reconstruction is evidenced in iron and group 6 metals, along with a strong attractive dislocation-solute interaction energy: the dislocation goes from easy to hard configuration where the solute atoms are at the center of trigonal prisms along the dislocation line. A different behavior is observed in group 5 metals, for which the most stable configuration for the carbon atom is an octahedral site in the vicinity of the dislocation, without any core reconstruction. This group tendency is linked to the structure of mono-carbides. Consequences of the strongly attractive dislocation-solute interactions in Fe(C) were then investigated. First the equilibrium segregation close to the dislocation core was studied using a mean-field model and Monte Carlo simulations. Over a wide temperature range, from 200 to 700 K, a strong segregation is predicted with every other prismatic site occupied by a carbon atom. Then, the mobility of the dislocation in presence of carbon atoms was investigated by modeling the double-kink mechanism with DFT, in relation with experimental data obtained with transmission electron microscopy. The activation energy obtained for this atomic scale mechanism is in good agreement with experimental values for the dynamic strain aging. (author) [fr

The ideal Atomic Centre; Le Centre Atomique ideal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mas, R [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1965-07-01

The author presents considerations which should prove to be of interest to all those who have to design, to construct and to operate a nuclear research centre. A large number of the ideas presented can also be applied to non-nuclear scientific research centres. In his report the author reviews: various problems with which the constructor is faced: ground-plan, infrastructure, buildings and the large units of scientific equipment in the centre, and those problems facing the director: maintenance, production, supplies, security. The author stresses the relationship which ought to exist between the research workers and the management. With this aim in view he proposes the creation of National School for Administration in Research which would train administrative executives for public or private organisations; they would be specialised in the fields of fundamental or applied research. (author) [French] L'auteur propose une base de reflexions a tous ceux qui doivent concevoir, realiser et faire vivre un Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires. Un grand nombre des idees exprimees peut d'ailleurs s'appliquer a un Centre d'Etudes Scientifiques non nucleaires. Dans son ouvrage, l'auteur passe en revue les differents problemes qui se posent au constructeur: plan, masse, infrastructure, batiments et grands appareils du Centre, et ceux qu'a a resoudre le directeur: entretien, fabrication, approvisionnements, securite. L'auteur insiste sur l'aspect des rapports qui doivent exister entre les chercheurs et ceux qui les administrent. Il propose a cette fin la creation d'une Ecole Nationale d'Administration de la Recherche qui formerait des cadres administratifs pour les organismes publics ou prives, specialises dans la Recherche fondamentale ou appliquee. (auteur)

Statistic derivation of Taylor factors for polycrystalline metals with application to pure magnesium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, J.H.; Li, Y.L.; Wei, Q.

2013-01-01

We have investigated the Taylor factors of textured as well as texture-free polycrystalline aggregates. We begin with examining the Schmid factors of single crystals. A statistical model is then introduced to describe the distribution of grain orientations as well as the Schmid factor of individual grains of the polycrystalline system. The grains are classified into “soft” and “hard” ones. Based on this, a model is proposed for the derivation of the Taylor factors of textured as well as texture-free polycrystalline metals, and as a case study it is applied to polycrystalline magnesium. The model predictions are in very good agreement with the available experimental results. No free parameters have been involved in the development of this model, and the physical processes are clearly defined. Based on the fundamental assumption that grains can be classified into “soft” and “hard” in metals, this model should also be applicable to other hexagonal close packed metals such as α-titanium, beryllium and zirconium, as well as metals of other lattice structures such as face-centered cubic and body-centered cubic. It will also be interesting to see if this model can be incorporated into existing crystal plasticity models for the prediction of texture evolution under mechanical loading

Elastic properties of cubic perovskite BaRuO{sub 3} from first-principles calculations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han Deming; Liu Xiaojuan; Lv Shuhui; Li Hongping [State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022 (China); Meng Jian, E-mail: jmeng@ciac.jl.c [State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022 (China)

2010-08-01

We present first-principles investigations on the structural and elastic properties of the cubic perovskite BaRuO{sub 3} using density-functional theory within both local density approximation (LDA) and generalized gradient approximation (GGA). Basic physical properties, such as lattice constant, shear modulus, elastic constants (C{sub ij}) are calculated. The calculated energy band structures show that the cubic perovskite BaRuO{sub 3} is metallic. We have also predicted the Young's modulus (Y), Poisson's ratio ({upsilon}), and Anisotropy factor (A).

International metal-on-metal multidisciplinary teams: do we manage patients with metal-on-metal hip arthroplasty in the same way? An analysis from the International Specialist Centre Collaboration on MOM Hips (ISCCoMH).

Science.gov (United States)

Berber, R; Skinner, J; Board, T; Kendoff, D; Eskelinen, A; Kwon, Y-M; Padgett, D E; Hart, A

2016-02-01

There are many guidelines that help direct the management of patients with metal-on-metal (MOM) hip arthroplasties. We have undertaken a study to compare the management of patients with MOM hip arthroplasties in different countries. Six international tertiary referral orthopaedic centres were invited to participate by organising a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) meeting, consisting of two or more revision hip arthroplasty surgeons and a musculoskeletal radiologist. A full clinical dataset including history, blood tests and imaging for ten patients was sent to each unit, for discussion and treatment planning. Differences in the interpretation of findings, management decisions and rationale for decisions were compared using quantitative and qualitative methods. Overall agreement between the orthopaedic centres and the recommended treatment plans for the ten patients with MOM hip implants was moderate (kappa = 0.6). Full agreement was seen in a third of cases, however split decisions were also seen in a third of cases. Units differed in their interpretation of the significance of the investigation findings and put varying emphasis on serial changes, in the presence of symptoms. In conclusion, the management of raised or rising blood metal ions, cystic pseudotumours and peri-acetabular osteolysis led to inconsistency in the agreement between centres. Coordinated international guidance and MDT panel discussions are recommended to improve consensus in decision making. A lack of evidence and the subsequent variation in regulator guidance leads to differences in opinions, the clinical impact of which can be reduced through a multi-disciplinary team approach to managing patients with MOM hip implants. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B:179-86. ©2016 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.

Microscopic insight into properties and electronic instabilities of impurities in cubic and lower symmetry insulators: the influence of pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreno, M; Barriuso, M T; Aramburu, J A; GarcIa-Fernandez, P; GarcIa-Lastra, J M

2006-01-01

This article reviews the microscopic origin of properties due to transition-metal (TM) impurities, M, in insulator materials. Particular attention is paid to the influence of pressure upon impurity properties. Basic concepts such as the electronic localization in an MX N complex, the electrostatic potential, V R , arising from the rest of the lattice ions or the elastic coupling of the complex to the host lattice are initially exposed. The dependence of optical and magnetic parameters on the impurity-ligand distance, R, in cubic lattices is discussed in a first step. Emphasis is put on the actual origin of the R dependence of 10Dq. Examples revealing that laws for strict cubic symmetry cannot in general be transferred to lower symmetries are later given. This relevant fact is shown to come from allowed hybridizations like nd-(n+1)s as well as the influence of V R . As a salient feature the different colour in ruby and emerald is stressed to arise from distinct V R potentials in Al 2 O 3 and Be 3 Si 6 Al 2 O 18 . The last part of this review deals with electronic instabilities. The phenomena associated with the Jahn-Teller (JT) effect in cubic lattices, the origin of the energy barrier among equivalent minima and the existence of coherent tunnelling in systems like MgO:Cu 2+ are discussed. An increase of elastic coupling is pointed out to favour a transition from an elongated to a compressed equilibrium conformation. Interestingly the equilibrium geometry of JT ions in non-cubic lattices is shown to be controlled by mechanisms different to those in cubic systems, V R playing again a key role. The relevance of first principles calculations for clarifying the subtle mechanisms behind off-centre instabilities is also pointed out. Examples concern monovalent and divalent TM impurities in lattices with the CaF 2 structure. The instability due to the transition from the ground to an excited state is finally considered. For complexes with significant elastic coupling

Microscopic insight into properties and electronic instabilities of impurities in cubic and lower symmetry insulators: the influence of pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno, M; Barriuso, M T; Aramburu, J A; García-Fernández, P; García-Lastra, J M

2006-05-03

This article reviews the microscopic origin of properties due to transition-metal (TM) impurities, M, in insulator materials. Particular attention is paid to the influence of pressure upon impurity properties. Basic concepts such as the electronic localization in an MX(N) complex, the electrostatic potential, V(R), arising from the rest of the lattice ions or the elastic coupling of the complex to the host lattice are initially exposed. The dependence of optical and magnetic parameters on the impurity-ligand distance, R, in cubic lattices is discussed in a first step. Emphasis is put on the actual origin of the R dependence of 10Dq. Examples revealing that laws for strict cubic symmetry cannot in general be transferred to lower symmetries are later given. This relevant fact is shown to come from allowed hybridizations like nd-(n+1)s as well as the influence of V(R). As a salient feature the different colour in ruby and emerald is stressed to arise from distinct V(R) potentials in Al(2)O(3) and Be(3)Si(6)Al(2)O(18). The last part of this review deals with electronic instabilities. The phenomena associated with the Jahn-Teller (JT) effect in cubic lattices, the origin of the energy barrier among equivalent minima and the existence of coherent tunnelling in systems like MgO:Cu(2+) are discussed. An increase of elastic coupling is pointed out to favour a transition from an elongated to a compressed equilibrium conformation. Interestingly the equilibrium geometry of JT ions in non-cubic lattices is shown to be controlled by mechanisms different to those in cubic systems, V(R) playing again a key role. The relevance of first principles calculations for clarifying the subtle mechanisms behind off-centre instabilities is also pointed out. Examples concern monovalent and divalent TM impurities in lattices with the CaF(2) structure. The instability due to the transition from the ground to an excited state is finally considered. For complexes with significant elastic coupling

Exploring liquid metal plasma facing component (PFC) concepts-Liquid metal film flow behavior under fusion relevant magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Narula, M.; Abdou, M.A.; Ying, A.; Morley, N.B.; Ni, M.; Miraghaie, R.; Burris, J.

2006-01-01

The use of fast moving liquid metal streams or 'liquid walls' as a plasma contact surface is a very attractive option and has been looked upon with considerable interest over the past several years, both by the plasma physics and fusion engineering programs. Flowing liquid walls provide an ever replenishing contact surface to the plasma, leading to very effective particle pumping and surface heat flux removal. A key feasibility issue for flowing liquid metal plasma facing component (PFC) systems, pertains to their magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) behavior under the spatially varying magnetic field environment, typical of a fusion device. MHD forces hinder the development of a smooth and controllable liquid metal flow needed for PFC applications. The present study builds up on the ongoing research effort at UCLA, directed towards providing qualitative and quantitative data on liquid metal free surface flow behavior under fusion relevant magnetic fields

Direct Visualisation of the Structural Transformation between the Lyotropic Liquid Crystalline Lamellar and Bicontinuous Cubic Mesophase.

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, Nhiem; Zhai, Jiali; Conn, Charlotte E; Mulet, Xavier; Waddington, Lynne J; Drummond, Calum J

2018-05-29

The transition between the lyotropic liquid crystalline lamellar and the bicontinuous cubic mesophase drives multiple fundamental cellular processes involving changes in cell membrane topology including endocytosis and membrane budding. While several theoretical models have been proposed to explain this dynamic transformation, experimental validation of these models has been challenging due to the short lived nature of the intermediates present during the phase transition. Herein, we report the direct observation of a lamellar to bicontinuous cubic phase transition in nanoscale dispersions using a combination of cryogenic transmission electron microscopy and static small angle X-ray scattering. The results represent the first experimental confirmation of a theoretical model which proposed that the bicontinuous cubic phase originates from the centre of a lamellar vesicle, then propagates outward via the formation of inter-lamellar attachments and stalks. The observation was possible due to the precise control of the lipid composition to place the dispersion systems at the phase boundary of a lamellar and a cubic phase, allowing for the creation of long-lived structural intermediates. By surveying the nanoparticles using cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, a complete phase transition sequence was established.

The ideal Atomic Centre

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mas, R.

1965-01-01

The author presents considerations which should prove to be of interest to all those who have to design, to construct and to operate a nuclear research centre. A large number of the ideas presented can also be applied to non-nuclear scientific research centres. In his report the author reviews: various problems with which the constructor is faced: ground-plan, infrastructure, buildings and the large units of scientific equipment in the centre, and those problems facing the director: maintenance, production, supplies, security. The author stresses the relationship which ought to exist between the research workers and the management. With this aim in view he proposes the creation of National School for Administration in Research which would train administrative executives for public or private organisations; they would be specialised in the fields of fundamental or applied research. (author) [fr

On the calculation of lattice sums arising in Bose-Einstein statistics of quasiparticle excitations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Millev, Y.; Faehnle, M.

1994-05-01

A new method for the calculations of the average occupation number of bosonic quasi-particle excitations valid for any type of lattice is proposed. The method is based on the recognition of the connection with lattice Green's functions and generalized Watson integrals, on one hand, and on a very simple differentiation technique which renders unnecessary and artificial to this problem more sophisticated Laplace transform summation procedures. The mean-field approximation to Green's function theories of ferromagnetism arises naturally as the zeroth term in the obtained summation formulae. The results have been specified completely for the three cubic lattices. They are new for the simple cubic and face-centred cases, whereas certain redundancy is removed form the known body-centred cubic results. Applications of the method to more complex sums as, for instance, the thermodynamic sum for the total energy of the quasiparticles, are straightforward. There has also been found a new three-position recursion relation for the calculation of frequently occurring triple geometric integrals in the face-centred cubic case. It originates form a corresponding relation for a relevant Heun function. (author). 29 refs, 1 tab

Cubic Gallium Nitride on Micropatterned Si (001) for Longer Wavelength LEDs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Durniak, Mark T. [Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst., Troy, NY (United States). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering; Chaudhuri, Anabil [Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States). Center for High Technology Materials; Smith, Michael L. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Advanced Material Sciences; Allerman, Andrew A. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Advanced Material Sciences; Lee, S. C. [Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States). Center for High Technology Materials; Brueck, S. R. J. [Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States). Center for High Technology Materials; Wetzel, Christian [Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst., Troy, NY (United States). Dept. of Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy and Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering

2016-03-01

GaInN/GaN heterostructures of cubic phase have the potential to overcome the limitations of wurtzite structures commonly used for light emitting and laser diodes. Wurtzite GaInN suffers from large internal polarization fields, which force design compromises ( 0001 ) towards ultra-narrow quantum wells and reduce recombination volume and efficiency. Cubic GaInN microstripes grown at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy on micropatterned Si , with {111} v-grooves oriented along Si ( 001 ) , offer a system free of internal polarization fields, wider quantum wells, and smaller <00$\\bar1$> bandgap energy. We prepared 6 and 9 nm Ga _x In _1-x N/GaN single quantum well structures with peak wavelength ranges from 520 to 570 nm with photons predominately polarized perpendicular to the grooves. We estimate a cubic InN composition range of 0 < x < 0.5 and an upper limit of the internal quantum efficiency of 50%. Stripe geometry and polarization may be suitable for mode confinement and reduced threshold stimulated emission.

Metal Dusting: Catastrophic Corrosion by Carbon

Science.gov (United States)

Young, David J.; Zhang, Jianqiang

2012-12-01

Reducing gases rich in carbon-bearing species such as CO can be supersaturated with respect to graphite at intermediate temperatures of about 400-700°C. Engineering alloys such as low-alloy and stainless steels, and heat-resisting iron-, nickel-, and cobalt-base alloys catalyze gas processes that release the carbon. An understanding of how the resulting carbon deposition can destroy alloys at a catastrophically rapid rate has been the objective of a great deal of research. The current review of recent work on metal dusting covers the mass transfer—principally carbon diffusion—and graphite nucleation processes involved. A clear distinction emerges between ferritic alloys, which form cementite and precipitate graphite within that carbide, and austenitics that nucleate graphite directly within the metal. The latter process is facilitated by the strong orientation relationship between the graphite and face-centered cubic (fcc) lattices. Strategies for the control of dusting are briefly outlined.

The growth of noble metals in (112-bar0)-oriented hexagonal close-packed nano-films by epitaxy on Nb(001)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hueger, E.; Osuch, K.

2005-01-01

The morphology and crystal structure of noble metal nano-films deposited on oxygen contaminated and oxygen-free Nb(001) surfaces have been studied with angle-resolved ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray photo-electron diffraction, and reflection high energy electron diffraction. In the both cases a deposited noble metal film aligns its direction with the [110] direction of the Nb(001) surface. But, while a noble metal grows on an oxygen contaminated Nb(001) surface with the hexagonal close-packed (hcp) (111) planes parallel to the surface (i.e. in the (111)-oriented face centred cubic phase (fcc)), on a non-contaminated Nb(001) it grows with its hcp planes perpendicular to the surface. The latter happens because in the initial stages of the epitaxy the first two monolayers (MLs) of the noble metal grow pseudomorphically on a contamination-free Nb(001). The pseudomorphic layer is strongly extended parallel to the Nb(001) surface in comparison to its natural fcc (001) plane. As a consequence of the atomic volume conservation principle the out-of-plane lattice of the pseudomorphic layer is contracted. Thus, its body centred tetragonal (110) planes, which stay perpendicular to the surface, contract into denser-packed planes, i.e. in hcp ones. In the direction perpendicular to the surface, where the substrate does not have a direct influence on the film, the pseudomorphic layer relaxes into its natural close-packed phase, i.e. into hcp atomic planes. These planes appear as soon as the third pseudomorphic ML begins to grow. The stacking axis of the planes lies in the (100) surface of Nb and is locked by it. The fact that thick nano-films of Cu (up to 50 MLs), Ag and Au (up to 100 MLs) grow in the (112-bar0)-oriented hcp phase can be attributed to a much better fit of the hcp than of fcc stacking sequence to the four-fold symmetry of the Nb(001) surface

Isolated centres versus defect associates in Sm3+-doped CeO2: a spectroscopic investigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tiseanu, Carmen; Avram, Daniel; Cojocaru, Bogdan; Parvulescu, Vasile I; Vela-Gonzalez, Andrea V; Sanchez-Dominguez, Margarita

2013-01-01

The interactions between Sm 3+ and oxygen vacancies in CeO 2 are probed by the use of tuneable laser excited time-resolved photoluminescence and Raman spectroscopies. It is found that Sm 3+ (with doping concentrations of 0.1, 0.3, 1 and 5 wt%) substitutes largely for Ce 4+ in sites with cubic symmetry and the corresponding emission is sensitized via the Ce 4+ –O 2− charge-transfer band of CeO 2 . It is established from the photoluminescence spectra measured at long delay after the laser pulse that the local environment around cubic Sm 3+ centres is not changed with concentration and ceria size. In addition to cubic symmetry Sm 3+ centres, low-symmetry Sm 3+ centres tentatively assigned to the Sm 3+ –oxygen vacancy associates of nearest-neighbour type are also observed. Their emission is preferentially excited via the weak f–f absorption transitions of Sm 3+ . A relatively strong concentration-induced quenching of Sm 3+ emission was inferred from the decrease in the average emission lifetimes from 2.1 ms (0.1 wt%) to 0.87 ms (5 wt%). The local environments of Sm 3+ and Eu 3+ in CeO 2 are also compared on the basis of their emission spectra and decays. (paper)

Cubic metaplectic forms and theta functions

CERN Document Server

Proskurin, Nikolai

1998-01-01

The book is an introduction to the theory of cubic metaplectic forms on the 3-dimensional hyperbolic space and the author's research on cubic metaplectic forms on special linear and symplectic groups of rank 2. The topics include: Kubota and Bass-Milnor-Serre homomorphisms, cubic metaplectic Eisenstein series, cubic theta functions, Whittaker functions. A special method is developed and applied to find Fourier coefficients of the Eisenstein series and cubic theta functions. The book is intended for readers, with beginning graduate-level background, interested in further research in the theory of metaplectic forms and in possible applications.

Detwinning mechanisms for growth twins in face-centered cubic metals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, J., E-mail: wangj6@lanl.gov [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Li, N.; Anderoglu, O. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering Program, Texas A and M University, College Station, TX 77843-3123 (United States); Zhang, X., E-mail: zhangx@tamu.edu [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering Program, Texas A and M University, College Station, TX 77843-3123 (United States); Misra, A. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Huang, J.Y. [Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185 (United States); Hirth, J.P. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States)

2010-04-15

Using in situ transmission electron microscopy, we studied the stability of growth twins. We observed the rapid migration of incoherent twin boundaries (ITBs), indicating that nanotwins are unstable. Topological analysis and atomistic simulations are adopted to explore detwinning mechanisms. The results show that: (i) the detwinning process is accomplished via the collective glide of multiple twinning dislocations that form an ITB; (ii) detwinning can easily occur for thin twins, and the driving force is mainly attributed to a variation of the excess energy of a coherent twin boundary; (iii) shear stresses enable ITBs to migrate easily, causing the motion of coherent twin boundaries; and (iv) the migration velocity depends on stacking fault energy. The results imply that detwinning becomes the dominant deformation mechanism for growth twins of the order of a few nanometers thick.

Determination of the stacking fault energies of face centured cubic metals and alloys by X-rays diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borges, J.F.A.; Padilha, A.F.; Imakuma, K.

1988-03-01

An X-rays diffraction method was applied to measure the Stacking Fault Energies (SFE) of the AISI 304, AISI 316, AISI 347 and DIN-WERKSTOFF 1.4970 Austenitic Stainless Steels. The SFE determination plays an important role in the research of the mecanichal behaviour of the Metal and Alloys, their deformation mechanisms, stability of micro-structure and electronic configuration. The method is based on the relationship between the SFE and the ratio of the Mean Square Strains to the Stacking-Fault probability. The Mean Square Strain was evaluated by Fourier Analysis of X-rays Diffaction profiles, corrected to reduce instrumental effects, followed by the application of the Warren-Averbach method to the Fourier Coefficients. The Stacking-Fault probabilities were derived from the changes of peak separations between cold-worked and annealed specimens. (author) [pt

TOPICAL REVIEW: Microscopic insight into properties and electronic instabilities of impurities in cubic and lower symmetry insulators: the influence of pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno, M.; Barriuso, M. T.; Aramburu, J. A.; García-Fernández, P.; García-Lastra, J. M.

2006-05-01

This article reviews the microscopic origin of properties due to transition-metal (TM) impurities, M, in insulator materials. Particular attention is paid to the influence of pressure upon impurity properties. Basic concepts such as the electronic localization in an MXN complex, the electrostatic potential, VR, arising from the rest of the lattice ions or the elastic coupling of the complex to the host lattice are initially exposed. The dependence of optical and magnetic parameters on the impurity-ligand distance, R, in cubic lattices is discussed in a first step. Emphasis is put on the actual origin of the R dependence of 10Dq. Examples revealing that laws for strict cubic symmetry cannot in general be transferred to lower symmetries are later given. This relevant fact is shown to come from allowed hybridizations like nd-(n+1)s as well as the influence of VR. As a salient feature the different colour in ruby and emerald is stressed to arise from distinct VR potentials in Al2O3 and Be3Si6Al2O18. The last part of this review deals with electronic instabilities. The phenomena associated with the Jahn-Teller (JT) effect in cubic lattices, the origin of the energy barrier among equivalent minima and the existence of coherent tunnelling in systems like MgO:Cu2+ are discussed. An increase of elastic coupling is pointed out to favour a transition from an elongated to a compressed equilibrium conformation. Interestingly the equilibrium geometry of JT ions in non-cubic lattices is shown to be controlled by mechanisms different to those in cubic systems, VR playing again a key role. The relevance of first principles calculations for clarifying the subtle mechanisms behind off-centre instabilities is also pointed out. Examples concern monovalent and divalent TM impurities in lattices with the CaF2 structure. The instability due to the transition from the ground to an excited state is finally considered. For complexes with significant elastic coupling vibrational frequencies

Electrical properties of cubic InN and GaN epitaxial layers as a function of temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandez, J.R.L.; Chitta, V.A.; Abramof, E.

2000-01-01

Carrier concentration and mobility were measured for intrinsic cubic InN and GaN, and for Si-doped cubic GaN as a function of temperature. Metallic n-type conductivity was found for the InN, while background p-type conductivity was observed for the intrinsic GaN layer. Doping the cubic GaN with Si two regimes were observed. For low Si-doping concentrations, the samples remain p-type. Increasing the Si-doping level, the background acceptors are compensated and the samples became highly degenerated n-type. From the carrier concentration dependence on temperature, the activation energy of the donor and acceptor levels was determined. Attempts were made to determine the scattering mechanisms responsible for the behavior of the mobility as a function of temperature

Excitonic metal-insulator phase transition of the Mott type in compressed calcium

Science.gov (United States)

Voronkova, T. O.; Sarry, A. M.; Sarry, M. F.; Skidan, S. G.

2017-05-01

It has been experimentally found that, under the static compression of a calcium crystal at room temperature, it undergoes a series of structural phase transitions: face-centered cubic lattice → body-centered cubic lattice → simple cubic lattice. It has been decided to investigate precisely the simple cubic lattice (because it is an alternative lattice) with the aim of elucidating the possibility of the existence of other (nonstructural) phase transitions in it by using for this purpose the Hubbard model for electrons with half-filled ns-bands and preliminarily transforming the initial electronic system into an electron-hole system by means of the known Shiba operators (applicable only to alternative lattices). This transformation leads to the fact that, in the new system of fermions, instead of the former repulsion, there is an attraction between electrons and holes. Elementary excitations of this new system are bound boson pairs—excitons. This system of fermions has been quantitatively analyzed by jointly using the equation-of-motion method and the direct algebraic method. The numerical integration of the analytically exact transcendental equations derived from the first principles for alternative (one-, two-, and three-dimensional) lattices has demonstrated that, in systems of two-species (electrons + hole) fermions, temperature-induced metal-insulator phase transitions of the Mott type are actually possible. Moreover, all these crystals are in fact excitonic insulators. This conclusion is in complete agreement with the analytically exact calculations of the ground state of a one-dimensional crystal (with half-filled bands), which were performed by Lieb and Wu with the aim to find out the Mott insulator-metal transition of another type.

Phase stability, electronic structure and equation of state of cubic TcN from first-principles calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, T.; Ma, Q.; Sun, X.W.; Liu, Z.J.; Fu, Z.J.; Wei, X.P.; Wang, T.; Tian, J.H.

2016-01-01

The phase transition, electronic band structure, and equation of state (EOS) of cubic TcN are investigated by first-principles pseudopotential method based on density-functional theory. The calculated enthalpies show that TcN has a transformation between zincblende and rocksalt phases and the pressure determined by the relative enthalpy is 32 GPa. The calculated band structure indicates the metallic feature and it might make cubic TcN a better candidate for hard materials. Particular attention is paid to the predictions of volume, bulk modulus and its pressure derivative which play a central role in the formulation of approximate EOSs using the quasi-harmonic Debye model. - Highlights: • The phase transition pressure and electronic band structure for cubic TcN are determined. • Particular attention is paid to investigate the equation of state parameters for cubic TcN. • The thermodynamic properties up to 80 GPa and 3000 K are successfully predicted.

4. Seminar on efficient metal forming and machining: papers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-01-01

The 4th seminar on efficient metal forming and machining was held at the CSIR conference centre in Pretoria on 16 November 1982. This conference basically discussed the forming, fabrication and machining of metals which included the different methods used as well as new developments on tools manufacturing and their applications. The topics that were discussed cover subjects such as the creep feed grinding, thermal properties of coating materials and their effect on the efficiency of coated cutting tools, economic rough and finish milling, the design and application of high speed steel cutting tools, aluminium extrusion, the manufacturing and finishing of extrusion dies, broaching techniques, cold forming in the fastener industry, finishing methods for spiral, bevel and hypoid gears, laser cutting, press tool design, and productivity in the forging industry. Another topic that were discussed, is the current status of diamond and cubic boron nitride composites, their synthesis and roll in the production of a new range of ultra hard ceramic-type materials

Cohesion and coordination effects on transition metal surface energies

Science.gov (United States)

Ruvireta, Judit; Vega, Lorena; Viñes, Francesc

2017-10-01

Here we explore the accuracy of Stefan equation and broken-bond model semiempirical approaches to obtain surface energies on transition metals. Cohesive factors are accounted for either via the vaporization enthalpies, as proposed in Stefan equation, or via cohesive energies, as employed in the broken-bond model. Coordination effects are considered including the saturation degree, as suggested in Stefan equation, employing Coordination Numbers (CN), or as the ratio of broken bonds, according to the bond-cutting model, considering as well the square root dependency of the bond strength on CN. Further, generalized coordination numbers CN bar are contemplated as well, exploring a total number of 12 semiempirical formulations on the three most densely packed surfaces of 3d, 4d, and 5d Transition Metals (TMs) displaying face-centered cubic (fcc), body-centered cubic (bcc), or hexagonal close-packed (hcp) crystallographic structures. Estimates are compared to available experimental surface energies obtained extrapolated to zero temperature. Results reveal that Stefan formula cohesive and coordination dependencies are only qualitative suited, but unadvised for quantitative discussion, as surface energies are highly overestimated, favoring in addition the stability of under-coordinated surfaces. Broken-bond cohesion and coordination dependencies are a suited basis for quantitative comparison, where square-root dependencies on CN to account for bond weakening are sensibly worse. An analysis using Wulff shaped averaged surface energies suggests the employment of broken-bond model using CN to gain surface energies for TMs, likely applicable to other metals.

Polycrystal plasticity as applied to the problem of in-plane anisotropy in rolled cubic metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rollett, A.D.; Stout, M.G.; Kocks, U.F.

1989-01-01

A fundamental property of cubic metals is that slip occurs on close-packed planes in close-packed directions, which for the f.c.c. case results in 12 /111/ slip systems. This crystallographic restriction on the plastic behavior causes significant crystallographic preferred orientation (texture), hence anisotropy, to develop once a large strain has been imposed. Moreover, whereas annealing can generally ''reset'' the flow stress and ductility, it does not generally randomize the texture: therefore most metallic materials have some degree of texture and consequent anisotropy. The problem of tearing in deep drawing can be simply related to the variation of r-value with angle from the rolling direction, i.e. the in-plane anisotropy of the sheet. The r-value can be calculated from a given texture with the use of a polycrystal plasticity model. The Los Alamos polycrystal plasticity (LApp) code is based on the Bishop-Hill single crystal yield surface (SCYS) but with a mildly strain-rate sensitive modification where the stress exponent is of order 30. This modification of the SCYS removes the ambiguity of slip system selection inherent in the Bishop-Hill formulation and permits other phenomena to be treated such as latent hardening and pencil glide. The use of LApp to simulate texture formation and consequent anisotropy is described. Experimental textures in the form of X-ray pole figures are analyzed with a Williams-Imhof-Matthies-Vinel (WIMV) code, as implemented by Kallend, to give full orientation distributions (OD's). The OD obtained this way contains approximately 5000 points on a 5/degree/ by 5/degree/ lattice; this is used to assign weights to approximately 1000 discrete orientations for calculations with LApp. 11 refs., 2 figs

Evaluation of functionalized silica's for the adsorptive recovery of homogeneous catalysts through interaction with the metal centre

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Djekic, T.; Ham, van der A.G.J.; Haan, de A.B.

2007-01-01

The goal of this paper is the evaluation of functionalized silica's for the recovery of homogeneous catalysts by adsorption via its metal centre. As model catalysts, we selected bis(triphenylphosphine)cobalt(II)dichloride (CoCl2(PPh3)2), bis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(II)dichloride (PdCl2(PPh3)2)

Energy landscape of defects in body-centered cubic metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, Rebecca

2016-01-01

The structural materials in nuclear reactors are subjected to severe irradiation conditions, leading to changes in their mechanical properties. The aging of these materials raises important issues such as those related to the safety of existing plants and future reactors. In many cases, materials with body-centered cubic bcc crystal structure are used with iron, tungsten, vanadium and tantalum as base metal. Collisions between irradiating particles and atoms constituting materials generate point defects whose migration leads to the formation of clusters responsible for aging. In this thesis, we studied the energetic properties of point defects in the bcc metals mentioned above at the atomic scale. Modeling point defects at the atomic scale can be achieved with different methods that differ only in the quality of the description of the interaction between atoms. Studies using accurate atomic interactions such ab initio calculations are computationally costly making it impossible to directly study clusters of large sizes. The modeling of atomic interactions using semi-empirical potentials reduces the reliability of predictive calculations but allow calculations for large-sized clusters. In this thesis we have developed a unique energy model for dislocation loops as well as for three-dimensional interstitial cluster of type C15. The resulting model has no size limit and can be set entirely by ab initio calculations. To test its robustness for large sizes of clusters we also set this model with semi-empirical potentials calculations and compared the predictions of the model to atomic simulations. With our development we have determined: (i) The relative stability of interstitial dislocation loops according to their Burgers vectors. (ii) The stability of the clusters C15 compared to the type of cluster loop. We showed that the C15 type clusters are more stable when they involve less than 41 interstitials in iron. (iii) In Ta we were able to show the same stability till

Bond-order potential for magnetic body-centered-cubic iron and its transferability

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yi-Shen; Mrovec, M.; Vitek, V.

2016-06-01

We derived and thoroughly tested a bond-order potential (BOP) for body-centered-cubic (bcc) magnetic iron that can be employed in atomistic calculations of a broad variety of crystal defects that control structural, mechanical, and thermodynamic properties of this technologically important metal. The constructed BOP reflects correctly the mixed nearly free electron and covalent bonding arising from the partially filled d band as well as the ferromagnetism that is actually responsible for the stability of the bcc structure of iron at low temperatures. The covalent part of the cohesive energy is determined within the tight-binding bond model with the Green's function of the Schrödinger equation determined using the method of continued fractions terminated at a sufficient level of the moments of the density of states. This makes the BOP an O (N ) method usable for very large numbers of particles. Only d d bonds are included explicitly, but the effect of s electrons on the covalent energy is included via their screening of the corresponding d d bonds. The magnetic part of the cohesive energy is included using the Stoner model of itinerant magnetism. The repulsive part of the cohesive energy is represented, as in any tight-binding scheme, by an empirical formula. Its functional form is physically justified by studies of the repulsion in face-centered-cubic (fcc) solid argon under very high pressure where the repulsion originates from overlapping s and p closed-shell electrons just as it does from closed-shell s electrons in transition metals squeezed into the ion core under the influence of the large covalent d bonding. Testing of the transferability of the developed BOP to environments significantly different from those of the ideal bcc lattice was carried out by studying crystal structures and magnetic states alternative to the ferromagnetic bcc lattice, vacancies, divacancies, self-interstitial atoms (SIAs), paths continuously transforming the bcc structure to

Cubic colloids : Synthesis, functionalization and applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Castillo, S.I.R.

2015-01-01

This thesis is a study on cubic colloids: micron-sized cubic particles with rounded corners (cubic superballs). Owing to their shape, particle packing for cubes is more efficient than for spheres and results in fascinating phase and packing behavior. For our cubes, the particle volume fraction when

Microscopic insight into properties and electronic instabilities of impurities in cubic and lower symmetry insulators: the influence of pressure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moreno, M [Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra y Fisica de la Materia Condensada, Universidad de Cantabria, 39005 Santander (Spain); Barriuso, M T [Departamento de Fisica Moderna, Universidad de Cantabria, 39005 Santander (Spain); Aramburu, J A [Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra y Fisica de la Materia Condensada, Universidad de Cantabria, 39005 Santander (Spain); GarcIa-Fernandez, P [Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra y Fisica de la Materia Condensada, Universidad de Cantabria, 39005 Santander (Spain); GarcIa-Lastra, J M [Departamento de Fisica Moderna, Universidad de Cantabria, 39005 Santander (Spain)

2006-05-03

This article reviews the microscopic origin of properties due to transition-metal (TM) impurities, M, in insulator materials. Particular attention is paid to the influence of pressure upon impurity properties. Basic concepts such as the electronic localization in an MX{sub N} complex, the electrostatic potential, V{sub R}, arising from the rest of the lattice ions or the elastic coupling of the complex to the host lattice are initially exposed. The dependence of optical and magnetic parameters on the impurity-ligand distance, R, in cubic lattices is discussed in a first step. Emphasis is put on the actual origin of the R dependence of 10Dq. Examples revealing that laws for strict cubic symmetry cannot in general be transferred to lower symmetries are later given. This relevant fact is shown to come from allowed hybridizations like nd-(n+1)s as well as the influence of V{sub R}. As a salient feature the different colour in ruby and emerald is stressed to arise from distinct V{sub R} potentials in Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Be{sub 3}Si{sub 6}Al{sub 2}O{sub 18}. The last part of this review deals with electronic instabilities. The phenomena associated with the Jahn-Teller (JT) effect in cubic lattices, the origin of the energy barrier among equivalent minima and the existence of coherent tunnelling in systems like MgO:Cu{sup 2+} are discussed. An increase of elastic coupling is pointed out to favour a transition from an elongated to a compressed equilibrium conformation. Interestingly the equilibrium geometry of JT ions in non-cubic lattices is shown to be controlled by mechanisms different to those in cubic systems, V{sub R} playing again a key role. The relevance of first principles calculations for clarifying the subtle mechanisms behind off-centre instabilities is also pointed out. Examples concern monovalent and divalent TM impurities in lattices with the CaF{sub 2} structure. The instability due to the transition from the ground to an excited state is finally

A new spectral framework for crystal plasticity modeling of cubic and hexagonal polycrystalline metals

Science.gov (United States)

Knezevic, Marko

Crystal plasticity physics-based constitutive theories are used in understanding and predicting the evolution of the underlying microstructure and the concomitant anisotropic stress-strain response in polycrystalline metals subjected to finite plastic strains. A new scheme for efficient crystal plasticity computations for both cubic and hexagonal polycrystalline metals subjected to arbitrary deformation modes has been developed in this thesis. This new computational scheme involves building material databases comprised of spectral coefficients. These spectral coefficients are computed using discrete Fourier transforms (DFTs) and allow for compact representation and fast retrieval of crystal plasticity solutions for a crystal of any orientation subjected to any deformation mode. The novel approach is able to speed up the conventional crystal plasticity computations by two orders of magnitude. Furthermore, mathematical procedures for delineation of property closures that identify the complete set of theoretically feasible combinations of macroscale effective properties has been developed for a broad set of mechanical properties. Subsequently, these constructs were used in microstructure design for identifying an optimal microstructure for selected performance criteria. And finally, hybrid processing recipes that transform a given initial microstructure into a member of the set of optimal microstructures that exhibit superior properties or performance characteristics have been described. Insights and tremendous potential of these novel materials knowledge systems are discussed and demonstrated through specific case-studies. The anisotropic stress-strain response measured in simple compression and simple tension tests in different sample directions on an annealed, strongly textured, AZ31 sheet has been studied. New insights into the mechanical response of this material were obtained by correlating the changes in the measured strain-hardening rates in the different

Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticle-Embedded Silver Cubic Mesh Nanostructures Using AgCl Nanocubes for Plasmonic Photocatalysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Joo, Jang Ho; Kim, Byung-Ho; Lee, Jae-Seung

2017-11-01

A novel room-temperature aqueous synthesis for gold nanoparticle-embedded silver cubic mesh nanostructures using AgCl templates via a template-assisted coreduction method is developed. The cubic AgCl templates are coreduced in the presence of AuCl 4 - and Ag + , resulting in the reduction of AuCl 4 - into gold nanoparticles on the outer region of AgCl templates, followed by the reduction of AgCl and Ag + into silver cubic mesh nanostructures. Removal of the template clearly demonstrates the delicately designed silver mesh nanostructures embedded with gold nanoparticles. The synthetic mechanism, structural properties, and surface functionalization are spectroscopically investigated. The plasmonic photocatalysis of the cubic mesh nanostructures for the degradation of organic pollutants and removal of highly toxic metal ions is investigated; the photocatalytic activity of the cubic mesh nanostructures is superior to those of conventional TiO 2 catalysts and they are catalytically functional even in natural water, owing to their high surface area and excellent chemical stability. The synthetic development presented in this study can be exploited for the highly elaborate, yet, facile design of nanomaterials with outstanding properties. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Activated states for cross-slip at screw dislocation intersections in face-centered cubic nickel and copper via atomistic simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao, S.I.; Dimiduk, D.M.; El-Awady, J.A.; Parthasarathy, T.A.; Uchic, M.D.; Woodward, C.

2010-01-01

We extend our recent simulation studies where a screw dislocation in face-centered cubic (fcc) Ni was found to spontaneously attain a low energy partially cross-slipped configuration upon intersecting a forest dislocation. Using atomistic (molecular statics) simulations with embedded atom potentials, we evaluated the activation barrier for a dislocation to transform from fully residing on the glide plane to fully residing on a cross-slip plane intersecting a forest dislocation in both Ni and Cu. The activation energies were obtained by determining equilibrium configurations (energies) when variable pure tensile or compressive stresses were applied along the [1 1 1] direction on the partially cross-slipped state. We show that the activation energy is a factor of 2-5 lower than that for cross-slip in isolation via the Escaig process. The cross-slip activation energies obtained at the intersection in Cu were in reasonable accord with the experimentally determined cross-slip activation energy for Cu. Further, the activation barrier for cross-slip at these intersections was shown to be linearly proportional to (d/b)[ln(√(3)d/b)] 1/2 , as in the Escaig process, where d is the Shockley partial dislocation spacing and b is the Burgers vector of the screw dislocation. These results suggest that cross-slip should be preferentially observed at selected screw dislocation intersections in fcc materials.

Machinability studies of infrared window materials and metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arnold, J.B.; Morris, T.O.; Sladky, R.E.; Steger, P.J.

1976-01-01

Diamond machining of materials for optical applications is becoming an important fabrication process. Development work in material-removal technology to better understand the mechanics of the diamond-turning process, its limitations, and applications is described. The technique is presently limited to a select group of metals, most of which are of a face-center-cubic crystal structure. Machinability studies were done which were designed to better understand diamond compatibility and thus expand the range of applicable materials. Nonconventional methods such as ultrasonic tool stimulation were investigated. Work done to determine the machinability of infrared window materials indicates that this is a viable fabrication technique for many materials, although additional effort is needed to optimize the process for particular materials

Human Face as human single identity

OpenAIRE

Warnars, Spits

2014-01-01

Human face as a physical human recognition can be used as a unique identity for computer to recognize human by transforming human face with face algorithm as simple text number which can be primary key for human. Human face as single identity for human will be done by making a huge and large world centre human face database, where the human face around the world will be recorded from time to time and from generation to generation. Architecture database will be divided become human face image ...

Challenges faced by nuclear research centres in Indonesia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Subki, I.R.; Soentono, S.

2001-01-01

Nuclear research centres in Indonesia are mainly owned and operated by the National Nuclear Energy Agency, covering basically various research and development facilities for non-energy and energy related activities. The research and development activities cover a broad spectrum of basic, applied, and developmental research involving nuclear science and technology in supporting various fields ranging from basic human needs, e.g. food and health; natural resources and nuclear and environmental safety; as well as industry. Recent economic crisis, triggered by monetary turmoil, has dictated the IAEA to face new challenges and to give more efforts on the application of the so called 'instant technology' i.e. the technology which has been developed and is ready for implementation, especially on food and health, to be better utilized to overcome various problems in the society. Various short and medium term programmes on the application of isotopes, radiation, and nuclear techniques for non-energy related activities have emerged in accord with these efforts. In this regard, besides the intensification of the instant technology implementation on food and health, the nuclear research and development on food plant mutation, fertilizers, radio-vaccines, production of meat and milk, production processes of various radiopharmaceuticals, and radioisotopes as well as radiation processing related to agro-industry have to be intensified using the available laboratories processing facilities. The possibility of the construction of irradiators for post harvesting processes in some provinces is being studied, while the designing and manufacturing of various prototypes of devices, equipment, and instruments for nuclear techniques in health and industry are continued. Considering the wide applications of accelerators for non-energy and energy related research and development, construction of accelerator-based laboratories is being studied. In energy related research the feasibility of

Orientation selection process during the early stage of cubic dendrite growth: A phase-field crystal study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang Sai; Wang Zhijun; Guo Yaolin; Wang Jincheng; Yu Yanmei; Zhou Yaohe

2012-01-01

Using the phase-field crystal model, we investigate the orientation selection of the cubic dendrite growth at the atomic scale. Our simulation results reproduce how a face-centered cubic (fcc) octahedral nucleus and a body-centered cubic (bcc) truncated-rhombic dodecahedral nucleus choose the preferred growth direction and then evolve into the dendrite pattern. The interface energy anisotropy inherent in the fcc crystal structure leads to the fastest growth velocity in the 〈1 0 0〉 directions. New { 1 1 1} atomic layers prefer to nucleate at positions near the tips of the fcc octahedron, which leads to the directed growth of the fcc dendrite tips in the 〈1 0 0〉 directions. A similar orientation selection process is also found during the early stage of bcc dendrite growth. The orientation selection regime obtained by phase-field crystal simulation is helpful for understanding the orientation selection processes of real dendrite growth.

A fast response hydrogen sensor with Pd metallic grating onto a fiber's end-face

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Haitao; Zhao, Xiaoyan; Zhang, Chao; Li, Qiu-Ze; Cao, Jingxiao; Han, Dao-Fu; Hao, Hui; Wang, Ming

2016-01-01

We demonstrated an integrated hydrogen sensor with Pd metallic grating fabricated on a fiber end-face. The grating consists of three thin metal layers in stacks, Au, WO3 and Pd. The WO3 is used as a waveguide layer between the Pd and Au layer. The Pd layer is etched by using a focused ion beam (FIB) method, forming a Pd metallic grating with period of 450 nm. The sensor is experimentally exposed to hydrogen gas environment. Changing the concentration from 0% to 4% which is the low explosive limit (LEL), the resonant wavelength measured from the reflection experienced 28.10 nm spectral changes in the visible range. The results demonstrated that the sensor is sensitive for hydrogen detection and it has fast response and low temperature effect.

Numerical Studies on Natural Convection Heat Losses from Open Cubical Cavities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Prakash

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The natural convection heat losses occurring from cubical open cavities are analysed in this paper. Open cubical cavities of sides 0.1 m, 0.2 m, 0.25 m, 0.5 m, and 1 m with constant temperature back wall boundary conditions and opening ratio of 1 are studied. The Fluent CFD software is used to analyse the three-dimensional (3D cavity models. The studies are carried out for cavities with back wall temperatures between 35°C and 100°C. The effect of cavity inclination on the convective loss is analysed for angles of 0° (cavity facing sideways, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90° (cavity facing vertically downwards. The Rayleigh numbers involved in this study range between 4.5 × 105 and 1.5 × 109. The natural convection loss is found to increase with an increase in back wall temperature. The natural convection loss is observed to decrease with an increase in cavity inclination; the highest convective loss being at 0° and the lowest at 90° inclination. This is observed for all cavities analysed here. Nusselt number correlations involving the effect of Rayleigh number and the cavity inclination angle have been developed from the current studies. These correlations can be used for engineering applications such as electronic cooling, low- and medium-temperature solar thermal systems, passive architecture, and also refrigeration systems.

Microscopic Motion of Liquid Metal Plasma Facing Components In A Diverted Plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaworski, M.A.; Gerhardt, S.P.; Morley, N.B.; Abrams, T.; Kaita, R.; Kallman, J.; Kugel, H.; Majeski, R.; Ruzic, D.N.

2010-01-01

Liquid metal plasma facing components (PFCs) have been identified as an alternative material for fusion plasma experiments. The use of a liquid conductor where significant magnetic fields are present is considered risky, with the possibility of macroscopic fluid motion and possible ejection into the plasma core. Analysis is carried out on thermoelectric magnetohydrodynamic (TEMHD) forces caused by temperature gradients in the liquid-container system itself in addition to scrape-off-layer currents interacting with the PFC from a diverted plasma. Capillary effects at the liquid-container interface will be examined which govern droplet ejection criteria. Stability of the interface is determined using linear stability methods. In addition to application to liquidmetal PFCs, thin film liquidmetal effects have application to current and future devices where off-normal events may liquefy portions of the first wall and other plasma facing components.

Origins and implications of temperature-dependent activation energy barriers for dislocation nucleation in face-centered cubic metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warner, D.H.; Curtin, W.A.

2009-01-01

The linking of atomistic simulations of stress-driven processes to experimentally observed mechanical behavior via the computation of activation energy barriers is a topic of intense current research. Using dislocation nucleation from a crack tip as the reaction process, long-time multiscale molecular dynamics simulations show that the activation barrier can exhibit significant temperature dependence. Using an analytic model for the nucleation process and computing the relevant material properties (elastic constants and stacking fault energies), the temperature dependence is shown to arise primarily from the temperature dependence of the material parameters for both Al and Ni. After thermally activated emission of the first partial dislocation, there is then a competition between two other thermally activated processes: twinning and full dislocation emission. Because the activation barriers depend on temperature, this transition is more complex than usually envisioned. Simulations in Al reveal that a transition from twinning to full dislocation emission back to twinning occurs with increasing temperature, which is counter to traditional metallurgical wisdom. Temperature-dependent activation energies are thus essential to accurate understanding and prediction of those phenomena that control fracture and deformation in metals at realistic loading rates.

The time-dependence of the defective nature of ice Ic (cubic ice) and its implications for atmospheric science

Science.gov (United States)

Sippel, Christian; Koza, Michael M.; Hansen, Thomas C.; Kuhs, Werner F.

2010-05-01

The possible atmospheric implication of ice Ic (cubic ice) has already been suggested some time ago in the context of snow crystal formation [1]. New findings from air-borne measurements in cirrus clouds and contrails have put ice Ic into the focus of interest to understand the so-called "supersaturation puzzle" [2,3,4]. Our recent microstructural work on ice Ic [5,6] appears to be highly relevant in this context. We have found that ice Ic is characterized by a complex stacking fault pattern, which changes as a function of temperature as well as time. Indeed, from our own [7] and other group's work [8] one knows that (in contrast to earlier believe) ice Ic can form up to temperatures at least as high as 240K - thus in the relevant range for cirrus clouds. We have good preliminary evidence that the "cubicity" (which can be related to stacking fault probabilities) as well as the particle size of ice Ic are the relevant parameters for this correlation. The "cubicity" of stacking faulty ice Ic (established by diffraction) correlates nicely with the increased supersaturation at decreasing temperatures observed in cirrus clouds and contrails, a fact, which may be considered as further evidence for the presence of ice Ic. Recently, we have studied the time-dependency of the changes in both "cubicity" and particle size at various temperatures of relevance for cirrus clouds and contrails by in-situ neutron powder diffraction. The timescales over which changes occur (several to many hours) are similar to the life-time of cirrus clouds and contrails and suggest that the supersaturation situation may change within this time span in the natural environment too. Some accompanying results obtained by cryo-SEM (scanning electron microscopy) work will also be presented and suggest that stacking-faulty ice Ic has kinky surfaces providing many more active centres for heterogeneous reactions on the surface than in the usually assumed stable hexagonal form of ice Ih with its rather

Need and feasibility of telemedicine in non-urban day care centres.

Science.gov (United States)

Setia, Monika; DelliFraine, Jami L

2010-01-01

There appear to have been no studies of telemedicine in rural day care centres. We have assessed the feasibility of using telemedicine in eight rural day care centres in Pennsylvania, from the day care centres' perspective. The average number of children in these centres was 76 (range 20-150). The centres sent an average of 4.7 children home each month because of illness. Using telephone and face-to-face interviews, we assessed their perceived need for and familiarity with telemedicine, as well as their openness and preparedness for implementing telemedicine. Most day care centres reported a need for telemedicine and were open to learning how to use it. Some centres were concerned about adequate space for the equipment, but overall, the centres felt that their resources were adequate. Telemedicine in rural day care centres appears to be feasible, and would have the potential to save time and money for parents, as well as perhaps improving health care for children in rural areas.

Universality in Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysis on Metal Surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Viswanathan, Venkatasubramanian; Hansen, Heine Anton; Rossmeisl, Jan

2012-01-01

In this work, we extend the activity volcano for oxygen reduction from the face-centered cubic (fcc) metal (111) facet to the (100) facet. Using density functional theory calculations, we show that the recent findings of constant scaling between OOH* and OH* holds on the fcc metal (100) facet......, as well. Using this fact, we show the existence of a universal activity volcano to describe oxygen reduction electrocatalysis with a minimum overpotential, ηmin = 0.37 ± 0.1 V. Specifically, we find that the (100) facet of Pt is found to bind oxygen intermediates too strongly and is not active for oxygen...... reduction reaction (ORR). In contrast, Au(100) is predicted to be more active than Au(111) and comparable in activity to Pt alloys. Using this activity volcano, we further predict that Au alloys that bind OH more strongly could display improved ORR activity on the (100) facet. We carry out a computational...

Distinct atomic structures of the Ni-Nb metallic glasses formed by ion beam mixing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tai, K. P.; Wang, L. T.; Liu, B. X.

2007-01-01

Four Ni-Nb metallic glasses are obtained by ion beam mixing and their compositions are measured to be Ni 77 Nb 23 , Ni 55 Nb 45 , Ni 31 Nb 69 , and Ni 15 Nb 85 , respectively, suggesting that a composition range of 23-85 at. % of Nb is favored for metallic glass formation in the Ni-Nb system. Interestingly, diffraction analyses show that the structure of the Nb-based Ni 31 Nb 69 metallic glass is distinctly different from the structure of the Nb-based Ni 15 Nb 85 metallic glass, as the respective amorphous halos are located at 2θ≅38 and 39 deg. To explore an atomic scale description of the Ni-Nb metallic glasses, an n-body Ni-Nb potential is first constructed with an aid of the ab initio calculations and then applied to perform the molecular dynamics simulation. Simulation results determine not only the intrinsic glass forming range of the Ni-Nb system to be within 20-85 at. % of Nb, but also the exact atomic positions in the Ni-Nb metallic glasses. Through a statistical analysis of the determined atomic positions, a new dominant local packing unit is found in the Ni 15 Nb 85 metallic glass, i.e., an icositetrahedron with a coordination number to be around 14, while in Ni 31 Nb 69 metallic glasses, the dominant local packing unit is an icosahedron with a coordination number to be around 12, which has been reported for the other metallic glasses. In fact, with increasing the irradiation dose, the Ni 31 Nb 69 metallic glasses are formed through an intermediate state of face-centered-cubic-solid solution, whereas the Ni 15 Nb 85 metallic glass is through an intermediate state of body-centered-cubic-solid solution, suggesting that the structures of the constituent metals play an important role in governing the structural characteristics of the resultant metallic glasses

Contribution to the study of diffusion in rare earth metals and actinides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marbach, Gabriel.

1978-07-01

This work describes several experiments carried out in order to understand the process of self diffusion in rare earth and actinides (self diffusion of body centered cubic γ neptunium, diffusion of gadolinium in body centered delta cerium, measurement of the activation volume of face centered cubic γ cerium). The unstable electronic structure of some elements cannot be correlate with anomalous diffusion properties. In fact the diffusion parameters of neptunium and plutonium are similar (high diffusivity and low activation energy) whereas the electronic structure of neptunium is stable and that of plutonium is temperature dependent. The negative activation volume of the body centered cubic phases of plutonium and cerium does not indicate a particular diffusion mechanism since self diffusion is faster under pressure in face centered cubic γ cerium where a vacancy mechanism is assumed according to earlier results. The vacancy mechanism is the most probable diffusion process in the body centered cubic and compact phases of rare earths and actinides [fr

Evaluation of functionalized silica¿s for the adsorptive recovery of homogenous catalysts through interaction with the metal centre

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Djekic, T.; van der Ham, Aloysius G.J.; de Haan, A.B.

2007-01-01

The goal of this paper is the evaluation of functionalized silica's for the recovery of homogeneous catalysts by adsorption via its metal centre. As model catalysts, we selected bis(triphenylphosphine)cobalt(II)dichloride (CoCl2(PPh3)2), bis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(II)dichloride (PdCl2(PPh3)2)

Theoretical investigation of the thermodynamic properties of metallic thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hung, Vu Van; Phuong, Duong Dai; Hoa, Nguyen Thi; Hieu, Ho Khac

2015-01-01

The thermodynamic properties of metallic thin films with face-centered cubic structure at ambient conditions were investigated using the statistical moment method including the anharmonicity effects of thermal lattice vibrations. The analytical expressions of Helmholtz free energy, lattice parameter, linear thermal expansion coefficient, specific heats at the constant volume and constant pressure were derived in terms of the power moments of the atomic displacements. Numerical calculations of thermodynamic properties have been performed for Au and Al thin films and compared with those of bulk metals. This research proposes that thermodynamic quantities of thin films approach the values of bulk when the thickness of thin film is about 70 nm. - Highlights: • Thermodynamic properties of thin films were investigated using the moment method. • Expressions of Helmholtz energy, expansion coefficient, specific heats were derived. • Calculations for Au, Al thin films were performed and compared with those of bulks

Theoretical investigation of the thermodynamic properties of metallic thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hung, Vu Van [Vietnam Education Publishing House, 81 Tran Hung Dao, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Phuong, Duong Dai [Hanoi National University of Education, 136 Xuan Thuy, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Hoa, Nguyen Thi [University of Transport and Communications, Lang Thuong, Dong Da, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Hieu, Ho Khac, E-mail: hieuhk@duytan.edu.vn [Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, K7/25 Quang Trung, Danang (Viet Nam)

2015-05-29

The thermodynamic properties of metallic thin films with face-centered cubic structure at ambient conditions were investigated using the statistical moment method including the anharmonicity effects of thermal lattice vibrations. The analytical expressions of Helmholtz free energy, lattice parameter, linear thermal expansion coefficient, specific heats at the constant volume and constant pressure were derived in terms of the power moments of the atomic displacements. Numerical calculations of thermodynamic properties have been performed for Au and Al thin films and compared with those of bulk metals. This research proposes that thermodynamic quantities of thin films approach the values of bulk when the thickness of thin film is about 70 nm. - Highlights: • Thermodynamic properties of thin films were investigated using the moment method. • Expressions of Helmholtz energy, expansion coefficient, specific heats were derived. • Calculations for Au, Al thin films were performed and compared with those of bulks.

Interpolation of natural cubic spline

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arun Kumar

1992-01-01

Full Text Available From the result in [1] it follows that there is a unique quadratic spline which bounds the same area as that of the function. The matching of the area for the cubic spline does not follow from the corresponding result proved in [2]. We obtain cubic splines which preserve the area of the function.

Effect of cooling rate on microstructure and deformation behavior of Ti-based metallic glassy/crystalline powders

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, D.J. [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding Production Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072 (Australia); Huang, Y.J. [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding Production Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Shen, J., E-mail: junshen@hit.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding Production Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Wu, Y.Q.; Huang, H. [School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072 (Australia); Zou, J., E-mail: j.zou@uq.edu.au [School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072 (Australia); Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072 (Australia)

2010-08-20

The microstructures and deformation behavior of Ti-based metallic powders were comprehensively investigated. It has been found that, with increasing the powder size, the phase constituent alters from pure glassy to glassy with crystalline phases (face centered cubic structured NiSnZr and hexagonal structured Ti{sub 3}Sn phases). Our results suggest that the synergetic effect of the thermodynamics and kinetics determines the subsequent characteristics of the crystalline precipitations. Through comparative nanoindentation tests, it was found that the small powders exhibit more pop-in events and a larger pile-up ratio, suggesting that the plastic deformation of the metallic powders is governed by the combined effects of the free volume and the crystallization, which are determined by the cooling rate.

Ab initio pseudopotential studies of cubic BC2N under high pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pan Zicheng; Sun Hong; Chen Changfeng

2005-01-01

We present the results of a systematic study of the structural, electronic, and vibrational properties of various cubic BC 2 N phases under high pressure. Ab initio pseudopotential total-energy and phonon calculations have been carried out to examine the changes in the structural parameters, bonding behaviours, band structures, and dynamic instabilities caused by phonon softening in these phases. We find that an experimentally synthesized high-density phase of cubic BC 2 N exhibits outstanding stability in the structural and electronic properties up to very high pressures. On the other hand, another experimentally identified phase with lower density and lower symmetry undergoes a dramatic structural transformation with a volume and bond-length collapse and a concomitant semi-metal to semiconductor transition. A third phase is predicted to be favourable over the above-mentioned lower-density phase by the enthalpy calculations. However, the dynamic phonon calculations reveal that it develops imaginary phonon modes and, therefore, is unstable in the experimental pressure range. The calculations indicate that its synthesis may be achieved at reduced pressures. These results provide a comprehensive understanding for the high-pressure behaviour of the cubic BC 2 N phases and reveal their interesting properties that can be verified by experiments

The electric field of a uniformly charged cubic shell

Science.gov (United States)

McCreery, Kaitlin; Greenside, Henry

2018-01-01

As an integrative and insightful example for undergraduates learning about electrostatics, we discuss how to use symmetry, Coulomb's law, superposition, Gauss's law, and visualization to understand the electric field E (x ,y ,z ) produced by a uniformly charged cubic shell. We first discuss how to deduce qualitatively, using freshman-level physics, the perhaps surprising fact that the interior electric field is nonzero and has a complex structure, pointing inwards from the middle of each face of the shell and pointing outwards towards each edge and corner. We then discuss how to understand the quantitative features of the electric field by plotting an analytical expression for E along symmetry lines and on symmetry surfaces of the shell.

Influence of complex impurity centres on radiation damage in wide-gap metal oxides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lushchik, A., E-mail: aleksandr.lushchik@ut.ee [Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, Ravila 14c, 50411 Tartu (Estonia); Lushchik, Ch. [Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, Ravila 14c, 50411 Tartu (Estonia); Popov, A.I. [Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia, Kengaraga 8, Riga LV-1063 (Latvia); Schwartz, K. [GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung (GSI), Planckstr. 1, 64291 Darmstadt (Germany); Shablonin, E.; Vasil’chenko, E. [Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, Ravila 14c, 50411 Tartu (Estonia)

2016-05-01

Different mechanisms of radiation damage of wide-gap metal oxides as well as a dual influence of impurity ions on the efficiency of radiation damage have been considered on the example of binary ionic MgO and complex ionic–covalent Lu{sub 3}Al{sub 5}O{sub 12} single crystals. Particular emphasis has been placed on irradiation with ∼2 GeV heavy ions ({sup 197}Au, {sup 209}Bi, {sup 238}U, fluence of 10{sup 12} ions/cm{sup 2}) providing extremely high density of electronic excitations within ion tracks. Besides knock-out mechanism for Frenkel pair formation, the additional mechanism through the collapse of mobile discrete breathers at certain lattice places (e.g., complex impurity centres) leads to the creation of complex defects that involve a large number of host atoms. The experimental manifestations of the radiation creation of intrinsic and impurity antisite defects (Lu|{sub Al} or Ce|{sub Al} – a heavy ion in a wrong cation site) have been detected in LuAG and LuAG:Ce{sup 3+} single crystals. Light doping of LuAG causes a small enhancement of radiation resistance, while pair impurity centres (for instance, Ce|{sub Lu}–Ce|{sub Al} or Cr{sup 3+}–Cr{sup 3+} in MgO) are formed with a rise of impurity concentration. These complex impurity centres as well as radiation-induced intrinsic antisite defects (Lu|{sub Al} strongly interacting with Lu in a regular site) tentatively serve as the places for breathers collapse, thus decreasing the material resistance against dense irradiation.

Laboratory 3.0: Manufacturing Technologies Laboratory Virtualization with a Student-Centred Methodology

Science.gov (United States)

Fabregat-Sanjuan, Albert; Pàmies-Vilà, Rosa; Ferrando Piera, Francesc; De la Flor López, Silvia

2017-01-01

This paper presents a blended-learning strategy for improving the teaching method applied in the laboratory subject Manufacturing Technologies. The teaching method has been changed from a predominantly teacher-centred to an active learning system with a student-centred focus and e-learning activities. In face-to-face classes, a game-based learning…

Insights on activation enthalpy for non-Schmid slip in body-centered cubic metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hale, Lucas M.; Lim, Hojun; Zimmerman, Jonathan A.; Battaile, Corbett C.; Weinberger, Christopher R.

2015-01-01

We use insights gained from atomistic simulation to develop an activation enthalpy model for dislocation slip in body-centered cubic iron. Using a classical potential that predicts dislocation core stabilities consistent with ab initio predictions, we quantify the non-Schmid stress-dependent effects of slip. The kink-pair activation enthalpy is evaluated and a model is identified as a function of the general stress state. Our model enlarges the applicability of the classic Kocks activation enthalpy model to materials with non-Schmid behavior

On the effects of straight metallic jewellery on the specific absorption rates resulting from face-illuminating radio communication devices at popular cellular frequencies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Whittow, W G; Panagamuwa, C J; Edwards, R M; Vardaxoglou, J C [Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Department of Loughborough University, Leicestershire (United Kingdom)], E-mail: w.g.whittow@lboro.ac.uk, E-mail: c.j.panagamuwa@lboro.ac.uk, E-mail: r.m.edwards@lboro.ac.uk, E-mail: j.c.vardaxoglou@lboro.ac.uk

2008-03-07

This paper presents simulated and measured phantom results for the possible effects that head worn jewellery may have on the relative levels of energy absorbed in the human head with cellular enabled mobile communication devices. The FDTD electromagnetic code used with simple and complex anatomical mathematical phantoms was used to consider the interactions of metallic jewellery, heads and representative sources at 900 and 1800 MHz. Illuminated metallic pins of different lengths were positioned in front of the face. Initially, a homogenous phantom was used to understand the relative enhancement mechanisms. This geometry allowed the results to be validated with the industry standard DASY4 robot SAR measurement system related to the CENELEC head. Jewellery pins were then added to an anatomically realistic head. The relative increase in the 1 g and 10 g SAR, due to a pin with a length 0.4{lambda} near the eyebrows of a complex, anatomically realistic head was approximately three times at 1800 MHz. Such pins increased the SAR averaged over a 1 g or 10 g mass by redistributing the energy absorbed inside the head and focusing this energy towards the area of the head nearest to the centre of the pin. Although, the pins increased the SAR, the SAR standards were not breached and the jewellery produced lower values than those of previous studies when the source was positioned close to the ear.

On the effects of straight metallic jewellery on the specific absorption rates resulting from face-illuminating radio communication devices at popular cellular frequencies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whittow, W G; Panagamuwa, C J; Edwards, R M; Vardaxoglou, J C

2008-01-01

This paper presents simulated and measured phantom results for the possible effects that head worn jewellery may have on the relative levels of energy absorbed in the human head with cellular enabled mobile communication devices. The FDTD electromagnetic code used with simple and complex anatomical mathematical phantoms was used to consider the interactions of metallic jewellery, heads and representative sources at 900 and 1800 MHz. Illuminated metallic pins of different lengths were positioned in front of the face. Initially, a homogenous phantom was used to understand the relative enhancement mechanisms. This geometry allowed the results to be validated with the industry standard DASY4 robot SAR measurement system related to the CENELEC head. Jewellery pins were then added to an anatomically realistic head. The relative increase in the 1 g and 10 g SAR, due to a pin with a length 0.4λ near the eyebrows of a complex, anatomically realistic head was approximately three times at 1800 MHz. Such pins increased the SAR averaged over a 1 g or 10 g mass by redistributing the energy absorbed inside the head and focusing this energy towards the area of the head nearest to the centre of the pin. Although, the pins increased the SAR, the SAR standards were not breached and the jewellery produced lower values than those of previous studies when the source was positioned close to the ear

Synthesis of PbTe nanocubes, worm-like structures and ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

tions of X-ray diffractograms have shown that the structure of film is found to possess stable face centred cubic (fcc) ... rature), tunable absorption edge, large molar extinction co- .... ative temperature coefficient of resistance which suggested.

Multi parametric sensitivity study applied to temperature measurement of metallic plasma facing components in fusion devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aumeunier, M-H.; Corre, Y.; Firdaouss, M.; Gauthier, E.; Loarer, T.; Travere, J-M.; Gardarein, J-L.; EFDA JET Contributor

2013-06-01

In nuclear fusion experiments, the protection system of the Plasma Facing Components (PFCs) is commonly ensured by infrared (IR) thermography. Nevertheless, the surface monitoring of new metallic plasma facing component, as in JET and ITER is being challenging. Indeed, the analysis of infrared signals is made more complicated in such a metallic environment since the signals will be perturbed by the reflected photons coming from high temperature regions. To address and anticipate this new measurement environment, predictive photonic models, based on Monte-Carlo ray tracing (SPEOS R CAA V5 Based), have been performed to assess the contribution of the reflective part in the total flux collected by the camera and the resulting temperature error. This paper deals with the effects of metals features, as the emissivity and reflectivity models, on the accuracy of the surface temperature estimation. The reliability of the features models is discussed by comparing the simulation with experimental data obtained with the wide angle IR thermography system of JET ITER like wall. The impact of the temperature distribution is studied by considering two different typical plasma scenarios, in limiter (ITER start-up scenario) and in X-point configurations (standard divertor scenario). The achievable measurement performances of IR system and risks analysis on its functionalities are discussed. (authors)

Cubical sets as a classifying topos

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Spitters, Bas

Coquand’s cubical set model for homotopy type theory provides the basis for a computational interpretation of the univalence axiom and some higher inductive types, as implemented in the cubical proof assistant. We show that the underlying cube category is the opposite of the Lawvere theory of De...... Morgan algebras. The topos of cubical sets itself classifies the theory of ‘free De Morgan algebras’. This provides us with a topos with an internal ‘interval’. Using this interval we construct a model of type theory following van den Berg and Garner. We are currently investigating the precise relation...

Generalized Vaidya spacetime for cubic gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Ruan, Shan-Ming

2016-03-01

We present a kind of generalized Vaidya solution of a new cubic gravity in five dimensions whose field equations in spherically symmetric spacetime are always second order like the Lovelock gravity. We also study the thermodynamics of its spherically symmetric apparent horizon and get its entropy expression and generalized Misner-Sharp energy. Finally, we present the first law and second law hold in this gravity. Although all the results are analogous to those in Lovelock gravity, we in fact introduce the contribution of a new cubic term in five dimensions where the cubic Lovelock term is just zero.

Structural chemical analysis of liquid metals based on discrete nature studies of changes in physical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Filippov, E.S.

1976-01-01

In terms of a theory of liquid metals which is based upon a notion of spheric groups disintegrating according to the melting type a coordination number (K) for 22 metals is calculated from the type of packing in groups (Ksub(T)) and a computed statistical packing (Ksub(s.p.) = 6.5 - 4.5). The diffraction K is presented as a sum of Ksub(T) and Ksub(s.p.) groups. Packing type in Ksub(T) groups is established by experiments on density as a function of temperature, which has revealed the stage (discrete) nature of density changes. The ratio between the temperature of the beginning and termination of a stage is equal to the packing coefficient in a group (0.74; 0,68; 0.50). For densely packed groups at Tsub(m(it is shown that K)sub(l) = 0.74 Ksub(T + 0.26XKsub(s.p.) (if Ksub(T) = 12, Ksub(l) = 10.4). If the number of splitting stages (p) is less than three, then Ksub(l) = 0.74 2 Ksub(T) + 2(1 - 0.74 2 ) Ksub(s.p.) When Ksub(T) = 8 (for alkaline metals and iron), Ksub(l) = 9.5. It has been found for liquid inert groups that Ksub(l) = 8.7. Liquid Sn and Bi prove to be a mixture of densest cubic (d.c.) and volume-centred cubic (v.c.c.) groups. The fractions of each group have been calculated; Bi consists of 30% v.c.c. and 70% d.c., Sn of 54% d.c. and 46% v.c.c. grouops. The diffraction (total) K in liquid metals appears to be a parameter different from K in solid ones, being a function of structural components of the groups and packing of atoms between the groups, rather than a definite characteristic of liquid metals structure

Observation of transient lattice vacancies produced during high-energy ion irradiation of Ni foils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuchida, Hidetsugu; Iwai, Takeo; Awano, Misa; Kishida, Mutsumi; Katayama, Ichiro; Jeong, Sun-Chang; Ogawa, Hidemi; Sakamoto, Naoki; Komatsu, Masao; Itoh, Akio

2007-01-01

Real-time positron annihilation spectroscopy has been applied for the first time for the investigation of lattice vacancies produced during ion irradiation. Measurements were performed for thin nickel foils irradiated with 2.5 MeV C ions. Doppler broadenings of positron annihilation γ-rays were measured alternately during beam-on and beam-off conditions. It was found that the Doppler broadening line-shape parameter measured during irradiation is larger than those obtained before and after irradiation. This evidently implies that transient or non-survivable vacancy defects are produced during ion irradiation. On the other hand, no such significant change in the line-shape parameter was observed for other face-centred-cubic metal forms of aluminium

Spinning solitons in cubic-quintic nonlinear media

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Spinning solitons in cubic-quintic nonlinear media ... features of families of bright vortex solitons (doughnuts, or 'spinning' solitons) in both conservative and dissipative cubic-quintic nonlinear media. ... Pramana – Journal of Physics | News.

Nucleation of recrystallization at selected sites in deformed fcc metals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xu, Chaoling

The objective of this thesis is to explore nucleation of recrystallization at selected sites in selected face-centered-cubic (FCC) metals, namely cold rolled columnar-grained nickel and high purity aluminum further deformed by indenting. Various techniques, including, optical microscopy, electron...... backscattered diffraction (EBSD), electron channeling contrast (ECC) and synchrotron X-ray technique, differential-aperture X-ray microscopy (DAXM), were used to characterize the microstructures, to explore nucleation sites, orientation relationships between nuclei and deformed microstructures, and nucleation...... mechanisms. In the cold rolled nickel samples, the preference of triple junctions (TJs) and grain boundaries (GBs) as nucleation sites is observed. The majorities of the nuclei have the same orientations as the surrounding matrix or are twin-related to a surrounding deformed grain. Only a few nuclei...

Temperature dependence of the mechanical properties of equiatomic solid solution alloys with face-centered cubic crystal structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Z.; Bei, H.; Pharr, G.M.; George, E.P.

2014-01-01

Compared to decades-old theories of strengthening in dilute solid solutions, the mechanical behavior of concentrated solid solutions is relatively poorly understood. A special subset of these materials includes alloys in which the constituent elements are present in equal atomic proportions, including the high-entropy alloys of recent interest. A unique characteristic of equiatomic alloys is the absence of “solvent” and “solute” atoms, resulting in a breakdown of the textbook picture of dislocations moving through a solvent lattice and encountering discrete solute obstacles. To clarify the mechanical behavior of this interesting new class of materials, we investigate here a family of equiatomic binary, ternary and quaternary alloys based on the elements Fe, Ni, Co, Cr and Mn that were previously shown to be single-phase face-centered cubic (fcc) solid solutions. The alloys were arc-melted, drop-cast, homogenized, cold-rolled and recrystallized to produce equiaxed microstructures with comparable grain sizes. Tensile tests were performed at an engineering strain rate of 10 −3 s −1 at temperatures in the range 77–673 K. Unalloyed fcc Ni was processed similarly and tested for comparison. The flow stresses depend to varying degrees on temperature, with some (e.g. NiCoCr, NiCoCrMn and FeNiCoCr) exhibiting yield and ultimate strengths that increase strongly with decreasing temperature, while others (e.g. NiCo and Ni) exhibit very weak temperature dependencies. To better understand this behavior, the temperature dependencies of the yield strength and strain hardening were analyzed separately. Lattice friction appears to be the predominant component of the temperature-dependent yield stress, possibly because the Peierls barrier height decreases with increasing temperature due to a thermally induced increase of dislocation width. In the early stages of plastic flow (5–13% strain, depending on material), the temperature dependence of strain hardening is due

Characterisation of microstructure and its effect on the strength and toughness of 17-4PH stainless steel

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Das, C. R.; Bhaduri, A. K.; Albert, S. K.

2009-01-01

the formation of a copper-rich phase after ageing for 0.25 h, with the amount of the copper-rich precipitates increasing with the duration of ageing. The coarsening of the copper-rich precipitates on ageing for 2 h led to a sharp decrease in hardness, which was attributable to the transformation of the coherent...... copper-rich body centred cubic (b.c.c.) phase to the incoherent copper rich face centred cubic (f.c.c.) phase. Further ageing for 4 h led to a dip in hardness and strength and an increase in toughness. The dip in hardness upon long-term ageing could be attributed to the formation of coarse copper...

Study of the evolution of the boundary of the elastic field with strain hardening, and elastic-plastic behaviour relationships of cubic metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bui, Huy Duong

1969-01-01

In this research thesis on metal strain hardening, the author first discusses the issue of passing from microscopic values to corresponding macroscopic values. If there is generally a correspondence between them, it is not the case for plastic strain. Thus, the author studies the general properties of the boundary of the macroscopic plastic field with respect to single-crystal elastic boundaries. In the second part, the author reports an experimental study of the evolution of the elastic field boundary. In the third part, he develops elastic-plastic behaviour laws for an aggregate of cubic crystals. The objectives are to report experimental results in a more satisfying way than previous studies, and to obtain acceptable physical laws while keeping some properties of conventional laws in order to ensure the solution uniqueness, and to establish minimum principles similar to those of Nodge-Prager and of Greenberg. In order to do so, he introduces a new hypothesis: there is a statistic scattering in initial thresholds of crystals

A Note on Cubic Convolution Interpolation

OpenAIRE

Meijering, E.; Unser, M.

2003-01-01

We establish a link between classical osculatory interpolation and modern convolution-based interpolation and use it to show that two well-known cubic convolution schemes are formally equivalent to two osculatory interpolation schemes proposed in the actuarial literature about a century ago. We also discuss computational differences and give examples of other cubic interpolation schemes not previously studied in signal and image processing.

On q-power cycles in cubic graphs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bensmail, Julien

2017-01-01

In the context of a conjecture of Erdos and Gyárfás, we consider, for any q ≥ 2, the existence of q-power cycles (i.e. with length a power of q) in cubic graphs. We exhibit constructions showing that, for every q ≥ 3, there exist arbitrarily large cubic graphs with no q-power cycles. Concerning...... the remaining case q = 2 (which corresponds to the conjecture of Erdos and Gyárfás), we show that there exist arbitrarily large cubic graphs whose only 2-power cycles have length 4 only, or 8 only....

Effect of orientation and loading rate on compression behavior of small-scale Mo pillars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, A.S.; Clark, B.G.; Frick, C.P.; Gruber, P.A.; Arzt, E.

2009-01-01

Recently, much work has focused on the size effect in face centered cubic (fcc) structures, however few pillar studies have focused on body centered cubic (bcc) metals. This paper explores the role of bcc crystal structure on the size effect, through compression testing of [001] and [235] Molybdenum (Mo) small-scale pillars manufactured by focused ion beam (FIB). The pillar diameters ranged from 200 nm to 5 μm. Results show that the relationship between yield stress and diameter exhibits an inverse relationship (σ y ∝ d -0.22 for [001] Mo and σ y ∝ d -0.34 for [235] Mo) weaker than that observed for face centered cubic (fcc) metals (σ y ∝ d -0.6to-1.0 ). Additional tests at various loading rates revealed that small-scale Mo pillars exhibit a strain rate sensitivity similar to bulk Mo.

Three-Dimensional Random Voronoi Tessellations: From Cubic Crystal Lattices to Poisson Point Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Lucarini, Valerio

2009-01-01

We perturb the simple cubic (SC), body-centered cubic (BCC), and face-centered cubic (FCC) structures with a spatial Gaussian noise whose adimensional strength is controlled by the parameter α and analyze the statistical properties of the cells of the resulting Voronoi tessellations using an ensemble approach. We concentrate on topological properties of the cells, such as the number of faces, and on metric properties of the cells, such as the area, volume and the isoperimetric quotient. The topological properties of the Voronoi tessellations of the SC and FCC crystals are unstable with respect to the introduction of noise, because the corresponding polyhedra are geometrically degenerate, whereas the tessellation of the BCC crystal is topologically stable even against noise of small but finite intensity. Whereas the average volume of the cells is the intensity parameter of the system and does not depend on the noise, the average area of the cells has a rather interesting behavior with respect to noise intensity. For weak noise, the mean area of the Voronoi tessellations corresponding to perturbed BCC and FCC perturbed increases quadratically with the noise intensity. In the case of perturbed SCC crystals, there is an optimal amount of noise that minimizes the mean area of the cells. Already for a moderate amount of noise ( α>0.5), the statistical properties of the three perturbed tessellations are indistinguishable, and for intense noise ( α>2), results converge to those of the Poisson-Voronoi tessellation. Notably, 2-parameter gamma distributions constitute an excellent model for the empirical pdf of all considered topological and metric properties. By analyzing jointly the statistical properties of the area and of the volume of the cells, we discover that also the cells shape, measured by the isoperimetric quotient, fluctuates. The Voronoi tessellations of the BCC and of the FCC structures result to be local maxima for the isoperimetric quotient among space

Growth and characterization of β-In N films on Mg O: the key role of a β-Ga N buffer layer in growing cubic In N

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Navarro C, H.; Perez C, M.; Rodriguez, A. G.; Lopez L, E.; Vidal, M. A.

2012-01-01

Cubic In N samples were grown on Mg O (001) substrates by gas source molecular beam epitaxy. In general, we find that In N directly deposited onto the Mg O substrate results in polycrystalline or columnar films of hexagonal symmetry. We find that adequate conditions to grow the cubic phase of this compound require the growth of an initial cubic Ga N buffer interlayer (β-t Ga N) on the Mg O surface. Subsequently, the growth conditions were optimized to obtain good photoluminescence (Pl) emission. The resultant In N growth is mostly cubic, with very small hexagonal inclusions, as confirmed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy studies. Good crystalline quality requires that the samples to be grown under rich Indium metal flux. The cubic β-t In N/Ga N/Mg O samples exhibit a high signal to noise ratio for Pl at low temperatures (20 K). The Pl is centered at O.75 eV and persist at room temperature. (Author)

Bulletin of Materials Science | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

In the present study defect-free nanocrystalline (nc) Ni–Co alloys with the Co content ranging from 2.4–59.3% (wt. ... single face-centred cubic solid solution is formed for each alloy and that the grain size reduces monotonically with increasing ...

Study of Inverse Ni-based Photonic Crystal using the Microradian X-ray Diffraction

Science.gov (United States)

Vasilieva, A. V.; Grigoryeva, N. A.; Mistonov, A. A.; Sapoletova, N. A.; Napolskii, K. S.; Eliseev, A. A.; Lukashin, A. V.; Tretyakov, Yu D.; Petukhov, A. V.; Byelov, D.; Chernyshov, D.; Okorokov, A. I.; Bouwman, W. G.; Grigoriev, S. V.

2010-10-01

Inverse photonic nickel-based crystal films formed by electrocrystallization of metal inside the voids of polymer artificial opal have been studied using the microradian X-ray diffraction. Analysis of the diffraction images agrees with an face-centred cubic (FCC) structure with the lattice constant a0 = 650 ± 10 nm and indicates two types of stacking sequences coexisting in the crystal (twins of ABCABC... and ACBACB... ordering motifs), the ratio between them being 4:5 The transverse structural correlation length Ltran is 2.4 ± 0.1 μm, which corresponds to a sample thickness of 6 layers. The in-plane structural correlation length Llong is 3.4 ± 0.2 μm, and the structure mosaic is of order of 10°.

Study of Inverse Ni-based Photonic Crystal using the Microradian X-ray Diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasilieva, A V; Okorokov, A I; Grigoriev, S V; Grigoryeva, N A; Mistonov, A A; Sapoletova, N A; Napolskii, K S; Eliseev, A A; Lukashin, A V; Tretyakov, Yu D; Petukhov, A V; Byelov, D; Chernyshov, D; Bouwman, W G

2010-01-01

Inverse photonic nickel-based crystal films formed by electrocrystallization of metal inside the voids of polymer artificial opal have been studied using the microradian X-ray diffraction. Analysis of the diffraction images agrees with an face-centred cubic (FCC) structure with the lattice constant a 0 = 650 ± 10 nm and indicates two types of stacking sequences coexisting in the crystal (twins of ABCABC... and ACBACB... ordering motifs), the ratio between them being 4:5 The transverse structural correlation length L tran is 2.4 ± 0.1 μm, which corresponds to a sample thickness of 6 layers. The in-plane structural correlation length L long is 3.4 ± 0.2 μm, and the structure mosaic is of order of 10 0 .

Study of Inverse Ni-based Photonic Crystal using the Microradian X-ray Diffraction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vasilieva, A V; Okorokov, A I; Grigoriev, S V [Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute, Gatchina, 188350, St. Petersburg (Russian Federation); Grigoryeva, N A; Mistonov, A A [Department of Physics, St. Petersburg State University, 198504, St. Petersburg (Russian Federation); Sapoletova, N A; Napolskii, K S; Eliseev, A A; Lukashin, A V; Tretyakov, Yu D [Department of Materials Science, Moscow State University, 119899, Moscow (Russian Federation); Petukhov, A V; Byelov, D [Debye Institute, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht (Netherlands); Chernyshov, D [SNBL European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), 38043 Grenoble (France); Bouwman, W G, E-mail: vasilieva@lns.pnpi.spb.r [Delft Technical University, 2629 JB Delft (Netherlands)

2010-10-01

Inverse photonic nickel-based crystal films formed by electrocrystallization of metal inside the voids of polymer artificial opal have been studied using the microradian X-ray diffraction. Analysis of the diffraction images agrees with an face-centred cubic (FCC) structure with the lattice constant a{sub 0} = 650 {+-} 10 nm and indicates two types of stacking sequences coexisting in the crystal (twins of ABCABC... and ACBACB... ordering motifs), the ratio between them being 4:5 The transverse structural correlation length L{sub tran} is 2.4 {+-} 0.1 {mu}m, which corresponds to a sample thickness of 6 layers. The in-plane structural correlation length L{sub long} is 3.4 {+-} 0.2 {mu}m, and the structure mosaic is of order of 10{sup 0}.

III-nitrides on oxygen- and zinc-face ZnO substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Namkoong, Gon; Burnham, Shawn; Lee, Kyoung-Keun; Trybus, Elaissa; Doolittle, W. Alan; Losurdo, Maria; Capezzuto, Pio; Bruno, Giovanni; Nemeth, Bill; Nause, Jeff

2005-01-01

The characteristics of III-nitrides grown on zinc- and oxygen-face ZnO by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy were investigated. The reflection high-energy electron diffraction pattern indicates formation of a cubic phase at the interface between III-nitride and both Zn- and O-face ZnO. The polarity indicates that Zn-face ZnO leads to a single polarity, while O-face ZnO forms mixed polarity of III-nitrides. Furthermore, by using a vicinal ZnO substrate, the terrace-step growth of GaN was realized with a reduction by two orders of magnitude in the dislocation-related etch pit density to ∼10 8 cm -2 , while a dislocation density of ∼10 10 cm -2 was obtained on the on-axis ZnO substrates

Mechanical properties and electronic structure of anti-ReO3 structured cubic nitrides, M3N, of d block transition metals M: An ab initio study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, Xiuquan; Gall, Daniel; Khare, Sanjay V.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We use DFT to model the anti-ReO 3 structured transition metal nitrides M 3 N. • We predict their lattice constants, electronic structures and mechanical properties. • We correlate the metal d and nitrogen 2p orbitals with stability and hardness. • We established a high-throughput database for materials design. - Abstract: We report a systematic study of the anti-ReO 3 structured transition metal nitrides, M 3 N, using ab initio density functional theory computations in the local density approximation. Here M denotes all the 3d, 4d and 5d transition metals. Our calculations indicate that all M 3 N compounds except V 3 N of group 5 and Zn 3 N and Hg 3 N of group 12 are mechanically stable. For the stable M 3 N compounds, we report a database of predictions for their lattice constants, electronic properties and mechanical properties including bulk modulus, Young’s modulus, shear modulus, ductility, hardness and Debye temperature. It is found that most M 3 N compounds exhibit ductility with Vickers hardness between 0.4 GPa and 11.2 GPa. Our computed lattice constant for Cu 3 N, the only M 3 N compound where experiments exist, agrees well with the experimentally reported values. We report ratios of the melting points of all M 3 N compounds to that of Cu 3 N. The local density of states for all M 3 N compounds are obtained, and electronic band gaps are observed only for M of group 11 (Cu, Ag and Au) while the remaining M 3 N compounds are metallic without band gaps. Valence electron density along with the hybridization of the metal d and nitrogen 2p orbitals play an important role in determining the stability and hardness of different compounds. Our high-throughput databases for the cubic anti-ReO 3 structured transition metal nitrides should motivate future experimental work and shorten the time to their discovery

Shape Preserving Interpolation Using C2 Rational Cubic Spline

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samsul Ariffin Abdul Karim

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the construction of new C2 rational cubic spline interpolant with cubic numerator and quadratic denominator. The idea has been extended to shape preserving interpolation for positive data using the constructed rational cubic spline interpolation. The rational cubic spline has three parameters αi, βi, and γi. The sufficient conditions for the positivity are derived on one parameter γi while the other two parameters αi and βi are free parameters that can be used to change the final shape of the resulting interpolating curves. This will enable the user to produce many varieties of the positive interpolating curves. Cubic spline interpolation with C2 continuity is not able to preserve the shape of the positive data. Notably our scheme is easy to use and does not require knots insertion and C2 continuity can be achieved by solving tridiagonal systems of linear equations for the unknown first derivatives di, i=1,…,n-1. Comparisons with existing schemes also have been done in detail. From all presented numerical results the new C2 rational cubic spline gives very smooth interpolating curves compared to some established rational cubic schemes. An error analysis when the function to be interpolated is ft∈C3t0,tn is also investigated in detail.

A cubic boron nitride film-based fluorescent sensor for detecting Hg2+

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, W. M.; Zhao, W. W.; Zhang, H. Y.; Wang, P. F.; Chong, Y. M.; Ye, Q.; Zou, Y. S.; Zhang, W. J.; Zapien, J. A.; Bello, I.; Lee, S. T.

2009-05-01

Cubic boron nitride (cBN) film-based sensors for detecting Hg2+ ions were developed by surface functionalization with dansyl chloride. To immobilize dansyl chloride, 3-aminopropyltriethoxy silane was modified on hydroxylated cBN surfaces to form an amino-group-terminated self-assembled monolayer. The covalent attachment of the amino groups was confirmed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The selectivity and sensitivity of the sensors to detect diverse metal cations in ethanol solutions were studied by using fluorescence spectroscopy, revealing a great selectivity to Hg2+ ions. Significantly, the dansyl-chloride-functionalized cBN film sensors were recyclable after the sensing test.

Bcc and Fcc transition metals and alloys: a central role for the Jahn-Teller effect in explaining their ideal and distorted structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Stephen; Hoffmann, Roald

2002-05-01

Transition metal elements, alloys, and intermetallic compounds often adopt the body centered cubic (bcc) and face centered cubic (fcc) structures. By comparing quantitative density functional with qualitative tight-binding calculations, we analyze the electronic factors which make the bcc and fcc structures energetically favorable. To do so, we develop a tight-binding function, DeltaE(star), a function that measures the energetic effects of transferring electrons within wave vector stars. This function allows one to connect distortions in solids to the Jahn-Teller effect in molecules and to provide an orbital perspective on structure determining deformations in alloys. We illustrate its use by considering first a two-dimensional square net. We then turn to three-dimensional fcc and bcc structures, and distortions of these. Using DeltaE(star), we rationalize the differences in energy of these structures. We are able to deduce which orbitals are responsible for instabilities in seven to nine valence electron per atom (e(-)/a) bcc systems and five and six e(-)/a fcc structures. Finally we demonstrate that these results account for the bcc and fcc type structures found in both the elements and binary intermetallic compounds of group 4 through 9 transition metal atoms. The outline of a theory of metal structure deformations based on loss of point group operation rather than translational symmetry is presented.

Guarded Cubical Type Theory

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Birkedal, Lars; Bizjak, Aleš; Clouston, Ranald

2016-01-01

This paper improves the treatment of equality in guarded dependent type theory (GDTT), by combining it with cubical type theory (CTT). GDTT is an extensional type theory with guarded recursive types, which are useful for building models of program logics, and for programming and reasoning...... with coinductive types. We wish to implement GDTT with decidable type-checking, while still supporting non-trivial equality proofs that reason about the extensions of guarded recursive constructions. CTT is a variation of Martin-L\\"of type theory in which the identity type is replaced by abstract paths between...... terms. CTT provides a computational interpretation of functional extensionality, is conjectured to have decidable type checking, and has an implemented type-checker. Our new type theory, called guarded cubical type theory, provides a computational interpretation of extensionality for guarded recursive...

Guarded Cubical Type Theory

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Birkedal, Lars; Bizjak, Aleš; Clouston, Ranald

2016-01-01

This paper improves the treatment of equality in guarded dependent type theory (GDTT), by combining it with cubical type theory (CTT). GDTT is an extensional type theory with guarded recursive types, which are useful for building models of program logics, and for programming and reasoning...... with coinductive types. We wish to implement GDTT with decidable type checking, while still supporting non-trivial equality proofs that reason about the extensions of guarded recursive constructions. CTT is a variation of Martin-L\\"of type theory in which the identity type is replaced by abstract paths between...... terms. CTT provides a computational interpretation of functional extensionality, enjoys canonicity for the natural numbers type, and is conjectured to support decidable type-checking. Our new type theory, guarded cubical type theory (GCTT), provides a computational interpretation of extensionality...

Synthesis and characterization of chemically ordered FePt magnetic nano-particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Srinivasa Rao, K. [Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET), IDA phase-III, Cherlapally, Hyderabad 500 051 (India); Balaji, T., E-mail: theerthambalaji@yahoo.co [Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET), IDA phase-III, Cherlapally, Hyderabad 500 051 (India); Lingappa, Y. [Department of Chemistry, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati 517 502 (India); Reddy, M.R.P.; Kumar, Arbind; Prakash, T.L. [Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET), IDA phase-III, Cherlapally, Hyderabad 500 051 (India)

2010-08-15

Monodispersed FePt alloy magnetic nano-particles are prepared by reduction of platinum acetyl acetonate and iron acetyl acetonate salts together in the presence of oleic acid and oleyl amine stabilizers by polyol process. The particle size of FePt is in the range of 2-3 nm confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). As-synthesized FePt nano-particles are chemically disordered with face centre cubic (fcc) structure where as after vacuum annealing these particles changed to face centre tetragonal (fct) ordered structure confirmed by the X-ray diffraction technique. Magnetic coercivity of 5.247 KOe was observed for fct structure.

Randomized Block Cubic Newton Method

KAUST Repository

Doikov, Nikita; Richtarik, Peter

2018-01-01

We study the problem of minimizing the sum of three convex functions: a differentiable, twice-differentiable and a non-smooth term in a high dimensional setting. To this effect we propose and analyze a randomized block cubic Newton (RBCN) method, which in each iteration builds a model of the objective function formed as the sum of the natural models of its three components: a linear model with a quadratic regularizer for the differentiable term, a quadratic model with a cubic regularizer for the twice differentiable term, and perfect (proximal) model for the nonsmooth term. Our method in each iteration minimizes the model over a random subset of blocks of the search variable. RBCN is the first algorithm with these properties, generalizing several existing methods, matching the best known bounds in all special cases. We establish ${\\cal O}(1/\\epsilon)$, ${\\cal O}(1/\\sqrt{\\epsilon})$ and ${\\cal O}(\\log (1/\\epsilon))$ rates under different assumptions on the component functions. Lastly, we show numerically that our method outperforms the state-of-the-art on a variety of machine learning problems, including cubically regularized least-squares, logistic regression with constraints, and Poisson regression.

Randomized Block Cubic Newton Method

KAUST Repository

Doikov, Nikita

2018-02-12

We study the problem of minimizing the sum of three convex functions: a differentiable, twice-differentiable and a non-smooth term in a high dimensional setting. To this effect we propose and analyze a randomized block cubic Newton (RBCN) method, which in each iteration builds a model of the objective function formed as the sum of the natural models of its three components: a linear model with a quadratic regularizer for the differentiable term, a quadratic model with a cubic regularizer for the twice differentiable term, and perfect (proximal) model for the nonsmooth term. Our method in each iteration minimizes the model over a random subset of blocks of the search variable. RBCN is the first algorithm with these properties, generalizing several existing methods, matching the best known bounds in all special cases. We establish ${\\\\cal O}(1/\\\\epsilon)$, ${\\\\cal O}(1/\\\\sqrt{\\\\epsilon})$ and ${\\\\cal O}(\\\\log (1/\\\\epsilon))$ rates under different assumptions on the component functions. Lastly, we show numerically that our method outperforms the state-of-the-art on a variety of machine learning problems, including cubically regularized least-squares, logistic regression with constraints, and Poisson regression.

Orienting of attention via observed eye gaze is head-centred.

Science.gov (United States)

Bayliss, Andrew P; di Pellegrino, Giuseppe; Tipper, Steven P

2004-11-01

Observing averted eye gaze results in the automatic allocation of attention to the gazed-at location. The role of the orientation of the face that produces the gaze cue was investigated. The eyes in the face could look left or right in a head-centred frame, but the face itself could be oriented 90 degrees clockwise or anticlockwise such that the eyes were gazing up or down. Significant cueing effects to targets presented to the left or right of the screen were found in these head orientation conditions. This suggests that attention was directed to the side to which the eyes would have been looking towards, had the face been presented upright. This finding provides evidence that head orientation can affect gaze following, even when the head orientation alone is not a social cue. It also shows that the mechanism responsible for the allocation of attention following a gaze cue can be influenced by intrinsic object-based (i.e. head-centred) properties of the task-irrelevant cue.

Providing a Flexible, Learner-Centred Programme: Challenges for Educators

Science.gov (United States)

Cornelius, Sarah; Gordon, Carole

2008-01-01

This paper presents a case study of the implementation of a flexible learner-centred programme of study which blends face-to-face and online learning. The programme was developed to be flexible in terms of content and study strategies, whilst remaining within more rigid organisational structures and processes. This paper outlines the programme and…

Neutrosophic Cubic MCGDM Method Based on Similarity Measure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Surapati Pramanik

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The notion of neutrosophic cubic set is originated from the hybridization of the concept of neutrosophic set and interval valued neutrosophic set. We define similarity measure for neutrosophic cubic sets and prove some of its basic properties.

Mental, physical and social health problems of call centre workers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P Bhuyar

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Call centre workers in BPO face unique occupational hazards - mental, physical and psychosocial. Material & Method: A sample 100 call centre workers of both sexes and from two cities Pune and Mumbai were surveyed by both qualitative and quantitative methods for the above health problems. Results: A high proportion of workers faced sleep disturbances and associated mental stress and anxiety. Sleep disturbance and anxiety was significantly more in international call centres compared to domestic. There was also disturbance in circadian rhythms due to night shift. Physical problems such as musculoskeletal disorders, obesity, eye, and hearing problems were also present. Psychosocial problems included disruption in family life, use of tobacco and alcohol, and faulty eating habits. Conclusion: Better personal management, health education and more research is indicated to study the health problems in this emerging occupation.

Cubical version of combinatorial differential forms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kock, Anders

2010-01-01

The theory of combinatorial differential forms is usually presented in simplicial terms. We present here a cubical version; it depends on the possibility of forming affine combinations of mutual neighbour points in a manifold, in the context of synthetic differential geometry.......The theory of combinatorial differential forms is usually presented in simplicial terms. We present here a cubical version; it depends on the possibility of forming affine combinations of mutual neighbour points in a manifold, in the context of synthetic differential geometry....

Effect of stacking fault energy on steady-state creep rate of face ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Continuum elastic theory was used to establish the relationships between the force of interaction required to constrict dislocation partials, energy of constriction and climb velocity of the constricted thermal jogs, in order to examine the effect of stacking fault energy (SFE) on steady state creep rate of face centered cubic ...

P-union and P-intersection of neutrosophic cubic sets

OpenAIRE

Florentin Smarandache; Chang Su Kim

2015-01-01

Conditions for the P-intersection and P-intersection of falsity-external (resp. indeterminacy-external and truth-external) neutrosophic cubic sets to be an falsity-external (resp. indeterminacy-external and truth- external) neutrosophic cubic set are provided. Conditions for the P-union and the P-intersection of two truth-external (resp. indeterminacy-external and falsity-external) neutrosophic cubic sets to be a truth-internal (resp. indeterminacy-internal and falsity-internal) neutrosoph...

Perspective projection for variance pose face recognition from camera calibration

Science.gov (United States)

Fakhir, M. M.; Woo, W. L.; Chambers, J. A.; Dlay, S. S.

2016-04-01

Variance pose is an important research topic in face recognition. The alteration of distance parameters across variance pose face features is a challenging. We provide a solution for this problem using perspective projection for variance pose face recognition. Our method infers intrinsic camera parameters of the image which enable the projection of the image plane into 3D. After this, face box tracking and centre of eyes detection can be identified using our novel technique to verify the virtual face feature measurements. The coordinate system of the perspective projection for face tracking allows the holistic dimensions for the face to be fixed in different orientations. The training of frontal images and the rest of the poses on FERET database determine the distance from the centre of eyes to the corner of box face. The recognition system compares the gallery of images against different poses. The system initially utilises information on position of both eyes then focuses principally on closest eye in order to gather data with greater reliability. Differentiation between the distances and position of the right and left eyes is a unique feature of our work with our algorithm outperforming other state of the art algorithms thus enabling stable measurement in variance pose for each individual.

Successful synthesis and thermal stability of immiscible metal Au-Rh, Au-Ir andAu-Ir-Rh nanoalloys

Science.gov (United States)

Shubin, Yury; Plyusnin, Pavel; Sharafutdinov, Marat; Makotchenko, Evgenia; Korenev, Sergey

2017-05-01

We successfully prepared face-centred cubic nanoalloys in systems of Au-Ir, Au-Rh and Au-Ir-Rh, with large bulk miscibility gaps, in one-run reactions under thermal decomposition of specially synthesised single-source precursors, namely, [AuEn2][Ir(NO2)6], [AuEn2][Ir(NO2)6] х [Rh(NO2)6]1-х and [AuEn2][Rh(NO2)6]. The precursors employed contain all desired metals ‘mixed’ at the atomic level, thus providing significant advantages for obtaining alloys. The observations using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy show that the nanoalloy structures are composed of well-dispersed aggregates of crystalline domains with a mean size of 5 ± 3 nm. Еnergy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and x-ray powder diffraction (XRD) measurements confirm the formation of AuIr, AuRh, AuIr0.75Rh0.25, AuIr0.50Rh0.50 and AuIr0.25Rh0.75 metastable solid solutions. In situ high-temperature synchrotron XRD (HTXRD) was used to study the formation mechanism of nanoalloys. The observed transformations are described by the ‘conversion chemistry’ mechanism characterised by the primary development of particles comprising atoms of only one type, followed by a chemical reaction resulting in the final formation of a nanoalloy. The obtained metastable nanoalloys exhibit essential thermal stability. Exposure to 180 °C for 30 h does not cause any dealloying process.

Synthesis of Uranium-di-Oxide nano-particles by pulsed laser ablation in ethanol and their characterisation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Aniruddha; Prasad, Manisha; Shail, Shailini

2015-01-01

The importance of actinide based nano-structures is well known in the area of biology, nuclear medicine, and nuclear industry. Pulsed laser ablation in liquid is recognised as an attractive technique for production of nano-structures of different metals and metal oxides with high purity. In this paper, we report synthesis of uranium-di-oxide nano particles by pulsed laser ablation in ethanol. The second harmonic emission of an electro- optically Q-switched nano-second Nd-YAG laser was used as the coherent source here. The structural and optical properties of the fabricated Uranium-di-oxide nano- particles were investigated by XRD, SEM, TEM, EDX and UV- Vis-NIR spectrophotometry. The mean size of the particles was found to be dependent on the laser ablation parameters. XRD and TEM analysis confirmed the phase of the synthesised material as pure crystalline Uranium-di- oxide with Face Centred Cubic structure. UV- Vis- NIR absorption spectra of the colloidal solution show high absorption in the UV regime. (author)

Non-spherical micelles in an oil-in-water cubic phase

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leaver, M.; Rajagopalan, V.; Ulf, O.

2000-01-01

phase, both with and without SDS, was established by NMR self-diffusion. In addition H-2 NMR relaxation experiments have demonstrated that the micelles in the cubic phase are non-spherical, having grown and changed shape upon formation of the cubic phase from the micellar solution. Small angle...... associated with the micellar cubic phase, Pm3n and Fd3m. The micellar volumes calculated for these space groups are similar and are consistent with a change in micellar geometry from spherical to prolate.......The cubic phase formed between the microemulsion and hexagonal phases of the ternary pentaethylene glycol dodecyl ether (C12E5)-decane-water system and that doped with small amounts of sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) have been investigated. The presence of discrete oil-swollen micelles in the cubic...

Heavy Metals in Suburban Ecosystems of Industrial Centres and Ways of their Reduction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Onistratenko Nikolay Vladimirovich

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Technogenic contamination of ecosystems is one of the main dangers of our time. In order to reduce the harmful effects of this contamination and to provide cost-effective and environmentally safe food production methods, we are forced to look for ways of reliable analysis of the environmental situation, the selection systems of animal husbandry and regulations for the degree of impact of pollutants on the elements of the agroecosystem. This article presents the results of studies aimed at assessing the plight of the environment of a large industrial centre, and its anthropogenic impacts on every element of the suburban ecosystems. It presents data on maintenance and migration of anthropogenous pollutants in the trophic chains of pasturable ecosystems of the suburb of Volgograd. The authors have listed the industrial enterprises as the key sources of pollution. The features of the distribution of xenobiotics in the tissues and organs of calves and heifers of different breeds were analysed in the study. Conclusions were drawn on the accumulation of heavy metals and arsenic in cattle, and the impact of this factor on the quality of production. A comparative assessment of the resistance of different breeds of cows to the action of toxicants in the environment of the Lower Volga region was carried out. Ways to decrease the impact of pollutants on the cattle organism have also been suggested. The article pays attention to the environmental pollution of the industrial centre, the influence of these processes on all elements of an ecosystem including humans, and offers ways to minimize the damage.

Bifurcation of limit cycles for cubic reversible systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi Shao

2014-04-01

Full Text Available This article is concerned with the bifurcation of limit cycles of a class of cubic reversible system having a center at the origin. We prove that this system has at least four limit cycles produced by the period annulus around the center under cubic perturbations

Study of point defects and matter transport in cubic face centered concentrated alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hersant, D.

1991-01-01

It is shown that the second moment approximation to the tight binding method allows a functional to be set up which describes transition metals, noble metals and their alloys. It is assumed that the local electronic density of states is rectangular and that the width varies from site to site. It is then shown how the Monte Carlo method can be used to study order in solid solution with a large difference in size between components: atoms of different nature are exchanged and their neighbours are simultaneously displaced in accordance with the microscopic theory of elasticity. The phase diagram of the simulated alloys is then constructed. Experimental results are qualitatively well reproduced but transition temperatures are difficult to evaluate accurately because of a bad estimation of the vibration entropy. A local tendency towards ordering due to chemical effects is shown at the defect proximity. 40 figs., 100 refs

On the measurement of the stacking-fault energies of face centered cubic metal and austenitic stainless steels by X-ray diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borges, J.F.A.

1985-01-01

An X-rays diffraction method was applied to measure the Stacking-Fault Energies (SFE) of the AISI 304, AISI 316, AISI 347 and DIN-WERKSTOFF 1.4970 Austenitic Stainless Steels. The SFE determination plays an important role in the research of the mechanical behaviour of the Metal and Alloys, their deformation mechanisms, stability of microstructure amd electronic configuration. The method is based on the relationship between the SFE and the ratio of the Mean Square Strain to the Stacking-Fault probability. The Mean Square Strain was evaluated by Fourier Analysis of X-rays Diffraction profiles, corrected to reduce instrumental effects, followed by the application of the Warren-Averbach method to the Fourier Coefficients. The Stacking-Fault probabilities were derived from the changes of peak separations between cold-worked and annealed specimens. (author) [pt

Cubic-to-Tetragonal Phase Transitions in Ag-Cu Nano rods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delogu, F.; Mascia, M.

2012-01-01

Molecular dynamics simulations have been used to investigate the structural behavior of nano rods with square cross section. The nano rods consist of pure Ag and Cu phases or of three Ag and Cu domains in the sequence Ag-Cu-Ag or Cu-Ag-Cu. Ag and Cu domains are separated by coherent interfaces. Depending on the side length and the size of individual domains, Ag and Cu can undergo a transition from the usual face-centered cubic structure to a body-centered tetragonal one. Such transition can involve the whole nano rod, or only the Ag domains. In the latter case, the transition is accompanied by a loss of coherency at the Ag-Cu interfaces, with a consequent release of elastic energy. The observed behaviors are connected with the stresses developed at the nano rod surfaces.

An evolution from 3D face-centered-cubic ZnSnO3 nanocubes to 2D orthorhombic ZnSnO3 nanosheets with excellent gas sensing performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Yuejiao; Yu Ling; Li Qing; Wu Yan; Li Qiuhong; Wang Taihong

2012-01-01

We have successfully observed the development of three-dimensional (3D) face-centered-cubic ZnSnO 3 into two-dimensional (2D) orthorhombic ZnSnO 3 nanosheets, which is the first observation of 2D ZnSnO 3 nanostructures to date. The synthesis from 3D to 2D nanostructures is realized by the dual-hydrolysis-assisted liquid precipitation reaction and subsequent hydrothermal treatment. The time-dependent morphology indicates the transformation via a ‘dissolution–recrystallization’ mechanism, accompanied by a ‘further growth’ process. Furthermore, the 2D ZnSnO 3 nanosheets consist of smaller sized nanoflakes. This further increases the special specific surface area and facilitates their application in gas sensing. The 2D ZnSnO 3 nanosheets exhibit excellent gas sensing properties, especially through their ultra-fast response and recovery. When exposed to ethanol and acetone, the response rate is as fast as 0.26 s and 0.18 s, respectively, and the concentration limit can reach as low as 50 ppb of ethanol. All these results are much better than those reported so far. Our experimental results indicate an efficient approach to realize high-performance gas sensors. (paper)

Structure of the Ni(II) complex of Escherichia coli peptide deformylase and suggestions on deformylase activities depending on different metal(II) centres.

Science.gov (United States)

Yen, Ngo Thi Hai; Bogdanović, Xenia; Palm, Gottfried J; Kühl, Olaf; Hinrichs, Winfried

2010-02-01

Crystal structures of polypeptide deformylase (PDF) of Escherichia coli with nickel(II) replacing the native iron(II) have been solved with chloride and formate as metal ligands. The chloro complex is a model for the correct protonation state of the hydrolytic hydroxo ligand and the protonated status of the Glu133 side chain as part of the hydrolytic mechanism. The ambiguity that recently some PDFs have been identified with Zn(2+) ion as the active-site centre whereas others are only active with Fe(2+) (or Co(2+), Ni(2+) is discussed with respect to Lewis acid criteria of the metal ion and substrate activation by the CD loop.

Cubic interactions of Maxwell-like higher spins

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Francia, Dario [Scuola Normale Superiore and INFN,Piazza dei Cavalieri, 7 I-56126 Pisa (Italy); Monaco, Gabriele Lo [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Pisa,Piazza Fibonacci, 3, I-56126, Pisa (Italy); Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Milano-Bicocca,Piazza della Scienza 3, I-20126 Milano (Italy); Mkrtchyan, Karapet [Max Planck Institut für Gravitationsphysik,Am Mühlenberg 1, Potsdam 14476 (Germany)

2017-04-12

We study the cubic vertices for Maxwell-like higher-spins in flat and (A)dS background spaces of any dimension. Reducibility of their free spectra implies that a single cubic vertex involving any three fields subsumes a number of couplings among different particles of various spins. The resulting vertices do not involve traces of the fields and in this sense are simpler than their Fronsdal counterparts. We propose an extension of both the free theory and of its cubic deformation to a more general class of partially reducible systems, that one can obtain from the original theory upon imposing trace constraints of various orders. The key to our results is a version of the Noether procedure allowing to systematically account for the deformations of the transversality conditions to be imposed on the gauge parameters at the free level.

An Abel type cubic system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gary R. Nicklason

2015-07-01

Full Text Available We consider center conditions for plane polynomial systems of Abel type consisting of a linear center perturbed by the sum of 2 homogeneous polynomials of degrees n and 2n-1 where $n \\ge 2$. Using properties of Abel equations we obtain two general systems valid for arbitrary values on n. For the cubic n=2 systems we find several sets of new center conditions, some of which show that the results in a paper by Hill, Lloyd and Pearson which were conjectured to be complete are in fact not complete. We also present a particular system which appears to be a counterexample to a conjecture by Zoladek et al. regarding rational reversibility in cubic polynomial systems.

Cubication of conservative nonlinear oscillators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belendez, Augusto; Alvarez, Mariela L; Fernandez, Elena; Pascual, Inmaculada

2009-01-01

A cubication procedure of the nonlinear differential equation for conservative nonlinear oscillators is analysed and discussed. This scheme is based on the Chebyshev series expansion of the restoring force, and this allows us to approximate the original nonlinear differential equation by a Duffing equation in which the coefficients for the linear and cubic terms depend on the initial amplitude, A, while in a Taylor expansion of the restoring force these coefficients are independent of A. The replacement of the original nonlinear equation by an approximate Duffing equation allows us to obtain an approximate frequency-amplitude relation as a function of the complete elliptic integral of the first kind. Some conservative nonlinear oscillators are analysed to illustrate the usefulness and effectiveness of this scheme.

Microstructure in 316LN stainless steel fatigued at low temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kruml, T.; Polak, J.

2000-01-01

The internal structure of AISI 316LN austenitic stainless steel cyclically strained at liquid nitrogen temperature has been studied using transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction. High amplitude cyclic straining promotes the transformation of austenite with face centred cubic (f.c.c.) structure into ε-martensite with hexagonal close packed (h.c.p.) structure and α'-martensite with distorted base centred cubic (b.c.c.) structure. Thin plates containing ε-martensite were identified in all grains. α'-martensite nucleates at the intersection of the plates in grains with two or more systems of plates and can grow in the bands. The orientation of transformed phases follows the Shoji-Nichiyama and Kurdjumov-Sachs relations. Mechanisms of low temperature cyclic straining are discussed. (orig.)

Computing the writhe on lattices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laing, C; Sumners, D W

2006-01-01

Given a polygonal closed curve on a lattice or space group, we describe a method for computing the writhe of the curve as the average of weighted projected writhing numbers of the polygon in a few directions. These directions are determined by the lattice geometry, the weights are determined by areas of regions on the unit 2-sphere, and the regions are formed by the tangent indicatrix to the polygonal curve. We give a new formula for the writhe of polygons on the face centred cubic lattice and prove that the writhe of polygons on the body centred cubic lattice, the hexagonal simple lattice, and the diamond space group is always a rational number, and discuss applications to ring polymers

Coding considerations for standalone molecular dynamics simulations of atomistic structures

Science.gov (United States)

Ocaya, R. O.; Terblans, J. J.

2017-10-01

The laws of Newtonian mechanics allow ab-initio molecular dynamics to model and simulate particle trajectories in material science by defining a differentiable potential function. This paper discusses some considerations for the coding of ab-initio programs for simulation on a standalone computer and illustrates the approach by C language codes in the context of embedded metallic atoms in the face-centred cubic structure. The algorithms use velocity-time integration to determine particle parameter evolution for up to several thousands of particles in a thermodynamical ensemble. Such functions are reusable and can be placed in a redistributable header library file. While there are both commercial and free packages available, their heuristic nature prevents dissection. In addition, developing own codes has the obvious advantage of teaching techniques applicable to new problems.

Anchoring plant metallothioneins to the inner face of the plasma membrane of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells leads to heavy metal accumulation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lavinia Liliana Ruta

Full Text Available In this study we engineered yeast cells armed for heavy metal accumulation by targeting plant metallothioneins to the inner face of the yeast plasma membrane. Metallothioneins (MTs are cysteine-rich proteins involved in the buffering of excess metal ions, especially Cu(I, Zn(II or Cd(II. The cDNAs of seven Arabidopsis thaliana MTs (AtMT1a, AtMT1c, AtMT2a, AtMT2b, AtMT3, AtMT4a and AtMT4b and four Noccaea caerulescens MTs (NcMT1, NcMT2a, NcMT2b and NcMT3 were each translationally fused to the C-terminus of a myristoylation green fluorescent protein variant (myrGFP and expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. The myrGFP cassette introduced a yeast myristoylation sequence which allowed directional targeting to the cytosolic face of the plasma membrane along with direct monitoring of the intracellular localization of the recombinant protein by fluorescence microscopy. The yeast strains expressing plant MTs were investigated against an array of heavy metals in order to identify strains which exhibit the (hyperaccumulation phenotype without developing toxicity symptoms. Among the transgenic strains which could accumulate Cu(II, Zn(II or Cd(II, but also non-canonical metal ions, such as Co(II, Mn(II or Ni(II, myrGFP-NcMT3 qualified as the best candidate for bioremediation applications, thanks to the robust growth accompanied by significant accumulative capacity.

Anchoring plant metallothioneins to the inner face of the plasma membrane of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells leads to heavy metal accumulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruta, Lavinia Liliana; Lin, Ya-Fen; Kissen, Ralph; Nicolau, Ioana; Neagoe, Aurora Daniela; Ghenea, Simona; Bones, Atle M; Farcasanu, Ileana Cornelia

2017-01-01

In this study we engineered yeast cells armed for heavy metal accumulation by targeting plant metallothioneins to the inner face of the yeast plasma membrane. Metallothioneins (MTs) are cysteine-rich proteins involved in the buffering of excess metal ions, especially Cu(I), Zn(II) or Cd(II). The cDNAs of seven Arabidopsis thaliana MTs (AtMT1a, AtMT1c, AtMT2a, AtMT2b, AtMT3, AtMT4a and AtMT4b) and four Noccaea caerulescens MTs (NcMT1, NcMT2a, NcMT2b and NcMT3) were each translationally fused to the C-terminus of a myristoylation green fluorescent protein variant (myrGFP) and expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. The myrGFP cassette introduced a yeast myristoylation sequence which allowed directional targeting to the cytosolic face of the plasma membrane along with direct monitoring of the intracellular localization of the recombinant protein by fluorescence microscopy. The yeast strains expressing plant MTs were investigated against an array of heavy metals in order to identify strains which exhibit the (hyper)accumulation phenotype without developing toxicity symptoms. Among the transgenic strains which could accumulate Cu(II), Zn(II) or Cd(II), but also non-canonical metal ions, such as Co(II), Mn(II) or Ni(II), myrGFP-NcMT3 qualified as the best candidate for bioremediation applications, thanks to the robust growth accompanied by significant accumulative capacity.

Transdermal delivery of paeonol using cubic gel and microemulsion gel

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Maofu; Shen, Qi; Chen, Jinjin

2011-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to develop new systems for transdermal delivery of paeonol, in particular microemulsion gel and cubic gel formulations. Methods Various microemulsion vehicles were prepared using isopropyl myristate as an oil phase, polyoxyethylated castor oil (Cremophor® EL) as a surfactant, and polyethylene glycol 400 as a cosurfactant. In the optimum microemulsion gel formulation, carbomer 940 was selected as the gel matrix, and consisted of 1% paeonol, 4% isopropyl myristate, 28% Cremophor EL/polyethylene glycol 400 (1:1), and 67% water. The cubic gel was prepared containing 3% paeonol, 30% water, and 67% glyceryl monooleate. Results A skin permeability test using excised rat skins indicated that both the cubic gel and microemulsion gel formulations had higher permeability than did the paeonol solution. An in vivo pharmacokinetic study done in rats showed that the relative bioavailability of the cubic gel and microemulsion gel was enhanced by about 1.51-fold and 1.28-fold, respectively, compared with orally administered paeonol suspension. Conclusion Both the cubic gel and microemulsion gel formulations are promising delivery systems to enhance the skin permeability of paeonol, in particular the cubic gel. PMID:21904450

Impact of metal and ceramic fixed orthodontic appliances on judgments of beauty and other face-related attributes.

Science.gov (United States)

Fonseca, Lílian Martins; Araújo, Telma Martins de; Santos, Aline Rôde; Faber, Jorge

2014-02-01

Physical attributes, behavior, and personal ornaments exert a direct influence on how a person's beauty and personality are judged. The aim of this study was to investigate how people who wear a fixed orthodontic appliance see themselves and are seen by others in social settings. A total of 60 adults evaluated their own smiling faces in 3 different scenarios: without a fixed orthodontic appliance, wearing a metal fixed orthodontic appliance, and wearing an esthetic fixed orthodontic appliance. Furthermore, 15 adult raters randomly assessed the same faces in standardized front-view facial photographs. Both the subjects and the raters answered a questionnaire in which they evaluated criteria on a numbered scale ranging from 0 to 10. The models judged their own beauty, and the raters assigned scores to beauty, age, intelligence, ridiculousness, extroversion, and success. The self-evaluations showed decreased beauty scores (P <0.0001) when a fixed orthodontic appliance, especially a metal one, was being worn. There was no statistically significant difference between the 3 situations in the 6 criteria analyzed. A fixed orthodontic appliance did not affect how personal attributes are assessed. However, fixed orthodontic appliances apparently changed the subjects' self-perceptions when they looked in the mirror. Copyright © 2014 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Properties of heavy alkali metals under pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eremenko, T.M.; Zarochentsev, E.V.

1980-01-01

Zero isotherms, polymorphic phase body-centered cubic (BCC)-faced-centered cubic (FCC) transitions and K, Rb and Cs phonon spectra have been calculated within the framework of a pseudopotential model added with a short-range repulsion of frames in the Born-Mayer form. It is shown that taking into account Esub(SR) zero isotherms and phonon frequencies change insignificantly; microscopic Grueneisen parameters change by 10-20 % and BCC-FCC transition pressure decreases several times. The agreement of theoretic and experimentally observed characteristics of the transition in Cs and K and Rb phonon spectra is quite satisfactory

Nonlinear dynamics of quadratically cubic systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rudenko, O V

2013-01-01

We propose a modified form of the well-known nonlinear dynamic equations with quadratic relations used to model a cubic nonlinearity. We show that such quadratically cubic equations sometimes allow exact solutions and sometimes make the original problem easier to analyze qualitatively. Occasionally, exact solutions provide a useful tool for studying new phenomena. Examples considered include nonlinear ordinary differential equations and Hopf, Burgers, Korteweg–de Vries, and nonlinear Schrödinger partial differential equations. Some problems are solved exactly in the space–time and spectral representations. Unsolved problems potentially solvable by the proposed approach are listed. (methodological notes)

Trends in Data Centre Energy Consumption under the European Code of Conduct for Data Centre Energy Efficiency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Avgerinou

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Climate change is recognised as one of the key challenges humankind is facing. The Information and Communication Technology (ICT sector including data centres generates up to 2% of the global CO2 emissions, a number on par to the aviation sector contribution, and data centres are estimated to have the fastest growing carbon footprint from across the whole ICT sector, mainly due to technological advances such as the cloud computing and the rapid growth of the use of Internet services. There are no recent estimations of the total energy consumption of the European data centre and of their energy efficiency. The aim of this paper is to evaluate, analyse and present the current trends in energy consumption and efficiency in data centres in the European Union using the data submitted by companies participating in the European Code of Conduct for Data Centre Energy Efficiency programme, a voluntary initiative created in 2008 in response to the increasing energy consumption in data centres and the need to reduce the related environmental, economic and energy supply security impacts. The analysis shows that the average Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE of the facilities participating in the programme is declining year after year. This confirms that voluntary approaches could be effective in addressing climate and energy issue.

First-principles prediction of structural, elastic, electronic and thermodynamic properties of the cubic SrUO{sub 3}-Perovskite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sahli, B. [Laboratoire de Génie Physique, Université Ibn Khaldoun, Tiaret, 14000 (Algeria); Laboratoire des Matériaux Magnétiques, Université Djillali Liabés, Sidi Bel-Abbes 22000 (Algeria); Bouafia, H., E-mail: hamza.tssm@gmail.com [Laboratoire de Génie Physique, Université Ibn Khaldoun, Tiaret, 14000 (Algeria); Abidri, B.; Abdellaoui, A. [Laboratoire des Matériaux Magnétiques, Université Djillali Liabés, Sidi Bel-Abbes 22000 (Algeria); Hiadsi, S.; Akriche, A. [Laboratoire de Microscope Electronique et Sciences des Matériaux, Université des Sciences et de la Technologie Mohamed Boudiaf, département de Génie Physique, BP1505 El m’naouar, Oran (Algeria); Benkhettou, N.; Rached, D. [Laboratoire des Matériaux Magnétiques, Université Djillali Liabés, Sidi Bel-Abbes 22000 (Algeria)

2015-06-25

Highlights: • The ground state properties of SrUO{sub 3}-Perovskite were investigated. • Elastic constants and their related parameters were calculated. • Electronic properties are treated using GGA-PBEsol + U approach. - Abstract: In this paper, we investigate bulk properties of the cubic SrUO{sub 3}-Perovskite in their nonmagnetic (NM), antiferromagnetic (AFM) and ferromagnetic (FM) states using all-electron self consistent Full Potential Augmented Plane Waves plus local orbital (FP-(L)APW + lo) method within PBEsol Generalized Gradiant density approximations. Our calculation allowed us to predict that the more stable magnetic state of the cubic SrUO{sub 3}-Perovskite is that of the ferromagnetic (FM). This work is the first prediction of elastic constants and their related parameters (Young modulus, shear modulus, Poisson ratio, Zener anisotropy and the Debye temperature) for this cubic compound using Mehl method. We have employed the GGA(PBEsol) and GGA(PBEsol) + U to investigate the electronic band structure, density of states and electronic charge density of SrUO{sub 3}-Perovskite. The electronic band structure calculations revealed that SrUO{sub 3} exhibits metallic behavior. On the other hand the charge density plots for [1 1 0] direction indicates a strong ionic character along the Sr–O bond while the U–O bond has strong covalent character. Finally, we have analyzed the thermodynamic properties using the quasi-harmonic Debye model to complete the fundamental characterization of cubic SrUO{sub 3}-Perovskite.

On Application of Non-cubic EoS to Compositional Reservoir Simulation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yan, Wei; Michelsen, Michael Locht; Stenby, Erling Halfdan

Compositional reservoir simulation uses almost exclusively cubic equations of state (EoS) such as the SRK EoS and the PR EoS. This is in contrast with process simulation in the downstream industry where more recent and advanced thermodynamic models are quickly adopted. Many of these models are non-cubic...... EoS, such as the PC-SAFT EoS. A major reason for the use of the conventional cubic EoS in reservoir simulation is the concern over computation time. Flash computation is the most time consuming part in compositional reservoir simulation, and the extra complexity of the non-cubic EoS may significantly...... increase the time consumption. In addition to this, the non-cubic EoS also needs a C7+ characterization. The main advantage of the non-cubic EoS is that it provides for a more accurate descrition of fluid properties, and it is therefore of interest to investigate the computational aspects of using...

Purely cubic action for string field theory

Science.gov (United States)

Horowitz, G. T.; Lykken, J.; Rohm, R.; Strominger, A.

1986-01-01

It is shown that Witten's (1986) open-bosonic-string field-theory action and a closed-string analog can be written as a purely cubic interaction term. The conventional form of the action arises by expansion around particular solutions of the classical equations of motion. The explicit background dependence of the conventional action via the Becchi-Rouet-Stora-Tyutin operator is eliminated in the cubic formulation. A closed-form expression is found for the full nonlinear gauge-transformation law.

Probing the limits of metal plasticity with molecular dynamics simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Zepeda-Ruiz, Luis A.; Stukowski, Alexander; Oppelstrup, Tomas; Bulatov, Vasily V.

2017-10-01

Ordinarily, the strength and plasticity properties of a metal are defined by dislocations--line defects in the crystal lattice whose motion results in material slippage along lattice planes. Dislocation dynamics models are usually used as mesoscale proxies for true atomistic dynamics, which are computationally expensive to perform routinely. However, atomistic simulations accurately capture every possible mechanism of material response, resolving every ``jiggle and wiggle'' of atomic motion, whereas dislocation dynamics models do not. Here we present fully dynamic atomistic simulations of bulk single-crystal plasticity in the body-centred-cubic metal tantalum. Our goal is to quantify the conditions under which the limits of dislocation-mediated plasticity are reached and to understand what happens to the metal beyond any such limit. In our simulations, the metal is compressed at ultrahigh strain rates along its [001] crystal axis under conditions of constant pressure, temperature and strain rate. To address the complexity of crystal plasticity processes on the length scales (85-340 nm) and timescales (1 ns-1μs) that we examine, we use recently developed methods of in situ computational microscopy to recast the enormous amount of transient trajectory data generated in our simulations into a form that can be analysed by a human. Our simulations predict that, on reaching certain limiting conditions of strain, dislocations alone can no longer relieve mechanical loads; instead, another mechanism, known as deformation twinning (the sudden re-orientation of the crystal lattice), takes over as the dominant mode of dynamic response. Below this limit, the metal assumes a strain-path-independent steady state of plastic flow in which the flow stress and the dislocation density remain constant as long as the conditions of straining thereafter remain unchanged. In this distinct state, tantalum flows like a viscous fluid while retaining its crystal lattice and remaining a strong

Dislocation structures of Σ3 {112} twin boundaries in face centered cubic metals

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, J.; Anderoglu, O.; Hirth, J. P.; Misra, A.; Zhang, X.

2009-07-01

High resolution transmission electron microscopy of nanotwinned Cu films revealed Σ3 {112} incoherent twin boundaries (ITBs), with a repeatable pattern involving units of three {111} atomic planes. Topological analysis shows that Σ3 {112} ITBs adopt two types of atomic structure with differing arrangements of Shockley partial dislocations. Atomistic simulations were performed for Cu and Al. These studies revealed the structure of the two types of ITBs, the formation mechanism and stability of the associated 9R phase, and the influence of stacking fault energies on them. The results suggest that Σ3 {112} ITBs may migrate through the collective glide of partial dislocations.

Eliminating cubic terms in the pseudopotential lattice Boltzmann model for multiphase flow

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Rongzong; Wu, Huiying; Adams, Nikolaus A.

2018-05-01

It is well recognized that there exist additional cubic terms of velocity in the lattice Boltzmann (LB) model based on the standard lattice. In this work, elimination of these cubic terms in the pseudopotential LB model for multiphase flow is investigated, where the force term and density gradient are considered. By retaining high-order (≥3 ) Hermite terms in the equilibrium distribution function and the discrete force term, as well as introducing correction terms in the LB equation, the additional cubic terms of velocity are entirely eliminated. With this technique, the computational simplicity of the pseudopotential LB model is well maintained. Numerical tests, including stationary and moving flat and circular interface problems, are carried out to show the effects of such cubic terms on the simulation of multiphase flow. It is found that the elimination of additional cubic terms is beneficial to reduce the numerical error, especially when the velocity is relatively large. Numerical results also suggest that these cubic terms mainly take effect in the interfacial region and that the density-gradient-related cubic terms are more important than the other cubic terms for multiphase flow.

Kinks in systems with cubic and quartic anharmonicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kashcheev, V.N.

1988-01-01

For a classical system of interacting particles with on-site cubic or quartic anharmonicity explicit analytic solutions of the d'Alembert equation are obtained in the form of kinks in the presence of dissipation (viscous or Rayleigh) and a constant force. These kinks will be asymptotically stable in the case of quartic anharmonicity and unstable in the case cubic anharmonicity

Environmental reactions and their effects on mechanical behavior of metallic materials. Technical progress report, February 1, 1977--January 31, 1978

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gibala, R.; Sethi, V.K.; Fournier, R.

1977-01-01

New results obtained in surface oxide softening of the Group VB refractory metals and mechanical behavior of Nb-H and Nb-D alloys are presented. The results include: (a) experimental verification of a model of surface oxide softening of body-centered cubic metals; (b) determination of a stress-differential effect in surface oxide softening; and (c) characterization of hydrogen and deuterium strengthening in Nb and Nb-O alloys. The second section reviews major contributions in topics on: interstitials in metals, mechanical behavior of body-centered cubic metals, solute-defect interactions and internal friction mechanisms in solids

Designing Patient-facing Health Information Technologies for the Outpatient Settings: A Literature Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yushi Yang

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The implementation of health information technologies (HITs has changed the dynamics of doctor–patient communication in outpatient settings. Designing patient-facing HITs provides patients with easy access to healthcare information during the visit and has the potential to enhance the patient-centred care.   Objectives: The objectives of this study are to systematically review how the designs of patient-facing HITs have been suggested and evaluated, and how they may potentially affect the doctor–patient communication and patient-centred care.   Method: We conducted an online database search to identify articles published before December 2014 relevant to the objectives of this study. A total of nine papers have been identified and reviewed in this study.   Results: Designing patient-facing HITs is at an early stage. The current literature has been exploring the impact of HITs on doctor–patient communication dynamics. Based on the findings of these studies, there is an emergent need to design more patient-centred HITs. There are also some papers that focus on the usability evaluation of some preliminary prototypes of the patient-facing HITs. The design styles of patient-facing HITs included sharing the health information with the patients on: (1 a separate patient display, (2 a projector, (3 a portable tablet, (4 a touch-based screen and (5 a shared computer display that can be viewed by both doctors and patients. Each of them had the strengths and limitations to facilitate the patient-centred care, and it is worthwhile to make a comparison of them in order to identify future research directions.   Conclusion: The designs of patient-facing HITs in outpatient settings are promising in facilitating the doctor-patient communication and patient engagement. However, their effectiveness and usefulness need to be further evaluated and improved from a systems perspective.

Designing Patient-facing Health Information Technologies for the Outpatient Settings: A Literature Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yushi; Asan, Onur

2016-04-06

  The implementation of health information technologies (HITs) has changed the dynamics of doctor-patient communication in outpatient settings. Designing patient-facing HITs provides patients with easy access to healthcare information during the visit and has the potential to enhance the patient-centred care.  The objectives of this study are to systematically review how the designs of patient-facing HITs have been suggested and evaluated, and how they may potentially affect the doctor-patient communication and patient-centred care.  We conducted an online database search to identify articles published before December 2014 relevant to the objectives of this study. A total of nine papers have been identified and reviewed in this study.  Designing patient-facing HITs is at an early stage. The current literature has been exploring the impact of HITs on doctor-patient communication dynamics. Based on the findings of these studies, there is an emergent need to design more patient-centred HITs. There are also some papers that focus on the usability evaluation of some preliminary prototypes of the patient-facing HITs. The design styles of patient-facing HITs included sharing the health information with the patients on: (1) a separate patient display, (2) a projector, (3) a portable tablet, (4) a touch-based screen and (5) a shared computer display that can be viewed by both doctors and patients. Each of them had the strengths and limitations to facilitate the patient-centred care, and it is worthwhile to make a comparison of them in order to identify future research directions.  The designs of patient-facing HITs in outpatient settings are promising in facilitating the doctor-patient communication and patient engagement. However, their effectiveness and usefulness need to be further evaluated and improved from a systems perspective.

Temperature dependence of transport coefficients of 'simple liquid ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... has been investigated. The study carried out at two densities, r* = 0.60 and r* = 0.95. Result shows erratic variations of the shear viscosity in the two lattices structures. KeyWords: Temperature effect, face centred, simple cubic, transport properties, simple liquid. [Global Jnl Pure & Appl. Sci. Vol.9(3) 2003: 403-406] ...

Generation and Characteristics of IV-VI transition Metal Nitride and Carbide Nanoparticles using a Reactive Mesoporous Carbon Nitride

KAUST Repository

Alhajri, Nawal Saad

2016-02-22

Interstitial nitrides and carbides of early transition metals in groups IV–VI exhibit platinum-like electronic structures, which make them promising candidates to replace noble metals in various catalytic reactions. Herein, we present the preparation and characterization of nano-sized transition metal nitries and carbides of groups IV–VI (Ti, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, and W) using mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride (mpg-C3N4), which not only provides confined spaces for restricting primary particle size but also acts as a chemical source of nitrogen and carbon. We studied the reactivity of the metals with the template under N2 flow at 1023 K while keeping the weight ratio of metal to template constant at unity. The produced nanoparticles were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, CHN elemental analysis, nitrogen sorption, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The results show that Ti, V, Nb, Ta, and Cr form nitride phases with face centered cubic structure, whereas Mo and W forme carbides with hexagonal structures. The tendency to form nitride or carbide obeys the free formation energy of the transition metal nitrides and carbides. This method offers the potential to prepare the desired size, shape and phase of transition metal nitrides and carbides that are suitable for a specific reaction, which is the chief objective of materials chemistry.

Deformation of the cubic open string field theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Taejin, E-mail: taejin@kangwon.ac.kr

2017-05-10

We study a consistent deformation of the cubic open bosonic string theory in such a way that the non-planar world sheet diagrams of the perturbative string theory are mapped onto their equivalent planar diagrams of the light-cone string field theory with some length parameters fixed. An explicit evaluation of the cubic string vertex in the zero-slope limit yields the correct relationship between the string coupling constant and the Yang–Mills coupling constant. The deformed cubic open string field theory is shown to produce the non-Abelian Yang–Mills action in the zero-slope limit if it is defined on multiple D-branes. Applying the consistent deformation systematically to multi-string world sheet diagrams, we may be able to calculate scattering amplitudes with an arbitrary number of external open strings.

Deformation of the cubic open string field theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Taejin

2017-01-01

We study a consistent deformation of the cubic open bosonic string theory in such a way that the non-planar world sheet diagrams of the perturbative string theory are mapped onto their equivalent planar diagrams of the light-cone string field theory with some length parameters fixed. An explicit evaluation of the cubic string vertex in the zero-slope limit yields the correct relationship between the string coupling constant and the Yang–Mills coupling constant. The deformed cubic open string field theory is shown to produce the non-Abelian Yang–Mills action in the zero-slope limit if it is defined on multiple D-branes. Applying the consistent deformation systematically to multi-string world sheet diagrams, we may be able to calculate scattering amplitudes with an arbitrary number of external open strings.

Deformation of the cubic open string field theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taejin Lee

2017-05-01

Full Text Available We study a consistent deformation of the cubic open bosonic string theory in such a way that the non-planar world sheet diagrams of the perturbative string theory are mapped onto their equivalent planar diagrams of the light-cone string field theory with some length parameters fixed. An explicit evaluation of the cubic string vertex in the zero-slope limit yields the correct relationship between the string coupling constant and the Yang–Mills coupling constant. The deformed cubic open string field theory is shown to produce the non-Abelian Yang–Mills action in the zero-slope limit if it is defined on multiple D-branes. Applying the consistent deformation systematically to multi-string world sheet diagrams, we may be able to calculate scattering amplitudes with an arbitrary number of external open strings.

Preparation of nickel and Ni_3Sn nanoparticles via extension of conventional citric acid and ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid mediated sol–gel method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Pingyun; Deng, Guodong; Guo, Xiaode; Liu, Hongying; Jiang, Wei; Li, Fengsheng

2016-01-01

This work aims to extend the application field of sol–gel process from conventional oxides, carbides, sulfides to metallic nanocrystalline materials. Metallic ions were coordinated with chelating agents of citric acid (CA) and ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) in aqueous solution. Then the solutions were dried at 383 K, resulting in the formation of sol and gel. Heating treatments of dried gels were then carried out with protection of N_2 atmosphere. Ni and Ni_3Sn alloy nanoparticles were obtained by this sol–gel method in the range of 623–823 K. The as-prepared Ni and Ni_3Sn alloy nanoparticles have average grain sizes of 15 and 30 nm, and have face-centred-cubic (fcc) crystalline phase. Our results provide new insight into the application of conventional sol–gel method. - Graphical abstract: Sol–gel method is conventionally applied to prepare oxides, carbides, and sulfides. In this work, the application field of sol–gel method is extended to metallic nanoparticles. By using citric acid (CA) and ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) mediated sol–gel method, metallic Ni (a and c) and Ni_3Sn (b and d) alloy nanoparticles can be prepared when the heating treatments are performed under N_2 protecting atmosphere. The Ni and Ni_3Sn nanoparticles have face-centered-cubic (fcc) crystalline phase and ultrafine grain sizes. Diffraction peaks of (110) superstructure reflection plane of Ni_3Sn nanoparticles can also be observed in Figure b, which can be considered as direct evidence of formation of alloy crystalline phase by performing this sol–gel method. - Highlights: • Ni and Ni_3Sn alloy nanoparticles have been prepared by sol–gel processes. • Citric acid and ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid were applied as chelating agent. • Diffraction peak of superstructure reflection plane of Ni_3Sn was detected by XRD. • A novel strategy for preparation of alloy nanoparticles has been presented.

Interaction of dispersed cubic phases with blood components

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bode, J C; Kuntsche, Judith; Funari, S S

2013-01-01

The interaction of aqueous nanoparticle dispersions, e.g. based on monoolein/poloxamer 407, with blood components is an important topic concerning especially the parenteral way of administration. Therefore, the influence of human and porcine plasma on dispersed cubic phases was investigated. Part...... activity of cubic phases based on monoolein and poloxamer 188, on soy phosphatidylcholine, glycerol dioleate and polysorbate 80 or the parenteral fat emulsion Lipofundin MCT 20%....

Investigation of spin-gapless semiconductivity and half-metallicity in Ti2MnAl-based compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lukashev, P.; Staten, B.; Hurley, N.; Kharel, P.; Gilbert, S.; Fuglsby, R.; Huh, Y.; Valloppilly, S.; Zhang, W.; Skomski, R.; Sellmyer, D. J.; Yang, K.

2016-01-01

The increasing interest in spin-based electronics has led to a vigorous search for new materials that can provide a high degree of spin polarization in electron transport. An ideal candidate would act as an insulator for one spin channel and a conductor or semiconductor for the opposite spin channel, corresponding to the respective cases of half-metallicity and spin-gapless semiconductivity. Our first-principle electronic-structure calculations indicate that the metallic Heusler compound Ti 2 MnAl becomes half-metallic and spin-gapless semiconducting if half of the Al atoms are replaced by Sn and In, respectively. These electronic structures are associated with structural transitions from the regular cubic Heusler structure to the inverted cubic Heusler structure.

Non-planar dislocations: 3D models and thermally-activated glide processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ngan, A.H.W.

2005-01-01

In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in studying the cross-slip of screw dislocations in the simple face-centred cubic (FCC) structure. This paper serves to address parallel developments in modelling the cross-slip of screw dislocations in the body-centred cubic (BCC) structure and the ordered L1 2 structure. In the latter two cases, the dislocation cores have non-planar spreading offering high intrinsic Peierls stresses. The flow behaviours of these materials, such as the non-Schmid behaviour and temperature-dependence of flow stress, are largely due to the behaviours of single dislocations. 3D atomistic modelling of the minimum-energy path for the glide processes in these cases is performed with an aim to reconcile with experimentally determined activation energies for slip

RhCd{sub 9+δ} (-1.18 ≤δ≤0.29) a γ-brass related cubic giant cell structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jana, Partha Pratim [Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (India). Dept. of Chemistry

2017-09-01

The compound RhCd{sub 9+δ} (-1.18 ≤δ≤0.29) has been synthesized and the average structure has been analyzed by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The average structure crystallizes in the face centered cubic space group F43m (216) and contains ∝405 atoms/unit cell. It represents a (2a{sub γ}){sup 3}-superstructure of cubic γ-brass and is isostructural to Rh{sub 7-x}Mg{sub 44+x}. The comparison between the structures of RhCd{sub 9+δ} and Rh{sub 7-x}Mg{sub 44+x} has been presented using a layer description. The structure of the title phase has also been described by a ''cluster'' concept. The electronic structure of RhCd{sub 9+δ} (-1.18 ≤δ≤0.29) shows that the phase is stabilized by a Hume-Rothery mechanism.

Extinction in an extended-face crystal of zinc selenide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stevenson, A.W.; Barnea, Z.

1982-01-01

X-ray intensity measurements from an extended-face single crystal of cubic zinc selenide obtained by McIntyre, Moss and Barnea (1980) have been re-analysed with a view to explaining the unresolved discrepancies between theory and experiment present in the original analysis of the most severely extinguished reflections. The results are shown to complement the recent findings of a wavelength dependent study using the same crystal specimen and foreshadow the need to allow for the presence of the Borrmann effect

Face Centred Cubic Multi-Component Equiatomic Solid Solutions in the Au-Cu-Ni-Pd-Pt System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jens Freudenberger

2017-04-01

Full Text Available A single-phase solid solution is observed in quaternary and quinary alloys obtained from gold, copper, nickel, palladium and platinum. The lattice parameters of the alloys follow the linear rule of mixture when considering the lattice parameters of the elements and their concentration. The elements are a priori not homogeneously distributed within the respective alloys resulting in segregations. These segregations cause a large broadening of X-ray lines, which is accessed in the present article. This correlation is visualized by the help of local element mappings utilizing scanning electron microscopy including energy dispersive X-ray analysis and their quantitative analysis.

Nine meta-functions for science museums and science centres

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Achiam, Marianne; Sølberg, Jan

2017-01-01

Science centres and science museums face challenges such as increased accountability, increased demands for accessibility, and growing competition from leisure experiences. On their own, the traditional museum practices of preservation, communication, and research are insufficient to address...... Ecsite conference, to map out how these institutions address modern-day challenges. This analysis generates a new framework of nine meta-functions for science centres and science museums that can guide and help qualify discussions about their present and future activities. We discuss the new meta...

Physically based multiscale-viscoplastic model for metals and steel alloys: Theory and computation

Science.gov (United States)

Abed, Farid H.

The main requirement of large deformation problems such as high-speed machining, impact, and various primarily metal forming, is to develop constitutive relations which are widely applicable and capable of accounting for complex paths of deformation. Achieving such desirable goals for material like metals and steel alloys involves a comprehensive study of their microstructures and experimental observations under different loading conditions. In general, metal structures display a strong rate- and temperature-dependence when deformed non-uniformly into the inelastic range. This effect has important implications for an increasing number of applications in structural and engineering mechanics. The mechanical behavior of these applications cannot be characterized by classical (rate-independent) continuum theories because they incorporate no 'material length scales'. It is therefore necessary to develop a rate-dependent (viscoplasticity) continuum theory bridging the gap between the classical continuum theories and the microstructure simulations. Physically based vicoplasticity models for different types of metals (body centered cubic, face centered cubic and hexagonal close-packed) and steel alloys are derived in this work for this purpose. We adopt a multi-scale, hierarchical thermodynamic consistent framework to construct the material constitutive relations for the rate-dependent behavior. The concept of thermal activation energy, dislocations interactions mechanisms and the role of dislocations dynamics in crystals are used in the derivation process taking into consideration the contribution of the plastic strain evolution of dislocation density to the flow stress of polycrystalline metals. Material length scales are implicitly introduced into the governing equations through material rate-dependency (viscosity). The proposed framework is implemented into the commercially well-known finite element software ABAQUS. The finite element simulations of material

Dislocation creation and void nucleation in FCC ductile metals under tensile loading: a general microscopic picture.

Science.gov (United States)

Pang, Wei-Wei; Zhang, Ping; Zhang, Guang-Cai; Xu, Ai-Guo; Zhao, Xian-Geng

2014-11-10

Numerous theoretical and experimental efforts have been paid to describe and understand the dislocation and void nucleation processes that are fundamental for dynamic fracture modeling of strained metals. To date an essential physical picture on the self-organized atomic collective motions during dislocation creation, as well as the essential mechanisms for the void nucleation obscured by the extreme diversity in structural configurations around the void nucleation core, is still severely lacking in literature. Here, we depict the origin of dislocation creation and void nucleation during uniaxial high strain rate tensile processes in face-centered-cubic (FCC) ductile metals. We find that the dislocations are created through three distinguished stages: (i) Flattened octahedral structures (FOSs) are randomly activated by thermal fluctuations; (ii) The double-layer defect clusters are formed by self-organized stacking of FOSs on the close-packed plane; (iii) The stacking faults are formed and the Shockley partial dislocations are created from the double-layer defect clusters. Whereas, the void nucleation is shown to follow a two-stage description. We demonstrate that our findings on the origin of dislocation creation and void nucleation are universal for a variety of FCC ductile metals with low stacking fault energies.

What will we do with 104,000,000 cubic feet of Fernald waste?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Motl, G.P.; Krieger, G.J.

1995-01-01

The Fernald Site, a Department of Energy (DOE) uranium metal production facility that ceased production in 1989, is now being remediated by the DOE under terms of a Consent Agreement with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and a Consent Decree with the State of Ohio. It is estimated that the cleanup will generate 104,000,000 cubic feet of low-level radioactive waste including construction debris, pit sludge, radium residue and a huge volume of uranium contaminated soil. The waste handling strategy for this huge volume of waste includes minimizing remedial waste generation, recycling material when economically feasible, free-releasing clean material and volume reduction. It is anticipated that large scale radium residue vitrification and sludge drying equipment/facilities will be constructed onsite for waste treatment prior to off-site disposal. Fernald waste disposition will include both onsite disposal (if approved under CERCLA) and off-site disposal at both commercial and DOE waste disposal facilities. The waste disposition strategy selected reflects a diverse variety of technical, political, regulatory and economic factors. This presentation will describe the current views at Fernald on open-quotes what will we do with 104,000,000 cubic feet of Fernald waste.close quotes

Physical vapor deposition of cubic boron nitride thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kester, D.J.

1991-01-01

Cubic boron nitride was successfully deposited using physical vapor-deposition methods. RF-sputtering, magnetron sputtering, dual-ion-beam deposition, and ion-beam-assisted evaporation were all used. The ion-assisted evaporation, using boron evaporation and bombardment by nitrogen and argon ions, led to successful cubic boron nitride growth over the widest and most controllable range of conditions. It was found that two factors were important for c-BN growth: bombardment of the growing film and the presence of argon. A systematic study of the deposition conditions was carried out. It was found that the value of momentum transferred into the growing from by the bombarding ions was critical. There was a very narrow transition range in which mixed cubic and hexagonal phase films were prepared. Momentum-per-atom value took into account all the variables involved in ion-assisted deposition: deposition rate, ion energy, ion flux, and ion species. No other factor led to the same control of the process. The role of temperature was also studied; it was found that at low temperatures only mixed cubic and hexagonal material are deposited

d and f electrons in a qp-quantized cubical field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kibler, M.; Sztucki, J.

1993-03-01

A procedure for qp-quantizing a crystal-field potential V with an arbitrary symmetry G is developed. Such a procedure is applied to the case where V involves cubic components (G=0) of the degrees 4 and 6. This case corresponds to d and f electrons in a qp-quantized cubical potential. It is shown that the qp-quantization of the considered cubical potential is equivalent to a symmetry breaking of type O→D 4 . A general conjecture about this symmetry breaking phenomenon is given. (author) 21 refs

Growth of cubic InN on r-plane sapphire

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cimalla, V.; Pezoldt, J.; Ecke, G.; Kosiba, R.; Ambacher, O.; Spiess, L.; Teichert, G.; Lu, H.; Schaff, W.J.

2003-01-01

InN has been grown directly on r-plane sapphire substrates by plasma-enhanced molecular-beam epitaxy. X-ray diffraction investigations have shown that the InN layers consist of a predominant zinc blende (cubic) structure along with a fraction of the wurtzite (hexagonal) phase which content increases with proceeding growth. The lattice constant for zinc blende InN was found to be a=4.986 A. For this unusual growth of a metastable cubic phase on a noncubic substrate an epitaxial relationship was proposed where the metastable zinc blende phase grows directly on the r-plane sapphire while the wurtzite phase arises as the special case of twinning in the cubic structure

Adaptive interferometry based on dynamic reflective holograms in cubic photorefractive crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kolegov, A A; Shandarov, S M; Simonova, G V; Kabanova, L A; Burimov, Nikolai I; Shmakov, S S; Bykov, V I; Kargin, Yu F

2011-09-30

The characteristics of a holographic interferometer, which is based on the interaction of counterpropagating light waves on reflective holograms in cubic photorefractive sillenite crystals of the (100) cut and designed for measuring surface vibration spectra from specularly reflecting objects, have been theoretically analysed and experimentally studied. The experiments showed that an interferometer of this type, based on an Bi{sub 12}TiO{sub 20} : Fe,Cu crystal, makes it possible to measure vibrations with an amplitude of 5 pm. An analysis performed with allowance for the shot and thermal noise of the photodetector showed that vibrations with an amplitude below 1 pm can be measured. A model is proposed to describe the experimentally found strong temperature dependence of the light interaction on reflection holograms in a Bi{sub 12}TiO{sub 20} : Ca crystal. This model takes into account the influence of temperature on the photoinduced charge redistribution over deep donor and shallow trap centres, as well as the drift of the interference pattern in the crystal due to the thermooptical effect and linear expansion of the crystal.

High temperature in-situ observations of multi-segmented metal nanowires encapsulated within carbon nanotubes by in-situ filling technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayashi, Yasuhiko; Tokunaga, Tomoharu; Iijima, Toru; Iwata, Takuya; Kalita, Golap; Tanemura, Masaki; Sasaki, Katsuhiro; Kuroda, Kotaro

2012-08-08

Multi-segmented one-dimensional metal nanowires were encapsulated within carbon nanotubes (CNTs) through in-situ filling technique during plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition process. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and environmental TEM were employed to characterize the as-prepared sample at room temperature and high temperature. The selected area electron diffractions revealed that the Pd4Si nanowire and face-centered-cubic Co nanowire on top of the Pd nanowire were encapsulated within the bottom and tip parts of the multiwall CNT, respectively. Although the strain-induced deformation of graphite walls was observed, the solid-state phases of Pd4Si and Co-Pd remain even at above their expected melting temperatures and up to 1,550 ± 50°C. Finally, the encapsulated metals were melted and flowed out from the tip of the CNT after 2 h at the same temperature due to the increase of internal pressure of the CNT.

Electrical properties of MBE grown Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}-cubic GaN MIS structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zado, A.; Lischka, K.; As, D.J. [University of Paderborn, Faculty of Science, Department of Physics, Warburger Str. 100, 33098 Paderborn (Germany)

2012-03-15

In this work we report on the electrical characterization of non-polar cubic GaN metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) structures. Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} layers were deposited in-situ on top of cubic GaN grown on 3C-SiC (001) substrates. The electric characteristics of the MIS structures are measured by capacitance and admittance spectroscopy techniques. From the hysteresis in the capacitance-voltage curves and the peak height of the conductance G{sub p} -{omega} frequency curves the interface state densities are calculated. We find interface traps about 0.3 eV below the conduction band. The density of these traps is D{sub it} = 2.5x10{sup 11} cm{sup -2}eV{sup -1}. This is one order of magnitude lower than in MIS structures with a Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} insulator produced by plasma enhanced vapour deposition and two orders of magnitude lower than in MIS structures on c-GaN with SiO{sub 2} as insulator (copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

The medical social centres in support of Roma in Greece

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andrioti, Despena; Kotrotsou, Christina; Tsakatara, Vanta

2013-01-01

. Medical social centres operate in 33 Roma settlements all over the country. These centres provide vaccination, health promotion, disease prevention and health education services, as well as support in issuing documents and making appointments with health and social services. We recommend that the National......Roma people form the largest ethnic-minority group in Europe. They account for around 10 to 12 million people, and they face racism, discrimination and social exclusion in most countries. The Roma population of Greece currently numbers around 250 000 individuals. They have Greek nationality...... and enjoy the same rights, privileges and responsibilities as any other Greek citizens. Nevertheless, Roma in Greece face multiple inequalities and social exclusion in terms of housing, employment, education, and health and social services. In this report we present the outcome of a bestpractice initiative...

First-principles comparison of the cubic and tetragonal phases of Mo3Sb7

KAUST Repository

Nazir, Safdar; Auluck, Sushil V.; Pulikkotil, Jiji Thomas Joseph; Singh, Nirpendra; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo

2011-01-01

Using ab initio density functional based methods, we study the normal metal state properties of the ∼3 K Mo3Sb7 superconductor, in its high temperature cubic and low temperature tetragonal structures. Although the density of states at the Fermi energy is reasonably high in both structures, our calculations unequivocally show that there exists no long range magnetic ordering in this system. We also address the optical properties of the compound. The magnetism in Mo3Sb7 is studied by fixed spin moment calculations, which yield a shallow non-magnetic minimum, thus inferring propensity to a magnetic instability. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

First-principles comparison of the cubic and tetragonal phases of Mo3Sb7

KAUST Repository

Nazir, Safdar

2011-03-01

Using ab initio density functional based methods, we study the normal metal state properties of the ∼3 K Mo3Sb7 superconductor, in its high temperature cubic and low temperature tetragonal structures. Although the density of states at the Fermi energy is reasonably high in both structures, our calculations unequivocally show that there exists no long range magnetic ordering in this system. We also address the optical properties of the compound. The magnetism in Mo3Sb7 is studied by fixed spin moment calculations, which yield a shallow non-magnetic minimum, thus inferring propensity to a magnetic instability. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cardiac patients' perception of patient-centred care: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Esmaeili, Maryam; Cheraghi, Mohammad A; Salsali, Mahvash

2016-03-01

The aim of this study was to explore cardiac patients' perception of patient-centred care. Despite patient's importance in the process of care, less attention has been paid to experiences and expectations of patients in definitions of patient-centred care. As patients are an important element in process of patient-centred care, organizing care programs according to their perceptions and expectations will lead to enhanced quality of care and greater patient satisfaction. This study is a descriptive qualitative study. Content analysis approach was performed for data analysis. Participants were 18 cardiac patients (10 women and 8 men) hospitalized in coronary care units of teaching hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences. We collected the study data through conducting personal face-to-face semi-structured interviews. The participants' perceptions of patient-centred care fell into three main themes including managing patients uncertainty, providing care with more flexibility and establishing a therapeutic communication. The second theme consisted of two sub-themes: empathizing with patients and having the right to make independent decisions. Receiving patient-centred care is essential for cardiac patients. Attention to priorities and preferences of cardiac patients and making decisions accordingly is among effective strategies for achieving patient-centred care. Cardiac care unit nurses ought to be aware that in spite of technological developments and advances, it is still important to pay attention to patients' needs and expectations in order to achieve patient satisfaction. In planning care programs, they should consider accountability towards patients' needs, flexibility in process of care and establishing medical interactions as an effective strategy for improving quality of care. © 2014 British Association of Critical Care Nurses.

Atomistic Simulation of the Rate-Dependent Ductile-to-Brittle Failure Transition in Bicrystalline Metal Nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Weiwei; Cao, Penghui; Park, Harold S

2018-02-14

The mechanical properties and plastic deformation mechanisms of metal nanowires have been studied intensely for many years. One of the important yet unresolved challenges in this field is to bridge the gap in properties and deformation mechanisms reported for slow strain rate experiments (∼10 -2 s -1 ), and high strain rate molecular dynamics (MD) simulations (∼10 8 s -1 ) such that a complete understanding of strain rate effects on mechanical deformation and plasticity can be obtained. In this work, we use long time scale atomistic modeling based on potential energy surface exploration to elucidate the atomistic mechanisms governing a strain-rate-dependent incipient plasticity and yielding transition for face centered cubic (FCC) copper and silver nanowires. The transition occurs for both metals with both pristine and rough surfaces for all computationally accessible diameters (ductile-to-brittle transition in failure mode similar to previous experimental studies on bicrystalline silver nanowires is observed, which is driven by differences in dislocation activity and grain boundary mobility as compared to the high strain rate case.

High activity of cubic PtRh alloys supported on graphene towards ethanol electrooxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, Lu; Jiang, Yan-Xia; Zhang, Bin-Wei; Cai, Yuan-Rong; Sun, Shi-Gang

2014-07-21

Cubic PtRh alloys supported on graphene (PtxRhy/GN) with different atomic ratio of Pt and Rh were directly synthesized for the first time using the modified polyol method with Br(-) for the shape-directing agents. The process didn't use surface-capping agents such as PVP that easily occupy the active sites of electrocatalysts and are difficult to remove. Graphene is the key factor for cubic shape besides Br(-) and keeping catalysts high-dispersed. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were used to characterize the structure and morphology of these electrocatalysts. The results showed that they were composed of homogeneous cubic PtRh alloys. Traditional electrochemical methods, such as cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry, were used to investigate the electrocatalytic properties of PtxRhy/GN towards ethanol electrooxidation. It can be seen that PtxRhy/GN with all atomic ratios exhibited high catalytic activity, and the most active one has a composition with Pt : Rh = 9 : 1 atomic ratio. Electrochemical in situ FTIR spectroscopy was used to evaluate the cleavage of C-C bond in ethanol at room temperature in acidic solutions, the results illustrated that Rh in an alloy can promote the split of C-C bond in ethanol, and the alloy catalyst with atomic ratio Pt : Rh = 1 : 1 showed obviously better performance for the C-C bond breaking in ethanol and higher selectivity for the enhanced activity of ethanol complete oxidation to CO2 than alloys with other ratios of Pt and Rh. The investigation indicates that high activity of PtxRhy/GN electrocatalyst towards ethanol oxidation is due to the specific shape of alloys and the synergistic effect of two metal elements as well as graphene support.

Nanochemistry of metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sergeev, Gleb B

2001-01-01

The results of studies on the nanochemistry of metals published in recent years are generalised. Primary attention is centred on the methods for the synthesis of nanoparticles and their chemical reactions. The means of stabilisation of nanoparticles which involve individual metals and incorporate atoms of several metals are considered as well as their physicochemical properties. Self-assembling processes of nanoparticles are described. The prospects of using metal nanoparticles in semiconductor devices, catalysis, biology and medicine are discussed. The bibliography includes 165 references.

The Challenges Facing Distance Students in Undertaking ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper discusses the challenges facing distance students in Geography field Practical projects (GFPs) at The Open University of Tanzania (OUT). A random sample size of 19 students who participated in GFP1 in 2009 and 2010 were selected from randomly sampled regional centres of Singida, Dodoma, Njombe, and ...

Carbon-covered Fe_3O_4 hollow cubic hierarchical porous composite as the anode material for lithium-ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Shouhui; Zhou, Rihui; Chen, Yaqin; Fu, Yuanyuan; Li, Ping; Song, Yonghai; Wang, Li

2017-01-01

In this work, Prussian blue nanocrystals, a kind of cubic metal-organic frameworks, was firstly covered by a uniform layer of resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) resin, and then followed with heat treatment at different pyrolysis temperatures. The effects of pyrolysis temperature on the morphologies, phase, pore size, and electrochemical performance of the pyrolysis products were studied in this work. The composite generated at 600 "∘C, FexC600, was a hollow cubic composite of Fe_3O_4 covered by a thin RF-derived carbon layer. The carbon layer on FexC600 was a robust and conductive protective layer, which can accommodate Fe_3O_4 NPs and withstand the huge volume change of Fe_3O_4 during the process of discharge and charge. When used as anodes for lithium-ion batteries, FexC600 showed excellent electrochemical performance. It delivered a discharge capacity of 1126 mAh g"−"1 with a coulombic efficiency of 98.8% at the current density of 100 mA g"−"1 after 100 times discharge/charge cycling. It even delivered a capacity of 492 mAh g"−"1 at the current density of 500 mA g"−"1. This cubic hollow composite would be a promising alternative anode material for lithium-ion batteries.

Constitutive modeling of stress-driven grain growth in nanocrystalline metals

KAUST Repository

Gürses, Ercan

2013-02-08

In this work, we present a variational multiscale model for grain growth in face-centered cubic nanocrystalline (nc) metals. In particular, grain-growth-induced stress softening and the resulting relaxation phenomena are addressed. The behavior of the polycrystal is described by a conventional Taylor-type averaging scheme in which the grains are treated as two-phase composites consisting of a grain interior phase and a grain boundary-affected zone. Furthermore, a grain-growth law that captures the experimentally observed characteristics of the grain coarsening phenomena is proposed. To this end, the grain size is not taken as constant and varies according to the proposed stress-driven growth law. Several parametric studies are conducted to emphasize the influence of the grain-growth rule on the overall macroscopic response. Finally, the model is shown to provide a good description of the experimentally observed grain-growth-induced relaxation in nc-copper. © 2013 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Ti, Al and N adatom adsorption and diffusion on rocksalt cubic AlN (001) and (011) surfaces: Ab initio calculations

Science.gov (United States)

Mastail, C.; David, M.; Nita, F.; Michel, A.; Abadias, G.

2017-11-01

We use ab initio calculations to determine the preferred nucleation sites and migration pathways of Ti, Al and N adatoms on cubic NaCl-structure (B1) AlN surfaces, primary inputs towards a further thin film growth modelling of the TiAlN alloy system. The potential energy landscape is mapped out for both metallic species and nitrogen adatoms for two different AlN surface orientations, (001) and (110), using density functional theory. For all species, the adsorption energies on AlN(011) surface are larger than on AlN(001) surface. Ti and Al adatom adsorption energy landscapes determined at 0 K by ab initio show similar features, with stable binding sites being located in, or near, epitaxial surface positions, with Ti showing a stronger binding compared to Al. In direct contrast, N adatoms (Nad) adsorb preferentially close to N surface atoms (Nsurf), thus forming strong N2-molecule-like bonds on both AlN(001) and (011). Similar to N2 desorption mechanisms reported for other cubic transition metal nitride surfaces, in the present work we investigate Nad/Nsurf desorption on AlN(011) using a drag calculation method. We show that this process leaves a Nsurf vacancy accompanied with a spontaneous surface reconstruction, highlighting faceting formation during growth.

The French centralized low level radwaste treatment centre named CENTRACO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnes, C.; Sixou, Y.

1996-01-01

Socodei, a subsidiary company of EdF and Cogema is commissioned to design, finance, build and operate two low level radwaste treatment facilities: a contaminated scrap metal melting unit, and a solid and liquid waste incinerator. These units frame a low level radwaste treatment centre named Centraco, located near Marcoule in the south of France, and will receive in 1998 waste coming from dismantling, maintenance and operating works of French and foreign nuclear sites. The decision to create this centre is due to the low density and large variety of low level radwaste which take a volume out of proportion with their activity, specially in the surface storage centre. Up to now, all low level radwaste were sent and stored with no treatment optimization in surface storage centres. Socodei proposes in one single site, to optimize low level radwaste management and reduce the volume of ultimate waste to be stored: in a ratio of one to ten by casting ingots coming from melting contaminated scrap metals; in a ratio of one to twenty by encapsulating earth ashes and ashes resulting from incineration of solid and liquid waste. This is a centralized treatment centre and that's why Centraco is a new waste management system. Getting together all means in one place reduces costs, avoids mismanagement and risk increase, and allows consistency in safety, environmental impact, transport and personnel radioprotection. (author)

Microstructure and spectroscopy studies on cubic boron nitride synthesized under high-pressure conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nistor, L C; Nistor, S V; Dinca, G; Georgeoni, P; Landuyt, J van; Manfredotti, C; Vittone, E

2002-01-01

High-resolution electron microscopy (HREM) studies of the microstructure and specific defects in hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) precursors and cubic boron nitride (c-BN) crystals made under high-pressure high-temperature conditions revealed the presence of half-nanotubes at the edges of the h-BN particles. Their sp 3 bonding tendency could strongly influence the nucleation rates of c-BN. The atomic resolution at extended dislocations was insufficient to allow us to determine the stacking fault energy in the c-BN crystals. Its mean value of 191 pm, 15 mJ m -2 is of the same order of magnitude as that of diamond. High-frequency (94 GHz) electron paramagnetic resonance studies on c-BN single crystals have produced new data on the D1 centres associated with the boron species. Ion-beam-induced luminescence measurements have indicated that c-BN is a very interesting luminescent material, which is characterized by four luminescence bands and exhibits a better resistance to ionizing radiation than CVD diamond

Cubic Pencils and Painlev\\'e Hamiltonians

OpenAIRE

Kajiwara, Kenji; Masuda, Tetsu; Noumi, Masatoshi; Ohta, Yasuhiro; Yamada, Yasuhiko

2004-01-01

We present a simple heuristic method to derive the Painlev\\'e differential equations from the corresponding geometry of rational surafces. We also give a direct relationship between the cubic pencils and Seiberg-Witten curves.

Integrable peakon equations with cubic nonlinearity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hone, Andrew N W; Wang, J P

2008-01-01

We present a new integrable partial differential equation found by Vladimir Novikov. Like the Camassa-Holm and Degasperis-Procesi equations, this new equation admits peaked soliton (peakon) solutions, but it has nonlinear terms that are cubic, rather than quadratic. We give a matrix Lax pair for V Novikov's equation, and show how it is related by a reciprocal transformation to a negative flow in the Sawada-Kotera hierarchy. Infinitely many conserved quantities are found, as well as a bi-Hamiltonian structure. The latter is used to obtain the Hamiltonian form of the finite-dimensional system for the interaction of N peakons, and the two-body dynamics (N = 2) is explicitly integrated. Finally, all of this is compared with some analogous results for another cubic peakon equation derived by Zhijun Qiao. (fast track communication)

Synergistic effects of surface erosion on tritium inventory and permeation in metallic plasma facing armours

Science.gov (United States)

Federici, G.; Holland, D. F.; Matera, R.

1996-10-01

In the next generation of DT fuelled tokamaks, i.e., the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) implantation of energetic DT particles on some portions of the plasma facing components (PFCs) will take place along with significant erosion of the armour surfaces. As a result of the simultaneous removal of material from the front surface, the build-up of tritium inventory and the start of permeation originating in the presence of large densities of neutron-induced traps is expected to be influenced considerably and special provisions could be required to minimise the consequences on the design. This paper reports on the results of a tritium transport modelling study based on a new model which describes the migration of implanted tritium across the bulk of metallic plasma facing materials containing neutron-induced traps which can capture it and includes the synergistic effects of surface erosion. The physical basis of the model is summarised, but emphasis is on the discussion of the results of a comparative study performed for beryllium and tungsten armours for ranges of design and operation conditions similar to those anticipated in the divertor of ITER.

Synergistic effects of surface erosion on tritium inventory and permeation in metallic plasma facing armours

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Federici, G.; Holland, D.F.; Matera, R.

1996-01-01

In the next generation of DT fuelled tokamaks, i.e., the international thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER) implantation of energetic DT particles on some portions of the plasma facing components (PFCs) will take place along with significant erosion of the armour surfaces. As a result of the simultaneous removal of material from the front surface, the build-up of tritium inventory and the start of permeation originating in the presence of large densities of neutron-induced traps is expected to be influenced considerably and special provisions could be required to minimise the consequences on the design. This paper reports on the results of a tritium transport modelling study based on a new model which describes the migration of implanted tritium across the bulk of metallic plasma facing materials containing neutron-induced traps which can capture it and includes the synergistic effects of surface erosion. The physical basis of the model is summarised, but emphasis is on the discussion of the results of a comparative study performed for beryllium and tungsten armours for ranges of design and operation conditions similar to those anticipated in the divertor of ITER. (orig.)

The Combinatorial Rigidity Conjecture is False for Cubic Polynomials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henriksen, Christian

2003-01-01

We show that there exist two cubic polynomials with connected Julia sets which are combinatorially equivalent but not topologically conjugate on their Julia sets. This disproves a conjecture by McMullen from 1995.......We show that there exist two cubic polynomials with connected Julia sets which are combinatorially equivalent but not topologically conjugate on their Julia sets. This disproves a conjecture by McMullen from 1995....

Waste management in primary healthcare centres of Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Mesdaghinia, Alireza; Naddafi, Kazem; Mahvi, Amir Hossein; Saeedi, Reza

2009-06-01

The waste management practices in primary healthcare centres of Iran were investigated in the present study. A total of 120 primary healthcare centres located across the country were selected using the cluster sampling method and the current situation of healthcare waste management was determined through field investigation. The quantities of solid waste and wastewater generation per outpatient were found to be 60 g outpatient(-1) day(-1) and 26 L outpatient(-1) day(-1), respectively. In all of the facilities, sharp objects were separated almost completely, but separation of other types of hazardous healthcare solid waste was only done in 25% of the centres. The separated hazardous solid waste materials were treated by incineration, temporary incineration and open burning methods in 32.5, 8.3 and 42.5% of the healthcare centres, respectively. In 16.7% of the centres the hazardous solid wastes were disposed of without any treatment. These results indicate that the management of waste materials in primary healthcare centres in Iran faced some problems. Staff training and awareness, separation of healthcare solid waste, establishment of the autoclave method for healthcare solid waste treatment and construction of septic tanks and disinfection units in the centres that were without access to a sewer system are the major measures that are suggested for improvement of the waste management practices.

Generalized Born-Infeld actions and projective cubic curves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ferrara, S. [Department of Physics, CERN Theory Division, CH - 1211 Geneva 23 (Switzerland); INFN - Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Via Enrico Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Italy); Porrati, M. [CCPP, Department of Physics, NYU, 4 Washington Pl., New York, NY, 10003 (United States); Sagnotti, A. [Department of Physics, CERN Theory Division, CH - 1211 Geneva 23 (Switzerland); Stora, R. [Department of Physics, CERN Theory Division, CH - 1211 Geneva 23 (Switzerland); Laboratoire d' Annecy-le-Vieux de Physique Theorique (LAPTH), F-74941, Annecy-le-Vieux, Cedex (France); Yeranyan, A. [INFN - Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Via Enrico Fermi 40, I-00044, Frascati (Italy); Centro Studi e Ricerche Enrico Fermi, Via Panisperna 89A, 00184, Roma (Italy)

2015-04-01

We investigate U(1){sup n} supersymmetric Born-Infeld Lagrangians with a second non-linearly realized supersymmetry. The resulting non-linear structure is more complex than the square root present in the standard Born-Infeld action, and nonetheless the quadratic constraints determining these models can be solved exactly in all cases containing three vector multiplets. The corresponding models are classified by cubic holomorphic prepotentials. Their symmetry structures are associated to projective cubic varieties. (copyright 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Measurement of probability distributions for internal stresses in dislocated crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilkinson, Angus J.; Tarleton, Edmund; Vilalta-Clemente, Arantxa; Collins, David M. [Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PH (United Kingdom); Jiang, Jun; Britton, T. Benjamin [Department of Materials, Imperial College London, Royal School of Mines, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom)

2014-11-03

Here, we analyse residual stress distributions obtained from various crystal systems using high resolution electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) measurements. Histograms showing stress probability distributions exhibit tails extending to very high stress levels. We demonstrate that these extreme stress values are consistent with the functional form that should be expected for dislocated crystals. Analysis initially developed by Groma and co-workers for X-ray line profile analysis and based on the so-called “restricted second moment of the probability distribution” can be used to estimate the total dislocation density. The generality of the results are illustrated by application to three quite different systems, namely, face centred cubic Cu deformed in uniaxial tension, a body centred cubic steel deformed to larger strain by cold rolling, and hexagonal InAlN layers grown on misfitting sapphire and silicon carbide substrates.

Blood metal levels and metal-influenced immune functions of harbour seals in captivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kakuschke, Antje; Valentine-Thon, Elizabeth; Griesel, Simone; Rosenberger, Tanja; Mundry, Roger; Siebert, Ursula; Prange, Andreas

2008-01-01

Immunological blood parameters and the effects of environmental pollutants on the immune system are important to assess the health status of seals. Animals living permanently in seal centres are useful for development and validation of diagnostic tools for free-ranging animals. In this study, parameters of cellular immunity as well as metal concentrations in blood and metal influence on cell proliferation of seven seals from a seal centre were investigated repeatedly using multi-element analysis and a lymphocyte proliferation assay. The metal concentrations, except for tin and chromium, were in general comparable to those of free-ranging animals of the North Sea. The unstimulated and mitogen-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation showed strong intra- and inter-individual variability, which reflected variability in activation of the immune status. Furthermore, both immunosuppressive and stimulative influences of metals on lymphocytes were found. Summarising, the methods used in this investigation provided useful information on these animals, and their application to free-ranging animals can be recommended

Blood metal levels and metal-influenced immune functions of harbour seals in captivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kakuschke, Antje [GKSS Research Centre, Institute for Coastal Research, Max-Planck-Strasse 1, 21502 Geesthacht (Germany)], E-mail: antje.kakuschke@gkss.de; Valentine-Thon, Elizabeth [Department of Immunology, Laboratory Center Bremen, Friedrich-Karl-Strasse 22, 28205 Bremen (Germany); Griesel, Simone [GKSS Research Centre, Institute for Coastal Research, Max-Planck-Strasse 1, 21502 Geesthacht (Germany); Rosenberger, Tanja [Seal Centre Friedrichskoog e.V., 25718 Friedrichskoog (Germany); Mundry, Roger [Research and Technology Centre Westcoast (FTZ), University of Kiel, Hafentoern 1, 25761 Buesum (Germany); Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig (Germany); Siebert, Ursula [Research and Technology Centre Westcoast (FTZ), University of Kiel, Hafentoern 1, 25761 Buesum (Germany); Prange, Andreas [GKSS Research Centre, Institute for Coastal Research, Max-Planck-Strasse 1, 21502 Geesthacht (Germany)

2008-04-15

Immunological blood parameters and the effects of environmental pollutants on the immune system are important to assess the health status of seals. Animals living permanently in seal centres are useful for development and validation of diagnostic tools for free-ranging animals. In this study, parameters of cellular immunity as well as metal concentrations in blood and metal influence on cell proliferation of seven seals from a seal centre were investigated repeatedly using multi-element analysis and a lymphocyte proliferation assay. The metal concentrations, except for tin and chromium, were in general comparable to those of free-ranging animals of the North Sea. The unstimulated and mitogen-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation showed strong intra- and inter-individual variability, which reflected variability in activation of the immune status. Furthermore, both immunosuppressive and stimulative influences of metals on lymphocytes were found. Summarising, the methods used in this investigation provided useful information on these animals, and their application to free-ranging animals can be recommended.

State-of-the-art technology for an extended computing centre

CERN Multimedia

Anaïs Schaeffer

2013-01-01

On 7 May, CERN’s Director-General, Rolf Heuer, the Director for Research and Computing, Sergio Bertolucci, the EN Department Head, Roberto Saban, and several guests joined the IT Department Head, Frédéric Hemmer, for the inauguration of the new facilities at the CERN Computing Centre.   One of the new ventilation units and a big duct, installed as part of the Computing Centre consolidation project. After nearly two years of work, the IT Department now boasts a new computer room, equipped with its own cooling system to house the Computing Centre’s critical IT systems, which can, from now on, be decoupled from the other systems in the building. New electrical facilities have been added too, boosting the Centre’s computing power from 2.9 to 3.5 MW. Finally, an additional 40 cubic-metre water tank has been installed to allow continued cooling of the IT systems in the event of a major incident. But the star attraction of the extension project has ...

Different magnetic properties of rhombohedral and cubic Ni2+ doped indium oxide nanomaterials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qingbo Sun

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Transition metal ions doped indium oxide nanomaterials were potentially used as a kind of diluted magnetic semiconductors in transparent spintronic devices. In this paper, the influences of Ni2+ doped contents and rhombohedral or cubic crystalline structures of indium oxide on magnetic properties were investigated. We found that the magnetic properties of Ni2+ doped indium oxide could be transferred from room temperature ferromagnetisms to paramagnetic properties with increments of doped contents. Moreover, the different crystalline structures of indium oxide also greatly affected the room temperature ferromagnetisms due to different lattice constants and almost had no effects on their paramagnetic properties. In addition, both the ferromagnetic and paramagnetic properties were demonstrated to be intrinsic and not caused by impurities.

Origin and chemical composition of the amorphous material from the intergrain pores of self-assembled cubic ZnS:Mn nanocrystals

Science.gov (United States)

Stefan, Mariana; Vlaicu, Ioana Dorina; Nistor, Leona Cristina; Ghica, Daniela; Nistor, Sergiu Vasile

2017-12-01

We have shown in previous investigations that the low temperature collective magnetism observed in mesoporous cubic ZnS:Mn nanocrystalline powders prepared by colloidal synthesis, with nominal doping concentrations above 0.2 at.%, is due to the formation of Mn2+ clusters with distributed antiferromagnetic coupling localized in an amorphous phase found between the cubic ZnS:Mn nanocrystals. Here we investigate the composition, origin and thermal annealing behavior of this amorphous phase in such a mesoporous ZnS:Mn sample doped with 5 at.% Mn nominal concentration. Correlated analytical transmission electron microscopy, multifrequency electron paramagnetic resonance and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy data show that the amorphous nanomaterial consists of unreacted precursor hydrated zinc and manganese acetates trapped inside the pores and on the surface of the cubic ZnS nanocrystals. The decomposition of the acetates under isochronal annealing up to 270 °C, where the mesoporous structure is still preserved, lead to changes in the nature and strength of the magnetic interactions between the aggregated Mn2+ ions. These results strongly suggest the possibility to modulate the magnetic properties of such transition metal ions doped II-VI mesoporous structures by varying the synthesis conditions and/or by post-synthesis thermochemical treatments.

Mesoscale plastic texture in body-centered cubic metals under uniaxial load

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Gröger, Roman; Vitek, V.; Lookman, T.

2017-01-01

Roč. 1, č. 6 (2017), s. 063601 E-ISSN 2475-9953 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LQ1601; GA ČR(CZ) GA16-13797S Institutional support: RVO:68081723 Keywords : dislocations * mesoscale * bcc metals Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism OBOR OECD: Condensed matter physics (including formerly solid state physics, supercond.)

Nuclear research centres in Pakistan: Status and prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akhtar, K.M.; Khan, H.A.

2001-01-01

Nuclear research centres (NRCs) played an important role in the introduction of nuclear techniques in their respective countries. These centres are now faced with changes in public and government attitudes, pressures from anti-nuclear groups, competition from non-nuclear technologies, budget cuts and privatization, etc. These NRCs are still making useful contribution in the field of science and technology but need to change their strategy to operate under these pressures. The Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (PINSTECH) has a record of 34 years of successful operation. Salient features and achievements of this Institute are presented as a model for a research centre in a developing country. The elements that are contributed for the success are described. The IAEA and other cooperative agencies can help to overcome the negative factors posed to these NRCs. (author)

Ultralight metallic microlattices.

Science.gov (United States)

Schaedler, T A; Jacobsen, A J; Torrents, A; Sorensen, A E; Lian, J; Greer, J R; Valdevit, L; Carter, W B

2011-11-18

Ultralight (nickel plating, and subsequently etching away the template. The resulting metallic microlattices exhibit densities ρ ≥ 0.9 milligram per cubic centimeter, complete recovery after compression exceeding 50% strain, and energy absorption similar to elastomers. Young's modulus E scales with density as E ~ ρ(2), in contrast to the E ~ ρ(3) scaling observed for ultralight aerogels and carbon nanotube foams with stochastic architecture. We attribute these properties to structural hierarchy at the nanometer, micrometer, and millimeter scales.

Towards accurate structural characterization of metal centres in protein crystals: the structures of Ni and Cu T6 bovine insulin derivatives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frankær, Christian Grundahl; Mossin, Susanne; Ståhl, Kenny

2014-01-01

Using synchrotron radiation (SR), the crystal structures of T6 bovine insulin complexed with Ni2+ and Cu2+ were solved to 1.50 and 1.45 Å resolution, respectively. The level of detail around the metal centres in these structures was highly limited, and the coordination of water in Cu site II...... of the copper insulin derivative was deteriorated as a consequence of radiation damage. To provide more detail, X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) was used to improve the information level about metal coordination in each derivative. The nickel derivative contains hexacoordinated Ni2+ with trigonal symmetry...... by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The coordination distances were refined from EXAFS with standard deviations within 0.01 Å. The insulin derivative containing Cu2+ is sensitive towards photoreduction when exposed to SR. During the reduction of Cu2+ to Cu+, the coordination geometry of copper changes...

Some elements go cubic under pressure

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Legut, Dominik

2007-01-01

Roč. 60, č. 10 (2007), s. 17-17 ISSN 0031-9228 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20410507 Keywords : ab initio * polonium * cubic structure Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 5.133, year: 2007

Trace spaces in a pre-cubical complex

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Raussen, Martin

2009-01-01

In directed algebraic topology, directed irreversible (d)-paths and spaces consisting of d-paths are studied from a topological and from a categorical point of view. Motivated by models for concurrent computation, we study in this paper spaces of d-paths in a pre-cubical complex. Such paths...... are equipped with a natural arc length which moreover is shown to be invariant under directed homotopies. D-paths up to reparametrization (called traces) can thus be represented by arc length parametrized d-paths. Under weak additional conditions, it is shown that trace spaces in a pre-cubical complex...... are separable metric spaces which are locally contractible and locally compact. Moreover, they have the homotopy type of a CW-complex....

Atomic-layer-deposited WNxCy thin films as diffusion barrier for copper metallization

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Soo-Hyun; Oh, Su Suk; Kim, Ki-Bum; Kang, Dae-Hwan; Li, Wei-Min; Haukka, Suvi; Tuominen, Marko

2003-06-01

The properties of WNxCy films deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) using WF6, NH3, and triethyl boron as source gases were characterized as a diffusion barrier for copper metallization. It is noted that the as-deposited film shows an extremely low resistivity of about 350 μΩ cm with a film density of 15.37 g/cm3. The film composition measured from Rutherford backscattering spectrometry shows W, C, and N of ˜48, 32, and 20 at. %, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy analyses show that the as-deposited film is composed of face-centered-cubic phase with a lattice parameter similar to both β-WC1-x and β-W2N with an equiaxed microstructure. The barrier property of this ALD-WNxCy film at a nominal thickness of 12 nm deposited between Cu and Si fails only after annealing at 700 °C for 30 min.

The planar cubic Cayley graphs

CERN Document Server

Georgakopoulos, Agelos

2018-01-01

The author obtains a complete description of the planar cubic Cayley graphs, providing an explicit presentation and embedding for each of them. This turns out to be a rich class, comprising several infinite families. He obtains counterexamples to conjectures of Mohar, Bonnington and Watkins. The author's analysis makes the involved graphs accessible to computation, corroborating a conjecture of Droms.

A survey of monitoring and assay systems for release of metals from radiation controlled areas at LANL.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gruetzmacher, K. M. (Kathleen M.); MacArthur, D. W. (Duncan W.)

2002-01-01

At Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), a recent effort in waste minimization has focused on scrap metal from radiological controlled areas (RCAs). In particular, scrap metal from RCAs needs to be dispositioned in a reasonable and cost effective manner. Recycling of DOE scrap metals from RCAs is currently under a self-imposed moratorium. Since recycling is not available and reuse is difficult, often metal waste from RCAs, which could otherwise be recycled, is disposed of as low-level waste. Estimates at LANL put the cost of low-level waste disposal at $550 to $4000 per cubic meter, depending on the type of waste and the disposal site. If the waste is mixed, the cost for treatment and disposal can be as high as $50,000 per cubic meter. Disposal of scrap metal as low-level waste uses up valuable space in the low-level waste disposal areas and requires transportation to the disposal site under Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations for low-level waste. In contrast, disposal as non-radioactive waste costs as little as $2 per cubic meter. While recycling is unavailable, disposing of the metal at an industrial waste site could be the best solution for this waste stream. A Green Is Clean (GIC) type verification program needs to be in place to provide the greatest assurance that the waste does not contain DOE added radioactivity. This paper is a review of available and emerging radiation monitoring and assay systems that could be used for scrap metal as part of the LANL GIC program.

Synthesis of nano-scale fast ion conducting cubic Li7La3Zr2O12.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakamoto, Jeff; Rangasamy, Ezhiylmurugan; Kim, Hyunjoung; Kim, Yunsung; Wolfenstine, Jeff

2013-10-25

A solution-based process was investigated for synthesizing cubic Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO), which is known to exhibit the unprecedented combination of fast ionic conductivity, and stability in air and against Li. Sol-gel chemistry was developed to prepare solid metal-oxide networks consisting of 10 nm cross-links that formed the cubic LLZO phase at 600 ° C. Sol-gel LLZO powders were sintered into 96% dense pellets using an induction hot press that applied pressure while heating. After sintering, the average LLZO grain size was 260 nm, which is 13 times smaller compared to LLZO prepared using a solid-state technique. The total ionic conductivity was 0.4 mS cm(-1) at 298 K, which is the same as solid-state synthesized LLZO. Interestingly, despite the same room temperature conductivity, the sol-gel LLZO total activation energy is 0.41 eV, which 1.6 times higher than that observed in solid-state LLZO (0.26 eV). We believe the nano-scale grain boundaries give rise to unique transport phenomena that are more sensitive to temperature when compared to the conventional solid-state LLZO.

Plasma facing device of thermonuclear device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sumita, Hideo; Ioki, Kimihiro.

1993-01-01

The present invention improves integrity of thermal structures of a plasma facing device. That is, in the plasma facing device, an armour block portion from a metal cooling pipe to a carbon material comprises a mixed material of the metal as the constituent material of the cooling pipe and ceramics. Then, the mixing ratio of the composition is changed continuously or stepwise to suppress peakings of remaining stresses upon production and thermal stresses upon exertion of thermal loads. Accordingly, thermal integrity of the structural materials can further be improved. In this case, a satisfactory characteristic can be obtained also by using ceramics instead of carbon for the mixed material, and the characteristic such as heat expansion coefficient is similar to that of the armour tile. (I.S.)

k-dependent spectrum and optical conductivity near metal-insulator transition in multi-orbital hubbard bands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miura, Oki; Fujiwara, Takeo

2006-01-01

We apply the dynamical mean field theory (DMFT) combined with the iterative perturbation theory (IPT) to the doubly degenerate e g and the triply degenerate f 2g bands on a simple cubic lattice and a body-centered cubic lattice and calculate the spectrum and optical conductivity in arbitrary electron occupation. The spectrum simultaneously shows the effects of multiplet structure together with the electron ionization and affinity levels of different electron occupations, coherent peaks at the Fermi energy in the metallic phase and an energy gap at an integer filling of electrons for sufficiently large Coulomb U. We also discuss the critical value of the Coulomb U for degenerate orbitals on a simple cubic lattice and a body-centered cubic lattice. (author)

Carbon-supported cubic CoSe2 catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng Yongjun; Alonso-Vante, Nicolas

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Cubic CoSe 2 a non-precious metal electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction in KOH. ► The catalyst shows four-electron transfer pathway in overall reaction. ► Catalyst has higher methanol tolerance than commercial Pt/C catalyst. - Abstract: A Carbon-supported CoSe 2 nanocatalyst has been developed as an alternative non-precious metal electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline medium. The catalyst was prepared via a surfactant-free route and its electrocatalytic activity for the ORR has been investigated in detail in 0.1 M KOH electrolyte at 25 °C using rotating disk electrode (RDE) and rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE) techniques. The prepared catalyst showed promising catalytic activity towards ORR in a four-electron transfer pathway and higher tolerance to methanol compared to commercial Pt/C catalyst in 0.1 M KOH. To some extent, the increase of CoSe 2 loading on the electrode favors a faster reduction of H 2 O 2 intermediate to H 2 O.

Effects of quadratic and cubic nonlinearities on a perfectly tuned parametric amplifier

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Neumeyer, Stefan; Sorokin, Vladislav; Thomsen, Jon Juel

2016-01-01

We consider the performance of a parametric amplifier with perfect tuning (two-to-one ratio between the parametric and direct excitation frequencies) and quadratic and cubic nonlinearities. A forced Duffing–Mathieu equation with appended quadratic nonlinearity is considered as the model system......, and approximate analytical steady-state solutions and corresponding stabilities are obtained by the method of varying amplitudes. Some general effects of pure quadratic, and mixed quadratic and cubic nonlinearities on parametric amplification are shown. In particular, the effects of mixed quadratic and cubic...... nonlinearities may generate additional amplitude–frequency solutions. In this case an increased response and a more phase sensitive amplitude (phase between excitation frequencies) is obtained, as compared to the case with either pure quadratic or cubic nonlinearity. Furthermore, jumps and bi...

[Multimodal medical image registration using cubic spline interpolation method].

Science.gov (United States)

He, Yuanlie; Tian, Lianfang; Chen, Ping; Wang, Lifei; Ye, Guangchun; Mao, Zongyuan

2007-12-01

Based on the characteristic of the PET-CT multimodal image series, a novel image registration and fusion method is proposed, in which the cubic spline interpolation method is applied to realize the interpolation of PET-CT image series, then registration is carried out by using mutual information algorithm and finally the improved principal component analysis method is used for the fusion of PET-CT multimodal images to enhance the visual effect of PET image, thus satisfied registration and fusion results are obtained. The cubic spline interpolation method is used for reconstruction to restore the missed information between image slices, which can compensate for the shortage of previous registration methods, improve the accuracy of the registration, and make the fused multimodal images more similar to the real image. Finally, the cubic spline interpolation method has been successfully applied in developing 3D-CRT (3D Conformal Radiation Therapy) system.

Regularizing cubic open Neveu-Schwarz string field theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berkovits, Nathan; Siegel, Warren

2009-01-01

After introducing non-minimal variables, the midpoint insertion of Y Y-bar in cubic open Neveu-Schwarz string field theory can be replaced with an operator N ρ depending on a constant parameter ρ. As in cubic open superstring field theory using the pure spinor formalism, the operator N ρ is invertible and is equal to 1 up to a BRST-trivial quantity. So unlike the linearized equation of motion Y Y-bar QV = 0 which requires truncation of the Hilbert space in order to imply QV = 0, the linearized equation N ρ QV = 0 directly implies QV = 0.

Cubic phase nanoparticles for sustained release of ibuprofen: formulation, characterization, and enhanced bioavailability study

Science.gov (United States)

Dian, Linghui; Yang, Zhiwen; Li, Feng; Wang, Zhouhua; Pan, Xin; Peng, Xinsheng; Huang, Xintian; Guo, Zhefei; Quan, Guilan; Shi, Xuan; Chen, Bao; Li, Ge; Wu, Chuanbin

2013-01-01

In order to improve the oral bioavailability of ibuprofen, ibuprofen-loaded cubic nanoparticles were prepared as a delivery system for aqueous formulations. The cubic inner structure was verified by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy. With an encapsulation efficiency greater than 85%, the ibuprofen-loaded cubic nanoparticles had a narrow size distribution around a mean size of 238 nm. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction determined that ibuprofen was in an amorphous and molecular form within the lipid matrix. The in vitro release of ibuprofen from cubic nanoparticles was greater than 80% at 24 hours, showing sustained characteristics. The pharmacokinetic study in beagle dogs showed improved absorption of ibuprofen from cubic nanoparticles compared to that of pure ibuprofen, with evidence of a longer half-life and a relative oral bioavailability of 222% (P ibuprofen-loaded cubic nanoparticles provide a promising carrier candidate with an efficient drug delivery for therapeutic treatment. PMID:23468008

Towards accurate structural characterization of metal centres in protein crystals: the structures of Ni and Cu T6 bovine insulin derivatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frankaer, Christian Grundahl; Mossin, Susanne; Ståhl, Kenny; Harris, Pernille

2013-01-01

The level of structural detail around the metal sites in Ni 2+ and Cu 2+ T 6 insulin derivatives was significantly improved by using a combination of single-crystal X-ray crystallography and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Photoreduction and subsequent radiation damage of the Cu 2+ sites in Cu insulin was followed by XANES spectroscopy. Using synchrotron radiation (SR), the crystal structures of T 6 bovine insulin complexed with Ni 2+ and Cu 2+ were solved to 1.50 and 1.45 Å resolution, respectively. The level of detail around the metal centres in these structures was highly limited, and the coordination of water in Cu site II of the copper insulin derivative was deteriorated as a consequence of radiation damage. To provide more detail, X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) was used to improve the information level about metal coordination in each derivative. The nickel derivative contains hexacoordinated Ni 2+ with trigonal symmetry, whereas the copper derivative contains tetragonally distorted hexacoordinated Cu 2+ as a result of the Jahn–Teller effect, with a significantly longer coordination distance for one of the three water molecules in the coordination sphere. That the copper centre is of type II was further confirmed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The coordination distances were refined from EXAFS with standard deviations within 0.01 Å. The insulin derivative containing Cu 2+ is sensitive towards photoreduction when exposed to SR. During the reduction of Cu 2+ to Cu + , the coordination geometry of copper changes towards lower coordination numbers. Primary damage, i.e. photoreduction, was followed directly by XANES as a function of radiation dose, while secondary damage in the form of structural changes around the Cu atoms after exposure to different radiation doses was studied by crystallography using a laboratory diffractometer. Protection against photoreduction and subsequent radiation damage was carried out by solid embedment of Cu insulin

Biosynthesis, characterisation and antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles using Hibiscus rosa-sinensis petals extracts.

Science.gov (United States)

Nayak, Debasis; Ashe, Sarbani; Rauta, Pradipta Ranjan; Nayak, Bismita

2015-10-01

Green synthesis of metallic nanoparticles has lured the world from the chemical and physical approaches owing to its rapid, non-hazardous and economic aspect of production mechanism. In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesised using petal extracts of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. The AgNPs displayed characteristic surface plasmon resonance peak at around 421 nm having a mean particle size of 76.25±0.17 nm and carried a charge of -41±0.2 mV. The X-ray diffraction patterns displayed typical peaks of face centred cubic crystalline silver. The surface morphology was characterised by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy studies confirmed the surface modifications of the functional groups for the synthesis of AgNPs. Furthermore, the synthesised AgNPs displayed proficient antimicrobial activity against pathogenic strains of Vibrio cholerae, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus.

Numbers for reducible cubic scrolls

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Israel Vainsencher

2004-12-01

Full Text Available We show how to compute the number of reducible cubic scrolls of codimension 2 in (math blackboard symbol Pn incident to the appropriate number of linear spaces.Mostramos como calcular o número de rolos cúbicos redutíveis de codimensão 2 em (math blackboard symbol Pn incidentes a espaços lineares apropriados.

Town Centre Redevelopment Strategies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vagnby, Bo Hellisen

After many years of urban growth Danish downtowns are facing some important choices. Shall the stake one-sidedly be on the town centres as driving forces for growth and 'city marketing', or do they still have a role to play in a broader socio-economic context? In the paper we look back on eight...... as slum clearence and urban renewal. To a certain extent parallels are drawn to international experiences, especially where these are of such a nature that they can be assumed transferred to Danish connctions. Conclusively, the strategies are discussed in the light of the turn of Danish urban planning...

Thermoluminescence of Z1 centres in Sr-doped KCl

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamavisdar, V.S.; Moholkar, S.C.; Deshmukh, B.T.

1980-01-01

It is well known for alkali halides doped with divalent metal impurities that exposure to high energetic radiation and subsequent F band bleaching leads to the formation of Z 1 centres. Optical absorption measurements have shown that a low concentration of Z 1 centres is produced along with F centres during irradiation without any optical bleaching. Now the question is whether Z 1 centres are really formed along with F centres during irradiation. The aim of the present paper was to study the formation of a small amount of Z 1 centres during irradiation with the help of optical absorption and thermoluminescence measurements. The crystals of KCl:Sr were exposed to γ-rays for different doses. The TL curve for the crystal exposed to a minimum dose of γ-rays shows a TL peak at 457 K and a weak shoulder in the region 400 K to 408 K. The TL curve of the crystal exposed to maximum dose of rays shows the peak at 408 K with a greater intensity. Upon F band bleaching 408 K peak increases in intensity and optical absorption is also broadened. It is shown that the peak at 457 K is due to F centres and the peak at 408 K is due to Z 1 centres. These results clearly show that a small anount of Z 1 centres is really formed along with F centres during irradiation. (author)

A long hard road? Urban freight transport challenges facing South Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Ittmann, HW

2008-05-01

Full Text Available shown very little interest in the increasingly severe freight transport problems facing urban areas, there is now growing interest in the logistics of collection and delivery services in towns and city centres....

Electrical conductivity of metal powders under pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Montes, J. M.; Cuevas, F. G.; Cintas, J.; Urban, P.

2011-12-01

A model for calculating the electrical conductivity of a compressed powder mass consisting of oxide-coated metal particles has been derived. A theoretical tool previously developed by the authors, the so-called `equivalent simple cubic system', was used in the model deduction. This tool is based on relating the actual powder system to an equivalent one consisting of deforming spheres packed in a simple cubic lattice, which is much easier to examine. The proposed model relates the effective electrical conductivity of the powder mass under compression to its level of porosity. Other physically measurable parameters in the model are the conductivities of the metal and oxide constituting the powder particles, their radii, the mean thickness of the oxide layer and the tap porosity of the powder. Two additional parameters controlling the effect of the descaling of the particle oxide layer were empirically introduced. The proposed model was experimentally verified by measurements of the electrical conductivity of aluminium, bronze, iron, nickel and titanium powders under pressure. The consistency between theoretical predictions and experimental results was reasonably good in all cases.

3D Metallic Lattices for Accelerator Applications

CERN Document Server

Shapiro, Michael A; Sirigiri, Jagadishwar R; Temkin, Richard J

2005-01-01

We present the results of research on 3D metallic lattices operating at microwave frequencies for application in (1) accelerator structures with higher order mode suppression, (2) Smith-Purcell radiation beam diagnostics, and (3) polaritonic materials for laser acceleration. Electromagnetic waves in a 3D simple cubic lattice formed by metal wires are calculated using HFSS. The bulk modes in the lattice are determined using single cell calculations with different phase advances in all three directions. The Brillouin diagram for the bulk modes is presented and indicates the absence of band gaps in simple lattices except the band below the cutoff. Lattices with thin wires as well as with thick wires have been analyzed. The Brillouin diagram also indicates the presence of low frequency 3D plasmon mode as well as the two degenerate photon modes analogous to those in a 2D lattice. Surface modes for a semi-infinite cubic lattice are modeled as a stack of cells with different phase advances in the two directions alon...

Modeling the dispersion of atmospheric pollution using cubic splines and chapeau functions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pepper, D W; Kern, C D; Long, P E

1979-01-01

Two methods that can be used to solve complex, three-dimensional, advection-diffusion transport equations are investigated. A quasi-Lagrangian cubic spline method and a chapeau function method are compared in advecting a passive scalar. The methods are simple to use, computationally fast, and reasonably accurate. Little numerical dissipation is manifested by the schemes. In simple advection tests with equal mesh spacing, the chapeau function method maintains slightly more accurate peak values than the cubic spline method. In tests with unequal mesh spacing, the cubic spline method has less noise, but slightly more damping than the standard chapeau method has. Both cubic splines and chapeau functions can be used to solve the three-dimensional problem of gaseous emissions dispersion without excessive programing complexity or storage requirements. (10 diagrams, 39 references, 2 tables)

Unified treatment of coupled optical and acoustic phonons in piezoelectric cubic materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Willatzen, Morten; Wang, Zhong Lin

2015-01-01

A unified treatment of coupled optical and acoustic phonons in piezoelectric cubic materials is presented whereby the lattice displacement vector and the internal ionic displacement vector are found simultaneously. It is shown that phonon couplings exist in pairs only; either between the electric...... piezoelectricity in a cubic structured material slab. First, it is shown that isolated optical phonon modes generally cannot exist in piezoelectric cubic slabs. Second, we prove that confined acousto-optical phonon modes only exist for a discrete set of in-plane wave numbers in piezoelectric cubic slabs. Third...... potential and the lattice displacement coordinate perpendicular to the phonon wave vector or between the two other lattice displacement components. The former leads to coupled acousto-optical phonons by virtue of the piezoelectric effect. We then establish three new conjectures that entirely stem from...

Planning a functional city centre in a physiographic constrained ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study therefore aims at planning a more viable and functional 'city centre' that befit the ever growing and physically distorted Lokoja town which existing central area is currently undermining the physical need of the inhabitants. Moreover, in the face of physical environmental challenge, there must be a good choice of ...

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International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

E-Commerce in the Asian Context : Selected Case Studies. Le commerce électronique en Asie retient beaucoup l'attention en raison de la prolifération des connexions Internet et des technologies connexes dans la région. Face à cette tendance, le Centre de recherches pour le développement international (.

Ab initio study of cubic complex Bi2CrCuO6 perovskite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fajardo, F.; Cardona, R.; Landinez Tellez, D.A.; Arbey Rodriguez M, J.; Roa-Rojas, J.

2008-01-01

We report a detailed calculation of the structural and electronic properties for the cubic complex Bi 2 CrCuO 6 perovskite material by density functional theory. The exchange-correlation potential was included through the generalized gradient approximation. From the adjusting of Murnaghan state equation to the energy as a function of volume data, we obtain an ideal lattice parameter of 7.763 A. The density of states study was carried out considering the two spin polarizations. Results reveal that this material behaves as a conductor to the spin-down polarization and evidence a semiconductor tendency to the spin-up configuration. This tendency to the half-metallicity character is corroborated by the integer number of magnetic moment (3.0 μ B ), which is attributed to the Cr-spin-up orbital contribution

English language writing centres in Japanese universities: What do students really need?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jim McKinley

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The installation of English language writing centres in Japanese universities is a relatively recent event—the first ones established with funding from the Ministry of Education in 2004. Because of the EFL writing context, setting up a writing centre requires consideration of students’ needs and cultural expectations of writing and writing centres. In general, writing centres that have been established in Japanese universities follow a structure similar to those in the US. This raises the question as to whether or not this is appropriate for the particular needs of EFL students and the obstacles they face. For this study, in order to explore students’ attitudes toward writing centres and the role they play in writing education, interview data was collected from students of English composition in two different departments at a university in Japan well known for its English language education: the English department, which does not have a writing centre, and the liberal arts department, which has one of the first writing centres established in Japan.

Infection or metal hypersensitivity? The diagnostic challenge of failure in metal-on-metal bearings.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Galbraith, John G

2011-04-01

The use of second generation metal-on-metal hip articulations has gained favour in the past few years. A hypersensitivity reaction to the metal-on-metal bearing, although rare, is a reported complication and is a novel mode of failure of these implants. Differentiating failure secondary to infection from failure secondary to metal hypersensitivity represents a significant diagnostic challenge. A retrospective review of all cases of hip arthroplasty using metal-on-metal bearings over a 5-year period at a tertiary referral centre identified 3 cases of failure secondary to metal hypersensitivity. Clinical presentation, serological markers, radiological imaging and histological analysis of all cases identified were evaluated. Histological analysis of periprosthetic tissue in all 3 cases identified characteristic features such as perivascular lymphocytic aggregates and chronic inflammation consistent with aseptic lymphocytic vasculitis-associated lesions (ALVAL). This study highlights that failure secondary to metal hypersensitivity must be considered in patients presenting with the reappearance of persistent pain, marked joint effusion, and the development of early osteolysis in the absence of infection.

An atomistic analysis of the interface mobility in a massive transformation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bos, C.; Sommer, F.; Mittemeijer, E.J.

2005-01-01

A new multi-lattice kinetic Monte Carlo method has been used for an atomistic study on the interpretation of the interface mobility parameter for a massive face-centred cubic (fcc) to body-centred cubic (bcc) transformation in a single element system. For lateral growth of bcc in a system with an fcc(111)//bcc(110) and fcc[112-bar ]//bcc[001-bar ] interface orientation the overall activation energy for the interface mobility parameter is governed by energetically unfavourable atomic jumps. The atoms on the fcc lattice often cannot jump directly to bcc lattice sites because neighbouring atoms block the empty bcc sites. By single unfavourable jumps and by groups of unfavourable jumps a path from fcc to bcc is created. The necessity of these unfavourable jumps leads to an overall activation energy considerably larger than the activation energy barrier for a single atomic jump

Effects of Aperture Size on Q factor and Shielding Effectiveness of a Cubic Resonator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Parr

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The EMC properties of a cubic metallic shield are highly affected by its resonances. At the resonant frequencies, the shielding effectiveness (SE collapses, which results in high field strengths inside the cavity. This can cause failure or even breakdown of electronic devices inside the shield. The resonant behaviour is mainly determined by the quality or Q factor of the shield. In this paper, the effects of the aperture size on the Q factor and the SE of an electrically large, cubic shield are analysed. At first, a method is developed in order to determine the Q factor based on the resonance behaviour of the shield in time domain. Only the first resonance of the shield is considered therefore. The results are evaluated for different aperture diameters and compared with theory for the Q factor. The dominant coupling mechanism of electromagnetic energy into the shield is thus identified. Then the effect of aperture size on the SE is analysed. The excitation of resonances is very probable if the interfering signal is an ultrawideband (UWB pulse, which constitutes a typical intentional electromagnetic interference (IEMI scenario. Therefore, the relation between aperture size and SE is analysed using the theory of the transient SE for a broadband signal with a constant spectral density distribution. The results show, that a worst case aperture size exists, where the SE has its minimum.

Traditional Technology of Chromium-Tungsten Steels Facing, its Disadvantages and Suggestions for their Eliminations

OpenAIRE

Valuev, Denis Viktorovich; Malushin, N. N.; Valueva, Anna Vladimirovna; Dariev, R. S.; Mamadaliev, R. A.

2016-01-01

To reveal the disadvantages of the traditional technology of facing with chromium-tungsten steels analysis of the given technology was completed. The analysis showed that the main disadvantages of the technology are high-temperature heating and underutilization of high-alloyed metal properties. To eliminate the disadvantages we developed the methods of facing allowing obtaining faced metal which state is close to that of the hardened one without cracks.

Microstructure and spectroscopy studies on cubic boron nitride synthesized under high-pressure conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nistor, L C [National Institute for Materials Physics, Bucharest (Romania); Nistor, S V [National Institute for Materials Physics, Bucharest (Romania); Dinca, G [Dacia Synthetic Diamonds Factory, Bucharest (Romania); Georgeoni, P [Dacia Synthetic Diamonds Factory, Bucharest (Romania); Landuyt, J van [University of Antwerpen - RUCA, EMAT, Antwerpen (Belgium); Manfredotti, C [Experimental Physics Department, University of Turin, Turin (Italy); Vittone, E [Experimental Physics Department, University of Turin, Turin (Italy)

2002-11-11

High-resolution electron microscopy (HREM) studies of the microstructure and specific defects in hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) precursors and cubic boron nitride (c-BN) crystals made under high-pressure high-temperature conditions revealed the presence of half-nanotubes at the edges of the h-BN particles. Their sp{sup 3} bonding tendency could strongly influence the nucleation rates of c-BN. The atomic resolution at extended dislocations was insufficient to allow us to determine the stacking fault energy in the c-BN crystals. Its mean value of 191 pm, 15 mJ m{sup -2} is of the same order of magnitude as that of diamond. High-frequency (94 GHz) electron paramagnetic resonance studies on c-BN single crystals have produced new data on the D1 centres associated with the boron species. Ion-beam-induced luminescence measurements have indicated that c-BN is a very interesting luminescent material, which is characterized by four luminescence bands and exhibits a better resistance to ionizing radiation than CVD diamond.

City profile: Transformation and injustice in Mumbai | CRDI - Centre ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

13 déc. 2016 ... In this 2014 profile, researchers with the Tata Institute of Social Sciences Centre for Urban Policy and Governance provide a foundation for understanding the many faces of Mumbai, and how its relatively low levels of public crime mask the many ways in which residents experience violence in their daily ...

Hypersonic vibrations of Ag@SiO2 (cubic core)-shell nanospheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Jing Ya; Wang, Zhi Kui; Lim, Hock Siah; Ng, Ser Choon; Kuok, Meng Hau; Tran, Toan Trong; Lu, Xianmao

2010-12-28

The intriguing optical and catalytic properties of metal-silica core-shell nanoparticles, inherited from their plasmonic metallic cores together with the rich surface chemistry and increased stability offered by their silica shells, have enabled a wide variety of applications. In this work, we investigate the confined vibrational modes of a series of monodisperse Ag@SiO(2) (cubic core)-shell nanospheres synthesized using a modified Stöber sol-gel method. The particle-size dependence of their mode frequencies has been mapped by Brillouin light scattering, a powerful tool for probing hypersonic vibrations. Unlike the larger particles, the observed spheroidal-like mode frequencies of the smaller ones do not scale with inverse diameter. Interestingly, the onset of the deviation from this linearity occurs at a smaller particle size for higher-energy modes than for lower-energy ones. Finite element simulations show that the mode displacement profiles of the Ag@SiO(2) core-shells closely resemble those of a homogeneous SiO(2) sphere. Simulations have also been performed to ascertain the effects that the core shape and the relative hardness of the core and shell materials have on the vibrations of the core-shell as a whole. As the vibrational modes of a particle have a bearing on its thermal and mechanical properties, the findings would be of value in designing core-shell nanostructures with customized thermal and mechanical characteristics.

The Role of Learner-Centred Assessment in Postsecondary Organisational Change

Science.gov (United States)

Webber, Karen L.; Tschepikow, Kyle

2013-01-01

For postsecondary institutions, organisational change is an inevitable and ongoing process. Institutions face a growing need to assess student learning assessment as part of an institution's comprehensive assessment plan. While a growing body of literature suggests that learner-centred assessment is a best practice in higher education pedagogy, it…

Study on the process of calibration and deep centring of blanks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potapov, I.N.; Romantsev, B.A.; Popov, V.A.; Volodin, V.V.; Goncharuk, A.V.

1985-01-01

Process of calibration and deep centring of blanks before broaching is developed and studied. Investigations are performed at a semi-industrial screw rolling mill MISiS-100 T. Blanks made of 40Kh, 60, 50, 45KhN2MFA, 30KhGSNA steels 80, 85, and 90 mm in diameter and 300 mm long were calibrated and centered after heating in a furnace to a depth of 200 mm at shafts and faces with different calibration. 30KhN2MFA steel is chosen for face material; heat treatment is conducted under the following conditions: heating up to 950-1000 deg C and hold-up during 30-35 min with the following cooling in the air. The above experimental investigations reveal that the process of calibration and deep centring accomplished at a three-shaft screw rolling mill is rather stable and provides a high accuracy of centering hollow marking

Atomic-layer-deposited WNxCy thin films as diffusion barrier for copper metallization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Soo-Hyun; Oh, Su Suk; Kim, Ki-Bum; Kang, Dae-Hwan; Li, Wei-Min; Haukka, Suvi; Tuominen, Marko

2003-01-01

The properties of WN x C y films deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) using WF 6 , NH 3 , and triethyl boron as source gases were characterized as a diffusion barrier for copper metallization. It is noted that the as-deposited film shows an extremely low resistivity of about 350 μΩ cm with a film density of 15.37 g/cm 3 . The film composition measured from Rutherford backscattering spectrometry shows W, C, and N of ∼48, 32, and 20 at. %, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy analyses show that the as-deposited film is composed of face-centered-cubic phase with a lattice parameter similar to both β-WC 1-x and β-W 2 N with an equiaxed microstructure. The barrier property of this ALD-WN x C y film at a nominal thickness of 12 nm deposited between Cu and Si fails only after annealing at 700 deg. C for 30 min

30 CFR 57.22241 - Advance face boreholes (I-C mines).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

...) Boreholes shall be drilled in such a manner to insure that the advancing face will not accidently break into... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Advance face boreholes (I-C mines). 57.22241... Standards for Methane in Metal and Nonmetal Mines Ventilation § 57.22241 Advance face boreholes (I-C mines...

Investigation of irradiation strengthening of bcc metals and their alloys. Progress report, January 1977--October 1977

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-01-01

Progress is reported in the areas of (a) the effect of neutron damage on the dislocation kinetics in bcc metals and their alloys, and (b) the effect of 3 He on the deformation characteristics of body centered cubic metals and their alloys. Results obtained from these projects are discussed

Total Positivity of the Cubic Trigonometric Bézier Basis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xuli Han

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Within the general framework of Quasi Extended Chebyshev space, we prove that the cubic trigonometric Bézier basis with two shape parameters λ and μ given in Han et al. (2009 forms an optimal normalized totally positive basis for λ,μ∈(-2,1]. Moreover, we show that for λ=-2 or μ=-2 the basis is not suited for curve design from the blossom point of view. In order to compute the corresponding cubic trigonometric Bézier curves stably and efficiently, we also develop a new corner cutting algorithm.

INVESTIGATION OF CURVES SET BY CUBIC DISTRIBUTION OF CURVATURE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. A. Ustenko

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Purpose. Further development of the geometric modeling of curvelinear contours of different objects based on the specified cubic curvature distribution and setpoints of curvature in the boundary points. Methodology. We investigate the flat section of the curvilinear contour generating under condition that cubic curvature distribution is set. Curve begins and ends at the given points, where angles of tangent slope and curvature are also determined. It was obtained the curvature equation of this curve, depending on the section length and coefficient c of cubic curvature distribution. The analysis of obtained equation was carried out. As well as, it was investigated the conditions, in which the inflection points of the curve are appearing. One should find such an interval of parameter change (depending on the input data and the section length, in order to place the inflection point of the curvature graph outside the curve section borders. It was determined the dependence of tangent slope of angle to the curve at its arbitrary point, as well as it was given the recommendations to solve a system of integral equations that allow finding the length of the curve section and the coefficient c of curvature cubic distribution. Findings. As the result of curves research, it is found that the criterion for their selection one can consider the absence of inflection points of the curvature on the observed section. Influence analysis of the parameter c on the graph of tangent slope angle to the curve showed that regardless of its value, it is provided the same rate of angle increase of tangent slope to the curve. Originality. It is improved the approach to geometric modeling of curves based on cubic curvature distribution with its given values at the boundary points by eliminating the inflection points from the observed section of curvilinear contours. Practical value. Curves obtained using the proposed method can be used for geometric modeling of curvilinear

Spectral intensities in cubic systems. I. Progressions based upon parity vibrational modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Acevedo, R.; Vasquez, S.O.; Meruane, T.; Poblete, V.; Pozo, J.

1998-01-01

The well-resolved emission and absorption spectra of centrosymmetric coordination compounds of the transition metal ions have been used widely to provide the experimental data against which to test theoretical models of vibronic intensities. With reference to the 2 E g → 4 A 2g luminescence transition, at a perfect octahedral site in Cs 2 SiF 6 , over than one hundred vibronic lines are observed with line widths of a few wavenumber spread over some 3000 cm -1 . This paper reports a through examination of both the electronic and vibrational factors, which influences the observed vibronic intensities of the various assigned and identified lines in the spectra of the MnF 6 2- complex ion in the Cs 2 SiF 6 cubic lattice. The origin and nature of higher order vibronic interactions are analysed on the basis of a symmetrized vibronic crystal field-ligand polarization model. (Author)

Self-centring technique for fibre optic microlens mounting using a concave cone-etched fibre

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demagh, Nacer-Eddine; Guessoum, Assia; Zegari, Rabah; Gharbi, Tijani

2011-01-01

Several techniques of centring a microlens onto the fibre optic end face are studied. In most of them, microsphere lenses are centred with the aid of high-accuracy micro-positioners. This process is complicated with regard to the difficulty in manipulating microsphere lenses. In this paper, a simple and accurate self-centring method for mounting microsphere lenses using a concave cone etched fibre (Demagh et al 2006 Meas. Sci. Technol. 17 119–22) is described. This technique allows the centring of a wide variety of microlens radii, typically 7 µm to over 24 µm. The proposed process, however, is not affected by any spatial positioning control of microspheres. In over 85% of the attempts, the microsphere lenses were centred on the fibre axis to within 0.12 µm

Using Online Video Lectures to Enrich Traditional Face-to-Face Courses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suzanne C. Makarem

2015-07-01

Full Text Available University educators need to meet changing needs of the digital generation by integrating technology through online content delivery. Despite the many advantages of online education, a large number of university professors are reluctant to make the transition from traditional-face-to-face lectures to online delivery, mainly due to the time, cost, and technical competence requirements to make this transition, in addition to the lack of beliefs in the legitimacy of online education. This article demonstrates the use of online video lectures to adapt traditional university courses to a blended format. The study is implemented for a School of Business Marketing course. We illustrate a cost-effective and timeefficient way for faculty members to record and share online video lectures with limited training and technical support. Using a student sample from two sections of the same marketing course, the study findings support the use of online video lectures as an effective way to free class time for learner-centred activities, without sacrificing student performance outcomes or course satisfaction.

A local cubic smoothing in an adaptation mode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dikoussar, N.D.

2001-01-01

A new approach to a local curve approximation and the smoothing is proposed. The relation between curve points is defined using a special cross-ratio weight functions. The coordinates of three curve points are used as parameters for both the weight functions and the tree-point cubic model (TPS). A very simple in computing and stable to random errors cubic smoother in an adaptation mode (LOCUS) is constructed. The free parameter of TPS is estimated independently of the fixed parameters by recursion with the effective error suppression and can be controlled by the cross-ratio parameters. Efficiency and the noise stability of the algorithm are confirmed by examples and by comparison with other known non-parametric smoothers

Phase transformation of metastable cubic γ-phase in U-Mo alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sinha, V.P.; Hegde, P.V.; Prasad, G.J.; Dey, G.K.; Kamath, H.S.

2010-01-01

Over the past decade considerable efforts have been put by many fuel designers to develop low enriched uranium (LEU 235 ) base U-Mo alloy as a potential fuel for core conversion of existing research and test reactors which are running on high enriched uranium (HEU > 85%U 235 ) fuel and also for the upcoming new reactors. U-Mo alloy with minimum 8 wt% molybdenum shows excellent metastability with cubic γ-phase in cast condition. However, it is important to characterize the decomposition behaviour of metastable cubic γ-uranium in its equilibrium products for in reactor fuel performance point of view. The present paper describes the phase transformation behaviour of cubic γ-uranium phase in U-Mo alloys with three different molybdenum compositions (i.e. 8 wt%, 9 wt% and 10 wt%). U-Mo alloys were prepared in an induction melting furnace and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) method for phase determination. Microstructures were developed for samples in as cast condition. The alloys were hot rolled in cubic γ-phase to break the cast structure and then they were aged at 500 o C for 68 h and 240 h, so that metastable cubic γ-uranium will undergo eutectoid decomposition to form equilibrium phases of orthorhombic α-uranium and body centered tetragonal U 2 Mo intermetallic compound. U-Mo alloy samples with different ageing history were then characterized by XRD for phase and development of microstructure.

Crystal field in rare-earth metals and intermetallic compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ray, D.K.

1978-01-01

Reasons for the success of the crystal-field model for the rare-earth metals and intermetallic compounds are discussed. A review of some of the available experimental results is made with emphasis on cubic intermetallic compounds. Various sources of the origin of the crystal field in these metals are discussed in the background of the recent APW picture of the conduction electrons. The importance of the non-spherical part of the muffin-tin potential on the single-ion anisotropy is stressed. (author)

Logistics centres development in Latvia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. Kabashkin

2007-12-01

Full Text Available In the situation where a large increase in trade and freight transport volumes in the Baltic Sea region (BSR is expected and in which the BSR is facing a major economic restructuring, eff orts to achieve more integrated and sustainable transport and communication links within the BSR are needed. One of these eff orts is the development of logistics centres (LCs and their networking, which will continue to have an impact on improving communication links, spatial planning practices and approaches, logistics chain development and the promotion of sustainable transport modes. These factors will refl ect on logistics processes both in major gateway cities and in remote BSR areas. The importance of logistics systems as a whole is not seen clearly enough. Logistics actors see that logistics operations are not appreciated as much as other fi elds of activity. In addition, logistics centres and the importance of logistics activities to the business life of areas and the employment rate should be brought up better. In the paper main goal and tasks of national approach to LCs development are discussed. Strategic focus of new activities in this area is on the integration of various networks within and between logistics centres in order to improve and develop the quality of logistics networks as well as to spatially widen the networking activities. The key objectives are to integrate the links between logistics centres, ports and other logistics operators in a functional and sustainable way, to promote spatial integration by creating sustainable and integrated approaches to spatial planning of logistics centres and transport infrastructure, to improve ICT-based networking and communication practices of the fi elds of transport and logistics and to increase the competence of logistics centres and associated actors by organising educational and training events. The current activities include, for example, the creation of measures for transport networking and

Gold-Based Cubic Nanoboxes with Well-Defined Openings at the Corners and Ultrathin Walls Less Than Two Nanometers Thick.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Xiaojun; Kim, Junki; Gilroy, Kyle D; Liu, Jingyue; König, Tobias A F; Qin, Dong

2016-08-23

We report a facile synthesis of Au-based cubic nanoboxes as small as 20 nm for the outer edge length, together with well-defined openings at the corners and walls fewer than 10 atomic layers (or nanocubes, followed by the conformal deposition of Au on the side faces in a layer-by-layer fashion. When six atomic layers of Au are formed on the side faces to generate Ag@Au6L core-shell nanocubes, we can selectively remove the Ag2O patches at the corner sites using a weak acid, making it possible to further remove the Ag core by H2O2 etching without breaking the ultrathin Au shell. This synthetic approach works well for Ag nanocubes of 38 and 18 nm in edge length, and the wall thickness of the nanoboxes can be controlled down to 2 nm. The resultant Au nanoboxes exhibit strong plasmonic absorption in the near-infrared region, consistent with computational simulations.

Cubic Invariant Spherical Surface Harmonics in Conjunction With Diffraction Strain Pole-Figures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brakman, C.M.

1986-01-01

Four kinds of cubic invariant spherical surface harmonics are introduced. It has been shown previously that these harmonics occur in the equations relating measured diffraction (line-shift) elastic strain and macro-stresses generating these strains for the case of textured cubic materials. As a

Study of the cubic - to - monoclinic transformation in magnesia partially stabilized zirconia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muccillo, R.

1988-01-01

The transformation of the cubic phase to the stable monoclinic phase in ZrO 2 : 3%MgO quenched from 1450 0 C to RT has been studied by X-ray diffractometry in order to explain the thermal hysteresis in the electrical conductivity. The monoclinic-to-cubic ratio has been measured for samples annealed in the 500 0 C-1000 0 C temperature range. The results show that the decrease in the cubic phase content is the main responsible for the thermal hysteresis in the electrical conductivity of the magnesia partially stabilized zirconia solid electrolytes. (author) [pt

Carbon-covered Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} hollow cubic hierarchical porous composite as the anode material for lithium-ion batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Shouhui, E-mail: csh2k@jxnu.edu.cn; Zhou, Rihui; Chen, Yaqin; Fu, Yuanyuan; Li, Ping; Song, Yonghai; Wang, Li, E-mail: lwanggroup@aliyun.com [Jiangxi Normal University, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (China)

2017-04-15

In this work, Prussian blue nanocrystals, a kind of cubic metal-organic frameworks, was firstly covered by a uniform layer of resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) resin, and then followed with heat treatment at different pyrolysis temperatures. The effects of pyrolysis temperature on the morphologies, phase, pore size, and electrochemical performance of the pyrolysis products were studied in this work. The composite generated at 600 {sup ∘}C, FexC600, was a hollow cubic composite of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} covered by a thin RF-derived carbon layer. The carbon layer on FexC600 was a robust and conductive protective layer, which can accommodate Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} NPs and withstand the huge volume change of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} during the process of discharge and charge. When used as anodes for lithium-ion batteries, FexC600 showed excellent electrochemical performance. It delivered a discharge capacity of 1126 mAh g{sup −1} with a coulombic efficiency of 98.8% at the current density of 100 mA g{sup −1} after 100 times discharge/charge cycling. It even delivered a capacity of 492 mAh g{sup −1} at the current density of 500 mA g{sup −1}. This cubic hollow composite would be a promising alternative anode material for lithium-ion batteries.

Metallic amorphous electrodeposited molybdenum coating from aqueous electrolyte: Structural, electrical and morphological properties under current density

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nemla, Fatima [LEPCM, Department of Physics, University of Batna (Algeria); Cherrad, Djellal, E-mail: cherradphisic@yahoo.fr [Laboratory for Developing New Materials and Their Characterizations, University of Setif (Algeria)

2016-07-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Although difficulties related to electrodeposition of Mo films, we have successfully coated onto a cooper substrate. • A good formation of bcc Mo phase and lattice parameter was very accurate. • It seems that electrical properties of our samples are good and suitable as back contact for thin film solar cells. • It seems that grain size, microstrain and dislocation density are all managed and correlated to retain the resistivity to a considerable minimum value. - Abstract: Molybdenum coatings are extensively utilized as back contact for CIGS-based solar cells. However, their electrodeposition from aqueous electrolyte still sophisticates, since long time, owing to the high reactivity with oxygen. In this study, we present a successful 30 min electrodeposition experiment of somewhat thick (∼0.98–2.9 μm) and of moderate surface roughness RMS (∼47–58 nm), metallic bright Mo coating from aqueous electrolyte containing molybdate ions. XRD analysis and Hall Effect measurements have been used to confirm the presence of Mo. The crystal structure of deposits was slightly amorphous in nature to body centred cubic structure (bcc) Mo (110), (211) and (220) face. Lattice parameters exhibit some weak fluctuated tensile stress when compared to the reference lattice parameter. Additionally, our calculated lattice parameters are in good agreement with some previous works from literature. Discussions on the grain growth prove that they are constrained by grain boundary energy not the thickness effect. Further discussions were made on the electrical resistivity and surface morphology. Resonance scattering of Fermi electrons are expected to contribute towards the variation in the film resistivity through the carrier mobility limitation. However, studied samples might be qualified as candidates for solar cell application.

Magnetic ground states in nanocuboids of cubic magnetocrystalline anisotropy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bonilla, F.J., E-mail: fbonilla@cicenergigune.com; Lacroix, L.-M.; Blon, T., E-mail: thomas.blon@insa-toulouse.fr

2017-04-15

Flower and easy-axis vortex states are well-known magnetic configurations that can be stabilized in small particles. However, <111> vortex (V<111>), i.e. a vortex state with its core axis along the hard-axis direction, has been recently evidenced as a stable configuration in Fe nanocubes of intermediate sizes in the flower/vortex transition. In this context, we present here extensive micromagnetic simulations to determine the different magnetic ground states in ferromagnetic nanocuboids exhibiting cubic magnetocrystalline anisotropy (MCA). Focusing our study in the single-domain/multidomain size range (10–50 nm), we showed that V<111> is only stable in nanocuboids exhibiting peculiar features, such as a specific size, shape and magnetic environment, contrarily to the classical flower and easy-axis vortex states. Thus, to track experimentally these V<111> states, one should focused on (i) nanocuboids exhibiting a nearly perfect cubic shape (size distorsion <12%) made of (ii) a material which combines a zero or positive MCA and a high saturation magnetization, such as Fe or FeCo; and (iii) a low magnetic field environment, V<111> being only observed in virgin or remanent states. - Highlights: • The <111> vortex is numerically determined in nanocubes of cubic anisotropy. • It constitutes an intermediate state in the single-domain limit. • Such a vortex can only be stabilized in perfect or slightly deformed nanocuboids. • It exists in nanocuboids made of materials with zero or positive cubic anisotropy. • The associated magnetization reversal is described by a rotation of the vortex axis.

Method for making nanomaterials

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Hongyou; Wu, Huimeng

2013-06-04

A method of making a nanostructure by preparing a face centered cubic-ordered metal nanoparticle film from metal nanoparticles, such as gold and silver nanoparticles, exerting a hydrostatic pressure upon the film at pressures of several gigapascals, followed by applying a non-hydrostatic stress perpendicularly at a pressure greater than approximately 10 GPA to form an array of nanowires with individual nanowires having a relatively uniform length, average diameter and density.

Design principles for CANDU control centres in response to evolving utility business needs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davey, E.

2002-01-01

Nuclear generation operators are facing a challenging business environment at the beginning of the new millennium. Evolving changes in business context, competitive commercial pressures, and changes in technology have dictated recurring evaluation of operational practices and the adequacy of supporting tools, and the pursuit of opportunities for operational improvement. A key area of utility operations that has been impacted by these changes is the nuclear plant control centre. Changes to workspace layout, equipment provisions, staffing, and work organization are examples of some of the adjustments being introduced to improve operational and safety effectiveness. This paper discusses some of the key factors influencing these changes and identifies additional design principles for CANDU control centres that will enable new control centre designs and retrofits of existing control centres to remain relevant and responsive to utility needs. (author)

Powder metallurgy and mechanical alloying effects on the formation of thermally induced martensite in an FeMnSiCrNi SMA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pricop Bogdan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available By ingot metallurgy (IM, melting, alloying and casting, powder metallurgy (PM, using as-blended elemental powders and mechanical alloying (MA of 50 % of particle volume, three types of FeMnSiCrNi shape memory alloy (SMA specimens were fabricated, respectively. After specimen thickness reduction by hot rolling, solution treatments were applied, at 973 and 1273 K, to thermally induce martensite. The resulting specimens were analysed by X-ray diffraction (XRD and scanning electron microscopy (SEM, in order to reveal the presence of ε (hexagonal close-packed, hcp and α’ (body centred cubic, bcc thermally induced martensites. The reversion of thermally induced martensites, to γ (face centred cubic, fcc austenite, during heating, was confirmed by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA, which emphasized marked increases of storage modulus and obvious internal friction maxima on DMA thermograms. The results proved that the increase of porosity degree, after PM processing, increased internal friction, while MA enhanced crystallinity degree.

A post-processing study on aluminum surface by fiber laser: Removing face milling patterns

Science.gov (United States)

Kayahan, Ersin

2018-05-01

The face milling process of the metal surface is a well-known machining process of using rotary cutters to remove material from a workpiece. Flat metal surfaces can be produced by a face milling process. However, in practice, visible, traced marks following the motion of points on the cutter's face are usually apparent. In this study, it was shown that milled patterns can be removed by means of 20 W fiber laser on the aluminum surface (AA7075). Experimental results also showed that roughened and hydrophobic surface can be produced with optimized laser parameters. It is a new approach to remove the patterns from the metal surface and can be explained through roughening by re-melting instead of ablation. The new method is a strong candidate to replace sandblasting the metal surface. It is also cheap and environmentally friendly.

Metal scarcity and sustainability, analyzing the necessity to reduce the extraction of scarce metals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Henckens, M. L C M; Driessen, P. P J; Worrell, E.

2014-01-01

There is debate whether or not further growth of metal extraction from the earth's crust will be sustainable in connection with geologic scarcity. Will future generations possibly face a depletion of specific metals? We study whether, for which metals and to what extent the extraction rate would

Colour centres in LiF for measurement of abssorbed doses up to 100 MGy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McLaughlin, W.L.

1996-01-01

Radiation damage studies on electronic components, polymers, composites, ceramics, metals and insulating materials exposed to very large doses of ionising photons and particles (i.e. electrons, protons, and neutrons) require reproducible and accurate passive dosimetry. Absorbed doses in the range 10 2 -2 x 10 6 Gy have previously been measured with optical quality, undoped LiF by spectrophotometry of radiation-induced absorption bands of stable colour centres. These include the relatively stable F centre (247 nm), M centre (443 nm), R 1 centre (315 nm), R 2 centre (374 nm), and N 2 centre (547 nm). It is now possible to extend this range to 10 8 Gy by spectrophotometry of the N 1 centre (517 nm) and an 'X' centre (785 nm). These dosemeters can be used from cryogenic (4 K) to relatively high radiation temperatures (up to 500 K). The radiation-induced coloration can be bleached for re-use of the dosemeters by a two hour thermal annealing treatment at 830 K. (Author)

Cubic and quartic planar differential systems with exact algebraic limit cycles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed Bendjeddou

2011-01-01

Full Text Available We construct cubic and quartic polynomial planar differential systems with exact limit cycles that are ovals of algebraic real curves of degree four. The result obtained for the cubic case generalizes a proposition of [9]. For the quartic case, we deduce for the first time a class of systems with four algebraic limit cycles and another for which nested configurations of limit cycles occur.

Conformal Interpolating Algorithm Based on Cubic NURBS in Aspheric Ultra-Precision Machining

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, C G; Zhang, Q R; Cao, C G; Zhao, S L

2006-01-01

Numeric control machining and on-line compensation for aspheric surface are key techniques in ultra-precision machining. In this paper, conformal cubic NURBS interpolating curve is applied to fit the character curve of aspheric surface. Its algorithm and process are also proposed and imitated by Matlab7.0 software. To evaluate the performance of the conformal cubic NURBS interpolation, we compare it with the linear interpolations. The result verifies this method can ensure smoothness of interpolating spline curve and preserve original shape characters. The surface quality interpolated by cubic NURBS is higher than by line. The algorithm is benefit to increasing the surface form precision of workpieces in ultra-precision machining

University career centres – venues of non-formal learning for students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabina Žnidaršič Žagar

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Incorporation of young people, including tertiary graduates, into the labour market is facing stagnation in Slovenia. Besides external factors that are beyond the control of an individual, good employability also depends on personal characteristics of the employment seeker. Awareness of the importance of good employability means empowering and strengthening individuals through process of lifelong learning, thus enabling them to find and retain sustainable employment within the labour market. This consequently enables them to fulfil their career goals and creatively contribute to their own personal satisfaction and success, as well as that of society as a whole. Universities in Slovenia have established careers centres. The University of Ljubljana opened its first careers centre years ago (in 2008, and we are now beginning to see the results, which are similar to those achieved by careers centres of other European universities. This confirms that promotion and facilitation of good employability is more effective when careers centres are closely involved in the study process.

The lattice distortion around the divacancy in cubic metals using the method of lattice statics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshioki, S.

1976-01-01

The lattice distortion produced by a divacancy in FCC metals (Al, Cu, Ag and Au) and in BCC metals (Fe, Mo and V) has been calculated using the method of lattice statics. The model assumes non-equilibrium pairwise interactions extending out to second nearest neighbours. Roughly speaking, the relaxation volumes associated with the divacancy are twice the values for the isolated vacancy. (author)

Dipaths and dihomotopies in a cubical complex

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fajstrup, Lisbeth

2005-01-01

In the geometric realization of a cubical complex without degeneracies, a $\\Box$-set, dipaths and dihomotopies may not be combinatorial, i.e., not geometric realizations of combinatorial dipaths and equivalences. When we want to use geometric/topological tools to classify dipaths on the 1-skeleton...

Exploitation of 3D face-centered cubic mesoporous silica as a carrier for a poorly water soluble drug: influence of pore size on release rate.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Wenquan; Wan, Long; Zhang, Chen; Gao, Yikun; Zheng, Xin; Jiang, Tongying; Wang, Siling

2014-01-01

The purposes of the present work were to explore the potential application of 3D face-centered cubic mesoporous silica (FMS) with pore size of 16.0nm as a delivery system for poorly soluble drugs and investigate the effect of pore size on the dissolution rate. FMS with different pore sizes (16.0, 6.9 and 3.7nm) was successfully synthesized by using Pluronic block co-polymer F127 as a template and adjusting the reaction temperatures. Celecoxib (CEL), which is a BCS class II drug, was used as a model drug and loaded into FMS with different pore sizes by the solvent deposition method at a drug-silica ratio of 1:4. Characterization using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), nitrogen adsorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to systematically investigate the drug loading process. The results obtained showed that CEL was in a non-crystalline state after incorporation of CEL into the pores of FMS-15 with pore size of 16.0nm. In vitro dissolution was carried out to demonstrate the effects of FMS with different pore sizes on the release of CEL. The results obtained indicated that the dissolution rate of CEL from FMS-15 was significantly enhanced compared with pure CEL. This could be explained by supposing that CEL encountered less diffusion resistance and its crystallinity decreased due to the large pore size of 16.0nm and the nanopore channels of FMS-15. Moreover, drug loading and pore size both play an important role in enhancing the dissolution properties for the poorly water-soluble drugs. As the pore size between 3.7 and 16.0nm increased, the dissolution rate of CEL from FMS gradually increased. © 2013.

Pd@Au core-shell nanocrystals with concave cubic shapes: kinetically controlled synthesis and electrocatalytic properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ling; Niu, Wenxin; Zhao, Jianming; Zhu, Shuyun; Yuan, Yali; Hua, Lianzhe; Xu, Guobao

2013-01-01

A new type of concave cubic Pd@Au core-shell nanocrystals is synthesized through a kinetically controlled growth process. Pd nanocubes of 56 nm are used as the inner core, and CTAC and Br(-) are used as the capping agent and selective adsorbent, respectively. A suitable ratio of HAuCl4 and cubic Pd seeds and the presence of Br(-) anions are critical to the growth of the concave cubic Pd@Au core-shell nanocrystals. The fast deposition rate on the corners of the cubic Pd seeds promotes the overgrowth of the Au outer shell along the direction, leading to the formation of concave cubic nanostructures. The reduction process is monitored by the surface plasmon resonance spectra of the nanocrystals, and the extinction band became broader and red shifted as the nanocrystals became larger. The electrocatalytic properties of the concave cubic Pd@Au core-shell nanocrystals were investigated with the cathodic electrochemiluminescence reaction of luminol and H2O2. A possible electrocatalytic mechanism was proposed and analyzed.

Atomistic simulations of diffusional creep in a nanocrystalline body-centered cubic material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Millett, Paul C.; Desai, Tapan; Yamakov, Vesselin; Wolf, Dieter

2008-01-01

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are used to study diffusion-accommodated creep deformation in nanocrystalline molybdenum, a body-centered cubic metal. In our simulations, the microstructures are subjected to constant-stress loading at levels below the dislocation nucleation threshold and at high temperatures (i.e., T > 0.75T melt ), thereby ensuring that the overall deformation is indeed attributable to atomic self-diffusion. The initial microstructures were designed to consist of hexagonally shaped columnar grains bounded by high-energy asymmetric tilt grain boundaries (GBs). Remarkably the creep rates, which exhibit a double-exponential dependence on temperature and a double power-law dependence on grain size, indicate that both GB diffusion in the form of Coble creep and lattice diffusion in the form of Nabarro-Herring creep contribute to the overall deformation. For the first time in an MD simulation, we observe the formation and emission of vacancies from high-angle GBs into the grain interiors, thus enabling bulk diffusion

Spectral intensities in cubic systems. I. Progressions based upon parity vibrational modes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Acevedo, R.; Vasquez, S.O. [Department of Basic Chemistry, Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, University of Chile. Tupper 2069, Casilla 2777, Santiago, Chile (Chile); Meruane, T. [Department of Chemistry, Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educacion. Av. J.P. Alessandri 774, Casilla 147, C. Santiago, Chile (Chile); Poblete, V. [Department of Nuclear Materials, Lo Aguirre, Comision Chilena de Energia Nuclear. Amunategui 95, Casilla 188-D, Santiago, Chile (Chile); Pozo, J. [Facultad de Ciencias de la Ingenieria. Universidad Diego Portales. Casilla 298-V, Santiago, Chile (Chile)

1998-12-01

The well-resolved emission and absorption spectra of centrosymmetric coordination compounds of the transition metal ions have been used widely to provide the experimental data against which to test theoretical models of vibronic intensities. With reference to the {sup 2} E{sub g} {yields} {sup 4} A{sub 2g} luminescence transition, at a perfect octahedral site in Cs{sub 2}SiF{sub 6}, over than one hundred vibronic lines are observed with line widths of a few wavenumber spread over some 3000 cm{sup -1}. This paper reports a through examination of both the electronic and vibrational factors, which influences the observed vibronic intensities of the various assigned and identified lines in the spectra of the MnF{sub 6} {sup 2-} complex ion in the Cs{sub 2}SiF{sub 6} cubic lattice. The origin and nature of higher order vibronic interactions are analysed on the basis of a symmetrized vibronic crystal field-ligand polarization model. (Author)

Nano-scale simulation based study of creep behavior of bimodal nanocrystalline face centered cubic metal.

Science.gov (United States)

Meraj, Md; Pal, Snehanshu

2017-10-11

In this paper, the creep behavior of nanocrystalline Ni having bimodal grain structure is investigated using molecular dynamics simulation. Analysis of structural evolution during the creep process has also been performed. It is observed that an increase in size of coarse grain causes improvement in creep properties of bimodal nanocrystalline Ni. Influence of bimodality (i.e., size difference between coarse and fine grains) on creep properties are found to be reduced with increasing creep temperature. The dislocation density is observed to decrease exponentially with progress of creep deformation. Grain boundary diffusion controlled creep mechanism is found to be dominant at the primary creep region and the initial part of the secondary creep region. After that shear diffusion transformation mechanism is found to be significantly responsible for deformation as bimodal nanocrystalline Ni transforms to amorphous structure with further progress of the creep process. The presence of , , and  distorted icosahedra has a significant influence on creep rate in the tertiary creep regime according to Voronoi cluster analysis.

Molecular dynamics for near melting temperatures simulations of metals using modified embedded-atom method

Science.gov (United States)

Etesami, S. Alireza; Asadi, Ebrahim

2018-01-01

Availability of a reliable interatomic potential is one of the major challenges in utilizing molecular dynamics (MD) for simulations of metals at near the melting temperatures and melting point (MP). Here, we propose a novel approach to address this challenge in the concept of modified-embedded-atom (MEAM) interatomic potential; also, we apply the approach on iron, nickel, copper, and aluminum as case studies. We propose adding experimentally available high temperature elastic constants and MP of the element to the list of typical low temperature properties used for the development of MD interatomic potential parameters. We show that the proposed approach results in a reasonable agreement between the MD calculations of melting properties such as latent heat, expansion in melting, liquid structure factor, and solid-liquid interface stiffness and their experimental/computational counterparts. Then, we present the physical properties of mentioned elements near melting temperatures using the new MEAM parameters. We observe that the behavior of elastic constants, heat capacity and thermal linear expansion coefficient at room temperature compared to MP follows an empirical linear relation (α±β × MP) for transition metals. Furthermore, a linear relation between the tetragonal shear modulus and the enthalpy change from room temperature to MP is observed for face-centered cubic materials.

3D confocal imaging in CUBIC-cleared mouse heart

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nehrhoff, I.; Bocancea, D.; Vaquero, J.; Vaquero, J.J.; Lorrio, M.T.; Ripoll, J.; Desco, M.; Gomez-Gaviro, M.V.

2016-07-01

Acquiring high resolution 3D images of the heart enables the ability to study heart diseases more in detail. Here, the CUBIC (clear, unobstructed brain imaging cocktails and computational analysis) clearing protocol was adapted for thick mouse heart sections to increase the penetration depth of the confocal microscope lasers into the tissue. The adapted CUBIC clearing of the heart lets the antibody penetrate deeper into the tissue by a factor of five. The here shown protocol enables deep 3D highresolution image acquisition in the heart. This allows a much more accurate assessment of the cellular and structural changes that underlie heart diseases. (Author)

Eisenstein Series Identities Involving the Borweins' Cubic Theta Functions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ernest X. W. Xia

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Based on the theories of Ramanujan's elliptic functions and the (p, k-parametrization of theta functions due to Alaca et al. (2006, 2007, 2006 we derive certain Eisenstein series identities involving the Borweins' cubic theta functions with the help of the computer. Some of these identities were proved by Liu based on the fundamental theory of elliptic functions and some of them may be new. One side of each identity involves Eisenstein series, the other products of the Borweins' cubic theta functions. As applications, we evaluate some convolution sums. These evaluations are different from the formulas given by Alaca et al.

3D confocal imaging in CUBIC-cleared mouse heart

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nehrhoff, I.; Bocancea, D.; Vaquero, J.; Vaquero, J.J.; Lorrio, M.T.; Ripoll, J.; Desco, M.; Gomez-Gaviro, M.V.

2016-01-01

Acquiring high resolution 3D images of the heart enables the ability to study heart diseases more in detail. Here, the CUBIC (clear, unobstructed brain imaging cocktails and computational analysis) clearing protocol was adapted for thick mouse heart sections to increase the penetration depth of the confocal microscope lasers into the tissue. The adapted CUBIC clearing of the heart lets the antibody penetrate deeper into the tissue by a factor of five. The here shown protocol enables deep 3D highresolution image acquisition in the heart. This allows a much more accurate assessment of the cellular and structural changes that underlie heart diseases. (Author)

First principles study of the structural and electronic properties of double perovskite Ba2YTaO6 in cubic and tetragonal phases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deluque Toro, C.E.; Rodríguez M, Jairo Arbey; Landínez Téllez, D.A.; Moreno Salazar, N.O.; Roa-Rojas, J.

2014-01-01

The Ba 2 YTaO 6 double perovskite presents a transition from cubic (Fm−3m) to tetragonal structure (I4/m) at high temperature. In this work, we present a detailed study of the structural and electronic properties of the double perovskite Ba 2 YTaO 6 in space group Fm−3m and I4/m. Calculations were made with the Full-Potential Linear Augmented Plane Wave method (FP-LAPW) within the framework of the Density Functional Theory (DFT) with exchange and correlation effects in the Generalized Gradient (GGA) and Local Density (LDA) approximations. From the minimization of energy as a function of volume and the fitting of the Murnaghan equation some structural characteristics were determined as, for example, total energy, lattice parameter (a=8.50 Å in cubic phase and a=5.985 Å and c=8.576 Å in tetragonal), bulk modulus (135.6 GPa in cubic phase and 134.1 GPa in tetragonal phase) and its derivative. The study of the electronic characteristics was performed from the analysis of the electronic density of states (DOS). We find a non-metallic behavior for this with a direct band gap of approximately 3.5 eV and we found that the Ba 2 YTaO 6 (I4/m) phase is the most stable one. © 2013 Elsevier Science. All rights reserved

Varying temperature and silicon content in nanodiamond growth: effects on silicon-vacancy centres.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Sumin; Leong, Victor; Davydov, Valery A; Agafonov, Viatcheslav N; Cheong, Marcus W O; Kalashnikov, Dmitry A; Krivitsky, Leonid A

2018-02-28

Nanodidamonds containing colour centres open up many applications in quantum information processing, metrology, and quantum sensing. However, controlling the synthesis of nanodiamonds containing silicon vacancy (SiV) centres is still not well understood. Here we study nanodiamonds produced by a high-pressure high-temperature method without catalyst metals, focusing on two samples with clear SiV signatures. Different growth temperatures and relative content of silicon in the initial compound between the samples altered their nanodiamond size distributions and abundance of SiV centres. Our results show that nanodiamond growth can be controlled and optimised for different applications.

Phase conversion from hexagonal CuS(y)Se(1-y) to cubic Cu(2-x)S(y)Se(1-y): composition variation, morphology evolution, optical tuning, and solar cell applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Jun; Yang, Xia; Yang, Qingdan; Zhang, Wenjun; Lee, Chun-Sing

2014-09-24

In this work, we report a simple and low-temperature approach for the controllable synthesis of ternary Cu-S-Se alloys featuring tunable crystal structures, compositions, morphologies, and optical properties. Hexagonal CuS(y)Se(1-y) nanoplates and face centered cubic (fcc) Cu(2-x)S(y)Se(1-y) single-crystal-like stacked nanoplate assemblies are synthesized, and their phase conversion mechanism is well investigated. It is found that both copper content and chalcogen composition (S/Se atomic ratio) of the Cu-S-Se alloys are tunable during the phase conversion process. Formation of the unique single-crystal-like stacked nanoplate assemblies is resulted from oriented stacking coupled with the Ostwald ripening effect. Remarkably, optical tuning for continuous red shifts of both the band-gap absorption and the near-infrared localized surface plasmon resonance are achieved. Furthermore, the novel Cu-S-Se alloys are utilized for the first time as highly efficient counter electrodes (CEs) in quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs), showing outstanding electrocatalytic activity for polysulfide electrolyte regeneration and yielding a 135% enhancement in power conversion efficiency (PCE) as compared to the noble metal Pt counter electrode.

Numerical Simulation of Sloshing Phenomena in Cubic Tank with Multiple Baffles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mi-An Xue

2012-01-01

Full Text Available A two-phase fluid flow model solving Navier-Stokes equations was employed in this paper to investigate liquid sloshing phenomena in cubic tank with horizontal baffle, perforated vertical baffle, and their combinatorial configurations under the harmonic motion excitation. Laboratory experiment of liquid sloshing in cubic tank with perforated vertical baffle was carried out to validate the present numerical model. Fairly good agreements were obtained from the comparisons between the present numerical results and the present experimental data, available numerical data. Liquid sloshing in cubic tank with multiple baffles was investigated numerically in detail under different external excitation frequencies. Power spectrum of the time series of free surface elevation was presented with the aid of fast Fourier transform technique. The dynamic impact pressures acting on the normal and parallel sidewalls were discussed in detail.

Cubic interaction in extended theories of massless higher-spin fields

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fradkin, E S; Vasiliev, M A

1987-08-17

A cubic interaction of all massless higher-spin fields with s greater than or equal to 1 is constructed, based on the extended higher-spin superalgebras suggested previously by one of us (M.V.). This interaction incorporates gravitational and Yang-Mills interactions of massless higher-spin fields, which turn out to be consistent in the cubic order. An essential novel feature of the gravitational higher-spin interaction is its non-analyticity in the cosmological constant. An explicit form is found for deformed higher-spin gauge transformations leaving the action invariant.

A designated centre for people with disabilities operated by Sunbeam House Services Ltd, Wicklow

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Muller, Ueli C

2011-04-07

Abstract Background The International Multi-centre ADHD Genetics (IMAGE) project with 11 participating centres from 7 European countries and Israel has collected a large behavioural and genetic database for present and future research. Behavioural data were collected from 1068 probands with the combined type of attention deficit\\/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD-CT) and 1446 \\'unselected\\' siblings. The aim was to analyse the IMAGE sample with respect to demographic features (gender, age, family status, and recruiting centres) and psychopathological characteristics (diagnostic subtype, symptom frequencies, age at symptom detection, and comorbidities). A particular focus was on the effects of the study design and the diagnostic procedure on the homogeneity of the sample in terms of symptom-based behavioural data, and potential consequences for further analyses based on these data. Methods Diagnosis was based on the Parental Account of Childhood Symptoms (PACS) interview and the DSM-IV items of the Conners\\' teacher questionnaire. Demographics of the full sample and the homogeneity of a subsample (all probands) were analysed by using robust statistical procedures which were adjusted for unequal sample sizes and skewed distributions. These procedures included multi-way analyses based on trimmed means and winsorised variances as well as bootstrapping. Results Age and proband\\/sibling ratios differed between participating centres. There was no significant difference in the distribution of gender between centres. There was a significant interaction between age and centre for number of inattentive, but not number of hyperactive symptoms. Higher ADHD symptom frequencies were reported by parents than teachers. The diagnostic symptoms differed from each other in their frequencies. The face-to-face interview was more sensitive than the questionnaire. The differentiation between ADHD-CT probands and unaffected siblings was mainly due to differences in hyperactive

Influence of face-centered-cubic texturing of Co2Fe6B2 pinned layer on tunneling magnetoresistance ratio decrease in Co2Fe6B2/MgO-based p-MTJ spin valves stacked with a [Co/Pd](n)-SyAF layer.

Science.gov (United States)

Takemura, Yasutaka; Lee, Du-Yeong; Lee, Seung-Eun; Chae, Kyo-Suk; Shim, Tae-Hun; Lian, Guoda; Kim, Moon; Park, Jea-Gun

2015-05-15

The TMR ratio of Co2Fe6B2/MgO-based p-MTJ spin valves stacked with a [Co/Pd]n-SyAF layer decreased rapidly when the ex situ magnetic annealing temperature (Tex) was increased from 275 to 325 °C, and this decrease was associated with degradation of the Co2Fe6B2 pinned layer rather than the Co2Fe6B2 free layer. At a Tex above 325 °C the amorphous Co2Fe6B2 pinned layer was transformed into a face-centered-cubic (fcc) crystalline layer textured from [Co/Pd]n-SyAF, abruptly reducing the Δ1 coherence tunneling of perpendicular-spin-torque electrons between the (100) MgO tunneling barrier and the fcc Co2Fe6B2 pinned layer.

Cationic Phospholipids Forming Cubic Phases: Lipoplex Structure and Transfection Efficiency

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koynova, Rumiana; Wang, Li; MacDonald, Robert C. (NWU)

2008-10-29

The transfection activity and the phase behavior of two novel cationic O-alkyl-phosphatidylcholines, 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-hexylphosphocholine (C6-DOPC) and 1,2-dierucoyl-sn-glycero-3-ethylphosphocholine (di22:1-EPC), have been examined with the aim of more completely understanding the mechanism of lipid-mediated DNA delivery. Both lipids form cubic phases: C6-DOPC in the entire temperature range from -10 to 90 C, while di22:1-EPC exhibits an irreversible lamellar-cubic transition between 50 and 70 C on heating. The lipoplexes formed by C6-DOPC arrange into hexagonal phase, while the lipoplexes of di22:1-EPC are lamellar. Both lipids exhibit lower transfection activity than the lamellar-forming 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-ethylphosphocholine (EDOPC). Thus, for the studied cationic phospholipid-DNA systems, the lipoplex phase state is a factor that does not seem to correlate with transfection activity. The parameter that exhibits better correlation with the transfection activity within the present data set is the phase state of the lipid dispersion prior to the addition of DNA. Thus, the lamellar lipid dispersion (EDOPC) produces more efficient lipoplexes than the dispersion with coexisting lamellar and cubic aggregates (diC22:1-EPC), which is even more efficient than the purely cubic dispersions (C6-DOPC; diC22:1-EPC after heating). It could be inferred from these data and from previous research that cubic phase lipid aggregates are unlikely to be beneficial to transfection. The lack of correlation between the phase state of lipoplexes and their transfection activity observed within the present data set does not mean that lipid phase state is generally unimportant for lipofection: a viewpoint now emerging from our previous studies is that the critical factor in lipid-mediated transfection is the structural evolution of lipoplexes within the cell, upon interacting and mixing with cellular lipids.

Cationic phospholipids forming cubic phases: lipoplex structure and transfection efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Koynova, Rumiana; Wang, Li; Macdonald, Robert C

2008-01-01

The transfection activity and the phase behavior of two novel cationic O-alkyl-phosphatidylcholines, 1,2-dioleoyl- sn-glycero-3-hexylphosphocholine (C6-DOPC) and 1,2-dierucoyl- sn-glycero-3-ethylphosphocholine (di22:1-EPC), have been examined with the aim of more completely understanding the mechanism of lipid-mediated DNA delivery. Both lipids form cubic phases: C6-DOPC in the entire temperature range from -10 to 90 degrees C, while di22:1-EPC exhibits an irreversible lamellar-cubic transition between 50 and 70 degrees C on heating. The lipoplexes formed by C6-DOPC arrange into hexagonal phase, while the lipoplexes of di22:1-EPC are lamellar. Both lipids exhibit lower transfection activity than the lamellar-forming 1,2-dioleoyl- sn-glycero-3-ethylphosphocholine (EDOPC). Thus, for the studied cationic phospholipid-DNA systems, the lipoplex phase state is a factor that does not seem to correlate with transfection activity. The parameter that exhibits better correlation with the transfection activity within the present data set is the phase state of the lipid dispersion prior to the addition of DNA. Thus, the lamellar lipid dispersion (EDOPC) produces more efficient lipoplexes than the dispersion with coexisting lamellar and cubic aggregates (diC22:1-EPC), which is even more efficient than the purely cubic dispersions (C6-DOPC; diC22:1-EPC after heating). It could be inferred from these data and from previous research that cubic phase lipid aggregates are unlikely to be beneficial to transfection. The lack of correlation between the phase state of lipoplexes and their transfection activity observed within the present data set does not mean that lipid phase state is generally unimportant for lipofection: a viewpoint now emerging from our previous studies is that the critical factor in lipid-mediated transfection is the structural evolution of lipoplexes within the cell, upon interacting and mixing with cellular lipids.

Cubic AlGaN/GaN structures for device application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schoermann, Joerg

2007-05-15

The aim of this work was the growth and the characterization of cubic GaN, cubic AlGaN/GaN heterostructures and cubic AlN/GaN superlattice structures. Reduction of the surface and interface roughness was the key issue to show the potential for the use of cubic nitrides in futur devices. All structures were grown by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy on free standing 3C-SiC (001) substrates. In situ reflection high energy electron diffraction was first investigated to determine the Ga coverage of c-GaN during growth. Using the intensity of the electron beam as a probe, optimum growth conditions were found when a 1 monolayer coverage is formed at the surface. GaN samples grown under these conditions reveal excellent structural properties. On top of the c-GaN buffer c-AlGaN/GaN single and multiple quantum wells were deposited. The well widths ranged from 2.5 to 7.5 nm. During growth of Al{sub 0.15}Ga{sub 0.85}N/GaN quantum wells clear reflection high energy electron diffraction oscillations were observed indicating a two dimensional growth mode. We observed strong room-temperature, ultraviolet photoluminescence at about 3.3 eV with a minimum linewidth of 90 meV. The peak energy of the emission versus well width is reproduced by a square-well Poisson- Schroedinger model calculation. We found that piezoelectric effects are absent in c-III nitrides with a (001) growth direction. Intersubband transition in the wavelength range from 1.6 {mu}m to 2.1 {mu}m was systematically investigated in AlN/GaN superlattices (SL), grown on 100 nm thick c-GaN buffer layers. The SLs consisted of 20 periods of GaN wells with a thickness between 1.5 nm and 2.1 nm and AlN barriers with a thickness of 1.35 nm. The first intersubband transitions were observed in metastable cubic III nitride structures in the range between 1.6 {mu}m and 2.1 {mu}m. (orig.)

Laboratory 3.0: Manufacturing technologies laboratory virtualization with a student-centred methodology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Albert Fabregat-Sanjuan

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a blended-learning strategy for improving the teaching method applied in the laboratory subject Manufacturing Technologies. The teaching method has been changed from a predominantly teacher-centred to an active learning system with a student-centred focus and e-learning activities. In face-to-face classes, a game-based learning platform has been used. This methodology ensured engaging classes at the same time that provided a useful live feedback for students and teachers. The virtualization of the laboratory was achieved by two different e-learning activities, self-assessment tasks and video clips. These e-learning tools have been used not only to improve the students’ learning but also to enhance their motivation. The results from academic outputs show a significant improvement after the new blended learning method is applied. Moreover, a student satisfaction survey shows the positive impact of the methodology on the students’ engagement and motivation.

Designing Patient-facing Health Information Technologies for the Outpatient Settings: A Literature Review

OpenAIRE

Yushi Yang; Onur Asan

2016-01-01

Introduction: The implementation of health information technologies (HITs) has changed the dynamics of doctor–patient communication in outpatient settings. Designing patient-facing HITs provides patients with easy access to healthcare information during the visit and has the potential to enhance the patient-centred care.   Objectives: The objectives of this study are to systematically review how the designs of patient-facing HITs have been suggested and evaluated, and how they may pot...

The velodrome of the World Cycling Centre at Aigle, Switzerland; Centre mondial du cyclisme a Aigle. Gonfle, le velodrome

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giovanna, S.

2002-07-01

This article presents the construction and the architecture of the new World Cycling Centre in Aigle, Switzerland, near Lausanne. The Centre includes an indoor velodrome, a hall for gymnastics and an administrative building. The wooden cycling ring is 200 m long. The velodrome roof is the most challenging part of the construction. It is made of a double inflated translucid PVC membrane supported by a three dimensional metallic structure, which also supports the space heating system as well as the electric lighting system. The roof translucency insures comfortable daylighting. The space heating system, operated with natural gas, is running completely quiet and allows a good control of indoor air humidity. The various zones in the building have individual heat emission devices and controllers, according to specific indoor climate requirements.

On the number of longest and almost longest cycles in cubic graphs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chia, Gek Ling; Thomassen, Carsten

2012-01-01

We consider the questions: How many longest cycles must a cubic graph have, and how many may it have? For each k >= 2 there are infinitely many p such that there is a cubic graph with p vertices and precisely one longest cycle of length p-k. On the other hand, if G is a graph with p vertices, all...

CubiCal - Fast radio interferometric calibration suite exploiting complex optimisation

Science.gov (United States)

Kenyon, J. S.; Smirnov, O. M.; Grobler, T. L.; Perkins, S. J.

2018-05-01

It has recently been shown that radio interferometric gain calibration can be expressed succinctly in the language of complex optimisation. In addition to providing an elegant framework for further development, it exposes properties of the calibration problem which can be exploited to accelerate traditional non-linear least squares solvers such as Gauss-Newton and Levenberg-Marquardt. We extend existing derivations to chains of Jones terms: products of several gains which model different aberrant effects. In doing so, we find that the useful properties found in the single term case still hold. We also develop several specialised solvers which deal with complex gains parameterised by real values. The newly developed solvers have been implemented in a Python package called CubiCal, which uses a combination of Cython, multiprocessing and shared memory to leverage the power of modern hardware. We apply CubiCal to both simulated and real data, and perform both direction-independent and direction-dependent self-calibration. Finally, we present the results of some rudimentary profiling to show that CubiCal is competitive with respect to existing calibration tools such as MeqTrees.

Highly Aminated Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles with Cubic Pore Structure

KAUST Repository

Suteewong, Teeraporn; Sai, Hiroaki; Cohen, Roy; Wang, Suntao; Bradbury, Michelle; Baird, Barbara; Gruner, Sol M.; Wiesner, Ulrich

2011-01-01

Mesoporous silica with cubic symmetry has attracted interest from researchers for some time. Here, we present the room temperature synthesis of mesoporous silica nanoparticles possessing cubic Pm3n symmetry with very high molar ratios (>50%) of 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane. The synthesis is robust allowing, for example, co-condensation of organic dyes without loss of structure. By means of pore expander molecules, the pore size can be enlarged from 2.7 to 5 nm, while particle size decreases. Adding pore expander and co-condensing fluorescent dyes in the same synthesis reduces average particle size further down to 100 nm. After PEGylation, such fluorescent aminated mesoporous silica nanoparticles are spontaneously taken up by cells as demonstrated by fluorescence microscopy.

Highly Aminated Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles with Cubic Pore Structure

KAUST Repository

Suteewong, Teeraporn

2011-01-19

Mesoporous silica with cubic symmetry has attracted interest from researchers for some time. Here, we present the room temperature synthesis of mesoporous silica nanoparticles possessing cubic Pm3n symmetry with very high molar ratios (>50%) of 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane. The synthesis is robust allowing, for example, co-condensation of organic dyes without loss of structure. By means of pore expander molecules, the pore size can be enlarged from 2.7 to 5 nm, while particle size decreases. Adding pore expander and co-condensing fluorescent dyes in the same synthesis reduces average particle size further down to 100 nm. After PEGylation, such fluorescent aminated mesoporous silica nanoparticles are spontaneously taken up by cells as demonstrated by fluorescence microscopy.

Health Professionals Facing Suicidal Patients: What Are Their Clinical Practices?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Inês Rothes

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Clinical work with suicidal people is a demanding area. Little is known about health professionals’ practices when faced with suicidal patients. The aims of this study were to: (1 describe the practices most likely to be adopted by professionals facing a suicidal patient and (2 analyze the differences according to professional characteristics (group, specific training on suicide, and experience with suicidal patients. A self-report questionnaire that was developed for this study was filled out by 239 participants. Participants were psychologists, psychiatrists, and general practitioners who work in different contexts: hospitals, public health centres, schools or colleges, and community centres. Principal components analysis, analyses of variance, and t-tests were used. Four components were identified: (1 Comprehensive risk assessment; (2 protocols, psychotherapy and connectedness; (3 multidisciplinary clinical approach; and, (4 family, explaining a total of variance of 44%. Positive associations between suicide-related variables (training and experience and practices were found. In general, health professionals’ practices are evidence-based, however a relevant percentage of professionals can benefit from training and improve their practices.

Woman-centred care during pregnancy and birth in Ireland: thematic analysis of women's and clinicians' experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Hunter, Andrew; Devane, Declan; Houghton, Catherine; Grealish, Annmarie; Tully, Agnes; Smith, Valerie

2017-09-25

Recent policy and service provision recommends a woman-centred approach to maternity care. Midwife-led models of care are seen as one important strategy for enhancing women's choice; a core element of woman-centred care. In the Republic of Ireland, an obstetric consultant-led, midwife-managed service model currently predominates and there is limited exploration of the concept of women centred care from the perspectives of those directly involved; that is, women, midwives, general practitioners and obstetricians. This study considers women's and clinicians' views, experiences and perspectives of woman-centred maternity care in Ireland. A descriptive qualitative design. Participants (n = 31) were purposively sampled from two geographically distinct maternity units. Interviews were face-to-face or over the telephone, one-to-one or focus groups. A thematic analysis of the interview data was performed. Five major themes representing women's and clinicians' views, experiences and perspectives of women-centred care emerged from the data. These were Protecting Normality, Education and Decision Making, Continuity, Empowerment for Women-Centred Care and Building Capacity for Women-Centred Care. Within these major themes, sub-themes emerged that reflect key elements of women-centred care. These were respect, partnership in decision making, information sharing, educational impact, continuity of service, staff continuity and availability, genuine choice, promoting women's autonomy, individualized care, staff competency and practice organization. Women centred-care, as perceived by participants in this study, is not routinely provided in Ireland and women subscribe to the dominant culture that views safety as paramount. Women-centred care can best be facilitated through continuity of carer and in particular through midwife led models of care; however, there is potential to provide women-centred care within existing labour wards in terms of consistency of care, education of

Composite pipe to metal joint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leslie, James C.; Leslie, II, James C.; Heard, James; Truong, Liem V.; Josephson, Marvin

2017-06-27

A method for making a metal to composite tube joint including selecting an elongated interior fitting constructed with an exterior barrel, reduced in exterior diameter to form a distally facing annular shoulder and then projecting still further distally to form an interior sleeve having a radially outwardly facing bonding surface. Selecting an elongated metal outer sleeve formed proximally with a collar constructed for receipt over the barrel and increased in interior diameter and projecting distally to form an exterior sleeve having a radially inwardly facing bonding surface cooperating with the first bonding surface to form an annulus receiving an extremity of a composite tube and a bond bonding the extremity of the tube to the bonding surfaces.

[The nurse mobilised in the face of precarity in the rural environment].

Science.gov (United States)

Francès, Pierre

2018-04-01

In the rural environment, faced with people in situations of precarity, the nurse is an ideal partner for health professionals, as a general practitioner working in a centre for emergency housing and social reintegration explains. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The Exact Limit of Some Cubic Towers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Anbar Meidl, Nurdagül; Beelen, Peter; Nguyen, Nhut

2017-01-01

Recently, a new explicit tower of function fields was introduced by Bassa, Beelen, Garcia and Stichtenoth (BBGS). This resulted in currently the best known lower bound for Ihara’s constant in the case of non-prime finite fields. In particular over cubic fields, the tower’s limit is at least as go...

Higher-Order Approximation of Cubic-Quintic Duffing Model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ganji, S. S.; Barari, Amin; Babazadeh, H.

2011-01-01

We apply an Artificial Parameter Lindstedt-Poincaré Method (APL-PM) to find improved approximate solutions for strongly nonlinear Duffing oscillations with cubic-quintic nonlinear restoring force. This approach yields simple linear algebraic equations instead of nonlinear algebraic equations...

Mass-induced instability of SAdS black hole in Einstein-Ricci cubic gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Myung, Yun Soo

2018-05-01

We perform the stability analysis of Schwarzschild-AdS (SAdS) black hole in the Einstein-Ricci cubic gravity. It shows that the Ricci tensor perturbations exhibit unstable modes for small black holes. We call this the mass-induced instability of SAdS black hole because the instability of small black holes arises from the massiveness in the linearized Einstein-Ricci cubic gravity, but not a feature of higher-order derivative theory giving ghost states. Also, we point out that the correlated stability conjecture holds for the SAdS black hole by computing the Wald entropy of SAdS black hole in Einstein-Ricci cubic gravity.

Defect structure of cubic solid solutions of alkaline earth and rare earth fluorides

NARCIS (Netherlands)

DenHartog, HW

1996-01-01

In this paper we will consider the disorder in some cubic solid solutions consisting of one of the alkaline earth fluorides and one of the rare earth fluorides. This is an attractive group of model materials, because these materials have a rather simple overall cubic structure. We will discuss the

(100) faceted anion voids in electron irradiated fluorite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, E.

1979-01-01

High fluence electron irradiation of fluorite crystals in the temperature range 150 to 320 K results in formation of a simple cubic anion void superlattice. Above 320 K the damage structure changes to a random distribution of large [001] faceted anion voids. This voidage behaviour, similar to that observed in a range of irradiated metals, is discussed in terms points defect rather than conventional colour centre terminology. (Auth.)

Nonlinear bias compensation of ZiYuan-3 satellite imagery with cubic splines

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Jinshan; Fu, Jianhong; Yuan, Xiuxiao; Gong, Jianya

2017-11-01

Like many high-resolution satellites such as the ALOS, MOMS-2P, QuickBird, and ZiYuan1-02C satellites, the ZiYuan-3 satellite suffers from different levels of attitude oscillations. As a result of such oscillations, the rational polynomial coefficients (RPCs) obtained using a terrain-independent scenario often have nonlinear biases. In the sensor orientation of ZiYuan-3 imagery based on a rational function model (RFM), these nonlinear biases cannot be effectively compensated by an affine transformation. The sensor orientation accuracy is thereby worse than expected. In order to eliminate the influence of attitude oscillations on the RFM-based sensor orientation, a feasible nonlinear bias compensation approach for ZiYuan-3 imagery with cubic splines is proposed. In this approach, no actual ground control points (GCPs) are required to determine the cubic splines. First, the RPCs are calculated using a three-dimensional virtual control grid generated based on a physical sensor model. Second, one cubic spline is used to model the residual errors of the virtual control points in the row direction and another cubic spline is used to model the residual errors in the column direction. Then, the estimated cubic splines are used to compensate the nonlinear biases in the RPCs. Finally, the affine transformation parameters are used to compensate the residual biases in the RPCs. Three ZiYuan-3 images were tested. The experimental results showed that before the nonlinear bias compensation, the residual errors of the independent check points were nonlinearly biased. Even if the number of GCPs used to determine the affine transformation parameters was increased from 4 to 16, these nonlinear biases could not be effectively compensated. After the nonlinear bias compensation with the estimated cubic splines, the influence of the attitude oscillations could be eliminated. The RFM-based sensor orientation accuracies of the three ZiYuan-3 images reached 0.981 pixels, 0.890 pixels, and 1

Structural study on cubic-tetragonal transition of CH3NH3PbI3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawamura, Yukihiko; Mashiyama, Hiroyuki; Hasebe, Katsuhiko

2002-01-01

The cubic-tetragonal phase transition of CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 was investigated by single crystal X-ray diffractometry. The crystal structure was refined at five temperatures in the tetragonal phase. The PbI 6 octahedron rotates around the c-axis alternatively to construct the SrTiO 3 -type tetragonal structure. A methylammonium ion is partially ordered; 24 disordered states in the cubic phase are reduced to 8. With decreasing temperature, the rotation angle of the octahedron increases monotonically, which indicates it is an order parameter of the cubic-tetragonal transition. (author)

Effects of heavy metals on microbial diversity and bacterial resistance in marine sediments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Toes, A.C.M.

2008-01-01

In North-Western Europe alone more than 200 million cubic meters of contaminated sludge is dredged on an annual basis. Deposition of dredged harbour sediments in relatively undisturbed ecosystems is often considered a viable option, under the assumption that metals are not released into the

Advanced CUBIC protocols for whole-brain and whole-body clearing and imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Susaki, Etsuo A; Tainaka, Kazuki; Perrin, Dimitri; Yukinaga, Hiroko; Kuno, Akihiro; Ueda, Hiroki R

2015-11-01

Here we describe a protocol for advanced CUBIC (Clear, Unobstructed Brain/Body Imaging Cocktails and Computational analysis). The CUBIC protocol enables simple and efficient organ clearing, rapid imaging by light-sheet microscopy and quantitative imaging analysis of multiple samples. The organ or body is cleared by immersion for 1-14 d, with the exact time required dependent on the sample type and the experimental purposes. A single imaging set can be completed in 30-60 min. Image processing and analysis can take whole-brain neural activities at single-cell resolution using Arc-dVenus transgenic (Tg) mice. CUBIC informatics calculated the Venus signal subtraction, comparing different brains at a whole-organ scale. These protocols provide a platform for organism-level systems biology by comprehensively detecting cells in a whole organ or body.

Extrême-Orient | Page 187 | CRDI - Centre de recherches pour le ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Le commerce électronique en Asie retient beaucoup l'attention en raison de la prolifération des connexions Internet et des technologies connexes dans la région. Face à cette tendance, le Centre de recherches pour le développement international ( CRDI ) a commandé quatre études sur les divers aspects économiques, ...

Testing a generalized cubic Galileon gravity model with the Coma Cluster

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Terukina, Ayumu; Yamamoto, Kazuhiro; Okabe, Nobuhiro [Department of Physical Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8526 (Japan); Matsushita, Kyoko; Sasaki, Toru, E-mail: telkina@theo.phys.sci.hiroshima-u.ac.jp, E-mail: kazuhiro@hiroshima-u.ac.jp, E-mail: okabe@hiroshima-u.ac.jp, E-mail: matusita@rs.kagu.tus.ac.jp, E-mail: j1213703@ed.tus.ac.jp [Department of Physics, Tokyo University of Science, 1-3 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8601 (Japan)

2015-10-01

We obtain a constraint on the parameters of a generalized cubic Galileon gravity model exhibiting the Vainshtein mechanism by using multi-wavelength observations of the Coma Cluster. The generalized cubic Galileon model is characterized by three parameters of the turning scale associated with the Vainshtein mechanism, and the amplitude of modifying a gravitational potential and a lensing potential. X-ray and Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) observations of the intra-cluster medium are sensitive to the gravitational potential, while the weak-lensing (WL) measurement is specified by the lensing potential. A joint fit of a complementary multi-wavelength dataset of X-ray, SZ and WL measurements enables us to simultaneously constrain these three parameters of the generalized cubic Galileon model for the first time. We also find a degeneracy between the cluster mass parameters and the gravitational modification parameters, which is influential in the limit of the weak screening of the fifth force.

Tetragonal CuO: End member of the 3d transition metal monoxides

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Siemons, W.; Koster, Gertjan; Blank, David H.A.; Hammond, Robert H.; Geballe, Theodore H.; Beasley, Malcolm R.

2009-01-01

Monoclinic CuO is anomalous both structurally as well as electronically in the 3d transition metal oxide series. All the others have the cubic rocksalt structure. Here we report the synthesis and electronic property determination of a tetragonal (elongated rocksalt) form of CuO created using an

Sublimation-Induced Shape Evolution of Silver Cubes

KAUST Repository

Ding, Yong

2009-12-18

The heat is on: Surface sublimation and shape transformation of silver cubes, enclosed by {100} surfaces and about 100nm in size, are examined by in situ transmission electron microscopy (see picture). High-index surfaces, such as {110}, of face-centered cubic metals are more stable when the temperature is close to the melting point.

Hardness and thermal stability of cubic silicon nitride

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jiang, Jianzhong; Kragh, Flemming; Frost, D. J.

2001-01-01

The hardness and thermal stability of cubic spinel silicon nitride (c-Si3N4), synthesized under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions, have been studied by microindentation measurements, and x-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, respectively The phase at ambient...

Unusually large unit cell of lipid bicontinuous cubic phase: towards nature's length scales

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hojun; Leal, Cecilia

Lipid bicontinuous cubic phases are of great interest for drug delivery, protein crystallization, biosensing, and templates for directing hard material assembly. Structural modulations of lipid mesophases regarding phase identity and unit cell size are often necessary to augment loading and gain pore size control. One important example is the need for unit cells large enough to guide the crystallization of bigger proteins without distortion of the templating phase. In nature, bicontinuous cubic constructs achieve unit cell dimensions as high as 300 nm. However, the largest unit cell of lipid mesophases synthesized in the lab is an order of magnitude lower. In fact, it has been predicted theoretically that lipid bicontinuous cubic phases of unit cell dimensions exceeding 30 nm could not exist, as high membrane fluctuations would damp liquid crystalline order. Here we report non-equilibrium assembly methods of synthesizing metastable bicontinuous cubic phases with unit cell dimensions as high as 70 nm. The phases are stable for very long periods and become increasingly ordered as time goes by without changes to unit cell dimensions. We acknowledge the funding source as a NIH.

Exact optical solitons in (n + 1)-dimensions with anti-cubic nonlinearity

Science.gov (United States)

Younis, Muhammad; Shahid, Iram; Anbreen, Sumaira; Rizvi, Syed Tahir Raza

2018-02-01

The paper studies the propagation of optical solitons in (n + 1)-dimensions under anti-cubic law of nonlinearity. The bright, dark and singular optical solitons are extracted using the extended trial equation method. The constraint conditions, for the existence of these solitons, are also listed. Additionally, a couple of other solutions known as singular periodic and Jacobi elliptic solutions, fall out as a by-product of this scheme. The obtained results are new and reported first time in (n + 1)-dimensions with anti-cubic law of nonlinearity.

Can You Hear Me Now? Staff-Parent Communication in Child Care Centres

Science.gov (United States)

Reedy, Cindy Kennedy; McGrath, Wendy Hobbins

2010-01-01

Supporting the growth and development of young children through effective communication with parents is one of the greatest challenges of the twenty-first century facing early childhood and special educators. This article examines adult communication in child care centres through data gathered via a mixed-method study of child care directors'…

The Asylum Centre as “Just Another Local Institution”

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Birgitte Romme

2019-01-01

This article investigates everyday practices of co-residency and ‘institutional neighbourliness’ amongst asylum seekers and local inhabitants in the small Danish town of Jelling. Where asylum centres in Denmark are sometimes faced with local opposition and are often isolated from nearby settlements...... an ethnographic exploration of how over time and outside of an urban, cosmopolitan setting processes of multiethnic co-residency are shaped, interacted, and narrated, through everyday physical meetings in public space. The article shows how local cultural history proves paramount for understanding the present......-day migratory encounter and outcome in Jelling in its complexity, including the mundane neighbourly routines and pragmatic workings through which the institutions of ‘the local community’ and ‘the asylum centre’ have spatially and socially merged. Today the asylum centre has become “just another local...

Dry Powder Precursors of Cubic Liquid Crystalline Nanoparticles (cubosomes)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spicer, Patrick T.; Small, William B.; Small, William B.; Lynch, Matthew L.; Burns, Janet L.

2002-01-01

Cubosomes are dispersed nanostructured particles of cubic phase liquid crystal that have stimulated significant research interest because of their potential for application in controlled-release and drug delivery. Despite the interest, cubosomes can be difficult to fabricate and stabilize with current methods. Most of the current work is limited to liquid phase processes involving high shear dispersion of bulk cubic liquid crystalline material into sub-micron particles, limiting application flexibility. In this work, two types of dry powder cubosome precursors are produced by spray-drying: (1) starch-encapsulated monoolein is produced by spray-drying a dispersion of cubic liquid crystalline particles in an aqueous starch solution and (2) dextran-encapsulated monoolein is produced by spray-drying an emulsion formed by the ethanol-dextran-monoolein-water system. The encapsulants are used to decrease powder cohesion during drying and to act as a soluble colloidal stabilizer upon hydration of the powders. Both powders are shown to form (on average) 0.6 μm colloidally-stable cubosomes upon addition to water. However, the starch powders have a broader particle size distribution than the dextran powders because of the relative ease of spraying emulsions versus dispersions. The developed processes enable the production of nanostructured cubosomes by end-users rather than just specialized researchers and allow tailoring of the surface state of the cubosomes for broader application

Climate Resilient Analysis of the Groningen City Centre

OpenAIRE

RIERA PÉREZ, ALFREDO

2017-01-01

Trabajo fin de grado modalidad intercambios académicos-movilidad (Hanzehogeschool of Groningen, The Netherlands) [EN] The focus of this project is the heat stress and thermal comfort in the centre city of Groningen around the Grote Markt. This is not only hugely important historical and cultural area but is also part of a larger redevelopment zone for improving the public space. The main goal of the research was to explain how the urban environment can be adapted to face the problem of...

MINT Incineration and Renewable Energy Centre - experience and challenge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohamad Puad Abu

2005-01-01

MIREC is the acronym for MINT Incineration and Renewable Energy Centre which was established in the year 2000 to carry out research and provide services on matters related to incineration technology and renewable energy. Throughout this period, many challenges and experiences has been faced by MIREC. Three research contracts with the value of nearly RM 1 million have been signed. Four laboratory scale burners have been designed and fabricated. Three mathematical models have been developed. Three programs on enhancement image have been published. Three papers have been published in the international journal. In order to achieve all these, many obstacles were faced by MIREC. This paper will discuss on the experiences and challenges that could be shared together with MINT staff. (Author)

Curvature and bottlenecks control molecular transport in inverse bicontinuous cubic phases

Science.gov (United States)

Assenza, Salvatore; Mezzenga, Raffaele

2018-02-01

We perform a simulation study of the diffusion of small solutes in the confined domains imposed by inverse bicontinuous cubic phases for the primitive, diamond, and gyroid symmetries common to many lipid/water mesophase systems employed in experiments. For large diffusing domains, the long-time diffusion coefficient shows universal features when the size of the confining domain is renormalized by the Gaussian curvature of the triply periodic minimal surface. When bottlenecks are widely present, they become the most relevant factor for transport, regardless of the connectivity of the cubic phase.

Specific heat of the simple-cubic Ising model

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Feng, X.; Blöte, H.W.J.

2010-01-01

We provide an expression quantitatively describing the specific heat of the Ising model on the simple-cubic lattice in the critical region. This expression is based on finite-size scaling of numerical results obtained by means of a Monte Carlo method. It agrees satisfactorily with series expansions

Cathodoluminescence of cubic boron nitride

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tkachev, V.D.; Shipilo, V.B.; Zajtsev, A.M.

1985-01-01

Three optically active defects are detected in mono- and polycrystal cubic boron nitride (β-BN). Analysis of intensity of temperature dependences, halfwidth and energy shift of 1.76 eV narrow phononless line (center GC-1) makes it possible to interprete the observed cathodoluminescence spectra an optical analog of the Moessbaner effect. Comparison of the obtained results with the known data for diamond monocrystals makes it possible to suggest that the detected center GC-1 is a nitrogen vacancy . The conclusion, concerning the Moessbauer optical spectra application, is made to analyze structural perfection of β-BN crystal lattice

C2-rational cubic spline involving tension parameters

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

preferred which preserves some of the characteristics of the function to be interpolated. In order to tackle such ... Shape preserving properties of the rational (cubic/quadratic) spline interpolant have been studied ... tension parameters which is used to interpolate the given monotonic data is described in. [6]. Shape preserving ...

Des semences pour vivre | CRDI - Centre de recherches pour le ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

12 juil. 2011 ... Partout au Canada, le marché des aliments biologiques ne cesse de croître, ... du Centre de recherches pour le développement international (CRDI) et d'Inter ... des variétés de semences et des modes de culture traditionnels, face à ... La protection de l'accès à l'eau contre les effets de l'étalement urbain et ...

Out- versus in-plane magnetic anisotropy of free Fe and Co nanocrystals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Dongzhe; Barreteau, Cyrille; Castell, Martin R.

2014-01-01

We report tight-binding and density functional theory calculations of magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy (MAE) of free Fe (body-centered-cubic) and Co (face-centered-cubic) slabs and nanocrystals. The nanocrystals are truncated square pyramids which can be grown experimentally by deposition...... of metal on a SrTiO3(001) substrate. For both elements our local analysis shows that the totalMAE of the nanocrystals is largely dominated by the contribution of (001) facets. However, while the easy axis of Fe(001) is out-of-plane, it is in-plane for Co(001). This has direct consequences on the magnetic...

Thermodynamic assessment of the La-Fe-O system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Povoden-Karadeniz, E.; Grundy, A.N.; Chen, Ming

2009-01-01

The La-Fe and the La-Fe-O systems are assessed using the Calphad approach, and the Gibbs energy functions of ternary oxides are presented. Oxygen and mutual La and Fe solubilities in body-centered cubic (bcc) and face-centered cubic (fcc) structured metallic phases are considered in the modeling......-sublattice model for ionic liquids. The calculated La-Fe phase diagram, LaO1.5-FeO x phase diagrams at different oxygen partial pressures, and phase equilibria of the La-Fe-O system at 873, 1073, and 1273 K as a function of oxygen partial pressures are presented....

On the role of interlath retained austenite in the deformation of lath martensite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maresca, F; Kouznetsova, V G; Geers, M G D

2014-01-01

Literature presents extensive experimental evidence of large deformation and ductile fracture behaviour of lath martensite in martensitic and multi-phase high strength steels under quasi-static, uniaxial loading conditions. The physical origin of this apparent ductile behaviour of martensite is not clear, since martensite generally provides a high material strength. The presence of thin films of interlath retained austenite may trigger the observed apparent martensite ductility. The present contribution investigates the role played by interlath retained austenite on the mechanics of lath martensite by means of crystal plasticity simulations. It is shown that independently from the interlath retained austenite volume fraction and the exact lath morphology, localized shearing along the lath habit plane occurs as long as there are enough carriers for plasticity. The austenite film acts like a ‘greasy’ plane on which the stiffer laths can slide. The shearing mechanism is not a mere consequence of the lower flow stress in the austenitic phase, but it is largely due to the orientation relationship between the retained austenite face centred cubic lattice and the body centred cubic lath crystals. (paper)

Study of helium behaviour in body-centered cubic structures for new nuclear reactor generations: experimental approach in well characterized materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorondy-Novak, Sofia Maria

2017-01-01

The presence of helium produced during the operation of future fast reactors and fusion reactors in core structural materials induces a deterioration of their mechanical properties (hardening, swelling, embrittlement). In order to pursue the development of the metallic structural alloys, it is necessary to comprehend the He interaction with the metal lattice thus the point in common is the study of the metallic components with body-centered cubic structure (bcc) of future alloys, such as iron and/or vanadium. Ion implantation of ions "4He was employed with the aim of simulating the damaging effects associated with the helium accumulation, the point defects' creation (vacancies, self-interstitials) and the He cluster formation in future reactors. Helium evolution in pure iron and pure vanadium has been revealed from the point of view of the trapping sites' nature and well as the helium migration mechanisms and the nucleation/growth of bubbles. These phenomena were studied by coupling different complementary techniques. Despite of the fact that some mechanisms involved seem to be similar for both bcc metals, the comparison between the helium behavior in iron and vanadium shows certain differences. Microstructural defects, including grain boundaries and implanted helium concentration (dose) in both bcc metals will play significant roles on the helium behavior at high temperature. The acquired experimental data coupled with simulation methods contribute to the future development in terms of kinetic and thermodynamic data management of helium behavior in the metal components of the alloys of nuclear interest. (author) [fr

Plasma deposition of cubic boron nitride films from non-toxic material at low temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karim, M.Z.; Cameron, D.C.; Murphy, M.J.; Hashmi, M.S.J.

1991-01-01

Boron nitride has become the focus of a considerable amount of interest because of its properties which relate closely to those of carbon. In particular, the cubic nitride phase has extreme hardness and very high thermal conductivity similar to the properties of diamond. The conventional methods of synthesis use the highly toxic and inflammable gas diborane (B 2 H 6 ) as the reactant material. A study has been made of the deposition of thin films of boron nitride (BN) using non-toxic material by the plasma-assisted chemical vapour deposition technique. The source material was borane-ammonia (BH 3 -NH 3 ) which is a crystalline solid at room temperature with a high vapour pressure. The BH 3 -NH 3 vapour was decomposed in a 13.56 MHz nitrogen plasma coupled either inductively or capacitively with the system. The composition of the films was assessed by measuring their IR absorption when deposited on silicon and KBr substrates. The hexagonal (graphitic) and cubic (diamond-like) allotropes can be distinguished by their characteristic absorption bands which occur at 1365 and 780 cm -1 (hexagonal) and 1070 cm -1 (cubic). We have deposited BN films consisting of a mixture of hexagonal and cubic phases; the relative content of the cubic phase was found to be directly dependent on r.f. power and substrate bias. (orig.)

Growth of PbTe nanorods controlled by polymerized tellurium anions and metal(II) amides via composite-hydroxide-mediated approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wan Buyong; Hu Chenguo; Liu Hong; Xiong Yufeng; Li Feiyun; Xi Yi; He Xiaoshan

2009-01-01

The pure face-centered-cubic PbTe nanorods have been synthesized by the composite-hydroxide-mediated approach using hydrazine as a reducing agent. The method is based on reaction among reactants in the melts of potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide eutectic at 170-220 deg. C and normal atmosphere without using any organic dispersant or surface-capping agent. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used to characterize the structure, morphology and composition of the samples. The diameters of nanorods are almost fixed, while the lengths can be tunable under different growth time and temperatures. The growth mechanism of PbTe nanorods is investigated via UV-vis absorption, demonstrating that polymerized tellurium anions and metal(II) amides in the hydrazine hydroxide melts could control the crystallization and growth process of PbTe nanostructures. The band gap of as-synthesized PbTe nanorods has been calculated based on UV-vis-NIR optical diffuse reflectance spectra data.

Growth of PbTe nanorods controlled by polymerized tellurium anions and metal(II) amides via composite-hydroxide-mediated approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wan Buyong [Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, 174 Shapingba Street, Chongqing 400044 (China); College of Physics and Information Technology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 400047 (China); Hu Chenguo, E-mail: hucg@cqu.edu.cn [Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, 174 Shapingba Street, Chongqing 400044 (China); Liu Hong [State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan 250100 (China); Xiong Yufeng [National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100080 (China); Li Feiyun; Xi Yi; He Xiaoshan [Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, 174 Shapingba Street, Chongqing 400044 (China)

2009-09-15

The pure face-centered-cubic PbTe nanorods have been synthesized by the composite-hydroxide-mediated approach using hydrazine as a reducing agent. The method is based on reaction among reactants in the melts of potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide eutectic at 170-220 deg. C and normal atmosphere without using any organic dispersant or surface-capping agent. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used to characterize the structure, morphology and composition of the samples. The diameters of nanorods are almost fixed, while the lengths can be tunable under different growth time and temperatures. The growth mechanism of PbTe nanorods is investigated via UV-vis absorption, demonstrating that polymerized tellurium anions and metal(II) amides in the hydrazine hydroxide melts could control the crystallization and growth process of PbTe nanostructures. The band gap of as-synthesized PbTe nanorods has been calculated based on UV-vis-NIR optical diffuse reflectance spectra data.

Structural and magnetic properties of Ba2LuMoO6: a valence bond glass.

Science.gov (United States)

Coomer, Fiona C; Cussen, Edmund J

2013-02-27

We report here the synthesis of the site ordered double perovskite Ba(2)LuMoO(6). Rietveld refinement of room temperature powder x-ray diffraction measurements indicates that it crystallizes in the cubic space group Fm3m, with a = 8.3265(1) Å. Powder neutron diffraction data indicate that, unusually, this cubic symmetry is maintained down to 2 K, with [Formula: see text], Mo(5+) ions situated on the frustrated face-centred cubic lattice. Despite dc-susceptibility measurements showing Curie-Weiss behaviour with strong antiferromagnetic interactions at T ≥ 200 K, there is no evidence of long range magnetic ordering at 2 K. At T ≤ 50 K, susceptibility measurements indicate a loss in moment to ∼18% of the expected value, and there is a corresponding loss in the magnitude of the magnetic exchange. The structural and magnetic properties of this compound are compared with the related compound Ba(2)YMoO(6), which is a valence bond glass.

Blending online techniques with traditional face to face teaching methods to deliver final year undergraduate radiology learning content

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Howlett, David, E-mail: david.howlett@esht.nhs.uk [Department of Radiology, Eastbourne District General Hospital, Kings Drive, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 2UD (United Kingdom); Vincent, Tim [Department of IT, Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) (United Kingdom); Watson, Gillian; Owens, Emma [Department of Radiology, Eastbourne District General Hospital, Kings Drive, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 2UD (United Kingdom); Webb, Richard; Gainsborough, Nicola [Department of Medicine, Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton (United Kingdom); Fairclough, Jil [Department of IT, Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) (United Kingdom); Taylor, Nick [Department of Medical Illustration, Eastbourne District General Hospital (United Kingdom); Miles, Ken [Department of Imaging, BSMS (United Kingdom); Cohen, Jon [Department of Infectious Diseases, BSMS (United Kingdom); Vincent, Richard [Department of Cardiology, BSMS (United Kingdom)

2011-06-15

Aim: To review the initial experience of blending a variety of online educational techniques with traditional face to face or contact-based teaching methods to deliver final year undergraduate radiology content at a UK Medical School. Materials and methods: The Brighton and Sussex Medical School opened in 2003 and offers a 5-year undergraduate programme, with the final 5 spent in several regional centres. Year 5 involves several core clinical specialities with onsite radiology teaching provided at regional centres in the form of small-group tutorials, imaging seminars and also a one-day course. An online educational module was introduced in 2007 to facilitate equitable delivery of the year 5 curriculum between the regional centres and to support students on placement. This module had a strong radiological emphasis, with a combination of imaging integrated into clinical cases to reflect everyday practice and also dedicated radiology cases. For the second cohort of year 5 students in 2008 two additional online media-rich initiatives were introduced, to complement the online module, comprising imaging tutorials and an online case discussion room. Results: In the first year for the 2007/2008 cohort, 490 cases were written, edited and delivered via the Medical School managed learning environment as part of the online module. 253 cases contained a form of image media, of which 195 cases had a radiological component with a total of 325 radiology images. Important aspects of radiology practice (e.g. consent, patient safety, contrast toxicity, ionising radiation) were also covered. There were 274,000 student hits on cases the first year, with students completing a mean of 169 cases each. High levels of student satisfaction were recorded in relation to the online module and also additional online radiology teaching initiatives. Conclusion: Online educational techniques can be effectively blended with other forms of teaching to allow successful undergraduate delivery of

Blending online techniques with traditional face to face teaching methods to deliver final year undergraduate radiology learning content

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Howlett, David; Vincent, Tim; Watson, Gillian; Owens, Emma; Webb, Richard; Gainsborough, Nicola; Fairclough, Jil; Taylor, Nick; Miles, Ken; Cohen, Jon; Vincent, Richard

2011-01-01

Aim: To review the initial experience of blending a variety of online educational techniques with traditional face to face or contact-based teaching methods to deliver final year undergraduate radiology content at a UK Medical School. Materials and methods: The Brighton and Sussex Medical School opened in 2003 and offers a 5-year undergraduate programme, with the final 5 spent in several regional centres. Year 5 involves several core clinical specialities with onsite radiology teaching provided at regional centres in the form of small-group tutorials, imaging seminars and also a one-day course. An online educational module was introduced in 2007 to facilitate equitable delivery of the year 5 curriculum between the regional centres and to support students on placement. This module had a strong radiological emphasis, with a combination of imaging integrated into clinical cases to reflect everyday practice and also dedicated radiology cases. For the second cohort of year 5 students in 2008 two additional online media-rich initiatives were introduced, to complement the online module, comprising imaging tutorials and an online case discussion room. Results: In the first year for the 2007/2008 cohort, 490 cases were written, edited and delivered via the Medical School managed learning environment as part of the online module. 253 cases contained a form of image media, of which 195 cases had a radiological component with a total of 325 radiology images. Important aspects of radiology practice (e.g. consent, patient safety, contrast toxicity, ionising radiation) were also covered. There were 274,000 student hits on cases the first year, with students completing a mean of 169 cases each. High levels of student satisfaction were recorded in relation to the online module and also additional online radiology teaching initiatives. Conclusion: Online educational techniques can be effectively blended with other forms of teaching to allow successful undergraduate delivery of

Blending online techniques with traditional face to face teaching methods to deliver final year undergraduate radiology learning content.

Science.gov (United States)

Howlett, David; Vincent, Tim; Watson, Gillian; Owens, Emma; Webb, Richard; Gainsborough, Nicola; Fairclough, Jil; Taylor, Nick; Miles, Ken; Cohen, Jon; Vincent, Richard

2011-06-01

To review the initial experience of blending a variety of online educational techniques with traditional face to face or contact-based teaching methods to deliver final year undergraduate radiology content at a UK Medical School. The Brighton and Sussex Medical School opened in 2003 and offers a 5-year undergraduate programme, with the final 5 spent in several regional centres. Year 5 involves several core clinical specialities with onsite radiology teaching provided at regional centres in the form of small-group tutorials, imaging seminars and also a one-day course. An online educational module was introduced in 2007 to facilitate equitable delivery of the year 5 curriculum between the regional centres and to support students on placement. This module had a strong radiological emphasis, with a combination of imaging integrated into clinical cases to reflect everyday practice and also dedicated radiology cases. For the second cohort of year 5 students in 2008 two additional online media-rich initiatives were introduced, to complement the online module, comprising imaging tutorials and an online case discussion room. In the first year for the 2007/2008 cohort, 490 cases were written, edited and delivered via the Medical School managed learning environment as part of the online module. 253 cases contained a form of image media, of which 195 cases had a radiological component with a total of 325 radiology images. Important aspects of radiology practice (e.g. consent, patient safety, contrast toxicity, ionising radiation) were also covered. There were 274,000 student hits on cases the first year, with students completing a mean of 169 cases each. High levels of student satisfaction were recorded in relation to the online module and also additional online radiology teaching initiatives. Online educational techniques can be effectively blended with other forms of teaching to allow successful undergraduate delivery of radiology. Efficient IT links and good image quality

History of metal contamination in Lake Illawarra, NSW, Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, Larissa; Maher, William; Potts, Jaimie; Batley, Graeme; Taylor, Anne; Krikowa, Frank; Chariton, Anthony; Zawadzki, Atun; Heijnis, Henk; Gruber, Bernd

2015-01-01

Lake Illawarra has a long history of sediment contamination, particularly by metals, as a result of past and current industrial operations and land uses within the catchment. In this study, we examined the history of metal contamination in sediments using metal analysis and (210)Pb and (137)Cs dating. The distributions of copper, zinc, arsenic, selenium, cadmium and lead concentrations within sediment cores were in agreement with historical events in the lake, and indicated that metal contamination had been occurring since the start of industrial activities in Port Kembla in the late 1800 s. Most metal contamination, however, has occurred since the 1960s. Sedimentation rates were found to be 0.2 cm year(-1) in Griffins Bay and 0.3 cm year(-1) in the centre of the lake. Inputs from creeks bringing metals from Port Kembla in the northeast of the lake and a copper slag emplacement from a former copper refinery on the Windang Peninsula were the main sources of metal inputs to Lake Illawarra. The metals of highest concern were zinc and copper, which exceeded the Australian and New Zealand sediment quality guideline values at some sites. Results showed that while historical contamination persists, current management practices have resulted in reduced metal concentrations in surface sediments in the depositional zones in the centre of the lake. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The n-component cubic model and flows: subgraph break-collapse method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Essam, J.W.; Magalhaes, A.C.N. de.

1988-01-01

We generalise to the n-component cubic model the subgraph break-collapse method which we previously developed for the Potts model. The relations used are based on expressions which we recently derived for the Z(λ) model in terms of mod-λ flows. Our recursive algorithm is similar, for n = 2, to the break-collapse method for the Z(4) model proposed by Mariz and coworkers. It allows the exact calculation for the partition function and correlation functions for n-component cubic clusters with n as a variable, without the need to examine all of the spin configurations. (author) [pt

Selectively improving the bio-oil quality by catalytic fast pyrolysis of heavy-metal-polluted biomass: take copper (Cu) as an example.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wu-Jun; Tian, Ke; Jiang, Hong; Zhang, Xue-Song; Ding, Hong-Sheng; Yu, Han-Qing

2012-07-17

Heavy-metal-polluted biomass derived from phytoremediation or biosorption is widespread and difficult to be disposed of. In this work, simultaneous conversion of the waste woody biomass into bio-oil and recovery of Cu in a fast pyrolysis reactor were investigated. The results show that Cu can effectively catalyze the thermo-decomposition of biomass. Both the yield and high heating value (HHV) of the Cu-polluted fir sawdust biomass (Cu-FSD) derived bio-oil are significantly improved compared with those of the fir sawdust (FSD) derived bio-oil. The results of UV-vis and (1)H NMR spectra of bio-oil indicate pyrolytic lignin is further decomposed into small-molecular aromatic compounds by the catalysis of Cu, which is in agreement with the GC-MS results that the fractions of C7-C10 compounds in the bio-oil significantly increase. Inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses of the migration and transformation of Cu in the fast pyrolysis process show that more than 91% of the total Cu in the Cu-FSD is enriched in the char in the form of zerovalent Cu with a face-centered cubic crystalline phase. This study gives insight into catalytic fast pyrolysis of heavy metals, and demonstrates the technical feasibility of an eco-friendly process for disposal of heavy-metal-polluted biomass.

Atomistic study of drag, surface and inertial effects on edge dislocations in face-centered cubic metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bitzek, Erik; Gumbsch, Peter

2004-01-01

Atomistic simulations of an accelerating edge dislocation were carried out to study the effects of drag and inertia. Using an embedded atom potential for nickel, the Peierls stress, the effective mass and the drag coefficient of an edge dislocation were determined for different temperatures and stresses in a simple slab geometry. The effect of {1 1 1} surfaces on an intersecting edge dislocation were studied by appropriately cutting the slab. A dislocation intersecting a surface step was used as a model system to demonstrate the importance of inertial effects for dynamically overcoming short range obstacles. Significant effects were found even at room temperature. A simple model based on the dislocation-obstacle interaction energies was used to describe the findings

Nanoprecipitates in single-crystal molybdenum-alloy nanopillars detected by TEM and atom probe tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oveisi, Emad; Bártová, Barbora; Gerstl, Stephan; Zimmermann, Julien; Marichal, Cécile; Van Swygenhoven, Helena; Hébert, Cécile

2013-01-01

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) supported by various chemical analyses techniques as well as atom probe tomography is applied to characterize newly identified nanosized precipitates in Mo-alloy nanopillars that were prepared by directional solidification. It is shown that the α-Mo matrix contains Al-enriched face-centred cubic precipitates which have a 4.12 Å lattice parameter, and exhibit a Kurdjumov–Sachs crystallographic orientation relationship with the matrix. Such precipitates could be responsible for the unusual behaviour of the pillars during compression tests

Enclosed mechanical seal face design for brittle materials copyright

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marsi, J.A.

1994-01-01

Metal carbides are widely used as seal face material due to their hardness and wear resistance. Silicon carbide (SiC) has excellent performance as a seal face material, but it is relatively brittle and may break due to accidental overloads outside the boundary of normal operating conditions. In mechanical seals for nuclear primary coolant pumps, the shattered SiC pieces can get into the reactor system and cause serious damage. The conventional method of containing an SiC seal face is to shrink-fit it in a holder, which may lead the seal designer to contend with unwanted seal face deflections. This paper presents a successful, tested design which does not rely on shrink-fits. 5 refs., 9 figs., 4 tabs

Effect of Silicon Nitride Incorporation on Microstructure and Hardness of Ni-Co Metal Matrix Nanocomposite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ridwan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Ni-Co-Si3N4 nanocomposite coatings were prepared by electrodeposition technique. The deposition was performed at 50 mA cm-2 on copper substrate. The working temperature of electrodepostion was constant at 500C in an acidic environment of pH 4. The effects of silicon in the nickel-cobalt metal matrix composite were investigated. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy was used to determine the composition. The Co content in the coatings is in the range 27-49 at.%. The phase present in the Ni-Co-Si3N4 were examined with an X-ray diffraction analysis. All the reflection patterns indicate that the coatings are having face-centered cubic (fcc structure. The microhardness of the Ni-Co-Si3N4 nanocomposite coating increases with increasing silicon content. The microhardness of the Ni-Co-Si3N4 nanocomposite coating increased from 549 HV for Nickel-cobalt alloy coating to 641 HV for Ni-Co-Si3N4 nanocomposite coating with 5.47 at.% Si.

Cycloaddition of nitrones to metal-activated nitriles and isocyanides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bokach, Nadejda A

2010-01-01

1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition reactions of nitrones to nitriles and isocyanides are considered. Attention is focused on metal-mediated processes and the role played by the nature of the metal centre and its oxidation state. The published data on the selectivity of metal-mediated cycloaddition of nitrones to nitriles and the new data on the cycloaddition of nitrones to coordinated isocyanide ligands are summarized and analyzed.

On the magnetization process and the associated probability in anisotropic cubic crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khedr, D.M., E-mail: doaamohammed88@gmail.com [Department of Basic Science, Modern Academy of Engineering and Technology at Maadi, Cairo (Egypt); Aly, Samy H.; Shabara, Reham M. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science at Damietta, University of Damietta, Damietta (Egypt); Yehia, Sherif [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science at Helwan, University of Helwan, Helwan (Egypt)

2017-05-15

We present a theoretical method to calculate specific magnetic properties, e.g. magnetization curves, magnetic susceptibility and probability landscapes along the [100], [110] and [111] crystallographic directions of a crystal of cubic symmetry. The probability landscape displays the evolution of the most probable angular orientation of the magnetization vector, for selected temperatures and magnetic fields. Our method is based on the premises of classical statistical mechanics. The energy density, used in the partition function, is the sum of magnetic anisotropy and Zeeman energies, however no other energies e.g. elastic or magnetoelastic terms are considered in the present work. Model cubic systems of diverse anisotropies are analyzed first, and subsequently material magnetic systems of cubic symmetry; namely iron, nickel and Co{sub x} Fe{sub 100−x} compounds, are discussed. We highlight a correlation between magnetization curves and the associated probability landscapes. In addition, determination of easiest axes of magnetization, using energy consideration, is done and compared with the results of the present method.

Paediatric nurses' perceptions and practices of family-centred care in Saudi hospitals: A mixed methods study.

Science.gov (United States)

Alabdulaziz, Hawa; Moss, Cheryle; Copnell, Beverley

2017-04-01

Family-centred care is widely accepted as the underlying philosophy of paediatric nursing. Studies of family-centred care have mainly been conducted in western countries and little is known of its practice in other contexts. No studies have been undertaken in the Middle East. To explore family-centred care in the Saudi context from the perspectives of paediatric nurses. A mixed methodology was utilised with an explanatory sequential design. In the quantitative phase a convenience sample of 234 nurses from six hospitals in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia completed the Family Centred Care Questionnaire. The qualitative phase took place in one hospital and involved 140h of non-participant observation of paediatric nurses' practice. A convenience sample of 14 nurses was involved. Additionally, 10 face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with key staff members. A purposeful sample of 10 nurses was involved. The findings from both phases were integrated in the final analysis. The survey results indicated that participants identified most elements of family-centred care as necessary for its practice. They were less likely to incorporate them into their practice (pworked with the elements as a set of core tasks. In the current study, there were similarities between what has been found in the Saudi context and findings from other studies using the same tool in western contexts. There is general agreement regarding the differences between theory and practice. Nurses do believe and acknowledge the importance of family-centred care; however, they struggle with practising this model in their everyday work. In the current study, many factors contributed to this issue, including language barriers, communication issues, cultural issues and hospital policies. Western concepts of family-centred care appear to be accepted by paediatric nurses in Saudi Arabia. However, full adoption of family-centred care in keeping with western values is likely not to be appropriate or successful

A Unified Approach to Teaching Quadratic and Cubic Equations.

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, A. J. B.

2003-01-01

Presents a simple method for teaching the algebraic solution of cubic equations via completion of the cube. Shows that this method is readily accepted by students already familiar with completion of the square as a method for quadratic equations. (Author/KHR)

Synthesis, Structure, and Properties of Refractory Hard-Metal Borides

Science.gov (United States)

Lech, Andrew Thomas

As the limits of what can be achieved with conventional hard compounds, such as tungsten carbide, are nearing reach, super-hard materials are an area of increasing industrial interest. The refractory hard metal borides, such as ReB2 and WB4, offer an increasingly attractive alternative to diamond and cubic boron nitride as a next-generation tool material. In this Thesis, a thorough discussion is made of the progress achieved by our laboratory towards understanding the synthesis, structure, and properties of these extremely hard compounds. Particular emphasis is placed on structural manipulation, solid solution formation, and the unique crystallographic manifestations of what might also be called "super-hard metals".

Low-pH-induced transformation of bilayer membrane into bicontinuous cubic phase in dioleoylphosphatidylserine/monoolein membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Okamoto, Yoshihide; Masum, Shah Md; Miyazawa, Haruna; Yamazaki, Masahito

2008-04-01

Cubic biomembranes, nonbilayer membranes with connections in three-dimensional space that have a cubic symmetry, have been observed in various cells. Interconversion between the bilayer liquid-crystalline (L(alpha)) phase and cubic phases attracted much attention in terms of both biological and physicochemical aspects. Herein we report the pH effect on the phase and structure of dioleoylphosphatidylserine (DOPS)/monoolein (MO) membranes under a physiological ion concentration condition, which was revealed by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurement. At neutral pH, DOPS/MO membranes containing high concentrations of DOPS were in the L(alpha) phase. First, the pH effect on the phase and structure of the multilamellar vesicles (MLVs) of the DOPS/MO membranes preformed at neutral pH was investigated by adding various low-pH buffers into the MLV suspension. For 20%-DOPS/80%-MO MLVs, at and below pH 2.9, a transition from the L(alpha) to cubic (Q(224)) phase occurred within 1 h. This phase transition was reversible; a subsequent increase in pH to a neutral one in the membrane suspension transformed the cubic phase into the original L(alpha) phase. Second, we found that a decrease in pH transformed large unilamellar vesicles of DOPS/MO membranes into the cubic phase under similar conditions. We have proposed the mechanism of the low-pH-induced phase transition and also made a quantitative analysis on the critical pH of the phase transition. This finding is the first demonstration that a change in pH can induce a reversible phase transition between the L(alpha) and cubic phases of lipid membranes within 1 h.

Toward a quantitative understanding of mechanical behavior of nanocrystalline metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dao, M.; Lu, L.; Asaro, R.J.; Hosson, J.T.M. de; Ma, E.

2007-01-01

Focusing on nanocrystalline (nc) pure face-centered cubic metals, where systematic experimental data are available, this paper presents a brief overview of the recent progress made in improving mechanical properties of nc materials, and in quantitatively and mechanistically understanding the underlying mechanisms. The mechanical properties reviewed include strength, ductility, strain rate and temperature dependence, fatigue and tribological properties. The highlighted examples include recent experimental studies in obtaining both high strength and considerable ductility, the compromise between enhanced fatigue limit and reduced crack growth resistance, the stress-assisted dynamic grain growth during deformation, and the relation between rate sensitivity and possible deformation mechanisms. The recent advances in obtaining quantitative and mechanics-based models, developed in line with the related transmission electron microscopy and relevant molecular dynamics observations, are discussed with particular attention to mechanistic models of partial/perfect-dislocation or deformation-twin-mediated deformation processes interacting with grain boundaries, constitutive modeling and simulations of grain size distribution and dynamic grain growth, and physically motivated crystal plasticity modeling of pure Cu with nanoscale growth twins. Sustained research efforts have established a group of nanocrystalline and nanostructured metals that exhibit a combination of high strength and considerable ductility in tension. Accompanying the gradually deepening understanding of the deformation mechanisms and their relative importance, quantitative and mechanisms-based constitutive models that can realistically capture experimentally measured and grain-size-dependent stress-strain behavior, strain-rate sensitivity and even ductility limit are becoming available. Some outstanding issues and future opportunities are listed and discussed

A qualitative study into the perceived barriers of accessing healthcare among a vulnerable population involved with a community centre in Romania.

Science.gov (United States)

George, Siân; Daniels, Katy; Fioratou, Evridiki

2018-04-03

Minority vulnerable communities, such as the European Roma, often face numerous barriers to accessing healthcare services, resulting in negative health outcomes. Both these barriers and outcomes have been reported extensively in the literature. However, reports on barriers faced by European non-Roma native communities are limited. The "Health Care Access Barriers" (HCAB) model identifies pertinent financial, structural and cognitive barriers that can be measured and potentially modified. The present study thus aims to explore the barriers to accessing healthcare for a vulnerable population of mixed ethnicity from a charity community centre in Romania, as perceived by the centre's family users and staff members, and assess whether these reflect the barriers identified from the HCAB model. Eleven community members whose children attend the centre and seven staff members working at the centre participated in face-to-face semi-structured interviews, exploring personal experiences and views on accessing healthcare. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using an initial deductive and secondary inductive approach to identify HCAB themes and other emerging themes and subthemes. Identified themes from both groups aligned with HCAB's themes of financial, structural and cognitive barriers and emergent subthemes important to the specific population were identified. Specifically, financial barriers related mostly to health insurance and bribery issues, structural barriers related mostly to service availability and accessibility, and cognitive barriers related mostly to healthcare professionals' attitudes and discrimination and the vulnerable population's lack of education and health literacy. A unique theme of psychological barriers emerged from both groups with associated subthemes of mistrust, hopelessness, fear and anxiety of this vulnerable population. The current study highlights healthcare access barriers to a vulnerable non-Roma native population involved with a

Analysis of moderately thin-walled beam cross-sections by cubic isoparametric elements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Høgsberg, Jan Becker; Krenk, Steen

2014-01-01

In technical beam theory the six equilibrium states associated with homogeneous tension, bending, shear and torsion are treated as individual load cases. This enables the formulation of weak form equations governing the warping from shear and torsion. These weak form equations are solved...... numerically by introducing a cubic-linear two-dimensional isoparametric element. The cubic interpolation of this element accurately represents quadratic shear stress variations along cross-section walls, and thus moderately thin-walled cross-sections are effectively discretized by these elements. The ability...

Oligomeric rare-earth metal cluster complexes with endohedral transition metal atoms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Steinberg, Simon; Zimmermann, Sina; Brühmann, Matthias; Meyer, Eva; Rustige, Christian; Wolberg, Marike; Daub, Kathrin; Bell, Thomas; Meyer, Gerd, E-mail: gerd.meyer@uni-koeln.de

2014-11-15

Comproportionation reactions of rare-earth metal trihalides (RX{sub 3}) with the respective rare-earth metals (R) and transition metals (T) led to the formation of 22 oligomeric R cluster halides encapsulating T, in 19 cases for the first time. The structures of these compounds were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and are composed of trimers ((T{sub 3}R{sub 11})X{sub 15}-type, P6{sub 3}/m), tetramers ((T{sub 4}R{sub 16})X{sub 28}(R{sub 4}) (P-43m), (T{sub 4}R{sub 16})X{sub 20} (P4{sub 2}/nnm), (T{sub 4}R{sub 16})X{sub 24}(RX{sub 3}){sub 4} (I4{sub 1}/a) and (T{sub 4}R{sub 16})X{sub 23} (C2/m) types of structure) and pentamers ((Ru{sub 5}La{sub 14}){sub 2}Br{sub 39}, Cc) of (TR{sub r}){sub n} (n=2–5) clusters. These oligomers are further enveloped by inner (X{sup i}) as well as outer (X{sup a}) halido ligands, which possess diverse functionalities and interconnect like oligomers through i–i, i–a and/or a–i bridges. The general features of the crystal structures for these new compounds are discussed and compared to literature entries as well as different structure types with oligomeric T centered R clusters. Dimers and tetramers originating from the aggregation of (TR{sub 6}) octahedra via common edges are more frequent than trimers and pentamers, in which the (TR{sub r}) clusters share common faces. - Graphical abstract: Rare earth-metal cluster complexes with endohedral transition metal atoms (TR{sub 6}) may connect via common edges or faces to form dimers, trimers, tetramers and pentamers of which the tetramers are the most prolific. Packing effects and electron counts play an important role. - Highlights: • Rare-earth metal cluster complexes encapsulate transition metal atoms. • Oligomers are built via connection of octahedral clusters via common edges or faces. • Dimers through pentamers with closed structures are known. • Tetramers including a tetrahedron of endohedral atoms are the most prolific.

First principles study of the structural and electronic properties of double perovskite Ba{sub 2}YTaO{sub 6} in cubic and tetragonal phases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deluque Toro, C.E., E-mail: deluquetoro@gmail.com [Grupo de Nuevos Materiales, Universidad Popular del Cesar, Valledupar (Colombia); Rodríguez M, Jairo Arbey [Grupo de Estudios de Materiales—GEMA, Departamento de Física, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, AA 5997 Bogotá DC (Colombia); Landínez Téllez, D.A. [Grupo de Física de Nuevos Materiales, Departamento de Física, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, AA 5997 Bogotá DC (Colombia); Moreno Salazar, N.O. [Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Sergipe (Brazil); Roa-Rojas, J. [Grupo de Física de Nuevos Materiales, Departamento de Física, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, AA 5997 Bogotá DC (Colombia)

2014-12-15

The Ba{sub 2}YTaO{sub 6} double perovskite presents a transition from cubic (Fm−3m) to tetragonal structure (I4/m) at high temperature. In this work, we present a detailed study of the structural and electronic properties of the double perovskite Ba{sub 2}YTaO{sub 6} in space group Fm−3m and I4/m. Calculations were made with the Full-Potential Linear Augmented Plane Wave method (FP-LAPW) within the framework of the Density Functional Theory (DFT) with exchange and correlation effects in the Generalized Gradient (GGA) and Local Density (LDA) approximations. From the minimization of energy as a function of volume and the fitting of the Murnaghan equation some structural characteristics were determined as, for example, total energy, lattice parameter (a=8.50 Å in cubic phase and a=5.985 Å and c=8.576 Å in tetragonal), bulk modulus (135.6 GPa in cubic phase and 134.1 GPa in tetragonal phase) and its derivative. The study of the electronic characteristics was performed from the analysis of the electronic density of states (DOS). We find a non-metallic behavior for this with a direct band gap of approximately 3.5 eV and we found that the Ba{sub 2}YTaO{sub 6} (I4/m) phase is the most stable one. {sup ©} 2013 Elsevier Science. All rights reserved.

An explicit approximate solution to the Duffing-harmonic oscillator by a cubication method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belendez, A.; Mendez, D.I.; Fernandez, E.; Marini, S.; Pascual, I.

2009-01-01

The nonlinear oscillations of a Duffing-harmonic oscillator are investigated by an approximated method based on the 'cubication' of the initial nonlinear differential equation. In this cubication method the restoring force is expanded in Chebyshev polynomials and the original nonlinear differential equation is approximated by a Duffing equation in which the coefficients for the linear and cubic terms depend on the initial amplitude, A. The replacement of the original nonlinear equation by an approximate Duffing equation allows us to obtain explicit approximate formulas for the frequency and the solution as a function of the complete elliptic integral of the first kind and the Jacobi elliptic function, respectively. These explicit formulas are valid for all values of the initial amplitude and we conclude this cubication method works very well for the whole range of initial amplitudes. Excellent agreement of the approximate frequencies and periodic solutions with the exact ones is demonstrated and discussed and the relative error for the approximate frequency is as low as 0.071%. Unlike other approximate methods applied to this oscillator, which are not capable to reproduce exactly the behaviour of the approximate frequency when A tends to zero, the cubication method used in this Letter predicts exactly the behaviour of the approximate frequency not only when A tends to infinity, but also when A tends to zero. Finally, a closed-form expression for the approximate frequency is obtained in terms of elementary functions. To do this, the relationship between the complete elliptic integral of the first kind and the arithmetic-geometric mean as well as Legendre's formula to approximately obtain this mean are used.

Preparation of spherical and cubic Fe{sub 55}Co{sub 45} microstructures for studying the role of particle morphology in magnetorheological suspensions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arief, Injamamul; Mukhopadhyay, P.K., E-mail: pkm@bose.res.in

2014-06-01

Cubic and spherical Fe{sub 55}Co{sub 45} alloyed microstructures were synthesized by borohydride reduction from aqueous solutions of metallic precursors, using stabilizers and polymer. Monosodium citrate, sodium acetate and PEG 6000 were utilized as electrostatic stabilizers and polymeric surface modifier. Suitable reaction conditions were maintained for synthesis of predominantly larger particles (0.7 µm to 1.2 µm), that facilitates use in magnetorheological fluids. Surface morphological studies by scanning electron microscopy revealed well shaped cubic and spherical geometry for the citrate and polymer-stabilized Fe{sub 55}Co{sub 45} alloys, while the alloy compositions remained nearly the same for both. X-ray diffractions of the as-prepared and annealed samples under various temperatures showed high degree of crystallinity with increasing temperatures. Studies of D.C. magnetization of the systems reveal that the particles have a core–shell structure, with inner magnetic core having a diameter around 30 nm with a log-normal distribution. Magnetorheological studies were performed with 8 vol% suspensions of as-synthesized particles dispersed in silicone oil (viscosity 30 mPa s at 25 °C) under different magnetic fields. Detailed studies of the magnetorheological properties were studied on these systems for practical use.

The lattice dynamics of six prominent B.C.C. transition metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brescansin, L.M.; Padial, N.T.; Shukla, M.M.

1975-01-01

The frequency versus wave vector dispersion relations along the three principal symmetry directions, [xi00], [xixi0] and [xixixi], of six prominent body centered cubic transition metals, namely that of molybdenum, α-iron, tungsten, tantalum, niobium and that of chromium, have been computed on the basis of a phenomenological model. The calculated results are in very good agreements to the experimental findings

An ab initio study on the structural, electronic and mechanical properties of quaternary full-Heusler alloys FeMnCrSn and FeMnCrSb

Science.gov (United States)

Erkişi, Aytaç

2018-06-01

The quaternary full Heusler alloys FeMnCrSn and FeMnCrSb, which have face-centred cubic (FCC) crystal structure and conform to ? space group with 216 space number, have been investigated using Generalised Gradient Approximation (GGA) in the Density Functional Theory (DFT) as implemented in VASP (Vienna Ab initio Simulation Package) software. These alloys are considered in ferromagnetic (FM) order. After the investigation of structural stability of these alloys, their mechanical and thermal properties and also electronic band structures have been examined. The calculated spin-polarised electronic band structures and total electronic density of states (DOS) within GGA approximation show that these alloys can exhibit both metallic and half-metallic characters in different structural phases. The calculated formation enthalpies and the plotted energy-volume graphs show that Type-III phase is most stable structural phase for these materials. Also, FeMnCrSb alloy in Type-I/Type-III phases and FeMnCrSn alloy in Type-III phase show half-metallic behaviour with integer total magnetic moments almost 2 and 1 μB per formula unit, respectively, since there are band gaps observed in spin-down states, whereas they have metallic behaviour in majority bands. Other structural phases of both systems are also metallic. Moreover, the calculated elastic constants and the estimated anisotropy shear factors indicate that these materials are stable mechanically in all of three phases except FeMnCrSn in Type-I phase that does not satisfy Born stability criteria in this phase and have high anisotropic behaviour.

Towards People-Centred Economic Reintegration? An Analysis of the Economic Reintegration Strategy of Demobilised Combatants in Colombia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefan Thorsell

2013-04-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the suitability of the economic reintegration strategy for former Colombian combatants, taking into account the challenges facing this population. It argues that the international discourse primarily consists of a market-centred versus a people-centred perspective, each with a distinct approach to economic reintegration. The paper finds that in Colombia there was a lack of inclusion of key stakeholders in the initial design of the process. As a result, the economic reintegration strategy ended up merely accommodating certain neoliberal ideals and thereby leaned towards a market-centred approach. Lately, steps have been taken towards an increasingly people-centred approach. This is currently reflected in improved results of the process, which predict a brighter future for economic reintegration of former combatants in Colombia.

The hydrogen interaction in an FCC FePd alloy with a vacancy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ardenghi, S [Instituto de AstronomIa y Fisica del Espacio (IAFE), CC 67-Suc 28 (C1428ZAA) Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires (Argentina); Gonzalez, E; Jasen, P; Juan, A [Departamento de Fisica, Universidad Nacional del Sur, Av. Alem 1253 BahIa Blanca (8000) (Argentina)], E-mail: cajuan@uns.edu.ar

2009-04-15

The absorption of hydrogen in the ordered face-centered cubic FePd alloy is investigated using a density functional calculation method. Changes in the electronic structure and bonding after introducing an Fe or Pd vacancy are analysed. H locates close to a tetrahedral site and the H-metal bond is achieved at the expense of the interfacial Fe-Pd bond.

Effect of the coupling between electronic structure and crystalline structure on some properties of transition metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nastar, M.

1994-01-01

The elastic constants, energetic stabilities and vacancy formation energies in transition metals are calculated within a Tight Binding model. In order to outline the effect of the electronic structure, these properties are represented as functions of band filling. The variation of the shear elastic constants of hexagonal close packed (HCP), body centered cubic (BCC) and face centered cubic (FCC) structures, is in contrast with the roughly parabolic behavior of bulk modulus. The general trends are in very good agreement with available experimental and 'ab initio' data. The vacancy formation energy in the BCC structure shows strong deviations from bell shape behavior with a maximum corresponding approximately to the band filling of group 6. This band filling effect contributes to the noticeable decrease of the self diffusion rate between group 4 and group 6. We demonstrate that the abrupt increase of the C' elastic constant, the NT 1 (0.-1.1) phonon frequency, the energy differences between BCC and HCP and between FCC and HCP as well as the vacancy formation energy, that occurs when going from Zr to Mo, is related to the presence of a pseudo-gap in the density of states of the BCC structure. Using the recursion method, we show that the general trends of these properties are correctly reproduced when considering only a few moments of the density of states (about 6). On the other hand, details such as the elastic constant singularities, are displayed only with an exact calculation of the density of states. (Author). 173 refs., 84 figs., 5 tabs

Effect of molybdenum addition on metastability of cubic γ-uranium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sinha, V.P.; Hegde, P.V.; Prasad, G.J.; Dey, G.K.; Kamath, H.S.

2010-01-01

Over the years U 3 Si 2 compound dispersed in aluminium matrix has been used successfully as the potential low enriched uranium (LEU 235 ) base dispersion fuel for use in new research and test reactors and also for converting high enriched uranium (HEU > 85%U 235 ) cores to LEU for most of the existing research and test reactors world over, though maximum 4.8 g U cm -3 density is achievable with U 3 Si 2 -Al dispersion fuel. To achieve a uranium density of 8.0-9.0 g U cm -3 in dispersion fuel with aluminium as matrix material, it is required to use γ-stabilized uranium metal powders. At Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), R and D efforts are on to develop these high density uranium base alloys. This paper describes the alloying behaviour of uranium with varying amount of molybdenum. The U-Mo alloys with different molybdenum content have been prepared by using an induction melting furnace with uranium and molybdenum metal pellets as starting materials. U-Mo alloys with different molybdenum content were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) for phase identification and lattice parameter measurements. The optical microstructure of different U-Mo alloy composition has also been discussed in this paper. Quantitative image analysis was also carried out to determine the amount of various phases in each composition.

Nanodiamond-based nanostructures for coupling nitrogen-vacancy centres to metal nanoparticles and semiconductor quantum dots.

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Jianxiao; Steinsultz, Nat; Ouyang, Min

2016-06-08

The ability to control the interaction between nitrogen-vacancy centres in diamond and photonic and/or broadband plasmonic nanostructures is crucial for the development of solid-state quantum devices with optimum performance. However, existing methods typically employ top-down fabrication, which restrict scalable and feasible manipulation of nitrogen-vacancy centres. Here, we develop a general bottom-up approach to fabricate an emerging class of freestanding nanodiamond-based hybrid nanostructures with external functional units of either plasmonic nanoparticles or excitonic quantum dots. Precise control of the structural parameters (including size, composition, coverage and spacing of the external functional units) is achieved, representing a pre-requisite for exploring the underlying physics. Fine tuning of the emission characteristics through structural regulation is demonstrated by performing single-particle optical studies. This study opens a rich toolbox to tailor properties of quantum emitters, which can facilitate design guidelines for devices based on nitrogen-vacancy centres that use these freestanding hybrid nanostructures as building blocks.

Metallacyclopentadienes: structural features and coordination in transition metal complexes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dolgushin, Fedor M; Yanovsky, Aleksandr I; Antipin, Mikhail Yu

2004-01-01

Results of structural studies of polynuclear transition metal complexes containing the metallacyclopentadiene fragment are overviewed. The structural features of the complexes in relation to the nature of the substituents in the organic moiety of the metallacycles, the nature of the transition metals and their ligand environment are analysed. The main structural characteristics corresponding to different modes of coordination of metallacyclopentadienes to one or two additional metal centres are revealed.

Cubic systems with invariant affine straight lines of total parallel multiplicity seven

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandru Suba

2013-12-01

Full Text Available In this article, we study the planar cubic differential systems with invariant affine straight lines of total parallel multiplicity seven. We classify these system according to their geometric properties encoded in the configurations of invariant straight lines. We show that there are only 17 different topological phase portraits in the Poincar\\'e disc associated to this family of cubic systems up to a reversal of the sense of their orbits, and we provide representatives of every class modulo an affine change of variables and rescaling of the time variable.

The influence of a cubic building on a roof mounted wind turbine

OpenAIRE

Micallef, D.; Sant, Tonio; Simao Ferreira, C.

2016-01-01

The performance of a wind turbine located above a cubic building is not well understood. This issue is of fundamental importance for the design of small scale wind turbines. One variable which is of particular importance in this respect is the turbine height above roof level. In this work, the power performance of a small wind turbine is assessed as a function of the height above the roof of a generic cubic building. A 3D Computational Fluid Dynamics model of a 10m x 10m x 10m building is use...

Preconditioning cubic spline collocation method by FEM and FDM for elliptic equations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Sang Dong [KyungPook National Univ., Taegu (Korea, Republic of)

1996-12-31

In this talk we discuss the finite element and finite difference technique for the cubic spline collocation method. For this purpose, we consider the uniformly elliptic operator A defined by Au := -{Delta}u + a{sub 1}u{sub x} + a{sub 2}u{sub y} + a{sub 0}u in {Omega} (the unit square) with Dirichlet or Neumann boundary conditions and its discretization based on Hermite cubic spline spaces and collocation at the Gauss points. Using an interpolatory basis with support on the Gauss points one obtains the matrix A{sub N} (h = 1/N).

Estimating the board foot to cubic foot ratio

Science.gov (United States)

Steve P. Verrill; Victoria L. Herian; Henry N. Spelter

2004-01-01

Certain issues in recent softwood lumber trade negotiations have centered on the method for converting estimates of timber volumes reported in cubic meters to board feet. Such conversions depend on many factors; three of the most important of these are log length, diameter, and taper. Average log diameters vary by region and have declined in the western United States...

Mixed matrix formulations with MOF molecular sieving for key energy-intensive separations

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Gongping; Chernikova, Valeriya; Liu, Yang; Zhang, Kuang; Belmabkhout, Youssef; Shekhah, Osama; Zhang, Chen; Yi, Shouliang; Eddaoudi, Mohamed; Koros, William J.

2018-03-01

Membrane-based separations can improve energy efficiency and reduce the environmental impacts associated with traditional approaches. Nevertheless, many challenges must be overcome to design membranes that can replace conventional gas separation processes. Here, we report on the incorporation of engineered submicrometre-sized metal-organic framework (MOF) crystals into polymers to form hybrid materials that successfully translate the excellent molecular sieving properties of face-centred cubic (fcu)-MOFs into the resultant membranes. We demonstrate, simultaneously, exceptionally enhanced separation performance in hybrid membranes for two challenging and economically important applications: the removal of CO2 and H2S from natural gas and the separation of butane isomers. Notably, the membrane molecular sieving properties demonstrate that the deliberately regulated and contracted MOF pore-aperture size can discriminate between molecular pairs. The improved performance results from precise control of the linkers delimiting the triangular window, which is the sole entrance to the fcu-MOF pore. This rational-design hybrid approach provides a general toolbox for enhancing the transport properties of advanced membranes bearing molecular sieve fillers with sub-nanometre-sized pore-apertures.

N-Acetyl-Cysteine as Effective and Safe Chelating Agent in Metal-on-Metal Hip-Implanted Patients: Two Cases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Giampreti

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Systemic toxicity associated with cobalt (Co and chromium (Cr containing metal hip alloy may result in neuropathy, cardiomyopathy, and hypothyroidism. However clinical management concerning chelating therapy is still debated in literature. Here are described two metal-on-metal hip-implanted patients in which N-acetyl-cysteine decreased elevated blood metal levels. A 67-year-old male who underwent Co/Cr hip implant in September 2009 referred to our Poison Control Centre for persisting elevated Co/Cr blood levels (from March 2012 to November 2014. After receiving oral high-dose N-acetyl-cysteine, Co/Cr blood concentrations dropped by 86% and 87% of the prechelation levels, respectively, and persisted at these latter concentrations during the following 6 months of follow-up. An 81-year-old female who underwent Co/Cr hip implant in January 2007 referred to our Centre for detection of high Co and Cr blood levels in June 2012. No hip revision was indicated. After a therapy with oral high-dose N-acetyl-cysteine Co/Cr blood concentrations decreased of 45% and 24% of the prechelation levels. Chelating agents reported in hip-implanted patients (EDTA, DMPS, and BAL are described in few cases. N-acetyl-cysteine may provide chelating sites for metals and in our cases reduced Co and Cr blood levels and resulted well tolerable.

Electrostatic Effects in Phase Transitions of Biomembranes between Cubic Phases and Lamellar Liquid-Crystalline (Lα) phase

Science.gov (United States)

Masum, Shah Md.; Li, Shu Jie; Tamba, Yukihiro; Yamashita, Yuko; Yamazaki, Masahito

2004-04-01

Elucidation of the mechanisms of transitions between cubic phase and liquid-crystalline (Lα) phase, and between different IPMS cubic phases, are essential for understanding of dynamics of biomembranes and topological transformation of lipid membranes. Recently, we found that electrostatic interactions due to surface charges of lipid membranes induce transition between cubic phase and Lα phase, and between different IPMS cubic phases. As electrostatic interactions increase, the most stable phase of a monoolein (MO) membrane changes: Q224 ⇒ Q229 ⇒ Lα. We also found that a de novo designed peptide partitioning into electrically neutral lipid membrane changed the phase stability of the MO membranes. As peptide-1 concentration increased, the most stable phase of a MO membrane changes: Q224 ⇒ Q229 ⇒Lα. In both cases, the increase in the electrostatic repulsive interaction greatly reduced the absolute value of spontaneous curvature of the MO monolayer membrane. We also investigated factors such as poly (L-lysine) and osmotic stress to control structure and phase stability of DOPA/MO membranes. Based on these results, we discuss the mechanism of the effect of electrostatic interactions on the stability of cubic phase.

Quasiparticle Interference on Cubic Perovskite Oxide Surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Okada, Yoshinori; Shiau, Shiue-Yuan; Chang, Tay-Rong; Chang, Guoqing; Kobayashi, Masaki; Shimizu, Ryota; Jeng, Horng-Tay; Shiraki, Susumu; Kumigashira, Hiroshi; Bansil, Arun; Lin, Hsin; Hitosugi, Taro

2017-08-25

We report the observation of coherent surface states on cubic perovskite oxide SrVO_{3}(001) thin films through spectroscopic-imaging scanning tunneling microscopy. A direct link between the observed quasiparticle interference patterns and the formation of a d_{xy}-derived surface state is supported by first-principles calculations. We show that the apical oxygens on the topmost VO_{2} plane play a critical role in controlling the coherent surface state via modulating orbital state.

Possible origin of the discrepancy in Peierls stresses of fcc metals: First-principles simulations of dislocation mobility in aluminum

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Ilgyou; Carter, Emily A.

2013-08-01

Dislocation motion governs the strength and ductility of metals, and the Peierls stress (σp) quantifies dislocation mobility. σp measurements carry substantial uncertainty in face-centered cubic (fcc) metals, and σp values can differ by up to two orders of magnitude. We perform first-principles simulations based on orbital-free density functional theory (OFDFT) to calculate the most accurate currently possible σp for the motion of (1)/(2)111 dislocations in fcc Al. We predict the σps of screw and edge dislocations (dissociated in their equilibrium state) to be 1.9×10-4G and 4.9×10-5G, respectively (G is the shear modulus). These values fall within the range of measurements from mechanical deformation tests (10-4-10-5G). OFDFT also finds a new metastable structure for a screw dislocation not seen in earlier simulations, in which a dislocation core on the glide plane does not dissociate into partials. The corresponding σp for this undissociated dislocation is predicted to be 1.1×10-2G, which agrees with typical Bordoni peak measurements (10-2-10-3G). The calculated σps for dissociated and undissociated screw dislocations differ by two orders of magnitude. The presence of undissociated, as well as dissociated, screw dislocations may resolve the decades-long mystery in fcc metals regarding the two orders of magnitude discrepancy in σp measurements.

Cathodoluminescence of cubic boron nitride

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tkachev, V.D.; Shipilo, V.B.; Zaitsev, A.M.

1985-01-01

Three types of optically active defect were observed in single-crystal and polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (β-BN). An analysis of the temperature dependences of the intensity, half-width, and energy shift of a narrow zero-phonon line at 1.76 eV (GC-1 center) made it possible to interpret the observed cathodoluminescence spectra as an optical analog of the Moessbauer effect. A comparison of the results obtained in the present study with the available data on diamond single crystals made it possible to identify the observed GC-1 center as a nitrogen vacancy. It was concluded that optical Moessbauer-type spectra can be used to analyze structure defects in the crystal lattice of β-BN

Vibrational effects on surface energies and band gaps in hexagonal and cubic ice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Engel, Edgar A.; Needs, Richard J.; Monserrat, Bartomeu

2016-01-01

Surface energies of hexagonal and cubic water ice are calculated using first-principles quantum mechanical methods, including an accurate description of anharmonic nuclear vibrations. We consider two proton-orderings of the hexagonal and cubic ice basal surfaces and three proton-orderings of hexagonal ice prism surfaces, finding that vibrations reduce the surface energies by more than 10%. We compare our vibrational densities of states to recent sum frequency generation absorption measurements and identify surface proton-orderings of experimental ice samples and the origins of characteristic absorption peaks. We also calculate zero point quantum vibrational corrections to the surface electronic band gaps, which range from −1.2 eV for the cubic ice basal surface up to −1.4 eV for the hexagonal ice prism surface. The vibrational corrections to the surface band gaps are up to 12% smaller than for bulk ice.

Application of Cubic Box Spline Wavelets in the Analysis of Signal Singularities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rakowski Waldemar

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In the subject literature, wavelets such as the Mexican hat (the second derivative of a Gaussian or the quadratic box spline are commonly used for the task of singularity detection. The disadvantage of the Mexican hat, however, is its unlimited support; the disadvantage of the quadratic box spline is a phase shift introduced by the wavelet, making it difficult to locate singular points. The paper deals with the construction and properties of wavelets in the form of cubic box splines which have compact and short support and which do not introduce a phase shift. The digital filters associated with cubic box wavelets that are applied in implementing the discrete dyadic wavelet transform are defined. The filters and the algorithme à trous of the discrete dyadic wavelet transform are used in detecting signal singularities and in calculating the measures of signal singularities in the form of a Lipschitz exponent. The article presents examples illustrating the use of cubic box spline wavelets in the analysis of signal singularities.

Trunk- and head-centred spatial coordinates do not affect free-viewing perceptual asymmetries.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicholls, Michael E R; Mattingley, Jason B; Bradshaw, John L; Krins, Phillip W

2003-11-01

Turning the trunk or head to the left can reduce the severity of leftward neglect. This study sought to determine whether turning the trunk or head to the right would reduce pseudoneglect: A phenomenon where normal participants underestimate the rightward features of a stimulus. Participants made luminance judgements of two mirror-reversed greyscales stimuli. A preference for selecting the stimulus dark on the left was found. The effect of trunk-centred coordinates was examined in Expt. 1 by facing the head toward the display and turning the trunk to the left, right or toward the display. Head-centred coordinates were examined in Expt. 2 by directing the eyes toward the display and then turning the head and trunk. No effect of rotation was observed. It was concluded that the leftward bias for the greyscales task could be based on an object-centred attentional bias or left-to-right eye scanning habits.

Initial post dynamic buckling of a quadratic-cubic column ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In this investigation, we determine the dynamic buckling load of an imperfect finite column resting on a mixed quadratic-cubic nonlinear elastic foundation trapped by an explicitly time dependent sinusoidally slowly varying dynamic load .The resultant coefficients are dynamically slowly varying and the formulation contains ...

Exact solutions for the cubic-quintic nonlinear Schroedinger equation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Jiamin; Ma Zhengyi

2007-01-01

In this paper, the cubic-quintic nonlinear Schroedinger equation is solved through the extended elliptic sub-equation method. As a consequence, many types of exact travelling wave solutions are obtained which including bell and kink profile solitary wave solutions, triangular periodic wave solutions and singular solutions

Cubic mesoporous Ag@CN: a high performance humidity sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomer, Vijay K; Thangaraj, Nishanthi; Gahlot, Sweta; Kailasam, Kamalakannan

2016-12-01

The fabrication of highly responsive, rapid response/recovery and durable relative humidity (%RH) sensors that can precisely monitor humidity levels still remains a considerable challenge for realizing the next generation humidity sensing applications. Herein, we report a remarkably sensitive and rapid %RH sensor having a reversible response using a nanocasting route for synthesizing mesoporous g-CN (commonly known as g-C 3 N 4 ). The 3D replicated cubic mesostructure provides a high surface area thereby increasing the adsorption, transmission of charge carriers and desorption of water molecules across the sensor surfaces. Owing to its unique structure, the mesoporous g-CN functionalized with well dispersed catalytic Ag nanoparticles exhibits excellent sensitivity in the 11-98% RH range while retaining high stability, negligible hysteresis and superior real time %RH detection performances. Compared to conventional resistive sensors based on metal oxides, a rapid response time (3 s) and recovery time (1.4 s) were observed in the 11-98% RH range. Such impressive features originate from the planar morphology of g-CN as well as unique physical affinity and favourable electronic band positions of this material that facilitate water adsorption and charge transportation. Mesoporous g-CN with Ag nanoparticles is demonstrated to provide an effective strategy in designing high performance %RH sensors and show great promise for utilization of mesoporous 2D layered materials in the Internet of Things and next generation humidity sensing applications.

Nuclear technology centre. Preserving and developing competence and resources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tiren, I.

1995-01-01

The Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm provides one third of Sweden's capacity for engineering studies and technical research at the post-high-school level. Altogether, the institute includes about 8000 students and 900 active postgraduate students and has a staff of nearly 2500. The research activities cover a broad spectrum of the natural sciences and technology, as well as architecture, industrial economics, urban planning, work science and environmental technology. In 1993, a Nuclear Technology Centre was established at the institute. The purpose of this Centre is to stimulate education and research in nuclear technology in order to contribute to the preservation and development of competence in the nuclear field. The formation of the Centre should be regarded as one of several recent initiatives aimed at maintaining a high level of safety and reliability in the operation of nuclear power plants at a time when there are political manoeuvres to phase out nuclear energy in Sweden. The paper summarizes the motives that led to the formation of the Centre, its goals and organization, and its initial activities and results. The paper may be of interest to similar organizations in other countries which are also faced with uncertainties regarding the future of existing nuclear power plants or of current programmes, and which consider that co-operation between the industry and universities is an important factor in ensuring the quality of technological development. (author). 4 refs

A designated centre for people with disabilities operated by Daughters of Charity Disability Support Services Ltd., Dublin 7

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Muller, Ueli C

2011-04-07

Abstract Background The International Multi-centre ADHD Genetics (IMAGE) project with 11 participating centres from 7 European countries and Israel has collected a large behavioural and genetic database for present and future research. Behavioural data were collected from 1068 probands with the combined type of attention deficit\\/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD-CT) and 1446 \\'unselected\\' siblings. The aim was to analyse the IMAGE sample with respect to demographic features (gender, age, family status, and recruiting centres) and psychopathological characteristics (diagnostic subtype, symptom frequencies, age at symptom detection, and comorbidities). A particular focus was on the effects of the study design and the diagnostic procedure on the homogeneity of the sample in terms of symptom-based behavioural data, and potential consequences for further analyses based on these data. Methods Diagnosis was based on the Parental Account of Childhood Symptoms (PACS) interview and the DSM-IV items of the Conners\\' teacher questionnaire. Demographics of the full sample and the homogeneity of a subsample (all probands) were analysed by using robust statistical procedures which were adjusted for unequal sample sizes and skewed distributions. These procedures included multi-way analyses based on trimmed means and winsorised variances as well as bootstrapping. Results Age and proband\\/sibling ratios differed between participating centres. There was no significant difference in the distribution of gender between centres. There was a significant interaction between age and centre for number of inattentive, but not number of hyperactive symptoms. Higher ADHD symptom frequencies were reported by parents than teachers. The diagnostic symptoms differed from each other in their frequencies. The face-to-face interview was more sensitive than the questionnaire. The differentiation between ADHD-CT probands and unaffected siblings was mainly due to differences in hyperactive

In-situ reduction of promoted cobalt oxide supported on alumina by environmental transmission electron microscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dehghan, Roya; Hansen, Thomas Willum; Wagner, Jakob Birkedal

2011-01-01

the reactivity of the nanoparticles and the importance of controlling the gas composition and specimen temperature during this type of experiment. Similar behaviour was observed for a non-promoted catalyst. Imaging and analysis of the promoted sample before and after reduction indicated a uniform distribution...... resolution transmission electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy imaging. The cobalt particles were mainly face centred cubic while some hexagonal close packed particles were also found. Reoxidation of the sample upon cooling to room temperature, still under flowing H2, underlines...

Group theoretical treatment of the low-temperature phase transition of the Cd6Ca 1/1-cubic approximant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tamura, R.; Shibata, K.; Nishimoto, K.; Takeuchi, S.; Edagawa, K.; Saitoh, K.; Isobe, M.; Ueda, Y.

2005-01-01

An antiparallel orientational transition is reported for an intermetallic compound, i.e., Cd 6 Ca crystal, which is a 1/1-1/1-1/1 crystalline approximant to the icosahedral quasicrystal Cd 5.7 Ca. A group theoretical analysis based on the Landau theory predicts that the space group of the low-temperature phase is either C2/c or C2/m, in good agreement with the observations. Accordingly, two types of orientational orderings of Cd 4 tetrahedra, which are located in the center of icosahedral clusters, may occur below 100 K: In both cases, the Cd 4 tetrahedra are orientationally ordered in an antiparallel fashion along the [110] direction of the high temperature body-centered-cubic phase. Such a transition in a metal is reminiscent of orientational transitions in molecular solids

First-principles investigation on the mechanism of photocatalytic properties for cubic and orthorhombic KNbO3

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Yong-Qiang; Wu, Shao-Yi; Ding, Chang-Chun; Wu, Li-Na; Zhang, Gao-Jun

2018-03-01

The geometric structures, band structures, density of states and optical absorption spectra are studied for cubic and orthorhombic KNbO3 (C- and O-KNO) crystals by using first-principles calculations. Based on the above calculation results, the mechanisms of photocatalytic properties for both crystals are further theoretically investigated to deepen the understandings of their photocatalytic activity from the electronic level. Calculations for the effective masses of electron and hole are carried out to make comparison in photocatalytic performance between cubic and orthorhombic phases. Optical absorption in cubic phase is found to be stronger than that in orthorhombic phase. C-KNO has smaller electron effective mass, higher mobility of photogenerated electrons, lower electron-hole recombination rate and better light absorption capacity than O-KNO. So, the photocatalytic activity of cubic phase can be higher than orthorhombic one. The present work may be beneficial to explore the series of perovskite photocatalysts.

Bicontinuous cubic liquid crystalline nanoparticles for oral delivery of Doxorubicin

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Swarnakar, Nitin K; Thanki, Kaushik; Jain, Sanyog

2014-01-01

PURPOSE: The present study explores the potential of bicontinous cubic liquid crystalline nanoparticles (LCNPs) for improving therapeutic potential of doxorubicin. METHODS: Phytantriol based Dox-LCNPs were prepared using hydrotrope method, optimized for various formulation components, process...

The impact of organisational culture on the delivery of person-centred care in services providing respite care and short breaks for people with dementia.

Science.gov (United States)

Kirkley, Catherine; Bamford, Claire; Poole, Marie; Arksey, Hilary; Hughes, Julian; Bond, John

2011-07-01

Ensuring the development and delivery of person-centred care in services providing respite care and short breaks for people with dementia and their carers has a number of challenges for health and social service providers. This article explores the role of organisational culture in barriers and facilitators to person-centred dementia care. As part of a mixed-methods study of respite care and short breaks for people with dementia and their carers, 49 telephone semi-structured interviews, two focus groups (N= 16) and five face-to-face in-depth interviews involving front-line staff and operational and strategic managers were completed in 2006-2007. Qualitative thematic analysis of transcripts identified five themes on aspects of organisational culture that are perceived to influence person-centred care: understandings of person-centred care, attitudes to service development, service priorities, valuing staff and solution-focused approaches. Views of person-centred care expressed by participants, although generally positive, highlight a range of understandings about person-centred care. Some organisations describe their service as being person-centred without the necessary cultural shift to make this a reality. Participants highlighted resource constraints and the knowledge, attitudes and personal qualities of staff as a barrier to implementing person-centred care. Leadership style, the way that managers' support and value staff and the management of risk were considered important influences. Person-centred dementia care is strongly advocated by professional opinion leaders and is prescribed in policy documents. This analysis suggests that person-centred dementia care is not strongly embedded in the organisational cultures of all local providers of respite-care and short-break services. Provider organisations should be encouraged further to develop a shared culture at all levels of the organisation to ensure person-centred dementia care. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing