Nanometer-scale, quantitative composition mappings of InGaN layers from a combination of scanning transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pantzas, K; Voss, P L; Ougazzaden, A; Patriarche, G; Largeau, L; Mauguin, O; Troadec, D; Gautier, S; Moudakir, T; Suresh, S

2012-01-01

Using elastic scattering theory we show that a small set of energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) measurements is sufficient to experimentally evaluate the scattering function of electrons in high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission microscopy (HAADF-STEM). We then demonstrate how to use this function to transform qualitative HAADF-STEM images of InGaN layers into precise, quantitative chemical maps of the indium composition. The maps obtained in this way combine the resolution of HAADF-STEM and the chemical precision of EDX. We illustrate the potential of such chemical maps by using them to investigate nanometer-scale fluctuations in the indium composition and their impact on the growth of epitaxial InGaN layers. (paper)

Consolidation of nanometer-sized aluminum single crystals: Microstructure and defects evolutions

KAUST Repository

Afify, N. D.

2014-04-01

Deriving bulk materials with ultra-high mechanical strength from nanometer-sized single metalic crystals depends on the consolidation procedure. We present an accurate molecular dynamics study to quantify microstructure responses to consolidation. Aluminum single crystals with an average size up to 10.7 nm were hydrostatically compressed at temperatures up to 900 K and pressures up to 5 GPa. The consolidated material developed an average grain size that grew exponentially with the consolidation temperature, with a growth rate dependent on the starting average grain size and the consolidation pressure. The evolution of the microstructure was accompanied by a significant reduction in the concentration of defects. The ratio of vacancies to dislocation cores decreased with the average grain size and then increased after reaching a critical average grain size. The deformation mechanisms of poly-crystalline metals can be better understood in the light of the current findings. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Consolidation of nanometer-sized aluminum single crystals: Microstructure and defects evolutions

KAUST Repository

Afify, N. D.; Salem, H. G.; Yavari, A.; El Sayed, Tamer S.

2014-01-01

Deriving bulk materials with ultra-high mechanical strength from nanometer-sized single metalic crystals depends on the consolidation procedure. We present an accurate molecular dynamics study to quantify microstructure responses to consolidation. Aluminum single crystals with an average size up to 10.7 nm were hydrostatically compressed at temperatures up to 900 K and pressures up to 5 GPa. The consolidated material developed an average grain size that grew exponentially with the consolidation temperature, with a growth rate dependent on the starting average grain size and the consolidation pressure. The evolution of the microstructure was accompanied by a significant reduction in the concentration of defects. The ratio of vacancies to dislocation cores decreased with the average grain size and then increased after reaching a critical average grain size. The deformation mechanisms of poly-crystalline metals can be better understood in the light of the current findings. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nanometer-size surface modification produced by single, low energy, highly charged ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stockli, M.P.

1994-01-01

Atomically flat surfaces of insulators have been bombarded with low energy, highly charged ions to search for nanometer-size surface modifications. It is expected that the high electron deficiency of highly charged ions will capture and/or remove many of the insulator's localized electrons when impacting on an insulating surface. The resulting local electron deficiency is expected to locally disintegrate the insulator through a open-quotes Coulomb explosionclose quotes forming nanometer-size craters. Xe ions with charge states between 10+ and 45+ and kinetic energies between 0 and 10 keV/q were obtained from the KSU-CRYEBIS, a CRYogenic Electron Beam Ion Source and directed onto various insulating materials. Mica was favored as target material as atomically flat surfaces can be obtained reliably through cleaving. However, the authors observations with an atomic force microscope have shown that mica tends to defoliate locally rather than disintegrate, most likely due to the small binding forces between adjacent layers. So far the authors measurements indicate that each ion produces one blister if the charge state is sufficiently high. The blistering does not seem to depend very much on the kinetic energy of the ions

Synthesis of nanometer-sized fayalite and magnesium-iron(II) mixture olivines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qafoku, Odeta; Ilton, Eugene S.; Bowden, Mark E.; Kovarik, Libor; Zhang, Xin; Kukkadapu, Ravi K.; Engelhard, Mark H.; Thompson, Christopher J.; Schaef, Herbert T.; McGrail, Bernard Peter; Rosso, Kevin M.; Loring, John S.

2018-04-01

Olivines are divalent orthosilicates with important geologic, biological, and industrial significance and are typically comprised of mixtures of Mg2+ and Fe2+ ranging from forsterite (Mg2SiO4) to fayalite (Fe2SiO4). Investigating the role of Fe(II) in olivine reactivity requires the ability to synthesize olivines that are nanometer-sized, have different percentages of Mg2+ and Fe2+, and have good bulk and surface purity. This article demonstrates a new method for synthesizing nanosized fayalite and Mg-Fe mixture olivines. First, carbonaceous precursors are generated from sucrose, PVA, colloidal silica, Mg2+, and Fe3+. Second, these precursors are calcined in air to burn carbon and create mixtures of Fe(III)-oxides, forsterite, and SiO2. Finally, calcination in reducing CO-CO2 gas buffer leads to Fe(II)-rich olivines. XRD, Mössbauer, and IR analyses verify good bulk purity and composition. XPS indicates that surface iron is in its reduced Fe(II) form, and surface Si is consistent with olivine. SEM shows particle sizes predominately between 50 and 450 nm, and BET surface areas are 2.8-4.2 m2/g. STEM HAADF analysis demonstrates even distributions of Mg and Fe among the available M1 and M2 sites of the olivine crystals. These nanosized Fe(II)-rich olivines are suitable for laboratory studies with in situ probes that require mineral samples with high reactivity at short timescales.

Nanometer size wear debris generated from ultra high molecular weight polyethylene in vivo

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Lapčíková, Monika; Šlouf, Miroslav; Dybal, Jiří; Zolotarevova, E.; Entlicher, G.; Pokorný, D.; Gallo, J.; Sosna, A.

2009-01-01

Roč. 266, 1-2 (2009), s. 349-355 ISSN 0043-1648 R&D Projects: GA MŠk 2B06096 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40500505 Keywords : ultra high molecular weight polyethylene * nanometer size wear debris * morphology of wear particles Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry Impact factor: 1.771, year: 2009

Fluctuations in email size

Science.gov (United States)

Matsubara, Yoshitsugu; Musashi, Yasuo

2017-12-01

The purpose of this study is to explain fluctuations in email size. We have previously investigated the long-term correlations between email send requests and data flow in the system log of the primary staff email server at a university campus, finding that email size frequency follows a power-law distribution with two inflection points, and that the power-law property weakens the correlation of the data flow. However, the mechanism underlying this fluctuation is not completely understood. We collected new log data from both staff and students over six academic years and analyzed the frequency distribution thereof, focusing on the type of content contained in the emails. Furthermore, we obtained permission to collect "Content-Type" log data from the email headers. We therefore collected the staff log data from May 1, 2015 to July 31, 2015, creating two subdistributions. In this paper, we propose a model to explain these subdistributions, which follow log-normal-like distributions. In the log-normal-like model, email senders -consciously or unconsciously- regulate the size of new email sentences according to a normal distribution. The fitting of the model is acceptable for these subdistributions, and the model demonstrates power-law properties for large email sizes. An analysis of the length of new email sentences would be required for further discussion of our model; however, to protect user privacy at the participating organization, we left this analysis for future work. This study provides new knowledge on the properties of email sizes, and our model is expected to contribute to the decision on whether to establish upper size limits in the design of email services.

Nanometer scale materials - characterization and fabrication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murday, J.S.; Colton, R.J.; Rath, B.B.

1993-01-01

Materials and solid state scientists have made excellent progress in understanding material behavior in length scales from microns to meters. Below a micron, the lack of analytical prowess has been a deterrent. At the atomic scale, chemistry and atomic/molecular physics have also contributed significant understanding of matter. The maturity of these three communities, materials, solid state physics, atomic/molecular physics/chemistry, coupled with the development of analytical capability for nanometer-sized structures, promises to broaden our grasp of materials behavior into the last realm of unexplored size scales-nanometer. The motivation for this effort is driven both by the expectation of novel properties as well as by the potential solution to long standing technological issues. Critical scale lengths for many material properties fall in the nanometer range, examples include superconductor coherence lengths, electron inelastic mean free paths, electron wavelengths in solids, critical lengths for dislocation generation. Structures of nanometer size will undoubtedly show behavior unexpected from experience at the larger and smaller scales. Many technological problems such as adhesion, friction, corrosion, elasticity and fracture are believed to depend critically on nanometer scale phenomena. The millennia-old efforts to improve materials behavior have undoubtedly been slowed by our inability to 'observe' in this size range. (orig.)

The voltammetric responses of nanometer-sized electrodes in weakly supported electrolyte: A theoretical study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Yuwen; Zhang Qianfan; Chen Shengli

2010-01-01

The effect of the supporting electrolyte concentration on the interfacial profiles and voltammetric responses of nanometer-sized disk electrodes have been investigated theoretically by combining the Poisson-Nernst-Planck (PNP) theory and Butler-Volmer (BV) equation. The PNP-theory is used to treat the nonlinear couplings of electric field, concentration field and dielectric field at electrochemical interface without the electroneutrality assumption that has been long adopted in various voltammetric theories for macro/microelectrodes. The BV equation is modified by using the Frumkin correction to account for the effect of the diffuse double layer potential on interfacial electron-transfer (ET) rate and by including a distance-dependent ET probability in the expression of rate constant to describe the radial heterogeneity of the ET rate constant at nanometer-sized disk electrodes. The computed voltammetric responses for disk electrodes larger than 200 nm in radii in the absence of the excess of the supporting electrolyte using the present theoretical scheme show reasonable agreements with the predications of the conventional microelectrode voltammetric theory which uses the combined Nernst-Planck equation and electroneutrality equation to describe the mixed electromigration-diffusion mass transport without including the possible effects of the diffuse double layer (Amatore et al. ). For electrodes smaller than 200 nm, however, the voltammetric responses predicated by the present theory exhibit significant deviation from the microelectrode theory. It is shown that the deviations are mainly resulted from the overlap between the diffuse double layer and the concentration depletion layer (CDL) at nanoscale electrochemical interfaces in weakly supported media, which will result in the invalidation of the electroneutrality condition in CDL, and from the radial inhomogeneity of ET probability at nanometer-sized disk electrodes.

The voltammetric responses of nanometer-sized electrodes in weakly supported electrolyte: A theoretical study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu Yuwen; Zhang Qianfan [Hubei Electrochemical Power Sources Key Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Biology and Medicine (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Chen Shengli, E-mail: slchen@whu.edu.c [Hubei Electrochemical Power Sources Key Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Biology and Medicine (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China)

2010-11-30

The effect of the supporting electrolyte concentration on the interfacial profiles and voltammetric responses of nanometer-sized disk electrodes have been investigated theoretically by combining the Poisson-Nernst-Planck (PNP) theory and Butler-Volmer (BV) equation. The PNP-theory is used to treat the nonlinear couplings of electric field, concentration field and dielectric field at electrochemical interface without the electroneutrality assumption that has been long adopted in various voltammetric theories for macro/microelectrodes. The BV equation is modified by using the Frumkin correction to account for the effect of the diffuse double layer potential on interfacial electron-transfer (ET) rate and by including a distance-dependent ET probability in the expression of rate constant to describe the radial heterogeneity of the ET rate constant at nanometer-sized disk electrodes. The computed voltammetric responses for disk electrodes larger than 200 nm in radii in the absence of the excess of the supporting electrolyte using the present theoretical scheme show reasonable agreements with the predications of the conventional microelectrode voltammetric theory which uses the combined Nernst-Planck equation and electroneutrality equation to describe the mixed electromigration-diffusion mass transport without including the possible effects of the diffuse double layer (Amatore et al. ). For electrodes smaller than 200 nm, however, the voltammetric responses predicated by the present theory exhibit significant deviation from the microelectrode theory. It is shown that the deviations are mainly resulted from the overlap between the diffuse double layer and the concentration depletion layer (CDL) at nanoscale electrochemical interfaces in weakly supported media, which will result in the invalidation of the electroneutrality condition in CDL, and from the radial inhomogeneity of ET probability at nanometer-sized disk electrodes.

Three-dimensional nanometer scale analyses of precipitate structures and local compositions in titanium aluminide engineering alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Gerstl, Stephan S. A.

Titanium aluminide (TiAl) alloys are among the fastest developing class of materials for use in high temperature structural applications. Their low density and high strength make them excellent candidates for both engine and airframe applications. Creep properties of TiAl alloys, however, have been a limiting factor in applying the material to a larger commercial market. In this research, nanometer scale compositional and structural analyses of several TiAl alloys, ranging from model Ti-Al-C ternary alloys to putative commercial alloys with 10 components are investigated utilizing three dimensional atom probe (3DAP) and transmission electron microscopies. Nanometer sized borides, silicides, and carbide precipitates are involved in strengthening TiAl alloys, however, chemical partitioning measurements reveal oxygen concentrations up to 14 at. % within the precipitate phases, resulting in the realization of oxycarbide formation contributing to the precipitation strengthening of TiAl alloys. The local compositions of lamellar microstructures and a variety of precipitates in the TiAl system, including boride, silicide, binary carbides, and intermetallic carbides are investigated. Chemical partitioning of the microalloying elements between the alpha2/gamma lamellar phases, and the precipitate/gamma-matrix phases are determined. Both W and Hf have been shown to exhibit a near interfacial excess of 0.26 and 0.35 atoms nm-2 respectively within ca. 7 nm of lamellar interfaces in a complex TiAl alloy. In the case of needle-shaped perovskite Ti3AlC carbide precipitates, periodic domain boundaries are observed 5.3+/-0.8 nm apart along their growth axis parallel to the TiAl[001] crystallographic direction with concomitant composition variations after 24 hrs. at 800°C.

Strengthening of metallic alloys with nanometer-size oxide dispersions

Science.gov (United States)

Flinn, John E.; Kelly, Thomas F.

1999-01-01

Austenitic stainless steels and nickel-base alloys containing, by wt. %, 0.1 to 3.0% V, 0.01 to 0.08% C, 0.01 to 0.5% N, 0.05% max. each of Al and Ti, and 0.005 to 0.10% O, are strengthened and ductility retained by atomization of a metal melt under cover of an inert gas with added oxygen to form approximately 8 nanometer-size hollow oxides within the alloy grains and, when the alloy is aged, strengthened by precipitation of carbides and nitrides nucleated by the hollow oxides. Added strengthening is achieved by nitrogen solid solution strengthening and by the effect of solid oxides precipitated along and pinning grain boundaries to provide temperature-stabilization and refinement of the alloy grains.

Strengthening of metallic alloys with nanometer-size oxide dispersions

Science.gov (United States)

Flinn, J.E.; Kelly, T.F.

1999-06-01

Austenitic stainless steels and nickel-base alloys containing, by wt. %, 0.1 to 3.0% V, 0.01 to 0.08% C, 0.01 to 0.5% N, 0.05% max. each of Al and Ti, and 0.005 to 0.10% O, are strengthened and ductility retained by atomization of a metal melt under cover of an inert gas with added oxygen to form approximately 8 nanometer-size hollow oxides within the alloy grains and, when the alloy is aged, strengthened by precipitation of carbides and nitrides nucleated by the hollow oxides. Added strengthening is achieved by nitrogen solid solution strengthening and by the effect of solid oxides precipitated along and pinning grain boundaries to provide temperature-stabilization and refinement of the alloy grains. 20 figs.

A general approach to homogeneous sub-nanometer metallic particle/graphene composites by S-coordinator

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Senhao; Wang, Wei; Gu, Shangzhi; Zhang, Guoxin; Song, Ningning

2018-05-01

In this study, sulphur-modified reduced graphene oxide (S-rGO) was employed as substrate to investigate the growth mechanism of metal and metallic nanoparticles (NPs). It is observed that the monodispersed Au, SnO2, FeO(OH) and Co3S4 NPs in sub-nanometer (sub-nm) with narrow size distribution were successfully anchored on S-rGO, respectively. The results indicate that the S contained radicals, viz. the Cdbnd S and Csbnd Ssbnd C functional groups play an important role in determining the homogeneous distribution of NPs on S-rGO by providing active sites for the NPs anchoring and nucleation. In additional, as anode materials for lithium ion batteries (LIBs), the as-synthesized sub-nm sized Co3S4/S-rGO and SnO2/S-rGO composites show excellent Li storage performance. It could be stabilized at ca. 600 mAh/g after formation cycle with the coulombic efficiency of 98%. It is expected that the strategy of growing sub-nm sized metallic component onto graphene by applying sulphur functionalities could be utilized as a general method to prepare monodispersed graphene-based NPs with other metals, especially with transition metals in sub-nm sizes.

Mechanism of the superior mechanical strength of nanometer-sized metal single crystals revealed

KAUST Repository

Afify, N. D.

2013-10-01

Clear understanding of the superior mechanical strength of nanometer-sized metal single crystals is required to derive advanced mechanical components retaining such superiority. Although high quality studies have been reported on nano-crystalline metals, the superiority of small single crystals has neither been fundamentally explained nor quantified to this date. Here we present a molecular dynamics study of aluminum single crystals in the size range from 4.1 nm to 40.5 nm. We show that the ultimate mechanical strength deteriorates exponentially as the single crystal size increases. The small crystals superiority is explained by their ability to continuously form vacancies and to recover them. © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Critical composition fluctuations in artificial and cell-derived lipid membranes

Science.gov (United States)

Honerkamp-Smith, Aurelia

2014-03-01

Cell plasma membranes contain a mixture of lipid types which can segregate into coexisting liquids, a thermodynamic phenomenon which may contribute to biological functions. Simplified, artificial three-component lipid vesicles can be prepared which display a critical miscibility transition near room temperature. We found that such vesicles exhibit concentration fluctuations whose size, composition, and timescales vary consistently with critical exponents for two-dimensional conserved order parameter systems. However, the critical miscibility transition is also observed in vesicles formed directly from the membranes of living cells, despite their more complex composition and the presence of membrane proteins. I will describe our critical fluctuation measurements and also review a variety of more recent work by other researchers. Proximity to a critical point alters the spatial distribution and aggregation tendencies of proteins, and makes lipid mixtures more susceptible to domain formation by protein-mediated interactions, such as adhesion zones. Recent work suggests that critical temperature depression may also be relevant to the mechanism of anaesthetic action.

Numerical simulations of the melting behavior of bulk and nanometer-sized Cu systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manai, G.; Delogu, F.

2007-01-01

Molecular dynamics simulations have been employed to investigate the melting mechanisms of four different Cu systems consisting of a surface-free crystalline bulk, a semi-crystal terminating with a free surface and two unsupported particles with a radius of about 4 and 8 nm, respectively. Starting from a relaxed configuration at 300 K, the systems were gradually heated up to the characteristic melting points. The surface-free bulk system underwent homogeneous melting at the limit of superheating, whereas the melting of the semi-crystal and of the nanometer-sized particles occurred with heterogeneous features. In these latter cases, the structural and energetic properties revealed a two-state character with a definite difference between disordered surface layers and bulk-like interiors. In addition, the melting point and the latent heat of fusion of the nanometer-sized particles were significantly depressed with respect to the ones of the semi-crystal, approximately corresponding to the equilibrium values. Pre-melting phenomena took place at the free surfaces at temperatures significantly below the melting point, determining the formation of a solid-liquid interface. Numerical findings indicate that in all the cases the onset of melting is connected with the proliferation and migration of lattice defects and that an intimate relationship exists between homogeneous and heterogeneous melting mechanisms

Dimensional crossover in fluids under nanometer-scale confinement.

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Amit; Chakrabarti, J

2012-05-01

Several earlier studies have shown signatures of crossover in various static and dynamics properties of a confined fluid when the confining dimension decreases to about a nanometer. The density fluctuations govern the majority of such properties of a fluid. Here, we illustrate the crossover in density fluctuation in a confined fluid, to provide a generic understanding of confinement-induced crossover of fluid properties, using computer simulations. The crossover can be understood as a manifestation of changes in the long-wavelength behavior of fluctuation in density due to geometrical constraints. We further show that the confining potential significantly affects the crossover behavior.

Fabrication and characterization of a nanometer-sized optical fiber electrode based on selective chemical etching for scanning electrochemical/optical microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Maruyama, Kenichi; Ohkawa, Hiroyuki; Ogawa, Sho; Ueda, Akio; Niwa, Osamu; Suzuki, Koji

2006-03-15

We have already reported a method for fabricating ultramicroelectrodes (Suzuki, K. JP Patent, 2004-45394, 2004). This method is based on the selective chemical etching of optical fibers. In this work, we undertake a detailed investigation involving a combination of etched optical fibers with various types of tapered tip (protruding-shape, double- (or pencil-) shape and triple-tapered electrode) and insulation with electrophoretic paint. Our goal is to establish a method for fabricating nanometer-sized optical fiber electrodes with high reproducibility. As a result, we realized pencil-shaped and triple-tapered electrodes that had radii in the nanometer range with high reproducibility. These nanometer-sized electrodes showed well-defined sigmoidal curves and stable diffusion-limited responses with cyclic voltammetry. The pencil-shaped optical fiber, which has a conical tip with a cone angle of 20 degrees , was effective for controlling the electrode radius. The pencil-shaped electrodes had higher reproducibility and smaller electrode radii (r(app) etched optical fiber electrodes. By using a pencil-shaped electrode with a 105-nm radius as a probe, we obtained simultaneous electrochemical and optical images of an implantable interdigitated array electrode. We achieved nanometer-scale resolution with a combination of scanning electrochemical microscopy SECM and optical microscopy. The resolution of the electrochemical and optical images indicated sizes of 300 and 930 nm, respectively. The neurites of living PC12 cells were also successfully imaged on a 1.6-microm scale by using the negative feedback mode of an SECM.

Transmission electron microscopy studies on nanometer-sized ω phase produced in Gum Metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yano, Takaaki; Murakami, Yasukazu; Shindo, Daisuke; Hayasaka, Yuichiro; Kuramoto, Shigeru

2010-01-01

The morphology, numerical density and average spacing of the ω phase formed in Gum Metal, a Ti-based alloy showing unique mechanical properties, were studied by transmission electron microscopy. Based on dark-field image observations and precise thickness measurements using a thin-foil specimen, the average spacing of the nanometer-sized ω phase was determined to be 6 nm. This spacing appeared to be sufficiently small for trapping dislocations. The results are discussed in conjunction with the dislocation-free deformation mechanism proposed for Gum Metal.

Synthesis of Nanometer-Sized Poly (methyl methacrylate) Polymer Network by Gold Nanoparticle Template

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Fu-Ken; Hsieh, Shang-Yu; Ko, Fu-Hsiang; Chu, Tieh-Chi; Dai, Bau-Tong

2003-06-01

Gold nanoparticle/polymer composites have been produced using a one-system polymer synthesis. The linear polymer, poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA, MW = 15,000 g/mol) is applied for the stabilization of gold nanoparticles. The Fourier transfer infrared (FT-IR) analysis data and transition electron microscopy (TEM) image reveal that the core shell structure of gold/PMMA nanocomposite has been synthesized. The ratio of the concentration of the capping polymer material to the concentration of the gold precursor could control the sizes of gold nanoparticles. With specific concentration of the reductant, the core-shell nanostructure could be fluctuated in order. After heating treatment, the network structure of PMMA capped gold nanoparticles could be synthesized as confirmed by the TEM image. The result indicates that PMMA not only acts as the stabilizer, but also as the bridge of the neighboring gold nanoparticles.

Ultrahigh-power supercapacitors based on highly conductive graphene nanosheet/nanometer-sized carbide-derived carbon frameworks.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Pengtao; Zhang, Xuesha; Hou, Meiling; Liu, Yanyan; Liu, Ting; Liu, Kang; Zhang, Ruijun

2018-06-22

In order to develop energy storage devices with high power performance, electrodes should hold well-defined pathways for efficient ionic and electronic transport. Herein, we demonstrate a highly conductive graphene nanosheet/nanometer-sized carbide-derived carbon framework (hcGNS/nCDC). In this architecture, nCDC possesses short transport paths for electrolyte ions, thus ensuring the rapid ions transportation. The excellent electrical conductivity of hcGNS can reduce the electrode internal resistance for the supercapacitor and thus endows the hcGNS/nCDC composite electrodes with excellent electronic transportation performance. Electrochemical measurements show that the cyclic voltammogram of hcGNS/nCDC can maintain a rectangular-like shape with the increase of the scan rate from 5 mV s -1 to 20 V s -1 , and the specific capacitance retention is up to 51% even at a high scan rate of 20 V s -1 , suggesting ultrahigh power performance, which, to the best of our knowledge, is among the best power performances reported so far for the carbon materials. Furthermore, the hcGNS/nCDC composite also shows an excellent cycling stability (no drop in its capacitance occurs even after 10000 cycles). This work demonstrates the advantage in the ultrahigh power performance for the framework having both short transport pathways for electrolyte ions and high electrical conductivity.

Ultrahigh-power supercapacitors based on highly conductive graphene nanosheet/nanometer-sized carbide-derived carbon frameworks

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Pengtao; Zhang, Xuesha; Hou, Meiling; Liu, Yanyan; Liu, Ting; Liu, Kang; Zhang, Ruijun

2018-06-01

In order to develop energy storage devices with high power performance, electrodes should hold well-defined pathways for efficient ionic and electronic transport. Herein, we demonstrate a highly conductive graphene nanosheet/nanometer-sized carbide-derived carbon framework (hcGNS/nCDC). In this architecture, nCDC possesses short transport paths for electrolyte ions, thus ensuring the rapid ions transportation. The excellent electrical conductivity of hcGNS can reduce the electrode internal resistance for the supercapacitor and thus endows the hcGNS/nCDC composite electrodes with excellent electronic transportation performance. Electrochemical measurements show that the cyclic voltammogram of hcGNS/nCDC can maintain a rectangular-like shape with the increase of the scan rate from 5 mV s‑1 to 20 V s‑1, and the specific capacitance retention is up to 51% even at a high scan rate of 20 V s‑1, suggesting ultrahigh power performance, which, to the best of our knowledge, is among the best power performances reported so far for the carbon materials. Furthermore, the hcGNS/nCDC composite also shows an excellent cycling stability (no drop in its capacitance occurs even after 10000 cycles). This work demonstrates the advantage in the ultrahigh power performance for the framework having both short transport pathways for electrolyte ions and high electrical conductivity.

Proximate composition of Mystus bleekeri in relation to body size ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Proximate composition of small catfish, Mystus bleekeri, from Nala Daik, Sialkot, Pakistan was investigated and fluctuation in relation to body size and condition factor was carried out. Mean percentages for water, fat, protein and ash contents in the whole wet body weight of wild M. bleekeri were 77.87, 3.26, 15.01 and ...

Quantum decrease of capacitance in a nanometer-sized tunnel junction

Science.gov (United States)

Untiedt, C.; Saenz, G.; Olivera, B.; Corso, M.; Sabater, C.; Pascual, J. I.

2013-03-01

We have studied the capacitance of the tunnel junction defined by the tip and sample of a Scanning Tunnelling Microscope through the measurement of the electrostatic forces and impedance of the junction. A decrease of the capacitance when a tunnel current is present has shown to be a more general phenomenon as previously reported in other systems. On another hand, an unexpected reduction of the capacitance is also observed when increasing the applied voltage above the work function energy of the electrodes to the Field Emission (FE) regime, and the decrease of capacitance due to a single FE-Resonance has been characterized. All these effects should be considered when doing measurements of the electronic characteristics of nanometer-sized electronic devices and have been neglected up to date. Spanish government (FIS2010-21883-C02-01, CONSOLIDER CSD2007-0010), Comunidad Valenciana (ACOMP/2012/127 and PROMETEO/2012/011)

Preparation of new composite ceramics based on gadolinium-doped ceria and magnesia nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yao, Jingying; Schelter, Matthias; Zosel, Jens; Oelssner, Wolfram [Kurt-Schwabe-Institut fuer Mess- und Sensortechnik e.V. Meinsberg, Waldheim (Germany); Mertig, Michael [Kurt-Schwabe-Institut fuer Mess- und Sensortechnik e.V. Meinsberg, Waldheim (Germany); Physikalische Chemie, Mess- und Sensortechnik, Technische Universitaet Dresden (Germany)

2017-09-15

To achieve solid electrolyte materials for electrochemical energy storage devices with very high oxygen ion conductivity, composites of gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC) and magnesia (MgO) are developed in this study. Three different preparation methods are used to prepare nanoparticles from these two components. According to the characterization results, the self-propagating high-temperature synthesis is best suited for the preparation of both nanometer-sized GDC powder as solid electrolyte and MgO powder as insulator. The structures of the prepared nanometer-sized powders have been characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. They show narrow size distributions in the lower nanometer range. Then, dense composite ceramics are prepared from a MgO-GDC mixture by sintering. The size of the crystallite domains in the sintered ceramic is in the upper nanometer range. TEM and TEM-EDX images of a new composite ceramic based on gadolinium-doped ceria and magnesia nanoparticles. (copyright 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Preparation of new composite ceramics based on gadolinium-doped ceria and magnesia nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yao, Jingying; Schelter, Matthias; Zosel, Jens; Oelssner, Wolfram; Mertig, Michael

2017-01-01

To achieve solid electrolyte materials for electrochemical energy storage devices with very high oxygen ion conductivity, composites of gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC) and magnesia (MgO) are developed in this study. Three different preparation methods are used to prepare nanoparticles from these two components. According to the characterization results, the self-propagating high-temperature synthesis is best suited for the preparation of both nanometer-sized GDC powder as solid electrolyte and MgO powder as insulator. The structures of the prepared nanometer-sized powders have been characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. They show narrow size distributions in the lower nanometer range. Then, dense composite ceramics are prepared from a MgO-GDC mixture by sintering. The size of the crystallite domains in the sintered ceramic is in the upper nanometer range. TEM and TEM-EDX images of a new composite ceramic based on gadolinium-doped ceria and magnesia nanoparticles. (copyright 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Non-classical homogeneous precipitation mediated by compositional fluctuations in titanium alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nag, S.; Zheng, Y.; Williams, R.E.A.; Devaraj, A.; Boyne, A.; Wang, Y.; Collins, P.C.; Viswanathan, G.B.; Tiley, J.S.; Muddle, B.C.; Banerjee, R.

2012-01-01

This paper presents experimental evidence of homogeneous precipitation of the α-phase within the β matrix of a titanium alloy, and then accounts for this phase transformation by a new, non-classical mechanism involving compositional fluctuations, based on the pseudo-spinodal concept [1]. This mechanism involves local compositional fluctuations of small amplitude which, when of a certain magnitude, can favor thermodynamically certain regions of the β matrix to transform congruently to the α-phase but with compositions far from equilibrium. Subsequently, as measured experimentally using the tomographical atom probe, continuous diffusional partitioning between the parent β- and product α-phases during isothermal annealing drives their compositions towards equilibrium. For a given alloy composition, the decomposition mechanism is strongly temperature dependent, which would be expected for homogeneous precipitation via the compositional fluctuation-mediated mechanism but not necessarily for one based on classical nucleation theory. The applicability of this mechanism to phase transformations in general is noted.

Fluctuating survival selection explains variation in avian group size.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Charles R; Brown, Mary Bomberger; Roche, Erin A; O'Brien, Valerie A; Page, Catherine E

2016-05-03

Most animal groups vary extensively in size. Because individuals in certain sizes of groups often have higher apparent fitness than those in other groups, why wide group size variation persists in most populations remains unexplained. We used a 30-y mark-recapture study of colonially breeding cliff swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) to show that the survival advantages of different colony sizes fluctuated among years. Colony size was under both stabilizing and directional selection in different years, and reversals in the sign of directional selection regularly occurred. Directional selection was predicted in part by drought conditions: birds in larger colonies tended to be favored in cooler and wetter years, and birds in smaller colonies in hotter and drier years. Oscillating selection on colony size likely reflected annual differences in food availability and the consequent importance of information transfer, and/or the level of ectoparasitism, with the net benefit of sociality varying under these different conditions. Averaged across years, there was no net directional change in selection on colony size. The wide range in cliff swallow group size is probably maintained by fluctuating survival selection and represents the first case, to our knowledge, in which fitness advantages of different group sizes regularly oscillate over time in a natural vertebrate population.

Evolutionary dynamics with fluctuating population sizes and strong mutualism

Science.gov (United States)

Chotibut, Thiparat; Nelson, David R.

2015-08-01

Game theory ideas provide a useful framework for studying evolutionary dynamics in a well-mixed environment. This approach, however, typically enforces a strictly fixed overall population size, deemphasizing natural growth processes. We study a competitive Lotka-Volterra model, with number fluctuations, that accounts for natural population growth and encompasses interaction scenarios typical of evolutionary games. We show that, in an appropriate limit, the model describes standard evolutionary games with both genetic drift and overall population size fluctuations. However, there are also regimes where a varying population size can strongly influence the evolutionary dynamics. We focus on the strong mutualism scenario and demonstrate that standard evolutionary game theory fails to describe our simulation results. We then analytically and numerically determine fixation probabilities as well as mean fixation times using matched asymptotic expansions, taking into account the population size degree of freedom. These results elucidate the interplay between population dynamics and evolutionary dynamics in well-mixed systems.

Evolutionary dynamics with fluctuating population sizes and strong mutualism.

Science.gov (United States)

Chotibut, Thiparat; Nelson, David R

2015-08-01

Game theory ideas provide a useful framework for studying evolutionary dynamics in a well-mixed environment. This approach, however, typically enforces a strictly fixed overall population size, deemphasizing natural growth processes. We study a competitive Lotka-Volterra model, with number fluctuations, that accounts for natural population growth and encompasses interaction scenarios typical of evolutionary games. We show that, in an appropriate limit, the model describes standard evolutionary games with both genetic drift and overall population size fluctuations. However, there are also regimes where a varying population size can strongly influence the evolutionary dynamics. We focus on the strong mutualism scenario and demonstrate that standard evolutionary game theory fails to describe our simulation results. We then analytically and numerically determine fixation probabilities as well as mean fixation times using matched asymptotic expansions, taking into account the population size degree of freedom. These results elucidate the interplay between population dynamics and evolutionary dynamics in well-mixed systems.

Graphene nanoribbon field effect transistor for nanometer-size on-chip temperature sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Banadaki, Yaser M.; Srivastava, Ashok; Sharifi, Safura

2016-04-01

Graphene has been extensively investigated as a promising material for various types of high performance sensors due to its large surface-to-volume ratio, remarkably high carrier mobility, high carrier density, high thermal conductivity, extremely high mechanical strength and high signal-to-noise ratio. The power density and the corresponding die temperature can be tremendously high in scaled emerging technology designs, urging the on-chip sensing and controlling of the generated heat in nanometer dimensions. In this paper, we have explored the feasibility of a thin oxide graphene nanoribbon (GNR) as nanometer-size temperature sensor for detecting local on-chip temperature at scaled bias voltages of emerging technology. We have introduced an analytical model for GNR FET for 22nm technology node, which incorporates both thermionic emission of high-energy carriers and band-to-band-tunneling (BTBT) of carriers from drain to channel regions together with different scattering mechanisms due to intrinsic acoustic phonons and optical phonons and line-edge roughness in narrow GNRs. The temperature coefficient of resistivity (TCR) of GNR FET-based temperature sensor shows approximately an order of magnitude higher TCR than large-area graphene FET temperature sensor by accurately choosing of GNR width and bias condition for a temperature set point. At gate bias VGS = 0.55 V, TCR maximizes at room temperature to 2.1×10-2 /K, which is also independent of GNR width, allowing the design of width-free GNR FET for room temperature sensing applications.

Chemical composition shape form and size of suspended solids in the atmosphere carried by rain water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iturbe G, J.L.; Lopez M, B.E.; Torre O, J. De la

2001-01-01

The interest of this work is to know about shape form, size and chemical composition of the suspended solids in the atmosphere of Toluca city and which are carried by the rains. The harvest of the samples was carried out during january to november 1999. The separation of the particulate matter from the rain water was realized through centrifugation. The solids were analysed by Scanning Electron Microscopy to know the shape form and size and the chemical composition was determined by X-ray dispersive energy in general form and of some particles individually analysed. The p H was measured to the solutions and the quantification of some dissolved ions by the Icp technique was realized. The results of the solids showed C, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, P, K, Ca, Ti and Fe. Moreover they present sizes which varying from a ten of nanometers until some tens of microns. (Author)

Modelling the role of compositional fluctuations in nucleation kinetics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ženíšek, J.; Kozeschnik, E.; Svoboda, J.; Fischer, F.D.

2015-01-01

The classical nucleation theory of precipitate nucleation in interstitial/substitutional alloys is applied to account for the influence of spatial A–B composition fluctuations in an A–B–C matrix on the kinetics of nucleation of (A,B) 3 C precipitates. A and B are substitutional elements in the matrix and C is an interstitial component, assumed to preferentially bind to B atoms. All lattice sites are considered as potential nucleation sites. The fluctuations of chemical composition result in a local variation of the nucleation probability. The nucleation sites are eliminated from the system if they are located in a C-depleted diffusion zone belonging to an already nucleated and growing precipitate. The chemistry is that of an Fe–Cr–C system, and the specific interface energy is treated as a free parameter. Random, regular and homogeneous A–B distributions in the matrix are simulated and compared for various values of the interface energy. An increasing enhancement of the role of compositional fluctuations on nucleation kinetics with increasing interface energy and decreasing chemical driving force is observed

Vessel size effect on the characteristic frequency of the free surface fluctuations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nam, Ho Yun; Kim, Min Joon; Kim, Jong Man; Choi, Byoung Hae

2004-01-01

Studies of the free surface fluctuations is one of the important topics in a liquid metal nuclear reactor using sodium as the coolant that has a free surface in the upper plenum of the reactor vessel. The main reasons for the study on the free surface fluctuations can be summarized as: 1. to secure the structural integrity of a reactor vessel by considering the thermal stress on the vessel wall induced by the fluctuations of the free surface between the hot sodium and cold cover gas, 2. to prevent the cover gas entrainment at the free surface of the sodium because the entrained gas causes a change in the reactivity and also reduces the heat removal capability in the core. Some experimental studies on the free surface fluctuations have been reported. However, most of them focus on the gas entrainment phenomena and only a few works concern the basic characteristics of the free surface fluctuations. Since the thermal stress on the wall is strongly dependent on the amplitude and frequency of the free surface fluctuations, studies on the amplitudes and frequencies should receive more attention. In Nam, empirical formulae on the amplitudes and frequencies with respect to the geometric and hydraulic parameters were introduced. It is an interesting result, but the experiment was performed within the parameter range near the onset point of the fluctuations. In the real reactor condition, larger sized fluctuations may exist and the formula needs to be modified. In this study, we performed experiments on the free surface fluctuations, especially on larger sized fluctuations and made an analysis of the amplitudes and frequencies. The main focus of this paper is the effect of the vessel size on the characteristic frequencies. It is thought to be helpful for finding the scaling laws, for example, designing a scale-down experiment

Surface effects on ionic Coulomb blockade in nanometer-size pores.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, Hiroya; Iizuka, Hideo; Pershin, Yuriy V; Ventra, Massimiliano Di

2018-01-12

Ionic Coulomb blockade in nanopores is a phenomenon that shares some similarities but also differences with its electronic counterpart. Here, we investigate this phenomenon extensively using all-atom molecular dynamics of ionic transport through nanopores of about one nanometer in diameter and up to several nanometers in length. Our goal is to better understand the role of atomic roughness and structure of the pore walls in the ionic Coulomb blockade. Our numerical results reveal the following general trends. First, the nanopore selectivity changes with its diameter, and the nanopore position in the membrane influences the current strength. Second, the ionic transport through the nanopore takes place in a hopping-like fashion over a set of discretized states caused by local electric fields due to membrane atoms. In some cases, this creates a slow-varying 'crystal-like' structure of ions inside the nanopore. Third, while at a given voltage, the resistance of the nanopore depends on its length, the slope of this dependence appears to be independent of the molarity of ions. An effective kinetic model that captures the ionic Coulomb blockade behavior observed in MD simulations is formulated.

Surface effects on ionic Coulomb blockade in nanometer-size pores

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, Hiroya; Iizuka, Hideo; Pershin, Yuriy V.; Di Ventra, Massimiliano

2018-01-01

Ionic Coulomb blockade in nanopores is a phenomenon that shares some similarities but also differences with its electronic counterpart. Here, we investigate this phenomenon extensively using all-atom molecular dynamics of ionic transport through nanopores of about one nanometer in diameter and up to several nanometers in length. Our goal is to better understand the role of atomic roughness and structure of the pore walls in the ionic Coulomb blockade. Our numerical results reveal the following general trends. First, the nanopore selectivity changes with its diameter, and the nanopore position in the membrane influences the current strength. Second, the ionic transport through the nanopore takes place in a hopping-like fashion over a set of discretized states caused by local electric fields due to membrane atoms. In some cases, this creates a slow-varying ‘crystal-like’ structure of ions inside the nanopore. Third, while at a given voltage, the resistance of the nanopore depends on its length, the slope of this dependence appears to be independent of the molarity of ions. An effective kinetic model that captures the ionic Coulomb blockade behavior observed in MD simulations is formulated.

Tracing temperature in a nanometer size region in a picosecond time period.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakajima, Kaoru; Kitayama, Takumi; Hayashi, Hiroaki; Matsuda, Makoto; Sataka, Masao; Tsujimoto, Masahiko; Toulemonde, Marcel; Bouffard, Serge; Kimura, Kenji

2015-08-21

Irradiation of materials with either swift heavy ions or slow highly charged ions leads to ultrafast heating on a timescale of several picosecond in a region of several nanometer. This ultrafast local heating result in formation of nanostructures, which provide a number of potential applications in nanotechnologies. These nanostructures are believed to be formed when the local temperature rises beyond the melting or boiling point of the material. Conventional techniques, however, are not applicable to measure temperature in such a localized region in a short time period. Here, we propose a novel method for tracing temperature in a nanometer region in a picosecond time period by utilizing desorption of gold nanoparticles around the ion impact position. The feasibility is examined by comparing with the temperature evolution predicted by a theoretical model.

Determining the composition of gold nanoparticles: a compilation of shapes, sizes, and calculations using geometric considerations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mori, Taizo; Hegmann, Torsten

2016-01-01

Size, shape, overall composition, and surface functionality largely determine the properties and applications of metal nanoparticles. Aside from well-defined metal clusters, their composition is often estimated assuming a quasi-spherical shape of the nanoparticle core. With decreasing diameter of the assumed circumscribed sphere, particularly in the range of only a few nanometers, the estimated nanoparticle composition increasingly deviates from the real composition, leading to significant discrepancies between anticipated and experimentally observed composition, properties, and characteristics. We here assembled a compendium of tables, models, and equations for thiol-protected gold nanoparticles that will allow experimental scientists to more accurately estimate the composition of their gold nanoparticles using TEM image analysis data. The estimates obtained from following the routines described here will then serve as a guide for further analytical characterization of as-synthesized gold nanoparticles by other bulk (thermal, structural, chemical, and compositional) and surface characterization techniques. While the tables, models, and equations are dedicated to gold nanoparticles, the composition of other metal nanoparticle cores with face-centered cubic lattices can easily be estimated simply by substituting the value for the radius of the metal atom of interest.Graphical abstract

Determining the composition of gold nanoparticles: a compilation of shapes, sizes, and calculations using geometric considerations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mori, Taizo, E-mail: MORI.Taizo@nims.go.jp; Hegmann, Torsten, E-mail: thegmann@kent.edu [Kent State University, Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Liquid Crystal Institute (United States)

2016-10-15

Size, shape, overall composition, and surface functionality largely determine the properties and applications of metal nanoparticles. Aside from well-defined metal clusters, their composition is often estimated assuming a quasi-spherical shape of the nanoparticle core. With decreasing diameter of the assumed circumscribed sphere, particularly in the range of only a few nanometers, the estimated nanoparticle composition increasingly deviates from the real composition, leading to significant discrepancies between anticipated and experimentally observed composition, properties, and characteristics. We here assembled a compendium of tables, models, and equations for thiol-protected gold nanoparticles that will allow experimental scientists to more accurately estimate the composition of their gold nanoparticles using TEM image analysis data. The estimates obtained from following the routines described here will then serve as a guide for further analytical characterization of as-synthesized gold nanoparticles by other bulk (thermal, structural, chemical, and compositional) and surface characterization techniques. While the tables, models, and equations are dedicated to gold nanoparticles, the composition of other metal nanoparticle cores with face-centered cubic lattices can easily be estimated simply by substituting the value for the radius of the metal atom of interest.Graphical abstract.

Stochastic modelling in design of mechanical properties of nanometals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tengen, T.B.; Wejrzanowski, T.; Iwankiewicz, R.; Kurzydlowski, K.J.

2010-01-01

Polycrystalline nanometals are being fabricated through different processing routes and conditions. The consequence is that nanometals having the same mean grain size may have different grain size dispersion and, hence, may have different material properties. This has often led to conflicting reports from both theoretical and experimental findings about the evolutions of the mechanical properties of nanomaterials. The present paper employs stochastic model to study the impact of microstructure evolution during grain growth on the mechanical properties of polycrystalline nanometals. The stochastic model for grain growth and the stochastic model for changes in mechanical properties of nanomaterials are proposed. The model for the mechanical properties developed is tested on aluminium samples.Many salient features of the mechanical properties of the aluminium samples are revealed. The results show that the different mechanisms of grain growth impart different nature of response to the material mechanical properties. The conventional, homologous and anomalous temperature dependences of the yield stress have also been revealed to be due to different nature of interactions of the microstructures during evolution.

Size scaling effects on the particle density fluctuations in confined plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vazquez, Federico; Markus, Ferenc

2009-01-01

In this paper, memory and nonlocal effects on fluctuating mass diffusion are addressed in the context of fusion plasmas. Nonlocal effects are included by considering a diffusivity coefficient depending on the size of the container in the transverse direction to the applied magnetic field. It is obtained by resorting to the general formulation of the extended version of irreversible thermodynamics in terms of the higher order dissipative fluxes. The developed model describes two different types of the particle density time correlation function. Both have been observed in tokamak and nontokamak devices. These two kinds of time correlation function characterize the wave and the diffusive transport mechanisms of particle density perturbations. A transition between them is found, which is controlled by the size of the container. A phase diagram in the (L,2π/k) space describes the relation between the dynamics of particle density fluctuations and the size L of the system together with the oscillating mode k of the correlation function.

Synthesis of nanometer-size inorganic materials for the examination of particle size effects on heterogeneous catalysis

Science.gov (United States)

Emerson, Sean Christian

The effect of acoustic and hydrodynamic cavitation on the precipitation of inorganic catalytic materials, specifically titania supported gold, was investigated. The overall objective was to understand the fundamental factors involved in synthesizing nanometer-size catalytic materials in the 1--10 nm range in a cavitating field. Materials with grain sizes in this range have been associated with enhanced catalytic activity compared to larger grain size materials. A new chemical approach was used to produce titania supported gold by co-precipitation with higher gold yields compared to other synthesis methods. Using this approach, it was determined that acoustic cavitation was unable to influence the gold mean crystallite size compared to non-sonicated catalysts. However, gold concentration on the catalysts was found to be very important for CO oxidation activity. By decreasing the gold concentration from a weight loading of 0.50% down to approximately 0.05%, the rate of reaction per mole of gold was found to increase by a factor of 19. Hydrodynamic cavitation at low pressures (6.9--48 bar) was determined to have no effect on gold crystallite size at a fixed gold content for the same precipitation technique used in the acoustic cavitation studies. By changing the chemistry of the precipitation system, however, it was found that a synergy existed between the dilution of the gold precursor solution, the orifice diameter, and the reducing agent addition rate. Individually, these factors were found to have little effect and only their interaction allowed gold grain size control in the range of 8--80 nm. Further modification of the system chemistry and the use of hydrodynamic cavitation at pressures in excess of 690 bar allowed the systematic control of gold crystallite size in the range of 2--9 nm for catalysts containing 2.27 +/- 0.17% gold. In addition, it was shown that the enhanced mixing due to cavitation led to larger gold yields compared to classical syntheses. The

Si/C composite lithium-ion battery anodes synthesized using silicon nanoparticles from porous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jung-Bae; Lee, Kwan-Hee; Jeon, Young-Jun; Lim, Sung-Hwan; Lee, Sung-Man

2014-01-01

The synthesis of Si nanoparticles by ultrasonication processing of porous Si powder and a novel method for preparing a high-capacity Si/C composite using this technique is reported. The porous Si powder is prepared by selectively etching the silicide phase of a Ti 24 Si 76 alloy consisting of Si and silicide phases. The particle size of the nanocrystalline Si is determined by the crystallite size of the Si and silicide phases in the alloy powder. Ultrasonication of the porous Si obtained from the mechanically alloyed Ti 24 Si 76 alloy generates nanocrystalline Si particles of size about 5 nm. Growth of the Si and silicide phases in the alloy is induced by annealing of the mechanically alloyed sample, with a consequent increase in the size of the Si particles obtained after ultrasonication. Application of the ultrasonication process to the fabrication of Si/C composite anode materials generates nanometer-scale Si particles in situ that are distributed in the matrix. Analysis of the phases obtained and evaluation of the distribution of the nanometer-scale Si particles in the composites via XRD/TEM measurements show that the nanometer-scale Si particles are effectively synthesized and uniformly distributed in the carbon matrix, leading to enhanced electrochemical performance of the Si/C composites

Synthesis and mechanical behavior of carbon nanotube-magnesium composites hybridized with nanoparticles of alumina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thakur, Sanjay Kumar; Srivatsan, T.S.; Gupta, Manoj

2007-01-01

Carbon nanotubes reinforced magnesium based composites were prepared with diligence and care using the powder metallurgy route coupled with rapid microwave sintering. Nanometer-sized particles of alumina were used to hybridize the carbon nanotubes reinforcement in the magnesium matrix so as to establish the intrinsic influence of hybridization on mechanical behavior of the resultant composite material. The yield strength, tensile strength and strain-to-failure of the carbon nanotubes-magnesium composites were found to increase with the addition of nanometer-sized alumina particles to the composite matrix. Scanning electron microscopy observations of the fracture surfaces of the samples deformed and failed in uniaxial tension revealed the presence of cleavage-like features on the fracture surface indicative of the occurrence of locally brittle fracture mechanism in the composite microstructure

Preparation of poly (methyl methacrylate)/nanometer calcium carbonate composite by in-situ emulsion polymerization

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

史建明; 包永忠; 黄志明; 翁志学

2004-01-01

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) emulsion polymerization in the presence of nanometer calcium carbonate (nano-CaCO3) surface modified with (-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS) was carried out to prepare poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/nano-CaCO3 composite. The reaction between nano-CaCO3 and MPTMS, and the grafting of PMMA onto nano-CaCO3 were confirmed by infrared spectrum. The grafting ratio and grafting efficiency of PMMA on nano-CaCO3 modified with MPTMS were much higher than that on nano-CaCO3 modified with stearic acid. The grafting ratio of PMMA increased as the weight ratio between MMA and nano-CaCO3 increased, while the grafting efficiency of PMMA decreased. Transmission electron micrograph showed that nano-CaCO3 covered with PMMA was formed by in-situ emulsion polymerization.

Surface and finite size effect on fluctuations dynamics in nanoparticles with long-range order

Science.gov (United States)

Morozovska, A. N.; Eliseev, E. A.

2010-02-01

The influence of surface and finite size on the dynamics of the order parameter fluctuations and critical phenomena in the three-dimensional (3D)-confined systems with long-range order was not considered theoretically. In this paper, we study the influence of surface and finite size on the dynamics of the order parameter fluctuations in the particles of arbitrary shape. We consider concrete examples of the spherical and cylindrical ferroic nanoparticles within Landau-Ginzburg-Devonshire phenomenological approach. Allowing for the strong surface energy contribution in micro and nanoparticles, the analytical expressions derived for the Ornstein-Zernike correlator of the long-range order parameter spatial-temporal fluctuations, dynamic generalized susceptibility, relaxation times, and correlation radii discrete spectra are different from those known for bulk systems. Obtained analytical expressions for the correlation function of the order parameter spatial-temporal fluctuations in micro and nanosized systems can be useful for the quantitative analysis of the dynamical structural factors determined from magnetic resonance diffraction and scattering spectra. Besides the practical importance of the correlation function for the analysis of the experimental data, derived expressions for the fluctuations strength determine the fundamental limits of phenomenological theories applicability for 3D-confined systems.

Peri-Implant Endosseous Healing Properties of Dual Acid-Etched Mini-Implants with a Nanometer-Sized Deposition of CaP : A Histological and Histomorphometric Human Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Telleman, Gerdien; Albrektsson, Tomas; Hoffman, Maria; Johansson, Carina B.; Vissink, Arjan; Meijer, Henny J. A.; Raghoebar, Gerry M.

2010-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this histological and histomorphometric study was to compare the early peri-implant endosseous healing properties of a dual acid-etched (DAE) surface (Osseotite (R), Implant Innovations Inc., Palm Beach Gardens, FL, USA) with a DAE surface modified with nanometer-sized calcium

Passive behavior of a bulk nanostructured 316L austenitic stainless steel consisting of nanometer-sized grains with embedded nano-twin bundles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Tianshu; Liu, Li; Zhang, Bin; Li, Ying; Yan, Fengkai; Tao, Nairong; Wang, Fuhui

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Nanometer-grains (NG) and bundles of nano-twins (NT) is synthesized in 316L. • (NG + NT) and NT enhance the concentration of active Fe Fe in the passive film. • (NG + NT) and NT enhance the passive ability. • A Cr 0 -enriched layer forms at the passive film/metal interface. - Abstract: The passive behavior of a bulk nanostructured 316L austenitic stainless steel consisting of nanometer-sized grains (NG) and nano-twin bundles (NT) are investigated. The electrochemical results indicate that the spontaneous passivation ability and growth rate of passive film are improved. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) shows that a Cr 0 -enriched layer forms at the passive film/metal interface. More nucleation sites afforded by the nanostructures and the enhanced diffusion rate of charged species across the passive film are believed to be responsible for the improved passive ability. The PDM model is introduced to elaborate the microscopic process of passivation

Fluctuating fitness shapes the clone-size distribution of immune repertoires.

Science.gov (United States)

Desponds, Jonathan; Mora, Thierry; Walczak, Aleksandra M

2016-01-12

The adaptive immune system relies on the diversity of receptors expressed on the surface of B- and T cells to protect the organism from a vast amount of pathogenic threats. The proliferation and degradation dynamics of different cell types (B cells, T cells, naive, memory) is governed by a variety of antigenic and environmental signals, yet the observed clone sizes follow a universal power-law distribution. Guided by this reproducibility we propose effective models of somatic evolution where cell fate depends on an effective fitness. This fitness is determined by growth factors acting either on clones of cells with the same receptor responding to specific antigens, or directly on single cells with no regard for clones. We identify fluctuations in the fitness acting specifically on clones as the essential ingredient leading to the observed distributions. Combining our models with experiments, we characterize the scale of fluctuations in antigenic environments and we provide tools to identify the relevant growth signals in different tissues and organisms. Our results generalize to any evolving population in a fluctuating environment.

Fluctuating Asymmetry of Human Populations: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John H. Graham

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Fluctuating asymmetry, the random deviation from perfect symmetry, is a widely used population-level index of developmental instability, developmental noise, and robustness. It reflects a population’s state of adaptation and genomic coadaptation. Here, we review the literature on fluctuating asymmetry of human populations. The most widely used bilateral traits include skeletal, dental, and facial dimensions; dermatoglyphic patterns and ridge counts; and facial shape. Each trait has its advantages and disadvantages, but results are most robust when multiple traits are combined into a composite index of fluctuating asymmetry (CFA. Both environmental (diet, climate, toxins and genetic (aneuploidy, heterozygosity, inbreeding stressors have been linked to population-level variation in fluctuating asymmetry. In general, these stressors increase average fluctuating asymmetry. Nevertheless, there have been many conflicting results, in part because (1 fluctuating asymmetry is a weak signal in a sea of noise; and (2 studies of human fluctuating asymmetry have not always followed best practices. The most serious concerns are insensitive asymmetry indices (correlation coefficient and coefficient of indetermination, inappropriate size scaling, unrecognized mixture distributions, inappropriate corrections for directional asymmetry, failure to use composite indices, and inattention to measurement error. Consequently, it is often difficult (or impossible to compare results across traits, and across studies.

1/ f noise from the laws of thermodynamics for finite-size fluctuations.

Science.gov (United States)

Chamberlin, Ralph V; Nasir, Derek M

2014-07-01

Computer simulations of the Ising model exhibit white noise if thermal fluctuations are governed by Boltzmann's factor alone; whereas we find that the same model exhibits 1/f noise if Boltzmann's factor is extended to include local alignment entropy to all orders. We show that this nonlinear correction maintains maximum entropy during equilibrium fluctuations. Indeed, as with the usual way to resolve Gibbs' paradox that avoids entropy reduction during reversible processes, the correction yields the statistics of indistinguishable particles. The correction also ensures conservation of energy if an instantaneous contribution from local entropy is included. Thus, a common mechanism for 1/f noise comes from assuming that finite-size fluctuations strictly obey the laws of thermodynamics, even in small parts of a large system. Empirical evidence for the model comes from its ability to match the measured temperature dependence of the spectral-density exponents in several metals and to show non-Gaussian fluctuations characteristic of nanoscale systems.

Membranes for nanometer-scale mass fast transport

Science.gov (United States)

Bakajin, Olgica [San Leandro, CA; Holt, Jason [Berkeley, CA; Noy, Aleksandr [Belmont, CA; Park, Hyung Gyu [Oakland, CA

2011-10-18

Nanoporous membranes comprising single walled, double walled, and multiwalled carbon nanotubes embedded in a matrix material were fabricated for fluid mechanics and mass transfer studies on the nanometer scale and commercial applications. Average pore size can be 2 nm to 20 nm, or seven nm or less, or two nanometers or less. The membrane can be free of large voids spanning the membrane such that transport of material such as gas or liquid occurs exclusively through the tubes. Fast fluid, vapor, and liquid transport are observed. Versatile micromachining methods can be used for membrane fabrication. A single chip can comprise multiple membranes. These membranes are a robust platform for the study of confined molecular transport, with applications in liquid and gas separations and chemical sensing including desalination, dialysis, and fabric formation.

Simulation of Electrical Discharge Initiated by a Nanometer-Sized Probe in Atmospheric Conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Ran; Chen Chilai; Liu Youjiang; Wang Huanqin; Kong Deyi; Ma Yuan; Cada Michael; Brugger Jürgen

2013-01-01

In this paper, a two-dimensional nanometer scale tip-plate discharge model has been employed to study nanoscale electrical discharge in atmospheric conditions. The field strength distributions in a nanometer scale tip-to-plate electrode arrangement were calculated using the finite element analysis (FEA) method, and the influences of applied voltage amplitude and frequency as well as gas gap distance on the variation of effective discharge range (EDR) on the plate were also investigated and discussed. The simulation results show that the probe with a wide tip will cause a larger effective discharge range on the plate; the field strength in the gap is notably higher than that induced by the sharp tip probe; the effective discharge range will increase linearly with the rise of excitation voltage, and decrease nonlinearly with the rise of gap length. In addition, probe dimension, especially the width/height ratio, affects the effective discharge range in different manners. With the width/height ratio rising from 1:1 to 1:10, the effective discharge range will maintain stable when the excitation voltage is around 50 V. This will increase when the excitation voltage gets higher and decrease as the excitation voltage gets lower. Furthermore, when the gap length is 5 nm and the excitation voltage is below 20 V, the diameter of EDR in our simulation is about 150 nm, which is consistent with the experiment results reported by other research groups. Our work provides a preliminary understanding of nanometer scale discharges and establishes a predictive structure-behavior relationship

Preparation and Characterization of Some Nanometal Oxides Using Microwave Technique and Their Application to Cotton Fabrics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Gouda

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this paper is the synthesis of some nanometal oxides via microwave irradiation technique and their application to augment multifunctional properties of cotton fabric. Cotton fabrics containing nanometal oxides were prepared via a thiol-modification of cotton fabric samples and then dipped into the metal salt solutions precursors and transferred to the microwave oven. The surface morphology and quantitative analysis of the obtained modified cotton fabrics containing nanometal oxides were studied by scanning electron microscopy coupled with high energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX. The shape and distribution of nanometal oxide inside the fabric samples were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy of cross-section fabric samples. The iron oxide nanoparticles had a nanosphere with particle size diameter 15–20 nm, copper oxide nanoparticles had a nanosphere with particle size diameter 25–30 nm, and cobalt oxide nanoparticles had a nanotube-like shape with a length of 100–150 nanometer and a diameter of ~58 nanometer, whereas the manganese oxide nanoparticles had a linear structure forming nanorods with a diameter of 50–55 nanometer and a length of 70–80 nanometers. Antibacterial activity was evaluated quantitatively against gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli, UV-protection activity was analyzed using UV-DRS spectroscopy, and flame retardation of prepared fabric samples was evaluated according to the limiting oxygen index (LOI. Results revealed that the prepared fabric sample containing nanometal oxide possesses improved antibacterial, LOI, and UV-absorbing efficiency. Moreover, the metal oxide nanoparticles did not leach out the fabrics by washing even after 30 laundering washing cycles.

Nanometer-Scale Chemistry of a Calcite Biomineralization Template: Implications for Skeletal Composition and Nucleation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Branson, Oscar; Bonnin, Elisa A.; Perea, Daniel E.; Spero, Howard J.; Zhu, Zihua; Winters, Maria; Hönisch, Bärbel; Russell, Ann D.; Fehrenbacher, Jennifer S.; Gagnon, Alexander C.

2016-10-28

Biomineralizing organisms exhibit exquisite control over skeletal morphology and composition. The promise of understanding and harnessing this feat of natural engineering has motivated an intense search for the mechanisms that direct in vivo mineral self-assembly. We used atom probe tomography, a sub-nanometer 3D chemical mapping technique, to examine the chemistry of a buried organic-mineral interface in biomineral calcite from a marine foraminifer. The chemical patterns at this interface capture the processes of early biomineralization, when the shape, mineralogy, and orientation of skeletal growth are initially established. Sodium is enriched by a factor of nine on the organic side of the interface. Based on this pattern, we suggest that sodium plays an integral role in early biomineralization, potentially altering interfacial energy to promote crystal nucleation, and that interactions between organic surfaces and electrolytes other than calcium or carbonate could be a crucial aspect of CaCO3 biomineralization.

EAS fluctuation approach to primary mass composition investigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stamenov, J.N.; Janminchev, V.D.

1985-01-01

The analysis of muon and electron fluctuation distribution shapes by statistical method of inverse problem solution gives the possibility to obtain the relative contribution values of the five main primary nuclei groups. The method is model-independent for a big class of interaction models and can give good results for observation levels not too far from the development maximum and for the selection of showers with fixed sizes and zenith angles not bigger than 30 deg

Groundwater composition fluctuation within technogenic zones (case study: flooded coal mines in Primorsky Krai, Russia)

Science.gov (United States)

Tarasenko, I. A.; Zinkov, A. V.; Vakh, E. A.; Vetoshkina, A. V.; Strelnikova, A. B.

2016-03-01

The paper considers groundwater composition fluctuation within technogenic zones based on evidence from the flooded coal mines of Primorye. The authors have determined the regularities of hydrogeochemical processes, specified the groundwater composition fluctuation within the technogenic complexes located in the liquidated mine areas, and identified the equilibrium phases between the studied waters and specific secondary minerals. It has been proved that water within natural-technogenic complexes in the liquidated mine areas are saturated with silicates, carbonates, sulfates, oxides, and hydroxides, which should be taken into account when designing technologies for groundwater treatment.

Preparation of poly （methyl methacrylate）／nanometer calcium carbonate composite by in-situ emulsion polymerization

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

史建明; 包永忠; 黄志明; 翁志学

2004-01-01

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) emulsion polymerization in the presence of nanometer calcium carbonate(nano-CaCO3) surface modified with γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS) was carried out to prepare poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/nano-CaCO3 composite. The reaction between nano-CaCO3 and MPTMS, and the grafting of PMMA onto nano-CaCO3 were confirmed by infrared spectrum. The grafting ratio and grafting efficiency of PMMA on nano-CaCO3 modified with MPTMS were much higher than that on nano-CaCO3 modified with stearic acid. The grafting ratio of PMMA increased as the weight ratio between MMA and nano-CaCO3 increased, while the grafting efficiency of PMMA decreased. Transmission electron micrograph showed that nano-CaCO3 covered with PMMA was formed by in-situ emulsion polymerization.

A differential Michelson interferometer with orthogonal single frequency laser for nanometer displacement measurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, Liping; Chen, Benyong; Wang, Bin

2017-01-01

A novel differential Michelson laser interferometer is proposed to eliminate the influence of environmental fluctuations for nanometer displacement measurement. This differential interferometer consists of two homodyne interferometers in which two orthogonal single frequency beams share common reference arm and partial measurement arm. By modulating the displacement of the common reference arm with a piezoelectric transducer, the common-mode displacement drift resulting from the environmental disturbances can be well suppressed and the measured displacement as differential-mode displacement signal is achieved. In addition, a phase difference compensation method is proposed for accurately determining the phase difference between interference signals by correcting the time interval according to the average speed in one cycle of interference signal. The nanometer displacement measurement experiments were performed to demonstrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed interferometer and show that precision displacement measurement with standard deviation less than 1 nm has been achieved. (paper)

Size-dependent elastic/inelastic behavior of enamel over millimeter and nanometer length scales.

Science.gov (United States)

Ang, Siang Fung; Bortel, Emely L; Swain, Michael V; Klocke, Arndt; Schneider, Gerold A

2010-03-01

The microstructure of enamel like most biological tissues has a hierarchical structure which determines their mechanical behavior. However, current studies of the mechanical behavior of enamel lack a systematic investigation of these hierarchical length scales. In this study, we performed macroscopic uni-axial compression tests and the spherical indentation with different indenter radii to probe enamel's elastic/inelastic transition over four hierarchical length scales, namely: 'bulk enamel' (mm), 'multiple-rod' (10's microm), 'intra-rod' (100's nm with multiple crystallites) and finally 'single-crystallite' (10's nm with an area of approximately one hydroxyapatite crystallite). The enamel's elastic/inelastic transitions were observed at 0.4-17 GPa depending on the length scale and were compared with the values of synthetic hydroxyapatite crystallites. The elastic limit of a material is important as it provides insights into the deformability of the material before fracture. At the smallest investigated length scale (contact radius approximately 20 nm), elastic limit is followed by plastic deformation. At the largest investigated length scale (contact size approximately 2 mm), only elastic then micro-crack induced response was observed. A map of elastic/inelastic regions of enamel from millimeter to nanometer length scale is presented. Possible underlying mechanisms are also discussed. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Significant enhancement of magnetoresistance with the reduction of particle size in nanometer scale

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Kalipada; Dasgupta, P.; Poddar, A.; Das, I.

2016-01-01

The Physics of materials with large magnetoresistance (MR), defined as the percentage change of electrical resistance with the application of external magnetic field, has been an active field of research for quite some times. In addition to the fundamental interest, large MR has widespread application that includes the field of magnetic field sensor technology. New materials with large MR is interesting. However it is more appealing to vast scientific community if a method describe to achieve many fold enhancement of MR of already known materials. Our study on several manganite samples [La1−xCaxMnO3 (x = 0.52, 0.54, 0.55)] illustrates the method of significant enhancement of MR with the reduction of the particle size in nanometer scale. Our experimentally observed results are explained by considering model consisted of a charge ordered antiferromagnetic core and a shell having short range ferromagnetic correlation between the uncompensated surface spins in nanoscale regime. The ferromagnetic fractions obtained theoretically in the nanoparticles has been shown to be in the good agreement with the experimental results. The method of several orders of magnitude improvement of the magnetoresistive property will have enormous potential for magnetic field sensor technology. PMID:26837285

In situ deposition of poly(1,8-diaminonaphthalene): from thin films to nanometer-sized structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tagowska, Magdalena; PaIys, Barbara; Mazur, Maciej; Skompska, Magdalena; Jackowska, Krystyna

2005-01-01

Chemical in situ deposition of poly(1,8-diaminonaphthalene) (p(1,8-DAN)) on conductive supports in aqueous and acetonitrile solutions was investigated using electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) and UV-vis spectroscopy. The resulting deposits were examined by the means of cyclic voltammetry (CV), FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy. P(1,8-DAN) was also deposited via chemical polymerization onto a porous polycarbonate membrane (PC) which served as a template for synthesis of nanometer-sized structures. The deposits of p(1,8-DAN) on PC substrate were imaged by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and the nanostructures obtained by dissolution of the template were visualized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The EQCM and UV-vis studies indicated that the polymer is formed both on the surface of the substrate and in the bulk of the polymerization solution. However, polymerization of 1,8-DAN in solution is delayed in comparison with deposition on the substrate. Electrochemical and spectroscopic properties of p(1,8-DAN) formed chemically closely resemble the properties of the electrosynthesized polymer. Furthermore, SEM images of p(1,8-DAN) nanostructures revealed that the polymer nanowires are formed in aqueous solutions, whereas two types of structures: nanowires and round shaped structures, not fitting to the pore size, can be obtained by chemical polymerization in the acetonitrile medium

Fluorescent gel particles in the nanometer range for detection of metabolites in living cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Almdal, K.; Sun, H.; Poulsen, A.K.

2006-01-01

micelles in oil microemulsions. Typical sizes of the particles are tens of nanometers. Characterization methods for such particles based on size exclusion chromatography, photon correlation spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy have been developed. The stability...

Study of novel carbon fiber composite used exfoliated carbon fibers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Toyoda, Masahiro [Oita Univ., 700 Dannoharu, Oita 870-1192 (Japan)], E-mail: toyoda22@cc.oita-u.ac.jp; Kohara, Ryotaro; Tsumura, Tomoki [Oita Univ., 700 Dannoharu, Oita 870-1192 (Japan); Mutoh, Hiroyuki; Sakai, Mototsugu [Toyohashi Univ. of Tech., Toyohashi 441-8580 (Japan)

2009-04-15

One of the applications for carbon nanotubes (CNTs), CNT composite has been studied to reinforce of polymer. However, CNTs have not shown enough reinforced effect, because of poor dispersibility of itself and low purification. These characteristics are connected with the lowering mechanical strength in CNT's reinforced polymer composite. On the other hand, exfoliated carbon fibers (ExCFs) prepared through electrochemical processing were found to have unique morphology such as nanometer or sub-micrometer sized fibrils and well dispersibility. Fabrication of composite using its ExCFs was investigated. ExCFs changed in nanometer-sized fibrils by using ultrasonication and CNTs dispersed by using ultrasonication were compounded with polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) in situ process through polymerization, and then their mechanical properties were examined. Flexural strength and elasticity of PMMA composite reinforced by ExCFs increased 166 and 171% respectively at addition of only 2.0 wt.% comparison with bulk PMMA. There was no significant aggregation in fracture surface, and homogeneous dispersion of ExCFs throughout the PMMA matrix was recognized. It was better than that of PMMA composite reinforced by CNTs. Homogeneous dispersion might be strongly related to mechanical properties. ExCFs might be expected to be applied to nano-composite instead of CNTs.

Size effects in many-valley fluctuations in semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sokolov, V.N.; Kochelap, V.A.

1995-08-01

We present the results of theoretical investigations of nonhomogeneous fluctuations in submicron active regions of many-valley semiconductors with equivalent valleys(Ge, Si-type), where the dimension 2d of the region is comparable to or less than the intervalley diffusion relaxation length L iv . It is shown that for arbitrary orientations of the valley axes (the crystal axes) with respect to lateral sample surfaces, the fluctuation spectra depend on the bias voltage applied to the layer in the region of weak nonheating electric fields. The new physical phenomenon is reported: the fluctuation spectra depend on the sample thickness, with 2d iv the suppression of fluctuations arises for fluctuation frequencies ω -1 iv , τ -1 iv is the characteristic intervalley relaxation time. (author). 43 refs, 5 figs

Interaction of aberrations, diffraction, and quantal fluctuations determine the impact of pupil size on visual quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Renfeng; Wang, Huachun; Thibos, Larry N; Bradley, Arthur

2017-04-01

Our purpose is to develop a computational approach that jointly assesses the impact of stimulus luminance and pupil size on visual quality. We compared traditional optical measures of image quality and those that incorporate the impact of retinal illuminance dependent neural contrast sensitivity. Visually weighted image quality was calculated for a presbyopic model eye with representative levels of chromatic and monochromatic aberrations as pupil diameter was varied from 7 to 1 mm, stimulus luminance varied from 2000 to 0.1  cd/m2, and defocus varied from 0 to -2 diopters. The model included the effects of quantal fluctuations on neural contrast sensitivity. We tested the model's predictions for five cycles per degree gratings by measuring contrast sensitivity at 5  cyc/deg. Unlike the traditional Strehl ratio and the visually weighted area under the modulation transfer function, the visual Strehl ratio derived from the optical transfer function was able to capture the combined impact of optics and quantal noise on visual quality. In a well-focused eye, provided retinal illuminance is held constant as pupil size varies, visual image quality scales approximately as the square root of illuminance because of quantum fluctuations, but optimum pupil size is essentially independent of retinal illuminance and quantum fluctuations. Conversely, when stimulus luminance is held constant (and therefore illuminance varies with pupil size), optimum pupil size increases as luminance decreases, thereby compensating partially for increased quantum fluctuations. However, in the presence of -1 and -2 diopters of defocus and at high photopic levels where Weber's law operates, optical aberrations and diffraction dominate image quality and pupil optimization. Similar behavior was observed in human observers viewing sinusoidal gratings. Optimum pupil size increases as stimulus luminance drops for the well-focused eye, and the benefits of small pupils for improving defocused image

Evolution of particle composition in CLOUD nucleation experiments

CERN Document Server

Keskinen, H; Joutsensaari, J; Tsagkogeorgas, G; Duplissy, J; Schobesberger, S; Gysel, M; Riccobono, F; Bianchi, F; Yli-Juuti, T; Lehtipalo, K; Rondo, L; Breitenlechner, M; Kupc, A; Almeida, J; Amorim, A; Dunne, E M; Downard, A J; Ehrhart, S; Franchin, A; Kajos, M K; Kirkby, J; Kurten, A; Nieminen, T; Makhmutov, V; Mathot, S; Miettinen, P; Onnela, A; Petaja, T; Praplan, A; Santos, F D; Schallhart, S; Sipila, M; Stozhkov, Y; Tome, A; Vaattovaara, P; Wimmer, D; Prevot, A; Dommen, J; Donahue, N M; Flagan, R C; Weingartner, E; Viisanen, Y; Riipinen, I; Hansel, A; Curtius, J; Kulmala, M; Worsnop, D R; Baltensperger, U; Wex, H; Stratmann, F; Laaksonen, A; Slowik, J G

2013-01-01

Sulphuric acid, ammonia, amines, and oxidised organics play a crucial role in nanoparticle formation in the atmosphere. In this study, we investigate the composition of nucleated nanoparticles formed from these compounds in the CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving Outdoor Droplets) chamber experiments at CERN (Centre europ ́ een pour la recherche nucl ́ eaire). The investigation was carried out via analysis of the particle hygroscopicity, ethanol affinity, oxidation state, and ion composition. Hygroscopicity was studied by a hygroscopic tandem differential mobility analyser and a cloud condensation nuclei counter, ethanol affinity by an organic differential mobility analyser and particle oxidation level by a high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer. The ion composition was studied by an atmospheric pressure interface time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The volume fraction of the organics in the particles during theirgrowth from sizes of a few nanometers to tens of nanometers was derived from measured hygros...

Electrostatic potential fluctuation induced by charge discreteness in a nanoscale trench

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Taesang; Kim, S. S.; Jho, Y. S.; Park, Gunyoung; Chang, C. S.

2007-01-01

A simplified two-dimensional Monte Carlo simulation is performed to estimate the charging potential fluctuations caused by strong binary Coulomb interactions between discrete charged particles in nanometer scale trenches. It is found that the discrete charge effect can be an important part of the nanoscale trench research, inducing scattering of ion trajectories in a nanoscale trench by a fluctuating electric field. The effect can enhance the ion deposition on the side walls and disperse the material contact energy of the incident ions, among others

Electromagnetic characterization of fine-scale particulate composite materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Talbot, P.; Konn, A.M.; Brosseau, C.

2002-01-01

We report the results of the composition and frequency-dependent complex permittivity and permeability of ZnO and γ-Fe 2 O 3 composites prepared by powder pressing. The electromagnetic properties of these materials exhibit a strong dependence on the powder size of the starting materials. In the microwave frequency range, the permittivity and permeability show nonlinear variations with volume fraction of Fe 2 O 3 . As the particle size decreases from a few micrometers to a few tens of nanometers, the data indicate that local mesostructural factors such as shape anisotropy, porosity and possible effect of the binder are likely to be intertwined in the understanding of electromagnetic properties of fine-scale particulate composite materials

Passive micromechanical tags. An investigation into writing information at nanometer resolution on micrometer size objects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmieder, R.W.; Bastasz, R.J.

1995-01-01

The authors have completed a 3-year study of the technology related to the development of micron-sized passive micromechanical tags. The project was motivated by the discovery in 1990 by the present authors that low energy, high charge state ions (e.g., Xe{sup +44}) can produce nanometer-size damage sites on solid surfaces, and the realization that a pattern of these sites represents information. It was envisioned that extremely small, chemically inert, mechanical tags carrying a large label could be fabricated for a variety of applications, including tracking of controlled substances, document verification, process control, research, and engineering. Potential applications exist in the data storage, chemical, food, security, and other industries. The goals of this project were fully accomplished, and they are fully documented here. The work was both experimental and developmental. Most of the experimental effort was a search for appropriate tag materials. Several good materials were found, and the upper limits of information density were determined (ca. 10{sup 12} bit/cm{sup 2}). Most of the developmental work involved inventing systems and strategies for using these tags, and compiling available technologies for implementing them. The technology provided herein is application-specific: first, the application must be specified, then the tag can be developed for it. The project was not intended to develop a single tag for a single application or for all possible applications. Rather, it was meant to provide the enabling technology for fabricating tags for a range of applications. The results of this project provide sufficient information to proceed directly with such development.

Passive micromechanical tags. An investigation into writing information at nanometer resolution on micrometer size objects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmieder, R.W.; Bastasz, R.J.

1995-01-01

The authors have completed a 3-year study of the technology related to the development of micron-sized passive micromechanical tags. The project was motivated by the discovery in 1990 by the present authors that low energy, high charge state ions (e.g., Xe +44 ) can produce nanometer-size damage sites on solid surfaces, and the realization that a pattern of these sites represents information. It was envisioned that extremely small, chemically inert, mechanical tags carrying a large label could be fabricated for a variety of applications, including tracking of controlled substances, document verification, process control, research, and engineering. Potential applications exist in the data storage, chemical, food, security, and other industries. The goals of this project were fully accomplished, and they are fully documented here. The work was both experimental and developmental. Most of the experimental effort was a search for appropriate tag materials. Several good materials were found, and the upper limits of information density were determined (ca. 10 12 bit/cm 2 ). Most of the developmental work involved inventing systems and strategies for using these tags, and compiling available technologies for implementing them. The technology provided herein is application-specific: first, the application must be specified, then the tag can be developed for it. The project was not intended to develop a single tag for a single application or for all possible applications. Rather, it was meant to provide the enabling technology for fabricating tags for a range of applications. The results of this project provide sufficient information to proceed directly with such development

Estimation and analysis of the sensitivity of monoenergetic electron radiography of composite materials with fluctuating composition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rudenko, V.N.; Yunda, N.T.

1978-01-01

A sensitivity analysis of the electron defectoscopy method for composite materials with fluctuating composition has been carried out. Quantitative evaluations of the testing sensitivity depending on inspection conditions have been obtained, and calculations of the instrumental error are shown. Based on numerical calculations, a comparison of error has been carried out between high-energy electron and X-ray testings. It is shown that when testing composite materials with a surface density of up to 7-10 g/cm 2 , the advantage of the electron defectoscopy method as compared to the X-ray one is the higher sensitivity and lower instrumental error. The advantage of the electron defectoscopy method over the X-ray one as regards the sensitivity is greater when a light-atom component is predomenant in the composition. A monoenergetic electron beam from a betatron with an energy of up to 30 MeV should be used for testing materials with a surface density of up to 15 g/cm 2

KINOFORM LENSES - TOWARD NANOMETER RESOLUTION.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

STEIN, A.; EVANS-LUTTERODT, K.; TAYLOR, A.

2004-10-23

While hard x-rays have wavelengths in the nanometer and sub-nanometer range, the ability to focus them is limited by the quality of sources and optics, and not by the wavelength. A few options, including reflective (mirrors), diffractive (zone plates) and refractive (CRL's) are available, each with their own limitations. Here we present our work with kinoform lenses which are refractive lenses with all material causing redundant 2{pi} phase shifts removed to reduce the absorption problems inherently limiting the resolution of refractive lenses. By stacking kinoform lenses together, the effective numerical aperture, and thus the focusing resolution, can be increased. The present status of kinoform lens fabrication and testing at Brookhaven is presented as well as future plans toward achieving nanometer resolution.

Productivity and species composition of algal mat communities exposed to a fluctuating thermal regime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tison, D.L.; Wilde, E.W.; Pope, D.H.; Fliermans, C.B.

1981-01-01

Algal mat communities growing in thermal effluents of production nuclear reactors at the Savannah River Plant, near Aiken, SC, are exposed to large temperature fluctuations resulting from reactor operations. Rates of primary production and species composition were monitored at 4 sites along a thermal gradient in a trough microcosm to determine how these large temperature fluctuations affected productivity and algal community structure. Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) were the only phototrophic primary producers growing in water above 45 0 C. These thermophiles were able to survive and apparently adapt to ambient temperatures when the reactor was shut down. The algal mat communities exposed to 14 C-labeled dissolved organic compounds and a decrease in primary production were observed during periods of thermal fluctuation. The results show that the dominant phototrophs in this artificially heated aquatic habitat have been selected for their abiity to survive large temperature fluctuations and are similar to those of natural hot springs

Optoelectronic circuits in nanometer CMOS technology

CERN Document Server

Atef, Mohamed

2016-01-01

This book describes the newest implementations of integrated photodiodes fabricated in nanometer standard CMOS technologies. It also includes the required fundamentals, the state-of-the-art, and the design of high-performance laser drivers, transimpedance amplifiers, equalizers, and limiting amplifiers fabricated in nanometer CMOS technologies. This book shows the newest results for the performance of integrated optical receivers, laser drivers, modulator drivers and optical sensors in nanometer standard CMOS technologies. Nanometer CMOS technologies rapidly advanced, enabling the implementation of integrated optical receivers for high data rates of several Giga-bits per second and of high-pixel count optical imagers and sensors. In particular, low cost silicon CMOS optoelectronic integrated circuits became very attractive because they can be extensively applied to short-distance optical communications, such as local area network, chip-to-chip and board-to-board interconnects as well as to imaging and medical...

Deposition of Nanostructured Thin Film from Size-Classified Nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Camata, Renato P.; Cunningham, Nicholas C.; Seol, Kwang Soo; Okada, Yoshiki; Takeuchi, Kazuo

2003-01-01

Materials comprising nanometer-sized grains (approximately 1_50 nm) exhibit properties dramatically different from those of their homogeneous and uniform counterparts. These properties vary with size, shape, and composition of nanoscale grains. Thus, nanoparticles may be used as building blocks to engineer tailor-made artificial materials with desired properties, such as non-linear optical absorption, tunable light emission, charge-storage behavior, selective catalytic activity, and countless other characteristics. This bottom-up engineering approach requires exquisite control over nanoparticle size, shape, and composition. We describe the design and characterization of an aerosol system conceived for the deposition of size classified nanoparticles whose performance is consistent with these strict demands. A nanoparticle aerosol is generated by laser ablation and sorted according to size using a differential mobility analyzer. Nanoparticles within a chosen window of sizes (e.g., (8.0 plus or minus 0.6) nm) are deposited electrostatically on a surface forming a film of the desired material. The system allows the assembly and engineering of thin films using size-classified nanoparticles as building blocks.

Simple and rapid spectrophotometric determination of trace titanium (IV) enriched by nanometer size zirconium dioxide in natural water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng Fengying; Li Shunxing; Lin Luxiu; Cheng Liqing

2009-01-01

A novel method for preconcentration of Ti(IV) with nanometer size ZrO 2 and determination by spectrophotometry has been developed. Ti(IV) was selectively adsorbed on 300 mg ZrO 2 from 500 mL solution at pH 6.0, then eluted by 5 mL 11.3 mol L -1 HF. The eluent added was diantipyrylmethane (DAPM, as chromogenic reagent) and ascorbic acid (as masking agent), used for the analysis of Ti(IV) by measuring the absorbance at 390 nm with spectrophotometry, based on the chromogenic reaction between the Ti(IV) and DAPM. This method gave a concentration enhancement of 100 for 500 mL sample, eliminated the sizable interferences on direct determination with spectrophotometry. Detection limit (3σ, n = 11) of 0.1 μg L -1 was obtained. The method was applied to determine the concentration of Ti(IV) in river water and seawater and the analytical recoveries of Ti(IV) added to samples were 97.6-101.3%.

Finite-size fluctuations and photon statistics near the polariton condensation transition in a single-mode microcavity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eastham, P. R.; Littlewood, P. B.

2006-01-01

We consider polariton condensation in a generalized Dicke model, describing a single-mode cavity containing quantum dots, and extend our previous mean-field theory to allow for finite-size fluctuations. Within the fluctuation-dominated regime the correlation functions differ from their (trivial) mean-field values. We argue that the low-energy physics of the model, which determines the photon statistics in this fluctuation-dominated crossover regime, is that of the (quantum) anharmonic oscillator. The photon statistics at the crossover are different in the high-temperature and low-temperature limits. When the temperature is high enough for quantum effects to be neglected we recover behavior similar to that of a conventional laser. At low enough temperatures, however, we find qualitatively different behavior due to quantum effects

Nanometer Characterization/Manipulation Facility

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — FUNCTION: Characterizes the nanometer scale of biological, chemical, physical, electronic, and mechanical properties of surfaces and thin films using scanning probe...

Temperature fluctuations inside savanna termite mounds: Do size and plant shade matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Ndlovu, M; Pérez-Rodríguez, A

2018-05-01

Mound building termites are key ecosystem engineers of subtropical savanna regions. Mounds allow termites to maintain suitable conditions for termite reproduction and food cultivation ('fungus gardens'). We studied how the internal mound temperature of Macrotermes natalensis, a dominant mound-building termite of the subtropical savanna of southern Africa, responds to a number of environmental variables. We used general additive mixed models (GAMM) to determine how external temperature, mound size (volume) and the amount of vegetation shade affects mound internal temperature over a 24-h period. Internal mound temperature varied daily following changes of the external temperature, although the range of variation was much smaller. Active termite mounds maintained a higher internal temperature than inactive ones, and mound activity reinforced the positive effect of mound size and moderated the negative effect of vegetation shade on internal temperatures. In turn, external temperature fluctuations equally affected active and inactive mounds. Large mounds maintained near optimal internal temperatures compared to smaller sized mounds. We therefore conclude that termite mound size is a stronger determinant of internal mound temperature stability compared to plant shade cover. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fluctuation-induced conductivity in melt-textured Pr-doped YBa2Cu3O7-δ composite superconductor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Opata, Yuri Aparecido; Monteiro, João Frederico Haas Leandro; Siqueira, Ezequiel Costa

2018-01-01

In this study, the effects of thermal fluctuations on the electrical conductivity in melt-textured YBa2Cu3O7-δ, Y0.95Pr0.05Ba2Cu3O7-δ and (YBa2Cu3O7-δ)0.95–(PrBa2Cu3O7-δ)0.05 composite superconductor were considered. The composite superconductor samples were prepared through the top seeding method...... using melt-textured NdBa2Cu3O7-d seeds. The resistivity measurements were performed with a low-frequency, low-current AC technique in order to extract the temperature derivative and analyze the influence of the praseodymium ion on the normal superconductor transition and consequently on the fluctuation...

Glass ceramic ZERODUR enabling nanometer precision

Science.gov (United States)

Jedamzik, Ralf; Kunisch, Clemens; Nieder, Johannes; Westerhoff, Thomas

2014-03-01

The IC Lithography roadmap foresees manufacturing of devices with critical dimension of digit nanometer asking for nanometer positioning accuracy requiring sub nanometer position measurement accuracy. The glass ceramic ZERODUR® is a well-established material in critical components of microlithography wafer stepper and offered with an extremely low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), the tightest tolerance available on market. SCHOTT is continuously improving manufacturing processes and it's method to measure and characterize the CTE behavior of ZERODUR® to full fill the ever tighter CTE specification for wafer stepper components. In this paper we present the ZERODUR® Lithography Roadmap on the CTE metrology and tolerance. Additionally, simulation calculations based on a physical model are presented predicting the long term CTE behavior of ZERODUR® components to optimize dimensional stability of precision positioning devices. CTE data of several low thermal expansion materials are compared regarding their temperature dependence between - 50°C and + 100°C. ZERODUR® TAILORED 22°C is full filling the tight CTE tolerance of +/- 10 ppb / K within the broadest temperature interval compared to all other materials of this investigation. The data presented in this paper explicitly demonstrates the capability of ZERODUR® to enable the nanometer precision required for future generation of lithography equipment and processes.

Quantum fluctuations from thermal fluctuations in Jacobson formalism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Faizal, Mir [University of British Columbia-Okanagan, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences, Kelowna, BC (Canada); University of Lethbridge, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Lethbridge, AB (Canada); Ashour, Amani; Alcheikh, Mohammad [Damascus University, Mathematics Department, Faculty of Science, Damascus (Syrian Arab Republic); Alasfar, Lina [Universite Clermont Auvergne, Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, Aubiere (France); Alsaleh, Salwa; Mahroussah, Ahmed [King Saud University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)

2017-09-15

In the Jacobson formalism general relativity is obtained from thermodynamics. This is done by using the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy-area relation. However, as a black hole gets smaller, its temperature will increase. This will cause the thermal fluctuations to also increase, and these will in turn correct the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy-area relation. Furthermore, with the reduction in the size of the black hole, quantum effects will also start to dominate. Just as the general relativity can be obtained from thermodynamics in the Jacobson formalism, we propose that the quantum fluctuations to the geometry can be obtained from thermal fluctuations. (orig.)

Sensitive SERS detection at the single-particle level based on nanometer-separated mushroom-shaped plasmonic dimers

Science.gov (United States)

Xiang, Quan; Li, Zhiqin; Zheng, Mengjie; Liu, Qing; Chen, Yiqin; Yang, Lan; Jiang, Tian; Duan, Huigao

2018-03-01

Elevated metallic nanostructures with nanogaps (film deposition. By controlling the initial size of nanogaps in resist structures and the following deposited film thickness, metallic nanogaps could be tuned at the sub-10 nm scale with single-digit nanometer precision. Both experimental and simulated results revealed that gold dimer on mushroom-shaped pillars have the capability to achieve higher SERS enhancement factor comparing to those plasmonic dimers on cylindrical pillars or on a common SiO2/Si substrate, implying that the nanometer-gapped elevated dimer is an ideal platform to achieve the highest possible field enhancement for various plasmonic applications.

Resolving the three-dimensional microstructure of polymer electrolyte fuel cell electrodes using nanometer-scale X-ray computed tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Epting, William K.; Gelb, Jeff; Litster, Shawn

2012-02-08

The electrodes of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) are composite porous layers consisting of carbon and platinum nanoparticles and a polymer electrolyte binder. The proper composition and arrangement of these materials for fast reactant transport and high electrochemical activity is crucial to achieving high performance, long lifetimes, and low costs. Here, the microstructure of a PEFC electrode using nanometer-scale X-ray computed tomography (nano-CT) with a resolution of 50 nm is investigated. The nano-CT instrument obtains this resolution for the low-atomic-number catalyst support and binder using a combination of a Fresnel zone plate objective and Zernike phase contrast imaging. High-resolution, non-destructive imaging of the three-dimensional (3D) microstructures provides important new information on the size and form of the catalyst particle agglomerates and pore spaces. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) is applied to evaluate the limits of the resolution and to verify the 3D reconstructions. The computational reconstructions and size distributions obtained with nano-CT can be used for evaluating electrode preparation, performing pore-scale simulations, and extracting effective morphological parameters for large-scale computational models. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Nanoparticle heterodimers: The role of size and interparticle gap distance on the optical response

Science.gov (United States)

Mokkath, Junais Habeeb

2018-05-01

Composite plasmonic nanostructures with controlled size, shape and relative arrangement is a subject of significant current research interest. Much of this is stimulated by the prospects by generating enormous near-field enhancements of the surface and interparticle gap regions for potential applications in surface-enhanced spectroscopies. In this manuscript, using time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations, we investigate how the optical response in size matched homodimers and size mismatched heterodimers composed of Aluminum modify while varying the size and interparticle gap distances in the sub-nanometer range. Both systems show interesting optical response evolution. In particular, the size mismatched heterodimers show even more complex optical response evolution due to a symmetry-breaking in the system.

Class size versus class composition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jones, Sam

Raising schooling quality in low-income countries is a pressing challenge. Substantial research has considered the impact of cutting class sizes on skills acquisition. Considerably less attention has been given to the extent to which peer effects, which refer to class composition, also may affect...... bias from omitted variables, the preferred IV results indicate considerable negative effects due to larger class sizes and larger numbers of overage-for-grade peers. The latter, driven by the highly prevalent practices of grade repetition and academic redshirting, should be considered an important...

Fluctuations in the size of the largest projectile fragment produced in 1 GeV/nucleon Au + C collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warren, P.; Elliott, J.B.; Gilkes, M.L.; Hauger, A.; Hirsch, A.S.

1993-01-01

Large fluctuations in quantities such as density are characteristic of critical phenomena in the neighborhood of the critical point. Using the EOS apparatus at the Bevalac, we have performed an exclusive experiment in which the size of the largest projectile fragment produced in 1 GeV/nucleon Au+C collisions is studied as a function of the charged multiplicity of the event. A peak in the fluctuations is expected at the critical multiplicity. The data are compared to a percolation model and a statistical multifragmentation model

Visualizing period fluctuations in strained-layer superlattices with scanning tunneling microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Kanedy, K.; Lopez, F.; Wood, M. R.; Gmachl, C. F.; Weimer, M.; Klem, J. F.; Hawkins, S. D.; Shaner, E. A.; Kim, J. K.

2018-01-01

We show how cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) may be used to accurately map the period fluctuations throughout epitaxial, strained-layer superlattices based on the InAs/InAsSb and InGaAs/InAlAs material systems. The concept, analogous to Bragg's law in high-resolution x-ray diffraction, relies on an analysis of the [001]-convolved reciprocal-space satellite peaks obtained from discrete Fourier transforms of individual STM images. Properly implemented, the technique enables local period measurements that reliably discriminate vertical fluctuations localized to within ˜5 superlattice repeats along the [001] growth direction and orthogonal, lateral fluctuations localized to within ˜40 nm along directions in the growth plane. While not as accurate as x-ray, the inherent, single-image measurement error associated with the method may be made as small as 0.1%, allowing the vertical or lateral period fluctuations contributing to inhomogeneous energy broadening and carrier localization in these structures to be pinpointed and quantified. The direct visualization of unexpectedly large, lateral period fluctuations on nanometer length scales in both strain-balanced systems supports a common understanding in terms of correlated interface roughness.

Net charge fluctuations and local charge compensation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu Jinghua

2006-01-01

We propose net charge fluctuation as a measure of local charge correlation length. It is demonstrated that, in terms of a schematic multiperipheral model, net charge fluctuation satisfies the same Quigg-Thomas relation as satisfied by charge transfer fluctuation. Net charge fluctuations measured in finite rapidity windows depend on both the local charge correlation length and the size of the observation window. When the observation window is larger than the local charge correlation length, the net charge fluctuation only depends on the local charge correlation length, while forward-backward charge fluctuations always have strong dependence on the observation window size. Net charge fluctuations and forward-backward charge fluctuations measured in the present heavy ion experiments show characteristic features similar to those from multiperipheral models. But the data cannot all be understood within this simple model

Mechanical Properties of Chitosan-Starch Composite Filled Hydroxyapatite Micro- and Nanopowders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jafar Ai

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Hydroxyapatite is a biocompatible ceramic and reinforcing material for bone implantations. In this study, Starch-chitosan hydrogel was produced using the oxidation of starch solution and subsequently cross-linked with chitosan via reductive alkylation method (weight ratio (starch/chitosan: 0.38. The hydroxyapatite micropowders and nanopowders synthesized by sol-gel method (10, 20, 30, 40 %W were composited to hydrogels and were investigated by mechanical analysis. The results of SEM images and Zetasizer experiments for synthesized nanopowders showed an average size of 100 nm. The nanoparticles distributed as uniform in the chitosan-starch film. The tensile modulus increased for composites containing hydroxyapatite nano-(size particle: 100 nanometer powders than composites containing micro-(size particle: 100 micrometer powders. The swelling percentage decreased for samples containing hydroxyapatite nanopowder than the micropowders. These nanocomposites could be applied for hard-tissue engineering.

Chemical Functionalization, Self-Assembly, and Applications of Nano materials and Nano composites 2014

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, X.; Jiao, T.; Balan, L.; Chen, X.; Hu, M.Z.; Liu, W.

2014-01-01

The growing interests in nano materials and nano composites call for the development of processing techniques to obtain multiple functionalization nano structures and achieve the tailoring of specific features of the nanometer size. Functional nano materials and nano composites will expand the applied range of the original material and at the same time promote the development of inter discipline. Thus, the chemical functionalization and bottom-up assemblies of nano materials and subsequent applications will accelerate the development of nano science and nano technology.

Local mechanical spectroscopy with nanometer-scale lateral resolution

Science.gov (United States)

Oulevey, F.; Gremaud, G.; Sémoroz, A.; Kulik, A. J.; Burnham, N. A.; Dupas, E.; Gourdon, D.

1998-05-01

A new technique has been developed to probe the viscoelastic and anelastic properties of submicron phases of inhomogeneous materials. The measurement gives information related to the internal friction and to the variations of the dynamic modulus of nanometer-sized volumes. It is then the nanoscale equivalent to mechanical spectroscopy, a well-known macroscopic technique for materials studies, also sometimes called dynamic mechanical (thermal) analysis. The technique is based on a scanning force microscope, using the principle of scanning local-acceleration microscopy (SLAM), and allows the sample temperature to be changed. It is called variable-temperature SLAM, abbreviated T-SLAM. According to a recent proposition to systematize names of scanning probe microscope based methods, this technique should be included in the family of "mechanothermal analysis with scanning microscopy." It is suited for studying defect dynamics in nanomaterials and composites by locating the dissipative mechanisms in submicron phases. The primary and secondary relaxations, as well as the viscoplasticity, were observed in bulk PVC. The wide range of phenomena demonstrate the versatility of the technique. A still unexplained increase of the stiffness with increasing temperature was observed just below the glass transition. All of these observations, although their interpretation in terms of physical events is still tentative, are in agreement with global studies. This technique also permits one to image the variations of the local elasticity or of the local damping at a fixed temperature. This enables the study of, for instance, the homogeneity of phase transitions in multiphased materials, or of the interface morphologies and properties. As an illustration, the homogeneity of the glass transition temperature of PVC in a 50/50 wt % PVC/PB polymer blend has been demonstrated. Due to the small size of the probed volume, T-SLAM gives information on the mechanical properties of the near

Continuous scanning of the mobility and size distribution of charged clusters and nanometer particles in atmospheric air and the Balanced Scanning Mobility Analyzer BSMA

Science.gov (United States)

Tammet, H.

2006-12-01

Measuring of charged nanometer particles in atmospheric air is a routine task in research on atmospheric electricity, where these particles are called the atmospheric ions. An aspiration condenser is the most popular instrument for measuring atmospheric ions. Continuous scanning of a mobility distribution is possible when the aspiration condenser is connected as an arm of a balanced bridge. Transfer function of an aspiration condenser is calculated according to the measurements of geometric dimensions, air flow rate, driving voltage, and electric current. The most complicated phase of the calibration is the estimation of the inlet loss of ions due to the Brownian deposition. The available models of ion deposition on the protective inlet screen and the inlet control electrofilter have the uncertainty of about 20%. To keep the uncertainty of measurements low the adsorption should not exceed a few tens of percent. The online conversion of the mobility distribution to the size distribution and a correct reduction of inlet losses are possible when air temperature and pressure are measured simultaneously with the mobility distribution. Two instruments called the Balanced Scanning Mobility Analyzers (BSMA) were manufactured and tested in routine atmospheric measurements. The concentration of atmospheric ions of the size of about a few nanometers is very low and a high air flow rate is required to collect enough of ion current. The air flow of 52 l/s exceeds the air flow in usual aerosol instruments by 2-3 orders of magnitude. The high flow rate reduces the time of ion passage to 60 ms and the heating of air in an analyzer to 0.2 K, which suppresses a possible transformation of ions inside the instrument. The mobility range of the BSMA of 0.032-3.2 cm 2 V - 1 s - 1 is logarithmically uniformly divided into 16 fractions. The size distribution is presented by 12 fractions in the diameter range of 0.4-7.5 nm. The measurement noise of a fraction concentration is typically

Nanometals - Status and perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faester, S.; Hansen, N.; Huang, X.; Juul Jensen, D.; Ralph, B.

2012-01-01

Nanometals and nanotechnology have over the years been covered in papers, books and conferences - also in many Risoe International Symposia, where the 30th in 2009 dealt solely with nanostructured metals. Since then, rapid progress has been made in synthesis, characterization and modeling, and it is timely to discuss status and perspective also with a view on applications in an international forum such as the Risoe Symposium. Both keynote and contributed papers address important current problems illustrating global research and development in this field. Examples are the development of new synthesis techniques followed by characterization and modeling of microstructures both in 2D and 3D now starting to bridge the micrometer scales. The vital area of mechanical behavior is addressed by the development of new testing techniques and a broad effort to characterize and model mechanical properties of metals strengthened by dislocations and twins. This research has now led to new understanding of both strengthening mechanisms and strengh structure relationships based on experiments in combination with analytical and numerical modeling. The holistic approach to research on nanometals demonstrated by these proceedings can guide both scientists and technologists in their future work also with the aim of introducing into society this new group of advanced materials. Such an effort is important, as science and technology today is significantly affected by politics of governments and international institutions, and therefore a new initiative in the pressent is to include a discussion of research and development in the area of nanometals i USA, China and Japan. (Author)

Nanometals - Status and perspective

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Faester, S.; Hansen, N.; Huang, X.; Juul Jensen, D.; Ralph, B. (eds.)

2012-11-01

Nanometals and nanotechnology have over the years been covered in papers, books and conferences - also in many Risoe International Symposia, where the 30th in 2009 dealt solely with nanostructured metals. Since then, rapid progress has been made in synthesis, characterization and modeling, and it is timely to discuss status and perspective also with a view on applications in an international forum such as the Risoe Symposium. Both keynote and contributed papers address important current problems illustrating global research and development in this field. Examples are the development of new synthesis techniques followed by characterization and modeling of microstructures both in 2D and 3D now starting to bridge the micrometer scales. The vital area of mechanical behavior is addressed by the development of new testing techniques and a broad effort to characterize and model mechanical properties of metals strengthened by dislocations and twins. This research has now led to new understanding of both strengthening mechanisms and strengh structure relationships based on experiments in combination with analytical and numerical modeling. The holistic approach to research on nanometals demonstrated by these proceedings can guide both scientists and technologists in their future work also with the aim of introducing into society this new group of advanced materials. Such an effort is important, as science and technology today is significantly affected by politics of governments and international institutions, and therefore a new initiative in the pressent is to include a discussion of research and development in the area of nanometals i USA, China and Japan. (Author)

Dispersion effect and auto-reconditioning performance of nanometer ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

This paper reported on dispersion effect and dispersing techniques of nanometer WS2 particles in the green lubricant concocted by us. And it also researched on auto-reconditioning performance of nanometer WS2 particles to the abrasive surfaces of steel ball from four-ball tribology test and piston ring from engine ...

Investigation of sizing - from glass fibre surface to composite interface

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Helga Nørgaard; Kusano, Yukihiro

significantly. The usage span wide, from furniture and car components to construction materials. Even though, the concept of composites is well known and widely applied, the fundamental principles of the interaction of the constituents, in the composites are still not fully understood. This thesis is a part...... of the sizing from the glass fibre surface to the interface in composites. Through soxhlet extraction with acetone it was possible to remove a part of the sizing from the glass fibres for analysis. By burning off the sizing at 565 ºC a higher mass loss was obtained than from the extraction, indicating...... increased after the removal of sizing by extraction but also when the sizing was removed by burning. This could partly be explained by the sizing being less dense than the glass fibres. For the burned glass fibres compactment of the glass structure also yields an increase in stiffness. The fibre strength...

Modelling the joint variability of grain size and chemical composition in sediments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bloemsma, M.R.; Zabel, M.; Stuut, J.B.W.; Tjallingii, R.; Collins, J.A.; Weltje, G.J.

2012-01-01

The geochemical composition of siliciclastic sediments correlates strongly with grain size. Hence, geochemical composition may serve as a grain-size proxy. In the absence of grain-size variations, geochemical data of siliciclastic sediments may be used to characterise size-independent processes,

15 CFR 270.104 - Size and composition of a Team.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Size and composition of a Team. 270... NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION SAFETY TEAMS NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION SAFETY TEAMS Establishment and Deployment of Teams § 270.104 Size and composition of...

A scanning tunneling microscope with a scanning range from hundreds of micrometers down to nanometer resolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalkan, Fatih; Zaum, Christopher; Morgenstern, Karina

2012-10-01

A beetle type stage and a flexure scanning stage are combined to form a two stages scanning tunneling microscope (STM). It operates at room temperature in ultrahigh vacuum and is capable of scanning areas up to 300 μm × 450 μm down to resolution on the nanometer scale. This multi-scale STM has been designed and constructed in order to investigate prestructured metallic or semiconducting micro- and nano-structures in real space from atomic-sized structures up to the large-scale environment. The principle of the instrument is demonstrated on two different systems. Gallium nitride based micropillars demonstrate scan areas up to hundreds of micrometers; a Au(111) surface demonstrates nanometer resolution.

Nanometer-scale temperature measurements of phase change memory and carbon nanomaterials

Science.gov (United States)

Grosse, Kyle Lane

This work investigates nanometer-scale thermometry and thermal transport in new electronic devices to mitigate future electronic energy consumption. Nanometer-scale thermal transport is integral to electronic energy consumption and limits current electronic performance. New electronic devices are required to improve future electronic performance and energy consumption, but heat generation is not well understood in these new technologies. Thermal transport deviates significantly at the nanometer-scale from macroscopic systems as low dimensional materials, grain structure, interfaces, and thermoelectric effects can dominate electronic performance. This work develops and implements an atomic force microscopy (AFM) based nanometer-scale thermometry technique, known as scanning Joule expansion microscopy (SJEM), to measure nanometer-scale heat generation in new graphene and phase change memory (PCM) devices, which have potential to improve performance and energy consumption of future electronics. Nanometer-scale thermometry of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) grown graphene measured the heat generation at graphene wrinkles and grain boundaries (GBs). Graphene is an atomically-thin, two dimensional (2D) carbon material with promising applications in new electronic devices. Comparing measurements and predictions of CVD graphene heating predicted the resistivity, voltage drop, and temperature rise across the one dimensional (1D) GB defects. This work measured the nanometer-scale temperature rise of thin film Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) based PCM due to Joule, thermoelectric, interface, and grain structure effects. PCM has potential to reduce energy consumption and improve performance of future electronic memory. A new nanometer-scale thermometry technique is developed for independent and direct observation of Joule and thermoelectric effects at the nanometer-scale, and the technique is demonstrated by SJEM measurements of GST devices. Uniform heating and GST properties are observed for

A rocky composition for an Earth-sized exoplanet.

Science.gov (United States)

Howard, Andrew W; Sanchis-Ojeda, Roberto; Marcy, Geoffrey W; Johnson, John Asher; Winn, Joshua N; Isaacson, Howard; Fischer, Debra A; Fulton, Benjamin J; Sinukoff, Evan; Fortney, Jonathan J

2013-11-21

Planets with sizes between that of Earth (with radius R Earth symbol) and Neptune (about 4R Earth symbol) are now known to be common around Sun-like stars. Most such planets have been discovered through the transit technique, by which the planet's size can be determined from the fraction of starlight blocked by the planet as it passes in front of its star. Measuring the planet's mass--and hence its density, which is a clue to its composition--is more difficult. Planets of size 2-4R Earth symbol have proved to have a wide range of densities, implying a diversity of compositions, but these measurements did not extend to planets as small as Earth. Here we report Doppler spectroscopic measurements of the mass of the Earth-sized planet Kepler-78b, which orbits its host star every 8.5 hours (ref. 6). Given a radius of 1.20 ± 0.09 R Earth symbol and a mass of 1.69 ± 0.41 R Earth symbol, the planet's mean density of 5.3 ± 1.8 g cm(-3) is similar to Earth's, suggesting a composition of rock and iron.

Interdiffusion in nanometer-scale multilayers investigated by in situ low-angle x-ray diffraction

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wei-Hua; Bai, Hai Yang; Zhang, Ming; Zhao, J. H.; Zhang, X. Y.; Wang, W. K.

1999-04-01

An in situ low-angle x-ray diffraction technique is used to investigate interdiffusion phenomena in various metal-metal and metal-amorphous Si nanometer-scale compositionally modulated multilayers (ML's). The temperature-dependent interdiffusivities are obtained by accurately monitoring the decay of the first-order modulation peak as a function of annealing time. Activation enthalpies and preexponential factors for the interdiffusion in the Fe-Ti, Ag-Bi, Fe-Mo, Mo-Si, Ni-Si, Nb-Si, and Ag-Si ML's are determined. Activation enthalpies and preexponential factors for the interdiffusion in the ML's are very small compared with that in amorphous alloys and crystalline solids. The relation between the atomic-size difference and interdiffusion in the ML's are investigated. The observed interdiffusion characteristics are compared with that in amorphous alloys and crystalline α-Zr, α-Ti, and Si. The experimental results suggest that a collective atomic-jumping mechanism govern the interdiffusion in the ML's, the collective proposal involving 8-15 atoms moving between extended nonequilibrium defects by thermal activation. The role of the interdiffusion in the solid-state reaction in the ML's is also discussed.

Compositional characterization of atomic layer deposited alumina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Philip, Anu; Thomas, Subin; Kumar, K. Rajeev

2014-01-01

As the microelectronic industry demands feature size in the order of few and sub nanometer regime, the film composition and other film properties become critical issues and ALD has emerged as the choice of industry. Aluminum oxide is a material with wide applications in electronic and optoelectronic devices and protective and ion barrier layers. Al 2 O 3 is an excellent dielectric because of its large band gap (8.7eV), large band offsets with silicon. We have deposited thin layers of alumina on silicon wafer (p-type) for gate dielectric applications by ALD technique and compositional characterizations of the deposited thin films were done using EDS, XPS and FTIR spectra

Compositional characterization of atomic layer deposited alumina

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Philip, Anu; Thomas, Subin; Kumar, K. Rajeev [Department of Instrumentation, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin-22, Kerala (India)

2014-01-28

As the microelectronic industry demands feature size in the order of few and sub nanometer regime, the film composition and other film properties become critical issues and ALD has emerged as the choice of industry. Aluminum oxide is a material with wide applications in electronic and optoelectronic devices and protective and ion barrier layers. Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} is an excellent dielectric because of its large band gap (8.7eV), large band offsets with silicon. We have deposited thin layers of alumina on silicon wafer (p-type) for gate dielectric applications by ALD technique and compositional characterizations of the deposited thin films were done using EDS, XPS and FTIR spectra.

Photoinduced non-linear optical effects in the ZnS-Al, In-Sn doped film-glass nanometer-sized interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kityk, I.V.; Makowska-Janusik, M.; Ebothe, J.; El Hichou, A.; El Idrissi, B.; Addou, M.

2002-01-01

The effective nanometer-sized thin layer (about 1-2 nm) located between a crystalline ZnS film and glass substrate is studied here using photoinduced optical and second-order non-linear optical (second harmonic generation (SHG) and electrooptics effects) techniques. A photoinduced shift of the effective energy gap is found for the first time in ZnS films doped with the same amount (4 at.%) of different elements, namely, In, Al and Sn. The photoinduced second-order non-linear optical properties (linear electrooptics (LEO) and SHG) of the specimens show a good correlation with the corresponding features of the linear optical susceptibilities, particularly, the imaginary part of dielectric susceptibility near the absorption edge. The maximal response of the photoinduced signal is observed for the pump-probe delaying time of about 20 ps. The performed experimental measurements indicate that the observed effects are stimulated by two factors: the first one is connected with the interface potential gradients at the glass-ZnS film boarder; the second one is a consequence of the additional polarization due to the insertion of Al, In and Sn atoms. The observed phenomenon may be proposed as a sensitive tool for investigation of thin semiconducting-glass interface layer. Moreover, such nanolayers may be applied in quantum electronic devices

Compression Properties and Electrical Conductivity of In-Situ 20 vol.% Nano-Sized TiCx/Cu Composites with Different Particle Size and Morphology.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Dongdong; Bai, Fang; Sun, Liping; Wang, Yong; Wang, Jinguo

2017-05-04

The compression properties and electrical conductivity of in-situ 20 vol.% nano-sized TiC x /Cu composites fabricated via combustion synthesis and hot press in Cu-Ti-CNTs system at various particles size and morphology were investigated. Cubic-TiC x /Cu composite had higher ultimate compression strength (σ UCS ), yield strength (σ 0.2 ), and electric conductivity, compared with those of spherical-TiC x /Cu composite. The σ UCS , σ 0.2 , and electrical conductivity of cubic-TiC x /Cu composite increased by 4.37%, 20.7%, and 17.8% compared with those of spherical-TiC x /Cu composite (526 MPa, 183 MPa, and 55.6% International Annealed Copper Standard, IACS). Spherical-TiC x /Cu composite with average particle size of ~94 nm exhibited higher ultimate compression strength, yield strength, and electrical conductivity compared with those of spherical-TiC x /Cu composite with 46 nm in size. The σ UCS , σ 0.2 , and electrical conductivity of spherical-TiC x /Cu composite with average size of ~94 nm in size increased by 17.8%, 33.9%, and 62.5% compared with those of spherical-TiC x /Cu composite (417 MPa, 121 MPa, and 40.3% IACS) with particle size of 49 nm, respectively. Cubic-shaped TiC x particles with sharp corners and edges led to stress/strain localization, which enhanced the compression strength of the composites. The agglomeration of spherical-TiC x particles with small size led to the compression strength reduction of the composites.

A Generalization of Electromagnetic Fluctuation-Induced Casimir Energy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi Zheng

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Intermolecular forces responsible for adhesion and cohesion can be classified according to their origins; interactions between charges, ions, random dipole—random dipole (Keesom, random dipole—induced dipole (Debye are due to electrostatic effects; covalent bonding, London dispersion forces between fluctuating dipoles, and Lewis acid-base interactions are due to quantum mechanical effects; pressure and osmotic forces are of entropic origin. Of all these interactions, the London dispersion interaction is universal and exists between all types of atoms as well as macroscopic objects. The dispersion force between macroscopic objects is called Casimir/van der Waals force. It results from alteration of the quantum and thermal fluctuations of the electrodynamic field due to the presence of interfaces and plays a significant role in the interaction between macroscopic objects at micrometer and nanometer length scales. This paper discusses how fluctuational electrodynamics can be used to determine the Casimir energy/pressure between planar multilayer objects. Though it is confirmation of the famous work of Dzyaloshinskii, Lifshitz, and Pitaevskii (DLP, we have solved the problem without having to use methods from quantum field theory that DLP resorted to. Because of this new approach, we have been able to clarify the contributions of propagating and evanescent waves to Casimir energy/pressure in dissipative media.

Characterisation of micro-sized and nano-sized tungsten oxide-epoxy composites for radiation shielding of diagnostic X-rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Noor Azman, N.Z. [Department of Imaging and Applied Physics, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845 Australia (Australia); School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang (Malaysia); Siddiqui, S.A. [Department of Imaging and Applied Physics, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845 Australia (Australia); Low, I.M., E-mail: j.low@curtin.edu.au [Department of Imaging and Applied Physics, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845 Australia (Australia)

2013-12-01

Characteristics of X-ray transmissions were investigated for epoxy composites filled with 2–10 vol% WO{sub 3} loadings using synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at 10–40 keV. The results obtained were used to determine the equivalent X-ray energies for the operating X-ray tube voltages of mammography and radiology machines. The results confirmed the superior attenuation ability of nano-sized WO{sub 3}-epoxy composites in the energy range of 10–25 keV when compared to their micro-sized counterparts. However, at higher synchrotron radiation energies (i.e., 30–40 keV), the X-ray transmission characteristics were similar with no apparent size effect for both nano-sized and micro-sized WO{sub 3}-epoxy composites. The equivalent X-ray energies for the operating X-ray tube voltages of the mammography unit (25–49 kV) were in the range of 15–25 keV. Similarly, for a radiology unit operating at 40–60 kV, the equivalent energy range was 25–40 keV, and for operating voltages greater than 60 kV (i.e., 70–100 kV), the equivalent energy was in excess of 40 keV. The mechanical properties of epoxy composites increased initially with an increase in the filler loading but a further increase in the WO{sub 3} loading resulted in deterioration of flexural strength, modulus and hardness. - Highlights: • Nano-sized WO{sub 3}-epoxy composites have superior x-ray shielding capability. • No size effect in x-ray attenuation was observed at 30–40 keV. • An optimum filler loading for improving the mechanical properties of WO{sub 3}-epoxy composites.

STRUCTURAL FLUCTUATIONS, ELECTRICAL RESPONSE AND THE RELIABILITY OF NANOSTRUCTURES (FINAL REPORT)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Philip J. Rous; Ellen D. Williams; Michael S. Fuhrer

2006-07-31

The goal of the research supported by DOE-FG02-01ER45939 was to synthesize a number of experimental and theoretical approaches to understand the relationship between morphological fluctuations, the electrical response and the reliability (failure) of metallic nanostructures. The primary focus of our work was the study of metallic nanowires which we regard as prototypical of nanoscale interconnects. Our research plan has been to link together these materials properties and behaviors by understanding the phenomenon of, and the effects of electromigration at nanometer length scales. The thrust of our research has been founded on the concept that, for nanostructures where the surface-to-volume ratio is necessarily high, surface diffusion is the dominant mass transport mechanism that governs the fluctuations, electrical properties and failure modes of nanostructures. Our approach has been to develop experimental methods that permit the direct imaging of the electromagnetic distributions within nanostructures, their structural fluctuations and their electrical response. This experimental research is complemented by a parallel theoretical and computational program that describes the temporal evolution of nanostructures in response to current flow.

Mixed Surfactant Template Method for Preparation of Nanometer Selenium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhi-Lin Li

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Selenium nanoparticles have been synthesized in an aqueous solution by using sodium dodecyl sulfate and polyvinyl alcohol as a soft template. The factors on synthesis, such as reaction time, concentration of reactants and ultrasonic irradiation were studied. The uniform stable selenium nanospheres were obstained in the conditions of 1.0 (mass fraction sodium dodecyl sulfate, 1.0 (mass fraction polyvinyl alcohol, n(Vc:n(H2SeO3=7:1 and 7 minutes after the initiation of the reaction at room temperature. The average particle size of selenium is about 30 nm. The product was characterized by UV and TEM. Finally the applications of the red element nanometer selenium in anti-older cosmetics are presented.

Investigation of the low-speed impact behavior of dual particle size metal matrix composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cerit, Afşın Alper

2014-01-01

Highlights: • AA2124 matrix composites reinforced with SiC particles were manufactured. • Low-speed impact behaviors of composites were investigated. • Composites were manufactured with single (SPS) and dual particle sizes (DPS). • Impact behaviors of DPS composites are more favorable than the SPS composites. • Approximately 50–60% of input energy was absorbed by the composite samples. - Abstract: SiC-reinforced aluminum matrix composites were manufactured by powder metallurgy using either single or dual particle sized SiC powders and samples sintered under argon atmosphere. Quasi-static loading, low-speed impact tests and hardness tests were used to investigate mechanical behavior and found that dual particle size composites had improved hardness and impact performance compared to single particle size composites. Sample microstructure, particle distributions, plastic deformations and post-testing damages were examined by scanning electron microscopy and identified microstructure agglomerations in SPS composites. Impact traces were characterized by broken and missing SiC particles and plastically deformed composite areas

Grinding model and material removal mechanism of medical nanometer zirconia ceramics.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Dongkun; Li, Changhe; Jia, Dongzhou; Wang, Sheng; Li, Runze; Qi, Xiaoxiao

2014-01-01

Many patents have been devoted to developing medical nanometer zirconia ceramic grinding techniques that can significantly improve both workpiece surface integrity and grinding quality. Among these patents is a process for preparing ceramic dental implants with a surface for improving osseo-integration by sand abrasive finishing under a jet pressure of 1.5 bar to 8.0 bar and with a grain size of 30 µm to 250 µm. Compared with other materials, nano-zirconia ceramics exhibit unmatched biomedical performance and excellent mechanical properties as medical bone tissue and dentures. The removal mechanism of nano-zirconia materials includes brittle fracture and plastic removal. Brittle fracture involves crack formation, extension, peeling, and chipping to completely remove debris. Plastic removal is similar to chip formation in metal grinding, including rubbing, ploughing, and the formation of grinding debris. The materials are removed in shearing and chipping. During brittle fracture, the grinding-led transverse and radial extension of cracks further generate local peeling of blocks of the material. In material peeling and removal, the mechanical strength and surface quality of the workpiece are also greatly reduced because of crack extension. When grinding occurs in the plastic region, plastic removal is performed, and surface grinding does not generate grinding fissures and surface fracture, producing clinically satisfactory grinding quality. With certain grinding conditions, medical nanometer zirconia ceramics can be removed through plastic flow in ductile regime. In this study, we analyzed the critical conditions for the transfer of brittle and plastic removal in nano-zirconia ceramic grinding as well as the high-quality surface grinding of medical nanometer zirconia ceramics by ELID grinding.

Computing physical properties with quantum Monte Carlo methods with statistical fluctuations independent of system size.

Science.gov (United States)

Assaraf, Roland

2014-12-01

We show that the recently proposed correlated sampling without reweighting procedure extends the locality (asymptotic independence of the system size) of a physical property to the statistical fluctuations of its estimator. This makes the approach potentially vastly more efficient for computing space-localized properties in large systems compared with standard correlated methods. A proof is given for a large collection of noninteracting fragments. Calculations on hydrogen chains suggest that this behavior holds not only for systems displaying short-range correlations, but also for systems with long-range correlations.

Magnesium, magnesium alloys, and magnesium composites

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Gupta, M; Sharon, Nai Mui Ling

2011-01-01

... of science, characteristics, and applications. It emphasizes the properties of magnesium-based composites and the effects of different types of reinforcements, from micron length to nanometer scale, on the properties of the resulting composites...

The effect of SiC particle size on the properties of Cu–SiC composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Celebi Efe, G.; Zeytin, S.; Bindal, C.

2012-01-01

Graphical abstract: The relative densities of Cu–SiC composites sintered at 700 °C for 2 h are ranged from 97.3% to 91.8% for SiC with 1 μm particle size and 97.5% to 95.2% for SiC with 5 μm particle size, microhardness of composites ranged from 143 to 167 HV for SiC having 1 μm particle size and 156–182 HVN for SiC having 5 μm particle size and the electrical conductivity of composites changed between 85.9% IACS and 55.7% IACS for SiC with 1 μm particle size, 87.9% IACS and 65.2%IACS for SiC with 5 μm particle size. It was found that electrical conductivity of composites containing SiC with 5 μm particle size is better than that of Cu–SiC composites containing SiC with particle size of 1 μm. Highlights: ► In this research, the effect of SiC particle size on some properties of Cu–SiC composites were investigated. ► The mechanical properties were improved. ► The electrical properties were obtained at desirable level. -- Abstract: SiC particulate-reinforced copper composites were prepared by powder metallurgy (PM) method and conventional atmospheric sintering. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were used to characterize the sintered composites. The effect of SiC content and particle size on the relative density, hardness and electrical conductivity of composites were investigated. The relative densities of Cu–SiC composites sintered at 700 °C for 2 h are ranged from 97.3% to 91.8% for SiC with 1 μm particle size and from 97.5% to 95.2% for SiC with 5 μm particle size. Microhardness of composites ranged from 143 to 167 HV for SiC having 1 μm particle size and from 156 to 182 HV for SiC having 5 μm particle size. The electrical conductivity of composites changed between 85.9% IACS and 55.7% IACS for SiC with 1 μm particle size, between 87.9% IACS and 65.2% IACS for SiC with 5 μm particle size.

Shape and size effects on layered Ni/PZT/Ni composites magnetoelectric performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pan, D A; Zhang, S G; Qiao, L J [School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); Volinsky, Alex A [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa FL 33620 (United States)], E-mail: lqiao@ustb.edu.cn

2008-09-07

This paper presents the magnetoelectric (ME) effect in trilayered Ni/PZT/Ni composites which is related to their size and shape. The ME composites with the same interfacial areas but different geometrical shapes have different ME voltage coefficients. Longitudinal resonant modes in the rectangular and triangular trilayered ME composites were studied. One should choose optimized size, shape and working frequency of the ME composites in order to gain the maximum ME effect. This study plays a guiding role for trilayered ME composites design for real applications. (fast track communication)

Temporal fluctuations after a quantum quench: Many-particle dephasing

Science.gov (United States)

Marquardt, Florian; Kiendl, Thomas

After a quantum quench, the expectation values of observables continue to fluctuate in time. In the thermodynamic limit, one expects such fluctuations to decrease to zero, in order for standard statistical physics to hold. However, it is a challenge to determine analytically how the fluctuations decay as a function of system size. So far, there have been analytical predictions for integrable models (which are, naturally, somewhat special), analytical bounds for arbitrary systems, and numerical results for moderate-size systems. We have discovered a dynamical regime where the decrease of fluctuations is driven by many-particle dephasing, instead of a redistribution of occupation numbers. On the basis of this insight, we are able to provide exact analytical expressions for a model with weak integrability breaking (transverse Ising chain with additional terms). These predictions explicitly show how fluctuations are exponentially suppressed with system size.

Atomistic Insight on the Charging Energetics in Sub-nanometer Pore Supercacitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qiao, Rui [ORNL; Huang, Jingsong [ORNL; Sumpter, Bobby G [ORNL; Meunier, Vincent [ORNL; Feng, Guang [Clemson University

2010-01-01

Electrodes featuring sub-nanometer pores can significantly enhance the capacitance and energy density of supercapacitors. However, ions must pay an energy penalty to enter sub-nanometer pores as they have to shed part of their solvation shell. The magnitude of such energy penalty plays a key role in determining the accessibility and charging/discharging of these sub-nanometer pores. Here we report on the atomistic simulation of Na+ and Cl ions entering a polarizable slit pore with a width of 0.82 nm. We show that the free energy penalty for these ions to enter the pore is less than 14 kJ/mol for both Na+ and Cl ions. The surprisingly small energy penalty is caused by the van der Waals attractions between ion and pore walls, the image charge effects, the moderate (19-26%) de-hydration of the ions inside the pore, and the strengthened interactions between ions and their hydration water molecules in the sub-nanometer pore. The results provide strong impetus for further developing nanoporous electrodes featuring sub- nanometer pores.

Influence of thermal fluctuations on ligament break-up: a fluctuating lattice Boltzmann study

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Xiao; Biferale, Luca; Sbragaglia, Mauro; Toschi, Federico

2017-11-01

Thermal fluctuations are essential ingredients in a nanoscale system, driving Brownian motion of particles and capillary waves at non-ideal interfaces. Here we study the influence of thermal fluctuations on the breakup of liquid ligaments at the nanoscale. We offer quantitative characterization of the effects of thermal fluctuations on the Plateau-Rayleigh mechanism that drives the breakup process of ligaments. Due to thermal fluctuations, the droplet sizes after break-up need to be analyzed in terms of their distribution over an ensemble made of repeated experiments. To this aim, we make use of numerical simulations based on the fluctuating lattice Boltzmann method (FLBM) for multicomponent mixtures. The method allows an accurate and efficient simulation of the fluctuating hydrodynamics equations of a binary mixture, where both stochastic viscous stresses and diffusion fluxes are introduced. This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No 642069.

Mechanically activated self-propagated high-temperature synthesis of nanometer-structured MgB2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radev, D.D.; Marinov, M.; Tumbalev, V.; Radev, I.; Konstantinov, L.

2005-01-01

Nanometer-sized MgB 2 was prepared via a two-step modification of the mechanically activated self-propagated high-temperature synthesis. The experimental conditions and some structural and phase characteristics of the synthesized product are reported. It is shown that a single-phase material can be prepared after 2 h of intense mechanical treatment of the starting magnesium and boron powders and a synthesis induced at a current-pulse density of 30 A cm -2 . The average size of MgB 2 particles synthesized in this way is 70-80 nm. It is also shown that using the same reagents and the 'classic' high-temperature interaction at 850 deg C with a protective atmosphere of pure Ar, mean particle size of the MgB 2 obtained is 50 μm

Synthesis, structural characterization and fluctuation conductivity of HoBa2Cu3O7-δ-SrTiO3 composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uribe Laverde, M.A.; Landinez Tellez, D.A.; Roa-Rojas, J.

2010-01-01

Single-phase polycrystalline samples of HoBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ superconductor and SrTiO 3 isolator were produced by means of the solid state reaction technique. After structural characterization of both materials, superconductor-isolator composites were produced with nominal isolator volume percentages between 0% and 10%. Resistivity measurements for the composites and the HoBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ sample with different currents evidenced a superconducting transition with critical temperature T C = 92 K, with wider transitions with increasing either isolator content or measurement current. Fluctuation conductivity analyses were carried out to obtain the exponents characterizing the conductivity divergence. Above T C , apart from the typical Gaussian and critical fluctuations an atypical regime with critical exponent about 0.14 is observed as a precursor of the transition. Below T C , it is observed that the coherence transition characteristic exponent increases rapidly with increasing isolator percentage in the composites and does not show important changes when modifying the current in the pure superconductor sample.

Gap size and wall lesion development next to composite

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuper, N.K.; Opdam, N.J.M.; Ruben, J.L.; de Soet, J.J.; Cenci, M.S.; Bronkhorst, E.M.; Huysmans, M.C.D.N.J.M.

2014-01-01

This in situ study investigated whether there is a relationship between gap size and wall lesion development in dentin next to 2 composite materials, and whether a clinically relevant threshold for the gap size could be established. For 21 days, 14 volunteers wore a modified occlusal splint

[Influences of composition on brush wear of composite resins. Influences of particle size and content of filler].

Science.gov (United States)

Yuasa, S

1990-07-01

The influences of the composition on abrasion resistance of composite resins were examined using various experimental composite resins which had various matrix resin, filler size and content. The abrasion test was conducted by the experimental toothbrush abrasion testing machine developed in our laboratory. Three series of heat-curing composite resins were tested. One series was made from a Bis-MPEPP or UDMA monomer, and a silica filler with an average particle size of 0.04, 1.9, 3.8, 4.3, 7.5, 13.8 and 14.1 microns. The filler content of this series was constant at 45 wt%. The second series contained a silica filler of 4.3 microns in a content ranging from 35 to 75 wt%. The third series contained a microfiller (0.04 microns) and macrofiller (4.3 microns) in total content of 45 wt%. In this series, the microfiller was gradually replaced by 5, 15, 25 and 45 wt% of the macrofiller. The results obtained for these three series indicated that the abrasion resistance of composite resins was controlled by the inorganic filler, mainly filler size and content. The abrasion loss did not vary with the difference of matrix resin. When the particle size of the filler was below about 5 microns, the abrasion resistance decreased markedly with the decrease in filler size. The composite resin which contained a 0.04 or 1.9 micron filler was less resistant to toothbrush wear than the unfilled matrix resin. However, the microfiller also contributed to abrasion resistance when used in combination with the macrofiller, although abrasion resistance decreased with the increase in the microfiller concentration. The increase of filler content clearly improved the abrasion resistance when used the macrofiller. The analysis of these results and SEM observations of the brushed surfaces of samples suggested that the toothbrush abrasion was three-body abrasion caused by the abrasive in the toothpaste, and affected by the difference in the particle size between abrasive and filler, and between

Enhanced Laser Cooling of Rare-Earth-Ion-Doped Glass Containing Nanometer-Sized Metallic Particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jia Youhua; Zhong Biao; Yin Jianping

2009-01-01

The enhanced laser cooling performance of rare-earth-ions-doped glasses containing small particles is predicted. This is achieved by the enhancement of local field around rare earth ions, owing to the surface plasmon resonance of small metallic particles. The role of energy transfer between ions and the particle is theoretical discussed. Depending on the particle size and the ion emission quantum efficiency, the enhancement of the absorption and the fluorescence is predicted. Moreover, taking Yb 3+ -doped ZBLAN as example, the cooling power and heat-light converting efficiency are calculated. It is finally concluded that the absorption and the fluorescence are greatly enhanced in these composite materials, the cooling power is increased compared to the bulk material. (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)

Novel Composite Powders with Uniform TiB2 Nano-Particle Distribution for 3D Printing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mengxing Chen

2017-03-01

Full Text Available It is reported that the ductility and strength of a metal matrix composite could be concurrently improved if the reinforcing particles were of the size of nanometers and distributed uniformly. In this paper, we revealed that gas atomization solidification could effectively disperse TiB2 nanoparticles in the Al alloy matrix due to its fast cooling rate and the coherent orientation relationship between TiB2 particles and α-Al. Besides, nano-TiB2 led to refined equiaxed grain structures. Furthermore, the composite powders with uniformly embedded nano-TiB2 showed improved laser absorptivity. The novel composite powders are well suited for selective laser melting.

Nonstandard scaling law of fluctuations in finite-size systems of globally coupled oscillators.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishikawa, Isao; Tanaka, Gouhei; Aihara, Kazuyuki

2013-08-01

Universal scaling laws form one of the central issues in physics. A nonstandard scaling law or a breakdown of a standard scaling law, on the other hand, can often lead to the finding of a new universality class in physical systems. Recently, we found that a statistical quantity related to fluctuations follows a nonstandard scaling law with respect to the system size in a synchronized state of globally coupled nonidentical phase oscillators [I. Nishikawa et al., Chaos 22, 013133 (2012)]. However, it is still unclear how widely this nonstandard scaling law is observed. In the present paper, we discuss the conditions required for the unusual scaling law in globally coupled oscillator systems and validate the conditions by numerical simulations of several different models.

Development of high strength hot rolled low carbon copper-bearing steel containing nanometer sized carbides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Phaniraj, M.P. [High Temperature Energy Materials Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 136-791 (Korea, Republic of); Shin, Young-Min [High Temperature Energy Materials Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 136-791 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 136-701 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Joonho [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 136-701 (Korea, Republic of); Goo, Nam Hoon [Sheet Product Design Group, Hyundai Steel Co., North Industrial Street 1400, 343-823, DangJin 343-823 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Dong-Ik; Suh, Jin-Yoo; Jung, Woo-Sang [High Temperature Energy Materials Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 136-791 (Korea, Republic of); Shim, Jae-Hyeok, E-mail: jhshim@kist.re.kr [High Temperature Energy Materials Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 136-791 (Korea, Republic of); Choi, In-Suk, E-mail: insukchoi@kist.re.kr [High Temperature Energy Materials Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 136-791 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-01

A low carbon ferritic steel was alloyed with Ti, Mo and Cu with the intention of achieving greater increment in strength by multiple precipitate strengthening. The steel is hot rolled and subjected to interrupted cooling to enable precipitation of Ti–Mo carbides and copper. Thermodynamic calculations were carried out to determine equilibrium phase fractions at different temperatures. Microstructure characterization using transmission electron microscopy and composition analysis revealed that the steel contains ~5 nm size precipitates of (Ti,Mo)C. Precipitation kinetics calculations using MatCalc software showed that mainly body centered cubic copper precipitates of size < 5nm form under the cooling conditions in the present study. The steel has the high tensile strength of 853 MPa and good ductility. The yield strength increases by 420 MPa, which is more than that achieved in hot rolled low carbon ferritic steels with only copper precipitates or only carbide precipitates. The precipitation and strengthening contribution of copper and (Ti,Mo)C precipitates and their effect on the work hardening behavior is discussed.

Characterisation of micro-sized and nano-sized tungsten oxide-epoxy composites for radiation shielding of diagnostic X-rays.

Science.gov (United States)

Azman, N Z Noor; Siddiqui, S A; Low, I M

2013-12-01

Characteristics of X-ray transmissions were investigated for epoxy composites filled with 2-10 vol% WO3 loadings using synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at 10-40 keV. The results obtained were used to determine the equivalent X-ray energies for the operating X-ray tube voltages of mammography and radiology machines. The results confirmed the superior attenuation ability of nano-sized WO3-epoxy composites in the energy range of 10-25 keV when compared to their micro-sized counterparts. However, at higher synchrotron radiation energies (i.e., 30-40 keV), the X-ray transmission characteristics were similar with no apparent size effect for both nano-sized and micro-sized WO3-epoxy composites. The equivalent X-ray energies for the operating X-ray tube voltages of the mammography unit (25-49 kV) were in the range of 15-25 keV. Similarly, for a radiology unit operating at 40-60 kV, the equivalent energy range was 25-40 keV, and for operating voltages greater than 60 kV (i.e., 70-100 kV), the equivalent energy was in excess of 40 keV. The mechanical properties of epoxy composites increased initially with an increase in the filler loading but a further increase in the WO3 loading resulted in deterioration of flexural strength, modulus and hardness. © 2013.

Effects of limited spatial resolution on fluctuation measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bravenec, R.V.; Wootton, A.J.

1994-01-01

The finite sample volumes of fluctuation diagnostics distort the measurements not only by averaging the gross fluctuation parameters over the sample volumes, but more importantly (except for collective scattering), by attenuating the shorter wavelength components. In this work the response of various sample volume sizes and orientations to a model fluctuation power spectrum S(k,ω) are examined. The model spectrum is fashioned after observations by far-infrared scattering on TEXT. The sample-volume extent in the direction of propagation of the turbulence is shown to be the most critical - not only does it reduce the measured fluctuation amplitude and correlation length (as does an extent perpendicular to the propagation direction), but also reduces the measured mean frequency and increases the apparent average phase velocity of the fluctuations. The differing sizes, shapes, and orientations of the sample volumes among fluctuation diagnostics, as well as deliberate variations within a single diagnostic, provide information on the form of the underlying turbulence and can be exploited to refine the model

Infrared Spectroscopic Study on Structural Change and Interfacial Interaction in Rubber Composites Filled with Silica-Kaolin Hybrid Fillers

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Y.; Guan, J.; Hu, H.; Gao, H.; Zhang, L.

2016-07-01

A series of natural rubber/styrene butadiene rubber/polybutadiene rubber composites was prepared with nanometer silica and micron kaolin by a dry modification process, mechanical compounding, and mold vulcanization. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and a scanning electron microscope were used to investigate the structural changes and interfacial interactions in composites. The results showed that the "seesaw" structure was formed particularly with the incorporation of silica particles in the preparation process, which would be beneficial to the dispersibility of fillers in the rubber matrix. The kaolinite platelets were generally arranged in directional alignment. Kaolinite with smaller particle size and low-defect structure was more stable in preparation, but kaolinite with larger particle size and high defect structure tended to change the crystal structure. The composite prepared in this research exhibited excellent mechanical and thermal properties.

Insulator coated magnetic nanoparticulate composites with reduced core loss and method of manufacture thereof

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yide (Inventor); Wang, Shihe (Inventor); Xiao, Danny (Inventor)

2004-01-01

A series of bulk-size magnetic/insulating nanostructured composite soft magnetic materials with significantly reduced core loss and its manufacturing technology. This insulator coated magnetic nanostructured composite is comprises a magnetic constituent, which contains one or more magnetic components, and an insulating constituent. The magnetic constituent is nanometer scale particles (1-100 nm) coated by a thin-layered insulating phase (continuous phase). While the intergrain interaction between the immediate neighboring magnetic nanoparticles separated by the insulating phase (or coupled nanoparticles) provide the desired soft magnetic properties, the insulating material provides the much demanded high resistivity which significantly reduces the eddy current loss. The resulting material is a high performance magnetic nanostructured composite with reduced core loss.

BREATHING FIRE: HOW STELLAR FEEDBACK DRIVES RADIAL MIGRATION, RAPID SIZE FLUCTUATIONS, AND POPULATION GRADIENTS IN LOW-MASS GALAXIES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Badry, Kareem; Geha, Marla; Wetzel, Andrew; Hopkins, Philip F.; Kereš, Dusan; Chan, T. K.; Faucher-Giguère, Claude-André

2016-01-01

We examine the effects of stellar feedback and bursty star formation on low-mass galaxies (M star  = 2 × 10 6  − 5 × 10 10 M ⊙ ) using the Feedback in Realistic Environments (FIRE) simulations. While previous studies emphasized the impact of feedback on dark matter profiles, we investigate the impact on the stellar component: kinematics, radial migration, size evolution, and population gradients. Feedback-driven outflows/inflows drive significant radial stellar migration over both short and long timescales via two processes: (1) outflowing/infalling gas can remain star-forming, producing young stars that migrate ∼1 kpc within their first 100 Myr, and (2) gas outflows/inflows drive strong fluctuations in the global potential, transferring energy to all stars. These processes produce several dramatic effects. First, galaxies’ effective radii can fluctuate by factors of >2 over ∼200 Myr, and these rapid size fluctuations can account for much of the observed scatter in the radius at fixed M star . Second, the cumulative effects of many outflow/infall episodes steadily heat stellar orbits, causing old stars to migrate outward most strongly. This age-dependent radial migration mixes—and even inverts—intrinsic age and metallicity gradients. Thus, the galactic-archaeology approach of calculating radial star formation histories from stellar populations at z = 0 can be severely biased. These effects are strongest at M star  ≈ 10 7–9.6 M ⊙ , the same regime where feedback most efficiently cores galaxies. Thus, detailed measurements of stellar kinematics in low-mass galaxies can strongly constrain feedback models and test baryonic solutions to small-scale problems in ΛCDM

WOOD STOVE EMISSIONS: PARTICLE SIZE AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

Science.gov (United States)

The report summarizes wood stove particle size and chemical composition data gathered to date. [NOTE: In 1995, EPA estimated that residential wood combustion (RWC), including fireplaces, accounted for a significant fraction of national particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter...

Topics in fluctuating nonlinear hydrodynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milner, S.T.

1986-01-01

Models of fluctuating nonlinear hydrodynamics have enjoyed much success in explaining the effect of long-wavelength fluctuations in diverse hydrodynamic systems. This thesis explores two such problems; in both, the body of hydrodynamic assumptions powerfully constrains the predictions of a well-posed theory. The effects of layer fluctuations in smectic-A liquid crystals are first examined. The static theory (introduced by Grinstein and Pelcovits) is reviewed. Ward identities, resulting from the arbitrariness of the layering direction, are derived and exploited. The static results motivate an examination of dynamic fluctuation effects. A new sound-damping experiment is proposed that would probe singular dependence of viscosities on applied stress. A theory of Procaccia and Gitterman that reaction rates of chemically reacting binary mixtures are drastically reduced near their thermodynamic critical points is analyzed. Hydrodynamic arguments and Van Hove theory are applied, concluding that the PG idea is drastically slowed, and spatially varying composition fluctuations are at best slowed down over a narrow range of wavenumbers

Size effects on magnetoelectric response of multiferroic composite with inhomogeneities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yue, Y.M. [Shanghai Institute of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mechanics in Energy Engineering, Department of Mechanics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200072 (China); Xu, K.Y., E-mail: kyxu@shu.edu.cn [Shanghai Institute of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mechanics in Energy Engineering, Department of Mechanics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200072 (China); Chen, T. [Shanghai Institute of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mechanics in Energy Engineering, Department of Mechanics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200072 (China); Aifantis, E.C. [Laboratory of Mechanics and Materials (LMM), Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki GR-54124 (Greece); Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931 (United States); King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589 (Saudi Arabia); School of Mechanics and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031 (China); International Laboratory for Modern Functional Materials, ITMO University, St. Petersburg 191002 (Russian Federation)

2015-12-01

This paper investigates the influence of size effects on the magnetoelectric performance of multiferroic composite with inhomogeneities. Based on a simple model of gradient elasticity for multiferroic materials, the governing equations and boundary conditions are obtained from an energy variational principle. The general formulation is applied to consider an anti-plane problem of multiferroic composites with inhomogeneities. This problem is solved analytically and the effective magnetoelectric coefficient is obtained. The influence of the internal length (grain size or particle size) on the effective magnetoelectric coefficients of piezoelectric/piezomagnetic nanoscale fibrous composite is numerically evaluated and analyzed. The results suggest that with the increase of the internal length of piezoelectric matrix (PZT and BaTiO{sub 3}), the magnetoelectric coefficient increases, but the rate of increase is ratcheting downwards. If the internal length of piezoelectric matrix remains unchanged, the magnetoelectric coefficient will decrease with the increase of internal length scale of piezomagnetic nonfiber (CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 3}). In a composite consisiting of a piezomagnetic matrix (CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 3}) reinforced with piezoelectric nanofibers (BaTiO{sub 3}), an increase of the internal length in the piezomagnetic matrix, results to a decrease of the magnetoelectric coefficient, with the rate of decrease diminishing.

Size effects on magnetoelectric response of multiferroic composite with inhomogeneities

Science.gov (United States)

Yue, Y. M.; Xu, K. Y.; Chen, T.; Aifantis, E. C.

2015-12-01

This paper investigates the influence of size effects on the magnetoelectric performance of multiferroic composite with inhomogeneities. Based on a simple model of gradient elasticity for multiferroic materials, the governing equations and boundary conditions are obtained from an energy variational principle. The general formulation is applied to consider an anti-plane problem of multiferroic composites with inhomogeneities. This problem is solved analytically and the effective magnetoelectric coefficient is obtained. The influence of the internal length (grain size or particle size) on the effective magnetoelectric coefficients of piezoelectric/piezomagnetic nanoscale fibrous composite is numerically evaluated and analyzed. The results suggest that with the increase of the internal length of piezoelectric matrix (PZT and BaTiO3), the magnetoelectric coefficient increases, but the rate of increase is ratcheting downwards. If the internal length of piezoelectric matrix remains unchanged, the magnetoelectric coefficient will decrease with the increase of internal length scale of piezomagnetic nonfiber (CoFe2O3). In a composite consisiting of a piezomagnetic matrix (CoFe2O3) reinforced with piezoelectric nanofibers (BaTiO3), an increase of the internal length in the piezomagnetic matrix, results to a decrease of the magnetoelectric coefficient, with the rate of decrease diminishing.

Study of vibrations and stabilization of linear collider final doublets at the sub-nanometer scale

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bolzon, B.

2007-11-01

CLIC is one of the current projects of high energy linear colliders. Vertical beam sizes of 0.7 nm at the time of the collision and fast ground motion of a few nanometers impose an active stabilization of the final doublets at a fifth of nanometer above 4 Hz. The majority of my work concerned vibrations and active stabilization study of cantilever and slim beams in order to be representative of the final doublets of CLIC. In a first part, measured performances of different types of vibration sensors associated to an appropriate instrumentation showed that accurate measurements of ground motion are possible from 0.1 Hz up to 2000 Hz on a quiet site. Also, electrochemical sensors answering a priori the specifications of CLIC can be incorporated in the active stabilization at a fifth of nanometer. In a second part, an experimental and numerical study of beam vibrations enabled to validate the efficiency of the numerical prediction incorporated then in the simulation of the active stabilization. Also, a study of the impact of ground motion and of acoustic noise on beam vibrations showed that an active stabilization is necessary at least up to 1000 Hz. In a third part, results on the active stabilization of a beam at its two first resonances are shown down to amplitudes of a tenth of nanometer above 4 Hz by using in parallel a commercial system performing passive and active stabilization of the clamping. The last part is related to a study of a support for the final doublets of a linear collider prototype in phase of finalization, the ATF2 prototype. This work showed that relative motion between this support and the ground is below imposed tolerances (6 nm above 0.1 Hz) with appropriate boundary conditions. (author)

Physical characteristics and magnetic properties of BaFe12O19/SrTiO3 based composites derived from mechanical alloying

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Widodo, Rahmat Doni; Manaf, Azwar

2016-01-01

A composite system BaFe 12 O 19 /SrTiO 3 with ferrimagnetic BaFe 12 O 19 phase (BHF) and ferroelectric SrTiO 3 phase (STO) have been prepared by mechanical alloying and subsequent heat treatment. The composite powders were studied by Particle Size Analyze, X-ray diffraction and magnetic measurement. It was found that the particle size of composite powders initially increased due to laminated layers formation of a composite and then decreased to an asymptotic value of ∼8 µm as the milling time extended even to a relatively longer time. However, based on results of line broadening analysis the mean grain size of the particles was found in the nanometer scale. We thus believed that mechanical blending and milling of mixture components for the composite materials has promoted heterogeneous nucleation and only after successive sintering at 1100°C the milled powder transformed into particles of nanograin. In this report, microstructure as well as magnetic properties for the composite is also briefly discussed.

Production of Al2O3–SiC nano-composites by spark plasma sintering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mansour Razavi; Ali Reza Farajipour; Mohammad Zakeri; Mohammad Reza Rahimipour; Ali Reza Firouzbakht

2017-01-01

In this paper, Al2O3–SiC composites were produced by SPS at temperatures of 1600°C for 10min under vacuum atmosphere. For preparing samples, Al2O3 with the second phase including of micro and nano-sized SiC powder were milled for 5h. The milled powders were sintered in a SPS machine. After sintering process, phase studies, densification and mechanical properties of Al2O3–SiC composites were examined. Results showed that the specimens containing micro-sized SiC have an important effect on bulk density, hardness and strength. The highest relative density, hardness and strength were 99.7%, 324.6 HV and 2329MPa, respectively, in Al2O3–20wt% SiCmicro composite. Due to short time sintering, the growth was limited and grains still remained in nano-meter scale. [es

Observation of propane cluster size distributions during nucleation and growth in a Laval expansion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ferreiro, Jorge J.; Chakrabarty, Satrajit; Schläppi, Bernhard; Signorell, Ruth [Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog Weg 2, CH-8093 Zürich (Switzerland)

2016-12-07

We report on molecular-level studies of the condensation of propane gas and propane/ethane gas mixtures in the uniform (constant pressure and temperature) postnozzle flow of Laval expansions using soft single-photon ionization by vacuum ultraviolet light and mass spectrometric detection. The whole process, from the nucleation to the growth to molecular aggregates of sizes of several nanometers (∼5 nm), can be monitored at the molecular level with high time-resolution (∼3 μs) for a broad range of pressures and temperatures. For each time, pressure, and temperature, a whole mass spectrum is recorded, which allows one to determine the critical cluster size range for nucleation as well as the kinetics and mechanisms of cluster-size specific growth. The detailed information about the size, composition, and population of individual molecular clusters upon condensation provides unique experimental data for comparison with future molecular-level simulations.

Nanometer-scale features in dolomite from Pennsylvanian rocks, Paradox Basin, Utah

Science.gov (United States)

Gournay, Jonas P.; Kirkland, Brenda L.; Folk, Robert L.; Lynch, F. Leo

1999-07-01

Scanning electron microscopy reveals an association between early dolomite in the Pennsylvanian Desert Creek (Paradox Fm.) and small (approximately 0.1 μm) nanometer-scale textures, termed `nannobacteria'. Three diagenetically distinct dolomites are present: early dolomite, limpid dolomite, and baroque dolomite. In this study, only the early dolomite contained nanometer-scale features. These textures occur as discrete balls and rods, clumps of balls, and chains of balls. Precipitation experiments demonstrate that these textures may be the result of precipitation in an organic-rich micro-environment. The presence of these nanometer-scale textures in Pennsylvanian rocks suggests that these early dolomites precipitated in organic-rich, bacterial environments.

BREATHING FIRE: HOW STELLAR FEEDBACK DRIVES RADIAL MIGRATION, RAPID SIZE FLUCTUATIONS, AND POPULATION GRADIENTS IN LOW-MASS GALAXIES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

El-Badry, Kareem; Geha, Marla [Department of Astronomy, Yale University, New Haven, CT (United States); Wetzel, Andrew; Hopkins, Philip F. [TAPIR, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA (United States); Kereš, Dusan; Chan, T. K. [Department of Physics, Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla (United States); Faucher-Giguère, Claude-André, E-mail: kareem.el-badry@yale.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy and CIERA, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL (United States)

2016-04-01

We examine the effects of stellar feedback and bursty star formation on low-mass galaxies (M{sub star} = 2 × 10{sup 6} − 5 × 10{sup 10} M{sub ⊙}) using the Feedback in Realistic Environments (FIRE) simulations. While previous studies emphasized the impact of feedback on dark matter profiles, we investigate the impact on the stellar component: kinematics, radial migration, size evolution, and population gradients. Feedback-driven outflows/inflows drive significant radial stellar migration over both short and long timescales via two processes: (1) outflowing/infalling gas can remain star-forming, producing young stars that migrate ∼1 kpc within their first 100 Myr, and (2) gas outflows/inflows drive strong fluctuations in the global potential, transferring energy to all stars. These processes produce several dramatic effects. First, galaxies’ effective radii can fluctuate by factors of >2 over ∼200 Myr, and these rapid size fluctuations can account for much of the observed scatter in the radius at fixed M{sub star}. Second, the cumulative effects of many outflow/infall episodes steadily heat stellar orbits, causing old stars to migrate outward most strongly. This age-dependent radial migration mixes—and even inverts—intrinsic age and metallicity gradients. Thus, the galactic-archaeology approach of calculating radial star formation histories from stellar populations at z = 0 can be severely biased. These effects are strongest at M{sub star} ≈ 10{sup 7–9.6} M{sub ⊙}, the same regime where feedback most efficiently cores galaxies. Thus, detailed measurements of stellar kinematics in low-mass galaxies can strongly constrain feedback models and test baryonic solutions to small-scale problems in ΛCDM.

Water-level fluctuation in wetlands as a function of landscape condition in the prairie pothole region

Science.gov (United States)

Euliss, Ned H.; Mushet, David M.

1996-01-01

We evaluated water-level fluctuation (maximum water depth - minimum water depth/catchment size) in 12 temporary, 12 seasonal, and 12 semipermanent wetlands equally distributed among landscapes dominated by tilled agricultural lands and landscapes dominated by grassland. Water levels fluctuated an average of 14.14 cm in wetlands within tilled agricultural landscapes, while water levels in wetlands within grassland landscapes fluctuated an average of only 4.27 cm. Tillage reduces the natural capacity of catch meets to mitigate surface flow into wetland basins during precipitation events, resulting in greater water-level fluctuations in wetlands with tilled catchments. In addition, water levels in temporary and seasonal wetlands fluctuated an average of 13.74 cm and 11.82 cm, respectively, while water levels in semipermanent wetlands fluctuated only 2.77 cm. Semipermanent wetlands receive a larger proportion of their water as input from ground water than do either temporary or seasonal wetlands. This input of water from the ground has a stabilizing effect on water-levels of semipermanent wetlands. Increases in water-level fluctuation due to tillage or due to alteration of ground-water hydrology may ultimately affect the composition of a wetland's flora and fauna. In this paper, we also describe an inexpensive device for determining absolute maximum and minimum water levels in wetlands.

RF Circuit Design in Nanometer CMOS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nauta, Bram

2007-01-01

With CMOS technology entering the nanometer regime, the design of analog and RF circuits is complicated by low supply voltages, very non-linear (and nonquadratic) devices and large 1/f noise. At the same time, circuits are required to operate over increasingly wide bandwidths to implement modern

Significance of quantum fluctuations in roentgen imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Strid, K G [Sahlgrenska Sjukhuset, Goeteborg (Sweden)

1980-01-01

Quantum fluctuations in the roentgen radiation relief are analysed mathematically. The intrinsic signal-to-noise ratio of the radiation relief for a given object contrast is proportional to the square root of the number of photons contributing to the image of a characteristic detail in the object. In the presence of secondary radiation the signal-to-noise ratio is impaired, since the fluctuations of secondary radiation increase the noise of the radiation relief. By efficient secondary screening, the quality of the relief can be partially recovered. With a dynamically limited recording device, i.e. a film-screen combination, increased detection speed in conjunction with improved secondary screening will either result in unchanged image quality with the gain of an object-dose reduction or provide improved imaging at an unchanged dose value. As regards the relation between contrast resolution and spatial resolution, the dose required to barely demonstrate an object detail of given geometry and composition is found to vary inversely with the fourth power of the linear size of the detail. It is also concluded that recording and secondary-screening devices should always be considered together as far as recording quality is concerned.

Fluctuation mechanisms in superconductors nanowire single-photon counters, enabled by effective top-down manufacturing

CERN Document Server

Bartolf, Holger

2016-01-01

Holger Bartolf discusses state-of-the-art detection concepts based on superconducting nanotechnology as well as sophisticated analytical formulæ that model dissipative fluctuation-phenomena in superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors. Such knowledge is desirable for the development of advanced devices which are designed to possess an intrinsic robustness against vortex-fluctuations and it provides the perspective for honorable fundamental science in condensed matter physics. Especially the nanowire detector allows for ultra-low noise detection of signals with single-photon sensitivity and GHz repetition rates. Such devices have a huge potential for future technological impact and might enable unique applications (e.g. high rate interplanetary deep-space data links from Mars to Earth). Contents Superconducting Single-Photon Detectors Nanotechnological Manufacturing; Scale: 10 Nanometer Berezinskii-Kosterlitz Thouless (BKT) Transition, Edge-Barrier, Phase Slips Target Groups Researchers and students of...

Photoluminescence from Au nanoparticles embedded in Au:oxide composite films

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Hongbo; Wen, Weijia; Wong, George K.

2006-12-01

Au:oxide composite multilayer films with Au nanoparticles sandwiched by oxide layers (such as SiO2, ZnO, and TiO2) were prepared in a magnetron sputtering system. Their photoluminescence (PL) spectra were investigated by employing a micro-Raman system in which an Argon laser with a wavelength of 514 nm was used as the pumping light. Distinct PL peaks located at a wavelength range between 590 and 680 nm were observed in most of our samples, with Au particle size varying from several to hundreds of nanometers. It was found that the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) in these composites exerted a strong influence on the position of the PL peaks but had little effect on the PL intensity.

Photoluminescence from Au nanoparticles embedded in Au:oxide composite films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liao Hongbo; Wen Weijia; Wong, George K. L.

2006-01-01

Au:oxide composite multilayer films with Au nanoparticles sandwiched by oxide layers (such as SiO 2 , ZnO, and TiO 2 ) were prepared in a magnetron sputtering system. Their photoluminescence (PL) spectra were investigated by employing a micro-Raman system in which an Argon laser with a wavelength of 514 nm was used as the pumping light. Distinct PL peaks located at a wavelength range between 590 and 680 nm were observed in most of our samples, with Au particle size varying from several to hundreds of nanometers. It was found that the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) in these composites exerted a strong influence on the position of the PL peaks but had little effect on the PL intensity

Alterations in welding process voltage affect the generation of ultrafine particles, fume composition, and pulmonary toxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Antonini, James M; Keane, Michael; Chen, Bean T; Stone, Samuel; Roberts, Jenny R; Schwegler-Berry, Diane; Andrews, Ronnee N; Frazer, David G; Sriram, Krishnan

2011-12-01

The goal was to determine if increasing welding voltage changes the physico-chemical properties of the fume and influences lung responses. Rats inhaled 40 mg/m³ (3 h/day × 3 days) of stainless steel (SS) welding fume generated at a standard voltage setting of 25 V (regular SS) or at a higher voltage (high voltage SS) of 30 V. Particle morphology, size and composition were characterized. Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed at different times after exposures to assess lung injury. Fumes collected from either of the welding conditions appeared as chain-like agglomerates of nanometer-sized primary particles. High voltage SS welding produced a greater number of ultrafine-sized particles. Fume generated by high voltage SS welding was higher in manganese. Pulmonary toxicity was more substantial and persisted longer after exposure to the regular SS fume. In summary, a modest raise in welding voltage affected fume size and elemental composition and altered the temporal lung toxicity profile.

Nanometer CMOS ICs from basics to ASICs

CERN Document Server

J M Veendrick, Harry

2017-01-01

This textbook provides a comprehensive, fully-updated introduction to the essentials of nanometer CMOS integrated circuits. It includes aspects of scaling to even beyond 12nm CMOS technologies and designs. It clearly describes the fundamental CMOS operating principles and presents substantial insight into the various aspects of design implementation and application. Coverage includes all associated disciplines of nanometer CMOS ICs, including physics, lithography, technology, design, memories, VLSI, power consumption, variability, reliability and signal integrity, testing, yield, failure analysis, packaging, scaling trends and road blocks. The text is based upon in-house Philips, NXP Semiconductors, Applied Materials, ASML, IMEC, ST-Ericsson, TSMC, etc., courseware, which, to date, has been completed by more than 4500 engineers working in a large variety of related disciplines: architecture, design, test, fabrication process, packaging, failure analysis and software.

Universal mesoscopic conductance fluctuations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evangelou, S.N.

1992-01-01

The theory of conductance fluctuations in disordered metallic systems with size large compared to the mean free path of the electron but small compared to localization length is considered. It is demonstrates that fluctuations have an universal character and are due to repulsion between levels and spectral rigidity. The basic fluctuation measures for the energy spectrum in the mesoscopic regime of disordered systems are consistent with the Gaussian random matrix ensemble predictions. Although our disordered electron random matrix ensemble does not belong to the Gaussian ensemble the two ensembles turn out to be essentially similar. The level repulsion and the spectral rigidity found in nuclear spectra should also be observed in the metallic regime of Anderson localization. 7 refs. (orig.)

Collective fluctuations in networks of noisy components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masuda, Naoki; Kawamura, Yoji; Kori, Hiroshi

2010-01-01

Collective dynamics result from interactions among noisy dynamical components. Examples include heartbeats, circadian rhythms and various pattern formations. Because of noise in each component, collective dynamics inevitably involve fluctuations, which may crucially affect the functioning of the system. However, the relation between the fluctuations in isolated individual components and those in collective dynamics is not clear. Here, we study a linear dynamical system of networked components subjected to independent Gaussian noise and analytically show that the connectivity of networks determines the intensity of fluctuations in the collective dynamics. Remarkably, in general directed networks including scale-free networks, the fluctuations decrease more slowly with system size than the standard law stated by the central limit theorem. They even remain finite for a large system size when global directionality of the network exists. Moreover, such non-trivial behavior appears even in undirected networks when nonlinear dynamical systems are considered. We demonstrate it with a coupled oscillator system.

Direct observation and analysis of yolk-shell materials using low-voltage high-resolution scanning electron microscopy: Nanometal-particles encapsulated in metal-oxide, carbon, and polymer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Asahina, Shunsuke; Suga, Mitsuo; Takahashi, Hideyuki [JEOL Ltd., SM Business Unit, Tokyo (Japan); Young Jeong, Hu [Graduate School of EEWS, WCU/BK21+, KAIST, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of); Galeano, Carolina; Schüth, Ferdi [Department of Heterogeneous Catalysis, Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Mülheim (Germany); Terasaki, Osamu, E-mail: terasaki@mmk.su.se, E-mail: terasaki@kaist.ac.kr [Graduate School of EEWS, WCU/BK21+, KAIST, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Berzelii Centre EXSELENT on Porous Materials, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm (Sweden)

2014-11-01

Nanometal particles show characteristic features in chemical and physical properties depending on their sizes and shapes. For keeping and further enhancing their features, the particles should be protected from coalescence or degradation. One approach is to encapsulate the nanometal particles inside pores with chemically inert or functional materials, such as carbon, polymer, and metal oxides, which contain mesopores to allow permeation of only chemicals not the nanometal particles. Recently developed low-voltage high-resolution scanning electron microscopy was applied to the study of structural, chemical, and electron state of both nanometal particles and encapsulating materials in yolk-shell materials of Au@C, Ru/Pt@C, Au@TiO{sub 2}, and Pt@Polymer. Progresses in the following categories were shown for the yolk-shell materials: (i) resolution of topographic image contrast by secondary electrons, of atomic-number contrast by back-scattered electrons, and of elemental mapping by X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy; (ii) sample preparation for observing internal structures; and (iii) X-ray spectroscopy such as soft X-ray emission spectroscopy. Transmission electron microscopy was also used for characterization of Au@C.

Size and composition dependence of the frozen structures in Co-based bimetallic clusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Guojian; Wang, Qiang; Cao, Yongze; Du, Jiaojiao; He, Jicheng

2012-01-01

This Letter studies the size-dependent freezing of Co, Co–Ni, and Co–Cu clusters by using molecular dynamics with embedded atom method. Size effect occurs in these three types of clusters. The clusters with large sizes always freeze to form their bulk-like structures. However, the frozen structures for small sizes are generally related to their compositions. The icosahedral clusters are formed for Co clusters (for ⩽3.2 nm diameter) and also for Co–Ni clusters but at a larger size range (for ⩽4.08 nm). Upon the Co–Cu clusters, decahedral structure is obtained for small size (for 2.47 nm). The released energy induced the structural transformation plays a key role in the frozen structures. These results indicate that the preformed clusters with special structures can be tuned by controlling their compositions and sizes. -- Highlights: ► The size effect occurs in the Co, Co–Ni, and Co–Cu clusters. ► The clusters with large sizes always freeze to form their bulk-like structures. ► The frozen structures for small sizes are generally related to their compositions. ► Icosahedron is formed for Co and also for Co–Ni but at a larger size range. ► Upon the Co–Cu clusters, decahedral structure is obtained for small size.

Accounting for nanometer-thick adventitious carbon contamination in X-ray absorption spectra of carbon-based materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Mangolini, Filippo; McClimon, J Brandon; Rose, Franck; Carpick, Robert W

2014-12-16

Near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy is a powerful technique for characterizing the composition and bonding state of nanoscale materials and the top few nanometers of bulk and thin film specimens. When coupled with imaging methods like photoemission electron microscopy, it enables chemical imaging of materials with nanometer-scale lateral spatial resolution. However, analysis of NEXAFS spectra is often performed under the assumption of structural and compositional homogeneity within the nanometer-scale depth probed by this technique. This assumption can introduce large errors when analyzing the vast majority of solid surfaces due to the presence of complex surface and near-surface structures such as oxides and contamination layers. An analytical methodology is presented for removing the contribution of these nanoscale overlayers from NEXAFS spectra of two-layered systems to provide a corrected photoabsorption spectrum of the substrate. This method relies on the subtraction of the NEXAFS spectrum of the overlayer adsorbed on a reference surface from the spectrum of the two-layer system under investigation, where the thickness of the overlayer is independently determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). This approach is applied to NEXAFS data acquired for one of the most challenging cases: air-exposed hard carbon-based materials with adventitious carbon contamination from ambient exposure. The contribution of the adventitious carbon was removed from the as-acquired spectra of ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) and hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) to determine the intrinsic photoabsorption NEXAFS spectra of these materials. The method alters the calculated fraction of sp(2)-hybridized carbon from 5 to 20% and reveals that the adventitious contamination can be described as a layer containing carbon and oxygen ([O]/[C] = 0.11 ± 0.02) with a thickness of 0.6 ± 0.2 nm and a fraction of sp(2)-bonded carbon of 0.19 ± 0.03. This

Fluctuation microscopy analysis of amorphous silicon models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gibson, J.M., E-mail: jmgibson@fsu.edu [Northeastern University, Department of Physics, Boston MA 02115 (United States); FAMU/FSU Joint College of Engineering, 225 Pottsdamer Street, Tallahassee, FL 32310 (United States); Treacy, M.M.J. [Arizona State University, Department of Physics, Tempe AZ 85287 (United States)

2017-05-15

Highlights: • Studied competing computer models for amorphous silicon and simulated fluctuation microscopy data. • Show that only paracrystalline/random network composite can fit published data. • Specifically show that pure random network or random network with void models do not fit available data. • Identify a new means to measure volume fraction of ordered material. • Identify unreported limitations of the Debye model for simulating fluctuation microscopy data. - Abstract: Using computer-generated models we discuss the use of fluctuation electron microscopy (FEM) to identify the structure of amorphous silicon. We show that a combination of variable resolution FEM to measure the correlation length, with correlograph analysis to obtain the structural motif, can pin down structural correlations. We introduce the method of correlograph variance as a promising means of independently measuring the volume fraction of a paracrystalline composite. From comparisons with published data, we affirm that only a composite material of paracrystalline and continuous random network that is substantially paracrystalline could explain the existing experimental data, and point the way to more precise measurements on amorphous semiconductors. The results are of general interest for other classes of disordered materials.

Fluctuation microscopy analysis of amorphous silicon models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gibson, J.M.; Treacy, M.M.J.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Studied competing computer models for amorphous silicon and simulated fluctuation microscopy data. • Show that only paracrystalline/random network composite can fit published data. • Specifically show that pure random network or random network with void models do not fit available data. • Identify a new means to measure volume fraction of ordered material. • Identify unreported limitations of the Debye model for simulating fluctuation microscopy data. - Abstract: Using computer-generated models we discuss the use of fluctuation electron microscopy (FEM) to identify the structure of amorphous silicon. We show that a combination of variable resolution FEM to measure the correlation length, with correlograph analysis to obtain the structural motif, can pin down structural correlations. We introduce the method of correlograph variance as a promising means of independently measuring the volume fraction of a paracrystalline composite. From comparisons with published data, we affirm that only a composite material of paracrystalline and continuous random network that is substantially paracrystalline could explain the existing experimental data, and point the way to more precise measurements on amorphous semiconductors. The results are of general interest for other classes of disordered materials.

Size effect in X-ray and electron diffraction patterns from hydroxyapatite particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suvorova, E.I.; Buffat, P.-A.

2001-01-01

High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), electron microdiffraction, and X-ray diffraction were used to study hydroxyapatite specimens with particle sizes from a few nanometers to several hundreds of nanometers. Diffuse scattering (without clear reflections in transmission diffraction patterns) or strongly broadened peaks in X-ray diffraction patterns are characteristic for agglomerated hydroxyapatite nanocrystals. However, HRTEM and microdiffraction showed that this cannot be considered as an indication of the amorphous state of the matter but rather as the demonstration of size effect and the morphological and structural features of hydroxyapatite nanocrystals

Displacement laser interferometry with sub-nanometer uncertainty

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cosijns, S.J.A.G.

2004-01-01

Development in industry is asking for improved resolution and higher accuracy in mechanical measurement. Together with miniaturization the demand for sub nanometer uncertainty on dimensional metrology is increasing rapidly. Displacement laser interferometers are used widely as precision displacement

Sodium Caseinate-Carrageenan Biopolymeric Nanocomplexes as a Carrier of Vitamin D: Study of Complex Formation, Particles Size and Encapsulation Efficiency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maryam Khoshmanzar

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The protein-polysaccharide complex-based nanocapsule is one type of polymeric nanocarrier which can be potentially useful for encapsulation of hydrophobic nutraceuticals. In this research, caseinate-carrageenan complex was used for encapsulation of vitamin D. The complex formation between caseinate and carrageenan was carried out by lowering the pH under isoelectric point of protein. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR and differential scanning colorimetry (DSC confirmed complex formation between carrageenan, caseinate and vitamin D. The particle size of 1% caseinate particles was in the range of 150-300 nanometer and by addition of vitamin D the particle size increased to 450-750 nanometer. Moreover, carrageenan of all concentrations (at constant concentration of caseinate (1% and pH4.9 resulted in lower particle size below 100 nanometer. The stability of caseinate and its complex formation with carrageenan showed that encapsulation was achieved at 45% efficiency and also vitamin D stability (during 5 days storage was higher in nanocomplex compared to pure caseinate particles (60-63% compared to 53%. The complex formation between caseinate and carrageenan was carried out by pH decreasing under isoelectric point of protein. The FTIR and DSC confirmed complex formation between carrageenan, caseinate and vitamin D. The particle size of caseinate 1% particles were in the range of 150 -300 nanometer and with adding vitamin D, particle size increased to 450-750 nanometer. Moreover, adding carrageenan at all used concentration (at constant concentration of caseinate (1% and pH4.9 resulted in reduced particle size to less than 100 nanometer and vitamin D stability (during 5 days storage was higher (60-63% in nanocomplex compared to pure caseinate particles (53%.The protein-polysaccharide complex based nanocapsule is one type of the polymeric nanocarriers which can potentially be used for encapsulation of hydrophobic nutraceuticals. In

Production of Al2O3–SiC nano-composites by spark plasma sintering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mansour Razavi

2017-07-01

Full Text Available In this paper, Al2O3–SiC composites were produced by SPS at temperatures of 1600 °C for 10 min under vacuum atmosphere. For preparing samples, Al2O3 with the second phase including of micro and nano-sized SiC powder were milled for 5 h. The milled powders were sintered in a SPS machine. After sintering process, phase studies, densification and mechanical properties of Al2O3–SiC composites were examined. Results showed that the specimens containing micro-sized SiC have an important effect on bulk density, hardness and strength. The highest relative density, hardness and strength were 99.7%, 324.6 HV and 2329 MPa, respectively, in Al2O3–20 wt% SiCmicro composite. Due to short time sintering, the growth was limited and grains still remained in nano-meter scale.

Fluctuations, Finite-Size Effects and the Thermodynamic Limit in Computer Simulations: Revisiting the Spatial Block Analysis Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maziar Heidari

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The spatial block analysis (SBA method has been introduced to efficiently extrapolate thermodynamic quantities from finite-size computer simulations of a large variety of physical systems. In the particular case of simple liquids and liquid mixtures, by subdividing the simulation box into blocks of increasing size and calculating volume-dependent fluctuations of the number of particles, it is possible to extrapolate the bulk isothermal compressibility and Kirkwood–Buff integrals in the thermodynamic limit. Only by explicitly including finite-size effects, ubiquitous in computer simulations, into the SBA method, the extrapolation to the thermodynamic limit can be achieved. In this review, we discuss two of these finite-size effects in the context of the SBA method due to (i the statistical ensemble and (ii the finite integration domains used in computer simulations. To illustrate the method, we consider prototypical liquids and liquid mixtures described by truncated and shifted Lennard–Jones (TSLJ potentials. Furthermore, we show some of the most recent developments of the SBA method, in particular its use to calculate chemical potentials of liquids in a wide range of density/concentration conditions.

Simulation of AZ-PN100 resist pattern fluctuation in X-ray lithography, including synchrotron beam polarization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scheckler, E.W.; Ogawa, Taro; Tanaka, Toshihiko; Takeda, Eiji; Oizumi, Hiroaki.

1993-01-01

A new simulation model for nanometer-scale pattern fluctuation in X-ray lithography is presented and applied to a study of AZ-PN100 negative chemical amplification resist. The exposure simulation considers polarized photons from a synchrotron radiation (SR) source. Monte Carlo simulation of Auger and photoelectron generation is followed by electron scattering simulation to determine the deposited energy distribution at the nanometer scale, including beam polarization effects. An acid-catalyst random walk model simulates the post-exposure bake (PEB) step. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and developed resist thickness measurements are used to fit PEB and rate models for AZ-PN100. A polymer removal model for development simulation predicts the macroscopic resist shape and pattern roughness. The simulated 3σ linewidth variation is in excess of 24 nm. Simulation also shows a detrimental effect if the beam polarization is perpendicular to the line. Simulation assuming a theoretical ideal exposure yields a 50 nm minimum line for standard process conditions. (author)

Flock size, diet composition, and habitat characteristics of the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

gla- cial history (Magin 2001). Some of the plant species endemic to SMNP are stonecrop. Rosularia simiensis and tussock grass Festuca gilbertiana. SMNP is home to 22 species. Flock size, diet composition, and habitat characteristics of ...

Optimation of particle size and composition in fabrication of granite particle composite floortiles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Budiarto; Parikin; Mohammad-Dani

2004-01-01

Granite particle composite floortile materials, that have epoxy matrix, may be utilized as water resist and ductile materials. The utility of composite materials for industrial households is, however, very important and very promising indeed. Starting from powdering the granite refuges into particles of 100, 140 and 200 in mesh, the powder was mixed by epoxy containing versamid hardener and stirred till highly homogenized. Specimens were mould in glass frame and dried in ambient temperature for 48 hours. The specimens were prepared into certain dimensions, conformed to testing needs: hardness, density, compression and bending. The hardness and density data show clearly the value change of particulate composition (34, 40, 50 and 70) and matrix (66, 60, 50 and 30) as well. From bending and compression tests, the optimum grain size (μm) and composition (%) of granite particles reveal between the number of 120-123 and 55-61 respectively. The accurate point of the values can be determined by using differential method. As conclusion, for the better mechanical properties of granite particles composite floortiles, the grains should be 121 in μm and 57% composition of granite particles

Effect of particle size and distribution of the sizing agent on the carbon fibers surface and interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of its composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, R.L.; Liu, Y.; Huang, Y.D.; Liu, L.

2013-01-01

Effect of particle size and distribution of the sizing agent on the performance of carbon fiber and carbon fiber composites has been investigated. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize carbon fiber surface topographies. At the same time, the single fiber strength and Weibull distribution were also studied in order to investigate the effect of coatings on the fibers. The interfacial shear strength and hygrothermal aging of the carbon fiber/epoxy resin composites were also measured. The results indicated that the particle size and distribution is important for improving the surface of carbon fibers and its composites performance. Different particle size and distribution of sizing agent has different contribution to the wetting performance of carbon fibers. The fibers sized with P-2 had higher value of IFSS and better hygrothermal aging resistant properties.

Determining sample size for assessing species composition in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Species composition is measured in grasslands for a variety of reasons. Commonly, observations are made using the wheel-point apparatus, but the problem of determining optimum sample size has not yet been satisfactorily resolved. In this study the wheel-point apparatus was used to record 2 000 observations in each of ...

Universal conductance fluctuations in disordered metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, P.A.

1987-01-01

The author argues that observed and theoretical fluctuations in the electrical conductance of disordered metals, induced by variations in the magnetic field or the chemical potential, are not time-dependent noise but that the conductance is a deterministic albeit fluctuating function for a given realization of the impurity configuration. A method is constructed for representing the sensitivity of the conductance of a given metal to a small change in the impurity configuration as a function of such variables as sample size, impurities per unit volume, and mean free path. The sensitivity helps explain the size of 1/f noise due to defect motion in disordered metals

Effects of limited spatial resolution on fluctuation measurements (invited)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bravenec, R.V.; Wootton, A.J.

1995-01-01

The finite sample volumes of fluctuation diagnostics distort the measurements not only by averaging the gross fluctuation parameters over the sample volumes, but more importantly (except for collective scattering), by attenuating the shorter wavelength components. In this work, the response of various sample volume sizes and orientations to a model fluctuation power spectrum S(k,ω) are examined. The model spectrum is fashioned after observations by far-infrared scattering on TEXT. The sample-volume extent in the direction of propagation of the turbulence is shown to be the most critical---not only does it reduce the measured fluctuation amplitude and increase the correlation length (as does an extent perpendicular to the propagation direction), but it also reduces the measured mean frequency and increases the apparent average phase velocity of the fluctuations. The differing sizes, shapes, and orientations of the sample volumes among fluctuation diagnostics, as well as deliberate variations within a single diagnostic, provide information on the form of the underlying turbulence and can be exploited to refine the model

Synopsis of the temporal variation of particulate matter composition and size.

Science.gov (United States)

Demerjian, Kenneth L; Mohnen, Volker A

2008-02-01

A synopsis of the detailed temporal variation of the size and number distribution of particulate matter (PM) and its chemical composition on the basis of measurements performed by several regional research consortia funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) PM Supersite Program is presented. This program deployed and evaluated a variety of research and emerging commercial measurement technologies to investigate the physical and chemical properties of atmospheric aerosols at a level of detail never before achieved. Most notably these studies demonstrated that systematic size-segregated measurements of mass, number, and associated chemical composition of the fine (PM2.5) and ultrafine (PM0.1) fraction of ambient aerosol with a time resolution down to minutes and less is achievable. A wealth of new information on the temporal variation of aerosol has been added to the existing knowledge pool that can be mined to resolve outstanding research and policy-related questions. This paper explores the nature of temporal variations (on time scales from several minutes to hours) in the chemical and physical properties of PM and its implications in the identification of PM formation processes, and source attribution (primary versus secondary), the contribution of local versus transported PM and the development of effective PM control strategies. The PM Supersite results summarized indicate that location, time of day, and season significantly influence not only the mass and chemical composition but also the size-resolved chemical/elemental composition of PM. Ambient measurements also show that ultrafine particles have different compositions and make up only a small portion of the PM mass concentration compared with inhalable coarse and fine particles, but their number concentration is significantly larger than their coarse or fine counterparts. PM size classes show differences in the relative amounts of nitrates, sulfates, crustal materials, and most especially

The Size and Composition of Corporate Headquarters in Multinational Companies: Empirical Evidence

OpenAIRE

Collis, David J.; Young, David; Goold, Michael

2012-01-01

Based on a six-country survey of nearly 250 multinationals (MNCs), this paper is the first empirical analysis to describe the size and composition of MNC headquarters and to account for differences among them. Findings are as follows: MNC corporate headquarters are more involved in "obligatory" and value creating and control functions than in operational activities; there are no systematic differences in the determinants of the size and composition of corporate headquarters between MNCs and p...

Intermittent sizing on carbon fiber for composite application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Norris, Jr, Robert E. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Paulauskas, Felix L. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Ozcan, Soydan [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Xiong, Fue [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Grappe, Hippolyte A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2017-08-01

Intermittent sizing is a technique designed to improve the bonding of carbon fiber to a resin when manufacturing composite parts. The purpose of this technique is to improve Sheet Molding Composites (SMC) made of non-continuous carbon fibers while using regular material. At the end of the project, tests showed that improved mechanical properties have been achieved using this technique compared to conventional process. Mechanical properties have been improved by 110% for the peak tensile stress and by 60% for the modulus at the laboratory scale. In this project, Continental Structural Plastics and ORNL have worked to demonstrate the scalability and viability of commercialization of this technique.

Fluctuations and Instability in Sedimentation

KAUST Repository

Guazzelli, Élisabeth

2011-01-21

This review concentrates on the fluctuations of the velocities of sedimenting spheres, and on the structural instability of a suspension of settling fibers. For many years, theoretical estimates and numerical simulations predicted the fluctuations of the velocities of spheres to increase with the size of the container, whereas experiments found no such variation. Two ideas have increased our understanding. First, the correlation length of the velocity fluctuations was found experimentally to be 20 interparticle separations. Second, in dilute suspensions, a vertical variation in the concentration due to the spreading of the front with the clear fluid can inhibit the velocity fluctuations. In a very dilute regime, a homogeneous suspension of fibers suffers a spontaneous instability in which fast descending fiber-rich columns are separated by rising fiber-sparse columns. In a semidilute regime, the settling is hindered, more so than for spheres. © 2011 by Annual Reviews. All rights reserved.

Study of droplet flow in a T-shape microchannel with bottom wall fluctuation

Science.gov (United States)

Pang, Yan; Wang, Xiang; Liu, Zhaomiao

2018-03-01

Droplet generation in a T-shape microchannel, with a main channel width of 50 μm , side channel width of 25 μm, and height of 50 μm, is simulated to study the effects of the forced fluctuation of the bottom wall. The periodic fluctuations of the bottom wall are applied on the near junction part of the main channel in the T-shape microchannel. Effects of bottom wall's shape, fluctuation periods, and amplitudes on the droplet generation are covered in the research of this protocol. In the simulation, the average size is affected a little by the fluctuations, but significantly by the fixed shape of the deformed bottom wall, while the droplet size range is expanded by the fluctuations under most of the conditions. Droplet sizes are distributed in a periodic pattern with small amplitude along the relative time when the fluctuation is forced on the bottom wall near the T-junction, while the droplet emerging frequency is not varied by the fluctuation. The droplet velocity is varied by the bottom wall motion, especially under the shorter period and the larger amplitude. When the fluctuation period is similar to the droplet emerging period, the droplet size is as stable as the non-fluctuation case after a development stage at the beginning of flow, while the droplet velocity is varied by the moving wall with the scope up to 80% of the average velocity under the conditions of this investigation.

Effect of particle size on microstructure and mechanical properties of composites produced by ARB process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jamaati, Roohollah, E-mail: r.jamaatikenari@ma.iut.ac.ir [Department of Materials Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Amirkhanlou, Sajjad; Toroghinejad, Mohammad Reza; Niroumand, Behzad [Department of Materials Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111 (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2011-02-25

Research highlights: {yields} Microstructure of MMC with larger particles becomes completely uniform, sooner. {yields} When the number of cycles increased, tensile strength for both samples improved. {yields} Up to the seventh cycle, tensile strength of MMC with larger particles was bigger. {yields} First, the tensile elongation of MMCs was decreased, and then it was improved. - Abstract: In the present work, Al/10 vol.% SiC metal matrix composite (MMC) was manufactured by accumulative roll bonding (ARB) process. The silicon carbide particles with two various particle sizes of 40 and 2 {mu}m were used. Effect of particle size on microstructure (by scanning electron microscopy) and mechanical properties (tensile strength and elongation) at various ARB cycles was investigated. It was found that the microstructural evolution in MMC with 40 {mu}m particle size was more salient compared to the MMCs with 2 {mu}m particle size. Also, the composite strip with 40 {mu}m particle size became uniform with high bonding quality and without any porosity sooner than the strip of 2 {mu}m particle size. Moreover, when the number of cycles was increased, the tensile strength for both samples was improved. The tensile strength of the composite strip with 40 {mu}m particle size was more than the composite strip with 2 {mu}m up to the seventh cycle. By increasing the number of cycles after the seventh cycle, the value of tensile strength of MMC with 40 {mu}m particle size became saturated and then decreased, and its tensile strength became less than that of the composite with 2 {mu}m particle size for the ninth and eleventh cycles. Up to the seventh cycle, when the number of ARB cycles was increased, the elongation of composite strips was decreased, but after the ninth cycle, the tensile elongation for both samples was improved.

Effect of particle size on microstructure and mechanical properties of composites produced by ARB process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jamaati, Roohollah; Amirkhanlou, Sajjad; Toroghinejad, Mohammad Reza; Niroumand, Behzad

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → Microstructure of MMC with larger particles becomes completely uniform, sooner. → When the number of cycles increased, tensile strength for both samples improved. → Up to the seventh cycle, tensile strength of MMC with larger particles was bigger. → First, the tensile elongation of MMCs was decreased, and then it was improved. - Abstract: In the present work, Al/10 vol.% SiC metal matrix composite (MMC) was manufactured by accumulative roll bonding (ARB) process. The silicon carbide particles with two various particle sizes of 40 and 2 μm were used. Effect of particle size on microstructure (by scanning electron microscopy) and mechanical properties (tensile strength and elongation) at various ARB cycles was investigated. It was found that the microstructural evolution in MMC with 40 μm particle size was more salient compared to the MMCs with 2 μm particle size. Also, the composite strip with 40 μm particle size became uniform with high bonding quality and without any porosity sooner than the strip of 2 μm particle size. Moreover, when the number of cycles was increased, the tensile strength for both samples was improved. The tensile strength of the composite strip with 40 μm particle size was more than the composite strip with 2 μm up to the seventh cycle. By increasing the number of cycles after the seventh cycle, the value of tensile strength of MMC with 40 μm particle size became saturated and then decreased, and its tensile strength became less than that of the composite with 2 μm particle size for the ninth and eleventh cycles. Up to the seventh cycle, when the number of ARB cycles was increased, the elongation of composite strips was decreased, but after the ninth cycle, the tensile elongation for both samples was improved.

Direct observation and analysis of york-shell materials using low-voltage high-resolution scanning electron microscopy: Nanometal-particles encapsulated in metal-oxide, carbon, and polymer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shunsuke Asahina

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Nanometal particles show characteristic features in chemical and physical properties depending on their sizes and shapes. For keeping and further enhancing their features, the particles should be protected from coalescence or degradation. One approach is to encapsulate the nanometal particles inside pores with chemically inert or functional materials, such as carbon, polymer, and metal oxides, which contain mesopores to allow permeation of only chemicals not the nanometal particles. Recently developed low-voltage high-resolution scanning electron microscopy was applied to the study of structural, chemical, and electron state of both nanometal particles and encapsulating materials in york-shell materials of Au@C, Ru/Pt@C, Au@TiO2, and Pt@Polymer. Progresses in the following categories were shown for the york-shell materials: (i resolution of topographic image contrast by secondary electrons, of atomic-number contrast by back-scattered electrons, and of elemental mapping by X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy; (ii sample preparation for observing internal structures; and (iii X-ray spectroscopy such as soft X-ray emission spectroscopy. Transmission electron microscopy was also used for characterization of Au@C.

Phase Behavior and Domain Size in Sphingomyelin-Containing Lipid Bilayers

Science.gov (United States)

Petruzielo, Robin S.; Heberle, Frederick A.; Drazba, Paul; Katsaras, John; Feigenson, Gerald W.

2013-01-01

Membrane raft size measurements are crucial to understanding the stability and functionality of rafts in cells. The challenge of accurately measuring raft size is evidenced by the disparate reports of domain sizes, which range from nanometers to microns for the ternary model membrane system sphingomyelin (SM)/1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC)/cholesterol (Chol). Using Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), we established phase diagrams for porcine brain SM (bSM)/dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC)/Chol and bSM/POPC/Chol at 15 and 25°C. By combining two techniques with different spatial sensitivities, namely FRET and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), we have significantly narrowed the uncertainty in domain size estimates for bSM/POPC/Chol mixtures. Compositional trends in FRET data revealed coexisting domains at 15 and 25°C for both mixtures, while SANS measurements detected no domain formation for bSM/POPC/Chol. Together these results indicate that liquid domains in bSM/POPC/Chol are between 2 and 7 nm in radius at 25°C: that is, domains must be on the order of the 2–6 nm Förster distance of the FRET probes, but smaller than the ~7 nm minimum cluster size detectable with SANS. However, for palmitoyl SM (PSM)/POPC/Chol at a similar composition, SANS detected coexisting liquid domains. This increase in domain size upon replacing the natural SM component (which consists of a mixture of chain lengths) with synthetic PSM, suggests a role for SM chain length in modulating raft size in vivo. PMID:23337475

Evolution of particle composition in CLOUD nucleation experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Keskinen

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Sulphuric acid, ammonia, amines, and oxidised organics play a crucial role in nanoparticle formation in the atmosphere. In this study, we investigate the composition of nucleated nanoparticles formed from these compounds in the CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving Outdoor Droplets chamber experiments at CERN (Centre européen pour la recherche nucléaire. The investigation was carried out via analysis of the particle hygroscopicity, ethanol affinity, oxidation state, and ion composition. Hygroscopicity was studied by a hygroscopic tandem differential mobility analyser and a cloud condensation nuclei counter, ethanol affinity by an organic differential mobility analyser and particle oxidation level by a high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer. The ion composition was studied by an atmospheric pressure interface time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The volume fraction of the organics in the particles during their growth from sizes of a few nanometers to tens of nanometers was derived from measured hygroscopicity assuming the Zdanovskii–Stokes–Robinson relationship, and compared to values gained from the spectrometers. The ZSR-relationship was also applied to obtain the measured ethanol affinities during the particle growth, which were used to derive the volume fractions of sulphuric acid and the other inorganics (e.g. ammonium salts. In the presence of sulphuric acid and ammonia, particles with a mobility diameter of 150 nm were chemically neutralised to ammonium sulphate. In the presence of oxidation products of pinanediol, the organic volume fraction of freshly nucleated particles increased from 0.4 to ~0.9, with an increase in diameter from 2 to 63 nm. Conversely, the sulphuric acid volume fraction decreased from 0.6 to 0.1 when the particle diameter increased from 2 to 50 nm. The results provide information on the composition of nucleated aerosol particles during their growth in the presence of various combinations of sulphuric acid

Nanometer Linear Focusing of Hard X Rays by a Multilayer Laue Lens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, H.C.; Stephenson, G.B.; Maser, J.; Liu, C.; Conley, R.; Macrander, A.T.; Vogt, S.

2006-01-01

We report on a type of linear zone plate for nanometer-scale focusing of hard x rays, a multilayer Laue lens (MLL), produced by sectioning a multilayer and illuminating it in Laue diffraction geometry. Because of its large optical depth, a MLL spans the diffraction regimes applicable to a thin Fresnel zone plate and a crystal. Coupled wave theory calculations indicate that focusing to 5 nm or smaller with high efficiency should be possible. Partial MLL structures with outermost zone widths as small as 10 nm have been fabricated and tested with 19.5 keV synchrotron radiation. Focal sizes as small as 30 nm with efficiencies up to 44% are measured

The Thick Market Effect on Local Unemployment Rate Fluctuations

OpenAIRE

Li Gan; Qinghua Zhang

2005-01-01

This paper studies how the thick market effect influences local unemployment rate fluctuations. The paper presents a model to demonstrate that the average matching quality improves as the number of workers and firms increases. Unemployed workers accumulate in a city until the local labor market reaches a critical minimum size, which leads to cyclical fluctuations in the local unemployment rates. Since larger cities attain the critical market size more frequently, they have shorter unemploymen...

Probing dynamics and pinning of single vortices in superconductors at nanometer scales

Science.gov (United States)

Embon, L.; Anahory, Y.; Suhov, A.; Halbertal, D.; Cuppens, J.; Yakovenko, A.; Uri, A.; Myasoedov, Y.; Rappaport, M. L.; Huber, M. E.; Gurevich, A.; Zeldov, E.

2015-01-01

The dynamics of quantized magnetic vortices and their pinning by materials defects determine electromagnetic properties of superconductors, particularly their ability to carry non-dissipative currents. Despite recent advances in the understanding of the complex physics of vortex matter, the behavior of vortices driven by current through a multi-scale potential of the actual materials defects is still not well understood, mostly due to the scarcity of appropriate experimental tools capable of tracing vortex trajectories on nanometer scales. Using a novel scanning superconducting quantum interference microscope we report here an investigation of controlled dynamics of vortices in lead films with sub-Angstrom spatial resolution and unprecedented sensitivity. We measured, for the first time, the fundamental dependence of the elementary pinning force of multiple defects on the vortex displacement, revealing a far more complex behavior than has previously been recognized, including striking spring softening and broken-spring depinning, as well as spontaneous hysteretic switching between cellular vortex trajectories. Our results indicate the importance of thermal fluctuations even at 4.2 K and of the vital role of ripples in the pinning potential, giving new insights into the mechanisms of magnetic relaxation and electromagnetic response of superconductors.

Synthesis, structural characterization and fluctuation conductivity of HoBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7-{delta}-}SrTiO{sub 3} composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uribe Laverde, M.A., E-mail: mauribel@bt.unal.edu.c [Grupo de Fisica de Nuevos Materiales, Departamento de Fisica, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogota (Colombia); Landinez Tellez, D.A.; Roa-Rojas, J. [Grupo de Fisica de Nuevos Materiales, Departamento de Fisica, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogota (Colombia)

2010-12-15

Single-phase polycrystalline samples of HoBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7-{delta}} superconductor and SrTiO{sub 3} isolator were produced by means of the solid state reaction technique. After structural characterization of both materials, superconductor-isolator composites were produced with nominal isolator volume percentages between 0% and 10%. Resistivity measurements for the composites and the HoBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7-{delta}} sample with different currents evidenced a superconducting transition with critical temperature T{sub C} = 92 K, with wider transitions with increasing either isolator content or measurement current. Fluctuation conductivity analyses were carried out to obtain the exponents characterizing the conductivity divergence. Above T{sub C}, apart from the typical Gaussian and critical fluctuations an atypical regime with critical exponent about 0.14 is observed as a precursor of the transition. Below T{sub C}, it is observed that the coherence transition characteristic exponent increases rapidly with increasing isolator percentage in the composites and does not show important changes when modifying the current in the pure superconductor sample.

A stochastic simulation model for reliable PV system sizing providing for solar radiation fluctuations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaplani, E.; Kaplanis, S.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Solar radiation data for European cities follow the Extreme Value or Weibull distribution. ► Simulation model for the sizing of SAPV systems based on energy balance and stochastic analysis. ► Simulation of PV Generator-Loads-Battery Storage System performance for all months. ► Minimum peak power and battery capacity required for reliable SAPV sizing for various European cities. ► Peak power and battery capacity reduced by more than 30% for operation 95% success rate. -- Abstract: The large fluctuations observed in the daily solar radiation profiles affect highly the reliability of the PV system sizing. Increasing the reliability of the PV system requires higher installed peak power (P m ) and larger battery storage capacity (C L ). This leads to increased costs, and makes PV technology less competitive. This research paper presents a new stochastic simulation model for stand-alone PV systems, developed to determine the minimum installed P m and C L for the PV system to be energy independent. The stochastic simulation model developed, makes use of knowledge acquired from an in-depth statistical analysis of the solar radiation data for the site, and simulates the energy delivered, the excess energy burnt, the load profiles and the state of charge of the battery system for the month the sizing is applied, and the PV system performance for the entire year. The simulation model provides the user with values for the autonomy factor d, simulating PV performance in order to determine the minimum P m and C L depending on the requirements of the application, i.e. operation with critical or non-critical loads. The model makes use of NASA’s Surface meteorology and Solar Energy database for the years 1990–2004 for various cities in Europe with a different climate. The results obtained with this new methodology indicate a substantial reduction in installed peak power and battery capacity, both for critical and non-critical operation, when compared to

Community size and composition of ammonia oxidizers and denitrifiers in an alluvial intertidal wetland ecosystem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ziye eHu

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Global nitrogen cycling is mainly mediated by the activity of microorganisms. Nitrogen cycle processes are mediated by functional groups of microorganisms that are affected by constantly changing environmental conditions and substrate availability. In this study, we investigated the temporal and spatial patterns of nitrifier and denitrifier communities in an intertidal wetland. Soil samples were collected over four distinct seasons from three locations with different vegetative cover. Multiple environmental factors and process rates were measured and analyzed together with the community size and composition profiles. We observed that the community size and composition of the nitrifiers and denitrifiers are affected significantly by seasonal factors, while vegetative cover affected the community composition. The seasonal impacts on the community size of ammonia oxidizing archaea (AOA are much higher than that of ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB. The seasonal change was a more important indicator for AOA community composition patterns, while vegetation was more important for the AOB community patterns. The microbial process rates were correlated with both the community size and composition.

Development of a sub-nanometer positioning device: combining a new linear motor with linear motion ball guide ways

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otsuka, J; Tanaka, T; Masuda, I

2010-01-01

A new type of linear motor described in this note has some advantages compared with conventional motors. The attractive magnetic force between the stator (permanent magnets) and mover (armature) is diminished almost to zero. The efficiency is better because the magnetic flux leakage is very small, the size of motor is smaller and detent (force ripple) is smaller than for conventional motors. Therefore, we think that this motor is greatly suitable for ultra-precision positioning as an actuator. An ultra-precision positioning device using this motor and linear motion ball guide ways is newly developed by making the device very rigid and using a suitable control method. Moreover, the positioning performance is evaluated by a positioning resolution, and deviation and dispersion errors. As a result of repeated step response tests, the positioning resolution is 0.3 nm, with the deviation error and dispersion error (3σ) being sub-nanometer. Consequently, the positioning device achieves sub-nanometer positioning. (technical design note)

Synthesis of micro-sized interconnected Si-C composites

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Donghai; Yi, Ran; Dai, Fang

2016-02-23

Embodiments provide a method of producing micro-sized Si--C composites or doped Si--C and Si alloy-C with interconnected nanoscle Si and C building blocks through converting commercially available SiO.sub.x (0

Spatial and temporal variation in the relative contribution of density dependence, climate variation and migration to fluctuations in the size of great tit populations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grøtan, V.; Sæther, B-E.; Engen, S.; van Balen, J.H.; Perdeck, A.C.; Visser, M.E.

2009-01-01

1. The aim of the present study is to model the stochastic variation in the size of five populations of great tit Parus major in the Netherlands, using a combination of individual-based demographic data and time series of population fluctuations. We will examine relative contribution of

Grain-size effect on the electrical properties of nanocrystalline indium tin oxide thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jong Hoon [Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, 267 Gajeong-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-340 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Young Heon, E-mail: young.h.kim@kriss.re.kr [Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, 267 Gajeong-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-340 (Korea, Republic of); University of Science & Technology, 217 Gajeong-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-350 (Korea, Republic of); Ahn, Sang Jung [Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, 267 Gajeong-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-340 (Korea, Republic of); University of Science & Technology, 217 Gajeong-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-350 (Korea, Republic of); Ha, Tae Hwan [University of Science & Technology, 217 Gajeong-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-350 (Korea, Republic of); Future Biotechnology Research Division, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-806 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hong Seung [Department of Nano Semiconductor Engineering, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, 727 Taejong-Ro, Busan 606-791 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-09-15

Highlights: • Nanometer-sized small grains were observed in the ITO thin films. • The grain size increased as the post-thermal annealing temperature increased. • The mobility of ITO thin films increased with increasing grain size. • The ITO film annealed at 300 °C was an amorphous phase, while the others were polycrystalline structure. - Abstract: In this paper, we demonstrate the electrical properties, depending on grain size, of nanocrystalline indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films prepared with a solution process. The size distributions of nanometer-sized ITO film grains increased as the post-annealing temperature increased after deposition; the grain sizes were comparable with the calculated electron mean free path. The mobility of ITO thin films increased with increasing grain size; this phenomenon was explained by adopting the charge-trapping model for grain boundary scattering. These findings suggest that it is possible to improve mobility by reducing the number of trapping sites at the grain boundary.

A model study of the size and composition distribution of aerosols in an aircraft exhaust

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sorokin, A.A. [SRC `ECOLEN`, Moscow (Russian Federation)

1997-12-31

A two-dimensional, axisymmetric flow field model which includes water and sulphate aerosol formation represented by moments of the size and composition distribution function is used to calculate the effect of radial turbulent jet mixing on the aerosol size distribution and mean modal composition. (author) 6 refs.

A model study of the size and composition distribution of aerosols in an aircraft exhaust

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sorokin, A A [SRC ` ECOLEN` , Moscow (Russian Federation)

1998-12-31

A two-dimensional, axisymmetric flow field model which includes water and sulphate aerosol formation represented by moments of the size and composition distribution function is used to calculate the effect of radial turbulent jet mixing on the aerosol size distribution and mean modal composition. (author) 6 refs.

Spinel Li2CoTi3O8 nanometer obtained for application as pigment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costa de Camara, M. S.; Alves Pimentel, L.; Longo, E.; Nobrega Azevedo, L. da; Araujo Melo, D. M. de

2016-01-01

Pigments are used in ceramics, cosmetics, inks, and other applications widely materials. To this must be single and easily reproducible. Moreover, the pigments obtained in the nanoscale are more stable, reproducible and highlight color in small amounts compared with those obtained in micrometer scale. The mixed oxides with spinel structures AB 2 O 4 have important applications, including: pigments, refractories, catalytic and electronic ceramics. In this context, the aim of this work was the preparation of powder Li 2 CoTi 3 O 8 spinel phase with nanometer particle size of the polymeric precursor method (Pechini) and characterization by means of thermal analysis (TG/DTA) X-ray diffraction (XRD), refined by the Rietveld method, BET, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman and colorimetric coordinates. The pigment was obtained by heat treatment of 400 degree centigrade to 1000 degree centigrade after pyrolysis at 300 degree centigrade/1 h for removing the organic material. Li 2 CoTi 3 O 8 desired spinel phase was obtained from 500 degree centigrade, and presenting stability nanometer to about 1.300 degree centigrade. Spinel green phase introduced at temperatures in the range of 400 degree centigrade and 500 degree centigrade, and 600 degree centigrade at temperatures between blue and 1000 degree centigrade. (Author)

Nanometer-Scale Pore Characteristics of Lacustrine Shale, Songliao Basin, NE China.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Min Wang

Full Text Available In shale, liquid hydrocarbons are accumulated mainly in nanometer-scale pores or fractures, so the pore types and PSDs (pore size distributions play a major role in the shale oil occurrence (free or absorbed state, amount of oil, and flow features. The pore types and PSDs of marine shale have been well studied; however, research on lacustrine shale is rare, especially for shale in the oil generation window, although lacustrine shale is deposited widely around the world. To investigate the relationship between nanometer-scale pores and oil occurrence in the lacustrine shale, 10 lacustrine shale core samples from Songliao Basin, NE China were analyzed. Analyses of these samples included geochemical measurements, SEM (scanning electron microscope observations, low pressure CO2 and N2 adsorption, and high-pressure mercury injection experiments. Analysis results indicate that: (1 Pore types in the lacustrine shale include inter-matrix pores, intergranular pores, organic matter pores, and dissolution pores, and these pores are dominated by mesopores and micropores; (2 There is no apparent correlation between pore volumes and clay content, however, a weak negative correlation is present between total pore volume and carbonate content; (3 Pores in lacustrine shale are well developed when the organic matter maturity (Ro is >1.0% and the pore volume is positively correlated with the TOC (total organic carbon content. The statistical results suggest that oil in lacustrine shale mainly occurs in pores with diameters larger than 40 nm. However, more research is needed to determine whether this minimum pore diameter for oil occurrence in lacustrine shale is widely applicable.

Relationships among Egg Size, Composition, and Energy: A Comparative Study of Geminate Sea Urchins

Science.gov (United States)

McAlister, Justin S.; Moran, Amy L.

2012-01-01

Egg size is one of the fundamental parameters in the life histories of marine organisms. However, few studies have examined the relationships among egg size, composition, and energetic content in a phylogenetically controlled context. We investigated the associations among egg size, composition, and energy using a comparative system, geminate species formed by the closure of the Central American Seaway. We examined western Atlantic (WA) and eastern Pacific (EP) species in three echinoid genera, Echinometra, Eucidaris, and Diadema. In the genus with the largest difference in egg size between geminates (Echinometra), the eggs of WA species were larger, lipid rich and protein poor compared to the smaller eggs of their EP geminate. In addition, the larger WA eggs had significantly greater total egg energy and summed biochemical constituents yet significantly lower egg energy density (energy-per-unit-volume). However, the genera with smaller (Eucidaris) or no (Diadema) differences in egg size were not significantly different in summed biochemical constituents, total egg energy, or energy density. Theoretical models generally assume a strong tradeoff between egg size and fecundity that limits energetic investment and constrains life history evolution. We show that even among closely-related taxa, large eggs cannot be assumed to be scaled-up small eggs either in terms of energy or composition. Although our data comes exclusively from echinoid echinoderms, this pattern may be generalizable to other marine invertebrate taxa. Because egg composition and egg size do not necessarily evolve in lockstep, selective factors such as sperm limitation could act on egg volume without necessarily affecting maternal or larval energetics. PMID:22911821

Elastic constants from microscopic strain fluctuations

Science.gov (United States)

Sengupta; Nielaba; Rao; Binder

2000-02-01

Fluctuations of the instantaneous local Lagrangian strain epsilon(ij)(r,t), measured with respect to a static "reference" lattice, are used to obtain accurate estimates of the elastic constants of model solids from atomistic computer simulations. The measured strains are systematically coarse-grained by averaging them within subsystems (of size L(b)) of a system (of total size L) in the canonical ensemble. Using a simple finite size scaling theory we predict the behavior of the fluctuations as a function of L(b)/L and extract elastic constants of the system in the thermodynamic limit at nonzero temperature. Our method is simple to implement, efficient, and general enough to be able to handle a wide class of model systems, including those with singular potentials without any essential modification. We illustrate the technique by computing isothermal elastic constants of "hard" and "soft" disk triangular solids in two dimensions from Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations. We compare our results with those from earlier simulations and theory.

Preparation of ZnO/SnO2 Composite Nanometer Photocatalyst and Photocatalytic Treatment of Marine Diesel Pollution

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, J.; Yu, X. C.; Nie, Z. W.; Guo, M. C.; Liu, J. H.; Wang, L. P.

2017-12-01

The ZnO/SnO2 composite nanophotocatalyst studied in this paper was prepared by a chemical precipitation method, which were characterized by XRD and SEM. The results show that the prepared samples were rutile SnO2 particles and the average grain size is 8.41 nm. In this paper, the factors for the degradation efficiency of marine diesel oil degraded by ZnO/SnO2 composite nanophotocatalyst are the catalysts’ doping ratio, the initial concentration of oil, the pH value of seawater, the dosage of catalyst and the dosage of hydrogen peroxide. The results show that the ZnO/SnO2 composite nanophotocatalyst can effectively degrade seawater diesel oil under UV light. When the doping ratio of ZnO and SnO2 is 0.35, the reaction time is 2.5 hours, the pH value of seawater with oil is 7, The concentration of diesel oil is 0.1g/L, the dosage of catalyst is 0.3g/L and the dosage of hydrogen peroxide is 0.1 g/L, the highest degradation rate is 91.54%.

Size, Composition, and Source Profiles of Inhalable Bioaerosols from Colorado Dairies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schaeffer, Joshua W; Reynolds, Stephen; Magzamen, Sheryl; VanDyke, Amanda; Gottel, Neil R.; Gilbert, Jack A.; Owens, Sarah M.; Hampton-Marcell, Jarrad; Volckens, John

2017-06-06

Particulate matter emissions from agricultural livestock operations contain both chemical and biological constituents that represent a potential human health hazard. The size and composition of these dusts, however, have not been well described. We evaluated the full size distribution (from 0 to 100 μm in aerodynamic diameter) and chemical/biological composition of inhalable dusts inside several Colorado dairy parlors. Four aerodynamic size fractions (<3, 3-10, 10-30, and >30 μm) were collected and analyzed using a combination of physiochemical techniques to understand the structure of bacterial communities and chemical constituents. Airborne particulate mass followed a bimodal size distribution (one mode at 3 μm and a second above 30 μm), which also correlated with the relative concentrations of the following microbiological markers: bacterial endotoxin, 3-hydroxy fatty acids, and muramic acid. Sequencing of the 16S- rRNA components of this aerosol revealed a microbiome derived predominantly from animal sources. Bacterial genera included Staphlyococcus, Pseudomonas, and Streptococcus, all of which have proinflammatory and pathogenic capacity. Our results suggest that the size distribution of bioaerosols emitted by dairy operations extends well above 10 μm in diameter and contains a diverse mixture of potentially hazardous constituents and opportunistic pathogens. These findings should inform the development of more effective emissions control strategies.

Influence of Compositional Variations on Floc Size and Strength

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, H.; Tan, X.; Reed, A. H.; Furukawa, Y.; Zhang, G.

2010-12-01

Clay-biopolymer micro aggregates or flocs are abundant in waters, including rivers, lakes, and oceans. Owing to their small size and charged surfaces, fine-grained inorganic sediment particles, mainly clays, interact actively with organic substances, such as organic matter and biogenic polymers, to form aggregates or flocs, typically in the size of 10-1000 μm. The flocs in ocean waters are also termed “marine snow”. These flocs are typically porous, tenuous, and soft in nature. During transport in suspension, they may breakdown and decrease in size if the turbulent shear stress exceeds their strength. They may also collide and form larger ones if the shear stress is relatively small. Since flocs of different size and structure settle at different velocities, understanding their strength is also of essential importance for sediment hydrodynamics, transport, and management. Our study focuses on investigating the influence of compositional variations on floc size and strength so that a better understanding of floc dynamics can be achieved. A laser diffraction-based Cilas® particle size and shape analyzer with controllable fluid circulation velocity was employed to conduct floc size measurements and shape imaging, the latter achieved by a high resolution inverted optical microscope, which is also installed with the size analyzer. Totally two clay minerals, kaolinite and illite, were tested as the model inorganic solid skeleton minerals for floc formation, and two biopolymers, anionic xanthan gum and neutral guar gum, were chosen as analogs of naturally occurring organic matter or biopolymers to simulate clay-biopolymer floc formation. Moreover, the concentration of both organic and inorganic phases was varied. The floc breakage or tensile strength was indirectly estimated by the varied fluid flow velocity in the particle size analyzer’s circulation system. For each individual composition, stable flocs were formed by three different fluid circulating velocities

Influence of different sizes of composite femora on the biomechanical behavior of cementless hip prosthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidutz, Florian; Woiczinski, Mathias; Kistler, Manuel; Schröder, Christian; Jansson, Volkmar; Fottner, Andreas

2017-01-01

For the biomechanical evaluation of cementless stems different sizes of composite femurs have been used in the literature. However, the impact of different specimen sizes on test results is unknown. To determine the potential effect of femur size the biomechanical properties of a conventional stem (CLS Spotorno) were examined in 3 different sizes (small, medium and large composite Sawbones®). Primary stability was tested under physiologically adapted dynamic loading conditions measuring 3-dimensional micromotions. For the small composite femur the dynamic load needed to be adapted since fractures occurred when reaching 1700N. Additionally, surface strain distribution was recorded before and after implantation to draw conclusions about the tendency for stress shielding. All tested sizes revealed similar micromotions only reaching a significant different level at one measurement point. The highest micromotions were observed at the tip of the stems exceeding the limit for osseous integration of 150μm. Regarding strain distribution the highest strain reduction after implantation was registered in all sizes at the level of the lesser trochanter. Specimen size seems to be a minor influence factor for biomechanical evaluation of cementless stems. However, the small composite femur is less suitable for biomechanical testing since this size failed under physiological adapted loads. For the CLS Spotorno osseous integration is unlikely at the tip of the stem and the tendency for stress shielding is the highest at the level of the lesser trochanter. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimization of interfacial properties of carbon fiber/epoxy composites via a modified polyacrylate emulsion sizing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yuan, Xiaomin [Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials (Ministry of Education), Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Carbon Fiber Engineering Research Center, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Zhu, Bo, E-mail: zhubo@sdu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials (Ministry of Education), Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Carbon Fiber Engineering Research Center, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Cai, Xun, E-mail: caixunzh@sdu.edu.cn [School of Computer Science and Technology, Shandong University, Jinan 250101 (China); Liu, Jianjun [Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials (Ministry of Education), Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Carbon Fiber Engineering Research Center, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Qiao, Kun [Carbon Fiber Engineering Research Center, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Yu, Junwei [Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials (Ministry of Education), Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Carbon Fiber Engineering Research Center, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China)

2017-04-15

Highlights: • An improved interfacial adhesion in CF/EP composite by FSMPA sizing was put forward. • Sized CFs featured promotions of wettability, chemical activity and mechanical property. • A sizing mechanism containing chemical interaction and physical absorption was proposed. - Abstract: The adhesion behavior of epoxy resin to carbon fibers has always been a challenge, on account of the inertness of carbon fibers and the lack of reactive functional groups. In this work, a modified polyacrylate sizing agent was prepared to modify the interface between the carbon fiber and the epoxy matrix. The surface characteristics of carbon fibers were investigated to determine chemical composition, morphology, wettability, interfacial phase analysis and interfacial adhesion. Sized carbon fibers featured improved wettability and a slightly decreased surface roughness due to the coverage of a smooth sizing layer, compared with the unsized ones. Moreover, the content of surface activated carbon atoms increased from 12.65% to 24.70% and the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of carbon fiber/epoxy composites raised by 14.2%, indicating a significant improvement of chemical activity and mechanical property. SEM images of the fractured surface of composites further proved that a gradient interfacial structure with increased thicknesses was formed due to the transition role of the sizing. Based on these results, a sizing mechanism consisting of chemical interaction bonding and physical force absorption was proposed, which provides an efficient and feasible method to solve the poor adhesion between carbon fiber and epoxy matrix.

Optimization of interfacial properties of carbon fiber/epoxy composites via a modified polyacrylate emulsion sizing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan, Xiaomin; Zhu, Bo; Cai, Xun; Liu, Jianjun; Qiao, Kun; Yu, Junwei

2017-01-01

Highlights: • An improved interfacial adhesion in CF/EP composite by FSMPA sizing was put forward. • Sized CFs featured promotions of wettability, chemical activity and mechanical property. • A sizing mechanism containing chemical interaction and physical absorption was proposed. - Abstract: The adhesion behavior of epoxy resin to carbon fibers has always been a challenge, on account of the inertness of carbon fibers and the lack of reactive functional groups. In this work, a modified polyacrylate sizing agent was prepared to modify the interface between the carbon fiber and the epoxy matrix. The surface characteristics of carbon fibers were investigated to determine chemical composition, morphology, wettability, interfacial phase analysis and interfacial adhesion. Sized carbon fibers featured improved wettability and a slightly decreased surface roughness due to the coverage of a smooth sizing layer, compared with the unsized ones. Moreover, the content of surface activated carbon atoms increased from 12.65% to 24.70% and the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of carbon fiber/epoxy composites raised by 14.2%, indicating a significant improvement of chemical activity and mechanical property. SEM images of the fractured surface of composites further proved that a gradient interfacial structure with increased thicknesses was formed due to the transition role of the sizing. Based on these results, a sizing mechanism consisting of chemical interaction bonding and physical force absorption was proposed, which provides an efficient and feasible method to solve the poor adhesion between carbon fiber and epoxy matrix.

Egg size, egg composition and reproductive success in the Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jager, TD; Hulscher, JB; Kersten, M.

2000-01-01

We investigated the relationship between egg size and composition and their subsequent effects on hatching and fledging success in Eurasian Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus on the island of Schiermonnikoog (53 degrees 30'N, 06 degrees 10'E) in the Dutch Wadden Sea between 1986 and 1990. Egg size

Anomalous or regular capacitance? The influence of pore size dispersity on double-layer formation

Science.gov (United States)

Jäckel, N.; Rodner, M.; Schreiber, A.; Jeongwook, J.; Zeiger, M.; Aslan, M.; Weingarth, D.; Presser, V.

2016-09-01

The energy storage mechanism of electric double-layer capacitors is governed by ion electrosorption at the electrode surface. This process requires high surface area electrodes, typically highly porous carbons. In common organic electrolytes, bare ion sizes are below one nanometer but they are larger when we consider their solvation shell. In contrast, ionic liquid electrolytes are free of solvent molecules, but cation-anion coordination requires special consideration. By matching pore size and ion size, two seemingly conflicting views have emerged: either an increase in specific capacitance with smaller pore size or a constant capacitance contribution of all micro- and mesopores. In our work, we revisit this issue by using a comprehensive set of electrochemical data and a pore size incremental analysis to identify the influence of certain ranges in the pore size distribution to the ion electrosorption capacity. We see a difference in solvation of ions in organic electrolytes depending on the applied voltage and a cation-anion interaction of ionic liquids in nanometer sized pores.

Analysis of nano-meter structure in Ti implanted polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Gu; Wu Yuguang; Zhang Tonghe; Zhao Xinrong

2001-01-01

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is modified with Ti ion implantation to a dose of 1x10 17 to 2 x 10 17 cm -2 by using a metal vapor vacuum arc(MEVVA)source. Nano-meter structures in the implanted sample are observed by means of transmission electron microscope (TEM). The influence of ion dose on the structure is indicated. The results show that dense nano-meter phases are dispersed uniformly in the implanted layer. TEM cross section indicates that there is a three-layer structure in the implanted PET. It is found that a metallurgical surface is formed. Therefore the hardness, wear resistance and conductive properties of PET are improved after metal ion implantation. The mechanism of electrical conduction will be discussed

Feature Size Effect on Formability of Multilayer Metal Composite Sheets under Microscale Laser Flexible Forming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huixia Liu

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Multilayer metal composite sheets possess superior properties to monolithic metal sheets, and formability is different from monolithic metal sheets. In this research, the feature size effect on formability of multilayer metal composite sheets under microscale laser flexible forming was studied by experiment. Two-layer copper/nickel composite sheets were selected as experimental materials. Five types of micro molds with different diameters were utilized. The formability of materials was evaluated by forming depth, thickness thinning, surface quality, and micro-hardness distribution. The research results showed that the formability of two-layer copper/nickel composite sheets was strongly influenced by feature size. With feature size increasing, the effect of layer stacking sequence on forming depth, thickness thinning ratio, and surface roughness became increasingly larger. However, the normalized forming depth, thickness thinning ratio, surface roughness, and micro-hardness of the formed components under the same layer stacking sequence first increased and then decreased with increasing feature size. The deformation behavior of copper/nickel composite sheets was determined by the external layer. The deformation extent was larger when the copper layer was set as the external layer.

Multiplicity fluctuations of identified hadrons in p+p interactions at SPS energies

CERN Document Server

Maćkowiak-Pawłowska, Maja

2014-01-01

Study of energy and system size fluctuations of identified hadrons is one of the key goals of NA61/SHINE at the CERN SPS. Results may allow to discover the critical point (CP) of strongly interacting matter as well as to uncover properties of the onset of deconfinement (OD). But fluctuations exhibit numerous other sources starting from most basic ones like volume effects and conservation laws. NA49 seems to observe fluctuations related to CP in collisions of medium size nuclei at top SPS energy. However, this result will remain inconclusive until systematic data on energy and system size dependence will be available. Moreover, fluctuations in p+p as well as in Pb+Pb interactions should be better understood. In this contribution results on multiplicity fluctuations of identified hadrons in p+p interactions at the CERN SPS energies will be presented. The NA61 data will be compared with the corresponding results from central Pb+Pb collisions of NA49 in the common acceptance region of both experiments. Moreover, ...

Nanometer-Scale Dissection of Chromosomes by Atomic Force Microscopy Combined with Heat-Denaturing Treatment

Science.gov (United States)

Tsukamoto, Kazumi; Kuwazaki, Seigo; Yamamoto, Kimiko; Shichiri, Motoharu; Yoshino, Tomoyuki; Ohtani, Toshio; Sugiyama, Shigeru

2006-03-01

We have developed a method for dissecting chromosome fragments with a size of a few hundred nanometers by atomic force microscopy (AFM). By using this method, we demonstrated reproducible dissections of silkworm chromosomes in the pachytene phase. The dissected fragments were successfully recovered on the cantilever tips, as confirmed by fluorescent microscopy using fluorescent stained chromosomes. To recover dissected chromosome fragments from a larger chromosome, such as the human metaphase chromosome of a somatic cell, heat denaturation was found to be effective. Further improvements in this method may lead to a novel tool for isolating valuable genes and/or investigating local genome structures in the near future.

Simulated Seasonal Photoperiods and Fluctuating Temperatures Have Limited Effects on Blood Feeding and Life History in Aedes triseriatus (Diptera: Culicidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Westby, K M; Juliano, S A

2015-09-01

Biotic and abiotic factors change seasonally and impact life history in temperate-zone ectotherms. Temperature and photoperiod are factors that change in predictable ways. Most studies testing for effects of temperature on vectors use constant temperatures and ignore potential correlated effects of photoperiod. In two experiments, we tested for effects of larval rearing environments creating ecologically relevant temperatures and photoperiods simulating early and late season conditions (June and August), or constant temperatures (cool and warm) with the June or August photoperiods, respectively. We determined effects on survivorship, development, size, and a composite performance index in a temperate-zone population of Aedes triseriatus (Say). We followed cohorts of resulting females, all held under the same environmental conditions, to assess carry-over effects of rearing conditions for larvae on longevity, blood feeding, and egg production. Larval survivorship was affected by treatment in one experiment. Development time was greater in the June and cool treatments, but the constant and fluctuating temperatures did not differ. Significantly larger mosquitoes were produced in fluctuating versus constant temperature treatments. There were no significant treatment effects on the composite performance index. Adult female longevity was lower after rearing at constant versus fluctuating temperature, but there was no difference between June and August, nor did size affect longevity. There was no effect of treatments on blood feeding and a limited effect on egg production. We conclude that seasonal temperatures and photoperiods during development have limited effects on this population of A. triseriatus and find little evidence of strong effects of fluctuating versus constant temperatures. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effect of particle size of mineral fillers on polymer-matrix composite shielding materials against ionizing electromagnetic radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belgin, E.E.; Aycik, G.A.

2017-01-01

Filler particle size is an important particle that effects radiation attenuation performance of a composite shielding material but the effects of it have not been exploited so far. In this study, two mineral (hematite-ilmenite) with different particle sizes were used as fillers in a polymer-matrix composite and effects of particle size on shielding performance was investigated within a widerange of radiation energy (0-2000 keV). The thermal and structural properties of the composites were also examined. The results showed that as the filler particle size decreased the shielding performance increased. The highest shielding performance reached was 23% with particle sizes being between <7 and <74 µm. (author)

Evidence for large temperature fluctuations in quasar accretion disks from spectral variability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruan, John J.; Anderson, Scott F.; Agol, Eric [Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, Box 351580, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States); Dexter, Jason, E-mail: jruan@astro.washington.edu [Departments of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)

2014-03-10

The well-known bluer-when-brighter trend observed in quasar variability is a signature of the complex processes in the accretion disk and can be a probe of the quasar variability mechanism. Using a sample of 604 variable quasars with repeat spectra in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-I/II (SDSS), we construct difference spectra to investigate the physical causes of this bluer-when-brighter trend. The continuum of our composite difference spectrum is well fit by a power law, with a spectral index in excellent agreement with previous results. We measure the spectral variability relative to the underlying spectra of the quasars, which is independent of any extinction, and compare to model predictions. We show that our SDSS spectral variability results cannot be produced by global accretion rate fluctuations in a thin disk alone. However, we find that a simple model of an inhomogeneous disk with localized temperature fluctuations will produce power-law spectral variability over optical wavelengths. We show that the inhomogeneous disk will provide good fits to our observed spectral variability if the disk has large temperature fluctuations in many independently varying zones, in excellent agreement with independent constraints from quasar microlensing disk sizes, their strong UV spectral continuum, and single-band variability amplitudes. Our results provide an independent constraint on quasar variability models and add to the mounting evidence that quasar accretion disks have large localized temperature fluctuations.

Composition and grain size effects on the structural and mechanical properties of CuZr nanoglasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adibi, Sara; Branicio, Paulo S.; Zhang, Yong-Wei; Joshi, Shailendra P.

2014-01-01

Nanoglasses (NGs), metallic glasses (MGs) with a nanoscale grain structure, have the potential to considerably increase the ductility of traditional MGs while retaining their outstanding mechanical properties. We investigated the effects of composition on the structural and mechanical properties of CuZr NG films with grain sizes between 3 to 15 nm using molecular dynamics simulations. Results indicate a transition from localized shear banding to homogeneous superplastic flow with decreasing grain size, although the critical average grain size depends on composition: 5 nm for Cu 36 Zr 64 and 3 nm for Cu 64 Zr 36 . The flow stress of the superplastic NG at different compositions follows the trend of the yield stress of the parent MG, i.e., Cu 36 Zr 64 yield/flow stress: 2.54 GPa/1.29 GPa and Cu 64 Zr 36 yield/flow stress: 3.57 GPa /1.58 GPa. Structural analysis indicates that the differences in mechanical behavior as a function of composition are rooted at the distinct statistics of prominent atomic Voronoi polyhedra. The mechanical behavior of NGs is also affected by the grain boundary thickness and the fraction of atoms at interfaces for a given average grain size. The results suggest that the composition dependence of the mechanical behavior of NGs follows that of their parent MGs, e.g., a stronger MG will generate a stronger NG, while the intrinsic tendency for homogeneous deformation occurring at small grain size is not affected by composition.

Neutrino propagation in a fluctuating sun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burgess, C.P.; Michaud, D.

1997-01-01

We adapt to neutrino physics a general formulation for particle propagation in fluctuating media, initially developed for applications to electromagnetism and neutron optics. In leading approximation this formalism leads to the usual MSW effective Hamiltonian governing neutrino propagation through a medium. Next-to-leading contributions describe deviations from this description, which arise due to neutrino interactions with fluctuations in the medium. We compute these corrections for two types of fluctuations: (i) microscopic thermal fluctuations and (ii) macroscopic fluctuations in the medium s density. While the first of these reproduces standard estimates, which are negligible for applications to solar neutrinos, we find that the second can be quite large, since it grows in size with the correlation length of the fluctuation. We consider two models in some detail. For fluctuations whose correlations extend only over a local region in space of length l, appreciable effects for MSW oscillations arise if (δn/n) 2 l approx-gt 100m or so. Alternatively, a crude model of helioseismic p-waves gives appreciable effects only when (δn/n)approx-gt 1%. In general the dominant effect is to diminish the quality of the resonance, making the suppression of the 7 Be neutrinos a good experimental probe of fluctuations deep within the sun. Fluctuations can also provide a new mechanism for reducing the solar neutrino flux, giving an energy-independent suppression factor of 1/2 away from the resonant region, even for small vacuum mixing angles. copyright 1997 Academic Press, Inc

Mercury exposure may influence fluctuating asymmetry in waterbirds

Science.gov (United States)

Herring, Garth; Eagles-Smith, Collin A.; Ackerman, Joshua T.

2017-01-01

Variation in avian bilateral symmetry can be an indicator of developmental instability in response to a variety of stressors, including environmental contaminants. The authors used composite measures of fluctuating asymmetry to examine the influence of mercury concentrations in 2 tissues on fluctuating asymmetry within 4 waterbird species. Fluctuating asymmetry increased with mercury concentrations in whole blood and breast feathers of Forster's terns (Sterna forsteri), a species with elevated mercury concentrations. Specifically, fluctuating asymmetry in rectrix feather 1 was the most strongly correlated structural variable of those tested (wing chord, tarsus, primary feather 10, rectrix feather 6) with mercury concentrations in Forster's terns. However, for American avocets (Recurvirostra americana), black-necked stilts (Himantopus mexicanus), and Caspian terns (Hydroprogne caspia), the authors found no relationship between fluctuating asymmetry and either whole-blood or breast feather mercury concentrations, even though these species had moderate to elevated mercury exposure. The results indicate that mercury contamination may act as an environmental stressor during development and feather growth and contribute to fluctuating asymmetry of some species of highly contaminated waterbirds.

Extracellular matrix fluctuations during early embryogenesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szabó, A; Rupp, P A; Rongish, B J; Little, C D; Czirók, A

2011-01-01

Extracellular matrix (ECM) movements and rearrangements were studied in avian embryos during early stages of development. We show that the ECM moves as a composite material, whereby distinct molecular components as well as spatially separated layers exhibit similar displacements. Using scanning wide field and confocal microscopy we show that the velocity field of ECM displacement is smooth in space and that ECM movements are correlated even at locations separated by several hundred micrometers. Velocity vectors, however, strongly fluctuate in time. The autocorrelation time of the velocity fluctuations is less than a minute. Suppression of the fluctuations yields a persistent movement pattern that is shared among embryos at equivalent stages of development. The high resolution of the velocity fields allows a detailed spatio-temporal characterization of important morphogenetic processes, especially tissue dynamics surrounding the embryonic organizer (Hensen's node)

Support for the initial attachment, growth and differentiation of MG-63 cells: a comparison between nano-size hydroxyapatite and micro-size hydroxyapatite in composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Filová E

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Elena Filová,1 Tomáš Suchý,2,3 Zbynek Sucharda,2 Monika Šupová,2 Margit Žaloudková,2 Karel Balík,2 Vera Lisá,1 Miroslav Šlouf,4 Lucie Bacáková11Department of Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, Institute of Physiology, 2Department of Composite and Carbon Materials, Institute of Rock Structure and Mechanics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 3Laboratory of Biomechanics, Department of Mechanics, Biomechanics and Mechatronics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, CTU in Prague, 4Department of Morphology and Rheology of Polymer Materials, Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech RepublicAbstract: Hydroxyapatite (HA is considered to be a bioactive material that favorably influences the adhesion, growth, and osteogenic differentiation of osteoblasts. To optimize the cell response on the hydroxyapatite composite, it is desirable to assess the optimum concentration and also the optimum particle size. The aim of our study was to prepare composite materials made of polydimethylsiloxane, polyamide, and nano-sized (N or micro-sized (M HA, with an HA content of 0%, 2%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% (v/v (referred to as N0–N25 or M0–M25, and to evaluate them in vitro in cultures with human osteoblast-like MG-63 cells. For clinical applications, fast osseointegration of the implant into the bone is essential. We observed the greatest initial cell adhesion on composites M10 and N5. Nano-sized HA supported cell growth, especially during the first 3 days of culture. On composites with micro-size HA (2%–15%, MG-63 cells reached the highest densities on day 7. Samples M20 and M25, however, were toxic for MG-63 cells, although these composites supported the production of osteocalcin in these cells. On N2, a higher concentration of osteopontin was found in MG-63 cells. For biomedical applications, the concentration range of 5%–15% (v/v nano-size or micro-size HA seems to be optimum

Deposition of Size-Selected Cu Nanoparticles by Inert Gas Condensation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martínez E

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Nanometer size-selected Cu clusters in the size range of 1–5 nm have been produced by a plasma-gas-condensation-type cluster deposition apparatus, which combines a grow-discharge sputtering with an inert gas condensation technique. With this method, by controlling the experimental conditions, it was possible to produce nanoparticles with a strict control in size. The structure and size of Cu nanoparticles were determined by mass spectroscopy and confirmed by atomic force microscopy (AFM and scanning electron transmission microscopy (STEM measurements. In order to preserve the structural and morphological properties, the energy of cluster impact was controlled; the energy of acceleration of the nanoparticles was in near values at 0.1 ev/atom for being in soft landing regime. From SEM measurements developed in STEM-HAADF mode, we found that nanoparticles are near sized to those values fixed experimentally also confirmed by AFM observations. The results are relevant, since it demonstrates that proper optimization of operation conditions can lead to desired cluster sizes as well as desired cluster size distributions. It was also demonstrated the efficiency of the method to obtain size-selected Cu clusters films, as a random stacking of nanometer-size crystallites assembly. The deposition of size-selected metal clusters represents a novel method of preparing Cu nanostructures, with high potential in optical and catalytic applications.

One-step preparation of silver–polyaniline nanotube composite for non-enzymatic hydrogen peroxide detection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lorestani, Farnaz, E-mail: Farnaz.lorestani@siswa.um.edu.my; Shahnavaz, Zohreh; Nia, Pooria Moozarm; Alias, Y.; Manan, Ninie S.A., E-mail: niniemanan@um.edu.my

2015-08-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Silver nanoparticle-decorated polyaniline nanotube composites (AgNPs–PANINTs) have been fabricated through a one step modified method without adding any extra acids, template and surface modifier. • The sensor showed excellent selectivity, reproducibility, and stability properties. • The AgNPs–PANINTs composite that prepared with silver ammonia solution (Ag(NH{sub 3}){sub 2}OH) exhibits better electrochemical performance than the AgNPs–PANINTs composite that was prepared with silver nitrite (AgNO{sub 3}) due to smaller size and higher surface area of silver nanoparticle (AgNPs) in the composite. • The electrocatalytic activity for the reduction was strongly affected by the concentration of silver ammonia solution in the nanocomposites, with the best electrocatalytic activity observed for the composite of 6:1 volume ratios of PANI to Ag(NH{sub 3}){sub 2}OH (0.04 M). - Abstract: A modified glassy carbon electrode with silver nanoparticles–polyaniline nanotubes (AgNPs–PANINTs) composite is used as a non-enzymatic nanobiosensor for detecting hydrogen peroxide (H{sub 2}O{sub 2}). The electrocatalytic activity for the reduction was strongly affected by the concentration of silver ammonia solution in the nanocomposites, with the best electrocatalytic activity observed for the composite of 6:1 volume ratios of PANI to Ag(NH{sub 3}){sub 2}OH (0.04 M). Field emission scanning electron microscope images and their size distribution diagrams indicated that using the silver ammonia complex instead of silver nitrate caused uniform distribution of nanometer-sized silver nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution in the composite. The corresponding calibration curve for the current response showed a linear detection range of 0.1–90 mM (R{sup 2} = 0.9986), while the limit of detection was estimated to be 0.2 μM at the signal to noise ratio of 3.

Size and Base Composition of RNA in Supercoiled Plasmid DNA

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Peter H.; Boyer, Herbert W.; Helinski, Donald R.

1973-01-01

The average size and base composition of the covalently integrated RNA segment in supercoiled ColE1 DNA synthesized in Escherichia coli in the presence of chloramphenicol (CM-ColE1 DNA) have been determined by two independent methods. The two approaches yielded similar results, indicating that the RNA segment in CM-ColE1 DNA contains GMP at the 5′ end and comprises on the average 25 to 26 ribonucleotides with a base composition of 10-11 G, 3 A, 5-6 C, and 6-7 U. PMID:4359488

composition and size class structure of tree species in ihang'ana

African Journals Online (AJOL)

nb

Previous plant biodiversity studies in this ecosystem concentrated on large-sized Forest ... assess tree species composition, structure and diversity in Ihang'ana FR (2982 ha), one of the ..... Dombeya rotundifolia. (Hochst) ... Ficus lutea. Vahl.

Superior high creep resistance of in situ nano-sized TiCx/Al-Cu-Mg composite.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lei; Qiu, Feng; Zhao, Qinglong; Zha, Min; Jiang, Qichuan

2017-07-03

The tensile creep behavior of Al-Cu-Mg alloy and its composite containing in situ nano-sized TiC x were explored at temperatures of 493 K, 533 K and 573 K with the applied stresses in the range of 40 to 100 MPa. The composite reinforced by nano-sized TiC x particles exhibited excellent creep resistance ability, which was about 4-15 times higher than those of the unreinforced matrix alloy. The stress exponent of 5 was noticed for both Al-Cu-Mg alloy and its composite, which suggested that their creep behavior was related to dislocation climb mechanism. During deformation at elevated temperatures, the enhanced creep resistance of the composite was mainly attributed to two aspects: (a) Orowan strengthening and grain boundary (GB) strengthening induced by nano-sized TiC x particles, (b) θ' and S' precipitates strengthening.

Size and composition tunable Ag-Au alloy nanoparticles by replacement reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Qingbo; Lee, J Y; Yang Jun; Boothroyd, Chris; Zhang Jixuan

2007-01-01

Ag-Au alloy nanoparticles with tunable size and composition were prepared by a replacement reaction between Ag nanoparticles and HAuCl 4 at elevated temperatures. The formation of homogeneous alloy nanoparticles was confirmed by selected-area energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SAEDX), UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and electron diffraction. This method leverages upon the rapid interdiffusion of Ag and Au atoms in the reduced dimension of a nanoparticle, elevated temperatures and the large number of vacancy defects created in the replacement reaction. This method of preparation has several notable advantages: (1) independent tuning of the size and composition of alloy nanoparticles; (2) production of alloy nanoparticles in high concentrations; (3) general utility in the synthesis of alloy nanoparticles that cannot be obtained by the co-reduction method

Size determinations of plutonium colloids using autocorrelation photon spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Triay, I.R.; Rundberg, R.S.; Mitchell, A.J.; Ott, M.A.; Hobart, D.E.; Palmer, P.D.; Newton, T.W.; Thompson, J.L.

1989-01-01

Autocorrelation Photon Spectroscopy (APS) is a light-scattering technique utilized to determine the size distribution of colloidal suspensions. The capabilities of the APS methodology have been assessed by analyzing colloids of known sizes. Plutonium(IV) colloid samples were prepared by a variety of methods including: dilution; peptization; and alpha-induced auto-oxidation of Pu(III). The size of theses Pu colloids was analyzed using APS. The sizes determined for the Pu colloids studied varied from 1 to 370 nanometers. 7 refs., 5 figs., 3 tabs

Concentration fluctuations in miscible polymer blends: Influence of temperature and chain rigidity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dudowicz, Jacek; Freed, Karl F.; Douglas, Jack F.

2014-01-01

In contrast to binary mixtures of small molecule fluids, homogeneous polymer blends exhibit relatively large concentration fluctuations that can strongly affect the transport properties of these complex fluids over wide ranges of temperatures and compositions. The spatial scale and intensity of these compositional fluctuations are studied by applying Kirkwood-Buff theory to model blends of linear semiflexible polymer chains with upper critical solution temperatures. The requisite quantities for determining the Kirkwood-Buff integrals are generated from the lattice cluster theory for the thermodynamics of the blend and from the generalization of the random phase approximation to compressible polymer mixtures. We explore how the scale and intensity of composition fluctuations in binary blends vary with the reduced temperature τ ≡ (T − T c )/T (where T c is the critical temperature) and with the asymmetry in the rigidities of the components. Knowledge of these variations is crucial for understanding the dynamics of materials fabricated from polymer blends, and evidence supporting these expectations is briefly discussed

Flip-flop design in nanometer CMOS from high speed to low energy

CERN Document Server

Alioto, Massimo; Palumbo, Gaetano

2015-01-01

This book provides a unified treatment of Flip-Flop design and selection in nanometer CMOS VLSI systems. The design aspects related to the energy-delay tradeoff in Flip-Flops are discussed, including their energy-optimal selection according to the targeted application, and the detailed circuit design in nanometer CMOS VLSI systems. Design strategies are derived in a coherent framework that includes explicitly nanometer effects, including leakage, layout parasitics and process/voltage/temperature variations, as main advances over the existing body of work in the field. The related design tradeoffs are explored in a wide range of applications and the related energy-performance targets. A wide range of existing and recently proposed Flip-Flop topologies are discussed. Theoretical foundations are provided to set the stage for the derivation of design guidelines, and emphasis is given on practical aspects and consequences of the presented results. Analytical models and derivations are introduced when needed to gai...

The microstructural evolution of nanometer ruthenium films in Ru/C multilayers with thermal treatments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen, T.D.; Gronsky, R.; Kortright, J.B.

1991-04-01

The evolution of nanometer Ru films sandwiched between various C layer thickness with thermal treatments was studied by plan-view and cross-sectional Transmission Electron Microscopy. Plan-view observation provides information on the Ru grain size, while cross- sectional studies allow examination of the multilayer morphology. After annealing at 800 degrees C for 30 minutes, the grain size in the 2 and 4 nm Ru layers show little difference from each other, while that in the 1 nm Ru layers depends strongly on the thickness of the C layers in the multilayers. It increases with decreasing C layer thickness. Agglomeration of the Ru layers is observed in 1nm Ru/1nm C multilayers after annealing at 600 degrees C for 30 minutes. The evolution of the microstructures and layered structure stability of the Ru/C system is compared to that of W/C and Ru/B 4 C systems. 10 refs., 2 figs

Homogenization via the strong-permittivity-fluctuation theory with nonzero depolarization volume

Science.gov (United States)

Mackay, Tom G.

2004-08-01

The depolarization dyadic provides the scattering response of a single inclusion particle embedded within a homogenous background medium. These dyadics play a central role in formalisms used to estimate the effective constitutive parameters of homogenized composite mediums (HCMs). Conventionally, the inclusion particle is taken to be vanishingly small; this allows the pointwise singularity of the dyadic Green function associated with the background medium to be employed as the depolarization dyadic. A more accurate approach is pursued in this communication by taking into account the nonzero spatial extent of inclusion particles. Depolarization dyadics corresponding to inclusion particles of nonzero volume are incorporated within the strong-permittivity-fluctuation theory (SPFT). The linear dimensions of inclusion particles are assumed to be small relative to the electromagnetic wavelength(s) and the SPFT correlation length. The influence of the size of inclusion particles upon SPFT estimates of the HCM constitutive parameters is investigated for anisotropic dielectric HCMs.In particular, the interplay between correlation length and inclusion size is explored.

Large-scale fluctuations in the diffusive decomposition of solid solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karpov, V.G.; Grimsditch, M.

1995-01-01

The concept of an instability in the classic Ostwald ripening theory with respect to compositional fluctuations is suggested. We show that small statistical fluctuations in the precipitate phase lead to gigantic Coulomb-like fluctuations in the solute concentration which in turn affect the ripening. As a result large-scale fluctuations in both the precipitate and solute concentrations appear. These fluctuations are characterized by amplitudes of the order of the average values of the corresponding quantities and by a space scale L∼(na) -1/2 which is considerably greater than both the average nuclear radius and internuclear distance. The Lifshitz-Slyozov theory of ripening is shown to remain locally applicable, over length scales much less than L. The implications of these findings for elastic light scattering in solid solutions that have undergone Ostwald ripening are considered

Large-scale fluctuations in the diffusive decomposition of solid solutions

Science.gov (United States)

Karpov, V. G.; Grimsditch, M.

1995-04-01

The concept of an instability in the classic Ostwald ripening theory with respect to compositional fluctuations is suggested. We show that small statistical fluctuations in the precipitate phase lead to gigantic Coulomb-like fluctuations in the solute concentration which in turn affect the ripening. As a result large-scale fluctuations in both the precipitate and solute concentrations appear. These fluctuations are characterized by amplitudes of the order of the average values of the corresponding quantities and by a space scale L~(na)-1/2 which is considerably greater than both the average nuclear radius and internuclear distance. The Lifshitz-Slyozov theory of ripening is shown to remain locally applicable, over length scales much less than L. The implications of these findings for elastic light scattering in solid solutions that have undergone Ostwald ripening are considered.

Effective interactions between concentration fluctuations and charge transfer in chemically ordering liquid alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akdeniz, Z.; Tosi, M.P.

1992-08-01

The correlations between long-wavelength fluctuations of concentration in a liquid binary alloy are determined by a balance between an elastic strain free energy and an Ornstein-Zernike effective interaction. The latter is extracted from thermodynamic data in the case of the Li-Pb system, which is well known to chemically order with stoichiometric composition corresponding to Li 4 Pb. Strong attractive interactions between concentration fluctuations near the composition of chemical ordering originate from electronic charge transfer, which is estimated from the electron-ion partial structure factors as functions of composition in the liquid alloy. (author). 20 refs, 2 figs

Persistent fluctuations in synchronization rate in globally coupled oscillators with periodic external forcing

Science.gov (United States)

Atsumi, Yu; Nakao, Hiroya

2012-05-01

A system of phase oscillators with repulsive global coupling and periodic external forcing undergoing asynchronous rotation is considered. The synchronization rate of the system can exhibit persistent fluctuations depending on parameters and initial phase distributions, and the amplitude of the fluctuations scales with the system size for uniformly random initial phase distributions. Using the Watanabe-Strogatz transformation that reduces the original system to low-dimensional macroscopic equations, we show that the fluctuations are collective dynamics of the system corresponding to low-dimensional trajectories of the reduced equations. It is argued that the amplitude of the fluctuations is determined by the inhomogeneity of the initial phase distribution, resulting in system-size scaling for the random case.

Fluctuating hydrodynamics for ionic liquids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lazaridis, Konstantinos [Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Washington State University, Pullman, 99163 (United States); Wickham, Logan [Department of Computer Science, Washington State University, Richland, 99354 (United States); Voulgarakis, Nikolaos, E-mail: n.voulgarakis@wsu.edu [Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Washington State University, Pullman, 99163 (United States)

2017-04-25

We present a mean-field fluctuating hydrodynamics (FHD) method for studying the structural and transport properties of ionic liquids in bulk and near electrified surfaces. The free energy of the system consists of two competing terms: (1) a Landau–Lifshitz functional that models the spontaneous separation of the ionic groups, and (2) the standard mean-field electrostatic interaction between the ions in the liquid. The numerical approach used to solve the resulting FHD-Poisson equations is very efficient and models thermal fluctuations with remarkable accuracy. Such density fluctuations are sufficiently strong to excite the experimentally observed spontaneous formation of liquid nano-domains. Statistical analysis of our simulations provides quantitative information about the properties of ionic liquids, such as the mixing quality, stability, and the size of the nano-domains. Our model, thus, can be adequately parameterized by directly comparing our prediction with experimental measurements and all-atom simulations. Conclusively, this work can serve as a practical mathematical tool for testing various theories and designing more efficient mixtures of ionic liquids. - Highlights: • A new fluctuating hydrodynamics method for ionic liquids. • Description of ionic liquid morphology in bulk and near electrified surfaces. • Direct comparison with experimental measurements.

A model based approach to reference-free straightness measurement at the Nanometer Comparator

Science.gov (United States)

Weichert, C.; Stavridis, M.; Walzel, M.; Elster, C.; Wiegmann, A.; Schulz, M.; Köning, R.; Flügge, J.; Tutsch, R.

2009-06-01

The Nanometer Comparator is the PTB reference length measuring machine for high precision calibrations of line scales and encoder systems. Up to now the Nanometer Comparator allows to measure the position of line structures in one dimension only. For high precision characterisations of masks, scales and incremental encoders, the measurement of the straightness of graduations is a requirement from emerging lithography techniques. Therefore the Nanometer Comparator will be equipped with an additional short range measurement system in the Y-direction, realized as a single path plane mirror interferometer and supposed to achieve sub-nm uncertainties. To compensate the topography of the Y-mirror, the Traceable Multi Sensor (TMS) method will be implemented to achieve a reference-free straightness measurement. Virtual experiments are used to estimate the lower accuracy limit and to determine the sensitive parameters. The virtual experiments contain the influence of the positioning devices, interferometer errors as well as non-perfect adjustment and fabrication of the machine geometry. The whole dynamic measurement process of the Nanometer Comparator including its influence on the TMS analysis, e.g. non-equally spaced measurement points, is simulated. We will present the results of these virtual experiments as well as the most relevant error sources for straightness measurement, incorporating the low uncertainties of the existing and planned measurement systems.

Large-scale fabrication and utilization of novel hexagonal/turbostratic composite boron nitride nanosheets

KAUST Repository

Zhong, Bo

2017-02-15

In this report, we have developed a scalable approach to massive synthesis of hexagonal/turbostratic composite boron nitride nanosheets (h/t-BNNSs). The strikingly effective, reliable, and high-throughput (grams) synthesis is performed via a facile chemical foaming process at 1400°C utilizing ammonia borane (AB) as precursor. The characterization results demonstrate that high quality of h/t-BNNSs with lateral size of tens of micrometers and thickness of tens of nanometers are obtained. The growth mechanism of h/t-BNNSs is also discussed based on the thermogravimetric analysis of AB which clearly shows two step weight loss. The h/t-BNNSs are further used for making thermoconductive h/t-BNNSs/epoxy resin composites. The thermal conductivity of the composites is obviously improved due to the introduction of h/t-BNNSs. Consideration of the unique properties of boron nitride, these novel h/t-BNNSs are envisaged to be very valuable for future high performance polymer based material fabrication.

Fluctuations effects in diblock copolymer fluids: Comparison of theories and experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guenza, M.; Schweizer, K.S.

1997-01-01

The analytic Polymer Reference Interaction Site Model (PRISM) theory of structurally and interaction symmetric Gaussian diblock copolymer fluids is reformulated, extended, and applied to make predictions for experimentally observable equilibrium properties of the disordered state. These include the temperature, degree of polymerization, copolymer composition, and polymer density or concentration dependences of the peak scattering intensity, effective chi-parameter, and heat capacity. The location of the order-disorder transition is empirically estimated based on the disordered, strongly fluctuating state scattering function. Detailed numerical applications of PRISM theory demonstrates it provides an excellent description of the data. An in depth comparison of the mathematical structure and predictions of PRISM theory with the highly coarse-grained, incompressible Brazovski endash Leibler endash Fredrickson endash Helfand (BLFH) fluctuation corrected field theory is also carried out. Under some conditions (nearly symmetric composition, high melt densities, moderate temperatures) there are striking mathematical similarities between the predictions of the physically very different theories, although quantitative differences always persist. However, for strongly asymmetric copolymer compositions, short chains, compressible copolymer solutions, and low temperatures many qualitative differences emerge. The possibility of multiple, self-consistent fluctuation feedback mechanisms within the most general PRISM approach are identified, their qualitative features discussed, and contrasted with alternative versions of the fluctuation-corrected incompressible field theories due to BLFH and Stepanow. The predictions of PRISM and BLFH theory for the composition, copolymer density, temperature, and molecular weight dependence of the effective chi-parameter are presented and qualitatively compared with recent experiments. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics

Nonequilibrium self-organization in alloys under irradiation leading to the formation of nano composites

CERN Document Server

Enrique, R A; Averback, R S; Bellon, P

2003-01-01

Alloys under irradiation are continuously driven away from equilibrium: Every time an external particle interacts with the atoms in the solid, a perturbation very localized in space and time is produced. Under this external forcing, phase and microstructural evolution depends ultimately on the dynamical interaction between the external perturbation and the internal recovery kinetics of the alloy. We consider the nonequilibrium steady state of an immiscible binary alloy subject to mixing by heavy-ion irradiation. It has been found that the range of the forced atomic relocations taking place during collision cascades plays an important role on the final microstructure: when this range is large enough, it can lead to the spontaneous formation of compositional patterns at the nanometer scale. These results were rationalized in the framework of a continuum model solved by deriving a nonequilibrium thermodynamic potential. Here we derive the nonequilibrium structure factor by including the role of fluctuations. In ...

Electromagnetic wave absorption properties of composites with micro-sized magnetic particles dispersed in amorphous carbon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Bin Peng [Research Center of Carbon Fiber, Key Laboratory for Liquid–Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Tianjin Binhai New Area Finance Bureau, Tianjin 300450 (China); Wang, Cheng Guo, E-mail: sduwangchg@gmail.com [Research Center of Carbon Fiber, Key Laboratory for Liquid–Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Wang, Wen [Norinco Group China North Material Science and Engineering Technology Group Corporation, Jinan 250031 (China); Yu, Mei Jie; Gao, Rui; Chen, Yang; Xiang Wang, Yan [Research Center of Carbon Fiber, Key Laboratory for Liquid–Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China)

2014-09-01

Composites with micro-sized magnetic particles dispersed in amorphous carbon were fabricated conveniently and economically by carbonizing polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers mixed with micro-sized iron particles under different temperatures. The composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electric microscope (SEM). The electromagnetic (EM) properties were measured by a vector network analyzer in the frequency range of 2–18 GHz based on which analog computations of EM wave absorption properties were carried out. The influences of temperature on phase composition and EM wave absorption properties were also investigated, indicating that the composites had good electromagnetic absorption properties with both electrical loss and magnetic loss. Effective reflection loss (RL<−10 dB) was observed in a large frequency range of 7.5–18 GHz with the absorber thickness of 2.0–3.0 mm for the paraffin samples with composite powders heated up to 750 °C and the minimum absorption peak around −40 dB appeared at approximately 10 GHz with matching thickness of 2.0 mm for the paraffin sample with composite powders heated up to 800 °C. - Highlights: • High-performance electromagnetic wave absorption materials were fabricated conveniently and economically. • The materials are composites with micro-sized magnetic particles dispersed in porous amorphous carbon. • The influences of temperature on phase composition and electromagnetic wave absorption properties were investigated. • The composites heated up to 750 °C and 800 °C had good electromagnetic wave absorption property.

Durable superhydrophobic paper enabled by surface sizing of starch-based composite films

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Gang; Zhu, Penghui; Kuang, Yudi; Liu, Yu; Lin, Donghan; Peng, Congxing; Wen, Zhicheng; Fang, Zhiqiang

2017-07-01

Superhydrophobic paper with remarkable durability is of considerable interest for its practical applications. In this study, a scalable, inexpensive, and universal surface sizing technique was implemented to prepare superhydrophobic paper with enhanced durability. A thin layer of starch-based composite, acting as a bio-binder, was first coated onto the paper surface by a sophisticated manufacturing technique called surface sizing, immediately followed by a spray coating of hexamethyl disilazane treated silica nanoparticles (HMDS-SiNPs) dispersed in ethanol on the surface of the wet starch-coated sheet, and the dual layers dried at the same time. Consequently, durable superhydrophobic paper with bi-layer structure was obtained after air drying. The as-prepared superhydrophobic paper not only exhibited a self-cleaning behavior, but also presented an enhanced durability against scratching, bending/deformation, as well as moisture. The universal surface sizing of starch-based composites may pave the way for the up-scaled and cost-effective production of durable superhydrophobic paper.

Assessing the concept of structure sensitivity or insensitivity for sub-nanometer catalyst materials

Science.gov (United States)

Crampton, Andrew S.; Rötzer, Marian D.; Ridge, Claron J.; Yoon, Bokwon; Schweinberger, Florian F.; Landman, Uzi; Heiz, Ueli

2016-10-01

The nature of the nano-catalyzed hydrogenation of ethylene, yielding benchmark information pertaining to the concept of structure sensitivity/insensitivity and its applicability at the bottom of the catalyst particle size-range, is explored with experiments on size-selected Ptn (n = 7-40) clusters soft-landed on MgO, in conjunction with first-principles simulations. As in the case of larger particles both the direct ethylene hydrogenation channel and the parallel hydrogenation-dehydrogenation ethylidyne-producing route must be considered, with the fundamental uncovering that at the reaction exhibits characteristics consistent with structure sensitivity, in contrast to the structure insensitivity found for larger particles. In this size-regime, the chemical properties can be modulated and tuned by a single atom, reflected by the onset of low temperature hydrogenation at T > 150 K catalyzed by Ptn (n ≥ 10) clusters, with maximum room temperature reactivity observed for Pt13 using a pulsed molecular beam technique. Structure insensitive behavior, inherent for specific cluster sizes at ambient temperatures, can be induced in the more active sizes, e.g. Pt13, by a temperature increase, up to 400 K, which opens dehydrogenation channels leading to ethylidyne formation. This reaction channel was, however found to be attenuated on Pt20, as catalyst activity remained elevated after the 400 K step. Pt30 displayed behavior which can be understood from extrapolating bulk properties to this size range; in particular the calculated d-band center. In the non-scalable sub-nanometer size regime, however, precise control of particle size may be used for atom-by-atom tuning and manipulation of catalyzed hydrogenation activity and selectivity.

Edge plasma fluctuations in STOR-M

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, W.; Hirose, A.; Zhang, L.; Xiao, C.; Conway, G.D.; Skarsgard, H.M.

1993-01-01

In the STOR-M tokamak, the coherence and propagation nature of the density (n e ) and magnetic (B r ) fluctuations are investigated both in the scrape-off layer (SOL, r/a > 1) and at the plasma edge (r/a -2 is of the order of the reverse electron skin depth kθ ≅ ω pe /c. In terms of the hybrid ion Larmor radius ρ s = c s /Ω i , it corresponds to k θρ s ≅ 0.1. These observations support the skin size electromagnetic drift mode which predicts that a low β tokamak discharge is unstable against the skin size electromagnetic instability with a phase velocity significantly smaller than the electron diamagnetic drift velocity. Edge fluctuations observed in STOR-M appear to propagate at the local E x B drift, and the phase velocity in the plasma from is υ theta ≅ 5 x 10 4 cm/sec, compared with the local electron diamagnetic drift, υ e ≅ 2.5 x 10 5 cm/sec. In the SOL region, the density fluctuations propagate in the ion diamagnetic drift, but still with the local E x B drift because E r changes its sign at r/a ≅ 1

Theoretical study and simulation for a nanometer laser based on Gauss–Hermite source expansion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gu, Xiaowei

2013-01-01

Recently there has been worldwide interest in constructing a new generation of continuously tunable nanometer lasers for a wide range of scientific applications, including femtosecond science, biological molecules, nanoscience research fields, etc. The high brightness electron beam required by a short wavelength self-amplified spontaneous emission FEL can be reached only with accurate control of the beam dynamics in the facility. Numerical simulation codes are basic tools for designing new nanometer laser devices. We have developed a MATLAB quasi-one-dimensional code based on a reduced model for the FEL. The model uses an envelope description of the transverse dynamics of the laser beam and full longitudinal particle motion. We have optimized the LCLS facility parameters, then given the characteristics of the nanometer laser. (letter)

Theoretical study and simulation for a nanometer laser based on Gauss-Hermite source expansion

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Xiaowei

2013-07-01

Recently there has been worldwide interest in constructing a new generation of continuously tunable nanometer lasers for a wide range of scientific applications, including femtosecond science, biological molecules, nanoscience research fields, etc. The high brightness electron beam required by a short wavelength self-amplified spontaneous emission FEL can be reached only with accurate control of the beam dynamics in the facility. Numerical simulation codes are basic tools for designing new nanometer laser devices. We have developed a MATLAB quasi-one-dimensional code based on a reduced model for the FEL. The model uses an envelope description of the transverse dynamics of the laser beam and full longitudinal particle motion. We have optimized the LCLS facility parameters, then given the characteristics of the nanometer laser.

Effect of Particle Size on Mechanical Properties of Sawdust-High Density Polyethylene Composites under Various Strain Rates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haliza Jaya

2016-06-01

Full Text Available There is a need to understand the effect of wood particle size, as it affects the characteristics of wood-based composites. This study considers the effect of wood particle size relative to the dynamic behavior of wood composites. The compression Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB was introduced to execute dynamic compression testing at the strain rate of 650 s-1, 900 s-1, and 1100 s-1, whereas a conventional universal testing machine (UTM was used to perform static compression testing at the strain rate of 0.1 s-1, 0.01 s-1, and 0.001 s-1 for four different particle sizes (63 µm, 125 µm, 250 µm, and 500 µm. The results showed that mechanical properties of composites were positively affected by the particle sizes, where the smallest particle size gave the highest values compared to the others. Moreover, the particle size also affected the rate sensitivity and the thermal activation volume of sawdust/HDPE, where smaller particles resulted in lower rate sensitivity. For the post-damage analysis, the applied strain rates influenced deformation behavior differently for all particle sizes of the specimens. In a fractographic analysis under dynamic loading, the composites with large particles experienced severe catastrophic deformation and damages compared to the smaller particles.

Shearing Nanometer-Thick Confined Hydrocarbon Films: Friction and Adhesion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sivebæk, I. M.; Persson, B. N. J.

2016-01-01

We present molecular dynamics (MD) friction and adhesion calculations for nanometer-thick confined hydrocarbon films with molecular lengths 20, 100 and 1400 carbon atoms. We study the dependency of the frictional shear stress on the confining pressure and sliding speed. We present results...

Fluctuations in quantum devices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H.Haken

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Logical gates can be formalized by Boolean algebra whose elementary operations can be realized by devices that employ the interactions of macroscopic numbers of elementary excitations such as electrons, holes, photons etc. With increasing miniaturization to the nano scale and below, quantum fluctuations become important and can no longer be ignored. Based on Heisenberg equations of motion for the creation and annihilation operators of elementary excitations, I determine the noise sources of composite quantum systems.

The influence of powder particle size on properties of Cu-Al2O3 composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajković V.

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Inert gas atomized prealloyed copper powder containing 2 wt.% Al (average particle size ≈ 30 μm and a mixture consisting of copper (average particle sizes ≈ 15 μm and 30 μm and 4 wt.% of commercial Al2O3 powder particles (average particle size ≈ 0.75 μm were milled separately in a high-energy planetary ball mill up to 20 h in air. Milling was performed in order to strengthen the copper matrix by grain size refinement and Al2O3 particles. Milling in air of prealloyed copper powder promoted formation of finely dispersed nano-sized Al2O3 particles by internal oxidation. On the other side, composite powders with commercial micro-sized Al2O3 particles were obtained by mechanical alloying. Following milling, powders were treated in hydrogen at 400 0C for 1h in order to eliminate copper oxides formed on their surface during milling. Hot-pressing (800 0C for 3 h in argon at pressure of 35 MPa was used for compaction of milled powders. Hot-pressed composite compacts processed from 5 and 20 h milled powders were additionally subjected to high temperature exposure (800°C for 1 and 5h in argon in order to examine their thermal stability. The results were discussed in terms of the effects of different size of starting powders, the grain size refinement and different size of Al2O3 particles on strengthening, thermal stability and electrical conductivity of copper-based composites.

Abundance, size composition and benthic assemblages of two Mediterranean echinoids off the

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elzahrae Elmasry

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This study is concerned with the variability in abundance, size composition and benthic assemblages of two echinoid species, the common sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck, 1816 and black urchin Arbacia lixula (Linnaeus, 1758 in the Southeastern Mediterranean (SEM along the coast of Alexandria, Egypt. Four seasonal trips were made during the years 2014–2015 covering 55 km of the shore with depths ranging between 3 and 9 m. The sea urchin species composition, density and size structure and distribution were compared. The associated macrobenthic invertebrates with prominent presence and biomass were observed as well as other benthic fauna and flora associations. The present results showed that P. lividus was the dominant echinoid spatially and temporally. A. lixula showed frequent occurrence in Sidi Bishr and Sidi Gaber stations in the spring season. The most dominant size class was the medium to large-sized classes for P. lividus and large-sized classes for A. lixula. The commercial size for the edible P. lividus represented 33% of the sampled population. Furthermore, the most dominant macrobenthic assemblages beside the echinoid population were primarily oysters, sea cucumbers, and mussels. Beside these, assemblage of seaweeds (red, green, brown and crustose algae, Porifera, Cnidaria, Crustacea, other Echinodermata, Bivalvia, Gastropoda, Tunicata, Bryozoa and Annelida were found. The present study shows that the investigated area represents stable habitats for the echinoid population with rich and diversified algal assemblages as well as other potential food resources.

Nano-sized particles, processes of making, compositions and uses thereof

Science.gov (United States)

O'Brien, Stephen [New York, NY; Yin, Ming [Los Alamos, NM

2012-05-22

The present invention describes methods for preparing high quality nanoparticles, i.e., metal oxide based nanoparticles of uniform size and monodispersity. The nanoparticles advantageously comprise organic alkyl chain capping groups and are stable in air and in nonpolar solvents. The methods of the invention provide a simple and reproducible procedure for forming transition metal oxide nanocrystals, with yields over 80%. The highly crystalline and monodisperse nanocrystals are obtained directly without further size selection; particle size can be easily and fractionally increased by the methods. The resulting nanoparticles can exhibit magnetic and/or optical properties. These properties result from the methods used to prepare them. Also advantageously, the nanoparticles of this invention are well suited for use in a variety of industrial applications, including cosmetic and pharmaceutical formulations and compositions.

Electromagnetic fields of Nanometer electromagnetic waves and X-ray. New frontiers of electromagnetic wave engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

The investigating committee aimed at research on electromagnetic fields in functional devices and X-ray fibers for efficient coherent X-ray generation and their material science, high-precision manufacturing, X-ray microscope, application to medical and information communication technologies, such as interaction between material and nanometer electromagnetic waves of radiated light and X-ray, interaction between microwaves and particle beams, theory and design of high-frequency waveguides for resonator and accelerator, from January 2003 to December 2005. In this report, we describe our research results, in particular, on the topics of synchrotron radiation and Cherenkov radiation, Kyushu synchrotron light source and its technology, nanometer electromagnetic fields in optical region, process of interaction between evanescent waves and near-field light, orthogonal relation of electromagnetic fields including evanescent waves in dispersive dielectrics, optical amplification using electron beam, nanometer electromagnetic fields in focusing waveguide lens device with curved facets, electromagnetic fields in nanometer photonic crystal waveguide consisting of atoms, X-ray scattering and absorption I bio-material for image diagnosis. (author)

Pseudopotential-based electron quantum transport: Theoretical formulation and application to nanometer-scale silicon nanowire transistors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fang, Jingtian, E-mail: jingtian.fang@utdallas.edu; Vandenberghe, William G.; Fu, Bo; Fischetti, Massimo V. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080 (United States)

2016-01-21

We present a formalism to treat quantum electronic transport at the nanometer scale based on empirical pseudopotentials. This formalism offers explicit atomistic wavefunctions and an accurate band structure, enabling a detailed study of the characteristics of devices with a nanometer-scale channel and body. Assuming externally applied potentials that change slowly along the electron-transport direction, we invoke the envelope-wavefunction approximation to apply the open boundary conditions and to develop the transport equations. We construct the full-band open boundary conditions (self-energies of device contacts) from the complex band structure of the contacts. We solve the transport equations and present the expressions required to calculate the device characteristics, such as device current and charge density. We apply this formalism to study ballistic transport in a gate-all-around (GAA) silicon nanowire field-effect transistor with a body-size of 0.39 nm, a gate length of 6.52 nm, and an effective oxide thickness of 0.43 nm. Simulation results show that this device exhibits a subthreshold slope (SS) of ∼66 mV/decade and a drain-induced barrier-lowering of ∼2.5 mV/V. Our theoretical calculations predict that low-dimensionality channels in a 3D GAA architecture are able to meet the performance requirements of future devices in terms of SS swing and electrostatic control.

Magnetic fluctuations in turbulent flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruzmaikin, A.A.

1990-01-01

For dynamo excitation of the magnetic fluctuations in infinite fluid only a sufficient large magnetic Reynolds number is needed. In a infinite region an additional condition appears. Due to the diffusion of the magnetic field through the boundaries a size of the region must be large enough compare with a correlation length of the turbulence. Author)

Work extraction from quantum systems with bounded fluctuations in work

Science.gov (United States)

Richens, Jonathan G.; Masanes, Lluis

2016-11-01

In the standard framework of thermodynamics, work is a random variable whose average is bounded by the change in free energy of the system. This average work is calculated without regard for the size of its fluctuations. Here we show that for some processes, such as reversible cooling, the fluctuations in work diverge. Realistic thermal machines may be unable to cope with arbitrarily large fluctuations. Hence, it is important to understand how thermodynamic efficiency rates are modified by bounding fluctuations. We quantify the work content and work of formation of arbitrary finite dimensional quantum states when the fluctuations in work are bounded by a given amount c. By varying c we interpolate between the standard and minimum free energies. We derive fundamental trade-offs between the magnitude of work and its fluctuations. As one application of these results, we derive the corrected Carnot efficiency of a qubit heat engine with bounded fluctuations.

A theory of power-law distributions in financial market fluctuations.

Science.gov (United States)

Gabaix, Xavier; Gopikrishnan, Parameswaran; Plerou, Vasiliki; Stanley, H Eugene

2003-05-15

Insights into the dynamics of a complex system are often gained by focusing on large fluctuations. For the financial system, huge databases now exist that facilitate the analysis of large fluctuations and the characterization of their statistical behaviour. Power laws appear to describe histograms of relevant financial fluctuations, such as fluctuations in stock price, trading volume and the number of trades. Surprisingly, the exponents that characterize these power laws are similar for different types and sizes of markets, for different market trends and even for different countries--suggesting that a generic theoretical basis may underlie these phenomena. Here we propose a model, based on a plausible set of assumptions, which provides an explanation for these empirical power laws. Our model is based on the hypothesis that large movements in stock market activity arise from the trades of large participants. Starting from an empirical characterization of the size distribution of those large market participants (mutual funds), we show that the power laws observed in financial data arise when the trading behaviour is performed in an optimal way. Our model additionally explains certain striking empirical regularities that describe the relationship between large fluctuations in prices, trading volume and the number of trades.

Synthesis and characterization of nanometer sized thermoelectric lead-antimony-silver-tellurium compounds and related materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petri, Denis

2012-01-01

The present dissertation deals with different variants of synthesis and processing of nanocrystalline composites of various thermoelectric compounds based on lead telluride including LAST-m (AgPb m SbTe m+2 ), LASTT-m-x (AgPb m-x Sn x SbTe m+2 ), LABST-m-x (AgPb m Sb 1-x Bi x Te m+2 ), doped LAST-m and (PbTe) m (M 15 2 Te 3 ) and the characterization thereof. A new route of manufacturing nanocrystalline composites was developed. The so called co-ball milling-route includes the synthesis of bi- or multinary compounds by conventional solid state melting methods followed by combined milling of appropriate amounts in a planetary ball mill; a process related to the widely used mechanical alloying of elemental powders. The as produced powders were shortly annealed for one hour and a.erwards compacted either at room temperature followed by pressureless sintering or combined application of high pressure and elevated temperatures via spark-plasma-sintering or short-term-sintering. The ball milling yielded micron-sized agglomerates consisting of crystallites with diameters ranging from 10 to 50 nm. These crystallites exhibited complicated internal nanostructures severe crystal defects as a consequence of the high energy processing. During short-term annealing some grain coarsening occured and the crystal defects partly healed, which was confirmed by TEM and HRTEM investigations as well as profile analysis of XRD powder pattern. Local EDX-analysis showed different compositions at every point as a consequence of synthesis and decomposition of the compounds. Measurements of thermopower, electrical and thermal conductivity were carried out and the values of the figure of merit ZT and the powerfactor were calculated. In general the compounds exhibited larger thermopower than corresponding bulk materials, which might be attributed to energy filtering of charge carriers at partly oxidized grain boundaries. Due to enhanced phonon scattering at grain boundarys, nanoscopic

Beam-energy and system-size dependence of dynamical net charge fluctuations

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Abelev, B. I.; Aggarwal, M. M.; Ahammed, Z.; Anderson, B. D.; Arkhipkin, D.; Averichev, G. S.; Balewski, J.; Barannikova, O.; Barnby, L. S.; Baudot, J.; Baumgart, S.; Beavis, D.R.; Bellwied, R.; Benedosso, F.; Betancourt, M.J.; Betts, R. R.; Bhasin, A.; Bhati, A.K.; Bichsel, H.; Bielčík, Jaroslav; Bielčíková, Jana; Biritz, B.; Bland, L.C.; Bombara, M.; Bonner, B. E.; Botje, M.; Bouchet, J.; Braidot, E.; Brandin, A. V.; Bruna, E.; Bueltmann, S.; Burton, T. P.; Bysterský, Michal; Cai, X.Z.; Caines, H.; Sanchez, M.C.D.; Catu, O.; Cebra, D.; Cendejas, R.; Cervantes, M.C.; Chajecki, Z.; Chaloupka, Petr; Chattopadhyay, S.; Chen, H.F.; Chen, J.H.; Cheng, J.; Cherney, M.; Chikanian, A.; Choi, K.E.; Christie, W.; Clarke, R.F.; Codrington, M.J.M.; Corliss, R.; Cormier, T.M.; Coserea, R. M.; Cramer, J. G.; Crawford, H. J.; Das, D.; Dash, S.; Daugherity, M.; De Silva, L.C.; Dedovich, T. G.; DePhillips, M.; Derevschikov, A.A.; de Souza, R.D.; Didenko, L.; Djawotho, P.; Dunlop, J.C.; Mazumdar, M.R.D.; Edwards, W.R.; Efimov, L.G.; Elhalhuli, E.; Elnimr, M.; Emelianov, V.; Engelage, J.; Eppley, G.; Erazmus, B.; Estienne, M.; Eun, L.; Fachini, P.; Fatemi, R.; Fedorisin, J.; Feng, A.; Filip, P.; Finch, E.; Fine, V.; Fisyak, Y.; Gagliardi, C. A.; Gaillard, L.; Ganti, M. S.; Gangaharan, D.R.; Garcia-Solis, E.J.; Geromitsos, A.; Geurts, F.; Ghazikhanian, V.; Ghosh, P.; Gorbunov, Y.N.; Gordon, A.; Grebenyuk, O.; Grosnick, D.; Grube, B.; Guertin, S.M.; Guimaraes, K.S.F.F.; Gupta, A.; Gupta, N.; Guryn, W.; Haag, B.; Hallman, T.J.; Hamed, A.; Harris, J.W.; He, W.; Heinz, M.; Heppelmann, S.; Hippolyte, B.; Hirsch, A.; Hjort, E.; Hoffman, A.M.; Hoffmann, G.W.; Hofman, D.J.; Hollis, R.S.; Huang, H.Z.; Humanic, T.J.; Igo, G.; Iordanova, A.; Jacobs, P.; Jacobs, W.W.; Jakl, Pavel; Jena, C.; Jin, F.; Jones, C.L.; Jones, P.G.; Joseph, J.; Judd, E.G.; Kabana, S.; Kajimoto, K.; Kang, K.; Kapitán, Jan; Keane, D.; Kechechyan, A.; Kettler, D.; Khodyrev, V.Yu.; Kikola, D.P.; Kiryluk, J.; Kisiel, A.; Klein, S.R.; Knospe, A.G.; Kocoloski, A.; Koetke, D.D.; Kopytine, M.; Korsch, W.; Kotchenda, L.; Kushpil, Vasilij; Kravtsov, P.; Kravtsov, V.I.; Krueger, K.; Krus, M.; Kuhn, C.; Kumar, L.; Kurnadi, P.; Lamont, M.A.C.; Landgraf, J.M.; LaPointe, S.; Lauret, J.; Lebedev, A.; Lednický, Richard; Lee, Ch.; Lee, J.H.; Leight, W.; LeVine, M.J.; Li, N.; Li, C.; Li, Y.; Lin, G.; Lindenbaum, S.J.; Lisa, M.A.; Liu, F.; Liu, J.; Liu, L.; Ljubicic, T.; Llope, W.J.; Longacre, R.S.; Love, W.A.; Lu, Y.; Ludlam, T.; Ma, G.L.; Ma, Y.G.; Mahapatra, D.P.; Majka, R.; Mall, O.I.; Mangotra, L.K.; Manweiler, R.; Margetis, S.; Markert, C.; Matis, H.S.; Matulenko, Yu.A.; McShane, T.S.; Meschanin, A.; Milner, R.; Minaev, N.G.; Mioduszewski, S.; Mischke, A.; Mitchell, J.; Mohanty, B.; Morozov, D.A.; Munhoz, M. G.; Nandi, B.K.; Nattrass, C.; Nayak, T. K.; Nelson, J.M.; Netrakanti, P.K.; Ng, M.J.; Nogach, L.V.; Nurushev, S.B.; Odyniec, G.; Ogawa, A.; Okada, H.; Okorokov, V.; Olson, D.; Pachr, M.; Page, B.S.; Pal, S.K.; Pandit, Y.; Panebratsev, Y.; Panitkin, S.Y.; Pawlak, T.; Peitzmann, T.; Perevoztchikov, V.; Perkins, C.; Peryt, W.; Phatak, S.C.; Poljak, N.; Poskanzer, A.M.; Potukuchi, B.V.K.S.; Prindle, D.; Pruneau, C.; Pruthi, N.K.; Putschke, J.; Raniwala, R.; Raniwala, S.; Ray, R.L.; Redwine, R.; Reed, R.; Ridiger, A.; Ritter, H.G.; Roberts, J.B.; Rogachevskiy, O.V.; Romero, J.L.; Rose, A.; Roy, C.; Ruan, L.; Russcher, M.J.; Sahoo, R.; Sakrejda, I.; Sakuma, T.; Salur, S.; Sandweiss, J.; Sarsour, M.; Schambach, J.; Scharenberg, R.P.; Schmitz, N.; Seger, J.; Selyuzhenkov, I.; Seyboth, P.; Shabetai, A.; Shahaliev, E.; Shao, M.; Sharma, M.; Shi, S.S.; Shi, X.H.; Sichtermann, E.P.; Simon, F.; Singaraju, R.N.; Skoby, M.J.; Smirnov, N.; Snellings, R.; Sorensen, P.; Sowinski, J.; Spinka, H.M.; Srivastava, B.; Stadnik, A.; Stanislaus, T.D.S.; Staszak, D.; Strikhanov, M.; Stringfellow, B.; Suaide, A.A.P.; Suarez, M.C.; Subba, N.L.; Šumbera, Michal; Sun, X.M.; Sun, Y.; Sun, Z.; Surrow, B.; Symons, T.J.M.; de Toledo, A. S.; Takahashi, J.; Tang, A.H.; Tang, Z.; Tarnowsky, T.; Thein, D.; Thomas, J.H.; Tian, J.; Timmins, A.R.; Timoshenko, S.; Tokarev, M. V.; Trainor, T.A.; Tram, V.N.; Trattner, A.L.; Trentalange, S.; Tribble, R. E.; Tsai, O.D.; Ulery, J.; Ullrich, T.; Underwood, D.G.; Van Buren, G.; van Leeuwen, M.; Vander Molen, A.M.; Vanfossen, J.A.; Varma, R.; Vasconcelos, G.S.M.; Vasilevski, I.M.; Vasiliev, A. N.; Videbaek, F.; Vigdor, S.E.; Viyogi, Y. P.; Vokal, S.; Voloshin, S.A.; Wada, M.; Walker, M.; Wang, F.; Wang, G.; Wang, J.S.; Wang, Q.; Wang, X.; Wang, X.L.; Wang, Y.; Webb, G.; Webb, J.C.; Westfall, G.D.; Whitten, C.; Wieman, H.; Wissink, S.W.; Witt, R.; Wu, Y.; Tlustý, David; Xie, W.; Xu, N.; Xu, Q.H.; Xu, Y.; Xu, Z.; Yang, P.; Yepes, P.; Yip, K.; Yoo, I.K.; Yue, Q.; Zawisza, M.; Zbroszczyk, H.; Zhan, W.; Zhang, S.; Zhang, W.M.; Zhang, X.P.; Zhang, Y.; Zhang, Z.; Zhao, Y.; Zhong, C.; Zhou, J.; Zoulkarneev, R.; Zoulkarneeva, Y.; Zuo, J.X.

2009-01-01

Roč. 79, č. 2 (2009), 024906/1-024906/14 ISSN 0556-2813 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA202/07/0079; GA MŠk LC07048 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10480505; CEZ:AV0Z10100502 Keywords : NET CHARGE * DYNAMICAL FLUCTUATIONS * HEAVY-ION COLLISIONS Subject RIV: BG - Nuclear, Atomic and Molecular Physics, Colliders Impact factor: 3.477, year: 2009

Band shift of 2D transition-metal dichalcogenide alloys: size and composition effects

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Yipeng; Zhang, Zhe; Ouyang, Gang

2018-04-01

Band engineering of 2D transition-metal dichalcogenides (2D-TMDs) is a vital task for their applications in electronic and optoelectronic nanodevices. In this study, we investigate the joint effect from size and composition contributions on the band shift of 2D-TMD alloys in terms of atomic bond relaxation consideration. A theoretical model is proposed to pursue the underlying mechanism, which can connect the band offset with the atomic bonding identities in the 2D-TMD alloys. We reveal that the bandgap of 2D-TMD alloys presents a bowing shape owing to the size-dependent interaction among atoms and shows blue shift or red shift due to different intermixing of components. It is demonstrated that both size and composition can be performed as the useful methods to modulate the band shift, which suggests an effective way to realize the desirable properties of 2D-TMD alloys.

Mechanism and Prediction of Gas Permeation through Sub-Nanometer Graphene Pores: Comparison of Theory and Simulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Zhe; Govind Rajan, Ananth; Misra, Rahul Prasanna; Drahushuk, Lee W; Agrawal, Kumar Varoon; Strano, Michael S; Blankschtein, Daniel

2017-08-22

Due to its atomic thickness, porous graphene with sub-nanometer pore sizes constitutes a promising candidate for gas separation membranes that exhibit ultrahigh permeances. While graphene pores can greatly facilitate gas mixture separation, there is currently no validated analytical framework with which one can predict gas permeation through a given graphene pore. In this work, we simulate the permeation of adsorptive gases, such as CO 2 and CH 4 , through sub-nanometer graphene pores using molecular dynamics simulations. We show that gas permeation can typically be decoupled into two steps: (1) adsorption of gas molecules to the pore mouth and (2) translocation of gas molecules from the pore mouth on one side of the graphene membrane to the pore mouth on the other side. We find that the translocation rate coefficient can be expressed using an Arrhenius-type equation, where the energy barrier and the pre-exponential factor can be theoretically predicted using the transition state theory for classical barrier crossing events. We propose a relation between the pre-exponential factor and the entropy penalty of a gas molecule crossing the pore. Furthermore, on the basis of the theory, we propose an efficient algorithm to calculate CO 2 and CH 4 permeances per pore for sub-nanometer graphene pores of any shape. For the CO 2 /CH 4 mixture, the graphene nanopores exhibit a trade-off between the CO 2 permeance and the CO 2 /CH 4 separation factor. This upper bound on a Robeson plot of selectivity versus permeance for a given pore density is predicted and described by the theory. Pores with CO 2 /CH 4 separation factors higher than 10 2 have CO 2 permeances per pore lower than 10 -22 mol s -1 Pa -1 , and pores with separation factors of ∼10 have CO 2 permeances per pore between 10 -22 and 10 -21 mol s -1 Pa -1 . Finally, we show that a pore density of 10 14 m -2 is required for a porous graphene membrane to exceed the permeance-selectivity upper bound of polymeric

Estimating the Initial Crack Size in a Particulate Composite Material: An Analytical and Experimental Approach

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Liu, C

2001-01-01

The objectives in this report are to: determine the inherent critical initial crack size in a particulate composite material, determine the statistical distribution function of the inherent critical crack size, normal distribution, two...

Chitosan-magnesium aluminum silicate composite dispersions: characterization of rheology, flocculate size and zeta potential.

Science.gov (United States)

Khunawattanakul, Wanwisa; Puttipipatkhachorn, Satit; Rades, Thomas; Pongjanyakul, Thaned

2008-03-03

Composite dispersions of chitosan (CS), a positively charged polymer, and magnesium aluminum silicate (MAS), a negatively charged clay, were prepared and rheology, flocculate size and zeta potential of the CS-MAS dispersions were investigated. High and low molecular weights of CS (HCS and LCS, respectively) were used in this study. Moreover, the effects of heat treatment at 60 degrees C on the characteristics of the CS-MAS dispersions and the zeta potential of MAS upon addition of CS at different pHs were examined. Incorporation of MAS into CS dispersions caused an increase in viscosity and a shift of CS flow type from Newtonian to pseudoplastic flow with thixotropic properties. Heat treatment brought about a significant decrease in viscosity and hysteresis area of the composite dispersions. Microscopic studies showed that flocculation of MAS occurred after mixing with CS. The size and polydispersity index of the HCS-MAS flocculate were greater than those of the LCS-MAS flocculate. However, a narrower size distribution and the smaller size of the HCS-MAS flocculate were found after heating at 60 degrees C. Zeta potentials of the CS-MAS flocculates were positive and slightly increased with increasing MAS content. In the zeta potential studies, the negative charge of the MAS could be neutralized by the addition of CS. Increasing the pH and molecular weight of CS resulted in higher CS concentrations required to neutralize the charge of MAS. These findings suggest that the electrostatic interaction between CS and MAS caused a change in flow behavior and flocculation of the composite dispersions, depending on the molecular weight of CS. Heat treatment affected the rheological properties and the flocculate size of the composite dispersions. Moreover, pH of medium and molecular weight of CS influence the zeta potential of MAS.

Fluctuation effects in bulk polymer phase behavior

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bates, F.S.; Rosedale, J.H.; Stepanek, P.; Lodge, T.P.; Wiltzius, P.; Hjelm R, Jr.; Fredrickson, G.H.

1990-01-01

Bulk polymer-polymer, and block copolymer, phase behaviors have traditionally been interpreted using mean-field theories. Recent small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) studies of critical phenomena in model binary polymer mixtures confirm that non-mean-field behavior is restricted to a narrow range of temperatures near the critical point, in close agreement with the Ginzburg criterion. In contrast, strong derivations from mean-field behavior are evident in SANS and rheological measurements on model block copolymers more than 50C above the order-disorder transition (ODT), which can be attributed to sizeable composition fluctuations. Such fluctuation effects undermine the mean-field assumption, conventionally applied to bulk polymers, and result in qualitative changes in phase behavior, such as the elimination of a thermodynamic stability limit in these materials. The influence of fluctuation effects on block copolymer and binary mixture phase behavior is compared and contrasted in this presentation

A novel combinatorial approach for the realization of advanced cBN composite coating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russell, W.C.; Yedave, S.N.; Sundaram, N.; Brown, W.D.; Malshe, A.P.

2001-01-01

The paper reports a novel coating process for the synthesis of hard material composite coatings. It consists of electrostatic spray coating (ESC) of powder particles (of micron-nanometer size) followed by chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) of a suitable binder phase. This novel approach enables fabrication of unique compositions such as cubic boron nitride (cBN) and titanium nitride (TiN) in a coating form. Recently, we have demonstrated the success of this technology by first coating a uniform over-layer (in excess of ∼ 10 μm) of cBN particles an carbide cutting tool inserts using ESC, followed by infiltration of particulate cBN matrix with TiN from its vapor phase using CVI to synthesize cBN-TiN a composite coating. The composite has shown excellent cBN-to-TiN and composite coating-to-carbide substrate adhesion. One of the main emphases of the paper is to discuss optimization and scale up of the ESC technology to achieve the desired microstructure and tailor the thickness across the cutting tool for better performance. Further, the cutting tools have been successfully tested for advanced machining applications. (author)

Charge-Induced Fluctuation Forces in Graphitic Nanostructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Drosdoff

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Charge fluctuations in nanocircuits with capacitor components are shown to give rise to a novel type of long-ranged interaction, which coexist with the regular Casimir–van der Waals force. The developed theory distinguishes between thermal and quantum mechanical effects, and it is applied to capacitors involving graphene nanostructures. The charge fluctuations mechanism is captured via the capacitance of the system with geometrical and quantum mechanical components. The dependence on the distance separation, temperature, size, and response properties of the system shows that this type of force can have a comparable and even dominant effect to the Casimir interaction. Our results strongly indicate that fluctuation-induced interactions due to various thermodynamic quantities can have important thermal and quantum mechanical contributions at the microscale and the nanoscale.

Statistical shear lag model - unraveling the size effect in hierarchical composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Xiaoding; Filleter, Tobin; Espinosa, Horacio D

2015-05-01

Numerous experimental and computational studies have established that the hierarchical structures encountered in natural materials, such as the brick-and-mortar structure observed in sea shells, are essential for achieving defect tolerance. Due to this hierarchy, the mechanical properties of natural materials have a different size dependence compared to that of typical engineered materials. This study aimed to explore size effects on the strength of bio-inspired staggered hierarchical composites and to define the influence of the geometry of constituents in their outstanding defect tolerance capability. A statistical shear lag model is derived by extending the classical shear lag model to account for the statistics of the constituents' strength. A general solution emerges from rigorous mathematical derivations, unifying the various empirical formulations for the fundamental link length used in previous statistical models. The model shows that the staggered arrangement of constituents grants composites a unique size effect on mechanical strength in contrast to homogenous continuous materials. The model is applied to hierarchical yarns consisting of double-walled carbon nanotube bundles to assess its predictive capabilities for novel synthetic materials. Interestingly, the model predicts that yarn gauge length does not significantly influence the yarn strength, in close agreement with experimental observations. Copyright © 2015 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of starch sizes particle as binder on short pineapple leaf fiber composite mechanical properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Selamat Mohd Zulkefli

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Pineapple leaf fiber (PLF is one of the natural fibers that abundantly can be found in Malaysia, but the usage of the pineapple plant is limited only on their fruit and the other parts to be a waste. In this study, PLF is used as the reinforcement material and starch (SH used as the matrix or binder. Both materials were combined with several compositions ratio (weight percentage of PLF/SH composites which are 50PLF/50SH, 60PLF/40SH and 70PLF/30SH. Before undergo the fabrication process, the fiber has gone through an alkaline treatment to increase the strength of the fiber and chopped with an approximate size range from 0.5 mm to 5 mm. Besides that, SH powder is sieved to gain several particulate sizes which are 75 μm, 100 μm and 250 μm. The related tests such as flexural, hardness, density tests and macrostructure analysis have been done to determine their mechanical properties of composite. Based on the results, the sample with composition of 70PL/30SH with 75 μm has shown the highest result for flexural stress which is 14.49 MPa. While, the composite with the same composition of 70PLF/30SH with particulate size SH of 250 μm has shown the highest result in the hardness of 67 Shore-D and density of 1.36 g/cm3 respectively.

Particle-size distribution modified effective medium theory and validation by magneto-dielectric Co-Ti substituted BaM ferrite composites

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Qifan; Chen, Yajie; Harris, Vincent G.

2018-05-01

This letter reports an extended effective medium theory (EMT) including particle-size distribution functions to maximize the magnetic properties of magneto-dielectric composites. It is experimentally verified by Co-Ti substituted barium ferrite (BaCoxTixFe12-2xO19)/wax composites with specifically designed particle-size distributions. In the form of an integral equation, the extended EMT formula essentially takes the size-dependent parameters of magnetic particle fillers into account. It predicts the effective permeability of magneto-dielectric composites with various particle-size distributions, indicating an optimal distribution for a population of magnetic particles. The improvement of the optimized effective permeability is significant concerning magnetic particles whose properties are strongly size dependent.

Grain size effect on Sr and Nd isotopic compositions in eolian dust. Implications for tracing dust provenance and Nd model age

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng Jinliang; Zhu Liping; Zhen Xiaolin; Hu Zhaoguo

2009-01-01

Strontium (Sr) and neodymium (Nd) isotopic compositions enable identification of dust sources and reconstruction of atmospheric dispersal pathways. The Sr and Nd isotopic compositions in eolian dust change systematically with grain size in ways not yet fully understood. This study demonstrates the grain size effect on the Sr and Nd isotopic compositions in loess and 2006 dust fall, based on analyses of seven separated grain size fractions. The analytical results indicate that Sr isotopic ratios strongly depend on the grain size fractions in samples from all types of eolian dust. In contrast, the Nd isotopic ratios exhibit little variation in loess, although they vary significantly with grain size in samples from a 2006 dust fall. Furthermore, Nd model ages tend to increase with increasing grain size in samples from all types of eolian dust. Comparatively, Sr isotopic compositions exhibit high sensitively to wind sorting, while Nd isotopic compositions show greater sensitively to dust origin. The principal cause for the different patterns of Sr and Nd isotopic composition variability with grain size appears related to the different geochemical behaviors between rubidium (Rb) and Sr, and the similar geochemical behaviors between samarium (Sm) and Nd. The Nd isotope data indicate that the various grain size fractions in loess have similar origins for each sample. In contrast, various provenance components may separate into different grain size fractions for the studied 2006 dust fall. The Sr and Nd isotope compositions further confirm that the 2006 dust fall and Pleistocene loess in Beijing have different sources. The loess deposits found in Beijing and those found on the Chinese Loess Plateau also derive from different sources. Variations between Sr and Nd isotopic compositions and Nd model ages with grain size need to be considered when directly comparing analyses of eolian dust of different grain size. (author)

Modulation of Magnetic Properties at the Nanometer Scale in Continuously Graded Ferromagnets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lorenzo Fallarino

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Ferromagnetic alloy materials with designed composition depth profiles provide an efficient route for the control of magnetism at the nanometer length scale. In this regard, cobalt-chromium and cobalt-ruthenium alloys constitute powerful model systems. They exhibit easy-to-tune magnetic properties such as saturation magnetization MS and Curie temperature TC while preserving their crystalline structure over a wide composition range. In order to demonstrate this materials design potential, we have grown a series of graded Co1−xCrx and Co1−wRuw (10 1 ¯ 0 epitaxial thin films, with x and w following predefined concentration profiles. Structural analysis measurements verify the epitaxial nature and crystallographic quality of our entire sample sets, which were designed to exhibit in-plane c-axis orientation and thus a magnetic in-plane easy axis to achieve suppression of magnetostatic domain generation. Temperature and field-dependent magnetic depth profiles have been measured by means of polarized neutron reflectometry. In both investigated structures, TC and MS are found to vary as a function of depth in accordance with the predefined compositional depth profiles. Our Co1−wRuw sample structures, which exhibit very steep material gradients, allow us to determine the localization limit for compositionally graded materials, which we find to be of the order of 1 nm. The Co1−xCrx systems show the expected U-shaped TC and MS depth profiles, for which these specific samples were designed. The corresponding temperature dependent magnetization profile is then utilized to control the coupling along the film depth, which even allows for a sharp onset of decoupling of top and bottom sample parts at elevated temperatures.

Improvement of the mechanical properties of spark plasma sintered hap bioceramics by decreasing the grain size and by adding multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veljović Đ.

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Composites based on HAP and oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (o-MWCNT and monophase HAP materials were processed by spark plasma sintering. Starting from stoichiometric nano-sized HAP powder, monophase bioceramics were obtained with a density close to the theoretical one and with an average grain size of several hundred nanometers to micron dimensions. It was shown that decreasing the sintering temperature resulted in a decrease of the grain size, which affected an increase in the fracture toughness and hardness. The fracture toughness of an HAP/ o-MWCNT bioceramic processed at 900°C for only 5 min was 30 % higher than that of monophase HAP materials obtained under the same conditions. The addition of MWCNT during SPS processing of HAP materials caused a decrease in the grain size to the nano-dimension, which was one of the reasons for the improved mechanical properties. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III45019 i FP7-REGPOT-2009-1 NANOTECH FTM, Grant Agreement Number: 245916

Effect of Stone Size and Composition on Ultrasonic Propulsion Ex Vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Janssen, Karmon M; Brand, Timothy C; Bailey, Michael R; Cunitz, Bryan W; Harper, Jonathan D; Sorensen, Mathew D; Dunmire, Barbrina

2018-01-01

To evaluate in more detail the effectiveness of a new designed more efficient ultrasonic propulsion for large stones and specific stone compositions in a tissue phantom model. In the first clinical trial of noninvasive ultrasonic propulsion, urinary stones of unknown compositions and sizes up to 10 mm were successfully repositioned. The study included 8- to 12-mm stones of 4 different primary compositions (calcium oxalate monohydrate, ammonium acid urate, calcium phosphate, and struvite) and a renal calyx phantom consisting of a 12 mm × 30 mm well in a 10-cm block of tissue-mimicking material. Primary outcome was the number of times a stone was expelled over 10 attempts, with ultrasonic propulsion burst duration varying from 0.5 seconds to 5 seconds. Overall success rate at expelling stones was 95%. All calcium oxalate monohydrate and ammonium acid urate stones were expelled 100% of the time. The largest stone (12 mm) became lodged within the 12-mm phantom calyx 25% of the time regardless of the burst duration. With the 0.5-second burst, there was insufficient energy to expel the heaviest stone (0.88 g), but there was sufficient energy at the longer burst durations. With a single burst, ultrasonic propulsion successfully moved most stones at least 3 cm and, regardless of size or composition, expelled them from the calyx. Ultrasonic propulsion is limited to the stones smaller than the calyceal space, and for each burst duration, related to maximum stone mass. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Semi-empirical formula for large pore-size estimation from o-Ps annihilation lifetime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen Duc Thanh; Tran Quoc Dung; Luu Anh Tuyen; Khuong Thanh Tuan

2007-01-01

The o-Ps annihilation rate in large pore was investigated by the semi-classical approach. The semi-empirical formula that simply correlates between the pore size and the o-Ps lifetime was proposed. The calculated results agree well with experiment in the range from some angstroms to several ten nanometers size of pore. (author)

Effect of nanometer scale surface roughness of titanium for osteoblast function

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Satoshi Migita

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Surface roughness is an important property for metallic materials used in medical implants or other devices. The present study investigated the effects of surface roughness on cellular function, namely cell attachment, proliferation, and differentiation potential. Titanium (Ti discs, with a hundred nanometer- or nanometer-scale surface roughness (rough and smooth Ti surface, respectively were prepared by polishing with silicon carbide paper. MC3T3-E1 mouse osteoblast-like cells were cultured on the discs, and their attachment, spreading area, proliferation, and calcification were analyzed. Cells cultured on rough Ti discs showed reduced attachment, proliferation, and calcification ability suggesting that the surface inhibited osteoblast function. The findings can provide a basis for improving the biocompatibility of medical devices.

The ongoing saga surrounding the velocity fluctuations in sedimentation

Science.gov (United States)

Brenner, Michael P.

2002-11-01

Particles moving through a viscous fluid interact with each other, because each individual particle drags fluid along with it, which then pulls on other particles. In a low Reynolds number sediment, such hydrodynamic interactions are extremely strong, even when the particles are well separated. Despite more than a century of research, the character of the particle motions in a dilute suspension of heavy particles is highly controversial: In 1985, Caflisch and Luke presented an extremely simple argument indicating that the velocity fluctuations in such a sediment should diverge with the system size. Experiments have mainly contradicted this conclusion, leading to the hope that there is a (perhaps universal) ''screening mechanism'' controlling the size of the fluctuations. In this lecture I will review the history of this problem, and then present the results of our recent research which indicates that the velocity fluctuations are highly nonuniversal and system size dependent, depending subtley on both the shape of the container holding the sediment and any particle stratification that develops during an experiment. Experiments, numerical simulations and theory are presented that quantitatively support this point of view. This work is in collaboration with P. J. Mucha and the experimental group of D. A. Weitz: (S. Tee, S. Manley and L. Cippelletti).

Work and power fluctuations in a critical heat engine

Science.gov (United States)

Holubec, Viktor; Ryabov, Artem

2017-09-01

We investigate fluctuations of output work for a class of Stirling heat engines with working fluid composed of interacting units and compare these fluctuations to an average work output. In particular, we focus on engine performance close to a critical point where Carnot's efficiency may be attained at a finite power as reported by M. Campisi and R. Fazio [Nat. Commun. 7, 11895 (2016), 10.1038/ncomms11895]. We show that the variance of work output per cycle scales with the same critical exponent as the heat capacity of the working fluid. As a consequence, the relative work fluctuation diverges unless the output work obeys a rather strict scaling condition, which would be very hard to fulfill in practice. Even under this condition, the fluctuations of work and power do not vanish in the infinite system size limit. Large fluctuations of output work thus constitute inseparable and dominant element in performance of the macroscopic heat engines close to a critical point.

Work and power fluctuations in a critical heat engine.

Science.gov (United States)

Holubec, Viktor; Ryabov, Artem

2017-09-01

We investigate fluctuations of output work for a class of Stirling heat engines with working fluid composed of interacting units and compare these fluctuations to an average work output. In particular, we focus on engine performance close to a critical point where Carnot's efficiency may be attained at a finite power as reported by M. Campisi and R. Fazio [Nat. Commun. 7, 11895 (2016)2041-172310.1038/ncomms11895]. We show that the variance of work output per cycle scales with the same critical exponent as the heat capacity of the working fluid. As a consequence, the relative work fluctuation diverges unless the output work obeys a rather strict scaling condition, which would be very hard to fulfill in practice. Even under this condition, the fluctuations of work and power do not vanish in the infinite system size limit. Large fluctuations of output work thus constitute inseparable and dominant element in performance of the macroscopic heat engines close to a critical point.

Predicting Fluctuations in Cryptocurrency Transactions Based on User Comments and Replies.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Young Bin; Kim, Jun Gi; Kim, Wook; Im, Jae Ho; Kim, Tae Hyeong; Kang, Shin Jin; Kim, Chang Hun

2016-01-01

This paper proposes a method to predict fluctuations in the prices of cryptocurrencies, which are increasingly used for online transactions worldwide. Little research has been conducted on predicting fluctuations in the price and number of transactions of a variety of cryptocurrencies. Moreover, the few methods proposed to predict fluctuation in currency prices are inefficient because they fail to take into account the differences in attributes between real currencies and cryptocurrencies. This paper analyzes user comments in online cryptocurrency communities to predict fluctuations in the prices of cryptocurrencies and the number of transactions. By focusing on three cryptocurrencies, each with a large market size and user base, this paper attempts to predict such fluctuations by using a simple and efficient method.

Fabrication and Enhanced Thermoelectric Properties of Alumina Nanoparticle-Dispersed Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 Matrix Composites

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Kyung Tae Kim

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Alumina nanoparticle-dispersed bismuth-antimony-tellurium matrix (Al2O3/BST composite powders were fabricated by using ball milling process of alumina nanoparticle about 10 nm and p-type bismuth telluride nanopowders prepared from the mechanochemical process (MCP. The fabricated Al2O3/BST composite powders were a few hundreds of nanometer in size, with a clear Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 phase. The composite powders were consolidated into p-type bulk composite by spark plasma sintering process. High-resolution TEM images reveal that alumina nanoparticles were dispersed among the grain boundary or in the matrix grain. The sintered 0.3 vol.% Al2O3/BST composite exhibited significantly improved power factor and reduced thermal conductivity in the temperature ranging from 293 to 473 K compared to those of pure BST. From these results, the highly increased ZT value of 1.5 was obtained from 0.3 vol.% Al2O3/BST composite at 323 K.

A comparison of texture results obtained using precession electron diffraction and neutron diffraction methods at diminishing length scales in ordered bimetallic nanolamellar composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carpenter, J.S.; Liu, X.; Darbal, A.; Nuhfer, N.T.; McCabe, R.J.; Vogel, S.C.; LeDonne, J.E.; Rollett, A.D.; Barmak, K.; Beyerlein, I.J.; Mara, N.A.

2012-01-01

Precession electron diffraction (PED) is used to acquire orientation information in Cu–Nb nanolamellar composites fabricated by accumulative roll bonding (ARB). The resulting maps quantify the grain size, shape, orientation distributions and interface planes in the vicinity of nanometer-thick deformation twins. The PED-based texture results compare favorably with bulk textures provided by neutron diffraction measurements, indicating uniformity in the ARB Cu–Nb texture. Additionally, {1 1 2} Cu ||{1 1 2} Nb interfaces are present, suggesting that ARB techniques can lead to stable interfaces with a special crystallography.

Mesoporous metal oxide microsphere electrode compositions and their methods of making

Science.gov (United States)

Parans Paranthaman, Mariappan; Bi, Zhonghe; Bridges, Craig A.; Brown, Gilbert M.

2017-04-11

Compositions and methods of making are provided for treated mesoporous metal oxide microspheres electrodes. The compositions include microspheres with an average diameter between about 200 nanometers and about 10 micrometers and mesopores on the surface and interior of the microspheres. The methods of making include forming a mesoporous metal oxide microsphere composition and treating the mesoporous metal oxide microspheres by at least annealing in a reducing atmosphere, doping with an aliovalent element, and coating with a coating composition.

Intraspecific variation in egg size and egg composition in birds: effects on offspring fitness.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, T D

1994-02-01

1. There is little unequivocal evidence to date in support of a positive relationship between egg size and offspring fitness in birds. Although 40 studies (of 34 species) have considered the effect of variation in egg size on chick growth and/or survival up to fledgling only 12 studies have controlled for other characters potentially correlated both with egg size and offspring fitness. Of these only two have reported a significant residual effect of egg size on chick growth (in the roseate tern and European blackbird) and three a residual effect on chick survival (all in seabirds: common tern, lesser black-backed gull and kittiwake). 2. More consistent evidence exists, though from fewer studies, for a positive relationship between egg size and offspring fitness early in the chick-rearing period; chick growth and chick survival being dependent on egg size in 8 of 10 studies and 4 of 5 studies respectively. It is suggested that the most important effect of variation in egg size might be in determining the probability of offspring survival in the first few days after hatching. 3. Egg size explains on average 66% of the variation in chick mass at hatching (n = 35 studies) but only 30% of the variation in chick body size (n = 18). When effects of hatching body size are controlled for chick mass remains significantly correlated with egg size, though the reverse is not true. This supports the hypothesis that large eggs give rise to heavier chicks at hatching, i.e., chicks with more nutrient (yolk) reserves, rather than structurally larger chicks. 4. Egg composition increased isometrically with increasing egg size in about half the studies so far reported (n equals approximately 20). However, in seabirds, and some passerines, larger eggs contain disproportionately more albumen, whilst in some waterfowl percentage yolk content increases with increasing egg size. Changes in albumen content largely reflect variation in the water content of eggs, but changes in yolk content

Imaging Action Potential in Single Mammalian Neurons by Tracking the Accompanying Sub-Nanometer Mechanical Motion.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yunze; Liu, Xian-Wei; Wang, Hui; Yu, Hui; Guan, Yan; Wang, Shaopeng; Tao, Nongjian

2018-03-28

Action potentials in neurons have been studied traditionally by intracellular electrophysiological recordings and more recently by the fluorescence detection methods. Here we describe a label-free optical imaging method that can measure mechanical motion in single cells with a sub-nanometer detection limit. Using the method, we have observed sub-nanometer mechanical motion accompanying the action potential in single mammalian neurons by averaging the repeated action potential spikes. The shape and width of the transient displacement are similar to those of the electrically recorded action potential, but the amplitude varies from neuron to neuron, and from one region of a neuron to another, ranging from 0.2-0.4 nm. The work indicates that action potentials may be studied noninvasively in single mammalian neurons by label-free imaging of the accompanying sub-nanometer mechanical motion.

Copper-micrometer-sized diamond nanostructured composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nunes, D; Livramento, V; Fernandes, H; Silva, C; Carvalho, P A; Shohoji, N; Correia, J B

2011-01-01

Reinforcement of a copper matrix with diamond enables tailoring the properties demanded for thermal management applications at high temperature, such as the ones required for heat sink materials in low activated nuclear fusion reactors. For an optimum compromise between thermal conductivity and mechanical properties, a novel approach based on multiscale diamond dispersions is proposed: a Cu-nanodiamond composite produced by milling is used as a nanostructured matrix for further dispersion of micrometer-sized diamond (μDiamond). A series of Cu-nanodiamond mixtures have been milled to establish a suitable nanodiamond fraction. A refined matrix with homogeneously dispersed nanoparticles was obtained with 4 at.% μDiamond for posterior mixture with microdiamond and subsequent consolidation. Preliminary consolidation by hot extrusion of a mixture of pure copper and μDiamond has been carried out to define optimal processing parameters. The materials produced were characterized by x-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy and microhardness measurements.

Polymer/Layered Silicate Nano composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bakhit, M.E.E.H.

2012-01-01

Polymer–clay nano composites have attracted the attention of many researchers and experimental results are presented in a large number of recent papers and patents because of the outstanding mechanical properties and low gas permeabilities that are achieved in many cases. Polymer-clay nano composites are a new class of mineral-field polymer that contain relatively small amounts (<10%) of nanometer-sized clay particles. Polymer/clay nano composites have their origin in the pioneering research conducted at Toyota Central Research Laboratories and the first historical record goes back to 1987. The matrix was nylon-6 and the filler MMT. Because of its many advantages such as high mechanical properties, good gas barrier, flame retardation, etc. polymer/clay nano composites have been intensely investigated and is currently the subject of many research programs. Nano composite materials are commercially important and several types of products with different shapes and applications including food packaging films and containers, engine parts, dental materials, etc. are now available in markets. A number of synthesis routes have been developed in the recent years to prepare these materials, which include intercalation of polymers or prepolymers from solution, in-situ polymerization, melt intercalation etc. In this study, new nano composite materials were produced from the components of rubber (Nbr, SBR and EPDM) as the polymeric matrix and organically modified quaternary alkylammonium montmorillonite in different contents (3, 5, 7, and 10 phr) as the filler by using an extruder then, the rubber nano composite sheets were irradiated at a dose of 0, 50, 75, 100 and 150 KGy using Electron beam Irradiation technique as a crosslinking agent. These new materials can be characterized by using various analytical techniques including X-ray diffractometer XRD, Thermogravimetric analyzer TGA, scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM),Fourier transform

Structure and electrochemical properties of nanometer Cu substituted α-nickel hydroxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bao, Jie [School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, WaiHuan Xi Road, No. 100, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong Province (China); Zhu, Yanjuan, E-mail: YanJuanZhu007@126.com [School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, WaiHuan Xi Road, No. 100, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong Province (China); Zhang, Zhongju [Guangzhou Tiger Head Battery Group Co., Ltd., 568 Huangpu Road, Guangzhou 510655, Guangdong Province (China); Xu, Qingsheng; Zhao, Weiren [School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, WaiHuan Xi Road, No. 100, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong Province (China); Chen, Jian [Instrumentation Analysis and Research Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, Guangdong Province (China); Zhang, Wei; Han, Quanyong [School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, WaiHuan Xi Road, No. 100, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong Province (China)

2013-02-15

Graphical abstract: Display Omitted Highlights: ► Cu substituted α-nickel hydroxide was prepared by ultrasonic assisted precipitation. ► The XRD peaks are anisotropic broadening. ► The electrode for 0.9 wt.% Cu has the highest capacity of 310 mAh/g at 0.2 C. -- Abstract: Nanometer Cu-substituted α-nickel hydroxide was synthesized by means of ultrasonic-assisted precipitation. Particle size distribution (PSD) measurement, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM) were used to characterize the physical properties of the synthesized samples. The results indicate that the average particle size of the samples is about 96–110 nm and the XRD diffraction peaks are anisotropic broadening. The crystal grains are mainly polycrystal structure with columnar or needle-like morphology, containing many defects. With increase of Cu content, the shape of primary particles transform from columnar to needle-like. The influences of doping amounts of Cu on the electrochemical performance were investigated through constant current charge/discharge and cyclic voltammetric measurements. The specific capacity increases initially and then decreases with increasing Cu-doping ratio, the electrode C containing 0.9 wt.% Cu shows the maximum discharge capacity of 310 mAh/g at 0.2 C, and it has the lowest charging voltage, higher discharge voltage plateau, better cycle performance and larger proton diffusion coefficient than the other electrodes.

Effects of Styrene-Acrylic Sizing on the Mechanical Properties of Carbon Fiber Thermoplastic Towpregs and Their Composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Bowman, Sean; Jiang, Qiuran; Memon, Hafeezullah; Qiu, Yiping; Liu, Wanshuang; Wei, Yi

2018-03-01

Thermoplastic towpregs are convenient and scalable raw materials for the fabrication of continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic matrix composites. In this paper, the potential to employ epoxy and styrene-acrylic sizing agents was evaluated for the making of carbon fiber thermoplastic towpregs via a powder-coating method. The protective effects and thermal stability of these sizing agents were investigated by single fiber tensile test and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurement. The results indicate that the epoxy sizing agent provides better protection to carbon fibers, but it cannot be used for thermoplastic towpreg processing due to its poor chemical stability at high temperature. The bending rigidity of the tows and towpregs with two styrene-acrylic sizing agents was measured by cantilever and Kawabata methods. The styrene-acrylic sized towpregs show low torque values, and are suitable for further processing, such as weaving, preforming, and winding. Finally, composite panels were fabricated directly from the towpregs by hot compression molding. Both of the composite panels show superior flexural strength (>400 MPa), flexural modulus (>63 GPa), and interlaminar shear strength (>27 MPa), indicating the applicability of these two styrene-acrylic sizing agents for carbon fiber thermoplastic towpregs.

Effects of Styrene-Acrylic Sizing on the Mechanical Properties of Carbon Fiber Thermoplastic Towpregs and Their Composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sean Bowman

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Thermoplastic towpregs are convenient and scalable raw materials for the fabrication of continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic matrix composites. In this paper, the potential to employ epoxy and styrene-acrylic sizing agents was evaluated for the making of carbon fiber thermoplastic towpregs via a powder-coating method. The protective effects and thermal stability of these sizing agents were investigated by single fiber tensile test and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC measurement. The results indicate that the epoxy sizing agent provides better protection to carbon fibers, but it cannot be used for thermoplastic towpreg processing due to its poor chemical stability at high temperature. The bending rigidity of the tows and towpregs with two styrene-acrylic sizing agents was measured by cantilever and Kawabata methods. The styrene-acrylic sized towpregs show low torque values, and are suitable for further processing, such as weaving, preforming, and winding. Finally, composite panels were fabricated directly from the towpregs by hot compression molding. Both of the composite panels show superior flexural strength (>400 MPa, flexural modulus (>63 GPa, and interlaminar shear strength (>27 MPa, indicating the applicability of these two styrene-acrylic sizing agents for carbon fiber thermoplastic towpregs.

Surface enhanced Raman scattering of gold nanoparticles supported on copper foil with graphene as a nanometer gap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiang, Quan; Zhu, Xupeng; Chen, Yiqin; Duan, Huigao

2016-01-01

Gaps with single-nanometer dimensions (<10 nm) between metallic nanostructures enable giant local field enhancements for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Monolayer graphene is an ideal candidate to obtain a sub-nanometer gap between plasmonic nanostructures. In this work, we demonstrate a simple method to achieve a sub-nanometer gap by dewetting a gold film supported on monolayer graphene grown on copper foil. The Cu foil can serve as a low-loss plasmonically active metallic film that supports the imaginary charge oscillations, while the graphene can not only create a stable sub-nanometer gap for massive plasmonic field enhancements but also serve as a chemical enhancer. We obtained higher SERS enhancements in this graphene-gapped configuration compared to those in Au nanoparticles on Cu film or on graphene–SiO 2 –Si. Also, the Raman signals measured maintained their fine features and intensities over a long time period, indicating the stability of this Au–graphene–Cu hybrid configuration as an SERS substrate. (paper)

A system for aerodynamically sizing ultrafine environmental radioactive particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olawoyin, L.

1995-09-01

The unattached environmental radioactive particles/clusters, produced mainly by 222 Rn in indoor air, are usually few nanometers in size. The inhalation of these radioactive clusters can lead to deposition of radioactivity on the mucosal surface of the tracheobronchial tree. The ultimate size of the cluster together with the flow characteristics will determine the depositional site in the human lung and thus, the extent of damage that can be caused. Thus, there exists the need for the determination of the size of the radioactive clusters. However, the existing particle measuring device have low resolution in the sub-nanometer range. In this research, a system for the alternative detection and measurement of the size of particles/cluster in the less than 2 nm range have been developed. The system is a one stage impactor which has a solid state spectrometer as its impaction plate. It's major feature is the nozzle-to-plate separation, L. The particle size collected changes with L and thus, particle size spectroscopy is achieved by varying L. The number of collected particles is determined by alpha spectroscopy. The size-discriminating ability of the system was tested with laboratory generated radon particles and it was subsequently used to characterize the physical (size) changes associated with the interaction of radon progeny with water vapor and short chain alcohols in various support gases. The theory of both traditional and high velocity jet impactors together with the design and evaluation of the system developed in this study are discussed in various chapters of this dissertation. The major results obtained in the course of the study are also presented

A system for aerodynamically sizing ultrafine environmental radioactive particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Olawoyin, L.

1995-09-01

The unattached environmental radioactive particles/clusters, produced mainly by {sup 222}Rn in indoor air, are usually few nanometers in size. The inhalation of these radioactive clusters can lead to deposition of radioactivity on the mucosal surface of the tracheobronchial tree. The ultimate size of the cluster together with the flow characteristics will determine the depositional site in the human lung and thus, the extent of damage that can be caused. Thus, there exists the need for the determination of the size of the radioactive clusters. However, the existing particle measuring device have low resolution in the sub-nanometer range. In this research, a system for the alternative detection and measurement of the size of particles/cluster in the less than 2 nm range have been developed. The system is a one stage impactor which has a solid state spectrometer as its impaction plate. It`s major feature is the nozzle-to-plate separation, L. The particle size collected changes with L and thus, particle size spectroscopy is achieved by varying L. The number of collected particles is determined by alpha spectroscopy. The size-discriminating ability of the system was tested with laboratory generated radon particles and it was subsequently used to characterize the physical (size) changes associated with the interaction of radon progeny with water vapor and short chain alcohols in various support gases. The theory of both traditional and high velocity jet impactors together with the design and evaluation of the system developed in this study are discussed in various chapters of this dissertation. The major results obtained in the course of the study are also presented.

Size-segregated compositional analysis of aerosol particles collected in the European Arctic during the ACCACIA campaign

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Young

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Single-particle compositional analysis of filter samples collected on board the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM BAe-146 aircraft is presented for six flights during the springtime Aerosol–Cloud Coupling and Climate Interactions in the Arctic (ACCACIA campaign (March–April 2013. Scanning electron microscopy was utilised to derive size-segregated particle compositions and size distributions, and these were compared to corresponding data from wing-mounted optical particle counters. Reasonable agreement between the calculated number size distributions was found. Significant variability in composition was observed, with differing external and internal mixing identified, between air mass trajectory cases based on HYbrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT analyses. Dominant particle classes were silicate-based dusts and sea salts, with particles notably rich in K and Ca detected in one case. Source regions varied from the Arctic Ocean and Greenland through to northern Russia and the European continent. Good agreement between the back trajectories was mirrored by comparable compositional trends between samples. Silicate dusts were identified in all cases, and the elemental composition of the dust was consistent for all samples except one. It is hypothesised that long-range, high-altitude transport was primarily responsible for this dust, with likely sources including the Asian arid regions.

Molecular size-dependent abundance and composition of dissolved organic matter in river, lake and sea waters.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Huacheng; Guo, Laodong

2017-06-15

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is ubiquitous in natural waters. The ecological role and environmental fate of DOM are highly related to the chemical composition and size distribution. To evaluate size-dependent DOM quantity and quality, water samples were collected from river, lake, and coastal marine environments and size fractionated through a series of micro- and ultra-filtrations with different membranes having different pore-sizes/cutoffs, including 0.7, 0.4, and 0.2 μm and 100, 10, 3, and 1 kDa. Abundance of dissolved organic carbon, total carbohydrates, chromophoric and fluorescent components in the filtrates decreased consistently with decreasing filter/membrane cutoffs, but with a rapid decline when the filter cutoff reached 3 kDa, showing an evident size-dependent DOM abundance and composition. About 70% of carbohydrates and 90% of humic- and protein-like components were measured in the definition of DOM and its size continuum in quantity and quality in aquatic environments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Palaeoenvironmental implication of grain-size compositions of terrace deposits on the western Chinese Loess Plateau

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xingxing; Sun, Youbin; Vandenberghe, Jef; Li, Ying; An, Zhisheng

2018-06-01

Sedimentary sequences that developed on river terraces have been widely investigated to reconstruct high-resolution palaeoclimatic changes since the last deglaciation. However, frequent changes in sedimentary facies make palaeoenvironmental interpretation of grain-size variations relatively complicated. In this paper, we employed multiple grain-size parameters to discriminate the sedimentary characteristics of aeolian and fluvial facies in the Dadiwan (DDW) section on the western Chinese Loess Plateau. We found that wind and fluvial dynamics have quite different impacts on the grain-size compositions, with distinctive imprints on the distribution pattern. By using a lognormal distribution fitting approach, two major grain-size components sensitive to aeolian and fluvial processes, respectively, were distinguished from the grain-size compositions of the DDW terrace deposits. The fine grain-size component (GSC2) represents mixing of long-distance aeolian and short-distance fluvial inputs, whilst the coarse grain-size component (GSC3) is mainly transported by wind from short-distance sources. Thus GSC3 can be used to infer the wind intensity. Grain-size variations reveal that the wind intensity experienced a stepwise shift from large-amplitude variations during the last deglaciation to small-amplitude oscillations in the Holocene, corresponding well to climate changes from regional to global context.

Polypyrrole-palladium nanocomposite coating of micrometer-sized polymer particles toward a recyclable catalyst.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujii, Syuji; Matsuzawa, Soichiro; Hamasaki, Hiroyuki; Nakamura, Yoshinobu; Bouleghlimat, Azzedine; Buurma, Niklaas J

2012-02-07

A range of near-monodisperse, multimicrometer-sized polymer particles has been coated with ultrathin overlayers of polypyrrole-palladium (PPy-Pd) nanocomposite by chemical oxidative polymerization of pyrrole using PdCl(2) as an oxidant in aqueous media. Good control over the targeted PPy-Pd nanocomposite loading is achieved for 5.2 μm diameter polystyrene (PS) particles, and PS particles of up to 84 μm diameter can also be efficiently coated with the PPy-Pd nanocomposite. The seed polymer particles and resulting composite particles were extensively characterized with respect to particle size and size distribution, morphology, surface/bulk chemical compositions, and conductivity. Laser diffraction studies of dilute aqueous suspensions indicate that the polymer particles disperse stably before and after nanocoating with the PPy-Pd nanocomposite. The Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrum of the PS particles coated with the PPy-Pd nanocomposite overlayer is dominated by the underlying particle, since this is the major component (>96% by mass). Thermogravimetric and elemental analysis indicated that PPy-Pd nanocomposite loadings were below 6 wt %. The conductivity of pressed pellets prepared with the nanocomposite-coated particles increased with a decrease of particle diameter because of higher PPy-Pd nanocomposite loading. "Flattened ball" morphologies were observed by scanning/transmission electron microscopy after extraction of the PS component from the composite particles, which confirmed a PS core and a PPy-Pd nanocomposite shell morphology. X-ray diffraction confirmed the production of elemental Pd and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies indicated the existence of elemental Pd on the surface of the composite particles. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed that nanometer-sized Pd particles were distributed in the shell. Near-monodisperse poly(methyl methacrylate) particles with diameters ranging between 10 and 19 μm have been also successfully

A study of interaction effect theoretical with combination size grain on magnetics in of permanent magnet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tarihoran, Doansi; Manaf, Azwar

2002-01-01

Stoner-Wohlfarth theory, SW shows a deviation around 30-40% to the measurement result of a permanent magnetic material with nanometer-sized grains. This is caused by this theory neglecting the interacting grain factor. This research modifies SW theory by calculating the grain interacting effect. The modification is made by assuming the interacting energy of a mono-domain grain has ellipsoidal shaped focused at the edge of the grain. SW grain in this calculation model is a box-shaped in a grain with edges of the box placed in the skin's grain. The result shows that interacting effect make remanent polarization increasing drastically and coercive field value decreasing when grain's size reaches 20% of size of the first mono-domain grain. For material with ND 2 Fe 14 B phase, the optimum coercive field value and remanent polarization that producing maximum product energy, (BH) m ax obtained in a material with 5 nanometer-size grains. Qualitatively there is as appropriate result between the calculation and measurement

Ferroelectric properties of composites containing BaTiO3 nanoparticles of various sizes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adam, Jens; Lehnert, Tobias; Klein, Gabi; McMeeking, Robert M

2014-01-01

Size effects, including the occurrence of superparaelectric phases associated with small scale, are a significant research topic for ferroelectrics. Relevant phenomena have been explored in detail, e.g. for homogeneous, thin ferroelectric films, but the related effects associated with nanoparticles are usually only inferred from their structural properties. In contrast, this paper describes all the steps and concepts necessary for the direct characterization and quantitative assessment of the ferroelectric properties of as-synthesized and as-received nanoparticles. The method adopted uses electrical polarization measurements on polymer matrix composites containing ferroelectric nanoparticles. It is applied to ten different BaTiO 3 particle types covering a size range from 10 nm to 0.8 μm. The influence of variations of particle characteristics such as tetragonality and dielectric constant is considered based on measurements of these properties. For composites containing different particle types a clearly differing polarization behaviour is found. For decreasing particle size, increasing electric field is required to achieve a given level of polarization. The size dependence of a measure related to the coercive field revealed by this work is qualitatively in line with the state of the knowledge for ferroelectrics having small dimensions. For the first time, such results and size effects are described based on data from experiments on collections of actual nanoparticles. (paper)

Ferroelectric properties of composites containing BaTiO 3 nanoparticles of various sizes

Science.gov (United States)

Adam, Jens; Lehnert, Tobias; Klein, Gabi; McMeeking, Robert M.

2014-01-01

Size effects, including the occurrence of superparaelectric phases associated with small scale, are a significant research topic for ferroelectrics. Relevant phenomena have been explored in detail, e.g. for homogeneous, thin ferroelectric films, but the related effects associated with nanoparticles are usually only inferred from their structural properties. In contrast, this paper describes all the steps and concepts necessary for the direct characterization and quantitative assessment of the ferroelectric properties of as-synthesized and as-received nanoparticles. The method adopted uses electrical polarization measurements on polymer matrix composites containing ferroelectric nanoparticles. It is applied to ten different BaTiO3 particle types covering a size range from 10 nm to 0.8 μm. The influence of variations of particle characteristics such as tetragonality and dielectric constant is considered based on measurements of these properties. For composites containing different particle types a clearly differing polarization behaviour is found. For decreasing particle size, increasing electric field is required to achieve a given level of polarization. The size dependence of a measure related to the coercive field revealed by this work is qualitatively in line with the state of the knowledge for ferroelectrics having small dimensions. For the first time, such results and size effects are described based on data from experiments on collections of actual nanoparticles.

Comprehensive Characterization Of Ultrafine Particulate Emission From 2007 Diesel Engines: PM Size Distribution, Loading And Indidividual Particle Size And Composition.

Science.gov (United States)

Zelenyuk, A.; Cuadra-Rodriguez, L. A.; Imre, D.; Shimpi, S.; Warey, A.

2006-12-01

The strong absorption of solar radiation by black carbon (BC) impacts the atmospheric radiative balance in a complex and significant manner. One of the most important sources of BC is vehicular emissions, of which diesel represents a significant fraction. To address this issue the EPA has issues new stringent regulations that will be in effect in 2007, limiting the amount of particulate mass that can be emitted by diesel engines. The new engines are equipped with aftertreatments that reduce PM emissions to the point, where filter measurements are subject to significant artifacts and characterization by other techniques presents new challenges. We will present the results of the multidisciplinary study conducted at the Cummins Technical Center in which a suite of instruments was deployed to yield comprehensive, temporally resolved information on the diesel exhaust particle loadings and properties in real-time: Particle size distributions were measured by Engine Exhaust Particle Sizer (EEPS) and Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS). Total particle diameter concentration was obtained using Electrical Aerosol Detector (EAD). Laser Induced Incandescence and photoacoustic techniques were used to monitor the PM soot content. Single Particle Laser Ablation Time-of- flight Mass Spectrometer (SPLAT) provided the aerodynamic diameter and chemical composition of individual diesel exhaust particles. Measurements were conducted on a number of heavy duty diesel engines operated under variety of operating conditions, including FTP transient cycles, ramped-modal cycles and steady states runs. We have also characterized PM emissions during diesel particulate filter regeneration cycles. We will present a comparison of PM characteristics observed during identical cycles, but with and without the use of aftertreatment. A total of approximately 100,000 individual particles were sized and their composition characterized by SPLAT. The aerodynamic size distributions of the characterized

Minimum bar size for flexure testing of irradiated SiC/SiC composite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Youngblood, G.E.; Jones, R.H.

1998-01-01

This report covers material presented at the IEA/Jupiter Joint International Workshop on SiC/SiC Composites for Fusion structural Applications held in conjunction with ICFRM-8, Sendai, Japan, Oct. 23-24, 1997. The minimum bar size for 4-point flexure testing of SiC/SiC composite recommended by PNNL for irradiation effects studies is 30 x 6 x 2 mm 3 with a span-to-depth ratio of 10/1

Synthesis, Characterization, and NIR Reflectance of Highly Dispersed NiTiO3 and NiTiO3/TiO2 Composite Pigments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuping Tong

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The highly dispersed nanostructured NiTiO3 pigments and NiTiO3/TiO2 composite pigments can be synthesized at relative low temperature. The activation energy of crystal growth of NiTiO3 during calcinations via salt-assistant combustion method is 9.35 kJ/mol. The UV-vis spectra results revealed that the absorbance decreased with the increasing of calcinations temperature due to small size effect of nanometer particles. The optical data of NiTiO3 nanocrystals were analyzed at the near-absorption edge. SEM showed that the obtained NiTiO3 nanocrystals and NiTiO3/TiO2 nanocomposite were composed of highly dispersed spherical-like and spherical particles with uniform size distribution, respectively. The chromatic properties and diffuse reflectance of samples were investigated. The obtained NiTiO3/TiO2 composite samples have higher NIR reflectance than NiTiO3 pigments.

Characterization of composite materials based on Fe powder (core ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

PFR) modified with tetraethylorthosilicate are investigated in detail. The chemical synthesis of PFR, its modification with nanometer-sized SiO2 particles created by sol–gel method and subsequent coating, enables a preparation of insulating ...

Wetting at the nanometer scale: effects of long-range forces and substrate heterogeneities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Checco, Antonio

2003-01-01

Wetting phenomena on the nano-scale remain poorly understood in spite of their growing theoretical and practical interest. In this context, the present work aimed at studying partial wetting of nanometer-sized alkane droplets on 'model' surfaces build by self-assembly of organic monolayers. For this purpose a novel technique, based on 'noncontact' Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), has been developed to image, with minimal artefacts, drops of adjustable size directly condensed on so- lid surfaces. We have thus shown that contact angle of alkanes, wetting a weakly heterogeneous, silanized substrate, noticeably decreases from its macroscopic value for droplets sizes in the submicron range. The line tension, arising in this case from purely dispersive long-range interactions between the liquid and the substrate, is theoretically too weak to be responsible for the observed effect. Therefore we have supposed that contact angle is affected by mesoscopic chemical heterogeneities of the substrate whenever the droplets size becomes sufficiently small. This scenario has been supported by numerical simulations based on a simplified model of the spatial distribution of surface defects. Similar experiments, performed on different substrates (monolayers made of alkane-thiols self-assembled on gold and of alkyl chains covalently bound onto a silicon surface), have also shown that wetting on small scales is strongly affected by minimal physical and chemical surface heterogeneities. Finally, to provide further examples of the potential of the above mentioned AFM technique, we have studied the wettability of nano-structured surfaces and the local wetting properties of hair. (author) [fr

Isolating the effect of pore size distribution on electrochemical double-layer capacitance using activated fluid coke

Science.gov (United States)

Zuliani, Jocelyn E.; Tong, Shitang; Kirk, Donald W.; Jia, Charles Q.

2015-12-01

Electrochemical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) use physical ion adsorption in the capacitive electrical double layer of high specific surface area (SSA) materials to store electrical energy. Previous work shows that the SSA-normalized capacitance increases when pore diameters are less than 1 nm. However, there still remains uncertainty about the charge storage mechanism since the enhanced SSA-normalized capacitance is not observed in all microporous materials. In previous studies, the total specific surface area and the chemical composition of the electrode materials were not controlled. The current work is the first reported study that systematically compares the performance of activated carbon prepared from the same raw material, with similar chemical composition and specific surface area, but different pore size distributions. Preparing samples with similar SSAs, but different pores sizes is not straightforward since increasing pore diameters results in decreasing the SSA. This study observes that the microporous activated carbon has a higher SSA-normalized capacitance, 14.1 μF cm-2, compared to the mesoporous material, 12.4 μF cm-2. However, this enhanced SSA-normalized capacitance is only observed above a threshold operating voltage. Therefore, it can be concluded that a minimum applied voltage is required to induce ion adsorption in these sub-nanometer micropores, which increases the capacitance.

Size-fractionated dissolved primary production and carbohydrate composition of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi

Science.gov (United States)

Borchard, C.; Engel, A.

2015-02-01

Extracellular release (ER) by phytoplankton is the major source of fresh dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in marine ecosystems and accompanies primary production during all growth phases. Little is known, so far, on size and composition of released molecules, and to which extent ER occurs passively, by leakage, or actively, by exudation. Here, we report on ER by the widespread and bloom-forming coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi grown under steady-state conditions in phosphorus-controlled chemostats (N:P = 29, growth rate of μ = 0.2 d-1) at present-day and high-CO2 concentrations. 14C incubations were performed to determine primary production (PP), comprised of particulate (PO14C) and dissolved organic carbon (DO14C). Concentration and composition of particulate combined carbohydrates (pCCHO) and high-molecular-weight (>1 kDa, HMW) dissolved combined carbohydrates (dCCHO) were determined by ion chromatography. Information on size distribution of ER products was obtained by investigating distinct size classes (10 kDa was significantly different, with a higher mol% of arabinose. The mol% of acidic sugars increased and that of glucose decreased with increasing size of HMW-dCCHO. We conclude that larger polysaccharides follow different production and release pathways than smaller molecules, potentially serving distinct ecological and biogeochemical functions.

Mercury exposure may influence fluctuating asymmetry in waterbirds.

Science.gov (United States)

Herring, Garth; Eagles-Smith, Collin A; Ackerman, Joshua T

2017-06-01

Variation in avian bilateral symmetry can be an indicator of developmental instability in response to a variety of stressors, including environmental contaminants. The authors used composite measures of fluctuating asymmetry to examine the influence of mercury concentrations in 2 tissues on fluctuating asymmetry within 4 waterbird species. Fluctuating asymmetry increased with mercury concentrations in whole blood and breast feathers of Forster's terns (Sterna forsteri), a species with elevated mercury concentrations. Specifically, fluctuating asymmetry in rectrix feather 1 was the most strongly correlated structural variable of those tested (wing chord, tarsus, primary feather 10, rectrix feather 6) with mercury concentrations in Forster's terns. However, for American avocets (Recurvirostra americana), black-necked stilts (Himantopus mexicanus), and Caspian terns (Hydroprogne caspia), the authors found no relationship between fluctuating asymmetry and either whole-blood or breast feather mercury concentrations, even though these species had moderate to elevated mercury exposure. The results indicate that mercury contamination may act as an environmental stressor during development and feather growth and contribute to fluctuating asymmetry of some species of highly contaminated waterbirds. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:1599-1605. Published 2016 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America. Published 2016 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.

Microstructures and Tensile Properties of Al–Cu Matrix Composites Reinforced with Nano-Sized SiCp Fabricated by Semisolid Stirring Process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feng Qiu

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The nano-sized SiCp/Al–Cu composites were successfully fabricated by combining semisolid stirring with ball milling technology. Microstructures were examined by an olympus optical microscope (OM, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM and transmission electron microscope (TEM. Tensile properties were studied at room temperature. The results show that the α-Al dendrites of the composites were strongly refined, especially in the composite with 3 wt. % nano-sized SiCp, of which the morphology of the α-Al changes from 200 μm dendritic crystal to 90 μm much finer equiaxial grain. The strength and ductility of the composites are improved synchronously with the addition of nano-sized SiCp particles. The as-cast 3 wt. % nano-sized SiCp/Al–Cu composite displays the best tensile properties, i.e., the yield strength, ultimate tensile strength (UTS and fracture strain increase from 175 MPa, 310 MPa and 4.1% of the as-cast Al–Cu alloy to 220 MPa, 410 MPa and 6.3%, respectively. The significant improvement in the tensile properties of the composites is mainly due to the refinement of the α-Al dendrites, nano-sized SiCp strengthening, and good interface combination between the SiCp and Al–Cu alloys.

Control of particle size by feed composition in the nanolatexes produced via monomer-starved semicontinuous emulsion copolymerization.

Science.gov (United States)

Sajjadi, Shahriar

2015-05-01

Conventional batch and semicontinuous emulsion copolymerizations often produce large particles whose size cannot be easily correlated with the comonomer feed compositions, and are to some degree susceptible to composition drift. In contrast, we found that copolymer nanolatexes made via semicontinuous monomer-starved emulsion copolymerizations are featured with an average nanoparticle size being controlled by the feed composition, a high conversion achieved, and a high degree of particle composition uniformity. This was achieved because the rate of particle growth, during nucleation, was controlled by the rate of comonomer addition, and the copolymer composition, surfactant parking area on the particles, and nucleation efficiency determined by the comonomer feed composition. Two model systems, methyl methacrylate/styrene and vinyl acetate/butyl acrylate, with significant differences in water solubility were studied. Monomers were added to the aqueous solution of sodium dodecylsulfate and potassium persulfate at a low rate to achieve high instantaneous conversions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A review of finite size effects in quasi-zero dimensional superconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Bose, Sangita; Ayyub, Pushan

2014-11-01

Quantum confinement and surface effects (SEs) dramatically modify most solid state phenomena as one approaches the nanometer scale, and superconductivity is no exception. Though we may expect significant modifications from bulk superconducting properties when the system dimensions become smaller than the characteristic length scales for bulk superconductors-such as the coherence length or the penetration depth-it is now established that there is a third length scale which ultimately determines the critical size at which Cooper pairing is destroyed. In quasi-zero-dimensional (0D) superconductors (e.g. nanocrystalline materials, isolated or embedded nanoparticles), one may define a critical particle diameter below which the mean energy level spacing arising from quantum confinement becomes equal to the bulk superconducting energy gap. The so-called Anderson criterion provides a remarkably accurate estimate of the limiting size for the destabilization of superconductivity in nanosystems. This review of size effects in quasi-0D superconductors is organized as follows. A general summary of size effects in nanostructured superconductors (section 1) is followed by a brief overview of their synthesis (section 2) and characterization using a variety of techniques (section 3). Section 4 reviews the size-evolution of important superconducting parameters-the transition temperature, critical fields and critical current-as the Anderson limit is approached from above. We then discuss the effect of thermodynamic fluctuations (section 5), which become significant in confined systems. Improvements in fabrication methods and the increasing feasibility of addressing individual nanoparticles using scanning probe techniques have lately opened up new directions in the study of nanoscale superconductivity. Section 6 reviews both experimental and theoretical aspects of the recently discovered phenomena of 'parity effect' and 'shell effect' that lead to a strong, non-monotonic size

A review of finite size effects in quasi-zero dimensional superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bose, Sangita; Ayyub, Pushan

2014-01-01

Quantum confinement and surface effects (SEs) dramatically modify most solid state phenomena as one approaches the nanometer scale, and superconductivity is no exception. Though we may expect significant modifications from bulk superconducting properties when the system dimensions become smaller than the characteristic length scales for bulk superconductors—such as the coherence length or the penetration depth—it is now established that there is a third length scale which ultimately determines the critical size at which Cooper pairing is destroyed. In quasi-zero-dimensional (0D) superconductors (e.g. nanocrystalline materials, isolated or embedded nanoparticles), one may define a critical particle diameter below which the mean energy level spacing arising from quantum confinement becomes equal to the bulk superconducting energy gap. The so-called Anderson criterion provides a remarkably accurate estimate of the limiting size for the destabilization of superconductivity in nanosystems. This review of size effects in quasi-0D superconductors is organized as follows. A general summary of size effects in nanostructured superconductors (section 1) is followed by a brief overview of their synthesis (section 2) and characterization using a variety of techniques (section 3). Section 4 reviews the size-evolution of important superconducting parameters—the transition temperature, critical fields and critical current—as the Anderson limit is approached from above. We then discuss the effect of thermodynamic fluctuations (section 5), which become significant in confined systems. Improvements in fabrication methods and the increasing feasibility of addressing individual nanoparticles using scanning probe techniques have lately opened up new directions in the study of nanoscale superconductivity. Section 6 reviews both experimental and theoretical aspects of the recently discovered phenomena of ‘parity effect’ and ‘shell effect’ that lead to a strong, non

Effect of size grading on the essential oil yield and composition of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The essential oil of freshly harvested 12 months mature ginger rhizomes graded based on their thickness, according to three commonly occuring sizes (big, medium and small) were extracted and subjected to GC-MS evaluation, in order to establish likely variation in yield and identify possible compositional differences ...

The effect of nanoparticle enhanced sizing on the structural health monitoring sensitivity and mechanical properties of carbon fiber composites

Science.gov (United States)

Bowland, Christopher C.; Nguyen, Ngoc A.; Naskar, Amit K.

2018-03-01

With current carbon composites being introduced into new commercial market sectors, there is an opportunity to develop multifunctional composites, which are poised to be the next generation of composites that will see future commercial applications. This multifunctional attribute can be achieved via integrated nanomaterials, which are currently under-utilized in real-world applications despite significant research efforts focused on their synthesis. This research utilizes a simple, scalable approach to integrate various nanomaterials into carbon fiber composites by embedding the nanomaterials in the epoxy fiber sizing. Illustrated in this work is the effect of silicon carbide nanoparticle concentrations and dimensions on the structural health monitoring sensitivity of unidirectional carbon fiber composites. Additionally, the nanoparticles contribute to the overall damping property of the composites thus enabling tunable damping through simple variations in nanoparticle concentration and size. Not only does this nanoparticle sizing offer enhanced sensitivity and tunable damping, but it also maintains the mechanical integrity and performance of the composites, which demonstrates a truly multifunctional composite. Therefore, this research establishes an efficient route for combining nanomaterials research with real-world multifunctional composite applications using a technique that is easily scalable to the commercial level and is compatible with a wide range of fibers and nanomaterials.

Luminescence study of ZnSe/PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) composite film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lahariya, Vikas [Amity School of Applied Science, Amity University Haryana Panchgaon, Manesar, Haryana 122413 (India)

2016-05-06

The ZnSe nanocrystals have been prepared into poly vinyl alcohol(PVA) polymer matrix on glass using ZnCl2 and Na2SeSO3 as zinc and selenium source respectively. Poly vinyl Alcohol (PVA) used as polymer matrix cum capping agent due to their high viscosity and water solubility. It is transparent for visible region and prevents Se- ions to photo oxidation. The ZnSe/PVA composite film was deposited on glass substrate. The film was characterized by X Ray Diffraction (XRD) and UV-Visible absorption Spectroscopy and Photoluminescence. The X Ray Diffraction (XRD) study confirms the nanometer size (10 nm) particle formation within PVA matrix with cubic zinc blend crystal structure. The UV-Visible Absorption spectrum of ZnSe/PVA composite film shown blue shift in absorption edge indicating increased band gap due to quantum confinement. The calculated energy band gap from the absorption edge using Tauc relation is 3.4 eV. From the Photoluminescence study a broad peak at 435 nm has been observed in violet blue region due to recombination of surface states.

A Novel Approach of Using Ground CNTs as the Carbon Source to Fabricate Uniformly Distributed Nano-Sized TiCx/2009Al Composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lei; Qiu, Feng; Ouyang, Licheng; Wang, Huiyuan; Zha, Min; Shu, Shili; Zhao, Qinglong; Jiang, Qichuan

2015-12-17

Nano-sized TiC x /2009Al composites (with 5, 7, and 9 vol% TiC x ) were fabricated via the combustion synthesis of the 2009Al-Ti-CNTs system combined with vacuum hot pressing followed by hot extrusion. In the present study, CNTs were used as the carbon source to synthesize nano-sized TiC x particles. An attempt was made to correlate the effect of ground CNTs by milling and the distribution of synthesized nano-sized TiC x particles in 2009Al as well as the tensile properties of nano-sized TiC x /2009Al composites. Microstructure analysis showed that when ground CNTs were used, the synthesized nano-sized TiC x particles dispersed more uniformly in the 2009Al matrix. Moreover, when 2 h-milled CNTs were used, the 5, 7, and 9 vol% nano-sized TiC x /2009Al composites had the highest tensile properties, especially, the 9 vol% nano-sized TiC x /2009Al composites. The results offered a new approach to improve the distribution of in situ nano-sized TiC x particles and tensile properties of composites.

Sample size planning for composite reliability coefficients: accuracy in parameter estimation via narrow confidence intervals.

Science.gov (United States)

Terry, Leann; Kelley, Ken

2012-11-01

Composite measures play an important role in psychology and related disciplines. Composite measures almost always have error. Correspondingly, it is important to understand the reliability of the scores from any particular composite measure. However, the point estimates of the reliability of composite measures are fallible and thus all such point estimates should be accompanied by a confidence interval. When confidence intervals are wide, there is much uncertainty in the population value of the reliability coefficient. Given the importance of reporting confidence intervals for estimates of reliability, coupled with the undesirability of wide confidence intervals, we develop methods that allow researchers to plan sample size in order to obtain narrow confidence intervals for population reliability coefficients. We first discuss composite reliability coefficients and then provide a discussion on confidence interval formation for the corresponding population value. Using the accuracy in parameter estimation approach, we develop two methods to obtain accurate estimates of reliability by planning sample size. The first method provides a way to plan sample size so that the expected confidence interval width for the population reliability coefficient is sufficiently narrow. The second method ensures that the confidence interval width will be sufficiently narrow with some desired degree of assurance (e.g., 99% assurance that the 95% confidence interval for the population reliability coefficient will be less than W units wide). The effectiveness of our methods was verified with Monte Carlo simulation studies. We demonstrate how to easily implement the methods with easy-to-use and freely available software. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.

Litter size influences milk composition and energy expenditure of rat pups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fiorotto, M.L.; Burrin, D.G.; Perez, M.; Reeds, P.J.

1990-01-01

The authors wished to determine whether differences in milk intake were solely responsible for differences in the weight gain of rat pups suckled in litters of varying sizes (S = 4, C = 10, L = 16 pups/litter; 9 litters/group). Milk intake was measured (by 3 H 2 O dilution) at 4-6, 8-10, and 14-16 d of age (3 litters of each size/time point). Pup (water, protein, and fat) and milk composition (water, fat, protein and lactose) were analyzed at 6, 10, and 16 d. Dam milk output was positively correlated with litter size and duration of lactation. Milk fat concentration was inversely related to dam milk output (r 2 = 0.79). Weight gain was highest in S litters and lowest in L litters. Weight gain was highly correlated to the volume of milk consumed in S and C pups (r 2 = 81%), but was poorly correlated among L pups (r 2 = 23%). The different correlations may have resulted from (1) the disparate relationship between volume and energy intake of L pups compared to S and C pups, or (2) a higher maintenance energy expenditure in L pups up to 10 d of age determined by a comparison of the composition of weight gain and energy intake. Thus, the reduced weight gain of pups suckled in large litters resulted from changes in both milk energy intake and the efficiency of its utilization

Synthesis, Characterization, and Photocatalytic Properties of Bamboo Charcoal/TiO2 Composites Using Four Sizes Powder

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bin Wang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Visible-light-active bamboo biochar/TiO2 composites were fabricated by the calcination method using C16H36O4Ti as the titanium source and bamboo powder with different sizes as the carbon source. The TiO2 nanoparticles were observed to disperse onto the surface of bamboo biochar fiber. The sizes of the bamboo powder played an important role in the microstructures and the properties of bamboo biochar/TiO2 composites. The bamboo biochar/TiO2 composites displayed the photocatalytic activities both under visible light irradiation and UV irradiation. The adsorption isotherms better fitted Freundlich isotherm models and the photodegradation reactions followed pseudo-first-order kinetics. Bamboo charcoal/TiO2 composites exhibited high stability after up to four cycles. This research could pave the way for high-value applications of biomass in the environmental field.

Observation of Shapiro-steps in AFM-plought micron-size YBCO planar construction

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Elkaseh, AAO

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Using an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), micron size planar constriction type junctions was successfully ploughed on YBa2Cu3O7-x thin films. The 100 nanometer (nm) thin films are deposited on MgO substrates by an Inverted Cylindrical Magnetron (ICM...

Thermal and ultrasonic influence in the formation of nanometer scale hydroxyapatite bio-ceramic

Science.gov (United States)

Poinern, GJE; Brundavanam, R; Le, X Thi; Djordjevic, S; Prokic, M; Fawcett, D

2011-01-01

Hydroxyapatite (HAP) is a widely used biocompatible ceramic in many biomedical applications and devices. Currently nanometer-scale forms of HAP are being intensely investigated due to their close similarity to the inorganic mineral component of the natural bone matrix. In this study nano-HAP was prepared via a wet precipitation method using Ca(NO3)2 and KH2PO4 as the main reactants and NH4OH as the precipitator under ultrasonic irradiation. The Ca/P ratio was set at 1.67 and the pH was maintained at 9 during the synthesis process. The influence of the thermal treatment was investigated by using two thermal treatment processes to produce ultrafine nano-HAP powders. In the first heat treatment, a conventional radiant tube furnace was used to produce nano-particles with an average size of approximately 30 nm in diameter, while the second thermal treatment used a microwave-based technique to produce particles with an average diameter of 36 nm. The crystalline structure and morphology of all nanoparticle powders produced were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Both thermal techniques effectively produced ultrafine powders with similar crystalline structure, morphology and particle sizes. PMID:22114473

Engineering polyelectrolyte multilayer structure at the nanometer length scale by tuning polymer solution conformation.

Science.gov (United States)

Boddohi, Soheil; Killingsworth, Christopher; Kipper, Matt

2008-03-01

Chitosan (a weak polycation) and heparin (a strong polyanion) are used to make polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEM). PEM thickness and composition are determined as a function of solution pH (4.6 to 5.8) and ionic strength (0.1 to 0.5 M). Over this range, increasing pH increases the PEM thickness; however, the sensitivity to changes in pH is a strong function of ionic strength. The PEM thickness data are correlated to the polymer conformation in solution. Polyelectrolyte conformation in solution is characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The highest sensitivity of PEM structure to pH is obtained at intermediate ionic strength. Different interactions govern the conformation and adsorption phenomena at low and high ionic strength, leading to reduced sensitivity to solution pH at extreme ionic strengths. The correspondence between PEM thickness and polymer solution conformation offers opportunities to tune polymer thin film structure at the nanometer length scale by controlling simple, reproducible processing conditions.

Applied Study on Magnetic Nanometer Beads in Preparation of Genechip Samples

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

陈慧; 高华方; 谢欣; 马雪梅; 杨渝珍

2004-01-01

Summary: A protocol for enrichment and adsorption of karyocyte from whole blood by using magnetic nanometer beads as solid-phase absorbents was presented. The PCR amplification could be accomplished by using the nanobeads with karyocyte as template directly and the PCR products were applied on an oligonucleotide array to do gene typing. The HLA-A PCR amplification system and a small HLA-A oligonucleotide microarray were applied as the platform and an experiment protocol of separating karyocyte from whole blood using the magnetic nanometer beads (Fe2O3) were set up.The experimental conditions were also discussed. It showed that pH level of PBS eluent, Taq enzyme quantity and fragment length of products could influent the amplification results, and the magnetic nano-beads could succeed in sample preparation in microarray to provide a promising way in automatic detection and lab-on-a-chip.

Public goods games in populations with fluctuating size.

Science.gov (United States)

McAvoy, Alex; Fraiman, Nicolas; Hauert, Christoph; Wakeley, John; Nowak, Martin A

2018-05-01

Many mathematical frameworks of evolutionary game dynamics assume that the total population size is constant and that selection affects only the relative frequency of strategies. Here, we consider evolutionary game dynamics in an extended Wright-Fisher process with variable population size. In such a scenario, it is possible that the entire population becomes extinct. Survival of the population may depend on which strategy prevails in the game dynamics. Studying cooperative dilemmas, it is a natural feature of such a model that cooperators enable survival, while defectors drive extinction. Although defectors are favored for any mixed population, random drift could lead to their elimination and the resulting pure-cooperator population could survive. On the other hand, if the defectors remain, then the population will quickly go extinct because the frequency of cooperators steadily declines and defectors alone cannot survive. In a mutation-selection model, we find that (i) a steady supply of cooperators can enable long-term population survival, provided selection is sufficiently strong, and (ii) selection can increase the abundance of cooperators but reduce their relative frequency. Thus, evolutionary game dynamics in populations with variable size generate a multifaceted notion of what constitutes a trait's long-term success. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fluctuations and correlations in nucleus-nucleus collisions within transport approaches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konchakovski, Volodymyr P.

2009-01-01

The current thesis is devoted to a systematic study of fluctuations and correlations in heavy-ion collisions, which might be considered as probes for the phase transition and the critical point in the phase diagram, within the Hadron-String- Dynamics (HSD) microscopic transport approach. This is a powerful tool to study nucleus-nucleus collisions and allows to completely simulate experimental collisions on an event-by-event basis. Thus, the transport model has been used to study fluctuations and correlations including the influence of experimental acceptance as well as centrality, system size and collision energy. The comparison to experimental data can separate the effects induced by a phase transition since there is no phase transition in the HSD version used here. Firstly the centrality dependence of multiplicity fluctuations has been studied. Different centrality selections have been performed in the analysis in correspondence to the experimental situation. For the fixed target experiment NA49 events with fixed numbers of the projectile participants have been studied while in the collider experiment PHENIX centrality classes of events have been defined by the multiplicity in certain phase space region. A decrease of participant number fluctuations (and thus volume fluctuations) in more central collisions for both experiments has been obtained. Another area of this work addresses to transport model calculations of multiplicity fluctuations in nucleus-nucleus collisions as a function of colliding energy and system size. This study is in full correspondence to the experimental program of the NA61 Collaboration at the SPS. Central C+C, S+S, In+In, and Pb+Pb nuclear collisions at Elab = 10, 20, 30, 40, 80, 158 AGeV have been investigated. The expected enhanced fluctuations - attributed to the critical point and phase transition - can be observed experimentally on top of a monotonic and smooth 'hadronic background'. These findings should be helpful for the optimal

Fluctuations and correlations in nucleus-nucleus collisions within transport approaches

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Konchakovski, Volodymyr P.

2009-10-01

The current thesis is devoted to a systematic study of fluctuations and correlations in heavy-ion collisions, which might be considered as probes for the phase transition and the critical point in the phase diagram, within the Hadron-String- Dynamics (HSD) microscopic transport approach. This is a powerful tool to study nucleus-nucleus collisions and allows to completely simulate experimental collisions on an event-by-event basis. Thus, the transport model has been used to study fluctuations and correlations including the influence of experimental acceptance as well as centrality, system size and collision energy. The comparison to experimental data can separate the effects induced by a phase transition since there is no phase transition in the HSD version used here. Firstly the centrality dependence of multiplicity fluctuations has been studied. Different centrality selections have been performed in the analysis in correspondence to the experimental situation. For the fixed target experiment NA49 events with fixed numbers of the projectile participants have been studied while in the collider experiment PHENIX centrality classes of events have been defined by the multiplicity in certain phase space region. A decrease of participant number fluctuations (and thus volume fluctuations) in more central collisions for both experiments has been obtained. Another area of this work addresses to transport model calculations of multiplicity fluctuations in nucleus-nucleus collisions as a function of colliding energy and system size. This study is in full correspondence to the experimental program of the NA61 Collaboration at the SPS. Central C+C, S+S, In+In, and Pb+Pb nuclear collisions at Elab = 10, 20, 30, 40, 80, 158 AGeV have been investigated. The expected enhanced fluctuations - attributed to the critical point and phase transition - can be observed experimentally on top of a monotonic and smooth 'hadronic background'. These findings should be helpful for the

Effects of particle size and porosity on in vivo remodeling of settable allograft bone/polymer composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Prieto, Edna M; Talley, Anne D; Gould, Nicholas R; Zienkiewicz, Katarzyna J; Drapeau, Susan J; Kalpakci, Kerem N; Guelcher, Scott A

2015-11-01

Established clinical approaches to treat bone voids include the implantation of autograft or allograft bone, ceramics, and other bone void fillers (BVFs). Composites prepared from lysine-derived polyurethanes and allograft bone can be injected as a reactive liquid and set to yield BVFs with mechanical strength comparable to trabecular bone. In this study, we investigated the effects of porosity, allograft particle size, and matrix mineralization on remodeling of injectable and settable allograft/polymer composites in a rabbit femoral condyle plug defect model. Both low viscosity and high viscosity grafts incorporating small (<105 μm) particles only partially healed at 12 weeks, and the addition of 10% demineralized bone matrix did not enhance healing. In contrast, composite grafts with large (105-500 μm) allograft particles healed at 12 weeks postimplantation, as evidenced by radial μCT and histomorphometric analysis. This study highlights particle size and surface connectivity as influential parameters regulating the remodeling of composite bone scaffolds. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The influence of some factors on the electrical conductivity and particle size of core/shell polystyrene/polyaniline composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

GORDANA D. NESTOROVIC

2005-11-01

Full Text Available The electrically conductive, micron-sized, core/shell polystyrene (PS/polyaniline (PANI composite particles were synthesized by chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline in the presence of micron-sized PS particles in 1 M HCl. The conditions of the dispersion polymerization of styrene were optimized. The influence of the initiator type employed for the chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline and the aniline (ANI concentration on the PS/PANI particle size and size distribution and their conductivity was investigated. The obtained results show that the conductivity of the samples increased with increasing ANI concentration. The conductivity of the PS/PANI composite particles obtained with the highest ANI concentration was of the same order of magnitude as that for PANI powder. The particle size did not depend on the concentration of ANI, while the particle size distribution was narrower at higher concentrations of ANI.

Investigation on Mechanical Properties and Reaction Characteristics of Al-PTFE Composites with Different Al Particle Size

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jia-xiang Wu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Al-PTFE (aluminum-polytetrafluoroethylene serves as one among the most promising reactive materials (RMs. In this work, six types of Al-PTFE composites with different Al particle sizes (i.e., 50 nm, 1∼2 μm, 6∼7 μm, 12∼14 μm, 22∼24 μm, and 32∼34 μm were prepared, and quasistatic compression and drop weight tests were conducted to characterize the mechanical properties and reaction characteristics of Al-PTFE composites. The reaction phenomenon and stress-strain curves were recorded by a high-speed camera and universal testing machine. The microstructure of selected specimens was anatomized through adopting a scanning electron microscope (SEM to correlate the mesoscale structural characteristics to their macroproperties. As the results indicated, in the case of quasistatic compression, the strength of the composites was decreased (the yield strength falling from 22.7 MPa to 13.6 MPa and the hardening modulus declining from 33.3 MPa to 25 MPa with the increase of the Al particle size. The toughness rose firstly and subsequently decreased and peaked as 116.42 MJ/m3 at 6∼7 μm. The reaction phenomenon occurred only in composites with the Al particle size less than 10 μm. In drop weight tests, six types of specimens were overall reacted. As the Al particle size rose, the ignition energy of the composites enhanced and the composites turned out to be more insensitive to reaction. In a lower strain rate range (10−2·s−1∼102·s−1, Al-PTFE specimens take on different mechanical properties and reaction characteristics in the case of different strain rates. The formation of circumferential open cracks is deemed as a prerequisite for Al-PTFE specimens to go through a reaction.

Preparation of Size-Controlled Silver Nanoparticles and Chitin-Based Composites and Their Antimicrobial Activities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vinh Quang Nguyen

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A simple method for the preparation of size-controlled spherical silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs was reported for their generation by autoclaving a mixture of silver-containing glass powder and glucose. The particle size is regulated by the glucose concentration, with concentrations of 0.25, 1.0, and 4.0 wt% glucose providing small (3.48±1.83 nm in diameter, medium (6.53±1.78 nm, and large (12.9±2.5 nm particles, respectively. In this study, Ag NP/chitin composites were synthesized by mixing each of these three Ag NP suspensions with a <5% deacetylated (DAc chitin powder (pH 7.0 at room temperature. The Ag NPs were homogenously dispersed and stably adsorbed onto the chitin. The Ag NP/chitin composites were obtained as yellow or brown powders. Approximately 5, 15, and 20 μg of the small, medium, and large Ag NPs, respectively, were estimated to maximally adsorb onto 1 mg of chitin. The bactericidal and antifungal activities of the Ag NP/chitin composites increased as the amount of Ag NPs in the chitin increased. Furthermore, smaller Ag NPs (per weight in the chitin composites provided higher bactericidal and anti-fungal activities.

Numerical Investigation of Pressure Fluctuation Characteristics in a Centrifugal Pump with Variable Axial Clearance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei Cao

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Clearance flows in the sidewall gaps of centrifugal pumps are unsteady as well as main flows in the volute casing and impeller, which may cause vibration and noise, and the corresponding pressure fluctuations are related to the axial clearance size. In this paper, unsteady numerical simulations were conducted to predict the unsteady flows within the entire flow passage of a centrifugal pump operating in the design condition. Pressure fluctuation characteristics in the volute casing, impeller, and sidewall gaps were investigated with three axial clearance sizes. Results show that an axial clearance variation affects the pressure fluctuation characteristics in each flow domain by different degree. The greatest pressure fluctuation occurs at the blade pressure surface and is almost not influenced by the axial clearance variation which has a certainly effect on the pressure fluctuation characteristics around the tongue. The maximum pressure fluctuation amplitude in the sidewall gaps is larger than that in the volute casing, and different spectrum characteristics show up in the three models due to the interaction between the clearance flow and the main flow as well as the rotor-stator interaction. Therefore, clearance flow should be taken into consideration in the hydraulic design of centrifugal pumps.

Bimetallic Ag-Pt Sub-nanometer Supported Clusters as Highly Efficient and Robust Oxidation Catalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Negreiros, Fabio R. [CNR-ICCOM & IPCF, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Pisa Italy; Halder, Avik [Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont IL USA; Yin, Chunrong [Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont IL USA; Singh, Akansha [Harish-Chandra Research Institute, HBNI, Chhatnag Road Jhunsi Allahabad 211019 India; Barcaro, Giovanni [CNR-ICCOM & IPCF, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Pisa Italy; Sementa, Luca [CNR-ICCOM & IPCF, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Pisa Italy; Tyo, Eric C. [Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont IL USA; Pellin, Michael J. [Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont IL USA; Bartling, Stephan [Institut für Physik, Universität Rostock, Rostock Germany; Meiwes-Broer, Karl-Heinz [Institut für Physik, Universität Rostock, Rostock Germany; Seifert, Sönke [X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont IL USA; Sen, Prasenjit [Harish-Chandra Research Institute, HBNI, Chhatnag Road Jhunsi Allahabad 211019 India; Nigam, Sandeep [Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay Mumbai- 400 085 India; Majumder, Chiranjib [Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay Mumbai- 400 085 India; Fukui, Nobuyuki [East Tokyo Laboratory, Genesis Research Institute, Inc., Ichikawa Chiba 272-0001 Japan; Yasumatsu, Hisato [Cluster Research Laboratory, Toyota Technological Institute: in, East Tokyo Laboratory, Genesis Research Institute, Inc. Ichikawa, Chiba 272-0001 Japan; Vajda, Stefan [Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont IL USA; Nanoscience and Technology Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont IL USA; Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago IL USA; Fortunelli, Alessandro [CNR-ICCOM & IPCF, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Pisa Italy; Materials and Process Simulation Center, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena CA USA

2017-12-29

A combined experimental and theoretical investigation of Ag-Pt sub-nanometer clusters as heterogeneous catalysts in the CO -> CO2 reaction (COox) is presented. Ag9Pt2 and Ag9Pt3 clusters are size-selected in the gas phase, deposited on an ultrathin amorphous alumina support, and tested as catalysts experimentally under realistic conditions and by first-principles simulations at realistic coverage. Insitu GISAXS/TPRx demonstrates that the clusters do not sinter or deactivate even after prolonged exposure to reactants at high temperature, and present comparable, extremely high COox catalytic efficiency. Such high activity and stability are ascribed to a synergic role of Ag and Pt in ultranano-aggregates, in which Pt anchors the clusters to the support and binds and activates two CO molecules, while Ag binds and activates O-2, and Ag/Pt surface proximity disfavors poisoning by CO or oxidized species.

Non-equilibrium Green function method: theory and application in simulation of nanometer electronic devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Do, Van-Nam

2014-01-01

We review fundamental aspects of the non-equilibrium Green function method in the simulation of nanometer electronic devices. The method is implemented into our recently developed computer package OPEDEVS to investigate transport properties of electrons in nano-scale devices and low-dimensional materials. Concretely, we present the definition of the four real-time Green functions, the retarded, advanced, lesser and greater functions. Basic relations among these functions and their equations of motion are also presented in detail as the basis for the performance of analytical and numerical calculations. In particular, we review in detail two recursive algorithms, which are implemented in OPEDEVS to solve the Green functions defined in finite-size opened systems and in the surface layer of semi-infinite homogeneous ones. Operation of the package is then illustrated through the simulation of the transport characteristics of a typical semiconductor device structure, the resonant tunneling diodes. (review)

Fluctuating micro-heterogeneity in water–tert-butyl alcohol mixtures and lambda-type divergence of the mean cluster size with phase transition-like multiple anomalies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banerjee, Saikat; Furtado, Jonathan; Bagchi, Biman

2014-01-01

Water–tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) binary mixture exhibits a large number of thermodynamic and dynamic anomalies. These anomalies are observed at surprisingly low TBA mole fraction, with x TBA ≈ 0.03–0.07. We demonstrate here that the origin of the anomalies lies in the local structural changes that occur due to self-aggregation of TBA molecules. We observe a percolation transition of the TBA molecules at x TBA ≈ 0.05. We note that “islands” of TBA clusters form even below this mole fraction, while a large spanning cluster emerges above that mole fraction. At this percolation threshold, we observe a lambda-type divergence in the fluctuation of the size of the largest TBA cluster, reminiscent of a critical point. Alongside, the structure of water is also perturbed, albeit weakly, by the aggregation of TBA molecules. There is a monotonic decrease in the tetrahedral order parameter of water, while the dipole moment correlation shows a weak nonlinearity. Interestingly, water molecules themselves exhibit a reverse percolation transition at higher TBA concentration, x TBA ≈ 0.45, where large spanning water clusters now break-up into small clusters. This is accompanied by significant divergence of the fluctuations in the size of largest water cluster. This second transition gives rise to another set of anomalies around. Both the percolation transitions can be regarded as manifestations of Janus effect at small molecular level

Mechanical, thermal and friction properties of rice bran carbon/nitrile rubber composites: Influence of particle size and loading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Mei-Chun; Zhang, Yinhang; Cho, Ur Ryong

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A novel rice bran carbon (RBC) is used to reinforce nitrile rubber. • We study the effect of RBC particle size on the performances of nitrile rubber. • We study the effect of RBC loading on the performances of nitrile rubber. • The addition of RBC improves the mechanical properties of nitrile rubber. • The addition of RBC improves the anti-skid properties of nitrile rubber. - Abstract: Four types of rice bran carbon (RBC) with different particle sizes were compounded with nitrile rubber (NBR) in a laboratory size two-roll miller. The obtained RBC/NBR composites were characterized using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) and tensile tests. Experimental results showed the RBC with lowest particle size exhibited best dispersion state and superior reinforcement ability. Then, we investigated the influence of RBC loading on the morphology, vulcanization characteristics, mechanical, thermal and friction properties of NBR composites. Experimental results indicated that the incorporation of RBC resulted in higher torque values, longer curing time, but shorter scorch time. The addition of RBC remarkably improved the mechanical properties of NBR composites. However, when the RBC loading exceeded 60 phr, the improvement in the tensile strength was not significant due to the poor dispersion state and weak interfacial bonding between RBC and NBR matrix, which were confirmed by Mooney–Rivlin stress–strain curves and FE-SEM observations. The thermal stabilities of RBC/NBR composites were largely improved as the loading of RBC increased. Friction tests revealed that under a certain concentration, the presence of RBC increased the static friction coefficient of NBR composites, suggesting the anti-skid role of RBC in the NBR composites. The overall results demonstrated that RBC could act as ideal filler for NBR composites providing both economic and environmental advantages

Influence of temperature fluctuations on equilibrium ice sheet volume

Science.gov (United States)

Bøgeholm Mikkelsen, Troels; Grinsted, Aslak; Ditlevsen, Peter

2018-01-01

Forecasting the future sea level relies on accurate modeling of the response of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets to changing temperatures. The surface mass balance (SMB) of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) has a nonlinear response to warming. Cold and warm anomalies of equal size do not cancel out and it is therefore important to consider the effect of interannual fluctuations in temperature. We find that the steady-state volume of an ice sheet is biased toward larger size if interannual temperature fluctuations are not taken into account in numerical modeling of the ice sheet. We illustrate this in a simple ice sheet model and find that the equilibrium ice volume is approximately 1 m SLE (meters sea level equivalent) smaller when the simple model is forced with fluctuating temperatures as opposed to a stable climate. It is therefore important to consider the effect of interannual temperature fluctuations when designing long experiments such as paleo-spin-ups. We show how the magnitude of the potential bias can be quantified statistically. For recent simulations of the Greenland Ice Sheet, we estimate the bias to be 30 Gt yr-1 (24-59 Gt yr-1, 95 % credibility) for a warming of 3 °C above preindustrial values, or 13 % (10-25, 95 % credibility) of the present-day rate of ice loss. Models of the Greenland Ice Sheet show a collapse threshold beyond which the ice sheet becomes unsustainable. The proximity of the threshold will be underestimated if temperature fluctuations are not taken into account. We estimate the bias to be 0.12 °C (0.10-0.18 °C, 95 % credibility) for a recent estimate of the threshold. In light of our findings it is important to gauge the extent to which this increased variability will influence the mass balance of the ice sheets.

A study of copper precipitation in the thermally aged FeCu alloy using SANS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, D. G.; Kim, J. H.; Kwon, S. C.; Kim, W. W. [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, M. N.; Koo, Y. M. [Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang (Korea, Republic of)

2005-07-01

The continued operation or lifetime extension of a number of nuclear power plant around the world requires an understanding of the damage imparted to the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steel by radiation. Irradiation embrittlement of nuclear reactor pressure vessel steels results from a high number of nanometer sized Cu rich precipitates (CRPs) and sub-nanometer defect-solute clusters. The copper precipitation leads to a distortion of the crystal lattice surrounding the copper precipitates and yields an internal micro-stress. In order to study the effect of copper precipitation on the steel embrittlement under neutron irradiation, the characteristics of nano size defects were investigated using small angle neutron scattering (SANS) in the thermal aged FeCu model alloys. The results on the precipitation composition, number density, size distribution and matrix composition obtained using a high resolution TEM and SANS are compared and contrasted.

How to Determine the Core-Shell Nature in Bimetallic Catalyst Particles?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Westsson, E.E.; Koper, G.J.M.

2014-01-01

Nanometer-sized materials have significantly different chemical and physical properties compared to bulk material. However, these properties do not only depend on the elemental composition but also on the structure, shape, size and arrangement. Hence, it is not only of great importance to develop

Carriers' localization and thermal redistribution in post growth voluntarily tuned quantum dashes' size/composition distribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alouane, M.H. Hadj; Helali, A.; Morris, D.; Maaref, H.; Aimez, V.; Salem, B.; Gendry, M.

2014-01-01

This paper treats the impact of post growth tuned InAs/InP quantum dashes' (QDas) size/composition distribution on carriers' localization and thermal redistribution. The spread of this distribution depends on the experimental conditions used for the phosphorus ion implantation enhanced intermixing process. Atypical temperature-dependent luminescence properties have been observed and found to be strongly dependent on the amount of QDas size/composition dispersion. The experimental results have been reproduced by a model that takes into account the width of the QDas localized states distribution and consequent thermally induced carriers' redistribution. This model gives critical temperature values marking the beginning and the end of carriers delocalization and thermal transfer processes via an intermixing induced carrier's transfer channel located below the wetting layer states. -- Highlights: • We examine optical properties of post growth tuned QDas size/composition distribution. • Carriers' localization and thermal redistribution within inhomogeneously intermixed QDas are the origin of the atypical temperature-dependent luminescence properties. • Localized states ensemble's model is successively used to interpret the experimental results. • The carriers thermal transfer processes occur via an intermixing induced channel located below the wetting layer states. • Intermixing degree strongly influence the critical temperatures marking the beginning and the end of the carriers thermal transfer processes

Catalytic wet oxidation of ammonia solution: Activity of the nanoscale platinum-palladium-rhodium composite oxide catalyst

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hung, C.-M.

2009-01-01

Aqueous solutions of 400-1000 mg/L of ammonia were oxidized in a trickle-bed reactor (TBR) in this study of nanoscale platinum-palladium-rhodium composite oxide catalysts, which were prepared by the co-precipitation of H 2 PtCl 6 , Pd(NO 3 ) 3 and Rh(NO 3 ) 3 . Hardly any of the dissolved ammonia was removed by wet oxidation in the absence of any catalyst, whereas about 99% of the ammonia was reduced during wet oxidation over nanoscale platinum-palladium-rhodium composite oxide catalysts at 503 K in an oxygen partial pressure of 2.0 MPa. A synergistic effect exists in the nanoscale platinum-palladium-rhodium composite structure, which is the material with the highest ammonia reduction activity. The nanometer-sized particles were characterized by TEM, XRD and FTIR. The effect of the initial concentration and reaction temperature on the removal of ammonia from the effluent streams was also studied at a liquid hourly space velocity of under 9 h -1 in the wet catalytic processes

Catalytic wet oxidation of ammonia solution: Activity of the nanoscale platinum-palladium-rhodium composite oxide catalyst

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hung, C.-M. [Department of Industry Engineering and Management, Yung-Ta Institute of Technology and Commerce, 316 Chung-shan Road, Linlo, Pingtung 909, Taiwan (China)], E-mail: hungcm1031@gmail.com

2009-04-15

Aqueous solutions of 400-1000 mg/L of ammonia were oxidized in a trickle-bed reactor (TBR) in this study of nanoscale platinum-palladium-rhodium composite oxide catalysts, which were prepared by the co-precipitation of H{sub 2}PtCl{sub 6}, Pd(NO{sub 3}){sub 3} and Rh(NO{sub 3}){sub 3}. Hardly any of the dissolved ammonia was removed by wet oxidation in the absence of any catalyst, whereas about 99% of the ammonia was reduced during wet oxidation over nanoscale platinum-palladium-rhodium composite oxide catalysts at 503 K in an oxygen partial pressure of 2.0 MPa. A synergistic effect exists in the nanoscale platinum-palladium-rhodium composite structure, which is the material with the highest ammonia reduction activity. The nanometer-sized particles were characterized by TEM, XRD and FTIR. The effect of the initial concentration and reaction temperature on the removal of ammonia from the effluent streams was also studied at a liquid hourly space velocity of under 9 h{sup -1} in the wet catalytic processes.

Catalytic wet oxidation of ammonia solution: activity of the nanoscale platinum-palladium-rhodium composite oxide catalyst.

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Chang-Mao

2009-04-15

Aqueous solutions of 400-1000 mg/L of ammonia were oxidized in a trickle-bed reactor (TBR) in this study of nanoscale platinum-palladium-rhodium composite oxide catalysts, which were prepared by the co-precipitation of H(2)PtCl(6), Pd(NO(3))(3) and Rh(NO(3))(3). Hardly any of the dissolved ammonia was removed by wet oxidation in the absence of any catalyst, whereas about 99% of the ammonia was reduced during wet oxidation over nanoscale platinum-palladium-rhodium composite oxide catalysts at 503 K in an oxygen partial pressure of 2.0 MPa. A synergistic effect exists in the nanoscale platinum-palladium-rhodium composite structure, which is the material with the highest ammonia reduction activity. The nanometer-sized particles were characterized by TEM, XRD and FTIR. The effect of the initial concentration and reaction temperature on the removal of ammonia from the effluent streams was also studied at a liquid hourly space velocity of under 9 h(-1) in the wet catalytic processes.

Links between Patagonian Ice Sheet fluctuations and Antarctic dust variability during the last glacial period (MIS 4-2)

Science.gov (United States)

Kaiser, Jérôme; Lamy, Frank

2010-06-01

Antarctic and Greenland ice-core records reveal large fluctuations of dust input on both orbital and millennial time-scales with potential global climate implications. At least during glacial periods, the Antarctic dust fluctuations appear to be largely controlled by environmental changes in southern South America. We compare dust flux records from two Antarctic ice-cores to variations in the composition of the terrigenous supply at ODP Site 1233 located off southern Chile and known to record fluctuations in the extent of the northern part of the Patagonian ice-sheet (NPIS) during the last glacial period (Marine Isotope Stage, MIS, 4 to 2). Within age uncertainties, millennial-scale glacial advances (retreats) of the NPIS correlate to Antarctic dust maxima (minima). In turn, NPIS fluctuations were closely related to offshore sea surface temperature (SST) changes. This pattern suggests a causal link involving changes in temperature, in rock flour availability, in latitudinal extensions of the westerly winds and in foehn winds in the southern Pampas and Patagonia. We further suggest that the long-term trend of dust accumulation is partly linked to the sea-level related changes in the size if the Patagonian source area due to the particular morphology of the Argentine shelf. We suggest that sea-level drops at the beginning of MIS 4 and MIS 2 were important for long-term dust increases, while changes in the Patagonian dust source regions primarily control the early dust decrease during the MIS 4/3 transition and Termination 1.

Nano-sized LiFePO4/C composite with core-shell structure as cathode material for lithium ion battery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Yang; Zhang, Min; Li, Ying; Hu, Yemin; Zhu, Mingyuan; Jin, Hongming; Li, Wenxian

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: Nano-sized LiFePO4/C composite with core-shell structure was fabricated via a well-designed approach as cathode material forlithium ion battery. The nano-sized LiFePO4/C composite with whole carbon shell coating layer showed an excellent electrical performance. - Abstract: Nano-sized composite with LiFePO 4 -core and carbon-shell was synthesized via a facile route followed by heat treatment at 650 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows that the core is well crystallized LiFePO 4 . The electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) observations show that the core-shell structured LiFePO 4 /C composite coating with whole carbon shell layer of ∼2.8 nm, possesses a specific surface area of 51 m 2 g −1 . As cathode material for lithium ion battery, the core-shell LiFePO 4 /C composite exhibits high initial capacity of 161 mAh g −1 at 0.1 C, excellent high-rate discharge capacity of 135 mAh g −1 at 5 C and perfect cycling retention of 99.6% at 100 th cycle. All these promising results should be contributed to the core-shell nanostructure which prevents collapse of the particle structure in the long-term charge and discharge cycles, as well as the large surface area of the nano-sized LiFePO 4 /C composite which enhances the electronic conductivity and shortens the distance of lithium ion diffusion

Iron oxide nanoparticles: the Influence of synthesis method and size on composition and magnetic properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carvalho, M.D.; Henriques, F.; Ferreira, L.P.; Godinho, M.; Cruz, M.M.

2013-01-01

Iron oxide nanoparticles with mean diameter ranging from 7 to 20 nm were synthesized using two routes: the precipitation method in controlled atmosphere and a reduction–precipitation method under air, in some cases followed by a hydrothermal treatment. The smallest nanoparticles were obtained by the reduction–precipitation method. In order to establish the composition of the iron oxide nanoparticles and its relation with size, the morphological, structural and magnetic properties of the prepared samples were investigated using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy and SQUID magnetometry. The results allow to conclude that the nanoparticles can be essentially described as Fe 3−x O 4 , x decreasing with the particle size increase. The composition and magnetic behavior of the synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles are directly related with their size. The overall results are compatible with a core@shell structure model, where a magnetite core is surrounded by an oxidized magnetite layer (labeled as maghemite), the magnetite core dimension depending on the average particle size. - Graphical abstract: TEM images and Mössbauer spectroscopy spectra of Fe 3−x O 4 samples with different sizes. Highlights: ► Fe 3−x O 4 nanoparticles with a mean size between 7 and 20 nm were synthesized. ► The smallest nanoparticles were obtained by a reduction precipitation method, under air. ► The increase of particles size was succeeded using a hydrothermal treatment at 150 °C. ► The magnetic properties of the nanoparticles are directly related with their size

Temporal fluctuations in grain size, organic materials and iron concentrations in intertidal surface sediment of San Francisco Bay

Science.gov (United States)

Thomson-Becker, E. A.; Luoma, S.N.

1985-01-01

The physical and chemical characteristics of the oxidized surface sediment in an estuary fluctuate temporally in response to physical forces and apparently-fluctuating inputs. These characteristics, which include grain size and concentrations of organic materials and iron, will influence both trace-metal geochemistry and bioavailability. Temporal trends in the abundance of fine particles, total organic carbon content (TOC), absorbance of extractable organic material (EOM), and concentration of extractable iron in the sediment of San Francisco Bay were assessed using data sets containing approximately monthly samples for periods of two to seven years. Changes in wind velocity and runoff result in monthly changes in the abundance of fine particles in the intertidal zone. Fine-grained particles are most abundant in the late fall/early winter when runoff is elevated and wind velocities are low; particles are coarser in the summer when runoff is low and wind velocities are consistently high. Throughout the bay, TOC is linearly related to fine particle abundance (r = 0.61). Temporal variability occurs in this relationship, as particles are poor in TOC relative to percent of fine particles in the early rainy season. Iron-poor particles also appear to enter the estuary during high runoff periods; while iron is enriched on particle surfaces in the summer. Concentrations of extractable iron and absorbance of EOM vary strongly from year to year. Highest absorbances of EOM occurred in the first year following the drought in 1976-77, and in 1982 and 1983 when river discharge was unusually high. Extractable-iron concentrations were also highest in 1976-77, but were very low in 1982 and 1983. ?? 1985 Dr W. Junk Publishers.

Entropic fluctuations in DNA sequences

Science.gov (United States)

Thanos, Dimitrios; Li, Wentian; Provata, Astero

2018-03-01

The Local Shannon Entropy (LSE) in blocks is used as a complexity measure to study the information fluctuations along DNA sequences. The LSE of a DNA block maps the local base arrangement information to a single numerical value. It is shown that despite this reduction of information, LSE allows to extract meaningful information related to the detection of repetitive sequences in whole chromosomes and is useful in finding evolutionary differences between organisms. More specifically, large regions of tandem repeats, such as centromeres, can be detected based on their low LSE fluctuations along the chromosome. Furthermore, an empirical investigation of the appropriate block sizes is provided and the relationship of LSE properties with the structure of the underlying repetitive units is revealed by using both computational and mathematical methods. Sequence similarity between the genomic DNA of closely related species also leads to similar LSE values at the orthologous regions. As an application, the LSE covariance function is used to measure the evolutionary distance between several primate genomes.

Nanometer-scale patterning of high-Tc superconductors for Josephson junction-based digital circuits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wendt, J.R.; Plut, T.A.; Corless, R.F.; Martens, J.S.; Berkowitz, S.; Char, K.; Johansson, M.; Hou, S.Y.; Phillips, J.M.

1994-01-01

A straightforward method for nanometer-scale patterning of high-T c superconductor thin films is discussed. The technique combines direct-write electron beam lithography with well-controlled aqueous etches and is applied to the fabrication of Josephson junction nanobridges in high-quality, epitaxial thin-film YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 . We present the results of our studies of the dimensions, yield, uniformity, and mechanism of the junctions along with the performance of a representative digital circuit based on these junctions. Direct current junction parameter statistics measured at 77 K show critical currents of 27.5 μA±13% for a sample set of 220 junctions. The Josephson behavior of the nanobridge is believed to arise from the aggregation of oxygen vacancies in the nanometer-scale bridge

Investigation of Composition of Particle Size in Sediments of Stormwater Sedimentation Tank

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daiva Laučytė

2011-04-01

Full Text Available The main object for the storm water runoff treatment is to remove suspended solids before the storm water runoff is discharged into surface waters. Therefore the sedimentation tank is the most often used treatment facility. In order to optimise the sedimentation, the tendency of particle size distribution in bottom sediments must be known. Two similar size storm water runoff sedimentation tanks in Vilnius city were selected for the analysis of the particle size distribution in sediments. The composite samples of drained storm water runoff sediments were collected at the sedimentation tanks located in the districts of Verkiai and Karoliniskes on the 2nd of June, 2008. The analyses of grain size distribution were performed according the standard ISO/TS 17892-4:2004. The results showed that the particles with the particle size of 1–2 mm were obtained up to 10 m from the inlet and the particles with the size of 0,01–0,05 mm mainly were obtained close to the outlet of sedimentation tank. It is recommended to divide the sedimentation tank in two parts in order to get proper management of sediments: the particles that size is 1–10 mm could be managed as waste from grit chambers and particles of smaller size could be managed as primary sludge.Article in Lithuanian

Characteristics of Cu–Al2O3 composites of various starting particle size obtained by high-energy milling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

VIŠESLAVA RAJKOVIĆ

2009-05-01

Full Text Available The powder Cu– Al2O3 composites were produced by high-energy milling. Various combinations of particle size and mixtures and approximately constant amount of Al2O3 were used as the starting materials. These powders were separately milled in air for up to 20 h in a planetary ball mill. The copper matrix was reinforced by internal oxidation and mechanical alloying. During the milling, internal oxidation of pre-alloyed Cu-2 mass %-Al powder generated 3.7 mass % Al2O3 nano-sized particles finely dispersed in the copper matrix. The effect of different size of the starting copper and Al2O3 powder particles on the lattice parameter, lattice distortion and grain size, as well as on the size, morphology and microstructure of the Cu– Al2O3 composite powder particles was studied.

Nanoparticle dispersion effect of laser-surface melting in ZrB{sub 2p}/6061Al composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zeng, Yida; Chao, Yuhjin; Luo, Zhen, E-mail: lz-tju@163.com [Tianjin University, School of Material Science and Engineering (China); Huang, Yongxian [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining, Harbin Institute of Technology (China)

2017-04-15

Zirconium diboride (ZrB{sub 2p}, 15 vol%)/6061 aluminum (Al) composites were fabricated via in situ reaction. The existence, morphologies, and dispersion degree of the in situ ZrB{sub 2} particles with size from tens to hundreds of nanometers were studied by X-ray diffractometry, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. As the particle-settlement effect becomes dominant during the composite fabrication process, ZrB{sub 2} nanoparticles agglomerate to a certain extent in some areas of the as-cast composites. A laser-surface melting (LSM) strategy was applied to disperse agglomerated ZrB{sub 2} nanoparticles in as-cast composites, and the ZrB{sub 2} nanoparticle dispersion is affected visibly by LSM. After LSM, nanoparticles tend to distribute along the grain boundary. Particle clusters were dispersed in an explosive orientation and the particle diffusion distance varied in terms of its radius and melt-viscosity vicinity. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy showed the existence of a subgrain structure near the ZrB{sub 2}–Al interface after LSM. This may increase the yield strength when a dislocation tangle forms.

Data Descriptor : Collocated observations of cloud condensation nuclei, particle size distributions, and chemical composition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schmale, Julia; Henning, Silvia; Henzing, Bas; Keskinen, Helmi; Sellegri, Karine; Ovadnevaite, Jurgita; Bougiatioti, Aikaterini; Kalivitis, Nikos; Stavroulas, Iasonas; Jefferson, Anne; Park, Minsu; Schlag, Patrick; Kristensson, Adam; Iwamoto, Yoko; Pringle, Kirsty; Reddington, Carly; Aalto, Pasi; Äijälä, Mikko; Baltensperger, Urs; Bialek, Jakub; Birmili, Wolfram; Bukowiecki, Nicolas; Ehn, Mikael; Fjæraa, Ann Mari; Fiebig, Markus; Frank, Göran; Fröhlich, Roman; Frumau, Arnoud; Furuya, Masaki; Hammer, Emanuel; Heikkinen, Liine; Herrmann, Erik; Holzinger, Rupert; Hyono, Hiroyuki; Kanakidou, Maria; Kiendler-Scharr, Astrid; Kinouchi, Kento; Kos, Gerard P A; Kulmala, Markku; Mihalopoulos, Nikolaos; Motos, Ghislain; Nenes, Athanasios; O'Dowd, Colin; Paramonov, Mikhail; Petäjä, Tuukka; Picard, David; Poulain, Laurent; Prévôt, André Stephan Henry; Slowik, Jay; Sonntag, Andre; Swietlicki, Erik; Svenningsson, Birgitta; Tsurumaru, Hiroshi; Wiedensohler, Alfred; Wittbom, Cerina; Ogren, John A.; Matsuki, Atsushi; Yum, Seong Soo; Myhre, Cathrine Lund; Carslaw, Ken; Stratmann, Frank; Gysel, Martin

2017-01-01

Cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) number concentrations alongside with submicrometer particle number size distributions and particle chemical composition have been measured at atmospheric observatories of the Aerosols, Clouds, and Trace gases Research InfraStructure (ACTRIS) as well as other

An Earth-sized exoplanet with a Mercury-like composition

Science.gov (United States)

Santerne, A.; Brugger, B.; Armstrong, D. J.; Adibekyan, V.; Lillo-Box, J.; Gosselin, H.; Aguichine, A.; Almenara, J.-M.; Barrado, D.; Barros, S. C. C.; Bayliss, D.; Boisse, I.; Bonomo, A. S.; Bouchy, F.; Brown, D. J. A.; Deleuil, M.; Delgado Mena, E.; Demangeon, O.; Díaz, R. F.; Doyle, A.; Dumusque, X.; Faedi, F.; Faria, J. P.; Figueira, P.; Foxell, E.; Giles, H.; Hébrard, G.; Hojjatpanah, S.; Hobson, M.; Jackman, J.; King, G.; Kirk, J.; Lam, K. W. F.; Ligi, R.; Lovis, C.; Louden, T.; McCormac, J.; Mousis, O.; Neal, J. J.; Osborn, H. P.; Pepe, F.; Pollacco, D.; Santos, N. C.; Sousa, S. G.; Udry, S.; Vigan, A.

2018-05-01

Earth, Venus, Mars and some extrasolar terrestrial planets1 have a mass and radius that is consistent with a mass fraction of about 30% metallic core and 70% silicate mantle2. At the inner frontier of the Solar System, Mercury has a completely different composition, with a mass fraction of about 70% metallic core and 30% silicate mantle3. Several formation or evolution scenarios are proposed to explain this metal-rich composition, such as a giant impact4, mantle evaporation5 or the depletion of silicate at the inner edge of the protoplanetary disk6. These scenarios are still strongly debated. Here, we report the discovery of a multiple transiting planetary system (K2-229) in which the inner planet has a radius of 1.165 ± 0.066 Earth radii and a mass of 2.59 ± 0.43 Earth masses. This Earth-sized planet thus has a core-mass fraction that is compatible with that of Mercury, although it was expected to be similar to that of Earth based on host-star chemistry7. This larger Mercury analogue either formed with a very peculiar composition or has evolved, for example, by losing part of its mantle. Further characterization of Mercury-like exoplanets such as K2-229 b will help to put the detailed in situ observations of Mercury (with MESSENGER and BepiColombo8) into the global context of the formation and evolution of solar and extrasolar terrestrial planets.

An Earth-sized exoplanet with a Mercury-like composition

Science.gov (United States)

Santerne, A.; Brugger, B.; Armstrong, D. J.; Adibekyan, V.; Lillo-Box, J.; Gosselin, H.; Aguichine, A.; Almenara, J.-M.; Barrado, D.; Barros, S. C. C.; Bayliss, D.; Boisse, I.; Bonomo, A. S.; Bouchy, F.; Brown, D. J. A.; Deleuil, M.; Delgado Mena, E.; Demangeon, O.; Díaz, R. F.; Doyle, A.; Dumusque, X.; Faedi, F.; Faria, J. P.; Figueira, P.; Foxell, E.; Giles, H.; Hébrard, G.; Hojjatpanah, S.; Hobson, M.; Jackman, J.; King, G.; Kirk, J.; Lam, K. W. F.; Ligi, R.; Lovis, C.; Louden, T.; McCormac, J.; Mousis, O.; Neal, J. J.; Osborn, H. P.; Pepe, F.; Pollacco, D.; Santos, N. C.; Sousa, S. G.; Udry, S.; Vigan, A.

2018-03-01

Earth, Venus, Mars and some extrasolar terrestrial planets1 have a mass and radius that is consistent with a mass fraction of about 30% metallic core and 70% silicate mantle2. At the inner frontier of the Solar System, Mercury has a completely different composition, with a mass fraction of about 70% metallic core and 30% silicate mantle3. Several formation or evolution scenarios are proposed to explain this metal-rich composition, such as a giant impact4, mantle evaporation5 or the depletion of silicate at the inner edge of the protoplanetary disk6. These scenarios are still strongly debated. Here, we report the discovery of a multiple transiting planetary system (K2-229) in which the inner planet has a radius of 1.165 ± 0.066 Earth radii and a mass of 2.59 ± 0.43 Earth masses. This Earth-sized planet thus has a core-mass fraction that is compatible with that of Mercury, although it was expected to be similar to that of Earth based on host-star chemistry7. This larger Mercury analogue either formed with a very peculiar composition or has evolved, for example, by losing part of its mantle. Further characterization of Mercury-like exoplanets such as K2-229 b will help to put the detailed in situ observations of Mercury (with MESSENGER and BepiColombo8) into the global context of the formation and evolution of solar and extrasolar terrestrial planets.

Dissipation and fluctuations in nucleus-nucleus collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feldmeier, H.; Spangenberger, H.; Beck, F.

1984-01-01

A model of dissipation and fluctuations in low energy heavy ion reactions which is based on known macroscopic properties of nuclei, and contains otherwise no adjustable parameters, is presented. The general formulation can serve as a starting point for a more refined treatment of the coupling between macroscopic and microscopic variables. The calculated Wilczynski diagram for the reaction 136 Xe + 209 Bi at E/sub lab/ = 1422 MeV in comparison to experimental results is given. Only a qualitative comparison is possible since the present calculation does not allow for deformations in the exit channel, and consequently cannot lead to energy losses below the Coulomb barrier. The size of the fluctuations, however, is represented in a quite satisfactory way, even in the region of small energy losses

Direct observation of nanometer-scale amorphous layers and oxide crystallites at grain boundaries in polycrystalline Sr1−xKxFe2As2 superconductors

KAUST Repository

Wang, Lei

2011-06-01

We report here an atomic resolution study of the structure and composition of the grain boundaries in polycrystallineSr0.6K0.4Fe2As2superconductor. A large fraction of grain boundaries contain amorphous layers larger than the coherence length, while some others contain nanometer-scale crystallites sandwiched in between amorphous layers. We also find that there is significant oxygen enrichment at the grain boundaries. Such results explain the relatively low transport critical current density (Jc) of polycrystalline samples with respect to that of bicrystal films.

Analog filters in nanometer CMOS

CERN Document Server

Uhrmann, Heimo; Zimmermann, Horst

2014-01-01

Starting from the basics of analog filters and the poor transistor characteristics in nanometer CMOS 10 high-performance analog filters developed by the authors in 120 nm and 65 nm CMOS are described extensively. Among them are gm-C filters, current-mode filters, and active filters for system-on-chip realization for Bluetooth, WCDMA, UWB, DVB-H, and LTE applications. For the active filters several operational amplifier designs are described. The book, furthermore, contains a review of the newest state of research on low-voltage low-power analog filters. To cover the topic of the book comprehensively, linearization issues and measurement methods for the characterization of advanced analog filters are introduced in addition. Numerous elaborate illustrations promote an easy comprehension. This book will be of value to engineers and researchers in industry as well as scientists and Ph.D students at universities. The book is also recommendable to graduate students specializing on nanoelectronics, microelectronics ...

Concentration Fluctuations and Capacitive Response in Dense Ionic Solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Uralcan, Betul; Aksay, Ilhan A; Debenedetti, Pablo G; Limmer, David T

2016-07-07

We use molecular dynamics simulations in a constant potential ensemble to study the effects of solution composition on the electrochemical response of a double layer capacitor. We find that the capacitance first increases with ion concentration following its expected ideal solution behavior but decreases upon approaching a pure ionic liquid in agreement with recent experimental observations. The nonmonotonic behavior of the capacitance as a function of ion concentration results from the competition between the independent motion of solvated ions in the dilute regime and solvation fluctuations in the concentrated regime. Mirroring the capacitance, we find that the characteristic decay length of charge density correlations away from the electrode is also nonmonotonic. The correlation length first decreases with ion concentration as a result of better electrostatic screening but increases with ion concentration as a result of enhanced steric interactions. When charge fluctuations induced by correlated ion-solvent fluctuations are large relative to those induced by the pure ionic liquid, such capacitive behavior is expected to be generic.

Nanoscale MOS devices: device parameter fluctuations and low-frequency noise (Invited Paper)

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Hei; Iwai, Hiroshi; Liou, J. J.

2005-05-01

It is well-known in conventional MOS transistors that the low-frequency noise or flicker noise is mainly contributed by the trapping-detrapping events in the gate oxide and the mobility fluctuation in the surface channel. In nanoscale MOS transistors, the number of trapping-detrapping events becomes less important because of the large direct tunneling current through the ultrathin gate dielectric which reduces the probability of trapping-detrapping and the level of leakage current fluctuation. Other noise sources become more significant in nanoscale devices. The source and drain resistance noises have greater impact on the drain current noise. Significant contribution of the parasitic bipolar transistor noise in ultra-short channel and channel mobility fluctuation to the channel noise are observed. The channel mobility fluctuation in nanoscale devices could be due to the local composition fluctuation of the gate dielectric material which gives rise to the permittivity fluctuation along the channel and results in gigantic channel potential fluctuation. On the other hand, the statistical variations of the device parameters across the wafer would cause the noise measurements less accurate which will be a challenge for the applicability of analytical flicker noise model as a process or device evaluation tool for nanoscale devices. Some measures for circumventing these difficulties are proposed.

Size effect of added LaB6 particles on optical properties of LaB6/Polymer composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan Yifei; Zhang Lin; Hu Lijie; Wang Wei; Min Guanghui

2011-01-01

Modified LaB 6 particles with sizes ranging from 50 nm to 400 nm were added into polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) matrix in order to investigate the effect of added LaB 6 particles on optical properties of LaB 6 /PMMA composites. Method of in-situ polymerization was applied to prepare PMMA from raw material—methyl methacrylate (MMA), a process during which LaB 6 particles were dispersed in MMA. Ultraviolet–visible–near infrared (UV–vis–NIR) absorption spectrum was used to study optical properties of the as-prepared materials. The difference in particle size could apparently affect the composites' absorption of visible light around wavelength of 600 nm. Added LaB 6 particles with size of about 70 nm resulted in the best optical properties among these groups of composites. - Graphical abstract: 70 nm LaB 6 particles resulted in the best performance on absorption of VIS and NIR, which could not be apparently achieved by LaB 6 particles beyond nano-scale. Highlights: ► LaB 6 /PMMA composites were prepared using the method of in-situ polymerization. ► LaB 6 particles added in MMA prolonged the time needed for its pre-polymerization. ► Nanosized LaB 6 particles could obviously absorb much NIR but little VIS.

Prediction of power fluctuation classes for photovoltaic installations and potential benefits of dynamic reserve allocation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nijhuis, M.; Rawn, B.G.; Gibescu, M.

2014-01-01

During partly cloudy conditions, the power delivered by a photovoltaic array can easily fluctuate by three quarters of its rated power in 10 s. Fluctuations from photovoltaics of this size and on this time scale may necessitate adding an additional component to power system secondary and primary

Real-Time Imaging of Plant Cell Wall Structure at Nanometer Scale, with Respect to Cellulase Accessibility and Degradation Kinetics (Presentation)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ding, S. Y.

2012-05-01

Presentation on real-time imaging of plant cell wall structure at nanometer scale. Objectives are to develop tools to measure biomass at the nanometer scale; elucidate the molecular bases of biomass deconstruction; and identify factors that affect the conversion efficiency of biomass-to-biofuels.

Interlaminar improvement of carbon fiber/epoxy composites via depositing mixture of carbon nanotubes and sizing agent

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fang, Cuiqin [Beijing Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Process and Technology for Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China); Wang, Julin, E-mail: julinwang@126.com [Beijing Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Process and Technology for Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China); Zhang, Tao [Beijing Institute of Ancient Architecture, Beijing 100050 (China)

2014-12-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • COOH-CNTs can react with sizing agent, and the optimum reaction ratio was 1:20. • Carbon fibers were dipped into the mixture bath of CNTs and sizing agent. • SEM results indicate that fibers surfaces were coated with CNTs and sizing agent. • ILSS was increased by 67.01% for the composites after the mixture coating process. • Single fibers tensile strength was maintained after the deposited process. - Abstract: The effects of deposition to carbon fibers surfaces with mixture of functionalized multi-walled carbon fibers (MWCNTs) and sizing agent were investigated. Relationships between CNTs and sizing agent were studied with Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Ubbelohde viscometer. The results revealed that CNTs could react with sizing agent at 120 °C, and optimal reaction occurs when mass ratio was about 1:20. Then, carbon fibers were immersed in mixed aqueous suspension of CNTs and sizing agent with the above ratio dispersed by ultrasonication. According to scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations, fibers surfaces were coated with CNTs and sizing agent. The static contact angle tests indicated wetting performance between fibers and epoxy resin were improved after deposited procedures. Interlaminar shear strength was increased by 67.01% for fibers/epoxy resin composites after mixture deposited process. Moreover, the tensile strength of single fibers after depositing showed a slightly increase compared with that of fibers without depositing layer.

Fluctuations and Photons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, Sourendu

2007-01-01

In this talk I discuss measures of fluctuations, especially those leading to the proof that the quark gluon plasma indeed contains quarks. I discuss the quark mass dependence of the critical end point of QCD. Then I discuss probes of the QCD critical point. Non-gaussian behaviour of event-to-event fluctuations of conserved quantum numbers is one such probe. Another is due to the coupling of fluctuations in baryon number and electrical charge, giving rise to long range random fluctuations of local charge density which relax slowly. These fluctuations can scatter photons, giving rise to critical opalescence

Fluctuations and Photons

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Sourendu

2007-02-01

In this talk I discuss measures of fluctuations, especially those leading to the proof that the quark gluon plasma indeed contains quarks. I discuss the quark mass dependence of the critical end point of QCD. Then I discuss probes of the QCD critical point. Non-gaussian behaviour of event-to-event fluctuations of conserved quantum numbers is one such probe. Another is due to the coupling of fluctuations in baryon number and electrical charge, giving rise to long range random fluctuations of local charge density which relax slowly. These fluctuations can scatter photons, giving rise to critical opalescence.

Fluctuations and Photons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gupta, Sourendu [Department of Theoretical Physics, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Mumbai 400005 (India)

2007-02-15

In this talk I discuss measures of fluctuations, especially those leading to the proof that the quark gluon plasma indeed contains quarks. I discuss the quark mass dependence of the critical end point of QCD. Then I discuss probes of the QCD critical point. Non-gaussian behaviour of event-to-event fluctuations of conserved quantum numbers is one such probe. Another is due to the coupling of fluctuations in baryon number and electrical charge, giving rise to long range random fluctuations of local charge density which relax slowly. These fluctuations can scatter photons, giving rise to critical opalescence.

Activated Carbon-Fly Ash-Nanometal Oxide Composite Materials: Preparation, Characterization, and Tributyltin Removal Efficiency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olushola S. Ayanda

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The physicochemical properties, nature, and morphology of composite materials involving activated carbon, fly ash, nFe3O4, nSiO2, and nZnO were investigated and compared. Nature and morphology characterizations were carried out by means of scanning electron and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Other physicochemical characterizations undertaken were CNH analysis, ash content, pH, point of zero charge, and surface area and porosity determination by BET. Experimental results obtained revealed that activated carbon, nSiO2, activated carbon-fly ash, activated carbon-fly ash-nFe3O4, activated carbon-fly ash-nSiO2, and activated carbon-fly ash-nZnO composite materials exhibited net negative charge on their surfaces while fly ash, nFe3O4, and nZnO possessed net positive charge on their surfaces. Relatively higher removal efficiency (>99% of TBT was obtained for all the composite materials compared to their respective precursors except for activated carbon. These composite materials therefore offer great potential for the remediation of TBT in wastewaters.

Particle size dependence of biogenic secondary organic aerosol molecular composition

Science.gov (United States)

Tu, Peijun; Johnston, Murray V.

2017-06-01

Formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is initiated by the oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the gas phase whose products subsequently partition to the particle phase. Non-volatile molecules have a negligible evaporation rate and grow particles at their condensation rate. Semi-volatile molecules have a significant evaporation rate and grow particles at a much slower rate than their condensation rate. Particle phase chemistry may enhance particle growth if it transforms partitioned semi-volatile molecules into non-volatile products. In principle, changes in molecular composition as a function of particle size allow non-volatile molecules that have condensed from the gas phase (a surface-limited process) to be distinguished from those produced by particle phase reaction (a volume-limited process). In this work, SOA was produced by β-pinene ozonolysis in a flow tube reactor. Aerosol exiting the reactor was size-selected with a differential mobility analyzer, and individual particle sizes between 35 and 110 nm in diameter were characterized by on- and offline mass spectrometry. Both the average oxygen-to-carbon (O / C) ratio and carbon oxidation state (OSc) were found to decrease with increasing particle size, while the relative signal intensity of oligomers increased with increasing particle size. These results are consistent with oligomer formation primarily in the particle phase (accretion reactions, which become more favored as the volume-to-surface-area ratio of the particle increases). Analysis of a series of polydisperse SOA samples showed similar dependencies: as the mass loading increased (and average volume-to-surface-area ratio increased), the average O / C ratio and OSc decreased, while the relative intensity of oligomer ions increased. The results illustrate the potential impact that particle phase chemistry can have on biogenic SOA formation and the particle size range where this chemistry becomes important.

Particle size dependence of biogenic secondary organic aerosol molecular composition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Tu

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA is initiated by the oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs in the gas phase whose products subsequently partition to the particle phase. Non-volatile molecules have a negligible evaporation rate and grow particles at their condensation rate. Semi-volatile molecules have a significant evaporation rate and grow particles at a much slower rate than their condensation rate. Particle phase chemistry may enhance particle growth if it transforms partitioned semi-volatile molecules into non-volatile products. In principle, changes in molecular composition as a function of particle size allow non-volatile molecules that have condensed from the gas phase (a surface-limited process to be distinguished from those produced by particle phase reaction (a volume-limited process. In this work, SOA was produced by β-pinene ozonolysis in a flow tube reactor. Aerosol exiting the reactor was size-selected with a differential mobility analyzer, and individual particle sizes between 35 and 110 nm in diameter were characterized by on- and offline mass spectrometry. Both the average oxygen-to-carbon (O ∕ C ratio and carbon oxidation state (OSc were found to decrease with increasing particle size, while the relative signal intensity of oligomers increased with increasing particle size. These results are consistent with oligomer formation primarily in the particle phase (accretion reactions, which become more favored as the volume-to-surface-area ratio of the particle increases. Analysis of a series of polydisperse SOA samples showed similar dependencies: as the mass loading increased (and average volume-to-surface-area ratio increased, the average O ∕ C ratio and OSc decreased, while the relative intensity of oligomer ions increased. The results illustrate the potential impact that particle phase chemistry can have on biogenic SOA formation and the particle size range where this chemistry becomes

Twin study of genetic and environmental influences on adult body size, shape and composition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schousboe, K.; Visscher, P.M.; Erbas, B.

2004-01-01

), we determined zygosity by DNA similarity, and performed anthropometry and bioelectrical impedance analysis of body composition. The contribution to the total phenotypic variance of genetic, common environment, and individual environment was estimated in multivariate analysis using the FISHER program...... effects under the assumptions of no nonadditive effect. The pattern of age trends was inconsistent. However, when significant there was a decrease in heritability with advancing age. DISCUSSION: These findings suggest that adult body size, shape, and composition are highly heritable in both women and men...

Preparation of carbon fiber unsaturated sizing agent for enhancing interfacial strength of carbon fiber/vinyl ester resin composite

Science.gov (United States)

Jiao, Weiwei; Cai, Yemeng; Liu, Wenbo; Yang, Fan; Jiang, Long; Jiao, Weicheng; Wang, Rongguo

2018-05-01

The practical application of carbon fiber (CF) reinforced vinyl ester resin (VE) composite was hampered seriously by the poor interfacial adhesion property. In this work, a novel unsaturated sizing agent was designed and prepared to improve the interfacial strength by covalently bonding CF with VE matrix. The main component of the sizing agent, N-(4‧4-diaminodiphenyl methane)-2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate (DMHM), was synthesized and confirmed by FTIR and NMR. XPS results of sized carbon fiber (SCF) showed that DMHM has adhered to desized fiber surface and reacted with some active functional groups on the surface. The SCF was characterized by high surface roughness and surface energy (especially the polar component), which means better wettability by VE. As a result, the interface shear strength and interlaminar shear strength of SCF/VE composite were enhanced by 96.56% and 66.07% respectively compared with CF/VE composite, benefited mainly from the strong and tough interphase.

Influence of longitudinal spin fluctuations on the phase transition features in chiral magnets

Science.gov (United States)

Belemuk, A. M.; Stishov, S. M.

2018-04-01

Using the classical Monte Carlo calculations, we investigate the effects of longitudinal spin fluctuations on the helimagnetic transition in a Heisenberg magnet with the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. We use variable spin amplitudes in the framework of the spin-lattice Hamiltonian. It is this kind of fluctuations that naturally occur in an itinerant system. We show that the basic features of the helical phase transition are not changed much by the longitudinal spin fluctuations though the transition temperature Tc and the fluctuation hump seen in specific heat at T >Tc is significantly affected. We report thermodynamic and structural effects of these fluctuations. By increasing the system size in the Monte Carlo modeling, we are able to reproduce the ring shape scattering intensity above the helimagnetic transition temperature Tc, which transforms into the spiral spots seen below Tc in the neutron scattering experiments.

Preparation of nanometer sized Mn doped Zn based oxides powder for DMS applications

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Das, J

2009-01-01

Full Text Available In order to study the size dependent DMS (Diluted Magnetic Semiconductor) behavior of Mn doped ZnO, the authors have systematically prepared a series of nanosized green powder based on Mn doped ZnO (Zn 1-x Mn x O, where x=0.02 - 0.1) materials using...

Role of particle size and composition in metal adsorption by solids deposited on urban road surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gunawardana, Chandima; Egodawatta, Prasanna; Goonetilleke, Ashantha

2014-01-01

Despite common knowledge that the metal content adsorbed by fine particles is relatively higher compared to coarser particles, the reasons for this phenomenon have gained little research attention. The research study discussed in the paper investigated the variations in metal content for different particle sizes of solids associated with pollutant build-up on urban road surfaces. Data analysis confirmed that parameters favourable for metal adsorption to solids such as specific surface area, organic carbon content, effective cation exchange capacity and clay forming minerals content decrease with the increase in particle size. Furthermore, the mineralogical composition of solids was found to be the governing factor influencing the specific surface area and effective cation exchange capacity. There is high quartz content in particles >150 μm compared to particles <150 μm. As particle size reduces below 150 μm, the clay forming minerals content increases, providing favourable physical and chemical properties that influence adsorption. -- Highlights: • Physico-chemical parameters investigated in build-up samples from 32 road surfaces. • Mineralogical composition primarily governs the physico-chemical characteristics. • High clay forming mineral content in fine solids increases SSA and ECEC. • Characteristics influenced by quartz and amorphous content with particle size. • High quartz content in coarse particles contributes reduced metal adsorption. -- The mineralogical composition of solids is the governing factor influencing metal adsorption to solids in pollutant build-up on urban surfaces

Improved interfacial adhesion in carbon fiber/polyether sulfone composites through an organic solvent-free polyamic acid sizing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yuan, Haojie [National Engineering Laboratory for carbon fiber technology, Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan 030001 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Zhang, Shouchun, E-mail: zschun@sxicc.ac.cn [National Engineering Laboratory for carbon fiber technology, Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan 030001 (China); Lu, Chunxiang, E-mail: chunxl@sxicc.ac.cn [National Engineering Laboratory for carbon fiber technology, Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan 030001 (China); He, Shuqing [National Engineering Laboratory for carbon fiber technology, Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan 030001 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); An, Feng [National Engineering Laboratory for carbon fiber technology, Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan 030001 (China)

2013-08-15

An organic solvent-free polyamic acid (PAA) nanoemulsion was obtained by direct ionization of the solid PAA in deionized water, with the average particle size of 261 nm and Zeta potential of −55.1 mV, and used as a carbon fiber sizing to improve the interfacial adhesion between the carbon fiber and polyether sulfone (PES). The surface characteristics of PAA coated carbon fibers were investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and dynamic contact angle measurement. The results demonstrated that a continuous and uniform PAA sizing layer was formed on the surface of carbon fibers, and the surface energy of carbon fibers increased from 42.91 to 54.55 mN/m after sizing treatment. The single fiber pull-out testing was also performed, which showed the increased interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of carbon fiber/PES composites from 33.6 to 49.7 MPa by 47.9%. The major reasons for the improved interfacial adhesion were the increased van der Waals forces between the PES matrix and sizing layer as well as the chemical bonding between the sizing layer and carbon fiber surface. Furthermore, the PAA sizing also presented a positive effect on the interfacial adhesion of carbon fiber/PES composites under hydrothermal condition.

Improved interfacial adhesion in carbon fiber/polyether sulfone composites through an organic solvent-free polyamic acid sizing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan, Haojie; Zhang, Shouchun; Lu, Chunxiang; He, Shuqing; An, Feng

2013-01-01

An organic solvent-free polyamic acid (PAA) nanoemulsion was obtained by direct ionization of the solid PAA in deionized water, with the average particle size of 261 nm and Zeta potential of −55.1 mV, and used as a carbon fiber sizing to improve the interfacial adhesion between the carbon fiber and polyether sulfone (PES). The surface characteristics of PAA coated carbon fibers were investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and dynamic contact angle measurement. The results demonstrated that a continuous and uniform PAA sizing layer was formed on the surface of carbon fibers, and the surface energy of carbon fibers increased from 42.91 to 54.55 mN/m after sizing treatment. The single fiber pull-out testing was also performed, which showed the increased interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of carbon fiber/PES composites from 33.6 to 49.7 MPa by 47.9%. The major reasons for the improved interfacial adhesion were the increased van der Waals forces between the PES matrix and sizing layer as well as the chemical bonding between the sizing layer and carbon fiber surface. Furthermore, the PAA sizing also presented a positive effect on the interfacial adhesion of carbon fiber/PES composites under hydrothermal condition.

Tertiary climatic fluctuations and methods of analysis of tertiary floras

Science.gov (United States)

Wolfe, J.A.

1971-01-01

On theoretical grounds, an analysis of the physiognomy of a Tertiary leaf assemblage is more direct and reliable than a circuitous floristic analysis in assigning thermal regimes to fossil assemblages. Using primarily foliar physiognomy and secondarily floristic composition, it can be shown that: (1) some middle latitude Tertiary assemblages probably lived under meteoroligically tropical climates; (2) a major and rapid climatic deterioration occurred in the Oligocene; and (3) a major climatic fluctuation probably occurred in the Late Eocene. These analyses thus substantiate the conclusions of several other paleobotanists regarding climatic fluctuations. Recent criticisms of these analyses are shown to be invalid and to be based largely on misinterpretations. ?? 1971.

Quantitative nanometer-scale mapping of dielectric tunability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tselev, Alexander [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Klein, Andreas [Technische Univ. Darmstadt (Germany); Gassmann, Juergen [Technische Univ. Darmstadt (Germany); Jesse, Stephen [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Li, Qian [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Kalinin, Sergei V. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Wisinger, Nina Balke [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2015-08-21

Two scanning probe microscopy techniques—near-field scanning microwave microscopy (SMM) and piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM)—are used to characterize and image tunability in a thin (Ba,Sr)TiO3 film with nanometer scale spatial resolution. While sMIM allows direct probing of tunability by measurement of the change in the dielectric constant, in PFM, tunability can be extracted via electrostrictive response. The near-field microwave imaging and PFM provide similar information about dielectric tunability with PFM capable to deliver quantitative information on tunability with a higher spatial resolution close to 15 nm. This is the first time that information about the dielectric tunability is available on such length scales.

Nanometer-scale anatomy of entire Stardust tracks

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamura-Messenger, Keiko; Keller, Lindsay P.; Clemett, Simon J.; Messenger, Scott; Ito, Motoo

2011-07-01

We have developed new sample preparation and analytical techniques tailored for entire aerogel tracks of Wild 2 sample analyses both on "carrot" and "bulbous" tracks. We have successfully ultramicrotomed an entire track along its axis while preserving its original shape. This innovation allowed us to examine the distribution of fragments along the entire track from the entrance hole all the way to the terminal particle. The crystalline silicates we measured have Mg-rich compositions and O isotopic compositions in the range of meteoritic materials, implying that they originated in the inner solar system. The terminal particle of the carrot track is a 16O-rich forsteritic grain that may have formed in a similar environment as Ca-, Al-rich inclusions and amoeboid olivine aggregates in primitive carbonaceous chondrites. The track also contains submicron-sized diamond grains likely formed in the solar system. Complex aromatic hydrocarbons distributed along aerogel tracks and in terminal particles. These organics are likely cometary but affected by shock heating.

Magnetic fluctuations associated with density fluctuations in the tokamak edge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Y.J.; Gentle, K.W.; Ritz, C.P.; Rhodes, T.L.; Bengtson, R.D.

1989-01-01

Electrostatic density and potential fluctuations occurring with high amplitude near the edge of a tokamak are correlated with components of the fluctuating magnetic field measured outside the limiter radius. It has been established that this turbulence is associated with fluctuations in current as well as density and potential. The correlation extends for substantial toroidal distances, but only if the probes are displaced approximately along field lines, consistent with the short coherence lengths poloidally but long coherence lengths parallel to the field which are characteristic for this turbulence. Furthermore, the correlation can be found only with density fluctuations measured inside the limiter radius; density fluctuations behind the limiter have no detectable magnetic concomitant for the toroidally spaced probes used here. (author). Letter-to-the-editor. 12 refs, 3 figs

A new derivation of Luescher F-term and fluctuations around the giant magnon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heller, Michal P.; Janik, Romuald A.; Lukowski, Tomasz

2008-01-01

In this paper we give a new derivation of the generalized Luescher F-term formula from a summation over quadratic fluctuations around a given soliton. The result is very general providing that S-matrix is diagonal and is valid for arbitrary dispersion relation. We then apply this formalism to compute the leading finite size corrections to the giant magnon dispersion relation coming from quantum fluctuations.

Size effects on structural and dielectric properties of PZT thin films at compositions around the morpho tropic phase boundary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lima, Elton Carvalho; Araujo, Eudes Borges; Souza Filho, Antonio Gomes de; Bdikin, Igor

2011-01-01

Full text: The demand for portability in consumer electronics has motivated the understanding of size effects on ferroelectric thin films. The actual comprehension of these effects in ferroelectrics is unsatisfactory, since the polarization interacts more strongly than other order parameters such as strain and charge. As a result, extrinsic effects are produced if these variables are uncontrolled and problems such as ferroelectric paraelectric phase transition at nanometers scale remains an unsolved issue. In the present work, the effects of thickness and compositional fractions on the structural and dielectric properties of PbZr 1-x Ti x O 3 (PZT) thin films were studied at a composition around the morphotropic phase boundary (x = 0.50). For this purpose, thin films with different thicknesses and different PbO excess were deposited on Si(100) and Pt=T iO 2 =SiO 2 =Si substrates by a chemical method and crystallized in electric furnace at 700 deg C for 1 hour. The effects of substrate, pyrolysis temperature and excess lead addition in the films are reported. For films with 10 mol% PbO in excess, the pyrolysis in the regime of 300 deg C for 30 minutes was observed to yield PZT pyrochlore free thin films deposited on Pt=T iO 2 =SiO 2 =Si substrate. Out this condition, the transformation from amorphous to the pyrochlore metastable phase is kinetically more favorable that a transformation to the perovskite phase, which is thermodynamically stable. Rietveld refinements based on X-ray diffraction results showed that films present a purely tetragonal phase and that this phase does not change when the film thickness decreases. The dielectric permittivity measurements showed a monoclinic → tetragonal phase transition at 198K. Results showed that the dielectric permittivity (ε) increases continuously from 257 to 463, while the thickness of the PZT films increases from 200 to 710 nm. These results suggests that interface pinning centers can be the responsible mechanism by

Ion transport studies on Pb(NO3)2:Al2O3 composite solid electrolytes: Effect of dispersoid particle size

Science.gov (United States)

Reddy, Y. Govinda; Sekhar, M. Chandra; Sadananda Chary, A.; Narender Reddy, S.

2018-02-01

Composites of Alumina dispersed Lead Nitrate of different particles sizes (0.3µm, 36.9µm) were prepared through mechanical mixing process. These composites have been characterized by using XRD and SEM. Transport properties of these systems have been studied by means of impedance spectroscopy in the frequency range 100Hz to 4MHz in the temperature range from room temperature to 300°C. Temperature dependent conductivity spectra for composites with different mole percentages of alumina and with different particle sizes (0.3µm, 36.9µm) studied. The contact surface area between host and dispersoid increases with the decrease in particle size. These studies indicate that the conductivity in these systems is mainly due to the contribution enhanced concentration of mobile ions at the interfacial regions of host and dispersoid materials and increased mobility of charge carriers along the grain boundaries. It is believed that mechanism of conductivity through anti-Frenkel disorder (NO3 - ions) in these composites.

Localized Measurement of Turbulent Fluctuations in Tokamaks with Coherent Scattering of Electromagnetic Waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazzucato, E.

2002-01-01

Localized measurements of short-scale turbulent fluctuations in tokamaks are still an outstanding problem. In this paper, the method of coherent scattering of electromagnetic waves for the detection of density fluctuations is revisited. Results indicate that the proper choice of frequency, size and launching of the probing wave can transform this method into an excellent technique for high-resolution measurements of those fluctuations that plasma theory indicates as the potential cause of anomalous transport in tokamaks. The best spatial resolution can be achieved when the range of scattering angles corresponding to the spectrum of fluctuations under investigation is small. This favors the use of high frequency probing waves, such as those of far infrared lasers. The application to existing large tokamaks is discussed

Redox Fluctuations Increase the Contribution of Lignin to Soil Respiration

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, S. J.; Silver, W. L.; Timokhin, V.; Hammel, K.

2014-12-01

Lignin mineralization represents a critical flux in the terrestrial carbon (C) cycle, yet little is known about mechanisms and environmental factors controlling lignin breakdown in mineral soils. Hypoxia has long been thought to suppress lignin decomposition, yet variation in oxygen (O2) availability in surface soils accompanying moisture fluctuations could potentially stimulate this process by generating reactive oxygen species via coupled biotic and abiotic iron (Fe) redox cycling. Here, we tested the impact of redox fluctuations on lignin breakdown in humid tropical forest soils during ten-week laboratory incubations. We used synthetic lignins labeled with 13C in either of two positions (aromatic methoxyl and propyl Cβ) to provide highly sensitive and specific measures of lignin mineralization not previously employed in soils. Four-day redox fluctuations increased the percent contribution of methoxyl C to soil respiration, and cumulative methoxyl C mineralization was equivalent under static aerobic and fluctuating redox conditions despite lower total C mineralization in the latter treatment. Contributions of the highly stable Cβ to mineralization were also equivalent in static aerobic and fluctuating redox treatments during periods of O2 exposure, and nearly doubled in the fluctuating treatment after normalizing to cumulative O2 exposure. Oxygen fluctuations drove substantial net Fe reduction and oxidation, implying that reactive oxygen species generated during abiotic Fe oxidation likely contributed to the elevated contribution of lignin to C mineralization. Iron redox cycling provides a mechanism for lignin breakdown in soils that experience conditions unfavorable for canonical lignin-degrading organisms, and provides a potential mechanism for lignin depletion in soil organic matter during late-stage decomposition. Thus, close couplings between soil moisture, redox fluctuations, and lignin breakdown provide potential a link between climate variability and

Development of fluctuation monitor type sodium ionization detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, Hajime; Sato, Yoshihiko; Ibe, Eishi; Suzuoki, Akira

1986-01-01

In order to improve the sensitivity and the reliability of the sodium leak detection system used in the fast breeder reactors, a new type SID (sodium ionization detector) has been developed, in which the monitored signal is only the fluctuating component of the current between the filament and the ion collector. The fluctuating component was extracted by a band pass filter and its root mean square value was calculated as the SID signal. Fluctuation characteristics of the output current were studied by its frequency spectrum. The results revealed that the current spectrum was affected by the particle size distribution of the aerosol and was most clearly distinguished from that of the background current in the frequency region of 0.5 ∼ 10 Hz. Output characteristics of the fluctuation monitor type SID (FM-SID) were obtained as a function of sodium concentration in the gas. The FM-SID sensitivity was lowered by impurities in the gas, such as oxygen and water vapor. Finally, in comparisons with the conventional DC-SIDs, the background noise level of the FM-SID was much lower and S/N ratio was greatly improved. The detectable sodium concentration level was ten times lower than that of the DC-SID. (author)

Aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy analyses of GaAs/Si interfaces in wafer-bonded multi-junction solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Häussler, Dietrich [Institute for Materials Science, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kaiserstraße 2, 24143 Kiel (Germany); Houben, Lothar [Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons, Research Centre Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich (Germany); Essig, Stephanie [Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Heidenhofstraße 2, 79110 Freiburg (Germany); Kurttepeli, Mert [Institute for Materials Science, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kaiserstraße 2, 24143 Kiel (Germany); Dimroth, Frank [Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Heidenhofstraße 2, 79110 Freiburg (Germany); Dunin-Borkowski, Rafal E. [Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons, Research Centre Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich (Germany); Jäger, Wolfgang, E-mail: wolfgang.jaeger@tf.uni-kiel.de [Institute for Materials Science, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kaiserstraße 2, 24143 Kiel (Germany)

2013-11-15

Aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) investigations have been applied to investigate the structure and composition fluctuations near interfaces in wafer-bonded multi-junction solar cells. Multi-junction solar cells are of particular interest since efficiencies well above 40% have been obtained for concentrator solar cells which are based on III-V compound semiconductors. In this methodologically oriented investigation, we explore the potential of combining aberration-corrected high-angle annular dark-field STEM imaging (HAADF-STEM) with spectroscopic techniques, such as EELS and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS), and with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), in order to analyze the effects of fast atom beam (FAB) and ion beam bombardment (IB) activation treatments on the structure and composition of bonding interfaces of wafer-bonded solar cells on Si substrates. Investigations using STEM/EELS are able to measure quantitatively and with high precision the widths and the fluctuations in element distributions within amorphous interface layers of nanometer extensions, including those of light elements. Such measurements allow the control of the activation treatments and thus support assessing electrical conductivity phenomena connected with impurity and dopant distributions near interfaces for optimized performance of the solar cells. - Highlights: • Aberration-corrected TEM and EELS reveal structural and elemental profiles across GaAs/Si bond interfaces in wafer-bonded GaInP/GaAs/Si - multi-junction solar cells. • Fluctuations in elemental concentration in nanometer-thick amorphous interface layers, including the disrubutions of light elements, are measured using EELS. • The projected widths of the interface layers are determined on the atomic scale from STEM-HAADF measurements. • The effects of atom and ion beam activation treatment on the bonding

Influence of temperature fluctuations on equilibrium ice sheet volume

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. B. Mikkelsen

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Forecasting the future sea level relies on accurate modeling of the response of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets to changing temperatures. The surface mass balance (SMB of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS has a nonlinear response to warming. Cold and warm anomalies of equal size do not cancel out and it is therefore important to consider the effect of interannual fluctuations in temperature. We find that the steady-state volume of an ice sheet is biased toward larger size if interannual temperature fluctuations are not taken into account in numerical modeling of the ice sheet. We illustrate this in a simple ice sheet model and find that the equilibrium ice volume is approximately 1 m SLE (meters sea level equivalent smaller when the simple model is forced with fluctuating temperatures as opposed to a stable climate. It is therefore important to consider the effect of interannual temperature fluctuations when designing long experiments such as paleo-spin-ups. We show how the magnitude of the potential bias can be quantified statistically. For recent simulations of the Greenland Ice Sheet, we estimate the bias to be 30 Gt yr−1 (24–59 Gt yr−1, 95 % credibility for a warming of 3 °C above preindustrial values, or 13 % (10–25, 95 % credibility of the present-day rate of ice loss. Models of the Greenland Ice Sheet show a collapse threshold beyond which the ice sheet becomes unsustainable. The proximity of the threshold will be underestimated if temperature fluctuations are not taken into account. We estimate the bias to be 0.12 °C (0.10–0.18 °C, 95 % credibility for a recent estimate of the threshold. In light of our findings it is important to gauge the extent to which this increased variability will influence the mass balance of the ice sheets.

Critical fluctuations in cortical models near instability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew J. Aburn

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Computational studies often proceed from the premise that cortical dynamics operate in a linearly stable domain, where fluctuations dissipate quickly and show only short memory. Studies of human EEG, however, have shown significant autocorrelation at time lags on the scale of minutes, indicating the need to consider regimes where nonlinearities influence the dynamics. Statistical properties such as increased autocorrelation length, increased variance, power-law scaling and bistable switching have been suggested as generic indicators of the approach to bifurcation in nonlinear dynamical systems. We study temporal fluctuations in a widely-employed computational model (the Jansen-Rit model of cortical activity, examining the statistical signatures that accompany bifurcations. Approaching supercritical Hopf bifurcations through tuning of the background excitatory input, we find a dramatic increase in the autocorrelation length that depends sensitively on the direction in phase space of the input fluctuations and hence on which neuronal subpopulation is stochastically perturbed. Similar dependence on the input direction is found in the distribution of fluctuation size and duration, which show power law scaling that extends over four orders of magnitude at the Hopf bifurcation. We conjecture that the alignment in phase space between the input noise vector and the center manifold of the Hopf bifurcation is directly linked to these changes. These results are consistent with the possibility of statistical indicators of linear instability being detectable in real EEG time series. However, even in a simple cortical model, we find that these indicators may not necessarily be visible even when bifurcations are present because their expression can depend sensitively on the neuronal pathway of incoming fluctuations.

Investigation of the impact of dose fluctuations on tumour control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zavgorodni, S.F.; Royal Adelaide Hospital,; Booth, J.; Adelaide University,; Rosenfeld, A.

2001-01-01

Full text: The importance of spatial uniformity of the dose across the Planning Target Volume (PTV) has been investigated previously with the conclusion stated in 'uniform dose theorem' concluding that the uniform dose results in the highest Tumour Control Probability (TCP). The dose fluctuations, which appear in fractionated treatments as a result of setup errors, organ motion, treatment machine calibration and other reasons can be seen as temporal dose non-uniformity. The intuitive expectation, that the temporal dose non-uniformity would also reduce TCP, has been tested. The impact of temporal dose non-uniformity has been investigated considering intra and inter-treatment dose fluctuations. The dose was considered to be spatially uniform. The convolution technique was used and analytical expression of TCP accounting for the dose fluctuation has also been derived. Both techniques used Probability Density Function (PDF) to account for the dose fluctuations. The dose fluctuations with PDF symmetrical around its mean value (Gaussian) as well as non-symmetrical PDFs were both investigated. The symmetrical PDFs represented the fluctuations, which appear in the whole PTV as a result of day to day variation in treatment machine output. Non-symmetrical PDFs represented the dose fluctuations at the edges of PTV as a result of setup errors and organ motion. The effect of the dose fluctuations has been expressed in terms of an extra dose δ (positive or negative) which should be added to the value of temporally uniform dose in order to provide the same TCP as the one resulting from temporally non-uniform (fluctuating) dose. Intra-treatment dose fluctuations resulted in an increased TCP, though the effect is relatively small (δ<1 Gy for the treatment dose of 60 Gy). However, inter-treatment fluctuations of the dose reduced TCP for a patient population. The size of effect increases with the standard deviation of the PDF. Random ultra-treatment dose fluctuations resulted in

Nanoscale size effect in in situ titanium based composites with cell viability and cytocompatibility studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miklaszewski, Andrzej, E-mail: andrzej.miklaszewski@put.poznan.pl [Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Jana Pawla II 24, 61-138 Poznan (Poland); Jurczyk, Mieczysława U. [Division Mother' s and Child' s Health, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Polna 33, 60-535 Poznan (Poland); Kaczmarek, Mariusz [Department of Immunology, Chair of Clinical Immunology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 5D, 60-806 Poznan (Poland); Paszel-Jaworska, Anna; Romaniuk, Aleksandra; Lipińska, Natalia [Department of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Przybyszewskiego 49, 60-355 Poznan (Poland); Żurawski, Jakub [Department of Immunobiochemistry, Chair of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 8, 60-806 Poznan (Poland); Urbaniak, Paulina [Department of Cell Biology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 5D, 60-806 Poznan (Poland); Jurczyk, Mieczyslaw [Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Jana Pawla II 24, 61-138 Poznan (Poland)

2017-04-01

Novel in situ Metal Matrix Nanocomposite (MMNC) materials based on titanium and boron, revealed their new properties in the nanoscale range. In situ nanocomposites, obtained through mechanical alloying and traditional powder metallurgy compaction and sintering, show obvious differences to their microstructural analogue. A unique microstructure connected with good mechanical properties reliant on the processing conditions favour the nanoscale range of results of the Ti-TiB in situ MMNC example. The data summarised in this work, support and extend the knowledge boundaries of the nanoscale size effect that influence not only the mechanical properties but also the studies on the cell viability and cytocompatibility. Prepared in the same bulk, in situ MMNC, based on titanium and boron, could be considered as a possible candidate for dental implants and other medical applications. The observed relations and research conclusions are transferable to the in situ MMNC material group. Aside from all the discussed relations, the increasing share of these composites in the ever-growing material markets, heavily depends on the attractiveness and a possible wider application of these composites as well as their operational simplicity presented in this work. - Highlights: • Nano and microscale size precursor influence the final composite microstructure and properties. • Obtained from the nanoscale precursor sinters, characterise with a uniform and highly dispersed microstructure • Mechanical properties favoured Nano scale size precursor • Boron addition could be significantly reduced for moderate properties range. • A possible candidate for dental implants and other medical applications.

Aerosol Size and Chemical Composition in the Canadian High Arctic

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, R. Y. W.; Hayes, P. L.; Leaitch, W. R.; Croft, B.; O'Neill, N. T.; Fogal, P.; Drummond, J. R.; Sloan, J. J.

2015-12-01

Arctic aerosol have a strong annual cycle, with winter months dominated by long range transport from lower latitudes resulting in high mass loadings. Conversely, local emissions are more prominent in the summer months because of the decreased influence of transported aerosol, allowing us to regularly observe both transported and local aerosol. This study will present observations of aerosol chemical composition and particle number size distribution collected at the Polar Environment Artic Research Laboratory and the Alert Global Atmospheric Watch Observatory at Eureka (80N, 86W) and Alert (82N, 62W), Nunavut, respectively. Summer time observations of the number size distribution reveal a persistent mode of particles centered between 30-50 nm, with occasional bursts of smaller particles. The non-refractory aerosol chemical composition, measured by the Canadian Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Change quadrupole aerosol mass spectrometer, is primarily organic, with contributions from both aged and fresher organic aerosol. Factor analysis will be conducted to better understand these sources. The site at Eureka is more susceptible to long range transport since it is at the top of a mountain ridge (610 m above sea level) and will be compared to the site at Alert on an elevated plain (200 m above sea level). This will allow us to determine the relative contributions from processes and sources at the sites at different elevations. Comparisons with aerosol optical depth and GEOS-Chem model output will also be presented to put these surface measurements into context with the overlying and regional atmosphere. Results from this study contribute to our knowledge of aerosol in the high Arctic.

Multiplicity fluctuations and collective flow in small colliding systems

Science.gov (United States)

Kawaguchi, Koji; Murase, Koichi; Hirano, Tetsufumi

2017-11-01

Recent observation of collective-flow-like behaviours in small colliding systems attracts significant theoretical and experimental interests. In large colliding systems, large collective flow has been interpreted as manifestation of almost-perfect fluidity of the quark gluon plasma (QGP). So it is quite intriguing to explore how small the QGP can be as a fluid. Multiplicity fluctuations play a crucial role in centrality definition of the events in small colliding systems since the fluctuations are, in general, more important as the system size is getting smaller. To consider the correct multiplicity fluctuations, we employ PYTHIA which naturally describes multiplicity distribution in p+p collisions. We superpose p+p collisions by taking into account the number of participants and that of binary collisions from Monte-Carlo version of Glauber model and evaluate initial entropy density distributions which contain not only multiplicity fluctuations but also fluctuations of longitudinal profiles. Solving hydrodynamic equations followed by the hadronic afterburner, we calculate transverse momentum spectra, elliptic and triangular flow parameters in p+Au, d+Au and 3He+Au collisions at the RHIC energy and p+Pb collisions at the LHC energy. Although a large fraction of final anisotropic flow parameters comes from the fluid-dynamical stage, the effects of hadronic rescatterings turn out to be also important as well in understanding of the flow data in small colliding systems.

High-strength cellular ceramic composites with 3D microarchitecture.

Science.gov (United States)

Bauer, Jens; Hengsbach, Stefan; Tesari, Iwiza; Schwaiger, Ruth; Kraft, Oliver

2014-02-18

To enhance the strength-to-weight ratio of a material, one may try to either improve the strength or lower the density, or both. The lightest solid materials have a density in the range of 1,000 kg/m(3); only cellular materials, such as technical foams, can reach considerably lower values. However, compared with corresponding bulk materials, their specific strength generally is significantly lower. Cellular topologies may be divided into bending- and stretching-dominated ones. Technical foams are structured randomly and behave in a bending-dominated way, which is less weight efficient, with respect to strength, than stretching-dominated behavior, such as in regular braced frameworks. Cancellous bone and other natural cellular solids have an optimized architecture. Their basic material is structured hierarchically and consists of nanometer-size elements, providing a benefit from size effects in the material strength. Designing cellular materials with a specific microarchitecture would allow one to exploit the structural advantages of stretching-dominated constructions as well as size-dependent strengthening effects. In this paper, we demonstrate that such materials may be fabricated. Applying 3D laser lithography, we produced and characterized micro-truss and -shell structures made from alumina-polymer composite. Size-dependent strengthening of alumina shells has been observed, particularly when applied with a characteristic thickness below 100 nm. The presented artificial cellular materials reach compressive strengths up to 280 MPa with densities well below 1,000 kg/m(3).

Nanometer range closed-loop control of a stepper micro-motor for data storage

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Patrascu, M.; Stramigioli, Stefano; de Boer, Meint J.; Krijnen, Gijsbertus J.M.

2007-01-01

We present a nanometer range, closed-loop control study for MEMS stepper actuators. Although generically applicable to other types of stepper motors, the control design presented here was particularly intended for one dimensional shuffle actuators fabricated by surface micromachining technology. The

Evolutionary dynamics of fluctuating populations with strong mutualism

Science.gov (United States)

Chotibut, Thiparat; Nelson, David

2013-03-01

Evolutionary game theory with finite interacting populations is receiving increased attention, including subtle phenomena associated with number fluctuations, i.e., ``genetic drift.'' Models of cooperation and competition often utilize a simplified Moran model, with a strictly fixed total population size. We explore a more general evolutionary model with independent fluctuations in the numbers of two distinct species, in a regime characterized by ``strong mutualism.'' The model has two absorbing states, each corresponding to fixation of one of the two species, and allows exploration of the interplay between growth, competition, and mutualism. When mutualism is favored, number fluctuations eventually drive the system away from a stable fixed point, characterized by cooperation, to one of the absorbing states. Well-mixed populations will thus be taken over by a single species in a finite time, despite the bias towards cooperation. We calculate both the fixation probability and the mean fixation time as a function of the initial conditions and carrying capacities in the strong mutualism regime, using the method of matched asymptotic expansions. Our results are compared to computer simulations.

Synthesis of Silica Nanoparticles by Sol-Gel: Size-Dependent Properties, Surface Modification, and Applications in Silica-Polymer Nano composites-A Review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ismail, A.R.; Vejayakumaran, P.

2012-01-01

Application of silica nanoparticles as fillers in the preparation of nano composite of polymers has drawn much attention, due to the increased demand for new materials with improved thermal, mechanical, physical, and chemical properties. Recent developments in the synthesis of monodispersed, narrow-size distribution of nanoparticles by sol-gel method provide significant boost to development of silica-polymer nano composites. This paper is written by emphasizing on the synthesis of silica nanoparticles, characterization on size-dependent properties, and surface modification for the preparation of homogeneous nano composites, generally by sol-gel technique. The effect of nano silica on the properties of various types of silica-polymer composites is also summarized.

Beam energy gain fluctuation in a linac caused by RF system noise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakaki, H.; Yoshikawa, H.; Hori, T.; Yokomizo, H.

2002-01-01

In this paper, energy gain fluctuation caused by white noise in a linear accelerator is calculated. First, we formulate a computational procedure to determine the energy gain in the acceleration structure. Then, using this computational procedure, the size of the white noise of the gain is calculated. These noise sources are caused by various RF components, especially the thyratron. The calculated gain fluctuation per one RF system is ±0.054%∼±0.134%(±3σ). In general, it is difficult to control white noise. This gain fluctuation is composed only of the white noise. Therefore, this value has the same meaning as a 'Control threshold'. Thus, the control method can be evaluated based on this value

EB treatment of carbon nanotube-reinforced polymer composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szebényi, G.; Romhány, G.; Vajna, B.; Czvikovszky, T.

2012-01-01

A small amount — less than 0.5% — carbon nanotube reinforcement may improve the mechanical properties of epoxy based composite materials significantly. The basic technical problem on one side is the dispersion of the nanotubes into the viscous matrix resin, namely, the fine powder-like — less than 100 nanometer diameter — nanotubes are prone to form aggregates. On the other side, the good connection between the nanofiber and matrix, which is determining the success of the reinforcement, requires some efficient adhesion promoting treatment. The goal of our research was to give one such treatment capable of industrial size application. A two step curing epoxy/vinylester resin process technology has been developed where the epoxy component has been cured conventionally, while the vinylester has been cured by electron treatment afterwards. The sufficient irradiation dose has been selected according to Raman spectroscopy characterization. Using the developed hybrid resin system hybrid composites containing carbon fibers and multiwalled carbon nanotubes have been prepared. The effect of the electron beam induced curing of the vinylester resin on the mechanical properties of the composites has been characterized by three point bending and interlaminar shear tests, which showed clearly the superiority of the developed resin system. The results of the mechanical tests have been supported by AFM studies of the samples, which showed that the difference in the viscoelastic properties of the matrix constituents decreased significantly by the electron beam treatment.

Effect of directional selection for body size on fluctuating asymmetry in certain morphological traits in Drosophila ananassae.

Science.gov (United States)

Vishalakshi, C; Singh, B N

2009-06-01

Variation in the subtle differences between the right and left sides of bilateral characters or fluctuating asymmetry (FA) has been considered as an indicator of an organism's ability to cope with genetic and environmental stresses during development. However, due to inconsistency in the results of empirical studies, the relationship between FA and stress has been the subject of intense debate. In this study, we investigated whether stress caused by artificial bidirectional selection for body size has any effect on the levels of FA of different morphological traits in Drosophila ananassae. The realised heritability (h2) was higher in low-line females and high-line males, which suggests an asymmetrical response to selection for body size. Further, the levels of FA were compared across 10 generations of selection in different selection lines in both sexes for sternopleural bristle number, wing length, wing-to-thorax ratio, sex combtooth number and ovariole number. The levels of FA differed significantly among generations and selection lines but did not change markedly with directional selection. However, the levels of FA were higher in the G10 generation (at the end of selection) than G0 (at the start of selection) but lower than the G5 generation in different selection lines, suggesting that the levels of FA are not affected by the inbreeding generated during the course of selection. Also, the levels of FA in the hybrids of high and low lines were signifi cantly lower than the parental selection lines, suggesting that FA is influenced by hybridisation. These results are discussed in the framework of the literature available on FA and its relationship with stress.

Direct visualization of β phase causing intergranular forms of corrosion in Al–Mg alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Young-Ki, E-mail: deltag@naver.com; Allen, Todd

2013-06-15

For a more effective examination of microstructure in Al–Mg alloys, a new etching solution has been developed; dissolved ammonium persulfate in water. It is demonstrated how β phase (Al{sub 3}Mg{sub 2}) in Al–Mg alloys respond to this solution using samples of a binary Al–Mg alloy and a commercial 5083 aluminum alloy. Nanometer sized β phase is clearly visualized for the first time using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) instead of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It is anticipated that direct and unambiguous visualization of β phase will greatly augment intergranular corrosion research in 5xxx series aluminum alloys. - Highlights: • Nanometer sized β phase in Al-10% Mg is first clearly visualized with SEM. • Nanometer sized β phase in wrought alloy 5083 is first clearly visualized with SEM. • Grain boundary decorating β phase and isolated sponge-like β phase are shown. • This phase is confirmed to be β phase using composition analysis.

Nanostructure Size Determination in N+-Type Porous Silicon by X-Ray diffractometry and Raman Spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramirez Porras, A.

1997-01-01

A series of porous silicon surfaces were obtained after different exposition times of electrochemical etching on cristalline n+- type silicon in presence of hydrofluoric acid. These kind of surfaces show photoluminescence when illuminated by UV light. One possible explanation for this is that the treated surface is made up of small crystallites the nanometer scale that split away the semiconductor band edges up to optical photon energies for the band- to -band recombination processes. In this study, a nanometer size determination of such proposed structures was performed by the use of X-Ray Diffractometry and Raman Spectroscopy. The result suggest the consistency between the so called Quantum Confined Model and the experimental results. (Author) [es

Nanostructure Size Determination in N+-Type Porous Silicon by X-Ray diffractometry and Raman Spectroscopy

CERN Document Server

Ramirez-Porras, A

1997-01-01

A series of porous silicon surfaces were obtained after different exposition times of electrochemical etching on cristalline n+- type silicon in presence of hydrofluoric acid. These kind of surfaces show photoluminescence when illuminated by UV light. One possible explanation for this is that the treated surface is made up of small crystallites the nanometer scale that split away the semiconductor band edges up to optical photon energies for the band- to -band recombination processes. In this study, a nanometer size determination of such proposed structures was performed by the use of X-Ray Diffractometry and Raman Spectroscopy. The result suggest the consistency between the so called Quantum Confined Model and the experimental results. (Author)

Fluctuation theory of solutions applications in chemistry, chemical engineering, and biophysics

CERN Document Server

Smith, Paul E

2013-01-01

There are essentially two theories of solutions that can be considered exact: the McMillan-Mayer theory and Fluctuation Solution Theory (FST). The first is mostly limited to solutes at low concentrations, while FST has no such issue. It is an exact theory that can be applied to any stable solution regardless of the number of components and their concentrations, and the types of molecules and their sizes. Fluctuation Theory of Solutions: Applications in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Biophysics outlines the general concepts and theoretical basis of FST and provides a range of applications

Size-specific composition of aerosols in the El Chichon volcanic cloud

Science.gov (United States)

Woods, D. C.; Chuan, R. L.

1983-01-01

A NASA U-2 research aircraft flew sampling missions in April, May, July, November, and December 1982 aimed at obtaining in situ data in the stratospheric cloud produced from the March-April 1982 El Chichon eruptions. Post flight analyses provided information on the aerosol composition and morphology. The particles ranged in size from smaller than 0.05 m to larger than 20 m diameter and were quite complex in composition. In the April, May, and July samples the aerosol mass was dominated by magmatic and lithic particles larger than about 3 m. The submicron particles consisted largely of sulfuric acid. Halite particles, believed to be related to a salt dome beneath El Chichon, were collected in the stratosphere in April and May. On the July 23 flight, copper-zinc oxide particles were collected. In July, November, and December, in addition to the volcanic ash and acid particles, carbon-rich particles smaller than about 0.1 m aerodynamic diameter were abundant.

Salp distribution and size composition in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Kawaguchi, S.; Siegel, V.; Litvinov, F.; Loeb, V.; Watkins, J.

2004-06-01

Salp abundance and length frequency were measured during the large-scale CCAMLR 2000 Survey conducted in the Atlantic Sector of the Southern Ocean in the 1999/2000 season. Results from regional surveys around Elephant Island in 1994/95 and 1996/97 seasons also were examined. During the CCAMLR 2000 Survey, salp abundance was higher in the Antarctic Peninsula and South Sandwich Island areas than in the central Scotia Sea. The probable reason for this pattern is a negative relationship with phytoplankton abundance; the central Scotia Sea having greater phytoplankton concentrations than required for optimal salp filter-feeding performance. Cluster analysis of salp size composition resulted in three cluster groups for each of the three surveys. Clusters comprising large salps occurred in warmer waters in all three surveys. The size composition of the salp populations suggests that the timing of intense asexual reproductive budding was earlier in warmer waters. As surface water temperatures generally decrease from north to south, and increase from spring to summer, the general spatio-temporal pattern of asexual reproduction by budding is likely to proceed from north to south as the summer season progresses.

Effect of sorghum flour composition and particle size on quality properties of gluten-free bread.

Science.gov (United States)

Trappey, Emily Frederick; Khouryieh, Hanna; Aramouni, Fadi; Herald, Thomas

2015-04-01

White, food-grade sorghum was milled to flour of varying extraction rates (60%, 80%, and 100%) and pin-milled at different speeds (no pin-milling, low-speed, and high-speed) to create flours of both variable composition and particle size. Flours were characterized for flour composition, total starch content, particle size distribution, color, damaged starch, and water absorption. Bread was characterized for specific volume, crumb structure properties, and crumb firmness. Significant differences were found (P Breads produced from 60% extraction flour had significantly higher specific volumes, better crumb properties, and lower crumb firmness when compared with all other extractions and flour types. The specific volume of bread slices ranged from 2.01 mL/g (100% extraction, no pin-milling) to 2.54 mL/g (60% extraction, low-speed pin-milling), whereas the firmness ranged from 553.28 g (60% extraction, high-speed pin-milling) to 1096.26 g (commercial flour, no pin-milling). The bread characteristics were significantly impacted by flour properties, specifically particle size, starch damage, and fiber content (P < 0.05). © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Paleolatitudinal Gradients in Marine Phytoplankton Composition and Cell Size

Science.gov (United States)

Henderiks, J.; Bordiga, M.; Bartol, M.; Šupraha, L.

2014-12-01

Coccolithophores, a prominent group of marine calcifying unicellular algae, are widely studied in context of current and past climate change. We know that marine phytoplankton are sensitive to climatic changes, but the complex interplay of several processes such as warming, changes in nutrient content, and ocean acidification, makes future scenarios difficult to predict. Some taxa may be more susceptible to environmental perturbations than others, as evidenced by significantly different species-specific sensitivities observed in laboratory experiments. However, short-term plastic responses may not translate into longer-term climatic adaptation, nor should we readily extrapolate the behavior of single strains in the laboratory to natural, multi-species assemblages and their interactions in the ocean. The extensive fossil record of coccolithophores (in the form of coccoliths) reveals high morphological and taxonomic diversity and allows reconstructing the cell size of individual taxonomic groups. In a suite of deep-sea drilling sites from the Atlantic Ocean, we document distinct latitudinal gradients in phytoplankton composition and cell size across major climate transitions of the late Eocene - earliest Oligocene, and the middle - late Miocene. With these data we test hypotheses of species migration, phenotypic evolution, as well as the rates of species extinction and speciation in relation to concurrent paleoenvironmental changes during the Cenozoic.

Electrical percolation threshold of magnetostrictive inclusions in a piezoelectric matrix composite as a function of relative particle size

Science.gov (United States)

Barbero, Ever J.; Bedard, Antoine Joseph

2018-04-01

Magnetoelectric composites can be produced by embedding magnetostrictive particles in a piezoelectric matrix derived from a piezoelectric powder precursor. Ferrite magnetostrictive particles, if allowed to percolate, can short the potential difference generated in the piezoelectric phase. Modeling a magnetoelectric composite as an aggregate of bi-disperse hard shells, molecular dynamics was used to explore relationships among relative particle size, particle affinity, and electrical percolation with the goal of maximizing the percolation threshold. It is found that two factors raise the percolation threshold, namely the relative size of magnetostrictive to piezoelectric particles, and the affinity between the magnetostrictive and piezoelectric particles.

The effect of alumina nanofillers size and shape on mechanical behavior of PMMA matrix composite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ben Hasan Somaya Ahmed

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Composites with the addition of alumina nanofillers show improvement in mechanical properties. The PMMA polymer was used as a matrix and two different types of nanofillers, having extremely different shapes were added in the matrix to form the composite. Reinforcements were based on alumina nanoparticles having either spherical shape or whiskers having the length to diameter ratio of 100. The influence of alumina fillers size, shape and fillers loading on mechanical properties of prepared composite were studied using the nanoindentation measurements and dynamic mechanical analysis. It was observed that both alumina whiskers and alumina spherical nanoparticles added in the PMMA matrix improved the mechanical properties of the composite but the improvement was significantly higher with alumina whisker reinforcement. The concentration of the reinforcing alumina spherical nanoparticles and alumina whiskers in PMMA matrix varied up to 5 wt. %. The best performance was obtained by the addition of 3 wt. % of alumina whiskers in the PMMA matrix with regard to mechanical properties of the obtained composite.

Notched Strength of Woven Fabric Kenaf Composite Plates with Different Stacking Sequences and Hole Sizes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hans Romayne Anders

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Advantages of using kenaf fibres over synthetic fibres in composites manufacturing are relatively cheap, less abrasive and hazardous during handling, and renewable materials. Current work investigates parametric effects on notched strength of woven fabric kenaf polymer composites plates with variation of lay-up types, notch sizes and plate thickness. Testing coupons are prepared using hand lay-up technique and circular notch were drilled prior to mechanical testing. Stress concentration at the notch edge promotes micro-damage event as tensile loading was applied leading to crack initiation and propagations across the plate width. It is suggested that woven fabric kenaf polymer composites are potentially used in low and medium load bearing applications.

Modulation of mesenchymal stem cell behavior by nano- and micro-sized β-tricalcium phosphate particles in suspension and composite structures

Science.gov (United States)

Smoak, Mollie; Hogan, Katie; Kriegh, Lisa; Chen, Cong; Terrell, LeKeith B.; Qureshi, Ammar T.; Todd Monroe, W.; Gimble, Jeffrey M.; Hayes, Daniel J.

2015-04-01

Interest has grown in the use of microparticles and nanoparticles for modifying the mechanical and biological properties of synthetic bone composite structures. Micro- and nano-sized calcium phosphates are of interest for their osteoinductive behavior. Engineered composites incorporating polymers and ceramics, such as poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) and beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), for bone tissue regeneration have been well investigated for their proliferative and osteoinductive abilities. Only limited research has been done to investigate the effects of different sizes of β-TCP particles on human mesenchymal stromal cell behavior. As such, the aim of this study was to investigate the modulations of human adipose-derived stem cell (hASCs) behavior within cell/particle and cell/composite systems as functions of particle size, concentration, and exposure time. The incorporation of nanoscale calcium phosphate resulted in improved mechanical properties and osteogenic behavior within the scaffold compared to the microscale calcium phosphate additives. Particle exposure results indicate that cytotoxicity on hASCs correlates inversely with particle size and increases with the increasing exposure time and particle concentration. Composites with increasing β-TCP content, whether microparticles or nanoparticles, were less toxic than colloidal micro- and nano-sized β-TCP particles directly supplied to hASCs. The difference in viability observed as a result of varying exposure route is likely related to the increased cell-particle interactions in the direct exposure compared to the particles becoming trapped within the scaffold/polymer matrix.

Modulation of mesenchymal stem cell behavior by nano- and micro-sized β-tricalcium phosphate particles in suspension and composite structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smoak, Mollie; Hogan, Katie; Kriegh, Lisa; Chen, Cong, E-mail: cchen19@tigers.lsu.edu; Terrell, LeKeith B.; Qureshi, Ammar T.; Todd Monroe, W. [Louisiana State University and LSU AgCenter, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering (United States); Gimble, Jeffrey M., E-mail: Jeffrey.Gimble@pbrc.edu [Tulane University School of Medicine, Center for Stem Cell Research & Regenerative Medicine (United States); Hayes, Daniel J., E-mail: danielhayes@lsu.edu [Louisiana State University and LSU AgCenter, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering (United States)

2015-04-15

Interest has grown in the use of microparticles and nanoparticles for modifying the mechanical and biological properties of synthetic bone composite structures. Micro- and nano-sized calcium phosphates are of interest for their osteoinductive behavior. Engineered composites incorporating polymers and ceramics, such as poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) and beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), for bone tissue regeneration have been well investigated for their proliferative and osteoinductive abilities. Only limited research has been done to investigate the effects of different sizes of β-TCP particles on human mesenchymal stromal cell behavior. As such, the aim of this study was to investigate the modulations of human adipose-derived stem cell (hASCs) behavior within cell/particle and cell/composite systems as functions of particle size, concentration, and exposure time. The incorporation of nanoscale calcium phosphate resulted in improved mechanical properties and osteogenic behavior within the scaffold compared to the microscale calcium phosphate additives. Particle exposure results indicate that cytotoxicity on hASCs correlates inversely with particle size and increases with the increasing exposure time and particle concentration. Composites with increasing β-TCP content, whether microparticles or nanoparticles, were less toxic than colloidal micro- and nano-sized β-TCP particles directly supplied to hASCs. The difference in viability observed as a result of varying exposure route is likely related to the increased cell–particle interactions in the direct exposure compared to the particles becoming trapped within the scaffold/polymer matrix.

Size and composition-controlled fabrication of VO2 nanocrystals by terminated cluster growth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anders, Andre; Slack, Jonathan

2013-05-14

A physical vapor deposition-based route for the fabrication of VO2 nanoparticles is demonstrated, consisting of reactive sputtering and vapor condensation at elevated pressures. The oxidation of vanadium atoms is an efficient heterogeneous nucleation method, leading to high nanoparticle throughtput. Fine control of the nanoparticle size and composition is obtained. Post growth annealing leads to crystalline VO2 nanoparticles with optimum thermocromic and plasmonic properties.

On the origin of shape fluctuations of the cell nucleus.

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Fang-Yi; Haley, Shannon C; Zidovska, Alexandra

2017-09-26

The nuclear envelope (NE) presents a physical boundary between the cytoplasm and the nucleoplasm, sandwiched in between two highly active systems inside the cell: cytoskeleton and chromatin. NE defines the shape and size of the cell nucleus, which increases during the cell cycle, accommodating for chromosome decondensation followed by genome duplication. In this work, we study nuclear shape fluctuations at short time scales of seconds in human cells. Using spinning disk confocal microscopy, we observe fast fluctuations of the NE, visualized by fluorescently labeled lamin A, and of the chromatin globule surface (CGS) underneath the NE, visualized by fluorescently labeled histone H2B. Our findings reveal that fluctuation amplitudes of both CGS and NE monotonously decrease during the cell cycle, serving as a reliable cell cycle stage indicator. Remarkably, we find that, while CGS and NE typically fluctuate in phase, they do exhibit localized regions of out-of-phase motion, which lead to separation of NE and CGS. To explore the mechanism behind these shape fluctuations, we use biochemical perturbations. We find the shape fluctuations of CGS and NE to be both thermally and actively driven, the latter caused by forces from chromatin and cytoskeleton. Such undulations might affect gene regulation as well as contribute to the anomalously high rates of nuclear transport by, e.g., stirring of molecules next to NE, or increasing flux of molecules through the nuclear pores.

Micrometer and nanometer-scale parallel patterning of ceramic and organic-inorganic hybrid materials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

ten Elshof, Johan E.; Khan, Sajid; Göbel, Ole

2010-01-01

This review gives an overview of the progress made in recent years in the development of low-cost parallel patterning techniques for ceramic materials, silica, and organic–inorganic silsesquioxane-based hybrids from wet-chemical solutions and suspensions on the micrometer and nanometer-scale. The

Imaging and Patterning on Nanometer Scale Using Coherent EUV Light

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wachulak, P.W.; Fiedorowicz, H.; Bartnik, A.; Marconi, M.C.; Menoni, C.S.; Rocca, J.J.

2010-01-01

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) covers wavelength range from about 5 nm to 50 nm. That is why EUV is especially applicable for imaging and patterning on nanometer scale length. In the paper periodic nanopatterning realized by interference lithography and high resolution holographic nanoimaging performed in a Gabor in-line scheme are presented. In the experiments a compact table top EUV laser was used. Preliminary studies on using a laser plasma EUV source for nanoimaging are presented as well. (author)

Nanolithography and nanochemistry: probe-related patterning techniques and chemical modification for nanometer-sized devices

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wouters, D.; Schubert, U.S.

2004-01-01

The size regime for devices produced by photolithographic techniques is limited. Therefore, other patterning techniques have been intensively studied to create smaller structures. Scanning-probe-based patterning techniques, such as dip-pen lithography, local force-induced patterning, and local-probe

Impact of wildfires on size-resolved aerosol composition at a coastal California site

Science.gov (United States)

Maudlin, L. C.; Wang, Z.; Jonsson, H. H.; Sorooshian, A.

2015-10-01

Size-resolved aerosol composition measurements were conducted at a coastal site in central California during the Nucleation in California Experiment (NiCE) between July and August of 2013. The site is just east of ship and marine emission sources and is also influenced by continental pollution and wildfires, such as those near the California-Oregon border which occurred near the end of NiCE. Two micro-orifice uniform deposit impactors (MOUDIs) were used, and water-soluble and elemental compositions were measured. The five most abundant water-soluble species (in decreasing order) were chloride, sodium, non-sea salt (nss) sulfate, ammonium, and nitrate. During wildfire periods, nss K mass concentrations were not enhanced as strongly as other species in the sub-micrometer stages and even decreased in the super-micrometer stages; species other than nss K are more reliable tracers for biomass burning in this region. Chloride levels were reduced in the fire sets likely due to chloride depletion by inorganic and organic acids that exhibited elevated levels in transported plumes. During wildfire periods, the mass size distribution of most dicarboxylic acids changed from unimodal to bimodal with peaks in the 0.32 μm and 1.0-1.8 μm stages. Furthermore, sulfate's peak concentration shifted from the 0.32 μm to 0.56 μm stage, and nitrate also shifted to larger sizes (1.0 μm to 1.8-3.2 μm stages). Mass concentrations of numerous soil tracer species (e.g., Si, Fe) were strongly enhanced in samples influenced by wildfires, especially in the sub-micrometer range. Airborne cloud water data confirm that soil species were associated with fire plumes transported south along the coast. In the absence of biomass burning, cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) composition is dominated by nss sulfate and ammonium, and the water-soluble organic fraction is dominated by methanesulfonate, whereas for the samples influenced by wildfires, ammonium becomes the dominant overall species, and

Flowstone compositions as indicators of centennial fluctuations of hydrological balance in Central Europe during the late Holocene

Science.gov (United States)

Demény, Attila; Kern, Zoltán; Molnár, Mihály; Czuppon, György; Leél-Őssy, Szabolcs; Surányi, Gergely; Gilli, Adrian

2017-04-01

Flowstones formed from springs in the Baradla and Béke Caves, North-east Hungary were drilled at several locations, and their sites were monitored for temperature, CO2 level in cave air, water and carbonate compositions for three years. The monitoring results suggest that the carbonate precipitated close to equilibrium with the local water. The non-systematic distribution of stable isotope and chemical compositions along sections on the surfaces of flowstone occurrences indicate irregular formation and the possibility of hiatuses within the flowstones' edifices. Approximately 40 cm long drill cores were extracted from the „Nagy-tufa" flowstone of the Béke Cave (BNT-2 core) and the Havasok flowstone of the Baradla Cave. U-Th dating efforts resulted in very large age uncertainties for the BNT-2 core, owing to detrital Th contamination. Therefore, in addition to the U-Th dating, AMS radiocarbon analyses were conducted to establish reliable age-depth models. The raw 14C ages were corrected for the dead carbon fraction (dfc) using radiocarbon results obtained for samples that yielded also accurate U-Th ages. Calibration and age-depth modeling have been performed using the OxCal v4.2.4. software. The data prove that the flowstones in the studied caves were formed contemporarily, covering the last 4 ka with two major hiatuses around 3.5 and 1 ka BP. Inclusion-hosted water contents, stable carbon and oxygen isotope compositions of carbonate, and hydrogen isotope composition of inclusion-hosted water as well as Si contents were determined for the two cores and compared with regional paleoclimate records for the period of 3.5 to 1 ka BP. The water contents, δ13Ccarb values and Si contents show correspondence with paleoprecipitation proxies from Central Europe to western Anatolia, while the paleotemperature estimates obtained using the δDwater values were in agreement with temperature reconstructions derived from paleobiological proxies from nearby lake sediments. The

Effect of particle size and concentration on the mechanical properties of polyester/date palm seed particulate composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alewo Opuada AMEH

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The use of cellulosic materials as reinforcement in composites can greatly enhance their properties. The thrust of this study was to investigate the effect of date palm seed particle on the properties of reinforced polyester. Unsaturated polyester resin was reinforced with date palm seed particles of 0.5, 2.0 and 2.8mm particle sizes using variable particle loadings of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25wt%. The composites obtained were subjected to various types of mechanical and physical tests in order to assess their performance. The optimum tensile strength of 16.7619N/mm2 and elastic modulus of 343.8N/mm2 were attained at 15wt% and 10wt% loading (using 0.5mm particles respectively and percent water absorption was found to be least for 0.5mm particle size. The hardness was enhanced to the maximum of 74 HRF (Rockwell Hardness Factor by 2mm particle size at 25wt% loading. Pure unsaturated polyester resin recorded tensile strength of 17.5959N/mm2, elastic modulus of 316.7N/mm2 and hardness of 33.5 HRF. The results indicated that the use of date palm seed particles as reinforcement can enhance the properties of polyester composites.

Nanometer-scale sizing accuracy of particle suspensions on an unmodified cell phone using elastic light scattering.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Zachary J; Chu, Kaiqin; Wachsmann-Hogiu, Sebastian

2012-01-01

We report on the construction of a Fourier plane imaging system attached to a cell phone. By illuminating particle suspensions with a collimated beam from an inexpensive diode laser, angularly resolved scattering patterns are imaged by the phone's camera. Analyzing these patterns with Mie theory results in predictions of size distributions of the particles in suspension. Despite using consumer grade electronics, we extracted size distributions of sphere suspensions with better than 20 nm accuracy in determining the mean size. We also show results from milk, yeast, and blood cells. Performing these measurements on a portable device presents opportunities for field-testing of food quality, process monitoring, and medical diagnosis.

Nanometer-scale temperature imaging for independent observation of Joule and Peltier effects in phase change memory devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Grosse, Kyle L; Pop, Eric; King, William P

2014-09-01

This paper reports a technique for independent observation of nanometer-scale Joule heating and thermoelectric effects, using atomic force microscopy (AFM) based measurements of nanometer-scale temperature fields. When electrical current flows through nanoscale devices and contacts the temperature distribution is governed by both Joule and thermoelectric effects. When the device is driven by an electrical current that is both periodic and bipolar, the temperature rise due to the Joule effect is at a different harmonic than the temperature rise due to the Peltier effect. An AFM tip scanning over the device can simultaneously measure all of the relevant harmonic responses, such that the Joule effect and the Peltier effect can be independently measured. Here we demonstrate the efficacy of the technique by measuring Joule and Peltier effects in phase change memory devices. By comparing the observed temperature responses of these working devices, we measure the device thermopower, which is in the range of 30 ± 3 to 250 ± 10 μV K(-1). This technique could facilitate improved measurements of thermoelectric phenomena and properties at the nanometer-scale.

Nanometer-scale temperature imaging for independent observation of Joule and Peltier effects in phase change memory devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grosse, Kyle L. [Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States); Pop, Eric [Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305 (United States); King, William P., E-mail: wpk@illinois.edu [Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States); Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States)

2014-09-15

This paper reports a technique for independent observation of nanometer-scale Joule heating and thermoelectric effects, using atomic force microscopy (AFM) based measurements of nanometer-scale temperature fields. When electrical current flows through nanoscale devices and contacts the temperature distribution is governed by both Joule and thermoelectric effects. When the device is driven by an electrical current that is both periodic and bipolar, the temperature rise due to the Joule effect is at a different harmonic than the temperature rise due to the Peltier effect. An AFM tip scanning over the device can simultaneously measure all of the relevant harmonic responses, such that the Joule effect and the Peltier effect can be independently measured. Here we demonstrate the efficacy of the technique by measuring Joule and Peltier effects in phase change memory devices. By comparing the observed temperature responses of these working devices, we measure the device thermopower, which is in the range of 30 ± 3 to 250 ± 10 μV K{sup −1}. This technique could facilitate improved measurements of thermoelectric phenomena and properties at the nanometer-scale.

Nanometer-scale elongation rate fluctuations in the Myriophyllum aquaticum (Parrot feather) stem were altered by radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Senavirathna, Mudalige Don Hiranya Jayasanka; Asaeda, Takashi; Thilakarathne, Bodhipaksha Lalith Sanjaya; Kadono, Hirofumi

2014-01-01

The emission of radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation (EMR) by various wireless communication base stations has increased in recent years. While there is wide concern about the effects of EMR on humans and animals, the influence of EMR on plants is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the effect of EMR on the growth dynamics of Myriophyllum aquaticum (Parrot feather) by measuring the nanometric elongation rate fluctuation (NERF) using a statistical interferometry technique. Plants were exposed to 2 GHz EMR at a maximum of 1.42 Wm(-2) for 1 h. After continuous exposure to EMR, M. aquaticum plants exhibited a statistically significant 51 ± 16% reduction in NERF standard deviation. Temperature observations revealed that EMR exposure did not cause dielectric heating of the plants. Therefore, the reduced NERF was due to a non-thermal effect caused by EMR exposure. The alteration in NERF continued for at least 2.5 h after EMR exposure and no significant recovery was found in post-EMR NERF during the experimental period.

Role of potential fluctuations in phase-change GST memory devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Agarwal, Satish C. [Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016 (India)

2012-10-15

The long range potential fluctuations (LRPFs) arising from the defects and heterogeneities in disordered semiconductors are important for understanding their atomic and electronic properties. Here, they are measured in Ge{sub X}Sb{sub Y}Te{sub 1-X-Y} (GST) chalcogenide glasses used in rewritable phase change memory (PCM) devices. It is found that the most commonly used composition Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} has the smallest LRPF amongst its nearby compositions. This finding may be useful in the search for better PCM materials. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Quantitative characterization of the composition, thickness and orientation of thin films in the analytical electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, D.B.; Watanabe, M.; Papworth, A.J.; Li, J.C.

2003-01-01

Compositional variations in thin films can introduce lattice-parameter changes and thus create stresses, in addition to the more usual stresses introduced by substrate-film mismatch, differential thermal expansion, etc. Analytical electron microscopy comprising X-ray energy-dispersive spectrometry within a probe-forming field-emission gun scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) is one of the most powerful methods of composition measurement on the nanometer scale, essential for thin-film analysis. Recently, with the development of improved X-ray collection efficiencies and quantitative computation methods it has proved possible to map out composition variations in thin films with a spatial resolution approaching 1-2 nm. Because the absorption of X-rays is dependent on the film thickness, concurrent composition and film thickness determination is another advantage of X-ray microanalysis, thus correlating thickness and composition variations, either of which may contribute to stresses in the film. Specific phenomena such as segregation to interfaces and boundaries in the film are ideally suited to analysis by X-ray mapping. This approach also permits multiple boundaries to be examined, giving some statistical certainty to the analysis particularly in nano-crystalline materials with grain sizes greater than the film thickness. Boundary segregation is strongly affected by crystallographic misorientation and it is now possible to map out the orientation between many different grains in the (S)TEM

Fluctuations in projectile fragment distributions from 1 GeV/nucleon Au + C multifragmentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elliott, J.B.; Gilkes, M.L.; Hauger, A.; Hirsch, A.S.

1993-01-01

Fluctuations in cluster distributions play an important role in distinguishing critical and non-critical cluster forming phenomena. The magnitude of the reduced variance (γ 2 ) of a cluster distribution is a direct measure of the size of its fluctuations. Preliminary examinations of γ 2 are made for cluster distributions from 1 GeV/nucleon Au+C data obtained in the EOS experiment at the Bevalac. Values of γ 2 are compared to those from percolation and statistical multifragmentation models

Nanometer-scale displacement measurement with high resolution using dual cavity Fabry-Pérot interferometer for biomimetic robots.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jin-Hyuk; Kim, Dae-Hyun

2014-10-01

A sensor of a biomimetic robot has to measure very small environmental changes such as, nanometer scale strains or displacements. Fiber optic sensor can be also one of candidates for the biomimetic sensor because the sensor is like thread and the shape of the sensor is similar to muscle fiber. A fiber optic interferometer, which is an optical-based sensor, can measure displacement precisely, so such device has been widely studied for the measurement of displacement on a nanometer-scale. Especially, a Quadrature Phase-Shifted Fiber Fabry-Pérot interferometer (QPS-FFPI) uses phase-information for this measurement, allowing it to provide a precision result with high resolution. In theory, the QPS-FFPI generates two sinusoidal signals of which the phase difference should be 90 degrees for the exact measurement of the displacement. In order to guarantee the condition of the phase difference, the relative adjustment of the cavities of the optical fibers is required. However, with such precise adjustment it is very hard to fix the proper difference of the two cavities for quadrature-phase-shifting. In this paper, a dual-cavity FFPI is newly proposed to measure the displacement on a nanometer-scale with a specific type of signal processing. In the signal processing, a novel phase-compensation algorithm is applied to force the phase difference to be exactly 90 degrees without any physical adjustment. As a result, the paper shows that the phase-compensated dual-cavity FFPI can effectively measure nanometer-scale displacement with high resolution under dynamic conditions.

Mapping Thermal Expansion Coefficients in Freestanding 2D Materials at the Nanometer Scale

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Xuan; Yasaei, Poya; Jokisaari, Jacob; Öǧüt, Serdar; Salehi-Khojin, Amin; Klie, Robert F.

2018-02-01

Two-dimensional materials, including graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides and their heterostructures, exhibit great potential for a variety of applications, such as transistors, spintronics, and photovoltaics. While the miniaturization offers remarkable improvements in electrical performance, heat dissipation and thermal mismatch can be a problem in designing electronic devices based on two-dimensional materials. Quantifying the thermal expansion coefficient of 2D materials requires temperature measurements at nanometer scale. Here, we introduce a novel nanometer-scale thermometry approach to measure temperature and quantify the thermal expansion coefficients in 2D materials based on scanning transmission electron microscopy combined with electron energy-loss spectroscopy to determine the energy shift of the plasmon resonance peak of 2D materials as a function of sample temperature. By combining these measurements with first-principles modeling, the thermal expansion coefficients (TECs) of single-layer and freestanding graphene and bulk, as well as monolayer MoS2 , MoSe2 , WS2 , or WSe2 , are directly determined and mapped.