Slip casting nano-particle powders for making transparent ceramics

Science.gov (United States)

Kuntz, Joshua D [Livermore, CA; Soules, Thomas F [Livermore, CA; Landingham, Richard Lee [Livermore, CA; Hollingsworth, Joel P [Oakland, CA

2011-04-12

A method of making a transparent ceramic including the steps of providing nano-ceramic powders in a processed or unprocessed form, mixing the powders with de-ionized water, the step of mixing the powders with de-ionized water producing a slurry, sonifing the slurry to completely wet the powder and suspend the powder in the de-ionized water, separating very fine particles from the slurry, molding the slurry, and curing the slurry to produce the transparent ceramic.

Fabrication of Nd:YAG transparent ceramics with both TEOS and MgO additives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Hao; Qin Xianpeng; Zhang Jian; Wang Shiwei; Ma Jan; Wang Lixi; Zhang Qitu

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → It is well known that the use of TEOS as sintering aid is required to reach fully dense and transparent Nd:YAG ceramics. However, it is difficult to produce high quality transparent Nd:YAG ceramics only using TEOS as sintering aid. In this present work, high quality transparent Nd:YAG ceramic was fabricated using both TEOS and MgO as sintering aids. There have been few reports that both TEOS and MgO were co-added as sintering aids in YAG or Nd:YAG transparent ceramics to date. The transmittance of Nd:YAG ceramic is 83.8% at 1064 nm. The effect of MgO on the optical properties of transparent ceramics was also studied. - Abstract: Neodymium doped YAG transparent ceramics were fabricated by vacuum reactive sintering method using commercial α-Al 2 O 3 , Y 2 O 3 and Nd 2 O 3 powders as the starting materials with both tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and MgO as sintering aids. The morphologies and microstructure of the powders and Nd:YAG transparent ceramics were investigated. Fully dense Nd:YAG ceramics with average grain size of ∼10 μm were obtained by vacuum sintering at 1780 deg. C for 8 h. No pores and grain-boundary phases were observed. The in-line transmittance of the ceramic was 83.8% at 1064 nm.

Sintering and annealing effects on undoped yttria transparent ceramics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Letue, Laetitia; Petit, Johan, E-mail: johan.petit@onera.fr; Ritti, Marie-Hélène; Lalanne, Sylvie; Landais, Stéphane

2017-06-15

Transparent yttrium oxide (Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}) ceramics were processed by several densifications steps without any doping species. The green bodies were obtained by the aqueous way and sintered at high temperature under vacuum and then under high pressure. We studied the effects of different sintering cycles and air annealing at different steps of the process on the density and the grain growth. We also focused on the reaction between yttria ceramics and BN-coated graphite crucible which occurs during HIP. We noted that a low heating rate and two annealing steps are necessary to improve our samples’ transparency. - Highlights: • The quality of transparent ceramics is compared with the tested process parameters. • Air annealing is critical when using a carbon environment in the process. • Intra-granular pores, and so the final transparency, are directly linked to the sintering heating rates.

Electro-optic study of PZT ferroelectric ceramics using modulation of reflected light

Science.gov (United States)

Kniazkov, A. V.

2016-04-01

Electro-optic coefficients of variations in the refractive index of PZT and PLZT ceramic materials induced by ac electric field are estimated using modulation of reflected light. The electro-optic coefficients of PLZT ceramics measured with the aid of conventional birefringence using the phase shift of transmitted radiation and the proposed method of birefringence using the modulation of reflected light are compared.

Method of bistable optical information storage using antiferroelectric phase PLZT ceramics

Science.gov (United States)

Land, Cecil E.

1990-01-01

A method for bistable storage of binary optical information includes an antiferroelectric (AFE) lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT) layer having a stable antiferroelectric first phase and a ferroelectric (FE) second phase obtained by applying a switching electric field across the surface of the device. Optical information is stored by illuminating selected portions of the layer to photoactivate an FE to AFE transition in those portions. Erasure of the stored information is obtained by reapplying the switching field.

Fabrication and properties of La2-xGdxHf2O7 transparent ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Zhengjuan; Zhou, Guohong; Zhang, Fang; Qin, Xianpeng; Ai, Jianping; Wang, Shiwei

2016-01-01

La 2-x Gd x Hf 2 O 7 (x=0–2.0) transparent ceramics were fabricated through vacuum sintering from nano-powders synthesized by a simple combustion method. The phase composition of the powders and final ceramics, the in-line transmittance, microstructures and density of the ceramics were investigated. With the increasing of Gd content, the ceramics maintained the cubic pyrochlore structure, and the lattice parameters decreased, whilst the densities increased linearly. All the ceramics were transparent. The highest in-line transmittance was 76.1% at 800 nm (x=1.2). With high density (7.91–8.88 g/cm 3 ) and effective atomic number, some of the La 2-x Gd x Hf 2 O 7 (x=0–2.0) transparent ceramics are promising candidates for scintillator hosts. - Highlights: • A new series of La 2-x Gd x Hf 2 O 7 transparent ceramics were fabricated by vacuum sintering using combustion-synthesized powders. • All the ceramics are transparent and the in-line transmittance can reach to 76.1% at 800 nm when x=1.2. • The Gd content has effects on the crystal structure, in-line transmittance, microstructures and densities of the ceramics. • With high density (7.91~8.88 g/cm3) and effective atomic number, some of the La2-xGdxHf2O7 transparent ceramics are promising candidates for scintillator hosts.

The thermoluminescence and optically stimulated luminescence properties of Cr-doped alpha alumina transparent ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Qiang; Yang, Qiu Hong; Zhao, Guang Gen; Lu, Shen Zhou; Zhang, Hao Jia

2013-01-01

Highlights: •Polycrystalline Cr:α-Al 2 O 3 transparent ceramics were obtained with vacuum sintering method. •The influence of different concentration of Cr 2 O 3 on the thermoluminescence and optical stimulated luminescence properties of Cr:α-Al 2 O 3 transparent ceramics was studied. •It had a main peak at 503 K of very high intensity and linear concentration dependence up to high concentration. •It showed so interesting results with high TL sensitivity and high stability of OSL signal that Cr:α-Al 2 O 3 transparent ceramics might be a promising material in TL dosimetry and replace Cr:α-Al 2 O 3 crystals. -- Abstract: Polycrystalline Cr:α-Al 2 O 3 transparent ceramics were fabricated by conventional solid-state processing under vacuum condition. The SEM microstructure photographs of Cr:α-Al 2 O 3 transparent ceramics doped with different content of Cr 2 O 3 were investigated. The absorption, emission spectra, thermoluminescence and optical stimulated luminescence of Cr:α-Al 2 O 3 transparent ceramics were comparable to those of Cr:α-Al 2 O 3 crystals. The influence of different concentration of Cr 2 O 3 on the thermoluminescence and optical stimulated luminescence properties of Cr:α-Al 2 O 3 transparent ceramics was discussed. It showed so interesting results with high TL sensitivity and high stability of OSL signal that Cr:α-Al 2 O 3 transparent ceramics might be a promising material in TL dosimetry and replace Cr:α-Al 2 O 3 crystals

Coprecipitation-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of PLZT hollow nanospheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Renqiang; Zhu, Kongjun; Qiu, Jinhao; Bai, Lin; Ji, Hongli

2010-01-01

Lanthanum-modified lead zirconate titanate Pb 1-x La x (Zr 1-y Ti y )O 3 (PLZT) hollow nanospheres have been successfully prepared via a template-free hydrothermal method using the well-mixed coprecipitated precursors and the KOH mineralizer. The structure, composition, and morphology of the PLZT hollow nanospheres were characterized by XRD (X-ray diffraction), ICP (inductive coupled plasma emission spectrometer), FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectra), TG/DTA (thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis), TEM (transmission electron microscopy) and SEAD (selected area diffraction). The results show that the composition and the morphology control of the PLZT products are determined by the KOH concentration. The PLZT hollow nanospheres with uniform size of about 4 nm were synthesized in the presence of 5 M KOH. The crystalline nanoparticles can be prepared at dilute KOH, in contrast to the amorphous powders prepared at concentrated KOH. Formation mechanisms of the PLZT hollow nanospheres are also discussed.

PLZT capacitor on glass substrate

Science.gov (United States)

Fairchild, M. Ray; Taylor, Ralph S.; Berlin, Carl W.; Wong, Celine W. K.; Ma, Beihai; Balachandran, Uthamalingam

2016-01-05

A lead-lanthanum-zirconium-titanate (PLZT) capacitor on a substrate formed of glass. The first metallization layer is deposited on a top side of the substrate to form a first electrode. The dielectric layer of PLZT is deposited over the first metallization layer. The second metallization layer deposited over the dielectric layer to form a second electrode. The glass substrate is advantageous as glass is compatible with an annealing process used to form the capacitor.

Direct ink write fabrication of transparent ceramic gain media

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Ivy Krystal; Seeley, Zachary M.; Cherepy, Nerine J.; Duoss, Eric B.; Payne, Stephen A.

2018-01-01

Solid-state laser gain media based on the garnet structure with two spatially distinct but optically contiguous regions have been fabricated. Transparent gain media comprised of a central core of Y2.97Nd0.03Al5.00O12.00 (Nd:YAG) and an undoped cladding region of Y3Al5O12 (YAG) were fabricated by direct ink write and transparent ceramic processing. Direct ink write (DIW) was employed to form the green body, offering a general route to preparing functionally structured solid-state laser gain media. Fully-dense transparent optical ceramics in a "top hat" geometry with YAG/Nd:YAG have been fabricated by DIW methods with optical scatter at 1064 nm of <3%/cm.

Combinatorial Production and Processing of Oxide Nanopowders for Transparent, Ceramic Lasers

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Laine, Richard M; Rand, Stephen C

2007-01-01

Since the discovery of transparent polycrystalline alumina by Coble in 1962, transparent and translucent alumina and yttria based ceramics have achieved a significant presence in our everyday lives...

Rare-earth doped transparent ceramics for spectral filtering and quantum information processing

Science.gov (United States)

Kunkel, Nathalie; Ferrier, Alban; Thiel, Charles W.; Ramírez, Mariola O.; Bausá, Luisa E.; Cone, Rufus L.; Ikesue, Akio; Goldner, Philippe

2015-09-01

Homogeneous linewidths below 10 kHz are reported for the first time in high-quality Eu3+ doped Y 2O3 transparent ceramics. This result is obtained on the 7F0→5D0 transition in Eu3+ doped Y 2O3 ceramics and corresponds to an improvement of nearly one order of magnitude compared to previously reported values in transparent ceramics. Furthermore, we observed spectral hole lifetimes of ˜15 min that are long enough to enable efficient optical pumping of the nuclear hyperfine levels. Additionally, different Eu3+ concentrations (up to 1.0%) were studied, resulting in an increase of up to a factor of three in the peak absorption coefficient. These results suggest that transparent ceramics can be useful in applications where narrow and deep spectral holes can be burned into highly absorbing lines, such as quantum information processing and spectral filtering.

Transparent ceramics for armor and EM window applications

OpenAIRE

Patel, Parimal J.; Gilde, Gary A.; Dehmer, Peter G.; McCauley, James W.

2000-01-01

Recently, the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) has focused increased attention on the development of transparent armor material systems for a variety of applications. Future combat and non-combat environments will require lightweight, threat adjustable, multifunctional, and affordable armor. Current glass/polycarbonate technologies are not expected to meet the increased requirements. Results over the past few years indicate that the use of transparent crystalline ceramics greatly improve t...

Rare-earth doped transparent ceramics for spectral filtering and quantum information processing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kunkel, Nathalie, E-mail: nathalie.kunkel@chimie-paristech.fr; Goldner, Philippe, E-mail: philippe.goldner@chimie-paristech.fr [PSL Research University, Chimie ParisTech–CNRS, Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris, 11 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris (France); Ferrier, Alban [PSL Research University, Chimie ParisTech–CNRS, Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris, 11 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris (France); Sorbonnes Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, 75005 Paris (France); Thiel, Charles W.; Cone, Rufus L. [Department of Physics, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana 59717 (United States); Ramírez, Mariola O.; Bausá, Luisa E. [Departamento Física de Materiales and Instituto Nicolás Cabrera, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Ikesue, Akio [World Laboratory, Mutsuno, Atsuta-ku, Nagoya 456-0023 (Japan)

2015-09-01

Homogeneous linewidths below 10 kHz are reported for the first time in high-quality Eu{sup 3+} doped Y {sub 2}O{sub 3} transparent ceramics. This result is obtained on the {sup 7}F{sub 0}→{sup 5}D{sub 0} transition in Eu{sup 3+} doped Y {sub 2}O{sub 3} ceramics and corresponds to an improvement of nearly one order of magnitude compared to previously reported values in transparent ceramics. Furthermore, we observed spectral hole lifetimes of ∼15 min that are long enough to enable efficient optical pumping of the nuclear hyperfine levels. Additionally, different Eu{sup 3+} concentrations (up to 1.0%) were studied, resulting in an increase of up to a factor of three in the peak absorption coefficient. These results suggest that transparent ceramics can be useful in applications where narrow and deep spectral holes can be burned into highly absorbing lines, such as quantum information processing and spectral filtering.

Microstructures and luminescent properties of Ce-doped transparent mica glass-ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taruta, Seiichi; Iwasaki, Yoshitomo; Nishikiori, Hiromasa; Yamakami, Tomohiko; Yamaguchi, Tomohiro; Kitajima, Kunio; Okada, Kiyoshi

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Ce-doped transparent glass-ceramics and their parent glasses. ► TEM and STEM images for the microstructures. ► Each mica crystal did not contain Ce uniformly. ► Emission due to Ce 3+ ions in the glass phase and/or Ce 3+ ions in the mica crystals. - Abstract: Transparent mica glass-ceramics were prepared by heating parent glasses that had been doped with 0.5–15 mol% CeO 2 . During the melting and heat treatment, Ce 4+ ions in the specimens were reduced to Ce 3+ ions, and one or both of these ion species were then replaced with Li + ions in the interlayers of the separated mica crystals. However, scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) and Z-contrast imaging revealed that the mica crystals did not contain the same amount of Ce. On excitation at 254 nm, the parent glasses and glass-ceramics emitted blue light, which originated from the 5d to 4f transition of the Ce 3+ ions. The emission of the glass-ceramic containing a smaller amount of Ce was attributed to the Ce 3+ ions in both the glass phase and the mica crystals, whereas that of the glass-ceramics containing a larger amount of Ce was caused mainly by Ce 3+ ions in the mica crystals. The dependence of the emission band of the parent glasses on the amount of Ce was a unique feature of the Ce-doped transparent mica glass-ceramics and was not observed in previous studies of Eu-doped parent glasses and mica glass-ceramics.

Fatigue properties and impedance analysis of potassium sodium niobate-strontium titanate transparent ceramics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Zhiyong; Fan, Huiqing; Lei, Shenhui; Wang, Ju; Tian, Hailin [Northwestern Polytechnical University, State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xi' an (China)

2016-10-15

Highly transparent ferroelectric ceramics based on 0.9K{sub 0.5}Na{sub 0.5}NbO{sub 3}-0.1SrTiO{sub 3} were prepared using a pressure-less solid-state sintering method without using hot isostatic pressing and spark plasma sintering. An independence electromechanical response of bipolar switching cycles (S{sub 33} only degraded 3.2 % up to 10{sup 7} cycles) was presented in this transparent ceramics, which indicated an extremely stable property under electric field. From impedance spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses, it was concluded that such optical transparency and fatigue-resistant behaviors were mainly attributed to the lower density of oxygen vacancies in the ceramics. (orig.)

Development of a helmet-mounted PLZT thermal/flash protection system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harris, J.O. Jr.; Cutchen, J.T.; Pfoff, B.J.

1976-01-01

Sandia Laboratories is developing PLZT thermal/flash protective devices (TFPD's) goggles to prevent exposure and resultant eye damage from nuclear weapon detonations. The primary emphasis of the present program is to transfer technology and establish production capability for helmet-mounted PLZT/TFPD goggles for USAF flight crews, with a non-helmet-mounted configuration to follow. The first production units are anticipated in the fall of 1977. The operating principles of the PLZT/TFPD goggle device are briefly outlined, and the device configuration and operational characteristics are described

Preparation and luminescence properties of Eu{sup 2+}doped {gamma}-aluminum oxynitride transparent ceramics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Fang; Yuan, Xianyuan; Wang, Shaohua [Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1295 Dingxi Road, Shanghai (China); Wang, Shiwei, E-mail: swwang51@mail.sic.ac.cn [Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1295 Dingxi Road, Shanghai (China)

2013-01-15

Eu{sup 2+} doped {gamma}-AlON transparent ceramics have been prepared by the solid-state reaction sintering method. The influences of Eu concentration on both strength, transparency and luminescence properties of the as-prepared samples were discussed. The strength and transparency decreased as Eu content increased. Two bands were observed in the emission spectrum of each sample. One (B{sub 1}) was narrow and centered at around 401 nm, the other (B{sub 2}) was comparatively broader, and the location of its center as well as the intensity ratio of peak values of B{sub 2} to that of B{sub 1} varied with Eu content. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Eu{sub 2}O{sub 3} was an effective sintering aid in fabrication of transparent {gamma}-AlON ceramics. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Eu-doped transparent {gamma}-AlON ceramics exhibited broad emission spectra composed of two bands. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The relationship between crystal position of Eu{sup 2+} ions and luminescent properties was given.

Properties of PZT-Based Piezoelectric Ceramics Between -150 and 250 C

Science.gov (United States)

Hooker, Matthew W.

1998-01-01

The properties of three PZT-based piezoelectric ceramics and one PLZT electrostrictive ceramic were measured as a function of temperature. In this work, the dielectric, ferroelectric polarization versus electric field, and piezoelectric properties of PZT-4, PZT-5A, PZT-5H, and PLZT-9/65/35 were measured over a temperature range of -150 to 250 C. In addition to these measurements, the relative thermal expansion of each composition was measured from 25 to 600 C and the modulus of rupture of each material was measured at room temperature. This report describes the experimental results and compares and contrasts the properties of these materials with respect to their applicability to intelligent aerospace systems.

The effect of physiologic aqueous solutions on the perovskite material lead-lanthanum-zirconium titanate (PLZT)

Science.gov (United States)

Foster, William J.; Meen, James K.; Fox, Donald A.

2016-01-01

Context Perovskite compounds, including Lead-Lanthanum-Zirconium Titanate (PLZT), have wide technological application because of their unique physical properties. The use of PLZT in neuro-prosthetic systems, such as retinal implants, have been discussed in a number of publications. Since inorganic lead is a retinotoxic compound that produces retinal degeneration, the long-term stability of PLZT in aqueous biological solutions must be determined. Objective We evaluated the stability and effects of prolonged immersion of a PLZT-coated crystal in a buffered balanced salt solution. Materials and Methods Scanning Electron Microscopy and Electron Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) using a JEOL JSM 5410 microscope equipped with EDS were utilized to evaluate the samples before and after prolonged immersion. Results We found that lead and other constituents of PLZT leached into the surrounding aqueous medium. Discussion By comparing the unit cell of PLZT with that of CaTiO3, which has been found to react with aqueous fluids, Lead is in the same site in PLZT as Ca is in CaTiO3. It is thus reasonable that PLZT will react with aqueous solutions. Conclusion The results suggest that PLZT must either be coated with a protective layer or is not appropriate for long-term in vivo or in vitro biological applications. PMID:22697294

A mathematical model for predicting photo-induced voltage and photostriction of PLZT with coupled multi-physics fields and its application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, J H; Wang, X J; Wang, J

2016-01-01

The primary purpose of this paper is to propose a mathematical model of PLZT ceramic with coupled multi-physics fields, e.g. thermal, electric, mechanical and light field. To this end, the coupling relationships of multi-physics fields and the mechanism of some effects resulting in the photostrictive effect are analyzed theoretically, based on which a mathematical model considering coupled multi-physics fields is established. According to the analysis and experimental results, the mathematical model can explain the hysteresis phenomenon and the variation trend of the photo-induced voltage very well and is in agreement with the experimental curves. In addition, the PLZT bimorph is applied as an energy transducer for a photovoltaic–electrostatic hybrid actuated micromirror, and the relation of the rotation angle and the photo-induced voltage is discussed based on the novel photostrictive mathematical model. (paper)

Fabrication and properties of La{sub 2-x}Gd{sub x}Hf{sub 2}O{sub 7} transparent ceramics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Zhengjuan [State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Zhou, Guohong, E-mail: sic_zhough@mail.sic.ac.cn [State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China); Zhang, Fang; Qin, Xianpeng [State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China); Ai, Jianping [State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Wang, Shiwei, E-mail: swwang51@mail.sic.ac.cn [State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China)

2016-01-15

La{sub 2-x}Gd{sub x}Hf{sub 2}O{sub 7} (x=0–2.0) transparent ceramics were fabricated through vacuum sintering from nano-powders synthesized by a simple combustion method. The phase composition of the powders and final ceramics, the in-line transmittance, microstructures and density of the ceramics were investigated. With the increasing of Gd content, the ceramics maintained the cubic pyrochlore structure, and the lattice parameters decreased, whilst the densities increased linearly. All the ceramics were transparent. The highest in-line transmittance was 76.1% at 800 nm (x=1.2). With high density (7.91–8.88 g/cm{sup 3}) and effective atomic number, some of the La{sub 2-x}Gd{sub x}Hf{sub 2}O{sub 7} (x=0–2.0) transparent ceramics are promising candidates for scintillator hosts. - Highlights: • A new series of La{sub 2-x}Gd{sub x}Hf{sub 2}O{sub 7} transparent ceramics were fabricated by vacuum sintering using combustion-synthesized powders. • All the ceramics are transparent and the in-line transmittance can reach to 76.1% at 800 nm when x=1.2. • The Gd content has effects on the crystal structure, in-line transmittance, microstructures and densities of the ceramics. • With high density (7.91~8.88 g/cm3) and effective atomic number, some of the La2-xGdxHf2O7 transparent ceramics are promising candidates for scintillator hosts.

Optical, mechanical and fractographic response of transparent alumina ceramics on erbium doping

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Drdlík, D.; Drdlíková, K.; Hadraba, Hynek; Máca, K.

2017-01-01

Roč. 37, č. 14 (2017), s. 4265-4270 ISSN 0955-2219 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LQ1601; GA ČR(CZ) GA15-06390S Institutional support: RVO:68081723 Keywords : Alumina * Erbia * Fractography * Hardness * Transparency Subject RIV: JH - Ceramics, Fire-Resistant Materials and Glass OBOR OECD: Ceramics Impact factor: 3.411, year: 2016

A new approach to integrate PLZT thin films with micro-cantilevers

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Sadhana; Volume 34; Issue 4. A new approach to integrate PLZT thin films with micro-cantilevers ... Different types of cantilever beams incorporating PLZT films have been successfully fabricated using 'lift-off' process and bulk micromachining technology. The proposed process can be advantageously ...

Comparative study of transparent ceramic and single crystal Ce doped LuAG scintillators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanagida, Takayuki; Fujimoto, Yutaka; Yokota, Yuui; Kamada, Kei; Yanagida, Satoko; Yoshikawa, Akira; Yagi, Hideki; Yanagitani, Takagimi

2011-01-01

Transparent ceramic Ce 0.5% doped Lu 3 Al 5 O 12 (LuAG) scintillator grown by the sintering method and single crystalline Ce doped LuAG grown by the Czochralski method are prepared. They are cut to the physical dimensions 4 × 4 × 2 mm 3 . Their transmittance and radio luminescence spectra are evaluated. They are both transmissive in wavelength longer than 500 nm and intense Ce 3+ 5d–4f emission appears around 520 nm. When 137 Cs γ-ray is irradiated, 662 keV photo-absorption peaks are clearly observed in each sample. The transparent ceramic one shows higher light yield than that of the single crystalline one. The absolute light yield of the ceramic sample is turned out to be 14800 ± 1500 ph/MeV. The decay time constants are evaluated under pulse X-ray excitation. The main component of the decay time of ceramic and single crystalline one are determined as 37 and 46 ns, respectively.

Application Of Light Valves For Continuous-Tone Printing

Science.gov (United States)

Vergona, Albert B.

1989-07-01

New opportunities are emerging in the graphic-arts pre-press market stimulated by the need for digitally created images. To meet this need, we have designed a cost-effective three-color digital printer using PLZT light valves. Transparent lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT) ceramic crystals when used as a linear modulator offer a number of significant benefits. The primary advantage is that the light valve is an efficient modulator of incoherent light providing a broad spectral output ranging from 400nm to well into the infrared region. In addition, light valves offer the advantages of being small, low cost, have a wide dynamic range (>1000 to 1), and can be used with simple optical designs. The characteristics of the PLZT material plays an important role in the performance of the light valve. A number of variables such as ceramic composition, electrode spacing, and ceramic thickness can be altered to affect its quadratic electrooptic behavior. Additionally, the modulator design requires a closed-loop servo to eliminate the errors caused by the device's remanent polarization and nonlinear behavior.

The effect of physiologic aqueous solutions on the perovskite material lead-lanthanum-zirconium titanate (PLZT): potential retinotoxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Foster, William J; Meen, James K; Fox, Donald A

2013-03-01

Perovskite compounds, including lead-lanthanum-zirconium titanate (PLZT), have wide technological application because of their unique physical properties. The use of PLZT in neuro-prosthetic systems, such as retinal implants, has been discussed in a number of publications. Since inorganic lead is a retinotoxic compound that produces retinal degeneration, the long-term stability of PLZT in aqueous biological solutions must be determined. We evaluated the stability and effects of prolonged immersion of a PLZT-coated crystal in a buffered balanced salt solution. Scanning Electron Microscopy and Electron Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) using a JEOL JSM 5410 microscope equipped with EDS were utilized to evaluate the samples before and after prolonged immersion. We found that lead and other constituents of PLZT leached into the surrounding aqueous medium. By comparing the unit cell of PLZT with that of CaTiO(3), which has been found to react with aqueous fluids, Lead is in the same site in PLZT as Ca is in CaTiO(3). It is thus reasonable that PLZT will react with aqueous solutions. The results suggest that PLZT must either be coated with a protective layer or is not appropriate for long-term in vivo or in vitro biological applications.

Fabrication and Sintering Behavior of Er:SrF2 Transparent Ceramics using Chemically Derived Powder

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jun; Liu, Peng; Wang, Jun; Xu, Xiaodong; Li, Dongzhen; Zhang, Jian; Nie, Xinming

2018-01-01

In this paper, we report the fabrication of high-quality 5 at. % Er3+ ions doped SrF2 transparent ceramics, the potential candidate materials for a mid-infrared laser-gain medium by hot-pressing at 700 °C for 40 h using a chemically-derived powder. The phase structure, densification, and microstructure evolution of the Er:SrF2 ceramics were systematically investigated. In addition, the grain growth kinetic mechanism of Er:SrF2 was clarified. The results showed lattice diffusion to be the grain growth mechanism in the Er:SrF2 transparent ceramic of which highest in-line transmittance reached 92% at 2000 nm, i.e., very close to the theoretical transmittance value of SrF2 single crystal. Furthermore, the emission spectra showed that the strongest emission band was located at 2735 nm. This means that it is possible to achieve a laser output of approximately 2.7 μm in the 5 at. % Er3+ ions doped SrF2 transparent ceramics. PMID:29565322

Fabrication and Sintering Behavior of Er:SrF2 Transparent Ceramics using Chemically Derived Powder

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun Liu

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we report the fabrication of high-quality 5 at. % Er3+ ions doped SrF2 transparent ceramics, the potential candidate materials for a mid-infrared laser-gain medium by hot-pressing at 700 °C for 40 h using a chemically-derived powder. The phase structure, densification, and microstructure evolution of the Er:SrF2 ceramics were systematically investigated. In addition, the grain growth kinetic mechanism of Er:SrF2 was clarified. The results showed lattice diffusion to be the grain growth mechanism in the Er:SrF2 transparent ceramic of which highest in-line transmittance reached 92% at 2000 nm, i.e., very close to the theoretical transmittance value of SrF2 single crystal. Furthermore, the emission spectra showed that the strongest emission band was located at 2735 nm. This means that it is possible to achieve a laser output of approximately 2.7 μm in the 5 at. % Er3+ ions doped SrF2 transparent ceramics.

Crystallization Kinetics and Characterization of Nanostructure Mica Glass-Ceramics with Optical Transparency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Alizadeh

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Transparent glasses in a system of Li2O-MgO-SiO2-Al2O3-Fchemical constituents were prepared by melt quenching method. In the fabrication of nanocrystal glass-ceramics, controlled nucleation and subsequent crystal growth were necessary to avoid loss of transparency. It was therefore important to understand thermal properties and crystallization kinetics of the glass ceramics. The crystallization behavior of the prepared glass was investigated by DTA, XRD and SEM. By crystallization heat-treatment, various crystalline phases, microstructure and transmittance were obtained. The sellaite was first precipitated as the nuclei before the crystallization of mica and then mica nanocrystals were precipitated with average size of

Scintillation properties of transparent ceramic and single crystalline Nd:YAG scintillators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanagida, Takayuki; Kamada, Kei; Fujimoto, Yutaka; Yokota, Yuui; Yoshikawa, Akira; Yagi, Hideki; Yanagitani, Takagimi

2011-01-01

Nd 0.1, 1.1, 2, 4, and 6 mol% doped YAG transparent ceramics are manufactured by the sintering method and their scintillation properties are compared with those of single crystalline Nd 1 mol% doped YAG grown by the micro-pulling down method. They show ∼80% transmittance at wavelengths longer than 300 nm and strong emission lines due to Nd 3+ 4f-4f emission in their radio-luminescence spectra. Among them, the single crystalline sample shows the highest light yield of 11,000 ph/MeV under γ-ray excitation and the second highest one is from Nd 1.1 mol% doped transparent ceramic, which shows 6000 ph/MeV. In these scintillators, dominant decay time constant is around 2-3 μs due to Nd 3+ 4f-4f transitions.

Scintillation properties of transparent ceramic and single crystalline Nd:YAG scintillators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yanagida, Takayuki, E-mail: t_yanagi@tagen.tohoku.ac.j [Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan); Kamada, Kei; Fujimoto, Yutaka; Yokota, Yuui [Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan); Yoshikawa, Akira [Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan); New Industry Creation Hatchery Center (NICHe), Tohoku University, 6-6-10 Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan); Yagi, Hideki; Yanagitani, Takagimi [Konoshima Chemical Co., Ltd., 80 Kouda, Takuma, Mitoyo-gun, Kagawa 769-1103 (Japan)

2011-03-01

Nd 0.1, 1.1, 2, 4, and 6 mol% doped YAG transparent ceramics are manufactured by the sintering method and their scintillation properties are compared with those of single crystalline Nd 1 mol% doped YAG grown by the micro-pulling down method. They show {approx}80% transmittance at wavelengths longer than 300 nm and strong emission lines due to Nd{sup 3+} 4f-4f emission in their radio-luminescence spectra. Among them, the single crystalline sample shows the highest light yield of 11,000 ph/MeV under {gamma}-ray excitation and the second highest one is from Nd 1.1 mol% doped transparent ceramic, which shows 6000 ph/MeV. In these scintillators, dominant decay time constant is around 2-3 {mu}s due to Nd{sup 3+} 4f-4f transitions.

Stacking effect on the ferroelectric properties of PZT/PLZT multilayer thin films formed by photochemical metal-organic deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Hyeong-Ho; Park, Hyung-Ho; Hill, Ross H.

2004-01-01

The ferroelectric properties of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) and lanthanum-doped lead zirconate titanate (PLZT) multilayer films formed by photochemical metal-organic deposition (PMOD) using photosensitive precursors have been characterized. The substitution of La for Pb was reported to induce improved ferroelectric properties, especially fatigue resistance, through the reduction of oxygen vacancies. The relation between La-substitution and the ferroelectric properties was investigated by characterization of the effect of the order of stacking four ferroelectric layers of PZT or PLZT in the multilayer films 4-PZT, PZT/2-PLZT/PZT, PLZT/2-PZT/PLZT, and 4-PLZT. The films with the PLZT layer at the top and bottom showed an improvement in the fatigue resistance. It was revealed that defect dipole such as O vacancy was reduced at the ferroelectric/Pt interface by doping with La. Also, the bottom layer, just on Pt substrate had a significant influence on the surface microstructure and growth orientation of ferroelectric film

Determination of the compressive yield strength for nano-grained YAG transparent ceramic by XRD analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, H.M.; Jiang, J.S.; Huang, Z.Y.; Chen, Y.; Liu, K.; Lu, Z.W.; Qi, J.Q.; Li, F.; He, D.W.; Lu, T.C.; Wang, Q.Y.

2016-01-01

Nano-grained ceramics have their unique mechanical characteristics that are not commonly found in their coarse-grained counterparts. In this study, nano-grained YAG transparent ceramics (NG-YAG) were prepared by low-temperature high-pressure technique (LTHP). The peak profile analysis of the X-ray diffraction was employed to investigate the compressive yield strength of NG-YAG. During the temperature at 450 °C, the residual micro-strain (RMS) increased with increasing loading pressure. However when the loading pressure was exceeded to 4.0 GPa the RMS exhibited a severe negative slop. The temperature effects on the compressive yield strength were also studied. It shows that the compressive yield strength of NG-YAG is 4.0 GPa and 5.0 GPa respectively at 450 °C and 350 °C. More importantly according to this investigation, a feasible technique to study the nano-grained ceramics is provided. - Graphical abstract: Fig. 2 shows the significant slope changes of calculated residual micro-strain (RMS) associated with five selected pressure-temperature conditions. Another the grain size estimated from Scherrer's formula, especially when it changes with the pressure-temperature condition is also plotted in Fig. 2. - Highlights: • Prepared the nano-grained YAG transparent ceramic by high pressure technique. • Obtained the compressive yield with different temperature. • Obtained the compressive yield of nano-grained YAG transparent ceramic.

Homogeneity of Gd-based garnet transparent ceramic scintillators for gamma spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Seeley, Z. M.; Cherepy, N. J.; Payne, S. A.

2013-09-01

Transparent polycrystalline ceramic scintillators based on the composition Gd1.49Y1.49Ce0.02Ga2.2Al2.8O12 are being developed for gamma spectroscopy detectors. Scintillator light yield and energy resolution depend on the details of various processing steps, including powder calcination, green body formation, and sintering atmosphere. We have found that gallium sublimation during vacuum sintering creates compositional gradients in the ceramic and can degrade the energy resolution. While sintering in oxygen produces ceramics with uniform composition and little afterglow, light yields are reduced, compared to vacuum sintering. By controlling the atmosphere during the various process steps, we were able to minimize the gallium sublimation, resulting in a more homogeneous composition and improved gamma spectroscopy performance.

Cerium-doped single crystal and transparent ceramic lutetium aluminum garnet scintillators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cherepy, Nerine J.; Kuntz, Joshua D.; Tillotson, Thomas M.; Speaks, Derrick T.; Payne, Stephen A.; Chai, B.H.T.; Porter-Chapman, Yetta; Derenzo, Stephen E.

2007-01-01

For rapid, unambiguous isotope identification, scintillator detectors providing high-resolution gamma ray spectra are required. We have fabricated Lutetium Aluminum Garnet (LuAG) using transparent ceramic processing, and report a 2-mm thick ceramic exhibiting 75% transmission and light yield comparable to single-crystal LuAG:Ce. The LuAG:Ce luminescence peaks at 550 nm, providing an excellent match for Silicon Photodiode readout. LuAG is dense (6.67 g/cm 3 ) and impervious to water, exhibits good proportionality and a fast decay (∼40 ns), and we measure light yields in excess of 20,000 photons/MeV

Transparent ceramic photo-optical semiconductor high power switches

Science.gov (United States)

Werne, Roger W.; Sullivan, James S.; Landingham, Richard L.

2016-01-19

A photoconductive semiconductor switch according to one embodiment includes a structure of sintered nanoparticles of a high band gap material exhibiting a lower electrical resistance when excited by light relative to an electrical resistance thereof when not exposed to the light. A method according to one embodiment includes creating a mixture comprising particles, at least one dopant, and at least one solvent; adding the mixture to a mold; forming a green structure in the mold; and sintering the green structure to form a transparent ceramic. Additional system, methods and products are also presented.

Yb:Y2O3 transparent ceramics processed with hot isostatic pressing

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jun; Ma, Jie; Zhang, Jian; Liu, Peng; Luo, Dewei; Yin, Danlei; Tang, Dingyuan; Kong, Ling Bing

2017-09-01

Highly transparent 5 at.% Yb:Y2O3 ceramics were fabricated by using a combination method of vacuum sintering and hot isostatic pressing (HIP). Co-precipitated Yb:Y2O3 powders, with 1 at.% ZrO2 as the sintering aid, were used as the starting material. The Yb:Y2O3 ceramics, vacuum sintered at 1700 °C for 2 h and HIPed at 1775 °C for 4 h, exhibited small grain size of 1.9 μm and highly dense microstructure. In-line optical transmittance of the ceramics reached 83.4% and 78.9% at 2000 and 600 nm, respectively. As the ceramic slab was pumped by a fiber-coupled laser diode at about 940 nm, a maximum output power of 0.77 W at 1076 nm was achieved, with a corresponding slope efficiency of 10.6%.

CoO-doped MgO-Al2O3-SiO2-colored transparent glass-ceramics with high crystallinity

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Wufu; Zhang, Qian; Luo, Zhiwei; Yu, Jingbo; Gao, Xianglong; Li, Yunxing; Lu, Anxian

2018-02-01

To obtain CoO-doped MgO-Al2O3-SiO2 (MAS)-colored transparent glass-ceramics with high crystallinity, the glass with the composition 21MgO-21Al2O3-54SiO2-4B2O3-0.2CoO (in mol %) was prepared by conventional melt quenching technique and subsequently thermal treated at several temperatures. The crystallization behavior of the glass, the precipitated crystalline phases and crystallinity were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The microstructure of the glass-ceramics was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FSEM). The transmittance of glass-ceramic was measured by UV spectrophotometer. The results show that a large amount of α-cordierite (indianite) with nano-size was precipitated from the glass matrix after treatment at 1020 °C for 3 h. The crystallinity of the transparent glass-ceramic reached up to 97%. Meanwhile, the transmittance of the glass-ceramic was 74% at 400 nm with a complex absorption band from 450 nm to 700 nm. In addition, this colored transparent glass-ceramic possessed lower density (2.469 g/cm3), lower thermal expansion coefficient (1.822 × 10-6 /℃), higher Vickers hardness (9.1 GPa) and higher bending strength (198 MPa) than parent glass.

PLZT thermal/flash protective goggles: device concepts and constraints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cutchen, J.T.

1979-01-01

In 1975 Sandia Laboratories began the design and development of PLZT Goggles for the US Air Force to provide protection from temporary flashblindness and permanent retinal burns caused by the brilliant flash of nuclear explosions. The user requirements, system and physical constraints, and use/storage environments were all considered in arriving at the final design goals. When the program began, there was no industrial capability to manufacture large-aperture PLZT materials or bonded lens assemblies. The technology has been established from a laboratory baseline in a brief period, and operational testing and evaluation by the Air Force has been completed. The goggles, identified as the EEU-2/P,, are now in production

Transparent Glass-Ceramics Produced by Sol-Gel: A Suitable Alternative for Photonic Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Gorni, Giulio; Velázquez, Jose J; Mosa, Jadra; Balda, Rolindes; Fernández, Joaquin; Durán, Alicia; Castro, Yolanda

2018-01-30

Transparent glass-ceramics have shown interesting optical properties for several photonic applications. In particular, compositions based on oxide glass matrices with fluoride crystals embedded inside, known as oxyfluoride glass-ceramics, have gained increasing interest in the last few decades. Melt-quenching is still the most used method to prepare these materials but sol-gel has been indicated as a suitable alternative. Many papers have been published since the end of the 1990s, when these materials were prepared by sol-gel for the first time, thus a review of the achievements obtained so far is necessary. In the first part of this paper, a review of transparent sol-gel glass-ceramics is made focusing mainly on oxyfluoride compositions. Many interesting optical results have been obtained but very little innovation of synthesis and processing is found with respect to pioneering papers published 20 years ago. In the second part we describe the improvements in synthesis and processing obtained by the authors during the last five years. The main achievements are the preparation of oxyfluoride glass-ceramics with a much higher fluoride crystal fraction, at least double that reported up to now, and the first synthesis of NaGdF₄ glass-ceramics. Moreover, a new SiO₂ precursor was introduced in the synthesis, allowing for a reduction in the treatment temperature and favoring hydroxyl group removal. Interesting optical properties demonstrated the incorporation of dopant ions in the fluoride crystals, thus obtaining crystal-like spectra along with higher efficiencies with respect to xerogels, and hence demonstrating that these materials are a suitable alternative for photonic applications.

Transparent ceramics and methods of preparation thereof

Science.gov (United States)

Hollingsworth, Joel P.; Kuntz, Joshua D.; Seeley, Zachary M.; Soules, Thomas F.

2012-12-25

A method for forming a transparent ceramic preform in one embodiment includes forming a suspension of oxide particles in a solvent, wherein the suspension includes a dispersant, with the proviso that the suspension does not include a gelling agent; and uniformly curing the suspension for forming a preform of gelled suspension. A method according to another embodiment includes creating a mixture of inorganic particles, a solvent and a dispersant, the inorganic particles having a mean diameter of less than about 2000 nm; agitating the mixture; adding the mixture to a mold; and curing the mixture in the mold for gelling the mixture, with the proviso that no gelling agent is added to the mixture.

Spectroscopic properties of Er/Nd co-doped yttrium lanthanum oxide transparent ceramics pumped at 980 nm

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shao, Yingjie; Yang, Qiuhong, E-mail: yangqiuhong@shu.edu.cn; Gui, Yan; Yuan, Ye; Lu, Qing

2016-05-15

(Er{sub 0.01}Nd{sub x}Y{sub 0.89-x}La{sub 0.1}){sub 2}O{sub 3} (x = 0, 0.001, 0.002, 0.005, 0.01) transparent ceramics were prepared by conventional ceramic processing. The Nd{sup 3+} content dependencies of mid-infrared, near infrared and up-conversion emission of Er{sup 3+} pumped at 980 nm were fully presented. Mechanism of energy transfer between Er{sup 3+} and Nd{sup 3+} was also demonstrated. The results showed that co-doping 0.1 at% Nd{sup 3+} into 1 at% Er{sup 3+} doped yttrium lanthanum oxide transparent ceramic enhanced the 2.7 μm emission significantly and meanwhile suppressed the 1.5 μm emission effectively which indicated an improvement in population inversion between Er:{sup 4}I{sub 11/2} and Er:{sup 4}I{sub 13/2}. Moreover, green up-conversion emission of Er{sup 3+} ion also showed a great improvement by co-doping 0.1 at% Nd{sup 3+}. Those great results were attributed to energy recycle from Er:{sup 4}I{sub 13/2} to Er:{sup 4}I{sub 11/2}. The energy recycle was mainly built by the two energy transfer between Er{sup 3+} and Nd{sup 3+} (one is from Er to Nd, another is in opposite way). So, Er/Nd co-doped yttrium lanthanum oxide transparent ceramic with Nd in low concentration can be considered as a promising laser material for ∼3 μm and up-conversion laser application. - Highlights: • (Er{sub 0.01}Nd{sub x}Y{sub 0.89-x}La{sub 0.1}){sub 2}O{sub 3} transparent ceramics were prepared. • The emission of 2.7 μm of Er{sup 3+} ion was significantly enhanced as x was 0.001. • The emission of 1.5 μm of Er{sup 3+} ion was suppressed greatly by co-doping Nd{sup 3+} ion. • Mechanism of Er–Nd energy transfer was discussed by the energy sketch.

Transparent Glass-Ceramics Produced by Sol-Gel: A Suitable Alternative for Photonic Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giulio Gorni

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Transparent glass-ceramics have shown interesting optical properties for several photonic applications. In particular, compositions based on oxide glass matrices with fluoride crystals embedded inside, known as oxyfluoride glass-ceramics, have gained increasing interest in the last few decades. Melt-quenching is still the most used method to prepare these materials but sol-gel has been indicated as a suitable alternative. Many papers have been published since the end of the 1990s, when these materials were prepared by sol-gel for the first time, thus a review of the achievements obtained so far is necessary. In the first part of this paper, a review of transparent sol-gel glass-ceramics is made focusing mainly on oxyfluoride compositions. Many interesting optical results have been obtained but very little innovation of synthesis and processing is found with respect to pioneering papers published 20 years ago. In the second part we describe the improvements in synthesis and processing obtained by the authors during the last five years. The main achievements are the preparation of oxyfluoride glass-ceramics with a much higher fluoride crystal fraction, at least double that reported up to now, and the first synthesis of NaGdF4 glass-ceramics. Moreover, a new SiO2 precursor was introduced in the synthesis, allowing for a reduction in the treatment temperature and favoring hydroxyl group removal. Interesting optical properties demonstrated the incorporation of dopant ions in the fluoride crystals, thus obtaining crystal-like spectra along with higher efficiencies with respect to xerogels, and hence demonstrating that these materials are a suitable alternative for photonic applications.

Transparent Glass-Ceramics Produced by Sol-Gel: A Suitable Alternative for Photonic Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Gorni, Giulio; Mosa, Jadra; Balda, Rolindes; Fernández, Joaquin; Durán, Alicia; Castro, Yolanda

2018-01-01

Transparent glass-ceramics have shown interesting optical properties for several photonic applications. In particular, compositions based on oxide glass matrices with fluoride crystals embedded inside, known as oxyfluoride glass-ceramics, have gained increasing interest in the last few decades. Melt-quenching is still the most used method to prepare these materials but sol-gel has been indicated as a suitable alternative. Many papers have been published since the end of the 1990s, when these materials were prepared by sol-gel for the first time, thus a review of the achievements obtained so far is necessary. In the first part of this paper, a review of transparent sol-gel glass-ceramics is made focusing mainly on oxyfluoride compositions. Many interesting optical results have been obtained but very little innovation of synthesis and processing is found with respect to pioneering papers published 20 years ago. In the second part we describe the improvements in synthesis and processing obtained by the authors during the last five years. The main achievements are the preparation of oxyfluoride glass-ceramics with a much higher fluoride crystal fraction, at least double that reported up to now, and the first synthesis of NaGdF4 glass-ceramics. Moreover, a new SiO2 precursor was introduced in the synthesis, allowing for a reduction in the treatment temperature and favoring hydroxyl group removal. Interesting optical properties demonstrated the incorporation of dopant ions in the fluoride crystals, thus obtaining crystal-like spectra along with higher efficiencies with respect to xerogels, and hence demonstrating that these materials are a suitable alternative for photonic applications. PMID:29385706

The temperature dependences of electromechanical properties of PLZT ceramics

Science.gov (United States)

Czerwiec, M.; Zachariasz, R.; Ilczuk, J.

2008-02-01

The mechanical and electrical properties in lanthanum modified lead zirconate-titanate ceramics of 5/50/50 and 10/50/50 were studied by mechanical loss Q - 1, Young's modulus E, electric permittivity ɛ and tangent of dielectric loss of angle tgδ measurements. The internal friction Q - 1 and Young modulus E measured from 290 K to 600 K shows that Curie temperature TC is located at 574 K and 435 K (1st cycle of heating) respectively for ceramic samples 5/50/50 and 10/50/50. The movement of TC in second cycle of heating to lower temperature (561 K for 5/50/50 and 420 K for 10/50/50) has been observed. Together with Q - 1 and E measurements, temperature dependences of ɛ=f(T) and tgδ=f(T) were determinated in temperature range from 300 K to 730 K. The values of TC obtained during ɛ and tgδ measurements were respectively: 560 K for 5/50/50 and 419 K for 10/50/50. These temperatures are almost as high as the temperatures obtained by internal friction Q - 1 measurements in second cycle of heating. In ceramic sample 10/50/50 the additional maximum on internal friction Q - 1 curve at the temperature 316 K was observed.

Physics and Technology of Transparent Ceramic Armor: Sintered Al2O3 vs Cubic Materials

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Krell, Andreas; Hutzler, Thomas; Klimke, Jens

2006-01-01

Sintered sub-micrometer alumina (alpha-Al2O3) is the hardest transparent armor. However, its trigonal structure gives rise to a strong thickness effect that makes thicker components translucent. Cubic ceramics (no birefringence...

Scalable Active Optical Access Network Using Variable High-Speed PLZT Optical Switch/Splitter

Science.gov (United States)

Ashizawa, Kunitaka; Sato, Takehiro; Tokuhashi, Kazumasa; Ishii, Daisuke; Okamoto, Satoru; Yamanaka, Naoaki; Oki, Eiji

This paper proposes a scalable active optical access network using high-speed Plumbum Lanthanum Zirconate Titanate (PLZT) optical switch/splitter. The Active Optical Network, called ActiON, using PLZT switching technology has been presented to increase the number of subscribers and the maximum transmission distance, compared to the Passive Optical Network (PON). ActiON supports the multicast slot allocation realized by running the PLZT switch elements in the splitter mode, which forces the switch to behave as an optical splitter. However, the previous ActiON creates a tradeoff between the network scalability and the power loss experienced by the optical signal to each user. It does not use the optical power efficiently because the optical power is simply divided into 0.5 to 0.5 without considering transmission distance from OLT to each ONU. The proposed network adopts PLZT switch elements in the variable splitter mode, which controls the split ratio of the optical power considering the transmission distance from OLT to each ONU, in addition to PLZT switch elements in existing two modes, the switching mode and the splitter mode. The proposed network introduces the flexible multicast slot allocation according to the transmission distance from OLT to each user and the number of required users using three modes, while keeping the advantages of ActiON, which are to support scalable and secure access services. Numerical results show that the proposed network dramatically reduces the required number of slots and supports high bandwidth efficiency services and extends the coverage of access network, compared to the previous ActiON, and the required computation time for selecting multicast users is less than 30msec, which is acceptable for on-demand broadcast services.

Fabrication and spectroscopic properties of Co:MgAl2O4 transparent ceramics by the HIP post-treatment

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Wei; Ma, Peng; Xie, Tengfei; Dai, Jiawei; Pan, Yubai; Kou, Huamin; Li, Jiang

2017-07-01

Cobalt-doped magnesium aluminate spinel (Co:MgAl2O4) is one of the most important saturable absorbers for the passive Q-switching of solid-state lasers operating at eye-safe wavelength of 1.5 μm. In this work, highly transparent Co:MgAl2O4 ceramics were fabricated by vacuum sintering combined with hot isostatic pressing (HIP) post-treatment, using the mixture of the commercial spinel and the lab-made Co:MgAl2O4 powder as the raw materials. The densification mechanism of Co:MgAl2O4 transparent ceramics was discussed. The microstructure and optical properties of the samples were investigated. The ground state absorption cross section (σGSA) was calculated from the fitted curve of the absorption coefficient spectrum. The results show that Co:MgAl2O4 ceramics fabricated by vacuum sintering at 1500 °C for 5 h and then HIP post-treatment at 1650 °C for 3 h perform good transparency, whose in-line transmittance exceeds 80% at 2500 nm. Moreover, the ground state absorption cross section of 0.02 at.% Co:MgAl2O4 ceramics is calculated to be 3.35 × 10-19 cm2 at the wavelength of 1540 nm, which is promising for the application to the passive Q-switching of solid-state laser operating in the near infrared region (NIR).

Direct thermal to electrical energy conversion using 9.5/65/35 PLZT ceramics in the ergodic relaxor phase.

Science.gov (United States)

Chin, Thomas K; Lee, Felix Y; McKinley, Ian M; Goljahi, Sam; Lynch, Christopher S; Pilon, Laurent

2012-11-01

This paper reports on direct thermal to electrical energy conversion by performing the Olsen cycle on 9.5/65/35 lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT). The Olsen cycle consists of two isothermal and two isoelectric field processes in the electric displacement versus electric field diagram. It was performed by alternatively dipping the material in hot and cold dielectric fluid baths under specified electric fields. The effects of applied electric field, sample thickness, electrode material, operating temperature, and cycle frequency on the energy and power densities were investigated. A maximum energy density of 637 ± 20 J/L/cycle was achieved at 0.054 Hz with a 250-μm-thick sample featuring Pt electrodes and coated with a silicone conformal coating. The operating temperatures varied between 3°C and 140°C and the electric field was cycled between 0.2 and 6.0 MV/m. A maximum power density of 55 ± 8 W/L was obtained at 0.125 Hz under the same operating temperatures and electric fields. The dielectric strength of the material, and therefore the energy and power densities generated, increased when the sample thickness decreased from 500 to 250 μm. Furthermore, the electrode material was found to have no significant effect on the energy and power densities for samples subject to the same operating temperatures and electric fields. However, samples with electrode material possessing thermal expansion coefficients similar to that of PLZT were capable of withstanding larger temperature swings. Finally, a fatigue test showed that the power generation gradually degraded when the sample was subject to repeated thermoelectrical loading.

Develop techniques for ion implantation of PLZT [lead-lanthanum-zirconate-titanate] for adaptive optics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batishko, C.R.; Brimhall, J.L.; Pawlewicz, W.T.; Stahl, K.A.; Toburen, L.H.

1987-09-01

Research was conducted at Pacific Northwest Laboratory to develop high photosensitivity adaptive optical elements utilizing ion implanted lanthanum-doped lead-zirconate-titanate (PLZT). One centimeter square samples were prepared by implanting ferroelectric and anti-ferroelectric PLZT with a variety of species or combinations of species. These included Ne, O, Ni, Ne/Cr, Ne/Al, Ne/Ni, Ne/O, and Ni/O, at a variety of energies and fluences. An indium-tin oxide (ITO) electrode coating was designed to give a balance of high conductivity and optical transmission at near uv to near ir wavelengths. Samples were characterized for photosensitivity; implanted layer thickness, index of refraction, and density; electrode (ITO) conductivity; and in some cases, residual stress curvature. Thin film anti-ferroelectric PLZT was deposited in a preliminary experiment. The structure was amorphous with x-ray diffraction showing the beginnings of a structure at substrate temperatures of approximately 550 0 C. This report summarizes the research and provides a sampling of the data taken during the report period

High-power electro-optic switch technology based on novel transparent ceramic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Xue-Jiao; Ye Qing; Qu Rong-Hui; Cai Hai-wen

2016-01-01

A novel high-power polarization-independent electro-optic switch technology based on a reciprocal structure Sagnac interferometer and a transparent quadratic electro-optic ceramic is proposed and analyzed theoretically and experimentally. The electro-optic ceramic is used as a phase retarder for the clockwise and counter-clockwise polarized light, and their polarization directions are adjusted to their orthogonal positions by using two half-wave plates. The output light then becomes polarization-independent with respect to the polarization direction of the input light. The switch characteristics, including splitter ratios and polarization states, are theoretically analyzed and simulated in detail by the matrix multiplication method. An experimental setup is built to verify the analysis and experimental results. A new component ceramic is used and a non-polarizing cube beam splitter (NPBS) replaces the beam splitter (BS) to lower the ON/OFF voltage to 305 V and improve the extinction ratio by 2 dB. Finally, the laser-induced damage threshold for the proposed switch is measured and discussed. It is believed that potential applications of this novel polarization-independent electro-optic switch technology will be wide, especially for ultrafast high-power laser systems. (paper)

Luminescence and scintillation enhancement of Y2O3:Tm transparent ceramic through post-fabrication thermal processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chapman, M.G.; Marchewka, M.R.; Roberts, S.A.; Schmitt, J.M.; McMillen, C.; Kucera, C.J.; DeVol, T.A.; Ballato, J.; Jacobsohn, L.G.

2015-01-01

The effects of post-fabrication thermal processing in O 2 flux on the luminescence and scintillation of a Y 2 O 3 :Tm transparent ceramic were investigated. The results showed that the strategy of post-fabrication processing can be beneficial to the performance of the ceramics, depending on the cumulative processing time. After the first hour of processing, about 40% enhancement in the luminescence output together with about 20% enhancement in the scintillation light yield were obtained. The enhancements were tentatively assigned to the incorporation of oxygen into vacancy sites. Longer cumulative processing times lead to the incorporation of oxygen as interstitials that is detrimental to scintillation light yield but not to luminescence output. This work also revealed that thermoluminescence measurements are a useful tool to predict scintillation light yield of Y 2 O 3 :Tm. - Highlights: • Scintillation and PL enhancement of transparent ceramics through thermal processing. • First thermoluminescence measurements of Y 2 O 3 :Tm above room temperature. • Observation of correlation between TL and scintillation light yield results

Tape casting fabrication and properties of planar waveguide YAG/Yb:YAG/YAG transparent ceramics

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Yu; Liu, Qiang; Ge, Lin; Wang, Chao; Li, Wenxue; Yang, Chao; Wang, Juntao; Yuan, Lei; Xie, Tengfei; Kou, Huamin; Pan, Yubai; Gao, Qingsong; Bo, Yong; Peng, Qinjun; Xu, Zuyan; Li, Jiang

2017-07-01

Highly transparent YAG/10at.%Yb:YAG/YAG planar waveguide ceramics were fabricated by the non-aqueous tape casting and solid-state reactive sintering technology. The tapes are relatively homogeneous and the green body shows a dense structure without distinct interfaces after the treatment of debinding and cold isostatic pressing. YAG/10at.%Yb:YAG/YAG ceramics with almost full dense structure were obtained by vacuum-sintering at 1760 °C for 30 h. For the mirror-polished sample with the thickness of 3.5 mm, the In-line transmittance was measured to be 83.6% at the visual wavelength of 400 nm. The diffusion distance of the Yb3+ ions was about 215 μm along the thickness direction of the ceramics. In the lasing experiments, the YAG/10at.%Yb:YAG/YAG planar waveguide ceramics were end-pumped by a 976 nm semiconductor diode laser and enabled efficient continuous-wave lasers, which resulted in a maximum output power of 1.6 W and a slope efficiency of 34.4% at 1030 nm.

Dielectric properties of PLZT-x/65/35 (2≤x≤13 under mechanical stress, electric field and temperature loading

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Pytel

2013-01-01

Full Text Available We investigated the effect of uniaxial pressure (0÷1000 bars applied parallely to the ac electric field on dielectric properties of PLZT-x/65/35 (2≤x≤13 ceramics. There was revealed a significant effect of the external stress on these properties. The application of uniaxial pressure leads to the change of the peak intensity of the electric permittivity (ϵ, of the frequency dispersion as well as of the dielectric hysteresis. The peak intensity ϵ becomes diffused/sharpened and shifts to a higher/lower temperatures with increasing the pressure. It was concluded that the application of uniaxial pressure induces similar effects as increasing the Ti ion concentration in PZT system. We interpreted our results based on the domain switching processes under the action of combined electromechanical loading.

PLZT light transmittance memory driven with an asymmetric voltage pulse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inoue, Kazuhiko; Morita, Takeshi

2010-01-01

PLZT is a ferroelectric electro-optic material, which has been operated with a constant voltage supply to keep a certain optical property. In this study, we propose an optical transmittance memory effect by controlling the domain conditions. The keypoint is to use an asymmetric voltage pulse. In the positive direction, a sufficiently-large voltage is applied to align the polarization directions. After this operation, a relatively small light transmittance is memorized even after removing the electric field. On the other hand, in the negative direction, the amplitude of the voltage is adjusted to the coercive electric field. In this condition, the domain structure is almost the same as the depolarization state. With this voltage supply, the maximum light transmittance can be kept after removing the electric field. Using these voltage operations, the PLZT can obtain two light transmittance states depending on the domain structure. This memory effect should be useful for innovative optical scanners or shutters in the future.

High-power electro-optic switch technology based on novel transparent ceramic

Science.gov (United States)

Xue-Jiao, Zhang; Qing, Ye; Rong-Hui, Qu; Hai-wen, Cai

2016-03-01

A novel high-power polarization-independent electro-optic switch technology based on a reciprocal structure Sagnac interferometer and a transparent quadratic electro-optic ceramic is proposed and analyzed theoretically and experimentally. The electro-optic ceramic is used as a phase retarder for the clockwise and counter-clockwise polarized light, and their polarization directions are adjusted to their orthogonal positions by using two half-wave plates. The output light then becomes polarization-independent with respect to the polarization direction of the input light. The switch characteristics, including splitter ratios and polarization states, are theoretically analyzed and simulated in detail by the matrix multiplication method. An experimental setup is built to verify the analysis and experimental results. A new component ceramic is used and a non-polarizing cube beam splitter (NPBS) replaces the beam splitter (BS) to lower the ON/OFF voltage to 305 V and improve the extinction ratio by 2 dB. Finally, the laser-induced damage threshold for the proposed switch is measured and discussed. It is believed that potential applications of this novel polarization-independent electro-optic switch technology will be wide, especially for ultrafast high-power laser systems. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61137004, 61405218, and 61535014).

Crystallization and spectroscopic properties investigations of Er3+ doped transparent glass ceramics containing CaF2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Zhongjian; Wang Yuansheng; Ma En; Bao Feng; Yu Yunlong; Chen Daqin

2006-01-01

Transparent oxyfluoride glass ceramics with composition of 45SiO 2 -25Al 2 O 3 -5CaCO 3 -10NaF-15CaF 2 -0.5ErF 3 (in mol%) were developed through controlled crystallization of melt-quenched glass. Non-isothermal crystallization kinetics investigation showed that the average apparent activation energy E a and Avrami exponent n are about 283 kJ/mol and 2.22, respectively, indicating the crystallization a three dimensional crystal growth process controlled by the diffusion with a decreasing nucleation rate. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation revealed the precipitation of CaF 2 crystallites sized about 15 nm among the glass matrix after heat-treatment at 650 deg. C for 2 h. For as-made glass, no upconversion signals were detected when excited with a 30 mW diode laser at 980 nm, while strong upconversion emissions at 545, 660 and 800 nm were obtained for transparent glass ceramic under similar excitation condition

Heat treatment of transparent Yb:YAG and YAG ceramics and its influence on laser performance

Science.gov (United States)

Fujioka, Kana; Mochida, Tetsuo; Fujimoto, Yasushi; Tokita, Shigeki; Kawanaka, Junji; Maruyama, Momoko; Sugiyama, Akira; Miyanaga, Noriaki

2018-05-01

Composite transparent ceramic materials are promising for improving the performance of high-average-power lasers. A combination of room-temperature bonding via surface treatment by a fast atom beam and diffusion bonding via heating, which effectively controls the ion diffusion distance near the interface, makes the laser materials suitable for a variety of oscillator/amplifier. During the heat treatment of yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) ceramics, the Si ions in the solid solution of the sintering aid incorporated within the grains were seen to segregate at the grain boundary, resulting in an increase of scattering sites. The number density and size of the scattering sites strongly depended on the post-heating temperature rather than the heating time. Specifically, heating at 1300 °C did not affect the transmittance of the YAG ceramic, whereas both the size and number of scattering sites substantially increased with a heat treatment at 1400 °C. The laser oscillation experiment using cryogenically-cooled Yb:YAG ceramics exhibited heating temperature dependence of the slope efficiency owing to the increasing scattering loss.

Spectroscopic study of local thermal effect in transparent glass ceramics containing nanoparticles

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

2007-01-01

Local thermal effect influencing the fluorescence of triply ionized rare earth ions doped in nanocrystals is studied with laser spectroscopy and theory of thermal transportation for transparent oxyfluoride glass ceramics containing nanocrystals. The result shows that the local temperature of the nanocrystals embedded in glass matrices is much higher than the environmental temperature of the sample. It is suggested that the temperature-dependent thermal energy induced by the light absorption must be considered when the theory of thermal transportation is applied to the study of local thermal effect.

Luminescence and scintillation enhancement of Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Tm transparent ceramic through post-fabrication thermal processing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chapman, M.G.; Marchewka, M.R. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634 (United States); Roberts, S.A.; Schmitt, J.M. [COMSET – Center for Optical Materials Science and Engineering Technologies, Clemson University, Anderson, SC 29625 (United States); McMillen, C. [Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634 (United States); Kucera, C.J. [COMSET – Center for Optical Materials Science and Engineering Technologies, Clemson University, Anderson, SC 29625 (United States); DeVol, T.A. [Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences Department, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29625 (United States); Ballato, J. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634 (United States); COMSET – Center for Optical Materials Science and Engineering Technologies, Clemson University, Anderson, SC 29625 (United States); Jacobsohn, L.G., E-mail: luiz@clemson.edu [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634 (United States); COMSET – Center for Optical Materials Science and Engineering Technologies, Clemson University, Anderson, SC 29625 (United States)

2015-09-15

The effects of post-fabrication thermal processing in O{sub 2} flux on the luminescence and scintillation of a Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Tm transparent ceramic were investigated. The results showed that the strategy of post-fabrication processing can be beneficial to the performance of the ceramics, depending on the cumulative processing time. After the first hour of processing, about 40% enhancement in the luminescence output together with about 20% enhancement in the scintillation light yield were obtained. The enhancements were tentatively assigned to the incorporation of oxygen into vacancy sites. Longer cumulative processing times lead to the incorporation of oxygen as interstitials that is detrimental to scintillation light yield but not to luminescence output. This work also revealed that thermoluminescence measurements are a useful tool to predict scintillation light yield of Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Tm. - Highlights: • Scintillation and PL enhancement of transparent ceramics through thermal processing. • First thermoluminescence measurements of Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Tm above room temperature. • Observation of correlation between TL and scintillation light yield results.

Basic research in crystalline and noncrystalline ceramic systems. Annual report, March 1, 1974--February 28, 1975

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1975-01-01

Research results reported are: heats of transport in hypo- and hyperstoichiometric UO 2 in thermal gradients; fabrication of transparent PLZT; creep in Al 2 O 3 ; ambipolar diffusion and diffusional creep; diffusion-controlled final-stage sintering; sintering mechanism in Al 2 O 3 ; internal stresses in polycrystalline Al 2 O 3 ; x-ray study of the high-temperature alpha form of AgI single crystal; theory of effects of transmutation on radiotracer diffusion in ionic solids; 204 Tl diffusion in KCl at 240 to 700 0 C; diffusion of Ni 2+ in MgO; defect (diffusion) equilibration kinetics in CoO; diffusional contributions to grain boundary-related damping; color boundary migration in doped Al 2 O 3 ; defect studies in MgO and other solids; preparation of Al 2 O 3 -doped MgO; space charges and dielectric losses in MgO; production of thin MgO foils; precipitation in MgO; grain boundary segregation in Li-doped NiO; various research needs in ceramic science; and a test of a prototype ZrO 2 --UO 2 fuel cell. (U.S.)

Rhombohedral PLZT piezoelectric microfibers: a combined Raman and X-ray diffraction study

Science.gov (United States)

Kozielski, Lucjan; Buixaderas, Elena; Clemens, Frank

2014-11-01

A combination of micro- and macro-scale structural characterization methods was implemented for clarification of the influence of different sintering atmospheres on the structural properties of Pb1-xLax(ZryTi1-y)O3 (PLZT) fibers. Three powders, PbZrO3 and ZrO2 (PZ + Z), PbZrO3 (PZ), and PbZrO3 + PbO (PZ + P), were used for the generation of protective atmospheres. Vibrations corresponding to the rhombohedral phase in (Pb0.93La0.07)(Zr0.65Ti0.35)O3 fibers were measured and mapped along the section of the fibers by micro-Raman spectroscopy. Comparison of the Raman data with the evolution of the unit cell parameters indicates that the PZ + Z protective atmosphere ensures the best properties during the PLZT sintering at the temperature of 1250 °C for 6 hours.

Light scattering in glass-ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hendy, S.C.

2002-01-01

Full text: Glass-ceramic materials with microstructures comprised of dispersed nanocrystallites in a residual glass matrix show promise for many new technological applications. In particular, transparent glass-ceramics offer low thermal expansion and stability, in addition to the prospect of novel non-linear optical properties that can arise from the nanocrystallites. Good transparency requires low optical scattering and low atomic absorption. Light scattering in the glass-ceramic arises primarily from the glass-crystallite interface. The attenuation due to scattering (turbidity) will depend upon the difference in refractive index of the two phases and the size and distribution of nanocrystallites in the glass. Here we consider models of glass-ceramic structure formation and look at scattering in these model structures to increase our understanding of the transparency of glass-ceramics

Thin film ceramic thermocouples

Science.gov (United States)

Gregory, Otto (Inventor); Fralick, Gustave (Inventor); Wrbanek, John (Inventor); You, Tao (Inventor)

2011-01-01

A thin film ceramic thermocouple (10) having two ceramic thermocouple (12, 14) that are in contact with each other in at least on point to form a junction, and wherein each element was prepared in a different oxygen/nitrogen/argon plasma. Since each element is prepared under different plasma conditions, they have different electrical conductivity and different charge carrier concentration. The thin film thermocouple (10) can be transparent. A versatile ceramic sensor system having an RTD heat flux sensor can be combined with a thermocouple and a strain sensor to yield a multifunctional ceramic sensor array. The transparent ceramic temperature sensor that could ultimately be used for calibration of optical sensors.

Preparation of LuAG Powders with Single Phase and Good Dispersion for Transparent Ceramics Using Co-Precipitation Method

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Liangjie; Jiang, Benxue; Fan, Jintai; Yang, Qiuhong; Zhou, Chunlin; Zhang, Pande; Mao, Xiaojian; Zhang, Long

2015-01-01

The synthesis of pure and well dispersed lutetium aluminum garnet (LuAG) powder is crucial and important for the preparation of LuAG transparent ceramics. In this paper, high purity and well dispersed LuAG powders have been synthesized via co-precipitation method with lutetium nitrate and aluminum nitrate as raw materials. Ammonium hydrogen carbonate (AHC) was used as the precipitant. The influence of aging time, pH value, and dripping speed on the prepared LuAG powders were investigated. It showed that long aging duration (>15 h) with high terminal pH value (>7.80) resulted in segregation of rhombus Lu precipitate and Al precipitate. By decreasing the initial pH value or accelerating the dripping speed, rhombus Lu precipitate was eliminated and pure LuAG nano powders were synthesized. High quality LuAG transparent ceramics with transmission >75% at 1064 nm were fabricated using these well dispersed nano LuAG powders. PMID:28793510

Preparation of LuAG Powders with Single Phase and Good Dispersion for Transparent Ceramics Using Co-Precipitation Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liangjie Pan

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The synthesis of pure and well dispersed lutetium aluminum garnet (LuAG powder is crucial and important for the preparation of LuAG transparent ceramics. In this paper, high purity and well dispersed LuAG powders have been synthesized via co-precipitation method with lutetium nitrate and aluminum nitrate as raw materials. Ammonium hydrogen carbonate (AHC was used as the precipitant. The influence of aging time, pH value, and dripping speed on the prepared LuAG powders were investigated. It showed that long aging duration (>15 h with high terminal pH value (>7.80 resulted in segregation of rhombus Lu precipitate and Al precipitate. By decreasing the initial pH value or accelerating the dripping speed, rhombus Lu precipitate was eliminated and pure LuAG nano powders were synthesized. High quality LuAG transparent ceramics with transmission >75% at 1064 nm were fabricated using these well dispersed nano LuAG powders.

Phase stabilization in transparent Lu2O3:Eu ceramics by lattice expansion

Science.gov (United States)

Seeley, Z. M.; Dai, Z. R.; Kuntz, J. D.; Cherepy, N. J.; Payne, S. A.

2012-11-01

Gadolinium lutetium oxide transparent ceramics doped with europium (Gd,Lu)2O3:Eu were fabricated via vacuum sintering and hot isostatic pressing (HIP). Nano-scale starting powder with the composition GdxLu1.9-xEu0.1O3 (x = 0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, 1.0, and 1.1) were uniaxially pressed and sintered under high vacuum at 1625 °C to obtain ˜97% dense structures with closed porosity. Sintered compacts were then subjected to 200 MPa argon gas at temperatures between 1750 and 1900 °C to reach full density. It was observed that a small portion of the Eu3+ ions were exsolved from the Lu2O3 cubic crystal lattice and concentrated at the grain boundaries, where they precipitated into a secondary monoclinic phase creating optical scattering defects. Addition of Gd3+ ions into the Lu2O3 cubic lattice formed the solid solution (Gd,Lu)2O3:Eu and stretched the lattice parameter allowing the larger Eu3+ ions to stay in solid solution, reducing the secondary phase and improving the transparency of the ceramics. Excess gadolinium, however, resulted in a complete phase transformation to monoclinic at pressures and temperatures sufficient for densification. Light yield performance was measured and all samples show equal amounts of the characteristic Eu3+ luminescence, indicating gadolinium addition had no adverse effect. This material has potential to improve the performance of high energy radiography devices.

Efficient photoemission from robust ferroelectric ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boscolo, I.; Castellano, M.; Catani, L.; Ferrario, M.; Tazzioli, F.; Giannessi, L.

1999-01-01

Experimental results on photoemission by ferroelectric ceramic disks, with a possible interpretation, are present. Two types of lead zirconate titanate lanthanum doped, PLZT, ceramics have been used for tests. 25 ps light pulses of 532 and 355 nm were used for excitation. The intensity ranged within the interval 0.1-3 GW/cm 2. The upper limit of the intensity was established by the damage threshold tested by the onset of ion emission. At low value of the intensity the yield was comparable at the two wavelengths. At the highest intensity of green light the emitted charge was 1 nC per 10 mm 2, but it was limited by the space charge effect. In fact, the applied field was only 20 kV/cm, allowed both by the mechanical design of the apparatus and the poor vacuum, 10 - 4 mbar. No surface processing was required. The measurement of the electron pulse length under way

Transparent Lu 2 O 3 :Eu ceramics by sinter and HIP optimization

Science.gov (United States)

Seeley, Z. M.; Kuntz, J. D.; Cherepy, N. J.; Payne, S. A.

2011-09-01

Evolution of porosity and microstructure was observed during densification of lutetium oxide ceramics doped with europium (Lu 2O 3:Eu) fabricated via vacuum sintering and hot isostatic pressing (HIP'ing). Nano-scale starting powder was uniaxially pressed and sintered under high vacuum at temperatures between 1575 and 1850 °C to obtain densities ranging between 94% and 99%, respectively. Sintered compacts were then subjected to 200 MPa argon gas at 1850 °C to reach full density. Vacuum sintering above 1650 °C led to rapid grain growth prior to densification, rendering the pores immobile. Sintering between 1600 and 1650 °C resulted in closed porosity yet a fine grain size to allow the pores to remain mobile during the subsequent HIP'ing step, resulting in a fully-dense highly transparent ceramic without the need for subsequent air anneal. Light yield performance was measured and Lu 2O 3:Eu showed ˜4 times higher light yield than commercially used scintillating glass indicating that this material has the potential to improve the performance of high energy radiography devices.

Fabrication and scintillation properties of highly transparent Pr:LuAG ceramics using Sc,La-based isovalent sintering aids

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Shen, Y.; Feng, X.; Babin, Vladimir; Nikl, Martin; Vedda, A.; Moretti, F.; Dell'Orto, E.; Pan, Y.; Li, J.; Zeng, Y.

2013-01-01

Roč. 39, č. 5 (2013), s. 5985-5990 ISSN 0272-8842 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LH12185; GA AV ČR KAN300100802 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : Pr:LuAG transparent ceramics * isovalent sintering aids * scintillation Subject RIV: BH - Optics, Masers, Lasers Impact factor: 2.086, year: 2013

Temperature-controlled down-conversion luminescence behavior of Eu3+ -doped transparent MF2 (M = Ba, Ca, Sr) glass ceramics.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, B; E, C Q; Bu, Y Y; Meng, L; Yan, X H; Wang, X F

2017-03-01

Eu 3 + -doped transparent glass ceramics containing MF 2 (M = Ba, Ca, Sr) nanocrystals were fabricated using a melt-quenching method, and the resulting structures were studied using X-ray diffraction. Levels 5 D 1 and 5 D 0 of Eu 3 + ions were verified as thermally coupled levels using the fluorescence intensity ratio method. The fluorescence intensity ratios, optical temperature sensitivity and thermal quenching ratios of the transparent glass ceramics were studied as a function of temperature. With an increase in temperature, the relative sensitivity (S R ) decreased sharply at first, then slowly increased, before finally decreasing. The minimum S R values of GCBaF 2 (GCB), GCCaF 2 (GCC) and GCSrF 2 (GCS) were 2.8 × 10 -4 , 0.8 × 10 -4 and 1.9 × 10 - 4  K -1 at 360, 269 and 319 K, respectively. Glass ceramics with an intense emission intensity can be used to convert the measured spectrum into temperature and may have an important role in temperature detectors. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Rhombohedral PLZT piezoelectric microfibers: a combined Raman and X ray diffraction study

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kozielski, L.; Buixaderas, Elena; Clemens, F.

2014-01-01

Roč. 87, 10-11 (2014), s. 982-991 ISSN 0141-1594 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-15110S Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : Raman scattering * X-ray difraccion * piezoelectrics * microfibers * PLZT * extrusion method Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 0.954, year: 2014

Transparent La{sub 2−x}Gd{sub x}Zr{sub 2}O{sub 7} ceramics obtained by combustion method and vacuum sintering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Zhengjuan [Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China); Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Zhou, Guohong, E-mail: sic_zhough@mail.sic.ac.cn [Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China); Qin, Xianpeng; Yang, Yan [Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China); Zhang, Guangjun [SCHOTT Glass Technologies (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Suzhou 215009 (China); Menke, Yvonne [Schott AG, Corporate Research and Technology Development, Hattenbergstrasse 10, 55122 Mainz (Germany); Wang, Shiwei, E-mail: swwang51@mail.sic.ac.cn [Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China)

2014-02-05

Highlights: • Combustion method and vacuum sintering were used to fabricate La{sub 2-x}Gd{sub x}Zr{sub 2}O{sub 7}. • The lattice parameters decreased with the increase of Gd{sup 3+} concent(x). • The absorption edge of the transmittance curves shifted to UV region from 0.4-2.0. • All the ceramics have high n (2.08), making them candidate for optical lens. • With the increase of x, the effective atomic number and density increased. -- Abstract: Transparent La{sub 2−x}Gd{sub x}Zr{sub 2}O{sub 7} (x = 0–2.0) ceramics were prepared via vacuum sintering from nanometric powders synthesized by a simple combustion method. The changes of phase composition, morphology and in-line transmittance of the resulting ceramics with Gd{sup 3+} content’s variation were investigated. With the increase of Gd{sup 3+} content, the samples keep the pyrochlore structure, but the X-ray diffraction peaks of the powders and ceramics shift to higher angle as the lattice parameters become smaller. All the ceramics are transparent with high in-line transmittance and high refractive index (2.08 @ 632.8 nm, x = 0.4–1.6). These results indicate that La{sub 2−x}Gd{sub x}Zr{sub 2}O{sub 7} ceramics might be used as optical lens. Moreover, with the increase of Gd{sup 3+} content, the effective atomic number and density of the ceramics increase, therefore making them promising host candidates for scintillators.

Raman spectroscopy and effective dielectric function in PLZT x/40/60

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Buixaderas, Elena; Gregora, Ivan; Kamba, Stanislav; Petzelt, Jan; Kosec, M.

2008-01-01

Roč. 20, č. 34 (2008), 345229/1-345229/10 ISSN 0953-8984 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA100100701; GA AV ČR KAN301370701; GA ČR(CZ) GA202/06/0403 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100520 Keywords : PLZT * Raman and Infrared spectroscopies * phonons * effective medium approximation Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 1.900, year: 2008

Switching and energy-storage characteristics in PLZT 2/95/5 antiferroelectric ceramic system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Peláiz-Barranco

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Switching mechanisms and energy-storage properties have been investigated in (Pb0.98La0.02(Zr0.95Ti0.050.995O3 antiferroelectric ceramics. The electric field dependence of polarization (P–E hysteresis loops indicates that both the ferroelectric (FE and antiferroelectric (AFE phases coexist, being the AFE more stable above 100∘C. It has been observed that the temperature has an important influence on the switching parameters. On the other hand, the energy-storage density, which has been calculated from the P–E hysteresis loops, shows values higher than 1J/cm3 for temperatures above 100∘C with around 73% of efficiency as average. These properties indicate that the studied ceramic system reveals as a promising AFE material for energy-storage devices application.

Scintillation properties of transparent Lu{sub 3}Al{sub 5}O{sub 12} (LuAG) ceramics doped with different concentrations of Pr{sup 3+}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yanagida, Takayuki; Fukabori, Akihiro; Fujimoto, Yutaka; Kamada, Kei; Yokota, Yuui; Yoshikawa, Akira; Chani, Valery [IMRAM, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira Aoba-ku, 980-8577 Sendai (Japan); Ikesue, Akio [World Labo, Co. Ltd., Mutsuno 2-4-1, Atsuta, 456-0023 Nagoya (Japan); Kataoka, Jun [School of Advanced Science and Engineering,Waseda University, Ohkubo 3-4-1, Shinjuku, 169-0072 Tokyo (Japan)

2011-01-15

Transparent ceramics of Pr-doped (0.2 mol%, 0.6 mol%, 1 mol%, and 2 mol%) Lu{sub 3}Al{sub 5}O{sub 12} (LuAG) scintillators produced by the sintering method are discussed. These materials were cut to the specimens with physical dimensions of 5 x 5 x 2 mm{sup 3}. Similar size specimens were also prepared from Czochralski grown Pr:LuAG single crystals to compare scintillation properties. Their transmittance and radio luminescence spectra were evaluated. All specimens were highly transparent in wavelength range above 300 nm, and intense Pr{sup 3+} 5d-4f emission was detected around 310 and 370 nm under excitation with X-ray. Under {sup 137}Cs {gamma}-ray is irradiation, 2 keV photo-absorption peaks were also clearly observed in each sample. The Pr 0.6 mol% doped LuAG ceramics demonstrated highest light yield achievable among the ceramics, and it was half of that observed in the single crystals. Under pulse X-ray excitation, the decay time constants became faster when Pr concentration increased, and. the fastest decay ({proportional_to}5.7 ns time constant) was noticed in the 2 mol% doped ceramic. (copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Bifunctional behavior of Er3+ ions as the sintering additive and the fluorescent agent in Er3+ single doped γ-AlON transparent ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Ying; Xie, Xiumin; Qi, Jianqi; Wang, Shanshan; Wei, Nian; Lu, Zhongwen; Chen, Xingtao; Lu, Tiecheng

2016-01-01

We report on the sintering promoting and fluorescent activator roles of Er 3+ in AlON:Er 3+ transparent ceramics prepared by pressureless sintering with Er 2 O 3 and AlON powder. There shows that the transparency of samples varied with the content of Er 2 O 3 additive. The AlON:Er 3+ ceramics showed upconversion luminescence peaking at 546 nm, 662 nm and 840 nm under the 980 nm excitation due to transition of 4 S 3/2 / 2 H 11/2 → 4 I 15/2 , 4 F 9/2 → 4 I 15/2 and 4 S 3/2 / 2 H 11/2 → 4 I 13/2 of Er 3+ ions, respectively. The infrared spectra exhibited strong emission at 1534 nm corresponds to 4 I 13/2 → 4 I 15/2 transition. The mechanism of the IR and visible emission bands in AlON:Er 3+ ceramics are discussed, which suggest it should be attractive for lighting and display devices applications.

Highly transparent Tb3Al5O12 magneto-optical ceramics sintered from co-precipitated powders with sintering aids

Science.gov (United States)

Dai, Jiawei; Pan, Yubai; Xie, Tengfei; Kou, Huamin; Li, Jiang

2018-04-01

Highly transparent terbium aluminum garnet (Tb3Al5O12, TAG) magneto-optical ceramics were fabricated from co-precipitated nanopowders with tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) as sintering aid by vacuum sintering combined with hot isostatic pressing (HIP) post-treatment. The ball milled TAG powder shows better dispersity than the as-synthesized powder, and its average particle size is about 80 nm. For the ceramic sample pre-sintered at 1720 °C for 20 h with HIP post-treated at 1700 °C for 3 h, the in-line transmittance exceeds 76% in the region of 400-1580nm (except the absorption band), reaching a maximum value of 81.8% at the wavelength of 1390 nm. The microstructure of the TAG ceramic is homogeneous and its average grain size is approximately 19.7 μm. The Verdet constant of the sample is calculated to be -182.7 rad·T-1·m-1 at room temperature.

The role of air annealing on the optical and scintillation properties of Mg co-doped Pr:LuAG transparent ceramics

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hu, Z.; Cao, M.; Chen, H.; Shi, Y.; Kou, H.; Xie, T.; Wu, L.; Pan, Y.; Feng, X.; Vedda, A.; Beitlerová, Alena; Nikl, Martin; Li, J.

2017-01-01

Roč. 72, Oct (2017), s. 201-207 ISSN 0925-3467 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA16-15569S Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : Mg co-doped Pr:LuAG * transparent ceramics * annealing effect * luminescence Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism OBOR OECD: Condensed matter physics (including formerly solid state physics, supercond.) Impact factor: 2.238, year: 2016

Nonlinear analysis of 0-3 polarized PLZT microplate based on the new modified couple stress theory

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Liming; Zheng, Shijie

2018-02-01

In this study, based on the new modified couple stress theory, the size- dependent model for nonlinear bending analysis of a pure 0-3 polarized PLZT plate is developed for the first time. The equilibrium equations are derived from a variational formulation based on the potential energy principle and the new modified couple stress theory. The Galerkin method is adopted to derive the nonlinear algebraic equations from governing differential equations. And then the nonlinear algebraic equations are solved by using Newton-Raphson method. After simplification, the new model includes only a material length scale parameter. In addition, numerical examples are carried out to study the effect of material length scale parameter on the nonlinear bending of a simply supported pure 0-3 polarized PLZT plate subjected to light illumination and uniform distributed load. The results indicate the new model is able to capture the size effect and geometric nonlinearity.

Quantum efficiencies of near-infrared emission from Ni2+-doped glass-ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Takenobu; Arai, Yusuke; Ohishi, Yasutake

2008-01-01

A systematic method to evaluate potentials of Ni 2+ -doped transparent glass-ceramics as a new broadband optical gain media is presented. At first, near-infrared emission of various ceramics were investigated to explore the suitable crystalline phase to be grown in the glass-ceramics. The quantum efficiency of Ni 2+ near-infrared emission estimated by the Struck-Fonger analysis was higher than 95% for spinel-type structure gallate crystals MgGa 2 O 4 and LiGa 5 O 8 at room temperature. Transparent glass-ceramics containing Ni 2+ :LiGa 5 O 8 could be prepared and the quantum efficiency for the glass-ceramics was measured to be about 10%. This value shows a potential of Ni-doped transparent glass-ceramics as a broadband gain media

Industrial ceramics - Properties, forming and applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fantozzi, Gilbert; Niepce, Jean-Claude; Bonnefont, Guillaume; Alary, J.A.; Allard, B.; Ayral, A.; Bassat, J.M.; Elissalde, C.; Maglione, M.; Beauvy, M.; Bertrand, G.; Bignon, A.; Billieres, D.; Blanc, J.J.; Blumenfeld, P.; Bonnet, J.P.; Bougoin, M.; Bourgeon, M.; Boussuge, M.; Thorel, A.; Bruzek, C.E.; Cambier, F.; Carrerot, H.; Casabonne, J.M.; Chaix, J.M.; Chevalier, J.; Chopinet, M.H.; Couque, H.; Courtois, C.; Leriche, A.; Dhaler, D.; Denape, J.; Euzen, P.; Ganne, J.P.; Gauffinet, S.; Girard, A.; Gonon, M.; Guizard, C.; Hampshire, S.; Joulin, J.P.; Julbe, A.; Ferrato, M.; Fontaine, M.L.; Lebourgeois, R.; Lopez, J.; Maquet, M.; Marinel, S.; Marrony, M.; Martin, J.F.; Mougin, J.; Pailler, R.; Pate, M.; Petitpas, E.; Pijolat, C.; Pires-Franco, P.; Poirier, C.; Poirier, J.; Pourcel, F.; Potier, A.; Tulliani, J.M.; Viricelle, J.P.; Beauger, A.

2013-01-01

After a general introduction to ceramics (definition, general properties, elaboration, applications, market data), this book address conventional ceramics (elaboration, material types), thermo-structural ceramics (oxide based ceramics, non-oxide ceramics, fields of application, functional coatings), refractory ceramics, long fibre and ceramic matrix composites, carbonaceous materials, ceramics used for filtration, catalysis and the environment, ceramics for biomedical applications, ceramics for electronics and electrical engineering (for capacitors, magnetic, piezoelectric, dielectric ceramics, ceramics for hyper-frequency resonators), electrochemical ceramics, transparent ceramics (forming and sintering), glasses, mineral binders. The last chapter addresses ceramics used in the nuclear energy sector: in nuclear fuels and fissile material, absorbing ceramics and shields, in the management of nuclear wastes, new ceramics for reactors under construction or for future nuclear energy

Optical properties of transparent Li2O-Ga2O3-SiO2 glass-ceramics embedding Ni-doped nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Takenobu; Murugan, Ganapathy Senthil; Ohishi, Yasutake

2005-01-01

Transparent Li 2 O-Ga 2 O 3 -SiO 2 (LGS) glass-ceramics embedding Ni:LiGa 5 O 8 nanocrystals were fabricated. An intense emission centered around 1300 nm with the width of more than 300 nm was observed by 976 nm photoexcitation of the glass-ceramics. The lifetime was more than 900 μs at 5 K and 500 μs at 300 K. The emission could be attributed to the 3 T 2g ( 3 F)→ 3 A 2g ( 3 F) transition of Ni 2+ in distorted octahedral sites in LiGa 5 O 8 . The product of stimulated emission cross section and lifetime for the emission was about 3.7x10 -24 cm 2 s and was a sufficiently practical value

Effect of cutting edge radius on surface roughness in diamond tool turning of transparent MgAl2O4 spinel ceramic

Science.gov (United States)

Yue, Xiaobin; Xu, Min; Du, Wenhao; Chu, Chong

2017-09-01

Transparent magnesium aluminate spinel (MgAl2O4) ceramic is one of an important optical materials. However, due to its pronounced hardness and brittleness, the optical machining of this material is very difficult. Diamond turning has advantages over the grinding process in flexibility and material removal rate. However, there is a lack of research that could support the use of diamond turning technology in the machining of MgAl2O4 spinel ceramic. Using brittle-ductile transition theory of brittle material machining, this work provides critical information that may help to realize ductile-regime turning of MgAl2O4 spinel ceramic. A characterization method of determination the cutting edge radius is introduced here. Suitable diamond tools were measured for sharpness and then chosen from a large number of candidate tools. The influence of rounded cutting edges on surface roughness of the MgAl2O4 spinel ceramic is also investigated. These results indicate that surface quality of MgAl2O4 spinel is relate to the radius of diamond tool's cutting edge, cutting speed, and feed rate. Sharp diamond tools (small radius of cutting edge) facilitated ductile-regime turning of MgAl2O4 spinel and shows great potential to reduce surface roughness and produce smoother final surface.

Nanoindentation Analysis of Elastic/Mechanical Behaviour of Surface of Transparent Glass Ceramics with Fresnoite Ba2TiSi2O8 Nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shinozaki, K; Honma, T; Komatsu, T

2011-01-01

Transparent glass-ceramics containing Ba 2 TiSi 2 O 8 (BTS) nanocrystals with sizes of ∼200 nm were obtained by heat treatment of 40BaO-20TiO 2 -40SiO 2 glass. Their elastic/mechanical properties were evaluated using the cube-resonance method and the Berkovich nanoindentation technique under standard and 'continuous stiffness measurement' (CSM) modes, and the relation between these properties and the volume fraction (f) of BTS nanocrystals was clarified. The glass-ceramics were obtained by 1-h heat treatments at 760-790 deg. C of the precursor glass, resulting in the formation of BTS nanocrystals with f=2.7-54.5%, with a corresponding Young's modulus of 84-107 GPa. The CSM nanoindentation measurements gave an indentation modulus of 90 GPa for the glass and 110 GPa for the glass-ceramic heat-treated at 790 deg. C, for indentation depths of 200-1500 nm. The results suggest that the BTS nanocrystals confer a high resistance to deformation during indenter loading.

Field-Induced Texturing of Ceramic Materials for Unparalleled Properties

Science.gov (United States)

2017-03-01

Texturing of Ceramic Materials for Unparalleled Properties by...influence over many properties , such as optical transparency, strength, electrical conductivity, and piezoelectricity .19 Highly textured materials are... Ceramic Materials for Unparalleled Properties by Raymond Brennan, Victoria Blair, Nicholas Ku, Krista Limmer, Tanya Chantawansri, Mahesh

A PLZT Novel Sensor with Pt Implanted for Biomedical Application: Cardiac Micropulses Detection on Human Skin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos O. González-Morán

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Advances in sensors for biomedical applications have been a great motivation. In this research, a PLZT (lead lanthanum zirconate titanate novel sensor with platinum wire implanted in its longitudinal section was developed through of the synthesis process based on powder technology. The raw materials as lead (PbO, lanthanum (La2O3, zircon (ZrO2, and titanium (TiO2 were used in the formation of the chemical composition (62.8% PbO, 4.5% La2O3, 24.2% ZrO2, and 8.5% TiO2. Then, these powders were submitted to mix-mechanical milling at high energy; cylindrical samples with the implant of the platinum wire were obtained with the load application. Finally, the compacted samples were sintered at 1200°C for 2 hours, then followed by a polarization potential of 1500 V/mm at 60°C to obtain a novel sensor. The density and porosity were evaluated using the Archimedes’ principle, while the mechanical properties such as fracture toughness value and Young’s modulus were determined by indentation and ultrasonic methods, respectively. A microscopic examination was also carried out to investigate the structural properties of the material. The PLZT novel sensor is electronically arranged for monitoring the cardiac pulses through a data acquisition system. The results obtained in this research are analyzed and discussed.

Transparent magnesium aluminate spinel: a prospective biomaterial for esthetic orthodontic brackets.

Science.gov (United States)

Krishnan, Manu; Tiwari, Brijesh; Seema, Saraswathy; Kalra, Namitha; Biswas, Papiya; Rajeswari, Kotikalapudi; Suresh, Madireddy Buchi; Johnson, Roy; Gokhale, Nitin M; Iyer, Satish R; Londhe, Sanjay; Arora, Vimal; Tripathi, Rajendra P

2014-11-01

Adult orthodontics is recently gaining popularity due to its importance in esthetics, oral and general health. However, none of the currently available alumina or zirconia based ceramic orthodontic brackets meet the esthetic demands of adult patients. Inherent hexagonal lattice structure and associated birefringence limits the visible light transmission in polycrystalline alumina and make them appear white and non transparent. Hence focus of the present study was to assess the feasibility of using magnesium aluminate (MgAl2O4) spinel; a member of the transparent ceramic family for esthetic orthodontic brackets. Transparent spinel specimens were developed from commercially available white spinel powder through colloidal shaping followed by pressureless sintering and hot isostatic pressing at optimum conditions of temperature and pressure. Samples were characterized for chemical composition, phases, density, hardness, flexural strength, fracture toughness and optical transmission. Biocompatibility was evaluated with in-vitro cell line experiments for cytotoxicity, apoptosis and genotoxicity. Results showed that transparent spinel samples had requisite physico-chemical, mechanical, optical and excellent biocompatibility for fabricating orthodontic brackets. Transparent spinel developed through this method demonstrated its possibility as a prospective biomaterial for developing esthetic orthodontic brackets.

Luminescent Eu3+-doped transparent alumina ceramics with high hardness

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Drdlíková, K.; Klement, R.; Hadraba, Hynek; Drdlík, D.; Galusek, D.; Maca, K.

2017-01-01

Roč. 37, č. 14 (2017), s. 4271-4277 ISSN 0955-2219 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LQ1601; GA ČR(CZ) GA15-06390S Institutional support: RVO:68081723 Keywords : Aluminia * Europium * Photoluminescence (PL) spectra * Submicrocrystalline powders Subject RIV: JH - Ceramic s, Fire-Resistant Materials and Glass OBOR OECD: Ceramic s Impact factor: 3.411, year: 2016

Manufacturing process scale-up of optical grade transparent spinel ceramic at ArmorLine Corporation

Science.gov (United States)

Spilman, Joseph; Voyles, John; Nick, Joseph; Shaffer, Lawrence

2013-06-01

While transparent Spinel ceramic's mechanical and optical characteristics are ideal for many Ultraviolet (UV), visible, Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR), Mid-Wave Infrared (MWIR), and multispectral sensor window applications, commercial adoption of the material has been hampered because the material has historically been available in relatively small sizes (one square foot per window or less), low volumes, unreliable supply, and with unreliable quality. Recent efforts, most notably by Technology Assessment and Transfer (TA and T), have scaled-up manufacturing processes and demonstrated the capability to produce larger windows on the order of two square feet, but with limited output not suitable for production type programs. ArmorLine Corporation licensed the hot-pressed Spinel manufacturing know-how of TA and T in 2009 with the goal of building the world's first dedicated full-scale Spinel production facility, enabling the supply of a reliable and sufficient volume of large Transparent Armor and Optical Grade Spinel plates. With over $20 million of private investment by J.F. Lehman and Company, ArmorLine has installed and commissioned the largest vacuum hot press in the world, the largest high-temperature/high-pressure hot isostatic press in the world, and supporting manufacturing processes within 75,000 square feet of manufacturing space. ArmorLine's equipment is capable of producing window blanks as large as 50" x 30" and the facility is capable of producing substantial volumes of material with its Lean configuration and 24/7 operation. Initial production capability was achieved in 2012. ArmorLine will discuss the challenges that were encountered during scale-up of the manufacturing processes, ArmorLine Optical Grade Spinel optical performance, and provide an overview of the facility and its capabilities.

Fabrication and spectral properties of Nd, La: CaF2 transparent ceramics

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Xiaoyu; Mei, Bingchu; Song, Jinghong; Li, Weiwei; Su, Liangbi

2018-02-01

1 at.% Nd: CaF2 nanoparticles doped with different concentrations of La3+ ions (from 0 to 5 at.%) were synthesized by co-precipitation method. Phase identification, morphology of the nanoparticles were investigated by XRD and SEM measurements. The Nd, La: CaF2 ceramics were fabricated by hot-pressed method in the vacuum environment. The transmittance of all the ceramics reached 88% at the wavelength of 1400 nm. The luminescence intensities and decay lifetimes enhanced significantly with the increasing of La3+ concentration. The Nd, La: CaF2 ceramics have broad and flat emission band at 1050 nm with the largest FWHM of 28.16 nm. In addition, the spectrum results indicated that the fluorescence lifetime of Nd, La: CaF2 ceramics was longer than that of the Nd, Y: CaF2 ceramics with the same doping concentration.

Effect of polymorphism of Al2O3 on the sintering and microstructure of transparent MgAl2O4 ceramics

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Dan; Zhang, Jian; Liu, Peng; Wang, Shiwei

2017-09-01

Transparent MgAl2O4 ceramics were fabricated by reactive sintering in air followed by hot isostatic press treatment using commercial Al2O3 powder (γ-Al2O3 or α-Al2O3) and MgO powder as raw materials. The densification rate, microstructure and optical properties of the ceramics were investigated. Densification temperature of the sample from γ-Al2O3/MgO was lower than that from α-Al2O3/MgO. However, in-line transmission (2 mm thick) of the sample from α-Al2O3/MgO at the wavelength of 600 nm and 1100 nm were respectively 77.7% and 84.3%, higher than those (66.7%, 81.4%) of the sample from γ-Al2O3/MgO. SEM observation revealed that the sample from α-Al2O3/MgO exhibited a homogeneous and pore-free microstructure, while, the sample from γ-Al2O3/MgO showed an apparent bimodal microstructure containing pores.

Nd3+-doped TeO2-Bi2O3-ZnO transparent glass ceramics for laser application at 1.06 μm

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Xiaolin; Luo, Zhiwei; Liu, Taoyong; Lu, Anxian

2017-04-01

The high crystallinity transparent glass ceramics based on Nd3+-doped 70TeO2-15Bi2O3-15ZnO (TBZ) compositions were successfully prepared by two-step heat treatment process. The effects of Nd2O3 content on the thermal, structural, mechanical, and optical properties of TBZ glass ceramics were studied. The incorporation of Nd2O3 enhanced the crystallization tendency in the matrix glass composition. The crystal phase and morphology of Bi2Te4O11 in the glass ceramics were confirmed by X-ray diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscopy. Due to precipitate more crystal phase, the hardness values increased from 3.21 to 3.66 GPa. Eight absorption peaks were observed from 400 to 900 nm and three emission bands appeared in the range of 850-1400 nm. With the increasing of Nd2O3 content from 0.5 to 2.5 wt%, the intensity of absorption peaks enhanced and the emission intensity increased up to 1.0 wt% and then fell down for further dopant concentration. The fluorescence decay lifetime decreased rapidly starting from 1.5 wt% Nd2O3 content due to the obvious energy migration among Nd3+. According to the extreme strong emission band around 1062 nm and the optimum Nd2O3 content (1.0 wt%), N10 glass ceramic was considered as a potential material for 1.06 μm laser applications.

Eu-activated fluorochlorozirconate glass-ceramic scintillators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, J. A.; Schweizer, S.; Henke, B.; Chen, G.; Woodford, J.; Newman, P. J.; MacFarlane, D. R.

2006-01-01

Rare-earth-doped fluorochlorozirconate (FCZ) glass-ceramic materials have been developed as scintillators and their properties investigated as a function of dopant level. The paper presents the relative scintillation efficiency in comparison to single-crystal cadmium tungstate, the scintillation intensity as a function of x-ray intensity and x-ray energy, and the spatial resolution (modulation transfer function). Images obtained with the FCZ glass-ceramic scintillator and with cadmium tungstate are also presented. Comparison shows that the image quality obtained using the glass ceramic is close to that from cadmium tungstate. Therefore, the glass-ceramic scintillator could be used as an alternative material for image formation resulting from scintillation. Other inorganic scintillators such as single crystals or polycrystalline films have limitations in resolution or size, but the transparent glass-ceramic can be scaled to any shape or size with excellent resolution

The shock behaviour of a SiO2-Li2O transparent glass-ceramic armour material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pickup, I.M.; Millett, J.C.F.; Bourne, N.K.

2004-01-01

The dynamic behaviour of a transparent glass-ceramic material, Transarm, developed by Alstom UK for the UK MoD has been studied. Plate impact experiments have been used to measure the materials Hugoniot characteristics and failure behaviour. Longitudinal stresses have been measured using embedded and back surface mounted Manganin gauges. Above a threshold stress of ca. 4 GPa, the longitudinal stress histories exhibit a significant secondary rise, prior to attaining their Hugoniot stress. Lateral stresses were also measured by embedding Manganin gauges in longitudinal cuts. Significant secondary rises in stress were observed when the applied longitudinal stress exceeded the 4 GPa threshold, indicating the presence of a failure front. The dynamic shear strength of the glass has been measured using the longitudinal and lateral data. Even though significant strength drops have been measured before and behind the failure front, the material has a high post-failure strength compared to non- crystalline glasses

The Shock Behaviour of a SiO2-Li2O Transparent Glass-Ceramic Armour Material

Science.gov (United States)

Pickup, I. M.; Millett, J. C. F.; Bourne, N. K.

2004-07-01

The dynamic behaviour of a transparent glass-ceramic material, Transarm, developed by Alstom UK for the UK MoD has been studied. Plate impact experiments have been used to measure the materials Hugoniot characteristics and failure behaviour. Longitudinal stresses have been measured using embedded and back surface mounted Manganin gauges. Above a threshold stress of ca. 4 GPa, the longitudinal stress histories exhibit a significant secondary rise, prior to attaining their Hugoniot stress. Lateral stresses were also measured by embedding Manganin gauges in longitudinal cuts. Significant secondary rises in stress were observed when the applied longitudinal stress exceeded the 4 GPa threshold, indicating the presence of a failure front. The dynamic shear strength of the glass has been measured using the longitudinal and lateral data. Even though significant strength drops have been measured before and behind the failure front, the material has a high post-failure strength compared to non- crystalline glasses.

Fabrication of Tb3Al5O12 transparent ceramics using co-precipitated nanopowders

Science.gov (United States)

Dai, Jiawei; Pan, Yubai; Wang, Wei; Luo, Wei; Xie, Tengfei; Kou, Huamin; Li, Jiang

2017-11-01

Terbium aluminum garnet (TAG) precursor was synthesized by a co-precipitation method from a mixed solution of terbium and aluminum nitrates using ammonium hydrogen carbonate (AHC) as the precipitant. The powders calcined at different temperatures were investigated by XRD, FTIR and FESEM in order to choose the optimal calcination temperature. Fine and low-agglomerated TAG powders with average particle size of 88 nm were obtained by calcining the precursor at 1100 °C for 4 h. Using this powder as starting material, TAG transparent ceramics were fabricated by vacuum sintering combined with hot isostatic pressing (HIP) sintering. For the sample pre-sintered at 1700 °C for 20 h with HIP post-treated at 1700 °C for 3 h, the average grain size is about 3.9 μm and the in-line transmittance is beyond 55% in the region of 500-1600 nm, reaching a maximum transmittance of 64.2% at the wavelength of 1450 nm. The Verdet constant at 633 nm is measured to be -178.9 rad T-1 m-1, which is 33% larger than that of the commercial TGG single crystal (-134 rad T-1 m-1).

Measurement of radiant properties of ceramic foam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoornstra, J.; Turecky, M.; Maatman, D.

1994-07-01

An experimental facility is described for the measurement of the normal spectral and total emissivity and transmissivity of semi-transparent materials in the temperature range of 600 C to 1200 C. The set-up was used for the measurement of radiation properties of highly porous ceramic foam which is used in low NO x radiant burners. Emissivity and transmissivity data were measured and are presented for coated and uncoated ceramic foam of different thicknesses. (orig.)

ION EXCHANGE IN GLASS-CERAMICS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

George Halsey Beall

2016-08-01

Full Text Available In the past few years ion-exchange in glasses has found a renewed interest with a lot of new development and research in industrial and academic labs and the commercialization of materials with outstanding mechanical properties. These glasses are now widely used in many electronic devices including hand-held displays and tablets. The exchange is generally conducted in a bath of molten salt below the transition temperature of the glass. The exchange at the surface of an alkali ion by a bigger one brings compressive stress at the surface. The mechanical properties are dependent on the stress level at the surface and the depth of penetration of the bigger ion. As compared to glasses, glass-ceramics have the interest to display a wide range of aspects (transparent to opaque and different mechanical properties (especially higher modulus and toughness. There has been little research on ion-exchange in glass-ceramics. In these materials the mechanisms are much more complex than in glasses because of their polyphasic nature: ion-exchange generally takes place mostly in one phase (crystalline phase or residual glass. The mechanism can be similar to what is observed in glasses with the replacement of an ion by another in the structure. But in some cases this ion-exchange leads to microstructural modifications (for example amorphisation or phase change.This article reviews these ion-exchange mechanisms using several transparent and opaque alumino-silicate glass-ceramics as examples. The effect of the ion exchange in the various glass-ceramics will be described, with particular emphasis on flexural strength.

Enhanced Luminescent Properties in Tm3+/Dy3+ Co-doped Transparent Phosphate Glass Ceramic

OpenAIRE

Yao L. Q.; Chen G. H.; Zhong H. J.; Cui S. C.; Li F.; Gan J.Y.

2016-01-01

Novel Tm3+/Dy3+ co-doped phosphate glass and glass ceramic samples for white light emitting diodes were prepared by melt quenching method. Under 353 nm excitation, the colors of the luminescence of the glass and glass ceramic samples are white. The CIE chromaticity coordinates (0.338, 0.328) of the emission from the glass ceramic is close to the standard white-light illumination (0.333, 0.333). Compared to the glass, the fluorescence intensity in the glass ceramic is greatly enhanced.

Effect of air annealing on the color center in Yb:Y3Al5O12 transparent ceramics with MgO as sintering additive

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Zhongwen; Lu, Tiecheng; Wei, Nian; Zhang, Wei; Ma, Benyuan; Qi, Jianqi; Guan, Yongbing; Chen, Xingtao; Wu, Huajun; Zhao, Yu

2015-09-01

High quality Yb:Y3Al5O12 (YAG) transparent ceramics were fabricated by vacuum sintering with MgO as sintering aids. The Yb:YAG samples were annealed at 1250-1450 °C for 20 h in air. The experimental results showed that the transparency of Yb:YAG samples declined markedly with the annealing temperatures of 1250-1450 °C. The samples became increasingly orange-yellow in color with the increase of annealing temperature. The potential reasons of discoloration were discussed for the first time. It was attributed to the complex color center [Mg2+F+] formed during the annealing, which was evidenced by optical absorption in the range of 300-500 nm wavelength and the presence of an electron spin resonance (ESR) line at g = 1.9806. The formation mechanism of the complex color center was explained in detail. The complex color center can be eliminated after post-HIP (hot isostatic pressing). And by air annealing and post-HIP, the transmittance of the samples increased from 80.3% to 83.4%.

Mathematical model and characteristic analysis of hybrid photovoltaic/piezoelectric actuation mechanism

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Jing; Li, Xiaonan; Ding, Jincheng; Yue, Honghao; Deng, Zongquan

2016-12-01

Photovoltaic materials can turn light energy into electric energy directly, and thus have the advantages of high electrical output voltages and the ability to realize remote or non-contact control. When high-energy ultraviolet light illuminates polarized PbLaZrTi (PLZT) materials, high photovoltages will be generated along the spontaneous polarization direction due to the photovoltaic effect. In this paper, a novel hybrid photovoltaic/piezoelectric actuation mechanism is proposed. PLZT ceramics are used as a photovoltaic generator to drive a piezoelectric actuator. A mathematical model is established to define the time history of the actuation voltage between two electrodes of the piezoelectric actuator, which is experimentally validated by the test results of a piezoelectric actuator with different geometrical parameters under irradiation at different light intensities. Some important characteristics of this novel actuation mechanism are analyzed and it can be concluded that (1) it is experimentally validated that there is no hysteresis between voltage and deformation which exists in a PLZT actuator; (2) the saturated voltage and response speed can be improved by using a multi-patch PLZT generator to drive the piezoelectric actuator; and (3) the initial voltage of the piezoelectric actuator can be acquired by controlling the logical switch between the PLZT and the piezoelectric actuator while the initial voltages increase with the rise of light intensity.

Transparent glass–ceramics with (Eu{sup 3+},Yb{sup 3+}):YNbO{sub 4} nanocrystals: Crystallization, structure, optical spectroscopy and cooperative upconversion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loiko, P.A. [Center for Optical Materials and Technologies (COMT), Belarusian National Technical University, 65/17 Nezavisimosti Ave., Minsk 220013 (Belarus); Dymshits, O.S., E-mail: vodym@goi.ru [NITIOM Vavilov State Optical Institute, 36/1 Babushkin St, Saint-Petersburg 192171 (Russian Federation); Alekseeva, I.P.; Zhilin, A.A.; Tsenter, M.Ya. [NITIOM Vavilov State Optical Institute, 36/1 Babushkin St, Saint-Petersburg 192171 (Russian Federation); Vilejshikova, E.V. [Center for Optical Materials and Technologies (COMT), Belarusian National Technical University, 65/17 Nezavisimosti Ave., Minsk 220013 (Belarus); Bogdanov, K.V. [National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics, Kronverkskiy pr., 49, 197101 Saint-Petersburg (Russian Federation); Mateos, X. [Física i Cristallografia de Materials i Nanomaterials (FiCMA-FiCNA), Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), Campus Sescelades, C/Marcellí Domingo, s/n, Tarragona E-43007 (Spain); Yumashev, K.V. [Center for Optical Materials and Technologies (COMT), Belarusian National Technical University, 65/17 Nezavisimosti Ave., Minsk 220013 (Belarus)

2016-11-15

In the present work, we report on a comprehensive study of crystallization, structure and optical spectroscopy of transparent glass–ceramics with (Eu{sup 3+},Yb{sup 3+}):YNbO{sub 4} nanocrystals synthesized by secondary heat-treatments of glass of the Li{sub 2}O–Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}–SiO{sub 2} system, for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. Heat treatments result in volume crystallization of RENbO{sub 4} with the sizes of 4–15 nm. Crystals of rare-earth niobates with disordered fluorite structure (T′) appear during heat-treatment at 720–740 °C for 6 h, crystals with tetragonal structure (T) appear at higher temperatures or longer durations of heat-treatment, and in samples heat-treated at 1000 °C, the monoclinic form (M) is detected additionally. Rare-earth niobates act as nucleating agents for bulk crystallization of β-quartz solid solutions, the main crystalline phase of the glass–ceramics, which ensures their good thermo-mechanical properties. Optical spectroscopy confirms entering of both Eu{sup 3+} and Yb{sup 3+} ions into the RENbO{sub 4} nanophase and their specroscopic properties variation according to the T′→T→M phase transformations. Under UV excitation, glass–ceramics heat-treated at 900 °C provide intense red emission with the color coordinates x=0.665, y=0.335 (CIE 1931). In the sample, heat-treated at 1000 °C, a partial reduction of Eu{sup 3+} to Eu{sup 2+} is observed which allows for tuning the color properties of emission. When excited in the near-IR by an InGaAs diode, the initial glass and glass–ceramics show red cooperative upconversion due to the 2Yb{sup 3+}→Eu{sup 3+} energy transfer. The efficiency of the latter is ~10%. The developed materials due to the good emission and thermo-mechanical properties are promising for the development of color-tunable red phosphors.

Energy transfer efficiency from Cr(3+) to Nd(3+) in solar-pumped laser using transparent Nd/Cr:Y(3)Al(5)O(12) ceramics.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasegawa, Kazuo; Ichikawa, Tadashi; Mizuno, Shintaro; Takeda, Yasuhiko; Ito, Hiroshi; Ikesue, Akio; Motohiro, Tomoyoshi; Yamaga, Mitsuo

2015-06-01

We report energy transfer efficiency from Cr3+ to Nd3+ in Nd (1.0 at.%)/Cr (0.4 at.%) co-doped Y3Al5O12 (YAG) transparent ceramics in the laser oscillation states. The laser oscillation has performed using two pumping lasers operating at 808 nm and 561 nm; the former pumps Nd3+ directly to create the 1064 nm laser oscillation, whereas the latter assists the performance via Cr3+ absorption and sequential energy transfer to Nd3+. From the laser output power properties and laser mode analysis, the energy transfer efficiency was determined to be around 65%, which is close to that obtained from the spontaneous Nd3+ emission.

Elaboration of optical glass-ceramic for frequency doubling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vigouroux, H.

2012-01-01

The High power laser development required the need of materials with nonlinear properties. Glass materials can be considered as ideal materials as they can be transparent and elaborated in very large dimension. Precipitation of non-centro symmetric crystalline particles in bulk glass leads to a material with bulk nonlinear properties. This glass-ceramic should be then easily integrated in such laser facilities. In this thesis, the results concerning the precipitation of the phase LiNbO 3 in the glassy-matrix 35 Li 2 O - 25 Nb 2 O 5 - 40 SiO 2 are detailed. The crystallization mechanism of this phase is studied through thermal analysis, optical and electronic microscopy as well as in-situ analyses. These studies reveal glass-ceramics are obtained through a precipitation of the lithium niobate crystalline phase in spherulite shape. The nonlinear optical properties are investigated on this materials and an original, isotropic Second Harmonic Generation Signal (SHG) is registered in the bulk glass-ceramic. A complete study using a multi-scale approach allows the correlation between the spherulite structure and the nonlinear optical properties. A mechanism at the origin of the SHG signal is proposed. This leads to a new approach for transparent inorganic materials development for isotropic SHG conversion. (author) [fr

Reduction in thermal conductivity of ceramics due to radiation damage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klemens, P.G.; Hurley, G.F.; Clinard, F.W. Jr.

1976-01-01

Ceramics are required for a number of applications in fusion reactors. In several of these applications, the thermal conductivity is an important design parameter as it affects the level of temperature and thermal stress in service. Ceramic insulators are known to suffer substantial reduction in thermal conductivity due to neutron irradiation damage. The present study estimates the reduction in thermal conductivity at high temperature due to radiation induced defects. Point, extended, and extended partly transparent defects are considered

Bulletin of Materials Science | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Novel fabrication of silica nanotubes using multi-walled carbon nanotubes as template ... In this paper, nanostructure TiO2 thin films were deposited on glass substrates by sol–gel dip coating technique. ... Temperature dependence of electromechanical properties of PLZT /57/43 ceramics .... pp 419-425 Composites.

Nd{sup 3+}-doped TeO{sub 2}-Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}-ZnO transparent glass ceramics for laser application at 1.06 μm

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, Xiaolin; Luo, Zhiwei; Liu, Taoyong; Lu, Anxian [Central South of University, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Changsha (China)

2017-04-15

The high crystallinity transparent glass ceramics based on Nd{sup 3+}-doped 70TeO{sub 2}-15Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}-15ZnO (TBZ) compositions were successfully prepared by two-step heat treatment process. The effects of Nd{sub 2}O{sub 3} content on the thermal, structural, mechanical, and optical properties of TBZ glass ceramics were studied. The incorporation of Nd{sub 2}O{sub 3} enhanced the crystallization tendency in the matrix glass composition. The crystal phase and morphology of Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 4}O{sub 11} in the glass ceramics were confirmed by X-ray diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscopy. Due to precipitate more crystal phase, the hardness values increased from 3.21 to 3.66 GPa. Eight absorption peaks were observed from 400 to 900 nm and three emission bands appeared in the range of 850-1400 nm. With the increasing of Nd{sub 2}O{sub 3} content from 0.5 to 2.5 wt%, the intensity of absorption peaks enhanced and the emission intensity increased up to 1.0 wt% and then fell down for further dopant concentration. The fluorescence decay lifetime decreased rapidly starting from 1.5 wt% Nd{sub 2}O{sub 3} content due to the obvious energy migration among Nd{sup 3+}. According to the extreme strong emission band around 1062 nm and the optimum Nd{sub 2}O{sub 3} content (1.0 wt%), N10 glass ceramic was considered as a potential material for 1.06 μm laser applications. (orig.)

Effect of heat treatment on the optical properties of perovskite BaZr0.5Ce0.3Y0.2O3-δ ceramic prepared by spark plasma sintering

Science.gov (United States)

Xing, Bohang; Cheng, Zhi; Wang, Cao; Zhao, Zhe

2017-09-01

The effect of heat treatment on the in-line transmittance of BaZr0.5Ce0.3Y0.2O3-δ (BZCY532) ceramics prepared by spark plasma sintering method was investigated. The loss of Ba in transparent BZCY532 ceramics is the key reason for the loss of transmittance during the annealing process. This problem can be effectively alleviated by using a powder bed of BZCY532. Heat treatment atmospheres, wet air and dry air, were also found to be critical for obtaining high quality transparent ceramics. A highly transparent BZCY532 ceramic with the in-line transmittance (Tin) of 71.4% at 2000 nm can be obtained by using SPS method followed by an annealing in powder bed at 1500 °C in wet air.

Ceramic Composite Thin Films

Science.gov (United States)

Ruoff, Rodney S. (Inventor); Stankovich, Sasha (Inventor); Dikin, Dmitriy A. (Inventor); Nguyen, SonBinh T. (Inventor)

2013-01-01

A ceramic composite thin film or layer includes individual graphene oxide and/or electrically conductive graphene sheets dispersed in a ceramic (e.g. silica) matrix. The thin film or layer can be electrically conductive film or layer depending the amount of graphene sheets present. The composite films or layers are transparent, chemically inert and compatible with both glass and hydrophilic SiOx/silicon substrates. The composite film or layer can be produced by making a suspension of graphene oxide sheet fragments, introducing a silica-precursor or silica to the suspension to form a sol, depositing the sol on a substrate as thin film or layer, at least partially reducing the graphene oxide sheets to conductive graphene sheets, and thermally consolidating the thin film or layer to form a silica matrix in which the graphene oxide and/or graphene sheets are dispersed.

Ferroelectric inverse opals with electrically tunable photonic band gap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Bo; Zhou Ji; Li Longtu; Wang Xingjun; Liu Xiaohan; Zi Jian

2003-01-01

We present a scheme for tuning the photonic band gap (PBG) by an external electric field in a ferroelectric inverse opal structure. The inverse opals, consisting of ferroelectric (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O 3 (PLZT) ceramics, were synthesized by a sol-gel process. Optical reflection spectra show that the PBG of the PLZT inverse opals shifts continuously with the change in the applied electric field. As the photonic crystals (PCs) consist of the high-refractive-index constituent and possess an 'all-solid' structure, it should supply a more reliable mode to tune the PBG by the electric field for the superprism effect in PCs. It should be of high interest in device applications

Lasing characteristics of refractive-index-matched composite Y3Al5O12 rods employing transparent ceramics for solar-pumped lasers

Science.gov (United States)

Hasegawa, Kazuo; Ichikawa, Tadashi; Takeda, Yasuhiko; Ikesue, Akio; Ito, Hiroshi; Motohiro, Tomoyoshi

2018-04-01

We have proposed a new configuration of solar-pumped lasers employing transparent ceramic rods. The laser rod has a composite structure consisting of a Nd/Cr:YAG gain domain surrounded by Gd:YAG with the same refractive index as that of Nd/Cr:YAG. The lasing mode is well controlled by the output coupler, and the parasitic oscillation is suppressed, owing to the refractive index matching. A high laser slope efficiency and a low laser oscillation threshold were achieved owing to the suppressed absorption outside the lasing mode, which was previously a serious issue for the end-pumping configuration using a high-NA focusing optics. The laser oscillation threshold of 136 mW and the slope efficiency of 25.3% were derived. Thus, we have resolved the issue of useless absorption associated with the high-NA end-pumping, and achieved significant improvements compared with the conventional structure of uniform Nd/Cr:YAG.

V K Agrawal

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Bulletin of Materials Science. V K Agrawal. Articles written in Bulletin of Materials Science. Volume 33 Issue 4 August 2010 pp 383-390 Electrical Properties. Temperature dependence of electromechanical properties of PLZT /57/43 ceramics · A K Shukla V K Agrawal I M L Das Janardan Singh S L ...

Thermal Properties of Transparent Yb-Doped YAG Ceramics at Elevated Temperatures

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hostaša, J.; Matějíček, Jiří; Nait-Ali, B.; Smith, D.S.; Pabst, W.; Esposito, L.

2014-01-01

Roč. 97, č. 8 (2014), s. 2602-2606 ISSN 0002-7820 Institutional support: RVO:61389021 Keywords : yttrium aluminium garnet * Yb:YAG * thermal diffusivity Subject RIV: JH - Ceramics, Fire-Resistant Materials and Glass Impact factor: 2.610, year: 2014 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jace.13015/abstract

Structural, Optical, and Dielectric Investigations of the Relaxor PLZT 9,75/65/35 Ceramics Irradiated by High-Current Pulsed Electron Beam

CERN Document Server

Efimov, V V; Kalmikov, A V; Klevtsova, E A; Minashkin, V F; Novikova, N N; Sikolenko, V V; Skripnik, A V; Sternberg, A; Tiutiunnikov, S I; Yakovlev, V A

2002-01-01

First time comprehensive study of high-current pulsed electron irradiation effects on the structural, optical and dielectric properties of relaxor (Pb_{(1-x)}La^{x}(Zr_{0.65}Ti_{0.35})_{1-x/4}O_{3} ceramics with x=9.75% has been provided. The electron beam had the following parameters: energy E_{e}=250 keV, current density J_{e}=1000 A/cm^{2}, pulse duration tau = 300 ns, density 10^{15} electrons/cm^{2} per pulse. Infrared reflectivity spectra in the region of 100-2000 cm^{-1} were obtained in virgin, irradiated by 1500 pulses and annealed up to t=500^{circ}C ceramics. The reconstruction of perovskite ABO_{3} structure in irradiated samples has been studied by complex use of X-ray and neutron scattering and IR spectroscopy techniques revealing the changes in transverse and longitudinal phonon modes, oscillators strength and damping of modes. Radiation effects on temperature behaviour of dielectric permittivity in the region of phase transition were studied. The possible mechanisms of pulsed electron irradiat...

I M L Das

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Bulletin of Materials Science. I M L Das. Articles written in Bulletin of Materials Science. Volume 33 Issue 4 August 2010 pp 383-390 Electrical Properties. Temperature dependence of electromechanical properties of PLZT /57/43 ceramics · A K Shukla V K Agrawal I M L Das Janardan Singh S L Srivastava.

Preparation and Optical Properties of Infrared Transparent 3Y-TZP Ceramics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chuanfeng Wang

2017-04-01

Full Text Available In the present study, a tough tetragonal zirconia polycrystalline (Y-TZP material was developed for use in high-speed infrared windows and domes. The influence of the preparation procedure and the microstructure on the material’s optical properties was evaluated by SEM and FT-IR spectroscopy. It was revealed that a high transmittance up to 77% in the three- to five-micrometer IR region could be obtained when the sample was pre-sintered at 1225 °C and subjected to hot isostatic pressing (HIP at 1275 °C for two hours. The infrared transmittance and emittance at elevated temperature were also examined. The in-line transmittance remained stable as the temperature increased to 427 °C, with degradation being observed only near the infrared cutoff edge. Additionally, the emittance property of 3Y-TZP ceramic at high temperature was found to be superior to those of sapphire and spinel. Overall, the results indicate that Y-TZP ceramic is a potential candidate for high-speed infrared windows and domes.

Advances in spectral conversion for photovoltaics: up-converting Er3+ doped YF3 nano-crystals in transparent glass ceramic

Science.gov (United States)

Marques-Hueso, Jose; Chen, Daqin; MacDougall, Sean K. W.; Wang, Yuansheng; Richards, Bryce S.

2011-09-01

Up- and down-conversion (UC, DC) constitute two singular routes to achieve improved energy harvesting of sunlight by changing its shape of the solar spectrum. To obtain a significant conversion rate two main challenges have to be overcome: i) the excited lanthanide ions have to emit efficiently, a target which has been better accomplished for DC materials; ii) the absorption in the lanthanide-based UC and DC layers has to be high to ensure a sizeable fraction of photons can be harvested. In this paper, we review such materials and their use as spectral converters for photovoltaics (PV), paying special attention to the UC and DC processes in lanthanide glasses in fluoride matrices. We discuss the challenges that need to be overcome in order to implement these materials in real PV devices. Finally, we will present the synthesis of erbium (Er3+) doped YF3 nano-crystals embedded in transparent glass ceramic (TGC) by melt quenching. This material presents a low phonon energy environment for the Er3+ ions due to the fluoride crystals, while the silica glass provides chemical and mechanical stability to the compound.

Molten salt synthesis of lead lanthanum zirconate titanate ceramic powders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cai Zongying; Xing Xianran; Li Lu; Xu Yeming

2008-01-01

Lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (Pb 0.95 La 0.03 )(Zr 0.52 Ti 0.48 )O 3 (PLZT) was synthesized by one step molten salt method with the starting materials of PbC 2 O 4 , La 2 O 3 , ZrO(NO 3 ) 2 .2H 2 O and TiO 2 in the NaCl-KCl eutectic mixtures in the temperature range of 700-1000 deg. C. The single phase of (Pb 0.95 La 0.03 )(Zr 0.52 Ti 0.48 )O 3 powders was prepared at a temperature as low as 850 deg. C for 5 h. The effects of process parameters, such as soaking temperature and time, salt species, and the amount of flux with respect to the starting materials were investigated. The growth process of the PLZT particles in the molten salt undergoes a transition from a diffusion controlled mechanism to an interfacial reaction controlled mechanism at 900 deg. C

Luminescent properties of Eu2+-doped BaGdF5 glass ceramics a potential blue phosphor for ultra-violet light-emitting diode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Weihuan; Zhang, Yuepin; Ouyang, Shaoye; Zhang, Zhixiong; Wang, Qian; Xia, Haiping

2015-01-01

Eu 2+ doped transparent oxyfluoride glass ceramics containing BaGdF 5 nanocrystals were successfully fabricated by melt-quenching technique under a reductive atmosphere. The structure of the glass and glass ceramics were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The luminescent properties were investigated by transmission, excitation, and emission spectra. The decay time of the Gd 3+ ions at 312 nm excited with 275 nm were also investigated. The results of XRD and TEM indicated the existence of BaGdF5 nanocrystals in the transparent glass ceramics. The excitation spectra of Eu 2+ doped glass ceramics showed an excellent overlap with the main emission region of an ultraviolet light-emitting diode (UV-LED). Compared with the as-made glass, the emission of glass ceramics is much stronger by a factor of increasing energy transfer efficiency from Gd 3+ to Eu 2+ ions, the energy transfer efficiency from Gd 3+ to Eu 2+ ions was discussed. In addition, the chromaticity coordinates of glass and glass ceramics specimens were also discussed, which indicated that the Eu 2+ doped BaGdF 5 glass ceramics may be used as a potential blue-emitting phosphor for UV-LED

New solid laser: Ceramic laser. From ultra stable laser to ultra high output laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ueda, Kenichi

2006-01-01

An epoch-making solid laser is developed. It is ceramic laser, polycrystal, which is produced as same as glass and shows ultra high output. Ti 3+ :Al 2 O 3 laser crystal and the CPA (chirped pulse amplification) technique realized new ultra high output lasers. Japan has developed various kinds of ceramic lasers, from 10 -2 to 67 x 10 3 w average output, since 1995. These ceramic lasers were studied by gravitational radiation astronomy. The scattering coefficient of ceramic laser is smaller than single crystals. The new fast ignition method is proposed by Institute of Laser Engineering of Osaka University, Japan. Ultra-intense short pulse laser can inject the required energy to the high-density imploded core plasma within the core disassembling time. Ti 3+ :Al 2 O 3 crystal for laser, ceramic YAG of large caliber for 100 kW, transparent laser ceramic from nano-crystals, crystal grain and boundary layer between grains, the scattering coefficient of single crystal and ceramic, and the derived release cross section of Yb:YAG ceramic are described. (S.Y.)

Optimizing electrical conductivity and optical transparency of IZO thin film deposited by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lei

Transparent conducting oxide (TCO) thin films of In2O3, SnO2, ZnO, and their mixtures have been extensively used in optoelectronic applications such as transparent electrodes in solar photovoltaic devices. In this project I deposited amorphous indium-zinc oxide (IZO) thin films by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering from a In2O3-10 wt.% ZnO sintered ceramic target to optimize the RF power, argon gas flowing rate, and the thickness of film to reach the maximum conductivity and transparency in visible spectrum. The results indicated optimized conductivity and transparency of IZO thin film is closer to ITO's conductivity and transparency, and is even better when the film was deposited with one specific tilted angle. National Science Foundation (NSF) MRSEC program at University of Nebraska Lincoln, and was hosted by Professor Jeff Shields lab.

Investigation of the thermophysical properties of oxide ceramic materials at liquid-helium temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taranov, A. V.; Khazanov, E. N.

2008-01-01

The main regularities in the transport of thermal phonons in oxide ceramic materials are investigated at liquid-helium temperatures. The dependences of the thermophysical characteristics of ceramic materials on their structural parameters (such as the grain size R, the grain boundary thickness d, and the structure of grain boundaries) are analyzed. It is demonstrated that, in dense coarse-grained ceramic materials with qR>>1 (where q is the phonon wave vector), the grain boundaries and the grain size are the main factors responsible for the thermophysical characteristics of the material at liquid-helium temperatures. A comparative analysis of the thermophysical characteristics of optically transparent ceramic materials based on the Y 3 Al 5 O 12 (YAG) and Y 2 O 3 cubic oxides synthesized under different technological conditions is performed using the proposed criterion

Synthesis of Sc{sub 2}O{sub 3} powders for preparation of transparent ceramics; Synthese de poudres de Sc{sub 2}O{sub 3} destinees a l'elaboration d'une ceramique transparente

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bravo, A.C.; Longuet, L.; Autissier, D. [CEA Centre d' Etudes du Ripault, 37 - Tours (France); Baumard, J.F. [Laboratoire Science des Procedes Ceramiques et de Traitements de Surfaces, SPCTS, UMR CNRS 6638, 87 - Limoges (France)

2007-07-01

Different precursors have been prepared by precipitation from scandium nitrates salts using ammonium hydrogeno-carbonate as precipitating agent. The influence of the precipitation technique, of the preparation temperature and of the 'precipitating agent/Sc{sup 3+}' molar ratio on the characteristics (nature, grain size...) of the synthesized precursors has been observed. A heat treatment at 700 C of these precursors has allowed to obtain thin and homogeneous Sc{sub 2}O{sub 3} powders well adapted for transparent ceramics preparation. (O.M.)

The effect of variations in translucency and background on color differences in CAD/CAM lithium disilicate glass ceramics.

Science.gov (United States)

Al Ben Ali, Abdulaziz; Kang, Kiho; Finkelman, Matthew D; Zandparsa, Roya; Hirayama, Hiroshi

2014-04-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of variations in translucency and background on color differences (ΔE) for different shades of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) lithium disilicate glass ceramics. A pilot study suggested n = 10 as an appropriate sample size for the number of lithium disilicate glass ceramic cylinders per group. High-transparency (HT) and low-transparency (LT) cylinders (diameter, 12 mm; length, 13 mm) were fabricated in three ceramic shades (BL1, A2, C3) using CAD/CAM technology and were cut into specimen disks (thickness, 1.2 mm; diameter, 12 mm) for placement on Natural Die (ND1 and ND4) backgrounds. Four combinations of translucency and background color were evaluated in terms of color differences for the three ceramic shades: group 1 (HT ND1, reference), group 2 (HT ND4), group 3 (LT ND1), and group 4 (LT ND4). A spectrophotometer was used to measure the color differences. Nonparametric tests (Kruskal-Wallis tests) were used to evaluate the color differences among the tested groups, and Mann-Whitney U tests with Bonferroni correction were used as post hoc tests. Furthermore, for each ceramic shade, the HT groups were compared to the LT groups using the Mann-Whitney U test. Significant differences were present among the tested groups of the same ceramic shade (p glass ceramic color among the BL1, A2, and C3 ceramic shades. Changing the underlying color from a lighter background to a darker background resulted in increased color differences. © 2013 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

Relative translucency of six all-ceramic systems. Part I: core materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Heffernan, Michael J; Aquilino, Steven A; Diaz-Arnold, Ana M; Haselton, Debra R; Stanford, Clark M; Vargas, Marcos A

2002-07-01

All-ceramic restorations have been advocated for superior esthetics. Various materials have been used to improve ceramic core strength, but it is unclear whether they affect the opacity of all-ceramic systems. This study compared the translucency of 6 all-ceramic system core materials at clinically appropriate thicknesses. Disc specimens 13 mm in diameter and 0.49 +/- 0.01 mm in thickness were fabricated from the following materials (n = 5 per group): IPS Empress dentin, IPS Empress 2 dentin, In-Ceram Alumina core, In-Ceram Spinell core, In-Ceram Zirconia core, and Procera AllCeram core. Empress and Empress 2 dentin specimens also were fabricated and tested at a thickness of 0.77 +/- 0.02 mm (the manufacturer's recommended core thickness is 0.8 mm). A high-noble metal-ceramic alloy (Porc. 52 SF) served as the control, and Vitadur Alpha opaque dentin was used as a standard. Sample reflectance (ratio of the intensity of reflected light to that of the incident light) was measured with an integrating sphere attached to a spectrophotometer across the visible spectrum (380 to 700 nm); 0-degree illumination and diffuse viewing geometry were used. Contrast ratios were calculated from the luminous reflectance (Y) of the specimens with a black (Yb) and a white (Yw) backing to give Yb/Yw with CIE illuminant D65 and a 2-degree observer function (0.0 = transparent, 1.0 = opaque). One-way analysis of variance and Tukey's multiple-comparison test were used to analyze the data (P In-Ceram Spinell > Empress, Procera, Empress 2 > In-Ceram Alumina > In-Ceram Zirconia, 52 SF alloy.

Neodymium ion diffusion during sintering of Nd : YAG transparent ceramics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hollingsworth, Joel P; Kuntz, Joshua D; Soules, Thomas F [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, CA, 94550 (United States)

2009-03-07

Using an electron microprobe, we measured and characterized the Nd{sup 3+} ion diffusion across a boundary between Nd doped and undoped ceramic yttrium aluminium garnet (YAG) for different temperature ramps and hold times and temperatures. The results show significant Nd ion diffusion on the order of micrometres to tens of micrometres depending on the time and temperature of sintering. The data fit well a model including bulk diffusion, grain boundary diffusion and grain growth. Grain boundary diffusion dominates and grain growth limits grain boundary diffusion by reducing the total cross-sectional area of grain boundaries. (fast track communication)

Control of Grain Boundaries and Defects in Nano-Engineered Transparent Scintillator Ceramics

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-01

milled   rather   than   mixed   with   a   mortar   and   pestle   before   sintering,   these   particulates   were   not...Technology   for   Advanced  Ceramics  (STAC),  Yokohama,   Japan  (Jun.  2010).     S.  R.  Podowitz,  N.  Haegel,  R

Optical properties of ytterbium-doped yttrium oxide ceramics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Solomonov, V.I.; Maksimov, R.N. [Institute of Electrophysics UrB RAS, Amundsena 106, 620016 Ekaterinburg (Russian Federation); Ural Federal University Named After the First President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin, Mira 19, 620002 Ekaterinburg (Russian Federation); Osipov, V.V.; Shitov, V.A.; Lipchak, A.I. [Institute of Electrophysics UrB RAS, Amundsena 106, 620016 Ekaterinburg (Russian Federation)

2017-05-15

Ytterbium-doped yttrium oxide (Yb:Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}) transparent ceramics with different sintering additives (Lu{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Sc{sub 2}O{sub 3}, CeO{sub 2}, ZrO{sub 2}, or HfO{sub 2}) were fabricated using nanopowders produced by laser ablation. Transmission and photoluminescence spectra of the obtained ceramics were investigated at room temperature. Highest in-line transmittance was over 80% at the wavelength of 1060 nm for 2 mm thick Yb:Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} ceramics with zirconium and hafnium. Divalent Yb ions with the ground state electron configuration 4f{sup 13}6s were revealed. The absorption and emission bands caused by s <-> s transitions of these ions were observed in the IR spectral range of Yb{sup 3+} ions. The superposition of both Yb{sup 3+} and Yb{sup 2+} emission bands leads to an effective broadening of the whole luminescence band. (copyright 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

A new lutetia-based ceramic scintillator for X-ray imaging

CERN Document Server

Lempicki, A; Szupryczynski, P; Lingertat, H; Nagarkar, V V; Tipnis, S V; Miller, S R

2002-01-01

We report a new scintillator based on a transparent ceramic of Lu sub 2 O sub 3 :Eu. The material has an extremely high density of 9.4 g/cm sup 3 , a light output comparable to CsI:Tl, and a narrow band emission at 610 nm that falls close to the maximum of the response curve of CCDs. Pixelation of the scintillator to prevent lateral spread of light enhances the spatial and contrast resolution, providing imaging performance that equals or surpasses all other currently known scintillators. Upon further development of readout technologies to take full advantage of its transparency, the new scintillator should play a major role in digital radiographic systems.

Transparent infrared-emitting CeF3:Yb-Er polymer nanocomposites for optical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Mei Chee; Patil, Swanand D; Riman, Richard E

2010-07-01

Bright infrared-emitting nanocomposites of unmodified CeF(3):Yb-Er with polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) and polystyrene (PS), which offer a vast range of potential applications, which include optical amplifiers, waveguides, laser materials, and implantable medical devices, were developed. For the optical application of these nanocomposites, it is critical to obtain highly transparent composites to minimize absorption and scattering losses. Preparation of transparent composites typically requires powder processing approaches that include sophisticated particle size control, deagglomeration, and dispersion stabilization methods leading to an increase in process complexity and processing steps. This work seeks to prepare transparent composites with high solids loading (>5 vol%) by matching the refractive index of the inorganic particle with low cost polymers like PMMA and PS, so as to circumvent the use of any complex processing techniques or particle surface modification. PS nanocomposites were found to exhibit better transparency than the PMMA nanocomposites, especially at high solids loading (>/=10 vol%). It was found that the optical transparency of PMMA nanocomposites was more significantly affected by the increase in solids loading and inorganic particle size because of the larger refractive index mismatch of the PMMA nanocomposites compared to that of PS nanocomposites. Rayleigh scattering theory was used to provide a theoretical estimate of the scattering losses in these ceramic-polymer nanocomposites.

Light extinction by pores in AlON ceramics: the transmission properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Yuezhong; Lu Tiecheng; Gong Li; Qi Jianqi; Wen Jinsong; Yu Jian; Pan Lei; Yu Yin; Wei Nian, E-mail: Lutiecheng@scu.edu.c [Department of Physics and Key Laboratory for Radiation Physics and Technology of Ministry of Education, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064 (China)

2010-07-14

The transmission properties of aluminium oxynitride (AlON) ceramics were studied. AlON samples with different transmittances were prepared. SEM detected two types of pores with a different range of diameters in the samples; the porosity was obtained by counting the number of pores in a certain area. Mie theory was applied to illuminate the effects of pores on the transmittances. The calculated transmittances were compared with the experiments. The existence of pores with sizes in the 1.1-1.6 {mu}m range and porosities above 10{sup -4} accounted for the degradation of the transmittance spectra at 2.5 {mu}m. Discrepancies of the spectra between the samples were caused mainly by different densities of the A-type pores with sizes above 1 {mu}m. The concepts of critical size and critical concentration were proposed and were quantitatively characterized by critical curves, which divided the regions of translucency and transparency into three parts: R{sub 1}, R{sub 2} and R{sub 3} depending on porosity. New approaches on how to control the pore sizes and porosities quantitatively for transparent ceramics design were presented.

Nanosystems in Ceramic Oxides Created by Means of Ion Implantation

OpenAIRE

Van Huis, M.A.

2003-01-01

The material properties of nanometer-sized clusters are dependent on the cluster size. Changing the cluster dimensions induces structural phase transformations, metal-insulator transitions, non-linear optical properties and widening of the band gap of semiconductors. In this work, nanoclusters are created by ion implantation followed by thermal annealing. The ceramic oxides MgO and Al2O3 are used as embedding materials because of their stability and optical transparency. All clusters were cre...

Development of high power ceramic lasers and possible application to nuclear fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanagitani, Takagimi; Yagi, Hideki; Ueda, Ken-ichi; Lu, Jianren; Kaminskii, Alexander A.

2003-01-01

We have succeeded in fabricating high-transparent Y 3 Al 5 O 12 (YAG) and Y 2 O 3 laser ceramic materials using vacuum sintering method. Compared with single crystal, ceramics have the following advantages, namely: (1) Ease of fabrication; (2) Less expensive; (3) Fabrication of large size and high concentration; (4) Multi-layer and multi-functional ceramic structure; (5) Mass production, etc. On the base of Nd 3+ :YAG ceramics, we performed high efficient and high power (up to 1.46 kW) CW lasers with laser diode pumping. Optical properties of Nd:YAG ceramics, such as absorption, emission and fluorescence lifetime, were found to be similar to those of Nd:YAG single crystal. The thermal conductivity of Nd:YAG ceramics was measured, which is also found to be very similar to that of Nd:YAG single crystal. The simulated emission cross section of Nd 3+ :Y 2 O 3 happened to be in the range that is required for laser fusion driver. This makes Nd:Y 2 O 3 a potential candidate for being used in laser fusion system. Some optical properties of Nd:Y 2 O 3 ceramics were investigated and for the first time, CW room-temperature laser oscillation at two wavelength (1074.6 nm and 1078.6 nm) of 4 F 3/2 → 4 I 11/2 channel was obtained with a slope efficiency of 32%. (author)

Nd:YAG transparent ceramics fabricated by direct cold isostatic pressing and vacuum sintering

Science.gov (United States)

Ge, Lin; Li, Jiang; Zhou, Zhiwei; Liu, Binglong; Xie, Tengfei; Liu, Jing; Kou, Huamin; Shi, Yun; Pan, Yubai; Guo, Jingkun

2015-12-01

The sintering behavior of neodymium doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) ceramics was investigated on the basis of densification trajectory, microstructure evolution and transmittance. Nd:YAG ceramics with in-line transmittance of 83.9% at 1064 nm and 82.5% at 400 nm were obtained by direct cold isostatic pressing (CIP) at 250 MPa and solid-state reactive sintering at 1790 °C for 30 h under vacuum. Compared with the porosity and the average pore diameter of the sample from uniaxial dry-pressing followed by CIP, those from direct CIP are much smaller. The samples pressed at 250 MPa were sintered from 1500 °C to 1750 °C for 0.5-20 h to study their sintering behavior. At the temperature higher than 1500 °C, pure YAG phase is formed, followed by the densification and grain growth process. The relative density and the grain size increase with the increase of sintering time and temperature, and the sintering behavior is more sensitive to temperature than holding time. The mechanism controlling densification and grain growth at sintering temperature of 1550 °C is grain boundary diffusion.

Sol–Gel-Derived Glass-Ceramic Photorefractive Films for Photonic Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Lukowiak

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Glass photonics are widespread, from everyday objects around us to high-tech specialized devices. Among different technologies, sol–gel synthesis allows for nanoscale materials engineering by exploiting its unique structures, such as transparent glass-ceramics, to tailor optical and electromagnetic properties and to boost photon-management yield. Here, we briefly discuss the state of the technology and show that the choice of the sol–gel as a synthesis method brings the advantage of process versatility regarding materials composition and ease of implementation. In this context, we present tin-dioxide–silica (SnO2–SiO2 glass-ceramic waveguides activated by europium ions (Eu3+. The focus is on the photorefractive properties of this system because its photoluminescence properties have already been discussed in the papers presented in the bibliography. The main findings include the high photosensitivity of sol–gel 25SnO2:75SiO2 glass-ceramic waveguides; the ultraviolet (UV-induced refractive index change (Δn ~ −1.6 × 10−3, the easy fabrication process, and the low propagation losses (0.5 ± 0.2 dB/cm, that make this glass-ceramic an interesting photonic material for smart optical applications.

Transparency

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Flyverbom, Mikkel; Albu, Oana Brindusa

2017-01-01

Transparency is an increasingly prominent research topic in many scholarly disciplines and offers valuable insights for organizational communication. This entry provides an overview of the historical background and identifies some themes that presently inform the transparency literature. The entry...... then outlines the most important dimensions of the concept of transparency by highlighting two paradigmatic positions underpinning contemporary research in this area: namely, informational approaches that focus on the sharing of information and the perceived quality of that information and social process...... orientations that explore the dynamics of transparency in organizational settings. The entry highlights emergent methodological and conceptual insights concerning transparency as a dynamic and paradoxical social process with performative characteristics – an approach that remains underexplored....

Sintering and electrical properties of titania- and zirconia-containing In2O3-SnO2 (ITO) ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nadaud, N.; Nanot, M.; Bock, P.

1994-01-01

The deposition rate and film quality of In 2 O 3 -SnO 2 (ITO) transparent electrodes processed by sputtering are improved when using dense sputtering targets. Unfortunately, ITO ceramics do not sinter easily. It is shown that addition of TiO 2 ( 2 was also investigated

Interactions of ceramic, metallic and polymeric filters with gaseous contaminants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haider, A.M.; Ma, Ce; Shadman, Farhang

1993-01-01

Outgassing characteristics of ceramic, metallic, and polymeric fitters for H 2 O, O 2 , CO 2 , and CH 4 were explored using APIMS in this study. The outgassing data has been normalized with respect to the parameters that varied from one filter to the other. Hydrocarbon outgassing is also explored both at room temperature from freshly installed filters as well as at elevated temperatures. Polymeric filters appeared to be more transparent but did show hydrocarbon outgassing when heated to 50 C

Organizational Transparency

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Albu, Oana Brindusa; Flyverbom, Mikkel

2018-01-01

with the sharing of information and the perceived quality of the information shared. This narrow focus on information and quality, however, overlooks the dynamics of organizational transparency. To provide a more structured conceptualization of organizational transparency, this article unpacks the assumptions......Transparency is an increasingly prominent area of research that offers valuable insights for organizational studies. However, conceptualizations of transparency are rarely subject to critical scrutiny and thus their relevance remains unclear. In most accounts, transparency is associated...... that shape the extant literature, with a focus on three dimensions: conceptualizations, conditions, and consequences. The contribution of the study is twofold: (a) On a conceptual level, we provide a framework that articulates two paradigmatic positions underpinning discussions of transparency, verifiability...

Relative translucency of six all-ceramic systems. Part II: core and veneer materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Heffernan, Michael J; Aquilino, Steven A; Diaz-Arnold, Ana M; Haselton, Debra R; Stanford, Clark M; Vargas, Marcos A

2002-07-01

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM All-ceramic core materials with various strengthening compositions have a range of translucencies. It is unknown whether translucency differs when all-ceramic materials are fabricated similarly to the clinical restoration with a veneered core material. This study compared the translucency of 6 all-ceramic materials veneered and glazed at clinically appropriate thicknesses. Core specimens (n = 5 per group) of Empress dentin, Empress 2 dentin, In-Ceram Alumina, In-Ceram Spinell, In-Ceram Zirconia, and Procera AllCeram were fabricated as described in Part I of this study and veneered with their corresponding dentin porcelain to a final thickness of 1.47 +/- 0.01 mm. These specimens were compared with veneered Vitadur Alpha opaque dentin (as a standard), a clear glass disc (positive control), and a high-noble metal-ceramic alloy (Porc. 52 SF) veneered with Vitadur Omega dentin (negative control). Specimen reflectance was measured with an integrating sphere attached to a spectrophotometer across the visible spectrum (380 to 700 nm); 0-degree illumination and diffuse viewing geometry were used. Measurements were repeated after a glazing cycle. Contrast ratios were calculated from the luminous reflectance (Y) of the specimens with a black (Yb) and a white backing (Yw) to give Yb/Yw with CIE illuminant D65 and a 2-degree observer function (0.0 = transparent, 1.0 = opaque). One-way analysis of variance and Tukey's multiple-comparison test were used to analyze the data (P<.05). Significant differences in contrast ratios were found among the ceramic systems tested when they were veneered (P<.0001) and after the glazing cycle (P<.0001). Significant changes in contrast ratios (P<.0001) also were identified when the veneered specimens were glazed. Within the limitations of this study, a range of translucency was identified in the veneered all-ceramic systems tested. Such variability may affect their ability to match natural teeth. The glazing cycle resulted

Influence of SrF_2-doping in AlN ceramics on scintillation and dosimeter properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kojima, Kaori; Okada, Go; Fukuda, Kentaro; Yanagida, Takayuki

2016-01-01

In this study, we synthesized undoped AlN and SrF_2-doped AlN (AlN-SrF_2) ceramics by Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS), and we characterized their optical, scintillation and dosimeter properties. The prepared undoped AlN ceramic had gray color and visually non-transparent whereas, with an addition of SrF_2, the transparency improved and became translucent. The measured in-line transmittance was approximately 0.2% at wavelengths longer than 500 nm. While the addition of SrF_2 decreased the scintillation intensity, the decay time was significantly fastened, which is a great advantage for fast photon counting-based measurements. Both the thermally-stimulated luminescence (TSL) and optically-stimulated luminescence (OSL) showed good linear response from the milli-gray range to over 10 Gy. The sensitivity seems to decrease by an addition of SrF_2 as it suppresses structural defect centers which are responsible for dosimeter properties. However, the main TSL glow peak position shifts to higher temperature with the addition of SrF_2, which indicates that inclusion of SrF_2 improves the TSL signal stability. - Highlights: • We synthesized undoped and SrF_2-doped AlN ceramics by Spark Plasma Sintering. • We evaluated scintillator and dosimeter properties of undoped and SrF_2-doped AlN. • By doping with SrF_2, the decay time is shortened. • By doping with SrF_2, the stability of TSL and OSL is improved.

76 FR 1180 - FDA Transparency Initiative: Improving Transparency to Regulated Industry

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-07

...] FDA Transparency Initiative: Improving Transparency to Regulated Industry AGENCY: Food and Drug... the Transparency Initiative, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of a report entitled ``FDA Transparency Initiative: Improving Transparency to Regulated Industry.'' The...

Frequency Invariability of (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O₃ Antiferroelectric Thick-Film Micro-Cantilevers.

Science.gov (United States)

An, Kun; Jin, Xuechen; Meng, Jiang; Li, Xiao; Ren, Yifeng

2018-05-13

Micro-electromechanical systems comprising antiferroelectric layers can offer both actuation and transduction to integrated technologies. Micro-cantilevers based on the (Pb 0.97 La 0.02 )(Zr 0.95 Ti 0.05 )O₃ (PLZT) antiferroelectric thick film are fabricated by the micro-nano manufacturing process, to utilize the effect of phase transition induced strain and sharp phase switch of antiferroelectric materials. When micro-cantilevers made of antiferroelectric thick films were driven by sweep voltages, there were two resonant peaks corresponding to the natural frequency shift from 27.8 to 27.0 kHz, before and after phase transition. This is the compensation principle for the PLZT micro-cantilever to tune the natural frequency by the amplitude modulation of driving voltage, rather than of frequency modulation. Considering the natural frequency shift about 0.8 kHz and the frequency tuning ability about 156 Hz/V before the phase transition, this can compensate the frequency shift caused by increasing temperature by tuning only the amplitude of driving voltage, when the ultrasonic micro-transducer made of antiferroelectric thick films works for such a long period. Therefore, antiferroelectric thick films with hetero-structures incorporated into PLZT micro-cantilevers not only require a lower driving voltage (no more than 40 V) than rival bulk piezoelectric ceramics, but also exhibit better performance of frequency invariability, based on the amplitude modulation.

Simultaneous synthesis and densification of transparent, photoluminescent polycrystalline YAG by current activated pressure assisted densification (CAPAD)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Penilla, E.H.; Kodera, Y.; Garay, J.E.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► We report a method for the synthesis of transparent and PL bulk polycrystalline Ce:YAG using CAPAD. ► The process uses γ-Al 2 O 3 , Y 2 O 3 , and CeO 2 nanopowders, reacted and densified simultaneously. ► The synthesis/densification kinetics are faster than those reported previously. ► Optical measurements show good transparency in the visible and photoluminescence (PL) in the Ce:YAG. ► The PL peak is broad and appears white when excited using blue light. - Abstract: We report a method for the synthesis and processing of transparent bulk polycrystalline yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) and photoluminescent Ce-doped YAG ceramics via solid-state reactive-current activated pressure assisted densification (CAPAD). The process uses commercially available γ-Al 2 O 3 , Y 2 O 3 , and CeO 2 nanopowders. The nanopowders were reacted and densified simultaneously at temperatures between 850 °C and 1550 °C and at a maximum pressure of 105 MPa. The solid-state reaction to phase pure YAG occurs in under 4 min at processing temperatures 1100 °C which is significantly faster (on the order of tens of hours) and occurs at much lower temperatures (∼600 °C) compared to conventional reaction sintering. We found that the reaction significantly improves densification – the shrinkage rate of reaction-produced YAG was three times higher than that of YAG using pre-reacted powder. The Ce additions were found to retard the reaction driven shrinkage kinetics by a factor ∼3, but are still faster (by a factor ∼1.6) than those associated with direct densification (no synthesis). Densities >99% were achieved in both pure YAG and Ce doped YAG (Ce:YAG). Results of optical measurements show good transparency in the visible and photoluminescence (PL) in the Ce:YAG. The PL peak is broad and appears white when excited using blue light confirming that the ceramics can be used in solid state lighting to produce white light.

Flexure Strength and Optical Transparency of Magnesium-Aluminate Spinel (MgAlO4): Influence of Polishing and Glass Coating

Science.gov (United States)

2016-12-01

Eugene Shanholtz, Jian Yu, Rebecca L Walker, and John J Pittari III. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. vi INTENTIONALLY...with high transparency necessitate the use of aggressive densification techniques that result in very coarse microstructures (i.e., average grain sizes...windows. Glass coating (or glazing) is a common technique used to strengthen ceramics. The use of glazing as a strengthening technique , however, is

Peering into Transparency

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Lars Thøger; Cheney, George

2015-01-01

organizational effectiveness and widened democratic practice. Yet, with its most common operationalization, as information, transparency reinstalls a 'purified' notion of communication devoid of mystery, inaccuracy, and (mis)representation. We apply transparency to itself by unpacking its implicit model......The current emphasis on organizational transparency signifies a growing demand for insight, clarity, accountability, and participation. Holding the promise of improved access to valid and trustworthy knowledge about organizations, the transparency pursuit has great potential for enhanced...... of communication and critiquing its obliviousness to the representative nature of transparency-related messages and the attendant complexities of motivation. This critique interrogates the ambiguities and ambivalence of the transparency pursuit and demonstrates how the goals of organizational transparency...

Fracture strength of three all-ceramic systems: Top-Ceram compared with IPS-Empress and In-Ceram.

Science.gov (United States)

Quran, Firas Al; Haj-Ali, Reem

2012-03-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the fracture loads and mode of failure of all-ceramic crowns fabricated using Top-Ceram and compare it with all-ceramic crowns fabricated from well-established systems: IPS-Empress II, In-Ceram. Thirty all-ceramic crowns were fabricated; 10 IPS-Empress II, 10 In-Ceram alumina and 10 Top-Ceram. Instron testing machine was used to measure the loads required to introduce fracture of each crown. Mean fracture load for In-Ceram alumina [941.8 (± 221.66) N] was significantly (p > 0.05) higher than those of Top-Ceram and IPS-Empress II. There was no statistically significant difference between Top-Ceram and IPS-Empress II mean fracture loads; 696.20 (+222.20) and 534 (+110.84) N respectively. Core fracture pattern was highest seen in Top- Ceram specimens.

Luminescence Anisotropy and Thermal Effect of Magnetic and Electric Dipole Transitions of Cr3+ Ions in Yb:YAG Transparent Ceramic.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Fei; Ye, Honggang; Su, Zhicheng; Bao, Yitian; Guo, Wang; Xu, Shijie

2017-12-20

In this article, we present an in-depth optical study on luminescence spectral features and the thermal effect of the magnetic dipole (MD) transitions (e.g., the R lines of 2 E → 4 A 2 ) and the associated electric dipole transitions (e.g., phonon-induced sidebands of the R lines) of Cr 3+ ions in ytterbium-yttrium aluminum garnet polycrystalline transparent ceramic. The doubly split R lines predominately due to the doublet splitting of the 2 E level of the Cr 3+ ion in an octahedral crystal field are found to show a very large anisotropy in both emission intensity and thermal broadening. The large departure from the intensity equality between them could be interpreted in terms of large difference in coupling strength with phonons for the doubly split states of the 2 E level. For the large anisotropy in thermal broadening, very different effective Debye temperatures for the two split states may be responsible for it. Besides the 2 E excited state, the higher excited states, for example, 4 T 1 and 4 T 2 of the Cr 3+ ion, also exhibit a very large inequality in coupling strength with phonons at room temperature. By examining the Stokes phonon sidebands of the MD R lines at low temperatures with the existing ion-phonon coupling theory, we reveal that they indeed carry fundamental information of phonons. For example, their broad background primarily reflects Debye density of states of acoustic phonons. These new results significantly enrich our existing understanding on interesting but challenging luminescence mechanisms of ion-phonon coupling systems.

[Ceramic-on-ceramic bearings in total hip arthroplasty (THA)].

Science.gov (United States)

Sentürk, U; Perka, C

2015-04-01

The main reason for total hip arthroplasty (THA) revision is the wear-related aseptic loosening. Younger and active patients after total joint replacement create high demands, in particular, on the bearings. The progress, especially for alumina ceramic-on-ceramic bearings and mixed ceramics have solved many problems of the past and lead to good in vitro results. Modern ceramics (alumina or mixed ceramics containing alumina) are extremely hard, scratch-resistant, biocompatible, offer a low coefficient of friction, superior lubrication and have the lowest wear rates in comparison to all other bearings in THA. The disadvantage of ceramic is the risk of material failure, i.e., of ceramic fracture. The new generation of mixed ceramics (delta ceramic), has reduced the risk of head fractures to 0.03-0.05 %, but the risk for liner fractures remains unchanged at about 0.02 %. Assuming a non-impinging component implantation, ceramic-on-ceramic bearings have substantial advantages over all other bearings in THA. Due to the superior hardness, ceramic bearings produce less third body wear and are virtually impervious to damage from instruments during the implantation process. A specific complication for ceramic-on-ceramic bearings is "squeaking". The high rate of reported squeaking (0.45 to 10.7 %) highlights the importance of precise implant positioning and the stem and patient selection. With precise implant positioning this problem is rare with many implant designs and without clinical relevance. The improved tribology and the presumable resulting implant longevity make ceramic-on-ceramic the bearing of choice for young and active patients. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Portfolio: Ceramics.

Science.gov (United States)

Hardy, Jane; And Others

1982-01-01

Describes eight art activities using ceramics. Elementary students created ceramic tiles to depict ancient Egyptian and medieval European art, made ceramic cookie stamps, traced bisque plates on sketch paper, constructed clay room-tableaus, and designed clay relief masks. Secondary students pit-fired ceramic pots and designed ceramic Victorian…

Illusionary Transparency? Oil Revenues, Information Disclosure, and Transparency

OpenAIRE

Ofori, Jerome Jeffison; Lujala, Päivi

2015-01-01

xperience shows that discovery of valuable natural resources can become a curse rather than a blessing, and transparency has been identified as key to better resource governance because it can limit opportunities for corruption and mismanagement. This article shows that information disclosure, in which many governments and donor institutions engage, does not automatically translate into transparency. Ghana has embedded transparency as one of its key principles in oil management. However, fiel...

Transparency

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Flyverbom, Mikkel

2016-01-01

This article challenges the view of transparency as a matter of providing openness, insight, and clarity by conceptualizing it as a form of visibility management. We tend to think of transparency as a process of ensuring accountability through the timely and public disclosure of information...

Preparation and characterization of highly transparent Nd:YAG/YAG composite ceramics

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Benyuan; Zhang, Wei; Shen, Bizhou; Wang, Yuezhong; Song, Haizhi; Li, Feng; Xie, Xiumin; Zhang, Zhibin; Yang, Yongqiang; Guan, Zhouguo

2018-05-01

Using the co-precipitated Nd:YAG and YAG powders as raw materials, the Nd:YAG/YAG composite ceramics (Ф 50 mm × 5 mm) were prepared by vacuum sintering (1790 °C 50 h), followed by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) post treatment (1700 °C 2 h, 200 MPa Ar atmosphere) and air annealing (1250 °C 100 h). The optical properties of Nd:YAG/YAG samples were improved markedly by HIP post-treatment, mainly due to the elimination of residual pores in the samples. The composite sample showed a perfect bonding interface from Nd:YAG to YAG regions without obvious grain size difference, pores or other defects. This structure should be responsible for the thermal conductivity larger than that of non-composite sample. The composite sample revealed good optical properties with transmittance up to 83.9% at 1064 nm and 80.8% at 400 nm, and a maximum laser output power of 1.38 KW with the slope efficiency of 36.7% was obtained.

Gold-coated iron nanoparticles in transparent Si3N4 matrix thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez-Marcos, J.; Céspedes, E.; Jiménez-Villacorta, F.; Muñoz-Martín, A.; Prieto, C.

2013-06-01

A new method to prepare thin films containing gold-coated iron nanoparticles is presented. The ternary Fe-Au-Si3N4 system prepared by sequential sputtering has revealed a progressive variation of microstructures from Au/Fe/Au/Si3N4 multilayers to iron nanoparticles. Microstructural characterization by transmission electron microscopy, analysis of the magnetic properties and probing of the iron short-range order by X-ray absorption spectroscopy confirm the existence of a gold-coated iron nanoparticles of 1-2 nm typical size for a specific range of iron and gold contents per layer in the transparent silicon nitride ceramic matrix.

Surface modification of ceramics. Ceramics no hyomen kaishitsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hioki, T. (Toyota Central Research and Development Labs., Inc., Nagoya (Japan))

1993-07-05

Surface modification of ceramics and some study results using in implantation in surface modification are introduced. The mechanical properties (strength, fracture toughness, flaw resistance) of ceramics was improved and crack was repaired using surface modification by ion implantation. It is predicted that friction and wear properties are considerably affected because the hardness of ceramics is changed by ion implantation. Cementing and metalization are effective as methods for interface modification and the improvement of the adhesion power of the interface between metal and ceramic is their example. It was revealed that the improvement of mechanical properties of ceramics was achieved if appropriate surface modification was carried out. The market of ceramics mechanical parts is still small, therefore, the present situation is that the field of activities for surface modification of ceramics is also narrow. However, it is thought that in future, ceramics use may be promoted surely in the field like medicine and mechatronics. 8 refs., 4 figs.

Transparency in Organizing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Albu, Oana Brindusa

This dissertation provides a critical analysis of transparency in the context of organizing. The empirical material is based on qualitative studies of international cooperative organizations. The dissertation seeks to contribute to transparency and organizing scholarship by adopting a communication...... centred approach to explore the implications of pursuing ideals of transparency in organizational relationships. The dissertation is comprised of four papers each contributing to extant debates in organizational studies and transparency literature. The findings indicate that transparency, in contrast...... to being a solution for efficiency and democratic organizing, is a communicatively contested process which may lead to unintended consequences. The dissertation shows that transparency is performative: it can impact authority by de/legitimating action, shape the processes of organizational identity co...

Low-cost ZnO:Al transparent contact by reactive rotatable magnetron sputtering for Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar modules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menner, R.; Hariskos, D.; Linss, V.; Powalla, M.

2011-01-01

Sputtering ZnO as transparent front contact (TCO) is standard in today's industrial scale Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 (CIGS) module manufacturing. Although innovative concepts like rotatable magnetron sputtering from ceramic targets have been realised, costs are still high due to expensive ceramic targets. Significant cost reductions are expected by using reactive sputtering of metallic targets. Therefore, ZSW and industrial partners investigated the reactive sputtering of Al-doped zinc oxide (ZAO) as TCO on CIGS absorbers of high quality and industrial relevance. The reactive DC sputtering from rotatable magnetron targets is controlled in the transition mode by adjusting oxygen flow and discharge voltage. Optimisation leads to ZAO films with a TCO quality nearly comparable to standard films deposited by DC ceramic sputtering. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Hall analyses of the ZAO films are performed. Medium-size CIGS modules are coated with reactively sputtered ZAO, resulting in 12.8% module efficiency and surpassing the efficiency of the ceramic witness device. Cd-free buffered devices are also successfully coated with reactive TCO. Damp heat stability according to IEC61646 is met by all reactively sputtered devices.

Upconversion studies of Er3+/Yb3+ doped SrO.TiO2 borosilicate glass ceramic system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maheshwari, Aditya; Om Prakash; Kumar, Devendra; Rai, S.B.

2011-01-01

Upconversion behaviour has been studied in various matrices and fine powders of SrTiO 3 by previous workers. In present work, Er 3+ /Yb 3+ were doped in appropriate ratio in SrO.TiO 2 borosilicate glass ceramic system to study the upconversion phenomenon. Dielectric properties of this class of glass ceramic system have been extensively investigated by Thakur et al. It has been observed that both upconversion efficiency and dielectric constant increases with transformation of glass into glass ceramic. Therefore, present investigation is based upon the study of optical as well as the electrical properties of same glass ceramic system. In order to prepare different crystalline matrices, two different Er 3+ /Yb 3+ :SrO.TiO 2 borosilicate glasses with same amount of Er 2 O 3 and Yb 2 O 3 were prepared by melt quench method. Glasses were transparent with light-wine colour. Glass ceramics were prepared from the glasses by heat treatment based on DTA (Differential thermal analysis) results. Glass ceramics were fully opaque with brownish-cream colour. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns confirmed that two different crystalline matrices, Sr 3 Ti 2 O 7 , Ti 10 O 19 and SrTiO 3 , TiO 2 were present in two glass ceramic samples respectively. Luminescence properties of glass and glass ceramic samples with 976nm laser irradiation showed that the intensities of the green and red emission increased multiple times in glass ceramic than that of the glass. Possible mechanisms responsible for upconversion eg. Energy Transfer (ET) and Excited State Absorption (ESA), were studied through laser pumping power log dependence

Probing the Nanodomain Origin and Phase Transition Mechanisms in (Un)Poled PMN-PT Single Crystals and Textured Ceramics

Science.gov (United States)

Slodczyk, Aneta; Colomban, Philippe

2010-01-01

Outstanding electrical properties of solids are often due to the composition heterogeneity and/or the competition between two or more sublattices. This is true for superionic and superprotonic conductors and supraconductors, as well as for many ferroelectric materials. As in PLZT ferroelectric materials, the exceptional ferro- and piezoelectric properties of the PMN-PT ((1−x)PbMg1/3Nb2/3O3−xPbTiO3) solid solutions arise from the coexistence of different symmetries with long and short scales in the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) region. This complex physical behavior requires the use of experimental techniques able to probe the local structure at the nanoregion scale. Since both Raman signature and thermal expansion behavior depend on the chemical bond anharmonicity, these techniques are very efficient to detect and then to analyze the subtitle structural modifications with an efficiency comparable to neutron scattering. Using the example of poled (field cooling or room temperature) and unpoled PMN-PT single crystal and textured ceramic, we show how the competition between the different sublattices with competing degrees of freedom, namely the Pb-Pb dominated by the Coulombian interactions and those built of covalent bonded entities (NbO6 and TiO6), determine the short range arrangement and the outstanding ferro- and piezoelectric properties. PMID:28883367

Transparent lithium-ion batteries

KAUST Repository

Yang, Y.

2011-07-25

Transparent devices have recently attracted substantial attention. Various applications have been demonstrated, including displays, touch screens, and solar cells; however, transparent batteries, a key component in fully integrated transparent devices, have not yet been reported. As battery electrode materials are not transparent and have to be thick enough to store energy, the traditional approach of using thin films for transparent devices is not suitable. Here we demonstrate a grid-structured electrode to solve this dilemma, which is fabricated by a microfluidics-assisted method. The feature dimension in the electrode is below the resolution limit of human eyes, and, thus, the electrode appears transparent. Moreover, by aligning multiple electrodes together, the amount of energy stored increases readily without sacrificing the transparency. This results in a battery with energy density of 10 Wh/L at a transparency of 60%. The device is also flexible, further broadening their potential applications. The transparent device configuration also allows in situ Raman study of fundamental electrochemical reactions in batteries.

Transparent lithium-ion batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yuan; Jeong, Sangmoo; Hu, Liangbing; Wu, Hui; Lee, Seok Woo; Cui, Yi

2011-01-01

Transparent devices have recently attracted substantial attention. Various applications have been demonstrated, including displays, touch screens, and solar cells; however, transparent batteries, a key component in fully integrated transparent devices, have not yet been reported. As battery electrode materials are not transparent and have to be thick enough to store energy, the traditional approach of using thin films for transparent devices is not suitable. Here we demonstrate a grid-structured electrode to solve this dilemma, which is fabricated by a microfluidics-assisted method. The feature dimension in the electrode is below the resolution limit of human eyes, and, thus, the electrode appears transparent. Moreover, by aligning multiple electrodes together, the amount of energy stored increases readily without sacrificing the transparency. This results in a battery with energy density of 10 Wh/L at a transparency of 60%. The device is also flexible, further broadening their potential applications. The transparent device configuration also allows in situ Raman study of fundamental electrochemical reactions in batteries. PMID:21788483

Cyclic mechanical fatigue in ceramic-ceramic composites: an update

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewis, D. III

1983-01-01

Attention is given to cyclic mechanical fatigue effects in a number of ceramics and ceramic composites, including several monolithic ceramics in which significant residual stresses should be present as a result of thermal expansion mismatches and anisotropy. Fatigue is also noted in several BN-containing ceramic matrix-particulate composites and in SiC fiber-ceramic matrix composites. These results suggest that fatigue testing is imperative for ceramics and ceramic composites that are to be used in applications subject to cyclic loading. Fatigue process models are proposed which provide a rationale for fatigue effect observations, but do not as yet provide quantitative results. Fiber composite fatigue damage models indicate that design stresses in these materials may have to be maintained below the level at which fiber pullout occurs

Simultaneous synthesis and densification of transparent, photoluminescent polycrystalline YAG by current activated pressure assisted densification (CAPAD)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Penilla, E.H.; Kodera, Y. [Mechanical Engineering Dept., Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of California, Riverside (United States); Garay, J.E., E-mail: jegaray@engr.ucr.edu [Mechanical Engineering Dept., Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of California, Riverside (United States)

2012-08-20

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We report a method for the synthesis of transparent and PL bulk polycrystalline Ce:YAG using CAPAD. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The process uses {gamma}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}, and CeO{sub 2} nanopowders, reacted and densified simultaneously. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The synthesis/densification kinetics are faster than those reported previously. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Optical measurements show good transparency in the visible and photoluminescence (PL) in the Ce:YAG. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The PL peak is broad and appears white when excited using blue light. - Abstract: We report a method for the synthesis and processing of transparent bulk polycrystalline yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) and photoluminescent Ce-doped YAG ceramics via solid-state reactive-current activated pressure assisted densification (CAPAD). The process uses commercially available {gamma}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}, and CeO{sub 2} nanopowders. The nanopowders were reacted and densified simultaneously at temperatures between 850 Degree-Sign C and 1550 Degree-Sign C and at a maximum pressure of 105 MPa. The solid-state reaction to phase pure YAG occurs in under 4 min at processing temperatures 1100 Degree-Sign C which is significantly faster (on the order of tens of hours) and occurs at much lower temperatures ({approx}600 Degree-Sign C) compared to conventional reaction sintering. We found that the reaction significantly improves densification - the shrinkage rate of reaction-produced YAG was three times higher than that of YAG using pre-reacted powder. The Ce additions were found to retard the reaction driven shrinkage kinetics by a factor {approx}3, but are still faster (by a factor {approx}1.6) than those associated with direct densification (no synthesis). Densities >99% were achieved in both pure YAG and Ce doped YAG (Ce:YAG). Results of optical measurements show good transparency in the visible and

TRANSPARENT CONCRETE

OpenAIRE

Sandeep Sharma*, Dr. O.P. Reddy

2017-01-01

Transparent concrete is the new type of concrete introduced in todays world which carries special property of light transmitting due to presence of light Optical fibres. Which is also known as translucent concrete or light transmitting concrete, it is achieved by replacing coarse aggregates with transparent alternate materials (Optical fibres). The binding material in transparent concrete may be able to transmit light by using clear resins the concrete mix. The concrete used in industry in pr...

Effect of esthetic core shades on the final color of IPS Empress all-ceramic crowns.

Science.gov (United States)

Azer, Shereen S; Ayash, Ghada M; Johnston, William M; Khalil, Moustafa F; Rosenstiel, Stephen F

2006-12-01

Clinically relevant assessment of all-ceramic crowns supported by esthetic composite resin foundations has not been evaluated with regard to color reproducibility. This in vitro study quantitatively evaluated the influence of different shades of composite resin foundations and resin cement on the final color of a leucite-reinforced all-ceramic material. A total of 128 disks were fabricated; 64 (20 x 1 mm) were made of all-ceramic material (IPS Empress) and 64 (20 x 4 mm) of 4 different shades composite resin (Tetric Ceram). The ceramic and composite resin disks were luted using 2 shades (A3 and Transparent) of resin cement (Variolink II). Color was measured using a colorimeter configured with a diffuse illumination/0-degree viewing geometry, and Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) L( *)a( *)b( *) values were directly calculated. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed, and color differences (DeltaE) for the average L( *), a( *) and b( *) color parameters were calculated. Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare mean values and SDs between the different color combinations (alpha=.05). The CIE L( *)a( *)b( *) color coordinate values showed no significant differences for variation in color parameters due to the effect of the different composite resin shades (P=.24) or cement shades (P=.12). The mean color difference (DeltaE) value between the groups was 0.8. Within the limitations of this study, the use of different shades for composite resin cores and resin cements presented no statistically significant effect on the final color of IPS Empress all-ceramic material.

The art of transparency.

Science.gov (United States)

Sayim, Bilge; Cavanagh, Patrick

2011-01-01

Artists throughout the ages have discovered a number of techniques to depict transparency. With only a few exceptions, these techniques follow closely the properties of physical transparency. The two best known properties are X-junctions and the luminance relations described by Metelli. X-junctions are seen where the contours of a transparent material cross contours of the surface behind; Metelli's constraints on the luminance relations between the direct and filtered portions of the surface specify a range of luminance values that are consistent with transparency. These principles have been used by artists since the time of ancient Egypt. However, artists also discovered that stimuli can be seen as transparent even when these physical constraints are not met. Ancient Greek artists, for example, were able to depict transparent materials in simple black-and-white line drawings. Artists also learned how to represent transparency in cases where neither X-junctions nor Metelli's constraints could apply: for example, where no portions of the objects behind the transparent material extend beyond it. Many painters convincingly portrayed transparency in these cases by depicting the effects the transparent medium would have on material or object properties. Here, we show how artists employed these and other techniques revealing their anticipation of current formalizations of perceived transparency, and we suggest new, as-yet-untested principles.

High power pulsed magnetron sputtering of transparent conducting oxides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sittinger, V.; Ruske, F.; Werner, W.; Jacobs, C.; Szyszka, B.; Christie, D.J.

2008-01-01

High power pulsed magnetron sputtering (HPPMS) has been used in order to study the deposition of transparent conducting oxides. We summarize the studies carried out on different materials (indium tin oxide-ITO and aluminium-doped zinc oxide-AZO) using rather different technological approaches, namely sputtering of ceramic targets and reactive sputtering. For the deposition of AZO reactive HPPMS for metallic targets has been used. A feedback control loop has been implemented in order to stabilize the discharge at any given setpoint on the hysteresis curve. The hysteresis was also found to have a rather untypical form. Reactive HPPMS was found to be a promising tool for obtaining high quality films of low total thickness. In the case of ITO deposition a ceramic target has been used. The process has been characterized in terms of its plasma emission and increasing indium ionization was found for higher peak power densities. The properties of the deposited films were compared to DC sputtered films. While for DC sputtering the choice of oxygen addition and shieldings is crucial for determining surface morphology and resistivity, in HPPMS sputtering peak power density has been found to be a good parameter for influencing the crystal structure. The morphologies obtained differ strongly from those seen in DC sputtering. At high power densities films with low surface roughness and excellent resistivity could be deposited without the use of shieldings

Method of forming a ceramic matrix composite and a ceramic matrix component

Science.gov (United States)

de Diego, Peter; Zhang, James

2017-05-30

A method of forming a ceramic matrix composite component includes providing a formed ceramic member having a cavity, filling at least a portion of the cavity with a ceramic foam. The ceramic foam is deposited on a barrier layer covering at least one internal passage of the cavity. The method includes processing the formed ceramic member and ceramic foam to obtain a ceramic matrix composite component. Also provided is a method of forming a ceramic matrix composite blade and a ceramic matrix composite component.

Peering into Transparency

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Lars Thøger; Cheney, George

and trustworthy knowledge about contemporary organizations, the transparency discourse has significant democratic potential. Yet, its most common operationalization – as information availability – reinstalls a “purified” notion of communication devoid of mystery, inaccuracy and misrepresentation. In this paper......The current emphasis on organizational and institutional transparency – driven by NGOs, inquisitive media, critical investors and other engaged stakeholders – signifies a growing demand for insight, clarity, participation and democracy. Holding the promise of improved access to valid......, we apply transparency to itself by unpacking its implicit model of communication and critiquing its ignorance towards the representative nature of current transparency practices. The critique unfolds the ambiguous nature of the transparency pursuit and demonstrates how its desire for insight, clarity...

Particles and nuclei, letters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

The present collection of letters from JINR, Dubna, contains seven separate records on kinematic separation and mass analysis of heavy recoiling nuclei, dynamical effects prior to heavy ion fusion, VACTIV-DELPHI graphical dialog based program for the analysis of gamma-ray spectra, irradiation of nuclear emulsions in relativistic beams of 6 He and 3 H nuclei, optical and structural investigations of PLZT x/65/35 (x = 4, 8 %) ferroelectric ceramics irradiated by a high-current pulsed electron beam, the oscillating charge and first evidence for neutrinoless double beta decay

Magnetron deposition of metal-ceramic protective coatings on glasses of windows of space vehicles

OpenAIRE

Sergeev, Viktor Petrovich; Panin, Viktor Evgenyevich; Psakhie, Sergey Grigorievich; Chernyavskii, Alexandr; Svechkin, Valerii; Khristenko, Yurii; Kalashnikov, Mark Petrovich; Voronov, Andrei

2014-01-01

Transparent refractory metal-ceramic nanocomposite coatings with a high coefficient of elasticrecovery and microhardness on the basis of Ni/Si-Al-N are formed on a glass substrate by the pulse magnetron deposition method. The structure-phase states were investigated by TEM, SEM. It was established that the first layer consists of Ni nanograins with a fcc crystalline lattice, the second layer is two-phase: 5-10 nm nanocrystallites of the AlN phase with the hcp crystalline lattice in amorphous ...

Structural investigations of Lu.sub.2./sub.O.sub.3./sub. as single crystal and polycrystalline transparent ceramic

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Guzik, M.; Pejchal, Jan; Yoshikawa, A.; Ito, A.; Goto, T.; Siczek, M.; Lis, T.; Boulon, J.

2014-01-01

Roč. 14, č. 7 (2014), 3327 -3334 ISSN 1528-7483 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : lutetium oxide * structure * crystal growth * ceramics Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 4.891, year: 2014

Plasmonic transparent conductors

Science.gov (United States)

Liapis, Andreas C.; Sfeir, Matthew Y.; Black, Charles T.

2016-09-01

Many of today's technological applications, such as solar cells, light-emitting diodes, displays, and touch screens, require materials that are simultaneously optically transparent and electrically conducting. Here we explore transparent conductors based on the excitation of surface plasmons in nanostructured metal films. We measure both the optical and electrical properties of films perforated with nanometer-scale features and optimize the design parameters in order to maximize optical transmission without sacrificing electrical conductivity. We demonstrate that plasmonic transparent conductors can out-perform indium tin oxide in terms of both their transparency and their conductivity.

Superconductivity Devices: Commercial Use of Space

Science.gov (United States)

Haertling, Gene (Principal Investigator); Furman, Eugene; Li, Guang

1996-01-01

The work described in this report covers various aspects of the Rainbow solid-state actuator and sensor technologies. It is presented in five parts dealing with sensor applications, nonlinear properties, stress-optic and electrooptic properties, stacks and arrays, and publications. The Rainbow actuator technology is a relatively new materials development which had its inception in 1992. It involves a new processing technique for preparing pre-stressed, high lead containing piezoelectric and electrostrictive ceramic materials. Ceramics fabricated by this method produce bending-mode actuator devices which possess several times more displacement and load bearing capacity than present-day benders. Since they can also be used in sensor applications, Rainbows are part of the family of materials known as smart ceramics. During this period, PLZT Rainbow ceramics were characterized with respect to their piezoelectric properties for potential use in stress sensor applications. Studies of the nonlinear and stress-optic/electrooptic birefringent properties were also initiated during this period. Various means for increasing the utility of stress-enhanced Rainbow actuators are presently under investigation.

A new classification system for all-ceramic and ceramic-like restorative materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Gracis, Stefano; Thompson, Van P; Ferencz, Jonathan L; Silva, Nelson R F A; Bonfante, Estevam A

2015-01-01

Classification systems for all-ceramic materials are useful for communication and educational purposes and warrant continuous revisions and updates to incorporate new materials. This article proposes a classification system for ceramic and ceramic-like restorative materials in an attempt to systematize and include a new class of materials. This new classification system categorizes ceramic restorative materials into three families: (1) glass-matrix ceramics, (2) polycrystalline ceramics, and (3) resin-matrix ceramics. Subfamilies are described in each group along with their composition, allowing for newly developed materials to be placed into the already existing main families. The criteria used to differentiate ceramic materials are based on the phase or phases present in their chemical composition. Thus, an all-ceramic material is classified according to whether a glass-matrix phase is present (glass-matrix ceramics) or absent (polycrystalline ceramics) or whether the material contains an organic matrix highly filled with ceramic particles (resin-matrix ceramics). Also presented are the manufacturers' clinical indications for the different materials and an overview of the different fabrication methods and whether they are used as framework materials or monolithic solutions. Current developments in ceramic materials not yet available to the dental market are discussed.

Wonderland of ceramics superplasticity; Ceramics chososei no sekai

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wakai, F. [National Industrial Research Inst. of Nagoya, Nagoya (Japan)

1995-07-01

It has been ten years since it was found that ceramics, which is strong and hard at room temperatures and does not deform at all, may exhibit a superplasticity phenomenon at high temperatures that it endlessly elongates when pulled as if it were chewing gum. This phenomenon is one of peculiar behaviours which nano-crystal ceramics, pulverized to an extent that the crystalline particle size is on the order of nanometers, show. The application of superplasticity made the material engineers`s old dream come true that hard ceramics are arbitrarily deformed and machined like metal. Using as models materials such as silicone nitride, alumina and zirconia, this paper describes the history and deformation mechanism of ceramics superplasticity, material design aiming at superplasticization and application of ceramics superplasticity to the machining technology. Furthermore, it describes the trend and future development of international joint researches on the basic surveys on ceramics superplasticity. 25 refs., 11 figs.

A finite element model of ferroelectric/ferroelastic polycrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

HWANG,STEPHEN C.; MCMEEKING,ROBERT M.

2000-02-17

A finite element model of polarization switching in a polycrystalline ferroelectric/ferroelastic ceramic is developed. It is assumed that a crystallite switches if the reduction in potential energy of the polycrystal exceeds a critical energy barrier per unit volume of switching material. Each crystallite is represented by a finite element with the possible dipole directions assigned randomly subject to crystallographic constraints. The model accounts for both electric field induced (i.e. ferroelectric) switching and stress induced (i.e. ferroelastic) switching with piezoelectric interactions. Experimentally measured elastic, dielectric, and piezoelectric constants are used consistently, but different effective critical energy barriers are selected phenomenologically. Electric displacement versus electric field, strain versus electric field, stress versus strain, and stress versus electric displacement loops of a ceramic lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT) are modeled well below the Curie temperature.

Crystallization kinetics and spectroscopic investigations on Tb3+ and Yb3+ codoped glass ceramics containing CaF2 nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Lihui; Qin Guanshi; Arai, Yusuke; Jose, Rajan; Suzuki, Takenobu; Ohishi, Yasutake; Yamashita, Tatsuya; Akimoto, Yusuke

2007-01-01

Transparent Tb 3+ and Yb 3+ codoped oxyfluoride glass ceramics containing CaF 2 nanocrystals were prepared by melt quenching and subsequent heat treatment. Crystallization kinetics of CaF 2 nanocrystals was investigated by differential scanning calorimetric method. The average apparent activation energy E a of the crystallization was ∼498 kJ/mol. Moreover, the value of the Avrami exponent n was 1.01. These results suggest that the crystallization mechanism of CaF 2 is a diffusion controlled growth process of needles and plates of finite long dimensions. X-ray diffraction patterns and transmission electron microscopy image confirmed the CaF 2 nanocrystals in the glass ceramic. Ultraviolet (UV) and visible emission spectra of the as-made glass and the glass ceramic with an excitation of a 974 nm laser diode were recorded at room temperature. An intense UV emission at 381 nm was observed in the glass ceramic. The origin of the enhancement of the emission at 381 nm was investigated using spectroscopic technique and Judd-Ofelt analysis. The enhancement of the emission at 381 nm could be attributed to the change of the ligand field of Tb 3+ ions due to the incorporation of some Tb 3+ and Yb 3+ ions into CaF 2 nanocrystals in the glass ceramic

Transparency views by media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikawa, Y.

2007-01-01

In this presentation, various problems surrounding the issues of transparency, such as 'What exactly should be transparent?' 'Is all that we want amounting only to transparency?' 'Is it possible to thoroughly implement transparency', etc., are discussed with due consideration for the viewpoints of the wide range of parties concerned involving areas of politics, administration, enterprises, media, individuals, and so on. First of all, the explanation is focused on how the transparency is recognised, as well as how it is regarded as important, for the public at large and the media. Then, based on the concept that transparency is required for what cannot be justified to be secret, we will contemplate what should be transparent in the areas of politics, administration and enterprises, using the case of nuclear issues as example. Next, the discussion will proceed to the point whether the achievement of transparency itself should be the ultimate goal, in the light of taking into consideration the standpoints of individuals and the receivers of the information, in addition to that of the administration, politics, and enterprises. In closing, we will discuss what the necessary measures will be to materialize the complete transparency on the basis of the discussions made thus far. (author)

Ceramic Laser Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guillermo Villalobos

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Ceramic laser materials have come a long way since the first demonstration of lasing in 1964. Improvements in powder synthesis and ceramic sintering as well as novel ideas have led to notable achievements. These include the first Nd:yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG ceramic laser in 1995, breaking the 1 KW mark in 2002 and then the remarkable demonstration of more than 100 KW output power from a YAG ceramic laser system in 2009. Additional developments have included highly doped microchip lasers, ultrashort pulse lasers, novel materials such as sesquioxides, fluoride ceramic lasers, selenide ceramic lasers in the 2 to 3 μm region, composite ceramic lasers for better thermal management, and single crystal lasers derived from polycrystalline ceramics. This paper highlights some of these notable achievements.

Ceramic Laser Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Sanghera, Jasbinder; Kim, Woohong; Villalobos, Guillermo; Shaw, Brandon; Baker, Colin; Frantz, Jesse; Sadowski, Bryan; Aggarwal, Ishwar

2012-01-01

Ceramic laser materials have come a long way since the first demonstration of lasing in 1964. Improvements in powder synthesis and ceramic sintering as well as novel ideas have led to notable achievements. These include the first Nd:yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) ceramic laser in 1995, breaking the 1 KW mark in 2002 and then the remarkable demonstration of more than 100 KW output power from a YAG ceramic laser system in 2009. Additional developments have included highly doped microchip lasers, ultrashort pulse lasers, novel materials such as sesquioxides, fluoride ceramic lasers, selenide ceramic lasers in the 2 to 3 μm region, composite ceramic lasers for better thermal management, and single crystal lasers derived from polycrystalline ceramics. This paper highlights some of these notable achievements. PMID:28817044

Preparation and properties of Nd{sup 3+}:SrAlF{sub 5} nanocrystals embedded fluorophosphate transparent glass-ceramic with long fluorescence lifetime

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zheng, Ruilin; Wang, Jinlong; Zhang, Liaolin; Liu, Chunxiao; Wei, Wei [Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, School of Optoelectronic Engineering, Nanjing (China)

2016-07-15

Nd{sup 3+}:SrAlF{sub 5} nanocrystals embedded fluorophosphate glass-ceramics were prepared by the melt quenching and subsequent thermal treatment method. The formation of SrAlF{sub 5} nanocrystals in the glass was confirmed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope. The fluorescence intensity and lifetime of the glass-ceramics increased with the increase of size of nanocrystals. Importantly, by controlling growth of nanocrystals, an obvious enhancement of lifetime (725 μs) emerged in the glass-ceramics heat-treated at 510 C and the transmittance can reach to 72.2 % at 1049 nm. The enhanced fluorescence intensity and lifetime were ascribed to the comfortable local environment to the Nd{sup 3+} ion and scattering of the nanoparticle embedded into the glass matrix. (orig.)

Transparent lithium-ion batteries

KAUST Repository

Yang, Y.; Jeong, S.; Hu, L.; Wu, H.; Lee, S. W.; Cui, Y.

2011-01-01

Transparent devices have recently attracted substantial attention. Various applications have been demonstrated, including displays, touch screens, and solar cells; however, transparent batteries, a key component in fully integrated transparent

Size distribution of BaF2 nanocrystallites in transparent glass ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bocker, Christian; Bhattacharyya, Somnath; Hoeche, Thomas; Ruessel, Christian

2009-01-01

In glasses with the composition 1.9 Na 2 O-15 K 2 O-7.5 Al 2 O 3 -69.6 SiO 2 -6 BaF 2 (in mol.%), BaF 2 nanocrystalline precipitates are formed upon heat treatment. Using dark-field and bright-field transmission electron micrographs, crystallite size distributions are obtained for samples crystallized at various temperatures. According to the 'tomato-salad problem', the size distributions are corrected and then compared to various theories of grain growth taking into account coarsening of the crystallites during heat treatment. The experimental crystallite size distributions show for smaller mean crystallite sizes a more symmetric shape in comparison to the theories of Lifshitz-Slyozov-Wagner (LSW) or Brailsford and Wynblatt (B and W). With increasing mean crystallite sizes to about 18 nm at higher heat-treatment temperatures, the full width at half maximum of the observed distributions decreases and becomes even narrower than the LSW function. These findings indicate that in the investigated nano glass ceramics no coarsening by Ostwald ripening or coalescence occurs. This is explained by the formation of a diffusion barrier around each nanocrystallite which limits the size of the crystallites and hence results in such a narrow and uniform crystallite size distribution.

Ceramic piezoelectric materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaszuwara, W.

2004-01-01

Ceramic piezoelectric materials conert reversibility electric energy into mechanical energy. In the presence of electric field piezoelectric materials exhibit deformations up to 0.15% (for single crystals up to 1.7%). The deformation energy is in the range of 10 2 - 10 3 J/m 3 and working frequency can reach 10 5 Hz. Ceramic piezoelectric materials find applications in many modern disciplines such as: automatics, micromanipulation, measuring techniques, medical diagnostics and many others. Among the variety of ceramic piezoelectric materials the most important appear to be ferroelectric materials such as lead zirconate titanate so called PZT ceramics. Ceramic piezoelectric materials can be processed by methods widely applied for standard ceramics, i.e. starting from simple precursors e.g. oxides. Application of sol-gel method has also been reported. Substantial drawback for many applications of piezoelectric ceramics is their brittleness, thus much effort is currently being put in the development of piezoelectric composite materials. Other important research directions in the field of ceramic piezoelectric materials composite development of lead free materials, which can exhibit properties similar to the PZT ceramics. Among other directions one has to state processing of single crystals and materials having texture or gradient structure. (author)

Single-crystal SrTiO3 fiber grown by laser heated pedestal growth method: influence of ceramic feed rod preparation in fiber quality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Reyes Ardila

1998-10-01

Full Text Available The rapidly spreading use of optical fiber as a transmission medium has created an interest in fiber-compatible optical devices and methods for growing them, such as the Laser Heated Pedestal Growth (LHPG. This paper reports on the influence of the ceramic feed rod treatment on fiber quality and optimization of ceramic pedestal processing that allows improvements to be made on the final quality in a simple manner. Using the LHPG technique, transparent crack-free colorless single crystal fibers of SrTiO3 (0.50 mm in diameter and 30-40 mm in length were grown directly from green-body feed rods, without using external oxygen atmosphere.

Testing method for ceramic armour and bare ceramic tiles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Carton, E.P.; Roebroeks, G.H.J.J.

2016-01-01

TNO developed an alternative, more configuration independent ceramic test method than the Depth-of-Penetration test method. In this alternative test ceramic tiles and ceramic based armour are evaluated as target without a semi-infinite backing layer. An energy approach is chosen to evaluate and rank

Testing method for ceramic armor and bare ceramic tiles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Carton, E.P.; Roebroeks, G.H.J.J.

2014-01-01

TNO has developed an alternative, more configuration independent ceramic test method than the standard Depth-of-Penetration test method. In this test ceramic tiles and ceramic based armor are evaluated as target without a semi-infinite backing layer. An energy approach is chosen to evaluate and rank

FIBROUS CERAMIC-CERAMIC COMPOSITE MATERIALS PROCESSING AND PROPERTIES

OpenAIRE

Naslain , R.

1986-01-01

The introduction of continuous fibers in a ceramic matrix can improve its toughness, if the fiber-matrix bonding is weak enough, due to matrix microcracking and fiber pull-out. Ceramic-ceramic composite materials are processed according to liquid or gas phase techniques. The most important are made of glass, carbide, nitride or oxide matrices reinforced with carbon, SiC or Al2O3 fibers.

Effect of donor and acceptor dopants on crystallization, microstructural and dielectric behaviors of barium strontium titanate glass ceramics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yadav, Avadhesh Kumar, E-mail: yadav.av11@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Dr. Bheem Rao Ambedkar Government Degree College, Anaugi, Kannauj (India); Gautam, C.R. [Department of Physics, University of Lucknow, Lucknow 226007 (India); Singh, Prabhakar [Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi 221005 (India)

2016-07-05

Bulk transparent barium strontium titanate borosilicate glasses in glass system (65-x)[(Ba{sub 0.6}Sr{sub 0.4}).TiO{sub 3}]-30[2SiO{sub 2}.B{sub 2}O{sub 3}]-5[K{sub 2}O]-x[A{sub 2}O{sub 3}], A = La, Fe (x = 2, 5 and 10) were prepared by rapid melt-quench technique and subsequently, converted into glass ceramics by regulated heat treatment process. The phase identification was carried out by X-ray powder diffraction and their surface morphology was studied by scanning electron microscopy. The dielectric properties were studied by impedance spectroscopic technique. Investigated glass samples were crystallized into major and secondary phases of Ba{sub 1.91}Sr{sub 0.09}TiO{sub 4} and Ba{sub 2}TiSi{sub 2}O{sub 8}, respectively. A very high dielectric constant having value upto 68000 was found in glass ceramic sample BST5K10F. This high value of dielectric constant was attributed to interfacial polarization, which arose due to conductivity difference among semiconducting crystalline phases, conducting grains and insulating grain boundaries. Donor dopant La{sub 2}O{sub 3} and acceptor dopant Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} play an important role for enhancing crystallization, dielectric constant and retardation of dielectric loss in the samples. Moreover, higher value of dielectric constant and lower value of dielectric loss was found in Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} doped samples in comparison to La{sub 2}O{sub 3} doped samples. - Highlights: • Bulk transparent barium strontium titanate glasses are successfully prepared. • A very high dielectric constant upto 68000 was found in glass ceramics. • La{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} play role for enhancing value of dielectric constant. • Higher dielectric constant with low dielectric loss was found in Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} doped sample. • Such glass ceramics may be used in making capacitors for high energy storage.

Durability of feldspathic veneering ceramic on glass-infiltrated alumina ceramics after long-term thermocycling.

Science.gov (United States)

Mesquita, A M M; Ozcan, M; Souza, R O A; Kojima, A N; Nishioka, R S; Kimpara, E T; Bottino, M A

2010-01-01

This study compared the bond strength durability of a feldspathic veneering ceramic to glass-infiltrated reinforced ceramics in dry and aged conditions. Disc shaped (thickness: 4 mm, diameter: 4 mm) of glass-infiltrated alumina (In-Ceram Alumina) and glass-infiltrated alumina reinforced by zirconia (In-Ceram Zirconia) core ceramic specimens (N=48, N=12 per groups) were constructed according to the manufacturers' recommendations. Veneering ceramic (VITA VM7) was fired onto the core ceramics using a mold. The core-veneering ceramic assemblies were randomly divided into two conditions and tested either immediately after specimen preparation (Dry) or following 30000 thermocycling (5-55 ºC±1; dwell time: 30 seconds). Shear bond strength test was performed in a universal testing machine (cross-head speed: 1 mm/min). Failure modes were analyzed using optical microscope (x20). The bond strength data (MPa) were analyzed using ANOVA (α=0.05). Thermocycling did not decrease the bond strength results for both In-Ceram Alumina (30.6±8.2 MPa; P=0.2053) and In-Ceram zirconia (32.6±9 MPa; P=0.3987) core ceramic-feldspathic veneering ceramic combinations when compared to non-aged conditions (28.1±6.4 MPa, 29.7±7.3 MPa, respectively). There were also no significant differences between adhesion of the veneering ceramic to either In-Ceram Alumina or In-Ceram Zirconia ceramics (P=0.3289). Failure types were predominantly a mixture of adhesive failure between the veneering and the core ceramic together with cohesive fracture of the veneering ceramic. Long-term thermocycling aging conditions did not impair the adhesion of the veneering ceramic to the glass-infiltrated alumina core ceramics tested.

The Causes of Fiscal Transparency

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alt, James E.; Lassen, David Dreyer; Rose, Shanna

We use unique panel data on the evolution of transparent budget procedures in the American states over the past three decades to explore the political and economic determinants of fiscal transparency. Our case studies and quantitative analysis suggest that both politics and fiscal policy outcomes...... influence the level of transparency. More equal political competition and power sharing are associated with both greater levels of fiscal transparency and increases in fiscal transparency during the sample period. Political polarization and past fiscal conditions, in particular state government debt...... and budget imbalance, also appear to affect the level of transparency...

Gold-coated iron nanoparticles in transparent Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} matrix thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanchez-Marcos, J. [Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (Spain); Cespedes, E. [Keele University, Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine, Guy Hilton Research Centre (United Kingdom); Jimenez-Villacorta, F. [Northeastern University, Department of Chemical Engineering (United States); Munoz-Martin, A. [Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Centro de Microanalisis de Materiales (Spain); Prieto, C., E-mail: cprieto@icmm.csic.es [Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (Spain)

2013-06-15

A new method to prepare thin films containing gold-coated iron nanoparticles is presented. The ternary Fe-Au-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} system prepared by sequential sputtering has revealed a progressive variation of microstructures from Au/Fe/Au/Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} multilayers to iron nanoparticles. Microstructural characterization by transmission electron microscopy, analysis of the magnetic properties and probing of the iron short-range order by X-ray absorption spectroscopy confirm the existence of a gold-coated iron nanoparticles of 1-2 nm typical size for a specific range of iron and gold contents per layer in the transparent silicon nitride ceramic matrix.

Voluntarism and transparent deliberation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Steglich-Petersen, Asbjørn

2006-01-01

voluntarism. I argue that transparency to factual questions occurs in practical deliberation in ways parallel to transparency in doxastic deliberation. I argue that this should make us reconsider the appeal to transparency in arguments against doxastic voluntarism, and the wider issue of distinguishing...... theoretical from practical rationality....

Optimal Central Bank Transparency

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Cruijsen, C.A.B.; Eijffinger, S.C.W.; Hoogduin, L.H.

2008-01-01

Should central banks increase their degree of transparency any further? We show that there is likely to be an optimal intermediate degree of central bank transparency. Up to this optimum more transparency is desirable: it improves the quality of private sector inflation forecasts. But beyond the

Optimal central bank transparency

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Cruijsen, C.A.B.; Eijffinger, S.C.W.; Hoogduin, L.

2008-01-01

Should central banks increase their degree of transparency any further? We show that there is likely to be an optimal intermediate degree of central bank transparency. Up to this optimum more transparency is desirable: it improves the quality of private sector inflation forecasts. But beyond the

Optimal central bank transparency

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Cruijsen, C.A.B.; Eijffinger, S.C.W.; Hoogduin, L.H.

2010-01-01

Should central banks increase their degree of transparency any further? We show that there is likely to be an optimal intermediate degree of central bank transparency. Up to this optimum more transparency is desirable: it improves the quality of private sector inflation forecasts. But beyond the

Ceramic Technology Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-03-01

The Ceramic Technology Project was developed by the USDOE Office of Transportation Systems (OTS) in Conservation and Renewable Energy. This project, part of the OTS's Materials Development Program, was developed to meet the ceramic technology requirements of the OTS's automotive technology programs. Significant accomplishments in fabricating ceramic components for the USDOE and NASA advanced heat engine programs have provided evidence that the operation of ceramic parts in high-temperature engine environments is feasible. These programs have also demonstrated that additional research is needed in materials and processing development, design methodology, and data base and life prediction before industry will have a sufficient technology base from which to produce reliable cost-effective ceramic engine components commercially. A five-year project plan was developed with extensive input from private industry. In July 1990 the original plan was updated through the estimated completion of development in 1993. The objective is to develop the industrial technology base required for reliable ceramics for application in advanced automotive heat engines. The project approach includes determining the mechanisms controlling reliability, improving processes for fabricating existing ceramics, developing new materials with increased reliability, and testing these materials in simulated engine environments to confirm reliability. Although this is a generic materials project, the focus is on the structural ceramics for advanced gas turbine and diesel engines, ceramic bearings and attachments, and ceramic coatings for thermal barrier and wear applications in these engines. To facilitate the rapid transfer of this technology to US industry, the major portion of the work is being done in the ceramic industry, with technological support from government laboratories, other industrial laboratories, and universities.

Creep in ceramics

CERN Document Server

Pelleg, Joshua

2017-01-01

This textbook is one of its kind, since there are no other books on Creep in Ceramics. The book consist of two parts: A and B. In part A general knowledge of creep in ceramics is considered, while part B specifies creep in technologically important ceramics. Part B covers creep in oxide ceramics, carnides and nitrides. While covering all relevant information regarding raw materials and characterization of creep in ceramics, the book also summarizes most recent innovations and developments in this field as a result of extensive literature search.

Additive colours approach for dental ceramics translucency characteristics made from Sumatra and Java natural sands

Science.gov (United States)

Takarini, V.; Gunawan, J.; Hasratiningsih, Z.; Rudyawan, A.

2018-04-01

Translucency is one of dental ceramics desirable aesthetic characteristics, which can be used as an indirect restoration. Dental ceramics can also be made using Computed Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) unit that can create variety blocks as an ingot into a customized restoration. This paper presents the results of self-synthesized porcelain blocks generated from natural sand of Sumatera and Java Islands to promote national independency. This research aims to determine the translucency of dental ceramics made from Indonesia’s natural sand. Six samples each of two different synthesized temperatures, 1150 °C and 1200 °C, were made. To analyse translucency of the sample, their image was taken in bright light background in a black box, then additive green and blue colours histogram channel with range 0 (opaque) to 255 (transparent) were evaluated using Matlab R2015B. The result revealed that mean of green peaks on 1150 °C has an average translucency value of 41%, compared to 34% of blue peaks. Lower percentage of translucency, 31% and 25% on the green and blue channel respectively were attained in samples synthesized in 1200 °C. These suggest that 1150 °C is the optimum temperature for translucency for these ceramic samples from natural sands as they contain leucite crystals shown by the XRD analyses as a result of silica-undersaturated mixture indicated by the Electron Dispersive Spectroscopy. SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) results show remnant of air pocket in the samples sintered at higher temperature.In conclusion, natural sand from Sumatera and Java can be considered as reliable, cheap basic material options in developing self-synthesized dental ceramics with a desirable translucency. These preliminary results indicate that better balance between strength and translucency could potentially be achieved by making nano-sized dental ceramics.

Sensitive Ceramics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2014-01-01

Sensitive Ceramics is showing an interactive digital design tool for designing wall like composition with 3d ceramics. The experiment is working on two levels. One which has to do with designing compositions and patterns in a virtual 3d universe based on a digital dynamic system that responds on ...... with realizing the modules in ceramics by 3d printing directly in porcelain with a RapMan printer that coils up the 3d shape in layers. Finally the ceramic modules are mounted in a laser cut board that reflects the captured composition of the movement of the hands....

Innovative transparent armour concepts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Carton, E.P.; Broos, J.P.F.

2011-01-01

Ever since WWII transparent armour consists of a multi-layer of glass panels bonded by thin polymer bond-films using an autoclave process. TNO has worked on the development of innovative transparent armour concepts that are lighter and a have better multi-hit capacity. Two new transparent armour

Transparent ‘solution’ of ultrathin magnesium hydroxide nanocrystals for flexible and transparent nanocomposite films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Jie-Xin; Sun, Qian; Chen, Bo; Zeng, Xiao-Fei; Zhang, Cong; Chen, Jian-Feng; Wu, Xi; Zou, Hai-Kui

2015-01-01

Transparent solutions of nanocrystals exhibit many unique properties, and are thus attractive materials for numerous applications. However, the synthesis of transparent nanocrystal solutions of magnesium hydroxide (MH) with wide applications is yet to be realized. Here, we report a facile two-step process, which includes a direct reactive precipitation in alcohol phase instead of aqueous phase combined with a successive surface modification, to prepare transparent alcohol solutions containing lamellar MH nanocrystals with an average size of 52 nm and an ultrathin thickness of 1–2 nm, which is the thinnest MH nanoplatelet reported in the literatures. Further, highly flexible and transparent nanocomposite films are fabricated with a solution mixing method by adding the transparent MH nanocrystal solutions into PVB solution. Considering the simplicity of the fabrication process, high transparency and good flexibility, this MH/polymer nanocomposite film is promising for flame-resistant applications in plastic electronics and optical devices with high transparency, such as flexible displays, optical filters, and flexible solar cells. (paper)

Subscribing to Transparency

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

He, Yinghua; Nielsson, Ulf; Guo, Hong

2014-01-01

The paper empirically explores how more trade transparency affects market liquidity. The analysis takes advantage of a unique setting in which the Shanghai Stock Exchange offered more trade transparency to market participants subscribing to a new software package. First, the results show...... that the additional data disclosure increased trading activity, but also increased transactions costs through wider bid-ask spreads. Thus, in contrast to popular policy belief, the paper finds that more transparency need not improve market liquidity. Second, the paper finds a particularly strong immediate liquidity...... impact accompanied by altered trading behavior, which suggests a significant impact on institutional traders subscribing relatively early. Lastly, since the effective level of market transparency is bound to depend on how many traders are subscribing to the data, the study can empirically establish...

Subscribing to Transparency

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

He, Yinghua; Nielsson, Ulf; Guo, Hong

The paper empirically explores how more trade transparency affects market liquidity. The analysis takes advantage of a unique setting in which the Shanghai Stock Exchange offered more trade transparency to market participants subscribing to a new software package. First, the results show...... that the additional data disclosure increased trading activity, but also increased transactions costs through wider bid-ask spreads. Thus, in contrast to popular policy belief, the paper finds that more transparency need not improve market liquidity. Second, the paper finds a particularly strong immediate liquidity...... impact accompanied by altered trading behavior, which suggests a significant impact on institutional traders subscribing relatively early. Lastly, since the effective level of market transparency is bound to depend on how many traders are subscribing to the data, the study can empirically establish...

Formation of nanostructures in Eu3+ doped glass-ceramics: an XAS study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pellicer-Porres, J; Segura, A; Martínez-Criado, G; Rodríguez-Mendoza, U R; Lavín, V

2013-01-16

We describe the results of x-ray absorption experiments carried out to deduce structural and chemical information in Eu(3+) doped, transparent, oxyfluoride glass and nanostructured glass-ceramic samples. The spectra were measured at the Pb and Eu-L(III) edges. The Eu environment in the glass samples is observed to be similar to that of EuF(3). Complementary x-ray diffraction experiments show that thermal annealing creates β-PbF(2) type nanocrystals. X-ray absorption indicates that Eu ions act as seeds in the nanocrystal formation. There is evidence of interstitial fluorine atoms around Eu ions as well as Eu dimers. X-ray absorption at the Pb-L(III) edge shows that after the thermal treatment most lead atoms form a PbO amorphous phase and that only 10% of the lead atoms remain available to form β-PbF(2) type nanocrystals. Both x-ray diffraction and absorption point to a high Eu content in the nanocrystals. Our study suggests new approaches to the oxyfluoride glass-ceramic synthesis in order to further improve their properties.

Color transparency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pire, B.; Ralston, J.P.

1991-01-01

This paper reviews the physics of color transparency and the unexpected energy dependence of recent measurements of high-energy fixed-angle elastic scattering in nuclear targets. The authors point out advantages of using transparency as a tool, introducing two concepts - spin and flavor flow filtering - that may be studied with nuclear targets. The special case of electroproduction is also considered

Transparency and Product Variety

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schultz, Christian

We study the long run e¤ects of transparency in a circular town model of a differentiated market. The market is not fully transparent on the consumer side: A fraction of consumers are uninformed about prices. Increasing transparency reduces the equilibrium price, profit and entry of firms. This i...

Advanced Ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-01-01

The First Florida-Brazil Seminar on Materials and the Second State Meeting about new materials in Rio de Janeiro State show the specific technical contribution in advanced ceramic sector. The others main topics discussed for the development of the country are the advanced ceramic programs the market, the national technic-scientific capacitation, the advanced ceramic patents, etc. (C.G.C.) [pt

Characterization of ceramics used in mass ceramic industry Goianinha/RN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sales Junior, J.C.C.; Nascimento, R.M. do; Andrade, J.C.S.; Saldanha, K.M.; Dutra, R.P.S.

2011-01-01

The preparation of the the ceramic mass is one of the most important steps in the manufacture of ceramic products, since the characteristics of the raw materials used, and the proportions that they are added, directly influence the final properties of ceramic products and the operational conditions of processing. The objective of this paper is to present the results of the characterization of a ceramic mass used in the manufacture of sealing blocks by a red ceramic industry of the city of Goianinha / RN. We analyzed the chemical and mineralogical composition; thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis; granulometric analysis; evaluation of plasticity; and determining the technological properties of specimens used in test firing at 700, 900 and 1100 ° C. The results show that the ceramic body studied has characteristics that allow use in the manufacture of sealing blocks when burned at a temperature of 900 ° C. (author)

Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial of Bilayer Ceramic and Metal-Ceramic Crown Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Esquivel-Upshaw, Josephine; Rose, William; Oliveira, Erica; Yang, Mark; Clark, Arthur E.; Anusavice, Kenneth

2013-01-01

Purpose Analyzing the clinical performance of restorative materials is important, as there is an expectation that these materials and procedures will restore teeth and do no harm. The objective of this research study was to characterize the clinical performance of metal-ceramic crowns, core ceramic crowns, and core ceramic/veneer ceramic crowns based on 11 clinical criteria. Materials and Methods An IRB-approved, randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted as a single-blind pilot study. The following three types of full crowns were fabricated: (1) metal-ceramic crown (MC) made from a Pd-Au-Ag-Sn-In alloy (Argedent 62) and a glass-ceramic veneer (IPS d.SIGN veneer); (2) non-veneered (glazed) lithium disilicate glass-ceramic crown (LDC) (IPS e.max Press core and e.max Ceram Glaze); and (3) veneered lithia disilicate glass-ceramic crown (LDC/V) with glass-ceramic veneer (IPS Empress 2 core and IPS Eris). Single-unit crowns were randomly assigned. Patients were recalled for each of 3 years and were evaluated by two calibrated clinicians. Thirty-six crowns were placed in 31 patients. A total of 12 crowns of each of the three crown types were studied. Eleven criteria were evaluated: tissue health, marginal integrity, secondary caries, proximal contact, anatomic contour, occlusion, surface texture, cracks/chips (fractures), color match, tooth sensitivity, and wear (of crowns and opposing enamel). Numerical rankings ranged from 1 to 4, with 4 being excellent, and 1 indicating a need for immediate replacement. Statistical analysis of the numerical rankings was performed using a Fisher’s exact test. Results There was no statistically significant difference between performance of the core ceramic crowns and the two veneered crowns at year 1 and year 2 (p > 0.05). All crowns were rated either as excellent or good for each of the clinical criteria; however, between years 2 and 3, gradual roughening of the occlusal surface occurred in some of the ceramic-ceramic crowns

Adjusting dental ceramics: An in vitro evaluation of the ability of various ceramic polishing kits to mimic glazed dental ceramic surface.

Science.gov (United States)

Steiner, René; Beier, Ulrike S; Heiss-Kisielewsky, Irene; Engelmeier, Robert; Dumfahrt, Herbert; Dhima, Matilda

2015-06-01

During the insertion appointment, the practitioner is often faced with the need to adjust ceramic surfaces to fit a restoration to the adjacent or opposing dentition and soft tissues. The purpose of this study was to assess the ceramic surface smoothness achieved with various commercially available ceramic polishing kits on different commonly used ceramic systems. The reliability of the cost of a polishing kit as an indicator of improved surface smoothness was assessed. A total of 350 ceramic surfaces representing 5 commonly available ceramic systems (IPS Empress Esthetic, IPS e.max Press, Cergo Kiss, Vita PM 9, Imagine PressX) were treated with 5 types of ceramic polishing systems (Cerapreshine, 94006C, Ceramiste, Optrafine, Zenostar) by following the manufacturers' guidelines. The surface roughness was measured with a profilometer (Taylor Hobson; Precision Taylor Hobson Ltd). The effects of ceramic systems and polishing kits of interest on surface roughness were analyzed by 2-way ANOVA, paired t test, and Bonferroni corrected significance level. The ceramic systems and polishing kits statistically affected surface roughness (Pceramic surface. No correlation could be established between the high cost of the polishing kit and low surface roughness. None of the commonly used ceramic polishing kits could create a surface smoother than that of glazed ceramic (Pceramic polishing kits is not recommended as a reliable indicator of better performance of ceramic polishing kits (P>.30). Copyright © 2015 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ceramic joining

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loehman, R.E. [Sandia National Lab., Albuquerque, NM (United States)

1996-04-01

This paper describes the relation between reactions at ceramic-metal interfaces and the development of strong interfacial bonds in ceramic joining. Studies on a number of systems are described, including silicon nitrides, aluminium nitrides, mullite, and aluminium oxides. Joints can be weakened by stresses such as thermal expansion mismatch. Ceramic joining is used in a variety of applications such as solid oxide fuel cells.

Transparency in Health Programmes

OpenAIRE

Vian, Taryn

2008-01-01

Transparency is an important tool for good governance, helping to expose abusive practices including fraud, patronage, corruption, and other abuses of power. Increasing transparency can also enhance accountability by providing performance management information and exposing policies and procedures to oversight. This U4 Brief discusses the role of transparency in preventing corruption in the health sector.

The impact of records management system in transparency of public administrations: Transparency by design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agustí Cerrillo Martínez

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Records management system has a great impact in the improvement of transparency in public administration. Transparency by design refers to the inclusion of transparency duties stated by legislation in force in the records’ life cycle in a way that it guarantees citizens effective access to public information. In this paper, the changes that public administrations have to propel in their records management systems to improve public transparency and to make easy access to information are analysed. In particular, as a case study, provisions made by Law 19/2014, of December 29, on Transparency, Access to Public Information and Good Governance of Catalonia are explored.

Passive Collecting of Solar Radiation Energy using Transparent Thermal Insulators, Energetic Efficiency of Transparent Thermal Insulators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Smajo Sulejmanovic

2014-11-01

Full Text Available This paper explains passive collection of solar radiation energy using transparent thermal insulators. Transparent thermal insulators are transparent for sunlight, at the same time those are very good thermal insulators. Transparent thermal insulators can be placed instead of standard conventional thermal insulators and additionally transparent insulators can capture solar radiation, transform it into heat and save heat just as standard insulators. Using transparent insulators would lead to reduce in usage of fossil fuels and would help protection of an environment and reduce effects of global warming, etc.

Understanding modern transparency

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijer, A.J.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/172436729

2009-01-01

Proponents and opponents fiercely debate whether computer-mediated transparency has a positive effect on trust in the public sector. This article enhances our understanding of transparency by presenting three perspectives: a premodern, modern and post-modern perspective, and analyzing the basic

Tribology of ceramics: Report of the Committee on Tribology of Ceramics

Science.gov (United States)

1988-01-01

The current state of knowledge of ceramic surface structures, composition, and reactivity is reviewed. The tribological requirements of advanced mechanical systems now being deployed (in particular, heat engines) exceed the capabilities of traditional metallic-based materials because of the high temperatures encountered. Advanced ceramic materials for such applications are receiving intense scrutiny, but there is a lack of understanding of the properties and behavior of ceramic surfaces and the influence of processing on the properties of ceramics is described. The adequacy of models, ranging form atomic to macro, to describe and to predict ceramic friction and wear are discussed, as well as what is known about lubrication at elevated temperatures. From this analysis, recommendations are made for coordination, research, and development that will lead to better performance of ceramic materials in tribological systems.

Fabrication of Polycrystalline Transparent Co+2: MgAl2O4 by a Combination of Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS and Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP Processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sokol Maxim

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Transparent Co2+ doped MgAl2Ob4 spinel was fabricated by SPS consolidation followed by and HIP treatment. It was established that HIP treatment significantly improved transparency of the ceramic in a wide range of wavelengths, especially, in a range, which is relevant for Q-switching. Nonlinear absorption was demonstrated and the ground and excited state absorption cross sections were estimated. The positive effect of the HIP treatment on the optical properties is related to an elimination of extremely fine porosity and to the location of Co ions at Mg2+sites in the spinel ionic structure. The experimental results indicate that the fabricated specimens can be used as a passive laser Q-switching material.

Competition for transparency as a carrier of competition. Transparency needs in the European wholesale electricity markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jong, Hanneke de; Hakvoort, Rudi

2005-01-01

This paper analyses different transparency aspects regarding European wholesale electricity markets and discusses transparency issues to be solved. In Europe, currently some progress has been made with respect to market transparency but transparency issues related to transmission, system operation and regulation have received little attention so far. Transmission system operators (TSOs) and regulatory authorities need certain market information in order to secure efficient competition. However, TSOs and regulatory authorities need to communicate themselves in order to facilitate competition and decrease uncertainty among market participants. Furthermore, considering ongoing market integration both TSOs and regulatory authorities must exchange information amongst themselves in order to facilitate coordination and monitoring activities. The effect of a higher level of transparency on effective competition is depended on two categories of transparency aspects: aspects that are related to transparency in the sense of open and adequate communication (perspicuity) and aspects that are related to the easiness to understand (clarity). Transparency includes both aspects. Pursuing overall harmonization of the European transparency level is important to fully profit from a higher level of (international) harmonization. Effective harmonization requires harmonization on all communication aspects. For Europe, with its many immature markets, the dilemma remains whether it is preferable to have less transparency with a high level of harmonization or to have a higher level of transparency but a lower level of harmonization. (Author)

Distorting the ceramic familiar: materiality and non-ceramic intervention, Conference, Keramik Museum, Germany

OpenAIRE

Livingstone, Andrew

2009-01-01

Invited conference speaker, Westerwald Keramik Museum, August 2009. Paper title: Distorting the ceramic familiar: materiality and non-ceramic intervention.\\ud \\ud This paper will examine the integration of non-ceramic media into the discourse of ceramics.

Formulation and synthesis by melting process of titanate enriched glass-ceramics and ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Advocat, T.; Fillet, C.; Lacombe, J.; Bonnetier, A.; McGlinn, P.

1999-01-01

The main objective of this work is to provide containment for the separated radionuclides in stable oxide phases with proven resistance to leaching and irradiation damage and in consequence to obtain a glass ceramic or a ceramic material using a vitrification process. Sphene glass ceramic, zirconolite glass ceramic and zirconolite enriched ceramic have been fabricated and characterized by XRD, SEM/EDX and DTA

Categories and Dimensions of Organizational Transparency

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Albu, Oana Brindusa; Flyverbom, Mikkel

Transparency is a distinctive area of research across disciplines and presents significant importance for organization studies. However, transparency is rarely subject to structured and critical scrutiny and as a result its relevance for organizational analysis is underestimated. In an attempt...... to foreground the value of transparency studies, we offer an overview of the existing research and indicate two paradigmatic positions underpinning the transparency literature, namely what we term non-performative and performative approaches. The main contribution of the paper lies in this ground......, an approach which remains underexplored. Finally, we discuss some avenues for future studies of the organizing properties of transparency: the secrecy-transparency interplay, the power-transparency nexus and the transparency ‘family tree’ (i.e., intersections between multiple forms of disclosure)....

On color transparency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jennings, B.K.; Miller, G.A.

1989-10-01

A quantum mechanical treatment of high momentum transfer nuclear processes is presented. Color transparency, the suppression of initial and final state interaction effects, is shown to arise from using the closure approximation. New conditions for the appearance of color transparency are derived

[Chromatic study of all-ceramic crown--IPS Empress: difference of color by manufacturing technique and cements].

Science.gov (United States)

Hata, Utako; Sadamitsu, Kenichiro; Yamamura, Osamu; Kawauchi, Daisuke; Fujii, Teruhisa

2004-12-01

In recent years,aesthetic appearance and function are called for and all-ceramic crowns are spreading. By choosing an all-ceramic crown the problem of metal ceramics is avoided. There are difficulties of color tone reproducibility of cervical margin and darkness of gingival margin. We examined IPS Empress also in various all-ceramic crowns. IPS Empress has high permeability a ceramic ingot of various color tones and excellent color tone reproducibility of natural teeth. Generally a layering technique is used for an anterior tooth and the staining technique is used for a molar. However the details are unknown We examined how differences of manufacturing method and cement affect the color tone of all ceramics clinically. Two kinds of Empress crown were fabricated for a 27 year-old woman's upper left-side central incisors:the staining technique of IPS Empress and the layering technique of IPS Empress II. Various try-in pastes(transparent opaque white white and yellow) of VariolinkII of the IPS Empress System were used for cementing. Color was measured using a spectrophotometer CMS 35FS. The L*a*b* color system was used for showing a color. The right-side central incisors on the opposite side of the same name teeth were used for comparison. We analyzed the color difference (DeltaE* ab)with a natural tooth. Consequently when it had no cement of staining technique and was tranceparent small values were obtained. It is considered that the color tone can be adjusted by color cement. It is effective to use the staining technique for an anterior tooth crown depending on the case. The crown manufactured using the layering technique is not easily influenced by cement. The crown manufactured by the staining technique tends to be influenced by cement.

High Temperature Transparent Furnace Development

Science.gov (United States)

Bates, Stephen C.

1997-01-01

This report describes the use of novel techniques for heat containment that could be used to build a high temperature transparent furnace. The primary objective of the work was to experimentally demonstrate transparent furnace operation at 1200 C. Secondary objectives were to understand furnace operation and furnace component specification to enable the design and construction of a low power prototype furnace for delivery to NASA in a follow-up project. The basic approach of the research was to couple high temperature component design with simple concept demonstration experiments that modify a commercially available transparent furnace rated at lower temperature. A detailed energy balance of the operating transparent furnace was performed, calculating heat losses through the furnace components as a result of conduction, radiation, and convection. The transparent furnace shells and furnace components were redesigned to permit furnace operation at at least 1200 C. Techniques were developed that are expected to lead to significantly improved heat containment compared with current transparent furnaces. The design of a thermal profile in a multizone high temperature transparent furnace design was also addressed. Experiments were performed to verify the energy balance analysis, to demonstrate some of the major furnace improvement techniques developed, and to demonstrate the overall feasibility of a high temperature transparent furnace. The important objective of the research was achieved: to demonstrate the feasibility of operating a transparent furnace at 1200 C.

Perceptual transparency from image deformation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawabe, Takahiro; Maruya, Kazushi; Nishida, Shin'ya

2015-08-18

Human vision has a remarkable ability to perceive two layers at the same retinal locations, a transparent layer in front of a background surface. Critical image cues to perceptual transparency, studied extensively in the past, are changes in luminance or color that could be caused by light absorptions and reflections by the front layer, but such image changes may not be clearly visible when the front layer consists of a pure transparent material such as water. Our daily experiences with transparent materials of this kind suggest that an alternative potential cue of visual transparency is image deformations of a background pattern caused by light refraction. Although previous studies have indicated that these image deformations, at least static ones, play little role in perceptual transparency, here we show that dynamic image deformations of the background pattern, which could be produced by light refraction on a moving liquid's surface, can produce a vivid impression of a transparent liquid layer without the aid of any other visual cues as to the presence of a transparent layer. Furthermore, a transparent liquid layer perceptually emerges even from a randomly generated dynamic image deformation as long as it is similar to real liquid deformations in its spatiotemporal frequency profile. Our findings indicate that the brain can perceptually infer the presence of "invisible" transparent liquids by analyzing the spatiotemporal structure of dynamic image deformation, for which it uses a relatively simple computation that does not require high-level knowledge about the detailed physics of liquid deformation.

Towards Bright and Fast Lu3Al5O12:Ce,Mg Optical Ceramics Scintillators

CERN Document Server

Liu, Shuping; Feng, Xiqi; Vedda, Anna; Fasoli, Mauro; Shi, Yun; Kou, Huamin; Beitlerova, Alena; Wu, Lexiang; D'Ambrosio, Carmelo; Pan, Yubai; Nikl, Martin

2016-01-01

The recent advent of Lu 3 Al 5 O 12 :Ce optical ceramics marks a turning point in scintillator material technology. Because of their lower preparation tem-perature, brightness, and robustness such materials can now compete with single crystals. Their further scintillation effi ciency optimization includes the thorough control of the defects responsible for optical and scintillation losses. The choice of sintering agent appears critical to achieve both high optical transparency and scintillation performance. In this work, the optical investi-gations coupled with X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy evidence the benefi cial role of MgO sintering agent. Mg 2+ co-dopants in ceramics drive the partial conversion of Ce 3+ to Ce 4+ . The Ce 4+ center, however, does not impair the scintillation performance due to its capability to positively infl uence the scintillation process. The importance of simultaneous application of such co-doping and annealing treatment is also demonstrated. With 0.3 at% Mg, our cer...

Transparency and public value : Analyzing the transparency practices and value creation of public utilities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Douglas, S.C.; Meijer, A.J.

2016-01-01

This article examines to what extent transparency is a condition for the creation of public value. Transparency is usually narrowly defined as a tool for external stakeholders to monitor the internal workings of an organization, but public value management positions transparency as a broader

What color transparency measures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jain, P.; Ralston, J.P.

1992-01-01

Color transparency is commonly accepted to be a prediction of perturbative QCD. However it is more a phenomenon probing the interface between the perturbative and nonperturbative regimes, leading to some intricacy in its theoretical description. In this paper we study the consequences of the impulse approximation to the theory in various quantum mechanical bases. We show that the fully interacting hadronic basis, which consists of eigenstates of the exact Hamiltonian in the presence of the nucleus, provides a natural basis to study color transparency. In this basis we can relate the quark wave function at a small transverse separation distance b 2 2 directly to transparency ratios measured in experiment. With the formalism, experiment can be used to map out the quark wave function in this region. We exhibit several loopholes in existing arguments predicting a rise in transparency ratios with energy, and suggest alternatives. Among the results, we argue that the theoretical prediction of a rising transparency ratio with energy may be on better footing for heavy-quark bound states than for relativistic light-quark systems. We also point out that transparency ratios can be constant with energy and not at variance with perturbative QCD

Semi-transparent solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, J; Jasieniak, J J

2017-01-01

Semi-transparent solar cells are a type of technology that combines the benefits of visible light transparency and light-to-electricity conversion. One of the biggest opportunities for such technologies is in their integration as windows and skylights within energy-sustainable buildings. Currently, such building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) are dominated by crystalline silicon based modules; however, the opaque nature of silicon creates a unique opportunity for the adoption of emerging photovoltaic candidates that can be made truly semi-transparent. These include: amorphous silicon-, kesterite-, chalcopyrite-, CdTe-, dye-sensitized-, organic- and perovskite- based systems. For the most part, amorphous silicon has been the workhorse in the semi-transparent solar cell field owing to its established, low-temperature fabrication processes. Excitement around alternative classes, particularly perovskites and the inorganic candidates, has recently arisen because of the major efficiency gains exhibited by these technologies. Importantly, each of these presents unique opportunities and challenges within the context of BIPV. This topic review provides an overview into the broader benefits of semi-transparent solar cells as building-integrated features, as well as providing the current development status into all of the major types of semi-transparent solar cells technologies. (topical review)

Lignin-Retaining Transparent Wood.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yuanyuan; Fu, Qiliang; Rojas, Ramiro; Yan, Min; Lawoko, Martin; Berglund, Lars

2017-09-11

Optically transparent wood, combining optical and mechanical performance, is an emerging new material for light-transmitting structures in buildings with the aim of reducing energy consumption. One of the main obstacles for transparent wood fabrication is delignification, where around 30 wt % of wood tissue is removed to reduce light absorption and refractive index mismatch. This step is time consuming and not environmentally benign. Moreover, lignin removal weakens the wood structure, limiting the fabrication of large structures. A green and industrially feasible method has now been developed to prepare transparent wood. Up to 80 wt % of lignin is preserved, leading to a stronger wood template compared to the delignified alternative. After polymer infiltration, a high-lignin-content transparent wood with transmittance of 83 %, haze of 75 %, thermal conductivity of 0.23 W mK -1 , and work-tofracture of 1.2 MJ m -3 (a magnitude higher than glass) was obtained. This transparent wood preparation method is efficient and applicable to various wood species. The transparent wood obtained shows potential for application in energy-saving buildings. © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

Semi-transparent solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, J.; Jasieniak, J. J.

2017-03-01

Semi-transparent solar cells are a type of technology that combines the benefits of visible light transparency and light-to-electricity conversion. One of the biggest opportunities for such technologies is in their integration as windows and skylights within energy-sustainable buildings. Currently, such building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) are dominated by crystalline silicon based modules; however, the opaque nature of silicon creates a unique opportunity for the adoption of emerging photovoltaic candidates that can be made truly semi-transparent. These include: amorphous silicon-, kesterite-, chalcopyrite-, CdTe-, dye-sensitized-, organic- and perovskite- based systems. For the most part, amorphous silicon has been the workhorse in the semi-transparent solar cell field owing to its established, low-temperature fabrication processes. Excitement around alternative classes, particularly perovskites and the inorganic candidates, has recently arisen because of the major efficiency gains exhibited by these technologies. Importantly, each of these presents unique opportunities and challenges within the context of BIPV. This topic review provides an overview into the broader benefits of semi-transparent solar cells as building-integrated features, as well as providing the current development status into all of the major types of semi-transparent solar cells technologies.

EU Transparency Register

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mańko, R.; Thiel, M.; Bauer, E.

2014-01-01

Widespread lobbying in the EU institutions has led to criticism regarding the transparency and accountability of the EU's decision-making process. In response to these concerns, the Parliament set up its transparency register in 1995, followed by the Commission in 2008. The two institutions merged

Color transparency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, G.A.

1993-01-01

Imagine shooting a beam of protons of high momentum P through an atomic nucleus. Usually the nuclear interactions prevent the particles from emerging with momentum ∼P. Further, the angular distribution of elastically scattered protons is close to the optical diffraction pattern produced by a black disk. Thus the nucleus acts as a black disk and is not transparent. However, certain high momentum transfer reactions in which a proton is knocked out of the nucleus may be completely different. Suppose that the high momentum transfer process leads to the formation of a small-size color singlet wavepacket that is ejected from the nucleus. The effects of gluons emitted by color singlet systems of closely separated quarks and gluons tend to cancel. Thus the wavepacket-nuclear interactions are suppressed, the nucleus becomes transparant and one says that color transparency CT occurs. The observation of CT also requires that the wavepacket not expand very much while it moves through the nucleus. Simple quantum mechanical formulations can assess this expansion. The creation of a small-sized wavepacket is expected in asymptotic perturbative effects. The author reviews the few experimental attempts to observe color transparency in nuclear (e,e'p) and (p,pp) reactions and interpret the data and their implications

Second-order nonlinearity induced transparency.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Y H; Zhang, S S; Shen, H Z; Yi, X X

2017-04-01

In analogy to electromagnetically induced transparency, optomechanically induced transparency was proposed recently in [Science330, 1520 (2010)SCIEAS0036-807510.1126/science.1195596]. In this Letter, we demonstrate another form of induced transparency enabled by second-order nonlinearity. A practical application of the second-order nonlinearity induced transparency is to measure the second-order nonlinear coefficient. Our scheme might find applications in quantum optics and quantum information processing.

Scale up issues involved with the ceramic waste form: ceramic-container interactions and ceramic cracking quantification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bateman, K. J.; DiSanto, T.; Goff, K. M.; Johnson, S. G.; O'Holleran, T.; Riley, W. P. Jr.

1999-01-01

Argonne National Laboratory is developing a process for the conditioning of spent nuclear fuel to prepare the material for final disposal. Two waste streams will result from the treatment process, a stainless steel based form and a ceramic based form. The ceramic waste form will be enclosed in a stainless steel container. In order to assess the performance of the ceramic waste form in a repository two factors must be examined, the surface area increases caused by waste form cracking and any ceramic/canister interactions that may release toxic material. The results indicate that the surface area increases are less than the High Level Waste glass and any toxic releases are below regulatory limits

Canadian perspectives in evaluating transparency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herwig, L.

2007-01-01

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission's mission is to regulate the use of nuclear energy and materials to protect the health, safety, and security of Canadians and the environment, as well as to respect Canada's international commitments on the peaceful use of nuclear energy. In 2001, the CNSC established a vision to be one of the best nuclear regulators in the world and established four strategic priorities of effectiveness, transparency, excellence in staff, and efficiency. While fulfilling a very comprehensive mandate, the CNSC operates with a. very clear vision of its clientele - the Canadian people. That commitment guides every employee and every action of the CNSC and ensures a firm commitment to transparency. The presentation will begin with a brief overview of the worldwide context of transparency and transparency measurement, with a look at what lessons can be learned from other organizations and initiatives. It will look broadly at the Canadian context and the government framework that establishes transparency, including the keystone legislation of the Access to Information Act. The presentation will then focus on the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. The CNSC is firmly committed to putting additional measures in place to ensure transparency, which is being done concurrently with an overall organisational performance measurement system. It is within this framework that the presentation will address the transparency efforts at the CNSC as well transparency measurement activities. And, finally, the presentation will look at future directions for transparency and its measurement at the CNSC. (author)

Characterization techniques to predict mechanical behaviour of green ceramic bodies fabricated by ceramic microstereolithography

Science.gov (United States)

Adake, Chandrashekhar V.; Bhargava, Parag; Gandhi, Prasanna

2018-02-01

Ceramic microstereolithography (CMSL) has emerged as solid free form (SFF) fabrication technology in which complex ceramic parts are fabricated from ceramic suspensions which are formulated by dispersing ceramic particles in UV curable resins. Ceramic parts are fabricated by exposing ceramic suspension to computer controlled UV light which polymerizes resin to polymer and this polymer forms rigid network around ceramic particles. A 3-dimensional part is created by piling cured layers one over the other. These ceramic parts are used to build microelectromechanical (MEMS) devices after thermal treatment. In many cases green ceramic parts can be directly utilized to build MEMS devices. Hence characterization of these parts is essential in terms of their mechanical behaviour prior to their use in MEMS devices. Mechanical behaviour of these green ceramic parts depends on cross link density which in turn depends on chemical structure of monomer, concentrations of photoinitiator and UV energy dose. Mechanical behaviour can be determined with the aid of nanoindentation. And extent of crosslinking can be verified with the aid of DSC. FTIR characterization is used to analyse (-C=C-) double bond conversion. This paper explains characterization tools to predict the mechanical behaviour of green ceramic bodies fabricated in CMSL

Fracture-dissociation of ceramic liner.

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Sung Kwan; Oh, Jin-Rok; Her, Man Seung; Shim, Young Jun; Cho, Tae Yeun; Kwon, Sung Min

2008-08-01

The use of BIOLOX delta ceramic (CeramTec AG, Plochingen, Germany) has been increasing. This ceramic prevents cracking by restraining the phase transformation due to the insertion of nano-sized, yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia into the alumina matrix. This restrains the progress of cracking through the formation of platelet-like crystal or whiskers due to the addition of an oxide additive. We observed a case of BIOLOX delta ceramic liner (CeramTec AG) rim fracture 4 months postoperatively. Radiographs showed that the ceramic liner was subluxated from the acetabular cup. Scratches on the acetabular cup and femoral neck were seen, and the fracture was visible on the rim of the liner. Under electron microscope, metal particle coatings from the ceramic liner were identified. The ceramic liner, fracture fragments, and adjacent tissues were removed and replaced with a ceramic liner and femoral head of the same size and design. We believe the mechanism of the fracture-dissociation of the ceramic liner in this case is similar to a case of separation of the ceramic liner from the polyethylene shell in a sandwich-type ceramic-ceramic joint. To prevent ceramic liner fracture-dissociation, the diameter of the femoral neck needs to be decreased in a new design, while the diameter of the femoral head needs to be increased to ensure an increase in range of motion.

Tb{sup 3+}/Eu{sup 3+}: YF{sub 3} nanophase embedded glass ceramics: Structural characterization, tunable luminescence and temperature sensing behavior

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Daqin, E-mail: dqchen@hdu.edu.cn [College of Materials & Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, 310018 (China); Wang, Zhongyi; Zhou, Yang [College of Materials & Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, 310018 (China); Huang, Ping, E-mail: phuang@fjirsm.ac.cn [State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on The Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002 (China); Ji, Zhenguo, E-mail: jizg@hdu.edu.cn [College of Materials & Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, 310018 (China)

2015-10-15

Tb{sup 3+}/Eu{sup 3+} co-doped transparent bulk glass ceramics containing orthorhombic β-YF{sub 3} nanocrystals were successfully synthesized by melt-quenching and subsequent heating. The partition of the active centers into the YF{sub 3} crystalline lattice was confirmed by elemental mapping in the scanning transmission electron microscope, emission spectra and decay curves. As a consequence, Tb{sup 3+} → Eu{sup 3+} energy transfer was demonstrated to be more efficient in the glass ceramic than in the precursor glass, which resulted in color tunable luminescence by simply modifying Eu{sup 3+} content and induced the linearly temperature-dependent fluorescence intensity ratio between the Tb{sup 3+}: {sup 5}D{sub 4} → {sup 7}F{sub 5} transition and the Eu{sup 3+}: {sup 5}D{sub 0} → {sup 7}F{sub 4} one in the Tb{sup 3+}/Eu{sup 3+} co-doped glass ceramic. It is expected that the investigated glass ceramic might be a promising candidate for solid-state lighting as well as optical temperature sensor. - Highlights: • Lanthanide doped glass ceramics containing YF{sub 3} nanocrystals were fabricated. • Tb{sup 3+} and Eu{sup 3+} dopants were confirmed to incorporate into YF{sub 3} lattice. • Tunable luminescence was realized via Tb{sup 3+} → Eu{sup 3+} energy transfer. • Linearly temperature-dependent fluorescence intensity ratio was detected.

Dominant investors and strategic transparency

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Perotti, E.C.; von Thadden, E.-L.

1998-01-01

This paper studies product market competition under a strategic transparency decision. Dominant investors can influence information collection in the financial market, and thereby corporate transparency, by affecting market liquidity or the cost of information collection. More transparency on a

Dominant investors and strategic transparency

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Perotti, E.C.; von Thadden, E.-L.

1999-01-01

This paper studies product market competition under a strategic transparency decision. Dominant investors can influence information collection in the financial market, and thereby corporate transparency, by affecting market liquidity or the cost of information collection. More transparency on a

What every surgeon should know about Ceramic-on-Ceramic bearings in young patients

OpenAIRE

Hernigou, Philippe; Roubineau, Fran?ois; Bouthors, Charlie; Flouzat-Lachaniette, Charles-Henri

2016-01-01

Based on the exceptional tribological behaviour and on the relatively low biological activity of ceramic particles, Ceramic-on-Ceramic (CoC) total hip arthroplasty (THA) presents significant advantages CoC bearings decrease wear and osteolysis, the cumulative long-term risk of dislocation, muscle atrophy, and head-neck taper corrosion. However, there are still concerns regarding the best technique for implantation of ceramic hips to avoid fracture, squeaking, and revision of ceramic hips with...

Privacy transparency patterns

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Siljee B.I.J.

2015-01-01

This paper describes two privacy patterns for creating privacy transparency: the Personal Data Table pattern and the Privacy Policy Icons pattern, as well as a full overview of privacy transparency patterns. It is a first step in creating a full set of privacy design patterns, which will aid

Aerospace Transparency Research Compendium

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Pinkus, Alan

2003-01-01

... (ARRL), located at Wright-Patterson AFB OH, has advanced aerospace transparency technology through the investigative research of numerous optical and visual parameters inherent in aerospace transparencies...

Ceramic Parts for Turbines

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, R. D.; Carpenter, Harry W.; Tellier, Jim; Rollins, Clark; Stormo, Jerry

1987-01-01

Abilities of ceramics to serve as turbine blades, stator vanes, and other elements in hot-gas flow of rocket engines discussed in report. Ceramics prime candidates, because of resistance to heat, low density, and tolerance of hostile environments. Ceramics considered in report are silicon nitride, silicon carbide, and new generation of such ceramic composites as transformation-toughened zirconia and alumina and particulate- or whisker-reinforced matrices. Report predicts properly designed ceramic components viable in advanced high-temperature rocket engines and recommends future work.

Transparent Electrodes for Efficient Optoelectronics

KAUST Repository

Morales-Masis, Monica

2017-03-30

With the development of new generations of optoelectronic devices that combine high performance and novel functionalities (e.g., flexibility/bendability, adaptability, semi or full transparency), several classes of transparent electrodes have been developed in recent years. These range from optimized transparent conductive oxides (TCOs), which are historically the most commonly used transparent electrodes, to new electrodes made from nano- and 2D materials (e.g., metal nanowire networks and graphene), and to hybrid electrodes that integrate TCOs or dielectrics with nanowires, metal grids, or ultrathin metal films. Here, the most relevant transparent electrodes developed to date are introduced, their fundamental properties are described, and their materials are classified according to specific application requirements in high efficiency solar cells and flexible organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). This information serves as a guideline for selecting and developing appropriate transparent electrodes according to intended application requirements and functionality.

Transparent Electrodes for Efficient Optoelectronics

KAUST Repository

Morales-Masis, Monica; De Wolf, Stefaan; Woods-Robinson, Rachel; Ager, Joel W.; Ballif, Christophe

2017-01-01

With the development of new generations of optoelectronic devices that combine high performance and novel functionalities (e.g., flexibility/bendability, adaptability, semi or full transparency), several classes of transparent electrodes have been developed in recent years. These range from optimized transparent conductive oxides (TCOs), which are historically the most commonly used transparent electrodes, to new electrodes made from nano- and 2D materials (e.g., metal nanowire networks and graphene), and to hybrid electrodes that integrate TCOs or dielectrics with nanowires, metal grids, or ultrathin metal films. Here, the most relevant transparent electrodes developed to date are introduced, their fundamental properties are described, and their materials are classified according to specific application requirements in high efficiency solar cells and flexible organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). This information serves as a guideline for selecting and developing appropriate transparent electrodes according to intended application requirements and functionality.

Oxide ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryshkewitch, E.; Richerson, D.W.

1985-01-01

The book explores single-phase ceramic oxide systems from the standpoint of physical chemistry and technology. This second edition also focuses on advances in technology since publication of the original edition. These include improvements in raw materials and forming and sintering techniques, and the major role that oxide ceramics have had in development of advanced products and processes. The text is divided into five major sections: general fundamentals of oxide ceramics, advances in aluminum oxide technology, advances in zirconia technology, and advances in beryllium oxide technology

Y-TZP ceramic processing from coprecipitated powders: a comparative study with three commercial dental ceramics.

Science.gov (United States)

Lazar, Dolores R R; Bottino, Marco C; Ozcan, Mutlu; Valandro, Luiz Felipe; Amaral, Regina; Ussui, Valter; Bressiani, Ana H A

2008-12-01

(1) To synthesize 3mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia (3Y-TZP) powders via coprecipitation route, (2) to obtain zirconia ceramic specimens, analyze surface characteristics, and mechanical properties, and (3) to compare the processed material with three reinforced dental ceramics. A coprecipitation route was used to synthesize a 3mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia ceramic processed by uniaxial compaction and pressureless sintering. Commercially available alumina or alumina/zirconia ceramics, namely Procera AllCeram (PA), In-Ceram Zirconia Block (CAZ) and In-Ceram Zirconia (IZ) were chosen for comparison. All specimens (6mmx5mmx5mm) were polished and ultrasonically cleaned. Qualitative phase analysis was performed by XRD and apparent densities were measured on the basis of Archimedes principle. Ceramics were also characterized using SEM, TEM and EDS. The hardness measurements were made employing Vickers hardness test. Fracture toughness (K(IC)) was calculated. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's test (alpha=0.05). ANOVA revealed that the Vickers hardness (pceramic materials composition. It was confirmed that the PA ceramic was constituted of a rhombohedral alumina matrix, so-called alpha-alumina. Both CAZ and IZ ceramics presented tetragonal zirconia and alpha-alumina mixture of phases. The SEM/EDS analysis confirmed the presence of aluminum in PA ceramic. In the IZ and CAZ ceramics aluminum, zirconium and cerium in grains involved by a second phase containing aluminum, silicon and lanthanum were identified. PA showed significantly higher mean Vickers hardness values (H(V)) (18.4+/-0.5GPa) compared to vitreous CAZ (10.3+/-0.2GPa) and IZ (10.6+/-0.4GPa) ceramics. Experimental Y-TZP showed significantly lower results than that of the other monophased ceramic (PA) (pceramics (pceramic processing conditions led to ceramics with mechanical properties comparable to commercially available reinforced ceramic materials.

Ceramic matrix composite article and process of fabricating a ceramic matrix composite article

Science.gov (United States)

Cairo, Ronald Robert; DiMascio, Paul Stephen; Parolini, Jason Robert

2016-01-12

A ceramic matrix composite article and a process of fabricating a ceramic matrix composite are disclosed. The ceramic matrix composite article includes a matrix distribution pattern formed by a manifold and ceramic matrix composite plies laid up on the matrix distribution pattern, includes the manifold, or a combination thereof. The manifold includes one or more matrix distribution channels operably connected to a delivery interface, the delivery interface configured for providing matrix material to one or more of the ceramic matrix composite plies. The process includes providing the manifold, forming the matrix distribution pattern by transporting the matrix material through the manifold, and contacting the ceramic matrix composite plies with the matrix material.

A fractographic study of clinically retrieved zirconia–ceramic and metal–ceramic fixed dental prostheses

Science.gov (United States)

Pang, Zhen; Chughtai, Asima; Sailer, Irena; Zhang, Yu

2015-01-01

Objectives A recent 3-year randomized controlled trial (RCT) of tooth supported three- to five-unit zirconia–ceramic and metal–ceramic posterior fixed dental prostheses (FDPs) revealed that veneer chipping and fracture in zirconia–ceramic systems occurred more frequently than those in metal–ceramic systems [1]. This study seeks to elucidate the underlying mechanisms responsible for the fracture phenomena observed in this RCT using a descriptive fractographic analysis. Methods Vinyl-polysiloxane impressions of 12 zirconia–ceramic and 6 metal–ceramic FDPs with veneer fractures were taken from the patients at the end of a mean observation of 40.3 ± 2.8 months. Epoxy replicas were produced from these impressions [1]. All replicas were gold coated, and inspected under the optical microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM) for descriptive fractography. Results Among the 12 zirconia–ceramic FDPs, 2 had small chippings, 9 had large chippings, and 1 exhibited delamination. Out of 6 metal–ceramic FDPs, 5 had small chippings and 1 had large chipping. Descriptive fractographic analysis based on SEM observations revealed that fracture initiated from the wear facet at the occlusal surface in all cases, irrespective of the type of restoration. Significance Zirconia–ceramic and metal–ceramic FDPs all fractured from microcracks that emanated from occlusal wear facets. The relatively low fracture toughness and high residual tensile stress in porcelain veneer of zirconia restorations may contribute to the higher chipping rate and larger chip size in zirconia–ceramic FDPs relative to their metal–ceramic counterparts. The low veneer/core interfacial fracture energy of porcelain-veneered zirconia may result in the occurrence of delamination in zirconia–ceramic FDPs. PMID:26233469

[Comparison of color reappearance between metal-ceram restoration and foundry-ceram restoration using crystaleye spectrophotometer].

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Tao; Zhang, Ning; Kong, Fan-wen; Zhan, De-song

2010-10-01

To study the color reappearance effect of metal-ceram restoration and foundry-ceram restoration using Crystaleye spectrophotometer. 58 metal-ceram restorations and 58 foundry-ceram restorations according to the result of the Crystaleye spectrophotometer were made respectively. The deltaE between restorations and natural teeth as referenced were analyzed. And satisfaction of dentists and patients were evaluated. The deltaE between metal-ceram restorations and natural teeth was 7.13 +/- 0.74. The deltaE between foundry-ceram restorations and teeth was 1.47 +/- 0.84. There were statistical differences between the deltaE (P spectrophotometer can provide accurate reference for foundry-ceram restoration, but for metal-ceram restoration it is not accurate.

Werkstoffwoche 98. Vol. 7. Symposium 9: Ceramics. Symposium 14: Simulation of ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heinrich, J.; Ziegler, G.; Hermel, W.; Riedel, H.

1999-01-01

The leading subject of this proceedings volume is ceramic materials, with papers on the following subject clusters: Processing (infiltration, sintering, forming) - Physics and chemistry of ceramics (functional ceramics, SiC, ceramic precursors, microstructural properties) - Novel concepts (composites, damage induced by oxidation and mechanical stress, performance until damage under mechanical and thermal stress, layers, nanocomposites). 28 of the conference papers have been prepared for individual retrieval from the ENERGY database. (orig./CB) [de

Flight-vehicle materials, structures, and dynamics - Assessment and future directions. Vol. 3 - Ceramics and ceramic-matrix composites

Science.gov (United States)

Levine, Stanley R. (Editor)

1992-01-01

The present volume discusses ceramics and ceramic-matrix composites in prospective aerospace systems, monolithic ceramics, transformation-toughened and whisker-reinforced ceramic composites, glass-ceramic matrix composites, reaction-bonded Si3N4 and SiC composites, and chemical vapor-infiltrated composites. Also discussed are the sol-gel-processing of ceramic composites, the fabrication and properties of fiber-reinforced ceramic composites with directed metal oxidation, the fracture behavior of ceramic-matrix composites (CMCs), the fatigue of fiber-reinforced CMCs, creep and rupture of CMCs, structural design methodologies for ceramic-based materials systems, the joining of ceramics and CMCs, and carbon-carbon composites.

What every surgeon should know about Ceramic-on-Ceramic bearings in young patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernigou, Philippe; Roubineau, François; Bouthors, Charlie; Flouzat-Lachaniette, Charles-Henri

2016-04-01

Based on the exceptional tribological behaviour and on the relatively low biological activity of ceramic particles, Ceramic-on-Ceramic (CoC) total hip arthroplasty (THA) presents significant advantagesCoC bearings decrease wear and osteolysis, the cumulative long-term risk of dislocation, muscle atrophy, and head-neck taper corrosion.However, there are still concerns regarding the best technique for implantation of ceramic hips to avoid fracture, squeaking, and revision of ceramic hips with fracture of a component.We recommend that surgeons weigh the potential advantages and disadvantages of current CoC THA in comparison with other bearing surfaces when considering young very active patients who are candidates for THA. Cite this article: Hernigou P, Roubineau F, Bouthors C, Flouzat-Lachaniette C-H. What every surgeon should know about Ceramic-on-Ceramic bearings in young patients. EFORT Open Rev 2016;1:107-111. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.1.000027.

A FRAMEWORK FOR TRANSPARENCY IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bernal Turnes, Paloma

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to cover the gap in literature about transparency in the context of international trade facilitation. It focuses on the importance of transparency in achieving growth in international trade and the differences between non-transparent practices and corruption in global trade. Managing the disclosure of information about rules, regulations and laws is not the only trade policy instrument where transparency becomes important. To build a framework on levels of transparency we developed a matrix classifying the transparency of each country based on ease of doing business and levels of bribery. Four different strategies are explained based on the different scenarios of transparency in international trade. The main conclusions reflect that disclosure of information is not enough to guarantee transparency and monitoring of transparency must be improved.

Method of sintering ceramic materials

Science.gov (United States)

Holcombe, Cressie E.; Dykes, Norman L.

1992-01-01

A method for sintering ceramic materials is described. A ceramic article is coated with layers of protective coatings such as boron nitride, graphite foil, and niobium. The coated ceramic article is embedded in a container containing refractory metal oxide granules and placed within a microwave oven. The ceramic article is heated by microwave energy to a temperature sufficient to sinter the ceramic article to form a densified ceramic article having a density equal to or greater than 90% of theoretical density.

Transparency as an element of public confidence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, H.K.

2007-01-01

In the modern society, there is increasing demands for greater transparency. It has been discussed with respect to corruption or ethics issues in social science. The need for greater openness and transparency in nuclear regulation is widely recognised as public expectations on regulator grow. It is also related to the digital and information technology that enables disclosures of every activity and information of individual and organisation, characterised by numerous 'small brothers'. Transparency has become a key word in this ubiquitous era. Transparency in regulatory activities needs to be understood in following contexts. First, transparency is one of elements to build public confidence in regulator and eventually to achieve regulatory goal of providing the public with satisfaction at nuclear safety. Transparent bases of competence, independence, ethics and integrity of working process of regulatory body would enhance public confidence. Second, activities transmitting information on nuclear safety and preparedness to be accessed are different types of transparency. Communication is an active method of transparency. With increasing use of web-sites, 'digital transparency' is also discussed as passive one. Transparency in regulatory process may be more important than that of contents. Simply providing more information is of little value and specific information may need to be protected for security reason. Third, transparency should be discussed in international, national and organizational perspectives. It has been demanded through international instruments. for each country, transparency is demanded by residents, public, NGOs, media and other stakeholders. Employees also demand more transparency in operating and regulatory organisations. Whistle-blower may appear unless they are satisfied. Fourth, pursuing transparency may cause undue social cost or adverse effects. Over-transparency may decrease public confidence and the process for transparency may also hinder

Characterization and evaluation of ceramic properties of clay used in structural ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reis, A.S.; Oliveira, J.N.; Della-Sagrillo, V.P.; Valenzuela-Diaz, F.R.

2014-01-01

The clay used in the manufacture of structural ceramic products must meet quality requirements that are influenced by their chemical, physical, mineralogical and microstructural characteristics, which control the ceramic properties of the final products. This paper aims to characterize the clay used in the manufacture of ceramic roof tiles and bricks. The clay was characterized through XRF, XRD, thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis, Atterberg limits and particle size distribution. Specimens were shaped, dried at 110°C, and burned at 900 deg C in an industrial kiln. After that, they were submitted to tests of water absorption, apparent porosity, bulk density and flexural strength. The results show that the chemical composition of clay has significant amount of silica and alumina and adequate levels of kaolinite for use in structural ceramic. The ceramic properties evaluated in the specimens partially meet the requirements of the Brazilian standard-clays for structural ceramics. (author)

Fabrication of polycrystalline scintillators for the positron emission tomography (PET); Herstellung polykristalliner Szintillatoren fuer die Positronen-Emissions-Tomographie (PET)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karim, Kamran Said

2010-07-01

Transparent ceramics are becoming more and more important for two new types of applications. On the one hand in cases where high mechanical and thermal demands in combination with optical properties are required, on the other hand where the optical properties of transparent materials like glass are not sufficient e.g. in positron-emission-tomography (PET) diagnostics. Most state of the art PET-scanners are using high-priced single crystals as scintillator material. The technological challenge is to replace single crystal by cost-efficient transparent ceramics. Producing transparent ceramics is ordered in synthesis of the powders and in manufacturing of these into transparent ceramics. The aim of this work was to synthesize single phase yttrium-alumina-and Luthetiumalumina-garnet (YAG, LuAG) powders partially doped with neodymium or praseodymium by four different synthesis routes (Pechini-synthesis, sol-gel-route, coprecipitation and solid state reactions). Additionally industrial LuAG and LuPO{sub 4} powders were characterized and manufactured. The powders were processed as submicron- and nanopowders. The compaction of nanopowder greenbodies sintered at high temperatures leads to a ''cross-over'' between both manufacturing route. Newly produced single-phase powders were homogenized with additions of sintering additives like tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and binders like polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Moulding the powders were carried out by uniaxial pressing, cold isostatic pressing and in individual cases also by slip casting. The achieved green densities were in a range of 25-42 %. Examination of calcination behaviour leads to a calcination temperature of 1000 C with 2 hours dwell time in air atmosphere. Only solid state reactions resulted into transparent YAG, YAG:Pr, LuAG, LuAG:Pr ceramics. Solid state reactions of nanopowders resulted in heterogeneously transparent samples. Ceramics made by powders of other synthetic routes gave nontransparent

Fabrication of polycrystalline scintillators for the positron emission tomography (PET)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karim, Kamran Said

2010-01-01

Transparent ceramics are becoming more and more important for two new types of applications. On the one hand in cases where high mechanical and thermal demands in combination with optical properties are required, on the other hand where the optical properties of transparent materials like glass are not sufficient e.g. in positron-emission-tomography (PET) diagnostics. Most state of the art PET-scanners are using high-priced single crystals as scintillator material. The technological challenge is to replace single crystal by cost-efficient transparent ceramics. Producing transparent ceramics is ordered in synthesis of the powders and in manufacturing of these into transparent ceramics. The aim of this work was to synthesize single phase yttrium-alumina-and Luthetiumalumina-garnet (YAG, LuAG) powders partially doped with neodymium or praseodymium by four different synthesis routes (Pechini-synthesis, sol-gel-route, coprecipitation and solid state reactions). Additionally industrial LuAG and LuPO 4 powders were characterized and manufactured. The powders were processed as submicron- and nanopowders. The compaction of nanopowder greenbodies sintered at high temperatures leads to a ''cross-over'' between both manufacturing route. Newly produced single-phase powders were homogenized with additions of sintering additives like tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and binders like polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Moulding the powders were carried out by uniaxial pressing, cold isostatic pressing and in individual cases also by slip casting. The achieved green densities were in a range of 25-42 %. Examination of calcination behaviour leads to a calcination temperature of 1000 C with 2 hours dwell time in air atmosphere. Only solid state reactions resulted into transparent YAG, YAG:Pr, LuAG, LuAG:Pr ceramics. Solid state reactions of nanopowders resulted in heterogeneously transparent samples. Ceramics made by powders of other synthetic routes gave nontransparent ceramics due to porosity

Forming of superplastic ceramics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lesuer, D.R.; Wadsworth, J.; Nieh, T.G.

1994-05-01

Superplasticity in ceramics has now advanced to the stage that technologically viable superplastic deformation processing can be performed. In this paper, examples of superplastic forming and diffusion bonding of ceramic components are given. Recent work in biaxial gas-pressure forming of several ceramics is provided. These include yttria-stabilized, tetragonal zirconia (YTZP), a 20% alumina/YTZP composite, and silicon. In addition, the concurrent superplastic forming and diffusion bonding of a hybrid ceramic-metal structure are presented. These forming processes offer technological advantages of greater dimensional control and increased variety and complexity of shapes than is possible with conventional ceramic shaping technology.

Ceramic gas turbine shroud

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Jun; Green, Kevin E.

2014-07-22

An example gas turbine engine shroud includes a first annular ceramic wall having an inner side for resisting high temperature turbine engine gasses and an outer side with a plurality of radial slots. A second annular metallic wall is positioned radially outwardly of and enclosing the first annular ceramic wall and has a plurality of tabs in communication with the slot of the first annular ceramic wall. The tabs of the second annular metallic wall and slots of the first annular ceramic wall are in communication such that the first annular ceramic wall and second annular metallic wall are affixed.

FOREWORD: Focus on Advanced Ceramics Focus on Advanced Ceramics

Science.gov (United States)

Ohashi, Naoki

2011-06-01

Much research has been devoted recently to developing technologies for renewable energy and improving the efficiency of the processes and devices used in industry and everyday life. Efficient solutions have been found using novel materials such as platinum and palladium-based catalysts for car exhaust systems, samarium-cobalt and neodymium-iron-boron permanent magnets for electrical motors, and so on. However, their realization has resulted in an increasing demand for rare elements and in their deficit, the development of new materials based on more abundant elements and new functionalities of traditional materials. Moreover, increasing environmental and health concerns demand substitution of toxic or hazardous substances with nature-friendly alternatives. In this context, this focus issue on advanced ceramics aims to review current trends in ceramics science and technology. It is related to the International Conference on Science and Technology of Advanced Ceramics (STAC) held annually to discuss the emerging issues in the field of ceramics. An important direction of ceramic science is the collaboration between experimental and theoretical sciences. Recent developments in density functional theory and computer technology have enabled the prediction of physical and chemical properties of ceramics, thereby assisting the design of new materials. Therefore, this focus issue includes articles devoted to theory and advanced characterization techniques. As mentioned above, the potential shortage of rare elements is becoming critical to the industry and has resulted in a Japanese government initiative called the 'Ubiquitous Element Strategy'. This focus issue also includes articles related to this strategy and to the associated topics of energy conversion, such as phosphors for high-efficiency lighting and photocatalysts for solar-energy harvesting. We hope that this focus issue will provide a timely overview of current trends and problems in ceramics science and

Phenomenal transparency in achromatic checkerboards.

Science.gov (United States)

Masin, S C

1999-04-01

The study explored the luminance relations that determine the occurrence of achromatic transparency in phenomenal surfaces on complex backgrounds. Let the luminances of the left and right parts of a transparent surface on a bipartite background and those of the left and right parts of the bipartite background be p and q and m and n, respectively. Metelli proposed that this surface looks transparent when the rule p q if m > n) is satisfied, and Masin and Fukuda that it looks transparent when the inclusion rule is satisfied, that is, when p epsilon (m, q) or q epsilon (p, n). These rules also apply to achromatic checkerboards formed by one checkerboard enclosed in another checkerboard. This study shows that only the inclusion rule correctly predicted the occurrence of transparency in these checkerboards.

Influence of ceramic thickness and ceramic materials on fracture resistance of posterior partial coverage restorations.

Science.gov (United States)

Bakeman, E M; Rego, N; Chaiyabutr, Y; Kois, J C

2015-01-01

This study evaluated the influence of ceramic thickness and ceramic materials on fracture resistance of posterior partial coverage ceramic restorations. Forty extracted molars were allocated into four groups (n=10) to test for two variables: 1) the thickness of ceramic (1 mm or 2 mm) and 2) the ceramic materials (a lithium disilicate glass-ceramic [IPS e.max] or leucite-reinforced glass ceramic [IPS Empress]). All ceramic restorations were luted with resin cement (Variolink II) on the prepared teeth. These luted specimens were loaded to failure in a universal testing machine, in the compression mode, with a crosshead speed of 1.0 mm/min. The data were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance and the Tukey Honestly Significantly Different multiple comparison test (α =0.05). The fracture resistance revealed a significant effect for materials (pceramic was not significant (p=0.074), and the interaction between the thickness of ceramic and the materials was not significant (p=0.406). Mean (standard deviation) fracture resistance values were as follows: a 2-mm thickness of a lithium disilicate bonded to tooth structure (2505 [401] N) revealed a significantly higher fracture resistance than did a 1-mm thickness of leucite-reinforced (1569 [452] N) and a 2-mm thickness of leucite-reinforced ceramic bonded to tooth structure (1716 [436] N) (pceramic at 1-mm thickness (2105 [567] N) and at 2-mm thickness. Using a lithium disilicate glass ceramic for partial coverage restoration significantly improved fracture resistance compared to using a leucite-reinforced glass ceramic. The thickness of ceramic had no significant effect on fracture resistance when the ceramics were bonded to the underlying tooth structure.

Transparent conductor based on aluminum nanomesh

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kazarkin, B; Mohammed, A S; Stsiapanau, A; Zhuk, S; Satskevich, Y; Smirnov, A

2014-01-01

We report a transparent conductor based on Al nanomesh, which was fabricated through Al anodization and etching processes. The Al anodization was performed at low temperature condition to slow down the anodization rate to achieve the well-controlled thickness of an Al nanomesh. By careful controlling of the anodization process, we can fabricate Al nanomesh transparent conductors with different sheet resistance and optical transparency in the visible spectrum range. We shall show that Al nanomesh transparent conductor is a strong contender for a transparent conductor dominated by ITO

Transparent platinum counter electrode for efficient semi-transparent dye-sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iefanova, Anastasiia; Nepal, Jeevan; Poudel, Prashant; Davoux, Daren; Gautam, Umesh [Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57006 (United States); Mallam, Venkataiah [Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57006 (United States); Qiao, Qiquan [Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57006 (United States); Logue, Brian [Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57006 (United States); Baroughi, Mahdi Farrokh, E-mail: m.farrokhbaroughi@sdstate.edu [Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57006 (United States)

2014-07-01

A method for fabrication of highly transparent platinum counter electrodes (CEs) has been developed based on spray coating of Pt nanoparticles (NPs) on hot substrates. This method leads to 86% reduction in Pt consumption reducing the Pt cost per peak watt of counter electrode from $0.79/Wp down to $0.11/Wp compared to the conventional Pt counter electrodes made by sputter deposition. The simplicity and low cost of this method provide a basis for an up-scalable fabrication process. The Pt NP layer is over 88% transparent, leading to overall transparency of 80% when incorporated with indium tin oxide/glass substrates for functional counter electrodes. This counter electrode exhibits a large surface area and high catalytic activity, comparable to that of the conventional opaque CEs. Semi-transparent dye-sensitized solar cells fabricated based on this counter electrode showed 6.17% power conversion efficiency. - Highlights: • Counter electrode (CE) prepared by spraying nanoparticle (NP) Pt on hot substrate. • Low cost and scalable fabrication process of CE. • The spray deposited CE uses 10 times less Pt compared to the sputtering method. • The CE is 80% transparent and exhibits a large surface and high catalytic activity. • A semitransparent dye-sensitized solar cell with Pt NP CE was 6.17% efficient.

Optically transparent and durable Al2O3 coatings for harsh environments by ultra short pulsed laser deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Korhonen, Hannu; Syväluoto, Aki; Leskinen, Jari T. T.; Lappalainen, Reijo

2018-01-01

Nowadays, an environmental protection is needed for a number of optical applications in conditions quickly impairing the clarity of optical surfaces. Abrasion resistant optical coatings applied onto plastics are usually based on alumina or polysiloxane technology. In many applications transparent glasses and ceramics need a combination of abrasive and chemically resistant shielding or other protective solutions like coatings. In this study, we intended to test our hypothesis that clear and pore free alumina coating can be uniformly distributed on glass prisms by ultra short pulsed laser deposition (USPLD) technique to protect the sensitive surfaces against abrasives. Abrasive wear tests were carried out by the use of SiC emery paper using specified standard procedures. After the wear tests the measured transparencies of coated prisms turned out to be close those of the prisms before coating. The coating on sensitive surfaces consistently displayed enhanced wear resistance exhibiting still high quality, even after severe wear testing. Furthermore, the coating modified the surface properties towards hydrophobic nature in contrast to untreated prisms, which became very hydrophilic especially due to wear.

The history of ceramic filters.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujishima, S

2000-01-01

The history of ceramic filters is surveyed. Included is the history of piezoelectric ceramics. Ceramic filters were developed using technology similar to that of quartz crystal and electro-mechanical filters. However, the key to this development involved the theoretical analysis of vibration modes and material improvements of piezoelectric ceramics. The primary application of ceramic filters has been for consumer-market use. Accordingly, a major emphasis has involved mass production technology, leading to low-priced devices. A typical ceramic filter includes monolithic resonators and capacitors packaged in unique configurations.

Narrative Transparency: Adopting a Rhetorical Stance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arnould, Eric; Press, Melea

2014-01-01

In this paper, we look at how alternative marketing organisations communicate transparency in a climate of generalised risk and scepticism. We contrast the traditional numeric approach to transparency, which involves auditing and third-party certifications; with an alternative approach that we call...... narrative transparency. Central to narrative transparency is an emphasis on stake-holder dialogue and an invitation to stake-holders to play the role of auditor. This article illustrates how alternative marketing organisations engage in rhetorical tactics central to a narrative approach, to communicate...... transparency to their stakeholders. These rhetorical tactics include persona, allegory, consumer sovereignty and enlightenment. Community supported agriculture programmes from across the United States are the context for this study. Findings enrich discussions about best practices for transparency...

[Ceramic posts].

Science.gov (United States)

Mainjot, Amélie; Legros, Caroline; Vanheusden, Alain

2006-01-01

As a result of ceramics and all-ceram technologies development esthetic inlay core and abutments flooded the market. Their tooth-colored appearance enhances restoration biomimetism principally on the marginal gingiva area. This article reviews indications and types of cores designed for natural teeth and implants.

Transparency, price-dependent demand and product variety

OpenAIRE

Gu, Yiquan; Wenzel, Tobias

2010-01-01

This paper revisits the relationship between transparency on the consumer side and product variety as analyzed in Schultz (2009). We identify two welfare effects of transparency. More transparency decreases price-cost margins which is beneficial forwelfare. On the other hand, more transparency reduces variety which can be positive or negative for welfare. Overall, more transparency is always welfareimproving.

Robot transparency, trust and utility

Science.gov (United States)

Wortham, Robert H.; Theodorou, Andreas

2017-07-01

As robot reasoning becomes more complex, debugging becomes increasingly hard based solely on observable behaviour, even for robot designers and technical specialists. Similarly, non-specialist users have difficulty creating useful mental models of robot reasoning from observations of robot behaviour. The EPSRC Principles of Robotics mandate that our artefacts should be transparent, but what does this mean in practice, and how does transparency affect both trust and utility? We investigate this relationship in the literature and find it to be complex, particularly in nonindustrial environments where, depending on the application and purpose of the robot, transparency may have a wider range of effects on trust and utility. We outline our programme of research to support our assertion that it is nevertheless possible to create transparent agents that are emotionally engaging despite having a transparent machine nature.

Broadband white light emission from Ce:AlN ceramics: High thermal conductivity down-converters for LED and laser-driven solid state lighting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. T. Wieg

2016-12-01

Full Text Available We introduce high thermal conductivity aluminum nitride (AlN as a transparent ceramic host for Ce3+, a well-known active ion dopant. We show that the Ce:AlN ceramics have overlapping photoluminescent (PL emission peaks that cover almost the entire visible range resulting in a white appearance under 375 nm excitation without the need for color mixing. The PL is due to a combination of intrinsic AlN defect complexes and Ce3+ electronic transitions. Importantly, the peak intensities can be tuned by varying the Ce concentration and processing parameters, causing different shades of white light without the need for multiple phosphors or light sources. The Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage coordinates calculated from the measured spectra confirm white light emission. In addition, we demonstrate the viability of laser driven white light emission by coupling the Ce:AlN to a readily available frequency tripled Nd-YAG laser emitting at 355 nm. The high thermal conductivity of these ceramic down-converters holds significant promise for producing higher power white light sources than those available today.

Transparency in high-energy nuclear collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karol, P.J.

1992-01-01

Problems associated with transparency schemes based on sharp cutoff models are discussed. The soft spheres model of hadron-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus collisions has been used to explore the influence of the realistic nuclear density geometry on transparency. An average nuclear transparency and an average reaction transparency are defined and their dependence on target and projectile dimensions and on the hadron-nucleon collision cross section are described. The results are expected to be valid for projectile energies above several hundred MeV/nucleon through the ultrarelativistic regime. For uniform (hard sphere) nuclear profiles, methods for obtaining effective total transparencies are suggested

Transparency and product variety

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schultz, Christian

2009-01-01

We study long run effects of transparency on the consumer side in a differentiated market. Only some consumers know prices. Increasing transparency reduces the equilibrium price, profit and firm entry. This improves welfare and, in most cases, average consumer utility....

Ceramic heat exchanger

Science.gov (United States)

LaHaye, Paul G.; Rahman, Faress H.; Lebeau, Thomas P. E.; Severin, Barbara K.

1998-01-01

A tube containment system. The tube containment system does not significantly reduce heat transfer through the tube wall. The contained tube is internally pressurized, and is formed from a ceramic material having high strength, high thermal conductivity, and good thermal shock resistance. The tube containment system includes at least one ceramic fiber braid material disposed about the internally pressurized tube. The material is disposed about the tube in a predetermined axial spacing arrangement. The ceramic fiber braid is present in an amount sufficient to contain the tube if the tube becomes fractured. The tube containment system can also include a plurality of ceramic ring-shaped structures, in contact with the outer surface of the tube, and positioned between the tube and the ceramic fiber braid material, and/or at least one transducer positioned within tube for reducing the internal volume and, therefore, the energy of any shrapnel resulting from a tube fracture.

Large ceramics for fusion applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hauth, W.E.; Stoddard, S.D.

1979-01-01

Prominent ceramic raw materials and products manufacturers were surveyed to determine the state of the art for alumina ceramic fabrication. This survey emphasized current capabilities and limitations for fabrication of large, high-density, high-purity, complex shapes. Some directions are suggested for future needs and development. Ceramic-to-ceramic sealing has applications for several technologies that require large and/or complex vacuum-tight ceramic shapes. Information is provided concerning the assembly of complex monolithic ceramic shapes by bonding of subassemblies at temperatures ranging from 450 to 1500 0 C. Future applications and fabrication techniques for various materials are presented

Clinical application of bio ceramics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anu, Sharma, E-mail: issaranu@gmail.com; Gayatri, Sharma, E-mail: sharmagayatri@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry, Govt. College of Engineering & Technology, Bikaner, Rajasthan (India)

2016-05-06

Ceramics are the inorganic crystalline material. These are used in various field such as biomedical, electrical, electronics, aerospace, automotive and optical etc. Bio ceramics are the one of the most active areas of research. Bio ceramics are the ceramics which are biocompatible. The unique properties of bio ceramics make them an attractive option for medical applications and offer some potential advantages over other materials. During the past three decades, a number of major advances have been made in the field of bio ceramics. This review focuses on the use of these materials in variety of clinical scenarios.

Clinical application of bio ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anu, Sharma; Gayatri, Sharma

2016-01-01

Ceramics are the inorganic crystalline material. These are used in various field such as biomedical, electrical, electronics, aerospace, automotive and optical etc. Bio ceramics are the one of the most active areas of research. Bio ceramics are the ceramics which are biocompatible. The unique properties of bio ceramics make them an attractive option for medical applications and offer some potential advantages over other materials. During the past three decades, a number of major advances have been made in the field of bio ceramics. This review focuses on the use of these materials in variety of clinical scenarios.

FIB/SEM and SEM/EDS microstructural analysis of metal-ceramic and zirconia-ceramic interfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Massimi, F; Merlati, G; Sebastiani, M; Battaini, P; Menghini, P; Bemporad, E

2012-01-10

Recently introduced FIB/SEM analysis in microscopy seems to provide a high-resolution characterization of the samples by 3D (FIB) cross-sectioning and (SEM) high resolution imaging. The aim of this study was to apply the FIB/SEM and SEM/EDS analysis to the interfaces of a metal-ceramic vs. two zirconia-ceramic systems. Plate samples of three different prosthetic systems were prepared in the dental lab following the manufacturers' instructions, where metal-ceramic was the result of a ceramic veneering (porcelain-fused-to-metal) and the two zirconia-ceramic systems were produced by the dedicated CAD-CAM procedures of the zirconia cores (both with final sintering) and then veneered by layered or heat pressed ceramics. In a FIB/SEM equipment (also called DualBeam), a thin layer of platinum (1 μm) was deposited on samples surface crossing the interfaces, in order to protect them during milling. Then, increasingly deeper trenches were milled by a focused ion beam, first using a relatively higher and later using a lower ion current (from 9 nA to 0.28 nA, 30KV). Finally, FEG-SEM (5KV) micrographs (1000-50,000X) were acquired. In a SEM the analysis of the morphology and internal microstructure was performed by 13KV secondary and backscattered electrons signals (in all the samples). The compositional maps were then performed by EDS probe only in the metal-ceramic system (20kV). Despite the presence of many voids in all the ceramic layers, it was possible to identify: (1) the grain structures of the metallic and zirconia substrates, (2) the thin oxide layer at the metal-ceramic interface and its interactions with the first ceramic layer (wash technique), (3) the roughness of the two different zirconia cores and their interactions with the ceramic interface, where the presence of zirconia grains in the ceramic layer was reported in two system possibly due to sandblasting before ceramic firing.

Ceramic hot-gas filter

Science.gov (United States)

Connolly, E.S.; Forsythe, G.D.; Domanski, D.M.; Chambers, J.A.; Rajendran, G.P.

1999-05-11

A ceramic hot-gas candle filter is described having a porous support of filament-wound oxide ceramic yarn at least partially surrounded by a porous refractory oxide ceramic matrix, and a membrane layer on at least one surface thereof. The membrane layer may be on the outer surface, the inner surface, or both the outer and inner surface of the porous support. The membrane layer may be formed of an ordered arrangement of circularly wound, continuous filament oxide ceramic yarn, a ceramic filler material which is less permeable than the filament-wound support structure, or some combination of continuous filament and filler material. A particularly effective membrane layer features circularly wound filament with gaps intentionally placed between adjacent windings, and a filler material of ceramic particulates uniformly distributed throughout the gap region. The filter can withstand thermal cycling during back pulse cleaning and is resistant to chemical degradation at high temperatures.

Ceramic hot-gas filter

Science.gov (United States)

Connolly, Elizabeth Sokolinski; Forsythe, George Daniel; Domanski, Daniel Matthew; Chambers, Jeffrey Allen; Rajendran, Govindasamy Paramasivam

1999-01-01

A ceramic hot-gas candle filter having a porous support of filament-wound oxide ceramic yarn at least partially surrounded by a porous refractory oxide ceramic matrix, and a membrane layer on at least one surface thereof. The membrane layer may be on the outer surface, the inner surface, or both the outer and inner surface of the porous support. The membrane layer may be formed of an ordered arrangement of circularly wound, continuous filament oxide ceramic yarn, a ceramic filler material which is less permeable than the filament-wound support structure, or some combination of continuous filament and filler material. A particularly effective membrane layer features circularly wound filament with gaps intentionally placed between adjacent windings, and a filler material of ceramic particulates uniformly distributed throughout the gap region. The filter can withstand thermal cycling during backpulse cleaning and is resistant to chemical degradation at high temperatures.

Ceramic injection molding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agueda, Horacio; Russo, Diego

1988-01-01

Interest in making complex net-shape ceramic parts with good surface finishing and sharp tolerances without machining is a driving force for studying the injection molding technique. This method consists of softhening the ceramic material by means of adding some plastic and heating in order to inject the mixture under pressure into a relatively cold mold where solidification takes place. Essentially, it is the same process used in thermoplastic industry but, in the present case, the ceramic powder load ranges between 80 to 90 wt.%. This work shows results obtained from the fabrication of pieces of different ceramic materials (alumina, barium titanate ferrites, etc.) in a small scale, using equipments developed and constructed in the laboratory. (Author) [es

Transparency of Banking Supervisors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Liedorp, Franka; Mosch, Robert; van der Cruijsen, Carin; de Haan, Jakob

Following Eijffinger and Geraats (2006), this paper constructs an index of transparency of banking supervisors that takes political, economic, procedural, policy, and operational transparency into account. Based on a survey, the index is constructed for 24 banking supervisors. The average score is

Introduction: The Transparency Issue

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Teurlings, J.; Stauff, M.

2014-01-01

Besides giving an overview on the individual contributions, this introduction to the special issue on transparency delineates a conceptual context for a critical analysis of the contemporary discourse on transparency and the media mechanisms related to it. It focuses on three ambivalences inherent

Optically transparent semiconducting polymer nanonetwork for flexible and transparent electronics

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Kilho; Park, Byoungwook; Kim, Geunjin; Kim, Chang-Hyun; Park, Sungjun; Kim, Jehan; Jung, Suhyun; Jeong, Soyeong; Kwon, Sooncheol; Kang, Hongkyu; Kim, Junghwan; Yoon, Myung-Han; Lee, Kwanghee

2016-01-01

Simultaneously achieving high optical transparency and excellent charge mobility in semiconducting polymers has presented a challenge for the application of these materials in future “flexible” and “transparent” electronics (FTEs). Here, by blending only a small amount (∼15 wt %) of a diketopyrrolopyrrole-based semiconducting polymer (DPP2T) into an inert polystyrene (PS) matrix, we introduce a polymer blend system that demonstrates both high field-effect transistor (FET) mobility and excellent optical transparency that approaches 100%. We discover that in a PS matrix, DPP2T forms a web-like, continuously connected nanonetwork that spreads throughout the thin film and provides highly efficient 2D charge pathways through extended intrachain conjugation. The remarkable physical properties achieved using our approach enable us to develop prototype high-performance FTE devices, including colorless all-polymer FET arrays and fully transparent FET-integrated polymer light-emitting diodes. PMID:27911774

Ceramic Electron Multiplier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Comby, G.

1996-01-01

The Ceramic Electron Multipliers (CEM) is a compact, robust, linear and fast multi-channel electron multiplier. The Multi Layer Ceramic Technique (MLCT) allows to build metallic dynodes inside a compact ceramic block. The activation of the metallic dynodes enhances their secondary electron emission (SEE). The CEM can be used in multi-channel photomultipliers, multi-channel light intensifiers, ion detection, spectroscopy, analysis of time of flight events, particle detection or Cherenkov imaging detectors. (auth)

Piezo-electrostrictive ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Ho Gi; Shin, Byeong Cheol

1991-09-01

This book deals with principle and the case of application of piezo-electrostrictive ceramics, which includes definition of piezoelectric materials and production and development of piezoelectric materials, coexistence of Pb(zr, Ti)O 3 ceramics on cause of coexistence in MPB PZT ceramics, electrostrictive effect of oxide type perovskite, practical piezo-electrostrictive materials, and breaking strength, evaluation technique of piezoelectric characteristic, and piezoelectric accelerometer sensor like printer head, ink jet and piezoelectric relay.

Ceramic Surface Treatment with a Single-component Primer: Resin Adhesion to Glass Ceramics.

Science.gov (United States)

Prado, Mayara; Prochnow, Catina; Marchionatti, Ana Maria Estivalete; Baldissara, Paolo; Valandro, Luiz Felipe; Wandscher, Vinicius Felipe

2018-04-19

To evaluate the microshear bond strength (μSBS) of composite cement bonded to two machined glass ceramics and its durability, comparing conventional surface conditioning (hydrofluoric acid + silane) to a one-step primer (Monobond Etch & Prime). Machined slices of lithium disilicate ceramic (LDC) (IPS e.max CAD) and feldspathic ceramic (FC) (VITA Mark II) glass ceramics were divided into two groups (n = 10) according to two factors: 1. surface treatment: HF+S (ca 5% hydrofluoric acid [IPS Ceramic Etching GEL] + silane coupling agent [SIL; Monobond Plus]) or MEP (single-component ceramic conditioner; Monobond Etch & Prime); 2. storage condition: baseline (without aging; tested 24 h after cementing) or aged (70 days of water storage + 12,000 thermal cycles). Composite cement (Multilink Automix, Ivoclar Vivadent) was applied to starch matrices on the treated ceramic surfaces and photoactivated. A μSBS test was performed (0.5 mm/min) and the failure pattern was determined. Contact angle and micromorphological analyses were also performed. Data were analyzed with Student's t-test (α = 5%). For both ceramic materials, HF+S resulted in higher mean μSBS (MPa) at baseline (LDC: HF+S 21.2 ± 2.2 > MEP 10.4 ± 2.4; FC: HF+S 19.6 ± 4.3 > MEP 13.5 ± 5.4) and after aging (LDC: HF+S 14.64 ± 2.31 > MEP 9 ± 3.4; FC HF+S: 14.73 ± 3.33 > MEP 11.1 ± 3.3). HF+S resulted in a statistically significant decrease in mean μSBS after aging (p = 0.0001), while MEP yielded no significant reduction. The main failure type was adhesive between composite cement and ceramic. HF+S resuted in the lowest contact angle. Hydrofluoric acid + silane resulted in higher mean μSBS than Monobond Etch & Prime for both ceramics; however, Monobond Etch & Prime had stable bonding after aging.

Pixel masks for screen-door transparency

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.D. Mulder (Jurriaan); F.C.A. Groen; J.J. van Wijk (Jack)

1998-01-01

textabstractRendering objects transparently gives additional insight in complex and overlapping structures. However, traditional techniques for the rendering of transparent objects such as alpha blending are not very well suited for the rendering of multiple transparent objects in dynamic scenes.

Enlarging photovoltaic effect: combination of classic photoelectric and ferroelectric photovoltaic effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jingjiao; Su, Xiaodong; Shen, Mingrong; Dai, Zhihua; Zhang, Lingjun; He, Xiyun; Cheng, Wenxiu; Cao, Mengyu; Zou, Guifu

2013-01-01

Converting light energy to electrical energy in photovoltaic devices relies on the photogenerated electrons and holes separated by the built-in potential in semiconductors. Photo-excited electrons in metal electrodes are usually not considered in this process. Here, we report an enhanced photovoltaic effect in the ferroelectric lanthanum-modified lead zirconate titanate (PLZT) by using low work function metals as the electrodes. We believe that electrons in the metal with low work function could be photo-emitted into PLZT and form the dominant photocurrent in our devices. Under AM1.5 (100 mW/cm²) illumination, the short-circuit current and open-circuit voltage of Mg/PLZT/ITO are about 150 and 2 times of those of Pt/PLZT/ITO, respectively. The photovoltaic response of PLZT capacitor was expanded from ultraviolet to visible spectra, and it may have important impact on design and fabrication of high performance photovoltaic devices based on ferroelectric materials.

Effect of La doping on crystalline orientation, microstructure and dielectric properties of PZT thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Wencai; Li, Qi; Wang, Xing [Dalian Univ. of Technology, Dalian (China). School of Mechanical Engineering; Yin, Zhifu [Jilin Univ., Changchun (China). Faculty of the School of Mechanical Science and Engineering; Zou, Helin [Dalian Univ. of Technology, Dalian (China). Key Lab. for Micro/Nano Systems and Technology

2017-11-01

Lanthanum (La)-modified lead zirconate titanate (PLZT) thin films with doping concentration from 0 to 5 at.-% have been fabricated by sol-gel methods to investigate the effects of La doping on crystalline orientation, microstructure and dielectric properties of the modified films. The characterization of PLZT thin films were performed by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and precision impedance analysis. XRD analysis showed that PLZT films with La doping concentration below 4 at.-% exhibited (100) preferred orientation. SEM results indicated that PLZT films presented dense and columnar microstructures when La doping concentration was less than 3 at.-%, while the others showed columnar microstructures only at the bottom of the cross section. The maximum dielectric constant (1502.59 at 100 Hz) was obtained in a 2 at.-% La-doped film, which increased by 53.9 % compared with undoped film. Without introducing a seed layer, (100) oriented PLZT thin films were prepared by using conventional heat treatment process and adjusting La doping concentration.

A fractographic study of clinically retrieved zirconia–ceramic and metal–ceramic fixed dental prostheses

OpenAIRE

Pang, Zhen; Chughtai, Asima; Sailer, Irena; Zhang, Yu

2015-01-01

A recent 3-year randomized controlled trial (RCT) of tooth supported three- to five-unit zirconia-ceramic and metal-ceramic posterior fixed dental prostheses (FDPs) revealed that veneer chipping and fracture in zirconia-ceramic systems occurred more frequently than those in metal-ceramic systems [1]. This study seeks to elucidate the underlying mechanisms responsible for the fracture phenomena observed in this RCT using a descriptive fractographic analysis

Ceramic and non-ceramic hydroxyapatite as a bone graft material: a brief review.

Science.gov (United States)

Dutta, S R; Passi, D; Singh, P; Bhuibhar, A

2015-03-01

Treatment of dental, craniofacial and orthopedic defects with bone graft substitutes has shown promising result achieving almost complete bone regeneration depending on product resorption similar to human bone's physicochemical and crystallographic characteristics. Among these, non-ceramic and ceramic hydroxyapatite being the main inorganic salt of bone is the most studied calcium phosphate material in clinical practices ever since 1970s and non-ceramic since 1985. Its "chemical similarity" with the mineralized phase of biologic bone makes it unique. Hydroxyapatite as an excellent carrier of osteoinductive growth factors and osteogenic cell populations is also useful as drug delivery vehicle regardless of its density. Porous ceramic and non-ceramic hydroxyapatite is osteoconductive, biocompatible and very inert. The need for bone graft material keeps on increasing with increased age of the population and the increased conditions of trauma. Recent advances in genetic engineering and doping techniques have made it possible to use non-ceramic hydroxyapatite in larger non-ceramic crystals and cluster forms as a successful bone graft substitute to treat various types of bone defects. In this paper we have mentioned some recently studied properties of hydroxyapatite and its various uses through a brief review of the literatures available to date.

Advice on Admissions Transparency

Science.gov (United States)

Australian Government Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency, 2018

2018-01-01

Admissions transparency means that prospective domestic undergraduate students can easily find good quality admissions information that allows them to compare courses and providers and make informed study choices. In October 2016 the Higher Education Standards Panel (HESP) made recommendations to achieve greater transparency in higher education…

Mounting for ceramic scroll

Science.gov (United States)

Petty, Jack D.

1993-01-01

A mounting for a ceramic scroll on a metal engine block of a gas turbine engine includes a first ceramic ring and a pair of cross key connections between the first ceramic ring, the ceramic scroll, and the engine block. The cross key connections support the scroll on the engine block independent of relative radial thermal growth and for bodily movement toward an annular mounting shoulder on the engine. The scroll has an uninterrupted annular shoulder facing the mounting shoulder on the engine block. A second ceramic ring is captured between mounting shoulder and the uninterrupted shoulder on the scroll when the latter is bodily shifted toward the mouting shoulder to define a gas seal between the scroll and the engine block.

Properties and Clinical Application of Three Types of Dental Glass-Ceramics and Ceramics for CAD-CAM Technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Ritzberger, Christian; Apel, Elke; Höland, Wolfram; Peschke, Arnd; Rheinberger, Volker M.

2010-01-01

The main properties (mechanical, thermal and chemical) and clinical application for dental restoration are demonstrated for three types of glass-ceramics and sintered polycrystalline ceramic produced by Ivoclar Vivadent AG. Two types of glass-ceramics are derived from the leucite-type and the lithium disilicate-type. The third type of dental materials represents a ZrO2 ceramic. CAD/CAM technology is a procedure to manufacture dental ceramic restoration. Leucite-type glass-ceramics demonstrate high translucency, preferable optical/mechanical properties and an application as dental inlays, onlays and crowns. Based on an improvement of the mechanical parameters, specially the strength and toughness, the lithium disilicate glass-ceramics are used as crowns; applying a procedure to machine an intermediate product and producing the final glass-ceramic by an additional heat treatment. Small dental bridges of lithium disilicate glass-ceramic were fabricated using a molding technology. ZrO2 ceramics show high toughness and strength and were veneered with fluoroapatite glass-ceramic. Machining is possible with a porous intermediate product.

Can transparency be measured - a look ahead

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jorle, A.

2007-01-01

The simple answer to this question is no. But if you define the expression and decide transparency actually is, the answer might be different. Transparency means different things in different places. In one country transparency meant almost total access to anything that a government authority has in its possession. In another country transparency is more strict access to certain decisions, decisions makers or documents written with the sole purpose of informing the public. What variables could be found in the word transparent, what is a transparent regulator? In this short presentation we will deal with some important settings or fundamental prerequisites for a regulator calling itself transparent. Perhaps we should look at them in order of importance. Some days it is difficult to do all at once. As a final point, if we as regulators wish to call ourselves transparent in a future with diminishing national borders, fast electronic communication and increasing world wide media impact, what does the world require from us as regulators? (author)

Ceramic combustor mounting

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffman, Melvin G.; Janneck, Frank W.

1982-01-01

A combustor for a gas turbine engine includes a metal engine block including a wall portion defining a housing for a combustor having ceramic liner components. A ceramic outlet duct is supported by a compliant seal on the metal block and a reaction chamber liner is stacked thereon and partly closed at one end by a ceramic bypass swirl plate which is spring loaded by a plurality of circumferentially spaced, spring loaded guide rods and wherein each of the guide rods has one end thereof directed exteriorly of a metal cover plate on the engine block to react against externally located biasing springs cooled by ambient air and wherein the rod spring support arrangement maintains the stacked ceramic components together so that a normal force is maintained on the seal between the outlet duct and the engine block under all operating conditions. The support arrangement also is operative to accommodate a substantial difference in thermal expansion between the ceramic liner components of the combustor and the metal material of the engine block.

Diffusion in ceramics

CERN Document Server

Pelleg, Joshua

2016-01-01

This textbook provides an introduction to changes that occur in solids such as ceramics, mainly at high temperatures, which are diffusion controlled, as well as presenting research data. Such changes are related to the kinetics of various reactions such as precipitation, oxidation and phase transformations, but are also related to some mechanical changes, such as creep. The book is composed of two parts, beginning with a look at the basics of diffusion according to Fick's Laws. Solutions of Fick’s second law for constant D, diffusion in grain boundaries and dislocations are presented along with a look at the atomistic approach for the random motion of atoms. In the second part, the author discusses diffusion in several technologically important ceramics. The ceramics selected are monolithic single phase ones, including: A12O3, SiC, MgO, ZrO2 and Si3N4. Of these, three refer to oxide ceramics (alumina, magnesia and zirconia). Carbide based ceramics are represented by the technologically very important Si-ca...

A Concise Dictionary of Transparency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jakub Misun

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The article discusses an essay collection by Marek Bieńczyk, Przeźroczystość [Transparency]. The concept, placed in various context, shows various aspects and is seen in various shades. The author does not put forward a statement, but rather proposes a work to be done: to determine the modality of transparency. The concept initially seems to be mainly epistemological: the cognizant subject would like to make the world transparent, to discover all possible mysteries. Before that, however, the subject must know itself, and here the dream of trans­parency also plays the key role. Lack of epistemological transparency is the main cause of melancholy and its reverse — hysteria. The concept turns out to be important in the domain of love — the loer thinks that (she knows the desired person more better anybody else, that (she has entirely penetrated the subjectivity of the Other. Ultimately, however, the dream of transparency goes down to a slow demise of the subject: as self-discovery progresses, there is less and less of the discoverer. In conclusion of this work, the border of modality of the concept turns out to be horrifyingly obvious. The desire for transparency consequently searches not for knowledge, but for an escape whose name is death.

Transparency in port-Hamiltonian based telemanipulation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Secchi, C; Stramigioli, Stefano; Fantuzzi, C.

2005-01-01

After stability, transparency is the major issue in the design of a telemanipulation system. In this paper we exploit a behavioral approach in order to provide an index for the evaluation of transparency in port-Hamiltonian based teleoperators. Furthermore we provide a transparency analysis of

Transparency in Port-Hamiltonian-Based Telemanipulation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Secchi, Cristian; Stramigioli, Stefano; Fantuzzi, Cesare

After stability, transparency is the major issue in the design of a telemanipulation system. In this paper, we exploit the behavioral approach in order to provide an index for the evaluation of transparency in port-Hamiltonian-based teleoperators. Furthermore, we provide a transparency analysis of

Randomized clinical trial of implant-supported ceramic-ceramic and metal-ceramic fixed dental prostheses: preliminary results.

Science.gov (United States)

Esquivel-Upshaw, Josephine F; Clark, Arthur E; Shuster, Jonathan J; Anusavice, Kenneth J

2014-02-01

The aim of this study was to determine the survival rates over time of implant-supported ceramic-ceramic and metal-ceramic prostheses as a function of core-veneer thickness ratio, gingival connector embrasure design, and connector height. An IRB-approved, randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted as a single-blind pilot study involving 55 patients missing three teeth in either one or two posterior areas. These patients (34 women; 21 men; age range 52-75 years) were recruited for the study to receive a three-unit implant-supported fixed dental prosthesis (FDP). Two implants were placed for each of the 72 FDPs in the study. The implants (Osseospeed, Astra Tech), which were made of titanium, were grit blasted. A gold-shaded, custom-milled titanium abutment (Atlantis, Astra Tech), was secured to each implant body. Each of the 72 FDPs in 55 patients were randomly assigned based on one of the following options: (1) A. ceramic-ceramic (Yttria-stabilized zirconia core, pressable fluorapatite glass-ceramic, IPS e.max ZirCAD, and ZirPress, Ivoclar Vivadent) B. metal-ceramic (palladium-based noble alloy, Capricorn, Ivoclar Vivadent, with press-on leucite-reinforced glass-ceramic veneer, IPS InLine POM, Ivoclar Vivadent); (2) occlusal veneer thickness (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mm); (3) curvature of gingival embrasure (0.25, 0.5, and 0.75 mm diameter); and (4) connector height (3, 4, and 5 mm). FDPs were fabricated and cemented with dual-cure resin cement (RelyX, Universal Cement, 3M ESPE). Patients were recalled at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years. FDPs were examined for cracks, fracture, and general surface quality. Recall exams of 72 prostheses revealed 10 chipping fractures. No fractures occurred within the connector or embrasure areas. Two-sided Fisher's exact tests showed no significant correlation between fractures and type of material system (p = 0.51), veneer thickness (p = 0.75), radius of curvature of gingival embrasure (p = 0.68), and connector height (p = 0

Corrosion of Ceramic Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Opila, Elizabeth J.; Jacobson, Nathan S.

1999-01-01

Non-oxide ceramics are promising materials for a range of high temperature applications. Selected current and future applications are listed. In all such applications, the ceramics are exposed to high temperature gases. Therefore it is critical to understand the response of these materials to their environment. The variables to be considered here include both the type of ceramic and the environment to which it is exposed. Non-oxide ceramics include borides, nitrides, and carbides. Most high temperature corrosion environments contain oxygen and hence the emphasis of this chapter will be on oxidation processes.

Ceramic Seal.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smartt, Heidi A. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Romero, Juan A. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Custer, Joyce Olsen [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Hymel, Ross W. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Krementz, Dan [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Gobin, Derek [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Harpring, Larry [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Martinez-Rodriguez, Michael [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Varble, Don [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); DiMaio, Jeff [Tetramer Technologies, Pendleton, SC (United States); Hudson, Stephen [Tetramer Technologies, Pendleton, SC (United States)

2016-11-01

Containment/Surveillance (C/S) measures are critical to any verification regime in order to maintain Continuity of Knowledge (CoK). The Ceramic Seal project is research into the next generation technologies to advance C/S, in particular improving security and efficiency. The Ceramic Seal is a small form factor loop seal with improved tamper-indication including a frangible seal body, tamper planes, external coatings, and electronic monitoring of the seal body integrity. It improves efficiency through a self-securing wire and in-situ verification with a handheld reader. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), under sponsorship from the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development (DNN R&D), have previously designed and have now fabricated and tested Ceramic Seals. Tests have occurred at both SNL and SRNL, with different types of tests occurring at each facility. This interim report will describe the Ceramic Seal prototype, the design and development of a handheld standalone reader and an interface to a data acquisition system, fabrication of the seals, and results of initial testing.

Ceramic Seal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smartt, Heidi A.; Romero, Juan A.; Custer, Joyce Olsen; Hymel, Ross W.; Krementz, Dan; Gobin, Derek; Harpring, Larry; Martinez-Rodriguez, Michael; Varble, Don; DiMaio, Jeff; Hudson, Stephen

2016-01-01

Containment/Surveillance (C/S) measures are critical to any verification regime in order to maintain Continuity of Knowledge (CoK). The Ceramic Seal project is research into the next generation technologies to advance C/S, in particular improving security and efficiency. The Ceramic Seal is a small form factor loop seal with improved tamper-indication including a frangible seal body, tamper planes, external coatings, and electronic monitoring of the seal body integrity. It improves efficiency through a self-securing wire and in-situ verification with a handheld reader. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), under sponsorship from the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development (DNN R&D), have previously designed and have now fabricated and tested Ceramic Seals. Tests have occurred at both SNL and SRNL, with different types of tests occurring at each facility. This interim report will describe the Ceramic Seal prototype, the design and development of a handheld standalone reader and an interface to a data acquisition system, fabrication of the seals, and results of initial testing.

Budget transparency in local governments

OpenAIRE

Giménez Perona, Paloma

2014-01-01

Treball Final de Grau en Finances i Comptabilitat. Codi: FC1049. Curs acadèmic 2013-2014 This work will study the socio-demographic determinants, political, budgetary and economic, that affect the transparency of local entities. To perform the study, we have chosen the transparency index data for the 110 largest municipalities of Spain, in 2012 has been chosen from the information offered by the website of the organization Transparency International Spain. The results indica...

Epilogue: degrees of transparency

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hengeveld, K.

2011-01-01

In this epilogue the results of the analyses of four different languages in the preceding papers are compared. It is shown that the degrees of transparency of these languages can be represented on an implicational scale, and that the features themselves can be ranked on a transparency scale as well.

Fabrication and characterization of Er+3 doped SiO2/SnO2 glass-ceramic thin films for planar waveguide applications

Science.gov (United States)

Guddala, S.; Chiappini, A.; Armellini, C.; Turell, S.; Righini, G. C.; Ferrari, M.; Narayana Rao, D.

2015-02-01

Glass-ceramics are a kind of two-phase materials constituted by nanocrystals embedded in a glass matrix and the respective volume fractions of crystalline and amorphous phase determine the properties of the glass-ceramics. Among these properties transparency is crucial in particular when confined structures, such as, dielectric optical waveguides, are considered. Moreover, the segregation of dopant rare-earth ions, like erbium, in low phonon energy crystalline medium makes these structures more promising in the development of waveguide amplifiers. Here we are proposing a new class of low phonon energy tin oxide semiconductor medium doped silicate based planar waveguides. Er3+ doped (100-x) SiO2-xSnO2 (x= 10, 20, 25 and 30mol%), glass-ceramic planar waveguide thin films were fabricated by a simple sol-gel processing and dip coating technique. XRD and HRTEM studies indicates the glass-ceramic phase of the film and the dispersion of ~4nm diameter of tin oxide nanocrystals in the amorphous phase of silica. The spectroscopic assessment indicates the distribution of the dopant erbium ions in the crystalline medium of tin oxide. The observed low losses, 0.5±0.2 dB/cm, at 1.54 μm communication wavelength makes them a quite promising material for the development of high gain integrated optical amplifiers.

Novel Sr{sub 2}LuF{sub 7}–SiO{sub 2} nano-glass-ceramics: Structure and up-conversion luminescence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yanes, A.C.; Castillo, J. del, E-mail: fjvargas@ull.edu.es; Luis, D.; Puentes, J.

2016-02-15

Novel transparent nano-glass-ceramics comprising RE-doped Sr{sub 2}LuF{sub 7} nanocrystals have been obtained by thermal treatment of precursor sol–gel glasses. The precipitated Sr{sub 2}LuF{sub 7} nanocrystals with sizes from 4.5 to 11.5 nm, confirmed by X-Ray Diffraction and Transmission Electron Microscopy images, show a cubic phase structure. The luminescent features of Eu{sup 3+} ions, used as structural probes, evidence the distribution of RE ions into the fluoride nanocrystals. Under 980 nm laser excitation, intense UV, vis and NIR up-conversion emissions were observed and studied in Yb{sup 3+}–Tm{sup 3+}, Yb{sup 3+}–Er{sup 3+} and Yb{sup 3+}–Ho{sup 3+} co-doped nano-glass-ceramics. These results suggest considering these nano-glass-ceramics for potential optical applications as high efficient UV up-conversion materials in UV solid state lasers, infrared tuneable phosphors and photonic integrated devices. - Highlights: • Novel sol-gel glass-ceramics with RE{sup 3+}-Sr{sub 2}LuF{sub 7} doped nanocrystals were obtained. • Eu{sup 3+} probe ion was used to distinguish between amorphous and crystalline environments. • The incorporation of an important fraction of RE ions into nanocrystals was confirmed. • Under 980 nm excitation, intense UV-vis-NIR up-conversion emissions were observed.

Through a glass darkly - the meaning of transparency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loy, J.

2007-01-01

The paper first discusses the word 'transparency'. It is a metaphor drawn from optics; it is a term used in social and political science; the international civil society organisation. 'Transparency International' sees it as the paradigm to fight corruption in the world. From this discussion, the paper offers a working definition applicable to a nuclear regulatory organisation. The paper describes a difference between having transparent process, which might be called passive transparency; and transparent engagement with stakeholders -- active transparency. It discusses some of the issues and problems that arise for a nuclear regulatory organisation seeking to operate transparently. Much of the difficulty with true transparency is that it reveals the 'untidiness' of life. 'We see now as through a glass darkly'. What is the general view of society and the cultural attitudes towards Government agencies revealing that they are not perfect'? Can you have a transparent nuclear regulator of a secretive industry and with other stakeholders having political agendas? How can a technical 'judgment call' ever be fully transparent? Can an active culture of transparency sometimes result in a mere public relations campaign? Can transparency in a nuclear regulatory create expectations amongst stakeholders that will prove impossible to meet? These questions are discussed with some real-life examples. The paper concludes with some suggested 'fundamentals' for transparency in nuclear regulatory organisations. (author)

Practice Variation in Big-4 Transparency Reports

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Girdhar, Sakshi; Klarskov Jeppesen, Kim

2018-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the transparency reports published by the Big-4 public accounting firms in the UK, Germany and Denmark to understand the determinants of their content within the networks of big accounting firms. Design/methodology/approach: The study draws...... on a qualitative research approach, in which the content of transparency reports is analyzed and semi-structured interviews are conducted with key people from the Big-4 firms who are responsible for developing the transparency reports. Findings: The findings show that the content of transparency reports...... is inconsistent and the transparency reporting practice is not uniform within the Big-4 networks. Differences were found in the way in which the transparency reporting practices are coordinated globally by the respective central governing bodies of the Big-4. The content of the transparency reports...

File: nuclear safety and transparency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez, J.P.; Etchegoyen, A.; Jeandron, C.

2001-01-01

Several experiences of nuclear safety and transparency are related in this file. Public information, access to documents, transparency in nuclear regulation are such subjects developed in this debate. (N.C.)

Transparency in Cooperative Online Education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dalsgaard, Christian; Paulsen, Morten Flate

2009-01-01

The purpose of this article is to discuss the following question: What is the potential of social networking within cooperative online education? Social networking does not necessarily involve communication, dialogue, or collaboration. Instead, the authors argue that transparency is a unique...... feature of social networking services. Transparency gives students insight into each other’s actions. Cooperative learning seeks to develop virtual learning environments that allow students to have optimal individual freedom within online learning communities. This article demonstrates how cooperative...... learning can be supported by transparency. To illustrate this with current examples, the article presents NKI Distance Education’s surveys and experiences with cooperative learning. The article discusses by which means social networking and transparency may be utilized within cooperative online education...

Transparent Ferroelectric Capacitors on Glass

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniele Sette

2017-10-01

Full Text Available We deposited transparent ferroelectric lead zirconate titanate thin films on fused silica and contacted them via Al-doped zinc oxide (AZO transparent electrodes with an interdigitated electrode (IDE design. These layers, together with a TiO2 buffer layer on the fused silica substrate, are highly transparent (>60% in the visible optical range. Fully crystallized Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48O3 (PZT films are dielectrically functional and exhibit a typical ferroelectric polarization loop with a remanent polarization of 15 μC/cm2. The permittivity value of 650, obtained with IDE AZO electrodes is equivalent to the one measured with Pt electrodes patterned with the same design, which proves the high quality of the developed transparent structures.

Transmission in Optically Transparent Core Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Kilper, Dan; Jensen, Rich; Petermann, Klaus; Karasek, Miroslav

2007-03-01

Call for Papers: Transmission in Optically Transparent Core Networks Guest Feature Editors Dan Kilper and Rich Jensen, Coordinating Associate Editors Klaus Petermann and Miroslav Karasek, Guest Feature Editors Submission deadline: 15 June 2007 Optically transparent networks in which optical transport signals are routed uninterrupted through multiple nodes have long been viewed as an important evolutionary step in fiber optic communications. More than a decade of research and development on transparent network technologies together with the requisite traffic growth has culminated in the recent deployment of commercial optically transparent systems. Although many of the traditional research goals of optical transmission remain important, optical transparency introduces new challenges. Greater emphasis is placed on system efficiency and control. The goal of minimizing signal terminations, which has been pursued through increasing reach and channel capacity, also can be realized through wavelength routing techniques. Rather than bounding system operation by rigid engineering rules, the physical layer is controlled and managed by automation tools. Many static signal impairments become dynamic due to network reconfiguration and transient fault events. Recently new directions in transmission research have emerged to address transparent networking problems. This special issue of the Journal of Optical Networking will examine the technologies and theory underpinning transmission in optically transparent core networks, including both metropolitan and long haul systems. Scope of Submission The special issue editors are soliciting high-quality original research papers related to transmission in optically transparent core networks. Although this does not include edge networks such as access or enterprise networks, core networks that have access capabilities will be considered in scope as will topics related to the interworking between core and edge networks. The core network

Mid-term results of the BIOLOX delta ceramic-on-ceramic total hip arthroplasty.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Y K; Ha, Y C; Yoo, J-I; Jo, W L; Kim, K-C; Koo, K H

2017-06-01

We conducted a prospective study of a delta ceramic total hip arthroplasty (THA) to determine the rate of ceramic fracture, to characterise post-operative noise, and to evaluate the mid-term results and survivorship. Between March 2009 and March 2011, 274 patients (310 hips) underwent cementless THA using a delta ceramic femoral head and liner. At each follow-up, clinical and radiological outcomes were recorded. A Kaplan-Meier analysis was undertaken to estimate survival. Four patients (four hips) died and 18 patients (20 hips) were lost to follow-up within five years. The remaining 252 patients (286 hips) were followed for a mean of 66.5 months (60 to 84). There were 144 men (166 hips) and 108 women (120 hips) with a mean age of 49.7 years (16 to 83) at surgery. The mean pre-operative Harris Hip Score of 47.1 points improved to 93.8 points at final follow-up. Six patients reported squeaking in seven hips; however, none were audible. Radiolucent lines involving Gruen zones one and/or seven were seen in 52 hips (18.2%). No hip had detectable wear, focal osteolysis or signs of loosening. One hip was revised because of fracture of the ceramic liner, which occurred due to an undetected malseating of the ceramic liner at the time of surgery. One hip was revised for a periprosthetic fracture of the femur, and one hip was treated for periprosthetic joint infection. The six-year survivorship with re-operation for any reason as the endpoint was 99.0% (95% confidence interval 97.8% to 100%). The rate of delta ceramic fracture was 0.3% (one of 286). While ceramic head fracture was dominant in previous ceramic-on-ceramic THA, fracture of the delta ceramic liner due to malseating is a concern. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:741-8. ©2017 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.

Privacy-Preserving Transparency-Enhancing Tools

OpenAIRE

Pulls, Tobias

2012-01-01

Transparency is a key principle in democratic societies. For example, the public sector is in part kept honest and fair with the help of transparency through different freedom of information (FOI) legislations. In the last decades, while FOI legislations have been adopted by more and more countries worldwide, we have entered the information age enabled by the rapid development of information technology. This has led to the need for technological solutions that enhance transparency, for exampl...

Advantages and disadvantages of ceramic on ceramic total hip arthroplasty: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallo, Jiri; Goodman, Stuart Barry; Lostak, Jiri; Janout, Martin

2012-09-01

Ceramic on ceramic (COC) total hip arthroplasty (THA) was developed to reduce wear debris and accordingly, the occurrence of osteolysis and aseptic loosening especially in younger patients. Based on the excellent tribological behavior of current COC bearings and the relatively low biological activity of ceramic particles, significant improvement in survivorship of these implants is expected. We used manual search to identify all relevant studies reporting clinical data on COC THAs in PubMed. The objective was to determine whether current COC THA offers a better clinical outcome and survivorship than non-COC THA. Studies with early generation ceramic bearings yielded 68% to 84% mean survivorship at 20 years follow-up which is comparable with the survivorship of non-COC THAs. Studies on current ceramic bearings report a 10-year revision-free interval of 92% to 99%. These outcomes are comparable to the survivorship of the best non-COC THAs. However, there are still concerns regarding fracture of sandwich ceramic liners, squeaking, and impingement of the femoral neck on the rim of the ceramic liner leading to chipping, especially in younger and physically active patients. Current COC THA leads to equivalent but not improved survivorship at 10 years follow-up in comparison to the best non-COC THA. Based on this review, we recommend that surgeons weigh the potential advantages and disadvantages of current COC THA in comparison to other bearing surfaces when considering young very active patients who are candidates for THA.

Factors affecting the shear bond strength of metal and ceramic brackets bonded to different ceramic surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Abu Alhaija, Elham S J; Abu AlReesh, Issam A; AlWahadni, Ahed M S

2010-06-01

The aims of this study were to evaluate the shear bond strength (SBS) of metal and ceramic brackets bonded to two different all-ceramic crowns, IPS Empress 2 and In-Ceram Alumina, to compare the SBS between hydrofluoric acid (HFA), phosphoric acid etched, and sandblasted, non-etched all-ceramic surfaces. Ninety-six all-ceramic crowns were fabricated resembling a maxillary left first premolar. The crowns were divided into eight groups: (1) metal brackets bonded to sandblasted 9.6 per cent HFA-etched IPS Empress 2 crowns; (2) metal brackets bonded to sandblasted 9.6 per cent HFA-etched In-Ceram crowns; (3) ceramic brackets bonded to sandblasted 9.6 per cent HFA-etched IPS Empress 2 crowns; (4) ceramic brackets bonded to sandblasted 9.6 per cent HFA-etched In-Ceram crowns; (5) metal brackets bonded to sandblasted 37 per cent phosphoric acid-etched IPS Empress 2 crowns; (6) metal brackets bonded to sandblasted 37 per cent phosphoric acid-etched In-Ceram crowns; (7) metal brackets bonded to sandblasted, non-etched IPS Empress 2 crowns; and (8) metal brackets bonded to sandblasted, non-etched In-Ceram crowns. Metal and ceramic orthodontic brackets were bonded using a conventional light polymerizing adhesive resin. An Instron universal testing machine was used to determine the SBS at a crosshead speed of 0.1 mm/minute. Comparison between groups was performed using a univariate general linear model and chi-squared tests. The highest mean SBS was found in group 3 (120.15 +/- 45.05 N) and the lowest in group 8 (57.86 +/- 26.20 N). Of all the variables studied, surface treatment was the only factor that significantly affected SBS (P Empress 2 and In-Ceram groups.

Ceramic transactions: Environmental and waste management issues in the ceramic industry. Volume 39

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mellinger, G.B.

1994-01-01

A symposium on environmental and waste management issues in the ceramic industry took place in Cincinnati, Ohio, April 19-22, 1993. The symposium was held in conjunction with the 95th Annual Meeting of the American Ceramic Society and was sponsored by the Ceramic Manufacturing Council, Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Committee with the Glass and Optical Materials, Basic Science, Cements, Nuclear, Refractory Ceramics, Structural Clay Products, Whitewares, Design, Electronics, Engineering Ceramics, and Materials and Equipment Divisions. This volume documents several of the papers that were presented at the symposium. Papers presented in this volume are categorized under the following headings: vitrification of hazardous and mixed wastes; waste glass properties and microstructure; processing of nuclear waste disposal glasses; waste form qualification; glass dissolution: modeling and mechanisms; systems and field testing of waste forms

Organizational Transparency as Myth and Metaphor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Lars Thøger; Cornelissen, Joep

2015-01-01

Transparency has achieved a mythical status in society. Myths are not false accounts or understandings, but deep-seated and definitive descriptions of the world that ontologically ground the ways in which we frame and see the world around us. We explore the mythical nature of transparency from...... of the transparency myth....

Does transparent government agencies strengthen trust?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grimmelikhuijsen, S.G.

2009-01-01

Trust in government has been shown to be volatile in recent years and Internet transparency is seen as a solution to strengthen trust. However, critics argue that transparency will only lead to less trust, and sceptics say that it has no effect at all. This debate on transparency is lacking

Analyses of fine paste ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabloff, J.A.

1980-01-01

Four chapters are included: history of Brookhaven fine paste ceramics project, chemical and mathematical procedures employed in Mayan fine paste ceramics project, and compositional and archaeological perspectives on the Mayan fine paste ceramics

Transparent Armor Cost Benefit Study

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Prokurat Franks, Lisa; Holm, David; Barnak, Rick

2006-01-01

...; the increase in demand for transparent gun shields in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and early versions of jerry-rigged shields used in OIF, including Pope glass and Transparent Armored Gun Shields (TAGS...

Exploring Quantitative Framework to Evaluate Nuclear Transparency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ha, Jeemin; Yim, Mansung; Park, Hyeon Seok

2014-01-01

In this work, a definition of nuclear transparency is elaborated and ways to represent a country's nuclear transparency are examined. For evaluating nuclear transparency, it is necessary to define three elements first; an information seeker who wants to see, an information seek whom an information seeker wants to see, and information related to nuclear materials and activities. The States with high capacity of civilian nuclear power had a tendency to follow IAEA safeguards agreements well. And it means that their levels of the transparency are relatively high. Besides, the data of international assurances is one of the good indicators to confirm States' transparency. The current study explored the use of two measures, IAEA safeguards and voluntary reporting as a way to represent nuclear transparency. Using these measures seemed to agree with the notion that nuclear transparency is important in the success of civilian nuclear power development

Analyses of fine paste ceramics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sabloff, J A [ed.

1980-01-01

Four chapters are included: history of Brookhaven fine paste ceramics project, chemical and mathematical procedures employed in Mayan fine paste ceramics project, and compositional and archaeological perspectives on the Mayan fine paste ceramics. (DLC)

Transparency

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gupta, A.; Mason, M.

2015-01-01

Transparency, as information disclosure, is becoming a widely accepted norm and set of practices in global climate governance. Disclosure of climate-related information is mainly seen as a way to monitor and/or reward various actors’ climate mitigation actions, thereby contributing, at least in

All-ceramic crowns: bonding or cementing?

Science.gov (United States)

Pospiech, Peter

2002-12-01

Despite the wide variety of all-ceramic systems available today, the majority of dental practitioners hesitate to recommend and insert all-ceramic crowns. This article regards the nature of the ceramic materials, the principles of bonding and adhesion, and the clinical problems of the acid-etch technique for crowns. Advantages and disadvantages are discussed, and the influences of different factors on the strength of all-ceramic crowns are presented. Finally, the conclusion is drawn that conventional cementing of all-ceramic crowns is possible when the specific properties of the ceramics are taken into consideration.

Lines that induce phenomenal transparency.

Science.gov (United States)

Grieco, Alba; Roncato, Sergio

2005-01-01

Three neighbouring opaque surfaces may appear split into two layers, one transparent and one opaque beneath, if an outline contour is drawn that encompasses two of them. The phenomenon was originally observed by Kanizsa [1955 Rivista di Psicologia 69 3-19; 1979 Organization in Vision: Essays on Gestalt Psychology (New York: Praeger)], for the case where an outline contour is drawn to encompass one of the two parts of a bicoloured figure and a portion of a background of lightest (or darkest) luminance. Preliminary observations revealed that the outline contour yields different effects: in addition to the stratification into layers described by Kanizsa, a second split, opposite in depth order, may occur when the outline contour is close in luminance to one of the three surfaces. An initial experiment was designed to investigate what conditions give rise to the two phenomenal transparencies: this led to the conclusion that an outline contour superimposed on an opaque surface causes this surface to emerge as a transparent layer when the luminances of the contour and the surface differ, in absolute value, by no more than 13.2 cd m(-2). We have named this phenomenon 'transparency of the intercepted surface', to distinguish it from the phenomenal transparency arising when the contour and surface are very different in luminance. When such a difference exists, the contour acts as a factor of surface definition and grouping: the portion of the homogeneous surface it bounds emerges as a fourth surface and groups with a nearby surface if there is one close in luminance. The transparency phenomena ('transparency of the contoured surface') perceived in this context conform to the constraints of Metelli's model, as demonstrated by a second experiment, designed to gather 'opacity' ratings of stimuli. The observer judgments conformed to the values predicted by Metelli's formula for perceived degree of transparency, alpha. The role of the outline contour in conveying figural and

Ceramic breeder materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, C.E.

1990-01-01

The breeding blanket is a key component of the fusion reactor because it directly involves tritium breeding and energy extraction, both of which are critical to development of fusion power. The lithium ceramics continue to show promise as candidate breeder materials. This promise was recognized by the International Thermonuclear Reactor (ITER) design team in its selection of ceramics as the first option for the ITER breeder material. Blanket design studies have indicated properties in the candidate materials data base that need further investigation. Current studies are focusing on tritium release behavior at high burnup, changes in thermophysical properties with burnup, compatibility between the ceramic breeder and beryllium multiplier, and phase changes with burnup. Laboratory and in-reactor tests, some as part of an international collaboration for development of ceramic breeder materials, are underway. 32 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab

Interaction between social influence and payoff transparency.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Xinyue; Xie, Wenwen; Ye, Maolin

2014-02-01

Social influence and payoff transparency interact with each other to influence decision making. Social influence masks payoff transparency, and lacking transparency drives people to seek social influence. Moreover, our survey supports our claim by showing that social influence and payoff transparency correlate with each other (r(53) = -.71). Bentley et al.'s model can be revised to accommodate the covariance.

Nano-ceramics and its molding technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Jian; Xu Yunshu

2007-01-01

Nano-ceramics and its related knowledge were introduced. Fabrication of nano-ceramic powder, as well as the molding and sintering technologies of nano-ceramics were reviewed. Features of the present molding technologies were analyzed. The applications of nano-ceramics were prospected. (authors)

Ion conductivity of nasicon ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoj, J.W.; Engell, J.

1989-01-01

The Nasicon ss ,Na 1 + X Zr 2 Si X P 3 - X O 12 o , X , 3, includes some of the best solid state sodium conductors known today. Compositions in the interval 1.6 , X , 2.6 show conductivities comparable to the best β double-prime-alumina ceramics. It is well known that the ion conductivity of β-alumina is strongly dependent on the texture of the ceramic. Here a similar behavior is reported for Nasicon ceramics. Ceramics of the bulk composition Na 2.94 Zr 1.49 Si 2.20 P 0.80 O 10.85 were prepared by a gel method. The final ceramics consist of Nasicon crystals with x = 2.14 and a glass phase. The grain size and texture of the ceramics were controlled by varying the thermal history of the gel based raw materials and the sintering conditions. The room temperature resistivity of the resulting ceramics varies from 3.65*10 3 ohm cm to 1.23*10 3 ohm cm. Using the temperature comparison method and estimates of the area of grain boundaries in the ceramics, the resistivity of the Nasicon phase is estimated to be 225 ohm cm at 25 degrees C. B 2 O 3 - or Al 2 O 3 -doping of the glass bearing Nasicon ceramic lower the room temperature resistivity by a factor 2 to 5. The dopants do not substitute into the Nasicon phase in substantial amounts

Science and Technology of Ceramics

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 5; Issue 2. Science and Technology of Ceramics - Advanced Ceramics: Structural Ceramics and Glasses. Sheela K Ramasesha. Series Article Volume 5 Issue 2 February 2000 pp 4-11 ...

Current Issues with Environmental Barrier Coatings for Ceramics and Ceramic Composites

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Kang N.

2004-01-01

The environmental barrier coating (EBC) for SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites and Si3N4 ceramics is an emerging field as the application of silicon-based ceramics in the gas turbine engine hot section is on the horizon, both for aero and industrial gas turbines. EBC is an enabling technology for silicon-based ceramics because these materials without an EBC cannot be used in combustion environments due to rapid surface recession. Significant progress in EBC development has been made during the last decade through various government-sponsored programs. Current EBCs are based on silicon, mullite (3Al2O3-2SiO2) and BSAS (barium strontium aluminum silicate with celsian structure). Volatility of BSAS, BSAS-silica chemical reaction, and low melting point of silicon limit temperature capability of current EBCs to about 1350 C for long-term applications. There is a need for higher temperature EBCs as the temperature capability of silicon-based ceramics continue to increase. Therefore, research is underway to develop EBCs with improved temperature capability compared to current EBCs. The current status and issues with the advanced EBC development efforts will be discussed.

Defect production in ceramics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zinkle, S.J. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States); Kinoshita, C. [Kyushu Univ. (Japan)

1997-08-01

A review is given of several important defect production and accumulation parameters for irradiated ceramics. Materials covered in this review include alumina, magnesia, spinel silicon carbide, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride and diamond. Whereas threshold displacement energies for many ceramics are known within a reasonable level of uncertainty (with notable exceptions being AIN and Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}), relatively little information exists on the equally important parameters of surviving defect fraction (defect production efficiency) and point defect migration energies for most ceramics. Very little fundamental displacement damage information is available for nitride ceramics. The role of subthreshold irradiation on defect migration and microstructural evolution is also briefly discussed.

Transparency and nonproliferation in the Asia-Pacific region. Enhancing transparency, strengthening the nonproliferation regime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamada, Kazuko

2008-01-01

Driven by the prospect of rapid economic growth and the perceived need for energy security, the Asia-Pacific region is destined to increase its nuclear energy use in the coming decades. This projected increase, however, will bring with it nuclear proliferation concerns, fueling fears about the security of nuclear material and creating suspicions about its use. The increasing use of nuclear energy inevitably necessitates supplementary efforts, designed to ensure nuclear security and a legitimate use of nuclear energy, other than the obligation to the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Nuclear transparency measures could be useful tools for building confidence that the increasing nuclear energy use does not contribute to nuclear proliferation. These measures could also foster a cooperative tradition that can address rising concerns over nuclear trafficking and terrorism, which require regional coordination to combat. However, moderate progress in implementing transparency measures suggests a lack of political appreciation of this concept. Thus, this paper describes various forms of potential transparency measures to expand the possibilities of the transparency concept and explore areas in which this concept might be applicable. This paper also clarifies some challenges involving transparency projects, and suggests possible ways to address these challenges. (author)

Transparência: Bacen versus BoE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduardo de Carvalho Andrade

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Transparency: Bacen versus BoE. The aim of this paper is to compare the degree of transparency of the Brazilian Central Bank (Bacen with the one verified in the Bank of England (BoE. In order to accomplish this objective, an indicator of transparency is built based on the information that each central bank provides to the public about its monetary policy, its expectation about the future of the economy, its intervention in the financial market, and if there are clear limits and restrictions to the release of information to the general public. The analysis suggests that the Bacen is less transparent and has a less individualistic Monetary Policy Committee in comparison with the BoE. Moreover, it indicates some procedures that could be adopted by the Bacen in order to make its monetary policy more transparent.

Influence of ceramic surface texture on the wear of gold alloy and heat-pressed ceramics.

Science.gov (United States)

Saiki, Osamu; Koizumi, Hiroyasu; Nogawa, Hiroshi; Hiraba, Haruto; Akazawa, Nobutaka; Matsumura, Hideo

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of ceramic surface texture on the wear of rounded rod specimens. Plate specimens were fabricated from zirconia (ZrO2), feldspathic porcelain, and lithium disilicate glass ceramics (LDG ceramics). Plate surfaces were either ground or polished. Rounded rod specimens with a 2.0-mm-diameter were fabricated from type 4 gold alloy and heat-pressed ceramics (HP ceramics). Wear testing was performed by means of a wear testing apparatus under 5,000 reciprocal strokes of the rod specimen with 5.9 N vertical loading. The results were statistically analyzed with a non-parametric procedure. The gold alloy showed the maximal height loss (90.0 µm) when the rod specimen was abraded with ground porcelain, whereas the HP ceramics exhibited maximal height loss (49.8 µm) when the rod specimen was abraded with ground zirconia. There was a strong correlation between height loss of the rod and surface roughness of the underlying plates, for both the gold alloy and HP ceramics.

Supporting Transparency between Students

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dalsgaard, Christian

The paper presents the results of a case study that explores the potentials of weblogs and social bookmarking to support transparency in a university course. In the course, groups of students used weblogs and social bookmarking in their work. The objective of the case was to empower students...... by providing them with tools that would be visible to the other students in the course, thus, making students’ ideas, thoughts and questions visible to the other students in the course. The paper concludes that use of digital media for transparency can support empowerment of students and inspiration among...... students in a course, but that the challenge is to create a balance between personal tools and tools for collaborative group work that are also suitable for transparency between students....

Interfacial characterization of ceramic core materials with veneering porcelain for all-ceramic bi-layered restorative systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Tagmatarchis, Alexander; Tripodakis, Aris-Petros; Filippatos, Gerasimos; Zinelis, Spiros; Eliades, George

2014-01-01

The aim of the study was to characterize the elemental distribution at the interface between all-ceramic core and veneering porcelain materials. Three groups of all-ceramic cores were selected: A) Glass-ceramics (Cergo, IPS Empress, IPS Empress 2, e-max Press, Finesse); B) Glass-infiltrated ceramics (Celay Alumina, Celay Zirconia) and C) Densely sintered ceramics (Cercon, Procera Alumina, ZirCAD, Noritake Zirconia). The cores were combined with compatible veneering porcelains and three flat square test specimens were produced for each system. The core-veneer interfaces were examined by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray microanalysis. The glass-ceramic systems showed interfacial zones reach in Si and O, with the presence of K, Ca, Al in core and Ca, Ce, Na, Mg or Al in veneer material, depending on the system tested. IPS Empress and IPS Empress 2 demonstrated distinct transitional phases at the core-veneer interface. In the glassinfiltrated systems, intermixing of core (Ce, La) with veneer (Na, Si) elements occurred, whereas an abrupt drop of the core-veneer elemental concentration was documented at the interfaces of all densely sintered ceramics. The results of the study provided no evidence of elemental interdiffusion at the core-veneer interfaces in densely sintered ceramics, which implies lack of primary chemical bonding. For the glass-containing systems (glassceramics and glass-infiltrated ceramics) interdiffusion of the glass-phase seems to play a critical role in establishing a primary bonding condition between ceramic core and veneering porcelain.

Transparency masters for mathematics revealed

CERN Document Server

Berman, Elizabeth

1980-01-01

Transparency Masters for Mathematics Revealed focuses on master diagrams that can be used for transparencies for an overhead projector or duplicator masters for worksheets. The book offers information on a compilation of master diagrams prepared by John R. Stafford, Jr., audiovisual supervisor at the University of Missouri at Kansas City. Some of the transparencies are designed to be shown horizontally. The initial three masters are number lines and grids that can be used in a mathematics course, while the others are adaptations of text figures which are slightly altered in some instances. The

Characterization and evaluation of ceramic properties of clay used in structural ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savazzini-Reis, A.; Della-Sagrillo, V.P.; Valenzuela-Diaz, F.R.

2016-01-01

The Brazilian red ceramic industry monthly consumes about 10.3 million tons of clay, its main raw material. In most potteries, characterization of the clay is made empirically, which can result in tiles and blocks not according to standards. This sense, this paper aims to characterize clays used in the manufacturing of red ceramic products in factory located in Colatina-ES, which appears as a ceramic pole with about twenty small and midsize industries. The clays were characterized by: Xray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis (TG/DSC), granulometry and Atterberg limits. Specimens of clay and mixture containing four clays were shaped. Specimens were shaped, dried at 110°C, and burned in a kiln for 24 h. The ceramics and mechanical characteristics were evaluated: flexural strength, water absorption, apparent porosity, apparent specific mass and shrinkage by drying and firing. The characterization showed that kaolinitic clay presents high plasticity, but high porosity. The mixture formed by the four clays does not meet the requirements of the Brazilian standard clays for red ceramic. (author)

Mechanical properties of ceramics

CERN Document Server

Pelleg, Joshua

2014-01-01

This book discusses the mechanical properties of ceramics and aims to provide both a solid background for undergraduate students, as well as serving as a text to bring practicing engineers up to date with the latest developments in this topic so they can use and apply these to their actual engineering work.  Generally, ceramics are made by moistening a mixture of clays, casting it into desired shapes and then firing it to a high temperature, a process known as 'vitrification'. The relatively late development of metallurgy was contingent on the availability of ceramics and the know-how to mold them into the appropriate forms. Because of the characteristics of ceramics, they offer great advantages over metals in specific applications in which hardness, wear resistance and chemical stability at high temperatures are essential. Clearly, modern ceramics manufacturing has come a long way from the early clay-processing fabrication method, and the last two decades have seen the development of sophisticated technique...

Displacive Transformation in Ceramics

Science.gov (United States)

1994-02-28

PZT ), ceramics have attracted natural abundance. much attention for use in nonvolatile semiconductor mem- We attribute the observed spectra in Fig. I to...near a crack tip in piezoelectric ceramics of lead zirconate titanate ( PZT ) and barium titanate. They reasoned that the poling of ferroelectric... Texture in Ferroelastic Tetragonal Zirconia," J. Am. Ceram . Soc., 73 (1990) no. 6: 1777-1779. 27. J. F. Jue and A. Virkar, "Fabrication, Microstructural

Nano-Ceramic Coated Plastics

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Junghyun

2013-01-01

Plastic products, due to their durability, safety, and low manufacturing cost, are now rapidly replacing cookware items traditionally made of glass and ceramics. Despite this trend, some still prefer relatively expensive and more fragile ceramic/glassware because plastics can deteriorate over time after exposure to foods, which can generate odors, bad appearance, and/or color change. Nano-ceramic coatings can eliminate these drawbacks while still retaining the advantages of the plastic, since the coating only alters the surface of the plastic. The surface coating adds functionality to the plastics such as self-cleaning and disinfectant capabilities that result from a photocatalytic effect of certain ceramic systems. These ceramic coatings can also provide non-stick surfaces and higher temperature capabilities for the base plastics without resorting to ceramic or glass materials. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) and zinc oxide (ZnO) are the candidates for a nano-ceramic coating to deposit on the plastics or plastic films used in cookware and kitchenware. Both are wide-bandgap semiconductors (3.0 to 3.2 eV for TiO2 and 3.2 to 3.3 eV for ZnO), so they exhibit a photocatalytic property under ultraviolet (UV) light. This will lead to decomposition of organic compounds. Decomposed products can be easily washed off by water, so the use of detergents will be minimal. High-crystalline film with large surface area for the reaction is essential to guarantee good photocatalytic performance of these oxides. Low-temperature processing (nano-ceramic coatings (TiO2, ZnO) on plastic materials (silicone, Teflon, PET, etc.) that can possess both photocatalytic oxide properties and flexible plastic properties. Processing cost is low and it does not require any expensive equipment investment. Processing can be scalable to current manufacturing infrastructure.

Producing ceramic laminate composites by EPD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nicholson, P.S.; Sarkar, P.; Datta, S.

1996-01-01

The search for tough structural ceramics to operate at high temperatures in hostile environments has led to the development of ceramic composites. This class of material includes laminar ceramic-ceramic composites, continuous-fiber-reinforced ceramic composites and functionally graded materials. The present authors developed electrophoretic deposition (EPD) to synthesize lamellar, fiber-reinforced and functionally graded composites. This paper briefly describes the synthesis and characterization of these EPD composites and introduces a novel class of lamellar composites with nonplanar layers. The synthesis of the latter demonstrates the facility of the EPD process for the synthesis of ceramic composites. The process is totally controllable via suspension concentration, deposition current, voltage and time

Electromagnetically induced transparency with matched pulses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harris, S.E.

1993-01-01

In the last several years there have been studies and experiments showing how, by applying an additional laser beam, optically-thick transitions may be rendered nearly transparent to probing radiation. This transparency results from a quantum interference, very much like a Fano interference, which is established by the additional laser. This talk describes the difference between the quantum interference as exhibited by an independent atom and by an optically-thick ensemble of atoms. We find that an ensemble of atoms establishes transparency through a strong nonlinear interaction which, for a lambda system, tends to generate a matching temporal envelope on the complementary transition. For a ladder system, phase conjugate pulses are generated and, after a characteristic distance, establish transparency. The transparency of an optically-thick medium is therefore not a Beer's law superposition of the independent atom response. To transmit a pulse through an otherwise opaque media, the front edge of the complementary pulse should lead, in the manner of open-quotes counter-intuitiveclose quotes adiabatic transfer, the front edge of the pulse which is to be rendered transparent. Thereafter the pulses should be matched or, for a ladder system, phase-conjugately matched

Corrosion resistant ceramic materials

Science.gov (United States)

Kaun, T.D.

1996-07-23

Ceramic materials are disclosed which exhibit stability in severely-corrosive environments having high alkali-metal activity, high sulfur/sulfide activity and/or molten halides at temperatures of 200--550 C or organic salt (including SO{sub 2} and SO{sub 2}Cl{sub 2}) at temperatures of 25--200 C. These sulfide ceramics form stoichiometric (single-phase) compounds with sulfides of Ca, Li, Na, K, Al, Mg, Si, Y, La, Ce, Ga, Ba, Zr and Sr and show melting-points that are sufficiently low and have excellent wettability with many metals (Fe, Ni, Mo) to easily form metal/ceramic seals. Ceramic compositions are also formulated to adequately match thermal expansion coefficient of adjacent metal components. 1 fig.

Corrosion resistant ceramic materials

Science.gov (United States)

Kaun, Thomas D.

1996-01-01

Ceramic materials which exhibit stability in severely-corrosive environments having high alkali-metal activity, high sulfur/sulfide activity and/or molten halides at temperatures of 200.degree.-550.degree. C. or organic salt (including SO.sub.2 and SO.sub.2 Cl.sub.2) at temperatures of 25.degree.-200.degree. C. These sulfide ceramics form stoichiometric (single-phase) compounds with sulfides of Ca, Li, Na, K, Al, Mg, Si, Y, La, Ce, Ga, Ba, Zr and Sr and show melting-points that are sufficiently low and have excellent wettability with many metals (Fe, Ni, Mo) to easily form metal/ceramic seals. Ceramic compositions are also formulated to adequately match thermal expansion coefficient of adjacent metal components.

Transparency

Science.gov (United States)

LaFee, Scott

2009-01-01

Citizens now expect access to information, particularly from public institutions like local school districts. They demand input and accountability. Cultural and technological changes, such as the Internet, make it possible for districts to comply. Yet transparency--the easily seen and understood actions of a school district and the thinking behind…

New ceramic materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreno, R.; Dominguez-Rodriguez, A.

2010-01-01

This article is to provide a new ceramic materials in which, with a control of their processing and thus their microstructural properties, you can get ceramic approaching ever closer to a metal, both in its structural behavior at low as at high temperatures. (Author) 30 refs.

Environment Conscious Ceramics (Ecoceramics): An Eco-Friendly Route to Advanced Ceramic Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, M.

2001-01-01

Environment conscious ceramics (Ecoceramics) are a new class of materials, which can be produced with renewable natural resources (wood) or wood wastes (wood sawdust). This technology provides an eco-friendly route to advanced ceramic materials. Ecoceramics have tailorable properties and behave like ceramic materials manufactured by conventional approaches. Silicon carbide-based ecoceramics have been fabricated by reactive infiltration of carbonaceous preforms by molten silicon or silicon-refractory metal alloys. The fabrication approach, microstructure, and mechanical properties of SiC-based ecoceramics are presented.

Playing the numbers game: Dealing with transparency

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pachidi, S.; Huysman, M.H.; Berends, Hans; van de Weerd, G.C.

2015-01-01

Our research focus is on unpacking the performativity of transparency in order to explain how digital technologies, formerly perceived as enablers of surveillance and control, afford opaqueness as much as transparency. We develop a sociomaterial perspective on transparency and investigate how

Polymer-ceramic piezoelectric composites (PZT)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bassora, L.A.; Eiras, J.A.

1992-01-01

Polymer-ceramic piezoelectric transducers, with 1-3 of connectivity were prepared with different concentration of ceramic material. Piezoelectric composites, with equal electromechanical coupling factor and acoustic impedance of one third from that ceramic transducer, were obtained when the fractionary volume of PZT reach 30%. (C.G.C.)

[Ceramic inlays and onlays].

Science.gov (United States)

van Pelt, A W; de Kloet, H J; van der Kuy, P

1996-11-01

Large direct composite restorations can induce shrinkage related postoperative sensitivity. Indirect resin-bonded (tooth colored) restorations may perhaps prevent these complaints. Indirect bonded ceramics are especially attractive because of their biocompatibility and esthetic performance. Several procedures and techniques are currently available for the fabrication of ceramic restorations: firing, casting, heat-pressing and milling. In this article the different systems are described. Advantages, disadvantages and clinical performance of ceramic inlays are compared and discussed.

Continuous Fiber Ceramic Composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fareed, Ali [Honeywell Advanced Composites Inc. (HACI), Newark, DE (United States); Craig, Phillip A. [Honeywell Advanced Composites Inc. (HACI), Newark, DE (United States)

2002-09-01

Fiber-reinforced ceramic composites demonstrate the high-temperature stability of ceramics--with an increased fracture toughness resulting from the fiber reinforcement of the composite. The material optimization performed under the continuous fiber ceramic composites (CFCC) included a series of systematic optimizations. The overall goals were to define the processing window, to increase the robustinous of the process, to increase process yield while reducing costs, and to define the complexity of parts that could be fabricated.

High flow ceramic pot filters

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Halem, D.; van der Laan, H.; Soppe, A. I.A.; Heijman, S.G.J.

2017-01-01

Ceramic pot filters are considered safe, robust and appropriate technologies, but there is a general consensus that water revenues are limited due to clogging of the ceramic element. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of high flow ceramic pot filters to produce more

Ceramic membrane development in NGK

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Araki, Kiyoshi; Sakai, Hitoshi, E-mail: kinsakai@ngk.co.jp [Corporate R and D, NGK Insulators, Ltd., Nagoya 467-8530 (Japan)

2011-05-15

NGK Insulators, Ltd. was established in 1919 to manufacture the electric porcelain insulators for power transmission lines. Since then, our business has grown as one of the world-leading ceramics manufacturing companies and currently supply with the various environmentally-benign ceramic products to worldwide. In this paper, ceramic membrane development in NGK is described in detail. We have been selling ceramic microfiltration (MF) membranes and ultra-filtration (UF) membranes for many years to be used for solid/liquid separation in various fields such as pharmaceutical, chemical, food and semiconductor industries. In Corporate R and D, new ceramic membranes with sub-nanometer sized pores, which are fabricated on top of the membrane filters as support, are under development for gas and liquid/liquid separation processes.

Ceramic membrane development in NGK

Science.gov (United States)

Araki, Kiyoshi; Sakai, Hitoshi

2011-05-01

NGK Insulators, Ltd. was established in 1919 to manufacture the electric porcelain insulators for power transmission lines. Since then, our business has grown as one of the world-leading ceramics manufacturing companies and currently supply with the various environmentally-benign ceramic products to worldwide. In this paper, ceramic membrane development in NGK is described in detail. We have been selling ceramic microfiltration (MF) membranes and ultra-filtration (UF) membranes for many years to be used for solid/liquid separation in various fields such as pharmaceutical, chemical, food and semiconductor industries. In Corporate R&D, new ceramic membranes with sub-nanometer sized pores, which are fabricated on top of the membrane filters as support, are under development for gas and liquid/liquid separation processes.

Student Perceptions of Teaching Transparency

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Alecia D.; Hunt, Andrea N.; Powell, Rachel E.; Dollar, Cindy Brooks

2013-01-01

The authors discuss the relationship between teaching transparency and active learning through the perspectives of their students. Active learning directly engages students in the learning process while transparency involves the instructor's divulgence of logic regarding course organization and activity choices. After utilizing these teaching…

Transparency as an ethical safeguard

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spagnolli, Anna; Frank, Lily E.; Haselager, Pim; Kirsh, David; Ham, Jaap; Spagnolli, Anna; Blankertz, Benjamin; Gamberini, Luciano; Jacucci, Giulio

2018-01-01

Transparency seems to represent a solution to many ethic issues generated by systems that collect implicit data from users to model the user themselves based on programmed criteria. However, making such systems transparent -- besides being a major technical challenge - risks raising more issues than

Radiopaque Strontium Fluoroapatite Glass-Ceramics

Science.gov (United States)

Höland, Wolfram; Schweiger, Marcel; Dittmer, Marc; Ritzberger, Christian

2015-01-01

The controlled precipitation of strontium fluoroapatite crystals was studied in four base glass compositions derived from the SiO2–Al2O3–Y2O3–SrO–Na2O–K2O/Rb2O/Cs2O–P2O5–F system. The crystal phase formation of these glasses and the main properties of the glass-ceramics, such as thermal and optical properties and radiopacity were compared with a fifth, a reference glass-ceramic. The reference glass-ceramic was characterized as Ca-fluoroapatite glass-ceramic. The four strontium fluoroapatite glass-ceramics showed the following crystal phases: (a) Sr5(PO4)3F – leucite, KAlSi2O6, (b) Sr5(PO4)3F – leucite, KAlSi2O6, and nano-sized NaSrPO4, (c) Sr5(PO4)3F – pollucite, CsAlSi2O6, and nano-sized NaSrPO4, and (d) Sr5(PO4)3F – Rb-leucite, RbAlSi2O6, and nano-sized NaSrPO4. The proof of crystal phase formation was possible by X-ray diffraction. The microstructures, which were studied using scanning electron microscopy, demonstrated a uniform distribution of the crystals in the glass matrix. The Sr-fluoroapatites were precipitated based on an internal crystallization process, and the crystals demonstrated a needle-like morphology. The study of the crystal growth of needle-like Sr-fluoroapatites gave a clear evidence of an Ostwald ripening mechanism. The formation of leucite, pollucite, and Rb-leucite was based on a surface crystallization mechanism. Therefore, a twofold crystallization mechanism was successfully applied to develop these types of glass-ceramics. The main focus of this study was the controlled development of glass-ceramics exhibiting high radiopacity in comparison to the reference glass-ceramic. This goal could be achieved with all four glass-ceramics with the preferred development of the Sr-fluoroapatite – pollucite-type glass-ceramic. In addition to this main development, it was possible to control the thermal properties. Especially the Rb-leucite containing glass-ceramic showed the highest coefficient of thermal

Radiopaque Strontium Fluoroapatite Glass-Ceramics.

Science.gov (United States)

Höland, Wolfram; Schweiger, Marcel; Dittmer, Marc; Ritzberger, Christian

2015-01-01

The controlled precipitation of strontium fluoroapatite crystals was studied in four base glass compositions derived from the SiO2-Al2O3-Y2O3-SrO-Na2O-K2O/Rb2O/Cs2O-P2O5-F system. The crystal phase formation of these glasses and the main properties of the glass-ceramics, such as thermal and optical properties and radiopacity were compared with a fifth, a reference glass-ceramic. The reference glass-ceramic was characterized as Ca-fluoroapatite glass-ceramic. The four strontium fluoroapatite glass-ceramics showed the following crystal phases: (a) Sr5(PO4)3F - leucite, KAlSi2O6, (b) Sr5(PO4)3F - leucite, KAlSi2O6, and nano-sized NaSrPO4, (c) Sr5(PO4)3F - pollucite, CsAlSi2O6, and nano-sized NaSrPO4, and (d) Sr5(PO4)3F - Rb-leucite, RbAlSi2O6, and nano-sized NaSrPO4. The proof of crystal phase formation was possible by X-ray diffraction. The microstructures, which were studied using scanning electron microscopy, demonstrated a uniform distribution of the crystals in the glass matrix. The Sr-fluoroapatites were precipitated based on an internal crystallization process, and the crystals demonstrated a needle-like morphology. The study of the crystal growth of needle-like Sr-fluoroapatites gave a clear evidence of an Ostwald ripening mechanism. The formation of leucite, pollucite, and Rb-leucite was based on a surface crystallization mechanism. Therefore, a twofold crystallization mechanism was successfully applied to develop these types of glass-ceramics. The main focus of this study was the controlled development of glass-ceramics exhibiting high radiopacity in comparison to the reference glass-ceramic. This goal could be achieved with all four glass-ceramics with the preferred development of the Sr-fluoroapatite - pollucite-type glass-ceramic. In addition to this main development, it was possible to control the thermal properties. Especially the Rb-leucite containing glass-ceramic showed the highest coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). These

Radiopaque strontium fluoroapatite glass-ceramics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wolfram eHöland

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The controlled precipitation of strontium fluoroapatite crystals, was studied in four base glass compositions derived from the SiO2 – Al2O3 – Y2O3 – SrO – Na2O – K2O/Rb2O/Cs2O – P2O5 – F system. The crystal phase formation of these glasses and the main properties of the glass-ceramics, such as thermal and optical properties and radiopacity were compared with a fifth, a reference glass-ceramic. The reference glass-ceramic was characterized as Ca-fluoroapatite glass-ceramic. The four strontium fluoroapatite glass-ceramics showed the following crystal phases: a Sr5(PO43F – leucite, KAlSi2O6 , b Sr5(PO43F – leucite, KAlSi2O6, and nano-sized NaSrPO4 c Sr5(PO43F – pollucite, CsAlSiO4 , and nano-sized NaSrPO4, d Sr5(PO43F – Rb-leucite, RbAlSi2O6, and nano-sized NaSrPO4.The proof of crystal phase formation was possible by X-ray diffraction (XRD. The microstructures, which were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM demonstrated a uniform distribution of the crystals in the glass matrix. The Sr-fluoroapatites were precipitated based on an internal crystallization process, and the crystals demonstrated a needlelike morphology. The study of the crystal growth of needlelike Sr-fluoroapatites gave a clear evidence of an Ostwald ripening mechanism.The formation of leucite, pollucite and Rb-leucite was based on a surface crystallization mechanism. Therefore, a twofold crystallization mechanism was successfully applied to develop these types of glass-ceramics. The main focus of this study was the controlled development of glass-ceramics exhibiting high radiopacity in comparison to the reference glass-ceramic. This goal could be achieved with all four glass-ceramics with the preferred development of the Sr-fluoroapatite – pollucite-type glass-ceramic. In addition to this main development, it was possible to control the thermal properties. Especially the Rb-leucite containing glass-ceramic showed the highest coefficient of thermal

Flexible Transparent Supercapacitors Based on Hierarchical Nanocomposite Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Fanhong; Wan, Pengbo; Xu, Haijun; Sun, Xiaoming

2017-05-31

Flexible transparent electronic devices have recently gained immense popularity in smart wearable electronics and touch screen devices, which accelerates the development of the portable power sources with reliable flexibility, robust transparency and integration to couple these electronic devices. For potentially coupled as energy storage modules in various flexible, transparent and portable electronics, the flexible transparent supercapacitors are developed and assembled from hierarchical nanocomposite films of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and aligned polyaniline (PANI) nanoarrays upon their synergistic advantages. The nanocomposite films are fabricated from in situ PANI nanoarrays preparation in a blended solution of aniline monomers and rGO onto the flexible, transparent, and stably conducting film (FTCF) substrate, which is obtained by coating silver nanowires (Ag NWs) layer with Meyer rod and then coating of rGO layer on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate. Optimization of the transparency, the specific capacitance, and the flexibility resulted in the obtained all-solid state nanocomposite supercapacitors exhibiting enhanced capacitance performance, good cycling stability, excellent flexibility, and superior transparency. It provides promising application prospects for exploiting flexible, low-cost, transparent, and high-performance energy storage devices to be coupled into various flexible, transparent, and wearable electronic devices.

Polyphase ceramic and glass-ceramic forms for immobilizing ICPP high-level nuclear waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harker, A.B.; Flintoff, J.F.

1984-01-01

Polyphase ceramic and glass-ceramic forms have been consolidated from simulated Idaho Chemical Processing Plant wastes by hot isostatic pressing calcined waste and chemical additives by 1000 0 C or less. The ceramic forms can contain over 70 wt% waste with densities ranging from 3.5 to 3.85 g/cm 3 , depending upon the formulation. Major phases are CaF 2 , CaZrTi 207 , CaTiO 3 , monoclinic ZrO 2 , and amorphous intergranular material. The relative fraction of the phases is a function of the chemical additives (TiO 2 , CaO, and SiO 2 ) and consolidation temperature. Zirconolite, the major actinide host, makes the ceramic forms extremely leach resistant for the actinide simulant U 238 . The amorphous phase controls the leach performance for Sr and Cs which is improved by the addition of SiO 2 . Glass-ceramic forms were also consolidated by HIP at waste loadings of 30 to 70 wt% with densities of 2.73 to 3.1 g/cm 3 using Exxon 127 borosilicate glass frit. The glass-ceramic forms contain crystalline CaF 2 , Al 203 , and ZrSi 04 (zircon) in a glass matrix. Natural mineral zircon is a stable host for 4+ valent actinides. 17 references, 3 figures, 5 tables

Transparent metals for ultrabroadband electromagnetic waves.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Ren-Hao; Peng, Ru-Wen; Huang, Xian-Rong; Li, Jia; Liu, Yongmin; Hu, Qing; Wang, Mu; Zhang, Xiang

2012-04-17

Making metals transparent, which could lead to fascinating applications, has long been pursued. Here we demonstrate that with narrow slit arrays metallic plates become transparent for extremely broad bandwidths; the high transmission efficiency is insensitive to the metal thickness. This work provides a guideline to develop novel devices, including transparent conducting panels, broadband metamaterials, and antireflective solar cells. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Clinical trials transparency and the Trial and Experimental Studies Transparency (TEST) act.

Science.gov (United States)

Logvinov, Ilana

2014-03-01

Clinical trial research is the cornerstone for successful advancement of medicine that provides hope for millions of people in the future. Full transparency in clinical trials may allow independent investigators to evaluate study designs, perform additional analysis of data, and potentially eliminate duplicate studies. Current regulatory system and publishers rely on investigators and pharmaceutical industries for complete and accurate reporting of results from completed clinical trials. Legislation seems to be the only way to enforce mandatory disclosure of results. The Trial and Experimental Studies Transparency (TEST) Act of 2012 was introduced to the legislators in the United States to promote greater transparency in research industry. Public safety and advancement of science are the driving forces for the proposed policy change. The TEST Act may benefit the society and researchers; however, there are major concerns with participants' privacy and intellectual property protection. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prestresses in bilayered all-ceramic restorations.

Science.gov (United States)

Aboushelib, Moustafa N; Feilzer, Albert J; de Jager, Niek; Kleverlaan, Cornelis J

2008-10-01

A general trend in all ceramic systems is to use veneering ceramics of slightly lower thermal expansion coefficients compared with that of the framework resulting in a positive mismatch in thermal expansion coefficient (+DeltaTEC). The concept behind this TEC mismatch is to generate compressive stresses in the weaker veneering ceramic and thus enhance the overall strength of the restoration. This technique had excellent results with porcelain fused to metal restorations (PFM). However, there are concerns to apply this concept to all-ceramic restorations. The aim of this research was to determine the stresses in bilayered all-ceramic restorations due to the mismatch in TEC. Two commercial veneering ceramics with a TEC lower than that of zirconia (+DeltaTEC); NobelRondo zirconiatrade mark and Lava Ceramtrade mark, plus one experimental veneering ceramic with an identical TEC that matches that of zirconia (DeltaTEC = 0) were used to veneer zirconia discs. The specimens were loaded in biaxial flexure test setup with the veneer ceramic in tension. The stresses due to load application and TEC mismatch were calculated using fractography, engineering mathematics, and finite element analysis (FEA). In this study, the highest load at failure (64 N) was obtained with the experimental veneer where the thermal mismatch between zirconia and veneering ceramic was minimal. For the two commercial veneer ceramics the magnitude of the thermal mismatch localized at the zirconia veneer interface (42 MPa) exceeded the bond strength between the two materials and resulted in delamination failure during testing (ca. 50 MPa). For all-ceramic zirconia veneered restorations it is recommended to minimize the thermal mismatch as much as possible. (c) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Fracture mechanics of ceramics. Vol. 7

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bradt, R.C.; Evans, A.G.; Hasselman, D.P.; Lange, F.F.

1986-01-01

This volume, together with volume 8, constitutes the proceedings of an international symposium on the fracture mechanics of ceramics. The topics discussed in this volume include the toughening of ceramics by whisker reinforcement; the mechanical properties of SiCwhisker-reinforced TZP; the fracture of brittle rock and oil shale under dynamic explosive loading; impact damage models of ceramic coatings used in gas turbine and diesel engines; the use of exploratory data analysis for the safety evaluation of structural ceramics; and proof testing methods for the reliability of structural ceramics used in gas turbines

Ceramic nanostructures and methods of fabrication

Science.gov (United States)

Ripley, Edward B [Knoxville, TN; Seals, Roland D [Oak Ridge, TN; Morrell, Jonathan S [Knoxville, TN

2009-11-24

Structures and methods for the fabrication of ceramic nanostructures. Structures include metal particles, preferably comprising copper, disposed on a ceramic substrate. The structures are heated, preferably in the presence of microwaves, to a temperature that softens the metal particles and preferably forms a pool of molten ceramic under the softened metal particle. A nano-generator is created wherein ceramic material diffuses through the molten particle and forms ceramic nanostructures on a polar site of the metal particle. The nanostructures may comprise silica, alumina, titania, or compounds or mixtures thereof.

Promoting transparency, accountability, and access through a multi-stakeholder initiative: lessons from the medicines transparency alliance.

Science.gov (United States)

Vian, Taryn; Kohler, Jillian C; Forte, Gilles; Dimancesco, Deirdre

2017-01-01

Barriers to expanding access to medicines include weak pharmaceutical sector governance, lack of transparency and accountability, inadequate attention to social services on the political agenda, and financing challenges. Multi-stakeholder initiatives such as the Medicines Transparency Alliance (MeTA) may help overcome these barriers. Between 2008 and 2015, MeTA engaged stakeholders in the pharmaceutical sectors of seven countries (Ghana, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Peru, Philippines, Uganda, and Zambia) to promote access goals through greater transparency. We reviewed archival data to document MeTA activities and results related to transparency and accountability in the seven countries where it was implemented. We identified common themes and content areas, noting specific activities used to make information transparent and accessible, how data were used to inform discussions, and the purpose and timing of meetings and advocacy activities to help set priorities and influence governance decisions. The cross-case analysis looked for pathways which might link the MeTA strategies to results such as better policies or program improvements. Countries used evidence gathering, open meetings, and proactive information dissemination to increase transparency. MeTA fostered policy dialogue to bring together the many government, civil society and private company stakeholders concerned with access issues, and provided them with information to understand barriers to access at policy, organizational, and community levels. We found strong evidence that transparency was enhanced. Some evidence suggests that MeTA efforts contributed to new policies and civil society capacity strengthening although the impact on government accountability is not clear. MeTA appears to have achieved its goal of creating a multi-stakeholder shared policy space in which government, civil society, and private sector players can come together and have a voice in the national pharmaceutical policy making process

All-ceramic restorations: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Bassi, F; Carossa, S; Pera, P; Preti, G

1998-09-01

Advantages and disadvantages of metal-ceramic and all-ceramic restorations are reviewed particularly from the aesthetic point of view. All-ceramic restorations offer the best results because they let the light through optimally. In constructing all-ceramic crowns on teeth which have been endodontically treated, the material used to rebuild the pin-abutments must be taken into consideration if the best aesthetic results are to be achieved. Materials which, because of their translucent characteristics, are the most aesthetic alternatives to metal alloy pin-abutments in rebuilding teeth which have been endodontically treated, are then described.

Structural integrity of ceramic multilayer capacitor materials and ceramic multilayer capacitors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

With, de G.

1993-01-01

An review with 61 refs. is given of the fracture of and stress situation in ceramic capacitor materials and ceramic multilayer capacitors. A brief introduction to the relevant concepts is given first. Next the data for capacitor materials and the data for capacitors are discussed. The materials data

Transparency and Oversight in Local Wellness Policies

Science.gov (United States)

Chriqui, Jamie F.; Chaloupka, Frank J.

2011-01-01

Background: Advocates have called for increased wellness policy transparency and oversight through the use of health advisory councils. This study examines (1) wellness policy transparency, (2) advisory council requirements, (3) factors associated with each, and (4) whether transparency or advisory council requirements are indicative of a stronger…

Ceramic impregnated superabrasives

Science.gov (United States)

Radtke, Robert P.; Sherman, Andrew

2009-02-10

A superabrasive fracture resistant compact is formed by depositing successive layers of ceramic throughout the network of open pores in a thermally stable self-bonded polycrystalline diamond or cubic boron nitride preform. The void volume in the preform is from approximately 2 to 10 percent of the volume of the preform, and the average pore size is below approximately 3000 nanometers. The preform is evacuated and infiltrated under at least about 1500 pounds per square inch pressure with a liquid pre-ceramic polymerizable precursor. The precursor is infiltrated into the preform at or below the boiling point of the precursor. The precursor is polymerized into a solid phase material. The excess is removed from the outside of the preform, and the polymer is pyrolized to form a ceramic. The process is repeated at least once more so as to achieve upwards of 90 percent filling of the original void volume. When the remaining void volume drops below about 1 percent the physical properties of the compact, such as fracture resistance, improve substantially. Multiple infiltration cycles result in the deposition of sufficient ceramic to reduce the void volume to below 0.5 percent. The fracture resistance of the compacts in which the pores are lined with formed in situ ceramic is generally at least one and one-half times that of the starting preforms.

Tribological properties of toughened zirconia-based ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stachowiak, G.W.; Stachowiak, G.B.

1991-01-01

The physical and mechanical properties of toughened zirconia ceramics are briefly characterized and described with a special emphasis on their tribological behaviour. The wear and friction properties of PSZ and TZP ceramics at room and elevated temperatures are described. The influence of the environment on the tribological characteristics of zirconia ceramics is discussed. Both lubricated and unlubricated conditions for ceramic/ceramic and metal/ceramic sliding contacts are analysed. One of the main, and as yet unresolved problems, lubrication of ceramic at elevated temperatures and/or space environment, is addressed and the possible solutions to the problem are suggested. The critical needs in the research and development area of improving the tribological properties of zirconia ceramics are defined and its future market potentials stated. 30 refs., 2 tabs., 4 figs

OXYGEN TRANSPORT CERAMIC MEMBRANES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dr. Sukumar Bandopadhyay; Dr. Nagendra Nagabhushana

2000-10-01

This is the third quarterly report on oxygen Transport Ceramic Membranes. In the following, the report describes the progress made by our university partners in Tasks 1 through 6, experimental apparatus that was designed and built for various tasks of this project, thermodynamic calculations, where applicable and work planned for the future. (Task 1) Design, fabricate and evaluate ceramic to metal seals based on graded ceramic powder/metal braze joints. (Task 2) Evaluate the effect of defect configuration on ceramic membrane conductivity and long term chemical and structural stability. (Task 3) Determine materials mechanical properties under conditions of high temperatures and reactive atmospheres. (Task 4) Evaluate phase stability and thermal expansion of candidate perovskite membranes and develop techniques to support these materials on porous metal structures. (Task 5) Assess the microstructure of membrane materials to evaluate the effects of vacancy-impurity association, defect clusters, and vacancy-dopant association on the membrane performance and stability. (Task 6) Measure kinetics of oxygen uptake and transport in ceramic membrane materials under commercially relevant conditions using isotope labeling techniques.

Hemorrhagic iliopsoas bursitis complicating well-functioning ceramic-on-ceramic total hip arthroplasty.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Kyung Soon; Diwanji, Sanket R; Kim, Hyung Keun; Song, Eun Kyoo; Yoon, Taek Rim

2009-08-01

Iliopsoas bursitis has been increasingly recognized as a complication of total hip arthroplasty and is usually associated with polyethylene wear. Here, the authors report a case of hemorrhagic iliopsoas bursitis complicating an otherwise well-functioning ceramic-on-ceramic arthroplasty performed by minimal invasive modified 2-incision technique. The bursitis in turn resulted in femoral nerve palsy and femoral vein compression. In this report, there was no evidence to support that the bursitis was due to an inflammatory response to ceramic wear particles or any other wear particles originating from the total hip arthroplasty.

Towards Transparency in Finance and Governance

OpenAIRE

Tara Vishwanath; Daniel Kaufmann

2003-01-01

The study of transparency is increasingly a more topical, broadly relevant, but also more under-researched enterprise. The Asian financial crisis has highlighted not only the welfare consequences of financial sector transparency, sparking a series of yet unresolved debates, but has also linked this relatively narrow problem to the broader context of transparency in governance. Its significance has broadened geographically as well as across different sectors. It has been observed that curtailm...

High-temperature materials and structural ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-01-01

This report gives a survey of research work in the area of high-temperature materials and structural ceramics of the KFA (Juelich Nuclear Research Center). The following topics are treated: (1) For energy facilities: ODS materials for gas turbine blades and heat exchangers; assessment of the remaining life of main steam pipes, material characterization and material stress limits for First-Wall components; metallic and graphitic materials for high-temperature reactors. (2) For process engineering plants: composites for reformer tubes and cracking tubes; ceramic/ceramic joints and metal/ceramic and metal/metal joints; Composites and alloys for rolling bearing and sliding systems up to application temperatures of 1000deg C; high-temperature corrosion of metal and ceramic material; porous ceramic high-temperature filters and moulding coat-mix techniques; electrically conducting ceramic material (superconductors, fuel cells, solid electrolytes); high-temperature light sources (high-temperature chemistry); oil vapor engines with caramic components; ODS materials for components in diesel engines and vehicle gas turbines. (MM) [de

Ceramic Inlays: Effect of Mechanical Cycling and Ceramic Type on Restoration-dentin Bond Strength.

Science.gov (United States)

Trindade, F Z; Kleverlaan, C J; da Silva, L H; Feilzer, A J; Cesar, P F; Bottino, M A; Valandro, L F

2016-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate the bond strength between dentin and five different ceramic inlays in permanent maxillary premolars, with and without mechanical cycling. One hundred permanent maxillary premolars were prepared and divided into 10 groups (n=10) according to the ceramic system (IPS e.Max Press; IPS e.Max CAD; Vita PM9; Vita Mark II; and Vita VM7) and the mechanical cycling factor (with and without [100 N, 2 Hz, 1.2×10(6) cycles]). The inlays were adhesively cemented, and all of the specimens were cut into microbars (1×1 mm, nontrimming method), which were tested under microtensile loading. The failure mode was classified and contact angle, roughness, and microtopographic analyses were performed on each ceramic surface. The mechanical cycling had a significant effect (p=0.0087) on the bond strength between dentin and IPS e.max Press. The Vita Mark II group had the highest bond strength values under both conditions, with mechanical cycling (9.7±1.8 MPa) and without (8.2±1.9 MPa), while IPS e.Max CAD had the lowest values (2.6±1.6 and 2.2±1.4, respectively). The adhesive failure mode at the ceramic/cement interface was the most frequent. Vita Mark II showed the highest value of average roughness. IPS e.max Press and Vita Mark II ceramics presented the lowest contact angles. In conclusion, the composition and manufacturing process of ceramics seem to have an influence on the ceramic surface and resin cement bond strength. Mechanical cycling did not cause significant degradation on the dentin and ceramic bond strength under the configuration used.

Wear characteristics of polished and glazed lithium disilicate ceramics opposed to three ceramic materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Saiki, Osamu; Koizumi, Hiroyasu; Akazawa, Nobutaka; Kodaira, Akihisa; Okamura, Kentaro; Matsumura, Hideo

2016-01-01

This study compared the wear characteristics of a heat-pressed lithium disilicate ceramic material opposed to feldspathic porcelain, a lithium disilicate glass ceramic, and zirconia materials. Ceramic plate specimens were prepared from feldspathic porcelain (EX-3 nA1B), lithium disilicate glass ceramics (e.max CAD MO1/C14), and zirconia (Katana KT 10) and then ground or polished. Rounded rod specimens were fabricated from heat-pressed lithium disilicate glass ceramic (e.max press LT A3) and then glazed or polished. A sliding wear testing apparatus was used for wear testing. Wear of glazed rods was greater than that of polished rods when they were abraded with ground zirconia, ground porcelain, polished porcelain, or polished lithium disilicate ceramics. For both glazed and polished rods, wear was greater when the rods were abraded with ground plates. The findings indicate that application of a polished surface rather than a glazed surface is recommended for single restorations made of heat-pressed lithium disilicate material. In addition, care must be taken when polishing opposing materials, especially those used in occlusal contact areas. (J Oral Sci 58, 117-123, 2016).

Remote Monitoring Transparency Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sukhoruchkin, V.K.; Shmelev, V.M.; Roumiantsev, A.N.

1996-01-01

The objective of the Remote Monitoring Transparency Program is to evaluate and demonstrate the use of remote monitoring technologies to advance nonproliferation and transparency efforts that are currently being developed by Russia and the United States without compromising the national security to the participating parties. Under a lab-to-lab transparency contract between Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and the Kurchatov Institute (KI RRC), the Kurchatov Institute will analyze technical and procedural aspects of the application of remote monitoring as a transparency measure to monitor inventories of direct- use HEU and plutonium (e.g., material recovered from dismantled nuclear weapons). A goal of this program is to assist a broad range of political and technical experts in learning more about remote monitoring technologies that could be used to implement nonproliferation, arms control, and other security and confidence building measures. Specifically, this program will: (1) begin integrating Russian technologies into remote monitoring systems; (2) develop remote monitoring procedures that will assist in the application of remote monitoring techniques to monitor inventories of HEU and Pu from dismantled nuclear weapons; and (3) conduct a workshop to review remote monitoring fundamentals, demonstrate an integrated US/Russian remote monitoring system, and discuss the impacts that remote monitoring will have on the national security of participating countries

Electromagnetically induced transparency in an open multilevel system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Tian; Lu Meiju; Weinstein, Jonathan D.

2011-01-01

Electromagnetically induced transparency in a multilevel system is investigated in 173 Yb. The level structure investigated is ''open'' in that the light that gives rise to the transparency also resonantly couples the atoms to excited states which do not exhibit electromagnetically induced transparency. The resulting reduction of transparency is investigated experimentally and theoretically. It is found that, while the transparency is poor in certain regimes, it can be made to perform arbitrarily well in the limit of a large intensity imbalance between the optical fields.

Ceramic fiber-reinforced monoclinic celsian phase glass-ceramic matrix composite material

Science.gov (United States)

Bansal, Narottam P. (Inventor); Dicarlo, James A. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

A hyridopolysilazane-derived ceramic fiber reinforced monoclinic celsian phase barium aluminum silicate glass-ceramic matrix composite material is prepared by ball-milling an aqueous slurry of BAS glass powder and fine monoclinic celsian seeds. The fibers improve the mechanical strength and fracture toughness and with the matrix provide superior dielectric properties.

Evaluation of Monolithic Ceramics and Ceramic Thermal Barrier Coatings for Diesel Engine Applications

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Swab, Jeffrey J

2001-01-01

The Metals and Ceramics Research Branch (MCRB) of the Weapons and Materials Research Directorate is providing ceramic material characterization and evaluation to the Tank Automotive Research, Development, and Engineering Center (TARDEC...

Ceramics as nuclear reactor fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reeve, K.D.

1975-01-01

Ceramics are widely accepted as nuclear reactor fuel materials, for both metal clad ceramic and all-ceramic fuel designs. Metal clad UO 2 is used commercially in large tonnages in five different power reactor designs. UO 2 pellets are made by familiar ceramic techniques but in a reactor they undergo complex thermal and chemical changes which must be thoroughly understood. Metal clad uranium-plutonium dioxide is used in present day fast breeder reactors, but may eventually be replaced by uranium-plutonium carbide or nitride. All-ceramic fuels, which are necessary for reactors operating above about 750 0 C, must incorporate one or more fission product retentive ceramic coatings. BeO-coated BeO matrix dispersion fuels and silicate glaze coated UO 2 -SiO 2 have been studied for specialised applications, but the only commercial high temperature fuel is based on graphite in which small fuel particles, each coated with vapour deposited carbon and silicon carbide, are dispersed. Ceramists have much to contribute to many aspects of fuel science and technology. (author)

Method for Waterproofing Ceramic Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Cagliostro, Domenick E. (Inventor); Hsu, Ming-Ta S. (Inventor)

1998-01-01

Hygroscopic ceramic materials which are difficult to waterproof with a silane, substituted silane or silazane waterproofing agent, such as an alumina containing fibrous, flexible and porous, fibrous ceramic insulation used on a reentry space vehicle, are rendered easy to waterproof if the interior porous surface of the ceramic is first coated with a thin coating of silica. The silica coating is achieved by coating the interior surface of the ceramic with a silica precursor converting the precursor to silica either in-situ or by oxidative pyrolysis and then applying the waterproofing agent to the silica coated ceramic. The silica precursor comprises almost any suitable silicon containing material such as a silane, silicone, siloxane, silazane and the like applied by solution, vapor deposition and the like. If the waterproofing is removed by e.g., burning, the silica remains and the ceramic is easily rewaterproofed. An alumina containing TABI insulation which absorbs more that five times its weight of water, absorbs less than 10 wt. % water after being waterproofed according to the method of the invention.

Nuclear deterrence: which environmental transparency?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cherief, Hamza

2012-01-01

This article addresses the field of nuclear geopolitics. The author discusses the tensions between the principle of transparency regarding environmental issues on the one hand, and the protection of nuclear deterrence as instrument of power on the other hand. According to the French law, the preservation of nuclear power instruments means the acknowledgement of a legal regime which is specific to national defence requirements in terms of secret and right to information. Thus, the author discusses the constitutional limitations of the environmental transparency obligation for the protection of Nation's fundamental interests. Then, by commenting the Rainbow Warrior affair, the author highlights the exceptional limitations of the transparency requirement regarding nuclear issues

An experimental bioactive dental ceramic for metal-ceramic restorations: Textural characteristics and investigation of the mechanical properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Goudouri, Ourania-Menti; Kontonasaki, Eleana; Papadopoulou, Lambrini; Manda, Marianthi; Kavouras, Panagiotis; Triantafyllidis, Konstantinos S; Stefanidou, Maria; Koidis, Petros; Paraskevopoulos, Konstantinos M

2017-02-01

The aim of this study was the evaluation of the textural characteristics of an experimental sol-gel derived feldspathic dental ceramic, which has already been proven bioactive and the investigation of its flexural strength through Weibull Statistical Analysis. The null hypothesis was that the flexural strength of the experimental and the commercial dental ceramic would be of the same order, resulting in a dental ceramic with apatite forming ability and adequate mechanical integrity. Although the flexural strength of the experimental ceramics was not statistically significant different compared to the commercial one, the amount of blind pores due to processing was greater. The textural characteristics of the experimental ceramic were in accordance with the standard low porosity levels reported for dental ceramics used for fixed prosthetic restorations. Feldspathic dental ceramics with typical textural characteristics and advanced mechanical properties as well as enhanced apatite forming ability can be synthesized through the sol-gel method. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ceramic composites: Enabling aerospace materials

Science.gov (United States)

Levine, S. R.

1992-01-01

Ceramics and ceramic matrix composites (CMC) have the potential for significant impact on the performance of aerospace propulsion and power systems. In this paper, the potential benefits are discussed in broad qualitative terms and are illustrated by some specific application case studies. The key issues in need of resolution for the potential of ceramics to be realized are discussed.

Nanocellulose reinforcement of Transparent Composites

Science.gov (United States)

Joshua Steele; Hong Dong; James F. Snyder; Josh A. Orlicki; Richard S. Reiner; Alan W. Rudie

2012-01-01

In this work, we evaluate the impact of nanocellulose reinforcement on transparent composite properties. Due to the small diameter, high modulus, and high strength of cellulose nanocrystals, transparent composites that utilize these materials should show improvement in bulk mechanical performances without a corresponding reduction in optical properties. In this study...

Evaluation of the reuse of glass and ceramic blocks in the development of a ceramic products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodrigues, R.A.; Silva, L.A.; Martins, B.E.D.B.S.; Felippe, C.E.C.; Almeida, V.C.

2010-01-01

The ceramic industry has enormous potential to absorb wastes. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of reusing leftovers ceramic blocks, from construction and, with shards of glass in the development of a ceramic product. The ceramic pieces were prepared with different compositions of glass by the method of pressing conformation and heating at 1000 and 1100 deg C. The conformed pieces were tested for linear shrinkage, water absorption, porosity, and tensile strength. The techniques for characterization were X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, the results show that the ceramic material produced has a high flexural strength and low values of water absorption. (author)

Transparent ambipolar organic thin film transistors based on multilayer transparent source-drain electrodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Nan; Hu, Yongsheng, E-mail: huyongsheng@ciomp.ac.cn, E-mail: liuxy@ciomp.ac.cn; Lin, Jie; Li, Yantao; Liu, Xingyuan, E-mail: huyongsheng@ciomp.ac.cn, E-mail: liuxy@ciomp.ac.cn [State Key Laboratory of Luminescence and Applications, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130033 (China)

2016-08-08

A fabrication method for transparent ambipolar organic thin film transistors with transparent Sb{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Ag/Sb{sub 2}O{sub 3} (SAS) source and drain electrodes has been developed. A pentacene/N,N′-ditridecylperylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic di-imide (PTCDI-C13) bilayer heterojunction is used as the active semiconductor. The electrodes are deposited by room temperature electron beam evaporation. The devices are fabricated without damaging the active layers. The SAS electrodes have high transmittance (82.5%) and low sheet resistance (8 Ω/sq). High performance devices with hole and electron mobilities of 0.3 cm{sup 2}/V s and 0.027 cm{sup 2}/V s, respectively, and average visible range transmittance of 72% were obtained. These transistors have potential for transparent logic integrated circuit applications.

Fatigue failure load of two resin-bonded zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate glass-ceramics: Effect of ceramic thickness.

Science.gov (United States)

Monteiro, Jaiane Bandoli; Riquieri, Hilton; Prochnow, Catina; Guilardi, Luís Felipe; Pereira, Gabriel Kalil Rocha; Borges, Alexandre Luiz Souto; de Melo, Renata Marques; Valandro, Luiz Felipe

2018-06-01

To evaluate the effect of ceramic thickness on the fatigue failure load of two zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate (ZLS) glass-ceramics, adhesively cemented to a dentin analogue material. Disc-shaped specimens were allocated into 8 groups (n=25) considering two study factors: ZLS ceramic type (Vita Suprinity - VS; and Celtra Duo - CD), and ceramic thickness (1.0; 1.5; 2.0; and 2.5mm). A trilayer assembly (ϕ=10mm; thickness=3.5mm) was designed to mimic a bonded monolithic restoration. The ceramic discs were etched, silanized and luted (Variolink N) into a dentin analogue material. Fatigue failure load was determined using the Staircase method (100,000 cycles at 20Hz; initial fatigue load ∼60% of the mean monotonic load-to-failure; step size ∼5% of the initial fatigue load). A stainless-steel piston (ϕ=40mm) applied the load into the center of the specimens submerged in water. Fractographic analysis and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) were also performed. The ceramic thickness influenced the fatigue failure load for both ZLS materials: Suprinity (716N up to 1119N); Celtra (404N up to 1126N). FEA showed that decreasing ceramic thickness led to higher stress concentration on the cementing interface. Different ZLS glass-ceramic thicknesses influenced the fatigue failure load of the bonded system (i.e. the thicker the glass ceramic is, the higher the fatigue failure load will be). Different microstructures of the ZLS glass-ceramics might affect the fatigue behavior. FEA showed that the thicker the glass ceramic is, the lower the stress concentration at the tensile surface will be. Copyright © 2018 The Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ferroelastic ceramic-reinforced metal matrix composites

OpenAIRE

2006-01-01

Composite materials comprising ferroelastic ceramic particulates dispersed in a metal matrix are capable of vibration damping. When the ferroelastic ceramic particulates are subjected to stress, such as the cyclic stress experienced during vibration of the material, internal stresses in the ceramic cause the material to deform via twinning, domain rotation or domain motion thereby dissipating the vibrational energy. The ferroelastic ceramic particulates may also act as reinforcements to impro...

Development of advanced ceramics at AECL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palmer, B.J.F.; MacEwen, S.R.; Sawicka, B.D.; Hayward, P.J.; Sridhar, S.

1986-12-01

Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) has a long history of developing ceramics for nuclear fission and fusion applications. AECL is now applying its multidisciplinary materials R and D capabilities, including unique capabilities in ceramic processing and nondestructive evaluation, to develop advanced ceramic materials for commercial and industrial applications. This report provides an overview of the facilities and programs associated with the development of advanced ceramics at AECL

Strategies for fracture toughness, strength and reliability optimisation of ceramic-ceramic laminates

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Šestáková, L.; Bermejo, R.; Chlup, Zdeněk; Danzer, R.

2011-01-01

Roč. 102, č. 6 (2011), s. 613-626 ISSN 1862-5282 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20410507 Keywords : Ceramic laminates * Layered ceramics * Residual stress * Fracture toughness * Threshold strength Subject RIV: JL - Materials Fatigue, Friction Mechanics Impact factor: 0.830, year: 2011

Aerospace Ceramic Materials: Thermal, Environmental Barrier Coatings and SiC/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composites for Turbine Engine Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Dongming

2018-01-01

Ceramic materials play increasingly important roles in aerospace applications because ceramics have unique properties, including high temperature capability, high stiffness and strengths, excellent oxidation and corrosion resistance. Ceramic materials also generally have lower densities as compared to metallic materials, making them excellent candidates for light-weight hot-section components of aircraft turbine engines, rocket exhaust nozzles, and thermal protection systems for space vehicles when they are being used for high-temperature and ultra-high temperature ceramics applications. Ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), including non-oxide and oxide CMCs, are also recently being incorporated in gas turbine engines for high pressure and high temperature section components and exhaust nozzles. However, the complexity and variability of aerospace ceramic processing methods, compositions and microstructures, the relatively low fracture toughness of the ceramic materials, still remain the challenging factors for ceramic component design, validation, life prediction, and thus broader applications. This ceramic material section paper presents an overview of aerospace ceramic materials and their characteristics. A particular emphasis has been placed on high technology level (TRL) enabling ceramic systems, that is, turbine engine thermal and environmental barrier coating systems and non-oxide type SiC/SiC CMCs. The current status and future trend of thermal and environmental barrier coatings and SiC/SiC CMC development and applications are described.

Review of glass ceramic waste forms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rusin, J.M.

1981-01-01

Glass ceramics are being considered for the immobilization of nuclear wastes to obtain a waste form with improved properties relative to glasses. Improved impact resistance, decreased thermal expansion, and increased leach resistance are possible. In addition to improved properties, the spontaneous devitrification exhibited in some waste-containing glasses can be avoided by the controlled crystallization after melting in the glass-ceramic process. The majority of the glass-ceramic development for nuclear wastes has been conducted at the Hahn-Meitner Institute (HMI) in Germany. Two of their products, a celsian-based (BaAl 3 Si 2 O 8 ) and a fresnoite-based (Ba 2 TiSi 2 O 8 ) glass ceramic, have been studied at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL). A basalt-based glass ceramic primarily containing diopsidic augite (CaMgSi 2 O 6 ) has been developed at PNL. This glass ceramic is of interest since it would be in near equilibrium with a basalt repository. Studies at the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation (PNC) in Japan have favored a glass-ceramic product based upon diopside (CaMgSi 2 O 6 ). Compositions, processing conditions, and product characterization of typical commercial and nuclear waste glass ceramics are discussed. In general, glass-ceramic waste forms can offer improved strength and decreased thermal expansion. Due to typcially large residual glass phases of up to 50%, there may be little improvement in leach resistance

The Multi-Faceted Concept of Transparency

OpenAIRE

Forssbæck, Jens; Oxelheim, Lars

2014-01-01

Transparency has become a catchword and in the economic-political debate is often seen as a universal remedy for all sorts of problems. In this paper, we analyze and discuss the meaning and use of the concept of transparency in economic research. We look for common denominators across different areas where the concept is used, and find that transparency in essence is about reductions in information asymmetries, and therefore entails the transfer of information from a sender to a receiver. Tra...

Design and In-Situ Processing of Metal-Ceramic and Ceramic-Ceramic Microstructures

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Sass, Stephen

1997-01-01

.... Metal-ceramic microstructures have been synthesized in situ by a variety of novel processing techniques, including the partial reduction of oxide compounds and displacement reactions and sol-gel...

Microcracking in ceramics and acoustic emission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Subbarao, E.C.

1991-01-01

One of the limitations in the use of ceramics in critical applications is due to the presence of microcracks, which may arise from differential thermal expansion and phase changes, among others. Acoustic emission signals occur when there are abrupt microdeformations in a material and thus offer a convenient means of non-destructive detection of microcracking. Examples of a study of acoustic emission from microcracking due to anisotropic thermal expansion in low thermal expansion single phase ceramics such as niobia and sodium zirconium phosphate ceramics and due to phase changes in zirconia and superconducting YBa 2 Cu 3 Osub(7-x) ceramics are presented, together with the case of lead titanate ceramics, which exhibits both a phase change (paraelectric to ferroelectric) and an anisotropic thermal expansion. The role of grain size on the extent of microcracking is illustrated in the case of niobia ceramics. Some indirect evidence of healing of microcracks on heating niobia and lead titanate ceramics is presented from the acoustic emission results. (author). 69 refs., 9 figs

Translucency of dental ceramics with different thicknesses.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Fu; Takahashi, Hidekazu; Iwasaki, Naohiko

2013-07-01

The increased use of esthetic restorations requires an improved understanding of the translucent characteristics of ceramic materials. Ceramic translucency has been considered to be dependent on composition and thickness, but less information is available about the translucent characteristics of these materials, especially at different thicknesses. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between translucency and the thickness of different dental ceramics. Six disk-shaped specimens of 8 glass ceramics (IPS e.max Press HO, MO, LT, HT, IPS e.max CAD LT, MO, AvanteZ Dentin, and Trans) and 5 specimens of 5 zirconia ceramics (Cercon Base, Zenotec Zr Bridge, Lava Standard, Lava Standard FS3, and Lava Plus High Translucency) were prepared following the manufacturers' instructions and ground to a predetermined thickness with a grinding machine. A spectrophotometer was used to measure the translucency parameters (TP) of the glass ceramics, which ranged from 2.0 to 0.6 mm, and of the zirconia ceramics, which ranged from 1.0 to 0.4 mm. The relationship between the thickness and TP of each material was evaluated using a regression analysis (α=.05). The TP values of the glass ceramics ranged from 2.2 to 25.3 and the zirconia ceramics from 5.5 to 15.1. There was an increase in the TP with a decrease in thickness, but the amount of change was material dependent. An exponential relationship with statistical significance (Pceramics and zirconia ceramics. The translucency of dental ceramics was significantly influenced by both material and thickness. The translucency of all materials increased exponentially as the thickness decreased. All of the zirconia ceramics evaluated in the present study showed some degree of translucency, which was less sensitive to thickness compared to that of the glass ceramics. Copyright © 2013 The Editorial Council of the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Microstructural characterization of ceramic floor tiles with the incorporation of wastes from ceramic tile industries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmeane Effting

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Ceramic floor tiles are widely used in buildings. In places where people are bare feet, the thermal sensation of cold or hot depends on the environmental conditions and material properties including its microstructure and crustiness surface. The introduction of the crustiness surface on the ceramic floor tiles interfere in the contact temperature and also it can be an strategy to obtain ceramic tiles more comfortable. In this work, porous ceramic tiles were obtained by pressing an industrial atomized ceramic powder incorporated with refractory raw material (residue from porcelainized stoneware tile polishing and changing firing temperature. Raw materials and obtained compacted samples were evaluated by chemical analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA, and differential thermal analysis (DTA. Thermal (thermal conductivity and effusivity and physical (porosity measurements were also evaluated.

Examination of Relationship between Nuclear Transparency and Nonproliferation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ha, Jee-Min; Yim, Man-Sung; Park, Hyeon Seok; Kim, So Young [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

In this study, we define the state-level nuclear transparency as a set of the condition that shows how clearly the state's information related to peaceful nuclear power program and nuclear proliferation is revealed to the international community. For conducting expert survey on state-level nuclear transparency, the concept of nuclear transparency should be clearly defined. Based on that concept, the survey was carried out and results show that it tend to score high when nonproliferation activities happen. It means that higher transparency is positively related to nuclear proliferation. Therefore, higher nuclear transparency is positively related to nuclear nonproliferation.

Examination of Relationship between Nuclear Transparency and Nonproliferation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ha, Jee-Min; Yim, Man-Sung; Park, Hyeon Seok; Kim, So Young

2015-01-01

In this study, we define the state-level nuclear transparency as a set of the condition that shows how clearly the state's information related to peaceful nuclear power program and nuclear proliferation is revealed to the international community. For conducting expert survey on state-level nuclear transparency, the concept of nuclear transparency should be clearly defined. Based on that concept, the survey was carried out and results show that it tend to score high when nonproliferation activities happen. It means that higher transparency is positively related to nuclear proliferation. Therefore, higher nuclear transparency is positively related to nuclear nonproliferation

Issues in Canadian board transparency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chris Bart

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Transparency is considered one of the principles of good corporate governance. But what does it mean – in practice – especially when it comes to Board transparency – i.e. the ability of shareholders to gain knowledge about an organization’s corporate governance practices in order to make an informed assessment of Directors’ individual and collective roles and performance. In a preliminary investigation of Board transparency practices in Canadian listed firms (using data from 2003-2004, it was found that there were wide variations in the nature and quantity of corporate governance practices disclosed. The reasons for these variations are discussed and a number of recommendations for improved disclosure are presented.

Low thermal expansion glass ceramics

CERN Document Server

1995-01-01

This book is one of a series reporting on international research and development activities conducted by the Schott group of companies With the series, Schott aims to provide an overview of its activities for scientists, engineers, and managers from all branches of industry worldwide where glasses and glass ceramics are of interest Each volume begins with a chapter providing a general idea of the current problems, results, and trends relating to the subjects treated This volume describes the fundamental principles, the manufacturing process, and applications of low thermal expansion glass ceramics The composition, structure, and stability of polycrystalline materials having a low thermal expansion are described, and it is shown how low thermal expansion glass ceramics can be manufactured from appropriately chosen glass compositions Examples illustrate the formation of this type of glass ceramic by utilizing normal production processes together with controlled crystallization Thus glass ceramics with thermal c...

Experimental study on the penetration effect of ceramics composite projectile on ceramic / A3 steel compound targets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Di-qi Hu

2017-08-01

Full Text Available In order to improve the penetration of projectiles into ceramic composite armors, the nose of 30 mm standard projectile was replaced by a toughened ceramic nose, and the performance of ceramic-nose projectiles penetrating into ceramic/A3 steel composite targets has been experimentally researched. According to impact dynamics theory,, the performances of 30 mm ceramic-nose projectile and 30 mm standard projectile penetrating into the ceramic/A3 steel composite targets were analyzed and compared using DOP method, especially focusing on the effects made by different nose structures and materials. The aperture and depth of perforation of projectile into the armor plates as well as the residual mass of bullet core under the same conditions were comparatively analyzed. A numerical simulation was built and computed by ANSYS/LS-DYNA. Based on the simulated results, the penetration performance was further analyzed in terms of the residual mass of bullet core. The results show that the ceramic nose has a great effect on the protection of bullet core.

Transparent Data Encryption -- Solution for Security of Database Contents

OpenAIRE

Deshmukh, Dr. Anwar Pasha; Qureshi, Dr. Riyazuddin

2013-01-01

The present study deals with Transparent Data Encryption which is a technology used to solve the problems of security of data. Transparent Data Encryption means encrypting databases on hard disk and on any backup media. Present day global business environment presents numerous security threats and compliance challenges. To protect against data thefts and frauds we require security solutions that are transparent by design. Transparent Data Encryption provides transparent, standards-based secur...

ADM guidance-Ceramics: all-ceramic multilayer interfaces in dentistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Lohbauer, Ulrich; Scherrer, Susanne S; Della Bona, Alvaro; Tholey, Michael; van Noort, Richard; Vichi, Alessandro; Kelly, J Robert; Cesar, Paulo F

2017-06-01

This guidance document describes the specific issues involved in dental multilayer ceramic systems. The material interactions with regard to specific thermal and mechanical properties are reviewed and the characteristics of dental tooth-shaped processing parameters (sintering, geometry, thickness ratio, etc.) are discussed. Several techniques for the measurement of bond quality and residual stresses are presented with a detailed discussion of advantages and disadvantages. In essence no single technique is able to describe adequately the all-ceramic interface. Invasive or semi-invasive methods have been shown to distort the information regarding the residual stress state while non-invasive methods are limited due to resolution, field of focus or working depth. This guidance document has endeavored to provide a scientific basis for future research aimed at characterizing the ceramic interface of dental restorations. Along with the methodological discussion it is seeking to provide an introduction and guidance to relatively inexperienced researchers. Copyright © 2017 The Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exoelectron emission from magnesium borate glass ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawamoto, Takamichi; Yanagisawa, Hideo; Nakamichi, Hiroshi; Kikuchi, Riichi; Kawanishi, Masaharu.

1986-01-01

Thermally stimulated exoelectron emission (TSEE) of a magnesium borate glass ceramics was investigated for its application to dosemetric use. It has been found that the TSEE glow patterns of the magnesium borate glass ceramics as well as a Li 2 B 4 O 7 glass ceramics depend on the kind of the radiation used and that the heat resistance of the magnesium borate glass ceramics is higher than that of the Li 2 B 4 O 7 glass ceramics. Therefore, the TSEE glow patterns of the magnesium borate glass ceramics indicate a possibility to be used as the dose measurement for each kind of radiation in the mixed radiation field. (author)

Manufacturing of superconductive silver/ceramic composites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Seifi, Behrouz; Bech, Jakob Ilsted; Eriksen, Morten

2000-01-01

Manufacturing of superconducting metal/ceramic composites is a rather new discipline within materials forming processes. High Temperature SuperConductors, HTSC, are manufactured applying the Oxide-Powder-In-Tube process, OPIT. A ceramic powder containing lead, calcium, bismuth, strontium, and cop......Manufacturing of superconducting metal/ceramic composites is a rather new discipline within materials forming processes. High Temperature SuperConductors, HTSC, are manufactured applying the Oxide-Powder-In-Tube process, OPIT. A ceramic powder containing lead, calcium, bismuth, strontium...

Improving the strength of ceramics by controlling the interparticle forces and rheology of the ceramic suspensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chou, Yi-Ping

2001-01-01

This thesis describes a study of the modification of the interparticle forces of colloidal ceramic particles in aqueous suspensions in order to improve the microstructural homogeneity, and hence the reliability and mechanical performances, of subsequently formed ceramic compacts. A concentrated stable fine ceramic powder suspension has been shown to be able to generate a higher density of a ceramic product with better mechanical, and also electrical, electrochemical and optical, properties of the ceramic body. This is because in a colloidally stable suspension there are no aggregates and so defect formation, which is responsible for the ceramic body performance below its theoretical maximum, is reduced. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to form a well dispersed ceramic suspension by ensuring the interparticle forces between the particles are repulsive, with as a high a loading with particles as possible. By examining the rheological behaviour and the results of Atomic Force Microscope, the dispersion state of the suspensions and hence the interparticle forces can be analysed. In this study, concentrated ceramic suspensions were made from two kinds of zirconia powders, monoclinic (DK1) and yttria partially stabilised (HSY3) zirconia, in the presence of a dispersant, 4,5-dihydroxy-1,3-benzenedisulfonic acid disodium salt (Tiron), in aqueous system. The optimum dispersant concentrations, where the viscosity and rheological moduli are the entire minimum, for DK1 and HSY3 suspensions, respectively, are 0.625% and 0.1%. The modifications of the interparticle forces were also achieved by pH adjustment and it was found that both of the suspensions at the optimum dispersant concentration were stable over the pH range 7 ∼ 10, which coincide with the results of the electrophoretic mobility measurements. Ceramic compacts have then been made by slip casting the suspensions of different dispersant concentration, followed by firing procedure. Mechanical properties of

Ceramic on ceramic arthroplasty of the hip: new materials confirm appropriate use in young patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Sentuerk, U; von Roth, P; Perka, C

2016-01-01

The leading indication for revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) remains aseptic loosening owing to wear. The younger, more active patients currently undergoing THA present unprecedented demands on the bearings. Ceramic-on-ceramic (CoC) bearings have consistently shown the lowest rates of wear. The recent advances, especially involving alumina/zirconia composite ceramic, have led to substantial improvements and good results in vitro. Alumina/zirconia composite ceramics are extremely hard, scratch resistant and biocompatible. They offer a low co-efficient of friction and superior lubrication and lower rates of wear compared with other bearings. The major disadvantage is the risk of fracture of the ceramic. The new composite ceramic has reduced the risk of fracture of the femoral head to 0.002%. The risk of fracture of the liner is slightly higher (0.02%). Assuming that the components are introduced without impingement, CoC bearings have major advantages over other bearings. Owing to the superior hardness, they produce less third body wear and are less vulnerable to intra-operative damage. The improved tribology means that CoC bearings are an excellent choice for young, active patients requiring THA. ©2016 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.

Transparency in Nuclear Regulation: Trends and Future Prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Kwang Sik; Choi, Young Sung; Kim, Seong Ho

2007-01-01

Recently, improving transparency (or openness) has been one of important issues related to nuclear safety worldwide. As for the transparency in nuclear regulatory activities in Korea, openness has been declared as one of five principles of the nuclear regulation in the 'nuclear safety policy statement' announced in 1994. Transparency has been discussed and emphasized in various international meetings such as the Convention on Nuclear Safety, OECD/NEA meetings, etc. For example, Working Group on Public Communication of nuclear regulatory organizations (WGPC) of the OECD/NEA/CNRA held a workshop on 'the transparency of nuclear regulatory activities' in May 2007 in Tokyo, Japan. In this paper, definition of transparency and its international trends ranging from a general administration to nuclear safety activities are discussed based on the results of meetings and workshops held so far. Measures for improvement associated with transparency are also proposed

Transparency in the Council of the European Union

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laursen, Bo

2013-01-01

with information and thereby act as day-to-day facilitators of transparency of the Council’s activities. Although these communicators see themselves as contributing substantially to the transparency of the Council’s work and thereby as enabling the media to provide EU citizens with information about one......The Council of the European Union is often described as the least transparent of the three big EU institutions although steps have been taken to improve the transparency of its activities during the last couple of decades. This article focuses on the Council’s press officers who provide journalists...... of the most powerful political forums in Europe, transparency in the Council has its limits. This study explores institutional factors which hinder Council press officers from being as transparent as journalists would like them to be. In-depth, semi-structured interviews with Council press officers...

Transparency International

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hulten, van M. (Michel)

2009-01-01

Established in 1993, Transparency International (TI) defines itself as “the global civil society organization leading the fight against corruption, that brings people together in a powerful worldwide coalition to end the devastating impact of corruption on men, women and children around the

Transparency in Europe: A Quantitative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bouder, Frederic; Way, Dominic; Löfstedt, Ragnar; Evensen, Darrick

2015-07-01

In recent years, European pharmaceutical regulators have increasingly committed to heightening access to raw safety-related data as part of a wave of transparency initiatives (e.g., providing public Internet-mediated access to clinical trials data). Yet, the regulators--who are under significant pressure--have not yet benefited from a systematic review of this new policy. In seeking to inject much needed evidence, this article explores the effects of new transparency policies designed to promote meaningful communication of risks and benefits to patients. Results of a cross-national European survey with respondents from Great Britain, the Netherlands, Spain, France, Germany, and Sweden (N = 5,648) shed light on how patients and the public are likely to react to the regulators' new transparency policies. The findings demonstrate clear national variations in how European citizens are likely to react and emphasize the need to develop evidence-based, reasoned transparency policies that integrate benefit-risk communication. The authors conclude by providing six specific recommendations, informed by the study, that seek to improve the European transparency model both within the medical field and across health, safety, and environmental policy domains. © 2015 Society for Risk Analysis.

PUBLIC SECTOR TRANSPARENCY:A CONCEPTUAL DISSECTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mara Andreea SÎNTEJUDEANU

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The concept of transparency has increasingly attracted the attention of academic, political and business areas. Many studies have demonstrated the need for adopting this corporate governance principle also in the public sector, a phenomenon that has become widespread at international level. The academic study field defines transparency as the ability to look clearly through the window of an institution. Starting from this statement, the research focuses on the importance of transparency in public governance and on the framework for identifying and assessing this concept. Furthermore, this paper also analysis the limits of this notion in order to maintain its significance and effectiveness. Thus, based on the literature review, this study summarizes the opinions and arguments of various authors in the field regarding the notion of transparency in the public sector. At the same time, it analysis the conclusions of empirical studies on this topic. The results of the study reveal the importance and necessity of information disclosure among different users for increasing citizens' trust in government and achieving good governance. However, the positive aspects of transparency tend to be overestimated and considering the ambiguity of this concept it should be carefully handled.

Dense ceramic articles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cockbain, A.G.

1976-01-01

A method is described for the manufacture of articles of substantially pure dense ceramic materials, for use in severe environments. Si N is very suitable for use in such environments, but suffers from the disadvantage that it is not amenable to sintering. Some disadvantages of the methods normally used for making articles of Si N are mentioned. The method described comprises mixing a powder of the substantially pure ceramic material with an additive that promotes densification, and which is capable of nuclear transmutation into a gas when exposed to radiation, and hot pressing the mixture to form a billet. The billet is then irradiated to convert the additive into a gas which is held captive in the billet, and it is then subjected to a hot forging operation, during which the captive gas escapes and an article of substantially pure dense ceramic material is forged. The method is intended primarily for use for Si N, but may be applied to other ceramic materials. The additive may be Li or Be or their compounds, to the extent of at least 5 ppm and not more than 5% by weight. Irradiation is effected by proton or neutron bombardment. (UK)

Transparent soil for imaging the rhizosphere.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Helen Downie

Full Text Available Understanding of soil processes is essential for addressing the global issues of food security, disease transmission and climate change. However, techniques for observing soil biology are lacking. We present a heterogeneous, porous, transparent substrate for in situ 3D imaging of living plants and root-associated microorganisms using particles of the transparent polymer, Nafion, and a solution with matching optical properties. Minerals and fluorescent dyes were adsorbed onto the Nafion particles for nutrient supply and imaging of pore size and geometry. Plant growth in transparent soil was similar to that in soil. We imaged colonization of lettuce roots by the human bacterial pathogen Escherichia coli O157:H7 showing micro-colony development. Micro-colonies may contribute to bacterial survival in soil. Transparent soil has applications in root biology, crop genetics and soil microbiology.

International trade and the role of market transparency

OpenAIRE

Broll, Udo; Eckwert, Bernhard; Wong, Kit Pong

2010-01-01

The paper examines the economic role of market transparency on the decision problems of an international firm. Transparency is described in terms of the informativeness of a publicly observable signal. With higher transparency, the signal conveys more precise information about the random foreign exchange rate. We analyze the interaction between market transparency, ex ante expected production, domestic sales, and exports of the firm. Furthermore, we discuss the welfare implications of more tr...

Development of Advanced Ceramic Manufacturing Technology; FINAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pujari, V.K.

2001-01-01

Advanced structural ceramics are enabling materials for new transportation engine systems that have the potential for significantly reducing energy consumption and pollution in automobiles and heavy vehicles. Ceramic component reliability and performance have been demonstrated in previous U.S. DOE initiatives, but high manufacturing cost was recognized as a major barrier to commercialization. Norton Advanced Ceramics (NAC), a division of Saint-Gobain Industrial Ceramics, Inc. (SGIC), was selected to perform a major Advanced Ceramics Manufacturing Technology (ACMT) Program. The overall objectives of NAC's program were to design, develop, and demonstrate advanced manufacturing technology for the production of ceramic exhaust valves for diesel engines. The specific objectives were (1) to reduce the manufacturing cost by an order of magnitude, (2) to develop and demonstrate process capability and reproducibility, and (3) to validate ceramic valve performance, durability, and reliability. I n order to achieve these objectives, NAC, a leading U.S. advanced ceramics component manufacturer, assembled a multidisciplinary, vertically integrated team. This team included: a major diesel engine builder, Detroit Diesel Corporation (DDC); a corporate ceramics research division, SGIC's Northboro R and D Center; intelligent processing system developers, BDM Federal/MATSYS; a furnace equipment company, Centorr/Vacuum Industries; a sintering expert, Wittmer Consultants; a production OEM, Deco-Grand; a wheel manufacturer and grinding operation developer, Norton Company's Higgins Grinding Technology Center (HGTC); a ceramic machine shop, Chand Kare Technical Ceramics; and a manufacturing cost consultant, IBIS Associates. The program was divided into four major tasks: Component Design and Specification, Component Manufacturing Technology Development, Inspection and Testing, and Process Demonstration

Large-Area Chemical Vapor Deposited MoS2 with Transparent Conducting Oxide Contacts toward Fully Transparent 2D Electronics

KAUST Repository

Dai, Zhenyu

2017-09-08

2D semiconductors are poised to revolutionize the future of electronics and photonics, much like transparent oxide conductors and semiconductors have revolutionized the display industry. Herein, these two types of materials are combined to realize fully transparent 2D electronic devices and circuits. Specifically, a large-area chemical vapor deposition process is developed to grow monolayer MoS2 continuous films, which are, for the first time, combined with transparent conducting oxide (TCO) contacts. Transparent conducting aluminum doped zinc oxide contacts are deposited by atomic layer deposition, with composition tuning to achieve optimal conductivity and band-offsets with MoS2. The optimized process gives fully transparent TCO/MoS2 2D electronics with average visible-range transmittance of 85%. The transistors show high mobility (4.2 cm2 V−1 s−1), fast switching speed (0.114 V dec−1), very low threshold voltage (0.69 V), and large switching ratio (4 × 108). To our knowledge, these are the lowest threshold voltage and subthreshold swing values reported for monolayer chemical vapor deposition MoS2 transistors. The transparent inverters show fast switching properties with a gain of 155 at a supply voltage of 10 V. The results demonstrate that transparent conducting oxides can be used as contact materials for 2D semiconductors, which opens new possibilities in 2D electronic and photonic applications.

Methods and apparatus for transparent display using scattering nanoparticles