Quantum nanospheres for sub-micron particle image velocimetry

Quantum Nanospheres™ (QNs) have been developed as a new type of flow-tracing particle for micron resolution particle image velocimetry (PIV). The 70 nm diameter QNs were created by conjugating quantum dots to polystyrene beads. The fluorescent QNs have a large Stokes’ shift and are impervious to photobleaching. The use of QNs as flow-tracing particles for micro-PIV was demonstrated by measuring fluid motion in a 30 × 300 μm channel. Using an interrogation region of 1 × 1,024 pixels and ensemble averaging 1,800 image pairs, the physical volume of the interrogation region was 117 μm × 117 μm × 2 μm.     

Critical heat flux and nucleate boiling on several heterogeneous wetting surfaces: Controlled hydrophobic patterns on a hydrophilic substrate

We used a heating surface composed of a hydrophilic substrate with hydrophobic dots to characterize the effect of spatially-different surface characteristics on critical heat flux (CHF) and nucleate boiling. To ascertain important surface factors that control CHF and boiling on heterogeneous wetting surfaces, we adjusted the hydrophobic dot diameter and the relative pitch between adjacent dots. Based on the dynamics of bubbles on hydrophobic dots, we analyze the trend of CHF on differently-fabricated heterogeneous wetting surfaces. CHFs on heterogeneous wetting surfaces were strongly dependent on ratio R of the area covered by hydrophobic dots to the heated area, but independent on the diameter of hydrophobic dots and the pitch distance. The improvement of boiling heat transfer (BHT) varied according to the conditions, and appeared to be related to the diameter, pitch distance and the number of hydrophobic dots, but the effect of R on BHT was negligible. Based on this study, we propose optimized conditions of a hydrophobic patterned surface. To sustain high CHF of a hydrophilic surface and high BHT of a hydrophobic surface, numerous micron-size hydrophobic dots should be fabricated with small R.     

不同管径氧化钛纳米管层的微动磨损性能

利用阳极氧化法在纯钛表面制备了3组平均内径不同的TiO2纳米管层试样,用扫描电子显微镜、硬度仪和轮廓仪对试样表面形貌、显微硬度、纳米硬度和粗糙度进行测试.在大气环境里,以球/平面接触方式,对摩偶件为超高分子聚乙烯球,采用PLINT高精度液压伺服式微动磨损试验机,分别在4种法向载荷下,对试样进行微动磨损试验.结果表明:随法向载荷的增加,同一摩擦副的摩擦系数降低;TiO2纳米管层的存在降低了钛与UHMWPE之间的摩擦系数,在不同载荷下纳米管层表面的摩擦系数均随管径的增大而增大,但低于无纳米管层的对照组;与UHMWPE对摩,TiO2纳米管层有很好的承载、抗剥离和耐磨性能;摩擦副的主要磨损机理为磨粒磨损、UHMWPE塑变导致的表层材料损失.     

The stability of elastically strained nanorings and the formation of quantum dot molecules

Self-assembled nanorings have recently been identified in a number of heteroepitaxially strained material systems. Under some circumstances these rings have been observed to break up into ring-shaped quantum dot molecules. A general non-linear model for the elastic strain energy of non-axisymmetric epitaxially strained nanostructures beyond the small slope assumption is developed. This model is then used to investigate the stability of strained nanorings evolving via surface diffusion subject to perturbations around their circumference. An expression for the fastest growing mode is determined and related to experimental observations. The model predicts a region of stability for rings below a critical radius, and also a region for larger rings which have a proportionally small thickness. The predictions of the model are shown to be consistent with the available results. For the heteroepitaxial InP on In_0.5Ga_0.5P system investigated by Jevasuwan et al. (2013), the nanorings are found to be stable below a certain critical size. This is in good quantitative agreement with the model predictions. At larger sizes, the rings are unstable. The number of dots in the resulting quantum dot molecule is similar to the mode number for the fastest growing mode. Second order terms show that the number of dots is expected to reduce as the height of the ring increases in proportion to its thickness. The strained In_0.4Ga_0.6As on GaAs nanorings of Hanke et al. (2007) are always stable and this is in accordance with the findings of the analysis. The Au nanorings of Ruffino et al. (2011) are stable as well, even as they expand during annealing. This observation is also shown to be consistent with the proposed model, which is expected to be useful in the design and tailoring of heteroepitaxial systems for the self-organisation of quantum dot molecules.     

Laser surface-contouring and spline data-smoothing for residual stress measurement

We describe non-contact scanning with a confocal laser probe to measure surface contours for application to residual stress measurement. (In the recently introduced contour method, a part is cut in two with a flat cut, and the part deforms by relaxation of the residual stresses. A cross-sectional map of residual stresses is then determined from measurement of the contours of the cut surfaces.) The contour method using laser scanning is validated by comparing measurements on a ferritic steel (BS 4360 grade 50D) weldment with neutron diffraction measurements on an identical specimen. Compared to lower resolution touch probe techniques, laser surface-contouring allows more accurate measurement of residual stresses and/or measurement of smaller parts or parts with lower stress levels. Furthermore, to take full advantage of improved spatial resolution of the laser measurements, a method to smooth the surface contour data using bivariate splines is developed. In contrast to previous methods, the spline method objectively selects the amount of smoothing and estimates the uncertainties in the calculated residual stress map.     

Scanning-Digital Image Correlation for Moving and Temporally Deformed Surfaces in Scanning Imaging Mode

Background

Images from scanning electron microscopes, transmission electron microscopes and atomic force microscopes have been widely used in digital image correlation methods to obtain accurate full-field deformation profiles of tested objects and investigate the object’s deformation mechanism. However, because of the raster-scanning imaging mode used in microscopic observation equipment, the images obtained from these instruments can only be used for quasi-static displacement measurements; otherwise, spurious displacements and strains may be introduced into the deformation results if these scanning microscopic images are used directly in general digital image correlation calculations for moving and temporally deformed surfaces.

Objective

Realizing kinematic parameter and dynamic deformation measurements on a scanning electron microscope platform.

Methods

Establishing a scanning imaging model of moving and temporally deformed objects that contains motion and deformation equations, a scanning equation and an intensity invariance assumption for small deformations. Then proposing a scanning-digital image correlation (S-DIC) method based on combing the characteristics of the scanning imaging mode with digital image correlation.

Results

Quantitatively investigating the effects of the spurious displacements and strains introduced when using scanning images to represent moving and temporally deformed surfaces in the measurement results. Numerical simulations verify that the accuracy of the S-DIC method is 10^?2pix for the displacement, 10^?4 for the strain, 10^?4pix/s for the velocity and 10^?6s^?1 for the strain rate. Experiments also show that the proposed S-DIC method is effective. Conclusions: The results of this work demonstrate the utility of S-DIC on the field of microscopic dynamic measurement.

     

White-light-emitting diodes using GaN-excited CdSe/CdS/ZnS quantum dots

Fluorescence-based white-light-emitting diodes （WLEDs） were fabricated using blue GaN chips and green- and red-emitting CdSe/CdS/ZnS quantum dots （QDs）. The coordinate and color temperature of the WLEDs could be varied because of the size-tunable emission of CdSe QDs from 510 to 620 nm. Warm and cold white emissions were confirmed with the color temperature ranging from 4000 to 9000 K. Color coordinates were analyzed at different bias. The fast enhancement of blue emission resulted in the shift of color coordinates to the cold side. The stability of white emission during operation was analyzed; stable spectra were achieved within 90 min.     

Immobilization of TiO2 nanoparticles on activated carbon fiber and its photodegradation performance for organic pollutants

The immobilization of titanium dioxide(TiO2) on activated carbon fiber(ACF),(TiO2/ACF),was accomplished by sol-gel-adsorption method followed by calcination at temperatures varying from 300 to 600℃ in an argon atmosphere.The material properties were determined by scanning electron microscope(SEM),X-ray diffraction(XRD) and nitrogen adsorption.The photodegradation behavior of TiO2/ACF was investigated in aqueous solutions using phenol and methyl orange(MO) as target pollutants.The effects of calcination temperature,photocatalyst dosage,initial solution pH and radiation time on the degradation of organic pollutants were studied.It was found that organic pollutants could be removed rapidly from water by the TiO2/ACF photocatalyst and the sample calcined at 500℃ exhibited the highest removal efficiency.Kinetics analysis showed that the photocatalytic degradation reaction can be described by a first-order rate equation.In addition,the possibility of cyclic usage of the photocatalyst was also confirmed.Moreover,TiO2 is tightly bound to ACF and can be easily handled and recovered from water.It can therefore be potentially applied for the treatment of water contaminated by organic pollutants.     

探针实验力学

扫描探针显微系统的发明，使人们通过探针获得了原子级的微观结构，而近年的研究更是将探针技术应用于各种相互作用的检测和分析之中。一个以探针为检测平台的新的检测技术和系统已日益凸显并引起广泛关注。本文提出探针实验力学这一新概念，并以探针为主题介绍其在微纳尺度材料和结构的力学性能检测中的相关技术和典型应用。涉及探针检测系统及其标定、探针检测中的夹持和加栽、探针和试样表面的相互作用、探针微力传感器等。     

High-speed quantum dot tracking and velocimetry using evanescent wave illumination

Total internal reflection velocimetry (TIRV) is applied to measure the dynamics of 17 nm diameter, colloidal quantum dot (QD) tracer particles within 200 nm of a microchannel wall at shear rates in excess of 20,000 s⁻¹. QDs are quickly developing into viable tracer particles for measuring microscale fluid dynamics. However, the low emission intensities of QDs usually require long exposure and inter-frame times, which limit velocity resolution and compromise accuracy (due to their fast diffusion as a consequence of a small diameter). In this study, a two-stage, high-speed image intensifier and camera were integrated into an evanescent wave microscopy imaging system. This provided the necessary temporal resolution to image the fast diffusion dynamics of QDs in real-time (up to 10,000 fps), which allowed individual particles to be tracked continuously for extended periods of time. In addition to examining the trajectories of individual particles, ensemble-averaged tracking measurements reveal near-wall velocity distributions in high-speed microchannel flows (Re ∼ 10), where velocities on the order of 5 mm/s are measured within 200 nm of the microchannel wall. This data provides a robust confirmation of recent results demonstrating diffusion-induced bias error for near-wall velocimetry.     

ENERGY DISSIPATION IN TAPPING MODE ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY

原子力显微镜有多种成像模式,其中轻敲模式是最为常用的扫描方式.轻敲模式能获取样品表面形貌的高度信息和相位信息,其中相位信息具有更多的价值,如能反映样品的表面能、弹性、亲疏水性等.依据振动力学理论,相位与振动系统的能量耗散有关.探针样品间的能量耗散对于理解轻敲模式下原子力显微镜的成像机理至关重要,样品特性和测量环境会影响能量耗散.本文在不考虑毛细力影响下,基于JKR接触模型,给出了探针样品相互作用下的加卸载曲线,结合原子力显微镜力曲线实验,给出了探针-样品分离失稳点的位置,从而计算一个完整接触分离过程的能量耗散,进而讨论考虑表面粗糙度对能量耗散的影响.在轻敲模式下考虑毛细力影响,通过特征时间对比,证明挤出效应是液桥生成的主导因素,在等容条件下,用数值方法计算了不同相对湿度对能量耗散的影响.通过一维振子模型,简要说明原子力显微镜相位像与样品表面能、杨氏模量、表面粗糙度、相对湿度之间的关系.分析表明,表面粗糙度和环境湿度均会引起相位的变化,进而认为它们是引起赝像的因素.     

Real-Time Displacement Measurement of a Flexible Bridge Using Digital Image Processing Techniques

In this study, real-time displacement measurement of bridges was carried out by means of digital image processing techniques. This is innovative, highly cost-effective and easy to implement, and yet maintains the advantages of dynamic measurement and high resolution. First, the measurement point is marked with a target panel of known geometry. A commercial digital video camera with a telescopic lens is installed on a fixed point away from the bridge (e.g., on the coast) or on a pier (abutment), which can be regarded as a fixed point. Then, the video camera takes a motion picture of the target. Meanwhile, the motion of the target is calculated using image processing techniques, which require a texture recognition algorithm, projection of the captured image, and calculation of the actual displacement using target geometry and the number of pixels moved. Field tests were carried out for the verification of the present method. The test results gave sufficient dynamic resolution in amplitude as well as the frequency. Use of this technology for a large suspension bridge is discussed considering the characteristics of such bridges having low natural frequencies within 3 Hz and the maximum displacement of several centimeters.     

Single quantum dot (QD) imaging of fluid flow near surfaces

We introduce the use of quantum dot (QD) nanoparticles for near-surface velocimetry and provide preliminary data to demonstrate its feasibility. Evanescent wave illumination is used to image the motion of water-soluble (CdSe)ZnS QDs with a core size of 6 nm within a region of order 100 nm of a surface . Results are presented for the two in-plane components of the velocity field.     

Submicron deformation field measurements: Part 1. Developing a digital scanning tunneling microscope

A new experimental method has been developed for studying deformations of micromechanical material systems at the submicron scale. To that end, a special digital scanning tunneling microscope (STM) was designed to be coupled to a mechanically deforming specimen. Operating in constant current mode, this digitally controlled STM records detailed topographies of specimen surfaces with a resolution of 10 nm in-plane and 7 nm out-of-plane over a 10 μ × 10 μ area. Three-dimensional displacement field information is extracted by comparing topographies of the same specimen area before and after deformation by way of a modified digital image correlation algorithm. The resolution of this (combined) displacement measuring method was assessed on translation and uniaxial tensile tests to be 5 nm for in-plane displacement components and 1.5 nm for out-of-plane motion over the same area. This is the first paper in a series of three in which the authors delineate the main features of this specially designed microscope and describe how it is constituted, calibrated and used with the improved version of the digital image correlation method to determine deformations in a test specimen at the nanoscale.     

Growth of hexagonal quantum dots under preferential evaporation

We perform numerical simulations of hexagonal quantum dots of AlGaN semiconductors. We show that the competition between surface mass diffusion and evaporation rules the morphology of the quantum dots. The system displays three different behaviors: presence of separated islands without a wetting layer, islands dissolving into the wetting layer, or islands that do not evolve. The first behavior is of special interest because its optoelectrical properties are significantly improved in comparison with quantum dots with a wetting layer.     

White-light-emitting diodes using GaN-excited CdSe/CdS/ZnS quantum dots

Fluorescence-based white-light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) were fabricated using blue GaN chips and green- and red-emitting CdSe/CdS/ZnS quantum dots (QDs). The coordinate and color temperature of the WLEDs could be varied because of the size-tunable emission of CdSe QDs from 510 to 620 nm. Warm and cold white emissions were confirmed with the color temperature ranging from 4000 to 9000 K. Color coordinates were analyzed at different bias. The fast enhancement of blue emission resulted in the shift of color coordinates to the cold side. The stability of white emission during operation was analyzed; stable spectra were achieved within 90 min.     

Facile aqueous synthesis and thermal insulating properties of low-density glass/TiO2 core/shell composite hollow spheres

Anatase TiO2 shells assembled on hollow glass microspheres(HGM)with tunable morphologies were successfully prepared through a controllable chemical precipitation method with urea as the precipitator. Thus,glass/TiO2 core/shell composite hollow spheres with low particle density(0.40 g/cm3)were fabricated.The phase structures,morphologies,particle sizes,shell thicknesses,and chemical compositions of the composite microspheres were characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD),scanning electron microscopy (SEM),and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS).The morphology of the TiO2 shell can be tailored by properly monitoring the reaction system component and parameters.The probable growth mechanism and fabrication process of the core/shell products involving the nucleation and oriented growth of TiO2 nanocrystals on hollow glass microspheres was proposed.A low infrared radiation study revealed that the radiation properties of the products are greatly influenced by the unique product shell structures. A thermal conductivity study showed that the TiO2/HGM possess low thermal conductivity that is similar to that of the pristine HGMs.This work provides an additional strategy to prepare low-density thermal insulating particles with tailored morphologies and properties.     

A synthetic Schlieren method for the measurement of the topography of a liquid interface

An optical method for the measurement of the instantaneous topography of the interface between two transparent fluids, named free-surface synthetic Schlieren (FS-SS), is characterised. This method is based on the analysis of the refracted image of a random dot pattern visualized through the interface. The apparent displacement field between the refracted image and a reference image obtained when the surface is flat is determined using a digital image correlation (DIC) algorithm. A numerical integration of this displacement field, based on a least square inversion of the gradient operator, is used for the reconstruction of the instantaneous surface height, allowing for an excellent spatial resolution with a low computational cost. The main limitation of the method, namely the ray crossing (caustics) due to strong curvature and/or large surface-pattern distance, is discussed. Validation experiments using a transparent solid model with a wavy surface or plane waves at a water–air interface are presented, and some additional time-resolved measurements of circular waves generated by a water drop impact are discussed.     

A microfluidic-based nanoscope

 A novel technique for noninvasively measuring the shapes of walls with resolution approaching tens of nanometers is presented. The nanoscope measures local wall position by measuring the velocity of a fluid with micron-scale spatial resolution as it flows over a surface. The location of the wall is estimated by assuming the no-slip velocity condition at the wall and extrapolating the velocity profile to zero. Nanoscope measurements were obtained in a 30 × 300-μm channel. The wall shape of the glass microchannel was determined to be flat to within a root mean square uncertainty of 62 nm. Numerical simulations show that noise in the velocity measurements contributes significantly to uncertainty in wall position. The technique can be used to measure surfaces that are immersed in liquids and in geometries that do not provide exposed surfaces, where traditional nanoscope techniques such as scanning probe microscopes (SPM) are not applicable. Received: 2 March 2001 / Accepted: 19 October 2001     

Influence of Scanning Rotation on Nanoscale Artificial Strain in Open-Loop Atomic Force Microscopy

For nanoscale metrology using atomic force microscopy (AFM), it is essential to know the baseline error induced by the AFM scanning process. A systematic study has been performed using digital image correlation (DIC) to quantify the influence of scanning rotation angle on the artificial strain (error) in an open loop AFM. It is found that significant artificial strain has been induced by the scanning rotation angle, demonstrating that highly accurate metrology can only be performed in an open loop AFM when the scan angle is held constant during imaging.