μ+SR studies on superconducting YBa2(Cu1−xFex)3Oy system

Spin-glass like magnetic ordering of iron moments was observed in both orthorhombic and tetragonal YBa₂(Cu_1−xFe_x)₃O_y (x=0.08) by μ⁺SR measurements. In a “Tetra” sample, all the muons sense the superconducting transition at 60 K and magnetic ordering at around 15 K, while in an “Ortho” sample they reveal that two magnetically different parts exist in the sample: about 40% of the sample is superconducting withT _c ≈90K and the remaining part is magnetic withT _M≈33K. These phenomena can be explained in terms of clustering of the Fe atoms in the “Ortho” sample.     

Premonitory effects near critical transition temperature in ordering systems – a Monte Carlo simulation

Premonitory effects manifest themselves in an ordering transition of the first kind (order) in the form of anomalously high short-range order (SRO) intensity at temperatures marginally above T _c, the critical transition temperature. This intensity located at the superlattice positions of the long-range ordered (LRO) phase is often attributed to the formation of ‘heterophase fluctuations’ resembling clusters of the LRO phase. Monte Carlo simulations in a hypothetical system showing FCC-to-L1₂ ordering transition have been carried out here to shed some light on this phenomenon and to look into the atomic configurations that make up these fluctuations.     

Magnetic characterisation of the ternary carbide ThFe11C x (1.5≤x≤2) by57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy

A⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy analysis of the ternary carbide ThFe₁₁C _x withx=1.5 and 1.8 has permitted to clearly identify the three different Fe sublattices from their relative abundance. Moreover, direct bonds exist between carbon atoms and iron atoms of one of the three sublattices, yielding a relatively large decrease of the local magnetic moment. A spin reorientation phenomenon (SR), taking place at low temperature, is shown to be of first order type. Both the exchange interactions and magnetocrystalline anisotropy parameters are very sensitive to the carbon stoichiometry. They are analysed for their role on the shifts inT _c andT _SR respectively.     

Using dynamic mechanical spectroscopy to monitor the crystallization of PP/MAPP blends in the presence of wood

Crystal morphology of thermoplastics is known to be strongly influenced by the presence of solid substrates like fibers or fillers. For wood, this interphase development is governed by the chemical composition of the thermoplastic and substrate. The crystallization of PP/MAPP blends was observed using polarized light microscopy and quantified using DSC and DMA. Techniques are presented to assess degree of crystallinity and temperatures associated with the onset (T _o) and maximum rate (T _c) of crystallization using DMA. Strain history of the specimen during crystallization was evaluated and does not significantly influence either T _o or T _c. Crystallization temperatures of PP as assessed using DSC or DMA increase with the addition of MAPP or the presence of wood. Values for T _c are higher when measured by DMA than DSC. This difference appears to be related more to the relative interfacial dominance in the specimens, rather than to an inherent difference between techniques.     

Pre-exponential factor for non-isothermal crystallization of glassy Se85− x Te15Sb x (0 ≤ x ≤ 10) alloys

We report observations of the Meyer–Neldel rule for the non-isothermal crystallization of glassy Se_{85? x} Te₁₅Sb _x (x =?0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10) alloys. We found a strong co-relation between the pre-exponential factor K ₀ of the rate constant K(T) for crystallization and the activation energy of crystallization E _c. This indicates the presence of a compensation effect for the non-isothermal crystallization process in this glassy system. The composition dependence of the crystallization temperature T _c and the activation energy for crystallization E _c is discussed.     

Ge/Au,Ge/Ag双层膜和Ge-Au,Ge-Ag合金膜中非晶Ge的晶化

本文对Ge/An,Ge/Ag,双层膜和Ge-An,Ge-Ag合金膜的退火过程进行了透射电子显微镜观测,对Ge/多晶Au(或Ag)还进行了加热过程的原位观测。观测表明,多晶Au和单晶Au膜的存在使非晶Ge的晶化温度T_c的下降显著不同,可由晶界三叉点等处为非晶Ge的有利形核位置来解释,双层膜的缩聚区中由于局域优先晶化的影响,不仅T_c(=100℃)比非缩聚区中(T_c=150℃)低,而且形成直径为1—2μm的Ge大晶粒,而Ge/多晶Ag和Ge/单晶Ag膜的T_c均约为280℃,合金膜中金属含量较低时(C_Au<17at％,C_Ag<18at％),T_c高于相应的Ge/多晶Au(Ag)膜;金属含量较高时,T_c低于Ge/多晶Au(Ag)膜。这说明过饱和金属原子的存在使得非晶Ge的晶化势垒大大降低。 关键词：     

Diffusion Control of Homogeneous Crystallization in Nanoconfined Domains of Block Copolymers

Abstract

Confined crystallization in a poly(oxyethylene)‐b‐poly(oxybutylene)/poly(oxybutylene) blend (E₁₁₅B₁₀₃/B₂₈, φ_E = 0.14) with bcc morphology and in a polystyrene‐b‐poly (oxyethylene)‐b‐polystyrene (S‐E‐S) triblock copolymer (S₄₀E₁₃₆S₄₀, φ_E = 0.407) with lamellar morphology was studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Two types of confined crystallization with different characteristic Avrami exponents were identified in both systems. At higher crystallization temperature (T _c), the Avrami exponent is 1.0 and the overall crystallization rate is controlled by the homogeneous nucleation rate. At lower T _c, the Avrami exponent is 0.5, which is attributed to diffusion‐controlled confined crystallization. This shows that diffusion has a great influence on the overall crystallization rate when chain mobility is reduced, which can be caused either by lower T _c or by constrained microstructure.     

分子动力学模拟尺寸对纳米Cu颗粒等温晶化过程的影响

采用分子动力学方法和镶嵌原子势, 模拟了4000个Cu原子和13500个Cu原子(简称Cu₄₀₀₀和Cu₁₃₅₀₀)组成的纳米颗粒以及块体Cu的等温晶化过程. 通过对这些颗粒在晶化过程中结构和动力学行为的分析研究, 发现低温时, 不同尺寸的纳米Cu颗粒均出现多步晶化, 且晶化时间的分布曲线远比高温时范围大; 除了温度, 颗粒尺寸对晶化行为也有重要的影响, 尺寸越大, 晶化时间越长, 最终的晶化程度越高; 但是晶化时间随尺寸增大而增加的趋势不会一直持续, 发现存在一个临界尺寸r_c, 小于r_c时, 晶化时间随颗粒尺寸增大而增加, 大于r_c时,晶化时间随尺寸增大而减小.     

Dimensional Crossover of Magnetic Transition in Diluted Ising Spin Nets Probed by Muon Spin Relaxation

The magnetic ordering process of Ising spins on diluted square lattice was studied by muon spin relaxation using model compounds Rb₂Co _c Mg_1−c F₄. Muon relaxation shows an anomaly at a remarkably higher temperature T _N ^μSR than the transition temperature determined by neutron Bragg scattering T _N ^ND near the percolation threshold for square lattice (c _p=0.593). The difference between the two temperatures amounts to 50% of T _N ^ND just above c _p. The field cooling effect of DC magnetic susceptibility is appreciable below T _N ^ND while the temperature of the anomaly in AC susceptibility approaches to T _N ^μSR as the frequency is increased. It was concluded that there is a crossover from two-dimensional ordering at T _N ^μSR to three-dimensional ordering at T _N ^ND but the two-dimensional order between T _N ^μSR and T _N ^ND has slow fluctuations due to the fractal structure with a plenty of weak links. This revised version was published online in September 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Steady–shear‐induced Isothermal Crystallization of Poly(L‐lactide) (PLLA)

The isothermal crystallization of poly(L‐lactide) (PLLA) under steady‐shear flow was investigated in situ using an optical polarizing microscope with a hot shear stage. The steady–shear‐induced crystalline morphology of PLLA, to a great degree, depends on the crystallization temperature. There is a critical temperature, 120°C, below which shear‐induced row nuclei enhance nucleation ability, leading to the improvement of crystallinity, and above which cylindrite structure is generated. Their numbers increase and size reduces with temperature owing to the better movement and relaxation behavior of chains in the presence of shear flow. The results of 2D wide‐angle x‐ray diffraction (WAXD), showing the oriented structure at high T _c , and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), detecting the rising of T _m with increasing T _c , well confirm the effect of T _c on the crystallization of PLLA under shear flow.     

Magnetic properties of Zr doped Y9Co7

Detailed measurements of magnetization and ac susceptibility at low temperatures of 1% Zr-substituted Y₉Co₇ are presented. All results are indicative of itinerant weak ferromagnetism withT _c ∼ 9.5 K. The zero-field magnetizations followT ² orT ^4/3 behaviour as in the Ni-substituted system. The estimated critical exponents areβ=0.38±0.03,γ=1.16±0.05. It is argued that the main effect of the non-magnetic Zr-substitution in Y₉Co₇ is to stabilize the ferromagnetic ordering by suppressing the ‘hopping’ of Co atoms along thec-axis sites of the hexagonal structure.     

Study of oxygen vacancy ordering in mullite at high temperatures

High temperature X-ray diffraction and quenching experiments of mullite single crystals with Al₂O₃:SiO₂ ratio 2:1 have been performed to investigate the stability of the oxygen vacancy ordering close to the melting point of mullite. The experiments show that the structure of mullite exhibits an extremely stable, temperature-independent incommensurate modulation. Inspection of satellite reflections at different temperatures leads to the conclusion that the ordering scheme of oxygen vacancies after the crystallization of mullite persists to the melting point and does not show any disordering effects. The experimental results are in agreement with former theoretical calculations using a statistical mechanics approach which yield the critical temperature T_c > 3000°C.     

Enhanced superconductivity in zirconium after H(D) implantation

Zirconium foils (superconducting transition atT _c =0.7 K) were implanted at liquid helium temperatures with hydrogen, deuterium and helium. In all cases a remarkable increase ofT _c was observed. Implantation of the inert He atoms leads only to the introduction of lattice defects, which is known to increaseT _c of Zr. However, the implanted H and D atoms exert an additional influence on the superconducting behavior based on a change of the electronic properties and an increase of the electron-phonon coupling. Introduction of lattice defects seems to account for theT _c increase to 1.49 K after He implantation, whereasT _c is even more enhanced by implantation of the hydrogen isotopes. The maximum values forT _c are 3.14 K for H and 4.65 K for D implantation. The concentration necessary to produce a saturation inT _c for both isotopes is H(D)/Zr0.13. The remarkably highT _c for the heavier isotope corresponds to an extreme inverse isotope effect. A smaller inverse isotope effect was found earlier in the Pd –H(D) system, where it could be explained by anharmonic effects.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. W. Buckel on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

Metal atom-induced diffuse scattering from short-range order among deuterium atoms in single crystal α-phase V2D

X-ray scattering has been studied above the critical ordering temperature, T_c (133°C), in b.c.c. α-phase V₂D. At 140 and 200°C quite weak diffuse intensity was observed centered on the reciprocal lattice points of the ordered superlattice. This intensity is due to short-range order among deuterium atoms which induces a local or short-range modulation of the parent vanadium lattice and suggests the possibility of local octahedral D—D fluctuations building up well above T_c.     

Magnetic ordering of Fe atoms in YBa2(Cu1−x Fe x )3O3 in superand semiconducting states

Magnetic behavior of Fe atoms in YBa₂(Cu_1−x Fe _x )₃O _y system in superconducting (SC) and non-SC states is studied. In SC region one magnetic ordering point T_m1 is observed for all Fe atoms in Cu1 sites: T_m1=10 K and 16 K for x=0.05 and x=0.10, respectively. In the non-SC state for x=0.05 Cu1 and Cu2 sublattices are magnetically independent and two magnetic ordering points are found: T_m1=20 K and T_m2=405K. For x=0.10 a strong magnetic interaction between Cu1 and Cu2 sublattices appears and only one ordering point T_m2=435 K is observed.     

First-principles study on superconductivity of the gold–indium alloy under high pressure

The superconductivity of gold–indium alloys has been investigated using first-principles calculations based on the density functional theory. At ambient pressure, the calculated superconducting transition temperature (T _c) is 0.04 μ K in pure gold, but T _c dramatically increases by substituting indium atoms for gold atoms. The gold–indium alloy having 12.5 atomic percent indium (Au_0.875In_0.125) shows T _c of 0.1 K, and Au_0.75In_0.25 marks 1.7 K. The dramatic increase in T _c owing to the alloying effect is caused by the enhancement of the electron–phonon coupling. The superconductivity of gold is predicted to be drastically weakened with increasing pressure and virtually disappear at 10 GPa, but it continues up to at least 30 GPa by the inclusion of indium atoms.     

Size effects in the exciton energy and first-order phase transitions in CuCl nanocrystals in glass

The absorption spectra and the melting and crystallization kinetics of CuCl nanocrystals in glass are investigated in the range of particle radii 1–30 nm. Three discontinuities are found on the curves representing the size dependence of the melting point T _m(R) and the crystallization point T _c(R). As the particle radius gradually decreases from 30 nm in the range R⩽12.4 nm there is a sudden 60° drop in the temperature T _c in connection with the radius of the critical CuCl nucleus in the melt. A 30° drop in T _m is observed at R=2.1 nm, and a second drop of 16° in the temperature T _c is observed for CuCl particles of radius 1.8 nm. The last two drops are associated with changes in the equilibrium shape of the nanoparticles. In the range of smaller particles, R⩽1.34 nm the T _c(R) curve is observed to merge with the T _m(R) curve, owing to the disappearance of the work of formation of the crystal surface during crystallization of the melt as a result of the zero surface tension of CuCl particles of radii commensurate with the thickness of the effective surface layer. An increase in the size shift of the exciton energy is observed in this same range of CuCl particle radii (1–1.8 nm). The size dependence of the melting and crystallization temperatures of the nanoparticles is attributed to variation of the free energy in the surface layer of a particle. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 310–318 (February 1999)     

High-temperature site preference and atomic short-range ordering characteristics of ternary alloying elements in γ’-Ni3Al intermetallics

Abstract

Remarkable high-temperature mechanical properties of nickel-based superalloys are correlated with the arrangement of ternary alloying elements in L1₂-type-ordered γ′-Ni₃Al intermetallics. In the current study, therefore, high-temperature site occupancy preference and energetic-structural characteristics of atomic short-range ordering (SRO) of ternary alloying X elements (X = Mo, W, Ta, Hf, Re, Ru, Pt or Co) in Ni₇₅Al_21.875X_3.125 alloy systems have been studied by combining the statistico-thermodynamical theory of ordering and electronic theory of alloys in the pseudopotential approximation. Temperature dependence of site occupancy tendencies of alloying X element atoms has been predicted by calculating partial ordering energies and SRO parameters of Ni-Al, Ni-X and Al-X atomic pairs. It is shown that, all ternary alloying element atoms (except Pt) tend to occupy Al, whereas Pt atoms prefer to substitute for Ni sub-lattice sites of Ni₃Al intermetallics. However, in contrast to other X elements, sub-lattice site occupancy characteristics of Re atoms appear to be both temperature- and composition-dependent. Theoretical calculations reveal that site occupancy preference of Re atoms switches from Al to both Ni and Al sites at critical temperatures, T_c, for Re > 2.35 at%. Distribution of Re atoms at both Ni and Al sub-lattice sites above T_c may lead to localised supersaturation of the parent Ni₃Al phase and makes possible the formation of topologically close-packed (TCP) phases. The results of the current theoretical and simulation study are consistent with other theoretical and experimental investigations published in the literature.     

Modeling Order–Disorder Phase Transitions. Inclusion of the Range of Action of the Interatomic Interaction Potential

Results of a computer experiment simulating the atomic ordering process in a model alloy of stoichiometric composition AB and accounting for the range of action of the interatomic-interaction potential are analyzed. The effect of the range of action of the interaction potential (influence of the number of coordination spheres included in the interatomic interaction) on the disordering kinetics and on the order–disorder phase transition in the material at temperatures T _c between 0 and 1.1 (T _c is the temperature at which the atomic long-range order vanishes) is studied. The structure and energy features of atomic ordering are discussed. The objective necessity of accounting for long-range contributions in modeling order–disorder phase transitions and for the kinetics of temperature–induced ordering and disordering processes is examined.