Two-dimensional cell parameters measurement of nematic liquid crystal using optical interferometry and Fourier transform fringe analysis technique

We report a method for the measurement of nematic liquid crystal (NLC) cell parameters i.e., switching voltage, birefringence, retardation, dielectric anisotropy, average tilt angle and change in refractive index with applied DC voltage to LC material. The proposed method is based on optical interferometry and Fourier transform fringe analysis technique, in which we obtain 2-dimensional (2D) phase map of the interferograms as a function of applied voltage. Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) was used for the study of cell parameters and interferograms were recorded at different applied DC voltages to NLC cell using CCD camera. From the phase map, 2D-refractive index distribution of the LC cell with applied voltage was reconstructed. Analytical equations are derived based on optical interferometry and then solved to obtain cell parameters. The present method is fast and can give 2D-cell parameters from only two quick interferograms.     

Hot deformation in nanocrystalline Ndben Feben B backward extruded rings

Radially oriented Nd-Fe-B rings are prepared by backward extrusion of fine grained melt-spun powder. Melt-spun powder with the nominal composition of Nd_30.5Fe_bal.Co_6.0Ga_0.6Al_0.2B_0.9 (wt%) is used as starting material. The effects of process variables, such as deformation temperature (T_d), strain rate (ε) and height reduction (Δh%), on the magnetic properties of the rings are investigated. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with an energy spectrum device is used to study the metallograph and microfracture of the extruded rings. The B_r and (BH)_max reach the optimum values at T_d=800℃, ε =0.01 mm/s, and Δh% =70%. It is found by SEM observations that the particle boundaries, which seemingly correspond to the interfaces of the starting melt-spun powders, emerge after the corrosion of metallography specimens. This is helpful for studying the effects of powder-powder interface on the local deformation and deformation homogeneity in the rings. For different spatial positions of the extruded rings, there are characteristic metallographies and microfractures. The upper end of the rings has the least deformation and worst texture, and therefore the worst magnetic properties. The magnetic properties in the radial direction increase slightly along the axis from the bottom to the middle, then steeply decrease at the upper end of the ring. The deformation and the formation-of-texturing processes are discussed. The deformation and the texturing formation of melt-spun Nd-Fe-B alloys probably involve grain boundary sliding and grain rotation, the solution-precipitation process and preferential growth of Nd₂Fe₁₄B nanograins along the easy growth a-axis.     

Meter-long CeO2/YSZ/Y2O3 buffer layers for YBCO coated conductors using DC reactive sputtering

This paper reports CeO₂/YSZ/Y₂O₃ buffer layers deposited on biaxially textured NiW substrates by DC reactive sputtering in a reel-to-reel system. The effect of partial pressure of water vapor (P_H2O) on surface morphology and orientation of the Y₂O₃ films was examined. The obtained CeO₂/YSZ/Y₂O₃ buffer layers exhibit a highly biaxial texture, with in- and out-of-plane FWHM values respectively in the range of 6.0–7.0° and 4.5–5.5°. Crystallographic consistency of CeO₂/YSZ/Y₂O₃ along meter length is excellent. Atomic force microscope observation (AFM) reveals a smooth, continuous and crack-free surface with a Root-mean-square roughness (RMS) lower than 10 nm.     

Thermotropic polyesters. 1: Synthesis, characterization and thermal transition of poly[4,4-bis(ω-alkoxy)biphenyl isophthalate]

A new homologous series of thermotropic polyesters has been synthesized by polycondensation reaction between isophthaloyl chloride and mesogenic diols 4,4^′-bis(ω-hydroxyalkoxy)biphenyl in which the spacer length is varied from 3 to 6 methylene units. The thermal behavior of the polymers has been characterized using polarized light microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The odd members exhibit a smectic C (S_C) phase in a narrow temperature interval, while the even members form a smectic A (S_A) phase in a broader temperature range. All of the obtained compounds were characterized by conventional spectroscopic methods.     

结晶型高分子材料的平面取向演化与塑性响应

建立了描述结晶型高分子材料的平面取向演化及其塑性响应的解析框架。文中针对材料中分子链不可伸长的特点，修正了Ｔａｙｌｏｒ假定。引入连续的取向分布函数，并将它展开成不可约的张量形式表示，通过建立并求解展开系数的演化方程，最终获得问题的解。文中模拟了单轴拉伸和简单剪切时链轴朝拉伸方向偏转的过程，描述了应力的上扬硬化现象．     

Liquid–crystalline nematic polymers revisited

A new model for nematic polymers is proposed, based on the probability ψ(u,u,t) for a macromolecule to be oriented along direction u while embedded in a u environment created by its neighbours. The potential of the internal forces is written Φ(u,u) accordingly. The free energy contains a contribution ν Φ + k_BT ln ψ where the brackets mean an average over the probability distribution, while ν is the (uniform) polymer number density. An equation is derived for the time-evolution of the order parameter S = uu − I/3, together with an expression for the stress tensor. These two results offer a generalization of the Doi Model in so far as they include a distortional energy, analogue to the Frank elastic energy for low molecular mass nematics. Extending the Maier–Saupe variational procedure, we specify the way that the internal potential Φ(u,u) must be written for it to favour non-zero values of the order parameter, while giving a penalty to situations with gradients of the order parameter. The result is quite different from the potential proposed a decade ago by Marrucci and Greco (their Φ depends on u only), while it has a clear connection with the so-called Landau-de Gennes (LdG) tensor models, which are based on a free-energy depending on the order parameter and its gradients.     

Transition theories of elastic-plastic deformation of metallic polycrystals

Summary A general approach to the problem of determination of elastoplastic behavior of metallic polycrystals at finite deformation is presented. The relation between moving dislocation density and global slip rate for grains is developed. Transition to grain response is obtained by introducing the hardening matrix. Field equations for heterogeneous elastoplastic metals are transformed into an integral equation, using Green functions technique. This allows to find the spin of the lattice related to texture formation.Scale transition is achieved by a self-consistent approximation of the integral equation. New results concerning BCC metals (sheet steel) are presented. They apply to tensile test, Lankford coefficient, initial and subsequent yield surfaces, and evolution of the internal state of the polycrystal: second-order residual stress, stored energy and texture evolution.     

新型对称联苯双酯类液晶材料的合成和晶体结构

设计并合成了4个对称联苯双酯类液晶化合物,化合物结构通过红外和核磁表征,它们的介晶性通过差示扫描量热仪(DSC),X射线衍射仪(XRD)和热台偏光显微镜(POM)进行了研究.并测定了4,4'-3,3',5,5'-四甲基联苯-二(4-甲基苯甲酸酯)(Ⅲa)的单晶结构,结果显示:晶体属于单斜晶系,P21/c空间群,晶胞参数为a=18.525(3)(A),b=12.196(2)(A),c=12.195(2)(A),β=97.142(2)°,V=2733.7(9)(A)3,Z=4,Dc=1.163 Mg/m3,R=0.0521,Rw=0.1161.化合物均为热致型互变液晶,并讨论了氧原子、不饱和端基和端基链长对介晶性的影响.     

基于光谱-空间特征的黄茶多酚含量估算模型

茶多酚是黄茶中的重要成分之一,具有保健和药用功效。准确估测茶多酚含量对茶叶品质鉴定和定量分析具有重要的意义。学者们已经利用电子鼻、电子舌、高光谱和近红外技术开展了茶多酚的估测研究,取得了良好的效果。然而,由于缺乏空间特征,难以满足黄茶内外品质综合判断的要求。随着高光谱成像系统的发展,尽管基于灰度共生矩阵的茶叶成分估测已经被证实取得较好的效果,但在实际应用中仍然存在一些障碍。一方面,分辨率较低时,图像的纹理特征不会有显著差异,并且少数特征无法充分地解译高光谱图像,从而导致模型估测效果较差。另一方面,分辨率较高时,特征的增加会导致模型更复杂。因此,在保留高光谱图像原始信息的前提下,有必要进一步挖掘高光谱图像的潜在特征,尤其是纹理的细节部分。因此,提出了一种融合光谱和空间特征的模型来提高茶多酚估测的准确性。首先,利用连续小波变换提取光谱信息的小波系数;其次,根据不同尺度的小波系数能量优选小波系数特征,分别是第4尺度的959和1 561 nm,第5尺度的1 321,1 520和1 540 nm,以及第6尺度的1 202和1 228 nm;再者,基于小波系数能量之和优选2个特征波长,分别是1 102和1 309 nm;然后,根据特征波长对应的高光谱图像分别提取灰度共生矩阵和小波纹理。最后,分别利用小波系数特征、灰度共生矩阵、小波纹理和他们的组合构建黄茶多酚含量的估测模型。通过对五种黄茶的分析和验证,比较基于不同特征的不同模型估测效果,包括偏最小二乘回归、支持向量回归和随机森林方法。结果表明,融合小波系数特征,共生矩阵和小波纹理的支持向量回归模型效果最佳,校正集的R2为0.933 0,验证集的R2为0.823 8。因此,所提出的模型能有效的提高茶多酚含量的预测精度,为预测茶叶的其他成分提供了技术基础。     

A Finite Element Algorithm for Nematic Liquid Crystal Flow Based on the Gauge-Uzawa Method

In this paper,we present a finite element algorithm for the time-dependent nematic liquid crystal flow based on the Gauge-Uzawa method.This algorithm combines the Gauge and Uzawa methods within a finite element variational formulation,which is a fully discrete projection type algorithm,whereas many projection methods have been studied without space discretization.Besides,error estimates for velocity and molecular orientation of the nematic liquid crystal flow are shown.Finally,numerical results are given to show that the presented algorithm is reliable and confirm the theoretical analysis.