Ultrathin Sectioning Of Polymeric Materials For Low-voltage Transmission Electron Microscopy: Relief On Ultrathin Sections

Ultrathin sectioning, one of the types of specimen preparations for transmission electron microscopy (TEM), has been considered the most perfect sectioning technique leading to the thinnest sections (50–100 nm). Following a study based on a newly developed low-voltage TEM technique, a relief on the ultrathin sections of polymer blends was observed that was ascribed to substantial differences in mechanical properties of the blend constituents.[1] Lednický, F., Hromádková, J. and Pientka, Z. 2001. Ultrathin sectioning of polymeric materials for low-voltage transmission electron microscopy. Polymer, 42: 4329–4338.  [Google Scholar] In this study, an analogous relief was observed with a blend, the constituents of which are both hard in cutting.

The origin of the surface relief on ultrathin sections of polymer blends was sought using low-voltage scanning TEM and atomic force microscopy. Polycarbonate/styrene-co-acrylonitrile blend was examined as a representative of blends with all components well under T _g at room temperature. A distinct surface relief was observed on both ultrathin sections and remaining cut surfaces of the blend for low-temperature and room-temperature cutting. A rougher surface relief was found on the ultrathin sections than on the remaining cut surfaces. The surface relief was assumed to occur in the course of the cutting when extensive shearing occurs. Correspondence of the surface relief with the phase structure proves the influence of different mechanical behavior of individual blend components on the resulting morphology.

     

Effects of inclined impermeable bed on the turbulent characteristics of the flow using particle image velocimetry

In this study, the turbulent characteristics of the flow in an open channel with horizontal and inclined impermeable beds were studied experimentally using two-dimensional particle image velocimetry (PIV). The experiments were conducted in a channel of 6.5 m in length, 7.5 cm in width and 25 cm in height. The slope of the channel was S = 0 for the horizontal impermeable bed and for S = ?0.002, S = ?0.004 and S = ?0.006 for the inclined impermeable bed. Hydraulic characteristics such as distributions of velocities, turbulent intensities and Reynolds stress are investigated at a fine resolution using the PIV. Velocity is measured above the horizontal and inclined impermeable bed for the same different heights (h = 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13 cm) and for the same different discharges (Q = 0.735, 0.845 and 0.970 lt/s). Results show that the channel slope influences significantly near the impermeable bed but not near the free surface the variation of turbulent characteristics of the flow and also the alteration of the channel slope from ?0.002 to ?0.006 doesn't influence the variation of turbulent characteristics of the flow, which are the longitudinal turbulent intensity u′U_*, the vertical turbulent intensity v′/U_* and the turbulent kinetic energy. The channel slope doesn't influence the Reynolds stress.     

Laser Light and X-Ray Diffraction Studies of Oriented Isotactic Polypropylene (iPP) Prepared by Temperature Slope Crystallization

Isotactic polypropylene (iPP) film was melt-crystallized in a temperature gradient. The iPP film showed well oriented α- and β-crystalline textures along the gradient. The crystalline structure, phase transition boundary and lamellar twisting were examined by X-ray diffraction and laser light diffraction (LLD). On the α-β boundary, LLD shows a sharp streak perpendicular to the boundary, where the a-axis of the β-crystal is oriented perpendicular to the temperature gradient. Apart from the boundary, the a-axis of the β-crystal becomes parallel to the gradient. The β-crystal shows lamellar twisting with a pitch of 200 μm at room temperature. When heated the β-crystal, the lamellar distance of 295Å at room temperature decreases to 285Å at 80–100°C and then increases to more than 300Å above 120°C. During the heating, the value of the twist period increases from 200 to 210 μm at 90–100°C, and then to above 224 μm at 140°C. The increase of the twist period is related to the increasing crystalline thickness of the β-lamellae.     

Constraints in container loading – A state-of-the-art review

Container loading is a pivotal function for operating supply chains efficiently. Underperformance results in unnecessary costs (e.g. cost of additional containers to be shipped) and in an unsatisfactory customer service (e.g. violation of deadlines agreed to or set by clients). Thus, it is not surprising that container loading problems have been dealt with frequently in the operations research literature. It has been claimed though that the proposed approaches are of limited practical value since they do not pay enough attention to constraints encountered in practice.     

三维非连续变形分析方法碰撞分析及其应用

将具有完备动力学理论的非连续变形分析(DDA)方法应用于块体碰撞研究。基于三维DDA(3D DDA)方法,按时步输出块体碰撞过程速度变化和接触嵌入量,进而得到块体碰撞恢复系数、冲量、冲击力。以此为参考指标,采用斜抛、面-面对心等碰撞模型,验证3D DDA方法模拟块体碰撞的有效性,并将3D DDA方法应用于多米诺骨牌倾倒、滚石边坡成灾及防护等算例分析,探讨了多米诺骨牌倾倒机制、滚石启动及运动行为、滚石灾害防护方案。结果表明:多米诺骨牌间距越大,同一块体被碰撞时间越迟,其最终稳定时间也越迟,与下一块体碰撞的动能越大;滚石运动呈侧向平动及转动三维运动特征,每一次碰撞,均引起动能、轨迹或状态的显著变化;滚石拦挡设施弹簧刚度越大,越先达到最大冲击力,最大冲击力随弹簧刚度的增加而减小;可结合树木阻挡效应,耗散滚石动能,降低滚石飞跃高度,使滚石灾害减轻或控制在防护范围以内。     

Exploring mathematical connections of pre-university students through tasks involving rates of change

This paper reports the results of a research exploring the mathematical connections of pre-university students while they solving tasks which involving rates of change. We assume mathematical connections as a cognitive process through which a person finds real relationships between two or more ideas, concepts, definitions, theorems, procedures, representations or meanings or with other disciplines or the real-world. Four tasks were proposed to the 33 pre-university students that participated in this research; the central concept of the first task is the slope, the last three tasks contain concepts like velocity, speed and acceleration. Task-based interviews were conducted to collect data and later analysed with thematic analysis. Results showed most of the students made mathematical connections of the procedural type, the mathematical connections of the common features type are made in smaller quantities and the mathematical connection of the generalization type is scarcely made. Furthermore, students considered slope as a concept disconnected from velocity, speed and acceleration.     

pH-sensing properties of PbO<Subscript>2</Subscript> thin film electrodeposited on carbon ceramic electrode

In this paper, a new highly sensitive potentiometric pH electrode is proposed based on the solid-state PbO₂ film electrodeposited on carbon ceramic electrode (CCE). Two different crystal structures of PbO₂, α and β were examined and the similar results were obtained. Moreover, the experimental results obtained for the proposed pH sensor and a conventional glass pH electrode were in good agreement. The electromotive force (emf) signal between the pH-sensitive PbO₂-coated CCE and SCE reference electrode was linear over the pH range of 1.5–12.5. Near-Nernstian slopes of −64.82 and −57.85 mV/pH unit were obtained for α- and β-PbO₂ electrodes, respectively. The interferences of some mono-valence and multi-valence ions on potentiometric response of the sensor were studied. The proposed pH sensor displayed high ion selectivity with respect to K⁺, Na⁺, Ca²⁺, and Li⁺, with log values around −12 and has a working lifetime of about 30 days. Key parameters important for the pH sensor performance, including kind of PbO₂ film, selectivity, response time, stability, and reproducibility, have been characterized. The proposed electrode showed a good efficiency for direct pH-metry after calibration and pH-metric titrations without calibration step. The response time was about 1 s in acidic medium and less than 30 s in alkaline solutions. The pH values of complex matrix samples such as fruit juices measured by the proposed sensor and a conventional glass pH electrode were in good agreement.     

New figuring model based on surface slope profile for grazing‐incidence reflective optics

Surface slope profile is widely used in the metrology of grazing‐incidence reflective optics instead of surface height profile. Nevertheless, the theoretical and experimental model currently used in deterministic optical figuring processes is based on surface height, not on surface slope. This means that the raw slope profile data from metrology need to be converted to height profile to perform the current height‐based figuring processes. The inevitable measurement noise in the raw slope data will introduce significant cumulative error in the resultant height profiles. As a consequence, this conversion will degrade the determinism of the figuring processes, and will have an impact on the ultimate surface figuring results. To overcome this problem, an innovative figuring model is proposed, which directly uses the raw slope profile data instead of the usual height data as input for the deterministic process. In this paper, first the influence of the measurement noise on the resultant height profile is analyzed, and then a new model is presented; finally a demonstration experiment is carried out using a one‐dimensional ion beam figuring process to demonstrate the validity of our approach.     

Computing boundary slopes of 2-bridge links

We describe an algorithm for computing boundary slopes of 2-bridge links. As an example, we work out the slopes of the links obtained by surgery on one component of the Borromean rings. A table of all boundary slopes of all 2-bridge links with 10 or less crossings is also included.

     

海底边坡稳定分析方法综述

本文指出海底边坡与陆上边坡的不同点,对一个完整的海底边坡稳定问题从几何形状和载荷情况两个方面进行了描述。由于波浪影响是海底边坡问题的最大特点,因此回顾了计算海底压力的各种方法以及在海底压力作用下海底土层产生的瞬态和残余孔隙压力。然后对极限平衡、静态变形分析和动力分析三大类边坡稳定分析方法进行了评述,并指出各自的适用范围。海底边坡破坏后的行为尤其复杂,指出用流变模型预测泥流性质的可能性。最后提出了海底边坡稳定性课题的当前致力方向。