In situ investigation of laser ablation

The complex system of in situ diagnostic methods such as SEM, ballistic microbalance, electric probe and high speed photography is necessary for measurement of basic parameters of laser target interaction. Only the knowledge of these basic parameters allows the discussion of microscopical processes on the target surface by laser irradiation. The results are discussed for our synchronised double laser system and for aluminium target. The mass relation of atoms, ions and droplets emitted by the target was determined. This relation is the base of a complete energy balance of laser target interaction.     

In situ investigation of precipitation in aluminium alloys via thermal diffusivity from laser flash analysis

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - In this work, a commercially available laser flash analysis (LFA) device is used for in situ precipitation monitoring in aluminium alloys by following...     

In situ laser thermal analysis of bulk materials

The application of thermal analysis techniques directly to the materials being processed could open up new opportunities in the fields of non-destructive testing and process monitoring on the industrial floor. In this paper, a convergent-thermal-wave technique is proposed for the measurement of thermal diffusivity when access to the material is restricted to one side only. Such a technique permits measurement of the thermal properties of samples of large or unknown thickness, as well as coated or stratified materials. A finite-difference numerical model is used to evaluate the possibilities and the accuracy offered by such a technique, and a laser-based experimental apparatus for the non-contact generation and monitoring of annular thermal waves is described.

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Zusammenfassung Die direkte Anwendung thermischer Analysenverfahren auf darzustellende Materialien könnte neue Möglichkeiten auf dem Gebiet der nichtzerstörenden Materialprüfung und der industriellen Prozeßüberwachung bieten. In diesem Artikel wird eine Konvergenzthermowellen-Technik zur Messung des thermischen Diffusionsvermögens vorgeschlagen, die auch dann anwendbar ist, wenn das Material nur von einer Seite her zugänglich ist. Diese Technik ermöglicht die Messung thermischer Eigenschaften von Porben unbekannter Größe oder Dicke sowie die von belegten oder beschichteten Materialien. Ein numerisches endliches Differenz-Modell wird zur Bewertung der durch solch eine Technik gebotenen Möglichkeiten und deren Genauigkeit herangezogen. Eine auf Laser basierende Versuchsapparatur zur Nicht-Kontakt-Erzeugung und Aufzeichnung von ringförmigen thermischen Wellen wird beschrieben.

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Double pulse laser ablation and laser induced breakdown spectroscopy: A modeling investigation

A numerical model, describing laser–solid interaction (i.e., metal target heating, melting and vaporization), vapor plume expansion, plasma formation and laser–plasma interaction, is applied to describe the effects of double pulse (DP) laser ablation and laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). Because the model is limited to plume expansion times in the order of (a few) 100 ns in order to produce realistic results, the interpulse delay times are varied between 10 and 100 ns, and the results are compared to the behavior of a single pulse (SP) with the same total energy. It is found that the surface temperature at the maximum is a bit lower in the DP configuration, because of the lower irradiance of one laser pulse, but it remains high during a longer time, because it rises again upon the second laser pulse. Consequently, the target remains for a longer time in the molten state, which suggests that laser ablation in the DP configuration might be more efficient, through the mechanism of splashing of the molten target. The total laser absorption in the plasma is also calculated to be clearly lower in the DP configuration, so that more laser energy can reach the target and give rise to laser ablation. Finally, it is observed that the plume expansion dynamics is characterized by two separate waves, the first one originating from the first laser pulse, and the second (higher) one as a result of the second laser pulse. Initially, the plasma temperature and electron density are somewhat lower than in the SP case, due to the lower energy of one laser pulse. However, they rise again upon the second laser pulse, and after 200 ns, they are therefore somewhat higher than in the SP case. This is especially true for the longer interpulse delay times, and it is expected that these trends will be continued for longer delay times in the μs-range, which are most typically used in DP LIBS, resulting in more intense emission intensities.     

In situ synthesis of hydroxyapatite coating by laser cladding

HA bioceramic coatings were synthesized on titanium substrate by laser cladding using cheap calcium carbonate and calcium hydrogen phosphate. The thermodynamic condition for synthesizing HA was calculated by software Matlab 5.0, the microstructure and phase analysis of laser clad HA bioceramic coatings were studied by electron probe microanalyser (EPMA), X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The theoretical results show that the Gibbs free enthalpy for the synthesis of HA phase is satisfied, and the presence of HA phase in the clad coatings was then further verified by XRD and the selected area diffraction patterns. When the laser power is 600W and the scanning speed is 3.5mm/s, the compact HA bioceramic coatings were obtained, which have cellular dendritic structure and consist of the phases of HA, alpha-Ca(2)P(2)O(7), CaO and CaTiO(3).     

In situ investigation of distortion of multilayer structures at elevated temperatures

A modified dilatometer was used as the basis of a measuring method for investigation of the distortion of multilayer structures at elevated temperatures.The bowing of thick film substrates unilaterally covered with copper paste was measured from room temperature up to 700 °C. The bowing did not, as expected, decrease uniformly with increasing temperature up to the softening point of the glass, but a change occurred in the curvature of bowing at about 100 °C. With increasing temperature, the character of the bowing of the sample changed from linear thermo-elastic behaviour to non-linear behaviour, caused by plastic flow within the metallic copper layer.

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Zusammenfassung Eine Messmethode unter Verwendung eines modifizierten Dilatometers wurde entwickelt zur Untersuchung der Verbiegung von Vielschichtstrukturen bei erhöhten Temperaturen. Die Verbiegung einseitig mit Kupferpaste beschichteter Dickfilmsubstrate wurde von Raumtemperatur bis 700 °C gemessen. Abweichend von den Erwartungen nimmt die Verbiegung nicht gleichmässig bis zur Erweichungstemperatur des Glases ab. Stattdessen ändert sich ihr Vorzeichen bei 100 °C. Mit steigender Temperatur ändert sich der Charakter der Verbiegung von linear thermoelastischem zu nichtlinearem Verhalten infolge des plastischen Fliessens in der Kupferschicht.

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In situ investigation of the adsorption of alkyltrimethoxysilanes on iron surfaces

Summary The adsorption of methyl and butyl-trimethoxysilane onto iron surfaces from the gas phase at different humidity levels has been investigated in situ with a quartzcrystal micro-balance and with ATR-IR spectroscopy. The thickness of the resulting siloxan polymer depends on the humidity during the film preparation. The polymer coating inhibits the corrosion of iron in an SO₂-containing atmosphere.     

In situ GISAXS investigation of gold sputtering onto a polymer template

Microphase-separation structures in mixed diblock-triblock copolymer thin films are used for the incorporation of gold atoms inside the polymer matrix via sputtering of gold. Polystyrene (PS) spheres are arranged in a liquidlike type with a well defined nearest neighbor distance inside a polyisoprene matrix acting as a template for directing the gold atoms. Sputtering conditions are selected with a very low sputtering rate to avoid clustering in the atmosphere so that gold reaches the polymer surface in its atomic state. Due to the mobility of the gold atoms and the selective interaction with the PS parts of the microphase separation structure, gold is accumulated inside the polymer film in the PS spheres, as probed in situ with grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS). Nominally 4.3 A of gold is deposited, which by diffusion is spread out vertically over a thickness of 280 nm. UV-vis spectroscopy reveals a small blue shift for the gold sputtered polymer film. Atomic force microscopy proves the absence of gold clusters on the film surface. For low sputtering rate, GISAXS proves good sensitivity for gold migration inside the polymer film and opens new possibilities for studying polymer-metal interaction.     

In situ SAXS investigation of dibromomethane adsorption in ordered mesoporous silica

A SAXS/WAXS apparatus with the aid of a specially designed sample cell capable for performing both SAXS and WAXS experiments was used for adsorption studies in nanoporous materials. The applicability of the instrument for structural investigations and its ability for adsorption experiments because of the advanced sample environment were demonstrated by carrying out in situ SAXS measurements during gas physisorption. SAXS profiles of ordered mesoporous silica were measured at selected equilibrium points alongside a dibromomethane (CH₂Br₂) adsorption isotherm at 293 K. SBA-15 was the adsorbent of choice because it consists of a regular 2D hexagonal array of cylindrical mesopores that gives rise to Bragg reflections in the small-angle regime. CH₂Br₂ was selected as a contrast-matching fluid because it has almost the same electron density as silica. We obtained high-quality data comparable to those resulting from experiments performed in synchrotron light sources which produce intense beams of x-rays and support advanced instrumentation for high-resolution diffraction and SAXS studies. The Bragg peaks of the pore lattice are clearly visible for the evacuated sample and at the early stages of the adsorption process. The intensity decrease and the elimination of the Bragg peaks for the saturated sample suggest that an almost perfect contrast matching was achieved. A model has been used for monitoring the fluid condensation and evaporation regime in SBA-15 by taking into account both the Bragg scattering and the diffuse scattering for spatially random pore filling. The results show the absence of spatial correlations between filled pores suggesting random pore filling.     

可见光驱动Ag@AgCl催化反应的原位微量热研究

室温下用葡萄糖还原前驱体AgCl制备了可见光驱动的表面负载Ag纳米颗粒(NPs)催化剂Ag@AgCl,并采用X射线衍射(XRD)、场发射扫描电镜(FE-SEM)对其形貌、组成和结构进行了表征.首次运用自主设计的新型光化学-微量热系统,获取了三个功率光催化降解甲基橙的原位特征热谱曲线和原位热动力学精细信息,并与紫外-可见光谱获得的动力学信息关联,结合甲基橙逐步被氧化降解的特征,讨论了光催化降解机理.结果表明:光催化降解过程首先是偶氮双键在光的作用下迅速吸热断裂,再进入氧化降解中间产物的放热阶段,最后以恒定的速率长时间放热.光催化反应主要受光功率大小、粒子的传质以及活性氧化物种产生的速率等共同影响.随着光功率减小,光催化反应速率减缓,体系热效应的特征变化出现滞后现象,达到最大吸、放热峰及甲基橙完全降解所需时间延长.     

In situ sensing of the middle atmosphere with balloonborne near-infrared laser diodes

Since 1997, two near-infrared laser diode sensors have been developed with the support of the CNES, the French space agency, to provide in situ data of H(2)O, CH(4) and CO(2) in the middle atmosphere. The realized instruments were flown from stratospheric balloons within the framework of European campaigns for the study of stratospheric ozone and water vapor and were involved in the validation of the ODIN and ENVISAT satellites. In this paper, we describe the developed laser probing technique, we report atmospheric measurements and finally we discuss future perspectives, particularly the in situ laser sensing of the lower atmosphere of Mars and the implication of the laser hygrometers in balloon campaigns at mid-latitudes and tropical regions to investigate the sources and sinks of stratospheric H(2)O.     

Slow drying of a spray of nanoparticles dispersion. In situ SAXS investigation

Nanoparticles confined in droplets of less than a picoliter are forced to organize in submicronic dry grains through solvent evaporation. The evolution of structures of the grains and the constituent nanoparticles during the slow drying process are investigated in situ with small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) for the first time. The scattering results have been explained on the basis of the equilibrium thermodynamics of the droplets in the drying tube. We demonstrate that this technique is really efficient in describing the internal arrangement of the nanoparticles inside the drying droplets. Distinction between an almost homogeneous repartition of the nanoparticles in droplets and formation of core shell like particles even in strongly polydispersed droplets can be made using SAXS.     

In situ spectroscopic investigation of heterogeneous catalysts and reaction media at high pressure

In situ characterization of catalysts by means of complementary spectroscopic techniques can be regarded as the first step towards rational catalyst design. Spurred by the growing interest of catalytic reactions in supercritical fluids and by several industrial reactions traditionally performed at high pressure (>10 bar), new demands and challenges are put to in situ spectroscopic characterization of heterogeneous catalytic reactions. In this article, we discuss the development and the use of spectroscopic and related techniques suitable for elucidating such high-pressure reactions. Selected examples from phase behaviour studies with a view cell, investigations with transmission and attenuated total reflection (ATR) infrared spectroscopy as well as X-ray absorption spectroscopy (EXAFS, XANES), are presented to show the strategies, opportunities and limitations of such high pressure in situ studies. Different facets appear to be important to gain insight into catalytic reactions in supercritical fluids: the identification of the phase behaviour of the reaction mixture, the behaviour of the fluid inside the porous catalyst, the processes occurring at the solid-fluid interface, the possible dissolution of active species and, similar as in gas-solid reactions, the establishment of structure-activity relationships.     

In situ M?ssbauer spectroscopic investigation of iron-oxide based water-gas shift catalysts

Iron oxide based catalysts have been studied under reaction conditions by Mössbauer spectroscopy. The parameters of the Mössbauer spectra and the phase composition have been determined in different reaction media and at various temperatures. These data are related to the cation distribution on the main phase-magnetite.     

Automated in situ trace element analysis of silicate materials by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

This paper describes the automated in situ trace element analysis of solid materials by laser ablation (LA) inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). A compact computer-controlled solid state Nd:YAG Merchantek EO UV laser ablation (LA) system has been coupled with the high sensitivity VG PQII S ICP-MS. A two-directional communication was interfaced in-house between the ICP-MS and the LA via serial RS-232 port. Each LA-ICP-MS analysis at a defined point includes a 60 s pre-ablation delay, a 60 s ablation, and a 90 s flush delay. The execution of each defined time setting by LA was corresponding to the ICP-MS data acquisition allowing samples to be run in automated cycle sequences like solution auto-sampler ICP-MS analysis. Each analytical cycle consists of four standards, one control reference material, and 15 samples, and requires about 70 min. Data produced by Time Resolved Analysis (TRA) from ICP-MS were later reduced off-line by in-house written software. Twenty-two trace elements from four reference materials (NIST SRM 613, and fused glass chips of BCR-2, SY-4, and G-2) were determined by the automated LA-ICP-MS method. NIST SRM 610 or NIST SRM 613 was used as an external calibration standard, and Ca as an internal standard to correct for drift, differences in transport efficiency and sampling yield. Except for Zr and Hf in G-2, relative standard deviations for all other elements are less than 10%. Results compare well with the data reported from literature with average limits of detection from 1 ng x g(-1) to 455 ng x g(-1) and less than 100 ng x g(-1) for most trace elements.     

In situ FTIR investigation of MMA plasmas,plasma-polymerized films,and reaction mechanisms

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) plasmas and plasma-polymerized methyl methacrylate (PPMMA) films were studied in situ with FTIR and FTIR/ATR (attenuated total reflection) in an r.f. capacitively coupled glow discharge. A statistically designed experiment was conducted by varying the r.f. power, process pressure, and MMA flow rate. MMA plasma fragments were identified from the gas-phase FTIR measurements. They include the intermediate species such as dimethylketene, formaldehyde, allene, and propene; small hydrocarbons such as acetylene, methane, and ethylene; and oxygenates such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and methanol. Statistical analysis techniques (correlation analysis, analysis of variance and regression analysis) were used on both gas and film data. Gas-phase reaction mechanisms are proposed, and the relationship between the gas and film data is investigated to understand the film deposition chemistry. The deposition rate is positively correlated to the relative concentrations of MMA fragments which are identified as the major film precursors in the deposition process. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 587–602, 1998     

In situ muSR and NMR investigation of methanol dissociation on carbon-supported nanoscaled Pt-Ru catalyst

In situ muSR and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments on the investigation of methanol decomposition on Pt-Ru nanoscaled catalyst supported on Vulcan XC-72 carbon black (Pt-Ru/Vulcan XC-72) are presented. Avoided-level-crossing muon spin resonance measurements reveal the resonance line at magnetic field 2.018 T, we assign to transient CH₂?OMu? formaldehyde muonated radical. Results obtained allow us to estimate the contribution of chemical decomposition reaction process for the formaldehyde—carbon oxide—hydrogen conversion on Pt-Ru/Vulcan XC-72 catalytic material. NMR spectrum of the methanol covered Pt-Ru/Vulcan XC-72 consists of three broad resonance lines. Two of them are assigned to OH and CH₃ groups of methanol bound to the carbon black surface. Following the existing literature, which indicates that polymerization of formaldehyde readily takes place when the monomer is adsorbed on some active surface, the third one is assigned to the resonance signal of oligomeric species of formaldehyde. Taking into account the results of our experiments on electrochemical hydrogenation of carbon nanotubes, we do not exclude that the hydrogen arising as a result of methanol decomposition would also contribute to this signal. The high surface area of amorphous carbon nanoparticles of Vulcan XC-72 is favourable to adsorb the hydrogen on their surface.