Alloying by high dose ion implantation of iron into magnesium and aluminium

Alloys of the systems Fe–Al (mixable over the whole concentration range) and Fe–Mg (insoluble with each other) were produced by implantation of Fe ions into Al and Mg, respectively. The implantation energy was 200 keV and the ion doses ranged from 1 × 10₁₄ to 9 × 10₁₇cm^-2The obtained implantation profiles were determined by Auger electron spectroscopy depth profiling. Maximum iron concentrations reached were up to 60 at.% for implantation into Al and 94 at.% for implantation into Mg. Phase analysis of the implanted layers was performed by conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction. For implantation into Mg, two different kinds of Mössbauer spectra were obtained: at low doses paramagnetic doublets indicating at least two different iron sites and at high doses a dominant ferromagnetic six‐line‐pattern with a small paramagnetic fraction. The X‐ray diffraction pattern concluded that in the latter case a dilated αiron lattice is formed. For implantation into Al, the Mössbauer spectra were doublet structures very similar to those obtained at amorphous Fe–Al alloys produced by rapid quenching methods. They also indicated at least two different main iron environments. For the highest implanted sample a ferromagnetic six‐line‐pattern with magnetic field values close to those of Fe₃Al appeared.     

Evolved gas analysis (EGA) of brick clays

Using a system based on non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) detectors, evolved gas analysis (EGA) was able to identify and quantify the principal volatiles produced by heating powdered samples of UK brick clays. From these results, atmospheric emissions likely to result from brick production can be predicted. In addition, EGA results for extruded brick clay test pieces are significantly different from those of powdered samples. Within an extruded brick clay body, evolved gases are contained within a pore system and evolved gas-solid phase reactions also occur. This EGA study provides further evidence on the nature of firing reactions within brick clay bodies. The qualitative and quantitative influence of heating rate — a key process condition in brick manufacture — on gas release is also outlined.Dedicated to Dr. Robert Mackenzie on the occasion of his 75th birthday     

State of and prospects for XeF(C−A) optically pumped lasers

Experimental and theoretical results are presented on an XeF(C?A) blue-green laser driven by 5-kJ energy. The laser was pumped by a ferrite-induced discharge of 90 cm in length. The output energy of 0.22 J was obtained with a plane-parallel resonator. A program to simulate laser operation has been developed. Numerical results for a wide range of conditions are compared with experiments performed by us and by other authors. It is found that intracavity refractive losses limit laser operation for XeF pressures above 3 torr. The laser efficiency strongly depends on the discharge-to-cavity length ratio. Possible ways to increase the laser power and efficiency are discussed.     

Preparing Science Teachers in an Era of Reform: Practitioners' Perspectives of Methods Courses

With recent national calls for the reform of science education have come standards that delineate not only science content but also assessment, pedagogy, and teachers’ professional development. If teachers must teach science differently, then teacher preparation must change. This study asked 31 inservice secondary science teachers to complete a survey about topics for inclusion in a secondary science methods course. Respondents ranked a list of prespecified topics and had an opportunity to suggest other topics for inclusion in the course. Results showed that the majority of prespecified potential topics were judged important enough by these teachers to warrant inclusion in a methods course, though no individual added topic appeared on more than two surveys. Results demonstrate that these teachers believe teaching many of the traditional topics in science methods courses is still needed. In addition, they advocated the inclusion of several topics that either represent recent technological and theoretical advances, or longstanding ideas that have recently received considerable attention.