An off‐axis magnetron‐sputtering system for in situ studies of artificial superlattices growth by synchrotron radiation scattering

A sputtering chamber for the growth of artificial superlattices of oxide‐based materials is described. The chamber is designed to fit into a standard Huber eight‐circle diffractometer. The chamber serves for investigation with synchrotron radiation of growth characteristics of oxide‐based artificial superlattices in situ. Two Be windows of large area in the vacuum chamber enable measurement of reflections of X‐rays at entrance and exit angles up to ～50°. Large perpendicular momentum transfers are practical with this apparatus. The possibility of investigating X‐ray scattering in situ is demonstrated by observation of the effects of the modulation length and the stacking period on the growth characteristics of BaTiO₃/LaNiO₃ artificial superlattices.     

Study of the buckling mechanism in laser tube forming

The buckling mechanism of a thin metal tube during laser forming was investigated numerically and experimentally in this study. Metal tubes made of 304 stainless steel were heated by a CO₂ Gaussian laser beam, which induced the buckling phenomenon on the tube surface due to elastic–plastic deformation. This uncoupled thermal–mechanical problem was solved using a three-dimensional finite element method and was subsequently satisfactorily verified with displacement measurements. The transient bending angle and residual stress of the thin metal tube under specific operation conditions were also studied.     

Studies on the Diisocyanate-Modified Polyvinyl Alcohol Reverse Osmosis Membranes

The hydroxyl group in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) membranes had been partially reacted with diisocyanates such as 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) or the prepolymers containing different functional groups. The transport properties toward water and salt and the stress-strain properties of these modified membranes were investigated. The results showed an improvement in salt rejection and a considerable increase in the wet strength of the modified membrane. The water absorption and permeabilities of these modified membranes depended largely upon the functional groups introduced into them.     

A phase sensitive optical rotation measurement in a scattered chiral medium using a Zeeman laser

A novel circular polarized optical heterodyne interferometer using a Zeeman laser to measure optical rotation both in nonscattered and scattered chiral medium is proposed. A pair of correlated orthogonal circular polarized light waves of different temporal frequency propagating in the chiral medium at different speed is studied. This results in phase retardation between circular polarized light waves of which the phase difference is proportional to the optical rotation angle of a linear polarized light in a chiral medium. In the mean time, two orthogonal circular polarized light waves can be treated as a circular polarized photon pair that is able to reduce the scattering effect in a scattered chiral medium. Then the optical rotation angle can be measured in the scattering medium. In addition, a common-path configuration with respect to circular polarized light waves immune the background noise. This further improves the sensitivity on optical rotation measurement based on phase difference detection.     

Synthesis of side chain liquid-crystalline polysiloxane containing trans-cyclohexane-based mesogenic side groups

The synthesis and characterization of nine new side chain liquid-crystalline polysiloxanes containing one cyclohexyl ring and another 2-4 aromatic rings in their mesogenic side groups are described. All synthesized polymers displayed nematic mesomorphism. Most of the polymers showed a very wide mesomorphic temperature range. The mesogenic core length has profound influence on the phase transitions of the polymers. The mesomorphic temperature range increased with increasing mesogenic core length.     

Trace analysis of vanadium as pentavalent vanadium using differential pulse polarography with a coupled catalytic homogeneous reaction

The differential pulse polarographic determination of the vanadium (V) ion coupled with a catalytic homogeneous reaction was carried out in a system containing the vanadium (V)-PAR complex and an oxidant in acetic/acetate buffer. On addition of the powerful oxidant, sodium bromate, the peak current for the reduction of the vanadium (V) complex was increased significantly by about 21 times. A calibration plot was found to be linear in the concentration range 0.05–0.25 g/ml and the detection limit was 5 ng/ml.     

Composites of UHMWPE fiber reinforced PU/epoxy grafted interpenetrating polymer networks

Several polyurethane-modified epoxy resins (PU/DGEBA-g-IPNs) were synthesized and characterized through a series tests, including differential scanning calorimetry and mechanical property measurements, such as tensile, Izod, bending and shear strengths were investigated in the study. The PU/DGEBA-g-IPNs and neat DGEBA as matrices for UHMWPE fiber-reinforced and aramid fiber-reinforced composites were prepared for comparison of their mechanical properties. The degree of plasma treatment, the polyurethane content, and the type of polyol in the polyurethane within the matrix of the composite were investigated through mechanical and bulletproof testing.