Isotropy breaking magnetoelastic behavior in highly magnetostrictive compounds

Two distinct acoustic shear modes are observed to propagate in otherwise isotropic rare earth-iron compounds when a magnetic field is applied. The field dependence of the velocities of the two modes are reported and the results interpreted using linear magnetoelastic theory.     

On the crystallography of the TTF-TCNQ salt at reduced temperatures

A structure determination of the one-dimensionally conducting salt tetrathiofulvalinium-tetracyanoquinodimethanide (TTF-TCNQ) at 100°K, and additional measurements at lower temperatures, show that no major change in crystal structure occurs between room temperature and 40°K. At 100°K the interplanar spacings are reduced from 3.47 to 3.43 and from 3.17 to 3.11 Å for the TTF and TCNQ stacks, respectively. The bond lengths at 100°K agree better with the values listed for salts of TCNQ^-0.5, than with those for TCNQ^-1. On cooling a broadening of the b1 axis reflections is observed, which would be compatible with one-dimensional distortions of the crystal lattice.     

Ultrasonic-shear-wave measurement of known residual stress in aluminum

Ultrasonic-shear-wave time-of-flight measurements were made at a nominal frequency of 4 MHz on both stressed and nonstressed sample disks of 2024 aluminum alloy. The stressed state of the first sample was produced by shrink-fitting a plug and ring to produce a calculated 130-MPa region of uniform compression in the plug, and a concomitant nonuniform tension and compression in the ring. Time-of-flight measurement scans across sample diameters were made using a piezoelectric-shear transducer with a viscous couplant, and repeated using a contactless electromagnetic-acoustic transducer. The ultrasonic results were then compared with elasticity theory, assuming the acoustoelastic relationship between sound velocity and material strain.