On the Nano/Micro-Mechanics of Metallic Glass

Metallic glass (MG) is amorphous and has some outstanding properties such as ultrahigh strength, superior elasticity, and excellent thermo-plasticity. However, as MG is relatively new to the metal family, the relationship between its physical properties and amorphous structure is still unclear. This article aims to provide an insightful discussion through a comprehensive review about the investigations in the past few decades on the scientific mechanisms of this class of material. The discussion of the paper will include the following key aspects: (1) the formation mechanism of an amorphous structure through glass transition, (2) the structural characterization and models, (3) the micromechanics of plastic event and shear band, and (4) the correlation between the amorphous structure and its mechanical properties.     

Physical characterization of a new composition of oxidized zirconium-2.5 wt% niobium produced using a two step process for biomedical applications

Zirconium and particularly Zr-2.5 wt%Nb (Zr2.5Nb) alloy are useful for engineering bearing applications because they can be oxidized in air to form a hard surface ceramic. Oxidized zirconium (OxZr) due to its abrasion resistant ceramic surface and biocompatible substrate alloy has been used as a bearing surface in total joint arthroplasty for several years. OxZr is characterized by hard zirconium oxide (oxide) formed on Zr2.5Nb using one step thermal oxidation carried out in air. Because the oxide is only at the surface, the bulk material behaves like a metal, with high toughness. The oxide, furthermore, exhibits high adhesion to the substrate because of an oxygen-rich diffusion hardened zone (DHZ) interposing between the oxide and the substrate.In this study, we demonstrate a two step process that forms a thicker DHZ and thus increased depth of hardening than that can be obtained using a one step oxidation process. The first step is thermal oxidation in air and the second step is a heat treatment in vacuum. The second step drives oxygen from the oxide formed in the first step deeper into the substrate to form a thicker DHZ. During the process only a portion of the oxide is dissolved. This new composition (DHOxZr) has approximately 4-6 μm oxide similar to that of OxZr. The nano-hardness of the oxide is similar but the DHZ is approximately 10 times thicker. The stoichiometry of the oxide is similar and a secondary phase rich in oxygen is present through the entire thickness. Due to the increased depth of hardening, the critical load required for the onset of oxide cracking is approximately 1.6 times more than that of the oxide of OxZr. This new composition has a potential to be used as a bearing surface in applications where greater depth of hardening is required.     

汶川地震断裂带岩脉矿物拉曼谱峰特征

对汶川地震断裂带深溪沟出露的基岩错动面两侧岩脉中的石英矿物进行了拉曼谱峰测定, 并根据所测石英的464 cm-1拉曼谱峰向高波数的偏移量估算了断裂带中的压应力分布。测试结果表明, 错动面附近岩脉中石英的464 cm-1拉曼谱峰向高波数偏移量为3.29 cm-1, 相应的压应力值为368.63 MPa, 明显低于错动面两侧应力积累, 这可能是由于错动面的多次活动导致了应力不断得到释放。断裂南东盘(下盘)远离错动面, 岩脉中石英的464 cm-1拉曼谱峰向高波数偏移量具有增加的趋势, 相应的应力积累也逐渐增强, 距错动面21 m处的石英样品的464 cm-1拉曼谱峰向高波数偏移4.40 cm-1, 相应压应力可达到494.77 MPa。剖面北西盘(上盘)在距错动面10 m处, 样品464 cm-1拉曼谱峰的偏移量达到最大值, 相应的应力积累为519.87 MPa, 其后远离错动面应力积累开始减弱, 在北西盘17 m处, 应力积累骤然下降至400.37 MPa。在西北盘距错动面27 m处, 岩脉石英的464 cm-1拉曼谱峰向高波数偏移量下降至3.21 cm-1, 应力已经减弱到359.59 MPa, 这可能是由于该处位于断裂带的边缘, 远离错动面, 受到了较小的断层活动的影响。因此, 汶川地震断裂带内的应力虽然得到部分释放, 但剩余的应力分布并不均匀, 而且在局部还存在较高的应力积累, 这反应了断裂带中岩石的力学性质在空间上具有不均匀性。     

A study of time over threshold (TOT) technique for plastic scintillator counter

A new charge measurement method, time over threshold (TOT), has been used in some gas detectors lately. Here TOT is studied for TOF system, made of plastic scintillator counter, which can simplify the electronics of the system. The signal characteristics are measured and analyzed with a high quality oscilloscope, including noise, pedestal, signal amplitude, total charge, rise time and the correlation between them. The TOT and charge are related and can be fitted by some empirical formula. The charge measurement resolution by TOT is given and this will help the design of TOF electronics.     

Observations of the atmospheric boundary layer across the land-sea transition zone using a scanning Mie lidar

Optical properties of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) above the land-sea transition interface were measured using a scanning Mie lidar located 30 km away from the Adriatic coast. Based on the two-dimensional range-height-indicator scans, detailed information on the ABL was obtained, including parameters such as atmospheric optical depth, aerosol extinction coefficient and the height of the ABL. The presented case study indicates that the height of the ABL in the land-sea transition zone and the adjacent mountainous region was changing rapidly due to highly variable atmospheric conditions.     

The Effect of an Active Diluent on the Properties of Epoxy Resin and Unidirectional Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Plastics

The influence of an active diluent on the properties of an epoxy matrix and carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP) is investigated. The physicomechanical properties of an ED-20 epoxy resin modified with diglycidyl ether of diethylene glycol (DEG-1), the adhesion strength at the epoxy matrix–steel wire interface, and the mechanical properties of unidirectional CFRP are determined. The concentration of DEG-1 was varied from 0 to 50 wt.%. The properties of the matrix, the interface, and the composites are compared. It is stated that the matrix strength affects the strength of unidirectional CFRP in bending and not their strength in tension, compression, and shear. The latter fact seems somewhat unexpected. The interlaminar fracture toughness of the composites investigated correlates with the ultimate elongation of the binder. A comparison between the concentration dependences of adhesion strength and the strength of CFRP shows that the matrices utilized provide such a high interfacial strength that the strength of CFRP no longer depends on the adhesion of its constituents.     

A novel monochromator for experiments with ultrashort X‐ray pulses

Aiming at advancing storage‐ring‐based ultrafast X‐ray science, over the past few years many upgrades have been undertaken to continue improving beamline performance and photon flux at the Femtoslicing facility at BESSY II. In this article the particular design upgrade of one of the key optical components, the zone‐plate monochromator (ZPM) beamline, is reported. The beamline is devoted to optical pump/soft X‐ray probe applications with 100 fs (FWHM) X‐ray pulses in the soft X‐ray range at variable polarization. A novel approach consisting of an array of nine off‐axis reflection zone plates is used for a gapless coverage of the spectral range between 410 and 1333 eV at a designed resolution of E/ΔE = 500 and a pulse elongation of only 30 fs. With the upgrade of the ZPM the following was achieved: a smaller focus, an improved spectral resolution and bandwidth as well as excellent long‐term stability. The beamline will enable a new class of ultrafast applications with variable optical excitation wavelength and variable polarization.     

Growth and optical characterization of organic nonlinear optical crystal: indole-3-aldehyde

The metastable zone width for the solution of organic nonlinear material: indole-3-aldehyde (IA) has been determined for the various solvents of acetone, methanol and ethyl acetate and the corresponding IA crystals have been grown by temperature lowering technique. The surface analysis on different planes of the grown crystals has been carried out. The range of transmission and powder second harmonic generation efficiency of IA have been reported.     

H2/air旋流预混燃烧的流场特性和火焰结构分析

本文采用完全可压缩的N-S方程,对当量比为1.0的H₂/air旋流预混火焰进行了直接数值模拟研究。氢气和空气的化学反应采用9种组分19步的详细机理。模拟结果表明,强旋流流场中存在回流区,碗形旋流火焰稳定在回流区的外围。在火焰面上沿火焰法向提取了局部火焰结构,将局部湍流火焰结构与层流预混火焰的火焰结构进行了比较,发现局部湍流火焰比层流预混火焰更薄,燃烧强度更高。