Phase formation and control of morphology in sputtered Cu-In alloy layers

The dependence of structural properties and surface morphology of Cu-In alloy layers on the composition and sputtering deposition sequence were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The properties of the co-sputtered alloy layers changed abruptly around the composition boundary when the Cu/In ratio reached 1/2. This can be explained by the effective heat of formation (EHF) model, which has been used to predict the sequence of phase formation for metal diffusion couples. The use of a co-sputtered alloy layer with a high In concentration was not suitable for fabricating solar cells, because the film had a very rough morphology due to large In islands formed on the CuIn₂ phase. However, it was possible to minimize this phase by In sputtering followed by co-sputtering with a Cu/In ratio of 1 (Cu-In/In/Glass). This permitted the fabrication of a homogeneous Cu-In alloy layer, which was not possible through the simple co-sputtering.     

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ORGANOMONTMORILLONITE AND POLYAMIDE 66/MONTMORILLONITE NANOCOMPOSITES

The montmorillonites (MMTs), layered, smectite-type silicates, were premodified by two different methods priorto the polymer melt intercalation. In one case MMTs were modified with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), andtermed as organomontmorillonites (OMMTs); in the other case MMTs were modified by nylon, and the products were calledmodified montmorillonites (MMMTs). The effects of CTAB and nylon on the MMTs were investigated by using TG andWAXD. The results show that interlayer spacings of CTAN and nylon modified MMTs are larger than that of sodium MMTs.Then, polyamide 66 (PA 66)/MMT nanocomposites were obtained through the method of melt intercalation of polymers. Thenanocomposites were characterized by WAXD, TEM and Molau experiments. The results indicate that the MMTs dispersehomogeneously in the PA 66 matrix. The mechanical properties of nanocomposites, such as tensile properties and flexuralproperties, were also measured and show a tendency to increase with increase of MMT content and reach the maximumvalues at 5phr MMT content. The heat distortion temperature (HDT) of the nanocomposites (7 phr) is about 32 K higher thanthat of pure PA 66.     

Thermal Oxidative Stability of Heat-Stabilised Polyamide 66 by Differential Scanning Calorimetry

The thermal stability of heat-stabilised polyamide 66 in an oxidative environment is evaluated by DSC. The oxidative stability of the polyamide decreases as a result of repeated injection moulding. The results also indicate that the presence of glass fibres in the polyamide has a negative influence on the oxidative stability. Both isothermal and dynamic DSC measurements seem to be useful tools for assessing the stability of polyamides and there is a relationship between data determined using both procedures. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

尼龙66/蒙脱土复合材料结晶行为的研究

在密炼机中采用熔融共混法制备蒙脱土重量分数为 2 5 %、4 5 %的尼龙 6 6 /蒙脱土复合材料 .通过DSC法对非等温结晶行为及在 2 2 8～ 2 4 0℃范围内的等温结晶行为进行研究 ,并与纯尼龙 6 6进行比较 .从其等温和非等温结晶行为的研究表明 ,蒙脱土起成核剂的作用 ,它的填入使尼龙 6 6结晶速率提高 ,但填料与基体间的相互作用使其链段运动困难 ,结晶活化能提高 ;在研究的填料含量变化范围内 ,结晶行为变化不大 ,并且找到该复合材料在 2 2 8～ 2 34℃范围结晶对温度的不敏感区 ;对非等温结晶过程分析 ,刘结平 莫志深方程是适用的 ,而Ozawa方程则是不适用的 .     

Melamine cyanurate-microencapsulated red phosphorus flame retardant unreinforced and glass fiber reinforced polyamide 66

A novel microencapsulated red phosphorus (RP) was prepared through the molecular self-assembly of melamine cyanurate (MCA). Compared with the conventional encapsulated RP, MCA-encapsulated RP (MERP) shows simpler and more environment-friendly preparation process higher thermal stability and lower moisture absorption. With MERP filled in unreinforced polyamide 66 (PA66) and glass fiber (GF) reinforced PA66, flame retardant materials with satisfactory flame retardancy and mechanical performance can be obtained. The influence of the MCA/RP ratio on the flame retardancy as well as the condensed phase of MERP flame retardant PA66 was investigated to reveal the nitrogen-phosphorus (N-P) synergistic flame retarding effects between MCA and RP.     

Free-field realization of theWKP(N) algebra

TheW _KP ^(N) algebra has been identified with the second Hamiltonian structure in theNth Hamiltonian pair of the KP hierarchy. In this Letter, by constructing the Miura map that decomposes the second Hamiltonian structure in theNth pair of the KP hierarchy, we show thatW _KP ^(N) can also be decomposed toN independent copies ofW _KP ⁽¹⁾ algebras, therefore its free-field realization can be worked out by constructing free fields for each copy ofW _KP ⁽¹⁾ . In this way, the free fields may consist ofN + 2n number of bosons, among them, 2n are in pairs, wheren is an arbitrary integer between 1 andN. We also express the currents ofW _KP ^(N) in terms of the currents ofN —n copies of U(1) andn copies of SL(2,R) _k algebras with levelk = 1. By reductions, we give similar results forW ^(N) andW ₃ ⁽²⁾ algebra.     

Symmetries and generalizedW∞ algebra of the modified KP equation

The infinitely many symmetries with arbitrary functions of timet for the potential modified Kadomtsev-Petviashvilli equation are obtained by using a simple direct method. These symmetries constitute a generalization of the well-knownW algebra.     

Neutron diffraction study of crystal structure and antiferromagnetic ordering in the heavy fermion compound CePd2Al3

Nuclear and magnetic structures of an annealed polycrystalline sample of the heavy-fermion compound CePd₂Al₃ prepared by arc-melting were investigated by neutron powder diffraction. The chemical structure corresponds well to the ordered hexagonal PrNi₂Al₃-type structure. The antiferromagnetic structure of CePd₂Al₃ with an ordered magnetic moment _Ce=0.47(2) _B at saturation is remarkably similar to that in the heavy fermion superconductor UPd₂Al₃. The additional incommensurate magnetic structures reported previously both for UPd₂Al₃ and CePd₂Al₃ are not observed in the present sample of CePd₂Al₃. At 1.4 K the magnetoresistivity of CePd₂Al₃ measured up to 14 T indicates only one field-induced phase transition at 3.0 T.     

A diffusion model of metal surface modification during plasma nitriding

A diffusion model of metal surface modification by plasma nitriding has been developed. This model takes into account the erosion effects at the plasma/solid interface occurring due to the ion bombardment of the surface. For constant sputtering rate, which is the usual situation during plasma nitriding, the growth of the sub-layers is well described by the analytical expressiong(t) =g ₀,f ^–1 (t/t ₀), whereg(t) is the sub-layer thickness at timet,g ₀ andt ₀ are parameters which depend on the treated material and plasma characteristics,f ^–1 is the inverse of the function — In(1 - x) + x), 0 x 1. Under negligible erosion effects, the expression forg(t) reduces to the parabolic law. The diffusion zone (substratum) growth does not follow the parabolic law as well. However, the deviation occurs after long plasma nitriding time. The model can be used for experimentally determining the effective diffusion coefficients and the erosion rate during plasma nitriding of metal surfaces.     

The algebra of differential operators on the circle and W KP (q)

Radul has recently introduced a map from the Lie algebra of differential operators on the circle of W _n . In this Letter, we extend this map to W _KP ^(q) , a recently introduced one-parameter deformation of W_KP - the second Hamiltonian structure of the KP hierarchy. We use this to give a short proof that W is the algebra of additional symmetries of the KP equation.