Colossal dielectric response and relaxation behavior in novel system of Zr4+ and Nb5+ co-substituted CaCu3Ti4O12 ceramics

In this work, we developed a novel system of isovalent Zr⁴⁺ and donor Nb⁵⁺ co-doped CaCu₃Ti₄O₁₂ (CCTO) ceramics to enhance dielectric response. The influences of Zr⁴⁺ and Nb⁵⁺ co-substituting on the colossal dielectric response and relaxation behavior of the CCTO ceramics fabricated by a conventional solid-phase synthesis method were investigated methodically. Co-doping of Zr⁴⁺ and Nb⁵⁺ ions leads to a significant reduction in grain size for the CCTO ceramics sintered at 1060 °C for 10 h. XRD and Raman results of the CaCu₃Ti_3.8-xZr_xNb_0.2O₁₂ (CCTZNO) ceramics show a cubic perovskite structure with space group Im-3. The first principle calculation result exhibits a better thermodynamic stability of the CCTO structure co-doped with Zr⁴⁺ and Nb⁵⁺ ions than that of single-doped with Zr⁴⁺ or Nb⁵⁺ ion. Interestingly, the CCTZNO ceramics exhibit greatly improved dielectric constant (~10⁵) at a frequency range of 10²–10⁵ Hz and at a temperature range of 20–210 °C, indicating a giant dielectric response within broader frequency and temperature ranges. The dielectric properties of CCTZNO ceramics were analyzed from the viewpoints of defect-dipole effect and internal barrier layer capacitance (IBLC) model. Accordingly, the immensely enhanced dielectric response is primarily ascribed to the complex defect dipoles associated with oxygen vacancies by co-doping Zr⁴⁺ and Nb⁵⁺ ions into CCTO structure. In addition, the obvious dielectric relaxation behavior has been found in CCTZNO ceramics, and the relaxation process in middle frequency regions is attributed to the grain boundary response confirmed by complex impedance spectroscopy and electric modulus.     

Structural Analysis of silica aerogels for the interlayer dielectric in semiconductor devices

As semiconductor devices have become miniaturized and highly integrated, interconnection problems such as RC delays, power dissipation, and crosstalk appear. To alleviate these problems, materials with a low dielectric constant should be used for the interlayer dielectric in nanoscale semiconductor devices. Silica aerogel as a porous structure composed of silica and air can be used as the interlayer dielectric material to achieve a very low dielectric constant. However, the problem of its low stiffness needs to be resolved for the endurance required in planarization. The purpose of this study is to discover the geometric effect of the electrical and mechanical properties of silica aerogel. The effects of porosity, the distribution of pores, the number of pores on the dielectric constant, and elastic modulus were analyzed using FEM. The results suggest that the porosity of silica aerogel is the main parameter that determines the dielectric constant and it should be at least 0.76 to have a very low dielectric constant of 1.5. Additionally, while maintaining the porosity of 0.76, the silica aerogel needs to be designed in an ordered open pores structure (OOPS) containing 64 or more pores positioned in a simple cubic lattice point to endure in planarization, which requires an elastic modulus of 8 GPa to prevent delamination.     

A mineralogical approach to evaluating laboratory scale acid rock drainage characterisation tests

Effective management of the risks associated with acid rock drainage (ARD) requires the ability to identify material with a potential to generate ARD reliably. With the increasing prevalence of quantitative mineralogy (Quantitative XRD, auto-SEM), opportunity exists to use mineralogy at all stages in ARD characterisation and prediction. This study uses a mineralogical approach across the head grade samples and the residues obtained under leach conditions of several common ARD characterisation tests (Acid Neutralising Capacity, Net Acid Generation), as well as the University of Cape Town (UCT) biokinetic test to evaluate the extent to which acid-neutralising minerals react. The results show the contribution of the carbonates to the acid neutralising capacity, as well as the partial dissolution of intermediate weathering silicate minerals such as chlorite and mica.     

Experimental and modeling approaches of MR behaviors under large step strains

Rheological properties of MR fluids under large step strain shear are presented in this paper. The experiments were carried out using a rheometer with parallel-plate geometry. Under the large step strain shear, MR fluids behave as nonlinear viscoelastic properties, where the stress relaxation modulus, G(t, γ), shows a decreasing trend with step strain. The experimental results indicate that G(t, γ) obeys time-strain separability. Thus, a mathematical form based on finite exponential serials is proposed to predict MR behavior. In this model, G(t, γ) is represented as the product of a linear stress relaxation, G(t), and the damping function, h(γ), i.e. G(t, γ)=G(t) h(γ). G(t) is simply represented as a three-parameter exponential serial and h(γ) has a sigmoidal form with two parameters. The parameters are identified by adopting an efficient optimization method proposed by Stango et al. The comparison between the experimental results and the model-predicted values indicates that this mathematical model can accurately predict MR behavior.     

On the linear correlation between microhardness and mechanical properties in polar polymers and blends

The tensile elastic modulus (E), yield stress (σ_Y) and microhardness (MH) of neat and binary and ternary blends of glassy semicrystalline ethylene–vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), a glassy amorphous polyamide and a semicrystalline nylon‐containing ionomer covering a broad range of properties were examined. The tests were carried out on dry and water‐equilibrated samples to produce stiffer and softer materials, respectively. From the results, more accurate linear correlations were found to describe adequately the microhardness, modulus and yield stress of these strongly self‐associated polymers through hydrogen bonding. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

岩石物理性质研究技术

主要介绍了2003年EAGE岩石物性测试分析技术取得的新进展。从本届年会看，岩石物理内容主要涉及岩石物理模型建立、时延地震岩石物理与岩石各向异性分析、喷射频率和流体饱和度及其分布预测、岩石物理模拟等新方法、新技术、新成果。在充分考虑岩石物理受当地地质因素影响后，提出岩石物理模版概念，目的是为地质专家方便对岩性和流体的解释提供一种工具。     

小波变换在光谱特征提取方面的应用

人们在处理高光谱图像时一般要对一些典型地物进行光谱分析、特征波段的提取,以便提取出最大量的有效信息,剔除无用或冗余的信息,然后再进行分类识别.采用小波变换的分析方法,选用合适的小波进行分解,根据分解后的高频分量中包含的重要信息,利用局部相邻的正负极值点找出对应于原始光谱曲线上每个吸收带的左右边界;利用局部过零点,即可比较精确的提取出各个吸收带的中心波长.该方法比传统的光谱特征提取方法更简洁、有效,实验证明为一种比较理想的光谱特征提取方法.     

Mechanical properties of polyethylene mixtures crystallized under high pressure

The mechanical properties of a medium molecular weight polyethylene (MMW‐PE) and an ultrahigh molecular weight PE (UHMW‐PE) binary mixture with different weight fractions crystallized from the melt at 0.1 and 450 MPa were studied. The tensile modulus, yield stress, and strain were obtained as a function of the weight fractions in the PE mixtures at 25 and 85°C. The tensile modulus in the sample crystallized at 0.1 MPa decreased from 1.5 GPa of pure MMW‐PE to about 0.4 GPa of pure UHMW‐PE with the UHMW‐PE content but it did not decrease with the UHMW‐PE in the sample crystallized at 450 MPa in testing at 25°C. A decreasing rate of the storage modulus E′ of UHMW‐PE in a dynamic measurement for the sample crystallized at 0.1 MPa with the temperature is larger than that of the sample crystallized at 450 MPa. These experimental facts are interpreted in relation to the molecular motion and crystallinity of the sample. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 87: 1962–1968, 2003     

Damage Development in Gray Cast Iron under Static Deformation

The authors discuss the results of experimental investigation of structural degradation of gray cast iron at various stages of static tensile deformation. Analysis of the deformation process has revealed that damageability of a material under loading can be assessed by both a special strain parameter and scatter of hardness characteristics or a ratio of the modulus deviation to the current value of the elastic modulus. A correlation between these parameters has been established.     

普通稠油油藏启动压力梯度求解方法与应用

利用微观尺度管流模型,结合普通稠油流变特征,提出了在考虑稠油流变性条件下微观启动压力梯度计算方法.对渤海渤中18块不同渗透率岩心进行室内驱替实验,通过对实验数据的回归分析,得到不同粘度普通稠油油藏启动压力梯度与地层平均渗透率关系,并绘制了启动压力梯度的图版.将研究结果应用于普通稠油油藏,给出了利用启动压力梯度确定极限泄油半径及合理井距的理论计算方法.