On the volume power density of radial thermoelectric generators

We examine the volume power density of radial thermoelectric generators (TEGs). Radial, or tubular, TEGs have been considered as an alternative to the usual flat-plate TEGs due to its improved geometric match to typical curved heat sources and high surface power density. However, surface power density is not the only important performance index in realistic situations. Especially for TEGs with inorganic materials that have high raw material prices, volume power density can be important as well. In this note, an analytic model of a radial TEG is studied with a numerical trial-and-error approach for investigating its volume power density. At the same time, an alternative, approximate method of estimating the maximum power of the radial TEG is presented. Using these two approaches, we estimate the volume power density of a skutterudite-based radial TEG and compare the results to those of a flat-plate TEG. The volume power density of the radial TEG is significantly lower than that of the flat-plate TEG. For example, our calculation for a representative case with free convection on the cold side shows that the volume power density of the radial TEG will be 107 W/m³ at best. The result improves with forced convection, and our calculation for a representative case with forced convection on the cold side exhibits the maximum volume power density of 24 100 W/m³ . All these values turn out to be smaller roughly by one order of magnitude than the maximum volume power densities of comparable flat-plate TEGs. Such a low volume power density indicates lower economic feasibility of the radial TEG with expensive inorganic thermoelectric materials. This is also explicitly discussed by presenting the high cost per watt of the radial TEG. It is therefore suggested that radial TEGs with less expensive organic materials may be more acceptable than those with inorganic ones.     

The Marginal Density of a TMA(1) Process

This note reconsiders the marginal density of a threshold moving average process and proposes a simple yet effective numerical algorithm to implement that by solving an associated integral equation. This algorithm can also be applied to calculate stationary probability density or distribution functions of a few other types of nonlinear stationary stochastic processes numerically.     

A Student's t-based density peaks clustering with superpixel segmentation (tDPCSS) method for image color clustering

Image color clustering is a basic technique in image processing and computer vision, which is often applied in image segmentation, color transfer, contrast enhancement, object detection, skin color capture, and so forth. Various clustering algorithms have been employed for image color clustering in recent years. However, most of the algorithms require a large amount of memory or a predetermined number of clusters. In addition, some of the existing algorithms are sensitive to the parameter configurations. In order to tackle the above problems, we propose an image color clustering method named Student's t-based density peaks clustering with superpixel segmentation (tDPCSS), which can automatically obtain clustering results, without requiring a large amount of memory, and is not dependent on the parameters of the algorithm or the number of clusters. In tDPCSS, superpixels are obtained based on automatic and constrained simple non-iterative clustering, to automatically decrease the image data volume. A Student's t kernel function and a cluster center selection method are adopted to eliminate the dependence of the density peak clustering on parameters and the number of clusters, respectively. The experiments undertaken in this study confirmed that the proposed approach outperforms k-means, fuzzy c-means, mean-shift clustering, and density peak clustering with superpixel segmentation in the accuracy of the cluster centers and the validity of the clustering results.     

导热绝缘PE-LD/PE-g-MAH/h-BN泡沫塑料的制备及性能研究

采用熔融共混法制备了一系列导热绝缘的低密度聚乙烯/马来酸酐接枝聚乙烯/六方氮化硼(PE-LD/PE-g-MAH/h-BN新型泡沫塑料，研究了相容剂PE-g-MAH的加入、h-BN含量对PE-LD/PE-g-MAH/h-BN泡沫体系导热性能、绝缘性能、力学性能及热稳定性的影响。结果表明，PE-g-MAH有利于增加PE?LD与h?BN的界面黏结，增强泡沫体系拉伸强度和断裂伸长率，显著提高其热导性能；当h-BN含量为30 %时， PE-LD/PE-g-MAH/h-BN泡沫体系的导热率为0.256 W/(m·K)，相对于PE-LD/h-BN泡沫体系的0.217 W/(m·K) 和纯PE-LD泡沫体系的0.039 W/(m·K)，热导率分别提高1.18和6.57倍，同时保持较好的绝缘性和热稳性。     

High energy-storage density under low electric fields and improved optical transparency in novel sodium bismuth titanate-based lead-free ceramics

A novel (1-x)Na_0.5Bi_0.5TiO₃-xBaHfO₃ (abbreviated as (1-x)NBT-xBH) transparent ceramic was fabricated by the solid state reaction method. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that NBT-based transparent ceramics exhibit a cubic-like perovskite structure and the solid solubility of BH in NBT reached to 0.15. The Landau-Devonshire theory and I-E curves revealed that the transition between the antiferroelectric like phase and the ferroelectric phase deeply relies on the variation of composition and free energy. One sample (x = 0.15) was found to show a high dielectric constant (˜2418±10%) over the temperature range 57–400 °C. These ceramics also exhibited a high discharge energy density (W_d) of 2.1 J/cm³ and a high maximum polarization P_m of 34 μC/cm² under relatively low electric fields which were less than 175 kV/cm. There was also high transparency in the visible spectra (more than 0.5) when the sample thickness was 250 μm.     

钛酸酯偶联剂对磷石膏/HDPE性能的影响

采用3种钛酸酯偶联剂改性超细磷石膏(UPG),将改性后的UPG添加到高密度聚乙烯(HDPE)中,研究了钛酸酯偶联剂结构对UPG/HDPE复合材料力学性能的影响。结果表明,钛酸酯偶联剂改性的UPG接触角增大,吸油值降低,201-UPG改性效果最佳,接触角和吸油值分别为106.25°和0.23。与UPG/HDPE复合材料相比,101-UPG/HDPE、201-PG/HDPE、311-UPG/HDPE复合材料的拉伸性能、弯曲性能和冲击性能得到了一定的提高,在101-UPG/HDPE复合材料中的效果最佳,分别提高了42.41%、64.04%、174.65%。SEM测试表明,加入了钛酸酯改性剂的UPG在HDPE中的分散效果较佳;流变测试显示,101-UPG/HDPE复合材料的黏度比HDPE明显提高。     

Development of Ferromagnetic Superspins in Bare Cu Nanoparticles by Electronic Charge Redistribution

We report on the results of investigating the ferromagnetic properties of bare Cu nanoparticles. Three sets of bare Cu nanoparticle assemblies with mean particle diameters of 6.6, 8.1, and 11.1 nm were fabricated, employing the gas condensation method. Curie-Weiss paramagnetic responses to a weak driving magnetic field were detected, showing the appearance of particle superspins that overcomes the diamagnetic responses from the inner core. The isothermal magnetization displays a Langevin field profile together with magnetic hysteresis appearing even at 300 K, demonstrating the existence of ferromagnetic superspins in the Cu nanoparticles. Shifting of a noticeable amount of electronic charge from being distributed near the lattice sites in bulk form toward their neighboring ions in nanoparticles was found. The extended 3d and 4s band mixture are the main sources for the development of localized 3d holes for the development of ferromagnetic particle superspins in Cu nanoparticles.     

Numerical Simulation of Dopant Diffusion for Laser-Doped Crystalline Silicon

In this paper, the nonlinear numerical simulation of pulsed laser melting of crystalline silicon and phosphorus dopant liquid-phase diffusion has been established by the finite element method implemented in ANSYS. The melt front behavior as a function of time is described. The experimental SIMS work is intended to be used to validate the numerical model. The numerical simulation result is in good agreement with the corresponding experimental data.     

凉感纤维织物导热系数影响因素的探讨

采用普通涤纶、含1%云母颗粒的涤纶(1%云母/涤纶)以及含5%云母颗粒的涤纶(5%云母/涤纶)三种材质,上机纬密采用200根/10 cm、300根/10 cm、400根/10 cm,组织采用平纹、斜纹、缎纹试织试样。通过Hot Disk热常数分析仪,采用正交试验及极差、方差分析,研究了纤维材质、上机纬密、组织对凉感纤维织物导热系数的影响。结果表明:在试验设置变量范围内,纤维材质对导热系数的影响显著,上机纬密、组织对导热系数的影响高度显著,影响因素从大到小顺序为上机纬密>组织>纤维材质。     

Birthweight and Lipids in Adult Life: Population-Based Cross Sectional Study

The purpose of this study was to examine the association of birthweight with lipid profile in the general adult population. Participants in the second-wave of a nationally representative cross sectional AusDiab-study were asked to complete a birthweight questionnaire. Fasting total cholesterol (TC), LDL-C, HDL-C, and triacylglycerol levels were modeled against birthweight. Four thousand five hundred and two people reported their birthweights, mean (SD) of 3.4(0.7) kg. Females with low birthweight-LBW had higher levels of TC, LDL-C, and triacylglycerols, but no difference in HDL-C, than those with normal-birthweight-NBW;≥2.5 kg. People with LBW showed a trend toward increased risk for high TC (≥5.5 mmol/L) compared to NBW. Among females with LBW, the risk for high LDL-C (≥3.5 mmol/L) was increased compared to those of NBW. The risk for low HDL-C (<0.9 mmol/L) was increased among males with LBW compared to those with NBW. Examination of the relationship on the continuum showed no differences except for high triacylglycerol levels among females with the lowest birthweight quintile compared to the higher birthweight quintile. However, the risk for various abnormalities by birthweight quintiles was similar to that when we used the traditional definition of LBW vs. NBW. Females and males with low birthweight differ in their risk for lipids abnormalities. Females had higher risk for high LDL-C, whereas males had high risk for low HDL-C (<0.9 mmol/L). In addition, females with low birthweight had the highest triacylglycerol levels. High LDL-C, low HDL-C, and high triacylglycerols are well-recognized risk factors for cardiovascular disease.