Characterization of sea water ageing effects on mechanical properties of carbon/epoxy composites for tidal turbine blades

In recent years, many tidal turbine projects have been developed using composites blades. Tidal turbine blades are subject to ocean forces and sea water aggressions, and the reliability of these components is crucial to the profitability of ocean energy recovery systems. The majority of tidal turbine developers have preferred carbon/epoxy blades, so there is a need to understand how prolonged immersion in the ocean affects these composites. In this study the long term behaviour of different carbon/epoxy composites has been studied using accelerated ageing tests. A significant reduction of composite strengths has been observed after saturation of water in the material. For longer immersions only small further changes in these properties occur. No significant changes have been observed for moduli nor for composite toughness. The effect of sea water ageing on damage thresholds and kinetics has been studied and modelled. After saturation, the damage threshold is modified while kinetics of damage development remain the same.     

Impact behavior and fractographic study of carbon nanotubes grafted carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy matrix multi-scale hybrid composites

Carbon nanotubes are the most promising reinforcement for high performance composites. Multiwall carbon nanotubes were directly grown onto the carbon fiber surface by catalytic thermal chemical vapor deposition technique. Multi-scale hybrid composites were fabricated using the carbon nanotubes grown fibers with epoxy matrix. Morphology of the grown carbon nanotubes was investigated using field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The fabricated composites were subjected to impact tests which showed 48.7% and 42.2% higher energy absorption in Charpy and Izod impact tests respectively. Fractographic analysis of the impact tested specimens revealed the presence of carbon nanotubes both at the fiber surface and within the matrix which explained the reason for improved energy absorption capability of these composites. Carbon nanotubes presence at various cracks formed during loading provided a direct evidence of micro crack bridging. Thus the enhanced fracture strength of these composites is attributed to stronger fiber–matrix interfacial bonding and simultaneous matrix strengthening due to the grown carbon nanotubes.     

Beneficial effects of wettability altering surfactants in oil-wet fractured reservoirs

In fractured reservoirs, an effective matrix-fracture mass transfer is required for oil recovery. Surfactants have long been considered for oil recovery enhancement, mainly in terms of their ability to reduce oil–water interfacial tension. These surfactants are effective when the fractured formations are water-wet, where capillary imbibition of surfactants from the fracture into the matrix contributes to oil recovery. However, another beneficial aspect of surfactants, namely their ability to alter wettability, remains to be explored and exploited. Surfactants capable of altering wettability can be especially beneficial in oil-wet fractured formations, where the surfactant in the fracture diffuses into the matrix and alters the wettability, enabling imbibition of even more surfactant into the matrix. This sequential process of initial diffusion followed by imbibition continues well into the matrix yielding significant enhancements in oil recovery.In order to test this hypothesis of sequential diffusion–imbibition phenomenon, Dual-Drop Dual-Crystal (DDDC) contact angle experiments have been conducted using fractured Yates dolomite reservoir fluids, two types of surfactants (nonionic and anionic) and dolomite rock substrates. A new experimental procedure was developed in which crude oil equilibrated with reservoir brine has been exposed to surfactant to simulate the matrix-fracture interactions in fractured reservoirs. This procedure enables the measurements of dynamic contact angles and oil–water interfacial tensions, in addition to providing the visual observations of the dynamic behavior of crude oil trapped in the rock matrix as it encounters the diffusing surfactant from the fractures. Both the measurements and visual observations indicate wettability alterations of the matrix surface from oil-wet to less oil-wet or intermediate wet by the surfactants. Thus this study is of practical importance to oil-wet fractured formations where surfactant-induced wettability alterations can result in significant oil recovery enhancements. In addition, this study has also identified the need to include contact angle term in the dimensionless Bond number formulations for better quantitative interpretation of rock–fluids interactions.     

微流控分析芯片制作中的低温键合技术

微流控分析芯片制作方法的研究是微流控分析的基础。制作性能良好的微流控分析芯片时,基片与盖片的键合技术十分重要。本文针对近年来发展迅速的低温键合技术,对各种方法进行了评价,并对其发展前景进行了展望。     

The measurement of the diffusion coefficient and the sorption isotherm of water in paint films

An experimental technique together with a numerical model is proposed with which the diffusion coefficient and the sorption isotherm of water in paint can be measured. Inside a closed vessel, paint films are on stainless-steel plates. Water is present as water vapour in the air and in the paint. After blowing dry or wet air through the vessel for some time, the situation moves to a new equilibrium. The relative humidity of the air inside the vessel is measured as a function of time. From fitting the theoretical/numerical model against the experimental values, follow the diffusion coefficient and the sorption isotherm of water in the paint. The results show large scattering. When the independently measured sorption isotherm is used as an input parameter in the model, the fitting procedure gives much smaller scattering for the diffusion coefficient.     

Scale Up from Small Oven-Drying Tests of Mineral Concentrate to Pilot-Scale Drying with a Heated Pad

While Fickian diffusion models are commonly used in other applications, there are few reports of them being applied to the batch drying of a mineral concentrate. Diffusion coefficients estimated from small-scale oven-drying tests were used to predict the drying behavior of a concentrate sample 1 m × 1 m in area and 50 cm deep, with a heated bottom pad. These pilot-scale tests included both daily turning of the sample and turning every three days. The excellent quantitative agreement between the predicted and observed pilot-scale behavior gives a high level of confidence in the model predictions and suggests that a Fickian diffusion model is adequate to predict the behavior of mineral concentrates at the low moisture contents used here.     

野外大气扩散试验中四面体气球示踪实验的初步评价

1985年11月在瑞士北部进行了一次以探讨“冷池”条件下的扩散和湍流特征为目的的国际野外大气试验,本文介绍其中的四面体气球示踪实验的结果。一共进行了三次由雷达跟踪的四面体示踪实验,释放了10个四面体球。按多轨迹法和单轨迹法分别估算并比较了其中两次示踪实验得到的水平扩散参数σ_y,探讨了风摆效应的贡献。采用“体源模式”并结合单轨迹法估算了微弱风场不定风向条件下的扩散参数,分析了静风,弱风条件下的水平风向标准差和湍流强度。     

JOINING MECHANISMS OF β''''-Al2O3 CERAMIC AND PYREX GLASS TO Al MATRIX COMPOSITE

The bonding of β'-Al2O3 and pyrex glass to Al matrix composites by anodic bonding process is achieved. The microstructure of the bonded interface and the joining mechanisms are analyzed with scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (EDX). It is observed that the bonding region across the interface consists of the metal layer, oxide transitional layer and the ceramic layer, with the transitional layer composed of surface region and sub-surface region. The bonding process can mainly be categorized into anodic bonding process and solid state diffusing process. The pile-up of the ions and its drift in the interface area are the main reasons for anode oxidation and joining of the interface. The temperature, voltage and the drift ions in the ceramic or glass during the bonding process are the essential conditions to solid state diffusing and oxide bonding at the interface. The voltages, temperature, pressure as well as the surface state are the main factors that influence the anodic bonding.     

Amorphous diffusion bonding of steel pipe and its impact toughness

An iron-based amorphous foil (FeNiCrSiB) was used as an interlayer for the amorphous diffusion bonding of low carbon steel pipes under argon flux. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the joint were analyzed using an electron probe micro-analyzer (EPMA), tensile test, bending test and impact test. The results show that the joint microstructure resembles that of the base metal and no precipitates form at the joint. Melting point depressants (B, Si) diffuse far away from the joint and the base metal element is homogenous across the joint. The joint impact toughness is greater than the base metal toughness and the mechanical properties of the joint are similar around the pipe.     

Structural properties of phosphorous-doped polycrystalline silicon

The structural properties and hydrogen bonding of undoped and phosphorous doped polycrystalline silicon produced by step-by-step laser dehydrogenation and crystallization technique were investigated using Raman spectroscopy and hydrogen effusion measurements. At low laser fluences, E_L, a two-layer system is created. This is accompanied by the change in hydrogen bonding. The intensity of the Si–H vibration mode at 2000 decreases faster than the one at 2100 cm⁻¹. This is even more pronounced in phosphorous-doped specimens. The laser crystallization results in an increase of the hydrogen binding energy by approximately 0.2–0.3 eV compared to the amorphous starting materials.