Chemical bond characteristics and infrared reflectivity spectrum of a novel microwave dielectric ceramic CaIn2O4 with near-zero τf

Orthorhombic-structured CaIn₂O₄ ceramics with a space group Pca2₁ were synthesized via a solid-state reaction method. A high relative density (95.6 %) and excellent microwave dielectric properties (ε_r ～11.28, Qf = 74,200 GHz, τ_f ～ ?4.6 ppm/°C) were obtained when the ceramics were sintered at 1375 °C for 6 h. The dielectric properties were investigated on the basis of the Phillips–Van Vechten–Levine chemical bond theory. Results indicated that the dielectric properties were mainly determined by the InO bonds in the CaIn₂O₄ ceramics. These bonds contributed more (74.65 %) to the dielectric constant than the CaO bonds (25.35 %). Furthermore, the intrinsic dielectric properties of the CaIn₂O₄ ceramics were investigated via infrared reflectivity spectroscopy. The extrapolated microwave dielectric properties were ε_r ～10.12 and Qf = 112,200 GHz. Results indicated that ion polarization is the main contributor to the dielectric constant in microwave frequency ranges.     

Evolution of core–rim structures and phase transformations in infra-red transmitting Y-α-SiAlON ceramics

Core–rim structures were observed as common features in Y-α-SiAlON ceramics hot-pressed between 1550?1950 °C. We found most dopants were taken into α’-rims, and a transition layer grown first on α-cores from liquid-phase over-saturated with metal solutes. Elongated β’-grain were formed as minor phase with α’- or AlN-cores thus only after the α’ matrix had consumed up all Y solutes, revealing that the α’ → β’ transformation is controlled by the transient liquid-phase and similar defects and dangling bonds could be detected in both SiAlON phases by cathodoluminescence. Quantitative assessment of Y_m/3Si_12?(m+n)Al_m+nO_nN_16?n demonstrates the multiphase evolution, initiated by over-saturation of Y solutes at low temperatures thus retaining α-phase as cores to lower the infra-red transmittance, dictated by homogenization of Al solutes at higher temperature. The elimination of those phase boundaries leads to better dopant and sintering design for achieving transparent and high-performance SiAlON ceramics.     

煤岩界面的高光谱识别原理

为研究以物性成分为辨识依据的煤岩高光谱识别技术，对来自我国不同煤矿生产线的煤岩试样在350~2 500 nm波段范围进行了反射光谱的采集。通过分析代表性样品的光谱反射率曲线，得出了煤岩的主要吸收谱带，发现了岩在2 200 nm附近表现为强吸收，而煤在此波长点附近吸收不明显，原因为岩中含Al-OH振动结构的矿物含量较高，而煤中此类矿物含量较低。以此2 200 nm附近煤岩吸收差异性为煤岩识别的基本原理，通过初步预处理和包络线去除预处理的方法，在全波段和2 150~2 250 nm吸收谷特征谱带，采用了4种识别算法模型，对训练集光谱数据进行训练，预测测试集光谱类型。测试集试样类型总体识别精度达到90%左右，且具有较好的一致性，识别速度达到毫秒级，实时性好，这些原理和识别方法为实际工程应用提供了参考。     

Hydrothermally grown uniform TiO2 coatings on ZrO2 fibers and their infrared reflective and thermal conductive properties

Improving the infrared reflectivity of ZrO₂ polycrystalline fibers is of great benefit to its thermal applications. In the present research, we cast a highly uniform TiO₂ coating with a thickness ranging from dozens to hundreds of nanometers on ZrO₂ fibers by utilizing hydrothermal growth. The coating bonds tightly to the ZrO₂ fibers via Zr–O–Ti chemical linkages, and the thickness of the coating can be tailored by varying the hydrothermal growth time. The TiO₂ coating, acting as a sheath towards electromagnetic radiation, not only reflected light with wavelengths ranging from the visible region to the infrared region and up to 8 μm but also shielded the Raman signals of the ZrO₂ fibers. The present research provides an efficient way to cast controllable and uniform coatings on flexible fiber materials. The obtained ZrO₂ fibers coated with TiO₂ may have applications such as reinforcement for bulk ceramics, thermal barrier coatings, aerogels, etc., thus performing the dual functions of mechanical strengthening and thermal insulation.     

New observations and critical assessments of incipient plasticity events and indentation size effect in nanoindentation of ceramic nanocomposites

The ceramic nanocomposites (CNCs) like zirconia toughened alumina (ZTA) ceramics are important futuristic materials for structural and functional applications in advanced strategic systems, structural components, biomedical prostheses and devices. In all structural materials including the ZTA CNCs, the very early stages of plastic deformation i.e., the incipient plasticity events (IPE) are most important to be understood so that the microstructure and mechanical properties can be tuned to suit a given end application. Here we report for the first time the mechanisms of IPE in the nanoindentation experiments conducted at 10–1000 mN loads in the 40 ZTA CNCs. Here 40 ZTA CNC stands for 40 vol% of 3 mol% Yttria partially stabilized zirconia toughened alumina (40ZTA) CNC. The role of load ranges in variations of the IPE related parameters in the 40 ZTA CNCs is also studied. Further, an attempt is made to assess how the amount of zirconia content in ZTA CNCs affects the variations of the IPE related parameters. Through the extensive usage of field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and theoretical estimations, efforts are also directed to check out the linkage, if any, between the localized shear deformation and/or microcracking with the IPE events that occur in the present CNCs. In addition, a new concept of damage resistance is introduced for the first time in the present work to explain the presence of a strong indentation size effect (ISE) in the 40 ZTA CNCs. Finally, an attempt is also directed to understand how the indentation load (P) controls the relative size of interaction zones of dislocation loops as well as the damage resistance and thereby, engineer the acuteness of the ISE in ZTA CNCs. The implication of these findings in futuristic design of especially the ZTA CNCs for various applications is also discussed.     

Impact of rare earth europium (RE-Eu3+) ions substitution on microstructural,optical and magnetic properties of CoFe2−xEuxO4 nanosystems

In this study, pure cobalt ferrite (CoFe₂O₄) nanoparticles and europium doped CoFe₂O₄ (CoFe_2−xEu_xO₄; x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3) nanoparticles were synthesized by the precipitation and hydrothermal approach. The impact of replacing trivalent iron (Fe³⁺) ions by trivalent rare earth europium (RE-Eu³⁺) ions on the microstructure, optical and magnetic properties of the produced CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles was studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra exposed the consistency of a single cubic phase with the evidence of Eu₂O₃ phases for x ≥ 0.2. FTIR transmittance spectra showed that, the all investigated samples have three characteristic metal-oxygen bond vibrations corresponding to octahedral B-site (υ₁ and υ₂) and tetrahedral A-site (υ₃) around 415 cm⁻¹, 470 cm⁻¹ and 600 cm⁻¹ respectively. XRD and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy studies affirmed the integration of RE-Eu³⁺ ions within CoFe₂O₄ host lattice and decrease of average crystals size from 13.7 nm to 4.7 nm. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis showed the crucial role played by RE-Eu³⁺ added to CoFe₂O₄ in reducing the particle size below 5 nm in agreement with XRD analysis. High resolution-TEM (HR-TEM) analysis showed that the as-synthesized spinel ferrite, i.e., CoFe_2−xEu_xO₄, nanoparticles are single-crystalline with no visible defects. In addition, the HR-TEM results showed that pure and doped CoFe₂O₄ have well-resolved lattice fringes and their interplanar spacings matches that obtained by XRD analysis. Magnetic properties investigated by the vibrating sample magnetometer technique illustrated transformation of magnetic state from ferromagnetic to superparamagnetic at 300 K resulting in introducing RE-Eu³⁺ in CoFe₂O₄ lattice. At low temperature (~5 K) the magnetic order was ferromagnetic for both pure and doped CoFe₂O₄ samples. Substitution of Fe³⁺ ions in CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles with RE-Eu³⁺ ions optimizes the sample nanocrystals size, cation distribution and magnetic properties for many applications.     

Microwave dielectric ceramics in (Mg1/3Sb2/3)O2-ZrO2-TiO2 system with near zero τf and low loss in a very wide range

A series of (ZrTi)_1-x(Mg_1/3Sb_2/3)_2xO₄ (0.04?≤?x?≤?0.36) ceramics were successfully synthesized through the conventional solid-state processing. Appropriate content of CuO was added as sintering aids to promote the density of ceramics. The XRD analysis revealed that the main crystalline phase of ceramics sintered at optimal temperature belonged to α-PbO₂-type structure. Raman spectroscopy and far infrared reflectivity (FIR) spectra were employed to study the phonon modes of ceramics, which explained the relationship between microwave dielectric properties and structure. It is interesting that the τ_f are near-zero (+6.6 ~ ?4.6?ppm/°C) and meanwhile the Q×f are relatively high (29,000–41,800?GHz) for samples with x in a very wide range of 0.10–0.36. In this range, their dielectric constants (ε_r) can be adjustable from 35.4 to 24.4. The results demonstrated this ceramic system is a potential candidate for microwave dielectric applications requiring an adjustable dielectric constants and near zero τ_f.     

Structural,electrical, optical and dielectric properties of yttrium substituted cadmium ferrites prepared by Co-Precipitation method

The yttrium substituted cadmium ferrites having composition Cd_1-xY_xFe₂O₄ (X = 0.00, 0.125, 0.250, 0.375, 0.500) were synthesized by the co-precipitation method and sintered at 1100 °C for 6 h. Structural, morphological, electrical, optical and dielectric characteristics were explored by XRD, SEM, EDS, FTIR, I–V two probes, UV–Vis and LCR techniques.XRD results confirmed the cubic structure of spinel ferrites. A decrease in lattice constants of the prepared samples was observed with the substitution of Y ions and was attributed to the difference in ionic radii of Y³⁺ (0.95 Å) and Cd²⁺ (0.97 Å) ions. Cationic distributions, ionic radii of both tetrahedral and octahedral sites, tolerance factor, oxygen positional parameters, bond lengths, interatomic distances, positional parameters and bond length angles were calculated from XRD data. The morphology of the prepared ferrites was studied using SEM and results ratified the XRD results. EDS confirmed the presence of all inserted elements in Cd_1-xY_xFe₂O₄ composition. DC resistivity and drift mobility of soft-ferrites were found to be increased from 1.047 × 10⁸–4.822 × 10¹⁰ Ω-cm and 5.87 × 10⁻¹² – 1.045 × 10⁻¹⁴ cm²V⁻¹s⁻¹, respectively, at 523 K with yttrium content confirming the behavior of semiconductor materials. The optical band gap energy calculated from the UV–Vis pattern of the Cd_1-xY_xFe₂O₄ system was decreased from 3.6011 to 2.8153 eV. DC resistivity and optical band gaps exposed inverse relation. FTIR results revealed lower and upper-frequency absorption bands in the ranges of 419.31–417.01 cm⁻¹ and 540.95–565.70 cm⁻¹, respectively. Dielectric constant and dielectric losses were in decreasing order, while ac conductivity revealed rising behavior with increasing frequency. Results showed the potential of yttrium doped Cd nanoferrites for applications in high-frequency microwave absorbing devices.     

Review of pulsed thermal NDT: Physical principles,theory and data processing

This paper summarizes the basics of pulsed thermal nondestructive testing (TNDT) including theoretical solutions, data processing algorithms and practical implementation. Typical defects are discussed along with 1D analytical and multi-dimensional numerical solutions. Special emphasis is focused on defect characterization by the use of inverse solutions. A list of TNDT terms is provided. Applications of active TNDT, mainly in the aerospace industry, are discussed briefly, and some trends in the further development of this technique are described.