Isostructural phase transition (IPT) in CaMoO4 with Scheelite structure

The ceramic compound CaMoO₄ is synthesized via a solid-state reaction technique. Rietveld refinement studies were done on the powder X-ray diffraction data of CaMoO₄ and revealed that the compound is crystallized in the tetragonal Scheelite structure with I4₁/a space group. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies on CaMoO₄ divulged an anomaly around 440 °C. This anomaly is further probed using the temperature-dependent Raman and dielectric spectroscopic measurements and are corroborating with the results obtained from DSC. A detailed investigation on the temperature-dependent Raman spectroscopic data revealed that the A_1g mode of CaMoO₄ showed a soft phonon behavior up to the phase transition temperature. It is observed that the A_1g mode displayed phonon hardening behavior with further increasing the temperature. The anomaly is attributed to an isostructural phase transition (IPT), a rarely observed phenomenon in the compounds with Scheelite structure. The IPT in CaMoO₄ is elucidated with a phonon softening mechanism.     

Applications of analytical electron microscopy to guide the design of boron carbide

Compositional analysis of boron carbide on nanometer length scales to examine or interpret atomic mechanisms, for example, solid-state amorphization or grain-boundary segregation, is challenging. This work reviews advancements in high-resolution microanalysis to characterize multiple generations of boron carbide. First, ζ-factor microanalysis will be introduced as a powerful (scanning) transmission electron microscopy ((S)TEM) analytical framework to accurately characterize boron carbide. Three case studies involving the application of ζ-factor microanalysis will then be presented: (1) accurate stoichiometry determination of B-doped boron carbide using ζ-factor microanalysis and electron energy loss spectroscopy, (2) normalized quantification of silicon grain-boundary segregation in Si-doped boron carbide, and (3) calibration of a scanning electron microscope X-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy (XEDS) system to measure compositional homogeneity differences of B/Si-doped arc-melted boron carbides in the as-melted and annealed conditions. Overall, the improvement and application of advanced analytical tools have helped better understand processing–microstructure–property relationships and successfully manufacture high-performance ceramics.     

日本の寒地，北海道における2030年代の水稲生育への温暖化の影響予測とその対応(日语原文)

北海道では1980年代から2010年代まで，水稲圃場栽培期間である5–9月の気温は年代とともに上昇した。そこで，直近の2010年代（2010—2019年平均）と比べて， 2つの2030年代の予測気象から，既報の関係式より水稲生育を予測した。その結果，2030年代では2010年代に比べ，限界移植日（移植早限）が水稲栽培17地域の平均で8～9日早い。また，早限出穂期が1～5日早く，晩限出穂期が1～5日遅く，安全出穂期間が2～10日長い。出穂期は1～3日早い。出穂期から晩限出穂まで2～9日長いため，遅延型冷害の発生がやや少ない。生育期別気象は，出穂前24日以降30日間では生育が早いため平均気温が同じかやや低い。出穂前10日以降40日間および出穂期以降40日間では平均気温がやや高く，日射量はやや少ない。そのため，玄米収量は96～98％とやや低く，潜在収量性を示す気候登熟量示数は同じである。障害不稔発生に関係する穂ばらみ期冷害危険期の平均気温はわずかに低いかほぼ同じであるため，冷害発生の危険性は残る。一方，不稔発生をもたらす低温域の出現頻度には，地域間で差異がある。精米蛋白質含有率は同じであるが，アミロース含有率はやや低く，やや良食味である。米粒外観品質では被害粒歩合と着色粒歩合は一定の傾向がなく，未熟粒歩合はやや高い。精米白度は同じであるが，玄米白度はやや高い。以上の予測に対する技術的対応方向を示した。     

Defect control and ionic conductivity of oxynitride perovskite Sr0.83Li0.17Ta0.83O1.88N0.74

Perovskite lattice was tailored by introducing site vacancies and mixed anion composition, to produce Sr_0.83Li_0.17Ta_0.83O_1.88N_0.74 (Li02N). Further, Li02N was converted to a defect oxide Sr_0.83Li_0.17Ta_0.83O₃ (Li02O) by applying an optimized treatment: heating in air at 1173 K for 2 h. According to the neutron Rietveld refinement, Li02N and Li02O are tetragonal and orthorhombic, respectively, where the lattice volume of Li02O is significantly smaller than that of Li02N. The ionic conductivity (σ_ion) of Li02N and Li02O was evaluated by the ac impedance spectroscopy and the equivalent circuit analysis. Both Li02N (σ_ion = 10^?5.5 S/cm at 671 K) and Li02O (σ_ion = 10^?6.2 S/cm at 667 K) exhibited an Arrhenius behavior of ionic conductivity with activation energies of 0.87 eV and 0.75 eV, respectively. It is interpreted that the nitride component enhances the ionic conduction of Li02N, while the vacancy of the anion lattice makes an opposite effect.     

Methods and mechanisms for uniformly refining deformed mixed and coarse grains inside a solution-treated Ni-based superalloy by two-stage heat treatment

The uniform refinement mechanisms and methods of deformed mixed and coarse grains inside a solution-treatment Ni-based superalloy during two-stage annealing treatment have been investigated.The two-stage heat treatment experiments include an aging annealing treatment(AT)and a subsequent recrystallization annealing treatment(RT).The object of AT is to precipitate some δ phases and consume part of storage energy to inhibit the grain growth during RT,while the RT is to refine mixed and coarse grains by recrystallization.It can be found that the recrystallization grains will quickly grow up to a large size when the AT time is too low or the RT temperature is too high,while the deformed coarse grains cannot be eliminated when the AT time is too long or the RT temperature is too low.In addition,the mixed microstructure composed of some abnormal coarse recrystallization grains(ACRGs)and a large number of fine grains can be observed in the annealed specimen when the AT time is 3 h and RT tem-perature is 980℃.The phenomenon attributes to the uneven distribution of δ phase resulted from the heterogeneous deformation energy when the AT time is too short.In the regions with a large number of δ phases,the recrystallization nucleation rate is promoted and the growth of grains is limited,which results in fine grains.However,in the regions with few δ phases,the recrystallization grains around grain boundaries can easily grow up,and the new recrystallization nucleus is difficult to form inside grain,which leads to ACRGs.Thus,in order to obtain uniform and fine annealed microstructure,it is a prereq-uisite to precipitate even-distributed δ phase by choosing a suitable AT time,such as 12 h.Moreover,a relative high RT temperature is also needed to promote the recrystallization nucleation around δ phase.The optimal annealing parameters range for uniformly refining mixed crystal can be summarized as:900℃×12 h+990℃×(40-60 min)and 900℃×12 h+1000℃×(10-15 min).     

Highly oriented α-Al2O3 transparent ceramics shaped by shear force

Alumina platelets were arranged horizontally in submicron alumina particles by shear force in the flow of slurries during casting. The obtained alumina green bodies with platelets were pressureless-sintered in vacuum, producing ceramics with thoroughly oriented grains and high transmittance. The effects of sintering parameters on the densification, microstructure evolution, and orientation degree of alumina ceramics were investigated and discussed. The results showed that the densification, grain size, orientation degree, and in-line transmittance were increased with increasing sintering temperature. The enhancement of orientation degree was mainly coherent with grain growth. The grain-oriented samples exhibited a much higher in-line transmittance (at 600 nm) of 61 % than that of the grain random sample (29 %). Moreover, the transmission remained a high level in the ultraviolet range (<300 nm).     

Direct writing of textured ceramics using anisotropic nozzles

Direct writing is a unique means to align anisotropic particles for the fabrication of textured ceramics by templated grain growth (TGG). We show that alignment of tabular barium titanate (BT) template particles (20–40 μm width and 0.5–2 μm thickness) in a PIN-PMN-PT matrix powder (d₅₀ = 280 nm) is significantly improved during direct writing using anisotropic nozzles at high printing rates. The particle orientation distribution in as-printed filaments, and the texture orientation distribution in sintered ceramic filaments are shown to directly correlate with COMSOL Multiphysics-predicted torque distributions for direct writing with aspect ratio 2, 3 and 5 oval nozzles. Electromechanical strain properties of the textured piezoelectric ceramics significantly improved relative to random ceramics when printed with anisotropic nozzles. Simulations of aspect ratio 20 nozzles and nozzles with interior baffles demonstrate significantly increased torque and near elimination of constant shear stress cores (i.e. plug flow).     

Inter-Sample and Intra-Sample Variability in Electronic Properties of Methylammonium Lead Iodide

While the challenges associated with the stability of metal halide perovskites are well known and intensely studied, variability in electronic properties represents an equally significant, yet seldom studied, challenge that could potentially slow or inhibit the commercial viability of these systems. In this work, the contactless characterization technique time-resolved microwave conductivity (TRMC) is used to quantify the variability in electronic properties of the prototypical perovskite, methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI₃) both between different samples, and at different locations within the same sample. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a quasi-automated image-analysis strategy, it is possible to evaluate the metrics of heterogeneity in surface microstructure and correlate them with the electronic properties as obtained by TRMC. Substantial intra-sample and inter-sample variation is observed in the mobility-yield product in samples prepared following differing protocols, and in samples prepared following identical protocols.