Langmuir–Blodgett films of physical and chemical polyimide mixtures from linear and network precursors

Physical and chemical mixture Langmuir–Blodgett polyimide films were obtained by reacting mellitic acid hexamethyl ester with pyromellitic anhydride and 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl ether followed by formation of polyamic acid salts with octadecyl amine. The additions of mellitic acid hexamethyl ester provided more reinforcement to the copolymers than the blends because of the more evenly distributed linear and network segments as observed from the Π-A isotherms. The alkyl chains randomly tilted to the normal of the substrate at an angle about 20° while the tilt angels increased with the increase of the amount of mellitic acid hexamethyl ester. The ordered chain packing pattern along the dipping direction was disrupted and even disappeared if more mellitic acid hexamethyl ester was added as shown from the atomic force microscopy images. Accordingly, the X-ray diffraction results showed that the crystallinity decreased with the increase of the amount of mellitic acid hexamethyl ester. The branched component, the mellitic acid hexamethyl ester, had much more effects both in structure and morphology on the copolymers than on the blends.     

Low-temperature processing of Fe–Al intermetallic coatings assisted by ball milling

A novel technique has been developed to produce Fe–Al intermetallic coatings on steel. This technique applies mechanical vibration to a retort, which is loaded with Al powder, alumina filler, ammonium chloride activator and FeCrAl alloy balls. The operation temperature was from 440 to 600 °C. This technique produced coatings with thickness of 17 μm for 15 min and 90 μm for 120 min treatment at 560 °C. The coatings appear to be homogeneous, with a high density and free of porosity, and have excellent adherence to the substrate. The coatings consisted mainly of η-Fe₂Al₅ with small amounts of θ-FeAl₃ and β-FeAl, and exhibited a nano-structure. Microstructure studies suggested that the formation of the intermetallic phases at a low temperature has a complex mechanism, including the formation of a thin Al layer on the substrate by ball milling; Al-rich phases nucleation, growth and formation of an initial alloy layer; severe plastic deformation which increases the local temperature and produces a nano-structure; and fast outward diffusion of Fe and formation of Fe–Al intermetallics. This technique reduced the treatment temperature and duration significantly compared with the conventional Al pack cementation processes, providing a new approach to industrial diffusion coatings with great energy and time savings.     

Novel microstructure and properties of multicomponent CoCrCuFeNiTix alloys

CoCrCuFeNiTi_x (x values in molar ratio, x = 0, 0.5, 0.8 and 1.0) were prepared by arc melting of the pure elements and suction casting under an argon atmosphere. Both CoCrCuFeNi and CoCrCuFeNiTi_0.5 alloys form a single FCC solid solution. While the alloys of CoCrCuFeNiTi_0.8 and CoCrCuFeNiTi are basically composed of primary FCC solid solution and eutectic mixture of FCC phase and Laves phase of Fe₂Ti type. The yield strength of the alloys increases from 230 MPa to 1272 MPa with the increase of Ti addition, among which the CoCrCuFeNiTi_0.5 alloy, especially, exhibits compressive strength of up to 1650 MPa together with extensive work hardening and large plastic strain limit of 22%. An interesting transition from paramagnetism to superparamagnetism has been discovered due to the appearance of nanoparticles embedded in the amorphous phase.     

On the behaviour of hygroscopic wheels: Part I – channel modelling

In this paper a detailed mathematical formulation is developed for the numerical modelling of the behaviour of a channel of a hygroscopic compact matrix. A comparison between the detailed version and a simplified one is performed considering a two-dimensional airflow between desiccant parallel plates. The distinct heat and mass transfer phenomena are strongly coupled, and some properties of the airflow and of the desiccant medium exhibit important changes during the sorption processes. Both physical models take into account the gas side and solid side resistances to heat and mass transfer. The wall domain is treated similarly in both models, by taking into account the simultaneous heat and mass transfer together with the water adsorption/desorption process. Two phases co-exist in equilibrium inside the desiccant porous medium, the equilibrium being characterized by sorption isotherms without hysteresis. The detailed model is based on the solution of the differential equations for the conservation of mass, energy and momentum, assuming that no momentum transport exists in the porous wall domain. In the simplified model, the airflow is treated as a bulk flow, the interaction with the wall being evaluated by using appropriated convective coefficients.Both models are compared in the simulation of a parallel plate channel during an adsorption process. The results show a good agreement for channel lengths greater than 0.1 m. In part II of the paper, the simplified model is adapted to the simulation of the three-dimensional problem in the channel of a hygroscopic rotor, and it is used to perform parametric studies.     

Automatically modeling, simulating and explaining physical systems

This paper presents an interactive framework for constructing models from high-level specifications of real physical systems, deriving low-level simulations from the constructed models and then generating explanations of the simulated behavior to help engineers interpret and control the real physical systems. To demonstrate our method, we show an example of modeling river networks, which are eco-environmental engineering systems, to provide a computer-based solution to problems of simulating and controlling concentrations of water quality constituents in river networks[1].     

Mathematical model of deoxidization with post stirring in a combined blowing converter

Dissolved oxygen in the steel at the terminal of the converter smelting process is the main cause for the formation of oxide inclusions, and the high terminal oxygen content worsens the steel cleanness. However, post stirring in a combined blowing converter can promote the carbon-oxygen reaction in the liquid steel and reduce the dissolved oxygen content at the terminal of the converter smelting process. Thus, the mathematical model of deoxidization in the post stirring process was obtained, and the rationa...     

Lattice-based key exchange on small integer solution problem

In this paper, we propose a new hard problem, called bilateral inhomogeneous small integer solution （Bi-ISIS）, which can be seen as an extension of the small integer solution problem on lattices. The main idea is that, instead of choosing a rectangle matrix, we choose a square matrix with small rank to generate Bi-ISIS problem without affecting the hardness of the underlying SIS problem. Based on this new problem, we present two new hardness problems： computational Bi-ISIS and decisional problems. As a direct application of these problems, we construct a new lattice-based key exchange （KE） protocol, which is analogous to the classic Diffie- Hellman KE protocol. We prove the security of this protocol and show that it provides better security in case of worst-case hardness of lattice problems, relatively efficient implementations, and great simplicity.     

Influence of depth-thickness ratio of mining on the stability of a bedding slope with its sliding surface in concave deformation

In order to study the influence of depth-thickness ratio on bedding slope stability, whose sliding surface is flexural concave in shape under mining conditions, this paper aims to study the characteristics of deformation and damage of bedding sliding with depth-thickness ratios of 200:1, 150:1, 120:1, 100:1 and 50:1by adopting numerical simulation analysis software combined with laboratory-made ‘‘under the influence of mining variable sliding surface slope similar simulation test bed", and to propose identification methods for slope stability under the influence of mining. The results show that mining activities under the slope reduce slope stability. With a decrease in the mining depth ratio, the influence of mining on the slope increases gradually, and the damage to the slope gradually expands, the stability of the slope gradually reduces, fracture occurs on the slope toe and the central fissure gradually develops to the surface,and reaches slide threshold when the depth-thickness ratio is 50:1.     

Accelerated electrospark deposition and the wear behavior of coatings

Electrospark deposition (ESD) is a coating process that is featured by low heat input to the substrate. Low coating efficiency and other limitations influence its wider application. The present paper introduces newly designed ESD equipment, by which a higher coating rate can be reached. The relationship among coating thickness, surface roughness, and process parameters such as pulse energy, pulse frequency, and deposition time are presented. Electrospark deposition coating by the new equipment on AISI 1045 steel (with WC-8% Co as electrode) increases the wear resistance by 5 to 8 times. The micromechanism is investigated by scanning electron microscopy observation.