Effect of crystalline phase, orientation and temperature on the dielectric properties of poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)

The effect of crystalline phase, uniaxial drawing and temperature on the real () and imaginary () parts of the relative complex permittivity of poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) was studied in the frequency range between 10² and 10⁶ Hz. Samples containing predominantly and phases, or a mixture of these, were obtained by crystallization from a DMF solution at different temperatures. phase samples were also obtained from melt crystallization and from commercial films supplied by Bemberg Folien. Different molecular orientations were obtained by uniaxial drawing of and phase samples. The results showed that the crystalline phase exerts strong influence on the values of and , indicating that the _a relaxation process, associated with the glass transition of PVDF, is not exclsively related to the amorphous region of the polymer. An interphase region, which maintains the conformational characteristics of the crystalline regions, should influence the process decisively. The molecular orientation increased the values of for both PVDF phases and modified its dependence with temperature over the whole frequency range studied. The influence of the crystallization and molecular orientation conditions on the dc electric conductivity (_dc) were also verified. The value of _dc was slightly higher for samples crystallized from solution at the lowest temperature and decreased with draw ratio.     

Influence of Multiple‐Scattering Processes on the Laser Probing of Biological Tissues

Theoretical aspects of multiplescattering processes in laser probing of biological tissues have been considered. The method of digital dynamic specklephotography has been described. The results of experimental studies of the nearsurface blood flow and stressedstrained states in a pinstructure–toothroot model are presented.     

Texture study of two molybdenum shaped charge liners by neutron diffraction

The textures of two different conical shaped liners, fabricated by the same forging processes from arc-cast and powder-sintered ingots, were investigated by using neutron-diffraction measurements and three-dimensional orientation-distribution-function (ODF) analysis. The major textures of both liners could be described by the (1 1 1) uv w and (1 0 0) u v w type. The two liners had essentially identical texture at the 8 cm position (measured from the base of the cone) with strong sheet-type texture components, i.e. (1 1 1) ¯1 0 1, (1 1 1) ¯1 1 0 and (1 0 0) 0 1 1. However, the dominant textures at the 3 cm positions were 1 1 1 and 1 0 0 fibre textures with the fibre axes oriented parallel to the normal direction in both liners. A strong cube texture was observed at the 3 cm position of the arc-cast liner but it was not observed for the powder-sintered liner. The arc-cast liner had a generally higher degree of texture than the powder-sintered liner.     

Martensitic transformations in Ti-Mo alloys

A detailed investigation has been made of the structure of alloys of the Ti-Mo system containing up to 10wt% Mo, water-quenched from the-phase region. With increase in molybdenum content, the martensite structure changes from hexagonal () to orthorhombic () at 4 wt% Mo, and at 10 wt% Mo, the structure is completely retained . For alloy compositions <4 wt% Mo, there is a diffusional component in the transformation of the -phase at the quench rates employed. There is a transition, with increase in molybdenum content, in morphology (from massive to acicular) and in substructure (from dislocations to twins). However, the transitions in crystallography, morphology and sub-structure are not directly related to one another except for an abrupt loss of dislocation substructure at the/ transition. The to crystallographic transition has the characteristics of a second order transformation, and evidence has been obtained of the existence of a spinodal within the metastable orthorhombic system. The orthorhombic martensites of Ti-6 and 8 wt% Mo decompose during quenching producing a fine modulated structure within the martensite plates, consistent with a proposed spinodal mode of decomposition.     

Precipitation phenomena in the Mg-31 at% Li-1 at% Al alloy

Precipitation phenomena produced in the -phase (b c c) of the Mg-31 at% Li-1 at%Al alloy subjected to different heat treatments have been studied by sensitive single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. The variation of the hardness values of specimens quenched and then aged was also examined. It was confirmed that AlLi is a stable phase at room temperature for the examined Al content; AlLi precipitation is only produced for very slow cooling rates from the -field. Phase reactions for specimens quenched and then aged can be summarized as follows: ++ after ageing at room temperature; + ++ AlLi after ageing at 473 K. A considerable increase of the hardness, which attains its maximum value after about 30 h ageing at room temperature, was observed. Neither the -phase nor the AlLi-phase precipitation can account for the observed hardening process. The presence of the -metastable phase when the hardness reaches its maximum value is verified.     

Thermal Expansion and Isothermal Compressibility of TlIn1 – xNdxSe2 (0 ≤ x≤ 0.08) Crystals

The thermal expansion coefficient () and isothermal compressibility ( _T ) of TlIn_{1 – x} Nd _x Se₂(0 x 0.08) crystals were measured between 77 and 400 K. In the range 77–160 K, both and _T increase with temperature, the increase in being much steeper. At higher temperatures, and _T change very little. The observed composition dependences of and _T are interpreted in terms of energy-band structure.     

Deformation and failure of adhesive bonds under shear loading

Experiments have shown that certain mechanical properties can be greatly enhanced when a material is stressed while under tight spatial constraint. In this work, the post-yield behaviour of brittle and ductile epoxy resins used as thin adhesive bonds was determined using the napkin ring shear test. Real-time observations of the deformation in the bond as well as SEM post-failure analysis were employed to gain information on the failure process. The complete stress-strain histories of the adhesives were established for bond thicknesses ranging from the micrometre level up to values large enough to expose the bulk properties. The most dramatic variations occurred for the ultimate shear strain, _f; for the brittle adhesive, _f increased by over 30-fold relative to the bulk material when the bond thickness, t, was decreased to a few micrometres. Experimental evidence and analytical considerations suggest that the decline of _f with t was due to premature bond failure caused by tensile microcracks or voids that were formed in the interlayer during loading, with the specific _f versus t relationship being a mere reflection of the variations in the degree of stress concentration at the tip of the flaws. The astonishingly large value of _f (i.e. 2.8–3.4) found for the brittle epoxy in the micrometre thickness range, is believed to represent the intrinsic shear strain of this material.     

Investigation of Sonoluminescence Amplification under the Interaction of Ultrasonic Fields Widely Differing in Frequency

The laws of sonoluminescence generation under the interaction of ultrasonic fields widely differing in frequency have been investigated. It is shown that nonadditive amplification of the sonoluminescence is observed not only under the simultaneous action of the fields on a liquid, but also in a highfrequency field after preliminary insonification of the liquid by a lowfrequency field. The phenomenon of a longduration aftereffect of the lowfrequency field on the cavitation generated by the highfrequency field has been revealed. On the basis of the obtained results the conclusion has been drawn that the main mechanism of increasing the cavitation activity in the interacting fields is the generation of new cavitation nuclei as a result of the collapse of bubbles excited by the lowfrequency field.     

The plastic behaviour of 〈100〉 and 〈111〉 textured polycrystalline metals during simultaneous torsion and extension

On the basis of computer-calculated yield functions, the work hardening of 100 textured Cu-0.64 at % Co-0.48 at % Si and 111 textured polycrystalline copper wires were studied by simultaneous torsion and extension and by pure extension. Representing the work hardening by resolved shear stress-resolved shear strain curves, the rate of hardening is significantly lower for torsion than for pure extension. This behaviour is explained by the operation of different slip systems activated in the two modes of deformation. In the 100 textured Cu-Co-Si wires, heterogeneous plastic deformation was observed beyond about 80% shear strain.     

Evidence for collective excitations in superconducting tin whiskers

Based on the assumption that a phase-slip center in a clean quasi-one-dimensional superconductor excites a collective oscillation, the time-averaged value of the electrochemical potential of quasiparticles is calculated. At larger distances from the phase-slip center, swings below (or above) the electrochemical potential _p of the Cooper pairs. This makes it possible to understand the unexpected results of previous measurements.     

Effect of phase proportions on deformation and cavitation of superplastic α/β brass

Studies have been made, using metallographic and precision density techniques, of the deformation and cavitation behaviour during superplastic tensile straining at 873 K of three microduplex/ brasses which, as a consequence of varying composition, contained varying proportions of and phases. It was observed that both strain-rate sensitivity and elongation-to-failure passed through a maximum when approximately equivolume proportions of the two phases were present. Cavitation, on the other hand, decreased rapidly as the volume fraction of phase was increased. The cavitation behaviour was attributed to the relative abilities of the phases to accommodate grain boundary sliding. When a high proportion of phase is present accommodation is minimal and cavity nucleation. occurs readily. Evidence is presented to show that grain-boundary sliding plays a predominant role in cavity growth. When a high proportion of phase is present accommodation is almost complete and cavity nucleation is minimal.     

The influence of ageing on the stability of β-γ/γ′ derived microstructures in Ni-Al-Cr-(Co) alloys

Multiphase Ni-Al-(Fe)-(Cr)-(Co)-based intermetallics with (B2)- (A1)/(L1₂), - or - microstructures can exhibit significant room-temperature tensile ductility. In the case of Ni-Al-Cr-based alloys, microstructural development is complicated by the precipitation of -Cr, which can supplant the -phase during ageing of three-phase -/ microstructures. An investigation of the stability, during ageing, of cast Ni-Al-Cr-(Co) alloys with microstructures derived from -/ is reported. In the as-cast condition, the materials investigated consisted of a dendritic matrix containing L1₀ type martensite and interdendritic /. Extensive intra- and interdendritic -Cr precipitation was also observed. The stability during ageing of the interdendritic / microstructure is also considered and transformation of the L1₀ martensite is examined.     

Influence of calcination and sintering temperatures on the structure of (Pb1 − xBax )ZrO3

(Pb1–xBax)ZrO3 powders are synthesized below 800 °C for x 0.25 using a semi-wet route involving solid-state thermochemical reaction in a mixture of ZrO2 and (Pb1–xBax)CO3. The (Pb1–xBax)CO3 precursors were obtained by a forced coprecipitation technique. These powders can be sintered to achieve nearly 99% of the theoretical density at 1050 °C, which is 200 to 300 °C lower than that employed for the solid state route. The structure of as-calcined powder is orthorhombic for x 0.10 and rhombohedral for 0.25 > x 0.35, whereas the two phases coexist for 0.15 x 0.25. The structure of sintered material is orthorhombic for 0 x 0.10, rhombohedral for 0.20 x 0.30, and cubic for x 0.35, whereas orthorhombic and rhombohedral phases coexist at x = 0.15. The difference in the structure of the as-calcined and sintered powders is discussed in terms of particle size effect and chemical homogenisation of Ba2+ in the PBZ matrix.     

Microstructural characterization of γ-TiAl base alloy by electron probe x-ray microanalysis and electron backscatter diffraction

Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and electron probe x-ray microanalysis (EPMA) in combination with x-ray diffraction (XRD) were applied for phase identification of the ternary precipitates and accompanying phases in Ti-49.6Al-1.9Fe alloy after heat treatment at 1400°C followed by furnace cooling. The heat treatment resulted in formation of the duplex structure consisting of equiaxed grains of the phase (AuCu type) and lamellae of the and ₂ (Ni₃Sn type). The ternary ₂ (Mn₂₃Th₆ type) phase, containing 21–22 at. % Fe, was revealed on the grain boundaries of the -matrix and lamellae, and is accompanied by ₂ precipitates. Different morphologies of the ₂ + ₂ colonies were found to differ in chemical composition, coarse particles being depleted in titanium, and the fine particles enriched in it. The combination of EPMA and EBSD in scanning electron microscopy proved to be very effective in local phase identification of specimens with fine multiphase structure.     

Scattering in a Spin-Charge Separated Non-Fermi Liquid

The electron self-energy due to the scattering on nonmagnetic impurities in a spin-charge separated non-Fermi liquid is calculated. The frequency dependence of the inverse scattering time is proportional to , for the case when the anomalous parameter = 0, and to ¹⁺ for 0. The scattering time is cutoff dependent when the anomalous parameter is nonzero.     

The Interplay of Electronic and Nuclear Magnetism in PtFe x at Milli-, Micro-, and Nanokelvin Temperatures

We have measured ac susceptibility, nuclear magnetic resonance, and nuclear heat capacity of two PtFe _x samples with concentrations of magnetic impurities x = 11 ppm and 41 ppm at magnetic fields (0 ± 0.05) mTB248 mT. The susceptibility data have been measured at temperatures of 0.3 KT100 mK, no hint for nuclear magnetic ordering could be detected to a temperature of 0.3 K. The nuclear heat capacity data taken at 1.4 KT10 mK show enhanced values which scale with x at low polarization. This effect is described by a model assuming an internal magnetic field caused by the impurities. No indication for nuclear magnetic ordering could be detected to 1.4 K. The nuclear magnetic resonance experiments have been performed on these samples at 0.8 KT0.5 mK and 2.5 mTB22.8 mT as well as on three other samples with x = 5, 10, 31 ppm in a different setup at 40 KT0.5 mK and at 5.4 mTB200 mT. Spin-lattice and effective spin-spin relaxation times ₁and ₂ ^* of ¹⁹⁵ Pt strongly depend on x and on the external magnetic field. No temperature dependence of ₁and ₂ ^* could be detected and the NMR data, too, give no hint for nuclear magnetic ordering to 0.8 K.     

Phase decomposition of liquid-quenched β-type Ti-Cr alloys

Phase decomposition behaviour of liquid-quenched (bcc) type Ti-Cr alloys was investigated by means of transmission electron microscopy and hardness measurements. It was found that decomposition of to ₁ (Ti-rich, bcc) + ₂ (Ti-lean, bcc) takes place in the intermediate composition range of the Ti-Cr system. This experimental result proves the theoretical prediction made by Menon and Aaronson, but the observed ₁ + ₂ two-phase field expands towards higher temperatures than the predicted binodal line. The coherent ₁ + ₂ two-phase state exhibits the so-called 100 modulated structure and it was concluded that the formation of such a structure is a result of spinodal decomposition of the -phase. We obtained time-temperature-transformation (TTT) diagrams of -type Ti-30, 40 and 50 at % Cr alloys. A typical sequence of structural change is coherent ₁ + ₂ incoherent ₁ + ₂ incoherent ₁ + ₂ + grain boundary precipitates stable state of + TiCr₂ or + TiCr₂. Not all the states in the above sequence appear, depending on alloy composition, liquid-quenching rate and ageing temperature.     

Dielectric properties of LiF single crystals

The dielectric constant,, loss, tan, and a.C. Conductivity, , of high quality single crystals of LiF have been measured in the frequency range 10² to 10⁵ Hz and in the temperature range 30 to 400° C. of LiF at 30° C is 8.3 and is frequency independent; tan was below detection level (tan<0.0001). increases slowly with temperature up to about 150° C (frequency independent region) beyond which it rises rapidly, being frequency dependent with larger values at lower frequencies. A similar behaviour is exhibited by tan . The activation energy for conduction in the high temperature region is calculated to be 0.93 eV from log against 1/T graphs. Log () against 1/T plots (where is the difference between the dielectric constant at any temperature and the value at room temperature, 30° C) yields an activation energy value of 1.0 eV in the high temperature region. This activation energy is found to be independent of frequency. This agreement between the two activation energy values, one for the a.c. conductivity and the other for the increase with temperature. This suggests that the same charge carriers are responsible for the two processes in the high temperature region.     

A crystal plasticity materials constitutive model for polysynthetically-twinned γ-TiAl + α2-Ti3Al single crystals

Deformation behavior of polysynthetically-twinned lamellar -TiAl + ₂-Ti₃Al single crystals has been analyzed using a three-dimensional, isothermal, rate-dependent, large-strain, crystal-plasticity based materials constitutive model. Within the model it is assumed that plastic deformation parallel to the -TiAl/₂-Ti₃Al lamellar boundaries is controlled by the softer -TiAl phase while deformation which contains a component normal to these boundaries is dominated by the harder ₂-Ti₃Al phase. The parameters appearing in the crystal-plasticity materials constitutive relations are assessed using the available experimental information pertaining to the active slip systems, their deformation resistances and hardening and rate behavior of the two constitutive phases both in their single-crystalline and in polysynthetically-twinned lamellar forms. The constitutive relations are implemented in a Vectorized User Material Subroutine (VUMAT) of the commercial finite element program Abaqus/Explicit within which the material state is integrated during loading using an explicit Euler-forward formulation. The results obtained suggest that the adopted crystal-plasticity model and the parameters assessed in the present work account quite well for the observed room-temperature deformation behavior of polysynthetically-twinned lamellar -TiAl + ₂-Ti₃Al single crystals.     

The effect of Si,Zr, Al and Mo on the structure and strength of Ti martensite

The structure and strength of martensite in near titanium alloys have been studied in the composition range (wt %) up to 10% Zr, 6%, Al, 1/2% Mo, 2.4% Si. [0001], 1/3 11¯20 dislocations, 1/3 10¯10 stacking faults and approximately {10¯11} twin related martensite plates are found to be common features of the martensite. Martensite midribs consist either of finely transformed material between martensite plates, or regions of low dislocation density within martensite plates.The martensite morphology is related to the alloy composition, changing from massive to plate-like with increasing solute content. The strength of the martensite is controlled largely by solid solution strengthening.