Sol-gel prepared Ni-alumina composite materials

The sol-gel method has been utilized for the preparation of dense, homogeneous ceramic-metal composites with up to 50% Ni in Al₂O₂. Examination by SEM and TEM shows that the materials consist of micrometre-size Al₂O₃ with metallic Ni in isolated regions from 50 m down to nanometre size. The density ranges from 97% (10% Ni) to 74% (50% Ni) of the theoretical number. The hardness decreases from 18 GPa for pure alumina to 10 GPa for alumina containing 50% Ni. The fracture toughness increases significantly from K _1c=3–4 MPa m^1/2 to K _1c=8.5 MPa m^1/2. The elastic and shear moduli decrease from E=400 GPa and G=160 GPa for pure alumina to E=320 GPa and G=135 GPa when containing 50% Ni. The electrical resistivity is 10⁶m with 10 to 40% Ni but decreases drastically at 50% Ni content.     

Non fermi liquid ground states in strongly correlated f-electron materials

Experimental efforts to characterize and develop an understanding of non Fermi liquid (NFL) behavior at low temperature in f-electron materials are reviewed for three f-electron systems: M_1–xU_xPd₃ (M = Sc, Y), U_1–xTh_xPd₂Al₃, and UCu_5–xPd_x. The emerging systematics of NFL behavior in f-electron systems, based on the present sample of nearly ten f-electron systems, is updated. Many of the f-electron systems exhibit the following temperature dependences of the electrical resistivity p, specific heat C, and magnetic susceptibility for T T₀, where T_o is a characteristic temperature: P(T) 1 –aT/T ₀, where a < 0 or > 0, C(T)/T (-1/T _o) In (T/bT ₀), and (T) 1 –c(T/T_o)^1/2. In several of the f-electron systems, the characteristic temperature T_o can be identified with the Kondo temperature T_k.     

High resolution TEM study of ceramic BaO·Pr2O3·4TiO2

Ceramic specimens of BaO·Pr₂O₃·4TiO₂ (Ba_4.5Pr₉Ti₁₈O₅₄) were prepared by the mixed oxide-route. The single phase products were examined by High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM). Orthorhombic symmetry, with cell parameters a22.2 Å, b12.2 Å and c7.6 Å, was confirmed. On the basis of space group pnam (No. 62) and the crystal structural data of Rawn et al., good agreement was obtained between the experimental HRTEM images and images simulated by the multislice method.     

Thermal Conductivity of Sm3S4 System with Mixed Valence Sm Ions

The thermal conductivity () and electrical resistivity () of mixed-valence compound Sm₃S₄ have been measured in the temperature range 5 to 300 K. The present results and those presented previously [1] for the thermal conductivity between 80 to 850 K are interpreted in terms of the temperature-dependent fluctuating valence of Sm ions. Sm₃S₄ crystallizes in the cubic Th₃P₄ structure, and the cations with different valences occupy equivalent lattice sites. Divalent and trivalent Sm ions are randomly distributed in the ratio of 1:2 over all possible crystallographic cation positions (Sm²⁺ ₂Sm³⁺ ₂S^2– ₄). The behavior of the Sm₃S₄ lattice thermal conductivity _ph is extraordinary since valences of Sm ions are fluctuating (Sm³⁺Sm²⁺) with a temperature dependent frequency. In the interval 20 to 50 K (low hopping frequencies), _ph of Sm₃S₄ varies as _ph T ^–1 (it is similar to materials with static distribution of cations with different valences): at 95 to 300 K (average hopping frequencies 10⁷ to 10¹¹ Hz), _ph changes as _ph T ^–0.3 (it is similar to materials with defects). Defects in Sm₃S₄ appear because of local strains in the lattice by the electrons hopping from Sm²⁺ ions (with big ionic radii) to Sm³⁺ ions (with small ionic radii) and back (Sm²⁺Sm³⁺), at T>300 K (high hopping frequencies), _ph becomes similar to materials with homogenous mixed valence states [1].     

Deformation and fracture of an amorphous metallic alloy at high pressure

The influence of hydrostatic pressure ( 6.5 kbar) on the stress for plastic flow in a Pd_77.5Cu₆Si_16.5 amorphous metallic alloy in compression and tension has been examined. The observed effect (ln/P - 5×10^–6 bar^–1) is very close to that exhibited by crystalline metals. The highly inhomogeneous nature of the deformation appears to be unaltered by pressure. As at one atmosphere, failure in tension with high superposed pressure occurs by rupture through a zone of intense plastic shear. The fracture surface topography is strikingly different, however, because cracking inside the shear zone is suppressed in favour of crack initiation at its periphery.     

On the temperature dependence of the London penetration depth in a superconductor

In the framework of the electron-phonon theory of superconductivity [1], it is shown that the magnetic field penetration depth _L increases like a certain power of temperature atTT _c due to the low-lying excitations in the phonon spectrum. For the acoustic phonons with the density of states ² the penetration depth increases T ⁵. The origin of such a high power ofT is the same as that in the case of resistivity of the normal metal: the phonon corrections to the electromagnetic vertex should be taken into account, and major terms (T ³) cancel, the surviving ones having a higher power ofT. The possibility of linear and quadratic terms in _L(T) is discussed in a model of electrons interacting with two-level centers [2].     

Structure of alkali dimers at the surface of liquid helium

Calculations are presented of the equilibrium configuration (dimple) of a Na₂ or Li₂ molecule absorbed on the surface of liquid³H e or liquid⁴He. The computed aimer binding energies are somewhat greater than those of the monomers. The lowest energy occurs when the molecule lies flat, but the energy in the erect orientation is only 1K higher (implying relatively free rotation). The center of mass lies 4Åabove the liquid surface and the dimple has a depth 3Å. An exceptional case is Li₂ on liquid³H e, for which the surface state is unstable relative to solvation in the bulk.     

Low-temperature synthesis,pyrolysis and crystallization of tantalum oxide gels

Tantalum oxide gels in the form of transparent monoliths and powders have been prepared from hydrolysis of tantalum pentaethoxide under controlled conditions using different mole ratios of Ta(OC₂H₅)₅C₂H₅OHH₂OHCl. Alcohol acts as the mutual solvent and HCl as the deflocculating agent. For a fixed alkoxide water HCl ratio, the time of gel formation increased with the alcohol to alkoxide molar ratio. Thermal evolution of the physical and structural changes in the gel has been monitored by differential thermal analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, and infrared spectroscopy. On heating to 400 °C, the amorphous gel crystallized into the low-temperature orthorhombic phase -Ta₂O₅, which transformed into the high-temperature tetragonal phase -Ta₂O₅ when further heated to 1450 °C. The volume fraction of the crystalline phase increased with the firing temperature. The -Ta₂O₅ converted back into the low-temperature phase, -Ta₂O₅, on slow cooling through the transformation temperature of 1360 °C, indicating a slow but reversible transformation.     

CO/pH2: A Molecular Thermometer

We utilize reversible temperature dependent changes in the IR absorption spectrum of CO molecules isolated in solid parahydrogen (pH₂) to probe bulk temperature changes during rapid vapor deposition. The intensity of a well resolved feature near 2135 cm^–1 increases monotonically with temperature over the 2 to 5 K range. The thermally populated initial state of this transition lies 12 K above the CO/pH₂ ground state. During the deposition of 100 ppm CO/pH₂ samples, we detect temperature gradients 10 K/cm in 0.1 cm-thick samples subjected to heat loads 10 mW/cm². The resulting estimated thermal conductivity (TC) is 3(±2) mW/cm-K, averaged over the 2 to 5 K region. This value is 1000 times lower than the TC of single crystal solid pH₂, and 10 times lower than previously measured for pH₂ solids doped with 100 ppm concentrations of heavy impurities [Manzhelii, Gorodilov, and Krivchikov, Low Temp. Phys. 22, 131 (1996)]. We attribute this abnormally low TC to the known mixed fcc/hcp structure of the rapid vapor deposited solids.     

Nonmonotonic Temperature Dependence of the Thermal Hall Angle of a YBa2Cu3O6.95 Single Crystal

We have performed high-resolution measurements of the magnetic field (0 TB9 T) and temperature (10 KT<140 K) dependence of the longitudinal and transverse Hall thermal conductivity of a twinned YBa₂Cu₃O_6.95 single crystal. We have used and compared two recently published methods to extract the thermal Hall angle _H(T, B). Our results indicate that cot(_H) varies quite accurately as T⁴ in the intermediate temperature range 0.3c. It shows a well defined minimum at T_m20 K which resembles that observed in the c-axis microwave conductivity. The electronic part of the longitudinal and the transverse thermal conductivity show the scaling behavior for transport properties predicted for d-wave superconductors in the temperature range 18 KT30 K.     

Strength of the pyroceram So115M under lengthy static loading

The article presents the results of long-time strength tests of the casting pyroceram SO115M at room temperature by the method of three-point bending. We obtained the power dependence of the time to failure _f on the applied load : _f ^–11.7.Translated from Problemy Prochnosti, No. 1, pp. 102–104, January, 1996.     

High temperature deformation behaviour of MoSi2 and WSi2 single crystals

High temperature deformation behaviour of MoSi₂ and WSi₂ single crystals, which both oriented near 001 and near 100, have been studied by compression tests over the temperature range of 1100 to 1500° C in a high vacuum of less than 6×10^–4 Pa. At elevated temperatures, several per cent compression deformation is possible in both MoSi₂ and WSi₂. Slips on {110 and {013 planes, the dislocation with the direction of Burgers vector 331 and the stacking fault on {110 plane are observed in both deformed MoSi₂ and WSi₂. In MoSi₂, the 0.2% offset stress of the sample oriented <001> is higher than that of the sample oriented <100>. The higher strength of the sample oriented <001> is related to the higher CRSS for the main slip plane of it. The reverse orientation dependence of the strength in WSi₂ is also correlated with the difference in CRSS on {110 and {013 planes, which shows the opposite result to MoSi₂. The higher CRSS on {110 plane in WSi₂ compared to that on {013 may be caused by the formation of a large number of stacking faults on {110 plane.     

On the theory of electron tunneling in NIS systems with paramagnetic impurities

Current-voltage characteristic of NIS junctions has been studied when there are paramagnetic impurities in a narrow layer of the superconductor close to the insulator. It is shown that paramagnetic impurities in such systems considerably change the current-voltage characteristic in the narrow range of the applied potentialeV andV0.     

Preparation of YBa2Cu3O7 ? δ Thin Films by the Self-Template Sputtering Method

Using the self-template technique, c-axis-oriented epitaxial YBa₂Cu₃O_{7 –} thin films have been prepared in situ on LaAlO₃ substrate by the d.c. magnetron sputtering method. The properties of thin film dependence on the deposition conditions of the two-step self-template method have been systematically investigated. By optimizing the parameters, high-quality YBCO thin films with T _c0 90 K, T _c 1 K, R _s (77 K, 10 GHz)500 were reproducibly obtained. The best sample grown under optimal conditions gave a low R _s of 330 at 77 K, 10 GHz, which can be used in a microwave field.     

Calculation of the characteristics of a mixing CO2 gasdynamic laser with a nozzle unit of honeycomb construction

A mathematical model of a gasdynamic laser with parallel supersonic mixing of the components and its applications to the choice of the geometrical characteristics of the nozzle unit of honeycomb construction are presented.Notation T static temperature - u velocity - P pressure - molecular weight - e_i average number of vibrational quanta - k amplification ratio for a weak signal - I radiation intensity - _i molar fraction of the component in the mixture - ^* displacement thickness - r, d current radius and diameter of the nozzle - angle of inclination of the generating profile of the nozzle and characteristic temperature - h enthalpy - G flow rate - L characteristic length - A/A* expansion ratio of the nozzle - T_w wall temperature - ¯T_w=¯T_w/T_o temperature factor - =E _a /E_* nozzle efficiency - E stored vibrational energy - X=X/(r_a1 + r_a2) dimensionless coordinate Indices 1 radiating gas stream - 2 exciting gas stream - 0 stagnation value - a, *, values at the cut of the nozzle, in its critical cross section, and beyond the compression shock in the cross section of the nozzle cut Translated from Inzhenerno-Fizicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 47, No. 1, pp. 53–59, July, 1984.     

Low temperature internal friction on γ-irradiated polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)

A least-squares fitting of the below room temperature part of the internal friction spectra, obtained by the torsion pendulum technique on as-received and-irradiated (up to 1 Grad) strips and fibres of polyvinylidene fluoride [-(CH₂-CF₂-) _n -.; PVDF] by a superposition of single Debye functions, reveals that the spectral component features are determined not only by purely amorphous chain characteristics but also by the dosedependence of crystallinity. A careful analysis of the relaxation spectra confirms that at least one relaxation effect (236 K) is created upon irradiation. The analysis of the dose dependence of the characteristics of the (glass transition; 220 K) and _u (apparent upper glass transition; 270 K) relaxations, suggests the probable influence of crystallinity on the molecular motion in the amorphous phase. The increase of the intensity of the relaxation (190 K) is related to the irradiation-induced crystallite degradation.Fellow of the Interuniversitair Instituut voor Kernwetenschappen     

Non fermi liquid behavior in strongly correlated f-electron materials

Evidence for non Fermi liquid (NFL) behavior in y_1–x U_xPd₃ and related systems is reviewed and discussed within the context of possible microscopic mechanisms. Low temperature electrical resistivity, specific heat, and magnetic susceptibility measurements on the Th_1–xU_xPd₂Al₃ system reveal unconventional Kondo behavior with NFL low temperature characteristics. Magnetic susceptibility measurements on UCu_3.5Pd_1.5, which has previously been shown to exhibit NFL behavior, are presented. Some systematics of the NFL low temperature behavior observed in several f-electron materials include a linear temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity 1–aT with either positive or negative coefficient a, a logarithmically diverging specific heat C/T –lnT, and T^1/2 asymptotic behavior of the magnetic susceptibility 1 – T^1/2.     

Temperature dependence of electrical resistivity of deformed and undeformed V-rich V3Si single crystals

The electrical resistivity (T) of V-rich V₃Si single crystals (T _c-11.4 K) was measured from 4.2 to 300 K along the directions of [1 0 0] and [1 1 1] before and after plastic deformation at 1573 K. Anisotropy of (T) was observed although V₃Si has the cubic A15 structure. Plastic deformation does not affect the normal-state (T) behaviour but changes the normal-superconducting transition width T_c. At low temperatures (T _c<T 40 K), (T) varies approximately as T ⁿ where n-2.5 and this behaviour does not contradict the (0)- phase-diagram plot proposed by Gurvitch, where is the electron-phonon coupling constant and (0) is the residual resistivity.     

Surface nucleation and cellular growth kinetics of cordierite glass ceramics containing 3 mol % Y2O3-ZrO2

Cordierite-based glass ceramics of the 2MgO2Al₂O₃5SiO₂ composition with t-ZrO₂ (3 mol% Y₂O₃-ZrO₂) and P₂O₅ addition, was heat-treated isothermally and isochronically for crystallization studies. Major crystalline phases incurred by the heat treatment were t-ZrO₂ and -cordierite. Surface nucleation predominated when edge and corner nucleation in these samples were suppressed regardless of their radii of curvature. Crystallization began with the formation of -quartz S.S. and its transformation to -cordierite was followed by prolonged heating. Cellular growth of -cordierite on the surface of the quenched glass plates, gave a linear kinetics. The activation energy for cellular growth was 410 kJ mol^–1.