Solution of a multidimensional inverse radiation problem by means of mode reduction

The Karhunen–Loève Galerkin procedure is employed to solve an inverse radiation problem of determining the time‐varying strength of a heat source, which mimics flames in a furnace, from temperature measurements in three‐dimensional participating media where radiation and conduction occur simultaneously. The inverse radiation problem is solved through the minimization of a performance function, which is expressed by the sum of square residuals between calculated and observed temperature, using a conjugate gradient method. Through the Karhunen–Loève Galerkin procedure, one can represent the system dynamics with a minimum degree of freedom, and consequently the amount of computation required in the solution of the inverse problem is reduced drastically when the present technique is adopted. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of Na, Cu, Ni and Co Modifications on the Activity and Characteristics of Rh/Al2O3 Catalysts for NO Reduction

This study used different metals to modify Rh/Al₂O₃ catalysts for NO reduction in a simulated waste incineration flue gas containing 6% O₂. The characteristics of the modified catalysts were analyzed using BET, TEM and XRD. The results of the experiment reveal that Na addition can significantly affect the properties of Rh/Al₂O₃ catalysts on the BET surface area and Rh metal dispersion. Furthermore, Na addition was found to significantly enhance the NO conversion of Rh/Al₂O₃ at 250–350 °C. On the contrary, Cu, Ni, and Co addition was found to have slight suppression effects.     

Structural study of cubic pyrochlores based on quantum mechanical simulation

In the ideal A₂B₂O₆O′ pyrochlore structure, the x-value of O atom position is a variable parameter. In Bi_1.5ZnNb_1.5−xTa_xO₇ (BZNT) cubic pyrochlores, the x-values alter with the different compositions of Nb/Ta. In this work, a series of initial models for BZNT were established by analyzing X-ray diffraction data. Then three structure modifying methods, including Rietveld refinement, Rietveld refinement with energy and geometry optimization based on quantum mechanics, were employed to obtain the precise models using Materials Studio. Moreover, the reflectivities of BZNT were computed by quantum mechanical simulation based on the refined models. Comparing the simulation results from different modifying models with the experimental results, it is found that Rietveld refinement with energy optimization is the most accurate method for BZNT pyrochlores. According to the simulation results, the different reflectivities correspond well with various x-values of O atom positions in BZNT pyrochlores.     

Onset of buoyancy-driven convection in melting from below

When a horizontal homogeneous solid is melted from below, convection can be induced in a thermally unstable melt layer. In this study the onset of buoyancy-driven convection during time-dependent melting is investigated by using similarly transformed disturbance equations. The critical Rayleigh numbers based on the melt-layer thickness are found numerically for various conditions. For small superheats, the present predictions approach the well known results of classical Rayleigh-Bénard problems, that is, critical Rayleigh numbers are located between 1,296 and 1,708, regardless of the Prandtl number. However, for high superheats the critical Rayleigh number increases with an increase in phase change rate but with decrease in Prandtl number.     

Ionothermal synthesis of a three-dimensional zinc phosphate with DFT topology using unstable deep-eutectic solvent as template-delivery agent

A three-dimensional zinc phosphate compound with DFT topology, designated as ZnPO₄-EU1, has been synthesized by an ionothermal approach from the system HF-ZnO–P₂O₅-choline chloride-imidazolidone. Ethylenediamine, derived from decomposition of the imidazolidone component of the deep-eutectic solvent (DES) itself, is delivered to the synthesis and serves as an appropriate template for ZnPO₄-EU1. Experiments in which the synthesis conditions were varied showed that ZnPO₄-EU1 may be prepared over a wide molar ratio of P/Zn = 0.55–13.0. Powder X-ray diffraction patterns have been obtained at intervals to track the crystallization process of this material. The experimental data show that Zn₃(PO₄)₂ · 4H₂O (a dense phase) was first isolated from the DES after reaction for 1 h. Subsequently, the pure phase of ZnPO₄-EU1 was obtained with increasing crystallization time from 12 h to 72 h. The experimental results show that the nucleation and crystallization take place with relatively low levels of solvent degradation, demonstrating that zinc phosphate with a three-dimensional framework can be synthesized by in situ generation of an appropriate template using an unstable DES at high temperatures (150–200 °C).     

Polyetherimide substrates for future high density optical data storage

Polyetherimide (PEI) substrate for next‐generation high density optical data storage is fabricated and characterized. Cover‐layer incident or first‐surface recording configurations do not require optical properties of the substrate, which are the prerequisite conditions for the conventional material of polycarbonate (PC). Instead of the optical properties, good mechanical properties with a sufficient transcribability are required. Even though PEI has higher glass transition temperature than that of PC, a microscopic transcribability of PEI is comparable with PC by laminating a thermal insulation layer on the backside of a stamper to retard the heat flow. A macroscopic warpage of PEI substrate is smaller than that of PC substrates, which reduces tilt and servo burden. The lowest critical speed coupled with the flutter of PEI substrate is larger than that of PC substrate because of the mechanical properties of PEI. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 48:97–101, 2008. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Study on the c-axis preferred orientation of ZnO film on various metal electrodes

ZnO thin film was deposited on various metal electrodes by reactive sputtering, and c-axis preferred orientation of the film has been studied. ZnO, which has high piezoelectricity, is promising for oscillators or filter devices such as surface acoustic wave (SAW) device, gas sensor, and film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR). But, for the application of ZnO film for these devices, the film should be grown with c-axis normal to the electrode. In this study, Pt, Al, and Au were deposited on Si wafer, and the surface roughness and crystal structure of the ZnO film on the electrode were investigated using AFM, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Columnar structures of ZnO films were grown with c-axis normal to all electrodes, and among them Pt electrode showed the highest preferred orientation of ZnO film.     

Effect of Thickness of the p-AlGaN Electron Blocking Layer on the Improvement of ESD Characteristics in GaN-Based LEDs

The following letter presents a study regarding GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with p-type AlGaN electron blocking layers (EBLs) of different thicknesses. The study revealed that the LEDs could endure higher electrostatic discharge (ESD) levels as the thickness of the AlGaN EBL increased. The observed improvement in the ESD endurance ability could be attributed to the fact that the thickened p-AlGaN EBL may partly fill the dislocation-related pits that occur on the surface of the InGaN-GaN multiple-quantum well (MQW) and that are due to the strain and the low-temperature-growth process. If these dislocation-related pits are not partly suppressed, they will eventually result in numerous surface pits associated with threading dislocations that intersect the InGaN-GaN (MQW), thereby reducing the ESD endurance ability. The results of the experiment show that the ESD endurance voltages could increase from 1500 to 6000 V when the thickness of the p-AlGaN EBL in the GaN LEDs is increased from 32.5 to 130 nm, while the forward voltages and light output powers remained almost the same.