Understanding the role of gravity in the crystallization suppression of ZBLAN glass

ZBLAN (ZrF₄–BaF₂–LaF₃–AlF₃–NaF) glass fibers are excellent materials for the use in many applications, such as fiber optics, fiber amplifiers, and lasers for cutting, drilling, and surgery. The main advantage of ZBLAN glasses over other glasses, such as silica, is its superior infrared transmissibility. The theoretical optical transmission spectrum for a ZBLAN fiber is from 0.3 μm in the UV to 7 μm in the IR region. The main obstacle with ZBLAN glass is the extrinsic losses from impurities, which includes crystallites formed during the manufacturing process. Due to ZBLAN’s narrow working range, crystallites easily form during the drawing process, which inhibits the materials transmissibility. Microgravity (μ-g) processing has been proven to suppress crystallization in ZBLAN glass, thus allowing the material to reach its theoretical loss coefficient. Past researchers have shown that this phenomenon exists, but the mechanism of crystallization suppression in a microgravity environment is not well understood. This research endeavors to understand the role that gravity plays on the crystallization suppression of ZBLAN glass. The outcome of this study will impact the production of superior mid-IR fiber optics and could lead to a more feasible manufacturing technique. The main conclusion developed from this study is that the process is heavily dependent upon mass transfer kinetics such as diffusion and buoyancy-driven convection. Thus, suppressing buoyancy-driven convection, at relevant drawing temperatures, suppresses crystallization growth in ZBLAN glass. This theory was proven through microgravity experimentation, analytical, and computational modeling.     

An Assessment of Joint Rigidity with Ultrasonic Wave Energy

A modular satellite design has been proposed in order to enable rapid deployment of satellites. The design would allow panels with common functions to be manufactured and tested long before a new satellite is needed. Once the satellite is assembled, a quality assessment of the connections between panels would need to be performed before the craft is deemed flight worthy. This paper reports on an investigation on the feasibility of using transmitted wave energy for joint rigidity assessment. The experimental setup and methods will be presented. Experiments were conducted on a joint between two aluminum plates consisting of a dry aluminum-to-aluminum connection, similar to possible panel-to-panel connections that could be used as part of a modular satellite design. Comparisons were made between wave energy transmission and a mechanical assessment of the joint rigidity. Results show excellent correlation between joint rigidity and energy transmission, demonstrating the feasibility of the using wave energy transmission amplitudes to inspect metal-to-metal dry connections.     

Energy Release in Fiber-Reinforced Plastic Reinforced Concrete Beams

A set of 30 concrete beams reinforced with carbon/epoxy FRP (fiber-reinforced plastic) and four reinforced with comparable size steel rebars were subjected to static bending tests. Adequate bond between the FRP and the concrete was obtained, due to the use of carbon fiber overwrap on the smooth pultruded FRP rods. With adequate bond, the large strain to failure (>2%) of the FRP determines the ductility and failure mode of the FRP reinforced beams. An analytical evaluation of the fracture energy in these experiments shows that there is ductility due to the large fraction of the total strain energy that is absorbed in the concrete, because of the formation of distributed cracking. Variations in overwrap configuration, addition of steel stirrups, addition of polypropylene fibers, and comparison with four beams reinforced with equivalent steel reinforcement were also analyzed.     

Heat transport in Stokes’ problem with melting: a two-layer approach

We analyze the heat transport from a heated sphere as it melts its way through a solid medium. The work of Emerman and Turcotte [Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer 26 (11) (1983) 1625-1630] is used as a starting point. A thermal layer is added beyond the melt layer to account more accurately for the heat transport to the surrounding medium. This two-layer approach allows us to estimate the extent of the melt region.     

Blends of polypropylene and ethylene octene comonomer with conducting fillers: Influence of state of dispersion of conducting fillers on electrical conductivity

Blends of polypropylene/ethylene octene comonomer (PP/EOC) with conducting fillers viz., carbon black (CB) and multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNT) were prepared using melt mixing technique with varying filler concentration and blend compositions. Thermo gravimetric analysis studies indicated that presence of filler enhanced the thermal stability of PP/EOC blends. Morphological analysis revealed the formation of matrix‐dispersed droplet and co‐continuous type of morphology depending on the blend compositions. Significant reduction in droplet size and finer ligament thickness in co‐continuous structure were observed in the blends with filler due to compatibilization action. Fillers were found to be aggregated in the EOC phase irrespective of blends compositions and could be related to the affinity of the fillers toward EOC phase. The electrical conductivity of PP/EOC blends with CB and MWNT was found to be highest for 80/20 composition and decreased as EOC content increased. The percolation threshold of CB was between 10 and 15 wt% for the 80/20 and 70/30 blends whereas it was 15–20 wt% for blends with EOC content higher than 30 wt%. The percolation threshold was 2–3 wt% MWNT for PP/EOC blends. This was attributed to the aggregated filler network preferentially in the EOC phase. The melt‐rheological behavior of PP/EOC blends was significantly influenced in presence of both the fillers. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Mechanical and tribological properties of amorphous carbon films

The mechanical and tribological properties of amorphous carbon films have been studied in more detail in recent years because these films (a) can be deposited near room temperature, thus allowing film deposition on common engineering alloys (i.e., aluminum and steel) without altering their mechanical properties, and (b) are smooth and conform to surface roughness of the substrate, thus requiring no post deposition processing. In addition, amorphous carbon films exhibit low unlubricated sliding friction in contact with steel and ceramics which is comparable to that of steel against steel in a lubricated contact. The wear resistance of these films is also better than Ti‐based hard coatings. Further improvement in film tribological properties can be achieved by modifying film chemical composition. Because of these attractive features, amorphous carbon films have been evaluated in several applications including automotive, electronic and biomedical engineering. However, environmental factors such as oxygen and humidity have been found to influence tribological properties significantly. This paper reviews the current understanding of the tribological properties of both hydrogenated and non‐hydrogenated amorphous carbon films, the mechanisms responsible for low friction coefficient and identifies areas that require further research. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

High Performance Lithium‐Ion Batteries Using Layered 2H‐MoTe2 as Anode

The major challenges faced by candidate electrode materials in lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) include their low electronic and ionic conductivities. 2D van der Waals materials with good electronic conductivity and weak interlayer interaction have been intensively studied in the electrochemical processes involving ion migrations. In particular, molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe₂) has emerged as a new material for energy storage applications. Though 2H‐MoTe₂ with hexagonal semiconducting phase is expected to facilitate more efficient ion insertion/deinsertion than the monoclinic semi‐metallic phase, its application as an anode in LIB has been elusive. Here, 2H‐MoTe₂, prepared by a solid‐state synthesis route, has been employed as an efficient anode with remarkable Li⁺ storage capacity. The as‐prepared 2H‐MoTe₂ electrodes exhibit an initial specific capacity of 432 mAh g^?1 and retain a high reversible specific capacity of 291 mAh g^?1 after 260 cycles at 1.0 A g^?1. Further, a full‐cell prototype is demonstrated by using 2H‐MoTe₂ anode with lithium cobalt oxide cathode, showing a high energy density of 454 Wh kg^?1 (based on the MoTe₂ mass) and capacity retention of 80% over 100 cycles. Synchrotron‐based in situ X‐ray absorption near‐edge structures have revealed the unique lithium reaction pathway and storage mechanism, which is supported by density functional theory based calculations.     

Broadband dielectric spectroscopy of Nafion‐117, sulfonated polysulfone (sPSF) and sulfonated polyether ketone (sPEK) membranes

Nafion^®‐117, sulfonated polysulfone (sPSF) and sulfonated polyetherketone (sPEK) are characterized using broadband dielectric spectroscopy in the frequency range of 10 MHz–100 mHz. Overall, there are 4–5 relaxation processes in these sulfonated membranes and a comparison of their spectral features allows assigning the relaxation processes. At an optimum amplitude of ～100 mV_rms, all the relaxations are clearly defined as the electrode polarization is minimized. At low temperatures (?130 °C), these membranes show a broad relaxation peak in the mid‐frequency region, which quickly shifts towards the high‐frequency region as the temperature is increased to ?90 °C. This peak is observed in proton exchange membranes for the first time due to the use of low ac amplitude, and it is assigned to the relaxation of the confined water in the micro‐pores. With all the membranes, the peak associated with ? SO₃H group relaxation is observed in the same frequency range at a temperature of ～?80 °C. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134 , 44790.     

Isothermal crystallization kinetics of polypropylene in melt‐mixed composites of polypropylene and multi‐walled carbon nanotubes

The isothermal crystallization behaviour of the polypropylene (PP) phase in PP/multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) composites has been investigated via differential scanning calorimetric analysis, which showed the influence of the varying dispersion level of MWCNTs in the respective PP matrix. PP/MWCNTs composites were prepared via melt‐blending technique, wherein two different grades of MWCNTs of varying average “agglomerate” size and varying entanglements (N‐MWCNTs and D‐MWCNTs) were utilized. Furthermore, the influence of melt‐viscosity of the PP phase was investigated on the crystallization kinetics of the PP/MWCNTs composites. Heterogeneous nucleation ability of MWCNTs has resulted in a decrease in half time of crystallization (t _1/2) from ～14 min for pure PP to ～6 min for PP/N‐MWCNTs and ～11 min for PP/D‐MWCNTs composites at 1 wt% of MWCNTs at 132 °C. Overall rate of crystallization (k) has significantly increased to 4.9 × 10^?2 min^?1 for PP/N‐MWCNTs composite as compared with 6.2 × 10^?3 min^?1 for PP/D‐MWCNTs composite at 0.5 wt% of MWCNTs at 132 °C. Moreover, the effect of a novel organic modifier, Li‐salt of 6‐amino hexanoic acid along with a compatibilizer (PP‐g‐MA) has also been investigated on the crystallization kinetics of the PP phase in PP/MWCNTs composites. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 57:1136–1146, 2017. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Surface ultrastructure of gills in relation to the feeding ecology of an angler catfish Chaca chaca (Siluriformes,Chacidae)

Surface ultrastructure of the gills of the angler catfish Chaca chaca was investigated to unravel the adaptive modifications associated with the feeding ecology of the fish. The fish is often found in mud or in soft substrates where they remain buried both for protection and to feed. Gill rakers present on the gill arch in most fish species are absent in this fish. The absence of gill rakers are associated with the feeding habit of the fish and is considered to facilitate the swallowing of captured prey smoothly without any hindrance. Highly corrugated surface of the gill arch and gill filaments could be associated to retain water/mucus to prevent dessicassion of the fish. Papillae like epithelial protuberances each bearing a taste bud at its summit toward the pharyngeal side of the gill arch is associated with the sorting of the food. Large number of mucous goblet cells on the gill arch epithelium are considered to secret copious mucus to lubricate the prey for easy swallowing. In C. chaca the gill septa between gill filaments are reduced. This could enhance the flexibility and permit the free movement of the gill filaments. Extensive secondary lamellae and infrequent mucous goblet cells on secondary lamellae are associated to increase the surface area to enhance efficiency of gaseous exchange.