Smart ultrasonic sensors systems: potential of aluminum nitride thin films for the excitation of the ultrasound at high frequencies

We investigated the potential of the aluminum nitride films to excite ultrasonic waves at frequencies >50?MHz. The deposition process of the aluminum nitride thin film layers on silicon substrates was investigated and optimized regarding their piezoelectric behavior. Large single element transducers were deposited on silicon substrates with aluminum electrodes, under different parameters for the magnetron sputter process, like pressure and bias voltage. Special test setup and a measuring station were created to characterize the sensors. Acoustical measurements were carried out in pulse echo mode up to 500?MHz and the values of piezoelectric charge constant (d₃₃) were determined. As a result, two parameter sets were found for the sputtering process to obtain an excellent piezoelectric charge constant of about 7.2?pC/N maximum. Then the sputtering process with these parameters was used to deposit sensors on various substrate materials and with different electrode sizes.     

Reduction of the elongation at break of thermoplastic polyolefins through melt blending with polylactide and the influence of the amount of compatibilizers and the viscosity ratios of the blend components on phase morphology and mechanics

The objective of this work is the synthesis of a polypropylene/ethylene‐propylene‐rubber (TPO)/polylactide (PLA)/compatibilizer (PVM) blend to reduce the elongation at break of TPO by blending TPO with brittle PLA. Three TPO types with different viscosities were melt blended with PLA and an ethylene/n‐butylacrylate/glycidyl methacrylate terpolymer (PVM) as reactive compatibilizer. All blends had a constant PLA amount of 30 wt%. Two parameters were varied in the experiments, viscosity of the TPO types, and amount of PVM used in the blends. Both parameters played important roles in reducing the nominal elongation at break compared to pure TPO foils and influencing the phase morphology of extruded blend foils. The nominal elongation at break could be reduced by 100‐150% through blending TPO with PLA and PVM. Characterization regarding the blend morphology, especially the size and shape of the dispersed PLA phase in the TPO matrix was done by Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM) images. Investigations of the morphology showed that size and shape of dispersed PLA phases are dependent on the viscosity ratios of the blend components and on the amount of compatibilizer in the blend. AFM images of the polymer blends reveal soft rubbery layers around the dispersed PLA phases. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 56:905–913, 2016. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Anwendungen des Kern-Overhauser-Effekts. I. Strukturuntersuchungen an Z/E-isomeren 2,3-Diarylazetidin-3-olen

Applications of the Nuclear Overhauser Effect. I. Investigations of the Structure of Z/E Isomeric 2,3-Diarylazetidin-3-oles The relative configurations of Z/E-isomeric 2,3-diaryl-azetidin-3-oles are determined by mass spectrometry and ¹H-n.m.r.-NOE-measurements. The increase of the C(2)-H line intensity by saturation of the OH-signals demonstrates the Z-position of the 2,3-diaryl groups in the isomers 2a .     

Air entrapment in sheet molding compounds (SMC)

Entrapped air can commonly lead to large delaminations in thick walled sheet molding compound (SMC) products. In this work different sources of air entrapment in SMC are investigated. The critical process is shown to be the impregnation of the fibers. If no surface active additives are used, large volumes of air may be entrapped in this process, unless the viscosity of the compound is very low. In this situation of poor wetting, the viscosity of the compound during fiber impregnation will critically determine the interlaminar, tensile strength of the product. However, if surface active additives are used, the air escapes entrapment even at relatively high viscosities. The lowering of the viscosity, which is a side effect of the additives, has practically no importance under these conditions of good wetting. Large numbers of small air bubbles are also entrapped during the mixing of the components, but it is shown that these bubbles have very little effect on the mechanical properties of the finished part.     

Effects of compression on water distribution in gas diffusion layer materials of PEMFC in a point injection device by means of synchrotron X-ray imaging

In this study, ex-situ experiments performed with a point injection device are conducted to evaluate water distributions in gas diffusion layer (GDL) materials which serve as porous transport media in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In this regard, GDL samples manufactured by SGL Group are placed into the point injection device and visualized by means of synchrotron X-ray radiographic and tomographic imaging. The resulting image data undergoes a coordinate transformation that ascertains water agglomerations in GDL pores with regard to their radial displacements from the injection point. In this way, water transport in two different GDL samples possessing the same structural characteristics, but with unique compression rates, are investigated in terms of in-plane water distribution. The radial displacement analysis indicated that the pore saturation of the compressed GDL is higher in both the micro porous layer (MPL) region and the carbon fiber substrate region than that of the uncompressed GDL. The water agglomerations in the uncompressed GDL are predominantly observed in the vicinity of the injection point, indicating a limited in-plane transport. Conversely, in the compressed case water accumulations are detected far from the injection point, even at the edge of the GDL, pointing out that compression promotes the in-plane transport. Prior to the ex-situ experiments, both GDL samples have undergone an ageing procedure to mimic realistic cell operating conditions.