Development of Grain Boundary Precipitate-Free Zones in a Ni-Mo-Cr-W Alloy

In this study, the morphology and development of precipitate-free zones (PFZs) near grain boundaries (GBs) in low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) Ni-Mo-Cr-W alloys (based on Haynes 244) have been investigated as a function of thermal history and composition using electron microscopy techniques. It is shown that the formation of wide, continuous PFZs adjacent to GBs can be largely attributed to a vacancy depletion mechanism. It is proposed that variations in the vacancy distributions that develop after solution heat treatment (SHT) and subsequent quenching and aging greatly influence the development of the γ′-Ni₂(Mo,Cr) precipitates during the aging process and result in the development of PFZs of varying sizes. The relatively large (5 to 10 μm) PFZs are distinct from the smaller, more common PFZs that result from solute depletion due to GB precipitation that are typically observed after prolonged aging. During the course of this investigation, heat treatment parameters, such as aging time, SHT temperature, cooling rate after SHT, and heating rate to the aging temperature—all of which change vacancy concentration and distribution adjacent to GBs—were investigated and observed to have significant influence on both the size and morphology of the observed PFZs. In contrast to results from other Ni-based alloys studied previously, PFZ development in the current alloys was observed across a broad range of aging temperatures. This appears to be due to the high misfit strain energy of the γ′ precipitates, resulting in a nucleation process that is sensitive to vacancy concentration. It is also shown that a slightly modified alloy with higher Mo concentrations develops smaller, more typical PFZs; this is presumably due to an increased driving force for γ′ precipitation which overshadows the influence of misfit strain energy, thereby decreasing the sensitivity of precipitation on vacancy concentration.

     

Tailoring the Surface of Aluminum-Enriched Diatom Biosilica

Aluminosilicates are widely used as sorbent materials, ion exchangers, and catalysts. While they are often synthesized by hydrothermal methods, microorganisms may open “green” synthesis ways. Diatoms can incorporate aluminum into their micro- and nanostructured silica-based cell walls. Thus, diatoms create intricately structured aluminosilicate materials. The present study investigates not only possible morphological changes during the in vivo Al-enrichment of the diatom species Thalassiosira pseudonana, but also the increase of the specific surface area of Al-enriched biosilica in vitro by etching with alkaline solutions.     

Fabrication procedures and process sensitivities for CdS/CdTe solar cells

This paper details the laboratory processes used to fabricate CdS/CdTe solar cells at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The basic fabrication technique includes low‐pressure chemical vapor deposited SnO₂ , chemical‐bath deposited CdS, close‐spaced sublimated CdTe, solution‐CdCl₂ treatment, and an acid‐contact etch, followed by application of a doped‐graphite paste. This paper also describes the results of a reproducibility study in which cells were produced by multiple operators with an average AM1·5 efficiency of 12·6%. And finally, this paper discusses process sensitivities and alternative cell fabrication procedures and reports the fabrication of a cell with an AM1·5 efficiency of 15·4%. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Specifying and animating facial signals for discourse in embodied conversational agents

People highlight the intended interpretation of their utterances within a larger discourse by a diverse set of non‐verbal signals. These signals represent a key challenge for animated conversational agents because they are pervasive, variable, and need to be coordinated judiciously in an effective contribution to conversation. In this paper, we describe a freely available cross‐platform real‐time facial animation system, RUTH , that animates such high‐level signals in synchrony with speech and lip movements. RUTH adopts an open, layered architecture in which fine‐grained features of the animation can be derived by rule from inferred linguistic structure, allowing us to use RUTH , in conjunction with annotation of observed discourse, to investigate the meaningful high‐level elements of conversational facial movement for American English speakers. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.