Chemical vapour deposition of chromium onto nickel

The chemical vapour deposition (CVD) of chromium onto a pure nickel substrate was investigated in the presence of hydrogen at three temperatures (950, 1000 and 1050°C) using a pack cementation method.Of the thermochemical reactions generally involved in CVD, such as thermal decomposition, reduction, displacement and disproportionation, the only significant reaction which occurs for this system is a reduction of CrCl₂ by hydrogen according to

$\text{CrCl}{}_2\text{(g)+H}{}_2\text{(g)→Cr(s)+2HCl(g)}$

Two diffusion layers appear during the process. (1) In the early stages of deposition a nickel-rich layer with a face-centred cubic structure develops. (2) Depending on the time and the temperature of the coating, an outer chromium-rich layer with a body-centred cubic structure develops progressively on the sample surface and grows from or together with the inner layer.The deposition rate is controlled by diffusion of the chromium and the nickel atoms through the coating layers, mainly through the inner layer.     

Plant algae method for arsenic removal from arsenic contaminated groundwater

Field studies were carried out in Urumqi River Basin in Northwest China. The study focused on experimentation on a plant algae method that was tested by taking various water chemistries into consideration. The results from a greenhouse experiment evaluated for four doses of P (0, 100, 200, and 300 μmol/L) using two ferns (30 and 60 day old) on 15 L of contaminated groundwater per plant revealed that the biomass of 30-day old ferns gained was higher than 60-day fern. As solution-P increased from 0 to 450 μmol/L, Phosphorus concentration in the fronds increased from 1.9 to 3.9 mg/kg and 1.95 to 4.0 mg/kg for 30-d and 60-d ferns respectively. This study showed that the plant algae method may be a good solution to maximize arsenic uptake in the short term under normal climatic conditions.     

Drawing of optical fiber with internal codrawn wire and conductive coating and electrooptic modulation demonstration

One hundred twenty meters of fiber with an internal codrawn wire and electrically conductive coating was successfully fabricated for the first time. The integration of the conductive coating and wire was all performed during the fiber draw stage, in a process that enabled arbitrarily long lengths of fiber to be made. The wire combined with the conductive coating enables a strong electric field to be formed across the optical core. Such a fiber is ideal for thermally poling long lengths and for nonlinear device applications such as optical switches and modulators.     

Microstructure evolution of the Sn–Ag–y%Cu interconnect

The lead free Sn–Ag–y%Cu (y = 0.0, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0) interconnect interfacial microstructures and the microstructure evolution under thermal treatment (isothermal aging, 150 °C/1000 h) were studied in detail by using surface microetching microscopy and cross section microscopy. The corresponding mechanical and reliability behaviors were evaluated by performing shear test and fracture mode analysis before and after the thermal treatment. The results indicate: (i) The interconnects could have different microstructures and intermetallic compound (IMC), depending on the Cu content. The Cu–Sn IMC could have microstructures that were clusters or protrusion-like, Augustine grass leaf-like, scissor-like, tweezers-like, etc. (ii) Ag₃Sn IMCs were not observed at time zero for any interconnect groups, but they occurred after the aging for all groups. The Ag₃Sn IMC could have different microstructures, again depending on Cu content. For low Cu content, the Ag₃Sn IMCs were granules or nodules; for higher Cu content, Ag₃Sn IMCs were plate-like. (iii) The growth of Ag₃Sn plates was promoted by the growth of Cu–Sn IMCs, but indirectly linked to the Cu content. (iv) High Cu content (1.0 wt% and higher) could degrade the mechanical and reliability performances of the LF interconnect by providing a brittle joint, which was mainly achieved through the substantial growth of Cu–Sn IMCs and Ag₃Sn plates.     

Damping Effect on Waves Propagating Past a Submerged Horizontal Plate and a Vertical Porous Wall

A set of analytical solutions for waves propagating past a combined submerged horizontal plate and vertical porous wall breakwater system is presented. The wave damping effect caused by the horizontal plate induced flow constriction is considered in the analysis. The velocity potentials in each fluid domain are derived based on the linear wave theory and the unknown coefficients are determined from the matching conditions using three sets of orthogonal eigenfunctions. Reflection and transmission coefficients are presented to evaluate the performance of the breakwater system. The analytical solutions in terms of the reflection and transmission coefficients as well as the hydrodynamic force on the vertical porous wall are found in good agreement with published laboratory measurements. In comparison with the solutions without taking into account the wave damping effect, the present analytical solutions significantly improve the accuracy of the wave predictions, especially for the reflected waves.     

Physical Properties of Vegetable Oil and Chlorinated Ethene Mixtures

Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the abiotic interactions of soybean oil (SoyOil) and chlorinated ethene (CE) nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs). The mixed NAPL density and interfacial tension behaved ideally, as predicted by the volume ratio. The mixed NAPL viscosity increased exponentially from that of the pure CE to that of pure SoyOil as the volume fraction increased. The measured contact angle was highly variable and was unpredictable as a function of the volume composition of the mixed NAPL. The physical property effects indicate that the mobilization of residual CE NAPLs because of SoyOil injection is unlikely. Equilibrium dissolution of CEs from the NAPL mixtures behaved linearly as a function of the mole fraction. Dissolved SoyOil in simulated groundwater enhanced the dissolution of trichloroethene (TCE) during flow tests, increasing the effluent TCE concentration from 141?to?202?mg/L. The ready intermingling of the CE dense nonaqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) and SoyOil indicate that such interactions may be significant at sites where vegetable oil is injected into DNAPL source areas to enhance in situ anaerobic bioremediation.     

The Therapeutic Process As a Predictor of Change in Patients' Important Relationships During Time-Limited Dynamic Psychotherapy.

Components of the therapeutic process have been shown to be moderately strong predictors of change in patients' global interpersonal functioning during therapy. The authors sought to extend this research by examining how the therapeutic process in time-limited dynamic psychotherapy related to change in patients' perceptions of a specific relationship as rated by the Structural Analysis of Social Behavior. Results showed that ratings of therapist warmth at Session 3 predicted increased warmth and decreased hostility in patient behavior at posttreatment. Therapist warmth at Session 16 was predictive of a decrease in submissive behavior by patients toward their significant other. The importance of the association between the therapeutic process and patients' important interpersonal relationships is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Towards a Formal Account of Reasoning about Evidence: Argumentation Schemes and Generalisations

This paper studies the modelling of legal reasoning about evidence within general theories of defeasible reasoning and argumentation. In particular, Wigmore's method for charting evidence and its use by modern legal evidence scholars is studied in order to give a formal underpinning in terms of logics for defeasible argumentation. Two notions turn out to be crucial, viz. argumentation schemes and empirical generalisations.     

Sydis and the voice/data terminal craze of 1984

In 1984, computing firms saw integrated voice/data terminals (IVDTs) as the solution to the proliferation of new forms of executive communication. The Sydis VoiceStation was hailed as the best of this new class of office machine but, like all IVDTs, it failed. Sydis succumbed to "integration stress," one danger of product development driven by the urge to integrate traditionally discrete functions. Sydis also failed from poor integration of financial and market actors.     

Influence of alumina content on the nucleation crystallization and microstructure of barium fluorphlogopite glass-ceramics based on 8SiO2·YAl2O34MgO2MgF2BaO Part I Nucleation and crystallization behaviour

The effect of varying the aluminium oxide content on the nucleation and crystallization behaviour of barium containing glasses based on 8SiO₂·YAl₂O₃4MgO2MgF₂BaO was investigated in order to develop novel, high strength, machinable glass-ceramics. Nine glasses were synthesized and characterized by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) Combined Differential Thermal Analysis Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (DTA/TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and dilatometry. The glass transition temperature (T _g) and first peak crystallization temperature (Tp1) reduced with reducing alumina content. Glasses with Y > 1.5 exhibited a second peak crystallization temperature (Tp2). Tp1 was shown to correspond to the crystallization of barium fluorphlogopite (BaSi₆Al₂Mg₆F₂O₁₉) and Tp2 to the crystallization of cordierite (Mg₂Al₂Si₅O₁₈). The thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) was insensitive to alumina content. All the glasses exhibited an optimum nucleation temperature just above T _g, which was thought to be a result of amorphous phase separation (APS). DTA/TGA showed the glasses to undergo weight loss corresponding to silicon tetrafluoride volatilization from the surface, which resulted in a fluorphlogopite deficient surface layer.