Indentation deformation and cracking behavior of hydrated aluminoborate glasses

Aluminoborate glasses have recently been found to feature high resistance to crack initiation during indentation due to a highly flexible network structure. In cesium aluminoborate glasses, it has been found that the use of a simple post-treatment, namely aging in a humid atmosphere, can further improve this resistance. To better understand the mechanical properties of this glass family upon humid aging, we here study the effect of aging conditions on the structure and mechanical properties of Li,K,Cs-aluminoborate glasses. As expected, we find that higher humidity and longer aging time cause more pronounced permeation of atmospheric water into the glasses. Due to their denser structure and stronger modifier-oxygen bonds, the humid aging has a relatively smaller effect on the mechanical properties of Li- and K-containing glasses relative to Cs-containing glasses, with the latter achieving an ultrahigh crack resistance. We find that the humid aging leads to the formation of a hydration layer in the Cs-aluminoborate glass surface, with a thickness of around 26 μm upon aging at 23 °C with 40% relative humidity for 7 days. Moreover, a remarkable indentation behavior, that is, the observation of μm-sized shear bands inside the imprint of the Cs-glass upon aging at 60% relative humidity is reported. Taken as a whole, the work provides guidelines for how to control the humid aging rate as a function of relative humidity and temperature to form a hydration layer and thus achieve improved crack resistance in such glasses.     

Shot-noise limited,supercontinuum-based optical coherence tomography

We present the first demonstration of shot-noise limited supercontinuum-based spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) with an axial resolution of ...     

Internal particle size distribution of biofuel pellets

Several methods for disintegration of biofuel pellets were tested and compared for their ability to break up the pellets into the original particles of the raw material. Analyses performed on softwood pellets and straw pellets concluded that wet disintegration in water at ambient temperature is insufficient for a determination of the internal particle size distribution of wood- and straw pellets. When the wet disintegration was performed with water heated to the boiling point and coupled with mechanical disintegration in terms of stirring a more complete disintegration of the pellets was obtained. Based on the results obtained in the initial study a round robin was set up including six European laboratories where the selected method was tested. In the round robin test the method combining heated water and stirring of the slurry was tested on solid biofuel pellets produced of comminute straw, deciduous wood and coniferous wood respectively. With the method a satisfactory disintegration was obtained of all three types of pellets.Further wet disintegration of coniferous pellets was compared to a dry disintegration using a hammer mill. The dry disintegration of the coniferous pellets resulted in smaller particle sizes compared to the wet disintegration using heated water and stirring of the slurry indicating a further disintegration of the original particles in the hammer mill process.Overall the wet disintegration combined with mechanical impact was found to be the most suitable method for disintegration of solid biofuel pellets. Combined with sieving analysis the method gives realistic image of the internal particle size distribution of solid biofuel pellets.     

The F + H2O chemical laser

Laser oscillation, restricted by energy limitations to transitions from first vibrationallevel to ground state, has been observed from HF produced by the reaction of the F atom on H2O initiated by pulsed electric discharge in flowing mixed F2-H20-He gases at 10 torr.     

Viscoelasticity of polyethylene/montmorillonite nanocomposite melts

Observations are reported on low-density polyethylene melts reinforced with montmorillonite nanoclay at concentrations of filler ranging from 0 to 10 wt.% in small-amplitude shear oscillatory tests, start-up tests with a constant strain rate, and relaxation tests. Constitutive equations are derived for the time-dependent response of a nanocomposite melt at three-dimensional deformations with finite strains. The model accounts for (i) inhomogeneity in the distribution of nanoparticles, (ii) non-affinity of an equivalent polymer network with sliding junctions, and (iii) evolution of energies of inter-chain interaction driven by orientation of clay platelets. It is demonstrated that the stress–strain relations correctly describe the experimental data and adjustable parameters change consistently with nanoclay content.     

Corrosion of concrete sewers--the kinetics of hydrogen sulfide oxidation

The widespread occurrence of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in the environment has attracted considerable attention, leading to concerns about the extent and magnitude of wildlife and human exposure. In this work, we focus on the occurrence and fate of PBDEs in a Norwegian air-plant-herbivore-carnivore system. Specifically, we have analysed for PBDEs in moss, livers from various terrestrial herbivores (moose, grouse, and European roe deer) and, for the first time, livers from the top predator lynx. The samples were collected from different sites and time periods (1990-2004) to identify possible spatial and temporal trends in contaminant levels and patterns. The general finding was that PBDEs were found in all (biotic) samples, although at lower concentrations than previously observed in mammals from the marine environment. The PBDE levels in the herbivores ranged from less than 0.5 ng/g lipid weight to 9.4 ng/g lipid weight as the highest. The median PBDE concentration in lynx was approximately one order of magnitude higher than in the herbivores. In the lynx samples there was a predominance of BDE-153 whereas BDE-47 and 99 dominated in the herbivores. This probably reflects different bioaccumulation properties or metabolic transformation processes of the BDE-congeners, and food choice. Levels of PBDEs in both moss and herbivores showed a general decline towards the northern parts of Norway. No clear temporal trends were observed. The PBDE levels observed in this study were low and are probably of limited toxicological significance.     

Low temperature OMVPE growth of ZnSe withTertiary-butyl allyl selenide and dimethylzinc-triethylamine

The growth of high quality ZnSe by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy (OMVPE) has been investigated fortertiary-butyl allyl selenide (tBASe), combined with dimethylzinc-triethylamine (DMZn : NEt₃). Single crystalline ZnSe films were grown on GaAs at temperature as low as 350°C with a reasonable growth rate (~1 µm/h). Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) spectra show a negligible carbon incorporation in ZnSe films from tBASe even at high VI/II ratio, in contrast the carbon concentration of 10²¹ cm^-3 in ZnSe films grown from diallyl selenide (DASe)and methylallylselenide (MASe). Good surface morphology, crystalline and interface quality of ZnSe on (001) GaAs are confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, double crystal diffractometry (DCD) and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS). Photoluminescence at 10K shows sharp near-band-edge excitonic spectra.