New observations in micro-pop-in issues in nanoindentation of coarse grain alumina

The present experiments were focused on nanoindentation behaviour and the attendant “micro-pop-in” in a dense (～95% of theoretical) coarse-grain (～20 μm) alumina ceramic as a function of loading rate variations at three constant peak loads in the range of 10⁵–10⁶ μN. Based on the experimental results here we report for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, an increase in intrinsic nano scale contact resistance as well as the nanohardness with the loading rate. These observations were explained in terms of the correlation between the nanoscale plasticity and shear stress active just underneath the nanoindenter.     

Flow Behavior of Polyblend-Crosslinkable Polyethylene and Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate Copolymer and Their Morphology

The commercial application of polymer blends is undoubtedly the result of extensive research in this field. However, sometimes poor performance results from incompatibility of components in the blends, which in turn affects processibility. Processing is in large part simply flow and forming of compounds. A major problem often encountered in industry is batch-to-batch variation of viscosity and elastic memory of the compound, two characteristics which largely determine the compound's processability and dimensional stability. Efficient and quality production require reproducibility in the processing stages [1–4]. If a polymer melt is sheared mechanically, it can then be processed in a less elastic and less viscous state provided that the recovery of a more fully entangled, equilibrium state is not too fast [5]. Mechanical shear may reduce entanglement density r6–81. Shear modifications are manifested in changes in viscosities, die swell, die entrance pressure losses, melt fracture, etc. Various methods have also been developed over the years for rheological characterisation of polymer melts (9–17).     

Studies on the dehydration kinetics and rehydration of YAG precursor powder in the hydroxyhydrogel form

YAG precursor powder was prepared in the hydroxyhydrogel form. Dehydration kinetic study and rehydration experiment was carried out to know the behavior of water molecules and hydroxide bonds present in the hydroxyhydrogel network structure with temperature. Rate constants and activation energies for dehydration and dehydroxylation were evaluated by static thermogravimetry. Percent rehydration was determined at different heat treatment temperatures. The results obtained were explained, correlated to establish the thermal stability of hydroxyhydrogel network structure and finally supported by the FTIR analysis.     

Reversible,repeatable and low phase transition behaviour of spin coated nanostructured vanadium oxide thin films with superior mechanical properties

Smooth, uniform and crystalline vanadium oxide thin films were deposited on quartz by spin coating technique with four different rpm i.e., 1000, 2000, 3000 and 4000 and subsequently post annealed at 350, 450 and 550?°C in vacuum. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were utilized for microstructural characterizations and phase analysis, respectively, for vanadium oxide powder and deposited film. Nanorods were observed to be grown after vacuum annealing. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) technique was utilized to study the elemental oxidation state of deposited vanadium oxide films. Thermo-optical and electrical properties such as solar transmittance (τ_s), reflectance (ρ_s), absorptance (α_s), infrared (IR) emittance (ε_ir) and sheet resistance (R_s) of different thin films were evaluated. Based on the optical characteristics the optimized condition of the film processing was identified to be spin coated at 3000?rpm. Subsequently, the nanoindentation technique was utilized to measure hardness and Young's modulus of the optimized film. The measured nanomechanical properties were found to be superior to those reported for sputtered vanadium oxide films. Finally, temperature dependent phase transition characteristics of optimized vanadium oxide films were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique. Reversible and repeatable phase transition was found to occur in the range of 44–48?°C which was significantly lower than the phase transition temperature (i.e., 68?°C) of bulk VO₂.     

On fixed-accuracy and bounded accuracy confidence interval estimation problems in Fisher’s “Nile” example

Fisher’s “Nile” example is a classic that involves a bivariate random variable (X,Y) having a joint probability density function given by f(x,y;𝜃) = exp(?𝜃x?𝜃^?1y), 0<x,y<∞, where 𝜃>0 is a single unknown parameter. We develop (i) fixed-width and (ii) fixed-accuracy confidence intervals for 𝜃 with a preassigned confidence coe?cient. In problem (i), we develop a purely sequential estimation strategy along with its asymptotic properties. In problem (ii), we determine that a fixed-sample-size estimation strategy will su?ce and yet the requisite sample size would have to be found. We have done that both exactly as well as approximately and we report that for all practical purposes the approximations nearly provide the exact sample size whether it is small, moderate, or large. The last problem we address is bounded-accuracy fixed-sample-size estimation of P_𝜃{X>Y}. All theoretical properties are adequately validated by large-scale simulations.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of Al2O3 matrix nanocomposites produced by solid state precipitation

A novel and economical processing route for the production of Al₂O₃-based ceramic nanocomposites via solid solution–precipitation is reported. Dense (>98% ρ_th) and homogeneous solid solutions of 10 wt.% Fe₂O₃ in Al₂O₃ were produced by pressureless sintering at 1450 °C in air. Aging of the solid solutions in a reducing atmosphere at temperatures in the range 1250–1550 °C for different durations (up to 50 h) resulted in the precipitation of FeAl₂O₄ as second phase particles throughout the bulk of the samples. The optimum aging schedule resulted in a final microstructure comprising nano-sized (～100 nm) intragranular FeAl₂O₄ particles, along with coarser micro-sized particles on the matrix grain boundaries and triple point corners. Additionally, surface layers containing metallic Fe and with thicknesses up to ～100 μm were formed due to the further reduction of FeAl₂O₄. After removal of this surface layer, the hybrid nano/microcomposites possessed improved fracture toughness (by ～40%) and flexural strength (by ～50%) with respect to monolithic Al₂O₃.     

On the Theory of Two-Temperature Thermoelasticity with Two Phase-Lags

The present paper is concerned with the theory of two temperature thermoelasticity with two phase-lags in which the theory of heat conduction in deformable bodies depends on two distinct temperatures – the conductive temperature and the thermodynamic temperature. A generalized heat conduction law with dual-phase-lag effects was proposed by Tzou (1995) for the purpose of considering the delayed response in times due to the microstructural interactions in the heat transport mechanism. Recently, Quintanilla (2008) has proposed to combine this constitutive equation with a two temperature heat conduction theory and has proved that a dual-phase-lag theory with two temperatures is a well-posed problem. In the present work we consider the basic equations concerning this dual-phase lag theory of two temperature thermoelasticity and make an attempt to establish some important theorems in this context. A uniqueness theorem has been established for a homogeneous and isotropic body. An alternative characterization of mixed boundary initial value problem is formulated and a variational principle as well as reciprocal principle have been established.