An assessment of the science and technology of carbon nanotube-based fibers and composites

This paper examines the recent advancements in the science and technology of carbon nanotube (CNT)-based fibers and composites. The assessment is made according to the hierarchical structural levels of CNTs used in composites, ranging from 1-D to 2-D to 3-D. At the 1-D level, fibers composed of pure CNTs or CNTs embedded in a polymeric matrix produced by various techniques are reviewed. At the 2-D level, the focuses are on CNT-modified advanced fibers, CNT-modified interlaminar surfaces and highly oriented CNTs in planar form. At the 3-D level, we examine the mechanical and physical properties CNT/polymer composites, CNT-based damage sensing, and textile assemblies of CNTs. The opportunities and challenges in basic research at these hierarchical levels have been discussed.     

Bipolar Resistive Switching of Single Gold-in-Ga(2)O(3) Nanowire

We have fabricated single nanowire chips on gold-in-Ga(2)O(3) core-shell nanowires using the electron-beam lithography techniques and realized bipolar resistive switching characteristics having invariable set and reset voltages. We attribute the unique property of invariance to the built-in conduction path of gold core. This invariance allows us to fabricate many resistive switching cells with the same operating voltage by simple depositing repetitive metal electrodes along a single nanowire. Other characteristics of these core-shell resistive switching nanowires include comparable driving electric field with other thin film and nanowire devices and a remarkable on/off ratio more than 3 orders of magnitude at a low driving voltage of 2 V. A smaller but still impressive on/off ratio of 10 can be obtained at an even lower bias of 0.2 V. These characteristics of gold-in-Ga(2)O(3) core-shell nanowires make fabrication of future high-density resistive memory devices possible.     

Two suboptimal algorithms for downlink beamforming in FDD DS-CDMAmobile radio

Two suboptimal algorithms are proposed for downlink beamforming in FDD DS-CDMA mobile radio by using uplink beamforming weights. One is a null-constrained method, which maintains the same null positions for both uplink and downlink beam patterns; the other is a frequency-calibrated method which constrains the same main beam positions for both patterns. We also evaluate the multicell downlink capacity of DS-CDMA systems using a per-user-per-weight beamforming scheme. Outer cell interference is modeled as an AWGN process whose variance is proportional to the average intracell total transmitted power. Computer simulations are given to compare the single cell and multicell capacities using different downlink beamforming weight generation algorithms     

Ion implantation of superhard ceramic cutting tools

Despite numerous reports of tool life increase by ion implantation in machining operations, ion implantation applications of cutting tools remain limited, especially for ceramic tools. Mechanisms of tool-life improvement by implantation are not clearly established due to complexity of both implantation and tool-wear processes. In an attempt to improve performance of cubic boron nitride (CBN) tools for hard machining by ion implantation, a literature survey of ion-implanted cutting tools was carried out with a focus on mechanisms of tool-wear reduction by ion implantation. Implantation and machining experiments were then conducted to investigate implantation effects on CBN tools in hard machining. A batch of CBN tools was implanted with nitrogen ions at 150 keV and 2.5×10¹⁷ ions/cm² and further used to cut 61 HRc AISI 52100 steel at different conditions. Results show that ion implantation has strong effects on partsurface finish, moderate effect on cutting forces, but an insignificant impact on tool wear. Friction coefficients, estimated from measured cutting forces, are possibly reduced by ion implantation, which may improve surface finish. However, surprisingly, 2-D orthogonal cutting to evaluate tribological loading in hard machining showed no difference on contact stresses and friction coefficients between implanted and nonimplanted CBN tools. This paper was presented at the 2nd International Surface Engineering Congress sponsored by ASM International, on September 15–17, 2003, in Indianapolis, Indiana.     

Elastic Response and Effect of Transverse Cracking in Woven Fabric Brittle Matrix Composites

This paper examines the linear elastic tensile and fracture behavior of biaxial plain weave SiC/SiC ceramic woven fabric composites. Iso-phase mode and random-phase mode have been adopted to simulate multilayer stacking and to predict the initial linear elastic constants. It has been found that both modes predict very close results. Porosities in the composite affect the stiffness significantly, while fiber undulation shows only minimal effect. The nonlinear stress-strain relation of the composite is due to transverse cracks, which initiate mainly from interyarn pores. In the second part of this paper, two methods, classical fracture mechanics and energy balance approach, have been used to examine the crack initiation and growth. A finite element method and a modified shear-lag method have been developed to evaluate the stress distribution in the yarn with transverse cracks. The composite stiffness reduction due to transverse cracking has been obtained by both the finite element and shear-lag methods. Strain energy release rates of the growth of transverse cracks have been studied by the crack-closure procedure, using finite element methods. Effects of the yarn size and crack position on the strain energy release rate have been quantified. It is concluded that thinner yarns lead to higher critical strains for transverse cracking.     

A computational study of strain inhomogeneity in wire drawing

Inhomogeneous plastic deformation that develops during wire-drawing, and its impact on the drawing force, are investigated with a computational method. The effects of critical parameters, including die angle, area reduction, friction coefficient, and material hardening are sorted out, and the accuracy of certain simple formulas presented in the literature is assessed. The results suggest that the redundant strains (strains beyond those necessary for area reduction) are dependent principally on the die angle and area reduction; the interfacial friction and the strain hardening tend to have little influence on the strains. In addition, the impact of spatial inhomogeneity in hardness induced by strain hardening from prior passes is investigated.     

法国城市规划与可持续发展的分析与借鉴

法国所具有的历史悠久、人多地少和资源紧缺的国情．丰富多彩的地形地貌．注重发挥政府对经济社会发展调控的传统习惯和较为成功的城乡协调与城市化模式等等．都对我们有一定的参照、借鉴意义。本文主要从体制层面．就法国城市规划。区域合作、公共交通、水务管理、名城保护等方面进行了研讨。结合我国在以上诸多方面的状况和存在的问题，分析法国在这些方面的经验，指出可供参考借鉴的地方．并就进一步做好我国的城市规划和可持续发展工作提出对策建议。     

滨海岸滩地区勘察方法及岩土工程特性研究

介绍青岛市环湾绿道整治工程勘察工作的实施情况。建设项目的重要组成部分多位于滨海浅滩区域,海域感潮的特殊条件对工程地质勘察工作带来了一定的困难。在现场踏勘及分析拟建物特征的基础上,组织实施了滨海平台钻探、原位测试及室内试验等勘察工作,揭示了场区岩土层分布及其工程特性,推荐了地基基础形式及持力层,对设计施工中可能存在的岩土工程问题进行了评价。工作成果可为类似水域勘察工作的组织实施提供指导借鉴与技术支撑。