Nanostructured component fabrication by electron beam-physical vapor deposition

Fabrication of cost-effective, nano-grained net-shaped components has brought considerable interest to Department of Defense, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and Department of Energy. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the versatility of electron beam-physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD) technology in engineering new nanostructured materials with controlled microstructure and microchemistry in the form of coatings and net-shaped components for many applications including the space, turbine, optical, biomedical, and auto industries. Coatings are often applied on components to extent their performance and life under severe environmental conditions including thermal, corrosion, wear, and oxidation. Performance and properties of the coatings depend upon their composition, microstructure, and deposition condition. Simultaneous co-evaporation of multiple ingots of different compositions in the high energy EB-PVD chamber has brought considerable interest in the architecture of functional graded coatings, nano-laminated coatings, and design of new structural materials that could not be produced economically by conventional methods. In addition, high evaporation and condensate rates allowed fabricating precision net-shaped components with nanograined microstructure for various applications. Using EB-PVD, nano-grained rhenium (Re) coatings and net-shaped components with tailored microstructure and properties were fabricated in the form of tubes, plates, and Re-coated spherical graphite cores. This paper will also present the results of various metallic and ceramic coatings including chromium, titanium carbide (TiC), titanium diboride (TiB₂), hafnium nitride (HfN), titanium-boron-carbonitride (TiBCN), and partially yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) TBC coatings deposited by EB-PVD for various applications. This paper was presented at the International Symposium on Manufacturing, Properties, and Applications of Nanocrystalline Materials sponsored by the ASM International Nanotechnology Task Force and TMS Powder Materials Committee, October 18–20, 2004, Columbus, OH.     

Interpretation time of serial chest CT examinations with stacked-metaphor workstation versus film alternator

PURPOSE: Interpretation time of serial staging chest CT cases, which each contained current and previous examinations, with a simple prototype workstation called filmstack was experimentally compared with interpretation time with a film alternator. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The filmstack displayed a "stack" of sections for each examination; user controls allowed rapid selection of preset attenuation windows and both synchronized and unsynchronized scrolling. Eight radiologists were timed as they used the filmstack and the film alternator to interpret four ergonomically complex serial CT cases. RESULTS: All reports dictated on the basis of findings with filmstack and film were of acceptable clinical accuracy. The time to examine a case with filmstack was significantly faster than the time with film, including the time to load and unload the alternator (99% confidence [P = .01]). There was no statistically significant difference in interpretation time between filmstack and prehung film. CONCLUSION: Use of a low-cost stacked CT workstation with a single 1,024 x 1,024 monitor is an effective means of interpreting cases that require comparison of multiple CT examinations.     

Predictability of healing of ischemic leg ulcers by radioisotopic and Doppler ultrasonic examination

In a prospective study of twenty-six patients with ischemic ulcerations of the lower extremity, the predictive reliability with regard to spontaneous wound healing of diabetes, pedal pulses, ankle blood pressure (ABP) as measured by doppler ultrasound, and "leg ulcer scan" as performed by the intra-arterial injection of radioactive albumin was evaluated. The results suggest that only the leg ulcer scan is significantly reliable in predicting the likelihood of spontaneous healing. The following format for the evaluation of the ischemic leg ulcer is therefore suggested: (1) If pedal pulses are present, a three week trial of conservative therapy is indicated before further evaluation. (2) If the doppler ABP is 50 mm Hg or less, the ulcer will not heal spontaneously. (3) Leg ulcer scan is indicated: (a) in the absence of pedal pulses if ABP is less than 50 mm Hg; (b) in the presence of pedal pulses if there is no evidence of spontaneous healing after three weeks of conservative therapy.     

Tailored microstructure of zirconia and hafnia-based thermal barrier coatings with low thermal conductivity and high hemispherical reflectance by EB-PVD

Zirconia and hafnia based thermal barrier coating materials were produced by industrial prototype electron beam-physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD). Columnar microstructure of the thermal barrier coatings were modified with controlled microporosity and diffuse sub-interfaces resulting in lower thermal conductivity (20–30% depending up on microporosity volume fraction), higher thermal reflectance (15–20%) and more strain tolerance as compared with standard thermal barrier coatings (TBC). The novel processed coating systems were examined by various techniques including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction, thermal conductivity by laser technique, and hemispherical reflectance.     

The question of organizational forensic policy

The objectives of an organization in combination with the formal policy together underpin the strategic direction that any organization will take. We all know that security begins with policy – in other words the rules of play. If policy is sound then the appropriate security measures can be implemented to protect the activities required to achieve the stated objectives as well as maintain the information assurance requirements – availability, integrity, authentication, confidentiality and non-repudiation.