Model for Toughness Curves in Two-Phase Ceramics: I, Basic Fracture Mechanics

A fracture mechanics model is presented for the toughening of ceramics by bridging from second-phase particles, resulting in toughness curve ( T -curve) behavior. It is assumed that the second-phase particles are in a state of residual thermal expansion dilatational mismatch relative to the matrix. In the long-crack region, these stresses augment frictional sliding stresses at the interphase boundaries, enhancing the crack resistance; in the short-crack region, the same stresses drive the crack, diminishing the crack resistance. The principal manifestation of these countervailing influences is a reduced sensitivity of strength to initial flaw size, i.e., an increased flaw tolerance. In seeking to incorporate these key physical elements, our model opts for mathematical simplicity by assuming uniformly distributed stresses in two bridging domains: in the first, at small crack-wall separations, a constant opening stress; in the second, at larger separations, a constant closing stress. The uniform crack-plane distributions allow for simple closed-form solutions of the crack K -field equations, and thence an analytical formulation for the T -curve. Indentation-strength data on a "reference" Al₂O₃/Al₂TiO₅ ceramic composite are used to demonstrate the main theoretical predictions and to calibrate essential parameters in the T -curve formulation. The utility of the model as a route to microstructural design is addressed in Part II.     

Investigations on the Influence of Surface Texturing on a Couple Stress Fluid–Based Journal Bearing by Using JFO Boundary Conditions

The present study was conducted to examine the effect of laser surface texturing combined with couple stress fluids on the hydrodynamic lubrication of finite journal bearing in this work. The Jakobsson-Floberg-Olsson (JFO) boundary conditions were engaged instead of Reynolds boundary conditions to achieve realistic results. Moreover, the results were computed and authenticated with the previous published work. It was observed that the load-carrying capacity is increased with couple stresses for smooth journal bearings at different eccentricity ratios. However, the increment in load-carrying capacity with texture affects only at low eccentricity ratios. The combined effects of texturing with couple stress fluids lower the performance of journal bearings at different eccentricity ratios.     

Mathematical and Experimental Investigation on Advanced PLL for Cascaded H-Bridge Multilevel Inverter in Active Filtering Application

Cascaded H-bridge multilevel inverter (CHB-MLI)-based shunt active power filter (SAPF) is one of the finest solutions for power quality improvement in case of medium-voltage distribution sector. Performance of SAPF degrades due to the presence of DC offset and harmonics in the grid voltage since this will result phase angle and frequency error. Therefore, modified single-phase synchronous reference frame theory comprising of advanced PLL is presented in this article. The advanced PLL can track frequency and phase angle accurately even though source voltage is having DCor harmonic content. A detailed mathematical modeling and stability analysis of this PLL is presented using Routh-Hurwitz criteria. A novel systematic design procedure using gravitational search algorithm (GSA) and an Eigen value analysis is proposed for calculating optimal PLL parameters. Closed-loop SAPF control stability is tested using root-locus analysis. An extensive experimental analysis of the proposed control applied to CHB-MLI-based SAPF has been performed under distorted source voltage and non-linear loading conditions to show the effectiveness of the proposed control over recently published work. Source current maintains its sinusoidal shape, properly synchronized with grid voltage and having distortion limit in compliance with IEEE-519 standard irrespective of source voltage conditions during the operation of SAPF.     

Photostability of quantum dots with amphiphilic polymer-based passivation strategies

Quantum dots (QDs) have many appealing properties for biological fluorescence imaging, but exhibit photostabilities that are dependent upon surface passivation to minimize susceptibility to oxygen and light. Here, through spectroscopy and imaging techniques, we compare the photostability of micelle-encapsulated QDs with QDs passivated with either crosslinked amphiphilic polymers or crosslink-free amphiphilic polymers. Both crosslinked and crosslink-free amphiphilic polymer passivation strategies produced QDs with high photoluminescence stability for exposure to light under ambient conditions. In contrast, micelle encapsulation resulted in QDs with photoluminescence emission levels that were highly sensitive to both light exposure and oxygen, exhibiting a reduction of up to 70% in photoluminescence intensity within twenty minutes of exposure. With the addition of reducing agents, the photoluminescence level of the micelle-encapsulated QDs was significantly stabilized. We conclude that amphiphilic polymers provide coatings with considerably higher integrity and stability than micelle encapsulation, reducing the QDs' sensitivities to oxygen and light, both of which are relevant factors in biological imaging applications.     

Paramagnetic microspheres with core–shell-ed structures

Paramagnetic microspheres with core–shell-ed structures were successfully synthesized by electroless plating technique. The surface morphology and core–shell-ed structures of the paramagnetic microspheres were examined by scanning electron microscopy as well as optical microscopy. Under magnetic fields, the core–shell-ed microspheres self-assembled into ordered structures (chains, columns, or three-dimensional ordered structures) because of magnetic dipole–dipole interaction, having potential applications in optics.     

Vibrational spectra of Ti:C2H4(nH2) and Ti:C2H4(nD2) (n = 1-5) complexes and the equilibrium isotope effect: Calculations and experiment

Calculations of the ability of titanium-ethylene complexes of the type, Ti:C₂H₄, to absorb molecular hydrogen have been performed using density functional theory. A maximum of 5H₂ molecules can be adsorbed on Ti:C₂H₄ thereby giving an uptake capacity of 11.72 wt%, in excellent agreement with previous experimental results reported by two of us (Phys. Rev. Lett., 100, 105505, 2008). Calculations of the vibrational frequencies in such complexes with both H₂ and D₂, Ti:C₂H₄(nH₂) and Ti:C₂H₄(nD₂), n = 1-5, have also been performed and the values obtained used to find the Equilibrium Isotope Effect (EIE). Measurements of the EIE are also reported and these are in excellent agreement with the EIE calculated for 5H₂ molecules adsorbed in the complex.     

A data‐driven stochastic collocation approach for uncertainty quantification in MEMS

This work presents a data‐driven stochastic collocation approach to include the effect of uncertain design parameters during complex multi‐physics simulation of Micro‐ElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS). The proposed framework comprises of two key steps: first, probabilistic characterization of the input uncertain parameters based on available experimental information, and second, propagation of these uncertainties through the predictive model to relevant quantities of interest. The uncertain input parameters are modeled as independent random variables, for which the distributions are estimated based on available experimental observations, using a nonparametric diffusion‐mixing‐based estimator, Botev (Nonparametric density estimation via diffusion mixing. Technical Report, 2007). The diffusion‐based estimator derives from the analogy between the kernel density estimation (KDE) procedure and the heat dissipation equation and constructs density estimates that are smooth and asymptotically consistent. The diffusion model allows for the incorporation of the prior density and leads to an improved density estimate, in comparison with the standard KDE approach, as demonstrated through several numerical examples. Following the characterization step, the uncertainties are propagated to the output variables using the stochastic collocation approach, based on sparse grid interpolation, Smolyak (Soviet Math. Dokl. 1963; 4 :240–243). The developed framework is used to study the effect of variations in Young's modulus, induced as a result of variations in manufacturing process parameters or heterogeneous measurements on the performance of a MEMS switch. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Design of Electron Gun for 1.5 MW, 140 GHz Gyrotron

This paper presents the design of the triode type electron gun for a 140 GHz, 1.5 MW gyrotron with the transverse to the axial velocity ratio of the beam 1.4 and the transverse velocity spread 1.28%. The operating mode of the gyrotron is TE_24,8 and it is operated in the fundamental harmonic. The analytic trade-off equations for the electron gun design have been used to estimate the initial gun parameters. The electron trajectory tracing program has been used to optimize the electron gun design. The parametric dependences of modulating anode voltage, beam voltage and cathode magnetic field on the beam quality has also been studied.