Controllable fabrication of SnO2-coated multiwalled carbon nanotubes by chemical vapor deposition

A simple and efficient approach for coating multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with size-controllable SnO₂ nanoparticles by chemical vapor deposition has been developed using tin hydride (SnH₄) gas as the source of SnO₂ at 550 °C. The size and coverage of SnO₂ nanoparticles can be adjusted by simply controlling the deposition time and the flow rate of the SnH₄/N₂ mixture gas during the CVD procedure. In addition, by using the MWCNTs as a sacrificial template, a kind of one-dimensional chain-like SnO₂ nanostructure has been synthesized by increasing the deposition temperature to 730 °C. This technique may provide a good way to produce tunable SnO₂-MWCNT composites.     

激光全息军用关键部件三维变形及应力测试

三维形变和三维应力测量一直是结构工程领域的重要研究课题。本文基于数字全息原理,设计了数字全息记录测试装置,实现了三维物体变形的测量;基于四个干涉图法和Matlab软件编程,提出并实现了数字相移,省去了压电位移器、位相控制器等硬件,简化了装置;基于数字全息测得的变形量与有限元理论,利用Ansys软件编程,获得变形物体的三维应力的大小及分布,从而实现了数字全息三维应力测试。大量实验表明,此方法实验装置简单、测量精度高,变形测量可容易达到1/10波长,应力测量精度可达到1.535×10^5Pa。     

强碱三元复合驱结垢现象

采用现场举升系统结垢统计、室内铸体薄片,结合SEM和电子探针分析了强碱三元复合驱过程中垢成分的变化和储层结垢类型与形成机理。结果表明,垢的主要类型随着强碱三元复合驱体系注入PV数的增加发生变化,注入初期以碳酸盐垢为主并含有少量硅垢和有机物,注入中期3种垢成分含量相当,注入后期结垢类型转变为与初期相同类型。铸体薄片分析表明,垢形态为白色云雾状和褐色胶结状,部分孔隙阻塞造成孔隙结构发生变化,面孔隙率平均下降6.45%。研究区垢的类型主要为钙垢和硅垢,含有少量的钡/钛垢和铁垢。由于强碱的溶蚀作用,地层和井筒中容易出现结垢现象,建议在能够实现相同提高采收率幅度的前提下可以考虑采用弱碱三元复合驱。     

数字全息图再现的有关参数选取

数字全息的再现过程是以数字的形式在计算机中完成的,对全息图有关参数的选取影响着数字全息再现像的结果。基于菲涅耳衍射理论和数字全息再现的原理,通过编程进行仿真实验,深入探讨了再现光波长、全息图像素元大小和再现距离等3个主要参数对再现像的影响。仿真实验结果表明,只要这些参数的取值处在合适的范围内,即可得到满足一定要求的清晰再现像。     

Nanocrystallization of Pd74Si18Au8 metallic glass

The crystallization process of Pd₇₄Si₁₈Au₈ amorphous alloy has been investigated by transmission electron microscopy, small angle X-ray scattering and three-dimensional atom probe techniques. Although literature suggests that the alloy decomposes into two glassy phases prior to the crystallization, we found that the crystallization occurs directly from a single amorphous phase by the primary crystallization of fcc Pd–Au solid solution, followed by the polymorphous crystallization of the remaining amorphous phase to a Pd₃Si phase.     

TiN/Cr/Al2O3 and TiN/Al2O3 hybrid coatings structure features and properties resulting from combined treatment

New experimental results are presented on the structure and the elemental and phase composition of hybrid coatings, which were deposited on a substrate of AISI 321 stainless steel using a combination of plasma-detonation, vacuum-arc and subsequent High-Current Electron Beam (HCEB) treatment. We found that an increase in energy density intensified mass transfer processes and resulted in changes in aluminum oxide phase composition (γ → α and β → α). Also we observed the formation of a nanocrystalline structure in Al₂O₃ coatings. Electron beam treatment of a hybrid coating surface induced higher adhesion, decreased the intensity of surface wear and increased corrosion resistance in a sulphuric acid solution. The corrosion resistance of the coatings was studied in several electrolytic solutions (0.5 M H₂SO₄, 1 M HCl, 0.75 M NaCl) using electrochemical techniques. In most cases the corrosion resistance was improved, except those in NaCl solutions. The nano-hardness of the protecting coating was 13 GPa before electron beam melting and 9 GPa after it (as a result of TiN and Al₂O₃ sub-layers mixing).     

Mechanisms of nanostructure and metastable phase formations in the surface melted layers of a HCPEB-treated D2 steel

This work investigates the mechanism of surface modification associated with the high-current pulsed electron beam (HCPEB) treatment of a D2 steel with increasing numbers of pulses. The surface layers were melted and resolidified but the treated surfaces showed very different features. This variation is essentially due to the different levels of homogeneity and carbide dissolution. It is demonstrated that the presence of carbides served as nucleation sites for the surface eruption phenomenon that creates craters on the surface. After a sufficient number of pulses, most of the carbides in the surface layer were dissolved and an almost crater-free homogeneous melted layer consisting of a very stable nano-austenite structure was formed. The HCPEB technique is thus demonstrated to be a versatile technique for surface microstructure modification involving, in the case of steels, austenite stabilization and ultrafine grain formation.     

Surface roughness of a hot-dipped galvanized sheet steel as a function of deformation mode

A hot-dipped galvanized zinc-coated sheet steel was deformed with three different laboratory test systems: a Marciniak punch system, a flat-die friction test system, and a cupping system. These systems were able to impose various combinations of deformation modes to the sheet. The deformation modes include: (1) strain without die contact, (2) sliding, (3) pressing, and (4) bending. Strain measurements from the electrolitically gridded specimens were made at the same locations as surface profilometry measurements, allowing a direct correspondence of surface roughness with strain. Quantification of the roughening as a function of strain, sliding and bending was determined. The roughening rate depends upon the strain level as well as the strain path. Increased strain without die contact causes an increase in the surface roughness with strain paths close to plane strain exhibiting the highest roughening rate. The deformation modes of sliding, pressing, and bending cause a decrease in the surface roughness (i.e. smoothing) to occur. A first-order model is proposed to account for the surface roughness as a function of these deformation modes.     

In-focus electron microscopy of frozen-hydrated biological samples with a Boersch phase plate

We report the implementation of an electrostatic Einzel lens (Boersch) phase plate in a prototype transmission electron microscope dedicated to aberration-corrected cryo-EM. The combination of phase plate, C_s corrector and Diffraction Magnification Unit (DMU) as a new electron-optical element ensures minimal information loss due to obstruction by the phase plate and enables in-focus phase contrast imaging of large macromolecular assemblies. As no defocussing is necessary and the spherical aberration is corrected, maximal, non-oscillating phase contrast transfer can be achieved up to the information limit of the instrument. A microchip produced by a scalable micro-fabrication process has 10 phase plates, which are positioned in a conjugate, magnified diffraction plane generated by the DMU. Phase plates remained fully functional for weeks or months. The large distance between phase plate and the cryo sample permits the use of an effective anti-contaminator, resulting in ice contamination rates of <0.6 nm/h at the specimen. Maximal in-focus phase contrast was obtained by applying voltages between 80 and 700 mV to the phase plate electrode. The phase plate allows for in-focus imaging of biological objects with a signal-to-noise of 5-10 at a resolution of 2-3 nm, as demonstrated for frozen-hydrated virus particles and purple membrane at liquid-nitrogen temperature.     

A method to determine the local surface profile from reconstructed exit waves

Reconstructed exit waves are useful to quantify unknown structure parameters such as the position and composition of the atom columns at atomic scale. Existing techniques provide a complex wave in a flat plane which is close to the plane where the electrons leave the atom columns. However, due to local deviation in the flatness of the exit surface, there will be an offset between the plane of reconstruction and the actual exit of a specific atom column. Using the channelling theory, it has been shown that this defocus offset can in principle be determined atom column-by-atom column. As such, the surface roughness could be quantified at atomic scale. However, the outcome strongly depends on the initial plane of reconstruction especially in a crystalline structure. If this plane is further away from the true exit, the waves of the atom columns become delocalized and interfere mutually which strongly complicates the interpretation of the exit wave in terms of the local structure. In this paper, we will study the delocalization with defocus using the channelling theory in a more systematic way.