The incremental response of soils. An investigation using a discrete-element model

The incremental stress-strain relation of dense packings of polygons is investigated by using moleculardynamics simulations. The comparison of the simulation results to the continuous theories is performed using explicit expressions for the averaged stress and strain over a representative volume element. The discussion of the incremental response raises two important questions of soil deformation: Is the incrementally nonlinear theory appropriate to describe the soil mechanical response? Does a purely elastic regime exist in the deformation of granular materials? In both cases the answer will be “no”. The question of stability is also discussed in terms of the Hill condition of stability for non-associated materials. It is contended that the incremental response of soils should be revisited from micromechanical considerations. A micromechanical approach assisted by discrete element simulations is briefly outlined.     

Characteristics of Air-Side Particulate Fouling Materials in Finned-Tube Heat Exchangers of Air Conditioners

Heat exchangers are used widely in residential, commercial, and industrial HVAC applications. Air-side particulate fouling in the heat exchangers of HVAC applications degrades the performance of cooling capacity, pressure drop across a heat exchanger, and indoor air quality. Indoor and outdoor air contaminants foul heat exchangers. The purpose of this study is to investigate the characteristics of the air-side particulate fouling materials in finned-tube heat exchangers of air conditioners. Air conditioners being used in the field such as inns, restaurants, and offices are collected in chronological order of use. The fouling materials attached on the evaporator heat exchangers consist of particulates and fibers. The particulates mainly originate from indoor dusts and the fibers are separated from clothes, bedclothes, papers, fur of pets, and so on. Typical fouling materials on the heat exchangers include fibers and dusts ranging from 6.6 to 20.9 μm in aerodynamic mean diameter.     

Crystal structure and spectroscopic studies of NaGd(PO3)4

Single crystals of gadolinium–sodium polyphosphate NaGd(PO₃)₄ were grown for the first time using a flux method and characterized by X-ray diffraction. This phosphate crystallizes in a monoclinic system with P2₁/n space group and with the following unit-cell dimensions: a = 9.767(3) Å, b = 13.017(1) Å, c = 7.160(2) Å, β = 90.564(5)°, V = 910.3(4) Å³ and Z = 4. The crystal structure was solved from 3451 X-ray independent reflections with final R(F²) = 0.0219 and R_w(F²) = 0.056 refined with 164 parameters (). The atomic arrangement can be described as a long chain polyphosphate organization. Two infinite (PO₃)∝ chains with a period of eight tetrahedra run along the [0 1 1] direction. The structure of NaGd(PO₃)₄ consists of GdO₈ polyhedra sharing oxygen atoms with phosphoric group PO₄. Each Na⁺ ion is bonded to eight oxygen atoms.     

Thermal buckling of cross-ply laminated composite and sandwich plates according to a global higher-order deformation theory

A two-dimensional global higher-order deformation theory is presented for thermal buckling of cross-ply laminated composite and sandwich plates. By using the method of power series expansion of continuous displacement components, a set of fundamental governing equations which can take into account the effects of both transverse shear and normal stresses is derived through the principle of virtual work. Several sets of truncated Mth-order approximate theories are applied to solve the eigenvalue problems of a simply supported multilayered plate. Modal transverse shear and normal stresses can be calculated by integrating the three-dimensional equations of equilibrium in the thickness direction, and satisfying the continuity conditions at the interface between layers and stress boundary conditions at the external surfaces. Numerical results are compared with those of the published three-dimensional layerwise theory in which both in-plane and normal displacements are assumed to be C⁰ continuous in the continuity conditions at the interface between layers. Effects of the difference of displacement continuity conditions between the three-dimensional layerwise theory and the global higher-order theory are clarified in thermal buckling problems of multilayered composite plates.     

A novel red long lasting phosphorescent (LLP) material β-Zn3(PO4)2:Mn, Sm

A novel red long lasting phosphorescent materials β-Zn₃(PO₄)₂:Mn²⁺,Sm³⁺ is firstly synthesized by high-temperature solid-state reaction. The influence of Sm³⁺ ions on luminescence and long lasting phosphorescence properties of Mn²⁺ in phosphor β-Zn₃(PO₄)₂:Mn²⁺,Sm³⁺ are systematically investigated. It is found that the red phosphorescence (λ = 616 nm) performance of Mn²⁺ ion such as brightness and duration is largely improved when Sm³⁺ ion is co-doped into the matrix in which Mn²⁺ ion acts as luminescent center and Sm³⁺ ion plays an important role of electron trap. Thermoluminescence spectrums show that there exists one peak in β-Zn₃(PO₄)₂:Mn²⁺,Sm³⁺, the depth of which is 0.33 eV, and that there are three peaks in β-Zn₃(PO₄)₂:Mn²⁺, among which the depth of the lowest temperature peak in β-Zn₃(PO₄)₂:Mn²⁺ is 0.37 eV. Such differences in the trap depth result in the improvement of red long lasting phosphorescence of Mn²⁺ in present matrix.     

Blue-emitting cyanuric acid-melamine complexes from urea thermolysis

Novel blue-emitting cyanuric acid-melamine complexes CA_x·M_1−x (x = 0.8-0.9) have been prepared by a simple two-step procedure from urea. Relatively strong and pure blue-light emission with a maximum at 470 nm was observed from these complexes. These complexes are very promising light-emitting materials due to their good thermal stability.     

Synthesis of MCM-41 frameworks incorporating oxygen-sulphur derivates of molybdenum and tungsten

The first examples of mesostructured materials containing Mo- and W-oxo-sulphur species incorporated into a poorly ordered MCM-41 framework have been prepared under hydrothermal condition and alkaline medium. The incorporation of oxygen-sulphur derivates of molybdenum and tungsten not only increases significantly the pore diameter, but also improves the thermal stability of the MCM-41-related mesoporous material.     

Synthesis and characterization of Ni1−xZnxFe2O4 spinel ferrites from tailored layered double hydroxide precursors

In this paper, a series of pure Ni_1 − xZn_xFe₂O₄ (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) spinel ferrites have been synthesized successfully using a novel route through calcination of tailored hydrotalcite-like layered double hydroxide molecular precursors of the type [(Ni + Zn)_{1 − x − y}Fe_y²⁺Fe_x³⁺(OH)₂]^x+(SO₄²⁻)_x/2·mH₂O at 900 °C for 2 h, in which the molar ratio of (Ni²⁺ + Zn²⁺)/(Fe²⁺ + Fe³⁺) was adjusted to the same value as that in single spinel ferrite itself. The physico-chemical characteristics of the LDHs and their resulting calcined products were investigated by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The results indicate that calcination of the as-synthesized LDH precursor affords a pure single Ni_1 − xZn_xFe₂O₄ (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) spinel ferrite phase. Moreover, formation of pure ferrites starting from LDHs precursors requires a much lower temperature and shorter time, leading to a lower chance of side-reactions occurring, because all metal cations on the brucite-like layers of LDHs can be uniformly distributed at an atomic level.     

One-step and rapid synthesis of high quality alloyed quantum dots (CdSe-CdS) in aqueous phase by microwave irradiation with controllable temperature

In this paper, we presented a seed-mediated approach for rapid synthesis of high quality alloyed quantum dots (CdSe-CdS) in aqueous phase by microwave irradiation with controllable temperature in 1 h. In the synthesis, CdSe seeds were first formed by the reaction of NaHSe and Cd²⁺, and then alloyed quantum dots (CdSe-CdS) were rapidly produced by releasing of sulfide ions from 3-mercaptopropionic acid as sulfide source with microwave irradiation. The alloyed quantum dots synthesized had good optical properties, the quantum yield was up to 25%, and the full width at half maximum of the emission spectrum peak was about 28 nm. The as-prepared alloyed CdSe-CdS QDs were characterized by XRD, XPS and ICP-AES in order to explore the structure and component of the alloyed nanocrystals and the reaction mechanism. We speculate that the alloyed CdSe-CdS quantum dots may exist a gradient internal structure according to our preliminary results.     

Hydrothermal synthesis and photoluminescence properties of nano-crystalline GdBO3:Eu phosphor

Nano-crystalline GdBO₃:Eu³⁺ was prepared by a hydrothermal method and the effects of some processing variables such as pH, temperature were investigated. The as-synthesized powders were spherical shaped agglomerates of nanoparticles. The luminescent properties were compared with samples synthesized by conventional solid-state reaction method. Both the photoluminescence intensity and chromaticity were improved and a red-shift in the CT band was observed for the hydrothermally synthesized samples. Possible mechanisms of phase formation were investigated and explanations for the changes in optical properties are proposed.