Self-balanced navigation-grade capacitive microaccelerometers using branched finger electrodes and their performance for varying sense voltage and pressure

Presents a navigation-grade capacitive microaccelerometer, whose low-noise high-resolution detection capability is achieved by a new electrode design based on a high-amplitude anti-phase sense voltage. We reduce the mechanical noise of the microaccelerometer to the level of 5.5 /spl mu/g//spl radic/Hz by increasing the proof-mass based on deep RIE process of an SOI wafer. We reduce the electrical noise as low as 0.6 /spl mu/g//spl radic/Hz by using an anti-phase high-amplitude square-wave sense voltage of 19 V. The nonlinearity problem caused by the high-amplitude sense voltage is solved by a new electrode design of branched finger type. Combined use of the branched finger electrode and high-amplitude sense voltage generates self force-balancing effects, resulting in an 140% increase of the bandwidth from 726Hz to 1734 Hz. For a fixed sense voltage of 10 V, the total noise is measured as 2.6 /spl mu/g//spl radic/Hz at the air pressure of 3.9torr, which is the 51% of the total noise of 5.1 /spl mu/g//spl radic/Hz at the atmospheric pressure.     

Esterification of valeric acid over PTA supported mesoporous Al-SBA-15 as efficient solid acid catalysts

Journal of Porous Materials - Valeric acid can be produced by selective hydrogenation of biomass-derived levulinic acid. The present work aims to synthesize ethyl valerate (EV), a fuel, fuel...     

Continuous hydrothermal synthesis of HT-LiCoO2 in supercritical water

A detailed investigation was made into the production of high temperature lithium cobalt oxide (HT-LiCoO₂) particles by continuous hydrothermal synthesis via the reaction of cobalt nitrate, lithium hydroxide, and hydrogen peroxide. The experiments were carried out in both subcritical and supercritical water, at temperatures ranging from 300 to 411 °C, with residence times less than 1 min in all instances. Although Co₃O₄ particles were synthesized in subcritical water at similar reaction conditions designed for comparison, well-ordered particles of HT-LiCoO₂ were obtained in supercritical water. In supercritical conditions, the variations in temperature and residence time did not have significant impacts on the average particle size, particle size distribution, or morphology of obtained HT-LiCoO₂. However, it was important to supply excessive lithium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide in order to synthesize single-phased HT-LiCoO₂ particles without undesired by-products. The hydrothermal synthetic route for LiCoO₂, CoO, and Co₃O₄ in both subcritical and supercritical conditions was postulated.     

Cell Signal Distribution and Imprint Reliability in FeRAM with Hybrid Bit Line Architecture

We have investigated the cell signal distributions of ferroelectric random access memories (FeRAMs) using newly developed design scheme, hybrid bit line architecture and their reliability against imprint degradation. Since FeRAMs have relatively large signal distributions due to nonuniform ferroelectric storage capacitors, cell signal interference between neighboring bit lines severely degrades the sensing signal margin. In order to remove the cross-talk noise, hybrid bit line architecture is developed, which is a combination of the conventional folded and open bit line schemes. The lifetime against imprint degradation of FeRAM devices is also increased using hybrid bit line architecture.     

Flow visualizations and hot-wire measurements on air flow in two different neonate incubators

Flow visualizations and hot-wire measurements on the inside flows of two different incubators are presented in this paper. An anatomically-correct neonate model was fabricated using the rapid prototyping machine, based on the 3-D scanned data. The result showed that air flow in the incubator was affected not only by the air circulation system but also by the design of incubator chamber. Large rotating motions were located around the corners of free space. A number of small eddies were found in regions of high shear flow, in areas such as that between the air inlet and the neonate. But, these small eddies were found to be stationary at that locations. Those small eddies might interfere with convective and evaporative heat transfers from the neonate. This study has led to a better understanding of flow mechanism in an incubator chamber and provided the guidance needed for the advancement of improved computational fluid dynamic models.     

Field and laboratory performance of a rectangular shaped glass fiber reinforced polymer deck

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites have been favorably noticed as state-of-the art construction materials, but sufficient material and structural data about FRP applications are not available. This study was intended to evaluate the applications and safety of FRP deck systems, which are developed by laboratory testing (static and fatigue tests), field application and testing of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) deck systems made of glass fiber and vinyl ester resin. The results show that the developed FRP deck systems have the expected strength and stiffness to replace the existing systems. FRP deck systems can effectively shorten the construction time and reduce the equipment required. In addition, it is determined that there is a need to evaluate the long-term structural behavior and durability of FRP deck systems in order to obtain comprehensive data for preparing the future design, manufacturing and construction materials.     

Precipitation hardening and recrystallization in Cu-4% to 7% Ni-3% Al alloys

The effects of microstructure on mechanical properties in three cold-worked Cu-4% to 7% Ni-3% Al alloys have been investigated by changing ageing time at 500 °C. Hardness and strength in the Cu-7% Ni-3% Al and Cu-5.5% Ni-3% Al alloys increase with ageing time and have maximum values at an ageing time of 10³–10⁴s at 500 °C, then decrease. During ageing of Cu-7% Ni-3% Al at 500 °C, the coherent Ni₃Al phase was first precipitated out and later incoherent NiAl phase was formed. Ni₃Al formed during the initial stage of ageing is likely to be a transient phase. The increases in hardness and strength are due to the precipitation of coherent Ni₃Al phase. Coherent Ni₃Al particles are effective in increasing the strength and retarding the recrystallization process. On the other hand, the hardness and strength in the Cu-4% Ni-3% Al alloy gradually declined with ageing time. Only incoherent NiAl phase was formed during ageing at 500 °C. Decreases in hardness and strength in the Cu-4% Ni-3% Al alloy are attributed to softening during recovery and recrystallization, because incoherent NiAl particles have an insufficient effect to increase the strength.