Structural properties of phosphorous-doped polycrystalline silicon

The structural properties and hydrogen bonding of undoped and phosphorous doped polycrystalline silicon produced by step-by-step laser dehydrogenation and crystallization technique were investigated using Raman spectroscopy and hydrogen effusion measurements. At low laser fluences, E_L, a two-layer system is created. This is accompanied by the change in hydrogen bonding. The intensity of the Si–H vibration mode at 2000 decreases faster than the one at 2100 cm⁻¹. This is even more pronounced in phosphorous-doped specimens. The laser crystallization results in an increase of the hydrogen binding energy by approximately 0.2–0.3 eV compared to the amorphous starting materials.     

Determination of protein binding of gyrase inhibitors by means of continuous ultrafiltration

In order to characterize the protein binding of a drug, it is necessary to have a method which is close to in vivo conditions and fast in the course of measurement. The continuous ultrafiltration fulfils both requirements for substances with a high extent of protein binding. In this study, 18 gyrase inhibitors in clinical practice, characterized by a lower extent of protein binding, were subjected to the titration procedure of the continuous ultrafiltration using bovine and human serum albumin (BSA, HSA), and human plasma. The results of the continuous ultrafiltration were found to be similar to those obtained by means of the 'classical' discontinuous ultrafiltration using plasma (correlation between continuous and discontinuous ultrafiltration r2 = 0.87). In the cases of pipemidic acid, enoxacin and rufloxacin, the continuous method gave approximately 20% lower degrees of protein binding than the discontinuous procedure, which utilizes plasma having the full range of proteins. It is likely that these drugs bind mainly to other proteins in plasma than HSA. This finding proves that this fast method is worthwhile in the whole range of protein binding.     

Sol—Gel Synthesis of Strontium-Doped Lanthanum Manganite

Strontium-doped lanthanum manganite powders were prepared using a peroxide acetate salt based solution. The stable sol was peptized by reacting ammonium hydroxide with the precursor solution. The amorphous dried gel powders exhibit a high energy level, due to their high cations coordination and small particles, to develop the perovskite phase. This crystalline phase development from powders containing monocarboxylate ligands was characterized by thermal analysis (TG, DTG, DTA), X-ray diffraction, and IR spectroscopy. The transformation from amorphous powders into a crystallized homogeneous oxycarbonate phase in a first stage corresponds to an exothermal DTA peak at 270°C. X-ray diffraction patterns and IR spectra showed similar behavior of the powders after complete organic removal, during the conversion into perovskite phase starting at approximately 630°C and achieved about 700°C and achieved about 700°C, as well as during the sintering process.     

Energy Metabolites as Biomarkers in Ischemic and Dilated Cardiomyopathy

With more than 25 million people affected, heart failure (HF) is a global threat. As energy production pathways are known to play a pivotal role in HF, we sought here to identify key metabolic changes in ischemic- and non-ischemic HF by using a multi-OMICS approach. Serum metabolites and mRNAseq and epigenetic DNA methylation profiles were analyzed from blood and left ventricular heart biopsy specimens of the same individuals. In total we collected serum from n = 82 patients with Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) and n = 51 controls in the screening stage. We identified several metabolites involved in glycolysis and citric acid cycle to be elevated up to 5.7-fold in DCM (p = 1.7 × 10⁻⁶). Interestingly, cardiac mRNA and epigenetic changes of genes encoding rate-limiting enzymes of these pathways could also be found and validated in our second stage of metabolite assessment in n = 52 DCM, n = 39 ischemic HF and n = 57 controls. In conclusion, we identified a new set of metabolomic biomarkers for HF. We were able to identify underlying biological cascades that potentially represent suitable intervention targets.     

Studies concerning the effect of nitrogen on the oxidation behavior of TiAl-based intermetallics at 900°C

The oxidation behavior of the titanium aluminides Ti-50Al and Ti-48Al-5Nb has been investigated in Ar+20%O₂ and in air at 900°C. Thermogravimetric studies in combination with structural analyses using optical metallography, SEM/EDX and X-ray diffraction show a marked influence of nitrogen on the composition and growth rate of the oxide scales. For a more detailed study concerning the effect of nitrogen on the scale-growth kinetics, thermogravimetrical analyses were carried out during which the gas atmosphere was changed from air to Ar–O₂, and vice versa, without intermediate cooling of the specimen. The results show, that nitrogen adversely affects the formation of the initially formed alumina scale and that it enhances the growth rate of the rapidly growing Ti-rich oxide. This effect was observed in both alloys investigated, although the thermogravimetric results at first sight indicated an opposite effect for the Nb-containing alloy. This apparent contradiction is caused by internal oxidation which occurs in this alloy during exposure in Ar–O₂.     

Application of multiscale modeling in the coating formation simulation of APS PYSZ TBCs

The process parameters of atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) influence the coating formation and properties of partially yttria stabilized zirconia (PYSZ) thermal barrier coatings (TBC). Simulations can be used to investigate this dependency and to design the coating process for a targeted production of TBCs. A whole process simulation was realized by modeling the linked subprocesses: plasma torch, plasma free jet, powder particles characteristics, and coating formation. The coating formation can be described by model approaches with different physical assumptions and geometric scales. One approach is the simulation of single powder particles hitting the substrate surface. An alternative macroscale finite element model (FEM) model approach is applied in the coating formation simulation. A group of particles is pooled in a splash that is dependent on the precalculated particle distribution in front of the substrate. A third modeling approach is applied to calculate effective mechanical and thermodynamical properties of coatings dependent on the experimentally obtained or calculated microstructure of the PYSZ TBC, which is based on different homogenization methods. The application of three simulation approaches in the whole process simulation of APS is discussed; advantages and disadvantages are elucidated. Results based on simulation and experiments are presented for a variation of process parameters. Missing links in the multiscale approach are detected to make suggestions for future modeling and simulation work. This article was originally published inBuilding on 100 Years of Success, Proceedings of the 2006 International Thermal Spray Conference (Seattle, WA), May 15–18, 2006, B.R. Marple, M.M. Hyland, Y.-Ch. Lau, R.S. Lima, and J. Voyer, Ed., ASM International, Materials Park, OH, 2006.     

Solders development and application process for a micro chip-camera

Nowadays, micro components have to fulfill rising optical requirements for different scientific and industrial fields like astronomy, medicine or multimedia. For this purpose, advanced miniaturized chip-cameras are produced for the microsystems engineering market. The assembly and joining technologies play a very important role in the production of these micro components. Several challenges are associated with the joining of chip-cameras. In this study, the application of the soldering technology has been considered in order to face these challenges. Two joining technologies have been investigated: active soldering and transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding. Both soldering processes have shown a big potential for hybrid microsystems joining in previous studies. For both processes, soldering alloys and parameters have been conceived in order to fulfill the joining requirements of the micro camera components. For instance, the joining temperature represents a major challenge because the chip-camera consists of a plastic material, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). Therefore, particular attention has been directed to the soldering as well as to the coating temperature. The experimental investigations concerning the solders application through physical vapor deposition (PVD) have been supported by finite element method (FEM) simulations. The analysis of  the temperature distribution in the micro components during the coating process was the focus of  the calculations. Possible undesirable local overheated areas of the chip-camera components can be detected through simulation.

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(Cr1‐x,Alx)N ein Review über ein vielseitig einsetzbares Schichtsystem

(Cr_1‐x,Al_x)N a review about a multi‐purpose coating system Nitride based coatings claimed a big market share for PVD‐coatings. Especially in the field for high temperature die casting and cutting operations chromium based coatings are well used. These coatings are also used in low temperature processes for the coating of machine parts. In the beginning of the nineties first examinations are done on the ternary system Chromium‐Aluminium‐Nitride. This system shows an excellent corrosion behaviour against many different liquids, but gains also a high hardness for a good wear behaviour. By changing the AlN to CrN content and the coating design CrAlN opens up a wide range for different coating applications. A major step for machine parts was the reducing of coating process temperature beneath 200 °C. This was only possible by using pulsed power supplies. CrAlN shows a very good performance on the fast growing market of coated machine parts e.g. on spindle bearings.