Structural Evolution and Property Changes in Nd_{60}Al_{10}Fe_{20}Co_{10} Bulk Metallic Glass During Crystallization

The structural evolution and property changes in Nd60Al10Fe20Co10 bulk metallic glass (BMG) upon crystallization are investigated by the ultrasonic method, x-ray diffraction, density measurement, and differential scanning calorimetry. The elastic constants and Debye temperature of the BMG are obtained as a function of annealing temperature. Anomalous changes in ultrasonic velocities, elastic constants, and density are observed between 600–750 K, corresponding to the formation of metastable phases as an intermediate product in the crystallization process. The changes in acoustic velocities, elastic constants, density, and Debye temperature of the BMG relative to its fully crystallized state are much smaller, compared with those of other known BMGs, the differences being attributed to the microstructural feature of the BMG.

Effects of the orientation of microgravity on the concentration distribution in crystallization from solution

A quasi-steady state growth and dissolution in a 2-D rectangular enclosure is numerically investigated. This paper is an extension to indicate the effects of the orientation of gravity on the concentration field in crystallization from solution under microgravity, especially on the lateral non-uniformity of concentration distribution at the growth surface. The thermal and solute convection are included in this model.

Glass transition and crystallization process of hard magnetic bulk Nd60Al10Fe20Co10 metallic glass

Glass transition and crystallization process of bulk Nd60Al10Fe20Co10 metallic glass were investigated by means of dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). It is shown that the glass transition and onset crystallization temperature determined by DMTA at a heating rate of 0.167 K/s are 480 and 588 K respectively. The crystallization process of the metallic glass is concluded as follows: amorphous alpha-->alpha' + metastable FeNdAl novel phase -->alpha' + primary delta phase-->primary delta phase + eutectic delta phase Nd3Al phase + Nd3Co phase. The appearance of hard magnetism in this alloy is ascribed to the presence of amorphous phase with highly relaxed structure. The hard magnetism disappeared after the eutectic crystallization of amorphous phase.

Kinetics of Glass Transition and Crystallization in Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Mg-Cu-Gd Bulk Metallic Glass

Mg65 Cu25 Gdlo bulk metallic glass and its carbon nanotube reinforced composite were prepared. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) was used to investigate the kinetics of glass transition and crystallization processes. The influence of CNTs addition to the glass matrix on the glass transition and crystallization kinetics was studied. It is shown that the kinetic effect on glass transition and crystallization are preserved for both the monothetic glass and its glass composite. Adding CNTs in to the glass matrix reduces the influence of the heating rate on the crystallization process. In addition, the CNTs increase the energetic barrier for the glass transition. This results in the decrease of GFA . The mechanism of the GFA decrease was also discussed.

Study of Growth Mechanism of Lysozyme Crystal by Batch Crystallization Method

The lysozyme crystals were made by batch crystallization method and the distribution of aggregate in solution were measured by dynamic light scattering. The results showed that the dimension of aggregate increased with the increase of the concentration of lysozyme and NaCl, lysozyme molecules aggregated gradually in solution and finally arrived at balance each other. The higher the concentrations of lysozyme and NaCl were, the faster the growth rate of (I 10) face was. The growth rates of lysozyme crystal were obtained by a Zeiss microscope, and the effective surface energy (a) of growing steps were calculated about 4.01 X 10(-8) J.cm(-2) according to the model of multiple two-dimensional nucleation mechanism.

Melting and Crystallization of Nd60Al10Fe20Co10 Bulk Metallic Glass under High Pressure

Crystallization, melting and structural evolution upon crystallization in Nd60Al10Fe20Co10 bulk metallic glass (BMG) are in situ investigated by x-ray diffraction with synchrotron radiation under high pressure. It is found that the crystallization is pressure promoted, while themelting is inhibited. The crystallization and melting process are also changed under high pressure. The features of the crystallization and melting under high pressure are discussed.

The Fluid Phenomena In the Crystallization Of the Protein Crystal

This paper reports that an optical diagnostic system consisting of Mach-Zehnder interferometer with a phase shift device and image processor has been used for study of the kinetics of protein crystal growing process. The crystallization process of protein crystal by vapour diffusion is investigated. The interference fringes are observed in real time. The present experiment demonstrates that the diffusion and the sedimentation influence the crystallization of protein crystal which grows in solution, and the concentration capillary convection associated with surface tension occurs at the vicinity of free surface of the protein mother liquor, and directly affects on the outcome of protein crystallization. So far the detailed analysis and the important role of the fluid phenomena in protein crystallization have been discussed a little in both space- and ground-based crystal growth experiments. It is also found that these fluid phenomena affect the outcome of protein crystallization, regular growth, and crystal quality. This may explain the fact that many results of space-based investigation do not show overall improvement.

Concentration distribution in crystallization from solution under microgravity

Concentration distribution in crystallization from solution under microgravity is numerically studied. A quasi-steady state growth and dissolution in a 2D rectangular enclosure filled with sodium chlorate (NaClO3) aqueous solution, in which one wall is the growth surface of the crystal and the opposite one is the dissolution surface, is considered. The solute transport process at the growth surface is described by the diffusion-reaction theory with finite interface kinetics coefficient. The results show that the concentration at the growth surface is supersaturated and the supersaturation distribution is of non-uniformity, i.e. the supersaturation in a region facing an incoming flow is high. On the other hand, the non-uniformity of supersaturation at the growth surface is closely related to the gravity level even under microgravity, it exponentially increases as the thermal Rayleigh number on behalf of the gravity level rises.

Crystallization of amorphous Ge2Sb2Te5 films induced by a single femtosecond laser pulse

Crystallization is achieved in amorphous Ge2Sb2Te5 films upon irradiation with a single femtosecond laser pulse. Transmission electron microscopy images evidence the morphology of the crystallized spot which depends on the fluence of the ferntosecond laser pulse. Fine crystalline grains are induced at low fluence, and the coarse crystalline grains are obtained at high fluence. At the damage fluence, ablation of the films occurs. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Femtosecond laser-induced crystallization in amorphous Ge2Sb2Te5 films

Crystallization in amorphous Ge2Sb2Te5 films by irradiation with femtosecond laser was investigated. The reflectivity and X-ray diffraction measurements confirmed that the crystalline state has been achieved in amorphous Ge2Sb2Te5 films under the irradiation of fermosecond laser with an average power of 65 mW at a frequency of 1000 Hz and a pulsed width of 120 fs. The surface morphology before and after femtosecond laser irradiation was studied by scanning electron microscope; results showed that the surface of films with irradiation of femtosecond laser was composed of some the crystallized micro-region. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Numerical and experimental analysis on green laser crystallization of amorphous silicon thin films

The effect of laser fluence on the crystallization of amorphous silicon irradiated by a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser is studied both theoretically and experimentally. An effective numerical model is set up to predict the melting threshold and the optimized laser fluence for the crystallization of 200-nm-thick amorphous silicon. The variation of the temperature distribution with time and the melt depth is analyzed. Besides the model, the Raman spectra of thin films treated with different fluences are measured to confirm the phase transition and to determine the optimized fluence. The calculating results accord well with those obtained from the experimental data in this research. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stability against crystallization and spectroscopic properties of Tm3+ doped fluorophosphate glasses

Fluorophosphate glasses with various content of Al(PO3)(3) were prepared. With the increment of Al(PO3)(3) content, density decreases while refractive index increases, and transition temperature, crystallization peak temperature and melt temperature increase which were suggested by differential scanning calorimetry. These glasses exhibit the best stability against crystallization with 7-9 mol'Yo Al(PO3)(3) content. Normalized Raman spectra were used to analyze structure and phonon state. The increment of Al(PO3)(3) content does not affect phonon energy but results in the augment of phonon density. Absorption spectra were measured. H-3(6) -> F-3(4) transition exhibits absorption at L band of the third communication window. Compared with the energy of Tm3+ excited states in other glass system, F-3(4) energy of Tm3+ in these glasses is considerable higher and H-3(4) energy is considerable lower, and it can be predicted that emission band of H-3(4) -> F-3(4) transition is close to the amplified band of gain-shift Tm3+ doped fiber amplifier. Analyses of Judd-Ofelt theory suggest when Al(PO3)(3) content is no more than 7 mol%, Judd-Ofelt parameters Omega(t) and the lifetime of H-3(4) energy level of TM3+ vary little with the increment of Al(PO3)(3) content, and when Al(PO3)(3) content is more than 7 mol%, Omega(2) and Omega(6) increase and radiative lifetime of H-3(4) energy level of Tm3+ drops sharply with the increment of Al(PO3)(3) content. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of chloride substitution on the chemical and physical properties and the crystallization behavior in heavy metal fluoride glasses

Effect of the substitutions of chloride for fluoride on the chemical and physical properties and the crystallization behavior in heavy metal fluoride glasses has been investigated. The characteristic temperature of the glass does not changed obviously when the fluoride was taken place by chloride. Compared with samples of being free of ErF3, the doping samples are more inclined to be surface crystallization. Optical basicity in the glass system increases with increasing the negative charge provided by the chloride atoms and the absorption peak red shifted is observed in absorption spectra. XRD measurements show that not a single crystalline phase appears in the heated glass samples, which indicate the substitutions of chloride for fluoride with a variety of crystalline precipitation trends. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.

Crystallization of amorphous Si films by pulsed laser annealing and their structural characteristics

Nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si) films were prepared by pulsed laser annealed crystallization of amorphous silicon (alpha-Si) films on SiO2-coated quartz or glass substrates. The effect of laser energy density on structural characteristics of nc-Si films was investigated. The Ni-induced crystallization of the a-Si films was also discussed. The surface morphology and microstructure of these films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and Raman scattering spectroscopy. The results show that not only can the alpha-Si films be crystallized by the laser annealing technique, but also the size of Si nanocrystallites can be controlled by varying the laser energy density. Their average size is about 4-6 nm. We present a surface tension and interface strain model used for describing the laser annealed crystallization of the alpha-Si films. The doping of Ni atoms may effectively reduce the threshold value of laser energy density to crystallize the alpha-Si films, and the flocculent-like Si nanostructures could be formed by Ni-induced crystallization of the alpha-Si films.