Effects of heat-treatment processes on the electroless Ni-B coating and its natural aging mechanism

A Ni-B coating was prepared with EN using potassium borohydride reducing agent. The as-plated micro-structure of the coating was confirmed from XRD to be a mixture of amorphous and supersaturated solid solution. Three kinds of phase transformation were observed from the DSC curve. Different from the previous works, the formation of Ni4B3 and Ni2B was found during some transformation processes. The key factors which influence the variation of micro-hardness and micro-structure in deposits are the formation, the size and amount of Ni3B, Ni4B3 and Ni2B. Aging of the deposits treated under some heat treatment conditions occurred at room temperature. Changes of the micro-hardness indicated aging phenomena evidently. the natural aging phenomena are concerned with various kinds of decomposition of borides, especially with Ni4B3 phase. The extent of natural aging depends on the formation and the quantity of Ni(4)B3 and Ni2B.

Anomalous Thermal Stability of Nd-Fe-Co-Al Bulk Metallic Glass

The thermal stability of Nd60Fe20Co10Al10 bulk metallic glass (BMG) has been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), isochronal dilatation and compression tests. The results show that the glass transition of the BMG takes place quite gradually between about 460 and 650 K at a heating rate of 0.17 K/s. Several transformation processes are observed during continuous heating with the first crystallization process beginning at about 460 K, while massive crystallization takes place near the solidus temperature of the alloy. The positive heat of mixing between the two major constituents, Nd and Fe, and, consequently, a highly inhomogeneous composition of the attained amorphous phase are responsible for the anomalous thermal stability in this system. (C) 2002 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

北京东灵山暖温带典型植被类型物种构成及物种多样性对氮素转化过程的影响

通过调查东灵山地区7个典型植被类型的物种多样性，并测定各林型中植物叶片养分特征，凋落物品质，土壤理化特性，豆科植物的生物固氮作用以及土壤有机质的净N矿化与硝化作用，研究了不同林型及其物种多样性对氮素转化过程的可能影响。结果表明： 1) 各林型乔灌草三层13个物种多样性指数之间都不同程度存在差异，且都表现基本一致的大小顺序，各样地乔灌草三层3个丰富度指数和5个多样性指数之间大都表现草本层>灌木层>乔木层的大小顺序。 2) 林型对植物叶片养分特征、叶片凋落物品质指标、土壤的大多数理化特性都有显著影响，其中，落叶阔叶林与针叶林之间的差异最为明显，优势种不同的针叶林之间也不同程度地存在差异。各林型物种多样性对植物叶片养分特征，凋落物品质和土壤理化特性也都不同程度存在显著影响，且乔灌草三层的物种多样性的影响不同。我们的结果支持物种多样性对生态系统过程存在显著影响的观点。 3) 胡枝子(Lespedeza bicolor)％FNDA值较低，在0～53.3％之间，与国外学者对某些木本豆科固氮植物的研究结果接近，但低于三叶草、野豌豆等草本豆科固氮植物。胡枝子生物固氮具有明显的季节差异，不同样地生境对胡枝子％FNDA值也存在显著影响，大都都表现铁塔辽东栎样地>重力点样地>站下灌丛样地>垭口样地的趋势。除胡枝子之外的其他豆科植物的％FNDA都高于胡枝子，且存在种间差异，以三籽两型豆(Amphicarpaea capillipes)最高(100％)，歪头菜(Vicia unijuga)最低(平均66.4％)，这些结果与国外相关研究接近。不同林型之间和同一林型不同样地之间也影响豆科植物的％FNDA。东灵山地区有相当数量的植物种具有和固氮植物相近的δ15N值和全N含量，具有潜在的生物固氮能力。6个林型中所有豆科植物的％FNDA平均值主要受乔木层和草本层物种多样性的影响，乔木层和草本层物种多样性提高，豆科植物的％FNDA将随之显著降低。 4) 气温、土壤温度和降水量显著影响各林型净氮硝化速率的季节动态，都表现为温度升高，降水量增加，净氮硝化速率也随之增大。 5) 在不同取样时间，不同林型在土壤NH4+、N03-含量，矿化、硝化速率以及年度总净矿化、硝化量之间均不同程度存在显著差异，其中，以辽东栎落叶阔叶林与针叶林之间，常绿针叶林与落叶针叶林之间，纯林与混交林之间的差异最为明显。 6) 土壤初始N0_3含量与年度总净硝化量，年度总净矿化量及其占TKN的百分比呈显著正相关关系;植物叶片全N浓度与净氮矿化、硝化作用呈显著负相关：植物叶片凋落物的品质指标与净氮矿化、硝化作用没有显著相关。 7) 胡枝子固氮作用(％FNDA值)越强，土壤有机氮的净硝化量就越大，胡枝子在从大气中获取大量N，的同时，很可能会增加氮素的淋溶损失量。胡枝子固氮作用(％FNDA值)与净氮矿化量不存在显著相关关系。 8) 只有乔木层和草本层部分种多样性指数对净氮矿化、硝化量存在显著影响。乔木层均匀度提高，土壤净氮碳化量将随之增大;而草本层物种多样性提高，均匀度提高，净氮矿化、硝化作用将随之降低，草本层植物对土壤氮素矿化作用具有显著抑制作用。 9) 落叶阔叶林与针叶林的供氮能力和维持无机氮素的能力之间存在比较明显的差异，而不同针叶林的矿化／硝化作用也有所差别。其中，辽东栎落叶阔叶林的供氮能力和维持氮素能力均高于针叶林和山杏灌丛;油松林的供氮能力与防止氮素损失的能力显然要强于落叶松林和山杏灌丛。 10) 尽管箭叶锦鸡儿灌丛植物叶片与凋落物中全N、全P浓度在大多数取样点上都低于硕桦(高于草甸)，但表层土中全N浓度高于硕桦和草甸，且其土壤有机质的供氮能力以及维持氮素能力都高于硕桦林和草甸，表明，锦鸡儿灌丛为侵入草甸和硕桦入侵提供了良好的养分条件，在该演替序列的发展过程中起了一定的推动作用。

黄铁矿热转变过程的岩石磁学研究

Pyrite is the most stable iron-sulfide in reduced environment, and plays an important role in geochemical iron-sulfur cycling of sediments. Thus, the presence of pyrite in sediments and rocks is an important indicator of sedimentary environments. Previous studies on the thermal products of pyrite showed that all of the products (e.g., pyrrhotite, magnetite, hematite) have strong capability of carrying remanence. To deepen our understanding of the environmental and paleomagnetic significances of pyrite, the mineral transformation processes of pyrite upon heating were systematically investigated in this study using intergrated rock magnetic experiments (in both argon and air atmospheres) and X-ray diffraction analysis. The room temperature susceptibility of the paramagnetic pyrite is about 2.68×10-5 SI. In argon atmosphere (reducing environment), pyrite was transformed into monoclinic stable single domain (SD) pyrrhotite above 440 C. The corresponding coercive force and remanence coercivity are about 20 mT and 30 mT, respectively. In contrast, in air atmosphere (oxidation environment), the intermediate thermal products of pyrite are magnetite and pyrrhotite, which were quickly further oxidated to SD hematite, which has coercivity of about 1400 mT. In addition, the hematite particles gradually grow from SD to PSD grain size region by multiple heating runs. The transformation processes of pyrite in oxidation atomosphere can be interpreted by three possible pathways: (1) pyrite→magnetite→hematite; (2) pyrite→pyrrhotite→magnetite→hematite; and (3) pyrite→pyrrhotite→hematite. Low-temperature magnetic experiments show no transitions for pyrite. Despite that low-temperature magnetic method is not suitable for identification of pyrite, it is clear in this study that the high-temperature thermomagnetic measurements (e.g.,  -T and J-T curves) are very sensitive to the presence of pyrite in sediments and rocks. Nevertheless, for the thermal treatment products, low-temperature magnetic measurements showed the 34 K transition of pyrrhotite and the 250 K Morine transition of hematite. Iron-sulfide has also been found on Martian meteorolites by other workers. Therefore, systematic study of rock magnetism of pyrite (and other iron-sulfides) and their products will have great significances for both paleomagnetism and planetary magnetism.

Temperature transformation in relativistic thermodynamics

This paper reviews conflicting results on relativistic transformation formula for tem-perature obtained by different authors in the last half century, discusses the proper expres-sion for elementary work done under reversible processes, and presents a correct derivationof the transformation formula, rather similar in spirit to that of Einstein. It is pointed outthat the point of view adopted by Eddington, Ott, Mφller and Landsberg are erroneous,and that by correctly carrying out detailed analysis for Mφller's working model, which wasoriginally proposed to disprove Planck-Einstein result, we have arrived instead at a result incomplete agreement with that of Planck-Einstein. Thercupon this long standing controversyover the temperature transformation dilemma for relativistic thermodynamics is clarified.

Surface plasmon resonance studies on the electrochemical doping/dedoping processes of anions on polyaniline-modified electrode

The combination of in situ surface plasmon resonance (SPR) with electrochemistry was used to investigate the electrochemical doping/dedoping processes of anions on a polyaniline (PAn)-modified electrode. Electrochemical SPR characteristics of the PAn film before and after doping/dedoping were revealed. The redox transformation between the insulating leucoemeraldine, and the conductive emeraldine, corresponding to the doping/dedoping of anion, can lead to very distinct changes in both the resonance minimum angle and the shape of SPR curve. This is ascribed to the swelling/shrinking effect, and the change of the PAn film in the imaginary part of the dielectric constant resulted from the transition of the film conductivity. In situ recording the time evolution of reflectance change at a fixed angle permits the continuous monitoring of the kinetic processes of doping/dedoping anions. The size and the charge of anions, the film thickness, as well as the concentration of anions are shown to strongly influence the rate of ingress/egress of anions. The time differential of SPR kinetic curves can be well applied in the detecting electroinactive anion by flow injection analysis. The approach has higher sensitivity and reproducibility compared with other kinetic measurements, such as those obtained by amperometry.

Conformation transformation of syndiotactic polypropylene induced by stretching and annealing

Conformation transformation of syndiotactic polypropylene(sPP) induced by stretching and annealing processes has been investigated by WAXD, IR and DSC, The results indicate that not only the quenched samples but also the isothermally crystallized samples can form the crystals with all-trans conformation by means of uniaxially stretching at room temperature. The all-trans conformation crystals are of metastability, which can transform to stable crystals with (TTGG)(2) helical conformation at higher annealing temperatures.

Deformation, Phase Transformation and Recrystallization in the Shear Bands Induced by High-Strain Rate Loading in Titanium and its Alloys

alpha-titanium and its alloys with a dual-phase structure (alpha+beta) were deformed dynamically under strain rate of about 10(4) s(-1). The formation and microstructural evolution of the localized shear bands were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results reveal that both the strain and strain rate should be considered simultaneously as the mechanical conditions for shear band formation, and twinning is an important mode of deformation. Both experimental and calculation show that the materials within the bands underwent a superhigh strain rate (9 x 10(5) s(-1)) deformation, which is two magnitudes of that of average strain rate required for shear band formation; the dislocations in the bands can be constricted and developed into cell structures; the phase transformation from alpha to alpha(2) within the bands was observed, and the transformation products (alpha(2)) had a certain crystallographic orientation relationship with their parent; the equiaxed grains with an average size of 10 mu m in diameter observed within the bands are proposed to be the results of recrystallization.

Characteristic Dimensionless Numbers in Multi-Scale and Rate-Dependent Processes

For this sake, the macroscopic equations of mechanics and the kinetic equations of the microstructural transformations should form a unified set that be solved simultaneously. As a case study of coupling length and time scales, the trans-scale formulation

Partial-Dislocation-Mediated Processes in Nanocrystalline Ni with Nonequilibrium Grain Boundaries

The partial-dislocation-mediated processes have so far eluded high-resolution transmission electron microscopy studies in nanocrystalline nc Ni with nonequilibrium grain boundaries. It is revealed that the nc Ni deformed largely by twinning instead of extended partials. The underlying mechanisms including dissociated dislocations, high residual stresses, and stress concentrations near stacking faults are demonstrated and discussed.

A Quantitative Analysis of the Effect of Laser Transformation Hardening on Crack Driving Force in Steels

A mechanical model of a laser transformation hardening specimen with a crack in the middle of the hardened layer is developed to quantify the effects of the residual stress and hardness gradient on crack driving force in terms of J-integral. It is assumed

Predictions for Partial-Dislocation-Mediated Processes in Nanocrystalline Ni by Generalized Planar Fault Energy Curves: An Experimental Evaluation

Generalized planar fault energy (GPFE) curves have been used to predict partial-dislocation-mediated processes in nanocrystalline materials, but their validity has not been evaluated experimentally. We report experimental observations of a large quantity of both stacking faults and twins in nc Ni deformed at relatively low stresses in a tensile test. The experimental findings indicate that the GPFE curves can reasonably explain the formation of stacking faults, but they alone were not able to adequately predict the propensity of deformation twinning.

Wave dynamic processes induced by a supersonic projectile discharging from a shock tube

A numerical study on wave dynamic processes occurring in muzzle blast flows, which are created by a supersonic projectile released from the open-end of a shock tube into ambient air, is described in this paper. The Euler equations, assuming axisymmetric flows, are solved by using a dispersion-controlled scheme implemented with moving boundary conditions. Three test cases are simulated for examining friction effects on the muzzle flow. From numerical simulations, the wave dynamic processes, including two blast waves, two jet flows, the bow shock wave and their interactions in the muzzle blasts, are demonstrated and discussed in detail. The study shows that the major wave dynamic processes developing in the muzzle flow remain similar when the friction varies, but some wave processes, such as shock-shock interactions, shock-jet interactions and the contact surface instability, get more intensive, which result in more complex muzzle blast flows.

Characters of Surface Deformation and Surface Wave in Thermal Capillary Convection

In the field of fluid mechanics, free surface phenomena is one of the most important physical processes. In the present research work, the surface deformation and surface wave caused by temperature difference of sidewalls in a rectangular cavity have been investigated. The horizontal cross-section of the container is 52 mmx42 mm, and there is a silicon oil layer of height 3.5 mm in the experimental cavity. Temperature difference between the two side walls of the cavity is increased gradually, and the flow on the liquid layer will develop from stable convection to un-stable convection. An optical diagnostic system consisting of a modified Michelson interferometer and image processor has been developed for study of the surface deformation and surface wave of thermal capillary convection. The Fourier transformation method is used to interferometer fringe analysis. The quantitative results of surface deformation and surface wave have been calculated from a serial of the interference fringe patterns.The characters of surface deformation and surface wave have been obtained. They are related with temperature gradient and surface tension. Surface deformation is fluctuant with time, which shows the character of surface wave. The cycle period of the wave is 4.8 s, and the amplitudes are from 0 to 0.55 mu m. The phase of the wave near the cool side of the cavity is opposite and correlative to that near the hot side. The present experiment proves that the surface wave of thermal capillary convection exists on liquid free surface, and it is wrapped in surface deformation.