Heterogeneous nucleation of solidification of cadmium particles embedded in an aluminium matrix

A hypomonotectic alloy of Al-4.5wt%Cd has been manufactured by melt spinning and the resulting microstructure examined by transmission electron microscopy. As-melt spun hypomonotectic Al-4.5wt%Cd consists of a homogeneous distribution of faceted 5 to 120 nm diameter cadmium particles embedded in a matrix of aluminium, formed during the monotectic solidification reaction. The cadmium particles exhibit an orientation relationship with the aluminium matrix of {111}Al//{0001}Cd and lang110rangAlAl//lang11¯20> Cd, with four cadmium particle variants depending upon which of the four {111}Al planes is parallel to {0001}Cd. The cadmium particles exibit a distorted cuboctahedral shape, bounded by six curved {100}Al//{20¯23}Cd facets, six curved {111}Al/{40¯43}Cd facets and two flat {111}Al//{0001}Cd facets. The as-melt spun cadmium particle shape is metastable and the cadmium particles equilibrate during heat treatment below the cadmium melting point, becoming elongated to increase the surface area and decrease the separation of the {111}Al//{0001}Cd facets. The equilibrium cadmium particle shape and, therefore, the anisotropy of solid aluminium-solid cadmium and solid aluminium -liquid cadmium surface energies have been monitored by in situ heating in the transmission electron microscope over the temperature range between room temperature and 420 °C. The anisotropy of solid aluminium-solid cadmium surface energy is constant between room temperature and the cadmium melting point, with the {100}Al//{20¯23}Cd surface energy on average 40% greater than the {111}Al//{0001}Cd surface energy, and 10% greater than the {111}Al//{40¯43Cd surface energy. When the cadmium particles melt at temperatures above 321 °C, the {100}Al//{20¯23}Cd facets disappear and the {111}Al//{40¯43}Cd and {111}A1//{0001}Cd surface energies become equal. The {111}Al facets do not disappear when the cadmium particles melt, and the anisotropy of solid aluminium-liquid cadmium surface energy decreases gradually with increasing temperature above the cadmium melting point. The kinetics of cadmium solidification have been examined by heating and cooling experiments in a differential scanning calorimeter over a range of heating and cooling rates. Cadmium particle solidification is nucleated catalytically by the surrounding aluminium matrix on the {111}Al faceted surfaces, with an undercooling of 56 K and a contact angle of 42 °. The nucleation kinetics of cadmium particle solidification are in good agreement with the hemispherical cap model of heterogeneous nucleation.

A Direct Approach to the Problem of Diffraction by a Half-Plane under Mixed Boundary Conditions

A general direct technique of solving a mixed boundary value problem in the theory of diffraction by a semi-infinite plane is presented. Taking account of the correct edge-conditions, the unique solution of the problem is derived, by means of Jones' method in the theory of Wiener-Hopf technique, in the case of incident plane wave. The solution of the half-plane problem is found out in exact form. (The far-field is derived by the method of steepest descent.) It is observed that it is not the Wiener-Hopf technique which really needs any modification but a new technique is certainly required to handle the peculiar type of coupled integral equations which the Wiener-Hopf technique leads to. Eine allgemeine direkte Technik zur Lösung eines gemischten Randwertproblems in der Theorie der Beugung an einer halbunendlichen Ebene wird vorgestellt. Unter Berücksichtigung der korrekten Eckbedingungen wird mit der Methode von Jones aus der Theorie der Wiener-Hopf-Technik die eindeutige Lösung für den Fall der einfallenden ebenen Welle hergeleitet. Die Lösung des Halbebenenproblems wird in exakter Form angegeben. (Das Fernfeld wurde mit der Methode des steilsten Abstiegs bestimmt.) Es wurde bemerkt, daß es nicht die Wiener-Hopf-Technik ist, die wirklich irgend welcher Modifikationen bedurfte. Gewiß aber wird eine neue Technik zur Behandlung des besonderen Typs gekoppelter Integralgleichungen benötigt, auf die die Wiener-Hopf-Technik führt.

Magnetic, electric, and dielectric properties of FeCo alloy nanoparticles dispersed in amorphous matrix

Nanocrystalline Fe53Co47 alloy was synthesized by a single-step transmetallation chemical method at room temperature. The Fe53Co47 alloy nanoparticles of 77 and 47 wt% were dispersed in silica matrix by the sol-gel process using tetraethyl orthosilcate. Structural studies reveal that the as-prepared alloy powders are in bcc phase and silica is in an amorphous state. The phase-transition temperature and Mossbauer spectra analysis of the Fe-Co alloy establishes the homogeneous alloy formation. A saturation magnetization of 218 emu/g was obtained for pure FeCo alloy at room temperature. Scanning electron microscopic analysis demonstrates the hollow-sphere morphology for FeCo alloy particles. Magnetic nanocomposite consisting of 47 wt% FeCo-silica shows enhanced thermal stability over the native FeCo alloy. Electrical and dielectric properties of 47 wt% FeCo-silica nanocomposites were investigated as a function of frequency and temperature. It was found that the dielectric constants and dielectric loss were stable throughout the measured temperature (310-373 K). Our results indicate that FeCo-silica nanocomposite is a promising candidate for high-frequency applications. (C) 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

S-matrix for magnons in the D1-D5 system

We show that integrability and symmetries of the near horizon geometry of the D1-D5 system determine the S-matrix for the scattering of magnons with polarizations in AdS(3) x S-3 completely up to a phase. Using semi-classical methods we evaluate the phase to the leading and to the one-loop approximation in the strong coupling expansion. We then show that the phase obeys the unitarity constraint implied by the crossing relations to the one-loop order. We also verify that the dispersion relation obeyed by these magnons is one-loop exact at strong coupling which is consistent with their BPS nature.

Chemical toughening of epoxies. I. Structural modification of epoxy resins by reaction with hydroxy-terminated poly (butadiene-co-acrylonitrile)

In an attempt to toughen the epoxy resin matrix for fiber-reinforced composite applications, a chemical modification procedure of a commercially available bisphenol-A-based epoxy resin using reactive liquid rubber HTBN [hydroxy-terminated poly(butadiene-co-acrylonitrile)] and TDI (tolylene diisocyanate) is described. The progress of the reaction and the structural changes during modification process are studied using IR spectroscopy, viscosity data, and chemical analysis (epoxy value determination). The studies support the proposition that TDI acts as a coupling agent between the epoxy and HTBN, forming a urethane linkage with the former and an oxazolidone ring with the latter. The chemical reactions that possibly take place during the modification are discussed.

An optimal parallel algorithm for sparse matrix bandwidth reduction on a linear array

A simple and efficient algorithm for the bandwidth reduction of sparse symmetric matrices is proposed. It involves column-row permutations and is well-suited to map onto the linear array topology of the SIMD architectures. The efficiency of the algorithm is compared with the other existing algorithms. The interconnectivity and the memory requirement of the linear array are discussed and the complexity of its layout area is derived. The parallel version of the algorithm mapped onto the linear array is then introduced and is explained with the help of an example. The optimality of the parallel algorithm is proved by deriving the time complexities of the algorithm on a single processor and the linear array.

Error-free matrix symmetrizers and equivalent symmetric matrices

A symmetrizer of the matrix A is a symmetric solution X that satisfies the matrix equation XA=AprimeX. An exact matrix symmetrizer is computed by obtaining a general algorithm and superimposing a modified multiple modulus residue arithmetic on this algorithm. A procedure based on computing a symmetrizer to obtain a symmetric matrix, called here an equivalent symmetric matrix, whose eigenvalues are the same as those of a given real nonsymmetric matrix is presented.

Chemical toughening of epoxies. I. Structural modification of epoxy resins by reaction with hydroxy-terminated poly(butadiene-co-acrylonitrile)

In an attempt to toughen the epoxy resin matrix for fiber-reinforced composite applications, a chemical modification procedure of a commercially available bisphenol-A-based epoxy resin using reactive liquid rubber HTBN [hydroxy-terminated poly(butadiene-co-acrylonitrile)] and TDI (tolylene diisocyanate) is described. The progress of the reaction and the structural changes during modification process are studied using IR spectroscopy, viscosity data, and chemical analysis (epoxy value determination). The studies support the proposition that TDI acts as a coupling agent between the epoxy and HTBN, forming a urethane linkage with the former and an oxazolidone ring with the latter. The chemical reactions that possibly take place during the modification are discussed.

Two-Fermi liquid model for high Tc superconductivity involving suppression of tunnelling by decoherence

We consider a model system of two interacting Fermi-liquids, one of which is light and the other much heavier. In the normal state the lighter component provides a quantum mechanical bath coupled 'ohmically' to the heavier component in the sense of Caldeira and Leggett, suppressing thereby the band (tunnelling) matrix elements of the heavier component. Thus we lose the energy of delocalization. On the other hand, a superconducting ordering stiffens the bath spectral function at low energies and so restores the tunnelling. The resulting regain of the delocalization energy bootstraps so as to stabilize the superconducting order that caused it. It is conceivable that the motions parallel to the easy ab-plane and along the hard c-axis may also effectively correspond to the light and the heavy Fermi-liquids, respectively.

A note on resolving infeasibility in linear programs by constraint relaxation

We study the problem of finding a set of constraints of minimum cardinality which when relaxed in an infeasible linear program, make it feasible. We show the problem is NP-hard even when the constraint matrix is totally unimodular and prove polynomial-time solvability when the constraint matrix and the right-hand-side together form a totally unimodular matrix.

Processing maps for hot-working of powder metallurgy 1100 Al-10 vol % SiC-particulate metal-matrix composite

The hot-working characteristics of the metal-matrix composite (MMC) Al-10 vol % SiC-particulate (SiCp) powder metallurgy compacts in as-sintered and in hot-extruded conditions were studied using hot compression testing. On the basis of the stress-strain data as a function of temperature and strain rate, processing maps depicting the variation in the efficiency of power dissipation, given by eegr = 2m/(m+1), where m is the strain rate sensitivity of flow stress, have been established and are interpreted on the basis of the dynamic materials model. The as-sintered MMC exhibited a domain of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) with a peak efficiency of about 30% at a temperature of about 500°C and a strain rate of 0.01 s�1. At temperatures below 350°C and in the strain rate range 0.001�0.01 s�1 the MMC exhibited dynamic recovery. The as-sintered MMC was extruded at 500°C using a ram speed of 3 mm s�1 and an extrusion ratio of 10ratio1. A processing map was established on the extruded product, and this map showed that the DRX domain had shifted to lower temperature (450°C) and higher strain rate (1 s�1). The optimum temperature and strain rate combination for powder metallurgy billet conditioning are 500°C and 0.01 s�1, and the secondary metal-working on the extruded product may be done at a higher strain rate of 1 s�1 and a lower temperature of 425°C.

Numerical Electromagnetic Analysis of Current and Voltage Distribution along Down Conductors and Towers Hit by Direct Lightning

In order to answer the practically important question of whether the down conductors of lightning protection systems to tall towers and buildings can be electrically isolated from the structure itself, this work is conducted. As a first step in this regard, it is presumed that the down conductor placed on metallic tower will be a pessimistic representation of the actual problem. This opinion was based on the fact that the proximity of heavy metallic structure will have a large damping effect. The post-stroke current distributions along the down conductors and towers, which can be quite different from that in the lightning channel, govern the post-stroke near field and the resulting gradient in the soil. Also, for a reliable estimation of the actual stroke current from the measured down conductor currents, it is essential to know the current distribution characteristics along the down conductors. In view of these, the present work attempts to deduce the post-stroke current and voltage distribution along typical down conductors and towers. A solution of the governing field equations on an electromagnetic model of the system is sought for the investigation. Simulation results providing the spatio-temporal distribution of the post-stroke current and voltage has provided very interesting results. It is concluded that it is almost impossible to achieve electrical isolation between the structure and the down conductor. Furthermore, there will be significant induction into the steel matrix of the supporting structure.

Large negative magnetoresistance and metal-insulator transition observed in MnO/C composite coatings grown on ceramic alumina by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

MnO/C composite coatings were grown by the metalorganic chemical vapor deposition process on ceramic alumina in argon ambient. Characterization by various techniques confirms that these coatings are homogeneous composites comprising nanometer-sized MnO particles embedded in a matrix of nanometer-sized graphite. Components of the MnO/C composite coating crystalline disordered, but are electrically quite conductive. Resistance vs. temperature measurements show that coating resistance increases exponentially from a few hundred ohms at room temperature to a few megaohms at 30 K. Logarithmic plots of reduced activation energy vs. temperature show that the coating material undergoes a metal-insulator transition. The reduced activation energy exponent for the film under zero magnetic field was 2.1, which is unusually high, implying that conduction is suppressed at much faster rate than the Mott or the Efros-Shklovskii hopping mechanism. Magnetoconductance us. magnetic field plots obtained at various temperatures show a high magnetoconductance (similar to 28.8%) at 100 K, which is unusually large for a disordered system, wherein magnetoresistance is attributed typically to weak localization. A plausible explanation for the unusual behavior observed in the carbonaceous disordered composite material is proposed. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Heterogeneous nucleation of pb particles embedded in a Zn matrix

Zinc-10 and 20 wt pct Pb alloys have been rapidly solidified by melt spinning to obtain a very fine scale dispersion of nanometer-sized Pb particles embedded in Zn matrix. The microstructure and crystallography of the Pb particles have been studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Each embedded Pb particle is a single crystal, with a truncated hexagonal biprism shape with the 6/mmm Zn matrix point group symmetry surrounded by and { 0001 á },\text { \text10[`\text1] \text0 },\text and { \text10[`\text1] \text1 }0001 1010 and 1011 facets. The Pb particles solidify with a well-defined orientation relationship with the Zn matrix of ( 0001 )Zn ||(111)Pb\text and\text [ \text11[`\text2] \text0 ]Zn| ||[ 1[`1] 0 ]Pb 0001Zn(111)Pb and 1120Zn110Pb . The melting and solidification behavior of the Pb particle have been studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The Pb particles solidify with an undercooling of approximately 30 K, by heterogeneous nucleation on the {0001} facets of the surrounding Zn matrix, with an apparent contact angle of 23 deg.

Characteristics of superplasticity domain in the processing map for hot working of an Al alloy 2014---20vol.%Al2O3 metal matrix composite

The processing map for hot working of Al alloy 2014-20vol.%Al2O3 particulate-reinforced cast-plus-extruded composite material has been generated covering the temperature range 300-500 degrees C and the strain rate range 0.001-10 s(-1) based on the dynamic materials model. The efficiency eta of power dissipation given by 2m/(m + 1), where m is the strain rate sensitivity, is plotted as a function of temperature and strain rate to obtain a processing map. A domain of superplasticity has been identified, with a peak efficiency of 62% occurring at 500 degrees C and 0.001 s(-1). The characteristics of this domain have been studied with the help of microstructural evaluation and hot-ductility measurements. Microstructural instability is predicted at higher strain rates above (ls(-1)) and lower temperatures (less than 350 degrees C).