Analysis of thermal properties of phase change materials (PCM) using differential scanning calorimeter (DSC)

Commercially available PCM RT 20, RT 27, SP 22, A17 and SP 25 A8. Were analyzed using dynamic and step method of heat flux DSC. The results of the dinamic and step method were compared with commercial valures. It was found that RT 20 & RT 27 showed good conforming of results with commercial values while SP 22 A17 & SP 25 A8 did not show conformity.

Acoustic properties of polypropylene composites reinforced with stone groundwood

Currently, acoustic isolation is one of the problems raised with building construction in Spain. The publication of the Basic Document for the protection against noise of the Technical Building Code has increased the demand of comfort for citizens. This has created the need to seek new composite materials that meet the new required acoustical building codes. In this paper we report the results of the newly developed composites that are able to improve the acoustic isolation of airborne noise. These composites were prepared from polypropylene (PP) reinforced with mechanical pulp fibers from softwood (Pinus radiata). Mechanical and acoustical properties of the composites from mechanical pulp (MP) and polypropylene (PP) have been investigated and compared to fiberglass (FG) composites. MP composites had lower tensile properties compared with FG composites, although these properties can be improved by incorporation of a coupling agent. The results of acoustical properties of MP composites were reported and compared with the conventional composites based on fiberglass and gypsum plasterboards. Finally, we suggest the application of MP composites as a light-weight building material to reduce acoustic transmitions

Mean intrinsic tensile properties of stone groundwood fibers from softwood

Stone groundwood (SGW) is a fibrous matter commonly prepared in a high yield process, and mainly used for papermaking applications. In this work, the use of SGW fibers is explored as reinforcing element of polypropylene (PP) composites. Due to its chemical and superficial features, the use of coupling agents is needed for a good adhesion and stress transfer across the fiber-matrix interface. The intrinsic strength of the reinforcement is a key parameter to predict the mechanical properties of the composite and to perform an interface analysis. The main objective of the present work was the determination of the intrinsic tensile strength of stone groundwood fibers. Coupled and non-coupled PP composites from stone groundwood fibers were prepared. The influence of the surface morphology and the quality at interface on the final properties of the composite was analyzed and compared to that of fiberglass PP composites. The intrinsic tensile properties of stone groundwood fibers, as well as the fiber orientation factor and the interfacial shear strength of the current composites were determined

Gas sensing properties of catalytically modified WO3 with copper and vanadium for NH3 detection

Ammonia gas detection by pure and catalytically modified WO3 based gas sensor was analysed. The sensor response of pure WO3 to NH3 was not only rather low but also presented an abnormal behaviour, probably due to the unselective oxidation of ammonia to NOx. Copper and vanadium were introduced in different concentrations and the resulting material was annealed at different temperatures in order to improve the sensing properties for NH3 detection. The introduction of copper and vanadium as catalytic additives improved the response to NH3 and also eliminated the abnormal behaviour. Possible mechanisms of NH3 reaction over these materials are discussed. Sensor responses to other gases like NO2 or CO and the interference of humidity on ammonia detection were also analysed so as to choose the best sensing element.

Growth and magnetic properties of multiferroic LaxBi1-xMnO3 thin films

A comparative study of LaxBi1-xMnO3 thin films grown on SrTiO3 substrates is reported. It is shown that these films grow epitaxially in a narrow pressure-temperature range. A detailed structural and compositional characterization of the films is performed within the growth window. The structure and the magnetization of this system are investigated. We find a clear correlation between the magnetization and the unit-cell volume that we ascribe to Bi deficiency and the resultant introduction of a mixed valence on the Mn ions. On these grounds, we show that the reduced magnetization of LaxBi1-xMnO3 thin films compared to the bulk can be explained quantitatively by a simple model, taking into account the deviation from nominal composition and the Goodenough-Kanamori-Anderson rules of magnetic interactions.

Oxygen content and inhomogeneity effects on the electrical properties of YBa2Cu3Oy thin films

Oxygen content is a very important factor influencing the electrical properties of YBa2Cu3Oy. In this work the electrical properties of laser deposited YBa2Cu3Oy thin films on LaAlO3(100), in the whole range 6 y 7, are studied. An electrical network model, which randomly assigns oxygen contents and R(T) characteristics to the different elements in the circuit according to an arbitrary distribution, is used to analyze several features in the measured R(T) characteristics as a function of oxygen homogeneity. The model takes into account both short-range and long-range oxygen inhomogeneities. Good agreement between estimated oxygen contents from x-ray diffraction data in our samples and the average oxygen contents used to reproduce their R(T) characteristics is found. The model points out that oxygen homogeneity is very important in order to get the best and reproducible properties, and for conduction and superconductivity analysis through the shape or derivatives of R(T) characteristics.

Ultraviolet optical and microstructural properties of MgF2 and LaF3 coatings deposited by ion-beam sputtering and boat and electron-beam evaporation

Single layers of MgF2 and LaF3 were deposited upon superpolished fused-silica and CaF2 substrates by ion-beam sputtering (IBS) as well as by boat and electron beam (e-beam) evaporation and were characterized by a variety of complementary analytical techniques. Besides undergoing photometric and ellipsometric inspection, the samples were investigated at 193 and 633 nm by an optical scatter measurement facility. The structural properties were assessed with atomic-force microscopy, x-ray diffraction, TEM techniques that involved conventional thinning methods for the layers. For measurement of mechanical stress in the coatings, special silicon substrates were coated and analyzed. The dispersion behavior of both deposition materials, which was determined on the basis of various independent photometric measurements and data reduction techniques, is in good agreement with that published in the literature and with the bulk properties of the materials. The refractive indices of the MgF2 coatings ranged from 1.415 to 1.440 for the wavelength of the ArF excimer laser (193 nm) and from 1.435 to 1.465 for the wavelength of the F2 excimer laser (157 nm). For single layers of LaF3 the refractive indices extended from 1.67 to 1.70 at 193 nm to ~1.80 at 157 nm. The IBS process achieves the best homogeneity and the lowest surface roughness values (close to 1 nmrms) of the processes compared in the joint experiment. In contrast to MgF2 boat and e-beam evaporated coatings, which exhibit tensile mechanical stress ranging from 300 to 400 MPa, IBS coatings exhibit high compressive stress of as much as 910 MPa. A similar tendency was found for coating stress in LaF3 single layers. Experimental results are discussed with respect to the microstructural and compositional properties as well as to the surface topography of the coatings.

Magnetic properties of Fe-Cu-Nb-Si-B nanocrystaliine magnetic alloys

Several ribbons of composition Fe73.5Cu1Nb 3Si16.5B6 and Fe73.5Cu1 Nb3Si13.5B9 were prepared by annealing the as-quenched samples between 525°C and 700°C; which induced nucleation of nanocrystallites of Fe bcc-type composition. Mean grain sizes were obtained from X-ray diffraction. Static magnetic properties were measured with both a Magnet Physik Hysteresis-Graph (up to 200 Oe) and a SHE SQUID magnetometer (up to 50 kOe). Soft magnetic parameters (coercive field and initial permeability) were very sensitive to grain size. The ZFC magnetization at low field showed a broad peak at a temperature TM, thus signalling a certain distribution of nanocrystalline sizes, and TM strongly decreased when the mean grain size decreased. Isothermal magnetization curves at low temperature showed the expected asymptotic behavior of a random magnet material at low and high fields.

Properties of non-crystalline EuIG and DyIG obtained from Mossbauer and magnetization data

Non crystalline (nc) EuIG and DyIG have been prepared by dc¿sputtering. Mössbauer data on 57Fe, 151Eu and 161Dy reveal sharp magnetic transitions at 62 K and 70 K for nc EuIG and DyIG, respectively. The 57Fe hyperfine (hf) spectra consist of three superpositioned patterns for Fe3+ in tetrahedral and octahedral and for Fe2+ in tetrahedral oxygen coordination. The saturation hf fields at 4.2 K are reduced compared to the values of the corresponding crystalline materials. The induced hf field at 151Eu is only 1/8 of that for crystalline EuIG