Effect of Ta2O5 doping on the electrical properties of 0.99SnO(2)center dot 0.01CoO ceramic

The effect of Ta2O5 doping in 0.99SnO(2). 0.01CoO on the microstructure and electrical properties of this ceramic were analyzed in this study. The grain size was found to decrease from 6.87 mu m to 5.68 mu m when the Ta2O5 concentration increased from 0.050 to 0.075 mol%. DC electrical characterization showed a dramatic increase in the current loss and decrease in the non-linear coefficient with the increase of the Ta2O5 concentration. The conduction mechanism is by thermionic emission and the potential barriers are of Schottky type, separated by a thin film. (C) 2000 Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Effect of Fe2O3 doping on the electrical properties of a SnO2 based varistor

The effect of Fe2O3 addition on the densification and electrical properties of the (0.9895 - x) SnO2 + 0.01CoO + 0.005Nb(2)O(5) + xFe(2)O(3) system, where x = 0.005 or 0.01, was considered in this study. The samples were sintered at 1300degreesC for 2 h. Microstructure analysis by scanning electron microscopy showed that the effect of Fe2O3 addition is to decrease the SnO2 grain size. J x E curves indicated that the system exhibit a varistor behavior and the effect of Fe2O3 is to increase both, the non-linear coefficient (alpha) and the breakdown voltage (E-r). Considering the Schottky thermionic emission model the potential height and width were estimated. Small amount addition of Fe2O3 to the basic system increases both the potential barrier height and width. (C) 2002 Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Influence of the oxygen adsorbed on tin varistors doped with Co, Mn and Cr oxides

The non-ohmic properties of the 98.90% SnO2+(1-x)%CoO+0.05% Cr2O3+0.05% Nb2O5+x% MnO2 varistor system (all of them in mol %), as well as the influence of the oxidizing and reducing atmosphere on this system were studied in this work. Experimental evidence indicates that the electrical properties of the varistor depend on the defects that occur at the grain boundary and on the adsorbed oxygen species such as O''(2), O'(2), O in this region. Thermal treatments at 900 degreesC in oxygen and nitrogen atmospheres indicated such a dependence with the values of the non-linearity coefficient (alpha) increasing under oxygen atmosphere, being reduced in nitrogen atmosphere and restored after a new treatment in oxygen atmosphere, presenting a reversibility in the process. EDS analysis accomplished by SEM showed the distribution of the oxides in the varistor matrix. (C) 2002 Kluwer Academic Publishers.

An implicit BEM formulation to model strong discontinuities in solids

A boundary element method (BEM) formulation to predict the behavior of solids exhibiting displacement (strong) discontinuity is presented. In this formulation, the effects of the displacement jump of a discontinuity interface embedded in an internal cell are reproduced by an equivalent strain field over the cell. To compute the stresses, this equivalent strain field is assumed as the inelastic part of the total strain. As a consequence, the non-linear BEM integral equations that result from the proposed approach are similar to those of the implicit BEM based on initial strains. Since discontinuity interfaces can be introduced inside the cell independently on the cell boundaries, the proposed BEM formulation, combined with a tracking scheme to trace the discontinuity path during the analysis, allows for arbitrary discontinuity propagation using a fixed mesh. A simple technique to track the crack path is outlined. This technique is based on the construction of a polygonal line formed by segments inside the cells, in which the assumed failure criterion is reached. Two experimental concrete fracture tests were analyzed to assess the performance of the proposed formulation.

Influence of the rare-earths oxides doped on the SnO2CoOMnO2Ta2O5 varistor system

The tin dioxide is an n-type semiconductor, which exhibits varistor behavior with high capacity of absorption of energy, whose function is to restrict transitory over-voltages without being destroyed, when it is doped with some oxides. Varistors are used in alternated current fields as well as in continuous current, and it can be applied in great interval of voltages or in great interval of currents. The electric properties of the varistor depend on the defects that happen at the grain boundaries and the adsorption of oxygen. The (98.90-x)%SnO2.0.25%CoO+0.75%MnO2+0.05%Ta2O5+0.05%Tr2O3 systems, in which Tr=La or Nd. Current-voltage measurements were accomplished for determination of the non-linear coefficient were studied. SEM microstructure analysis was made to evaluate the microstructural characteristics of the systems. The results showed that the rare-earth oxides have influenced the electrical behavior presented by the system. (C) 2002 Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Importance of oxygen atmosphere to recover the ZnO-based varistors properties

A methodology to recover the non-ohmic properties of ZnO based varistors after degradation with long and short duration pulses was proposed in this work. The basic idea consists in submitt the degraded ceramics at different temperatures and oxygen flows. Thermal treatment at 900 degrees C for 2 h with oxygen flow of 15 l/h allowed to obtain better non-linear coefficient (alpha= 52.5) compared to the standard sample. Rietveld refinement showed that with the thermal treatment, the oxygen species and the beta-Bi2O3 phase, lost in the degradation process, are recovered in the grain boundary.

Influence of simultaneous addition of MnO2 and CoO on properties of SnO2-based ceramics

This paper reports on a study of the: effect of replacing CoO by MnO2 on the sintering and electrical propel-ties of the 98.95% SnO2 + (1 - x)% CoO + x% MnO2 + 0.05% Ta2O5 system. All the samples were compacted into pellets and sintered at 1300 degrees C for 1 h, when they reached densities of about 98% of the theoretical density. An X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed no other detectable phases other than SnO2. Current-voltage characterization indicated varistor behavior in the systems. The non-linear coefficient (alpha) and breakdown electric field (Eb) increased as the amount of MnO2 was increased. The results are explained in terms of an electric barrier modification, due to the presence of adsorbed negative oxygen species at the grain boundary inter face. (C) 2000 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Description of inclusive meson spectra in e+e- annihilation reactions by a quark cascade model

We present a model to describe inclusive meson production in e+e- reactions based on a quark cascade approach whose formulation is put in terms of diffusion equations for three quark flavors (u, d, s). These equations are solved by using a formalism previously developed for the problem of the electromagnetic cascade generated in the atmosphere by cosmicray interactions. The obtained solutions are given in terms of a combination of power-law functions whose profiles are adequate to describe the characteristics observed in the inclusive spectrum of mesons.

Effect of powder milling and dopant addition on the current-voltage characteristics of SnO2-based ceramics

Non-linear electrical properties of SnO2-based ceramics were investigated as a function of powder agglomeration condition and as a function of dopant addition. All doped powders presented a single phase, cassiterite, as evidenced by X-ray diffraction analysis. The effect of milling was quite evident, with non-milled powder showing higher agglomerated particle size than milled powder. Cr addition seemed to increase the non-linear coefficient. Cu and Mn rendered dense ceramics, but α values for systems with Mn were higher than for systems with Cu.

N = 2 sigma models for Ramond-Ramond backgrounds

Using the U(4) hybrid formalism, manifestly N = (2,2) worldsheet supersymmetric sigma models are constructed for the type-IIB superstring in Ramond-Ramond backgrounds. The Kahler potential in these N = 2 sigma models depends on four chiral and antichiral bosonic superfields and two chiral and antichiral fermionic superfields. When the Kahler potential is quadratic, the model is a free conformal field theory which describes a flat ten-dimensional target space with Ramond-Ramond flux and non-constant dilaton. For more general Kahler potentials, the model describes curved target spaces with Ramond-Ramond flux that are not plane-wave backgrounds. Ricci-flatness of the Kahler metric implies the on-shell conditions for the background up to the usual four-loop conformal anomaly. © SISSA/ISAS 2002.

Determination of a method for calculation of allometric condition factor of fish

There is no agreement among authors that study fish condition by the allometric method (K=W/Lb) with regard to the best procedure for b coefficient calculation. Some authors use a constant coefficient for all sub-samples (seasons of the year, for instance), whilst others calculate b value for each sub-sample. To demonstrate which of these methods fits better, this study verified that the use of one b value for each sub-sample leads to distortion of Condition Factor values. Comparing the two tested methods, it may be concluded that the method which calculates b coefficient from groupings of all individuals and uses b as a constant value for all sub-samples is the most convenient method to study fish condition.

On the analytical solution for the slewing flexible beam-like system: analysis of the linear part of the perturbed problem

The dynamical system investigated in this work is a nonlinear flexible beam-like structure in slewing motion. Non-dimensional and perturbed governing equations of motion are presented. The analytical solution for the linear part of these perturbed equations for ideal and for non-ideal cases are obtained. This solution is necessary for the investigation of the complete weak nonlinear problem where all nonlinearities are small perturbations around a linear known solution. This investigation shall help the analyst in the modelling of dynamical systems with structure- actuator interactions.

On certain new exact solutions of a diffusive predator-prey system

We construct exact solutions for a system of two coupled nonlinear partial differential equations describing the spatio-temporal dynamics of a predator-prey system where the prey per capita growth rate is subject to the Allee effect. Using the G'/G expansion method, we derive exact solutions to this model for two different wave speeds. For each wave velocity we report three different forms of solutions. We also discuss the biological relevance of the solutions obtained. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

How individual movement response to habitat edges affects population persistence and spatial spread

How individual-level movement decisions in response to habitat edges influence population-level patterns of persistence and spread of a species is a major challenge in spatial ecology and conservation biology. Here, we integrate novel insights into edge behavior, based on habitat preference and movement rates, into spatially explicit growth-dispersal models. We demonstrate how crucial ecological quantities (e.g., minimal patch size, spread rate) depend critically on these individual-level decisions. In particular, we find that including edge behavior properly in these models gives qualitatively different and intuitively more reasonable results than those of some previous studies that did not consider this level of detail. Our results highlight the importance of new empirical work on individual movement response to habitat edges. © 2013 by The University of Chicago.

Light front fermion model propagation

In this work we consider the propagation of two fermion fields interacting with each other by the exchange of intermediate scalar bosons in the light front. We obtain the corrections up to fourth order in the coupling constant using hierarchical equations in order to obtain the bound state equation (Bethe - Salpeter equation). © 2013 Chinese Physical Society and IOP Publishing Ltd.