Autophobic Dewetting of a Poly(methyl methacrylate) Thin Film on a Silicon Wafer Treated in Good Solvent Vapor

The wettability of thin poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films on a silicon wafer with a native oxide layer exposed to solvent vapors is dependent on the solvent properties. In the nonsolvent vapor, the film spread on the substrate with some protrusions generated on the film surface. In the good solvent vapor, dewetting happened. A new interface formed between the anchored PMMA chains and the swollen upper part of the film. Entropy effects caused the upper movable chains to dewet on the anchored chains. The rim instability depended on the surface tension of solvent (i.e., the finger was generated in acetone vapor (gamma(acetone) = 24 mN/m), not in dioxane vapor (gamma(dioxane) = 33 mN/m)). The spacing (lambda) that grew as an exponential function of film thickness h scaled as similar to h(1.31) whereas the mean size (D) of the resulting droplets grew linearly with h.

Preparation and Characterization of Melt Grafting 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic Acid onto Pre-Irradiated Linear Low Density Polyethylene

Linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) was functionalized with 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS) by using -ray pre-irradiation in air in a twin-screw extruder. Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) were used to characterize the formation of LLDPE-g-AMPS copolymers. The content of AMPS in LLDPE-g-AMPS was determined by using element analysis instrument. The effects of concentrations of monomer, reaction temperature and pre-irradiation dose on degree of grafting were investigated. The critical surface tension of LLDPE-g-AMPS was measured by using contact angle method. The influences of the degree of grafting on crystallization properties were studied by using DSC. Compared with neat LLDPE, the crystallization temperature increased about 4C, and crystallinity decreased with increasing degree of grafting. Crystallization rates of grafted LLDPE were faster than that of plain LLDPE at the same crystallization temperature.

Preparation and chracaterization of novel graft copolymers of LLDPE

A series of novel fluorine surfactants, a, b, c, d, e and their acrylates, A, 13, C, D and E, were synthesized via poly( ethylene oxide) ( PEG) ( 200, 600, 1000, 2000, 5000) and perfluorooctane poly (ethylene oxide) ether as the main starting materials. Their chemical structures were characterized by means of FTIR and H-1 NMR. The surface activity and surface tension( y) of surfactants a, b, c, d and e were evaluated by maximum bubble pressure method. Surfactants A, 13, C, D and E were adopted as the grafting monomers of linear low density polyethere( LLDPE), and grafting reaction was carried out by melt reactive extrusion procedure. Their surface properties were characterized with measuring contact angle and XPS. It was found that the hydrophilic property of the graft copolymers was better than the palin LLDPE. Thermal properties of graft copolymers were studied by DSC. It was found that their crystalline temperatures of graft copolymers were faster than that of the plain LLDPE.

Interfacial behavior of DEHEHP and the kinetics of cerium(IV) extraction in nitrate media

The effects of diluents, temperature, acidity, and ionic strength of the aqueous phase on the interfacial properties of DEHEHP have been extensively investigated using the Du Nouy ring method. In addition, the effect of cerium(IV) concentration loaded in the organic phase on the interfacial tension has also been studied. With the increase of DEHEHP concentration, the value of interfacial tension (gamma) decreases in the studied system, which shows that DEHEHP has interfacial activity as a kind of surfactant. The surface excess at the saturated interface (Gamma(max)) and the minimum bulk concentration of the extractant necessary to saturate the interface (C-min) under the different conditions are calculated according to two adsorption equations such as the Gibbs and Szyszkowski functions to be presented in comprehensive tables and figures. The relationship between the interfacial activity of DEHEHP and cerium(IV) extraction kinetics by DEHEHP has been discussed by considering different factors such as the effects of diluents and temperature. However, the interfacial activity parameter of extractant only is a qualitative parameter, but cannot provide strong enough evidence to quantitatively explain the relationship between extraction kinetics and interfacial properties of an extractant.

The determination of ethylene-propylene copolymer-grafted-glycidyl methacrylate by the contact angle method

The contact angles theta of some liquids on ethylene-propylene copolymer-grafted-glycidyl methacrylate (EPM-g-GMA) were measured. The critical surface tensions r(c) of EPM-g-GMA were evaluated by the Zisman Plot (cos theta versus r(L)), Young-Dupre-Good-Girifalco plot (1 + cos theta versus 1/r(L)(0.5)) and log (1 + cos theta) versus log(r(L)) plot. The following results were obtained: the r(c) values varied significantly with the estimation methods. The critical surface tension r(c) decreased with the increase of the degree of grafting of EPM-g-GMA.

A kind of extended Korteweg-de Vries equation and solitary wave solutions for interfacial waves in a two-fluid system

This paper considers interfacial waves propagating along the interface between a two-dimensional two-fluid with a flat bottom and a rigid upper boundary. There is a light fluid layer overlying a heavier one in the system, and a small density difference exists between the two layers. It just focuses on the weakly non-linear small amplitude waves by introducing two small independent parameters: the nonlinearity ratio epsilon, represented by the ratio of amplitude to depth, and the dispersion ratio mu, represented by the square of the ratio of depth to wave length, which quantify the relative importance of nonlinearity and dispersion. It derives an extended KdV equation of the interfacial waves using the method adopted by Dullin et al in the study of the surface waves when considering the order up to O(mu(2)). As expected, the equation derived from the present work includes, as special cases, those obtained by Dullin et al for surface waves when the surface tension is neglected. The equation derived using an alternative method here is the same as the equation presented by Choi and Camassa. Also it solves the equation by borrowing the method presented by Marchant used for surface waves, and obtains its asymptotic solitary wave solutions when the weakly nonlinear and weakly dispersive terms are balanced in the extended KdV equation.

水-岩土反应的力学与环境效应研究

The research on mechanical effects of water-rock and soil interaction on deformation and failure of rocks and soils involves three aspects of mechanics, physics and chemistry. It is the cross between geochemistry and rock mechanics and soil mechanics. To sum up, the mechanical effects of water-rock and soil interaction is related to many complex processes. Research in this respect has been being an important forward field and has broad prospects. In connection with the mechanism of the effects of the chemical action of water-rock on deformation and failure of rocks and soils, the research significance, the present state, the developments in this research domain are summarized. Author prospects the future of this research. The research of the subject should be possessed of important position in studying engineering geology and will lead directly to a new understand on geological hazard and control research. In order to investigation the macroscopic mechanics effects of chemical kinetics of water-rock interaction on the deformation and failure, calcic rock, red sandstone and grey granite reacting chemically with different aqueous solution at atmospheric temperature and atmospheric pressure are uniaxially compressed. The quantitative results concerning the changes of uniaxially compressive strength and elastic modulus under different conditions are obtained. It is found that the mechanical effects of water on rock is closely related to the chemical action of water-rock or the chemical damage in rock, and the intensity of chemical damage is direct ratio to the intensity of chemical action in water-rock system. It is also found that the hydrochemical action on rock is time-dependent through the test. The mechanism of permeation and hydrochemical action resulting in failure of loaded rock mass or propagation of fractures in rocks would be a key question in rock fracture mechanics. In this paper, the fracture mechanical effects of chemical action of water-rock and their time- and chemical environment-dependent behavior in grey granite, green granite, grey sandstone and red sandstone are analyzed by testing K_(IC) and COD of rock under different conditions. It is found that: ①the fracture mechanical effect of chemical action of water-rock is outstanding and time-dependent, and high differences exist in the influence of different aqueous solution, different rocks, different immersion ways and different velocity of cycle flow on the fracture mechanical effects in rock. ②the mechanical effects of water-rock interaction on propagation of fractures is consistent with the mechanical effects on the peak strength of rock. ③the intensity of the mechanical fracture effects increases as the intensity of chemical action of water-rock increases. ④iron and calcium ion bearing mineral or cement in rock are some key ion or chemical composition, and especially iron ion-bearing mineral resulting in chemical action of water-rock to be provided with both positive and negative mechanical effects on rock. Through the above two tests, we suggest that primary factors influencing chemical damage in rock consist of the chemical property of rock and aqueous solution, the structure or homogeneity of rocks, the flow velocity of aqueous solution passing through rock, and cause of formation or evolution of rock. The paper explores the mechanism on the mechanical effects of water-rock interaction on rock by using the theory of chemistry and rock fracture mechanics with chemical damage proposed by author, the modeling method and the energy point of view. In this paper, the concept of absorbed suction between soil grains caused by capillary response is given and expounded, and the relation and basic distinction among this absorbed suction, surface tension and capillary pressure of the soil are analyzed and established. The law of absorbed suction change and the primary factors affecting it are approached. We hold that the structure suction are changeable along with the change of the saturation state in unsaturated soils. In view of this, the concept of intrinsic structure suction and variable structure suction are given and expounded, and this paper points out: What we should study is variable structure suction when studying the effective stress. By IIIy κHH's theory of structure strength of soils, the computer method for variable structure suction is analyzed, the measure method for variable structure suction is discussed, and it reach the conclusions: ①Besides saturation state, variable structure suction is affected by grain composition and packing patter of grains. ②The internal relations are present between structure parameter N in computing structure suction and structure parameter D in computing absorbed suction. We think that some problems exit in available principle of effective stress and shear strength theory for unsaturated soil. Based on the variable structure suction and absorbed suction, the classification of saturation in soil and a principle of narrow sense effective stress are proposed for unsaturated soils. Based on generalized suction, the generalized effective stress formula and a principle of generalized effective stress are proposed for unsaturated soils. The experience parameter χ in Bishop's effective stress formula is defined, and the principal factors influencing effective stress or χ. The primary factor affecting the effective stress in unsaturated soils, and the principle classifying unsaturated soils and its mechanics methods analyzing unsaturated soils are discussed, and this paper points out: The theory on studying unsaturated soil mechanics should adopt the micromechanics method, then raise it to macromechanics and to applying. Researching the mechanical effects of chemical action of water-soil on soil is of great importance to geoenvironmental hazard control. The texture of soil and the fabric of soil mass are set forth. The tests on physical and mechanical property are performed to investigate the mechanism of the positive and negative mechanical effects of different chemical property of aqueous solution. The test results make clear that the plastic limit, liquid limit and plasticity index are changed, and there exists both positive and negative effects on specimens in this test. Based on analyzing the mechanism of the mechanical effects of water-soil interaction on soil, author thinks that hydrochemical actions being provided with mechanical effects on soil comprise three kinds of dissolution, sedimentation or crystallization. The significance of these tests lie in which it is recognized for us that we may improve, adjust and control the quality of soils, and may achieve the goal geological hazard control and prevention.The present and the significance of the research on environmental effects of water-rock and soil interaction. Various living example on geoenvironmental hazard in this field are enumerated. Following above thinking, we have approached such ideals that: ①changing the intensity and distribution of source and sink in groundwater flow system can be used to control the water-rock and soil interaction. ②the chemical action of water-rock and soil can be used to ameliorate the physical and mechanical property of rocks and soils. Lastly, the research thinking and the research methods on mechanical effects and environmental effects of water-rock and soil interaction are put forward and detailed.

河流成因储层沉积微相与剩余油分布及形成机理研究

Based on the study of fluvial sandstone reservoir in upper of Guantao group in Gudao and Gudong oilfields, this paper first introduces A.D.Miall's(1996a) architectural-element analysis method that was summarized from ground outcrop scale into the reservoir formation research of the study area, more subtly divides sedimentary microfacies and establishes sedimentary model of research area.on this base, this paper summarizes the laws of residual oil distribution of fluvial formation and the control effect of sedimentary microfacies to residual oil distribution, and reveals residual oil formation mechanism. These results have been applied to residual oil production, and the economic effect is good. This paper will be useful for residual oil research and production and enhancement of oil recovery in similar reservoir. The major conclusions of this paper are as follows. 1. Using the architectural-element analysis method to the core data, a interfacial division scheme of the first to the dixth scale is established for the studied fluvial formation. 2.Seven architectural-elements are divided in upper of Guantao group of study area. The sandstone group 5～1+2 of Neogene upper Gutao group belongs to high sinuous fine grain meandering river, and the sandstone group 6 is sandy braided river. 3. Inter layer, the residual oil saturation of "non-main layer" is higher than "main layer", but the residual recoverable reserve of former is larger. Therefore, "main layer" is the main body of residual oil distribution. The upper and middle part of inner layer has lower permeability and strong seeping resistance. Addition to gravity effect in process of driving, its driving efficiency is low; residual oil saturation is high. Because of controlling of inside non-permeable interlayer or sedimentary construction, the residual oil saturation of non-driving or lower driving efficiency position also is high. On plane, the position of high residual oil saturation mostly is at element LV, CS, CH (FF), FF etc, Which has lower porosity and permeability, as well as lens sand-body and sand-body edge that is not controlled by well-net, non-perfect area of injection and production, lower press difference resort area of inter-well diffiuent-line and shelter from fault, local high position of small structure. 4.Microscopic residual oil mainly includes the non-moved oil in the structure of fine pore network, oil in fine pore and path, oil segment in pore and path vertical to flow direction, oil spot or oil film in big pore, residual oil in non-connective pore. 5.The most essential and internal controlling factor of fluvial formation residual oil distribution is sedimentary microfacies. Status of injection and production is the exterior controlling factor of residual oil distribution. 6. The controlling effect of formation sedimentary microfacies to residual oil distribution indicates inter-layer vertical sedimentary facies change in scale of injection and production layer-series, planar sedimentary face change and inner-layer vertical sedimentary rhythm and interbed in single layer to residual oil distribution. 7. It is difficult to clear up the inter-layer difference in scale of injection and production layer-series. The using status of minor layer is not good and its residual oil saturation is high relatively. It is obvious that inter-layer vertical sedimentary facies changes control inter-layer residual oil distribution at the same or similar conditions of injection and production. For fluvial formation, this vertical sedimentary facies change mainly is positive gyration. Namely, from down to top, channel sediment (element CHL, LA) changes into over-bank sediment (element LV, CR, CS). 8. In water-injection developing process of transverse connecting fluvial sandstone oil formation, injection water always comes into channel nearby, and breaks through along channel and orientation of high pressure gradient, does not expand into side of channel until pressure gradient of channel orientation changes into low. It brings about that water-driving status of over-bank sedimentary element formation (LV, CR, CS) is not good, residual oil saturation is high. In non-connective abandoned channel element (CH) formation with channel, because this reverse is difficult to control by injection and production well-series, its using status is not good, even terribly not good, residual oil is enrichment. 9. The rhythm and sedimentary structure, sedimentary facies change in single sand body brings about vertical changes of formation character, growth character of inner layer interbed. These are important factor of controlling and affecting vertical water spread volume and inner layer residual oil forming and distribution in single sand body. Positive rhythm, is the principal part of fluvial sandstone inner layer sedimentary rhythm. Namely, from down to upside, rock grain granularity changes from coarse to fine, seeping ability changes from strong to feebleness. It brings about that water-driving status of inner layer upside is not good, residual oil saturation is high. Inner layer interbed has different degree affecting and controlling effect to seeping of oil and water. Its affecting degree lies on interbed thickness, extending scale, position, and jeted segment of production or injection well. The effect of interbed at upside of oil formation to oil and water seeping is less; the effect of interbed at middle of oil formation to oil and water seeping is more. 10. Indoor experiment and research indicate that wettability, permeability step, vertical permeability, position of Kmax and ratio of oil viscousity and water viscousity all have great effect on the water-driving recovery ratio. 11. Microscopic residual oil distribution is affected and controlled by formation pore network structure, pressure field distribution, and oil characteristic. 12.The residual oil forming mechanism: the over-bank sedimentary element and upper part of a positive rhythm sandstone have fine pore and throat network, permeability is low, displacement pressure of pore and throat is high. The water-driving power usually falls short of displacement pressure that brings about injection water does not spread into these pore and throat network, thereby immovable oil area, namely residual oil, is formed. At underside of channel sedimentary element and positive rhythm sandstone, porosity and permeability is relatively high, connecting degree of pore and throat is high, displacement pressure of pore and throat is low. Thereby injection water is easy to enter into pore and throat, driving oil in them. Because the pore space is irregular, the surface of pore wall is coarse and non-flat. That the oil locate on concave hole of pore wall and the dead angle of pore, and the oil attaches on surface of pore wall by surface tension, are difficult to be peeled off, becoming water-driving residual oil (remaining oil). On the other hand, Because flowing section lessens, flowing resistance increase, action of capillary fore, or seeping speed decreases at process of transfer at pass narrow throat path in the course carried by driving water. The "oil drop", "oil bead", or "oil segment" peeled off by driving water is difficult to carry and to drive out by water at less pressure difference. Thereby they are enclosed in pore to form discontinuous residual oil. 13.This results described above have been applied in nine develop blocks of Gudao and Gudong oilfield. Its applying effect is marked through local injection production adjustment, deploying replacement well, repair hole, replacement envelop, block off water and profile control etc. Relative method and technology can be applied to other oil production area of Shengli oilfield, and obtain better economic and societal effect.

Effect of solder volume on joint shape with variable chip-to-board contact pad ratio

The objective of this paper is to investigate the effect of the pad size ratio between the chip and board end of a solder joint on the shape of that solder joint in combination with the solder volume available. The shape of the solder joint is correlated to its reliability and thus of importance. For low density chip bond pad applications Flip Chip (FC) manufacturing costs can be kept down by using larger size board pads suitable for solder application. By using “Surface Evolver” software package the solder joint shapes associated with different size/shape solder preforms and chip/board pad ratios are predicted. In this case a so called Flip-Chip Over Hole (FCOH) assembly format has been used. Assembly trials involved the deposition of lead-free 99.3Sn0.7Cu solder on the board side, followed by reflow, an underfill process and back die encapsulation. During the assembly work pad off-sets occurred that have been taken into account for the Surface Evolver solder joint shape prediction and accurately matched the real assembly. Overall, good correlation was found between the simulated solder joint shape and the actual fabricated solder joint shapes. Solder preforms were found to exhibit better control over the solder volume. Reflow simulation of commercially available solder preform volumes suggests that for a fixed stand-off height and chip-board pad ratio, the solder volume value and the surface tension determines the shape of the joint.

Preparation and characterisation of ceria particles

Cerium dioxide (ceria) nanoparticles have been the subject of intense academic and industrial interest. Ceria has a host of applications but academic interest largely stems from their use in the modern automotive catalyst but it is also of interest because of many other application areas notably as the abrasive in chemical-mechanical planarisation of silicon substrates. Recently, ceria has been the focus of research investigating health effects of nanoparticles. Importantly, the role of non-stoichiometry in ceria nanoparticles is implicated in their biochemistry. Ceria has well understood non-stoichiometry based around the ease of formation of anion vacancies and these can form ordered superstructures based around the fluorite lattice structure exhibited by ceria. The anion vacancies are associated with localised or small polaron states formed by the electrons that remain after oxygen desorption. In simple terms these electrons combine with Ce4+ states to form Ce3+ states whose larger ionic radii is associated with a lattice expansion compared to stoichiometric CeO2. This is a very simplistic explanation and greater defect chemistry complexity is suggested by more recent work. Various authors have shown that vacancies are mobile and may result in vacancy clustering. Ceria nanoparticles are of particular interest because of the high activity and surface area of small particulates. The sensitivity of the cerium electronic band structure to environment would suggest that changes in the properties of ceria particles at nanoscale dimensions might be expected. Notably many authors report a lattice expansion with reducing particle size (largely confined to sub-10 nm particles). Most authors assign increased lattice dimensions to the presence of a surface stable Ce2O3 type layer at low nanoparticle dimensions. However, our understanding of oxide nanoparticles is limited and their full and quantitative characterisation offers serious challenges. In a series of chemical preparations by ourselves we see little evidence of a consistent model emerging to explain lattice parameter changes with nanoparticle size. Based on these results and a review of the literature it is worthwhile asking if a model of surface enhanced defect concentration is consistent with known cerium/cerium oxide chemistries, whether this is applicable to a range of different synthesis methods and if a more consistent description is possible. In Chapter one the science of cerium oxide is outlined including the crystal structure, defect chemistry and different oxidation states available. The uses and applications of cerium oxide are also discussed as well as modelling of the lattice parameter and the doping of the ceria lattice. Chapter two describes both the synthesis techniques and the analytical methods employed to execute this research. Chapter three focuses on high surface area ceria nano-particles and how these have been prepared using a citrate sol-gel precipitation method. Changes to the particle size have been made by calcining the ceria powders at different temperatures. X-ray diffraction methods were used to determine their lattice parameters. The particles sizes were also assessed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and BET, and, the lattice parameter was found to decrease with decreasing particle size. The results are discussed in light of the role played by surface tension effects. Chapter four describes the morphological and structural characterization of crystalline CeO2 nanoparticles prepared by forward and reverse precipitation techniques and compares these by powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD), nitrogen adsorption (BET) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) analysis. The two routes give quite different materials although in both cases the products are essentially highly crystalline, dense particulates. It was found that the reverse precipitation technique gave the smallest crystallites with the narrowest size dispersion. This route also gave as-synthesised materials with higher surface areas. HRTEM confirmed the observations made from PXRD data and showed that the two methods resulted in quite different morphologies and surface chemistries. The forward route gives products with significantly greater densities of Ce3+ species compared to the reverse route. Data are explained using known precipitation chemistry and kinetic effects. Chapter five centres on the addition of terbia to ceria and has been investigated using XRD, XRF, XPS and TEM. Good solid solutions were formed across the entire composition range and there was no evidence for the formation of mixed phases or surface segregation over either the composition or temperature range investigated. Both Tb3+ and Tb4+ ions exist within the solution and the ratios of these cations are consistent with the addition of Tb8O15 to the fluorite ceria structure across a wide range of compositions. Local regions of anion vacancy ordering may be visible for small crystallites. There is no evidence of significant Ce3+ ion concentrations formed at the surface or in the bulk by the addition of terbia. The lattice parameter of these materials was seen to decrease with decreasing crystallite size. This is consistent with increased surface tension effects at small dimension. Chapter six reviews size related lattice parameter changes and surface defects in ceria nanocrystals. Ceria (CeO2) has many important applications, notably in catalysis. Many of its uses rely on generating nanodimensioned particles. Ceria has important redox chemistry where Ce4+ cations can be reversibly reduced to Ce3+ cations and associated anion vacancies. The significantly larger size of Ce3+ (compared with Ce4+) has been shown to result in lattice expansion. Many authors have observed lattice expansion in nanodimensioned crystals (nanocrystals), and these have been attributed to the presence of stabilized Ce3+ -anion vacancy combinations in these systems. Experimental results presented here show (i) that significant, but complex changes in the lattice parameter with size can occur in 2-500 nm crystallites, (ii) that there is a definitive relationship between defect chemistry and the lattice parameter in ceria nanocrystals, and (iii) that the stabilizing mechanism for the Ce3+ -anion vacancy defects at the surface of ceria nanocrystals is determined by the size, the surface status, and the analysis conditions. In this work, both lattice expansion and a more unusual lattice contraction in ultrafine nanocrystals are observed. The lattice deformations seen can be defined as a function of both the anion vacancy (hydroxyl) concentration in the nanocrystal and the intensity of the additional pressure imposed by the surface tension on the crystal. The expansion of lattice parameters in ceria nanocrystals is attributed to a number of factors, most notably, the presence of any hydroxyl moieties in the materials. Thus, a very careful understanding of the synthesis combined with characterization is required to understand the surface chemistry of ceria nanocrystals.

A computational modelling framework to predict macroscopic phenomena in solder joint formation

A computational model of solder joint formation and the subsequent cooling behaviour is described. Given the rapid changes in the technology of printed circuit boards, there is a requirement for comprehensive models of solder joint formation which permit detailed analysis of design and optimization options. Solder joint formation is complex, involving a range of interacting phenomena. This paper describes a model implementation (as part of a more comprehensive framework) to describe the shape formation (conditioned by surface tension), heat transfer, phase change and the development of elastoviscoplastic stress. The computational modelling framework is based upon mixed finite element and finite volume procedures, and has unstructured meshes enabling arbitrarily complex geometries to be analysed. Initial results for both through-hole and surface-mount geometries are presented.

The study of flow and temperature fields in conducting droplets suspended in a DC/AC combination field

Electromagnetic Levitation (EML) is a valuable method for measuring the thermo-physical properties of metals - surface tensions, viscosity, thermal/electrical conductivity, specific heat, hemispherical emissivity, etc. – beyond their melting temperature. In EML, a small amount of the test specimen is melted by Joule heating in a suspended AC coil. Once in liquid state, a small perturbation causes the liquid envelope to oscillate and the frequency of oscillation is then used to compute its surface tension by the well know Rayleigh formula. Similarly, the rate at which the oscillation is dampened relates to the viscosity. To measure thermal conductivity, a sinusoidally varying laser source may be used to heat the polar axis of the droplet and the temperature response measured at the polar opposite – the resulting phase shift yields thermal conductivity. All these theoretical methods assume that convective effects due to flow within the droplet are negligible compared to conduction, and similarly that the flow conditions are laminar; a situation that can only be realised under microgravity conditions. Hence the EML experiment is the method favoured for Spacelab experiments (viz. TEMPUS). Under terrestrial conditions, the full gravity force has to be countered by a much larger induced magnetic field. The magnetic field generates strong flow within the droplet, which for droplets of practical size becomes irrotational and turbulent. At the same time the droplet oscillation envelope is no longer ellipsoidal. Both these conditions invalidate simple theoretical models and prevent widespread EML use in terrestrial laboratories. The authors have shown in earlier publications that it is possible to suppress most of the turbulent convection generated in the droplet skin layer, through use of a static magnetic field. Using a pseudo-spectral discretisation method it is possible compute very accurately the dynamic variation in the suspended fluid envelope and simultaneously compute the time-varying electromagnetic, flow and thermal fields. The use of a DC field as a dampening agent was also demonstrated in cold crucible melting, where suppression of turbulence was achieved in a much larger liquid metal volume and led to increased superheat in the melt and reduction of heat losses to the water-cooled walls. In this paper, the authors describe the pseudo-spectral technique as applied to EML to compute the combined effects of AC and DC fields, accounting for all the flow-induced forces acting on the liquid volume (Lorentz, Maragoni, surface tension, gravity) and show example simulations.

Levitated liquid droplets in AC and DC magnetic field

Electromagnetic levitation of liquid metal droplets can be used to measure the properties of highly reactive liquid materials. Two independent numerical models, the commercial COMSOL and the spectral-collocation based free surface code SPHINX, have been applied to solve the transient electromagnetic, fluid flow and thermodynamic equations, which describe the levitated liquid motion and heating processes. The SPHINX model incorporates free surface deformation to accurately model the oscillations that result from the interaction between the electromagnetic and gravity forces, temperature dependent surface tension, magnetically controlled turbulent momentum transport. The models are adapted to incorporate periodic laser heating at the top of the droplet, which is used to measure the thermal conductivity of the material. Novel effects in the levitated droplet of magnetically damped turbulence and nonlinear growth of velocities in high DC magnetic field are analysed.

Magnetic damping of levitated liquid droplets in AC and DC field

The intense AC magnetic field required to produce levitation in terrestrial conditions, along with the buoyancy and thermo-capillary forces, results in turbulent convective flow within the droplet. The use of a homogenous DC magnetic field allows the convective flow to be damped. However the turbulence properties are affected at the same time, leading to a possibility that the effective turbulent damping is considerably reduced. The MHD modified K-Omega turbulence model allows the investigation of the effect of magnetic field on the turbulence. The model incorporates free surface deformation, the temperature dependent surface tension, turbulent momentum transport, electromagnetic and gravity forces. The model is adapted to incorporate a periodic laser heating at the top of the droplet, which have been used to measure the thermal conductivity of the material by calculating the phase lag between the frequency of the laser heating and the temperature response at the bottom. The numerical simulations show that with the gradual increase of the DC field the fluid flow within the droplet is initially increasing in intensity. Only after a certain threshold magnitude of the field the flow intensity starts to decrease. In order to achieve the flow conditions close to the ‘laminar’ a D.C. magnetic field >4 Tesla is required to measure the thermal conductivity accurately. The reduction in the AC field driven flow in the main body of the drop leads to a noticeable thermo-capillary convection at the edge of the droplet. The uniform vertical DC magnetic field does not stop a translational oscillation of the droplet along the field, which is caused by the variation in total levitation force due to the time-dependent surface deformation.

Investigation of wall-slip effect on paste release characteristic in flip-chip stencil printing process

As the trend toward further miniaturisation of pocket and handheld consumer electronic products continues apace, the requirements for even smaller solder joints will continue. With further reductions in the size of solder joints, the reliability of solder joints will become more and more critical to the long-term performance of electronic products. Solder joints play an important role in electronics packaging, serving both as electrical interconnections between the components and the board, and as mechanical support for components. With world-wide legislation for the removal/reduction of lead and other hazardous materials from electrical and electronic products, the electronics manufacturing industry has been faced with an urgent search for new lead-free solder alloy systems and other solder alternatives. In order to achieve high volume, low cost production, the stencil printing process and subsequent wafer bumping of solder paste has become indispensable. There is wide agreement in industry that the paste printing process accounts for the majority of assembly defects, and most defects originate from poor understanding of the effect of printing process parameters on printing performance. The printing of ICAs and lead-free solder pastes through the very small stencil apertures required for flip chip applications was expected to result in increased stencil clogging and incomplete transfer of paste to the printed circuit pads. Paste release from the stencil apertures is dependent on the interaction between the solder paste, surface pad and aperture wall; including its shape. At these very narrow aperture sizes the paste rheology becomes crucial for consistent paste withdrawal because for smaller paste volumes surface tension effects become dominant over viscous flow. Successful aperture filling and release will greatly depend on the rheology of the paste material. Wall-slip plays an important role in characterising the flow behaviour of solder paste materials. The wall- slip arises due to the various attractive and repulsive forces acting between the solder particles and the walls of the measuring geometry. These interactions could lead to the presence of a thin solvent layer adjacent to the wall, which gives rise to slippage. The wall slip effect can play an important role in ensuring successful paste release after the printing process. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the paste microstructure on slip formation for the paste materials (lead-free solder paste and isotropic conductive adhesives). The effect of surface roughness on the paste viscosity was investigated. It was also found that altering the surface roughness of the parallel plate measuring geometry did not significantly eliminate wall slip as was expected. But results indicate that the use of a relatively rough surface helps to increase paste adhesion to the plates, inducing structural breakdown of the paste. Most importantly, the study also demonstrated on how the wall slip formation in the paste material could be utilised for understanding of the paste microstructure and its flow behaviour