Materials Science and Engineering Commons^™

Decreasing Electrical Energy Consumption Through Sic Additions, Kent D. Peaslee, Semen Naumovich Lekakh, Von Richards, John Carpenter, Chen Wang

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper summarizes results of industrial experiments investigating the introduction of supplemental chemical energy in Electric Arc Furnaces (EAF). Specifically, this research evaluates the effects of adding 0.4-0.6% of the scrap charge weight as SiC (10 lbs per scrap ton charged) in the EAF. SiC additions increase the available exothermic reactions during oxygen boiling in an attempt to reduce the electrical energy requirements. Results from 180 trial heats at two different steel foundries are highlighted and statistically evaluated. In both cases, the SiC additions had a measurable effect on decreasing the electrical energy consumption.

Segmental Dynamics In Poly(Methyl Acrylate) On Silica: Molecular-Mass Effects, Burak Metin, Frank D. Blum

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

The effect of molecular mass on the segmental dynamics of poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA) adsorbed on silica was studied using deuterium quadrupole-echo nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and modulated differential scanning calorimetry. Samples adsorbed on silica (all about 1.5 mg PMA/m2 silica) were shown to have more restricted segmental mobility, and higher Tg's, than the corresponding bulk PMA samples. Around the glass-transition region, adsorbed samples exhibited segmental mobility, which could be classified as heterogeneous due to a superposition of more-mobile and less-mobile components present in the deuterium NMR spectra. This heterogeneity was consistent with a motional gradient with more-mobile segments near the …

Nanobiomagnetics, Diandra Leslie-Pelecky, V. Labhasetwar, R. H. Kraus Jr.

Materials Research Science and Engineering Center: Faculty Publications

The application of nanomagnetic materials to biological systems has produced significant advances in research, diagnosis, and treatment of numerous pathologies. This chapter summarizes the major applications of magnetic materials: magnetic targeting, drug and gene delivery, magnetic separation, the use of magnetic beads in manipulating single molecules, as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging, and for hyperthermia. Biocompatibility requirements for magnetic materials used in these applications are reviewed.

“Nanobiomagnetism” is the intersection of nanomagnetism and medicine that focuses on biological systems and/or processes. Magnetism is an inherent facet of life, from iron in blood to the ability of magnetotactic bacteria, birds, …

Understanding And Control Of Lateral Contraction In Stamping Lithography, Zheng Li, Li Tan, Gang-Yu Liu

Materials Research Science and Engineering Center: Faculty Publications

Thin film contraction under external mechanical stress can be used to miniaturize size and increase density of patterned features on top. Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis is used to provide guidance on this contraction process. It was found that the substrate contraction causes stress accumulation along interfaces between protruded features and substrate. These stress accumulation complexes the control of profile changes on patterned features and suggest a design of patterned features arranged beyond a critical distance to avoid cross-interference.

Magnetic Aging, Ralph Skomski, Jian Zhou, Roger D. Kirby, David J. Sellmyer

Materials Research Science and Engineering Center: Faculty Publications

Thermally activated magnetization reversal is of great importance in areas such as permanent magnetism and magnetic recording. In spite of many decades of scientific research, the phenomenon of slow magnetization dynamics has remained partially controversial. It is now well-established that the main mechanism is thermally activated magnetization reversal, as contrasted to eddy currents and structural aging, but the identification of the involved energy barriers remains a challenge for many systems. Thermally activated slow magnetization processes proceed over energy barriers whose structure is determined by the micromagnetic free energy. This restricts the range of physically meaningful energy barriers. An analysis of …

Effects Of Ion-Beam Irradiation On The L10 Phase Transformation And Their Magnetic Properties Of Fept And Ptmn Films (Invited), Chih-Huang Lai, Sheng-Huang Huang, Cheng-Han Yang, C.C. Chiang, Sy_Hwang Liou, David J. Sellmyer, M. L. Yan, L. Yuan, T. Yokata

Materials Research Science and Engineering Center: Faculty Publications

In this paper, we illustrate how to modify the structure and magnetic properties of L1₀ FePt and PtMn films using ion-beam irradiation. Highly ordered L1₀ FePt and PtMn phases were achieved directly by using 2 MeV He-ion irradiation without conventional post-annealing. A high ion-beam current density (~μA/cm² ) was used to achieve direct beam heating on samples. This irradiation-induced heating process provides efficient microscopic energy transfer and creates excess point defects, which significantly enhances the diffusion and promotes the formation of the ordered L1₀ phase. In-plane coercivity of FePt films greater than 5700 Oe could be …

Surface Segregation In Multicomponent Clusters, Peter A. Dowben, Ning Wu, Natalie Palina, H. Modrow, R. Müller, J. Hormes, Yaroslav B. Losovyj

Materials Research Science and Engineering Center: Faculty Publications

Nanostructured materials are not immune from surface segregation, as can be shown for solid samples made from nanosized BaFe_12-2xCo_xTi_xO₁₉ barium ferrite particles and a variety of free clusters. Both theory and experiment provide ample demonstration that very limited dimensions of very small clusters does not necessarily impart stability against surface and grain boundary segregation. In fact, with the larger surface to volume ratio in small clusters and lower average atomic coordination, we anticipate that compositional instabilities in small clusters will readily occur.

Molecular Mass And Dynamics Of Poly(Methyl Acrylate) In The Glass Transition Region, Burak Metin, Frank D. Blum

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

The segmental dynamics of bulk poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA) were studied as a function of molecular mass in the glass-transition region using 2H NMR and modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC). Quadrupole-echo 2H NMR spectra were obtained for four samples of methyl-deuterated PMA-d3 with different molecular masses. The resulting spectra were fit using superpositions of simulated spectra generated from the MXQET simulation program, based on a model incorporating nearest-neighbor jumps from positions on the vertices of a truncated icosahedron (soccer-ball shape). The lower molecular-mass samples, influenced by the presence of more chain ends, showed more heterogeneity (broader distribution) and lower glass transitions …

Segmental Dynamics Of Poly(Isopropyl Acrylate)-D7 On Silica, Piyawan Krisanangkura, Frank D. Blum

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

For a polymer film deposited on a surface, the strength of the surfacesegment interaction affects the mobility of polymer-chain segments. The selfconsistent field lattice model of Scheutjens and Fleer,1 based on mean-field lattice models of polymer at interfaces,2 has been used to describe the distribution of conformations of polymers on surfaces. Adsorbed-polymer segments may be classified as belonging to loops, trains or tails. There are different techniques used to study the molecular motion of the polymer including modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC)3 and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).4,5 in this work, solid-state deuterium (2H) NMR was used to characterize the polymer …

Intracellular Signaling Networks In The Immune Response: Pathways Activated By Interleukin-2 And-4 Receptors And Their Roles In T Cell Proliferation, Kristen K. Comfort

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

Cells sense and respond to chemical and physical stimuli through signal transduction pathways, which mediate cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and survival. The cytokines interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) are key regulators of the adaptive immune system, particularly influencing the clonal expansion and differentiation of T cells. At least in culture, both synergistic and antagonistic effects of IL-2 and -4 co-stimulation have been reported; the antagonism, when observed, is thought to arise from the utilization of a common subunit shared by IL-2 and IL-4 receptors. We have sought to characterize IL-2 and IL-4 signaling at the level of intracellular pathways activated …

Control Of Plasma Flux Composition Incident On Tin Films During Reactive Magnetron Sputtering And The Effect On Film Microstructure, Christopher Muratore, Scott G. Walton, Darrin Leonhardt, Richard F. Fernsler

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

A hybrid plasma enhanced physical vapor deposition (PEPVD) system consisting of an unbalanced dc magnetron and a pulsed electron beam-produced plasma was used to deposit reactively sputtered titanium nitride thin films. The system allowed for control of the magnitudes of the ion and neutral flux, in addition to the type of nitrogen ions (atomic or molecular) that comprised the flux. For all deposition experiments, the magnitude of the ion flux incident on the substrate was held constant, but the composition of the total flux was varied. X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy showed that crystallographic texture and surface morphology of …

Modeling Of Dielectric Mixtures Containing Conducting Inclusions With Statistically Distributed Aspect Ratio, Marina Koledintseva, Sandeep K. R. Chandra, Richard E. Dubroff, Robert W. Schwartz

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

An analytical model of composites made of a dielectric base and randomly oriented metal inclusions in the form of nanorods is presented. This model is based on the generalized Maxwell Garnett (MG) mixing rule. In this model, the nanorod particles are modeled as prolate spheroids with a statistically normal distribution of their aspect ratios. It is shown that parameters of the distribution laws affect the frequency characteristics of the composites both at microwave and optical frequencies. The results of computations are represented.

Electrochemical Deposition And Characterization Of Fe₃O₄ Films Produced By The Reduction Of Fe(Iii)-Triethanolamine, Hiten M. Kothari, Elizabeth A. Kulp, Steven J. Limmer, Philippe Poizot, Eric W. Bohannan, Jay A. Switzer

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this paper, we demonstrate that films of magnetite, Fe₃O₄, can be deposited by the electrochemical reduction of a Fe(III)-triethanolamine complex in aqueous alkaline solution. the films were deposited with a columnar microstructure and a [100] preferred orientation on stainless steel substrates. In-plane electrical transport and magnetoresistance measurements were performed on the films after they were stripped off onto glass substrates. the resistance of the films was dependent on the oxygen partial pressure. We attribute the increase in resistance in O₂ and the decrease in resistance in Ar to the oxidation and reduction of grain …

Segmental Mobility Of Chain Ends In Poly(Methyl Acrylate)-D3, Burak Metin, Frank D. Blum

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Better control of polymeric materials can be achieved with a thorough understanding of the dynamics of their constituents. In the present study, we consider polymer chains as composed of chain middles and chain ends. Even though chain ends do not comprise much of the sample by mass, they may play a crucial role in the ultimate properties of the polymers. Although chain ends have been assigned a higher mobility, as compared to chain middles, there have not been a large number of experimental studies that directly probe their mobility. Among those, the studies of Kitahara et al.1 and Miwa et …

Synthesis And Thermal Behavior Of Poly(Methyl Acrylate) Attached To Silica By Surface-Initiated Atrp, Manikantan B. Nair, Frank D. Blum

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

The modification of the surface of an object dictates the response of the object to an external environment.1 Surface-modified materials and nanoparticles have attracted immense interest due to the various desirable electronic, optical and magnetic properties they possess.2 Silica is widely used as an inorganic filler. Surface modification of the silica, with a variety of organic moieties, facilitates the utilization of silica in conjunction with organic systems. The resulting organic/inorganic hybrid materials have significant potential applications. This work reports the synthesis and characterization of modified silica, and poly(methyl acrylate) attached to the modified silica. An observation of the thermal behavior …

A Methodology For Instrumented Indentation Studies Of Deformation In Bulk Metallic Glasses, Subhaashree Sridharan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bulk Metallic Glasses (BMGs), also known as amorphous metals, are of considerable scientific and commercial interest due to their random or chaotic structure. Given their potential use as engineering materials, there is a concomitant need to establish their mechanical properties. However, BMGs are not conveniently available in sufficient volumes (especially experimental and combinatorial compositions), making property determination via conventional tensile or compression testing problematic. Instrumented indentation is ideally suited for this purpose because the testing requires only small sampling volumes and can probe multiaxial deformation characteristics at various length scales. In this technique, conducted generally on a sub-micron regime, the …

Characterization Of Microstructural And Chemical Features In Cu-In-Ga-Se-S-Based Thin-Film Solar Cells, Ankush Halbe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Thin-film solar cells are potentially low-cost devices to convert sunlight into electricity. Improvements in the conversion efficiencies of these cells reduce material utilization cost and make it commercially viable. Solar cells from the Thin-Film Physics Group, ETH Zurich, Switzerland and the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), UCF were characterized for defects and other microstructural features within the thin-film structure and at the interfaces using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The present thesis aims to provide a feedback to these groups on their deposition processes to understand the correlations between processing, resulting microstructures, and the conversion efficiencies of these devices. Also, an …

Density-Functional Theory Applied To Problems In Catalysis And Electrochemistry, Santosh Kumar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We study the structure and energetics of water molecules adsorbed at ceria (111) surfaces below one monolayer coverage using density-functional theory. The results of this study provide a theoretical framework for interpreting recent experimental results on the redox properties of water at ceria (111) surfaces. In particular, we have computed the structure and energetics of various absorption geometries at stoichiometric ceria (111) surface. In contrast to experiment results, we do not find a strong coverage dependence of the adsorption energy. For the case of reduced surface, our results show that it may not be energetically favorable for water to oxidize …

Alumina-Aluminum Titanate-Titania Nanocomposite: Synthesis, Sintering Studies, Assessment Of Bioactivity And Its Mechanical And Electrical Properties, Vikas Somani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis reports the development, synthesis and characterization of a ceramic-ceramic nanocomposite system for its possible application as structural and electronic biomaterial in the biomedical industry. The study selected and synthesized alumina-aluminum titanate-titania (Al2O3-Al2TiO5-TiO2) nanoceramic composite using a simple Sol-Gel technique, which can be easily reproduced. Aluminum propoxide and titanium propoxide were used as precursor chemicals. Propanol and 2- methoxy ethanol were used as solvent and stabilizer, respectively. Thermal analyses were performed for a systematic understanding of phase evolution from the synthesized gel. X-Ray diffraction technique was used to confirm the phase evolution, phase purity, crystallite size and crystal structure(s) …

Magnetic And Transport Properties Of Nimnal Thin Films, Andriy Vovk, Minghui Yu, Leszek Malkinski, Charles O'Connor, Zhenjun Wang, Eden Durant, Jinke Tang, Vladimir Golub

Physics Faculty Publications

The magnetic and transport properties of Ni₂MnAl thin films prepared using pulse laser deposition were investigated. It was shown that the films are granular and multiphase. Contrary to the data reported earlier we observe nonmonotonic temperature dependence of resistance with minimum in the vicinity of 100 K for the films deposited on substrates held at 773 K and negative magnetoresistance (MR) values of about 2.5% at 5 K and 1.6% at RT in magnetic field of 50 kOe. These values of MR are the highest reported up to date for Ni₂MnAl films. Large negative MR in …

Rf-Generated Ambient-Afterglow Plasma, Shariff Shakir, Bijan Pashaie, Shirshak K. Dhali

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Atmospheric pressure plasmas have gained importance due to their potential application in polymer surface treatment, surface cleaning of metals, thin film deposition, and destruction of biological hazards. In this paper a radio-frequency driven atmospheric pressure afterglow plasma source in argon and helium is discussed. The light intensity measurement shows that the radio-frequency discharge is continuous in time unlike the intermittent nature of a low frequency dielectric-barrier discharge. The discharge, under ambient conditions, can be generated in argon, helium, and nitrogen. Spectroscopic measurements show that metastables are capable of producing oxygen atoms and other excited species. The argon afterglow, in particular, …

Growth Of Ge Quantum Dots On Si(100)-(2×1) By Pulsed Laser Deposition, M. S. Hegazy, H. E. Elsayed-Ali

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Self-assembled germanium quantum dots (QDs) were grown on Si(100)-(2×1) by pulsed laser deposition. In situ reflection-high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and postdeposition atomic force microscopy are used to study the growth of the QDs. Several films of different thicknesses were grown at a substrate temperature of 400 °C using a Q-switched Nd:yttrium aluminum garnet laser (λ= 1064 nm, 40 ns pulse width, 23 J/cm ² fluence, and 10 Hz repetition rate). At low film thicknesses, hut clusters that are faceted by different planes, depending on their height, are observed after the completion of the wetting layer. With increasing film thickness, …

An Investigation Into Microwave Energy To Soften Scrap Tire Rubber Aiding Existing Mechanical Separation Processes, Russell Jon Lucas

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This research was performed to soften scrap tires to aid in their transformation from whole tires to valuable streams of rubber and steel for reuse in industry. Actual shredded scrap rubber was used in this experiment to determine if this highly variable material could yield consistent results if subjected to volumetric heating from a magnetron emitting microwave energy.

A consumer microwave oven was used to heat this material. This oven had its control circuitry modified by using a programmable logic controller to operate the energy exposure time. The sample's surface temperature was measured utilizing a non contact infrared thermometer. All …

Direct Microstructure Deposition By Micromirror Direct Patterning And Laser Sintering Of Nanoparticles, Weiya Fang

Masters Theses

"The emerging demand for low cost, medium volume production and flexible micro-fabrication techniques has been advanced by the development of MEMS and limitations of the existing technique. As a promising building block for future MEMS and IC industry, nanoparticles are attracting more and more attention due to their interesting electronic, catalytic and optical properties, which can be finely tuned by varying their size. A novel process for the manufacturing of functional microstructures by modulated laser direct patterning and curing of nanoparticles is presented.

The first part of the thesis aims to understand the possibility and process of using modulated laser …

Fundamental And Applied Experimental Investigations Of Corrosion Of Steel By Lbe Under Controlled Conditions: Kinetics, Chemistry Morphology, And Surface Preparation, John Farley, Allen L. Johnson, Dale L. Perry

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

Advanced nuclear processes such as the transmutation of nuclear waste, fast reactors, liquid-metal-cooled reactors, and spallation neutron sources require advanced materials systems to contain them. The required structural materials must be stable in the presence of nonmoderating coolants. A prime candidate for such a coolant is Lead Bismuth Eutectic (LBE). Materials in these systems must be able to tolerate high neutron fluxes, high temperatures, and chemical corrosion. Unfortunately, LBE corrodes stainless steel.

The corrosive behaviors of structural materials in LBE are not well understood. The Russians have over 80 reactor-years experience with LBE coolant in their Alpha-class submarine reactors. The …

Theoretical Modeling Of Protective Oxide Layer Growth In Non-Isothermal Lead Alloy Coolant Systems, Yitung Chen, Jinsuo Zhang, Huajun Chen, Jichun Li

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The goal of this research project is to provide a basic understanding of the protective oxide layer behaviors and to develop oxide layer growth models of steels in non-isothermal lead alloys (lead or lead-bismuth eutectic) coolant systems. Precise studies and simulations of all hydrodynamics with thermal conditions encountered in practical coolant loop systems by use of different flowing conditions in the laboratory are difficult and expensive, if not impossible. Therefore it is important and necessary to develop theoretical models to predict the protective oxide layer behaviors at the design stage of a practical lead-alloy coolant system, to properly interpret and …

Melting And Solidification Study Of As-Deposited And Recrystallized Bi Thin Films, M. K. Zayed, H. E. Elsayed-Ali

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Melting and solidification of as-deposited and recrystallized Bi crystallites, deposited on highly oriented 002-graphite at 423 K, were studied using reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED). Films with mean thickness between 1.5 and 33 ML (monolayers) were studied. Ex situ atomic force microscopy was used to study the morphology and the size distribution of the formed nanocrystals. The as-deposited films grew in the form of three-dimensional crystallites with different shapes and sizes, while those recrystallized from the melt were formed in nearly similar shapes but different sizes. The change in the RHEED pattern with temperature was used to probe the melting …

Combinatorial Study Of Ni-Ti-Pt Ternary Metal Gate Electrodes On Hfo2 For The Advanced Gate Stack, K.-S. Chang, M. L. Green, J. Suehle, E. M. Vogel, H. Xiong, Jason R. Hattrick-Simpers, I. Takeuchi, O. Famodu, K. Ohmori, P. Ahmet, T. Chikyow, P. Majhi, B.-H. Lee, M. Gardner

Faculty Publications

The authors have fabricated combinatorial Ni–Ti–Pt ternary metal gate thin film libraries on HfO₂ using magnetron co-sputtering to investigate flatband voltage shift (ΔV_fb) , work function (Φ_m) , and leakage current density (J_L) variations. A more negative ΔV_fb is observed close to the Ti-rich corner than at the Ni- and Pt-rich corners, implying smaller Φ_m near the Ti-rich corners and higher Φ_m near the Ni- and Pt-rich corners. In addition, measured J_L values can be explained consistently with the observed Φ_m variations. Combinatorial methodologies prove to be useful …

Maxwell-Wagner Relaxations And Their Contributions To The High Permittivity Of Calcium Copper Titanate Ceramics, Wei Li, Robert W. Schwartz

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Calcium copper titanate ceramics were fabricated by cold isostatic pressing at various calcination and sintering conditions. Depending on fabrication condition, three electrical responses were observed in the combined modulus and impedance plots, indicating the presence of two Maxwell-Wagner relaxations. These electrical responses show different response to temperature and applied field. The activation energies, as well as the driving force factors, were calculated for these relations. The determined activation energy values are in the range of 0.57 to 0.65 eV. The contribution of Maxwell-Wagner relaxations to the high permittivity of CCTO and related materials is briefly discussed.

Effect Of Step Sintering On Breakdown Voltage Of Varistors Prepared From Nanomaterials, Suresh Pillai, Declan Mccormack, John Kelly, Ramesh Raghavendra

Articles

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