Fe–40 at. % Al–0.1 at. % B specimens were polished flat, strained at room temperature, and examined in an atomic force microscope. The angles of height contours perpendicular to the slip lines were interpreted as shear strains and were statistically evaluated. The frequency distributions of these shear strains correlated well with the macroscopic strains. The maximum shear strains found were not much larger than the macroscopic strains. In particular, no steep slip steps corresponding to large local shears were found.

Nanomechanical devices constitute an important and growing field, as they allow for new understanding of the mechanical properties at interfaces and surfaces. As an example, a newly developed nanoindentation device has been used to accomplish μN load indents into GaAs. First, it is shown that a plastic zone can be measured and is comparable to theory. Also, it is shown that the rate of indentation affects both the depth and upset zone of low load indents, implying a strain-rate sensitivity effect at room temperature. This is reinforced by observation of what appears to be a glide-based relaxation process.

A large magnetoresistance change (ΔR/RH) of −550% has been observed at 270 K in (La0.8Ca0.2)MnO3 thin films. The films were prepared in situ on LaAlO3 substrates by single-liquid-source metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. M(thd)n (M = La, Ca, and Mn, and n = 2, 3) were dissolved together in an organic solution and used as precursors for the deposition of (La0.8Ca0.2)MnO3 thin films. Deposition was conducted at an oxygen partial pressure of 1.2 Torr and a substrate temperature ranging from 600 °C to 700 °C. The mechanism for the large magnetoresistance change in this manganese oxide is briefly discussed.

α-hexathienyl (α–6T) is a highly promising material for application in thin film transistor devices. Recently, record high mobilities, together with record high current on/off ratios, have been reported.1 Thus far, structural information on this exciting material is sketchy. The crystal structures of several such hexamers have been investigated, but only with powder samples, since the crystal growth has proven exceedingly difficult.2-5 Powder Rietveld refinements on these materials are severely hampered by the large number of overlapping reflections, preferred orientation, ambiguities in symmetry, etc. Here, we present a crystal structure of the high-temperature polymorph of α–6T (α–6T/HT), as determined from a single-crystal structure analysis. In this polymorph, the hexamer crystallizes in the smallest unit cell so far reported for this material, but the molecule is flat. Extended Hückel theory (EHT) band structure calculations show that α–6T/HT is an indirect gap semiconductor, with the conduction band minimum at Y and the valence band maximum at Γ. The conduction and valence bands both show a remarkable degree of dispersion along X and Y for a molecular crystal. The electronic band structure of this material is strikingly similar to that of the two-dimensional organic superconductors based on bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene (ET), such as κ−(ET)2 Cu(NCS)2.

Several conditions for hydroxyapatite ceramic preparation were used: sintering at 1150 °C in air or under H2O vapor flow, quenched in water at room temperature after sintering, or slow cooling inside the furnace. Depending on specific combinations of these preparation conditions, in the resulting ceramics significant differences are observed in the phase composition and dielectric properties, ranging from capacitive to a semiconducting response. Comparison between the experimental x-ray diffraction patterns and those calculated by the Rietveld method show that during sintering in air, approximately 40% of hydroxyapatite is transformed to tricalcium phosphate. The XRD analysis shows that this transformation could be possible using the following process: Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 = 2Ca3(PO4)2 + Ca2P2O7 + 2CaO + H2O.

The main thrust of this paper is to define the concept of industrial ecology and to discuss how its principles may be utilized to reconsider the materials cycle. Simply put, ecological principles imply that we minimize waste during manufacture and ensure that the products are recycled at the end of their useful life. Such a rethought materials cycle has to stress waste minimization and, at the same time, track energy flows and cost considerations simultaneously with the movement of the materials streams. In this paper, special attention is paid to recycling issues in metals production, municipal waste, and also to recycling issues pertaining to electronic materials. Comments are made on the driving forces and the barriers to industrial ecology, including economics, regulation, management and education, and on the international aspects of industrial ecology.

Experiments were performed to evaluate the room-temperature mechanical properties of soy-protein that were compression-molded with varying concentrations of glycerin plasticizer. Specimens exhibited stiff and brittle behavior with good tensile strength reliability based on Weibull statistics analysis. Raising the glycerin concentration from 0 to 20% progressively increased the tensile strain-to-failure from 1.1 to 1.8% and reduced the tensile strength from 42.1 to 23.6 MPa. the tangent modulus from 4.56 to 1.79 GPa, and the Rockwell hardness from R118.4 to R75.7. Ultrasonic measurements indicated that raising the glycerin concentration from 0 to 20% increased Poisson's ratio from 0.348 to 0.409 and reduced Young's modulus from 7.01 to 5.4 GPa and the shear modulus from 2.5 to 1.8 GPa. Significant increases in the tensile strength and the strength reliability resulted from eliminating Griffith's flaws by sieving the press powder before compression molding. Rockwell hardness rapidly decreased upon immersing these plastics in water at 25 °C, an effect which was pronounced for the glycerin-containing specimens.

The electron backscattering pattern technique has been applied to the microstructural investigation of Tl(1223) thick films formed by vapor-phase thallination of Ag-containing Ba–Ca–Cu–oxide precursors. For samples grown on polycrystalline YSZ, considerable biaxial alignment is found in localized, multigrain regions as wide a 100 μm or more. However, on scales above 1 mm the overall texture remains only uniaxial with the c-axes (i.e., [001]) aligned perpendicular to the plane of the substrate. On single-crystal KTaO3 an epitaxial relationship is evident which persists to the surface of a 3 μm thick film. Modest variations in the processing protocol yield films containing grains oriented with the c-axis in the plane, resulting in the degradation of transport properties. The data suggest a growth mode in which sparse nucleation occurs at the substrate followed by rapid lateral crystallization.

Two kinds of methods such as spontaneous nucleation from flux-free stoichiometric melt and CuO flux method have been used for the growth of Pb0.5Sr2.5Y1−xCaxCu2Oy single crystals. The morphologies, phases, and compositions occurring in the crystals grown from the two kinds of methods were compared systematically. Optimum conditions for the growth of larger 1212 phase single crystals are x =0.15, 0.25, and 0.35. The lattice parameters of the crystals with the 1212 phase were found to be increasing upon Ca doping. The resistivity behavior of the PbSrYCaCuO single crystals with the 1212 phase both in the state of as-grown and after extended annealings under various oxygen partial pressure was also discussed briefly.

The dc-95 MHz hybrid plasma magnetron sputtering has been newly developed for obtaining a-axis oriented YBa2Cu3Ox (YBCO) films with an excellent crystallinity. The crystallinity was found to be the best among the films reported so far: the full width at half maximum value of 0.027°in the rocking curve measurement through the film (200) diffraction peak and Xmin of 2% estimated from the barium signal behind the surface peak in Rutherford backscattering (RBS) measurement using a 1 MeV He+ ion. The success in the excellent crystallinity was explained from the ion acceleration model at the ion sheath formed near the substrate surface considering the high ion density, which was revealed to be a characteristic of hybrid plasma. Almost perfect epitaxial growth was also confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. A characteristic grain boundary structure depending on the substrate was observed for the films on NdGaO3 and SrTiO3 substrates. Twist boundary is dominant for the film on NdGaO3, while symmetrical tilt boundary and basal-plane-faced tilt boundary exclusively exist for the film on SrTiO3. The microstructure of the film on SrTiO3 is very resistive against film relaxation. Strain relief was observed by RBS channeling spectra for the relatively high superconducting films. The results of Raman spectroscopy and RBS oxygen resonant measurements indicated that the oxygen content is not a critical parameter for determining the superconductivity of the a-axis oriented YBCO films, but oxygen ordering in the plane of the Cu-O chain and relief of the film strain are important for the improvement of Tc.

In order to understand the formation mechanism of the Y2BaCuO5 free region, microstructures concerning incongraent mehing and peritectic reaction were studied in melt-textured Y–Ba–Cu–O oxides. It is found that spherical pores form during incongruent melting of the YBa2Cu3O7−y phase into Y2BaCuO3 and a Ba–Cu–O liquid phase. As the melting goes on, liquid phase flows into the pores and then produces spherical liquid pockets containing a few Y2BaCuO5 particles. During slow cooling of the sample from the peritectic temperature to the temperature where YBa2Cu3O7−y phase is formed, the liquid pockets are converted into YBa2Cu3O7−y phase containing a few Y2BaCuO5 particles. Sometimes, remnant Ba–Cu–O liquid phase is present at the center part of the Y2BaCuO5 free regions due to the incomplete peritectic reaction. It is concluded that formation of spherical pores during incongruent melting of YBa2Cu3O7−y is responsible for the formation of the Y2BaCuO5 free regions.

YBCO samples were prepared using different types of precursor powders: quenched, or YBa2Cu3O7−x and Y2BaCuO5 commercial powders, with and without Pt addition. Two stoichiomctrics, corresponding to 0 and 40% molar excess of the Y2BaCuO5 phase, were adopted. The behavior of the Y2BaCuO5 phase through thermal treatments, typical of melt processes, was observed by quenching the samples at various stages. YBa2Cu3O7−x grain growth kinetics was enhanced and liquid phase losses were limited by optimizing the morphology of the Y2BaCuO5 phase in the partially melted state, with the simultaneous presence of round particles ≤1 μm and needle-like particles with very high aspect ratio. The optimized processing conditions were adopted, together with a seeding technique, to grow YBCO samples. At 77 K, a magnetic levitation force of 2.5 kg was measured for a sample with 18 mm diameter, and magnetization critical current densities over 104 A/cm2 were reached at 1 T.

Melt processing of YBa2Cu3Ox (Y-123) with a NdBa2Cu3Ox-123 single-crystal seed has been used to grow large single-grain Y-123 samples. Processing parameters have been varied to observe the resulting differences in the levitation force of the samples. Increased hold time above the peritectic temperature and increased undercooling temperature have been observed to be beneficial in enhancing the levitation force of the samples. The levitation force measurements have been correlated with magnetization measurements on the crushed domains.

Ge(SiMe3)4 was used as a single-source precursor to deposit thin films of alloys of germanium, silicon, and carbon, Si1−x-yGexCy, by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition on silicon substrates at temperatures 873-973 K. X-ray diffraction studies indicated that the films grown above 898 K were cubic phase (a = 0.441–0.442 nm). Infrared spectra of the films showed a major absorption near 783 cm−1. X-ray photoelectron spectra of a typical thin film showed binding energies of Ge3d, Si2p, and C1s electrons at 30.0, 100.6, and 283.2 eV, respectively. As determined by wavelength dispersive spectroscopy, x was 0.07–0.15 and y was 0.43–0.50, indicating that the films contained 7–15% Ge, 38–43% Si, and 43–50% C. At 973 K, the C/(Si + Ge) ratio was 1. Based on these data, the films deposited above 898 K have a structure of β-SiC with Ge atoms replacing some Si atoms in the lattice.

Combustion synthesis of NbAl3 and Nb2Al was studied using the volume combustion mode. The effects of heating rate and green density were examined for NbAl3 synthesis. The effect of green density was also investigated for Nb2Al. Greater reaction completion was achieved at higher heating rates and green densities. In both NbAl3 and Nb2Al samples, the reaction was initiated above the melting point of Al. Quenching (Nb+3Al) samples pressed at relatively high and low densities below the ignition temperature, and results of a particle-foil experiment, identified the spreading characteristic of molten Al over Nb, providing mechanistic details about niobium aluminide product formation.

New materials were made by infiltration of sol-gel boehmite thin films with copper acetate. The structure and phase transformation of these materials during heat treatment were studied. It was found that infiltration in the boehmite state did not end up in the same material as direct infiltration in the θ-alumina derived from boehmite, even after both types of materials were heat-treated at 900 °C. Infiltration in boehmite makes it possible to synthesize sandwich structures comprised of alternate layers of CuO and of γ-alumina.

High-energy shock plasma deposition techniques are used to produce carbon-nitride films containing both crystalline and amorphous components. The structures are examined by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, parallel-electron-energy loss spectroscopy, and electron diffraction. The crystalline phase appears to be face-centered cubic with a unit cell parameter approx. a = 0.63 nm, and it may be stabilized by calcium and oxygen at about 1–2 at. % levels. 85 at. % of the carbon atoms appear to have trigonal bonding for the crystalline phase, the remaining 15 at.% having tetrahedral bonding. The amorphous carbon-nitride film component varies from essentially nanocrystalline graphite, containing virtually no nitrogen, to amorphous carbon-nitride containing up to 10 at. % N, where the fraction of sp3 bonds ranges up to approx. 85 at. %. There is PEELS evidence that the nitrogen atoms have sp2 trigonal bonds in both the amorphous and crystalline phases.

The humidity-sensing electrical properties of heterocontacts between p-type La2CuO4 and n-type ZnO semiconductors, and of the single oxides, as a comparison, were studied. The heterocontacts was prepared by mechanically pressing sintered disks of the two oxides. The electrical characterization of the heterocontacts was carried out using dc and ac measurements at various relative humidity (RH) values, in order to evaluate the sensing mechanisms and the electrical properties of these p-n junctions. Their humidity sensitivity was explained in terms of the variation of the barrier height at the p-n junctions, due to the saturation of the original interface states by physisorbed water, which leads to the release of trapped electrons, resulting in an increase in the forward current. The higher the number of interface states, the higher the RH-sensitivity of the heterocontacts. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements showed, at 90% RH, a distribution of capacitances with different relaxation times, which may be caused by the electrolysis of water molecules at p-n junction sites. For their use as humidity sensors, they showed a response of 4 orders of magnitude in the whole RH range tested, and a fast response time. The response of the heterocontacts was bias-dependent, tunable by externally applied electric field. They also have stand-by capability and a self-cleaning mechanism, which allow them to be described as intelligent materials.

Sintered compacts of nanophase ZnO (∼60 nm average grain size, presintered at 600 °C) were made from powders (∼13 nm) prepared by the gas-condensation technique. Impedance spectra were taken as a function of temperature over the range 450–600 °C and as a function of oxygen partial pressure over the range 10−3−1 atm (550 and 600 °C only). The activation energy was determined to be 55 kJ/mole (0.57 eV) and was independent of oxygen partial pressure. The oxygen partial pressure exponent was −1/6. Impedance spectra exhibited nonlinear I-V behavior, with a threshold of approximately 6 V. These results indicate that grain boundaries are governing the electrical properties of the compact. Ramifications for oxygen sensing and for grain boundary defect characterization are discussed.

Pure and La-doped magnesium titanate (MgTiO3) microwave ceramics were sintered and structurally and dielectrically characterized. Doping provides small inclusions of a second phase found to correspond to the La2Ti2O7 compound. It increases the microwave dielectric loss appreciably and gives rise to three absorption peaks in the submillimeter range assigned to polar phonons of the La2Ti2O7 structure. This assignment was confirmed by a direct reflectivity measurement on La2Ti2O7 ceramics. From the temperature dependence of submillimeter losses in the pure sample, one can estimate that from 1000 down to at least 8 GHz about half of the room temperature losses are intrinsic, i.e., due to two-phonon absorption processes.