Study of the structure of 3-D composites based on carbon nanotubes in bovine serum albumin matrix by X-ray microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ignatov, D.; Zhurbina, N.; Gerasimenko, A.

2017-01-01

3-D composites are widely used in tissue engineering. A comprehensive analysis by X-ray microtomography was conducted to study the structure of the 3-D composites. Comprehensive analysis of the structure of the 3-D composites consisted of scanning, image reconstruction of shadow projections, two-dimensional and three-dimensional visualization of the reconstructed images and quantitative analysis of the samples. Experimental samples of composites were formed by laser vaporization of the aqueous dispersion BSA and single-walled (SWCNTs) and multi-layer (MWCNTs) carbon nanotubes. The samples have a homogeneous structure over the entire volume, the percentage of porosity of 3-D composites based on SWCNTs and MWCNTs - 16.44%, 28.31%, respectively. An average pore diameter of 3-D composites based on SWCNTs and MWCNTs - 45 μm 93 μm. 3-D composites based on carbon nanotubes in bovine serum albumin matrix can be used in tissue engineering of bone and cartilage, providing cell proliferation and blood vessel sprouting.

Measurement of spatial refractive index distributions of fusion spliced optical fibers by digital holographic microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Feng; Deng, Yating; Ma, Xichao; Xiao, Wen

2017-11-01

Digital holographic microtomography is improved and applied to the measurements of three-dimensional refractive index distributions of fusion spliced optical fibers. Tomographic images are reconstructed from full-angle phase projection images obtained with a setup-rotation approach, in which the laser source, the optical system and the image sensor are arranged on an optical breadboard and synchronously rotated around the fixed object. For retrieving high-quality tomographic images, a numerical method is proposed to compensate the unwanted movements of the object in the lateral, axial and vertical directions during rotation. The compensation is implemented on the two-dimensional phase images instead of the sinogram. The experimental results exhibit distinctly the internal structures of fusion splices between a single-mode fiber and other fibers, including a multi-mode fiber, a panda polarization maintaining fiber, a bow-tie polarization maintaining fiber and a photonic crystal fiber. In particular, the internal structure distortion in the fusion areas can be intuitively observed, such as the expansion of the stress zones of polarization maintaining fibers, the collapse of the air holes of photonic crystal fibers, etc.

Advantages of phase retrieval for fast x-ray tomographic microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mokso, R.; Marone, F.; Irvine, S.; Nyvlt, M.; Schwyn, D.; Mader, K.; Taylor, G. K.; Krapp, H. G.; Skeren, M.; Stampanoni, M.

2013-12-01

In near-field imaging with partially coherent x-rays, the phase shifting properties of the sample are encoded in the diffraction fringes that appear as an additional intensity modulation in the x-ray projection images. These Fresnel fringes are often regarded as purely an enhancement of the visibility at the interfaces. We show that retrieving the phase information contained in these patterns significantly advances the developments in fast micro-tomography. Improving temporal resolution without intensifying radiation damage implies a shortening of the exposure time rather than increasing the photon flux on the sample. Phase retrieval, to a large extent, compensates the consequent photon count moderation in the images, by fully exploiting the stronger refraction effect as compared with absorption. Two single-distance phase retrieval methods are evaluated for the case of an in situ 3 Hz micro-tomography of a rapidly evolving liquid foam, and an in vivo 6 Hz micro-tomography of a blowfly. A new dual-detector setup is introduced for simultaneous acquisition of two near-field diffraction patterns. Our goal is to couple high temporal, spatial and density resolution in a single imaging system in a dose-efficient manner, opening further options for dynamic four-dimensional studies.

Synchrotron radiation X-ray microtomography and histomorphometry for evaluation of chemotherapy effects in trabecular bone structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alessio, R.; Nogueira, L. P.; Almeida, A. P.; Colaço, M. V.; Braz, D.; Andrade, C. B. V.; Salata, C.; Ferreira-Machado, S. C.; de Almeida, C. E.; Tromba, G.; Barroso, R. C.

2014-04-01

Three-dimensional microtomography has the potential to examine complete bones of small laboratory animals with very high resolution in a non-invasive way. One of the side effects caused by some chemotherapy drugs is the induction of amenorrhea, temporary or not, in premenopausal women, with a consequent decrease in estrogen production, which can lead to bone changes. In the present work, the femur heads of rats treated with chemotherapy drugs were evaluated by 3D histomorphometry using synchrotron radiation microcomputed tomography. Control animals were also evaluated for comparison. The 3D tomographic images were obtained at the SYRMEP (SYnchrotron Radiation for MEdical Physics) beamline at the Elettra Synchrotron Laboratory in Trieste, Italy. Results showed significant differences in morphometric parameters measured from the 3D images of femur heads of rats in both analyzed groups.

Development of synchrotron X-ray micro-tomography under extreme conditions of pressure and temperature.

PubMed

Álvarez-Murga, M; Perrillat, J P; Le Godec, Y; Bergame, F; Philippe, J; King, A; Guignot, N; Mezouar, M; Hodeau, J L

2017-01-01

X-ray tomography is a non-destructive three-dimensional imaging/microanalysis technique selective to a wide range of properties such as density, chemical composition, chemical states and crystallographic structure with extremely high sensitivity and spatial resolution. Here the development of in situ high-pressure high-temperature micro-tomography using a rotating module for the Paris-Edinburgh cell combined with synchrotron radiation is described. By rotating the sample chamber by 360°, the limited angular aperture of ordinary high-pressure cells is surmounted. Such a non-destructive high-resolution probe provides three-dimensional insight on the morphological and structural evolution of crystalline as well as amorphous phases during high pressure and temperature treatment. To demonstrate the potentials of this new experimental technique the compression behavior of a basalt glass is investigated by X-ray absorption tomography, and diffraction/scattering tomography imaging of the structural changes during the polymerization of C 60 molecules under pressure is performed. Small size and weight of the loading frame and rotating module means that this apparatus is portable, and can be readily installed on most synchrotron facilities to take advantage of the diversity of three-dimensional imaging techniques available at beamlines. This experimental breakthrough should open new ways for in situ imaging of materials under extreme pressure-temperature-stress conditions, impacting diverse areas in physics, chemistry, geology or materials sciences.

Fixture-abutment connection surface and micro-gap measurements by 3D micro-tomographic technique analysis.

PubMed

Meleo, Deborah; Baggi, Luigi; Di Girolamo, Michele; Di Carlo, Fabio; Pecci, Raffaella; Bedini, Rossella

2012-01-01

X-ray micro-tomography (micro-CT) is a miniaturized form of conventional computed axial tomography (CAT) able to investigate small radio-opaque objects at a-few-microns high resolution, in a non-destructive, non-invasive, and tri-dimensional way. Compared to traditional optical and electron microscopy techniques, which provide two-dimensional images, this innovative investigation technology enables a sample tri-dimensional analysis without cutting, coating or exposing the object to any particular chemical treatment. X-ray micro-tomography matches ideal 3D microscopy features: the possibility of investigating an object in natural conditions and without any preparation or alteration; non-invasive, non-destructive, and sufficiently magnified 3D reconstruction; reliable measurement of numeric data of the internal structure (morphology, structure and ultra-structure). Hence, this technique has multi-fold applications in a wide range of fields, not only in medical and odontostomatologic areas, but also in biomedical engineering, materials science, biology, electronics, geology, archaeology, oil industry, and semi-conductors industry. This study shows possible applications of micro-CT in dental implantology to analyze 3D micro-features of dental implant to abutment interface. Indeed, implant-abutment misfit is known to increase mechanical stress on connection structures and surrounding bone tissue. This condition may cause not only screw preload loss or screw fracture, but also biological issues in peri-implant tissues.

Implant-Abutment Contact Surfaces and Microgap Measurements of Different Implant Connections Under 3-Dimensional X-Ray Microtomography.

PubMed

Scarano, Antonio; Valbonetti, Luca; Degidi, Marco; Pecci, Raffaella; Piattelli, Adriano; de Oliveira, P S; Perrotti, Vittoria

2016-10-01

The presence of a microgap between implant and abutment could produce a bacterial reservoir which could interfere with the long-term health of the periimplant tissues. The aim of this article was to evaluate, by x-ray 3-dimensional microtomography, implant-abutment contact surfaces and microgaps at the implant-abutment interface in different types of implant-abutment connections. A total of 40 implants were used in this in vitro study. Ten implants presented a screw-retained internal hexagon abutment (group I), 10 had a Morse Cone taper internal connection (group II), 10 another type of Morse Cone taper internal connection (group III), and 10 had a screwed trilobed connection (group IV). In both types of Morse Cone internal connections, there was no detectable separation at the implant-abutment in the area of the conical connection, and there was an absolute congruity without any microgaps between abutment and implant. No line was visible separating the implant and the abutment. On the contrary, in the screwed abutment implants, numerous gaps and voids were present. The results of this study support the hypothesis that different types of implant-abutment joints are responsible for the observed differences in bacterial penetration.

Quantifying Mesoscale Neuroanatomy Using X-Ray Microtomography

PubMed Central

Gray Roncal, William; Prasad, Judy A.; Fernandes, Hugo L.; Gürsoy, Doga; De Andrade, Vincent; Fezzaa, Kamel; Xiao, Xianghui; Vogelstein, Joshua T.; Jacobsen, Chris; Körding, Konrad P.

2017-01-01

Methods for resolving the three-dimensional (3D) microstructure of the brain typically start by thinly slicing and staining the brain, followed by imaging numerous individual sections with visible light photons or electrons. In contrast, X-rays can be used to image thick samples, providing a rapid approach for producing large 3D brain maps without sectioning. Here we demonstrate the use of synchrotron X-ray microtomography (µCT) for producing mesoscale (∼1 µm 3 resolution) brain maps from millimeter-scale volumes of mouse brain. We introduce a pipeline for µCT-based brain mapping that develops and integrates methods for sample preparation, imaging, and automated segmentation of cells, blood vessels, and myelinated axons, in addition to statistical analyses of these brain structures. Our results demonstrate that X-ray tomography achieves rapid quantification of large brain volumes, complementing other brain mapping and connectomics efforts. PMID:29085899

A Dedicated Micro-Tomography Beamline For The Australian Synchrotron

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mayo, Sheridan C.; Stevenson, Andrew W.; Wilkins, Stephen W.

2010-07-23

A dedicated micro-tomography beamline is proposed for the Australian Synchrotron. It will enable high-resolution micro-tomography with resolution below a micron and supporting phase-contrast imaging modes. A key feature of the beamline will be high-throughput/high-speed operation enabling near real-time micro-tomography.

Imaging Wellbore Cement Degradation by Carbon Dioxide under Geologic Sequestration Conditions Using X-ray Computed Microtomography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jung, Hun Bok; Jansik, Danielle; Um, Wooyong

2013-01-02

ABSTRACT: X-ray microtomography (XMT), a nondestructive three-dimensional imaging technique, was applied to demonstrate its capability to visualize the mineralogical alteration and microstructure changes in hydrated Portland cement exposed to carbon dioxide under geologic sequestration conditions. Steel coupons and basalt fragments were added to the cement paste in order to simulate cement-steel and cement-rock interfaces. XMT image analysis showed the changes of material density and porosity in the degradation front (density: 1.98 g/cm3, porosity: 40%) and the carbonated zone (density: 2.27 g/cm3, porosity: 23%) after reaction with CO2- saturated water for 5 months compared to unaltered cement (density: 2.15 g/cm3, porosity:more » 30%). Three-dimensional XMT imaging was capable of displaying spatially heterogeneous alteration in cement pores, calcium carbonate precipitation in cement cracks, and preferential cement alteration along the cement-steel and cement-rock interfaces. This result also indicates that the interface between cement and host rock or steel casing is likely more vulnerable to a CO2 attack than the cement matrix in a wellbore environment. It is shown here that XMT imaging can potentially provide a new insight into the physical and chemical degradation of wellbore cement by CO2 leakage.« less

Synchrotron Microtomography Reveals the Fine Three-Dimensional Porosity of Composite Polysaccharide Aerogels

PubMed Central

Ghafar, Abdul; Parikka, Kirsti; Tenkanen, Maija; Suuronen, Jussi-Petteri

2017-01-01

This study investigates the impact of ice-templating conditions on the morphological features of composite polysaccharide aerogels in relation to their mechanical behavior and aims to get a better insight into the parameters governing these properties. We have prepared polysaccharide aerogels of guar galactomannan (GM) and tamarind seed xyloglucan (XG) by enzymatic oxidation with galactose oxidase (GaO) to form hydrogels, followed by conventional and unidirectional ice-templating (freezing) methods and lyophilization to form aerogels. Composite polysaccharide aerogels were prepared by incorporating nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) into polysaccharide solutions prior to enzymatic oxidation and gel formation; such a cross linking technique enabled the homogeneous distribution of the NFC reinforcement into the gel matrix. We conducted phase-enhanced synchrotron X-ray microtomography (XMT) scans and visualized the internal microstructure of the aerogels in three-dimensional (3D) space. Volume-weighted pore-size and pore-wall thickness distributions were quantitatively measured and correlated to the aerogels’ mechanical properties regarding ice-templating conditions. Pore-size distribution and orientation depended on the ice-templating methods and the NFC reinforcement that significantly determined the mechanical and shape-recovery behavior of the aerogels. The results obtained will guide the design of the microporous structure of polysaccharide aerogels with optimal morphology and mechanical behavior for life-sciences applications. PMID:28773235

Improved tomographic reconstructions using adaptive time-dependent intensity normalization.

PubMed

Titarenko, Valeriy; Titarenko, Sofya; Withers, Philip J; De Carlo, Francesco; Xiao, Xianghui

2010-09-01

The first processing step in synchrotron-based micro-tomography is the normalization of the projection images against the background, also referred to as a white field. Owing to time-dependent variations in illumination and defects in detection sensitivity, the white field is different from the projection background. In this case standard normalization methods introduce ring and wave artefacts into the resulting three-dimensional reconstruction. In this paper the authors propose a new adaptive technique accounting for these variations and allowing one to obtain cleaner normalized data and to suppress ring and wave artefacts. The background is modelled by the product of two time-dependent terms representing the illumination and detection stages. These terms are written as unknown functions, one scaled and shifted along a fixed direction (describing the illumination term) and one translated by an unknown two-dimensional vector (describing the detection term). The proposed method is applied to two sets (a stem Salix variegata and a zebrafish Danio rerio) acquired at the parallel beam of the micro-tomography station 2-BM at the Advanced Photon Source showing significant reductions in both ring and wave artefacts. In principle the method could be used to correct for time-dependent phenomena that affect other tomographic imaging geometries such as cone beam laboratory X-ray computed tomography.

Using Synchrotron Radiation Microtomography to Investigate Multi-scale Three-dimensional Microelectronic Packages.

PubMed

Carlton, Holly D; Elmer, John W; Li, Yan; Pacheco, Mario; Goyal, Deepak; Parkinson, Dilworth Y; MacDowell, Alastair A

2016-04-13

Synchrotron radiation micro-tomography (SRµT) is a non-destructive three-dimensional (3D) imaging technique that offers high flux for fast data acquisition times with high spatial resolution. In the electronics industry there is serious interest in performing failure analysis on 3D microelectronic packages, many which contain multiple levels of high-density interconnections. Often in tomography there is a trade-off between image resolution and the volume of a sample that can be imaged. This inverse relationship limits the usefulness of conventional computed tomography (CT) systems since a microelectronic package is often large in cross sectional area 100-3,600 mm(2), but has important features on the micron scale. The micro-tomography beamline at the Advanced Light Source (ALS), in Berkeley, CA USA, has a setup which is adaptable and can be tailored to a sample's properties, i.e., density, thickness, etc., with a maximum allowable cross-section of 36 x 36 mm. This setup also has the option of being either monochromatic in the energy range ~7-43 keV or operating with maximum flux in white light mode using a polychromatic beam. Presented here are details of the experimental steps taken to image an entire 16 x 16 mm system within a package, in order to obtain 3D images of the system with a spatial resolution of 8.7 µm all within a scan time of less than 3 min. Also shown are results from packages scanned in different orientations and a sectioned package for higher resolution imaging. In contrast a conventional CT system would take hours to record data with potentially poorer resolution. Indeed, the ratio of field-of-view to throughput time is much higher when using the synchrotron radiation tomography setup. The description below of the experimental setup can be implemented and adapted for use with many other multi-materials.

Analytical dual-energy microtomography: A new method for obtaining three-dimensional mineral phase images and its application to Hayabusa samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsuchiyama, A.; Nakano, T.; Uesugi, K.; Uesugi, M.; Takeuchi, A.; Suzuki, Y.; Noguchi, R.; Matsumoto, T.; Matsuno, J.; Nagano, T.; Imai, Y.; Nakamura, T.; Ogami, T.; Noguchi, T.; Abe, M.; Yada, T.; Fujimura, A.

2013-09-01

We developed a novel technique called "analytical dual-energy microtomography" that uses the linear attenuation coefficients (LACs) of minerals at two different X-ray energies to nondestructively obtain three-dimensional (3D) images of mineral distribution in materials such as rock specimens. The two energies are above and below the absorption edge energy of an abundant element, which we call the "index element". The chemical compositions of minerals forming solid solution series can also be measured. The optimal size of a sample is of the order of the inverse of the LAC values at the X-ray energies used. We used synchrotron-based microtomography with an effective spatial resolution of >200 nm to apply this method to small particles (30-180 μm) collected from the surface of asteroid 25143 Itokawa by the Hayabusa mission of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). A 3D distribution of the minerals was successively obtained by imaging the samples at X-ray energies of 7 and 8 keV, using Fe as the index element (the K-absorption edge of Fe is 7.11 keV). The optimal sample size in this case is of the order of 50 μm. The chemical compositions of the minerals, including the Fe/Mg ratios of ferromagnesian minerals and the Na/Ca ratios of plagioclase, were measured. This new method is potentially applicable to other small samples such as cosmic dust, lunar regolith, cometary dust (recovered by the Stardust mission of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA]), and samples from extraterrestrial bodies (those from future sample return missions such as the JAXA Hayabusa2 mission and the NASA OSIRIS-REx mission), although limitations exist for unequilibrated samples. Further, this technique is generally suited for studying materials in multicomponent systems with multiple phases across several research fields.

Approaches to 3D printing teeth from X-ray microtomography.

PubMed

Cresswell-Boyes, A J; Barber, A H; Mills, D; Tatla, A; Davis, G R

2018-06-28

Artificial teeth have several advantages in preclinical training. The aim of this study is to three-dimensionally (3D) print accurate artificial teeth using scans from X-ray microtomography (XMT). Extracted and artificial teeth were imaged at 90 kV and 40 kV, respectively, to create detailed high contrast scans. The dataset was visualised to produce internal and external meshes subsequently exported to 3D modelling software for modification before finally sending to a slicing program for printing. After appropriate parameter setting, the printer deposited material in specific locations layer by layer, to create a 3D physical model. Scans were manipulated to ensure a clean model was imported into the slicing software, where layer height replicated the high spatial resolution that was observed in the XMT scans. The model was then printed in two different materials (polylactic acid and thermoplastic elastomer). A multimaterial print was created to show the different physical characteristics between enamel and dentine. © 2018 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2018 Royal Microscopical Society.

Microstructural characterization of multiphase chocolate using X-ray microtomography.

PubMed

Frisullo, Pierangelo; Licciardello, Fabio; Muratore, Giuseppe; Del Nobile, Matteo Alessandro

2010-09-01

In this study, X-ray microtomography (μCT) was used for the image analysis of the microstructure of 12 types of Italian aerated chocolate chosen to exhibit variability in terms of cocoa mass content. Appropriate quantitative 3-dimensional parameters describing the microstructure were calculated, for example, the structure thickness (ST), object structure volume ratio (OSVR), and the percentage object volume (POV). Chemical analysis was also performed to correlate the microstructural data to the chemical composition of the samples. Correlation between the μCT parameters acquired for the pore microstructure evaluation and the chemical analysis revealed that the sugar crystals content does not influence the pore structure and content. On the other hand, it revealed that there is a strong correlation between the POV and the sugar content obtained by chemical analysis. The results from this study show that μCT is a suitable technique for the microstructural analysis of confectionary products such as chocolates and not only does it provide an accurate analysis of the pores and microstructure but the data obtained could also be used to aid in the assessment of its composition and consistency with label specifications. X-ray microtomography (μCT) is a noninvasive and nondestructive 3-D imaging technique that has several advantages over other methods, including the ability to image low-moisture materials. Given the enormous success of μCT in medical applications, material science, chemical engineering, geology, and biology, it is not surprising that in recent years much attention has been focused on extending this imaging technique to food science as a useful technique to aid in the study of food microstructure. X-ray microtomography provides in-depth information on the microstructure of the food product being tested; therefore, a better understanding of the physical structure of the product and from an engineering perspective, knowledge about the microstructure of foods can be used to identify the important processing parameters that affect the quality of a product.

3D microstructural architecture of muscle attachments in extant and fossil vertebrates revealed by synchrotron microtomography.

PubMed

Sanchez, Sophie; Dupret, Vincent; Tafforeau, Paul; Trinajstic, Katherine M; Ryll, Bettina; Gouttenoire, Pierre-Jean; Wretman, Lovisa; Zylberberg, Louise; Peyrin, Françoise; Ahlberg, Per E

2013-01-01

Firm attachments binding muscles to skeleton are crucial mechanical components of the vertebrate body. These attachments (entheses) are complex three-dimensional structures, containing distinctive arrangements of cells and fibre systems embedded in the bone, which can be modified during ontogeny. Until recently it has only been possible to obtain 2D surface and thin section images of entheses, leaving their 3D histology largely unstudied except by extrapolation from 2D data. Entheses are frequently preserved in fossil bones, but sectioning is inappropriate for rare or unique fossil material. Here we present the first non-destructive 3D investigation, by propagation phase contrast synchrotron microtomography (PPC-SRµCT), of enthesis histology in extant and fossil vertebrates. We are able to identify entheses in the humerus of the salamander Desmognathus from the organization of bone-cell lacunae and extrinsic fibres. Statistical analysis of the lacunae differentiates types of attachments, and the orientation of the fibres, reflect the approximate alignment of the muscle. Similar histological structures, including ontogenetically related pattern changes, are perfectly preserved in two 380 million year old fossil vertebrates, the placoderm Compagopiscis croucheri and the sarcopterygian fish Eusthenopteron foordi. We are able to determine the position of entheses in fossil vertebrates, the approximate orientation of the attached muscles, and aspects of their ontogenetic histories, from PPC-SRµCT data. Sub-micron microtomography thus provides a powerful tool for studying the structure, development, evolution and palaeobiology of muscle attachments.

Micro-CTvlab: A web based virtual gallery of biological specimens using X-ray microtomography (micro-CT)

PubMed Central

Faulwetter, Sarah; Chatzinikolaou, Eva; Michalakis, Nikitas; Filiopoulou, Irene; Minadakis, Nikos; Panteri, Emmanouela; Perantinos, George; Gougousis, Alexandros; Arvanitidis, Christos

2016-01-01

Abstract Background During recent years, X-ray microtomography (micro-CT) has seen an increasing use in biological research areas, such as functional morphology, taxonomy, evolutionary biology and developmental research. Micro-CT is a technology which uses X-rays to create sub-micron resolution images of external and internal features of specimens. These images can then be rendered in a three-dimensional space and used for qualitative and quantitative 3D analyses. However, the online exploration and dissemination of micro-CT datasets are rarely made available to the public due to their large size and a lack of dedicated online platforms for the interactive manipulation of 3D data. Here, the development of a virtual micro-CT laboratory (Micro-CTvlab) is described, which can be used by everyone who is interested in digitisation methods and biological collections and aims at making the micro-CT data exploration of natural history specimens freely available over the internet. New information The Micro-CTvlab offers to the user virtual image galleries of various taxa which can be displayed and downloaded through a web application. With a few clicks, accurate, detailed and three-dimensional models of species can be studied and virtually dissected without destroying the actual specimen. The data and functions of the Micro-CTvlab can be accessed either on a normal computer or through a dedicated version for mobile devices. PMID:27956848

Micro-CTvlab: A web based virtual gallery of biological specimens using X-ray microtomography (micro-CT).

PubMed

Keklikoglou, Kleoniki; Faulwetter, Sarah; Chatzinikolaou, Eva; Michalakis, Nikitas; Filiopoulou, Irene; Minadakis, Nikos; Panteri, Emmanouela; Perantinos, George; Gougousis, Alexandros; Arvanitidis, Christos

2016-01-01

During recent years, X-ray microtomography (micro-CT) has seen an increasing use in biological research areas, such as functional morphology, taxonomy, evolutionary biology and developmental research. Micro-CT is a technology which uses X-rays to create sub-micron resolution images of external and internal features of specimens. These images can then be rendered in a three-dimensional space and used for qualitative and quantitative 3D analyses. However, the online exploration and dissemination of micro-CT datasets are rarely made available to the public due to their large size and a lack of dedicated online platforms for the interactive manipulation of 3D data. Here, the development of a virtual micro-CT laboratory (Micro-CT vlab ) is described, which can be used by everyone who is interested in digitisation methods and biological collections and aims at making the micro-CT data exploration of natural history specimens freely available over the internet. The Micro-CT vlab offers to the user virtual image galleries of various taxa which can be displayed and downloaded through a web application. With a few clicks, accurate, detailed and three-dimensional models of species can be studied and virtually dissected without destroying the actual specimen. The data and functions of the Micro-CT vlab can be accessed either on a normal computer or through a dedicated version for mobile devices.

Microtomography evaluation of dental tissue wear surface induced by in vitro simulated chewing cycles on human and composite teeth.

PubMed

Bedini, Rossella; Pecci, Raffaella; Notarangelo, Gianluca; Zuppante, Francesca; Persico, Salvatore; Di Carlo, Fabio

2012-01-01

In this study a 3D microtomography display of tooth surfaces after in vitro dental wear tests has been obtained. Natural teeth have been compared with prosthetic teeth, manufactured by three different polyceramic composite materials. The prosthetic dental element samples, similar to molars, have been placed in opposition to human teeth extracted by paradontology diseases. After microtomography analysis, samples have been subjected to in vitro fatigue test cycles by servo-hydraulic mechanical testing machine. After the fatigue test, each sample has been subjected again to microtomography analysis to obtain volumetric value changes and dental wear surface images. Wear surface images were obtained by 3D reconstruction software and volumetric value changes were measured by CT analyser software. The aim of this work has been to show the potential of microtomography technique to display very clear and reliable wear surface images. Microtomography analysis methods to evaluate volumetric value changes have been used to quantify dental tissue and composite material wear.

Beyond filtered backprojection: A reconstruction software package for ion beam microtomography data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habchi, C.; Gordillo, N.; Bourret, S.; Barberet, Ph.; Jovet, C.; Moretto, Ph.; Seznec, H.

2013-01-01

A new version of the TomoRebuild data reduction software package is presented, for the reconstruction of scanning transmission ion microscopy tomography (STIMT) and particle induced X-ray emission tomography (PIXET) images. First, we present a state of the art of the reconstruction codes available for ion beam microtomography. The algorithm proposed here brings several advantages. It is a portable, multi-platform code, designed in C++ with well-separated classes for easier use and evolution. Data reduction is separated in different steps and the intermediate results may be checked if necessary. Although no additional graphic library or numerical tool is required to run the program as a command line, a user friendly interface was designed in Java, as an ImageJ plugin. All experimental and reconstruction parameters may be entered either through this plugin or directly in text format files. A simple standard format is proposed for the input of experimental data. Optional graphic applications using the ROOT interface may be used separately to display and fit energy spectra. Regarding the reconstruction process, the filtered backprojection (FBP) algorithm, already present in the previous version of the code, was optimized so that it is about 10 times as fast. In addition, Maximum Likelihood Expectation Maximization (MLEM) and its accelerated version Ordered Subsets Expectation Maximization (OSEM) algorithms were implemented. A detailed user guide in English is available. A reconstruction example of experimental data from a biological sample is given. It shows the capability of the code to reduce noise in the sinograms and to deal with incomplete data, which puts a new perspective on tomography using low number of projections or limited angle.

Bisphosphonate effects in rat unloaded hindlimb bone loss model: three-dimensional microcomputed tomographic, histomorphometric, and densitometric analyses.

PubMed

Barou, O; Lafage-Proust, M H; Martel, C; Thomas, T; Tirode, F; Laroche, N; Barbier, A; Alexandre, C; Vico, L

1999-10-01

The effects of antiresorptive drugs on bone loss remain unclear. Using three-dimensional microtomography, dual X-ray/densitometry, and histomorphometry, we evaluated tiludronate effects in the bone loss model of immobilization in tail-suspended rats after 7, 13, and 23 days. Seventy-eight 12-week-old Wistar male rats were assigned to 13 groups: 1 baseline group, and for each time point, 1 control group treated with vehicle and three tail-suspended groups treated with either tiludronate (0.5 or 5 mg/kg) or vehicle, administered s. c. every other day, during the last week before sacrifice. In primary spongiosa (ISP), immobilization-induced bone loss plateaued after day 7 and was prevented by tiludronate. In secondary spongiosa (IISP), bone loss appeared at day 13 with a decrease in trabecular thickness and trabecular number (Tb.N) as assessed by three-dimensional microtomography. Osteoclastic parameters did not differ in tail-suspended rats versus control rats, whereas bone formation showed a biphasic pattern: after a marked decrease at day 7, osteoblastic activity and recruitment normalized at days 13 and 23, respectively. At day 23, the 80% decrease in bone mass was fully prevented by high-dose tiludronate with an increase in Tb.N without preventing trabecular thinning. In summary, at day 7, tiludronate prevented bone loss in ISP. After day 13, tiludronate prevented bone loss in ISP and IISP despite a further decrease in bone formation. Thus, the preventive effects of tiludronate in this model may be related to the alteration in bone modeling with an increase in Tb.N in ISP and subsequently in IISP.

Digital holographic microtomography of fusion spliced optical fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Yating; Xiao, Wen; Ma, Xichao; Pan, Feng

2017-03-01

In this paper, we report three-dimensional(3D) measurement results of structural parameters of fusion spliced optical fibers using digital holographic microtomography. A holographic setup in microscopy configuration with the sample-fixed and setup-rotating scheme is established. A series of holograms is recorded from various incident angles. Then the filtered backprojection algorithm is applied to reconstruct the 3D refractive index (RI) distributions of the fusion spliced optical fibers inserted in the index-matching liquid. Experimental results exhibit the internal and external shapes of three kinds of fusion splices between different fibers, including a single-mode fiber(SMF) and a multimode fiber, an SMF and a panda polarization maintaining fiber (Panda PMF), and an SMF and a bow-tie polarization maintaining fiber (Bow-Tie PMF). With 3D maps of RI, it is intuitive to observe internal structural details of fused fibers and evaluate the splicing quality. This paper describes a powerful method for non-invasive microscopic measurement of fiber splicing. Furthermore, it provides the possibility of detecting fiber splicing loss by 3D structures.

Granule-by-granule reconstruction of a sandpile from x-ray microtomography data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Seidler, G. T.; Martinez, G.; Seeley, L. H.

2000-12-01

Mesoscale disordered materials are ubiquitous in industry and in the environment. Any fundamental understanding of the transport and mechanical properties of such materials must follow from a thorough understanding of their structure. However, in the overwhelming majority of cases, experimental characterization of such materials has been limited to first- and second-order structural correlation functions, i.e., the mean filling fraction and the structural autocorrelation function. We report here the successful combination of synchrotron x-ray microtomography and image processing to determine the full three-dimensional real-space structure of a model disordered material, a granular bed of relatively monodisperse glass spheres. Specifically, we determinemore » the center location and the local connectivity of each granule. This complete knowledge of structure can be used to calculate otherwise inaccessible high-order correlation functions. We analyze nematic order parameters for contact bonds to characterize the geometric anisotropy or fabric induced by the sample boundary conditions. Away from the boundaries we find short-range bond orientational order exhibiting characteristics of the underlying polytetrahedral structure.« less

Examining nanoparticle assemblies using high spatial resolution x-ray microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jenneson, P. M.; Luggar, R. D.; Morton, E. J.; Gundogdu, O.; Tüzün, U.

2004-09-01

An experimental system has been designed to examine the assembly of nanoparticles in a variety of process engineering applications. These applications include the harvesting from solutions of nanoparticles into green parts, and the subsequent sintering into finished components. The system is based on an x-ray microtomography with a spatial resolution down to 5μm. The theoretical limitations in x-ray imaging are considered to allow experimental optimization. A standard nondestructive evaluation type apparatus with a small focal-spot x-ray tube, high-resolution complementary metal oxide semiconductor flat-panel pixellated detector, and a mechanical rotational stage is used to image the static systems. Dynamic sintering processes are imaged using the same x-ray source and detector but a custom rotational stage which is contained in an environmental chamber where the temperature, atmospheric pressure, and compaction force can be controlled. Three-dimensional tomographic data sets are presented here for samples from the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, biotechnology, and nanoparticle handling industries and show the microscopic features and defects which can be resolved with the system.

High-resolution synchrotron radiation-based phase tomography of the healthy and epileptic brain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bikis, Christos; Janz, Philipp; Schulz, Georg; Schweighauser, Gabriel; Hench, Jürgen; Thalmann, Peter; Deyhle, Hans; Chicherova, Natalia; Rack, Alexander; Khimchenko, Anna; Hieber, Simone E.; Mariani, Luigi; Haas, Carola A.; Müller, Bert

2016-10-01

Phase-contrast micro-tomography using synchrotron radiation has yielded superior soft tissue visualization down to the sub-cellular level. The isotropic spatial resolution down to about one micron is comparable to the one of histology. The methods, however, provide different physical quantities and are thus complementary, also allowing for the extension of histology into the third dimension. To prepare for cross-sectional animal studies on epilepsy, we have standardized the specimen's preparation and scanning procedure for mouse brains, so that subsequent histology remains entirely unaffected and scanning of all samples (n = 28) is possible in a realistic time frame. For that, we have scanned five healthy and epileptic mouse brains at the ID19 beamline, ESRF, Grenoble, France, using grating- and propagation-based phase contrast micro-tomography. The resulting datasets clearly show the cortex, ventricular system, thalamus, hypothalamus, and hippocampus. Our focus is on the latter, having planned kainate-induced epilepsy experiments. The cell density and organization in the dentate gyrus and Ammon's horn region were clearly visualized in control animals. This proof of principle was required to initiate experiment. The resulting three-dimensional data have been correlated to histology. The goal is a brain-wide quantification of cell death or structural reorganization associated with epilepsy as opposed to histology alone that represents small volumes of the total brain only. Thus, the proposed technique bears the potential to correlate the gold standard in analysis with independently obtained data sets. Such an achievement also fuels interest for other groups in neuroscience research to closely collaborate with experts in phase micro-tomography.

High resolution microtomography for density and spatial infomation about wood structures

Treesearch

Barbara Illman; Betsy Dowd

1999-01-01

Microtomography has successfully been used to characterize loss of structural integrity of wood. Tomographic images were generated with the newly developed third generation x-ray computed microtomography (XCMT) instrument at the X27A beamline at the national Synchrotron Light source (NSLS). The beamline is equipped with high-flux x-ray monochromator based on multilayer...

Imaging connected porosity of crystalline rock by contrast agent-aided X-ray microtomography and scanning electron microscopy.

PubMed

Kuva, J; Sammaljärvi, J; Parkkonen, J; Siitari-Kauppi, M; Lehtonen, M; Turpeinen, T; Timonen, J; Voutilainen, M

2018-04-01

We set out to study connected porosity of crystalline rock using X-ray microtomography and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) with caesium chloride as a contrast agent. Caesium is an important radionuclide regarding the final deposition of nuclear waste and also forms dense phases that can be readily distinguished by X-ray microtomography and SEM-EDS. Six samples from two sites, Olkiluoto (Finland) and Grimsel (Switzerland), where transport properties of crystalline rock are being studied in situ, were investigated using X-ray microtomography and SEM-EDS. The samples were imaged with X-ray microtomography, immersed in a saturated caesium chloride (CsCl) solution for 141, 249 and 365 days and imaged again with X-ray microtomography. CsCl inside the samples was successfully detected with X-ray microtomography and it had completely penetrated all six samples. SEM-EDS elemental mapping was used to study the location of caesium in the samples in detail with quantitative mineral information. Precipitated CsCl was found in the connected pore space in Olkiluoto veined gneiss and in lesser amounts in Grimsel granodiorite. Only a very small amount of precipitated CsCl was observed in the Grimsel granodiorite samples. In Olkiluoto veined gneiss caesium was found in pinitised areas of cordierite grains. In the pinitised areas caesium was found in notable excess compared to chloride, possibly due to the combination of small pore size and negatively charged surfaces. In addition, elevated concentrations of caesium were found in kaolinite and sphalerite phases. The findings concerning the location of CsCl were congruent with X-ray microtomography. © 2017 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2017 Royal Microscopical Society.

Overview of machine vision methods in x-ray imaging and microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buzmakov, Alexey; Zolotov, Denis; Chukalina, Marina; Nikolaev, Dmitry; Gladkov, Andrey; Ingacheva, Anastasia; Yakimchuk, Ivan; Asadchikov, Victor

2018-04-01

Digital X-ray imaging became widely used in science, medicine, non-destructive testing. This allows using modern digital images analysis for automatic information extraction and interpretation. We give short review of scientific applications of machine vision in scientific X-ray imaging and microtomography, including image processing, feature detection and extraction, images compression to increase camera throughput, microtomography reconstruction, visualization and setup adjustment.

X-ray Micro-Tomography of Ablative Heat Shield Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Panerai, Francesco; Ferguson, Joseph; Borner, Arnaud; Mansour, Nagi N.; Barnard, Harold S.; MacDowell, Alastair A.; Parkinson, Dilworth Y.

2016-01-01

X-ray micro-tomography is a non-destructive characterization technique that allows imaging of materials structures with voxel sizes in the micrometer range. This level of resolution makes the technique very attractive for imaging porous ablators used in hypersonic entry systems. Besides providing a high fidelity description of the material architecture, micro-tomography enables computations of bulk material properties and simulations of micro-scale phenomena. This presentation provides an overview of a collaborative effort between NASA Ames Research Center and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, aimed at developing micro-tomography experiments and simulations for porous ablative materials. Measurements are carried using x-rays from the Advanced Light Source at Berkeley Lab on different classes of ablative materials used in NASA entry systems. Challenges, strengths and limitations of the technique for imaging materials such as lightweight carbon-phenolic systems and woven textiles are discussed. Computational tools developed to perform numerical simulations based on micro-tomography are described. These enable computations of material properties such as permeability, thermal and radiative conductivity, tortuosity and other parameters that are used in ablator response models. Finally, we present the design of environmental cells that enable imaging materials under simulated operational conditions, such as high temperature, mechanical loads and oxidizing atmospheres.Keywords: Micro-tomography, Porous media, Ablation

Investigating biofilm structure using x-ray microtomography and gratings-based phase contrast

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, Erin A.; Xiao, Xianghui; Miller, Micah D.

2012-10-17

Direct examination of natural and engineered environments has revealed that the majority of microorganisms in these systems live in structured communities termed biofilms. To gain a better understanding for how biofilms function and interact with their local environment, fundamental capabilities for enhanced visualization, compositional analysis, and functional characterization of biofilms are needed. For pore-scale and community-scale analysis (100’s of nm to 10’s of microns), a variety of surface tools are available. However, understanding biofilm structure in complex three-dimensional (3-D) environments is considerably more difficult. X-ray microtomography can reveal a biofilm’s internal structure, but the obtaining sufficient contrast to image low-Zmore » biological material against a higher-Z substrate makes detecting biofilms difficult. Here we present results imaging Shewanella oneidensis biofilms on a Hollow-fiber Membrane Biofilm Reactor (HfMBR), using the x-ray microtomography system at sector 2-BM of the Advanced Photon Source (APS), at energies ranging from 13-15.4 keV and pixel sizes of 0.7 and 1.3 μm/pixel. We examine the use of osmium (Os) as a contrast agent to enhance biofilm visibility and demonstrate that staining improves imaging of hydrated biofilms. We also present results using a Talbot interferometer to provide phase and scatter contrast information in addition to absorption. Talbot interferometry allows imaging of unstained hydrated biofilms with phase contrast, while absorption contrast primarily highlights edges and scatter contrast provides little information. However, the gratings used here limit the spatial resolution to no finer than 2 μm, which hinders the ability to detect small features. Future studies at higher resolution or higher Talbot order for greater sensitivity to density variations may improve imaging.« less

X-Ray Micro-Tomography Applied to Nasa's Materials Research: Heat Shields, Parachutes and Asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Panerai, Francesco; Borner, Arnaud; Ferguson, Joseph C.; Mansour, Nagi N.; Stern, Eric C.; Barnard, Harold S.; Macdowell, Alastair A.; Parkinson, Dilworth Y.

2017-01-01

X-ray micro-tomography is used to support the research on materials carried out at NASA Ames Research Center. The technique is applied to a variety of applications, including the ability to characterize heat shield materials for planetary entry, to study the Earth- impacting asteroids, and to improve broadcloths of spacecraft parachutes. From micro-tomography images, relevant morphological and transport properties are determined and validated against experimental data.

The solid-state signaling pathway from extracellular matrix to nuclear matrix: The critical role of three-dimensional architecture for functional differentiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lelievre, S.; Bissell, M.J.

Breast cells are useful experimental subjects for cell biologists because the mammary gland is one of the few tissues that undergoes dramatic changes in form and function after adulthood. Recently, the study in our laboratory of a human breast tumor progression series has allowed for the analysis of changes in cellular architecture (including nuclear architecture) when phenotypically normal cells become tumorigenic. This research aims to participate in the battle against breast cancer by helping to understand tumor progression and to identify new therapeutic markers for cancer treatment. This article explores the advantages and challenges of using high resolution X-ray computedmore » microtomography for the study of 3-dimensional organization of breast tissue architecture.« less

Polyglycolic Acid–Polylactic Acid Scaffold Response to Different Progenitor Cell In Vitro Cultures: A Demonstrative and Comparative X-Ray Synchrotron Radiation Phase-Contrast Microtomography Study

PubMed Central

Moroncini, Francesca; Mazzoni, Serena; Belicchi, Marzia Laura Chiara; Villa, Chiara; Erratico, Silvia; Colombo, Elena; Calcaterra, Francesca; Brambilla, Lucia; Torrente, Yvan; Albertini, Gianni; Della Bella, Silvia

2014-01-01

Spatiotemporal interactions play important roles in tissue development and function, especially in stem cell-seeded bioscaffolds. Cells interact with the surface of bioscaffold polymers and influence material-driven control of cell differentiation. In vitro cultures of different human progenitor cells, that is, endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) from a healthy control and a patient with Kaposi sarcoma (an angioproliferative disease) and human CD133+ muscle-derived stem cells (MSH 133+ cells), were seeded onto polyglycolic acid–polylactic acid scaffolds. Three-dimensional (3D) images were obtained by X-ray phase-contrast microtomography (micro-CT) and processed with the Modified Bronnikov Algorithm. The method enabled high spatial resolution detection of the 3D structural organization of cells on the bioscaffold and evaluation of the way and rate at which cells modified the construct at different time points from seeding. The different cell types displayed significant differences in the proliferation rate. In conclusion, X-ray synchrotron radiation phase-contrast micro-CT analysis proved to be a useful and sensitive tool to investigate the spatiotemporal pattern of progenitor cell organization on a bioscaffold. PMID:23879738

Optical imaging of oral pathological tissue using optical coherence tomography and synchrotron radiation computed microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cânjǎu, Silvana; Todea, Carmen; Sinescu, Cosmin; Negrutiu, Meda L.; Duma, Virgil; Mǎnescu, Adrian; Topalǎ, Florin I.; Podoleanu, Adrian Gh.

2013-06-01

The efforts aimed at early diagnosis of oral cancer should be prioritized towards developing a new screening instrument, based on optical coherence tomography (OCT), to be used directly intraorally, able to perform a fast, real time, 3D and non-invasive diagnosis of oral malignancies. The first step in this direction would be to optimize the OCT image interpretation of oral tissues. Therefore we propose plastination as a tissue preparation method that better preserves three-dimensional structure for study by new optical imaging techniques. The OCT and the synchrotron radiation computed microtomography (micro-CT) were employed for tissue sample analyze. For validating the OCT results we used the gold standard diagnostic procedure for any suspicious lesion - histopathology. This is a preliminary study of comparing features provided by OCT and Micro-CT. In the conditions of the present study, OCT proves to be a highly promising imaging modality. The use of x-ray based topographic imaging of small biological samples has been limited by the low intrinsic x-ray absorption of non-mineralized tissue and the lack of established contrast agents. Plastination can be used to enhance optical imagies of oral soft tissue samples.

Equally sloped X-ray microtomography of living insects with low radiation dose and improved resolution capability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Shengkun; Fan, Jiadong; Zong, Yunbing; He, You; Zhou, Guangzhao; Sun, Zhibin; Zhang, Jianhua; Huang, Qingjie; Xiao, Tiqiao; Jiang, Huaidong

2016-03-01

Three-dimensional X-ray imaging of living specimens is challenging due to the limited resolution of conventional absorption contrast X-ray imaging and potential irradiation damage of biological specimens. In this letter, we present microtomography of a living specimen combining phase-contrast imaging and a Fourier-based iterative algorithm termed equally sloped tomography. Non-destructive 3D imaging of an anesthetized living yellow mealworm Tenebrio molitor was demonstrated with a relatively low dose using synchrotron generated X-rays. Based on the high-quality 3D images, branching tracheoles and different tissues of the insect in a natural state were identified and analyzed, demonstrating a significant advantage of the technique over conventional X-ray radiography or histotomy. Additionally, the insect survived without problem after a 1.92-s X-ray exposure and subsequent absorbed radiation dose of ˜1.2 Gy. No notable physiological effects were observed after reviving the insect from anesthesia. The improved static tomographic method demonstrated in this letter shows advantage in the non-destructive structural investigation of living insects in three dimensions due to the low radiation dose and high resolution capability, and offers many potential applications in biological science.

Equally sloped X-ray microtomography of living insects with low radiation dose and improved resolution capability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yao, Shengkun; Fan, Jiadong; Zong, Yunbing

Three-dimensional X-ray imaging of living specimens is challenging due to the limited resolution of conventional absorption contrast X-ray imaging and potential irradiation damage of biological specimens. In this letter, we present microtomography of a living specimen combining phase-contrast imaging and a Fourier-based iterative algorithm termed equally sloped tomography. Non-destructive 3D imaging of an anesthetized living yellow mealworm Tenebrio molitor was demonstrated with a relatively low dose using synchrotron generated X-rays. Based on the high-quality 3D images, branching tracheoles and different tissues of the insect in a natural state were identified and analyzed, demonstrating a significant advantage of the technique overmore » conventional X-ray radiography or histotomy. Additionally, the insect survived without problem after a 1.92-s X-ray exposure and subsequent absorbed radiation dose of ∼1.2 Gy. No notable physiological effects were observed after reviving the insect from anesthesia. The improved static tomographic method demonstrated in this letter shows advantage in the non-destructive structural investigation of living insects in three dimensions due to the low radiation dose and high resolution capability, and offers many potential applications in biological science.« less

A Convenient and Versatile Method To Control the Electrode Microstructure toward High-Energy Lithium-Ion Batteries

DOE PAGES

Zhao, Hui; Yang, Qing; Yuca, Neslihan; ...

2016-06-23

Control over porous electrode microstructure is critical for the continued improvement of electrochemical performance of lithium ion batteries. This paper describes a convenient and economical method for controlling electrode porosity, thereby enhancing material loading and stabilizing the cycling performance. Sacrificial NaCl is added to a Si-based electrode, which demonstrates an areal capacity of ~4 mAh/cm 2 at a C/10 rate (0.51 mA/cm 2) and an areal capacity of 3 mAh/cm 2 at a C/3 rate (1.7 mA/cm 2), one of the highest material loadings reported for a Si-based anode at such a high cycling rate. X-ray microtomography confirmed the improvedmore » porous architecture of the SiO electrode with NaCl. The method developed here is expected to be compatible with the state-of-the-art lithium ion battery industrial fabrication processes and therefore holds great promise as a practical technique for boosting the electrochemical performance of lithium ion batteries without changing material systems.« less

Wetting Heterogeneities in Porous Media Control Flow Dissipation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murison, Julie; Semin, Benoît.; Baret, Jean-Christophe; Herminghaus, Stephan; Schröter, Matthias; Brinkmann, Martin

2014-09-01

Pressure-controlled displacement of an oil-water interface is studied in dense packings of functionalized glass beads with well-defined spatial wettability correlations. An enhanced dissipation is observed if the typical extension ξ of the same-type wetting domains is smaller than the average bead diameter d. Three-dimensional imaging using x-ray microtomography shows that the frequencies n(s) of residual droplet volumes s for different ξ collapse onto the same curve. This indicates that the additional dissipation for small ξ is due to contact line pinning rather than an increase of capillary break-up and coalescence events.

Synchrotron radiation microtomography of Taylor bubbles in capillary two-phase flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boden, Stephan; dos Santos Rolo, Tomy; Baumbach, Tilo; Hampel, Uwe

2014-07-01

We report on a study to measure the three-dimensional shape of Taylor bubbles in capillaries using synchrotron radiation in conjunction with ultrafast radiographic imaging. Moving Taylor bubbles in 2-mm round and square capillaries were radiographically scanned with an ultrahigh frame rate of up to 36,000 fps and 5.6-µm pixel separation. Consecutive images were properly processed to yield 2D transmission radiographs of high contrast-to-noise ratio. Application of 3D tomographic image reconstruction disclosed the 3D bubble shape. The results provide a reference data base for development of sophisticated interface resolving CFD computations.

Phase-contrast microtomography using an X-ray interferometer having a 40-μm analyzer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Momose, A.; Koyama, I.; Hamaishi, Y.; Yoshikawa, H.; Takeda, T.; Wu, J.; Itai, Y.; Takai, , K.; Uesugi, K.; Suzuki, Y.

2003-03-01

Phase-contrast X-ray tomographic experiment using a triple Laue-case (LLL) interferometer having a 40-μm lamella which was fabricated to improve spatial resolution, was carried out using undulator X-rays at SPring-8, Japan. Three-dimensional images mapping the refractive index were measured for various animal tissues. Comparing the images with those obtained in previous experiments using conventional LLL interferometers having a 1-mm lamella, improvement in the spatial resolution was demonstrated in that histological structures, such as hepatic lobules in liver and tubules in kidney, were revealed.

Three-dimensional morphology of the Sinocyclocheilus hyalinus (Cypriniformes : Cyprinidae) horn based on synchrotron X-ray microtomography.

PubMed

He, You; Chen, Xiao-Yong; Xiao, Ti-Qao; Yang, Jun-Xing

2013-10-01

Sinocyclocheilus is a cave-dwelling cyprinid genus endemic to southwest China. Several species possess a conspicuous horn on their head, which has been suggested as a constructive troglomorphic trait but lacks substantial evidence. We used non-invasive, high spatial resolution synchrotron X-ray microtomography to investigate the three-dimensional (3D) morphology of the horn of Sinocyclocheilus hyalinus, one of eight such troglobiotic species. 3D renderings demonstrated the osteological components, which were comprised of a rear wall comprised of the supraoccipital bone, a remaining frontal wall with numerous fenestrae, and the bottom continuous with the parietal and epiotic. A horn cavity occurred within the horn. The fenestrae in the frontal wall were continuous in the horn cavity and showed elaborate channeling, and were, connected to the cranial cavity by soft tissue. We tentatively called this configuration the "otocornual connection" due to its anatomic and putative functional similarity to the otolateralic connection in clupeids and loricariids, which provide an indirect pathway to enhance perception of underwater sound signals. This study provides a functional morphology context for further histological and physiological investigations of such horn structures in Sinocyclocheilus cavefish, and we suggest that the horn might enhance acoustic perception to compensate for visual loss in subterranean life, which warrants future physiological examination as lab-reared S. hyalinus become available. Sinocyclocheilus is a cave-dwelling cyprinid genus endemic to southwest China. Several species possess a conspicuous horn on their head, which has been suggested as a constructive troglomorphic trait but lacks substantial evidence. We used non-invasive, high spatial resolution synchrotron X-ray microtomography to investigate the three-dimensional (3D) morphology of the horn of Sinocyclocheilus hyalinus , one of eight such troglobiotic species. 3D renderings demonstrated the osteological components, which were comprised of a rear wall comprised of the supraoccipital bone, a remaining frontal wall with numerous fenestrae, and the bottom continuous with the parietal and epiotic. A horn cavity occurred within the horn. The fenestrae in the frontal wall were continuous in the horn cavity and showed elaborate channeling, and were, connected to the cranial cavity by soft tissue. We tentatively called this configuration the "otocornual connection" due to its anatomic and putative functional similarity to the otolateralic connection in clupeids and loricariids, which provide an indirect pathway to enhance perception of underwater sound signals. This study provides a functional morphology context for further histological and physiological investigations of such horn structures in Sinocyclocheilus cavefish, and we suggest that the horn might enhance acoustic perception to compensate for visual loss in subterranean life, which warrants future physiological examination as lab-reared S. hyalinus become available.

Proceedings of the workshop on high resolution computed microtomography (CMT)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

The purpose of the workshop was to determine the status of the field, to define instrumental and computational requirements, and to establish minimum specifications required by possible users. The most important message sent by implementers was the remainder that CMT is a tool. It solves a wide spectrum of scientific problems and is complementary to other microscopy techniques, with certain important advantages that the other methods do not have. High-resolution CMT can be used non-invasively and non-destructively to study a variety of hierarchical three-dimensional microstructures, which in turn control body function. X-ray computed microtomography can also be used at themore » frontiers of physics, in the study of granular systems, for example. With high-resolution CMT, for example, three-dimensional pore geometries and topologies of soils and rocks can be obtained readily and implemented directly in transport models. In turn, these geometries can be used to calculate fundamental physical properties, such as permeability and electrical conductivity, from first principles. Clearly, use of the high-resolution CMT technique will contribute tremendously to the advancement of current R and D technologies in the production, transport, storage, and utilization of oil and natural gas. It can also be applied to problems related to environmental pollution, particularly to spilling and seepage of hazardous chemicals into the Earth's subsurface. Applications to energy and environmental problems will be far-ranging and may soon extend to disciplines such as materials science--where the method can be used in the manufacture of porous ceramics, filament-resin composites, and microelectronics components--and to biomedicine, where it could be used to design biocompatible materials such as artificial bones, contact lenses, or medication-releasing implants. Selected papers are indexed separately for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology Database.« less

Comparing natural and artificial carious lesions in human crowns by means of conventional hard x-ray micro-tomography and two-dimensional x-ray scattering with synchrotron radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Botta, Lea Maria; White, Shane N.; Deyhle, Hans; Dziadowiec, Iwona; Schulz, Georg; Thalmann, Peter; Müller, Bert

2016-10-01

Dental caries, one of the most prevalent infectious bacterial diseases in the world, is caused by specific types of acid-producing bacteria. Caries is a disease continuum resulting from the earliest loss of ions from apatite crystals through gross cavitation. Enamel dissolution starts when the pH-value drops below 5.5. Neutralizing the pH-value in the oral cavity opposes the process of demineralization, and so caries lesions occur in a dynamic cyclic de-mineralizing/remineralizing environment. Unfortunately, biomimetic regeneration of cavitated enamel is not yet possible, although remineralization of small carious lesions occurs under optimal conditions. Therefore, the development of methods that can regenerate carious lesions, and subsequently recover and retain teeth, is highly desirable. For the present proceedings we analyzed one naturally occurring sub-surface and one artificially produced lesion. For the characterization of artificial and natural lesions micro computed tomography is the method of choice when looking to determine three-dimensional mineral distribution and to quantify the degree of mineralization. In this pilot study we elucidate that the de-mineralized enamel in natural and artificially induced lesions shows comparable X-ray attenuation behavior, thereby implying that the study protocol employed herein seems to be appropriate. Once we know that the lesions are comparable, a series of well-reproducible in vitro experiments on enamel regeneration could be performed. In order to quantify further lesion morphology, the anisotropy of the enamel's nanostructure can be characterized by using spatially resolved, small-angle X-ray scattering. We wanted to demonstrate that the artificially induced defect fittingly resembles the natural carious lesion.

Characterization of highly hydrophobic textiles by means of X-ray microtomography, wettability analysis and drop impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santini, M.; Guilizzoni, M.; Fest-Santini, S.; Lorenzi, M.

2017-11-01

Highly hydrophobic surfaces have been intensively investigated in the last years because their properties may lead to very promising technological spillovers encompassing both everyday use and high-tech fields. Focusing on textiles, hydrophobic fabrics are of major interest for applications ranging from clothes to architecture to environment protection and energy conversion. Gas diffusion media - made by a gas diffusion layer (GDL) and a microporous layer (MPL) - for fuel cells are a good benchmark to develop techniques aimed at characterizing the wetting performances of engineered textiles. An experimental investigation was carried out about carbon-based, PTFE-treated GDLs with and without MPLs. Two samples (woven and woven-non-woven) were analysed before and after coating with a MPL. Their three-dimensional structure was reconstructed and analysed by computer-aided X-ray microtomography (µCT). Static and dynamic wettability analyses were then carried out using a modified axisymmetric drop shape analysis technique. All the surfaces exhibited very high hydrophobicity, three of them near to a super-hydrophobic behavior. Water drop impacts were performed, evidencing different bouncing, sticking and fragmentation outcomes for which critical values of the Weber number were identified. Finally, a µCT scan of a drop on a GDL was performed, confirming the Cassie-Baxter wetting state on such surface.

Visualizing the root-PDL-bone interface using high-resolution microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dalstra, Michel; Cattaneo, Paolo M.; Herzen, Julia; Beckmann, Felix

2008-08-01

The root/periodontal ligament/bone (RPB) interface is important for a correct understanding of the load transfer mechanism of masticatory forces and orthodontic loads. It is the aim of this study to assess the three-dimensional structure of the RPB interface using high-resolution microtomography. A human posterior jaw segment, obtained at autopsy from a 22-year old male donor was first scanned using a tomograph at the HASYLAB/DESY synchrotron facility (Hamburg, Germany) at 31μm resolution. Afterwards the first molar and its surrounding bone were removed with a 10mm hollow core drill. From this cylindrical sample smaller samples were drilled out in the buccolingual direction with a 1.5mm hollow core drill. These samples were scanned at 4μm resolution. The scans of the entire segment showed alveolar bone with a thin lamina dura, supported by an intricate trabecular network. Although featuring numerous openings between the PDL and the bone marrow on the other side to allow blood vessels to transverse, the lamina dura seems smooth at this resolution. First at high resolution, however, it becomes evident that it is irregular with bony spiculae and pitted surfaces. Therefore the stresses in the bone during physiological or orthodontic loading are much higher than expected from a smooth continuous alveolus.

Nondestructive Imaging of Internal Structures of Frog (Xenopus laevis) Embryos by Shadow-Projection X-Ray Microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aoki, Sadao; Yoneda, Ikuo; Nagai, Takeharu; Ueno, Naoto; Murakami, Kazuo

1994-04-01

Nondestructive high-resolution imaging of frog ( Xenopus laevis) embryos has been developed by X-ray microtomography. Shadow-projection X-ray microtomography with a brilliant fine focus laboratory X-ray source could image fine structures of Xenopus embryos which were embedded in paraffin wax. The imaging system enabled us to not only distinguish endoderm from ectoderm at the gastrula stage, but also to obtain a cross-section view of the tail bud embryo showing muscle, notochord and neural tube without staining. Furthermore, the distribution of myosin was also imaged in combination with whole-mount immunohistochemistry.

X-ray micro-tomography for investigations of brain tissues on cellular level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khimchenko, Anna; Schulz, Georg; Deyhle, Hans; Thalmann, Peter; Zanette, Irene; Zdora, Marie-Christine; Bikis, Christos; Hipp, Alexander; Hieber, Simone E.; Schweighauser, Gabriel; Hench, Jürgen; Müller, Bert

2016-10-01

X-ray imaging in absorption contrast mode is well established for hard tissue visualization. However, performance for lower density materials is limited due to a reduced contrast. Our aim is three-dimensional (3D) characterization of micro-morphology of human brain tissues down to (sub-)cellular resolution within a laboratory environment. Using the laboratory-based microtomography (μCT) system nanotom m (GE Sensing and Inspection Technologies GmbH, Wunstorf, Germany) and synchrotron radiation at the Diamond-Manchester Imaging Branchline I13-2 (Diamond Light Source, Didcot, UK), we have acquired 3D data with a resolution down to 0.45 μm for visualization of a human cerebellum specimen down to cellular level. We have shown that all selected modalities, namely laboratory-based absorption contrast micro-tomography (LBμCT), synchrotron radiation based in-line single distance phase contrast tomography (SDPR) and synchrotron radiation based single-grating interferometry (GI), can reach cellular resolution for tissue samples with a size in the mm-range. The results are discussed qualitatively in comparison to optical microscopy of haematoxylin and eosin (HE) stained sections. As phase contrast yields to a better data quality for soft tissues and in order to overcome restrictions of limited beamline access for phase contrast measurements, we have equipped the μCT system nanotom m with a double-grating phase contrast set-up. Preliminary experimental results of a knee sample consisting of a bony part and a cartilage demonstrate that phase contrast data exhibits better quality compared to absorption contrast. Currently, the set-up is under adjustment. It is expected that cellular resolution would also be achieved. The questions arise (1) what would be the quality gain of laboratory-based phase contrast in comparison to laboratory-based absorption contrast tomography and (2) could laboratory-based phase contrast data provide comparable results to synchrotron radiation based phase contrast data.

Three dimensional fabric evolution of sheared sand

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hasan, Alsidqi; Alshibli, Khalid

2012-10-24

Granular particles undergo translation and rolling when they are sheared. This paper presents a three-dimensional (3D) experimental assessment of fabric evolution of sheared sand at the particle level. F-75 Ottawa sand specimen was tested under an axisymmetric triaxial loading condition. It measured 9.5 mm in diameter and 20 mm in height. The quantitative evaluation was conducted by analyzing 3D high-resolution x-ray synchrotron micro-tomography images of the specimen at eight axial strain levels. The analyses included visualization of particle translation and rotation, and quantification of fabric orientation as shearing continued. Representative individual particles were successfully tracked and visualized to assess themore » mode of interaction between them. This paper discusses fabric evolution and compares the evolution of particles within and outside the shear band as shearing continues. Changes in particle orientation distributions are presented using fabric histograms and fabric tensor.« less

Application of X-ray computed microtomography to soil craters formed by raindrop splash

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beczek, Michał; Ryżak, Magdalena; Lamorski, Krzysztof; Sochan, Agata; Mazur, Rafał; Bieganowski, Andrzej

2018-02-01

The creation of craters on the soil surface is part of splash erosion. Due to the small size of these craters, they are difficult to study. The main aim of this paper was to test X-ray computed microtomography to investigate craters formed by raindrop impacts. Measurements were made on soil samples moistened to three different levels corresponding with soil water potentials of 0.1, 3.16 and 16 kPa. Using images obtained by X-ray microtomography, geometric parameters of the craters were recorded and analysed. X-ray computed microtomography proved to be a useful and efficient tool for the investigation of craters formed on the soil surface after the impact of water drops. The parameters of the craters changed with the energy of the water drops and were dependent on the initial moisture content of the soil. Crater depth is more dependent on the increased energy of the water drop than crater diameter.

Evaluation of the influence of acquisition parameters of microtomography in image quality applied by carbonate rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, T. M. P.; Machado, A. S.; Araújo, O. M. O.; Ferreira, C. G.; Lopes, R. T.

2018-03-01

X-ray computed microtomography is a powerful nondestructive technique for 2D and 3D structure analysis. However, parameters used in acquisition promote directs influence in qualitative and quantitative results in characterization of samples, due image resolution. The aim of this study is value the influence of theses parameters in results through of tests changing these parameters in different situations and system characterization. Results demonstrate those pixel size and detector matrixes are the main parameters that influence in resolution and image quality. Microtomography was considered an excellent technique for characterization using the best image resolution possible.

Application of X-ray phase contrast micro-tomography to the identification of traditional Chinese medicines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, L. L.; Xue, Y. L.; Ni, L. H.; Tan, H.; Wang, Y. D.; Xiao, T. Q.

2013-07-01

Nondestructive and in situ investigation to the characteristic microstructures are important to the identification of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), especially for precious specimens and samples with oil contains. X-ray phase contrast micro-tomography (XPCMT) could be a practical solution for this kind of investigation. Fructus Foeniculi, a fruit kind of TCMs, is selected as the test sample. Experimental results show that the characteristic microstructures of Fructus Foeniculi, including vittae, vascular bundles, embryo, endosperm and the mesocarp reticulate cells around the vittae can be clearly distinguished and the integrated dissepiments microstructure in the vittae was observed successfully. Especially, for the first time, with virtual slice technique, it can investigate the liquid contains inside the TCMs. The results show that the vittae filled with volatile oil in the oil chamber were observed with this nondestructive and in situ 3-dimensional imaging technique. Furthermore, taking the advantage of micro-computed tomography, we can obtain the characteristic microstructures' quantitative information of the volume in liquid state. The volume of the oil chambers and the volatile oil, which are contained inside the vittae, was quantitatively analyzed. Accordingly, it can calculate the volume ratio of the volatile oil easily and accurately. As a result, we could conclude that XPCMT could be a useful tool for the nondestructive identification and quantitative analysis to TCMs.

X-ray microtomography of porous media at BNL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dowd, B.

This session is comprised of pertinent information about the historical aspects, current status of research, technical achievements, and future plans in X-ray computed microtomography at Brookhaven National Laboratories. An explanation with specifications and diagrams of X-ray instrumentation is provided. Several high resolution 3-D color images of reservoir rock drill cores and other materials are included.

X-ray micro-Tomography at the Advanced Light Source

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The X-ray micro-Tomography Facility at the Advanced Light Source has been in operation since 2004. The source is a superconducting bend magnet of critical energy 10.5KeV; photon energy coverage is 8-45 KeV in monochromatic mode, and a filtered white light option yields useful photons up to 50 KeV. A...

Durability Indicators Comparison for SCC and CC in Tropical Coastal Environments.

PubMed

Calado, Carlos; Camões, Aires; Monteiro, Eliana; Helene, Paulo; Barkokébas, Béda

2015-03-27

Self-compacting concrete (SCC) demands more studies of durability at higher temperatures when subjected to more aggressive environments in comparison to the conventional vibrated concrete (CC). This work aims at presenting results of durability indicators of SCC and CC, having the same water/binder relations and constituents. The applied methodologies were electrical resistivity, diffusion of chloride ions and accelerated carbonation experiments, among others, such as microstructure study, scanning electron microscope and microtomography experiments. The tests were performed in a research laboratory and at a construction site of the Pernambuco Arena. The obtained results shows that the SCC presents an average electrical resistivity 11.4% higher than CC; the average chloride ions diffusion was 63.3% of the CC; the average accelerated carbonation penetration was 45.8% of the CC; and the average open porosity was 55.6% of the CC. As the results demonstrated, the SCC can be more durable than CC, which contributes to elucidate the aspects related to its durability and consequent prolonged life cycle.

Durability Indicators Comparison for SCC and CC in Tropical Coastal Environments

PubMed Central

Calado, Carlos; Camões, Aires; Monteiro, Eliana; Helene, Paulo; Barkokébas, Béda

2015-01-01

Self-compacting concrete (SCC) demands more studies of durability at higher temperatures when subjected to more aggressive environments in comparison to the conventional vibrated concrete (CC). This work aims at presenting results of durability indicators of SCC and CC, having the same water/binder relations and constituents. The applied methodologies were electrical resistivity, diffusion of chloride ions and accelerated carbonation experiments, among others, such as microstructure study, scanning electron microscope and microtomography experiments. The tests were performed in a research laboratory and at a construction site of the Pernambuco Arena. The obtained results shows that the SCC presents an average electrical resistivity 11.4% higher than CC; the average chloride ions diffusion was 63.3% of the CC; the average accelerated carbonation penetration was 45.8% of the CC; and the average open porosity was 55.6% of the CC. As the results demonstrated, the SCC can be more durable than CC, which contributes to elucidate the aspects related to its durability and consequent prolonged life cycle. PMID:28788012

Accessing Developmental Information of Fossil Hominin Teeth Using New Synchrotron Microtomography-Based Visualization Techniques of Dental Surfaces and Interfaces

PubMed Central

Le Cabec, Adeline; Tang, Nancy; Tafforeau, Paul

2015-01-01

Quantification of dental long-period growth lines (Retzius lines in enamel and Andresen lines in dentine) and matching of stress patterns (internal accentuated lines and hypoplasias) are used in determining crown formation time and age at death in juvenile fossil hominins. They yield the chronology employed for inferences of life history. Synchrotron virtual histology has been demonstrated as a non-destructive alternative to conventional invasive approaches. Nevertheless, fossil teeth are sometimes poorly preserved or physically inaccessible, preventing observation of the external expression of incremental lines (perikymata and periradicular bands). Here we present a new approach combining synchrotron virtual histology and high quality three-dimensional rendering of dental surfaces and internal interfaces. We illustrate this approach with seventeen permanent fossil hominin teeth. The outer enamel surface and enamel-dentine junction (EDJ) were segmented by capturing the phase contrast fringes at the structural interfaces. Three-dimensional models were rendered with Phong’s algorithm, and a combination of directional colored lights to enhance surface topography and the pattern of subtle variations in tissue density. The process reveals perikymata and linear enamel hypoplasias on the entire crown surface, including unerupted teeth. Using this method, highly detailed stress patterns at the EDJ allow precise matching of teeth within an individual’s dentition when virtual histology is not sufficient. We highlight that taphonomical altered enamel can in particular cases yield artificial subdivisions of perikymata when imaged using X-ray microtomography with insufficient resolution. This may complicate assessments of developmental time, although this can be circumvented by a careful analysis of external and internal structures in parallel. We further present new crown formation times for two unerupted canines from South African Australopiths, which were found to form over a rather surprisingly long time (> 4.5 years). This approach provides tools for maximizing the recovery of developmental information in teeth, especially in the most difficult cases. PMID:25901602

Four dimensional X-ray imaging of deformation modes in organic-rich Green River Shale retorted under uniaxial compression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobchenko, M.; Pluymakers, A.; Cordonnier, B.; Tairova, A.; Renard, F.

2017-12-01

Time-lapse imaging of fracture network development in organic-rich shales at elevated temperatures while kerogen is retorted allows characterizing the development of microfractures and the onset of primary migration. When the solid organic matter is transformed to hydrocarbons with lower molecular weight, the local pore-pressure increases and drives the propagation of hydro-fractures sub-parallel to the shale lamination. On the scale of samples of several mm size, these fractures can be described as mode I opening, where fracture walls dilate in the direction of minimal compression. However, so far experiments coupled to microtomography in situ imaging have been performed on samples where no load was imposed. Here, an external load was applied perpendicular to the sample laminations and we show that this stress state slows down, but does not stop, the propagation of fracture along bedding. Conversely, microfractures also propagate sub-perpendicular to the shale lamination, creating a percolating network in three dimensions. To monitor this process we have used a uniaxial compaction rig combined with in-situ heating from 50 to 500 deg C, while capturing three-dimensional X-ray microtomography scans at a voxel resolution of 2.2 μm; Data were acquired at beamline ID19 at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. In total ten time-resolved experiments were performed at different vertical loading conditions, with and without lateral passive confinement and different heating rates. At high external load the sample fails by symmetric bulging, while at lower external load the reaction-induced fracture network develops with the presence of microfractures both sub-parallel and sub-perpendicular to the bedding direction. In addition, the variation of experimental conditions allows the decoupling of the effects of the hydrocarbon decomposition reaction on the deformation process from the influence of thermal stress heating on the weakening and failure mode of immature shale.

Accessing developmental information of fossil hominin teeth using new synchrotron microtomography-based visualization techniques of dental surfaces and interfaces.

PubMed

Le Cabec, Adeline; Tang, Nancy; Tafforeau, Paul

2015-01-01

Quantification of dental long-period growth lines (Retzius lines in enamel and Andresen lines in dentine) and matching of stress patterns (internal accentuated lines and hypoplasias) are used in determining crown formation time and age at death in juvenile fossil hominins. They yield the chronology employed for inferences of life history. Synchrotron virtual histology has been demonstrated as a non-destructive alternative to conventional invasive approaches. Nevertheless, fossil teeth are sometimes poorly preserved or physically inaccessible, preventing observation of the external expression of incremental lines (perikymata and periradicular bands). Here we present a new approach combining synchrotron virtual histology and high quality three-dimensional rendering of dental surfaces and internal interfaces. We illustrate this approach with seventeen permanent fossil hominin teeth. The outer enamel surface and enamel-dentine junction (EDJ) were segmented by capturing the phase contrast fringes at the structural interfaces. Three-dimensional models were rendered with Phong's algorithm, and a combination of directional colored lights to enhance surface topography and the pattern of subtle variations in tissue density. The process reveals perikymata and linear enamel hypoplasias on the entire crown surface, including unerupted teeth. Using this method, highly detailed stress patterns at the EDJ allow precise matching of teeth within an individual's dentition when virtual histology is not sufficient. We highlight that taphonomical altered enamel can in particular cases yield artificial subdivisions of perikymata when imaged using X-ray microtomography with insufficient resolution. This may complicate assessments of developmental time, although this can be circumvented by a careful analysis of external and internal structures in parallel. We further present new crown formation times for two unerupted canines from South African Australopiths, which were found to form over a rather surprisingly long time (> 4.5 years). This approach provides tools for maximizing the recovery of developmental information in teeth, especially in the most difficult cases.

Virtual dissection of Thoropa miliaris tadpole using phase-contrast synchrotron microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fidalgo, G.; Colaço, M. V.; Nogueira, L. P.; Braz, D.; Silva, H. R.; Colaço, G.; Barroso, R. C.

2018-05-01

In this work, in-line phase-contrast synchrotron microtomography was used in order to study the external and internal morphology of Thoropa miliaris tadpoles. Whole-specimens of T. miliaris in larval stages of development 28, 37 and 42, collected in the municipality of Mangaratiba (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) were used for the study. The samples were scanned in microtomography beamline (IMX) at the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS). The phase-contrast technique allowed us to obtain high quality images which made possible the structures segmentation on the rendered volume by the Avizo graphic image editing software. The combination of high quality images and segmentation process provides adequate visualization of different organs and soft (liver, notochord, brain, crystalline, cartilages) and hard (elements of the bone skeleton) tissues.

Exploring Hominin and Non-hominin Primate Dental Fossil Remains with Neutron Microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zanolli, Clément; Schillinger, Burkhard; Beaudet, Amélie; Kullmer, Ottmar; Macchiarelli, Roberto; Mancini, Lucia; Schrenk, Friedemann; Tuniz, Claudio; Vodopivec, Vladimira

Fossil dental remains are an archive of unique information for paleobiological studies. Computed microtomography based on X-ray microfocus sources (X-μCT) and Synchrotron Radiation (SR-μCT) allow subtle quantification at the micron and sub-micron scale of the meso- and microstructural signature imprinted in the mineralized tissues, such as enamel and dentine, through high-resolution ;virtual histology;. Nonetheless, depending on the degree of alterations undergone during fossilization, X-ray analyses of tooth tissues do not always provide distinct imaging contrasts, thus preventing the extraction of essential morphological and anatomical details. We illustrate here by three examples the successful application of neutron microtomography (n-μCT) in cases where X-rays have previously failed to deliver contrasts between dental tissues of fossilized specimen.

Silicon/Carbon Anodes with One-Dimensional Pore Structure for Lithium-Ion Batteries

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-02-28

REPORT Silicon/Carbon Anodes with One-Dimensional Pore Structure for Lithium - Ion Batteries 14. ABSTRACT 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: A series of...Dimensional Pore Structure for Lithium - Ion Batteries Report Title ABSTRACT A series of composite electrode materials have been synthesized and...1 Silicon/Carbon Anodes with One-Dimensional Pore Structure for Lithium - Ion Batteries Grant # W911NF1110231 Annual Progress report June

Upgraded X-ray topography and microtomography beamline at the Kurchatov synchrotron radiation source

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Senin, R. A., E-mail: senin_ra@rrcki.ru; Khlebnikov, A. S.; Vyazovetskova, A. E.

2013-05-15

An upgraded X-ray Topography and Microtomography (XRT-MT) station is described, the parameters of the optical schemes and detectors are given, and the experimental possibilities of the station are analyzed. Examples of tomographic reconstructions are reported which demonstrate spatial resolutions of 2.5 and 10 {mu}m at fields of view of 2.5 and 10 mm, respectively.

Characterizing the Nano and Micro Structure of Concrete toImprove its Durability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Monteiro, P.J.M.; Kirchheim, A.P.; Chae, S.

2009-01-13

New and advanced methodologies have been developed to characterize the nano and microstructure of cement paste and concrete exposed to aggressive environments. High resolution full-field soft X-ray imaging in the water window is providing new insight on the nano scale of the cement hydration process, which leads to a nano-optimization of cement-based systems. Hard X-ray microtomography images of ice inside cement paste and cracking caused by the alkali?silica reaction (ASR) enables three-dimensional structural identification. The potential of neutron diffraction to determine reactive aggregates by measuring their residual strains and preferred orientation is studied. Results of experiments using these tools aremore » shown on this paper.« less

Characterizing the nano and micro structure of concrete to improve its durability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Monteiro, P.J.M.; Kirchheim, A.P.; Chae, S.

2008-10-22

New and advanced methodologies have been developed to characterize the nano and microstructure of cement paste and concrete exposed to aggressive environments. High resolution full-field soft X-ray imaging in the water window is providing new insight on the nano scale of the cement hydration process, which leads to a nano-optimization of cement-based systems. Hard X-ray microtomography images on ice inside cement paste and cracking caused by the alkali-silica reaction (ASR) enables three-dimensional structural identification. The potential of neutron diffraction to determine reactive aggregates by measuring their residual strains and preferred orientation is studied. Results of experiments using these tools willmore » be shown on this paper.« less

Micro-tomography based Geometry Modeling of Three-Dimensional Braided Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Guodong; Chen, Chenghua; Yuan, Shenggang; Meng, Songhe; Liang, Jun

2018-06-01

A tracking and recognizing algorithm is proposed to automatically generate irregular cross-sections and central path of braid yarn within the 3D braided composites by using sets of high resolution tomography images. Only the initial cross-sections of braid yarns in a tomography image after treatment are required to be calibrated manually as searching cross-section template. The virtual geometry of 3D braided composites including some detailed geometry information, such as the braid yarn squeezing deformation, braid yarn distortion and braid yarn path deviation etc., can be reconstructed. The reconstructed geometry model can reflect the change of braid configurations during solidification process. The geometry configurations and mechanical properties of the braided composites are analyzed by using the reconstructed geometry model.

Application of microtomography and image analysis to the quantification of fragmentation in ceramics after impact loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forquin, Pascal; Ando, Edward

2017-01-01

Silicon carbide ceramics are widely used in personal body armour and protective solutions. However, during impact, an intense fragmentation develops in the ceramic tile due to high-strain-rate tensile loadings. In this work, microtomography equipment was used to analyse the fragmentation patterns of two silicon carbide grades subjected to edge-on impact (EOI) tests. The EOI experiments were conducted in two configurations. The so-called open configuration relies on the use of an ultra-high-speed camera to visualize the fragmentation process with an interframe time set to 1 µs. The so-called sarcophagus configuration consists in confining the target in a metallic casing to avoid any dispersion of fragments. The target is infiltrated after impact so the final damage pattern is entirely scanned using X-ray tomography and a microfocus source. Thereafter, a three-dimensional (3D) segmentation algorithm was tested and applied in order to separate fragments in 3D allowing a particle size distribution to be obtained. Significant differences between the two specimens of different SiC grades were noted. To explain such experimental results, numerical simulations were conducted considering the Denoual-Forquin-Hild anisotropic damage model. According to the calculations, the difference of crack pattern in EOI tests is related to the population of defects within the two ceramics. This article is part of the themed issue 'Experimental testing and modelling of brittle materials at high strain rates'.

Machine learning for micro-tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parkinson, Dilworth Y.; Pelt, Daniël. M.; Perciano, Talita; Ushizima, Daniela; Krishnan, Harinarayan; Barnard, Harold S.; MacDowell, Alastair A.; Sethian, James

2017-09-01

Machine learning has revolutionized a number of fields, but many micro-tomography users have never used it for their work. The micro-tomography beamline at the Advanced Light Source (ALS), in collaboration with the Center for Applied Mathematics for Energy Research Applications (CAMERA) at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, has now deployed a series of tools to automate data processing for ALS users using machine learning. This includes new reconstruction algorithms, feature extraction tools, and image classification and recommen- dation systems for scientific image. Some of these tools are either in automated pipelines that operate on data as it is collected or as stand-alone software. Others are deployed on computing resources at Berkeley Lab-from workstations to supercomputers-and made accessible to users through either scripting or easy-to-use graphical interfaces. This paper presents a progress report on this work.

Coupling of in-situ X-ray Microtomography Observations with Discrete Element Simulations-Application to Powder Sintering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olmos, L.; Bouvard, D.; Martin, C. L.; Bellet, D.; Di Michiel, M.

2009-06-01

The sintering of both a powder with a wide particle size distribution (0-63 μm) and of a powder with artificially created pores is investigated by coupling in situ X-ray microtomography observations with Discrete Element simulations. The micro structure evolution of the copper particles is observed by microtomography all along a typical sintering cycle at 1050° C at the European Synchrotron Research Facilities (ESRF, Grenoble, France). A quantitative analysis of the 3D images provides original data on interparticle indentation, coordination and particle displacements throughout sintering. In parallel, the sintering of similar powder systems has been simulated with a discrete element code which incorporates appropriate sintering contact laws from the literature. The initial numerical packing is generated directly from the 3D microtomography images or alternatively from a random set of particles with the same size distribution. The comparison between the information drawn from the simulations and the one obtained by tomography leads to the conclusion that the first method is not satisfactory because real particles are not perfectly spherical as the numerical ones. On the opposite the packings built with the second method show sintering behaviors close to the behaviors of real materials, although particle rearrangement is underestimated by DEM simulations.

In situ microradioscopy and microtomography of fatigue-loaded dental two-piece implants.

PubMed

Wiest, Wolfram; Zabler, Simon; Rack, Alexander; Fella, Christian; Balles, Andreas; Nelson, Katja; Schmelzeisen, Rainer; Hanke, Randolf

2015-11-01

Synchrotron real-time radioscopy and in situ microtomography are the only techniques providing direct visible information on a micrometre scale of local deformation in the implant-abutment connection (IAC) during and after cyclic loading. The microgap formation at the IAC has been subject to a number of studies as it has been proposed to be associated with long-term implant success. The next step in this scientific development is to focus on the in situ fatigue procedure of two-component dental implants. Therefore, an apparatus has been developed which is optimized for the in situ fatigue analysis of dental implants. This report demonstrates both the capability of in situ radioscopy and microtomography at the ID19 beamline for the study of cyclic deformation in dental implants. The first results show that it is possible to visualize fatigue loading of dental implants in real-time radioscopy in addition to the in situ fatigue tomography. For the latter, in situ microtomography is applied during the cyclic loading cycles in order to visualize the opening of the IAC microgap. These results concur with previous ex situ studies on similar systems. The setup allows for easily increasing the bending force, to simulate different chewing situations, and is, therefore, a versatile tool for examining the fatigue processes of dental implants and possibly other specimens.

One-dimensional/two-dimensional hybridization for self-supported binder-free silicon-based lithium ion battery anodes.

PubMed

Wang, Bin; Li, Xianglong; Luo, Bin; Jia, Yuying; Zhi, Linjie

2013-02-21

A unique silicon-based anode for lithium ion batteries is developed via the facile hybridization of one-dimensional silicon nanowires and two-dimensional graphene sheets. The resulting paper-like film holds advantages highly desirable for not only accommodating the volume change of silicon, but also facilitating the fast transport of electron and lithium ions.

Non-destructive imaging of fragments of historical beeswax seals using high-contrast X-ray micro-radiography and micro-tomography with large area photon-counting detector array.

PubMed

Karch, Jakub; Bartl, Benjamin; Dudak, Jan; Zemlicka, Jan; Krejci, Frantisek

2016-12-01

Historical beeswax seals are unique cultural heritage objects. Unfortunately, a number of historical sealing waxes show a porous structure with a strong tendency to stratification and embrittlement, which makes these objects extremely prone to mechanical damage. The understanding of beeswax degradation processes therefore plays an important role in the preservation and consequent treatment of these objects. Conventional methods applied for the investigation of beeswax materials (e.g. gas chromatography) are of a destructive nature or bring only limited information about the sample surface (microscopic techniques). Considering practical limitations of conventional methods and ethical difficulties connected with the sampling of the historical material, radiation imaging methods such as X-ray micro-tomography presents a promising non-destructive tool for the onward scientific research in this field. In this contribution, we present the application of high-contrast X-ray micro-radiography and micro-tomography for the investigation of beeswax seal fragments. The method is based on the application of the large area photon-counting detector recently developed at our institute. The detector combines the advantages of single-photon counting technology with a large field of view. The method, consequently, enables imaging of relatively large objects with high geometrical magnification. In the reconstructed micro-tomographies of investigated historical beeswax seals, we are able to reveal morphological structures such as stratification, micro-cavities and micro-fractures with spatial resolution down to 5μm non-destructively and with high imaging quality. The presented work therefore demonstrates that a combination of state-of-the-art hybrid pixel semiconductor detectors and currently available micro-focus x-ray sources makes it possible to apply X-ray micro-radiography and micro-tomography as a valuable non-destructive tool for volumetric beeswax seal morphological studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Accuracy evaluation of an X-ray microtomography system.

PubMed

Fernandes, Jaquiel S; Appoloni, Carlos R; Fernandes, Celso P

2016-06-01

Microstructural parameter evaluation of reservoir rocks is of great importance to petroleum production companies. In this connection, X-ray computed microtomography (μ-CT) has proven to be a quite useful method for the assessment of rocks, as it provides important microstructural parameters, such as porosity, permeability, pore size distribution and porous phase of the sample. X-ray computed microtomography is a non-destructive technique that enables the reuse of samples already measured and also yields 2-D cross-sectional images of the sample as well as volume rendering. This technique offers an additional advantage, as it does not require sample preparation, of reducing the measurement time, which is approximately one to three hours, depending on the spatial resolution used. Although this technique is extensively used, accuracy verification of measurements is hard to obtain because the existing calibrated samples (phantoms) have large volumes and are assessed in medical CT scanners with millimeter spatial resolution. Accordingly, this study aims to determine the accuracy of an X-ray computed microtomography system using a Skyscan 1172 X-ray microtomograph. To accomplish this investigation, it was used a nylon thread set with known appropriate diameter inserted into a glass tube. The results for porosity size and phase distribution by X-ray microtomography were very close to the geometrically calculated values. The geometrically calculated porosity and the porosity determined by the methodology using the μ-CT was 33.4±3.4% and 31.0±0.3%, respectively. The outcome of this investigation was excellent. It was also observed a small variability in the results along all 401 sections of the analyzed image. Minimum and maximum porosity values between the cross sections were 30.9% and 31.1%, respectively. A 3-D image representing the actual structure of the sample was also rendered from the 2-D images. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Visible Cement Data Set

PubMed Central

Bentz, Dale P.; Mizell, Symoane; Satterfield, Steve; Devaney, Judith; George, William; Ketcham, Peter; Graham, James; Porterfield, James; Quenard, Daniel; Vallee, Franck; Sallee, Hebert; Boller, Elodie; Baruchel, Jose

2002-01-01

With advances in x-ray microtomography, it is now possible to obtain three-dimensional representations of a material’s microstructure with a voxel size of less than one micrometer. The Visible Cement Data Set represents a collection of 3-D data sets obtained using the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble, France in September 2000. Most of the images obtained are for hydrating portland cement pastes, with a few data sets representing hydrating Plaster of Paris and a common building brick. All of these data sets are being made available on the Visible Cement Data Set website at http://visiblecement.nist.gov. The website includes the raw 3-D datafiles, a description of the material imaged for each data set, example two-dimensional images and visualizations for each data set, and a collection of C language computer programs that will be of use in processing and analyzing the 3-D microstructural images. This paper provides the details of the experiments performed at the ESRF, the analysis procedures utilized in obtaining the data set files, and a few representative example images for each of the three materials investigated. PMID:27446723

The 4D evolution of porosity during ongoing pressure-solution processes in NaCl using x-ray microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macente, Alice; Fusseis, Florian; Butler, Ian; Tudisco, Erika; Hall, Stephen; Andò, Edward

2016-04-01

Pressure-solution creep is a common deformation mechanism in the upper crust. It represents a mass transfer via dissolution-reprecipitation that critically affects the hydraulic properties of rocks. Successful management of safe radioactive storage sites in rock-salt deposits critically depends on an accurate knowledge of the hydro-mechanical behaviour of salt deposits. Despite numerous lab experiments that have been conducted, many aspects of pressure-solution are still poorly understood. There is little knowledge about the spatio-temporal evolution of porosity and permeability during pressure-solution creep. While rates of pressure-solution creep in silicates and carbonates are slow, which makes laboratory investigations of these materials impractical, compaction experiments have demonstrated that NaCl samples deform sufficiently fast to study pressure-solution creep in a lab environment at room temperature and modest loads. We present results from novel experiments that quantify the 4-dimensional (three spatial dimensions plus time) evolution of pressure-solution processes using in-situ x-ray microtomography. Our experiments are performed in custom made x-ray transparent presses. 5 mm diameter NaCl powder samples with a grain size of 250-300 μm are loaded dry into the press and pre-compacted to produce a starting aggregated material. The sample is then flooded with saturated NaCl solution and loaded uniaxially by means of a pneumatic actuator to a constant uniaxial stress. Different sample mixtures were tested, as well as different uniaxial loads. The resulting deformation of the samples is documented in 3-dimensional microtomographic datasets, acquired at regular time intervals. Image analysis allowed characterization of the microstructural evolution of the NaCl grains and the spatio-temporal distribution of porosity during ongoing mechanical and chemical compaction. The microtomography data have also been analysed with 3D Digital Image Correlation (3D-DIC or DVC) to quantify the fields of displacements in each direction, as well as volumetric and maximum shear strain fields. Following the approach described above, we have been able to quantify and characterize in 4D the evolution of pressure-solution creep and porosity distribution in relation to different sample materials and increasing uniaxial load. The presence of phyllosilicates (biotite) and more competent materials (glass beads) allowed pressure-solution to develop in a much shorter time compared to pure halite sample. The same trend is observed in samples experiencing bigger uniaxial loads (6.6 MPa v 1.6 MPa). We also found that, in the presence of phyllosilicates (biotite), pore size distribution clearly reflects the localisation of pressure-solution processes, as for natural stylolites. In the presence of glass beads, pressure-solution has a greater effect on the pore orientations rather than pore sizes. Our results extend the current understanding of the effect of pressure-solution creep on the mechanical and hydraulic properties of rocks, with implications for natural rock-salt, salt-based repository systems (nuclear and chemical waste storage) and salt mining.

Near-liquidus growth of feldspar spherulites in trachytic melts: 3D morphologies and implications in crystallization mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arzilli, Fabio; Mancini, Lucia; Voltolini, Marco; Cicconi, Maria Rita; Mohammadi, Sara; Giuli, Gabriele; Mainprice, David; Paris, Eleonora; Barou, Fabrice; Carroll, Michael R.

2015-02-01

The nucleation and growth processes of spherulitic alkali feldspar have been investigated in this study through X-ray microtomography and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) data. Here we present the first data on Shape Preferred Orientation (SPO) and Crystal Preferred Orientation (CPO) of alkali feldspar within spherulites. The analysis of synchrotron X-ray microtomography and EBSD datasets allowed us to study the morphometric characteristics of spherulites in trachytic melts in quantitative fashion, highlighting the three-dimensional shape, preferred orientation, branching of lamellae and crystal twinning, providing insights about the nucleation mechanism involved in the crystallization of the spherulites. The nucleation starts with a heterogeneous nucleus (pre-existing crystal or bubble) and subsequently it evolves forming "bow tie" morphologies, reaching radially spherulitic shapes in few hours. Since each lamella within spherulite is also twinned, these synthetic spherulites cannot be considered as single nuclei but crystal aggregates originated by heterogeneous nucleation. A twin boundary may have a lower energy than general crystal-crystal boundaries and many of the twinned grains show evidence of strong local bending which, combined with twin plane, creates local sites for heterogeneous nucleation. This study shows that the growth rates of the lamellae (10- 6-10- 7 cm/s) in spherulites are either similar or slightly higher than that for single crystals by up to one order of magnitude. Furthermore, the highest volumetric growth rates (10- 11-10- 12 cm3/s) show that the alkali feldspar within spherulites can grow fast reaching a volumetric size of ~ 10 μm3 in 1 s.

Evaluating the Effect of Processing Parameters on Porosity in Electron Beam Melted Ti-6Al-4V via Synchrotron X-ray Microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cunningham, Ross; Narra, Sneha P.; Ozturk, Tugce; Beuth, Jack; Rollett, A. D.

2016-03-01

Electron beam melting (EBM) is one of the subsets of direct metal additive manufacturing (AM), an emerging manufacturing method that fabricates metallic parts directly from a three-dimensional (3D) computer model by the successive melting of powder layers. This family of technologies has seen significant growth in recent years due to its potential to manufacture complex components with shorter lead times, reduced material waste and minimal post-processing as a "near-net-shape" process, making it of particular interest to the biomedical and aerospace industries. The popular titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V has been the focus of multiple studies due to its importance to these two industries, which can be attributed to its high strength to weight ratio and corrosion resistance. While previous research has found that most tensile properties of EBM Ti-6Al-4V meet or exceed conventional manufacturing standards, fatigue properties have been consistently inferior due to a significant presence of porosity. Studies have shown that adjusting processing parameters can reduce overall porosity; however, they frequently utilize methods that give insufficient information to properly characterize the porosity (e.g., Archimedes' method). A more detailed examination of the result of process parameter adjustments on the size and spatial distribution of gas porosity was performed utilizing synchrotron-based x-ray microtomography with a minimum feature resolution of 1.5 µm. Cross-sectional melt pool area was varied systematically via process mapping. Increasing melt pool area through the speed function variable was observed to significantly reduce porosity in the part.

Determination of γ-hydroxybutyrate in human urine samples by ion exclusion and ion exchange two-dimensional chromatography system.

PubMed

Liu, Junwei; Deng, Zhifen; Zhu, Zuoyi; Wang, Yong; Wang, Guoqing; Sun, Yu-An; Zhu, Yan

2017-12-15

A two-dimensional ion chromatography system was developed for the determination of γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) in human urine samples. Ion exclusion chromatography was used in the first dimensional separation for elimination of urine matrices and detection of GHB above 10mgL -1 , ion exchange chromatography was used in the second dimensional separation via column-switching technique for detection of GHB above 0.08mgL -1 . Under the optimized chromatographic conditions, the ion exclusion and ion exchange chromatography separation system exhibited satisfactory repeatability (RSD<3.1%, n=6) and good linearity in the range of 50-1000mgL -1 and 0.5-100mgL -1 , respectively. By this method, concentrations of GHB in the selected human urine samples were detected in the range of 0-1.57mgL -1 . The urine sample containing 0.89mgL -1 GHB was selected to evaluate the accuracy; the spiked recoveries of GHB were 95.9-102.8%. The results showed that the two-dimensional ion chromatography system was convenient and practical for the determination of GHB in human urine samples. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Visualizing and Quantifying Pore Scale Fluid Flow Processes With X-ray Microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wildenschild, D.; Hopmans, J. W.; Vaz, C. M.; Rivers, M. L.

2001-05-01

When using mathematical models based on Darcy's law it is often necessary to simplify geometry, physics or both and the capillary bundle-of-tubes approach neglects a fundamentally important characteristic of porous solids, namely interconnectedness of the pore space. New approaches to pore-scale modeling that arrange capillary tubes in two- or three-dimensional pore space have been and are still under development: Network models generally represent the pore space by spheres while the pore throats are usually represented by cylinders or conical shapes. Lattice Boltzmann approaches numerically solve the Navier-Stokes equations in a realistic microscopically disordered geometry, which offers the ability to study the microphysical basis of macroscopic flow without the need for a simplified geometry or physics. In addition to these developments in numerical modeling techniques, new theories have proposed that interfacial area should be considered as a primary variable in modeling of a multi-phase flow system. In the wake of this progress emerges an increasing need for new ways of evaluating pore-scale models, and for techniques that can resolve and quantify phase interfaces in porous media. The mechanisms operating at the pore-scale cannot be measured with traditional experimental techniques, however x-ray computerized microtomography (CMT) provides non-invasive observation of, for instance, changing fluid phase content and distribution on the pore scale. Interfacial areas have thus far been measured indirectly, but with the advances in high-resolution imaging using CMT it is possible to track interfacial area and curvature as a function of phase saturation or capillary pressure. We present results obtained at the synchrotron-based microtomography facility (GSECARS, sector 13) at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. Cylindrical sand samples of either 6 or 1.5 mm diameter were scanned at different stages of drainage and for varying boundary conditions. A significant difference in fluid saturation and phase distribution was observed for different drainage conditions, clearly showing preferential flow and a dependence on the applied flow rate. For the 1.5 mm sample individual pores and water/air interfaces could be resolved and quantified using image analysis techniques. Use of the Advanced Photon Source was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Basic Energy Sciences, Office of Science, under Contract No. W-31-109-Eng-38.

High-contrast X-ray micro-tomography of low attenuation samples using large area hybrid semiconductor pixel detector array of 10 × 5 Timepix chips

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karch, J.; Krejci, F.; Bartl, B.; Dudak, J.; Kuba, J.; Kvacek, J.; Zemlicka, J.

2016-01-01

State-of-the-art hybrid pixel semiconductor detectors provide excellent imaging properties such as unlimited dynamic range, high spatial resolution, high frame rate and energy sensitivity. Nevertheless, a limitation in the use of these devices for imaging has been the small sensitive area of a few square centimetres. In the field of microtomography we make use of a large area pixel detector assembled from 50 Timepix edgeless chips providing fully sensitive area of 14.3 × 7.15 cm2. We have successfully demonstrated that the enlargement of the sensitive area enables high-quality tomographic measurements of whole objects with high geometrical magnification without any significant degradation in resulting reconstructions related to the chip tilling and edgeless sensor technology properties. The technique of micro-tomography with the newly developed large area detector is applied for samples formed by low attenuation, low contrast materials such a seed from Phacelia tanacetifolia, a charcoalified wood sample and a beeswax seal sample.

High speed automated microtomography of nuclear emulsions and recent application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tioukov, V.; Aleksandrov, A.; Consiglio, L.; De Lellis, G.; Vladymyrov, M.

2015-12-01

The development of high-speed automatic scanning systems was the key-factor for massive and successful emulsions application for big neutrino experiments like OPERA. The emulsion detector simplicity, the unprecedented sub-micron spatial resolution and the unique ability to provide intrinsically 3-dimensional spatial information make it a perfect device for short-living particles study, where the event topology should be precisely reconstructed in a 10-100 um scale vertex region. Recently the exceptional technological progress in image processing and automation together with intensive R&D done by Italian and Japanese microscopy groups permit to increase the scanning speed to unbelievable few years ago m2/day scale and so greatly extend the range of the possible applications for emulsion-based detectors to other fields like: medical imaging, directional dark matter search, nuclear physics, geological and industrial applications.

Enamel mineral concentration in diabetic rodents.

PubMed

Atar, M; Davis, G R; Verry, P; Wong, F S L

2007-12-01

This was to use x-ray microtomography (XMT), to assess the mineral composition and 3-D structure of enamel and bone in the teeth and skulls of diabetic rodents. Three-dimensional images of the skull were reconstructed using computer generated false colour to highlight different levels of mineralization in bone and enamel. These showed that diabetic rodents exhibited more wear in their teeth. Deformities were observed in the alveolar process of the mandible and maxilla. Regions of extensive hypomineralization were found in the calvarial bone of skulls. The maximum mineral concentrations and the time constants for diabetic rodents were similar to the controls. The diabetic mice appeared to have random regions of hypomineralization and one diabetic rat had areas of hypoplasia in the mandibular incisors. Diabetes may have a detrimental influence on the function of ameloblasts in laying down enamel.

Investigation of the microstructure and mineralogical composition of urinary calculi fragments by synchrotron radiation X-ray microtomography: a feasibility study.

PubMed

Kaiser, Jozef; Holá, Markéta; Galiová, Michaela; Novotný, Karel; Kanický, Viktor; Martinec, Petr; Sčučka, Jiří; Brun, Francesco; Sodini, Nicola; Tromba, Giuliana; Mancini, Lucia; Kořistková, Tamara

2011-08-01

The outcomes from the feasibility study on utilization of synchrotron radiation X-ray microtomography (SR-μCT) to investigate the texture and the quantitative mineralogical composition of selected calcium oxalate-based urinary calculi fragments are presented. The comparison of the results obtained by SR-μCT analysis with those derived from current standard analytical approaches is provided. SR-μCT is proved as a potential effective technique for determination of texture, 3D microstructure, and composition of kidney stones.

Study of ion-ion plasma formation in negative ion sources by a three-dimensional in real space and three-dimensional in velocity space particle in cell model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishioka, S.; Goto, I.; Miyamoto, K.; Hatayama, A.; Fukano, A.

2016-01-01

Recently, in large-scale hydrogen negative ion sources, the experimental results have shown that ion-ion plasma is formed in the vicinity of the extraction hole under the surface negative ion production case. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the mechanism of the ion-ion plasma formation by our three dimensional particle-in-cell simulation. In the present model, the electron loss along the magnetic filter field is taken into account by the " √{τ///τ⊥ } model." The simulation results show that the ion-ion plasma formation is due to the electron loss along the magnetic filter field. Moreover, the potential profile for the ion-ion plasma case has been looked into carefully in order to discuss the ion-ion plasma formation. Our present results show that the potential drop of the virtual cathode in front of the plasma grid is large when the ion-ion plasma is formed. This tendency has been explained by a relationship between the virtual cathode depth and the net particle flux density at the virtual cathode.

Computational Challenges in the Analysis of Petrophysics Using Microtomography and Upscaling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, J.; Pereira, G.; Freij-Ayoub, R.; Regenauer-Lieb, K.

2014-12-01

Microtomography provides detailed 3D internal structures of rocks in micro- to tens of nano-meter resolution and is quickly turning into a new technology for studying petrophysical properties of materials. An important step is the upscaling of these properties as micron or sub-micron resolution can only be done on the sample-scale of millimeters or even less than a millimeter. We present here a recently developed computational workflow for the analysis of microstructures including the upscaling of material properties. Computations of properties are first performed using conventional material science simulations at micro to nano-scale. The subsequent upscaling of these properties is done by a novel renormalization procedure based on percolation theory. We have tested the workflow using different rock samples, biological and food science materials. We have also applied the technique on high-resolution time-lapse synchrotron CT scans. In this contribution we focus on the computational challenges that arise from the big data problem of analyzing petrophysical properties and its subsequent upscaling. We discuss the following challenges: 1) Characterization of microtomography for extremely large data sets - our current capability. 2) Computational fluid dynamics simulations at pore-scale for permeability estimation - methods, computing cost and accuracy. 3) Solid mechanical computations at pore-scale for estimating elasto-plastic properties - computational stability, cost, and efficiency. 4) Extracting critical exponents from derivative models for scaling laws - models, finite element meshing, and accuracy. Significant progress in each of these challenges is necessary to transform microtomography from the current research problem into a robust computational big data tool for multi-scale scientific and engineering problems.

3D synchrotron x-ray microtomography of paint samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferreira, Ester S. B.; Boon, Jaap J.; van der Horst, Jerre; Scherrer, Nadim C.; Marone, Federica; Stampanoni, Marco

2009-07-01

Synchrotron based X-ray microtomography is a novel way to examine paint samples. The three dimensional distribution of pigment particles, binding media and their deterioration products as well as other features such as voids, are made visible in their original context through a computing environment without the need of physical sectioning. This avoids manipulation related artefacts. Experiments on paint chips (approximately 500 micron wide) were done on the TOMCAT beam line (TOmographic Microscopy and Coherent rAdiology experimenTs) at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Villigen, CH, using an x-ray energy of up to 40 keV. The x-ray absorption images are obtained at a resolution of 350 nm. The 3D dataset was analysed using the commercial 3D imaging software Avizo 5.1. Through this process, virtual sections of the paint sample can be obtained in any orientation. One of the topics currently under research are the ground layers of paintings by Cuno Amiet (1868- 1961), one of the most important Swiss painters of classical modernism, whose early work is currently the focus of research at the Swiss Institute for Art Research (SIK-ISEA). This technique gives access to information such as sample surface morphology, porosity, particle size distribution and even particle identification. In the case of calcium carbonate grounds for example, features like microfossils present in natural chalks, can be reconstructed and their species identified, thus potentially providing information towards the mineral origin. One further elegant feature of this technique is that a target section can be selected within the 3D data set, before exposing it to obtain chemical data. Virtual sections can then be compared with cross sections of the same samples made in the traditional way.

Computational approach to integrate 3D X-ray microtomography and NMR data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucas-Oliveira, Everton; Araujo-Ferreira, Arthur G.; Trevizan, Willian A.; Fortulan, Carlos A.; Bonagamba, Tito J.

2018-07-01

Nowadays, most of the efforts in NMR applied to porous media are dedicated to studying the molecular fluid dynamics within and among the pores. These analyses have a higher complexity due to morphology and chemical composition of rocks, besides dynamic effects as restricted diffusion, diffusional coupling, and exchange processes. Since the translational nuclear spin diffusion in a confined geometry (e.g. pores and fractures) requires specific boundary conditions, the theoretical solutions are restricted to some special problems and, in many cases, computational methods are required. The Random Walk Method is a classic way to simulate self-diffusion along a Digital Porous Medium. Bergman model considers the magnetic relaxation process of the fluid molecules by including a probability rate of magnetization survival under surface interactions. Here we propose a statistical approach to correlate surface magnetic relaxivity with the computational method applied to the NMR relaxation in order to elucidate the relationship between simulated relaxation time and pore size of the Digital Porous Medium. The proposed computational method simulates one- and two-dimensional NMR techniques reproducing, for example, longitudinal and transverse relaxation times (T1 and T2, respectively), diffusion coefficients (D), as well as their correlations. For a good approximation between the numerical and experimental results, it is necessary to preserve the complexity of translational diffusion through the microstructures in the digital rocks. Therefore, we use Digital Porous Media obtained by 3D X-ray microtomography. To validate the method, relaxation times of ideal spherical pores were obtained and compared with the previous determinations by the Brownstein-Tarr model, as well as the computational approach proposed by Bergman. Furthermore, simulated and experimental results of synthetic porous media are compared. These results make evident the potential of computational physics in the analysis of the NMR data for complex porous materials.

Characterization of fatigue crack growth behavior in LENS fabricated Ti-6Al-4V using high-energy synchrotron x-ray microtomography

DOE PAGES

Sandgren, Hayley R.; Zhai, Yuwei; Lados, Diana A.; ...

2016-09-28

Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS) is an additive manufacturing technique that belongs to the ASTM standardized directed energy deposition category. To date, very limited work has been conducted towards understanding the fatigue crack growth behavior of LENS fabricated materials, which hinders the widespread adoption of this technology for high-integrity structural applications. In this study, the propagation of a 20 μm initial crack in LENS fabricated Ti-6Al-4V was captured in-situ, using high-energy synchrotron x-ray microtomography. Fatigue crack growth (FCG) data were then determined from 2D and 3D tomography reconstructions, as well as from fracture surface striation measurements using SEM. The generatedmore » data were compared to those obtained from conventional FCG tests that used compliance and direct current potential drop (DCPD) techniques to measure long and small crack growth. In conclusion, the observed agreement demonstrates that x-ray microtomography and fractographic analysis using SEM can be successfully combined to study the propagation behavior of fatigue cracks.« less

Characterization of fatigue crack growth behavior in LENS fabricated Ti-6Al-4V using high-energy synchrotron x-ray microtomography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sandgren, Hayley R.; Zhai, Yuwei; Lados, Diana A.

Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS) is an additive manufacturing technique that belongs to the ASTM standardized directed energy deposition category. To date, very limited work has been conducted towards understanding the fatigue crack growth behavior of LENS fabricated materials, which hinders the widespread adoption of this technology for high-integrity structural applications. In this study, the propagation of a 20 μm initial crack in LENS fabricated Ti-6Al-4V was captured in-situ, using high-energy synchrotron x-ray microtomography. Fatigue crack growth (FCG) data were then determined from 2D and 3D tomography reconstructions, as well as from fracture surface striation measurements using SEM. The generatedmore » data were compared to those obtained from conventional FCG tests that used compliance and direct current potential drop (DCPD) techniques to measure long and small crack growth. In conclusion, the observed agreement demonstrates that x-ray microtomography and fractographic analysis using SEM can be successfully combined to study the propagation behavior of fatigue cracks.« less

Monochromatic-beam-based dynamic X-ray microtomography based on OSEM-TV algorithm.

PubMed

Xu, Liang; Chen, Rongchang; Yang, Yiming; Deng, Biao; Du, Guohao; Xie, Honglan; Xiao, Tiqiao

2017-01-01

Monochromatic-beam-based dynamic X-ray computed microtomography (CT) was developed to observe evolution of microstructure inside samples. However, the low flux density results in low efficiency in data collection. To increase efficiency, reducing the number of projections should be a practical solution. However, it has disadvantages of low image reconstruction quality using the traditional filtered back projection (FBP) algorithm. In this study, an iterative reconstruction method using an ordered subset expectation maximization-total variation (OSEM-TV) algorithm was employed to address and solve this problem. The simulated results demonstrated that normalized mean square error of the image slices reconstructed by the OSEM-TV algorithm was about 1/4 of that by FBP. Experimental results also demonstrated that the density resolution of OSEM-TV was high enough to resolve different materials with the number of projections less than 100. As a result, with the introduction of OSEM-TV, the monochromatic-beam-based dynamic X-ray microtomography is potentially practicable for the quantitative and non-destructive analysis to the evolution of microstructure with acceptable efficiency in data collection and reconstructed image quality.

Multi-scale Multi-dimensional Imaging and Characterization of Oil Shale Pyrolysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Y.; Saif, T.; Lin, Q.; Al-Khulaifi, Y.; Blunt, M. J.; Bijeljic, B.

2017-12-01

The microstructural evaluation of fine grained rocks is challenging which demands the use of several complementary methods. Oil shale, a fine-grained organic-rich sedimentary rock, represents a large and mostly untapped unconventional hydrocarbon resource with global reserves estimated at 4.8 trillion barrels. The largest known deposit is the Eocene Green River Formation in Western Colorado, Eastern Utah, and Southern Wyoming. An improved insight into the mineralogy, organic matter distribution and pore network structure before, during and after oil shale pyrolysis is critical to understanding hydrocarbon flow behaviour and improving recovery. In this study, we image Mahogany zone oil shale samples in two dimensions (2-D) using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and in three dimensions (3-D) using focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM), laboratory-based X-ray micro-tomography (µCT) and synchrotron X-ray µCT to reveal a complex and variable fine grained microstructure dominated by organic-rich parallel laminations which are tightly bound in a highly calcareous and heterogeneous mineral matrix. We report the results of a detailed µCT study of the Mahogany oil shale with increasing pyrolysis temperature. The physical transformation of the internal microstructure and evolution of pore space during the thermal conversion of kerogen in oil shale to produce hydrocarbon products was characterized. The 3-D volumes of pyrolyzed oil shale were reconstructed and image processed to visualize and quantify the volume and connectivity of the pore space. The results show a significant increase in anisotropic porosity associated with pyrolysis between 300-500°C with the formation of micron-scale connected pore channels developing principally along the kerogen-rich lamellar structures.

Hierarchical structures of β-TCP/45S5 bioglass hybrid scaffolds prepared by gelcasting.

PubMed

Lopes, João Henrique; Magalhães, Jéssica Aparecida; Gouveia, Rubia Figueredo; Bertran, Celso Aparecido; Motisuke, Mariana; Camargo, Samira E A; Trichês, Eliandra de Sousa

2016-09-01

This paper investigates the microstructure and the mechanical properties of β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) three-dimensional (3D) porous materials reinforced with 45S5 bioactive glass (BG). β-TCP and β-TCP/x%-BG scaffolds with interconnected pores networks, suitable for bone regeneration, were fabricated by gel-casting method. Mechanical properties, porosity, and morphological characteristics were evaluated by compressive strength test, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray microtomography analysis, whereas the structures were fully explored by XRD, and Raman spectroscopy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time where the mechanism for understanding the effect of bioglass on the mechanical properties and microstruture of β-TCP/45S5-BG scaffolds has been systematically studied. The findings showed that ionic product lixiviated from 45S5 bioactive glass, rich in silicon species and sodium ion, catalyzes a phase transition from β-TCP to Si-TCP by replacement of phosphorus for silicon and contributes to the improvement of scaffolds mechanical properties. The compressive strength of β-TCP/5%-BG and β-TCP/7.5%-BG was improved around 200% in comparison to pure β-TCP. Osteoblast-like cells (MG 63) were exposed to the materials for 24h through the use of medium conditioned by β-tricalcium phosphate/bioactive glass. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay in the cells and the data obtained were submitted to ANOVA, Tukey׳s multiple comparison (p<0.05). The β-TCP/7.5-BG promoted an increase of cell proliferation. The results suggest that compositions and processing method studied may provide appropriate materials for tissue engineering. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mapping the fundamental niches of two freshwater microalgae, Chlorella vulgaris (Trebouxiophyceae) and Peridinium cinctum (Dinophyceae), in 5-dimensional ion space

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A five dimensional experimental design, i.e. a five component ion mixture design for nitrate, phosphate, potassium, sodium and chloride projected across a total ion concentration gradient of 1-30 mM was utilized to map the ion-based, scenopoetic, or ‘Grinnellian’, niche space for two freshwater alga...

Pickup Ion Distributions from Three Dimensional Neutral Exospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartle, R. E.; Sarantos, M.; Sittler, E. C., Jr.

2011-01-01

Pickup ions formed from ionized neutral exospheres in flowing plasmas have phase space distributions that reflect their source's spatial distributions. Phase space distributions of the ions are derived from the Vlasov equation with a delta function source using three.dimensional neutral exospheres. The ExB drift produced by plasma motion picks up the ions while the effects of magnetic field draping, mass loading, wave particle scattering, and Coulomb collisions near a planetary body are ignored. Previously, one.dimensional exospheres were treated, resulting in closed form pickup ion distributions that explicitly depend on the ratio rg/H, where rg is the ion gyroradius and H is the neutral scale height at the exobase. In general, the pickup ion distributions, based on three.dimensional neutral exospheres, cannot be written in closed form, but can be computed numerically. They continue to reflect their source's spatial distributions in an implicit way. These ion distributions and their moments are applied to several bodies, including He(+) and Na(+) at the Moon, H(+2) and CH(+4) at Titan, and H+ at Venus. The best places to use these distributions are upstream of the Moon's surface, the ionopause of Titan, and the bow shock of Venus.

Non-destructive phase contrast hard x-ray imaging to reveal the three-dimensional microstructure of soft and hard tissues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khimchenko, Anna; Schulz, Georg; Deyhle, Hans; Hieber, Simone E.; Hasan, Samiul; Bikis, Christos; Schulz, Joachim; Costeur, Loïc.; Müller, Bert

2016-04-01

X-ray imaging in the absorption contrast mode is an established method of visualising calcified tissues such as bone and teeth. Physically soft tissues such as brain or muscle are often imaged using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, the spatial resolution of MRI is insufficient for identifying individual biological cells within three-dimensional tissue. X-ray grating interferometry (XGI) has advantages for the investigation of soft tissues or the simultaneous three-dimensional visualisation of soft and hard tissues. Since laboratory microtomography (μCT) systems have better accessibility than tomography set-ups at synchrotron radiation facilities, a great deal of effort has been invested in optimising XGI set-ups for conventional μCT systems. In this conference proceeding, we present how a two-grating interferometer is incorporated into a commercially available nanotom m (GE Sensing and Inspection Technologies GmbH) μCT system to extend its capabilities toward phase contrast. We intend to demonstrate superior contrast in spiders (Hogna radiata (Fam. Lycosidae) and Xysticus erraticus (Fam. Thomisidae)), as well as the simultaneous visualisation of hard and soft tissues. XGI is an imaging modality that provides quantitative data, and visualisation is an important part of biomimetics; consequently, hard X-ray imaging provides a sound basis for bioinspiration, bioreplication and biomimetics and allows for the quantitative comparison of biofabricated products with their natural counterparts.

3-Dimensional quantitative detection of nanoparticle content in biological tissue samples after local cancer treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahn, Helene; Alexiou, Christoph; Trahms, Lutz; Odenbach, Stefan

2014-06-01

X-ray computed tomography is nowadays used for a wide range of applications in medicine, science and technology. X-ray microcomputed tomography (XμCT) follows the same principles used for conventional medical CT scanners, but improves the spatial resolution to a few micrometers. We present an example of an application of X-ray microtomography, a study of 3-dimensional biodistribution, as along with the quantification of nanoparticle content in tumoral tissue after minimally invasive cancer therapy. One of these minimal invasive cancer treatments is magnetic drug targeting, where the magnetic nanoparticles are used as controllable drug carriers. The quantification is based on a calibration of the XμCT-equipment. The developed calibration procedure of the X-ray-μCT-equipment is based on a phantom system which allows the discrimination between the various gray values of the data set. These phantoms consist of a biological tissue substitute and magnetic nanoparticles. The phantoms have been studied with XμCT and have been examined magnetically. The obtained gray values and nanoparticle concentration lead to a calibration curve. This curve can be applied to tomographic data sets. Accordingly, this calibration enables a voxel-wise assignment of gray values in the digital tomographic data set to nanoparticle content. Thus, the calibration procedure enables a 3-dimensional study of nanoparticle distribution as well as concentration.

Comparison of competing segmentation standards for X-ray computed topographic imaging using Lattice Boltzmann techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larsen, J. D.; Schaap, M. G.

2013-12-01

Recent advances in computing technology and experimental techniques have made it possible to observe and characterize fluid dynamics at the micro-scale. Many computational methods exist that can adequately simulate fluid flow in porous media. Lattice Boltzmann methods provide the distinct advantage of tracking particles at the microscopic level and returning macroscopic observations. While experimental methods can accurately measure macroscopic fluid dynamics, computational efforts can be used to predict and gain insight into fluid dynamics by utilizing thin sections or computed micro-tomography (CMT) images of core sections. Although substantial effort have been made to advance non-invasive imaging methods such as CMT, fluid dynamics simulations, and microscale analysis, a true three dimensional image segmentation technique has not been developed until recently. Many competing segmentation techniques are utilized in industry and research settings with varying results. In this study lattice Boltzmann method is used to simulate stokes flow in a macroporous soil column. Two dimensional CMT images were used to reconstruct a three dimensional representation of the original sample. Six competing segmentation standards were used to binarize the CMT volumes which provide distinction between solid phase and pore space. The permeability of the reconstructed samples was calculated, with Darcy's Law, from lattice Boltzmann simulations of fluid flow in the samples. We compare simulated permeability from differing segmentation algorithms to experimental findings.

MicroCT parameters for multimaterial elements assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Araújo, Olga M. O.; Silva Bastos, Jaqueline; Machado, Alessandra S.; dos Santos, Thaís M. P.; Ferreira, Cintia G.; Rosifini Alves Claro, Ana Paula; Lopes, Ricardo T.

2018-03-01

Microtomography is a non-destructive testing technique for quantitative and qualitative analysis. The investigation of multimaterial elements with great difference of density can result in artifacts that degrade image quality depending on combination of additional filter. The aim of this study is the selection of parameters most appropriate for analysis of bone tissue with metallic implant. The results show the simulation with MCNPX code for the distribution of energy without additional filter, with use of aluminum, copper and brass filters and their respective reconstructed images showing the importance of the choice of these parameters in image acquisition process on computed microtomography.

X-ray Computed Microtomography technique applied for cementitious materials: A review.

PubMed

da Silva, Ítalo Batista

2018-04-01

The main objective of this article is to present a bibliographical review about the use of the X-ray microtomography method in 3D images processing of cementitious materials microstructure, analyzing the pores microstructure and connectivity network, enabling tthe possibility of building a relationship between permeability and porosity. The use of this technique enables the understanding of physical, chemical and mechanical properties of cementitious materials by publishing good results, considering that the quality and quantity of accessible information were significant and may contribute to the study of cementitious materials development. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular Dynamics Simulation of the Three-Dimensional Ordered State in Laser-Cooled Heavy-Ion Beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuri, Yosuke

A molecular dynamics simulation is performed to study the formation of three-dimensional ordered beams by laser cooling in a cooler storage ring. Ultralow-temperature heavy-ion beams are generated by transverse cooling with displaced Gaussian lasers and resonant coupling. A three-dimensional ordered state of the ion beam is attained at a high line density. The ordered beam exhibits several unique characteristics different from those of an ideal crystalline beam.

Differentiating Fragmentation Pathways of Cholesterol by Two-Dimensional Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry.

PubMed

van Agthoven, Maria A; Barrow, Mark P; Chiron, Lionel; Coutouly, Marie-Aude; Kilgour, David; Wootton, Christopher A; Wei, Juan; Soulby, Andrew; Delsuc, Marc-André; Rolando, Christian; O'Connor, Peter B

2015-12-01

Two-dimensional Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry is a data-independent analytical method that records the fragmentation patterns of all the compounds in a sample. This study shows the implementation of atmospheric pressure photoionization with two-dimensional (2D) Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. In the resulting 2D mass spectrum, the fragmentation patterns of the radical and protonated species from cholesterol are differentiated. This study shows the use of fragment ion lines, precursor ion lines, and neutral loss lines in the 2D mass spectrum to determine fragmentation mechanisms of known compounds and to gain information on unknown ion species in the spectrum. In concert with high resolution mass spectrometry, 2D Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry can be a useful tool for the structural analysis of small molecules. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

High speed automated microtomography of nuclear emulsions and recent application

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tioukov, V.; Aleksandrov, A.; Consiglio, L.

2015-12-31

The development of high-speed automatic scanning systems was the key-factor for massive and successful emulsions application for big neutrino experiments like OPERA. The emulsion detector simplicity, the unprecedented sub-micron spatial resolution and the unique ability to provide intrinsically 3-dimensional spatial information make it a perfect device for short-living particles study, where the event topology should be precisely reconstructed in a 10-100 um scale vertex region. Recently the exceptional technological progress in image processing and automation together with intensive R&D done by Italian and Japanese microscopy groups permit to increase the scanning speed to unbelievable few years ago m{sup 2}/day scalemore » and so greatly extend the range of the possible applications for emulsion-based detectors to other fields like: medical imaging, directional dark matter search, nuclear physics, geological and industrial applications.« less

Exceptional preservation of eye structure in arthropod visual predators from the Middle Jurassic

PubMed Central

Vannier, Jean; Schoenemann, Brigitte; Gillot, Thomas; Charbonnier, Sylvain; Clarkson, Euan

2016-01-01

Vision has revolutionized the way animals explore their environment and interact with each other and rapidly became a major driving force in animal evolution. However, direct evidence of how ancient animals could perceive their environment is extremely difficult to obtain because internal eye structures are almost never fossilized. Here, we reconstruct with unprecedented resolution the three-dimensional structure of the huge compound eye of a 160-million-year-old thylacocephalan arthropod from the La Voulte exceptional fossil biota in SE France. This arthropod had about 18,000 lenses on each eye, which is a record among extinct and extant arthropods and is surpassed only by modern dragonflies. Combined information about its eyes, internal organs and gut contents obtained by X-ray microtomography lead to the conclusion that this thylacocephalan arthropod was a visual hunter probably adapted to illuminated environments, thus contradicting the hypothesis that La Voulte was a deep-water environment. PMID:26785293

Correlative microscopy of detergent granules.

PubMed

van Dalen, G; Nootenboom, P; Heussen, P C M

2011-03-01

The microstructure of detergent products for textile cleaning determines to a large extent the physical properties of these products. Correlative microscopy was used to reveal the microstructure by reconciling images obtained by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray microtomography and Fourier transform infrared microscopy. These techniques were applied on the same location of a subsample of a spray-dried detergent base powder embedded in polyacrylate. In this way, the three-dimensional internal and external structure of detergent granules could be investigated from milli to nano scale with detailed spatial information about the components present. This will generate knowledge how to design optimal microstructures for laundry products to obtain product properties demanded by the market. This method is also very useful for other powder systems used in a large variety of industries (e.g. for pharmaceutical, food, ceramic and metal industries). © 2010 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2010 The Royal Microscopical Society.

PuMA: the Porous Microstructure Analysis software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferguson, Joseph C.; Panerai, Francesco; Borner, Arnaud; Mansour, Nagi N.

2018-01-01

The Porous Microstructure Analysis (PuMA) software has been developed in order to compute effective material properties and perform material response simulations on digitized microstructures of porous media. PuMA is able to import digital three-dimensional images obtained from X-ray microtomography or to generate artificial microstructures. PuMA also provides a module for interactive 3D visualizations. Version 2.1 includes modules to compute porosity, volume fractions, and surface area. Two finite difference Laplace solvers have been implemented to compute the continuum tortuosity factor, effective thermal conductivity, and effective electrical conductivity. A random method has been developed to compute tortuosity factors from the continuum to rarefied regimes. Representative elementary volume analysis can be performed on each property. The software also includes a time-dependent, particle-based model for the oxidation of fibrous materials. PuMA was developed for Linux operating systems and is available as a NASA software under a US & Foreign release.

Exceptional preservation of eye structure in arthropod visual predators from the Middle Jurassic.

PubMed

Vannier, Jean; Schoenemann, Brigitte; Gillot, Thomas; Charbonnier, Sylvain; Clarkson, Euan

2016-01-19

Vision has revolutionized the way animals explore their environment and interact with each other and rapidly became a major driving force in animal evolution. However, direct evidence of how ancient animals could perceive their environment is extremely difficult to obtain because internal eye structures are almost never fossilized. Here, we reconstruct with unprecedented resolution the three-dimensional structure of the huge compound eye of a 160-million-year-old thylacocephalan arthropod from the La Voulte exceptional fossil biota in SE France. This arthropod had about 18,000 lenses on each eye, which is a record among extinct and extant arthropods and is surpassed only by modern dragonflies. Combined information about its eyes, internal organs and gut contents obtained by X-ray microtomography lead to the conclusion that this thylacocephalan arthropod was a visual hunter probably adapted to illuminated environments, thus contradicting the hypothesis that La Voulte was a deep-water environment.

3D simulation of floral oil storage in the scopa of South American insects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruettgers, Alexander; Griebel, Michael; Pastrik, Lars; Schmied, Heiko; Wittmann, Dieter; Scherrieble, Andreas; Dinkelmann, Albrecht; Stegmaier, Thomas; InstituteNumerical Simulation Team; Institute of Crop Science; Resource Conservation Team; Institute of Textile Technology; Process Engineering Team

2014-11-01

Several species of bees in South America possess structures to store and transport floral oils. By using closely spaced hairs at their back legs, the so called scopa, these bees can absorb and release oil droplets without loss. The high efficiency of this process is a matter of ongoing research. Basing on recent x-ray microtomography scans from the scopa of these bees at the Institute of Textile Technology and Process Engineering Denkendorf, we build a three-dimensional computer model. Using NaSt3DGPF, a two-phase flow solver developed at the Institute for Numerical Simulation of the University of Bonn, we perform massively parallel flow simulations with the complex micro-CT data. In this talk, we discuss the results of our simulations and the transfer of the x-ray measurement into a computer model. This research was funded under GR 1144/18-1 by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG).

The electric double layer at a metal electrode in pure water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brüesch, Peter; Christen, Thomas

2004-03-01

Pure water is a weak electrolyte that dissociates into hydronium ions and hydroxide ions. In contact with a charged electrode a double layer forms for which neither experimental nor theoretical studies exist, in contrast to electrolytes containing extrinsic ions like acids, bases, and solute salts. Starting from a self-consistent solution of the one-dimensional modified Poisson-Boltzmann equation, which takes into account activity coefficients of point-like ions, we explore the properties of the electric double layer by successive incorporation of various correction terms like finite ion size, polarization, image charge, and field dissociation. We also discuss the effect of the usual approximation of an average potential as required for the one-dimensional Poisson-Boltzmann equation, and conclude that the one-dimensional approximation underestimates the ion density. We calculate the electric potential, the ion distributions, the pH-values, the ion-size corrected activity coefficients, and the dissociation constants close to the electric double layer and compare the results for the various model corrections.

Visualisation by high resolution synchrotron X-ray phase contrast micro-tomography of gas films on submerged superhydrophobic leaves.

PubMed

Lauridsen, Torsten; Glavina, Kyriaki; Colmer, Timothy David; Winkel, Anders; Irvine, Sarah; Lefmann, Kim; Feidenhans'l, Robert; Pedersen, Ole

2014-10-01

Floods can completely submerge terrestrial plants but some wetland species can sustain O2 and CO2 exchange with the environment via gas films forming on superhydrophobic leaf surfaces. We used high resolution synchrotron X-ray phase contrast micro-tomography in a novel approach to visualise gas films on submerged leaves of common cordgrass (Spartina anglica). 3D tomograms enabled a hitherto unmatched level of detail regarding the micro-topography of leaf gas films. Gas films formed only on the superhydrophobic adaxial leaf side (water droplet contact angle, Φ=162°) but not on the abaxial side (Φ=135°). The adaxial side of the leaves of common cordgrass is plicate with a longitudinal system of parallel grooves and ridges and the vast majority of the gas film volume was found in large ∼180μm deep elongated triangular volumes in the grooves and these volumes were connected to each neighbouring groove via a fine network of gas tubules (∼1.7μm diameter) across the ridges. In addition to the gas film retained on the leaf exterior, the X-ray phase contrast micro-tomography also successfully distinguished gas spaces internally in the leaf tissues, and the tissue porosity (gas volume per unit tissue volume) ranged from 6.3% to 20.3% in tip and base leaf segments, respectively. We conclude that X-ray phase contrast micro-tomography is a powerful tool to obtain quantitative data of exterior gas features on biological samples because of the significant difference in electron density between air, biological tissues and water. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Scalable loading of a two-dimensional trapped-ion array

PubMed Central

Bruzewicz, Colin D.; McConnell, Robert; Chiaverini, John; Sage, Jeremy M.

2016-01-01

Two-dimensional arrays of trapped-ion qubits are attractive platforms for scalable quantum information processing. Sufficiently rapid reloading capable of sustaining a large array, however, remains a significant challenge. Here with the use of a continuous flux of pre-cooled neutral atoms from a remotely located source, we achieve fast loading of a single ion per site while maintaining long trap lifetimes and without disturbing the coherence of an ion quantum bit in an adjacent site. This demonstration satisfies all major criteria necessary for loading and reloading extensive two-dimensional arrays, as will be required for large-scale quantum information processing. Moreover, the already high loading rate can be increased by loading ions in parallel with only a concomitant increase in photo-ionization laser power and no need for additional atomic flux. PMID:27677357

Phase contrast X-ray microtomography of the Rhodnius prolixus head: Comparison of direct reconstruction and phase retrieval approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almeida, A. P.; Braz, D.; Nogueira, L. P.; Colaço, M. V.; Soares, J.; Cardoso, S. C.; Garcia, E. S.; Azambuja, P.; Gonzalez, M. S.; Mohammadi, S.; Tromba, G.; Barroso, R. C.

2014-02-01

We have used phase-contrast X-ray microtomography (PPC-μCT) to study the head of the blood-feeding bug, Rhodnius prolixus, which is one of the most important insect vector of Trypanosoma cruzi, ethiologic agent of Chagas disease in Latin America. Images reconstructed from phase-retrieved projections processed by ANKA phase are compared to those obtained through direct tomographic reconstruction of the flat-field-corrected transmission radiographs. It should be noted that the relative locations of the important morphological internal structures are observable with a precision that is difficult to obtain without the phase retrieval approach.

Software/hardware optimization for attenuation-based microtomography using SR at PETRA III (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beckmann, Felix

2016-10-01

The Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Germany, is operating the user experiments for microtomography at the beamlines P05 and P07 using synchrotron radiation produced in the storage ring PETRA III at DESY, Hamburg, Germany. In recent years the software pipeline, sample changing hardware for performing high throughput experiments were developed. In this talk the current status of the beamlines will be given. Furthermore, optimisation and automatisation of scanning techniques, will be presented. These are required to scan samples which are larger than the field of view defined by the X-ray beam. The integration into an optimized reconstruction pipeline will be shown.

X-ray computed microtomography of sea ice - comment on "A review of air-ice chemical and physical interactions (AICI): liquids, quasi-liquids, and solids in snow" by Bartels-Rausch et al. (2014)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obbard, R. W.

2015-07-01

This comment addresses a statement made in "A review of air-ice chemical and physical interactions (AICI): liquids, quasi-liquids, and solids in snow" by Bartels-Rausch et al. (Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 1587-1633, doi:10.5194/acp-14-1587-2014, 2014). Here we rebut the assertion that X-ray computed microtomography of sea ice fails to reveal liquid brine inclusions by discussing the phases present at the analysis temperature.

X-ray micro-tomography investigation of the foaming process in the system of waste glass–silica mud–MnO{sub 2}

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ducman, V., E-mail: vilma.ducman@zag.si; Korat, L.; Legat, A.

2013-12-15

In case of foamed lightweight aggregates (LWAs), porosity is introduced by the addition of a foaming agent to the glassy matrix, which degasses at an elevated temperature, so that the resulting gases remain trapped inside the glassy structure. The efficiency of action of MnO{sub 2} as a foaming agent in waste glass and waste glass/silica mud systems was studied. Samples were fired at different temperatures and with different dwelling times at a certain temperature, and the development of porosity was investigated by means of X-ray micro-tomography. It was found that, with the prolongation in dwelling times, the number of poresmore » decreased, while, on the other hand, the volume of these pores increased, and that the addition of silica mud increases the foaming temperature and slows down the foaming process. - Highlights: • Preparation of lightweight aggregate from waste glass, silica sludge, and MnO{sub 2} • DTA/TG investigation of MnO{sub 2} • Characterization of pore-forming process by means of X-ray micro-tomography (μcT)« less

Arrays of individually controlled ions suitable for two-dimensional quantum simulations

PubMed Central

Mielenz, Manuel; Kalis, Henning; Wittemer, Matthias; Hakelberg, Frederick; Warring, Ulrich; Schmied, Roman; Blain, Matthew; Maunz, Peter; Moehring, David L.; Leibfried, Dietrich; Schaetz, Tobias

2016-01-01

A precisely controlled quantum system may reveal a fundamental understanding of another, less accessible system of interest. A universal quantum computer is currently out of reach, but an analogue quantum simulator that makes relevant observables, interactions and states of a quantum model accessible could permit insight into complex dynamics. Several platforms have been suggested and proof-of-principle experiments have been conducted. Here, we operate two-dimensional arrays of three trapped ions in individually controlled harmonic wells forming equilateral triangles with side lengths 40 and 80 μm. In our approach, which is scalable to arbitrary two-dimensional lattices, we demonstrate individual control of the electronic and motional degrees of freedom, preparation of a fiducial initial state with ion motion close to the ground state, as well as a tuning of couplings between ions within experimental sequences. Our work paves the way towards a quantum simulator of two-dimensional systems designed at will. PMID:27291425

Three dimensional reconstruction of therapeutic carbon ion beams in phantoms using single secondary ion tracks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reinhart, Anna Merle; Spindeldreier, Claudia Katharina; Jakubek, Jan; Martišíková, Mária

2017-06-01

Carbon ion beam radiotherapy enables a very localised dose deposition. However, even small changes in the patient geometry or positioning errors can significantly distort the dose distribution. A live, non-invasive monitoring system of the beam delivery within the patient is therefore highly desirable, and could improve patient treatment. We present a novel three-dimensional method for imaging the beam in the irradiated object, exploiting the measured tracks of single secondary ions emerging under irradiation. The secondary particle tracks are detected with a TimePix stack—a set of parallel pixelated semiconductor detectors. We developed a three-dimensional reconstruction algorithm based on maximum likelihood expectation maximization. We demonstrate the applicability of the new method in the irradiation of a cylindrical PMMA phantom of human head size with a carbon ion pencil beam of {226} MeV u-1. The beam image in the phantom is reconstructed from a set of nine discrete detector positions between {-80}^\\circ and {50}^\\circ from the beam axis. Furthermore, we demonstrate the potential to visualize inhomogeneities by irradiating a PMMA phantom with an air gap as well as bone and adipose tissue surrogate inserts. We successfully reconstructed a three-dimensional image of the treatment beam in the phantom from single secondary ion tracks. The beam image corresponds well to the beam direction and energy. In addition, cylindrical inhomogeneities with a diameter of {2.85} cm and density differences down to {0.3} g cm-3 to the surrounding material are clearly visualized. This novel three-dimensional method to image a therapeutic carbon ion beam in the irradiated object does not interfere with the treatment and requires knowledge only of single secondary ion tracks. Even with detectors with only a small angular coverage, the three-dimensional reconstruction of the fragmentation points presented in this work was found to be feasible.

Three dimensional reconstruction of therapeutic carbon ion beams in phantoms using single secondary ion tracks.

PubMed

Reinhart, Anna Merle; Spindeldreier, Claudia Katharina; Jakubek, Jan; Martišíková, Mária

2017-06-21

Carbon ion beam radiotherapy enables a very localised dose deposition. However, even small changes in the patient geometry or positioning errors can significantly distort the dose distribution. A live, non-invasive monitoring system of the beam delivery within the patient is therefore highly desirable, and could improve patient treatment. We present a novel three-dimensional method for imaging the beam in the irradiated object, exploiting the measured tracks of single secondary ions emerging under irradiation. The secondary particle tracks are detected with a TimePix stack-a set of parallel pixelated semiconductor detectors. We developed a three-dimensional reconstruction algorithm based on maximum likelihood expectation maximization. We demonstrate the applicability of the new method in the irradiation of a cylindrical PMMA phantom of human head size with a carbon ion pencil beam of [Formula: see text] MeV u -1 . The beam image in the phantom is reconstructed from a set of nine discrete detector positions between [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] from the beam axis. Furthermore, we demonstrate the potential to visualize inhomogeneities by irradiating a PMMA phantom with an air gap as well as bone and adipose tissue surrogate inserts. We successfully reconstructed a three-dimensional image of the treatment beam in the phantom from single secondary ion tracks. The beam image corresponds well to the beam direction and energy. In addition, cylindrical inhomogeneities with a diameter of [Formula: see text] cm and density differences down to [Formula: see text] g cm -3 to the surrounding material are clearly visualized. This novel three-dimensional method to image a therapeutic carbon ion beam in the irradiated object does not interfere with the treatment and requires knowledge only of single secondary ion tracks. Even with detectors with only a small angular coverage, the three-dimensional reconstruction of the fragmentation points presented in this work was found to be feasible.

Device for two-dimensional gas-phase separation and characterization of ion mixtures

DOEpatents

Tang, Keqi [Richland, WA; Shvartsburg, Alexandre A [Richland, WA; Smith, Richard D [Richland, WA

2006-12-12

The present invention relates to a device for separation and characterization of gas-phase ions. The device incorporates an ion source, a field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) analyzer, an ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) drift tube, and an ion detector. In one aspect of the invention, FAIMS operating voltages are electrically floated on top of the IMS drift voltage. In the other aspect, the FAIMS/IMS interface is implemented employing an electrodynamic ion funnel, including in particular an hourglass ion funnel. The present invention improves the efficiency (peak capacity) and sensitivity of gas-phase separations; the online FAIMS/IMS coupling creates a fundamentally novel two-dimensional gas-phase separation technology with high peak capacity, specificity, and exceptional throughput.

A cometary ion mass spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shelley, E. G.; Simpson, D. A.

1984-01-01

The development of flight suitable analyzer units for that part of the GIOTTO Ion Mass Spectrometer (IMS) experiment designated the High Energy Range Spectrometer (HERS) is discussed. Topics covered include: design of the total ion-optical system for the HERS analyzer; the preparation of the design of analyzing magnet; the evaluation of microchannel plate detectors and associated two-dimensional anode arrays; and the fabrication and evaluation of two flight-suitable units of the complete ion-optical analyzer system including two-dimensional imaging detectors and associated image encoding electronics.

Probing polariton dynamics in trapped ions with phase-coherent two-dimensional spectroscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gessner, Manuel; Schlawin, Frank; Buchleitner, Andreas

2015-06-07

We devise a phase-coherent three-pulse protocol to probe the polariton dynamics in a trapped-ion quantum simulation. In contrast to conventional nonlinear signals, the presented scheme does not change the number of excitations in the system, allowing for the investigation of the dynamics within an N-excitation manifold. In the particular case of a filling factor one (N excitations in an N-ion chain), the proposed interaction induces coherent transitions between a delocalized phonon superfluid and a localized atomic insulator phase. Numerical simulations of a two-ion chain demonstrate that the resulting two-dimensional spectra allow for the unambiguous identification of the distinct phases, andmore » the two-dimensional line shapes efficiently characterize the relevant decoherence mechanism.« less

Synchrotron X-ray micro-tomography at the Advanced Light Source: Developments in high-temperature in-situ mechanical testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnard, Harold S.; MacDowell, A. A.; Parkinson, D. Y.; Mandal, P.; Czabaj, M.; Gao, Y.; Maillet, E.; Blank, B.; Larson, N. M.; Ritchie, R. O.; Gludovatz, B.; Acevedo, C.; Liu, D.

2017-06-01

At the Advanced Light Source (ALS), Beamline 8.3.2 performs hard X-ray micro-tomography under conditions of high temperature, pressure, mechanical loading, and other realistic conditions using environmental test cells. With scan times of 10s-100s of seconds, the microstructural evolution of materials can be directly observed over multiple time steps spanning prescribed changes in the sample environment. This capability enables in-situ quasi-static mechanical testing of materials. We present an overview of our in-situ mechanical testing capabilities and recent hardware developments that enable flexural testing at high temperature and in combination with acoustic emission analysis.

Modeling the Relationship Between Porosity and Permeability During Oxidation of Ablative Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thornton, John M.; Panerai, Francesco; Ferguson, Joseph C.; Borner, Arnaud; Mansour, Nagi N.

2017-01-01

The ablative materials used in thermal protection systems (TPS) undergo oxidation during atmospheric entry which leads to an in-depth change in both permeability and porosity. These properties have a significant affect on heat transfer in a TPS during entry. X-ray micro-tomography has provided 3D images capturing the micro-structure of TPS materials. In this study, we use micro-tomography based simulations to create high-fidelity models relating permeability to porosity during oxidation of FiberForm, the carbon fiber preform of the Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA) often used as a TPS material. The goal of this study is to inform full-scale models and reduce uncertainty in TPS modeling.

Dynamical ion transfer between coupled Coulomb crystals in a double-well potential.

PubMed

Klumpp, Andrea; Zampetaki, Alexandra; Schmelcher, Peter

2017-09-01

We investigate the nonequilibrium dynamics of coupled Coulomb crystals of different sizes trapped in a double well potential. The dynamics is induced by an instantaneous quench of the potential barrier separating the two crystals. Due to the intra- and intercrystal Coulomb interactions and the asymmetric population of the potential wells, we observe a complex reordering of ions within the two crystals as well as ion transfer processes from one well to the other. The study and analysis of the latter processes constitutes the main focus of this work. In particular, we examine the dependence of the observed ion transfers on the quench amplitude performing an analysis for different crystalline configurations ranging from one-dimensional ion chains via two-dimensional zigzag chains and ring structures to three-dimensional spherical structures. Such an analysis provides us with the means to extract the general principles governing the ion transfer dynamics and we gain some insight on the structural disorder caused by the quench of the barrier height.

Drag of ballistic electrons by an ion beam

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gurevich, V. L.; Muradov, M. I., E-mail: mag.muradov@mail.ioffe.ru

2015-12-15

Drag of electrons of a one-dimensional ballistic nanowire by a nearby one-dimensional beam of ions is considered. We assume that the ion beam is represented by an ensemble of heavy ions of the same velocity V. The ratio of the drag current to the primary current carried by the ion beam is calculated. The drag current turns out to be a nonmonotonic function of velocity V. It has a sharp maximum for V near v{sub nF}/2, where n is the number of the uppermost electron miniband (channel) taking part in conduction and v{sub nF} is the corresponding Fermi velocity. Thismore » means that the phenomenon of ion beam drag can be used for investigation of the electron spectra of ballistic nanostructures. We note that whereas observation of the Coulomb drag between two parallel quantum wires may in general be complicated by phenomena such as tunneling and phonon drag, the Coulomb drag of electrons of a one-dimensional ballistic nanowire by an ion beam is free of such spurious effects.« less

Visualizing the impact of living roots on rhizosphere soil structure using X-ray microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menon, M.; Berli, M.; Ghezzehei, T. A.; Nico, P.; Young, M. H.; Tyler, S. W.

2009-04-01

The rhizosphere is an interface between bulk soil and plant root and plays a critical role in root water and nutrient uptake. In this study, we used X-ray Computerized Microtomography (microCT) to visualize soil structure around living roots non-destructively and with high spatial resolution. Four different plant species (Helianthus annuus, Lupinus hartwegii, Vigna radiata and Phaseolus lunatus), grown in four different porous materials (glass beads, medium and coarse sand, loam aggregates), were scanned with 10 μm spatial resolution, using the microtomography beamline 8.3.2 at the Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA. Sample cross section images clearly show contacts between roots and soil particles, connecting water films, air-water interfaces as well as some cellular features of the plants taproots. We found with a simulation experiment, inflating a cylindrical micro-balloon in a pack of air-dry loam aggregates, that soil fracturing rather than compaction might occur around a taproot growing in dry soil. Form these preliminary experiments, we concluded that microCT has potential as a tool for a more process-based understanding of the role of rhizosphere soil structure on soil fertility, plant growth and the water balance at the earth-atmosphere interface.

Multi-species beam hardening calibration device for x-ray microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evershed, Anthony N. Z.; Mills, David; Davis, Graham

2012-10-01

Impact-source X-ray microtomography (XMT) is a widely-used benchtop alternative to synchrotron radiation microtomography. Since X-rays from a tube are polychromatic, however, greyscale `beam hardening' artefacts are produced by the preferential absorption of low-energy photons in the beam path. A multi-material `carousel' test piece was developed to offer a wider range of X-ray attenuations from well-characterised filters than single-material step wedges can produce practically, and optimization software was developed to produce a beam hardening correction by use of the Nelder-Mead optimization method, tuned for specimens composed of other materials (such as hydroxyapatite [HA] or barium for dental applications.) The carousel test piece produced calibration polynomials reliably and with a significantly smaller discrepancy between the calculated and measured attenuations than the calibration step wedge previously in use. An immersion tank was constructed and used to simplify multi-material samples in order to negate the beam hardening effect of low atomic number materials within the specimen when measuring mineral concentration of higher-Z regions. When scanned in water at an acceleration voltage of 90 kV a Scanco AG hydroxyapatite / poly(methyl methacrylate) calibration phantom closely approximates a single-material system, producing accurate hydroxyapatite concentration measurements. This system can then be corrected for beam hardening for the material of interest.

Water Transport Properties of the Grape Pedicel during Fruit Development: Insights into Xylem Anatomy and Function Using Microtomography.

PubMed

Knipfer, Thorsten; Fei, Jiong; Gambetta, Gregory A; McElrone, Andrew J; Shackel, Kenneth A; Matthews, Mark A

2015-08-01

Xylem flow of water into fruits declines during fruit development, and the literature indicates a corresponding increase in hydraulic resistance in the pedicel. However, it is unknown how pedicel hydraulics change developmentally in relation to xylem anatomy and function. In this study on grape (Vitis vinifera), we determined pedicel hydraulic conductivity (kh) from pressure-flow relationships using hydrostatic and osmotic forces and investigated xylem anatomy and function using fluorescent light microscopy and x-ray computed microtomography. Hydrostatic kh (xylem pathway) was consistently 4 orders of magnitude greater than osmotic kh (intracellular pathway), but both declined before veraison by approximately 40% and substantially over fruit development. Hydrostatic kh declined most gradually for low (less than 0.08 MPa) pressures and for water inflow and outflow conditions. Specific kh (per xylem area) decreased in a similar fashion to kh despite substantial increases in xylem area. X-ray computed microtomography images provided direct evidence that losses in pedicel kh were associated with blockages in vessel elements, whereas air embolisms were negligible. However, vessel elements were interconnected and some remained continuous postveraison, suggesting that across the grape pedicel, a xylem pathway of reduced kh remains functional late into berry ripening. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

Water Transport Properties of the Grape Pedicel during Fruit Development: Insights into Xylem Anatomy and Function Using Microtomography1[OPEN

PubMed Central

Fei, Jiong; McElrone, Andrew J.; Shackel, Kenneth A.; Matthews, Mark A.

2015-01-01

Xylem flow of water into fruits declines during fruit development, and the literature indicates a corresponding increase in hydraulic resistance in the pedicel. However, it is unknown how pedicel hydraulics change developmentally in relation to xylem anatomy and function. In this study on grape (Vitis vinifera), we determined pedicel hydraulic conductivity (kh) from pressure-flow relationships using hydrostatic and osmotic forces and investigated xylem anatomy and function using fluorescent light microscopy and x-ray computed microtomography. Hydrostatic kh (xylem pathway) was consistently 4 orders of magnitude greater than osmotic kh (intracellular pathway), but both declined before veraison by approximately 40% and substantially over fruit development. Hydrostatic kh declined most gradually for low (less than 0.08 MPa) pressures and for water inflow and outflow conditions. Specific kh (per xylem area) decreased in a similar fashion to kh despite substantial increases in xylem area. X-ray computed microtomography images provided direct evidence that losses in pedicel kh were associated with blockages in vessel elements, whereas air embolisms were negligible. However, vessel elements were interconnected and some remained continuous postveraison, suggesting that across the grape pedicel, a xylem pathway of reduced kh remains functional late into berry ripening. PMID:26077763

Optimization of image quality and acquisition time for lab-based X-ray microtomography using an iterative reconstruction algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Qingyang; Andrew, Matthew; Thompson, William; Blunt, Martin J.; Bijeljic, Branko

2018-05-01

Non-invasive laboratory-based X-ray microtomography has been widely applied in many industrial and research disciplines. However, the main barrier to the use of laboratory systems compared to a synchrotron beamline is its much longer image acquisition time (hours per scan compared to seconds to minutes at a synchrotron), which results in limited application for dynamic in situ processes. Therefore, the majority of existing laboratory X-ray microtomography is limited to static imaging; relatively fast imaging (tens of minutes per scan) can only be achieved by sacrificing imaging quality, e.g. reducing exposure time or number of projections. To alleviate this barrier, we introduce an optimized implementation of a well-known iterative reconstruction algorithm that allows users to reconstruct tomographic images with reasonable image quality, but requires lower X-ray signal counts and fewer projections than conventional methods. Quantitative analysis and comparison between the iterative and the conventional filtered back-projection reconstruction algorithm was performed using a sandstone rock sample with and without liquid phases in the pore space. Overall, by implementing the iterative reconstruction algorithm, the required image acquisition time for samples such as this, with sparse object structure, can be reduced by a factor of up to 4 without measurable loss of sharpness or signal to noise ratio.

Aligning Microtomography Analysis with Traditional Anatomy for a 3D Understanding of the Host-Parasite Interface – Phoradendron spp. Case Study

PubMed Central

Teixeira-Costa, Luíza; Ceccantini, Gregório C. T.

2016-01-01

The complex endophytic structure formed by parasitic plant species often represents a challenge in the study of the host-parasite interface. Even with the large amounts of anatomical slides, a three-dimensional comprehension of the structure may still be difficult to obtain. In the present study we applied the High Resolution X-ray Computed Tomography (HRXCT) analysis along with usual plant anatomy techniques in order to compare the infestation pattern of two mistletoe species of the genus Phoradendron. Additionally, we tested the use of contrasting solutions in order to improve the detection of the parasite’s endophytic tissue. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show the three-dimensional structure of host-mistletoe interface by using HRXCT technique. Results showed that Phoradendron perrottetii growing on the host Tapirira guianensis forms small woody galls with a restricted endophytic system. The sinkers were short and eventually grouped creating a continuous interface with the host wood. On the other hand, the long sinkers of P. bathyoryctum penetrate deeply into the wood of Cedrela fissilis branching in all directions throughout the woody gall area, forming a spread-out infestation pattern. The results indicate that the HRXCT is indeed a powerful approach to understand the endophytic system of parasitic plants. The combination of three-dimensional models of the infestation with anatomical analysis provided a broader understanding of the host-parasite connection. Unique anatomic features are reported for the sinkes of P. perrottetii, while the endophytic tissue of P. bathyoryctum conformed to general anatomy observed for other species of this genus. These differences are hypothesized to be related to the three-dimensional structure of each endophytic system and the communication stablished with the host. PMID:27630661

Arrays of individually controlled ions suitable for two-dimensional quantum simulations

DOE PAGES

Mielenz, Manuel; Kalis, Henning; Wittemer, Matthias; ...

2016-06-13

A precisely controlled quantum system may reveal a fundamental understanding of another, less accessible system of interest. A universal quantum computer is currently out of reach, but an analogue quantum simulator that makes relevant observables, interactions and states of a quantum model accessible could permit insight into complex dynamics. Several platforms have been suggested and proof-of-principle experiments have been conducted. Here, we operate two-dimensional arrays of three trapped ions in individually controlled harmonic wells forming equilateral triangles with side lengths 40 and 80 μm. In our approach, which is scalable to arbitrary two-dimensional lattices, we demonstrate individual control of themore » electronic and motional degrees of freedom, preparation of a fiducial initial state with ion motion close to the ground state, as well as a tuning of couplings between ions within experimental sequences. Lastly, our work paves the way towards a quantum simulator of two-dimensional systems designed at will.« less

3D/4D analyses of damage and fracture behaviours in structural materials via synchrotron X-ray tomography.

PubMed

Toda, Hiroyuki

2014-11-01

X-ray microtomography has been utilized for the in-situ observation of various structural metals under external loading. Recent advances in X-ray microtomography provide remarkable tools to image the interior of materials. In-situ X-ray microtomography provides a unique possibility to access the 3D character of internal microstructure and its time evolution behaviours non-destructively, thereby enabling advanced techniques for measuring local strain distribution. Local strain mapping is readily enabled by processing such high-resolution tomographic images either by the particle tracking technique or the digital image correlation technique [1]. Procedures for tracking microstructural features which have been developed by the authors [2], have been applied to analyse localised deformation and damage evolution in a material [3]. Typically several tens of thousands of microstructural features, such as particles and pores, are tracked in a tomographic specimen (0.2 - 0.3 mm(3) in volume). When a sufficient number of microstructural features is dispersed in 3D space, the Delaunay tessellation algorithm is used to obtain local strain distribution. With these techniques, 3D strain fields can be measured with reasonable accuracy. Even local crack driving forces, such as local variations in the stress intensity factor, crack tip opening displacement and J integral along a crack front line, can be measured from discrete crack tip displacement fields [4]. In the present presentation, complicated crack initiation and growth behaviour and the extensive formation of micro cracks ahead of a crack tip are introduced as examples.A novel experimental method has recently been developed by amalgamating a pencil beam X-Ray diffraction (XRD) technique with the microstructural tracking technique [5]. The technique provides information about individual grain orientations and 1-micron-level grain morphologies in 3D together with high-density local strain mapping. The application of this technique to the deformation behavior of a polycrystalline aluminium alloy will be demonstrated in the presentation [6].The synchrotron-based microtomography has been mainly utilized to light materials due to their good X-ray transmission. In the present talk, the application of the synchrotron-based microtomography to steels will be also introduced. Degradation of contrast and spatial resolution due to forward scattering could be avoided by selecting appropriate experimental conditions in order to obtain superior spatial resolution close to the physical limit even in ferrous materials [7]. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japanese Society of Microscopy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A novel four-dimensional analytical approach for analysis of complex samples.

PubMed

Stephan, Susanne; Jakob, Cornelia; Hippler, Jörg; Schmitz, Oliver J

2016-05-01

A two-dimensional LC (2D-LC) method, based on the work of Erni and Frei in 1978, was developed and coupled to an ion mobility-high-resolution mass spectrometer (IM-MS), which enabled the separation of complex samples in four dimensions (2D-LC, ion mobility spectrometry (IMS), and mass spectrometry (MS)). This approach works as a continuous multiheart-cutting LC system, using a long modulation time of 4 min, which allows the complete transfer of most of the first - dimension peaks to the second - dimension column without fractionation, in comparison to comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography. Hence, each compound delivers only one peak in the second dimension, which simplifies the data handling even when ion mobility spectrometry as a third and mass spectrometry as a fourth dimension are introduced. The analysis of a plant extract from Ginkgo biloba shows the separation power of this four-dimensional separation method with a calculated total peak capacity of more than 8700. Furthermore, the advantage of ion mobility for characterizing unknown compounds by their collision cross section (CCS) and accurate mass in a non-target approach is shown for different matrices like plant extracts and coffee. Graphical abstract Principle of the four-dimensional separation.

Cooperative simulation of lithography and topography for three-dimensional high-aspect-ratio etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ichikawa, Takashi; Yagisawa, Takashi; Furukawa, Shinichi; Taguchi, Takafumi; Nojima, Shigeki; Murakami, Sadatoshi; Tamaoki, Naoki

2018-06-01

A topography simulation of high-aspect-ratio etching considering transports of ions and neutrals is performed, and the mechanism of reactive ion etching (RIE) residues in three-dimensional corner patterns is revealed. Limited ion flux and CF2 diffusion from the wide space of the corner is found to have an effect on the RIE residues. Cooperative simulation of lithography and topography is used to solve the RIE residue problem.

Ion-driven photoluminescence modulation of quasi-two-dimensional MoS2 nanoflakes for applications in biological systems.

PubMed

Ou, Jian Zhen; Chrimes, Adam F; Wang, Yichao; Tang, Shi-yang; Strano, Michael S; Kalantar-zadeh, Kourosh

2014-02-12

Quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is a photoluminescence (PL) material with unique properties. The recent demonstration of its PL, controlled by the intercalation of positive ions, can lead to many opportunities for employing this quasi-2D material in ion-related biological applications. Here, we present two representative models of biological systems that incorporate the ion-controlled PL of quasi-2D MoS2 nanoflakes. The ion exchange behaviors of these two models are investigated to reveal enzymatic activities and cell viabilities. While the ion intercalation of MoS2 in enzymatic activities is enabled via an external applied voltage, the intercalation of ions in cell viability investigations occurs in the presence of the intrinsic cell membrane potential.

High resolution x-ray microtomography of biological samples: Requirements and strategies for satisfying them

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Loo, B.W. Jr.

High resolution x-ray microscopy has been made possible in recent years primarily by two new technologies: microfabricated diffractive lenses for soft x-rays with about 30-50 nm resolution, and high brightness synchrotron x-ray sources. X-ray microscopy occupies a special niche in the array of biological microscopic imaging methods. It extends the capabilities of existing techniques mainly in two areas: a previously unachievable combination of sub-visible resolution and multi-micrometer sample size, and new contrast mechanisms. Because of the soft x-ray wavelengths used in biological imaging (about 1-4 nm), XM is intermediate in resolution between visible light and electron microscopies. Similarly, the penetrationmore » depth of soft x-rays in biological materials is such that the ideal sample thickness for XM falls in the range of 0.25 - 10 {mu}m, between that of VLM and EM. XM is therefore valuable for imaging of intermediate level ultrastructure, requiring sub-visible resolutions, in intact cells and subcellular organelles, without artifacts produced by thin sectioning. Many of the contrast producing and sample preparation techniques developed for VLM and EM also work well with XM. These include, for example, molecule specific staining by antibodies with heavy metal or fluorescent labels attached, and sectioning of both frozen and plastic embedded tissue. However, there is also a contrast mechanism unique to XM that exists naturally because a number of elemental absorption edges lie in the wavelength range used. In particular, between the oxygen and carbon absorption edges (2.3 and 4.4 nm wavelength), organic molecules absorb photons much more strongly than does water, permitting element-specific imaging of cellular structure in aqueous media, with no artifically introduced contrast agents. For three-dimensional imaging applications requiring the capabilities of XM, an obvious extension of the technique would therefore be computerized x-ray microtomography (XMT).« less

Computational approach to integrate 3D X-ray microtomography and NMR data.

PubMed

Lucas-Oliveira, Everton; Araujo-Ferreira, Arthur G; Trevizan, Willian A; Fortulan, Carlos A; Bonagamba, Tito J

2018-05-04

Nowadays, most of the efforts in NMR applied to porous media are dedicated to studying the molecular fluid dynamics within and among the pores. These analyses have a higher complexity due to morphology and chemical composition of rocks, besides dynamic effects as restricted diffusion, diffusional coupling, and exchange processes. Since the translational nuclear spin diffusion in a confined geometry (e.g. pores and fractures) requires specific boundary conditions, the theoretical solutions are restricted to some special problems and, in many cases, computational methods are required. The Random Walk Method is a classic way to simulate self-diffusion along a Digital Porous Medium. Bergman model considers the magnetic relaxation process of the fluid molecules by including a probability rate of magnetization survival under surface interactions. Here we propose a statistical approach to correlate surface magnetic relaxivity with the computational method applied to the NMR relaxation in order to elucidate the relationship between simulated relaxation time and pore size of the Digital Porous Medium. The proposed computational method simulates one- and two-dimensional NMR techniques reproducing, for example, longitudinal and transverse relaxation times (T 1 and T 2 , respectively), diffusion coefficients (D), as well as their correlations. For a good approximation between the numerical and experimental results, it is necessary to preserve the complexity of translational diffusion through the microstructures in the digital rocks. Therefore, we use Digital Porous Media obtained by 3D X-ray microtomography. To validate the method, relaxation times of ideal spherical pores were obtained and compared with the previous determinations by the Brownstein-Tarr model, as well as the computational approach proposed by Bergman. Furthermore, simulated and experimental results of synthetic porous media are compared. These results make evident the potential of computational physics in the analysis of the NMR data for complex porous materials. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Natural and laboratory compaction bands in porous carbonates: a three-dimensional characterization using synchrotron X-ray computed microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cilona, A.; Arzilli, F.; Mancini, L.; Emanuele, T.

2014-12-01

Porous carbonates form important reservoirs for water and hydrocarbons. The fluid flow properties of carbonate reservoirs may be affected by post-depositional processes (e.g., mechanical and chemical), which need to be quantified. Field-based studies described bed-parallel compaction bands (CBs) within carbonates with a wide range of porosities. These burial-related structures accommodate volumetric strain by grain rotation, translation, pore collapse and pressure solution. Recently, the same structures have been reproduced for the first time in the laboratory by performing triaxial compaction experiments on porous grainstones. These laboratory studies characterized and compared the microstructures of natural and laboratory CBs, but no analysis of pore connectivity has been performed. In this paper, we use an innovative approach to characterize the pore networks (e.g. porosity, connectivity) of natural and laboratory CBs and compare them with the host rock one. We collected the data using the synchrotron X-ray computed microtomography technique at the SYRMEP beamline of the Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste Laboratory (Italy). Quantitative analyses of the samples were performed with the Pore3D software library. The porosity was calculated from segmented 3D images of pristine and deformed carbonates. A process of skeletonization was then applied to quantify the number of connected pores within the rock volume. The analysis of the skeleton allowed us to highlight the differences between natural and laboratory CBs, and to investigate how pore connectivity evolves as a function of different deformation pathways. Both pore volume and connectivity are reduced within the CBs respect to the pristine rock and the natural CB has a lower porosity with respect to the laboratory one. The grain contacts in the natural CB are welded, whereas in the laboratory one they have more irregular shapes and grain crushing is the predominant process.

Synchrotron Microtomographic Quantification of Geometrical Soil Pore Characteristics Affected by Compaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Udawatta, Ranjith; Gantzer, Clark; Anderson, Stephen; Assouline, Shmuel

2015-04-01

Soil compaction degrades soil structure and affects water, heat, and gas exchange as well as root penetration and crop production. The objective of this study was to use X-ray computed microtomography (CMT) techniques to compare differences in geometrical soil pore parameters as influenced by compaction of two different aggregate size classes. Sieved (diam. < 2mm and < 0.5mm) and repacked (1.51 and 1.72 Mg m-3) Hamra soil cores of 5- by 5-mm (average porosities were 0.44 and 0.35) were imaged at 9.6-micrometer resolution at the Argonne Advanced Photon Source (synchrotron facility) using X-ray computed microtomography. Images of 58.9 mm3 volume were analyzed using 3-Dimensional Medial Axis (3DMA) software. Geometrical characteristics of the spatial distributions of pore structures (pore radii, volume, connectivity, path length, and tortuosity) were numerically investigated. Results show that the coordination number (CN) distribution and path length (PL) measured from the medial axis were reasonably fit by exponential relationships P(CN)=10-CN/Co and P(PL)=10-PL/PLo, respectively, where Co and PLo are the corresponding characteristic constants. Compaction reduced porosity, average pore size, number of pores, and characteristic constants. The average pore radii (64 and 61 μm; p<0.04), largest pore volume (1.6 and 0.6 mm3; p=0.06), number of pores (55 and 50; p=0.09), characteristic coordination number (6.3 and 6.0; p=0.09), and characteristic path length number (116 and 105; p=0.001) were significantly greater in the low density than the high density treatment. Aggregate size also influenced measured geometrical pore parameters. This analytical technique provides a tool for assessing changes in soil pores that affect hydraulic properties and thereby provides information to assist in assessment of soil management systems.

Synchrotron microtomographic quantification of geometrical soil pore characteristics affected by compaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Udawatta, R. P.; Gantzer, C. J.; Anderson, S. H.; Assouline, S.

2015-07-01

Soil compaction degrades soil structure and affects water, heat, and gas exchange as well as root penetration and crop production. The objective of this study was to use X-ray computed microtomography (CMT) techniques to compare differences in geometrical soil pore parameters as influenced by compaction of two different aggregate size classes. Sieved (diam. < 2 mm and < 0.5 mm) and repacked (1.51 and 1.72 Mg m-3) Hamra soil cores of 5- by 5 mm (average porosities were 0.44 and 0.35) were imaged at 9.6-micrometer resolution at the Argonne Advanced Photon Source (synchrotron facility) using X-ray computed microtomography. Images of 58.9 mm3 volume were analyzed using 3-Dimensional Medial Axis (3DMA) software. Geometrical characteristics of the spatial distributions of pore structures (pore radii, volume, connectivity, path length, and tortuosity) were numerically investigated. Results show that the coordination number (CN) distribution and path length (PL) measured from the medial axis were reasonably fit by exponential relationships P(CN) = 10-CN/Co and P(PL) = 10-PL/PLo, respectively, where Co and PLo are the corresponding characteristic constants. Compaction reduced porosity, average pore size, number of pores, and characteristic constants. The average pore radii (63.7 and 61 μm; p < 0.04), largest pore volume (1.58 and 0.58 mm3; p = 0.06), number of pores (55 and 50; p = 0.09), characteristic coordination number (6.32 and 5.94; p = 0.09), and characteristic path length number (116 and 105; p = 0.001) were significantly greater in the low density than the high density treatment. Aggregate size also influenced measured geometrical pore parameters. This analytical technique provides a tool for assessing changes in soil pores that affect hydraulic properties and thereby provides information to assist in assessment of soil management systems.

Analysis of cortical bone porosity using synchrotron radiation microtomography to evaluate the effects of chemotherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alessio, R.; Nogueira, L. P.; Salata, C.; Mantuano, A.; Almeida, A. P.; Braz, D.; de Almeida, C. E.; Tromba, G.; Barroso, R. C.

2015-11-01

Microporosities play important biologic and mechanical roles on health. One of the side effects caused by some chemotherapy drugs is the induction of amenorrhea, temporary or not, in premenopausal women, with a consequent decrease in estrogen production, which can lead to cortical bone changes. In the present work, the femur diaphysis of rats treated with chemotherapy drugs were evaluated by 3D morphometric parameters using synchrotron radiation microtomography. Control animals were also evaluated for comparison. The 3D tomographic images were obtained at the SYRMEP (SYnchrotron Radiation for MEdical Physics) beamline at the ELETTRA Synchrotron Laboratory in Trieste, Italy. Results showed significant differences in morphometric parameters measured from the 3D images of femur diaphysis of rats.

High temperature x-ray micro-tomography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

MacDowell, Alastair A., E-mail: aamacdowell@lbl.gov; Barnard, Harold; Parkinson, Dilworth Y.

2016-07-27

There is increasing demand for 3D micro-scale time-resolved imaging of samples in realistic - and in many cases extreme environments. The data is used to understand material response, validate and refine computational models which, in turn, can be used to reduce development time for new materials and processes. Here we present the results of high temperature experiments carried out at the x-ray micro-tomography beamline 8.3.2 at the Advanced Light Source. The themes involve material failure and processing at temperatures up to 1750°C. The experimental configurations required to achieve the requisite conditions for imaging are described, with examples of ceramic matrixmore » composites, spacecraft ablative heat shields and nuclear reactor core Gilsocarbon graphite.« less

Computed microtomography and X-ray fluorescence analysis for comprehensive analysis of structural changes in bone.

PubMed

Buzmakov, Alexey; Chukalina, Marina; Nikolaev, Dmitry; Schaefer, Gerald; Gulimova, Victoria; Saveliev, Sergey; Tereschenko, Elena; Seregin, Alexey; Senin, Roman; Prun, Victor; Zolotov, Denis; Asadchikov, Victor

2013-01-01

This paper presents the results of a comprehensive analysis of structural changes in the caudal vertebrae of Turner's thick-toed geckos by computer microtomography and X-ray fluorescence analysis. We present algorithms used for the reconstruction of tomographic images which allow to work with high noise level projections that represent typical conditions dictated by the nature of the samples. Reptiles, due to their ruggedness, small size, belonging to the amniote and a number of other valuable features, are an attractive model object for long-orbital experiments on unmanned spacecraft. Issues of possible changes in their bone tissue under the influence of spaceflight are the subject of discussions between biologists from different laboratories around the world.

Three dimensional fluid-kinetic model of a magnetically guided plasma jet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramos, Jesús J.; Merino, Mario; Ahedo, Eduardo

2018-06-01

A fluid-kinetic model of the collisionless plasma flow in a convergent-divergent magnetic nozzle is presented. The model combines the leading-order Vlasov equation and the fluid continuity and perpendicular momentum equation for magnetized electrons, and the fluid equations for cold ions, which must be solved iteratively to determine the self-consistent plasma response in a three-dimensional magnetic field. The kinetic electron solution identifies three electron populations and provides the plasma density and pressure tensor. The far downstream asymptotic behavior shows the anisotropic cooling of the electron populations. The fluid equations determine the electric potential and the fluid velocities. In the small ion-sound gyroradius case, the solution is constructed one magnetic line at a time. In the large ion-sound gyroradius case, ion detachment from magnetic lines makes the problem fully three-dimensional.

Pursuing two-dimensional nanomaterials for flexible lithium-ion batteries

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Bin; Zhang, Ji-Guang; Shen, Guozhen

2016-02-01

Stretchable/flexible electronics provide a foundation for various emerging applications that beyond the scope of conventional wafer/circuit board technologies due to their unique features that can satisfy a broad range of applications such as wearable devices. Stretchable electronic and optoelectronics devices require the bendable/wearable rechargeable Li-ion batteries, thus these devices can operate without limitation of external powers. Various two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials are of great interest in flexible energy storage devices, especially Li-ion batteries. This is because 2D materials exhibit much more exposed surface area supplying abundant Li-insertion channels and shortened paths for fast lithium ion diffusion. Here, we will review themore » recent developments on the flexible Li-ion batteries based on two dimensional nanomaterials. These researches demonstrated advancements in flexible electronics by incorporating various 2D nanomaterials into bendable batteries to achieve high electrochemical performance, excellent mechanical flexibility as well as electrical stability under stretching/bending conditions.« less

Bending of solitons in weak and slowly varying inhomogeneous plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukherjee, Abhik; Janaki, M. S.; Kundu, Anjan

2015-12-01

The bending of solitons in two dimensional plane is presented in the presence of weak and slowly varying inhomogeneous ion density for the propagation of ion acoustic soliton in unmagnetized cold plasma with isothermal electrons. Using reductive perturbation technique, a modified Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation is obtained with a chosen unperturbed ion density profile. The exact solution of the equation shows that the phase of the solitary wave gets modified by a function related to the unperturbed inhomogeneous ion density causing the soliton to bend in the two dimensional plane, while the amplitude of the soliton remains constant.

Bending of solitons in weak and slowly varying inhomogeneous plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mukherjee, Abhik, E-mail: abhik.mukherjee@saha.ac.in; Janaki, M. S., E-mail: ms.janaki@saha.ac.in; Kundu, Anjan, E-mail: anjan.kundu@saha.ac.in

2015-12-15

The bending of solitons in two dimensional plane is presented in the presence of weak and slowly varying inhomogeneous ion density for the propagation of ion acoustic soliton in unmagnetized cold plasma with isothermal electrons. Using reductive perturbation technique, a modified Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation is obtained with a chosen unperturbed ion density profile. The exact solution of the equation shows that the phase of the solitary wave gets modified by a function related to the unperturbed inhomogeneous ion density causing the soliton to bend in the two dimensional plane, while the amplitude of the soliton remains constant.

Acceleration and stability of a high-current ion beam in induction fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karas', V. I.; Manuilenko, O. V.; Tarakanov, V. P.; Federovskaya, O. V.

2013-03-01

A one-dimensional nonlinear analytic theory of the filamentation instability of a high-current ion beam is formulated. The results of 2.5-dimensional numerical particle-in-cell simulations of acceleration and stability of an annular compensated ion beam (CIB) in a linear induction particle accelerator are presented. It is shown that additional transverse injection of electron beams in magnetically insulated gaps (cusps) improves the quality of the ion-beam distribution function and provides uniform beam acceleration along the accelerator. The CIB filamentation instability in both the presence and the absence of an external magnetic field is considered.

Laser-driven three-stage heavy-ion acceleration from relativistic laser-plasma interaction.

PubMed

Wang, H Y; Lin, C; Liu, B; Sheng, Z M; Lu, H Y; Ma, W J; Bin, J H; Schreiber, J; He, X T; Chen, J E; Zepf, M; Yan, X Q

2014-01-01

A three-stage heavy ion acceleration scheme for generation of high-energy quasimonoenergetic heavy ion beams is investigated using two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation and analytical modeling. The scheme is based on the interaction of an intense linearly polarized laser pulse with a compound two-layer target (a front heavy ion layer + a second light ion layer). We identify that, under appropriate conditions, the heavy ions preaccelerated by a two-stage acceleration process in the front layer can be injected into the light ion shock wave in the second layer for a further third-stage acceleration. These injected heavy ions are not influenced by the screening effect from the light ions, and an isolated high-energy heavy ion beam with relatively low-energy spread is thus formed. Two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations show that ∼100MeV/u quasimonoenergetic Fe24+ beams can be obtained by linearly polarized laser pulses at intensities of 1.1×1021W/cm2.

Unveiling privacy: advances in microtomography of coralline algae.

PubMed

Torrano-Silva, Beatriz N; Ferreira, Simone Gomes; Oliveira, Mariana C

2015-05-01

Marine calcareous algae are widespread in oceans of the world and known for their calcified cell walls and the generation of rhodolith beds that turn sandy bottoms into a complex structured ecosystem with high biodiversity. Rhodoliths are unattached, branching, crustose benthic marine red algae; they provide habitat for a rich variety of marine invertebrates. The resultant excavation is relevant to sediment production, while is common that the fragments or the whole specimens result in vast fossil deposits formed by rich material that can be "mined" for biological and geological data. Accordingly, microtomography (μCT) may enable a detailed investigation of biological and geological signatures preserved within the rhodolith structure in a non-destructive approach that is especially relevant when analyzing herbaria collections or rare samples. Therefore, we prepared coralline algae samples and submitted them to a range of capabilities provided by the SkyScan1176 micro-CT scanner, including reconstruction, virtual slicing, and pinpointing biological and geological signatures. To this end, polychaetes and mollusk shells, or their excavations, coral nucleation, sediment deposits and conceptacles were all observed. Although a similar technique has been applied previously to samples of living rhodoliths in Brazil, we show, for the first time, its successful application to fossil rhodoliths. We also provide a detailed working protocol and discuss the advantages and limitations of the microtomography within the rhodoliths. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identifying microbial habitats in soil using quantum dots and x-ray fluorescence microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Brien, S. L.; Whiteside, M. D.; Sholto-Douglas, D.; Dohnalkova, A.; Durall, D. M.; Gursoy, D.; Jones, M. D.; Kovarik, L.; Lai, B.; Roehrig, C.; Sullivan, S.; Vogt, S.; Kemner, K. M.

2015-12-01

The metabolic activities of soil microbes are the primary drivers of biogeochemical processes controlling the terrestrial carbon cycle, nutrient availability to plants, contaminant remediation, water quality, and other ecosystem services. However, we have a limited understanding of microbial metabolic processes such as nutrient uptake rates, substrate preferences, or how microbes and microbial metabolism are distributed throughout the three-dimensional pore network of the soil. Here we use a novel combination of imaging techniques with quantum dots (QDs, engineered semiconductor nanoparticles that produce size or composition-dependent fluorescence) to locate bacteria in the three-dimensional pore network of a soil aggregate. First, we show using confocal and aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopies that bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Pseudomonas protogens) actively take up and internalize CdSe/ZnS core/shell QDs conjugated to biologically relevant substrates. Next, we show that cells bearing QDs can be identified using fluorescence imaging with hard x-rays at 2ID-D at the Advanced Photon Source (APS). Finally, we demonstrate that the Se constituent to the QDs can be used to label bacteria in three-dimensional tomographic reconstructions of natural soil at 0.5 nm spatial resolution using hard x-rays at 2ID-E at the APS. This is the first time soil bacteria have been imaged in the intact soil matrix at such high resolution. These results offer a new way to experimentally investigate basic bacterial ecology in situ, revealing constraints on microbial function in soil that will help improve connections between pore-scale and ecosystem-scale processes in models.

Optical Trapping of Ion Coulomb Crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, Julian; Lambrecht, Alexander; Weckesser, Pascal; Debatin, Markus; Karpa, Leon; Schaetz, Tobias

2018-04-01

The electronic and motional degrees of freedom of trapped ions can be controlled and coherently coupled on the level of individual quanta. Assembling complex quantum systems ion by ion while keeping this unique level of control remains a challenging task. For many applications, linear chains of ions in conventional traps are ideally suited to address this problem. However, driven motion due to the magnetic or radio-frequency electric trapping fields sometimes limits the performance in one dimension and severely affects the extension to higher-dimensional systems. Here, we report on the trapping of multiple barium ions in a single-beam optical dipole trap without radio-frequency or additional magnetic fields. We study the persistence of order in ensembles of up to six ions within the optical trap, measure their temperature, and conclude that the ions form a linear chain, commonly called a one-dimensional Coulomb crystal. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, we access the collective motion and perform spectrometry of the normal modes in the optical trap. Our system provides a platform that is free of driven motion and combines advantages of optical trapping, such as state-dependent confinement and nanoscale potentials, with the desirable properties of crystals of trapped ions, such as long-range interactions featuring collective motion. Starting with small numbers of ions, it has been proposed that these properties would allow the experimental study of many-body physics and the onset of structural quantum phase transitions between one- and two-dimensional crystals.

Gas exsolution and bubbles nucleation from the 1669 lava flow of Mount Etna (Italy): evidences from phase-contrast synchrotron X-ray microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lanzafame, Gabriele; Ferlito, Carmelo; Mancini, Lucia

2017-04-01

Bubbles are usually present in lavas, often showing an increase in their size and number from bottom to the top of vertical profile of the flows. Their presence is commonly interpreted as the final phase of the degassing processes starting and massively occurring at depth, before the eruption. In this work we present the results of a detailed study of size, shape and volumetric distribution of bubbles in lavas from the 1669 eruption of Mount Etna (Italy), one of the most voluminous and destructive historic events of this volcano. The lava field produced during this event extends up to 18 km from the craters, and the massive presence of bubbles in lavas sampled many kilometres away from the emission point is in contrast with the models predicting their almost total exsolution from the magma before the eruption, at depth of several kilometres beneath the volcano edifice. Sampling of the 1669 lava field has been performed along the longitudinal profile of the field at increasing distance from the vent. Collected rocks have been analysed by X-ray fluorescence and phase-contrast synchrotron X-ray computed microtomography in order to extract three-dimensional (3D) qualitative and quantitative information on the bubbles network. The use of synchrotron light permitted to investigate small portions of the samples at high spatial and contrast resolution and allowed us to obtain the 3D morphology and distribution of the micro-bubbles present in the lava, avoiding the limitations of the traditional two-dimensional analysis on thin sections. Results indicate that bubbles in lavas are present in various abundance, constituting up to 18% of the rocks volume, and are randomly distributed, with no regards for the distance from the vent. Their casual abundance, morphological characteristics and spatial distribution indicate large nucleation from syn- to post-eruptive stage, during the lava flowing and probably after it halted its run. These observations are in contrast with the general view that considers the magma completely (or largely) degassed and the volcanic gas species (mostly H2O, CO2, SO2) as largely exsolved when magma reaches the surface. On the contrary, results indicate that the exsolution of bubble-forming volcanic gases can occur far from the emission vent and right before the complete solidification of the lava. Finally, this process could easily explain, for the case of 1669 eruption, the impressive fluidity of the lavas, which display pahoehoe morphology 16 km away from the emission vent.

A New Technique for In Situ X-ray Microtomography Under High Pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchida, T.; Wang, Y.; Westferro, F.; Gebhardt, J.; Rivers, M. L.; Sutton, S. R.

2004-12-01

We have developed a new technique for in situ synchrotron microtomography to study texture evolution in multi-phase specimens under high pressure and temperature. Two critical issues in performing tomography experiments under pressure are (1) the limited X-ray access to the sample because of the highly absorbing materials, such as tungsten carbide and tool steel, typically used in the pressure vessel and (2) a high pressure compatible rotation mechanism to collect projections of the sample continuously from 0 to 180° . We addressed these issues by (1) employing an opposed-anvil high pressure cell, known as the Drickamer cell, with an X-ray transparent containment ring, to allow panoramic X-ray access, and (2) rotating the Dricakmer cell by Harmonic DriveTM gear reducers, with thrust bearings supporting the hydraulic load. The design of the rotation mechanism benefited from the rotational deformation apparatus developed by Yamazaki and Karato (Rev. Sci. Instrum., 72, 4207, 2001). We report results obtained from a test run performed under pressure with monochromatic synchrotron radiation. A sapphire sphere (1.0 mm dia.) was embedded in a powdered mixture of Fe and 9 wt.% S alloy. The diameter of the sample chamber was 2 mm. Under pressure, the entire Drickamer cell was rotated to collect radiographs of the sample at various angles from 0 to 179.5° in 0.5° step size. Computational reconstruction of these projections provided three dimensional (3D) distribution of linear attenuation coefficient of the sample with a spatial resolution of 6 microns. The shape change in the sapphire sphere during compression was clearly observed. Using the program Blob3d, reconstructed 3D images of the sphere were separated from the surrounding Fe-S alloy. Volumes of the sphere were then accurately determined from the extracted images, by carefully defining the image intensity threshold. The errors in the volume measurement are about 0.3 to 0.7%, mostly due to shadowing by anvil deformation. The results, although performed using a solid sample, demonstrate the potential of measuring melt volume. Previous density measurements using X-ray radiography with only one dimensional data assumed that the shape of the sample remained unchanged throughout the experiment. In our new technique, this assumption is no longer required and density of melts can be inferred directly from the sample volume even when the molten sample is distorted. Other applications of this apparatus will be also discussed.

A four dimensional separation method based on continuous heart-cutting gas chromatography with ion mobility and high resolution mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Lipok, Christian; Hippler, Jörg; Schmitz, Oliver J

2018-02-09

A two-dimensional GC (2D-GC) method was developed and coupled to an ion mobility-high resolution mass spectrometer, which enables the separation of complex samples in four dimensions (2D-GC, ion mobilility spectrometry and mass spectrometry). This approach works as a continuous multiheart-cutting GC-system (GC+GC), using a long modulation time of 20s, which allows the complete transfer of most of the first dimension peaks to the second dimension column without fractionation, in comparison to comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC). Hence, each compound delivers only one peak in the second dimension, which simplifies the data handling even when ion mobility spectrometry as a third and mass spectrometry as a fourth dimension are introduced. The analysis of a plant extract from Calendula officinales shows the separation power of this four dimensional separation method. The introduction of ion mobility spectrometry provides an additional separation dimension and allows to determine collision cross sections (CCS) of the analytes as a further physicochemical constant supporting the identification. A CCS database with more than 800 standard substances including drug-like compounds and pesticides was used for CCS data base search in this work. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Computer simulation of ion beam analysis of laterally inhomogeneous materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayer, M.

2016-03-01

The program STRUCTNRA for the simulation of ion beam analysis charged particle spectra from arbitrary two-dimensional distributions of materials is described. The code is validated by comparison to experimental backscattering data from a silicon grating on tantalum at different orientations and incident angles. Simulated spectra for several types of rough thin layers and a chessboard-like arrangement of materials as example for a multi-phase agglomerate material are presented. Ambiguities between back-scattering spectra from two-dimensional and one-dimensional sample structures are discussed.

SCAPS, a two-dimensional ion detector for mass spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yurimoto, Hisayoshi

2014-05-01

Faraday Cup (FC) and electron multiplier (EM) are of the most popular ion detector for mass spectrometer. FC is used for high-count-rate ion measurements and EM can detect from single ion. However, FC is difficult to detect lower intensities less than kilo-cps, and EM loses ion counts higher than Mega-cps. Thus, FC and EM are used complementary each other, but they both belong to zero-dimensional detector. On the other hand, micro channel plate (MCP) is a popular ion signal amplifier with two-dimensional capability, but additional detection system must be attached to detect the amplified signals. Two-dimensional readout for the MCP signals, however, have not achieve the level of FC and EM systems. A stacked CMOS active pixel sensor (SCAPS) has been developed to detect two-dimensional ion variations for a spatial area using semiconductor technology [1-8]. The SCAPS is an integrated type multi-detector, which is different from EM and FC, and is composed of more than 500×500 pixels (micro-detectors) for imaging of cm-area with a pixel of less than 20 µm in square. The SCAPS can be detected from single ion to 100 kilo-count ions per one pixel. Thus, SCAPS can be accumulated up to several giga-count ions for total pixels, i.e. for total imaging area. The SCAPS has been applied to stigmatic ion optics of secondary ion mass spectrometer, as a detector of isotope microscope [9]. The isotope microscope has capabilities of quantitative isotope images of hundred-micrometer area on a sample with sub-micrometer resolution and permil precision, and of two-dimensional mass spectrum on cm-scale of mass dispersion plane of a sector magnet with ten-micrometer resolution. The performance has been applied to two-dimensional isotope spatial distribution for mainly hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen of natural (extra-terrestrial and terrestrial) samples and samples simulated natural processes [e.g. 10-17]. References: [1] Matsumoto, K., et al. (1993) IEEE Trans. Electron Dev. 40, 82-85. [2] Takayanagi et al. (1999) Proc. 1999 IEEE workshop on Charge-Coupled Devices and Advanced Image Sensors, 159-162. [3] Kunihiro et al. (2001) Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. Sec. A 470, 512-519. [4] Nagashima et al. (2001) Surface Interface Anal. 31, 131-137. [5] Takayanagi et al. (2003) IEEE Trans. Electron Dev. 50, 70- 76. [6] Sakamoto and Yurimoto (2006) Surface Interface Anal. 38, 1760-1762. [7] Yamamoto et al. (2010) Surface Interface Anal. 42, 1603-1605. [8] Sakamoto et al. (2012) Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 51, 076701. [9] Yurimoto et al. (2003) Appl. Surf. Sci. 203-204, 793-797. [10] Nagashima et al. (2004) Nature 428, 921-924. [11] Kunihiro et al. (2005) Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 69, 763-773. [12] Nakamura et al. (2005) Geology 33, 829-832. [13] Sakamoto et al. (2007) Science 317, 231-233. [14] Greenwood et al. (2008) Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L05203. [15] Greenwood et al. (2011) Nature Geoscience 4, 79-82. [16] Park et al. (2012) Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 47, 2070-2083. [17] Hashiguchi et al. (2013) Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta. 122, 306-323.

Application of synchrotron radiation computed microtomography for quantification of bone microstructure in human and rat bones

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parreiras Nogueira, Liebert; Barroso, Regina Cely; Pereira de Almeida, Andre

2012-05-17

This work aims to evaluate histomorphometric quantification by synchrotron radiation computed microto-mography in bones of human and rat specimens. Bones specimens are classified as normal and pathological (for human samples) and irradiated and non-irradiated samples (for rat ones). Human bones are specimens which were affected by some injury, or not. Rat bones are specimens which were irradiated, simulating radiotherapy procedures, or not. Images were obtained on SYRMEP beamline at the Elettra Synchrotron Laboratory in Trieste, Italy. The system generated 14 {mu}m tomographic images. The quantification of bone structures were performed directly by the 3D rendered images using a home-made software.more » Resolution yielded was excellent what facilitate quantification of bone microstructures.« less

From Tomography to Material Properties of Thermal Protection Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mansour, Nagi N.; Panerai, Francesco; Ferguson, Joseph C.; Borner, Arnaud; Barnhardt, Michael; Wright, Michael

2017-01-01

A NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) effort, under the Entry Systems Modeling (ESM) project, aims at developing micro-tomography (micro-CT) experiments and simulations for studying materials used in hypersonic entry systems. X-ray micro-tomography allows for non-destructive 3D imaging of a materials micro-structure at the sub-micron scale, providing fiber-scale representations of porous thermal protection systems (TPS) materials. The technique has also allowed for In-situ experiments that can resolve response phenomena under realistic environmental conditions such as high temperature, mechanical loads, and oxidizing atmospheres. Simulation tools have been developed at the NASA Ames Research Center to determine material properties and material response from the high-fidelity tomographic representations of the porous materials with the goal of informing macroscopic TPS response models and guiding future TPS design.

Single-ion adsorption and switching in carbon nanotubes

DOE PAGES

Bushmaker, Adam W.; Oklejas, Vanessa; Walker, Don; ...

2016-01-25

Single-ion detection has, for many years, been the domain of large devices such as the Geiger counter, and studies on interactions of ionized gasses with materials have been limited to large systems. To date, there have been no reports on single gaseous ion interaction with microelectronic devices, and single neutral atom detection techniques have shown only small, barely detectable responses. Here we report the observation of single gaseous ion adsorption on individual carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which, because of the severely restricted one-dimensional current path, experience discrete, quantized resistance increases of over two orders of magnitude. Only positive ions cause changes,more » by the mechanism of ion potentialinduced carrier depletion, which is supported by density functional and Landauer transport theory. Lastly, our observations reveal a new single-ion/CNT heterostructure with novel electronic properties, and demonstrate that as electronics are ultimately scaled towards the one-dimensional limit, atomic-scale effects become increasingly important.« less

Two dimensional nonplanar evolution of electrostatic shock waves in pair-ion plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Masood, W.; Rizvi, H.

2012-01-15

Electrostatic waves in a two dimensional nonplanar geometry are studied in an unmagnetized, dissipative pair-ion plasma in the presence of weak transverse perturbations. The dissipation in the system is taken into account by incorporating the kinematic viscosity of both positive and negative ions in plasmas. The nonplanar Kadomtsev-Petviashvili-Burgers (KPB) as well as the Burgers Kadomtsev-Petviashvili (Burgers KP) equations are derived using the small amplitude expansion method and the range of applicability of both the equations are discussed. The system under consideration is observed to admit compressive rarefactive shocks. The present study may have relevance to understand the formation of twomore » dimensional nonplanar electrostatic shocks in laboratory plasmas.« less

Diffusion and Swelling Measurements in Pharmaceutical Powder Compacts Using Terahertz Pulsed Imaging

PubMed Central

Yassin, Samy; Su, Ke; Lin, Hungyen; Gladden, Lynn F; Zeitler, J Axel

2015-01-01

Tablet dissolution is strongly affected by swelling and solvent penetration into its matrix. A terahertz-pulsed imaging (TPI) technique, in reflection mode, is introduced as a new tool to measure one-dimensional swelling and solvent ingress in flat-faced pharmaceutical compacts exposed to dissolution medium from one face of the tablet. The technique was demonstrated on three tableting excipients: hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC), Eudragit RSPO, and lactose. Upon contact with water, HPMC initially shrinks to up to 13% of its original thickness before undergoing expansion. HPMC and lactose were shown to expand to up to 20% and 47% of their original size in 24 h and 13 min, respectively, whereas Eudragit does not undergo dimensional change. The TPI technique was used to measure the ingress of water into HPMC tablets over a period of 24 h and it was observed that water penetrates into the tablet by anomalous diffusion. X-ray microtomography was used to measure tablet porosity alongside helium pycnometry and was linked to the results obtained by TPI. Our results highlight a new application area of TPI in the pharmaceutical sciences that could be of interest in the development and quality testing of advanced drug delivery systems as well as immediate release formulations. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:1658–1667, 2015 PMID:25645509

Exceptional soft tissues preservation in a mummified frog-eating Eocene salamander.

PubMed

Tissier, Jérémy; Rage, Jean-Claude; Laurin, Michel

2017-01-01

Fossils are almost always represented by hard tissues but we present here the exceptional case of a three-dimensionally preserved specimen that was 'mummified' (likely between 40 and 34 million years ago) in a terrestrial karstic environment. This fossil is the incomplete body of a salamander, Phosphotriton sigei , whose skeleton and external morphology are well preserved, as revealed by phase-contrast synchrotron X-ray microtomography. In addition, internal structures composed of soft tissues preserved in three dimensions are now identified: a lung, the spinal cord, a lumbosacral plexus, the digestive tract, muscles and urogenital organs that may be cloacal glands. These are among the oldest known cases of three-dimensional preservation of these organs in vertebrates and shed light on the ecology of this salamander. Indeed, the digestive tract contains remains of a frog, which represents the only known case of an extinct salamander that fed on a frog, an extremely rare type of predation in extant salamanders. These new data improve our scarce knowledge on soft tissue anatomy of early urodeles and should prove useful for future biologists and palaeontologists working on urodele evolutionary biology. We also suggest that the presence of bat guano and carcasses represented a close source of phosphorus, favouring preservation of soft tissues. Bone microanatomy indicates that P. sigei was likely amphibious or terrestrial, and was probably not neotenic.

Applying microCT and 3D visualization to Jurassic silicified conifer seed cones: A virtual advantage over thin-sectioning.

PubMed

Gee, Carole T

2013-11-01

As an alternative to conventional thin-sectioning, which destroys fossil material, high-resolution X-ray computed tomography (also called microtomography or microCT) integrated with scientific visualization, three-dimensional (3D) image segmentation, size analysis, and computer animation is explored as a nondestructive method of imaging the internal anatomy of 150-million-year-old conifer seed cones from the Late Jurassic Morrison Formation, USA, and of recent and other fossil cones. • MicroCT was carried out on cones using a General Electric phoenix v|tome|x s 240D, and resulting projections were processed with visualization software to produce image stacks of serial single sections for two-dimensional (2D) visualization, 3D segmented reconstructions with targeted structures in color, and computer animations. • If preserved in differing densities, microCT produced images of internal fossil tissues that showed important characters such as seed phyllotaxy or number of seeds per cone scale. Color segmentation of deeply embedded seeds highlighted the arrangement of seeds in spirals. MicroCT of recent cones was even more effective. • This is the first paper on microCT integrated with 3D segmentation and computer animation applied to silicified seed cones, which resulted in excellent 2D serial sections and segmented 3D reconstructions, revealing features requisite to cone identification and understanding of strobilus construction.

Three-dimensional refractive index tomograms and deformability of individual human red blood cells from cord blood of newborn infants and maternal blood.

PubMed

Park, HyunJoo; Ahn, Taegyu; Kim, Kyoohyun; Lee, Sangyun; Kook, Song-Yi; Lee, Dongheon; Suh, In Bum; Na, Sunghun; Park, YongKeun

2015-01-01

Red blood cells (RBCs) from the cord blood of newborn infants have distinctive functions in fetal and infant development. To systematically investigate the biophysical characteristics of individual cord RBCs in newborn infants, a comparative study was performed on RBCs from the cord blood of newborn infants and from adult mothers or nonpregnant women using optical holographic microtomography. Optical measurements of the distributions of the three-dimensional refractive indices and the dynamic membrane fluctuations of individual RBCs were used to investigate the morphological, biochemical, and mechanical properties of cord, maternal, and adult RBCs at the individual cell level. The volume and surface area of the cord RBCs were significantly larger than those of the RBCs from nonpregnant women, and the cord RBCs had more flattened shapes than that of the RBCs in adults. In addition, the hemoglobin (Hb) content in the cord RBCs from newborns was significantly higher. The Hb concentration in the cord RBCs was higher than that in the nonpregnant women or maternal RBCs, but they were within the physiological range of adults. Interestingly, the amplitudes of the dynamic membrane fluctuations in cord RBCs were comparable to those in nonpregnant women and maternal RBCs, suggesting that the deformability of cord RBCs is similar to that of healthy RBCs in adults.

Diffusion and swelling measurements in pharmaceutical powder compacts using terahertz pulsed imaging.

PubMed

Yassin, Samy; Su, Ke; Lin, Hungyen; Gladden, Lynn F; Zeitler, J Axel

2015-05-01

Tablet dissolution is strongly affected by swelling and solvent penetration into its matrix. A terahertz-pulsed imaging (TPI) technique, in reflection mode, is introduced as a new tool to measure one-dimensional swelling and solvent ingress in flat-faced pharmaceutical compacts exposed to dissolution medium from one face of the tablet. The technique was demonstrated on three tableting excipients: hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC), Eudragit RSPO, and lactose. Upon contact with water, HPMC initially shrinks to up to 13% of its original thickness before undergoing expansion. HPMC and lactose were shown to expand to up to 20% and 47% of their original size in 24 h and 13 min, respectively, whereas Eudragit does not undergo dimensional change. The TPI technique was used to measure the ingress of water into HPMC tablets over a period of 24 h and it was observed that water penetrates into the tablet by anomalous diffusion. X-ray microtomography was used to measure tablet porosity alongside helium pycnometry and was linked to the results obtained by TPI. Our results highlight a new application area of TPI in the pharmaceutical sciences that could be of interest in the development and quality testing of advanced drug delivery systems as well as immediate release formulations. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Effect of nonthermal electrons on the propagation characteristics and stability of two-dimensional nonlinear electrostatic coherent structures in relativistic electron positron ion plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Masood, W.; National Centre for Physics; Rizvi, H.

2011-06-15

Two-dimensional propagation of nonlinear ion acoustic shock and solitary waves in an unmagnetized plasma consisting of nonthermal electrons, Boltzmannian positrons, and singly charged hot ions streaming with relativistic velocities are investigated. The system of fluid equations is reduced to Kadomtsev-Petviashvili-Burgers and Kadomtsev-Petviashvili (KP) equations in the limit of small amplitude perturbation. The dependence of the ion acoustic shock and solitary waves on various plasma parameters are explored in detail. Interestingly, it is observed that increasing the nonthermal electron population increases the wave dispersion which enervates the strength of the ion acoustic shock wave; however, the same effect leads to anmore » enhancement of the soliton amplitude due to the absence of dissipation in the KP equation. The present investigation may be useful to understand the two-dimensional propagation characteristics of small but finite amplitude localized shock and solitary structures in planetary magnetospheres and auroral plasmas where nonthermal populations of electrons have been observed by several satellite missions.« less

Interesting features of nonlinear shock equations in dissipative pair-ion-electron plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Masood, W.; National Centre for Physics; Rizvi, H.

2011-09-15

Two dimensional nonlinear electrostatic waves are studied in unmagnetized, dissipative pair-ion-electron plasmas in the presence of weak transverse perturbation. The dissipation in the system is taken into account by incorporating the kinematic viscosity of both positive and negative ions. In the linear case, a biquadratic dispersion relation is obtained, which yields the fast and slow modes in a pair-ion-electron plasma. It is shown that the limiting cases of electron-ion and pair-ion can be retrieved from the general biquadratic dispersion relation, and the differences in the characters of the waves propagating in both the cases are also highlighted. Using the smallmore » amplitude approximation method, the nonlinear Kadomtsev Petviashvili Burgers as well as Burgers-Kadomtsev Petviashvili equations are derived and their applicability for pair-ion-electron plasma is explained in detail. The present study may have relevance to understand the formation of two dimensional electrostatic shocks in laboratory produced pair-ion-electron plasmas.« less

Spatial structure of ion beams in an expanding plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aguirre, E. M.; Scime, E. E.; Thompson, D. S.; Good, T. N.

2017-12-01

We report spatially resolved perpendicular and parallel, to the magnetic field, ion velocity distribution function (IVDF) measurements in an expanding argon helicon plasma. The parallel IVDFs, obtained through laser induced fluorescence (LIF), show an ion beam with v ≈ 8000 m/s flowing downstream and confined to the center of the discharge. The ion beam is measurable for tens of centimeters along the expansion axis before the LIF signal fades, likely a result of metastable quenching of the beam ions. The parallel ion beam velocity slows in agreement with expectations for the measured parallel electric field. The perpendicular IVDFs show an ion population with a radially outward flow that increases with distance from the plasma axis. Structures aligned to the expanding magnetic field appear in the DC electric field, the electron temperature, and the plasma density in the plasma plume. These measurements demonstrate that at least two-dimensional and perhaps fully three-dimensional models are needed to accurately describe the spontaneous acceleration of ion beams in expanding plasmas.

A lattice relaxation algorithm for three-dimensional Poisson-Nernst-Planck theory with application to ion transport through the gramicidin A channel.

PubMed Central

Kurnikova, M G; Coalson, R D; Graf, P; Nitzan, A

1999-01-01

A lattice relaxation algorithm is developed to solve the Poisson-Nernst-Planck (PNP) equations for ion transport through arbitrary three-dimensional volumes. Calculations of systems characterized by simple parallel plate and cylindrical pore geometries are presented in order to calibrate the accuracy of the method. A study of ion transport through gramicidin A dimer is carried out within this PNP framework. Good agreement with experimental measurements is obtained. Strengths and weaknesses of the PNP approach are discussed. PMID:9929470

Quasi-One-Dimensional Particle-in-Cell Simulation of Magnetic Nozzles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ebersohn, Frans H.; Sheehan, J. P.; Gallimore, Alec D.; Shebalin, John V.

2015-01-01

A method for the quasi-one-dimensional simulation of magnetic nozzles is presented and simulations of a magnetic nozzle are performed. The effects of the density variation due to plasma expansion and the magnetic field forces on ion acceleration are investigated. Magnetic field forces acting on the electrons are found to be responsible for the formation of potential structures which accelerate ions. The effects of the plasma density variation alone are found to only weakly affect ion acceleration. Strongly diverging magnetic fields drive more rapid potential drops.

Application of Tandem Two-Dimensional Mass Spectrometry for Top-Down Deep Sequencing of Calmodulin.

PubMed

Floris, Federico; Chiron, Lionel; Lynch, Alice M; Barrow, Mark P; Delsuc, Marc-André; O'Connor, Peter B

2018-06-04

Two-dimensional mass spectrometry (2DMS) involves simultaneous acquisition of the fragmentation patterns of all the analytes in a mixture by correlating their precursor and fragment ions by modulating precursor ions systematically through a fragmentation zone. Tandem two-dimensional mass spectrometry (MS/2DMS) unites the ultra-high accuracy of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) MS/MS and the simultaneous data-independent fragmentation of 2DMS to achieve extensive inter-residue fragmentation of entire proteins. 2DMS was recently developed for top-down proteomics (TDP), and applied to the analysis of calmodulin (CaM), reporting a cleavage coverage of about ~23% using infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD) as fragmentation technique. The goal of this work is to expand the utility of top-down protein analysis using MS/2DMS in order to extend the cleavage coverage in top-down proteomics further into the interior regions of the protein. In this case, using MS/2DMS, the cleavage coverage of CaM increased from ~23% to ~42%. Graphical Abstract Two-dimensional mass spectrometry, when applied to primary fragment ions from the source, allows deep-sequencing of the protein calmodulin.

Macroscopic Lagrangian description of warm plasmas. II Nonlinear wave interactions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, H.; Crawford, F. W.

1983-01-01

A macroscopic Lagrangian is simplified to the adiabatic limit and expanded about equilibrium, to third order in perturbation, for three illustrative cases: one-dimensional compression parallel to the static magnetic field, two-dimensional compression perpendicular to the static magnetic field, and three-dimensional compression. As examples of the averaged-Lagrangian method applied to nonlinear wave interactions, coupling coefficients are derived for interactions between two electron plasma waves and an ion acoustic wave, and between an ordinary wave, an electron plasma wave, and an ion acoustic wave.

Fine structure of modal focusing effect in a three dimensional plasma-sheath-lens formed by disk electrodes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stamate, Eugen, E-mail: eust@dtu.dk; Venture Business Laboratory, Nagoya University, C3-1, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8603; Yamaguchi, Masahito

2015-08-31

Modal and discrete focusing effects associated with three-dimensional plasma-sheath-lenses show promising potential for applications in ion beam extraction, mass spectrometry, plasma diagnostics and for basic studies of plasma sheath. The ion focusing properties can be adjusted by controlling the geometrical structure of the plasma-sheath-lens and plasma parameters. The positive and negative ion kinetics within the plasma-sheath-lens are investigated both experimentally and theoretically and a modal focusing ring is identified on the surface of disk electrodes. The focusing ring is very sensitive to the sheath thickness and can be used to monitor very small changes in plasma parameters. Three dimensional simulationsmore » are found to be in very good agreement with experiments.« less

Development of high energy micro-tomography system at SPring-8

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uesugi, Kentaro; Hoshino, Masato

2017-09-01

A high energy X-ray micro-tomography system has been developed at BL20B2 in SPring-8. The available range of the energy is between 20keV and 113keV with a Si (511) double crystal monochromator. The system enables us to image large or heavy materials such as fossils and metals. The X-ray image detector consists of visible light conversion system and sCMOS camera. The effective pixel size is variable by changing a tandem lens between 6.5 μm/pixel and 25.5 μm/pixel discretely. The format of the camera is 2048 pixels x 2048 pixels. As a demonstration of the system, alkaline battery and a nodule from Bolivia were imaged. A detail of the structure of the battery and a female mold Trilobite were successfully imaged without breaking those fossils.

Magnified hard x-ray microtomography: toward tomography with submicron resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schroer, Christian G.; Benner, Boris; Guenzler, Til F.; Kuhlmann, Marion; Lengeler, Bruno; Rau, Christoph; Weitkamp, Timm; Snigirev, Anatoly A.; Snigireva, Irina

2002-01-01

Parabolic compound refractive lenses (PCRLs) are high quality imaging optics for hard x-rays that can be used as an objective lens in a new type of hard x-ray full field microscope. Using an aluminium PCRL, this new type of microscope has been shown to have a resolution of 350 nm. Further improvement of the resolution down to 50 nm can be expected using beryllium as a lens material. The large depth of field (several mm) of the microscope results in sharp projection images for samples that fit into the field of view of about 300 micrometers. This allows to combine magnified imaging with tomographic techniques. First results of magnified microtomography are shown. Contrast formation in the microscope and the consequences for tomographic reconstruction are discussed. An outlook on further developments is given.

High efficiency microcolumnar Lu2O3:Eu scintillator thin film for hard X-ray microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marton, Z.; Bhandari, H. B.; Brecher, C.; Miller, S. R.; Singh, B.; Nagarkar, V. V.

2013-03-01

We have developed microstructured Lu2O3:Eu scintillator films capable of providing spatial resolution on the order of micrometers for hard X-ray imaging. In addition to their extraordinary resolution, Lu2O3:Eu films simultaneously provide high absorption efficiency for 20 to 100 keV X-rays, and bright 610 nm emission, with intensity rivalling that of the brightest known scintillators. At present, high spatial resolution of such a magnitude is achieved using ultra-thin scintillators measuring only about 1 to 5 μm in thickness, which limits absorption efficiency to ~3% for 12 keV X-rays and less than 0.1% for 20 to 100 keV X-rays, resulting in excessive measurement time and exposure to the specimen. Lu2O3:Eu would significantly improve that (99.9% @12 keV and 30% @ 70 keV). Important properties and features of our Lu2O3:Eu scintillator material, fabricated by our electron-beam physical vapour deposition (EB-PVD) process, combines superior density of 9.5 g/cm3, microcolumnar structure emitting 48000 photons/MeV whose wavelength is an ideal match for the underlying CCD detector array. We grew thin films measuring 5-50μm in thickness as well as covering areas up to 5 × 5 cm2 which can be a suitable basis for microtomography, digital radiography as well as CT and hard X-ray Micro-Tomography (XMT).

Live small-animal X-ray lung velocimetry and lung micro-tomography at the Australian Synchrotron Imaging and Medical Beamline.

PubMed

Murrie, Rhiannon P; Morgan, Kaye S; Maksimenko, Anton; Fouras, Andreas; Paganin, David M; Hall, Chris; Siu, Karen K W; Parsons, David W; Donnelley, Martin

2015-07-01

The high flux and coherence produced at long synchrotron beamlines makes them well suited to performing phase-contrast X-ray imaging of the airways and lungs of live small animals. Here, findings of the first live-animal imaging on the Imaging and Medical Beamline (IMBL) at the Australian Synchrotron are reported, demonstrating the feasibility of performing dynamic lung motion measurement and high-resolution micro-tomography. Live anaesthetized mice were imaged using 30 keV monochromatic X-rays at a range of sample-to-detector propagation distances. A frame rate of 100 frames s(-1) allowed lung motion to be determined using X-ray velocimetry. A separate group of humanely killed mice and rats were imaged by computed tomography at high resolution. Images were reconstructed and rendered to demonstrate the capacity for detailed, user-directed display of relevant respiratory anatomy. The ability to perform X-ray velocimetry on live mice at the IMBL was successfully demonstrated. High-quality renderings of the head and lungs visualized both large structures and fine details of the nasal and respiratory anatomy. The effect of sample-to-detector propagation distance on contrast and resolution was also investigated, demonstrating that soft tissue contrast increases, and resolution decreases, with increasing propagation distance. This new capability to perform live-animal imaging and high-resolution micro-tomography at the IMBL enhances the capability for investigation of respiratory diseases and the acceleration of treatment development in Australia.

Synergetic effects of K + and Mg 2+ ion intercalation on the electrochemical and actuation properties of the two-dimensional Ti 3 C 2 MXene

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gao, Qiang; Come, Jeremy; Naguib, Michael

2017-01-01

Two-dimensional materials, such as MXenes, are attractive candidates for energy storage and electrochemical actuators due to their high volume changes upon ion intercalation. Of special interest for boosting energy storage is the intercalation of multivalent ions such as Mg 2+, which suffers from sluggish intercalation and transport kinetics due to its ion size. By combining traditional electrochemical characterization techniques with electrochemical dilatometry and contact resonance atomic force microscopy, the synergetic effects of the pre-intercalation of K +ions are demonstrated to improve the charge storage of multivalent ions, as well as tune the mechanical and actuation properties of the Ti 3Cmore » 2MXene. Our results have important implications for quantitatively understanding the charge storage processes in intercalation compounds and provide a new path for studying the mechanical evolution of energy storage materials.« less

2D FT-ICR MS of Calmodulin: A Top-Down and Bottom-Up Approach.

PubMed

Floris, Federico; van Agthoven, Maria; Chiron, Lionel; Soulby, Andrew J; Wootton, Christopher A; Lam, Yuko P Y; Barrow, Mark P; Delsuc, Marc-André; O'Connor, Peter B

2016-09-01

Two-dimensional Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (2D FT-ICR MS) allows data-independent fragmentation of all ions in a sample and correlation of fragment ions to their precursors through the modulation of precursor ion cyclotron radii prior to fragmentation. Previous results show that implementation of 2D FT-ICR MS with infrared multi-photon dissociation (IRMPD) and electron capture dissociation (ECD) has turned this method into a useful analytical tool. In this work, IRMPD tandem mass spectrometry of calmodulin (CaM) has been performed both in one-dimensional and two-dimensional FT-ICR MS using a top-down and bottom-up approach. 2D IRMPD FT-ICR MS is used to achieve extensive inter-residue bond cleavage and assignment for CaM, using its unique features for fragment identification in a less time- and sample-consuming experiment than doing the same thing using sequential MS/MS experiments. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Influence of the interplanetary magnetic field orientation on polar cap ion trajectories - Energy gain and drift effects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delcourt, D. C.; Horwitz, J. L.; Swinney, K. R.

1988-01-01

The influence of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) orientation on the transport of low-energy ions injected from the ionosphere is investigated using three-dimensional particle codes. It is shown that, unlike the auroral zone outflow, the ions originating from the polar cap region exhibit drastically different drift paths during southward and northward IMF. During southward IMF orientation, a 'two-cell' convection pattern prevails in the ionosphere, and three-dimensional simulations of ion trajectories indicate a preferential trapping of the light ions H(+) in the central plasma sheet, due to the wide azimuthal dispersion of the heavy ions, O(+). In contrast, for northward IMF orientation, the 'four-cell' potential distribution predicted in the ionosphere imposes a temporary ion drift toward higher L shells in the central polar cap. In this case, while the light ions can escape into the magnetotail, the heavy ions can remain trapped, featuring more intense acceleration (from a few electron volts up to the keV range) followed by precipitation at high invariant latitudes, as a consequence of their further travel into the tail.

Heating heavy ions in the polar corona by collisionless shocks: A one-dimensional simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nisticò, Giuseppe; Zimbardo, Gaetano

2012-01-01

Recently a new model for explaining the observations of preferential heating of heavy ions in the polar solar corona was proposed (Zimbardo, 2010, 2011). In that model the ion energization mechanism is the ion reflection off supercritical quasi-perpendicular collisionless shocks in the corona and the subsequent acceleration by the motional electric field E = -V × B/c. The mechanism of heavy ion reflection is based on ion gyration in the magnetic overshoot of the shock. The acceleration due to the motional electric field is perpendicular to the magnetic field, giving rise to large temperature anisotropy with T⊥ ≫ T∥, in agreement with SoHO observations. Such a model is tested here by means of a one dimensional test particle simulation where ions are launched toward electric and magnetic profiles representing the shock transition. We study the dynamics of O5+, as representative of coronal heavy ions for Alfvénic Mach numbers of 2-4, as appropriate to solar corona. It is found that O5+ ions are easily reflected and gain more than mass proportional energy with respect to protons.

Edge-to-center plasma density ratios in two-dimensional plasma discharges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucken, R.; Croes, V.; Lafleur, T.; Raimbault, J.-L.; Bourdon, A.; Chabert, P.

2018-03-01

Edge-to-center plasma density ratios—so-called h factors—are important parameters for global models of plasma discharges as they are used to calculate the plasma losses at the reactor walls. There are well-established theories for h factors in the one-dimensional (1D) case. The purpose of this paper is to establish h factors in two-dimensional (2D) systems, with guidance from a 2D particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation. We derive analytical solutions of a 2D fluid theory that includes the effect of ion inertia, but assumes a constant (independent of space) ion collision frequency (using an average ion velocity) across the discharge. Predicted h factors from this 2D fluid theory have the same order of magnitude and the same trends as the PIC simulations when the average ion velocity used in the collision frequency is set equal to the ion thermal velocity. The best agreement is obtained when the average ion velocity varies with pressure (but remains independent of space), going from half the Bohm velocity at low pressure, to the thermal velocity at high pressure. The analysis also shows that a simple correction of the widely-used 1D heuristic formula may be proposed to accurately incorporate 2D effects.

Two-dimensional particle-in-cell plasma source ion implantation of a prolate spheroid target

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Cheng-Sen; Han, Hong-Ying; Peng, Xiao-Qing; Chang, Ye; Wang, De-Zhen

2010-03-01

A two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation is used to study the time-dependent evolution of the sheath surrounding a prolate spheroid target during a high voltage pulse in plasma source ion implantation. Our study shows that the potential contour lines pack more closely in the plasma sheath near the vertex of the major axis, i.e. where a thinner sheath is formed, and a non-uniform total ion dose distribution is incident along the surface of the prolate spheroid target due to the focusing of ions by the potential structure. Ion focusing takes place not only at the vertex of the major axis, where dense potential contour lines exist, but also at the vertex of the minor axis, where sparse contour lines exist. This results in two peaks of the received ion dose, locating at the vertices of the major and minor axes of the prolate spheroid target, and an ion dose valley, staying always between the vertices, rather than at the vertex of the minor axis.

3D investigation of inclusions in diamonds using X-ray micro-tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parisatto, M.; Nestola, F.; Artioli, G.; Nimis, P.; Harris, J. W.; Kopylova, M.; Pearson, G. D.

2012-04-01

The study of mineral inclusions in diamonds is providing invaluable insights into the geochemistry, geodynamics and geophysics of the Earth's mantle. Over the last two decades, the identification of different inclusion assemblages allowed to recognize diamonds deriving from the deep upper mantle, the transition zone and even the lower mantle. In such research field the in-situ investigation of inclusions using non-destructive techniques is often essential but still remains a challenging task. In particular, conventional 2D imaging techniques (e.g. SEM) are limited to the investigation of surfaces and the lack of access to the third dimension represents a major limitation when trying to extract quantitative information. Another critical aspect is related to sample preparation (cutting, polishing) which is typically very invasive. Nowadays, X-ray computed micro-tomography (X-μCT) allows to overcome such limitations, enabling the internal microstructure of totally undisturbed samples to be visualized in a three-dimensional (3D) manner at the sub-micrometric scale. The final output of a micro-tomography experiment is a greyvalue 3D map of the variations of the X-ray attenuation coefficient (µ) within the studied object. The high X-ray absorption contrast between diamond (almost transparent to X-rays) and the typical inclusion-forming minerals (olivines, garnets, pyroxenes, oxides and sulphides) makes X-μCT a straightforward method for the 3D visualization of inclusions and for the study of their spatial relationships with the diamond host. In this work we applied microfocus X-μCT to investigate silicate inclusions still trapped in diamonds, in order to obtain in-situ information on their exact position, crystal size, shape and X-ray absorption coefficient (which is related to their composition). We selected diamond samples from different deposits containing mainly olivine and garnet inclusions. The investigated samples derived from the Udachnaya pipe (Siberia, Russia), the Jericho Kimberlite (Slave Craton, Canada) and São Luiz-Juina (Brazil). The information obtained by tomographic experiments were combined with X-ray single-crystal diffraction data (see Nestola et al 2011) in order to identify the inclusion parageneses (peridotitic, eclogitic or websteritic) and to finally determine the origin of the studied diamonds. Our results showed that, by combining X-μCT with X-ray diffraction data, it is possible to exactly determine the 3D position of each inclusion together with their crystal size, even though they cannot be detected by using an optical microscope. In addition, such method could have strong crystallographic implications for inclusions still trapped in diamonds as it enables the application of a reliable numerical absorption correction to the 3D intensity data collections. REF. Nestola, F., Nimis, P., Ziberna, L., Longo, M., Marzoli, A., Harris, J.W., Manghnani, M.H., Fedortchouk, Y. (2011): First crystal-structure determination of olivine in diamond: composition and implications for provenance in the Earth's mantle. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 305, 249-255.

Ion current in a magnetic neutral region - Generation of an incipient magnetopause

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whipple, E. C.; Silevitch, M. B.

1982-01-01

The current contributed by ions trapped in the vicinity of a magnetic X line is calculated. The three dimensional configuration of the neutral region is found to be critical in determining the current in that the escape mechanism and trapping times depend on the three-dimensional aspects. A trapping criterion is defined. In the neutral region the ions can gain substantial kinetic energy, and the current will change the X line configuration in such a way that there will be a positive feedback effect, rapidly forming an extended magnetopauselike structure for even very small incident plasma densities.

Numerically simulated two-dimensional auroral double layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borovsky, J. E.; Joyce, G.

1983-01-01

A magnetized 2 1/2-dimensional particle-in-cell system which is periodic in one direction and bounded by reservoirs of Maxwellian plasma in the other is used to numerically simulate electrostatic plasma double layers. For the cases of both oblique and two-dimensional double layers, the present results indicate periodic instability, Debye length rather than gyroradii scaling, and low frequency electrostatic turbulence together with electron beam-excited electrostatatic electron-cyclotron waves. Estimates are given for the thickness of auroral doule layers, as well as the separations within multiple auroral arcs. Attention is given to the temporal modulation of accelerated beams, and the possibilities for ion precipitation and ion conic production by the double layer are hypothesized. Simulations which include the atmospheric backscattering of electrons imply the action of an ionospheric sheath which accelerates ionospheric ions upward.

Three-dimensional characterization of microporosity and permeability in fault zones hosted in heterolithic succession

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riegel, H. B.; Zambrano, M.; Jablonska, D.; Emanuele, T.; Agosta, F.; Mattioni, L.; Rustichelli, A.

2017-12-01

The hydraulic properties of fault zones depend upon the individual contributions of the damage zone and the fault core. In the case of the damage zone, it is generally characterized by means of fracture analysis and modelling implementing multiple approaches, for instance the discrete fracture network model, the continuum model, and the channel network model. Conversely, the fault core is more difficult to characterize because it is normally composed of fine grain material generated by friction and wear. If the dimensions of the fault core allows it, the porosity and permeability are normally studied by means of laboratory analysis or in the other case by two dimensional microporosity analysis and in situ measurements of permeability (e.g. micro-permeameter). In this study, a combined approach consisting of fracture modeling, three-dimensional microporosity analysis, and computational fluid dynamics was applied to characterize the hydraulic properties of fault zones. The studied fault zones crosscut a well-cemented heterolithic succession (sandstone and mudstones) and may vary in terms of fault core thickness and composition, fracture properties, kinematics (normal or strike-slip), and displacement. These characteristics produce various splay and fault core behavior. The alternation of sandstone and mudstone layers is responsible for the concurrent occurrence of brittle (fractures) and ductile (clay smearing) deformation. When these alternating layers are faulted, they produce corresponding fault cores which act as conduits or barriers for fluid migration. When analyzing damage zones, accurate field and data acquisition and stochastic modeling was used to determine the hydraulic properties of the rock volume, in relation to the surrounding, undamaged host rock. In the fault cores, the three-dimensional pore network quantitative analysis based on X-ray microtomography images includes porosity, pore connectivity, and specific surface area. In addition, images were used to perform computational fluid simulation (Lattice-Boltzmann multi relaxation time method) and estimate the permeability. These results will be useful for understanding the deformation process and hydraulic properties across meter-scale damage zones.

Spatial Studies of Ion Beams in an Expanding Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aguirre, Evan; Good, Timothy; Scime, Earl; Thompson, Derek

2017-10-01

We report spatially resolved perpendicular and parallel ion velocity distribution function (IVDF) measurements in an expanding argon helicon plasma. The parallel IVDFs, obtained through laser induced fluorescence (LIF), show an ion beam with v 8 km/s flowing downstream that is confined to the center of the discharge. The ion beam is confined to within a few centimeters radially and is measurable for tens of centimeters axially before the LIF signal fades, likely a result of metastable quenching of the beam ions. The axial ion beam velocity slows in agreement with collisional processes. The perpendicular IVDFs show an ion population with a radially outward flow that increases with radial location. The DC electric field, electron temperature, and the plasma density in the double layer plume are all consistent with magnetic field aligned structures. The upstream and downstream electric field measurements show clear evidence of an ion hole that maps along the magnetic field at the edge of the plasma. Current theories and simulations of double layers, which are one-dimensional, completely miss these critically important two-dimensional features.

Kadomtsev−Petviashvili equation for a flow of highly nonisothermal collisionless plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Movsesyants, Yu. B., E-mail: yumovsesyants@gmail.com; Rukhadze, A. A., E-mail: rukh@fpl.gpi.ru; Tyuryukanov, P. M.

2016-01-15

It is shown that the equations of two-fluid electrodynamics for a cold ions flow and Boltzmann electrons in the vicinity of the ion-sound point can be reduced to the Kadomtsev−Petviashvili equation. Examples of two-dimensional equilibria with pole singularities obtained by exactly solving the equations are presented. An exact self-similar solution describing a two-dimensional transonic flow and having no pole singularities is found.

Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation for a flow of highly nonisothermal collisionless plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Movsesyants, Yu. B.; Rukhadze, A. A.; Tyuryukanov, P. M.

2016-01-01

It is shown that the equations of two-fluid electrodynamics for a cold ions flow and Boltzmann electrons in the vicinity of the ion-sound point can be reduced to the Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation. Examples of two-dimensional equilibria with pole singularities obtained by exactly solving the equations are presented. An exact self-similar solution describing a two-dimensional transonic flow and having no pole singularities is found.

Integrated dual-tomography for refractive index analysis of free-floating single living cell with isotropic superresolution.

PubMed

B, Vinoth; Lai, Xin-Ji; Lin, Yu-Chih; Tu, Han-Yen; Cheng, Chau-Jern

2018-04-13

Digital holographic microtomography is a promising technique for three-dimensional (3D) measurement of the refractive index (RI) profiles of biological specimens. Measurement of the RI distribution of a free-floating single living cell with an isotropic superresolution had not previously been accomplished. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study focusing on the development of an integrated dual-tomographic (IDT) imaging system for RI measurement of an unlabelled free-floating single living cell with an isotropic superresolution by combining the spatial frequencies of full-angle specimen rotation with those of beam rotation. A novel 'UFO' (unidentified flying object) like shaped coherent transfer function is obtained. The IDT imaging system does not require any complex image-processing algorithm for 3D reconstruction. The working principle was successfully demonstrated and a 3D RI profile of a single living cell, Candida rugosa, was obtained with an isotropic superresolution. This technology is expected to set a benchmark for free-floating single live sample measurements without labeling or any special sample preparations for the experiments.

Foam structure :from soap froth to solid foams.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kraynik, Andrew Michael

2003-01-01

The properties of solid foams depend on their structure, which usually evolves in the fluid state as gas bubbles expand to form polyhedral cells. The characteristic feature of foam structure-randomly packed cells of different sizes and shapes-is examined in this article by considering soap froth. This material can be modeled as a network of minimal surfaces that divide space into polyhedral cells. The cell-level geometry of random soap froth is calculated with Brakke's Surface Evolver software. The distribution of cell volumes ranges from monodisperse to highly polydisperse. Topological and geometric properties, such as surface area and edge length, of themore » entire foam and individual cells, are discussed. The shape of struts in solid foams is related to Plateau borders in liquid foams and calculated for different volume fractions of material. The models of soap froth are used as templates to produce finite element models of open-cell foams. Three-dimensional images of open-cell foams obtained with x-ray microtomography allow virtual reconstruction of skeletal structures that compare well with the Surface Evolver simulations of soap-froth geometry.« less

3D characterization of trans- and inter-lamellar fatigue crack in (α + β) Ti alloy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Babout, Laurent, E-mail: Laurent.babout@p.lodz.pl; Jopek, Łukasz; Preuss, Michael

2014-12-15

This paper presents a three dimensional image processing strategy that has been developed to quantitatively analyze and correlate the path of a fatigue crack with the lamellar microstructure found in Ti-6246. The analysis is carried out on X-ray microtomography images acquired in situ during uniaxial fatigue testing. The crack, the primary β-grain boundaries and the α lamellae have been segmented separately and merged for the first time to allow a better characterization and understanding of their mutual interaction. This has particularly emphasized the role of translamellar crack growth at a very high propagation angle with regard to the lamellar orientation,more » supporting the central role of colonies favorably oriented for basal 〈a〉 slip to guide the crack in the fully lamellar microstructure of Ti alloy. - Highlights: • 3D tomography images reveal strong short fatigue crack interaction with α lamellae. • Proposed 3D image processing methodology makes their segmentation possible. • Crack-lamellae orientation maps show prevalence of translamellar cracking. • Angle study comforts the influence of basal/prismatic slip on crack path.« less

Hard X-ray submicrometer tomography of human brain tissue at Diamond Light Source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khimchenko, A.; Bikis, C.; Schulz, G.; Zdora, M.-C.; Zanette, I.; Vila-Comamala, J.; Schweighauser, G.; Hench, J.; Hieber, S. E.; Deyhle, H.; Thalmann, P.; Müller, B.

2017-06-01

There is a lack of the necessary methodology for three-dimensional (3D) investigation of soft tissues with cellular resolution without staining or tissue transformation. Synchrotron radiation based hard X-ray in-line phase contrast tomography using single-distance phase reconstruction (SDPR) provides high spatial resolution and density contrast for the visualization of individual cells using a standard specimen preparation and data reconstruction. In this study, we demonstrate the 3D characterization of a formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) human cerebellum specimen by SDPR at the Diamond-Manchester Imaging Branchline I13-2 (Diamond Light Source, UK) at pixel sizes down to 0.45 μm. The approach enables visualization of cerebellar layers (Stratum moleculare and Stratum granulosum), the 3D characterization of individual cells (Purkinje, stellate and granule cells) and can even resolve some subcellular structures (nucleus and nucleolus of Purkinje cells). The tomographic results are qualitatively compared to hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained histological sections. We demonstrate the potential benefits of hard X-ray microtomography for the investigations of biological tissues in comparison to conventional histology.

A GPU-Based Architecture for Real-Time Data Assessment at Synchrotron Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chilingaryan, Suren; Mirone, Alessandro; Hammersley, Andrew; Ferrero, Claudio; Helfen, Lukas; Kopmann, Andreas; Rolo, Tomy dos Santos; Vagovic, Patrik

2011-08-01

Advances in digital detector technology leads presently to rapidly increasing data rates in imaging experiments. Using fast two-dimensional detectors in computed tomography, the data acquisition can be much faster than the reconstruction if no adequate measures are taken, especially when a high photon flux at synchrotron sources is used. We have optimized the reconstruction software employed at the micro-tomography beamlines of our synchrotron facilities to use the computational power of modern graphic cards. The main paradigm of our approach is the full utilization of all system resources. We use a pipelined architecture, where the GPUs are used as compute coprocessors to reconstruct slices, while the CPUs are preparing the next ones. Special attention is devoted to minimize data transfers between the host and GPU memory and to execute memory transfers in parallel with the computations. We were able to reduce the reconstruction time by a factor 30 and process a typical data set of 20 GB in 40 seconds. The time needed for the first evaluation of the reconstructed sample is reduced significantly and quasi real-time visualization is now possible.

Three-dimensional characterisation and simulation of deformation and damage during Taylor impact in PTFE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Resnyansky, A.; McDonald, S.; Withers, P.; Bourne, N.; Millett, J.; Brown, E.; Rae, P.

2013-06-01

Aerospace, defence and automotive applications of polymers and polymer matrix composites have placed these materials under increasingly more extreme conditions. It is therefore important to understand the mechanical response of these multi-phase materials under high pressures and strain rates. Crucial to this is knowledge of the physical damage response in association with the phase transformations during the loading and the ability to predict this via multi-phase simulation taking the thermodynamical non-equilibrium and strain rate sensitivity into account. The current work presents Taylor impact experiments interrogating the effect of dynamic, high-pressure loading on polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). In particular, X-ray microtomography has been used to characterise the damage imparted to cylindrical samples due to impact at different velocities. Distinct regions of deformation are present and controlled by fracture within the polymer, with the extent of the deformed region and increasing propagation of the fractures from the impact face showing a clear trend with increase in impact velocity. The experimental observations are discussed with respect to parallel multi-phase model predictions by CTH hydrocode of the shock response from Taylor impact simulations.

Three-dimensional characterisation and simulation of deformation and damage during Taylor impact in PTFE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Resnyansky, A. D.; McDonald, S. A.; Withers, P. J.; Bourne, N. K.; Millett, J. C. F.; Brown, E. N.; Rae, P. J.

2014-05-01

The current work presents Taylor impact experiments interrogating the effect of dynamic, high-pressure loading on polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). In particular, X-ray microtomography has been used to characterise the damage imparted to cylindrical samples due to impact at different velocities. Distinct regions of deformation are present and controlled by fracture within the polymer, with the extent of the deformed region and increasing propagation of fractures from the impact face showing a clear trend with increasing impact velocity. A two-phase rate sensitive strength model is implemented in the CTH hydrocode and used for simulation of the problem. The high-pressure phase transition of PTFE into Phase III within the crystalline domains from the polymer at normal conditions is managed by suitable phase transition kinetics within the model. The experimental observations are discussed with respect to the multi-phase model hydrocode predictions of the shock response from Taylor impact simulations. The damage and its progress are shown to correlate well with the onset of the phase transition and its evolution following the impact velocity increase.

About microcracking due to leaching in cementitious composites: X-ray microtomography description and numerical approach

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rougelot, Thomas; Burlion, Nicolas, E-mail: nicolas.burlion@polytech-lille.f; Bernard, Dominique

2010-02-15

Chemical shock of cement based materials leads to significant degradation of their physical properties. A typical scenario is a calcium leaching due to water (water with very low pH compared with that of pore fluid). The main objective of this paper is to evaluate the evolution of microstructure induced by leaching of a cementitious composite using synchrotron X-ray micro tomography, mainly from an experimental point of view. In this particular case, it was possible to identify cracking induced by leaching. After a description of the degradation mechanism and the X-ray synchrotron microtomographic analysis, numerical simulations are performed in order tomore » show that cracking is induced by an initial pre-stressing of the composite, coupled with decalcification shrinkage and dramatic decrease in tensile strength during leaching. X-ray microtomography analysis allowed to make evidence of an induced microcracking in cementitious material submitted to leaching.« less

Removal of ring artifacts in microtomography by characterization of scintillator variations.

PubMed

Vågberg, William; Larsson, Jakob C; Hertz, Hans M

2017-09-18

Ring artifacts reduce image quality in tomography, and arise from faulty detector calibration. In microtomography, we have identified that ring artifacts can arise due to high-spatial frequency variations in the scintillator thickness. Such variations are normally removed by a flat-field correction. However, as the spectrum changes, e.g. due to beam hardening, the detector response varies non-uniformly introducing ring artifacts that persist after flat-field correction. In this paper, we present a method to correct for ring artifacts from variations in scintillator thickness by using a simple method to characterize the local scintillator response. The method addresses the actual physical cause of the ring artifacts, in contrary to many other ring artifact removal methods which rely only on image post-processing. By applying the technique to an experimental phantom tomography, we show that ring artifacts are strongly reduced compared to only making a flat-field correction.

Visualizing and measuring flow in shale matrix using in situ synchrotron X-ray microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohli, A. H.; Kiss, A. M.; Kovscek, A. R.; Bargar, J.

2017-12-01

Natural gas production via hydraulic fracturing of shale has proliferated on a global scale, yet recovery factors remain low because production strategies are not based on the physics of flow in shale reservoirs. In particular, the physical mechanisms and time scales of depletion from the matrix into the simulated fracture network are not well understood, limiting the potential to optimize operations and reduce environmental impacts. Studying matrix flow is challenging because shale is heterogeneous and has porosity from the μm- to nm-scale. Characterizing nm-scale flow paths requires electron microscopy but the limited field of view does not capture the connectivity and heterogeneity observed at the mm-scale. Therefore, pore-scale models must link to larger volumes to simulate flow on the reservoir-scale. Upscaled models must honor the physics of flow, but at present there is a gap between cm-scale experiments and μm-scale simulations based on ex situ image data. To address this gap, we developed a synchrotron X-ray microscope with an in situ cell to simultaneously visualize and measure flow. We perform coupled flow and microtomography experiments on mm-scale samples from the Barnett, Eagle Ford and Marcellus reservoirs. We measure permeability at various pressures via the pulse-decay method to quantify effective stress dependence and the relative contributions of advective and diffusive mechanisms. Images at each pressure step document how microfractures, interparticle pores, and organic matter change with effective stress. Linking changes in the pore network to flow measurements motivates a physical model for depletion. To directly visualize flow, we measure imbibition rates using inert, high atomic number gases and image periodically with monochromatic beam. By imaging above/below X-ray adsorption edges, we magnify the signal of gas saturation in μm-scale porosity and nm-scale, sub-voxel features. Comparing vacuumed and saturated states yields image-based measurements of the distribution and time scales of imbibition. We also characterize nm-scale structure via focused ion beam tomography to quantify sub-voxel porosity and connectivity. The multi-scale image and flow data is used to develop a framework to upscale and benchmark pore-scale models.

Effects of Ion-ion Collisions and Inhomogeneity in Two-dimensional Simulations of Stimulated Brillouin Backscattering*

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohen, B. I.

2005-10-01

Two-dimensional simulations of stimulated Brillouin backscattering (SBBS) with the BZOHAR^1 code have been extended to include ion-ion collisions and spatial nonuniformity in the mean ion flow. BZOHAR hybrid simulations (particle-in-cell kinetic ions and Boltzmann fluid electrons) have shown^2 that SBBS saturation is dominated by ion trapping effects and secondary instability of the primary ion wave (decay into subharmonic ion waves and ion quasi-modes). Here we address the effects of ion collisions^3 on SBBS saturation and employ the efficient Langevin ion collision algorithm of Ref. 4 and the Fokker-Planck collision operator of Ref. 5. We also report simulations of SBBS with a linear gradient in the mean ion drift, which in conjunction with the nonlinear frequency shift due to ion trapping can introduce auto-resonance effects that may enhance reflectivities.^6 For SBBS in a high-gain limit with ion collisions or inhomogeneity, we find that ion trapping and secondary ion wave instabilities are robust saturation mechanisms. *Work performed for US DOE by UC LLNL under Contr. W-7405-ENG-48. ^1B.I. Cohen, et al., Phys. Plasmas 4, 956 (1997). ^2B.I. Cohen, et al., Phys. Plasmas, 12, 052703 (2005),. ^ 3P.W. Rambo, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 79, 83 (1997). ^ 4M.E. Jones, et al., J. Comp. Phys. 123, 169, (1996). ^ 5W. M. Manheimer, et al., J. Comp. Phys. 138, 563 (1997). ^ 6E.A. Williams, et al., Phys. Plasmas 11, 231 (2004).

Synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy enables multiscale spatial visualization of ions involved in fungal lignocellulose deconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirker, Grant; Zelinka, Sam; Gleber, Sophie-Charlotte; Vine, David; Finney, Lydia; Chen, Si; Hong, Young Pyo; Uyarte, Omar; Vogt, Stefan; Jellison, Jody; Goodell, Barry; Jakes, Joseph E.

2017-01-01

The role of ions in the fungal decay process of lignocellulose biomaterials, and more broadly fungal metabolism, has implications for diverse research disciplines ranging from plant pathology and forest ecology, to carbon sequestration. Despite the importance of ions in fungal decay mechanisms, the spatial distribution and quantification of ions in lignocellulosic cell walls and fungal hyphae during decay is not known. Here we employ synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) to map and quantify physiologically relevant ions, such as K, Ca, Mn, Fe, and Zn, in wood being decayed by the model brown rot fungus Serpula lacrymans. Two-dimensional XFM maps were obtained to study the ion spatial distributions from mm to submicron length scales in wood, fungal hyphae with the dried extracellular matrix (ECM) from the fungus, and Ca oxalate crystals. Three-dimensional ion volume reconstructions were also acquired of wood cell walls and hyphae with ECM. Results show that the fungus actively transports some ions, such as Fe, into the wood and controls the distribution of ions at both the bulk wood and cell wall length scales. These measurements provide new insights into the movement of ions during decay and illustrate how synchrotron-based XFM is uniquely suited study these ions.

Identification and characterisation of individual Fractures in 3D fracture-network of shale reservoir rocks from microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qi, C.; Liu, J.

2017-12-01

Fractures are essential for unconventional hydrocarbon production. However, the observation of fractures in three-dimensional (3D) space is very difficult except using microtomography to obtain 3D fracture structures at micro-scales. Twelve shale samples taken from a specimen are analyzed in this study: six of them were isobarically and five were isothermally processed in experiments of simulating hydrocarbon generation and expulsion and one is unprocessed. The resolutions of microtomographic images are in the range from 5.83 to 9.12 μm. Fractures developed in different complexities: some samples have mostly parallel fractures, some have major parallel fractures plus irregular fractures forming crack-network and some samples have fully intersected fractures of various directions. To identify individual fractures in 3D network is crucial for the characterization of fractures and it needs to separate each fractures or disconnect intersections of fractures. For those samples with fewer intersections, it is not difficult to disconnect intersections manually slice by slice using Avizo®. For those samples with complex intersections, it is impractical to process manually. A patented method and corresponding programs are used to separate, identify and characterize individual fractures. By procedures of filtering, smoothing, thinning, separating and combining, intersected cracks are separated, the segments of a broken elongated cracks are identified as one crack, and the thinned thickness is restored, finally the shape, orientation and dimensions of individual fractures are characterized. Our results show that: 1) relatively large fractures are very thin, showing typical fracture morphology, while small fractures may have various shapes; 2) isothermal processed samples have stronger anisotropy, which implies that the fractures in isothermal series are thinner or flatter than in isobaric series; 3) the fractal dimension exists in the samples and there is good correlation between the fractal dimension and temperature/pressure. This study is a first trial of the characterization of individual cracks in 3D network. It lays a foundation for future research on the prediction of large-scale fractures in tight reservoirs.

Pore-scale dynamics of salt transport in drying porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shokri, N.

2013-12-01

Understanding the physics of water evaporation from saline porous media is important in many hydrological processes such as land-atmosphere interactions, water management, vegetation, soil salinity, and mineral-fluid interactions. We applied synchrotron x-ray micro-tomography to investigate the pore-scale dynamics of dissolved salt distribution in a three dimensional drying saline porous media using a cylindrical plastic column (15 mm in height and 8 mm in diameter) packed with sand particles saturated with CaI2 solution (5% concentration by mass) with a spatial and temporal resolution of 12 microns and 30 min, respectively. Every time the drying sand column was set to be imaged, two different images were recorded using distinct synchrotron X-rays energies immediately above (33.2690 keV) and below (33.0690 keV) the K-edge value of Iodine (33.1694 keV). Taking the difference between pixel gray values enabled us to delineate the spatial and temporal distribution of CaI2 concentration at pore scale. The experiment was continued for 12 hours. Results indicate that during early stages of evaporation, air preferentially invades large pores at the surface while finer pores remain saturated and connected to the wet zone at bottom via capillary-induced liquid flow. Consequently, the salt concentration increases preferentially in finer pores where evaporation occurs. The Peclet number (describing the competition between convection and diffusion) was greater than one in our experiment resulting in higher salt concentrations closer to the evaporation surface indicating a convection-driven process. The obtained salt profiles were used to evaluate the numerical solution of the convection-diffusion equation (CDE). Results show that the macro-scale CDE could capture the overall trend of the measured salt profiles but fail to produce the exact slope of the profiles. Our results shed new insight on the physics of salt transport and its complex dynamics in drying porous media and establish synchrotron x-ray micro-tomography as an effective tool to investigate the dynamics of dissolved salt transport in porous media with high spatial and temporal resolutions.

Quantitative characterization of 3-dimensional melt distribution in partially molten olivine-basalt aggregates using X-ray synchrotron microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, W.; Gaetani, G. A.; Fusseis, F.

2009-12-01

Quantitative knowledge of the distribution of small amounts of silicate melt in peridotite and of its influence on permeability are critical to our understanding of melt migration and segregation processes in the upper mantle. Estimates for the permeability of partially molten rock require 3D melt distribution at the grain-scale. Existing studies of melt distribution, carried out on 2D slices through experimental charges, have produced divergent models for melt distribution at small melt fractions. While some studies conclude that small amounts of melt are distributed primarily along triple junctions [e.g., Wark et al., 2003], others predict an important role for melt distribution along grain boundaries at low melt fractions [e.g., Faul 1997]. Using X-ray synchrotron microtomography, we have obtained the first high quality non-destructive imaging of 3D melt distribution in olivine-basalt aggregates. Textually equilibrated partially molten samples consisting of magnesian olivine plus 2, 5, 10, or 20% primitive basalt were synthesized at 1.5 GPa and 1350°C in experiments lasting 264-336 hours. Microtomographic images of melt distribution were obtained on cylindrical cores, 1 mm in diameter, at a spatial resolution of 1 micron. Textual information such as melt channel size, dihedral angle and channel connectivity was then quantified using AVIZO and MATLAB. Our results indicate that as melt fraction decreases, melt becomes increasingly distributed along 3 grain junctions, in agreement with theoretical predictions. We do not find significant amounts of melt along grain boundaries at low melt fractions. We found that the true dihedral angle ranges from 50 to 70°, in agreements with results using 2D microcopy. Comparison between the samples provides a quantitative characterization of how melt fraction affects melt distribution including connectivity. The geometrical data have been incorporated into our network model to obtain macroscale transport properties for partially molten dunite. Results from this tomographic study thus provide constraints on rates of melt migration and melt extraction within the partially molten regions beneath ocean ridges. Fig 1. Melt channels in an olivine-basalt sample with 10 vol% melt.

On the possibilities of polychromatic synchrotron radiation microtomography for visualization of internal structures of Rhodnius prolixus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sena, G.; Almeida, A. P.; Braz, D.; Nogueira, L. P.; Soares, J.; Azambuja, P.; Gonzalez, M. S.; Tromba, G.; Barroso, R. C.

2015-10-01

The recent years advancements in microtomography have increased the achievable resolution and contrast, making this relatively inexpensive and a widely available technology, potentially useful for studies of insect's internal morphology. Phase Contrast X-Ray Synchrotron Microtomography (SR-PhC-μCT) is a non-destructive technique that allows the microanatomical investigations of Rhodnius prolixus, one of the most important insect vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas' disease. In Latin America, vector control is the most useful method to prevent Chagas' disease, and a detailed knowledge of R. prolixus' interior structures is crucial for a better understanding of their function and evolution. Traditionally, in both biological morphology and anatomy, the internal structures of whole organisms or parts of them are accessed by dissecting or histological serial sectioning; so studying the internal structures of R. prolixus' head using SR-PhC-μCT is of great importance in researches on vector control. In this work, volume-rendered SR-PhC-μCT images of the heads of selected R. prolixus were obtained using the new set-up available at the SYRMEP beamline of ELETTRA (Trieste, Italy). In this new set-up, the outcoming beam from the ring is restrained before the monochromator and in a devoted end-station, absorption and phase contrast radiography and tomography set-up are available. The images obtained with polychromatic X-ray beam in phase contrast regimen and 2 μm resolution, showed details and organs of R. prolixus never seen before with SR-PhC-μCT.

Three-dimensional, two-species magnetohydrodynamic studies of the early time behaviors of the Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite G2 barium release

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xie, Lianghai, E-mail: xielh@nssc.ac.cn; Li, Lei; Wang, Jingdong

2014-04-15

We present a three-dimensional, two-species (Ba{sup +} and H{sup +}) MHD model to study the early time behaviors of a barium release at about 1 R{sub E} like Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite G2, with emphasis placed on the three-dimensional evolution of the barium cloud and its effects on the ambient plasma environment. We find that the perturbations caused by the cloud are the combined results of the initial injection, the radial expansion, and the diamagnetic effect and propagate as fast MHD waves in the magnetosphere. In return, the transverse expansion and the cross-B motion of barium ions aremore » constrained by the magnetic force, which lead to a field-aligned striation of ions and the decoupling of these ions from the neutrals. Our simulation shows the formation and collapse of the diamagnetic cavity in the barium cloud. The estimated time scale for the cavity evolution might be much shorter if photoionization time scale and field aligned expansion of barium ions are considered. In addition, our two species MHD simulation also finds the snowplow effect resulting from the momentum coupling between barium ions and background H{sup +}, which creates density hole and bumps in the background H{sup +} when barium ions expanding along the magnetic field lines.« less

High mass resolution isochronous time-of-flight spectrograph for three-dimensional space plasma measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moebius, E.; Bochsler, P.; Ghielmetti, A. G.; Hamilton, D. C.

1990-01-01

By combining a toroidal electrostatic analyzer with a novel cylindrically symmetric isochronous time-of-flight mass spectrometer, an instrument was developed that simultaneously determines the three-dimensional distribution function of ions and differentiates species. The ion mass is determined to high resolution (M/Delta-M greater than 50) from the time of flight within a harmonic field configuration defined by hyperboloid equipotential surfaces. A second conventional time-of-flight channel makes use of particles leaving the thin entrance foil as neutrals. An additional solid state detector in which the neutrals are stopped allows the total energy and thereby the ionic charge of the incident ions to be determined as well. Information from the neutral and the ion channels can be combined to determine the total mass of an incident molecular ion and the mass of one atomic fragment.

Na Diffusion in Quasi One-Dimensional Ion Conductor NaMn2O4 Observed by μ+SR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umegaki, Izumi; Nozaki, Hiroshi; Harada, Masashi; Månsson, Martin; Sakurai, Hiroya; Kawasaki, Ikuto; Watanabe, Isao; Sugiyama, Jun

A quasi one-dimensional (1D) compound, NaMn2O4, in which Mn2O4 zigzag chains form a 1D channel along the b-axis and Na ions locate at the center of the channel, is thought to be a good Na ionic conductor. In order to study Na-ion diffusion, we have measured μ+SR spectra using a powder sample in the temperature range between 100 and 500 K. A diffusive behavior was clearly observed above 325 K. Assuming a thermal activate process for jump diffusion of Na-ion between two nearest neighboring sites, a self diffusion coefficient of Na ion (DNa) and its activation energy (Ea) were estimated as DNa = (3.1 ± 0.2) × 10 - 11 cm2/s at 350 K and Ea = 180(9) meV.

Far-field analysis of coupled bulk and boundary layer diffusion toward an ion channel entrance.

PubMed Central

Schumaker, M F; Kentler, C J

1998-01-01

We present a far-field analysis of ion diffusion toward a channel embedded in a membrane with a fixed charge density. The Smoluchowski equation, which represents the 3D problem, is approximated by a system of coupled three- and two-dimensional diffusions. The 2D diffusion models the quasi-two-dimensional diffusion of ions in a boundary layer in which the electrical potential interaction with the membrane surface charge is important. The 3D diffusion models ion transport in the bulk region outside the boundary layer. Analytical expressions for concentration and flux are developed that are accurate far from the channel entrance. These provide boundary conditions for a numerical solution of the problem. Our results are used to calculate far-field ion flows corresponding to experiments of Bell and Miller (Biophys. J. 45:279, 1984). PMID:9591651

Adsorption and diffusion of mono, di, and trivalent ions on two-dimensional TiS2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samad, Abdus; Shafique, Aamir; Shin, Young-Han

2017-04-01

A comparative study of the monovalent (Li, Na, and K) and multivalent (Be, Mg, Ca, and Al) metal ion adsorption and diffusion on an electronically semi-metallic two-dimensional nanosheet of 1T structured TiS2 is presented here to contribute to the search for abundant, cheap, and nontoxic ingredients for efficient rechargeable metal ion batteries. The total formation energy of the metal ion adsorption and the Bader charge analysis show that the divalent Mg and Ca ions can have a charge storage density double that of the monovalent Li, Na, and K ions, while the Be and Al ions form metallic clusters even at a low adsorption density because of their high bulk energies. The adsorption of Mg ions shows the lowest averaged open circuit voltage (0.13 V). The activation energy barriers for the diffusion of metal ions on the surface of the monolayer successively decrease from Li to K and Be to Ca. Mg and Ca, being divalent, are capable of storing a higher power density than Li while K and Na have a higher rate capability than the Li ions. Therefore, rechargeable Li ion batteries can be totally or partially replaceable by Mg ion batteries, where high power density and high cell voltage are required, while the abundant, cheap, and fast Na ions can be used for green grid applications.

Two-dimensional modulated ion-acoustic excitations in electronegative plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panguetna, Chérif S.; Tabi, Conrad B.; Kofané, Timoléon C.

2017-09-01

Two-dimensional modulated ion-acoustic waves are investigated in an electronegative plasma. Through the reductive perturbation expansion, the governing hydrodynamic equations are reduced to a Davey-Stewartson system with two-space variables. The latter is used to study the modulational instability of ion-acoustic waves along with the effect of plasma parameters, namely, the negative ion concentration ratio (α) and the electron-to-negative ion temperature ratio (σn). A parametric analysis of modulational instability is carried out, where regions of plasma parameters responsible for the emergence of modulated ion-acoustic waves are discussed, with emphasis on the behavior of the instability growth rate. Numerically, using perturbed plane waves as initial conditions, parameters from the instability regions give rise to series of dromion solitons under the activation of modulational instability. The sensitivity of the numerical solutions to plasma parameters is discussed. Some exact solutions in the form one- and two-dromion solutions are derived and their response to the effect of varying α and σn is discussed as well.

Ionospheric hot spot at high latitudes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schunk, R. W.; Sojka, J. J.

1982-01-01

Schunk and Raitt (1980) and Sojka et al. (1981) have developed a model of the convecting high-latitude ionosphere in order to determine the extent to which various chemical and transport processes affect the ion composition and electron density at F-region altitudes. The numerical model produces time-dependent, three-dimensional ion density distributions for the ions NO(+), O2(+), N2(+), O(+), N(+), and He(+). Recently, the high-latitude ionospheric model has been improved by including thermal conduction and diffusion-thermal heat flow terms. Schunk and Sojka (1982) have studied the ion temperature variations in the daytime high-latitude F-region. In the present study, a time-dependent three-dimensional ion temperature distribution is obtained for the high-latitude ionosphere for an asymmetric convection electric field pattern with enhanced flow in the dusk sector of the polar region. It is shown that such a convection pattern produces a hot spot in the ion temperature distribution which coincides with the location of the strong convection cell.

Analytical and numerical studies of positive ion beam expansion for surface treatment applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lounes-Mahloul, Soumya; Bendib, Abderrezeg; Oudini, Noureddine

2018-01-01

The aim of this work is to study the expansion in vacuum, of a positive ion beam with the use of one dimensional (1D) analytic model and a two dimensional Particle-In-Cell (2D-PIC) simulation. The ion beam is extracted and accelerated from preformed plasma by an extraction system composed of two polarized parallel perforated grids. The results obtained with both approaches reveal the presence of a potential barrier downstream the extraction system which tends to reflect the ion flux. The dependence of the critical distance for which all extracted ions are reflected, is investigated as a function of the extracted ion beam current density. In particular, it is shown that the 1D model recovers the well-known Child-Langmuir law and that the 2D simulation presents a significant discrepancy with respect to the 1D prediction. Indeed, for a given value of current density, the transverse effects lead to a greater critical distance.

Three Dimensional Explicit Model for Cometary Tail Ions Interactions with Solar Wind

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al Bermani, M. J. F.; Alhamed, S. A.; Khalaf, S. Z.; Ali, H. Sh.; Selman, A. A.

2009-06-01

The different interactions between cometary tail and solar wind ions are studied in the present paper based on three-dimensional Lax explicit method. The model used in this research is based on the continuity equations describing the cometary tail-solar wind interactions. Three dimensional system was considered in this paper. Simulation of the physical system was achieved using computer code written using Matlab 7.0. The parameters studied here assumed Halley comet type and include the particle density rho, the particles velocity v, the magnetic field strength B, dynamic pressure p and internal energy E. The results of the present research showed that the interaction near the cometary nucleus is mainly affected by the new ions added to the plasma of the solar wind, which increases the average molecular weight and result in many unique characteristics of the cometary tail. These characteristics were explained in the presence of the IMF.

Porous electrode apparatus for electrodeposition of detailed metal structures or microelectronic interconnections

DOEpatents

Griffiths, Stewart K.; Nilson, Robert H.; Hruby, Jill M.

2002-01-01

An apparatus and procedure for performing microfabrication of detailed metal structures by electroforming metal deposits within small cavities. Two primary areas of application are: the LIGA process which manufactures complex three-dimensional metal parts and the damascene process used for electroplating line and via interconnections of microelectronic devices. A porous electrode held in contact or in close proximity with a plating substrate or mold top to ensure one-dimensional and uniform current flow into all mold cavities is used. Electrolyte is pumped over the exposed surface of the porous electrode to ensure uniform ion concentrations at this external surface. The porous electrode prevents electrolyte circulation within individual mold cavities, avoiding preferential enhancement of ion transport in cavities having favorable geometries. Both current flow and ion transport are one-dimensional and identical in all mold cavities, so all metal deposits grow at the same rate eliminating nonuniformities of the prior art.

Freeze-drying synthesis of three-dimensional porous LiFePO4 modified with well-dispersed nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes for high-performance lithium-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tu, Xiaofeng; Zhou, Yingke; Song, Yijie

2017-04-01

The three-dimensional porous LiFePO4 modified with uniformly dispersed nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes has been successfully prepared by a freeze-drying method. The morphology and structure of the porous composites are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the electrochemical performances are evaluated using the constant current charge/discharge tests, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes are uniformly dispersed inside the porous LiFePO4 to construct a superior three-dimensional conductive network, which remarkably increases the electronic conductivity and accelerates the diffusion of lithium ion. The porous composite displays high specific capacity, good rate capability and excellent cycling stability, rendering it a promising positive electrode material for high-performance lithium-ion batteries.

Freestanding three-dimensional core–shell nanoarrays for lithium-ion battery anodes

DOE PAGES

Tan, Guoqiang; Wu, Feng; Yuan, Yifei; ...

2016-06-03

Here, structural degradation and low conductivity of transition-metal oxides lead to severe capacity fading in lithium-ion batteries. Recent efforts to solve this issue have mainly focused on using nanocomposites or hybrids by integrating nanosized metal oxides with conducting additives. Here we design specific hierarchical structures and demonstrate their use in flexible, large-area anode assemblies. Fabrication of these anodes is achieved via oxidative growth of copper oxide nanowires onto copper substrates followed by radio-frequency sputtering of carbon-nitride films, forming freestanding three-dimensional arrays with core–shell nano-architecture. Cable-like copper oxide/carbon-nitride core–shell nanostructures accommodate the volume change during lithiation-delithiation processes, the three-dimensional arrays providemore » abundant electroactive zones and electron/ion transport paths, and the monolithic sandwich-type configuration without additional binders or conductive agents improves energy/power densities of the whole electrode.« less

Freestanding three-dimensional core-shell nanoarrays for lithium-ion battery anodes.

PubMed

Tan, Guoqiang; Wu, Feng; Yuan, Yifei; Chen, Renjie; Zhao, Teng; Yao, Ying; Qian, Ji; Liu, Jianrui; Ye, Yusheng; Shahbazian-Yassar, Reza; Lu, Jun; Amine, Khalil

2016-06-03

Structural degradation and low conductivity of transition-metal oxides lead to severe capacity fading in lithium-ion batteries. Recent efforts to solve this issue have mainly focused on using nanocomposites or hybrids by integrating nanosized metal oxides with conducting additives. Here we design specific hierarchical structures and demonstrate their use in flexible, large-area anode assemblies. Fabrication of these anodes is achieved via oxidative growth of copper oxide nanowires onto copper substrates followed by radio-frequency sputtering of carbon-nitride films, forming freestanding three-dimensional arrays with core-shell nano-architecture. Cable-like copper oxide/carbon-nitride core-shell nanostructures accommodate the volume change during lithiation-delithiation processes, the three-dimensional arrays provide abundant electroactive zones and electron/ion transport paths, and the monolithic sandwich-type configuration without additional binders or conductive agents improves energy/power densities of the whole electrode.

1-Dimensional AgVO3 nanowires hybrid with 2-dimensional graphene nanosheets to create 3-dimensional composite aerogels and their improved electrochemical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Liying; Xu, Yimeng; Lei, Yong; Liu, Haimei

2014-03-01

Three-dimensional (3D) porous composite aerogels have been synthesized via an innovative in situ hydrothermal method assisted by a freeze-drying process. In this hybrid structure, one-dimensional (1D) AgVO3 nanowires are uniformly dispersed on two-dimensional (2D) graphene nanosheet surfaces and/or are penetrated through the graphene sheets, forming 3D porous composite aerogels. As cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries, the composite aerogels exhibit high discharge capacity, excellent rate capability, and good cycling stability.Three-dimensional (3D) porous composite aerogels have been synthesized via an innovative in situ hydrothermal method assisted by a freeze-drying process. In this hybrid structure, one-dimensional (1D) AgVO3 nanowires are uniformly dispersed on two-dimensional (2D) graphene nanosheet surfaces and/or are penetrated through the graphene sheets, forming 3D porous composite aerogels. As cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries, the composite aerogels exhibit high discharge capacity, excellent rate capability, and good cycling stability. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Preparation, characterization, SEM images, XRD patterns, and XPS of AgVO3/GAs. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr06899d

Solitary wave solutions of two-dimensional nonlinear Kadomtsev-Petviashvili dynamic equation in dust-acoustic plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seadawy, Aly R.

2017-09-01

Nonlinear two-dimensional Kadomtsev-Petviashvili (KP) equation governs the behaviour of nonlinear waves in dusty plasmas with variable dust charge and two temperature ions. By using the reductive perturbation method, the two-dimensional dust-acoustic solitary waves (DASWs) in unmagnetized cold plasma consisting of dust fluid, ions and electrons lead to a KP equation. We derived the solitary travelling wave solutions of the two-dimensional nonlinear KP equation by implementing sech-tanh, sinh-cosh, extended direct algebraic and fraction direct algebraic methods. We found the electrostatic field potential and electric field in the form travelling wave solutions for two-dimensional nonlinear KP equation. The solutions for the KP equation obtained by using these methods can be demonstrated precisely and efficiency. As an illustration, we used the readymade package of Mathematica program 10.1 to solve the original problem. These solutions are in good agreement with the analytical one.

X-Ray microtomography analysis of the impact of pCO2 on serpentinization reactions: A reactive percolation experimental approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Escario, Sofia; Godard, Marguerite; Gouze, Philippe; Smal, Pavel; Rodriguez, Olivier; Leprovost, Richard

2017-04-01

Serpentinization is the main hydrothermal process driving the alteration of the mantle lithosphere by seawater at ridges. It consists in the alteration of olivine to serpentine and is associated to processes such as oxidation as well as carbonation when CO2 is present. The sustainability and efficiency of the reaction requires penetration and renewal of fluids at the mineral-fluid interface. Yet the secondary low density minerals can fill the porous network, clogging flow paths efficiently. This study aims at better understanding the coupled hydrodynamic and chemical processes driving the earliest stages of alteration of the ultramafic basement, when seawater-derived hydrothermal fluids penetrate and interact with exposed mantle rocks at slow spreading ridges. We investigate the structural changes of the rock in relation to dissolution-precipitation reactions triggered by the injection CO2-rich seawater using an experimental approach. The experiments simulate open conditions and were performed using the reactive percolation bench ICARE Lab 3 - Géosciences Montpellier. ICARE 3 allows to continuously measuring permeability changes during experiments and sampling the outlet fluids passing through the sample. We analysed the reacted samples before and after the experiments using a combination of geochemical (TGA-MS) and high resolution X-Ray microtomography (ESRF ID19 synchrotron beamline, Grenoble) approaches. A series of experiments was carried out at 190°C and 25 MPa. CO2 enriched natural seawater (XCO2 5.24 mmol/kg) was injected into Titanium capsules (2 mm diameter, 6 mm length) filled by pressed powdered San Carlos olivine (Fo90; grains 150-200 µm). The outlet section of the samples were analysed at 0.65 µm resolution using microtomography before and after the experiments. The reacted powdered sample was analysed by TGA-MS. Comparison of microtomography images of reacted and unreacted samples shows evidences of olivine dissolution and secondary minerals precipitation during the 14 days long experiments. A new method based on image registration enables to identify the dissolution mainly localized at grain borders and the precipitation localizes in fractures and at grain borders. Dissolution appears to be dominant in the outlet section of the sample. The equilibrium of the reaction will be determined by the comparison of thermogravimetry (TGA-MS) analysis of the reacted sample after the experiment and thermodynamic modelling of the experiment in equilibrium.

Simulation of DNAPL migration in heterogeneous translucent porous media based on estimation of representative elementary volume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Ming; Wu, Jianfeng; Wu, Jichun

2017-10-01

When the dense nonaqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) comes into the subsurface environment, its migration behavior is crucially affected by the permeability and entry pressure of subsurface porous media. A prerequisite for accurately simulating DNAPL migration in aquifers is then the determination of the permeability, entry pressure and corresponding representative elementary volumes (REV) of porous media. However, the permeability, entry pressure and corresponding representative elementary volumes (REV) are hard to determine clearly. This study utilizes the light transmission micro-tomography (LTM) method to determine the permeability and entry pressure of two dimensional (2D) translucent porous media and integrates the LTM with a criterion of relative gradient error to quantify the corresponding REV of porous media. As a result, the DNAPL migration in porous media might be accurately simulated by discretizing the model at the REV dimension. To validate the quantification methods, an experiment of perchloroethylene (PCE) migration is conducted in a two-dimensional heterogeneous bench-scale aquifer cell. Based on the quantifications of permeability, entry pressure and REV scales of 2D porous media determined by the LTM and relative gradient error, different models with different sizes of discretization grid are used to simulate the PCE migration. It is shown that the model based on REV size agrees well with the experimental results over the entire migration period including calibration, verification and validation processes. This helps to better understand the microstructures of porous media and achieve accurately simulating DNAPL migration in aquifers based on the REV estimation.

Applying microCT and 3D visualization to Jurassic silicified conifer seed cones: A virtual advantage over thin-sectioning1

PubMed Central

Gee, Carole T.

2013-01-01

• Premise of the study: As an alternative to conventional thin-sectioning, which destroys fossil material, high-resolution X-ray computed tomography (also called microtomography or microCT) integrated with scientific visualization, three-dimensional (3D) image segmentation, size analysis, and computer animation is explored as a nondestructive method of imaging the internal anatomy of 150-million-year-old conifer seed cones from the Late Jurassic Morrison Formation, USA, and of recent and other fossil cones. • Methods: MicroCT was carried out on cones using a General Electric phoenix v|tome|x s 240D, and resulting projections were processed with visualization software to produce image stacks of serial single sections for two-dimensional (2D) visualization, 3D segmented reconstructions with targeted structures in color, and computer animations. • Results: If preserved in differing densities, microCT produced images of internal fossil tissues that showed important characters such as seed phyllotaxy or number of seeds per cone scale. Color segmentation of deeply embedded seeds highlighted the arrangement of seeds in spirals. MicroCT of recent cones was even more effective. • Conclusions: This is the first paper on microCT integrated with 3D segmentation and computer animation applied to silicified seed cones, which resulted in excellent 2D serial sections and segmented 3D reconstructions, revealing features requisite to cone identification and understanding of strobilus construction. PMID:25202495

Synchrotron radiation μCT and histology evaluation of bone-to-implant contact.

PubMed

Neldam, Camilla Albeck; Sporring, Jon; Rack, Alexander; Lauridsen, Torsten; Hauge, Ellen-Margrethe; Jørgensen, Henrik L; Jørgensen, Niklas Rye; Feidenhansl, Robert; Pinholt, Else Marie

2017-09-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate bone-to-implant contact (BIC) in two-dimensional (2D) histology compared to high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) synchrotron radiation micro computed tomography (SR micro-CT). High spatial resolution, excellent signal-to-noise ratio, and contrast establish SR micro-CT as the leading imaging modality for hard X-ray microtomography. Using SR micro-CT at voxel size 5 μm in an experimental goat mandible model, no statistically significant difference was found between the different treatment modalities nor between recipient and reconstructed bone. The histological evaluation showed a statistically significant difference between BIC in reconstructed and recipient bone (p < 0.0001). Further, no statistically significant difference was found between the different treatment modalities which we found was due to large variation and subsequently due to low power. Comparing histology and SR micro-CT evaluation a bias of 5.2% was found in reconstructed area, and 15.3% in recipient bone. We conclude that for evaluation of BIC with histology and SR micro-CT, SR micro-CT cannot be proven more precise than histology for evaluation of BIC, however, with this SR micro-CT method, one histologic bone section is comparable to the 3D evaluation. Further, the two methods complement each other with knowledge on BIC in 2D and 3D. Copyright © 2017 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anatomy of triply-periodic network assemblies: characterizing skeletal and inter-domain surface geometry of block copolymer gyroids.

PubMed

Prasad, Ishan; Jinnai, Hiroshi; Ho, Rong-Ming; Thomas, Edwin L; Grason, Gregory M

2018-05-09

Triply-periodic networks (TPNs), like the well-known gyroid and diamond network phases, abound in soft matter assemblies, from block copolymers (BCPs), lyotropic liquid crystals and surfactants to functional architectures in biology. While TPNs are, in reality, volume-filling patterns of spatially-varying molecular composition, physical and structural models most often reduce their structure to lower-dimensional geometric objects: the 2D interfaces between chemical domains; and the 1D skeletons that thread through inter-connected, tubular domains. These lower-dimensional structures provide a useful basis of comparison to idealized geometries based on triply-periodic minimal, or constant-mean curvature surfaces, and shed important light on the spatially heterogeneous packing of molecular constituents that form the networks. Here, we propose a simple, efficient and flexible method to extract a 1D skeleton from 3D volume composition data of self-assembled networks. We apply this method to both self-consistent field theory predictions as well as experimental electron microtomography reconstructions of the double-gyroid phase of an ABA triblock copolymer. We further demonstrate how the analysis of 1D skeleton, 2D inter-domain surfaces, and combinations therefore, provide physical and structural insight into TPNs, across multiple length scales. Specifically, we propose and compare simple measures of network chirality as well as domain thickness, and analyze their spatial and statistical distributions in both ideal (theoretical) and non-ideal (experimental) double gyroid assemblies.

Quantification of soil structure based on Minkowski functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogel, H.-J.; Weller, U.; Schlüter, S.

2010-10-01

The structure of soils and other geologic media is a complex three-dimensional object. Most of the physical material properties including mechanical and hydraulic characteristics are immediately linked to the structure given by the pore space and its spatial distribution. It is an old dream and still a formidable challenge to relate structural features of porous media to their functional properties. Using tomographic techniques, soil structure can be directly observed at a range of spatial scales. In this paper we present a scale-invariant concept to quantify complex structures based on a limited set of meaningful morphological functions. They are based on d+1 Minkowski functionals as defined for d-dimensional bodies. These basic quantities are determined as a function of pore size or aggregate size obtained by filter procedures using mathematical morphology. The resulting Minkowski functions provide valuable information on the size of pores and aggregates, the pore surface area and the pore topology having the potential to be linked to physical properties. The theoretical background and the related algorithms are presented and the approach is demonstrated for the pore structure of an arable soil and the pore structure of a sand both obtained by X-ray micro-tomography. We also analyze the fundamental problem of limited resolution which is critical for any attempt to quantify structural features at any scale using samples of different size recorded at different resolutions. The results demonstrate that objects smaller than 5 voxels are critical for quantitative analysis.

Particle Heating in Space and Laboratory Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scime, E. E.; Keesee, A. M.; Aquirre, E.; Good, T.

2017-12-01

We report spatially resolved perpendicular and parallel ion velocity distribution function (IVDF) measurements in an expanding argon helicon plasma. The parallel IVDFs, obtained through laser induced fluorescence (LIF), show an ion beam with v ˜ 8 km/s flowing downstream that is confined to the center of the discharge. The ion beam is confined to within a few centimeters radially and is measurable for tens of centimeters axially before the LIF signal fades, likely a result of metastable quenching of the beam ions. The axial ion beam velocity slows in agreement with collisional processes. The perpendicular IVDFs show an ion population with a radially outward flow that increases with radial location. The DC electric field, electron temperature, and the plasma density in the double layer plume are all consistent with magnetic field aligned structures. The upstream and downstream electric field measurements show clear evidence of an ion hole that maps along the magnetic field at the edge of the plasma. Current theories and simulations of double layers, which are one-dimensional, completely miss these critically important two-dimensional features.

Measurement of the transverse four-dimensional beam rms-emittance of an intense uranium beam at 11.4 MeV/u

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, C.; Groening, L.; Gerhard, P.; Maier, M.; Mickat, S.; Vormann, H.

2016-06-01

Knowledge of the transverse four-dimensional beam rms-parameters is essential for applications that involve lattice elements that couple the two transverse degrees of freedom (planes). Usually pepper-pots are used for measuring these beam parameters. However, for ions their application is limited to energies below 150 keV/u. This contribution is on measurements of the full transverse four-dimensional second-moments beam matrix of high intensity uranium ions at an energy of 11.4 MeV/u. The combination of skew quadrupoles with a slit/grid emittance measurement device has been successfully applied.

Hollow SnO2@Co3O4 core-shell spheres encapsulated in three-dimensional graphene foams for high performance supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Bo; Huang, Sheng-Yun; Wang, Tao; Zhang, Kai; Yuen, Matthew M. F.; Xu, Jian-Bin; Fu, Xian-Zhu; Sun, Rong; Wong, Ching-Ping

2015-12-01

Hollow SnO2@Co3O4 spheres are fabricated using 300 nm spherical SiO2 particles as template. Then three-dimensional graphene foams encapsulated hollow SnO2@Co3O4 spheres are successfully obtained through self-assembly in hydrothermal process from graphene oxide nanosheets and metal oxide hollow spheres. The three-dimensional graphene foams encapsulated architectures could greatly improve the capacity, cycling stability and rate capability of hollow SnO2@Co3O4 spheres electrodes due to the highly conductive networks and flexible buffering matrix. The three-dimensional graphene foams encapsulated hollow SnO2@Co3O4 spheres are promising electrode materials for supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries.

Real-time two-dimensional imaging of potassium ion distribution using an ion semiconductor sensor with charged coupled device technology.

PubMed

Hattori, Toshiaki; Masaki, Yoshitomo; Atsumi, Kazuya; Kato, Ryo; Sawada, Kazuaki

2010-01-01

Two-dimensional real-time observation of potassium ion distributions was achieved using an ion imaging device based on charge-coupled device (CCD) and metal-oxide semiconductor technologies, and an ion selective membrane. The CCD potassium ion image sensor was equipped with an array of 32 × 32 pixels (1024 pixels). It could record five frames per second with an area of 4.16 × 4.16 mm(2). Potassium ion images were produced instantly. The leaching of potassium ion from a 3.3 M KCl Ag/AgCl reference electrode was dynamically monitored in aqueous solution. The potassium ion selective membrane on the semiconductor consisted of plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) with bis(benzo-15-crown-5). The addition of a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane to the plasticized PVC membrane greatly improved adhesion of the membrane onto Si(3)N(4) of the semiconductor surface, and the potential response was stabilized. The potential response was linear from 10(-2) to 10(-5) M logarithmic concentration of potassium ion. The selectivity coefficients were K(K(+),Li(+))(pot) = 10(-2.85), K(K(+),Na(+))(pot) = 10(-2.30), K(K(+),Rb(+))(pot) =10(-1.16), and K(K(+),Cs(+))(pot) = 10(-2.05).

Characterization of synthetic dyes by comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography combining ion-exchange chromatography and fast ion-pair reversed-phase chromatography.

PubMed

Pirok, Bob W J; Knip, Jitske; van Bommel, Maarten R; Schoenmakers, Peter J

2016-03-04

In the late 19th century, newly invented synthetic dyes rapidly replaced the natural dyes on the market. The characterization of mixtures of these so-called early synthetic dyes is complicated through the occurrence of many impurities and degradation products. Conventional one-dimensional liquid chromatography does not suffice to obtain fingerprints with sufficient resolution and baseline integrity. Comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography (LC×LC) is employed in this study, with ion-exchange chromatography in the first dimension and fast ion-pair liquid chromatography in the second. Retention in the first dimension is largely determined by the number of charges, while the selection of a small ion-pair reagent (tetramethylammonium hydroxide) in the second dimension causes retention to be largely determined by the molecular structure of the dye. As a result, there is a high degree of orthogonality of the two dimensions, similar to the values typically encountered in GC×GC. The proposed LC×LC method shows a theroretical peak capacity of about 2000 in an analysis time of about three hours. Clear, informative fingerprints are obtained that open a way to a more efficient characterization of dyes used in objects of cultural heritage. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nonlinear ion acoustic waves scattered by vortexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohno, Yuji; Yoshida, Zensho

2016-09-01

The Kadomtsev-Petviashvili (KP) hierarchy is the archetype of infinite-dimensional integrable systems, which describes nonlinear ion acoustic waves in two-dimensional space. This remarkably ordered system resides on a singular submanifold (leaf) embedded in a larger phase space of more general ion acoustic waves (low-frequency electrostatic perturbations). The KP hierarchy is characterized not only by small amplitudes but also by irrotational (zero-vorticity) velocity fields. In fact, the KP equation is derived by eliminating vorticity at every order of the reductive perturbation. Here, we modify the scaling of the velocity field so as to introduce a vortex term. The newly derived system of equations consists of a generalized three-dimensional KP equation and a two-dimensional vortex equation. The former describes 'scattering' of vortex-free waves by ambient vortexes that are determined by the latter. We say that the vortexes are 'ambient' because they do not receive reciprocal reactions from the waves (i.e., the vortex equation is independent of the wave fields). This model describes a minimal departure from the integrable KP system. By the Painlevé test, we delineate how the vorticity term violates integrability, bringing about an essential three-dimensionality to the solutions. By numerical simulation, we show how the solitons are scattered by vortexes and become chaotic.

Three dimensional cylindrical Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation in a very dense electron-positron-ion plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moslem, W. M.; Sabry, R.; Shukla, P. K.

2010-03-15

By using the hydrodynamic equations of ions, Thomas-Fermi electron/positron density distribution, and Poisson equation, a three-dimensional cylindrical Kadomtsev-Petviashvili (CKP) equation is derived for small but finite amplitude ion-acoustic waves. The generalized expansion method is used to analytically solve the CKP equation. New class of solutions admits a train of well-separated bell-shaped periodic pulses is obtained. At certain condition, the latter degenerates to solitary wave solution. The effects of physical parameters on the solitary pulse structures are examined. Furthermore, the energy integral equation is used to study the existence regions of the localized pulses. The present study might be helpful tomore » understand the excitation of nonlinear ion-acoustic waves in a very dense astrophysical objects such as white dwarfs.« less

On the cross-field diffusion of ions in one- and two-dimensional hybrid simulations of collisionless shocks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giacalone, Joe

1994-01-01

It can be demonstrated analytically that under certain geometries used in numerical simulations of collisionless shocks in which there is at least one ignorable spatial coordinate, the transport of particles across the magnetic field is essentially zero. This notion is tested using one- and two-dimensional hybrid simulations (kinetic ions/fluid electrons). We find, as the theorem predicts, the particles treated kinetically are tied to the same field line on which they start.

X-ray Synchrotron Microtomography of a silicified Jurassic Cheirolepidiaceae (Conifer) cone: histology and morphology of Pararaucaria collinsonae sp. nov.

PubMed Central

Steart, David C.; Spencer, Alan R.T.; Garwood, Russell J.; Hilton, Jason; Munt, Martin C.; Needham, John

2014-01-01

We document a new species of ovulate cone (Pararaucaria collinsonae) on the basis of silicified fossils from the Late Jurassic Purbeck Limestone Group of southern England (Tithonian Stage: ca. 145 million years). Our description principally relies on the anatomy of the ovuliferous scales, revealed through X-ray synchrotron microtomography (SRXMT) performed at the Diamond Light Source (UK). This study represents the first application of SRXMT to macro-scale silicified plant fossils, and demonstrates the significant advantages of this approach, which can resolve cellular structure over lab-based X-ray computed microtomography (XMT). The method enabled us to characterize tissues and precisely demarcate their boundaries, elucidating organ shape, and thus allowing an accurate assessment of affinities. The cones are broadly spherical (ca. 1.3 cm diameter), and are structured around a central axis with helically arranged bract/scale complexes, each of which bares a single ovule. A three-lobed ovuliferous scale and ovules enclosed within pocket-forming tissue, demonstrate an affinity with Cheirolepidiaceae. Details of vascular sclerenchyma bundles, integument structure, and the number and attachment of the ovules indicate greatest similarity to P. patagonica and P. carrii. This fossil develops our understanding of the dominant tree element of the Purbeck Fossil Forest, providing the first evidence for ovulate cheirolepidiaceous cones in Europe. Alongside recent discoveries in North America, this significantly extends the known palaeogeographic range of Pararaucaria, supporting a mid-palaeolatitudinal distribution in both Gondwana and Laurasia during the Late Jurassic. Palaeoclimatic interpretations derived from contemporaneous floras, climate sensitive sediments, and general circulation climate models indicate that Pararaucaria was a constituent of low diversity floras in semi-arid Mediterranean-type environments. PMID:25374776

Atomic force microscopy and tridimensional topography analysis of human enamel after resinous infiltration and storage in water.

PubMed

Taher, Nadia M

2013-04-01

To evaluate the effect of water storage on surface roughness (Ra) of human enamel after treatment with resin infiltrant and fissure sealant, by utilizing atomic force microscopy (AFM) and microtomography. This study was conducted after registration and ethical approval clarification at the College of Dentistry Research Center, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between January 2011 and August 2011. Thirty enamel surface specimens were prepared from caries-free human premolar teeth. Specimens were divided into 3 groups: Group I, was the control; Group II, a resin infiltrant (Icon) was applied on the enamel surfaces; and Group III, the teeth were treated with fissure sealant (SealRite). All specimens were stored in distilled water for 6 months and then, subjected to AFM Veeco CP11 1.2 analysis. A few specimens were scanned by skyscan-1072-x-ray microtomography. The Ra mean readings were recorded and statistical analysis was performed with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences Version 16 at the significance level of p<0.05. No significant differences in the mean Ra were recorded among the 3 groups, (Group I = 0.21+/-0.057), (Group II = 0.23+/-0.075), and (Group III = 0.20+/-0.039) at p=0.747. The AFM images of enamel surface show thin and inhomogeneous Icon resin in Group II, meanwhile, the SealRite in Group III showed a homogeneous layer in all specimens. The microtomography supported the findings of the AFM images. The persistence of the SealRite in all specimens revealed its low solubility in water and its protective effect on enamel surface.

Time-Lapse Micro-Tomography Measurements and Determination of Effective Transport Properties of Snow Metamorphism Under Advective Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebner, P. P.; Grimm, S.; Steen-Larsen, H. C.; Schneebeli, M.; Steinfeld, A.

2014-12-01

The metamorphism of snow under advective air flow, with and without temperature gradient, was never experimentally investigated. We developed a new sample holder where metamorphism under advective conditions can be observed and measured using time-lapse micro-tomography [1]. Long-term experiments were performed and direct pore-level simulation (DPLS) [2,3] was directly applied on the extracted 3D digital geometry of the snow to calculate the effective transport properties by solving the governing fluid flow equations. The results showed no effect of isothermal advection, compared to rates typical for isothermal metamorphism. Appling a temperature gradient, the results showed increased snow metamorphism compared to rates typical for temperature gradient metamorphism. However, for both cases a change in the isotopic composition in the air as well as in the snow sample could be observed. These measurements could be influential to better understand snow-air exchange processes relevant for atmospheric chemistry and isotopic composition. REFERENCES[1] Ebner P. P., Grimm S., Schneebeli M., and Steinfeld A.: An instrumented sample holder for time-lapse micro-tomography measurements of snow under advective airflow. Geoscientific Instrumentation, Methods and Data Systems 4(2014), 353-373. [2] Zermatten E., Haussener S., Schneebeli M., and Steinfeld A.: Tomography-based determination of permeability and Dupuit-Forchheimer coefficient of characteristic snow samples. Journal of Glaciology 57(2011), 811-816. [3] Zermatten E., Schneebeli M., Arakawa H., and Steinfeld A.: Tomography-based determination of porosity, specific area and permeability of snow and comparison with measurements. Cold Regions Science and Technology 97 (2014), 33-40. Fig. 1: 3-D surface rendering of a refrozen wet snow sample with fluid flow streamline.

Effects of dimensionality on kinetic simulations of laser-ion acceleration in the transparency regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stark, D. J.; Yin, L.; Albright, B. J.; Guo, F.

2017-05-01

A particle-in-cell study of laser-ion acceleration mechanisms in the transparency regime illustrates how two-dimensional (2D) S and P simulations (laser polarization in and out of the simulation plane, respectively) capture different physics characterizing these systems, visible in their entirety often in cost-prohibitive three-dimensional (3D) simulations. The electron momentum anisotropy induced in the target by a laser pulse is dramatically different in the two 2D cases, manifested in differences in target expansion timescales, electric field strengths, and density thresholds for the onset of relativistically induced transparency. In particular, 2D-P simulations exhibit dramatically greater electron heating in the simulation plane, whereas 2D-S ones show a much more isotropic energy distribution, similar to 3D. An ion trajectory analysis allows one to isolate the fields responsible for ion acceleration and to characterize the acceleration regimes in time and space. The artificial longitudinal electron heating in 2D-P exaggerates the effectiveness of target-normal sheath acceleration into its dominant acceleration mechanism throughout the laser-plasma interaction, whereas 2D-S and 3D both have sizable populations accelerated preferentially during transparency.

Effects of dimensionality on kinetic simulations of laser-ion acceleration in the transparency regime

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stark, David James; Yin, Lin; Albright, Brian James

2017-05-03

A particle-in-cell study of laser-ion acceleration mechanisms in the transparency regime illustrates how two-dimensional (2D) S and P simulations (laser polarization in and out of the simulation plane, respectively) capture different physics characterizing these systems, visible in their entirety in often cost-prohibitive three-dimensional (3D) simulations. The electron momentum anisotropy induced in the target by the laser pulse is dramatically different in the two 2D cases, manifested in differences in target expansion timescales, electric field strengths, and density thresholds for the onset of relativistically induced transparency. In particular, 2D-P simulations exhibit dramatically greater electron heating in the simulation plane, whereas 2D-Smore » ones show a much more isotropic energy distribution, similar to 3D. An ion trajectory analysis allows one to isolate the fields responsible for ion acceleration and to characterize the acceleration regimes in time and space. The artificial longitudinal electron heating in 2D-P exaggerates the effectiveness of target-normal sheath acceleration into its dominant acceleration mechanism throughout the laser-plasma interaction, whereas 2D-S and 3D both have sizable populations accelerated preferentially during transparency.« less

A multi scale multi-dimensional thermo electrochemical modelling of high capacity lithium-ion cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tourani, Abbas; White, Peter; Ivey, Paul

2014-06-01

Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and lithium manganese oxide (LMO) are competitive and complementary to each other as cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries, especially for use in electric vehicles. A multi scale multi-dimensional physic-based model is proposed in this paper to study the thermal behaviour of the two lithium-ion chemistries. The model consists of two sub models, a one dimensional (1D) electrochemical sub model and a two dimensional (2D) thermo-electric sub model, which are coupled and solved concurrently. The 1D model predicts the heat generation rate (Qh) and voltage (V) of the battery cell through different load cycles. The 2D model of the battery cell accounts for temperature distribution and current distribution across the surface of the battery cell. The two cells are examined experimentally through 90 h load cycles including high/low charge/discharge rates. The experimental results are compared with the model results and they are in good agreement. The presented results in this paper verify the cells temperature behaviour at different operating conditions which will lead to the design of a cost effective thermal management system for the battery pack.

Observation of Three-Dimensional Magnetic Reconnection in the Terrestrial Magnetotail

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Meng; Ashour-Abdalla, Maha; Deng, Xiaohua; Pang, Ye; Fu, Huishan; Walker, Raymond; Lapenta, Giovanni; Huang, Shiyong; Xu, Xiaojun; Tang, Rongxin

2017-09-01

Study of magnetic reconnection has been focused on two-dimensional geometry in the past decades, whereas three-dimensional structures and dynamics of reconnection X line are poorly understood. In this paper, we report Cluster multispacecraft observations of a three-dimensional magnetic reconnection X line with a weak guide field ( 25% of the upstream magnetic field) in the Earth's magnetotail. We find that the X line not only retreated tailward but also expanded across the tail following the electron flow direction with a maximum average speed of (0.04-0.15) VA,up, where VA,up is the upstream Alfvén speed, or (0.14-0.57) Vde, where Vde is the electron flow speed in the out-of-plane direction. An ion diffusion region was observed by two spacecraft that were separated about 10 ion inertial lengths along the out-of-plane direction; however, these two spacecraft observed distinct magnetic structures associated with reconnection: one spacecraft observed dipolarization fronts, while the other one observed flux ropes. This indicates that reconnection proceeds in drastically different ways in different segments along the X line only a few ion inertial lengths apart.

On the generation of cnoidal waves in ion beam-dusty plasma containing superthermal electrons and ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Bedwehy, N. A.

2016-07-01

The reductive perturbation technique is used for investigating an ion beam-dusty plasma system consisting of two opposite polarity dusty grains, and superthermal electrons and ions in addition to ion beam. A two-dimensional Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation is derived. The solution of this equation, employing Painlevé analysis, leads to cnoidal waves. The dependence of the structural features of these waves on the physical plasma parameters is investigated.

On the generation of cnoidal waves in ion beam-dusty plasma containing superthermal electrons and ions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

El-Bedwehy, N. A., E-mail: nab-elbedwehy@yahoo.com

2016-07-15

The reductive perturbation technique is used for investigating an ion beam-dusty plasma system consisting of two opposite polarity dusty grains, and superthermal electrons and ions in addition to ion beam. A two-dimensional Kadomtsev–Petviashvili equation is derived. The solution of this equation, employing Painlevé analysis, leads to cnoidal waves. The dependence of the structural features of these waves on the physical plasma parameters is investigated.

Multi-dimensional TOF-SIMS analysis for effective profiling of disease-related ions from the tissue surface.

PubMed

Park, Ji-Won; Jeong, Hyobin; Kang, Byeongsoo; Kim, Su Jin; Park, Sang Yoon; Kang, Sokbom; Kim, Hark Kyun; Choi, Joon Sig; Hwang, Daehee; Lee, Tae Geol

2015-06-05

Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) emerges as a promising tool to identify the ions (small molecules) indicative of disease states from the surface of patient tissues. In TOF-SIMS analysis, an enhanced ionization of surface molecules is critical to increase the number of detected ions. Several methods have been developed to enhance ionization capability. However, how these methods improve identification of disease-related ions has not been systematically explored. Here, we present a multi-dimensional SIMS (MD-SIMS) that combines conventional TOF-SIMS and metal-assisted SIMS (MetA-SIMS). Using this approach, we analyzed cancer and adjacent normal tissues first by TOF-SIMS and subsequently by MetA-SIMS. In total, TOF- and MetA-SIMS detected 632 and 959 ions, respectively. Among them, 426 were commonly detected by both methods, while 206 and 533 were detected uniquely by TOF- and MetA-SIMS, respectively. Of the 426 commonly detected ions, 250 increased in their intensities by MetA-SIMS, whereas 176 decreased. The integrated analysis of the ions detected by the two methods resulted in an increased number of discriminatory ions leading to an enhanced separation between cancer and normal tissues. Therefore, the results show that MD-SIMS can be a useful approach to provide a comprehensive list of discriminatory ions indicative of disease states.

Multi-dimensional TOF-SIMS analysis for effective profiling of disease-related ions from the tissue surface

PubMed Central

Park, Ji-Won; Jeong, Hyobin; Kang, Byeongsoo; Kim, Su Jin; Park, Sang Yoon; Kang, Sokbom; Kim, Hark Kyun; Choi, Joon Sig; Hwang, Daehee; Lee, Tae Geol

2015-01-01

Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) emerges as a promising tool to identify the ions (small molecules) indicative of disease states from the surface of patient tissues. In TOF-SIMS analysis, an enhanced ionization of surface molecules is critical to increase the number of detected ions. Several methods have been developed to enhance ionization capability. However, how these methods improve identification of disease-related ions has not been systematically explored. Here, we present a multi-dimensional SIMS (MD-SIMS) that combines conventional TOF-SIMS and metal-assisted SIMS (MetA-SIMS). Using this approach, we analyzed cancer and adjacent normal tissues first by TOF-SIMS and subsequently by MetA-SIMS. In total, TOF- and MetA-SIMS detected 632 and 959 ions, respectively. Among them, 426 were commonly detected by both methods, while 206 and 533 were detected uniquely by TOF- and MetA-SIMS, respectively. Of the 426 commonly detected ions, 250 increased in their intensities by MetA-SIMS, whereas 176 decreased. The integrated analysis of the ions detected by the two methods resulted in an increased number of discriminatory ions leading to an enhanced separation between cancer and normal tissues. Therefore, the results show that MD-SIMS can be a useful approach to provide a comprehensive list of discriminatory ions indicative of disease states. PMID:26046669

Controllable robust laser driven ion acceleration from near-critical density relativistic self-transparent plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Bin; Meyer-Ter-Vehn, Juergen; Ruhl, Hartmut

2017-10-01

We introduce an alternative approach for laser driven self-injected high quality ion acceleration. We call it ion wave breaking acceleration. It operates in relativistic self-transparent plasma for ultra-intense ultra-short laser pulses. Laser propagating in a transparent plasma excites an electron wave as well as an ion wave. When the ion wave breaks, a fraction of ions is self-injected into the positive part of the laser driven wake. This leads to a superior ion pulse with peaked energy spectra; in particular in realistic three-dimensional geometry, the injection occurs localized close to the laser axis producing highly directed bunches. A theory is developed to investigate the ion wave breaking dynamics. Three dimensional Particle-in-Cell simulations with pure-gaussian laser pulses and pre-expanded near-critical density plasma targets have been done to verify the theoretical results. It is shown that hundreds of MeV, easily controllable and manipulable, micron-scale size, highly collimated and quasi-mono-energetic ion beams can be produced by using ultra-intense ultra-short laser pulses with total laser energies less than 10 Joules. Such ion beams may find important applications in tumour therapy. B. Liu acknowledges support from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. B. Liu and H. Ruhl acknowledge supports from the Gauss Centre for Supercomputing (GCS), and the Cluster-of-Excellence Munich Centre for Advanced Photonics (MAP).

Three dimensional dust-acoustic solitary waves in an electron depleted dusty plasma with two-superthermal ion-temperature

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Borhanian, J.; Shahmansouri, M.

2013-01-15

A theoretical investigation is carried out to study the existence and characteristics of propagation of dust-acoustic (DA) waves in an electron-depleted dusty plasma with two-temperature ions, which are modeled by kappa distribution functions. A three-dimensional cylindrical Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation governing evolution of small but finite amplitude DA waves is derived by means of a reductive perturbation method. The influence of physical parameters on solitary wave structure is examined. Furthermore, the energy integral equation is used to study the existence domains of the localized structures. It is found that the present model can be employed to describe the existence of positive asmore » well as negative polarity DA solitary waves by selecting special values for parameters of the system, e.g., superthermal index of cold and/or hot ions, cold to hot ion density ratio, and hot to cold ion temperature ratio. This model may be useful to understand the excitation of nonlinear DA waves in astrophysical objects.« less

Three-dimensional core-shell Fe2O3 @ carbon/carbon cloth as binder-free anode for the high-performance lithium-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiaohua; Zhang, Miao; Liu, Enzuo; He, Fang; Shi, Chunsheng; He, Chunnian; Li, Jiajun; Zhao, Naiqin

2016-12-01

A facile and scalable strategy is developed to fabricate three dimensional core-shell Fe2O3 @ carbon/carbon cloth structure by simple hydrothermal route as binder-free lithium-ion battery anode. In the unique structure, carbon coated Fe2O3 nanorods uniformly disperse on carbon cloth which forms the conductive carbon network. The hierarchical porous Fe2O3 nanorods in situ grown on the carbon cloth can effectively shorten the transfer paths of lithium ions and reduce the contact resistance. The carbon coating significantly inhibits pulverization of active materials during the repeated Li-ion insertion/extraction, as well as the direct exposure of Fe2O3 to the electrolyte. Benefiting from the structural integrity and flexibility, the nanocomposites used as binder-free anode for lithium-ion batteries, demonstrate high reversible capacity and excellent cyclability. Moreover, this kind of material represents an alternative promising candidate for flexible, cost-effective, and binder-free energy storage devices.

Free-standing hierarchically sandwich-type tungsten disulfide nanotubes/graphene anode for lithium-ion batteries.

PubMed

Chen, Renjie; Zhao, Teng; Wu, Weiping; Wu, Feng; Li, Li; Qian, Ji; Xu, Rui; Wu, Huiming; Albishri, Hassan M; Al-Bogami, A S; El-Hady, Deia Abd; Lu, Jun; Amine, Khalil

2014-10-08

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD), analogue of graphene, could form various dimensionalities. Similar to carbon, one-dimensional (1D) nanotube of TMD materials has wide application in hydrogen storage, Li-ion batteries, and supercapacitors due to their unique structure and properties. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of tungsten disulfide nanotubes (WS2-NTs)/graphene (GS) sandwich-type architecture as anode for lithium-ion batteries for the first time. The graphene-based hierarchical architecture plays vital roles in achieving fast electron/ion transfer, thus leading to good electrochemical performance. When evaluated as anode, WS2-NTs/GS hybrid could maintain a capacity of 318.6 mA/g over 500 cycles at a current density of 1A/g. Besides, the hybrid anode does not require any additional polymetric binder, conductive additives, or a separate metal current-collector. The relatively high density of this hybrid is beneficial for high capacity per unit volume. Those characteristics make it a potential anode material for light and high-performance lithium-ion batteries.

Electron and ion heating by whistler turbulence: Three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hughes, R. Scott; Gary, S. Peter; Wang, Joseph

2014-12-17

Three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations of decaying whistler turbulence are carried out on a collisionless, homogeneous, magnetized, electron-ion plasma model. In addition, the simulations use an initial ensemble of relatively long wavelength whistler modes with a broad range of initial propagation directions with an initial electron beta β e = 0.05. The computations follow the temporal evolution of the fluctuations as they cascade into broadband turbulent spectra at shorter wavelengths. Three simulations correspond to successively larger simulation boxes and successively longer wavelengths of the initial fluctuations. The computations confirm previous results showing electron heating is preferentially parallel to the background magnetic fieldmore » B o, and ion heating is preferentially perpendicular to B o. The new results here are that larger simulation boxes and longer initial whistler wavelengths yield weaker overall dissipation, consistent with linear dispersion theory predictions of decreased damping, stronger ion heating, consistent with a stronger ion Landau resonance, and weaker electron heating.« less

Energy deposition and ion production from thermal oxygen ion precipitation during Cassini's T57 flyby

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snowden, Darci; Smith, Michael; Jimson, Theodore; Higgins, Alex

2018-05-01

Cassini's Radio Science Investigation (RSS) and Langmuir Probe observed abnormally high electron densities in Titan's ionosphere during Cassini's T57 flyby. We have developed a three-dimensional model to investigate how the precipitation of thermal magnetospheric O+ may have contributed to enhanced ion production in Titan's ionosphere. The three-dimensional model builds on previous work because it calculates both the flux of oxygen through Titan's exobase and the energy deposition and ion production rates in Titan's atmosphere. We find that energy deposition rates and ion production rates due to thermal O+ precipitation have a similar magnitude to the rates from magnetospheric electron precipitation and that the simulated ionization rates are sufficient to explain the abnormally high electron densities observed by RSS and Cassini's Langmuir Probe. Globally, thermal O+ deposits less energy in Titan's atmosphere than solar EUV, suggesting it has a smaller impact on the thermal structure of Titan's neutral atmosphere. However, our results indicate that thermal O+ precipitation can have a significant impact on Titan's ionosphere.

Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous Li2FeSiO4/C composite as a high performance cathode for advanced lithium ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Zhengping; Liu, Jiatu; Ji, Ran; Zeng, Xiaohui; Yang, Shuanglei; Pan, Anqiang; Ivey, Douglas G.; Wei, Weifeng

2016-10-01

Li2MSiO4 (M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, et al.) has received great attention because of the theoretical possibility to reversibly deintercalate two Li+ ions from the structure. However, the silicates still suffer from low electronic conductivity, sluggish lithium ion diffusion and structural instability upon deep cycling. In order to solve these problems, a "hard-soft" templating method has been developed to synthesize three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) Li2FeSiO4/C composites. The 3DOM Li2FeSiO4/C composites show a high reversible capacity (239 mAh g-1) with ∼1.50 lithium ion insertion/extraction, a capacity retention of nearly 100% after 420 cycles and excellent rate capability. The enhanced electrochemical performance is ascribed to the interconnected carbon framework that improves the electronic conductivity and the 3DOM structure that offers short Li ion diffusion pathways and restrains volumetric changes.

A pepper-pot emittance meter for low-energy heavy-ion beams

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kremers, H. R.; Beijers, J. P. M.; Brandenburg, S.

2013-02-15

A novel emittance meter has been developed to measure the four-dimensional, transverse phase-space distribution of a low-energy ion beam using the pepper-pot technique. A characteristic feature of this instrument is that the pepper-pot plate, which has a linear array of holes in the vertical direction, is scanned horizontally through the ion beam. This has the advantage that the emittance can also be measured at locations along the beam line where the beam has a large horizontal divergence. A set of multi-channel plates, scintillation screen, and ccd camera is used as a position-sensitive ion detector allowing a large range of beammore » intensities that can be handled. This paper describes the design, construction, and operation of the instrument as well as the data analysis used to reconstruct the four-dimensional phase-space distribution of an ion beam. Measurements on a 15 keV He{sup +} beam are used as an example.« less

Indications of flow near maximum compression in layered deuterium-tritium implosions at the National Ignition Facility

DOE PAGES

Gatu Johnson, M.; Knauer, J. P.; Cerjan, C. J.; ...

2016-08-15

Here, an accurate understanding of burn dynamics in implosions of cryogenically layered deuterium (D) and tritium (T) filled capsules, obtained partly through precision diagnosis of these experiments, is essential for assessing the impediments to achieving ignition at the National Ignition Facility. We present measurements of neutrons from such implosions. The apparent ion temperatures T ion are inferred from the variance of the primary neutron spectrum. Consistently higher DT than DD T ion are observed and the difference is seen to increase with increasing apparent DT T ion. The line-of-sight rms variations of both DD and DT T ion are small,more » ~150eV, indicating an isotropic source. The DD neutron yields are consistently high relative to the DT neutron yields given the observed T ion. Spatial and temporal variations of the DT temperature and density, DD-DT differential attenuation in the surrounding DT fuel, and fluid motion variations contribute to a DT Tion greater than the DD T ion, but are in a one-dimensional model insufficient to explain the data. We hypothesize that in a three-dimensional interpretation, these effects combined could explain the results.« less

Indications of flow near maximum compression in layered deuterium-tritium implosions at the National Ignition Facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gatu Johnson, M.; Knauer, J. P.; Cerjan, C. J.

Here, an accurate understanding of burn dynamics in implosions of cryogenically layered deuterium (D) and tritium (T) filled capsules, obtained partly through precision diagnosis of these experiments, is essential for assessing the impediments to achieving ignition at the National Ignition Facility. We present measurements of neutrons from such implosions. The apparent ion temperatures T ion are inferred from the variance of the primary neutron spectrum. Consistently higher DT than DD T ion are observed and the difference is seen to increase with increasing apparent DT T ion. The line-of-sight rms variations of both DD and DT T ion are small,more » ~150eV, indicating an isotropic source. The DD neutron yields are consistently high relative to the DT neutron yields given the observed T ion. Spatial and temporal variations of the DT temperature and density, DD-DT differential attenuation in the surrounding DT fuel, and fluid motion variations contribute to a DT Tion greater than the DD T ion, but are in a one-dimensional model insufficient to explain the data. We hypothesize that in a three-dimensional interpretation, these effects combined could explain the results.« less

Well-dispersed LiFePO4 nanoparticles anchored on a three-dimensional graphene aerogel as high-performance positive electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Xiaohui; Zhou, Yingke; Tu, Xiaofeng; Zhang, Zhongtang; Du, Guodong

2017-02-01

A three-dimensional graphene aerogel supporting LiFePO4 nanoparticles (LFP/GA) has been synthesized by a hydrothermal process. The morphology and microstructure of LFP/GA were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and thermal gravimetric analysis. The electrochemical properties were evaluated by constant-current charge/discharge tests, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Well-distributed LFP nanoparticles are anchored on both sides of graphene and then assemble into a highly porous three-dimensional aerogel architecture. Conductive graphene networks provide abundant paths to facilitate the transfer of electrons, while the aerogel structures offer plenty of interconnected open pores for the storage of electrolyte to enable the fast supply of Li ions. The LFP and graphene aerogel composites present superior specific capacity, rate capability and cycling performance in comparison to the pristine LFP or LFP supported on graphene sheets and are thus promising for lithium-ion battery applications.

Poly[mu2-(N-hydroxypyridine-2-carboxamidine)-mu2-nitrato-silver(I)].

PubMed

Cui, Ai-Li; Han, Peng; Yang, Hui-Juan; Wang, Ru-Ji; Kou, Hui-Zhong

2007-12-01

In the title complex, [Ag(NO3)(C6H7N3O)]n or [Ag(NO3)(pyaoxH2)] (pyaoxH2 is N-hydroxypyridine-2-carboxamidine), the Ag+ ion is bridged by the pyaoxH2 ligands and nitrate anions, giving rise to a two-dimensional molecular structure. Each pyaoxH2 ligand coordinates to two Ag+ ions using its pyridyl and carboxamidine N atoms, and the OH and the NH2 groups are uncoordinated. Each nitrate anion uses two O atoms to coordinate to two Ag+ ions. The Ag...Ag separation via the pyaoxH2 bridge is 2.869 (1) A, markedly shorter than that of 6.452 (1) A via the nitrate bridge. The two-dimensional structure is fishscale-like, and can be described as pyaoxH2-bridged Ag2 nodes that are further linked by nitrate anions. Hydrogen bonding between the amidine groups and the nitrate O atoms connects adjacent layers into a three-dimensional network.

Application of Tandem Two-Dimensional Mass Spectrometry for Top-Down Deep Sequencing of Calmodulin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Floris, Federico; Chiron, Lionel; Lynch, Alice M.; Barrow, Mark P.; Delsuc, Marc-André; O'Connor, Peter B.

2018-06-01

Two-dimensional mass spectrometry (2DMS) involves simultaneous acquisition of the fragmentation patterns of all the analytes in a mixture by correlating their precursor and fragment ions by modulating precursor ions systematically through a fragmentation zone. Tandem two-dimensional mass spectrometry (MS/2DMS) unites the ultra-high accuracy of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) MS/MS and the simultaneous data-independent fragmentation of 2DMS to achieve extensive inter-residue fragmentation of entire proteins. 2DMS was recently developed for top-down proteomics (TDP), and applied to the analysis of calmodulin (CaM), reporting a cleavage coverage of about 23% using infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD) as fragmentation technique. The goal of this work is to expand the utility of top-down protein analysis using MS/2DMS in order to extend the cleavage coverage in top-down proteomics further into the interior regions of the protein. In this case, using MS/2DMS, the cleavage coverage of CaM increased from 23% to 42%.

Graphene--nanotube--iron hierarchical nanostructure as lithium ion battery anode.

PubMed

Lee, Si-Hwa; Sridhar, Vadahanambi; Jung, Jung-Hwan; Karthikeyan, Kaliyappan; Lee, Yun-Sung; Mukherjee, Rahul; Koratkar, Nikhil; Oh, Il-Kwon

2013-05-28

In this study, we report a novel route via microwave irradiation to synthesize a bio-inspired hierarchical graphene--nanotube--iron three-dimensional nanostructure as an anode material in lithium-ion batteries. The nanostructure comprises vertically aligned carbon nanotubes grown directly on graphene sheets along with shorter branches of carbon nanotubes stemming out from both the graphene sheets and the vertically aligned carbon nanotubes. This bio-inspired hierarchical structure provides a three-dimensional conductive network for efficient charge-transfer and prevents the agglomeration and restacking of the graphene sheets enabling Li-ions to have greater access to the electrode material. In addition, functional iron-oxide nanoparticles decorated within the three-dimensional hierarchical structure provides outstanding lithium storage characteristics, resulting in very high specific capacities. The anode material delivers a reversible capacity of ~1024 mA · h · g(-1) even after prolonged cycling along with a Coulombic efficiency in excess of 99%, which reflects the ability of the hierarchical network to prevent agglomeration of the iron-oxide nanoparticles.

Using synchrotron X-ray microtomography to characterize the pore network of reservoir rocks: A case study on carbonates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arzilli, F.; Cilona, A.; Mancini, L.; Tondi, E.

2016-09-01

In this work we propose a new methodology to calculate pore connectivity in granular rocks. This method is useful to characterize the pore networks of natural and laboratory compaction bands (CBs), and compare them with the host rock pore network. Data were collected using the synchrotron X-ray microtomography technique and quantitative analyses were carried out using the Pore3D software library. The porosity was calculated from segmented tridimensional images of deformed and pristine rocks. A process of skeletonization of the pore space was used to obtain the number of connected pores within the rock volume. By analyzing the skeletons the differences between natural and laboratory CBs were highlighted. The natural CB has a lower porosity than to the laboratory one. In natural CBs, the grain contacts appear welded, whereas laboratory CBs show irregular pore shape. Moreover, we assessed for the first time how pore connectivity evolves as a function of deformation, documenting the mechanism responsible for pore connectivity drop within the CBs.

X-ray microtomography study of the spallation response in Ta-W

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDonald, Samuel; Cotton, Matthew; Millett, Jeremy; Bourne, Neil; Withers, Philip

2013-06-01

The response of metallic materials to high strain-rate (impact) loading is of interest to a number of communities. Traditionally, the largest driver has been the military, in its need to understand armour and resistance to ballistic attack. More recently, industries such as aerospace (foreign object damage, bird strike, etc.), automotive (crash-worthiness) and satellite protection (orbital debris) have all appreciated the necessity of such information. It is therefore important to understand the dynamic tensile or spallation response, and in particular to be able to observe in three-dimensions, and in a non-invasive manner, the physical damage present in the spalled region post-impact. The current study presents plate impact experiments investigating the spallation damage response of recovered targets of the tantalum alloy Ta-2.5%W. Using X-ray microtomography the damage resulting from differing impact conditions (impact velocity/stress, pulse duration) is compared and characterised in 3-D. Combined with free surface velocity measurements, the tensile failure mechanisms during dynamic loading have been identified.

Multiscale characterization of chemical–mechanical interactions between polymer fibers and cementitious matrix

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hernández-Cruz, Daniel; Hargis, Craig W.; Bae, Sungchul

2014-04-01

Together with a series of mechanical tests, the interactions and potential bonding between polymeric fibers and cementitious materials were studied using scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) and microtomography (lCT). Experimental results showed that these techniques have great potential to characterize the polymer fiber-hydrated cement-paste matrix interface, as well as differentiating the chemistry of the two components of a bi-polymer (hybrid) fiber the polypropylene core and the ethylene acrylic acid copolymer sheath. Similarly, chemical interactions between the hybrid fiber and the cement hydration products were observed, indicating the chemical bonding between the sheath and the hardened cement paste matrix. Microtomography allowedmore » visualization of the performance of the samples, and the distribution and orientation of the two types of fiber in mortar. Beam flexure tests confirmed improved tensile strength of mixes containing hybrid fibers, and expansion bar tests showed similar reductions in expansion for the polypropylene and hybrid fiber mortar bars.« less

True-3D Strain Mapping for Assessment of Material Deformation by Synchrotron X-Ray Microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahn, J. J.; Toda, H.; Niinomi, M.; Kobayashi, T.; Akahori, T.; Uesugi, K.

2005-04-01

Downsizing of products with complex shapes has been accelerated thanks to the rapid development of electrodevice manufacturing technology. Micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) are one of such typical examples. 3D strain measurement of such miniature products is needed to ensure their reliability. In the present study, as preliminary trial for it 3D tensile deformation behavior of a pure aluminum wire is examined using the synchrotron X-ray microtomography technique at Spring-8, Japan. Multipurpose in-situ tester is used to investigate real-time tensile deformation behavior of the Al wire. Tensile tests are carried out under strokes of 0, 0.005, 0.01 and 0.015mm. It measures 3D local deformation of a region of interest by tracking a relative movement of a pair of particles at each point. Local deformation behavior of the Al wire is identified to be different from macroscopic deformation behavior. It may be closely associated with underlying microstructure.

Magnetic resonance imaging and X-ray microtomography studies of a gel-forming tablet formulation.

PubMed

Laity, P R; Mantle, M D; Gladden, L F; Cameron, R E

2010-01-01

The capabilities of two methods for investigating tablet swelling are investigated, based on a study of a model gel-forming system. Results from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were compared with results from a novel application of X-ray microtomography (XmicroT) to track the movements of embedded glass microsphere tracers as the model tablets swelled. MRI provided information concerning the movement of hydration fronts into the tablets and the composition of the swollen gel layer, which formed at the tablet surface and progressively thickened with time. Conversely, XmicroT revealed significant axial expansion within the tablet core, at short times and ahead of the hydration fronts, where there was insufficient water to be observed by MRI (estimated to be around 15% by weight for the system used here). Thus, MRI and XmicroT may be regarded as complementary methods for studying the hydration and swelling behaviour of tablets. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multiscale Shannon's Entropy Modeling of Orientation and Distance in Steel Fiber Micro-Tomography Data.

PubMed

Chiverton, John P; Ige, Olubisi; Barnett, Stephanie J; Parry, Tony

2017-11-01

This paper is concerned with the modeling and analysis of the orientation and distance between steel fibers in X-ray micro-tomography data. The advantage of combining both orientation and separation in a model is that it helps provide a detailed understanding of how the steel fibers are arranged, which is easy to compare. The developed models are designed to summarize the randomness of the orientation distribution of the steel fibers both locally and across an entire volume based on multiscale entropy. Theoretical modeling, simulation, and application to real imaging data are shown here. The theoretical modeling of multiscale entropy for orientation includes a proof showing the final form of the multiscale taken over a linear range of scales. A series of image processing operations are also included to overcome interslice connectivity issues to help derive the statistical descriptions of the orientation distributions of the steel fibers. The results demonstrate that multiscale entropy provides unique insights into both simulated and real imaging data of steel fiber reinforced concrete.

The grain size dependency of vesicular particle shapes strongly affects the drag of particles. First results from microtomography investigations of Campi Flegrei fallout deposits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mele, Daniela; Dioguardi, Fabio

2018-03-01

Acknowledging the grain size dependency of shape is important in volcanology, in particular when dealing with tephra produced and emplaced during and after explosive volcanic eruptions. A systematic measurement of the tridimensional shape of vesicular pyroclasts of Campi Flegrei fallout deposits (Agnano-Monte Spina, Astroni 6 and Averno 2 eruptions) varying in size from 8.00 to 0.016 mm has been carried out by means of X-Ray Microtomography. Data show that particle shape changes with size, especially for juvenile vesicular clasts, since it is dependent on the distribution and size of vesicles that contour the external clast outline. Two drag laws that include sphericity in the formula were used for estimating the dependency of settling velocity on shape. Results demonstrate that it is not appropriate to assume a size-independent shape for vesicular particles, in contrast with the approach commonly employed when simulating the ash dispersion in the atmosphere.

True-3D Strain Mapping for Assessment of Material Deformation by Synchrotron X-Ray Microtomography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ahn, J.J.; Toda, H.; Niinomi, M.

2005-04-09

Downsizing of products with complex shapes has been accelerated thanks to the rapid development of electrodevice manufacturing technology. Micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) are one of such typical examples. 3D strain measurement of such miniature products is needed to ensure their reliability. In the present study, as preliminary trial for it 3D tensile deformation behavior of a pure aluminum wire is examined using the synchrotron X-ray microtomography technique at Spring-8, Japan. Multipurpose in-situ tester is used to investigate real-time tensile deformation behavior of the Al wire. Tensile tests are carried out under strokes of 0, 0.005, 0.01 and 0.015mm. It measuresmore » 3D local deformation of a region of interest by tracking a relative movement of a pair of particles at each point. Local deformation behavior of the Al wire is identified to be different from macroscopic deformation behavior. It may be closely associated with underlying microstructure.« less

Structural investigation of spherical hollow excipient Mannit Q by X-ray microtomography.

PubMed

Kajihara, Ryusuke; Noguchi, Shuji; Iwao, Yasunori; Yasuda, Yuki; Segawa, Megumi; Itai, Shigeru

2015-11-10

The structure of Mannit Q particles, an excipient made by spray-drying a d-mannitol solution, and Mannit Q tablets were investigated by synchrotron X-ray microtomography. The Mannit Q particles had a spherical shape with a hollow core. The shells of the particles consisted of fine needle-shaped crystals, and columnar crystals were present in the hollows. These structural features suggested the following formation mechanism for the hollow particles:during the spray-drying process, the solvent rapidly evaporated from the droplet surface, resulting in the formation of shells made of fine needle-shaped crystals.Solvent remaining inside the shells then evaporated slowly and larger columnar crystals grew as the hollows formed. Although most of the Mannit Q particles were crushed on tableting, some of the particles retained their hollow structures, probably because the columnar crystals inside the hollows functioned as props. This demonstrated that the tablets with porous void spaces may be readily manufactured using Mannit Q. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multi-dimensional dynamics of stimulated Brillouin scattering in a laser speckle: Ion acoustic wave bowing, breakup, and laser-seeded two-ion-wave decay

DOE PAGES

Albright, B. J.; Yin, L.; Bowers, K. J.; ...

2016-03-04

Two- and three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations of stimulated Brillouin scattering(SBS) in laser speckle geometry have been analyzed to evaluate the relative importance of competing nonlinear processes in the evolution and saturation of SBS. It is found that ion-trapping-induced wavefront bowing and breakup of ion acoustic waves(IAW) and the associated side-loss of trapped ions dominate electron-trapping-induced IAW wavefront bowing and breakup, as well as the two-ion-wave decay instability over a range of ZT e/T i conditions and incident laser intensities. In the simulations, the latter instability does not govern the nonlinear saturation of SBS; however, evidence of two-ion-wave decay is seen, appearingmore » as a modulation of the ion acoustic wavefronts. This modulation is periodic in the laser polarization plane, anti-symmetric across the speckle axis, and of a wavenumber matching that of the incident laser pulse. Furthermore, a simple analytic model is provided for how spatial “imprinting” from a high frequency inhomogeneity (in this case, the density modulation from the laser) in an unstable system with continuum eigenmodes can selectively amplify modes with wavenumbers that match that of the inhomogeneity.« less

Heavy-ion conformal irradiation in the shallow-seated tumor therapy terminal at HIRFL.

PubMed

Li, Qiang; Dai, Zhongying; Yan, Zheng; Jin, Xiaodong; Liu, Xinguo; Xiao, Guoqing

2007-11-01

Basic research related to heavy-ion cancer therapy has been done at the Institute of Modern Physics (IMP), Chinese Academy of Sciences since 1995. Now a plan of clinical trial with heavy ions has been launched at IMP. First, superficially placed tumor treatment with heavy ions is expected in the therapy terminal at the Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou (HIRFL), where carbon ion beams with energy up to 100 MeV/u can be supplied. The shallow-seated tumor therapy terminal at HIRFL is equipped with a passive beam delivery system including two orthogonal dipole magnets, which continuously scan pencil beams laterally and generate a broad and uniform irradiation field, a motor-driven energy degrader and a multi-leaf collimator. Two different types of range modulator, ripple filter and ridge filter with which Guassian-shaped physical dose and uniform biological effective dose Bragg peaks can be shaped for therapeutic ion beams respectively, have been designed and manufactured. Therefore, two-dimensional and three-dimensional conformal irradiations to tumors can be performed with the passive beam delivery system at the earlier therapy terminal. Both the conformal irradiation methods have been verified experimentally and carbon-ion conformal irradiations to patients with superficially placed tumors have been carried out at HIRFL since November 2006.

Porous, Hyper-cross-linked, Three-Dimensional Polymer as Stable, High Rate Capability Electrode for Lithium-Ion Battery.

PubMed

Mukherjee, Debdyuti; Gowda Y K, Guruprasada; Makri Nimbegondi Kotresh, Harish; Sampath, S

2017-06-14

Organic materials containing active carbonyl groups have attracted considerable attention as electrodes in Li-ion batteries due to their reversible redox activity, ability to retain capacity, and, in addition, their ecofriendly nature. Introduction of porosity will help accommodate as well as store small ions and molecules reversibly. In the present work, we introduce a mesoporous triptycene-related, rigid network polymer with high specific surface area as an electrode material for rechargeable Li-ion battery. The designed polymer with a three-dimensional (3D), rigid porous network allows free movement of ions/electrolyte as well as helps in interacting with the active anhydride moieties (containing two carbonyl groups). Considerable intake of Li + ions giving rise to very high specific capacity of 1100 mA h g -1 at a discharge current of 50 mA g -1 and ∼120 mA h g -1 at a high discharge current of 3 A g -1 are observed with excellent cyclability up to 1000 cycles. This remarkable rate capability, which is one of the highest among the reported organic porous polymers to date, makes the triptycene-related rigid 3D network a very good choice for Li-ion batteries and opens up a new method to design polymer-based electrode materials for metal-ion battery technology.

Engineering three-dimensionally electrodeposited Si-on-Ni inverse opal structure for high volumetric capacity Li-ion microbattery anode.

PubMed

Liu, Hao; Cho, Hyung-Man; Meng, Ying Shirley; Li, Quan

2014-06-25

Aiming at improving the volumetric capacity of nanostructured Li-ion battery anode, an electrodeposited Si-on-Ni inverse opal structure has been proposed in the present work. This type of electrode provides three-dimensional bi-continuous pathways for ion/electron transport and high surface area-to-volume ratios, and thus exhibits lower interfacial resistance, but higher effective Li ions diffusion coefficients, when compared to the Si-on-Ni nanocable array electrode of the same active material mass. As a result, improved volumetric capacities and rate capabilities have been demonstrated in the Si-on-Ni inverse opal anode. We also show that optimization of the volumetric capacities and the rate performance of the inverse opal electrode can be realized by manipulating the pore size of the Ni scaffold and the thickness of the Si deposit.

On charge exchange effect in the vicinity of the cometopause of Comet Halley

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ip, W.-H.

1989-08-01

In order to explore the physical nature of the cometopause observed at Comet Halley by the Vega spacecraft and by the Giotto probe, the chemical compositional changes and variations of the thermal-energy distributions of the water-group ions are examined, adopting a two-dimensional cometary-plasma flowfield model based on three-dimensional MHD simulations of Fedder et al. (1986). The charge-exchange loss of hot cometary ions and the solar-wind protons could be used to explain the observed number-density profiles quantitatively. The resulting exponential depletion of the hot-ion populations with a scale length of about 10,000 km occurs near 60,000-80,000 km along the trajectory of Giotto, as indicated by both theoretical computations and the ion-mass-spectrometer measurements. The formation of the cometopause located at about 140,000 km is therefore not necessarily as closely related to the charge-exchange process.

Nickel-Cobalt Oxide Decorated Three-Dimensional Graphene as an Enzyme Mimic for Glucose and Calcium Detection.

PubMed

Wu, Meiyan; Meng, Shangjun; Wang, Qian; Si, Weili; Huang, Wei; Dong, Xiaochen

2015-09-30

Glucose and calcium ion play key roles in human bodies. The needlelike NiCo2O4 nanostructures are in situ deposited on three-dimensional graphene foam (3DGF) by a facile hydrothermal procedure. The structure and morphology of the hierarchical NiCo2O4/3DGF are characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. With the self-standing NiCo2O4/3DGF as electrochemical electrode, it can realize the high-sensitivity detections for glucose and calcium ion. The limit of detection can reach 0.38 and 4.45 μM, respectively. In addition, the electrochemical electrode presents excellent selectivity for glucose and calcium ion. This study demonstrates that NiCo2O4/3DGF is a unique and promising material for practical application in both glucose and calcium ion sensing.

3D reconstruction of the porous microstructure of Al2O3-coatings based on sequentially revealed surface data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loftfield, Nina; Kästner, Markus; Reithmeier, Eduard

2018-06-01

Local and global liquid transport properties correlate strongly with the morphology of porous materials. Therefore, by characterizing the porous network information is indirectly gained on the materials properties. Properties like the open-porosity are easily accessible with techniques like mercury porosimetry. However, the 3D image reconstruction, destructive or non-destructive, holds advantages like an accurate spatially resolved representation of the investigated material. Common 3D data acquisition is done by x-ray microtomography or a combination of focused ion beam based milling and scanning electron microscopy. In this work a reconstruction approach similar to the latter one is implemented. The porous network is reconstructed based on an alternating process of milling the surface by fly cutting and measuring the surface data with a confocal laser scanning microscope. This has the benefit of reconstructing the pore network on the basis of surface height data, measuring the structure boundaries directly. The stack of milled surface height data needs to be registered and the pore structure to be segmented. The segmented pore structure is connected throughout each height layer and afterwards meshed. The investigated materials are porous surface coatings of aluminum oxide for the usage in tribological pairings.

Calculation of Energetic Ion Tail from Ion Cyclotron Resonance Frequency Heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jianguo; Li, Youyi; Li, Jiangang

1994-04-01

The second harmonic frequency of hydrogen ion cyclotron resonance heating experiment on HT-6M tokamak was studied by adding the quasi-linear wave-ion interaction term in the two-dimensional (velocity space), time-dependent, nonlinear and multispecies Fokker-Planck equation. The temporal evolution of ion distribution function and relevant parameters were calculated and compared with experiment data. The calculation shows that the ion temperature increases, high-energy ion tail (above 5 keV) and anisotropy appear when the wave is injected to plasma. The simulations are in reasonable agreement with experiment data.

Ion mass spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neugebauer, M. (Inventor); Clay, D. R.; Goldstein, B. E.; Goldstein, R.

1984-01-01

An ion mass spectrometer is described which detects and indicates the characteristics of ions received over a wide angle, and which indicates the mass to charge ratio, the energy, and the direction of each detected ion. The spectrometer includes a magnetic analyzer having a sector magnet that passes ions received over a wide angle, and an electrostatic analyzer positioned to receive ions passing through the magnetic analyzer. The electrostatic analyzer includes a two dimensional ion sensor at one wall of the analyzer chamber, that senses not only the lengthwise position of the detected ion to indicate its mass to charge ratio, but also detects the ion position along the width of the chamber to indicate the direction in which the ion was traveling.

Polymorphism in the nitrate salt of the [Mn(acetylacetonate)2(H2O)2]+ ion.

PubMed

Biju, A R; Rajasekharan, M V

2010-06-01

The crystallization of [Mn(acac)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](+) from solutions containing excess nitrate leads to the formation of four polymorphs. All polymorphs contain two different types of complex ions, one containing essentially coplanar acac ligands and the other in which the two acac ligands together assume a chair conformation. Molecular modelling using DFT (density-functional theory) calculations shows that the coplanar conformation is the electronically stable one. The hydrogen bonding between the trans-water molecules and the nitrate ion produces a one-dimensional chain of 12-membered rings, which are further organized into a two-dimensional network via a lattice water molecule. Lattice-energy calculations have been carried out to compare the stabilities of the four polymorphs.

Three-dimensional characterization of pigment dispersion in dried paint films using focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy.

PubMed

Lin, Jui-Ching; Heeschen, William; Reffner, John; Hook, John

2012-04-01

The combination of integrated focused ion beam-scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM) serial sectioning and imaging techniques with image analysis provided quantitative characterization of three-dimensional (3D) pigment dispersion in dried paint films. The focused ion beam in a FIB-SEM dual beam system enables great control in slicing paints, and the sectioning process can be synchronized with SEM imaging providing high quality serial cross-section images for 3D reconstruction. Application of Euclidean distance map and ultimate eroded points image analysis methods can provide quantitative characterization of 3D particle distribution. It is concluded that 3D measurement of binder distribution in paints is effective to characterize the order of pigment dispersion in dried paint films.

Numerical analysis of ion temperature effects to the plasma wall transition using a one-dimensional two-fluid model. I. Finite Debye to ionization length ratio

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gyergyek, T.; Kovačič, J.

2017-06-01

A one-dimensional, two-fluid, steady state model is used for the analysis of ion temperature effects to the plasma-wall transition. In this paper, the model is solved for a finite ratio ɛ between the Debye and the ionization length, while in Part II [T. Gyergyek and J. Kovačič, Phys Plasmas 24, 063506 (2017)], the solutions for ɛ = 0 are presented. Ion temperature is treated as a given, independent parameter and it is included in the model as a boundary condition. It is shown that when the ion temperature larger than zero is selected, the ion flow velocity and the electric field at the boundary must be consistent with the selected ion temperature. A numerical procedure, how to determine such "consistent boundary conditions," is proposed, and a simple relation between the ion temperature and ion velocity at the boundary of the system is found. The effects of the ion temperature to the pre-sheath length, potential, ion temperature, and ion density drops in the pre-sheath and in the sheath are investigated. It is concluded that larger ion temperature results in a better shielding of the plasma from the wall. An attempt is made to include the ion heat flux qi into the model in its simplest form q i = - K ' /d T i d x , where K ' is a constant heat conduction coefficient. It is shown that inclusion of such a term into the energy transfer equation introduces an additional ion heating mechanism into the system and the ion flow then becomes isothermal instead of adiabatic even in the sheath.

Numerical analysis of ion temperature effects to the plasma wall transition using a one-dimensional two-fluid model. I. Finite Debye to ionization length ratio.

PubMed

Gyergyek, T; Kovačič, J

2017-06-01

A one-dimensional, two-fluid, steady state model is used for the analysis of ion temperature effects to the plasma-wall transition. In this paper, the model is solved for a finite ratio ε between the Debye and the ionization length, while in Part II [T. Gyergyek and J. Kovačič, Phys Plasmas 24, 063506 (2017)], the solutions for [Formula: see text] are presented. Ion temperature is treated as a given, independent parameter and it is included in the model as a boundary condition. It is shown that when the ion temperature larger than zero is selected, the ion flow velocity and the electric field at the boundary must be consistent with the selected ion temperature. A numerical procedure, how to determine such "consistent boundary conditions," is proposed, and a simple relation between the ion temperature and ion velocity at the boundary of the system is found. The effects of the ion temperature to the pre-sheath length, potential, ion temperature, and ion density drops in the pre-sheath and in the sheath are investigated. It is concluded that larger ion temperature results in a better shielding of the plasma from the wall. An attempt is made to include the ion heat flux q i into the model in its simplest form [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is a constant heat conduction coefficient. It is shown that inclusion of such a term into the energy transfer equation introduces an additional ion heating mechanism into the system and the ion flow then becomes isothermal instead of adiabatic even in the sheath.

Three-dimensional thermal finite element modeling of lithium-ion battery in thermal abuse application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Guifang; Long, Bo; Cheng, Bo; Zhou, Shiqiong; Xu, Peng; Cao, Binggang

In order to better understand the thermal abuse behavior of high capacities and large power lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicle application, a three-dimensional thermal model has been developed for analyzing the temperature distribution under abuse conditions. The model takes into account the effects of heat generation, internal conduction and convection, and external heat dissipation to predict the temperature distribution in a battery. Three-dimensional model also considers the geometrical features to simulate oven test, which are significant in larger cells for electric vehicle application. The model predictions are compared to oven test results for VLP 50/62/100S-Fe (3.2 V/55 Ah) LiFePO 4/graphite cells and shown to be in great agreement.

Investigation of pathogen infiltration into produce using Xradia Bio MicroCT

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The internalization of human pathogens into plant tissues has received significant attention. Human pathogens can infiltrate plant tissue through stomata, cut edges, wounds on produce, or the plant vascular system. The nondestructive X-ray computed microtomography (MicroCT) technique is an X-ra...

Quantitative Analysis Of Three-dimensional Branching Systems From X-ray Computed Microtomography Data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McKinney, Adriana L.; Varga, Tamas

Branching structures such as lungs, blood vessels and plant roots play a critical role in life. Growth, structure, and function of these branching structures have an immense effect on our lives. Therefore, quantitative size information on such structures in their native environment is invaluable for studying their growth and the effect of the environment on them. X-ray computed tomography (XCT) has been an effective tool for in situ imaging and analysis of branching structures. We developed a costless tool that approximates the surface and volume of branching structures. Our methodology of noninvasive imaging, segmentation and extraction of quantitative information ismore » demonstrated through the analysis of a plant root in its soil medium from 3D tomography data. XCT data collected on a grass specimen was used to visualize its root structure. A suite of open-source software was employed to segment the root from the soil and determine its isosurface, which was used to calculate its volume and surface. This methodology of processing 3D data is applicable to other branching structures even when the structure of interest is of similar x-ray attenuation to its environment and difficulties arise with sample segmentation.« less

Cracking evolution behaviors of lightweight materials based on in situ synchrotron X-ray tomography: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Y.; Wu, S. C.; Hu, Y. N.; Fu, Y. N.

2018-03-01

Damage accumulation and failure behaviors are crucial concerns during the design and service of a critical component, leading researchers and engineers to thoroughly identifying the crack evolution. Third-generation synchrotron radiation X-ray computed microtomography can be used to detect the inner damage evolution of a large-density material or component. This paper provides a brief review of studying the crack initiation and propagation inside lightweight materials with advanced synchrotron three-dimensional (3D) X-ray imaging, such as aluminum materials. Various damage modes under both static and dynamic loading are elucidated for pure aluminum, aluminum alloy matrix, aluminum alloy metal matrix composite, and aluminum alloy welded joint. For aluminum alloy matrix, metallurgical defects (porosity, void, inclusion, precipitate, etc.) or artificial defects (notch, scratch, pit, etc.) strongly affect the crack initiation and propagation. For aluminum alloy metal matrix composites, the fracture occurs either from the particle debonding or voids at the particle/matrix interface, and the void evolution is closely related with fatigued cycles. For the hybrid laser welded aluminum alloy, fatigue cracks usually initiate from gas pores located at the surface or sub-surface and gradually propagate to a quarter ellipse or a typical semi-ellipse profile.

Micro- and nano-tomography at the DIAMOND beamline I13L imaging and coherence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rau, C.; Bodey, A.; Storm, M.; Cipiccia, S.; Marathe, S.; Zdora, M.-C.; Zanette, I.; Wagner, U.; Batey, D.; Shi, X.

2017-10-01

The Diamond Beamline I13L is dedicated to imaging on the micro- and nano-lengthsale, operating in the energy range between 6 and 30keV. For this purpose two independently operating branchlines and endstations have been built. The imaging branch is fully operational for micro-tomography and in-line phase contrast imaging with micrometre resolution. Grating interferometry is currently implemented, adding the capability of measuring phase and small-angle information. For tomography with increased resolution a full-field microscope providing 50nm spatial resolution with a field of view of 100μm is being tested. The instrument provides a large working distance between optics and sample to adapt a wide range of customised sample environments. On the coherence branch coherent diffraction imaging techniques such as ptychography, coherent X-ray diffraction (CXRD) are currently developed for three dimensional imaging with the highest resolution. The imaging branch is operated in collaboration with Manchester University, called therefore the Diamond-Manchester Branchline. The scientific applications cover a large area including bio-medicine, materials science, chemistry geology and more. The present paper provides an overview about the current status of the beamline and the science addressed.

X-ray fast tomography and its applications in dynamical phenomena studies in geosciences at Advanced Photon Source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Xianghui; Fusseis, Florian; De Carlo, Francesco

2012-10-01

State-of-art synchrotron radiation based micro-computed tomography provides high spatial and temporal resolution. This matches the needs of many research problems in geosciences. In this letter we report the current capabilities in microtomography at sector 2BM at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) of Argonne National Laboratory. The beamline is well suited to routinely acquire three-dimensional data of excellent quality with sub-micron resolution. Fast cameras in combination with a polychromatic beam allow time-lapse experiments with temporal resolutions of down to 200 ms. Data processing utilizes quantitative phase retrieval to optimize contrast in phase contrast tomographic data. The combination of these capabilities with purpose-designed experimental cells allows for a wide range of dynamic studies on geoscientific topics, two of which are summarized here. In the near future, new experimental cells capable of simulating conditions in most geological reservoirs will be available for general use. Ultimately, these advances will be matched by a new wide-field imaging beam line, which will be constructed as part of the APS upgrade. It is expected that even faster tomography with larger field of view can be conducted at this beam line, creating new opportunities for geoscientific studies.

Ion Trap Array-Based Systems And Methods For Chemical Analysis

DOEpatents

Whitten, William B [Oak Ridge, TN; Ramsey, J Michael [Knoxville, TN

2005-08-23

An ion trap-based system for chemical analysis includes an ion trap array. The ion trap array includes a plurality of ion traps arranged in a 2-dimensional array for initially confining ions. Each of the ion traps comprise a central electrode having an aperture, a first and second insulator each having an aperture sandwiching the central electrode, and first and second end cap electrodes each having an aperture sandwiching the first and second insulator. A structure for simultaneously directing a plurality of different species of ions out from the ion traps is provided. A spectrometer including a detector receives and identifies the ions. The trap array can be used with spectrometers including time-of-flight mass spectrometers and ion mobility spectrometers.

Three-Dimensional Imaging and Quantification of Biomass and Biofilms in Porous Media

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dorthe Wildenschild

2012-10-10

A new method to resolve biofilms in three dimensions in porous media using high-resolution synchrotron-based x-ray computed microtomography (CMT) has been developed. Imaging biofilms in porous media without disturbing the natural spatial arrangement of the porous media and associated biofilm has been a challenging task, primarily because porous media generally precludes conventional imaging via optical microscopy; x-ray tomography offers a potential alternative. One challenge for using this method is that most conventional x-ray contrast agents are water-soluble and easily diffuse into biofilms. To overcome this problem, silver-coated microspheres were added to the fluid phase to create an x-ray contrast thatmore » does not diffuse into the biofilm mass. Using this approach, biofilm imaging in porous media was accomplished with sufficient contrast to differentiate between the biomass- and fluid-filled pore spaces. The method was validated by using a two-dimensional micro-model flow cell where both light microscopy and CMT imaging were used to im age the biofilm. The results of this work has been published in Water Resources Research (Iltis et al., 2010). Additional work needs to be done to optimize this imaging approach, specifically, we find that the quality of the images are highly dependent on the coverage of the biofilm with Ag particles, - which means that we may have issues in dead-end pore space and for very low density (fluffy) biofilms. What we can image for certain with this technique is the biofilm surface that is well-connected to flow paths and thus well-supplied with nutrients etc.« less

Grating interferometry-based phase microtomography of atherosclerotic human arteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buscema, Marzia; Holme, Margaret N.; Deyhle, Hans; Schulz, Georg; Schmitz, Rüdiger; Thalmann, Peter; Hieber, Simone E.; Chicherova, Natalia; Cattin, Philippe C.; Beckmann, Felix; Herzen, Julia; Weitkamp, Timm; Saxer, Till; Müller, Bert

2014-09-01

Cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death and morbidity in the world. Understanding disease development in terms of lumen morphology and tissue composition of constricted arteries is essential to improve treatment and patient outcome. X-ray tomography provides non-destructive three-dimensional data with micrometer-resolution. However, a common problem is simultaneous visualization of soft and hard tissue-containing specimens, such as atherosclerotic human coronary arteries. Unlike absorption based techniques, where X-ray absorption strongly depends on atomic number and tissue density, phase contrast methods such as grating interferometry have significant advantages as the phase shift is only a linear function of the atomic number. We demonstrate that grating interferometry-based phase tomography is a powerful method to three-dimensionally visualize a variety of anatomical features in atherosclerotic human coronary arteries, including plaque, muscle, fat, and connective tissue. Three formalin-fixed, human coronary arteries were measured using advanced laboratory μCT. While this technique gives information about plaque morphology, it is impossible to extract the lumen morphology. Therefore, selected regions were measured using grating based phase tomography, sinograms were treated with a wavelet-Fourier filter to remove ring artifacts, and reconstructed data were processed to allow extraction of vessel lumen morphology. Phase tomography data in combination with conventional laboratory μCT data of the same specimen shows potential, through use of a joint histogram, to identify more tissue types than either technique alone. Such phase tomography data was also rigidly registered to subsequently decalcified arteries that were histologically sectioned, although the quality of registration was insufficient for joint histogram analysis.

Flow and transport in digitized images of Berea sandstone: ergodicity, stationarity and upscaling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puyguiraud, A.; Dentz, M.; Gouze, P.

2017-12-01

We perform Stokes flow simulations on digitized images of a Berea sandstone sample obtained through micro-tomography imaging and segmentation processes. We obtain accurate information on the transport using a streamline reconstruction algorithm which uses the velocity field obtained from the flow simulation as input data. This technique is based on the method proposed by Pollock (Groundwater, 1988) but employs a quadratic interpolation near the rock mesh cells of the domain similarly to Mostaghimi et al. (SPE, 2012). This allows an accurate resolution of the velocity field near the solid interface which plays an important role on the transport characteristics, such as the probability density of first arrival times and the growth of the mean squared displacement, among others, which exhibit non-Fickian behavior. We analyze Lagrangian and Eulerian velocity statistics and their relation, and then focus on the ergodicity and the stationarity properties of the transport.We analyze the temporal evolution of Lagrangian velocity statistics for different injection conditions, and findd quick convergence to a limiting velocity distribution, indicating the transport to be near-stationary. The equivalence between velocity samplings within and across streamlines, as well as the independency of the statistics on the number of sampled streamlines, lead as to conclude that the transport may be modeled as ergodic.These characteristics then allow us to upscale the 3-dimensional simulations using a 1-dimensional Continuous Time Random Walk model. This model, parametrized by the velocity results and the characteristic correlation length obtained from the above mentioned simulations, is able to efficiently reproduce the results and to predict larger scale behaviors.

Critical Evolution of Damage Toward System-Size Failure in Crystalline Rock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renard, François; Weiss, Jérôme; Mathiesen, Joachim; Ben-Zion, Yehuda; Kandula, Neelima; Cordonnier, Benoît

2018-02-01

Rock failure under shear loading conditions controls earthquake and faulting phenomena. We study the dynamics of microscale damage precursory to shear faulting in a quartz-monzonite rock representative of crystalline rocks of the continental crust. Using a triaxial rig that is transparent to X-rays, we image the mechanical evolution of centimeter-size core samples by in situ synchrotron microtomography with a resolution of 6.5 μm. Time-lapse three-dimensional images of the samples inside the rig provide a unique data set of microstructural evolution toward faulting. Above a yield point there is a gradual weakening during which microfractures nucleate and grow until this damage span the whole sample. This leads to shear faults oriented about 30° to the main compressive stress in agreement with Anderson's theory and macroscopic failure. The microfractures can be extracted from the three-dimensional images, and their dynamics and morphology (i.e., number, volume, orientation, shape, and largest cluster) are quantified as a function of increasing stress toward failure. The experimental data show for the first time that the total volume of microfractures, the rate of damage growth, and the size of the largest microfracture all increase and diverge when approaching faulting. The average flatness of the microfractures (i.e., the ratio between the second and third eigenvalues of their covariance matrix) shows a significant decrease near failure. The precursors to faulting developing in the future faulting zone are controlled by the evolving microfracture population. Their divergent dynamics toward failure is reminiscent of a dynamical critical transition.

Three-dimensional reconstruction and the phylogeny of extinct chelicerate orders

PubMed Central

Dunlop, Jason

2014-01-01

Arachnids are an important group of arthropods. They are: diverse and abundant; a major constituent of many terrestrial ecosystems; and possess a deep and extensive fossil record. In recent years a number of exceptionally preserved arachnid fossils have been investigated using tomography and associated techniques, providing valuable insights into their morphology. Here we use X-ray microtomography to reconstruct members of two extinct arachnid orders. In the Haptopoda, we demonstrate the presence of ‘clasp-knife’ chelicerae, and our novel redescription of a member of the Phalangiotarbida highlights leg details, but fails to resolve chelicerae in the group due to their small size. As a result of these reconstructions, tomographic studies of three-dimensionally preserved fossils now exist for three of the four extinct orders, and for fossil representatives of several extant ones. Such studies constitute a valuable source of high fidelity data for constructing phylogenies. To illustrate this, here we present a cladistic analysis of the chelicerates to accompany these reconstructions. This is based on a previously published matrix, expanded to include fossil taxa and relevant characters, and allows us to: cladistically place the extinct arachnid orders; explicitly test some earlier hypotheses from the literature; and demonstrate that the addition of fossils to phylogenetic analyses can have broad implications. Phylogenies based on chelicerate morphology—in contrast to molecular studies—have achieved elements of consensus in recent years. Our work suggests that these results are not robust to the addition of novel characters or fossil taxa. Hypotheses surrounding chelicerate phylogeny remain in a state of flux. PMID:25405073

Damping of Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence in Partially Ionized Gas and the Observed Difference of Velocities of Neutrals and Ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falceta-Gonçalves, D.; Lazarian, A.; Houde, M.

2010-04-01

Theoretical and observational studies on the turbulence of the interstellar medium developed fast in the past decades. The theory of supersonic magnetized turbulence, as well as the understanding of the projection effects of observed quantities, is still in progress. In this work, we explore the characterization of the turbulent cascade and its damping from observational spectral line profiles. We address the difference of ion and neutral velocities by clarifying the nature of the turbulence damping in the partially ionized. We provide theoretical arguments in favor of the explanation of the larger Doppler broadening of lines arising from neutral species compared to ions as arising from the turbulence damping of ions at larger scales. Also, we compute a number of MHD numerical simulations for different turbulent regimes and explicit turbulent damping, and compare both the three-dimensional distributions of velocity and the synthetic line profile distributions. From the numerical simulations, we place constraints on the precision with which one can measure the three-dimensional dispersion depending on the turbulence sonic Mach number. We show that no universal correspondence between the three-dimensional velocity dispersions measured in the turbulent volume and minima of the two-dimensional velocity dispersions available through observations exist. For instance, for subsonic turbulence the correspondence is poor at scales much smaller than the turbulence injection scale, while for supersonic turbulence the correspondence is poor for the scales comparable with the injection scale. We provide a physical explanation of the existence of such a two-dimensional to three-dimensional correspondence and discuss the uncertainties in evaluating the damping scale of ions that can be obtained from observations. However, we show that the statistics of velocity dispersion from observed line profiles can provide the spectral index and the energy transfer rate of turbulence. Also, by comparing two similar simulations with different viscous coefficients, it was possible to constrain the turbulent cut-off scale. This may especially prove useful since it is believed that ambipolar diffusion may be one of the dominant dissipative mechanisms in star-forming regions. In this case, the determination of the ambipolar diffusion scale may be used as a complementary method for the determination of magnetic field intensity in collapsing cores. We discuss the implications of our findings in terms of a new approach to magnetic field measurement proposed by Li & Houde.

New applications of x-ray tomography in pyrolysis of biomass: biochar imaging

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We report on the first ever use of non-destructive micrometer-scale synchrotron computed microtomography for characterization of biochar materials as a function of pyrolysis temperature. Using this innovative approach we have observed an increase in marcropore fraction of the sample, resulting in 29...

Dual Phase-space Cascades in 3D Hybrid-Vlasov–Maxwell Turbulence

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cerri, S. S.; Kunz, M. W.; Califano, F.

To explain energy dissipation via turbulence in collisionless, magnetized plasmas, the existence of a dual real- and velocity-space cascade of ion-entropy fluctuations below the ion gyroradius has been proposed. Such a dual cascade, predicted by the gyrokinetic theory, has previously been observed in gyrokinetic simulations of two-dimensional, electrostatic turbulence. For the first time we show evidence for a dual phase-space cascade of ion-entropy fluctuations in a three-dimensional simulation of hybrid-kinetic, electromagnetic turbulence. Some of the scalings observed in the energy spectra are consistent with a generalized theory for the cascade that accounts for the spectral anisotropy of critically balanced, intermittent,more » sub-ion-Larmor-scale fluctuations. Also, the observed velocity-space cascade is anisotropic with respect to the magnetic-field direction, with linear phase mixing along magnetic-field lines proceeding mainly at spatial scales above the ion gyroradius and nonlinear phase mixing across magnetic-field lines proceeding at perpendicular scales below the ion gyroradius. Such phase-space anisotropy could be sought in heliospheric and magnetospheric data of solar-wind turbulence and has far-reaching implications for the dissipation of turbulence in weakly collisional astrophysical plasmas.« less

Achieving Stable Radiation Pressure Acceleration of Heavy Ions via Successive Electron Replenishment from Ionization of a High-Z Material Coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, X. F.; Qiao, B.; Chang, H. X.; Kar, S.; Zhou, C. T.; Borghesi, M.; He, X. T.

2016-10-01

Generation of monoenergetic heavy ion beams aroused more scientific interest in recent years. Radiation pressure acceleration (RPA) is an ideal mechanism for obtaining high-quality heavy ion beams, in principle. However, to achieve the same energy per nucleon (velocity) as protons, heavy ions undergo much more serious Rayleigh-Taylor-like (RT) instability and afterwards much worse Coulomb explosion due to loss of co-moving electrons. This leads to premature acceleration termination of heavy ions and very low energy attained in experiment. The utilization of a high-Z coating in front of the target may suppress the RT instability and Coulomb explosion by continuously replenishing the accelerating heavy ion foil with co-moving electrons due to its successive ionization under laser fields with Gaussian temporal and spatial profiles. Thus stable RPA can be realized. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional particles-in-cell simulations with dynamic ionization show that a monoenergetic Al13+ beam with peak energy 4.0GeV and particle number 1010 (charge > 20nC) can be obtained at intensity 1022 W/cm2. Supported by the NSF, Nos. 11575298 and 1000-Talents Program of China.

Dual Phase-space Cascades in 3D Hybrid-Vlasov–Maxwell Turbulence

DOE PAGES

Cerri, S. S.; Kunz, M. W.; Califano, F.

2018-03-23

To explain energy dissipation via turbulence in collisionless, magnetized plasmas, the existence of a dual real- and velocity-space cascade of ion-entropy fluctuations below the ion gyroradius has been proposed. Such a dual cascade, predicted by the gyrokinetic theory, has previously been observed in gyrokinetic simulations of two-dimensional, electrostatic turbulence. For the first time we show evidence for a dual phase-space cascade of ion-entropy fluctuations in a three-dimensional simulation of hybrid-kinetic, electromagnetic turbulence. Some of the scalings observed in the energy spectra are consistent with a generalized theory for the cascade that accounts for the spectral anisotropy of critically balanced, intermittent,more » sub-ion-Larmor-scale fluctuations. Also, the observed velocity-space cascade is anisotropic with respect to the magnetic-field direction, with linear phase mixing along magnetic-field lines proceeding mainly at spatial scales above the ion gyroradius and nonlinear phase mixing across magnetic-field lines proceeding at perpendicular scales below the ion gyroradius. Such phase-space anisotropy could be sought in heliospheric and magnetospheric data of solar-wind turbulence and has far-reaching implications for the dissipation of turbulence in weakly collisional astrophysical plasmas.« less

Dual Phase-space Cascades in 3D Hybrid-Vlasov–Maxwell Turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cerri, S. S.; Kunz, M. W.; Califano, F.

2018-03-01

To explain energy dissipation via turbulence in collisionless, magnetized plasmas, the existence of a dual real- and velocity-space cascade of ion-entropy fluctuations below the ion gyroradius has been proposed. Such a dual cascade, predicted by the gyrokinetic theory, has previously been observed in gyrokinetic simulations of two-dimensional, electrostatic turbulence. For the first time, we show evidence for a dual phase-space cascade of ion-entropy fluctuations in a three-dimensional simulation of hybrid-kinetic, electromagnetic turbulence. Some of the scalings observed in the energy spectra are consistent with a generalized theory for the cascade that accounts for the spectral anisotropy of critically balanced, intermittent, sub-ion-Larmor-scale fluctuations. The observed velocity-space cascade is also anisotropic with respect to the magnetic-field direction, with linear phase mixing along magnetic-field lines proceeding mainly at spatial scales above the ion gyroradius and nonlinear phase mixing across magnetic-field lines proceeding at perpendicular scales below the ion gyroradius. Such phase-space anisotropy could be sought in heliospheric and magnetospheric data of solar-wind turbulence and has far-reaching implications for the dissipation of turbulence in weakly collisional astrophysical plasmas.

Three-dimensional cross-linking composite of graphene, carbon nanotubes and Si nanoparticles for lithium ion battery anode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Suyun; Zhu, Guannan; Tang, Yanping; Xie, Xiaohua; Wang, Qian; Ma, Yufei; Ding, Guqiao; Xie, Xiaoming

2018-03-01

Various graphene-based Si nanocomposites have been reported to improve the performance of active materials in Li-ion batteries. However, these candidates still yield severe capacity fading due to the electrical disconnection and fractures caused by the huge volume changes over extended cycles. Therefore, we have designed a novel three-dimensional cross-linked graphene and single-wall carbon nanotube structure to encapsulate the Si nanoparticles. The synthesized three-dimensional structure is attributed to the excellent self-assembly of carbon nanotubes with graphene oxide as well as a thermal treatment process at 900 °C. This special structure provides sufficient void spaces for the volume expansion of Si nanoparticles and channels for the diffusion of ions and electrons. In addition, the cross-linking of the graphene and single-wall carbon nanotubes also strengthens the stability of the structure. As a result, the volume expansion of the Si nanoparticles is restrained. The specific capacity remains at 1450 mAh g-1 after 100 cycles at 200 mA g-1. This well-defined three-dimensional structure facilitates superior capacity and cycling stability in comparison with bare Si and a mechanically mixed composite electrode of graphene, single-wall carbon nanotubes and silicon nanoparticles.

One-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation on the influence of electron and ion temperature on the sheath expansion process in the post-arc stage of vacuum circuit breaker

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mo, Yongpeng; Shi, Zongqian; Jia, Shenli; Wang, Lijun

2015-02-01

The inter-contact region of vacuum circuit breakers is filled with residual plasma at the moment when the current is zero after the burning of metal vapor arc. The residual plasma forms an ion sheath in front of the post-arc cathode. The sheath then expands towards the post-arc anode under the influence of a transient recovery voltage. In this study, a one-dimensional particle-in-cell model is developed to investigate the post-arc sheath expansion. The influence of ion and electron temperatures on the decrease in local plasma density at the post-arc cathode side and post-arc anode side is discussed. When the decay in the local plasma density develops from the cathode and anode sides into the high-density region and merges, the overall plasma density in the inter-contact region begins to decrease. Meanwhile, the ion sheath begins to expand faster. Furthermore, the theory of ion rarefaction wave only explains quantitatively the decrease in the overall plasma density at relatively low ion temperatures. With the increase of ion temperature to certain extent, another possible reason for the decrease in the overall plasma density is proposed and results from the more active thermal diffusion of plasma.

One-dimensional multispecies hydrodynamic models of the wakeside ionosphere of Titan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keller, C. N.; Cravens, T. E.

1994-01-01

The passage of Voyager 1 through the wakeside region of Titan's ionosphere provided an interesting probe of this plasma environment. A one-dimensional multispecies hydrodynamic model was developed to study the wakeside ionosphere for radial distances ranging from 1.3 to 4.5 R(sub T) and included the ion species H2CN(+), C(sub n) H(sub m)(+), C2H5(+), CH5(+), H(+), H2(+), and H3(+). Plasma transport only along magnetic field lines was included. The only source of ion production was from electron impact ionization of Titan's atmosphere by radially streaming Saturnian magnetospheric electrons (i.e., the nightside wakeside ionosphere). We found that ion production rates due to hot (200 eV) magnetospheric electrons impacting Titan's neutral atmosphere along radial field lines were comparable to the dayside ion production rates due to solar EUV flux. The magnetic flux tube area was varied along with electron temperature, and the results were compared to the ion densities and velocities measured during the Voyager 1 encounter. We found outward ion flows of about (2 to 7 x 10(exp 6)/sq cm/s, resulting in a total ion loss from Titan into Saturn's magnetosphere of about (6 to 20) x 10(exp 24)/s.

Three-dimensional Model of Tissue and Heavy Ions Effects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ponomarev, Artem L.; Sundaresan, Alamelu; Huff, Janice L.; Cucinotta, Francis A.

2007-01-01

A three-dimensional tissue model was incorporated into a new Monte Carlo algorithm that simulates passage of heavy ions in a tissue box . The tissue box was given as a realistic model of tissue based on confocal microscopy images. The action of heavy ions on the cellular matrix for 2- or 3-dimensional cases was simulated. Cells were modeled as a cell culture monolayer in one example, where the data were taken directly from microscopy (2-d cell matrix), and as a multi-layer obtained from confocal microscopy (3-d case). Image segmentation was used to identify cells with precise areas/volumes in an irradiated cell culture monolayer, and slices of tissue with many cell layers. The cells were then inserted into the model box of the simulated physical space pixel by pixel. In the case of modeled tissues (3-d), the tissue box had periodic boundary conditions imposed, which extrapolates the technique to macroscopic volumes of tissue. For the real tissue (3-d), specific spatial patterns for cell apoptosis and necrosis are expected. The cell patterns were modeled based on action cross sections for apoptosis and necrosis estimated from current experimental data. A spatial correlation function indicating a higher spatial concentration of damaged cells from heavy ions relative to the low-LET radiation cell damage pattern is presented. The spatial correlation effects among necrotic cells can help studying microlesions in organs, and probable effects of directionality of heavy ion radiation on epithelium and endothelium.

Syntheses and characterization of one-dimensional alkali metal antimony(III) thiostannates(IV), A{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Sn{sub 3}S{sub 10} (A=K, Rb, Cs)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yohannan, Jinu P.; Vidyasagar, Kanamaluru, E-mail: kvsagar@iitm.ac.in

2015-01-15

Three new isostructural quaternary antimony(III) thiostannates(IV), A{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Sn{sub 3}S{sub 10} (A=K, Rb, Cs) have been synthesized by using alkali metal thiosulfate flux and structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. Their structures contain A{sup +} ions around the [Sb{sub 2}Sn{sub 3}S{sub 10}]{sup 2−} chains, which are built from SbS{sub 3} pyramids, SnS{sub 6} octahedra and SnS{sub 4} tetrahedra. Raman and Mössbauer spectroscopic measurements corroborate the oxidation states and coordination environments of Sb(III) and Sn(IV). All three compounds are wide band gap semiconductors. Potassium compound undergoes partial exchange with strontium, cadmium and lead ions. - Graphical abstract: Syntheses, crystal structure, spectroscopic andmore » partial ion-exchange studies of new one-dimensional alkali metal antimony(III) thiostannates(IV), A{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Sn{sub 3}S{sub 10} (A=K, Rb, Cs) are described. - Highlights: • Syntheses of new alkali metal antimony(III) thiostannates(IV), A{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Sn{sub 3}S{sub 10} (A=K, Rb, Cs). • Wide band gap semiconductors with one-dimensional structure. • Topotactic partial exchange of K{sup +} ions of K{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Sn{sub 3}S{sub 10} with Sr{sup 2+}, Cd{sup 2+} and Pb{sup 2+} ions.« less

Comprehensive lipidomic analysis of human plasma using multidimensional liquid- and gas-phase separations: Two-dimensional liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry vs. liquid chromatography-trapped-ion-mobility-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Baglai, Anna; Gargano, Andrea F G; Jordens, Jan; Mengerink, Ynze; Honing, Maarten; van der Wal, Sjoerd; Schoenmakers, Peter J

2017-12-29

Recent advancements in separation science have resulted in the commercialization of multidimensional separation systems that provide higher peak capacities and, hence, enable a more-detailed characterization of complex mixtures. In particular, two powerful analytical tools are increasingly used by analytical scientists, namely online comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography (LC×LC, having a second-dimension separation in the liquid phase) and liquid chromatography-ion mobility-spectrometry (LC-IMS, second dimension separation in the gas phase). The goal of the current study was a general assessment of the liquid-chromatography-trapped-ion-mobility-mass spectrometry (LC-TIMS-MS) and comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC×LC-MS) platforms for untargeted lipid mapping in human plasma. For the first time trapped-ion-mobility spectrometry (TIMS) was employed for the separation of the major lipid classes and ion-mobility-derived collision-cross-section values were determined for a number of lipid standards. The general effects of a number of influencing parameters have been inspected and possible directions for improvements are discussed. We aimed to provide a general indication and practical guidelines for the analyst to choose an efficient multidimensional separation platform according to the particular requirements of the application. Analysis time, orthogonality, peak capacity, and an indicative measure for the resolving power are discussed as main characteristics for multidimensional separation systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Method for ion implantation induced embedded particle formation via reduction

DOEpatents

Hampikian, Janet M; Hunt, Eden M

2001-01-01

A method for ion implantation induced embedded particle formation via reduction with the steps of ion implantation with an ion/element that will chemically reduce the chosen substrate material, implantation of the ion/element to a sufficient concentration and at a sufficient energy for particle formation, and control of the temperature of the substrate during implantation. A preferred embodiment includes the formation of particles which are nano-dimensional (<100 m-n in size). The phase of the particles may be affected by control of the substrate temperature during and/or after the ion implantation process.

Synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy enables multiscale spatial visualization of ions involved in fungal lignocellulose deconstruction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kirker, Grant; Zelinka, Sam; Gleber, Sophie -Charlotte

Ions play an important role in the growth and development of filamentous fungi, particularly in the fungal decay process of lignocellulose materials. The role of ions in wood degradation, and more broadly fungal metabolism, have implications for diverse research disciplines ranging from plant pathology and forest ecology, to wood protection. Despite the importance of ions in both enzymatic and non-enzymatic fungal decay mechanisms, the spatial distribution of ions in wood and fungal hyphae during decay is not known. Here we employ synchrotron based X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) to map physiologically relevant ions, such as K, Ca, Mn, Fe, and Zn,more » in wood being decayed by the model brown rot fungus Serpula lacrymans. Two-dimensional XFM maps were obtained to study the ion spatial distributions from mm to submicron length scales in wood and hyphae. Three-dimensional ion volume reconstructions with submicron spatial resolution were also acquired of wood cell walls and fungal hyphae, and an estimation of oxalate concentration at the microscale was made. Results show that the fungus actively transports some ions, such as Fe, into the wood and controls the distribution of ions at both the bulk wood and cellular length scales. Within the fungal hyphae, ion volume reconstructions show inhomogeneous ion distributions at the micron length scale and this localization may be indicative of both physiological status and requirements or in some cases, potentially sites associated with the initiation of metal-catalyzed wood degradation. Finally, these measurements illustrate how synchrotron based XFM is uniquely qualified for probing the role of ions in the growth and metabolic processes of filamentous fungi.« less

Synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy enables multiscale spatial visualization of ions involved in fungal lignocellulose deconstruction

DOE PAGES

Kirker, Grant; Zelinka, Sam; Gleber, Sophie -Charlotte; ...

2017-01-31

Ions play an important role in the growth and development of filamentous fungi, particularly in the fungal decay process of lignocellulose materials. The role of ions in wood degradation, and more broadly fungal metabolism, have implications for diverse research disciplines ranging from plant pathology and forest ecology, to wood protection. Despite the importance of ions in both enzymatic and non-enzymatic fungal decay mechanisms, the spatial distribution of ions in wood and fungal hyphae during decay is not known. Here we employ synchrotron based X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) to map physiologically relevant ions, such as K, Ca, Mn, Fe, and Zn,more » in wood being decayed by the model brown rot fungus Serpula lacrymans. Two-dimensional XFM maps were obtained to study the ion spatial distributions from mm to submicron length scales in wood and hyphae. Three-dimensional ion volume reconstructions with submicron spatial resolution were also acquired of wood cell walls and fungal hyphae, and an estimation of oxalate concentration at the microscale was made. Results show that the fungus actively transports some ions, such as Fe, into the wood and controls the distribution of ions at both the bulk wood and cellular length scales. Within the fungal hyphae, ion volume reconstructions show inhomogeneous ion distributions at the micron length scale and this localization may be indicative of both physiological status and requirements or in some cases, potentially sites associated with the initiation of metal-catalyzed wood degradation. Finally, these measurements illustrate how synchrotron based XFM is uniquely qualified for probing the role of ions in the growth and metabolic processes of filamentous fungi.« less

Incorporating Born solvation energy into the three-dimensional Poisson-Nernst-Planck model to study ion selectivity in KcsA K+ channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xuejiao; Lu, Benzhuo

2017-12-01

Potassium channels are much more permeable to potassium than sodium ions, although potassium ions are larger and both carry the same positive charge. This puzzle cannot be solved based on the traditional Poisson-Nernst-Planck (PNP) theory of electrodiffusion because the PNP model treats all ions as point charges, does not incorporate ion size information, and therefore cannot discriminate potassium from sodium ions. The PNP model can qualitatively capture some macroscopic properties of certain channel systems such as current-voltage characteristics, conductance rectification, and inverse membrane potential. However, the traditional PNP model is a continuum mean-field model and has no or underestimates the discrete ion effects, in particular the ion solvation or self-energy (which can be described by Born model). It is known that the dehydration effect (closely related to ion size) is crucial to selective permeation in potassium channels. Therefore, we incorporated Born solvation energy into the PNP model to account for ion hydration and dehydration effects when passing through inhomogeneous dielectric channel environments. A variational approach was adopted to derive a Born-energy-modified PNP (BPNP) model. The model was applied to study a cylindrical nanopore and a realistic KcsA channel, and three-dimensional finite element simulations were performed. The BPNP model can distinguish different ion species by ion radius and predict selectivity for K+ over Na+ in KcsA channels. Furthermore, ion current rectification in the KcsA channel was observed by both the PNP and BPNP models. The I -V curve of the BPNP model for the KcsA channel indicated an inward rectifier effect for K+ (rectification ratio of ˜3 /2 ) but indicated an outward rectifier effect for Na+ (rectification ratio of ˜1 /6 ) .

Effect of Intercalated Water on Potassium Ion Transport through Kv1.2 Channels Studied via On-the-Fly Free-Energy Parametrization.

PubMed

Paz, S Alexis; Maragliano, Luca; Abrams, Cameron F

2018-05-08

We introduce a two-dimensional version of the method called on-the-fly free energy parametrization (OTFP) to reconstruct free-energy surfaces using Molecular Dynamics simulations, which we name OTFP-2D. We first test the new method by reconstructing the well-known dihedral angles free energy surface of solvated alanine dipeptide. Then, we use it to investigate the process of K + ions translocation inside the Kv1.2 channel. By comparing a series of two-dimensional free energy surfaces for ion movement calculated with different conditions on the intercalated water molecules, we first recapitulate the widely accepted knock-on mechanism for ion translocation and then confirm that permeation occurs with water molecules alternated among the ions, in accordance with the latest experimental findings. From a methodological standpoint, our new OTFP-2D algorithm demonstrates the excellent sampling acceleration of temperature-accelerated molecular dynamics and the ability to efficiently compute 2D free-energy surfaces. It will therefore be useful in large variety complex biomacromolecular simulations.

Two-Dimensional Porous Carbon: Synthesis and Ion-Transport Properties.

PubMed

Zheng, Xiaoyu; Luo, Jiayan; Lv, Wei; Wang, Da-Wei; Yang, Quan-Hong

2015-09-23

Their chemical stability, high specific surface area, and electric conductivity enable porous carbon materials to be the most commonly used electrode materials for electrochemical capacitors (also known as supercapacitors). To further increase the energy and power density, engineering of the pore structures with a higher electrochemical accessible surface area, faster ion-transport path and a more-robust interface with the electrolyte is widely investigated. Compared with traditional porous carbons, two-dimensional (2D) porous carbon sheets with an interlinked hierarchical porous structure are a good candidate for supercapacitors due to their advantages in high aspect ratio for electrode packing and electron transport, hierarchical pore structures for ion transport, and short ion-transport length. Recent progress on the synthesis of 2D porous carbons is reported here, along with the improved electrochemical behavior due to enhanced ion transport. Challenges for the controlled preparation of 2D porous carbons with desired properties are also discussed; these require precise tuning of the hierarchical structure and a clarification of the formation mechanisms. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

On the upper bound in the Bohm sheath criterion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kotelnikov, I. A., E-mail: I.A.Kotelnikov@inp.nsk.su; Skovorodin, D. I., E-mail: D.I.Skovorodin@inp.nsk.su

2016-02-15

The question is discussed about the existence of an upper bound in the Bohm sheath criterion, according to which the Debye sheath at the interface between plasma and a negatively charged electrode is stable only if the ion flow velocity in plasma exceeds the ion sound velocity. It is stated that, with an exception of some artificial ionization models, the Bohm sheath criterion is satisfied as an equality at the lower bound and the ion flow velocity is equal to the speed of sound. In the one-dimensional theory, a supersonic flow appears in an unrealistic model of a localized ionmore » source the size of which is less than the Debye length; however, supersonic flows seem to be possible in the two- and three-dimensional cases. In the available numerical codes used to simulate charged particle sources with a plasma emitter, the presence of the upper bound in the Bohm sheath criterion is not supposed; however, the correspondence with experimental data is usually achieved if the ion flow velocity in plasma is close to the ion sound velocity.« less

Integrated Solid/Nanoporous Copper/Oxide Hybrid Bulk Electrodes for High-performance Lithium-Ion Batteries

PubMed Central

Hou, Chao; Lang, Xing-You; Han, Gao-Feng; Li, Ying-Qi; Zhao, Lei; Wen, Zi; Zhu, Yong-Fu; Zhao, Ming; Li, Jian-Chen; Lian, Jian-She; Jiang, Qing

2013-01-01

Nanoarchitectured electroactive materials can boost rates of Li insertion/extraction, showing genuine potential to increase power output of Li-ion batteries. However, electrodes assembled with low-dimensional nanostructured transition metal oxides by conventional approach suffer from dramatic reductions in energy capacities owing to sluggish ion and electron transport kinetics. Here we report that flexible bulk electrodes, made of three-dimensional bicontinuous nanoporous Cu/MnO2 hybrid and seamlessly integrated with Cu solid current collector, substantially optimizes Li storage behavior of the constituent MnO2. As a result of the unique integration of solid/nanoporous hybrid architecture that simultaneously enhances the electron transport of MnO2, facilitates fast ion diffusion and accommodates large volume changes on Li insertion/extraction of MnO2, the supported MnO2 exhibits a stable capacity of as high as ~1100 mA h g−1 for 1000 cycles, and ultrahigh charge/discharge rates. It makes the environmentally friendly and low-cost electrode as a promising anode for high-performance Li-ion battery applications. PMID:24096928

Bioclogging in Porous Media: Preferential Flow Paths and Anomalous Transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holzner, M.; Carrel, M.; Morales, V.; Derlon, N.; Beltran, M. A.; Morgenroth, E.; Kaufmann, R.

2016-12-01

Biofilms are sessile communities of microorganisms held together by an extracellular polymeric substance that enables surface colonization. In porous media (e.g. soils, trickling filters etc.) biofilm growth has been shown to affect the hydrodynamics in a complex fashion at the pore-scale by clogging individual pores and enhancing preferential flow pathways and anomalous transport. These phenomena are a direct consequence of microbial growth and metabolism, mass transfer processes and complex flow velocity fields possibly exhibiting pronounced three-dimensional features. Despite considerable past work, however, it is not fully understood how bioclogging interacts with flow and mass transport processes in porous media. In this work we use imaging techniques to determine the flow velocities and the distribution of biofilm in a porous medium. Three-dimensional millimodels are packed with a transparent porous medium and a glucose solution to match the optical refractive index. The models are inoculated with planktonic wildtype bacteria and biofilm cultivated for 60 h under a constant flow and nutrient conditions. The pore flow velocities in the increasingly bioclogged medium are measured using 3D particle tracking velocimetry (3D-PTV). The three-dimensional spatial distribution of the biofilm within the pore space is assessed by imaging the model with X-Ray microtomography. We find that biofilm growth increases the complexity of the pore space, leading to the formation of preferential flow pathways and "dead" pore zones. The probability of persistent high and low velocity regions (within preferential paths resp. stagnant flow regions) thus increases upon biofilm growth, leading to an enhancement of anomalous transport. The structural data seems to indicate that the largest pores are not getting clogged and carry the preferential flow, whereas intricated structures develop in the smallest pores, where the flow becomes almost stagnant. These findings may be relevant for applications such as bioremediation of contaminated aquifers, groundwater injection wells for geothermal or drinking water purposes, tertiary oil recovery.

Scalable Loading of a Two-Dimensional Trapped-Ion Array

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-11-25

ion -trap array based on two crossed photo-ionization laser beams . With the use of a continuous flux of pre-cooled neutral...push laser Atomic beam Dierential pumping tube Push laser 2D-MOT 50 K Shield 4 K Shield 4 K stage Trap chip MOT laser Ion To ion pump 5s2 1S0 461...conducted a series of Ramsey experiments on a single trapped ion in the presence and absence of neu- tral atom flux as well as each of the PI laser

Study of beam optics and beam halo by integrated modeling of negative ion beams from plasma meniscus formation to beam acceleration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miyamoto, K.; Okuda, S.; Hatayama, A.

2013-01-14

To understand the physical mechanism of the beam halo formation in negative ion beams, a two-dimensional particle-in-cell code for simulating the trajectories of negative ions created via surface production has been developed. The simulation code reproduces a beam halo observed in an actual negative ion beam. The negative ions extracted from the periphery of the plasma meniscus (an electro-static lens in a source plasma) are over-focused in the extractor due to large curvature of the meniscus.

Three-dimensional structure of porcine pancreatic carboxypeptidase B with an acetate ion and two zinc atoms in the active site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Akparov, V. Kh., E-mail: valery@akparov.ru; Timofeev, V. I., E-mail: tostars@mail.ru; Maghsoudi, N. N., E-mail: maghsudi@yahoo.com

2017-03-15

Crystals of porcine pancreatic carboxypeptidase B (CPB) were grown by the capillary counter-diffusion method in the presence of polyethylene glycol and zinc acetate. The three-dimensional structure of CPB was determined at 1.40 Å resolution using the X-ray diffraction data set collected from the crystals of the enzyme at the SPring 8 synchrotron facility and was refined to R{sub fact} = 17.19%, R{sub free} = 19.78%. The structure contains five zinc atoms, two of which are present in the active site of the enzyme, and an acetate ion. The arrangement of an additional zinc atom in the active site and themore » acetate ion is different from that reported by Yoshimoto et al.« less

Ion-exchange synthesis and superconductivity at 8.6 K of Na2Cr3As3 with quasi-one-dimensional crystal structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mu, Qing-Ge; Ruan, Bin-Bin; Pan, Bo-Jin; Liu, Tong; Yu, Jia; Zhao, Kang; Chen, Gen-Fu; Ren, Zhi-An

2018-03-01

A Cr-based quasi-one-dimensional superconductor N a2 Cr3As3 was synthesized by an ion-exchange method in a sodium naphthalenide solution. The crystals are threadlike and the structure was analyzed by x-ray diffraction with a noncentrosymmetric hexagonal space group P -6 m 2 (No. 187), in which the (Cr3As3 )2 - linear chains are separated by N a+ ions, and the refined lattice parameters are a =9.239 (2 )Å and c =4.209 (6 )Å . The measurements for electrical resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, and heat capacity reveal a superconducting transition with unconventional characteristic at 8.6 K, which exceeds that of all previously reported Cr-based superconductors.

Strain-dependent evolution of garnets in a high pressure ductile shear zone using Synchroton x-ray microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macente, Alice; Fusseis, Florian; Menegon, Luca; John, Timm

2016-04-01

Synkinematic reaction microfabrics carry important information on the kinetics, timing and rheology of tectonometamorphic processes. Despite being routinely interpreted in metamorphic and structural studies, reaction and deformation microfabrics are usually described in two dimensions. We applied Synchrotron-based x-ray microtomography to document the evolution of a pristine olivine gabbro into a deformed omphacite-garnet eclogite in 3D. In the investigated samples, which cover a strain gradient into a shear zone from the Western Gneiss Region (Norway) previously described by John et al., (2009), we focused on the spatial transformation of garnet coronas into elongated clusters of garnets. Our microtomographic data allowed us to quantify changes to the garnet volume, their shapes and their spatial arrangement. We combined microtomographic observations with light microscope- and backscatter electron images as well as electron microprobe- (EMPA) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analyses to correlate mineral composition and orientation data with the x-ray absorption signal of the same mineral grains. This allowed us to extrapolate our interpretation of the metamorphic microfabric evolution to the third dimension, effectively yielding a 4-dimensional dataset. We found that: - The x-ray absorption contrast between individual mineral phases in our microtomographic data is sufficient to allow the same petrographic observations than in light- and electron microscopy, but extended to 3D. - Amongst the major constituents of the synkinematic reactions, garnet is the only phase that can be segmented confidently from the microtomographic data. - With increasing deformation, the garnet volume increases from about 9% to 25%. - Garnet coronas in the gabbros never completely encapsulate olivine grains. This may indicate that the reaction progressed preferentially in some directions, but also leaves pathways for element transport to and from the olivines that are unobstructed by reaction products. - Neighbouring garnet coronas are interconnected, i.e. in direct contact to each other. From a mechanical point of view, we interpret touching garnet coronas that form a rigid, potentially load-supporting framework to affect the rheology of the rock. - In the most highly deformed eclogites, the oblate shapes of elongated garnet clusters reflect a deformational origin of the microfabrics. The clusters define a foliation, whose orientation and intensity we quantified using a star volume distribution algorithm. We interpret the aligned garnet clusters to direct synkinematic fluid flow and consequently influence the transport of dissolved chemical components. - EBSD on garnets shows that, there is no evidence for crystal plastic deformation and all the garnets are internally strain free and show a near-random crystal preferred orientation. There is, however evidence for minor fracturing. We interpret these observations as pointing to a mechanical disintegration of the garnet coronas during strain localisation, and their rearrangement into individual clusters. This process will have been supported by pressure solution/reprecipitation processes. Our study clearly demonstrates what 3- or even 4-dimensional data from reaction microfabrics can add to the understanding of metamorphic processes.

Effect of Branching on Rod-coil Polyimides as Membrane Materials for Lithium Polymer Batteries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meador, Mary Ann B.; Cubon, Valerie A.; Scheiman, Daniel A.; Bennett, William R.

2003-01-01

This paper describes a series of rod-coil block co-polymers that produce easy to fabricate, dimensionally stable films with good ionic conductivity down to room temperature for use as electrolytes for lithium polymer batteries. The polymers consist of short, rigid rod polyimide segments, alternating with flexible, polyalkylene oxide coil segments. The highly incompatible rods and coils should phase separate, especially in the presence of lithium ions. The coil phase would allow for conduction of lithium ions, while the rigid rod phase would provide a high degree of dimensional stability. An optimization study was carried out to study the effect of four variables (degree of branching, formulated molecular weight, polymerization solvent and lithium salt concentration) on ionic conductivity, glass transition temperature and dimensional stability in this system.

Dynamical features and electric field strengths of double layers driven by currents. [in auroras

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, N.; Thiemann, H.; Schunk, R. W.

1985-01-01

In recent years, a number of papers have been concerned with 'ion-acoustic' double layers. In the present investigation, results from numerical simulations are presented to show that the shapes and forms of current-driven double layers evolve dynamically with the fluctuations in the current through the plasma. It is shown that double layers with a potential dip can form even without the excitation of ion-acoustic modes. Double layers in two-and one-half-dimensional simulations are discussed, taking into account the simulation technique, the spatial and temporal features of plasma, and the dynamical behavior of the parallel potential distribution. Attention is also given to double layers in one-dimensional simulations, and electrical field strengths predicted by two-and one-half-dimensional simulations.

Recent advances in quantitative analysis of fluid interfaces in multiphase fluid flow measured by synchrotron-based x-ray microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schlueter, S.; Sheppard, A.; Wildenschild, D.

2013-12-01

Imaging of fluid interfaces in three-dimensional porous media via x-ray microtomography is an efficient means to test thermodynamically derived predictions on the relationship between capillary pressure, fluid saturation and specific interfacial area (Pc-Sw-Anw) in partially saturated porous media. Various experimental studies exist to date that validate the uniqueness of the Pc-Sw-Anw relationship under static conditions and with current technological progress direct imaging of moving interfaces under dynamic conditions is also becoming available. Image acquisition and subsequent image processing currently involves many steps each prone to operator bias, like merging different scans of the same sample obtained at different beam energies into a single image or the generation of isosurfaces from the segmented multiphase image on which the interface properties are usually calculated. We demonstrate that with recent advancements in (i) image enhancement methods, (ii) multiphase segmentation methods and (iii) methods of structural analysis we can considerably decrease the time and cost of image acquisition and the uncertainty associated with the measurement of interfacial properties. In particular, we highlight three notorious problems in multiphase image processing and provide efficient solutions for each: (i) Due to noise, partial volume effects, and imbalanced volume fractions, automated histogram-based threshold detection methods frequently fail. However, these impairments can be mitigated with modern denoising methods, special treatment of gray value edges and adaptive histogram equilization, such that most of the standard methods for threshold detection (Otsu, fuzzy c-means, minimum error, maximum entropy) coincide at the same set of values. (ii) Partial volume effects due to blur may produce apparent water films around solid surfaces that alter the specific fluid-fluid interfacial area (Anw) considerably. In a synthetic test image some local segmentation methods like Bayesian Markov random field, converging active contours and watershed segmentation reduced the error in Anw associated with apparent water films from 21% to 6-11%. (iii) The generation of isosurfaces from the segmented data usually requires a lot of postprocessing in order to smooth the surface and check for consistency errors. This can be avoided by calculating specific interfacial areas directly on the segmented voxel image by means of Minkowski functionals which is highly efficient and less error prone.

Effective Interlayer Engineering of Two-Dimensional VOPO4 Nanosheets via Controlled Organic Intercalation for Improving Alkali Ion Storage.

PubMed

Peng, Lele; Zhu, Yue; Peng, Xu; Fang, Zhiwei; Chu, Wangsheng; Wang, Yu; Xie, Yujun; Li, Yafei; Cha, Judy J; Yu, Guihua

2017-10-11

Two-dimensional (2D) energy materials have shown the promising electrochemical characteristics for lithium ion storage. However, the decreased active surfaces and the sluggish charge/mass transport for beyond-lithium ion storage that has potential for large-scale energy storage systems, such as sodium or potassium ion storage, caused by the irreversible restacking of 2D materials during electrode processing remain a major challenge. Here we develop a general interlayer engineering strategy to address the above-mentioned challenges by using 2D ultrathin vanadyl phosphate (VOPO 4 ) nanosheets as a model material for challenging sodium ion storage. Via controlled intercalation of organic molecules, such as triethylene glycol and tetrahydrofuran, the sodium ion transport in VOPO 4 nanosheets has been significantly improved. In addition to advanced characterization including X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray absorption fine structure to characterize the interlayer and the chemical bonding/configuration between the organic intercalants and the VOPO 4 host layers, density functional theory calculations are also performed to understand the diffusion behavior of sodium ions in the pure and TEG intercalated VOPO 4 nanosheets. Because of the expanded interlayer spacing in combination with the decreased energy barriers for sodium ion diffusion, intercalated VOPO 4 nanosheets show much improved sodium ion transport kinetics and greatly enhanced rate capability and cycling stability for sodium ion storage. Our results afford deeper understanding of the interlayer-engineering strategy to improve the sodium ion storage performance of the VOPO 4 nanosheets. Our results may also shed light on possible multivalent-ion based energy storage such as Mg 2+ and Al 3+ .

A one-dimensional zinc(II) coordination polymer with a three-dimensional supramolecular architecture incorporating 1-[(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)methyl]-1H-tetrazole and adipate.

PubMed

Liu, Chun Li; Huang, Qiu Ying; Meng, Xiang Ru

2016-12-01

The synthesis of coordination polymers or metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has attracted considerable interest owing to the interesting structures and potential applications of these compounds. It is still a challenge to predict the exact structures and compositions of the final products. A new one-dimensional coordination polymer, catena-poly[[[bis{1-[(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)methyl]-1H-tetrazole-κN 3 }zinc(II)]-μ-hexane-1,6-dicarboxylato-κ 4 O 1 ,O 1' :O 6 ,O 6' ] monohydrate], {[Zn(C 6 H 8 O 4 )(C 9 H 8 N 6 ) 2 ]·H 2 O} n , has been synthesized by the reaction of Zn(Ac) 2 (Ac is acetate) with 1-[(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)methyl]-1H-tetrazole (bimt) and adipic acid (H 2 adi) at room temperature. In the polymer, each Zn II ion exhibits an irregular octahedral ZnN 2 O 4 coordination geometry and is coordinated by two N atoms from two symmetry-related bimt ligands and four O atoms from two symmetry-related dianionic adipate ligands. Zn II ions are connected by adipate ligands into a one-dimensional chain which runs parallel to the c axis. The bimt ligands coordinate to the Zn II ions in a monodentate mode on both sides of the main chain. In the crystal, the one-dimensional chains are further connected through N-H...O hydrogen bonds, leading to a three-dimensional supramolecular architecture. In addition, the title polymer exhibits fluorescence, with emissions at 334 and 350 nm in the solid state at room temperature.

(abstract) Ulysses Solar Wind Ion Temperatures: Radial, Latitudinal, and Dynamical Dependencies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldstein, B. E.; Smith, E. J.; Gosling, J. T.; McComas, D. J.; Balogh, A.

1996-01-01

Observations of the Ulysses SWOOPS plasma experiment are used to determine the dependencies of solar wind ion temperatures upon radial distance, speed, and other parameters, and to estimate solar wind heating. Comparisons with three dimensional temperature estimates determined from the ion spectra by a least squares fitting program will be provided (only small samples of data have been reduced with this program).

Spatiotemporal dynamics of Gaussian laser pulse in a multi ions plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jafari Milani, M. R., E-mail: mrj.milani@gmail.com

Spatiotemporal evolutions of Gaussian laser pulse propagating through a plasma with multiple charged ions are studied, taking into account the ponderomotive nonlinearity. Coupled differential equations for beam width and pulse length parameters are established and numerically solved using paraxial ray approximation. In one-dimensional geometry, effects of laser and plasma parameters such as laser intensity, plasma density, and temperature on the longitudinal pulse compression and the laser intensity distribution are analyzed for plasmas with singly and doubly charged ions. The results demonstrate that self-compression occurs in a laser intensity range with a turning point intensity in which the self-compression process hasmore » its strongest extent. The results also show that the multiply ionized ions have different effect on the pulse compression above and below turning point intensity. Finally, three-dimensional geometry is used to analyze the simultaneous evolution of both self-focusing and self-compression of Gaussian laser pulse in such plasmas.« less

A Water-Stable Metal-Organic Framework for Highly Sensitive and Selective Sensing of Fe3+ Ion.

PubMed

Hou, Bing-Lei; Tian, Dan; Liu, Jiang; Dong, Long-Zhang; Li, Shun-Li; Li, Dong-Sheng; Lan, Ya-Qian

2016-10-17

A new metal-organic framework [Zn 5 (hfipbb) 4 (trz) 2 (H 2 O) 2 ] (NNU-1) [H 2 hfipbb = 4,4'-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)bis(benzoic acid), Htrz = 1H-1,2,3-triazole] was assembled by hydrothermal synthesis. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that NNU-1 displays a twofold interpenetrating three-dimensional (3D) framework with a {4 24 ·6 4 }-bcu topology. Interestingly, the 3D framework contains a two-dimensional (2D) layered structure that consists of alternating left- and right-handed double helical chains. On the basis of the hydrophobic -CF 3 groups from H 2 hfipbb ligand, NNU-1 possesses excellent stability in water. It is worth noting that NNU-1 not only shows a highly selective fluorescence quenching effect to Fe 3+ ion in aqueous solution but also resists the interference of other metals including Fe 2+ ion. Accordingly, NNU-1 probably functions as a potential promising fluorescence sensor for detecting Fe 3+ ion with high sensitivity and selectivity.

Exploring the possibilities of two-dimensional transition metal carbides as anode materials for sodium batteries.

PubMed

Yang, Eunjeong; Ji, Hyunjun; Kim, Jaehoon; Kim, Heejin; Jung, Yousung

2015-02-21

Recently a group of two-dimensional materials called MXenes have been discovered and they have demonstrated their potential in Li rechargeable batteries. Herein, the Na storage and ion migration properties of M2C-type MXenes (M = Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Nb, Mo) were investigated using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and were compared to the Li case. Based on the average voltage and migration barrier of surface ions, we suggest that M = Ti, V, Cr, Mn, and Mo are suitable for sodium ion battery (SIB) anodes. These screened M2C materials can provide a theoretical capacity of 190-288 mA h g(-1) by accommodating two alkali ions per formula unit. They also exhibit an activation barrier of 0.1-0.2 eV for ionic motion, suggesting that the M2C materials are promising for high-power applications. The underlying aspects of the voltage differences between M2C materials are also discussed using electrostatic considerations.

Chloride ions induce order-disorder transition at water-oxide interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deshmukh, Sanket; Kamath, Ganesh; Ramanathan, Shriram; Sankaranarayanan, Subramanian K. R. S.

2013-12-01

Water can form quasi-two-dimensional ordered layers near a solid interface. The solvation dynamics and ionic transport phenomena through this ordered water structure is of direct relevance to a variety of problems in interface science. Molecular dynamics simulations are used to study the impact of local fluctuation of the chloride ion density in the vicinity of an oxide surface on the structure and dynamics of water layers. We demonstrate that local increase in chloride ions beyond a threshold concentration near the water-MgO (100) interface introduces an order-disorder transition of this two-dimensional layered network into bulklike water, leading to increased diffusional characteristics and reduced hydrogen bonding lifetimes. We find that the extent of this order-disorder transition can be tuned by modifying the defect chemistry and nature of the underlying substrate. The kinetic fluidity resulting from order-disorder transition at high chloride ion concentration has significance for a broad range of phenomena, ranging from freezing point depression of brine to onset of aqueous corrosion.

Periodical plasma structures controlled by external magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schweigert, I. V.; Keidar, M.

2017-06-01

The characteristics of two-dimensional periodical structures in a magnetized plasma are studied using kinetic simulations. Ridges (i.e. spikes in electron and ion density) are formed and became more pronounced with an increase of magnetic field incidence angle in the plasma volume in the cylindrical chamber. These ridges are shifted relative to each other, which results in the formation of a two-dimensional double-layer structure. Depending on Larmor radius and Debye length up to 19 potential steps appear across the oblique magnetic field. The electrical current gathered into the channels is associated with the electron and ion density ridges.

Two-dimensional simulations of stimulated Brillouin scattering in laser produced plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amin, M. R.; Capjack, C. E.; Frycz, P.; Rozmus, W.; Tikhonchuk, V. T.

1993-07-01

A system of electromagnetic and ion acoustic wave equations coupled via the ponderomotive force are solved numerically in a two-dimensional planar geometry. The competition between forward, side, and backward Brillouin scattering of the finite size laser beam is studied for the first time without the standard paraxial optics approximation. Simulations reveal a strong dependence of the scattered light characteristics on the geometry of the interaction region, the shape of the pump beam, and the ion acoustic wave damping. The main effects include side and forward scattering enhancement and a stimulation of collimated backward scattered radiation.

Three-dimensional ordering of cold ion beams in a storage ring: A molecular-dynamics simulation study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yuri, Yosuke, E-mail: yuri.yosuke@jaea.go.jp

Three-dimensional (3D) ordering of a charged-particle beams circulating in a storage ring is systematically studied with a molecular-dynamics simulation code. An ion beam can exhibit a 3D ordered configuration at ultralow temperature as a result of powerful 3D laser cooling. Various unique characteristics of the ordered beams, different from those of crystalline beams, are revealed in detail, such as the single-particle motion in the transverse and longitudinal directions, and the dependence of the tune depression and the Coulomb coupling constant on the operating points.

Theory of ion-matrix-sheath dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kos, L.; Tskhakaya, D. D.

2018-01-01

The time evolution of a one-dimensional, uni-polar ion sheath (an "ion matrix sheath") is investigated. The analytical solutions for the ion-fluid and Poisson's equations are found for an arbitrary time dependence of the wall-applied negative potential. In the case that the wall potential is large and remains constant after its ramp-up application, the explicit time dependencies of the sheath's parameters during the initial stage of the process are given. The characteristic rate of approaching the stationary state, satisfying the Child-Langmuir law, is determined.

Ion heating in a plasma focus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hohl, F.; Gary, S. P.

1974-01-01

Ion acceleration and heating in a plasma focus were investigated by the numerical integration of the three-dimensional equations of motion. The electric and magnetic fields given were derived from experimental data. The results obtained show that during the collapse phase of focus formation, ions are efficiently heated to temperatures of several keV. During the phase of rapid current reduction, ions are accelerated to large velocities in the axial direction. The results obtained with the model are in general agreement with experimental results.

Thickness-independent capacitance of vertically aligned liquid-crystalline MXenes

DOE PAGES

Xia, Yu; Mathis, Tyler S.; Zhao, Meng -Qiang; ...

2018-05-16

The scalable and sustainable manufacture of thick electrode films with high energy and power densities is critical for the large-scale storage of electrochemical energy for application in transportation and stationary electric grids. Two-dimensional nanomaterials have become the predominant choice of electrode material in the pursuit of high energy and power densities owing to their large surface-area-to-volume ratios and lack of solid-state diffusion. However, traditional electrode fabrication methods often lead to restacking of two-dimensional nanomaterials, which limits ion transport in thick films and results in systems in which the electrochemical performance is highly dependent on the thickness of the film. Strategiesmore » for facilitating ion transport—such as increasing the interlayer spacing by intercalation or introducing film porosity by designing nanoarchitectures—result in materials with low volumetric energy storage as well as complex and lengthy ion transport paths that impede performance at high charge–discharge rates. Vertical alignment of two-dimensional flakes enables directional ion transport that can lead to thickness-independent electrochemical performances in thick films. However, so far only limited success has been reported, and the mitigation of performance losses remains a major challenge when working with films of two-dimensional nanomaterials with thicknesses that are near to or exceed the industrial standard of 100 micrometres. Here we demonstrate electrochemical energy storage that is independent of film thickness for vertically aligned two-dimensional titanium carbide (Ti 3C 2T x), a material from the MXene family (two-dimensional carbides and nitrides of transition metals (M), where X stands for carbon or nitrogen). The vertical alignment was achieved by mechanical shearing of a discotic lamellar liquid-crystal phase of Ti 3C 2T x. The resulting electrode films show excellent performance that is nearly independent of film thickness up to 200 micrometres, which makes them highly attractive for energy storage applications. In conclusion, the self-assembly approach presented here is scalable and can be extended to other systems that involve directional transport, such as catalysis and filtration.« less

Thickness-independent capacitance of vertically aligned liquid-crystalline MXenes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xia, Yu; Mathis, Tyler S.; Zhao, Meng -Qiang

The scalable and sustainable manufacture of thick electrode films with high energy and power densities is critical for the large-scale storage of electrochemical energy for application in transportation and stationary electric grids. Two-dimensional nanomaterials have become the predominant choice of electrode material in the pursuit of high energy and power densities owing to their large surface-area-to-volume ratios and lack of solid-state diffusion. However, traditional electrode fabrication methods often lead to restacking of two-dimensional nanomaterials, which limits ion transport in thick films and results in systems in which the electrochemical performance is highly dependent on the thickness of the film. Strategiesmore » for facilitating ion transport—such as increasing the interlayer spacing by intercalation or introducing film porosity by designing nanoarchitectures—result in materials with low volumetric energy storage as well as complex and lengthy ion transport paths that impede performance at high charge–discharge rates. Vertical alignment of two-dimensional flakes enables directional ion transport that can lead to thickness-independent electrochemical performances in thick films. However, so far only limited success has been reported, and the mitigation of performance losses remains a major challenge when working with films of two-dimensional nanomaterials with thicknesses that are near to or exceed the industrial standard of 100 micrometres. Here we demonstrate electrochemical energy storage that is independent of film thickness for vertically aligned two-dimensional titanium carbide (Ti 3C 2T x), a material from the MXene family (two-dimensional carbides and nitrides of transition metals (M), where X stands for carbon or nitrogen). The vertical alignment was achieved by mechanical shearing of a discotic lamellar liquid-crystal phase of Ti 3C 2T x. The resulting electrode films show excellent performance that is nearly independent of film thickness up to 200 micrometres, which makes them highly attractive for energy storage applications. In conclusion, the self-assembly approach presented here is scalable and can be extended to other systems that involve directional transport, such as catalysis and filtration.« less

Tandem mass spectrometry in combination with product ion mobility for the identification of phospholipids

DOE PAGES

Berry, Karin A. Zemski; Barkley, Robert M.; Berry, Joseph J.; ...

2016-11-29

Concerted tandem and traveling wave ion mobility mass spectrometry (CTS analysis) is a unique method that results in a four-dimensional data set including nominal precursor ion mass, product ion mobility, accurate mass of product ion, and ion abundance. This nontargeted lipidomics CTS approach was applied in both positive- and negative-ion mode to phospholipids present in human serum, and the data set was used to evaluate the value of product ion mobility in identifying lipids in a complex mixture. As a result, it was determined that the combination of diagnostic product ions and unique collisional cross-section values of product ions ismore » a powerful tool in the structural identification of lipids in a complex biological sample.« less

Tandem mass spectrometry in combination with product ion mobility for the identification of phospholipids

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Berry, Karin A. Zemski; Barkley, Robert M.; Berry, Joseph J.

Concerted tandem and traveling wave ion mobility mass spectrometry (CTS analysis) is a unique method that results in a four-dimensional data set including nominal precursor ion mass, product ion mobility, accurate mass of product ion, and ion abundance. This nontargeted lipidomics CTS approach was applied in both positive- and negative-ion mode to phospholipids present in human serum, and the data set was used to evaluate the value of product ion mobility in identifying lipids in a complex mixture. As a result, it was determined that the combination of diagnostic product ions and unique collisional cross-section values of product ions ismore » a powerful tool in the structural identification of lipids in a complex biological sample.« less

Particle simulation of ion heating in the ring current

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Qian, S.; Hudson, M. K.; Roth, I.

1990-01-01

Heating of heavy ions has been observed in the equatorial magnetosphere in GEOS 1 and 2 and ATS 6 data due to ion cyclotron waves generated by anisotropic hot ring current ions. A one-dimensional hybrid-Darwin code has been developed to study ion heating in the ring current. Here, a strong instability and heating of thermal ions is investigated in a plasma with a los cone distribution of hot ions. The linear growth rate calculation and particle simulations are conducted for cases with different loss cones and relative ion densities. The linear instability of the waves, the quasi-linear heating of cold ions and dependence on the thermal H(+)/He(+) density ratio are analyzed, as well as nonlinear parallel heating of thermal ions. Effects of thermal oxygen and hot oxygen are also studied.

Large exchange anisotropy in quasi-one-dimensional spin-1/2 fluoride antiferromagnets with a d (z2)1 ground state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurzydłowski, D.; Grochala, W.

2017-10-01

Hybrid density functional calculations are performed for a variety of systems containing d9 ions (C u2 + and A g2 + ) and exhibiting quasi-one-dimensional magnetic properties. In particular, we study fluorides containing these ions in a rarely encountered compressed octahedral coordination that forces the unpaired electron into the local d (z2) orbital. We predict that such systems should exhibit exchange anisotropies surpassing that of S r2Cu O3 , one of the best realizations of a one-dimensional system known to date. In particular, we predict that the interchain coupling in the A g2 + -containing [AgF ] [B F4 ] system should be nearly four orders of magnitude smaller than the intrachain interaction. Our results indicate that quasi-one-dimensional spin-1/2 systems containing chains with spin sites in the d (z2)1 local ground state could constitute a versatile model for testing modern theories of quantum many-body physics in the solid state.

Synchrotron microtomography of xylem embolism in Sequoia sempervirens seedlings during cycles of drought and recovery

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The formation of emboli in xylem conduits can dramatically reduce hydraulic capacity and represents one of the principal mechanisms of drought induced mortality in woody plants. Some angiosperm species possess a mechanism to rapidly repair embolism by dissolving gas back into solution. However, it i...

Patterns of drought-induced embolism formation and spread in living walnut saplings visualized using x-ray microtomography

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

During drought, xylem conduits are susceptible to hydraulic dysfunction caused by cavitation and gas embolism. Embolism formation and spread within xylem is dependent on conduit structure and network connectivity, but detailed spatial analysis has been limited due to a lack of non-destructive method...

SYNCHROTRON X-RAY ABSORPTION-EDGE COMPUTED MICROTOMOGRAPHY IMAGING OF THALLIUM COMPARTMENTALIZATION IN IBERIS INTERMEDIA

EPA Science Inventory

Thallium (TI) is an extremely toxic metal which, due to its similarities to K, is readily taken up by plants. Thallium is efficiently hyperaccumulated in Iberis intermedia as TI(I). Distribution and compartmentalization of TI in I. intermedia is highes...

CMT for transport in porous media

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schwartz, L.

This session is comprised of an outline of uses for x-ray microtomography in the field of petroleum geology. Calculations, diagrams, and color photomicrographs depict the many applications of synchrotron x-ray microtomograpy in determining transport properties and fluid flow characteristics of reservoir rocks, micro-porosity in carbonates, and aspects of multi-phase transport.

Mechanism insights into bio-floc bound water transformation based on synchrotron X-ray computed microtomography and viscoelastic acoustic response analysis.

PubMed

Wu, Boran; Zhou, Meng; Dai, Xiaohu; Chai, Xiaoli

2018-06-05

This study visually tracked the micro-spatial water distribution in bio-flocs of waste activated sludge through in situ synchrotron X-ray computed microtomography. Primarily, the two fractions of bound water, the vicinal water adhering to the surface of organic compositions and the interstitial water mechanically trapped in the net-like structure of bio-flocs, were proposed based on the cross-section imaging results. Furthermore, the determinants on bound water occurrences were explored in terms of viscoelastic acoustic responses of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). The joint roles of hydrophilic substance removal, EPS aggregation compaction and colloidal instability of sludge flocs in bound water reduction were confirmed by the strong correlations (Pearson correlation coefficient, R p  > 0.95, p-value<0.04) among protein levels of EPS, EPS viscosity and bound water contents. Accordingly, providing adhering sites for vicinal water and forming bio-flocs with high viscosity for trapping interstitial water were proposed to be the contributions of EPS on bound water occurrences. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Homogenization of sample absorption for the imaging of large and dense fossils with synchrotron microtomography.

PubMed

Sanchez, Sophie; Fernandez, Vincent; Pierce, Stephanie E; Tafforeau, Paul

2013-09-01

Propagation phase-contrast synchrotron radiation microtomography (PPC-SRμCT) has proved to be very successful for examining fossils. Because fossils range widely in taphonomic preservation, size, shape and density, X-ray computed tomography protocols are constantly being developed and refined. Here we present a 1-h procedure that combines a filtered high-energy polychromatic beam with long-distance PPC-SRμCT (sample to detector: 4-16 m) and an attenuation protocol normalizing the absorption profile (tested on 13-cm-thick and 5.242 g cm(-3) locally dense samples but applicable to 20-cm-thick samples). This approach provides high-quality imaging results, which show marked improvement relative to results from images obtained without the attenuation protocol in apparent transmission, contrast and signal-to-noise ratio. The attenuation protocol involves immersing samples in a tube filled with aluminum or glass balls in association with a U-shaped aluminum profiler. This technique therefore provides access to a larger dynamic range of the detector used for tomographic reconstruction. This protocol homogenizes beam-hardening artifacts, thereby rendering it effective for use with conventional μCT scanners.

Electron microscopy and computed microtomography studies of in vivo implanted mini-TL dosimeters.

PubMed

Strand, S E; Strandh, M; Spanne, P

1993-01-01

The need for direct methods of measuring the absorbed dose in vivo increases for systemic radiation therapy, and in more sophisticated methodologies developed for radioimmunotherapy. One method suggested is the use of mini-thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD). Recent reports indicate a marked loss of signal when the dosimeters are used in vivo. We investigated the exterior surface of the dosimeters with scanning electron microscopy and the interior dosimeter volume with computed microtomography. The results show that the dosimeters initially have crystals uniformly embedded in the teflon matrix, with some of them directly exposed to the environment. After incubation in gel, holes appear in the dosimeter matrix where the crystals should have been. The computed microtomographic images show that crystals remain in the interior of the matrix, producing the remaining signal. We conclude that these dosimeters should be very carefully handled, and for practical use of mini-TLDs in vivo the dosimeters should be calibrated in equivalent milieus. An alternative solution to the problem of decreased TL efficiency, would be to coat the dosimeters with a thin layer, of Teflon, or other suitable material.

Development of X-ray CCD camera based X-ray micro-CT system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, Partha S.; Ray, N. K.; Pal, Manoj K.; Baribaddala, Ravi; Agrawal, Ashish; Kashyap, Y.; Sinha, A.; Gadkari, S. C.

2017-02-01

Availability of microfocus X-ray sources and high resolution X-ray area detectors has made it possible for high resolution microtomography studies to be performed outside the purview of synchrotron. In this paper, we present the work towards the use of an external shutter on a high resolution microtomography system using X-ray CCD camera as a detector. During micro computed tomography experiments, the X-ray source is continuously ON and owing to the readout mechanism of the CCD detector electronics, the detector registers photons reaching it during the read-out period too. This introduces a shadow like pattern in the image known as smear whose direction is defined by the vertical shift register. To resolve this issue, the developed system has been incorporated with a synchronized shutter just in front of the X-ray source. This is positioned in the X-ray beam path during the image readout period and out of the beam path during the image acquisition period. This technique has resulted in improved data quality and hence the same is reflected in the reconstructed images.

A versatile system for the rapid collection, handling and graphics analysis of multidimensional data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Brien, P. M.; Moloney, G.; O'Connor, A.; Legge, G. J. F.

1993-05-01

The aim of this work was to provide a versatile system for handling multiparameter data that may arise from a variety of experiments — nuclear, AMS, microprobe elemental analysis, 3D microtomography etc. Some of the most demanding requirements arise in the application of microprobes to quantitative elemental mapping and to microtomography. A system to handle data from such experiments had been under continuous development and use at MARC for the past 15 years. It has now been made adaptable to the needs of multiparameter (or single parameter) experiments in general. The original system has been rewritten, greatly expanded and made much more powerful and faster, by use of modern computer technology — a VME bus computer with a real time operating system and a RISC workstation running Unix and the X Window system. This provides the necessary (i) power, speed and versatility, (ii) expansion and updating capabilities (iii) standardisation and adaptability, (iv) coherent modular programming structures, (v) ability to interface to other programs and (vi) transparent operation with several levels, involving the use of menus, programmed function keys and powerful macro programming facilities.

X-ray microtomography study of the compaction process of rods under tapping.

PubMed

Fu, Yang; Xi, Yan; Cao, Yixin; Wang, Yujie

2012-05-01

We present an x-ray microtomography study of the compaction process of cylindrical rods under tapping. The process is monitored by measuring the evolution of the orientational order parameter, local, and overall packing densities as a function of the tapping number for different tapping intensities. The slow relaxation dynamics of the orientational order parameter can be well fitted with a stretched-exponential law with stretching exponents ranging from 0.9 to 1.6. The corresponding relaxation time versus tapping intensity follows an Arrhenius behavior which is reminiscent of the slow dynamics in thermal glassy systems. We also investigated the boundary effect on the ordering process and found that boundary rods order faster than interior ones. In searching for the underlying mechanism of the slow dynamics, we estimated the initial random velocities of the rods under tapping and found that the ordering process is compatible with a diffusion mechanism. The average coordination number as a function of the tapping number at different tapping intensities has also been measured, which spans a range from 6 to 8.

The use of microtomography in structural geology: A new methodology to analyse fault faces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacques, Patricia D.; Nummer, Alexis Rosa; Heck, Richard J.; Machado, Rômulo

2014-09-01

This paper describes a new methodology to kinematically analyze faults in microscale dimensions (voxel size = 40 μm), using images obtained by X-ray computed microtomography (μCT). The equipment used is a GE MS8x-130 scanner. It was developed using rocks samples from Santa Catarina State, Brazil, and constructing micro Digital Elevation Models (μDEMs) for the fault surface, for analysing microscale brittle structures including striations, roughness and steps. Shaded relief images were created for the μDEMs, which enabled the generation of profiles to classify the secondary structures associated with the main fault surface. In the case of a sample with mineral growth that covers the fault surface, it is possible to detect the kinematic geometry even with the mineral cover. This technique proved to be useful for determining the sense of movement of faults, especially when it is not possible to determine striations in macro or microscopic analysis. When the sample has mineral deposit on the surface (mineral cover) this technique allows a relative chronology and geometric characterization between the faults with and without covering.

Two-Dimensional Spectroscopy Is Being Used to Address Core Scientific Questions in Biology and Materials Science.

PubMed

Petti, Megan K; Lomont, Justin P; Maj, Michał; Zanni, Martin T

2018-02-15

Two-dimensional spectroscopy is a powerful tool for extracting structural and dynamic information from a wide range of chemical systems. We provide a brief overview of the ways in which two-dimensional visible and infrared spectroscopies are being applied to elucidate fundamental details of important processes in biological and materials science. The topics covered include amyloid proteins, photosynthetic complexes, ion channels, photovoltaics, batteries, as well as a variety of promising new methods in two-dimensional spectroscopy.

Dust ion-acoustic shock waves in magnetized pair-ion plasma with kappa distributed electrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaur, B.; Singh, M.; Saini, N. S.

2018-01-01

We have performed a theoretical and numerical analysis of the three dimensional dynamics of nonlinear dust ion-acoustic shock waves (DIASWs) in a magnetized plasma, consisting of positive and negative ion fluids, kappa distributed electrons, immobile dust particulates along with positive and negative ion kinematic viscosity. By employing the reductive perturbation technique, we have derived the nonlinear Zakharov-Kuznetsov-Burgers (ZKB) equation, in which the nonlinear forces are balanced by dissipative forces (associated with kinematic viscosity). It is observed that the characteristics of DIASWs are significantly affected by superthermality of electrons, magnetic field strength, direction cosines, dust concentration, positive to negative ions mass ratio and viscosity of positive and negative ions.

Ion temperature profiles in front of a negative planar electrode studied by a one-dimensional two-fluid model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gyergyek, T.; Kovačič, J.

2016-06-01

Plasma-wall transition is studied by a one-dimensional steady state two-fluid model. Continuity and momentum exchange equations are used for the electrons, while the continuity, momentum exchange, and energy transport equation are used for the ions. Electrons are assumed to be isothermal. The closure of ion equations is made by the assumption that the heat flux is zero. The model equations are solved for potential, ion and electron density, and velocity and ion temperature as independent variables. The model includes coulomb collisions between ions and electrons and charge exchange collisions between ions and neutral atoms of the same species and same mass. The neutral atoms are assumed to be essentially at rest. The model is solved for finite ratio ɛ = /λ D L between the Debye length and λD and ionization length L in the pre-sheath and in the sheath at the same time. Charge exchange collisions heat the ions in the sheath and the pre-sheath. Even a small increase of the frequency of charge exchange collisions causes a substantial increase of ion temperature. Coulomb collisions have negligible effect on ion temperature in the pre-sheath, while in the sheath they cause a small cooling of ions. The increase of ɛ causes the increase of ion temperature. From the ion density and temperature profiles, the polytropic function κ is calculated according to its definition given by Kuhn et al. [Phys. Plasmas 13, 013503 (2006)]. The obtained profiles of κ indicate that the ion flow is isothermal only in a relatively narrow region in the pre-sheath, while close to the sheath edge and in the sheath it is closer to adiabatic. The ion sound velocity is space dependent and exhibits a maximum. This maximum indicates the location of the sheath edge only in the limit ɛ → 0 .

Assessment of ion kinetic effects in shock-driven inertial confinement fusion implosions using fusion burn imaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rosenberg, M. J., E-mail: mros@lle.rochester.edu; Séguin, F. H.; Rinderknecht, H. G.

The significance and nature of ion kinetic effects in D{sup 3}He-filled, shock-driven inertial confinement fusion implosions are assessed through measurements of fusion burn profiles. Over this series of experiments, the ratio of ion-ion mean free path to minimum shell radius (the Knudsen number, N{sub K}) was varied from 0.3 to 9 in order to probe hydrodynamic-like to strongly kinetic plasma conditions; as the Knudsen number increased, hydrodynamic models increasingly failed to match measured yields, while an empirically-tuned, first-step model of ion kinetic effects better captured the observed yield trends [Rosenberg et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 185001 (2014)]. Here, spatiallymore » resolved measurements of the fusion burn are used to examine kinetic ion transport effects in greater detail, adding an additional dimension of understanding that goes beyond zero-dimensional integrated quantities to one-dimensional profiles. In agreement with the previous findings, a comparison of measured and simulated burn profiles shows that models including ion transport effects are able to better match the experimental results. In implosions characterized by large Knudsen numbers (N{sub K} ∼ 3), the fusion burn profiles predicted by hydrodynamics simulations that exclude ion mean free path effects are peaked far from the origin, in stark disagreement with the experimentally observed profiles, which are centrally peaked. In contrast, a hydrodynamics simulation that includes a model of ion diffusion is able to qualitatively match the measured profile shapes. Therefore, ion diffusion or diffusion-like processes are identified as a plausible explanation of the observed trends, though further refinement of the models is needed for a more complete and quantitative understanding of ion kinetic effects.« less

Assessment of ion kinetic effects in shock-driven inertial confinement fusion (ICF) implosions using fusion burn imaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rosenberg, M. J.; Séguin, F. H.; Amendt, P. A.

The significance and nature of ion kinetic effects in D³He-filled, shock-driven inertial confinement fusion implosions are assessed through measurements of fusion burn profiles. Over this series of experiments, the ratio of ion-ion mean free path to minimum shell radius (the Knudsen number, N K) was varied from 0.3 to 9 in order to probe hydrodynamic-like to strongly kinetic plasma conditions; as the Knudsen number increased, hydrodynamic models increasingly failed to match measured yields, while an empirically-tuned, first-step model of ion kinetic effects better captured the observed yield trends [Rosenberg et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 185001 (2014)]. Here, spatially resolvedmore » measurements of the fusion burn are used to examine kinetic ion transport effects in greater detail, adding an additional dimension of understanding that goes beyond zero-dimensional integrated quantities to one-dimensional profiles. In agreement with the previous findings, a comparison of measured and simulated burn profiles shows that models including ion transport effects are able to better match the experimental results. In implosions characterized by large Knudsen numbers (N K ~ 3), the fusion burn profiles predicted by hydrodynamics simulations that exclude ion mean free path effects are peaked far from the origin, in stark disagreement with the experimentally observed profiles, which are centrally peaked. In contrast, a hydrodynamics simulation that includes a model of ion diffusion is able to qualitatively match the measured profile shapes. Therefore, ion diffusion or diffusion-like processes are identified as a plausible explanation of the observed trends, though further refinement of the models is needed for a more complete and quantitative understanding of ion kinetic effects.« less

Assessment of ion kinetic effects in shock-driven inertial confinement fusion implosions using fusion burn imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenberg, M. J.; Séguin, F. H.; Amendt, P. A.; Atzeni, S.; Rinderknecht, H. G.; Hoffman, N. M.; Zylstra, A. B.; Li, C. K.; Sio, H.; Gatu Johnson, M.; Frenje, J. A.; Petrasso, R. D.; Glebov, V. Yu.; Stoeckl, C.; Seka, W.; Marshall, F. J.; Delettrez, J. A.; Sangster, T. C.; Betti, R.; Wilks, S. C.; Pino, J.; Kagan, G.; Molvig, K.; Nikroo, A.

2015-06-01

The significance and nature of ion kinetic effects in D3He-filled, shock-driven inertial confinement fusion implosions are assessed through measurements of fusion burn profiles. Over this series of experiments, the ratio of ion-ion mean free path to minimum shell radius (the Knudsen number, NK) was varied from 0.3 to 9 in order to probe hydrodynamic-like to strongly kinetic plasma conditions; as the Knudsen number increased, hydrodynamic models increasingly failed to match measured yields, while an empirically-tuned, first-step model of ion kinetic effects better captured the observed yield trends [Rosenberg et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 185001 (2014)]. Here, spatially resolved measurements of the fusion burn are used to examine kinetic ion transport effects in greater detail, adding an additional dimension of understanding that goes beyond zero-dimensional integrated quantities to one-dimensional profiles. In agreement with the previous findings, a comparison of measured and simulated burn profiles shows that models including ion transport effects are able to better match the experimental results. In implosions characterized by large Knudsen numbers (NK ˜ 3), the fusion burn profiles predicted by hydrodynamics simulations that exclude ion mean free path effects are peaked far from the origin, in stark disagreement with the experimentally observed profiles, which are centrally peaked. In contrast, a hydrodynamics simulation that includes a model of ion diffusion is able to qualitatively match the measured profile shapes. Therefore, ion diffusion or diffusion-like processes are identified as a plausible explanation of the observed trends, though further refinement of the models is needed for a more complete and quantitative understanding of ion kinetic effects.

Assessment of ion kinetic effects in shock-driven inertial confinement fusion (ICF) implosions using fusion burn imaging

DOE PAGES

Rosenberg, M. J.; Séguin, F. H.; Amendt, P. A.; ...

2015-06-02

The significance and nature of ion kinetic effects in D³He-filled, shock-driven inertial confinement fusion implosions are assessed through measurements of fusion burn profiles. Over this series of experiments, the ratio of ion-ion mean free path to minimum shell radius (the Knudsen number, N K) was varied from 0.3 to 9 in order to probe hydrodynamic-like to strongly kinetic plasma conditions; as the Knudsen number increased, hydrodynamic models increasingly failed to match measured yields, while an empirically-tuned, first-step model of ion kinetic effects better captured the observed yield trends [Rosenberg et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 185001 (2014)]. Here, spatially resolvedmore » measurements of the fusion burn are used to examine kinetic ion transport effects in greater detail, adding an additional dimension of understanding that goes beyond zero-dimensional integrated quantities to one-dimensional profiles. In agreement with the previous findings, a comparison of measured and simulated burn profiles shows that models including ion transport effects are able to better match the experimental results. In implosions characterized by large Knudsen numbers (N K ~ 3), the fusion burn profiles predicted by hydrodynamics simulations that exclude ion mean free path effects are peaked far from the origin, in stark disagreement with the experimentally observed profiles, which are centrally peaked. In contrast, a hydrodynamics simulation that includes a model of ion diffusion is able to qualitatively match the measured profile shapes. Therefore, ion diffusion or diffusion-like processes are identified as a plausible explanation of the observed trends, though further refinement of the models is needed for a more complete and quantitative understanding of ion kinetic effects.« less

Structured back gates for high-mobility two-dimensional electron systems using oxygen ion implantation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Berl, M., E-mail: mberl@phys.ethz.ch; Tiemann, L.; Dietsche, W.

2016-03-28

We present a reliable method to obtain patterned back gates compatible with high mobility molecular beam epitaxy via local oxygen ion implantation that suppresses the conductivity of an 80 nm thick silicon doped GaAs epilayer. Our technique was optimized to circumvent several constraints of other gating and implantation methods. The ion-implanted surface remains atomically flat which allows unperturbed epitaxial overgrowth. We demonstrate the practical application of this gating technique by using magneto-transport spectroscopy on a two-dimensional electron system (2DES) with a mobility exceeding 20 × 10{sup 6} cm{sup 2}/V s. The back gate was spatially separated from the Ohmic contacts of the 2DES,more » thus minimizing the probability for electrical shorts or leakage and permitting simple contacting schemes.« less

Magnetic Field Saturation of the Ion Weibel Instability in Interpenetrating Relativistic Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takamoto, Makoto; Matsumoto, Yosuke; Kato, Tsunehiko N.

2018-06-01

The time evolution and saturation of the Weibel instability at the ion Alfvén current are presented by ab initio particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. We found that the ion Weibel current in three-dimensional (3D) simulations could evolve into the Alfvén current where the magnetic field energy is sustained at 1.5% of the initial beam kinetic energy. The current filaments are no longer isolated at saturation, but rather connected to each other to form a network structure. Electrons are continuously heated during the coalescence of the filaments, which is crucial for obtaining sustained magnetic fields with much stronger levels than with two-dimensional (2D) simulations. The results highlight again the importance of the Weibel instability in generating magnetic fields in laboratory, astrophysical, and cosmological situations.

Three-dimensional magnetosheath plasma ion distributions from 200 eV to 2 MeV

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, D. J.; Mitchell, D. G.; Frank, L. A.; Eastman, T. E.

1988-01-01

This paper presents initial measurements, made with ISEE 1 plasma and energetic-particle instruments, of the three-dimensional magnetosheath plasma ion flow and the spectrum over the energy range of 200 eV to 2 MeV, obtained on two magnetosheath traversals, one on the dawn (December 19, 1977) and the other on the dusk (July 7, 1978) flanks of the magnetosphere. The data suggest that the magnetosheath plasma ion population often consisted of a shocked solar wind component, of energy not greater than 5 keV, and a magnetospheric high-energy (not below 5 keV) component. The shocked solar wind component generally behaved independently of the magnetic field direction, indicating that the magnetic field was carried along in the bulk plasma flow. The high-energy tail was highly modulated by the magnetic field.

Three-dimensional patterning in polymer optical waveguides using focused ion beam milling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruse, Kevin; Burrell, Derek; Middlebrook, Christopher

2016-07-01

Waveguide (WG) photonic-bridge taper modules are designed for symmetric planar coupling between silicon WGs and single-mode fibers (SMFs) to minimize photonic chip and packaging footprint requirements with improving broadband functionality. Micromachined fabrication and evaluation of polymer WG tapers utilizing high-resolution focused ion beam (FIB) milling is performed and presented. Polymer etch rates utilizing the FIB and optimal methods for milling polymer tapers are identified for three-dimensional patterning. Polymer WG tapers with low sidewall roughness are manufactured utilizing FIB milling and optically tested for fabrication loss. FIB platforms utilize a focused beam of ions (Ga+) to etch submicron patterns into substrates. Fabricating low-loss polymer WG taper prototypes with the FIB before moving on to mass-production techniques provides theoretical understanding of the polymer taper and its feasibility for connectorization devices between silicon WGs and SMFs.

The properties and causes of rippling in quasi-perpendicular collisionless shock fronts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lowe, R. E.; Burgess, D.

2003-03-01

The overall structure of quasi-perpendicular, high Mach number collisionless shocks is controlled to a large extent by ion reflection at the shock ramp. Departure from a strictly one-dimensional structure is indicated by simulation results showing that the surface of such shocks is rippled, with variations in the density and all field components. We present a detailed analysis of these shock ripples, using results from a two-dimensional hybrid (particle ions, electron fluid) simulation. The process that generates the ripples is poorly understood, because the large gradients at the shock ramp make it difficult to identify instabilities. Our analysis reveals new features of the shock ripples, which suggest the presence of a surface wave mode dominating the shock normal magnetic field component of the ripples, as well as whistler waves excited by reflected ions.

Recent progress on exploring exceptionally high and anisotropic H+/OH– ion conduction in two-dimensional materials

PubMed Central

Sun, Pengzhan; Sasaki, Takayoshi

2017-01-01

Ion conducting membranes/electrolytes have been employed extensively in some important industrial and biological systems, especially in fuel cells, water electrolyzers, gas separation, sensors and biological selective ion transport, acting as one of the core components and sometimes directly determining the device performance. However, the traditional polymeric proton exchange membranes (PEMs)/anion exchange membranes (AEMs) suffer from highly toxic preparation procedures, poor thermal and chemical stabilities, and unsatisfactory ion conductivities. This has triggered researchers worldwide to explore alternative inorganic building blocks with high ion conductivities and stabilities from the new materials library, hoping to solve the above long-lasting problems. The recent burgeoning research on two-dimensional (2D) materials has unveiled exceptionally high ionic conductivities, which raises the feasibility of fabricating high-performance nanosheet-based ion conductors/membranes. In this perspective, the recent advances in measuring and understanding the exceptionally high and anisotropic H+/OH– ion conductivities of representative 2D materials, e.g. graphene oxide (GO), vermiculite and layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets, are reviewed. In particular, regarding the anisotropic ionic conduction in 2D nanosheets, possible design strategies and technological innovations for fabricating macroscopic nanosheet-based ionic conductors/membranes are proposed for maximizing the high in-plane conduction, which may serve to guide future development of high-performance industrial and biological systems relying on H+/OH– conducting membranes. PMID:29629071

Local modifications of magnetism and structure in FePt (001) epitaxial thin films by focused ion beam: Two-dimensional perpendicular patterns

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Albertini, F.; Nasi, L.; Casoli, F.

Focused ion beam was utilized to locally modify magnetism and structure of L1{sub 0} FePt perpendicular thin films. As a first step, we have performed a magnetic, morphological, and structural study of completely irradiated FePt films with different Ga{sup +} doses (1x10{sup 13} -4x10{sup 16} ions/cm{sup 2}) and ion beam energy of 30 keV. For doses of 1x10{sup 14} ions/cm{sup 2} and above a complete transition from the ordered L1{sub 0} to the disordered A1 phase was found to occur, resulting in a drop of magnetic anisotropy and in the consequent moment reorientation from out-of-plane to in-plane. The lowest effectivemore » dose in disordering the structure (1x10{sup 14} ions/cm{sup 2}) was found not to affect the film morphology. Taking advantage of these results, continuous two-dimensional (2D) patterns of perpendicular magnetic structures (250 nm dots, 1 {mu}m dots, 1 {mu}m-large stripes) were produced by focused ion beam without affecting the morphology. The 2D patterns were revealed by means of magnetic force microscopy, that evidenced peculiar domain structures in the case of 1 {mu}m dots.« less

Recent progress on exploring exceptionally high and anisotropic H+/OH- ion conduction in two-dimensional materials.

PubMed

Sun, Pengzhan; Ma, Renzhi; Sasaki, Takayoshi

2018-01-07

Ion conducting membranes/electrolytes have been employed extensively in some important industrial and biological systems, especially in fuel cells, water electrolyzers, gas separation, sensors and biological selective ion transport, acting as one of the core components and sometimes directly determining the device performance. However, the traditional polymeric proton exchange membranes (PEMs)/anion exchange membranes (AEMs) suffer from highly toxic preparation procedures, poor thermal and chemical stabilities, and unsatisfactory ion conductivities. This has triggered researchers worldwide to explore alternative inorganic building blocks with high ion conductivities and stabilities from the new materials library, hoping to solve the above long-lasting problems. The recent burgeoning research on two-dimensional (2D) materials has unveiled exceptionally high ionic conductivities, which raises the feasibility of fabricating high-performance nanosheet-based ion conductors/membranes. In this perspective, the recent advances in measuring and understanding the exceptionally high and anisotropic H + /OH - ion conductivities of representative 2D materials, e.g. graphene oxide (GO), vermiculite and layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets, are reviewed. In particular, regarding the anisotropic ionic conduction in 2D nanosheets, possible design strategies and technological innovations for fabricating macroscopic nanosheet-based ionic conductors/membranes are proposed for maximizing the high in-plane conduction, which may serve to guide future development of high-performance industrial and biological systems relying on H + /OH - conducting membranes.

One-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation on the influence of electron and ion temperature on the sheath expansion process in the post-arc stage of vacuum circuit breaker

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mo, Yongpeng; Shi, Zongqian; Jia, Shenli

2015-02-15

The inter-contact region of vacuum circuit breakers is filled with residual plasma at the moment when the current is zero after the burning of metal vapor arc. The residual plasma forms an ion sheath in front of the post-arc cathode. The sheath then expands towards the post-arc anode under the influence of a transient recovery voltage. In this study, a one-dimensional particle-in-cell model is developed to investigate the post-arc sheath expansion. The influence of ion and electron temperatures on the decrease in local plasma density at the post-arc cathode side and post-arc anode side is discussed. When the decay inmore » the local plasma density develops from the cathode and anode sides into the high-density region and merges, the overall plasma density in the inter-contact region begins to decrease. Meanwhile, the ion sheath begins to expand faster. Furthermore, the theory of ion rarefaction wave only explains quantitatively the decrease in the overall plasma density at relatively low ion temperatures. With the increase of ion temperature to certain extent, another possible reason for the decrease in the overall plasma density is proposed and results from the more active thermal diffusion of plasma.« less

Drift ion acoustic shock waves in an inhomogeneous two-dimensional quantum magnetoplasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Masood, W.; Siddiq, M.; Karim, S.

2009-04-15

Linear and nonlinear propagation characteristics of drift ion acoustic waves are investigated in an inhomogeneous quantum plasma with neutrals in the background employing the quantum hydrodynamics (QHD) model. In this regard, a quantum Kadomtsev-Petviashvili-Burgers (KPB) equation is derived for the first time. It is shown that the ion acoustic wave couples with the drift wave if the parallel motion of ions is taken into account. Discrepancies in the earlier works on drift solitons and shocks in inhomogeneous plasmas are also pointed out and a correct theoretical framework is presented to study the one-dimensional as well as the two-dimensional propagation ofmore » shock waves in an inhomogeneous quantum plasma. Furthermore, the solution of KPB equation is presented using the tangent hyperbolic (tanh) method. The variation of the shock profile with the quantum Bohm potential, collision frequency, and ratio of drift to shock velocity in the comoving frame, v{sub *}/u, are also investigated. It is found that increasing the number density and collision frequency enhances the strength of the shock. It is also shown that the fast drift shock (i.e., v{sub *}/u>0) increases, whereas the slow drift shock (i.e., v{sub *}/u<0) decreases the strength of the shock. The relevance of the present investigation with regard to dense astrophysical environments is also pointed out.« less

Comparison of three‐dimensional analysis and stereological techniques for quantifying lithium‐ion battery electrode microstructures

PubMed Central

TAIWO, OLUWADAMILOLA O.; FINEGAN, DONAL P.; EASTWOOD, DAVID S.; FIFE, JULIE L.; BROWN, LEON D.; DARR, JAWWAD A.; LEE, PETER D.; BRETT, DANIEL J.L.

2016-01-01

Summary Lithium‐ion battery performance is intrinsically linked to electrode microstructure. Quantitative measurement of key structural parameters of lithium‐ion battery electrode microstructures will enable optimization as well as motivate systematic numerical studies for the improvement of battery performance. With the rapid development of 3‐D imaging techniques, quantitative assessment of 3‐D microstructures from 2‐D image sections by stereological methods appears outmoded; however, in spite of the proliferation of tomographic imaging techniques, it remains significantly easier to obtain two‐dimensional (2‐D) data sets. In this study, stereological prediction and three‐dimensional (3‐D) analysis techniques for quantitative assessment of key geometric parameters for characterizing battery electrode microstructures are examined and compared. Lithium‐ion battery electrodes were imaged using synchrotron‐based X‐ray tomographic microscopy. For each electrode sample investigated, stereological analysis was performed on reconstructed 2‐D image sections generated from tomographic imaging, whereas direct 3‐D analysis was performed on reconstructed image volumes. The analysis showed that geometric parameter estimation using 2‐D image sections is bound to be associated with ambiguity and that volume‐based 3‐D characterization of nonconvex, irregular and interconnected particles can be used to more accurately quantify spatially‐dependent parameters, such as tortuosity and pore‐phase connectivity. PMID:26999804

Comparison of three-dimensional analysis and stereological techniques for quantifying lithium-ion battery electrode microstructures.

PubMed

Taiwo, Oluwadamilola O; Finegan, Donal P; Eastwood, David S; Fife, Julie L; Brown, Leon D; Darr, Jawwad A; Lee, Peter D; Brett, Daniel J L; Shearing, Paul R

2016-09-01

Lithium-ion battery performance is intrinsically linked to electrode microstructure. Quantitative measurement of key structural parameters of lithium-ion battery electrode microstructures will enable optimization as well as motivate systematic numerical studies for the improvement of battery performance. With the rapid development of 3-D imaging techniques, quantitative assessment of 3-D microstructures from 2-D image sections by stereological methods appears outmoded; however, in spite of the proliferation of tomographic imaging techniques, it remains significantly easier to obtain two-dimensional (2-D) data sets. In this study, stereological prediction and three-dimensional (3-D) analysis techniques for quantitative assessment of key geometric parameters for characterizing battery electrode microstructures are examined and compared. Lithium-ion battery electrodes were imaged using synchrotron-based X-ray tomographic microscopy. For each electrode sample investigated, stereological analysis was performed on reconstructed 2-D image sections generated from tomographic imaging, whereas direct 3-D analysis was performed on reconstructed image volumes. The analysis showed that geometric parameter estimation using 2-D image sections is bound to be associated with ambiguity and that volume-based 3-D characterization of nonconvex, irregular and interconnected particles can be used to more accurately quantify spatially-dependent parameters, such as tortuosity and pore-phase connectivity. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Microscopy published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Royal Microscopical Society.

A simple and robust method for artifacts correction on X-ray microtomography images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Timofey, Sizonenko; Marina, Karsanina; Dina, Gilyazetdinova; Irina, Bayuk; Kirill, Gerke

2017-04-01

X-ray microtomography images of rock material often have some kinds of distortion due to different reasons such as X-ray attenuation, beam hardening, irregularity of distribution of liquid/solid phases. Several kinds of distortion can arise from further image processing and stitching of images from different measurements. Beam-hardening is a well-known and studied distortion which is relative easy to be described, fitted and corrected using a number of equations. However, this is not the case for other grey scale intensity distortions. Shading by irregularity of distribution of liquid phases, incorrect scanner operating/parameters choosing, as well as numerous artefacts from mathematical reconstructions from projections, including stitching from separate scans cannot be described using single mathematical model. To correct grey scale intensities on large 3D images we developed a package Traditional method for removing the beam hardening [1] has been modified in order to find the center of distortion. The main contribution of this work is in development of a method for arbitrary image correction. This method is based on fitting the distortion by Bezier curve using image histogram. The distortion along the image is represented by a number of Bezier curves and one base line that characterizes the natural distribution of gray value along the image. All of these curves are set manually by the operator. We have tested our approaches on different X-ray microtomography images of porous media. Arbitrary correction removes all principal distortion. After correction the images has been binarized with subsequent pore-network extracted. Equal distribution of pore-network elements along the image was the criteria to verify the proposed technique to correct grey scale intensities. [1] Iassonov, P. and Tuller, M., 2010. Application of segmentation for correction of intensity bias in X-ray computed tomography images. Vadose Zone Journal, 9(1), pp.187-191.

Density of jadeite melt under upper mantle conditions from in-situ X-ray micro-tomography measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jing, Z.; Xu, M.; Jiang, P.; Yu, T.; Wang, Y.

2017-12-01

Knowledge of the density of silicate melts under high pressure conditions is important to our understanding of the stability and migration of melt layers in the Earth's deep mantle. A wide range of silicate melts have been studied at high pressures using the sink/float technique (e.g., Agee and Walker, 1988) and the X-ray absorption technique (e.g., Sakamaki et al, 2009). However, the effect of the Na2O component on high-pressure melt density has not been fully quantified, despite its likely presence in mantle melts. This is partly due to the experimental challenges that the Na-bearing melts often have relatively low density but high viscosity, both of which make it difficult to study using the above-mentioned techniques. In this study, we have developed a new technique based on X-ray micro-tomography to determine the density of melts at high pressures. In this technique, the volume of a melt is directly measured from the reconstructed 3-D images of the sample using computed X-ray micro-tomography. If the mass of the sample is measured using a balance or estimated from a reference density, then the density of the melt at high pressures can be calculated. Using this technique, we determined the density of jadeite melt (NaAlSi2O6) at high pressures up to 4 GPa in a Paris-Edinburg cell that can be rotated for 180 degrees under pressure. Results show that the Na2O component significantly decreases both the density and bulk modulus of silicate melts at high pressures. These data can be incorporated into a hard-sphere equation of state (Jing and Karato, 2011) to model the effect of the Na2O component on the potential density crossovers between melts produced in the mantle and the residual solid.

Comparison of Hall Thruster Plume Expansion Model with Experimental Data

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-05-23

focus of this study, is a hybrid particle- in-cell ( PIC ) model that tracks particles along an unstructured tetrahedral mesh. * Research Engineer...measurements of the ion current density profile, ion energy distributions, and ion species fraction distributions using a nude Faraday probe, retarding...Vol.37 No.1. 6 Oh, D. and Hastings, D., “Three Dimensional PIC -DSMC Simulations of Hall Thruster Plumes and Analysis for Realistic Spacecraft

Ion-trajectory analysis for micromotion minimization and the measurement of small forces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gloger, Timm F.; Kaufmann, Peter; Kaufmann, Delia; Baig, M. Tanveer; Collath, Thomas; Johanning, Michael; Wunderlich, Christof

2015-10-01

For experiments with ions confined in a Paul trap, minimization of micromotion is often essential. In order to diagnose and compensate micromotion we have implemented a method that allows for finding the position of the radio-frequency (rf) null reliably and efficiently, in principle, without any variation of direct current (dc) voltages. We apply a trap modulation technique and focus-scanning imaging to extract three-dimensional ion positions for various rf drive powers and analyze the power dependence of the equilibrium position of the trapped ion. In contrast to commonly used methods, the search algorithm directly makes use of a physical effect as opposed to efficient numerical minimization in a high-dimensional parameter space. Using this method we achieve a compensation of the residual electric field that causes excess micromotion in the radial plane of a linear Paul trap down to 0.09 Vm-1 . Additionally, the precise position determination of a single harmonically trapped ion employed here can also be utilized for the detection of small forces. This is demonstrated by determining light pressure forces with a precision of 135 yN. As the method is based on imaging only, it can be applied to several ions simultaneously and is independent of laser direction and thus well suited to be used with, for example, surface-electrode traps.

Two-Dimensional Porous Electrode Model for Capacitive Deionization

DOE PAGES

Hemmatifar, Ali; Stadermann, Michael; Santiago, Juan G.

2015-10-28

Here, ion transport in porous conductive materials is of great importance in a variety of electrochemical systems including batteries and supercapacitors. We here analyze the coupling of flow and charge transport and charge capacitance in capacitive deionization (CDI). In CDI, a pair of porous carbon electrodes is employed to electrostatically retain and remove ionic species from aqueous solutions. We here develop and solve a novel unsteady two-dimensional model for capturing the ion adsorption/desorption dynamics in a flow-between CDI system. We use this model to study the complex, nonlinear coupling between electromigration, diffusion, and advection of ions. We also fabricated amore » laboratory-scale CDI cell which we use to measure the near-equilibrium, cumulative adsorbed salt, and electric charge as a function of applied external voltage. We use these integral measures to validate and calibrate this model. We further present a detailed computational study of the spatiotemporal adsorption/desorption dynamics under constant voltage and constant flow conditions. We show results for low (20 mM KCl) and relatively high (200 mM KCl) inlet ion concentrations and identify effects of ion starvation on desalination. We show that in both cases electromigrative transport eventually becomes negligible and diffusive ion transport reduces the desalination rate.« less

Measurement of the electron and ion temperatures by the x-ray imaging crystal spectrometer on joint Texas experimental tokamak

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yan, W.; Chen, Z. Y., E-mail: zychen@hust.edu.cn; Huang, D. W.

An x-ray imaging crystal spectrometer has been developed on joint Texas experimental tokamak for the measurement of electron and ion temperatures from the K{sub α} spectra of helium-like argon and its satellite lines. A two-dimensional multi-wire proportional counter has been applied to detect the spectra. The electron and ion temperatures have been obtained from the Voigt fitting with the spectra of helium-like argon ions. The profiles of electron and ion temperatures show the dependence on electron density in ohmic plasmas.

Surface-electrode point Paul trap

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Tony Hyun; Herskind, Peter F.; Chuang, Isaac L.

2010-10-15

We present a model as well as experimental results for a surface electrode radiofrequency Paul trap that has a circular electrode geometry well suited for trapping single ions and two-dimensional planar ion crystals. The trap design is compatible with microfabrication and offers a simple method by which the height of the trapped ions above the surface may be changed in situ. We demonstrate trapping of single {sup 88}Sr{sup +} ions over an ion height range of 200-1000 {mu}m for several hours under Doppler laser cooling and use these to characterize the trap, finding good agreement with our model.

Nature-Inspired Na2Ti3O7 Nanosheets-Formed Three-Dimensional Microflowers Architecture as a High-Performance Anode Material for Rechargeable Sodium-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Anwer, Shoaib; Huang, Yongxin; Liu, Jia; Liu, Jiajia; Xu, Meng; Wang, Ziheng; Chen, Renjie; Zhang, Jiatao; Wu, Feng

2017-04-05

Low cycling stability and poor rate performance are two of the distinctive drawbacks of most electrode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Here, inspired by natural flower structures, we take advantage of the three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical flower-like stable microstructures formed by two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets to solve these problems. By precise control of the hydrothermal synthesis conditions, a novel three-dimensional (3D) flower-like architecture consisting of 2D Na 2 Ti 3 O 7 nanosheets (Na-TNSs) has been successfully synthesized. The arbitrarily arranged but closely interlinked thin nanosheets in carnation-shaped 3D Na 2 Ti 3 O 7 microflowers (Na-TMFs) originate a good network of electrically conductive paths in an electrode. Thus, Na-TMFs can get electrons from all directions and be fully utilized for sodium-ion insertion and extraction reactions, which can improve sodium storage properties with enhanced rate capability and super cycling performance. Furthermore, the large specific surface area provides a high capacity, which can be ascribed to the pseudo-capacitance effect. The wettability of the electrolyte was also improved by the porous and crumpled structure. The remarkably improved cycling performance and rate capability of Na-TMFs make a captivating case for its development as an advanced anode material for SIBs.

Direct-write three-dimensional nanofabrication of nanopyramids and nanocones on Si by nanotumefaction using a helium ion microscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, L.; Heinig, N. F.; Bazargan, S.; Abd-Ellah, M.; Moghimi, N.; Leung, K. T.

2015-06-01

The recently commercialized helium ion microscope (HIM) has already demonstrated its outstanding imaging capabilities in terms of resolution, surface sensitivity, depth of field and ease of charge compensation. Here, we show its exceptional patterning capabilities by fabricating dense lines and three-dimensional (3D) nanostructures on a Si substrate. Small focusing spot size and confined ion-Si interaction volume of a high-energy helium ion beam account for the high resolution in HIM patterning. We demonstrate that a set of resolvable parallel lines with a half pitch as small as 3.5 nm can be achieved. During helium ion bombardment of the Si surface, implantation outperforms milling due to the small mass of the helium ions, which produces tumefaction instead of depression in the Si surface. The Si surface tumefaction is the result of different kinetic processes including diffusion, coalescence and nanobubble formation of the implanted ions, and is found to be very stable structurally at room temperature. Under appropriate conditions, a linear dependence of the surface swollen height on the ion doses can be observed. This relation has enabled us to fabricate nanopyramids and nanocones, thus demonstrating that HIM patterning provides a new ‘bottom-up’ approach to fabricate 3D nanostructures. This surface tumefaction method is direct, both positioning and height accurate, and free of resist, etch, mode and precursor, and it promises new applications in nanoimprint mold fabrication and photomask clear defect reparation.

Two-dimensional silicon-based detectors for ion beam therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martišíková, M.; Granja, C.; Jakůbek, J.; Hartmann, B.; Telsemeyer, J.; Huber, L.; Brons, S.; Pospíšil, S.; Jäkel, O.

2012-02-01

Radiation therapy with ion beams is a highly precise kind of cancer treatment. As ion beams traverse material, the highest ionization density occurs at the end of their path. Due to this Bragg-peak, ion beams enable higher dose conformation to the tumor and increased sparing of the surrounding tissue, in comparison to standard radiation therapy using high energy photons. Ions heavier than protons offer in addition increased biological effectiveness and lower scattering. The Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Center (HIT) is a state-of-the-art ion beam therapy facility and the first hospital-based facility in Europe. It provides proton and carbon ion treatments. A synchrotron is used for ion acceleration. For dose delivery to the patient, narrow pencil-like beams are scanned over the target volume.

Focused helium-ion beam irradiation effects on electrical transport properties of few-layer WSe 2: Enabling nanoscale direct write homo-junctions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stanford, Michael; Noh, Joo Hyon; Koehler, Michael R.

Atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are currently receiving significant attention due to their promising opto-electronic properties. Tuning optical and electrical properties of mono and few-layer TMDs, such as tungsten diselenide (WSe 2), by controlling the defects, is an intriguing opportunity to synthesize next generation two dimensional material opto-electronic devices. Here, we report the effects of focused helium ion beam irradiation on the structural, optical and electrical properties of few-layer WSe 2, via high resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and electrical transport measurements. By controlling the ion irradiation dose, we selectively introduce precise defects in few-layer WSe 2more » thereby locally tuning the resistivity and transport properties of the material. Hole transport in the few layer WSe 2 is degraded more severely relative to electron transport after helium ion irradiation. Moreover, by selectively exposing material with the ion beam, we demonstrate a simple yet highly tunable method to create lateral homo-junctions in few layer WSe 2 flakes, which constitutes an important advance towards two dimensional opto-electronic devices.« less

Building 1D resonance broadened quasilinear (RBQ) code for fast ions Alfvénic relaxations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorelenkov, Nikolai; Duarte, Vinicius; Berk, Herbert

2016-10-01

The performance of the burning plasma is limited by the confinement of superalfvenic fusion products, e.g. alpha particles, which are capable of resonating with the Alfvénic eigenmodes (AEs). The effect of AEs on fast ions is evaluated using a resonance line broadened diffusion coefficient. The interaction of fast ions and AEs is captured for cases where there are either isolated or overlapping modes. A new code RBQ1D is being built which constructs diffusion coefficients based on realistic eigenfunctions that are determined by the ideal MHD code NOVA. The wave particle interaction can be reduced to one-dimensional dynamics where for the Alfvénic modes typically the particle kinetic energy is nearly constant. Hence to a good approximation the Quasi-Linear (QL) diffusion equation only contains derivatives in the angular momentum. The diffusion equation is then one dimensional that is efficiently solved simultaneously for all particles with the equation for the evolution of the wave angular momentum. The evolution of fast ion constants of motion is governed by the QL diffusion equations which are adapted to find the ion distribution function.

Focused helium-ion beam irradiation effects on electrical transport properties of few-layer WSe 2: Enabling nanoscale direct write homo-junctions

DOE PAGES

Stanford, Michael; Noh, Joo Hyon; Koehler, Michael R.; ...

2016-06-06

Atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are currently receiving significant attention due to their promising opto-electronic properties. Tuning optical and electrical properties of mono and few-layer TMDs, such as tungsten diselenide (WSe 2), by controlling the defects, is an intriguing opportunity to synthesize next generation two dimensional material opto-electronic devices. Here, we report the effects of focused helium ion beam irradiation on the structural, optical and electrical properties of few-layer WSe 2, via high resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and electrical transport measurements. By controlling the ion irradiation dose, we selectively introduce precise defects in few-layer WSe 2more » thereby locally tuning the resistivity and transport properties of the material. Hole transport in the few layer WSe 2 is degraded more severely relative to electron transport after helium ion irradiation. Moreover, by selectively exposing material with the ion beam, we demonstrate a simple yet highly tunable method to create lateral homo-junctions in few layer WSe 2 flakes, which constitutes an important advance towards two dimensional opto-electronic devices.« less

Electrostatic streaming instability modes in complex viscoelastic quantum plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karmakar, P. K.; Goutam, H. P.

2016-11-01

A generalized quantum hydrodynamic model is procedurally developed to investigate the electrostatic streaming instability modes in viscoelastic quantum electron-ion-dust plasma. Compositionally, inertialess electrons are anticipated to be degenerate quantum particles owing to their large de Broglie wavelengths. In contrast, inertial ions and dust particulates are treated in the same classical framework of linear viscoelastic fluids (non-Newtonian). It considers a dimensionality-dependent Bohmian quantum correction prefactor, γ = [(D - 2)/3D], in electron quantum dynamics, with D symbolizing the problem dimensionality. Applying a regular Fourier-formulaic plane-wave analysis around the quasi-neutral hydrodynamic equilibrium, two distinct instabilities are explored to exist. They stem in ion-streaming (relative to electrons and dust) and dust-streaming (relative to electrons and ions). Their stability is numerically illustrated in judicious parametric windows in both the hydrodynamic and kinetic regimes. The non-trivial influential roles by the relative streams, viscoelasticities, and correction prefactor are analyzed. It is seen that γ acts as a stabilizer for the ion-stream case only. The findings alongside new entailments, as special cases of realistic interest, corroborate well with the earlier predictions in plasma situations. Applicability of the analysis relevant in cosmic and astronomical environments of compact dwarf stars is concisely indicated.

Low material budget floating strip Micromegas for ion transmission radiography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bortfeldt, J.; Biebel, O.; Flierl, B.; Hertenberger, R.; Klitzner, F.; Lösel, Ph.; Magallanes, L.; Müller, R.; Parodi, K.; Schlüter, T.; Voss, B.; Zibell, A.

2017-02-01

Floating strip Micromegas are high-accuracy and discharge insensitive gaseous detectors, able to track single particles at fluxes of 7 MHz/cm2 with 100 μm resolution. We developed low-material-budget detectors with one-dimensional strip readout, suitable for tracking at highest particle rates as encountered in medical ion transmission radiography or inner tracker applications. Recently we additionally developed Kapton-based floating strip Micromegas with two-dimensional strip readout, featuring an overall thickness of 0.011 X0. These detectors were tested in high-rate proton and carbon-ion beams at the tandem accelerator in Garching and the Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center, operated with an optimized Ne:CF4 gas mixture. By coupling the Micromegas detectors to a new scintillator based range detector, ion transmission radiographies of PMMA and tissue-equivalent phantoms were acquired. The range detector with 18 layers is read out via wavelength shifting fibers, coupled to a multi-anode photomultiplier. We present the performance of the Micromegas detectors with respect to timing and single plane track reconstruction using the μTPC method. We discuss the range resolution of the scintillator range telescope and present the image reconstruction capabilities of the combined system.

Determination of phytate in high molecular weight, charged organic matrices by two-dimensional size exclusion-ion chromatography

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A two-dimensional chromatography method for analyzing anionic targets (specifically phytate) in complex matrices is described. Prior to quantification by anion exchange chromatography, the sample matrix was prepared by size exclusion chromatography, which removed the majority of matrix complexities....

Three-dimensional ultrastructure of osteocytes assessed by focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM).

PubMed

Hasegawa, Tomoka; Yamamoto, Tomomaya; Hongo, Hiromi; Qiu, Zixuan; Abe, Miki; Kanesaki, Takuma; Tanaka, Kawori; Endo, Takashi; de Freitas, Paulo Henrique Luiz; Li, Minqi; Amizuka, Norio

2018-04-01

The aim of this study is to demonstrate the application of focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy, FIB-SEM for revealing the three-dimensional features of osteocytic cytoplasmic processes in metaphyseal (immature) and diaphyseal (mature) trabeculae. Tibiae of eight-week-old male mice were fixed with aldehyde solution, and treated with block staining prior to FIB-SEM observation. While two-dimensional backscattered SEM images showed osteocytes' cytoplasmic processes in a fragmented fashion, three-dimensional reconstructions of FIB-SEM images demonstrated that osteocytes in primary metaphyseal trabeculae extended their cytoplasmic processes randomly, thus maintaining contact with neighboring osteocytes and osteoblasts. In contrast, diaphyseal osteocytes extended thin cytoplasmic processes from their cell bodies, which ran perpendicular to the bone surface. In addition, these osteocytes featured thick processes that branched into thinner, transverse cytoplasmic processes; at some point, however, these transverse processes bend at a right angle to run perpendicular to the bone surface. Osteoblasts also possessed thicker cytoplasmic processes that branched off as thinner processes, which then connected with cytoplasmic processes of neighboring osteocytes. Thus, FIB-SEM is a useful technology for visualizing the three-dimensional structures of osteocytes and their cytoplasmic processes.

Hollow structure formation of intense ion beams with sharp edge in background plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hu, Zhang-Hu; Wang, You-Nian, E-mail: ynwang@dlut.edu.cn

The transport of intense ion beams with sharp radial beam edge in plasmas has been studied with two-dimensional electromagnetic particle simulations. The initial solid beam evolves into a hollow beam due to the nonlinear sharp transverse force peak in the regions of beam edge. The magnitude and nonlinearity of this peak are enhanced as the ion beam travels further into the plasma, due to the self-consistent interactions between the beam ions and the plasma electrons. This structure formation is shown to be independent on the beam radius.

Generating standardized image data for testing and calibrating quantification of volumes, surfaces, lengths, and object counts in fibrous and porous materials using X-ray microtomography.

PubMed

Jiřík, Miroslav; Bartoš, Martin; Tomášek, Petr; Malečková, Anna; Kural, Tomáš; Horáková, Jana; Lukáš, David; Suchý, Tomáš; Kochová, Petra; Hubálek Kalbáčová, Marie; Králíčková, Milena; Tonar, Zbyněk

2018-06-01

Quantification of the structure and composition of biomaterials using micro-CT requires image segmentation due to the low contrast and overlapping radioopacity of biological materials. The amount of bias introduced by segmentation procedures is generally unknown. We aim to develop software that generates three-dimensional models of fibrous and porous structures with known volumes, surfaces, lengths, and object counts in fibrous materials and to provide a software tool that calibrates quantitative micro-CT assessments. Virtual image stacks were generated using the newly developed software TeIGen, enabling the simulation of micro-CT scans of unconnected tubes, connected tubes, and porosities. A realistic noise generator was incorporated. Forty image stacks were evaluated using micro-CT, and the error between the true known and estimated data was quantified. Starting with geometric primitives, the error of the numerical estimation of surfaces and volumes was eliminated, thereby enabling the quantification of volumes and surfaces of colliding objects. Analysis of the sensitivity of the thresholding upon parameters of generated testing image sets revealed the effects of decreasing resolution and increasing noise on the accuracy of the micro-CT quantification. The size of the error increased with decreasing resolution when the voxel size exceeded 1/10 of the typical object size, which simulated the effect of the smallest details that could still be reliably quantified. Open-source software for calibrating quantitative micro-CT assessments by producing and saving virtually generated image data sets with known morphometric data was made freely available to researchers involved in morphometry of three-dimensional fibrillar and porous structures in micro-CT scans. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Tomography in Geology: 3D Modeling and Analysis of Structural Features of Rocks Using Computed MicroTomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ponomarev, A. A.; Mamadaliev, R. A.; Semenova, T. V.

2016-10-01

The article presents a brief overview of the current state of computed tomography in the sphere of oil and gas production in Russia and in the world. Operation of computed microtomograph Skyscan 1172 is also provided, as well as personal examples of its application in solving geological problems.

Experimental Validation of an Ion Beam Optics Code with a Visualized Ion Thruster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakayama, Yoshinori; Nakano, Masakatsu

For validation of an ion beam optics code, the behavior of ion beam optics was experimentally observed and evaluated with a two-dimensional visualized ion thruster (VIT). Since the observed beam focus positions, sheath positions and measured ion beam currents were in good agreement with the numerical results, it was confirmed that the numerical model of this code was appropriated. In addition, it was also confirmed that the beam focus position was moved on center axis of grid hole according to the applied grid potentials, which differs from conventional understanding/assumption. The VIT operations may be useful not only for the validation of ion beam optics codes but also for the fundamental and intuitive understanding of the Child Law Sheath theory.

Comparison of Hall Thruster Plume Expansion Model with Experimental Data (Preprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-07-01

Cartesian mesh. AQUILA, the focus of this study, is a hybrid PIC model that tracks particles along an unstructured tetrahedral mesh. COLISEUM is capable...measurements of the ion current density profile, ion energy distributions, and ion species fraction distributions using a nude Faraday probe...Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol.37 No.1. 6 Oh, D. and Hastings, D., “Three Dimensional PIC -DSMC Simulations of Hall Thruster Plumes and Analysis for

Multi-criteria analysis of the mechanism of degradation of Portland cement based mortars exposed to external sulphate attack

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

El-Hachem, R.; Roziere, E.; Grondin, F.

2012-10-15

This work aims to contribute to the design of durable concrete structures exposed to external sulphate attacks (ESA). Following a preliminary study aimed at designing a representative test, the present paper suggests a study on the effect of the water-to-cement (w/c) ratio and the cement composition in order to understand the degradation mechanisms. Length and mass measurements were registered continuously, leached calcium and hydroxide ions were also quantified. In parallel, scanning electron microscopy observations as well as X-ray microtomography were realised at different times to identify the formed products and the crack morphology. Test results provide information on the basicmore » aspects of the degradation mechanism, such as the main role of leaching and diffusion in the sulphate attack process. The mortar composition with a low w/c ratio leads to a better resistance to sulphate attack because the microstructure is less permeable. Reducing the C{sub 3}A content results in a macro-cracking decrease but it does not prevent expansion, which suggests the contribution of other expansive products, such as gypsum, in damage due to ESA. The observation of the cracks network in the microstructure helps to understand the micro-mechanisms of the degradation process.« less

Checking collagen preservation in archaeological bone by non-destructive studies (Micro-CT and IBA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beck, L.; Cuif, J.-P.; Pichon, L.; Vaubaillon, S.; Dambricourt Malassé, A.; Abel, R. L.

2012-02-01

The material to be studied is a piece of human skull discovered (1999) in Pleistocene sediments from the Orsang river (Gujarat state, India). From anatomical view point, this skull is highly composite: modern Homo sapiens characters are associated to undoubtedly more ancient features. Absolute dating by 14C is critical to understand this discovery. Prior to dating measurements, non-destructive studies have been carried out. Micro-CT reconstruction (X-ray microtomography) and Ion Beam Analysis (IBA) have been undertaken to check the structural preservation of the fossil and the collagen preservation. PIXE elemental map was used to select well-preserved bone area. RBS/EBS and NRA were used for light element quantification, in particular C, N and O contents. We also demonstrate that the PIXE-RBS/EBS combination is a effective tool for the whole characterization of archaeological and recent bones by analysing in one experiment both mineral and organic fractions. We have shown that the archaeological bone, a fragment of the potentially oldest modern Indian, is enough preserved for radiocarbon dating. We propose that Elastic Backscattering Spectrometry (EBS) using 3 MeV protons could be a good non destructive alternative to conventional CHN method using Carbon-Hydrogen-Nitrogen analyzer for measuring C and N before 14C dating.

Microfabricated ion trap array

DOEpatents

Blain, Matthew G [Albuquerque, NM; Fleming, James G [Albuquerque, NM

2006-12-26

A microfabricated ion trap array, comprising a plurality of ion traps having an inner radius of order one micron, can be fabricated using surface micromachining techniques and materials known to the integrated circuits manufacturing and microelectromechanical systems industries. Micromachining methods enable batch fabrication, reduced manufacturing costs, dimensional and positional precision, and monolithic integration of massive arrays of ion traps with microscale ion generation and detection devices. Massive arraying enables the microscale ion traps to retain the resolution, sensitivity, and mass range advantages necessary for high chemical selectivity. The reduced electrode voltage enables integration of the microfabricated ion trap array with on-chip circuit-based rf operation and detection electronics (i.e., cell phone electronics). Therefore, the full performance advantages of the microfabricated ion trap array can be realized in truly field portable, handheld microanalysis systems.

Counting the ions surrounding nucleic acids

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Abstract Nucleic acids are strongly negatively charged, and thus electrostatic interactions—screened by ions in solution—play an important role in governing their ability to fold and participate in biomolecular interactions. The negative charge creates a region, known as the ion atmosphere, in which cation and anion concentrations are perturbed from their bulk values. Ion counting experiments quantify the ion atmosphere by measuring the preferential ion interaction coefficient: the net total number of excess ions above, or below, the number expected due to the bulk concentration. The results of such studies provide important constraints on theories, which typically predict the full three-dimensional distribution of the screening cloud. This article reviews the state of nucleic acid ion counting measurements and critically analyzes their ability to test both analytical and simulation-based models. PMID:28034959

Two dimensional electrostatic shock waves in relativistic electron positron ion plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Masood, W.; Rizvi, H.

2010-05-15

Ion-acoustic shock waves (IASWs) are studied in an unmagnetized plasma consisting of electrons, positrons and hot ions. In this regard, Kadomtsev-Petviashvili-Burgers (KPB) equation is derived using the small amplitude perturbation expansion method. The dependence of the IASWs on various plasma parameters is numerically investigated. It is observed that ratio of ion to electron temperature, kinematic viscosity, positron concentration, and the relativistic ion streaming velocity affect the structure of the IASW. Limiting case of the KPB equation is also discussed. Stability of KPB equation is also presented. The present investigation may have relevance in the study of electrostatic shock waves inmore » relativistic electron-positron-ion plasmas.« less

Cusp Ion Fountain Observations from the e-POP Suprathermal Electron Imager (SEI) with DMSP and RISR-N conjunctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Y.; Knudsen, D. J.; Burchill, J. K.; Howarth, A. D.; Yau, A. W.; Redmon, R. J.

2015-12-01

Low-energy (<10 eV) ion upflows associated with ambipolar ion acceleration in the cusp/cleft and polar cap regions are investigated using conjunctions of the Enhanced Polar Outflow Probe (e-POP) satellite, the Resolute Bay Incoherent Scatter Radar (RISR-N) and the DMSP satellites in June 2014. e-POP encountered the cusp/cleft ion fountain at 10-14 MLT and around 1000 km altitude during these experiments. Such intermediate-altitude observations of ion upflow have been sampled only rarely by previous satellite missions and ground-based radars. The Suprathermal Electron Imager (SEI) onboard e-POP measures two-dimensional ion distribution functions with a frame rate of 100 images per second, from which, high-precision energy and angle information of entering ions can be inferred. Large field-aligned ion bulk flow velocities (2.5 km/s) are estimated from the angle information with a resolution of the order of 25 m/s. The ion velocities were, in general, upward in the cusp region and downward in the polar cap region. The ion temperatures have been resolved by investigating the slop shape of the distribution function. It has been found that only weak perpendicular (to B) heating occurred during these events, which when combined with the simultaneous soft electron precipitation observed by the DMSP SSJ/4 instrument, suggests that ambipolar electric fields play a dominant role in accelerating ions upward at and below 1000 km. Also, structured DC field-aligned currents derived from the magnetic field instrument (MGF) onboard e-POP are found to be well-correlated with upflow velocities. In addition, ion composition information is available from e-POP's ion mass spectrometer (IRM). Oxygen ions (O+) were found to dominate (85%) in the identified events, accompanied by a small fraction (15%) of hydrogen ions (H+) and helium ions (He+). We will compare these in situ measurements with RISR-N observations in order to further our understanding of the mechanisms responsible for, and the three-dimensional structure of, the cusp ion fountain. Acknowledgement: This research is supported by Eyes High Doctoral Recruitment Scholarship at University of Calgary.

Three-dimensional thin film for lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors.

PubMed

Yang, Yang; Peng, Zhiwei; Wang, Gunuk; Ruan, Gedeng; Fan, Xiujun; Li, Lei; Fei, Huilong; Hauge, Robert H; Tour, James M

2014-07-22

Three-dimensional heterogeneously nanostructured thin-film electrodes were fabricated by using Ta2O5 nanotubes as a framework to support carbon-onion-coated Fe2O3 nanoparticles along the surface of the nanotubes. Carbon onion layers function as microelectrodes to separate the two different metal oxides and form a nanoscale 3-D sandwich structure. In this way, space-charge layers were formed at the phase boundaries, and it provides additional energy storage by charge separation. These 3-D nanostructured thin films deliver both excellent Li-ion battery properties (stabilized at 800 mAh cm(–3)) and supercapacitor (up to 18.2 mF cm(–2)) performance owing to the synergistic effects of the heterogeneous structure. Thus, Li-ion batteries and supercapacitors are successfully assembled into the same electrode, which is promising for next generation hybrid energy storage and delivery devices.

Characterization of humic acids by two-dimensional correlation fluorescence spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakashima, K.; Xing, Shaoyong; Gong, Yongkuan; Miyajima, Toru

2008-07-01

We have investigated interaction between humic acids and heavy metal ions by fluorescence spectroscopy. The humic acids examined are Aldrich humic acid (AHA) and Dando humic acid (DHA), and heavy metal ions are Cu 2+ and Pb 2+. The binding constants between the humic acids and the heavy metal ions are obtained by a conventional fluorescence quenching technique. The two prominent bands in the fluorescence spectra of the humic acids give different binding constants, implying that the two bands are originated from different fluorescent species in the matrices of the humic acids. This was confirmed by two-dimensional correlation analysis based on the quenching perturbation on the fluorescence spectra. Two prominent cross peaks corresponding to the two fluorescence bands are obtained in the asynchronous maps, indicating that the two fluorescence bands belong to different species. The order of the response of the two fluorescence bands to the quenching perturbation is also elucidated based on Noda's rule.

Two-dimensional cylindrical ion-acoustic solitary and rogue waves in ultrarelativistic plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ata-ur-Rahman; National Centre for Physics at QAU Campus, Shahdrah Valley Road, Islamabad 44000; Ali, S.

2013-07-15

The propagation of ion-acoustic (IA) solitary and rogue waves is investigated in a two-dimensional ultrarelativistic degenerate warm dense plasma. By using the reductive perturbation technique, the cylindrical Kadomtsev–Petviashvili (KP) equation is derived, which can be further transformed into a Korteweg–de Vries (KdV) equation. The latter admits a solitary wave solution. However, when the frequency of the carrier wave is much smaller than the ion plasma frequency, the KdV equation can be transferred to a nonlinear Schrödinger equation to study the nonlinear evolution of modulationally unstable modified IA wavepackets. The propagation characteristics of the IA solitary and rogue waves are stronglymore » influenced by the variation of different plasma parameters in an ultrarelativistic degenerate dense plasma. The present results might be helpful to understand the nonlinear electrostatic excitations in astrophysical degenerate dense plasmas.« less

A new (2+1) dimensional integrable evolution equation for an ion acoustic wave in a magnetized plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mukherjee, Abhik, E-mail: abhik.mukherjee@saha.ac.in; Janaki, M. S., E-mail: ms.janaki@saha.ac.in; Kundu, Anjan, E-mail: anjan.kundu@saha.ac.in

2015-07-15

A new, completely integrable, two dimensional evolution equation is derived for an ion acoustic wave propagating in a magnetized, collisionless plasma. The equation is a multidimensional generalization of a modulated wavepacket with weak transverse propagation, which has resemblance to nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation and has a connection to Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation through a constraint relation. Higher soliton solutions of the equation are derived through Hirota bilinearization procedure, and an exact lump solution is calculated exhibiting 2D structure. Some mathematical properties demonstrating the completely integrable nature of this equation are described. Modulational instability using nonlinear frequency correction is derived, and the correspondingmore » growth rate is calculated, which shows the directional asymmetry of the system. The discovery of this novel (2+1) dimensional integrable NLS type equation for a magnetized plasma should pave a new direction of research in the field.« less

Enhanced light absorption of solar cells and photodetectors by diffraction

DOEpatents

Zaidi, Saleem H.; Gee, James M.

2005-02-22

Enhanced light absorption of solar cells and photodetectors by diffraction is described. Triangular, rectangular, and blazed subwavelength periodic structures are shown to improve performance of solar cells. Surface reflection can be tailored for either broadband, or narrow-band spectral absorption. Enhanced absorption is achieved by efficient optical coupling into obliquely propagating transmitted diffraction orders. Subwavelength one-dimensional structures are designed for polarization-dependent, wavelength-selective absorption in solar cells and photodetectors, while two-dimensional structures are designed for polarization-independent, wavelength-selective absorption therein. Suitable one and two-dimensional subwavelength periodic structures can also be designed for broadband spectral absorption in solar cells and photodetectors. If reactive ion etching (RIE) processes are used to form the grating, RIE-induced surface damage in subwavelength structures can be repaired by forming junctions using ion implantation methods. RIE-induced surface damage can also be removed by post RIE wet-chemical etching treatments.

Three dimensional finite element methods: Their role in the design of DC accelerator systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Podaru, Nicolae C.; Gottdang, A.; Mous, D. J. W.

2013-04-01

High Voltage Engineering has designed, built and tested a 2 MV dual irradiation system that will be applied for radiation damage studies and ion beam material modification. The system consists of two independent accelerators which support simultaneous proton and electron irradiation (energy range 100 keV - 2 MeV) of target sizes of up to 300 × 300 mm2. Three dimensional finite element methods were used in the design of various parts of the system. The electrostatic solver was used to quantify essential parameters of the solid-state power supply generating the DC high voltage. The magnetostatic solver and ray tracing were used to optimize the electron/ion beam transport. Close agreement between design and measurements of the accelerator characteristics as well as beam performance indicate the usefulness of three dimensional finite element methods during accelerator system design.

Brownian Dynamics simulations of model colloids in channel geometries and external fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siems, Ullrich; Nielaba, Peter

2018-04-01

We review the results of Brownian Dynamics simulations of colloidal particles in external fields confined in channels. Super-paramagnetic Brownian particles are well suited two- dimensional model systems for a variety of problems on different length scales, ranging from pedestrian walking through a bottleneck to ions passing ion-channels in living cells. In such systems confinement into channels can have a great influence on the diffusion and transport properties. Especially we will discuss the crossover from single file diffusion in a narrow channel to the diffusion in the extended two-dimensional system. Therefore a new algorithm for computing the mean square displacement (MSD) on logarithmic time scales is presented. In a different study interacting colloidal particles were dragged over a washboard potential and are additionally confined in a two-dimensional micro-channel. In this system kink and anti-kink solitons determine the depinning process of the particles from the periodic potential.

Resonant tunneling device with two-dimensional quantum well emitter and base layers

DOEpatents

Simmons, J.A.; Sherwin, M.E.; Drummond, T.J.; Weckwerth, M.V.

1998-10-20

A double electron layer tunneling device is presented. Electrons tunnel from a two dimensional emitter layer to a two dimensional tunneling layer and continue traveling to a collector at a lower voltage. The emitter layer is interrupted by an isolation etch, a depletion gate, or an ion implant to prevent electrons from traveling from the source along the emitter to the drain. The collector is similarly interrupted by a backgate, an isolation etch, or an ion implant. When the device is used as a transistor, a control gate is added to control the allowed energy states of the emitter layer. The tunnel gate may be recessed to change the operating range of the device and allow for integrated complementary devices. Methods of forming the device are also set forth, utilizing epoxy-bond and stop etch (EBASE), pre-growth implantation of the backgate or post-growth implantation. 43 figs.

Resonant tunneling device with two-dimensional quantum well emitter and base layers

DOEpatents

Simmons, Jerry A.; Sherwin, Marc E.; Drummond, Timothy J.; Weckwerth, Mark V.

1998-01-01

A double electron layer tunneling device is presented. Electrons tunnel from a two dimensional emitter layer to a two dimensional tunneling layer and continue traveling to a collector at a lower voltage. The emitter layer is interrupted by an isolation etch, a depletion gate, or an ion implant to prevent electrons from traveling from the source along the emitter to the drain. The collector is similarly interrupted by a backgate, an isolation etch, or an ion implant. When the device is used as a transistor, a control gate is added to control the allowed energy states of the emitter layer. The tunnel gate may be recessed to change the operating range of the device and allow for integrated complementary devices. Methods of forming the device are also set forth, utilizing epoxy-bond and stop etch (EBASE), pre-growth implantation of the backgate or post-growth implantation.

A Cartoon in One Dimension of the Hydrogen Molecular Ion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dutta, Sourav; Ganguly, Shreemoyee; Dutta-Roy, Binayak

2008-01-01

To illustrate the basic methodology involved in the quantum mechanics of molecules, a one-dimensional caricature of the hydrogen molecular ion (H[superscript +][subscript 2]) is presented, which is exactly solvable, in the Born-Oppenheimer approximation, in terms of elementary functions. The purpose of the exercise is to elucidate in a simple…

One-dimensional coaxial Sb and carbon fibers with enhanced electrochemical performance for sodium-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Mengnan; Kong, Xiangzhong; Yang, Hulin; Zhu, Ting; Liang, Shuquan; Pan, Anqiang

2018-01-01

Antimony (Sb) has been intensively investigated as a promising anode material for sodium ion batteries (SIBs) in recent years. However, bulk Sb particles usually suffer from excessive volume expansion thus leading to dramatic capacity decay after cycling. To address this issue, Sb has been uniformly decorated on Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) derived carbon nanofibers (PCFs) via a simple chemical deposition strategy to form a one-dimensional (1D) core-shell nanostructure of Sb@PCFs. PCFs were first derived from electrospun PAN fibers and treated with subsequent calcination. The PCFs constructed an interwoven carbon network were later employed for Sb deposition, which can effectively alleviate aggregation or further cracking of Sb nanoparticles occurred in electrochemical kinetic process. The as-obtained Sb@PCFs nanocomposites demonstrated excellent cycling stability with good rate performances. This carefully designed core-shell nanostructure of antimony nanoparticles wrapped PCFs are responsible for good electrochemical Na-ion storage. Moreover, the 1D nanostructure manage to pave pathways for fast ions transfer during charge-discharge, which could extra contribute to the enhanced SIBs performances.

High Stability Induced by the TiN/Ti Interlayer in Three-Dimensional Si/Ge Nanorod Arrays as Anode in Micro Lithium Ion Battery.

PubMed

Yue, Chuang; Yu, Yingjian; Wu, Zhenguo; Sun, Shibo; He, Xu; Li, Juntao; Zhao, Libo; Wu, Suntao; Li, Jing; Kang, Junyong; Lin, Liwei

2016-03-01

Three-dimensional (3D) Si/Ge-based micro/nano batteries are promising lab-on-chip power supply sources because of the good process compatibility with integrated circuits and Micro/Nano-Electro-Mechanical System technologies. In this work, the effective interlayer of TiN/Ti thin films were introduced to coat around the 3D Si nanorod (NR) arrays before the amorphous Ge layer deposition as anode in micro/nano lithium ion batteries, thus the superior cycling stability was realized by reason for the restriction of Si activation in this unique 3D matchlike Si/TiN/Ti/Ge NR array electrode. Moreover, the volume expansion properties after the repeated lithium-ion insertion/extraction were experimentally investigated to evidence the superior stability of this unique multilayered Si composite electrode. The demonstration of this wafer-scale, cost-effective, and Si-compatible fabrication for anodes in Li-ion micro/nano batteries provides new routes to configurate more efficient 3D energy storage systems for micro/nano smart semiconductor devices.

Characterization of two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride using scanning electron and scanning helium ion microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Hongxuan; Gao, Jianhua; Ishida, Nobuyuki; Xu, Mingsheng; Fujita, Daisuke

2014-01-01

Characterization of the structural and physical properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials, such as layer number and inelastic mean free path measurements, is very important to optimize their synthesis and application. In this study, we characterize the layer number and morphology of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanosheets on a metallic substrate using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and scanning helium ion microscopy (HIM). Using scanning beams of various energies, we could analyze the dependence of the intensities of secondary electrons on the thickness of the h-BN nanosheets. Based on the interaction between the scanning particles (electrons and helium ions) and h-BN nanosheets, we deduced an exponential relationship between the intensities of secondary electrons and number of layers of h-BN. With the attenuation factor of the exponential formula, we calculate the inelastic mean free path of electrons and helium ions in the h-BN nanosheets. Our results show that HIM is more sensitive and consistent than FE-SEM for characterizing the number of layers and morphology of 2D materials.

Use of synchrotron tomography to image naturalistic anatomy in insects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Socha, John J.; De Carlo, Francesco

2008-08-01

Understanding the morphology of anatomical structures is a cornerstone of biology. For small animals, classical methods such as histology have provided a wealth of data, but such techniques can be problematic due to destruction of the sample. More importantly, fixation and physical slicing can cause deformation of anatomy, a critical limitation when precise three-dimensional data are required. Modern techniques such as confocal microscopy, MRI, and tabletop x-ray microCT provide effective non-invasive methods, but each of these tools each has limitations including sample size constraints, resolution limits, and difficulty visualizing soft tissue. Our research group at the Advanced Photon Source (Argonne National Laboratory) studies physiological processes in insects, focusing on the dynamics of breathing and feeding. To determine the size, shape, and relative location of internal anatomy in insects, we use synchrotron microtomography at the beamline 2-BM to image structures including tracheal tubes, muscles, and gut. Because obtaining naturalistic, undeformed anatomical information is a key component of our studies, we have developed methods to image fresh and non-fixed whole animals and tissues. Although motion artifacts remain a problem, we have successfully imaged multiple species including beetles, ants, fruit flies, and butterflies. Here we discuss advances in biological imaging and highlight key findings in insect morphology.

Beam-hardening correction by a surface fitting and phase classification by a least square support vector machine approach for tomography images of geological samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, F.; Enzmann, F.; Kersten, M.

2015-12-01

In X-ray computed microtomography (μXCT) image processing is the most important operation prior to image analysis. Such processing mainly involves artefact reduction and image segmentation. We propose a new two-stage post-reconstruction procedure of an image of a geological rock core obtained by polychromatic cone-beam μXCT technology. In the first stage, the beam-hardening (BH) is removed applying a best-fit quadratic surface algorithm to a given image data set (reconstructed slice), which minimizes the BH offsets of the attenuation data points from that surface. The final BH-corrected image is extracted from the residual data, or the difference between the surface elevation values and the original grey-scale values. For the second stage, we propose using a least square support vector machine (a non-linear classifier algorithm) to segment the BH-corrected data as a pixel-based multi-classification task. A combination of the two approaches was used to classify a complex multi-mineral rock sample. The Matlab code for this approach is provided in the Appendix. A minor drawback is that the proposed segmentation algorithm may become computationally demanding in the case of a high dimensional training data set.

Vertebral architecture in the earliest stem tetrapods.

PubMed

Pierce, Stephanie E; Ahlberg, Per E; Hutchinson, John R; Molnar, Julia L; Sanchez, Sophie; Tafforeau, Paul; Clack, Jennifer A

2013-02-14

The construction of the vertebral column has been used as a key anatomical character in defining and diagnosing early tetrapod groups. Rhachitomous vertebrae--in which there is a dorsally placed neural arch and spine, an anteroventrally placed intercentrum and paired, posterodorsally placed pleurocentra--have long been considered the ancestral morphology for tetrapods. Nonetheless, very little is known about vertebral anatomy in the earliest stem tetrapods, because most specimens remain trapped in surrounding matrix, obscuring important anatomical features. Here we describe the three-dimensional vertebral architecture of the Late Devonian stem tetrapod Ichthyostega using propagation phase-contrast X-ray synchrotron microtomography. Our scans reveal a diverse array of new morphological, and associated developmental and functional, characteristics, including a possible posterior-to-anterior vertebral ossification sequence and the first evolutionary appearance of ossified sternal elements. One of the most intriguing features relates to the positional relationships between the vertebral elements, with the pleurocentra being unexpectedly sutured or fused to the intercentra that directly succeed them, indicating a 'reverse' rhachitomous design. Comparison of Ichthyostega with two other stem tetrapods, Acanthostega and Pederpes, shows that reverse rhachitomous vertebrae may be the ancestral condition for limbed vertebrates. This study fundamentally revises our current understanding of vertebral column evolution in the earliest tetrapods and raises questions about the presumed vertebral architecture of tetrapodomorph fish and later, more crownward, tetrapods.

Physics Applied to Oil and Gas Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwartz, Larry

2002-03-01

Problems involving transport in porous media are of interest throughout the fields of petroleum exploration and environmental monitoring and remediation. The systems being studied can vary in size from centimeter scale rock or soil samples to kilometer scale reservoirs and aquifers. Clearly, the smaller the sample the more easily can the medium's structure and composition be characterized, and the better defined are the associated experimental and theoretical modeling problems. The study of transport in such geological systems is then similar to corresponding problems in the study of other heterogeneous systems such as polymer gels, catalytic beds and cementitious materials. The defining characteristic of porous media is that they are comprised of two percolating interconnected channels, the solid and pore networks. Transport processes of interest in such systems typically involve the flow of electrical current, viscous fluids or fine grained particles. A closely related phenomena, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), is controlled by diffusion in the pore network. Also of interest is the highly non-linear character of the stress-strain response of granular porous media. We will review the development of two and three dimensional model porous media, and will outline the calculation of their physical properties. We will also discuss the direct measurement of the pore structure by synchrotron X-ray microtomography.

Vertebral shape and body elongation in Triturus newts.

PubMed

Urošević, Aleksandar; Slijepčević, Maja D; Arntzen, Jan W; Ivanović, Ana

2016-10-01

Body elongation in vertebrates is often related to a lengthening of the vertebrae and an increase in their number. Changes in the number and shape of vertebrae are not necessarily linked. In tailed amphibians, a change in body shape is mostly associated with an increase in the number of trunk and tail vertebrae. Body elongation without a numerical change of vertebrae is rare. In Triturus aquatic salamanders body elongation is achieved by trunk elongation through an increase in the number of trunk vertebrae. We used computed microtomography and three-dimensional geometric morphometrics to document the size, shape and number of trunk vertebrae in seven Triturus species. The data suggest that body elongation has occurred more frequently than body shortening, possibly related to a more aquatic versus a more terrestrial locomotor style. Our results show that body elongation is achieved through an increase in the number of trunk vertebrae, and that interspecific differences in vertebral shape are correlated with this pattern of elongation. More gracile trunk vertebrae were found in the more elongated species. The shape differences are such that single trunk vertebrae can be used for the identification of species with a possible application in the identification of subfossil and fossil material. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Ichnological evidence for meiofaunal bilaterians from the terminal Ediacaran and earliest Cambrian of Brazil.

PubMed

Parry, Luke A; Boggiani, Paulo C; Condon, Daniel J; Garwood, Russell J; Leme, Juliana de M; McIlroy, Duncan; Brasier, Martin D; Trindade, Ricardo; Campanha, Ginaldo A C; Pacheco, Mírian L A F; Diniz, Cleber Q C; Liu, Alexander G

2017-10-01

The evolutionary events during the Ediacaran-Cambrian transition (~541 Myr ago) are unparalleled in Earth history. The fossil record suggests that most extant animal phyla appeared in a geologically brief interval, with the oldest unequivocal bilaterian body fossils found in the Early Cambrian. Molecular clocks and biomarkers provide independent estimates for the timing of animal origins, and both suggest a cryptic Neoproterozoic history for Metazoa that extends considerably beyond the Cambrian fossil record. We report an assemblage of ichnofossils from Ediacaran-Cambrian siltstones in Brazil, alongside U-Pb radioisotopic dates that constrain the age of the oldest specimens to 555-542 Myr. X-ray microtomography reveals three-dimensionally preserved traces ranging from 50 to 600 μm in diameter, indicative of small-bodied, meiofaunal tracemakers. Burrow morphologies suggest they were created by a nematoid-like organism that used undulating locomotion to move through the sediment. This assemblage demonstrates animal-sediment interactions in the latest Ediacaran period, and provides the oldest known fossil evidence for meiofaunal bilaterians. Our discovery highlights meiofaunal ichnofossils as a hitherto unexplored window for tracking animal evolution in deep time, and reveals that both meiofaunal and macrofaunal bilaterians began to explore infaunal niches during the late Ediacaran.

Dynamic three-dimensional pore-scale imaging of reaction in a carbonate at reservoir conditions.

PubMed

Menke, Hannah P; Bijeljic, Branko; Andrew, Matthew G; Blunt, Martin J

2015-04-07

Quantifying CO2 transport and average effective reaction rates in the subsurface is essential to assess the risks associated with underground carbon capture and storage. We use X-ray microtomography to investigate dynamic pore structure evolution in situ at temperatures and pressures representative of underground reservoirs and aquifers. A 4 mm diameter Ketton carbonate core is injected with CO2-saturated brine at 50 °C and 10 MPa while tomographic images are taken at 15 min intervals with a 3.8 μm spatial resolution over a period of 2(1/2) h. An approximate doubling of porosity with only a 3.6% increase in surface area to volume ratio is measured from the images. Pore-scale direct simulation and network modeling on the images quantify an order of magnitude increase in permeability and an appreciable alteration of the velocity field. We study the uniform reaction regime, with dissolution throughout the core. However, at the pore scale, we see variations in the degree of dissolution with an overall reaction rate which is approximately 14 times lower than estimated from batch measurements. This work implies that in heterogeneous rocks, pore-scale transport of reactants limits dissolution and can reduce the average effective reaction rate by an order of magnitude.

Numerical Simulation of Permeability Change in Wellbore Cement Fractures after Geomechanical Stress and Geochemical Reactions Using X-ray Computed Tomography Imaging.

PubMed

Kabilan, Senthil; Jung, Hun Bok; Kuprat, Andrew P; Beck, Anthon N; Varga, Tamas; Fernandez, Carlos A; Um, Wooyong

2016-06-21

X-ray microtomography (XMT) imaging combined with three-dimensional (3D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling technique was used to study the effect of geochemical and geomechanical processes on fracture permeability in composite Portland cement-basalt caprock core samples. The effect of fluid density and viscosity and two different pressure gradient conditions on fracture permeability was numerically studied by using fluids with varying density and viscosity and simulating two different pressure gradient conditions. After the application of geomechanical stress but before CO2-reaction, CFD revealed fluid flow increase, which resulted in increased fracture permeability. After CO2-reaction, XMT images displayed preferential precipitation of calcium carbonate within the fractures in the cement matrix and less precipitation in fractures located at the cement-basalt interface. CFD estimated changes in flow profile and differences in absolute values of flow velocity due to different pressure gradients. CFD was able to highlight the profound effect of fluid viscosity on velocity profile and fracture permeability. This study demonstrates the applicability of XMT imaging and CFD as powerful tools for characterizing the hydraulic properties of fractures in a number of applications like geologic carbon sequestration and storage, hydraulic fracturing for shale gas production, and enhanced geothermal systems.

The application of X-ray microtomography for the assessement of root resorption caused by the orthodontic treatment of premolars.

PubMed

Sawicka, Monika; Bedini, Rossella; Pecci, Raffaella; Pameijer, Cornelis Hans; Kmiec, Zbigniew

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate potential application of micro-computed tomography in the morphometric analysis of the root resorption in extracted human first premolars subjected to the orthodontic force. In one patient treated in the orthodontic clinic two mandibular first premolars subjected to orthodontic force for 4 weeks and one control tooth were selected for micro-computed tomographic analysis. The hardware device used in this study was a desktop X-ray microfocus CT scanner (SkyScan 1072). The morphology of root's surfaces was assessed by TView and Computer Tomography Analyzer (CTAn) softwares (SkyScan, bvba) which allowed analysis of all microscans, identification of root resorption craters and measurement of their length, width and volume. Microscans showed in details the surface morphology of the investigated teeth. The analysis of microscans allowed to detect 3 root resorption cavities in each of the orthodontically moved tooth and only one resorption crater in the control tooth. The volumes of the resorption craters in orthodontically-treated teeth were much larger than in a control tooth. Micro-computed tomography is a reproducible technique for the three-dimensional non-invasive assessment of root's morphology ex vivo. TView and CTan softwares are useful in accurate morphometric measurements of root's resorption.

Numerical Simulation of Permeability Change in Wellbore Cement Fractures after Geomechanical Stress and Geochemical Reactions Using X-ray Computed Tomography Imaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kabilan, Senthil; Jung, Hun Bok; Kuprat, Andrew P.

X-ray microtomography (XMT) imaging combined with a three-dimensional (3D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling technique was used to study the effect of geochemical and geomechanical processes on fracture properties in composite Portland cement–basalt caprock core samples. The effect of fluid properties and flow conditions on fracture permeability was numerically studied by using fluids with varying physical properties and simulating different pressure conditions. CFD revealed that the application of geomechanical stress led to increased fluid flow, which resulted in increased fracture permeability. After CO2-reaction, XMT images displayed preferential precipitation of calcium carbonate within the fractures in the cement matrix and lessmore » precipitation in fractures located at the cement–basalt interface. CFD predicted changes in flow characteristics and differences in absolute values of flow properties due to different pressure gradients. CFD was able to highlight the profound effect of fluid properties on flow characteristics and hydraulic properties of fractures. This study demonstrates the applicability of XMT imaging and CFD as powerful tools for characterizing the hydraulic properties of fractures in a number of applications like geologic carbon sequestration and storage, hydraulic fracturing for shale gas production, and enhanced geothermal systems.« less

Three-dimensional activated graphene network-sulfonate-terminated polymer nanocomposite as a new electrode material for the sensitive determination of dopamine and heavy metal ions.

PubMed

Yuan, Xiaoyan; Zhang, Yijia; Yang, Lu; Deng, Wenfang; Tan, Yueming; Ma, Ming; Xie, Qingji

2015-03-07

We report here that three-dimensional activated graphene networks (3DAGNs) are a better matrix to prepare graphene-polymer nanocomposites for sensitive electroanalysis than two-dimensional graphene nanosheets (2DGNs). 3DAGNs were synthesized in advance by the direct carbonization and simultaneous chemical activation of a cobalt ion-impregnated D113-type ion exchange resin, which showed an interconnected network structure and a large specific surface area. Then, the 3DAGN-sulfonate-terminated polymer (STP) nanocomposite was prepared via the in situ chemical co-polymerization of m-aminobenzene sulfonic acid and aniline in the presence of 3DAGNs. The 3DAGN-STP nanocomposite can adsorb dopamine (DA) and heavy metal ions, which was confirmed by quartz crystal microbalance studies. The 3DAGN-STP modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was used for the electrochemical detection of DA in the presence of ascorbic acid and uric acid, with a linear response range of 0.1-32 μM and a limit of detection of 10 nM. In addition, differential pulse voltammetry was used for the simultaneous determination of Cd(2+) and Pb(2+) at the 3DAGN-STP/GCE further modified with a bismuth film, exhibiting linear response ranges of 1-70 μg L(-1) for Cd(2+) and 1-80 μg L(-1) for Pb(2+) with limits of detection of 0.1 μg L(-1) for Cd(2+) and 0.2 μg L(-1) for Pb(2+). Because the 3DAGN-STP can integrate the advantages of 3DAGNs with STPs, the 3DAGN-STP/GCE was more sensitive than the bare GCE, 3DAGN/GCE, and 2DGN-STP/GCE for the determination of DA and heavy metal ions.

Effects of laser polarization on electrostatic shock ion acceleration in near-critical plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Young-Kuk; Kang, Teyoun; Hur, Min Sup

2016-10-01

Collisionless electrostatic shock ion acceleration has become a major regime of laser-driven ion acceleration owing to generation of quasi-monoenergetic ion beams from moderate parametric conditions of lasers and plasmas in comparison with target-normal-sheath-acceleration or radiation pressure acceleration. In order to construct the shock, plasma heating is an essential condition for satisfying Mach number condition 1.5

Advances in Heavy Ion Beam Probe Technology and Operation on MST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demers, D. R.; Connor, K. A.; Schoch, P. M.; Radke, R. J.; Anderson, J. K.; Craig, D.; den Hartog, D. J.

2003-10-01

A technique to map the magnetic field of a plasma via spectral imaging is being developed with the Heavy Ion Beam Probe on the Madison Symmetric Torus. The technique will utilize two-dimensional images of the ion beam in the plasma, acquired by two CCD cameras, to generate a three-dimensional reconstruction of the beam trajectory. This trajectory, and the known beam ion mass, energy and charge-state, will be used to determine the magnetic field of the plasma. A suitable emission line has not yet been observed since radiation from the MST plasma is both broadband and intense. An effort to raise the emission intensity from the ion beam by increasing beam focus and current has been undertaken. Simulations of the accelerator ion optics and beam characteristics led to a technique, confirmed by experiment, that achieves a narrower beam and marked increase in ion current near the plasma surface. The improvements arising from these simulations will be discussed. Realization of the magnetic field mapping technique is contingent upon accurate reconstruction of the beam trajectory from the camera images. Simulations of two camera CCD images, including the interior of MST, its various landmarks and beam trajectories have been developed. These simulations accept user input such as camera locations, resolution via pixellization and noise. The quality of the images simulated with these and other variables will help guide the selection of viewing port pairs, image size and camera specifications. The results of these simulations will be presented.

Determination of residence times of ions in a resistive glass selected ion flow-drift tube using the Hadamard transformation.

PubMed

Spesyvyi, Anatolii; Španěl, Patrik

2015-09-15

Selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry, SIFT-MS, used for trace gas analyses has certain fundamental limitations that could be alleviated by adding a facility that allows reaction times and ion interaction energies to be varied. Thus, a selected ion flow-drift tube, SIFDT, has been created to explore the influence of an embedded electric field on these parameters and on reaction processes. The new SIFTD instrument was constructed using a miniature resistive glass drift tube. Arrival times of ions, t, analysed by a downstream quadrupole mass spectrometer over the m/z range 10-100 were studied by modulating the injected ion current using a gate lens. Single pulse modulation was compared with pseudorandom time multiplexing exploiting the Hadamard transformation. A simple model involving analysis of ethanol and water vapour mixture in air was used to explore the advantages of the SIFDT concept to SIFT-MS analysis. It is shown that the resistive glass drift tube is suitable for SIFDT experiments. The Hadamard transformation can be used to routinely determine reagent ion residence time in the flow-drift tube and also to observe differences in arrival times for different product ions. Two-dimensional data combining arrival time and mass spectra can be obtained rapidly. The calculated ion drift velocities vary with the reduced field strength, E/N, and the calculated ion mobilities agree with theoretical and previous literature values. This study has provided evidence that the SIFDT-MS technique can be implemented in a miniature and low-cost instrument and two- or three-dimensional data can be obtained (product ion count rates as functions of m/z, t and E/N) using the Hadamard transformation thus providing exciting possibilities for further analytical additions and extensions of the SIFT-MS technique. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

State-of-charge estimation in lithium-ion batteries: A particle filter approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tulsyan, Aditya; Tsai, Yiting; Gopaluni, R. Bhushan; Braatz, Richard D.

2016-11-01

The dynamics of lithium-ion batteries are complex and are often approximated by models consisting of partial differential equations (PDEs) relating the internal ionic concentrations and potentials. The Pseudo two-dimensional model (P2D) is one model that performs sufficiently accurately under various operating conditions and battery chemistries. Despite its widespread use for prediction, this model is too complex for standard estimation and control applications. This article presents an original algorithm for state-of-charge estimation using the P2D model. Partial differential equations are discretized using implicit stable algorithms and reformulated into a nonlinear state-space model. This discrete, high-dimensional model (consisting of tens to hundreds of states) contains implicit, nonlinear algebraic equations. The uncertainty in the model is characterized by additive Gaussian noise. By exploiting the special structure of the pseudo two-dimensional model, a novel particle filter algorithm that sweeps in time and spatial coordinates independently is developed. This algorithm circumvents the degeneracy problems associated with high-dimensional state estimation and avoids the repetitive solution of implicit equations by defining a 'tether' particle. The approach is illustrated through extensive simulations.

Multidimensional Germanium-Based Materials as Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Qin, Jinwen; Cao, Minhua

2016-04-20

Metallic germanium is an ideal anode for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), owing to its high theoretical capacity (1624 mA h g(-1) ) and low operating voltage. Herein, we highlight recent advances in the development of Ge-based anodes in LIBs, although improvements in their coulombic efficiency (CE), capacity retention, and rate performance are still required. One of the major concerns facing the development of Ge anodes is the controlled formation of microstructures. In this Focus Review, we summarize Ge-based materials with different structural dimensions, that is, zero-dimensional (0D), one-dimensional (1D), two-dimensional (2D), three-dimensional (3D), and even monolithic and macroscale structures. Moreover, the design of Ge-based oxide materials, as an effective route for achieving higher Li-storage capacities and cycling performance, is also discussed. Finally, we briefly summarize new types of Ge-based materials, such as ternary germanium oxides, germanium sulfides, and germanium phosphides, and predict that they will bring about a reformation in the field of LIBs. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Low-energy ion acceleration at quasi-perpendicular shocks: Transverse diffusion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giacalone, J.; Jokipii, J. R.

1995-01-01

The problem of ion injection and acceleration at quasi perpendicular shocks has been the subject of some debate over the past two decades. It is widely known that these shocks efficiently accelerate particles that are well in the high-energy tail of the distribution. However, the issue of injection, or the acceleration of low-energy ions, has yet to reach a consensus. The fundamental issue is whether there is enough diffusion normal to the magnetic field for the particles to remain near the shock. Since transverse diffusion is a physical process that is not well understood in space plasmas, this is an important, and difficult issue to address. In this report, we will investigate the ion injection problem by performing test particle orbit integrations using synthesized turbulent fields. These fields are fully three-dimensional so that transverse diffusion is possible (cross-field diffusion is not possible in geometries where the electromagnetic fields are less than three dimensional). The synthesized fields are produced by superimposing a three-dimensional wave field on a background field. For completeness, we will compare the results from this model with the more well-established theories, such as the diffusive approximation and scatter-free shock drift acceleration. We will also compare these results with other numerical simulation techniques such as the well known hybrid simulation, and other test-particle calculations in which the shock fields are specified to have less than three dimensions. We will also discuss some recent relevant observations and how these compare with our results.

The ion temperature gradient: An intrinsic property of Earth's magnetotail

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, San; Artemyev, A. V.; Angelopoulos, V.; Lin, Y.; Wang, X. Y.

2017-08-01

Although the ion temperature gradient along (XGSM) and across (ZGSM) the Earth's magnetotail, which plays a key role in generating the cross-tail current and establishing pressure balance with the lobes, has been extensively observed by spacecraft, the mechanism responsible for its formation is still unknown. We use multispacecraft observations and three-dimensional (3-D) global hybrid simulations to reveal this mechanism. Using THEMIS (Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms), Geotail, and ARTEMIS (Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence and Electrodynamics of Moon's Interaction with the Sun) observations during individual, near-simultaneous plasma sheet crossings from 10 to 60 RE, we demonstrate that the ion temperature ZGSM profile is bell-shaped at different geocentric distances. This ZGSM profile is also prevalent in statistics of 200 THEMIS current sheet crossings in the near-Earth region. Using 3-D global hybrid simulations, we show that mapping of the XGSM gradient of ion temperature along magnetic field lines produces such a bell-shaped profile. The ion temperature mapping along magnetic field lines in the magnetotail enables construction of two-dimensional distributions of these quantities from vertical (north-south) spacecraft crossings. Our findings suggest that the ion temperature gradient is an intrinsic property of the magnetotail that should be considered in kinetic descriptions of the magnetotail current sheet. Toward this goal, we use theoretical approaches to incorporate the temperature gradient into kinetic current sheet models, making them more realistic.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ngo, Van; Wang, Yibo; Haas, Stephan

Crystal structures of several bacterial Na v channels have been recently published and molecular dynamics simulations of ion permeation through these channels are consistent with many electrophysiological properties of eukaryotic channels. Bacterial Na v channels have been characterized as functionally asymmetric, and the mechanism of this asymmetry has not been clearly understood. To address this question, we combined non-equilibrium simulation data with two-dimensional equilibrium unperturbed landscapes generated by umbrella sampling and Weighted Histogram Analysis Methods for multiple ions traversing the selectivity filter of bacterial Na vAb channel. This approach provided new insight into the mechanism of selective ion permeation inmore » bacterial Nav channels. The non-equilibrium simulations indicate that two or three extracellular K + ions can block the entrance to the selectivity filter of Na vAb in the presence of applied forces in the inward direction, but not in the outward direction. The block state occurs in an unstable local minimum of the equilibrium unperturbed free-energy landscape of two K+ ions that can be ‘locked’ in place bymodest applied forces. In contrast to K +, three Na + ions move favorably through the selectivity filter together as a unit in a loose “knock-on” mechanism of permeation in both inward and outward directions, and there is no similar local minimum in the two-dimensional free-energy landscape of two Na + ions for a block state. The useful work predicted by the non-equilibrium simulations that is required to break the K + block is equivalent to large applied potentials experimentally measured for two bacterial Na v channels to induce inward currents of K + ions. Here, these results illustrate how inclusion of non-equilibrium factors in the simulations can provide detailed information about mechanisms of ion selectivity that is missing from mechanisms derived from either crystal structures or equilibrium unperturbed free-energy landscapes.« less

The relation between ferroelasticity and superconductivity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Molak, A.; Manka, R.

1991-01-01

The high-temperature superconductivity is explained widely by the layered crystal structure. The one- and two-dimensional subsystems and their interaction are investigated here. It is assumed that the high-T(sub c) superconductivity takes place in the two-dimensional subsystem and the increase of the phase transition temperature from 60 K up to 90 K is the consequence of turning on the influence of one-dimensional chains. The interaction between the two subsystems is transferred along the c axis by the phonons of breathing mode, which causes the hybridization of the electronic bonds between these subsystems. The experimental works indicate that the existence of both the chains Cu(1)-O and their interaction with the superconducting plane of Cu(2)-O modify the temperature of the transition to the superconducting state. It is seen from the neutron scattering data that the rates of the interatomic distance dependencies on temperature are changed around 240 K and 90 K. The 'zig-zag' order in Cu(1)-O chains has been postulated but, on the other hand, the vibrations with a large amplitude only were reported. The bi-stabilized situation of the oxygen ions can be caused by the change of distance between these ions and the Ba ions. It leads to the appearance of a two-well potential. Its parameters depend on temperature and the dynamics of the oxygen ions' movement. They can induce the antipolar order, which can be, however, more or less chaotic. The investigation of the ferroelastic properties of Y-Ba-Cu-O samples lead to the conclusion that they are related to jumps of ions inside the given chain and not to a diffusion between different sites in the ab plane. Researchers deduce, thus, that the fluctuating oxygen ions from these chains create dipoles in the ab plane. They can be described with the pseudo-spin formalism (- Pauli matrices). The system can be described with the Ising model. The pseudo-spins interact with phonons and influence the superconductivity in the second subsystem.

The relation between ferroelasticity and superconductivity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Molak, A.; Manka, R.

1990-01-01

The high-temperature superconductivity is explained widely by the layered crystal structure. The one- and two-dimensional subsystems and their interaction are investigated here. It is assumed that the high-T(sub c) superconductivity takes place in the two-dimensional subsystem and the increase of the phase transition temperature from 60 K up to 90 K is the consequence of turning on the influence of one-dimensional chains. The interaction between the two subsystems is transferred along the c axis by the phonons of breathing mode, which causes the hybridization of the electronic bonds between these subsystems. The experimental works indicate that the existence of both the chains Cu(1)-O and their interaction with the superconducting plane of Cu(2)-O modify the temperature of the transition to the superconducting state. It is seen from the neutron scattering data that the rates of the interatomic distance dependencies on temperature are changed around 140 K and 90 K. The 'zig-zag' order in Cu(1)-O chains has been postulated but, on the other hand, the vibrations with a large amplitude only were reported. The bi-stabilized situation of the oxygen ions can be caused by the change of distance between these ions and the Ba ions. It leads to the appearance of a two-well potential. Its parameters depend on temperature and the dynamics of the oxygen ions' movement. They can induce the antipolar order, which can be, however, more or less chaotic. The investigation of the ferroelastic properties of Y-Ba-Cu-O samples lead to the conclusion that they are related to jumps of ions inside the given chain and not to a diffusion between different sites in the ab plane. Researchers deduce thus that the fluctuating oxygen ions from these chains create dipoles in the ab plane. They can be described with the pseudo-spin formalism/ - Pauli matrices/. The system can be described with the Ising model. The pseudo-spins interact with phonons and influence the superconductivity in the second subsystem.

Plasma particle simulation of electrostatic ion thrusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peng, Xiaohang; Keefer, Dennis; Ruyten, Wilhelmus

1990-01-01

Charge exchange collisons between beam ions and neutral propellant gas can result in erosion of the accelerator grid surfaces of an ion engine. A particle in cell (PIC) is developed along with a Monte Carlo method to simulate the ion dynamics and charge exchange processes in the grid region of an ion thruster. The simulation is two-dimensional axisymmetric and uses three velocity components (2d3v) to investigate the influence of charge exchange collisions on the ion sputtering of the accelerator grid surfaces. An example calculation has been performed for an ion thruster operated on xenon propellant. The simulation shows that the greatest sputtering occurs on the downstream surface of the grid, but some sputtering can also occur on the upstream surface as well as on the interior of the grid aperture.

Electrostatic shocks and solitons in pair-ion plasmas in a two-dimensional geometry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Masood, W.; Mahmood, S.; Imtiaz, N.

2009-12-15

Nonlinear electrostatic waves are studied in unmagnetized, dissipative pair-ion plasmas in the presence of weak transverse perturbations. The dissipation in the system is taken into account by incorporating the kinematic viscosity of both positive and negative ions in plasmas. The Kadomtsev-Petviashvili-Burger equation is derived using the small amplitude expansion method. The Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation for pair-ion plasmas is also presented by ignoring the dissipative effects. Both compressive and rarefactive shocks and solitary waves are found to exist in pair-ion plasmas. The dependence of compression and rarefaction on the temperature ratios between the ion species is numerically shown. The present study maymore » have relevance to the understanding of the formation of electrostatic shocks and solitons in laboratory produced pair-ion plasmas.« less

Lateral charge transport from heavy-ion tracks in integrated circuit chips

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zoutendyk, J. A.; Schwartz, H. R.; Nevill, L. R.

1988-01-01

A 256K DRAM has been used to study the lateral transport of charge (electron-hole pairs) induced by direct ionization from heavy-ion tracks in an IC. The qualitative charge transport has been simulated using a two-dimensional numerical code in cylindrical coordinates. The experimental bit-map data clearly show the manifestation of lateral charge transport in the creation of adjacent multiple-bit errors from a single heavy-ion track. The heavy-ion data further demonstrate the occurrence of multiple-bit errors from single ion tracks with sufficient stopping power. The qualitative numerical simulation results suggest that electric-field-funnel-aided (drift) collection accounts for single error generated by an ion passing through a charge-collecting junction, while multiple errors from a single ion track are due to lateral diffusion of ion-generated charge.

Water transport properties of the grape (V. vinifera L.) pedicel during fruit development: Insights into xylem anatomy and function using microtomography

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Xylem flow into the fruit decline at the onset of ripening (i.e. veraison) in grapes, and current literature suggests that there is an increase in hydraulic resistance in the pedicel at this time. However, it is unknown how pedicel hydraulic properties change developmentally in relation to xylem an...

CMT for soil science applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Clausnitzer, V.; Hopmans, J.W.

Today, x-ray computed microtomography provides us with the ability to noninvasively measure porous-media properties at a scale approaching 10 {mu}m. In contrast, traditional measurement techniques are either destructive or invasive, while still providing only limited information. Because the output from x-ray CT is directly related to density and atomic number, it is well suited for phase identification and concentration measurements.

Noninvasive Measurement of Vulnerability to Drought-Induced Embolism by X-Ray Microtomography1

PubMed Central

Choat, Brendan; Cochard, Herve; Jansen, Steven

2016-01-01

Hydraulic failure induced by xylem embolism is one of the primary mechanisms of plant dieback during drought. However, many of the methods used to evaluate the vulnerability of different species to drought-induced embolism are indirect and invasive, increasing the possibility that measurement artifacts may occur. Here, we utilize x-ray computed microtomography (microCT) to directly visualize embolism formation in the xylem of living, intact plants with contrasting wood anatomy (Quercus robur, Populus tremula × Populus alba, and Pinus pinaster). These observations were compared with widely used centrifuge techniques that require destructive sampling. MicroCT imaging provided detailed spatial information regarding the dimensions and functional status of xylem conduits during dehydration. Vulnerability curves based on microCT observations of intact plants closely matched curves based on the centrifuge technique for species with short vessels (P. tremula × P. alba) or tracheids (P. pinaster). For ring porous Q. robur, the centrifuge technique significantly overestimated vulnerability to embolism, indicating that caution should be used when applying this technique to species with long vessels. These findings confirm that microCT can be used to assess the vulnerability to embolism on intact plants by direct visualization. PMID:26527655

Synchrotron radiation reveals the identity of the large felid from Monte Argentario (Early Pleistocene, Italy).

PubMed

Cherin, Marco; Iurino, Dawid A; Zanatta, Marco; Fernandez, Vincent; Paciaroni, Alessandro; Petrillo, Caterina; Rettori, Roberto; Sardella, Raffaele

2018-05-29

We describe here a partial skull with associated mandible of a large felid from Monte Argentario, Italy (Early Pleistocene; ~1.5 million years). Propagation x-ray phase-contrast synchrotron microtomography of the specimen, still partially embedded in the rock matrix, allows ascribing it reliably to Acinonyx pardinensis, one of the most intriguing extinct carnivorans of the Old World Plio-Pleistocene. The analysis of images and 3D models obtained through synchrotron microtomography - here applied for the first time on a Plio-Pleistocene carnivoran - reveals a mosaic of cheetah-like and Panthera-like features, with the latter justifying previous attributions of the fossil to the extinct Eurasian jaguar Panthera gombaszoegensis. Similarly, we reassign to A. pardinensis some other Italian materials previously referred to P. gombaszoegensis (sites of Pietrafitta and Ellera di Corciano). The recognition of Panthera-like characters in A. pardinensis leads to reconsidering the ecological role of this species, whose hunting strategy was likely to be different from those of the living cheetah. Furthermore, we hypothesise that the high intraspecific variation in body size in A. pardinensis can be the result of sexual dimorphism, as observed today in all large-sized felids.

Heterogeneous vesiculation of 2011 El Hierro xeno-pumice revealed by X-ray computed microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berg, S. E.; Troll, V. R.; Deegan, F. M.; Burchardt, S.; Krumbholz, M.; Mancini, L.; Polacci, M.; Carracedo, J. C.; Soler, V.; Arzilli, F.; Brun, F.

2016-12-01

During the first week of the 2011 El Hierro submarine eruption, abundant light-coloured pumiceous, high-silica volcanic bombs coated in dark basanite were found floating on the sea. The composition of the light-coloured frothy material (`xeno-pumice') is akin to that of sedimentary rocks from the region, but the textures resemble felsic magmatic pumice, leaving their exact mode of formation unclear. To help decipher their origin, we investigated representative El Hierro xeno-pumice samples using X-ray computed microtomography for their internal vesicle shapes, volumes, and bulk porosity, as well as for the spatial arrangement and size distributions of vesicles in three dimensions (3D). We find a wide range of vesicle morphologies, which are especially variable around small fragments of rock contained in the xeno-pumice samples. Notably, these rock fragments are almost exclusively of sedimentary origin, and we therefore interpret them as relicts an the original sedimentary ocean crust protolith(s). The irregular vesiculation textures observed probably resulted from pulsatory release of volatiles from multiple sources during xeno-pumice formation, most likely by successive release of pore water and mineral water during incremental heating and decompression of the sedimentary protoliths.

Revision and Microtomography of the Pheidole knowlesi Group, an Endemic Ant Radiation in Fiji (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae)Myrmicinae).

PubMed

Fischer, Georg; Sarnat, Eli M; Economo, Evan P

2016-01-01

The Fijian islands, a remote archipelago in the southwestern Pacific, are home to a number of spectacular endemic radiations of plants and animals. Unlike most Pacific archipelagos, these evolutionary radiations extend to social insects, including ants. One of the most dramatic examples of ant radiation in Fiji has occurred in the hyperdiverse genus Pheidole. Most of the 17 native Fijian Pheidole belong to one of two species groups that descended from a single colonization, yet have evolved dramatically contrasting morphologies: the spinescent P. roosevelti species group, and the more morphologically conservative P. knowlesi species group. Here we revise the knowlesi group, in light of recent phylogenetic results, and enhanced with modern methods of X-ray microtomography. We recognize six species belonging to this group, including two of which we describe as new: Pheidole caldwelli Mann, Pheidole kava sp. n., Pheidole knowlesi Mann, P. ululevu sp. n., P. vatu Mann, and P. wilsoni Mann. Detailed measurements and descriptions, identification keys, and high-resolution images for queens, major and minor workers are provided. In addition, we include highly detailed 3D surface reconstructions for all available castes.

Quantitative fabric analysis of eclogite facies mylonites: texture and microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomez Barreiro, J.; Voltolini, M.; Martinez-Catalan, J. R.; Benitez-Perez, J. M.; Diez-fernandez, R.; Wenk, H. R.; Vogel, S. C.; Mancini, L.

2014-12-01

Understanding the flow of rock deformed under eclogite facies conditions is crucial to constraint the dynamics of a subducting slab. Prograde metamorphism during burial in a subduction zone proceeds across several lithologies, resulting in heterogeneous eclogitization and potentially different processes. In order to explore the expression of such a variety in terms of a deformative fabric, we have analyzed texture and shape fabric of eclogites and eclogitic orthogneisses from the Malpica-Tui unit (NW Spain). We explore the same rock volumes with TOF-neutron diffraction (HIPPO @ LANSCE) and synchrotron microtomography (SYRMEP @Elettra). Orientation distribution functions were extracted after Rietveld refinement in MAUD and morphometric data (size, aspect ratio, orientation) were obtained after image processing with FIJI, Blob3D and MATLAB. Shape fabric reflects the macroscopic foliation and lineation and correlates with texture. Garnet fabric is particularly important because of the rheological implications of its mechanical behavior. Garnet shows little elongation in both samples, and texture is significant, what probably points to a relatively dry deformative environment, with diffusion-assisted dislocation. This eclogites could represent a rigidification stage in the subduction channel preserved during the exhumation at high-P and high-T documented in the Malpica-Tui unit during the Variscan orogeny.

Quantitative Kinetics Evaluation of Blocks Versus Granules of Biphasic Calcium Phosphate Scaffolds (HA/β-TCP 30/70) by Synchrotron Radiation X-ray Microtomography: A Human Study.

PubMed

Giuliani, Alessandra; Manescu, Adrian; Mohammadi, Sara; Mazzoni, Serena; Piattelli, Adriano; Mangano, Francesco; Iezzi, Giovanna; Mangano, Carlo

2016-02-01

Successful bone regeneration using both granules and blocks of biphasic calcium phosphate materials has been reported in the recent literature, in some clinical applications for maxillary sinus elevation, but the long-term kinetics of bone regeneration has still not been fully investigated. Twenty-four bilateral sinus augmentation procedures were performed and grafted with hydroxyapatite/β-tricalcium phosphate 30/70, 12 with granules and 12 with blocks. The samples were retrieved at different time points and were evaluated for bone regeneration, graft resorption, neovascularization, and morphometric parameters by computed microtomography and histology. A large amount of newly formed bone was detected in the retrieved specimens, together with a good rate of biomaterial resorption and the formation of a homogeneous and rich net of new vessels. The morphometric values were comparable at 5/6 months from grafting but, 9 months after grafting, revealed that the block-based specimens mimicked slightly better than granule-based samples the healthy native bone of the maxillary site. The scaffold morphology was confirmed to influence the long-term kinetics of bone regeneration.

High-frame-rate imaging of biological samples with optoacoustic micro-tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deán-Ben, X. Luís.; López-Schier, Hernán.; Razansky, Daniel

2018-02-01

Optical microscopy remains a major workhorse in biological discovery despite the fact that light scattering limits its applicability to depths of ˜ 1 mm in scattering tissues. Optoacoustic imaging has been shown to overcome this barrier by resolving optical absorption with microscopic resolution in significantly deeper regions. Yet, the time domain is paramount for the observation of biological dynamics in living systems that exhibit fast motion. Commonly, acquisition of microscopy data involves raster scanning across the imaged volume, which significantly limits temporal resolution in 3D. To overcome these limitations, we have devised a fast optoacoustic micro-tomography (OMT) approach based on simultaneous acquisition of 3D image data with a high-density hemispherical ultrasound array having effective detection bandwidth around 25 MHz. We performed experiments by imaging tissue-mimicking phantoms and zebrafish larvae, demonstrating that OMT can provide nearly cellular resolution and imaging speed of 100 volumetric frames per second. As opposed to other optical microscopy techniques, OMT is a hybrid method that resolves optical absorption contrast acoustically using unfocused light excitation. Thus, no penetration barriers are imposed by light scattering in deep tissues, suggesting it as a powerful approach for multi-scale functional and molecular imaging applications.

Synchrotron-Based X-ray Microtomography Characterization of the Effect of Processing Variables on Porosity Formation in Laser Power-Bed Additive Manufacturing of Ti-6Al-4V

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cunningham, Ross; Narra, Sneha P.; Montgomery, Colt; Beuth, Jack; Rollett, A. D.

2017-03-01

The porosity observed in additively manufactured (AM) parts is a potential concern for components intended to undergo high-cycle fatigue without post-processing to remove such defects. The morphology of pores can help identify their cause: irregularly shaped lack of fusion or key-holing pores can usually be linked to incorrect processing parameters, while spherical pores suggest trapped gas. Synchrotron-based x-ray microtomography was performed on laser powder-bed AM Ti-6Al-4V samples over a range of processing conditions to investigate the effects of processing parameters on porosity. The process mapping technique was used to control melt pool size. Tomography was also performed on the powder to measure porosity within the powder that may transfer to the parts. As observed previously in experiments with electron beam powder-bed fabrication, significant variations in porosity were found as a function of the processing parameters. A clear connection between processing parameters and resulting porosity formation mechanism was observed in that inadequate melt pool overlap resulted in lack-of-fusion pores whereas excess power density produced keyhole pores.

Biodegradable magnesium-based implants in bone studied by synchrotron radiation microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moosmann, Julian; Zeller-Plumhoff, Berit; Wieland, D. C. Florian; Galli, Silvia; Krüger, Diana; Dose, Thomas; Burmester, Hilmar; Wilde, Fabian; Bech, Martin; Peruzzi, Niccolò; Wiese, Björn; Hipp, Alexander; Beckmann, Felix; Hammel, Jörg; Willumeit-Römer, Regine

2017-09-01

Permanent implants made of titanium or its alloys are the gold standard in many orthopedic and traumatological applications due to their good biocompatibility and mechanical properties. However, a second surgical intervention is required for this kind of implants as they have to be removed in the case of children that are still growing or on patient's demand. Therefore, magnesium-based implants are considered for medical applications as they are degraded under physiological conditions. The major challenge is tailoring the degradation in a manner that is suitable for a biological environment and such that stabilization of the bone is provided for a controlled period. In order to understand failure mechanisms of magnesium-based implants in orthopedic applications and, further, to better understand the osseointegration, screw implants in bone are studied under mechanical load by means of a push-out device installed at the imaging beamline P05 of PETRA III at DESY. Conventional absorption contrast microtomography and phasecontrast techniques are applied in order to monitor the bone-to-implant interface under increasing load conditions. In this proof-of-concept study, first results from an in situ push-out experiment are presented.

A computed microtomography method for understanding epiphyseal growth plate fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staines, Katherine A.; Madi, Kamel; Javaheri, Behzad; Lee, Peter D.; Pitsillides, Andrew A.

2017-12-01

The epiphyseal growth plate is a developmental region responsible for linear bone growth, in which chondrocytes undertake a tightly regulated series of biological processes. Concomitant with the cessation of growth and sexual maturation, the human growth plate undergoes progressive narrowing, and ultimately disappears. Despite the crucial role of this growth plate fusion ‘bridging’ event, the precise mechanisms by which it is governed are complex and yet to be established. Progress is likely hindered by the current methods for growth plate visualisation; these are invasive and largely rely on histological procedures. Here we describe our non-invasive method utilising synchrotron x-ray computed microtomography for the examination of growth plate bridging, which ultimately leads to its closure coincident with termination of further longitudinal bone growth. We then apply this method to a dataset obtained from a benchtop microcomputed tomography scanner to highlight its potential for wide usage. Furthermore, we conduct finite element modelling at the micron-scale to reveal the effects of growth plate bridging on local tissue mechanics. Employment of these 3D analyses of growth plate bone bridging is likely to advance our understanding of the physiological mechanisms that control growth plate fusion.

An improved method for estimating capillary pressure from 3D microtomography images and its application to the study of disconnected nonwetting phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Tianyi; Schlüter, Steffen; Dragila, Maria Ines; Wildenschild, Dorthe

2018-04-01

We present an improved method for estimating interfacial curvatures from x-ray computed microtomography (CMT) data that significantly advances the potential for this tool to unravel the mechanisms and phenomena associated with multi-phase fluid motion in porous media. CMT data, used to analyze the spatial distribution and capillary pressure-saturation (Pc-S) relationships of liquid phases, requires accurate estimates of interfacial curvature. Our improved method for curvature estimation combines selective interface modification and distance weighting approaches. It was verified against synthetic (analytical computer-generated) and real image data sets, demonstrating a vast improvement over previous methods. Using this new tool on a previously published data set (multiphase flow) yielded important new insights regarding the pressure state of the disconnected nonwetting phase during drainage and imbibition. The trapped and disconnected non-wetting phase delimits its own hysteretic Pc-S curve that inhabits the space within the main hysteretic Pc-S loop of the connected wetting phase. Data suggests that the pressure of the disconnected, non-wetting phase is strongly modified by the pore geometry rather than solely by the bulk liquid phase that surrounds it.

Characterization of Particle Size Standard NIST 1019b with SynchrotronX-ray Microtomography and Digital Data Extraction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Friedrich, Jon M.; Rivers, Mark L.; Perlowitz, Michael A.

We show that synchrotron x-ray microtomography ({mu}CT) followed by digital data extraction can be used to examine the size distribution and particle morphologies of the polydisperse (750 to 2450 {micro}m diameter) particle size standard NIST 1019b. Our size distribution results are within errors of certified values with data collected at 19.5 {micro}m/voxel. One of the advantages of using {mu}CT to investigate the particles examined here is that the morphology of the glass beads can be directly examined. We use the shape metrics aspect ratio and sphericity to examine of individual standard beads morphologies as a function of spherical equivalent diameters.more » We find that the majority of standard beads possess near-spherical aspect ratios and sphericities, but deviations are present at the lower end of the size range. The majority (> 98%) of particles also possess an equant form when examined using a common measure of equidimensionality. Although the NIST 1019b standard consists of loose particles, we point out that an advantage of {mu}CT is that coherent materials comprised of particles can be examined without disaggregation.« less

Noninvasive Measurement of Vulnerability to Drought-Induced Embolism by X-Ray Microtomography.

PubMed

Choat, Brendan; Badel, Eric; Burlett, Regis; Delzon, Sylvain; Cochard, Herve; Jansen, Steven

2016-01-01

Hydraulic failure induced by xylem embolism is one of the primary mechanisms of plant dieback during drought. However, many of the methods used to evaluate the vulnerability of different species to drought-induced embolism are indirect and invasive, increasing the possibility that measurement artifacts may occur. Here, we utilize x-ray computed microtomography (microCT) to directly visualize embolism formation in the xylem of living, intact plants with contrasting wood anatomy (Quercus robur, Populus tremula × Populus alba, and Pinus pinaster). These observations were compared with widely used centrifuge techniques that require destructive sampling. MicroCT imaging provided detailed spatial information regarding the dimensions and functional status of xylem conduits during dehydration. Vulnerability curves based on microCT observations of intact plants closely matched curves based on the centrifuge technique for species with short vessels (P. tremula × P. alba) or tracheids (P. pinaster). For ring porous Q. robur, the centrifuge technique significantly overestimated vulnerability to embolism, indicating that caution should be used when applying this technique to species with long vessels. These findings confirm that microCT can be used to assess the vulnerability to embolism on intact plants by direct visualization. © 2016 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

The formation and dissipation of electrostatic shock waves: the role of ion–ion acoustic instabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wen-shuai; Cai, Hong-bo; Zhu, Shao-ping

2018-05-01

The role of ion–ion acoustic instabilities in the formation and dissipation of collisionless electrostatic shock waves driven by counter-streaming supersonic plasma flows has been investigated via two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. The nonlinear evolution of unstable waves and ion velocity distributions has been analyzed in detail. It is found that for electrostatic shocks driven by moderate-velocity flows, longitudinal and oblique ion–ion acoustic instabilities can be excited in the downstream and upstream regions, which lead to thermalization of the transmitted and reflected ions, respectively. For high-velocity flows, oblique ion–ion acoustic instabilities can develop in the overlap layer during the shock formation process and impede the shock formation.

Cerium Ion Mobility and Diffusivity Rates in Perfluorosulfonic Acid Membranes Measured via Hydrogen Pump Operation

DOE PAGES

Baker, Andrew M.; Babu, Siddharth Komini; Mukundan, Rangachary; ...

2017-09-21

Ion mobility and diffusivity coefficients were determined for cerium ions in Nafion XL perfluorosulfonic acid ionomer membranes at 100% and 50% relative humidity in a conductivity cell using a hydrogen pump. We quantified Ce ion migration profiles as a function of charge transfer through the cell using X-ray fluorescence (XRF). To decouple simultaneous effects of Ce ion mobility and back-diffusion which occur due to potential and concentration gradients, respectively, a one-dimensional model was developed and fit to these intermittent XRF profiles. The resulting mobility and diffusivity coefficients demonstrate the dramatic effects of potential and concentration gradients on Ce ion migrationmore » during PEM fuel cell operation.« less

Cerium Ion Mobility and Diffusivity Rates in Perfluorosulfonic Acid Membranes Measured via Hydrogen Pump Operation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baker, Andrew M.; Babu, Siddharth Komini; Mukundan, Rangachary

Ion mobility and diffusivity coefficients were determined for cerium ions in Nafion XL perfluorosulfonic acid ionomer membranes at 100% and 50% relative humidity in a conductivity cell using a hydrogen pump. We quantified Ce ion migration profiles as a function of charge transfer through the cell using X-ray fluorescence (XRF). To decouple simultaneous effects of Ce ion mobility and back-diffusion which occur due to potential and concentration gradients, respectively, a one-dimensional model was developed and fit to these intermittent XRF profiles. The resulting mobility and diffusivity coefficients demonstrate the dramatic effects of potential and concentration gradients on Ce ion migrationmore » during PEM fuel cell operation.« less

Three-dimensional imaging of cholesterol and sphingolipids within a Madin-Darby canine kidney cell

DOE PAGES

Yeager, Ashley N.; Weber, Peter K.; Kraft, Mary L.

2016-01-08

Metabolic stable isotope incorporation and secondary ion mass spectrometry(SIMS) depth profiling performed on a Cameca NanoSIMS 50 were used to image the 18O-cholesterol and 15N-sphingolipid distributions within a portion of a Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell. Three-dimensional representations of the component-specific isotope distributions show clearly defined regions of 18O-cholesterol and 15N-sphingolipid enrichment that seem to be separate subcellular compartments. Furthermore, the low levels of nitrogen-containing secondary ions detected at the 18O-enriched regions suggest that these 18O-cholesterol-rich structures may be lipiddroplets, which have a core consisting of cholesterol esters and triacylglycerides.

Three-dimensional imaging of cholesterol and sphingolipids within a Madin-Darby canine kidney cell

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yeager, Ashley N.; Weber, Peter K.; Kraft, Mary L.

Metabolic stable isotope incorporation and secondary ion mass spectrometry(SIMS) depth profiling performed on a Cameca NanoSIMS 50 were used to image the 18O-cholesterol and 15N-sphingolipid distributions within a portion of a Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell. Three-dimensional representations of the component-specific isotope distributions show clearly defined regions of 18O-cholesterol and 15N-sphingolipid enrichment that seem to be separate subcellular compartments. Furthermore, the low levels of nitrogen-containing secondary ions detected at the 18O-enriched regions suggest that these 18O-cholesterol-rich structures may be lipiddroplets, which have a core consisting of cholesterol esters and triacylglycerides.

Pseudorapidity correlations in heavy ion collisions from viscous fluid dynamics

DOE PAGES

Monnai, A.; Schenke, B.

2015-11-26

We demonstrate by explicit calculations in 3+1 dimensional viscous relativistic fluid dynamics how two-particle pseudorapidity correlation functions in heavy ion collisions at the LHC and RHIC depend on the number of particle producing sources and the transport properties of the produced medium. In particular, we present results for the Legendre coefficients of the two-particle pseudorapidity correlation function, a n,m, in Pb+Pb collisions at 2760 GeV and Au+Au collisions at 200 GeV from viscous hydrodynamics with three dimensionally fluctuating initial conditions. Our results suggest that the a n,m provide important constraints on initial state fluctuations and the transport properties of themore » quark gluon plasma.« less

Two-dimensional and three-dimensional dynamic imaging of live biofilms in a microchannel by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hua, Xin; Marshall, Matthew J.; Xiong, Yijia

2015-05-01

A vacuum compatible microfluidic reactor, SALVI (System for Analysis at the Liquid Vacuum Interface) was employed for in situ chemical imaging of live biofilms using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). Depth profiling by sputtering materials in sequential layers resulted in live biofilm spatial chemical mapping. 2D images were reconstructed to report the first 3D images of hydrated biofilm elucidating spatial and chemical heterogeneity. 2D image principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted among biofilms at different locations in the microchannel. Our approach directly visualized spatial and chemical heterogeneity within the living biofilm by dynamic liquid ToF-SIMS.

Metal-ion interactions and the structural organization of Sepia eumelanin.

PubMed

Liu, Yan; Simon, John D

2005-02-01

The structural organization of melanin granules isolated from ink sacs of Sepia officinalis was examined as a function of metal ion content by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Exposing Sepia melanin granules to ethelenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) solution or to metal salt solutions changed the metal content in the melanin, but did not alter granular morphology. Thus ionic forces between the organic components and metal ions in melanin are not required to sustain the natural morphology once the granule is assembled. However, when aqueous suspensions of Sepia melanin granules of varying metal content are ultra-sonicated, EDTA-washed and Fe-saturated melanin samples lose material to the solution more readily than the corresponding Ca(II) and Mg(II)-loaded samples. The solubilized components are found to be 5,6-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DHICA)-rich constituents. Associated with different metal ions, Na(I), Ca(II) and Mg(II) or Fe(III), these DHICA-rich entities form distinct two-dimensional aggregation structures when dried on the flat surface of mica. The data suggest multiply-charged ions play an important role in assisting or templating the assembly of the metal-free organic components to form the three-dimensional substructure distributed along the protein scaffold within the granule.

Demonstrating the Principle of an rf Paul Ion Trap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Andrew; Rabchuk, James

2008-03-01

An rf ion trap uses a time-varying electric field to trap charged ions. This is useful in applications related to quantum computing and mass spectroscopy. There are several mechanical devices described in the literature which have attempted to provide illustrative demonstrations of the principle of rf ion traps, including a mechanically-rotating ``saddle trap'' and the vertically-driven, inverted pendulum^1,2. Neither demonstration, however, successfully demonstrates BOTH the sinusoidal variation in the electric potential of the rf trap AND the parametric stability of the ions in the trap described by Mathieu's equation. We have modified a design of a one-dimensional ponderomotive trap^3 so that it satisfies both criteria for demonstrating the principle of an rf Paul trap. Our studies indicate that trapping stability is highly sensitive to fluxuations in the driving frequency. Results from the demonstration apparatus constructed by the authors will be presented. ^1 Rueckner, W., et al., ``Rotating saddle Paul trap,'' Am. J. Phys., 63 (2), February 1995. ^2 Friedman, M.H., et al., ``The inverted pendulum: A mechanical analogue of a quadrupole mass filter,'' Am. J. Phys., 50 (10), October 1982. ^3 Johnson, A.K. and Rabchuk, J.A., ``A One-Dimensional Ponderomotive Trap,'' ISAAPT 2007 spring meeting, WIU, March 30, 2007.

2D electron density profile measurement in tokamak by laser-accelerated ion-beam probe.

PubMed

Chen, Y H; Yang, X Y; Lin, C; Wang, L; Xu, M; Wang, X G; Xiao, C J

2014-11-01

A new concept of Heavy Ion Beam Probe (HIBP) diagnostic has been proposed, of which the key is to replace the electrostatic accelerator of traditional HIBP by a laser-driven ion accelerator. Due to the large energy spread of ions, the laser-accelerated HIBP can measure the two-dimensional (2D) electron density profile of tokamak plasma. In a preliminary simulation, a 2D density profile was reconstructed with a spatial resolution of about 2 cm, and with the error below 15% in the core region. Diagnostics of 2D density fluctuation is also discussed.

Evidence for melt partitioning between olivine and orthopyroxene in partially molten harzburgite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, K.; Zhu, W.; Montesi, L. G.; Le Roux, V.; Gaetani, G. A.

2013-12-01

During melting at mid-ocean ridges, melt is driven into an equilibrium, minimum-energy configuration by surface energy gradients between solid-solid and solid-liquid phase boundaries. Such a configuration, where melt is mostly restricted to three and four-grain junctions, acts as a porous medium through which melt can percolate to the surface. For a monomineralic system, melt is distributed evenly among all grains. However, in mineralogical heterogeneous systems, melt partitions unevenly between the various solid phases to minimize the total energy of the system. In a ocean ridge melting environment, where olivine is often juxtaposed against orthopyroxene (opx), lithologic partitioning is expected to turn olivine-rich regions into high-permeability conduits, through which melt can be quickly extracted, drastically increasing the permeability of the mantle [Zhu and Hirth, 2003]. Lithologic partitioning has been demonstrated in experiments using analogue systems [Watson, 1999]; however, to date, no experiment has confirmed its existence in partially molten mantle systems. We present experimental results that determine the degree of melt partitioning between olivine and opx in partially molten harzburgites. Samples were prepared from a powdered mixture of oxides and carbonates and then hot-pressed in a solid-media piston-cylinder apparatus at 1350°C and 1.5GPa [Zhu et al., 2011] to achieve an 82/18 vol. % ratio of olivine to opx. Prior to hot-pressing, basalt was added to the powdered mixtures in various proportions to test for lithologic partitioning across a range of melt fractions. Three-dimensional, 700nm-resolution images of our samples were obtained using synchrotron X-ray microtomography on the 2BM station of the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Labs. Image data were filtered using an anisotropic diffusion filter to enhance phase contrast and then segmented to produce binary representations of each phase. In order to quantitatively demonstrate lithologic melt partitioning in our samples, we digitally segment each grain and then fit a sample window, slightly larger than the grain, to calculate the local melt volume fraction. Our results show strong evidence for lithologic partitioning in partially molten harzburgite systems, in a ~2 to 1 ratio of local melt fraction, between olivine and opx across the range of melt fractions tested. We also present permeability, grain size, and connectivity analyses of our samples in order to evaluate the effects of melt partitioning on melt migration rates at mid-ocean ridges, as well as at other locations in the Earth where partial melting occurs. References Watson, E. B. (1999), Lithologic partitioning of fluids and melts, American Minerologist, 84, 1693-1710. Zhu, W., and G. Hirth (2003), A network model for permeability in partially molten rocks, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 212(3-4), 407-416, doi:10.1016/S0012-821X(03)00264-4. Zhu, W., G. A. Gaetani, F. Fusseis, L. G. J. Montési, and F. De Carlo (2011), Microtomography of partially molten rocks: three-dimensional melt distribution in mantle peridotite, Science, 332(6025), 88-91, doi:10.1126/science.1202221.

Mass spectroscopic apparatus and method

DOEpatents

Bomse, David S.; Silver, Joel A.; Stanton, Alan C.

1991-01-01

The disclosure is directed to a method and apparatus for ionization modulated mass spectrometric analysis. Analog or digital data acquisition and processing can be used. Ions from a time variant source are detected and quantified. The quantified ion output is analyzed using a computer to provide a two-dimensional representation of at least one component present within an analyte.

Components, Assembly and Electrochemical Properties of Three-Dimensional Battery Architectures

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-01

batteries is directed at our project on 3-D lithium - ion batteries where improvements in materials and fabrication methods are expected to facilitate...reporting period, we focused on new materials and electrode array fabrication processes for 3-D lithium - ion batteries and made substantial progress. In...to facilitate the assembly of a full 3-D lithium - ion battery system. a Pattern silicon dioxide etch I I I I I mask b DRIE etch silicon posts c I I

Determination of minority-carrier lifetime and surface recombination velocity with high spacial resolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watanabe, M.; Actor, G.; Gatos, H. C.

1977-01-01

Quantitative analysis of the electron beam induced current in conjunction with high-resolution scanning makes it possible to evaluate the minority-carrier lifetime three dimensionally in the bulk and the surface recombination velocity two dimensionally, with a high spacial resolution. The analysis is based on the concept of the effective excitation strength of the carriers which takes into consideration all possible recombination sources. Two-dimensional mapping of the surface recombination velocity of phosphorus-diffused silicon diodes is presented as well as a three-dimensional mapping of the changes in the minority-carrier lifetime in ion-implanted silicon.

Phase Diagram of a Three-Dimensional Antiferromagnet with Random Magnetic Anisotropy

DOE PAGES

Perez, Felio A.; Borisov, Pavel; Johnson, Trent A.; ...

2015-03-04

Three-dimensional (3D) antiferromagnets with random magnetic anisotropy (RMA) that were experimentally studied to date have competing two-dimensional and three-dimensional exchange interactions which can obscure the authentic effects of RMA. The magnetic phase diagram of Fe xNi 1-xF 2 epitaxial thin films with true random single-ion anisotropy was deduced from magnetometry and neutron scattering measurements and analyzed using mean field theory. Regions with uniaxial, oblique and easy plane anisotropies were identified. A RMA-induced glass region was discovered where a Griffiths-like breakdown of long-range spin order occurs.

On the relation between Marcus theory and ultrafast spectroscopy of solvation kinetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Santanu; Galib, Mirza; Schenter, Gregory K.; Mundy, Christopher J.

2018-01-01

The phenomena of solvent exchange control the process of solvating ions, protons, and charged molecules. Building upon our extension of Marcus' philosophy of electron transfer, we provide a new perspective of ultrafast solvent exchange mechanism around ions measurable by two-dimensional infrared (2DIR) spectroscopy. In this theory, solvent rearrangement drives an ion-bound water to an activated state of higher coordination number, triggering ion-water separation that leads to the solvent-bound state of the water molecule. This ion-bound to solvent-bound transition rate for a BF4--water system is computed using ab initio molecular dynamics and Marcus theory, and is found to be in excellent agreement with the 2DIR measurement.

Illustration as a way to explain the complex structures of foraminifera. The scientific drawing of Lukas Hottinger. In memoriam (1933-2011)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leria, M.; Ferrandez, C.; Ruiz-Ortega, M.

2012-12-01

Scientific illustration is a fundamental tool for transmitting scientific knowledge because it allows to define aspects that cannot be appreciated just by text description, or by means of photography. This study is based on the collection of illustrations created by the paleontologist Lukas Hottinger (1933-2011) during his extensive career. Hottinger studied, described and illustrated foraminifera for more than fifty years. The use of illustration is essential for studying, describing and clasifying these marine microfossils. Foraminifera are a constituent of marine sedimentary rocks; the study of their internal anatomy often is made from thin sections of rocks, a destructive technique which provides only two dimensional sections. The internal three-dimensional morphology of a species must be interpreted and reconstructed from numerous random two-dimensional sections. New technologies, such as SEM or more recently X-ray Microtomography provided progressively better images of the internal structure but this information, while useful, is still insufficient to explain with simplicity and efficacy what an illustration of a synthetic 3D model shows at a glance. This study is based on a review of 78 publications by Lukas Hottinger on foraminiferal inner structure. In addition, up to 150 illustrations by Hottinger were analyzed, as well as other works written by his colleagues during the same years (1956-2009). Hottinger's work includes several reference papers on the structure and systematics of different groups of larger foraminifera in which his three dimensional models play a fundamental role in synthesizing and making understandable the complexity of these shells. Illustrations of 3D models were particularly selected because of their conceptual complexity. They do not represent a view of the foraminiferal structure that can be observe directly, but a synthetic abstraction constructed from the observation and interpretation of many random two-dimensional sections of diverse individuals. We also analyzed the evolution of the method and techniques of representation through the different papers, coming to the conclusion that they changed according to the printing methods and the current technology (e.g. computer drawing software), but the basic concept of drawings has not been highly modified. The preliminary results demonstrate that illustrations are a necessary and fundamental element in the study of foraminiferal structure, and that it is beneficial for the scientist to have a good knowledge of the various skills involved in drawing and illustration, in order to better disseminate the results of his research with clarity and make complexity comprehensible.

A three-dimensional meso-macroscopic model for Li-Ion intercalation batteries

DOE PAGES

Allu, S.; Kalnaus, S.; Simunovic, S.; ...

2016-06-09

Through this study, we present a three-dimensional computational formulation for electrode-electrolyte-electrode system of Li-Ion batteries. The physical consistency between electrical, thermal and chemical equations is enforced at each time increment by driving the residual of the resulting coupled system of nonlinear equations to zero. The formulation utilizes a rigorous volume averaging approach typical of multiphase formulations used in other fields and recently extended to modeling of supercapacitors [1]. Unlike existing battery modeling methods which use segregated solution of conservation equations and idealized geometries, our unified approach can model arbitrary battery and electrode configurations. The consistency of multi-physics solution also allowsmore » for consideration of a wide array of initial conditions and load cases. The formulation accounts for spatio-temporal variations of material and state properties such as electrode/void volume fractions and anisotropic conductivities. The governing differential equations are discretized using the finite element method and solved using a nonlinearly consistent approach that provides robust stability and convergence. The new formulation was validated for standard Li-ion cells and compared against experiments. Finally, its scope and ability to capture spatio-temporal variations of potential and lithium distribution is demonstrated on a prototypical three-dimensional electrode problem.« less

Si Nanocrystal-Embedded SiO x nanofoils: Two-Dimensional Nanotechnology-Enabled High Performance Li Storage Materials.

PubMed

Yoo, Hyundong; Park, Eunjun; Bae, Juhye; Lee, Jaewoo; Chung, Dong Jae; Jo, Yong Nam; Park, Min-Sik; Kim, Jung Ho; Dou, Shi Xue; Kim, Young-Jun; Kim, Hansu

2018-05-02

Silicon (Si) based materials are highly desirable to replace currently used graphite anode for lithium ion batteries. Nevertheless, its usage is still a big challenge due to poor battery performance and scale-up issue. In addition, two-dimensional (2D) architectures, which remain unresolved so far, would give them more interesting and unexpected properties. Herein, we report a facile, cost-effective, and scalable approach to synthesize Si nanocrystals embedded 2D SiO x nanofoils for next-generation lithium ion batteries through a solution-evaporation-induced interfacial sol-gel reaction of hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSiO 1.5 , HSQ). The unique nature of the thus-prepared centimeter scale 2D nanofoil with a large surface area enables ultrafast Li + insertion and extraction, with a reversible capacity of more than 650 mAh g -1 , even at a high current density of 50 C (50 A g -1 ). Moreover, the 2D nanostructured Si/SiO x nanofoils show excellent cycling performance up to 200 cycles and maintain their initial dimensional stability. This superior performance stems from the peculiar nanoarchitecture of 2D Si/SiO x nanofoils, which provides short diffusion paths for lithium ions and abundant free space to effectively accommodate the huge volume changes of Si during cycling.

Advanced carbon materials/olivine LiFePO4 composites cathode for lithium ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, Chunli; Xue, Zhigang; Wen, Sheng; Ye, Yunsheng; Xie, Xiaolin

2016-06-01

In the past two decades, LiFePO4 has undoubtly become a competitive candidate for the cathode material of the next-generation LIBs due to its abundant resources, low toxicity and excellent thermal stability, etc. However, the poor electronic conductivity as well as low lithium ion diffusion rate are the two major drawbacks for the commercial applications of LiFePO4 especially in the power energy field. The introduction of highly graphitized advanced carbon materials, which also possess high electronic conductivity, superior specific surface area and excellent structural stability, into LiFePO4 offers a better way to resolve the issue of limited rate performance caused by the two obstacles when compared with traditional carbon materials. In this review, we focus on advanced carbon materials such as one-dimensional (1D) carbon (carbon nanotubes and carbon fibers), two-dimensional (2D) carbon (graphene, graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide) and three-dimensional (3D) carbon (carbon nanotubes array and 3D graphene skeleton), modified LiFePO4 for high power lithium ion batteries. The preparation strategies, structure, and electrochemical performance of advanced carbon/LiFePO4 composite are summarized and discussed in detail. The problems encountered in its application and the future development of this composite are also discussed.

Structure of the reconnection layer and the associated slow shocks: Two-dimensional simulations of a Riemann problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cremer, Michael; Scholer, Manfred

2000-12-01

The kinetic structure of the reconnection layer in the magnetotail is investigated by two-dimensional hybrid simulations. As a proxy, the solution of the Riemann problem of the collapse of a current sheet with a normal magnetic field component is considered for two cases of the plasma beta (particle to magnetic field pressure): β=0.02 and β=0.002. The collapse results in an expanding layer of compressed and heated plasma, which is accelerated up to the Alfvén speed vA. The boundary layer separating this hot reconnection like layer from the cold lobe plasma is characterized by a beam of back-streaming ions with a field-aligned bulk speed of ~=2vA relative to the cold lobe ion population at rest. As a consequence, obliquely propagating waves are excited via the electromagnetic ion/ion cyclotron instability, which led to perpendicular heating of the ions in the boundary layer as well as further outside the layer in the lobe. In both regions, waves are found which propagate almost parallel to the magnetic field and which are identified as Alfvén ion cyclotron (AIC) waves. These waves are excited by the temperature anisotropy instability. The temperature anisotropy increases with decreasing plasma beta. Thus the anisotropy threshold of the instability is exceeded even in the case of a rather small beta value. The AIC waves, when convected downstream of what can be defined as the the slow shock, make an important contribution to the ion thermalization process. More detailed information on the dissipation process in the slow shocks is gained by analyzing individual ion trajectories.

Direct Heating of a Laser-Imploded Core by Ultraintense Laser-Driven Ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitagawa, Y.; Mori, Y.; Komeda, O.; Ishii, K.; Hanayama, R.; Fujita, K.; Okihara, S.; Sekine, T.; Satoh, N.; Kurita, T.; Takagi, M.; Watari, T.; Kawashima, T.; Kan, H.; Nishimura, Y.; Sunahara, A.; Sentoku, Y.; Nakamura, N.; Kondo, T.; Fujine, M.; Azuma, H.; Motohiro, T.; Hioki, T.; Kakeno, M.; Miura, E.; Arikawa, Y.; Nagai, T.; Abe, Y.; Ozaki, S.; Noda, A.

2015-05-01

A novel direct core heating fusion process is introduced, in which a preimploded core is predominantly heated by energetic ions driven by LFEX, an extremely energetic ultrashort pulse laser. Consequently, we have observed the D (d ,n )He 3 -reacted neutrons (DD beam-fusion neutrons) with the yield of 5 ×108 n /4 π sr . Examination of the beam-fusion neutrons verified that the ions directly collide with the core plasma. While the hot electrons heat the whole core volume, the energetic ions deposit their energies locally in the core, forming hot spots for fuel ignition. As evidenced in the spectrum, the process simultaneously excited thermal neutrons with the yield of 6 ×107 n /4 π sr , raising the local core temperature from 0.8 to 1.8 keV. A one-dimensional hydrocode STAR 1D explains the shell implosion dynamics including the beam fusion and thermal fusion initiated by fast deuterons and carbon ions. A two-dimensional collisional particle-in-cell code predicts the core heating due to resistive processes driven by hot electrons, and also the generation of fast ions, which could be an additional heating source when they reach the core. Since the core density is limited to 2 g /cm3 in the current experiment, neither hot electrons nor fast ions can efficiently deposit their energy and the neutron yield remains low. In future work, we will achieve the higher core density (>10 g /cm3 ); then hot electrons could contribute more to the core heating via drag heating. Together with hot electrons, the ion contribution to fast ignition is indispensable for realizing high-gain fusion. By virtue of its core heating and ignition, the proposed scheme can potentially achieve high gain fusion.

Direct heating of a laser-imploded core by ultraintense laser-driven ions.

PubMed

Kitagawa, Y; Mori, Y; Komeda, O; Ishii, K; Hanayama, R; Fujita, K; Okihara, S; Sekine, T; Satoh, N; Kurita, T; Takagi, M; Watari, T; Kawashima, T; Kan, H; Nishimura, Y; Sunahara, A; Sentoku, Y; Nakamura, N; Kondo, T; Fujine, M; Azuma, H; Motohiro, T; Hioki, T; Kakeno, M; Miura, E; Arikawa, Y; Nagai, T; Abe, Y; Ozaki, S; Noda, A

2015-05-15

A novel direct core heating fusion process is introduced, in which a preimploded core is predominantly heated by energetic ions driven by LFEX, an extremely energetic ultrashort pulse laser. Consequently, we have observed the D(d,n)^{3}He-reacted neutrons (DD beam-fusion neutrons) with the yield of 5×10^{8} n/4π sr. Examination of the beam-fusion neutrons verified that the ions directly collide with the core plasma. While the hot electrons heat the whole core volume, the energetic ions deposit their energies locally in the core, forming hot spots for fuel ignition. As evidenced in the spectrum, the process simultaneously excited thermal neutrons with the yield of 6×10^{7} n/4π sr, raising the local core temperature from 0.8 to 1.8 keV. A one-dimensional hydrocode STAR 1D explains the shell implosion dynamics including the beam fusion and thermal fusion initiated by fast deuterons and carbon ions. A two-dimensional collisional particle-in-cell code predicts the core heating due to resistive processes driven by hot electrons, and also the generation of fast ions, which could be an additional heating source when they reach the core. Since the core density is limited to 2 g/cm^{3} in the current experiment, neither hot electrons nor fast ions can efficiently deposit their energy and the neutron yield remains low. In future work, we will achieve the higher core density (>10 g/cm^{3}); then hot electrons could contribute more to the core heating via drag heating. Together with hot electrons, the ion contribution to fast ignition is indispensable for realizing high-gain fusion. By virtue of its core heating and ignition, the proposed scheme can potentially achieve high gain fusion.

A detailed examination of laser-ion acceleration mechanisms in the relativistic transparency regime using tracers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stark, David J.; Yin, Lin; Albright, Brian J.; Nystrom, William; Bird, Robert

2018-04-01

We present a particle-in-cell study of linearly polarized laser-ion acceleration systems, in which we use both two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) simulations to characterize the ion acceleration mechanisms in targets which become transparent to the laser pulse during irradiation. First, we perform a target length scan to optimize the peak ion energies in both 2D and 3D, and the predictive capabilities of 2D simulations are discussed. Tracer analysis allows us to isolate the acceleration into stages of target normal sheath acceleration (TNSA), hole boring (HB), and break-out afterburner (BOA) acceleration, which vary in effectiveness based on the simulation parameters. The thinnest targets reveal that enhanced TNSA is responsible for accelerating the most energetic ions, whereas the thickest targets have ions undergoing successive phases of HB and TNSA (in 2D) or BOA and TNSA (in 3D); HB is not observed to be a dominant acceleration mechanism in the 3D simulations. It is in the intermediate optimal regime, both when the laser breaks through the target with appreciable amplitude and when there is enough plasma to form a sustained high density flow, that BOA is most effective and is responsible for the most energetic ions. Eliminating the transverse laser spot size effects by performing a plane wave simulation, we can isolate with greater confidence the underlying physics behind the ion dynamics we observe. Specifically, supplemented by wavelet and FFT analyses, we match the post-transparency BOA acceleration with a wave-particle resonance with a high-amplitude low-frequency electrostatic wave of increasing phase velocity, consistent with that predicted by the Buneman instability.

Ion acoustic shock waves in plasmas with warm ions and kappa distributed electrons and positrons

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hussain, S.; Mahmood, S.; Hafeez Ur-Rehman

2013-06-15

The monotonic and oscillatory ion acoustic shock waves are investigated in electron-positron-ion plasmas (e-p-i) with warm ions (adiabatically heated) and nonthermal kappa distributed electrons and positrons. The dissipation effects are included in the model due to kinematic viscosity of the ions. Using reductive perturbation technique, the Kadomtsev-Petviashvili-Burgers (KPB) equation is derived containing dispersion, dissipation, and diffraction effects (due to perturbation in the transverse direction) in e-p-i plasmas. The analytical solution of KPB equation is obtained by employing tangent hyperbolic (Tanh) method. The analytical condition for the propagation of oscillatory and monotonic shock structures are also discussed in detail. The numericalmore » results of two dimensional monotonic shock structures are obtained for graphical representation. The dependence of shock structures on positron equilibrium density, ion temperature, nonthermal spectral index kappa, and the kinematic viscosity of ions are also discussed.« less

Some aspects of metallic ion chemistry and dynamics in the mesosphere and thermosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mathews, J. D.

1987-01-01

The relationship between the formation of sporadic layers of metallic ion and the dumping of these ions into the upper mesosphere is discussed in terms of the tidal wind, classical (i.e., windshear) and other more complex, perhaps highly nonlinear layer formation mechanisms, and a possible circulation mechanism for these ions. Optical, incoherent scatter radar, rocket, and satellite derived evidence for various layer formation mechanisms and for the metallic ion circulation system is reviewed. The results of simple one dimensional numerical model calculations of sporadic E and intermediate layer formation are presented along with suggestions for more advanced models of intense or blanketing sporadic E. The flux of metallic ions dumped by the tidal wind system into the mesosphere is estimated and compared with estimates of total particle flux of meteoric origin. Possible effects of the metallic ion flux and of meteoric dust on D region ion chemistry are discussed.

A Study of Green's Function Methods Applied to Space Radiation Protection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heinbockel, John H.

2001-01-01

The purpose of this research was to study the propagation of galactic ions through various materials. Galactic light ions result from the break up of heavy ion particles and their propagation through materials is modeled using the one-dimensional Boltzmann equation. When ions enter materials there can occur (i) the interaction of ions with orbital electrons which causes ionization within the material and (ii) ions collide with atoms causing production of secondary particles which penetrate deeper within the material. These processes are modeled by a continuum model. The basic idea is to place a control volume within the material and examine the change in ion flux across this control volume. In this way on can derive the basic equations for the transport of light and heavy ions in matter. Green's function perturbation methods can then be employed to solve the resulting equations using energy dependent nuclear cross sections.

Ion extraction from a plasma. Ph.D. Thesis. Progress Report, 1 Dec. 1979 - 1 Dec. 1980

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aston, G.

1980-01-01

An experimental investigation of the physical processes governing ion extraction from a plasma is presented. The screen hole plasma sheath of a multiaperture ion accelerator system is defined by equipotential plots for a variety of accelerator system geometries and operating conditions. A sheath thickness of at least fifteen Debye lengths is shown to be typical. The electron density variation within the sheath satisfies a Maxwell Boltzmann density distribution at an effective electron temperature dependent on the discharge plasma primary to Maxwellian electron density ratio. Plasma ion flow up to and through the sheath is predominately one dimensional and the ions enter the sheath with a modified Bohm velocity. Low values of the screen grid thickness to screen hole diameter ratio give good ion focusing and high extracted ion currents because of the effect of screen webbing on ion focusing.