Dielectric relaxation of gamma irradiated muscovite mica

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

Kaur, Navjeet; Singh, Mohan, E-mail: mohansinghphysics@gmail.com; Singh, Lakhwant

2015-03-15

Highlights: • The present article reports the effect of gamma irradiation on the dielectric relaxation characteristics of muscovite mica. • Dielectric and electrical relaxations have been analyzed in the framework of dielectric permittivity, electric modulus and Cole–Cole formalisms. • The frequency dependent electrical conductivity has been rationalized using Johnsher’s universal power law. • The experimentally measured electric modulus and conductivity data have been fitted using Havriliak–Negami dielectric relaxation function. - Abstract: In the present research, the dielectric relaxation of gamma irradiated muscovite mica was studied in the frequency range of 0.1 Hz–10 MHz and temperature range of 653–853 K, usingmore » the dielectric permittivity, electric modulus and conductivity formalisms. The dielectric constants (ϵ′ and ϵ′′) are found to be high for gamma irradiated muscovite mica as compared to the pristine sample. The frequency dependence of the imaginary part of complex electric modulus (M′′) and dc conductivity data conforms Arrhenius law with single value of activation energy for pristine sample and two values of activation energy for gamma irradiated mica sample. The experimentally assessed electric modulus and conductivity information have been interpreted by the Havriliak–Negami dielectric relaxation explanation. Using the Cole–Cole framework, an analysis of real and imaginary characters of the electric modulus for pristine and gamma irradiated sample was executed which reflects the non-Debye relaxation mechanism.« less

Conductive Textiles via Vapor-Phase Polymerization of 3,4-Ethylenedioxythiophene.

PubMed

Ala, Okan; Hu, Bin; Li, Dapeng; Yang, Chen-Lu; Calvert, Paul; Fan, Qinguo

2017-08-30

We fabricated electrically conductive textiles via vapor-phase polymerization of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) layers on cotton, cotton/poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), cotton/Lycra, and PET fabrics. We then measured the electrical resistivity values of such PEDOT-coated textiles and analyzed the effect of water treatment on the electrical resistivity. Additionally, we tested the change in the electrical resistance of the conductive textiles under cyclic stretching and relaxation. Last, we characterized the uniformity and morphology of the conductive layer formed on the fabrics using scanning electron microscopy and electron-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.

Normal Values for Heart Electrophysiology Parameters of Healthy Swine Determined on Electrophysiology Study.

PubMed

Noszczyk-Nowak, Agnieszka; Cepiel, Alicja; Janiszewski, Adrian; Pasławski, Robert; Gajek, Jacek; Pasławska, Urszula; Nicpoń, Józef

2016-01-01

Swine are a well-recognized animal model for human cardiovascular diseases. Despite the widespread use of porcine model in experimental electrophysiology, still no reference values for intracardiac electrical activity and conduction parameters determined during an invasive electrophysiology study (EPS) have been developed in this species thus far. The aim of the study was to develop a set of normal values for intracardiac electrical activity and conduction parameters determined during an invasive EPS of swine. The study included 36 healthy domestic swine (24-40 kg body weight). EPS was performed under a general anesthesia with midazolam, propofol and isoflurane. The reference values for intracardiac electrical activity and conduction parameters were calculated as arithmetic means ± 2 standard deviations. The reference values were determined for AH, HV and PA intervals, interatrial conduction time at its own and imposed rhythm, sinus node recovery time (SNRT), corrected sinus node recovery time (CSNRT), anterograde and retrograde Wenckebach points, atrial, atrioventricular node and ventricular refractory periods. No significant correlations were found between body weight and heart rate of the examined pigs and their electrophysiological parameters. The hereby presented reference values can be helpful in comparing the results of various studies, as well as in more accurately estimating the values of electrophysiological parameters that can be expected in a given experiment.

The role of skin conductivity in a low frequency exposure assessment for peripheral nerve tissue according to the ICNIRP 2010 guidelines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmid, Gernot; Cecil, Stefan; Überbacher, Richard

2013-07-01

Based on numerical computations using commercially available finite difference time domain code and a state-of-the art anatomical model of a 5-year old child, the influence of skin conductivity on the induced electric field strength inside the tissue for homogeneous front-to-back magnetic field exposure and homogeneous vertical electric field exposure was computed. Both ungrounded as well as grounded conditions of the body model were considered. For electric field strengths induced inside CNS tissue the impact of skin conductivity was found to be less than 15%. However, the results demonstrated that the use of skin conductivity values as obtainable from the most widely used data base of dielectric tissue properties and recommended by safety standards are not suitable for exposure assessment with respect to peripheral nerve tissue according to the ICNIRP 2010 guidelines in which the use of the induced electric field strengths inside the skin is suggested as a conservative surrogate for peripheral nerve exposure. This is due to the fact that the skin conductivity values derived from these data bases refer to the stratum corneum, the uppermost layer of the skin, which does not contain any nerve or receptor cells to be protected from stimulation effects. Using these skin conductivity values which are approximately a factor 250-500 lower than skin conductivity values used in studies on which the ICNIRP 2010 guidelines are based on, may lead to overestimations of the induced electric field strengths inside the skin by substantially more than a factor of 10. However, reliable conductivity data of deeper skin layers where nerve and preceptor cells are located is very limited. It is therefore recommended to include appropriate background information in the ICNIRP guidelines and the dielectric tissue property databases, and to put some emphasis on a detailed layer-specific characterization of skin conductivity in near future.

Electrical resistivity characterization of anisotropy in the Biscayne Aquifer.

PubMed

Yeboah-Forson, Albert; Whitman, Dean

2014-01-01

Electrical anisotropy occurs when electric current flow varies with azimuth. In porous media, this may correspond to anisotropy in the hydraulic conductivity resulting from sedimentary fabric, fractures, or dissolution. In this study, a 28-electrode resistivity imaging system was used to investigate electrical anisotropy at 13 sites in the Biscayne Aquifer of SE Florida using the rotated square array method. The measured coefficient of electrical anisotropy generally ranged from 1.01 to 1.12 with values as high as 1.36 found at one site. The observed electrical anisotropy was used to estimate hydraulic anisotropy (ratio of maximum to minimum hydraulic conductivity) which ranged from 1.18 to 2.83. The largest values generally were located on the Atlantic Coastal Ridge while the lowest values were in low elevation areas on the margin of the Everglades to the west. The higher values of anisotropy found on the ridge may be due to increased dissolution rates of the oolitic facies of the Miami formation limestone compared with the bryozoan facies to the west. The predominate trend of minimum resistivity and maximum hydraulic conductivity was E-W/SE-NW beneath the ridge and E-W/SW-NE farther west. The anisotropy directions are similar to the predevelopment groundwater flow direction as indicated in published studies. This suggests that the observed anisotropy is related to the paleo-groundwater flow in the Biscayne Aquifer. © 2013, National Ground Water Association.

Electrical conductivity of electrolytes applicable to natural waters from 0 to 100 degrees C

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCleskey, R. Blaine

2011-01-01

The electrical conductivities of 34 electrolyte solutions found in natural waters ranging from (10-4 to 1) mol•kg-1 in concentration and from (5 to 90) °C have been determined. High-quality electrical conductivity data for numerous electrolytes exist in the scientific literature, but the data do not span the concentration or temperature ranges of many electrolytes in natural waters. Methods for calculating the electrical conductivities of natural waters have incorporated these data from the literature, and as a result these methods cannot be used to reliably calculate the electrical conductivity over a large enough range of temperature and concentration. For the single-electrolyte solutions, empirical equations were developed that relate electrical conductivity to temperature and molality. For the 942 molar conductivity determinations for single electrolytes from this study, the mean relative difference between the calculated and measured values was 0.1 %. The calculated molar conductivity was compared to literature data, and the mean relative difference for 1978 measurements was 0.2 %. These data provide an improved basis for calculating electrical conductivity for most natural waters.

Differential and directional effects of perfusion on electrical and thermal conductivities in liver.

PubMed

Podhajsky, Ronald J; Yi, Ming; Mahajan, Roop L

2009-01-01

Two different measurement probes--an electrical probe and a thermal conductivity probe--were designed, fabricated, calibrated, and used in experimental studies on a pig liver model that was designed to control perfusion rates. These probes were fabricated by photolithography and mounted in 1.5-mm diameter catheters. We measured the local impedance and thermal conductivity, respectively, of the artificially perfused liver at different flow rates and, by rotating the probes, in different directions. The results show that both the local electrical conductivity and the thermal conductivity varied location to location, that thermal conductivity increased with decreased distance to large blood vessels, and that significant directional differences exist in both electrical and thermal conductivities. Measurements at different perfusion rates demonstrated that both the local electrical and local thermal conductivities increased linearly with the square root of perfusion rate. These correlations may be of great value to many energy-based biomedical applications.

Numerical simulation of electromagnetic fields and impedance of CERN LINAC4 H(-) source taking into account the effect of the plasma.

PubMed

Grudiev, A; Lettry, J; Mattei, S; Paoluzzi, M; Scrivens, R

2014-02-01

Numerical simulation of the CERN LINAC4 H(-) source 2 MHz RF system has been performed taking into account a realistic geometry from 3D Computer Aided Design model using commercial FEM high frequency simulation code. The effect of the plasma has been added to the model by the approximation of a homogenous electrically conducting medium. Electric and magnetic fields, RF power losses, and impedance of the circuit have been calculated for different values of the plasma conductivity. Three different regimes have been found depending on the plasma conductivity: (1) Zero or low plasma conductivity results in RF electric field induced by the RF antenna being mainly capacitive and has axial direction; (2) Intermediate conductivity results in the expulsion of capacitive electric field from plasma and the RF power coupling, which is increasing linearly with the plasma conductivity, is mainly dominated by the inductive azimuthal electric field; (3) High conductivity results in the shielding of both the electric and magnetic fields from plasma due to the skin effect, which reduces RF power coupling to plasma. From these simulations and measurements of the RF power coupling on the CERN source, a value of the plasma conductivity has been derived. It agrees well with an analytical estimate calculated from the measured plasma parameters. In addition, the simulated and measured impedances with and without plasma show very good agreement as well demonstrating validity of the plasma model used in the RF simulations.

Electrical screening procedure for solid ionic conductors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kautz, H. E.; Singer, J.; Fielder, W. L.; Fordyce, J. S.

1973-01-01

An electrical screening method has been developed for preliminary evaluation of polycrystalline specimens of candidates for use as solid ionic conductive electrolytes in batteries. The procedure measures dielectric loss and capacitance, from which are calculated an ac conductivity attributed provisionally to ions and an activation energy for that conductivity. Electronic conductivity is directly measured. The screening procedure applied to sodium beta-alumina yielded acceptable values for conductivity and activation energy.

Electrical Conductivity Response of Poly(Phenylene-vinylene)/Zeolite Composites Exposed to Ammonium Nitrate

PubMed Central

Kamonsawas, Jirarat; Sirivat, Anuvat; Niamlang, Sumonman; Hormnirun, Pimpa; Prissanaroon-Ouajai, Walaiporn

2010-01-01

Poly(p-phenylenevinylene) (PPV) was chemically synthesized via the polymerization of p-xylene-bis(tetrahydrothiophenium chloride) monomer and doped with H2SO4. To improve the electrical conductivity sensitivity of the conductive polymer, Zeolites Y (Si/Al = 5.1, 30, 60, 80) were added into the conductive polymer matrix. All composite samples show definite positive responses towards NH4NO3. The electrical conductivity sensitivities of the composite sensors increase linearly with increasing Si/Al ratio: with values of 0.201, 1.37, 2.80 and 3.18, respectively. The interactions between NH4NO3 molecules and the PPV/zeolite composites with respect to the electrical conductivity sensitivity were investigated through the infrared spectroscopy. PMID:22219677

Thermal and Electrical Conductivity Measurements of Cda 510 Phosphor Bronze

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuttle, J.; Canavan, E.; DiPirro, M.

2010-04-01

Many cryogenic systems use electrical cables containing phosphor bronze wire. While phosphor bronze's electrical and thermal conductivity values have been published, results vary among different phosphor bronze formulations. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will use several phosphor bronze wire harnesses containing a specific formulation (CDA 510, annealed temper). These harnesses dominate the heat conducted into the JWST instrument stage, and approximately half of the harness conductance is due to the phosphor bronze wires. Since the JWST radiators are expected to keep the instruments at their operating temperature with limited cooling margin, it is important to know the thermal conductivity of the actual alloy being used. We describe an experiment that measured its electrical and thermal conductivity between 4 and 295 Kelvin.

Electrical conductivity of a monolayer produced by random sequential adsorption of linear k -mers onto a square lattice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarasevich, Yuri Yu.; Goltseva, Valeria A.; Laptev, Valeri V.; Lebovka, Nikolai I.

2016-10-01

The electrical conductivity of a monolayer produced by the random sequential adsorption (RSA) of linear k -mers (particles occupying k adjacent adsorption sites) onto a square lattice was studied by means of computer simulation. Overlapping with predeposited k -mers and detachment from the surface were forbidden. The RSA process continued until the saturation jamming limit, pj. The isotropic (equiprobable orientations of k -mers along x and y axes) and anisotropic (all k -mers aligned along the y axis) depositions for two different models—of an insulating substrate and conducting k -mers (C model) and of a conducting substrate and insulating k -mers (I model)—were examined. The Frank-Lobb algorithm was applied to calculate the electrical conductivity in both the x and y directions for different lengths (k =1 - 128) and concentrations (p =0 - pj) of the k -mers. The "intrinsic electrical conductivity" and concentration dependence of the relative electrical conductivity Σ (p ) (Σ =σ /σm for the C model and Σ =σm/σ for the I model, where σm is the electrical conductivity of substrate) in different directions were analyzed. At large values of k the Σ (p ) curves became very similar and they almost coincided at k =128 . Moreover, for both models the greater the length of the k -mers the smoother the functions Σx y(p ) ,Σx(p ) and Σy(p ) . For the more practically important C model, the other interesting findings are (i) for large values of k (k =64 ,128 ), the values of Σx y and Σy increase rapidly with the initial increase of p from 0 to 0.1; (ii) for k ≥16 , all the Σx y(p ) and Σx(p ) curves intersect with each other at the same isoconductivity points; (iii) for anisotropic deposition, the percolation concentrations are the same in the x and y directions, whereas, at the percolation point the greater the length of the k -mers the larger the anisotropy of the electrical conductivity, i.e., the ratio σy/σx (>1 ).

Electrical conduction and thermoelectric properties of perovskite-type BaBi1-xSbxO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yasukawa, Masahiro; Shiga, Yuta; Kono, Toshio

2012-06-01

To elucidate the thermoelectric properties at high temperatures, the electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient were measured at temperatures between 423 K and 973 K for perovskite-type ceramics of BaBi1-xSbxO3 solid solutions with x=0.0-0.5. All the ceramics exhibit p-type semiconducting behaviors and electrical conduction is attributed to hopping of small polaronic holes localized on the pentavalent cations. Substitution of Bi with Sb causes the electrical conductivity σ and cell volume to decrease, but the Seebeck coefficient S to increase, suggesting that the Sb atoms are doped as Sb5+ and replace Bi5+, reducing 6s holes conduction from Bi5+(6s0) to Bi3+ (6s2). The thermoelectric power factor S2σ has values of 6×10-8-3×10-5 W m-1 K-2 in the measured temperature range, and is maximized for an Sb-undoped BaBiO3-δ, but decreases upon Sb doping due to the decreased σ values.

Highly Flexible and Conductive Glycerol-Doped PEDOT:PSS Films Prepared Under an Electric Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki; Aizawa, Kengo; Chonan, Yasunori; Komiyama, Takao; Aoyama, Takashi; Sakai, Eiichi; Qiu, Jianhui; Sato, Naoki

2018-06-01

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) films doped with several sugar alcohols, viz. xylitol (XL), glycerol (GL), and polyglycerol (PG), at various levels have been synthesized and their thermoelectric properties studied. Among these specimens, 2.5 vol.% GL-doped films showed the best performance with electrical conductivity σ, Seebeck coefficient S, and power factor S 2 σ at room temperature reaching 1040 S/cm, 19 μV/K, and 37 μW/m-K2, respectively. Next, we synthesized films under an electric field E pr for the purpose of crystal growth. GL-doped films showed σ enhancement with increase of E pr. The highest σ value of 1300 S/cm was attained at E pr = 4 kV/cm. S and thermal conductivity κ values were almost independent of E pr. The ZT value was calculated to be between 0.017 and 0.101 at room temperature. We also examined film flexibility. High flexibility was achieved on GL doping, and it was not deteriorated when synthesized under an electric field.

Highly Flexible and Conductive Glycerol-Doped PEDOT:PSS Films Prepared Under an Electric Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki; Aizawa, Kengo; Chonan, Yasunori; Komiyama, Takao; Aoyama, Takashi; Sakai, Eiichi; Qiu, Jianhui; Sato, Naoki

2018-04-01

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) films doped with several sugar alcohols, viz. xylitol (XL), glycerol (GL), and polyglycerol (PG), at various levels have been synthesized and their thermoelectric properties studied. Among these specimens, 2.5 vol.% GL-doped films showed the best performance with electrical conductivity σ, Seebeck coefficient S, and power factor S 2 σ at room temperature reaching 1040 S/cm, 19 μV/K, and 37 μW/m-K2, respectively. Next, we synthesized films under an electric field E pr for the purpose of crystal growth. GL-doped films showed σ enhancement with increase of E pr. The highest σ value of 1300 S/cm was attained at E pr = 4 kV/cm. S and thermal conductivity κ values were almost independent of E pr. The ZT value was calculated to be between 0.017 and 0.101 at room temperature. We also examined film flexibility. High flexibility was achieved on GL doping, and it was not deteriorated when synthesized under an electric field.

Frequency and voltage dependent profile of dielectric properties, electric modulus and ac electrical conductivity in the PrBaCoO nanofiber capacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demirezen, S.; Kaya, A.; Yerişkin, S. A.; Balbaşı, M.; Uslu, İ.

In this study, praseodymium barium cobalt oxide nanofiber interfacial layer was sandwiched between Au and n-Si. Frequency and voltage dependence of ε‧, ε‧, tanδ, electric modulus (M‧ and M″) and σac of PrBaCoO nanofiber capacitor have been investigated by using impedance spectroscopy method. The obtained experimental results show that the values of ε‧, ε‧, tanδ, M‧, M″ and σac of the PrBaCoO nanofiber capacitor are strongly dependent on frequency of applied bias voltage. The values of ε‧, ε″ and tanδ show a steep decrease with increasing frequency for each forward bias voltage, whereas the values of σac and the electric modulus increase with increasing frequency. The high dispersion in ε‧ and ε″ values at low frequencies may be attributed to the Maxwell-Wagner and space charge polarization. The high values of ε‧ may be due to the interfacial effects within the material, PrBaCoO nanofibers interfacial layer and electron effect. The values of M‧ and M″ reach a maximum constant value corresponding to M∞ ≈ 1/ε∞ due to the relaxation process at high frequencies, but both the values of M‧ and M″ approach almost to zero at low frequencies. The changes in the dielectric and electrical properties with frequency can be also attributed to the existence of Nss and Rs of the capacitors. As a result, the change in the ε‧, ε″, tanδ, M‧, M″ and ac electric conductivity (σac) is a result of restructuring and reordering of charges at the PrBaCoO/n-Si interface under an external electric field or voltage and interface polarization.

Nonlinear conductivity in silicon nitride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuncer, Enis

2017-08-01

To better comprehend electrical silicon-package interaction in high voltage applications requires full characterization of the electrical properties of dielectric materials employed in wafer and package level design. Not only the packaging but wafer level dielectrics, i.e. passivation layers, would experience high electric fields generated by the voltage applied pads. In addition the interface between the passivation layer and a mold compound might develop space charge because of the mismatch in electrical properties of the materials. In this contribution electrical properties of a thin silicon nitride (Si3N4) dielectric is reported as a function of temperature and electric field. The measured values later analyzed using different temperature dependent exponential expressions and found that the Mott variable range hopping conduction model was successful to express the data. A full temperature/electric field dependency of conductivity is generated. It was found that the conduction in Si3N4 could be expressed like a field ionization or Fowler-Nordheim mechanism.

Low temperature thermal conductivity of alloys used in cryogenic coaxial cables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kushino, Akihiro; Kasai, Soichi

2014-03-01

We have developed thin seamless coaxial cables applied for readout in low temperature experiments below liquid helium temperature. Stainless steel employed as the center and outer electrical conductors of the coaxial cable has adequately low thermal conductivity compared to pure metals and can be used when heat penetration into low temperature stages through cables should be lowered however it has large electrical resistivity which can disturb sensitive measurements. Superconducting NbTi alloy has good performance with rather low thermal conductivity and high electrical conductivity. Meanwhile coaxial cables using normal conducting copper alloys such as cupro-nickel, brass, beryllium-copper, phosphor-bronze are advantageous with their good electrical, thermal and cost performances. We investigated thermal conductivity of such alloys after the drawing process into coaxial cables, and compared to expected values without drawing.

Thermal and Electrical Conductivity Measurements of CDA 510 Phosphor Bronze

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tuttle, James E.; Canavan, Edgar; DiPirro, Michael

2009-01-01

Many cryogenic systems use electrical cables containing phosphor bronze wire. While phosphor bronze's electrical and thermal conductivity values have been published, there is significant variation among different phosphor bronze formulations. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will use several phosphor bronze wire harnesses containing a specific formulation (CDA 510, annealed temper). The heat conducted into the JWST instrument stage is dominated by these harnesses, and approximately half of the harness conductance is due to the phosphor bronze wires. Since the JWST radiators are expected to just keep the instruments at their operating temperature with limited cooling margin, it is important to know the thermal conductivity of the actual alloy being used. We describe an experiment which measured the electrical and thermal conductivity of this material between 4 and 295 Kelvin.

The effect of silver (Ag) addition to mechanical and electrical properties of copper alloy (Cu) casting product

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Felicia, Dian M.; Rochiem, R.; Laia, Standley M.

2018-04-01

Copper have good mechanical properties and good electrical conductivities. Therefore, copper usually used as electrical components. Silver have better electrical conductivities than copper. Female contact resistor is one of the electrical component used in circuit breaker. This study aims to analyze the effect of silver addition to hardness, strength, and electric conductivity properties of copper alloy. This study uses variation of 0; 0.035; 0.07; 0.1 wt. % Ag (silver) addition to determine the effect on mechanical properties and electrical properties of copper alloy through sand casting process. Modelling of thermal analysis and structural analysis was calculated to find the best design for the sand casting experiments. The result of Cu-Ag alloy as cast will be characterized by OES test, metallography test, Brinell hardness test, tensile test, and LCR meter test. The result of this study showed that the addition of silver increase mechanical properties of Cu-Ag. The maximum hardness value of this alloy is 83.1 HRB which is Cu-0.01 Ag and the lowest is 52.26 HRB which is pure Cu. The maximum strength value is 153.2 MPa which is Cu-0.07 Ag and the lowest is 94.6 MPa which is pure Cu. Silver addition decrease electrical properties of this alloy. The highest electric conductivity is 438.98 S/m which is pure Cu and the lowest is 52.61 S.m which is Cu-0.1 Ag.

Transport properties of alumina nanofluids.

PubMed

Wong, Kau-Fui Vincent; Kurma, Tarun

2008-08-27

Recent studies have showed that nanofluids have significantly greater thermal conductivity compared to their base fluids. Large surface area to volume ratio and certain effects of Brownian motion of nanoparticles are believed to be the main factors for the significant increase in the thermal conductivity of nanofluids. In this paper all three transport properties, namely thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity and viscosity, were studied for alumina nanofluid (aluminum oxide nanoparticles in water). Experiments were performed both as a function of volumetric concentration (3-8%) and temperature (2-50 °C). Alumina nanoparticles with a mean diameter of 36 nm were dispersed in water. The effect of particle size was not studied. The transient hot wire method as described by Nagaska and Nagashima for electrically conducting fluids was used to test the thermal conductivity. In this work, an insulated platinum wire of 0.003 inch diameter was used. Initial calibration was performed using de-ionized water and the resulting data was within 2.5% of standard thermal conductivity values for water. The thermal conductivity of alumina nanofluid increased with both increase in temperature and concentration. A maximum thermal conductivity of 0.7351 W m(-1) K(-1) was recorded for an 8.47% volume concentration of alumina nanoparticles at 46.6 °C. The effective thermal conductivity at this concentration and temperature was observed to be 1.1501, which translates to an increase in thermal conductivity by 22% when compared to water at room temperature. Alumina being a good conductor of electricity, alumina nanofluid displays an increasing trend in electrical conductivity as volumetric concentration increases. A microprocessor-based conductivity/TDS meter was used to perform the electrical conductivity experiments. After carefully calibrating the conductivity meter's glass probe with platinum tip, using a standard potassium chloride solution, readings were taken at various volumetric concentrations. A 3457.1% increase in the electrical conductivity was measured for a small 1.44% volumetric concentration of alumina nanoparticles in water. The highest value of electrical conductivity, 314 µS cm(-1), was recorded for a volumetric concentration of 8.47%. In the determination of the kinematic viscosity of alumina nanofluid, a standard kinematic viscometer with constant temperature bath was used. Calibrated capillary viscometers were used to measure flow under gravity at precisely controlled temperatures. The capillary viscometers were calibrated with de-ionized water at different temperatures, and the resulting kinematic viscosity values were found to be within 3% of the standard published values. An increase of 35.5% in the kinematic viscosity was observed for an 8.47% volumetric concentration of alumina nanoparticles in water. The maximum kinematic viscosity of alumina nanofluid, 2.901 42 mm(2) s(-1), was obtained at 0 °C for an 8.47% volumetric concentration of alumina nanoparticles. The experimental results of the present work will help researchers arrive at better theoretical models.

Inversion of soil electrical conductivity data to estimate layered soil properties

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

CBulk apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa) sensors respond to multiple soil properties, including clay content, water content, and salt content (i.e., salinity). They provide a single sensor value for an entire soil profile down to a sensor-dependent measurement depth, weighted by a nonlinear...

Effect of Temperature on Electrical Conductivity of Guaiacol-Guanidine Hydrochloride-Formaldehyde Copolymer Resin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kukade, S. D.; Bawankar, S. V.

2018-02-01

The purpose of the present paper is to report temperature dependence of electrical conductivity on Guaiacol-guanidine hydrochloride-formaldehyde copolymer resin. By using a microwave irradiation technique, various ratios of copolymer resin were synthesized from the reacting monomers, i.e., guaiacol, guanidine hydrochloride and formaldehyde. The characterization of the copolymer resins has been fulfilled by spectral methods viz. ultraviolet visible (UV visible), infrared and proton nuclear magnetic spectroscopy (1H-NMR). The solid state direct current electrical conductivity of synthesized copolymer resins has been measured as a function of temperature. The electrical conductivity values of all the copolymers have been found in the range of a semiconductor.

Nature of Dielectric Properties, Electric Modulus and AC Electrical Conductivity of Nanocrystalline ZnIn2Se4 Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Nahass, M. M.; Attia, A. A.; Ali, H. A. M.; Salem, G. F.; Ismail, M. I.

2018-02-01

The structural characteristics of thermally deposited ZnIn2Se4 thin films were indexed utilizing x-ray diffraction as well as scanning electron microscopy techniques. Dielectric properties, electric modulus and AC electrical conductivity of ZnIn2Se4 thin films were examined in the frequency range from 42 Hz to 106 Hz. The capacitance, conductance and impedance were measured at different temperatures. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss decrease with an increase in frequency. The maximum barrier height was determined from the analysis of the dielectric loss depending on the Giuntini model. The real part of the electric modulus revealed a constant maximum value at higher frequencies and the imaginary part of the electric modulus was characterized by the appearance of dielectric relaxation peaks. The AC electrical conductivity obeyed the Jonscher universal power law. Correlated barrier hopping model was the appropriate mechanism for AC conduction in ZnIn2Se4 thin films. Estimation of the density of states at the Fermi level and activation energy, for AC conduction, was carried out based on the temperature dependence of AC electrical conductivity.

Thermoelectric transport properties of BaBiTe{sub 3}-based materials

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

Zhou, Yiming; Zhao, Li-Dong, E-mail: zhaolidong@buaa.edu.cn

BaBiTe{sub 3}, a material with low thermal conductivity, is an inferior thermoelectric material due to the poor electrical properties originated from its narrow band gap. We choose two types of dopants, K and La, trying to optimize its electrical transport properties. The minority carriers, which harm the Seebeck coefficient in this system, are suppressed by La doping. With the increase of both electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient, the power factor of 3% La doped BaBiTe{sub 3} reaches 3.7 μW cm{sup −1} K{sup −2} which increased by 40% from undoped BaBiTe{sub 3}. Besides high power factor, the thermal conductivity is alsomore » reduced in it. Eventually, a high ZT value, 0.25 at 473 K, for n-type BaBiTe{sub 3} is achieved in 3% La doped BaBiTe{sub 3}. - Graphical abstract: BaBiTe{sub 3} possesses a low thermal conductivity. However, it is an inferior thermoelectric material due to the poor electrical properties originated from its narrow band gap. A high ZT value of 0.25 at 473 K for n-type BaBiTe{sub 3} can be achieved through optimizing electrical transport properties via La doping. - Highlights: • BaBiTe{sub 3} is an analogue of these promising thermoelectric materials: such as CsBi{sub 4}Te{sub 6} and K{sub 2}Bi{sub 8}Se{sub 13}, etc. • BaBiTe{sub 3} possesses a low thermal conductivity. • La is an effective dopant to enhance electrical transport properties. • A high ZT value of 0.25 at 473 K can be achieved in n-type La-doped BaBiTe{sub 3}.« less

Crystalline-like temperature dependence of the electrical characteristics in amorphous Indium-Gallium-Zinc-Oxide thin film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Estrada, M.; Hernandez-Barrios, Y.; Cerdeira, A.; Ávila-Herrera, F.; Tinoco, J.; Moldovan, O.; Lime, F.; Iñiguez, B.

2017-09-01

A crystalline-like temperature dependence of the electrical characteristics of amorphous Indium-Gallium-Zinc-Oxide (a-IGZO) thin film transistors (TFTs) is reported, in which the drain current reduces as the temperature is increased. This behavior appears for values of drain and gate voltages above which a change in the predominant conduction mechanism occurs. After studying the possible conduction mechanisms, it was determined that, for gate and drain voltages below these values, hopping is the predominant mechanism with the current increasing with temperature, while for values above, the predominant conduction mechanism becomes percolation in the conduction band or band conduction and IDS reduces as the temperature increases. It was determined that this behavior appears, when the effect of trapping is reduced, either by varying the density of states, their characteristic energy or both. Simulations were used to further confirm the causes of the observed behavior.

Electrical and thermal response of carbon nanotube composites under quasi-static and dynamic loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Connell, Christopher D.

Carbon nanotube (CNT) composites have attracted much interest due to their possible technical applications as conductive polymers and sensory materials. This study will consist of two major objectives: 1.) to investigate the thermal conductivity and thermal response of multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composites under quasi-static loading, and 2.) to investigate the electrical response of carboxyl-terminated butadiene (CTBN) rubber-reinforced MWCNT/Epoxy composites under quasi-static and dynamic loading. Similar studies have shown that the electrical conductivity of CNT/Epoxy composites dramatically increases with compressive strains up to 15%. Part 1 seeks to find out if thermal conductivity show a similar response to electrical conductivity under an applied load. Part 2 seeks to investigate how the addition of rubber affects the mechanical and electrical response of the composite subjected to quasi-static and dynamic loading. By knowing how thermal and electrical properties change under a given applied strain, we attempt to broaden the breadth of understanding of CNT/epoxy composites and inqure the microscopic interactions occurring between the two. Electrical experiments sought to investigate the electrical response of rubber-reinforced carbon nanotube epoxy composites under quasi-static and dynamic loading. Specimens were fabricated with CTBN rubber content of 10 parts per hundredth resin (phr), 20 phr, 30 phr and 0 phr for a basis comparison. Both quasi-static and dynamic mechanical response showed a consistent decrease in peak stress and Young's modulus with increasing rubber content. Trends in the electrical response between each case were clearly observed with peak resistance changes ranging from 58% to 73% and with each peak occurring at a higher value with increasing rubber content, with the exception of the rubber-free specimens. It was concluded that among the rubber-embedded specimens, the addition of rubber helped to delay micro-cracking and degradation and thus prolong the electrical response of the specimen to higher strains. Thermal experiments were first established by designing and fabricating an apparatus to determine the thermal conductivity of an unknown material. The principle of the apparatus is a steady-state one-dimensional comparative method where reference materials of known thermal conductivity are used to determine the system heat flux and in turn, the thermal conductivity of a given specimen. A thermal percolation study was conducted in order to determine a possible threshold of thermal transport of the material. The recorded values of thermal conductivity from 0 -- 0.2 wt% showed no such threshold with all specimens of different CNT loadings yielding similar values of thermal conductivity. The apparatus containing the CNT/epoxy specimen was then quasi-statically compressed to observe how the thermal conductivity changes with strains up to 20%. While a small decrease in thermal conductivity was observed under strain, it can mostly be attributed to material degradation and bulging.

Electrical and optical percolations in PMMA/GNP composite films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arda, Ertan; Mergen, Ömer Bahadır; Pekcan, Önder

2018-05-01

Effects of graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) addition on the electrical conductivity and optical absorbance of poly(methyl methacrylate)/graphene nanoplatelet (PMMA/GNP) composite films were studied. Optical absorbance and two point probe resistivity techniques were used to determine the variations of the optical and electrical properties of the composites, respectively. Absorbance intensity, A, and surface resistivity, Rs, of the composite films were monitored as a function of GNP mass fraction (M) at room temperature. Absorbance intensity values of the composites were increased and surface resistivity values were decreased by increasing the content of GNP in the composite. Electrical and optical percolation thresholds of composite films were determined as Mσ = 27.5 wt.% and Mop = 26.6 wt.%, respectively. The conductivity and the optical results were attributed to the classical and site percolation theories, respectively. Optical (βop) and electrical (βσ) critical exponents were calculated as 0.40 and 1.71, respectively.

Innovative methodology for electrical conductivity measurements and metal partition in biosolid pellets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jordan, Manuel Miguel; Rincón-Mora, Beatriz; Belén Almendro-Candel, María; Navarro-Pedreño, José; Gómez-Lucas, Ignacio; Bech, Jaume

2017-04-01

Use of biosolids to improve the nutrient content in a soil is a common practice. The obligation to restore abandoned mine and the correct application of biosolids is guaranteed by the legislation on waste management, biosolids and soil conservation (Jordán et al. 2008). The present research was conducted to determine electrical conductivity in dry wastes (pellets) using a innovative methodology (Camilla and Jordán, 2009). On the other hand, the present study was designed to examine the distribution of selected heavy metals in biosolid pellets, and also to relate the distribution patterns of these metals. In this context, heavy metal concentrations were studied in biosolid pellets under different pressures. Electrical conductivity measurements were taken in biosolid pellets under pressures on the order of 50 to 150 MPa and with currents of 10-15 A. Measurements of electrical conductivity and heavy metal content for different areas (H1, H2, and H3) were taken. Total content of metals was determined following microwave digestion and analysed by ICP/MS. Triplicate portions were weighed in polycarbonate centrifuge tubes and sequentially extracted. The distribution of chemical forms of Cd, Ni, Cr, and Pb in the biosolids was studied using a sequential extraction procedure that fractionates the metal into soluble-exchangeable, specifically sorbed-carbonate bound, oxidizable, reducible, and residual forms. The residual, reducible, and carbonate-sorbed forms were dominant. Higher Cr and Ni content were detected in pellets made with biosolids from the H3. The highest Cd and Ni values were detected in the H2. The trends of the conductivity curves were similar for the sludge from the isolation surface (H1) and for the mesophilous area (H2). In the case of the thermophilous area (H3), the electrical conductivity showed extremely high values. This behaviour was similar in the case of the Cr and Ni content. However, in the case of Cd and Pb, the highest values were detected in the H2. This experiment could be useful for establishing a general rule for taking measurements of electrical conductivity and heavy metals in biosolid pellets and other types of dry wastes. References Camilla S, Jordán MM (2009) Electrical conductivity measurements in sewage sludge pellets: innovative techniques for environmental management. J Hazard Mater 168:1260-1263 Jordán, MM, Rincón-Mora, B; Almendro, MB (2015). Heavy metal distribution and electrical conductivity measurements in biosolid pellets. J, Soils and Sediments, 16 1176-118

Upper mantle electrical conductivity for seven subcontinental regions of the Earth

USGS Publications Warehouse

Campbell, W.H.; Schiffmacher, E.R.

1988-01-01

Spherical harmonic analysis coefficients of the external and internal parts of the quiet-day geomagnetic field variations (Sq) separated for the 7 continental regions of the observatories have been used to determine conductivity profiles to depths of about 600 km by the Schmucker equivalent substitute conductor method. The profiles give evidence of increases in conductivity between about 150 and 350 km depth, then a general increase in conductivity thereafter. For South America we found a high conductivity at shallow depths. The European profile showed a highly conducting layer near 125 km. At the greater depths, Europe, Australia and South America had the lowest values of conductivity. North America and east Asia had intermediate values whereas the African and central Asian profiles both showed the conductivities rising rapidly beyond 450 km depth. The regional differences indicate that there may be considerable lateral heterogeneity of electrical conductivity in the Earth's upper mantle. -Authors

3D imaging of soil apparent electrical conductivity from VERIS data using a 1D spatially constrained inversion algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jesús Moral García, Francisco; Rebollo Castillo, Francisco Javier; Monteiro Santos, Fernando

2016-04-01

Maps of apparent electrical conductivity of the soil are commonly used in precision agriculture to indirectly characterize some important properties like salinity, water, and clay content. Traditionally, these studies are made through an empirical relationship between apparent electrical conductivity and properties measured in soil samples collected at a few locations in the experimental area and at a few selected depths. Recently, some authors have used not the apparent conductivity values but the soil bulk conductivity (in 2D or 3D) calculated from measured apparent electrical conductivity through the application of an inversion method. All the published works used data collected with electromagnetic (EM) instruments. We present a new software to invert the apparent electrical conductivity data collected with VERIS 3100 and 3150 (or the more recent version with three pairs of electrodes) using the 1D spatially constrained inversion method (1D SCI). The software allows the calculation of the distribution of the bulk electrical conductivity in the survey area till a depth of 1 m. The algorithm is applied to experimental data and correlations with clay and water content have been established using soil samples collected at some boreholes. Keywords: Digital soil mapping; inversion modelling; VERIS; soil apparent electrical conductivity.

Estimation of electrical conductivity distribution within the human head from magnetic flux density measurement.

PubMed

Gao, Nuo; Zhu, S A; He, Bin

2005-06-07

We have developed a new algorithm for magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography (MREIT), which uses only one component of the magnetic flux density to reconstruct the electrical conductivity distribution within the body. The radial basis function (RBF) network and simplex method are used in the present approach to estimate the conductivity distribution by minimizing the errors between the 'measured' and model-predicted magnetic flux densities. Computer simulations were conducted in a realistic-geometry head model to test the feasibility of the proposed approach. Single-variable and three-variable simulations were performed to estimate the brain-skull conductivity ratio and the conductivity values of the brain, skull and scalp layers. When SNR = 15 for magnetic flux density measurements with the target skull-to-brain conductivity ratio being 1/15, the relative error (RE) between the target and estimated conductivity was 0.0737 +/- 0.0746 in the single-variable simulations. In the three-variable simulations, the RE was 0.1676 +/- 0.0317. Effects of electrode position uncertainty were also assessed by computer simulations. The present promising results suggest the feasibility of estimating important conductivity values within the head from noninvasive magnetic flux density measurements.

Multifunctional surface modification of silk fabric via graphene oxide repeatedly coating and chemical reduction method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Jiliang; Wang, Chaoxia

2017-05-01

Multifunctional silk fabrics with electrical conductive, anti-ultraviolet and water repellent were successfully prepared by surface modification with graphene oxide (GO). The yellow-brown GO deposited on the surface of silk fabric was converted into graphitic black reduced graphene (RGO) by sodium hydrosulfite. The surface properties of silk fabrics were changed by repeatedly RGO coating process, which have been proved by SEM and XPS. The SEM results showed that the RGO sheets were successive form a continuously thin film on the surface of silk fabrics, and the deposition of GO or RGO also can be proved by XPS. The electrical conductivity was tested by electrical surface resistance value of the silk fabric, the surface resistance decreased with increasing of RGO surface modification times, and a low surface resistance value reached to 3.24 KΩ cm-1 after 9 times of modification, indicating the silk obtained excellent conductivity. The UPF value of one time GO modification silk fabric (silk-1RGO) was enhanced significantly to 24.45 in comparison to 10.40 of original silk. The contact angle of RGO coating silk samples was all above of 120°. The durability of RGO coated silk fabrics was tested by laundering. The electrical surface resistance of silk-4RGO (65.74 KΩ cm-1), silk-6RGO (15.54 KΩ cm-1) and silk-8RGO (3.86 KΩ cm-1) fabrics was up to 86.82, 22.30 and 6.57 KΩ cm-1 after 10 times of standard washing, respectively. The UPF value, contact angle and color differences of RGO modified silk fabric slightly changed before and after 10 times of standard washing. Therefore, the washing fastness of electric conduction, anti-ultraviolet and water repellent multifunctional silk fabrics was excellent.

Evaluation of electrical conductivity and equations of state of non-ideal plasma through microsecond timescale underwater electrical wire explosion

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

Sheftman, D.; Krasik, Ya. E.

2011-09-15

Experimental and simulation results of underwater electrical Cu, Al, and W wire explosions in the microsecond timescale are presented. It was shown that the electrical conductivity results for Cu and Al agree well with modified Lee-More and quantum molecular dynamic models for temperatures above 10 kK. The equation of state (EOS) values based on SESAME tables for Cu and Al were slightly modified for intermediate temperatures in order to obtain fitting between experimental and simulated exploding wire radial expansion. Also, it was shown that the electrical conductivity results and the EOS evaluation differ significantly from the results obtained in nanosecondmore » timescale experiments. Finally, it was found that underwater electrical W wire explosion is characterized by the appearance of non-uniformities along the z-axis of the wire. This phenomena adds uncertainty to the possibility of applying this type of experiments for evaluation of the electrical conductivity and EOS of W.« less

Preparation of Highly Conductive Yarns by an Optimized Impregnation Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amba Sankar, K. N.; Mohanta, Kallol

2017-12-01

We report the development of the electrical conductivity in textile yarns through impregnation and post-treatment of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS). The conductive polymer is deposited on fibers, which fills the gap space within the hierarchical structure of the yarns. Organic nonpolar solvents act as reducing agent to increase the density of PEDOT moieties on the yarns, galvanizing increment in conductivity values. Post-treatment by ethylene glycol transforms the resonance configuration of the conductive moieties of conjugated polymer, which helps in further enhancement of electrical conductivity of the yarns. We have optimized the method in terms of loading and conformal change of the polymer to have a lesser resistance of the coated conductive yarns. The minimum resistance achieved has a value of 77 Ωcm-1. This technique of developing conductivity in conventional yarns enables retaining the flexibility of yarns and feeling of softness which would find suitable applications for wearable electronics.

Preparation of Highly Conductive Yarns by an Optimized Impregnation Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amba Sankar, K. N.; Mohanta, Kallol

2018-03-01

We report the development of the electrical conductivity in textile yarns through impregnation and post-treatment of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS). The conductive polymer is deposited on fibers, which fills the gap space within the hierarchical structure of the yarns. Organic nonpolar solvents act as reducing agent to increase the density of PEDOT moieties on the yarns, galvanizing increment in conductivity values. Post-treatment by ethylene glycol transforms the resonance configuration of the conductive moieties of conjugated polymer, which helps in further enhancement of electrical conductivity of the yarns. We have optimized the method in terms of loading and conformal change of the polymer to have a lesser resistance of the coated conductive yarns. The minimum resistance achieved has a value of 77 Ωcm-1. This technique of developing conductivity in conventional yarns enables retaining the flexibility of yarns and feeling of softness which would find suitable␣applications for wearable electronics.

Electrical and thermal conduction in atomic layer deposition nanobridges down to 7 nm thickness.

PubMed

Yoneoka, Shingo; Lee, Jaeho; Liger, Matthieu; Yama, Gary; Kodama, Takashi; Gunji, Marika; Provine, J; Howe, Roger T; Goodson, Kenneth E; Kenny, Thomas W

2012-02-08

While the literature is rich with data for the electrical behavior of nanotransistors based on semiconductor nanowires and carbon nanotubes, few data are available for ultrascaled metal interconnects that will be demanded by these devices. Atomic layer deposition (ALD), which uses a sequence of self-limiting surface reactions to achieve high-quality nanolayers, provides an unique opportunity to study the limits of electrical and thermal conduction in metal interconnects. This work measures and interprets the electrical and thermal conductivities of free-standing platinum films of thickness 7.3, 9.8, and 12.1 nm in the temperature range from 50 to 320 K. Conductivity data for the 7.3 nm bridge are reduced by 77.8% (electrical) and 66.3% (thermal) compared to bulk values due to electron scattering at material and grain boundaries. The measurement results indicate that the contribution of phonon conduction is significant in the total thermal conductivity of the ALD films. © 2012 American Chemical Society

Simulation Study to Improve Focalization of a Figure Eight Coil by Using a Conductive Shield Plate and a Ferromagnetic Block.

PubMed

Zhao, Chen; Zhang, Shunqi; Liu, Zhipeng; Yin, Tao

2015-07-01

A new method to improve the focalization and efficiency of the Figure of Eight (FOE) coil in rTMS is discussed in this paper. In order to decrease the half width of the distribution curve (HWDC), as well to increase the ratio of positive peak value to negative peak value (RPN) of the induced electric field, a shield plate with a window and a ferromagnetic block are assumed to enhance the positive peak value of the induced electrical field. The shield is made of highly conductive copper, and the block is made of highly permeable soft magnetic ferrite. A computer simulation is conducted on ANSYS® software to conduct the finite element analysis (FEA). Two comparing coefficients were set up to optimize the sizes of the shield window and the block. Simulation results show that a shield with a 60 mm × 30 mm sized window, together with a block 40 mm thick, can decrease the focal area of a FOE coil by 46.7%, while increasing the RPN by 135.9%. The block enhances the peak value of the electrical field induced by a shield-FOE by 8.4%. A real human head model was occupied in this paper to further verify our method.

Independent control of electrical and heat conduction by nanostructure designing for Si-based thermoelectric materials

PubMed Central

Yamasaka, Shuto; Watanabe, Kentaro; Sakane, Shunya; Takeuchi, Shotaro; Sakai, Akira; Sawano, Kentarou; Nakamura, Yoshiaki

2016-01-01

The high electrical and drastically-low thermal conductivities, a vital goal for high performance thermoelectric (TE) materials, are achieved in Si-based nanoarchitecture composed of Si channel layers and epitaxial Ge nanodots (NDs) with ultrahigh areal density (~1012 cm−2). In this nanoarchitecture, the ultrasmall NDs and Si channel layers play roles of phonon scattering sources and electrical conduction channels, respectively. Electron conductivity in n-type nanoacrhitecture shows high values comparable to those of epitaxial Si films despite the existence of epitaxial NDs. This is because Ge NDs mainly scattered not electrons but phonons selectively, which could be attributed to the small conduction band offset at the epitaxially-grown Si/Ge interface and high transmission probability through stacking faults. These results demonstrate an independent control of thermal and electrical conduction for phonon-glass electron-crystal TE materials by nanostructure designing and the energetic and structural interface control. PMID:26973092

Microwave absorption in powders of small conducting particles for heating applications.

PubMed

Porch, Adrian; Slocombe, Daniel; Edwards, Peter P

2013-02-28

In microwave chemistry there is a common misconception that small, highly conducting particles heat profusely when placed in a large microwave electric field. However, this is not the case; with the simple physical explanation that the electric field (which drives the heating) within a highly conducting particle is highly screened. Instead, it is the magnetic absorption associated with induction that accounts for the large experimental heating rates observed for small metal particles. We present simple principles for the effective heating of particles in microwave fields from calculations of electric and magnetic dipole absorptions for a range of practical values of particle size and conductivity. For highly conducting particles, magnetic absorption dominates electric absorption over a wide range of particle radii, with an optimum absorption set by the ratio of mean particle radius a to the skin depth δ (specifically, by the condition a = 2.41δ). This means that for particles of any conductivity, optimized magnetic absorption (and hence microwave heating by magnetic induction) can be achieved by simple selection of the mean particle size. For weakly conducting samples, electric dipole absorption dominates, and is maximized when the conductivity is approximately σ ≈ 3ωε(0) ≈ 0.4 S m(-1), independent of particle radius. Therefore, although electric dipole heating can be as effective as magnetic dipole heating for a powder sample of the same volume, it is harder to obtain optimized conditions at a fixed frequency of microwave field. The absorption of sub-micron particles is ineffective in both magnetic and electric fields. However, if the particles are magnetic, with a lossy part to their complex permeability, then magnetic dipole losses are dramatically enhanced compared to their values for non-magnetic particles. An interesting application of this is the use of very small magnetic particles for the selective microwave heating of biological samples.

Capacitor discharge process for welding braided cable

DOEpatents

Wilson, Rick D.

1995-01-01

A capacitor discharge process for welding a braided cable formed from a plurality of individual cable strands to a solid metallic electrically conductive member comprises the steps of: (a) preparing the electrically conductive member for welding by bevelling one of its end portions while leaving an ignition projection extending outwardly from the apex of the bevel; (b) clamping the electrically conductive member in a cathode fixture; (c) connecting the electrically conductive member clamped in the cathode fixture to a capacitor bank capable of being charged to a preselected voltage value; (d) preparing the braided cable for welding by wrapping one of its end portions with a metallic sheet to form a retaining ring operable to maintain the individual strands of the braided cable in fixed position within the retaining ring; (e) clamping the braided cable and the retaining ring as a unit in an anode fixture so that the wrapped end portion of the braided cable faces the ignition projection of the electrically conductive member; and (f) moving the cathode fixture towards the anode fixture until the ignition projection of the electrically conductive member contacts the end portion of the braided cable thereby allowing the capacitor bank to discharge through the electrically conductive member and through the braided cable and causing the electrically conductive member to be welded to the braided cable via capacitor discharge action.

Simplified Calculation of the Electrical Conductivity of Composites with Carbon Nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanov, S. G.; Aniskevich, A.; Kulakov, V.

2018-03-01

The electrical conductivity of two groups of polymer nanocomposites filled with the same NC7000 carbon nanotubes (CNTs) beyond the percolation threshold is described with the help of simple formulas. Different manufacturing process of the nanocomposites led to different CNT network structures, and, as a consequence, their electrical conductivity, at the same CNT volume, differed by two orders of magnitude. The relation between the electrical conductivity and the volume content of CNTs of the first group of composites (with a higher electrical conductivity) is described assuming that the CNT network structure is close to a statistically homogeneous one. The formula for this case, derived on the basis of a self-consistent model, includes only two parameters: the effective longitudinal electrical conductivity of CNT and the percolation threshold (the critical value of CNT volume content). These parameters were determined from two experimental points of electrical conductivity as a function of the volume fraction of CNTs. The second group of nanocomposites had a pronounced agglomerative structure, which was confirmed by microscopy data. To describe the low electrical conductivity of this group of nanocomposites, a formula based on known models of micromechanics is proposed. Two parameters of this formula were determined from experimental data of the first group, but the other two — of the second group of nanocomposites. A comparison of calculation and experimental relations confirmed the practical expediency of using the approach described.

The Characteristics of Electrical and Physical Properties of Peat Soil in Rasau Village, West Kalimantan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aminudin, A.; Hasanah, T. R.; Iryati, M.

2018-05-01

The Electrical and physical properties can be used as indicators for measuring soil conditions. One of the methods developed in agricultural systems to obtain information on soil conditions is through measuring of electrical conductivity. Peat soil is one of the natural resources that exist in Indonesia. This study aims to determine the characteristics of peat soil in Rasau village, West Kalimantan. This research was conducted by the properties of electrical conductivity and water content using 5TE Water Contents and EC Sensor equipment, but also to know the change of physical nature of peat soil covering peat soil and peat type. The results showed that the electrical conductivity value of 1-4 samples was 0.02 -0.29 dS/m and the volume water content value (VWC) was 0.255-0.548 m3/m3 and the physical characteristics obtained were peat colour brown to dark brown that allegedly the soil still has a very high content of organic material derived from weathering plants and there are discovery of wood chips, wood powder and leaf powder on the ground. Knowing the information is expected to identify the land needs to be developed to be considered for future peat soil utilization.

Electrical Switchability and Dry-Wash Durability of Conductive Textiles

PubMed Central

Wu, Bangting; Zhang, Bowu; Wu, Jingxia; Wang, Ziqiang; Ma, Hongjuan; Yu, Ming; Li, Linfan; Li, Jingye

2015-01-01

There is growing interest in the area of conductive textiles in the scientific and industrial community. Herein, we successfully prepared a conductive textile via covalently grafting polyaniline (PANI) onto cotton by a multi-step treatment process. The conductivity of the resultant fabric could be tuned by immersing in water having different pH values. The conductive and insulating properties of the textile could be conveniently switched by alternately immersing in acidic and alkaline bath solutions. Most importantly, the resultant conductive fabrics were able to withstand 40 simulated dry-wash cycles, with almost no decay in the electrical conductivity, indicating their excellent dry-wash durability. The present strategy for fabricating conductive fabrics with excellent switchability of electrical properties and dry-wash durability is expected to provide inspiration for the production of multifunctional conductive textiles for use in hash or sensitive conditions. PMID:26066704

A study of the influence of conductive paths and their directions in randomly generated conductor network.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandolesi, E.; Moorkamp, M.; Jones, A. G.

2014-12-01

Most electromagnetic (EM) geophysical methods focus on the electrical conductivity of rocks and sediments to determine the geological structure of the subsurface. Electric conductivity itself is measured in the laboratory with a wide range of instruments and techniques. These measurements seldom return a compatible result. The presence of partially-interconnected random pathways of electrically conductive materials in resistive hosts has been studied for decades, and recently with increasing interest. To comprehend which conductive mechanism scales from the microstructures up to field electrical conductivity measurements, two main branch of studies have been undertaken: statistical probability of having a conductive pathways and mixing laws. Several numerical approaches have been tested to understand the effects of interconnected pathways of conductors at field scale. Usually these studies were restricted in two ways: the sources are considered constant in time (i.e., DC) and the domain is, with few exception, two-dimensional. We simulated the effects of time-varying EM sources on the conductivity measured on the surface of a three-dimensional randomly generated body embedded in an uniform host by using electromagnetic induction equations. We modelled a two-phase mixture of resistive and conductive elements with the goal of comparing the conductivity measured on field scale with the one proper of the elements constituting the random rock, and to test how the internal structures influence the directionality of the responses. Moreover, we modelled data from randomly generated bodies characterized by coherent internal structures, to check the effect of the named structures on the anisotropy of the effective conductivity. We compared these values with the electrical conductivity limits predicted by Hashin-Shtrikman bounds and the effective conductivity predicted by the Archie's law, both cast in its classic form and in an updated that allow to take in account two materials. The same analysis was done for both the resistive and the conductive conductivity values for the anisotropic case.

A global time-dependent model of thunderstorm electricity. I - Mathematical properties of the physical and numerical models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Browning, G. L.; Tzur, I.; Roble, R. G.

1987-01-01

A time-dependent model is introduced that can be used to simulate the interaction of a thunderstorm with its global electrical environment. The model solves the continuity equation of the Maxwell current, which is assumed to be composed of the conduction, displacement, and source currents. Boundary conditions which can be used in conjunction with the continuity equation to form a well-posed initial-boundary value problem are determined. Properties of various components of solutions of the initial-boundary value problem are analytically determined. The results indicate that the problem has two time scales, one determined by the background electrical conductivity and the other by the time variation of the source function. A numerical method for obtaining quantitative results is introduced, and its properties are studied. Some simulation results on the evolution of the displacement and conduction currents during the electrification of a storm are presented.

Crystal growth and electrical properties of CuFeO 2 single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dordor, P.; Chaminade, J. P.; Wichainchai, A.; Marquestaut, E.; Doumerc, J. P.; Pouchard, M.; Hagenmuller, P.; Ammar, A.

1988-07-01

Delafossite-type CuFeO 2 single crystals have been prepared by a flux method: crystals obtained in a Cu crucible with LiBO 2 as flux are n-type whereas those prepared in a Pt crucible with a Cu 2O flux are p-type. Electrical measurements have revealed that n-type crystals exhibit weak anisotropic conductivities with large activation energies and small mobilities (r.t. values perpendicular and parallel to the c-axis: μ⊥ = 5 × 10 -5 and μ‖ = 10 -7 cm -2 V -1 sec -1). p-type crystals, less anisotropic, are characterized by low activation energies and higher mobilities ( μ⊥ = 34 and μ‖ = 8.9 cm 2 V -1 sec -1). A two -conduction-band model is proposed to account for the difference observed between the energy gap value deduced from photoelectrochemical measurements and the activation energy of the electrical conductivity in the intrinsic domain.

Salinity index determination of porous materials using open-ended probes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szypłowska, Agnieszka; Kafarski, Marcin; Wilczek, Andrzej; Lewandowski, Arkadiusz; Skierucha, Wojciech

2017-01-01

The relations among soil water content, bulk electrical conductivity and electrical conductivity of soil solution can be described by a number of theoretical and empirical models. The aim of the paper is to examine the performance of open-ended coaxial probes with and without a short antenna in determination of complex dielectric permittivity spectra, moisture and salinity of porous materials using the salinity index approach. Glass beads of 0.26 and 1.24 mm average diameters moistened to various water contents with distilled water and KCl solutions were used to model the soil material. Due to the larger sensitivity zone, only the probe with the antenna enabled determination of bulk electrical conductivity and salinity index of the samples. The relations between bulk electrical conductivity and dielectric permittivity of the samples were highly linear, which was consistent with the salinity index model. The slope of the relation between salinity index and electrical conductivity of moistening solutions closely matched the value for 100 % sand presented in literature.

Hydroxyapatite Nanowire-Based All-Weather Flexible Electrically Conductive Paper with Superhydrophobic and Flame-Retardant Properties.

PubMed

Chen, Fei-Fei; Zhu, Ying-Jie; Xiong, Zhi-Chao; Dong, Li-Ying; Chen, Feng; Lu, Bing-Qiang; Yang, Ri-Long

2017-11-15

How to survive under various harsh working conditions is a key challenge for flexible electronic devices because their performances are always susceptible to environments. Herein, we demonstrate the novel design and fabrication of a new kind of the all-weather flexible electrically conductive paper based on ultralong hydroxyapatite nanowires (HNs) with unique combination of the superhydrophobic surface, electrothermal effect, and flame retardancy. The superhydrophobic surface with water repellency stabilizes the electrically conductive performance of the paper in water. For example, the electrical current through the superhydrophobic paper onto which water droplets are deposited shows a little change (0.38%), and the electrical performance is steady as well even when the paper is immersed in water for 120 s (just 3.65% change). In addition, the intrinsic electrothermal effect of the electrically conductive paper can efficiently heat the paper to reach a high temperature, for example, 224.25 °C, within 10 s. The synergistic effect between the electrothermal effect and superhydrophobic surface accelerates the melting and removal of ice on the heated electrically conductive paper. Deicing efficiency of the heated superhydrophobic electrically conductive paper is ∼4.5 times that of the unheated superhydrophobic electrically conductive paper and ∼10.4 times that of the heated superhydrophilic paper. More importantly, benefiting from fire-resistant ultralong HNs, thermally stable Ketjen black, and Si-O backbone of poly(dimethylsiloxane), we demonstrate the stable and continuous service of the as-prepared electrically conductive paper in the flame for as long as 7 min. The electrical performance of the electrically conductive paper after flame treatment can maintain as high as 90.60% of the original value. The rational design of the electrically conductive paper with suitable building materials and structure demonstrated here will give an inspiration for the development of new kinds of all-weather flexible electronic devices that can work under harsh conditions.

Effect of annealing temperatures on the electrical conductivity and dielectric properties of Ni1.5Fe1.5O4 spinel ferrite prepared by chemical reaction at different pH values

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aneesh Kumar, K. S.; Bhowmik, R. N.

2017-12-01

The electrical conductivity and dielectric properties of Ni1.5Fe1.5O4 ferrite has been controlled by varying the annealing temperature of the chemical routed samples. The frequency activated conductivity obeyed Jonscher’s power law and universal scaling suggested semiconductor nature. An unusual metal like state has been revealed in the measurement temperature scale in between two semiconductor states with different activation energy. The metal like state has been affected by thermal annealing of the material. The analysis of electrical impedance and modulus spectra has confirmed non-Debye dielectric relaxation with contributions from grains and grain boundaries. The dielectric relaxation process is thermally activated in terms of measurement temperature and annealing temperature of the samples. The hole hopping process, due to presence of Ni3+ ions in the present Ni rich ferrite, played a significant role in determining the thermal activated conduction mechanism. This work has successfully applied the technique of a combined variation of annealing temperature and pH value during chemical reaction for tuning electrical parameters in a wide range; for example dc limit of conductivity ~10-4-10-12 S cm-1, and unusually high activation energy ~0.17-1.36 eV.

Anisotropy of electrical conductivity in dc due to intrinsic defect formation in α-Al2O3 single crystal implanted with Mg ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tardío, M.; Egaña, A.; Ramírez, R.; Muñoz-Santiuste, J. E.; Alves, E.

2016-07-01

The electrical conductivity in α-Al2O3 single crystals implanted with Mg ions in two different crystalline orientations, parallel and perpendicular to c axis, was investigated. The samples were implanted at room temperature with energies of 50 and 100 keV and fluences of 1 × 1015, 5 × 1015 and 5 × 1016 ions/cm2. Optical characterization reveals slight differences in the absorption bands at 6.0 and 4.2 eV, attributed to F type centers and Mie scattering from Mg precipitates, respectively. DC electrical measurements using the four and two-point probe methods, between 295 and 490 K, were used to characterize the electrical conductivity of the implanted area (Meshakim and Tanabe, 2001). Measurements in this temperature range indicate that: (1) the electrical conductivity is thermally activated independently of crystallographic orientation, (2) resistance values in the implanted region decrease with fluence levels, and (3) the I-V characteristic of electrical contacts in samples with perpendicular c axis orientation is clearly ohmic, whereas contacts are blocking in samples with parallel c axis. When thin layers are sequentially removed from the implanted region by immersing the sample in a hot solution of nitric and fluorhydric acids the electrical resistance increases until reaching the values of non-implanted crystal (Jheeta et al., 2006). We conclude that the enhancement in conductivity observed in the implanted regions is related to the intrinsic defects created by the implantation rather than to the implanted Mg ions (da Silva et al., 2002; Tardío et al., 2001; Tardío et al., 2008).

Electromechanical response of silk fibroin hydrogel and conductive polycarbazole/silk fibroin hydrogel composites as actuator material.

PubMed

Srisawasdi, Thanida; Petcharoen, Karat; Sirivat, Anuvat; Jamieson, Alexander M

2015-11-01

Pure silk fibroin (SF) hydrogel and polycarbazole/silk fibroin (SF/PCZ) hydrogels were fabricated by solvent casting technique to evaluate electromechanical responses, dielectric properties, and cantilever deflection properties as functions of electric field strength, SF concentration, glutaraldehyde concentration, and PCZ concentration in the blends. Electromechanical properties were characterized in oscillatory shear mode at electric field strengths ranging from 0 to 600V/mm and at a temperature of 27°C. For both the pristine SF and SF/PCZ hydrogels, the storage modulus response (ΔG') and the storage modulus sensitivity (ΔG'/G'0) increased dramatically with increasing electric field strength. The pristine hydrogel possessed the highest storage modulus sensitivity value of 5.87, a relatively high value when compared with other previously studied electroactive polymers. With the addition of conductive PCZ in SF hydrogel, the storage modulus sensitivity and the relative dielectric constant decreased; the conductive polymer thus provided the softening effect under electric field. In the deflection response, the dielectrophoresis force and deflection distance increased monotonically with electric field strength, where the pure SF hydrogel showed the highest deflection distance and dielectrophoresis force. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Imaging biological tissues with electrical conductivity contrast below 1 S m−1 by means of magnetoacoustic tomography with magnetic induction

PubMed Central

Hu, Gang; Li, Xu; He, Bin

2010-01-01

Magnetoacoustic tomography with magnetic induction (MAT-MI) is a recently introduced imaging modality for noninvasive electrical impedance imaging, with ultrasound imaging resolution and a contrast reflecting the electrical conductivity properties of tissues. However, previous MAT-MI systems can only image samples that are much more conductive than real human or animal tissues. To image real biological tissue samples, a large-current-carrying coil that can give stronger magnetic stimulations and stronger MAT-MI acoustic signals is employed in this study. The conductivity values of all the tissue samples employed in this study are also directly measured using a well calibrated four-electrode system. The experimental results demonstrated the feasibility to image biological tissues with electrical conductivity contrast below 1.0 S∕m using the MAT-MI technique with safe level of electromagnetic energy applied to tissue samples. PMID:20938494

Imaging biological tissues with electrical conductivity contrast below 1 S m-1 by means of magnetoacoustic tomography with magnetic induction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Gang; Li, Xu; He, Bin

2010-09-01

Magnetoacoustic tomography with magnetic induction (MAT-MI) is a recently introduced imaging modality for noninvasive electrical impedance imaging, with ultrasound imaging resolution and a contrast reflecting the electrical conductivity properties of tissues. However, previous MAT-MI systems can only image samples that are much more conductive than real human or animal tissues. To image real biological tissue samples, a large-current-carrying coil that can give stronger magnetic stimulations and stronger MAT-MI acoustic signals is employed in this study. The conductivity values of all the tissue samples employed in this study are also directly measured using a well calibrated four-electrode system. The experimental results demonstrated the feasibility to image biological tissues with electrical conductivity contrast below 1.0 S/m using the MAT-MI technique with safe level of electromagnetic energy applied to tissue samples.

Effects of sintering temperature on electrical properties of sheep enamel hydroxyapatite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dumludag, F.; Gunduz, O.; Kılıc, O.; Kılıc, B.; Ekren, N.; Kalkandelen, C.; Oktar, F. N.

2017-12-01

Bioceramics, especially calcium phosphate based bioceramics, whose examples are hydroxyapatite, and calcium phosphate powders have been widely used in the biomedical engineering applications. Hydroxyapatite (HA) is one of the most promising biomaterials, which are derived from natural sources, chemical method, animal like dental enamel and corals. The influence of sintering temperature on the electrical properties (i.e. DC conductivity, AC conductivity) of samples of sintered sheep enamel (SSSE) was studied in air and in vacuum ambient at room temperature. The sheep enamel were sintered at varying temperatures between 1000°C and 1300°C. DC conductivity results revealed that while dc conductivity of the SSSE decreases with increasing the sintering temperature in air ambient the values increased with increasing the sintering temperature in vacuum ambient. AC conductivity measurements were performed in the frequency range of 40 Hz - 105 Hz. The results showed that ac conductivity values decrease with increasing the sintering temperature.

Alternating-current conductivity and dielectric relaxation of bulk iodoargentate

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

Duan, Hai-Bao, E-mail: duanhaibao4660@163.com; Yu, Shan-Shan; Zhou, Hong

Graphical abstract: The electric modulus shows single dielectric relaxation process in the measured frequency range. - Highlights: • The conduction mechanism is described by quantum mechanical tunneling model. • The applications of dielectric modulus give a simple method for evaluating the activation energy of the dielectric relaxation. • The [Ag{sub 2}I{sub 4}]{sup 2−}1-D chain and [Cu(en){sub 2}]{sup 2+} cation column form the layered stacks by hydrogen bond interactions. - Abstract: An inorganic-organic hybrid compound Cu(en){sub 2}Ag{sub 2}I{sub 4} (en = ethylenediamine) (1) was synthesized and single crystal structurally characterized. Along the [001] direction, the inorganic parts form an infinite 1-Dmore » chain and [Cu(en){sub 2}]{sup 2+} cations are separated by inorganic chain. The electrical conductivity and dielectric properties of 1 have been investigated over wide ranges of frequency. The alternating-current conductivities have been fitted to the Almond–West type power law expression with use of a single value of S. It is found that S values for 1 are nearly temperature-independent, which indicates that the conduction mechanism could be quantum mechanical tunneling (QMT) model. The dielectric loss and electric modulus show single dielectric relaxation process. The activation energy obtained from temperature-dependent electric modulus compare with the calculated from the dc conductivity plots.« less

Novel polymer composite having diamond particles and boron nitride platelets for thermal management of electric vehicle motors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakajima, Anri; Shoji, Atsushi; Yonemori, Kei; Seo, Nobuhide

2016-02-01

Thermal conductivities of silicone matrix polymers including fillers of diamond particles and/or hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) platelets were systematically investigated in an attempt to find a thermal interface material (TIM) having high isotropic thermal conductivity and high electrical insulating ability to enable efficient heat dissipation from the motor coil ends of electric vehicles. The TIM with mixed fillers of diamond particles and h-BN platelets had a maximum thermal conductivity of 6.1 W m-1 K-1 that was almost isotropic. This is the highest value among the thermal conductivities of TIMs with silicone matrix polymer reported to date. The mechanism behind the thermal conductivity of the TIMs was also examined from the viewpoint of the change in the number of thermally conductive networks and/or a decrease in the thermal resistivity of junctions of neighboring diamond particles through the incorporation of h-BN platelets. The TIMs developed in this study will make it possible to manage the heat of electric motors and will help to popularize electric vehicles.

Estimates of olivine-basaltic melt electrical conductivity using a digital rock physics approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Kevin J.; Montési, Laurent G. J.; Zhu, Wen-lu

2015-12-01

Estimates of melt content beneath fast-spreading mid-ocean ridges inferred from magnetotelluric tomography (MT) vary between 0.01 and 0.10. Much of this variation may stem from a lack of understanding of how the grain-scale melt geometry influences the bulk electrical conductivity of a partially molten rock, especially at low melt fraction. We compute bulk electrical conductivity of olivine-basalt aggregates over 0.02 to 0.20 melt fraction by simulating electric current in experimentally obtained partially molten geometries. Olivine-basalt aggregates were synthesized by hot-pressing San Carlos olivine and high-alumina basalt in a solid-medium piston-cylinder apparatus. Run conditions for experimental charges were 1.5 GPa and 1350 °C. Upon completion, charges were quenched and cored. Samples were imaged using synchrotron X-ray micro-computed tomography (μ-CT). The resulting high-resolution, 3-dimensional (3-D) image of the melt distribution constitutes a digital rock sample, on which numerical simulations were conducted to estimate material properties. To compute bulk electrical conductivity, we simulated a direct current measurement by solving the current continuity equation, assuming electrical conductivities for olivine and melt. An application of Ohm's Law yields the bulk electrical conductivity of the partially molten region. The bulk electrical conductivity values for nominally dry materials follow a power-law relationship σbulk = Cσmeltϕm with fit parameters m = 1.3 ± 0.3 and C = 0.66 ± 0.06. Laminar fluid flow simulations were conducted on the same partially molten geometries to obtain permeability, and the respective pathways for electrical current and fluid flow over the same melt geometry were compared. Our results indicate that the pathways for flow fluid are different from those for electric current. Electrical tortuosity is lower than fluid flow tortuosity. The simulation results are compared to existing experimental data, and the potential influence of volatiles and melt films on electrical conductivity of partially molten rocks is discussed.

Spin- and valley-dependent electrical conductivity of ferromagnetic group-IV 2D sheets in the topological insulator phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoi, Bui Dinh; Yarmohammadi, Mohsen; Mirabbaszadeh, Kavoos; Habibiyan, Hamidreza

2018-03-01

In this work, based on the Kubo-Greenwood formalism and the k . p Hamiltonian model, the impact of Rashba spin-orbit coupling on electronic band structure and electrical conductivity of spin-up and spin-down subbands in counterparts of graphene, including silicene, stanene, and germanene nanosheets has been studied. When Rashba coupling is considered, the effective mass of Dirac fermions decreases significantly and no significant change is caused by this coupling for the subband gaps. All these nanosheets are found to be in topological insulator quantum phase at low staggered on-site potentials due to the applied perpendicular external electric field. We point out that the electrical conductivity of germanene increases gradually with Rashab coupling, while silicene and stanene have some fluctuations due to their smaller Fermi velocity. Furthermore, some critical temperatures with the same electrical conductivity values for jumping to the higher energy levels are observed at various Rashba coupling strengths. For all structures, a broad peak appears at low temperatures in electrical conductivity curves corresponding to the large entropy of systems when the thermal energy reaches to the difference between the energy states. Finally, we have reported that silicene has the larger has the larger electrical conductivity than two others.

Nutrient Estimation Using Subsurface Sensing Methods

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This report investigates the use of precision management techniques for measuring soil conductivity on feedlot surfaces to estimate nutrient value for crop production. An electromagnetic induction soil conductivity meter was used to collect apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa) from feedlot p...

Soil salinisation and irrigation management of date palms in a Saharan environment.

PubMed

Haj-Amor, Zied; Ibrahimi, Mohamed-Khaled; Feki, Nissma; Lhomme, Jean-Paul; Bouri, Salem

2016-08-01

The continuance of agricultural production in regions of the world with chronic water shortages depends upon understanding how soil salinity is impacted by irrigation practises such as water salinity, irrigation frequency and amount of irrigation. A two-year field study was conducted in a Saharan oasis of Tunisia (Lazala Oasis) to determine how the soil electrical conductivity was affected by irrigation of date palms with high saline water. The study area lacked a saline shallow water table. Field results indicate that, under current irrigation practises, soil electrical conductivity can build up to levels which exceed the salt tolerance of date palm trees. The effects of irrigation practises on the soil electrical conductivity were also evaluated using model simulations (HYDRUS-1D) of various irrigation regimes with different frequencies, different amounts of added water and different water salinities. The comparison between the simulated and observed results demonstrated that the model gave an acceptable estimation of water and salt dynamics in the soil profile, as indicated by the small values of root mean square error (RMSE) and the high values of the Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiency coefficient (NSE). The simulations demonstrated that, under field conditions without saline shallow groundwater, saline irrigation water can be used to maintain soil electrical conductivity and soil water content at safe levels (soil electrical conductivity <4 dS m(-1) and soil water content >0.04 cm(3) cm(-3)) if frequent irrigations with small amounts of water (90 % of the evapotranspiration requirements) were applied throughout the year.

Saline tracer visualized with three-dimensional electrical resistivity tomography: Field-scale spatial moment analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Singha, Kamini; Gorelick, Steven M.

2005-01-01

Cross-well electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) was used to monitor the migration of a saline tracer in a two-well pumping-injection experiment conducted at the Massachusetts Military Reservation in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. After injecting 2200 mg/L of sodium chloride for 9 hours, ERT data sets were collected from four wells every 6 hours for 20 days. More than 180,000 resistance measurements were collected during the tracer test. Each ERT data set was inverted to produce a sequence of 3-D snapshot maps that track the plume. In addition to the ERT experiment a pumping test and an infiltration test were conducted to estimate horizontal and vertical hydraulic conductivity values. Using modified moment analysis of the electrical conductivity tomograms, the mass, center of mass, and spatial variance of the imaged tracer plume were estimated. Although the tomograms provide valuable insights into field-scale tracer migration behavior and aquifer heterogeneity, standard tomographic inversion and application of Archie's law to convert electrical conductivities to solute concentration results in underestimation of tracer mass. Such underestimation is attributed to (1) reduced measurement sensitivity to electrical conductivity values with distance from the electrodes and (2) spatial smoothing (regularization) from tomographic inversion. The center of mass estimated from the ERT inversions coincided with that given by migration of the tracer plume using 3-D advective-dispersion simulation. The 3-D plumes seen using ERT exhibit greater apparent dispersion than the simulated plumes and greater temporal spreading than observed in field data of concentration breakthrough at the pumping well.

Accuracy testing of electric groundwater-level measurement tapes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jelinski, Jim; Clayton, Christopher S.; Fulford, Janice M.

2015-01-01

The accuracy tests demonstrated that none of the electric-tape models tested consistently met the suggested USGS accuracy of ±0.01 ft. The test data show that the tape models in the study should give a water-level measurement that is accurate to roughly ±0.05 ft per 100 ft without additional calibration. To meet USGS accuracy guidelines, the electric-tape models tested will need to be individually calibrated. Specific conductance also plays a part in tape accuracy. The probes will not work in water with specific conductance values near zero, and the accuracy of one probe was unreliable in very high conductivity water (10,000 microsiemens per centimeter).

Influence Of The Redox State On The Electrical Conductivity Of Basaltic Melts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pommier, A.; Gaillard, F.; Pichavant, M.

2007-12-01

The electrical conductivity is an efficient probe of mass transfer processes within silicate melts and magmas. Previous studies have established that the electrical conductivity is sensitive to parameters such as temperature, melt composition and pressure. In contrast to what is known for Fe-bearing minerals, little attention has been given to the influence of redox state on the electrical conductivity of melts. Experiments were performed on tephritic and basaltic compositions respectively from Mt. Vesuvius and Pu'u 'O'o. Measurements were carried out on cylindrical glass samples (OD: 6 mm, ID: 1 mm, L: 8 mm) drilled from glass obtained by fusing each rock sample at 1400°C in air. A two-electrode configuration was adopted, with the electrical impedance being radially measured. A Pt wire was used as the internal electrode whereas a Pt tube served as the external electrode. Experiments were conducted at 1 atm in a vertical furnace between 1200°C and 1300°C, both in air and in a CO-CO2 atmosphere at a fO2 corresponding to NNO+1. Both reduction and oxidation experiments were performed. In reduction experiments (pure CO2 then CO-CO2 gas mixture), electrical conductivities progressively increase with time. The reverse is observed in oxidation experiments (CO-CO2 gas mixture then pure CO2). These variations of electrical conductivities are correlated with modifications of the Fe2+/Fe3+ ratio in the melt, and are consistent with the respective structural roles of Fe2+ and Fe3+. In both types of experiments, a minimum of about 400 mn is necessary before a plateau is reached, interpreted to reflect the kinetics of attainment of the equilibrium Fe2+/Fe3+ ratio in the melt. Differences between plateau and initial values are typically of a few ohms, much higher than the sensitivity of our measurements (better than 0.1 ohm). When increasing temperature, the time required for reaching plateau values decreases. At NNO+1, the electrical activation energy (Ea) was determined for both compositions: Ea=137 kJ/mol (tephrite) and 73 kJ/mol (basalt). Further experiments are necessary to quantify the influence of redox state on electrical conductivity, especially at fO2 below NNO+1.

Simultaneously Enhancing the Cohesion and Electrical Conductivity of PEDOT:PSS Conductive Polymer Films using DMSO Additives.

PubMed

Lee, Inhwa; Kim, Gun Woo; Yang, Minyang; Kim, Taek-Soo

2016-01-13

Conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) ( PSS) has attracted significant attention as a hole transport and electrode layer that substitutes metal electrodes in flexible organic devices. However, its weak cohesion critically limits the reliable integration of PSS in flexible electronics, which highlights the importance of further investigation of the cohesion of PSS. Furthermore, the electrical conductivity of PSS is insufficient for high current-carrying devices such as organic photovoltaics (OPVs) and organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). In this study, we improve the cohesion and electrical conductivity through adding dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and we demonstrate the significant changes in the properties that are dependent on the wt % of DMSO. In particular, with the addition of 3 wt % DMSO, the maximum enhancements for cohesion and electrical conductivity are observed where the values increase by 470% and 6050%, respectively, due to the inter-PEDOT bridging mechanism. Furthermore, when OLED devices using the PSS films are fabricated using the 3 wt % DMSO, the display exhibits 18% increased current efficiency.

Subsurface imaging of water electrical conductivity, hydraulic permeability and lithology at contaminated sites by induced polarization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maurya, P. K.; Balbarini, N.; Møller, I.; Rønde, V.; Christiansen, A. V.; Bjerg, P. L.; Auken, E.; Fiandaca, G.

2018-05-01

At contaminated sites, knowledge about geology and hydraulic properties of the subsurface and extent of the contamination is needed for assessing the risk and for designing potential site remediation. In this study, we have developed a new approach for characterizing contaminated sites through time-domain spectral induced polarization. The new approach is based on: (1) spectral inversion of the induced polarization data through a reparametrization of the Cole-Cole model, which disentangles the electrolytic bulk conductivity from the surface conductivity for delineating the contamination plume; (2) estimation of hydraulic permeability directly from the inverted parameters using a laboratory-derived empirical equation without any calibration; (3) the use of the geophysical imaging results for supporting the geological modelling and planning of drilling campaigns. The new approach was tested on a data set from the Grindsted stream (Denmark), where contaminated groundwater from a factory site discharges to the stream. Two overlapping areas were covered with seven parallel 2-D profiles each, one large area of 410 m × 90 m (5 m electrode spacing) and one detailed area of 126 m × 42 m (2 m electrode spacing). The geophysical results were complemented and validated by an extensive set of hydrologic and geologic information, including 94 estimates of hydraulic permeability obtained from slug tests and grain size analyses, 89 measurements of water electrical conductivity in groundwater, and four geological logs. On average the IP-derived and measured permeability values agreed within one order of magnitude, except for those close to boundaries between lithological layers (e.g. between sand and clay), where mismatches occurred due to the lack of vertical resolution in the geophysical imaging. An average formation factor was estimated from the correlation between the imaged bulk conductivity values and the water conductivity values measured in groundwater, in order to convert the imaging results from bulk conductivity to water conductivity. The geophysical models were actively used for supporting the geological modelling and the imaging of hydraulic permeability and water conductivity allowed for a better discrimination of the clay/lignite lithology from the pore water conductivity. Furthermore, high water electrical conductivity values were found in a deep confined aquifer, which is separated by a low-permeability clay layer from a shallow aquifer. No contamination was expected in this part of the confined aquifer, and confirmation wells were drilled in the zone of increased water electrical conductivity derived from the geophysical results. Water samples from the new wells showed elevated concentrations of inorganic compounds responsible for the increased water electrical conductivity in the confined aquifer and high concentrations of xenobiotic organic contaminants such as chlorinated ethenes, sulfonamides and barbiturates.

Characterization of riverbed sediments hydraulic conductivity using slug tests and electrical resistivity tomography and induced polarization tomogrpahy.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, F.; Benoit, S.; Gommers, K.; Ghysels, G.; Hermans, T.; Huysmans, M.

2017-12-01

Hydraulic conductivity of river sediments ranges from values smaller than 10-9 m/s to values higher than 10-2 m/s, with a dominance in values between 10-7 m/s and 10-3 m/s. Both horizontal hydraulic conductivity and vertical hydraulic conductivity show spatial variation in a riverbed. The spatial variation in hydraulic conductivity is due to the influence of the sedimentary and geomorphological environment as well as the method of determination, including scale, size and imprecision of the applied method. The characterization of the spatial variability of hydraulic conductivity in riverbeds is important because of its effect on the interaction between river and groundwater. These river - groundwater interactions influence water resource management, water quality and functioning of the riparian ecosystem. It is necessary in the simulation of 3D flow between river and aquifer near the interface and thus, it also determines contaminant transport and biogeochemical modelling in this riparian or hyporheic zone. Different processes occur in this specific zone such as transport, degradation, transformation, precipitation and sorption of substances, all dependent on hydraulic conductivity. Several methods exist to determine the hydraulic conductivity in river beds, both direct and indirect methods, from field to laboratory experiments or numerical modelling, but the uncertainty on obtained K values is often large because of the large variability of K. In the recent years, research has been performed on the usefulness of geophysical methods on rivers, in particular Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and Induced Polarization (IP). The implementation of ERT and IP in rivers provides a continuous image of the resistivity and chargeability of the subsurface, respectively, and can be used in several applications as proxies for hydraulic conductivity. This work reports and investigate a correlation between hydraulic conductivity measured by slug tests at an experimental site, and electrical resistivity, chargeability and normalized chargeability for riverbeds sediments.

Influence of microstructure and surface topography on the electrical conductivity of Cu and Ag thin films obtained by magnetron sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polonyankin, D. A.; Blesman, A. I.; Postnikov, D. V.

2017-05-01

Conductive thin films formation by copper and silver magnetron sputtering is one of high technological areas for industrial production of solar energy converters, energy-saving coatings, flat panel displays and touch control panels because of their high electrical and optical properties. Surface roughness and porosity, average grain size, internal stresses, orientation and crystal lattice type, the crystallinity degree are the main physical properties of metal films affecting their electrical resistivity and conductivity. Depending on the film thickness, the dominant conduction mechanism can affect bulk conductivity due to the flow of electron gas, and grain boundary conductivity. The present investigation assesses the effect of microstructure and surface topography on the electrical conductivity of magnetron sputtered Cu and Ag thin films using X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron and laser interference microscopy. The highest specific conductivity (78.3 MS m-1 and 84.2 MS m-1, respectively, for copper and silver films at the thickness of 350 nm) were obtained with the minimum values of roughness and grain size as well as a high degree of lattice structuredness.

Calibration of a modified temperature-light intensity logger for quantifying water electrical conductivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillman, M. A.; Lamoureux, S. F.; Lafrenière, M. J.

2017-09-01

The Stream Temperature, Intermittency, and Conductivity (STIC) electrical conductivity (EC) logger as presented by Chapin et al. (2014) serves as an inexpensive (˜50 USD) means to assess relative EC in freshwater environments. This communication demonstrates the calibration of the STIC logger for quantifying EC, and provides examples from a month long field deployment in the High Arctic. Calibration models followed multiple nonlinear regression and produced calibration curves with high coefficient of determination values (R2 = 0.995 - 0.998; n = 5). Percent error of mean predicted specific conductance at 25°C (SpC) to known SpC ranged in magnitude from -0.6% to 13% (mean = -1.4%), and mean absolute percent error (MAPE) ranged from 2.1% to 13% (mean = 5.3%). Across all tested loggers we found good accuracy and precision, with both error metrics increasing with increasing SpC values. During 10, month-long field deployments, there were no logger failures and full data recovery was achieved. Point SpC measurements at the location of STIC loggers recorded via a more expensive commercial electrical conductivity logger followed similar trends to STIC SpC records, with 1:1.05 and 1:1.08 relationships between the STIC and commercial logger SpC values. These results demonstrate that STIC loggers calibrated to quantify EC are an economical means to increase the spatiotemporal resolution of water quality investigations.

Effects of anhydrous AlCl3 dopant on the structural, optical and electrical properties of PVA-PVP polymer composite films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shanmugam, G.; Krishnakumar, V.

2018-05-01

Polymer composite films based on PVA-PVP with AlCl3 as the dopant at different concentrations were prepared using solution casting technique. XRD patterns reveal the increase in amorphousity of the films with AlCl3 doping. Optical absorption studies exhibit that the values of optical absorption coefficient, direct and indirect optical band gaps are found to decrease with increase in AlCl3 concentration. It confirms the charge transfer in complexes between the polymer and the dopant. The dielectric studies show the increase in dielectric constant at low frequency with increasing AlCl3 concentration and temperature. The ac conductivity and ionic conductivity increase with the AlCl3 content and the maximum value at room temperature is found to be 6.89 × 10-4 and 8.05 × 10-5 S/cm for higher AlCl3 doped PVA-PVP film. The estimated ionic conductivity value is three or four orders of magnitude greater than those obtained in the certain representative polymer-salt complexes as reported earlier. Electrical modulus plots confirm the removal of electrode polarization and the low conductivity relaxation time with Al doping. The activation energy estimated from the temperature dependent dc conductivity plot is agreed well with the migration energy calculated from the temperature dependent electric modulus plot.

Effects of fluctuations on electrical properties of gap-junction connected cells in the turtle retina.

PubMed

Louis, E; Degli Esposti Boschi, C; Ortega, G; Andreu, E; Fernández, E; Sánchez-Andrés, J V

2002-04-19

Electrical properties of gap-junction connected cells (input voltage and length constant) are shown to depend strongly on fluctuations in membrane and contact conductances. This opens new possibilities and incorporates a further difficulty to the analysis of electrophysiological data, since four, instead of two, parameters (the average values and the magnitude of fluctuations of the two conductances) have to be used in fitting the experimental data. The discussion is illustrated by investigating the effects of dopamine on signal spreading in horizontal cells of turtle retina, assuming a linear cell arrangement. It is shown that while a standard fitting with the average values of the two conductances leads to the conclusion that both are equally affected by dopamine, including fluctuations allows fitting the data by varying just the average contact conductance plus the magnitude of fluctuations.

Conductometry of electrolyte solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safonova, Lyubov P.; Kolker, Arkadii M.

1992-09-01

A review is given of the theories of the electrical conductance of electrolyte solutions of different ionic strengths and concentrations, and of the models of ion association. An analysis is made of the methods for mathematical processing of experimental conductometric data. An account is provided of various theories describing the dependence of the limiting value of the ionic electrical conductance on the properties of the solute and solvent. The bibliography includes 115 references.

Temperature Coefficients of Electrical Conductivity and Conduction Mechanisms in Butyl Rubber-Carbon Black Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alzamil, M. A.; Alfaramawi, K.; Abboudy, S.; Abulnasr, L.

2018-02-01

Electrical properties of butyl rubber filled with General Purpose Furnace (GPF) carbon black were studied. The carbon black concentration ( X) in the compound was X = 40, 60, 70, 80, and 100 parts by weight per hundred parts by weight of rubber (phr). The corresponding volume fractions of GPF carbon black were 0.447 ± 0.022, 0.548 ± 0.027, 0.586 ± 0.029, 0.618 ± 0.031 and 0.669 ± 0.034, respectively. The concentration dependence of conductivity ( σ ) at constant temperature showed that σ follows a percolation theory; σ ∝ ( {X - Xo } )^{γ } , where X o is the concentration at percolation threshold. The exponent γ was found as 6.6 (at room temperature 30°C). This value agrees with other experimental values obtained by many authors for different rubber-carbon black systems. Electron tunneling between the aggregates, which are dispersed in the insulator rubber, was mainly the conduction process proposed at constant temperature in the butyl-GPF carbon black composites. Temperature dependence of conductivity was investigated in the temperature range from 30°C up to 120°C. All samples exhibit negative temperature coefficients of conductivity (NTCC). The values obtained are - 0.130°C-1, - 0.019°C-1, - 0.0082°C-1, - 0.0094°C-1, and - 0.072°C-1 for carbon black concentrations of 40 phr, 60 phr, 70 phr, 80 phr, and 100 phr, respectively. The samples of concentrations 40 phr and 60 phr have also positive temperature coefficients of conductivity (PTCC) of values + 0.031 and + 0.013, respectively. Electrical conduction at different temperatures showed various mechanisms depending on the carbon black concentration and/or the interval of temperature. The hopping conduction mechanism was noticed at the lower temperature region while carrier thermal activation mechanisms were recorded at the higher temperature range.

Laboratory-based electrical conductivity at Martian mantle conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verhoeven, Olivier; Vacher, Pierre

2016-12-01

Information on temperature and composition of planetary mantles can be obtained from electrical conductivity profiles derived from induced magnetic field analysis. This requires a modeling of the conductivity for each mineral phase at conditions relevant to planetary interiors. Interpretation of iron-rich Martian mantle conductivity profile therefore requires a careful modeling of the conductivity of iron-bearing minerals. In this paper, we show that conduction mechanism called small polaron is the dominant conduction mechanism at temperature, water and iron content conditions relevant to Mars mantle. We then review the different measurements performed on mineral phases with various iron content. We show that, for all measurements of mineral conductivity reported so far, the effect of iron content on the activation energy governing the exponential decrease in the Arrhenius law can be modeled as the cubic square root of the iron content. We recast all laboratory results on a common generalized Arrhenius law for iron-bearing minerals, anchored on Earth's mantle values. We then use this modeling to compute a new synthetic profile of Martian mantle electrical conductivity. This new profile matches perfectly, in the depth range [100,1000] km, the electrical conductivity profile recently derived from the study of Mars Global Surveyor magnetic field measurements.

Response of larval sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus) to pulsed DC electrical stimuli in laboratory experiments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bowen, Anjanette K.; Weisser, John W.; Bergstedt, Roger A.; Famoye, Felix

2003-01-01

Four electrical factors that are used in pulsed DC electrofishing for larval sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus) were evaluated in two laboratory studies to determine the optimal values to induce larval emergence over a range of water temperatures and conductivities. Burrowed larvae were exposed to combinations of pulsed DC electrical factors including five pulse frequencies, three pulse patterns, and two levels of duty cycle over a range of seven voltage gradients in two separate studies conducted at water temperatures of 10, 15, and 20°C and water conductivities of 25, 200, and 900 μS/cm. A four-way analysis of variance was used to determine significant (α = 0.05) influences of each electrical factor on larval emergence. Multiple comparison tests with Bonferroni adjustments were used to determine which values of each factor resulted in significantly higher emergence at each temperature and conductivity. Voltage gradient and pulse frequency significantly affected emergence according to the ANOVA model at each temperature and conductivity tested. Duty cycle and pulse pattern generally did not significantly influence the model. Findings suggest that a setting of 2.0 V/cm, 3 pulses/sec, 10% duty, and 2:2 pulse pattern seems the most promising in waters of medium conductivity and across a variety of temperatures. This information provides a basis for understanding larval response to pulsed DC electrofishing gear factors and identifies electrofisher settings that show promise to increase the efficiency of the gear during assessments for burrowed sea lamprey larvae.

Temperature profiles in the earth of importance to deep electrical conductivity models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Čermák, Vladimír; Laštovičková, Marcela

1987-03-01

Deep in the Earth, the electrical conductivity of geological material is extremely dependent on temperature. The knowledge of temperature is thus essential for any interpretation of magnetotelluric data in projecting lithospheric structural models. The measured values of the terrestrial heat flow, radiogenic heat production and thermal conductivity of rocks allow the extrapolation of surface observations to a greater depth and the calculation of the temperature field within the lithosphere. Various methods of deep temperature calculations are presented and discussed. Characteristic geotherms are proposed for major tectonic provinces of Europe and it is shown that the existing temperatures on the crust-upper mantle boundary may vary in a broad interval of 350 1,000°C. The present work is completed with a survey of the temperature dependence of electrical conductivity for selected crustal and upper mantle rocks within the interval 200 1,000°C. It is shown how the knowledge of the temperature field can be used in the evaluation of the deep electrical conductivity pattern by converting the conductivity-versustemperature data into the conductivity-versus-depth data.

Electrical studies of D%AgI-(100-D)%[0.667Ag2O- 0.333{(0.4)B2O3-(0.6)TeO2}] fast ion conducting glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, E. Ramesh; Nageswar Rao, P.; Appa Rao, B.

2016-09-01

Super ion conducting glasses of composition D%AgI-(100-D)%[MAg2O-F{(F1)B2O3- (F2)TeO2}]; D=10.0 to 60.0 in steps of 10.0 for a fixed values of F1 (0.4), F2 (0.6) which are glass network formers, fixed values of modifier M(0.667), F (0.333) and D is dopant salt which was varied. These glasses were prepared by melt quenching technique. XRD spectra taken for all the samples. Electrical characterization was done in terms of AC and DC conductivities. DC and AC conductivities at room temperature increased from 10-5 to 10-1 scm-1 and DC activation energy (Edc) found to decrease from 0.36 to 0.19eV with increase in D% ratio. Measurements are performed over the frequency range 1 kHz to 3 MHz at different temperatures. From the impedance spectroscopy real and imaginary parts of impedances (Z', Z"), conductivities were calculated and plotted, and equivalent R-C circuit parameters were obtained from Cole-Cole plots. With the increase in D%, AC conductivity is observed to increase whereas the AC activation energy (Eac) is observed to decrease from 0.23 to 0.14 eV. The quantitative analysis of these results indicates that the electrical conductivity of silver borate glasses is enhanced with increase in D% ratio. Based on conductivity values these glasses are ionic conductors, in which conduction is by hopping mechanism. An attempt is made to understand the charge transportation process.

Electrical Transport Properties of Liquid Sn-Sb Binary Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thakore, B. Y.; Suthar, P. H.; Khambholja, S. G.; Jani, A. R.

2010-06-01

The study of electrical transport properties viz. electrical resistivity, thermo electrical power and thermal conductivity of liquid Sn-Sb binary alloys have been made by our well recognized single parametric model potential. In the present work, screening functions due to Hartree, Taylor, Ichimaru et al.. Farid et al.. and Sarkar et al.. have been employed to incorporate the exchange and correlation effects. The liquid alloy is studied as a function of its composition at temperature 823 K according to the Faber-Ziman model. Further, thermoelectric power and thermal conductivity have been predicted. The values of electrical resistivity of binary alloys computed with Ichimaru et al. and Farid et al.. screening function are in good agreement with the experimental data.

Stability of wave processes in a rotating electrically conducting fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peregudin, S. I.; Peregudina, E. S.; Kholodova, S. E.

2018-05-01

The paper puts forward a mathematical model of dynamics of spatial large-scale motions in a rotating layer of electrically conducting incompressible perfect fluid of variable depth with due account of dissipative effects. The resulting boundary-value problem is reduced to a vector system of partial differential equations for any values of the Reynolds number. Theoretical analysis of the so-obtained analytical solution reveals the effect of the magnetic field diffusion on the stability of the wave mode — namely, with the removed external magnetic field, the diffusion of the magnetic field promotes its damping. Besides, a criterion of stability of a wave mode is obtained.

Superionic phase transition in silver chalcogenide nanocrystals realizing optimized thermoelectric performance.

PubMed

Xiao, Chong; Xu, Jie; Li, Kun; Feng, Jun; Yang, Jinlong; Xie, Yi

2012-03-07

Thermoelectric has long been recognized as a potentially transformative energy conversion technology due to its ability to convert heat directly into electricity. However, how to optimize the three interdependent thermoelectric parameters (i.e., electrical conductivity σ, Seebeck coefficient S, and thermal conductivity κ) for improving thermoelectric properties is still challenging. Here, we put forward for the first time the semiconductor-superionic conductor phase transition as a new and effective way to selectively optimize the thermoelectric power factor based on the modulation of the electric transport property across the phase transition. Ultra low value of thermal conductivity was successfully retained over the whole investigated temperature range through the reduction of grain size. As a result, taking monodisperse Ag(2)Se nanocrystals for an example, the maximized ZT value can be achieved around the temperature of phase transition. Furthermore, along with the effective scattering of short-wavelength phonons by atomic defects created by alloying, the alloyed ternary silver chalcogenide compounds, monodisperse Ag(4)SeS nanocrystals, show better ZT value around phase transition temperature, which is cooperatively contributed by superionic phase transition and alloying at nanoscale. © 2012 American Chemical Society

Ground level measurements of air conductivities under Florida thunderstorms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blakeslee, Richard J.; Krider, E. P.

1992-01-01

Values of the positive and negative polar conductivities under summer thunderstorms in Florida are highly variable and exhibit a significant electrode effect, but the total conductivity usually remains close to values found in fair weather, 0.4 to 1.8 x 10 exp -14 S/m. With these values a method proposed by Krider and Musser (1982) for estimating the total conductivity from changes in the slope of the electric field recovery following a lightning discharge will be extremely sensitive to small time variations in the local Maxwell current density and must be modified to include these effects.

Highest recorded electrical conductivity and microstructure in polypropylene-carbon nanotubes composites and the effect of carbon nanofibers addition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramírez-Herrera, C. A.; Pérez-González, J.; Solorza-Feria, O.; Romero-Partida, N.; Flores-Vela, A.; Cabañas-Moreno, J. G.

2018-04-01

In the last decade, numerous investigations have been devoted to the preparation of polypropylene-multiwalled carbon nanotubes (PP/MWCNT) nanocomposites having enhanced properties, and in particular, high electrical conductivities (> 1 S cm-1). The present work establishes that the highest electrical conductivity in PP/MWCNT nanocomposites is limited by the amount of nanofiller content which can be incorporated in the polymer matrix, namely, about 20 wt%. This concentration of MWCNT in PP leads to a maximum electrical conductivity slightly lower than 8 S cm-1, but only by assuring an adequate combination of dispersion and spatial distribution of the carbon nanotubes. The realization of such an optimal microstructure depends on the characteristics of the production process of the PP/MWCNT nanocomposites; in our experiments, involving composite fabrication by melt mixing and hot pressing, a second re-processing cycle is shown to increase the electrical conductivity values by up to two orders of magnitude, depending on the MWCNT content of the nanocomposite. A modest increase of the highest electrical conductivity obtained in nanocomposites with 21.5 wt% MWCNT content has been produced by the combined use of carbon nanofibers (CNF) and MWCNT, so that the total nanofiller content was increased to 30 wt% in the nanocomposite with PP—15 wt% MWCNT—15 wt%CNF.

Experimental Determination and Thermodynamic Modeling of Electrical Conductivity of SRS Waste Tank Supernate

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

Pike, J.; Reboul, S.

2015-06-01

SRS High Level Waste Tank Farm personnel rely on conductivity probes for detection of incipient overflow conditions in waste tanks. Minimal information is available concerning the sensitivity that must be achieved such that that liquid detection is assured. Overly sensitive electronics results in numerous nuisance alarms for these safety-related instruments. In order to determine the minimum sensitivity required of the probe, Tank Farm Engineering personnel need adequate conductivity data to improve the existing designs. Little or no measurements of liquid waste conductivity exist; however, the liquid phase of the waste consists of inorganic electrolytes for which the conductivity may bemore » calculated. Savannah River Remediation (SRR) Tank Farm Facility Engineering requested SRNL to determine the conductivity of the supernate resident in SRS waste Tank 40 experimentally as well as computationally. In addition, SRNL was requested to develop a correlation, if possible, that would be generally applicable to liquid waste resident in SRS waste tanks. A waste sample from Tank 40 was analyzed for composition and electrical conductivity as shown in Table 4-6, Table 4-7, and Table 4-9. The conductivity for undiluted Tank 40 sample was 0.087 S/cm. The accuracy of OLI Analyzer™ was determined using available literature data. Overall, 95% of computed estimates of electrical conductivity are within ±15% of literature values for component concentrations from 0 to 15 M and temperatures from 0 to 125 °C. Though the computational results are generally in good agreement with the measured data, a small portion of literature data deviates as much as ±76%. A simplified model was created that can be used readily to estimate electrical conductivity of waste solution in computer spreadsheets. The variability of this simplified approach deviates up to 140% from measured values. Generally, this model can be applied to estimate the conductivity within a factor of two. The comparison of the simplified model to pure component literature data suggests that the simplified model will tend to under estimate the electrical conductivity. Comparison of the computed Tank 40 conductivity with the measured conductivity shows good agreement within the range of deviation identified based on pure component literature data.« less

A Novel Approach to Enhance the Mechanical Strength and Electrical and Thermal Conductivity of Cu-GNP Nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saboori, Abdollah; Pavese, Matteo; Badini, Claudio; Fino, Paolo

2018-01-01

Copper/graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) nanocomposites were produced by a wet mixing method followed by a classical powder metallurgy technique. A qualitative evaluation of the structure of graphene after mixing indicated that wet mixing is an appropriate dispersion method. Thereafter, the effects of two post-processing techniques such as repressing-annealing and hot isostatic pressing (HIP) on density, interfacial bonding, hardness, and thermal and electrical conductivity of the nanocomposites were analyzed. Density evaluations showed that the relative density of specimens increased after the post-processing steps so that after HIPing almost full densification was achieved. The Vickers hardness of specimens increased considerably after the post-processing techniques. The thermal conductivity of pure copper was very low in the case of the as-sintered samples containing 2 to 3 pct porosity and increased considerably to a maximum value in the case of HIPed samples which contained only 0.1 to 0.2 pct porosity. Electrical conductivity measurements showed that by increasing the graphene content electrical conductivity decreased.

Self-potential response to periodic pumping test: a numerical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konosavsky, Pavel; Maineult, Alexis; Narbut, Mikhail; Titov, Konstantin

2017-09-01

We numerically model self-potential responses associated with periodic pumping test experiments by sequential calculation of the hydraulic response and the coupled electrical potential. We assume the pumping test experiments with a fully saturated confined aquifer. Application of different excitation functions leads to quasi-linear trends in electrical records whose direction and intensity depend on the form of the excitation function. The hydraulic response is phase shifted compared to the excitation function; the phase shift increases quasi-linearly with the distance from the pumping well. For the electrical signals, we investigated separately the cases of conducting and insulating casings of the pumping well. For the conducting casing the electrical signals are larger in magnitude than that for the insulating casing; they reproduce the drawdown signals in the pumping well at any distance from the well and exhibit any phase shift with the increased distance. For the insulating casing, the electrical signals are phase shifted and their shape depends on the distance from the pumping well. Three characteristic regimes were found for the phase shift, φ, with the increased distance and for various hydraulic diffusivity values. At small distances φ increases quasi-linearly; at intermediate distances φ attends the value of π/2 and stay about this value (for relatively small diffusivity values); and at large distances φ attends the value of π and, stay about this value at larger distances. This behaviour of the electrical signals can be explained by two electrical sources of reverse polarity. They are (i) linear, time independent, and located at the pumping interval of the well; and (ii) volumetric, time dependent, with maximum value located in the aquifer at the distance corresponding to maximum variation of the hydraulic head magnitude with time. We also model the variation of the amplitude and phase of the hydraulic and electrical signals with increased excitation function period, and we show the characteristic periods corresponding to transition of the periodic pumping test regime to the classical pumping test regime, when the excitation function is considered as the step-function. This transition depends on the distance from the pumping well and the hydraulic diffusivity value of aquifer. Finally, with this modelling of saturated flow we reproduced in sufficient details the field data previously obtained by Maineult et al.

Stretchable Conductive Elastomers for Soldier Biosensing Applications: Final Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-01

public release; distribution is unlimited. 7 the electrical impedance tunability that we required. Representative data for resistance versus volume...Technology Directorate’s (VTD) electric field mediated morphing wing research effort. Fig. 5 Resistance values of EEG electrodes as a function of...extend the resistance range of the developed polymer EEG electrodes to potentially provide insight into defining an optimum electrical performance for

The electric and thermoelectric properties of Cu(II)-Schiff base nano-complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim, E. M. M.; Abdel-Rahman, Laila H.; Abu-Dief, Ahmed M.; Elshafaie, A.; Hamdan, Samar Kamel; Ahmed, A. M.

2018-05-01

The physical properties, such as electric and optical properties, of metal-Schiff base complexes have been widely investigated. However, their thermoelectric (TE) properties remain unreported. This work presents Cu(II)-Schiff base complexes as promising materials for TE power generation. Therefore, three Cu(II)-Schiff base complexes (namely, [Cu(C32H22N4O2)].3/2H2O, [Cu(C23H17N4O7Br)], and [Cu(C27H22N4O8)].H2O) have been synthesized in nanosized scale. The electric and TE properties have been studied and comprehensive discussions have been presented to promote the nano-complexes (NCs) practical applications in the field of TE power generation. The electrical measurements confirm that the NCs are semiconductors and the electrical conduction process is governed by intermolecular and intramolecular transfer of the charge carriers. The TE measurements reveal that the Cu(II)-Schiff base NCs are nondegenerate P-type semiconductors. The measured Seebeck coefficient values were higher compared to the values reported in previous works for other organic materials indicating that the complexes under study are promising candidates for theremoelectric applications if the electrical conductivity could be enhanced.

The Peculiar Electrical Properties of the 8-12th September, 2015 Massive Dust Outbreak Over the Levant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yair, Y.; Katz, S.; Price, C.; Ziv, B.; Yaniv, R.

2016-12-01

Dust storms over the Levant and Eastern Mediterranean region are common and occur several times a year, depending on synoptic systems and meteorological parameters. Such storms are often accompanied by large electrical charging, most likely due to triboelectric processes (Esposito et al., 2016). The effects of dust storms on atmospheric electricity parameters such as the fair weather electric field (Ez) and current density (Jz) are well documented, but have not been extensively studied for the Levant region. We report new measurements conducted during the massive dust outbreak that occurred over the region in September 08-12, 2015. That event was one of the strongest dust storms on record and engulfed the entire region for 5 consecutive days, from Iraq through Syria, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Cyprus and Egypt. Ground-based measurements of Ez and Jz were conducted at the Wise Observatory (WO) in Mizpe-Ramon (30035'N, 34045'E) and at Mt. Hermon (30024'N, 35051'E). The Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT) obtained from the AERONET station in Sde-Boker reached values up to 4.0. During the dust outbreak very large fluctuations in the electrical parameters were measured at both stations, however remarkable differences were noted. While at the Mt. Hermon station we registered strong positive values of the electric field and current density, the values registered at WO were significantly smaller and more negative. The Mt. Hermon site showed Ez and Jz values fluctuating between -460 and +570 V m-1 and -14.5 and +18 pA m-2 respectively. In contrast, Ez values registered at WO were between -430 and +10 V m-1, while the Jz fluctuated between -6 and +3 pA m-2 .When compared with the February 2015 electrified dust storm reported by Yair et al. (2016), we note substantial differences in the electric parameters variability, amplitude and polarity. The possible reasons for these differences will be discussed.

Thermoelectric properties of conducting polyaniline/BaTiO3 nanoparticle composite films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anno, H.; Yamaguchi, K.; Nakabayashi, T.; Kurokawa, H.; Akagi, F.; Hojo, M.; Toshima, N.

2011-05-01

Conducting polyaniline (PANI)/BaTiO3 nanoparticle composite films with different molar ratio values R=1, 5, 10, and 100 have been prepared on a quartz substrate by casting the m-cresol solution of PANI, (±)-10-camphorsulfonic acid (CSA) and BaTiO3 nanoparticle with an average diameter of about 20 nm. The CSA-doped PANI/BaTiO3 composite films were characterized by x-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and UV-Vis transmission spectroscopy. The Seebeck coefficient and the electrical conductivity of the films with different R values, together with CSA-doped PANI films, were measured in the temperature range from room temperature to ~400 K. The relation between the Seebeck coefficient and the electrical conductivity in the composite films are discussed from a comparison of them with those of CSA-doped PANI films and other PANI composite films.

Porosity and hydraulic conductivity estimation of the basaltic aquifer in Southern Syria by using nuclear and electrical well logging techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asfahani, Jamal

2017-08-01

An alternative approach using nuclear neutron-porosity and electrical resistivity well logging of long (64 inch) and short (16 inch) normal techniques is proposed to estimate the porosity and the hydraulic conductivity ( K) of the basaltic aquifers in Southern Syria. This method is applied on the available logs of Kodana well in Southern Syria. It has been found that the obtained K value by applying this technique seems to be reasonable and comparable with the hydraulic conductivity value of 3.09 m/day obtained by the pumping test carried out at Kodana well. The proposed alternative well logging methodology seems as promising and could be practiced in the basaltic environments for the estimation of hydraulic conductivity parameter. However, more detailed researches are still required to make this proposed technique very performed in basaltic environments.

Origin of conductivity anomalies in the asthenosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshino, T.; Zhang, B.

2013-12-01

Electrical conductivity anomalies with anisotropy parallel to the plate motion have been observed beneath the oceanic lithosphere by electromagnetic studies (e.g., Evans et al., 2005; Baba et al., 2010; Naif et al., 2013). Electrical conductivity of the oceanic asthenosphere at ~100 km depth is very high, about 10-2 to 10-1 S/m. This zone is also known in seismology as the low velocity zone. Since Karato (1990) first suggested that electrical conductivity is sensitive to water content in NAMs, softening of asthenosphere has been regarded as a good indicator for constraining the distribution of water. There are two difficulties to explain the observed conductivity features in the asthenosphere. Recent publications on electrical conductivity of hydrous olivine suggested that olivine with the maximum soluble H2O content at the top of the asthenosphere has much lower conductivity less than 0.1 S/m (e.g., Yoshino et al., 2006; 2009a; Poe et al., 2010; Du Frane and Tyburczy, 2012; Yang, 2012), which is a typical value of conductivity anomaly observed in the oceanic mantle. Partial melting has been considered as an attractive agent for substantially raising the conductivity in this region (Shankland and Waff, 1977), because basaltic melt has greater electrical conductivity (> 100.5 S/m) and high wetting properties. However, dry mantle peridotite cannot reach the solidus temperature at depth 100 km. Volatile components can dramatically reduce melting temperature, even if its amount is very small. Recent studies on conductivity measurement of volatile-bearing melt suggest that conductivity of melt dramatically increases with increasing volatile components (H2O: Ni et al., 2010a, b; CO2: Gaillard et al., 2008; Yoshino et al., 2010; 2012a). Because incipient melt includes higher amount of volatile components, conductivity enhancement by the partial melt is very effective at temperatures just above that of the volatile-bearing peridotite solidus. In this study, the electrical conductivity of peridotite with trace amount of volatile phases was measured in single crystal olivine capsule to protect escape of water from the sample at 3 GPa. The conductivity values were significantly higher than those of dry peridotite, suggesting that the observed conductivity anomalies at the asthenosphere are caused by a presence of trace amount of volatile component in fluid or melt. On the other hand, conductivity of partial molten peridotite measured under shear showed that the conductivity parallel to the shear direction becomes one order of magnitude higher than that normal direction. These observations suggest that partial melting can explain softening and the observed geophysical anomalies of asthenosphere.

Thermal Effusivity Determination of Metallic Films of Nanometric Thickness by the Electrical Micropulse Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lugo, J. M.; Oliva, A. I.

2017-02-01

The thermal effusivity of gold, aluminum, and copper thin films of nanometric thickness (20 nm to 200 nm) was investigated in terms of the films' thickness. The metallic thin films were deposited onto glass substrates by thermal evaporation, and the thermal effusivity was estimated by using experimental parameters such as the specific heat, thermal conductivity, and thermal diffusivity values obtained at room conditions. The specific heat, thermal conductivity, and thermal diffusivity values of the metallic thin films are determined with a methodology based on the behavior of the thermal profiles of the films when electrical pulses of few microseconds are applied at room conditions. For all the investigated materials, the thermal effusivity decreases with decreased thickness. The thermal effusivity values estimated by the presented methodology are consistent with other reported values obtained under vacuum conditions and more elaborated methodologies.

Geophysical data integration and conditional uncertainty analysis on hydraulic conductivity estimation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rahman, A.; Tsai, F.T.-C.; White, C.D.; Carlson, D.A.; Willson, C.S.

2007-01-01

Integration of various geophysical data is essential to better understand aquifer heterogeneity. However, data integration is challenging because there are different levels of support between primary and secondary data needed to be correlated in various ways. This study proposes a geostatistical method to integrate the hydraulic conductivity measurements and electrical resistivity data to better estimate the hydraulic conductivity (K) distribution. The K measurements are obtained from the pumping tests and represent the primary data (hard data). The borehole electrical resistivity data from electrical logs are regarded as the secondary data (soft data). The electrical resistivity data is used to infer hydraulic conductivity values through the Archie law and Kozeny-Carman equation. A pseudo cross-semivariogram is developed to cope with the resistivity data non-collocation. Uncertainty in the auto-semivariograms and pseudo cross-semivariogram is quantified. The methodology is demonstrated by a real-world case study where the hydraulic conductivity is estimated in the Upper Chicot aquifer of Southwestern Louisiana. The groundwater responses by the cokriging and cosimulation of hydraulic conductivity are compared using analysis of variance (ANOVA). ?? 2007 ASCE.

Effect of pH on the electrical properties and conducting mechanism of SnO2 nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Periathai, R. Sudha; Abarna, S.; Hirankumar, G.; Jeyakumaran, N.; Prithivikumaran, N.

2017-03-01

Semiconductor nanoparticles have attracted more interests because of their size-dependent optical and electrical properties.SnO2 is an oxygen-deficient n-type semiconductor with a wide band gap of 3.6 eV (300 K). It has many remarkable applications as sensors, catalysts, transparent conducting electrodes, anode material for rechargeable Li- ion batteries and optoelectronic devices. In the present work, the role of pH in determining the electrical and dielectric properties of SnO2 nanoparticles has been studied as a function of temperature ranging from Room temperature (RT) to 114 °C in the frequency range of 7 MHz to 50 mHz using impedance spectroscopic technique. The non linear behavior observed in the thermal dependence of the conductance of SnO2 nanoparticles is explained by means of the surface property of SnO2 nanoparticles where proton hopping mechanism is dealt with. Jonscher's power law has been fitted for the conductance spectra and the frequency exponent ("s" value) gives an insight about the ac conducting mechanism. The temperature dependence of electrical relaxation phenomenon in the material has been observed. The complex electric modulus analysis indicates the possibility of hopping conduction mechanism in the system with non-exponential type of conductivity relaxation.

Effects of Synthesis Method on Electrical Properties of Graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuad, M. F. I. Ahmad; Jarni, H. H.; Shariffudin, W. N.; Othman, N. H.; Rahim, A. N. Che Abdul

2018-05-01

The aim of this study is to achieve the highest reduction capability and complete reductions of oxygen from graphene oxide (GO) by using different type of chemical methods. The modification of Hummer’s method has been proposed to produce GO, and hydrazine hydrate has been utilized in the GO’s reduction process into graphene. There are two types of chemical method are used to synthesize graphene; 1) Sina’s method and 2) Sasha’s method. Both GO and graphene were then characterized using X-Ray Powder Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry (FT-IR). The graph patterns obtained from XRD showed that the values of graphene and GO are within their reliable ranges, FT-IR identified the comparison functional group between GO and graphene. Graphene was verified to experience the reduction process due to absent of functional group consist of oxygen has detected. Electrochemical impedance spectrometry (EIS) was then conducted to test the ability of conducting electricity of two batches (each weighted 1.6g) of graphene synthesized using different methods (Sina’s method and Sasha’s method). Sasha’s method was proven to have lower conductivity value compare to Sina’s method, with value of 6.2E+02 S/m and 8.1E+02 S/m respectively. These values show that both methods produced good graphene; however, by using Sina’s method, the graphene produced has better electrical properties.

Thermoelectric properties of fully hydrogenated graphene: Semi-classical Boltzmann theory

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

Reshak, A. H., E-mail: maalidph@yahoo.co.uk; Center of Excellence Geopolymer and Green Technology, School of Material Engineering, University Malaysia Perlis, 01007 Kangar, Perlis

2015-06-14

Based on the calculated band structure, the electronic transport coefficients of chair-/boat-like graphane were evaluated by using the semi-classical Boltzmann theory and rigid band model. The maximum value of electrical conductivity for chair (boat)-like graphane of about 1.4 (0.6) × 10{sup 19} (Ωms){sup −1} is achieved at 600 K. The charge carrier concentration and the electrical conductivity linearly increase with increasing the temperature in agreement with the experimental work for graphene. The investigated materials exhibit the highest value of Seebeck coefficient at 300 K. We should emphasize that in the chemical potential between ∓0.125 μ(eV) the investigated materials exhibit minimum value of electronic thermalmore » conductivity, therefore, maximum efficiency. As the temperature increases, the electronic thermal conductivity increases exponentially, in agreement with the experimental data of graphene. We also calculated the power factor of chair-/boat-like graphane at 300 and 600 K as a function of chemical potential between ∓0.25 μ(eV)« less

DC conductivity and magnetic properties of piezoelectric-piezomagnetic composite system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hemeda, O. M.; Tawfik, A.; A-Al-Sharif; Amer, M. A.; Kamal, B. M.; El Refaay, D. E.; Bououdina, M.

2012-11-01

A series of composites (1-x) (Ni0.8Zn0.2Fe2O4)+x (BaTiO3), where x=0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% BT content, have been prepared by the standard ceramic technique, then sintered at 1200 °C for 8 h. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that the prepared composites consist of two phases, ferrimagnetic and ferroelectric. DC electrical resistivity, thermoelectric power, charge carriers concentration and charge carrier mobility have been studied at different temperatures. It was found that the DC electrical conductivity increases with increasing BT content. The values of the thermoelectric power were positive and negative for the composites indicating that there are two conduction mechanisms, hopping and band conduction, respectively. Using the values of DC electrical conductivity and thermoelectric power, the values of charge carrier mobility and the charge carrier concentration were calculated. Magnetic measurements (hysteresis loop and magnetic permeability) show that the magnetization decreases by increasing BT content. M-H loop of pure Ni0.6 Zn0.4 Fe2O4 composite indicates that it is paramagnetic at room temperature and that the magnetization is diluted by increasing the BT content in the composite system. The value of magnetoelectric coefficient for the composites decreases by increasing BT content for all the compositions except for 40% BT content, which may be due to the low resistivity of magnetic phase compared with the BT phase that causes a leakage of induced charges on the piezoelectric phase. Since both ferroelectric and magnetic phases preserve their basic properties in the bulk composite, the present BT-NZF composite are potential candidates for applications as pollution sensors and electromagnetic waves.

Electric Current Transmission Through Tissues of the Vestibular Labyrinth of a Patient: Perfection of the Vestibular Implant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demkin, V. P.; Shchetinin, P. P.; Melnichuk, S. V.; Kingma, H.; Van de Berg, R.; Pleshkov, M. O.; Starkov, D. N.

2018-03-01

An electric model of current transmission through tissues of the vestibular labyrinth of a patient is suggested. To stimulate directly the vestibular nerve in surgical operation, terminations of the electrodes are implanted through the bone tissue of the labyrinth into the perilymph in the vicinity of the vestibular nerve. The biological tissue of the vestibular labyrinth surrounding the electrodes and having heterogeneous composition possesses conductive and dielectric properties. Thus, when a current pulse from the vestibular implant is applied to one of the electrodes, conductive disturbance currents may arise between the electrodes and the vestibular nerves that can significantly deteriorate the direct signal quality. To study such signals and to compensate for the conductive disturbance currents, an equivalent electric circuit with actual electric impedance properties of tissues of the vestibular system is suggested, and the time parameters of the conductive disturbance current transmission are calculated. It is demonstrated that these parameters can reach large values. The suggested electric model and the results of calculations can be used for perfection of the vestibular implant.

Study on strength estimation of soil cement used in the embedded pile method by electrical resistivity measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mochida, Y.; Sakurai, Y.; Indra, H.; Karimi, A. L.

2017-11-01

Problems caused by poor quality control and quality assurance of the pre-boring embedded pile construction, such as on domestic apartment house is still occurring nowadays. An adequate consideration for invisible risks inside or below the ground is important in pile foundation construction therefore the demand for advanced and reliable quality assurance is increase in the future. In this research, to understand the quality of the construction at early stage, the compressive strength of cement-soil mixture of pile construction after 28 days is estimated using electrical resistivity value of the mixture. More accurate measurement for electrical resistivity value is conducted by inserting the electrodes without using potassium chloride solution as a catalyst. The result showed that there is a certain tendency in the electric resistivity value at the early age regarding to the type of soil (sand, clay) mixed in. The most accurate estimation was achieved from the electric resistivity value at the first day and several days onwards, and from the compressive strength after 3 days.

Investigation of changes in the electrical properties of novel knitted conductive textiles during cyclic loading.

PubMed

Isaia, Cristina; McNally, Donal; McMaster, Simon A; Branson, David T

2016-08-01

Combining stainless steel with polyester fibres adds an attractive conductive behaviour to the yarn. Once knitted in such a manner, fabrics develop sensing properties that make the textiles, also known as e-textiles, suitable for smart/wearable applications. Structural deformations of the fibres (e.g. stretching) will cause changes in the conductivity of the fabric. This work investigates changes in the electrical properties exhibited by four knitted conductive textiles made of 20% stainless steel and 80% polyester fibres during cyclic loading. The samples were preconditioned first with 500 hundred cycles of unidirectional elongation and, after a rest interval, tested again for repeatability at the same conditions. In both cases the electrical behaviour stabilises after a few tens of cycles. In particular the repeatability test exhibited a considerably smaller settling time and a larger resistance due to the mechanical stabilisation and the loosening of the fabrics, respectively. It was found that the current provided to the fabrics affects the resistance measurements by decreasing the resistance value at which the samples become electrically stable. The reported findings present a valid method for the electrical characterisation of conductive textiles for use in further studies as a wearable technology.

Electrically Conductive Anodized Aluminum Surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Trung Hung

2006-01-01

Anodized aluminum components can be treated to make them sufficiently electrically conductive to suppress discharges of static electricity. The treatment was conceived as a means of preventing static electric discharges on exterior satin-anodized aluminum (SAA) surfaces of spacecraft without adversely affecting the thermal-control/optical properties of the SAA and without need to apply electrically conductive paints, which eventually peel off in the harsh environment of outer space. The treatment can also be used to impart electrical conductivity to anodized housings of computers, medical electronic instruments, telephoneexchange equipment, and other terrestrial electronic equipment vulnerable to electrostatic discharge. The electrical resistivity of a typical anodized aluminum surface layer lies between 10(exp 11) and 10(exp 13) Omega-cm. To suppress electrostatic discharge, it is necessary to reduce the electrical resistivity significantly - preferably to < or = 10(exp 9) Omega-cm. The present treatment does this. The treatment is a direct electrodeposition process in which the outer anodized surface becomes covered and the pores in the surface filled with a transparent, electrically conductive metal oxide nanocomposite. Filling the pores with the nanocomposite reduces the transverse electrical resistivity and, in the original intended outer-space application, the exterior covering portion of the nanocomposite would afford the requisite electrical contact with the outer-space plasma. The electrical resistivity of the nanocomposite can be tailored to a value between 10(exp 7) and 10(exp 12) Omega-cm. Unlike electrically conductive paint, the nanocomposite becomes an integral part of the anodized aluminum substrate, without need for adhesive bonding material and without risk of subsequent peeling. The electrodeposition process is compatible with commercial anodizing production lines. At present, the electronics industry uses expensive, exotic, electrostaticdischarge- suppressing finishes: examples include silver impregnated anodized, black electroless nickel, black chrome, and black copper. In comparison with these competing finishes, the present nanocomposite finishes are expected to cost 50 to 20 percent less and to last longer.

Electrochromic-photovoltaic film for light-sensitive control of optical transmittance

DOEpatents

Branz, Howard M.; Crandall, Richard S.; Tracy, C. Edwin

1994-01-01

A variable transmittance optical component includes an electrochromic material and a photovoltaic device-type thin film solar cell deposited in a tandem type, monolithic single coating over the component. A bleed resistor of a predetermined value is connected in series across the electrochromic material and photovoltaic device controlling the activation and deactivation of the electrochromic material. The electrical conductivity between the electrochromic material and the photovoltaic device is enhanced by interposing a transparent electrically conductive layer.

Improved Geologic Interpretation of Non-invasive Electrical Resistivity Imaging from In-situ Samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mucelli, A.; Aborn, L.; Jacob, R.; Malusis, M.; Evans, J.

2016-12-01

Non-invasive geophysical techniques are useful in characterizing the subsurface geology without disturbing the environment, however, the ability to interpret the subsurface is enhanced by invasive work. Since geologic materials have electrical resistivity values it allows for a geologic interpretation to be made based on variations of electrical resistivity measured by electrical resistivity imaging (ERI). This study focuses on the pre-characterization of the geologic subsurface from ERI collected adjacent to the Montandon Marsh, a wetland located near Lewisburg, PA within the West Branch of the Susquehanna River watershed. The previous invasive data, boreholes, indicate that the subsurface consists of limestone and shale bedrock overlain with sand and gravel deposits from glacial outwash and aeolian processes. The objective is to improve our understanding of the subsurface at this long-term hydrologic research site by using excavation results, specifically observed variations in geologic materials and electrical resistivity laboratory testing of subsurface samples. The pre-excavation ERI indicated that the shallow-most geologic material had a resistivity value of 100-500 ohm-m. In comparison, the laboratory testing indicated the shallow-most material had the same range of electrical resistivity values depending on saturation levels. The ERI also showed that there was an electrically conductive material, 7 to 70 ohm-m, that was interpreted to be clay and agreed with borehole data, however, the excavation revealed that at this depth range the geologic material varied from stratified clay to clay with cobbles to weathered residual clay. Excavation revealed that the subtle variations in the electrical conductive material corresponded well with the variations in the geologic material. We will use these results to reinterpret previously collected ERI data from the entire long-term research site.

Influence of the ordering of impurities on the appearance of an energy gap and on the electrical conductance of graphene.

PubMed

Repetsky, S P; Vyshyvana, I G; Kruchinin, S P; Bellucci, Stefano

2018-06-14

In the one-band model of strong coupling, the influence of substitutional impurity atoms on the energy spectrum and electrical conductance of graphene is studied. It is established that the ordering of substitutional impurity atoms on nodes of the crystal lattice causes the appearance of a gap in the energy spectrum of graphene with width η|δ| centered at the point yδ, where η is the parameter of ordering, δ is the difference of the scattering potentials of impurity atoms and carbon atoms, and y is the impurity concentration. The maximum value of the parameter of ordering is [Formula: see text]. For the complete ordering of impurity atoms, the energy gap width equals [Formula: see text]. If the Fermi level falls in the region of the mentioned gap, then the electrical conductance [Formula: see text] at the ordering of graphene, i.e., the metal-dielectric transition arises. If the Fermi level is located outside the gap, then the electrical conductance increases with the parameter of order η by the relation [Formula: see text]. At the concentration [Formula: see text], as the ordering of impurity atoms η →1, the electrical conductance of graphene [Formula: see text], i.e., the transition of graphene in the state of ideal electrical conductance arises.

Thermal conductivity of electrospun polyethylene nanofibers.

PubMed

Ma, Jian; Zhang, Qian; Mayo, Anthony; Ni, Zhonghua; Yi, Hong; Chen, Yunfei; Mu, Richard; Bellan, Leon M; Li, Deyu

2015-10-28

We report on the structure-thermal transport property relation of individual polyethylene nanofibers fabricated by electrospinning with different deposition parameters. Measurement results show that the nanofiber thermal conductivity depends on the electric field used in the electrospinning process, with a general trend of higher thermal conductivity for fibers prepared with stronger electric field. Nanofibers produced at a 45 kV electrospinning voltage and a 150 mm needle-collector distance could have a thermal conductivity of up to 9.3 W m(-1) K(-1), over 20 times higher than the typical bulk value. Micro-Raman characterization suggests that the enhanced thermal conductivity is due to the highly oriented polymer chains and enhanced crystallinity in the electrospun nanofibers.

Preliminary Study of 2-D Time Domain Electromagnetic (TDEM) Modeling to Analyze Subsurface Resistivity Distribution and its Application to the Geothermal Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aji Hapsoro, Cahyo; Purqon, Acep; Srigutomo, Wahyu

2017-07-01

2-D Time Domain Electromagnetic (TDEM) has been successfully conducted to illustrate the value of Electric field distribution under the Earth surface. Electric field compared by magnetic field is used to analyze resistivity and resistivity is one of physical properties which very important to determine the reservoir potential area of geothermal systems as one of renewable energy. In this modeling we used Time Domain Electromagnetic method because it can solve EM field interaction problem with complex geometry and to analyze transient problems. TDEM methods used to model the value of electric and magnetic fields as a function of the time combined with the function of distance and depth. The result of this modeling is Electric field intensity value which is capable to describe the structure of the Earth’s subsurface. The result of this modeling can be applied to describe the Earths subsurface resistivity values to determine the reservoir potential of geothermal systems.

Electrical and thermal conductivity of Fe-C alloy at high pressure: implications for effects of carbon on the geodynamo of the Earth's core

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, C.; Lin, J. F.; Liu, Y.; Feng, S.; Jin, C.; Yoshino, T.

2017-12-01

Thermal conductivity of iron alloy in the Earth's core plays a crucial role in constraining the energetics of the geodynamo and the thermal evolution of the planet. Studies on the thermal conductivity of iron reveal the importance of the effects of light elements and high temperature. Carbon has been proposed to be a candidate light element in Earth's core for its meteoritic abundance and high-pressure velocity-density profiles of iron carbides (e.g., Fe7C3). In this study, we employed four-probe van der Pauw method in a diamond anvil cell to measure the electrical resistivity of pure iron, iron carbon alloy, and iron carbides at high pressures. These studies were complimented with synchrotron X-ray diffraction and focused ion beam (FIB) analyses. Our results show significant changes in the electrical conductivity of these iron-carbon alloys that are consistent previous reports with structural and electronic transitions at high pressures, indicating that these transitions should be taken into account in evaluating the electrical and thermal conductivity at high pressure. To apply our results to understand the thermal conduction in the Earth's core, we have compared our results with literature values for the electrical and thermal conductivity of iron alloyed with light elements (C, Si) at high pressures. These comparisons permit the validity of the Wiedemann-Franz law and Matthiessen's rule for the effects of light elements on the thermal conductivity of the Earth's core. We found that an addition of a light element such as carbon has an strong effect on the reducing the thermal conductivity of Earth's core, but the magnitude of the alloying effect strongly depends on the identity of the light element and the crystal and electronic structures. Based on our results and literature values, we have modelled the electrical and thermal conductivity of iron-carbon alloy at Earth's core pressure-temperature conditions to the effects on the heat flux in the Earth's core. In this presentation, we will address how carbon as a potential light element in the Earth's core can significantly affect our view of the heat flux across the core-mantle boundary and geodynamo of our planet.

[Changes in the expression of large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels in dorsal root ganglion neurons after electrical injury in rats' sciatic nerves and its influence on sensory conduction function].

PubMed

Wang, Guangning; Li, Xueyong; Xu, Xiaoli; Ren, Pan

2016-06-01

To study the changes in the expression of large-conductance calcium-activated potassium (BKCa) channels in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons after electrical injury in rats' sciatic nerves and its influence on sensory conduction function. One-hundred and thirty-six adult SD rats were divided into normal control group, sham electrical injury group, and 75, 100, 125 V electrical injury groups according to the random number table, with 8 rats in normal control group and 32 rats in each of the rest 4 groups. Rats in normal control group were routinely fed without any treatment. Blunt dissection of the sciatic nerves of left hind leg of rats was performed in sham electrical injury group, while sciatic nerves of left hind leg of rats in electrical injury groups were electrically injured with corresponding voltage. Eight rats of normal control group fed for one week, and 8 rats from each of the rest four groups on post injury day (PID) 3 and in post injury week (PIW) 1, 2, 3 respectively were collected to detect the paw withdrawal mechanical threshold (PWMT). In addition, rats of 100 V electrical injury group in PIW 1 were collected and intrathecally injected with NS1619 after former PWMT detection, and PWMT was detected per 30 minutes within three hours post injection. The rats in each group at each time point were sacrificed after PWMT detection. The DRG of L4 to L6 segments of spinal cord was sampled to observe the BKCa channels distribution with immunohistochemical staining and to detect the protein and mRNA expressions of BKCa channels with Western blotting and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction respectively. Data were processed with one-way analysis of variance, analysis of variance of factorial design, and SNK test. (1) The PWMT values of rats in 75 and 100 V electrical injury groups on PID 3 and in PIW 1, 2, 3 were (5.8±0.6), (5.0±0.8), (4.2±0.3), (5.9±1.1) g; (5.3±1.3), (5.9±2.0), (4.5±2.7), (4.3±1.3) g, respectively, which were significantly lower than the value (s) in normal control group [(11.2±2.0) g] and sham electrical injury group [respectively (11.3±2.1), (12.0±2.0), (11.1±1.6), (10.3±2.1) g, with P values below 0.05]. The PWMT values of rats in 125 V electrical injury group decreased obviously on PID 3 and in PIW 1 [(6.1±1.6) and (5.7±1.7) g] as compared with the value (s) in normal control group and sham electrical injury group, and they were obviously increased in PIW 2 and 3 [(26.7±3.3) and (21.7±3.4) g] as compared with the value (s) of the rest 4 groups (with P values below 0.05). The PWMT of 100 V electrical injury group in PIW 1 firstly increased and then decreased within three hours post injection, which increased significantly at post injection minutes 30, 60, 90, 120 as compared with that before intervention [respectively (8.5±0.8), (9.7±1.2), (11.0±1.5), (8.6±0.8) g, with P values below 0.05]. (2) The positive expression of BKCa channels in large amount was observed in the cytoplasm and cytomembrane of neurons on the DRG of rats in normal control group and sham electrical injury group at each time point. The positive expression of BKCa channels in the cytoplasm and cytomembrane of neurons on the DRG of rats decreased over time in electrical injury groups, which was most obvious in 125 V electrical injury group. (3) There were no statistically significant differences in the protein expression of BKCa channels in DRG of rats among the five groups on PID 3 (with P values above 0.05). Compared with those in normal control group (0.477±0.027, 0.521±0.034, 0.475±0.022) and sham electrical injury group (0.511±0.025, 0.489±0.025, 0.483±0.032) in PIW 1, 2, 3, the protein expressions of BKCa channels in DRG of rats in 75, 100, 125 V electrical injury groups were decreased significantly (0.274±0.026, 0.202±0.019, 0.285±0.033; 0.253±0.022, 0.233±0.024, 0.203±0.017; 0.092±0.017, 0.095±0.021, 0.087±0.016, with P values below 0.05). The protein expressions of BKCa channels in DRG of rats in 125 V electrical injury group in PIW 1, 2, 3 were obviously lower than those in 75 and 100 V electrical injury groups (with P values below 0.05). (4) The mRNA expression levels of BKCa channels in DRG of rats in 75, 100, 125 V electrical injury groups on PID 3 and in PIW 1, 2, 3 were 0.326±0.021, 0.238±0.019, 0.291±0.022, 0.364±0.018; 0.264±0.020, 0.293±0.017, 0.243±0.023, 0.295±0.021; 0.134±0.023, 0.089±0.017, 0.074±0.018, 0.087±0.020, respectively, significantly decreased as compared with the level (s) in normal control group (0.581±0.051) and sham electrical injury group (0.603±0.045, 0.586±0.032, 0.614±0.045, 0.572±0.038), with P values below 0.05. The mRNA expression levels of BKCa channels in DRG of rats in 125 V electrical injury group at each time point were lower than those in 75 and 100 V electrical injury groups (with P values below 0.05). The electrical injury in sciatic nerves results in reduction of the BKCa channels expression in rat's DRG of corresponding spinal segments, which plays a role in the pathological process of sensory conduction dysfunction.

Radiofrequency ablation: importance of background tissue electrical conductivity--an agar phantom and computer modeling study.

PubMed

Solazzo, Stephanie A; Liu, Zhengjun; Lobo, S Melvyn; Ahmed, Muneeb; Hines-Peralta, Andrew U; Lenkinski, Robert E; Goldberg, S Nahum

2005-08-01

To determine whether radiofrequency (RF)-induced heating can be correlated with background electrical conductivity in a controlled experimental phantom environment mimicking different background tissue electrical conductivities and to determine the potential electrical and physical basis for such a correlation by using computer modeling. The effect of background tissue electrical conductivity on RF-induced heating was studied in a controlled system of 80 two-compartment agar phantoms (with inner wells of 0.3%, 1.0%, or 36.0% NaCl) with background conductivity that varied from 0.6% to 5.0% NaCl. Mathematical modeling of the relationship between electrical conductivity and temperatures 2 cm from the electrode (T2cm) was performed. Next, computer simulation of RF heating by using two-dimensional finite-element analysis (ETherm) was performed with parameters selected to approximate the agar phantoms. Resultant heating, in terms of both the T2cm and the distance of defined thermal isotherms from the electrode surface, was calculated and compared with the phantom data. Additionally, electrical and thermal profiles were determined by using the computer modeling data and correlated by using linear regression analysis. For each inner compartment NaCl concentration, a negative exponential relationship was established between increased background NaCl concentration and the T2cm (R2= 0.64-0.78). Similar negative exponential relationships (r2 > 0.97%) were observed for the computer modeling. Correlation values (R2) between the computer and experimental data were 0.9, 0.9, and 0.55 for the 0.3%, 1.0%, and 36.0% inner NaCl concentrations, respectively. Plotting of the electrical field generated around the RF electrode identified the potential for a dramatic local change in electrical field distribution (ie, a second electrical peak ["E-peak"]) occurring at the interface between the two compartments of varied electrical background conductivity. Linear correlations between the E-peak and heating at T2cm (R2= 0.98-1.00) and the 50 degrees C isotherm (R2= 0.99-1.00) were established. These results demonstrate the strong relationship between background tissue conductivity and RF heating and further explain electrical phenomena that occur in a two-compartment system.

Electrical Transport Properties of Liquid Al-Cu Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thakore, B. Y.; Khambholja, S. G.; Suthar, P. H.; Jani, A. R.

2010-06-01

Electrical transport properties viz. electrical resistivity, thermoelectric power and thermal conductivity of liquid Al-Cu alloys as a function of Cu concentration have been studied in the present paper. Ashcroft empty core model potential has been used to incorporate the ion-electron interaction. To incorporate the exchange and correlation effects, five different forms of local field correction functions viz. Hartree, Taylor, Ichimaru et al., Farid et al. and Sarkar et al. have been used. The transport properties of binary system have been studied using Faber-Ziman formulation combined with Ashcroft-Langreth (AL) partial structure factor. The computed values of electrical resistivity are compared with experimental data and for low Cu concentration, good agreement has been observed. Further, thermoelectric power and thermal conductivity have also been predicted.

Electrode Models for Electric Current Computed Tomography

PubMed Central

CHENG, KUO-SHENG; ISAACSON, DAVID; NEWELL, J. C.; GISSER, DAVID G.

2016-01-01

This paper develops a mathematical model for the physical properties of electrodes suitable for use in electric current computed tomography (ECCT). The model includes the effects of discretization, shunt, and contact impedance. The complete model was validated by experiment. Bath resistivities of 284.0, 139.7, 62.3, 29.5 Ω · cm were studied. Values of “effective” contact impedance z used in the numerical approximations were 58.0, 35.0, 15.0, and 7.5 Ω · cm2, respectively. Agreement between the calculated and experimentally measured values was excellent throughout the range of bath conductivities studied. It is desirable in electrical impedance imaging systems to model the observed voltages to the same precision as they are measured in order to be able to make the highest resolution reconstructions of the internal conductivity that the measurement precision allows. The complete electrode model, which includes the effects of discretization of the current pattern, the shunt effect due to the highly conductive electrode material, and the effect of an “effective” contact impedance, allows calculation of the voltages due to any current pattern applied to a homogeneous resistivity field. PMID:2777280

Electrode models for electric current computed tomography.

PubMed

Cheng, K S; Isaacson, D; Newell, J C; Gisser, D G

1989-09-01

This paper develops a mathematical model for the physical properties of electrodes suitable for use in electric current computed tomography (ECCT). The model includes the effects of discretization, shunt, and contact impedance. The complete model was validated by experiment. Bath resistivities of 284.0, 139.7, 62.3, 29.5 omega.cm were studied. Values of "effective" contact impedance zeta used in the numerical approximations were 58.0, 35.0, 15.0, and 7.5 omega.cm2, respectively. Agreement between the calculated and experimentally measured values was excellent throughout the range of bath conductivities studied. It is desirable in electrical impedance imaging systems to model the observed voltages to the same precision as they are measured in order to be able to make the highest resolution reconstructions of the internal conductivity that the measurement precision allows. The complete electrode model, which includes the effects of discretization of the current pattern, the shunt effect due to the highly conductive electrode material, and the effect of an "effective" contact impedance, allows calculation of the voltages due to any current pattern applied to a homogeneous resistivity field.

Thermoelectric properties of the ceramic oxide Sr1- x La x TiO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahmud, Iqbal; Yoon, Man-Soon; Kim, Il-Ho; Choi, Moon-Kwan; Ur, Soon-Chul

2016-01-01

The effect of lanthanum on the electric and the thermoelectric properties of the ceramic oxide Sr1- x La x TiO3 (where x = 0.0, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08 and 0.12 mole) have been studied. La-doped SrTiO3 was prepared by using the conventional mixed-oxide reaction method. XRD patterns indicated that almost all the La atoms incorporated into the SrTiO3 crystal provided charge carriers. The lattice parameter increases with increasing La doping content. The relative densities of all the samples varied from 89.6% to 94.8%. The electrical conductivity increased with La doping up to 0.08 moles and then decreased as the content of La was increased above 0.08 moles. The thermal conductivity decreased with increasing La content. The largest absolute value of the Seebeck coefficient, 394 μVK-1 at 973 K, was observed at x = 0.04. The Sr0.92La0.08TiO3 sample showed its maximum electrical conductivity at 773 K and its largest ZT value of 0.20 at 973 K.

Electrical properties of the 8-12th September, 2015 massive dust outbreak over the Levant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katz, Shai; Yair, Yoav; Price, Colin; Yaniv, Roy; Silber, Israel; Lynn, Barry; Ziv, Baruch

2018-03-01

We report new electrical measurements conducted during the massive dust outbreak that occurred over the Levant in September 08-12, 2015. That event was one of the strongest dust storms on record and engulfed the entire region for 5 consecutive days, over Iraq through Syria, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Cyprus and Egypt. At its peak, Aerosol Optical Thickness of 4.0 was measured in southern Israel. Ground-based measurements of the electrical field (Ez) and current density (J) were conducted at the Wise Observatory (WO) in Mizpe-Ramon (30°35‧N, 34°45‧E) and near the top of Mt. Hermon (30°24‧N, 35°51‧E). During the dust outbreak very large fluctuations in the electrical parameters were measured at both stations, with remarkable differences between the two locations. While at the Mt. Hermon station we registered positive values of the electric field and total current density, the values registered at the Wise Observatory were significantly smaller and more negative. The Mt. Hermon site showed Ez and J values fluctuating between - 460 and + 570 V m- 1 and - 14.5 and + 18 pA m- 2 respectively. In contrast, the Ez values registered at WO varied between - 430 and + 10 V m- 1, and the current density fluctuated between - 6 and + 3 pA m- 2. We show that the unique generation and evolution of this dust outbreak gave rise to a significantly different charge structure compared with that observed in short lived convective events, and suggest a tentative explanation for the obtained results.

Electrochromic-photovoltaic film for light-sensitive control of optical transmittance

DOEpatents

Branz, H.M.; Crandall, R.S.; Tracy, C.E.

1994-12-27

A variable transmittance optical component includes an electrochromic material and a photovoltaic device-type thin film solar cell deposited in a tandem type, monolithic single coating over the component. A bleed resistor of a predetermined value is connected in series across the electrochromic material and photovoltaic device controlling the activation and deactivation of the electrochromic material. The electrical conductivity between the electrochromic material and the photovoltaic device is enhanced by interposing a transparent electrically conductive layer. 5 figures.

Ba doped Fe3O4 nanocrystals: Magnetic field and temperature tuning dielectric and electrical transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, Papia; Mandal, S. K.; Nath, A.

2018-05-01

Nanocrystalline BaFe2O4 has been prepared through low temperature pyrophoric reaction method. The structural, dielectric and electrical transport properties of BaFe2O4 are investigated in detail. AC electrical properties have been studied over the wide range of frequencies with applied dc magnetic fields and temperatures. The value of impedance is found to increase with increase in magnetic field attributing the magnetostriction property of the sample. The observed value of magneto-impedance and magnetodielectric is found to ∼32% and ∼33% at room temperature. Nyquist plots have been fitted using resistance-capacitor circuits at different magnetic fields and temperatures showing the dominant role of grain and grain boundaries of the sample. Metal-semiconductor transition ∼403 K has been discussed in terms of delocalized and localized charge carrier.We have estimated activation energy using Arrhenius relation indicating temperature dependent electrical relaxation process in the system. Ac conductivity follow a Jonscher’s single power law indicating the large and small polaronic hopping conduction mechanism in the system.

Electrical and thermal transport properties of layered Bi2YO4Cu2Se2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Yu; Pei, Yanling; Chang, Cheng; Zhang, Xiao; Tan, Xing; Ye, Xinxin; Gong, Shengkai; Lin, Yuanhua; He, Jiaqing; Zhao, Li-Dong

2016-07-01

Bi2YO4Cu2Se2 possesses a low thermal conductivity and high electrical conductivity at room temperature, which was considered as a potential thermoelectric material. In this work, we have investigated the electrical and thermal transport properties of Bi2YO4Cu2Se2 system in the temperature range from 300 K to 873 K. We found that the total thermal conductivity decreases from 1.8 W m-1 K-1 to 0.9 W m-1 K-1, and the electrical conductivity decreases from 850 S/cm to 163 S/cm in the measured temperature range. To investigate how potential of Bi2YO4Cu2Se2 system, we prepared the heavily Iodine doped samples to counter-dope intrinsically high carrier concentration and improve the electrical transport properties. Interestingly, the Seebeck coefficient could be enhanced to +80 μV/K at 873 K, meanwhile, we found that a low thermal conductivity of 0.7 W m-1 K-1 could be achieved. The intrinsically low thermal conductivity in this system is related to the low elastic properties, such as Young's modulus of 70-72 GPa, and Grüneisen parameters of 1.55-1.71. The low thermal conductivity makes Bi2YO4Cu2Se2 system to be a potential thermoelectric material, the ZT value 0.06 at 873 K was obtained, a higher performance is expected by optimizing electrical transport properties through selecting suitable dopants, modifying band structures or by further reducing thermal conductivity through nanostructuring etc.

Improving our understanding of hydraulic-electrical relations: A case study of the surficial aquifer in Emirate Abu Dhabi

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ikard, Scott; Kress, Wade

2016-01-01

Transmissivity is a bulk hydraulic property that can be correlated with bulk electrical properties of an aquifer. In aquifers that are electrically-resistive relative to adjacent layers in a horizontally stratified sequence, transmissivity has been shown to correlate with bulk transverse resistance. Conversely, in aquifers that are electrically-conductive relative to adjacent layers, transmissivity has been shown to correlate with bulk longitudinal conductance. In both cases, previous investigations have relied on small datasets (on average less than eight observations) that have yielded coefficients of determination (R2) that are typically in the range of 0.6 to 0.7 to substantiate these relations. Compared to previous investigations, this paper explores hydraulic-electrical relations using a much larger dataset. Geophysical data collected from 26 boreholes in Emirate Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, are used to correlate transmissivity modeled from neutron porosity logs to the bulk electrical properties of the surficial aquifer that are computed from deep-induction logs. Transmissivity is found to be highly correlated with longitudinal conductance. An R2 value of 0.853 is obtained when electrical effects caused by variations in pore-fluid salinity are taken into consideration.

Development of a new medium frequency EM device: Mapping soil water content variations using electrical conductivity and dielectric permittivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kessouri, P.; Buvat, S.; Tabbagh, A.

2012-12-01

Both electrical conductivity and dielectric permittivity of soil are influenced by its water content. Dielectric permittivity is usually measured in the high frequency range, using GPR or TDR, where the sensitivity to water content is high. However, its evaluation is limited by a low investigation depth, especially for clay rich soils. Electrical conductivity is closely related not only to soil water content, but also to clay content and soil structure. A simultaneous estimation of these electrical parameters can allow the mapping of soil water content variations for an investigation depth close to 1m. In order to estimate simultaneously both soil electrical conductivity and dielectric permittivity, an electromagnetic device working in the medium frequency range (between 100 kHz and 10 MHz) has been designed. We adopted Slingram geometry for the EM prototype: its PERP configuration (vertical transmission loop Tx and horizontal measuring loop Rx) was defined using 1D ground models. As the required investigation depth is around 1m, the coil spacing was fixed to 1.2m. This prototype works in a frequency range between 1 and 5 MHz. After calibration, we tested the response of prototype to objects with known properties. The first in situ measurements were led on experimental sites with different types of soils and different water content variations (artificially created or natural): sandy alluvium on a plot of INRA (French National Institute for Agricultural Research) in Orléans (Centre, France), a clay-loam soil on an experimental site in Estrée-Mons (Picardie, France) and fractured limestone at the vicinity of Grand (Vosges, France). In the case of the sandy alluvium, the values of dielectric permittivity measured are close to those of HF permittivity and allow the use of existing theoretical models to determine the soil water content. For soils containing higher amount of clay, the coupled information brought by the electrical conductivity and the dielectric permittivity is used. Variations of water content detected by the EM prototype are confirmed by additional DC electrical profiling and direct mass water content measurements along depth. For the clay-loam soil, containing more than 20% of clay, the relative dielectric permittivity values, ranging from 63 to 138, are much higher than those expected in the high frequency range (above 20 MHz, the highest measured permittivity is equal to 81 for water). In the medium frequency range, those values are very likely due to interfacial polarization. This effect, also known as Maxwell-Wagner polarization, should increase with the soil clay content. The first measuring trial is coherent with the gravimetric water content as well as DC electrical profiling measurements. For a clay rich soil, the EM prototype is able to detect water content variations for an investigation depth close to 1m with both electrical conductivity and dielectric permittivity in the medium frequency range. Other field experiments are scheduled to confirm these results on other types of soils.

Simultaneous measurement of electrical and thermal conductivities of suspended monolayer graphene

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

Wang, Haidong; Kurata, Kosaku; Fukunaga, Takanobu

2016-06-28

We measured both in-plane electrical and thermal properties of the same suspended monolayer graphene using a novel T-type sensor method. At room temperature, the values are about 240 000 Ω{sup −1} m{sup −1} and 2100 W m{sup −1} K{sup −1} for the electrical and thermal conductivities, respectively. Based on the Wiedemann-Franz law, the electrons have negligible contribution to the thermal conductivity of graphene, while the in-plane LA and TA modes phonons are the dominant heat carriers. In monolayer graphene, the absence of layer-layer and layer-substrate interactions enhances the contribution of long wave-length phonons to the heat transport and increases the thermal conductivity accordingly. The reportedmore » method and experimental data of suspended monolayer graphene are useful for understanding the basic physics and designing the future graphene electronic devices.« less

Lithium ionic mobility study in xLi{sub 2}CO{sub 3}-yLiI (x = 95-70, y = 5-30 wt.%) solid electrolyte by impedance spectroscopy technique

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

Omar, Mohd Khari; Ahmad, Azizah Hanom; Institute of Science, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor D.E.

2015-08-28

A detailed systematic study on the effects of different amount (wt.%) of LiI addition on the electrical conductivity and dielectric behavior of the xLi{sub 2}CO{sub 3}-xLiI (x = 95-70, y = 5-30 wt.%) electrolyte system was carried out. The samples with different compositions were prepared and ground by mechanical milling method. The electrical and dielectric properties of the samples over a range of frequency (50Hz – 1MHz) were investigated by deploying electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique in a series of temperature set (298–373K). Normally, Li{sub 2}CO{sub 3} itself shows a very low electrical conductivity (10{sup −5} Scm{sup −1}). However, themore » electrical conductivity of the system was found to be increased (10{sup −3} Scm{sup −1}) as the lithium salt (LiI) were introduced to the system. The dielectric analysis displayed that the activation energy was inversely proportional to the increment of LiI (wt.%). As the electrical conductivity reached their maximum value (4.63 × 10{sup −3} Scm{sup −1}) at the 20 wt.% of LiI, the activation energy was dropped to the minimum (0.1 eV). The electrical conductivity increases with the temperature (298 – 373K) indicate that the system obeys Arrhenius law.« less

Degenerate p-type conductivity in wide-gap LaCuOS1-xSex (x=0-1) epitaxial films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiramatsu, Hidenori; Ueda, Kazushige; Ohta, Hiromichi; Hirano, Masahiro; Kamiya, Toshio; Hosono, Hideo

2003-02-01

Epitaxial films of LaCuOS1-xSex (x=0-1) solid solution were grown on MgO (001) substrates and their electrical and optical properties were examined. Sharp emission due to room-temperature exciton with binding energy of ˜50 meV is observed for all x values. Hall mobility becomes large with an increase in the Se content and it reaches 8.0 cm2V-1s-1 in LaCuOSe, a comparable value to that of p-type GaN:Mg. Doping of Mg2+ ions at La3+ sites enhances a hole concentration up to 2.2×1020 cm-3, while maintaining the Hall mobility as large as 4.0 cm2V-1s-1. Consequently, a degenerate p-type electrical conduction with a conductivity of 140 S cm-1 was achieved.

Dark and photo conductivity analysis of Cu doped CdSe-PVA nanocomposites synthesized by chemical route

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

Rani, Amita; Kurchania, Rajnish; Tripathi, S. K., E-mail: surya@pu.ac.in

2016-05-06

Present communication deals with the study of electrical conductivity measurements of Cu doped CdSe-PVA nanocomposite via chemical method. In electrical measurements, the dark conductivity (σ{sub d}) and the photoconductivity (σ{sub ph}) of CdSe prepared thin films have been studied in the temperature range of 308–343 K. The effect of temperature and the intensity on conductivity has been analyzed for CdSe and CdSe:Cu nanocomposite films. The conductivity of all the samples increases with increasing temperature indicating the semiconducting behavior of the samples. The value of photo activation energy is less than the dark activation energy due to the shift in energy levelsmore » under illumination.« less

Measurements and models of electric fields in the in vivo human brain during transcranial electric stimulation

PubMed Central

Huang, Yu; Liu, Anli A; Lafon, Belen; Friedman, Daniel; Dayan, Michael; Wang, Xiuyuan; Bikson, Marom; Doyle, Werner K; Devinsky, Orrin; Parra, Lucas C

2017-01-01

Transcranial electric stimulation aims to stimulate the brain by applying weak electrical currents at the scalp. However, the magnitude and spatial distribution of electric fields in the human brain are unknown. We measured electric potentials intracranially in ten epilepsy patients and estimated electric fields across the entire brain by leveraging calibrated current-flow models. When stimulating at 2 mA, cortical electric fields reach 0.8 V/m, the lower limit of effectiveness in animal studies. When individual whole-head anatomy is considered, the predicted electric field magnitudes correlate with the recorded values in cortical (r = 0.86) and depth (r = 0.88) electrodes. Accurate models require adjustment of tissue conductivity values reported in the literature, but accuracy is not improved when incorporating white matter anisotropy or different skull compartments. This is the first study to validate and calibrate current-flow models with in vivo intracranial recordings in humans, providing a solid foundation to target stimulation and interpret clinical trials. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.18834.001 PMID:28169833

Effect of proton-conduction in electrolyte on electric efficiency of multi-stage solid oxide fuel cells

PubMed Central

Matsuzaki, Yoshio; Tachikawa, Yuya; Somekawa, Takaaki; Hatae, Toru; Matsumoto, Hiroshige; Taniguchi, Shunsuke; Sasaki, Kazunari

2015-01-01

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are promising electrochemical devices that enable the highest fuel-to-electricity conversion efficiencies under high operating temperatures. The concept of multi-stage electrochemical oxidation using SOFCs has been proposed and studied over the past several decades for further improving the electrical efficiency. However, the improvement is limited by fuel dilution downstream of the fuel flow. Therefore, evolved technologies are required to achieve considerably higher electrical efficiencies. Here we present an innovative concept for a critically-high fuel-to-electricity conversion efficiency of up to 85% based on the lower heating value (LHV), in which a high-temperature multi-stage electrochemical oxidation is combined with a proton-conducting solid electrolyte. Switching a solid electrolyte material from a conventional oxide-ion conducting material to a proton-conducting material under the high-temperature multi-stage electrochemical oxidation mechanism has proven to be highly advantageous for the electrical efficiency. The DC efficiency of 85% (LHV) corresponds to a net AC efficiency of approximately 76% (LHV), where the net AC efficiency refers to the transmission-end AC efficiency. This evolved concept will yield a considerably higher efficiency with a much smaller generation capacity than the state-of-the-art several tens-of-MW-class most advanced combined cycle (MACC). PMID:26218470

Effect of proton-conduction in electrolyte on electric efficiency of multi-stage solid oxide fuel cells.

PubMed

Matsuzaki, Yoshio; Tachikawa, Yuya; Somekawa, Takaaki; Hatae, Toru; Matsumoto, Hiroshige; Taniguchi, Shunsuke; Sasaki, Kazunari

2015-07-28

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are promising electrochemical devices that enable the highest fuel-to-electricity conversion efficiencies under high operating temperatures. The concept of multi-stage electrochemical oxidation using SOFCs has been proposed and studied over the past several decades for further improving the electrical efficiency. However, the improvement is limited by fuel dilution downstream of the fuel flow. Therefore, evolved technologies are required to achieve considerably higher electrical efficiencies. Here we present an innovative concept for a critically-high fuel-to-electricity conversion efficiency of up to 85% based on the lower heating value (LHV), in which a high-temperature multi-stage electrochemical oxidation is combined with a proton-conducting solid electrolyte. Switching a solid electrolyte material from a conventional oxide-ion conducting material to a proton-conducting material under the high-temperature multi-stage electrochemical oxidation mechanism has proven to be highly advantageous for the electrical efficiency. The DC efficiency of 85% (LHV) corresponds to a net AC efficiency of approximately 76% (LHV), where the net AC efficiency refers to the transmission-end AC efficiency. This evolved concept will yield a considerably higher efficiency with a much smaller generation capacity than the state-of-the-art several tens-of-MW-class most advanced combined cycle (MACC).

The electrical conductivities of the DSS-13 beam-waveguide antenna shroud material and other antenna reflector surface materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Otoshi, T. Y.; Franco, M. M.; Reilly, H. F., Jr.

1992-01-01

A significant amount of noise temperature can potentially be generated by currently unknown dissipative losses in the beam waveguide (BWG) shroud. The amount of noise temperature contribution from this source is currently being studied. In conjunction with this study, electrical conductivity measurements were made on samples of the DSS-13 BWG shroud material at 8.420 GHz. The effective conductivities of unpainted and painted samples of the BWG shroud were measured to be 0.01 x 10(exp 7) and 0.0036 x 10(exp 7) mhos/m, respectively. This value may be compared with 5.66 x 10(exp 7) mhos/m for high conductivity copper.

Onset of oscillatory Rayleigh-Bénard magnetoconvection with rigid horizontal boundaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mondal, Hiya; Das, Alaka; Kumar, Krishna

2018-01-01

We present the results of linear stability analysis of oscillatory Rayleigh-Bénard magnetoconvection with rigid and thermally conducting boundaries. We have investigated two types of horizontal surfaces: (i) electrically conducting and (ii) boundaries which do not allow any outward current normal to the surface (magnetic vacuum conditions). For the case of electrically conducting boundaries, the critical Rayleigh number R ao(Q ,P r ,P m ) , the critical wave number ko(Q ,P r ,P m ) , and the frequency at the instability onset ω(Q ,P r ,P m ) increase as the Chandrasekhar number Q is raised for fixed non-zero values of thermal Prandtl Pr and magnetic Prandtl number Pm. For small values of Pr, the frequency of oscillation ω at the primary instability shows a rapid increase with Pm for very small values of Pm followed by a decrease at relatively larger values of Pm. In the limit of P r →0 , Rao and ko are found to be independent of Q. However, the frequency ω increases with Q, but decreases with Pm in this limit. The oscillatory instability is possible at the onset of magnetoconvection if and only if Chandrasekhar's criterion is valid (i.e., Pm > Pr) and Q is raised above a critical value Qc(P r ,P m ) such that the product P m *Qc≈91 for large Pm. For the stellar interior of an astrophysical body ( P m ≈10-4 and P r ≈10-8 ), the value of this product P m *Qc≈230 . The boundary conditions for magnetic vacuum change the critical values of Rayleigh number, wave number, and frequency of oscillation at the onset. The oscillatory magnetoconvection occurs in this case, if Q >Qc , where P m *Qc≈42 for large Pm. For steller interior, this value is approximately 64. A low-dimensional model is also constructed to study various patterns near the onset of oscillatory convection for rigid, thermally and electrically conducting boundaries. The model shows standing and drifting fluid patterns in addition to flow reversal close to the onset of magnetoconvection.

Transverse conductivity of a relativistic plasma in oblique electric and magnetic fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Melia, Fulvio; Fatuzzo, Marco

1991-01-01

Resistive tearing in a primary candidate for flares occurring in stressed magnetic fields. Its possible application to the strongly magnetized environments (Hz about 10 to the 12th G) near the surface of neutron stars, particularly as a mechanism for generating the plasma heating and particle acceleration leading to gamma-ray bursts, has motivated a quantum treatment of this process, which requires knowledge of the electrical conductivity sigma of a relativistic gas in a new domain (i.e., that of a low-density n/e/) plasma in oblique electric and magnetic fields. This paper discusses the mathematical formalism for calculating sigma and present numerical results for a wide range of parameter values. The results indicate that sigma depends very strongly on both the applied electric and magnetic fields.

High-Temperature Electrical Insulation Behavior of Alumina Films Prepared at Room Temperature by Aerosol Deposition and Influence of Annealing Process and Powder Impurities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schubert, Michael; Leupold, Nico; Exner, Jörg; Kita, Jaroslaw; Moos, Ralf

2018-04-01

Alumina (Al2O3) is a widely used material for highly insulating films due to its very low electrical conductivity, even at high temperatures. Typically, alumina films have to be sintered far above 1200 °C, which precludes the coating of lower melting substrates. The aerosol deposition method (ADM), however, is a promising method to manufacture ceramic films at room temperature directly from the ceramic raw powder. In this work, alumina films were deposited by ADM on a three-electrode setup with guard ring and the electrical conductivity was measured between 400 and 900 °C by direct current measurements according to ASTM D257 or IEC 60093. The effects of film annealing and of zirconia impurities in the powder on the electrical conductivity were investigated. The conductivity values of the ADM films correlate well with literature data and can even be improved by annealing at 900 °C from 4.5 × 10-12 S/cm before annealing up to 5.6 × 10-13 S/cm after annealing (measured at 400 °C). The influence of zirconia impurities is very low as the conductivity is only slightly elevated. The ADM-processed films show a very good insulation behavior represented by an even lower electrical conductivity than conventional alumina substrates as they are commercially available for thick-film technology.

Foldable Thermoelectric Materials: Improvement of the Thermoelectric Performance of Directly Spun CNT Webs by Individual Control of Electrical and Thermal Conductivity.

PubMed

An, Cheng Jin; Kang, Young Hun; Lee, A-Young; Jang, Kwang-Suk; Jeong, Youngjin; Cho, Song Yun

2016-08-31

We suggest the fabrication of foldable thermoelectric (TE) materials by embedding conducting polymers into Au-doped CNT webs. The CNT bundles, which are interconnected by a direct spinning method to form 3D networks without interfacial contact resistance, provide both high electrical conductivity and high carrier mobility. The ZT value of the spun CNT web is significantly enhanced through two simple processes. Decorating the porous CNT webs with Au nanoparticles increases the electrical conductivity, resulting in an optimal ZT of 0.163, which represents a more than 2-fold improvement compared to the ZT of pristine CNT webs (0.079). After decoration, polyaniline (PANI) is integrated into the Au-doped CNT webs both to improve the Seebeck coefficient by an energy-filtering effect and to decrease the thermal conductivity by the phonon-scattering effect. This leads to a ZT of 0.203, which is one of the highest ZT values reported for organic TE materials. Moreover, Au-doped CNT/PANI web is ultralightweight, free-standing, thermally stable, and mechanically robust, which makes it a viable candidate for a hybrid TE conversion device for wearable electronics. When a 20 K temperature gradient is applied to the TE module consisting of seven p-n couples, 1.74 μW of power is generated.

Electrical and magnetic properties of conductive Cu-based coated conductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aytug, T.; Paranthaman, M.; Thompson, J. R.; Goyal, A.; Rutter, N.; Zhai, H. Y.; Gapud, A. A.; Ijaduola, A. O.; Christen, D. K.

2003-11-01

The development of YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO)-based coated conductors for electric power applications will require electrical and thermal stabilization of the high-temperature superconducting (HTS) coating. In addition, nonmagnetic tape substrates are an important factor in order to reduce the ferromagnetic hysteresis energy loss in ac applications. We report progress toward a conductive buffer layer architecture on biaxially textured nonmagnetic Cu tapes to electrically couple the HTS layer to the underlying metal substrate. A protective Ni overlayer, followed by a single buffer layer of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3, was employed to avoid Cu diffusion and to improve oxidation resistance of the substrate. Property characterizations of YBCO films on short prototype samples revealed self-field critical current density (Jc) values exceeding 2×106 A/cm2 at 77 K and good electrical connectivity. Magnetic hysteretic loss due to Ni overlayer was also investigated.

About the relevance of waviness, agglomeration, and strain on the electrical behavior of polymer composites filled with carbon nanotubes evaluated by a Monte-Carlo simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Román, Sebastián; Lund, Fernando; Bustos, Javier; Palza, Humberto

2018-01-01

In several technological applications, carbon nanotubes (CNT) are added to a polymer matrix in order to develop electrically conductive composite materials upon percolation of the CNT network. This percolation state depends on several parameters such as particle characteristics, degree of dispersion, and filler orientation. For instance, CNT aggregation is currently avoided because it is thought that it will have a negative effect on the electrical behavior despite some experimental evidence showing the contrary. In this study, the effect of CNT waviness, degree of agglomeration, and external strain, on the electrical percolation of polymer composites is studied by a three dimensional Monte-Carlo simulation. The simulation shows that the percolation threshold of CNT depends on the particle waviness, with rigid particles displaying the lowest values. Regarding the effect of CNT dispersion, our numerical results confirm that low levels of agglomeration reduce the percolation threshold of the composite. However, the threshold is shifted to larger values at high agglomeration states because of the appearance of isolated areas of high CNT concentrations. These results imply, therefore, an optimum of agglomeration that further depends on the waviness and concentration of CNT. Significantly, CNT agglomeration can further explain the broad percolation transition found in these systems. When an external strain is applied to the composites, the percolation concentration shifts to higher values because CNT alignment increases the inter-particle distances. The strain sensitivity of the composites is affected by the percolation state of CNT showing a maximum value at certain filler concentration. These results open up the discussion about the relevance in polymer composites of the dispersion state of CNT and filler flexibility towards electrically conductive composites.

AC conductivity and dielectric properties of Ti-doped CoCr 1.2Fe 0.8O 4 spinel ferrite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elkestawy, M. A.; Abdel kader, S.; Amer, M. A.

2010-01-01

Dielectric properties of spinel ferrite samples Co 1+xTi xCr 1.2-2xFe 0.8O 4 (0≤ x≤0.5) were investigated as a function of frequency at different temperatures using a complex impedance technique. Also Cole-Cole diagrams of both permittivity and electric modulus were investigated at different temperatures to have an insight into the electric nature of the studied solids. It has been found that the electric modulus M* is the dominating property clarifying the intrinsic picture of these polycrystalline ferrites. The low conductivity and loss factor values indicate that the studied compositions may be good candidates for practical applications.

Large Enhancement of Thermal Conductivity and Lorenz Number in Topological Insulator Thin Films.

PubMed

Luo, Zhe; Tian, Jifa; Huang, Shouyuan; Srinivasan, Mithun; Maassen, Jesse; Chen, Yong P; Xu, Xianfan

2018-02-27

Topological insulators (TI) have attracted extensive research effort due to their insulating bulk states but conducting surface states. However, investigation and understanding of thermal transport in topological insulators, particularly the effect of surface states, are lacking. In this work, we studied thickness-dependent in-plane thermal and electrical conductivity of Bi 2 Te 2 Se TI thin films. A large enhancement in both thermal and electrical conductivity was observed for films with thicknesses below 20 nm, which is attributed to the surface states and bulk-insulating nature of these films. Moreover, a surface Lorenz number much larger than the Sommerfeld value was found. Systematic transport measurements indicated that the Fermi surface is located near the charge neutrality point (CNP) when the film thickness is below 20 nm. Possible reasons for the large Lorenz number include electrical and thermal current decoupling in the surface state Dirac fluid, and bipolar diffusion transport. A simple computational model indicates that the surface states and bipolar diffusion indeed can lead to enhanced electrical and thermal transport and a large Lorenz number.

Current Transport Properties of Monolayer Graphene/n-Si Schottky Diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pathak, C. S.; Garg, Manjari; Singh, J. P.; Singh, R.

2018-05-01

The present work reports on the fabrication and the detailed macroscopic and nanoscale electrical characteristics of monolayer graphene/n-Si Schottky diodes. The temperature dependent electrical transport properties of monolayer graphene/n-Si Schottky diodes were investigated. Nanoscale electrical characterizations were carried out using Kelvin probe force microscopy and conducting atomic force microscopy. Most the values of ideality factor and barrier height are found to be in the range of 2.0–4.4 and 0.50–0.70 eV for monolayer graphene/n-Si nanoscale Schottky contacts. The tunneling of electrons is found to be responsible for the high value of ideality factor for nanoscale Schottky contacts.

Growth of carbon nanotubes in arc plasma treated graphite disc: microstructural characterization and electrical conductivity study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nayak, B. B.; Sahu, R. K.; Dash, T.; Pradhan, S.

2018-03-01

Circular graphite discs were treated in arc plasma by varying arcing time. Analysis of the plasma treated discs by field emission scanning electron microscope revealed globular grain morphologies on the surfaces, but when the same were observed at higher magnification and higher resolution under transmission electron microscope, growth of multiwall carbon nanotubes of around 2 nm diameter was clearly seen. In situ growth of carbon nanotube bundles/bunches consisting of around 0.7 nm tube diameter was marked in the case of 6 min treated disc surface. Both the untreated and the plasma treated graphite discs were characterized by X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive spectra of X-ray, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, micro Raman spectroscopy and BET surface area measurement. From Raman spectra, BET surface area and microstructure observed in transmission electron microscope, growth of several layers of graphene was identified. Four-point probe measurements for electrical resistivity/conductivity of the graphite discs treated under different plasma conditions showed significant increase in conductivity values over that of untreated graphite conductivity value and the best result, i.e., around eightfold increase in conductivity, was observed in the case of 6 min plasma treated sample exhibiting carbon nanotube bundles/bunches grown on disc surface. By comparing the microstructures of the untreated and plasma treated graphite discs, the electrical conductivity increase in graphite disc is attributed to carbon nanotubes (including bundles/bunches) growth on disc surface by plasma treatment.

Superior Electrical Conductivity in Hydrogenated Layered Ternary Chalcogenide Nanosheets for Flexible All-Solid-State Supercapacitors.

PubMed

Hu, Xin; Shao, Wei; Hang, Xudong; Zhang, Xiaodong; Zhu, Wenguang; Xie, Yi

2016-05-04

As the properties of ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) crystals are strongly related to their electronic structures, more and more attempts were carried out to tune their electronic structures to meet the high standards for the construction of next-generation smart electronics. Herein, for the first time, we show that the conductive nature of layered ternary chalcogenide with formula of Cu2 WS4 can be switched from semiconducting to metallic by hydrogen incorporation, accompanied by a high increase in electrical conductivity. In detail, the room-temperature electrical conductivity of hydrogenated-Cu2 WS4 nanosheet film was almost 10(10) times higher than that of pristine bulk sample with a value of about 2.9×10(4)  S m(-1) , which is among the best values for conductive 2D nanosheets. In addition, the metallicity in the hydrogenated-Cu2 WS4 is robust and can be retained under high-temperature treatment. The fabricated all-solid-state flexible supercapacitor based on the hydrogenated-Cu2 WS4 nanosheet film shows promising electrochemical performances with capacitance of 583.3 F cm(-3) at a current density of 0.31 A cm(-3) . This work not only offers a prototype material for the study of electronic structure regulation in 2D crystals, but also paves the way in searching for highly conductive electrodes. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Anisotropic electrical and lattice transport properties of ordered quaternary phases Cr2TiAlC2 and Mo2TiAlC2: A first principles study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Y. F.; Ding, Y. C.; Xiao, B.; Cheng, Y. H.

2016-11-01

Electrical conductivities of Cr2TiAlC2 and Mo2TiAlC2 in a and c directions are calculated from semi-classic Boltzmann transport theory. The values are found to be σa = 5.68 ×105 S /m (6.56 ×105 S /m) and σc = 2.15 ×105 S /m (2.69 ×105 S /m) for Cr2TiAlC2 (Mo2TiAlC2) at 300 K. Using the phonon-mode Debye temperature and Slack-model, the lattice thermal conductivities in the two directions are also evaluated, and the values are κa = 18.71 W /m K (16.11 W/m K) and κc = 0.48 W /m K (0.25 W /m K) for Cr2TiAlC2 (Mo2TiAlC2) at room temperature. The anisotropy in lattice thermal conductivity is found to be stronger than that of electrical conductivity. The predicted Seebeck coefficients and thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) indicate that they are poor thermoelectric materials. Due to the relatively high conductivities, they might be used to fabricate high temperature conductive components in aerospace industry. In addition, our results in a direction have the direct implications for the relevant properties of MXenes (Cr2TiC2 and Mo2TiC2), produced from their bulk phases.

Thermophysical Properties of Cold and Vacuum Plasma Sprayed Cu-Cr-X Alloys, NiAl and NiCrAlY Coatings. Part 1; Electrical and Thermal Conductivity, Thermal Diffusivity, and Total Hemispherical Emissivity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raj, S. V.

2017-01-01

This two-part paper reports the thermophysical properties of several cold and vacuum plasma sprayed monolithic Cu and Ni-based alloy coatings. Part I presents the electrical and thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and total hemispherical emissivity data while Part II reports the specific heat capacity data for these coatings. Metallic copper alloys, stoichiometric NiAl and NiCrAlY coatings were fabricated by either the cold sprayed or the vacuum plasma spray deposition processes for thermal property measurements between 77 and 1223 K. The temperature dependencies of the thermal conductivities, thermal diffusivities, electrical conductivities and total hemispherical emissivities of these cold and vacuum sprayed monolithic coatings are reported in this paper. The electrical and thermal conductivity data correlate reasonably well for Cu-8%Cr-1%Al, Cu-23%Cr-5%Al and NiAl in accordance with the Wiedemann-Franz (WF) law although a better fit is obtained using the Smith-Palmer relationship. The Lorentz numbers determined from the WF law are close to the theoretical value.

Thermophysical Properties of Cold- and Vacuum Plasma-Sprayed Cu-Cr-X Alloys, NiAl and NiCrAlY Coatings I: Electrical and Thermal Conductivity, Thermal Diffusivity, and Total Hemispherical Emissivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raj, S. V.

2017-11-01

This two-part paper reports the thermophysical properties of several cold- and vacuum plasma-sprayed monolithic Cu- and Ni-based alloy coatings. Part I presents the electrical and thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and total hemispherical emissivity data, while Part II reports the specific heat capacity data for these coatings. Metallic copper alloys and stoichiometric NiAl and NiCrAlY coatings were fabricated by either the cold spray or the vacuum plasma spray deposition processes for thermal property measurements between 77 and 1223 K. The temperature dependencies of the thermal conductivities, thermal diffusivities, electrical conductivities, and total hemispherical emissivities of these cold- and vacuum-sprayed monolithic coatings are reported in this paper. The electrical and thermal conductivity data correlate reasonably well for Cu-8%Cr-1%Al, Cu-23%Cr-5%Al, and NiAl in accordance with the Wiedemann-Franz (WF) law although a better fit is obtained using the Smith-Palmer relationship. The Lorentz numbers determined from the WF law are close to the theoretical value.

Modeling of electric field distribution in tissues during electroporation

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Electroporation based therapies and treatments (e.g. electrochemotherapy, gene electrotransfer for gene therapy and DNA vaccination, tissue ablation with irreversible electroporation and transdermal drug delivery) require a precise prediction of the therapy or treatment outcome by a personalized treatment planning procedure. Numerical modeling of local electric field distribution within electroporated tissues has become an important tool in treatment planning procedure in both clinical and experimental settings. Recent studies have reported that the uncertainties in electrical properties (i.e. electric conductivity of the treated tissues and the rate of increase in electric conductivity due to electroporation) predefined in numerical models have large effect on electroporation based therapy and treatment effectiveness. The aim of our study was to investigate whether the increase in electric conductivity of tissues needs to be taken into account when modeling tissue response to the electroporation pulses and how it affects the local electric distribution within electroporated tissues. Methods We built 3D numerical models for single tissue (one type of tissue, e.g. liver) and composite tissue (several types of tissues, e.g. subcutaneous tumor). Our computer simulations were performed by using three different modeling approaches that are based on finite element method: inverse analysis, nonlinear parametric and sequential analysis. We compared linear (i.e. tissue conductivity is constant) model and non-linear (i.e. tissue conductivity is electric field dependent) model. By calculating goodness of fit measure we compared the results of our numerical simulations to the results of in vivo measurements. Results The results of our study show that the nonlinear models (i.e. tissue conductivity is electric field dependent: σ(E)) fit experimental data better than linear models (i.e. tissue conductivity is constant). This was found for both single tissue and composite tissue. Our results of electric field distribution modeling in linear model of composite tissue (i.e. in the subcutaneous tumor model that do not take into account the relationship σ(E)) showed that a very high electric field (above irreversible threshold value) was concentrated only in the stratum corneum while the target tumor tissue was not successfully treated. Furthermore, the calculated volume of the target tumor tissue exposed to the electric field above reversible threshold in the subcutaneous model was zero assuming constant conductivities of each tissue. Our results also show that the inverse analysis allows for identification of both baseline tissue conductivity (i.e. conductivity of non-electroporated tissue) and tissue conductivity vs. electric field (σ(E)) of electroporated tissue. Conclusion Our results of modeling of electric field distribution in tissues during electroporation show that the changes in electrical conductivity due to electroporation need to be taken into account when an electroporation based treatment is planned or investigated. We concluded that the model of electric field distribution that takes into account the increase in electric conductivity due to electroporation yields more precise prediction of successfully electroporated target tissue volume. The findings of our study can significantly contribute to the current development of individualized patient-specific electroporation based treatment planning. PMID:23433433

The acoustic sensor for rapid analysis of bacterial cells in the conductive suspensions.

PubMed

Borodina, I A; Zaitsev, B D; Guliy, O; Teplykh, A A; Shikhabudinov, A M

2017-11-01

The possibility of using the acoustic sensor on the basis of a two-channel delay line for rapid analysis of bacterial cells in the conductive suspensions was investigated. The dependencies of change in phase and insertion loss of output signal of the sensor on conductivity of buffer solution with various concentrations of cells due to a specific interaction "bacterial cells - mini-antibodies" for electrically open and electrically shorted channels of delay line were measured. It has been found that these changes have the most values for the electrically open channel. It has been also shown that the sensor rapidly responds to the specific interaction and the time stabilization of the phase and insertion loss of output signal is less than 10min. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of tissue conductivity and electrode area on internal electric fields in a numerical human model for ELF contact current exposures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarao, H.; Kuisti, H.; Korpinen, L.; Hayashi, N.; Isaka, K.

2012-05-01

Contact currents flow through the human body when a conducting object with different potential is touched. There are limited reports on numerical dosimetry for contact current exposure compared with electromagnetic field exposures. In this study, using an anatomical human adult male model, we performed numerical calculation of internal electric fields resulting from 60 Hz contact current flowing from the left hand to the left foot as a basis case. Next, we performed a variety of similar calculations with varying tissue conductivity and contact area, and compared the results with the basis case. We found that very low conductivity of skin and a small electrode size enhanced the internal fields in the muscle, subcutaneous fat and skin close to the contact region. The 99th percentile value of the fields in a particular tissue type did not reliably account for these fields near the electrode. In the arm and leg, the internal fields for the muscle anisotropy were identical to those in the isotropy case using a conductivity value longitudinal to the muscle fibre. Furthermore, the internal fields in the tissues abreast of the joints such as the wrist and the elbow, including low conductivity tissues, as well as the electrode contact region, exceeded the ICNIRP basic restriction for the general public with contact current as the reference level value.

Effect of graphitic carbon nanomodifiers on the electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of linear low density polyethylene nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villacorta Hernandez, Byron S.

Conductive polymer composites have become alternative materials for providing electromagnetic and electrostatic shielding where metals are not suitable. In this study, the effect of crystallinity, morphology, concentration and orientation of carbon nanomodifiers on shielding provided by their polyethylene-based composites has been investigated relative to their transport properties. First, the electrical properties and EM SE of composites consisting of heat-treated carbon nanofibers (PyrografRTM-III PR-19 CNF) in a linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) matrix were assessed. Heat treatment (HT) of CNF at 2500°C significantly improved their graphitic crystallinity and intrinsic transport properties, thereby increasing the EM SE of the nanocomposites. Although the strain-to-failure was about one-third that of pure LLDPE, the absolute value of 180+/-98% indicates a significant retention of ductility. Second, the influence of the morphology of carbon modifiers on the electrical, thermal and mechanical properties of their composites was investigated. Four heat-treated carbon modifiers were investigated: PR-19 HT carbon nanofibers, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT HT), helical multi-walled carbon nanotubes (HCNT HT), and pitch-based P-55 carbon fibers (CF). MWHT HT, with the highest aspect ratio, led to the largest composite electrical and thermal conductivities (34 S/m, 1 W/m.K) and EM SE (~24 dB). In contrast, HCNT HT, due to their coiled shape and low aspect ratio, led to a non-percolating microstructure in the composites, which produced poor EM SE (<1 dB). Nonetheless, HCNT HT composites displayed the highest ductility (~250%) and flexibility, which is probably owed to the matrix-modifier mechanical bonding (interlocking) provided by the helical morphology. Using the carbon modifiers that previously led to the best EM SE (i.e., PR-19 HT and MWNT HT), the influence of composite electrical properties on the plane-wave EM SE in the VHF-UHF bands was studied further. Both graphitic nanomodifiers were dispersed in LLDPE matrix to produce a nominally random in-plane modifier orientation. For a concentration of 10 vol% nanomodifiers, EM SE values of 22 dB and 24 dB were obtained for PR-19 HT and MWNT HT nanocomposites (2.5-mm thick), respectively. At a high concentration of 40 vol%, EM SE values as high as 68 dB and 55 dB were respectively attained. Because such nanocomposites possess only moderate electrical conductivity, a model for generally-lossy materials was used to predict the plane-wave EM SE and its components. Based on the material properties of the nanocomposites, the predicted values of EM SE were found to be consistent with the experimental values. Finally, the electrical conductivity and EM SE of nanocomposites that contained 10 vol% of oriented graphitic nanomodifiers (PR-19 HT and MWNT HT) in LLDPE are reported. Micro-filament spinning was used to generate flow-induced orientation of the carbon nanomodifiers. Consequently, the conductivity of the resulting nanocomposites exhibited anisotropy. Thus, the in-plane conductivity in the longitudinal direction (PR-19 HT comp.: ~0.02 S/m; MWNT HT comp.: ~3 S/m) was at least an order of magnitude higher than that along the transverse direction. As measured with a rectangular waveguide (WR510, 1.45-2.2 GHz), the PR-19 HT and MWNT HT oriented nanocomposites (1-mm thick) displayed EM SE values of 0.7+/-0.4 dB and 3.0+/-0.8 dB, respectively, when the nanomodifiers were transversely oriented with the polarized electric field. In contrast, when the orientation of the nanomodifiers was parallel with the field, values of 3.2+/-1.0 dB and 9.0+/-1.0 dB were obtained, respectively. Therefore, as a result of this anisotropy, as analyzed by polarized electromagnetic waves, the composites displayed anisotropic shielding. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Evaluating the potential for quantitative monitoring of in situ chemical oxidation of aqueous-phase TCE using in-phase and quadrature electrical conductivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hort, R. D.; Revil, A.; Munakata-Marr, J.; Mao, D.

2015-07-01

Electrical resistivity measurements can potentially be used to remotely monitor fate and transport of ionic oxidants such as permanganate (MnO4-) during in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) of contaminants like trichloroethene (TCE). Time-lapse two-dimensional bulk conductivity and induced polarization surveys conducted during a sand tank ISCO simulation demonstrated that MnO4- plume movement could be monitored in a qualitative manner using bulk conductivity tomograms, although chargeability was below sensitivity limits. We also examined changes to in-phase and quadrature electrical conductivity resulting from ion injection, MnO2 and Cl- production, and pH change during TCE and humate oxidation by MnO4- in homogeneous aqueous solutions and saturated porous media samples. Data from the homogeneous samples demonstrated that inversion of the sand tank resistivity data using a common Tikhonov regularization approach was insufficient to recover an accurate conductivity distribution within the tank. While changes to in-phase conductivity could be successfully modeled, quadrature conductivity values could not be directly related to TCE oxidation product or MnO4- concentrations at frequencies consistent with field induced polarization surveys, limiting the utility of quadrature conductivity for monitoring ISCO.

A two dimension model of the uterine electrical wave propagation.

PubMed

Rihana, S; Lefrançois, E; Marque, C

2007-01-01

The uterus, usually quiescent during pregnancy, exhibits forceful contractions at term leading to delivery. These contractions are caused by the synchronized propagation of electrical waves from the pacemaker cells to its neighbors inducing the whole coordinated contraction of the uterus wall leading to labor. In a previous work, we simulate the electrical activity of a single uterine cell by a set of ordinary differential equations. Then, this model has been used to simulate the electrical activity propagation. In the present work, the uterine cell tissue is assumed to have uniform and isotropic propagation, and constant electrical membrane properties. The stability of the numerical solution imposes the choice of a critical temporal step. A wave starts at a pacemaker cell; this electrical activity is initiated by the injection of an external stimulation current to the cell membrane. We observe synchronous wave propagation for axial resistance values around 0.5 GOmega or less and propoagation blocking for values greater than 0.7 GOmega. We compute the conduction velocity of the excitation, for different axial resistance values, and obtain a velocity about 10 cm/sec, approaching the one described by the literature for the rat at end of term.

Crystal Structure and Thermoelectric Properties of β-Pyrochlore-Type Alkali Iron Tungsten Oxides with Cage-Like Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizuta, Kohei; Ohtaki, Michitaka

2016-03-01

We report the electrical and thermal properties of β-pyrochlore (defect pyrochlore) oxides AFe0.33W1.67O6 ( A = K, Rb, Cs) with a crystal structure having a small cation surrounded by oversized cage-like framework. The thermal conductivity, κ, of CsFe0.33W1.67O6 and RbFe0.33W1.67O6 showed extremely low values as oxides (below 1.0 W/mK) similar to those of ATaWO6 ( A = K, Rb, Cs) which we have already reported. These low κ values are ascribed to a "rattling" motion of the A cations, evidenced by their crystal structure refinement and the Raman spectra. Their electrical conductivity, σ, was in the order of 10-3 S/cm, and the Seebeck coefficient, S, was -500 to -600 μV/K. The electrical conductivity of AFe0.33W1.67O6 ( A = Rb, Cs) was much higher than those of ATaWO6 ( A = Rb, Cs), suggesting that an appropriate selection of the framework composition enables us to have better thermoelectric performance.

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

Inhester, B.; Untiedt, J.; Segatz, M.

From two-dimensional ground magnetic and ionospheric electric field observations it should in principle be possible to estimate the two-dimensional distribution of the ionospheric conductance. The authors have developed a method to directly deduce the Hall conductance distribution {Sigma}{sub H} from ground magnetic and ionospheric electric field observations based upon some assumption for the ratio of the Hall to the Pedersen conductivity. In general, the solutions are shown not to be unique because for a specific solution the value of {Sigma}{sub H} on certain parts of the boundary of the two-dimensional domain has to be specified. However, in many situations, especiallymore » in the presence of strong and isolated field-aligned currents, these boundary values become less influential, and the solution can be shown to be practically unique over a large area of the domain. In some cases, a rather restrictive relation between the electric field and the equivalent height-integrated current density is shown to hold that could be used to cross-check the quality of the observations. As a specific example, they apply their formalism to the observation of a Harang discontinuity obtained in northern Scandinavia simultaneously by the STARE coherent radar system and the IMS Scandinavian Magnetometer Array.« less

Development of Polythiophene/Acrylonitrile-Butadiene Rubbers for Artificial Muscle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thipdech, Pacharavalee; Sirivat, Anuvat

2007-03-01

Electroactive polymers (EAPs) can respond to the applied electrical field by an extension or a retraction. In this work, we are interested in using an elastomeric blend for electroactive applications, acrylonitirle-butadiene rubber (NBR) containing a conductive polymer (Poly(3-thiopheneacetic acid, PTAA); the latter can be synthesized via oxidative polymerization. FT-IR, Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), ^1H-NMR, UV-visible spectroscopy, and SEM are used to characterize the conductive polymer. Electrorheological properties are measured and investigated in terms of acrylonitrile content, blending ratio, doping level, and temperature. Experiments are carried out under oscillatory shear mode and with applied electric field strength varying from 0 to 2 kV/mm. Dielectric properties, conductivities are measured and correlated with the storage modulus responses. The storage modulus sensitivity, δG'G'0of the pure rubbers increases with increasing electric field strength. They attain the maximum values of about 30% and become constant at electric strength at and above 1000 V/mm.

Tuning the Electrical and Thermal Conductivities of Thermoelectric Oxides through Impurity Doping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torres Arango, Maria A.

Waste heat and thermal gradients available at power plants can be harvested to power wireless networks and sensors by using thermoelectric (TE) generators that directly transform temperature differentials into electrical power. Oxide materials are promising for TE applications in harsh industrial environments for waste heat recovery at high temperatures in air, because they are lightweight, cheaply produced, highly efficient, and stable at high temperatures in air. Ca3Co4O9(CCO) with layered structure is a promising p-type thermoelectric oxide with extrapolated ZT value of 0.87 in single crystal form [1]. However the ZT values for the polycrystalline ceramics remain low of ˜0.1-0.3. In this research, nanostructure engineering approaches including doping and addition of nanoinclusions were applied to the polycrystalline CCO ceramic to improve the energy conversion efficiency. Polycrystalline CCO samples with various Bi doping levels were prepared through the sol-gel chemical route synthesis of powders, pressing and sintering of the pellets. Microstructure features of Bi doped ceramic bulk samples such as porosity, development of crystal texture, grain boundary dislocations and segregation of Bi dopants at various grain boundaries are investigated from microns to atomic scale. The results of the present study show that the Bi-doping is affecting both the electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity simultaneously, and the optimum Bi doping level is strongly correlated with the microstructure and the processing conditions of the ceramic samples. At the optimum doping level and processing conditions of the ceramic samples, the Bi substitution of Ca results in the increase of the electrical conductivity, decrease of the thermal conductivity, and improvement of the crystal texture. The atomic resolution Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) Z-contrast imaging and the chemistry analysis also reveal the Bi-segregation at grain boundaries of CCO polycrystalline samples. In order to further decrease the thermal conductivity and increase the overall energy conversion efficiency of ceramic samples. The highest ZT value obtained is 0.32 at 973K for Ca and Co site Bi doping. The effect of the nanoinclusions on the performance and the microstructure of CCO were investigated as well.

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

Melaina, Marc W; Wood, Eric W

The plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) market is experiencing rapid growth with dozens of battery electric (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) models already available and billions of dollars being invested by automotive manufacturers in the PEV space. Electric range is increasing thanks to larger and more advanced batteries and significant infrastructure investments are being made to enable higher power fast charging. Costs are falling and PEVs are becoming more competitive with conventional vehicles. Moreover, new technologies such as connectivity and automation hold the promise of enhancing the value proposition of PEVs. This presentation outlines a suite of projects funded bymore » the U.S. Department of Energy's Vehicle Technology Office to conduct assessments of the economic value and charging infrastructure requirements of the evolving PEV market. Individual assessments include national evaluations of PEV economic value (assuming 73M PEVs on the road in 2035), national analysis of charging infrastructure requirements (with community and corridor level resolution), and case studies of PEV ownership in Columbus, OH and Massachusetts.« less

Strain and electric field induced metallization in the GaX (X = N, P, As & Sb) monolayer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahuguna, Bhagwati Prasad; Saini, L. K.; Sharma, Rajesh O.; Tiwari, Brajesh

2018-05-01

We investigate the strain and electric field dependent electronic properties of two dimensional Ga-based group III-V monolayer from the first-principles approach within density functional theory. The energy bandgap of GaX monolayer increases upto the certain value of compressive strain and then decreases. On the other hand, the energy bandgap of GaX monolayer is monotonically decreased with increasing tensile strain and become metallic at the higher value. Furthermore, the perpendicular electric field decreases the energy band gap of unstrained GaX monolayer and shows semiconductor to metal transition. These results suggest that the nature of energy bands and value of energy bandgap in GaX monolayer can be tuned by the biaxial mechanical strain or perpendicular electrical field. Additionally, we have also studied the optical response of unstrained GaX monolayer in term of optical conductivity. These findings may provide valuable information to develop the Ga-based optoelectronic devices and further the understanding of the GaX monolayer.

Gradient-based Electrical Properties Tomography (gEPT): a Robust Method for Mapping Electrical Properties of Biological Tissues In Vivo Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging

PubMed Central

Liu, Jiaen; Zhang, Xiaotong; Schmitter, Sebastian; Van de Moortele, Pierre-Francois; He, Bin

2014-01-01

Purpose To develop high-resolution electrical properties tomography (EPT) methods and investigate a gradient-based EPT (gEPT) approach which aims to reconstruct the electrical properties (EP), including conductivity and permittivity, of an imaged sample from experimentally measured B1 maps with improved boundary reconstruction and robustness against measurement noise. Theory and Methods Using a multi-channel transmit/receive stripline head coil, with acquired B1 maps for each coil element, by assuming negligible Bz component compared to transverse B1 components, a theory describing the relationship between B1 field, EP value and their spatial gradient has been proposed. The final EP images were obtained through spatial integration over the reconstructed EP gradient. Numerical simulation, physical phantom and in vivo human experiments at 7 T have been conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed methods. Results Reconstruction results were compared with target EP values in both simulations and phantom experiments. Human experimental results were compared with EP values in literature. Satisfactory agreement was observed with improved boundary reconstruction. Importantly, the proposed gEPT method proved to be more robust against noise when compared to previously described non-gradient-based EPT approaches. Conclusion The proposed gEPT approach holds promises to improve EP mapping quality by recovering the boundary information and enhancing robustness against noise. PMID:25213371

Polymer nanocomposite dielectric and electrical properties with quantum dots nanofiller

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, R. M.; Morsi, R. M. M.

2017-10-01

Nanocomposite films of different contents of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots nanoparticles embedded in hosting matrix of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) were prepared by simple solution casting method. Electrical and dielectric properties of nanocomposites films were investigated in the temperature range 323-393 (K) and at frequencies (50-2000) kHz. The frequency dependence of AC conductivity was following the universal power law. The values of the frequency exponent, s, revealed that the conduction mechanism at low temperature is considered by small polaron tunneling model, whereas at high temperature, it is related to CBH model. The activation energy values (ΔE) were depending on nanoparticle concentration as well as frequency. Also, X-ray diffraction (XRD) enabled approximately estimating the average particle size of the nanoparticles incorporated in PVC.

Spatial relationship between the productivity of cane sugar and soil electrical conductivity measured by electromagnetic induction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siqueira, Glecio; Silva, Jucicléia; Bezerra, Joel; Silva, Enio; Montenegro, Abelardo

2013-04-01

The cultivation of sugar cane in Brazil occupies a prominent place in national production chain, because the country is the main world producer of sugar and ethanol. Accordingly, studies are needed that allow an integrated production and technified, and especially that estimates of crops are consistent with the actual production of each region. The objective of this study was to determine the spatial relationship between the productivity of cane sugar and soil electrical conductivity measured by electromagnetic induction. The field experiment was conducted at an agricultural research site located in Goiana municipality, Pernambuco State, north-east of Brazil (Latitude 07 ° 34 '25 "S, Longitude 34 ° 55' 39" W). The surface of the studied field is 6.5 ha, and its mean height 8.5 m a.s.l. This site has been under sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum sp.) monoculture during the last 24 years and it was managed burning the straw each year after harvesting, renewal of plantation was performed every 7 years. Studied the field is located 10 km east from Atlantic Ocean and it is representative of the regional landscape lowlands, whose soils are affected by salinity seawater, sugarcane plantations with the main economical activity. Soil was classified an orthic the Podsol. The productivity of cane sugar and electrical conductivity were measured in 90 sampling points. The productivity of cane sugar was determined in each of the sampling points in plots of 9 m2. The Apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa, mS m-1) was measured with an electromagnetic induction device EM38-DD (Geonics Limited). The equipment consists of two units of measurement, one in a horizontal dipole (ECa-H) to provide effective measurement distance of 1.5 m approximately and other one in vertical dipole (ECa-V) with an effective measurement depth of approximately 0.75 m. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and geostatistical tools. The results showed that productivity in the study area reached values above 200 t ha-1, with higher values of productivity are concentrated in the region northern terrain. The maps of soil electrical conductivity (ECa-V and ECa-H) showed behavior similar to the productivity of cane sugar. The linear correlation showed values of 0.74 (yield x ECa-H) and 0.85 (yield x ECa-V). The adjusted semivariograms showed no similarity in the spatial pattern of pairs of semivariance. The electrical conductivity measured by electromagnetic induction has been shown as an important tool for predicting the productivity of sugar cane, however more studies are needed to determine the magnitude of the differences between such attributes.

Thermoelectric properties of p-type perovskite compounds LaCoO3 systems containing the A-site vacancy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anzai, Mayuka; Kawakami, Hiroshi; Saito, Miwa; Yamamura, Hiroshi

2011-05-01

Thermoelectric properties of Sr-doped LaCoO3 system which includes both La1-xSrxCoO3 and La0.95-xSrxsquare0.05CoO3 containing the A-site vacancy were prepared by solid state reaction. The crystal phases of the samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction method. The electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity were investigated, focusing the effect of A-site vacancy. Doping of Sr to LaCoO3 improved the electrical conductivity but decreased the seebeck coefficient and increased the thermal conductivity. A-site vacancy of La0.95-xSrxsquare0.05CoO3 system, in comparison with La1-xSrxCoO3 system, increased electrical conductivity, and decreased lattice thermal conductivity. As a result, it was found that the thermoelectric properties of La0.95-xSrxsquare0.05CoO3 containing the A-site vacancy showed the higher values than those of La1-xSrxCoO3. The introduction of A-site vacancy was effective on the improvement of thermoelectric property.

Impact of monovalent cations on soil structure. Part I. Results of an Iranian soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farahani, Elham; Emami, Hojat; Keller, Thomas; Fotovat, Amir; Khorassani, Reza

2018-01-01

This study investigated the impact of monovalent cations on clay dispersion, aggregate stability, soil pore size distribution, and saturated hydraulic conductivity on agricultural soil in Iran. The soil was incubated with treatment solutions containing different concentrations (0-54.4 mmol l-1) of potassium and sodium cations. The treatment solutions included two levels of electrical conductivity (EC=3 or 6 dS m-1) and six K:Na ratios per electrical conductivity level. At both electrical conductivity levels, spontaneously dispersible clay increased with increasing K concentration, and with increasing K:Na ratio. A negative linear relationship between percentage of water-stable aggregates and spontaneously dispersible clay was observed. Clay dispersion generally reduced the mean pore size, presumably due to clogging of pores, resulting in increased water retention. At both electrical conductivity levels, hydraulic conductivity increased with increasing exchangeable potassium percentage at low exchangeable potassium percentage values, but decreased with further increases in exchangeable potassium percentage at higher exchangeable potassium percentage. This is in agreement with earlier studies, but seems in conflict with our data showing increasing spontaneously dispersible clay with increasing exchangeable potassium percentage. Our findings show that clay dispersion increased with increasing K concentration and increasing K:Na ratio, demonstrating that K can have negative impacts on soil structure.

Electrical properties of multiphase composites based on carbon nanotubes and an optimized clay content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Egiziano, Luigi; Lamberti, Patrizia; Spinelli, Giovanni; Tucci, Vincenzo; Guadagno, Liberata; Vertuccio, Luigi

2016-05-01

The experimental results concerning the characterization of a multiphase nanocomposite systems based on epoxy matrix, loaded with different amount of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and an optimized Hydrotalcite (HT) clay content (i.e. 0.6 wt%), duly identified by an our previous theoretical study based on Design of Experiment (DoE), are presented. Dynamic-mechanical analysis (DMA) reveal that even the introduction of higher HT loading (up to 1%wt) don't affect significantly the mechanical properties of the nanocomposites while morphological investigations show an effective synergy between clay and carbon nanotubes that leads to peculiar micro/nanostructures that favor the creation of the electrical conductive network inside the insulating resin. An electrical characterization is carried out in terms of DC electrical conductivity, percolation threshold (EPT) and frequency response in the range 10Hz-1MHz. In particular, the measurements of the DC conductivity allow to obtain the typical "percolation" curve also found for classical CNT-polymer mixtures and a value of about 2 S/m for the electrical conductivity is achieved at the highest considered CNTs concentration (i.e. 1 wt%). The results suggest that multiphase nanocomposites obtained incorporating dispersive nanofillers, in addition to the conductive one, may be a valid alternative to the polymer blends, to improve the properties of the polymeric materials thus able to meet high demands, particularly concerning their mechanical and thermal stability and electrical features required in the aircraft engineering.

The electric field distribution in the brain during TTFields therapy and its dependence on tissue dielectric properties and anatomy: a computational study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wenger, Cornelia; Salvador, Ricardo; Basser, Peter J.; Miranda, Pedro C.

2015-09-01

Tumor treating fields (TTFields) are a non-invasive, anti-mitotic and approved treatment for recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients. In vitro studies have shown that inhibition of cell division in glioma is achieved when the applied alternating electric field has a frequency in the range of 200 kHz and an amplitude of 1-3 V cm-1. Our aim is to calculate the electric field distribution in the brain during TTFields therapy and to investigate the dependence of these predictions on the heterogeneous, anisotropic dielectric properties used in the computational model. A realistic head model was developed by segmenting MR images and by incorporating anisotropic conductivity values for the brain tissues. The finite element method (FEM) was used to solve for the electric potential within a volume mesh that consisted of the head tissues, a virtual lesion with an active tumour shell surrounding a necrotic core, and the transducer arrays. The induced electric field distribution is highly non-uniform. Average field strength values are slightly higher in the tumour when incorporating anisotropy, by about 10% or less. A sensitivity analysis with respect to the conductivity and permittivity of head tissues shows a variation in field strength of less than 42% in brain parenchyma and in the tumour, for values within the ranges reported in the literature. Comparing results to a previously developed head model suggests significant inter-subject variability. This modelling study predicts that during treatment with TTFields the electric field in the tumour exceeds 1 V cm-1, independent of modelling assumptions. In the future, computational models may be useful to optimize delivery of TTFields.

The electric field distribution in the brain during TTFields therapy and its dependence on tissue dielectric properties and anatomy: a computational study.

PubMed

Wenger, Cornelia; Salvador, Ricardo; Basser, Peter J; Miranda, Pedro C

2015-09-21

Tumor treating fields (TTFields) are a non-invasive, anti-mitotic and approved treatment for recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients. In vitro studies have shown that inhibition of cell division in glioma is achieved when the applied alternating electric field has a frequency in the range of 200 kHz and an amplitude of 1-3 V cm(-1). Our aim is to calculate the electric field distribution in the brain during TTFields therapy and to investigate the dependence of these predictions on the heterogeneous, anisotropic dielectric properties used in the computational model. A realistic head model was developed by segmenting MR images and by incorporating anisotropic conductivity values for the brain tissues. The finite element method (FEM) was used to solve for the electric potential within a volume mesh that consisted of the head tissues, a virtual lesion with an active tumour shell surrounding a necrotic core, and the transducer arrays. The induced electric field distribution is highly non-uniform. Average field strength values are slightly higher in the tumour when incorporating anisotropy, by about 10% or less. A sensitivity analysis with respect to the conductivity and permittivity of head tissues shows a variation in field strength of less than 42% in brain parenchyma and in the tumour, for values within the ranges reported in the literature. Comparing results to a previously developed head model suggests significant inter-subject variability. This modelling study predicts that during treatment with TTFields the electric field in the tumour exceeds 1 V cm(-1), independent of modelling assumptions. In the future, computational models may be useful to optimize delivery of TTFields.

The electric field distribution in the brain during TTFields therapy and its dependence on tissue dielectric properties and anatomy: a computational study

PubMed Central

Wenger, Cornelia; Salvador, Ricardo; Basser, Peter J; Miranda, Pedro C

2015-01-01

Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) are a non-invasive, anti-mitotic and approved treatment for recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients. In vitro studies have shown that inhibition of cell division in glioma is achieved when the applied alternating electric field has a frequency in the range of 200 kHz and an amplitude of 1 - 3 V/cm. Our aim is to calculate the electric field distribution in the brain during TTFields therapy and to investigate the dependence of these predictions on the heterogeneous, anisotropic dielectric properties used in the computational model. A realistic head model was developed by segmenting MR images and by incorporating anisotropic conductivity values for the brain tissues. The finite element method (FEM) was used to solve for the electric potential within a volume mesh that consisted of the head tissues, a virtual lesion with an active tumour shell surrounding a necrotic core, and the transducer arrays. The induced electric field distribution is highly non-uniform. Average field strength values are slightly higher in the tumour when incorporating anisotropy, by about 10% or less. A sensitivity analysis with respect to the conductivity and permittivity of head tissues shows a variation in field strength of less than 42% in brain parenchyma and in the tumour, for values within the ranges reported in the literature. Comparing results to a previously developed head model suggests significant inter-subject variability. This modelling study predicts that during treatment with TTFields the electric field in the tumour exceeds 1 V/cm, independent of modelling assumptions. In the future, computational models may be useful to optimize delivery of TTFields. PMID:26350296

Electrical and dielectric properties of PVdF-HFP - PMMA - (PC + DEC)- LiClO4 based gel polymer electrolyte

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gohel, Khushbu; Kanchan, D. K.; Maheshwaran, C.

2018-04-01

In the present paper, AC impedance studies have been measured to evaluate ion conduction behavior of (PVdF-HFP - PMMA) + (PC-DEC) + LiClO4 gel polymer electrolyte system prepared by solution casting method. Structural characterization and morphology has been carried out using XRD and SEM respectively. The AC conductivity and dielectric permittivity, electric modulus and relaxation mechanism have been studied. The variation of ac conductivity with frequency obeys Jonscher power law. Maximum value of dielectric constant ɛ' in the lower frequency region has been observed for the gel polymer electrolyte containing 7.5 wt% LiClO4. The highest conducting sample shows the shortest relaxation time.

Record figure of merit values of highly stoichiometric Sb 2Te 3 porous bulk synthesized from tailor-made molecular precursors in ionic liquids

DOE PAGES

Heimann, Stefan; Schulz, Stephan; Schaumann, Julian; ...

2015-08-06

We report on the synthesis of Sb 2Te 3 nanoparticles with record-high figure of merit values of up to 1.5. The central thermoelectric parameters, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity and Seebeck coefficient, were independently optimized. Critical influence of porosity for the fabrication of highly efficient thermoelectric materials is firstly demonstrated, giving a strong guidance for the optimization of other thermoelectric materials.

Incorporation of polydimethylsiloxane with reduced graphene oxide and zinc oxide for tensile and electrical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danial, N. S.; Ramli, Muhammad. M.; Halin, D. S. C.; Hong, H. C.; Isa, S. Salwa M.; Abdullah, M. M. A. B.; Anhar, N. A. M.; Talip, L. F. A.; Mazlan, N. S.

2017-09-01

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is an organosilicon polymer that is commonly used to incorporate with other fillers. PDMS in high viscous liquid form is mechanically stirred with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and mixed with zinc oxide (ZnO) with specific ratio, thus rendering into two types of samples. The mechanical and electrical properties of both samples are characterized. The result shows that PDMS sample with 50 mg rGO has the highest tensile strength with the value of 9.1 MPa. For electrical properties, sample with the lowest resistance is PDMS with 50 mg rGO and ZnO with the value of l.67×l05 Ω. This experiment shows the significant role of conductive fillers like rGO and ZnO incorporated in polymeric material such as PDMS to improve its electrical properties.

Measuring Thicknesses of Wastewater Films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schubert, F. H.; Davenport, R. J.

1987-01-01

Sensor determines when thickness of film of electrically conductive wastewater on rotating evaporator drum exceeds preset value. Sensor simple electrical probe that makes contact with liquid surface. Made of materials resistant to chemicals in liquid. Mounted on shaft in rotating cylinder, liquid-thickness sensor extends toward cylinder wall so tip almost touches. Sensor body accommodates probe measuring temperature of evaporated water in cylinder.

An electrified dust storm over the Negev desert, Israel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yair, Y.; Price, C. G.; Yaniv, R.; Katz, S.

2015-12-01

We report on atmospheric electrical measurements conducted at the Wise Observatory in Mitzpe-Ramon, Israel (30035'N, 34045'E) during a massive dust storm that occurred over the Eastern Mediterranean region on 10-11 February 2015. The event transported Saharan dust from Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula in advance of the warm front of a Cyprus low pressure system. Satellite images show the dust plume covering the Negev desert and Southern Israel and moving north. The concentrations of PM10 particles measured by the air-quality monitoring network of the Israeli Ministry of the Environment in Beer-Sheba reached values > 450 μg m-3 and AOT from the AERONET station in Sde-Boker was 1.5 on the 10th. The gradual intensification of the event reached peak values on February 11th of over 1200 μg m-3 and AOT of 1.8. This was the most severe dust event in a decade. Continuous measurements of the fair weather vertical electric field (Ez) and vertical current density (Jz) were conducted with 1 minute temporal resolution. Meteorological data was also recorded at the site. As the dust was advected over the observation site, we noted very large fluctuations in the electrical parameters. Since the onset of the dust storm, the Ez values changed between +1000 and +8000 V m-1 while the Jz fluctuated between -10 pA m2 and +20 pA m2, both on time-scales of a few minutes. These values are a significant departures from the mean fair-weather values measured at the site, which are -~200 V m-1 and ~2 pA m2. The disturbed episodes lasted for several hours on the 10th and 11th and coincided with local meteorological conditions related to the wind direction, which carried large amounts of dust particles. We interpret the rapid changes as caused by the transport of electrically charged dust. Calculation of the total electrical charge during the dust storm will be presented.

Electroporation of the photosynthetic membrane: structural changes in protein and lipid-protein domains.

PubMed Central

Rosemberg, Y; Rotenberg, M; Korenstein, R

1994-01-01

A biological membrane undergoes a reversible permeability increase through structural changes in the lipid domain when exposed to high external electric fields. The present study shows the occurrence of electric field-induced changes in the conductance of the proton channel of the H(+)-ATPase as well as electric field-induced structural changes in the lipid-protein domain of photosystem (PS) II in the photosynthetic membrane. The study was carried out by analyzing the electric field-stimulated delayed luminescence (EPL), which originates from charge recombination in the protein complexes of PS I and II of photosynthetic vesicles. We established that a small fraction of the total electric field-induced conductance change was abolished by N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD), an inhibitor of the H(+)-ATPase. This reversible electric field-induced conductance change has characteristics of a small channel and possesses a lifetime < or = 1 ms. To detect electric field-induced changes in the lipid-protein domains of PS II, we examined the effects of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) on EPL. Higher values of EPL were observed from vesicles that were exposed in the presence of PLA2 to an electroporating electric field than to a nonelectroporating electric field. The effect of the electroporating field was a long-lived one, lasting for a period > or = 2 min. This effect was attributed to long-lived electric field-induced structural changes in the lipid-protein domains of PS II. PMID:7811916

Projecting the Water and Electric Consumption of Polytechnic University of the Philippines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urrutia, Jackie D.; Mercado, Joseph; Bautista, Lincoln A.; Baccay, Edcon B.

2017-03-01

This study investigates water and electric consumption in Polytechnic University of the Philippines - Sta. Mesa using a time series analysis. The researchers analyzed the water and electric usage separately. Electric consumption was examined in terms of pesos and kilowatt-hour, while water consumption was analyzed in pesos and cubic meter. The data are gathered from the university limited only from January 2009 to July 2015 in a monthly based record. The aim is to forecast the water and electric usage of the university for the years 2016 and 2017. There are two main statistical treatments that the researchers conducted to be able to formulate mathematical models that can estimate the water and electric consumption of the said school. Using Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA), electric usage was forecasted in peso and kilowatt-hour, and water usage in peso and cubic meter. Moreover, the predicted values of the consumptions are compared to the actual values using Paired T-test to examine whether there is a significant difference. Forecasting accurately the water and electric consumption would be helpful to manage the budget allotted for the water and electric consumption of PUP - Sta. Mesa for the next two years.

Electrical transport and optical band gap of NiFe2Ox thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bougiatioti, Panagiota; Manos, Orestis; Klewe, Christoph; Meier, Daniel; Teichert, Niclas; Schmalhorst, Jan-Michael; Kuschel, Timo; Reiss, Günter

2017-12-01

We fabricated NiFe2Ox thin films on MgAl2O4(001) by reactive dc magnetron co-sputtering varying the oxygen partial pressure. The fabrication of a material with a variable oxygen deficiency leads to controllable electrical and optical properties which are beneficial for the investigations of the transport phenomena and could, therefore, promote the use of such materials in spintronic and spin caloritronic applications. We used several characterization techniques to investigate the film properties, focusing on their structural, magnetic, electrical, and optical properties. From the electrical resistivity, we obtained the conduction mechanisms that govern the systems in the high and low temperature regimes. We further extracted low thermal activation energies which unveil extrinsic transport mechanisms. The thermal activation energy decreases in the less oxidized samples revealing the pronounced contribution of a large amount of electronic states localized in the band gap to the electrical conductivity. The Hall coefficient is negative and decreases with increasing conductivity as expected for n-type conduction, while the Hall- and the drift mobilities show a large difference. The optical band gaps were determined via ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. They follow a similar trend as the thermal activation energies, with lower band gap values in the less oxidized samples.

Inductive Measurement of Plasma Jet Electrical Conductivity (MSFC Center Director's discretionary Fund). Part 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turner, M. W.; Hawk, C. W.; Litchford, R. J.

2001-01-01

Measurement of plasma jet electrical conductivity has utility in the development of explosively driven magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) energy converters as well as magnetic flux compression reaction chambers for nuclear/chemical pulse propulsion and power. Within these types of reactors, the physical parameter of critical importance to underlying MHD processes is the magnetic Reynolds number, the value of which depends upon the product of plasma electrical conductivity and velocity. Therefore, a thorough understanding of MHD phenomena at high magnetic Reynolds number is essential, and methods are needed for the accurate and reliable measurement of electrical conductivity in high-speed plasma jets. It is well known that direct measurements using electrodes suffer from large surface resistance, and an electrodeless technique is desired. To address this need, an inductive probing scheme, originally developed for shock tube studies, has been adapted. In this method, the perturbation of an applied magnetic field by a plasma jet induces a voltage in a search coil, which, in turn, can be used to infer electrical conductivity through the inversion of a Fredholm integral equation of the first kind. A 1-in.-diameter probe using a light-gas gun. Exploratory laboratory experiments were carried out using plasma jets expelled from 15-g shaped charges. Measured conductivities were in the range of 4 kS/m for unseeded octol charges and 26 kS/m for seeded octol charges containing 2-percent potassium carbonate by mass.

Effect of annealing on structural, optical and electrical properties of SILAR synthesized CuO thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, M. R.; Mukherjee, A.; Mitra, P.

2017-05-01

Nano crystalline CuO thin films were synthesize on glass substrate using SILAR technique. The structural, optical and electrical properties of the films were carried out for as deposited as well as for films post annealed in the temperature range 300 - 500° C. The X-ray diffraction pattern shows all the films are polycrystalline in nature with monoclinic phase. The crystallite size increase and lattice strain decreases with increase of annealing temperature indicating high quality of the films for annealed films. The value of band gap decreases with increases of annealing temperature of the film. The effect of annealing temperature on ionic conductivity and activation energy to electrical conduction process are discussed.

Preparation Characterization and Electrical Study of New Polymeric Mixture (Consist of Three Polymers) Nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

AL-Abodi, Entisar E.; Farouk, Azhar

2018-05-01

By using hummers’ method, graphene oxide (GO) was synthesized and by reducing it gave reduced graphene oxide (RGO). The polymeric blend contain three polymers; Poly Aniline (PANI), Poly Vinyl Acetate( PVAc),and Pecten(Pc) wich have been prepared at studied amount. The composites for above polymers with various concentrations of, graphene oxide (GO) and with reduced graphene oxide (RGO)were prepared, and than pour into films(chips). The dielectric constant properties of chips were measured, which its point the electrical conductivity values for the prepared chips increase with increasing of frequency. As well, the electrical conductivity is research in terms of the Arrhenius plot, it is plotted against the reverse temperature for the prepared films at different applied frequencies.

Electrical Conductivity Mechanism in Unconventional Lead Vanadate Glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdel-Wahab, F.; Merazga, A.; Montaser, A. A.

2017-03-01

Lead vanadate glasses of the system (V2O5)_{1-x}(PbO)x with x = 0.4, 0.45, 0.5, 0.55, 0.6 have been prepared by the press-quenching technique. The dc (σ (0)) and ac (σ (ω )) electrical conductivities were measured in the temperature range from 150 to 420 K and the frequency range from 102 to 106 Hz. The electrical properties are shown to be sensitive to composition. The experimental results have been analyzed within the framework of different models. The dc conductivity is found to be proportional to Tp with the exponent p ranging from 8.2 to 9.8, suggesting that the transport is determined by a multi-phonon process of weak electron-lattice coupling. The ac conductivity is explained by the percolation path approximation (PPA). In this model, σ (ω ) is closely related to the σ (0) and fitting the experimental data produces a dielectric relaxation time τ in good agreement with the expected value in both magnitude and temperature dependence.

Copper-polydopamine composite derived from bioinspired polymer coating

DOE PAGES

Zhao, Yao; Wang, Hsin; Qian, Bosen; ...

2018-04-01

Metal matrix composites with nanocarbon phases, such carbon nanotube (CNT) and graphene, have shown potentials to achieve improved mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties. However, incorporation of these nanocarbons into the metal matrix usually involves complicated processes. Here, this study explored a new processing method to fabricate copper (Cu) matrix composite by coating Cu powder particles with nanometer-thick polydopamine (PDA) thin films and sintering of the powder compacts. For sintering temperatures between 300°C and 750°C, the Cu-PDA composite samples showed higher electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity than the uncoated Cu samples, which is likely related to the higher mass densities ofmore » the composite samples. After being sintered at 950°C, the thermal conductivity of the Cu-PDA sample was approximately 12% higher than the Cu sample, while the electrical conductivity did not show significant difference. On the other hand, Knoop micro-hardness values were comparable between the Cu-PDA and Cu samples sintered at the same temperatures.« less

Ambient temperature thermoelectric performance of thermally evaporated p-type Bi-Sb-Te thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Sukhdeep; Singh, Janpreet; Tripathi, S. K.

2018-04-01

Bismuth antimony telluride (BST) compounds have shown a promising performance in low to medium temperature thermoelectric (TE) conversion. One such composition, Bi1.2Sb0.8Te3, was synthesized by melting elemental entities and thin films of the as-synthesized material were deposited by thermal evaporation. X-Ray Diffraction analysis was conducted to study the crystallographic phases and other structural properties. Electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient measurements of as-prepared thin films were conducted in the temperature range from 303-363 K with a view to study ambient temperature application of the synthesized material for power generation in which an increasing trend was observed in the Seebeck coefficient. Electrical conductivity displayed a maximum value of 0.22 × 104 Sm-1 that was comparable to other Bi-Sb-Te compositions whereas power factor had its peak at 323 K. These trends observed in electrical properties indicate that synthesized material can be used for room temperature TE module fabrication.

D.C. electrical conductivity and conduction mechanism of some azo sulfonyl quinoline ligands and uranyl complexes.

PubMed

El-Ghamaz, N A; Diab, M A; El-Sonbati, A Z; Salem, O L

2011-12-01

Supramolecular coordination of dioxouranium(VI) heterochelates 5-sulphono-7-(4'-X phenylazo)-8-hydroxyquinoline HL(n) (n=1, X=CH(3); n=2, X=H; n=3, X=Cl; n=4, X=NO(2)) have been prepared and characterized with various physico-chemical techniques. The infrared spectral studies showed a monobasic bidentate behavior with the oxygen and azonitrogen donor system. The temperature dependence of the D.C. electrical conductivity of HL(n) ligands and their uranyl complexes has been studied in the temperature range 305-415 K. The thermal activation energies E(a) for HL(n) compounds were found to be in the range 0.44-0.9 eV depending on the nature of the substituent X. The complexation process decreased E(a) values to the range 0.043-045 eV. The electrical conduction mechanism has been investigated for all samples under investigation. It was found to obey the variable range hopping mechanism (VRH). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hybrid local piezoelectric and conductive functions for high performance airborne sound absorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahimabady, Mojtaba; Statharas, Eleftherios Christos; Yao, Kui; Sharifzadeh Mirshekarloo, Meysam; Chen, Shuting; Tay, Francis Eng Hock

2017-12-01

A concept of hybrid local piezoelectric and electrical conductive functions for improving airborne sound absorption is proposed and demonstrated in composite foam made of porous polar polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) mixed with conductive single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT). According to our hybrid material function design, the local piezoelectric effect in the PVDF matrix with the polar structure and the electrical resistive loss of SWCNT enhanced sound energy conversion to electrical energy and subsequently to thermal energy, respectively, in addition to the other known sound absorption mechanisms in a porous material. It is found that the overall energy conversion and hence the sound absorption performance are maximized when the concentration of the SWCNT is around the conductivity percolation threshold. For the optimal composition of PVDF/5 wt. % SWCNT, a sound reduction coefficient of larger than 0.58 has been obtained, with a high sound absorption coefficient higher than 50% at 600 Hz, showing their great values for passive noise mitigation even at a low frequency.

Copper-polydopamine composite derived from bioinspired polymer coating

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

Zhao, Yao; Wang, Hsin; Qian, Bosen

Metal matrix composites with nanocarbon phases, such carbon nanotube (CNT) and graphene, have shown potentials to achieve improved mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties. However, incorporation of these nanocarbons into the metal matrix usually involves complicated processes. Here, this study explored a new processing method to fabricate copper (Cu) matrix composite by coating Cu powder particles with nanometer-thick polydopamine (PDA) thin films and sintering of the powder compacts. For sintering temperatures between 300°C and 750°C, the Cu-PDA composite samples showed higher electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity than the uncoated Cu samples, which is likely related to the higher mass densities ofmore » the composite samples. After being sintered at 950°C, the thermal conductivity of the Cu-PDA sample was approximately 12% higher than the Cu sample, while the electrical conductivity did not show significant difference. On the other hand, Knoop micro-hardness values were comparable between the Cu-PDA and Cu samples sintered at the same temperatures.« less

Hydrothermal temperature effect on crystal structures, optical properties and electrical conductivity of ZnO nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhafina, Wan Almaz; Salleh, Hasiah; Daud, Mohd Zalani; Ghazali, Mohd Sabri Mohd; Ghazali, Salmah Mohd

2017-09-01

ZnO is an wide direct band gap semiconductor and possess rich family of nanostructures which turned to be a key role in the nanotechnology field of applications. Hydrothermal method was proven to be simple, robust and low cost among the reported methods to synthesize ZnO nanostructures. In this work, the properties of ZnO nanostructures were altered by varying temperatures of hydrothermal process. The changes in term of morphological, crystal structures, optical properties and electrical conductivity were investigated. A drastic change of ZnO nanostructures morphology and decreases of 002 diffraction peak were observed as the hydrothermal temperature increased. The band gap of samples decreased as the size of ZnO nanostructure increased, whereas the electrical conductivity had no influence on the band gap value but more on the morphology of ZnO nanostructures instead.

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

Takaki, Hirokazu; Kobayashi, Kazuaki; Shimono, Masato

We present the thermoelectric properties of TiN/MgO superlattices employing first-principles calculation techniques. The Seebeck coefficients, the electrical conductances, the thermal conductances, and the figure of merit are investigated employing electrical and thermal transport calculations based on density functional theory combined with the nonequilibrium Green's function and nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulation methods. The TiN/MgO superlattices with a small lattice mismatch at the interfaces are ideal systems to study the way for an enhancement of thermoelectric properties in artificial nanostructures. We find that the interfacial scattering between the two materials in the metal/insulator superlattices causes the electrical conductance to change rapidly, whichmore » enhances the Seebeck coefficient significantly. We show that the figure of merit for the artificial superlattice nanostructures has a much larger value compared with that of the bulk material and changes drastically with the superlattice configurations at the atomistic level.« less

Dielectric and electrical studies of PVC-PPy blends in dilute solution of THF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Deepika; Tripathi, Deepti

2018-05-01

An influence of adding Polypyrrole (PPy) which is an intrinsically conducting polymer (ICP), on the dielectric dispersion behavior of Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in dilute solution of Tetrahydrofuran (THF) at low frequency is reported. The blends of PVC with PPy forms colloidal suspension in THF. The dielectric dispersion study of PVC-PPy blends in THF has been carried out in the frequency range of 20 Hz to 2 MHz at temperature of 303K. The effect of increasing PPy concentration on dielectric and electrical parameters such as complex dielectric function [ɛ*(ω)], loss tangent [tan δ], complex electric modulus [M*(ω)], ac conductivity [σac], and complex impedance [Z*(ω)] of PVC - PPy blends in THF solution were studied. The electrode polarization and ionic conduction appears to have dominant influence on the complex dielectric constant in the low frequency region. The relaxation time values corresponding to these two phenomena are also reported.

Seismicity in the platform regions of Ukraine in the zones of anomalous electrical conductivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kushnir, A. N.; Kulik, S. N.; Burakhovich, T. K.

2013-05-01

It is established for the first time that there are several regions in Ukraine, in which the earthquakes occurring within platform territory are correlated to the anomalous conductive structures in the Earth's crust and upper mantle. These regions are identified as (1) Donbass and the eastern part of the Dnieper-Donetsk Depression (DDD); (2) eastern margin of the Ingulets-Krivoi Rog suture zone in the area of the Krivoi Rog-Kremenchug fault zone; (3) the western part of the Cis-Azov megablock; (4) the western boundary of the Ukrainian Shield and its slope; (5) North Dobruja and Pre-Dobrujan Depression. The reconstructed tree-dimensional (3D) geoelectrical models of the Earth's crust and upper mantle feature anomalously low values of electric resistivity. The earthquake sources in the platform areas of Ukraine are localized above the top and in the upper parts of the crustal anomalies of electrical conductivity.

Significant improvement in Mn2O3 transition metal oxide electrical conductivity via high pressure

PubMed Central

Hong, Fang; Yue, Binbin; Hirao, Naohisa; Liu, Zhenxian; Chen, Bin

2017-01-01

Highly efficient energy storage is in high demand for next-generation clean energy applications. As a promising energy storage material, the application of Mn2O3 is limited due to its poor electrical conductivity. Here, high-pressure techniques enhanced the electrical conductivity of Mn2O3 significantly. In situ synchrotron micro X-Ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and resistivity measurement revealed that resistivity decreased with pressure and dramatically dropped near the phase transition. At the highest pressure, resistivity reduced by five orders of magnitude and the sample showed metal-like behavior. More importantly, resistivity remained much lower than its original value, even when the pressure was fully released. This work provides a new method to enhance the electronic properties of Mn2O3 using high-pressure treatment, benefiting its applications in energy-related fields. PMID:28276479

Structure, Raman, dielectric behavior and electrical conduction mechanism of strontium titanate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trabelsi, H.; Bejar, M.; Dhahri, E.; Graça, M. P. F.; Valente, M. A.; Khirouni, K.

2018-05-01

Strontium titanate was prepared by solid-state reaction method. According to the XRD, it was single phase and has a cubic perovskite structure. The Raman spectroscopic investigation was carried out at room-temperature, and the second-order Raman modes were observed. By employing impedance spectroscopy, the dielectric relaxation and electrical properties were investigated over the temperature range of 500-700 K at various frequencies. The activation energies evaluated from dielectric and modulus studies are in good agreement and these values are attributed to the bulk relaxation. The impedance data were well fitted to an (R1//C1)-(R2//CPE1) equivalent electrical circuit. It could be concluded that the grain boundaries are more resistive and capacitive than the grains. The ac conductivity was found to follow the Jonscher's universal dynamic law ωS and the correlated barrier hopping model (CBH) has been proposed to describe the conduction mechanism.

Superconductivity in the graphene monolayer calculated using the Kubo formulalism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lima, L. S.

2018-03-01

We have employed the massless Dirac's fermions formalism together with the Kubo's linear response theory to study the transport by electrons in the graphene monolayer. We have calculated the electric conductivity and verified the behavior of the AC and DC electric conductivities of the system that is known to be a relativistic electron plasma. Our results show a superconductor behavior to the electron transport and consequently the spin transport for all values of T > 0 and a behavior of the AC conductivity tending to infinity in the limit ω → 0. In T = 0 our results show an insulator behavior with a transition from a superconductor state at T > 0 to an insulator state at T = 0 .

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

Heimann, Stefan; Schulz, Stephan; Schaumann, Julian

We report on the synthesis of Sb 2Te 3 nanoparticles with record-high figure of merit values of up to 1.5. The central thermoelectric parameters, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity and Seebeck coefficient, were independently optimized. Critical influence of porosity for the fabrication of highly efficient thermoelectric materials is firstly demonstrated, giving a strong guidance for the optimization of other thermoelectric materials.

Synthesis, Characterization and Application of Functional Carbon Nano Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-05

properties All nanotubes are expected to be very good thermal conductors along the tube, exhibiting a 12 property known as "ballistic conduction ...by approximately the same value (2.3%) [86]. 5) Thermal properties [87] Graphene is a perfect thermal conductor . Its thermal conductivity at room...other fields of materials science and technology. In particular, owing to their extraordinary thermal conductivity and mechanical and electrical

Chaotic electron transport in semiconductor devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scannell, William Christian

The field of quantum chaos investigates the quantum mechanical behavior of classically chaotic systems. This dissertation begins by describing an experiment conducted on an apparatus constructed to represent a three dimensional analog of a classically chaotic system. Patterns of reflected light are shown to produce fractals, and the behavior of the fractal dimension D F is shown to depend on the light's ability to escape the apparatus. The classically chaotic system is then used to investigate the conductance properties of semiconductor heterostructures engineered to produce a conducting plane relatively free of impurities and defects. Introducing walls that inhibit conduction to partition off sections considerably smaller than the mean distance between impurities defines devices called 'billiards'. Cooling to low temperatures enables the electrons traveling through the billiard to maintain quantum mechanical phase. Exposure to a changing electric or magnetic field alters the electron's phase, leading to fluctuations in the conductance through the billiard. Magnetoconductance fluctuations in billiards have previously been shown to be fractal. This behavior has been charted using an empirical parameter, Q, that is a measure of the resolution of the energy levels within the billiard. The relationship with Q is shown to extend beyond the ballistic regime into the 'quasi-ballistic' and 'diffusive' regimes, characterized by having defects within the conduction plane. A model analogous to the classically chaotic system is proposed as the origin of the fractal conductance fluctuations. This model is shown to be consistent with experiment and to account for changes of fine scale features in MCF known to occur when a billiard is brought to room temperature between low temperature measurements. An experiment is conducted in which fractal conductance fluctuations (FCF) are produced by exposing a billiard to a changing electric field. Comparison of DF values of FCF produced by electric fields is made to FCF produced by magnetic fields. FCF with high DF values are shown to de-correlate at smaller increments of field than the FCF with lower DF values. This indicates that FCF may be used as a novel sensor of external fields, so the response of FCF to high bias voltages is investigated.

A parametric model for the changes in the complex valued conductivity of a lung during tidal breathing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nordebo, Sven; Dalarsson, Mariana; Khodadad, Davood; Müller, Beat; Waldmann, Andreas D.; Becher, Tobias; Frerichs, Inez; Sophocleous, Louiza; Sjöberg, Daniel; Seifnaraghi, Nima; Bayford, Richard

2018-05-01

Classical homogenization theory based on the Hashin–Shtrikman coated ellipsoids is used to model the changes in the complex valued conductivity (or admittivity) of a lung during tidal breathing. Here, the lung is modeled as a two-phase composite material where the alveolar air-filling corresponds to the inclusion phase. The theory predicts a linear relationship between the real and the imaginary parts of the change in the complex valued conductivity of a lung during tidal breathing, and where the loss cotangent of the change is approximately the same as of the effective background conductivity and hence easy to estimate. The theory is illustrated with numerical examples based on realistic parameter values and frequency ranges used with electrical impedance tomography (EIT). The theory may be potentially useful for imaging and clinical evaluations in connection with lung EIT for respiratory management and control.

On aluminum tapes treated for missions at Jupiter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montero, I.; Sanmartin, Jr.

2017-09-01

In this work we present treatment of aluminum surface to raise its termal emissivity to values around 0.7 while keeping its high electrical conductivity, as required for tape tethers missions at Júpiter.

Some physiological responses of wheat and bean to soil salinity at low matric suctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khatar, Mahnaz; Mohammadi, Mohammad Hossein; Shekari, Farid

2017-01-01

The effect of soil matric suction (2-33 kPa) and salinity (soil solution electrical conductivity 0.7-8 dS m-1 for bean and 2-20 dS m-1 for wheat) on some physiological characteristics of bean and wheat in a clay loam soil under greenhouse condition was investigated. The results showed that the leaf chlorophyll content index and potassium concentration decrease under salinity stress and increase with matric suction from 2 to 33 kPa suction for both plants. The wheat chlorophyll content index declines during the stress spell but bean chlorophyll content index remains nearly constant. The lowest values of the content of soluble sugars and the highest values of leaf proline content are observed at2 kPa matric suction (highest aeration stress) for bean and wheat. As matric suction increases from 2 to 6 kPa, the soluble sugars increases and proline content decreases significantly and then soluble sugars decreases and proline content increases until 10 kPa suction, and the soluble sugars remains nearly constant at the higher matric suctions for both plants. While the electrical conductivity effect on the soluble sugars is not significant, the values of proline content for both crop increase significantly with electrical conductivity. It was shown that the aeration stress can result in more considerable and rapid physiological responses, in comparison with salinity stress. There is a strong correlation between wheat and bean chlorophyll content index and potassium concentration under salinity and aeration stresses.

Assessment of groundwater vulnerability to leachate infiltration using electrical resistivity method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mosuro, G. O.; Omosanya, K. O.; Bayewu, O. O.; Oloruntola, M. O.; Laniyan, T. A.; Atobi, O.; Okubena, M.; Popoola, E.; Adekoya, F.

2017-09-01

This aim of this work is to assess the degree of leachate infiltration at a dumpsite in Agbara industrial estate, Southwestern Nigeria using electrical resistivity techniques. Around the dumpsite were 45 vertical electrical sounding (VES) stations and 3 electrical resistivity tomography profiles. Current electrode spread varied from 300 to 600 m for the electrical sounding. Electrode configuration includes Schlumberger and Wenner array for sounding and profiling. The state of leachate contamination was tested using parameters such as aquifer vulnerability index, overburden protective capacity and longitudinal unit conductance (S i) derived from the apparent resistivity values. Four principal geoelectric layers inferred from the VES data include the topsoil, sand, clayey sand, and clay/shale. Resistivity values for these layers vary from 3 to 1688, 203 to 3642 123 to 388, and 67 to 2201 Ω m with corresponding thickness of 0.8-2.4, 2.5-140, 3-26 m and infinity, respectively. The leachate plume occurs at a maximum depth of 10 m on the 2-D inverse models of real electrical resistivity with an average depth of infiltration being 6 m in the study area. The correlation between longitudinal conductance and overburden protective capacity show that aquifers around the dumpsite have poor protective capacity and are vulnerable to leachate contamination. Leachate infiltration is favored by the absence of lithological barriers such as clay which in the study area are either mixed with sand or positioned away from the aquifer.

Nonlinear transport theory in the metal with tunnel barrier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zubov, E. E.

2018-02-01

Within the framework of the scattering matrix formalism, the nonlinear Kubo theory for electron transport in the metal with a tunnel barrier has been considered. A general expression for the mean electrical current was obtained. It significantly simplifies the calculation of nonlinear contributions to the conductivity of various hybrid structures. In the model of the tunnel Hamiltonian, all linear and nonlinear contributions to a mean electrical current are evaluated. The linear approximation agrees with results of other theories. For effective barrier transmission ?, the ballistic transport is realised with a value of the Landauer conductivity equal to ?.

Compensation Effect in the Electrical Conduction Process in Some Nucleic Acid Base Complexes with Proflavine Dye

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, D.; Misra, T. N.

1988-11-01

Compensation behaviour has been found in electrical conduction process in proflavine complexes with nucleic acid bases, guanine, adenine, uracil and thymine. At low dye concentrations these semiconducting complexes follow a three constant compensation equation σ(T){=}σ0'\\exp (E/2kT0)\\exp (-E/2kT), σ0' and T0 being constants for a specific base. The other notations have their usual meaning. Consistent values of these constants have been obtained by different experimental methods of evaluation. These results suggest that compensation effect has a physical origin.

Modeling Percolation in Polymer Nanocomposites by Stochastic Microstructuring

PubMed Central

Soto, Matias; Esteva, Milton; Martínez-Romero, Oscar; Baez, Jesús; Elías-Zúñiga, Alex

2015-01-01

A methodology was developed for the prediction of the electrical properties of carbon nanotube-polymer nanocomposites via Monte Carlo computational simulations. A two-dimensional microstructure that takes into account waviness, fiber length and diameter distributions is used as a representative volume element. Fiber interactions in the microstructure are identified and then modeled as an equivalent electrical circuit, assuming one-third metallic and two-thirds semiconductor nanotubes. Tunneling paths in the microstructure are also modeled as electrical resistors, and crossing fibers are accounted for by assuming a contact resistance associated with them. The equivalent resistor network is then converted into a set of linear equations using nodal voltage analysis, which is then solved by means of the Gauss–Jordan elimination method. Nodal voltages are obtained for the microstructure, from which the percolation probability, equivalent resistance and conductivity are calculated. Percolation probability curves and electrical conductivity values are compared to those found in the literature. PMID:28793594

Cylindrical Electrolyser Enhanced Electrokinetic Remediation of Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Fly Ashes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Tao; Zhou, Lulu; Tao, Junjun; Liu, Longfei

2018-01-01

The paper discusses enhancement and efficiency of removing spiked heavy metal (HM) contaminants from the municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ashes in the cylindrical electrolyser device. The characterization parameters of the electrolyte solution pH, electric current, electrical conductivity, voltage gradient were discussed after the experiment. The chemical speciation of HMs was analysed between the original samples and remediated ones by BCR sequential extraction. The detoxification efficiencies of Zn, Pb, Cu and Cd in the column-uniform device were compared with that in the traditional rectangular apparatus. The pH value changed smoothly with small amplitude of oscillation in general in cathode and anode compartments except the initial break. The electrical current rapidly increased on the first day of the experiment and steadily declined after that and the electrical conductivity presented a clear rising trend. The residual partition of detoxified samples were obviously lifted which was much higher than the analysis data of the raw materials. The pH and the electrical conductivity in sample region were distributed more uniformly and the blind area was effectively eliminated in the electrolytic cells which was indirectly validated by the contrastive detoxification result of the spiked HMs between the rectangular and cylindrical devices.

Effect of the Masako maneuver and neuromuscular electrical stimulation on the improvement of swallowing function in patients with dysphagia caused by stroke

PubMed Central

Byeon, Haewon

2016-01-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to compare improvements in swallowing function by the intervention of the Masako maneuver and neuromuscular electrical stimulation in patients with dysphagia caused by stroke. [Subjects and Methods] The Masako maneuver (n=23) and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (n=24) were conducted in 47 patients with dysphagia caused by stroke over a period of 4 weeks. Swallowing recovery was recorded using the functional dysphagia scale based on videofluoroscopic studies. [Results] Mean functional dysphagia scale values for the Masako maneuver and neuromuscular electrical stimulation groups decreased after the treatments. However, the pre-post functional dysphagia scale values showed no statistically significant differences between the groups. [Conclusion] The Masako maneuver and neuromuscular electrical stimulation each showed significant effects on the improvement of swallowing function for the patients with dysphagia caused by stroke, but no significant difference was observed between the two treatment methods. PMID:27512266

On the influence of Aerosols in measurement of electric field from Earth surface using a Field-Mill

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Abhijit; Sundar De, Syam; Paul, Suman; Hazra, Pranab; Guha, Gautam

2016-07-01

Aerosol particles influence the electrical conductivity of air. The value is reduced through the removal of small ions responsible for the conductivity. The metropolitan city, Kolkata (latitude 22.56° N, longitude 88.5° E) is densely populated surrounded by various types of Industries. Air is highly invaded by pollutant particles here for which the city falls under small-scale fair-weather condition where electric field and air-earth current get perturbed by ionization and different aerosols produced locally. Fine particles having diameter < 0.1 μm (Aitken nuclei) are distributed in air which decreases the electrical conductivity and increases the columnar resistance. Aerosol particles steadily change the status at different times of the day through coagulation, sedimentation, charge-transfer initiated by precipitation. The diurnal variation of potential gradient is caused mainly due to urbanization, emission from industry and traffic. The rate of production of haze (atmospheric suspension) and their vertical transportation control the daily variation of atmospheric potential. The nuclei of pollutant particles combine with ions and decrease the concentration of small ions thereby reducing the conductivity. The pollutants, influenced by CO _{2} and other green house gas emission from fossil fuels are also responsible for the variation of electric field. Variation in consumption of Oil and Gasoline due to traffic in the city contributes a high Aitken count and there are changes in atmospheric dispersion following reduction of conductivity of the medium. Outcome of some important measurement of potential gradient and air-earth current will be presented. Different parameters like air-conductivity, relative abundance of smoke, visibility would offer new signatures of aerosol-influence on electric potential gradient. Some of those will be reported here.

Simultaneous head tissue conductivity and EEG source location estimation.

PubMed

Akalin Acar, Zeynep; Acar, Can E; Makeig, Scott

2016-01-01

Accurate electroencephalographic (EEG) source localization requires an electrical head model incorporating accurate geometries and conductivity values for the major head tissues. While consistent conductivity values have been reported for scalp, brain, and cerebrospinal fluid, measured brain-to-skull conductivity ratio (BSCR) estimates have varied between 8 and 80, likely reflecting both inter-subject and measurement method differences. In simulations, mis-estimation of skull conductivity can produce source localization errors as large as 3cm. Here, we describe an iterative gradient-based approach to Simultaneous tissue Conductivity And source Location Estimation (SCALE). The scalp projection maps used by SCALE are obtained from near-dipolar effective EEG sources found by adequate independent component analysis (ICA) decomposition of sufficient high-density EEG data. We applied SCALE to simulated scalp projections of 15cm(2)-scale cortical patch sources in an MR image-based electrical head model with simulated BSCR of 30. Initialized either with a BSCR of 80 or 20, SCALE estimated BSCR as 32.6. In Adaptive Mixture ICA (AMICA) decompositions of (45-min, 128-channel) EEG data from two young adults we identified sets of 13 independent components having near-dipolar scalp maps compatible with a single cortical source patch. Again initialized with either BSCR 80 or 25, SCALE gave BSCR estimates of 34 and 54 for the two subjects respectively. The ability to accurately estimate skull conductivity non-invasively from any well-recorded EEG data in combination with a stable and non-invasively acquired MR imaging-derived electrical head model could remove a critical barrier to using EEG as a sub-cm(2)-scale accurate 3-D functional cortical imaging modality. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous head tissue conductivity and EEG source location estimation

PubMed Central

Acar, Can E.; Makeig, Scott

2015-01-01

Accurate electroencephalographic (EEG) source localization requires an electrical head model incorporating accurate geometries and conductivity values for the major head tissues. While consistent conductivity values have been reported for scalp, brain, and cerebrospinal fluid, measured brain-to-skull conductivity ratio (BSCR) estimates have varied between 8 and 80, likely reflecting both inter-subject and measurement method differences. In simulations, mis-estimation of skull conductivity can produce source localization errors as large as 3 cm. Here, we describe an iterative gradient-based approach to Simultaneous tissue Conductivity And source Location Estimation (SCALE). The scalp projection maps used by SCALE are obtained from near-dipolar effective EEG sources found by adequate independent component analysis (ICA) decomposition of sufficient high-density EEG data. We applied SCALE to simulated scalp projections of 15 cm2-scale cortical patch sources in an MR image-based electrical head model with simulated BSCR of 30. Initialized either with a BSCR of 80 or 20, SCALE estimated BSCR as 32.6. In Adaptive Mixture ICA (AMICA) decompositions of (45-min, 128-channel) EEG data from two young adults we identified sets of 13 independent components having near-dipolar scalp maps compatible with a single cortical source patch. Again initialized with either BSCR 80 or 25, SCALE gave BSCR estimates of 34 and 54 for the two subjects respectively. The ability to accurately estimate skull conductivity non-invasively from any well-recorded EEG data in combination with a stable and non-invasively acquired MR imaging-derived electrical head model could remove a critical barrier to using EEG as a sub-cm2-scale accurate 3-D functional cortical imaging modality. PMID:26302675

Growth and characterization of pure and Ca2+ doped MnHg(SCN)4 single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latha, C.; Mahadevan, C. K.; Guo, Li; Liu, Jinghe

2018-05-01

Manganese-mercury thiocyanate, MnHg(SCN)4, crystal is considered to be an important organometallic nonlinear optical (NLO) material exhibiting higher thermal stability and second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency. In order to understand the effect of Ca2+ as an impurity on the physicochemical properties, we have grown pure and Ca2+ doped (with a concentration of 1 mol%) MnHg(SCN)4 single crystals by the free evaporation of solvent method and characterized structurally, chemically, optically and electrically by adopting the available standard methods. Results obtained indicate that Ca2+ doping increases significantly the optical transmittance, SHG efficiency, and DC electrical conductivity and decreases the dielectric loss factor (improves the crystal quality), and AC electrical conductivity without distorting the crystal structure. Also, the low dielectric constant (εr) values observed for both the pure and doped crystals considered at near ambient temperatures indicate the possibility of using these crystals not only as potential NLO materials (useful in the photonics industry) but also as promising low εr value dielectric materials (useful in the microelectronics industry).

Conformal Coating Strategy Comprising N-doped Carbon and Conventional Graphene for Achieving Ultrahigh Power and Cyclability of LiFePO4.

PubMed

Zhang, Kan; Lee, Jeong-Taik; Li, Ping; Kang, Byoungwoo; Kim, Jung Hyun; Yi, Gi-Ra; Park, Jong Hyeok

2015-10-14

Surface carbon coating to improve the inherent poor electrical conductivity of lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4, LFP) has been considered as most efficient strategy. Here, we also report one of the conventional methods for LFP but exhibiting a specific capacity beyond the theoretical value, ultrahigh rate performance, and excellent long-term cyclability: the specific capacity is 171.9 mAh/g (70 μm-thick electrode with ∼10 mg/cm(2) loading mass) at 0.1 C (17 mA/g) and retains 143.7 mAh/g at 10 C (1.7 A/g) and 95.8% of initial capacity at 10 C after 1000 cycles. It was found that the interior conformal N-C coating enhances the intrinsic conductivity of LFP nanorods (LFP NR) and the exterior reduced graphene oxide coating acts as an electrically conducting secondary network to electrically connect the entire electrode. The great electron transport mutually promoted with shorten Li diffusion length on (010) facet exposed LFP NR represents the highest specific capacity value recorded to date at 10 C and ultralong-term cyclability. This conformal carbon coating approach can be a promising strategy for the commercialization of LFP cathode in lithium ion batteries.

The optoelectronic properties and role of Cu concentration on the structural and electrical properties of Cu doped ZnO nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omri, K.; Bettaibi, A.; Khirouni, K.; El Mir, L.

2018-05-01

In the current study, we synthesized a Cu-doped ZnO (CZO) nanoparticles material using a sol-gel method with different doping concentrations of Cu (0, 2, 3 and 4 at.%). The control of the Cu concentration on structural, electrical and optical properties of CZO nanoparticles was investigated in detail. The XRD analysis of the CZO nanoparticles reveals the formation of ZnO hexagonal wurtzite structure for all samples which confirm the incorporation of Cu2+ ions into the ZnO lattice by substitution. Furthermore, CZO nanoparticles showed a small red shift of absorption band with the incorporation of Cu from 0 to 4 at.%; i.e. a decreased band gap value from 3.34 eV to 3.27 eV with increasing of Cu doping content. The frequency dispersion of the electric conductivity were studied using the Jonscher universal power law, according to relation σ(ω) = σDC + A ωs(T). Alternative current conductivity increases with increasing Cu content in spite of the decrease the activation energy with copper loading. It was found that the conductivity reached its maximum value for critical Cu concentration of 3 at.%. The frequency relaxation phenomenon was also investigated and all results were discussed in term of the copper doping concentration.

FT-MIR supported Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy based study of sugar adulterated honeys from different floral origin.

PubMed

Das, Chirantan; Chakraborty, Subhadip; Acharya, Krishnendu; Bera, Nirmal Kumar; Chattopadhyay, Dipankar; Karmakar, Anupam; Chattopadhyay, Sanatan

2017-08-15

This study sought to detect the presence of sucrose as an adulterant in selected honey varieties from different floral origins by employing Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) technique which has been simultaneously supported by Fourier Transform-Mid Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-MIR) measurements to provide a rapid, robust yet simple platform for honey quality evaluation. Variation of electrical parameters such as impedance, capacitance and conductance for 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60% and 70% (w/w) sucrose syrup (SS) adulterated honey samples are analyzed and their respective current-voltage (I-V) characteristics are studied. Capacitance, conductance and net current flowing through the system are observed to decrease linearly whereas system impedance has been found to increase similarly with the increase in adulterant content. Also, FT-MIR measurements in the spectral region between 1800cm -1 and 650cm -1 reveal the increment of absorbance values due to the addition of SS. Full-Width-at-Half-Maximum (FWHM) is estimated from the spectral peak 1056cm -1 for all pure and adulterated honey samples and is observed to be linearly increasing with increase in adulterant content. Finally, the coefficient of sensitivity has been extracted for all varieties of honey considered in terms of the measured conductance values. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Anisotropic conductivity imaging with MREIT using equipotential projection algorithm.

PubMed

Değirmenci, Evren; Eyüboğlu, B Murat

2007-12-21

Magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography (MREIT) combines magnetic flux or current density measurements obtained by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and surface potential measurements to reconstruct images of true conductivity with high spatial resolution. Most of the biological tissues have anisotropic conductivity; therefore, anisotropy should be taken into account in conductivity image reconstruction. Almost all of the MREIT reconstruction algorithms proposed to date assume isotropic conductivity distribution. In this study, a novel MREIT image reconstruction algorithm is proposed to image anisotropic conductivity. Relative anisotropic conductivity values are reconstructed iteratively, using only current density measurements without any potential measurement. In order to obtain true conductivity values, only either one potential or conductivity measurement is sufficient to determine a scaling factor. The proposed technique is evaluated on simulated data for isotropic and anisotropic conductivity distributions, with and without measurement noise. Simulation results show that the images of both anisotropic and isotropic conductivity distributions can be reconstructed successfully.

Conductivity enhancement of carbon aerogel by modified gelation using self additive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Ashish; Kohli, D. K.; Bhartiya, Sushmita; Singh, Rashmi; Rajak, Gaurav; Singh, M. K.; Karnal, A. K.

2018-04-01

Carbon aerogels having high surface area and open pore structure are being studied for many electrochemical applications such as fuel cells and super capacitors. Moderate electrical conductivity of resorcinol - formaldehyde (R-F) derived carbon aerogel limits its utility in these applications. The current manuscript briefs about the synthesis of composite carbon aerogel using carbon aerogel itself as additive during gelation of water based carbon aerogel and study the effect on its conductivity and surface properties. The additive carbon aerogel was synthesized and pre-treated at higher temperature to achieve enhancement in conductivity. The composite carbon aerogel (CCA) samples were characterized for surface area properties, morphology, electrical conductivity and specific capacitance. The surface area properties of CCA showed improvement and specific surface area of ˜1798 m2/g with total pore volume of 1.7 cm3/g. was obtained. The electrical conductivity of the composite carbon aerogel with 5 wt % additive showed improvement over the plain carbon aerogel with respective values of 144 S/m and 128 S/m. The specific capacitance evaluated for CA and CCA are 102 and 118 F/g at scan rate of 10mV/s with improvement of ˜16%.

Current characteristics of λ-DNA molecules/polystyrene nanoparticles in TBE buffer solution through micro/nanofluidic capillaries under DC electric field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duan, Yifei; Zhao, Wei; Xue, Jing; Sun, Dan; Wang, Kaige; Wang, Guiren; Li, Junjie; Bai, Jintao; Gu, Changzhi

2017-03-01

In practical applications of biochips and bio-sensors, electrokinetic mechanisms are commonly employed to manipulate single bio-molecules and analyze their characteristics. To accurately and flexibly control the movement of single-molecule within micro/nanofluidic channels which are the basic components of Lab-chips, the current signals in micro/nanocapillaries filled with solutions of DNA molecules or polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles are systematically studied. Experimental results indicate that the current response along the micro/nanocapillaries can be significantly influenced by the diameter of the capillaries and the pH value of the solutions. Specifically, when there is only a pure (TBE) solution, the electric conductance does not monotonically decrease with decreasing the diameter of the capillaries, but slightly increases with decreasing the capillary diameter. When λ-DNA molecules or PS nanoparticles are added into the TBE buffer, the size effect on the electric conductance of the solutions are quite different. Although in the former, the electric conductance behaves differently from that in the pure TBE solution and decreases with the decreasing diameter, in the latter, the change is similar to that in the pure TBE solution. Besides, an abnormal ‘falling’ of the electric conductance is observed in a capillary with diameter of 200 nm. The investigation will significantly enhance the understanding on the electric properties of the solutions of biomolecules and particles in micro/nanofluidics. This is especially helpful for designing functional Lab-chip devices.

Electrical Transport Properties of Single-Crystalline β-Zn4Sb3 Prepared Through the Zn-Sn Mixed-Flux Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Hongxia; Deng, Shuping; Shen, Lanxian; Wang, Jinsong; Feng, Cheng; Deng, Shukang

2017-03-01

β-Zn4Sb3 is a promising p-type thermoelectric material for utilization in moderate temperatures. This study prepares a group of single-crystalline β-Zn4Sb3 samples using the Zn-Sn mixed-flux method based on the stoichiometric ratios of Zn4+ x Sb3Sn y . The effect of Zn-to-Sn proportion in the flux on the structure and electrical transport properties is investigated. All samples are strip-shaped single crystals of different sizes. The actual Zn content of the present samples is improved (>3.9) compared with that of the samples prepared through the Sn flux method. Larger lattice parameters are also obtained. The carrier concentration of all the samples is in the order of over 1019 cm-3. With increasing Sn rate in the flux, this carrier concentration decreases, whereas mobility is significantly enhanced. The electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficients of all the samples exhibit a behavior that of a degenerate semiconductor transport. Electrical conductivity initially increases and then decreases as the Sn ratio in the flux increases. The electrical conductivity of the x: y = 5:1 sample reaches 6.45 × 104 S m-1 at 300 K. Benefitting from the electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient, the flux proportion of the x: y = 7:1 sample finally achieves the highest power factor value of 1.4 × 10-3 W m-1 K-2 at 598 K.

Electrical conductivity of activated carbon-metal oxide nanocomposites under compression: a comparison study.

PubMed

Barroso-Bogeat, A; Alexandre-Franco, M; Fernández-González, C; Macías-García, A; Gómez-Serrano, V

2014-12-07

From a granular commercial activated carbon (AC) and six metal oxide (Al2O3, Fe2O3, SnO2, TiO2, WO3 and ZnO) precursors, two series of AC-metal oxide nanocomposites were prepared by wet impregnation, oven-drying at 120 °C, and subsequent heat treatment at 200 or 850 °C in an inert atmosphere. Here, the electrical conductivity of the resulting products was studied under moderate compression. The influence of the applied pressure, sample volume, mechanical work, and density of the hybrid materials was thoroughly investigated. The DC electrical conductivity of the compressed samples was measured at room temperature by the four-probe method. Compaction assays suggest that the mechanical properties of the nanocomposites are largely determined by the carbon matrix. Both the decrease in volume and the increase in density were relatively small and only significant at pressures lower than 100 kPa for AC and most nanocomposites. In contrast, the bulk electrical conductivity of the hybrid materials was strongly influenced by the intrinsic conductivity, mean crystallite size, content and chemical nature of the supported phases, which ultimately depend on the metal oxide precursor and heat treatment temperature. The supported nanoparticles may be considered to act as electrical switches either hindering or favouring the effective electron transport between the AC cores of neighbouring composite particles in contact under compression. Conductivity values as a rule were lower for the nanocomposites than for the raw AC, all of them falling in the range of semiconductor materials. With the increase in heat treatment temperature, the trend is toward the improvement of conductivity due to the increase in the crystallite size and, in some cases, to the formation of metals in the elemental state and even metal carbides. The patterns of variation of the electrical conductivity with pressure and mechanical work were slightly similar, thus suggesting the predominance of the pressure effects rather than the volume ones.

Silver Nanoparticle-Deposited Boron Nitride Nanosheets as Fillers for Polymeric Composites with High Thermal Conductivity.

PubMed

Wang, Fangfang; Zeng, Xiaoliang; Yao, Yimin; Sun, Rong; Xu, Jianbin; Wong, Ching-Ping

2016-01-19

Polymer composites with high thermal conductivity have recently attracted much attention, along with the rapid development of the electronic devices toward higher speed and performance. However, a common method to enhance polymer thermal conductivity through an addition of high thermally conductive fillers usually cannot provide an expected value, especially for composites requiring electrical insulation. Here, we show that polymeric composites with silver nanoparticle-deposited boron nitride nanosheets as fillers could effectively enhance the thermal conductivity of polymer, thanks to the bridging connections of silver nanoparticles among boron nitride nanosheets. The thermal conductivity of the composite is significantly increased from 1.63 W/m-K for the composite filled with the silver nanoparticle-deposited boron nitride nanosheets to 3.06 W/m-K at the boron nitride nanosheets loading of 25.1 vol %. In addition, the electrically insulating properties of the composite are well preserved. Fitting the measured thermal conductivity of epoxy composite with one physical model indicates that the composite with silver nanoparticle-deposited boron nitride nanosheets outperforms the one with boron nitride nanosheets, owning to the lower thermal contact resistance among boron nitride nanosheets' interfaces. The finding sheds new light on enhancement of thermal conductivity of the polymeric composites which concurrently require the electrical insulation.

Silver Nanoparticle-Deposited Boron Nitride Nanosheets as Fillers for Polymeric Composites with High Thermal Conductivity

PubMed Central

Wang, Fangfang; Zeng, Xiaoliang; Yao, Yimin; Sun, Rong; Xu, Jianbin; Wong, Ching-Ping

2016-01-01

Polymer composites with high thermal conductivity have recently attracted much attention, along with the rapid development of the electronic devices toward higher speed and performance. However, a common method to enhance polymer thermal conductivity through an addition of high thermally conductive fillers usually cannot provide an expected value, especially for composites requiring electrical insulation. Here, we show that polymeric composites with silver nanoparticle-deposited boron nitride nanosheets as fillers could effectively enhance the thermal conductivity of polymer, thanks to the bridging connections of silver nanoparticles among boron nitride nanosheets. The thermal conductivity of the composite is significantly increased from 1.63 W/m-K for the composite filled with the silver nanoparticle-deposited boron nitride nanosheets to 3.06 W/m-K at the boron nitride nanosheets loading of 25.1 vol %. In addition, the electrically insulating properties of the composite are well preserved. Fitting the measured thermal conductivity of epoxy composite with one physical model indicates that the composite with silver nanoparticle-deposited boron nitride nanosheets outperforms the one with boron nitride nanosheets, owning to the lower thermal contact resistance among boron nitride nanosheets’ interfaces. The finding sheds new light on enhancement of thermal conductivity of the polymeric composites which concurrently require the electrical insulation. PMID:26783258

Vertical spatial sensitivity and exploration depth of low-induction-number electromagnetic-induction instruments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Callegary, J.B.; Ferré, T.P.A.; Groom, R.W.

2007-01-01

Vertical spatial sensitivity and effective depth of exploration (d e) of low-induction-number (LIN) instruments over a layered soil were evaluated using a complete numerical solution to Maxwell's equations. Previous studies using approximate mathematical solutions predicted a vertical spatial sensitivity for instruments operating under LIN conditions that, for a given transmitter-receiver coil separation (s), coil orientation, and transmitter frequency, should depend solely on depth below the land surface. When not operating under LIN conditions, vertical spatial sensitivity and de also depend on apparent soil electrical conductivity (??a) and therefore the induction number (??). In this new evaluation, we determined the range of ??a and ?? values for which the LIN conditions hold and how de changes when they do not. Two-layer soil models were simulated with both horizontal (HCP) and vertical (VCP) coplanar coil orientations. Soil layers were given electrical conductivity values ranging from 0.1 to 200 mS m-1. As expected, de decreased as ??a increased. Only the least electrically conductive soil produced the de expected when operating under LIN conditions. For the VCP orientation, this was 1.6s, decreasing to 0.8s in the most electrically conductive soil. For the HCP orientation, de decreased from 0.76s to 0.51s. Differences between this and previous studies are attributed to inadequate representation of skin-depth effect and scattering at interfaces between layers. When using LIN instruments to identify depth to water tables, interfaces between soil layers, and variations in salt or moisture content, it is important to consider the dependence of de on ??a. ?? Soil Science Society of America.

Frequency- and doping-level influence on electric and dielectric properties of PolySi/SiO2/cSi (MOS) structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doukhane, N.; Birouk, B.

2018-03-01

The electric and dielectric characteristics of PolySi/SiO2/cSi (MOS) structure, such as series resistance ( R s), dielectric constants ( ɛ') and ( ɛ″), dielectric losses (tan δ), and the ac electric conductivity ( σ ac), were studied in the frequency range 100 kHz-1 MHz for various doping levels and two thicknesses for the polysilicon layer (100 and 175 nm). The experimental results show that the C and G/ ω characteristics are very sensitive to the frequency due to the presence of interface states. Series resistance R s is deduced from C and G/ ω measurements and is plotted as a function of the frequency for various doping levels. It is found to decrease with frequency and doping level. To determine {ɛ ^' }, ɛ″, tan δ, and {σ _{{ac}}}, the admittance technique was used. An interesting behavior of the constants, {ɛ ^' } and ɛ″, was noticed. The {ɛ ^' } values fit led to relations between {ɛ ^' } and the frequency, on one hand, and between {ɛ ^' } and the electric conductivity of the polysilicon layers on the other. These relations make it possible to interpolate directly between two experimental points for a given frequency. The analysis of the results shows that the values of {ɛ ^' }, ɛ″, and tan δ decrease with increasing frequency. This is due to the fact that in the region of low frequencies, interfacial polarization occurs easily, and the interface states between Si and SiO2 contribute to the improvement of the dielectric properties of the PolySi/SiO2/cSi structures. The study also emphasizes that the ac electric conductivity increases with the increase in frequency and doping level; this causes to the reduction in series resistance.

Node-node correlations and transport properties in scale-free networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obregon, Bibiana; Guzman, Lev

2011-03-01

We study some transport properties of complex networks. We focus our attention on transport properties of scale-free and small-world networks and compare two types of transport: Electric and max-flow cases. In particular, we construct scale-free networks, with a given degree sequence, to estimate the distribution of conductances for different values of assortative/dissortative mixing. For the electric case we find that the distributions of conductances are affect ed by the assortative mixing of the network whereas for the max-flow case, the distributions almost do not show changes when node-node correlations are altered. Finally, we compare local and global transport in terms of the average conductance for the small-world (Watts-Strogatz) model

Structural, optical and ac electrical characterization of CBD synthesized NiO thin films: Influence of thickness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, M. R.; Mukherjee, A.; Mitra, P.

2017-09-01

We have studied the electrical conductivity, dielectric relaxation mechanism and impedance spectroscopy characteristics of nickel oxide (NiO) thin films synthesized by chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. Thickness dependent structural, optical and ac electrical characterization has been carried out and deposition time was varied to control the thickness. The material has been characterized using X-ray diffraction and UV-VIS spectrophotometer. Impedance spectroscopy analysis confirmed enhancement of ac conductivity and dielectric constant for films deposited with higher deposition time. Decrease of grain size in thicker films were confirmed from XRD analysis and activation energy of the material for electrical charge hopping process was increased with thickness of the film. Decrease in band gap in thicker films were observed which could be associated with creation of additional energy levels in the band gap of the material. Cole-Cole plot shows contribution of both grain and grain boundary towards total resistance and capacitance. The overall resistance was found to decrease from 14.6 × 105 Ω for 30 min deposited film ( 120 nm thick) to 2.42 × 105 Ω for 120 min deposited film ( 307 nm thick). Activation energy value to electrical conduction process evaluated from conductivity data was found to decrease with thickness. Identical result was obtained from relaxation time approach suggesting hopping mechanism of charge carriers.

Method And Apparatus For Two Dimensional Surface Property Analysis Based On Boundary Measurement

DOEpatents

Richardson, John G.

2005-11-15

An apparatus and method for determining properties of a conductive film is disclosed. A plurality of probe locations selected around a periphery of the conductive film define a plurality of measurement lines between each probe location and all other probe locations. Electrical resistance may be measured along each of the measurement lines. A lumped parameter model may be developed based on the measured values of electrical resistance. The lumped parameter model may be used to estimate resistivity at one or more selected locations encompassed by the plurality of probe locations. The resistivity may be extrapolated to other physical properties if the conductive film includes a correlation between resistivity and the other physical properties. A profile of the conductive film may be developed by determining resistivity at a plurality of locations. The conductive film may be applied to a structure such that resistivity may be estimated and profiled for the structure's surface.

Evaluation of Temperature-Dependent Effective Material Properties and Performance of a Thermoelectric Module

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chien, Heng-Chieh; Chu, En-Ting; Hsieh, Huey-Lin; Huang, Jing-Yi; Wu, Sheng-Tsai; Dai, Ming-Ji; Liu, Chun-Kai; Yao, Da-Jeng

2013-07-01

We devised a novel method to evaluate the temperature-dependent effective properties of a thermoelectric module (TEM): Seebeck coefficient ( S m), internal electrical resistance ( R m), and thermal conductance ( K m). After calculation, the effective properties of the module are converted to the average material properties of a p- n thermoelectric pillar pair inside the module: Seebeck coefficient ( S TE), electrical resistivity ( ρ TE), and thermal conductivity ( k TE). For a commercial thermoelectric module (Altec 1091) chosen to verify the novel method, the measured S TE has a maximum value at bath temperature of 110°C; ρ TE shows a positive linear trend dependent on the bath temperature, and k TE increases slightly with increasing bath temperature. The results show the method to have satisfactory measurement performance in terms of practicability and reliability; the data for tests near 23°C agree with published values.

Microstructure and Electrical Conductivity of ZnO Addition on the Properties of (Bi0.92Ho0.03Er0.05)2O3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ermiş, İ.; Çorumlu, V.; Sertkol, M.; Öztürk, M.; Kaleli, M.; Çetin, A.; Turemiş, M.; Arı, M.

2016-11-01

The solid electrolyte is one of the most important components for a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). The various divalent or trivalent metal ion-doped bismuth-based materials exhibit good ionic conductivity. Therefore, these materials are used as electrolytes in the SOFC. In this paper, the samples of (Bi0.92- x Ho0.03Er0.05)2O3 + (ZnO) x solutions with a 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2 molar ratio are synthesized by the solid state reaction method. The detailed structural and electrical characterizations are investigated by using x-ray diffraction (XRD), alternating current electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The XRD patterns of all samples are indexed on a monoclinic symmetry with a P21/c space group. In addition, the rietveld parameters are determined by using the FullProf software program. The impedance measurements of the samples are obtained at the 1 Hz to 20 MHz frequency range. The impedance value of the pellets increases with temperature. Based on the impedance results, it is found that the contribution of grain (bulk) is more than a grain boundary in terms of conductivity, which permits the attribution of a grain boundary. The ionic conductivity decreases with an increasing amount of Zn contribution. The value of highest electrical conductivity among all samples is calculated as 0.358 S cm-1 at 800°C for undoped (Bi0.92Ho0.03Er0.05)2O3.

Million-fold electrical conductivity enhancement in Fe 2(DEBDC) versus Mn 2(DEBDC) (E = S, O)

DOE PAGES

Sun, Lei; Hendon, Christopher H.; Minier, Mikael A.; ...

2015-05-01

Reaction of FeCl 2 and H 4DSBDC (2,5-disulfhydrylbenzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid) leads to the formation of Fe 2(DSBDC), an analogue of M 2(DOBDC) (MOF-74, DOBDC 4– = 2,5-dihydroxybenzene-1,4-dicarboxylate). The bulk electrical conductivity values of both Fe 2(DSBDC) and Fe 2(DOBDC) are ~6 orders of magnitude higher than those of the Mn 2+ analogues, Mn 2(DEBDC) (E = O, S). Because the metals are of the same formal oxidation state, the increase in conductivity is attributed to the loosely bound Fe 2+ β-spin electron. Lastly, these results provide important insight for the rational design of conductive metal–organic frameworks, highlighting in particular the advantagesmore » of iron for synthesizing such materials.« less

Experimental results for 2D magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography (MR-EIT) using magnetic flux density in one direction.

PubMed

Birgül, Ozlem; Eyüboğlu, B Murat; Ider, Y Ziya

2003-11-07

Magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography (MR-EIT) is an emerging imaging technique that reconstructs conductivity images using magnetic flux density measurements acquired employing MRI together with conventional EIT measurements. In this study, experimental MR-EIT images from phantoms with conducting and insulator objects are presented. The technique is implemented using the 0.15 T Middle East Technical University MRI system. The dc current method used in magnetic resonance current density imaging is adopted. A reconstruction algorithm based on the sensitivity matrix relation between conductivity and only one component of magnetic flux distribution is used. Therefore, the requirement for object rotation is eliminated. Once the relative conductivity distribution is found, it is scaled using the peripheral voltage measurements to obtain the absolute conductivity distribution. Images of several insulator and conductor objects in saline filled phantoms are reconstructed. The L2 norm of relative error in conductivity values is found to be 13%, 17% and 14% for three different conductivity distributions.

Electrical conductivity of H2O-NaCl fluids to 10 kbar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinmyo, R.; Keppler, H.

2016-12-01

Magnetotelluric studies often reveal zones of elevated electrical conductivity in the mantle wedge above subducting slabs, in the deep crust below fold belts, or below active volcanoes. Since both aqueous fluids and hydrous silivate melts may be highly conductive, they may both account for these observations. Distinguishing between these two posssibilities, however, is difficult. One reason for this problem is that while there are very good conductivity data for silicate melts, such data do not exist for aqueous fluids under the relevant conditions of pressure, temperature and solute concentration. Most crustal and mantle fluids likely contain some NaCl, which greatly enhances conductivity due to its partial dissociation into Na+ and Cl-. We therefore studied the electrical conductivity of 0.01, 0.1 and 1 m NaCl solutions in water to 10 kbar and 600 °C. The measurements were carried out in externally-heated diamond cells containing two gaskets separated by an insulating ring of diamond, following a method described by Ni et al. (2014). The two gaskets were used as electrodes and full impedance spectra were measured from 30 Hz to 10 MHz using a Solartron 1260 impedance analyzer. Electrical conductivity was generally found to increase with pressure temperature, and fluid density. The conductivity increase observed upon variation of NaCl concentration from 0.1m to 1m was smaller than from 0.01m to 0.1m, which reflects the reduced degree of dissociation at high NaCl concentration. In general, the data show that already a very small fraction of NaCl-bearing aqueous fluid is sufficient to enhance bulk conductivities to values that would be expected for a high degree of partial melting. Accordingly, aqueous fluids may be distinguished from hydrous melts by comparing magnetotelluric and seismic data. H2O-NaCl fluids may enhance electrical conductivities with little disturbance of vp or vp/vs ratios.

Graphite fluoride fibers and their applications in the space industry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hung, Ching-Chen; Long, Martin; Dever, Therese

1990-01-01

Characterization and potential space applications of graphite fluoride fibers from commercially available graphitized carbon fibers are presented. Graphite fluoride fibers with fluorine to carbon ratios of 0.65 and 0.68 were found to have electrical resistivity values of 10(exp 4) and 10(exp 11) Ohms-cm, respectively, and thermal conductivity values of 24 and 5 W/m-K, respectively. At this fluorine content range, the fibers have tensile strength of 0.25 + or - 0.10 GPa (36 + or - 14 ksi), Young's modulus of 170 + or - 30 GPa (25 + or - 5 Msi). The coefficient of thermal expansion value of a sample with fluorine to carbon ratio of 0.61 was found to be 7 ppm/C. These properties change and approach the graphite value as the fluorine content approach 0. Electrically insulative graphite fluoride fiber is at least five times more thermally conductive than fiberglass. Therefore, it can be used as a heat sinking printed circuit board material for low temperature, long life power electronics in spacecraft. Also, partially fluorinated fiber with tailor-made physical properties to meet the requirements of certain engineering design can be produced. For example, a partially fluorinated fiber could have a predetermined CTE value in -1.5 to 7 ppm/C range and would be suitable for use in solar concentrators in solar dynamic power systems. It could also have a predetermined electrical resistivity value suitable for use as a low observable material. Experimental data indicate that slightly fluorinated graphite fibers are more durable in the atomic oxygen environment than pristine graphite. Therefore, fluorination of graphite used in the construction of spacecraft that would be exposed to the low Earth orbit atomic oxygen may protect defect sites in atomic oxygen protective coatings and therefore decrease the rate of degradation of graphite.

A Systematic Review of Electric-Acoustic Stimulation

PubMed Central

Ching, Teresa Y. C.; Cowan, Robert

2013-01-01

Cochlear implant systems that combine electric and acoustic stimulation in the same ear are now commercially available and the number of patients using these devices is steadily increasing. In particular, electric-acoustic stimulation is an option for patients with severe, high frequency sensorineural hearing impairment. There have been a range of approaches to combining electric stimulation and acoustic hearing in the same ear. To develop a better understanding of fitting practices for devices that combine electric and acoustic stimulation, we conducted a systematic review addressing three clinical questions: what is the range of acoustic hearing in the implanted ear that can be effectively preserved for an electric-acoustic fitting?; what benefits are provided by combining acoustic stimulation with electric stimulation?; and what clinical fitting practices have been developed for devices that combine electric and acoustic stimulation? A search of the literature was conducted and 27 articles that met the strict evaluation criteria adopted for the review were identified for detailed analysis. The range of auditory thresholds in the implanted ear that can be successfully used for an electric-acoustic application is quite broad. The effectiveness of combined electric and acoustic stimulation as compared with electric stimulation alone was consistently demonstrated, highlighting the potential value of preservation and utilization of low frequency hearing in the implanted ear. However, clinical procedures for best fitting of electric-acoustic devices were varied. This clearly identified a need for further investigation of fitting procedures aimed at maximizing outcomes for recipients of electric-acoustic devices. PMID:23539259

The zeta potential of extended dielectrics and conductors in terms of streaming potential and streaming current measurements.

PubMed

Gallardo-Moreno, Amparo M; Vadillo-Rodríguez, Virginia; Perera-Núñez, Julia; Bruque, José M; González-Martín, M Luisa

2012-07-21

The electrical characterization of surfaces in terms of the zeta potential (ζ), i.e., the electric potential contributing to the interaction potential energy, is of major importance in a wide variety of industrial, environmental and biomedical applications in which the integration of any material with the surrounding media is initially mediated by the physico-chemical properties of its outer surface layer. Among the different existing electrokinetic techniques for obtaining ζ, streaming potential (V(str)) and streaming current (I(str)) are important when dealing with flat-extended samples. Mostly dielectric materials have been subjected to this type of analysis and only a few papers can be found in the literature regarding the electrokinetic characterization of conducting materials. Nevertheless, a standardized procedure is typically followed to calculate ζ from the measured data and, importantly, it is shown in this paper that such a procedure leads to incorrect zeta potential values when conductors are investigated. In any case, assessment of a reliable numerical value of ζ requires careful consideration of the origin of the input data and the characteristics of the experimental setup. In particular, it is shown that the cell resistance (R) typically obtained through a.c. signals (R(a.c.)), and needed for the calculations of ζ, always underestimates the zeta potential values obtained from streaming potential measurements. The consideration of R(EK), derived from the V(str)/I(str) ratio, leads to reliable values of ζ when dielectrics are investigated. For metals, the contribution of conductivity of the sample to the cell resistance provokes an underestimation of R(EK), which leads to unrealistic values of ζ. For the electrical characterization of conducting samples I(str) measurements constitute a better choice. In general, the findings gathered in this manuscript establish a measurement protocol for obtaining reliable zeta potentials of dielectrics and conductors based on the intrinsic electrokinetic behavior of both types of samples.

Electrical resistivity of substitutionally disordered hcp Fe-Si and Fe-Ni alloys: Chemically-induced resistivity saturation in the Earth's core

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomi, Hitoshi; Hirose, Kei; Akai, Hisazumi; Fei, Yingwei

2016-10-01

The thermal conductivity of the Earth's core can be estimated from its electrical resistivity via the Wiedemann-Franz law. However, previously reported resistivity values are rather scattered, mainly due to the lack of knowledge with regard to resistivity saturation (violations of the Bloch-Grüneisen law and the Matthiessen's rule). Here we conducted high-pressure experiments and first-principles calculations in order to clarify the relationship between the resistivity saturation and the impurity resistivity of substitutional silicon in hexagonal-close-packed (hcp) iron. We measured the electrical resistivity of Fe-Si alloys (iron with 1, 2, 4, 6.5, and 9 wt.% silicon) using four-terminal method in a diamond-anvil cell up to 90 GPa at 300 K. We also computed the electronic band structure of substitutionally disordered hcp Fe-Si and Fe-Ni alloy systems by means of Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker method with coherent potential approximation (KKR-CPA). The electrical resistivity was then calculated from the Kubo-Greenwood formula. These experimental and theoretical results show excellent agreement with each other, and the first principles results show the saturation behavior at high silicon concentration. We further calculated the resistivity of Fe-Ni-Si ternary alloys and found the violation of the Matthiessen's rule as a consequence of the resistivity saturation. Such resistivity saturation has important implications for core dynamics. The saturation effect places the upper limit of the resistivity, resulting in that the total resistivity value has almost no temperature dependence. As a consequence, the core thermal conductivity has a lower bound and exhibits a linear temperature dependence. We predict the electrical resistivity at the top of the Earth's core to be 1.12 ×10-6 Ωm, which corresponds to the thermal conductivity of 87.1 W/m/K. Such high thermal conductivity suggests high isentropic heat flow, leading to young inner core age (<0.85 Gyr old) and high initial core temperature. It also strongly suppresses thermal convection in the core, which results in no convective motion in inner core and possibly thermally stratified layer in the outer core.

Interaction of a conductive crack and of an electrode at a piezoelectric bimaterial interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onopriienko, Oleg; Loboda, Volodymyr; Sheveleva, Alla; Lapusta, Yuri

2018-06-01

The interaction of a conductive crack and an electrode at a piezoelectric bi-material interface is studied. The bimaterial is subjected to an in-plane electrical field parallel to the interface and an anti-plane mechanical loading. The problem is formulated and reduced, via the application of sectionally analytic vector functions, to a combined Dirichlet-Riemann boundary value problem. Simple analytical expressions for the stress, the electric field, and their intensity factors as well as for the crack faces' displacement jump are derived. Our numerical results illustrate the proposed approach and permit to draw some conclusions on the crack-electrode interaction.

Selected physical properties of various diesel blends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hlaváčová, Zuzana; Božiková, Monika; Hlaváč, Peter; Regrut, Tomáš; Ardonová, Veronika

2018-01-01

The quality determination of biofuels requires identifying the chemical and physical parameters. The key physical parameters are rheological, thermal and electrical properties. In our study, we investigated samples of diesel blends with rape-seed methyl esters content in the range from 3 to 100%. In these, we measured basic thermophysical properties, including thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity, using two different transient methods - the hot-wire method and the dynamic plane source. Every thermophysical parameter was measured 100 times using both methods for all samples. Dynamic viscosity was measured during the heating process under the temperature range 20-80°C. A digital rotational viscometer (Brookfield DV 2T) was used for dynamic viscosity detection. Electrical conductivity was measured using digital conductivity meter (Model 1152) in a temperature range from -5 to 30°C. The highest values of thermal parameters were reached in the diesel sample with the highest biofuel content. The dynamic viscosity of samples increased with higher concentration of bio-component rapeseed methyl esters. The electrical conductivity of blends also increased with rapeseed methyl esters content.

Electrically conductive nano graphite-filled bacterial cellulose composites.

PubMed

Erbas Kiziltas, Esra; Kiziltas, Alper; Rhodes, Kevin; Emanetoglu, Nuri W; Blumentritt, Melanie; Gardner, Douglas J

2016-01-20

A unique three dimensional (3D) porous structured bacterial cellulose (BC) can act as a supporting material to deposit the nanofillers in order to create advanced BC-based functional nanomaterials for various technological applications. In this study, novel nanocomposites comprised of BC with exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets (xGnP) incorporated into the BC matrix were prepared using a simple particle impregnation strategy to enhance the thermal properties and electrical conductivity of the BC. The flake-shaped xGnP particles were well dispersed and formed a continuous network throughout the BC matrix. The temperature at 10% weight loss, thermal stability and residual ash content of the nanocomposites increased at higher xGnP loadings. The electrical conductivity of the composites increased with increasing xGnP loading (attaining values 0.75 S/cm with the addition of 2 wt.% of xGnP). The enhanced conductive and thermal properties of the BC-xGnP nanocomposites will broaden applications (biosensors, tissue engineering, etc.) of BC and xGnP. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Magneto-acousto-electrical Measurement Based Electrical Conductivity Reconstruction for Tissues.

PubMed

Zhou, Yan; Ma, Qingyu; Guo, Gepu; Tu, Juan; Zhang, Dong

2018-05-01

Based on the interaction of ultrasonic excitation and magnetoelectrical induction, magneto-acousto-electrical (MAE) technology was demonstrated to have the capability of differentiating conductivity variations along the acoustic transmission. By applying the characteristics of the MAE voltage, a simplified algorithm of MAE measurement based conductivity reconstruction was developed. With the analyses of acoustic vibration, ultrasound propagation, Hall effect, and magnetoelectrical induction, theoretical and experimental studies of MAE measurement and conductivity reconstruction were performed. The formula of MAE voltage was derived and simplified for the transducer with strong directivity. MAE voltage was simulated for a three-layer gel phantom and the conductivity distribution was reconstructed using the modified Wiener inverse filter and Hilbert transform, which was also verified by experimental measurements. The experimental results are basically consistent with the simulations, and demonstrate that the wave packets of MAE voltage are generated at tissue interfaces with the amplitudes and vibration polarities representing the values and directions of conductivity variations. With the proposed algorithm, the amplitude and polarity of conductivity gradient can be restored and the conductivity distribution can also be reconstructed accurately. The favorable results demonstrate the feasibility of accurate conductivity reconstruction with improved spatial resolution using MAE measurement for tissues with conductivity variations, especially suitable for nondispersive tissues with abrupt conductivity changes. This study demonstrates that the MAE measurement based conductivity reconstruction algorithm can be applied as a new strategy for nondestructive real-time monitoring of conductivity variations in biomedical engineering.

CaMn(1-x)Nb(x)O3 (x < or = 0.08) perovskite-type phases as promising new high-temperature n-type thermoelectric materials.

PubMed

Bocher, L; Aguirre, M H; Logvinovich, D; Shkabko, A; Robert, R; Trottmann, M; Weidenkaff, A

2008-09-15

Perovskite-type CaMn(1-x)Nb(x)O(3+/-delta) (x = 0.02, 0.05, and 0.08) compounds were synthesized by applying both a "chimie douce" (SC) synthesis and a classical solid state reaction (SSR) method. The crystallographic parameters of the resulting phases were determined from X-ray, electron, and neutron diffraction data. The manganese oxidations states (Mn(4+)/Mn(3+)) were investigated by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. The orthorhombic CaMn(1-x)Nb(x)O(3+/-delta) (x = 0.02, 0.05, and 0.08) phases were studied in terms of their high-temperature thermoelectric properties (Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity, and thermal conductivity). Differences in electrical transport and thermal properties can be correlated with different microstructures obtained by the two synthesis methods. In the high-temperature range, the electron-doped manganate phases exhibit large absolute Seebeck coefficient and low electrical resistivity values, resulting in a high power factor, PF (e.g., for x = 0.05, S(1000K) = -180 microV K(-1), rho(1000K) = 16.8 mohms cm, and PF > 1.90 x 10(-4) W m(-1) K(-2) for 450 K < T < 1070 K). Furthermore, lower thermal conductivity values are achieved for the SC-derived phases (kappa < 1 W m(-1) K(-1)) compared to the SSR compounds. High power factors combined with low thermal conductivity (leading to ZT values > 0.3) make these phases the best perovskitic candidates as n-type polycrystalline thermoelectric materials operating in air at high temperatures.

Electrical properties of schist and mylonite from the South Island, New Zealand: Exploring the source of the Southern Alps Anomalous Conductor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kluge, Katherine; Toy, Virginia; Ohneiser, Chrisitan; Lockner, David

2017-04-01

The Southern Alps Electrical Conductor (SAC), identified from magnetotelluric surveys of the South Island Geophysical Transect (SIGHT) in the South Island, New Zealand, has high electrical conductivity relative to surrounding lithology (0.1 to 1 S/m between 5 and 25 km depth). This phenomenon is spatially coincident with shear zones of the Alpine Fault transform boundary and a region of anomalously low seismic velocity. It has been suggested these geophysical anomalies indicate dynamically linked fluids or graphite networks at depth, but this is unconfirmed. The convergent component of deformation within the Southern Alps orogen exhumes the lower crust. Because of this, we have been able to examine the relationship between electric properties, porosities, and mineral arrangement of hanging wall rock samples across metamorphic and strain gradients approaching the Alpine Fault. These allow us to constrain the roc properties which yield the source of the Southern Alps Electrical Conductor. We measured the electrical properties of 7 hand samples at the USGS Rock Physics Lab in Menlo Park, California. Complex resistivity of samples under confining pressure was measured up to 200 MPa, with a saturating brine of 0.1 M KCl. Laboratory measurements were then converted to complex conductivity. Mylonite conductivities were also averaged at each confining pressure and extrapolated to Alpine Fault conditions at depth (using fluid conductivity, geothermal gradient and effective confining pressure) to find projected in situ values between 0 and 9.4 km depth. Porosity ranges from 1.2 to 5.4% for hanging wall metamorphic schists and 1.0 to 1.9% for Alpine Fault Zone mylonites. Schist porosity substantially decreases with increasing proximity to the Alpine Fault, but mylonite porosity exhibits no systematic trend. Conductivity at 5 MPa effective confining pressure and 20 Hz ranges from 9.70x10-5 to 2.23x10-3 S/m for schists and 1.48x10-3 to 4.33x10-3 S/m for mylonites. Schist conductivity decreases towards the Alpine Fault, likely due to decreases in porosity. Conversely, mylonite conductivity increases towards the Alpine Fault. The latter trend cannot be systematically related to porosity, but may reflect another factor. Projected mylonite conductivities were found to increase from 1.0x10-4 to 1.33x10-2 S/m between equivalent pressures of 0 and 3 km depth and then decrease to 1.0x10-2 S/m at a pressure equivalent to 9.4 km depth. These projected values are less than the expected conductivities found by MT surveys. To explain this inconsistency, we propose that either the input fluid compositions are incorrect or that we have not accounted for a factor such as grain boundary surface conductance or conductive graphite films.

Origin of the Strain Sensitivity for an Organic Heptazole Thin-Film and Its Strain Gauge Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bae, Heesun; Jeon, Pyo Jin; Park, Ji Hoon; Lee, Kimoon

2018-04-01

The authors report on the origin of the strain sensitivity for an organic C26H16N2 (heptazole) thinfilm and its application for the detection of tensile strain. From the electrical characterization on the thin-film transistor adopting a heptazole channel, heptazole film exhibits p-channel conduction with a relatively low value of field-effect mobility (0.05 cm2/Vs), suggesting a hopping conduction behavior via hole carriers. By analyzing the strain and temperature dependences of the electrical conductivity, we reveal that the electrical conduction for a heptazole thin-film is dominated by the variable range hopping process with quite a large energy separation (224.9 meV) between the localized states under a relatively long attenuation length (10.46 Å). This indicates that a change in the inter-grain spacing that is much larger than the attenuation length is responsible for the reversible modification of electrical conductivity depending on strain for the heptazole film. By utilizing our heptazole thin-film both as a strain sensitive passive resistor and an active semiconducting channel layer, we can achieve a strain gauge device exhibiting reversible endurance for tensile strains up to 2.12%. Consequently, this study advances the understanding of the fundamental strain sensing mechanism in a heptazole thin-film toward finding a promise material with a strain gauge for applications as potential flexible devices and/or wearable electronics.

Effects of substrate conductivity on cell morphogenesis and proliferation using tailored, atomic layer deposition-grown ZnO thin films

PubMed Central

Choi, Won Jin; Jung, Jongjin; Lee, Sujin; Chung, Yoon Jang; Yang, Cheol-Soo; Lee, Young Kuk; Lee, You-Seop; Park, Joung Kyu; Ko, Hyuk Wan; Lee, Jeong-O

2015-01-01

We demonstrate that ZnO films grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) can be employed as a substrate to explore the effects of electrical conductivity on cell adhesion, proliferation, and morphogenesis. ZnO substrates with precisely tunable electrical conductivity were fabricated on glass substrates using ALD deposition. The electrical conductivity of the film increased linearly with increasing duration of the ZnO deposition cycle (thickness), whereas other physical characteristics, such as surface energy and roughness, tended to saturate at a certain value. Differences in conductivity dramatically affected the behavior of SF295 glioblastoma cells grown on ZnO films, with high conductivity (thick) ZnO films causing growth arrest and producing SF295 cell morphologies distinct from those cultured on insulating substrates. Based on simple electrostatic calculations, we propose that cells grown on highly conductive substrates may strongly adhere to the substrate without focal-adhesion complex formation, owing to the enhanced electrostatic interaction between cells and the substrate. Thus, the inactivation of focal adhesions leads to cell proliferation arrest. Taken together, the work presented here confirms that substrates with high conductivity disturb the cell-substrate interaction, producing cascading effects on cellular morphogenesis and disrupting proliferation, and suggests that ALD-grown ZnO offers a single-variable method for uniquely tailoring conductivity. PMID:25897486

Enhanced monitoring of hazardous waste site remediation: Electrical conductivity tomography and citizen monitoring of remediation through the EPA's community advisory group program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hort, Ryan D.

In situ chemical oxidation using permanganate has become a common method for degrading trichloroethene (TCE) in contaminated aquifers. Its effectiveness, however, is dependent upon contact between the oxidant and contaminant. Monitoring permanganate movement after injection is often hampered by aquifer heterogeneity and insufficient well coverage. Time lapse electrical conductivity tomography increases the spatial extent of monitoring beyond well locations. This technique can create two- or three-dimensional images of the electrical conductivity within the aquifer to monitor aquifer chemistry changes caused by permanganate injection and oxidation reactions. In-phase and quadrature electrical conductivity were measured in homogeneous aqueous and porous media samples to determine the effects of TCE and humate oxidation by permanganate on both measures of conductivity. Further effects of clean sand, 10% kaolinite (v/v), and 10% smectite (v/v) on both types of conductivity were studied as well. Finally, in-phase electrical conductivity was measured over time after injecting permanganate solution into two-dimensional tanks containing artificial groundwater with and without TCE to observe the movement of the permanganate plume and its interaction with TCE and to examine the effectiveness of time-lapse conductivity tomography for monitoring the plume's movement. In-phase electrical conductivity after oxidation reactions involving permanganate, TCE, and humate could be accurately modeled in homogeneous batch samples. Use of forward modeling of in-phase conductivity from permanganate concentrations may be useful for improving recovery of conductivity values during survey inversion, but further work is needed combining the chemistry modeling with solute transport models. Small pH-related quadrature conductivity decreases were observed after TCE oxidation, and large quadrature conductivity increases were observed as a result of sodium ion addition; however, quadrature conductivity could not be related to concentrations of permanganate or reaction products. Additionally, EPA Superfund sites participating in the Community Advisory Group (CAG) program were examined to determine how communities may have benefitted from the program. While CAG participation was correlated with slower achievement of EPA cleanup milestones, many CAGs successfully achieved five standardized social goals. CAGs that achieved these social goals varied in composition but were similar in their focus on community outreach and ability to extend their influence beyond CAG meetings.

Thermoelectric Properties of Bi2Te3: CuI and the Effect of Its Doping with Pb Atoms

PubMed Central

Han, Mi-Kyung; Lee, Da-Hee; Kim, Sung-Jin

2017-01-01

In order to understand the effect of Pb-CuI co-doping on the thermoelectric performance of Bi2Te3, n-type Bi2Te3 co-doped with x at % CuI and 1/2x at % Pb (x = 0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07, and 0.10) were prepared via high temperature solid state reaction and consolidated using spark plasma sintering. Electron and thermal transport properties, i.e., electrical conductivity, carrier concentration, Hall mobility, Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity, of CuI-Pb co-doped Bi2Te3 were measured in the temperature range from 300 K to 523 K, and compared to corresponding x% of CuI-doped Bi2Te3 and undoped Bi2Te3. The addition of a small amount of Pb significantly decreased the carrier concentration, which could be attributed to the holes from Pb atoms, thus the CuI-Pb co-doped samples show a lower electrical conductivity and a higher Seebeck coefficient when compared to CuI-doped samples with similar x values. The incorporation of Pb into CuI-doped Bi2Te3 rarely changed the power factor because of the trade-off relationship between the electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient. The total thermal conductivity(κtot) of co-doped samples (κtot ~ 1.4 W/m∙K at 300 K) is slightly lower than that of 1% CuI-doped Bi2Te3 (κtot ~ 1.5 W/m∙K at 300 K) and undoped Bi2Te3 (κtot ~ 1.6 W/m∙K at 300 K) due to the alloy scattering. The 1% CuI-Pb co-doped Bi2Te3 sample shows the highest ZT value of 0.96 at 370 K. All data on electrical and thermal transport properties suggest that the thermoelectric properties of Bi2Te3 and its operating temperature can be controlled by co-doping. PMID:29072613

Thermoelectric Properties of Bi₂Te₃: CuI and the Effect of Its Doping with Pb Atoms.

PubMed

Han, Mi-Kyung; Jin, Yingshi; Lee, Da-Hee; Kim, Sung-Jin

2017-10-26

In order to understand the effect of Pb-CuI co-doping on the thermoelectric performance of Bi₂Te₃, n -type Bi₂Te₃ co-doped with x at % CuI and 1/2 x at % Pb ( x = 0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07, and 0.10) were prepared via high temperature solid state reaction and consolidated using spark plasma sintering. Electron and thermal transport properties, i.e., electrical conductivity, carrier concentration, Hall mobility, Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity, of CuI-Pb co-doped Bi₂Te₃ were measured in the temperature range from 300 K to 523 K, and compared to corresponding x % of CuI-doped Bi₂Te₃ and undoped Bi₂Te₃. The addition of a small amount of Pb significantly decreased the carrier concentration, which could be attributed to the holes from Pb atoms, thus the CuI-Pb co-doped samples show a lower electrical conductivity and a higher Seebeck coefficient when compared to CuI-doped samples with similar x values. The incorporation of Pb into CuI-doped Bi₂Te₃ rarely changed the power factor because of the trade-off relationship between the electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient. The total thermal conductivity(κ tot ) of co-doped samples (κ tot ~ 1.4 W/m∙K at 300 K) is slightly lower than that of 1% CuI-doped Bi₂Te₃ (κ tot ~ 1.5 W/m∙K at 300 K) and undoped Bi₂Te₃ (κ tot ~ 1.6 W/m∙K at 300 K) due to the alloy scattering. The 1% CuI-Pb co-doped Bi₂Te 3 sample shows the highest ZT value of 0.96 at 370 K. All data on electrical and thermal transport properties suggest that the thermoelectric properties of Bi₂Te 3 and its operating temperature can be controlled by co-doping.

Research on the Applicable Method of Valuation of Pure Electric Used vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, yun; Tan, zhengping; Wang, yidong; Mao, pan

2018-03-01

With the rapid growth in the ownership of pure electric vehicles, the research on the valuation of used electric vehicles has become the key to the development of the pure electric used vehicle market. The paper analyzed the application of the three value assessment methods, current market price method, capitalized earning method and replacement cost method, in pure electric used vehicles, and draws a conclusion that the replacement cost method is more suitable for pure electric used car. At the same time, the article also conducted a parametric correction exploration research, aiming at the characteristics of pure electric vehicles and replacement cost of the constituent factors. Through the analysis of the applicability parameters of physical devaluation, functional devaluation and economic devaluation, the revised replacement cost method can be used for the valuation of purely used electric vehicles for private use.

Synthesis, growth, spectral, electrical, mechanical and thermal characterization of a potential optical material: γ-glycine single crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sivakumar, N.; Jayavel, R.; Anbalagan, G.; Yadav, R. R.

2018-06-01

Gamma glycine, an organic material was grown by slow solvent evaporation method. Conventional polythermal method was employed in the temperature range, 30-50 °C to obtain the solubility and the metastable zonewidth. The crystal and molecular structures were analyzed by X-ray powder diffraction, FT-IR and FT-Raman spectral studies. Optical refractive index was determined by prism coupling technique and was found to be 1.4488. Electrical properties such as ac conductivity and activation energy were studied for different temperatures in the frequency range from 40 Hz to 6 MHz. The dc electrical conductivity was estimated from the Cole-Cole plot and the values were found to be 2.19 × 10-6 Sm-1 at 353K and 1.46 × 10-6 Sm-1 at 373K respectively. Mechanical studies on the grown crystal revealed that the material belongs to soft materials category. Thermal conductivity and specific heat capacities were estimated by Hot Disk Thermal Constants Analyzer.

High Performance Oxides-Based Thermoelectric Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Guangkun; Lan, Jinle; Zeng, Chengcheng; Liu, Yaochun; Zhan, Bin; Butt, Sajid; Lin, Yuan-Hua; Nan, Ce-Wen

2015-01-01

Thermoelectric materials have attracted much attention due to their applications in waste-heat recovery, power generation, and solid state cooling. In comparison with thermoelectric alloys, oxide semiconductors, which are thermally and chemically stable in air at high temperature, are regarded as the candidates for high-temperature thermoelectric applications. However, their figure-of-merit ZT value has remained low, around 0.1-0.4 for more than 20 years. The poor performance in oxides is ascribed to the low electrical conductivity and high thermal conductivity. Since the electrical transport properties in these thermoelectric oxides are strongly correlated, it is difficult to improve both the thermoelectric power and electrical conductivity simultaneously by conventional methods. This review summarizes recent progresses on high-performance oxide-based thermoelectric bulk-materials including n-type ZnO, SrTiO3, and In2O3, and p-type Ca3Co4O9, BiCuSeO, and NiO, enhanced by heavy-element doping, band engineering and nanostructuring.

Hydraulic and thermal soil Parameter combined with TEM data at quaternary coastal regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grabowski, Ima; Kirsch, Reinhard; Scheer, Wolfgang

2014-05-01

In order to generate a more efficient method of planning and dimensioning small- and medium sized geothermal power plants at quaternary subsurface a basic approach has been attempted. Within the EU-project CLIWAT, the coastal region of Denmark, Germany, Netherlands and Belgium has been investigated and air borne electro magnetic data was collected. In this work the regional focus was put on the isle of Föhr. To describe the subsurface with relevant parameters one need the information from drillings and geophysical well logging data. The approach to minimize costs and use existing data from state agencies led the investigation to the combination of specific electrical resistivity data and hydraulic and thermal conductivity. We worked out a basic soil/hydraulic conductivity statistic for the isle of Föhr by gathering all well logging data from the island and sorted the existing soil materials to associated kf -values. We combined specific electrical resistivity with hydraulic soil properties to generate thermal conductivity values by extracting porosity. Until now we generated a set of rough data for kf - values and thermal conductivity. The air borne TEM data sets are reliable up to 150 m below surface, depending on the conductivity of the layers. So we can suppose the same for the differentiated parameters. Since this is a very rough statistic of kf -values, further more investigation has to be made. Although the close connection to each area of investigation either over existing logging data or laboratory soil property values will remain necessary. Literature: Ahmed S, de Marsily G, Talbot A (1988): Combined Use of Hydraulic and Electrical Properties of an Aquifer in a Geostatistical Estimation of Transmissivity. - Groundwater, vol. 26 (1) Burschil T, Scheer W, Wiederhold H, Kirsch R (2012): Groundwater situation on a glacially affected barrier island. Submitted to Hydrology and Earth System Sciences - an Interactive Open Access Journal of the European Geosciences Union Burval Working Group (2006) Groundwater Resources in buried valleys- a challenge for Geosciences. - Leibniz-Institut für Angewandte Geophysik, Hannover Scheer W, König B, Steinmann F (2012): Die Grundwasserverhältnisse von Föhr. - In: Der Untergrund von Föhr: Geologie, Grundwasser und Erdwärme - Ergebnisse des INTERREG-Projektes CLIWAT. - Landesamt für Landwirtschaft, Umwelt und ländliche Räume Schleswig-Holstein, Flintbek

3D printable highly conductive and mechanically strong thermoplastic-based nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tabiai, Ilyass; Therriault, Daniel

Highly conductive 3D printable inks can be used to design electrical devices with various functionalities and geometries. We use the solvent evaporation assisted 3D-printing method to create high resolution structures made of poly(lactid) acid (PLA) reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNTs). We characterize fibers with diameters ranging between 100 μm to 330 μm and reinforced with MWCNTs from 0.5 up to 40wt% here. Tensile test, shrinkage ratio, density and electrical conductivity measurements of the printed nanocomposite are presented. The material's electrical conductivity is strongly improved by adding MWCNTs (up to 3000S/m), this value was found to be higher than any 3D-printable carbon based material available in the literature. It is observed that MWCNTs significantly increase the material's strength and stiffness while reducing its ductility. The ink's density was also higher while still being in the range of polymers' densities. The presented nanocomposite is light weight, highly conductive, has good mechanical properties and can be printed in a freeform fashion at the micro scale. A myriad of low power consumption with less resistive heating sensors and devices can potentially be designed using it and integrated into other 3D printable products.

Cole-cole analysis and electrical conduction mechanism of N{sup +} implanted polycarbonate

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

Chawla, Mahak; Shekhawat, Nidhi; Aggarwal, Sanjeev, E-mail: write2sa@gmail.com

2014-05-14

In this paper, we present the analysis of the dielectric (dielectric constant, dielectric loss, a.c. conductivity) and electrical properties (I–V characteristics) of pristine and nitrogen ion implanted polycarbonate. The samples of polycarbonate were implanted with 100 keV N{sup +} ions with fluence ranging from 1 × 10{sup 15} to 1 × 10{sup 17} ions cm{sup −2}. The dielectric measurements of these samples were performed in the frequency range of 100 kHz to 100 MHz. It has been observed that dielectric constant decreases whereas dielectric loss and a.c. conductivity increases with increasing ion fluence. An analysis of real and imaginary parts of dielectric permittivity has beenmore » elucidated using Cole-Cole plot of the complex permittivity. With the help of Cole-Cole plot, we determined the values of static dielectric constant (ε{sub s}), optical dielectric constant (ε{sub ∞}), spreading factor (α), average relaxation time (τ{sub 0}), and molecular relaxation time (τ). The I–V characteristics were studied using Keithley (6517) electrometer. The electrical conduction behaviour of pristine and implanted polycarbonate specimens has been explained using various models of conduction.« less

Highly anisotropic conductivity of tablets pressed from polyaniline-montmorillonite nanocomposite

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

Tokarský, Jonáš, E-mail: jonas.tokarsky@vsb.cz; IT4Innovations Centre of Excellence, VŠB-TU Ostrava, 17. listopadu 15/2172, 708 33 Ostrava—Poruba; Kulhánková, Lenka

2016-03-15

Highlights: • Montmorillonite (MMT) can be intercalated with polyaniline (PANI) chains. • Tablets pressed from PANI/MMT exhibit high anisotropy in electrical conductivity. • Pressure 28MPa is sufficient to reach the anisotropy. • Tablets pressed from pure PANI also exhibit anisotropy in electrical conductivity. - Abstract: Polyaniline-montmorillonite nanocomposite was prepared from anilinium sulfate (precursor) and ammonium peroxodisulfate (oxidizing agent) using simple one-step method. The resulting nanocomposite obtained in powder form has been pressed into tablets using various compression pressures (28–400 MPa). Electrical conductivities of tablets in two perpendicular directions, i.e. direction parallel with the main surface of tablet (σ=) and inmore » orthogonal direction (σ⊥), and corresponding anisotropy factors (i.e., the ratio σ=/σ⊥) have been studied in dependence on compression pressure used during the preparation. Polyaniline-montmorillonite nanocomposite was characterized using X-ray diffraction analysis, raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and molecular modeling which led to the understanding of the internal structure. Measurement of hardness performed on pressed tablets has been also involved. Taking into account the highest value of anisotropy factor reached (σ=/σ⊥ = 490), present study shows a chance to design conductors with nearly two-dimensional conductivity.« less

Electrical and thermal transport properties of layered Bi{sub 2}YO{sub 4}Cu{sub 2}Se{sub 2}

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

Xiao, Yu; Pei, Yanling; Chang, Cheng

Bi{sub 2}YO{sub 4}Cu{sub 2}Se{sub 2} possesses a low thermal conductivity and high electrical conductivity at room temperature, which was considered as a potential thermoelectric material. In this work, we have investigated the electrical and thermal transport properties of Bi{sub 2}YO{sub 4}Cu{sub 2}Se{sub 2} system in the temperature range from 300 K to 873 K. We found that the total thermal conductivity decreases from ~1.8 W m{sup −1} K{sup −1} to ~0.9 W m{sup −1} K{sup −1}, and the electrical conductivity decreases from ~850 S/cm to ~163 S/cm in the measured temperature range. To investigate how potential of Bi{sub 2}YO{sub 4}Cu{submore » 2}Se{sub 2} system, we prepared the heavily Iodine doped samples to counter-dope intrinsically high carrier concentration and improve the electrical transport properties. Interestingly, the Seebeck coefficient could be enhanced to ~+80 μV/K at 873 K, meanwhile, we found that a low thermal conductivity of ~0.7 W m{sup −1} K{sup −1} could be achieved. The intrinsically low thermal conductivity in this system is related to the low elastic properties, such as Young's modulus of 70–72 GPa, and Grüneisen parameters of 1.55–1.71. The low thermal conductivity makes Bi{sub 2}YO{sub 4}Cu{sub 2}Se{sub 2} system to be a potential thermoelectric material, the ZT value ~0.06 at 873 K was obtained, a higher performance is expected by optimizing electrical transport properties through selecting suitable dopants, modifying band structures or by further reducing thermal conductivity through nanostructuring etc. - Highlights: • The total thermal conductivity decreases from 1.8 to 0.9 Wm{sup –1}K{sup –1} at 300–873K. • The electrical conductivity decreased from 850 to 163 S/cm at 300–873K. • The Seebeck coefficients were enhanced through heavily Iodine doping. • The ZT ~0.06 at 873K suggests that Bi{sub 2}YO{sub 4}Cu{sub 2}Se{sub 2} systems are potential thermoelectrical materials.« less

Magnetoacoustic Imaging of Electrical Conductivity of Biological Tissues at a Spatial Resolution Better than 2 mm

PubMed Central

Hu, Gang; He, Bin

2011-01-01

Magnetoacoustic tomography with magnetic induction (MAT-MI) is an emerging approach for noninvasively imaging electrical impedance properties of biological tissues. The MAT-MI imaging system measures ultrasound waves generated by the Lorentz force, having been induced by magnetic stimulation, which is related to the electrical conductivity distribution in tissue samples. MAT-MI promises to provide fine spatial resolution for biological tissue imaging as compared to ultrasound resolution. In the present study, we first estimated the imaging spatial resolution by calculating the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the system point spread function (PSF). The actual spatial resolution of our MAT-MI system was experimentally determined to be 1.51 mm by a parallel-line-source phantom with Rayleigh criterion. Reconstructed images made from tissue-mimicking gel phantoms, as well as animal tissue samples, were consistent with the morphological structures of the samples. The electrical conductivity value of the samples was determined directly by a calibrated four-electrode system. It has been demonstrated that MAT-MI is able to image the electrical impedance properties of biological tissues with better than 2 mm spatial resolution. These results suggest the potential of MAT-MI for application to early detection of small-size diseased tissues (e.g. small breast cancer). PMID:21858111

Conductance of graphene-based double-barrier nanostructures.

PubMed

Setare, M R; Jahani, D

2010-12-22

The effect of a mass gap on the conductance of graphene double-barrier heterojunctions is studied. By obtaining the 2D expression for the electronic transport of the low energy excitations of pure graphene through double-barrier systems, it is found that the conductivity of these structures does not depend on the type of charge carriers in the zones of the electric field. However, a finite induced gap in the graphene spectrum makes conductivity dependent on the energy band index. We also discuss a few controversies concerning double-barrier systems stemming from an improper choice of the scattering angle. Then it is observed that, for some special values of the incident energy and potential's height, graphene junctions behave like left-handed materials, resulting in a maximum value for the conductivity.

A large-scale measurement, analysis and modelling of electromagnetic radiation levels in the vicinity of GSM/UMTS base stations in an urban area.

PubMed

Karadağ, Teoman; Yüceer, Mehmet; Abbasov, Teymuraz

2016-01-01

The present study analyses the electric field radiating from the GSM/UMTS base stations located in central Malatya, a densely populated urban area in Turkey. The authors have conducted both instant and continuous measurements of high-frequency electromagnetic fields throughout their research by using non-ionising radiation-monitoring networks. Over 15,000 instant and 13,000,000 continuous measurements were taken throughout the process. The authors have found that the normal electric field radiation can increase ∼25% during daytime, depending on mobile communication traffic. The authors' research work has also demonstrated the fact that the electric field intensity values can be modelled for each hour, day or week with the results obtained from continuous measurements. The authors have developed an estimation model based on these values, including mobile communication traffic (Erlang) values obtained from mobile phone base stations and the temperature and humidity values in the environment. The authors believe that their proposed artificial neural network model and multivariable least-squares regression analysis will help predict the electric field intensity in an environment in advance. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Electrical conductivity and modulus formulation in zinc modified bismuth boro-tellurite glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhankhar, Sunil; Kundu, R. S.; Dult, Meenakshi; Murugavel, S.; Punia, R.; Kishore, N.

2016-09-01

The ac conductivity of zinc modified tellurium based quaternary glasses having composition 60 TeO2-10 B2O3-(30 - x) Bi2O3-x ZnO; x = 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 has been investigated in the frequency range 10-1-105 Hz and in temperature range 483-593 K. Frequency and temperature dependent ac conductivity found to obey Jonscher power law modified by Almond-West. DC conductivity, crossover frequency and frequency exponent have been estimated from the fitting of the experimental data of conductivity with Jonscher power law modified by Almond-West. The ac conductivity and its frequency exponent have been analyzed by various theoretical models. In presently studied glasses ac conduction takes place via tunneling of overlapping large polaron tunneling. Activation energy is found to be increased with increase in zinc content and dc conduction takes place via variable range hopping proposed by Mott with some modification suggested by Punia et al. The value of the stretched exponent ( β) obtained by fitting of M^' ' }} reveals the presence of non-Debye type relaxation. Scaling spectra of ac conductivity and electric modulus collapse into a single master curve for all compositions and temperatures, reveals the presence of composition and temperature independent conduction and relaxation process in these glasses. Activation energy of conduction ( W) and electric modulus ( E R ) are nearly equal, indicating that polaron have to overcome the same energy barrier during conduction as well as relaxation processes.

Electrical study on Carboxymethyl Cellulose-Polyvinyl alcohol based bio-polymer blend electrolytes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saadiah, M. A.; Samsudin, A. S.

2018-04-01

The present work deals with the formulation of bio-materials namely carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) for bio-polymer blend electrolytes (BBEs) system which was successfully carried out with different ratio of polymer blend. The biopolymer blend was prepared via economical & classical technique that is solution casting technique and was characterized by using impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The ionic conductivity was achieved to optimum value 9.12 x 10-6 S/cm at room temperature for sample containing ratio 80:20 of CMC:PVA. The highest conducting sample was found to obey the Arrhenius behaviour with a function of temperature. The electrical properties were analyzed using complex permittivity ε* and complex electrical modulus M* for BBEs system and it shows the non-Debye characteristics where no single relaxation time has observed.

A measurement of perpendicular current density in an aurora

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bering, E. A.; Mozer, F. S.

1975-01-01

A Nike Tomahawk sounding rocket was launched into a 400-gamma auroral substorm from Esrange, Kiruna, Sweden. The rocket instrumentation included a split Langmuir-probe plasma-velocity detector and a double-probe electric-field detector. Above 140-km altitude, the electric field deduced from the ion-flow velocity measurement and the electric field measured by the double probe agree to an accuracy within the uncertainties of the two measurements. The difference between the two measurements at altitudes below 140 km provides an in situ measurement of current density and conductivity. Alternatively, if values for the conductivity are assumed, the neutral-wind velocity can be deduced. The height-integrated current was 0.11 A/m flowing at an azimuth angle of 276 deg. The neutral winds were strong, exhibited substantial altitude variation in the east-west component, and were predominantly southward.

Thermophysical Properties of Ionic Liquid, 1-Pentyl-3-methylimidazolium Chloride in Water at Different Temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shekaari, Hemayat; Mousavi, Sedighehnaz S.; Mansoori, Yagoub

2009-04-01

Osmotic coefficients, {φ}, electrical conductance data, Λ, and refractive indices, n D, of aqueous solutions of the ionic liquid, 1-pentyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [PnMIm]Cl have been measured at T = (298.15, 308.15, 318.15, and 328.15) K. Measurements of osmotic coefficients were carried out by the vapor-pressure osmometry method (VPO). Osmotic coefficient values show that ion-solvent interactions are stronger at lower temperature. The osmotic coefficients were correlated to the Pitzer-ion interaction and modified NRTL (MNRTL) models. From these data, mean molal activity coefficients, γ±, and excess Gibbs free energies, G E, have been calculated. Electrical conductance data have been applied for determination of association constants, K a, and limiting molar conductances, Λ 0, using the low concentration chemical model (lcCM). Calculated ion-association constant, K a, values show that ion-association effects increase at high temperatures which is in agreement with osmotic coefficient results. Experimental results of refractive indices for the binary system are reported, and have been fitted by a polynomial expansion.

Atmospheric Electricity Effects of Eastern Mediterranean Dust Storms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katz, Shai; Yair, Yoav; Yaniv, Roy; Price, Colin

2016-04-01

We present atmospheric electrical measurements conducted at the Wise Observatory (WO) in Mizpe-Ramon (30035'N, 34045'E) and Mt. Hermon (30024'N, 35051'E), Israel, during two massive and unique dust storms that occurred over the Eastern Mediterranean region on February 10-11 and September 08-12, 2015. The first event transported Saharan dust from Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula in advance of a warm front of a Cyprus low pressure system. In the second event, dust particles were transported from the Syrian desert, which dominates the north-east border with Iraq, through flow associated with a shallow Persian trough system. In both events the concentrations of PM10 particles measured by the air-quality monitoring network of the Israeli Ministry of the Environment in Beer-Sheba reached values > 2200 μg m-3. Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT) obtained from the AERONET station in Sde-Boker reached values up to 4.0. The gradual intensification of the first event reached peak values on the February 11th > 1200 μg m-3 and an AOT ~ 1.8, while the second dust storm commenced on September 8th with a sharp increase reaching peak values of 2225 μg m-3 and AOT of 4.0. Measurements of the fair weather vertical electric field (Ez) and of the vertical current density (Jz) were conducted continuously with a 1 minute temporal resolution. During the February event, very large fluctuations in the electrical parameters were measured at the WO. The Ez values changed between +1000 and +8000 V m-1 while the Jz fluctuated between -10 and +20 pA m-2 (this is an order of magnitude larger compared to the fair weather current density of ~2 pA m-2. In contrast, during the September event, Ez values registered at WO were between -430 and +10 V m-1 while the Jz fluctuated between -6 and +3 pA m2. For the September event the Hermon site showed Ez and Jz values fluctuating between -460 and +570 V m-1 and -14.5 and +18 pA m-2 respectively. The electric field and current variability, amplitude and the comparison between the two events are very different from the mean fair-weather values measured at both sites. Dust storms with such intensities are often accompanied by large electrical charging, most likely due to triboelectric processes. The differences in the aerosol source region and meteorological conditions have a major influence on the amount of the electrical charge during such storms. One notable difference between the two events is the wind intensity: while during the February event the Ez and Jz fluctuations were well correlated with wind speeds in excess of 60 km h-1, the winds in the September event rarely exceeded 40 km h-1. Different estimates of the charge generation mechanisms will be discussed.

The influence of postmortem electrical stimulation on rigor mortis development, calpastatin activity, and tenderness in broiler and duck pectoralis.

PubMed

Alvarado, C Z; Sams, A R

2000-09-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of electrical stimulation (ES) on rigor mortis development, calpastatin activity, and tenderness in anatomically similar avian muscles composed primarily of either red or white muscle fibers. A total of 72 broilers and 72 White Pekin ducks were either treated with postmortem (PM) ES (450 mA) at the neck in a 1% NaCl solution for 2 s on and 1 s off for a total of 15 s or were used as nonstimulated controls. Both pectoralis muscles were harvested from the carcasses after 0.25, 1.25, and 24 h PM and analyzed for pH, inosine:adenosine ratio (R-value), sarcomere length, gravimetric fragmentation index, calpastatin activity, shear value, and cook loss. All data were analyzed within species for the effects of ES. Electrically stimulated ducks had a lower muscle pH at 0.25 and 1.25 h PM and higher R-values at 0.25 h PM compared with controls. Electrically stimulated broilers had a lower muscle pH at 1.25 h and higher R-values at 0.25 and 1.25 h PM compared with controls. Muscles of electrically stimulated broilers exhibited increased myofibrillar fragmentation at 0.25 and 1.25 h PM, whereas there was no such difference over PM time in the duck muscle. Electrical stimulation did not affect calpastatin activity in either broilers or ducks; however, the calpastatin activity of the broilers did decrease over the aging time period, whereas that of the ducks did not. Electrical stimulation decreased shear values in broilers at 1.25 h PM compared with controls; however, there was no difference in shear values of duck muscle due to ES at any sampling time. Cook loss was lower for electrically stimulated broilers at 0.25 and 1.25 h PM compared with the controls, but had no effect in the ducks. These results suggest that the red fibers of the duck pectoralis have less potential for rigor mortis acceleration and tenderization due to ES than do the white fibers of the broiler pectoralis.

Enhanced Electrical Conductivity of Molecularly p-Doped Poly(3-hexylthiophene) through Understanding the Correlation with Solid-State Order

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Molecular p-doping of the conjugated polymer poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) with 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4TCNQ) is a widely studied model system. Underlying structure–property relationships are poorly understood because processing and doping are often carried out simultaneously. Here, we exploit doping from the vapor phase, which allows us to disentangle the influence of processing and doping. Through this approach, we are able to establish how the electrical conductivity varies with regard to a series of predefined structural parameters. We demonstrate that improving the degree of solid-state order, which we control through the choice of processing solvent and regioregularity, strongly increases the electrical conductivity. As a result, we achieve a value of up to 12.7 S cm–1 for P3HT:F4TCNQ. We determine the F4TCNQ anion concentration and find that the number of (bound + mobile) charge carriers of about 10–4 mol cm–3 is not influenced by the degree of solid-state order. Thus, the observed increase in electrical conductivity by almost 2 orders of magnitude can be attributed to an increase in charge-carrier mobility to more than 10–1 cm2 V–1 s–1. Surprisingly, in contrast to charge transport in undoped P3HT, we find that the molecular weight of the polymer does not strongly influence the electrical conductivity, which highlights the need for studies that elucidate structure–property relationships of strongly doped conjugated polymers. PMID:29093606

Use of electromagnetic-terrain conductivity and DC-resistivity profiling techniques for bedrock characterization at the 15th-of-May City extension, Cairo, Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aly, Said A.; Farag, Karam S. I.; Atya, Magdy A.; Badr, Mohamed A. M.

2018-06-01

A joint multi-spacing electromagnetic-terrain conductivity meter and DC-resistivity horizontal profiling survey was conducted at the anticipated eastern extensional area of the 15th-of-May City, southeastern Cairo, Egypt. The main objective of the survey was to highlight the applicability, efficiency, and reliability of utilizing such non-invasive surface techniques in a field like geologic mapping, and hence to image both the vertical and lateral electrical resistivity structures of the subsurface bedrock. Consequently, a total of reliable 6 multi-spacing electromagnetic-terrain conductivity meter and 7 DC-resistivity horizontal profiles were carried out between August 2016 and February 2017. All data sets were transformed-inverted extensively and consistently in terms of two-dimensional (2D) electrical resistivity smoothed-earth models. They could be used effectively and inexpensively to interpret the area's bedrock geologic sequence using the encountered consecutive electrically resistive and conductive anomalies. Notably, the encountered subsurface electrical resistivity structures, below all surveying profiles, are correlated well with the mapped geological faults in the field. They even could provide a useful understanding of their faulting fashion. Absolute resistivity values were not necessarily diagnostic, but their vertical and lateral variations could provide more diagnostic information about the layer lateral extensions and thicknesses, and hence suggested reliable geo-electric earth models. The study demonstrated that a detailed multi-spacing electromagnetic-terrain conductivity meter and DC-resistivity horizontal profiling survey can help design an optimal geotechnical investigative program, not only for the whole eastern extensional area of the 15th-of-May City, but also for the other new urban communities within the Egyptian desert.

Anomalous Complex Electrical Conductivity of a Graphitic Black Schist From the Himalayas of Central Nepal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Börner, Jana H.; Girault, Frédéric; Bhattarai, Mukunda; Adhikari, Lok Bijaya; Deldicque, Damien; Perrier, Frédéric; Spitzer, Klaus

2018-05-01

We analyzed in the laboratory the frequency-dependent, complex-valued, electrical conductivity of a graphitic black schist and an augen gneiss, both collected in the Main Central Thrust shear zone in the Himalayas of central Nepal, which was heavily affected by the deadly Mw7.8 Gorkha earthquake in 2015. We focused on anisotropy and salinity dependence of both cores and crushed material as well as the impact of CO2 on conductivity. This black schist possesses an extraordinarily high polarizability and a highly frequency-dependent conductivity. Its anisotropy is very pronounced. The investigations can relate the main polarization feature to disseminated, aligned plates of graphite. By contrast, the augen gneiss shows low polarizability and a moderately anisotropic conductivity dominated by the pore-filling brine. We further demonstrate that neglecting the complex and frequency-dependent nature of conductivity can lead to serious misinterpretation of magnetotelluric data during inversion if highly polarizable rocks are present.

Study of electrical conductivity and memory switching in the zinc-vanadium-phosphate glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirzayi, M.; Hekmatshoar, M. H.

2013-07-01

Vanadium zinc phosphate glasses were prepared by the conventional melt quenching technique and effect of V2O5 concentration on d.c. conductivity of prepared samples were investigated. X-ray diffraction patterns confirmed the glassy character of the samples. The d.c. conductivity increased with increase in V2O5 content. Results showed that activation energy has a single value in the investigated range of temperature, which can be explained in accordance with Mott small pollaron hopping model. I-V characteristics at high electric field showed that switching in these glasses was memory type. The threshold field of switching was found to decrease with increase in V2O5 content. Non-linear behavior and switching phenomenon was explained by Pool-Frenkel effect and thermal model.

Electrical conductivity of oxidized-graphenic nanoplatelets obtained from bamboo: effect of the oxygen content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gross, K.; Prías Barragán, J. J.; Sangiao, S.; De Teresa, J. M.; Lajaunie, L.; Arenal, R.; Ariza Calderón, H.; Prieto, P.

2016-09-01

The large-scale production of graphene and reduced-graphene oxide (rGO) requires low-cost and eco-friendly synthesis methods. We employed a new, simple, cost-effective pyrolytic method to synthetize oxidized-graphenic nanoplatelets (OGNP) using bamboo pyroligneous acid (BPA) as a source. Thorough analyses via high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy provides a complete structural and chemical description at the local scale of these samples. In particular, we found that at the highest carbonization temperature the OGNP-BPA are mainly in a sp2 bonding configuration (sp2 fraction of 87%). To determine the electrical properties of single nanoplatelets, these were contacted by Pt nanowires deposited through focused-ion-beam-induced deposition techniques. Increased conductivity by two orders of magnitude is observed as oxygen content decreases from 17% to 5%, reaching a value of 2.3 × 103 S m-1 at the lowest oxygen content. Temperature-dependent conductivity reveals a semiconductor transport behavior, described by the Mott three-dimensional variable range hopping mechanism. From the localization length, we estimate a band-gap value of 0.22(2) eV for an oxygen content of 5%. This investigation demonstrates the great potential of the OGNP-BPA for technological applications, given that their structural and electrical behavior is similar to the highly reduced rGO sheets obtained by more sophisticated conventional synthesis methods.

Influence of stress on the structural and dielectric properties of rf magnetron sputtered zinc oxide thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menon, Rashmi; Sreenivas, K.; Gupta, Vinay

2008-05-01

Highly c axis oriented zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films have been prepared on 1737 Corning glass substrate by planar rf magnetron sputtering under varying pressure (10-50mTorr) and different oxygen percentage (40%-100%) in reactive gas mixtures. The as-grown ZnO thin films were found to have stress over a wide range from -6×1010to-9×107dynes/cm2. The presence of stress depends strongly on processing conditions, and films become almost stress free under a unique combination of sputtering pressure and reactive gas composition. The studies show a correlation of stress with structural and electrical properties of the ZnO thin film. The stressed films possess high electrical conductivity and exhibits strong dielectric dispersion over a wide frequency (1kHz-1MHz). The dielectric constant ɛ'(ω) of stress free ZnO film was almost frequency independent and was close to the bulk value. The measured value of dc conductivity, σdc(ω) and ac conductivity σac(ω) of stress free ZnO film was 1.3×10-9 and 6.8×10-5Ω-1cm-1, respectively. The observed variation in the structural and electrical properties of ZnO thin film with stress has been analyzed in the light of growth kinetics.

Measurement of Electrical Conductivity into Tomato Cultivation Beds using Small Insertion Type Electrical Conductivity Sensor Designed for Agriculture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawashima, Kazuko; Futagawa, Masato; Ban, Yoshihiro; Asano, Yoshiyuki; Sawada, Kazuaki

Our group has studied on-site monitoring sensor for agricultural field. An electrical conductivity (EC) sensor had been fabricated using Si integrated circuit technology. EC information of solutions shows ion concentrations dissolving in water, and can be used as the index of nutrient concentration for plants. So, it is important to measure EC in real time and on site. Because our EC sensor (5mm×5mm in size) is smaller than other commercial ones (several centimeters), it is easy to insert and achieve measurement in rock wool. In this study, our sensor measured long term EC values in tomato cultivation soil and rock wool medium. At first, we calibrated a relationship between output voltages and EC values on the sensor. The sensor was confirmed about enough EC measurement range from 8 to 969mS/m. In long period measurement, the sensor was confirmed about continuous operation for over five months, and intermittent measurement for over a year. In measurement in the cultivation soil, the sensor indicated that water was kept and diffused in the soil. In contrast, it was found that water diffused without keeping in it in rock wool medium. We confirmed our small EC sensor is useful for on-site monitoring and analysis of solution concentration distribution in several kinds of cultivation bed in real time.

Frequency and voltage dependent electrical responses of poly(triarylamine) thin film-based organic Schottky diode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anuar Mohamad, Khairul; Tak Hoh, Hang; Alias, Afishah; Ghosh, Bablu Kumar; Fukuda, Hisashi

2017-11-01

A metal-organic-metal (MOM) type Schottky diode based on poly (triarylamine) (PTAA) thin films has been fabricated by using the spin coating method. Investigation of the frequency dependent conductance-voltage (G-V-f) and capacitance-voltage (C-V-f) characteristics of the ITO/PTAA/Al MOM type diode were carried out in the frequency range from 12 Hz to 100 kHz using an LCR meter at room temperature. The frequency and bias voltage dependent electrical response were determined by admittance-based measured method in terms of an equivalent circuit model of the parallel combination of resistance and capacitance (RC circuit). Investigation revealed that the conductance is frequency and a bias voltage dependent in which conductance continuous increase as the increasing frequency, respectively. Meanwhile, the capacitance is dependent on frequency up to a certain value of frequency (100 Hz) but decreases at high frequency (1 - 10 kHz). The interface state density in the Schottky diode was determined from G-V and C-V characteristics. The interface state density has values almost constant of 2.8 x 1012 eV-1cm-2 with slightly decrease by increasing frequencies. Consequently, both series resistance and interface trap density were found to decrease with increasing frequency. The frequency dependence of the electrical responses is attributed the distribution density of interface states that could follow the alternating current (AC) signal.

Electric double-layer capacitors based on highly graphitized nanoporous carbons derived from ZIF-67.

PubMed

Torad, Nagy L; Salunkhe, Rahul R; Li, Yunqi; Hamoudi, Hicham; Imura, Masataka; Sakka, Yoshio; Hu, Chi-Chang; Yamauchi, Yusuke

2014-06-23

Nanoporous carbons (NPCs) have large specific surface areas, good electrical and thermal conductivity, and both chemical and mechanical stability, which facilitate their use in energy storage device applications. In the present study, highly graphitized NPCs are synthesized by one-step direct carbonization of cobalt-containing zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67). After chemical etching, the deposited Co content can be completely removed to prepare pure NPCs with high specific surface area, large pore volume, and intrinsic electrical conductivity (high content of sp(2) -bonded carbons). A detailed electrochemical study is performed using cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge measurements. Our NPC is very promising for efficient electrodes for high-performance supercapacitor applications. A maximum specific capacitance of 238 F g(-1) is observed at a scan rate of 20 mV s(-1) . This value is very high compared to previous works on carbon-based electric double layer capacitors. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The electrical and dielectric properties of the Au/Ti/HfO2/n-GaAs structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karabulut, Abdulkerim; Türüt, Abdulmecit; Karataş, Şükrü

2018-04-01

In this work, temperature dependent electrical and dielectric properties of the Au/Ti/HfO2/n-GaAs structures were investigated using capacitance-voltage (C-V) and conductance-voltage (G-V) measurements in the temperature range of 60-320 K by steps of 20 K at 1 MHz. The dielectric constant (ε‧), dielectric loss (ε″), dielectric loss tangent (tanδ) and ac electrical conductivities (σac) have been calculated as a function of temperature. These values of the ε‧, ε″, tanδ and σac have been found to be 2.272, 5.981, 2.631 and 3.32 × 10-6 (Ω-1cm-1) at 80 K, respectively, 1.779, 2.315, 1.301 and 1.28 × 10-6 (Ω-1cm-1), respectively at 320 K. These decrease of the dielectric parameters (ε‧, ε″, tanδ and σac) have been observed at high temperatures. The experimental results show that electrical and dielectric properties are strongly temperature and bias voltage dependent.

Nanowired three-dimensional cardiac patches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dvir, Tal; Timko, Brian P.; Brigham, Mark D.; Naik, Shreesh R.; Karajanagi, Sandeep S.; Levy, Oren; Jin, Hongwei; Parker, Kevin K.; Langer, Robert; Kohane, Daniel S.

2011-11-01

Engineered cardiac patches for treating damaged heart tissues after a heart attack are normally produced by seeding heart cells within three-dimensional porous biomaterial scaffolds. These biomaterials, which are usually made of either biological polymers such as alginate or synthetic polymers such as poly(lactic acid) (PLA), help cells organize into functioning tissues, but poor conductivity of these materials limits the ability of the patch to contract strongly as a unit. Here, we show that incorporating gold nanowires within alginate scaffolds can bridge the electrically resistant pore walls of alginate and improve electrical communication between adjacent cardiac cells. Tissues grown on these composite matrices were thicker and better aligned than those grown on pristine alginate and when electrically stimulated, the cells in these tissues contracted synchronously. Furthermore, higher levels of the proteins involved in muscle contraction and electrical coupling are detected in the composite matrices. It is expected that the integration of conducting nanowires within three-dimensional scaffolds may improve the therapeutic value of current cardiac patches.

Fluorinated graphite fibers as a new engineering material: Promises and challenges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hung, Ching-Cheh; Long, Martin

1989-01-01

Pitch based graphitized carbon fibers with electrical resistivity of 300 micro-Ohm/cm were brominated and partially debrominated to 18 percent bromine at room temperature, and then fluorinated at 300 to 450 C, either continuously or intermittently for several cycles. In addition, on fluorine and titanium fluoride intercalated fiber sample was fluorinated at 270 C from the same fiber source. The mass and conductivity of the brominated-debrominated then fluorinated fibers (with fluorine-to-carbon atom ratio of 0.54 or higher) stabilized at room temperature air in a few days. However, at 200 C, these values decreased rapidly and then more slowly, throughout a 2-week test period. The electrically insulative or semiconductive fibers were found to be compatible with epoxy and have the fluorine-to-carbon atom ratio of 0.65 to 0.68, thermal conductivity of 5 to 24 W/m-K, electrical resistivity of 10(exp 4) to 10(exp 11) Ohm/cm, tensile strength of 70 to 150 ksi, Young's modulus of 20 to 30 msi, and CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion) values of 7 ppm/deg C. Data of these physical property values are preliminary. However, it is concluded that these physical properties can be tailor-made. They depend largely on the fluorine content of the final products and the intercalant in the fibers before fluorination, and, to a smaller extent, on the fluorination temperature histogram.

Effects of Cu and Ag as ternary and quaternary additions on some physical properties of SnSb7 bearing alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Bediwi, A. B.

2004-02-01

The structure, electrical resistivity, and elastic modulus of SnSb7 and SnSb7X (X = Cu , Ag, or Cu and Ag) rapidly solidified alloys have been investigated using X-ray diffractometer, double bridge, and dynamic resonance techniques. Copper and silver additions to SnSb result in the formation of a eutectic matrix containing embedded crystals (intermetallic phases) of SnCu, SnAg, and SnSb. The hard crystals SnCu, SnAg, and SnSb increase the overall hardness and wear resistance of SnSb bearing alloys. Addition of copper and silver improves internal friction, electrical conductivity, and elastic modulus values of SnSb rapidly solidified bearing alloys. The internal friction, elastic modulus, and electrical resistivity values are relatively sensitive to the composition of the intermediate phases in the matrix. The SbSb(7)Cu(2)g(2) has better properties (lowest internal friction, cost, adequate elastic modulus, and electrical resistivity) for bearing alloys as compared to cast iron and bronzes.

Effect of electric field induced alignment and dispersion of functionalized carbon nanotubes on properties of natural rubber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Jiangshan; He, Yan; Gong, Xiubin

2018-06-01

The original equipment and method for orienting multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in natural rubber (NR) by alternating current (AC) electric field were reported in the present study. MWCNTs with various volume fractions were dispersed in the mixture latex which composed of natural rubber, additives and methylbenzene. The application of AC electric field during nanocomposites curing process was used to induce the formation of aligned conductive nanotube networks between the electrodes. The aligned MWCNTs in the composites have a better orientation performance and dispersion quality than these of random MWCNTs by analyzing TEM and SEM images. The effects of MWCNTs anisotropy on thermal conductivity, dielectric properties, and dynamic mechanical properties of NR were studied. The mean value of thermal conductivity of composites loading with aligned MWCNTs was 8.67% higher than that of composites with random MWCNTs due to the anisotropy of aligned MWCNTs. The compounds with aligned MWCNTs possessed low dielectric constant, loss tangents and conductivity, namely a good insulativity. The compounds loading with aligned MWCNTs had lower loss modulus and better dynamic mechanical properties than those with random MWCNTs. This method can make full use of the high thermal conductivity of MWCNTs axis, and expand the application areas of natural rubber like conducting heat in a certain direction with a high efficiency.

Electrical, dielectric properties and study of AC electrical conduction mechanism of Li0.9□0.1NiV0.5P0.5O4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahal, A.; Borchani, S. Megdiche; Guidara, K.; Megdiche, M.

2018-02-01

In this paper, we report the measurements of impedance spectroscopy for a new olivine-type lithium deficiency Li0.9□0.1NiV0.5P0.5O4 compound. It was synthesized by the conventional solid-state technique. All the X-ray diffraction peaks of the compound are indexed, and it is found that the sample is well crystallized in orthorhombic olivine structure belonging to the space group Pnma. Conductivity and dielectric analyses of the sample are carried out at different temperatures and frequencies using the complex impedance spectroscopy technique. The electrical conductivity of Li0.9□0.1NiV0.5P0.5O4 is higher than that of parent compound LiNiV0.5P0.5O4. Temperature dependence of the DC conductivity and modulus was found to obey the Arrhenius law. The obtained values of activation energy are different which confirms that transport in the title compound is not due to a simple hopping mechanism. To determine the conduction mechanism, the AC conductivity and its frequency exponent have been analysed in this work by a theoretical model based on quantum mechanical tunnelling: the non-overlapping small polaron tunnelling model.

Novel patternable and conducting metal-polymer nanocomposites: a step towards advanced mutlifunctional materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodríguez-Cantó, Pedro J.; Martínez-Marco, Mariluz; Abargues, Rafael; Latorre-Garrido, Victor; Martínez-Pastor, Juan P.

2013-03-01

In this work, we present a novel patternable conducting nanocomposite containing gold nanoparticles. Here, the in-situ polymerization of 3T is carried out using HAuCl4 as oxidizing agent inside PMMA as host matrix. During the bake step, the gold salt is also reduced from Au(III) to Au(0) generating Au nanoparticles in the interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) system. We found that this novel multifunctional resist shows electrical conductivity and plasmonic properties as well as potential patterning capability provided by the host matrix. The resulting nanocomposite has been investigated by TEM and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Electrical characterization was also conducted for different concentration of 3T and Au(III) following a characteristic percolation behaviour. Conductivities values from 10-5 to 10 S/cm were successfully obtained depending on the IPN formulation. Moreover, The Au nanoparticles generated exhibited a localized surface plasmon resonance at around 520 nm. This synthetic approach is of potential application to modify the conductivity of numerous insulating polymers and synthesize Au nanoparticles preserving to some extent their physical and chemical properties. In addition, combination of optical properties (Plasmonics), electrical, and lithographic capability in the same material allows for the design of materials with novel functionalities and provides the basis for next generation devices.

FAST TRACK COMMUNICATION: Mechanical, electrical and micro-structural properties of La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3 perovskite-based ceramic foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Ravindra K.; Kim, Eun Yi; Noh, Ho Sung; Whang, Chin Myung

2008-02-01

Mechanical, electrical and micro-structural properties of new electronic conducting ceramic foams are reported. Ceramic foams are prepared using the slurry of La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3 (LSCF) by the polymeric sponge method, which is followed by spray coating for increasing the number of coatings-sinterings on polyurethane foams of 30, 45 and 60 ppi (pores per linear inch). An increase in the number of coatings-sinterings and ppi improved the compressive strength, density and electrical conductivity by decreasing the porosity to ~76%, as also observed by the SEM study. The three-times coated-sintered ceramic foams (60 ppi) exhibited optimum values of compressive strength of ~1.79 MPa and relative density of ~0.24 at 25 °C and electrical conductivity of ~22 S cm-1 at 600 °C with an activation energy of ~0.22 eV indicating its suitability as a solid oxide fuel cell current collector. The experimental results are discussed in terms of the Gibson and Ashby theoretical model.

Multiferroic properties of microwave sintered PbFe12-xO19-δ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prathap, S.; Madhuri, W.

2017-05-01

The effect of iron deficiency on the structural, electrical, ferroelectric and magnetic properties of nano PbFe12-xO19-δ (where x=0.0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.0) hexaferrites prepared by sol-gel auto combustion and processed by microwaves are investigated. X-ray analysis confirms single phase magneto-plumbite phase formation. The surface morphology is studied from Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope. Further, optical properties are investigated using Fourier Transform Infrared spectra and UV-visible spectra. AC electrical conductivity is estimated as a function of temperature and frequency in the range of room temperature (RT) to 500 °C and 100 Hz to 5MHz. AC electrical conduction analysis shows that conduction is mainly due to small polaron hopping mechanism. The variation of polarization with applied electric field exhibits hysteresis loop confirming the ferroelectric nature. The initial permeability studies with varying temperature reveals that the Curie transition temperature for the present series is around 400 °C. Variation of initial permeability with frequency ranging from 100 to 5 MHz shows a constant value (except for x=0.0) opening avenues for high frequency applications.

Embedded silver PDMS electrodes for single cell electrical impedance spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Yuan; Xu, Zhensong; Cachia, Mark A.; Nguyen, John; Zheng, Yi; Wang, Chen; Sun, Yu

2016-09-01

This paper presents a microfluidic device with wide channels and embedded AgPDMS electrodes for measuring the electrical properties of single cells. The work demonstrates the feasibility of using a large channel design and embedded electrodes for impedance spectroscopy to circumvent issues such as channel clogging and limited device re-usability. AgPDMS electrodes were formed on channel sidewalls for impedance detection and cell electrical properties measurement. Equivalent circuit models were used to interpret multi-frequency impedance data to quantify each cell’s cytoplasm conductivity and specific membrane capacitance. T24 cells were tested to validate the microfluidic system and modeling results. Comparisons were then made by measuring two leukemia cell lines (AML-2 and HL-60) which were found to have different cytoplasm conductivity values (0.29  ±  0.15 S m-1 versus 0.47  ±  0.20 S m-1) and specific membrane capacitance values (41  ±  25 mF m-2 versus 55  ±  26 mF m-2) when the cells were flown through the wide channel and measured by the AgPDMS electrodes.

MoisturEC: a new R program for moisture content estimation from electrical conductivity data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Terry, Neil; Day-Lewis, Frederick D.; Werkema, Dale D.; Lane, John W.

2018-01-01

Noninvasive geophysical estimation of soil moisture has potential to improve understanding of flow in the unsaturated zone for problems involving agricultural management, aquifer recharge, and optimization of landfill design and operations. In principle, several geophysical techniques (e.g., electrical resistivity, electromagnetic induction, and nuclear magnetic resonance) offer insight into soil moisture, but data‐analysis tools are needed to “translate” geophysical results into estimates of soil moisture, consistent with (1) the uncertainty of this translation and (2) direct measurements of moisture. Although geostatistical frameworks exist for this purpose, straightforward and user‐friendly tools are required to fully capitalize on the potential of geophysical information for soil‐moisture estimation. Here, we present MoisturEC, a simple R program with a graphical user interface to convert measurements or images of electrical conductivity (EC) to soil moisture. Input includes EC values, point moisture estimates, and definition of either Archie parameters (based on experimental or literature values) or empirical data of moisture vs. EC. The program produces two‐ and three‐dimensional images of moisture based on available EC and direct measurements of moisture, interpolating between measurement locations using a Tikhonov regularization approach.

Optimal irradiance for sintering of inkjet-printed Ag electrodes with a 532nm CW laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moon, Yoon Jae; Kang, Heuiseok; Kang, Kyungtae; Hwang, Jun Young; Moon, Seung Jae

2013-09-01

Industrial solar cell fabrication generally adopts printing process to deposit the front electrodes, which needs additional heat treatment after printing to enhance electrical conductivity. As a heating method, laser irradiation draws attention not only because of its special selectivity, but also because of its intense heating to achieve high electric conductivity which is essential to reduce ohmic loss of solar cells. In this study, variation of electric conductivity was examined with laser irradiation having various beam intensity. 532 nm continuous wave (CW) laser was irradiated on inkjet-printed silver lines on glass substrate and electrical resistance was measured in situ during the irradiation. The results demonstrate that electric conductivity varies nonlinearly with laser intensity, having minimum specific resistance of 4.1 x 10-8 Ωm at 529 W/cm2 irradiation. The results is interesting because the specific resistance achieved by the present laser irradiation was about 1.8 times lower than the best value obtainable by oven heating, even though it was still higher by 2.5 times than that of bulk silver. It is also demonstrated that the irradiation time, needed to finish sintering process, decreases with laser intensity. The numerical simulation of laser heating showed that the optimal heating temperature could be as high as 300 oC for laser sintering, while it was limited to 250 oC for oven sintering. The nonlinear response of sintering with heating intensity was discussed, based on the results of FESEM images and XRD analysis.

Measurements of the microwave conductivity of the organic superconductor ET2 (IAuI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanner, D. B.; Jacobsen, C. S.; Williams, J. M.; Wang, H. H.

The microwave conductivity of ET2(IAuI), which is superconducting below 4 K, has been measured between 20 and 300 K. The measurements were done by cavity perturbation at 35 GHz for electric field along the highly conducting direction. The samples were in the skin-depth limit. The room temperature conductivity is quite low, approximately 6 mu/cm. With a decrease in temperature the conductivity increases as T sup -2 reaching nearly 900 mu/cm at 20 K. These values are rather close to extrapolations of the frequency-dependent conductivity determined from far-infrared experiments.

High Thermoelectric Performance of In4Se3-Based Materials and the Influencing Factors.

PubMed

Yin, Xin; Liu, Jing-Yuan; Chen, Ling; Wu, Li-Ming

2018-02-20

Materials that can directly convert electricity into heat, i.e., thermoelectric materials, have attracted renewed attention globally for sustainable energy applications. As one of the state-of-the-art thermoelectric materials, In 4 Se 3 features an interesting crystal structure of quasi-two-dimensional sheets comprising In/Se chains that provide a platform to achieve a Peierls distortion and support a charge density wave instability. Single-crystal In 4 Se 3-δ (δ = 0.65) shows strong anisotropy in its thermoelectric properties with a very high ZT of 1.48 at 705 K in the b-c plane (one of the highest values for an n-type thermoelectric material to date) but a much lower ZT of approximately 0.5 in the a-b plane. Because of the random dispersion of grains and the grain boundary effect, the electrical transport properties of polycrystalline In 4 Se 3 are poor, which is the main impediment to improve their performance. The In4-site in the In 4 Se 3 unit cell is substitutional for dopants such as Pb, which increases the carrier concentration by 2 orders of magnitude and the electrical conductivity to 143 S/cm. Furthermore, the electrical conductivity markedly increases to approximately 160 S/cm when Cu is doped into the interstitial site but remains as low as 30 S/cm with In1/In2/In3-site dopants, e.g., Ni, Zn, Ga, and Sn. In particular, the In4-site dopant ytterbium introduces a pinning level that highly localizes the charge carriers; thus, the electrical conductivity is maintained within an order of magnitude of 30 S/cm. Meanwhile, ytterbium also creates resonance states around the Fermi level that increase the Seebeck coefficient to -350 μV/K, the highest value at the ZT peak. However, the maximum solubility of the dopant may be limited by the Se-vacancy concentration. In addition, a Se vacancy also destroys the regular lattice vibrations and weakens phonon transport. Finally, nanoinclusions can effectively scatter the middle wavelength phonons, resulting in a decrease in the lattice thermal conductivity. Because of the multiple-dopant strategy, polycrystalline materials are competitive with single crystals regarding ZT values; for instance, Pb/Sn-co-doped In 4 Pb 0.01 Sn 0.04 Se 3 has ZT = 1.4 at 733 K, whereas In 4 Se 2.95 (CuI) 0.01 has ZT = 1.34 at 723 K. These properties illustrate the promise of polycrystalline In 4 Se 3 -based materials for various applications. Finally, the ZT values of all single crystalline and polycrystalline In 4 Se 3 materials have been summarized as a function of the doping strategy applied at the different lattice sites. Additionally, the correlations between the electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient of all the polycrystalline materials are presented. These insights may provide new ideas in the search for and selection of new thermoelectric compounds in the In/Se and related In/Te, Sn/Se, and Sn/Te systems.

Electric and dielectric behavior of copper-chromium layered double hydroxide intercalated with dodecyl sulfate anions using impedance spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elhatimi, Wafaa; Bouragba, Fatima Zahra; Lahkale, Redouane; Sadik, Rachid; Lebbar, Nacira; Siniti, Mostapha; Sabbar, Elmouloudi

2018-05-01

The Cu2Cr-DS-LDH hybrid was successfully prepared by the anion exchange method at room temperature. The structure, the chemical composition and the physico-chemical properties of the sample were determined using powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and inductively coupled plasma (ICP). In this work, the electrical and dielectric properties investigated are determined using impedance spectroscopy (IS) in a frequency range of 1 Hz to 1 MHz. Indeed, the Nyquist diagram modelized by an electrical equivalent circuit showed three contributions attributed respectively to the polarization of grains, grains boundaries and interface electrode-sample. This modelization allowed us to determine the intrinsic electrical parameters of the hybrid (resistance, pseudo-capacitance and relaxation time). The presence of the non-Debye relaxation phenomena was confirmed by the frequency analysis of impedance. Moreover, the evolution of the alternating current conductivity (σac) studied obeys the double power law of Jonscher. The ionic conduction of this material was generated through a jump movement by translation of the charge carriers. As for the dielectric behavior of the material, the evolution of dielectric constant as a function of frequency shows relatively high values in a frequency range between 10 Hz and 1 KHz. The low values of the loss tangent obtained in this frequency zone can valorize this LDH hybrid.

AC electrified jets in a flow-focusing device: Jet length scaling

PubMed Central

García-Sánchez, Pablo; Alzaga-Gimeno, Javier; Baret, Jean-Christophe

2016-01-01

We use a microfluidic flow-focusing device with integrated electrodes for controlling the production of water-in-oil drops. In a previous work, we reported that very long jets can be formed upon application of AC fields. We now study in detail the appearance of the long jets as a function of the electrical parameters, i.e., water conductivity, signal frequency, and voltage amplitude. For intermediate frequencies, we find a threshold voltage above which the jet length rapidly increases. Interestingly, this abrupt transition vanishes for high frequencies of the signal and the jet length grows smoothly with voltage. For frequencies below a threshold value, we previously reported a transition from a well-behaved uniform jet to highly unstable liquid structures in which axisymmetry is lost rather abruptly. These liquid filaments eventually break into droplets of different sizes. In this work, we characterize this transition with a diagram as a function of voltage and liquid conductivity. The electrical response of the long jets was studied via a distributed element circuit model. The model allows us to estimate the electric potential at the tip of the jet revealing that, for any combination of the electrical parameters, the breakup of the jet occurs at a critical value of this potential. We show that this voltage is around 550 V for our device geometry and choice of flow rates. PMID:27375826

AC electrified jets in a flow-focusing device: Jet length scaling.

PubMed

Castro-Hernández, Elena; García-Sánchez, Pablo; Alzaga-Gimeno, Javier; Tan, Say Hwa; Baret, Jean-Christophe; Ramos, Antonio

2016-07-01

We use a microfluidic flow-focusing device with integrated electrodes for controlling the production of water-in-oil drops. In a previous work, we reported that very long jets can be formed upon application of AC fields. We now study in detail the appearance of the long jets as a function of the electrical parameters, i.e., water conductivity, signal frequency, and voltage amplitude. For intermediate frequencies, we find a threshold voltage above which the jet length rapidly increases. Interestingly, this abrupt transition vanishes for high frequencies of the signal and the jet length grows smoothly with voltage. For frequencies below a threshold value, we previously reported a transition from a well-behaved uniform jet to highly unstable liquid structures in which axisymmetry is lost rather abruptly. These liquid filaments eventually break into droplets of different sizes. In this work, we characterize this transition with a diagram as a function of voltage and liquid conductivity. The electrical response of the long jets was studied via a distributed element circuit model. The model allows us to estimate the electric potential at the tip of the jet revealing that, for any combination of the electrical parameters, the breakup of the jet occurs at a critical value of this potential. We show that this voltage is around 550 V for our device geometry and choice of flow rates.

Microbial metabolism and dynamic changes in the electrical conductivity of soil solutions - A method for detecting extraterrestrial life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silverman, M. P.; Munoz, E. F.

1974-01-01

Experiments are reported which show that measuring metabolic activity in soil solutions by means of dynamic changes in electrical conductivity, water-soluble Ca, or water-soluble Mg is a feasible life detection method. The addition of 0.5% glucose solutions to 12 different air-dried soils always resulted in increases in all three of these parameters. The kinetics and magnitude of these changes for at least two and usually all three of the parameters over a 14-day period were clearly distinguishable from the changes in heat-sterilized controls or unsterilized controls without added glucose. In general, maximal values were achieved more rapidly under aerobic than under anaerobic incubation.

Thermal and Electrical Transport Study on Thermoelectric Materials Through Nanostructuring and Magnetic Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Mengliang

Thermoelectric (TE) materials are of great interest to contemporary scientists because of their ability to directly convert temperature differences into electricity, and are regarded as a promising mode of alternative energy. The TE conversion efficiency is determined by the Carnot efficiency, eta C and is relevant to a commonly used figure of merit ZT of a material. Improving the value of ZT is presently a core mission within the TE field. In order to advance our understanding of thermoelectric materials and improve their efficiency, this dissertation investigates the low-temperature behavior of the p-type thermoelectric Cu 2Se through chemical doping and nanostructuring. It demonstrates a method to separate the electronic and lattice thermal conductivities in single crystal Bi2Te3, Cu, Al, Zn, and probes the electrical transport of quasi 2D bismuth textured thin films. Cu2Se is a good high temperature TE material due to its phonon-liquid electron-crystal (PLEC) properties. It shows a discontinuity in transport coefficients and ZT around a structural transition. The present work on Cu2Se at low temperatures shows that it is a promising p-type TE material in the low temperature regime and investigates the Peierls transition and charge-density wave (CDW) response to doping [1]. After entering the CDW ground state, an oscillation (wave-like fluctuation) was observed in the dc I-V curve near 50 K; this exhibits a periodic negative differential resistivity in an applied electric field due to the current. An investigation into the doping effect of Zn, Ni, and Te on the CDW ground state shows that Zn and Ni-doped Cu2Se produces an increased semiconducting energy gap and electron-phonon coupling constant, while the Te doping suppresses the Peierls transition. A similar fluctuating wave-like dc I-V curve was observed in Cu1.98Zn 0.02Se near 40 K. This oscillatory behavior in the dc I-V curve was found to be insensitive to magnetic field but temperature dependent [2]. Understanding reducing thermal conductivity in TE materials is an important facet of increasing TE efficiency and potential applications. In this dissertation, a magnetothermal (MTR) resistance method is used to measure the lattice thermal conductivity, kappaph of single crystal Bi2Te 3 from 5 to 60 K. A large transverse magnetic field is applied to suppress the electronic thermal conduction while measuring thermal conductivity and electrical resistivity. The lattice thermal conductivity is then calculated by extrapolating the thermal conductivity versus electrical conductivity curve to a zero electrical conductivity value. The results show that the measured phonon thermal conductivity follows the eDeltamin/T temperature dependence and the Lorenz ratio corresponds to the modified Sommerfeld value in the intermediate temperature range. These low-temperature experimental data and analysis on Bi2Te3 are important compliments to previous measurements and theoretical calculations at higher temperatures, 100 - 300 K. The MTR method on Bi2Te3 provides data necessary for first-principles calculations [4]. A parallel study on single crystal Cu, Al and Zn shows the applicability of the MTR method for separating kappae and kappaph in metals and indicates a significant deviation of the Lorenz ratio between 5 K and 60 K [3]. Elemental bismuth is a component of many TE compounds and in this dissertation magnetoresistance measurements are used investigate the effect of texturing in polycrystalline bismuth thin films. Electrical current in bismuth films with texturing such that all grains are oriented with the trigonal axis normal to the film plane is found to flow in an isotropic manner. By contrast, bismuth films with no texture such that not all grains have the same crystallographic orientation exhibit anisotropic current flow, giving rise to preferential current flow pathways in each grain depending on its orientation. Textured and non-textured bismuth thin films are examined by measuring their angle-dependent magnetoresistance at different temperatures (3 - 300 K) and applied magnetic fields (0 - 90 kOe). Experimental evidence shows that the anisotropic conduction is due to the large mass anisotropy of bismuth and is confirmed by a parallel study on an antimony thin film [5].

Electrical conduction mechanism and dielectric characterization of MnTPPCl thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meikhail, M. S.; Oraby, A. H.; El-Nahass, M. M.; Zeyada, H. M.; Al-Muntaser, A. A.

2018-06-01

The AC conductivity and dielectric properties of MnTPPCl sandwich structure as Au/MnTPPCl/Au were studied. The conductivity of the MnTPPCl thin films have been interpreted by the correlated barrier hopping (CBH) model. The dominant conduction process have found to be the single polaron hopping conduction. The values of the hopping distance, Rω, barrier height, W, and the localized-state density, N, are estimated at different frequencies. The behavior of dielectric constant and dielectric loss was discussed as a function of temperature and frequency. The dielectric constant was described in terms of polarization mechanism in materials. The spectral behavior of dielectric loss is interpreted on the basis of the Giuntini et al. model [1]. The value of WM is obtained as 0.32 eV. A non-Debye relaxation phenomenon was observed from the dielectric relaxation mechanism.

Fractional calculus applied to the analysis of spectral electrical conductivity of clay-water system.

PubMed

Korosak, Dean; Cvikl, Bruno; Kramer, Janja; Jecl, Renata; Prapotnik, Anita

2007-06-16

The analysis of the low-frequency conductivity spectra of the clay-water mixtures is presented. The frequency dependence of the conductivity is shown to follow the power-law with the exponent n=0.67 before reaching the frequency-independent part. When scaled with the value of the frequency-independent part of the spectrum the conductivity spectra for samples at different water content values are shown to fit to a single master curve. It is argued that the observed conductivity dispersion is a consequence of the anomalously diffusing ions in the clay-water system. The fractional Langevin equation is then used to describe the stochastic dynamics of the single ion. The results indicate that the experimentally observed dielectric properties originate in anomalous ion transport in clay-water system characterized with time-dependent diffusion coefficient.

Synthesis, thermal expansion and high-temperature electrical conductivity of Co-doped (Y,Ca)FeO{sub 3−δ} with orthorhombic perovskite structure

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

Kalyuzhnaya, A.S.; Drozhzhin, O.A.; Istomin, S.Ya., E-mail: istomin@icr.chem.msu.ru

Highlights: • (Y,Ca)(Fe,Co)O{sub 3−δ} was prepared via citrate-based route with annealing at 1150–1200 °C. • Y{sub 0.9}Ca{sub 0.1}Fe{sub 0.8}Co{sub 0.2}O{sub 3−δ} demonstrates low thermal expansion coefficient of 11.9 ppm K{sup −1}. • Oxides do not react with YSZ and GDC up to 1000 °C and 1100 °C, respectively. • Compounds demonstrate higher electrical conductivity in comparison with Y{sub 0.9}Ca{sub 0.1}FeO{sub 3}. • Pr-doped (Y,Ca)(Fe,Co)O{sub 3−δ} demonstrate both higher electrical conductivity and TEC. - Abstract: Orthorhombic perovskites Y{sub 1−x}Ca{sub x}Fe{sub 1−y}Co{sub y}O{sub 3−δ} (0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.2, 0.1 ≤ y ≤ 0.2 and x = 0.1, y = 0.3) weremore » synthesized in air by the citrate route at 1150–1300 °C. High-temperature X-ray powder diffraction (HT XRPD) data for Y{sub 0.9}Ca{sub 0.1}Fe{sub 0.8}Co{sub 0.2}O{sub 3−δ} at 25–800 °C showed no phase transition with calculated thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) of 11.9 ppm K{sup −1}. High-temperature electrical conductivity measurements revealed almost composition independent conductivity values of 22–27 S/cm at 900 °C. No chemical interaction of Y{sub 0.8}Ca{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 0.9}Co{sub 0.1}O{sub 3−δ} with (Zr,Y)O{sub 2−x} (YSZ) or (Ce,Gd)O{sub 2−x} (GDC) was observed up to 1000 °C and 1100 °C, respectively. Partial replacement of Y by Pr according to formula Y{sub 0.8−z}Pr{sub z}Ca{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 0.7}Co{sub 0.3}O{sub 3−δ}, 0.1 ≤ z ≤ 0.35, leads to an increase of both electrical conductivity up to 50 S/cm (z = 0.3) at 900 °C and dilatometry measured TEC up to 15.1 ppm K{sup −1}. Moderate values of electrical conductivity in combination with low TEC and stability towards chemical interaction with typical SOFC electrolytes make Co-doped Y{sub 1−x}Ca{sub x}FeO{sub 3−δ} promissing cathode materials for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFC)« less

Electrical conductivity enhancement in heterogeneously doped scandia-stabilized zirconia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varanasi, Chakrapani; Juneja, Chetan; Chen, Christina; Kumar, Binod

Composites of 6 mol% scandia-stabilized zirconia materials (6ScSZ) and nanosize Al 2O 3 powder (0-30 wt.%) were prepared and characterized for electrical conductivity by the ac impedance method at various temperatures ranging from 300 to 950 °C. All the composites characterized showed improved conductivity at higher temperatures compared to the undoped ScSZ. An average conductivity of 0.12 S cm -1 was measured at 850 °C for 6ScSZ + 30 wt.% Al 2O 3 composite samples, an increase in conductivity up to 20% compared to the undoped 6ScSZ specimen at this temperature. Microstructural evaluation using scanning electron microscopy revealed that the ScSZ grain size was relatively unchanged up to 10 wt.% of Al 2O 3 additions. However, the grain size was reduced in samples with higher (20 and 30 wt.%) additions of Al 2O 3. Small grain size, reduced quantity of the 6ScSZ material (only 70%), and improved conductivity makes these ScSZ + 30 wt.% Al 2O 3 composites very attractive as electrolyte materials in view of their collective mechanical and electrical properties and cost requirements. The observed increase in conductivity values with the additions of an insulating Al 2O 3 phase is explained in light of the space charge regions at the 6ScSZ-Al 2O 3 grain boundaries.

Effect of biochars produced from solid organic municipal waste on soil quality parameters.

PubMed

Randolph, P; Bansode, R R; Hassan, O A; Rehrah, Dj; Ravella, R; Reddy, M R; Watts, D W; Novak, J M; Ahmedna, M

2017-05-01

New value-added uses for solid municipal waste are needed for environmental and economic sustainability. Fortunately, value-added biochars can be produced from mixed solid waste, thereby addressing solid waste management issues, and enabling long-term carbon sequestration. We hypothesize that soil deficiencies can be remedied by the application of municipal waste-based biochars. Select municipal organic wastes (newspaper, cardboard, woodchips and landscaping residues) individually or in a 25% blend of all four waste streams were used as feedstocks of biochars. Three sets of pyrolysis temperatures (350, 500, and 750 °C) and 3 sets of pyrolysis residence time (2, 4 and 6 h) were used for biochar preparation. The biochar yield was in the range of 21-62% across all feedstocks and pyrolysis conditions. We observed variations in key biochar properties such as pH, electrical conductivity, bulk density and surface area depending on the feedstocks and production conditions. Biochar increased soil pH and improved its electrical conductivity, aggregate stability, water retention and micronutrient contents. Similarly, leachate from the soil amended with biochar showed increased pH and electrical conductivity. Some elements such as Ca and Mg decreased while NO 3 -N increased in the leachates of soils incubated with biochars. Overall, solid waste-based biochar produced significant improvements to soil fertility parameters indicating that solid municipal wastes hold promising potential as feedstocks for manufacturing value-added biochars with varied physicochemical characteristics, allowing them to not only serve the needs for solid waste management and greenhouse gas mitigation, but also as a resource for improving the quality of depleted soils. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and characterization of oligobenzimidazoles: Electrochemical, electrical, optical, thermal and rectification properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anand, Siddeswaran; Muthusamy, Athianna

2018-03-01

A series of benzimidazole monomers, (2-(2, 4-dihydroxyphenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-5-yl)(phenyl) methanone (BIKH), 2-(3-ethoxy-2-hydroxyphenyl)-1H-benzo [d]imidazole-5-yl) (phenyl) methanone (BIKE) and 2-(5-bromo-2-hydroxyphenyl)-1H-benzo [d]imidazole-5-yl) (phenyl) methanone (BIKB) were prepared by condensing three substituted aromatic aldehydes with 3, 4-diaminobenzophenone. In aqueous alkaline medium the benzimidazoles were converted in to oligomers by oxidative polycondensation using NaOCl as oxidant. The formation of monomers and oligomers were confirmed with 1H, 13C NMR, FT-IR, and UV-visible spectroscopic techniques. The oligomers were investigated for their optical, electrical, electrochemical and thermal properties. The electrochemical and optical band gaps of monomers and oligomers were calculated using both UV-visible spectroscopy and cyclic voltametry respectively. The band gap values of monomers are compared with band gap values obtained from quantum theoretical calculations with DFT. The electrical conductivity studies of iodine doped and undoped oligomers were done using two point probe technique. It is found that these values are showing good correlation with the charge densities on imidazole nitrogen obtained from Huckel method. The conductivity of oligomers increases with increase in iodine vapour contact time. The dielectric properties of oligomers have been investigated at different temperature and frequency. The dielectric measurement data were used to calculate the AC conductivity and activation energy of oligomers. Oligomer OBIKH is having greater thermal stability due to its number of chain propagation sites than other oligomers and is shown by its high carbines residue of around 60% at 600 °C in thermogravimetric analysis. I-V characteristics of oligobenzimidazole p-n diodes have shown good rectifying nature in the range -4 to 4 V.

Oxidative polycondensation of benzimidazole using NaOCl: Synthesis, characterization, optical, thermal and electrical properties of polybenzimidazoles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anand, Siddeswaran; Muthusamy, Athianna; Dineshkumar, Sengottuvelu; Chandrasekaran, J.

2017-11-01

A series of polybenzimidazole polymers, poly-2-(1H-benzo[d] imidazole-2-yl) phenol (PBIP2), poly-3-(1H-benzo[d] imidazole-2-yl) phenol (PBIP3) and poly-4-(1H-benzo[d] imidazole-2-yl) phenol (PBIP4) were synthesized by oxidative polycondensation of benzimidazole monomers 2-(1H-benzo [d] imidazole-2-yl) phenol (BIP2), 3-(1H-benzo [d] imidazole-2-yl) phenol (BIP3) and 4-(1H-benzo [d] imidazole-2-yl) phenol (BIP4). The structure of benzimidazoles monomers and polybenzimidazoles (PBI) were confirmed by various spectroscopic techniques. The quantum theoretical calculations of band gap energy values of monomers were done with DFT and are compared with its optical band gap energy values. Fluorescence spectra of these compounds showed maximum emission in blue region. The electrical conductivity of PBIs was measured by four-point probe technique and showed good electrical response on iodine doping and conductivity increases with increase iodine doping time. The differences in conductivities among the three PBIs are in accordance with the charge density on imidazole nitrogens calculated by Huckel method. The high carbines residue (∼40%) at 500 °C in thermo gravimetric analysis shows that the PBIs are having reasonably good thermal stability. Polymers have recorded high dielectric constant at low applied frequency of 50 Hz at 393 K. The I-V characteristics of polybenzimidazoles p-n diodes showed rectifying nature with a typical forward to reverse current in the range -4 to 4 V. The high n values are caused by non homogeneities and effect of series resistance.

The influence of oxidation time on the properties of oxidized zinc films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rambu, A. P.

2012-09-01

The effect of oxidation time on the structural characteristics and electronic transport mechanism of zinc oxide thin films prepared by thermal oxidation, have been investigated. Zinc metallic films were deposited by thermal evaporation under vacuum, the subsequent oxidation of Zn films being carried out in open atmosphere. XRD and AFM analysis indicate that obtained films posses a polycrystalline structure, the crystallites having a preferential orientation. Structural analysis reveals that microstructure of the films (crystallite size, surface roughness, internal stress) is depending on the oxidation time of metallic films. The electrical behavior of ZnO films was investigated, during a heat treatment (two heating/cooling cycles). It was observed that after the first heating, the temperature dependences of electrical conductivity become reversible. Mott variable range hopping model was proposed to analyze the temperature dependence of the electrical conductivity, in low temperature ranges. Values of some characteristic parameters were calculated.

Transparent and conducting ZnO films grown by spray pyrolysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadjeris, Lazhar; Herissi, Labidi; Badreddine Assouar, M.; Easwarakhanthan, Thomas; Bougdira, Jamal; Attaf, Nadhir; Salah Aida, M.

2009-03-01

ZnO films were prepared using the simple, flexible and cost-effective spray pyrolysis technique at different substrate temperatures and precursor molarity values. The films' structural, optical and electrical properties were investigated by x-ray diffraction, UV-VIS transmittance spectroscopy, profilometry and voltage-current-temperature (VIT) measurements. The films prepared at substrate temperatures above 400 °C appear better crystallized with (0 0 2) preferred orientation and exhibit higher visible transmittance (65-80%), higher electrical n-type semiconductor conductivity (10-50 (Ω cm)-1), lower activation energy (<0.35 eV) and smaller Urbach energy (80 meV). These results indicate that such sprayed ZnO films are chemically purer and have many fewer defects and less disorder owing to an almost complete chemical decomposition of the precursor droplets. ZnO films having desired optical and electrical properties for cheaper large-area solar cells may thus be tailored through the substrate temperature and the precursor molarity.

Study of Groundwater Physical Characteristics: A Case Study at District of Pekan, Pahang

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashim, M. M. M.; Zawawi, M. H.; Samuding, K.; Dominic, J. A.; Zulkurnain, M. H.; Mohamad, K.

2018-04-01

A study of groundwater physical characteristic has been conducted at Pahang Tua, Pekan, Tanjung Batu and Nenasi, Pahang. There are several locations of tube well selected in this study. Four of five locations are situated in the coastal area and another one is located outside of coastal line. The purposes of this study are to identify the physical characteristic of groundwater (temperature, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS) and salinity) and to identify the influence of sampling location and tube well depth to its physical characteristics. The results from the in-situ measurement were identified the physical characteristic groundwater for each tube well location. The result shows that temperature and pH for all groundwater samples almost in the same value but for the electrical conductivity, salinity and total dissolved solid have significant difference that related to location and depth of the tube well. The Pekan tube well with 80m depth and 2km distance from the sea have the highest value of EC, TDS and salinity (14460.53µS/cm, 7230.63 ppm and 8.32 PSU) compared to Nenasi with 30m depth of tube well and 0.65km distance from the sea. The EC, TDS and salinity value recorded are 1454.3253µS/cm, 727.00 ppm and 0.72 PSU. From the result of EC, TDS and salinity, it shows that the deeper tube well in the coastal area will obtained higher value of EC, TDS and salinity.

Circuit for Communication over DC Power Line Using High Temperature Electronics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krasowski, Michael J. (Inventor); Prokop, Norman F. (Inventor)

2014-01-01

A high temperature communications circuit includes a power conductor for concurrently conducting electrical energy for powering circuit components and transmitting a modulated data signal, and a demodulator for demodulating the data signal and generating a serial bit stream based on the data signal. The demodulator includes an absolute value amplifier for conditionally inverting or conditionally passing a signal applied to the absolute value amplifier. The absolute value amplifier utilizes no diodes to control the conditional inversion or passing of the signal applied to the absolute value amplifier.

Passive safety device and internal short tested method for energy storage cells and systems

DOEpatents

Keyser, Matthew; Darcy, Eric; Long, Dirk; Pesaran, Ahmad

2015-09-22

A passive safety device for an energy storage cell for positioning between two electrically conductive layers of the energy storage cell. The safety device also comprising a separator and a non-conductive layer. A first electrically conductive material is provided on the non-conductive layer. A first opening is formed through the separator between the first electrically conductive material and one of the electrically conductive layers of the energy storage device. A second electrically conductive material is provided adjacent the first electrically conductive material on the non-conductive layer, wherein a space is formed on the non-conductive layer between the first and second electrically conductive materials. A second opening is formed through the non-conductive layer between the second electrically conductive material and another of the electrically conductive layers of the energy storage device. The first and second electrically conductive materials combine and exit at least partially through the first and second openings to connect the two electrically conductive layers of the energy storage device at a predetermined temperature.

Thermal investigation of an electrical high-current arc with porous gas-cooled anode

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eckert, E. R. G.; Schoeck, P. A.; Winter, E. R. F.

1984-01-01

The following guantities were measured on a high-intensity electric arc with tungsten cathode and transpiration-cooled graphite anode burning in argon: electric current and voltage, cooling gas flow rate (argon), surface temperature of the anode and of the anode holder, and temperature profile in three cross-sections of the arc are column. The last mentioned values were obtained from spectroscopic photographs. From the measured quantities, the following values were calculated: the heat flux into the anode surface, the heat loss of the anode by radiation and conduction, and the heat which was regeneratively transported by the cooling gas back into the arc space. Heat balances for the anode were also obtained. The anode losses (which are approximately 80% of the total arc power for free burning arcs) were reduced by transpiration cooling to 20%. The physical processes of the energy transfer from the arc to the anode are discussed qualitatively.

Electrical conductivity of the plagioclase-NaCl-water system and its implication for the high conductivity anomalies in the mid-lower crust of Tibet Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ping; Guo, Xinzhuan; Chen, Sibo; Wang, Chao; Yang, Junlong; Zhou, Xingfan

2018-02-01

In order to investigate the origin of the high conductivity anomalies geophysically observed in the mid-lower crust of Tibet Plateau, the electrical conductivity of plagioclase-NaCl-water system was measured at 1.2 GPa and 400-900 K. The relationship between electrical conductivity and temperature follows the Arrhenius law. The bulk conductivity increases with the fluid fraction and salinity, but is almost independent of temperature (activation enthalpy less than 0.1 eV). The conductivity of plagioclase-NaCl-water system is much lower than that of albite-NaCl-water system with similar fluid fraction and salinity, indicating a strong effect of the major mineral phase on the bulk conductivity of the brine-bearing system. The high conductivity anomalies of 10-1 and 100 S/m observed in the mid-lower crust of Tibet Plateau can be explained by the aqueous fluid with a volume fraction of 1 and 9%, respectively, if the fluid salinity is 25%. The anomaly value of 10-1 S/m can be explained by the aqueous fluid with a volume fraction of 6% if the salinity is 10%. In case of Southern Tibet where the heat flow is high, the model of a thin layer of brine-bearing aqueous fluid with a high salinity overlying a thick layer of partial melt is most likely to prevail.

Heterovalent Substitution to Enrich Electrical Conductivity in Cu2CdSn1-xGaxSe4 Series for High Thermoelectric Performances

PubMed Central

Wang, Bo; Li, Yu; Zheng, Jiaxin; Xu, Ming; Liu, Fusheng; Ao, Weiqing; Li, Junqing; Pan, Feng

2015-01-01

Serials of Ga doping on Sn sites as heterovalent substitution in Cu2CdSnSe4 are prepared by the melting method and the spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique to form Cu2CdSn1-xGaxSe4 (x = 0, 0.025, 0.05, 0.075, 0.01, and 0.125). Massive atomic vacancies are found at x = 0.10 by the heterovalent substitution, which contributes significantly to the increase of electrical conductivity and the decrease of lattice thermal conductivity. The electrical conductivity is increased by about ten times at 300 K after Ga doping. Moreover, the seebeck coefficient only decreases slightly from 310 to 226 μV/K at 723 K, and a significant increase of the power factor is obtained. As a result, a maxium value of 0.27 for the figure of merit (ZT) is obtained at x = 0.10 and at 723 K. Through an ab initio study of the Ga doping effect, we find that the Fermi level of Cu2CdSnSe4 is shifted downward to the valence band, thus improving the hole concentration and enhancing the electrical conductivity at low doping levels. Our experimental and theoretical studies show that a moderate Ga doping on Sn sites is an effective method to improve the thermoelectric performance of Cu2CdSnSe4. PMID:25791823

Electrical conductivity and dielectric behavior in sodium zinc divanadates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sallemi, F.; Louati, B.; Guidara, K.

2014-11-01

The Na2ZnV2O7 compound was obtained by the conventional solid-state reaction. The sample was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, Raman and impedance spectroscopy. The ac electrical conductivity and dielectric properties have been investigated in the frequency and temperature range of 200 Hz-1 MHz and 513 K-729 K, respectively. The direct current conductivity process is thermally activated. The frequency dependence of the conductivity is interpreted using the power law. The close values of activation energies obtained from the analysis of hopping frequency and dc conductivity implies that the transport is due to Na+ cation displacement parallel to (0 0 1) plane located between ZnO4 and VO4 tetrahedra. The evolution of the complex permittivity as a function of angular frequency was investigated. Several important parameters such as charge carrier concentration, ionic mobility and diffusion coefficient were determined. Thermodynamic parameters such as the free energy of activation ∆F, the enthalpy ∆H, and the change in entropy ∆S have been calculated.

Enhanced Thermoelectric Properties of Polycrystalline SnSe via LaCl₃ Doping.

PubMed

Li, Fu; Wang, Wenting; Ge, Zhen-Hua; Zheng, Zhuanghao; Luo, Jingting; Fan, Ping; Li, Bo

2018-01-28

LaCl₃ doped polycrystalline SnSe was synthesized by combining mechanical alloying (MA) process with spark plasma sintering (SPS). It is found that the electrical conductivity is enhanced after doping due to the increased carrier concentration and carrier mobility, resulting in optimization of the power factor at 750 K combing with a large Seebeck coefficient over 300 Μvk -1 . Meanwhile, all the samples exhibit lower thermal conductivity below 1.0 W/mK in the whole measured temperature. The lattice thermal conductivity for the doped samples was reduced, which effectively suppressed the increscent of the total thermal conductivity because of the improved electrical conductivity. As a result, a ZT value of 0.55 has been achieved for the composition of SnSe-1.0 wt % LaCl₃ at 750 K, which is nearly four times higher than the undoped one and reveals that rare earth element is an effective dopant for optimization of the thermoelectric properties of SnSe.

Dipole excitation of surface plasmon on a conducting sheet: Finite element approximation and validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maier, Matthias; Margetis, Dionisios; Luskin, Mitchell

2017-06-01

We formulate and validate a finite element approach to the propagation of a slowly decaying electromagnetic wave, called surface plasmon-polariton, excited along a conducting sheet, e.g., a single-layer graphene sheet, by an electric Hertzian dipole. By using a suitably rescaled form of time-harmonic Maxwell's equations, we derive a variational formulation that enables a direct numerical treatment of the associated class of boundary value problems by appropriate curl-conforming finite elements. The conducting sheet is modeled as an idealized hypersurface with an effective electric conductivity. The requisite weak discontinuity for the tangential magnetic field across the hypersurface can be incorporated naturally into the variational formulation. We carry out numerical simulations for an infinite sheet with constant isotropic conductivity embedded in two spatial dimensions; and validate our numerics against the closed-form exact solution obtained by the Fourier transform in the tangential coordinate. Numerical aspects of our treatment such as an absorbing perfectly matched layer, as well as local refinement and a posteriori error control are discussed.

Ba6-3 x Nd8+2 x Ti18O54 Tungsten Bronze: A New High-Temperature n-Type Oxide Thermoelectric

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azough, Feridoon; Freer, Robert; Yeandel, Stephen R.; Baran, Jakub D.; Molinari, Marco; Parker, Stephen C.; Guilmeau, Emmanuel; Kepaptsoglou, Demie; Ramasse, Quentin; Knox, Andy; Gregory, Duncan; Paul, Douglas; Paul, Manosh; Montecucco, Andrea; Siviter, Jonathan; Mullen, Paul; Li, Wenguan; Han, Guang; Man, Elena A.; Baig, Hasan; Mallick, Tapas; Sellami, Nazmi; Min, Gao; Sweet, Tracy

2016-03-01

Semiconducting Ba6-3 x Nd8+2 x Ti18O54 ceramics (with x = 0.00 to 0.85) were synthesized by the mixed oxide route followed by annealing in a reducing atmosphere; their high-temperature thermoelectric properties have been investigated. In conjunction with the experimental observations, atomistic simulations have been performed to investigate the anisotropic behavior of the lattice thermal conductivity. The ceramics show promising n-type thermoelectric properties with relatively high Seebeck coefficient, moderate electrical conductivity, and temperature-stable, low thermal conductivity; For example, the composition with x = 0.27 (i.e., Ba5.19Nd8.54Ti18O54) exhibited a Seebeck coefficient of S 1000K = 210 µV/K, electrical conductivity of σ 1000K = 60 S/cm, and thermal conductivity of k 1000K = 1.45 W/(m K), leading to a ZT value of 0.16 at 1000 K.

Electric fields induced in the human body by time-varying magnetic field gradients in MRI: numerical calculations and correlation analysis.

PubMed

Bencsik, Martin; Bowtell, Richard; Bowley, Roger

2007-05-07

The spatial distributions of the electric fields induced in the human body by switched magnetic field gradients in MRI have been calculated numerically using the commercial software package, MAFIA, and the three-dimensional, HUGO body model that comprises 31 different tissue types. The variation of |J|, |E| and |B| resulting from exposure of the body model to magnetic fields generated by typical whole-body x-, y- and z-gradient coils has been analysed for three different body positions (head-, heart- and hips-centred). The magnetic field varied at 1 kHz, so as to produce a rate of change of gradient of 100 T m(-1) s(-1) at the centre of each coil. A highly heterogeneous pattern of induced electric field and current density was found to result from the smoothly varying magnetic field in all cases, with the largest induced electric fields resulting from application of the y-gradient, in agreement with previous studies. By applying simple statistical analysis to electromagnetic quantities within axial planes of the body model, it is shown that the induced electric field is strongly correlated to the local value of resistivity, and the induced current density exhibits even stronger correlation with the local conductivity. The local values of the switched magnetic field are however shown to bear little relation to the local values of the induced electric field or current density.

Thermodynamic properties and transport coefficients of two-temperature helium thermal plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Xiaoxue; Murphy, Anthony B.; Li, Xingwen

2017-03-01

Helium thermal plasmas are in widespread use in arc welding and many other industrial applications. Simulation of these processes relies on accurate plasma property data, such as plasma composition, thermodynamic properties and transport coefficients. Departures from LTE (local thermodynamic equilibrium) generally occur in some regions of helium plasmas. In this paper, properties are calculated allowing for different values of the electron temperature, T e, and heavy-species temperature, T h, at atmospheric pressure from 300 K to 30 000 K. The plasma composition is first calculated using the mass action law, and the two-temperature thermodynamic properties are then derived. The viscosity, diffusion coefficients, electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity of the two-temperature helium thermal plasma are obtained using a recently-developed method that retains coupling between electrons and heavy species by including the electron-heavy-species collision term in the heavy-species Boltzmann equation. It is shown that the viscosity and the diffusion coefficients strongly depend on non-equilibrium ratio θ (θ ={{T}\\text{e}}/{{T}\\text{h}} ), through the plasma composition and the collision integrals. The electrical conductivity, which depends on the electron number density and ordinary diffusion coefficients, and the thermal conductivity have similar dependencies. The choice of definition of the Debye length is shown to affect the electrical conductivity significantly for θ  >  1. By comparing with literature data, it is shown that the coupling between electrons and heavy species has a significant influence on the electrical conductivity, but not on the viscosity. Plasma properties are tabulated in the supplementary data.

Synthesis, thermal and electrical properties of Al-doped Bi{sub 4}V{sub 1.8}Cu{sub 0.2}O{sub 10.7}

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

Essalim, R.; Ammar, A.; Tanouti, B.

2016-08-15

Partial substitution of copper with aluminum in Bi{sub 4}V{sub 1.8}Cu{sub 0.2}O{sub 10.7} has led to the Bi{sub 4}V{sub 1.8}Cu{sub 0.2−x}Al{sub x}O{sub 10.7+x/2} solid solution. X-ray diffraction and thermal analysis have shown that the compounds with x=0.05 and x=0.10 are tetragonal with γ′ form of Bi{sub 4}V{sub 2}O{sub 11}, while the compound with x=0.15 is of β polymorph. The effect of Al{sup 3+} doping on electrical conductivity has been studied using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy. The electrical conductivity of doped samples along with the amount of Al{sup 3+} has been studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in the temperature range 250–700 °C. Themore » slope changes observed in the Arrhenius plots agree with the microstructural transitions occurring in these compounds. The highest ionic conductivity values are obtained for the sample with x=0.05. - Graphical abstract: Arrhenius plots of the electrical conductivity of the of Bi{sub 4}V{sub 1.8}Cu{sub 0.2−x}Al{sub x}O{sub 10.7+x/2} compounds. Display Omitted.« less

Effect of TiN Addition on 3Y-TZP Ceramics with Emphasis on Making EDM-Able Bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khosravifar, Mahnoosh; Mirkazemi, Seyyed Mohammad; Taheri, Mahdiar; Golestanifard, Farhad

2018-05-01

In this study, to produce electrically conductive ceramics, rapid hot press (RHP) sintering of 3 mol.% yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (3Y-TZP) and 3Y-TZP/TiN composites with TiN amounts of 25, 35, and 45 vol.% was performed at 1300, 1350, and 1400 °C. Interestingly, the toughness and hardness were improved in the presence of TiN up to 35 vol.% and maximum fracture toughness and hardness of 5.40 ± 0.05 MPa m1/2 and 14.50 ± 0.06 GPa, respectively, were obtained. However, the bending strength was decreased which could be attributed to the rather weak interfaces of nitride and oxide phases. Regarding the zirconia matrix, the effect of grain size on fracture toughness of the samples has been studied using x-ray diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) analysis. It was also found that electrical resistivity decreased to the value of 6.88 × 10-6 Ω m at 45 vol.% of TiN. It seems the TiN grains form a network to impose conductivity on the ZrO2 body; however, below 35 vol.% TiN, due to lack of percolation effect, this conductivity could not be maintained according to FESEM studies. Finally, electrically conductive samples were successfully machined by electrical discharge machining (EDM).

A new petrological and geophysical investigation of the present-day plumbing system of Mount Vesuvius

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pommier, A.; Tarits, P.; Hautot, S.; Pichavant, M.; Scaillet, B.; Gaillard, F.

2010-07-01

A model of the electrical resistivity of Mt. Vesuvius has been elaborated to investigate the present structure of the volcanic edifice. The model is based on electrical conductivity measurements in the laboratory, on geophysical information, in particular, magnetotelluric (MT) data, and on petrological and geochemical constraints. Both 1-D and 3-D simulations explored the effect of depth, volume and resistivity of either one or two reservoirs in the structure. For each configuration tested, modeled MT transfer functions were compared to field transfer functions from field magnetotelluric studies. The field electrical data are reproduced with a shallow and very conductive layer (˜0.5 km depth, 1.2 km thick, 5 ohm.m resistive) that most likely corresponds to a saline brine present beneath the volcano. Our results are also compatible with the presence of cooling magma batches at shallow depths (<3-4 km depth). The presence of a deeper body at ˜8 km depth, as suggested by seismic studies, is consistent with the observed field transfer functions if such a body has an electrical resistivity > ˜100 ohm.m. According to a petro-physical conductivity model, such a resistivity value is in agreement either with a low-temperature, crystal-rich magma chamber or with a small quantity of hotter magma interconnected in the resistive surrounding carbonates. However, the low quality of MT field data at long periods prevent from placing strong constraints on a potential deep magma reservoir. A comparison with seismic velocity values tends to support the second hypothesis. Our findings would be consistent with a deep structure (8-10 km depth) made of a tephriphonolitic magma at 1000°C, containing 3.5 wt%H2O, 30 vol.% crystals, and interconnected in carbonates in proportions ˜45% melt -55% carbonates.

Electrical Properties of the Hanging Wall of the Alpine Fault, New Zealand, from DFDP-2 Wireline Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Remaud, L.; Doan, M. L.; Pezard, P. A.; Celerier, B. P.; Townend, J.; Sutherland, R.; Toy, V.

2015-12-01

The DFDP-2B borehole drilled at Whataroa, New Zealand, provides a first-hand rare opportunity to investigate the damage pattern next to a major active fault. It was drilled along more than 893 m (820 m TVD) within hanging-wall protomylonites and mylonites. The interval between 264 m and 886 m (measured depth) was intensively investigated by wireline logging. Notably, electrical laterolog data were recorded over almost 3 km of cumulative logs, providing a homogeneous, uniformly sampled recording of the electrical properties of the borehole wall. The laterolog tool measures resistivity with two different electrode configurations, and hence achieves two different depths of penetration. Numerical simulations of the tool's response show that the true resistivity of the rock is close to the deep resistivity measurement, which in DFDP-2 varies between 300 Ω.m and 700 Ω.m. The shallow resistivity is about 75% of this value, as it is more sensitive to the presence of conductive borehole fluid. However, the large borehole diameter (averaging 8.5 inch = or 21.59 cm) only partially explains this value. The strong anisotropy suggested by laboratory measurements on outcrop samples also contributes to the separation between deep and shallow resistivity. The shallow and deep resistivities exhibit many significant drops that are coincident with the presence of fractures detected in borehole televiewer data. More than 700 electrical anomalies have been manually picked. The major ones are correlated with attenuation of the sonic data and sometimes with anomalies in fluid conductivity (temperature and conductivity). Their frequency gradually increases with depth, reaching a plateau below 700 m. This increase with depth may be related to closer proximity to the Alpine Fault.

DC electrical conductivity measurements for pure and titanium oxide doped KDP Crystals grown by gel medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mareeswaran, S.; Asaithambi, T.

2016-10-01

Now a day's crystals are the pillars of current technology. Crystals are applied in various fields like fiber optic communications, electronic industry, photonic industry, etc. Crystal growth is an interesting and innovative field in the subject of physics, chemistry, material science, metallurgy, chemical engineering, mineralogy and crystallography. In recent decades optically good quality of pure and metal doped KDP crystals have been grown by gel growth method in room temperature and its characterizations were studied. Gel method is a very simple and one of the easiest methods among the various crystal growth methods. Potassium dihydrogen phosphate KH2PO4 (KDP) continues to be an interesting material both academically and technologically. KDP is a delegate of hydrogen bonded materials which possess very good electrical and nonlinear optical properties in addition to interesting electro-optic properties. We made an attempt to grow pure and titanium oxide doped KDP crystals with various doping concentrations (0.002, 0.004, 0.006, 0.008 and 0.010) using gel method. The grown crystals were collected after 20 days. We get crystals with good quality and shaped crystals. The dc electrical conductivity (resistance, capacitance and dielectric constant) values of the above grown crystals were measured at two different frequencies (1KHz and 100 Hz) with a temperature range of 500C to 1200C using simple two probe setup with Q band digital LCR meter present in our lab. The electrical conductivity increases with the increase of temperature. Dielectric constants value of titanium oxide doped KDP crystal was slightly decreased compared with pure KDP crystals. Results were discussed in details.

Flexible regenerated cellulose/polypyrrole composite films with enhanced dielectric properties.

PubMed

Raghunathan, Sreejesh Poikavila; Narayanan, Sona; Poulose, Aby Cheruvathur; Joseph, Rani

2017-02-10

Flexible regenerated cellulose/polypyrrole (RC-PPy) conductive composite films were prepared by insitu polymerization of pyrrole on regenerated cellulose (RC) matrix using ammonium persulphate as oxidant. FTIR, XPS and XRD analysis of RC-PPy composite films revealed strong interaction between polypyrrole (PPy) and RC matrix. XRD results indicated that crystalline structure of RC matrix remains intact even after composite formation. SEM micrographs revealed the formation of a continuous conductive network of PPy particles in the RC matrix, leading to significant improvement in electrical and dielectric properties. The electrical conductivity of RC-PPy composites with 12wt% of PPy was 3.2×10 -5 S/cm, which is approximately seven fold higher than that of RC. Composites showed high dielectric constant and low dielectric loss values, which is essential in capacitor application. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Charge-transport in tin-iodide perovskite CH3NH3SnI3: origin of high conductivity.

PubMed

Takahashi, Yukari; Obara, Rena; Lin, Zheng-Zhong; Takahashi, Yukihiro; Naito, Toshio; Inabe, Tamotsu; Ishibashi, Shoji; Terakura, Kiyoyuki

2011-05-28

The structural and electrical properties of a metal-halide cubic perovskite, CH(3)NH(3)SnI(3), have been examined. The band structure, obtained using first-principles calculation, reveals a well-defined band gap at the Fermi level. However, the temperature dependence of the single-crystal electrical conductivity shows metallic behavior down to low temperatures. The temperature dependence of the thermoelectric power is also metallic over the whole temperature range, and the large positive value indicates that charge transport occurs with a low concentration of hole carriers. The metallic properties of this as-grown crystal are thus suggested to result from spontaneous hole-doping in the crystallization process, rather than the semi-metal electronic structure. The present study shows that artificial hole doping indeed enhances the conductivity.

The bedrock electrical conductivity structure of Northern Ireland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beamish, David

2013-08-01

An airborne geophysical survey of the whole of Northern Ireland has provided over 4.8 M estimates of the bedrock conductivity over the wide range of geological formations present. This study investigates how such data can be used to provide additional knowledge in relation to existing digital geological map information. A by-product of the analysis is a simplification of the spatially aggregated information obtained in such surveys. The methodology used is a GIS-based attribution of the conductivity estimates using a lithological classification of the bedrock formations. A 1:250k geological classification of the data is performed leading to a 56 unit lithological and geostatistical analysis of the conductivity information. The central moments (medians) of the classified data are used to provide a new digital bedrock conductivity map of Northern Ireland with values ranging from 0.32 to 41.36 mS m-1. This baseline map of conductivities displays a strong correspondence with an existing 4 quadrant, chrono-geological description of Northern Ireland. Once defined, the baseline conductivity map allows departures from the norm to be assessed across each specific lithological unit. Bulk electrical conductivity is controlled by a number of petrophysical parameters and it is their variation that is assessed by the procedures employed. The igneous rocks are found to display the largest variability in conductivity values and many of the statistical distributions are multi-modal. A sequence of low-value modes in these data are associated with intrusives within volcanic complexes. These and much older Neoproterzoic rocks appear to represent very low porosity formations that may be the product of rapid cooling during emplacement. By way of contrast, extensive flood basalts (the Antrim lavas) record a well-defined and much higher median value (12.24 mS m-1) although they display complex spatial behaviour in detail. Sedimentary rocks appear to follow the broad behaviours anticipated by standard theoretical descriptions of rock electrical properties that allow for a term due to grain surface conduction (e.g. the presence of clay). Single lithology sedimentary rocks are represented by an increasing set of conductivities through the sequence sandstone (4.91 mS m-1), limestone (8.41 mS m-1) and mudstone (17.85 mS m-1) with argillaceous rocks providing a conductivity of 41.1 mS m-1. In the case of both sandstone and limestone, the single lithology conductivities are significantly less than their mixed lithology counterparts. Mudrocks display a bimodal statistical distribution and an extended analysis of these rocks is carried out across a Carboniferous basin. The results clearly indicate that non-shale mudstones are distinctly less conductive than their shale counterparts. Shale formations display rapid and large movements in conductivity and it is suggested that the observed sensitivity may be due to competing surface conduction effects due to clay and organic material. A study of the variation of conductivity with geological period is also performed. Both a decreasing trend with age and a modulation that peaks in the Triassic period are observed.

Chemical sensors using coated or doped carbon nanotube networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Jing (Inventor); Meyyappan, Meyya (Inventor)

2010-01-01

Methods for using modified single wall carbon nanotubes ("SWCNTs") to detect presence and/or concentration of a gas component, such as a halogen (e.g., Cl.sub.2), hydrogen halides (e.g., HCl), a hydrocarbon (e.g., C.sub.nH.sub.2n+2), an alcohol, an aldehyde or a ketone, to which an unmodified SWCNT is substantially non-reactive. In a first embodiment, a connected network of SWCNTs is coated with a selected polymer, such as chlorosulfonated polyethylene, hydroxypropyl cellulose, polystyrene and/or polyvinylalcohol, and change in an electrical parameter or response value (e.g., conductance, current, voltage difference or resistance) of the coated versus uncoated SWCNT networks is analyzed. In a second embodiment, the network is doped with a transition element, such as Pd, Pt, Rh, Ir, Ru, Os and/or Au, and change in an electrical parameter value is again analyzed. The parameter change value depends monotonically, not necessarily linearly, upon concentration of the gas component. Two general algorithms are presented for estimating concentration value(s), or upper or lower concentration bounds on such values, from measured differences of response values.

Coated or doped carbon nanotube network sensors as affected by environmental parameters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Jing (Inventor)

2011-01-01

Methods for using modified single wall carbon nanotubes ("SWCNTs") to detect presence and/or concentration of a gas component, such as a halogen (e.g., Cl.sub.2), hydrogen halides (e.g., HCl), a hydrocarbon (e.g., C.sub.nH.sub.2n+2), an alcohol, an aldehyde or a ketone, to which an unmodified SWCNT is substantially non-reactive. In a first embodiment, a connected network of SWCNTs is coated with a selected polymer, such as chlorosulfonated polyethylene, hydroxypropyl cellulose, polystyrene and/or polyvinylalcohol, and change in an electrical parameter or response value (e.g., conductance, current, voltage difference or resistance) of the coated versus uncoated SWCNT networks is analyzed. In a second embodiment, the network is doped with a transition element, such as Pd, Pt, Rh, Ir, Ru, Os and/or Au, and change in an electrical parameter value is again analyzed. The parameter change value depends monotonically, not necessarily linearly, upon concentration of the gas component. Two general algorithms are presented for estimating concentration value(s), or upper or lower concentration bounds on such values, from measured differences of response values.

Predicting the Electric Field Distribution in the Brain for the Treatment of Glioblastoma

PubMed Central

Miranda, Pedro C.; Mekonnen, Abeye; Salvador, Ricardo; Basser, Peter J.

2014-01-01

The use of alternating electric fields has been recently proposed for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma. In order to predict the electric field distribution in the brain during the application of such tumor treating fields (TTF), we constructed a realistic head model from MRI data and placed transducer arrays on the scalp to mimic an FDA-approved medical device. Values for the tissue dielectric properties were taken from the literature; values for the device parameters were obtained from the manufacturer. The finite element method was used to calculate the electric field distribution in the brain. We also included a “virtual lesion” in the model to simulate the presence of an idealized tumor. The calculated electric field in the brain varied mostly between 0.5 and 2.0 V/cm and exceeded 1.0 V/cm in 60% of the total brain volume. Regions of local field enhancement occurred near interfaces between tissues with different conductivities wherever the electric field was perpendicular to those interfaces. These increases were strongest near the ventricles but were also present outside the tumor’s necrotic core and in some parts of the gray matter-white matter interface. The electric field values predicted in this model brain are in reasonably good agreement with those that have been shown to reduce cancer cell proliferation in vitro. The electric field distribution is highly non-uniform and depends on tissue geometry and dielectric properties. This could explain some of the variability in treatment outcomes. The proposed modeling framework could be used to better understand the physical basis of TTF efficacy through retrospective analysis and to improve TTF treatment planning. PMID:25003941

Predicting the electric field distribution in the brain for the treatment of glioblastoma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miranda, Pedro C.; Mekonnen, Abeye; Salvador, Ricardo; Basser, Peter J.

2014-08-01

The use of alternating electric fields has been recently proposed for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma. In order to predict the electric field distribution in the brain during the application of such tumor treating fields (TTF), we constructed a realistic head model from MRI data and placed transducer arrays on the scalp to mimic an FDA-approved medical device. Values for the tissue dielectric properties were taken from the literature; values for the device parameters were obtained from the manufacturer. The finite element method was used to calculate the electric field distribution in the brain. We also included a ‘virtual lesion’ in the model to simulate the presence of an idealized tumor. The calculated electric field in the brain varied mostly between 0.5 and 2.0 V cm - 1 and exceeded 1.0 V cm - 1 in 60% of the total brain volume. Regions of local field enhancement occurred near interfaces between tissues with different conductivities wherever the electric field was perpendicular to those interfaces. These increases were strongest near the ventricles but were also present outside the tumor’s necrotic core and in some parts of the gray matter-white matter interface. The electric field values predicted in this model brain are in reasonably good agreement with those that have been shown to reduce cancer cell proliferation in vitro. The electric field distribution is highly non-uniform and depends on tissue geometry and dielectric properties. This could explain some of the variability in treatment outcomes. The proposed modeling framework could be used to better understand the physical basis of TTF efficacy through retrospective analysis and to improve TTF treatment planning.

Predicting the electric field distribution in the brain for the treatment of glioblastoma.

PubMed

Miranda, Pedro C; Mekonnen, Abeye; Salvador, Ricardo; Basser, Peter J

2014-08-07

The use of alternating electric fields has been recently proposed for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma. In order to predict the electric field distribution in the brain during the application of such tumor treating fields (TTF), we constructed a realistic head model from MRI data and placed transducer arrays on the scalp to mimic an FDA-approved medical device. Values for the tissue dielectric properties were taken from the literature; values for the device parameters were obtained from the manufacturer. The finite element method was used to calculate the electric field distribution in the brain. We also included a 'virtual lesion' in the model to simulate the presence of an idealized tumor. The calculated electric field in the brain varied mostly between 0.5 and 2.0 V cm( - 1) and exceeded 1.0 V cm( - 1) in 60% of the total brain volume. Regions of local field enhancement occurred near interfaces between tissues with different conductivities wherever the electric field was perpendicular to those interfaces. These increases were strongest near the ventricles but were also present outside the tumor's necrotic core and in some parts of the gray matter-white matter interface. The electric field values predicted in this model brain are in reasonably good agreement with those that have been shown to reduce cancer cell proliferation in vitro. The electric field distribution is highly non-uniform and depends on tissue geometry and dielectric properties. This could explain some of the variability in treatment outcomes. The proposed modeling framework could be used to better understand the physical basis of TTF efficacy through retrospective analysis and to improve TTF treatment planning.

Downhole transmission system

DOEpatents

Hall, David R [Provo, UT; Fox, Joe [Spanish Fork, UT

2008-01-15

A transmission system in a downhole component comprises a data transmission element in both ends of the downhole component. Each data transmission element houses an electrically conducting coil in a MCEI circular trough. An electrical conductor connects both the transmission elements. The electrical conductor comprises at least three electrically conductive elements insulated from each other. In the preferred embodiment the electrical conductor comprises an electrically conducting outer shield, an electrically conducting inner shield and an electrical conducting core. In some embodiments of the present invention, the electrical conductor comprises an electrically insulating jacket. In other embodiments, the electrical conductor comprises a pair of twisted wires. In some embodiments, the electrical conductor comprises semi-conductive material.

Structure and conductivity of nanostructured YBCO ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palchayev, D. K.; Gadzhimagomedov, S. Kh; Murlieva, Zh Kh; Rabadanov, M. Kh; Emirov, R. M.

2017-12-01

Superconducting nanostructured ceramics based on YBa2Cu3O7-δ were made of nanopowder obtained by burning nitrate-organic precursors. The structure, morphology, electrical resistivity, and density of ceramics were studied. Various porosity values of the ceramics were achieved by preliminary heat treatment of the nanopowder. The features of conductivity and the reason for increase of the of the superconducting transition temperature in these materials are discussed.

Light Management in Transparent Conducting Oxides by Direct Fabrication of Periodic Surface Arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eckhardt, S.; Sachse, C.; Lasagni, A. F.

Line- and hexagonal-like periodic textures were fabricated on aluminium zinc oxide (AZO) using direct laser interference patterning method. It was found that hexagonally patterned surfaces show a higher performance in both transparency and diffraction properties compared to line-like textured and non-patterned substrates. Furthermore, the electrical resistance of the processed AZO coated substrates remained below the tolerance values for transparent conducting electrodes.

Dielectric properties of metallic alloy FeCoZr-dielectric ceramic PZT nanostructures prepared by ion sputtering in vacuum conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boiko, O.

2018-05-01

The main objective of the research was investigation of dielectric properties of (FeCoZr)x(PZT)(100-x) granular nanocomposites and determination the influence of isochronous annealing in temperatures of 398 K-573 K on them. The impedance spectroscopy methodology was used. The measurements of electrical parameters, such as: phase shift angle φ, dielectric loss factor tgδ, capacity C and conductivity σ of (FeCoZr)x(PZT)(100-x) nanocomposites have been performed. Frequency dependencies of these parameters were obtained for the ambient temperature range 98 K-373 K for the frequencies ranging from 50 Hz to 105 Hz. It was established, that the conductivity σ of the tested materials before the percolation threshold demonstrates non-linear dependence on frequency. Furthermore, it increases when the ambient temperature is increasing, which indicates a dielectric type of the material. The two types of electrical conduction: capacitive (phase shift angle φ takes negative values) and inductive (φ takes positive values) have been observed. It was concluded that the hopping conductivity dominated in the nanocomposites. Voltage and current resonances phenomena are observed in the materials. The isochronous annealing intensifies the dielectric properties of (FeCoZr)x(PZT)(100-x) nanocomposites.

Enhanced Thermoelectric Performance of n-type Bi2O2Se Ceramics Induced by Ge Doping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruleova, P.; Plechacek, T.; Kasparova, J.; Vlcek, M.; Benes, L.; Lostak, P.; Drasar, C.

2018-02-01

Ceramic samples with the composition Bi2- x Ge x O2Se1.01 ( x = 0, 0.05, 0.075, and 0.1) were synthesized by solid-state reaction and compacted using a hot-pressing technique. The prepared materials were characterized by x-ray diffraction analysis, electron microscopy, and measurements of electrical conductivity σ, Seebeck coefficient S, and thermal conductivity in the temperature range 300-780 K. Ge in the Bi2O2Se host structure led to an increase of the free electron concentration compared to pristine Bi2O2Se1.01. The donor effect is attributed to point substitutional defects in the Bi sublattice— {Ge}_{{Bi}}^{ + }, and oxygen vacancies {V}_{{O}}^{ + 2} producing free electrons. As a result, we observe an increase in the electrical conductivity and decrease in Seebeck coefficient while thermal conductivity κ changes slightly. The highest value of the dimensionless figure of merit ZT = σS 2 T/ κ reaches 0.25 for the composition Bi1.95Ge0.05O2Se1.01 at T = 723 K, which is, to date, the highest ZT value reported for Bi2O2Se ceramics. Our results suggest that Bi2O2Se is still worth exploring.

Application of Surface Geophysical Methods, With Emphasis on Magnetic Resonance Soundings, to Characterize the Hydrostratigraphy of the Brazos River Alluvium Aquifer, College Station, Texas, July 2006 - A Pilot Study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shah, Sachin D.; Kress, Wade H.; Legchenko, Anatoly

2007-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Texas Water Development Board, used surface geophysical methods at the Texas A&M University Brazos River Hydrologic Field Research Site near College Station, Texas, in a pilot study, to characterize the hydrostratigraphic properties of the Brazos River alluvium aquifer and determine the effectiveness of the methods to aid in generating an improved ground-water availability model. Three non-invasive surface geophysical methods were used to characterize the electrical stratigraphy and hydraulic properties and to interpret the hydrostratigraphy of the Brazos River alluvium aquifer. Two methods, time-domain electromagnetic (TDEM) soundings and two-dimensional direct-current (2D-DC) resistivity imaging, were used to define the lateral and vertical extent of the Ships clay, the alluvium of the Brazos River alluvium aquifer, and the underlying Yegua Formation. Magnetic resonance sounding (MRS), a recently developed geophysical method, was used to derive estimates of the hydrologic properties including percentage water content and hydraulic conductivity. Results from the geophysics study demonstrated the usefulness of combined TDEM, 2D-DC resistivity, and MRS methods to reduce the need for additional boreholes in areas with data gaps and to provide more accurate information for ground-water availability models. Stratigraphically, the principal finding of this study is the relation between electrical resistivity and the depth and thickness of the subsurface hydrostratigraphic units at the site. TDEM data defined a three-layer electrical stratigraphy corresponding to a conductor-resistor-conductor that represents the hydrostratigraphic units - the Ships clay, the alluvium of the Brazos River alluvium aquifer, and the Yegua Formation. Sharp electrical boundaries occur at about 4 to 6 and 20 to 22 meters below land surface based on the TDEM data and define the geometry of the more resistive Brazos River alluvium aquifer. Variations in resistivity in the alluvium aquifer range from 10 to more than 175 ohm-meters possibly are caused by lateral changes in grain size. Resistivity increases from east to west along a profile away from the Brazos River, which signifies an increase in grain size within the alluvium aquifer and therefore a more productive zone with more abundant water in the aquifer. MRS data can help delineate the subsurface hydrostratigraphy and identify the geometric boundaries of the hydrostratigraphic units by identifying changes in the free water content, transmissivity, and hydraulic conductivity. MRS data indicate that most productive zones of the alluvium aquifer occur between 12 and 25 meters below land surface in the western part of the study area where the hydraulic conductivity can be as high as 250 meters per day. Hydrostratigraphically, individual hydraulic conductivity values derived from MRS were consistent with those from aquifer tests conducted in 1996 in the study area. Average hydraulic conductivity values from the aquifer tests range from about 61 to 80 meters per day, whereas the MRS-derived hydraulic conductivity values range from about 27 to 97 meters per day. Interpreting an interpolated profile of the hydraulic conductivity values and individual values derived from MRS can help describe the hydrostratigraphic framework of an area and constrain ground-water models for better accuracy.

Bona-fide method for the determination of short range order and transport properties in a ferro-aluminosilicate slag

PubMed Central

Karalis, Konstantinos T.; Dellis, Dimitrios; Antipas, Georgios S. E.; Xenidis, Anthimos

2016-01-01

The thermodynamics, structural and transport properties (density, melting point, heat capacity, thermal expansion coefficient, viscosity and electrical conductivity) of a ferro-aluminosilicate slag have been studied in the solid and liquid state (1273–2273 K) using molecular dynamics. The simulations were based on a Buckingham-type potential, which was extended here, to account for the presence of Cr and Cu. The potential was optimized by fitting pair distribution function partials to values determined by Reverse Monte Carlo modelling of X-ray and neutron diffraction experiments. The resulting short range order features and ring statistics were in tight agreement with experimental data and created consensus for the accurate prediction of transport properties. Accordingly, calculations yielded rational values both for the average heat capacity, equal to 1668.58 J/(kg·K), and for the viscosity, in the range of 4.09–87.64 cP. The potential was consistent in predicting accurate values for mass density (i.e. 2961.50 kg/m3 vs. an experimental value of 2940 kg/m3) and for electrical conductivity (5.3–233 S/m within a temperature range of 1273.15–2273.15 K). PMID:27455915

Relationship between electrical properties and crystallization of indium oxide thin films using ex-situ grazing-incidence wide-angle x-ray scattering

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

González, G. B.; Okasinski, J. S.; Buchholz, D. B.

Grazing-incidence, wide-angle x-ray scattering measurements were conducted on indium oxide thin films grown on silica substrates via pulsed laser deposition. Growth temperatures (T G) in this study ranged from -50 °C to 600 °C, in order to investigate the thermal effects on the film structure and its spatial homogeneity, as well as their relationship to electrical properties. Films grown below room temperature were amorphous, while films prepared at T G = 25 °C and above crystallized in the cubic bixbyite structure, and their crystalline fraction increased with deposition temperature. The electrical conductivity (σ) and electrical mobility (μ) were strongly enhancedmore » at low deposition temperatures. For T G = 25 °C and 50 °C, a strong < 100 > preferred orientation (texture) occurred, but it decreased as the deposition temperature, and consequential crystallinity, increased. Higher variations in texture coefficients and in lattice parameters were measured at the film surface compared to the interior of the film, indicating strong microstructural gradients. At low crystallinity, the in-plane lattice spacing expanded, while the out-of-plane spacing contracted, and those values merged at T G = 400 °C, where high μ was measured. This directional difference in lattice spacing, or deviatoric strain, was linear as a function of both deposition temperature and the degree of crystallinity. The crystalline sample with T G = 100 °C had the lowest mobility, as well as film diffraction peaks which split into doublets. The deviatoric strains from these doublet peaks differ by a factor of four, supporting the presence of both a microstructure and strain gradient in this film. More isotropic films exhibit larger l values, indicating that the microstructure directly correlates with electrical properties. Lastly, these results provide valuable insights that can help to improve the desirable properties of indium oxide, as well as other transparent conducting oxides.« less

Geophysical Signitures From Hydrocarbon Contaminated Aquifers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbas, M.; Jardani, A.

2015-12-01

The task of delineating the contamination plumes as well as studying their impact on the soil and groundwater biogeochemical properties is needed to support the remediation efforts and plans. Geophysical methods including electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), induced polarization (IP), ground penetrating radar (GPR), and self-potential (SP) have been previously used to characterize contaminant plumes and investigate their impact on soil and groundwater properties (Atekwana et al., 2002, 2004; Benson et al., 1997; Campbell et al., 1996; Cassidy et al., 2001; Revil et al., 2003; Werkema et al., 2000). Our objective was to: estimate the hydrocarbon contamination extent in a contaminated site in northern France, and to adverse the effects of the oil spill on the groundwater properties. We aim to find a good combination of non-intrusive and low cost methods which we can use to follow the bio-remediation process, which is planned to proceed next year. We used four geophysical methods including electrical resistivity tomography, IP, GPR, and SP. The geophysical data was compared to geochemical ones obtained from 30 boreholes installed in the site during the geophysical surveys. Our results have shown: low electrical resistivity values; high chargeability values; negative SP anomalies; and attenuated GPR reflections coincident with groundwater contamination. Laboratory and field geochemical measurements have demonstrated increased groundwater electrical conductivity and increased microbial activity associated with hydrocarbon contamination of groundwater. Our study results support the conductive model suggested by studies such as Sauck (2000) and Atekwana et al., (2004), who suggest that biological alterations of hydrocarbon contamination can substantially modify the chemical and physical properties of the subsurface, producing a dramatic shift in the geo-electrical signature from resistive to conductive. The next stage of the research will include time lapse borehole and 3D geophysical measurements coupled to biological and chemical surface phase experiments in order to monitor the bioremediation processes.

Relationship between electrical properties and crystallization of indium oxide thin films using ex-situ grazing-incidence wide-angle x-ray scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González, G. B.; Okasinski, J. S.; Buchholz, D. B.; Boesso, J.; Almer, J. D.; Zeng, L.; Bedzyk, M. J.; Chang, R. P. H.

2017-05-01

Grazing-incidence, wide-angle x-ray scattering measurements were conducted on indium oxide thin films grown on silica substrates via pulsed laser deposition. Growth temperatures (TG) in this study ranged from -50 °C to 600 °C, in order to investigate the thermal effects on the film structure and its spatial homogeneity, as well as their relationship to electrical properties. Films grown below room temperature were amorphous, while films prepared at TG = 25 °C and above crystallized in the cubic bixbyite structure, and their crystalline fraction increased with deposition temperature. The electrical conductivity (σ) and electrical mobility (μ) were strongly enhanced at low deposition temperatures. For TG = 25 °C and 50 °C, a strong ⟨100⟩ preferred orientation (texture) occurred, but it decreased as the deposition temperature, and consequential crystallinity, increased. Higher variations in texture coefficients and in lattice parameters were measured at the film surface compared to the interior of the film, indicating strong microstructural gradients. At low crystallinity, the in-plane lattice spacing expanded, while the out-of-plane spacing contracted, and those values merged at TG = 400 °C, where high μ was measured. This directional difference in lattice spacing, or deviatoric strain, was linear as a function of both deposition temperature and the degree of crystallinity. The crystalline sample with TG = 100 °C had the lowest mobility, as well as film diffraction peaks which split into doublets. The deviatoric strains from these doublet peaks differ by a factor of four, supporting the presence of both a microstructure and strain gradient in this film. More isotropic films exhibit larger μ values, indicating that the microstructure directly correlates with electrical properties. These results provide valuable insights that can help to improve the desirable properties of indium oxide, as well as other transparent conducting oxides.

Relationship between electrical properties and crystallization of indium oxide thin films using ex-situ grazing-incidence wide-angle x-ray scattering

DOE PAGES

González, G. B.; Okasinski, J. S.; Buchholz, D. B.; ...

2017-05-25

Grazing-incidence, wide-angle x-ray scattering measurements were conducted on indium oxide thin films grown on silica substrates via pulsed laser deposition. Growth temperatures (T G) in this study ranged from -50 °C to 600 °C, in order to investigate the thermal effects on the film structure and its spatial homogeneity, as well as their relationship to electrical properties. Films grown below room temperature were amorphous, while films prepared at T G = 25 °C and above crystallized in the cubic bixbyite structure, and their crystalline fraction increased with deposition temperature. The electrical conductivity (σ) and electrical mobility (μ) were strongly enhancedmore » at low deposition temperatures. For T G = 25 °C and 50 °C, a strong < 100 > preferred orientation (texture) occurred, but it decreased as the deposition temperature, and consequential crystallinity, increased. Higher variations in texture coefficients and in lattice parameters were measured at the film surface compared to the interior of the film, indicating strong microstructural gradients. At low crystallinity, the in-plane lattice spacing expanded, while the out-of-plane spacing contracted, and those values merged at T G = 400 °C, where high μ was measured. This directional difference in lattice spacing, or deviatoric strain, was linear as a function of both deposition temperature and the degree of crystallinity. The crystalline sample with T G = 100 °C had the lowest mobility, as well as film diffraction peaks which split into doublets. The deviatoric strains from these doublet peaks differ by a factor of four, supporting the presence of both a microstructure and strain gradient in this film. More isotropic films exhibit larger l values, indicating that the microstructure directly correlates with electrical properties. Lastly, these results provide valuable insights that can help to improve the desirable properties of indium oxide, as well as other transparent conducting oxides.« less

Polymer Composite Containing Carbon Nanotubes and their Applications.

PubMed

Park, Sung-Hoon; Bae, Joonwon

2017-07-10

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are attractive nanostructures in this regard, primarily due to their high aspect ratio coupled with high thermal and electrical conductivities. Consequently, CNT polymer composites have been extensively investigated for various applications, owing to their light weight and processibility. However, there have been several issues affecting the utilization of CNTs, such as aggregation (bundling) which leads to a non-uniform dispersion and poor interfacial bonding of the CNTs with the polymer, resulting in variation in composite performance, along with the additional issue of high cost of CNTs. In this article, recent research and patents for polymer composites containing carbon nanomaterial are presented and summarized. In addition, a rationale for optimally designed carbon nanotube polymer composites and their applications are suggested. Above the electrical percolation threshold, a transition from insulator to conductor occurs. The percolation threshold values of CNT composite are dependent on filler shape, intrinsic properties of filler, type of polymer, CNT dispersion condition and so on. Different values of percolation threshold CNT polymer composites have been summarized. The difference in percolation threshold and conductivity of CNT composites could be explained by the degree of effective interactions between nanotubes and polymer matrix. The reaction between surface functional groups of CNTs and polymer could contribute to better dispersion of CNTs in polymer matrix. Consequently, it increased the number of electrical networks of CNTs in polymer, resulting in an enhancement of composite conductivity. In addition, to exfoliate nanotubes from heavy bundles, ultrasonication with proper solvent and three roll milling processes were used. Potential reactions of covalent bonding between functionalized CNTs and polymer were suggested based on the above rationale. Through the use of CNT functionalization, high aspect ratio CNTs, and proper fabrication, uniform dispersion of nanotubes in polymer can be achieved leading to considerable improvement in electrical conductivity and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding properties. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

An electrified dust storm over the Negev desert, Israel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yair, Yoav; Katz, Shai; Yaniv, Roy; Ziv, Baruch; Price, Colin

2016-11-01

We report on atmospheric electrical measurements conducted at the Wise Observatory in Mitzpe-Ramon, Israel (30°35‧N, 34°45‧E) during a large dust storm that occurred over the Eastern Mediterranean region on 10-11 February 2015. The dust was transported from the Sahara, Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula ahead of an approaching Cyprus low. Satellite images show the dust plume covering the Negev desert and Southern Israel and moving north. The concentrations of PM10 particles measured by the air-quality monitoring network of the Israeli Ministry of the Environment in Beer-Sheba reached values > 450 μg m- 3 and the AOT from the AERONET station in Sde-Boker was 1.5 on February 10th. The gradual intensification of the event reached peak concentrations on February 11th of over 1200 μg m- 3 and an AOT of 1.8. Continuous measurements of the fair weather vertical electric field (Ez) and vertical current density (Jz) were conducted at the Wise Observatory with 1 minute temporal resolution. Meteorological data was also recorded at the site. As the dust was advected over the observatory, very large fluctuations in the electrical parameters were registered. From the onset of the dust storm, the Ez values changed between + 1000 and + 8000 V m- 1 while the current density fluctuated between - 10 pA m2 and + 20 pA m2, both on time-scales of a few minutes. These values are significant departures from the average fair-weather values measured at the site, which are ~- 200 V m- 1 and ~ 2 pA m2. The disturbed episodes lasted for several hours on February 10th and the 11th and coincided with local meteorological conditions related to the wind speed and direction, which carried large amounts of dust particles over our observation station. We interpret the rapid changes as caused by the transport of electrically charged dust, carrying an excess of negative charge at lower altitudes.

Effect of direct electric current on contaminants removal from the peat water with continuous system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amri, I.; Azis, A.; Drastinawati

2018-04-01

This research was analysed the essentially of treat peat water using an electric current. Initially, the characterization of peat water was determined including of three parameters they are pH, colour, and conductivity solution exhibited values that exceeded the water standard limit. There are two factors influencing the electric coagulation such as electric current and voltage that were observed in the continous study. The results obtained indicated that the majority of the an electric current were very effective for removing TDS, and pH. The research variable for the voltage from 23,5 to 42,5 volt and the electric current from 2,2 to 4,1. The optimum electric current and voltage was found around 1,5 Ampere and 25 volt, it was exhibited at 4 L/minute. In unit study, continous electric reactor showed that the optimal reduction on the 20 minutes treatment were found pH = 7, 256 ppm. It was meet to the minimum standard government permition.

Non-volatile, solid state bistable electrical switch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Roger M. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

A bistable switching element is made of a material whose electrical resistance reversibly decreases in response to intercalation by positive ions. Flow of positive ions between the bistable switching element and a positive ion source is controlled by means of an electrical potential applied across a thermal switching element. The material of the thermal switching element generates heat in response to electrical current flow therethrough, which in turn causes the material to undergo a thermal phase transition from a high electrical resistance state to a low electrical resistance state as the temperature increases above a predetermined value. Application of the electrical potential in one direction renders the thermal switching element conductive to pass electron current out of the ion source. This causes positive ions to flow from the source into the bistable switching element and intercalate the same to produce a non-volatile, low resistance logic state. Application of the electrical potential in the opposite direction causes reverse current flow which de-intercalates the bistable logic switching element and produces a high resistance logic state.

Changes of electrical conductivity of the metal surface layer by the laser alloying with foreign elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kostrubiec, Franciszek; Pawlak, Ryszard; Raczynski, Tomasz; Walczak, Maria

1994-09-01

Laser treatment of the surface of materials is of major importance for many fields technology. One of the latest and most significant methods of this treatment is laser alloying consisting of introducing foreign atoms into the metal surface layer during the reaction of laser radiation with the surface. This opens up vast possibilities for the modification of properties of such a layer (obtaining layers of increased microhardness, increased resistance to electroerosion in an electric arc, etc.). Conductivity of the material is a very important parameter in case of conductive materials used for electrical contacts. The paper presents the results of studies on change in electrical conductivity of the surface layer of metals alloyed with a laser. A comparative analysis of conductivity of base metal surface layers prior to and following laser treatment has been performed. Depending on the base metal and the alloying element, optical treatment parameters allowing a required change in the surface layer conductivity have been selected. A very important property of the contact material is its resistance to plastic strain. It affects the real value of contact surface coming into contact and, along with the material conductivity, determines contact resistance and the amount of heat generated in place of contact. These quantities are directly related to the initiation and the course of an arc discharge, hence they also affect resistance to electroerosion. The parameter that reflects plastic properties with loads concentrated on a small surface, as is the case with a reciprocal contact force of two real surfaces with their irregularities being in contact, is microhardness. In the paper, the results of investigations into microhardness of modified surface layers compared with base metal microhardness have been presented.

Estimation of anomaly location and size using electrical impedance tomography.

PubMed

Kwon, Ohin; Yoon, Jeong Rock; Seo, Jin Keun; Woo, Eung Je; Cho, Young Gu

2003-01-01

We developed a new algorithm that estimates locations and sizes of anomalies in electrically conducting medium based on electrical impedance tomography (EIT) technique. When only the boundary current and voltage measurements are available, it is not practically feasible to reconstruct accurate high-resolution cross-sectional conductivity or resistivity images of a subject. In this paper, we focus our attention on the estimation of locations and sizes of anomalies with different conductivity values compared with the background tissues. We showed the performance of the algorithm from experimental results using a 32-channel EIT system and saline phantom. With about 1.73% measurement error in boundary current-voltage data, we found that the minimal size (area) of the detectable anomaly is about 0.72% of the size (area) of the phantom. Potential applications include the monitoring of impedance related physiological events and bubble detection in two-phase flow. Since this new algorithm requires neither any forward solver nor time-consuming minimization process, it is fast enough for various real-time applications in medicine and nondestructive testing.

Electrical conductivity of graphite oxide nanoplatelets obtained from bamboo: Effect of the deoxidation degree

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gross, K.; Prias-Barragan, J. J.; Sangiao, S.; de Teresa, J. M.; Lajaunie, L.; Arenal, R.; Ariza-Calderón, H.; Prieto, P.

Given the high interest in the fabrication and application of carbon-based materials, we present a new and cost-effective method for the synthesis of graphite oxide nanoplatelets (GONP) using bamboo pyroligneous acid (BPA) as source. GONP-BPA present lateral dimensions of 5-100 micro-meter and thickness less than 80 nm, as confirmed by TEM. EEL spectra show that locally the carbon is mainly in sp2 bonding configuration and confirm a short/medium range crystalline order. Elemental analysis by EDX confirms the presence of oxygen in an atomic percentage ranging from 17 to 5%. For electrical characterization, single platelets were contacted by focused-ion-beam-induced deposition of Pt nanowires. The four-point probe electrical conductivity shows a direct correlation with the oxygen percentage. Three orders of magnitude conductivity rise is observed by the oxygen reduction, reaching a value of 2.3x103 S/m at the final deoxidation degree. The results suggest that GONP-BPA could be used in the development of advanced devices and sensors.

Thermophysical Properties of Liquid Te: Density, Electrical Conductivity, and Viscosity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, C.; Su, C.; Lehoczky, S. L.; Scripa, R. N.; Ban, H.; Lin, B.

2004-01-01

The thermophysical properties of liquid Te, namely, density, electrical conductivity, and viscosity, were determined using the pycnometric and transient torque methods from the melting point of Te (723 K) to approximately 1150 K. A maximum was observed in the density of liquid Te as the temperature was increased. The electrical conductivity of liquid Te increased to a constant value of 2.89 x 10(exp 5 OMEGA-1m-1) as the temperature was raised above 1000 K. The viscosity decreased rapidly upon heating the liquid to elevated temperatures. The anomalous behaviors of the measured properties are explained as caused by the structural transitions in the liquid and discussed in terms of Eyring's and Bachiskii's predicted behaviors for homogeneous liquids. The Properties were also measured as a function of time after the liquid was coded from approximately 1173 or 1123 to 823 K. No relaxation phenomena were observed in the properties after the temperature of liquid Te was decreased to 823 K, in contrast to the relaxation behavior observed for some of the Te compounds.

AC/DC electrical conduction and dielectric properties of PMMA/PVAc/C60 down-shifting nanocomposite films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Bashir, S. M.; Alwadai, N. M.; AlZayed, N.

2018-02-01

Polymer nanocomposite films were prepared by doping fullerene C60 in polymer blend composed of polymethacrylate/polyvinyl acetate blends (PMMA/PVAc) using solution cast technique. The films were characterized by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), Transmission electron microscope (TEM), DC/AC electrical conductivity and dielectric measurements in the frequency range (100 Hz- 1 MHz). The glass transition temperature, Tg, was increased by increasing the concentration of fullerene C60; this property reflects the increase of thermal stability by increasing the nanofiller content. The DC and AC electrical conductivities were enhanced by increasing C60 concentration due to the electron hopping or tunneling between filled and empty localized states above Tg. The relaxation time was determined from the αβ -relaxations and found to be attenuated by increasing the temperature as a typical behavior of amorphous polymers. The calculated values of thermodynamic parameters revealed the increase of molecular stability by increasing the doping concentration; this feature supports the application of PMMA/PVAc/C60 nanocomposite films in a wide scale of solar energy conversion applications such as luminescent down-shifting (LDS) coatings for photovoltaic cells.

In-Situ Wire Damage Detection System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jolley, Scott T. (Inventor); Gibson, Tracy L. (Inventor); Medelius, Pedro J. (Inventor); Roberson, Luke B. (Inventor); Tate, Lanetra C. (Inventor); Smith, Trent M. (Inventor); Williams, Martha K. (Inventor)

2014-01-01

An in-situ system for detecting damage in an electrically conductive wire. The system includes a substrate at least partially covered by a layer of electrically conductive material forming a continuous or non-continuous electrically conductive layer connected to an electrical signal generator adapted to delivering electrical signals to the electrically conductive layer. Data is received and processed to identify damage to the substrate or electrically conductive layer. The electrically conductive material may include metalized carbon fibers, a thin metal coating, a conductive polymer, carbon nanotubes, metal nanoparticles or a combination thereof.

Effect of Surfactant Type and Sonication Energy on the Electrical Conductivity Properties of Nanocellulose-CNT Nanocomposite Films.

PubMed

Siljander, Sanna; Keinänen, Pasi; Räty, Anna; Ramakrishnan, Karthik Ram; Tuukkanen, Sampo; Kunnari, Vesa; Harlin, Ali; Vuorinen, Jyrki; Kanerva, Mikko

2018-06-20

We present a detailed study on the influence of sonication energy and surfactant type on the electrical conductivity of nanocellulose-carbon nanotube (NFC-CNT) nanocomposite films. The study was made using a minimum amount of processing steps, chemicals and materials, to optimize the conductivity properties of free-standing flexible nanocomposite films. In general, the NFC-CNT film preparation process is sensitive concerning the dispersing phase of CNTs into a solution with NFC. In our study, we used sonication to carry out the dispersing phase of processing in the presence of surfactant. In the final phase, the films were prepared from the dispersion using centrifugal cast molding. The solid films were analyzed regarding their electrical conductivity using a four-probe measuring technique. We also characterized how conductivity properties were enhanced when surfactant was removed from nanocomposite films; to our knowledge this has not been reported previously. The results of our study indicated that the optimization of the surfactant type clearly affected the formation of freestanding films. The effect of sonication energy was significant in terms of conductivity. Using a relatively low 16 wt. % concentration of multiwall carbon nanotubes we achieved the highest conductivity value of 8.4 S/cm for nanocellulose-CNT films ever published in the current literature. This was achieved by optimizing the surfactant type and sonication energy per dry mass. Additionally, to further increase the conductivity, we defined a preparation step to remove the used surfactant from the final nanocomposite structure.

First principles study of thermoelectric properties of IV-VI semiconductor superlattices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borges, P. D.; Petersen, J. E.; Scolfaro, L.; Leite Alves, H. W.; Myers, T. H.

2015-03-01

Thermoelectric materials (TE) have attracted great attention due to their ability to convert heat directly into electricity. However, to be commercially competitive with existing technology, TE devices must have a higher value of figure of merit ZT. It has been proposed to improve ZT by using multilayered systems or superlattices (SLs) resulting in 1D or 2D carrier confinement, reduction of the phonon thermal conductivity, and introduction of anisotropy effects. Here we study the TE properties of IV-VI derived semiconductor SLs. By using the Boltzmann transport theory, within the constant scattering time approximation, in conjunction with first principles calculations, we study the Seebeck coefficient (S) and ZT of PbTe/SnTe SLs. The calculated S shows good agreement with recent experimental data. An anisotropic behavior is observed for low carrier concentrations less than 10⌃18cm⌃-3. For T = 900 K, a large value of ZTparallel to the SL axis equal to 2.6 is predicted for n =1.2x10⌃18cm⌃-3, whereas ZT perpendicular to the SL axis peaks at the value 1.4 for n =5.5x10⌃17 cm⌃-3. Both electrical conductivity enhancement and reduction of thermal conductivity are analyzed, and a comparison with other multilayered systems such as planar-doped PbTe is done. Support from CNPq and Texas State University.

Revisiting Wiedemann-Franz law through Boltzmann transport equations and ab-initio density functional theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nag, Abhinav; Kumari, Anuja; Kumar, Jagdish

2018-05-01

We have investigated structural, electronic and transport properties of the alkali metals using ab-initio density functional theory. The electron energy dispersions are found parabolic free electron like which is expected for alkali metals. The lattice constants for all the studied metals are also in good agreement within 98% with experiments. We have further computed their transport properties using semi-classical Boltzmann transport equations with special focus on electrical and thermal conductivity. Our objective was to obtain Wiedemann-Franz law and hence Lorenz number. The motivation to do these calculations is to see that how the incorporation of different interactions such as electron-lattice, electron-electron interaction affect the Wiedeman-Franz law. By solving Boltzmann transport equations, we have obtained electrical conductivity (σ/τ) and thermal conductivity (κ0 /τ) at different temperatures and then calculated Lorenz number using L = κ0 /(σT). The obtained value of Lorenz number has been found to match with value derived for free electron Fermi gas 2.44× 10-8 WΩK-2. Our results prove that the Wiedemann-Franz law as derived for free electron gas does not change much for alkali metals, even when one incorporates interaction of electrons with atomic nuclei and other electrons. However, at lower temperatures, the Lorenz number, was found to be deviating from its theoretical value.

Hydrothermal synthesis of mesoporous VO{sub 2}·½(H{sub 2}O) nanosheets and study of their electrical properties

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

Soltane, L.; Sediri, F., E-mail: faouzi.sediri@ipeit.rnu.tn; Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université, Tunis-Elmanar, 2092 Elmanar, Tunis

Highlights: ► Sheet-like nanocrystalline VO{sub 2}·½(H{sub 2}O) was synthesized by a hydrothermal route. ► Reaction time is key factor for structure and morphology. ► Electrical properties were also studied. ► Conductivity value goes from 75 10{sup −6} Ω{sup −1} cm{sup −1} at 298 K to 68 10{sup −5} Ω{sup −1} cm{sup −1} at 386 K. -- Abstract: Layered sheet-like nanocrystalline VO{sub 2}·½(H{sub 2}O) has been synthesized by hydrothermal process using V{sub 2}O{sub 5} as vanadium source and 2-phenylethylamine as a reducing agent and a structure-directing template. Techniques X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transformmore » infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms have been used to characterize the structure, morphology and composition of the materials. Electrical conductivity measurements showed that the as synthesized VO{sub 2}·½(H{sub 2}O) nanosheets has a conductivity value which goes from 75 × 10{sup −6} Ω{sup −1} cm{sup −1} at 298 K, to 68 10{sup −5} Ω{sup −1} cm{sup −1} at 386 K with activation energy of 0.24 eV.« less

Hydrogen self-diffusion in single crystal olivine and electrical conductivity of the Earth’s mantle

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

Novella, Davide; Jacobsen, Benjamin; Weber, Peter K.

Nominally anhydrous minerals formed deep in the mantle and transported to the Earth’s surface contain tens to hundreds of ppm wt H 2O, providing evidence for the presence of dissolved water in the Earth’s interior. Even at these low concentrations, H 2O greatly affects the physico-chemical properties of mantle materials, governing planetary dynamics and evolution. The diffusion of hydrogen (H) controls the transport of H 2O in the Earth’s upper mantle, but is not fully understood for olivine ((Mg, Fe) 2SiO 4) the most abundant mineral in this region. Here we present new hydrogen self-diffusion coefficients in natural olivine singlemore » crystals that were determined at upper mantle conditions (2 GPa and 750–900 °C). Hydrogen self-diffusion is highly anisotropic, with values at 900 °C of 10 -10.9, 10 -12.8 and 10 -11.9 m 2/s along [100], [010] and [001] directions, respectively. Combined with the Nernst-Einstein relation, these diffusion results constrain the contribution of H to the electrical conductivity of olivine to be σH = 10 2.12S/m·C H2O·exp -187kJ/mol/(RT). Comparisons between the model presented in this study and magnetotelluric measurements suggest that plausible H 2O concentrations in the upper mantle (≤250 ppm wt) can account for high electrical conductivity values (10 -2–10 -1 S/m) observed in the asthenosphere.« less

Hydrogen self-diffusion in single crystal olivine and electrical conductivity of the Earth’s mantle

DOE PAGES

Novella, Davide; Jacobsen, Benjamin; Weber, Peter K.; ...

2017-07-13

Nominally anhydrous minerals formed deep in the mantle and transported to the Earth’s surface contain tens to hundreds of ppm wt H 2O, providing evidence for the presence of dissolved water in the Earth’s interior. Even at these low concentrations, H 2O greatly affects the physico-chemical properties of mantle materials, governing planetary dynamics and evolution. The diffusion of hydrogen (H) controls the transport of H 2O in the Earth’s upper mantle, but is not fully understood for olivine ((Mg, Fe) 2SiO 4) the most abundant mineral in this region. Here we present new hydrogen self-diffusion coefficients in natural olivine singlemore » crystals that were determined at upper mantle conditions (2 GPa and 750–900 °C). Hydrogen self-diffusion is highly anisotropic, with values at 900 °C of 10 -10.9, 10 -12.8 and 10 -11.9 m 2/s along [100], [010] and [001] directions, respectively. Combined with the Nernst-Einstein relation, these diffusion results constrain the contribution of H to the electrical conductivity of olivine to be σH = 10 2.12S/m·C H2O·exp -187kJ/mol/(RT). Comparisons between the model presented in this study and magnetotelluric measurements suggest that plausible H 2O concentrations in the upper mantle (≤250 ppm wt) can account for high electrical conductivity values (10 -2–10 -1 S/m) observed in the asthenosphere.« less

Agrochemical characterisation of the solid by-products and residues from the winery and distillery industry.

PubMed

Bustamante, M A; Moral, R; Paredes, C; Pérez-Espinosa, A; Moreno-Caselles, J; Pérez-Murcia, M D

2008-01-01

The winery and distillery industry produces a great quantity of residues, whose management and disposal are environmental problems due to their seasonal character and some polluting characteristics. The main solid by-products and residues generated are grape stalk, grape pomace or marc, wine lee, exhausted grape marc and winery sludge. In this study, 87 samples of winery and distillery residues were collected from different Spanish wineries and distilleries. Electrical conductivity, pH, total organic matter, organic carbon, polyphenols and contents of plant nutrients and heavy metals were determined. The purpose of this research was to study the composition of these wastes and to find relationships in order to use easily analysable parameters to estimate their composition. In general, the winery and distillery residues showed low pH (mean values ranged from 3.8 to 6.8) and electrical conductivity values (1.62-6.15 dS m(-1)) and high organic matter (669-920 g kg(-1)) and macronutrient contents, especially in K (11.9-72.8 g kg(-1)). However, a notable polyphenol concentration (1.2-19.0 g kg(-1)) and low micronutrient and heavy metal contents were also observed, some of these properties being incompatible with agricultural requirements. Therefore, conditioning treatments are necessary prior to possible use of these wastes. In all wastes, significant correlations were found between easily determined parameters, such as pH, electrical conductivity and total organic matter, and most of the parameters studied. The regression models obtained are also discussed.

Hydrogen self-diffusion in single crystal olivine and electrical conductivity of the Earth's mantle.

PubMed

Novella, Davide; Jacobsen, Benjamin; Weber, Peter K; Tyburczy, James A; Ryerson, Frederick J; Du Frane, Wyatt L

2017-07-13

Nominally anhydrous minerals formed deep in the mantle and transported to the Earth's surface contain tens to hundreds of ppm wt H 2 O, providing evidence for the presence of dissolved water in the Earth's interior. Even at these low concentrations, H 2 O greatly affects the physico-chemical properties of mantle materials, governing planetary dynamics and evolution. The diffusion of hydrogen (H) controls the transport of H 2 O in the Earth's upper mantle, but is not fully understood for olivine ((Mg, Fe) 2 SiO 4 ) the most abundant mineral in this region. Here we present new hydrogen self-diffusion coefficients in natural olivine single crystals that were determined at upper mantle conditions (2 GPa and 750-900 °C). Hydrogen self-diffusion is highly anisotropic, with values at 900 °C of 10 -10.9 , 10 -12.8 and 10 -11.9 m 2 /s along [100], [010] and [001] directions, respectively. Combined with the Nernst-Einstein relation, these diffusion results constrain the contribution of H to the electrical conductivity of olivine to be σ H  = 10 2.12 S/m·C H2O ·exp -187kJ/mol/(RT) . Comparisons between the model presented in this study and magnetotelluric measurements suggest that plausible H 2 O concentrations in the upper mantle (≤250 ppm wt) can account for high electrical conductivity values (10 -2 -10 -1  S/m) observed in the asthenosphere.

Microstructure factor and mechanical and electronic properties of hydrogenated amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon thin-films for microelectromechanical systems applications

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

Mouro, J.; Gualdino, A.; Chu, V.

2013-11-14

Thin-film silicon allows the fabrication of MEMS devices at low processing temperatures, compatible with monolithic integration in advanced electronic circuits, on large-area, low-cost, and flexible substrates. The most relevant thin-film properties for applications as MEMS structural layers are the deposition rate, electrical conductivity, and mechanical stress. In this work, n{sup +}-type doped hydrogenated amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon thin-films were deposited by RF-PECVD, and the influence of the hydrogen dilution in the reactive mixture, the RF-power coupled to the plasma, the substrate temperature, and the deposition pressure on the structural, electrical, and mechanical properties of the films was studied. Three differentmore » types of silicon films were identified, corresponding to three internal structures: (i) porous amorphous silicon, deposited at high rates and presenting tensile mechanical stress and low electrical conductivity, (ii) dense amorphous silicon, deposited at intermediate rates and presenting compressive mechanical stress and higher values of electrical conductivity, and (iii) nanocrystalline silicon, deposited at very low rates and presenting the highest compressive mechanical stress and electrical conductivity. These results show the combinations of electromechanical material properties available in silicon thin-films and thus allow the optimized selection of a thin silicon film for a given MEMS application. Four representative silicon thin-films were chosen to be used as structural material of electrostatically actuated MEMS microresonators fabricated by surface micromachining. The effect of the mechanical stress of the structural layer was observed to have a great impact on the device resonance frequency, quality factor, and actuation force.« less

Extraction of temperature dependent electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity from silicon microwires self-heated to melting temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakan, Gokhan; Adnane, Lhacene; Gokirmak, Ali; Silva, Helena

2012-09-01

Temperature-dependent electrical resistivity, ρ(T), and thermal conductivity, k(T), of nanocrystalline silicon microwires self-heated to melt are extracted by matching simulated current-voltage (I-V) characteristics to experimental I-V characteristics. Electrical resistivity is extracted from highly doped p-type wires on silicon dioxide in which the heat losses are predominantly to the substrate and the self-heating depends mainly on ρ(T) of the wires. The extracted ρ(T) decreases from 11.8 mΩ cm at room-temperature to 5.2 mΩ cm at 1690 K, in reasonable agreement with the values measured up to ˜650 K. Electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity are extracted from suspended highly doped n-type silicon wires in which the heat losses are predominantly through the wires. In this case, measured ρ(T) (decreasing from 20.5 mΩ cm at room temperature to 12 mΩ cm at 620 K) is used to extract ρ(T) at higher temperatures (decreasing to 1 mΩ cm at 1690 K) and k(T) (decreasing from 30 W m-1 K-1 at room temperature to 20 W m-1 K-1 at 1690 K). The method is tested by using the extracted parameters to model wires with different dimensions. The experimental and simulated I-V curves for these wires show good agreement up to high voltage and temperature levels. This technique allows extraction of the electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity up to very high temperatures from self-heated microstructures.

Preparation of monodisperse microbubbles using an integrated embedded capillary T-junction with electrohydrodynamic focusing.

PubMed

Parhizkar, Maryam; Stride, Eleanor; Edirisinghe, Mohan

2014-07-21

This work investigates the generation of monodisperse microbubbles using a microfluidic setup combined with electrohydrodynamic processing. A basic T-junction microfluidic device was modified by applying an electrical potential difference across the outlet channel. A model glycerol air system was selected for the experiments. In order to investigate the influence of the electric field strength on bubble formation, the applied voltage was increased systematically up to 21 kV. The effect of solution viscosity and electrical conductivity was also investigated. It was found that with increasing electrical potential difference, the size of the microbubbles reduced to ~25% of the capillary diameter whilst their size distribution remained narrow (polydispersity index ~1%). A critical value of 12 kV was found above which no further significant reduction in the size of the microbubbles was observed. The findings suggest that the size of the bubbles formed in the T-junction (i.e. in the absence of the electric field) is strongly influenced by the viscosity of the solution. The eventual size of bubbles produced by the composite device, however, was only weakly dependent upon viscosity. Further experiments, in which the solution electrical conductivity was varied by the addition of a salt indicated that this had a much stronger influence upon bubble size.

High-throughput shadow mask printing of passive electrical components on paper by supersonic cluster beam deposition

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

Caruso, Francesco; Bellacicca, Andrea; Milani, Paolo, E-mail: pmilani@mi.infn.it

We report the rapid prototyping of passive electrical components (resistors and capacitors) on plain paper by an additive and parallel technology consisting of supersonic cluster beam deposition (SCBD) coupled with shadow mask printing. Cluster-assembled films have a growth mechanism substantially different from that of atom-assembled ones providing the possibility of a fine tuning of their electrical conduction properties around the percolative conduction threshold. Exploiting the precise control on cluster beam intensity and shape typical of SCBD, we produced, in a one-step process, batches of resistors with resistance values spanning a range of two orders of magnitude. Parallel plate capacitors withmore » paper as the dielectric medium were also produced with capacitance in the range of tens of picofarads. Compared to standard deposition technologies, SCBD allows for a very efficient use of raw materials and the rapid production of components with different shape and dimensions while controlling independently the electrical characteristics. Discrete electrical components produced by SCBD are very robust against deformation and bending, and they can be easily assembled to build circuits with desired characteristics. The availability of large batches of these components enables the rapid and cheap prototyping and integration of electrical components on paper as building blocks of more complex systems.« less

Characterization and frequency-thermal response of electrical properties of Cu nanoferrite prepared by sol-gel method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moghadasi, Fatemeh S.; Daadmehr, Vahid; Kashfi, Monire

2016-10-01

In this paper, we have synthesized copper ferrite nanocrystals using sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirms that the ferrite has cubic spinal structure and shows Jahn-Teller effect. Also, scan electron microscope (SEM) image demonstrates that grains are nano size order. We showed that the dielectric properties are compatible with the Maxwell-Wagner model and phenomenological Koop's theory. Loss tangent and conductivity of the ferrite have been measured to have small values of 2.4 and 2×10-7 S/m, respectively at room temperature and at 12 Hz. Conductivity has been investigated in terms of localized hopping mechanism and good obedience of Jonscher's law was observed. Variation of activation energy was studied and showed a transition temperature of 443 °K. The electrical modulus shows relaxation of interfacial polarization with relaxation time of 0.318 ms at 24 °C and 15.9 μs at 72 °C. In Impedance spectroscopy, we observed the effects of grain and grain boundary. By increasing temperature, capacity and conduction would increase which show easier polarization process and a semiconducting behavior. Also, relaxation times are shifted to smaller values to represent increasing the electrons mobility.

Development of a nerve conduction technique for the recurrent laryngeal nerve.

PubMed

J Kim, Sang; G Lee, Dae; Kwon, Jeong-Yi

2014-12-01

To develop a reliable and safe laryngeal nerve conduction technique and to obtain consistent parameters as normal reference values. A prospective single-arm study. A nerve conduction test was performed on the contralateral normal side in 42 patients with unilateral vocal fold palsy. The recording was performed in the intact thyroarytenoid muscle using a monopolar needle. The electrical stimulation using a 37-mm monopolar needle was applied 3 cm below the lower margin of the cricoid cartilage, just lateral to the trachea and medial to the carotid artery, and its intensity was gradually increased until the amplitude of the electrical response reached the maximum level. The latency of the evoked muscle response was acquired at the first evoked waveform deflection from the baseline. The average latency of the recurrent laryngeal nerves was 1.98 ± 0.26 ms. The latencies showed normal distribution according to the quantile-quantile plot and Kolmogorov-Smirnov test (P = .098). There was no significant difference in latencies between the right and left recurrent laryngeal nerves. Anthropometric factors including height and weight did not show any correlation with the latencies. We developed a reliable and safe laryngeal nerve conduction technique and obtained normal reference values for the recurrent laryngeal nerve conduction study. This laryngeal nerve conduction study can be an additional tool for detecting recurrent laryngeal nerve injury if it is performed in combination with the conventional laryngeal electromyography. 4. © 2014 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

High permittivity polyaniline-barium titanate nanocomposites with excellent electromagnetic interference shielding response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saini, Parveen; Arora, Manju; Gupta, Govind; Gupta, Bipin Kumar; Singh, Vidya Nand; Choudhary, Veena

2013-05-01

Organic conductive polymers are at the forefront of materials science research because of their diverse applications built around their interesting and unique properties. This work reports for the first time a correlation between the structural, electrical, and electromagnetic properties of polyaniline (PANI)-tetragonal BaTiO3 (TBT) nanocomposites prepared by in-situ emulsion polymerization. XRD studies and HRTEM micrographs of these nanocomposites clearly revealed the incorporation of TBT nanoparticles in the conducting PANI matrix. EPR and XPS measurements reveal that increase in loading level of BaTiO3 results in a reduction of the doping level of PANI. The Ku-Band (12.4-18 GHz) network analysis of these composites shows exceptional microwave shielding response with absorption dominated total shielding effectiveness (SET) value of -71.5 dB (blockage of more than 99.99999% of incident radiation) which is the highest value reported in the literature. Such a high attenuation level, which critically depends on the fraction of BaTiO3 is attributed to optimized dielectric and electrical attributes. This demonstrates the possibility of using these materials in stealth technology and for making futuristic radar absorbing materials (RAMs).Organic conductive polymers are at the forefront of materials science research because of their diverse applications built around their interesting and unique properties. This work reports for the first time a correlation between the structural, electrical, and electromagnetic properties of polyaniline (PANI)-tetragonal BaTiO3 (TBT) nanocomposites prepared by in-situ emulsion polymerization. XRD studies and HRTEM micrographs of these nanocomposites clearly revealed the incorporation of TBT nanoparticles in the conducting PANI matrix. EPR and XPS measurements reveal that increase in loading level of BaTiO3 results in a reduction of the doping level of PANI. The Ku-Band (12.4-18 GHz) network analysis of these composites shows exceptional microwave shielding response with absorption dominated total shielding effectiveness (SET) value of -71.5 dB (blockage of more than 99.99999% of incident radiation) which is the highest value reported in the literature. Such a high attenuation level, which critically depends on the fraction of BaTiO3 is attributed to optimized dielectric and electrical attributes. This demonstrates the possibility of using these materials in stealth technology and for making futuristic radar absorbing materials (RAMs). Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr00634d

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

Tooker, Angela C.; Felix, Sarah H.; Pannu, Satinderpall S.

A neural interface includes a first dielectric material having at least one first opening for a first electrical conducting material, a first electrical conducting material in the first opening, and at least one first interconnection trace electrical conducting material connected to the first electrical conducting material. A stiffening shank material is located adjacent the first dielectric material, the first electrical conducting material, and the first interconnection trace electrical conducting material.

Inversion of multi-frequency electromagnetic induction data for 3D characterization of hydraulic conductivity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brosten, Troy R.; Day-Lewis, Frederick D.; Schultz, Gregory M.; Curtis, Gary P.; Lane, John W.

2011-01-01

Electromagnetic induction (EMI) instruments provide rapid, noninvasive, and spatially dense data for characterization of soil and groundwater properties. Data from multi-frequency EMI tools can be inverted to provide quantitative electrical conductivity estimates as a function of depth. In this study, multi-frequency EMI data collected across an abandoned uranium mill site near Naturita, Colorado, USA, are inverted to produce vertical distribution of electrical conductivity (EC) across the site. The relation between measured apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) and hydraulic conductivity (K) is weak (correlation coefficient of 0.20), whereas the correlation between the depth dependent EC obtained from the inversions, and K is sufficiently strong to be used for hydrologic estimation (correlation coefficient of − 0.62). Depth-specific EC values were correlated with co-located K measurements to develop a site-specific ln(EC)–ln(K) relation. This petrophysical relation was applied to produce a spatially detailed map of K across the study area. A synthetic example based on ECa values at the site was used to assess model resolution and correlation loss given variations in depth and/or measurement error. Results from synthetic modeling indicate that optimum correlation with K occurs at ~ 0.5 m followed by a gradual correlation loss of 90% at 2.3 m. These results are consistent with an analysis of depth of investigation (DOI) given the range of frequencies, transmitter–receiver separation, and measurement errors for the field data. DOIs were estimated at 2.0 ± 0.5 m depending on the soil conductivities. A 4-layer model, with varying thicknesses, was used to invert the ECa to maximize available information within the aquifer region for improved correlations with K. Results show improved correlation between K and the corresponding inverted EC at similar depths, underscoring the importance of inversion in using multi-frequency EMI data for hydrologic estimation.

Inversion of multi-frequency electromagnetic induction data for 3D characterization of hydraulic conductivity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brosten, T.R.; Day-Lewis, F. D.; Schultz, G.M.; Curtis, G.P.; Lane, J.W.

2011-01-01

Electromagnetic induction (EMI) instruments provide rapid, noninvasive, and spatially dense data for characterization of soil and groundwater properties. Data from multi-frequency EMI tools can be inverted to provide quantitative electrical conductivity estimates as a function of depth. In this study, multi-frequency EMI data collected across an abandoned uranium mill site near Naturita, Colorado, USA, are inverted to produce vertical distribution of electrical conductivity (EC) across the site. The relation between measured apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) and hydraulic conductivity (K) is weak (correlation coefficient of 0.20), whereas the correlation between the depth dependent EC obtained from the inversions, and K is sufficiently strong to be used for hydrologic estimation (correlation coefficient of -0.62). Depth-specific EC values were correlated with co-located K measurements to develop a site-specific ln(EC)-ln(K) relation. This petrophysical relation was applied to produce a spatially detailed map of K across the study area. A synthetic example based on ECa values at the site was used to assess model resolution and correlation loss given variations in depth and/or measurement error. Results from synthetic modeling indicate that optimum correlation with K occurs at ~0.5m followed by a gradual correlation loss of 90% at 2.3m. These results are consistent with an analysis of depth of investigation (DOI) given the range of frequencies, transmitter-receiver separation, and measurement errors for the field data. DOIs were estimated at 2.0??0.5m depending on the soil conductivities. A 4-layer model, with varying thicknesses, was used to invert the ECa to maximize available information within the aquifer region for improved correlations with K. Results show improved correlation between K and the corresponding inverted EC at similar depths, underscoring the importance of inversion in using multi-frequency EMI data for hydrologic estimation. ?? 2011.

On the importance of body posture and skin modelling with respect to in situ electric field strengths in magnetic field exposure scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmid, Gernot; Hirtl, Rene

2016-06-01

The reference levels and maximum permissible exposure values for magnetic fields that are currently used have been derived from basic restrictions under the assumption of upright standing body models in a standard posture, i.e. with arms laterally down and without contact with metallic objects. Moreover, if anatomical modelling of the body was used at all, the skin was represented as a single homogeneous tissue layer. In the present paper we addressed the possible impacts of posture and skin modelling in scenarios of exposure to a 50 Hz uniform magnetic field on the in situ electric field strength in peripheral tissues, which must be limited in order to avoid peripheral nerve stimulation. We considered different body postures including situations where body parts form large induction loops (e.g. clasped hands) with skin-to-skin and skin-to-metal contact spots and compared the results obtained with a homogeneous single-layer skin model to results obtained with a more realistic two-layer skin representation consisting of a low-conductivity stratum corneum layer on top of a combined layer for the cellular epidermis and dermis. Our results clearly indicated that postures with loops formed of body parts may lead to substantially higher maximum values of induced in situ electric field strengths than in the case of standard postures due to a highly concentrated current density and in situ electric field strength in the skin-to-skin and skin-to-metal contact regions. With a homogeneous single-layer skin, as is used for even the most recent anatomical body models in exposure assessment, the in situ electric field strength may exceed the basic restrictions in such situations, even when the reference levels and maximum permissible exposure values are not exceeded. However, when using the more realistic two-layer skin model the obtained in situ electric field strengths were substantially lower and no violations of the basic restrictions occurred, which can be explained by the current-limiting effect of the low-conductivity stratum corneum layer.

Frequency Dependent Electrical and Dielectric Properties of Au/P3HT:PCBM:F4-TCNQ/n-Si Schottky Barrier Diode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taşçıoğlu, İ.; Tüzün Özmen, Ö.; Şağban, H. M.; Yağlıoğlu, E.; Altındal, Ş.

2017-04-01

In this study, poly(3-hexylthiophene):[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester: 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (P3HT:PCBM:F4-TCNQ) organic film was deposited on n-type silicon (n-Si) substrate by spin coating method. The electrical and dielectric analysis of Au/P3HT:PCBM:F4-TCNQ/n-Si Schottky barrier diode was conducted by means of capacitance-voltage ( C- V) and conductance-voltage ( G/ ω- V) measurements in the frequency range of 10 kHz-2 MHz. The C- V- f plots exhibit fairly large frequency dispersion due to excess capacitance caused by the presence of interface states ( N ss). The values of N ss located in semiconductor bandgap at the organic film/semiconductor interface were calculated by Hill-Coleman method. Experimental results show that dielectric constant ( ɛ') and dielectric loss ( ɛ″) decrease with increasing frequency, whereas loss tangent (tan δ) remains nearly the same. The decrease in ɛ' and ɛ″ was interpreted by the theory of dielectric relaxation due to interfacial polarization. It is also observed that ac electrical conductivity ( σ ac) and electric modulus ( M' and M″) increase with increasing frequency.

DC conductivity of twisted bilayer graphene: Angle-dependent transport properties and effects of disorder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andelković, M.; Covaci, L.; Peeters, F. M.

2018-03-01

The in-plane dc conductivity of twisted bilayer graphene is calculated using an expansion of the real-space Kubo-Bastin conductivity in terms of Chebyshev polynomials. We investigate within a tight-binding approach the transport properties as a function of rotation angle, applied perpendicular electric field, and vacancy disorder. We find that for high-angle twists, the two layers are effectively decoupled, and the minimum conductivity at the Dirac point corresponds to double the value observed in monolayer graphene. This remains valid even in the presence of vacancies, hinting that chiral symmetry is still preserved. On the contrary, for low twist angles, the conductivity at the Dirac point depends on the twist angle and is not protected in the presence of disorder. Furthermore, for low angles and in the presence of an applied electric field, we find that the chiral boundary states emerging between AB and BA regions contribute to the dc conductivity, despite the appearance of localized states in the AA regions. The results agree qualitatively with recent transport experiments in low-angle twisted bilayer graphene.

Influence of water conductivity on shock waves generated by underwater electrical wire explosion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ben; Wang, Deguo; Guo, Yanbao

2018-01-01

The new application of electrical explosion of wire (EEW) used in petroleum industry is to enhance oil recovery (EOR). Because of the complex environment underground, the effect of underground water conductivity on EEW should be considered. This work describes the effect of water conductivities on discharge current, voltage and shock waves. It was found that the effect of water conductivity contains two parts. One is the shunt effect of saline water, which can be considered as a parallel load with the copper wire between the electrodes connected to the discharge circuit. The peak pressure of shock waves are gradually decrease with the increase of water conductivity. The other is the current loss through saline water directly to the ground ends without flowing through the electrodes. The shunt effect is the main factor affecting the wire discharge process. As the charging voltage increased, the energy loss caused by these two parts are all reduced. These indicate that increasing the charging voltage to a certain value will increase the energy efficiency to generate a more powerful shock waves in conductive water.

Colossal dielectric response in all-ceramic percolative composite 0.65Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.35PbTiO3-Pb2Ru2O6.5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bobnar, V.; Hrovat, M.; Holc, J.; Filipič, C.; Levstik, A.; Kosec, M.

2009-02-01

An exceptionally high dielectric constant was obtained by making use of the conductive percolative phenomenon in all-ceramic composite, comprising of Pb2Ru2O6.5 with high electrical conductivity denoted as the conductive phase and ferroelectric 0.65Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.35PbTiO3 (PMN-PT) perovskite systems. Structural analysis revealed a uniform distribution of conductive ceramic grains within the PMN-PT matrix. Consequently, the dielectric response in the PMN-PT-Pb2Ru2O6.5 composite follows the predictions of the percolation theory. Thus, close to the percolation point exceptionally high values of the dielectric constant were obtained—values higher than 105 were detected at room temperature at 1 kHz. Fit of the data, obtained for samples of different compositions, revealed critical exponent and percolation point, which reasonably agree with the theoretically predicted values.

Ag-graphene hybrid conductive ink for writing electronics.

PubMed

Xu, L Y; Yang, G Y; Jing, H Y; Wei, J; Han, Y D

2014-02-07

With the aim of preparing a method for the writing of electronics on paper by the use of common commercial rollerball pens loaded with conductive ink, hybrid conductive ink composed of Ag nanoparticles (15 wt%) and graphene-Ag composite nanosheets (0.15 wt%) formed by depositing Ag nanoparticles (∼10 nm) onto graphene sheets was prepared for the first time. Owing to the electrical pathway effect of graphene and the decreased contact resistance of graphene junctions by depositing Ag nanoparticles (NPs) onto graphene sheets, the concentration of Ag NPs was significantly reduced while maintaining high conductivity at a curing temperature of 100 ° C. A typical resistivity value measured was 1.9 × 10(-7) Ω m, which is 12 times the value for bulk silver. Even over thousands of bending cycles or rolling, the resistance values of writing tracks only increase slightly. The stability and flexibility of the writing circuits are good, demonstrating the promising future of this hybrid ink and direct writing method.

Electrical and magnetic properties of rock and soil

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scott, J.H.

1983-01-01

Field and laboratory measurements have been made to determine the electrical conductivity, dielectric constant, and magnetic permeability of rock and soil in areas of interest in studies of electromagnetic pulse propagation. Conductivity is determined by making field measurements of apparent resisitivity at very low frequencies (0-20 cps), and interpreting the true resistivity of layers at various depths by curve-matching methods. Interpreted resistivity values are converted to corresponding conductivity values which are assumed to be applicable at 10^2 cps, an assumption which is considered valid because the conductivity of rock and soil is nearly constant at frequencies below 10^2 cps. Conductivity is estimated at higher frequencies (up to 10^6 cps) by using statistical correlations of three parameters obtained from laboratory measurements of rock and soil samples: conductivity at 10^2 cps, frequency and conductivity measured over the range 10^2 to 10^6 cps. Conductivity may also be estimated in this frequency range by using field measurements of water content and correlations of laboratory sample measurements of the three parameters: water content, frequency, and conductivity measured over the range 10^2 to 10^6 cps. This method is less accurate because nonrandom variation of ion concentration in natural pore water introduces error. Dielectric constant is estimated in a similar manner from field-derived conductivity values applicable at 10^2 cps and statistical correlations of three parameters obtained from laboratory measurements of samples: conductivity measured at 10^2 cps, frequency, and dielectric constant measured over the frequency range 10^2 to 10^6 cps. Dielectric constant may also be estimated from field measurements of water content and correlations of laboratory sample measurements of the three parameters: water content, frequency, and dielectric constant measured from 10^2 to 10^6 cps, but again, this method is less accurate because of variation of ion concentration of pore water. Special laboratory procedures are used to measure conductivity and dielectric constant of rock and soil samples. Electrode polarization errors are minimized by using an electrode system that is electrochemically reversible-with ions in pore water.

Preparation, Structural and Dielectric Properties of Solution Grown Polyvinyl Alcohol(PVA) Film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nangia, Rakhi; Shukla, Neeraj K.; Sharma, Ambika

2017-08-01

Flexible dielectrics with high permittivity have been investigated extensively due to their applications in electronic industry. In this work, structural and electrical characteristics of polymer based film have been analysed. Poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) film was prepared by solution casting method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) characterization technique is used to investigate the structural properties. The semi-crystalline nature has been determined by the analysis of the obtained XRD pattern. Electrical properties of the synthesized film have been analysed from the C-V and I-V curves obtained at various frequencies and temperatures. Low conductivity values confirm the insulating behaviour of the film. However, it is found that conductivity increases with temperature. Also, the dielectric permittivity is found to be higher at lower frequencies and higher temperatures, that proves PVA to be an excellent dielectric material which can be used in interface electronics. Dielectric behaviour of the film has been explained based on dipole orientations to slow and fast varying electric field. However further engineering can be done to modulate the structural, electrical properties of the film.

Electronic transport coefficients in plasmas using an effective energy-dependent electron-ion collision-frequency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faussurier, G.; Blancard, C.; Combis, P.; Decoster, A.; Videau, L.

2017-10-01

We present a model to calculate the electrical and thermal electronic conductivities in plasmas using the Chester-Thellung-Kubo-Greenwood approach coupled with the Kramers approximation. The divergence in photon energy at low values is eliminated using a regularization scheme with an effective energy-dependent electron-ion collision-frequency. Doing so, we interpolate smoothly between the Drude-like and the Spitzer-like regularizations. The model still satisfies the well-known sum rule over the electrical conductivity. Such kind of approximation is also naturally extended to the average-atom model. A particular attention is paid to the Lorenz number. Its nondegenerate and degenerate limits are given and the transition towards the Drude-like limit is proved in the Kramers approximation.

Diffusion in liquid metal systems. [information on electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ukanwa, A. O.

1975-01-01

Physical properties of twenty liquid metals are reported; some of the data on such liquid metal properties as density, electrical resistivity, thermal conductivity, and heat capacity are summarized in graphical form. Data on laboratory handling and safety procedure are summarized for each metal; heat-transfer-correlations for liquid metals under various conditions of laminar and turbulent flow are included. Where sufficient data were available, temperature equations of properties were obtained by the method of least-squares fit. All values of properties given are valid in the given liquid phase ranges only. Additional tabular data on some 40 metals are reported in the appendix. Included is a brief description of experiments that were performed to investigate diffusion in liquid indium-gallium systems.

New equivalent-electrical circuit model and a practical measurement method for human body impedance.

PubMed

Chinen, Koyu; Kinjo, Ichiko; Zamami, Aki; Irei, Kotoyo; Nagayama, Kanako

2015-01-01

Human body impedance analysis is an effective tool to extract electrical information from tissues in the human body. This paper presents a new measurement method of impedance using armpit electrode and a new equivalent circuit model for the human body. The lowest impedance was measured by using an LCR meter and six electrodes including armpit electrodes. The electrical equivalent circuit model for the cell consists of resistance R and capacitance C. The R represents electrical resistance of the liquid of the inside and outside of the cell, and the C represents high frequency conductance of the cell membrane. We propose an equivalent circuit model which consists of five parallel high frequency-passing CR circuits. The proposed equivalent circuit represents alpha distribution in the impedance measured at a lower frequency range due to ion current of the outside of the cell, and beta distribution at a high frequency range due to the cell membrane and the liquid inside cell. The calculated values by using the proposed equivalent circuit model were consistent with the measured values for the human body impedance.

Regional Charging Infrastructure for Plug-In Electric Vehicles: A Case Study of Massachusetts

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

Wood, Eric; Raghavan, Sesha; Rames, Clement

Given the complex issues associated with plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) charging and options in deploying charging infrastructure, there is interest in exploring scenarios of future charging infrastructure deployment to provide insight and guidance to national and regional stakeholders. The complexity and cost of PEV charging infrastructure pose challenges to decision makers, including individuals, communities, and companies considering infrastructure installations. The value of PEVs to consumers and fleet operators can be increased with well-planned and cost-effective deployment of charging infrastructure. This will increase the number of miles driven electrically and accelerate PEV market penetration, increasing the shared value of charging networksmore » to an expanding consumer base. Given these complexities and challenges, the objective of the present study is to provide additional insight into the role of charging infrastructure in accelerating PEV market growth. To that end, existing studies on PEV infrastructure are summarized in a literature review. Next, an analysis of current markets is conducted with a focus on correlations between PEV adoption and public charging availability. A forward-looking case study is then conducted focused on supporting 300,000 PEVs by 2025 in Massachusetts. The report concludes with a discussion of potential methodology for estimating economic impacts of PEV infrastructure growth.« less

MoisturEC: A New R Program for Moisture Content Estimation from Electrical Conductivity Data.

PubMed

Terry, Neil; Day-Lewis, Frederick D; Werkema, Dale; Lane, John W

2018-03-06

Noninvasive geophysical estimation of soil moisture has potential to improve understanding of flow in the unsaturated zone for problems involving agricultural management, aquifer recharge, and optimization of landfill design and operations. In principle, several geophysical techniques (e.g., electrical resistivity, electromagnetic induction, and nuclear magnetic resonance) offer insight into soil moisture, but data-analysis tools are needed to "translate" geophysical results into estimates of soil moisture, consistent with (1) the uncertainty of this translation and (2) direct measurements of moisture. Although geostatistical frameworks exist for this purpose, straightforward and user-friendly tools are required to fully capitalize on the potential of geophysical information for soil-moisture estimation. Here, we present MoisturEC, a simple R program with a graphical user interface to convert measurements or images of electrical conductivity (EC) to soil moisture. Input includes EC values, point moisture estimates, and definition of either Archie parameters (based on experimental or literature values) or empirical data of moisture vs. EC. The program produces two- and three-dimensional images of moisture based on available EC and direct measurements of moisture, interpolating between measurement locations using a Tikhonov regularization approach. Published 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Electric field induced metal-insulator transition in VO2 thin film based on FTO/VO2/FTO structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, Rulong; Li, Yi; Liu, Fei; Sun, Yao; Tang, Jiayin; Chen, Peizu; Jiang, Wei; Wu, Zhengyi; Xu, Tingting; Fang, Baoying

2016-03-01

A VO2 thin film has been prepared using a DC magnetron sputtering method and annealing on an F-doped SnO2 (FTO) conductive glass substrate. The FTO/VO2/FTO structure was fabricated using photolithography and a chemical etching process. The temperature dependence of the I-V hysteresis loop for the FTO/VO2/FTO structure has been analyzed. The threshold voltage decreases with increasing temperature, with a value of 9.2 V at 20 °C. The maximum transmission modulation value of the FTO/VO2/FTO structure is 31.4% under various temperatures and voltages. Optical modulation can be realized in the structure by applying an electric field.

Apparatus for detecting alpha radiation in difficult access areas

DOEpatents

Steadman, Peter; MacArthur, Duncan W.

1997-09-02

An electrostatic alpha radiation detector for measuring alpha radiation emitted from inside an enclosure comprising an electrically conductive expandable electrode for insertion into the enclosure. After insertion, the electrically conductive expandable electrode is insulated from the enclosure and defines a decay cavity between the electrically conductive expandable electrode and the enclosure so that air ions generated in the decay cavity are electrostatically captured by the electrically conductive expandable electrode and the enclosure when an electric potential is applied between the electrically conductive expandable electrode and the enclosure. Indicator means are attached to the electrically conductive expandable electrode for indicating an electrical current produced by generation of the air ions generated in the decay cavity by collisions between air molecules and the alpha particles emitted from the enclosure. A voltage source is connected between the indicator means and the electrically conductive enclosure for creating an electric field between the electrically conductive expandable electrode and the enclosure.

Using the Hilbert uniqueness method in a reconstruction algorithm for electrical impedance tomography.

PubMed

Dai, W W; Marsili, P M; Martinez, E; Morucci, J P

1994-05-01

This paper presents a new version of the layer stripping algorithm in the sense that it works essentially by repeatedly stripping away the outermost layer of the medium after having determined the conductivity value in this layer. In order to stabilize the ill posed boundary value problem related to each layer, we base our algorithm on the Hilbert uniqueness method (HUM) and implement it with the boundary element method (BEM).

Low resistance thin film organic solar cell electrodes

DOEpatents

Forrest, Stephen [Princeton, NJ; Xue, Jiangeng [Piscataway, NJ

2008-01-01

A method which lower the series resistance of photosensitive devices includes providing a transparent film of a first electrically conductive material arranged on a transparent substrate; depositing and patterning a mask over the first electrically conductive material, such that openings in the mask have sloping sides which narrow approaching the substrate; depositing a second electrically conductive material directly onto the first electrically conductive material exposed in the openings of the mask, at least partially filling the openings; stripping the mask, leaving behind reentrant structures of the second electrically conductive material which were formed by the deposits in the openings of the mask; after stripping the mask, depositing a first organic material onto the first electrically conductive material in between the reentrant structures; and directionally depositing a third electrically conductive material over the first organic material deposited in between the reentrant structures, edges of the reentrant structures aligning deposition so that the third electrically conductive material does not directly contact the first electrically conductive material, and does not directly contact the second electrically conductive material.

Long term changes in electrical conductivity in stratosphere over Hyderabad (India), balloon borne results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Surya

2012-07-01

The stratospheric conductivity plays important role in coupling processes between lower atmosphere and ionosphere. It is an important parameter of global electric circuit. The conductivity in troposphere and in stratosphere is mainly due to ionization produced by cosmic rays. The conductivity in stratosphere is measured mainly by balloon borne technique. In country-regionIndia, we had a national program IMAP (1982-1994) to measure conductivity and electric field in stratosphere from CityHyderabad (country-regionplaceIndia). Five institutes took part in this program. Namely NPL (CityNew Delhi), PRL (Ahmedabad), CESS (CityTrivandrum), IIG (Mumbai) and TIFR Balloon facility (CityplaceHyderabad). The vertical profiles on Ion Conductivity (both positive and negative) were measured from CityplaceHyderabad using different techniques. The measurements were done during different solar activity period. Measurements were done at float altitude also. It was observed that conductivity values in stratosphere is larger in high solar activity period compared to low solar activity period by 30%. This was a new finding and will be discussed in terms of composition change due to change in U.V. (200-300 nm) radiation intensity with solar activity. Over mid and polar latitude American scientists have conducted such measurements by balloon borne techniques (covering a period of about twenty-five years (1975-2000). Temporal variations of similar nature were also observed at mid-latitudes, while no correlation was seen at polar latitudes. The conductivity results of CityplaceHyderabad were compared with measurements carried out at different latitudes and different longitudes by other workers and will be discussed in this presentation.

Electrical Conductivity in Transparent Silver Nanowire Networks: Simulations and Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sherrott, Michelle; Mutiso, Rose; Rathmell, Aaron; Wiley, Benjamin; Winey, Karen

2012-02-01

We model and experimentally measure the electrical conductivity of two-dimensional networks containing finite, conductive cylinders with aspect ratio ranging from 33 to 333. We have previously used our simulations to explore the effects of cylinder orientation and aspect ratio in three-dimensional composites, and now extend the simulation to consider two-dimensional silver nanowire networks. Preliminary results suggest that increasing the aspect ratio and area fraction of these rods significantly decreases the sheet resistance of the film. For all simulated aspect ratios, this sheet resistance approaches a constant value for high area fractions of rods. This implies that regardless of aspect ratio, there is a limiting minimum sheet resistance that is characteristic of the properties of the nanowires. Experimental data from silver nanowire networks will be incorporated into the simulations to define the contact resistance and corroborate experimentally measured sheet resistances of transparent thin films.

Solving the forward problem of magnetoacoustic tomography with magnetic induction by means of the finite element method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xun; Li, Xu; Zhu, Shanan; He, Bin

2009-05-01

Magnetoacoustic tomography with magnetic induction (MAT-MI) is a recently proposed imaging modality to image the electrical impedance of biological tissue. It combines the good contrast of electrical impedance tomography with the high spatial resolution of sonography. In this paper, a three-dimensional MAT-MI forward problem was investigated using the finite element method (FEM). The corresponding FEM formulae describing the forward problem are introduced. In the finite element analysis, magnetic induction in an object with conductivity values close to biological tissues was first carried out. The stimulating magnetic field was simulated as that generated from a three-dimensional coil. The corresponding acoustic source and field were then simulated. Computer simulation studies were conducted using both concentric and eccentric spherical conductivity models with different geometric specifications. In addition, the grid size for finite element analysis was evaluated for the model calibration and evaluation of the corresponding acoustic field.

The time and temperature dependence of the thermoelectric properties of silicon-germanium alloy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raag, V.

1975-01-01

Experimental data on the electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient of n-type and p-type silicon-germanium alloys are analyzed in terms of a solid-state dopant precipitation model proposed by Lifshitz and Slyozov (1961). Experimental findings on the time and temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity of these two types of alloy indicate that the thermal conductivity of silicon-germanium alloys changes with time, contrary to previous hypothesis. A preliminary model is presented which stipulates that the observed thermal conductivity decrease in silicon-germanium alloys is due partly to dopant precipitation underlying the electrical property changes and partly to enhanced alloying of the material. It is significant that all three properties asymptotically approach equilibrium values with time. Total characterization of these properties will enable the time change to be fully compensated in the design of a thermoelectric device employing silicon-germanium alloys.

New insights into the structure of Om Ali-Thelepte basin, central Tunisia, inferred from gravity data: Hydrogeological implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harchi, Mongi; Gabtni, Hakim; El Mejri, Hatem; Dassi, Lassaad; Mammou, Abdallah Ben

2016-08-01

This work presents new results from gravity data analyses and interpretation within the Om Ali-Thelepte (OAT) basin, central Tunisia. It focuses on the hydrogeological implication, using several qualitative and quantitative techniques such as horizontal gradient, upward continuation and Euler deconvolution on boreholes log data, seismic reflection data and electrical conductivity measurements. The structures highlighted using the filtering techniques suggest that the Miocene aquifer of OAT basin is cut by four major fault systems that trend E-W, NE-SW, NW-SE and NNE-SSW. In addition, a NW-SE gravity model established shows the geometry of the Miocene sandstone reservoir and the Upper Cretaceous limestone rocks. Moreover, the superimposition of the electrical conductivity and the structural maps indicates that the low conductivity values of sampled water from boreholes are located around main faults.

Solving the Forward Problem of Magnetoacoustic Tomography with Magnetic Induction by Means of the Finite Element Method

PubMed Central

Li, Xun; Li, Xu; Zhu, Shanan; He, Bin

2010-01-01

Magnetoacoustic Tomography with Magnetic Induction (MAT-MI) is a recently proposed imaging modality to image the electrical impedance of biological tissue. It combines the good contrast of electrical impedance tomography with the high spatial resolution of sonography. In this paper, three-dimensional MAT-MI forward problem was investigated using the finite element method (FEM). The corresponding FEM formulas describing the forward problem are introduced. In the finite element analysis, magnetic induction in an object with conductivity values close to biological tissues was first carried out. The stimulating magnetic field was simulated as that generated from a three-dimensional coil. The corresponding acoustic source and field were then simulated. Computer simulation studies were conducted using both concentric and eccentric spherical conductivity models with different geometric specifications. In addition, the grid size for finite element analysis was evaluated for model calibration and evaluation of the corresponding acoustic field. PMID:19351978

Joining characteristics of titanium-based orthodontic wires connected by laser and electrical welding methods.

PubMed

Matsunaga, Junko; Watanabe, Ikuya; Nakao, Noriko; Watanabe, Etsuko; Elshahawy, Waleed; Yoshida, Noriaki

2015-01-01

This study investigated the possibility of electrical and laser welding to connect titanium-based alloy (beta-titanium and nickel-titanium) wires and stainless-steel or cobalt-chromium alloy wires for fabrication of combination arch-wires. Four kinds of straight orthodontic rectangular wires (0.017 × 0.025 inch) were used: stainless-steel (S-S), cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr), beta-titanium alloy (β-Ti), and nickel-titanium (Ni-Ti). Homogeneous and heterogeneous end-to-end joints (15 mm long each) were made by electrical welding and laser welding. Non-welded wires (30 mm long) were also used as a control. Maximum loads at fracture (N) and elongation (%) were measured by conducting tensile test. The data (n = 10) were statistically analyzed using analysis of variance/Tukey test (P < 0.05).The S-S/S-S and Co-Cr/Co-Cr specimens showed significantly higher values of the maximum load (ML) at fracture and elongation (EL) than those of the Ni-Ti/Ni-Ti and β-Ti/β-Ti specimens for electrical welding and those of the S-S/S-S and Co-Cr/Co-Cr specimens welded by laser. On the other hand, the laser-welded Ni-Ti/Ni-Ti and β-Ti/β-Ti specimens exhibited higher values of the ML and EL compared to those of the corresponding specimens welded by electrical method. In the heterogeneously welded combinations, the electrically welded Ni-Ti/S-S, β-Ti/S-S and β-Ti/Co-Cr specimens showed significantly (P < 0.05) higher ML and EL than those of the corresponding specimens welded by laser. Electrical welding exhibited the higher values of maximum load at fracture and elongation for heterogeneously welded combinations than laser-welding.

Sintering temperature effect on electrical and thermal properties of Zn1-xAlxO as thermoelectric material candidate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fajarin, Rindang; Rahel, Amelthia; Widyastuti

2018-04-01

Thermoelectric is a device to convert residual heat energy into electricity. Electrical and thermal properties of constituent material determine thermoelectric efficiency. One of metal oxides, namely zinc oxide (ZnO), is highly stable in a large temperature range, non-toxic, low cost and eco-friendly, has potential application as thermoelectric at high temperature. The aims of this study are to synthesize Zn0.98Al0.02O by coprecipitation method using ZnO and Al2O3 powders as raw materials, and to investigate the effect of sintering temperatures (at 700, 800, 900, and 950°C) on the electrical and thermal properties of the material. The sample products were analyzed by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) measurements to identify phase content, to observe particle morphology and to analyze distribution of elements in the sample, respectively. LCR meter was conducted to study electrical measurements of the samples. Further, thermal properties of the samples were analyzed by TGA measurements. The data show that Al3+ ions have been successfully doped into ZnO crystal lattice and they tend to increase the electrical conductivity of the samples. The sintered Zn0.98Al0.02O sample at 900°C has the highest conductivity value (4.53 × 10-4 S/m) compared to the others. It is relatively stable at high temperature, and thus, it can be used as one promising candidate for thermoelectric material at high temperature.

A simple differential steady-state method to measure the thermal conductivity of solid bulk materials with high accuracy.

PubMed

Kraemer, D; Chen, G

2014-02-01

Accurate measurements of thermal conductivity are of great importance for materials research and development. Steady-state methods determine thermal conductivity directly from the proportionality between heat flow and an applied temperature difference (Fourier Law). Although theoretically simple, in practice, achieving high accuracies with steady-state methods is challenging and requires rather complex experimental setups due to temperature sensor uncertainties and parasitic heat loss. We developed a simple differential steady-state method in which the sample is mounted between an electric heater and a temperature-controlled heat sink. Our method calibrates for parasitic heat losses from the electric heater during the measurement by maintaining a constant heater temperature close to the environmental temperature while varying the heat sink temperature. This enables a large signal-to-noise ratio which permits accurate measurements of samples with small thermal conductance values without an additional heater calibration measurement or sophisticated heater guards to eliminate parasitic heater losses. Additionally, the differential nature of the method largely eliminates the uncertainties of the temperature sensors, permitting measurements with small temperature differences, which is advantageous for samples with high thermal conductance values and/or with strongly temperature-dependent thermal conductivities. In order to accelerate measurements of more than one sample, the proposed method allows for measuring several samples consecutively at each temperature measurement point without adding significant error. We demonstrate the method by performing thermal conductivity measurements on commercial bulk thermoelectric Bi2Te3 samples in the temperature range of 30-150 °C with an error below 3%.

Flexible neural interfaces with integrated stiffening shank

DOEpatents

Tooker, Angela C.; Felix, Sarah H.; Pannu, Satinderpall S.; Shah, Kedar G.; Sheth, Heeral; Tolosa, Vanessa

2016-07-26

A neural interface includes a first dielectric material having at least one first opening for a first electrical conducting material, a first electrical conducting material in the first opening, and at least one first interconnection trace electrical conducting material connected to the first electrical conducting material. A stiffening shank material is located adjacent the first dielectric material, the first electrical conducting material, and the first interconnection trace electrical conducting material.

Electrical conductivity in Langmuir-Blodgett films of n-alkyl cyanobiphenyls using current sensing atomic force microscope

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

Gayathri, H. N.; Suresh, K. A., E-mail: suresh@cnsms.res.in

2015-06-28

We report our studies on the nanoscale electrical conductivity in monolayers of n-alkyl cyanobiphenyl materials deposited on solid surface. Initially, the 8CB, 9CB, and 10CB monolayer films were prepared by the Langmuir technique at air-water interface and characterized by surface manometry and Brewster angle microscopy. The monolayer films were transferred on to solid substrates by the Langmuir-Blodgett (L-B) technique. The 8CB, 9CB, and 10CB monolayer L-B films were deposited on freshly cleaved mica and studied by atomic force microscope (AFM), thereby measuring the film thickness as ∼1.5 nm. The electrical conductivity measurements were carried out on 9CB and 10CB monolayer L-Bmore » films deposited onto highly ordered pyrolytic graphite using current sensing AFM. The nanoscale current-voltage (I-V) measurements show a non-linear variation. The nature of the curve indicates electron tunneling to be the mechanism for electrical conduction. Furthermore, analysis of the I-V curve reveals a transition in the electron conduction mechanism from direct tunneling to injection tunneling. From the transition voltage, we have estimated the values of barrier height for 9CB and 10CB to be 0.71 eV and 0.37 eV, respectively. For both 9CB and 10CB, the effective mass of electron was calculated to be 0.021 m{sub e} and 0.065 m{sub e}, respectively. These parameters are important in the design of molecular electronic devices.« less

Synthesis and thermoelectric properties of tantalum-doped ZrNiSn half-Heusler alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Degang; Zuo, Min; Wang, Zhenqing; Teng, Xinying; Geng, Haoran

2014-04-01

The Ta-doped ZrNiSn half-Heusler alloys, Zr1-xTaxNiSn, were synthesized by arc melting and hot-press sintering. Microstructure of Zr1-xTaxNiSn compounds were analyzed and the thermoelectric (TE) properties of Zr1-xTaxNiSn compounds were measured from room temperature to 823 K. The electrical conductivity increased with increasing Ta content. The Seebeck coefficient of Zr1-xTaxNiSn compounds was sharply decreased with increasing Ta content. The Hall mobility was proportional to T-1.5 above 673 K, indicating that the acoustic phonon scattering was predominant in the temperature range. The thermal conductivity was effectively depressed by introducing Ta substitution. The figure of merit of ZrNiSn compounds was improved due to the decreased thermal conductivity and increased electrical conductivity. The maximum ZT value of 0.60 was achieved for Zr0.97Ta0.03NiSn sample at 823 K.

Diameter dependent thermoelectric properties of individual SnTe nanowires

DOE PAGES

Xu, E. Z.; Li, Z.; Martinez, J. A.; ...

2015-01-15

The lead-free compound tin telluride (SnTe) has recently been suggested to be a promising thermoelectric material. In this work, we report on the first thermoelectric study of individual single-crystalline SnTe nanowires with different diameters ranging from ~ 218 to ~ 913 nm. Measurements of thermopower S, electrical conductivity σ and thermal conductivity κ were carried out on the same nanowires over a temperature range of 25 - 300 K. While the electrical conductivity does not show a strong diameter dependence, the thermopower increases by a factor of two when the nanowire diameter is decreased from ~ 913 nm to ~more » 218 nm. The thermal conductivity of the measured NWs is lower than that of the bulk SnTe, which may arise from the enhanced phonon - surface boundary scattering and phonon-defect scattering. Lastly, temperature dependent figure of merit ZT was determined for individual nanowires and the achieved maximum value at room temperature is about three times higher than that in bulk samples of comparable carrier density.« less

Facile synthesis of a cationic-doped [Ca24Al28O64]4+(4e-) composite via a rapid citrate sol-gel method.

PubMed

Khan, Karim; Khan Tareen, Ayesha; Elshahat, Sayed; Yadav, Ashish; Khan, Usman; Yang, Minghui; Bibbò, Luigi; Ouyang, Zhengbiao

2018-03-12

One of the greatest challenges in the enhancement of the electrical properties of conductive mayenite [Ca 24 Al 28 O 64 ] 4+ (4e - ) (hereinafter C12A7:e - ) is the design of a more suitable/simple synthesis strategy that can be employed to obtain the required properties such as excellent stable electrical conductivity, a high electron concentration, outstanding mobility, and an exceptionally large surface area. Therefore, to synthesize C12A7:e - in the metallic state, we proposed a facile, direct synthesis strategy based on an optimized sol-gel combustion method under a nitrogen gas environment using the low-cost precursors Ca(NO 3 ) 2 ·4H 2 O and Al(NO 3 ) 3 ·9H 2 O. Using this developed strategy, we successfully synthesized moderately conductive nanoscale C12A7:e - powder, but with unexpected carbon components (reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and/or graphene oxide (GO)). The synthesized C12A7:e - composite at room temperature has an electrical conductivity of about 21 S cm -1 , a high electron concentration of approximately 1.5 × 10 21 cm -3 , and a maximum specific surface area of 265 m 2 g -1 . Probably, the synthesized rGO was coated on nanocage C12A7:e - particles. In general, the C12A7:e - electride is sensitive to the environment (especially to oxygen and moisture) and protected by an rGO coating on C12A7:e - particles, which also enhances the mobility and keeps the conductivity of C12A7:e - electride stable over a long period. Doped mayenite electride exhibits a conductivity that is strongly dependent on the substitution level. The conductivity of gallium-doped mayenite electride increases with the doping level and has a maximum value of 270 S cm -1 , which for the first time has been reported for the stable C12A7:e - electride. In the case of Si-substituted calcium aluminate, the conductivity has a maximum value of 222 S cm -1 at room temperature.

Ambient-Stable and Durable Conductive Ag-Nanowire-Network 2-D Films Decorated with a Ti Layer.

PubMed

Kim, Yoon-Mi; Hwang, Bu-Yeon; Lee, Ki-Wook; Kim, Jin-Yeol

2018-05-11

Highly stable and durable conductive silver nanowire (Ag NW) network electrode films were prepared through decoration with a 5-nm-thick Ti layer. The Ag NW network 2-D films showed sheet resistance values as low as 32 ohm/sq at 88% transparency when decorated with Ti. These 2-D films exhibited a 30% increase in electrical conductivity while maintaining good stability of the films through enhanced resistance to moisture and oxygen penetration as a result of the protective effect of the Ti layer.

Electrical Conductivity in Polymer Blends/ Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulkarni, Ajit R.; Bose, Suryasarathi; Bhattacharyya, Arup R.

2008-10-01

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) based polymer composites have emerged as the future multifunctional materials in view of its exceptional mechanical, thermal and electrical properties. One of the major interests is to develop conductive polymer composites preferably at low concentration of CNT utilizing their high aspect ratio (L/D) for numerous applications, which include antistatic devices, capacitors and materials for EMI shielding. In this context, polymer blends have emerged as a potential candidate in lowering the percolation thresholds further by the utilization of `double-percolation' which arises from the synergistic improvements in blend properties associated with the co-continuous morphology. Due to strong inter-tube van der Waals' forces, they often tend to aggregate and uniform dispersion remains a challenge. To overcome this challenge, we exploited sodium salt of 6-aminohexanoic acid (Na-AHA) which was able to assist in debundlling the multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNT) through `cation-π' interactions during melt-mixing leading to percolative `network-like' structure of MWNT within polyamide6 (PA6) phase in co-continuous PA6/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) blends. The composite exhibited low electrical percolation thresholds of 0.25 wt% of MWNT, the lowest reported value in this system so far. Retention of `network-like structure' in the solid state with significant refinement was observed even at lower MWNT concentration in presence Na-AHA, which was assessed through AC electrical conductivity measurements. Reactive coupling was found to be a dominant factor besides `cation-π' interactions in achieving low electrical percolation in PA6/ABS+MWNT composites.

Effect of Se addition on optical and electrical properties of chalcogenide CdSSe thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassanien, A. S.; Akl, Alaa A.

2016-01-01

Compositional dependence of optical and electrical properties of chalcogenide CdSxSe1-x (0.4 ≥ x ≥ 0.0 at. %) thin films was studied. Cadmium sulphoselenide films were deposited by thermal evaporation technique at vacuum (8.2 × 10-4 Pa) onto preheated glass substrates (523 K). The evaporation rate and film thickness were kept constant at 2.50 nm/s and 375 ± 5 nm, respectively. X-ray diffractograms showed that, the deposited films have the low crystalline nature. Energy dispersive analysis by X-ray (EDAX) was used to check the compositional elements of deposited films. The absorption coefficient was determined from transmission and reflection measurements at room temperature in the wavelength range 300-2500 nm. Optical density, skin depth, optical energy gap and Urbach's parameters of CdSSe thin films have also been estimated. The direct optical energy gap decreased from 2.248 eV to 1.749 eV when the ratio of Se-content was increased from 0.60 to 1.00 . Conduction band and valance band positions were evaluated. The temperature dependence of dc-electrical resistivity in the temperature range (293-450 K) has been reported. Three conduction regions due to different conduction mechanisms were detected. Electrical sheet resistance, activation energy and pre-exponential parameters were discussed. The estimated values of optical and electrical parameters were strongly dependent upon the Se-content in CdSSe matrix.

Apparatus for detecting alpha radiation in difficult access areas

DOEpatents

Steadman, P.; MacArthur, D.W.

1997-09-02

An electrostatic alpha radiation detector for measuring alpha radiation emitted from inside an enclosure comprising an electrically conductive expandable electrode for insertion into the enclosure is disclosed. After insertion, the electrically conductive expandable electrode is insulated from the enclosure and defines a decay cavity between the electrically conductive expandable electrode and the enclosure so that air ions generated in the decay cavity are electrostatically captured by the electrically conductive expandable electrode and the enclosure when an electric potential is applied between the electrically conductive expandable electrode and the enclosure. Indicator means are attached to the electrically conductive expandable electrode for indicating an electrical current produced by generation of the air ions generated in the decay cavity by collisions between air molecules and the alpha particles emitted from the enclosure. A voltage source is connected between the indicator means and the electrically conductive enclosure for creating an electric field between the electrically conductive expandable electrode and the enclosure. 4 figs.

Process for electrically interconnecting electrodes

DOEpatents

Carey, Paul G.; Thompson, Jesse B.; Colella, Nicolas J.; Williams, Kenneth A.

2002-01-01

Electrical interconnects for solar cells or other electronic components using a silver-silicone paste or a lead-tin (Pb--Sn) no-clean fluxless solder cream, whereby the high breakage of thin (<6 mil thick) solar cells using conventional solder interconnect is eliminated. The interconnects of this invention employs copper strips which are secured to the solar cells by a silver-silicone conductive paste which can be used at room temperature, or by a Pb--Sn solder cream which eliminates undesired residue on the active surfaces of the solar cells. Electrical testing using the interconnects of this invention has shown that no degradation of the interconnects developed under high current testing, while providing a very low contact resistance value.

Specular Andreev reflection in thin films of topological insulators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majidi, Leyla; Asgari, Reza

2016-05-01

We theoretically reveal the possibility of specular Andreev reflection in a thin film topological insulator normal-superconductor (N/S) junction in the presence of a gate electric field. The probability of specular Andreev reflection increases with the electric field, and electron-hole conversion with unit efficiency happens in a wide experimentally accessible range of the electric field. We show that perfect specular Andreev reflection can occur for all angles of incidence with a particular excitation energy value. In addition, we find that the thermal conductance of the structure displays exponential dependence on the temperature. Our results reveal the potential of the proposed topological insulator thin-film-based N/S structure for the realization of intraband specular Andreev reflection.

A novel application of ADC/K-foaming agent-loaded NBR rubber composites as pressure sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahmoud, W. E.; El-Eraki, M. H. I.; El-Lawindy, A. M. Y.; Hassan, H. H.

2006-02-01

Nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) structure foam of different apparent densities was obtained by using different concentrations of foaming agent, azodicarbonamide, ADC/K. The true stress-strain characteristics, in case of compression, of foamed samples were measured. It was found that the theoretical values predicted from the simple blending model are in more agreement with the experimental results than those from the square-relationship model. The effect of cyclic loading-unloading and dissipation energy of rubber foams was studied. The results also indicated that foams with low density exhibited a small hysteresis. The electrical properties were found dependent on the foaming agent concentration. This study was assisted by Mott and Gurney equation. The effect of compressive strain on the electrical conductivity of rubber foams was studied. The free current carrier mobility and the equilibrium concentration of charge carrier in the conduction band were produced as functions of compressive strain. The results also indicate that there is a linear variation between pressure and conductivity for all samples, which means that these samples can be used as a pressure sensor. At a certain concentration of foaming agent (5 phr) a change of electrical conductivity by more than three orders is observed at 20% compression strain.

Lunar electrical conductivity, permeability and temperature from Apollo magnetometer experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dyal, P.; Parkin, C. W.; Daily, W. D.

1977-01-01

Magnetometers were deployed at four Apollo sites on the moon to measure remanent and induced lunar magnetic fields. Measurements from this network of instruments were used to calculate the electrical conductivity, temperature, magnetic permeability, and iron abundance of the lunar interior. The measured lunar remanent fields range from 3 gammas minimum at the Apollo 15 site to 327 gammas maximum at the Apollo 16 site. Simultaneous magnetic field and solar plasma pressure measurements show that the remanent fields at the Apollo 12 and 16 sites interact with, and are compressed by, the solar wind. Remanent fields at Apollo 12 and Apollo 16 are increased 16 gammas and 32 gammas, respectively, by a solar plasma bulk pressure increase of 1.5 X 10 to the -7th power dynes/sq cm. Global lunar fields due to eddy currents, induced in the lunar interior by magnetic transients, were analyzed to calculate an electrical conductivity profile for the moon. From nightside magnetometer data in the solar wind it was found that deeper than 170 km into the moon the conductivity rises from .0003 mhos/m to .10 mhos/m at 100 km depth. Recent analysis of data obtained in the geomagnetic tail, in regions free of complicating plasma effects, yields results consistent with nightside values.

Optimizing Thermoelectric Properties of In Situ Plasma-Spray-Synthesized Sub-stoichiometric TiO2-x Deposits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hwasoo; Seshadri, Ramachandran Chidambaram; Pala, Zdenek; Sampath, Sanjay

2018-06-01

In this article, an attempt has been made to relate the thermoelectric properties of thermal spray deposits of sub-stoichiometric titania to process-induced phase and microstructural variances. The TiO2-x deposits were formed through the in situ reaction of the TiO1.9 or TiO1.7 feedstock within the high-temperature plasma flame and manipulated via varying the amounts of hydrogen fed into in the thermal plasma. Changes in the flow rates of H2 in the plasma plume greatly affected the in-flight particle behavior and composition of the deposits. For reference, a high-velocity oxy-fuel spray torch was also used to deposit the two varieties of feedstocks. Refinements to the representation of the in-flight particle characteristics derived via single particle and ensemble diagnostic methods are proposed using the group parameters (melting index and kinetic energy). The results show that depending on the value of the melting index, there is an inverse proportional relationship between electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient, whereas thermal conductivity has a directly proportional relationship with the electrical conductivity. Retention of the original phase and reduced decomposition is beneficial to retain the high Seebeck coefficient or the high electrical conductivity in the TiO2 system.

In Situ Complementary Doping, Thermoelectric Improvements, and Strain-Induced Structure within Alternating PEDOT:PSS/PANI Layers.

PubMed

Andrei, Virgil; Bethke, Kevin; Madzharova, Fani; Bronneberg, Aafke Cecile; Kneipp, Janina; Rademann, Klaus

2017-09-27

Although the deposition of alternating layers from poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and polyaniline (PANI) salts has recently provided a breakthrough in the field of conductive polymers, the cause for the conductivity improvement has remained unclear. In this work, we report a cooperative doping effect between alternating PANI base and PEDOT:PSS layers, resulting in electrical conductivities of 50-100 S cm -1 and power factors of up to 3.0 ± 0.5 μW m -1 K -2 , which surpass some of the recent values obtained for protonated PANI/PEDOT:PSS multilayers by a factor of 20. In this case, the simultaneous improvement in the electrical conductivity of both types of layers is caused by the in situ protonation of PANI, which corresponds to the removal of the excess acidic PSS chains from the PEDOT:PSS grains. The interplay between the functional groups' reactivity and the supramolecular chain reorganization leads to an array of preparation-dependent phenomena, including a stepwise increase in the film thickness, an alternation in the electrical conductivity, and the formation of a diverse surface landscape. The latter effect can be traced to a buildup of strain within the layers, which results in either the formation of folds or the shrinkage of the film. These results open new paths for designing nanostructured thin-film thermoelectrics.

Thermoelectric Behavior of PbSe Single Crystals

DOE PAGES

Kogo, Gilbert; Pradhan, Aswini K.; Roy, Utpal N.

2016-12-05

The electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient of PbSe single crystals grown by the Bridgman technique display metallic behavior. The Seebeck coefficient increases linearly with increasing temperature and showed positive Seebeck values, typically valid for a p-type PbSe crystal. The electronic thermal conductivity decreases with increase in temperature. The power factor increases gradually with temperature until the maximum value of 6.51 × 10 -3 W/mK2 at 260 K, other values are 5.95 × 10 -3 W/mK 2 at 300 K, and 5.40 × 10 -3 W/mK 2 at 320 K. Our results demonstrate that as-grown PbSe crystal is generically p-type duemore » to excess in Pb and can be a potential candidate for thermoelectric power generation.« less

Appearance of small polaron hopping conduction in iron modified cobalt lithium bismuth borate glasses

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

Dahiya, M. S.; Khasa, S., E-mail: skhasa@yahoo.com; Yadav, Arti

2016-05-23

Lithium bismuth borate glasses containing different amounts of cobalt and iron oxides having chemical composition xFe{sub 2}O{sub 3}•(20-x)CoO•30Li{sub 2}O•10Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}•40B{sub 2}O{sub 3} (x = 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 mol% abbreviated as CFLBB1-5 respectively) prepared via melt quench technique have been investigated for their dc electrical conductivity. The amorphous nature of prepared glasses has been confirmed through X-ray diffraction measurements. The dc electrical conductivity has been analyzed by applying Mott’s small polaron hopping model. Activation energies corresponding to lower and higher temperature region have been evaluated. The iron ion concentration (N), mean spacing between iron ions (R) and polaronmore » radius (R{sub p}) has been evaluated using the values of phonon radius (R{sub ph}) and Debye temperature (θ{sub D}). The glass sample without iron (CFLBB1) shows ionic conductivity but the incorporation of iron in the glass matrix results in the appearance of electronic conductivity.« less

Electronic transition and electrical transport properties of delafossite CuCr1-xMgxO2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 12%) films prepared by the sol-gel method: A composition dependence study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, M. J.; Duan, Z. H.; Zhang, J. Z.; Zhang, S.; Li, Y. W.; Hu, Z. G.; Chu, J. H.

2013-10-01

Highly transparent CuCr1-xMgxO2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 12%) films were prepared on (001) sapphire substrates by sol-gel method. The microstructure, phonon modes, optical band gap, and electrical transport properties have been systematically discussed. It was found that Mg-doping improved the crystal quality and enhanced the (00l) preferred orientation. The spectral transmittance of films approaches about 70%-75% in the visible-near-infrared wavelength region. With increasing Mg-composition, the optical band gap first declines and climbs up due to the band gap renormalization and Burstein-Moss effect. The direct and indirect band gaps of CuCr0.94Mg0.06O2 film are 3.00 and 2.56 eV, respectively. In addition, it shows a crossover from the thermal activation behavior to that of three-dimensional variable range hopping from temperature-dependent electrical conductivity. The crossover temperature decreases with increasing Mg-doping composition, which can be ascribed to the change of spin-charge coupling between the hole and the local spin at Cr site. It should be noted that the electrical conductivity of CuCr1-xMgxO2 films becomes larger with increasing x value. The highest electrical conductivity of 3.85 S cm-1 at room temperature for x = 12% is four-order magnitude larger than that (8.81 × 10-4 S cm-1) for pure CuCrO2 film. The high spectral transmittance and larger conductivity indicate that Mg-doped CuCrO2 films are promising for optoelectronic device applications.

Flexible, transparent electrodes using carbon nanotubes

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

We prepare thin single-walled carbon nanotube networks on a transparent and flexible substrate with different densities, using a very simple spray method. We measure the electric impedance at different frequencies Z(f) in the frequency range of 40 Hz to 20 GHz using two different methods: a two-probe method in the range up to 110 MHz and a coaxial (Corbino) method in the range of 10 MHz to 20 GHz. We measure the optical absorption and electrical conductivity in order to optimize the conditions for obtaining optimum performance films with both high electrical conductivity and transparency. We observe a square resistance of 1 to 8.5 kΩ for samples showing 65% to 85% optical transmittance, respectively. For some applications, we need flexibility and not transparency: for this purpose, we deposit a thick film of single-walled carbon nanotubes on a flexible silicone substrate by spray method from an aqueous suspension of carbon nanotubes in a surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulphate), thereby obtaining a flexible conducting electrode showing an electrical resistance as low as 200 Ω/sq. When stretching up to 10% and 20%, the electrical resistance increases slightly, recovering the initial value for small elongations up to 10%. We analyze the stretched and unstretched samples by Raman spectroscopy and observe that the breathing mode on the Raman spectra is highly sensitive to stretching. The high-energy Raman modes do not change, which indicates that no defects are introduced when stretching. Using this method, flexible conducting films that may be transparent are obtained just by employing a very simple spray method and can be deposited on any type or shape of surface. PMID:23074999

External electric field driving the ultra-low thermal conductivity of silicene.

PubMed

Qin, Guangzhao; Qin, Zhenzhen; Yue, Sheng-Ying; Yan, Qing-Bo; Hu, Ming

2017-06-01

The manipulation of thermal transport is in increasing demand as heat transfer plays a critical role in a wide range of practical applications, such as efficient heat dissipation in nanoelectronics and heat conduction hindering in solid-state thermoelectrics. It is well established that the thermal transport in semiconductors and insulators (phonons) can be effectively modulated by structure engineering or materials processing. However, almost all the existing approaches involve altering the original atomic structure of materials, which would be hindered due to either irreversible structure change or limited tunability of thermal conductivity. Motivated by the inherent relationship between phonon behavior and interatomic electrostatic interaction, we comprehensively investigate the effect of external electric field, a widely used gating technique in modern electronics, on the lattice thermal conductivity (κ). Taking two-dimensional silicon (silicene) as a model, we demonstrate that by applying an electric field (E z = 0.5 V Å -1 ) the κ of silicene can be reduced to a record low value of 0.091 W m -1 K -1 , which is more than two orders of magnitude lower than that without an electric field (19.21 W m -1 K -1 ) and is even comparable to that of the best thermal insulation materials. Fundamental insights are gained from observing the electronic structures. With an electric field applied, due to the screened potential resulting from the redistributed charge density, the interactions between silicon atoms are renormalized, leading to phonon renormalization and the modulation of phonon anharmonicity through electron-phonon coupling. Our study paves the way for robustly tuning phonon transport in materials without altering the atomic structure, and would have significant impact on emerging applications, such as thermal management, nanoelectronics and thermoelectrics.

MHD thrust vectoring of a rocket engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Labaune, Julien; Packan, Denis; Tholin, Fabien; Chemartin, Laurent; Stillace, Thierry; Masson, Frederic

2016-09-01

In this work, the possibility to use MagnetoHydroDynamics (MHD) to vectorize the thrust of a solid propellant rocket engine exhaust is investigated. Using a magnetic field for vectoring offers a mass gain and a reusability advantage compared to standard gimbaled, elastomer-joint systems. Analytical and numerical models were used to evaluate the flow deviation with a 1 Tesla magnetic field inside the nozzle. The fluid flow in the resistive MHD approximation is calculated using the KRONOS code from ONERA, coupling the hypersonic CFD platform CEDRE and the electrical code SATURNE from EDF. A critical parameter of these simulations is the electrical conductivity, which was evaluated using a set of equilibrium calculations with 25 species. Two models were used: local thermodynamic equilibrium and frozen flow. In both cases, chlorine captures a large fraction of free electrons, limiting the electrical conductivity to a value inadequate for thrust vectoring applications. However, when using chlorine-free propergols with 1% in mass of alkali, an MHD thrust vectoring of several degrees was obtained.

Optical and electrical properties of heavily indium-doped CdS around the semiconductor-metal phase transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Broser, I.; Broser, R.; Birkicht, E.

1990-04-01

Heavily indium-doped CdS crystals are studied by comparing their optical and electrical properties. It is shown that in the near infrared spectral region for highly conducting crystals the correlation of electrical conductivity and optical effects can still be understood in the frame of the classical Drude-Lorentz model. Even for high doping the relaxation time τ and the effective mass m ∗ of the electrons are not markedly different from the room temperature values of "pure" crystals. At photon energies near the band gap, however, optical spectra in transmission, reflectivity, and emission show clearly the existence of band-tails and screening effects. A different situation holds for a highly compensated specimen: They are in a wide temperature region highly isolating, show activated photoconductivity and special structures in the optical spectra near the band gap. Their properties can be explained by assuming a meandering bandbending due to the combined action of donors and acceptors and the assumption of spatially isolated electron and hole droplets [6].

Electrically Conductive Silver Paste Obtained by Use of Silver Neodecanoate as Precursor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Longguang; Liu, Jianguo; Zeng, Xiaoyan; Ren, Zhao

2015-02-01

An electrically conductive silver paste has been prepared from an organometallic compound, silver neodecanoate, as silver precursor. The precursor was highly soluble in organic solvents and decomposed into metallic silver at low sintering temperatures (<200°C). Thermogravimetric analysis showed the silver content of the paste was approximately 25 wt.%. Viscosity studies indicated the paste was a pseudoplastic liquid with viscosity in the range 6.5-9 Pa s. The paste was compatible with the micro-pen direct-writing process, enabling production of silver lines on a substrate. The electrical resistivity of the silver lines was 9 × 10-6 Ω cm after sintering at 115°C for 60 min, 5.8 × 10-6 Ω cm when sintered at 150°C for 60 min, and 3 × 10-6 Ω cm when sintered above 300°C, values which are similar to those of bulk silver. Hence, the prepared paste can be successfully used on flexible substrates such as polymers.

Initial-boundary value problem to 2D Boussinesq equations for MHD convection with stratification effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bian, Dongfen; Liu, Jitao

2017-12-01

This paper is concerned with the initial-boundary value problem to 2D magnetohydrodynamics-Boussinesq system with the temperature-dependent viscosity, thermal diffusivity and electrical conductivity. First, we establish the global weak solutions under the minimal initial assumption. Then by imposing higher regularity assumption on the initial data, we obtain the global strong solution with uniqueness. Moreover, the exponential decay rates of weak solutions and strong solution are obtained respectively.

Diurnal variations of (218)Po, (214)Pb, and (214)Po and their effect on atmospheric electrical conductivity in the lower atmosphere at Mysore city, Karnataka State, India.

PubMed

Pruthvi Rani, K S; Paramesh, L; Chandrashekara, M S

2014-12-01

The short-lived radon daughters ((218)Po, (214)Pb, (214)Bi and (214)Po) are natural tracers in the troposphere, in particular near the ground surface. They are electrically charged particles and are chemically reactive. As soon as they are formed they get attached to the aerosol particles of the atmosphere. The behavior of radon daughters is similar to that of aerosols with respect to their growth, transport and removal processes in the atmosphere. The electrical conductivity of the atmosphere is mainly due to the presence of highly mobile ions. Galactic cosmic rays are the main source of ionization in the planetary boundary layer; however, near the surface of the earth, ions are produced mainly by decays of natural radioactive gases emanating from the soil surface and by radiations emitted directly from the surface. Hence the electrical conductivity of air near the surface of the earth is mainly due to radiations emitted by (222)Rn, (218)Po, (214)Pb, (214)Bi and (214)Po, and depends on aerosol concentrations and meteorological parameters. In the present work the diurnal and seasonal variations of radon and its progeny concentrations are studied using Low Level Radon Detection System and Airflow Meter respectively. Atmospheric electrical conductivity of both positive and negative polarities is measured using a Gerdien Condenser. All the measurements were carried out simultaneously at one location in Mysore city (12°N, 76°E), India. The diurnal variation of atmospheric electrical conductivity was found to be similar to that of ion pair production rate estimated from radon and its progeny concentrations with a maximum in the early morning hours and minimum during day time. The annual average concentrations of (222)Rn, (218)Po, (214)Pb, and (214)Po at the study location were found to be 21.46, 10.88, 1.78 and 1.80 Bq m(-3) respectively. The annual average values of positive and negative atmospheric electrical conductivity were found to be 18.1 and 16.6 f S m(-1) respectively. The radon and its progeny concentrations are higher in winter than in summer and rainy season. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research of Influence of Noise Pollution on the Value of the Threshold Current Tangible

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khanzhina, Olga; Sidorov, Alexander; Zykina, Ekaterina

2017-12-01

Stable safety while working on electrical installations can be achieved by following the rules of the electrical safety. Today maximum permissible levels of touch voltage and electric current flow through any part of a person’s body are established by Russian Federation GOST system 12.1.038-82. Unfortunately, recommended by International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) maximum allowable amount of electric current and voltage level do not take into account interaction between said electric current and other physical factors; noise, in particular. The influence of sound frequency and its pressure level on body resistance has been proven earlier in thesis by V.V. Katz. Studies of the noise effects on the value of the threshold current tangible have been renewed in laboratories of Life Safety Department in South Ural State University. To obtain reliable results, testing facility that includes anechoic chamber, sources of simulated voltages and noise and a set of recording instruments was designed and built. As a rule, noise influence on electrotechnical personnel varies depending on noise level or/and the duration of its impact. According to modern theories, indirect noise influence on various organs and systems through central nervous system has to be considered. Differential evaluation of noise pollution and its correlation with emerged effects can be obtained with the usage of the dose approach. First of all, there were conducted studies, in which frequency of the applied voltage (f) was to 50 Hz. Voltages and currents that caused sensations before and during 97 dB noise affections were measured. Obtained dependence led to questioning previous researches results of the necessity of reducing the amperage of tripping protection devices. At the same time electrical resistance changes of human body were being studied. According to those researches, no functional dependence between fluctuations in the magnitude of the resistance of human body to electric current flow and constant noise affection were found. Taking into account that contradiction, additional studies of primary electrical safety criteria for cases when exposed to high frequency noise pollution were conducted.

Simultaneous Rheoelectric Measurements of Strongly Conductive Complex Fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helal, Ahmed; Divoux, Thibaut; McKinley, Gareth H.

2016-12-01

We introduce an modular fixture designed for stress-controlled rheometers to perform simultaneous rheological and electrical measurements on strongly conductive complex fluids under shear. By means of a nontoxic liquid metal at room temperature, the electrical connection to the rotating shaft is completed with minimal additional mechanical friction, allowing for simultaneous stress measurements at values as low as 1 Pa. Motivated by applications such as flow batteries, we use the capabilities of this design to perform an extensive set of rheoelectric experiments on gels formulated from attractive carbon-black particles, at concentrations ranging from 4 to 15 wt %. First, experiments on gels at rest prepared with different shear histories show a robust power-law scaling between the elastic modulus G0' and the conductivity σ0 of the gels—i.e., G0'˜σ0α, with α =1.65 ±0.04 , regardless of the gel concentration. Second, we report conductivity measurements performed simultaneously with creep experiments. Changes in conductivity in the early stage of the experiments, also known as the Andrade-creep regime, reveal for the first time that plastic events take place in the bulk, while the shear rate γ ˙ decreases as a weak power law of time. The subsequent evolution of the conductivity and the shear rate allows us to propose a local yielding scenario that is in agreement with previous velocimetry measurements. Finally, to establish a set of benchmark data, we determine the constitutive rheological and electrical behavior of carbon-black gels. Corrections first introduced for mechanical measurements regarding shear inhomogeneity and wall slip are carefully extended to electrical measurements to accurately distinguish between bulk and surface contributions to the conductivity. As an illustrative example, we examine the constitutive rheoelectric properties of five different grades of carbon-black gels and we demonstrate the relevance of this rheoelectric apparatus as a versatile characterization tool for strongly conductive complex fluids and their applications.

Effect of Samarium Oxide on the Electrical Conductivity of Plasma-Sprayed SOFC Anodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panahi, S. N.; Samadi, H.; Nemati, A.

2016-10-01

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are rapidly becoming recognized as a new alternative to traditional energy conversion systems because of their high energy efficiency. From an ecological perspective, this environmentally friendly technology, which produces clean energy, is likely to be implemented more frequently in the future. However, the current SOFC technology still cannot meet the demands of commercial applications due to temperature constraints and high cost. To develop a marketable SOFC, suppliers have tended to reduce the operating temperatures by a few hundred degrees. The overall trend for SOFC materials is to reduce their service temperature of electrolyte. Meanwhile, it is important that the other components perform at the same temperature. Currently, the anodes of SOFCs are being studied in depth. Research has indicated that anodes based on a perovskite structure are a more promising candidate in SOFCs than the traditional system because they possess more favorable electrical properties. Among the perovskite-type oxides, SrTiO3 is one of the most promising compositions, with studies demonstrating that SrTiO3 exhibits particularly favorable electrical properties in contrast with other perovskite-type oxides. The main purpose of this article is to describe our study of the effect of rare-earth dopants with a perovskite structure on the electrical behavior of anodes in SOFCs. Sm2O3-doped SrTiO3 synthesized by a solid-state reaction was coated on substrate by atmospheric plasma spray. To compare the effect of the dopant on the electrical conductivity of strontium titanate, different concentrations of Sm2O3 were used. The samples were then investigated by x-ray diffraction, four-point probe at various temperatures (to determine the electrical conductivity), and a scanning electron microscope. The study showed that at room temperature, nondoped samples have a higher electrical resistance than doped samples. As the temperature was increased, the electrical conductivity correspondingly increased. The optimum value of 1.1 S/cm was found at 340°C for samples with 1.5% mol Sm2O3.

Solar-terrestrial coupling through atmospheric electricity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roble, R. G.; Hays, P. B.

1979-01-01

There are a number of measurements of electrical variations that suggest a solar-terrestrial influence on the global atmospheric electrical circuit. The measurements show variations associated with solar flares, solar magnetic sector boundary crossings, geomagnetic activity, aurorae, differences between ground current and potential gradients at high and low latitudes, and solar cycle variations. The evidence for each variation is examined. Both the experimental evidence and the calculations made with a global model of atmospheric electricity indicate that there is solar-terrestrial coupling through atmospheric electricity which operates by altering the global electric current and field distribution. A global redistribution of currents and fields can be caused by large-scale changes in electrical conductivity, by alteration of the columnar resistance between thunderstorm cloud tops and the ionosphere, or by both. If the columnar resistance is altered above thunderstorms, more current will flow in the global circuit, changing the ionospheric potential and basic circuit variables such as current density and electric fields. The observed variations of currents and fields during solar-induced disturbances are generally less than 50% of mean values near the earth's surface.

Dissipationless conductance in a topological coaxial cable

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuster, Thomas; Iadecola, Thomas; Chamon, Claudio; Jackiw, Roman; Pi, So-Young

2016-09-01

We present a dynamical mechanism leading to dissipationless conductance, whose quantized value is controllable in a (3+1)-dimensional electronic system. The mechanism is exemplified by a theory of Weyl fermions coupled to a Higgs field, also known as an axion insulator. We show that the insertion of an axial gauge flux can induce vortex lines in the Higgs field, similar to the development of vortices in a superconductor upon the insertion of magnetic flux. We further show that the necessary axial gauge flux can be generated using Rashba spin-orbit coupling or a magnetic field. Vortex lines in the Higgs field are known to bind chiral fermionic modes, each of which serves as a one-way channel for electric charge with conductance e2/h . Combining these elements, we present a physical picture, the "topological coaxial cable," illustrating how the value of the quantized conductance could be controlled in such an axion insulator.

Unexpected low thermal conductivity and large power factor in Dirac semimetal Cd3As2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Zhang; Tong, Zhou; Sihang, Liang; Junzhi, Cao; Xiang, Yuan; Yanwen, Liu; Yao, Shen; Qisi, Wang; Jun, Zhao; Zhongqin, Yang; Faxian, Xiu

2016-01-01

Thermoelectrics has long been considered as a promising way of power generation for the next decades. So far, extensive efforts have been devoted to the search of ideal thermoelectric materials, which require both high electrical conductivity and low thermal conductivity. Recently, the emerging Dirac semimetal Cd3As2, a three-dimensional analogue of graphene, has been reported to host ultra-high mobility and good electrical conductivity as metals. Here, we report the observation of unexpected low thermal conductivity in Cd3As2, one order of magnitude lower than the conventional metals or semimetals with a similar electrical conductivity, despite the semimetal band structure and high electron mobility. The power factor also reaches a large value of 1.58 mW·m-1·K-2 at room temperature and remains non-saturated up to 400 K. Corroborating with the first-principles calculations, we find that the thermoelectric performance can be well-modulated by the carrier concentration in a wide range. This work demonstrates the Dirac semimetal Cd3As2 as a potential candidate of thermoelectric materials. Project supported by the National Young 1000 Talent Plan China, the Pujiang Talent Plan in Shanghai, China, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61322407 and 11474058), the Fund for Fostering Talents in Basic Science of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. J1103204), and the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2011CB921803).

Medium-term electric power demand forecasting based on economic-electricity transmission model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wenfeng; Bao, Fangmin; Bai, Hongkun; Liu, Wei; Liu, Yongmin; Mao, Yubin; Wang, Jiangbo; Liu, Junhui

2018-06-01

Electric demand forecasting is a basic work to ensure the safe operation of power system. Based on the theories of experimental economics and econometrics, this paper introduces Prognoz Platform 7.2 intelligent adaptive modeling platform, and constructs the economic electricity transmission model that considers the economic development scenarios and the dynamic adjustment of industrial structure to predict the region's annual electricity demand, and the accurate prediction of the whole society's electricity consumption is realized. Firstly, based on the theories of experimental economics and econometrics, this dissertation attempts to find the economic indicator variables that drive the most economical growth of electricity consumption and availability, and build an annual regional macroeconomic forecast model that takes into account the dynamic adjustment of industrial structure. Secondly, it innovatively put forward the economic electricity directed conduction theory and constructed the economic power transfer function to realize the group forecast of the primary industry + rural residents living electricity consumption, urban residents living electricity, the second industry electricity consumption, the tertiary industry electricity consumption; By comparing with the actual value of economy and electricity in Henan province in 2016, the validity of EETM model is proved, and the electricity consumption of the whole province from 2017 to 2018 is predicted finally.

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

Gholipur, Reza, E-mail: gholipur.reza@gmail.com; Bahari, Ali, E-mail: a.bahari@umz.ac.ir

Highlights: • Glassy Ce{sub x}La{sub 1−x}O{sub y} nanostructure films were grown on Si(1 0 0) substrate using the sol–gel method. • G{sub p} = ωϵ{sub 0}ϵ′ tan(δ) was calculated at different temperatures. • Electrical and structural the Ce{sub x}La{sub 1−x}O{sub y} samples were studied. • The conductivity-temperature study shows that the compound obeys the Arrhenius law. - Abstract: The Ce{sub x}La{sub 1−x}O{sub y} samples are synthesized, characterized and their electrical properties are reported at different molar ratios in the frequency range of 10{sup −1}–10{sup +5} Hz. Ac conductivity and permittivity data are analyzed by using conductivity formalism. The values ofmore » capacitance and tan(δ) were recorded with respect to different frequencies and temperatures. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the films show that the films posses crystalline phases. Surface morphology of the films is analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses reveal that elemental composition is in right stoichiometry. Electrical characterizations of the Ce{sub x}La{sub 1−x}O{sub y} samples were done by capacitance–voltage (C–V) and current density–voltage (J–V) measurements of MOS structures. Investigation showed high value of k = 44.80 and low leakage current (∼1 × 10{sup −5} A/cm{sup 2}) of the Ce{sub 0.4}La{sub 0.6}O{sub y} film.« less

High conductance surge cable

DOEpatents

Murray, M.M.; Wilfong, D.H.; Lomax, R.E.

1998-12-08

An electrical cable for connecting transient voltage surge suppressors to electrical power panels. A strip of electrically conductive foil defines a longitudinal axis, with a length of an electrical conductor electrically attached to the metallic foil along the longitudinal axis. The strip of electrically conductive foil and the length of an electrical conductor are covered by an insulating material. For impedance matching purposes, triangular sections can be removed from the ends of the electrically conductive foil at the time of installation. 6 figs.

Modeling nexus of urban heat island mitigation strategies with electricity/power usage and consumer costs: a case study for Phoenix, Arizona, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, Humberto; Fillpot, Baron S.

2018-01-01

A reduction in both power and electricity usage was determined using a previously validated zero-dimensional energy balance model that implements mitigation strategies used to reduce the urban heat island (UHI) effect. The established model has been applied to show the change in urban characteristic temperature when executing four common mitigation strategies: increasing the overall (1) emissivity, (2) vegetated area, (3) thermal conductivity, and (4) albedo of the urban environment in a series of increases by 5, 10, 15, and 20% from baseline values. Separately, a correlation analysis was performed involving meteorological data and total daily energy (TDE) consumption where the 24-h average temperature was shown to have the greatest correlation to electricity service data in the Phoenix, Arizona, USA, metropolitan region. A methodology was then developed for using the model to predict TDE consumption reduction and corresponding cost-saving analysis when implementing the four mitigation strategies. The four modeled UHI mitigation strategies, taken in combination, would lead to the largest percent reduction in annual energy usage, where increasing the thermal conductivity is the single most effective mitigation strategy. The single least effective mitigation strategy, increasing the emissivity by 5% from the baseline value, resulted in an average calculated reduction of about 1570 GWh in yearly energy usage with a corresponding 157 million dollar cost savings. When the four parameters were increased in unison by 20% from baseline values, an average calculated reduction of about 2050 GWh in yearly energy usage was predicted with a corresponding 205 million dollar cost savings.

Carbon-based supercapacitors produced by activation of graphene.

PubMed

Zhu, Yanwu; Murali, Shanthi; Stoller, Meryl D; Ganesh, K J; Cai, Weiwei; Ferreira, Paulo J; Pirkle, Adam; Wallace, Robert M; Cychosz, Katie A; Thommes, Matthias; Su, Dong; Stach, Eric A; Ruoff, Rodney S

2011-06-24

Supercapacitors, also called ultracapacitors or electrochemical capacitors, store electrical charge on high-surface-area conducting materials. Their widespread use is limited by their low energy storage density and relatively high effective series resistance. Using chemical activation of exfoliated graphite oxide, we synthesized a porous carbon with a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area of up to 3100 square meters per gram, a high electrical conductivity, and a low oxygen and hydrogen content. This sp(2)-bonded carbon has a continuous three-dimensional network of highly curved, atom-thick walls that form primarily 0.6- to 5-nanometer-width pores. Two-electrode supercapacitor cells constructed with this carbon yielded high values of gravimetric capacitance and energy density with organic and ionic liquid electrolytes. The processes used to make this carbon are readily scalable to industrial levels.

Carbon-Based Supercapacitors Produced by Activation of Graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Yanwu; Murali, Shanthi; Stoller, Meryl D.; Ganesh, K. J.; Cai, Weiwei; Ferreira, Paulo J.; Pirkle, Adam; Wallace, Robert M.; Cychosz, Katie A.; Thommes, Matthias; Su, Dong; Stach, Eric A.; Ruoff, Rodney S.

2011-06-01

Supercapacitors, also called ultracapacitors or electrochemical capacitors, store electrical charge on high-surface-area conducting materials. Their widespread use is limited by their low energy storage density and relatively high effective series resistance. Using chemical activation of exfoliated graphite oxide, we synthesized a porous carbon with a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area of up to 3100 square meters per gram, a high electrical conductivity, and a low oxygen and hydrogen content. This sp2-bonded carbon has a continuous three-dimensional network of highly curved, atom-thick walls that form primarily 0.6- to 5-nanometer-width pores. Two-electrode supercapacitor cells constructed with this carbon yielded high values of gravimetric capacitance and energy density with organic and ionic liquid electrolytes. The processes used to make this carbon are readily scalable to industrial levels.

Liquid Droplet Dynamics in Gravity Compensating High Magnetic Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bojarevics, V.; Easter, S.; Pericleous, K.

2012-01-01

Numerical models are used to investigate behavior of liquid droplets suspended in high DC magnetic fields of various configurations providing microgravity-like conditions. Using a DC field it is possible to create conditions with laminar viscosity and heat transfer to measure viscosity, surface tension, electrical and thermal conductivities, and heat capacity of a liquid sample. The oscillations in a high DC magnetic field are quite different for an electrically conducting droplet, like liquid silicon or metal. The droplet behavior in a high magnetic field is the subject of investigation in this paper. At the high values of magnetic field some oscillation modes are damped quickly, while others are modified with a considerable shift of the oscillating droplet frequencies and the damping constants from the non-magnetic case.

Oxygen ion conductivity of La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.83Mg0.17-xCoxO3-δ synthesized by laser rapid solidification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jie; Yuan, Chao; Wang, Jun-Qiao; Liang, Er-Jun; Chao, Ming-Ju

2013-08-01

Materials La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.83Mg0.17-xCoxO3-δ with x = 0, 0.05, 0.085, 0.10, and 0.15 are synthesized by laser rapid solidification. It is shown that the samples prepared by laser rapid solidification give rise to unique spear-like or leaf-like microstructures which are orderly arranged and densely packed. Their electrical properties each show a general dependence of the Co content and the total conductivities of La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.83Mg0.085Co0.085O3-δ prepared by laser rapid solidification are measured to be 0.067, 0.124, and 0.202 S·cm-1 at 600, 700, and 800 °C, respectively, which are much higher than by conventional solid state reactions. Moreover, the electrical conductivities each as a function of the oxygen partial pressure are also measured. It is shown that the samples with the Co content values <= 8.5 mol% each exhibit basically ionic conduction while those for Co content values >= 10 mol % each show ionic mixed electronic conduction under oxygen partial pressures from 10-16 atm (1 atm = 1.01325 × 105 Pa) to 0.98 atm. The improved ionic conductivity of La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.83Mg0.085Co0.085O3-δ prepared by laser rapid solidification compared with by solid state reactions is attributed to the unique microstructure of the sample generated during laser rapid solidification.

Method of Fault Detection and Rerouting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gibson, Tracy L. (Inventor); Medelius, Pedro J. (Inventor); Lewis, Mark E. (Inventor)

2013-01-01

A system and method for detecting damage in an electrical wire, including delivering at least one test electrical signal to an outer electrically conductive material in a continuous or non-continuous layer covering an electrically insulative material layer that covers an electrically conductive wire core. Detecting the test electrical signals in the outer conductive material layer to obtain data that is processed to identify damage in the outer electrically conductive material layer.

A study of the origin of large magnetic field coupled electric polarization in HoAl(BO3)4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Tian; Zhang, Han; Tyson, Trevor; Chen, Zhiqiang; Abeykoon, Milinda; Nelson, Christie; Bezmaternykh, Leonard

2015-03-01

The multiferroic system RAl(BO3)4 is known to exhibit a strong coupling of magnetic field to the electrical polarization. Recently a giant magnetoelectric effect was found in HoAl3(BO3)4 system. This phenomenon is considered quite interesting because the value discovered is significantly higher than reported values of linear magnetoelectric or even multiferroic compounds. We are conducting detailed structural measurements to understand the coupling. We are exploring the local and long range structure in these systems using x-ray PDF, XAFS and single crystal diffraction measurement between 10 K and 400 K. Structural parameters including lattice parameters and ADPs are being determined over the full temperature range. This work is supported by DOE Grant DE-FG02-07ER46402.

Comparison of electrical conductivity calculation methods for natural waters

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCleskey, R. Blaine; Nordstrom, D. Kirk; Ryan, Joseph N.

2012-01-01

The capability of eleven methods to calculate the electrical conductivity of a wide range of natural waters from their chemical composition was investigated. A brief summary of each method is presented including equations to calculate the conductivities of individual ions, the ions incorporated, and the method's limitations. The ability of each method to reliably predict the conductivity depends on the ions included, effective accounting of ion pairing, and the accuracy of the equation used to estimate the ionic conductivities. The performances of the methods were evaluated by calculating the conductivity of 33 environmentally important electrolyte solutions, 41 U.S. Geological Survey standard reference water samples, and 1593 natural water samples. The natural waters tested include acid mine waters, geothermal waters, seawater, dilute mountain waters, and river water impacted by municipal waste water. The three most recent conductivity methods predict the conductivity of natural waters better than other methods. Two of the recent methods can be used to reliably calculate the conductivity for samples with pH values greater than about 3 and temperatures between 0 and 40°C. One method is applicable to a variety of natural water types with a range of pH from 1 to 10, temperature from 0 to 95°C, and ionic strength up to 1 m.

Solar wind: Internal parameters driven by external source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chertkov, A. D.

1995-01-01

A new concept interpreting solar wind parameters is suggested. The process of increasing twofold of a moving volume in the solar wind (with energy transfer across its surface which is comparable with its whole internal energy) is a more rapid process than the relaxation for the pressure. Thus, the solar wind is unique from the point of view of thermodynamics of irreversible processes. The presumptive source of the solar wind creation - the induction electric field of the solar origin - has very low entropy. The state of interplanetary plasma must be very far from the thermodynamic equilibrium. Plasma internal energy is contained mainly in non-degenerate forms (plasma waves, resonant plasma oscillations, electric currents). Microscopic oscillating electric fields in the solar wind plasma should be about 1 V/m. It allows one to describe the solar wind by simple dissipative MHD equations with small effective mean free path (required for hydrodynamical description), low value of electrical conductivity combined with very big apparent thermal conductivity (required for observed solar wind acceleration). These internal parameters are interrelated only due to their origin: they are externally driven. Their relation can change during the interaction of solar wind plasma with an obstacle (planet, spacecraft). The concept proposed can be verified by the special electric field measurements, not ruining the primordial plasma state.

Dosimeter-Type NOx Sensing Properties of KMnO4 and Its Electrical Conductivity during Temperature Programmed Desorption

PubMed Central

Groβ, Andrea; Kremling, Michael; Marr, Isabella; Kubinski, David J.; Visser, Jacobus H.; Tuller, Harry L.; Moos, Ralf

2013-01-01

An impedimetric NOx dosimeter based on the NOx sorption material KMnO4 is proposed. In addition to its application as a low level NOx dosimeter, KMnO4 shows potential as a precious metal free lean NOx trap material (LNT) for NOx storage catalysts (NSC) enabling electrical in-situ diagnostics. With this dosimeter, low levels of NO and NO2 exposure can be detected electrically as instantaneous values at 380 °C by progressive NOx accumulation in the KMnO4 based sensitive layer. The linear NOx sensing characteristics are recovered periodically by heating to 650 °C or switching to rich atmospheres. Further insight into the NOx sorption-dependent conductivity of the KMnO4-based material is obtained by the novel eTPD method that combines electrical characterization with classical temperature programmed desorption (TPD). The NOx loading amount increases proportionally to the NOx exposure time at sorption temperature. The cumulated NOx exposure, as well as the corresponding NOx loading state, can be detected linearly by electrical means in two modes: (1) time-continuously during the sorption interval including NOx concentration information from the signal derivative or (2) during the short-term thermal NOx release. PMID:23549366

Variation in seasonal moisture content

Treesearch

John E. Phelps

1992-01-01

Several properties of wood are affected by moisture content-weight, fuel value, electrical conductivity, strength, and shrinkage. Differences in these properties are commonly observed in wood in service. For example, a green 2 X 4 weighs more than a kiln-dried 2 X 4, dried wood burns more easily and hotter than green wood, etc.

Vertical drying of a suspension of sticks: Monte Carlo simulation for continuous two-dimensional problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lebovka, Nikolai I.; Tarasevich, Yuri Yu.; Vygornitskii, Nikolai V.

2018-02-01

The vertical drying of a two-dimensional colloidal film containing zero-thickness sticks (lines) was studied by means of kinetic Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. The continuous two-dimensional problem for both the positions and orientations was considered. The initial state before drying was produced using a model of random sequential adsorption with isotropic orientations of the sticks. During the evaporation, an upper interface falls with a linear velocity in the vertical direction, and the sticks undergo translational and rotational Brownian motions. The MC simulations were run at different initial number concentrations (the numbers of sticks per unit area), pi, and solvent evaporation rates, u . For completely dried films, the spatial distributions of the sticks, the order parameters, and the electrical conductivities of the films in both the horizontal, x , and vertical, y , directions were examined. Significant evaporation-driven self-assembly and stratification of the sticks in the vertical direction was observed. The extent of stratification increased with increasing values of u . The anisotropy of the electrical conductivity of the film can be finely regulated by changes in the values of pi and u .

Electrical and switching properties of the Se 90Te 10-xAg x (0⩽ x⩽6) films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Afifi, M. A.; Hegab, N. A.; Bekheet, A. E.; Sharaf, E. R.

2009-08-01

Amorphous Se 90Te 10-xAg x (0⩽ x⩽6) films are obtained by thermal evaporation technique under vacuum from the synthesized bulk materials on pyrographite and glass substrates. X-ray analysis shows the amorphous nature of the obtained films. The dc electrical conductivity was studied for different thicknesses (165-711 nm) as a function of temperature in the range (298-323 K) below the corresponding T g for the studied films. The obtained results show that the conduction activation energy has a single value through the investigated range of temperature which can be explained in accordance with Mott and Davis model. The I- V characteristic curves for the film compositions are found to be typical for a memory switch. The mean value of the threshold voltage Vbar increases linearly with increasing film thickness (165-711 nm), while it decreases exponentially with increasing temperature in the investigated range for the studied compositions. The results are explained in accordance with the electrothermal model for the switching process. The effect of Ag on the studied parameters is also investigated.

Electrically conductive proppant and methods for detecting, locating and characterizing the electrically conductive proppant

DOEpatents

Cannan, Chad; Bartel, Lewis; Palisch, Terrence; Aldridge, David

2015-01-13

Electrically conductive proppants and methods for detecting, locating, and characterizing same are provided. The electrically conductive proppant can include a substantially uniform coating of an electrically conductive material having a thickness of at least 500 nm. The method can include injecting a hydraulic fluid into a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to open a fracture therein, injecting into the fracture a fluid containing the electrically conductive proppant, electrically energizing the earth at or near the fracture, and measuring three dimensional (x, y, and z) components of electric and magnetic field responses at a surface of the earth or in an adjacent wellbore.

Electrical percolation threshold of cementitious composites possessing self-sensing functionality incorporating different carbon-based materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Dahawi, Ali; Haroon Sarwary, Mohammad; Öztürk, Oğuzhan; Yıldırım, Gürkan; Akın, Arife; Şahmaran, Mustafa; Lachemi, Mohamed

2016-10-01

An experimental study was carried out to understand the electrical percolation thresholds of different carbon-based nano- and micro-scale materials in cementitious composites. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and carbon black (CB) were selected as the nano-scale materials, while 6 and 12 mm long carbon fibers (CF6 and CF12) were used as the micro-scale carbon-based materials. After determining the percolation thresholds of different electrical conductive materials, mechanical properties and piezoresistive properties of specimens produced with the abovementioned conductive materials at percolation threshold were investigated under uniaxial compressive loading. Results demonstrate that regardless of initial curing age, the percolation thresholds of CNT, GNP, CB and CFs in ECC mortar specimens were around 0.55%, 2.00%, 2.00% and 1.00%, respectively. Including different carbon-based conductive materials did not harm compressive strength results; on the contrary, it improved overall values. All cementitious composites produced with carbon-based materials, with the exception of the control mixtures, exhibited piezoresistive behavior under compression, which is crucial for sensing capability. It is believed that incorporating the sensing attribute into cementitious composites will enhance benefits for sustainable civil infrastructures.

Estimation of Mineral and Trace Element Profile in Bubaline Milk Affected with Subclinical Mastitis.

PubMed

Singh, Mahavir; Yadav, Poonam; Sharma, Anshu; Garg, V K; Mittal, Dinesh

2017-04-01

The milk samples from buffaloes of Murrah breed at mid lactation stage, reared at an organised dairy farm, were screened for subclinical mastitis based on bacteriological examination and somatic cell count following International Dairy Federation criteria. Milk samples from subclinical mastitis infected and healthy buffaloes were analysed to evaluate physicochemical alterations in terms of protein, fat, pH, electrical conductivity, chloride, minerals (sodium, potassium and calcium) and trace elements (iron, zinc, copper and selenium). In the present study, protein, fat, zinc, iron, calcium and selenium content was significantly lower (P < 0.001), while pH and electrical conductivity were significantly higher in mastitic milk as compared to normal milk. Concentration of electrolytes mainly sodium and chloride significantly increased with higher somatic cell count in mastitic milk and to maintain osmolality; potassium levels decreased proportionately. Correlation matrix revealed significantly positive interdependences of somatic cell count with pH, electrical conductivity, sodium and chloride. However, protein, fat, calcium and potassium were correlated negatively with elevated somatic cell count in mastitic milk. It is concluded that udder infections resulting in elevated somatic cells may alter the mineral and trace element profile of milk, and magnitude of changes may have diagnostic and prognostic value.

Ultra-flexible and robust transparent electrodes by embedding silver nanowires into polyimide matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Rong Rong; Yu, Ming Shi; Wang, Guan Cheng; Liu, Wei; Chen, Tong Lai

2018-06-01

Silver nanowires (AgNWs) percolated films have been extensively considered as promising candidates for alternative transparent electrodes. However, due to their high surface roughness, poor adhesion and thermal stability, their practical use in transparent conducting film application is still heavily limited. In this paper, we report ultra-flexible transparent electrodes by imbedding AgNWs into polyimide (PI) thin films to achieve smooth surface, pronounced thermal stability, and high adhesion. Besides the excellent electrical conductivity of about 7-13Ω/□ in sheet resistance, the obtained AgNWs/PI films have excellent transparency and mechanical resilience due to the intrinsic physical and chemical properties of PI organic polymer. By embedding AgNWs into PI, the surface roughness of AgNWs percolated films can be reduced from 39.5 nm to 6 nm (RMS values), and the adhesion of AgNWs to PI is greatly enhanced if compared to the case of only AgNWs onto glass or plastic substrates. Additionally, the AgNWs/PI films show extraordinary stability in terms of electrical conductivity after the arbitrary twisting and thermal heating test, respectively, which are demonstrated by the electrical-thermal measurements via thermal IR imaging.

Nonequilibrium free diffusion in seed leachate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortiz G., Luis; Riquelme P., Pablo; Guzmán, R.

2013-11-01

In this work, we use a Schlieren-like Near Field Scattering (SNFS) setup to study nonequilibrium free diffusion behavior of a colloidal solution obtained from seeds leachate. The main objective is to compare the temporal behavior of the diffusion coefficient of seed leachate with an electric conductivity based vigor test. SNFS sizing measurements, based on Mie theory, were carried out to ensure its reliability and sensitivity. Then, we performed a typical nonequilibrium free diffusion experiment of a glycerol-water mixture. In this way, we confirmed that SNFS setup is sensitive to giant concentration fluctuations of nanocolloidal solutions. The results obtained in this stage reproduce properly the data reported elsewhere in literature. Moreover, seed leachate diffuse, in water, in a similar way that glycerol does. In both cases we used the same method (dynamic structure factor) to determine thermo-physical properties. We show that time evolution of diffusion coefficient of Lupinus Albus leachate exhibits three defined regimes as electric conductivity measurements. The results also exhibit a correspondence between the behavior of the diffusion coefficient and electric conductivity values of the two regions in the temporal range studied. Finally, we discuss biological processes involved in germination that could modulate this dependence, and the role played by the electrolytic nature of solutes.

In vivo mapping of current density distribution in brain tissues during deep brain stimulation (DBS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sajib, Saurav Z. K.; Oh, Tong In; Kim, Hyung Joong; Kwon, Oh In; Woo, Eung Je

2017-01-01

New methods for in vivo mapping of brain responses during deep brain stimulation (DBS) are indispensable to secure clinical applications. Assessment of current density distribution, induced by internally injected currents, may provide an alternative method for understanding the therapeutic effects of electrical stimulation. The current flow and pathway are affected by internal conductivity, and can be imaged using magnetic resonance-based conductivity imaging methods. Magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography (MREIT) is an imaging method that can enable highly resolved mapping of electromagnetic tissue properties such as current density and conductivity of living tissues. In the current study, we experimentally imaged current density distribution of in vivo canine brains by applying MREIT to electrical stimulation. The current density maps of three canine brains were calculated from the measured magnetic flux density data. The absolute current density values of brain tissues, including gray matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid were compared to assess the active regions during DBS. The resulting current density in different tissue types may provide useful information about current pathways and volume activation for adjusting surgical planning and understanding the therapeutic effects of DBS.

Electrical properties of a novel 1,3-bis-(p-iminobenzoic acid) indane Langmuir-Blodgett films containing ZnS nanoparticles.

PubMed

Sari, H; Uzunoglu, T; Capan, R; Serin, N; Serin, T; Tarimci, C; Hassan, A K; Namli, H; Turhan, O

2007-08-01

ZnS nanoparticles have been formed in a newly synthesized 1,3-bis-(p-iminobenzoic acid) indane (IBI) by exposing Zn2+ doped multilayered Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) film to H2S gas after the growth. The formation of ZnS nanoparticles in the LB film structure was verified by measuring UV-Visible absorption spectra. DC electrical measurements were carried out for thin films of IBI prepared in a metal/LB films/metal sandwich structure with and without ZnS nanoparticles. It was observed that ZnS nanoparticles in the LB films cause a blue-shift in the absorption spectra as well as a decrease in both capacitance and conductivity values. By analysing I-V curves and assuming a Schottky conduction mechanism the barrier height was found to be about 1.13 eV and 1.21 eV for IBI LB films without and with ZnS nanoparticles, respectively. It is thought that the presence of ZnS nanoparticles influences the barrier height at the metal-organic film interface and causes a change in electrical conduction properties of LB films.

Thermal properties of alkali-activated aluminosilicates with CNT admixture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zmeskal, Oldrich; Trhlikova, Lucie; Fiala, Lukas; Florian, Pavel; Cerny, Robert

2017-07-01

Material properties of electrically conductive cement-based materials with increased attention paid on electric and thermal properties were often studied in the last years. Both electric and thermal properties play an important role thanks to their possible utilization in various practical applications (e.g. snow-melting systems or building structures monitoring systems without the need of an external monitoring system). The DC/AC characteristics depend significantly on the electrical resistivity and the electrical capacity of bulk materials. With respect to the DC/AC characteristics of cement-based materials, such materials can be basically classified as electric insulators. In order to enhance them, various conductive admixtures such as those based on different forms of carbon, can be used. Typical representatives of carbon-based admixtures are carbon nanotubes (CNT), carbon fibers (CF), graphite powder (GP) and carbon black (CB). With an adequate amount of such admixtures, electric properties significantly change and new materials with higher added value can be prepared. However, other types of materials can be enhanced in the same way. Alkali-activated aluminosilicates (AAA) based on blast furnace slag are materials with high compressive strength comparable with cement-based materials. Moreover, the price of slag is lower than of Portland cement. Therefore, this paper deals with the study of thermal properties of this promising material with different concentrations of CNT. Within the paper a simple method of basic thermal parameters determination based on the thermal transient response to a heat power step is presented.

Electric-field control of conductance in metal quantum point contacts by electric-double-layer gating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shibata, K.; Yoshida, K.; Daiguji, K.; Sato, H.; , T., Ii; Hirakawa, K.

2017-10-01

An electric-field control of quantized conductance in metal (gold) quantum point contacts (QPCs) is demonstrated by adopting a liquid-gated electric-double-layer (EDL) transistor geometry. Atomic-scale gold QPCs were fabricated by applying the feedback-controlled electrical break junction method to the gold nanojunction. The electric conductance in gold QPCs shows quantized conductance plateaus and step-wise increase/decrease by the conductance quantum, G0 = 2e2/h, as EDL-gate voltage is swept, demonstrating a modulation of the conductance of gold QPCs by EDL gating. The electric-field control of conductance in metal QPCs may open a way for their application to local charge sensing at room temperature.

Dual active layer a-IGZO TFT via homogeneous conductive layer formation by photochemical H-doping

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

In this study, InGaZnO (IGZO) thin film transistors (TFTs) with a dual active layer (DAL) structure are fabricated by inserting a homogeneous embedded conductive layer (HECL) in an amorphous IGZO (a-IGZO) channel with the aim of enhancing the electrical characteristics of conventional bottom-gate-structure TFTs. A highly conductive HECL (carrier concentration at 1.6 × 1013 cm-2, resistivity at 4.6 × 10-3 Ω∙cm, and Hall mobility at 14.6 cm2/Vs at room temperature) is fabricated using photochemical H-doping by irradiating UV light on an a-IGZO film. The electrical properties of the fabricated DAL TFTs are evaluated by varying the HECL length. The results reveal that carrier mobility increased proportionally with the HECL length. Further, a DAL TFT with a 60-μm-long HECL embedded in an 80-μm-long channel exhibits comprehensive and outstanding improvements in its electrical properties: a saturation mobility of 60.2 cm2/Vs, threshold voltage of 2.7 V, and subthreshold slope of 0.25 V/decade against the initial values of 19.9 cm2/Vs, 4.7 V, and 0.45 V/decade, respectively, for a TFT without HECL. This result confirms that the photochemically H-doped HECL significantly improves the electrical properties of DAL IGZO TFTs. PMID:25435832

A heater made from graphite composite material for potential deicing application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hung, C. C.; Stahl, M.; Stahl, M.; Stahl, M.

1986-01-01

A surface heater was developed using a graphite fiber-epoxy composite as the heating element. This heater can be thin, highly electrically and thermally conductive, and can conform to an irregular surface. Therefore it may be used in an aircraft's thermal deicing system to quickly and uniformly heat the aircraft surface. One-ply of unidirectional graphite fiber-epoxy composite was laminated between two plies of fiber glass-epoxy composite, with nickel foil contacting the end portions of the composite and partly exposed beyond the composites for electrical contact. The model heater used brominated P-100 fibers from Amoco. The fiber's electrical resistivity, thermal conductivity and density were 50 micro ohms per centimeter, 270 W/m-K and 2.30 gm/cubic cm, respectively. The electricity was found to penetrate through the composite in the transverse direction to make an acceptably low foil-composite contact resistance. When conducting current, the heater temperature increase reached 50 percent of the steady state value within 20 sec. There was no overheating at the ends of the heater provided there was no water corrosion. If the foil-composite bonding failed during storage, liquid water exposure was found to oxidize the foil. Such bonding failure may be avoided if perforated nickel foil is used, so that the composite plies can bond to each other through the perforated holes and therefore lock the foil in place.

Dual Vacancies: An Effective Strategy Realizing Synergistic Optimization of Thermoelectric Property in BiCuSeO.

PubMed

Li, Zhou; Xiao, Chong; Fan, Shaojuan; Deng, Yu; Zhang, Wenshuai; Ye, Bangjiao; Xie, Yi

2015-05-27

Vacancy is a very important class of phonon scattering center to reduce thermal conductivity for the development of high efficient thermoelectric materials. However, conventional monovacancy may also act as an electron or hole acceptor, thereby modifying the electrical transport properties and even worsening the thermoelectric performance. This issue urges us to create new types of vacancies that scatter phonons effectively while not deteriorating the electrical transport. Herein, taking BiCuSeO as an example, we first reported the successful synergistic optimization of electrical and thermal parameters through Bi/Cu dual vacancies. As expected, as compared to its pristine and monovacancy samples, these dual vacancies further increase the phonon scattering, which results in an ultra low thermal conductivity of 0.37 W m(-1) K(-1) at 750 K. Most importantly, the clear-cut evidence in positron annihilation unambiguously confirms the interlayer charge transfer between these Bi/Cu dual vacancies, which results in the significant increase of electrical conductivity with relatively high Seebeck coefficient. As a result, BiCuSeO with Bi/Cu dual vacancies shows a high ZT value of 0.84 at 750 K, which is superior to that of its native sample and monovacancies-dominant counterparts. These findings undoubtedly elucidate a new strategy and direction for rational design of high performance thermoelectric materials.

An experimental method to determine the resistance of a vertically aligned carbon nanotube forest in contact with a conductive layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vo, T. T.; Poulain, C.; Dijon, J.; Fournier, A.; Chevalier, N.; Mariolle, D.

2012-08-01

High density vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VACNT) forests are considered as a promising conductive material for many applications (interconnects in microelectronics or contact material layer in sliding contact applications). It is thus crucial to characterize the electrical resistance of these forests, especially in contact with the inherent top/bottom conductive substrates. This paper aims to develop an original method to determine the contribution of the different terms in this electrical resistance, which is measured with a tipless atomic force microscope used in high accuracy "force mode." VACNT stacks with different heights on AlCu substrate with or without Au/Pd top coating are studied. The electrical contact area between the probe tip and the forest is considered to be equivalent to the classical electrical contact area between a tip and a rough surface. With this assumption, the scattering resistance of a mono-wall CNT is 14.6 kΩ μm-1, the top/bottom contact resistance is, respectively, 265 kΩ/385 kΩ. The bottom resistance divided in half is obtained by an interface substrate/CNT catalyst treatment. The same assumption leads to an effective compressive modulus of 175 MPa. These results are consistent with the values published by other authors. The proposed method is effective to optimise the CNT interface contact resistance before integration in a more complex functional structure.

Dual active layer a-IGZO TFT via homogeneous conductive layer formation by photochemical H-doping.

PubMed

Jeong, Seung-Ki; Kim, Myeong-Ho; Lee, Sang-Yeon; Seo, Hyungtak; Choi, Duck-Kyun

2014-01-01

In this study, InGaZnO (IGZO) thin film transistors (TFTs) with a dual active layer (DAL) structure are fabricated by inserting a homogeneous embedded conductive layer (HECL) in an amorphous IGZO (a-IGZO) channel with the aim of enhancing the electrical characteristics of conventional bottom-gate-structure TFTs. A highly conductive HECL (carrier concentration at 1.6 × 10(13) cm(-2), resistivity at 4.6 × 10(-3) Ω∙cm, and Hall mobility at 14.6 cm(2)/Vs at room temperature) is fabricated using photochemical H-doping by irradiating UV light on an a-IGZO film. The electrical properties of the fabricated DAL TFTs are evaluated by varying the HECL length. The results reveal that carrier mobility increased proportionally with the HECL length. Further, a DAL TFT with a 60-μm-long HECL embedded in an 80-μm-long channel exhibits comprehensive and outstanding improvements in its electrical properties: a saturation mobility of 60.2 cm(2)/Vs, threshold voltage of 2.7 V, and subthreshold slope of 0.25 V/decade against the initial values of 19.9 cm(2)/Vs, 4.7 V, and 0.45 V/decade, respectively, for a TFT without HECL. This result confirms that the photochemically H-doped HECL significantly improves the electrical properties of DAL IGZO TFTs.

Investigation of structural and electrical properties on substrate material for high frequency metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, M.; Yang, Sung-Hyun; Janardhan Reddy, K.; JagadeeshChandra, S. V.

2017-04-01

Hafnium oxide (HfO2) thin films were grown on cleaned P-type <1 0 0> Ge and Si substrates by using atomic layer deposition technique (ALD) with thickness of 8 nm. The composition analysis of as-deposited and annealed HfO2 films was characterized by XPS, further electrical measurements; we fabricated the metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices with Pt electrode. Post deposition annealing in O2 ambient at 500 °C for 30 min was carried out on both Ge and Si devices. Capacitance-voltage (C-V) and conductance-voltage (G-V) curves measured at 1 MHz. The Ge MOS devices showed improved interfacial and electrical properties, high dielectric constant (~19), smaller EOT value (0.7 nm), and smaller D it value as Si MOS devices. The C-V curves shown significantly high accumulation capacitance values from Ge devices, relatively when compare with the Si MOS devices before and after annealing. It could be due to the presence of very thin interfacial layer at HfO2/Ge stacks than HfO2/Si stacks conformed by the HRTEM images. Besides, from current-voltage (I-V) curves of the Ge devices exhibited similar leakage current as Si devices. Therefore, Ge might be a reliable substrate material for structural, electrical and high frequency applications.

Analytical solution of electromagnetic radiation by a vertical electric dipole inside the earth and the effect of atmospheric electrical conductivity inhomogeneity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mosayebidorcheh, Taha; Hosseinibalam, Fahimeh; Hassanzadeh, Smaeyl

2017-11-01

In this paper, the effect of atmospheric electrical conductivity on the electromagnetic waves radiated by a vertical electric dipole located in the earth, near the surface of the earth, is investigated. As far as electrical conductivity is concerned, the atmosphere is divided into three areas, in which the electrical conductivity changes with altitude. The Maxwell equations in these areas are investigated as well. Using the differential transform method, the differential equation is solved in a way that atmospheric electrical conductivity is variable. Solving the problem in these areas indicates that electrical conductivity in the middle and lower areas of atmosphere may be ignored. However, in the upper areas of atmosphere, the magnitude of the magnetic field in the ionosphere at a frequency of 10 kHz at night is five times smaller when electrical conductivity is considered compared to when it is neglected.

Toxicological study of the Anam River in Otuocha, Anambra State, Nigeria.

PubMed

Igwilo, Innocent O; Afonne, Onyenmechi Johnson; Maduabuchi, Ugwuona John-Moses; Orisakwe, Orish Ebere

2006-01-01

The authors studied the quality of water and soil samples from the Anam River in Nigeria. Using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer, they analyzed levels of lead, cadmium, copper, and nickel. They also analyzed sulfates, nitrates, biological oxygen demand, total hardness, total dissolved solids, pH values, electrical conductivity, chloride, and salinity. The ranges of detected metals were 0.002-0.005 mg/L for cadmium, 0.008-0.016 mg/L for lead, and 0.580-1.345 mg/L for copper. In the soil samples, the authors detected cadmium (0.07-3.45 ppm), copper (4.38-13.54 ppm), lead (0.59-7.34 ppm), and nickel (0.36-5.64 ppm). The mean values of the chemical parameters were 11.34 +/- 1.20 mg/L for total hardness, 4.43 +/- 1.54 mg/L for biological oxygen demand, 20.00 +/- 0.00 mg/L for total dissolved solids, and 0.22 +/- 0.05 mg/L for nitrates. Chloride, salinity, electrical conductivity, and pH values were 8.00 +/- 1.73 mg/L, 14.44 +/- 3.13 mg/L, 19.33 +/- 0.67 ps cm-L, and 7.09 +/- 0.05, respectively. The World Health Organization guidelines for the parameters in soil were exceeded.

Tuning Thermoelectric Properties of Type I Clathrate K 8–x Ba x Al 8+x Si 38–x through Barium Substitution

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

Sui, Fan; Kauzlarich, Susan M.

2016-05-10

The thermal stability and thermoelectric properties of type I clathrate K8Al8Si38 up to 873 K are reported. K8Al8Si38 possesses a high absolute Seebeck coefficient value and high electrical resistivity in the temperature range of 323 to 873 K, which is consistent with previously reported low temperature thermoelectric properties. Samples with Ba partial substitution at the K guest atom sites were synthesized from metal hydride precursors. The samples with the nominal chemical formula of K8–xBaxAl8+xSi38–x (x = 1, 1.5, 2) possess type I clathrate structure (cubic, Pm3n), confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The guest atom site occupancies and thermal motions were investigatedmore » with Rietveld refinement of synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction. Transport properties of Ba-containing samples were characterized from 2 to 300 K. The K–Ba alloy phases showed low thermal conductivity and improved electrical conductivity compared to K8Al8Si38. Electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficients were measured over the temperature range of 323 to 873 K. Thermal conductivity from 323 to 873 K was estimated from the Wiedemann–Franz relation and lattice thermal conductivity extrapolation from 300 to 873 K. K8–xBaxAl8+xSi38–x (x = 1, 1.5) synthesized with Al deficiency showed enhanced electrical conductivity, and the absolute Seebeck coefficients decrease with the increased carrier concentration. When x = 2, the Al content increases toward the electron balanced composition, and the electrical resistivity increases with the decreasing charge carrier concentration. Overall, K6.5Ba1.5Al9Si37 achieves an enhanced zT of 0.4 at 873 K.« less

Electrical conductivity of partially-molten olivine aggregate and melt interconnectivity in the oceanic upper mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laumonier, Mickael; Frost, Dan; Farla, Robert; Katsura, Tomoo; Marquardt, Katharina

2016-04-01

A consistent explanation for mantle geophysical anomalies such as the Lithosphere-Astenosphere Boundary (LAB) relies on the existence of little amount of melt trapped in the solid peridotite. Mathematical models have been used to assess the melt fraction possibly lying at mantle depths, but they have not been experimentally checked at low melt fraction (< 2 vol. %). To fill this gap, we performed in situ electrical conductivity (EC) measurement on a partially-molten olivine aggregate (Fo92-olivine from a natural peridotite of Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain) containing various amount of basaltic (MORB-like composition) melt (0 to 100%) at upper mantle conditions. We used the MAVO 6-ram press (BGI) combined with a Solartron gain phase analyser to acquire the electrical resistance of the sample at pressure of 1.5 GPa and temperature up to 1400°C. The results show the increase of the electrical conductivity with the temperature following an Arrhenius law, and with the melt fraction, but the effect of pressure between 1.5 and 3.0 GPa was found negligible at a melt fraction of 0.5 vol.%. The conductivity of a partially molten aggregate fits the modified Archie's law from 0.5 to 100 vol.%. At melt fractions of 0.25, 0.15 and 0.0 vol.%, the EC value deviates from the trend previously defined, suggesting that the melt is no longer fully interconnected through the sample, also supported by chemical mapping. Our results extend the previous results obtained on mixed system between 1 and 10% of melt. Since the melt appears fully interconnected down to very low melt fraction (0.5 vol.%), we conclude that (i) only 0.5 to 1 vol.% of melt is enough to explain the LAB EC anomaly, lower than previously determined; and (ii) deformation is not mandatory to enhance electrical conductivity of melt-bearing mantle rocks.

The electric field distributions in anatomical head models during transcranial direct current stimulation for post-stroke rehabilitation.

PubMed

Manoli, Zoi; Parazzini, Marta; Ravazzani, Paolo; Samaras, Theodoros

2017-01-01

The lack of knowledge of the electric field distribution inside the brain of stroke patients receiving transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) calls for estimating it computationally. Moreover, the impact on this distribution of a novel clinical management approach which involves secondary motor areas (SMA) in stroke rehabilitation needs to be evaluated. Finally, the differences in the electric field distributions due to gender and age need to be investigated. This work presents the development of two different anatomical models (young adult female and elderly male) with an ischemic stroke region of spherical volume 10 cm 3 or 50 cm 3 , using numerical models of the Virtual Population (ViP). The stroke phase was considered as acute or chronic, resulting in different electrical properties of the area. Two different electrode montages were used - One over the lesion area and the contralateral supra-orbital region and the other over the SMA and the contralateral supra-orbital region. A quasi-electrostatic solver was used to numerically solve the Laplace equation with the finite-difference technique. Both the 99th percentile of the electric field intensity distribution ("E peak value") and the percentage of the tissue volumes with electric field intensity over 50% and 70% of the E peak value were assessed inside the target areas of the primary motor cortex (M1) and the SMA, as well as in other brain tissues (hypothalamus and cerebellum). In the acute phase of an ischemic stroke, the normalized electric field intensity distributions do not differ noticeably compared to those in the brain of a healthy person (mean square difference < 2%). The difference becomes larger (up to 4.5%) for the chronic phase of a large ischemic lesion. Moreover, the maximum values of the induced electric field in the tissues in the SMA are almost equal for both electrode montages. The peak values of the electric field distribution ("E peak values") in cerebellum and hypothalamus for both electrode montages are rather small but different from those of healthy patients. The largest difference of 21% decrease with respect to a healthy subject was noticed in the elder adult model with a large chronic lesion. The comparison of the different electrode montages shows that the use of a stimulating electrode over the affected area creates larger values of the electric field in M1, by up to 26% for a small chronic lesion in the young female model. On the contrary, the montage does not affect considerably (change less than 8%) the E peak values in the SMA. This implies that for exciting M1, the M1-Fp2 montage should be favored. The presence and the phase of an ischemic stroke lesion, as well as the configuration of electrode montages affect the distribution and the maximum value of the electric field induced in tissues. Moreover, patients whom seem to benefit most from tDCS are those in the chronic phase of an ischemic stroke, since contrasts in the tissue conductivity result in a higher electric field induced around the lesion volume, which could stimulate the remaining healthy tissue in the area. © 2016 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Molecular modeling of diffusion coefficient and ionic conductivity of CO2 in aqueous ionic solutions.

PubMed

Garcia-Ratés, Miquel; de Hemptinne, Jean-Charles; Bonet Avalos, Josep; Nieto-Draghi, Carlos

2012-03-08

Mass diffusion coefficients of CO(2)/brine mixtures under thermodynamic conditions of deep saline aquifers have been investigated by molecular simulation. The objective of this work is to provide estimates of the diffusion coefficient of CO(2) in salty water to compensate the lack of experimental data on this property. We analyzed the influence of temperature, CO(2) concentration,and salinity on the diffusion coefficient, the rotational diffusion, as well as the electrical conductivity. We observe an increase of the mass diffusion coefficient with the temperature, but no clear dependence is identified with the salinity or with the CO(2) mole fraction, if the system is overall dilute. In this case, we notice an important dispersion on the values of the diffusion coefficient which impairs any conclusive statement about the effect of the gas concentration on the mobility of CO(2) molecules. Rotational relaxation times for water and CO(2) increase by decreasing temperature or increasing the salt concentration. We propose a correlation for the self-diffusion coefficient of CO(2) in terms of the rotational relaxation time which can ultimately be used to estimate the mutual diffusion coefficient of CO(2) in brine. The electrical conductivity of the CO(2)-brine mixtures was also calculated under different thermodynamic conditions. Electrical conductivity tends to increase with the temperature and salt concentration. However, we do not observe any influence of this property with the CO(2) concentration at the studied regimes. Our results give a first evaluation of the variation of the CO(2)-brine mass diffusion coefficient, rotational relaxation times, and electrical conductivity under the thermodynamic conditions typically encountered in deep saline aquifers.

Assessment of correlation between geophysical and hydrogeological parameters of volcanic deposits at Bandama Caldera (Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casas, Albert; Himi, Mahjoub; Estévez, Esmeralda; Lovera, Raúl; Sendrós, Alexandre; Palacios-Díaz, M. Pino; Tapias, Josefina C.; Cabrera, M. Carmen

2015-04-01

The characterization of the preferential areas of water infiltration through the vadose zone is of paramount importance to assess the pollution vulnerability of the underlying aquifers. Nevertheless, geometry and the hydraulic conductivity of each geological unit which constitute the unsaturated zone are difficult to study from traditional techniques (samples from trenches) and normally do not go beyond a meter depth from of the surface. On the other hand, boreholes are expensive and provide only local information not always representative of the whole unsaturated zone. For this reason, geophysical techniques and among them the electrical resistivity tomography method can be applicable in volcanic areas, where basaltic rocks, pyroclastic and volcanic ash-fall deposits have a wide range of values. In order to characterize the subsurface geology below the golf course of Bandama (Gran Canaria Island), irrigated with reclaimed wastewater, a detailed electrical resistivity tomography survey has been carried out. This technique has allowed to define the geometry of the existing geological formations by their high electrical resistivity contrast. Subsequently, in representative outcrops the value of resistivity of each of these lithologies has been measured and simultaneously undisturbed samples have been taken measuring the hydraulic conductivity in the laboratory. Finally a statistical correlation between both variables has been established for evaluating the vulnerability to groundwater pollution at different zones of the golf course.

Conductive fabric seal

DOEpatents

Livesay, Ronald Jason; Mason, Brandon William; Kuhn, Michael Joseph; Rowe, Nathan Carl

2017-04-04

Disclosed are several examples of a system and method for detecting if an article is being tampered with. Included is a covering made of a substrate that is coated with a layer of an electrically conductive material that forms an electrically conductive surface having an electrical resistance. The covering is configured to at least partially encapsulate the article such that the article cannot be tampered with, without modifying the electrical resistance of the electrically conductive surface of the covering. A sensing device is affixed to the electrically conductive surface of the covering and the sensing device monitors the condition of the covering by producing a signal that is indicative of the electrical resistance of the electrically conductive surface of the covering. A measured electrical resistance that differs from a nominal electrical resistance is indicative of a covering that is being tampered with and an alert is communicated to an observer.

Conductive fabric seal

DOEpatents

Livesay, Ronald Jason; Mason, Brandon William; Kuhn, Michael Joseph; Rowe, Nathan Carl

2015-10-13

Disclosed are several examples of a system and method for detecting if an article is being tampered with. Included is a covering made of a substrate that is coated with a layer of an electrically conductive material that forms an electrically conductive surface having an electrical resistance. The covering is configured to at least partially encapsulate the article such that the article cannot be tampered with, without modifying the electrical resistance of the electrically conductive surface of the covering. A sensing device is affixed to the electrically conductive surface of the covering and the sensing device monitors the condition of the covering by producing a signal that is indicative of the electrical resistance of the electrically conductive surface of the covering. A measured electrical resistance that differs from a nominal electrical resistance is indicative of a covering that is being tampered with and an alert is communicated to an observer.

An analysis of electrical conductivity model in saturated porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, J.; Wei, W.; Qin, X.; Hu, X.

2017-12-01

Electrical conductivity of saturated porous media has numerous applications in many fields. In recent years, the number of theoretical methods to model electrical conductivity of complex porous media has dramatically increased. Nevertheless, the process of modeling the spatial conductivity distributed function continues to present challenges when these models used in reservoirs, particularly in porous media with strongly heterogeneous pore-space distributions. Many experiments show a more complex distribution of electrical conductivity data than the predictions derived from the experiential model. Studies have observed anomalously-high electrical conductivity of some low-porosity (tight) formations compared to more- porous reservoir rocks, which indicates current flow in porous media is complex and difficult to predict. Moreover, the change of electrical conductivity depends not only on the pore volume fraction but also on several geometric properties of the more extensive pore network, including pore interconnection and tortuosity. In our understanding of electrical conductivity models in porous media, we study the applicability of several well-known methods/theories to electrical characteristics of porous rocks as a function of pore volume, tortuosity and interconnection, to estimate electrical conductivity based on the micro-geometrical properties of rocks. We analyze the state of the art of scientific knowledge and practice for modeling porous structural systems, with the purpose of identifying current limitations and defining a blueprint for future modeling advances. We compare conceptual descriptions of electrical current flow processes in pore space considering several distinct modeling approaches. Approaches to obtaining more reasonable electrical conductivity models are discussed. Experiments suggest more complex relationships between electrical conductivity and porosity than experiential models, particularly in low-porosity formations. However, the available theoretical models combined with simulations do provide insight to how microscale physics affects macroscale electrical conductivity in porous media.

Transparent conducting ZnO-CdO thin films deposited by e-beam evaporation technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamed, H. A.; Ali, H. M.; Mohamed, S. H.; Abd El-Raheem, M. M.

2006-04-01

Thin films of Zn{1-x} Cd{x}O with x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 at.% were deposited by electron-beam evaporation technique. It has been found that, for as-deposited films, both the transmittance and electrical resistivity decreased with increasing the Cd content. To improve the optical and electrical properties of these films, the effect of annealing temperature and time were taken into consideration for Zn{1-x} Cd{x}O film with x = 0.2. It was found that, the optical transmittance and the electrical conductivity were improved significantly with increasing the time of annealing. At fixed temperature of 300 °C, the transmittance increased with increasing the time of annealing and reached its maximum values of 81% in the visible region and 94% in the NIR region at annealing time of 120 min. The low electrical resistivity of 3.6 × 10-3 Ω cm was achieved at the same conditions. Other parameters named free carrier concentrations, refractive index, extinction coefficient, plasma frequency, and relaxation time were studied as a function of annealing temperature and time for 20% Cd content.

The influence of sulcus width on simulated electric fields induced by transcranial magnetic stimulation

PubMed Central

Janssen, A M; Rampersad, S M; Lucka, F; Lanfer, B; Lew, S; Aydin, Ü; Wolters, C H; Stegeman, D F; Oostendorp, T F

2013-01-01

Volume conduction models can help in acquiring knowledge about the distribution of the electric field induced by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). One aspect of a detailed model is an accurate description of the cortical surface geometry. Since its estimation is difficult, it is important to know how accurate the geometry has to be represented. Previous studies only looked at the differences caused by neglecting the complete boundary between the CSF and GM (Thielscher et al. 2011; Bijsterbosch et al. 2012), or by resizing the whole brain (Wagner et al. 2008). However, due to the high conductive properties of the CSF, it can be expected that alterations in sulcus width can already have a significant effect on the distribution of the electric field. To answer this question, the sulcus width of a highly realistic head model, based on T1-, T2- and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance images (MRI), was altered systematically. This study shows that alterations in the sulcus width do not cause large differences in the majority of the electric field values. However, considerable overestimation of sulcus width produces an overestimation of the calculated field strength, also at locations distant from the target location. PMID:23787706

High conductance surge cable

DOEpatents

Murray, Matthew M.; Wilfong, Dennis H.; Lomax, Ralph E.

1998-01-01

An electrical cable for connecting transient voltage surge suppressers to ectrical power panels. A strip of electrically conductive foil defines a longitudinal axis, with a length of an electrical conductor electrically attached to the metallic foil along the longitudinal axis. The strip of electrically conductive foil and the length of an electrical conductor are covered by an insulating material. For impedance matching purposes, triangular sections can be removed from the ends of the electrically conductive foil at the time of installation.

Thermoelectric materials with filled skutterudite structure for thermoelectric devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fleurial, Jean-Pierre (Inventor); Borshchevsky, Alex (Inventor); Caillat, Thierry (Inventor); Morelli, Donald T. (Inventor); Meisner, Gregory P. (Inventor)

2002-01-01

A class of thermoelectric compounds based on the skutterudite structure with heavy filling atoms in the empty octants and substituting transition metals and main-group atoms. High Seebeck coefficients and low thermal conductivities are achieved in combination with large electrical conductivities in these filled skutterudites for large ZT values. Substituting and filling methods are disclosed to synthesize skutterudite compositions with desired thermoelectric properties. A melting and/or sintering process in combination with powder metallurgy techniques is used to fabricate these new materials.

Thermoelectric devices based on materials with filled skutterudite structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fleurial, Jean-Pierre (Inventor); Borshchevsky, Alex (Inventor); Caillat, Thierry (Inventor); Morelli, Donald T. (Inventor); Meisner, Gregory P. (Inventor)

2003-01-01

A class of thermoelectric compounds based on the skutterudite structure with heavy filling atoms in the empty octants and substituting transition metals and main-group atoms. High Seebeck coefficients and low thermal conductivities are achieved in combination with large electrical conductivities in these filled skutterudites for large ZT values. Substituting and filling methods are disclosed to synthesize skutterudite compositions with desired thermoelectric properties. A melting and/or sintering process in combination with powder metallurgy techniques is used to fabricate these new materials.

Novel application for electrochemotherapy: Immersion of nasal cavity in dog.

PubMed

Suzuki, Daniela O H; Berkenbrock, José A; de Oliveira, Krishna D; Freytag, Jennifer O; Rangel, Marcelo M M

2017-08-01

Electrochemotherapy is a new modality of local cancer treatment that increases the delivery of chemotherapy drugs into tumor cells by applying intense electric fields. This novel electrochemotherapy application was applied as an adjuvant to surgery and eliminated intranasal tumors in dog. The treatment challenges are the surgery limitations due to anatomy and residual tumor in the bone cavity. Most of the tumoral mass on nasal cavity was surgically removed. The internal nasal cavity was immersed in liquid and bleomycin before applying electric field. The solution was necessary to increase the superficial contact between plate electrodes and residual tumor. The numerical study demonstrated electrochemotherapy efficiency in different clinical situations. The proximity between electrodes and bone (<3 mm) and bone irregularities affect the electric field distribution on tumoral tissue. The tumoral tissue around bone protuberances tends to be eliminated. Electrochemotherapy with plate electrodes inside the cavity might not be effective. Different values of electric conductivity solution were studied; the ideal value was 0.5 S/m. The numerical and experimental results confirm the successful application of electrochemotherapy on dog nasal cavity. © 2016 International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Apparatus for Use in Determining Surface Conductivity at Microwave Frequencies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hearn, Chase P. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

An apparatus is provided for use in determining surface conductivity of a flat or shaped conductive material at microwave frequencies. A plate has an electrically conductive surface with first and second holes passing through the plate. An electrically conductive material under test (MUT) is maintained in a spaced apart relationship with the electrically conductive surface of the plate by one or more nonconductive spacers. A first coupling loop is electrically shielded within the first hole while a second coupling loop is electrically shielded within the second hole. A dielectric resonator element is positioned between the first and second coupling loops, while also being positioned closer to the MUT than the electrically conductive surface of the plate. Microwave energy at an operating frequency f is supplied from a signal source to the first coupling loop while microwave energy received at the second coupling loop is measured. The apparatus is capable of measuring the Q-factor of the dielectric resonator situated in the 'cavity' existing between the electrically conductive surface of the plate and the MUT. Surface conductivity of the electrically conductive surface can be determined via interpolation using: 1 ) the measured Q-factor with the electrically conductive surface in place, and 2) the measured Q-factor when the MUT is replaced with reference standards having known surface conductivities.

Zinc chloride modified electronic transport and relaxation studies in barium-tellurite glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhankhar, Sunil; Kundu, R. S.; Rani, Sunita; Sharma, Preeti; Murugavel, S.; Punia, Rajesh; Kishore, N.

2017-09-01

The ac conductivity of halide based tellurium glasses having composition 70 TeO2-(30-x) BaO-x ZnCl2; x = 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 has been investigated in the frequency range 10-1 Hz to 105Hz and in the temperature range 453 K to 553 K. The frequency and temperature dependent ac conductivity show mixed behaviour with increase in halide content and found to obey Jonscher's universal power law. The values of dc conductivity, crossover frequency and frequency exponent have been estimated from the fitting of experimental data of ac conductivity with Jonscher's universal power law. For determining the conduction mechanism in studied glass system, frequency exponent has been analyzed by various theoretical models. In presently studied glasses, the ac conduction takes place via overlapping large polaron tunneling (OLPT). The values of activation energy for dc conduction (W) and the one associated with relaxation process ( E R) are found to increase with increase in x up to glass sample with x = 15 and thereafter it decrease with increase in zinc chloride content. DC conduction takes place via variable range hopping (VRH) as proposed by Mott with some modification suggested by Punia et al. The value of real part of modulus ( M') is observed to decrease with increase in temperature. The value of stretched exponent (β) obtained from fitting of M'' reveals the presence of non-Debye type of relaxation in presently studied glass samples. Scaling spectra of ac conductivity and values of electric modulus ( M' and M'') collapse into a single master curve for all the compositions and temperatures. The values of relaxation energy ( E R) for all the studied glass compositions are almost equal to W, suggesting that polarons have to overcome same barrier while relaxing and conducting. The conduction and relaxation processes in the studied glass samples are composition and temperature independent. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Mitigating Space Weather Impacts on the Power Grid in Real-Time: Applying 3-D EarthScope Magnetotelluric Data to Forecasting Reactive Power Loss in Power Transformers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultz, A.; Bonner, L. R., IV

2017-12-01

Current efforts to assess risk to the power grid from geomagnetic disturbances (GMDs) that result in geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) seek to identify potential "hotspots," based on statistical models of GMD storm scenarios and power distribution grounding models that assume that the electrical conductivity of the Earth's crust and mantle varies only with depth. The NSF-supported EarthScope Magnetotelluric (MT) Program operated by Oregon State University has mapped 3-D ground electrical conductivity structure across more than half of the continental US. MT data, the naturally occurring time variations in the Earth's vector electric and magnetic fields at ground level, are used to determine the MT impedance tensor for each site (the ratio of horizontal vector electric and magnetic fields at ground level expressed as a complex-valued frequency domain quantity). The impedance provides information on the 3-D electrical conductivity structure of the Earth's crust and mantle. We demonstrate that use of 3-D ground conductivity information significantly improves the fidelity of GIC predictions over existing 1-D approaches. We project real-time magnetic field data streams from US Geological Survey magnetic observatories into a set of linear filters that employ the impedance data and that generate estimates of ground level electric fields at the locations of MT stations. The resulting ground electric fields are projected to and integrated along the path of power transmission lines. This serves as inputs to power flow models that represent the power transmission grid, yielding a time-varying set of quasi-real-time estimates of reactive power loss at the power transformers that are critical infrastructure for power distribution. We demonstrate that peak reactive power loss and hence peak risk for transformer damage from GICs does not necessarily occur during peak GMD storm times, but rather depends on the time-evolution of the polarization of the GMD's inducing fields and the complex ground (3-D) electric field response, and the resulting alignment of the ground electric fields with the power transmission line paths. This is informing our efforts to provide a set of real-time tools for power grid operators to use in mitigating damage from space weather events.

Electrical Conductivity in Polymer Blends/ Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes

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

Kulkarni, Ajit R.; Bose, Suryasarathi; Bhattacharyya, Arup R.

2008-10-23

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) based polymer composites have emerged as the future multifunctional materials in view of its exceptional mechanical, thermal and electrical properties. One of the major interests is to develop conductive polymer composites preferably at low concentration of CNT utilizing their high aspect ratio (L/D) for numerous applications, which include antistatic devices, capacitors and materials for EMI shielding. In this context, polymer blends have emerged as a potential candidate in lowering the percolation thresholds further by the utilization of 'double-percolation' which arises from the synergistic improvements in blend properties associated with the co-continuous morphology. Due to strong inter-tube vanmore » der Waals' forces, they often tend to aggregate and uniform dispersion remains a challenge. To overcome this challenge, we exploited sodium salt of 6-aminohexanoic acid (Na-AHA) which was able to assist in debundlling the multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNT) through 'cation-{pi}' interactions during melt-mixing leading to percolative 'network-like' structure of MWNT within polyamide6 (PA6) phase in co-continuous PA6/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) blends. The composite exhibited low electrical percolation thresholds of 0.25 wt% of MWNT, the lowest reported value in this system so far. Retention of 'network-like structure' in the solid state with significant refinement was observed even at lower MWNT concentration in presence Na-AHA, which was assessed through AC electrical conductivity measurements. Reactive coupling was found to be a dominant factor besides 'cation-{pi}' interactions in achieving low electrical percolation in PA6/ABS+MWNT composites.« less

Conductive network formation of carbon nanotubes in elastic polymer microfibers and its effect on the electrical conductance: Experiment and simulation

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

Cho, Hyun Woo; Kim, Jeongmin; Sung, Bong June, E-mail: jjpark@chonnam.ac.kr, E-mail: bjsung@sogang.ac.kr

We investigate how the electrical conductance of microfibers (made of polymers and conductive nanofillers) decreases upon uniaxial deformation by performing both experiments and simulations. Even though various elastic conductors have been developed due to promising applications for deformable electronic devices, the mechanism at a molecular level for electrical conductance change has remained elusive. Previous studies proposed that the decrease in electrical conductance would result from changes in either distances or contact numbers between conductive fillers. In this work, we prepare microfibers of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs)/polyvinyl alcohol composites and investigate the electrical conductance and the orientation of SWCNTs uponmore » uniaxial deformation. We also perform extensive Monte Carlo simulations, which reproduce experimental results for the relative decrease in conductance and the SWCNTs orientation. We investigate the electrical networks of SWCNTs in microfibers and find that the decrease in the electrical conductance upon uniaxial deformation should be attributed to a subtle change in the topological structure of the electrical network.« less

Comparing spatial series of soil bulk electrical conductivity as obtained by Time Domain Reflectometry and Electrical Resistivity Tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saeed, Ali; Dragonetti, Giovanna; Comegna, Allessandro; Garre, Sarah; Lamaddalena, Nicola; Coppola, Antonio

2016-04-01

Conventional ground survey of soil root zone salinity by direct soil sampling are time consuming, costly and destructive. Alternatively, soil salinity can be evaluated by measuring the bulk electrical conductivity, σb, in the field. This approach is faster and cheaper, and allows a more intensive surveying. Measurements of σb can be made either in situ or with remote devices. Time domain reflectometry (TDR) sensors allow simultaneous measurements of water content, θ, and σb. They may be calibrated for estimating the electrical conductivity of the soil solution (σw). However, they have a relatively small observation window and thus they are thought to only provide local-scale measurements. The spatial range of the sensors is limited to tens of centimeters and extension of the information to a large area can be problematic. Also, information on the vertical distribution of the σb soil profile may only be obtained by installing sensors at different depths. In this sense, the TDR may be considered as an invasive technique. Compared to the TDR, other geophysical methods based for example on the Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) techniques represent an alternative in respect to those traditional for soil salinity characterization. In order to deduce the actual distribution of the bulk electrical conductivity, σb, in the soil profile, one needs to invert the signal coming from ERT sensors. The latter, in turn, depends on the specific depth distribution of the σb, as well as on the electrical configuration of the sensor used. With these premises, the main aim of this study is to estimate the vertical σb distribution starting from resistivity data series measured using the ERT method under different salinity conditions and using TDR data as ground-truth data for calibration and validation of the ERT sensor. This way, limited measured TDR data may be used for translating extensive ERT apparent electrical conductivity, σa, measurements to estimate depth-distributions of σb. These, in turn, may be translated to many σw values by applying the σw-σb-θ calibration relationship obtained in the laboratory by using the TDR probes. A field experiment was conducted in the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute (MAI) of Valenzano (Bari - Italy). The experiment consisted of three transects 30 m long and 4.2 width, cultivated with green bean and irrigated with three different salinity levels (1 dS/m, 3 dS/m, and 6 dS/m). Each transect consisted of seven rows equipped by a dripper irrigation system, which supplied a water flux of 2 l/h. As for the salt application, CaCl2 were dissolved in tap water, and subsequently siphoned into the irrigation system. For each transect, 24 regularly spaced monitoring sites (1 m apart) were selected for soil measurements, using different equipments: i) a TDR100, ii) an ERT apparatus in the Wenner configuration array. Overall, 17 measurement campaigns were carried out. Monitoring along transects also allowed to evaluate the role of different smaller and larger scale heterogeneities on the electrical conductivity measured by the two different sensors. Because of the different variability patterns and structure of the ERT and TDR data due to the different observation windows, a site-by-site comparison of the corresponding readings may not reveal the actual correlation between the σb values deduced by ERT measurements on one side and the TDR data on the other. In order to make TDR and ERT data actually comparable, we analyzed the effect of the different observation windows of the two sensors on the different spatial and temporal variability observed in the two data series. Specifically, the study assessed the potential of applying a Fourier's analysis to filter the original data series to extract the predominant, high-variance signal after removing the small- scale (high frequency) variance observed in the TDR data series.

Power module assembly

DOEpatents

Campbell, Jeremy B [Torrance, CA; Newson, Steve [Redondo Beach, CA

2011-11-15

A power module assembly of the type suitable for deployment in a vehicular power inverter, wherein the power inverter has a grounded chassis, is provided. The power module assembly comprises a conductive base layer electrically coupled to the chassis, an insulating layer disposed on the conductive base layer, a first conductive node disposed on the insulating layer, a second conductive node disposed on the insulating layer, wherein the first and second conductive nodes are electrically isolated from each other. The power module assembly also comprises a first capacitor having a first electrode electrically connected to the conductive base layer, and a second electrode electrically connected to the first conductive node, and further comprises a second capacitor having a first electrode electrically connected to the conductive base layer, and a second electrode electrically connected to the second conductive node.

Analysis of Advanced Thermoelectric Materials and Their Functional Limits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Hyun Jung

2015-01-01

The world's demand for energy is increasing dramatically, but the best energy conversion systems operate at approximately 30% efficiency. One way to decrease energy loss is in the recovery of waste heat using thermoelectric (TE) generators. A TE generator is device that generates electricity by exploiting heat flow across a thermal gradient. The efficiency of a TE material for power generation and cooling is determined by the dimensionless Figure of Merit (ZT): ZT = S(exp. 2)sigmaT/?: where S is the Seebeck coefficient, sigma is the electrical conductivity, T is the absolute temperature, and ? is the thermal conductivity. The parameters are not physically independent, but intrinsically coupled since they are a function of the transport properties of electrons. Traditional research on TE materials has focused on synthesizing bulk semiconductor-type materials that have low thermal conductivity and high electrical conductivity affording ZT values of 1. The optimization of the s/? ratio is difficult to achieve using current material formats, as these material constants are complementary. Recent areas of research are focusing on using nanostructural artifacts that introduce specific dislocations and boundary conditions that scatter the phonons. This disrupts the physical link between thermal (phonon) and electrical (electron) transport. The result is that ? is decreased without decreasing s. These material formats give ZT values of up to 2 which represent approximately 18% energy gain from waste heat recovery. The next challenge in developing the next generation of TE materials with superior performance is to tailor the interconnected thermoelectric physical parameters of the material system. In order to approach this problem, the fundamental physics of each parameter S, sigma, and ? need to be physically understood in their context of electron/phonon interaction for the construction of new high ZT thermoelectric devices. Is it possible to overcome the physical limit imposed by of the effect of phonon lattice oscillation and energetic electrons towards thermal conductivity? Is the Seebeck coefficient, based on the difference in voltage over temperature gradient ( deltaV/deltaT), an intrinsic parameter of each material? All these parameters were manipulated using nano-bridge and twin-lattice structural concepts at the NASA Langley Research Center. This talk will review the current trend of TE research to optimize the ZT and discuss about new approaches on increasing ZT within functional limits of each parameter.

AN INSTRUMENT TO MEASURE THE ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY OF ARC PLASMA JETS

DTIC Science & Technology

The instrument was calibrated by moving aluminum or graphite rods through the transducer. By using thin-wall, stainless steel tubing, the influence ... function for the transducer was also obtained. Tests were run on two different arc plasma jet facilities. Values of s, u ranged from 0.02 to 9 megamhos per second. (Author)

Electrically-conductive proppant and methods for making and using same

DOEpatents

Cannan, Chad; Roper, Todd; Savoy, Steve; Mitchell, Daniel R.

2016-09-06

Electrically-conductive sintered, substantially round and spherical particles and methods for producing such electrically-conductive sintered, substantially round and spherical particles from an alumina-containing raw material. Methods for using such electrically-conductive sintered, substantially round and spherical particles in hydraulic fracturing operations.

Optimization of tissue physical parameters for accurate temperature estimation from finite-element simulation of radiofrequency ablation.

PubMed

Subramanian, Swetha; Mast, T Douglas

2015-10-07

Computational finite element models are commonly used for the simulation of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treatments. However, the accuracy of these simulations is limited by the lack of precise knowledge of tissue parameters. In this technical note, an inverse solver based on the unscented Kalman filter (UKF) is proposed to optimize values for specific heat, thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity resulting in accurately simulated temperature elevations. A total of 15 RFA treatments were performed on ex vivo bovine liver tissue. For each RFA treatment, 15 finite-element simulations were performed using a set of deterministically chosen tissue parameters to estimate the mean and variance of the resulting tissue ablation. The UKF was implemented as an inverse solver to recover the specific heat, thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity corresponding to the measured area of the ablated tissue region, as determined from gross tissue histology. These tissue parameters were then employed in the finite element model to simulate the position- and time-dependent tissue temperature. Results show good agreement between simulated and measured temperature.

Improvement on electrical conductivity and electron field emission properties of Au-ion implanted ultrananocrystalline diamond films by using Au-Si eutectic substrates

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

Sankaran, K. J.; Institute for Materials Research; Sundaravel, B.

2015-08-28

In the present work, Au-Si eutectic layer was used to enhance the electrical conductivity/electron field emission (EFE) properties of Au-ion implanted ultrananocrystalline diamond (Au-UNCD) films grown on Si substrates. The electrical conductivity was improved to a value of 230 (Ω cm){sup −1}, and the EFE properties was enhanced reporting a low turn-on field of 2.1 V/μm with high EFE current density of 5.3 mA/cm{sup 2} (at an applied field of 4.9 V/μm) for the Au-UNCD films. The formation of SiC phase circumvents the formation of amorphous carbon prior to the nucleation of diamond on Si substrates. Consequently, the electron transport efficiency of themore » UNCD-to-Si interface increases, thereby improving the conductivity as well as the EFE properties. Moreover, the salient feature of these processes is that the sputtering deposition of Au-coating for preparing the Au-Si interlayer, the microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process for growing the UNCD films, and the Au-ion implantation process for inducing the nanographitic phases are standard thin film preparation techniques, which are simple, robust, and easily scalable. The availability of these highly conducting UNCD films with superior EFE characteristics may open up a pathway for the development of high-definition flat panel displays and plasma devices.« less

Electric Double-Layer Interaction between Dissimilar Charge-Conserved Conducting Plates.

PubMed

Chan, Derek Y C

2015-09-15

Small metallic particles used in forming nanostructured to impart novel optical, catalytic, or tribo-rheological can be modeled as conducting particles with equipotential surfaces that carry a net surface charge. The value of the surface potential will vary with the separation between interacting particles, and in the absence of charge-transfer or electrochemical reactions across the particle surface, the total charge of each particle must also remain constant. These two physical conditions require the electrostatic boundary condition for metallic nanoparticles to satisfy an equipotential whole-of-particle charge conservation constraint that has not been studied previously. This constraint gives rise to a global charge conserved constant potential boundary condition that results in multibody effects in the electric double-layer interaction that are either absent or are very small in the familiar constant potential or constant charge or surface electrochemical equilibrium condition.

Ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Bo; Chang, Aimin; Zhao, Qing; Ye, Haitao; Wu, Yiquan

2014-11-01

The microstructure and thermoelectric properties of Yb-doped Ca0.9- x Yb x La0.1 MnO3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.05) ceramics prepared by using the Pechini method derived powders have been investigated. X-ray diffraction analysis has shown that all samples exhibit single phase with orthorhombic perovskite structure. All ceramic samples possess high relative densities, ranging from 97.04% to 98.65%. The Seebeck coefficient is negative, indicating n-type conduction in all samples. The substitution of Yb for Ca leads to a marked decrease in the electrical resistivity, along with a moderate decrease in the absolute value of the Seebeck coefficient. The highest power factor is obtained for the sample with x = 0.05. The electrical conduction in these compounds is due to electrons hopping between Mn3+ and Mn4+, which is enhanced by increasing Yb content.

Application of the Maxwell-Wagner-Hanai effective medium theory to the analysis of the interfacial polarization relaxations in conducting composite films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

J-P Adohi, B.; Vanga Bouanga, C.; Fatyeyeva, K.; Tabellout, M.

2009-01-01

A new approach to explain the interfacial polarization phenomenon in conducting composite films is proposed. HCl-doped poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and polyamide-6 (PA-6) matrices with embedded polyaniline (PANI) particles as filler were investigated and analysed, combining dielectric spectroscopy and AFM electrical images with the effective medium theory analysis. Up to three relaxation peaks attributed to the interfacial polarization phenomena were detected in the studied frequency range (0.1 Hz-1 MHz). The AFM electrical images revealed that the doped PA-6/PANI composite can be modelled as a single-type particle medium and the PET/PANI one as a two-type particle medium. A simple dielectric loss expression was derived from the Maxwell-Wagner-Hanai mixture equation and was applied to the experimental data to identify the interfaces involved in each of the relaxation peaks. The parameter values (permittivity, conductivity, volume fraction of the PANI particles) were found to agree well with the measured one, hence validating the models.

A case study by life cycle assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Shuyun

2017-05-01

This article aims to assess the potential environmental impact of an electrical grinder during its life cycle. The Life Cycle Inventory Analysis was conducted based on the Simplified Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA) Drivers that calculated from the Valuation of Social Cost and Simplified Life Cycle Assessment Model (VSSM). The detailed results for LCI can be found under Appendix II. The Life Cycle Impact Assessment was performed based on Eco-indicator 99 method. The analysis results indicated that the major contributor to the environmental impact as it accounts for over 60% overall SLCA output. In which, 60% of the emission resulted from the logistic required for the maintenance activities. This was measured by conducting the hotspot analysis. After performing sensitivity analysis, it is evidenced that changing fuel type results in significant decrease environmental footprint. The environmental benefit can also be seen from the negative output values of the recycling activities. By conducting Life Cycle Assessment analysis, the potential environmental impact of the electrical grinder was investigated.

Combination of thermal and electric properties' measurement techniques in a single setup suitable for radioactive materials in controlled environments and based on the 3ω approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shrestha, K.; Gofryk, K.

2018-04-01

We have designed and developed a new experimental setup, based on the 3ω method, to measure thermal conductivity, heat capacity, and electrical resistivity of a variety of samples in a broad temperature range (2-550 K) and under magnetic fields up to 9 T. The validity of this method is tested by measuring various types of metallic (copper, platinum, and constantan) and insulating (SiO2) materials, which have a wide range of thermal conductivity values (1-400 W m-1 K-1). We have successfully employed this technique for measuring the thermal conductivity of two actinide single crystals: uranium dioxide and uranium nitride. This new experimental approach for studying nuclear materials will help us to advance reactor fuel development and understanding. We have also shown that this experimental setup can be adapted to the Physical Property Measurement System (Quantum Design) environment and/or other cryocooler systems.

Exploring Charge Transport in Guest Molecule Infiltrated Cu 3(BTC) 2 Metal Organic Framework

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

Leonard, Francois Leonard; Stavila, Vitalie; Allendorf, Mark D.

2014-09-01

The goal of this Exploratory Express project was to expand the understanding of the physical properties of our recently discovered class of materials consisting of metal-organic frameworks with electroactive ‘guest’ molecules that together form an electrically conducting charge-transfer complex (molecule@MOF). Thin films of Cu 3(BTC) 2 were grown on fused silica using solution step-by-step growth and were infiltrated with the molecule tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ). The infiltrated MOF films were extensively characterized using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, electrical conductivity, and thermoelectric properties. Thermopower measurements on TCNQ@Cu 3(BTC) 2 revealed a positive Seebeck coefficient of ~400 μV/k, indicating that holesmore » are the primary carriers in this material. The high value of the Seebeck coefficient and the expected low thermal conductivity suggest that molecule@MOF materials may be attractive for thermoelectric power conversion applications requiring low cost, solution-processable, and non-toxic active materials.« less

The Properties of p-GaN with Different Cp2Mg/Ga Ratios and Their Influence on Conductivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shang, Lin; Ma, Shufang; Liang, Jian; Li, Tianbao; Yu, Chunyan; Liu, Xuguang; Xu, Bingshe

2016-06-01

The effect of Cp2Mg/Ga ratio on the properties of p-GaN was explored by scanning Hall probe, photoluminescence (PL), and atomic force microscopy measurement. It was found that p-GaN has an optimal doping concentration under 2% Cp2Mg/Ga ratio, and higher or lower doping concentration is not beneficial to the conductivity. Hole concentration under the optimum condition is 4.2 × 1017 cm-3 at room temperature. If the Cp2Mg/Ga ratio exceeds the optimum value of 2%, surface morphology and electrical conduction properties become poor, and blue emission at 440 nm, considered deep donor-to-acceptor pair transitions in the PL spectra, are dominant. The decrease in electrical properties indicates the existence of compensating donors because the hole concentration decreases at such high Cp2Mg/Ga ratio. The obtained results indicate that Mg is not incorporated in the exact acceptor site under a heavy doping condition, but acts as a deep donor, instead.

Equilibrium configurations of the conducting liquid surface in a nonuniform electric field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zubarev, N. M.; Zubareva, O. V.

2011-01-01

Possible equilibrium configurations of the free surface of a conducting liquid deformed by a nonuniform external electric field are investigated. The liquid rests on an electrode that has the shape of a dihedral angle formed by two intersecting equipotential half-planes (conducting wedge). It is assumed that the problem has plane symmetry: the surface is invariant under shift along the edge of the dihedral angle. A one-parametric family of exact solutions for the shape of the surface is found in which the opening angle of the region above the wedge serves as a parameter. The solutions are valid when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the liquid is zero. For an arbitrary pressure difference, approximate solutions to the problem are constructed and it is demonstrated the approximation error is small. It is found that, when the potential difference exceeds a certain threshold value, equilibrium solutions are absent. In this case, the region occupied by the liquid disintegrates, the disintegration scenario depending on the opening angle.

On optimal current patterns for electrical impedance tomography.

PubMed

Demidenko, Eugene; Hartov, Alex; Soni, Nirmal; Paulsen, Keith D

2005-02-01

We develop a statistical criterion for optimal patterns in planar circular electrical impedance tomography. These patterns minimize the total variance of the estimation for the resistance or conductance matrix. It is shown that trigonometric patterns (Isaacson, 1986), originally derived from the concept of distinguishability, are a special case of our optimal statistical patterns. New optimal random patterns are introduced. Recovering the electrical properties of the measured body is greatly simplified when optimal patterns are used. The Neumann-to-Dirichlet map and the optimal patterns are derived for a homogeneous medium with an arbitrary distribution of the electrodes on the periphery. As a special case, optimal patterns are developed for a practical EIT system with a finite number of electrodes. For a general nonhomogeneous medium, with no a priori restriction, the optimal patterns for the resistance and conductance matrix are the same. However, for a homogeneous medium, the best current pattern is the worst voltage pattern and vice versa. We study the effect of the number and the width of the electrodes on the estimate of resistivity and conductivity in a homogeneous medium. We confirm experimentally that the optimal patterns produce minimum conductivity variance in a homogeneous medium. Our statistical model is able to discriminate between a homogenous agar phantom and one with a 2 mm air hole with error probability (p-value) 1/1000.